Effects of surfactants on extraction of phenanthrene in spiked sand.

Problems associated with polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contaminated site in environmental media have received increasing attention. To resolve such problems, innovative in situ methods are urgently required. This work investigated the feasibility of using surfactants to extract phenanthrene on spiked sand in a batch system. Phenanthrene was spiked into Ottawa sand to simulate contaminated soil. Six surfactants, Brij 30 (BR), Triton X-100 (TR), Tergitol NP-10 (TE), Igepal CA-720 (IG), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (HTAB) were used. Adjusting the extraction time, mixing speed and surfactant concentration yielded the optimum extracting conditions. The concentration of phenanthrene was identified with HPLC. Under the experimental conditions, results indicated that those surfactants were highly promising on site remediation since the residual phenanthrene concentration was effectively reduced. The optimum operating conditions were obtained at 30 min, 125 rpm and surfactant concentrations in 4%.

The effects of "huoxuequyu" decoction on lipid peroxidation in IUGR rats.

The rats exposed to passive smoking were used as the animal model to further study the pathogenesis of IUGR and the effects of "Huoxuequyu" decoction. The results showed that the mean birth-weight of fetus and SOD activity of placenta and plasma in model rats were significantly reduced, and LPO levels of placenta and plasma were significantly increased. We found that the mean birth-weight and SOD activity in treated group were higher than that in model group, and LPO levels of placenta and plasma were lower in treated group than that in model group and there was no difference in SOD activity and LPO levels of placenta and plasma as well as the mean birthweight between treated group and control group, indicating that "Huoxuequyu" decoction can protect placenta and plasma against lipid peroxidation, and improve the blood circulation of uteroplacenta, thus contributing to the increase of the mean birth-weight.

Study on the effects of "foshousan" plus danshen in preventing IUGR rats with passive smoking from peroxidation in erythrocyte lipid.

The pregnant rats with cigarette smoking exposure were used as the animal model for studying the pathogenesis of IUGR. The mechanism of preventing intrauterine growth retardation with "Foshousan" plus Danshen by protecting erythrocytes against lipid peroxidation damage was also preliminarily discussed. The erythrocyte membrane lipid peroxide content, erythrocyte SOD activities were detected by ultraviolet split-beam spectrophotometry and chemiluminescence technique. The results showed that the erythrocyte MDA levels and ratio of abnormal erythrocyte in model group were significantly higher than those in control group and treated group, and the fetal mean birth weight, erythrocyte SOD levels were all statistically significantly lower than those in control group and treated group. The fetal birth weight showed a significant positive correlation with SOD levels and a significant negative correlation with MDA level. The results suggest "Foshousan" plus Danshen can protect erythrocytes against lipid peroxidation damage, thus conserving the normal form, structure and function of erythrocytes, improving the uteroplacental blood flow and thereby increasing the fetal mean birth weight.

Effect of huoxuequyu recipe on erythrocyte membrane Ca(2+)-ATPase activity in pregnant rats with asymmetrical intrauterine growth retardation induced by passive smoking.

The effect of Huoxuequyu recipe on erythrocyte membrane Ca(2+)-ATPase activity in pregnant rats with passive smoking induced asymmetrical intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) was observed. The rats were divided into three groups: control group, model group and treated group. The fetal mean birth weight and erythrocyte membrane Ca(2+)-ATPase activity were found to be decreased in the model group as compared with the control and treated groups. There was a significant difference between the model group and the control group (P < 0.01), while no significant difference existed between the treated group and the control group (P > 0.05). Furthermore, the findings indicated that the erythrocyte membrane Ca(2+)-ATPase activity seem to be positively correlated with the birth weight (P < 0.05). On the basis of our observation, it is believed that the Huoxuequyu decoction could increase erythrocyte membrane Ca(2+)-ATPase activity and promote blood circulation, thereby exerting a beneficial effect on fetal development.

[Anthraquinones isolated from Morinda officinalis and Damnacanthus indicus].

From chloroform extract of the root of Morinda officinalis, eight anthraquinones were isolated whose structures were deduced to be rubiadin (I), rubiadin-1-methyl ether (II), 1-hydroxyanthraquinone (III), 1-hydroxy-2-methylanthraquinone (IV), 1,6-dihydroxy-2,4-dimethoxyanthraquinone (V), 1,6-dihydroxy-2-methoxyanthraquinone (VI), 1-hydroxy-2-methoxyanthraquinone (VII) and physcion (VIII). Except for compound I and compound II, the other compounds, 1-hydroxy-2-hydroxymethylanthraquinone (IX), 1,3-dihydroxy-2-methoxy-anthraquinone (X), 1,4-dihydroxy-2-methylanthraquinone (XI), 1-methoxy-2-hydroxyanthraquinone (XII) and 1,4-dimethoxy-2-hydroxyanthraquinone (XIII), were isolated from chloroform extract of root of Damnacanthus indicus. Compound V, VI and XIII are new compounds.