Activating Blood Circulation,Anti-Inflammatory and Diuretic Effects of Leonurus japonicus Extract on a Rat Model of Trauma Blood Stasis and Its Phytochemical Profiling

Leonurus japonicus Houtt. has been traditionally used to treat many ailments. This study evaluated the activating blood circulation, anti-inflammatory, and diuretic effects of L. japonicus extract (LJ) and identified its phytochemicals. In this work, the phytochemicals in LJ were identified using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. Rats were randomly assigned to three groups (n=8): Control group was treated with saline, while the Model group (saline) and LJ group (426 mg/kg) had induced traumatic injury. All rats were treated with once by daily oral gavage for one week. The biochemical indices and protein expression were measured. Herein, 79 constituents were identified in LJ, which were effective in elevating body weight, food consumption, water intake, and urinary excretion volume, as well as in ameliorating traumatic muscle tissues in model rats. In addition, LJ prominently decreased the contents of plasma viscosity, platelet aggregation rate, thrombin time, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, fibrinogen, thromboxane B2 (TXB2), TXB2/6-keto-prostaglandin F1α (6-keto-PGF1α), urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA), plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1), PAI-1/tissue-type PA (t-PA), and PAI-1/u-PA, while significantly increasing antithrombin III, 6-keto-PGF1α, and t-PA contents. Furthermore, LJ notably inhibited tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin 6 (IL-6), IL-8, angiotensin II, antidiuretic hormone, aldosterone, aquaporin 1 (AQP1), AQP2, and AQP3 levels, and markedly elevating IL-10 and natriuretic peptide levels. Finally, LJ markedly reduced the protein expression of AQP1, AQP2, and AQP3 compared to the model group. Collectively, LJ possessed prominent activating blood circulation, anti-inflammatory, and diuretic effects, thus supporting the clinical application of L. japonicus.     

海水酸化及升温对刺参稚参生长和变色的影响

海洋酸化和海洋变暖是当下及未来海洋生物及其依存生态系统面临的主要环境压力和生态问题。当前,海洋生物早期发育气候变化生物学的研究主要集中于海洋酸化的影响,为了更好地探究海洋气候变化对海洋生物的影响,有必要研究海洋酸化和变暖联合作用下海洋生物的生态响应。以受精后24天的刺参稚参为研究对象,通过模拟当前和本世纪末海洋环境,观察海水酸化和升温对刺参稚参在体色发育关键时期生长、发育及体色变化的影响。实验设置对照组(大连近海水温,pCO2400 mg·kg^-1)、升温组(对照组水温+2℃,pCO2400 mg·kg^-1)、酸化组(对照组水温,pCO21000 mg·kg^-1)、酸化升温组(对照组水温+2℃,pCO21000 mg·kg^-1)。结果表明:温度升高2℃能够显著提高稚参发育速率,体色变化加快;pH值降低0.23个单位显著延迟稚参生长,体色变化减缓,个体间体重差异变大;升温2℃能抵消pH降低0.23个单位对稚参生长和发育的负面影响;较长时间的海水酸化和升温胁迫能够使稚参逐渐适应,稚参表现出一定的耐受性。     

Predation on the invasive mosquito Aedes japonicus (Diptera: Culicidae) by native copepod species in Germany

Some limnic copepod species are predators of mosquito larvae. Seven species belonging to the order Cyclopoida, family Cyclopidae, were collected in the field in Germany and tested for the first time in laboratory bioassays for their potential to serve as biological control agents of the invasive Asian bush mosquito Aedes japonicus (Theobald), a vector of various pathogens causing disease. Females of Diacyclops bicuspidatus (Claus) did not attack 1^st instar larvae of Ae. japonicus, but Macrocyclops distinctus (Richard), Cyclops divergens Lindberg, and C. heberti Einsle predated a mean of 14, 18, or 19 1^st instar larvae, respectively. Acanthocyclops einslei Mirabdullayev and Defaye killed 30 larvae, and high predation rates with a mean of 39 or 46 larvae, respectively, were obtained by Megacyclops viridis (Jurine) and M. gigas (Claus). In regression analyses, predation rates by M. viridis correlated with body size, with specimens of 1.8 mm length being more effective than smaller or bigger ones. Based on the presented data, the two Megacyclops species seem to be promising candidates for use in field studies on the biological control of Ae. japonicus.     

Vertical Distribution of the Far East Trepang Apostichopus japonicusin Vostok Bay,Sea of Japan

The abundance, weight, and age structure of aggregations of the Far East trepang Apostichopus japonicuswere studied in Vostok Bay, Sea of Japan, during the first part of September 2000. The highest density of aggregations (8.3 ± 0.5 ind/m²) and biomass (131.88 ± 10.50 g/m²) of animals was characteristic for coastal sites at the depth 0.5–1.5 m. With anincrease in depth the biomass and density of A. japonicusreduced 1.5 and 3 (depth 5–6 m), 220 and 830 times (depth 8–15 m) respectively. The ratio of large animals concurrently increased in the aggregation structure. The specifics of the distribution and spatial variability of the aggregation structure are discussed in relation to uncontrolled fishing of holothurians of large sizes.