Triterpenoids from an aqueous extract of the Ziziphus jujuba var. spinosa seeds / 药学学报

Four new triterpenoids, together with six known analogues, were isolated from an aqueous extract of the Ziziphus jujuba var. spinosa seeds, by multiple column chromatographic separation methods using stationary phases of macroporous adsorption resin, MCI resin, normal phase silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, and Toyopearl HW-40C as well as preparative thin-layer chromatography and reversed-phase HPLC. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic data analysis, the new structures were trivially named jujubaceanothoside A (1), 23-epijujuboside A (2), and jujubosides J and K (3 and 4), while the known analogues were identified as jujubosides A-C (5-7) and II (8), alphitolic acid (9), and betulinic acid (10). The structure of 1 was confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction.

Anti-infective, cytotoxic and antioxidant activity of Ziziphus oxyphylla and Cedrela serrata

Objective: To search for the most active antimicrobial and antioxidant sub-fractions related to traditional use of Ziziphus oxyphylla (Z. oxyphylla) and Cedrela serrata (C. serrata) in Pakistan against infectious and liver diseases. Methods: Factions of different polarity were tested in vitro for their antiprotozoal, antimalarial, antibacterial and antifungal activity against different pathogens. Cytotoxicity on MRC-5 cell lines (human lung fibroblasts) as well as, in vitro radical scavenging activity was evaluated using the 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical assay. Results: The highest antiprotozoal activity was observed for the CHCl3 fractions of Z. oxyphylla roots and leaves, and C. serrata bark. The CHCl3 and EtOAc fractions of Z. oxyphylla roots, the CHCl3 fraction of Z. oxyphylla leaves, the EtOAc and the residual MeOH: H2O fraction of C. serrata bark showed antibacterial activity against Staphylo-coccus aureus. The same residual MeOH: H2O fraction of C. serrata bark was active against Candida albicans. The highest antioxidant activity was observed for the more hydrophilic EtOAc fractions of Z. oxyphylla leaves, C. serrata bark and leaves, and the residual MeOH:H2O fraction of C. serrata bark. Conclusions: This study supports at least in part the traditional uses of these plants for antimicrobial purposes and against liver diseases.

Anti-infective, cytotoxic and antioxidant activity of Ziziphus oxyphylla and Cedrela serrata

Objective To search for the most active antimicrobial and antioxidant sub-fractions related to traditional use of Ziziphus oxyphylla (Z. oxyphylla) and Cedrela serrata (C. serrata) in Pakistan against infectious and liver diseases. Methods Factions of different polarity were tested in vitro for their antiprotozoal, antimalarial, antibacterial and antifungal activity against different pathogens. Cytotoxicity on MRC-5 cell lines (human lung fibroblasts) as well as, in vitro radical scavenging activity was evaluated using the 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical assay. Results The highest antiprotozoal activity was observed for the CHCl

Intoxicação experimental pelos frutos de uva-Japão, hovenia dulcis (rhamnaceae), em bovinos / Experimental poisoning by the fruits of hovenia dulcis (rhamnaceae) in cattle

Hovenia dulcis Thunberg (uva-Japão) é uma árvore caducifolia nativa da China e de alguns lugares do Japão. Nos últimos anos essa planta foi utilizada como forma de sombreamento para aviários no Oeste e Meio-Oeste de Santa Catarina e passou a disseminar-se por toda a região. Os bovinos comem avidamente seus frutos maduros quando caem ao chão. Suspeitas de intoxicação ocorreram no outono e início de inverno e coincidiam com a maturação dos frutos. A doença foi reproduzida em 2004 por outros autores através da administração dos frutos a bovinos, em dose única de 24,5g/kg. Nos anos subsequentes não ocorreram reclamações sobre a intoxicação pelos frutos dessa planta, embora, muitos criadores afirmavam que os bovinos, na temporada de maturação, continuavam a ingerir os frutos. Experimentalmente, nove bovinos que receberam frutos da planta em doses únicas entre 30 e 50g/kg, apenas dois bovinos adoeceram gravemente e um morreu. O quadro clínico e as lesões foram semelhantes à intoxicação reproduzida em 2004, porém, a dose necessária para reproduzirmos a doença foi 100% superior à dose tóxica preconizada como letal em 2004.

Hovenia dulcis Thunberg (Japan grape) is a deciduous tree native of China and some parts of Japan. Over the last years, the tree has been used for shading in poultry farms of western and middle western Santa Catarina, spreading in the region. Cattle ingest the ripe fruits of H. dulcis fallen to the ground. The fruits were suspected to cause poisoning during fall and early winter, period of their maturation. The disease has been reproduced in 2004 by other authors with a single dose of 24.5g/kg. In the subsequent years no complaints regarding the toxicity of H. dulcis fruits have been reported, although many breeders observed that cattle continued to consume them during the ripening season. We administered the fruits at single doses of 30-50g/kg to nine calves, only two of them became seriously ill and one died. The clinical picture and lesions were similar to the poisoning reproduced in 2004, however, the dose required to reproduce the poisoning was 100% higher than the lethal dose found in 2004.

Effect of Hovenia Dulcis Thunb liquid on the expression of UCP2 gene in ethanol-induced superfatted L-02 cells in vitro / 中国医师杂志

Objective To establish the model of alcohol-induced hepatocyte steatosis in L-02 liver cells in vitro,investigate the relationship between cell damage,UCP2 gene expression and ethanol concentrations in L-02 cells of steatosis,and explore the protective effect of Hovenia Dulcis Thunb extracted liquid.Method Hovenia Dulcis Thunb extracted liquid at the most compatible dosage was applied to the L-02 cells of steatosis.Then UCP2 mRNA was detected by the semi-quantitative RT-PCR method.Results In steatosis model groups,UCP2 mRNA expression was downregulated ( P ＜0.05).In the steatosis groups treated with Hovenia Dulcis Thunb extracted liquid,UCP2 mRNA level was significantly increased compared to steatosis group ( its expression level increased from 0.4859 to 0.7442 after treatment of 0.6％ ethanol,P＜ 0.05).Conclusions Ethanol can down-regulate the UCP2 mRNA expression of L-02 cells in a certain period.The low expression of UCP2 mRNA is probably relevant to the occurrence of alcoholic fatty liver disease.Hovenia Dulcis Thunb can prevent from the cell toxicity of ethanol and decrease the degree of steatosis.Hovenia Dulcis Thunb extracted liquid can increase the expression level of UCP2 mRNA in the L-02 cells.