Plant Sources of Chinese Herbal Remedies: Effects on Pratylenchus vulnus and Meloidogyne javanica

More than 500 plant species, used alone or in combination, are documented in Chinese traditional medicine to have activity against helminth and micro-invertebrate pests of humans. We subjected 153 candidate medicines or their plant sources to multilevel screening for effectiveness against plant-parasitic nematodes. For extracts effective in preliminary screens, we determined time-course and concentration-response relationships. Seventy-three of the aqueous extracts of medicines or their plant sources killed either Meloidogyne javanica juveniles or Pratylenchus vulnus (mixed stages), or both, within a 24-hour exposure period. Of 64 remedies reported as antihelminthics, 36 were effective; of 21 classi- fied as purgatives, 13 killed the nematodes; of 29 indicated as generally effective against pests, 13 killed the nematodes. Sources of extracts effective against one or both species of plant-parasitic nematodes are either the whole plant or vegetative, storage or reproductive components of the plants. Effective plants include both annuals and perennials, range from grasses and herbs to woody trees, and represent 46 plant families.     

Ichtyotoxic activity of extracts from Mexican marine macroalgae

Seventy-three species of macroalgae from the Mexican Pacific, Atlantic and Caribbean coast were screened for ichtyotoxic activity. Ethanolic, acetonic and aqueous extracts were prepared and tested against the fish Carassius auratus. The extracts were classified on the basis of their effects as: toxic if the fish died in two hours or less; moderately toxic, if the organism behaved abnormally but death did notoccur, and non-toxic if the fish did not display any change. 79% species were ichtyotoxic to some degree. Extracts of 39 species were toxic, with at least one extract with lethal effects, 19 were moderately toxic and 15 species were non-toxic. Only the extracts ofDictyota bartayresiana, Dictyota cervicornis,Lobophora variegata, Bryothamnion triquetrum and Laurencia obtusa were toxic in all three solvents. The acetone and ethanol extracts were more active, and therefore are more suitable for extraction of toxic substances. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Genetic recombination of homologous plasmids catalysed by cell-free extracts of topo-isomerase mutant strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Cell-free extracts of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae can be used to catalyse the recombination of bacterial plasmids in vitro. Recombination between homologous plasmids containing different mutations in the gene encoding tetracycline resistance is detectable by the appearance of tetracycline-resistance following transformation of the recombinant plasmid DNA into Escherichia coli DH5. This in vitro recombination system was used to determine the involvement of eukaryotic topo-isomerases in genetic recombination. Cell-free extracts prepared from a temperature-sensitive topo-isomerase II mutant (top2-1) of S. cerevisiae yielded tetracycline-resistant recombinants, when the recombination assays were performed at both a non-restrictive temperature (30°C) and the restrictive temperature (37°C). This result was obtained whether or not ATP was present in the recombination buffer. Extracts from a non-conditional topo-isomerase I mutant (top1-1) of S. cerevisiae yielded tetracycline-resistant recombinants, as did a temperature-sensitive double mutant (top2-1/top1-8) at the restrictive temperature. The results of this study indicate that neither topo-isomerase I nor topo-isomerase II was involved in the recombinational activity examined.     

Screening of plant extracts for organic management of downy mildew of sorghum

Antipathogenic potential of 38 plants was evaluated in the form of aqueous extracts against Peronoclerospora sorghi, causing downy mildew of sorghum. Conidial suspension and plant extracts were mixed individually and allowed to stand for 5 min and then used to inoculate the host by sprout-dip method. The sprouts thus inoculated were grown in pots, and the disease incidence was observed. Eight plant extracts (Cicer areatinum, Datura metel, Croton sparsiflorus, Parthenium hysterophorus, Nerium oleander, Chromolaena odorata, Duranta repens and Oxalis latifolia) at 20% concentration performed at par with chemical fungicide (Mancozeb 75%) by exhibiting total suppression of disease incidence to 0%, when compared with 64.1% of negative control. Organic management of air-borne inoculum of downy mildew of sorghum is feasible and preferable when compared with chemical control methods, considering human and environmental health concerns. The use of water extract keeps the technology simple so that it can be directly prepared and used by the farmers. Short-listing of eight most effective water extracts would help in self-reliance of farmers, reducing their dependence on commercial products.     

马缨丹提取物对黄曲条跳甲成虫的生物活性

测定了马缨丹(Lantana camaraL.)地上部位(茎叶花)的不同溶剂提取物及萃取物对黄曲条跳甲Phyllotreta striolata(Fabricius)成虫的取食忌避、拒食、胃毒和触杀作用。结果表明:处理后48 h,以马缨丹乙醇回流提取物效果最好,其对黄曲条跳甲成虫的取食忌避率达94.94%;非选择性拒食率为85.48%;除正丁醇萃取物对黄曲条跳甲成虫的胃毒作用达到56.67%外,其它处理对黄曲条跳甲成虫的胃毒作用不明显;石油醚萃取物、石油醚冷浸物、乙醇回流物对黄曲条跳甲成虫的触杀作用效果最好,分别为56.67,53.33和53.33%。据实验结果可知马缨丹不同溶剂提取物及萃取物对黄曲条跳甲成虫的生物活性主要表现在对成虫较强的忌避和拒食作用。     

小飞蓬提取物除草活性的生物测定

以高粱(Sorghum vulgarePers.)、黄瓜(Cucum is sativusL.)、小麦(Triticum aestivumL.)和油菜(BrassicacampestrisL.)为供试对象,用种子萌发法测定了小飞蓬(Erigeron canadensisL.)全株的石油醚、乙酸乙酯和乙醇等3种溶剂提取物的除草活性。小飞蓬的乙酸乙酯与乙醇提取物对4种供试作物均显示出很强的抑制生长作用,浓度达100 mg.mL-1时对小麦和油菜幼苗生长的抑制率均为100%。小飞蓬乙酸乙酯提取物对高粱和油菜的幼根及黄瓜和油菜幼茎的生长有明显的抑制作用。低浓度乙醇提取物对小麦和高粱幼根及幼茎的生长有较强抑制作用,但高浓度时则对黄瓜和油菜的抑制作用较强;6.25 mg.mL-1乙醇提取物对黄瓜、油菜、小麦和高粱幼茎生长的抑制率分别为6.50%、8.58%、21.51%和26.98%;25 mg.mL-1乙醇提取物的抑制率则分别达到61.31%、77.45%、39.78%和46.34%。表明小飞蓬乙酸乙酯和乙醇提取物具有潜在的除草活性。     

3种植物乙醇提取物对南方根结线虫卵囊酯酶活力影响及其成分预分析

2000μg/ml合欢叶、黄花菊花和万寿菊叶乙醇提取物溶液处理根结线虫卵囊24h、48h和120h后,采用酶标仪分别对卵囊羧酸酯酶和乙酰胆碱酯酶活力进行了测定。结果表明各处理对根结线虫卵囊羧酸酯酶和乙酰胆碱酯酶的活性均有显著的抑制作用。与对照无菌水相比,合欢叶、黄花菊花和万寿菊叶乙醇提取物溶液处理卵囊120h后,卵囊羧酸酯酶活力抑制率分别为85.94%、86.16%和65.18%,乙酰胆碱酯酶活力抑制率分别为51.16%、46.51%和34.88%。并对3种植物乙醇提取物化学成分进行预分析。     

Secretion of Spodoptera littoralis female reproductive system on deposited egg masses that possibly acts as oviposition deterring substance for conspecific females

Egg masses laid by Spodoptera littoralis mated female moths were extracted by petroleum ether (PE), ethanol (E) and Ringer's solution (RS). Egg-wash extracts were evaporated and the weights of crude materials were obtained. Different aqueous concentrations were made. The amount of extracted material increased as the weight of eggs used increased and vice versa. Coating Nerium oleander leaves with aqueous egg-wash extracts prepared from S. littoralis egg-masses deterred the mated conspecific female moths from ovipositing their eggs on treated leaves, as well as causing a decrease in the total number of deposited eggs per female during the moth's life span. The highest deterrent effect on conspecific female moths to oviposit their eggs was obtained after treatment of N. oleander leaves with PE or E egg-wash extract. The deterrent effects of the tested egg-wash extracts was concentration dependant; an increase in the concentration of any extract caused an obvious decrease in the number of deposited egg-masses and the total number of laid eggs on the treated N. oleander leaves.