基于稳定同位素技术的长湖鱼类营养结构研究

本研究应用碳、氮稳定同位素技术分析了2017年秋季（10月）和2018年春季（3月）湖北省荆州长湖鱼类营养结构特征,构建了δ¹³C和δ¹⁵N稳定同位素双位图,并计算了7个相关的量化指标。结果显示：所采集的16种鱼类,δ¹³C均值范围为（-27.7±0.8）‰~（-24.8±0.1）‰,δ¹⁵N的均值范围为（11.4±0.3）‰~（16.6±0.5）‰。营养生态位分析显示,长湖鱼类以偏肉食性鱼类黄颡鱼的营养级最高（3.28±0.2）,草鱼的营养级最低（1.74±0.1）。稳定同位素的量化指标表明,长湖春季鱼类群落核心生态位空间（standard ellipse area, SEA）、生态位总空间（total area, TA）和基础食物来源（δ¹³C range, CR）均高于秋季,两个季度的营养多样性（centrifugal distance, CD）和鱼类群落的整体密度（mean nearest neighbor distance, MNND）相似,但春季的营养长度（δ¹⁵N range, NR）和鱼类群落营养生态位分布范围（standard deviation of nearest neighbor distance, SDNND）值低于秋季。说明春季长湖的生态位总空间（TA上升）和基础食物来源（CR上升）较为丰富,但因鱼类种类的食性相近,其群落的总食物链降低（NR下降）。该研究可为分析拆围后长湖鱼类群落结构特征积累基础数据,也为长湖的渔业管理策略提供依据。     

基于稳定同位素技术的三峡库区短颌鲚营养生态位特征研究

为了预测三峡库区外来鱼类短颌鲚（Coilia nasus）在库区的种群发展趋势,评估其对库区水域生态系统的影响,基于碳氮稳定同位素技术,分析了三峡库区腹地,包括长江一级支流草堂河、大宁河,现有短颌鲚及杂食性和肉食性典型鱼类的营养级,在此基础上选择4种与短颌鲚营养级相近（包括太湖新银鱼Neosalanx taihuensis、翘嘴鲌Culter alburnus、鳡Elopichthys bambusa、大眼鳜Siniperca kneri）,及1种食谱存在较大重叠的鱼类（即鳙Aristichthys nobilis）,探讨了其营养生态位特征。结果显示,三峡库区短颌鲚δ¹⁵N值分布范围为12.112‰-14.497‰,营养级为3.762±0.196（Mean±SD）,低于太湖新银鱼,并高于大眼鳜、翘嘴鲌、鳡及鳙;三峡库区短颌鲚δ¹³C值分布范围为-27.236‰- -22.952‰,变幅低于鳙,高于太湖新银鱼、大眼鳜、翘嘴鲌及鳡,δ¹³C值分布频率呈单峰型与太湖新银鱼高度接近,表明短颌鲚在该水域食性广泛,且与太湖新银鱼的摄食偏好趋近。据此推测三峡库区短颌鲚营养级较高的主要原因是短颌鲚在三峡库区食物来源广泛,决定其富集¹⁵N途径可能更丰富。此外,营养生态位分析结果显示三峡库区短颌鲚营养生态位宽幅低于鳡、鳙,高于太湖新银鱼、翘嘴鲌、大眼鳜,据此推测三峡库区短颌鲚对饵料需求的特化程度可能不高,从营养角度对环境的适应性较强;且其与营养级相近鱼类的营养生态位重叠程度较低,存在明显的营养生态位分化,种间竞争不激烈。综上所述,从目前三峡库区现有短颌鲚营养生态位特征来看,其种群规模仍有进一步扩大的可能。上述研究结果可为全面了解三峡库区外来鱼类的适应对策提供研究思路和基础数据。     

阿拉善荒漠区两种优势跳鼠种间营养生态位

营养生态位作为生态位理论的重要维度之一，不仅能够表现出物种的营养需求特征，而且可以反映物种在生态系统中的营养层级、功能地位以及物种间的营养关系。动物不同组织中的碳、氮稳定同位素比值可反映某一物种在不同时间段的食性信息，因而对探讨物种间摄食、栖息地资源利用和营养生态位的变化具有重要指示作用。以2017年在阿拉善荒漠实验区采用铗日法所捕获的三趾跳鼠（Dipus sagitta）和五趾跳鼠（Allactaga sibirica）为研究对象，测定其脱脂毛发与骨骼组织的δ¹³C和δ¹⁵N比值，分析探讨2种小型啮齿动物的营养级与营养生态位变化以及摄食策略与资源分配机制。结果表明：无论从长期时间尺度（一生）还是短期时间尺度（季节）分析，结果都一致表现出三趾跳鼠与五趾跳鼠种间营养生态位重叠面积（OA）值为0‰²，种间营养生态位发生分离；三趾跳鼠的营养级显著低于五趾跳鼠的营养级，但其营养生态位面积却大于五趾跳鼠；随着季节的变化，三趾跳鼠与五趾跳鼠的摄食范围和营养生态位面积均呈现出春季最大，夏季减小，秋季再增加的趋势。两种跳鼠的营养生态位变化与摄食策略符合生态位分化假说，二者通过种间营养生态位分化实现同域共存。     

黄河口近海海草床浮游-底栖营养传递特征

为了探寻海草床浮游-底栖营养传递耦合特征,于2017年7月对黄河口近海海草床碳源和消费者功能群进行样品采集和碳氮稳定同位素（δ¹³C和δ¹⁵N）测定,计算了消费者功能群的营养级,利用基于贝叶斯的稳定同位素混合模型定量化消费者功能群的食源组成,计算了消费者功能群的浮游、底栖营养贡献比例。结果表明：黄河口近海海草床的碳源和消费者功能群的δ¹³C和δ¹⁵N值均呈现显著性差异（P<0.05）,浮游碳源的δ¹³C值显著低于底栖碳源,消费者功能群的营养级范围为1.49-4.20。浮游动物和腹足类分别由浮游和底栖营养传递途径提供能量来源,其余消费者功能群共同依赖于这两种营养传递路径。消费者功能群随着浮游营养贡献比例的增加,其δ¹³C值逐渐降低。反之,随着底栖营养贡献比例的增加,其δ¹³C值逐渐增加。这与浮游碳源和底栖碳源的δ¹³C值的分化现象一致。对该海草床营养传递特征的系统性定量化解析有助于了解海草床的能量传递模式,为海草床的生态保护和修复提供系统性视角。     

黔西南北盘江镇喀斯特高原峡谷区植被演替阶段碳氮稳定同位素特征

为了探究森林不同演替阶段碳氮(C、N)、稳定碳氮同位素值(δ¹³C、δ¹⁵N)随演替发生的变化特征与内在联系,该文以喀斯特高原峡谷区草灌、灌木、乔灌和乔木4个演替阶段的森林植物群落为研究对象,测定了叶片-凋落物-土壤的C、N及稳定同位素值,并分析其在不同层次间的互作效应。结果表明:(1)喀斯特地区森林叶片-凋落物-土壤δ¹³C值分别为-31.31‰～-28.23‰、-29.96‰～-20.07‰、-26.83‰～-21.14‰,相应的δ¹⁵N值依次为-3.41‰～1.54‰、-2.61‰～0.99‰、5.36‰～8.63‰,总体上土壤表现出富集效应。(2)伴随着演替发生,叶片δ¹³C值与土壤δ¹⁵N值均为先减小后增大,土壤、凋落物δ¹³C值呈降低趋势,叶片和凋落物δ¹⁵N值均无明显变化规律。(3)乔灌阶段叶片-土壤δ¹⁵N值最低,表明该阶段生态系统N饱和程度较小,N含量相对亏缺。(4)叶片-土壤C、N及稳定同位素之间相关性较强,表明两者间养分循环紧密相关,具有显著抑制或促进效应。综上认为,该区生态系统修复时,应选择水分利用效率高的川钓樟(Lindera pulcherima)、圆叶乌桕(Triadica rotundifolia)、翅荚香槐(Cladrastis platycarpa)等树种,提高生态系统对资源利用和养分吸收的自调控能力。     

重庆市近郊大气无机氮、硫沉降特征及其来源分析

以重庆市近郊中梁山槽谷为研究区,利用气象站和沉降仪获取2017年5月-2018年4月的大气无机氮、硫沉降数据和降水δ¹⁵N-NO₃^-、δ¹⁸O-NO₃^-和δ³⁴S-SO₄^2-、δ¹⁸O-SO₄^2-数据,通过离子浓度比值、同位素值和气团后向轨迹探讨了研究区大气中氮、硫沉降变化特征及其来源。结果表明：（1）大气DIN总沉降量为19.99 kg/hm²,干、湿沉降量分别占11%和89%;大气S总沉降量为32.62 kg/hm²,干、湿沉降量分别占13%和87%。大气氮、硫湿沉降量与降水量均呈正相关（n=12,P < 0.01）,氮、硫干湿沉降量具有明显的季节差异。（2）降水NH₄⁺-N/NO₃^--N比值介于0.45-2.2之间,雨季（5-10月）NH₄⁺-N/NO₃^--N>1,旱季（11-次年4月）NH₄⁺-N/NO₃^--N<1,表明雨季氮主要来源于农业源,旱季来源于工业和交通源;降水NO₃^-/SO₄^2-比值介于0.1-1.25之间,平均值为0.63,表明硫来源以固定污染源（燃煤）为主。（3）大气降水δ¹⁵N-NO₃^-、δ¹⁸O-NO₃^-值分别为-3.8‰-3.9‰（平均值为0.4‰±2.6‰）和58.7‰-98.7‰（平均值为76.1‰±14.3‰）,夏季偏负,冬季偏正;降水δ³⁴S-SO₄^2-和δ¹⁸O-SO₄^2-变化范围分别为1.3‰-3.2‰（平均值为2.3‰±1‰）和5.3‰-8.5‰（平均值为7.1‰±1.6‰）,大气降水中NO₃^-和SO₄^2-主要来源于当地的化石燃料燃烧,同时受到周边污染物的远距离传输影响。（4）气团后向轨迹表明影响研究区氮、硫干湿沉降来源的主要因素是东亚季风,北东-南西走向的川东平行岭谷大地貌格局加剧了季风的影响。     

巢湖碳氮地球化学沉积记录揭示全新世以来的环境演化

通过对巢湖湖泊沉积物的总有机碳（TOC）、总氮（TN）、有机碳同位素（δ¹³C_org）、氮同位素（δ¹⁵N）和粒度参数的研究，重建了全新世以来湖泊初级生产力的变化，从而揭示了巢湖地区全新世环境变化历史。早全新世时期（10100-8200 cal a BP），较高的TOC和TN、在波动中逐渐升高的δ¹³C_org值以及高δ¹⁵N值、高黏土（<4 μm）含量指示了较高的湖泊初级生产力，反映气候温暖较湿；中全新世时期（8200-4200 cal a BP），TOC、TN、δ¹³C_org值和黏土（<4 μm）含量总体上较高但呈波动降低趋势，粉砂（4-64 μm）含量升高，δ¹⁵N值总体较低但变化幅度较大，指示初级生产力由较高水平开始逐渐降低，气候由温暖湿润逐渐向凉干方向发展；7300-5800 cal a BP和4300-3800 cal a BP的低δ¹⁵N和高TN值可能受到固氮蓝藻的影响，分别对应着7500-7000 cal a BP和4200-4000 cal a BP气候事件时期夏季风强度的减弱；晚全新世前期（4200-2000 cal a BP），TOC、TN、δ¹³C_org值、黏土（<4 μm）含量的低值和较高的δ¹⁵N值、高粉砂（4-64 μm）含量代表初级生产力继续降低，气候环境进一步向冷干转变。全新世以来湖泊初级生产力的逐渐下降反映了季风的逐步减弱，而逐渐减少的30°N夏季太阳辐射是驱动季风减弱的主要因素。晚全新世后期（2000 cal a BP至今），各环境代用指标的变化表现出不同于全新世环境演化趋势的异常，说明湖泊环境及沉积物受人类活动的影响加剧。     

盐度、温度和光照强度对针叶蕨藻的生长及光合活性的影响

为探究环境因子对针叶蕨藻（Caulerpa sertularioides）生长的影响,对不同盐度、温度和光照强度下针叶蕨藻的生长和叶绿素荧光参数进行了研究。结果表明：藻体日特定生长率（SGR）、最大光量子产量（F_v/F_m）、实际光合效率（Yield）、电子传递速率（ETR）和光化学淬灭（qP）随盐度升高呈先上升后下降的变化趋势,非光化学淬灭（qN）则呈相反的变化趋势,藻体光合活性和固碳效率在盐度27.5‰时达到最高,且与25‰和30‰盐度的差异显著（P<0.05,n=3）。藻体SGR、F_v/F_m、Yield、ETR和qP随温度升高而下降,qN则相反,藻体光合活性和固碳效率在26℃下达到最高,且与28℃和30℃的差异显著（P<0.05,n=3）。藻体的SGR、F_v/F_m、Yield、ETR和qP随光照强度升高呈先上升后下降的变化趋势,qN则相反,且在18.75 μmol/（m²·s）弱光照下出现轻微光抑制,藻体生长、光合活性及固碳效率在光照强度25.00 μmol/（m²·s）时达到最高,但与18.75和31.25 μmol/（m²·s）的差异不显著（P>0.05,n=3）。因此,针叶蕨藻在27.5‰盐度、26℃和25.00 μmol/（m²·s）光照强度下生长最快且光合作用能力最高。     

中国北方农牧交错带C3草本植物δ13C与温度的关系及其对水分利用效率的指示

由于植物稳定碳同位素组成(δ¹³C)综合反映了植物光合过程中C、H₂O交换的信息,因而从理论上讲它可以作为植物长期水分利用效率的潜在指标,并揭示与植物生理生态过程相联系的一系列气候环境信息。通过对中国北方农牧交错带400 mm等降水样带上28个科的118种C3草本植物叶片δ¹³C值的测定,探讨了C3草本植物δ¹³C和水分利用效率(WUE)对环境温度梯度变化的响应以及气候环境因素对其产生的影响,揭示了样带控制植物δ¹³C变化的主要环境因子。结果显示: 在400 mm降水带上C3植物δ¹³C分布区间为-31.5‰ -23.0‰,平均值为-27.6‰,分布范围与黄土区干旱-半干旱区C3草本植物一致。整体C3植物δ¹³C随年均温度和夏季均温升高分别变重0.14‰/℃和0.27‰/℃,指示植物WUE随大气温度升高而增加。但这仅是一种表象,温度与植物碳同位素的这种关系实质上是温度升高导致的土壤相对湿度(或湿润指数)降低造成水分胁迫进而影响植物碳同位素分馏的结果,植物可利用的有效水分是本样带植物碳同位素分馏的控制因子。5种C3广适性植物δ¹³C均随温度升高而变重,但变化幅度不同,而且它们之间平均δ¹³C值有显著差异,表明不同物种的水分利用状况对温度的响应不同,说明不同物种有不同适应环境变化的策略。此外,本结果还显示不同寿命的草本植物δ¹³C值以及用碳同位素表征的WUE表现出多年生草本>2年生草本>1年生草本(可能与不同寿命草本植物的根系分布和吸水能力有关),这与Ehleringer等在沙漠地区研究的结果一致,而与湿润气候区的结果相反,表明不同寿命的草本植物δ¹³C值和WUE的变化可能与当地水分条件有关。     

柴达木盆地白刺叶片δ13C与叶片和土壤养分指标的关系

在青海省柴达木盆地选择6个重要的唐古特白刺分布区域,通过测定不同白刺居群的叶片营养元素、土壤养分含量和叶片碳同位素组成δ¹³C,对比不同白刺居群间的叶片δ¹³C特征差异,并分析白刺叶片δ¹³C与地理位置信息及叶片营养和土壤养分含量指标的关系。结果显示:（1）白刺居群间叶片δ¹³C存在显著空间变异性,其叶片δ¹³C变化范围在-25.47‰~-27.66‰之间,平均为-26.66‰。(2）纬度、经度和海拔是白刺叶片δ¹³C重要影响因子,白刺叶片δ¹³C与纬度、经度和海拔分别呈极显著负相关,正相关和正相关关系（n=10）。（3）白刺叶片δ¹³C与叶片有机C含量、N、P、K含量总体均呈负相关关系,但仅叶片有机C含量达到极显著水平（n=30）,其余均未达到显著性水平（n=30）。（4）叶片δ¹³C与表层土壤（0~15 cm）有机质、全N、速效K含量呈极显著负相关关系（n=30）,与全P、碱解N和有效P含量呈显著负相关关系（n=30）,并与15~30 cm土壤有机质和全N含量显著负相关（n=30）,但叶片δ¹³C与30~45 cm土壤各化学指标相关性均不显著（n=30）。研究表明,环境因子纬度、经度、海拔,叶片有机C含量,以及立地土壤全N、全P、碱解N、有效P、速效K含量的变化均显著影响柴达木盆地唐古特白刺居群叶片δ¹³C值。     

Systematic significance of mature embryo of bamboos

The mature embryo of seven species belonging to five genera of Indian bamboos is described. In all these the basic pattern of embryo organisation is same: the scutellar and coleoptilar bundles are not separated by an internode, the epiblast is absent, the lower portion of the scutellum and the coleorhiza are separated by a cleft and the margins of embryonic leaves overlap. The features unique to fleshy fruited bamboos are: presence of a massive scutellum, the juxtaposition of plumule and radicle and the occurrence of a bud in the axil of the coleoptile. The fleshy fruit bearing bamboos should be classified into one group, the tribeMelocanneae. Evidence is provided to recognise additional groups in the subfamilyBambusoideae.     

Taxonomic status of the species of the green algal genusNeochloris

Komárek has recently reviewed the various species assigned to the green algal genusNeochloris Starr (Chlorococcales, Chlorococcaceae) and removed those with uninucleate vegetative cells to a new genus,Ettlia. Watanabe & Floyd, unaware ofKomárek's work, also reviewed the species ofNeochloris and distributed them among three genera—Neochloris, Chlorococcopsis gen. nov., andParietochloris gen. nov.—on the basis of details of the covering of the zoospore and the arrangement of the basal bodies of the flagellar apparatus. This paper reconciles these two treatments and makes additional recommendations at the ranks of genus, family, order, and class.     

Phylogeny of cardinalfishes (Teleostei: Gobiiformes: Apogonidae) and the evolution of visceral bioluminescence

The cardinalfishes (Apogonidae) are a diverse clade of small, mostly reef-dwelling fishes, for which a variety of morphological data have not yielded a consistent phylogeny. We use DNA sequence to hypothesize phylogenetic relationships within Apogonidae and among apogonids and other acanthomorph families, to examine patterns of evolution including the distribution of a visceral bioluminescence system. In conformance with previous studies, Apogonidae is placed in a clade with Pempheridae, Kurtidae, Leiognathidae, and Gobioidei. The apogonid genus Pseudamia is recovered outside the remainder of the family, not as sister to the superficially similar genus Gymnapogon. Species sampled from the Caribbean and Western Atlantic (Phaeoptyx, Astrapogon, and some Apogon species) form a clade, as do the larger-bodied Glossamia and Cheilodipterus. Incidence of visceral bioluminescence is found scattered throughout the phylogeny, independently for each group in which it is present. Examination of the fine structure of the visceral bioluminescence system through histology shows that light organs exhibit a range of morphologies, with some composed of complex masses of tubules (Siphamia, Pempheris, Parapriacanthus) and others lacking tubules but containing chambers formed by folds of the visceral epithelium (Acropoma, Archamia, Jaydia, and Rhabdamia). Light organs in Siphamia, Acropoma, Pempheris and Parapriacanthus are distinct from but connected to the gut; those in Archamia, Jaydia, and Rhabdamia are simply portions of the intestinal tract, and are little differentiated from the surrounding tissues. The presence or absence of symbiotic luminescent bacteria does not correlate with light organ structure; the tubular light organs of Siphamia and chambered tubes of Acropoma house bacteria, those in Pempheridae and the other Apogonidae do not.     

Analysis of twin of eyeless regulation during early embryogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster

The Drosophila Pax6 homolog twin of eyeless (toy) is so far the first zygotically expressed gene involved in eye morphogenesis in Drosophila. The study of its expression during embryogenesis is therefore informative of the initial events of eye development in Drosophila. We have analyzed how the initial expression domain of toy at cellular blastoderm is regulated. We show that the three maternal patterning systems active in the cephalic region (the anterior, terminal and dorsal-ventral systems) cooperate with zygotically activated gap genes to shape the initial expression domain of toy. Whereas Bicoid, Dorsal and Torso signaling synergistically act as activators, Hunchback, Knirps and Decapentaplegic act as repressors.     

Host plants of someRhinanthoideae (Scrophulariaceae) of eastern North America

Twenty three species in 11 genera were examined in the field to determine hosts. OnlyStriga asiatica andSeymeria cassioides have a narrow host range being restricted to grasses and pines, respectively. These are the only species which cause pronounced and sometimes serious host damage. The other species attach to a great diversity of hosts.     

Apoptotic Regulation of Caspase Activity

Intracellular cysteine aspartate-specific proteases (caspases) play both signaling and effector roles in realizing the program of cell death. Caspases function as proteolytic cascades unique for each cell type and signal triggering apoptosis. All parts of the proteolytic cascades are duplicated and controlled by feedback signals. Amplification cycles between pairs of caspases (the third and the sixth, the ninth and the third, the twelfth and the sixth, and others) help multiply the initial apoptotic signal. The presence of physiological inhibitors of apoptosis that directly interact with caspases creates a multilevel regulatory network of apoptosis in cell. The caspase proteolytic cascades are also regulated by sphingolipid secondary messengers, among them ceramide, sphingosine, and their phosphates. Moreover, an association of the caspase signaling with ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis is shown in cells. In particular, the use of extracellular activators and inhibitors of caspases allows irreversible activation of apoptosis in tumor cells or the prevention of apoptosis in cortical neurons under neurodegenerative diseases.     

广西青藓科分类学修订

通过对采自广西24个县(市)的1 147份青藓科植物标本的逐一鉴定及相关文献的查阅,确认有广西青藓科植物11属、44种,其中包括广西青藓科植物新记录属1属,即拟异叶藓属(Pseudokindbergia),新记录种7种,分别为匐枝青藓(Brachythecium procumbens)、阔叶尖喙藓(Oxyrrhynchium latifolium)、泛生尖喙藓(O. vagans)、拟异叶藓(Pseudokindbergia dumosa)、华东细喙藓(Rhynchostegiella sinensis)、长肋拟青藓(Sciurohypnum populeum)和弯叶拟青藓(S. reflexum)。该文提供了修订后的广西青藓科植物名录,并对其中的新记录属、种的主要形态学识别特征、生境和地理分布等进行了详细描述。     

In vitro appraisal of the probiotic value of intestinal lactobacilli

Lactobacilli play a distinctive role in the microbial balance of the chicken gut. In experiments simulating the chicken crop, the antagonism of lactobacilli against Enterobacteriaceae and Salmonella typhimurium was demonstrated and was attributed to lactic acid production. Moreover, adhesion to the crop epithelium was a common characteristic of intestinal lactobacilli. As opposed to salmonellas, lactobacilli were sensitive to deconjugated bile salts at 2.5mm. This sensitivity could lower their chance of proliferation in the small bowel of the chicken tract.The authors are at the Laboratory of Microbial Ecology, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, State University of Gent, Coupure L., 653, B-9000 Gent, Belgium.     

Evaluation of antiprotozoal and antimycobacterial activities of the resin glycosides and the other metabolites of Scrophularia cryptophila

Resin glycosides are secondary metabolites exclusive to the convolvulaceous plants. In this study, crypthophilic acids A–C (1–3), the first resin glycosides occurring in another family (Scrophulariaceae), and the other constituents of Scrophularia cryptophila were examined for in vitro antiprotozoal and antimycobacterial potentials. Except for crypthophilic acid B (2), all tested compounds exhibited growth-inhibitory effect against Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, with l-tryptophan (6) and buddlejasaponin III (7) being the most potent ones (IC₅₀'s 4.1 and 9.7 μg/ml). In contrast, the activity towards Trypanosoma cruzi was poor, and only crypthophilic acid C (3), 6 and 7 were trypanocidal at concentrations above 40 μg/ml. With the exception of 2 and 6, all compounds were active against Leishmania donovani. Harpagide (4) and 3 emerged as the best leishmanicidal agents (IC₅₀'s 2.0 and 5.8 μg/ml). Only compounds 3, 6 and 7 showed antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum with IC₅₀ values of 4.2, 16.6 and 22.4 μg/ml. Overall the best and broadest spectrum activity was presented by compounds 3 and 7, as they inhibited all four parasitic protozoa. None of the isolates had significant activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MICs >100 μg/ml) or were toxic towards mammalian (L6) cells. This is the first report of antiprotozoal activity for natural resin glycosides, as well as for harpagide (4), acetylharpagide (5), tryptophan (6) and buddlejasaponin III (7).