Germplasm conservation of Guazuma crinita,a useful tree in the Peru-Amazon,by the cryopreservation of in vitro-cultured multiple bud clusters

In vitro-cultured adventitious bud clusters of Guazuma crinita Mart. were successfully cryopreserved by the one-step vitrification method. Small segments (1.0-1.5 mm³) cut from adventitious bud clusters were exposed to a cryoprotectant mix solution containing (w/v), 25 glycerol, 15 sucrose, 15 ethylene glycol, 13 dimethyl sulfoxide, and 2 polyethylene glycol, at 25 °C for 15-60 min prior to storage in liquid nitrogen. After rapid warming (37 °C), the segments were treated with woody plant medium containing 40 (w/v) sucrose for 20 min at 25 °C, and then transferred to recovery-growth medium. High survival rates (about 80) were achieved without any cold hardening and/or pre-culturing treatments, and about 30 of the surviving cryopreserved explants regenerated plants. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Coumarins from the heartwoods of Mansonia gagei Drumm

Three coumarins and three known mansonones were isolated from the heartwood of Mansonia gagei Drumm. The structures of the three coumarins were elucidated as 3,8-dimethyl-5-isopropyl-6-methoxycoumarin (mansonrin A) 3,8-dimethyl-5-isopropyl-6-hydroxycoumarin (mansorin B) and 2,3-dihydro-3,6,9-trimethyl naphtho[1,8-bc]pyran-7-oxa-8-one (mansorin C) by analyses of physical properties and spectroscopic data. The cytotoxicity of the isolated compounds against brine shrimp Artemia salina Linn. was also evaluated.     

梧桐科植物在中国的地理分布

对中国梧桐科植物的地理分布进行研究 ,指出中国梧桐科植物的分布区 ,东起台湾的北部 (1 2 2°1 0′E) ,西至西藏的墨脱 (95°3 0′E ,2 9°2 0′N) ,北起河北的东陵和小五台山 (约 40°2 0′N) ,南达西沙群岛的永兴岛(约 1 6°1 0′N)。其分布范围主要在热带、亚热带 ,只有少数种类可分布到温带。主要根据《中国种子植物属的分布区类型》的划分原则 ,把中国梧桐科植物野生各属划分为 1 0个类型。且对中国梧桐科植物一些属的分布格局进行探讨。     

The allometry of flower size dimorphism in dioecious Dombeya species on La Réunion

In this paper we examine whether variation in male and female flower size follows an allometric relation for 10 dioecious species in the genus Dombeya endemic to La Réunion. Male flowers are significantly larger than female flowers and the degree of dimorphism varies significantly across species. There is a significant allometric relationship between male and female flower size: as mean flower size decreases the degree of flower size dimorphism increases. This is the first study to document an allometric relationship between male and female flower size in unisexual plants. We discuss this allometric relationship in relation to two characteristics frequently observed in dioecious flowers: flower size dimorphism is common in unisexual plants and dioecious species often have smaller flowers than hermaphrodites.     

桂火绳中化学成分的研究

从梧桐科火绳属桂火绳中提取分离到22个化合物,经结构鉴定为:羽扇豆醇(1),白桦脂酸(2),齐墩果酸(3),丁香脂素(4),(+)-异落叶松树脂醇(5),东莨菪内酯(6),对羟基肉桂酸(7),二十七碳酸单甘油酯(8),2-十八烯酸单甘油酯(9),sitoindosideⅡ(10),儿茶素(11),表儿茶素(12),表儿茶素3-O-β-D-吡喃木糖甙(13),山奈酚3-O-β-D-吡喃葡萄糖甙(14),5,7,4'-三羟基异黄酮(15),4'-O-methylgallocatechin(16),反式-二氢槲皮素-3-O-α-阿拉伯糖甙(17),顺式-二氢槲皮素-3-O-α-阿拉伯糖甙(18),反式-二氢槲皮素-3-O-β-吡喃葡萄糖甙(19),3,5,7,3',5'-五羟基-4'-甲氧基异黄酮(20),山奈酚-3-O-β-D-吡喃葡萄糖(6→1)-α-L-吡喃鼠李糖甙(21),以及槲皮素3-O-β-D-吡喃葡萄糖(6→1)-β-D-吡喃葡萄糖甙(22),这些化学成分首次从该属植物中分离出来。     

Proanthocyanidin glycosides and related polyphenols from cacao liquor and their antioxidant effects

Purification of polar fractions from cacao liquor extracts gave 17 phenolics including four new compounds. The new compounds were characterized as a C-glycosidic flavan, an O-glycoside of a dimeric and two O-glycosides of trimeric A-linked proanthocyanidins, on the basis of spectroscopic data. Isolated polyphenols showed inhibitory effects on nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-dependent lipid peroxidation in microsomes and on the autoxidation of linoleic acid. These effects were attributed to the radical-scavenging activity in the peroxidation chain reactions, based on the findings that the cacao polyphenols effectively scavenged the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical.     

Constituents of the roots of Melochia chamaedrys

The cyclic peptide alkaloid, chamaedrine, was isolated from the roots of Melochia chamaedris (Sterculiaceae), along with four known cyclic peptide alkaloids (adouetine X, frangulaline, scutianine B and scutianine C), and waltherione A, parasorbic acid, propacine, and (-)-epicatequine. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis, especially by 2D NMR ((1)H-(1)H-COSY, NOESY, HMQC, HMBC).     

Volatile components of cocoa with particular reference to glucosinolate products

The aroma volatiles of raw, fermented and roasted cocoa beans were extracted and concentrated to valid essences using well-established techniques. Analysis by GC and GC/MS showed at least 84 components of which 13 were identified for the first time as cocoa volatiles. In total, ca 5,66 and 65 μg of aroma components were obtained per g of raw, fermented and roasted cocoa beans, respectively. The most abundant groups of volatiles from fermented beans were alcohols (ca40%w/w of the total volatiles) and esters (ca 32%), whilst those from roasted beans were pyrazines (ca 40%) and aldehydes (ca 23%). Trimethyl- and tetramethylpyrazine were also detected in fermented beans, and it is suggested that they contribute to the noticeable cocoa/chocolate aroma of fermented unroasted beans. Phenylacetonitrile, benzyl isothiocyanate and benzyl thiocyanate were all identified amongst cocoa volatiles, together showing the presence of precursor benzylglucosinolate in cocoa. Glucosinolate products were detected in roasted beans, and it seems likely that the enzyme thioglucoside glucohydrolase survived the conditions of roasting. Benzyl thiocyanate was detected only in raw beans, showing that the glucosinolate ‘thiocyanate–forming factor’ did not withstand conditions of fermentation