苦瓜种质遗传多样性的RAPD和ISSR分析

采用RAPD和ISSR分子标记技术对38份苦瓜种质进行遗传多样性分析。结果表明:10个RAPD和10个ISSR引物分别扩增出93条和81条带,多态性比率分别为50.54%和61.29%;RAPD和ISSR标记检测供试材料的遗传相似性系数(GS)范围,分别为0.287~1和0.221~1,ISSR(平均GS值0.672)检测多态性效果高于RAPD(平均GS值0.694)。RAPD标记聚类分析将供试种质分为3个类群6组,分类结果与苦瓜瓜瘤的表型分类比较相似;ISSR标记聚类分析将供试种质分为3个类群7组,ISSR标记划分类群与形态上以颜色分类比较接近。RAPD和ISSR标记的遗传相似性系数呈显著相关(r=0.550)。两个标记整合后聚类分析可检测到更大的遗传变异,结果与苦瓜的农艺性状分类和地理分布有一定的相关性。     

Pharmacodynamic interaction of Momordica charantia with rosiglitazone in rats

The present study was undertaken to determine the interaction of rosiglitazone, a PPAR-γ agonist with methanolic extract of Momordica charantia L (MC), an herbal drug used widely as an antidiabetic agent. The pharmacodynamic interaction was evaluated in oral glucose tolerance test, streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetes in adult rats and STZ induced diabetes in neonatal rats. Rosiglitazone was given orally at two different doses of 2 mg/kg and 5 mg/kg and MC was administered at a dose of 500 mg/kg, p.o. The serum glucose level estimation and histopathological studies of pancreas, liver and kidney were carried out. Both rosiglitazone and MC showed hypoglycaemic effect in oral glucose tolerance test. The hypoglycaemic effect observed with combination of rosiglitazone and MC was significantly more compared to either of the drugs given alone. MC also augmented the hypoglycaemic effect of rosiglitazone in both STZ induced diabetes in adult animals and STZ induced diabetes in neonatal rats. Histopathological studies revealed that administration of rosiglitazone with MC increased the volume of islet cell in pancreas and prevented the hepatic damage when compared to control. It was concluded that MC augments hypoglycaemic effect of rosiglitazone. This could be important in reducing the dose of rosiglitazone to achieve enhanced therapeutic effect with minimal adverse effects.     

The cucurbit images (1515-1518) of the Villa Farnesina, Rome

BACKGROUND: The gorgeous frescoes organized by the master Renaissance painter Raphael Sanzio (1483-1520) and illustrating the heavenly adventures of Cupid and Psyche were painted between 1515 and 1518 to decorate the Roman villa (now known as the Villa Farnesina) of the wealthy Sienese banker Agostino Chigi (1466-1520). Surrounding these paintings are festoons of fruits, vegetables and flowers painted by Giovanni Martini da Udine (1487-1564), which include over 170 species of plants. A deconstruction and collation of the cucurbit images in the festoons makes it possible to evaluate the genetic diversity of cucurbits in Renaissance Italy 500 years ago. FINDINGS: The festoons contain six species of Old World cucurbits, Citrullus lanatus (watermelon), Cucumis melo (melon), Cucumis sativus (cucumber), Ecballium elaterium (squirting cucumber), Lagenaria siceraria (bottle gourd) and Momordica balsamina (balsam apple), and two or three species of New World cucurbits, Cucurbita maxima, C. pepo and, perhaps, C. moschata (pumpkin, squash, gourd). The images of C. maxima are the first illustrations of this species in Europe.     

Bitter gourd proteinase inhibitors: potential growth inhibitors of Helicoverpa armigera and Spodoptera litura

Proteinase inhibitors (PIs) from the seeds of bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) were identified as strong inhibitors of Helicoverpa armigera gut proteinases (HGP). Biochemical investigations showed that bitter gourd PIs (BGPIs) inhibited more than 80% HGP activity. Electrophoretic analysis revealed the presence of two major proteins (BGPI-1 and-2) and two minor proteins (BGPI-3 and-4) having inhibitory activity against both trypsin and HGP. The major isoforms BGPI-1 and BGPI-2 have molecular mass of 3.5 and 3.0 kDa, respectively. BGPIs inhibited HGP activity of larvae fed on different host plants, on artificial diet with or without added PIs and proteinases excreted in fecal matter. Degradation of BGPI-1 by HGP showed direct correlation with accumulation of BGPI-2-like peptide, which remained stable and active against high concentrations of HGP up to 3 h. Chemical inhibitors of serine proteinases offered partial protection to BGPI-1 from degradation by HGP, suggesting that trypsin and chymotrypsin like proteinases are involved in degradation of BGPI-1. In larval feeding studies, BGPIs were found to retard growth and development of two lepidopteran pests namely Helicoverpa armigera and Spodoptera litura. This is the first report showing that BGPIs mediated inhibition of insect gut proteinases directly affects fertility and fecundity of both H. armigera and S. litura. The results advocate use of BGPIs to introduce insect resistance in otherwise susceptible plants.     

苦瓜提取物抗病毒作用及其有效成份的研究

本实验发现,小鼠皮下感染乙型脑炎病毒前腹腔注射苦瓜提取物(简称E.M.c.)有显著的保护作用,其保护率平均为66％;以E.M.c.静脉注射家兔后2小时,血清中的干扰素达高峰,其干扰素为I型干扰素;E.M.c.对小鼠NK细胞有明显的激活作用;经鉴定,E.M.c.中的有效成份主要是dsRNA,此外,还含有多糖类物质。     

AgNO3诱导的苦瓜纯雌系完全花分化与幼叶和花蕾中内源激素的关系

本文用酶联免疫检测（ELIsA）技术研究三叶-心期喷施AgNO3诱导苦瓜纯雌系完全花分化过程中花蕾与幼叶中内源激素含量变化。结果显示：喷施AgNO,后幼叶中IAA、GA,、ZR和ABA含量与喷水的相比,都是先下降后增加。AgNO3处理的花蕾中这4种激素含量在72h内没有一致变化规律,但变化幅度大于幼叶的,表明生殖器官的内源激素对苦瓜性别分化影响比营养器官的大。AgNO3处理后24-48h内,花蕾中这4种激素的含量明显低于喷水的,而其余时间则高于喷水的。此外,AgNO3处理的花蕾中ABA／IAA、ZR／I从和GA3／IAA比值也在2448h发生剧烈的变化,48h之后这些激素比值与喷水的相差不大。这些结果说明了AgNO3处理后24-48h是苦瓜纯雌系性别分化的关键时期,IAA可能是诱导纯雌系苦瓜雄性分化的关键激素。     

光照对苦瓜形态可塑性及生物量配置的影响

在人为遮阴条件下,对苦瓜的生长动态、形态特征以及生物量分配进行了研究。结果表明,不同遮阴处理下苦瓜植株的生长有较大的差异,弱光照不利于苦瓜构件数量的增加和生物量的积累;植株在弱光下形成较少的分枝,较薄的叶片以及较细长的主茎和叶柄,表现出较强光生长环境下更强的形态可塑性;植株在生长早期较生长晚期有较大的形态可塑性;生物量对叶片和主茎的分配随光照的减弱而增大,分枝的生物量分配随光照的减弱而降低,光照对分枝茎的生物量分配影响不大;在光资源充足的情况下,外界支持物的缺乏不会对苦瓜的生长造成太大的影响。     

Possible molecular mechanisms of glucose-lowering activities of Momordica charantia (karela) in diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is a highly prevalent metabolic disorder which is characterized by impaired glucose tolerance, with a relative or absolute insulin deficiency and profound changes in the metabolism of macronutrients. Traditional and complementary medicine is therapeutic strategies that have both been applied to improving glycemic control. Momordica charantia is one of the plant-based, folk medicines that used for improving glycemic control. We aimed to review, the effects of M. charantia on blood glucose with a clarification of the molecular pathways involved. Of the compounds derived from the plants, the insulin-like peptide, charantin, and the alkaloid vicine, have been reported to have hypoglycemic effects. Different mechanisms contribute to the antidiabetic activities of M. charantia, these include increasing pancreatic insulin secretion, decreasing insulin resistance and increasing peripheral and skeletal muscle cell glucose utilization, inhibition of intestinal glucose absorption and suppressing of key enzymes in the gluconeogenic pathways.     

苦瓜植株不同构件层次对支持物直径变化的行为反应

 采用实验生态学的方法,在提供不同直径支持物的情况下,对攀援植物苦瓜(Momordica charantia)不同构件层次的形态可塑性反应、生物量积累和生物量配置的变化进行了研究。结果表明：1)支持物直径对植株分枝出现的时机无明显影响,但分枝数量和分枝在主茎上的着生位置受支持物直径影响较大;2)植株个体水平比分枝水平对支持物直径的变化有更灵敏的反应,当支持物直径较大时,植株个体表现出对支持物较强的寻觅能力：主茎伸长受阻,比茎长变大,分枝数量和分枝率增大,分枝长度增加,比叶柄长度增加,根冠比减小;3)分枝形态特征和生物量特征对支持物直径的变化均无显著反应;4)苦瓜植株个体水平上的形态特征变化、生物量配置格局的改变以及分枝行为的变化是植株对支持物有效性变化的响应,有利于增强植株“寻觅”支持物的能力。     

Use of bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) peroxidase together with redox mediators to decolorize disperse dyes

In this study, salt fractionated bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) peroxidase was used for the decolorization of water-insoluble disperse dyes; Disperse Red 17 and Disperse Brown 1. Effect of nine different redox mediators; bromophenol, 2,4-dichlorophenol, guaiacol, 1-hydroxybenzotriazole, m-cresol, quinol, syringaldehyde, violuric acid, and vanillin on decolorization of disperse dyes by bitter gourd peroxidase has been investigated. Among these redox mediators, 1-hydroxybenzotriazole was the most effective mediator for decolorization of both the dyes by peroxidase. Bitter gourd peroxidase (0.36 U/mL) could decolorize Disperse Red 17 maximally 90% in the presence of 0.1 mM 1-hydroxybenzotriazole while Disperse Brown 1 was decolorized 65% in the presence of 0.2 mM 1-hydroxybenzotriazole. Maximum decolorization of these dyes was obtained within 1 h of incubation at pH 3.0 and temperature 40°C. The application of such enzyme plus redox mediator systems may be extendable to other recalcitrant and water insoluble synthetic dyes using novel redox mediators and peroxidases from other new and cheaper sources.