Effects of Acanthopanax senticosus supplementation on innate immunity and changes of related immune factors in healthy mice

Modern scientific research has shown that Acanthopanax senticosus (AS) can regulate the innate immunity of healthy animals, thus affecting the health of animals. However, there are few systematic reports on the changes of innate immune indices of healthy animals after consuming AS. The purpose of this project was to study the effect on healthy mice’s innate immunity and changes of related immune factors induced by feeding AS root powder supplementation. The results showed that the killing rate of natural cells increased in a dose-dependent manner in a certain time period. Compared to the control group, the treatment groups (T1, T2 and T3) improved significantly in the innate immune index (lysozyme, β-defensin-2 and duodenal secretory IgA (SIgA) to varying degrees) and induced corresponding changes of immune factors at certain time periods. The correlation between SIgA and IFN-γ in mouse serum was enhanced, and the higher the concentration of AS in the diet, the stronger the correlation was. However, there was no significant difference in growth performance among groups. It is proved that AS supplementation can enhance innate immunity and change several relevant immune factors and cells of healthy mice without affecting growth performance.     

Changes in contents of photosynthetic pigments and ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase activity during the development of globular somatic embryo into the plantlet of Siberian ginseng

During the development of the globular embryos via heart-shaped, torpedo-shaped, and cotyledonary embryos into plantlets, contents of chlorophyll (Chl) a and b and carotenoids, and activity of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase (RuBPC, EC 4.1.1.39) were investigated. In the solid cultivation (SC) the contents of Chl a, Chl b, Chl a/b, and total pigments increased up to plantlet stage. In the liquid cultivation (LC), contents of Chl a, Chl b, and total pigments increased till the torpedo-shaped stage, but decreased with the further development up to plantlets stage. During SC, RuBPC activity increased up to the torpedo-shaped embryo stage, but in the LC RuPBC activity increased continuously with the progress in the developmental stages. The correlations between Chl a and RuBPC activity on the SC and LC were negative, r = −0.26 and −0.56, respectively.     

DNA isolation methods for medicinal and aromatic plants

Several protocols described for plant DNA isolation fail to produce good quality DNA from medicinal herbs and aromatic plants. These plants contain exceptionally high amounts of secondary metabolites that interfere with DNA isolation. To address this problem, we developed 2 DNA isolation methods for sundew and tarragon that produce DNA suitable for molecular biological applications. One of the methods also is applicable for milfoil and Siberian ginseng.