Soil ecological effect of attapulgite and its application prospect in ecological planting of Chinese materia medica / 中国中药杂志

The long-term and extensive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in the cultivation of Chinese materia medica has resulted in serious soil ecological and environmental problems such as secondary salinization, soil consolidation, soil acidification, continuous cropping obstacles, micro-ecological imbalance, and serious soil pests and diseases in the production areas of Chinese materia medica. Therefore, promoting the ecological planting of Chinese materia medica is the only way for the production of Chinese materia medica. Attapulgite(ATP) is a kind of water-rich magnesium-rich aluminosilicate clay mineral with layered and chain structure. It has abundant reserves in China, possesses nano-material properties, strong adsorption and ion exchange properties, and has huge high value utilization space. ATP and its functional products have the potential of water and fertilizer conservation, regulating soil structure and micro-ecology, and are widely used in ecological planting of Chinese materia medica. This paper reviews the resource distribution, structural characteristics, the research and application progress in soil ecological effects of ATP, and prospects the application prospects of it in the ecological planting of Chinese materia medica.

Contrast effect of biochars and attapulgite clay on the adsorption and removal of cadmium ions from metal contaminated aqueous solution

Aim: To study the contrasting effect of adsorption and removal of cadmium ions using wheat straw biochar, rice straw biochar and attapulgite clay in contaminated aqueous solution. Methodology: Batch sorption experiment was carried out to investigate the parameters influencing the adsorption capacity such as pH, initial cadmium concentration, adsorbent dose and contact time. The physical and chemical characteristics of biochars and clay were studied and adsorption mechanism was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller and X-ray diffraction, which indicated high adsorption and removal of Cd+2ions by wheat straw biochar was mainly due to the presence of surface carboxyl functional groups –OH, C-O, COOH that reacted Cd2+ions. Results: The adsorption effect of wheat straw biochar (WSB), rice straw biochar (RSB) and attapulgite (ATP) clay were compared. The results showed that adsorption isotherms were best fit to Langmui isotherm model. The adsorption kinetics study well matched with pseudo second order model and the maximum adsorption equilibrium of WSB, RSB and ATP reached to 100, 160, and 120 min, respectively. The results showed that adsorption rate was maximum at pH 6 with 0.1 g dose of adsorbent, 40 mg l-1 metal concentration, and contact time of 100 min at 30°C for WSB. The maximum percent removal of cadmium ions from aqueous solution was in the order WSB>ATP>RSB, 95%, 91% and 88%, respectively. Interpretation: The results explored that wheat straw biochar has high Cd2+adsorption rate and removal efficiency in contaminated water than others. Hence, the results explored that WSB is a potential, low-cost adsorbent and can be used as cadmium decontaminant in polluted water with no secondary pollution.

Physiological effects of cadmium stress on Astragalus membranaceus seedlings and alleviative effects of attapulgite clay on cadmium stress / 中国中药杂志

In this study we investigate the effects of cadmium stress on Astragalus membranaceus seedlings and the alleviative effects of attapulgite clay in growth substrate on cadmium stress to A. membranaceus seedlings. The results showed that the Y (Ⅱ) (effective photochemical quantum yield of PSⅡ photosynthetic), qP(photochemical quenching coefficient), ETR(the rate of non-cyclic electrontransport through PSⅡ), and chlorophyll content of the leaves were significantly decreased with the increase of cadmium concentrations, while the cadmium content, non-photochemical quenching(NPQ, qN) of the leaves and cadmium content, MDA content, plasma membrane permeability, and the damage degree of root apical membrane of the roots were significantly increased. Simultaneously, the activities of APX(ascorbate peroxidase), SOD(superoxide dismutase), POD(peroxidase), CAT(catalase), soluble protein content, and soluble sugar content of roots were increased first but then decreased with the increasing cadmium concentration. Under the condition of without Cd stress, the attapulgite clay into the growth substrate did not significantly affect above physiological indexes of leaves, but significantly increased SOD activity and soluble sugar content of roots and decreased the MDA content, damage degree of root apical membrane of roots, while other physiological indexes did not significantly change. Under cadmium stress, the presence of attapulgite clay in the growth substrate significantly alleviated the cadmium-induced decreases Y (Ⅱ), qP, ETR and chlorophyll content of leaves, and the CAT activity, soluble protein content, and soluble sugar content of roots. Under condition with cadmium stress, the presence of attapulgite clay significantly alleviated the cadmium-induced increases of leaves cadmium content, qN and NPQ, and the cadmium content, MDA content, plasma membrane permeability, damage degree of root apical membrane, SOD, POD, and APX activity of the roots. And, the alleviative effects of attapulgite clay on cadmium stress to A. membranaceus roots were more obvious with the increase of cadmium stress time. The above results showed that the addition of attapulgite clay into the growth substrate has certain alleviative effect on the cadmium stress to A. membranaceus seedlings.

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON BONE DEFECT REPAIR WITH COMPOSITE OF ATTAPULGITE/COLLAGEN TYPE I/POLY (CAPROLACTONE) IN RABBITS / 中国修复重建外科杂志

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of repairing radial bone defect with scaffold material of attapulgite/collagen type I/poly (caprolactone) (ATP/Col I/PCL) in rabbits and the possibility as bone graft substitutes. METHODS: ATP/Col I/PCL materials were prepared via adding ATP to hexafluoroisopropanol after dissolved Col I/PCL (3:2), and Col I/PCL materials via dissolving Col I/PCL (3:2) in hexafluoroisopropanol served as control. The structure of scaffolds was observed under scanning electron microscope (SEM). Twenty-four Japanese white rabbits (male, 2 months old) were used to establish the bilateral radius defect model of 15 mm in length, and randomly divided into group A (6 rabbits, 12 defects), group B (9 rabbits, 18 defects), and group C (9 rabbits, 18 defects); then the Col I/PCL scaffold was implanted in the bone defect area in group B, the ATP/Col I/PCL scaffold in group C, no treatment was done in group A as control. The general condition of rabbits was observed after operation, and bone defect repair was evaluated by X-ray at 4, 8, and 12 weeks. At 12 weeks, the tissue of defect area was harvested for the general, SEM, Micro-CT, histological, and immunohistochemical staining to observe defect repair and material degradation. RESULTS: SEM observation showed that two kinds of materials were porous structure, ATP/Col I/PCL structure was more dense than Col I/PCL. All animals survived to the end of experiment, and no incision infection occurred during repair process.X-ray films showed that the bone marrow cavity was re-opened in defect area of group C with time, the repair effect was superior to that of groups A and B. At 12 weeks after operation, general observation showed that scaffold material had good fusion with the surrounding tissue in groups B and C, defect was filled with connective tissue in group A. SEM indicated that the surface and pore of the scaffold were covered with a large number of cells and tissues in groups B and C. Micro-CT demonstrated that the new bone volume, bone mineral content, tissue mineral content, and connectivity density of group C were significantly higher than those of groups A and B (P<0.05). The observation of histology and immunohistochemical staining indicated that there were lots of connective tissues in defect area of group A, and ALP, Col I, and OPN were weakly expressed; there were many collagen fibers in scaffold degradation area in group B, and the expression levels of ALP, Col I, and OPN were higher than those of group A; there was few new bone in group C, the degradation rate of the scaffold was slower than that of group B, and the expression of Col I and OPN were enhanced, while ALP was weakened when compared with groups A and B. CONCLUSIONS: ATP/Col I/PCL composite scaffold material can degrade in vivo, and has dense three-dimensional porous structure, good biocompatibility, and high potentiality of bone repair, so it can be used as bone substitute material.

Screening of Decolorizing Agents for the Extracts from the Fruit and Stem of Schisandra chinensis / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE:To screen decolorizing agents suitable for the extracts from the fruit and stem of Schisandra chinen-sis. METHODS:HPLC was adopted to determine the contents of 4 kinds of lignans(schizandrin,schisandrol B,deoxyschizandrin and γ-schizandrin) in the extract solution from the fruit and stem of S. chinensis which was treated with 8 kinds of decolorizing agents (activated clay,activated carbon,diatomite,calcium bentonite,kaolin,activated aluminium oxide,magnesium oxide,at-tapulgite clay),and the decolourization rates of the samples of the fruit and stem of S. chinensis and the retention rates of lignans in such samples were calculated respectively. RESULTS:The above-mentioned decolorizing agents were arranged in order as fol-lows respectively based on the decolourization effects on the extract solution from the fruit and stem of S. chinensis:attapulgite clay>activated carbon>activated aluminium oxide>kaolin>magnesium oxide>diatomite>calcium bentonite>activated clay,and activated carbon>diatomite>attapulgite clay>magnesium oxide>kaolin>activated aluminium oxide>activated clay>calcium ben-tonite. The attapulgite clay and activated carbon have the best decolourization effects on the extracts from the fruit and stem of S. chinensis,with the decolourization rates of 60.47% and 69.24% respectively,and the retention rates of schizandrin,schisandrol B,deoxyschizandrin and γ-schizandrin were 77.43%,77.73%,77.07%,77.53%,and 72.18%,70.17%,70.32%,70.28%,re-spectively. CONCLUSIONS:Among the 8 decolorizing agents,attapulgite clay and activated carbon have the best decolourization effects on the extract solution from the fruit and stem of S. chinensis.

The effect of natural and organophilic palygorskite on skin wound healing in rats

In view of growing interest in natural treatments, clays would appear to be a good alternative for speeding up the healing process during the treatment of wounds. Of the various clays, palygorskite, a clay from the Brazilian State of Piauí, composed of silicon and aluminum, has shown itself to be pharmaceutically useful as a healing agent. The aim of this article is to evaluate the effect on the healing of wounds of Piauí palygorskite, both in its natural state and when organophilic, by way of comparative analysis of macroscopic and histological tests on skin wounds in adult male and female two-month-old Wistar rats. To this end, a circular trichotomy of the dorsal cornus of the rats was carried out to confirm the effects of treatments involving 0.9% saline solution, collagenase, natural palygorskite, organophilic palygorskite with cetyltrimethylammonium chloride, and organophilic palygorskite with alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride. The testing of all the clays involved microbiological evaluation using the depth of plaque and surface striation methods, along with post-treatment macroscopic analysis of skin wounds by way of organoleptics, pachymetry and histological analysis. Microbiological evaluation revealed the need for sterilization of the clay prior to incorporation in the pharmaceutical form. Macroscopic analysis suggests that healing of the wounded area occurred, and histological analysis showed the beneficial effect of the topical use of clay material. Our data suggest that palygorskite may be more powerful than other healing agents, although, on completing treatment, all the animals studied showed the same degree of tissue repair.

Devido ao crescente interesse da população pelos tratamentos naturais, as argilas representam uma boa alternativa para a aceleração da cicatrização durante o tratamento de feridas. Dentre as argilas, a paligorsquita, uma argila piauiense, devido à sua composição com silício e alumínio, demonstra certa aplicabilidade farmacêutica como agente cicatrizante. O objetivo deste artigo é avaliar a ação cicatrizante da paligorsquita piauiense em sua forma natural e organofilizadas por meio da análise comparativa da macroscopia e dos exames histológicos em feridas cutâneas de ratos machos e fêmeas Wistar adultos com 2 meses de idade. Para tanto, foram realizadas tricotomia circular no corno dorsal dos ratos para verificar os efeitos dos tratamentos realizados com solução salina 0,9%, colagenase, paligorsquita natural, paligorsquita organofilizada por cloreto de cetiltrimetilamônio e paligorsquita organofilizada por cloreto de alquildimetilbenzilamônio. Para todas as argilas testadas foi feita a avaliação microbiológica pelo método de plaqueamento em profundidade e do método de estrias em superfície, bem como foi realizada após tratamento, a análise macroscópica das feridas cutâneas por meio organoléptico, medição em paquímetro e análise histológica. Por meio da avaliação microbiológica foi detectada a necessidade de esterilização da argila para posterior incorporação na forma farmacêutica. A análise macroscópica sugere que houve cicatrização da área lesionada, bem como a análise histológica demonstrou efeito benéfico após o uso tópico do material argiloso. Nossos dados sugerem que a paligorsquita pode exercer um maior efeito cicatrizante em relação aos demais tratamentos, embora após o término deste tratamento, todos os animais analisados apresentaram a mesma reparação tecidual.

An inveatigation on adsorptive effect of attapulgite with Tanshinone Ⅰand Tanshinone Ⅱ_A in traditional Chinese medicine decoction / 中国生化药物杂志

Purpose To investigate the adsorptive effect of attapulgite on Tanshinone Ⅰ and TanshinoneⅡ_A in decoction of Radix et Rhizoma Salviae Mihiorrhizae and Composite Dansen Pill.Methods Using the amount of solid component and the content of Tanshinone Ⅰ and Tanshinone Ⅱ_A as index,the adsorptive effect of common attapulgite and acidified attapulgite on decoction of Radix et Rhizoma Salviae Miltiorrhizae and Composite Dansen Pill was investigated respectively and the content of Tanshinone Ⅰ and Tanshinone Ⅱ_A was determined by HPLC.Results Common attapulgite could not markedly decreased the amount of solid component and had a litfle effect on the content of Tanshinone Ⅰ and TanshinoneⅡ_A in decoction of Radix et Rhizoma Salviae Miltiorrhizae and Composite Dansen Pill.The acidified attapulgite could obviously decrease the amount of solid component and had a little effect on the content of Tanshinone Ⅰ and TanshinoneⅡ_A in decoction of Radix et Rhizoma Salviae Miltiorrhizae and Composite Dansen Pill.Conclusion Acidified attapulgite could be used as adsorptive clarifier in decoction of Radix et Rhizoma Salviae Miltiorrhizae and Composite Dansen Pill.

Study on the clearance effect of the cross-linked agar entrapping attapulgite clay capsules on the hemoperfusion in vitro / 第三军医大学学报

Objective To investigate the adsorptive capacity of cross-linked agar entrapping attapulgite clay (CAA) capsule, a novel adsorbent for hemoperfusion. Methods We selected some drugs such as phenothiazines, methylene blue, and diazepam as the model components to test the adsorptive capacity of CAA in human blood in vitro by means of static stirred absorption experiment and repeated hemoperfusion. Results CAA was of strong adsorption for phenothiazines and methylene blue but of little effect on diazepam. The corresponding adsorptive mechanisms were also discussed here. Conclusion CAA could be used as a highly effective adsorbent for the cation drugs in human blood.

Adsorptive influence of attapulgite on puerarin and gastrodin in Baogan Xingjiu Capsule / 中成药

acided attapulgite. CONCLUSION: Acided attapulgite could be used as an adsorbing substance in Baogan Xiuggjiu Capsule decoction extraction,mainly containing puerarin and gastrodin.