Maternal Baicalin Treatment Increases Fetal Lung Surfactant Phospholipids in Rats

Baicalin is a flavonoid compound purified from the medicinal plant Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi and has been reported to stimulate surfactant protein (SP)-A gene expression in human lung epithelial cell lines (H441). The aims of this study were to determine whether maternal baicalin treatment could increase lung surfactant production and induce lung maturation in fetal rats. This study was performed with timed pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats. One-day baicalin group mothers were injected intraperitoneally with baicalin (5 mg/kg/day) on Day 18 of gestation. Two-day baicalin group mothers were injected intraperitoneally with baicalin (5 mg/kg/day) on Days 17 and 18 of gestation. Control group mothers were injected with vehicle alone on Day 18 of gestation. On Day 19 of gestation, fetuses were delivered by cesarean section. Maternal treatment with 2-day baicalin significantly increased saturated phospholipid when compared with control group and total phospholipid in fetal lung tissue when compared with control and 1-day baicalin groups. Antenatal treatment with 2-day baicalin significantly increased maternal growth hormone when compared with control group. Fetal lung SP-A mRNA expression and maternal serum corticosterone levels were comparable among the three experimental groups. Maternal baicalin treatment increases pulmonary surfactant phospholipids of fetal rat lungs and the improvement was associated with increased maternal serum growth hormone. These results suggest that antenatal baicalin treatment might accelerate fetal rat lung maturation

Photoproducts of indomethacin exhibit decreased hydroxyl radical scavenging and xanthine oxidase inhibition activities

AbstractIndomethacin (IN) is a widely used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug. In this study, four photoproducts of IN (IN1–IN4) were produced and isolated from photoirradiated IN. This study investigated the abilities of IN and its photoproducts to scavenge hydroxyl radicals and inhibit xanthine oxidase (XO). The hydroxyl radical-scavenging activity was measured in vitro by electron spin resonance spectrometry using 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide as a spin trapping agent. Enzyme activity was measured by continuous monitoring of uric acid formation, using xanthine as a substrate. The results showed that, among all the related products, IN has the strongest hydroxyl radical-scavenging (IC50 = 65 μM) and XO inhibitory (IC50 = 86 μM) effects. To further understand the stereochemistry of the reactions between these IN derivatives and XO, we performed computer-aided molecular modeling. IN was the most potent inhibitor with the most favorable interaction in the reactive site. Various photoproducts exhibited affinity toward XO as a result of the absence of hydrogen bonding with molybdopterin domain

Determination of the components in a Chinese prescription, Yu-Ping-Feng San, by RAPD analysis

In this study, the RAPD (random amplified polymorphic DNA) technique was employed for the first time to determine the components in a Chinese herbal prescription. Forty decamer oligonucleotide primers were screened in the RAPD analysis to identify three Chinese medicines, the dried root of Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge., the dried root of Ledebouriello seseloides Wolff, and the dried rhizome of Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz, in a Chinese prescription. Only primer OPP-10 simultaneously generated three distinct markers were each specific to one component. The marker with 200 bp is specific to Astragalus membranaceus; the 440 bp marker is specific to Atractylodes macracephala; and the remaining marker with 500 bp was present in Ledebouriello seseloides. The presence of the three herbal medicines in the mixed sample, the Chinese prescription, was determined when the primer OPP-10 RAPD reaction was performed. The technique was proved to contribute to the identification of components in the Chinese medicinal preparations

Revised structure for spatozoate, a metabolite of <i>Spatoglossum variabile</i>

1190-1192Structure of spatozoate, n-butyl 2-benzoyloxymethylbenzoate 1, a metabolite of Spatoglossum variabile has been revised into benzyl n-butyl phthalate 2 by synthesis. NMR spectral data of synthetic 2 agrees well with those reported for the natural spatozoate

Identification of Anoectochilus formosanus and Anoectochilus koshunensis Species with RAPD Markers

RAPD (random amplified polymorphic DNA) markers were developed to distinguish Anoectochilus formosanus from Anoectochilus koshunensis and their putative hybrids. Morphological differentiation of these two species beyond the flowering period is difficult. RAPD markers provide a rapid and easy tool for identification of the two Anoectochilus species. In the study, forty arbitrary decamer primers were screened, and nineteen species-specific RAPD markers generated from polymerase chain reactions (PCR) with eight random primers were obtained. Nine were specific to A. formosanus and ten to A. koshunensis. Two primers, OPC-08 and OPL-07, produced two markers, one specific to A. formosanus and the other specific to A. koshunensis, which simultaneously appeared in the hybrids pattern. The RAPD markers can be applied both to identification of A. formosanus and A. koshunensis species and to assessment of the extent fo hybridization in hybrids between them. This information facilitates the breeding program process

Applications of Biotechniques to the Medicinal Plants

藥用植物資源的開發與利用，為我國加入GATT後，發展精緻農業重要的一環。其種源庫的建立，目前已初具成果。惟收集品種繁多，為了有效釐清藥用植物的基原，分子生物技術實為一準確的方法。本研究利用快速且簡便的逢機擴增多型性去氧核醣核酸（RAPD）指紋分析技術，針對金線蓮、山藥及柴胡，篩選各品種（系）的特異性遺傳標誌，定其親源關係，以作為今後育種的參考。同時，以差異性表現等生物技術，尋找影響活性成份生合成的基因，作為轉殖的研究，現在正積極著手中。除此之外，中藥材的DNA鑑定，亦以RAPD及PCR-SSCP技術，進行黃連、黃耆、冬蟲夏草、當歸、枸杞及柴胡的分析。 The development and utilization of medicinal plants as resources is one of important strategies in Taiwan after the admission of the General Agreement on Traiffs and Trade (GATT). The germplasmic bank of medicinal plants has been well established during the past two years. Molecular biological techniques are reliable approaches to clarify the taxonomic levels of the medicinal plants. In our studies, a rapid and sensitive tool of random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique was employed to construct the phylogenic relationships among the collected plant species and to screen species-specific (or line-specific) markers of some Anoectochilus species, Dioscorea species, or Bupleurum species. In addition, for transgenic purpose, differential display technique was also adapted to obtain the gene which is involved in the biosynthesis pathway of the active compound. On the other hand, the authentication of dried Chinese herbal medicines, namely, Rhizoma Coptidis, Radix Astragali, Cordyceps, Radix Angelica Sinensis, Fructus Lycii, and Radix Bupleuri, were performed by using the RAPD and the PCR (polymerase chain reaction) - SSCP (single strand conformation polymorphism) techniques