A chemical method for the quantitative determination of 2-hydroxyestrone in human urine

A highly specific chemical procedure for the quantitative determination of 2-hydroxyestrone in the urine of pregnant women is described. The assay consists of the following steps: 1) Hot acid hydrolysis of 20 ml of urine, 2) purification of 2-hydroxyestrone by “reducing chromatography” on paper and silica gel column, 3) conversion of 2-hydroxyestrone to the phenazine compound, 4) purification of the phenazine derivative by alumina column chromatography, and 5) spectroscopic quantitation of the phenazine. For internal yield correction [4-¹⁴C]2-hydroxyestrone is added after urine hydrolysis. High specificity of the method is especially guaranteed by the specific transformation of 2-hydroxyestrone to a stable phenazine derivative and by rigorous chromatographic purification of the estrogen as well as of the phenazine. The method can be used for the determination of amounts of less than 1 μg of 2-hydroxyestrone/20 ml of urine. From the data obtained the coefficient of variation is calculated to be ±3.7%. The urinary excretion of 2-hydroxyestrone in late pregnancy was found to vary within a wide range of 30–800 μg of 2-hydroxyestrone/24 hours.It seems possible to extend this method to the determination of other 2-substituted estrogens present in urine.     

Radioimmunoassay of 2-hydroxyestrone

Under the protection of ascorbic acid a 2-hydroxyestrone bovine serum albumin conjugate was prepared containing intact 2-hydroxyestrone as determined by gas chromatographymass spectrometry. Using this antigen highly specific antibodies were raised in rabbits. Cross-reactivity for 2-hydroxyestradiol and 2-hydroxyestriol was 26 and 4.5%, respectively. An assay procedure of 2-hydroxyestrone in human plasma is described. Using special precautions the assay allows the determination of 2-hydroxyestrone in plasma samples of women (50–95 pg/ml), pregnant women (105–220 pg/ml), men (45–65 pg/ml) and children (20–40 pg/ml).     

Determination of caffeic acid in rabbit plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography

A simple and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic method involving UV detection was developed for determination of caffeic acid in rabbit plasma. A Lichrosphere CN column (250 mm × 4 mm I.D., 5 μm) was used as the stationary phase and the mobile phase consisted of 2% acetic acid solution at a flow-rate of 1.0 ml/min. The UV absorbance was monitored at 320 nm. The plasma sample was acidified by the addition of 0.01 parts of concentrated phosphoric acid (85%) to maintain caffeic acid stability. After a simple clean-up procedure, the limit of quantitation achieved was 0.1 μg/ml, and the standard curve was found to be linear over the concentration ranges of 0.1–2.0 μg/ml and 0.1–40 μg/ml. The coefficient of variation for within- and between-run precision and accuracy was less than 10%, and the recovery was 82.3%.     

Simple and selective assay of 4-hydroxymephenytoin in human urine using solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection and its preliminary application to phenotyping test

A simple and selective HPLC method for the determination of 4-hydroxymephenytoin (4-OH-M) in human urine, using a controlled potential coulometric detector equipped with a dual working electrode cell of fully porous graphite, has been developed. After acid hydrolysis of urine, 4-OH-M and the internal standard (I.S.), 5-hydroxy-1-tetralone, were extracted from urine by means of a Bond Elut Certify LRC column. The extracts were chromatographed on a reversed-phase μBondapak C₁₈ column using methanol-50 mM KH₂PO₄ (pH 4.0) (30:70, v/v) as the mobile phase at a flow-rate of 1.0 ml/min. Electrochemical detection at applied potential of 800 mV resulted in a limit of quantitation of 0.76 μg/ml. The method showed a satisfactory sensitivity, precision, accuracy, recovery and selectivity. The present method was applied to the phenotyping test in thirteen Japanese healthy volunteers who recieved an oral 10-mg racemic mephenytoin. The phenotypes determined by the present method were found to be in agreement with those obtained with the reported customary assay based on gas chromatography.     

In vitro metabolic conjugation of catechol estrogens

In vitro metabolic conjugation of the catechol estrogens, 2-hydroxyestrone and 4-hydroxyestrone, has been investigated by means of HPLC with electrochemical detection. Sulfation of 2-hydroxyestrone and 4-hydroxyestrone with the rat liver 105 000 g supernatant fortified with 3'-phosphoadenosine-5'-phosphosulfate provided the 2- and 4-monosulfates, respectively. Glucuronidation of the two catechols with the rat and human liver 1500 g supernatant in the presence of uridine-5'- phosphoglucuronic acid gave the 2- and 4-glucuronides, respectively. In contrast, incubation with the guinea pig liver 1500 g supernatant yielded both isomeric monoglucuronides . When 2'-hydroxyestrone was incubated with rat liver 1500 g supernatant and S-adenosyl-L-methionine, the 2- and 3-monomethyl ethers were formed in an equal amount, while 4-hydroxyestrone was transformed into the 4-methyl ether in 12 times greater yield than the 3-methyl ether. The participation of sulfation and glucuronidation in the formation of guaiacol estrogens is discussed.     

Radioimmunoassay of 2-hydroxyesterone and 2-methoxyestrone in human urine.

An assay for the quantitative determination of 2-hydroxyestrone and 2-methoxyestrone in human urine is described. The analytical procedure involves several purification steps: XAD-2 column chromatography of urine (1 ml), hot acid hydrolysis under reducing conditions, extraction with benzene/ethyl acetate, separation of monophenolic steroids from catecholestrogens by the formation of borate complexes, and partition between different solvents. Quantitation is achieved by radioimmunoassay using highly specific antibodies. For correction of procedural losses [6, 7-3H2] 2-hydroxyestrone and [6, 7-3H2] 2-methoxyestrone are used as internal standards. The method is highly specific as checked by comparison to a double-isotope-derivative method and a newly developed gas chromatography-mass spectrometry procedure. Using this method the urinary excretion of 2-hydroxyestrone and 2-methoxyestrone was studied in children, men, cycling, pregnant and postmenopausal women. Special interest was focussed on the molar ratios of 2-hydroxyestrone to 2-methoxyestrone and the so called "total estrogens" which vary markedly within the different groups investigated. The excretion of 2-hydroxyestrone is especially favoured in women during the menstrual cycle and pregnancy.     

High-yield extraction and purification of glutathione reductase from baker's yeast.

Glutathione reductase was extracted from toluene-treated baker's yeast cells by a two-stage buffer autolysis method. The yeast cells were treated with toluene for 1 h at 40 degrees C. After removal of the toluene, the cells were then allowed to autolysis in buffer for 72 h at 4 degrees C. The cells were collected and resuspended in buffer. A second stage autolysis was carried out for another 96 h at 4 degrees C. The enzyme was purified to 786-fold from the second stage cell autolysate by using two steps of affinity chromatography with triazine dyes (Yellow H-E4G and Yellow H-E6G) coupled to Sepharose CL-4B. By using this simplified method, 1.44 mg (165 units/mg) of glutathione reductase was obtained from 65 g (wet weight) of yeast cells, equivalent to 80% enzyme recovery.     

Extraction and isolation of avermectins and milbemycins from liver samples using unmodified supercritical CO2 with in-line trapping on basic alumina

A multi-residue supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) method has been developed for the extraction and isolation of eprinomectin, moxidectin, abamectin, doramectin and ivermectin residues from animal liver. Liver samples are mixed with hydromatrix and packed into a vessel containing 2 g of basic alumina. The samples are extracted at 100°C using unmodified supercritical carbon dioxide (SF-CO₂) at a pressure of 300 bar and flow-rate of 5.0 l/min. The analytes are adsorbed in-line on the basic alumina trap, which is later eluted with 4 ml of methanol–ethyl acetate (70:30, v/v). After evaporating to dryness, sample extracts are derivatised using methylimidazole, trifluoroacetic anhydride and acetic acid at 65°C for 30 min. Derivatised sample extracts are analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection. The method was validated using bovine liver fortified at levels of 4 and 20 μg/kg with the drugs. The mean recovery ranged between 76 and 97%. The intra- and inter-assay variations showed RSD values <10 and <16%, respectively. The procedure was also applied to ovine and porcine liver, giving similar results. The limit of quantitation of the method is 2 μg/kg.     

Analytical method for the determination of urinary 3-phenoxybenzoic acid in subjects occupationally exposed to pyrethroid insecticides

The determination of urinary 3-phenoxybenzoic acid enables exposure to pyrethroid insecticides to be evaluated. A method for the quantitative determination of this metabolite in urine is described. The compound and the internal standard (2-phenoxybenzoic acid) are derivatized with pentafluorobenzylbromide and transformed into pentafluorobenzyl esters, which are determined by gas chromatography with an intermediate polarity capillary column and an electron-capture detector. Before GC analysis, the urinary extracts are purified on LC-Si SPE columns. The proposed method has a detection limit of 0.5 μg/l and a mean recovery of 91.3%. The coefficient of variation of the analytical procedure, evaluated at a concentration of 24.96 μg/l, was 9.58%. Storage of the urine samples for 3 months at −18°C did not lead to significant changes in the concentration of analyte. The method was tested analysing the urine of a farm worker with symptoms of pyrethroid poisoning, occupationally exposed to esfenvalerate.     

一种安全高效的血红蛋白纯化方法

目的:建立一种适用于大量制备的,安全、高效的血红蛋白纯化方法。方法: 将压积红细胞装入透析袋,以含有还原剂的Tris缓冲液透析破碎,破碎的上清经两级硫酸铵沉淀后透析至上样缓冲体系,离心后取上清即得血红蛋白提取液;红细胞提取液通过阴离子交换柱层析进一步分离,计算回收率。纯化产物浓缩后以SDS-PAGE及HPLC鉴定纯度,进行紫外-可见光谱扫描并以ABL800血气分析仪分析血气指标,以鲎试剂测定内毒素含量,以磷测定法测定脂质含量。结果: 血红蛋白提取液中脂质去除率98%,容易通过0.45μm滤膜;经阴离子交换层析纯化的血红蛋白经SDS-PAGE(银染法)及WB分析没有杂蛋白条带,HPLC分析纯度>99%、总回收率>85%;内毒素含量<2 EU,高铁血红蛋白含量<5%。结论: 该血红蛋白纯化方法安全高效、成本低廉、易于放大生产,具有较好的应用前景。     

酪氨酸-铜体系电化学氧化行为的研究

在ｐＨ值３．９４的Ｂ－Ｒ缓冲溶液中,酪氨酸－铜络合物在玻碳电极出现氧化峰。用新极谱法测定,酪氨酸浓度在０．３μｇ／ｍｌ－３μｇ／ｍｌ范围内与氧化峰的２．５次微分值呈线性,检测下限０．２μｇ／ｍｌ。直接用于氨基酸药物样品的测定结果满意,并对酪氨酸－铜络合物的电化学氧化行为进行了研究。     

Tylosema esculentum extractives and their bioactivity

The investigation of Tylosema esculentum (Morama) husks, cotyledons, and tuber yielded griffonilide 2, compound 1, griffonin 3, gallic acid 4, protocatechuic acid 5, β-sitosterol 6, behenic acid 7, oleic acid 8, sucrose 9, 2-O-ethyl-α-D-glucopyranoside 10, kaempferol 11 and kaempferol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside 12. The structures of the isolates were determined by NMR, HR-TOF EIMS, IR and UV-vis spectroscopy, and by comparison with literature data. The husk EtOAc and n-butanol extracts demonstrated >90% DPPH radical scavenging activity at concentrations of 25, 50 and 250 μg/mL. Furthermore the husk extracts showed higher total phenolic content (233 mg GAE/g). The extractives exhibited minimum inhibitory quantities of 50-100 μg or no activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans. The tuber extracts were inactive against Caco-2 and Hela cell lines, while the husk extracts showed low activity against Caco-2 and Vero cell line with IC(50) values >400 μg/mL. The GC-MS analysis showed the beans and tuber non-polar (n-hexane) extracts major constituents as fatty acids.     

High-Yield Extraction and Purification of Glutathione Reductase from Baker's Yeast

Abstract

Glutathione reductase was extracted from toluene-treated baker's yeast cells by a two-stage buffer autolysis method. The yeast cells were treated with toluene for 1 h at 40[ddot]C. After removal of the toluene, the cells were then allowed to autolysis in buffer for 72 h at 4[ddot]C. The cells were collected and resus-pended in buffer. A second stage autolysis was carried out for another 96 h at 4[ddot]C. The enzyme was purified to 786-fold from the second stage cell autolysate by using two steps of affinity chromatography with triazine dyes (Yellow H-E4G and Yellow H-E6G) coupled to Sepharose CL-4B. By using this simplified method, 1.44 mg (165 units/mg) of glutathione reductase was obtained from 65 g (wet weight) of yeast cells, equivalent to 80% enzyme recovery.     

Antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of rosemary extracts linked to their polyphenol composition

Rosmarinus officinalis extracts were investigated by a combination of bioassays and biochemical analysis to identify bioactive compounds. The 2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydracyl hydrate (DPPH) radical scavenging method, Folin–Ciocaulteau method and HPLC chromatography were used to study the distribution and levels of antioxidants (AOXs). Antimicrobial activity analysis was carried out using the disk diffusion and broth dilution techniques. A good correlation between the AOX activities and total phenol content in the extracts was found. Although all rosemary extracts showed a high radical scavenging activity, a different efficacy as antimicrobial agent was observed. Methanol extract containing 30% of carnosic acid, 16% of carnosol and 5% of rosmarinic acid was the most effective antimicrobial against Gram positive bacteria (minimal inhibition concentration, MIC, between 2 and 15 μg/ml), Gram negative bacteria (MIC between 2 and 60 μg/ml) and yeast (MIC of 4 μg/ml). By contrast, water extract containing only 15% of rosmarinic acid showed a narrow activity. MIC value of the methanol and water extracts is in a good correlation with the values obtained with pure carnosic acid and rosmarinic acid, respectively. Therefore, our results suggested that the antimicrobial rosemary extracts efficacy was associated with their specific phenolic composition. Carnosic acid and rosmarinic acid may be the main bioactive antimicrobial compounds present in rosemary extracts. From a practical point of view, rosemary extract may be a good candidate for functional foods as well as for pharmaceutical plant-based products.     

A radioimmunoassay method for urinary catechol estrogens

A radioimmunoassay method for urinary catechol estrogens is described. The specific nature of the antisera allows direct analyses of acid hydrolyzed urine. A LH-20 Sephadex column chromatography can be employed for individual determinations of 2-hydroxyestrone and 2-hydroxyestradiol. The excretion of catechol estrogens during menstrual cycles ranged from 14.48 to 50.15 μg per 24 hours, whereas, during the last trimester of pregnancies, the values ranged from 129.30 to 1758.20 μg per 24 hours.     

Endocrine cells with gastrin/cholecystokinin-like immunoreactivity in the pancreas of the spiny dogfish,Squalus acanthias

Endocrine cells containing gastrin/cholecystokinin (CCK)-like immunoreactivity were localized to the islet tissue in the pancreas of the spiny dogfish. Most of these cells were located in the 'intestinal' lobe of the pancreas; only occasional cells were observed in the 'splenic' lobe. The gastrin/CCK-like immunoreactive cells were often co-localized with the 'classical' pancreas hormones (insulin, glucagon and somatostatin). Radioimmunoassay of water extracts with a C-terminally directed antiserum revealed high levels of immunoreactive material in the intestinal part (48.6 +/- 19.9 pmol/g) and lower levels (4.5 +/- 0.6 pmol/g) in the splenic part. Acetic acid extracts of the intestinal lobe contained low levels (6.8 +/- 3.3 pmol/g) of gastrin/CCK-like immunoreactivity, whereas corresponding extracts of the splenic part showed no immunoreactivity. When the extracts were subjected to DEAE ion-exchange chromatography the gastrin/CCK-like peptides eluted as a major peak. After Sephadex gel filtration, pooled immunoreactive material from the main DEAE chromatographic peak eluted at a position close to that of CCK4. Further characterization by ion-exchange and reversed-phase HPLC showed that, in general, the immunoreactive material behaved like the shorter forms of the gastrin/CCK family (CCK4/G5 and CCK8/Cae 3-10).     

Evaluation of in vitro alpha-glucosidase inhibitory,antimicrobial, and cytotoxic activities of secondary metabolites from the endophytic fungus,Nigrospora sphaerica,isolated from Helianthus annuus

This study aimed to evaluate alpha-glucosidase inhibition and antimicrobial activity as well as cytotoxic activity of extracts from the endophytic fungus, Nigrospora sp., isolated from leaves of Helianthus annuus, which is widely cultivated for food and used as a medicinal plant. The fungus (TSU-CS003) was identified based on internal transcribed spacer ribosomal DNA sequences and fungal biomass, and fermentation broth was subjected to extraction by solvents (hexane and ethyl acetate). All extracts were tested for their antimicrobial activity, alpha-glucosidase inhibition, and cytotoxicity activity. In addition, the active extract was analyzed by using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) TSU-CS003 was identified as Nigrospora sphaerica. The fermentation broth extract (BE) showed strong antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (Gram-positive bacteria) with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values in the range of 16–32 μg/mL and a few yeasts with MIC values ranging from 64 to 128 μg/mL, especially Talaromyces marneffei with an MIC value of 4 μg/mL. The effects of BE were observed by SEM. The results showed that this extract affected the cell morphology of T. marneffei. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of BE from alpha-glucosidase inhibition was recorded as 17.25 μg/mL and also showed significant cytotoxicity against A549 human cancer cell lines with an IC50 value of 22.41 μg/mL. Furthermore, BE was analyzed by using GC-MS and divided into three main compounds, including 5-pentyldihydrofuran-2(3H)-one, (Z)-methyl 4-(isobutyryloxy)but-3-enoate, and 2-phenylacetic acid. This was the first report of the endophytic fungus N. sphaerica from H. annuus. It is a potential source of active metabolites, which gave the strong antifungal activity, antioxidant activity, and cytotoxicity to A549 cancer cell lines.     

Role of lipids in the Neurospora crassa membrane. I. Influence of fatty acid composition on membrane lipid phase transitions.

The relationship between lipid composition and phase transition was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry for intact and membrane phospholipid extracts of wild-type (w/t) and the cel-(Tw 40) mutant of Neurospora crassa. The cel-(Tw 40) mutant (grown on minimal, sucrose medium supplemented with Tween 40 at approximately 34 degrees C) had approximately twice the saturated fatty acid content of w/t organisms grown at approximately 22 degrees C. The gel-liquid crystal phase transitions of ergosterol-free extracts derived from w/t and cel-(Tw 40) occur at -31 and -11 degrees C, respectively. The heats of transition (delta H) of these extracts were 1 and 13 cal/g, respectively. The addition of ergosterol (the predominant sterol in Neurospora) to the phospholipid extracts decreased the observed heats of transition, but did not alter the transition temperature. Intact Neurospora, whether w/t or cal-(Tw 40) did not manifest similar gel-liquid crystal phase transitions in the differential scanning calorimeter. However, an endothermic peak at approximately 30 degrees C was observed in intact cells and extracted phospholipids of both w/t and cel-(Tw 40) organisms. This peak was insensitive to the addition of ergosterol, had a low heat content (delta H congruent to 1 cal/g), and was reversible.     

气相色谱法测定发酵液中胆固醇的含量

气相色谱法测定了发酵液中胆固醇的含量。采用Rtx-1（100%二甲基聚硅氧烷）毛细管色谱柱、FID检测器进行分析测定。当胆固醇浓度在0～200μg/mL范围内与色谱峰面积呈良好线性关系（r=0.9981）。方法的平均回收率为99.38%,相对标准偏差为0.75%（n=8）,最低检出限可达到0.816μg/mL。气相色谱法作为发酵液中胆固醇含量的快速测定方法,具有试剂用量少、操作简单、结果准确等特点。     

Simultaneous determination of primidone and its three major metabolites in rat urine by high-performance liquid chromatography using solid-phase extraction

A new high-performance liquid chromatographic method for simultaneous determination of primidone (PRM) and of its three major metabolites, phenobarbital (PB), p-hydroxyphenobarbital (p-HO-PB) and phenylethylmalonamide (PEMA), in rat urine, was developed. After acid hydrolysis, these compounds were extracted from urine by means of a Bond Elut Certify LRC column with good clean-up. The extracts were chromatographed on a C₁₈ reversed-phase column using isocratic elution at 40°C, with UV detection at 227 nm. The limit of detection was 0.5 mg/ml for the four compounds. Good linearity (r²>0.99) was observed within the calibration ranges studied: 37.4–299.3 μg/ml for PRM, 26.4–211.2 μg/ml for PB, 12.5–100.2 μg/ml for p-HO-PB and 12.1–97.0 μg/ml for PEMA. Repeatability was in the range 3.1–6.8%. This method constitutes a useful tool for studies on the influence of various parameters on primidone metabolism.