Effects of extracts from Italian medicinal plants on planktonic growth, biofilm formation and adherence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

AIM OF STUDY: One-third of botanical remedies from southern Italy are used to treat skin and soft tissue infection (SSTI). Staphylococcus aureus, a common cause of SSTI, has generated increasing concern due to drug resistance. Many plants possess antimicrobial agents and provide effective remedies for SSTI. Our aim was to investigate plants from different ethnobotanical usage groups for inhibition of growth and biofilms in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three groups were assessed: plant remedies for SSTI, plant remedies not involving the skin, and plants with no ethnomedical application. We screened 168 extracts, representing 104 botanical species, for activity against MRSA (ATCC 33593). We employed broth dilution methods to determine the MIC after 18 h growth using an optical density (OD 600 nm) reading. Anti-biofilm effects were assessed by growing biofilms for 40 h, then fixing and staining with crystal violet. After washing, 10% Tween 80 was added and OD 570 nm readings were taken. RESULTS: Extracts from 10 plants exhibited an IC50medicinal plants used for SSTI is significantly greater than plants without any ethnomedical applications.     

附生型兰科药用植物化学成分及药理活性研究进展

附生型兰科植物是兰科中的一大类群,其中许多植物具有很高的药用价值。近年来国内外对于该类药用植物的化学成分和活性给予了很大关注。作者综述了近15年来附生型兰科药用植物的化学成分及药理活性的研究进展。为今后从化学成分角度阐明不同类型的兰科药用植物之间的亲缘关系和从中开发新药提供参考。     

TBL教学法在天然药物化学教学中的应用探索

探讨TBL教学法在天然药物化学教学中的应用,通过组建小组、教师确定教学要点、学生根据要点进行课前阅读和准备、个人测试等过程,学习天然药物化学的基础理论知识及基本实验技术.实践表明,TBL教学法能充分调动学生的积极性和能动性,提高学生自主发现问题、解决问题的能力,并在团队学习过程中培养团体协作精神,同时也有助于改变教师的教育理念,提高教学技能和评价手段.     

玛咖酰胺研究进展

玛咖因其丰富的营养价值和多样的药用价值被作为食品和传统药材长期食用。玛咖酰胺为其特征性化合物,是一系列非极性长链脂肪酸的氮苄基酰胺类化合物,具有神经保护及神经系统调节等活性。综述了玛咖酰胺的种类,及其化学合成、检测方法、生物活性的国内外研究进展,为进一步研究及开发利用提供参考。     

Antiprotozoal and cytotoxic activities in vitro of Colombian Annonaceae

Ethnobotanical and chemotaxonomical studies for antiparasitic activity of Colombian Annonaceae were carried out. In vitro antiprotozoal activity of 36 extracts obtained from six different species was determined against promastigotes of three Leishmania species, epimastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi and both chloroquine sensitive (F32) and resistant (W2) Plasmodium falciparum. Cytotoxic activity was evaluated in U-937 cells. Active extracts were selected according their selectivity index (SI). Extracts from Annona muricata, Rollinia exsucca, Rollinia pittieri and Xylopia aromatica were active against Leishmania spp. and Trypanosoma cruzi showing IC50 values lower than 25 microg/ml. Hexane extract from Rollinia pittieri leaves was the most selective against Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania spp. (IS=10 and 16, respectively). The extracts from Desmopsis panamensis, Pseudomalmea boyacana, Rollinia exsucca and Rollinia pittieri showed good antiplasmodial activity (IC50 < 10 microg/ml). No correlation between antiplasmodial activity and inhibition of beta-hematin production was found. The present study gives specific and useful information about antiprotozoal and cytotoxic activities of some Annonaceae extracts. Results presented here also demonstrate which plants and/or plant parts could be useful in the treatment of leishmaniasis, Chagas' disease and malaria.     

防己黄芪汤HPLC-UV/ELSD指纹图谱研究

目的建立防己黄芪汤(FHD)HPLC-UV/ELSD指纹图谱分析方法,归属和指认复方中主要特征峰。方法采用HPLC法,色谱柱为Venusil MP C18(250 mm×4.6 mm,5μm);流动相为乙腈-0.1%甲酸水溶液(梯度洗脱),紫外检测器:检测波长为254 nm,蒸发光散射检测器:漂移管温度为110℃,空气体积流量为3 L/min;进样量10μL;体积流量为1 m L/min。运用《中药色谱指纹图谱相似度评价系统(2008版)》对10批FHD指纹图谱进行相似度计算,并对共有峰进行药材归属及成分指认。结果建立了FHD指纹图谱;10批FHD指纹图谱相似度良好;在FHD HPLC-UV指纹图谱中标定了20个共有峰,其中3、6~8号峰来自防己,1、2、4、5、9、12、13、16、20号峰来自黄芪,10、11、13、14、15、17~19号峰来自甘草。在FHD HPLC-ELSD指纹图谱中标定了16个共有峰,其中1’~3’号峰来自防己,4’、7’、9’、11’、13’、15’、16’号峰来自黄芪,5’~8’、10’、12’、14’号峰来自甘草。通过进样对照品、复方以及在复方中加对照品的方式指认出复方中9个成分,分别为9/4’号峰(毛蕊异黄酮葡萄糖苷)、11/6’号峰(甘草苷)、13/7’号峰(芒柄花苷)、15号峰(甘草素)、16/9’号峰(毛蕊异黄酮)、20/15’号峰(芒柄花素),11’号峰(黄芪甲苷)、13’号峰(黄芪皂苷II)、16’号峰(黄芪皂苷I)。结论首次建立了FHD HPLC-UV/ELSD指纹图谱分析方法,该法操作简单、准确,精密度、重复性好,可用于表征FHD中化学成分信息,为FHD质量控制提供了可靠的科学依据。     

Anti-trypanosomal activity of African medicinal plants: A review update

Ethnopharmacological relevance

African trypanosomiasis is one of the neglected tropical diseases caused by different species of trypanosomes that affect both human and livestock with devastating consequences in the continent. Most of the affected populations commonly use traditional medicinal plants for the treatment of the disease. Consequently, this prompted ethnopharmacological research activities on the anti-trypanosomal activity of a number of these African medicinal plants in order to validate their ethnomedicinal use. Furthermore, such studies could lead to the identification of chemical leads for the development of newer anti-trypanosomal agents from those plants. This review aims to provide updated information on the ethnopharmacological evidence of African medicinal plants with anti-trypanosomal activity.

Methods

Literature was collected via electronic search (PubMed, Sciencedirect, Medline and Google Scholar) from published articles that report on the in vitro or in vivo anti-trypanosomal activity of plants that were collected from different parts of Africa.

Results

African medicinal plants investigated for in vitro and in vivo anti-trypanosomal activity from January 1993 to October 2013 are systematically compiled and all the in vivo studies are critically discussed. A total of 264 plant species belonging to 79 families were investigated for anti-trypanosomal activity. However, only 48 bioactive anti-trypanosomal compounds were successfully isolated in pure forms. Furthermore, some of the plants were investigated for possible ameliorative effects on the trypanosome-induced pathological changes out of which 18 plants were reported to be effective while a few others were not. In spite of interesting preclinical ethnopharmacological evidence for anti-trypanosomal activity, not a single African medicinal plant was investigated in a clinical study.

Conclusion

Several African medicinal plants have demonstrated promising anti-trypanosomal effects but the studies on the anti-trypanosomal potentials of these plants are not taken beyond proof of concept stage. It is hoped that the article would stimulate future clinical studies because of the paucity of knowledge in this area.     

丹参-赤芍配伍的化学成分动态变化研究

选择丹参、赤芍药对为研究对象，以HPLC等色谱为研究工具，研究了不同比例配伍的丹参-赤芍共煎液与单煎混合液化学成分的异同，重点关注因两味药共煎煮而产生的化学成分动态变化现象，并运用现代科技手段分离和鉴定了变化明显的化学成分，总结了化学成分动态变化与药材配伍不同比例之间的关系。     

海南省保亭黎族地区药用植物资源调查研究

选择海南省保亭县中全村人口均为黎族人的南梗、抄芭两个村对保亭县的植物资源进行调查.结果 表明,这两个村的药用维管束植物资源有83科186属225种,其中蕨类6科6属6种,裸子植物2科2属2种,被子植物75科178属217种,225种药用植物中包含13种海南特有种[海南苏铁Cycas hainanensis C.J.Chen、海南轮环藤Cyclea hainanensis Merr.、海南地不容Stephania hainanensis H.S.Lo et Y. Tsoong. 、海南梧桐Firmiana hainanensis Kosterm.、海南韶子Nephelium topengii (Merr.)H.S.、降香黄檀(花梨母)Dalbergia odorifera T. Chen等]、7种国家级保护植物[黑桫椤Cyathea podophylla (Hook.) Cop.、野生龙眼Euphoria longan (Lour.)Steud.、野生荔枝L. chinensis Sonn. var. cuspontanea Hsue等]5种海南省重点保护植物[黄牛木Cratoxylon ligustrinum(Spach.)Bl.、细子龙Amesiodendron chinense (Merr.)Hu、龙眼Euphoria longan (Lour.)Steud.、荔枝Litchi chinensis Sonn.、海南韶子等]和15种民间药用但未见记载或仅记载有药用而未开展深入研究的药用植物[膜叶嘉赐树Casearia membranacea Hance、爪哇马儿Mukia javanica (Miq.) C.Jeffrey、大苞栝楼Trichosanthes bracteata Voigt等].对保亭黎族地区药用植物资源的科属特点进行分析,结果显示:这些药用植物在科的分布中比较集中,主要分布在蝶形花科、大戟科、菊科、姜科、芸香科、无患子科、伞形科、茜草科等科中,在属的分布中比较分散,186属中仅有30个属含有2种或2种以上的种.     

基于淫羊藿黄酮类化合物的体内代谢阐述其抗骨质疏松药效物质基础

全面系统阐述了淫羊藿饮片中朝藿定A、朝藿定B、朝藿定C、宝藿苷I、淫羊藿苷5种主要黄酮类化合物的体内代谢过程,整理了5种黄酮类化合物的体内代谢产物与代谢途径;基于5种黄酮类化合物主要体内代谢产物,总结其共性代谢规律和共有代谢产物,并结合淫羊藿总黄酮、淫羊藿苷、宝藿苷I、淫羊藿素的抗骨质疏松药理作用及其作用机制,初步推断淫羊藿黄酮类化合物中的次糖苷和苷元是淫羊藿黄酮类化合物的主要体内代谢产物,次糖苷和苷元也可能是淫羊藿总黄酮抗骨质疏松重要药效物质基础。为淫羊藿饮片及淫羊藿黄酮类化合物抗骨质疏松药效物质基础及机制研究和抗骨质疏松有效药物研发提供了重要依据和指导。