Microwave-assisted extraction of polysaccharides from Yupingfeng powder and their antioxidant activity.

BACKGROUND: Microwave-assisted reflux extraction of polysaccharides YPF-P from the famous Chinese traditional drug, Yupingfeng powder, optimization of extracting conditions and evaluation of their antioxidant activity were conducted in this study. RESULTS: Single factor effect trends were achieved through yields and contends of YPF-P obtained from different extracting conditions. Then through a three-level, four-variable Box-Behnken design of response surface methodology adopting yield as response, the optimal conditions were determined as follows: Material/solvent ratio 1:23.37, microwave power 560 W, Extraction temperature 64°C, and extraction time 9.62 min. Under the optimal conditions, the YPF-P extraction yield was 3.23%, and its content was detected as 38.52%. In antioxidant assays, the YPF-P was tested to possess 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activities with an IC50 value of 0.262 mg/ml. In addition, YPF-P was also proved to have relatively low ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), compared to Vc, through FRAP assay. CONCLUSION: In the microwave assisted reflux extraction research, good YPF-P yield was achieved from materials with relatively low YPF-P content. And for the first time, both DPPH and FRAP assays were conducted on YPF-P, which proved that the antioxidant activity of YPF-P contributed to the functions of this medicine.

[Clinical investigation of homoharringtonine in combination with all-transretinoic acid and arsenic trioxide for acute promyelocytic leukemia].

OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical outcome, adverse effect and treatment cost of homoharringtonine (HHT) in combination with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and arsenic trioxide (AS2O3) for newly diagnosed with patients acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). METHODS: Clinical data of treatment of newly diagnosed patients with APL in experimental group (HHT + ATRA + AS2O3, n = 14) and control group \[Idarubicin (IDA) + ATRA + AS2O3, n = 21\] were analyzed retrospectively. The therapeutic effects, side effects and costs during induction therapy were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: (1) The complete remission (CR) rate were 92.9% (13/14) and 95.2% (20/21) in experimental group and control group, respectively. The time to achieve CR were (28.1 ± 3.8) and (31.7 ± 4.2) days, respectively (P > 0.05). The negative rate of PML-RARα fusion gene at the time of CR were 76.9% (10/13) and 75.0% (15/20), respectively, and that in CR patient at the end of the first cycle treatment were 100.0% (13/13) and 95.0% (19/20), respectively (P > 0.05). (2) 5-year overall survival (OS) rate were (92.6 ± 0.6)% and (89.9 ± 0.5)%, respectively (P > 0.05), 5-year disease free survival (DFS) rate were 100.0% and (86.8 ± 0.6)%, respectively (P > 0.05). (3) During induction therapy, the incidence of infection in experimental and control group were 23.1% (3/13), 60.0% (12/20), respectively (P < 0.05). The amount of platelet transfusion were (54.7 ± 29.6) and (76.5 ± 25.6) units, respectively (P > 0.05), and that of fresh frozen plasma were (1157.1 ± 238.4) and (1423.5 ± 324.6) ml, respectively (P > 0.05). The total medical costs (excluding HHT and IDA) in experimental and control group were (36074.9 ± 1245.6) and (50564.5 ± 3658.4)CNY, respectively (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: HHT in combination with ATRA and AS2O3 regimen for newly diagnosed APL has a better efficacy, a higher long-term survival rate, and a lower costs, which is one of the reasonable choice.

Molecular cloning and functional characterization of a Δ6-fatty acid desaturase gene from Rhizopus oryzae.

The objective was to screen for and isolate a novel enzyme with the specific activity of a Δ6-fatty acid desaturase from Rhizopus oryzae. In this study, R. oryzae was identified as a novel fungal species that produces large amounts of γ-linolenic acid. A full-length cDNA, designated here as RoD6D, with high homology to fungal Δ6-fatty acid desaturase genes was isolated from R. oryzae by using the rapid amplification of cDNA ends method. It had an open reading frame of 1176 bp encoding a deduced polypeptide of 391 amino acids. Bioinformatics analysis characterized the putative RoD6D protein as a typical membrane-bound desaturase, including three conserved histidine-rich motifs, a hydropathy profile, and a cytochrome b5 -like domain in the N terminus. When the coding sequence was expressed in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain INVScl, the encoded product of RoD6D exhibited Δ6-fatty acid desaturase activity that led to the accumulation of γ-linolenic acid. The corresponding genomic sequence of RoD6D was 1565 bp in length, with five introns. This is the first report on the characterization and gene cloning of a Δ6-fatty acid desaturase of R. oryzae from Douchi.