商陆中三种新皂甙的分离与鉴定

从商陆科植物商陆(Phytolacca esculenta Van Houtte)中分离得三种新的三萜皂甙,根据化学性质和光谱分析(UV,IR,¹HNMR,¹³CNMR,MS),确定甙Ⅰ为3-O-β-D-吡喃木糖基商陆酸,甙Ⅱ为3-O-β-D-吡喃葡萄糖基-羟基商陆酸,甙Ⅲ为3-O-[β-D-吡喃葡萄糖基(1→4)-β-D-吡喃木糖基(1→4)-β-D-吡喃葡萄糖基]-2-羟基商陆酸,分别命名为商陆皂甙O,P,Q。     

Influence of 3-hydroxymethyl xylitol,a novel antidiabetic compound isolated from Casearia esculenta (Roxb.) root,on glycoprotein components in streptozotocin-diabetic rats

Casearia esculenta root (Roxb.) is widely used in traditional system of medicine to treat diabetes in India. An active compound, 3-hydroxymethyl xylitol (3-HMX), has been isolated, and its optimum dose has been determined in a short duration study and patented. In addition, the long-term effect of 3-HMX in type 2 diabetic rats on antihyperglycemic, antioxidants, antihyperlipidemic, and protein metabolism and kidney marker enzymes was investigated, and its effect was shown previously. In this study, we investigated the effect of 3-HMX on plasma and tissue glycoproteins in streptozotocin-diabetic rats. Animals were divided into five groups viz., control group, 3-HMX (40 mg/kg of body weight) treated group, diabetic group, diabetic+3-HMX (40 mg/kg of body weight), and diabetic+glibenclamide (600 μg/kg of body weight). 3-HMX was administered orally at a dose of 40 mg/kg of body weight for 45 days. The study shows significant increases in the level of sialic acid except kidney and elevated levels of hexose, hexosamine, and fucose in the liver and kidney of diabetic rats, and the treatment with 3-HMX and glibenclamide showed reversal of these parameters toward normalcy. Thus, the study indicates that 3-HMX possesses a significant beneficial effect on glycoprotein components.     

Neuropharmacological activity of hydroalcoholic extract of leaves of Colocasia esculenta

Context: Although Colocasia esculenta Linn. (Araceae), commonly known as elephant ear (English), possesses diverse pharmacological activities in animals, little is known about its neuropharmacological activity.

Objective: The present study evaluated the neuropharmacological activities of hydroalcoholic extract of leaves of Colocasia esculenta (HECE) using several experimental models.

Materials and methods: Adult Wistar albino rats were subjected to behavior despair and elevated plus maze (EPM) tests. Thiopental-induced sedation and rotarod tests were conducted on Swiss albino mice.

Results and discussion: The effects of HECE on anxiety, depression, thiopental-induced sleeping time, and rotarod performance were evaluated. The anxiolytic activity of HECE (100, 200, and 400?mg/kg) per os (p.o.) was characterized by increased time spent and number of entries in open arms in the EPM paradigm as compared to control group (p?<?0.001). The HECE (100, 200, and 400?mg/kg, p.o.) showed dose-dependent significant reduction in duration of immobility (p?<?0.01) in the behavior despair test. The HECE at the doses 50 and 100?mg/kg, i.p. was found to produce a significant reduction in motor coordination (p?<?0.001) and prolongation of thiopental-induced sleeping time (p?<?0.001). The phytochemical screening revealed the presence of flavonoids, β-sitosterol, and steroids.

Conclusions: The results of the study for the first time show that the plant possesses neuropharmacological activity, confirming the traditional claims. Future research should focus on the identification and the neurobehavioral activity of the constituents from this plant.     

Household Utilization of Manioc (Manihot Esculenta Crantz) in Northern Mozambique

Mozambique is ranked ninth of top manioc (Manihot esculenta Crantz) producing countries in the world. Manioc roots are a staple to people living in the northern part of the country. Despite this, information on production, utilization, postharvest handling, and marketing is scarce. The purpose of this baseline study was to document selected information on manioc, from the production to marketing stage. To gather this information, 70 focus groups consisting of 1,724 participants purposely sampled from 10 districts were engaged in discussions using a questionnaire. The results show that manioc is the most important crop in terms of contribution to household food security and income in the region. Both men and women participate in the delivery of manioc production chain. Typically, 5 to 15 varieties identified by local language can be found on most farms in the study area. Manioc leaves and roots are the parts of the plant used as human food. Sun dried manioc roots are principally marketed within the locality of production by individual farmers. This baseline study suggests the need for location-targeted interventions as the farmers reported varied challenges along the manioc production chain.