Antitumor activity of Dioscorea bulbifera L. rhizome in vivo

Antitumor activities of water extract (fraction A), ethanol extract (fraction B), ethyl acetate extract (fraction C), non-ethyl acetate extract (fraction D) and compound diosbulbin B isolated from Dioscorea bulbifera L. (DB) were investigated in vivo in this present study. The results showed that fractions B and C both decreased tumor weight in S180 and H22 tumor cells bearing mice, while fractions A and D had no such effect. Furthermore, fraction C altered the weight of spleen and thymus, and the amounts of total leukocytes, lymphocytes and neutrophils in tumor-bearing mice. Further results showed that compound diosbulbin B demonstrated anti-tumor effects in the dose-dependent manner at the dosage of 2 to 16 mg/kg without significant toxicity in vivo. Furthermore, on the basis of chemical analysis of the above extracts by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a diode array detector (DAD), diosbulbin B was found to be the major antitumor bioactive component of DB. These results suggest that DB has potential anti-tumor effects which may be related to influencing the immune system for the first time, and the compound diosbulbin B is the major antitumor component of DB.     

Effect of fenvalerate on protein and amino acid contents and enzyme activities in the ostracod Chrissia halyi

The short-term effect of fenvalerate on some metabolites and enzymes of protein metabolism in the ostracod Chrissia halyi was studied. The ostracods were subjected to two different concentrations of fenvaierate and the alterations in total proteins, total free amino acids, transaminases i.e. aspartate amino transferase (AAT)/glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) and alanine amino transferase (ALAT)/glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) after one and three days were noted. Total protein and free amino acid contents in the organisms were found to be depleted, whereas both the transaminases and GDH levels were elevated. The results indicate that exposure of C. halyi to fenvalerate leads to metabolic adaptations to suit the functional need of the animal.     

氧化鱼油对草鱼幼鱼磷酸酶和转氨酶活性的影响

为研究不同程度的氧化鱼油对草鱼幼鱼体内2种磷酸酶及2种转氨酶活性的影响。选取平均初始体质量为(30.0±2.6)g的健康草鱼幼鱼204尾,随机分成4组,每组3次重复。在草鱼幼鱼饲料中分别添加不同鱼油,分别为对照组(新鲜鱼油,过氧化值4.54 mmol/kg)及鱼油氧化程度逐渐加深的3个氧化鱼油组(OX1过氧化值24.86 mmol/kg,OX2过氧化值72.32 mmol/kg,OX3过氧化值172.73 mmol/kg)。试验58 d后取样,分别测定草鱼幼鱼血清、肝胰脏、脾脏、肾脏等组织中碱性磷酸酶(AKP)、酸性磷酸酶(ACP)、谷草转氨酶(AST)及谷丙转氨酶(ALT)活性,并计算血清和肝胰脏AST/ALT值。结果表明:与对照组相比,3个氧化鱼油组肝胰脏和脾脏中AKP活性显著升高(P0.05),OX3组血清及OX1、OX2组肠道中AKP活性显著升高(P0.05);OX2组肝胰脏和脾脏中ACP活性显著升高(P0.05)。与对照组相比,OX3组血清、OX2组肝胰脏及OX2、OX3组肠道中AST活性显著升高(P0.05),而OX3组肾脏中AST活性显著降低(P0.05);OX1、OX2组背肌及OX2、OX3组肠道中ALT活性显著升高(P0.05);OX3组血清和肝胰脏中AST/ALT值显著升高(P0.05)。综上所述,氧化鱼油对草鱼幼鱼血清及不同组织中的AKP、ACP、AST及ALT活性变化存在较大差异;同时随着鱼油氧化程度加深,草鱼幼鱼各组织细胞受损,免疫功能降低。     

The clinical,biochemical, haematological and pathological effects of long-term administration of Ipomoea carnea to growing goats

Ipomoea carnea has been held responsible for several poisoning episodes, mainly in goats. This plant contains swainsonine, which inhibits acid or lysosomal -mannosidase enzyme, causing cellular vacuolization. The objective of this study was to evaluate I. carnea toxicosis when four different doses of this plant were fed to growing goats. Twenty-five male goats were divided into five groups, one control group and four experimental groups that received 2.5, 5.0, 10.0 and 30.0 g of the plant per kg of live weight per day for 4 months. Blood samples were collected for haematological and biochemical determinations and fragments from some tissues were collected for histopathological study. All the experimental goats ingested the plant throughout the trial, presenting nystagmus, muscle tremors, weakness of the hind limbs and ataxia. They also had a significant increase in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) from the sixth week of the experiment compared to the goats in the control group. There was a significant reduction in haemoglobin concentration in the goats treated with I. carnea. Histopathology revealed degenerative vacuolar alterations in the liver, pancreas, thyroid and kidney cells, and in the neurons of the central nervous system in the animals that received the plant. All these alterations occurred in a dose-dependent manner.     

Purification and some properties of alanine racemase from the marine gastropod <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cellana grata</Emphasis>

ABSTRACT:   High levels of free d -alanine were found in the muscle of a marine gastropod Cellana grata that inhabited the intertidal zone, and alanine racemase activity was detected in the muscle. The authors purified alanine racemase from the muscle of C. grata to characterize its enzymological properties. The molecular mass of the enzyme was estimated to be 40.5 kDa by sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and 41.4 kDa by gel filtration, suggesting that the enzyme was monomeric in nature. Kinetic experiments, performed using the purified enzyme, revealed that the Lineweaver-Burk plot for d -alanine as a substrate resulted in a K _m value of 20.4 mM, and the value for l -alanine was 43.0 mM. Of the several types of amino acids tested, alanine was found to be the specific substrate for the enzyme. In the measurement of alanine racemase activity, exogenous pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) was not required for the enzyme activity; however, aminooxyacetic acid, hydroxylamine and phenylhydrazine, which inhibit PLP-dependent enzymes, strongly inhibited the enzyme activity. These results suggest that the enzyme is PLP-dependent. This is the first report on the purification and some properties of alanine racemase in a marine gastropod.     

人血清白蛋白与氯氰菊酯相互作用的分子模拟研究

运用分子对接、分子动力学、结合自由能计算和丙氨酸扫描等分子模拟方法,研究了人血清白蛋白 (human serum albumin,HSA) 与氯氰菊酯的结合模式。结果表明:氯氰菊酯与HSA结合形成了稳定的复合物,与其氨基酸残基Arg209形成1个氢键,结合自由能为 –83.43 kJ/mol,其中范德华力是结合的主要驱动力,极性溶剂化能是主要抑制力。丙氨酸突变扫描结果显示,氨基酸残基Lys199的ΔΔG_bind值为16.78 kJ/mol,是HSA和氯氰菊酯结合的关键氨基酸。该研究结果为阐明氯氰菊酯在人体内的代谢机制提供了理论参考。     

丙氨酸消旋酶的纯化及活性测定方法

丙氨酸消旋酶广泛分布于原核生物中,在人和其他高等生物中没有它的存在.丙氨酸消旋酶用于催化L-丙氨酸和D-丙氨酸的相互转化,归为5'-磷酸吡哆醛依赖型酶,属于异构酶家族.