中国姜黄属一新种—南昆山莪术

报道姜科姜黄属一新种一南昆山莪术（Curcumana nkunshanensis N．Liu,X．B．Ye＆J．Chen）。该种与近缘种广西莪术（C.kwangsiensis X．X．Chen）的区别在于侧根茎分枝多,叶片阔椭圆状披针形,表面光滑无毛,不育苞片下部白色顶端深紫红色,能育苞片绿色。它与郁金（caromatica Safib）的区别在于根茎内面白色,不育苞片下部白色顶端深紫红色,具有种子。     

Population genetic diversity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Curcuma zedoaria</Emphasis> (Christm.) Roscoe – a conservation prioritised medicinal plant in Bangladesh

Curcuma zedoaria (Christm.) Roscoe, a member of the family Zingiberaceae, is one of the most widely distributed Curcuma species in Bangladesh. It is a well-known and important species because of its medicinal and horticultural values. However, some plant populations are predicted to be depleted due to habitat destruction and due to extensive collection by local inhabitants. In order to estimate the level of genetic diversity within and between natural populations, RAPD analyses were performed using individual plants from different populations. We used Shannon’s index to partition genetic diversity which clearly demonstrated that hilly populations of Srimangal, Chittagong and Sitakundu maintain rather higher genetic diversity than that of plain land and plateau land populations of Savar and Birganj, respectively. We found a high intrapopulational (H′_pop/H′_sp) genetic diversity of 0.717 that was higher than the interpopulation diversity G _ST[(H′_sp−H′_pop)/H′_sp] value of 0.283. Principal Coordinates Analysis (PCoA) showed that individuals of the hilly populations were combined in one group, separated from the plain land and plateau land populations. From a conservation point of view, our results suggest that special attention should be kept on the small populations of plain and plateau lands that are critically threatened due to high anthropogenic activities.     

Factors affecting in vitro microrhizome production in turmeric

In vitro microrhizome production was obtained in turmeric (Curcuma longa Linn.). Freshly sprouted buds with small rhizome portions excised from stored mature rhizomes were cultured on semi-solid culture initiation medium –- MS basal medium + 0.88 M BAP (6-benzylaminopurine) + 0.92 M kinetin + 5% coconut water + 2% sucrose + 0.5% agar –- resulting in bud elongation. Multiple shoots were produced from these elongated buds by culturing in liquid shoot multiplication medium –- MS basal medium + 2.2 M BAP + 0.92 M kinetin + 5% coconut water + 2% sucrose –- at 25±1°C and 16-h light (at 11.7 mol m^–2 s^–1)/8-h dark cycles. Clumps of four to five multiple shoots/single shoots were used in various experiments. Cultures were incubated in the dark at 25±1°C. Half strength MS basal medium supplemented with 80 g l^–1 sucrose was found to be optimal for microrhizome production. Cytokinin BAP had an inhibitory effect on microrhizome production. At the highest concentration of BAP tried (35.2 M) microrhizome production was totally inhibited. Microrhizome production depended on the size of the multiple shoots used. Microrhizomes produced were of a wide range in size (0.1–2.0 g) and, readily regenerated when isolated and cultured in vitro on culture initiation medium or shoot multiplication medium. Under in vivo conditions, small (0.1–0.4 g), medium (0.41–0.8 g) and big (>0.81 g) microrhizomes regenerated. Plantlets developed from big microrhizomes grew faster.     

Preparation of carbon dot‐based ratiometric fluorescent probes for cellular imaging from Curcuma longa

This work derived biocompatible and stable probes based on fluorescent nanoparticles (FNPs) from a natural source, Curcuma longa. The multi‐color fluorescence emissions from carbonized Curcuma longa (C‐FNPs) obtained through defined dehydration conditions are soluble in water and have a small particle size (~17 nm). The surface passivation with polyethylene glycol (PEG) capped with amine groups in FNPs (P‐FNPs) generated a probe with a higher quantum yield and longer fluorescence lifetime than obtained with C‐FNPs. The X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X‐ray diffraction spectra confirmed the associated chemical moieties of C‐FNPs and P‐FNPs. Furthermore, the prepared material showed non‐toxic effects with almost 100% cell viability, even at high concentrations. In conclusion, fluorescence sensors from natural sources may be useful for numerous biomedical research applications.     

Modulatory effects of some natural products on hepatotoxicity induced by combination of sodium valproate and paracetamol in rats

Possible hepatoprotective effect of Curcuma longa and/or Nigella sativa against hepatotoxicity induced by coadministration of sodium valproate (SV) and paracetamol was studied. Rats were divided into 10 groups, control groups 1, 2, 3, and 4 received vehicles, C. longa (200 mg/kg, p.o.), N. sativa (250 mg/kg, p.o.), or both herbs for 21 days, respectively. Toxicity groups 5, 6, and 7 received SV (300 mg/kg, i.p.), paracetamol (1000 mg/kg, p.o.) for the last 4 days or both for 21 days, respectively. Protection groups 8, 9, and 10 received C. longa, N. sativa, or both, respectively, 1 h before the administration of both the drugs for 21 days. SV and/or paracetamol significantly increased aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin, relative liver/body weight ratio, malondialdehyde (MDA), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF‐α), and caspase‐3 (Casp‐3) while significantly decreased albumin, total protein, glutathione (GSH) reduced, GSH peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Preadministration of C. longa and/or N. sativa caused protective effect against the hepatotoxicity induced by both drugs.     

Isolation of Antibabesial Compounds from Brucea javanica,Curcuma xanthorrhiza,and Excoecaria cochinchinensis

One new curcuminoid, 3′-demethoxycyclocurcumin (1), was isolated from Curcuma xanthorrhiza as an antibabesial compound, together with p-hydroxybenzaldehyde (2) and cleomiscosin A (3) from Brucea javanica and (+)-epiloliolide (4) from Excoecaria cochinchinensis. The antibabesial activities were examined in vitro, and compounds 1–4, and diminazene aceturate were studied with IC₅₀ values of 16.6, 7.6, 15.6, 10.0, and 0.6 μg/ml, respectively.     

An Activator Stimulating the Hydrolysis of Phospholipids by Phospholipase B from Torulaspora delbrueckii

An activator stimulating the enzymatic hydrolysis of phospholipids was purified to a homogeneous state from autolyzed Torulaspora delbrueckii cell washings. Autolyzed cell washings were extracted with chloroform and ethanol, and the activator was purified about 130-fold by sequential column chromatographies on DEAE-Sephacel, Sephacryl S-300, and TSK gel G 3000 SW (high performance liquid chromatography, HPLC). The molecular weight of the activator was about 175,000 as estimated by gel filtration on HPLC. However, the purified activator gave two protein bands corresponding to molecular weights from 102,000 to 129,000 and from 71,000 to 88,000, respectively, on SDS- polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, when stained with silver stain reagent and periodic acid-Shiff (PAS) reagent. The activator was sensitive to heat treatment at 70°C for lOmin. The purified activator had no enzymatic activity, but stimulated the hydrolysis of phospholipids by water-soluble and membrane-bound phospholipases B if the substrates were pre-incubated with the activator. No stimulation of hydrolysis by the enzyme was observed when the activator was pre-incubated with the enzyme. The hydrolytic rate of phosphatidylcholine by the enzyme at acidic pH (pH 2.6) depended upon the amount of activator added. On the other hand, the hydrolytic rate at alkaline pH (pH 7.6) was stimulated greatly by more than 0.04 nmol of the activator.     

A hot water extract of Curcuma longa inhibits adhesion molecule protein expression and monocyte adhesion to TNF-α-stimulated human endothelial cells

The recruitment of arterial leukocytes to endothelial cells is an important step in the progression of various inflammatory diseases. Therefore, its modulation is thought to be a prospective target for the prevention or treatment of such diseases. Adhesion molecules on endothelial cells are induced by proinflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and contribute to the recruitment of leukocytes. In the present study, we investigated the effect of hot water extract of Curcuma longa (WEC) on the protein expression of adhesion molecules, monocyte adhesion induced by TNF-α in human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs). Treatment of HUVECs with WEC significantly suppressed both TNF-α-induced protein expression of adhesion molecules and monocyte adhesion. WEC also suppressed phosphorylation and degradation of nuclear factor of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in B-cells inhibitor, alpha (IκBα) induced by TNF-α in HUVECs, suggesting that WEC inhibits the NF-κB signaling pathway.     

姜黄地上部分化学成分的研究

为了解姜黄(Curcuma longa L.)地上部分的化学成分,采用硅胶、葡聚糖凝胶柱色谱和高效液相色谱从姜黄地上部分分离得到14个化合物。通过波谱分析,分别鉴定为槲皮素3-O-α-L-鼠李糖苷(1)、山柰酚3-O-α-L-鼠李糖(1→2)-α-L-鼠李糖苷(2)、橙皮素7-O-α-L-鼠李糖(1→6)-β-D-葡萄糖苷(3)、1,7-二(4-羟基苯基)庚烷-4E,6E-二烯-3-酮(4)、1,7-二(4-羟基苯基)庚烷-1E,4E,6E-三烯-3-酮(5)、3-羟基-4-甲氧基肉桂酸(6)、对羟基苯甲醛(7)、香草醛(8)、4-羟基-3-甲氧基苯甲酸(9)、异香草酸(10)、4-(1-羟基-1-甲基乙基)苯甲酸(11)、R-6-羟基-6-甲基-3-(2-羟基异丙基)-2-烯环己酮(12)、6,9-二羟基-4,7-巨豆二烯-3-酮(13)和β-胡萝卜苷(14)。化合物1、2、3、12和13首次从该植物中分离得到。经HPLC比较分析,姜黄地上部分缺乏姜黄药材的主要功能成分姜黄素。