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C. Sinensis (c + sinensi)
Selected AbstractsMycelium cultivation, chemical composition and antitumour activity of a Tolypocladium sp. fungus isolated from wild Cordyceps sinensisJOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 2 2006P.H. Leung Abstract Aims:, To examine and illustrate the morphological characteristics and growth kinetics of Cs-HK1, a Tolypocladium fungus, isolated from wild Cordyceps sinensis in solid and liquid cultures, and the major chemical constituents and antitumour effects of Cs-HK1 mycelium. Methods and Results:, The Cs-HK1 fungus was isolated from the fruiting body of a wild C. sinensis and identified as a Tolypocladium sp. fungus. It grew rapidly at 22,25°C on a liquid medium containing glucose, yeast extract, peptone and major inorganic salts, with a specific growth rate of 1·1 day,1, reaching a cell density of 23·0 g dw l,1 in 7,9 days. Exopolysaccharides accumulated in the liquid culture to about 0·3 g l,1 glucose equivalent. In comparison with natural C. sinensis, the fungal mycelium had similar contents of protein (11·7,,g) and carbohydrate (654·6,,g) but much higher contents of polysaccharide (244·2 mg vs 129·5 mg), adenosine (1116·8,,g vs 264·6 ,g) and cordycepin (65·7 ,g vs 20·8 ,g) (per gram dry weight). Cyclosporin A, an antibiotic commonly produced by Tolypocladium sp., was also detected from the mycelium extract. The hot water extract of mycelium showed low cytotoxic effect on B16 melanoma cells in culture (about 25% inhibition) but significant antitumour effect in animal tests, causing 50% inhibition of B16 cell-induced tumour growth in mice. Conclusions:, The Tolypocladium sp. fungus, Cs-HK1, can be easily cultivated by liquid fermentation. The mycelium biomass contained the major bioactive compounds of C. sinensis, and the mycelium extract had significant antitumour activity. Significance and Impact of the Study:, The Cs-HK1 fungus may be a new and promising medicinal fungus and an effective and economical substitute of the wild C. sinensis for health care. [source] Cordyceps fungi: natural products, pharmacological functions and developmental productsJOURNAL OF PHARMACY AND PHARMACOLOGY: AN INTERNATI ONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCE, Issue 3 2009Professor Xuanwei Zhou Abstract Objectives Parasitic Cordyceps fungi, such as Cordyceps sinensis, is a parasitic complex of fungus and caterpillar, which has been used for medicinal purposes for centuries particularly in China, Japan and other Asian countries. This article gives a general idea of the latest developments in C. sinensis research, with regard to the active chemical components, the pharmacological effects and the research and development of products in recent years. Key findings The common names for preparations include DongChongXiaCao in Chinese, winter worm summer grass in English. It has many bioactive components, such as 3,-deoxyadenosine, cordycepic acid and Cordyceps polysaccharides. It is commonly used to replenish the kidney and soothe the lung, and for the treatment of fatigue. It also can be used to treat conditions such as night sweating, hyposexuality, hyperglycaemia, hyperlipidaemia, asthenia after severe illness, respiratory disease, renal dysfunction, renal failure, arrhythmias and other heart disease and liver disease. Because of its rarity and outstanding curative effects, several mycelia strains have been isolated from natural Cordyceps and manufactured by fermentation technology, and are commonly sold as health food products. In addition, some substitutes such as C. militaris and adulterants also have been used; therefore, quality control of C. sinensis and its products is very important to ensure their safety and efficacy. Summary Recent research advances in the study of Cordyceps, including Cordyceps mushrooms, chemical components, pharmacological functions and developmental products, has been reviewed and discussed. Developing trends in the field have also been appraised. [source] Growth and nutrient uptake of tea under different aluminium concentrationsJOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, Issue 9 2008Ka Fai Fung Abstract BACKGROUND: The uptake of essential nutrients such as P, Fe, K, Ca and Mg is depressed by Al in most plants. This study aimed to investigate the concentrations at which Al could be toxic to C. sinensis. The suppression of nutrient uptake was investigated by comparing growth and nutrient uptake at different Al doses. The quantification of Al in apoplasm, symplasm and cell wall of C. sinensis was also studied. RESULTS: In the absence of Al, the growth of C. sinensis was retarded. Test doses over 1 mM Al were toxic to C. sinensis. At concentrations of 0.25 or 0.5 mM, distinct rhizostimulation was noted, and within a short period (2 weeks), the biomass of these seedlings increased by 44 and 35%, respectively, compared to 0 and 14% in control and 1 mM Al, respectively. In general, at beneficial doses (0.25, 0.5), Al stimulated the uptake of Ca, Mg, K and Mn, whereas the uptake of Fe, Cu and Zn was retarded. Fine roots of the seedlings had the highest levels of Al, compared to leaves, branches and main roots. In the root tips, most of the Al was present in the soluble fractions of the apoplasm and symplasm, and very low levels of Al was bound to the cell walls, which was in good agreement with the observed mobility of Al in C. sinensis. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study support the view that Al plays a nutritive role for C. sinensis. The rhizostimulatory effects of Al on C. sinensis have been explained as a consequence of enhanced nutrient uptake. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Comparison of Development and Larval Growth of Four Venerid ClamsJOURNAL OF THE WORLD AQUACULTURE SOCIETY, Issue 2 2005Young-Baek Hur The development and larval morphology of four venerid calms, Ruditapes philippinarum, Mactra veneriformis, Cyclina sinensis, and Meretrix lusoria, which cohabit the intertidal zone in western coastal Korea, were compared using laboratory culture techniques. At 87 ,m, the fertilized eggs of C. sinensis and M. lusoria were the largest and at 53 ,m, those of M. veneriformis were the smallest. D-shaped larvae of M. lusoriu were the largest and those of M. veneriformis were the smallest measuring at 135 ,m and 89 ,m, respectively. D-shaped larvae of R. philippinarum and M. lusoria had symmetrical shoulder angles and an elliptical ventral form, in contrast to the asymmetrical shoulder angles and round ventral forms of M. veneriformis and C. sinensis. In general, pediveliger larvae of all species in the study were yellow, but those of M. veneriforks and C sinenis were a more pronounced yellow. In between the early D-shaped and pediveliger stage, 7 and 17 d elapsed for M. lusonia and C. sinensis larvae, respectively. In the early larval stages for all species, the sheU length was longer than the height. However, shell length and height later became approximately the same size in all species except R. philippinarum, which exhibited a flat shape. These results indicate that for these four venerid clams, the different characteristics in larval growth and external morphology provide the evidence necessary for larval identification of natural seed production despite the fact that they spawn concurrently in the intertidal zone. [source] Inhibition of aflatoxin B1 production of Aspergillus flavus, isolated from soybean seeds by certain natural plant productsLETTERS IN APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 5 2006Y.L. Krishnamurthy Abstract Aims:, The inhibitory effect of cowdung fumes, Captan, leaf powder of Withania somnifera, Hyptis suaveolens, Eucalyptus citriodora, peel powder of Citrus sinensis, Citrus medica and Punica granatum, neem cake and pongamia cake and spore suspension of Trichoderma harzianum and Aspergillus niger on aflatoxin B1 production by toxigenic strain of Aspergillus flavus isolated from soybean seeds was investigated. Methods and Results:, Soybean seed was treated with different natural products and fungicide captan and was inoculated with toxigenic strain of A. flavus and incubated for different periods. The results showed that all the treatments were effective in controlling aflatoxin B1 production. Captan, neem cake, spore suspension of T. harzianum, A. niger and combination of both reduced the level of aflatoxin B1 to a great extent. Leaf powder of W. somnifera, H. suaveolens, peel powder of C. sinensis, C. medica and pongamia cake also controlled the aflatoxin B1 production. Conclusions:, All the natural product treatments applied were significantly effective in inhibiting aflatoxin B1 production on soybean seeds by A. flavus. Significance and Impact of the Study:, These natural plant products may successfully replace chemical fungicides and provide an alternative method to protect soybean and other agricultural commodities from aflatoxin B1 production by A. flavus. [source] Activity against drug resistant-tuberculosis strains of plants used in Mexican traditional medicine to treat tuberculosis and other respiratory diseasesPHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH, Issue 1 2008María del Rayo Camacho-Corona Abstract Tuberculosis (TB) kills about 3 million people per year worldwide. Furthermore, TB is an infectious disease associated with HIV patients, and there is a rise in multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) cases around the world. There is a need for new anti-TB agents. The study evaluated the antimycobacterial activity of nine plants used in Mexican traditional medicine to treat tuberculosis and other respiratory diseases. Nasturtium officinale showed the best activity (MIC = 100 µg/mL) against the sensitive Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The following plants were active also but at 200 µg/mL: Citrus sinensis, Citrus aurantifolia, Foeniculum vulgare, Larrea tridentata, Musa acuminata and Olea europaea. Contrary to the above data, activity against drug-resistant variants of M. tuberculosis was more evident, e.g. N. officinale was the most potent (MIC , 100 µg/mL) against the four mono-resistant variants tested; F. vulgare and O. europaea were active against all the resistant variants (MICs , 100 µg/mL). The most susceptible variant was the isoniazid resistant, being inhibited by C. aurantifolia, C. sinensis and O. europaea (MIC = 25 µg/mL). These data point to the importance of biological testing of extracts against drug-resistant M. tuberculosis isolates, and the bioguided assay of these extracts for the identification of lead compounds against MDR-TB isolates. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Evidence for density-dependent survival in adult cormorants from a combined analysis of recoveries and resightingsJOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY, Issue 5 2000Morten Frederiksen Summary 1.,The increasing population of cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis) in Europe since 1970 has led to conflicts with fishery interests. Control of cormorant populations is a management issue in many countries and a predictive population model is needed. However, reliable estimates of survival are lacking as input for such a model 2.,Capture,recapture estimates of survival of dispersive species like cormorants suffer from an unknown bias due to permanent emigration from the study area. However, a combined analysis of resightings and recovery of dead birds allows unbiased estimates of survival and emigration. 3.,We use data on 11 000 cormorants colour-ringed as chicks in the Danish colony Vorsø 1977,97 to estimate adult survival and colony fidelity. Recent statistical models allowing simultaneous use of recovery and resighting data are employed. We compensate for variation in colour-ring quality, and study the effect of population size and winter severity on survival, as well as of breeding success on fidelity by including these factors as covariates in statistical models. 4.,Annual adult survival fluctuated from year to year (0·74,0·95), with a mean of 0·88. A combination of population size in Europe and winter temperatures explained 52,64% of the year-to-year variation in survival. Differences in survival between sexes was less than 1%. Cormorants older than ,,12 years experienced lower survival, whereas second-year birds had survival similar to adults. Colony fidelity declined after 1990 from nearly 1 to ,,0·90, implying 10% permanent emigration per year. This change coincided with a decline in food availability. 5.,Apparently, survival was more severely affected by winter severity when population size was high. This could be caused by saturation of high-quality wintering habitat, forcing some birds to winter in less good habitat where they would be more vulnerable to cold winters. There was thus evidence for density dependence in adult survival, at least in cold winters. 6.,The high population growth rate sustained by European Ph. c. sinensis in the 1970s and 1980s can partly be accounted for by unusually high survival of immature and adult birds, probably caused by absence of hunting, low population density and high food availability. [source] | |||||||||||||