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1.
Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi ; 48(19): 5152-5161, 2023 Oct.
Article in Chinese | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38114105

ABSTRACT

During the storage process, Chinese medicinal materials are susceptible to insect infestation due to their own nature and external storage factors. Infestation by insects can have varying impacts on the materials. In mild cases, it affects the appearance and reduces consumer purchasing power, while in severe cases, it affects the quality, reduces medicinal value, and introduces impurities such as insect bodies, excrement, and secretions, resulting in significant contamination of the medicinal materials. This study reviewed the rele-vant factors influencing insect infestation in Chinese medicinal materials and the compositional changes that occur after infestation and summarized maintenance measures for preventing insect infestation. Additionally, it provided an overview of detection techniques applicable to identifying insect infestation during the storage of Chinese medicinal materials. During the storage process, insect infestation is the result of the combined effects of biological factors(source, species, and population density of insects), intrinsic factors(moisture, chemical composition, and metabolism), and environmental factors(temperature, relative humidity, and oxygen content). After infestation, there are significant changes in the content of constituents in the medicinal materials. By implementing strict pre-storage inspections, regular maintenance after storage, and appropriate storage and maintenance methods, the occurrence of insect infestation can be reduced, and the preservation rate of Chinese medicinal materials can be improved. The storage and maintenance of Chinese medicinal materials are critical for ensuring their quality. Through scientifically standardized storage and strict adherence to operational management standards, the risk of insect infestation can be minimized, thus guaranteeing the quality of Chinese medicinal materials.


Subject(s)
Drug Contamination , Insecta , Animals , Drug Contamination/prevention & control , Preservation, Biological , Temperature
2.
World J Clin Cases ; 11(20): 4912-4919, 2023 Jul 16.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37584000

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The clinical symptoms and imaging manifestations of neurocysticercosis (NCC) are very different, and the difficulty and delay of clinical diagnoses may lead to an increase in mortality and disability. Rapid and accurate pathogen identification is important for the treatment of these patients. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) is a powerful tool to identify pathogens, especially in infections that are difficult to identify by conventional methods. CASE SUMMARY: A 43-year-old male patient was admitted due to a recurrent headache for a few months. Imaging examinations showed hydrocephalus and cystic lesions, which were considered to be a central nervous system infection, but no etiology was found by routine examination. mNGS of the cerebrospinal fluid revealed high Taenia solium reads, and the positive results of a cysticercosis antibody test confirmed the infection. Combined with the patient's clinical manifestations, the etiological evidence, and the imaging manifestation, the patient was finally diagnosed with NCC and he was prescribed dexamethasone, albendazole, neurotrophic drugs, and intracranial pressure reduction therapy. The headaches disappeared after anti-parasite treatment, and no associated symptoms recurred prior to the three- and six-month follow-up. CONCLUSION: As an accurate and sensitivity detection method, mNGS can be a reliable approach for the diagnosis of NCC.

4.
J Agric Food Chem ; 71(25): 9772-9781, 2023 Jun 28.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37313981

ABSTRACT

Botrytis cinerea causes gray mold in many fruit and vegetable crops. We previously found that Seselin (SL) displayed antifungal activity against B. cinerea (EC50 = 6.1 µg·mL-1), and this study investigated the effects of Ca2+ and the Ca2+/CN signaling pathway on its antifungal activity against B. cinerea. The results indicated that exogenous Ca2+, Cyclosporine A, and Verapamil reduced the sensitivity of SL against B. cinerea; SL significantly reduced the intracellular Ca2+ concentration in the hyphae; the sensitivity of strains ΔbcCCH1 and ΔbcMID1 to SL were significantly increased; and the expressions of CCH1, MID1, CNA, PMC1, and PMR1 genes of the Ca2+/CN signaling pathway were significantly downregulated by SL treatment. Hence, SL is a potential compound for developing fungicides against B. cinerea. SL dramatically reduces intracellular Ca2+ concentration and disturbs Ca2+ homeostasis, leading to cell death. The Ca2+/CN signaling pathway plays an important role in the antifungal activity of SL against B. cinerea.


Subject(s)
Antifungal Agents , Fungicides, Industrial , Antifungal Agents/pharmacology , Antifungal Agents/metabolism , Fungicides, Industrial/pharmacology , Fungicides, Industrial/metabolism , Botrytis , Signal Transduction , Plant Diseases/microbiology
5.
CNS Neurosci Ther ; 29(3): 941-956, 2023 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36575869

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Kynurenine (KYN) accumulation in periphery induces brain injury, responsible for depression. α-Asarone is a simple phenylpropanoids that exerts beneficial effects on central nervous system. However, the effect of α-asarone on periphery is unexplored. AIMS: Here, we investigated its protective role against depression from the aspect of KYN metabolism in skeletal muscle. METHODS: The antidepressant effects of α-asarone were evaluated in chronic mild stress (CMS) and muscle-specific PGC-1α-deficient mice. The effects of KYN metabolism were determined in mice and C2C12 myoblasts. RESULTS: α-Asarone exerted antidepressant effects in CMS and KYN-challenged mice via modulating KYN metabolism. In myoblasts, α-asarone regulated PGC-1α induction via cAMP/CREB signaling and upregulated KYN aminotransferases (KATs) to increase KYN clearance in a manner dependent on PGC-1α. KAT function is coupled with malate-aspartate shuttle (MAS), while α-asarone combated oxidative stress to protect MAS and mitochondrial integrity by raising the NAD+ /NADH ratio, ensuring effective KYN disposal. In support, the antidepressant effect of α-asarone was diminished by muscle-specific PGC-1α deficient mice subjected to KYN challenge. CONCLUSION: KATs coupled with MAS to clear KYN in muscle. α-Asarone increased PGC-1α induction and promoted KYN disposal in muscle, suggesting that protection of mitochondria is a way for pharmacological intervention to depression.


Subject(s)
Depression , Kynurenine , Resilience, Psychological , Animals , Mice , Antidepressive Agents/pharmacology , Antidepressive Agents/therapeutic use , Depression/drug therapy , Depression/etiology , Kynurenine/metabolism , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Muscle, Skeletal/metabolism , Resilience, Psychological/drug effects
6.
Pest Manag Sci ; 78(11): 4649-4659, 2022 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35866518

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Botrytis cinerea causes grey mould and is one of the most destructive fungal pathogens affecting important fruit and vegetable crops. In preliminary studies, we found that disenecioyl-cis-khellactone (DK) had strong antifungal activity against several fungi species including B. cinerea [half maximal effective concentration (EC50 ) = 11.0 µg mL-1 ]. In this study, we aimed to further evaluate the antifungal activity of DK against B. cinerea and determine the role of calcium ion/calcineurin (Ca2+ /CN) signalling pathway on its antifungal effect. RESULTS: DK was effective against B. cinerea in both in vitro and in vivo assays. Exogenous Ca2+ reduced the antifungal activity of DK. The combination of DK and cyclosporine A (CsA) did not exhibit an additive effect against B. cinerea. In contrast to CsA, DK reduced the intracellular Ca2+ concentration in B. cinerea. DK bound to calcineurin A (cnA) and up-regulated the expression of PMC1 and PMR1 genes. Moreover, DK sensitivity of △bccnA significantly decreased compared with that of Bc05.10 strain. CONCLUSION: DK is a promising lead compound for developing fungicides against B. cinerea. The Ca2+ /CN signalling pathway plays a crucial role in the DK antifungal activity, and cnA is one of the targets of DK against B. cinerea. DK directly reacts with cnA, which up-regulates the transcription of Ca2+ /CN-dependent target genes PMC1 and PMR1, decreasing the intracellular Ca2+ concentration and disturbing the intracellular Ca2+ balance, leading to cell death. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.


Subject(s)
Antifungal Agents , Fungicides, Industrial , Antifungal Agents/pharmacology , Botrytis , Calcineurin/pharmacology , Calcium/pharmacology , Coumarins , Cyclosporine/pharmacology , Fungicides, Industrial/chemistry , Fungicides, Industrial/pharmacology , Plant Diseases/microbiology
7.
Pharmacol Res ; 182: 106352, 2022 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35835369

ABSTRACT

Anthracyclines (ANTs) continue to play an irreplaceable role in oncology treatment. However, the clinical application of ANTs has been limited. In the first place, ANTs can cause dose-dependent cardiotoxicity such as arrhythmia, cardiomyopathy, and congestive heart failure. In the second place, the development of multidrug resistance (MDR) leads to their chemotherapeutic failure. Oncology cardiologists are urgently searching for agents that can both protect the heart and reverse MDR without compromising the antitumor effects of ANTs. Based on in vivo and in vitro data, we found that natural compounds, including saponins, may be active agents for other both natural and chemical compounds in the inhibition of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity (AIC) and the reversal of MDR. In this review, we summarize the work of previous researchers, describe the mechanisms of AIC and MDR, and focus on revealing the pharmacological effects and potential molecular targets of saponins and their derivatives in the inhibition of AIC and the reversal of MDR, aiming to encourage future research and clinical trials.


Subject(s)
Saponins , Anthracyclines/adverse effects , Antibiotics, Antineoplastic/pharmacology , Cardiotoxicity/drug therapy , Drug Resistance, Multiple , Humans , Saponins/chemistry , Saponins/pharmacology , Saponins/therapeutic use
8.
J Sep Sci ; 45(13): 2375-2393, 2022 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35403814

ABSTRACT

Codonopsis Radix, a popular food homology medicine, is widely used in clinical traditional Chinese medicine and food supplement, raw products and three types of processed products are the main forms of decoction pieces in China. However, there is no scientific basis for comprehensive chemical characterization of raw and three types of processed products. Herein, we investigated qualitatively and quantificationally secondary and primary metabolites in raw Codonopsis Radix and three types of processed products by metabolomics and glycomics employing multiple chromatography-mass spectrometry technology combined with chemometric analysis further to look for differential compounds and propose the processing-induced chemical mechanisms. The results indicated that Codonopsis Radix became dark-colored and the smell of burnt incense odor was observed after processing. The principal component analysis demonstrated that secondary metabolome and glycome were significantly altered between raw and processed products, and 36 differential secondary metabolites and 11 differential primary metabolites were finally screened through orthogonal partial least-squares-discriminant analysis. The main types of compounds are alkaloids, terpenoids, glycosides, amino acids, monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, and furfural derivatives. Meanwhile, Chemical mechanisms could be involved, including oxidation, glycosidic hydrolysis, esterification, dehydration, and Maillard reaction. This work supplies a chemical basis for the application of various types of Codonopsis Radix decoction pieces.


Subject(s)
Codonopsis , Drugs, Chinese Herbal , Chromatography , Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid , Codonopsis/metabolism , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/analysis , Glycomics , Glycosides , Mass Spectrometry , Metabolomics , Technology
9.
J Ethnopharmacol ; 271: 113895, 2021 May 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33524512

ABSTRACT

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Ginkgo biloba L. fruit, also known as Bai Guo, Ya Jiao Zi (in pinyin Chinese), and ginkgo nut (in English), has been used for many years as an important material in Chinese traditional medicine to treat coughs and asthma and as a disinfectant, as described in the Compendium of Materia Medica (Ben Cao Gang Mu, pinyin in Chinese), an old herbal book. Ginkgo nuts are used to treat phlegm-associated asthma, astringent gasp, frequent urination, gonorrhoea and turgidity; consumed raw to reduce phlegm and treat hangovers; and used as a disinfectant and insecticide. A similar record was also found in Sheng Nong's herbal classic (Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing, pinyin in Chinese). Recent research has shown that Ginkgo biloba L. exocarp extract (GBEE) can unblock blood vessels and improve brain function and exhibits antitumour and antibacterial activities. AIM OF STUDY: To investigate the inhibitory effect of Ginkgo biloba L. exocarp extract (GBEE) on methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) biofilms and assess its associated molecular mechanism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The antibacterial effects of GBEE on S. aureus and MRSA were determined using the broth microdilution method. The growth curves of bacteria treated with or without GBEE were generated by measuring the CFU (colony forming unit) of cultures at different time points. The effects of GBEE on bacterial biofilm formation and mature biofilm disruption were determined by crystal violet staining. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to measure the effects of GBEE on the gene expression profiles of MRSA biofilm-related factors at 6, 8, 12, 16 and 24 h. RESULTS: The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of GBEE on S. aureus and MRSA was 4 µg/mL, and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) was 8 µg/ml. Moreover, GBEE (4-12 µg/mL) inhibited S. aureus and MRSA biofilm formation in a dose-dependent manner. Interestingly, GBEE also destroyed mature biofilms of S. aureus and MRSA at 12 µg/ml. The expression of the MRSA biofilm-associated factor icaA and sarA were downregulated after 6 h of treatment with GBEE, while sigB was downregulated after 12 h. MeanwhileMeanwhile, icaR was upregulated at 12 h. In addition, GBEE also downregulated the virulence gene hld and inhibited the synthesis of staphyloxanthin. CONCLUSIONS: GBEE has excellent antibacterial effects against S. aureus and MRSA and inhibits their biofilm-forming ability by altering related gene expression.


Subject(s)
Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology , Biofilms/drug effects , Gene Expression/drug effects , Ginkgo biloba/chemistry , Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus/drug effects , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Staphylococcus aureus/physiology , Bacterial Proteins/drug effects , Down-Regulation/drug effects , Microbial Sensitivity Tests , Staphylococcus aureus/drug effects , Up-Regulation/drug effects , Virulence/drug effects
10.
Biochem Biophys Res Commun ; 529(3): 554-561, 2020 08 27.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32736673

ABSTRACT

Stroke ranks as the second leading cause of disability and death globally. Trigger receptors expressed on myeloid cells (TREM) -1 are responsible for the activation of the innate immune response and also play a critical role in inflammation. In this study, we reported the contribution of TREM-1 after ischemic damage in a rat middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model. This study also demonstrated that TREM-1 expression was upregulated following cerebral infarction in rats. TREM-1 inhibition was determined using its selective inhibitor, LP17, which indicated a neuroprotective effect on cerebral infarction damage. The findings revealed that inhibition of TREM-1 by administering LP17 improved cerebral damage and decreased ischemic areas and brain water contents. Moreover, LP17 decreased MCAO-induced microglial activation and neurodegeneration, evidenced by a reduction in the expression of microglial Iba-1 and FJ-B positive cells, and reversed neuronal loss. Besides, the contribution of LP17 to ischemic neuronal damage may be associated with a decrease in the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and enhanced production of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Both in vivo and in vitro studies showed that inhibiting TREM-1 attenuated ROS accumulation, lipid per-oxidation (LPO) contents such as malondialdehyde (MDA) and enhanced the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity after ischemia. Inhibiting TREM-1 alleviated inflammation and pyroptosis found in MCAO rats. This was achieved through the inhibition of the levels of NLRP3, caspase-1, ASC (an apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD) and gasdermin D. These results confirmed that inhibiting TREM-1 protects against ischemia-induced neuronal damage and alleviates microglial mediated neuro-inflammation by reducing oxidative stress and pyroptosis. Therefore, blocking TREM-1 expression provides an effective intervention for improving ischemic stroke.


Subject(s)
Brain Ischemia/complications , Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery/complications , Neurodegenerative Diseases/prevention & control , Neuroprotective Agents/pharmacology , Oxidative Stress/drug effects , Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells-1/antagonists & inhibitors , Animals , Cell Line , Cerebral Infarction/etiology , Cerebral Infarction/metabolism , Cerebral Infarction/prevention & control , Cytokines/metabolism , Malondialdehyde/metabolism , Mice , Microglia/metabolism , Neurodegenerative Diseases/etiology , Neurodegenerative Diseases/metabolism , Pyroptosis/drug effects , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism , Stroke/etiology , Stroke/metabolism , Stroke/prevention & control , Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells-1/genetics , Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells-1/metabolism
11.
Neurosci Lett ; 731: 135091, 2020 07 13.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32454152

ABSTRACT

Previous studies have reported that memantine presents evidence of therapeutic benefits in several animal models of ischemic stroke and neurodegenerative diseases. However, the effect of memantine on secondary damage in the ipsilateral thalamus after focal cortical infarction remains undefined. Present study investigated whether memantine has a protective effect on secondary damage in the ipsilateral thalamus after focal cerebral infarction in rats. At 24 h after distal middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), rats in the memantine and vehicle groups were intraperitoneal injected with memantine and isopycnic vehicle, respectively, was once daily administered for consecutive 7 days. Infarct size was evaluated through Nissl staining and sensory decline determined using adhesive removal test. Secondary thalamic damage was assessed using Nissl staining and immunofluorescence 8 days after MCAO. Immunoboltting was used to identify tau and apoptosis-associated proteins in the ipsilateral thalamus after MCAO. Results revealed that memantine ameliorated sensory decline compared to the vehicle controls. Subsequently, tau phosphorylated at threonine 231 (p-tau-231), glycogen synthase kinase3ßpY216 (GSK3ßpY216) and protein phosphatase 2A (PP2ApY307) were reduced by memantine, causing greater reduction in neuronal loss and inhibition of reactive astrogliosis in the ipsilateral ventroposterior thalamic nucleus (VPN) compared with the vehicle groups. In addition, increase in secondary damage-induced TUNEL-positive cells was blunted by memantine, as demonstrated by the significant reduction in expression of apoptosis-associated proteins. Our results suggest that memantine has a neuro-protective effect on secondary damage in the ipsilateral thalamus following MCAO by inhibiting the activity of GSK3ßpY216/PP2ApY307 and down regulating the levels of p-tau-231 protein.


Subject(s)
Memantine/pharmacology , Neurons/metabolism , Neuroprotective Agents/pharmacology , tau Proteins/metabolism , Animals , Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins/metabolism , Male , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , tau Proteins/drug effects
12.
Medicine (Baltimore) ; 98(6): e13921, 2019 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30732126

ABSTRACT

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are suspected of predicting the prognosis of malignant tumor, but there are few relevant reports specific to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). This study investigated the clinical significance of CTCs in patients with ESCC.Sixty patients with ESCC were enrolled, from whom CTCs had been tested by our team previously. Peripheral blood samples were obtained from these patients before treatment; and CTCs were assayed by isolation by size of epithelial tumor cells (ISET). Associations between the presence of CTCs and patients' clinicopathological parameters and clinical outcomes were analyzed.CTCs were detected in 20 patients (33.3%), who experienced significantly shorter progression-free survival (PFS) than did the CTC-negative patients. Overall, PFS was negatively associated with the number of CTCs. Multivariate analyses showed that a CTC count >2 was a strong independent prognostic indicator of tumor recurrence (hazard ratio [HR] 5.63; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.77-17.89; P = .003). In the subgroup of 50 patients who underwent R0 resection and postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy or chemotherapy, CTC was a strong, independent, and prognostic indicator of tumor recurrence (HR 10.70; 95% CI, 1.40-81.91; P = .022). The number of CTCs correlated with the T stage (r = 0.26, P = .043) but not with the N or M stage. For subgroups in stages II or I-IIIB or T3 or T3 + T4, the PFS of patients with CTCs > 1 or > 2 was significantly shorter than that of the patients with CTCs ≤ 1 or CTCs ≤ 2. In the stage III or T3 + T4 groups, the PFS of patients with CTCs > 0 was significantly shorter than that of patients with CTC = 0.This is the first study to report that the CTC detected by ISET is an independent and prognostic indicator of patients' outcome in ESCC. Consideration of CTCs may improve the accuracy of preoperative staging in ESCC.


Subject(s)
Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma/blood , Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma/mortality , Aged , Biomarkers, Tumor , Combined Modality Therapy , Disease-Free Survival , Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma/pathology , Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma/therapy , Female , Humans , Kaplan-Meier Estimate , Male , Middle Aged , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local , Neoplasm Staging , Neoplastic Cells, Circulating/pathology , Prognosis
13.
Sci Rep ; 8(1): 8007, 2018 05 22.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29789623

ABSTRACT

In previous studies, miR-29s showed tumor suppressor properties against lung cancer, which improved the survival of patients upon the administration of chemotherapy via an unknown mechanism. Here, we investigated the regulatory effects of miR-29s on the cisplatin resistance of NSCLC cells. The expression of miR-29s was assessed in 130 clinical patients and in cisplatin-treated NSCLS cell lines. MiR-29c expression was decreased in 77% of NSCLC patients. Cisplatin treatment increased the expression of miR-29c and decreased the expression of its oncogenic target AKT2 in NSCLC cell lines. A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis indicated that higher miR-29c levels led to a longer disease-free survival. In particular, patients who experienced cancer recurrences after cisplatin chemotherapy exhibited a lower level of miR-29c expression, suggesting that miR-29c activation may contribute to the chemotherapeutic efficiency of cisplatin. The enforced expression of miR-29c enhanced the cisplatin sensitivity of NSCLC cells, while the knocking down of miR-29c led to cisplatin resistance. MiR-29c amplified the therapeutic effects of cisplatin in vivo. Rescue experiments suggested that miR-29c regulates the cisplatin resistance of NSCLS cells by negatively regulating the PI3K/Akt pathway. Overall, our results demonstrated that miR-29c enhances the sensitivity of NSCLC cells to cisplatin by targeting the PI3K/Akt pathway.


Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/drug therapy , Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/genetics , Cisplatin/therapeutic use , Drug Resistance, Neoplasm/genetics , Lung Neoplasms/drug therapy , Lung Neoplasms/genetics , MicroRNAs/physiology , A549 Cells , Adult , Animals , Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/metabolism , Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/pathology , Case-Control Studies , Down-Regulation/genetics , Female , Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic , Genes, Tumor Suppressor/physiology , Humans , Lung Neoplasms/metabolism , Lung Neoplasms/pathology , Male , Mice , Mice, Nude , Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/genetics , Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/genetics , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism , Signal Transduction/genetics , Tumor Cells, Cultured , Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
14.
Environ Pollut ; 232: 183-190, 2018 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28923341

ABSTRACT

Fluralaner is a novel isoxazoline insecticide which shows high insecticidal activity against parasitic, sanitary and agricultural pests, but there is little information about the effect of fluralaner on non-target organisms. This study reports the acute toxicity, bioconcentration, elimination and antioxidant response of fluralaner in zebrafish. All LC50 values of fluralaner to zebrafish were higher than 10 mg L-1 at 24, 48, 72 and 96 h. To study the bioconcentration and elimination, the zebrafish were exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of fluralaner (2.00 and 0.20 mg L-1) for 15 d and then held 6 d in clean water. The results showed medium BCF of fluralaner with values of 12.06 (48 h) and 21.34 (144 h) after exposure to 2.00 and 0.20 mg L-1 fluralaner, respectively. In the elimination process, a concentration of only 0.113 mg kg-1 was found in zebrafish on the 6th day after removal to clean water. After exposure in 2.00 mg L-1 fluralaner, the enzyme activities of SOD, CAT, and GST, GSH-PX, CarE and content of MDA were measured. Only CAT and CarE activities were significantly regulated and the others stayed at a stable level compared to the control group. Meanwhile, transcriptional expression of CYP1C2, CYP1D1, CYP11A were significantly down-regulated at 12 h exposed to 2.00 mg L-1 of fluralaner. Except CYP1D1, others CYPs were up-regulated at different time during exposure periods. Fluralaner and its formulated product (BRAVECTO®) are of low toxicity to zebrafish and are rapidly concentrated in zebrafish and eliminated after exposure in clean water. Antioxidant defense and metabolic systems were involved in the fluralaner-induced toxicity. Among them, the activities of CAT and CarE, and most mRNA expression level of CYPs showed fast response to the sub-lethal concentration of fluralaner, which could be used as a biomarker relevant to the toxicity.


Subject(s)
Insecticides/toxicity , Isoxazoles/toxicity , Water Pollutants, Chemical/toxicity , Zebrafish/physiology , Animals , Antioxidants/metabolism , Biomarkers/metabolism , Catalase/metabolism , Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System/metabolism , Glutathione Transferase/metabolism , Superoxide Dismutase/metabolism , Toxicity Tests, Acute , Zebrafish/metabolism
15.
Pest Manag Sci ; 73(1): 94-101, 2017 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27570117

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Osthol is a natural coumarin and lead compound that has been developed into commercial fungicides in China. Natural coumarins comprise five major subtypes: simple coumarins, linear furanocoumarins, angular furanocoumarins, linear pyranocoumarins and angular pyranocoumarins. Studies pertaining to the antifungal activities of linear pyranocoumarins are few, and no reports exist for the antifungal activities of angular pyranocoumarins. In order to discover more antifungal natural coumarins, we synthesised a series of simple natural coumarins and isolated several plant-based furanocoumarins and pyranocoumarins using previously described methods. The compounds were biologically evaluated against some plant fungal pathogens. RESULTS: Several of the 35 coumarins evaluated here exhibited strong activities against specific fungal species, including compound 25 (Pd-D-V, a linear pyranocoumarin), compound 26 (libanorin, an angular furanocoumarin) and compound 34 (disenecioyl khellactone, an angular pyranocoumarin). Compound 25 exhibited a high activity against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (EC50 = 13.2 µg mL-1 ); compound 34 displayed a strong antifungal activity against Botrytis cinerea (EC50 = 11.0 µg mL-1 ). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that several natural coumarins (one linear pyranocoumarin and one angular pyranocoumarin in particular) exhibit strong antifungal activities. These results call for further studies, where these coumarins can be examined as potential lead compounds for developing novel antifungal agents. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.


Subject(s)
Coumarins/chemistry , Fungicides, Industrial/chemistry , Pest Control, Biological/methods , Structure-Activity Relationship , China , Microbial Sensitivity Tests , Plant Diseases/microbiology , Plants/microbiology
17.
Arch Environ Occup Health ; 70(1): 27-34, 2015.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24456543

ABSTRACT

Although staffs in medical colleges have traditionally been characterized as a stressed group of people, there are no specific studies assessing burnout and the relationship to quality of life (QOL). The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate job-related burnout and the relationship to QOL among medical college staff in mainland China. Some 360 medical college staffs from 15 schools and departments were enrolled in the study. The Chinese Teachers' Burnout Inventory (TBI) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life--brief Chinese version were used. Data on sociodemographic, work-related, and health-related factors were also collected. Multiple stepwise regression analysis was used to identify significant factors related to the 3 domain scores of the TBI. Structural equation modeling was performed to test the correlation between job-related burnout and QOL. The most significant and common predictors of burnout prevention were a love of the teaching profession and work acknowledgment from a direct supervisor. Job-related burnout had a direct negative effect on QOL. Corresponding health policies and suggestions could be developed to prevent job-related burnout and improve QOL.


Subject(s)
Burnout, Professional/epidemiology , Faculty, Medical , Quality of Life , Adult , China , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Health Status , Humans , Job Satisfaction , Leisure Activities , Male , Middle Aged , Socioeconomic Factors , Surveys and Questionnaires , Time Factors
18.
Zhong Yao Cai ; 37(1): 55-7, 2014 Jan.
Article in Chinese | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25090703

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the chemical constituents in the roots of Angelica nitida. METHODS: The chemical constituents were isolated by silica gel,their structures were identified by spectral analysis. RESULTS: Nine compounds were isolated and identified as isoimperatorin(I), imperatorin(II), cnidilin(III), beta-sitosterol(IV), isopimpinellin(V), phellopterin(VI), neobyakangelicol(VII), (3S)-2,2-dimethyl-3,5-dihydroxy-8-hydroxylmethyl-3,4-dihydro-2H,6H-benzo[1,2-b: 5,4-b'] dipyran-6-one(VIll) and byakangelicin (IX). CONCLUSION: All the compounds are isolated from the plant for the first time.


Subject(s)
Angelica/chemistry , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry , Plant Roots/chemistry , Plants, Medicinal/chemistry , China , Coumarins/chemistry , Coumarins/isolation & purification , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/isolation & purification , Furocoumarins/chemistry , Furocoumarins/isolation & purification , Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy , Molecular Structure
19.
Oncol Lett ; 5(2): 463-468, 2013 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23420582

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different sequences of pulmonary artery and vein ligations during lobectomy on blood micrometastasis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Cytokeratin 19 (CK19)/adhesion molecule CD44v6 mRNA were used as markers. A total of 30 NSCLC patients undergoing pulmonary lobectomy were randomly divided into pulmonary artery (PA)-first and pulmonary vein (PV)-first groups according to the order of artery or vein ligation (15 cases in each). Fluorescent quantitative-RT-PCR (FQ-RT-PCR) was used to detect the mRNA expression of CK19 and CD44v6 in pulmonary venous blood at the early and late periods during surgery, and ΔCt values were calculated. Meanwhile, the peripheral blood samples from 10 healthy volunteers were selected as the control. ΔCt values of CD44v6 and CK19 of NSCLC groups at the early period during surgery were 7.83±1.70 and 10.76±2.74, while those of the control group were 9.17±1.04 and 12.76±2.36. The expression of CD44v6 and CK19 genes in venous blood of NSCLC groups was significantly higher than that of the control group (P<0.05). In addition, the ΔCt values of CD44v6 and CK19 in the early and late periods during surgery in the PA-first group were 7.92±1.97 vs. 5.67±2.11 (P= 0.008) and 11.21±3.14 vs. 8.60±4.02 (P= 0.05), respectively. The expression of CD44v6 and CK19 in the late period were both significantly higher than those in the early period, while neither the ΔCt value of CD44v6 nor that of CK19 in the early vs. late periods in the PV-first group exhibited statistically significant differences (7.95±1.91 vs. 7.74±2.10 and 10.60±3.15 vs. 10.30±2.98) (P<0.05). Surgical manipulation itself may stimulate the occurrence of blood micrometastasis and the ligation of the PV first during surgery may help prevent blood micrometastasis.

20.
Zhong Yao Cai ; 36(7): 1072-5, 2013 Jul.
Article in Chinese | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24417140

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To establish an HPLC fingerprint of Gardenia jasminoides f. longicarpa and compare the differences between its ordinary powder and ultrafine powder. METHODS: The analysis was carried out on a Kromasil C18 (250 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 microm) column with gradient elution of acetonitrile-0.4% phosphoric acid at the flow rate of 1.0 ml/min. The wavelength was 240 nm during 0 - 40 min and 440 nm during 40 - 80 min. RESULTS: HPLC fingerprint of Gardenia jasminoides f. longicarpa was established, 23 common peaks were identified,and the similarity of 10 samples was greater than 0.9. Ultrafine grinding did not change the types and number of chemical compositions, but it obviously increased the content of main chemical compositions. CONCLUSION: The HPLC fingerprint is accurate, reliable and repeatable, which can be used for quality control of Gardenia jasminoides f. longicarpa. Ultrafine grinding can stimulate the release of chemical components of Gardenia jasminoides f. longicarpa.


Subject(s)
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry , Fruit/chemistry , Gardenia/chemistry , Chemistry, Pharmaceutical , Gardenia/growth & development , Particle Size , Powders , Quality Control , Reproducibility of Results , Saponins/analysis
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