枯草杆菌发酵对何首乌抗氧化成分及肝癌细胞抗增殖作用的影响

[目的]探讨何首乌经枯草杆菌发酵后主要抗氧化成分及其对肝癌细胞抗增殖作用效果的变化,为进一步研究何首乌发酵炮制方法及开发何首乌产品提供科学参考.[方法]将生何首乌用枯草杆菌发酵处理后,测定生品和发酵品的游离型蒽醌、结合型蒽醌和总多酚含量等成分的变化,并对比何首乌生品和发酵品对肝癌细胞HepG2抗增殖作用的变化.[结果]何首乌生品和发酵品总游离型蒽醌含量分别为1.56和1.60 mg/g,总结合型蒽醌含量分别为1.24和0.79 mg/g,何首乌经枯草杆菌发酵后结合型蒽醌含量极显著下降(P<0.01,下同).何首乌生品和发酵品水提取液的总多酚含量分别为44.88和74.01 mg/g,乙醇提取液的总多酚含量分别为61.84和93.86 mg/g,何首乌经枯草杆菌发酵后总多酚含量极显著增加.0.025 g/L何首乌生品对肝癌细胞HepG2作用24 h后的细胞抑制率为4.2%,0.25 g/L何首乌生品对肝癌细胞HepG2作用72 h后的细胞抑制率为-11.1%(负值表示促进细胞生长),即随着何首乌生品浓度增加和作用时间延长,其对肝癌细胞生长的作用由抑制转变为促进.经枯草杆菌发酵后,0.025 g/L何首乌发酵品对肝癌细胞HepG2作用24 h后的细胞抑制率为9.9%,0.25 g/L何首乌发酵品对肝癌细胞HepG2作用72 h后的细胞抑制率为20.9%,即随着何首乌发酵品浓度增加和作用时间延长,其对肝癌细胞HepG2有明显的抗增殖效果.[结论]枯草杆菌发酵可降低何首乌的毒性,增强其对肝癌细胞HepG2的抗增殖作用,表明使用枯草杆菌发酵何首乌的炮制方法是一种安全有效的炮制减毒方法,对开发相应何首乌炮制品有重要意义.     

Study on some functional and compositional properties of yak butter lipid

The present experiment was performed to determine some functional properties of yak butter lipids such as lipid class composition; conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) composition, differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) analysis, tyrosinase inhibition activity and antioxidant property. Yak butter lipids composition contained 98% triacylglycerols, 0.9% free fatty acids, 0.32% free sterols and 0.27% phospholipids. The CLA content in yak butter was 2.5% and the major portion was of cis‐9 and trans‐11 (90%). The DSC analysis of yak butter lipids showed a similar path for transition temperature as cow butter lipids, although the enthalpy of yak lipid was higher (40.0 mJ/mg) compared to cow butter lipids (32.0 mJ/mg). Melting point of yak butter was observed at 41°C. Yak butter with lactic acid, NaCl, citric acid and ascorbic acid showed pronounced tyrosinase inhibition activity. Vegetable oils blended with yak butter have extended the oxidation induction time.     

Isolation and characterization of a new compound from Prunus mume fruit that inhibits cancer cells

An active compound that inhibits cancer cells was isolated from the fruit of Prunus mume, and its structure and in vitro activities were characterized. The n-hexane fraction obtained from methanol extracts exhibited the strongest inhibitory effect on the growth of cancer cells. From the n-hexane fraction, a new compound named B-1 was purified through preparative thin-layer chromatography, ODS column chromatography, and reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography and its structure was analyzed by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry and 1H and 13C NMR. The molecular formula of B-1 was C19H22O6 {2-hydroxy-1-[(7-hydroxy-2-oxo-2H-chromen-6-yl)methyl]-2-methylpropyl-(2Z)-3-methyl-but-e-enoate:prunate}, and the IC50 value was in the range of 39-58 microg/mL in descending order of the cancer cell lines Hep-2, SW-156, HEC-1-B, and SK-OV-3. B-1 exhibited 81-96% inhibition at a concentration level of 100 microg/mL against all cells, based on an 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. However, B-1 showed little effect against normal cells with only 23% or less growth inhibition at 100 microg/mL. Thus, B-1 has a highly specific inhibitory effect against cancer cells but little effect against normal cells. When the cancer cell lines Hep-2 and SK-OV-3 were incubated with B-1 for 72 h, most of the tested cells suffered strong growth inhibition. The compound has the potential to be developed as a nutraceutical.     

Effects of different fermented soy protein and apparent ileal digestible lysine levels on weaning pigs fed fermented soy protein‐amended diets

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of different fermented soybean proteins and the apparent ileal digestible lysine levels on weaning pigs fed fermented soy protein (FSP)‐amended diets. In Exp. 1, 70 crossed piglets (6.25 ± 0.40 kg) were used in a 5‐week trial to evaluate two different FSP. In Exp. 2, 20 weaning barrows (6.15 ± 0.45 kg) were used in a metabolism trial to determine the effects of the apparent ileal digestible (1.2, 1.3, 1.4 and 1.5%) lysine levels in weaning pigs fed FSP (5%) diet. In Exp. 1, pigs fed the diet containing Lactobacillus spp. FSP showed higher nitrogen (N) digestibility (P < 0.05), lower blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine levels (P < 0.05) than those fed the Aspergillus oryzae FSP diet. In Exp. 2, increasing dietary lysine levels increased the average daily gain, apparent dry matter, N digestibility, N retention and essential amino acids in the current study (P < 0.05), with the 1.5% showing the highest value. In conclusion, pigs fed Lactobacillus spp. FSP had a higher N digestibility than those fed A. oryzae FSP. The optimal apparent ileal digestibility lysine level in fermented soy protein diets (3550 kcal/kg metabolizable energy) for maximizing growth performance and N utilization in the first 7 days (6.25 kg) was 1.5%.     

Chemerin analog regulates energy metabolism in sheep

Accumulating data suggest a relationship between chemerin and energy metabolism. Our group previously described gene cloning, expression analysis and the regulatory mechanism of chemerin and its own receptor in mice and cattle. The objective of the present study was to investigate the physiological effect of chemerin on endocrine changes and energy metabolism in sheep using a biologically stable chemerin analog. The chemerin analog was intravenously administrated (100 or 500 µg/head) to sheep, and plasma insulin and metabolites (glucose, nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), triglyceride, total cholesterol and high‐density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol) were analyzed. The chemerin analog dramatically increased the insulin levels, and glucose levels were decreased. NEFA levels were slightly decreased at 20 min but then increased gradually from 60 to 180 min after analog administration. In addition, injection of the chemerin analog immediately increased triglyceride and total cholesterol but not HDL levels. These results suggested that chemerin analog regulated insulin secretion related to glucose metabolism and the release of triglycerides in sheep in vivo. This study provides new information about endocrine and metabolic changes in response to chemerin in sheep.     

Acoustic communication in the domestic horse (Equus caballus)

Equine vocalization and acoustic sounds can communicate a horse’s emotional state, physiological state, and situation to other individuals, including other horses and humans. These vocalizations and acoustic sounds can be divided into several types. The whinny, nicker, squeal, blow, snore, snort, roar, and groan are typical types of horse vocalizations and acoustic sounds. The sound localization thresholds of horses are markedly poorer than those of other large mammals, such as humans and elephants. The audiogram of horse has shown their best sensitivity and hearing range in which it perceives sound. Laryngeal diseases, such as laryngeal hemiplegia, dorsal displacement of the soft palate, and alar fold paralysis, can cause laryngeal sounds in the upper airway. The analyses of horses’ vocalizations and laryngeal sounds that are reviewed in this article were conducted with computer-aided analysis programs using spectrograms and spectra that evaluate several parameters, including amplitude, fundamental frequency, duration, and formants. Laryngeal sound analysis could be a useful method for diagnosing upper airway diseases. This article presents a review of the literature describing scientific analyses of horse vocalizations and acoustic sounds to elucidate equine acoustic communications and aid in the development of horse-human bonds.     

Distribution and characterization of class 1 integrons in Salmonella enterica serotype Gallinarum biotype Gallinarum

Fowl typhoid caused by Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serotype Gallinarum biotype Gallinarum is the most important chicken disease in Korea. Due to appearance of new or multiple antibiotics resistances in the recently isolated strains, it was difficult to control the disease using antibiotics in our country. Therefore, the prevalence and genetic contents of class 1 integrons in biotype Gallinarum isolated between 1992 and 2001 were investigated by PCR and direct sequencing, respectively. Out of 90 strains, 35 (39%) carried class 1 integrons. The 1.0, 1.6 and 2.0kbp amplicons were amplified in 32 strains (36%), 2 strains (2%) and 1 strain (1%), respectively. The 1.0, 1.6 and 2.0 kbp amplicons contained one (aadA1a), two (aadB-aadA1b) and three cassettes (dhfrXII-orfF-aadA2), respectively, providing resistances against aminoglycosides (aadA1a, aadA1b, aadB, and aadA2) and trimethoprim (dhfrXII). The integron-carrying strains of biotype Gallinarum appeared in 1996 and acquired additional cassettes in 2000. Although the resistances to ampicillin, tetracycline and chloramphenicol are unrelated to class 1 integrons, relatively high prevalence of integron in biotype Gallinarum may be a dormant threat to the chemotherapy of the disease in the near future because of potency to acquire additional antibiotics resistances.