豆蔻属植物化学成分和药理作用研究进展

姜科豆蔻属植物分布于热带和亚热带地区,大多可药用,作为传统常用药材使用。该属植物结构类型丰富,具有胃肠保护作用、抗氧化、降血糖、抗炎、抗过敏、抗菌、肝脏保护和阿尔兹海默保护等药理活性,具有开发利用价值。通过近十年国内外文献检索,对该属植物的化学成分和药理作用的研究进展进行系统综述,为豆蔻属植物的研究开发和综合利用提供依据。     

植物多糖分离提取技术的研究进展

植物多糖具有提高免疫、抑制肿瘤、延缓衰老和保护肝脏等重要生理作用,多糖的高纯度分离提取是多糖产业中极其关键的环节.本文对植物多糖的分离提取技术研究进展进行了概述,以期为植物多糖的产业化开发提供更有益的指导.对植物多糖的分离纯化工艺的发展趋势进行了展望.     

植物次生物质对于植物生存的重要作用

植物次生物质在植物生存中抵御动物和微生物的侵害,参与同其他植物的生存竞争以及进行植物间化学通讯等方面具有重要的作用。植物次生物质的产生是植物化学保护的必然结果。简要介绍植物次生物质的合成途径。     

保护性的蚂蚁-植物相互作用及其调节机制研究综述

蚂蚁-植物互利关系是生态和进化研究中的模式系统之一。该文分析总结了近年来有关蚂蚁对植物的保护作用及其调节机制的研究进展。植物通过给蚂蚁提供食物体、蚁菌穴和蜜露吸引蚂蚁, 通过自身的物理、化学方式调节与蚂蚁的互利关系, 使蚂蚁能有效地保护自已, 防止欺骗和寄生的发生。反过来, 蚂蚁可以减少植食性动物对植物的伤害和取食, 减少叶片损伤, 提高种子产量和质量, 提高植物的竞争优势等。虽然蚂蚁对植物的保护作用的强度受到多种生物与非生物因素的影响, 变异性较大, 但在大多数情况下, 蚂蚁-植物之间仍呈显著的正相互作用。同时, 蚂蚁-植物的相互作用还具有广泛的生态影响, 尤其会大大降低林冠上节肢动物群落的物种多样性和多度。未来的研究需要加强蚂蚁-植物互利关系的起源与维持机制、对蚂蚁自身的影响、与生物入侵的关系, 以及进化生态学等方面的研究。     

非生物胁迫下植物脱水素的研究进展

脱水素是LEA蛋白中的一类,广泛存在于植物的各个组织器官及植物胚胎发育后期.脱水素是植物在受低温、干旱和高盐等非生物逆境胁迫时合成的一类高亲水性保护蛋白,具有保护核酸、胞内蛋白和膜结构免受损害的功能.许多研究已经证实在非生物胁迫下,植物脱水素的表达与积累和植物抗逆性之间存在着紧密的联系.对脱水素的结构、亚细胞定位、基因表达模式及非生物胁迫下脱水素作用的最新研究成果进行了综述.     

探析越南黄檀良种选育及高效栽培

保护现有降香黄檀野生资源,大力发展降香黄檀人工栽培,具有重要的生态和经济意义。光是植物必需的资源之一,对植物的生长发育、生理生化及形态结构等方面有重要的作用。本文将针对越南黄檀良种选育及高效栽培进行探讨。     

烟草花叶病毒及其弱毒疫苗-N14基因组cDNA克隆的构建与侵染性分析

植物病毒弱毒疫苗在防治植物病毒病害中发挥着重要的作用,但对于其致弱的根本原因和机理仍不十分清楚。弱病毒能够在植物体内生存和繁殖,却不严重危害植物的生长、开花和种子生产,而对外来病毒具有杀灭和防治作用,这种共生和保护宿主的现象是大多数植物弱病毒所具有的共同…     

烟草花叶病毒及其弱毒疫苗-N14基因组cDNA克隆的构建与侵染性分析

植物病毒弱毒疫苗在防治植物病毒病害中发挥着重要的作用,但对于其致弱的根本原因和机理仍不十分清楚。弱病毒能够在植物体内生存和繁殖,却不严重危害植物的生长、开花和种子生产,而对外来病毒具有杀灭和防治作用,这种共生和保护宿主的现象是大多数植物弱病毒所具有的共同...     

关于植物迁地保护若干问题的讨论

植物迁地保护将是正在建设的国家植物园体系的核心任务,然而,有关植物迁地保护在植物多样性保护中的地位与作用、我国植物迁地保护的目标应该如何确立等诸多问题尚待讨论。本文通过文献研究,简要回顾了植物迁地保护的发展历史、过去40年国内外植物迁地保护取得的成绩,澄清了人们对植物迁地保护工作的一些疑虑;结合《昆明-蒙特利尔全球生物多样性框架》和即将发布的《支持<昆明-蒙特利尔全球生物多样性框架>实施的植物保护相关的自愿补充行动》,提出我国植物迁地保护的目标应该为“对所有受威胁植物实施有效的迁地保护,包括保护其遗传的多样性和代表性”。     

民族植物学研究现状(2017-2022)

《生物多样性公约》《名古屋议定书》《植物科学深圳宣言》等指导性文件都强调要认识到生物多样性相关传统知识的重要作用。生物多样性相关传统知识在生物文化多样性保护和可持续发展方面的作用也越来越受到人们的关注。民族植物学研究人与植物的相互作用关系, 是研究生物多样性相关传统知识的最主要学科领域, 近些年来取得了一系列的研究进展, 研究成果对于《植物科学深圳宣言》第六个优先领域目标的完成具有重要的推动作用。本文回顾了近年来特别是《植物科学深圳宣言》发布后的民族植物学研究状况, 主要从认知、利用、保护、管理植物等方面进行概述, 以便全面了解近期民族植物学研究的发展状况, 保护传统知识和植物文化, 为生物文化多样性的保护与发展做出重要贡献。近期获得的民族植物学成果, 说明民族植物学研究可以解决当下的一些热点问题。民族植物学的研究发现, 该学科能极大地促进传统知识、植物文化、生物文化多样性的保护, 尤其在农家品种以及濒危语言的保护方面有着巨大优势。     

Actions of vasopressin and isoprenaline on the ionic transport across the isolated frog skin in the presence and the absence of adenyl cyclase inhibitors MDL12330A and SQ22536.

1. The effects of both adenyl cyclase inhibitors (MDL12330A and SQ22536) have been studied on the ionic transport induced by vasopressin and isoprenaline across the frog skin. 2. MDL12330A inhibits the vasopressin action on the short-circuit current (SCC), confirming that this effect is cAMP-mediated. 3. On the other hand, isoprenaline action on the SCC is unaffected by MDL12330A. However, this lack of effect is not a sufficient argument against the role of cAMP in this action; in fact, as MDL12330A is also an inhibitor of cAMP phosphodiesterase, this action could mask the inhibitory effect of the drug on adenyl cyclase. 4. By using the other adenyl cyclase inhibitor (SQ22536), probably deprived of effect on the cAMP phosphodiesterase, we obtained a strong inhibition of isoprenaline action on the SCC. Thus we conclude that the actions of isoprenaline on the ionic transport across the frog skin are also cAMP-mediated.     

Hepatic insulin effects independent of changes in Ca++ metabolism

The possibility of Ca++ acting as second messenger for insulin in rat liver was investigated using the net stimulation of 14C-glucose incorporation into glycogen by isolated hepatocytes as an index of insulin action. An insulin effect could be partially sustained in the virtual absence of Ca++ and Mg++ and a maximal insulin effect could be observed in the presence of either Ca++ or Mg++, suggesting that extracellular Ca++ is not required for insulin action. Inhibiting the activity of calmodulin, an intracellular mediator of Ca++ action, with trifluoperazine had little effect on insulin action. The efflux of 45Ca from prelabeled hepatocytes was not altered by the presence of insulin arguing against insulin-induced changes in Ca++ fluxes. Collectively, these results do not support the role of Ca++ as second messenger for insulin action in liver.     

Comparative studies on the influence of radioprotectors and amino acids on the chromosome-damaging activity of 8-hydroxyquinoline sulfate in human lymphocytes in vitro

The influence of the radioprotectors cystaamine and aminoethylisothiouronium (AET) as well as the amino acids l-cysteine, l-alanine, l-arginine, l-asparagine, l-glutamic acid, l-histidine and l-methionine on the cytogenetic action of 8-hydroxyquinoline sulphate (8-HCHS) was tested in human lymphocyte cultures in vitro. An excess of l-cysteine, cysteamine, and l-asparagine, when added to the cultures simulataneously with 8-HCHS, distinctly reduced the chromosome-damaging effect of this agent. l-Glutamic acid and AET exerted a protective activity to a lesser extent. l-Methionine only displayed some effect in reducing the relatively rare isochromatid aberrations induced by 8-HCHS. The other amino acids had no effect on the chromosome-damaging action of this substance.The dose dependence of the protective activity as well as the degree of effectivity and the spectrum of action of the different protectors are compared. The possible mechanisms of action are discussed.     

The inhibitory effects of dantrolene on action potential-induced calcium transients in cultured rat dorsal root ganglion neurons

We investigated the actions of dantrolene Ca(2+)-induced on Ca(2+)-release (CICR) evoked by action potentials in cultured rat sensory neurons. The effect of dantrolene on action potential after-depolarization and voltage-activated calcium currents was studied in cultured neonatal rat dorsal root ganglion cells (DRG) using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. Depolarizing current injection evoked action potentials and depolarizing after-potentials, which are activated as a result of CICR following a single action potential in some cells. The type of after-potentials was determined by inducing action potentials from the resting membrane potential. Extracellular application of dantrolene (10 microM) abolished after-depolarizations without affecting action potential properties. Furthermore, dantrolene significantly reduced repetitive action potentials after depolarizing current injection into these neurons, but had no significant effect on the steady-state current voltage relationship of calcium currents in these neurons. We conclude that dantrolene inhibits the induction of action potential after depolarizations by inhibiting CICR in cultured rat sensory neurons.     

Genetic control of the protective effect of spermidine in Escherichia coli cells as affected by mitomycin C

The lethal action of mitomycin C and the effect of mutual treatment with mitomycin C and spermidine on Escherichia coli were studied. DNA repair in cells treated with mitomycin C was shown to have some differences, as compared to that of UV-induced pyrimidine dimers. The presence of the additive sbcB mutation increases the resistance of wild-type bacteria as well as of recBrecC and recF mutants to the lethal action of mytomicin C. Preliminary treatment of bacteria with spermidine increases resistance to the lethal action of the mutagen in wild-type bacteria as well as uvrB, recBrecC and sbcB strains. However, no such effect was observed in recF, recFsbcB and uvrE strains. The data suggest that the protective action of spermidine may be connected with stimulation of RecF-pathway of postreplication repair.     

Humanin inhibits apoptosis in pituitary tumor cells through several signaling pathways including NF-κB activation

Humanin (HN) and Rattin (HNr), its homologous in the rat, are peptides with cytoprotective action in several cell types such as neurons, lymphocytes and testicular germ cells. Previously, we have shown that HNr is expressed in pituitary cells and that HN inhibited the apoptotic effect of TNF-α in both normal and tumor pituitary cells. The aim of the present study was to identify signaling pathways that mediate the antiapoptotic effect of HN in anterior pituitary cells from ovariectomized rats and in GH3 cells, a somatolactotrope cell line. We assessed the role of STAT3, JNK, Akt and MAPKs as well as proteins of the Bcl-2 family, previously implicated in the antiapoptotic effect of HN. We also evaluated the participation of NF-κB in the antiapoptotic action of HN. STAT3 inhibition reversed the inhibitory effect of HN on TNF-α-induced apoptosis in normal and pituitary tumor cells, indicating that STAT3 signaling pathway mediates the antiapoptotic effect of HN on pituitary cells. Inhibition of NF-κB pathway did not affect action of HN on normal anterior pituitary cells but blocked the cytoprotective effect of HN on TNF-α-induced apoptosis of GH3 cells, suggesting that the NF-κB pathway is involved in HN action in tumor pituitary cells. HN also induced NF-κB-p65 nuclear translocation in these cells. In pituitary tumor cells, JNK and MEK inhibitors also impaired HN cytoprotective action. In addition, HN increased Bcl-2 expression and decreased Bax mitochondrial translocation. Since HN expression in GH3 cells is higher than in normal pituitary cells, we may suggest that through multiple pathways HN could be involved in pituitary tumorigenesis.     

Transformation of physiological gastroprotective effects of glucocorticoids into pathological ulcerogenic consequences

The study was designed to investigate how physiological gastroprotective action of glucocorticoids could be transformed to pathological proulcerogenic effect. Time-dependent effects of single injection of dexamethasone on stress-induced gastric erosions, corticosterone and blood glucose levels, somatic parameters were investigated in fasted rats. Dexamethasone injected at the same dose attenuated or aggravated the stress-induced gastric erosions depending on the time of the injection. In case of dexamethasone injection 1-12 hrs before stress, we observed its gastroprotective action. Further increase in the time interval caused transformation of the gastroprotective action of dexamethasone to proulcerogenic effect. Accordingly to the results obtained, dexamethasone-induced long-lasting maintenance of blood glucose levels accompanied with signs of catabolic effect as well as dexamethasone-induced corticosterone deficiency may be responsible, at least partly, for the transformation of gastroprotective effect of dexamethasone to the proulcerogenic one.     

On the evocability of a positive oestrogen feedback action on LH secretion in transsexual men and women.

In transsexual men with homosexual behaviour and intact testicular function, as well as in homosexual men with normal gender identity, following a negative oestrogen feedback effect a delayed positive oestrogen feedback action on LH secretion was evoked. By contrast, in transsexual men with hypo- or asexuality and intact testes or hypergonadotrophic hypo- or agonadism, as well as in heterosexual men with normal gender identity, a negative oestrogen feedback effect was not followed by a positive feedback action on LH release. In transsexual women with homosexual behaviour and oligo- and/or hypomenorrhoea, only a weak or at best moderate positive oestrogen feedback action on LH release was evocable, similarly as in castrated and oestrogen-primed heterosexual men. By contrast, in a transsexual woman with bisexual behaviour and eumenorrhoea, a strong positive oestrogen feedback action on LH secretion was evocable, as well as in heterosexual women with normal gender identity.     

Effect of methionine-enkephalin on the spontaneous electrical and mechanical activity of the smooth muscle of the rat portal vein

In the longitudinal smooth muscle of the isolated rat portal vein, methionine-enkephalin (Met-enkephalin) increased the spontaneous contraction with a concentration as low as 10(-8)M. When the membrane activity was recorded using a microelectrode, Met-enkephalin enhanced the spike burst activity but without any effect on the resting membrane potential. Naloxone, phentolamine, atropine and reserpine pre-treatment did not inhibit the excitatory effect of Met-enkephalin on the spontaneous contraction. These results suggest that the excitatory effect of Met-enkephalin on the mechanisms involved in the automaticity may be a direct action on smooth muscle or relate to presynaptic action on a non-adrenergic non-cholinergic system.     

Depressant action of Ca-antagonists on slow action potentials in guinea pig ventricular muscles

The depressant action of four Ca antagonists, including a novel drug, tiapamil, on Ca channels was investigated using a conventional microelectrode technique. "All or none" slow action potentials were recorded in K+-depolarized guinea-pig papillary muscles. Verapamil and diltiazem decreased the amplitude and maximum rate of rise (Vmax) of the slow action potentials at concentrations up to 2 microM. The depressant effect of a novel Ca-antagonist, tiapamil, on the slow action potentials was as marked as that of verapamil and diltiazem. However, prenylamine was less potent than the other 3 drugs. In addition, the action of all drugs on the slow action potentials was enhanced as the frequency of stimulation was increased between 0.0083 and 1 Hz. It was concluded that tiapamil, as verapamil and diltiazem, produced a frequency-dependent blockade of the slow Ca channel.