Volume 70, Issue 5-6

Amniotic fluid (AF) was investigated as a possible source of the neonatal recognition cue that plays a crucial role in ewe–lamb bonding in sheep. A total of 70 of the 133 volatile organic compounds (VOCs), previously identified in the cranial wool of neonatal Dohne Merino lambs, was also identified in AF collected individually from neonatal twins. As in the case of the wool of neonatal lambs, the VOC profiles (GC-MS) of the AF of twins were remarkably similar. However, the VOC profiles of the AF differed from that of the wool VOCs of the same lambs. The VOCs that best represent the total variance in the AF and wool of neonatal lambs were not identified as ligands of the AF proteins. These observations suggest that it is unlikely that the neonatal recognition cue of sheep could be a maternal label derived from the AF in which a lamb is born, and that the neonatal recognition cue is probably produced by the lamb. Taking cognizance of the temporal changes that take place in the quantitative composition of the cranial wool VOCs, we hypothesize that components of the neonatal recognition cue are already produced by the lamb well before its birth and that the quantitative composition in which these volatiles are released into the AF does not correspond to the composition of the recognition cue of the lamb at its birth. When grooming the newborn lamb, its mother removes AF containing incorrect chemical information from her lamb’s body and this affords her enough time to learn its personal recognition cue.

The chemical composition, antitumor activity and toxicity of the essential oil from Lippia microphylla leaves (OEL) were investigated. The major constituents were thymol (46.5%), carvacrol (31.7%), p -cymene (9%), and γ-terpinene (2.9%). To evaluate the toxicity of OEL in non-tumor cells, the hemolytic assay with Swiss mice erythrocytes was performed. The concentration producing 50% hemolysis (HC 50 ) was 300 μg/mL. Sarcoma 180 tumor growth was inhibited in vivo 38% at 50 mg/kg, and 60% at 100 mg/kg, whereas 5-FU at 50 mg/kg caused 86% inhibition. OEL displays moderate gastrointestinal and hematological toxicity along with causing some alteration in liver function and morphology. However, the changes were considered reversible and negligible in comparison to the effects of several anticancer drugs. In summary, OEL displays in vivo antitumor activity and a moderate toxicity, which suggests further pharmacological study.

The hypolipidemic effect of an ethanolic extract from the roots and rhizomes of Panicum repens L. was investigated in rats suffering from high-cholesterol, diet-induced hyperlipidemia, and the phytochemicals in the extract were analyzed. The extract was administered p.o. in doses of 250 mg/kg/day together with cholesterol at a dose of 100 mg/kg/day for 7 weeks. The high-cholesterol diet caused a significant increase in total lipids, total cholesterol (TC), total triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and the atherogenic index, whereas the level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was significantly decreased. Administration of the P. repens extract (p<0.05) significantly reduced the rise of the serum levels of total lipids, TC, TG, and LDL-C, as well as the atherogenic index, whereas it significantly increased (p<0.05) the level of HDL-C. HPLC analysis of the phenolics and flavonoids in the extract revealed the presence of gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, chicoric acid, primulic acid, rutin, apigenin-7-glucoside, and quercetin. In conclusion, the P. repens extract was found to possess hypolipidemic activity in high-fat, diet-induced hyperlipidemic rats.

The feeding response of larvae of the swallowtail butterfly, Graphium sarpedon nipponum (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae), is elicited by a methanolic extract from camphor tree ( Cinnamomum camphora ) leaves . Based on bioassay-guided fractionation, three compounds, isolated from the methanolic extract of fresh leaves of the camphor tree, were revealed to be involved in a multi-component system of feeding stimulants. Structures of these feeding stimulants were identified as sucrose, 5- O -caffeoylquinic acid and quercetin 3- O - β -glucopyranoside by NMR and LC-MS.

Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) was used to detect fluoride-induced alterations in the proteome of the rat hippocampus. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n=30) were subjected to treatments three weeks after weaning. Animals of the first group were injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) with aqueous NaF (20 mg/kg/body weight/day), the second group, injected with physiological saline, served as the control. After 30 days, the body weight of the fluoride-treated rats was lower than that of the control, and F – levels in serum were higher than in the control. The hippocampus was subjected to proteomic analysis, and the fluoride-treated group was found to contain 19 up-regulated and eight down-regulated proteins. The proteins, identified by mass-spectroscopic analysis of their fragments obtained after digestion, were found to be involved in amino acid biosynthesis, the insulin signaling pathway and various other crucial functions. Our results also provide useful information on the mechanism of the reduction of the learning ability and memory induced by F.

The anti-proliferative activities of the lichen substances (-)-usnic acid and vulpinic acid on the viability of HepG2 hepatocarcinoma cells, NS20Y neuroblastoma cells and HUVEC endothelial cells were studied by the MTT assay. The anti-angiogenic potential of the substances was determined by the endothelial tube formation assay. Both lichen substances exhibited strong anti-angiogenic activity and were more cytotoxic to the cancer cell lines than to the normal cell line, but vulpinic acid has more potential as an anti-angiogenic substance because of its low cytotoxicity and stronger anti-angiogenic activity on the HUVEC cell line.

Malic acid production from the biodiesel coproduct crude glycerol by Aspergillus niger ATCC 9142, ATCC 10577 and ATCC 12846 was observed to occur with the highest malic acid level acid being produced by A. niger ATCC 12846. Fungal biomass production from crude glycerol was similar, but ATCC 10577 produced the highest biomass. Fungal biotransformation of crude glycerol into the commercially valuable organic acid malic acid appeared feasible.