Medicinal properties of Hericium erinaceus and its potential to formulate novel mushroom-based pharmaceuticals

Hericium erinaceus is an important mushroom with edible values and medicinal properties. Both the mycelium and the fruiting bodies contain many bioactive compounds with drug efficacy. Recent evidence demonstrates that it is helpful to various diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, immunoregulatory, and many types of cancer. Furthermore, emerging pieces of evidence have shown that different active molecules in H. erinaceus have different functions on different organs in different diseases via the different mechanisms. Drawing on current research results, this review mainly focuses on the therapeutic effects of H. erinaceus on various diseases of multiple physiological systems, including the nervous system, digestive system, circulatory system, and immune system. This paper also discusses systematically the efficient protection of H. erinaceus against the diseases from the intricate experimental proofs by using the systematic viewpoints, which provides a framework for future research directions.     

Taxonomic clarification of the dinophyte Rhabdosphaera erinaceus Kamptner, ≡ Scrippsiella erinaceus comb. nov. (Thoracosphaeraceae,Peridiniales)

The Scrippsiella trochoidea species complex (Thoracosphaeraceae, Peridiniales) consists of a cryptic diversity and multiple species, for which established scientific names are not available at present. Previously, the name Scrippsiella trochoidea has been taxonomically clarified, leaving a reliable determination of morphologically similar, but only distantly related species impossible. We isolated and cultivated Scrippsiella erinaceus comb. nov. (strains GeoM*533 and GeoM*534) from material collected near the type locality off Rovinj, Republic of Croatia (Adriatic Sea). We barcoded the species of the Thoracosphaeraceae using rRNA sequences (including 22 new sequences) and investigated the morphology of the strains using light and electron microscopy. The Scrippsiella trochoidea species complex was composed of three primary clades, and the Adriatic strains were reliably assigned to one of them being distinct from the true Scrippsiella trochoidea. We designate an epitype for the basionym Rhabdosphaera erinaceus prepared from the strain GeoM*534. The unambiguous links between a scientific species name, its protologue, genetic characterization and spatial distribution have particular importance for character-poor, unicellular organisms such as the Dinophyceae.     

Anatrichus bimaculatus sp. n. (Diptera: Chloropidae) and differential characters between A. bimaculatus sp. n. and A. erinaceus

A new species, Anatrichus bimaculatus sp. n. (Diptera: Chloropidae), is described from Zambia. Two African Anatrichus species, A. bimaculatus sp. n. and A. erinaceus, are characterized, and the main differential features are illustrated.     

Diversity of xylophagous beetles and vulnerability of debarked-medicinal plants in southern of Benin

We studied the impact of debarking of medicinal tree species on the diversity of xylophagous beetles in Lama Forest Reserve, in Lokoli swampy forest and in crop fields surrounded Lokoli forest. A total of 108 interception traps were set up on debarked and nondebarked trees covering nine medicinal plants that are Anogeissus leiocarpa, Dialium guineense, Khaya senegalensis in Lama Forest; Nauclea diderrichii, Ficus trichopoda, Syzygium owariense in swampy forest; and Parkia biglobosa, Bridelia ferruginea, Pterocarpus erinaceus in crop fields. A total of 116 beetle species were collected belonging to 19 coleoptera families with higher xylophagous beetles than predators. Specific richness and individual abundance of xylophagous beetles were significantly higher in crop fields than in forests. Furthermore, in all habitats, debarked-tree species were more attractive to xylophagous beetles than control trees and were significantly more attacked in crop fields than forests. The most vulnerable medicinal trees to debarking were P. biglobosa, D. guineense, F. trichopoda and P. erinaceus. Three groups of indicator insects according to habitat type, debarking and tree species have been distinguished. Our results clearly imply that by exploiting natural resources humans can impact on the abundance and specific richness of xylophagous beetles by modulating their resources.     

Directed Aerial Descent Behavior in African Canopy Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Several species of neotropical ants direct their aerial descent toward tree trunks during a fall from the forest canopy. The primary goal of this study was to determine if afrotropical arboreal ants exhibit similar gliding behavior. Ants were collected from nine tree crowns in late secondary forest at a hydrocarbon extraction site near Gamba, Gabon. Of the 32 species tested, the behavior was observed in five Cataulacus spp. and three Camponotus spp., making this the first report of gliding in African ants. Aerial glide performance (horizontal distance traveled per unit vertical drop distance) decreased with increasing body size among species and among individuals of Cataulacus erinaceus. Characteristics of directed descent behavior in C. erinaceous were very similar to those of the neotropical ant Cephalotes atratus.     

Plant community patterns in Moroccan temporary ponds along latitudinal and anthropogenic disturbance gradients

Background: Temporary ponds, an abundant habitat in the Maghreb region and notably in Morocco, have a high conservation value. However, they are mainly known from the north of the country.

Aims: The aim of this work was to characterise the vegetation of Moroccan temporary ponds along a combined gradient of latitude and anthropogenic pressure.

Methods: Eighty-five ponds distributed along a north–south gradient of 750 km were sampled. For each pond, all vegetation was surveyed (flooded and dry parts) and the local abiotic characteristics were measured during two successive hydrological cycles. The prevailing anthropogenic pressures were also identified and were attributed an impact score.

Results: Eighty-one characteristic pond species (including 17 rare species) were recorded, with several new distribution data in the southern part of the latitudinal gradient. Plant communities were related to climatic and anthropogenic factors, but mostly to local factors, such as maximum water depth and soil pH. The northern ponds (wettest macroclimate) were rich in characteristic species and rare species, while the southern (driest macroclimate) ponds were more species poor.

Conclusions: In addition to the direct impact of increasing human activity, a further reduction of the floristic richness of temporary ponds is expected due to climatic changes. This is particularly the case for characteristic species which have a high conservation value.     

Novel Taxa-4(20),12-diene and 2(3→20)Abeotaxane from Needles of Taxus canadensis

A novel 6/8/6-membered taxane with a rare C-12(13)-double bond and rare 2(3→20)abeotaxane were isolated from the needles of Taxus canadensis. Their structures were characterized as 7β,9α,10β-triacetoxytaxa-4(20),12-diene-2α,5α,11β-triol (1) and 2α,7β,10β-triacetoxy-5α-hydroxy-2(3→20)abeotaxa-4(20),11-diene-9,13-dione (2) on the basis of 1D and 2D spectroscopic data. 1 is the first example of a natural taxane without substitution at both C-13 and C-14.     

Tree–herb co-existence and community assembly in natural forest-steppe transitions

Background: Hybridisation between locally common and rare plant species is of conservation concern as it may lead to the extinction of the rare taxon. Rumex aquaticus (2n = ca. 200, Polygonaceae) is a widespread Euro-Siberian species but rare in the British Isles. It hybridises freely with the locally abundant congener R. obtusifolius (2n = 40) producing fertile and viable hybrids.

Aims: We aimed to establish whether hybridisation poses an extinction threat to R. aquaticus in Britain.

Methods: Flow cytometry, AFLPs and morphological characters were used to assess the extent of hybridisation between R. obtusifolius and R. aquaticus.

Results: Flow cytometry was the most useful tool to distinguish between hybrids and parental species and indicated that out of 88 samples from two hybrid populations, 85% were likely to be F1s and only 15% were likely to be back-crosses to R. aquaticus. AFLP markers were only able to identify putative F1 hybrids reliably and 11 morphological traits could not distinguish unambiguously between hybrids and pure R. aquaticus.

Conclusions: Although our data suggest that genetic assimilation of pure R. aquaticus populations is unlikely to be the case in the future, there is a potential threat from demographic swamping by hybrids and targeted protection of R. aquaticus habitat is proposed as a management strategy.     

Note floristique et repartition de Rhodophycees rares (Kallymeniacees et Sebdeniacees) de la Mediterranee occidentale

Abstract

Floristic notes and geographical distribution of some rare Rhodophyta (Kallymeniaceae and Sebdeniaceae) of the western Mediterranean. Callophyllis laciniata, Kallymenia requienii and Kallymenia lacerata (Kallymeniaceae) and Sebdenia rodrigueziana (Sebdeniaceae) are recorded for the first time in the bay of Naples. For each species systematic and distribution data are also given.     

稀有放线菌Lechevalieria rhizosphaerae NEAU-A2的次级代谢产物研究及遗传操作系统的建立

【背景】菌株Lechevalieria rhizosphaerae NEAU-A2是一株新的稀有放线菌,其基因组中包含多个与次级代谢产物生物合成相关的基因簇,具有产生丰富代谢产物的潜力。【目的】对稀有放线菌L. rhizosphaerae NEAU-A2的次级代谢产物进行研究,以期发现结构新颖或生物活性独特的化合物,并建立其遗传操作系统。【方法】应用硅胶柱色谱和高效液相色谱等方法对菌株NEAU-A2的次级代谢产物进行分离和纯化,整合质谱分析、核磁共振等方法进行结构解析。在对该菌株全基因组测序的基础上,以基因组序列中编码杂合的聚酮合酶-非核糖体肽合成酶(PolyketideSynthase-Nonribosomal Peptide Synthetase,PKS-NRPSs)基因1609为目标基因,利用PCR-Targeting介导的基因置换技术构建重组质粒,通过接合转移的方式导入野生菌株。【结果】从菌株NEAU-A2中分离鉴定了2个新的吲哚二聚化合物(1,2)和5个已知化合物N-乙酰色胺(3)、4-((2-(1H-Indol-3-Yl)Ethyl)Amino)-4-Oxobutanoic Acid (4)、Brevianamide F (5)、4S,7R-Germacra-1(10)E,5E-Diene-11-Ol (6)、1H-吡咯-2-羧酸(7)。接合子通过培养2代即可获得双交换突变菌株,PCR分析结果显示PKS-NRPS基因被成功中断。【结论】从稀有放线菌L. rhizosphaerae NEAU-A2中分离鉴定出7个化合物,并成功建立了该菌的遗传操作系统。     

Variation of plant diversity components in different scales in relation to grazing and climatic conditions

Background: Understanding the role of livestock grazing on plant diversity can be improved by an accurate measurement of diversity at all hierarchical scales due to the changeability of diversity components in space.

Aims: We evaluated the effects of grazing on plant species diversity at different scales of all common and rare species in two regions that have different climatic conditions (arid vs. semi-arid).

Methods: In each region, we collected abundant data of plant species from a nested sampling design that consisted of local (80 plots) and regional (16 sites) scales. We partitioned total species diversity (γ) into within plots (α_l), among plots (β_l) and among sites (β₂) using the additive partitioning.

Results: Diversity among sites contributed the most to total diversity for all and rare plant species in both regions. In addition, α₁ and β₁ diversities in ungrazed areas were greater than those in grazed areas for all and common species in both climates.

Conclusion: Abandonment of grazing after 10 years resulted in significant regeneration of common species at the local scale, with no change in rare species. We conclude that low grazing intensity is likely to be an important tool for conservation of plant diversity in which all scales should be considered.     

New and noteworthy records of mosses from Italian national and regional Parks

Some remarkable mosses, as a result of the study of both recent collections and a review of herbarium specimens, are reported in this paper. They are: Anomodon rugelii (Müll.Hal.) Keissl., new record from southern Italy, a moss very rare in the Mediterranean region and considered threatened in many European countries; Blindia acuta (Hedw.) Bruch & Schimp. and Dichodontium palustre (Dicks.) M. Stech, both new records from Sicily, are very rare mosses in Italy. Moreover, a new locality in Sicily for the little-known species Tortula bolanderi (Lesq. & James) M. Howe is reported.     

Further observations on the recovery of vegetation in the Caledonian Pinewood of Coille Creagloch after fire

Summary

Details are given of the occurrence in Britain, mainly Scotland, of 27 species of coprophilous ascomycetes which have either not been recorded from Britain or which are rare or otherwise of interest. Observations on the variation in spore size of Anopodium ampullaceum and Sporormia fimetaria and their identity, using data from French and British material, are discussed.     

Structure and absolute configuration of a secolignan from Peperomia blanda

A secolignan, (−)-2-methyl-3-[bis(3′,4′-methylenedioxy-5′-methoxyphenyl) methyl]butyrolactone (1), with a rare cis configuration was isolated from the aerial parts of Peperomia blanda (Piperaceae). The structure of this compound was elucidated by a combination of spectroscopic methods, including ultraviolet, infrared, 1D- and 2D- nuclear magnetic resonance as well as high resolution mass spectrometry data. The absolute configuration of (−)-1 was determined as (2R,3S) by the comparison of experimental electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectroscopy and time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) calculations.     

Notizie ecologiche,cariologiche e sistematiche su Nepeta foliosa Moris

Abstract

Some ecological, caryological and systematic data on Nepeta foliosa Moris. – Nepeta foliosa is a rare Sardinian endemic species, which lives at an altitude of 1200 m, on the Oliena calcareous mountains in Central Sardinia. Its somatic chromosome number is 2n = 36. From a taxonomical point of view, N. foliosa appears a well isolated species within the Nepeta section, where recently Turner placed it. It shows affinity with species of the Pycnonepeta Benth. section, and particularly with Nepeta multibracteata Desf. For this reason it is here proposed to transfer N. foliosa into the Pycnonepeta section.     

Cystopteris dickieana R.Sim (Cystopteridaceae), a new fern in the continental Balkans flora

Abstract

Cystopteris dickieana, a rare circum-Holarctic species, is recorded for the first time for the NW part of the Balkan area. Mature spores rugose characterize this fern within the C. fragilis species complex.     

SEM observations of some noteworthy diatoms from the Ikpoba reservoir,Nigeria

ABSTRACT

Eighteen taxa of diatoms from the Ikpoba reservoir, southern Nigeria are listed in this report. They belong to the genera Cymbella, Stenopterobia, Eunotia, Brachysira, Frustulia, Navicula, Pinnularia, Stauroneis and Surirella. The occurrences and distribution of the algae are indicated. Two of these taxa occurred very frequently, six frequently and four occasionally. Five taxa had rare occurrences while one was very rare. They were compared with national as well as regional records.