Immunomodulatory activity of a fructooligosaccharide isolated from burdock roots.

A novel burdock fructooligosaccharide (BFO-1) was extracted from fresh burdock roots. In our study, we found that BFO-1 possessed immunoenhancing activity in vitro and in vivo. The proliferation activities of splenocytes were significantly stimulated at a BFO-1 dose of 1000 µg ml-1 (p < 0.05), peritoneal macrophages showed increased activities of phagocytosis and acid phosphatase and increased production of NO at a BFO-1 dose of 1000 µg ml-1 (p < 0.01) in vitro. In normal mice, BFO-1 promoted the activities of peritoneal macrophages at dosages of 250 and 500 mg per kg per day (p < 0.01). Similarly, in immunosuppressed mice, BFO-1 enhanced the activities of peritoneal macrophages at the dosage of 1000 mg per kg per day (p < 0.05). Furthermore, S180 tumor-bearing mice that were pre-administered BFO-1 solution showed improved immunological function and suppressed tumor growth. These data indicate that BFO-1 can improve the functioning of the immune system and has the potential to be developed as a dietary supplement and medicinal food.

[Advance in studies on anti-tumor activity of polysaccharides in latest five years].

Polysaccharides widely exist in animals, plants, microorganisms, and possess various biological activities including anti-tumor, anti-virus, anti-oxidant and immunomodulatory. Polysaccharides shows notable anti-tumor activity and less toxicity, and becomes a hotspot in the studies of anti-tumor drugs. Therefore, there is huge potential for developing polysaccharides into a novel antitumor medicine. This article summarized polysaccharides derived from animals, plants, microorganisms which have significant antitumor effect in the latest 5 years; findings indicate that polysaccharides show the anti-tumor effect directly by inducing tumor cell apoptosis and indirectly as an immunoenhancement. This article also looks into the future of studies on anti-tumor activity of polysaccharides.

A new kalihinol diterpene from the Hainan sponge Acanthella sp.

A new kalihinol diterpene, 10-epi-kalihinol X (1), together with two known related diterpenes (2 and 3), and two sesquiterpenes (4 and 5) were isolated from the Hainan sponge Acanthella sp. The structure of the new compound was elucidated on the basis of the detailed analysis of its spectroscopic data and by comparison of its NMR data with those of structurally related compounds. Compounds 1 and 3-5 exhibited in vitro moderate cytotoxicities against human lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549, with IC50 values of 9.30, 3.17, 2.44, and 1.98 microg/mL, respectively.

Effects of crop development on the emission of volatiles in leaves of Lycopersicon esculentum and its inhibitory activity to Botrytis cinerea and Fusarium oxysporum.

Volatiles emitted from the leaves of Lycopersicon esculentum at the two-, ten-leaf and anthesis periods were collected by a gas absorbing method and analyzed by gas chromatography (GC)-mass spectrometry. In total, 33 compounds of volatiles emitted from three developmental stage plants were separated and identified, and quantitatively analyzed by the internal standard addition method. All of the samples of volatile were found to be rich in monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. beta-phellandrene and caryophyllene predominated in the volatiles of the leaves of plants at the two- and ten-leaf stages. Furthermore, (E)-2-hexenal were the dominant components in the volatiles emitted from anthesis plants. The results of volatiles analyzed show that the compositions varied depending on the developmental stages. The volatiles emitted from crushed tomato leaves of plants at the anthesis stage had the most strongly inhibitory activity against the spore germination and hyphal growth of Botrytis cinerea and Fusarium oxysporum, followed by ten- and two-leaf plants. However, the activity of volatiles, emitted from the leaves of plants at the two-leaf stage, in inhibiting F. oxysporum was greater than B. cinerea.

A novel water-soluble alpha-(1-->4)-glucan from the root of Cudrania tricuspidata.

CTPS-01, a water-soluble polysaccharide, was obtained from the root of Cudrania tricuspidata and estimated to have an average molecular weight of 5.9 x 10(3) and to be composed of glucose residues, solely. It contains an average repeating unit of decasaccharide, having a backbone consisting of 1,4-linked alpha-D-glucopyranosyl residues, to which a side chain consisting of terminal and 1,4-linked alpha-D-glucopyranosyl residues is attached at position O-6 of the branching residues.

[Study on increasing anti-fungi activity of marine microbes by mixed culture].

The effect of mixed culture on the anti-fungi activity of marine microbes metabolites was evaluated. Based on optimization of monoculture, orthogonal design was used to approach the optimal region of the medium composition of mixed fermentation. The mixed culture showing anti-fungi activity of marine microbes was enriched obviously, compared with monoculture and fermentation mixture. The MIC (minimal inhibitory concentration) reduced from 156 microL/mL, 125 microL/mL by monoculture and 250 microL/mL, 218 microL/mL by mixture of monoculture fermentation to 32 microL/mL, 28 microL/mL, indicate 200% to 300% increase separately in fungi inhibition with mixed culture.

[Physiological effects of taurine on the growth of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings].

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings were grown in taurine solution at concentrations of 10, 100, 500, 1000 and 5000 mg/L, and the photochemistry efficiency, the relative permeability of membrane, membrane lipid peroxidation and the growth indexes in wheat seedlings were determined. The results showed that taurine treatments distinctly promoted the growth of wheat seedlings and increased root length, plant height, dry weight and fresh weight single plant of wheat seedlings. In addition, the photochemistry efficiency in the leaf was also increase, and the membrane relative permeability and the content of membrane lipid peroxidation product MDA were decreased, with an optimum treatment concentration at about 500 mg/L. It suggests that taurine has protective effects on the cell membrane of wheat seedlings to the certain extent.