Sacchachitin, a novel chitin-polysaccharide conjugate macromolecule present in Ganoderma lucidum: purification, composition, and properties.

CONTEXT: The extraction method and the crude wound healing effects of sacchachitin from Ganoderma tsugae Murr. (Ganodermataceae) has been cited. However, its purity is still largely limited. OBJECTIVE: An improvement of the fractionation protocol to purify the sacchachitin from Ganoderma lucidum L. (Ganodermataceae) (SGL) is needed. METHODS: Fruiting bodies were extracted with double distilled water and subsequently the residue treated with 95% ethanol and then 40% ethanol. After being filtered, the pH of the supernatant was adjusted to 4.0 with 1 N HCl and lyophilized. The supernatant was added (3:1 v/v) ethanol, the precipitate was collected, 2% NaOH was added and refluxed. The supernatant was collected with pH adjusted to 4.0, then treated with 10% potassium hydroxide (KOH) with repeating acid precipitation and (3:1) ethanol precipitation twice more to obtain the sacchachitin. RESULTS: SGL had a hexosamine content 16.3% (w/w), firmly linked to a talomannan. Its Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) spectrum revealed specific absorption (in cm(-1)) ν(O-H) 3455.5 b,s, amide ν(C=O) 1678.5, and amide I° δ(N-H) 1550.4. The percentage deacetylation degree was 37.6 and 39.4% for SGL and MSC, respectively. As contrast, MSC contained only 6.6% of hexosamine with a low protein/carbohydrate ratio 0.35 comparing to 0.82 for SGL. SGL was only moderately strong antioxidant regarding the anti-DPPH, antihydroxyl free radical, and antisuperoxide anion capabilities, exhibiting an IC(33) values of 10 mg/mL (the highest scavenging capability never exceeding 33%), 0.9 mg/mL, and 4.8 mg/mL, respectively. CONCLUSION: We have successfully isolated the pure sacchachitin from the fruiting bodies of G. lucidum that exhibits potent antioxidative activity and may be useful in fabrication of the artificial skin composite substitute.

Valproic acid downregulates RBP4 and elicits hypervitaminosis A-teratogenesis--a kinetic analysis on retinol/retinoic acid homeostatic system.

BACKGROUND: Valproic acid (VPA) is an antiepileptic and anti-migraine prophylactic drug. VPA exhibits two severe side effects, namely acute liver toxicity and teratogenicity. These side effects are usually seen at the genetic and somatic levels. The cited action mechanisms involve inhibition of histone deacetylase, hypofolatenemia, hyperhomocysteinemia, and reactive oxidative stress. The proteomic information associated with VPA teratogenicity is still unavailable. We hypothesized that proteomic analysis might help us identify functional proteins that could be relevantly affected by VPA, and this phenomenon could be very sensitive in early embryonic stage, resulting in VPA teratogenicity. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Proteomic analysis on the chicken embryos at Hamburger and Hamilton (HH) stage 28 showed that there were significant downregulations of ovotransferrins, carbonic anhydrase-2, retinol binding protein-4 (RBP4), NADH cytochrome b5 reductase 2 (CYB5R2), apolipoprotein A1, and protein SET, together with upregulation of 60S ribosomal protein L22. Among these, RBP4 was the most significantly downregulated (-32%). Kinetic analysis suggested that this situation could trigger hypervitaminosis A (+39.3%), a condition that has been well known to induce teratogenesis.. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This is the first report showing that VPA dowregulates RBP4. Our finding not only has led to a possible mechanism of VPA teratogenesis, but also has initiated new preventive strategies for avoiding VPA teratogeneis.

Hypolipidemic effects of different angiocarp parts of Alpinia zerumbet.

CONTEXT: In utilization of Alpinia zerumbet (Pers.) Burtt and Smith (Zingiberaceae) (AZ), usually the angiocarps are discarded without further use. OBJECTIVE: We speculate whether the angiocarps could show hypolipidemic effect. METHODS AND METHODS: Several diets were prepared: Alpinia seed powder (ASP); Alpinia seed powder/husk (ASH): 40/60; and Alpinia seed essential oil (ASO): 0.01-0.10%. Sprague-Dawley rats divided into 11 groups were fed these diets for 8 weeks and tested for the hypolipidemic bioactivity. RESULTS: The fecal neutral cholesterol excretion was increased, and the serum total triglyceride (TG) was significantly reduced from 153.7 mg/dL in the high-fat group (H) to 114.3-119.8 mg/dL by ASO; to 116.3-147.9 mg/dL by ASP; and to 116.2-145.3 mg/dL by ASH. Activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) were almost unaffected. The high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels were mostly raised by ASO to 180.3-200.8 mg/dL. The lowdensity lipoprotein (LDL) levels were mostly reduced to 66.8-82.6 mg/dL by ASH. The level of arachidonic acid was mostly raised to 0.50-0.60% by ASO, compared with 0.37% of group H. More importantly, the significant reduction in hepatic TG and total cholesterol (TC) implicated a crucial liver protective effect. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: ASP and ASH consisted of high crude-fiber content, while ASO consisted of seed essential oil. Both the seed essential oil and the whole powder of AZ previously had been reported to possess potent hypolipidemic bioactivity. Conclusively, the hypolipidemic effect can be attributed to the combined effect of the essential oil and the crude fiber.

Mulberry water extracts possess an anti-obesity effect and ability to inhibit hepatic lipogenesis and promote lipolysis.

Obesity plays a critical role in dyslipidemia and related disorders. Mulberry water extracts (MWEs) contain polyphenols, including gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, rutin, and anthocyanins. In this study, using 6-week-old male hamsters, we investigated the anti-obese effect of MWEs. After 12 weeks of treatment, MWEs lowered high-fat diet (HFD)-induced body weight and visceral fat, accompanied with hypolipidemic effects by reducing serum triacylglycerol, cholesterol, free fatty acid, and the low-density lipoprotein (LDL)/high-density lipoprotein (HDL) ratio (n=8 for each group). MWEs decreased hepatic lipids, thus protected livers from impairment. The hepatic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α and carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 were elevated, while fatty acid synthase and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase were reduced by MWEs, indicating that MWEs regulated lipogenesis and lipolysis, which exerted the anti-obese and hypolipidemic effects. Noticeably, MWEs showed both efficacy and safety in vivo. In concluson, MWEs can be used to reduce body weight, serum, and liver lipids.

The polyphenolics in the aqueous extract of Psidium guajava kinetically reveal an inhibition model on LDL glycation.

Guava [Psidium guajava L. (Myrtaceae)] budding leaf extract (PE) has shown tremendous bioactivities. Previously, we found seven major compounds in PE, i.e., gallic acid, catechin, epicatechin, rutin, quercetin, naringenin, and kaempferol. PE showed a potentially active antiglycative effect in an LDL (low density lipoprotein) mimic biomodel, which can be attributed to its large content of polyphenolics. The glycation and antiglycative reactions showed characteristic distinct four-phase kinetic patterns. In the presence of PE, the kinetic coefficients were 0.000438, 0.000060, 0.000, and -0.0001354 ABS-mL/mg-min, respectively, for phases 1 to 4. Computer simulation evidenced the dose-dependent inhibition model. Conclusively, PE contains a large amount of polyphenolics, whose antiglycative bioactivity fits the inhibition model.

Modeling of the in vivo kinetics of antioxidants delineates suitable parameters for selecting potential antioxidant adjuvants for cancer therapy.

To find in vivo behaviors of an antioxidant when used as an adjuvant cancer therapy, a more detailed integrated pharmacokinetic scheme is needed. Major reaction parameters associated with the sequential routes from ingestion to decay of an antioxidant were used in mathematical analysis, which included absorption rate coefficient k(a), quenching rate coefficient of the antioxidant k(q1) and tissue quenching rate coefficient k(r). The model was then treated with computer simulation using cited decay rate coefficients and some assumed parameters. When intestinal absorption rate coefficient k(a) becomes larger, retention time of antioxidant in plasma would be prolonged. moreover, k(a) had no effect on either quenching ability of antioxidants or tissue recovering capability. in quenching plasma ROS, the larger the quenching coefficient k(q1), the shorter peak- and the life-times would be for the secondary free radicals that are formed in primary quenching. Conclusively, it is suggestive to prescribe an antioxidant therapy with an appropriate values of k(a) and larger values of k(q1).