Inactivation of Jack Bean Urease by Allicin

Allicin—diallyl thiosulfinate—is the main biologically active component of freshly crushed garlic. Allicin was synthesized as described elsewhere and was tested for its inhibitory ability against jack bean urease in 20?mM phosphate buffer, pH 7.0 at 22°C. The results indicate that allicin is an enzymatic inactivator. The loss of urease activity was irreversible, time- and concentration dependent and the kinetics of the inactivation was biphasic; each phase, obeyed pseudo-first-order kinetics. The rate constants for inactivation were measured for the fast and slow phases and for several concentrations of allicin. Thiol reagents, and competitive inhibitor (boric acid) protected the enzyme from loss of enzymatic activity. The studies demonstrate that urease inactivation results from the reaction between allicin and the SH-group, situated in the urease active site (Cys592).     

Genetic diversity of Indian garlic core germplasm using agro-biochemical traits and SRAP markers

The characterization of garlic germplasm improves its utility, despite the fact that garlic hasn't been used much in the past. Garlic has an untapped genetic pool of immense economic and medicinal value in India. Hence, using heuristic core collection approach, a core set of 46 accessions were selected from 625 Indian garlic accessions based on 13 quantitative and five qualitative traits. The statistical measures (CV per cent, CR per cent, VR per cent) were used to sort the core set using Shannon-Wiener diversity index and the Nei diversity index. In addition, the variation within the core set was tested for 18 agro-morphological and six biochemical characteristics (allicin, phenol content, pyruvic acid, protein, allyl methyl thiosulfinate (AMTHS), and methyl allyl thiosulfinate (MATHS)). Further study of the core set's molecular diversity was performed using sequence related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) markers, which revealed a wide range of diversity among the core set's accessions, with an average polymorphism efficiency (PE) of 80.59 percent, polymorphism information content (PIC) of 0.29, effective multiplex ratio (EMR) of 3.51, and marker index (MI) of 0.99. The findings of this study will be useful in identifying high-yielding, elite garlic germplasm lines with the trait of interest. Since this core set is indicative of total germplasm, these selected breeding lines will be used for genetic improvement of garlic in the future.     

蒜鳞片薄壁细胞衰退过程中酶的细胞化学定位及DNA生化分析

蒜在储藏过程中,鳞茎薄壁细胞衰退,其营养物质供给幼芽萌发生长。采用细胞化学方法,对蒜休眠进程中的鳞茎薄壁细胞进行了ATPase以及APase的细胞化学定位,结果显示在薄壁细胞的质膜、细胞壁和胞间连丝上的酶活性随着蒜自休眠至萌发的不同发育进程而呈现增强的趋势,且在萌芽期酶活性表现最为强烈,表明细胞内物质的降解、转化与输出的加强有助于细胞内含物向新生芽的彻底转移。配合采用琼脂糖凝胶电泳对衰退薄壁细胞的DNA进行了分析,实验结果表现出典型的DNA Ladder,为蒜鳞茎薄壁细胞的衰退属于受基因控制的程序性死亡范畴补充了生化证据。     

Onion and garlic extracts lessen cadmium-induced nephrotoxicity in rats

Cadmium (Cd) is a well-known nephrotoxicant inducing kidney damage via oxidative stress. Since kidney is the critical target organ of Cd toxicity, this study was designed to evaluate the protective effects of onion (Allium cepa L.) and garlic (Allium sativum L.) aqueous extracts on Cd-induced renal oxidative stress in male Wistar rats. The control group received double distilled water alone and Cd group was challenged with 3CdSO₄ · 8H₂O (as Cd) (1.5 mg/100 g bw/day per oral) alone. Extract-treated groups were pre-treated with varied doses (0.5 ml and 1.0 ml/100 g bw/day per oral) of onion and/or garlic extract for 1 week after which they were co-treated with Cd (1.5 mg/100 g bw/day per oral) for 3 weeks. The results showed that the levels of renal lipid peroxidation (LPO) and glutathione-S transferase (GST) were significantly (P < 0.001) increased in rats that received Cd alone relative to the control group. More so, the levels of renal glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase were significantly (P < 0.001) decreased in rats that received Cd alone. Treatment of Cd-intoxicated rats with varied doses of onion and/or garlic extract significantly (P < 0.05) restored the alterations in these parameters relative to the group that received Cd alone. While treatment with high dose of onion extract exerted a significant dose-dependent restoration of these parameters, treatment with high dose of garlic elicited a pro-oxidant effect, relative to their respective low dose. Our study suggests that onion and garlic extracts may exert their protective effects via reduction in LPO and enhanced antioxidant defense. These extracts may, therefore, be useful nutritional option in alleviating Cd-induced renal damage.     

Observations of herbivore attack on garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) in Southwestern Ontario, Canada

We have observed what appears to be the first significant report of herbivory of a population of Alliaria petiolata (M. Bieb.) Cavara & Grande (Garlic Mustard) in Canada. Ceutorhynchus erysimi Fabr., Plutella xylostella L. (Diamondback Moth), and Philaenus spumarius (Meadow Spittlebug) were identified attacking, and successfully proceeding through different stages of development on A. petiolata. From the field observations, we hypothesize that these species have recognized A. petiolata as a host and therefore may be candidates for the management of the invasive species.     

Evaluation of some garlic (Allium sativum L.) mutants resistant to white rot disease by RAPD analysis

Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis was used to evaluate genetic diversity among eight garlic mutants resistant to white rot disease (Sclerotium cepivorum). Twelve of the 13 synthetic random primers were found to identify polymorphism in amplification products. Mutants characterised with moderate resistance to white rot were closely related to the control using cluster and correlation analyses. On the other hand, highly resistant mutants were quite distant from the control with low correlation coefficients. The banding patterns produced by primer OPB‐15 (GGAGGGTGTT) with highly resistant mutants may by used as genetic markers for early selection of resistant plants.     

L.B-G.O对小鼠U_(14)宫颈癌细胞细胞化学影响的分析

本实验选用中药枸杞有效成分和大蒜油,腹腔注射联合作用于U14腹水型宫颈癌小鼠后．对癌细胞细胞化学的影响进行了分析。结果显示,联合用药组小鼠癌细胞减少,细胞受到不同程度的破坏,细胞内DNA、RNA含量降低,ACPase、a－ANAE、ATPase、SDH、G－6－PDH活性减弱,含量降低,与对照组形成明显对比,P＜0．01．与单独用药组比较,亦P＜0．01。揭示联合用药可直接作用于癌细胞,抑制癌细胞遗传物质DNA合成和RNA转录．阻碍了癌细胞正常代谢,加速癌细胞死亡。     

Oxidative stress in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats: effects of garlic oil and melatonin

In the present study, oxidative stress in diabetic model and the effect of garlic oil or melatonin treatment were examined. Streptozotocin (60 mg/kg body weight, i.p.)-induced diabetic rats, showed a significant increase of plasma glucose, total lipids, triglyceride, cholesterol, lipid peroxides, nitric oxide and uric acid. Concomitantly, significant decreases in the levels of antioxidants ceruloplasmin, albumin and total thiols were found in the plasma of diabetic rats. Lipid peroxide levels were significantly increased in erythrocyte lysate and in homogenates of liver and kidney, while superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were decreased in tissue homogenates of liver and kidney. Treatment of diabetic rats with garlic oil (10 mg/kg i.p.) or melatonin (200 microg/kg i.p.) for 15 days significantly increased plasma levels of total thiol, ceruloplasmin activities, albumin. Lipid peroxides, uric acid, blood glucose, total lipid, triglyceride and cholesterol were decreased significantly after treatment with garlic oil or melatonin. Nitric oxide levels were decreased significantly in rats treated with melatonin only. In erythrocytes lysate, glutathione S-transferase (GST) activities were increased significantly in rats treated with garlic oil or melatonin, while lipid peroxides decreased significantly and total thiol increased significantly in melatonin or garlic oil treatment, respectively. In liver homogenates of rats treated with garlic or melatonin, lipid peroxides were decreased significantly, and GST activities increased significantly, while SOD activities were increased significantly in liver and kidney after garlic or melatonin treatment. The results suggest that garlic oil or melatonin may effectively normalize the impaired antioxidants status in streptozotocin induced-diabetes. The effects of these antioxidants of both agents may be useful in delaying the complicated effects of diabetes as retinopathy, nephropathy and neuropathy due to imbalance between free radicals and antioxidant systems. Moreover, melatonin may be more powerful free radical scavenger than garlic oil.     

超滤法浓缩提取大蒜SOD机制的研究

本文研究了超滤法浓缩提取大蒜SOD过程中不同膜材料、压力差、循环速度、扩散系数和截留率对透过通量的影响和关系,求得了各种膜的传质系数k和真实截留率R0以及PS膜的透过通量与压力差的关系式限通量最后探讨了超滤过程中分子形变对酶失活率的影响,并建立了酶失活率T与分子半径r二者关系式     

大蒜E病毒外壳蛋白基因的原核表达及抗血清制备

设计特异性引物PCR扩增了余杭大蒜病样中的大蒜E病毒 (GarV E)的全长CP基因 ,构建原核表达载体并在大肠杆菌中过量表达 ,纯化表达产物后免疫家兔制备抗血清。Westernblot检测结果表明 ,抗血清与GarV E的CP起强的特异性反应。 7个大蒜样品中 ,内蒙古赤峰市、宁夏银川和甘肃天水等 4个样品受到GarV E的侵染。试验也证明了田间GarV E编码的CP分子量为 35kD ,不同于已报道的其他葱X病毒属成员的 2 8kD外壳蛋白