Triterpenoids and Flavonoids from the Leaves of Astragalus membranaceus and Their Inhibitory Effects on Nitric Oxide Production

Four new cycloartane triterpenes, named huangqiyegenins V and VI and huangqiyenins K and L ( 1 – 4 , resp.), together with nine known triterpenoids, 5 – 13 , and eight flavonoids, 14 – 21 , were isolated from a 70%‐EtOH extract of Astragalus membranaceus leaves. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by detailed spectroscopic analyses, and the compounds were identified as (9β,11α,16β,20R,24S)‐11,16,25‐trihydroxy‐20,24‐epoxy‐9,19‐cyclolanostane‐3,6‐dione ( 1 ), (9β,16β,24S)‐16,24,25‐trihydroxy‐9,19‐cyclolanostane‐3,6‐dione ( 2 ), (3β,6α,9β,16β,20R,24R)‐16,25‐dihydroxy‐3‐(β‐D ‐xylopyranosyloxy)‐20,24‐epoxy‐9,19‐cyclolanostan‐6‐yl acetate ( 3 ), and (3β,6α,9β,16β,24E)‐26‐(β‐D ‐glucopyranosyloxy)‐16‐hydroxy‐3‐(β‐D ‐xylopyranosyloxy)‐9,19‐cyclolanost‐24‐en‐6‐yl acetate ( 4 ). All isolated compounds were evaluated for their inhibitory activities against LPS‐induced NO production in RAW264.7 macrophage cells. Compounds 1 – 3, 14, 15 , and 18 exhibited strong inhibition on LPS‐induced NO release by macrophages with IC₅₀ values of 14.4–27.1 μM .     

黄芪属一新改级

作者通过对药用黄芪野生资源的调查, 结合查阅大量标本及考证模式标本, 发现淡紫花黄芪Astrasalus membranaceus(Fisch. exLink)Bge. var. membranaceus f. purpurinus(Y. C. Ho)Y. C. Ho不仅花旗瓣顶端为紫红色;而且花小;小叶小, 质地厚, 小叶对数少;果小且果皮厚;限分布于我国西南地区。认为作为亚种处理比较合适。即A. membranaceus(Fisch. exLink)Bge. subsp. pallidipurpureus(Hsiao)X. Y. ZhuetC. J. Chen.     

Expression of the Kidney Bean Phenylalanine-Ammonia Lyase Gene in the Hairy Roots of Astragalus sinicus

Using Agrobacterium rhizogenes, Astragalus sinicus plants were transformed with the kidney bean pal5 gene coding for phenylalanine-ammonia lyase (PAL). The hairy root culture thus obtained manifested enhanced PAL activity and lignin content in the cell walls; in addition, the transformed cells differed from the wild-type ones in several electrophysiological indices. In particular, the diffusion component of the total membrane potential of plasmalemma increased in the pal-transformed roots. The authors presume that the volume density of the protein-related negative charge of the cytoplasm increases in the transformed root cells along with changes in the cytoplasmic pH and pCa²⁺, the extent of coupling of these two indices, and the hydraulic conductivity of plasmodesmata.     

黄芪有效成分对氧自由基清除作用的ESR研究

用电子自旋共振技术研究了黄芪总黄酮(TFA)、黄芪总皂甙(TSA)和黄芪总多糖(TPA)对次黄嘌呤／黄嘌呤氧化酶体系产生的超氧阴离子自由基和H₂O₂－Fe²⁺体系产生的羟自由基的清除作用．结果表明,这3种成分均有清除氧自由基的作用;对超氧阴离子自由基的清除效能大于对羟自由基的清除作用;其作用强度依次为TFA＞TSA＞TPA．结果提示清除氧自由基可能是黄芪抗衰老的主要机理之一,TFA和TSA是黄芪抗氧化作用的主要药理活性成分．     

A novel homodimeric lectin from Astragalus mongholicus with antifungal activity

A novel lectin (AMML) was isolated from a Chinese herb, i.e., the roots of Astragalus mongholicus, using a combination of ammonium sulfate fraction and ion exchange chromatographies. The molecular mass of intact AMML was determined to be 66,396 Da by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and 61.8 kDa by gel filtration, respectively. AMML was a dimeric protein composed of two identical subunits each with a molecular mass of 29.6 kDa. The lectin was a glycoprotein with a neutral carbohydrate content of 19.6%. The purified lectin hemagglutinated both rabbit and human erythrocytes, and showed preference for blood types O (native) and AB (trypsin-treated). Among various carbohydrates tested, the lectin was best inhibited by D-galactose and its derivatives with pronounced preference for lactose (3.13 mM). N-terminal amino acid sequence of AMML was determined as ESGINLQGDATLANN. The optimal pH range for lectin activity was between pH 4.5 and 7.5, and the lectin was active up to 65 degrees C. It also exerted antifungal activity against Botrytis cincerea, Fusarium oxysporum, Colletorichum sp., and Drechslera turcia but not against Rhizoctonia solani and Mycosphaerella arachidicola.     

Improved shoot regeneration protocol for hairy roots of the legume Astragalus sinicus

An improved protocol for shoot regeneration from hairy roots transformed by Agrobacterium rhizogenes of the legume species Astragalus sinicus (Chinese milk vetch) has been developed. The A. rhizogenes strain DC-AR2 harboring the binary vector pBI121 which carries the uidAgene encoding -glucuronidase activity and the kanamycin resistance gene nptII, was used to transform cut ends of plantlet hypocotyls. Transformed hairy roots were selected on medium containing 75 g ml^–1 kanamycin, and transformation was monitored by detection of the opine mikimopine, histochemical -glucuronidase activity, the polymerase chain reaction, and Southern blot analysis. The cytokinins benzylaminopurine, kinetin, and thidiazuron suppressed the growth of 8-month and 3-year-old hairy roots, but were necessary for adventitious shoot formation that could occur with some lines. Putative somatic embryos developed from transformed roots on medium with 7.5-10.0 mg l^–1 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. Light did not affect shoot regeneration from transformed hairy roots. This transformation and shoot regeneration system should be useful for testing gene expression quickly and be amenable to studies of shoot morphogenesis and interactions with rol gene expression.     

草木樨状黄芪变异系中甲硫氨酸代谢相关cDNA的分子克隆及其在大肠杆菌中的表达

利用mRNA差异显示技术(differential display)从草木樨状黄芪耐甲硫氨酸变异系中分离到一差异cDNA片段,命名为tm03(360bp)。mRNA杂交结果显示,该片段只在变异苗中表达,初步确定其与甲硫氨酸代谢相关。测序后在Genebank搜寻,未发现有同源序列。进一步分析表明,该cDNA克隆可编码完整的蛋白。在该基因片段两端分别合成含HindⅡ和BamH Ⅰ酶切位点的引物,用PCR扩增后亚克隆到pRSET A表达载体,转化宿主菌JMl09(DE3),经IPTG诱导表达了N′端含6个组氨酸的蛋白质,分子量约为14kD,为进一步研究该蛋白的结构和生物学功能奠定基础。     

Enhancement of the innate immune response of bladder epithelial cells by Astragalus polysaccharides through upregulation of TLR4 expression

The innate host defenses at mucosal surfaces are critical in the early stages of urinary tract bacterial infection. Recent studies have shown that uroepithelial cells aid innate immune cells in fighting off infection, although the exact mechanism by which the uroepithilium participates in immunity remains unclear. TLR4 has been implicated to possess antimicrobial activities specific for bladder epithelial cells (BECs). TLR4 promotes secretion of IL-6 and IL-8, mediates inhibition of bladder epithelial cell (BEC) bacterial invasion, and mediates expulsion of uropathogenic Escherichia coli from BECs. In this study, cultured 5637 cells and Balb/C mice were treated with Astragalus polysaccharides (APS) against invading E. coli. To determine the contribution of TLR4 upregulation to immune response, TLR4 expression and bacterial colony numbers were monitored. After 24 h incubation, only 5637 cells treated with 500 μg/ml APS expressed higher levels of TLR4 compared with the untreated group. However, after 48 h, all 5637 cells treated by APS showed higher levels of TLR4 expression than the control cells. The TLR4 expression in the bladder and macrophages mice that received APS was higher than that in the controls. Bacterial colonization in 5637 cells and the bladders of mice treated with APS was significantly reduced compared with the controls. These results demonstrate that at certain concentrations, APS can induce increased TLR4 expression in vivo and in vitro. Further, TLR4 expression upregulation can enhance innate immunity during mucosal bacterial infection. The findings establish the use of APS to modulate the innate immune response of the urinary tract through TLR4 expression regulation as an alternative option for UTI treatment.     

红芪、黄芪及配伍当归对环磷酰胺所致血虚模型小鼠的干预作用

目的：观察红芪、黄芪及配伍当归对环磷酰胺（CTX）所致血虚模型小鼠的干预作用。方法：昆明种小鼠随机分为7组,每组10只。采用CTX复制小鼠血虚模型,正常组与模型组小鼠用生理盐水灌胃,阳性对照组小鼠给予驴胶补血颗粒,四个给药组分别灌胃红芪、黄芪、红芪-当归组（5：1）及黄芪-当归组（5：1）,连续灌胃7 d后,采用血细胞分析仪测定各组小鼠外周红细胞（RBC）、淋巴细胞（LYM）、红细胞压积（HCT）、白细胞（WBC）、血小板（PLT）,取脾脏、胸腺、股骨,计算脾脏指数（SI）、胸腺指数（TI）的变化,进行网织红细胞计数（RC）、骨髓有核细胞计数,并对股骨进行病理切片观察。结果：与正常组比较,模型组小鼠RBC、WBC、HCT、PLT、LYM等含量均降低（P<0.05）,与模型组比较,红芪及不同配伍各组小鼠中SI、TI均显著升高（P<0.05）,红芪-当归组及黄芪-当归组可显著提高外周RBC、HCT、WBC、PLT、LYM的含量（P<0.05）,可升高RC及骨髓有核细胞数量（P<0.05）,股骨病理切片显示有所改善。结论：红芪-当归（5：1）与黄芪-当归（5：1）配伍对血虚模型小鼠的改善作用及补血作用优于红芪、黄芪的单独作用,黄芪-当归（5：1）效果更佳。