Astragaloside IV improves lipid metabolism in obese mice by alleviation of leptin resistance and regulation of thermogenic network.

Obesity is a worldwide threat to public health in modern society, which may result from leptin resistance and disorder of thermogenesis. The present study investigated whether astragaloside IV (ASI) could prevent obesity in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed and db/db mice. In HFD-fed mice, ASI prevented body weight gain, lowered serum triglyceride and total cholesterol levels, mitigated liver lipid accumulation, reduced fat tissues and decreased the enlargement of adipose cells.

[Identification of Dendrobii Caulis basing on ITS sequence].

Isolation of high-quality genomic DNA from dried and processed crude drug is the key for the DNA identification of Dendrobii Caulis. The DNA extract of Dendrobii Caulis was firstly compared using different method to isolate genomic DNA from dried and processed crude drug, including commercial DNA extracted kit and CTAB method. Using modified CTAB method (extracted from large samples), the genomic DNA was successfully isolated from Dendrobii Caulis, including Huangcao and Fengdou.

Molecular diversity and hypoglycemic polypeptide-P content of Momordica charantia in different accessions and different seasons.

Background: Momordica charantia (MC) has been used for treating diabetes mellitus from ancient times in Asia, Africa and South America. There are many MC accessions in local markets. Polypeptide-P as a main hypoglycemic component in MC was first studied in this experiment to illustrate the different contents in MC of different accessions and different harvesting times.

Simultaneous quantification of seven hippocampal neurotransmitters in depression mice by LC-MS/MS.

Background: There is no method available to simultaneously detect GABA, Glu, Epi, NE, DA, 5-HT and 5-HIAA in mouse hippocampus.

New Method: A rapid and sensitive LC-MS/MS method has been developed for simultaneously measuring seven neurotransmitters in mouse hippocampus. The analytes were detected in positive mode with multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) and the procedure was completed in less than 9min.

[Screening of endophytic fungi from Huperzia serrata for acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity and its taxonomic identification].

Objective: To screen out fungus strains with acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity from Huperzia serrata.

Method: Endophytic fungi fermentation products from 59 H. serrata strains were stained with acetylcholinesterase hydrolyzed alpha-naphthaleneacetic ethyl ester and fast blue B salt, and screened for acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity with thin-layer chromatography-bioautography.

A rapid DNA assembling strategy mediated by direct full-length polymerase chain reaction.

An efficient DNA assembling strategy was developed here modified from Class-IIS endonuclease mediated DNA splicing by directed ligation (SDL). Benefited from the full-length PCR directly using ligation products as template, this strategy required less effort and less time to obtain the assembled full-length DNA. The advantages of this strategy made it a rapid and easy-to-perform gene splicing and multiple site-directed mutagenesis approach especially practicable when more fragments need to be assembled at the same time.

[Expression of human estrogen receptor alpha and beta in Escherichia coli].

Estrogen participates in many life activities through combination with estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) or estrogen receptor beta (ERbeta) in the body. In order to establish an in vitro estrogen-like compound screening model, the coding region of human ERalpha and ERbeta was separately constructed into pET32-ERalpha and pET43-ERbeta prokaryotic expression vector and water-soluble recombinant ERalpha and ERbeta proteins were expressed in Escherichia coli strain BL21. Western blotting revealed that both recombinant proteins have estrogen receptor binding sites.

An efficient way from naringenin to carthamidine and isocarthamidine by Aspergillus niger.

Biotransformation of naringenin with Aspergillus niger CGMCC 3.4628 yielded two hydroxylation products which were identified unambiguously as 6-hydroxylnaringenin (carthamidin) and 8-hydroxylnaringenin (isocarthamidin) by ESI-MS and (1)H-NMR. Both products simultaneously arrived at high level after 48 h in the biotransformation process.

Tandem multimer expression and preparation of hypoglycemic peptide MC6 from Momordica charantia in Escherichia coli.

Tandem repeat multimers of Momordica charantia (MC) peptide MC6 were designed and the recombinant plasmid containing 10 copies of MC6 gene was constructed to improve the expression level of MC6 in Escherichia coli. Under the selected conditions of cultivation and induction, the expression level of recombinant TrxA-MC6(10) protein was above 25% of total bacteria protein. This fusion protein was purified and cleaved with HCl (13%, w/v).

[Regulation of Vitreoscilla hemoglobin on biosynthesis of astragaloside IV].

In the present study, the regulation of Vitreoscilla hemoglobin (VHb) on astragaloside IV biosynthesis was investigated. An intermediate expression vector consisting of the CaMV35S promoter fused to the vgb and nopaline synthase terminator was transferred into Astragalus membranaceus via Agrobacterium rhizogenes. The transgenic hairy roots were confirmed by PCR amplification and Southern blot hybridization.

The effects of jatrorrhizine on contractile responses of rat ileum.

This study was designed to evaluate the effect of jatrorrhizine on smooth muscle contractions isolated from rat ileum longitudinal muscles. Jatrorrhizine increased the amplitude of spontaneous contractions of ileum longitudinal muscles in concentration-dependent manner with an EC(50) of 30.0±8.

[Evaluation on hepatotoxicity caused by Dioscorea bulbifera based on analysis of bile acids].

Metabolic profile of bile acids was used to evaluate hepatotoxicity of mice caused by ethanol extraction of Dioscorea bulbifera L. (ethanol extraction, ET) and diosbulbin B (DB), separately. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) was applied to determine the contents of all kinds of endogenous bile acids including free bile acids, taurine conjugates and glycine conjugates.

[The utility of trnH-psbA gene for phylogenetic analysis of Huperziaceae and plant barcoding].

Objective: The purpose of study was to discover the phylogenetic relations and plant barcoding of 17 plants from Huperziaceae.

Methods: Phylogenetic tree of chloroplast trnH-psbA gene of 17 plants from Huperziaceae was constructed by software.

Results: It showed that Huperziaceae could be divided into two genera Huperzia and Phlegmariurus and bootstrap value reached 91%.

Expression and characterization of Momordica Chanrantia anti-hyperglycaemic peptide in Escherichia coli.

A nucleic acid sequence MC, encoding Momordica Chanrantia anti-hyperglycaemic peptide MC6 (accession: AAX06814) synthesized according to Escherichia coli preferred codons, was cloned and expressed in E. coli. Recombinant protein pQE8-MC (about 3.

Sulfated beta-glucan derived from oat bran with potent anti-HIV activity.

China is a major producer of oats; the annual harvested area of 350,000 ha yields approximately 465,000 tons, giving an average yield of 1.33 tons/ha. The bran is not used for animal feed as it is of poor digestibility and low nutritive content and is considered a waste byproduct.

Chromatographic fingerprinting analysis of Danshen root (Salvia miltiorrhiza Radix et Rhizoma) and its preparations using high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection and electrospray mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS).

Danshen root (Salvia miltiorrhiza Radix et Rhizoma) is a representative Chinese herb containing multiple components contributing to its polyvalent bioactivities. Advanced analysis approaches are needed to obtain a comprehensive picture of the targeting constituents in complete matrix. In this study, a chromatographic fingerprinting method to monitor simultaneously the hydrophilic and lipophilic constituents was developed for the quality evaluation of Danshen root and its preparations.

Gastroprotective effect of fructus evodiae water extract on ethanol-induced gastric lesions in rats.

Fructus Evodiae is a widely used herbal medicine with anti-inflammatory and analgetic activities in China. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of Fructus Evodiae water extract (FE) on ethanol-induced gastric lesions in rats. Three hours before ethanol challenge, animals were intraperitoneally treated with FE (424.

[HPLC determination of acteoside in Radix Rehmanniae].

Objective: To develop an HPLC method for the determination of acteoside in Radix Rehmanniae.

Method: The chromatographic conditions were as follows: Polaris C18(4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) column, a mobile phase in gradient mode composed of acetonitrile 0.

[Studies on chemical constituents in stem of Dendrobium chrysotoxum].

Objective: To investigate the chemical constituents of Dendrobium chrysotoxum.

Method: The chemical constituents were isolated by various column chromatographic methods and structurally elucidated by spectral evidences.

Result: Ten compounds were obtained and identified as (+)-syringare sinol (1), 5alpha, 8alpha-epidioxy-24( R)-methycholesta-6, 22-dien-3beta-ol (2), trans-3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-acrylic acid octacosyl ester (3), defusin (4), 3, 4-dihydroxy benzoic acid (5), 3, 4-dimethoxy-benzoic acid (6), vanillic acid (7), 3, 4-dimethoxy-benzoic acid methyl ester (8), 3, 5-dibromo-2-aminobenzaldehyde (9), heptadecanoic acid 2, 3-dihydroxy-propyl ester (10).

Simultaneous determination of six isoflavonoids in commercial Radix Astragali by HPLC-UV.

A HPLC-UV method for the quantification of six major isoflavonoids, calycosin 7-O-beta-D-glucoside (1), formononetin 7-O-beta-D-glucoside (2), (6alphaR, 11alphaR) 3-hydroxy-9,10-dimethoxypterocarpan-3-O-beta-D-glucoside (3), 7,2'-dihydroxy-3',4'-dimethoxyisoflavan-7-O-beta-D-glucoside (4), calycosin (5) and formononetin (6), in Radix Astragali (Huangqi) was developed and validated. The method was proven to be sensitive, specific, accurate and precise, as well as effective and easy.