1 H NMR-based metabonomic evaluation of the pesticides camptothecin and matrine against larvae of Spodoptera litura.

BACKGROUND: Camptothecin (CPT) and matrine (MAT) have potential as botanical pesticides against several pest species. However, the mechanisms of metabolic and physiological changes in pests induced by CPT and MAT are unknown. In this study, a toxicological test, an NMR-based metabolomic study, an enzymatic test, and an RT quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) experiment were all conducted to examine the effect of CPT and MAT on Spodoptera litura. RESULTS: CPT (0.5-1%) exerted high toxicity against larvae of S. litura and caused growth stagnation and high mortality of larvae. A variety of metabolites were significantly influenced by 0.5% CPT, including several energy-related metabolites such as trehalose, lactate, succinate, citrate, malate, and fumarate. In contrast, MAT showed low toxicity against larvae and induced almost no changes in hemolymph metabolites of S. litura. Enzymatic tests showed that trehalase activity was significantly decreased in larvae after feeding with 0.5% CPT. RT-qPCR showed that the transcription levels of alanine aminotransferase, malate dehydrogenase, and isocitrate dehydrogenase were decreased while lactate dehydrogenase was increased in the 0.5% CPT-treated group. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that one of the important mechanisms of CPT against S. litura larvae is via the inhibition of trehalose hydrolysis and glycolysis. Our findings also suggest that CPT exhibits a stronger toxicological effect than MAT against S. litura, which provides basic information for the application of CPT in the control of S. litura or other lepidoptera pests.

Sanguinarine caused larval lethality and growth inhibition by suppressing energy metabolism in silkworms, Bombyx mori.

Sanguinarine (Sang) is a natural alkaloid and distributed in several plants of Papaveraceae. The antitumor, antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects of Sang were extensively reported, but its speciality and mechanism against Lepidoptera insects were still unknown. In this study, detailed toxicological parameters of Sang against silkworms, Bombyx mori (B. mori), were determined by a toxicological test. Then, a nuclear magnetic resonance-based (NMR) metabolomics method was adopted to analyze the changes in hemolymph metabolites of silkworms after feeding Sang. The growth of fourth-instar larvae was significantly ceased by the oral administration of 0.05-0.3% Sang and vast deaths appeared in 0.3% Sang group on Day 4 and Day 5. The quantitative analysis of metabolites indicated that trehalose and citrate levels in hemolymph were increased after 24 h of feeding 0.3% Sang, whereas the concentrations of pyruvate, succinate, malate and fumarate were decreased. In addition, the enzymatic determination and reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) showed that the trehalase (THL) activity and the transcriptional level of one gene coding THL were uniformly weakened by 0.3% Sang. One of the important mechanisms of Sang against silkworms might be interpreted as follows. Sang impaired trehalose hydrolysis, reduced THL activity and transcription, and led to the inhibition of energy metabolism, consequent antigrowth and high lethality in larvae of B. mori. Our findings offered new insights into the insecticidal effect of Sang from the perspective of energy metabolism and provided the basis for the application of Sang in the control of Lepidoptera pests.

Polyphenol content of plasma and litter after the oral administration of green tea and tea polyphenols in chickens.

Metabolic profiles of broiler chickens were examined after the ingestion of green tea, tea polyphenols, and (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). Solid-phase extraction of serum and litters yielded free catechins and their metabolites, which were then identified and quantified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. In plasma samples, (-)-gallocatechin, (+)-catechin, and EGCG were detected in the green tea group; pyrogallol acid, (epi)catechin-O-sulfate, 4'-O-methyl-(epi)gallocatechin-O-glucuronide, and (epi)catechin-3'-O-glucuronide were detected in the tea polyphenols group; and EGCG, (-)-gallocatechin gallate (GCG), and 4'-O-methyl-(epi)gallocatechin-O-glucuronides were detected in the EGCG group. In litters, gallic acid, EGCG, GCG, and ECG were detected in the green tea and tea polyphenols groups; EGCG and ECG were detected in the EGCG group. The conjugated metabolites, 4'-O-methyl-(epi)gallocatechin-O-glucuronide, (epi)catechin-3'-glucuronide, and 4'-O-methyl-(epi)catechin-O-sulfate, were identified in the green tea group; 4'-O-methyl-(epi)catechin-O-sulfate and 4'-O-methyl-(epi)gallocatechin-O-sulfate were identified in the tea polyphenols group; only 4'-O-methyl-(epi)gallocatechin-O-sulfate was detected in the EGCG group. The excretion of tea catechins was 95.8, 87.7, and 97.7% for the green tea, tea polyphenols, and EGCG groups, respectively.

[Efficacy and safety of glucocorticoids in addition to intravenous immunoglobulin in the initial treatment of Kawasaki disease: a meta-analysis of randomized trials].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of glucocorticoids (GC) plus intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in the initial treatment of Kawasaki disease. METHODS: Fourteen electronic databases and 3 Japanese magazines were searched. Randomized controlled trials (RCT) describing the use of GC plus IVIG in the initial treatment of Kawasaki disease in children were collected. The data of methodological quality and trial information were extracted by two independent researchers. Cochrane review methodology was used for assessing the trial quality and efficacy. Each dichotomous outcome was measured in terms of odds risk (OR) while continuous outcomes shown as weighted mean differences (WMD). And a meta-analysis was made with RevMan5.0.23.0 software. RESULTS: A total of 416 cases in 3 trials were included. There were 209 cases in GC + IVIG group and 207 cases in IVIG group. The incidence of coronary artery lesion (CAL) was not different between GC + IVIG and IVIG groups within 1 month or 1 month post-treatment (OR: 0.74, 0.69; 95%CI: 0.23 - 2.40, 0.35 - 1.38; P = 0.62, 0.30]. The fever duration was shorter in GC + IVIG group than that in IVIG group (WMD: -0.93 d, 95%CI: -1.15 - -0.70, P = 0.00). The treatment failure rate was less in GC + IVIG group than IVIG group (9.09% vs 17.48%, OR: 0.49, 95%CI: 0.28 - 0.86, P = 0.01). No difference in adverse events was found between two groups (OR: 0.81, 95%CI: 0.22 - 3.03, P = 0.76). CONCLUSION: There is no evidence to support that GC plus IVIG can further reduce the CAL risk of KD patients. But it may lower the treatment failure rate in KD patients.