Isolation and Hypoglycemic Activity of Aconitans A, B, C and D, Glycans of Aconitum carmichaeli Roots1.

An aqueous methanol/water extract of the Oriental crude drug "bushi", ACONITUM CARMICHAELI roots from Japan, markedly reduced the blood sugar level in mice. Activity-guided fractionation of the extract furnished four glycans, aconitans A, B, C and D. These glycans exhibited prominent hypoglycemic effects in normal and alloxan-produced hyperglycemic mice.     

Isolation and Hypoglycemic Activity of Ganoderans A and B, Glycans of Ganoderma lucidum Fruit Bodies1

A water extract of the Oriental crude drug "reishi", the fruit bodies of GANODERMA LUCIDUM, significantly decreased plasma sugar level in mice. Fractionation of the extract by monitoring the hypoglycemic activity afforded two glycans, ganoderans A and B. These glycans elicited remarkable hypoglycemic actions in normal and alloxan-induced hyperglycemic mice.     

Isolation and Hypoglycemic Activity of Atractans A, B and C, Glycans of Atractylodes japonica Rhizomes1.

A water extract of the Oriental crude drug "byaku-jutsu", ATRACTYLODES JAPONICA rhizomes, showed hypoglycemic activity in mice. The extract was fractionated by monitoring the pharmacological activity to obtain three glycans, atractans A, B and C. These constituents exerted significant hypoglycemic actions in normal and alloxan-induced hyperglycemic mice.     

Isolation and Hypoglycemie Activity of Oryzarans A, B, C, and D: Glycans of Oryza sativa Roots1.

A water extract of the Oriental crude drug "tōkon", the roots of ORYZA SATIVA, noticeably reduced blood sugar concentration in mice. The extract was fractionated by monitoring the activity to yield four glycans, oryzarans A, B, C, and D which remarkably lowered blood sugar level in normal and alloxan-produced diabetic mice.     

Isolation and Hypoglycemic Activity of Ephedrans A, B, C, D and E, Glycans of Ephedra distachya Herbs1.

Administration of an aqueous methanol/water extract of the Oriental crude drug "maō" (Ephedra), EPHEDRA DISTACHYA herbs, caused transient hyperglycemia followed by long lasting hypoglycemia in mice. Activity-guided fractionation of the extract led to isolation of five glycans, ephedrans A, B, C, D and E, which exhibited significant hypoglycemic effects in normal and alloxan-induced hyperglycemic mice.     

Isolation and Hypoglycemie Activity of Anemarans A, B, C and D, Glycans of Anemarrhena asphodeloides Rhizomes1.

An aqueous methanol/water extract of the Oriental crude drug "chimo", ANEMARRHENA ASPHODELOIDES rhizomes, exhibited a marked hypoglycemie activity on dosing to mice. Fractionation of the extract, by monitoring the pharmacological activity, resulted in isolation of four glycans, anamerans A, B, C and D. These constituents displayed significant hypoglycemie effects in normal and alloxan-produced hyperglycemie mice.     

Isolation and Hypoglycemic Activity of Coixans A, B and C, Glycans of Coix lachryma-jobi var. ma-yuen Seeds1.

A water extract of the Oriental crude drug "yokui-nin" (coix seeds), COIX LACHRYMA-JOBI var, MA-YUEN seeds, disclosed a marked hypoglycemic action when administered to mice. Fractionation of the extract, by monitoring the pharmacological activity, led to isolation of three glycans, coixans A, B and C. These components elicited remarkable hypoglycemic effects in normal and hyperglycemic mice treated with alloxan.     

Isolation and hypoglycemic activity of trichosans A, B, C, D, and E: glycans of Trichosanthes kirilowii roots

The non-dialyzable portion of the water extract of the Oriental crude drug "karokon", the roots of Trichosanthes kirilowii, was found to reduce the plasma glucose level in mice. Activity-guided fractionation of this non-dialyzable portion led to the isolation of five glycans termed as trichosans A, B, C, D and E, showing hypoglycemic actions in normal mice. The main glycan, trichosan A, also exhibited activity in alloxan-induced hyperglycemic mice.     

Isolation and Hypoglycemic Activity of Dioscorans A, B, C, D, E, and F; Glycans of Dioscorea japonica Rhizophors1.

Aqueous methanol/water extracts of the Oriental crude drug "sanyaku", DIOSCOREA JAPONICA and D. BATATAS rhizophors, notably lowered blood glucose concentration in mice. Activity-guided fractionation of the extract from D. JAPONICA afforded six glycans, dioscorans A, B, C, D, E, and F, which exhibited remarkable hypoglycemic effects in normal and alloxan-induced hyperglycemic mice.     

Isolation and Hypoglycemic Activity of Saccharans A, B, C, D, E and F, Glycans of Saccharum officinarum Stalks1.

A non-sucrose portion of the juice from the stalks of SACCHARUM OFFICINARUM prominently diminished blood sugar level in mice. Activity-guided fractionation of this portion yielded six glycans, saccharans A, B, C, D, E and F. These glycans exerted remarkable hypoglycemic actions in normal and alloxan-produced hyperglycemic mice.     

Hypoglycemic constituents of Panax ginseng

This article reviews the recent progress in the identification of hypoglycemic and insulino-mimetic principles in ginseng. Hitherto five types of substances have been discovered. They include five glycans designated panaxans A to E, adenosine, a carboxylic acid, a peptide with a molecular weight of 1400 and lacking in basic amino acid residues, and a fraction designated DPG-3-2 prepared from the water extract of ginseng. The structure of panaxan A has been partially elucidated and the glycans have been demonstrated to elicit hypoglycemia in both normal and diabetic mice. DPG-3-2 exerted its hypoglycemic action or provoked insulin secretion in diabetic and glucose-loaded normal mice while having no effect on normal mice. Adenosine, the carboxylic acid and the mol. wt 1400 peptide inhibited catecholamine-induced lipolysis in rat epididymal fat pads. EPG-3-2, a fraction related to DPG-3-2, also exhibited antilipolytic activity.     

Isolation and Hypoglycemic Activity of Moran A, a Glycoprotein of Morus alba Root Barks1.

An aqueous methanol extract of the Oriental crude drug "sohaku-hi", the root barks of MORUS ALBA, prominently reduced the plasma sugar level in mice. Activity-guided fractionation of the extract furnished a glycoprotein, moran A, which elicited remarkable hypoglycemic effects in normal and alloxan-induced hyperglycemic mice.     

Oral administration of cyanobacterial bloom extract induced the altered expression of the PP2A, Bax, and Bcl-2 in mice

The frequent occurrences of the toxic cyanobacterial (specifically Microcystis aeruginosa) bloom are becoming a global environmental issue. Lots of researches have been focused on the pure cyanobacterial toxins, but little on the natural cyanobacterial bloom. This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of the natural cyanobacterial bloom extract on the expression of proteins, which have been shown to be affected by pure microcystins. In current study, the cyanobacterial bloom extract has been administered orally to ICR mice for 7 days with different dosages. The expression level of PP2A, Bcl-2, and Bax was measured via western blotting. The results showed that after 7 days of exposure to cyanobacteria extract, in mice liver tissue, the expression level of PP2A and Bax was increased significantly between the control and treatment groups, but there is no significant change on the Bcl-2 expression. This is the first report to describe the altered expression of PP2A in vivo when mice exposure to natural water blooms extract that means many cellular pathways would be interfered via the change of PP2A activity.     

Anti-Inflammatory,Antipyretic And Antispasmodic Properties Of Chromolaena Odorata

A methanol extract of the leaves of Chromolaena odorata was evaluated for anti-inflammatory effects in the carrageenan-induced rat paw edema model as well as for antipyretic activity in mice. The effects of the extract on intestinal transit of charcoal meal and castor oil-induced diarrhoea were also investigated. The extract (50-200 mg/kg) inhibited paw edema in rats and produced significant (p <0.05) reduction in rectal temperature of mice rendered hyperthermic by yeast suspension. Antimotility and antidiarrhoeal effects were produced by the extract in intact mice. This study establishes the out-inflammatory, antipyretic, and anti-spasmodic properties of C. odorata.     

Roles of sulfated glycans in lymphocyte homing

Lymphocyte homing is mediated by a specific interaction between the lymphocyte homing receptor L-selectin and its sulfated glycoprotein ligands, which are expressed on high endothelial venules (HEV) in the lymph nodes. To examine the significance of the sulfation of L-selectin ligands, our group has generated gene-targeted mice deficient in both N-acetylglucosamine-6-O-sulfotransferase (GlcNAc6ST)-1 and GlcNAc6ST-2. The mutant mice show approximately 75% less lymphocyte homing to the peripheral lymph nodes than normal, indicating that GlcNAc6ST-1 and GlcNAc6ST-2 play a major role in the biosynthesis of L-selectin ligand in HEV. In agreement with this interpretation, an oligosaccharide analysis indicated that 6-sulfo sialyl Lewis X, a major L-selectin ligand sulfated glycan, is almost completely abrogated in the double-deficient mice. Lymphocyte homing into the parenchyma of lymph nodes is mediated by a series of interactions: rolling, activation by chemokines, integrin-mediated adhesion, and transmigration. During the rolling interaction, which is mediated by L-selectin and sulfated glycans, lymphocytes receive activation signals from chemokines presented on the surface of HEV by heparan sulfate, a sulfated glycosaminoglycan, which leads to the activation of lymphocyte beta2 integrin. Sulfated glycans are thus involved in both the rolling and the chemokine-induced activation steps between lymphocytes and HEV. In this article, recent findings on the roles of sulfated glycans in both of these lymphocyte-homing steps will be reviewed. The possible application of sulfated glycans for the prevention of inflammatory disorders will also be discussed.     

Sedative Effect of Walnut Leaf Extract and Juglone,an Isolated Constituent

Sedative activity of Juglans regia L. (Juglandaceae) chloroform extract and of one of its isolated constituents was evaluated in mice. Dry chloroform extract and juglone, orally administered at 6.5 mg/kg and 0.125 mg/kg, respectively, induced marked sedation as measured by two tests (actimeter and sleep potentiation), compared with controls (diazepam, 2 mg/kg, per os). A separation method of juglone from chloroform extract was developed.     

大钻水提物对小鼠凝血时间以及血栓形成的影响

目的 探讨大钻水提物对小鼠凝血时间以及血栓形成的影响.方法 采用断尾法观察大钻水提取物对正常小鼠出血时间的影响;采用卡拉胶诱发小鼠黑尾法,观察大钻水提物对小鼠尾部血栓形成以及凝血时间的影响.结果 大钻水提物能够显著延长正常小鼠断尾出血时间;能够显著减轻卡拉胶诱发小鼠黑尾程度,并显著延长该模型小鼠的凝血时间.结论 大钻水提物具有显著的抗凝血和抗血栓形成作用.     

Evaluation of the antihyperlipidemic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic activities of ethanolic extract of Ammi majus seeds in albino rats and mice

Pharmacological and biochemical studies on the Ammi majus seeds L. (family Umbelliferae) grown in Egypt are limited. Furocoumarins are the major constituents in the plant seeds. In the present study, the evaluation of the antihyperlipidemic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic activities on albino rats and mice was done. After 2 months of administration, both the doses (50 and 100 mg/kg body weight [bwt], respectively) of the alcoholic extract of the A. majus seed result in a significant decrease in the concentrations of cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein and increase in the concentration of high-density lipoprotein. The extract was found to inhibit the rat paw edema at both the doses, which means that it exerts a significant anti-inflammatory activity compared with control-untreated groups at the intervals of 30 and 60 minutes posttreatment. The antipyretic effect of the extract was quite obvious; it showed that 100 mg/kg bwt was more potent in lowering body temperature starting after 1 hour of treatment than the lower dose (50 mg/kg bwt). It is worth to mention that the A. majus extract with its coumarin contents as well as the tested biological activities of the plant was investigated for the first time in the current study. In conclusion, ethanolic extract of the A. majus seeds had antihyperlipidemic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic activities that are dose dependant.     

Echinocystic acid,a metabolite of lancemaside A,inhibits TNBS-induced colitis in mice

The rhizome of Codonopsis lanceolata (CL, family Campanulaceae), of which the main constituent is lancemaside A, has been used for cough and bronchitis in traditional Chinese medicine. To evaluate anti-colitic effect of CL, we examined anti-inflammatory effect of CL extracts, lancemaside A and its metabolites in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated peritoneal macrophages and 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitic mice. Among CL extracts, CL BuOH extract inhibited LPS-induced IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α expression, as well as NF-κB activation most potently. CL BuOH extract also inhibited colon shortening and myeloperoxidase activity in TNBS-induced colitic mice. Among lancemaside A, a main constituent of CL BuOH extract, and its metabolites (lancemaside X, echinocystic acid-3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside and echinocystic acid), echinocystic acid inhibited the expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokines, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, as well as the phosphorylation of IKKβ and p65 in LPS-stimulated peritoneal macrophages most potently. Echinocystic acid also potently inhibited the binding of LPS to TLR4 on peritoneal macrophages. Lancemaside A and its metabolite, echinocystic acid, inhibited TNBS-induced colonic inflammation, including colon shortening, increased myeloperoxidase activity and pro-inflammatory cytokine expression, and NF-κB activation in mice. The anti-colitic effect of echinocystic acid was superior to that of lancemaside A. Based on these findings, orally administered lancemaside A may be metabolized to echinocystic acid, which may express anti-colitic effect by inhibiting the binding of LPS to TLR4 on the macrophages.