[Effects of thinning on soil active organic carbon contents and enzyme activities in Larix principis-rupprechtii plantation]. / é—´ä¼å¯¹åŽåŒ—è½å¶æ¾äººå·¥æž—åœŸå£¤æ´»æ€§æœ‰æœºç¢³å«é‡åŠé ¶æ´»æ€§çš„å½±å“.

The effects of thinning on soil active organic carbon and related soil enzyme activities were investigated in a Larix principis-rupprechtii plantation in Taiyue Mountain. With the increases of soil depth, the content of soil labile organic carbon, soil nitrogen content and enzyme activities all reduced. For each soil layer, moderate thinning increased soil carbon and nitrogen contents dramati-cally. The activities of sucrase (SC) and peroxidase (PEO) and the activities of polyphenol oxidase (PHO) and urease (UE) in the layer of 0-10 cm could be significantly improved by low thinning and moderate thinning, respectively. For the 10-50 cm layer, the activities of SC and UE were reduced by low thinning, while moderate thinning markedly reduced the activities of cellulase. Results from redundancy analysis showed that dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was the main factor affecting soil enzyme activity in both 0-10 cm and 20-30 cm soil layers and that soil organic carbon (SOC) contents affected the activities of PHO and SC in 10-20 cm soil layer. The microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN) mainly affected the activities of PHO, PEO and UE in 30-40 cm soil layer. The contents of total P (TP) and readily oxidized carbon (ROC) played an important role in affecting soil enzyme activities in 40-50 cm soil layer. The results indicated that thinning could dramati-cally affect soil active organic carbon content and soil enzyme activity in L. principis-rupprechtii plantation. Moderate thinning treatment could obtain the highest soil nutrients and achieve better soil chemical properties such as soil pH, water content and organic matter content than other treatments, which could improve vegetation structure, litter and nutrient cycling process. Therefore, we recommended moderate density adjustment (1404-1422 trees·hm-2) to L. principis-rupprechtii plantation to promote soil carbon and nitrogen retention.

Characteristics of soil phosphorus fractions under different thinning intensities in Larix principis-rupprechtii plantation and the affecting factors.

Thinning is an important plantation management strategy. Phosphorus (P) is one of the limiting nutrients in forest ecosystems. The impacts of thinning on soil P remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the characteristics of soil P fractions in topsoil (0-10 cm) of Larix principis-rupprechtii plantation in Taiyue Mountain, Shanxi Province under different thinning intensity (control, CK, 0%; low thinning, LT, 15%; moderate thinning, MT, 35%; high thinning, HT, 50%) and the affecting factors. The soil P fractions were measured using Tissen modified Hedley P fractionation method. The results showed that the total inorganic P content in soil was significantly higher in stands subjected to moderate thinning than in control. The soil acid phosphatase activity (APA) and the contents of Resin-Pi, NaHCO3-Pi, NaHCO3-Po, NaOH-Pi, and microbial biomass phosphorus (MBP) were significantly increased in LT and MT compared with CK, but the content of NaOH-Po showed an opposite trend. Thinning had no significant effect on soil total P, total organic P, non-available P and residual-P. Soil moisture, organic matter, MBP and APA were the important factors affecting soil P availability. Our results demonstrated that MT could enhance soil P availability in Larix principis-rupprechtii plantation.

Beneficial effect of the polysaccharides from Bupleurum smithii var. parvifolium on "two-hit" acute lung injury in rats.

Radix Bupleuri is a traditional Chinese herb frequently used in the prescriptions for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. This study was to determine whether the crude polysaccharides isolated from the roots of Bupleurum smithii var. parvifolium (BPs) had beneficial effects on a "two-hit" acute lung injury model in rats. A two-hit lung injury model characterized by hemorrhagic shock followed by reperfusion and intratracheal lipopolysaccharide (1 mg kg(-1)) administration was established in Wistar rats. Drugs and saline were administered 30 min after the start of resuscitation. The two-hit acute lung injury model was successfully established. After oral administration, all BPs groups ameliorated pathological injury with lessened complement C3c deposit in lung. BPs 10 and 20 mg kg(-1) diminished the ratio of wet-to-dry weight. In bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluids, the protein concentration, the leukocytes counts, and the lung myeloperoxidase were significantly reduced. BPs also mediated the decreases in interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α in BAL fluids and in sera. Furthermore, BPs 20 mg kg(-1) decreased the total complement hemolytic activity. BPs had beneficial effects on two-hit acute lung injury. The mechanisms of BPs on inflammatory disease might relate to its inhibitory effect on increased production of proinflammatory mediators and on overactivation of complement.

Bupleurum chinense DC polysaccharides attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury in mice.

Bupleurum chinense DC had hepato-protective, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, analgesic, and immunomodulatory effect in traditional Chinese medicine. This study was to determine whether the crude polysaccharides isolated from the roots of Bupleurum chinense DC (BCPs) attenuated lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury in mice. Mice were challenged with LPS intratracheally 2h before BCPs (20, 40 and 80 mg/kg) administration. The bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was collected 24h after LPS challenge. Treatment with BCPs reduced lung wet-to-dry weight ratio. The elevated number of total cells and protein concentration in BALF was reduced. The increased level of myeloperoxidase (MPO), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in BALF, and serum nitric oxide (NO) were also inhibited. BCPs significantly attenuated lung injury with improved lung morphology and reduced complement deposition. These results suggested that the effect of BCPs against ALI might be related with its inhibitory effect on excessive activation of complement and on the production of proinflammatory mediators.

[Effect of Matteuccia struthiopteris polysaccharides on systemic lupus erythematosus-like syndrome induced by Campylobacter jejuni in BALB/c mice].

Matteuccia struthiopteris is a nature plant, which contains a lot of potential active components. In the present study, we investigated the effect of polysaccharides extracted from Matteuccia struthiopteris on lupus-like syndrome induced by Campylobacter jejuni CJ-S131 in BALB/c mice. Mice were randomly divided into normal, model control, SLE model (vehicle treated), Matteuccia struthiopteris polysaccharides treated (30 and 15 mg x kg(-1)) groups and prednisone 5 mg x kg(-1) treated groups. The effect of Matteuccia struthiopteris polysaccharides (Ms) on weight and organ index of BALB/c mice was detected. Autoantibodies and total IgG production were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Proteinuria was measured and kidneys were examined by light microscopy. Compared with SLE model group, treatment with Matteuccia struthiopteris polysaccharides 30 and 15 mg x kg(-1) reduced weight loss and Matteuccia struthiopteris polysaccharides 15 mg x kg(-1) reduced spleen swelling (P < 0.05). The increased production of autoantibodies and total immunoglobulin G (IgG) were also significantly inhibited. Matteuccia struthiopteris polysaccharides protected kidney against glomerular injury in BALB/c mice with reduced immunoglobulin deposition and lowered proteinuria (P < 0.01). Matteuccia struthiopteris polysaccharides had a protective effect on lupus-like syndrome induced by CJ-S131 in BALB/c mice.

Macrophage immunomodulatory activity of the polysaccharides from the roots of Bupleurum smithii var. parvifolium.

AIM OF THE STUDY: Radix Bupleuri, one of the most frequently prescribed crude herbs in traditional Chinese medicine, has been used for centuries to treat inflammatory diseases. However, little is known about the therapeutic mechanisms of crude polysaccharides (BPs) isolated from the roots of Bupleurum smithii var. parvifolium. Macrophages play important roles in inflammatory diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The purpose of the present work was to investigate immunomodulative effects of Bupleurum polysaccharides on murine peritoneal macrophages. MATERIALS AND METHODS: BALB/c mice were administered intragastrically with Bupleurum polysaccharides 20, 40, and 80 mg kg(-1) day(-1), or prednisone 3 mg kg(-1) day(-1) or levamisole 25 mgk g(-1) day(-1) from day 0 to day 6. Peritoneal macrophages were isolated 5 days after intraperitoneal injection of 1 mL 5% sodium thioglycollate. Phagocytic functions of macrophages were studied; cytokines concentrations in the culture supernatants were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and the secretion of nitric oxide (NO) was quantified by Griess reaction. RESULTS: Treatment with BPs enhanced phagocytic functions of macrophages (phagocytosis of apoptotic thymocytes, IgG-opsonized sheep red blood cells and chicken red blood cells) and inhibited LPS-induced productions of NO and proinflammatory cytokines (interleukin-1beta, interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha). CONCLUSIONS: Bupleurum polysaccharides up-regulated phagocytic activities but inhibited LPS-induced productions of proinflammatory mediators. These data suggested that at least part of the traditional beneficial effects of Bupleurum on inflammatory diseases could be ascribed to the immunomodulatory effects of Bupleurum polysaccharides on macrophages.

Beneficial effect of Bupleurum polysaccharides on autoimmune disease induced by Campylobacter jejuni in BALB/c mice.

AIM OF THE STUDY: Radix Bupleuri, is one of the most frequently prescribed crude herbs in the prescriptions of traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of inflammatory diseases and auto-immune diseases. This study was to determine whether the crude polysaccharides (BPs) isolated from the roots of Bupleurum smithii var. parvifolium, had beneficial effects on autoimmune disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: BALB/c mice were immunized with CJ-S(131) in Freund's complete adjuvant on day 0, and then boosted on day 14. BPs 15 or 30 mg kg(-1) day(-1), or prednisone 5 mg kg(-1) day(-1) was given to BALB/c mice intragastrically from day 0 to day 34. RESULTS: Treatment with BPs 15 or 30 mg kg(-1) day(-1) for 35 days protected kidney from glomerular injury with reduced immunoglobulin deposition and lowered proteinuria. The increased production of serum autoantibodies and total immunoglobulin G (IgG) was also inhibited. BPs 30 mg kg(-1) day(-1) improved weight loss and spleen swelling when compared with vehicle-treated group. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggested that Bupleurum polysaccharides had a beneficial effect on systemic lupus erythematosus-like syndroma induced by CJ-S(131) in BALB/c mice.