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The global sharp decline of pollinators is one of the hot issues concerned by ecologists, mainly driven by global climate change, land use change, habitat fragmentation and harmful substances such as pesticides brought by industrial and agricultural production. In contrast, the potential impact of soil heavy metal pollution on pollinators is lack of in-depth evaluation. Heavy metals in soil would enter plant tissues, such as flowers,传粉昆虫急剧下降是当前全球生态学家最为关注的热点问题之一,全球气候变化、土地利用改变、生境破碎化以及工农业生产带来的有害物质如杀虫剂等均有重要影响。相比而言,土壤重金属污染对传粉昆虫的潜在影响缺乏深入评价。土壤重金属会进入植物组织如花部,在传粉过程中传递到传粉者体内,并通过影响传粉者行为改变植物雌雄适合度,全面梳理相关研究进展和存在的问题,有助于提升对重金属污染带来的生态后果的全面认识,了解动植物相互关系对环境变化的响应。本文结合前期的研究成果,从重金属在植物花部中的积累模式、花部重金属积累对植物雌雄适合度的影响、经花部报酬介导的重金属积累对蜂类传粉者传粉行为、生活史关键环节的影响等进行综述,以期为理解花部重金属积累对植物与传粉昆虫互惠关系的影响,进而拓展关于土壤重金属污染与传粉昆虫数量减少之间的内在联系的科学认识。.

Shen Gui capsule (SGC) has been demonstrated to have a significant treatment effect for coronary heart disease (CHD). Nevertheless, the holistic therapeutic mechanism of SGC in vivo remain poorly interpreted. We aimed to systematically explore the preventive effect and mechanism of SGC on CHD rats using plasma metabolomics strategy. Rat CHD model was established by left anterior descending coronary artery ligation (LAD). Echocardiography, histological analyses of the myocardium and biochemical assays on serum were used to confirm the successful establishment of the CHD model and therapeutic effects of SGC. Then, UHPLC-MS/MS-based plasma metabolomics was combined with multivariate data analysis to screen potential pharmaco biomarkers associated with SGC treatment in the LAD-induced rat CHD model. After SGC treatment, 12 abnormal metabolites considered as potiential pharmaco biomarkers recovered to near normal levels. These biomarkers were involved in several metabolic pathways, including fat and protein metabolism, phenylalanine metabolism, neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, androgen receptor signaling pathway, and estrone metabolism.These results suggested that SGC achieves therapeutic action on CHD via regulating various aspects of the body such as energy metabolism, neurological disturbances and inflammation, and thus plays a significant role in the treatment of CHD and its complications. The study is useful to systematically understand and analyze the mechanism of SGC's "multipie pathways, multiple levels, multiple targets" prevention and treatment of CHD.

Plants growing in heavy-metal-rich soils can accumulate metals into their nectar. Nectar chemical composition can alter foraging behavior of floral visitors (including pollinators and floral antagonists) and further affect plant reproductive fitness. The role of nectar heavy metals in deterring pollinators (e.g., shortening foraging time) has been recently studied, but their effects on plant reproduction via changes in behaviors of both pollinators and floral antagonists (e.g., nectar robbers) are less understood. We experimentally manipulated four nectar heavy metals (Zn, Cu, Ni, and Pb) in a native ornamental plant, Hosta ensata F. Maekawa, to investigate the effect of nectar metals on plant reproductive success. We also recorded nectar robbing as well as foraging time and visitation rate of pollinators to assess whether nectar metals could alter the behavior of antagonists and mutualists. Although metals in nectar had no significant direct effects on plant reproduction via hand-pollination, we detected their positive indirect effects on components of female fitness mediated by pollinators and nectar robbers. Matching effects on female plant fitness, nectar robbers responded negatively to the presence of metals in nectar, robbing metal-treated flowers less often. Pollinators spent less time foraging on metal-treated flowers, but their visitation rate to metal-treated flowers was significantly higher than to control flowers. Moreover, pollinators removed less nectar from flowers treated with metals. Our results provide the first direct evidence to date that heavy metals in nectar are capable of deterring nectar robbers and modifying pollinator foraging behavior to enhance plant reproductive fitness.

Allopurinol is a commonly used medication to treat hyperuricemia and its complications. Pallidifloside D, a saponin glycoside constituent from the total saponins of Smilax riparia, had been proved to enhanced hypouricemic effect of allopurinol based on uric acid metabolism enzyme XOD. In this study, we evaluated whether Pallidifloside D (5mg/kg) enhanced hypouricemic effect of allopurinol (5mg/kg) related to others uric acid metabolism enzymes such as PRPS, HGPRT and PRPPAT. We found that, compared with allopurinol alone, the combination of allopurinol and Pallidifloside D significantly up-regulated HGPRT mRNA expression and down-regulated the mRNA expression of PRPS and PRPPAT in PC12 cells (all P

Pallidifloside D, a saponin glycoside constituent from the total saponins of Smilax riparia, had been proved to be effective in hyperuricemic control. Allopurinol is a commonly used medication to treat hyperuricemia and its complications. In this study, we evaluated whether Pallidifloside D could enhance allopurinol's effects by decreasing the serum uric acid level in a hyperuricemic mouse model induced by potassium oxonate. We found that, compared with allopurinol alone, the combination of allopurinol and Pallidifloside D significantly decreased the serum uric acid level and increased the urine uric acid level (both P0.05), leading to the normalized serum and urine uric acid concentrations. Data on serum, urine creatinine and BUN supported these observations. Our results showed that the synergistic effects of allopurinol combined with Pallidifloside D were linked to the inhibition of both serum and hepatic xanthine oxidase (XOD), the down-regulation of renal mURAT1 and mGLUT9, and the up-regulation of mOAT1. Our data may have a potential value in clinical practice in the treatment of gout and other hyperuricemic conditions.

The roots and rhizomes of Smilax riparia are called "Niu-Wei-Cai" in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). This botanical has been used in treating the symptoms of gout and other hyperuricemic-related conditions in TCM. Allopurinol is a commonly used medication to treat hyperuricemia and its complications. In this study, we evaluated whether Smilax riparia could enhance allopurinol׳s effects by decreasing the serum uric acid level in a hyperuricemic mouse model induced by potassium oxonate.We examined the effects of allopurinol (5mg/kg) administration alone or in combination with Smilax riparia saponins (SRS, 500 mg/kg) on the serum uric acid (SUA), serum creatinine (SCr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels in a hyperuricemic mouse model. The effects of allopurinol alone or those of allopurinol plus SRS on the XOD activities were measured. Western blot analysis was used to measure the levels of mURAT1, mGLUT9 and mOTA1 in the mice.Compared with allopurinol alone, the combination of allopurinol and SRS significantly decreased the serum uric acid level and increased the urine uric acid level (both P0.05), leading to the normalized serum and urine uric acid concentrations. Data on serum and urine creatinine and BUN supported these observations. The attenuation of hyperuricemia-induced renal dysfunction was linked to the inhibition of both serum and hepatic xanthine oxidase (XOD), the down-regulation of renal mURAT1 and mGLUT9, and the up-regulation of mOAT1.The anti-hyperuricemia effects of allopurinol are improved by Smilax riparia co-administration. The results were supported by the measurement of uric acid, creatinine, BUN, XOD, mURAT1, mGLUT9 and mOAT1. Our data may have a potential value in clinical practice in the treatment of gout and other hyperuricemic conditions.

Metals and metalloids in soil could be transferred into reproductive organs and floral rewards of hyperaccumulator plants and influence their reproductive success, yet little is known whether non-hyperaccumulator plants can translocate heavy metals from soil into their floral organs and rewards (i.e., nectar and pollen) and, if so, whether plant reproduction will be affected. In our studies, summer squash (Cucurbita pepo L. cv. Golden Apple) was exposed to heavy-metal treatments during bud stage to investigate the translocation of soil-supplemented zinc, copper, nickel and lead into its floral organs (pistil, anther and nectary) and rewards (nectar and pollen) as well as floral metal accumulation effects on its reproduction. The results showed that metals taken up by squash did translocate into its floral organs and rewards, although metal accumulation varied depending on different metal types and concentrations as well as floral organ/reward types. Mean foraging time of honey bees to each male and female flower of squash grown in metal-supplemented soils was shorter relative to that of plants grown in control soils, although the visitation rate of honeybees to both male and female flowers was not affected by metal treatments. Pollen viability, pollen removal and deposition as well as mean mass per seed produced by metal-treated squash that received pollen from plants grown in control soils decreased with elevated soil-supplemented metal concentrations. The fact that squash could translocate soil-supplemented heavy metals into floral organs and rewards indicated possible reproductive consequences caused either directly (i.e., decreasing pollen viability or seed mass) or indirectly (i.e., affecting pollinators' visitation behavior to flowers) to plant fitness.

The roots and rhizomes of Smilax riparia, called "Niu-Wei-Cai" in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), are believed to be effective in treating gout symptoms. However, it is not clear if the uricosuric mechanisms of S. riparia support its therapeutic activities. In this study, we examined the efficacy of S. riparia in reducing serum uric acid levels in a potassium oxonate-induced hyperuricemia mouse model. We observed that the total saponins of S. riparia could down-regulate renal mURAT1, resulting in the enhancement of urate excretion in the kidney of hyperuricemic mice. These results suggest that S. riparia could be an active anti-gout herbal medicine, which would contribute to the enhancement of uric acid excretion in the kidney.

The roots and rhizomes of Smilax riparia, called 'Niu-Wei-Cai' in traditional Chinese medicine, are believed to be effective in treating the symptoms of gout. However, the active constituents and their uricosuric mechanisms are unknown. In this study, we isolated two steroidal glycosides, named smilaxchinoside A and smilaxchinoside C, from the total saponins obtained from the ethanol extract of the roots of S. riparia. We then examined if these two compounds were effective in reducing serum uric acid levels in a hyperuricemic mouse model induced by potassium oxonate. We observed that these two steroidal glycosides possess potent uricosuric activities, and the observed effects accompanied the reduction of renal mURAT1 and the inhibition of xanthine oxidase, which contribute to the enhancement of uric acid excretion and the reduction of hyperuricemia-induced renal dysfunction. Smilaxchinoside A and smilaxchinoside C may have a clinical utility in treating gout and other medical conditions caused by hyperuricemia.

The roots and rhizomes of Smilax riparia (SR), called "Niu-Wei-Cai" in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), are believed to be effective in treating gout symptoms. However, it is not clear if the active constituents and uricosuric mechanisms of S. riparia support its therapeutic activities. In this study, we isolated two steroidal glycosides named riparoside B and timosaponin J from the total saponins of S. riparia. We then examined if these two compounds were effective in reducing serum uric acid levels in a hyperuricemic mouse model induced by potassium oxonate. We found that the two steroidal glycosides possess potent uricosuric effect in hyperuricemic mice through decreasing renal mURAT1 mainly and inhibiting XOD activity in a certain extent, which contribute to the enhancement of uric acid excretion and attenuate hyperuricemia-induced renal dysfunction. Riparoside B and timosaponin J may have a clinical utility in treating gout and other medical conditions caused by hyperuricemia.

New oxamido-bridged copper(II) complexes, [Cu(2)(oxbp)(H(2)O)(2)(NCS)(2)] (1) and [Cu(2)(oxbp)(μ-DMSO)(2)(NCS)(2)][Cu(2)(oxbp)(DMSO)(2)(NCS)(2)] (2) (H(2)oxbp=N,N'-bis(2-(diethylamino)ethyl)oxalamide), were synthesized and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, elemental analysis, IR, and electronic spectra. X-ray analysis revealed that complex 1 consists of neutral binuclear [Cu(2)(oxbp)(H(2)O)(2)(NCS)(2)] units which forms a two-dimensional network through intermolecular hydrogen bonds and complex 2 is constructed by neutral [Cu(2)(oxbp)(μ-DMSO)(2)(NCS)(2)] (2a) and [Cu(2)(oxbp)(DMSO)(2)(NCS)(2)] (2b) entities which alternately distribute to form a two-dimensional network by means of quasi μ-DMSO bridge and intermolecular hydrogen bonds. In both 1 and 2, bicopper centers are linked by the "trans-form" oxamido bridges with the distances of 5.272 A for 1 and av. 5.296 A for 2, respectively. The interaction of Cu(II) complexes with DNA was investigated by UV-visible, fluorescence emission spectrometry and agarose gel electrophoresis. The apparent binding constant (K(app)) values of 3.16×10(5) M(-1) for 1 and 4.9×10(5) M(-1) for 2 suggest moderate intercalative binding modes between the complexes and DNA. Complex 1 displayed efficient oxidative cleavage of supercoiled DNA, which might indicate that the underlying mechanism involves singlet oxygen (((1))O(2)) as reactive oxygen species. Complex 2 is characteristic of the involvement of a singlet oxygen-like entity and hydrogen peroxide in the cleavage process. In addition, our present work showed, by fluorescence spectrometry of BSA with complexes, both 1 and 2 bind to BSA with a medium affinity through a static mode which is tentatively assigned binding to Trp134 in BSA.

Recent studies suggest that oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction play important roles in the neurotoxicity of nickel. Because mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is highly vulnerable to oxidative stress and melatonin can efficiently protect mtDNA against oxidative damage in various pathological conditions, the aims of this study were to determine whether mtDNA oxidative damage was involved in the neurotoxicity of nickel and to assay the neuroprotective effects of melatonin in mtDNA. In this study, we exposed mouse neuroblastoma cell lines (Neuro2a) to different concentrations of nickel chloride (NiCl(2), 0.125, 0.25, and 0.5 mm) for 24 hr. We found that nickel significantly increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and mitochondrial superoxide levels. In addition, nickel exposure increased mitochondrial 8-hydroxyguanine (8-OHdG) content and reduced mtDNA content and mtDNA transcript levels. Consistent with this finding, nickel was found to destroy mtDNA nucleoid structure and decrease protein levels of Tfam, a key protein component for nucleoid organization. However, all the oxidative damage to mtDNA induced by nickel was efficiently attenuated by melatonin pretreatment. Our results suggest that oxidative damage to mtDNA may account for the neurotoxicity of nickel. Melatonin has great pharmacological potential in protecting mtDNA against the adverse effects of nickel in the nervous system.

†Background and Aims Most research on the widespread phenomenon of nectar robbing has focused on the effect of the nectar robbers’ behaviour on host-plant fitness. However, attention also needs be paid to the characteristics of host plants, which can potentially influence the consequences of nectar robbing as well. A system of three sympatric Corydalis species sharing the same nectar-robbing bumble-bee was therefore studied over 3 years in order to investigate the effect of nectar robbing on host reproductive fitness. †Methods Three perennial species of Corydalis were studied in the Shennongjia Mountain area, central China. Observations were conducted on visitor behaviour and visitation frequencies of nectar-robbers and legitimate pollinators. †Key Results The results indicated that the effect of nectar robbing by Bombus pyrosoma varied among species, and the three species had different mating systems. Seed set was thus influenced differentially: there was no effect on seed set of the predominantly selfing C. tomentella; for the facultative outcrossing C. incisa, nectar robbing by B. pyrosoma had a positive effect; and nectar robbing had a significant negative effect on the seed set of outcrossing C. ternatifolia. †Conclusions A hypothesis is proposed that the type of host-plant mating system could influence the consequences of nectar robbing on host reproductive fitness.

Nectar robbing not only affects the reproductive fitness of the plant but it may also potentially affect the pollination dynamics of the associated coflowering individuals. In this study, we established that the nectar robber Xylocopa sinensis robs nectar only from the hermaphrodite ramets of the gynodioecious plant Glechoma longituba but not from the female ramets. In populations with high rates of nectar robbing, this results in hermaphrodite ramets having reduced seed set whereas the female ramets have a slightly increased seed set. We hypothesize that selective nectar robbing confers an advantage to female individuals and thus ensures their maintenance in gynodioecious populations. Results of controlled experiments indicated that the reduction in the amounts of nectar available occasioned by nectar robbing resulted in some legitimate pollinators switching to visiting flowers on female rather than hermaphrodite ramets. This resulted in lower pollination rates and seed set for hermaphrodites and higher pollination rates and seed set for females. This study presents a previously unreported mechanism causing female advantage in gynodioecious plants.

To study the active fraction and constituents from Potentilla chinesis.Tested fractions were obtained by different solvent-partition from 95% ethanol-extracts of P. chinesis, and tested compound was isolated by repeated chromatography. Anti-diabetes experiment was taken by using alloxan-induced diabetic mice.The fraction F and the tested compound revealed obvious difference comparing with the control group (P0.01).Fraction F and potentilla flavone revealed the significant hypoglycemic effect in alloxan-induced diabetic mice.

To study the chemical constituents of Potentilla chinesis and their anticancer activities.Chemical constituents were isolated by repeated column chromatography (Toyopearl HW-40C and preparative HPLC). The structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral data analysis. The isolated compounds were screened with two anticancer models.Fifteen triterpenes, alpha-amyrin (1) , beta-amyrin (2) , ursolic acid (3) , corosolic acid (4), euscaphic acid (5) , pomolic acid (6) , tormentic acid (7), 2alpha, 3alpha-dihydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid (8), 2beta, 3beta, 19alpha-trihydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid (9), asiatic acid (10) , 24-hydroxy tormentic acid (11) , myrianthic acid (12), oleanolic acid (13), maslinic acid (14) and 2alpha, 3alpha-dihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid (15) , were isolated from P. chinesis.Compounds 1, 2, 4 -15 were isolated from the plant for the first time. Compounds 4, 8 - 10, 12, 14 and 15 show anticancer activities. Compounds 4, 9 show strong activities.