Anti-Oxidative Abilities of Essential Oils from Atractylodes ovata Rhizome

The rhizome of Atractylodes ovata De Candolle is rich in essential oils, which are usually removed by processing. In this study, anti-oxidative abilities of essential oils and aqueous extracts of A. ovata rhizome were explored, and the influence of processing on the anti-oxidative abilities was examined. Essential oils and aqueous extracts of A. ovata were extracted by boiling water and steam distillation, respectively. Quality of these two A. ovata samples was controlled by HPLC and GC-MS system, and anti-oxidative abilities were then evaluated. Results showed that surface color of A. ovata turned to brown and chemical components were changed by processing. Contents of both atractylon and atractylenolide II decreased in the essential oils, but only the contents of atractylon decreased by processing. Atractylenolide III increased in both A. ovata samples. However, A. ovata essential oils displayed stronger anti-oxidative abilities than aqueous extracts in DPPH-scavenging, TBH-induced lipid peroxidation and catalase activity assays. Moreover, the bioactivity of essential oils from raw A. ovata was stronger than oils from processed A. ovata. On the other hand, cytotoxicity of A. ovata essential oils was stronger than that of aqueous extracts, and was more sensitive on H9C2 cell than NIH-3T3 and WI-38 cells. In contrast, stir-frying processing method increased cytotoxicity of essential oils, but the cytotoxicity was ameliorated when processed with assistant substances. The results suggested that phytochemical components and bioactivity of A. ovata were changed after processing and the essential oils from raw A. ovata showed better anti-oxidative and fewer cytotoxicity effects

Swimming exercise attenuates mechanical hypersensitivity and mitigates peripheral nerve degeneration in rats with painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN)

Background: This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of swimming exercise in alleviating mechanical hypersensitivity and peripheral nerve degeneration associated with a pre-clinical model of painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN). Methods: This study is a pre-clinical study conducted using the streptozocin (STZ)-induced PDN rat model. Rats were randomly allocated to three groups: a vehicle group of non-diabetic rats (Vehicle, n = 9), a group of rats with PDN (PDN, n = 8), and a group of rats with PDN that performed a swimming exercise program (PDN-SW, n = 10). The swimming exercise program included daily 30-minute swimming exercise, 5 days per week for 4 weeks. Von Frey testing was used to monitor hindpaw mechanical sensitivity over 4 weeks. Assessment of cutaneous peripheral nerve fiber integrity was performed after the 4-week study period via immunohistochemistry for protein gene product 9.5-positive (PGP9.5+) intra-epidermal nerve fiber density (IENFD) in hind-paw skin biopsies by a blinded investigator. Results: The results showed that swimming exercise mitigated but did not fully reverse mechanical hypersensitivity in rats with PDN. Immunohistochemical testing revealed that the rats in the PDN-SW group retained higher PGP9.5+ IENFD compared to the PDN group but did not reach normal levels of the Vehicle group. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that swimming exercise can mitigate mechanical hypersensitivity and degeneration of peripheral nerve fibers in rats with experimental PDN

Seabed gas emissions and submarine landslides off SW Taiwan

Methane emissions out of the seabed could seriously affect Earthâs climate and are usually associated with the dissociation of gas hydrates stored in marine sediments on the continental margins. Spatially, gas emissions out of the seafloor are not evenly distributed in continental margins. Gas emissions out of the seabed generally occur through submarine mud volcanoes and gas seeps. To understand the seabed gas emissions off SW Taiwan, we investigate the distributions of active submarine mud volcanoes, gas seeps, and gas plumes off SW Taiwan. We examine all of the available sub-bottom profiler and EK echo sounder data. We identified 19 submarine mud volcanoes, 220 gas seeps, and 295 gas plumes. The gas emissions are generally distributed at the crests of mud diapiric ridges. Most of the active mud volcanoes and gas seeps cluster at the KASMVG (Kaoping submarine mud volcanoes group) area. We speculate that the intensive mud volcanism and gas seepage at the KASMVG area are ascribed to submarine channel erosion along the continental slope base. The erosion causes a deep V-shaped channel and a steep BSR (Bottom-Simulating Reflector) slope curve across the continental margin. The upward migration rate of free gas beneath the BSR is thus increased and intensifies mud volcanism and gas seepage at the KASMVG area. The gas seeps can reduce the slope stability and generate small-scale slides. The development of mud volcanoes in an area could effectively disturb the seabed morphology so that large-scale submarine landslides cannot easily happen

2-Phenyl-2,3-dihydro­phenanthro[9,10-b][1,4]dioxine

In the title compound, C22H16O2, the phenanthrene ring system is essentially planar [maximum deviation = 0.058 (1) Å] and is inclined at an angle of 58.39 (6)° to the phenyl ring. The 1,4-dioxane ring is in a chair conformation. In the crystal, mol­ecules are stacked along the b axis, but no significant hydrogen bonds are observed

The Antiinfective Effects of Velvet Antler of Formosan Sambar Deer (Cervus unicolor swinhoei) on Staphylococcus aureus-Infected Mice

We assayed the effects of velvet antler (VA) of Formosan sambar deer (Cervus unicolor swinhoei) and its extracts on the anti-infective activity against pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus in vitro and in vivo in this study. In vitro data indicated that the VA extracts stimulated the proliferation of resting splenocytes and macrophages in a dose-dependent manner up to the highest concentration used (150 μg mL−1). The production of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-12) by lipoteichoic acid was significantly suppressed after being cocultured with the VA extracts in a dose-dependent manner. Animal test in S. aureus-infected mice demonstrated that the numbers of bacteria determined in the kidneys and peritoneal lavage fluid of S. aureus-infected mice were significantly higher than those found in the same organs of mice pretreated with the VA samples. Moreover, the highly enhanced phagocytic activity of macrophages was further verified after in vitro treatment with the VA samples. The protective mechanisms of the VA samples might include an immune enhancer and an inflammatory cytokine suppressor

N-(4-Bromo­phen­yl)-2-(naphthalen-1-yl)acetamide

In the title compound, C18H14BrNO, the naphthalene ring system and the benzene ring form dihedral angles of 78.8 (2) and 19.7 (2)°, respectively, with the acetamide C—C(=O)—N plane. The naphthalene ring system forms a dihedral angle of 64.88 (19)° with the benzene ring. In the crystal, mol­ecules are linked via inter­molecular bifurcated (N,C)—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, generating an R 2 1(6) ring motif, forming chains along the b axis

N-(3,5-Dichloro­phen­yl)-2-(naphthalen-1-yl)acetamide

In the title compound, C18H13Cl2NO, the naphthalene ring system [maximum deviation = 0.038 (4) Å] and the benzene ring form dihedral angles of 69.5 (2) and 37.2 (2)°, respectively, with the essentially planar acetamide unit [maximum deviation = 0.004 (4) Å]. The naphthalene ring system forms a dihedral angle of 52.36 (18)° with the benzene ring. In the crystal, mol­ecules are linked via inter­molecular N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming chains along [001]