Flavonol Caffeoylglycosides as alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitors from Spiraea cantoniensis Flower

In the screening experiments for rat intestinal alpha-glucosidase inhibitors in 218 plants cultivated in the Japanese temperate region, potent maltase-inhibiting activity was found in the extract of flowers of Spiraea cantoniensis. The enzyme assay guided fractionation of the extract led to the isolation of three flavonol caffeoylglycosides, quercetin 3- O-(6- O-caffeoyl)-beta-galactoside ( 1), kaempferol 3- O-(6- O-caffeoyl)-beta-galactoside ( 2), and kaempferol 3- O-(6- O-caffeoyl)-beta-glucoside ( 3), as rat intestinal maltase inhibitors. This is the first report on the alpha-glucosidase-inhibitory activity of those flavonol caffeoylglycosides. Comparison in the activity of the isolates indicated the importance of caffeoyl substructures in the molecule for the alpha-glucosidase-inhibiting activity. The relatively high contents of the active isolates in the plant suggest that S. cantoniensis could be physiologically useful for treatment of diabetes.     

The effect of high ambient temperature on Ca,P and Mg balance and bone turnover in high‐yielding dairy cows

We investigated the effect of heat stress on Ca, P and Mg balance and bone turnover in lactating cows. In a 2 × 2 crossover design, four multiparous lactating Holstein cows were kept in a chamber and subjected to a constant moderate (18°C) ambient temperature (MT) or high (28°C) ambient temperature (HT). The cows were fed total mixed ration (Ca, 0.7%; P, 0.4%; Mg, 0.2%) ad libitum. The milk yield under HT (35.4 kg/day) tended to be lower (P < 0.10) than that under MT (43.2 kg/day). The concentrations of milk P (P < 0.05) and Mg (P < 0.01) were significantly lower under HT than MT. The Ca, P and Mg intake (P < 0.10); Ca (P < 0.10), P, and Mg (P < 0.05) secretion into milk; and Ca (P < 0.05), P (P < 0.01), and Mg (P < 0.05) absorption in the intestine were lower under HT than MT. The plasma osteocalcin, a marker of bone turnover, was significantly lower (P < 0.05) under HT than MT. Heat stress did not affect plasma C‐telopeptide of collagen type I, a bone resorption marker, and plasma parathyroid hormone concentration.     

Relationship between milk production and plasma concentrations of oxidative stress markers during hot season in primiparous cows

Oxidative stress markers, ascorbic acid, and sulfhydryl (SH) residue concentration in primiparous cows' plasma and their relationship to milking performance during hot seasons were investigated. The rectal temperature of cows correlated negatively with SH residue (r = −0.38, n  = 38, P  < 0.05) and ascorbic acid (r = −0.34, P  < 0.05) concentrations in the cows' plasma. The group with a higher concentration of ascorbic acid over the mean value produced significantly more milk ( P  < 0.05) than did the group with a lower ascorbic acid concentration. Although the cows' milk production showed a positive correlation with ascorbic acid concentration in plasma (r = 0.47, P  < 0.05), the relation of SH residue concentration to milk yield was not constant. The plasma SH residue concentration during the hot season correlated positively with milk protein % (r = 0.38, P  < 0.05), lactose % (r = 0.35, P  < 0.05), and solid-non-fat (SNF) % (r = 0.47, P  < 0.05), respectively, but not with fat %. On the other hand, ascorbic acid concentration in plasma showed negative correlations with milk fat % (r = −0.34, P  < 0.05) and protein % (r = −0.49, P  < 0.05), but correlated positively with lactose % (r = 0.52, P  < 0.05). The produced amount (g/day) of milk protein (r = 0.42, P  < 0.05), lactose (r = 0.61, P  < 0.05), and SNF (r = 0.56, P  < 0.05) showed positive correlations with ascorbic acid concentration in plasma.     

Malaria in cynomolgus monkeys used in toxicity studies in Japan

Plasmodium spp. protozoa cause malaria and are known to infect humans and a variety of animal species including macaque monkeys. Here we report both our experience with malaria recrudescence in cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) in a toxicity study and the results of a survey on Plasmodium infection in cynomolgus monkeys imported to Japan for laboratory use. A cynomolgus monkey from the toxicity study presented with severe anemia and Plasmodium protozoa in erythrocytes on a thin blood smear and was subsequently diagnosed with symptomatic malaria. In this animal, congestion and accumulation of hemozoin (malaria pigment) in macrophages were noted in the enlarged and darkly discolored spleen. As a follow-up for the experience, spleen sections from 800 cynomolgus monkeys in toxicity studies conducted between 2003 and 2013 were retrospectively examined for hemozoin deposition as a marker of Plasmodium infection. The origin of the animals included Cambodia, China, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Hemozoin deposition was confirmed in 44% of all examined monkeys. Monkeys from Indonesia showed the highest incidence of hemozoin deposition (approx. 80%). A high prevalence of Plasmodium infection in laboratory monkeys was also confirmed with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) by using Plasmodium genus-specific primers. Although Japan is not a country with endemic malaria, it is important to be aware of the prevalence and potential impact of background infection with Plasmodium spp. and recrudescence of symptomatic malaria in imported laboratory monkeys on pharmaceutical toxicity studies.     

Fucoxanthin and fucoxanthinol enhance the amount of docosahexaenoic acid in the liver of KKAy obese/diabetic mice

This study examined the effect of dietary fucoxanthin or fucoxanthinol on the amount of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in the liver of KKAy mice, a model for obese/type II diabetes. In the first experiment, mice were fed diets containing crude fucoxanthin or glyceroglycolipid for 4 weeks. Results showed a significant increase in the level of DHA in mice fed 0.53% crude fucoxanthin, from 2.3% in control mice to 5.1% of fatty acid composition of total liver lipids. On the other hand, in mice fed crude glyceroglycolipid, the level of DHA as a proportion of total liver fatty acids remained unchanged. To clarify the enhancement of hepatic DHA, in the second experiment, KKAy mice were fed a diet containing purified fucoxanthin or its deacetylated derivative, fucoxanthinol. Results from a quantitative analysis using an internal standard showed that in mice fed 0.2% fucoxanthin, the amount of hepatic DHA was 2-fold higher than in control mice, whereas DHA levels in the small intestine remained unchanged. Furthermore, 0.2% fucoxanthinol led to 1.8- and 1.2-fold increases in the amount of hepatic DHA and arachidonic acid compared to control mice, respectively. These results indicate for the first time that dietary fucoxanthin and fucoxanthinol enhance the amount of DHA in the liver of KKAy mice.     

Novel loss-of-function putative aminotransferase alleles cause biosynthesis of capsinoids, nonpungent capsaicinoid analogues, in mildly pungent chili peppers (Capsicum chinense)

Capsinoids are a group of nonpungent capsaicinoid analogues produced in Capsicum fruits. They have similar bioactivities to capsaicinoids such as suppression of fat accumulation and antioxidant activity. They are more palatable ingredients in dietary supplements than capsaicinoids because of their low pungency. Previous studies on nonpungent Capsicum annuum cultivars showed that capsinoid biosynthesis is caused by loss-of-function putative aminotransferase (p-amt) alleles. This study showed that three mildly pungent cultivars of Capsicum chinense (Zavory Hot, Aji Dulce strain 2, and Belize Sweet) contain high levels of capsinoid. It was shown that these cultivars have novel p-amt alleles, which contain mutations that differ from those of C. annuum. Sequence analysis of p-amt in Belize Sweet revealed that a 5 bp insertion (TGGGC) results in a frameshift mutation. A transposable element (Tcc) was found in the p-amt of Zavory Hot and Aji Dulce strain 2. Tcc has features similar to those of the hAT transposon family. This was inserted in the fifth intron of Zavory Hot and in third intron of Aji Dulce strain 2. The p-amt alleles harboring Tcc cannot produce an active p-AMT. These mildly pungent cultivars will provide a new natural source of capsinoids.     

Effects of grazing adaptation on herbage intake,milk production,and body weight change in lactating dairy cows after turning out to pasture in early spring

The present study investigated the effects of adaptation to grazing in early spring on the herbage intake, milk production, and body weight changes in lactating dairy cows. The experiment included 12 Holstein lactating cows during early spring. Six cows were allowed to gradually adapt to grazing (ADP) over 10 days. They were allowed to graze on a pasture for 4 h during the first week and for 19 h during the remaining 3 days (adaptation period). During the 10-day period, the remaining six cows were housed in a barn (CON). Cows in both groups received adequate silage, hay, and concentrate during the adaptation period. Subsequently, cows in both groups were allowed to graze together for 19 h for 4 weeks (experimental period). No cow received supplements during the experimental period. In the first week of the experimental period, the ADP cows showed a higher herbage intake than the CON cows. During the subsequent weeks, there were no differences in herbage intake between the two groups. At the start of the experimental period, milk production and body weight of the ADP cows were higher than those of the CON cows, and this difference lasted until the end of the experiment.     

Sequence variability in the mitochondrial DNA control region of five Sebastes species

ABSTRACT: Sequence variability of the control region of mitochondrial DNA in five Sebastes species ( S. thompsoni , S. joyneri , S. inermis , S. schlegeli and S. owstoni ) was investigated. Of 324 nucleotide sites in the control region of S. thompsoni , 56 sites (17.3%) varied, and all 20 individuals had different haplotypes. The other four species had between five and 17 sites (1.5–5.9%), which was fewer than that observed in S. thompsoni . The nucleotide diversity of S. thompsoni was highest (3.45%) among the five species, and that of S. schlegeli was the lowest (0.19%). The results demonstrated that sequence variability exists in the control region of the five Sebastes fishes investigated, and that sequence data in the control region may be suitable for stock structure analysis. Also, the extent of genetic variablitiy in the control region differed among these species. In particular, the mitochondrial DNA control region in S. thompsoni was characterized by high sequence variability, which may indicate a large effective population size.