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1.
Molecules ; 28(19)2023 Oct 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37836767

ABSTRACT

Cirsium japonicum DC. var. australe Kitam. has been used as an herbal remedy and often involves using the whole plant or roots. However, the bioactivities of different parts of the plant have been far less explored. This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidative ability of methanol extracts from the flowers, leaves, stems, and roots of the Cirsium plant and their possible active components against juglone-induced oxidative stress in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. The results showed that the highest dry weight (12.3 g per plant) was observed in leaves, which was followed by stems (8.0 g). The methanol extract yields from the flowers, leaves, and roots were all similar (13.0-13.8%), while the yield from stems was the lowest (8.6%). The analysis of the silymarin contents in the extracts indicated that the flowers, leaves, stems, and roots contained silychristin and taxifolin; however, silydianin was only found in the leaves, stems, and roots. The flower, leaf, and stem extracts, at a concentration of 10 mg/L, significantly reduced juglone-induced oxidative stress in C. elegans, which was potentially due to the presence of silychristin and taxifolin. Overall, C. japonicum DC. var. australe Kitam. contains a significant amount of silymarin and exhibits in vivo antioxidative activity, suggesting that the prospects for the plant in terms of health supplements or as a source of silymarin are promising.


Subject(s)
Cirsium , Silymarin , Animals , Caenorhabditis elegans , Flavonoids/pharmacology , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Methanol , Oxidative Stress , Antioxidants/pharmacology
2.
Molecules ; 26(10)2021 May 19.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34069679

ABSTRACT

Cinnamomum plants (Lauraceae) are a woody species native to South and Southeast Asia forests, and are widely used as food flavors and traditional medicines. This study aims to evaluate the chemical constituents of Cinnamomum osmophloeum ct. linalool leaf oil, and its antidepressant and motor coordination activities and the other behavioral evaluations in a rodent animal model. The major component of leaf oil is linalool, confirmed by GC-MS analysis. Leaf oil would not induce the extra body weight gain compared to the control mice at the examined doses after 6 weeks of oral administration. The present results provide the first evidence for motor coordination and antidepressant effects present in leaf oil. According to hypnotic, locomotor behavioral, and motor coordination evaluations, leaf oil would not cause side effects, including weight gain, drowsiness and a diminishment in the motor functions, at the examined doses. In summary, these results revealed C. osmophloeum ct. linalool leaf essential oil is of high potential as a therapeutic supplement for minor/medium depressive syndromes.


Subject(s)
Acyclic Monoterpenes/pharmacology , Antidepressive Agents/pharmacology , Cinnamomum/chemistry , Motor Activity/drug effects , Oils, Volatile/pharmacology , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Plant Leaves/chemistry , Animals , Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
3.
J Theor Biol ; 509: 110516, 2021 01 21.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33065143

ABSTRACT

It is essential to understand the failure modes and the failure moments of curved stems since trees could be damaged and may cause severe loss of life and property in urban. In our previous papers, the cracking failure mechanism of hollow erect and curved trunks under bending moment was clarified and we also found that the mechanism of cracking failure of solid trunk is different from the hollow one. While the existing equation to calculate the transverse stress of a solid curved stem under a bending moment is approximate and may cause considerable errors when the initial curvature of stem is small. To solve this problem, a series of novel equations were derived in this study. Among these newly derived equations, 3 of them are especially practical in the assessment of the risk of urban tree for both safety and environment management which are Mc, cminR and ccriR. The equation of Mc is to calculate the bending moment for a solid curved trunk at which the cracking failure is initiated and this equation is more accurate than the existing equation. The equation of cminR is to calculate the minimum cR (c: curvature, R: radius of trunk) below which cracking failure will not occur, and the equation of ccriR is to calculate the critical cR which represents equal opportunities for cracking and bending failure of the stem to occur. To exert our model to practice, the equations derived in this paper were applied to literature data (Wood handbook, 1999). From the data of 41 species of softwood and 48 species of hardwood, statistically, hardwoods have larger average values of cminR and ccriR than softwoods which means that hardwoods are more resistant to cracking failure than softwoods.


Subject(s)
Trees , Wood , Stress, Mechanical
4.
R Soc Open Sci ; 7(5): 200643, 2020 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32537234

ABSTRACT

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1098/rsos.200203.].

5.
R Soc Open Sci ; 7(3): 200203, 2020 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32269826

ABSTRACT

Understanding the failure modes of curved hollow tree trunks is essential from both safety and conservation perspectives. Despite extensive research, the underlying mechanism that determines the cracking failure of curved hollow tree trunks remains unclear due to the lack of theoretical analysis that considers both the initial curvature and orthotropic material properties. Here we derive new mathematical expressions for predicting the bending moment, M crack, at which the cracking failure occurs. The failure mode of a tree species is then determined, as a function of t/R and cR, by comparing M crack with M bend, where t, R and c are, respectively, the trunk wall thickness, outer radius and initial curvature; M bend is the bending moment for conventional bending failure. Our equation shows that M crack is proportional to the tangential tensile strength of wood σT , increases with t/R, and decreases with the final cR. We analyse 11 tree species and find that hardwoods are more likely to fail in conventional bending, whereas softwoods tend to break due to cracking. This is due to the softwoods' much smaller tangential tensile strength, as observed from the data of 66 hardwoods and 43 softwoods. For larger cR, cracking failure is easier to occur in curvature-decreasing bending than curvature-increasing due to additional normal tensile force F acting on the neutral cross-section; on the other hand, for smaller cR, bending failure is easier to occur due to decreased final curvature. Our formulae are applicable to other natural and man-made curved hollow beams with orthotropic material properties. Our findings provide insights for those managing trees in urban situations and those managing for conservation of hollow-dependent fauna in both urban and rural settings.

6.
J Food Sci ; 84(12): 3555-3564, 2019 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31721202

ABSTRACT

Camellia brevistyla (Hayata) Coh. Stuart seeds are used to produce edible oil. The seed pomace is an agricultural waste, containing approximately 8% saponin, which has antihypertensive effects. Nω -nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) can induce hypertension with no deficiency on mice. Here, we investigated the effects of ethanol extract from C. brevistyla seed pomace (CBPE) in L-NAME-induced hypertension mice. The results showed that all doses of CBPE significantly decreased systolic (117 ± 5-122 ± 5 mmHg) and diastolic (72 ± 16-77 ± 8 mmHg) blood pressure, aortic intima media thickness (48 ± 5-53 ± 5 µm), and also reduced the MDA adduct and protein carbonyl levels in the liver (101 ± 19-114 ± 17 ρmol/mL and 4.8 - 5.2 nmol/mg) compared to those observed in the L-NAME group (140 ± 3 and 95 ± 8 mmHg, 65 ± 10 µm, 145 ± 25 ρmol/mL, and 7.8 nmol/mg; P < 0.05). These results suggest that CBPE has profitable antihypertensive properties which are preventing aorta remodeling and reducing liver oxidative stress in hypertensive mice.


Subject(s)
Antihypertensive Agents/administration & dosage , Camellia/chemistry , Hypertension/drug therapy , Plant Extracts/administration & dosage , Animals , Aorta/drug effects , Arginine/analogs & derivatives , Blood Pressure/drug effects , Carotid Intima-Media Thickness , Humans , Hypertension/chemically induced , Hypertension/metabolism , Hypertension/physiopathology , Male , Mice , Mice, Inbred BALB C , NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester/adverse effects , Oxidative Stress/drug effects , Seeds/chemistry
7.
Mol Nutr Food Res ; 63(4): e1800784, 2019 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30467983

ABSTRACT

SCOPE: Selenium is an important nutrient for human health. The influence of dietary selenium on lipid metabolism remains largely unknown. N-γ-(l-glutamyl)-l-selenomethionine (Glu-SeMet) on inhibition of fat accumulation and its underlying mechanisms in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans are investigated. METHODS AND RESULTS: Triacylglyceride quantification and post-fixed Nile red staining methods are conducted to evaluate fat accumulation in wild-type N2 worms in normal or high-glucose diet. Glu-SeMet (0.01 µm) treatment effectively reduces fat storage in wild-type N2 C. elegans in both a normal and high-glucose diet. Further evidence shows that Glu-SeMet (0.01 µm) decreases the ratio of oleic acid/stearic acid (C18:1Δ9/C18:0) using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. The mRNA levels of fatty acid stearoyl-CoA desaturases, FAT-6 and FAT-7, and the mediator-15 (MDT-15) are downregulated while the wild-type N2 worms are co-treated with high glucose and Glu-SeMet (0.01 µm). The effect of reduced fat accumulation is absent in fat-6, fat-7, and trxr-1 mutant worms under high glucose and Glu-SeMet (0.01 µm) co-treatment. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that Glu-SeMet inhibiting fat accumulation may be associated with FAT-6 and FAT-7 and the selenoprotein TRXR-1 in C. elegans. This study implies a potential for Glu-SeMet as a new treatment for obesity or its complications.


Subject(s)
Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins/metabolism , Caenorhabditis elegans/drug effects , Selenomethionine/analogs & derivatives , Selenomethionine/pharmacology , Thioredoxin Reductase 1/metabolism , Animals , Caenorhabditis elegans/metabolism , Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins/genetics , Diet/adverse effects , Fatty Acids/analysis , Fatty Acids/metabolism , Glucose/adverse effects , Lipid Metabolism/drug effects , Lipid Metabolism/genetics , Mutation , Stearoyl-CoA Desaturase/genetics , Stearoyl-CoA Desaturase/metabolism , Thioredoxin Reductase 1/genetics , Triglycerides/metabolism
8.
Molecules ; 23(5)2018 05 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29735955

ABSTRACT

The xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity and thermostability of Cinnamomum osmophloeum leaf oil microencapsulated with ß-cyclodextrin were evaluated in this study. The yield of leaf oil microcapsules was 86.3% using the optimal reaction conditions at the leaf oil to ß-cyclodextrin ratio of 15:85 and ethanol to water ratio ranging from 1:3 to 1:5. Based on the FTIR analysis, the characteristic absorption bands of major constituent, trans-cinnamaldehyde, were confirmed in the spectra of leaf oil microcapsules. According to the dry-heat aging test, ß-cyclodextrin was thermostable under the high temperature conditions, and it was beneficial to reduce the emission of C. osmophloeum leaf oil. Leaf oil microcapsules exhibited high xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity, with an IC50 value of 83.3 µg/mL. It is concluded that the lifetime of C. osmophloeum leaf oil can be effectively improved by microencapsulation, and leaf oil microcapsules possess superior xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity.


Subject(s)
Acrolein/analogs & derivatives , Cinnamomum/chemistry , Gout Suppressants/chemistry , Plant Oils/chemistry , Xanthine Oxidase/antagonists & inhibitors , beta-Cyclodextrins/chemistry , Acrolein/chemistry , Acrolein/isolation & purification , Capsules/chemical synthesis , Drug Compounding/methods , Drug Stability , Enzyme Assays , Gout Suppressants/isolation & purification , Hot Temperature , Humans , Plant Leaves/chemistry , Plant Oils/isolation & purification , Xanthine Oxidase/chemistry
9.
J Oleo Sci ; 67(4): 389-396, 2018 Apr 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29526875

ABSTRACT

In this study, the effects of roasting camellia (Camellia oleifera Abel.) seed oils at different temperatures (65°C, 100°C, 120°C, and 140°C) on the oxidative stability and composition of the oils were investigated. The results showed that, in terms of the quality of the oils, the roasting temperature influenced the total phenolic content (which ranged from 1.64~2.45 GAE mg/g for the different oils) and total flavonoid content (which ranged from 0.36~0.45 QE mg/g for the different oils), while the fatty acid profile and tocopherol content were not influenced by the roasting temperature. We also investigated the kinetic parameters of camellia seed oil during oxidation via Rancimat (at temperatures ranging from 110~140°C). It turned out that the natural logarithms of the oxidative stability index (OSI) varied linearly with respect to temperature (R2: 0.958~0.997). This was done on the basis of the Arrhenius equation that indicates that the activation energies (Ea) for oxidative stability are 65.7~78.4 KJ/mol. Simultaneously, we found that increasing the roasting temperature could increase the antioxidant stability of Maillard reaction products in camellia seed oil. The effects of roasting include the assurance that the camellia seed oil so produced will comply with the relevant governmental health codes and standards and have a longer shelf life.


Subject(s)
Camellia/chemistry , Cooking , Food Quality , Oxidation-Reduction , Plant Oils/chemistry , Seeds/chemistry , Temperature , Food Storage , Glycation End Products, Advanced , Plant Oils/standards
10.
R Soc Open Sci ; 4(4): 160972, 2017 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28484616

ABSTRACT

Failure of hollow trees in urban areas is a worldwide concern, and it can be caused by different mechanisms, i.e. bending stresses or flattening-related failures. Here we derive a new analytical expression for predicting the bending moment for tangential cracking, and compare the breaking moment of various failure modes, including Brazier buckling, tangential cracking, shear failure and conventional bending failure, as a function of t/R ratio, where t and R are the trunk wall thickness and trunk radius, respectively, of a hollow tree. We use Taiwan red cypress as an example and show that its failure modes and the corresponding t/R ratios are: Brazier buckling (Mode I), tangential cracking followed by longitudinal splitting (Mode II) and conventional bending failure (Mode III) for 0 < t/R < 0.06, 0.06 < t/R < 0.27 and 0.27 < t/R < 1, respectively. The exact values of those ratios may vary within and among species, but the variation is much smaller than individual mechanical properties. Also, shear failure, another type of cracking due to maximum shear stress near the neutral axis of the tree trunk, is unlikely to occur since it requires much larger bending moments. Hence, we conclude that tangential cracking due to cross-sectional flattening, followed by longitudinal splitting, is dominant for hollow trunks. Our equations are applicable to analyse straight hollow tree trunks and plant stems, but are not applicable to those with side openings or those with only heart decay. Our findings provide insights for those managing trees in urban situations and those managing for conservation of hollow-dependent fauna in both urban and rural settings.

11.
J Agric Food Chem ; 64(11): 2214-22, 2016 Mar 23.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26937943

ABSTRACT

Arsenic (As) is a human carcinogen, and arsenic contamination in groundwater is a worldwide public health concern. Arsenic-affected areas are found in many places but are reported mostly in agricultural farmlands, yet the interaction of fertilizers, microorganisms, and arsenic mobilization in arsenic-contaminated aquifers remains uncharacterized. This study investigates the effects of fertilizers and bacteria on the mobilization of arsenic in two arsenic-contaminated aquifers. We performed microcosm experiments using arsenic-contaminated sediments and amended with inorganic nitrogenous or phosphorus fertilizers for 1 and 4 months under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. The results show that microcosms amended with 100 mg/L phosphorus fertilizers (dipotassium phosphate), but not nitrogenous fertilizers (ammonium sulfate), significantly increase aqueous As(III) release in arsenic-contaminated sediments under anaerobic condition. We also show that concentrations of iron, manganese, potassium, sodium, calcium, and magnesium are increased in the aqueous phase and that the addition of dipotassium phosphate causes a further increase in aqueous iron, potassium, and sodium, suggesting that multiple metal elements may take part in the arsenic release process. Furthermore, microbial analysis indicates that the dominant microbial phylum is shifted from α-proteobacteria to ß- and γ-proteobacteria when the As(III) is increased and phosphate is added in the aquifer. Our results provide evidence that both phosphorus fertilizers and microorganisms can mediate the release of arsenic to groundwater in arsenic-contaminated sediments under anaerobic condition. Our study suggests that agricultural activity such as the use of fertilizers and monitoring phosphate concentration in groundwater should be taken into consideration for the management of arsenic in groundwater.


Subject(s)
Arsenic/analysis , Bacteria/metabolism , Fertilizers/analysis , Groundwater/chemistry , Phosphorus/analysis , Water Pollutants, Chemical/analysis , Agriculture , Geologic Sediments/analysis , Metals/analysis , Soil/chemistry , Water Microbiology
12.
J Agric Food Chem ; 63(1): 85-91, 2015 Jan 14.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25485628

ABSTRACT

Ferruginol has antifungal activity against wood-rot fungi (basidiomycetes). However, specific research on the antifungal mechanisms of ferruginol is scarce. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and fluorescent image analysis were employed to evaluate the differential protein expression of wood-rot fungus Trametes versicolor treated with or without ferruginol. Results from protein identification of tryptic peptides via liquid chromatography­electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC­ESI-MS/MS) analyses revealed 17 protein assignments with differential expression. Downregulation of cytoskeleton ß-tubulin 3 indicates that ferruginol has potential to be used as a microtubule-disrupting agent. Downregulation of major facilitator superfamily (MFS)­multiple drug resistance (MDR) transporter and peroxiredoxin TSA1 were observed, suggesting reduction in self-defensive capabilities of T. versicolor. In addition, the proteins involved in polypeptide sorting and DNA repair were also downregulated, while heat shock proteins and autophagy-related protein 7 were upregulated. These observations reveal that such cellular dysfunction and damage caused by ferruginol lead to growth inhibition and autophagic cell death of fungi.


Subject(s)
Abietanes/pharmacology , Cell Death/physiology , Fungal Proteins/analysis , Fungicides, Industrial/pharmacology , Proteomics , Trametes/drug effects , Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional , Fungal Proteins/genetics , Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal/drug effects , Trametes/genetics , Trametes/physiology , Tubulin Modulators
13.
J Agric Food Chem ; 62(44): 10701-7, 2014 Nov 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25295856

ABSTRACT

There is a growing interest in the exploitation of the residues generated by plants. This study explored the potential beneficial health effects from the main biowaste, tea seed pomace, produced when tea seed is processed. DPPH radical scavenging and total phenolic content assays were performed to evaluate the in vitro activities of the extracts. Caenorhabditis elegans was used as in vivo model to evaluate the beneficial health effects, including antioxidant activity, delayed aging, and reduced amyloid-ß toxicity. Among all soluble fractions obtained from the extracts of tea seed pomace from Camellia tenuifolia, the methanol (MeOH)-soluble fraction has the best in vivo antioxidant activities. The MeOH-soluble extraction was further divided into six fractions by chromatography with a Diaion HP-20 column eluted with water/MeOH, and fraction 3 showed the best in vitro and in vivo antioxidant activities. Further analysis in C. elegans showed that the MeOH extract (fraction 3) of tea seed pomace significantly decreased intracellular reactive oxygen species, prolonged C. elegans lifespan, and reduced amyloid-ß (Aß) toxicity in transgenic C. elegans expressing human Aß. Moreover, bioactivity-guided fractionation yielded two potent constituents from fraction 3 of the MeOH extract, namely, kaempferol 3-O-(2″-glucopyranosyl)-rutinoside and kaempferol 3-O-(2″-xylopyranosyl)-rutinoside, and both compounds exhibited excellent in vivo antioxidant activity. Taken together, MeOH extracts of tea seed pomace from C. tenuifolia have multiple beneficial health effects, suggesting that biowaste might be valuable to be explored for further development as nutraceutical products. Furthermore, the reuse of agricultural byproduct tea seed pomace also fulfills the environmental perspective.


Subject(s)
Amyloid beta-Peptides/toxicity , Antioxidants/pharmacology , Caenorhabditis elegans/drug effects , Caenorhabditis elegans/growth & development , Camellia/chemistry , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Seeds/chemistry , Animals , Antioxidants/chemistry , Antioxidants/isolation & purification , Caenorhabditis elegans/metabolism , Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid , Humans , Life Expectancy , Plant Extracts/chemistry , Plant Extracts/isolation & purification , Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism , Waste Products/analysis
14.
J Agric Food Chem ; 62(26): 6159-65, 2014 Jul 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24918691

ABSTRACT

Cinnamomum osmophloeum Kaneh. is an indigenous tree species in Taiwan. The present study investigates phytochemical characteristics, antioxidant activities, and longevity of the essential oils from the leaves of the mixed-type C. osmophloeum tree. We demonstrate that the essential oils from leaves of mixed-type C. osmophloeum exerted in vivo antioxidant activities on Caenorhabditis elegans. In addition, minor (alloaromadendrene, 5.0%) but not major chemical components from the leaves of mixed-type C. osmophloeum have a key role against juglone-induced oxidative stress in C. elegans. Additionally, alloaromadendrene not only acts protective against oxidative stress but also prolongs the lifespan of C. elegans. Moreover, mechanistic studies show that DAF-16 is required for alloaromadendrene-mediated oxidative stress resistance and longevity in C. elegans. The results in the present study indicate that the leaves of mixed-type C. osmophloeum and essential oil alloaromadendrene have the potential for use as a source for antioxidants or treatments to delay aging.


Subject(s)
Aging/drug effects , Antioxidants/pharmacokinetics , Azulenes/pharmacology , Caenorhabditis elegans/drug effects , Cinnamomum/chemistry , Drug Discovery , Oils, Volatile/pharmacology , Plant Leaves/chemistry , Sesquiterpenes/pharmacology , Animals , Antioxidants/analysis , Antioxidants/isolation & purification , Azulenes/analysis , Azulenes/isolation & purification , Caenorhabditis elegans/growth & development , Longevity/drug effects , Oils, Volatile/chemistry , Oils, Volatile/isolation & purification , Oxidative Stress/drug effects , Sesquiterpenes/analysis , Sesquiterpenes/isolation & purification , Survival Analysis , Taiwan
15.
J Contam Hydrol ; 155: 1-8, 2013 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24096199

ABSTRACT

Arsenic (As) contamination of groundwater is a significant public health concern. In this study, the removal of arsenic from groundwater using biological processes was investigated. The efficiency of arsenite (As(III)) bacterial oxidation and subsequent arsenate (As(V)) removal from contaminated groundwater using bacterial biomass was examined. A novel As(III)-oxidizing bacterium (As7325) was isolated from the aquifer in the blackfoot disease (BFD) endemic area in Taiwan. As7325 oxidized 2300µg/l As(III) using in situ As(III)-contaminated groundwater under aerobic conditions within 1d. After the oxidation of As(III) to As(V), As(V) removal was further examined using As7325 cell pellets. The results showed that As(V) could be adsorbed efficiently by lyophilized As7325 cell pellets, the efficiency of which was related to lyophilized cell pellet concentration. Our study conducted the examination of an alternative technology for the removal of As(III) and As(V) from groundwater, indicating that the oxidation of As(III)-contaminated groundwater by native isolated bacterium, followed by As(V) removal using bacterial biomass is a potentially effective technology for the treatment of As(III)-contaminated groundwater.


Subject(s)
Arsenic/metabolism , Environmental Restoration and Remediation , Groundwater , Pseudomonas/metabolism , Water Pollutants, Chemical/metabolism , Water Pollution, Chemical/prevention & control , Adsorption , Arsenates/metabolism , DNA, Bacterial/genetics , DNA, Bacterial/metabolism , Environmental Restoration and Remediation/methods , Groundwater/microbiology , Microbial Sensitivity Tests , Molecular Sequence Data , Oxidation-Reduction , Pseudomonas/genetics , RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics , RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/metabolism , Sequence Analysis, DNA , Spectrophotometry, Atomic , Taiwan
16.
J Agric Food Chem ; 60(12): 3092-7, 2012 Mar 28.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-22380926

ABSTRACT

Cinnamomum osmophloeum Kaneh is an indigenous tree species in Taiwan. In this study, phytochemical characteristics and antioxidant activities of the essential oils and key constituents from the leaves of two C. osmophloeum clones were investigated. The two trees possess two chemotypes, which were classified as the cinnamaldehyde type and camphor type. We demonstrated that the essential oils from C. osmophloeum leaves exerted in vivo antioxidant activities in Caenorhabditis elegans. In addition, trans-cinnamaldehyde and D-(+)-camphor, which respectively represent the major compounds in the cinnamaldehyde-type and camphor-type trees, exerted significant in vivo antioxidant activities against juglone-induced oxidative stress in C. elegans. Moreover, expressions of antioxidative-related genes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione S-transferase (GST), were significantly induced by trans-cinnamaldehyde and D-(+)-camphor from C. osmophloeum leaves. Our results showed that the essential oils from C. osmophloeum leaves and their major compounds might have good potential for further development as nutraceuticals or antioxidant remedies.


Subject(s)
Antioxidants/pharmacology , Cinnamomum/chemistry , Oils, Volatile/pharmacology , Plant Leaves/chemistry , Acrolein/analogs & derivatives , Acrolein/pharmacology , Animals , Caenorhabditis elegans/drug effects , Camphor/pharmacology , Gene Expression/drug effects , Glutathione Transferase/genetics , Naphthoquinones/pharmacology , Oils, Volatile/chemistry , Oxidation-Reduction , Oxidative Stress/drug effects , Superoxide Dismutase/genetics , Taiwan
17.
Food Chem Toxicol ; 49(4): 812-9, 2011 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-21145367

ABSTRACT

Selenium is an essential trace nutrient that has a narrow exposure window between its beneficial and detrimental effects. We investigated how selenium affected the development, fertility, and cholinergic signaling of the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans. Our results showed that selenite supplementation at 0.01 and 0.05 µM accelerated development and increased the brood size, while the addition of 20 µM selenite retarded the developmental rate and decreased the brood size. We also showed that the 0.01 µM selenite-pretreated nematodes were more resistant to paralysis induced by an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, aldicarb, and a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist, levamisole, compared to untreated worms. In contrast, 20 µM selenite-pretreated animals were more sensitive to aldicarb- and levamisole-induced paralysis compared to untreated worms. We measured the internal selenium in supplemented worms using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy, and the data obtained suggested that selenite added to growth medium was taken up by the worms. Taken together, these results suggest that selenite exerts both ameliorative and toxic effects on C.elegans, depending on the amount. Our investigations here thus reinforce our understanding of the ameliorative and toxic effects of selenium on development, reproduction, and cholinergic signaling.


Subject(s)
Caenorhabditis elegans/drug effects , Sodium Selenite/toxicity , Animals , Caenorhabditis elegans/physiology , Signal Transduction
18.
Bioresour Technol ; 98(4): 734-8, 2007 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-16750625

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study was to investigate the possibility of using octyl gallate alone or with organic biocides as a preservative against wood decay fungi. Antifungal activities of three antioxidants, propyl gallate, octyl gallate and butylated hydroxyltoluene (BHT) were tested against four wood decay fungi, Lenzites betulina, Trametes versicolor, Gloeophyllum trabeum and Laetiporus sulphureus. Octyl gallate was found to be the only active compound with IC50 values of 0.47, 0.16, 0.24 and 0.04 mM against L. betulina, T. versicolor, G. trabeum and L. sulphureus, respectively. A synergistic effect was also found when octyl gallate was combined with cinnamaldehyde. Results obtained herein demonstrated that octyl gallate by itself exhibited an excellent antifungal property and enhanced protection was further observed by combining it with cinnamaldehyde.


Subject(s)
Acrolein/analogs & derivatives , Antifungal Agents/pharmacology , Gallic Acid/analogs & derivatives , Acrolein/pharmacology , Basidiomycota/drug effects , Drug Evaluation, Preclinical , Drug Synergism , Free Radical Scavengers/pharmacology , Gallic Acid/pharmacology , Microbial Sensitivity Tests
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