Microbial diversity of musk across its maturation process in forest musk deer / 中国中药杂志

Musk,with unique and intense perfume,was a kind of deep brown precious medicinal material in traditional Chinese medicine. However,the immature musk in musk pot was white and stench. Given the fact that bacterial diversity generated odorous metabolites in animal hosts,in this study,musk samples at three different mature stages,including MJ( the end of June),MA( the end of August) and MO( the end of October) were harvested from three male forest musk deer,and then next-generation sequencing was used to intensively survey the bacterial communities in musk harvested at different mature stages. RESULTS: indicated that the average OTUs per sample at the end of June,August and October were 47 116. 00 ± 1 567. 24( SE),52 009. 00 ± 8 958. 75( SE) and50 004. 67±4 135. 57( SE),respectively. Feature of the musk 16 S rRNA gene showed a total of 418 genera belonging to 52 phyla were observed in all samples. The main microbiota was bacteria,which accounted for 98. 82%,99. 95% and 99. 58% in MJ,MA and MO,respectively. At phylum level,Firmicutes was the most abundant bacterial of MA( 32. 75%) and MO( 39. 19%). While,the major bacterial in MJ was Proteobacteria( 49. 14%). PICRUSt analysis revealed the functions of bacterial in MJ were mainly involved in secretion,while bacterial functions of MA and MO were mainly involved in amino acid or other substance metabolism,which was in accord with the musk secretion physiological process of forest musk deer. This is the first study involved in the bacterial diversity in musk of forest musk deer across the maturation process,while may provide a new insight into the musk generation mechanism.

Research progress on molecular genetics of forest musk deer / 中国中药杂志

Forest musk deer is one of the large-scale farming musk deer animals with the largest population at the same time. The male musk deer can secrete valuable medicines, which has high medicinal and economic value. Due to the loss of habitat and indiscriminate hunting, the numbers of wild population specie and the distribution have been drastically reduced. Therefore, in-depth understanding of the molecular genetics progress of forest musk deer will pave a way for musk deer protection and breeding. In this review, the progress associated with the molecular marker, genetic classification, artificial breeding, musk secretion and disease in past decades were reviewed, in order to provide a theoretical basis for subsequent molecular genetic researches in forest musk deer.

Research progress on musk secretion mechanism of forest musk deer / 中国中药杂志

Forest musk deer (Moschus berezovskii), a rare wild medicinal animal, is listed under the category of the state key protected wildlife list of China. Musk, secreted by the musk glands, is with high economic and medicinal value and used as precious traditional medicine in China. In order to meet the needs of musk in Chinese traditional medicine, forest musk deer farming was conducted in 1950s, but the research progress on musk secretion mechanism was slow. Therefore, by reviewing the histological and anatomical structure of forest musk deer musk gland, the relationship between sex hormones and the musk secretion process, and the molecular mechanism of the musk secretion, the existing problems in investigating the musk secretion mechanism were analyzed and the development trends in this field were also discussed, in order to provide a reference for further studies on the musk secretion mechanism and improve musk production of forest musk deer.

Chemical constituent analysis of EtOAc fraction of Tithonia diversifolia (HEMSL.) A. Gray / 第二军医大学学报

Objective: To isolate and identify the chemical constituents of the EtOAc fraction of Tithonia diversifolia. Methods: The dried aerial parts of Tithonia diversifolia were extracted with 80% EtOH,and the chemical constituents of the ethyl acetate portion from the extract were isolated by column chromatography with silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and MCI. The isolated compounds were identified by NMR and MS analysis. Results: Ten compounds were isolated from EtOAc extract, and identified as, vanillin (1), ergosterol (2), ergosterol peroxide (3), 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy-trans-cinnamaldehyde (4), 3-hydroxybenzaldehyde (5), 7-methylesculetin (6) , 5-hydyoxymethyl furfural (7), nepetin (8) , docosanoic acid 2, 3-dihydroxypropyl ester(9) and 13-hydroxyeupatorochromene(10). Conclusion: Vanillin, ergosterol, ergosterol peroxide, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy- trans-cinnamaldehyde, p-hydroxybenzaldehyde, 7-methylesculetin, 5-hydyoxymethyl furfural, docosanoic acid 2, 3-dihydroxypropyl ester, and 13- hydroxyeupatorochromene have been isolated from Tithonia diversifolia for the first time.