Comparative study on toxicity of extracts from Phytolaccae Radix before and after being processed with vinegar / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To extract and separate toxic components from Phytolaccae Radix, and to comare the changes in toxicity of Phytolaccae Radix before and after being processed with vinegar.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The mucous membrane irritation response, mouse peritoneal inflammation model and in vitro macrophages release NO model were applied to compared the changes in inflammatory toxicity of toxic components from Phytolaccae Radix before and after being processed with vinegar.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Toxic components of Phytolacca Radix had significant inflammatory toxicity, which could cause conjunctival edema in rabbits, and increase of PGE2 and macrophages release NO content in peritoneal exudate in mice. After being processed with vinegar, they showed reduced irritation, which resulted in decrease of PGE2 and macrophages release NO content in peritoneal exudate in mice.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>After being processed with vinegar, the toxicity of toxic components from Phytolacca Radix decreased obviously.</p>

Isolation, expression analysis of a chilling induced cDNA from rice root with differential display: an evidence role for caffeine-sensitive calcium signal / 生物工程学报

Chilling-sensitive rice varieties acquire chilling tolerance when their roots are exposed to water stress for short time. Caffeine-sensitive calcium signal was involved in this procedure. By using total RNA differential display, a chilling induced cDNA(ICT: induction of chilling treatment) was isolated from roots of chilling-sensitive rice variety. It was determined that it is a novel cDNA by homology searching. The transcript level of ict mRNA is up-regulated under chilling stress, it is decreased to low level when the samples were transferred to standard culture conditions. Pre-treated with mannitol for two hours is beneficial to inducing ICT level of expression. This chilling induction was inhibited by caffeine, suggesting that it may play a putative role in signal transduction of caffeine-sensitive calcium.