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Originally cultivated in the Peruvian Andes, Maca (Lepidium meyenii) is now widely consumed as functional food which is known for its functional characteristic like relieving fatigue and enhancing stamina. Macamides are the unique fatty acids with long-chain and N-benzylamides among the various constituents extracted from Maca. N-benzyl-(9Z, 12Z, 15Z)-octadecatrienamide, N-benzyl-(9Z, 12Z)-octadecadienamide, N-benzylhexadecanamide and N-benzyl-9Z-octadecenamide were isolated from crude Maca extracts in two steps by using a combination of high-speed countercurrent chromatography (HSCCC) and semi-preparative HPLC. The four macamides were identified by NMR, UV, HRMS and IR spectra. The thermal stability and autoxidative kinetics for N-benzyl-(9Z, 12Z, 15Z)-octadecatrienamide and N-benzyl-(9Z, 12Z)-octadecadienamide in the air were also studied at various temperatures and the apparent activation energies were 28.4 kJ/mol and 29.9 kJ/mol, respectively. The purity of the isolated macamides was up to 98% and the amount was enough for application as a reference substance., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Rotenone is an environmental neurotoxin that induces accumulation of α-synuclein and degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc), but the molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. We investigated whether rotenone induced impairment of autophagic flux and lysosomal functions., Methods: Autophagy flux, accumulation of α-synuclein, lysosomal membrane integrity and neurodegeneration were assessed in the rotenone-treated rat model and PC12 cells, and the effects of the autophagy inducer trehalose on rotenone's cytotoxicity were also studied., Results: Rotenone administration significantly reduced motor activity and caused a loss of tyrosine hydroxylase in SNpc of Lewis rats. The degeneration of nigral dopaminergic neurons was accompanied by the deposition of α-synuclein aggregates, autophagosomes and redistribution of cathepsin D from lysosomes to the cytosol. In cultured PC12 cells, rotenone also induced increases in protein levels of α-synuclein, microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3-II, Beclin 1, and p62. Rotenone increased lysosomal membrane permeability as evidenced by leakage of N-acetyl-beta-d-glucosaminidase and cathepsin D, the effects were blocked by reactive oxygen species scavenger tiron. Autophagy inducer trehalose enhanced the nuclear translocation of transcription factor EB, accelerated the clearance of autophagosomes and α-synuclein and attenuated rotenone-induced cell death of PC12 cells. Meanwhile, administration of trehalose to rats in drinking water (2%) decreased rotenone-induced dopaminergic neurons loss in SNpc., Conclusions: These studies indicate that the lysosomal dysfunction contributes to rotenone's neurotoxicity and restoration of lysosomal function could be a new therapeutic strategy for Parkinson's disease., (Copyright © 2014 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A virus with a particle diameter of approximately 30 nm and no envelope was purified from diseased mud crab, Scylla paramamosain and it was demonstrated to be pathogenic to mud crab. The complete nucleotide sequence analysis indicated that its genome was a single molecule of linear positive-sense ssRNA with a length of 10,415 nucleotides, excluding the 3'poly (A) tail. It consisted of two open reading frames (ORF) separated by an intergenic region (IGR) and flanked by a 5'untranslated region (5'-UTR) and a 3'untranslated region (3'-UTR). The 5'-ORF encode five putative non-structural proteins, including BIR (Baculovirus Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein Repeat), helicase, VPg (the genome-linked viral protein), 3C-like protease and RdRP (RNA-dependent RNA polymerase), while the 3'-ORF encode the structural protein precursors. This genome organization was consistent with the typical organization of dicistrovirus and the virus was designated as mud crab dicistrovirus-1 (MCDV-1). The results of the phylogenetic analysis of the putative structural protein precursor suggest that MCDV-1 has a closer genetic relationship with Taura syndrome virus (TSV) than do other dicistroviruses and that MCDV-1 is a new member of the family Dicistroviridae and assigned into the genus Aparavirus., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study investigated the in vivo protective effect of cyanidin 3-glucoside (C3G) against ethanol-induced gastric lesions in rats. The experimental rats were treated with 80% ethanol after pretreatment with various doses of C3G (4 and 8 mg/kg of body weight), and the control rats received only 80% ethanol. Oral pretreatment with C3G significantly inhibited the formation of ethanol-induced gastric lesions and the elevation of the lipid peroxide level. In addition, pretreatment with C3G significantly increased the level of glutathione and the activities of radical scavenging enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase, in gastric tissues. These results suggest that the gastroprotective effect of C3G removes the ethanol-induced lipid peroxides and free radicals and that it may offer a potential remedy for the treatment of gastric lesions.