Evaluation of chemical composition and antiedematogenic activity of the essential oil of Hyptis martiusii Benth

Evaluations of the therapeutic potential of medicinal plants and their components have been the subject of many studies. Furthermore, the biological activities of various plant species have been reported in various pieces of literature. Hyptis martiusii Benth (Lamiaceae), popularly known as “mad balm” is commonly found in the North, Southeast, and Northeast of Brazil. Its leaves are used ethnobiologically as antiulcerogenic, antimicrobial, antitumor and as insecticide. This study aimed to analyze the chemical composition of the essential oil of H. martiusii Benth (OEHM) by GC/MS as well as its possible topical activity as an antiedematogenic. This is verified by the models of ear edema induced by single (acute edema) and multiple (chronic edema) applications of croton oil topically, and systemically verified through the model of paw edema induced by carrageenan 1%. Doses of 50, 75 and 100 mg/kg OEHM were used in all tests. Chemical analysis of the oil revealed the 1,8-cineole (34.58%) and δ-carene (21:58%) as major components present in the essential oil. On the model of ear edema, acute and chronic OEHM in all the tested doses showed no significant antiedematogenic activity (p < 0.05). The systemic model of paw edema induced by carrageenin showed that a dose of 100 mg/kg effectively reduced swelling by 55.37% in the second hour evaluation when compared to the saline group. The anti-inflammatory systemic effect can give greater bioavailability of the components present in the essential oil and your interference in cytokines and leukotriene, thromboxane and prostaglandin biosynthesis. It is therefore concluded that OEHM presents systemic antiedematogenic activity but not topical activity at these doses.     

Chemical composition,antibacterial and antifungal activities of flowerhead and root essential oils of Santolina chamaecyparissus L., growing wild in Tunisia

The antimicrobial properties of essential oil from various Santolina species have not been investigated enough in the previous studies dealing with the biological activities of medicinal plants. In Tunisia, Santolina chamaecyparissus L. (Asteraceae) is the only Santolina species recorded and is used as vermifuge and emmenagogue. The chemical composition, antibacterial and antifungal properties of essential oils from the flowerheads and roots of spontaneous S. chamaecyparissus growing in Tunisia and the chemical composition which leads to the Tunisian chemotype are investigated here for the first time. Essential oils isolated by hydro distillation from flowerheads and roots of S. chamaecyparissus were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Two methods served for antimicrobial assays of the essential oils: diffusion in a solid medium and micro-well dilution assay. Antifungal tests were carried out by the agar incorporation method. Sixty-seven constituents were identified from the essential oil of the flowerhead. The major constituents were: 1,8-cineole and β-eudesmol. Two non identified compounds were present at the highest concentration in root oil. Flowerhead oil was characterized by high contents in monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes oxygenated compounds. The flowerhead essential oil demonstrated potent of antibacterial properties against Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC and Enterococcus faecalis ATCC, with MIC of 0.625 μg/ml. These findings demonstrate that the flowerhead essential oils of S. chamaecyparissus have excellent antibacterial properties and for this reason they could contribute to decrease the problem of microbial resistance to antibiotics.     

Effect of total flavonoid in rabdosia rubescens on tolerant mice models under cerebral anoxia

ObjectiveTo study the protective effect of total flavonoid in rabdosia rubescens on BIT model by brain ischemic tolerance (hereinafter BIT) model of mice.MethodBIT model is used to block bilateral common carotid arteries and to copy BIT model of mice. After 10 min of transient ischemia for rats in preconditioning group, the mice in the nimodipine group and naoluotong capsule group were given the total flavonoid in rabdosia rubescens (300 mg/kg, 150 mg/kg, 75 mg/kg) for gavage, sham operation group, ischemia/reperfusion injury (hereinafter IRI) group and BIT group were fed with the same volume of 0.5% sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) once a day for 5 days. After administration for 1 h on day 5 (120 h), the rats in the other groups except for the sham operation group were treated with blood flow block for 30 min and reperfusion for 22 h. The serum NSE level were measured and the brain NO content and NOS activity changes was measured to observe the histopathological changes of brain tissue.ResultsBIT models of mice and in rats were both successfully replicated. The total flavonoid in rabdosia rubescens can decrease the mortality of mice, decrease serum NSE level, increase the content of NO and the activity of NOS in the brain tissue of mice, and improve the pathological damage of cortex and hippocampus of mice.ConclusionThe total flavonoid in rabdosia rubescens can stimulate an endogenous protective mechanism by inducing the release of low levels of cytokines NO and NOS, which reduces the release of serum NSE, relieves the brain tissue ischemia-reperfusion injury, and further improves the protection effect of ischemic preconditioning on brain injury. The damage of brain tissue ischemia and reperfusion, and further improve the ischemia Protective effect of preconditioning on brain injury.     

Anti-oxidative effects of silkworm storage protein 1 in HeLa cell

Silkworm hemolymph contains unique proteins that exhibit anti-apoptotic activity in mammalian cells. Among them, 30 K protein, which is one of the major anti-apoptotic molecules in silkworm hemolymph, has been well investigated. However, little is known about the biological functions of storage protein 1 (SP1), another main protein in silkworm hemolymph. In this study, the anti-apoptotic and anti-oxidative activities of SP1 were analyzed. A stable cell line expressing SP1 was constructed, which showed strong anti-apoptotic effect induced by staurosporine treatment. In addition, the cell line exhibited resistance to oxidative stress caused by hydrogen peroxide. For practical applications of SP1, recombinant SP1 was produced in Escherichia coli, and the supplementation of recombinant SP1 into culture medium exhibited anti-apoptotic and anti-oxidative activities. In addition, SP1 was found to be a cell-penetrating protein and localized in the cytosol as well as on the plasma membrane. The findings showed that SP1 itself is not an anti-oxidant; rather, it mediates intracellular anti-oxidative activity. In conclusion, the cellular resistance of SP1 to apoptosis and oxidative stress will provide a new strategy that could be utilized in the bio-industry for the production of biologics as well as for the development of anti-aging cosmetics.     

Novel degraded polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinol and new polyprenylated benzophenone from Hypericum sampsonii

Norhypersampsone A (1), a novel degraded polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinol (PPAP) derivative, 3-(2-hydroxy-7-methyl-3-methyleneoct-6-enyl)-5-isoprenyl-2,4,6-trihydroxybenzophenone (2), a new polyprenylated benzophenone derivative, and nine known compounds (3–11) were isolated from Hypericum sampsonii. Their structures were elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic techniques. Compound 1 represents a novel cyclohexenone monocyclic-PPAP formed by losing the fragment of C-2–C-4 and the side chains at C-3 and C-5 in the phloroglucinol ring. The results of the inhibitory effects of compounds 1–11 on the nitric oxide (NO) production induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in RAW 264.7 macrophages showed that compounds 1, 6–8, and 10 exhibited weak activities with IC₅₀ values in the range of 20.3–37.1 μM.     

Analyses of landuse change impacts on catchment runoff using different time indicators based on SWAT model

Previous researches mainly focused on the runoff responses to landuse change based on annual, seasonal or monthly time scales, there are few studies based on daily scale. We conducted a comprehensive investigation into runoff responses on the daily scale as well as annual and monthly time scales using SWAT, and compared the impacts of time scales with different time indicators quantitatively. Jinjiang, a coastal catchment of southeast China with a humid sub-tropical climate, was used for simulations. A calibrated SWAT model produced satisfactory reproduction of annual, monthly and daily runoff processes over a nine-year (2002–2010) period at three gauging stations. Runoff was then simulated and compared using the same meteorological input but two different landuse scenarios (1985 and 2006, with reduced forest and increased cropland and urbanized area). The results showed varying change in runoff among three time scales and three catchments. The annual runoff had the smallest increase between two scenarios, monthly runoffs had medium rates (increasing in all months except October–November), and daily runoff had the largest rates with the increase in flood peaks but decrease in drought flows, because of the variable influence on interception/evapotranspiration loss, percolation and antecedent soil water storage. Indicators of different time scales (annual runoff, monthly runoff, maximum 1-day and 5-day flood runoff, minimum 1-day and 7-day runoff) proved appropriate for analysing landuse change impacts.