Polysaccharides from the Medicinal Mushroom Cordyceps taii Show Antioxidant and Immunoenhancing Activities in a D-Galactose-Induced Aging Mouse Model

Cordyceps taii, an edible medicinal mushroom native to south China, is recognized as an unparalleled resource of healthy foods and drug discovery. In the present study, the antioxidant pharmacological properties of C. taii were systematically investigated. In vitro assays revealed the scavenging activities of the aqueous extract and polysaccharides of C. taii against various free radicals, that is, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical, hydroxyl radical, and superoxide anion radical. The EC50 values for superoxide anion-free radical ranged from 2.04 mg/mL to 2.49 mg/mL, which was at least 2.6-fold stronger than that of antioxidant thiourea. The polysaccharides also significantly enhanced the antioxidant enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase) and markedly decreased the malondialdehyde production of lipid peroxidation in a D-galactose-induced aging mouse model. Interestingly, the immune function of the administration group was significantly boosted compared with the D-galactose-induced aging model group. Therefore, the C. taii polysaccharides possessed potent antioxidant activity closely associated with immune function enhancement and free radical scavenging. These findings suggest that the polysaccharides are a promising source of natural antioxidants and antiaging drugs. Consequently, a preliminary chemical investigation was performed using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy and revealed that the polysaccharides studied were mainly composed of glucose, mannose, and galactose. Fourier-transform infrared spectra also showed characteristic polysaccharide absorption bands

Poly[μ2-benzene-1,3-dicarboxyl­ato-κ2 O:O′-μ2-1,3-di-4-pyridylpropane-κ2 N:N′-zinc(II)]

The title compound, [Zn(C8H4O4)(C13H14N2)]n, was obtained by the hydro­thermal reaction of Zn(OAc)2·H2O with 1,3-di-4-pyridylpropane (bpp) and isophthalic acid (H2ip). The ZnII ion is coordinated by two bpp and two ip ligands in a distorted tetra­hedral environment. Each ligand coordinates in a bridging mode to connect ZnII ions into a three-dimensional diamondoid-type structure

Application of anastomosis with dacryocystotomy and retrograde intubation in treatment of traumatic lacrimal canaliculi laceration

AIM: To discuss the application of anastomosis in traumatic lacrimal canaliculi laceration. <p>METHODS: Totally 21 patients of which nasal end can not be found out were treated with anastomosis combined dacryocystotomy and retrograde intubation. <p>RESULTS: All the patients were followed up postoperatively for 1 year to 2 years. The total effective rate was 95.2%.<p>CONCLUSION: The anastomosis with dacryocystotomy and retrograde intubation is a affirmative and available method in treatment of traumatic lacrimal canaliculi laceration

3-(7-Meth­oxy-β-carbolin-1-yl)propionic acid monohydrate

In the title compound, C15H14N2O3·H2O [systematic name: 3-(7-meth­oxy-9H-pyrido[3,4-b]indol-1-yl)propanoic acid monohydrate], the fused rings make dhedral angles of 0.4 (1), 1.1 (2) and 1.4 (2)°. In the crystal, the water mol­ecule is involved in the formation of three independent hydrogen-bonded chains via O—H⋯O and N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, while the carb­oxy group forms an inter­molecular O—H⋯N hydrogen bond