Challenging National Narratives: On the Origins of Sweet Potato in China as Global Commodity During the Early Modern Period

The introduction of American cereal crops is probably one of the most important events in China¿s agricultural history, having a great effect on the agriculture production, national life, the transformation of consumer behaviour and, to some extent, the nationalization of consumption. The sweet potato (Ipomoea Batatas L.), in Chinese g¿nsh¿ ¿¿, is a staple food crop for ancient Chinese society. Today it still plays an important role in Chinese daily life, as well as guaranteeing national food security.GECEM Project, Global Encounters between China and Europe: Trade Networks, Consumption and Cultural Exchanges in Macau and Marseille (1680-1840), ERC (European Research Council)- Starting Grant, programa Horizon 2020, número de ref. 679371, www.gecem.eu.Versión del edito

Protective effect of the seeds of Allium fistulosum extract against acute myocardial ischemia in rats and dogs

Allium fistulosum (Welsh onion) is a perennial onion species that originates in eastern Asia. It is an important cooking ingredient in eastern countries, such as China, Japan, and Korea. In western countries, it is primarily used as a scallion or salad onion. According to the dictionary of Chinese drugs, the seeds of A. fistulosum, a traditional Chinese medicine, are used as tonic and aphrodisiac. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of the seeds of A. fistulosum extract (SAFE) against acute myocardial ischemia. Rat and dog acute myocardial ischemia models were used, the model of acute myocardial ischemia in rats were divided into six groups: control group (saline, 10 mL·kg−1), model group (saline, 10 mL·kg−1), SAFE low, medium and high dose groups（50, 150, 300 mg·kg−1）and the positive control group (Xingling granule, 900 mg·kg−1), and the model of acute myocardial ischemia in dogs were also divided into the control group （saline, 2 mL·kg−1）, SAFE low, medium and high dose groups（15, 45, 90 mg·kg−1）and the positive control group (Xingling granule, 300 mg·kg−1). Myocardial ischemia degree was measured by epicardium electrocardiogram, the range of myocardial infarction was determined by quantitative histology （N-BT staining), and serum creatine kinase (CK）and lactate dehydrogenase（LDH) content were detected by biochemical assay. Compared with the control group, the results showed that SAFE could reduce the degree of myocardial ischemia, infarcted area, and elevation of serum CK and LDH levels in rats and dogs after coronary ligation. In conclusion, SAFE can improve acute myocardial ischemia and reduce myocardial infarction in rats and dogs, and which suggests that it can achieve prevention effects of myocardial ischemia