Myocardial protection by Protykin,a novel extract of trans-resveratrol and emodin

Protykin is an all-natural, high potency standardized extract of trans-resveratrol (20%) and emodin (10%) derived from the dried rhizome of Polygonum cuspidatum. Previous studies have demonstrated free radical scavenging and anti-inflammatory activities of resveratrol. Since free radicals play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury, we examined whether Protykin could preserve the heart during ischemic arrest. Sprague—Dawley rats were divided into two groups: experimental group was gavaged Protykin (100 mg/kg body wt) dissolved in corn oil for three weeks, while the control group was gavaged corn oil alone. After three weeks, rats were sacrificed, isolated hearts perfused via working mode, were made globally ischemic for 30 min followed by 2 h of reperfusion. Left ventricular functions were continuously monitored and malonaldehyde (MDA) (presumptive marker for oxidative stress) formation were estimated. At the end of each experiment, myocardial infarct size was measured by TTC staining method. Peroxyl radical scavenging activity of Protykin was determined by examining its ability to remove peroxyl radical generated by 2,2′-azobis (2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride, while hydroxy radical scavenging activity was tested with its ability to reduce 7-OH^·-coumarin-3-carboxylic acid. The results of our study demonstrated that the Protykin group provided cardioprotection as evidenced by improved post-ischemic left ventricular functions (dp, dp/dt_max) and aortic flow as compared to control group. This was further supported by the reduced infarct size in the Protykin group. Formation of MDA was also reduced by Protykin treatment. In vitro studies demonstrated that Protykin possessed potent peroxyl and hydroxyl radical scavenging activities. The results of this study indicate that Protykin can provide cardioprotection, presumably by virtue of its potent free radical scavenging activity.     

深畦栽培对干旱胁迫下葡萄叶幕微气候和光合作用的影响

试验以‘京亚’和‘红地球’葡萄品种2年生苗木为材料,在田间遮雨棚内考察了自然干旱胁迫下深畦栽植和平畦栽植葡萄根际土壤湿度、叶幕微气候因子、光合作用参数变化特征,探讨根际土壤湿度与叶幕气候互作对葡萄光合作用的影响。结果显示:(1)在干旱逆境下,葡萄根际土壤湿度和叶幕微气候因子交互作用能通过影响水分条件来影响葡萄的光合作用;土壤湿度阀值是葡萄进行光合作用时水分利用最有效的土壤湿度点值,土壤湿度阀值存在“阀值漂移”现象,与叶幕空气湿度呈明显负相关关系,维持较高的叶幕空气湿度有利于实现在较低的土壤湿度下达到更高的光合效率。(2)在干旱逆境下,与平畦栽植相比,深畦栽植在改善葡萄根际土壤水分和叶幕微气候方面具有明显的优势,在该模式下葡萄具有更强的保水能力和更高的水分利用效率,从而具有更强的光合效率。(3)采用深畦栽植模式时,根际土壤相对含水量30%~50%是显著影响葡萄光合作用的土壤湿度区间;根际土壤相对含水量分别在43.32%~50.00%和40.19%~50.00%是‘京亚’和‘红地球’光合作用适宜的土壤湿度范围,在43.32%和40.19%时分别为2种葡萄光合作用水分利用效率达到最高的最适土壤湿度。研究发现,干旱逆境条件下,葡萄根际土壤湿度和叶幕微气候因子交互作用能改善葡萄的光合作用效率;深畦栽植葡萄光合作用对土壤湿度的需求较低,在相对较低的土壤湿度即可达到相对较高的光合能力;深畦栽植模式可以协调葡萄光合作用和水分消耗之间的关系,具有较高的水分利用效率和光合能力,是干旱地区进行葡萄抗旱节水生产的理想模式。     

First Report of Greeneria uvicola Causing Bitter Rot of Grape in China

In 2013, bitter rot of grape was observed in Changbei Vineyard located in Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, China. Greeneria species was consistently isolated from the diseased grape berries (Vitis labruscana cv. Kyoho) at approximately 91% of isolation rate in three independent experiments. The species was identified as Greeneria uvicola based on the morphological characteristics, cultural appearance and sequence analysis. Koch's postulates were fulfilled through pathogenicity tests on detached healthy Kyoho grape berries. To our knowledge, this is the first report of G. uvicola causing bitter rot of grape in China.     

葡萄半不育花粉粒形态和细胞学观察及相关基因表达分析

以葡萄品种‘魏可’(可育)及其自交后代单株‘魏可实生-3’和‘魏可实生-12’以及品种‘钟山红’(雄性不育)为材料,对花器官特征、花粉萌发率、花粉粒形态以及小孢子发育过程的细胞学特征进行观察,并对绒毡层发育相关基因(DYT1、TDF1和MYB4)的表达进行分析,以初步鉴定葡萄半不育单株的不育特征,揭示花粉败育与基因调控的关系。结果显示:(1)‘魏可实生-3’和‘魏可实生-12’的花粉萌发率均在10%左右,属于半不育花粉;其雄蕊主要特征为花丝卷曲,花丝短于花柱,花药内花粉量少,花药中既有正常长球形花粉粒也有异常近球形花粉粒。(2)‘魏可实生-3’、‘魏可实生-12’没有明显的药室壁结构,小孢子母细胞稀少、疏松;‘魏可实生-3’双核期绒毡层未完全降解,绒毡层细胞中的营养物质滞留没有及时供应小孢子的发育,致后期部分小孢子败育;‘魏可实生-12’绒毡层细胞在单核早期就大部分降解而导致营养供应异常,使部分小孢子败育。(3)在减数分裂期,‘魏可’的绒毡层发育相关基因DYT1和TDF1的表达均最高,MYB4最低,‘钟山红’的3个基因的表达与‘魏可’相反,‘魏可实生-3’和‘魏可实生-12’的表达水平均在‘魏可’与‘钟山红’之间;单核早期以后,3个基因在‘魏可’的表达一直均较低,钟山红’的DYT1基因表达一直最高,其余2个基因均在最低水平,而‘魏可实生-3’的TDF1、MYB4基因在单核早期表达量最高,‘魏可实生-12’的TDF1在双核期表达量最高。研究表明,‘魏可实生-3’的花粉败育发生在单核晚期至双核期,‘魏可实生-12’的花粉败育发生在单核早期;部分药室绒毡层的异常降解,小孢子发育营养供应不均衡可能是导致其花粉半不育发生的原因;‘魏可实生-3’的绒毡层延迟降解与减数分裂期DYT1基因的表达量不足、单核期TDF1基因的过量表达以及MYB4基因在单核期的异常表达有关,而‘魏可实生-12’的绒毡层提前降解与减数分裂期DYT1基因的表达量不足而MYB4基因过量表达,以及双核期TDF1基因过量表达有关。     

Wine grape pomace flour improves blood pressure,fasting glucose and protein damage in humans: a randomized controlled trial

Background

The Mediterranean diet is a healthy diet with positive scientific evidence of preventing chronic diseases. Bioactive components support the healthy properties of the Mediterranean diet. Antioxidants and fiber, two components of the Mediterranean diet, are key functional nutrients for healthy eating and nutrition. Wine grape pomace is a rich source of these dietary constituents and may be beneficial for human health. Our hypothesis was that the intake of red wine grape pomace flour (WGPF) prepared from red wine grapes (Cabernet Sauvignon variety) reduced the metabolic syndrome in humans. To evaluate the effect of WGPF on components of metabolic syndrome we design a 16-week longitudinal intervention study. Thirty-eight males, 30–65 years of age, with at least one component of metabolic syndrome, were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n = 25) or the control group (n = 13). At lunch, the intervention group was given 20 g of WGPF per day, which contained 10 g of dietary fiber, 822 mg of polyphenols and an antioxidant capacity of 7258 ORAC units. Both groups were asked to maintain their regular eating habits and lifestyles. Clinical evaluation, anthropometric measurements and biochemical blood analyses were done at the beginning and the end of the study.

Results

WGPF intake significantly decreased systolic and diastolic blood pressure as well as fasting glucose levels. Plasma γ-tocopherol and δ-tocopherol increased and carbonyl group in plasma protein decreased in WGPT group, significantly. No significant effect was observed for waist circumference, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, total antioxidant capacity and vitamin C in and between groups. The group-dependent magnitude of the differences between the baseline and final postprandial insulin values and γ-tocopherol concentrations was statistically significant.

Conclusions

The consumption of WGPF-rich in fiber and polyphenol antioxidants, as a food supplement in a regular diet improves blood pressure, glycaemia and postprandial insulin. In addition, increased antioxidant defenses and decreased oxidative protein damage indicating attenuation of oxidative stress. WGPF might be a useful food ingredient for health promotion and chronic disease prevention.     

Sugars,organic acids,and phenolic compounds of ancient grape cultivars (Vitis vinifera L.) from Igdir province of Eastern Turkey

Background

The Eurasian grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) is the most widely cultivated and economically important horticultural crop in the world. As a one of the origin area, Anatolia played an important role in the diversification and spread of the cultivated form V. vinifera ssp. vinifera cultivars and also the wild form V. vinifera ssp. sylvestris ecotypes. Although several biodiversity studies have been conducted with local cultivars in different regions of Anatolia, no information has been reported so far on the biochemical (organic acids, sugars, phenolic acids, vitamin C) and antioxidant diversity of local historical table V. vinifera cultivars grown in Igdir province. In this work, we studied these traits in nine local table grape cultivars viz. ‘Beyaz Kismis’ (synonym name of Sultanina or Thompson seedless), ‘Askeri’, ‘El Hakki’, ‘Kirmizi Kismis’, ‘Inek Emcegi’, ‘Hacabas’, ‘Kerim Gandi’, ‘Yazen Dayi’, and ‘Miskali’ spread in the Igdir province of Eastern part of Turkey.

Results

Variability of all studied parameters is strongly influenced by cultivars (P < 0.01). Among the cultivars investigated, ‘Miskali’ showed the highest citric acid content (0.959 g/l) while ‘Kirmizi Kismis’ produced predominant contents in tartaric acid (12.71 g/l). The highest glucose (16.47 g/100 g) and fructose (15.55 g/100 g) contents were provided with ‘Beyaz Kismis’. ‘Kirmizi Kismis’ cultivar had also the highest quercetin (0.55 mg/l), o-coumaric acid (1.90 mg/l), and caffeic acid (2.73 mg/l) content. The highest ferulic acid (0.94 mg/l), and syringic acid (2.00 mg/l) contents were observed with ‘Beyaz Kismis’ cultivar. The highest antioxidant capacity was obtained as 9.09 μmol TE g^-1 from ‘Inek Emcegi’ in TEAC (Trolox equivalent Antioxidant Capacity) assay. ‘Hacabas’ cultivar had the highest vitamin C content of 35.74 mg/100 g.

Conclusions

Present results illustrated that the historical table grape cultivars grown in Igdir province of Eastern part of Turkey contained diverse and valuable sugars, organic acids, phenolic acids, Vitamin C values and demonstrated important antioxidant capacity for human health benefits. Further preservation and use of this gene pool will be helpful to avoid genetic erosion and to promote continued agriculture in the region.