Two New Phenolic Glycosides from Viscum articulatum

Two new phenolic glycosides, 1-O-benzyl-[5-O-benzoyl-beta-D-apiofuranosyl (1. 2)]-beta-D-glucopyranoside (1), and 4'-hydroxy-7,3'-dimethoxyflavan-5-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (2), together with nine known flavanones 3 -11, have been isolated from the dried

Dichotomains A and B: Two new highly oxygenated phenolic derivatives from Dicranopteris dichotoma

Dichotomains A (1) and B (2), two new highly oxygenated phenolic derivatives that feature a spirodilactone moiety in their structures, were isolated from the fronds of Dicranopteris dichotoma. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of NMR and MS sp

Allelopathic effects of phenolic compounds present in submerged macrophytes on Microcystis aeruginosa

In laboratory studies, the allelopathic effects of 3 (Hydrocharitaceae family) submerged macrophytes (Elodea nuttallii (Planch) St. John, Hydrilla verticillata (L.f.) Royle and Vallisneria spiralis L.) were investigated on two strains of Microcystis aeruginosa. Both aqueous methanol extracts and exudates of three macrophytes inhibited the growth of both strains of Microcystis aeruginosa, After 3-days culture, E nuttallii, H. verticillata and V. spiralis excreted 0.8, 0.3 and 1.0% of total phenolic compounds (TPC), respectively, into the surrounding water. After removing phenolic compounds by polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP)), the plant exudates showed very weak activity. The inhibitory rates of exudates of E. nuttallii, H. verticillata and V. spiralis, against non-toxic M. aeruginosa were decreased by 35.7, 43.4 and 59.1% respectively. Thus 3 submerged macrophytes released the phenolic compounds into the surrounding water, to inhibit the growth of M. aeruginosa. This information may help us in understanding the mechanism of allelopathy in aquatic ecosystems and to control the algal bloom in eutrophic water bodies.

The response of antioxidant systems in Nostoc sphaeroides against UV-B radiation and the protective effects of exogenous antioxidants

UV radiation is one of many harmful factors found in space that are detrimental to organisms on earth in space exploration. In the present work, we examined the role of antioxidant system in Nostoc sphaeroides Kutz (Cyanobacterium) and the effects of exogenously applied antioxidant molecules on its photosynthetic rate under UV-B radiation. It was found that UV-B radiation promoted the activity of antioxidant system to protect photosystem 11 (PSII) and exogenously applied antioxidant: sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) had an obvious protection on PSII activity under UV-B radiation. The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD, EC 1.15.1.1), catalase (CAT, EC 1.11.1.6), peroxidase (POD, EC 1.11.1.7) and content of NIDA (malondialdehyde) and ASC (ascorbate) were improved by 0.5 mM and 1 mM SNP, but 0.1 mM SNP decreased the activity of antioxidant system. Addition of exogenous NAC decreased the activity of SOD, POD, CAT and the content MDA and ASC. In contrast, exogenously applied NAC increased GSH content. The results suggest that exogenous SNP and NAC may protect algae by different mechanisms: SNP may play double roles as both sources of reactive free radicals as well as ROS scavengers in mediating the protective role of PSII on algae under UV-B radiation. On the other hand, NAC functions as an antioxidant or precursor of glutathione, which could protect PSII directly from UV-B radiation. (c) 2007 COSPAR, Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The involvement of the antioxidant system in protection of desert cyanobacterium Nostoc sp against UV-B radiation and the effects of exogenous antioxidants

In this study, we found that UV-B radiation decreased photosynthetic activity and boosted lipid peroxidation of desert Nostoc sp., and exogenous chemicals (ascorbate acid (ASC), N-acetylcysteine (NAC), and sodium nitroprusside (SNP)) had obvious protective effects on photosynthesis and membranes under UV-B radiation. High-concentration SNP boosted the activities of antioxidant enzymes, but low-concentration SNP reduced the activities of antioxidant enzymes. Both NAC and ASC treatments of cells decreased activities of antioxidant enzymes. The results suggested that those chemicals possibly had different mechanisms of protection of algae cells against UV-B radiation. SNP might play double roles as a signal molecule in the formation of algae cell protection of Photosystem 11 under UV-B radiation and as a (reactive oxygen species) scavenger, while NAC and ASC might function as antioxidant reagents or precursors of other antioxidant molecules, which could protect cells directly against ROS initiated by UV-B radiation. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Utilizing a CdTe quantum dots-enzyme hybrid system for the determination of both phenolic compounds and hydrogen peroxide

In this paper, we attempt to construct a simple and sensitive detection method for both phenolic compounds and hydrogen peroxide, with the successful combination of the unique property of quantum dots and the specificity of enzymatic reactions. In the presence Of H2O2 and horseradish peroxidase, phenolic compounds can quench quantum dots' photoluminescence efficiently, and the extent of quenching is severalfold to more than 100-fold increase. Quinone intermediates produced from the enzymatic catalyzed oxidation of phenolic compounds were believed to play the main role in the photoluminescence quenching.

Characterization of saccharides and phenolic acids in the Chinese herb Tanshen by ESI-FT-ICR-MS and HPLC

This study sought to determine the main components (saccharides and phenolic acids) in crude extract of the Chinese herb Tanshen by electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonant mass spectrometry (ESI-FT-ICR-MS) in negative-ion mode. Eleven compounds were identified as phenolic acids by exact mass measurement and further confirmed by sustained off-resonance irradiation (SORI) CID data. In addition, monosaccharicles and oligosaccharides (n = 2 similar to 5) and a serial of corresponding anionic adducts of saccharide were observed without adding any anions additionally to the extract solution, and the anionic components were unambiguously identified as H2O, HCl, HCOOH, HNO3, C3H6O2, H2SO4 and C5H7NO3 according to the exact mass measurement results.