Research on improving memory impairment of blue lavender volatile oil / 中国中药杂志

In order to study the potential application value of lavender volatile oil (LVO), the chemical composition of the volatile oil of lavender was analyzed by GC-MS, and the mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (AD) was established. Additionally, the antioxidant enzymes activity of T-SOD, GSH-PX, CAT and MDA content were studied. Experimental results showed that 55 kinds of chemical constituents including terpene, terpene alcohol and ester compounds from LVO were identified, and the content of linalool and linalyl acetate was the highest, accounting for 49.71% of the total volatile oil. The ability of mouse platform memory was improved significantly. The levels of GSH-PX, CAT and T-SOD of mouse brain tissue in the treatment group were significantly higher than those in the model group (P<0.05). The level of MDA reached the maximum value in the model group, while there was no notable difference between the levels of MDA in the drug group and the normal group. The result indicated the significant oxidative activity of LVO, the possibility of induced oxidative stress reduction in neurons, and the reversal effect of memory acquired disorder.

Expression of dipeptidyl peptidase Ⅲ in normal lenses of rat of different ages / 眼科研究

Background It has been determined that dipeptidyl peptidase Ⅲ (DPPⅢ) plays an important role in the metabolism and modification of proteins and DPPⅢ of human has highly homologous to rat.Researches have shown that DPPⅢ is associated with the formation of cataract.However,few relevant studies have been reported.ObjectiveThe present study is to find out the relationship between the expression of DPPⅢ in rat lenses and age-related cataract.Methods Lenses were obtained from general Wistar rats of ages 3,6,9,or 12 weeks old (10 lenses each ) and homogenized with different concentrations of standard bovine serum.The proteins were resolved using SDS-PAGE gel electrophoresis.Peak concentration and total concentration of DPPⅢ protein in lenses from rats of different ages were detected by Western blot.Enzyme activity of DPPⅢ was determined by monitoring the amount of dipeptides removed from a special substrate (Arg-Arg-4mb NA) by measuring the absorbance with UV-2500PC at 525 nm.The relationship between the enzyme activity of DPPⅢ in lenses and age of rats was evaluated using regression analysis.Results DPPⅢ was detected at a molecular weight of 82000 Da.The peak concentration and total concentration of DPPⅢ in normal rat lenses increased with the growth of age.The total protease activity of DPPⅢ in the lenses of rats was correlated with the ages of the rats (r=0.99,P＜0.05).Conclusion DPPⅢ may be involved in the alteration of crystallin during the development of lenses,and it may play an important role in the formation and aggravation of age-related cataract.

Effects of Calcium and Genistein on Body Fat and Lipid Metabolism in High Fat-induced Obese Mice

The study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary calcium and soy isoflavone on body fat and lipid metabolism in high fat-induced obesity. Four week old female C57/BL6J mice, known as a good model of diet-induced obesity, were fed low Ca and high fat diet for 6 weeks. After induced obesity, mice were divided into six groups according to diets varying calcium contents (0.1 or 1.5%) and genistein contents (0 or 500 or 1,000 ppm). Body weight, fat pad (perirenal fat and parameterial fat), adipocyte size, serum total lipid and total cholesterol were significantly decreased by both high Ca intake and genistein supplementation. However, the effect of genistein supplementation showed in low Ca-fed groups. Serum LDL-cholesterol and TG were significantly decreased by high Ca intake and genistein supplementation, respectively. In liver, lipogenic enzymes (fatty acid synthase and malic enzyme) activity and TG were significantly decreased by both high Ca intake and genistein supplementation. This inhibitory effect of genistein on lipogenic enzymes showed in low Ca-fed groups. But liver total cholesterol and total lipid were significantly decreased by high Ca intake and genistein supplementation, respectively. Fecal excretion of total lipid, total cholesterol and TG were significantly increased by high Ca intake, not by genistein supplementation. In conclusion, high calcium intake and genistein supplement may be beneficial for suppression of obesity through direct anti-adipogenesis by decreasing fat weight and size and indirect anti-lipogenesis by inhibiting lipogenic enzymes activity and improving lipid profile.

Effects of middle-distance triathlon race on serum biochemical parameters / 体力科学

For the purpose of examining relative impact of the middle-distance triathlon race (Swim : 2.0 km, Bike : 90.0 km, Run : 21.0 km), blood samples were taken on the day before, immediately after, and the day following the race from triathletes who participated in a middle-distance triathlon race at Tokunoshima, Kagoshima in June 1993. White blood cell count was significantly increased immediately after the race.It was recovered on the next day to the value observed before the race. Serum creatine phosphokinase activity was elevated significantly immediately after the competition. It continued to rise up to the level of about 4 times higher than the pre-race value. In terms of renal function, serum creatinine concentration showed a significant increase immediately after the competition. However, it recovered to normal range by the day after the competition. In addition, serum urea nitrogen concentration was also significantly increased after the competition. It remained at the high level until the day after the competition. In conclusion, it might be suggested that the middle-distance triathlon gives a significant impact on human body, even though it is quntitatively less than the long-distance type (Swim : 3.9 km, Bike : 180.2 km, Run : 42.2 km) .