Ellagic acid formation from galloylglucoses by a crude enzyme of Cornus capitata adventitious roots. (1/7)

The aqueous extract of acetone powder, which had been prepared from Cornus capitata 'Mountain Moon' adventitious roots, cultured in MS medium with a high concentration of Cu2+(10 microM), showed strong oxidative activity toward galloylglucoses. A compound formed from galloyglucoses, such as 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-beta-D-glucose and tannic acid, by the reaction with the crude enzyme solution of the adventitious roots was isolated and characterized as ellagic acid by spectrometric analyses.  (+info)

Glycosides of benzyl and salicyl alcohols from Alangium chinense. (2/7)

From the water-soluble fraction of the dried leaves of Alangium chinense, three new glycosides, benzyl alcohol beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 --> 2)-[beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1 --> 6)]-beta-D-glucopyranoside, 2'-O-beta-D-glucopyranosylsalicin, and 2'-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-6'-O-beta-D-xylopyranosylsalicin were isolated along with seven known glycosides. The structures of the new compounds were determined by spectroscopic and chemical means.  (+info)

Flower bud abortion influences clonal growth and sexual dimorphism in the understorey dioecious shrub Aucuba japonica (Cornaceae). (3/7)

Sexual differences were investigated to determine the significance of flower bud abortion in the dioecious shrub Aucuba japonica Thunb. The mean number of flowers per inflorescence and the mean number of flowering inflorescences (as opposed to aborted inflorescences) per individual were greater in males than in females in 1997 and 1998. Reproductive investment by males was 0.4-times (1997) and 1.4-times (1998) that by females. In addition, females aborted 30.9% (1997) and 42.7% (1998) of their total flower buds without blooming, whereas no male flower buds aborted. One of the architectural traits of this shrub is that in the year that a flower bud is produced at the shoot apex, the shoot will branch into two or more shoots. Thus, there was less sexual difference in the number of current shoots per individual than there was in the number of flowering inflorescences. The relationship between annual growth and reproduction, and the probability of reproduction in the following year, suggested that the higher investment in female reproduction was manifested as a cost for reproductive frequency rather than as a cost for annual growth. The spatial distribution of both males and females was clumped, which may be the result of clonal growth. In addition, overall sex ratios were not skewed and the number of sprouts did not differ significantly between sexes. These results suggested that flower bud abortion by females might reduce sexual dimorphism in terms of clonal growth.  (+info)

Colonization and succession of fungi during decomposition of Swida controversa leaf litter. (4/7)

Decomposition processes of Swida controversa leaves were investigated in initially sterilized (fungi-excluded) and nonsterilized freshly fallen leaves to examine the relationship between chemical changes and fungal succession during decomposition and the effect of exclusion of previously established phyllosphere fungi from leaves on subsequent decomposition and fungal succession. Fifteen species were isolated frequently from decomposing leaves with surface-disinfection and washing methods. These fungi were divided into early and late colonizers according to their occurrence during decomposition. The 1.5 y decomposition process was divided into three stages characterized by different dominant organic chemical constituents. A clear relationship was demonstrated between chemical changes and fungal succession. Total hyphal length and frequencies of some early colonizers were reduced in initially sterilized leaves at 3 wk, but this had no significant effect on loss of litter mass or chemical changes during the first 3 wk or on the subsequent decomposition and fungal succession.  (+info)

Microsatellite primers in the Chinese dove tree, Davidia involucrata (Cornaceae), a relic species of the Tertiary. (5/7)

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Microsatellite markers for the relictual dove tree, Davidia involucrata (Cornaceae). (6/7)

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Anti-inflammatory activities of methanol extract of Mastixia arborea C.B. Clarke as to mouse macrophage and paw edema. (7/7)

The biological activity of Mastixia arborea (MA) relates to inflammation, but the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. We confirmed the anti-inflammatory effects of a methanol extract of MA extract on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 mouse macrophage cells and carrageenan-induced mice paw edema. The MA extract significantly inhibited nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), and IL-6 production in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. In vitro expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) was suppressed by the extract. The extract attenuated acute inflammatory responses in carrageenan-induced mice paw edema. A mechanism study indicated that translocation of the NF-kappaB (p65) subunit into the nucleus and phosphorylation of ERK and JNK were inhibited by the extract. These results indicate that the extract is an effective suppressor of the inflammatory response, blocking the phosphorylation of ERK and JNK and the translocation of NF-kappaB in macrophages, thereby producing an anti-inflammatory effect in vivo.  (+info)