Effect of esculentoside A on autoimmunity in mice and its possible mechanisms.
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AIM: To investigate the influence of esculentoside A (EsA) on autoimmunity in mice and its possible mechanisms. METHODS: The level of anti-ds DNA antibody, proliferation of lymphoid cells, and inflammation by pathologic section of joint in mice were examined. The autoimmunity model is made through immunizing mice with formaldehyde treated Campylobacter jejuni strain CJ-S131 and Freund's complete adjuvant. The apoptosis of T cell was analyzed through morphology and flow cytometry (FACS). The expression of ICAM-1 mRNA in human umbilical vein endothelial cell line (ECV304) was determined by coupled reverse transcription and PCR amplification (RT-PCR). RESULTS: EsA could potently lower the level of anti-ds DNA antibody, inhibit the proliferation of lymphoid cells, and ameliorate inflammation in the joint of model mouse. The apoptosis of thymocyte activated by ConA was markedly accelerated while the expression of ICAM-1 mRNA in ECV304 was decreased by EsA. CONCLUSION: EsA has the positive curative effect on autoimmunity in a mouse model, which may function through inhibition of expression of ICAM-1 mRNA in ECV304 and acceleration of thymocyte apoptosis. (+info)
Effects of esculentoside A on production of interleukin-1, 2, and prostaglandin E2.
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AIM: To investigate the influence of esculentoside A (EsA) on immunological function and its mechanism of anti-inflammation. METHODS: Interleukin-1 production was measured by thymocyte co-stimulating assay; the radioactivity of [(3)H]arachidonic acid (AA) was used to evaluate the release of AA; prostaglandin E2 production was measured with radioimmunoassay (RIA); IL-2 and IFN-gamma were detected by ELISA method. RESULTS: EsA (3-12 micromol/L)could potently inhibit the production of IL-1 and PGE(2) from both silent and LPS induced macrophages. EsA had no significant effect on the release of AA from murine macrophages. EsA could inhibit the production of IL-2 from murine lymphocytes induced by ConA, but not affect the production from silent lymphocytes. EsA showed no effect on the production of IFN-gamma from both silent and ConA induced lymphocytes. CONCLUSION: EsA could affect the immunological function through inhibiting the production of IL-2 from activated splenocytes and the inhibition of production of IL-1 and PGE(2) might be one of the anti-inflammation mechanisms of EsA. (+info)
Pokeweed antiviral protein inhibits brome mosaic virus replication in plant cells.
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Pokeweed antiviral protein (PAP) is a ribosome-inactivating protein isolated from the pokeweed plant (Phytolacca americana) that inhibits the proliferation of several plant and animal viruses. We have shown previously that PAP and nontoxic mutants of PAP can directly depurinate brome mosaic virus (BMV) RNA in vitro, resulting in reduced viral protein translation. Here we expand on these initial studies and, using a barley protoplast system, demonstrate that recombinant PAP and nontoxic mutants isolated from E. coli are able to reduce the accumulation of BMV RNAs in vivo. Pretreatment of only BMV RNA3 with PAP prior to transfection of barley protoplasts reduced the accumulation of all BMV RNAs, with a more severe effect on subgenomic RNA4 levels. Using in vitro RNA synthesis assays, we show that a depurinated template causes the BMV replicase to stall at the template nucleotide adjacent to the missing base. These results provide new insight into the antiviral mechanism of PAP, namely that PAP depurination of BMV RNA impedes both RNA replication and subgenomic RNA transcription. These novel activities are distinct from the PAP-induced reduction of viral RNA translation and represent new targets for the inhibition of viral infection. (+info)
Effects of aqueous extracts of Aconitum carmichaeli, Rhizoma bolbostemmatis, Phytolacca acinosa, Panax notoginseng and Gekko swinhonis Guenther on Bel-7402 cells.
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AIM: To investigate the anticancer activity of a chinese medical mixture, WRCP (warming and relieving Cold Phlegm), on hepatocarcinoma Bel-7402 cells. METHODS: Fingerprints of WRCP, which were composed of aqueous extracts of Aconitum carmichaeli, Rhizoma bolbostemmatis, Phytolacca acinosa, Panax notoginseng and Gekko swinhonis Guenther, and aconitine, which could be isolated from Aconitum carmichaeli and have the potential toxicity, were identified by high pressure liquid chromatography. Bel-7402 cells were grown in the presence of WRCP, As(2)O(3) or all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA). Cell proliferation and viability were determined by trypan blue stain. Apoptosis and cell cycle of Bel-7402 cells were detected by flow cytometry. Morphologic and ultrastructural variations were determined under optic and electronic microscopy. The secretion of alpha-fetoprotein and albumin was detected by radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: The average quality of aconitine is 1.15 +/- 0.10 microg per 7.5 g extracts. WRCP could suppress the proliferation and viability of Bel-7402 cells. The percentage of apoptosis cells and S phase cells increased on WRCP-treated cells. Treated with WRCP, Bel-7402 cells showed ultrastructural features of differentiation. The alpha-fetoprotein secretion decreased while the albumin secretion increased (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, respectively) markedly in WRCP-treated cells. CONCLUSION: WRCP can affect the proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis of Bel-7402 cells. It can arrest cells in S phase and has strong cytotoxicity to Bel-7402 cells. (+info)
Purification and enzymatic properties of a peroxidase from leaves of Phytolacca dioica L. (Ombu tree).
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Rapid green synthesis of silver nanoparticles from silver nitrate by a homeopathic mother tincture Phytolacca Decandra.
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OBJECTIVE: To examine if a homeopathic mother tincture (Phytolacca Decandra) is capable of precipitating silver nanoparticles from silver nitrate (AgNO(3)) and to characterize the biosynthesized nanoparticles for evaluating their biological activities. METHODS: A total of 100 mg of AgNO(3) was added to 20mL of Milli-Q water and stirred vigorously. Then 5mL of the homeopathic mother tincture of Phytolacca Decandra (ethanolic root extract of Phytolacca decandra) was added and stirred continuously. Reduction took place rapidly at 300K and completed in 10 min as shown by stable light greenish-yellow color of the solution which gave colloid of silver nanoparticles. The colloid solution was then centrifuged at 5000xg to separate the nanoparticles for further use. The nanoparticles were characterized by spectroscopic analysis, particle size analysis and zeta potential measurements, and morphology was analyzed by atomic force microscopy. The drug-DNA interaction was determined by circular dichroism spectrophotometry and melting temperature profiles by using calf thymus DNA as the target. The biological activities were determined using a cancer cell line A549 in vitro and using bacteria Escherichia coli and fungus Saccharomyces cerevisiae as test models. RESULTS: Phytolacca Decandra precipitated silver nanoparticles in ambient conditions. The nanoparticles had 91 nm particle size, with polydispersity index of 0.119 and zeta potential of -15.6 mV. The silver nanoparticles showed anticancer and antibacterial properties, but no clear antifungal properties. CONCLUSION: This could be a novel environment-friendly method to biosynthesize silver nanoparticles using a cost-effective, nontoxic manner. The homeopathic mother tincture may utilize this property of nano-precipitation in curing diseases or disease symptoms. (+info)