Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) is a cornucopia of health: a review of its credited antidiabetic, anti-HIV, and antitumor properties.

Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia, BG) is both a nutritious and healthy food with a distinctive bitter flavor, and it is also widely exploited in folklore medicine. This review focuses on the efficacies and molecular mechanisms of BG-induced anti-diabetic, anti-HIV, and antitumor activities contributed by over twenty active components. The intent of this review is to provide comprehensive and valuable information for medicinal researchers, drug investigators, clinicians, and even patients with an interest in BG.

Effects of cathelicidin and its fragments on three key enzymes of HIV-1.

Cathelicidins exhibit anti-HIV activity but it is not known if they reduce the activity of enzymes crucial to the life cycle of the retrovirus. It is shown in this investigation that human cathelicidin LL37 and its fragments LL13-37 and LL17-32 inhibited HIV-1 reverse transcriptase dose-dependently with an IC50 value of 15μM, 7μM, and 70μM, respectively. The three peptides inhibited HIV-1 protease with a weak potency, achieving 20-30% inhibition at 100μM.

Antitumor and HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitory Activities of a Hemagglutinin and a Protease Inhibitor from Mini-Black Soybean.

Protease inhibitors (PIs) and hemagglutinins are defense proteins produced by many organisms. From Chinese mini-black soybeans, a 17.5-kDa PI was isolated using chromatography on Q-Sepharose, SP-Sepharose, and DEAE-cellulose.

Abnormal melatonin receptor 1B expression in osteoblasts from girls with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Melatonin signaling dysfunction has been associated with the etiology of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Genetic analysis has also associated the occurrence of AIS with the MT2 gene. Thus, we determined whether there is abnormality in the protein expression of melatonin receptors (MT) in AIS osteoblasts.

Isolation and characterization of a Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitor with antiproliferative activity from Gymnocladus chinensis (Yunnan bean) seeds.

A 20-kDa Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitor was isolated from Gymnocladus chinensis (Yunnan bean) seeds. The isolation procedure involved ion exchange chromatography on diethylaminoethyl cellulose (DEAE-cellulose), affinity chromatography on Affi-gel blue gel, ion exchange chromatography on sulfopropyl sepharose (SP-sepharose), and gel filtration by FPLC on Superdex 75. The trypsin inhibitor was adsorbed on DEAE-cellulose, unadsorbed on Affi-gel blue gel, and adsorbed on SP-Sepharose.

A novel metalloprotease from the wild basidiomycete mushroom Lepista nuda.

A 20.9-kDa metalloprotease was isolated from dried fruiting bodies of the wild basidiomycete mushroom Lepista nuda. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the protease was seen to be ATFVLTAATNTLFTA, thus displaying no similarity with the sequences of previously reported metalloproteases.

Purification and characterization of a rhamnose-binding chinook salmon roe lectin with antiproliferative activity toward tumor cells and nitric oxide-inducing activity toward murine macrophages.

In this study, a rhamnose-binding lectin from the roe of chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) was purified and characterized, and its biological activities were examined in several model systems. Chinook salmon roe lectin had a molecular mass of 30 kDa and agglutinated rabbit and bovine erythrocytes. The hemagglutination activity of the lectin was not affected by metal ions.

A new Phaseolus vulgaris lectin induces selective toxicity on human liver carcinoma Hep G2 cells.

We describe here the purification and characterization of a new Phaseolus vulgaris lectin that exhibits selective toxicity to human hepatoma Hep G2 cells and lacks significant toxicity on normal liver WRL 68 cells. This polygalacturonic acid-specific lectin (termed BTKL) was purified from seeds of P. vulgaris cv.

Purification and characterization of a novel serine protease from the mushroom Pholiota nameko.

A novel serine protease, with a molecular mass of 19 kDa and the N-terminal sequence of ARTPEAPAEV, was isolated from dried fruiting bodies of the mushroom Pholiota nameko. The purification protocol comprised ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, Q-Sepharose and SP-Sepharose, and gel filtration on Superdex 75. It was unadsorbed on DEAE-cellulose and Q-Sepharose but adsorbed on SP-Sepharose.

Glyceollin, a soybean phytoalexin with medicinal properties.

This review covers the biosynthesis of glyceollin and its biological activities including antiproliferative/antitumor action (toward B16 melanoma cells, LNCaP prostate cancer cells, and BG-1 ovarian cancer cells), anti-estrogenic action (through estrogen receptors α- and β-), antibacterial action (toward Erwinia carotovora, Escherichia coli, Bradyrhizobium japonicum, Sinorhizobium fredii ), antinematode activity, and antifungal activity (toward Fusarium solani, Phakospora pachyrhizi, Diaporthe phaseolorum, Macrophomina phaseolina, Sclerotina sclerotiorum, Phytophthora sojae, Cercospora sojina, Phialophora gregata, and Rhizoctonia solani). Other activities include insulinotropic action and attenuation of vascular contractions in rat aorta.

An antifungal peptide with antiproliferative activity toward tumor cells from red kidney beans.

A 7.3-kDa antifungal peptide was purified from dried red kidney beans. The purification procedure entailed ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, affinity chromatography on Affi-gel blue gel, ion exchange chromatography on CM-cellulose, followed by fast protein liquid chromatography-gel filtration on Superdex 75.

Isolation and characterization of a novel thermostable lectin from the wild edible mushroom Agaricus arvensis.

A thermostable novel lectin with a molecular weight of 30.4 kDa was isolated from dried fruiting bodies of Agaricus arvensis. It was a dimer made up of two 15.

Inhibitors from natural products to HIV-1 reverse transcriptase, protease and integrase.

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), caused by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection, is still one of the most challenging diseases of the early 21st century. Reverse transcriptase (RT), protease (PR) and integrase (IN) are three key enzymes of HIV-1. Despite the shortcomings of chemical drugs such as toxicity, lack of curative and multiple effects, the search for more and better anti-HIV agents has been focused on natural products.

Isolation and detection of protein with nano-particles and microchips for analyzing proteomes on a large scale basis.

The advent of sugar-immobilized gold nano-particles (SGNPs), lipid-based nanoparticles, nano-chromatography and nano-electrophoresis has revolutionized the methodology for protein purification and proteomic research. This review provides an overview on the effective method developed for fast purification of protein from extracts using SGNPs. In addition, the current application of microfluidic systems for analytical purposes in biochemistry will also be explored that include the micro total analysis systems (µ-TAS) and lab-on-a-chip (LOC) analyses which are capable of isolation and detection of protein at the nanogram level.

Immunoregulatory and anti-HIV-1 enzyme activities of antioxidant components from lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) rhizome.

In the present study, two antioxidant micromolecular components (L2f-2 and L2f-3) and an antioxidant macromolecular component LB2 were extracted from lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) rhizomes. MS, FTIR (Fourier-transform IR) spectroscopy and NMR were used to identify these compounds.

Herba Epimedii: anti-oxidative properties and its medical implications.

Herba Epimedii is a Chinese herbal medicine with proven efficacy in treating cardiovascular diseases and osteoporosis, and in improving sexual and neurological functions. This efficacy is found to be related to the potent anti-oxidative ability of Herba Epimedii and its flavonoid components, with icarrin as the main effective constituent, along with polysaccharides and vitamin C. These ingredients have been proven to be effective against oxidative-stress related pathologies (cardiovascular diseases, Alzheimer's disease and inflammation) in animal rodent models and in vitro studies.

A glucuronic acid binding leguminous lectin with mitogenic activity toward mouse splenocytes.

A dimeric 64-kDa lectin was purified from seeds of French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) cultivar number 1. The purification protocol entailed Q-Sepharose, Affi-gel blue gel, Mono S and Superdex 75. The lectin-enriched fraction was adsorbed on Q-Sepharose and Affi-gel blue gel and desorbed using 1M NaCl in the starting buffer.

Isolation of a new trypsin inhibitor from the Faba bean (Vicia faba cv. Giza 843) with potential medicinal applications.

A new 15-kDa Bowman-Birk type trypsin inhibitor (termed VFTI-G1) was isolated from the seeds of Faba bean (Vicia faba cv. Giza 843) using cation exchange chromatography on an SP-Sepharose column, anion exchange chromatography on Q-Sepharose and Mono Q columns, and finally size exclusion chromatography on a Superdex 75 column. VFTI-G1 manifested significant antiproteolytic activity against trypsin (5761 BAEE units/mg, K(i) 20.

Lectins: production and practical applications.

Lectins are proteins found in a diversity of organisms. They possess the ability to agglutinate erythrocytes with known carbohydrate specificity since they have at least one non-catalytic domain that binds reversibly to specific monosaccharides or oligosaccharides. This articles aims to review the production and practical applications of lectins.

First report of an anti-tumor, anti-fungal, anti-yeast and anti-bacterial hemolysin from Albizia lebbeck seeds.

A monomeric 5.5-kDa protein with hemolytic activity toward rabbit erythrocytes was isolated from seeds of Albizia lebbeck by using a protocol that involved ion-exchange chromatography on Q-Sepharose and SP-Sepharose, hydrophobic interaction chromatography on Phenyl-Sepharose, and gel filtration on Superdex 75. It was unadsorbed on both Q-Sepharose and SP-Sepharose, but adsorbed on Phenyl-Sepharose.

Ribonucleases of different origins with a wide spectrum of medicinal applications.

Ribonucleases (RNases) are a type of nucleases that catalyze the degradation of RNA into smaller components. They exist in a wide range of life forms from prokaryotes to eukaryotes. RNase-controlled RNA degradation is a determining factor in the control of gene expression, maturation and turnover, which are further associated with the progression of cancers and infectious diseases.

Purification and modes of antifungal action by Vicia faba cv. Egypt trypsin inhibitor.

A new 15 kDa Bowman-Birk type trypsin inhibitor (termed VFTI-E1) from fava beans (Vicia faba cv. Egypt 1) was isolated using liquid chromatography. Though it exhibited substantial homology in N-terminal amino acid sequence to other protease inhibitors, VFTI-E1 showed antiproteolytic activity against trypsin (K(i) 11.

Biochemical characterization of the RNA-hydrolytic activity of a pumpkin 2S albumin.

A pumpkin 2S albumin with ribonuclease (RNase) activity was purified from pumpkin seeds (Cucurbita sp.) by liquid chromatographic techniques. It manifested potent RNase activity toward baker's yeast RNA and calf liver RNA, and some polyhomoribonucleotides, including poly(A), poly(U) and poly(C) but not poly(G).

Cordymin, an antifungal peptide from the medicinal fungus Cordyceps militaris.

Cordymin, an antifungal peptide with a molecular mass of 10,906 Da and an N-terminal amino acid sequence distinct from those of previously reported proteins, was purified from the medicinal mushroom Cordyceps militaris. The isolation protocol comprised ion exchange chromatography of the aqueous extract on SP-Sepharose and Mono S and gel filtration on Superdex 75 by a fast protein liquid chromatography system. Cordymin was adsorbed on both cation exchangers.

A laccase with antiproliferative activity against tumor cells from an edible mushroom, white common Agrocybe cylindracea.

A laccase, with HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitory activity (IC(50)=12.7 μM) and antiproliferative activity against HepG2 cells (IC(50)=5.6 μM) and MCF7 cells (IC(50)=6.