Pharmacological studies of the large-scaled purified genistein from Huaijiao (Sophora japonica – Leguminosae) on anti-osteoporosis

In this report, we used genistein that was extracted from a Chinese herbal medicine Huaijiao (Sophora japonica – Leguminosae) to evulate its pharmacological function on anti-osteoporosis. This genistein is purified in a large-scale production from Huaijiao by a state-of-art method as described by Tian et al. [2004. The preparation of genistein and LC-MS/MS on-line analysis. Drug Devel. Res. 61, 6–12]. Chemical structure of the isolated genistein was examined by using various techniques including nuclear magnetic resonant spectrum, infrared absorption spectrum, ultraviolet absorption spectrum and mass spectrum, and was proved to be identical to those purified from soybean in a small scale as previously reported. We randomly divided female SD rats into 6 groups, including control, ovariectomized model, Nilestriol-treated, and three level of dosages of genistein-treated. We evaluated the pharmacological effects of genistein against osteoporosis by measuring the bone density of femur and bone mineral group including calcium, phosphorous, and magnesium. The consequences of genistein treatment on bone histology and morphology were also determined by measuring the trabcular area, thickness and number. Our results indicated that treatment with a 4.5 or 9 mg/kg dosage of genistein could also prevent osteoporosis significantly at the 4th week after treatment. In comparison with the anti-osteoporosis effects of soybean genistein, the genistein extracted from Huaijiao has the same beneficial effect on anti-osteoporosis.     

新疆苦豆子根瘤菌的数值分类研究

苦豆子(Sophora alopecuroides)对于干旱荒漠地区的畜牧业发展有着非常重要的意义,其生长特性与根瘤菌有密切关系。我们对分离自新疆苦豆子根瘤的67株根瘤菌及36个模式菌株进行了118项表型性状的测定,包括唯一碳源利用、唯一氮源利用、对抗生素和染料的抗性、耐盐性、初始pH值生长范围、生长温度范围及石蕊牛奶反应、氧化酶、过氧化氢酶和脲酶。对测定结果用聚类分析方法进行了分析,获得数值分类树状图。结果表明：新疆苦豆子根瘤菌在碳氮源利用、抗生素敏感性以及对染料的抗性程度等方面存在着差异。新疆苦豆子根瘤菌能耐受低温,并具有较强的耐盐、碱能力,所有供试菌株均能在初始pH值为9－12的YMA培养基上生长,92.5％的菌株能耐受3.0％的NaCl,91.0％的菌株能耐受4.0％的NaCl,有18株菌甚至能耐受5.0％和6.0％的NaCl。聚类结果表明, 在84.8%的相似性水平上,67个供试菌株构成了4个新的表观群,第Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ、Ⅳ类群分别有21、7、4、3个菌株,中心菌株分别为NWBC152、NWTKX101、NWYJS12、NWLP112。此外,数值分类结果还表明,苦豆子根瘤菌与模式菌株的相似性较低,它们所形成的4个独立群可能有新种出现。     

山豆根化学成分研究

利用多种柱层析方法,从山豆根中分得5个化合物。经过理化及波谱分析,分别鉴定为L-广高丽槐素(1)、红车轴草苷(2)、槲皮素(3)、芦丁(4)和异鼠李素-3-芸香糖甙(5)。其中化合物3,5为首次从该植物中分离得到。关键词：山豆根;L-高丽槐素;红车轴草苷;槲皮素;芦丁;异鼠李素-3-芸香糖甙     

Contrasting impacts of a native and an invasive exotic shrub on flood‐plain succession

Abstract. Question: How do Coriaria arborea, an N‐fixing native shrub, and Buddleja davidii, a non‐N‐fixing exotic shrub, affect N:P stoichiometry in plants and soils during early stages of primary succession on a flood‐plain? Location: Kowhai River Valley, northeast South Island, New Zealand. Methods: We measured soil and foliar nutrient concentrations, light levels, plant community composition and the above‐ground biomass of Coriaria and Buddleja in four successional stages: open, young, vigorous and mature. Results: Coriaria occurred at low density but dominated above‐ground biomass by the vigorous stage. Buddleja occurred at 5.3 ± 1.0 stems/m² in the young stage and reached a maximum biomass of 520–535 g.m^‐2 during the young and vigorous stages. Mineral soil N increased with above‐ground Coriaria biomass (r²= 0.45), but did not vary with Buddleja biomass. In contrast, soil P increased with Buddleja biomass (r²= 0.35), but not with Coriaria biomass. In early successional stages, 70–80% of the species present were exotic, but this declined to about 15% by the mature stage. Exotic plant species richness declined with increasing Coriaria biomass, but no other measures of diversity varied with either Coriaria or Buddleja biomass. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that Buddleja dominates early succession and accumulates P whereas Coriaria dominates later succession and accumulates N. A key ecosystem effect of the invasive exotic Buddleja is alteration of soil N:P stoichiometry.     

豆科三属八种植物的核型及rDNA定位研究

对豆科槐属的国槐(SophorajaponicaL.)、五叶槐(S.japonicaL.f.oligophyllaFranch.)、龙爪槐(S.japonicaL.f·pendulaLoud.)、黄金槐(S.xanthanthaC.Y.Ma.)(以上均为四倍体,2n=4x=28)、红花槐(S.rubrifloraTsoong.,2n=3x=21),刺槐属的刺槐(Robiniapseudoa-caciaL.,2n=2x=22)、毛洋槐(R.hispidaL.,2n=2x=30)和紫穗槐属的紫穗槐(AmorphafruticosaL.,2n=2x=40)核型进行了分析,并应用荧光原位杂交技术进行了45SrDNA的染色体定位。槐属4个四倍体种各具4个45SrDNA位点,位于两对染色体的着丝粒周围;红花槐,3个45SrDNA位点位于第5组染色体随体区域。刺槐,4个rDNA位点位于两对随体染色体端部;毛洋槐,8个rDNA位点,4个位于两对染色体的随体及次缢痕,另4个位于两对染色体着丝粒周围。紫穗槐,6个45SrDNA位点,分别位于3对染色体的着丝粒和随体。本文对rDNA作为染色体标记在核型分析中的应用及在基因组中的分布特点进行了讨论。     

荒漠草原盐沼湿地苦豆子土壤细菌群落构建机制及其影响因素

【背景】荒漠草原盐沼湿地是陆地生态系统的重要组成部分,土壤水分和盐分变化是影响该生态系统土壤细菌群落构建的重要因素。【目的】土壤细菌群落构建是由确定性和随机性主导的连续生态过程,阐明荒漠草原盐沼湿地土壤细菌群落的构建机制对于加深微生物作为关键生态系统因子重要性的理解具有积极意义。【方法】以宁夏中部典型荒漠草原盐沼苦水湖湿地为研究对象,对近湖边（near the lake,NL）和远离湖边（far from the lake,FL）苦豆子群落土壤理化特性进行测定并结合土壤细菌高通量测序分析。【结果】NL和FL样地具有明显的水盐梯度变化,NL样地土壤pH、含水量和电导率均显著高于FL样地;变形菌门、放线菌门、厚壁菌门、拟杆菌门和黏菌门是研究区域土壤细菌群落的优势菌门,变形菌门相对丰度随水盐梯度上升而升高,放线菌门和厚壁菌门相对丰度则随之下降,门下成员大多与水盐变化具有明显的相关性;此外,FL样地土壤细菌网络则具有稳定的网络关系;随着NL样地向FL样地的延伸,土壤细菌群落由随机过程主导,并且受pH、电导率和环境变量的影响。【结论】荒漠草原盐沼湿地水分和盐分的变化改变了土壤细菌群落结构;土壤细菌群落通过生态位占据等策略提高逆境下的生存能力;细菌群落构建是随机过程和确定性过程组成的连续统一体,同样受环境变化的影响。本结果揭示了荒漠草原盐沼湿地细菌群落结构和相互关系对环境变化的响应特征,同时阐明了该区土壤细菌群落的构建机制及影响因素,也为相关科学研究提供了一定理论参考。     

Palatability and feeding preferences of Uresiphita maorialis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) for three Sophora species

In a three-hour bioassay, we tested the palatability and feeding preferences of Uresiphita maorialis (kōwhai moth) for Sophora tetraptera, Sophora microphylla and Sophora prostrata. Palatability tests showed no differences among the Sophora species. Feeding preferences, on the other hand, showed that S. tetraptera and S. microphylla leaves are preferred over S. prostrata leaves. Our results support our field observations in Wellington city parks and gardens showing that S. tetraptera and S. microphylla plants frequently have higher densities of larvae than S. prostrata.     

Phylogeography of Sophora davidii (Leguminosae) across the ‘Tanaka‐Kaiyong Line’, an important phytogeographic boundary in Southwest China

The ‘Tanaka‐Kaiyong Line’ (TKL) is a major phytogeographic boundary in Southwest China, separating East Asia's Sino‐Himalayan and Sino‐Japanese Floras. However, little is known about the importance of this boundary in promoting intraspecific phylogeographic subdivision and divergence. Using chloroplast (cpDNA) and nuclear‐intron (nDNA) sequence data, we reconstructed the population history of Sophora davidii, a drought‐tolerant riparian shrub widely distributed on either side of the TKL. Specifically, we aimed at testing two long‐standing explanations for possible vicariant events across the TKL: (i) Late Pliocene (c. 3 Ma) geological uplift of the eastern Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau (QTP) or (ii) a sharp environmental gradient associated with the establishment of different monsoon regimes on either side of the TKL during the (Late) Pleistocene. Our genealogical analyses detected a major west–east split in cpDNA, geographically largely consistent with the TKL, and dated to c. 1.28 Ma (95% HPD: 0.21–2.96 Ma), hence postdating the latest phase of eastern QTP uplift. Furthermore, integrating cpDNA phylogeographic patterns with mismatch analyses, we found multiple refugial isolation and long‐term demographic stability of populations in the west (Hengduan Mountain Range) compared with extensive range expansions in the east, possibly during the last glacial period(s) and followed by differentiation into regional sublineages (southeast: Yunnan‐Guizhou Plateau vs. northeast: Qinling Mts./Loess Plateau). Although nuclear differentiation was less marked, the geographical pattern of nDNA haplotypes provided some further indication of the species' eastward expansion, possibly from source populations located just east of the TKL (lower Jinshajiang region). Overall, the present data reject the geological (tectonic) explanation for the TKL and, instead, provide supportive evidence for its role as a climatically driven barrier to present‐day plant dispersal. In addition, our study highlights changing temperatures and vegetation types during the last glacial period(s), along with aspects of regional topography, to be important determinants of the glacial eastward expansion of S. davidii. In consequence, our study lends support to a ‘glacial out‐of‐Hengduan Mts’. hypothesis for the xerophytic‐riparian flora of Southwest China, which in turn is inconsistent with the traditional view of the TKL as a ‘classical’ vicariant‐biogeographic boundary.     

国槐叶黄酮的抗氧化活性研究

本文采用ABTS清除体系、DPPH清除体系、H2O2/Fe2+/水杨酸检测体系、亚硝基清除体系、普鲁士蓝法、邻苯三酚自氧化法研究了国槐叶黄酮的抗氧化活性,并同芦丁、Vc进行了比较。结果表明,国槐叶黄酮对几种自由基均有不同的清除效果,在质量浓度为50μg/mL时,国槐叶黄酮对羟基自由基(·OH)、ABTS、DPPH、亚硝基自由基(NO2-)和超氧阴离子自由基(O2-·)的清除率为分别62.09%、47.70%、43.28%、22.11%、21.83%;与芦丁、Vc相比较,国槐叶黄酮清除ABTS、DPPH自由基的能力低于芦丁和Vc,而清除NO2-、.OH的能力高于芦丁和Vc,对O2-·的清除能力低于Vc而高于芦丁,其次国槐叶黄酮具有很好的还原力。由此说明,国槐叶提取物可以作为天然抗氧化剂,可以应用在医药食品领域。     

苦豆子表型性状多样性分析及综合评价

该研究以自然分布的内蒙、宁夏、甘肃、新疆、陕西等23个不同地理来源(种源)的野生苦豆子种子及其播种于内蒙古鄂托克前旗同质园内的当年生植株为材料,采用方差分析、主成分分析、聚类分析等方法对种子长、宽、千粒重以及植株的叶长、叶宽、叶面积、叶形指数、苗高、地径及生物量等10个表型性状的多样性进行了研究。结果表明:各个表型性状种源间均呈极显著差异,其中种子表型性状的变异系数为5.24%,植株表型性状的变异系数为18.34%,表明种子性状的稳定性高于植株性状。同时,10个性状的表型分化系数均高于70%,说明苦豆子表型多样性主要来源于种源间的表型变异;各种源苦豆子种子性状的表型分化系数均值高达97.55%,且种长、千粒重分别与采集地经度、纬度和海拔等环境因子呈极显著相关性,说明种子表型性状受环境因素的影响较大;相关性分析显示,苦豆子植株性状叶长(LL)、叶面积(LA)分别与种子性状千粒重(TW)、种长(SL)和种宽(SW)有显著相关性,暗示表型性状中的可遗传变异影响;利用主成分和聚类分析对23个种源苦豆子进行综合评价,筛选出生物量较大、苗高较高、千粒重较重、叶面积较大等综合表现较好的6个种源,共分为两类,分别是DK、JY、WY、WH、ETK和YN,这为苦豆子种质资源定向开发以及选育和栽培提供了一定的理论支撑和基础材料。