Novel cytotoxic chalcones from Litsea rubescens and Litsea pedunculata

Two novel flavonoids with chalcone skeleton, together with seven known flavonoids, were isolated from the stem barks of Litsea rubescens and Litsea pedunculata. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated on the basis of spectral methods including IR, UV, 1D and 2D NMR. The new chalcones were found to contain the rare epoxy or ethylidenedioxy group. This is the first report on the presence of chalcone in the plant genus Litsea. The cytotoxic potential of two new chalcones was evaluated in vitro against three human tumor cell lines. Both new chalcones displayed potent cytotoxic activities against myeloid leukaemia (HL-60) and epidermoid carcinoma (A431) cell lines and more active than cisplatin (DDP). Interestingly, compound 1 exhibited cytotoxic activity against HL-60 with IC₅₀ value 2.1-fold more sensitive to DDP.     

Glacial survival and local adaptation in an alpine leaf beetle

The challenge in defining conservation units so that they represent evolutionary entities has been to combine both genetic properties and ecological significance. Here we make use of the complexity of the European Alps, with their genetic landscape shaped by geographical barriers and postglacial colonization, to examine the correlation between ecological and genetic divergence. Montane species, because of the fragmentation of their present habitat, constitute extreme cases in which to test if genetically distinct subgroups based on neutral markers are also ecologically differentiated and show local adaptation. In the leaf beetle Oreina elongata, populations show variation in host plant use and a patchy distribution throughout the Alps and Apennines. We demonstrate that despite very strong genetic isolation (F(ST) = 0.381), variation in host plant use has led to differences in larval life-history traits between populations only as a secondary effect of host defence chemistry, and not through physiological adaptation to plant nutritional value. We also establish that populations that are more ecologically different in terms of larval performance are also more genetically divergent. In addition, morphological variation used to define subspecies appears to be mirrored in the population genetics of this species, resulting in almost perfect clustering based on microsatellite data. Finally, we argue from their strong genetic structure and congruent distribution that the subspecies of O. elongata were divided among the same glacial refugia within the Alps that have been proposed for alpine plants.     

贵州寒武纪杷榔组Changaspis elongata Chien,1961个体发育研究及意义

根据采自贵州剑河辣子寨杷榔组的张氏虫Changaspis 296块标本,采用传统形态测量方法,对头部及躯干特征进行度量;结合散点图、简化主轴回归分析及线性拟合对比分析后,确认这些标本均为长形张氏虫Chang-aspis elongata的标本,厘定出从分节6期至成虫期共计12个连续个体发育序列,揭示其形态变化特点。从分节6期至10期,背壳长、头鞍长、头盖长和宽的增长幅度相对小;随着体节的增多,头盖长度与背壳长度的比值从50%减少至34%;随着头鞍长度的增长,头鞍前部及后部宽均呈线性关系的连续增长趋势;个体发育序列确认该种成虫期有17节胸节,不同以往认为的16节胸节。对比分析及线性拟合的数据比较论证,确认原为C.micropyge和C.placenta 2个种的特征应为C.elongata在个体发育变化中的种内差异,确认先前命名的这2种应为C.elongata的晚出同义名。     

Effects of food supplies and water temperature on growth rates of two species of freshwater tropical shrimps

相似文献   

In vivo analgesic,antipyretic, and anti-inflammatory potential in Swiss albino mice and in vitro thrombolytic activity of hydroalcoholic extract from Litsea glutinosa leaves

Background

The study was conducted to evaluate the in vitro thrombolytic activity, and in vivo analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic potentials of different hydrocarbon soluble extracts of Litsea glutinosa leaves for the first time widely used in the folkloric treatments in Bangladesh. This work aimed to create new insights on the fundamental mechanisms of the plant extracts involved in these activities.

Results

In thrombolytic activity assay, a significant clot disruption was observed at dose of 1 mg/mL for each of the extracts (volume 100 μL) when compared to the standard drug streptokinase. The n-hexane, ethyl acetate, chloroform, and crude methanolic extracts showed 32.23 ± 0.26, 37.67 ± 1.31, 43.13 ± 0.85, and 46.78 ± 0.9% clot lysis, respectively, whereas the positive control streptokinase showed 93.35 ± 0.35% disruption at the dose of 30,000 I.U. In hot plate method, the highest pain inhibitory activity was found at a dose of 500 mg/kg of crude extract (15.54 ± 0.37 sec) which differed significantly (P <0.01 and P <0.001) with that of the standard drug ketorolac (16.38 ± 0.27 sec). In acetic acid induced writhing test, the crude methanolic extract showed significant (P <0.01 and P <0.001) analgesic potential at doses 250 and 500 mg/kg body weight (45.98 and 56.32% inhibition, respectively), where ketorolac showed 64.36% inhibition. In anti-inflammatory activity test, the crude methanolic extract showed significant (P <0.001) potential at doses 250 and 500 mg/kg body weight (1.51 ± 0.04 and 1.47 ± 0.03 mm paw edema, respectively), where ketorolac showed 1.64 ± 0.05 mm edema after 3 h of carrageenan injection. In antipyretic activity assay, the crude extract showed notable reduction in body temperature (32.78 ± 0.46°C) at dose of 500 mg/kg-body weight, when the standard (at dose 150 mg/kg-body weight) exerted 33.32 ± 0.67°C temperature after 3 h of administration.

Conclusions

Our results yield that the crude hydroalcoholic extract has better effects than the other in all trials. In the context, it can be said that the leaves of L. glutinosa possess remarkable pharmacological effects, and justify its traditional use as analgesic, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, and thrombolytic agent.     

The substrate-binding protein TeaA of the osmoregulated ectoine transporter TeaABC from Halomonas elongata: purification and characterization of recombinant TeaA

TeaABC is a novel, osmoregulated secondary transport system for compatible solutes found in the halophilic proteobacterium Halomonas elongata DSM 2581(T). Sequence comparisons have confirmed that TeaABC belongs to the family of TRAP transporters and as such it consists of two putative transmembrane proteins (TeaB, TeaC) and a putative periplasmic substrate-binding protein (TeaA). TeaABC is the only osmoregulated transporter for ectoines found in H. elongata. By overexpressing TeaA-(6)His tag in Escherichia coli we demonstrated that TeaA is processed as predicted and exported to the periplasm. Furthermore, it was proven that TeaA is indeed a periplasmic ectoine-binding protein. The functionality of the purified protein as an ectoine-binding protein was tested employing a modified binding assay.     

温度对产虫茶昆虫紫斑谷螟生长发育的影响

为探明温度对贵州主要产虫茶昆虫紫斑谷螟Pyralis farinalis (Linnaeus)生长发育的影响, 本研究以白茶Litsea coreana为寄主植物, 分别设置5个恒温（19, 22, 25, 28和31℃）条件, 研究温度对紫斑谷螟卵、 幼虫、 蛹和未成熟期平均发育历期、 发育速率和存活率的影响, 计算各虫态发育起点温度和有效积温。 结果表明： 温度对紫斑谷螟各虫态发育历期、 发育速率和存活率影响显著。 在19 ~ 31℃范围内, 各虫态的平均发育历期均随温度的升高而缩短, 卵期、 幼虫期、 蛹期及未成熟期均在31℃达到最小值, 分别为4.56±0.24, 43.33±1.50, 7.89±0.20和55.78±1.69 d。 紫斑谷螟各虫态发育速率与温度呈二次回归关系, 且极显著相关。 此外, 温度显著影响各虫态存活率, 卵的存活率在28℃时最高, 为93%; 幼虫和蛹的存活率则在25℃最高, 分别为88%和93%; 温度过高或过低均不利于其生长发育。 由直接最优法计算得到紫斑谷螟卵期、 幼虫期、 蛹期及未成熟期的发育起点温度分别为13.30, 15.48, 13.19和14.82℃, 有效积温依次为88.36, 679.51, 159.73和952.04日·度。 这些结果为紫斑谷螟的繁殖提供了基础参考数据, 对指导虫茶生产有实用参考价值。     

豹皮樟提取物对小鼠肠道菌群失衡的调整作用

目的观察豹皮樟（老鹰茶）不同溶剂提取物对小鼠抗生素相关性菌群失衡的调整作用,为豹皮樟的进一步开发利用提供理论依据。方法使用抗生素造模,将小鼠分为正常对照组、水提物组、醇提物组、模型组和自然恢复组,利用传统菌落计数法等观察各组肠道菌群失衡及恢复调整情况。结果豹皮樟不同提取物对改善小鼠肠道内菌群的效果不同：水提物具有显著调节肠杆菌及肠球菌等小鼠肠道表层需氧菌的作用,醇提物对小鼠肠道深层厌氧双歧杆菌和乳酸杆菌的调整作用显著,具有益生元特眭。结论豹皮樟可以调整肠道菌群,纠正抗生素相关性菌群失调。     

山鸡椒挥发油成分分析及其抗真菌保鲜作用的研究

本文对湖南山鸡椒（Ｌｉｔｓｅａ ｃｕｂｅｂａ）挥发油（山苍子油）抑制植物病原真菌Ｆｕｓａｒｉｕｍ ｏｘｙｓｐｏｒｕｍ,Ｈｅｌｍｉｎｔｈｏｓｐｏｒｉｕｍ ｓｐ．Ｓｔｅｍｐｈｙｌｌｉｕｍ ｓｐ．的效能及其抑制真菌的有效成分进行了研究,实验结果表明,所用山鸡椒挥发油具有很强的抑制植物病原真菌生长的能力,并有明显的保鲜作用,其主要生物活性成份为柠檬醛。