In vitro culture of Aloe Barbadensis Mill.: Micropropagation from vegetative meristems

A method for rapid and highly effective plant micropropagation from vegetative meristems was established for Aloe barbadensis Mill. Plant micropropagation was achieved culturing apices on medium containing 1.1 M 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 2.3 M kinetin for 15–30 days. High morphogenetic ability was maintained by transferring explants (after 60 days) on media containing 0.11 M 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 2.2 M 6-benzylaminopurine.     

EDITORIAL

Olver, M. D. &; Kuyper, M. A. 1978. Breeding biology of the Whitebreasted Cormorant in Natal. Ostrich 49:25-30.

From 1972–1975 Whitebreasted Cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo bred at the Cedara Dam, Natal, South Africa (29 32S, 30 17E), and from 1973 they fished for food at Midmar Dam, 5 km away and carried the food back to the nestlings. Breeding occurred from April to October and was preceded by a period of courtship. Nesting material was collected by the males and the nests built by the females. The mean clutch size for 1972–1973 was 3,1. Both parents incubated the eggs and guarded the nest and chicks. Growth of the chicks was studied in 1972–1973. The mean number of chicks reared was 1,6 per nest although seven nests contained three nestlings. At 28 days they left the nest when alarmed, but could not fly until 49 days old. The average flying age appeared to be about 53 days. The height of the nests above the ground seemed to determine the nest leaving age. Of the 186 eggs laid in the 60 nests observed over two years, 74% hatched. Fledging success was 52% of eggs laid and 69% of eggs hatched. Chick mortality seemed to be caused mainly by falling from the nests and dying of starvation.     

Influence of Aloe vera on water absorption and enzymatic in vitro degradation of alginate hydrogel films

This study investigates the influence of Aloe vera on water absorption and the in vitro degradation rate of Aloe vera-Ca-alginate hydrogel films, for wound healing and drug delivery applications. The influence of A. vera content (5%, 15% and 25%, v/v) on water absorption was evaluated by the incubation of the films into a 0.1 M HCl solution (pH 1.0), acetate buffer (pH 5.5) and simulated body fluid solution (pH 7.4) during 24 h. Results show that the water absorption is significantly higher for films containing high A. vera contents (15% and 25%), while no significant differences are observed between the alginate neat film and the film with 5% of A. vera. The in vitro enzymatic degradation tests indicate that an increase in the A. vera content significantly enhances the degradation rate of the films. Control films, incubated in a simulated body fluid solution without enzymes, are resistant to the hydrolytic degradation, exhibiting reduced weight loss and maintaining its structural integrity. Results also show that the water absorption and the in vitro degradation rate of the films can be tailored by changing the A. vera content.     

薰衣草精油和芦荟对痤疮面部主要菌群的影响

目的 体外观察薰衣草精油和芦荟水提物对痤疮患者面部痤疮丙酸杆菌和表皮葡萄球菌的作用,为改善面部痤疮治疗提供理论依据.方法 采用连续梯度稀释法稀释薰衣草精油及芦荟水提物,纸片法观察不同浓度的精油和芦荟水提物对面部正常菌群表皮葡萄球菌和痤疮主要致病菌痤疮丙酸杆菌的作用;通过抑菌环的大小反应抑菌作用强弱,测定生长曲线以观察对细菌生长繁殖的影响.结果 薰衣草精油对痤疮丙酸杆菌的抑菌作用明显强于表皮葡萄球菌(P＜0.05);两种芦荟(库拉索芦荟和木立芦荟)对痤疮丙酸杆菌均无抑菌作用(P＞0.05);库拉索芦荟对表皮葡萄球菌有微弱的抑制作用(P＜0.05);木立芦荟对表皮葡萄球菌生长有促进作用.结论 薰衣草精油和芦荟水提物对痤疮患者面部主要细菌表皮葡萄球菌和痤疮丙酸杆菌的作用效果不同,薰衣草精油和木立芦荟水提物联合应用有可能通过调整面部微生态平衡从而改善痤疮症状.     

Dynamics of intracellular mannan and cell wall folding in the drought responses of succulent Aloe species

Plants have evolved a multitude of adaptations to survive extreme conditions. Succulent plants have the capacity to tolerate periodically dry environments, due to their ability to retain water in a specialized tissue, termed hydrenchyma. Cell wall polysaccharides are important components of water storage in hydrenchyma cells. However, the role of the cell wall and its polysaccharide composition in relation to drought resistance of succulent plants are unknown. We investigate the drought response of leaf‐succulent Aloe (Asphodelaceae) species using a combination of histological microscopy, quantification of water content, and comprehensive microarray polymer profiling. We observed a previously unreported mode of polysaccharide and cell wall structural dynamics triggered by water shortage. Microscopical analysis of the hydrenchyma cell walls revealed highly regular folding patterns indicative of predetermined cell wall mechanics in the remobilization of stored water and the possible role of homogalacturonan in this process. The in situ distribution of mannans in distinct intracellular compartments during drought, for storage, and apparent upregulation of pectins, imparting flexibility to the cell wall, facilitate elaborate cell wall folding during drought stress. We conclude that cell wall polysaccharide composition plays an important role in water storage and drought response in Aloe.     

芦荟多糖含量测定及芦荟膏体外透皮吸收的实验研究

目的:研究芦荟膏中各功能成分体外透皮吸收的能力。方法:以Wistar大鼠的背部皮肤为透皮实验原料,每隔一定时间通过分光光度法和高效液相色谱法测定透皮后接收池内芦荟多糖及蒽醌类含量。结果:随着芦荟膏剂量的增加,渗透量逐渐增加,芦荟膏中芦荟多糖、芦荟大黄素、芦荟苷的渗透量随时间延长逐渐增加,但是渗透速率逐渐降低。结论:芦荟膏有较强的体外透皮吸收能力,芦荟膏经皮给药能充分发挥其作用。     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In vitro</Emphasis> antileishmanial activity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aloe vera</Emphasis> leaf exudate: A potential herbal therapy in leishmaniasis

Aloe vera has wide spread use in health products, and despite several reports on the whole plant and inner gel, little work has been performed on the leaf exudate. Our aim was to evaluate the in vitro efficacy of Aloe vera leaf exudate (AVL) in leishmaniasis. Irrespective of the disease manifestation, promastigotes from strains responsible for cutaneous, mucocutaneous, and visceral leishmaniasis were susceptible to AVL and their IC₅₀ ranged from 100 to 180 μg/ml. In axenic amastigotes cultured from a L. donovani strain 2001 responsible for visceral leishmaniasis, the IC₅₀ was 6.0 μg/ml. AVL caused activation of host macrophages evident by an increased release of members of reactive oxygen species that was attenuated by preincubation with free radical scavengers. Collectively, our data indicates that AVL, via its direct leishmanicidal activity which can be further enhanced by activation of host macrophages, is an effective antileishmanial agent meriting further pharmacological investigations.     

木立芦荟不同叶龄叶的解剖学和组织化学及其植物化学研究

应用植物解剖学、组织化学、荧光显微观察与植物化学技术相结合,研究了木立芦荟不同叶龄叶的解剖结构、叶绿素和类胡萝卜的含量、芦荟素的含量及其合成和贮藏结构的特点。结果表明:芦荟素由同化薄壁组织产生,叶绿体的基质为其合成场所。芦荟素细胞可能是芦荟素早期贮存的场所,随着芦荟素细胞的逐渐萎缩老化,维管束鞘细胞成为贮藏芦荟素的代替场所。同一植株的叶随着叶龄的增长,维管束的密度降低,芦荟素细胞占维管束横切面的百分比减小,同化薄壁组织细胞中的叶绿体逐步衰老、解体,芦荟素含量逐渐降低,但不同叶龄叶中叶绿体色素的含量与芦荟素含量间没有明显的相关性。     

芦荟蒽醌类物质提取工艺的研究

以提取物中蒽醌类物质含量综合评价,利用正交实验比较了浸提、超声提取和索氏提取优选库拉索（Aloe vera L．）中蒽醌类物质的最佳提取工艺条件,为芦荟蒽醌类物质的开发提供科学依据和实验基础。从而得出最佳提取方法为超声提取,最佳醇沉工艺条件为：幼叶叶皮60目,乙醇40℃超声45min。     

Mineral contents of Aloe vera leaf gel and their role on streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

The role of some inorganic elements like vanadium, zinc, sodium, potassium, calcium, copper, manganese, and traces of chromium in the improvement of impaired glucose tolerance and their indirect role in the management of diabetes mellitus are being increasingly recognized. In traditional methods, medicinal plants are being used, which contain both organic and inorganic constituents. In the present study, an attempt has been made to analyze the inorganic elements present in Aloe vera leat gel and their role on diabetes-related biochemical alterations in experimental rats. Special emphasis was given to the inorganic parts by carefully preparing ash of the leaf gel. The results clearly indicate the presence of several hypoglycemic-activity-possessing elements in the gel. The ash treatment also resulted in hypoglycemic action. In conclusion, the presence of various inorganic trace elements in the gel might account for the hypoglycemic nature of the plant.