Acute oral toxicity and anti-inflammatory activity of hydroalcoholic extract from Lampaya medicinalis Phil in rats

Background

Algesia and inflammation are related with several pathological conditions. It is known that many drugs available for the treatment of these problems cause unwanted side effects. This study was aimed at evaluating acute toxicity and anti-inflammatory activity of Lampaya medicinalis Phil. (Verbenaceae) widely used in the folk medicine of Northern Chile against rheumatism, arthritis and body joints pain.

Results

Oral administration of hydroalcoholic extract (HAE) at the highest dose of 3000 mg/ Kg body weight resulted in no mortalities or evidence of significant behavioral changes. Histological examination revealed normal architecture and no significant adverse effects were observed on the liver, kidney, heart, lung or ovaries and testicles. The results suggest that the oral administration of hydroalcoholic extract (HAE) from Lampaya medicinalis did not produce any toxic effect in rats. Hydroalcoholic extract (HAE) significantly inhibited the carrageenan-induced rat paw edema in dose – response relationship, at test doses of 37.5, 75, 150 and 300 mg/Kg body weight. Maximum inhibition (61.98 ± 2.69%) was noted at 300 mg/Kg after 2 h of drug treatment carrageenan induced paw edema, whereas indomethacin produced 47.90 ± 1.16% of inhibition. The inhibitory values of edema at 3 h postcarrageenan were 31.04±0.75%, 40.51 ± 2.36%, 48.97 ± 1.14% and 56.87 ± 0.41% for 37.5, 75, 150, and 300 mg/kg of extract respectively. Indomethacin (10 mg/Kg) gave a percentage inhibition of 49.44 ± 1.44. HAE (300 and 150 mg/kg) induced an anti-inflammatory effect greater than (or comparable) with the effect of indomethacin from 2nd to 4th hours of the experiment.

Conclusions

Our results reveal for first time that compounds contained in the hydroalcoholic extract of Lampaya medicinalis Phil exert anti-inflammatory effect and the oral administration is safe and non toxic up to dose level 3000 mg/kg body weight. The anti-inflammatory activity may be associated with the presence of flavonoids. These findings also justify the traditional use of the plant for treating pain.     

An extract from pork bones containing osteocalcin improves glucose metabolism in mice by oral administration

Osteocalcin (OC) is a bone-derived hormone that regulates energy metabolism. OC exists in two forms, carboxylated (GlaOC) and uncaboxylated (GluOC), but only the latter appears to have an endocrine function. In this study, we prepared an extract containing both Gla- and GluOC from boiled pork bone using 0.2 M carbonate buffer at pH 9.5, and tested whether the extract had beneficial effects on improving metabolic parameters in obese mice. The extract equivalent of 1.2 μg of GluOC/mouse was orally administrated to C57BL/6 female mice fed a high-fat, high-sucrose diet. Daily oral administration of the extract for four weeks decreased blood glucose levels and promoted glucose tolerance as well as insulin sensitivity. Our study shows for the first time that boiled pork bones are a source material for osteocalcin in the large-scale production of supplements designed to improve glucose metabolism.     

THE USE OF STABLE CARBON ISOTOPE ANALYSIS FOR DETERMINING THE DIETARY HABITS OF THE FLORIDA MANATEE, TRICHECHUS MANATUS LATIROSTRIS

The sloughed skin from three captive manatees at Lowry Park Zoological Garden (Tampa, Florida) was examined over a period of one year to determine its stable carbon isotopic composition (δ¹³C). The food consumed by these manatees in a controlled diet was also sampled and its δ¹³C values determined. The sloughed skin δ¹³C values from the captive manatees were enriched by an average of +4.1%0 relative to lettuce (generally >98% of the diet) the animals consumed. δ¹³C values of the skin were shown to be related to changes in δ¹³C values of the lettuce.
The stable carbon isotopic composition of internal tissues (liver, kidney, and blubber) and skin from dead, stranded manatees was also determined. These values were compared to values of vegetation that manatees are known to eat in the wild. The δ¹³C values of the internal tissues and skin of wild manatees were consistent with the range of δ¹³C values of their expected diet.     

天山中部地区北山羊食性及其季节变化

本研究采用粪便显微组织分析法,调查了天山中部地区北山羊(Capra sibirica)的食物组成及季节变化。结果表明,在北山羊的粪便显微装片中共鉴定出14科37种(属)植物。禾本科为北山羊主要食物,夏季和冬季分别占食谱的54.30%和59.34%。莎草科、豆科、蔷薇科以及菊科也是北山羊较为重要的食物。其中高山早熟禾(Poa alpina)、嵩草属(Kobresia spp.)和针茅属(Stipa spp.)物种均为夏季和冬季采食较多的植物。卡方检验结果表明,北山羊的食物组成在夏季和冬季间有明显变化,蔷薇科和菊科在冬季食谱中所占的比例显著低于夏季(蔷薇科,Pearson χ~2=13.737,df=1,P0.01;菊科,Pearson χ~2=4.784,df=1,P0.05),而对禾本科的采食比例冬季显著高于夏季(禾本科,Pearson χ~2=4.319,df=1,P0.05)。种属水平上北山羊夏季与冬季的采食食物种类的比例具有极显著差异(Pearson χ~2=89.495,df=36,P0.01)。上述研究结果表明,天山中部地区的北山羊属于泛食性物种,且食性有明显的季节变化。     

杨皱背叶蝉的生物学特性

杨皱背叶蝉Rhytidodus poplara Li et Ya.是危害杨树的新害虫。首次记述其形态特征、生物学特性、发生规律及天敌种类。在山东商河1年发生3代,以成虫在地面落叶和杂草中越冬。翌年2月中旬开始出蜇,在枝干上补充营养、交尾,在叶柄上产卵。产卵量113～361枚,卵历期10～23d,若虫历期17～43d。成虫寿命7～69d,羽化后5～12d开始产卵,主要在下午至傍晚前后,多产于叶柄端部的卵槽内。寄生性天敌有寄生若虫的闫氏单爪螯蜂Anteonyani和寄生卵的缨小蜂Anagrussp.,对叶蝉种群控制作用明显。     

贺兰山同域分布岩羊和马鹿的夏季食性

2008年78月贺兰山对同域分布的岩羊和马鹿粪便进行采集,利用粪便显微分析法对二者夏季食性进行了研究。从10个沟系中一共收集了297堆岩羊和305堆马鹿粪便,每堆中捡拾2粒粪粒,组成40个复合样本进行分析。结果表明,夏季在岩羊采食的19科35种(属)植物中,针茅(29.74%)、早熟禾(18.82%)、内蒙古邪蒿(10.30%)、灰榆(7.76%)、冰草(7.47%)是其主要食物,针茅是岩羊夏季的大宗食物;夏季在马鹿取食的11科18种(属)植物中,小红柳(36.26%)、山杨(23.10%)、灰榆(16.84%)等是其主要食物,小红柳为马鹿夏季的大宗食物。夏季岩羊采食植物中,乔木占8.67%,灌木占3.97%,禾本科草本占69.43%,非禾本科草本占17.94%;马鹿采食植物中,乔木占89.61%,灌木占5.38%,禾本科草本占1.03%,非禾本科草本占3.99%。从食物多样性和食物生态位宽度来看,岩羊的Shannon-Wiener指数高于马鹿,而马鹿的Pielou均匀性指数和食物生态位宽度指数高于岩羊,岩羊和马鹿共有9种食物重叠,生态位重叠指数为65.17%。     

油脂植物油茶的开发利用

简要论述了油脂植物油茶的地理分布与生态习性以及油茶提取物的化学成分及综合利用前景。     

低剂量α干扰素口含片的抗病毒实验研究

本实验是对低剂量α干扰素口含片抗病毒实验研究,通过对各组小鼠不同的给药时间及不同的感染时间,取鼠肺制成悬液接种鸡胚,35℃培养3天,取尿囊液作血滴定,以此来验证干扰素口含片是否抗病毒以及效果如何。     

酪酸梭菌活菌散联合乳果糖口服液治疗儿童功能性便秘的疗效及安全性

目的探讨酪酸梭菌活菌散联合乳果糖VI服液治疗儿童功能性便秘（Fc）的疗效及安全性。方法将84例儿童Fc患者随机分为观察组和对照组。两组患儿均予以饮食调整、多饮水、规律排便和加强排便功能锻炼等常规治疗。观察组患儿加用酪酸梭菌活菌散联合乳果糖口服液治疗,对照组患JLDI用单纯乳果糖口服液治疗,疗程均为6周。观察两组患儿治疗后临床疗效及药物不良反应,并比较两组患儿治疗后随访观察6个月和1年内的复发率。结果治疗6周后,观察组患儿的总有效率为92．86％,明显高于对照组的76．19％（χ2=4．46,P〈0．05）。治疗中观察组出现4例不良反应,对照组出现2例,症状均较轻,两组患儿不良反应比较差异无统计学意义（χ2=0．14,P〉0．05）。结论酪酸梭菌活菌散联合乳果糖口服液治疗儿童Fc的疗效明显优于单纯的乳果糖口服液治疗,安全性较佳,并能降低其复发率,具有预防复发的作用。