抗抑郁药用植物研究进展

近年来,虽然药用植物被用于临床治疗精神紊乱和行为异常等相关性疾病,如:抑郁、焦虑、癫痫、记忆力衰退、失眠、老年痴呆和药物中毒等,但是,有关药用植物抗抑郁作用的研究性报道较少,且不够系统。本综述主要归纳和总结了具有抗抑郁作用的药用植物及其活性提取物,包括药用植物粗提物和单体活性成分等天然产物,为充分开发利用我国药用植物资源以及民间传统用药提供科学依据,促进高效安全抑郁症治疗方法的研究。     

Plants obtained from the Khair tree (Acacia catechu Willd.) using mature nodal segments

An in vitro method for obtaining plants of Acacia catechu has been developed using nodal explants from mature `elite' trees growing in the field. Maximum shoot bud development (eight to ten) from a single explant was achieved on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) (4.0 mg/l) and α-naphthaleneacetic acid (0.5 mg/l). Addition of adenine sulphate (25.0 mg/l), ascorbic acid (20.0 mg/l) and glutamine (150.0 mg/l) to the medium was found beneficial for maximum shoot bud induction. The shoot buds developed into healthy and sturdy shoots on MS medium containing BAP and kinetin at 1.0 mg/l. Excised shoots were rooted on 1/4-strength MS medium with indole-3-acetic acid at 3.0 mg/l and 1.5% sucrose to obtain complete plants. Received: 17 June 1997 / Revision received: 11 September 1997 / Accepted: 27 September 1997     

Effect of chewing betel nut on measurements of salivary progesterone and estradiol

The measurement of steroids in saliva is both simple and non-invasive and has been widely used in field and clinical-based research. The observance of particular cultural practices by some populations, however, may hamper accurate hormonal analyses. The present study evaluated the effects of one such practice-the chewing of betel nut-on the accurate measurement of salivary progesterone and estradiol. A time series experiment was conducted among Bangladeshi women who are regular users of betel nut. Salivary steroids were analyzed by radioimmunoassay in samples collected prior to and then 30, 60, 120, and 240 min following betel quid use. Results show no significant difference between basal steroid levels and those obtained 60, 120, and 240 min after chewing betel nut. We conclude that with specific collection protocols that take into account time since chewing, salivary steroid analyses can be undertaken in populations among whom the practice of chewing betel nut is endemic.     

槟榔果实的酚类化学成分与抗菌活性的初步研究

从槟榔(Areca catechu L.)果实乙醇提取物的乙酸乙酯萃取部分分离得到了5个酚类成分,经波谱分析,分别鉴定为:异鼠李素(1)、金圣草黄素(2)、木犀草素(3)、(±)-4',5-二羟基-3',5',7-三甲氧基黄烷酮((4a,4b)和巴西红厚壳素(5).以上化合物均为首次从该属植物中分离得到.用滤纸片琼脂扩散法表明化合物(5)对MRSA和金黄色葡萄球菌有明显抑制作用.     

Effect of seven Indian plant extracts on Fenton reaction-mediated damage to DNA constituents

The influences of substoichiometric amounts of seven plant extracts in the Fenton reaction-mediated damage to deoxynucleosides, deoxynucleoside monophosphates, deoxynucleoside triphosphates, and supercoiled plasmid DNA were studied to rationalize anticancer properties reported in some of these extracts. Extracts from Acacia catechu, Emblica officinalis, Spondias dulcis, Terminalia belerica, Terminalia chebula, as well as gallic acid, epicatechin, chebulagic acid and chebulinic acid enhance the extent of damage in Fenton reactions with all monomeric substrates but protect supercoiled plasmid DNA, compared to standard Fenton reactions. The damage to pyrimidine nucleosides/nucleotides is enhanced by these extracts and compounds to a greater extent than for purine ones in a concentration dependent manner. Dolichos biflorus and Hemidesmus indicus extracts generally do not show this enhancement for the monomeric substrates though they protect plasmid DNA. Compared to standard Fenton reactions for deoxynucleosides with ethanol, the presence of these five plant extracts render ethanol scavenging less effective as the radical is generated in the vicinity of the target. Since substoichiometric amounts of these extracts and the four compounds produce this effect, a catalytic mechanism involving the presence of a ternary complex of the nucleoside/nucleotide substrate, a plant compound and the hydroxyl radical is proposed. Such a mechanism cannot operate for plasmid DNA as the planar rings in the extract compounds cannot stack with the duplex DNA bases. These plant extracts, by enhancing Fenton reaction-mediated damage to deoxynucleoside triphosphates, slow down DNA replication in rapidly dividing cancer cells, thus contributing to their anticancer properties.     

Qualitative and quantitative HPLC/MS determination of proanthocyanidins in areca nut (Areca catechu)

Proanthocyanidins (PACs) in areca nut (Areca catechu L.) were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) combined with electrospray-ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and compared to grape seed extract. Under optimized conditions, the separated PACs were individually analyzed and identified on the basis of their [M+H]+ peaks. The PAC distribution in areca nut was found to be very similar to that in grape seed, but lacking any gallate conjugates. Based on reverse-phase HPLC separation, the PAC monomers (+)-catechin (CA, 1) and (-)-epicatechin (EC; 2) were successfully quantified by ESI-MS in the selected-ion-monitoring (SIM) mode, (-)-epigallocatechin (EGC; 3) being used as internal standard. Detailed quality and validation assays showed that the accuracy and repeatability (n = 8) were within 10% for each analyte.     

槟榔苗期主要病虫害为害症状及防治方法

槟榔幼苗健壮程度直接影响槟榔植株前期的生长速度、中后期的果品品质及最终的果实产量.本文综述了槟榔幼苗期发生的主要生理性病害(白化、日灼、肥害)、侵染性病害(炭疽病、大茎点霉叶斑病、枯萎病)以及虫害(椰圆蚧、基斑毒蛾、斑腿蝗虫、红蜘蛛、黑刺粉虱)的发生症状、防治方法等.根据槟榔育苗期病虫害的发生规律,探索各种病害、虫害的防治方法,以期为槟榔苗期病虫害防治提供参考.