Antineoplastic 31-norcycloartanones from Solanum cernuum vell

Triterpenoids with 31-norcycloartanone structure were isolated for the first time from the Solanum genus. Cycloeucalenone and 24-oxo-31-norcycloartanone were the main constituents of the dichloromethane extract of Solanum cernuum Vell. leaves [7% (w/w) and 1.47% (w/w)]. Both triterpenoids were tested against human tumour cell lines, and 24-oxo-31-norcycloartanone was significantly active and selective against the lung tumour cell line NCI-H460 with total growth inhibition at 1.10 microg/mL, growth inhibition 50 at 0.19 microg/mL and lethal concentration 50 at 8.43 microg/mL, while cycloeucalenone showed poor activity. A homologous series of alkanes (C25-C34), beta-sitosterol, and the xanthophyll lutein were also identified. The antiulcer activity was assayed for the dichloromethane extract. In the gastric ulcer model induced by 95% ethanol, administration of 500, 1000 and 2000 mg/kg/po dichloromethane extract gave ulcer lesion indices of, respectively, 38.2, 61.0 and 81.9%, while carbenoxolone inhibited 88.9% at 200 mg/kg. In the gastric ulcer model induced by indomethacin the dichloromethane extract showed a small percentage of lesion inhibition. The ethanol extract was also analyzed and was mainly composed of glycoalkaloids, peptides and disaccharides.     

野生植物烟管头草的营养成分

对野生植物烟管头草的营养成分进行了分析,结果表明,烟管头草中含有多种营养成分,丰富的矿质元素和维生素及其β-胡萝卜素,至少含有17种氨基酸。其中:总糖、谷氨酸、VB2、钙含量较高。为开发利用植物资源提供了科学依据。     

Genetic diversity in natural populations of Piper cernuum

Piper cernuum is a native plant of the Brazilian Atlantic rain forest. This work studies the distribution of allozyme diversity in P. cernuum natural populations in order to establish a strategy for sustainable management and conservation. Leaf samples were collected in two Brazilian states. High divergences among populations (F(SR) = 0.380) and low divergences among regions (F(RT) = -0.069) and among gaps of the same population (F(GT) = 0.062) were found. No association between the geographical variation and the genetic distance was detected. An excess of heterozygotes was detected in the populations (F(IS) = -0.170), suggesting selection in favor of heterozygotes. The results, and the fact that the species depends on constant gap formation for maintenance of its dynamism, suggest that the founder effect is largely responsible for the structuring of populations. For sustainable management, the maintenance of plants/reproductive branches in the gaps is of major importance. The genotypes produced in these gaps are responsible for the establishment of new gaps and are the foundation for new populations, maintaining the dynamics of allele movement.     

Origins of Allium ampeloprasum horticultural groups and a molecular phylogeny of the section Allium (Allium: Alliaceae)

The subgenus Allium section Allium includes economically important species, such as garlic and leek, as well as other polyploid minor crops. Phylogenetic studies within this section, with a focus on horticultural groups within A. ampeloprasum, were performed on 31 accessions of 17 species using the nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and the chloroplast trnL-F and trnD-T regions. The results confirmed the monophyly of section Allium. Four main clades were identified on all ITS analyses but the relationships among those and the remaining species studied within section Allium remained unresolved. Trees based on cpDNA recovered two major clades and a topology only partly congruent with that of the ITS tree. Intra-individual polymorphism of the ITS region proved useful in tracking putative parent species of polyploid taxa. The allopolyploid origin of great headed garlic (GHG), A. iranicum and A. polyanthum was confirmed. No signs of hybridization in leek or kurrat were detected but possible introgression events were identified in pearl onion and bulbous leek. Although GHG is often used as a garlic substitute, molecular analysis revealed only a distant relationship with garlic. We also clarified the previous incorrect classification of cultivated forms within A. ampeloprasum, by showing that leek, kurrat, pearl onion, and bulbous leek should be considered separately from GHG.     

Chemosensitizing Effect of Cernumidine Extracted from Solanum cernuum on Bladder Cancer Cells in Vitro

Cernumidine (CER) is a guanidinic alkaloid isolated from Solanum cernuum leaves. In this work, we investigated the cytotoxicity, chemosensitizing effect of cernumidine to cisplatin (cDDP) and the possible mechanism of action of the combination on bladder cancer cells. Cernumidine showed cytotoxicity and could sensitize bladder cancer cells to cisplatin. The combination of CER+cDDP inhibited cell migration on T24 cells. CER+cDDP down‐regulated MMP‐2/9 and p‐ERK1/2, while it increased EGFR activity corroborating the observed cell migration inhibition. Down‐regulation of Bcl‐2 and up‐regulation pro‐apoptotic Bax and further depletion of the mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) indicates that mitochondria play a central role in the combination treatment inducing the mitochondrial signaling pathway of apoptosis in T24 cells. Our data showed that the alkaloid cernumidine is worthy of further studies as a chemosensitizing agent to be used in complementary chemotherapy.     

Studies on triploid Allium triquetrum

Changes in the frequency of univalents with increasing developmental age in pollen mother cells of triploid Allium triquetrum were studied. Univalent frequencies were compared in material grown in different places, in first and second inflorescences from plants grown in the same place, and in first inflorescences collected in different seasons. No variation in univalent frequencies (total, equatorial, and polar) was found with increasing developmental age. There were also no changes in the different dyad frequencies at anaphase I with increasing developmental age of the pollen mother cells.     

PCR-RFLP Analysis on Phylogeny of Allium

The molecular phylogeny of the genus Allium which includes eighteen species selected from nine sections was investigated through PCR-RFLP analysis of two chloroplast DNA fragments, including trak gene (approximately 2 520 bp) and rpL16 gene (approximately 1 230 bp). Digestion of these two fragments by 26 restriction endonucleases yielded 303 polymorphic recognition sites, of which 163 were informative sites. The restriction site data matrix were analyzed following the parsimonious Wagner and parsimonious Dollo principle of PAUP ( version 3.1.1 ). Topologically, the most parsimonious Wagner tree constructed by branch-and-bound and heuristic search was similar to the most parsimonious Dollo tree. All the taxa of Allium form a monophyletic group, and five sections based on morphological characters were supported strongly by this result. Sect. Augninum is closely related to Sect. Bromatorrhiza, Sect. Molium is closely related to Sect. Caloscordum. Their reliability was farther confirmed by the bootstrap test very well. In morphology, A. pallasii is closely related to A. caeruleum and belongs to Sect. Haplostemen, A. cepa is closely related to A. galanthum and belongs to Sect. Cepa. But evidence from cladistics of parsimonious tree based on 163 informative sites of PCR-RFLPs showed that they are neither confined to a monophyletic group nor to a natural taxon.     

Autopolyploid induction via somatic embryogenesis in Lilium distichum Nakai and Lilium cernuum Komar

New ornamental varieties of high quality can be created via artificial polyploid induction. In the present study, the first system of polyploid induction with somatic embryogenesis of Lilium distichum Nakai and Lilium cernuum Komar. was developed. Somatic embryos were cultured on MS with 0.41 μmol L^?1 picloram and 1.07 μmol L^?1 NAA by scales (5 mm²). After 40 days, somatic embryos were transferred to MS with 2.21 μmol L^?1 BA for somatic embryogenesis. As determined from observations of paraffin sections, embryonic cells of L. distichum originated from outer cells at first, and somatic embryogenesis occurred through an indirect pathway. In L. cernuum, embryonic cells originated from inner cells at first, and somatic embryogenesis occurred through a direct pathway. Polyploids were successfully formed from somatic embryos and scales by the soaking and mixed culture methods with different colchicine concentrations (0.01%, 0.05%, and 0.1%; v/v) and durations (24, 48, and 72 h). The polyploid induction rate reached 57.14% and 46.15% with 0.05% colchicine treatment in L. distichum (48 h) and L. cernuum (24 h), respectively. Tetraploids (28.57% and 23.08%) and aneuploids without chimeras among the obtained polyploid plantlets were identified by chromosome counts of root-tip tissue squashes in L. distichum and L. cernuum. Tetraploid plantlets of L. distichum exhibited broader leaves, longer guard cells, larger stomata and higher stomatal conductance than diploid plantlets. Tetraploid plantlets of L. cernuum showed 1.76?×?higher chlorophyll content, significantly more leaves, longer guard cells, larger stomata and lower stomatal conductance than diploid plantlets.

     

Studies on triploid Allium triquetrum

This work describes the relationship between the univalents seen at metaphase I and the distribution of dyads at anaphase I in the pollen mother cells of triploid Allium triquetrum. The orientation of the centromeres within the trivalents and bivalents at metaphase I towards the two poles of the pollen mother cells is random. The distribution of polar univalents towards the two poles at metaphase I is also random, as is the distribution of dyads at anaphase I in low univalent frequency collections. However, in a high univalent frequency collection, the distribution of dyads at anaphase I is non-random. There is an excess of cells with the most equal dyad distribution (13–14) and a paucity of cells with a 12–15 distribution. In low univalent frequency collections, the equatorial univalents are believed to remain in the equatorial region during anaphase I and are seen as laggards at late anaphase I. The remaining chromosomes move according to the metaphase I orientation of their centromeres to give a random distribution of dyads at anaphase I. In high univalent frequency collections it is argued that the non-random dyad distribution seen at anaphase I is the result of non-random movement of some of the equatorial univalents away from the equatorial region during anaphase I. The remaining equatorial univalents remain in the equatorial region and are seen as laggards at late anaphase I.     

Studies on the mitotic chromosome scaffold of Allium sativum

An argentophilic structure is present in the metaphase chromosomes of garlic(Allium sativum),Cytochemical studies indicate that the main component of the structure is non-histone proteins(NHPs).The results of light and electron microscopic observations reveal that the chromosme NHP scaffold is a network which is composed of fibres and granules and distributed throughout the chromosomes.In the NHP network,there are many condensed regions that are connected by redlatively looser regions.The distribution of the condensed regions varies in individual chromosomes.In some of the chromosomes the condensed regions are lognitudinally situsted in the central part of a chromatid while in others these regions appear as coillike transverse bands.At early metaphase.scaffolds of the sister chromatids of a chromosome are linked to each other in the centromeric region,meanwhile,they are connected by scafold materials along the whole length of the chromosome.At late metaphase,however,the connective scaffold materials between the two sister chromatids disappear gradually and the chromatids begin to separate from one another at their ends.but the chromatids are linked together in the centromeric region until anaphase.This connection seems to be related to the special structure of the NHP scaffold formed in the centromeric region.The morphological features and dynamic changes of the chromosome scaffold are discussed.     

Interspecific hybrid between Allium cepa and Allium sativum

Summary Interspecific hybrids between Allium cepa and Allium sativum were obtained using the fertile clone A. sativum as the male parent. The nascent embryos which formed shortly in interspecific hybridization between A. cepa and A. sativum were rescued by ovule culture at an early stage. The zygotes or proembryos developed in Murashige and Skoog medium containing 5.7×10^-8 M indole-3-butyric acid (IBA). Once developed, the embryos were taken out of the ovule and cultured on embryo culture medium where they regenerated into whole plants. The hybridity of the plants obtained was examined by morphological observation, chromosome analysis, and ribosomal RNA gene analysis. The analyses proved that the plants were mature sexual hybrids between A. cepa and A. sativum. Each hybrid plant had keeled but fistulose leaves and formed a bulb resembling that of A. cepa. The hybrids produced not only S-propenyl-l-cysteine sulfoxide, which is the major flavor precursor in A. cepa, but also S-allyl-l-cysteine sulfoxide (alliin), which is characteristic of A. sativum.     

Effects of Kinetin on the Permeability of Allium cepa Cells

Permeability changes of Allium cepa cells were studied by a plasmometric method. Onion epidermis was floated in phosphate buffer solution with kinetin (2.5 milligrams/liter), or buffer without kinetin as a control, for 10 hours. The treated and control tissues were then transferred to one of the following four permeants: thiourea, urea, maloamide, dimethylurea.     

中国天山的平蒴藓属（Plagiobryum Lindb.）植物

平蒴藓属PlagiobryumLindb.(真藓科Bryaceae)植物在世界上共有8种(IndexMuscorum;Ochi1959,1970;Hedderson1990;Hedderson&Harold1990).中国大陆记录有3种分布(陈邦杰等1963;张满祥1978;Redfearn&Wu1986;Redfearn,Tan&He1996).其中,钝叶平蒴藓(P.giraldii(C.Muell.)Par.)特产于秦岭太白山(张满祥1978).作者基于在天山的实地考察和对标本的研究,报道了中国天山产的平蒴藓属植物共有2种即平蒴藓(P.zierii(Hedw.)Lindb.)和尖叶平蒴藓(P.demissum(Hoppe&Hornsch.)Lindb.),其中的平蒴藓为该区分布的首次记录.从种的现代地理分布和区域地理特点来看,这2种均属泛北极分布类型.依据所采的标本对它们进行了详细描述和绘图.中国天山平蒴藓属分种检索表如下1.植物体上部银白色或白色,下部红褐色.叶覆瓦状排列,卵圆形,内凹;中肋及顶或达于叶尖稍下处终止.孢蒴长棒状,平列或略倾斜1.平蒴藓P.zierii(Hedw.)Lindb.1.植物体红褐色.叶直立,披针形至卵圆状披针形;中肋突出叶尖.孢蒴梨形,下倾2.尖叶平蒴藓P.demissum(Hope&Hornsch.)Lindb.     

Taxonomic data supporting differences between Allium elmaliense and Allium cyrilli

The first specimens of Allium elmaliense were collected in Elmal? (Antalya/Turkey) in 2001 and were described as new species in 2004. However, Allium elmaliense was claimed as synonym of Allium cyrilli in 2006. This study was undertaken to reveal the differences between these taxa utilizing morphological, palynological, and chromosome characters and genomic differences based on the DNA analyses along with the ecological preference studies conducted during 2006 and 2011. The results clearly indicated differences between these two taxa in terms of morphological characters, pollen, seed surfaces and niche preferences. Chromosome morphology and Td-DAMD-PCR fingerprinting studies revealed that Allium elmaliense Deniz & Sümbül is a distinct species and not a synonym of A. cyrilli Ten.