Profiling and characterization antioxidant activities in Anoectochilus formosanus hayata

Phytochemical characteristics and antioxidant activities of the crude and fractionated plant extracts of Anoectochilus formosanus were evaluated using five different assay systems. An acid-treatment (2 N HCl in 95% ethanol) was employed to treat a butanol fraction (BuOH), creating an acid-hydrolyzed BuOH fraction. The IC(50) values for DPPH radicals in the BuOH and acid-hydrolyzed BuOH fractions were 0.521 and 0.021 mg/mL, respectively. The acid-hydrolyzed BuOH exhibited approximately 5-fold higher activity in scavenging superoxide anion than catechin. The acid-hydrolyzed BuOH fraction also effectively protected phi x174 supercoiled DNA against strand cleavage induced by H(2)O(2) and reduced oxidative stress in HL-60 cells. Metabolite profiling showed that the aglycones of flavonoid glycosides in BuOH were produced after acid hydrolytic treatment, and this resulted in a significant increase in antioxidant activities of acid-hydrolyzed BuOH. One new diarylpentanoid, kinsenone, and three known flavonoid glycosides and their derivatives were identified for the first time from A. formosanus, with strong antioxidant properties.     

Antiproliferative Activity and Apoptosis Induction of Eucalyptus Citriodora Resin and Its Major Bioactive Compound in Melanoma B16F10 Cells

Antiproliferative activity and apoptosis induction of ethyl acetate of Eucalyptus citriodora resin (EAEER), and its major bioactive compound in melanoma B16F10 cells were investigated. 6-[1-(p-Hydroxy-phenyl)ethyl]-7-O-methyl aromadendrin (HEMA), a flavanol derivative, was isolated from EAEER and identified on the basis of its mass and NMR spectra. The results from MTT assay showed high antiproliferative effects of EAEER and HEMA on B16F10 cells. Moreover, EAEER- and HEMA-induced cell apoptosis was association with the decrease in the mitochondrial transmembrane potentials (Δψ(m)), increase in Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, and activation of caspase-3. Cells treated with EAEER and HEMA generated intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO), indicating that ROS and RNS play important roles in the induction of apoptosis in B16F10 cells. Taken together, EAEER and its major bioactive compound, HEMA, inhibited the proliferation of B16F10 cells via apoptosis and may be a potential antimelanoma agent.     

Characteristics of Medical Waste in Taiwan

The purpose of this study was threefold: to investigate the types and amounts of medical waste from various hospitals in Taiwan; to analyze residues from incinerated medical waste for heavy metal content; and to measure the amount of infectious and general medical waste per bed per day and determine the ratio of infectious to general medical waste. Information was first obtained on the amounts of medical waste produced per bed per day and on waste handling and treatment. Next, residue samples were taken from incinerators and analyzed for heavy metal content. Third, daily records concerning waste content and weight from one hospital were kept over the period of one year. Chromium (Cr) and zinc (Zn) concentrations were significantly higher in medical waste than in general waste. Medical waste fluctuated significantly over the one-year period. Records showed that wastes containing dialysis material and wood/cotton materials were found to have the highest weight and wastes containing human organs had the lowest weight. Results of the present study underscore the need for all hospitals to effectively separate waste for proper treatment and disposal, particularly waste that produces residues which may be hazardous to the environment. In addition, hospitals also need to recycle or reuse certain materials in order to reduce waste production.     

New dammarane-type saponins from the galls of Sapindus mukorossi

Five new dammarane-type saponins, 3beta,7beta,20(S),22-tetrahydroxydammar-24-ene-3-O-alpha-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-D-glucopyranoside, 3beta,7beta,20(S),22,23-pentahydroxydammar-24-ene-3-O-alpha-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-D-glucopyranoside, 3beta,7beta,20(S),22,25-pentahydroxydammar-23-ene-3-O-alpha-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-D-glucopyranoside, 25-methoxy-3beta,7beta,20(S),22-tetrahydroxydammar-23-ene-3-O-alpha-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-D-glucopyranoside, and 25-methoxy-3beta,7beta,20(R)-trihydroxydammar-23-ene-3-O-alpha-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-D-glucopyranoside, named sapinmusaponins A (1), B (2), C (3), D (4), and E (5), respectively, together with three known phenylpropanoid glycosides (6-8), were isolated from the galls of Sapindus mukorossi. The structures of these saponins were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analyses and chemical methods. Preliminary bioassay data revealed that saponins 1 and 3-5 showed moderate cytotoxic activity (ED50 approximately 9-18 microg/mL) against human tumor cell lines (Hepa59T/VGH, NCI, HeLa, and Med) and that 1-5 were inactive in vitro against HIV replication in H9 lymphocytes.     

4-Shogaol, an active constituent of dietary ginger, inhibits metastasis of MDA-MB-231 human breast adenocarcinoma cells by decreasing the repression of NF-κB/Snail on RKIP

4-Shogaol is one of the phytoconstituents isolated from dried red ginger, which is commercially available to consumers. Some active constituents from ginger have been found to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, but studies on 4-shogaol have been relatively rare. This is the first report describing the antimetastasis activities of 4-shogaol and the possible mechanisms. This study determined that 4-shogaol inhibits the migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 and causes mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET). In addition, 4-shogaol suppresses the activation of NF-κB and cell migration and invasion induced by TNF-α. Furthermore, 4-shogaol has been shown to inhibit the phosphorylation of IκB and the translocation of NF-κB/Snail in MDA-MB-231. This study shows that RKIP, an inhibitory molecule of IKK, is up-regulated after 4-shogaol treatment and prolongs the inhibitory effects of 4-shogaol. Inhibition of RKIP by shRNA transfection significantly decreases the inhibitory effect of 4-shogaol on the NF-κB/Snail pathway, together with cell migration and invasion, whereas overexpression of Snail suppresses 4-shogaol-mediated metastasis inhibition and E-cadherin upregulation. Finally, the animal model revealed that 4-shogaol effectively inhibits metastasis of MDA-MB-231 in mice. This study demonstrates that 4-shogaol may be a novel anticancer agent for the the treatment of metastasis in breast cancer.     

Effects of Silver on the Photocatalytic Degradation of Gaseous Isopropanol

Water, Air, & Soil Pollution - The decomposition of gaseous isopropanol (IPA) by UV/TiO2 process in an annular photoreactor was studied under various conditions such as UV light intensity and...     

New isoflavonoid glycosides and related constituents from astragali radix ( Astragalus membranaceus ) and their inhibitory activity on nitric oxide production

Twenty-four secondary metabolites, including 16 isoflavonoids, 7 astragalasides, and 1 benzoquinone, have been isolated from the roots of Astragalus membranaceus (Astragali radix). Among these isolated isoflavonoids, (-)-methylinissolin 3-O-β-d-(6'-acetyl)-glucoside (1), (-)-methylinissolin 3-O-β-d-{6'-[(E)-but-2-enoyl]}-glucoside (2), and calycosin 7-O-β-d-(6'-acetyl)-glucoside (3) have been identified as new compounds on the basis of spectroscopic analysis; (-)-methylinissolin 3-O-β-d-glucoside (4) was isolated from the natural products for the first time. The nitric oxide (NO) production inhibitory activity of the major compounds has been assessed in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. To identify A. membranaceus, a fingerprint method was developed by using a high-performance liquid chromatography-evaporative light scattering detector (HPLC-ELSD) method. Furthermore, characteristic peaks for the 11 major compounds in the chromatogram were unambiguously confirmed.     

Antiproliferative lactams and spiroenone from adlay bran in human breast cancer cell lines

Two new lactams, coixspirolactam D (1) and coixspirolactam E (2), and a new spiroenone, coixspiroenone (3), together with seven known compounds, coixspirolactam A (4), coixspirolactam B (5), coixspirolactam C (6), coixlactam (7), coixol (8), ethyl dioxindole-3-acetate (9), and isoindol-1-one (10), and two neolignans, zhepiresionol (11) and ficusal (12), were isolated from the bioactive subfraction of adlay bran ethanolic extract (ABE). Compounds 9 and 10 are the first isolates from natural resources. The structures of new compounds were identified by spectroscopic methods, including infrared (IR) spectrum, 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and mass spectrum (MS). All of the isolated compounds were tested for antiproliferative effects on MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, and T-47D cells. Results showed that compounds 1, 3, 4, 6, and 7 at 50 μM significantly inhibited MCF-7 cell proliferation by 30.2, 19.2, 21.0, 13.5, and 32.4%, respectively; compounds 2, 4, and 7 significantly inhibited T-47D cells at 50 μM by 20.7, 24.8, and 28.9%; and compounds 1, 2, and 12 significantly inhibited MDA-MB-231 cells at 50 μM by 47.4, 25.3, and 69.3%, respectively. In conclusion, ABE has antiproliferative activities, and this effect is partially related to the presence of lactams and spiroenone.     

Bioguided fractionation and isolation of free radical scavenging components from in vitro propagated chinese medicinal plants Dendrobium tosaense Makino and Dendrobium moniliforme SW

This study was performed to investigate the free radical scavenging active components from in vitro propagated medicinal herbs of the genus Dendrobium, namely, Dendrobium tosaense Makino and Dendrobium moniliforme SW, using a 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical antioxidative assay. Seeds of the capsules derived after 12 weeks of hand-pollination germinated asymbiotically (50-74%) on half-strength Murashige and Skoog's (MS) basal medium with 3% sucrose and solidified with 0.9% Difco agar. Active growth in the germinated seedlings was achieved by reculturing on full-strength MS basal medium supplemented with 8% banana homogenate, 8% potato homogenate, 8% coconut water, 1.5% sucrose, and 0.9% Difco agar. Healthy plantlets transferred to plastic trays containing moss or moss and tree fern successfully acclimatized (84-100%) in the greenhouse. Extracts were prepared from plants grown in the greenhouse for a period of 6 months. Methanolic extracts of D. tosaense and D. moniliforme scavenged DPPH at 95.9 and 83.4%, respectively, at a concentration of 0.4 mg/mL. Therefore, methanolic solubles of D. tosaense and D. moniliforme were subjected to bioguided fractionation and separation by column chromatographic methods individually. After chromatographic separation of these crude extracts, the obtained fractions (Dm 1, Dm 2, Dm 3, Dt 1, Dt 2, and Dt 3) were tested for their activity. Among them, fractions Dm 2 and Dt 1 showed significant antioxidant activity by DPPH radical antioxidative assay. Active fractions were purified further by column chromatography and resulted in identification of the antioxidant components alkyl ferulates from D. moniliforme and quercetin from D. tosaense.     

Nitrogen mineralization and availability of mixed leguminous and non-leguminous cover crop residues in soil

Whereas non-leguminous cover crops such as cereal rye (Secale cereale) or annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorium) are capable of reducing nitrogen (N) leaching during wet seasons, leguminous cover crops such as hairy vetch (Vicia villosa) improve soil N fertility for succeeding crops. With mixtures of grasses and legumes as cover crop, the goal of reducing N leaching while increasing soil N availability for crop production could be attainable. This study examined net N mineralization of soil treated with hairy vetch residues mixed with either cereal rye or annual ryegrass and the effect of these mixtures on growth and N uptake by cereal rye. Both cereal rye and annual ryegrass contained low total N, but high water-soluble carbon and carbohydrate, compared with hairy vetch. Decreasing the proportion of hairy vetch in the mixed residues decreased net N mineralization, rye plant growth and N uptake, but increased the crossover time (the time when the amount of net N mineralized in the residue-amended soil equalled that of the non-amended control) required for net N mineralization to occur. When the hairy vetch content was decreased to 40% or lower, net N immobilization in the first week of incubation increased markedly. Residue N was significantly correlated with rye biomass (r=0.81, P<0.01) and N uptake (r=0.83, P<0.001), although the correlation was much higher between residue N and the potential initial N mineralization rate for rye biomass (r=0.93, P<0.001) and N uptake (r=0.99, P<0.001). Judging from the effects of the mixed residues on rye N Concentration and N uptake, the proportion of rye or annual ryegrass when mixed with residues of hairy vetch should not exceed 60% if the residues are to increase N availability. Further study is needed to examine the influence of various mixtures of hairy vetch and rye or annual ryegrass on N leaching in soil. Received: 10 March 1997