Profiling glucosinolates, flavonoids, alkaloids, and other secondary metabolites in tissues of Azima tetracantha L. (Salvadoraceae)

Azima tetracantha L. (needle bush; bee sting bush; Salvadoraceae) is used as a food and for various herbal medicines in Africa, India, and Madagascar, but there is very little information on the secondary metabolites in this species. High concentrations of N-methoxy-3-indolylmethyl-glucosinolate, a common glucosinolate of Brassica crops such as Brussels sprouts and broccoli, were found in the roots and seeds of A. tetracantha. Lower concentrations were detected in the stems and young leaves. The roots also contained another indole glucosinolate that was provisionally identified, from MS data and comparison with indole glucosinolate standards, as N-hydroxy-3-indolymethyl-glucosinolate. The roots, stems, and leaves contained neoascorbigen (the condensation product of N-methoxy-indole-3-carbinol and ascorbic acid). The seeds of A. tetracantha contained a complex mixture of 26 flavonoids predominantly as glycosides and acyl-glycosides, with traces of aglycones. The core aglycones of these flavonoids were identified as quercetin, isorhamnetin (3'-O-methylquercetin), rhamnetin (7-O-methylquercetin), and rhamnazin (7, 3'-di-O-methylquercetin). No flavonoids or anthocyanins were detected in other tissues, and procyanidins were undetectable. The dimeric piperidine alkaloids azimine, azcarpine, and carpaine were found in all tissues of A. tetracantha.     

Involvement of dehydroalanine and dehydrobutyrine in the addition of glutathione to nisin

Nisin variants and fragments were reacted with glutathione, and the products of the reactions were analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Reactions between glutathione and either [Ala5]nisin or [Ala33]nisin resulted in products with two glutathione molecules conjugated to one nisin variant molecule. Only one glutathione molecule was added to [Ala5,Ala33]nisin. Fragmentation of the nisin molecule resulted in nisin 1-12, nisin 1-20, and nisin 1-32 fragments. Each fragment retained two dehydro residues, which subsequently underwent reaction with glutathione. The data indicated that the dehydroalanine residues of nisin are sites of addition for glutathione. Such addition renders the nisin molecule inactive.     

Micropropagation of Cryptanthus with leaf explants with attached intercalary meristems excised from greenhouse stock plants

By using the leaves with attached intercalary meristems from greenhouse grown stock plants, five cultivars of Cryptanthus were cultured on modified MS media with 4.5 μM NAA and IBA and 3 μM BA to induce adventitious shoot formation from callus tissue. Contamination was 17–21% for explants taken from stock plants which were sprayed weekly with Agribrom and 27–75% for those taken from stock plants which were not treated. More than 99% true to type plantlets were obtained from non-chimeric plants. Green and albino plantlets were obtained from chimeric plants. The chimeric C. ‘Coster's Favorite’ DeCoster also produced a few chimeric plantlets with intermarginal pink stripes in addition to the green and albino plantlets. Most of the non-chimeric plants took a shorter time to produce plantlets of transplantable size (8–12 mm) than the chimeric ones. Except for albino plantlets, survival rate of plantlets exceeded 95%. A minimum average of 500 rooted plantlets can be obtained in a year from a single well-callused leaf explant. The protocol in this report should speed up the mass production and introduction of desirable new cultivars and hybrids of non-chimeric Cryptanthus.     

Radical Lateral Body-Wall Resection for Fibrosarcoma With Reconstruction Using Polypropylene Mesh and a Caudal Superficial Epigastric Axial Pattern Flap: A Prospective Clinical Study of the Technique and Results in 6 Cats

OBJECTIVE: To describe and evaluate a technique for radical resection of the lateral body wall for treatment of fibrosarcoma with reconstruction using polypropylene mesh and a caudal superficial epigastric axial pattern flap in cats. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, clinical study. ANIMALS OR SAMPLE POPULATION: Six client-owned cats with fibrosarcoma. METHODS: Six cats with histologically confirmed fibrosarcoma of the lateral body wall were staged using radiography and/or computer tomography scanning. Preoperative radiotherapy was used in 3 cats. All cats had the lateral abdominal wall resected and reconstructed with polypropylene mesh. A caudal superficial epigastric flap was mobilized and rotated to close the skin deficit. The animals were evaluated after surgery for wound complications, tumor recurrence, and metastasis. Outcome was assessed by patient examination and client consultation. RESULTS: Minor dehiscence of the skin flaps occurred in 2 cats, and 1 other cat was successfully resuscitated from respiratory and cardiac arrest after surgery. All tissue specimens were tumor-free at the surgical margins. Follow-up times ranged from 12 to 21 months, with a mean time of 17.2 months. None of the cats had evidence of local tumor recurrence or metastasis; outcome was judged good to excellent in all cats. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Radical lateral body-wall resection and reconstruction is an effective technique for achieving local tumor control with acceptable patient morbidity. Further studies are needed to assess whether the technique will result in improved tumor-free intervals and survival times.     

The search for new insecticides for tsetse fly control

Tests to evaluate candidate insecticides and formulations for tsetse control are described, and some data are presented to indicate that some new synthetic pyrethroids (e.g. permethrin and NRDC 161) are effective for a long period at such extremely low doses that they could have a pronounced influence on future tsetse control operations.     

Original Papers

In the present study we report on the histotopographical distribution of lectin binding sites in the trophoblasts of day 18 to day 40 bovine embryos, using the FITC-labeled lectins BPA, Con A, DBA, GS I, GS II, MPA, PNA, SBA, UEA I and WGA. Lectin binding sites localized in giant binucleate cells differ from those localized in uninucleate cells, indicating changes in the biochemical structure of cell surfaces taking place during differentiation. In the trophoblast of the day 40 embryo, a distinct staining of uninucleate cells was seen after incubation with GS I, Con A and MPA, demonstrating N-acetylgalactosamine (GS I), Mannose (Con A) and Galactose (MPA) moieties, whereas giant binucleate cells showed intense reactions after incubation with DBA and WGA, indicating presence of N-acetylgalactosamine (DBA) and N-acetylglucosamine (WGA). GS II (specific for N-acetylglucosamine), SBA (specific for N-acetylgalactosamine) and UEA I (specific for L-Fucose) showed no affinity toward any of the examined tissues. We assume, that carbohydrate moieties in trophoblast cells play an important role in fetomaternal cell-cell adhesion and cell migration during implantation and placentation period.