Objective: To identify the common Tibetan herb Chuan-Bu.; Method: Local herbalists were visited to observe which plants were being used as Chuan-Bu. Samples of the indigenous plants were collected at the same time. Leaf materials were collected from field surveys. Total genomic DNA was extracted from silica gel-dried leaf samples. The PCR products were purified and directly sequenced.; Result: As the origin of Chuan-Bu in Tibet autonomous region was authenticated, two species were determined, i. e. Euphorbia stracheyiand E. wallichii. Also, based on our earlier research, the origin of Chuan-Bu in Gansu province, is from E. kansuensis. The sequences of ITS1 for E. stracheyi and E. wallichii were 261 bp in size, and 221 bp in ITS2, respectively. The size of the 5.8S coding region was 164 bp for all species examined in the genus. Especially, there was a heterozygous locus in ITS1 (C/G; position 72) for E. stracheyi. The nucleotide divergence between sequences of the 6 species in pairwise comparisons was calculated and the result showed that the variable site could be detected in each pairwise comparison of sequences. Also, there were 8 point mutations in the 5.8S coding region.; Conclusion: nrDNA ITS sequences can be used as the molecular markers to identify the Tibetan herb Chuan-Bu and such Traditional Chinese Medicines from the same genus Euphorbia as E. lathyris, E. humifusa and E. pekinensis.;
<br>Display Omitted<br>• Optimal dosages of phosphate and potassium fertilizer on <b>R. tanguticum</b> were firstly explored. • The U-shaped fluctuation curve of total anthraquinone content is firstly proposed. • Optimization of chromatographic columns was firstly proposed when detecting index constituents. • Total anthraquinone content of two-year-old plants had reached <b>Chinese Pharmacopoeia</b> standard.<br>The dried root of <b>Rheum tanguticum</b> plays an important role in formulations and prescriptions in traditional Chinese medicine and Kampo medicine. Due to over-exploitation, <b>R. tanguticum</b> resources have decreased sharply in recent years. The main objective of our investigation (a 3-year field experiment) was to explore the effect of different levels of phosphorus (superphosphate) and potassium (potassium sulfate) fertilizer on the biomass (root fresh weight, root increment, and root dry weight), yield, dry matter content, and anthraquinone content of this plant at different harvesting stages (green stage, growth stage, and wilting stage) under alpine conditions. The root fresh weight and root dry weight increased significantly at the wilting stage following treatment with 90 kg P2O5/ha (100% and 59%, respectively) in 2016 and 75 kg K2O/ha (43% and 41%, respectively) in 2015 compared to the control. The yield of root dry weight obtained from three-year-old <b>R. tanguticum</b> plants was 9200 kg/ha when 90 kg P2O5/ha of phosphorus fertilizer was applied, and 10,400 kg/ha when 75 kg K2O/ha of potassium fertilizer was applied. This yield reached a maximum at the wilting stage. The anthraquinone content of two-year-old <b>R. tanguticum</b> plants had already reached the standard level of the <b>Chinese Pharmacopoeia</b>; however, three-year-old plants had double the anthraquinone content of two-year-old plants. Phosphorus and potassium fertilizers had no obvious influence on the anthraquinone content of <b>R. tanguticum</b> at the same harvesting stage.
Mining and smelting are important economic activities. However, mining-related industries are also some of the largest sources of environmental pollution from heavy metals. China is one of the largest producers and consumers of lead and zinc in the world. A large amount of lead, zinc, and related elements, such as cadmium, have been released into the environment due to mineral processing activities and have impacted water resources, soils, vegetables, and crops. In some areas, this pollution is hazardous to human health. This article reviews studies published in the past 10 years (2000–2009), on the environmental and human health consequences of lead/zinc mineral exploitation in China. Polluted areas are concentrated in the following areas: the junction of Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan provinces, west-central Hunan province, central Guangxi province, northern Guangdong, northwestern Henan province, the border between Shanxi and Gansu provinces, and the region of Liaoning province near Bohai. Lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) are the main pollutants and are associated with human health effects such as high lead blood levels in children, arthralgia, osteomalacia, and excessive cadmium in urine.
Context: Pain-relieving plaster (PRP) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that has been widely used with satisfactory results in the treatment of some diseases related to inflammation, such as bruises, chronic arthritis. Objective: The mechanisms underlying the anti-inflammatory actions of PRP are investigated in this study for the first time. Materials and methods: The anti-inflammatory effects of PRP extracts were evaluated in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or calcium ionophore A23187-treated murine peritoneal macrophages (PMs). Tumor necrosis factor-αÎł (TNF-αÎł), interleukin-1βÎø (IL-1βÎø), prostaglandin E<sub>2</sub> (PGE<sub>2</sub>), and leukotrienes B<sub>4</sub> (LTB<sub>4</sub>) were evaluated by ELISA assays. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blot analysis were used to detect the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX). Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κÎðB)--DNA-binding activity was determined by gel mobility shift assay. Results: PRP extracts were found to inhibit the production of TNF-αÎł, IL-1βÎø, and PGE<sub>2</sub>, reduce the expressions of COX-2 at the mRNA and protein levels induced by LPS, and reduced the production of LTB<sub>4</sub> induced by A23187. Furthermore, PRP extracts significantly attenuated LPS-induced NF-κÎðB--DNA-binding activity. Discussion and conclusion: The anti-inflammatory effects of PRP possibly are related to reduction of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-αÎł and IL-1βÎø), inducible inflammatory enzyme (COX-2), and its metabolite PGE<sub>2</sub> via NF-κÎðB signal pathway. Moreover, PRP extracts also notably inhibited the production of LTB<sub>4</sub>, indicating that PRP inhibited the 5-LOX pathway, which may be the other mechanism for its anti-inflammatory action.
Innovative development extends the vitality of ethnomedicines. Developing ethnomedicines is not only beneficial to the public but also to the related industry and transforms economic growth, driving local social and economic development further. Its economic benefit can be used to optimize and promote the hardware and software of the platform, as well as support the sustainable development of ethnomedicines. Apart from research and discussion on the innovative development of ethnomedicines on the basis of theory and regulations, this series of articles also summarizes cases that are conducive to the overall understanding of the necessity and feasibility of the innovative development. In terms of industrial development, large enterprises and products, such as Yunnan Baiyao, Guizhou Miao ethnomedicines, Cheezheng Tibetan Medicine, products developed from Dengzhanhua (Erigeron breviscapus), the Gold series of Yi ethnomedicines, and products developed from Sanqi (Panax notoginseng), in China are introduced and summarized, focusing on resource superiority, sustainable innovation, standard research and development, and production, as well as intellectual property protection.
Innovative development extends the vitality of ethnomedicines. Developing ethnomedicines is not only beneficial to the public but also to the related industry and transforms economic growth, driving local social and economic development further. Its economic benefit can be used to optimize and promote the hardware and software of the platform, as well as support the sustainable development of ethnomedicines. Apart from research and discussion on the innovative development of ethnomedicines on the basis of theory and regulations, this series of articles also summarizes cases that are conducive to the overall understanding of the necessity and feasibility of the innovative development. In terms of industrial development, large enterprises and products, such as Yunnan Baiyao, Guizhou Miao ethnomedicines, Cheezheng Tibetan Medicine, products developed from Dengzhanhua (Erigeron breviscapus), the Gold series of Yi ethnomedicines, and products developed from Sanqi (Panax notoginseng), in China are introduced and summarized, focusing on resource superiority, sustainable innovation, standard research and development, and production, as well as intellectual property protection.
Ethnopharmacological relevance: Saussurea laniceps Hand.-Mazz. (SL) has long been used under the herbal name Tibetan 'Snow Lotus' for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, stomachache and dysmenorrhea in Tibetan folk medicine. Since herbal medicine (HM) is a synergistical system with multiple components, both of the metabolism and pharmacokinetic studies of HM are interdependent. This study aimed to develop an integrated strategy based on the UPLC-DAD-QTOF-MS technique for metabolism and pharmacokinetic studies of HM.Material and methods: SL was used here as a test herb to verify the feasibility of the proposed strategy. SL was administered to rats, then, the blood plasma, urine and feces were analyzed to determine the metabolic profiles. Using our strategy, umbelliferone and scopoletin were evaluated to be the key bioactive components. Their pharmacokinetic parameters were measured and biotransformation pathways were elucidated.Results: After oral administration of SL to rats, 17 components in blood, 10 components in urine and 2 components in feces were identified and characterized using our UPLC-DAD-QTOF-MS method. Umbelliferone, scopoletin and their metabolites were found to be the major components involved in the metabolism process. Literature reports also suggest that umbelliferone and scopoletin are responsible for the therapeutic effects of SL, thus these two components were selected as the active markers for pharmacokinetic study. In the test of validity, the established method presented good linearity with R-2> 0.99. The relative standard deviation value was below 13.9% for precision, and recovery studies for accuracy were found to be within the range 91.8-112.5%.Conclusion: The present strategy offers, simultaneously, precision in quantitative analysis (metabolism study) and accuracy in quantitative analysis (pharmacokinetic study) with greater efficiency and less costs, which is therefore reliably used for integrated metabolism and pharmacokinetic studies of HM. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of Tibetan medicine-Twenty Wei Chenxiang Pill interfering with serum ET-1 level, in order to confirm that ET-1 is involved to the pathogenesis of hypoxic pulmonary hypertension.METHODS: 165 Wistar rats were randomly divided into high altitude control group,Tibetan medicine-Twenty Wei Chenxiang Pill group and plain control group. The physiological signal acquisition system was used to record pulmonary arterial pressure, and RV/(LV + S) ratio were caculated. Serum HIF-1alpha and ET-1 protein levels were determined by the method of ELISA, and ETA protein levels in lung tissue were determined by Western Blot method.
RESULTS: Compared with the high altitude group,in the rats of Tibetan medicine-Twenty Wei Chenxiang Pill group,the pulmonary arterial pressure decreased significantly from the seventh day and the seventh day (P < 0.01), the RV/(LV + S) ratio and serum HIF-1alpha levels decreased significantly from the third day (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), the serum ET-1 levels decreased significantly from the third day (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), and the expression of ETA protein decreased significantly from the beginning (P < 0.01 or P < 0.001).
CONCLUSION: ET-1 is one of the important factors causing pulmonary artery pressure increasing and right ventricular wall thickening, which plays a role in hypoxic pulmonary artery only involved in the early period hypoxia, but not in the later period. Tibetan medicine--twenty Wei Chenxiang Pill can prevent the pulmonary artery hypertension and the right ventricular wall thickening in rats, and its mechanism may be related to the direct inhibition of ET-1 and protein levels of ETA or the indirect downregulation of ET-1 level and ETA through inhibition of HIF-la level.
Nitraria tangutorum Bor., having edible berries, is valued for reputed health benefits in Qinghai-Tibet plateau. The phytochemical research on the fruit juice of N. tangutorum led to the isolation of twenty-six compounds including five new compounds, tangutorids A-D (1, 2, 3a, and 3b), and (3E,5E)-7-O-β-glucosyl-4-(2-methoxy-2-oxoethyl)hepta-3,5-dienoic acid (15). The structures of these compounds were elucidated through comprehensive spectroscopic analyses. Tangutorids A-F were the first examples of glucose-derived β-carbolines from natural products. The biogenetic pathways of 1-8 were proposed to involve Pictet-Spengler reactions and described starting from the co-isolated tryptophan (10) and corresponding aldehydes. All isolates were evaluated for their antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities. Compounds 21, 22, and 24 showed antioxidant activity with SC50 values ranging from 12.2±1.9 to 30.4±2.7μg/mL, and compound 1 showed strong α-glucosidase inhibitory effect with IC50 value of 63.3±4.6μg/mL.
Asterothamnus centrali-asiaticus, a kind of characteristic shrub abundant in grassland and desert areas, has been used as forage fodder for camels and goats in Central Asia, and this plant also plays a critical role in the maintenance of desert grassland ecosystems as a result of its tolerance to poor soils and sand burial. However, its chemical composition has been rarely reported. In this study, phytochemical investigation of this pasturage was performed and three new triterpenoid saponins (1-3) were isolated together with nine known triterpenoid saponins (4-12) using preparative two-dimensional reversed-phase liquid chromatography/hydrophilic interaction chromatography (2D RPLC/HILIC). Their structures were elucidated via diverse spectroscopic analyses, including infrared (IR) spectrometry, high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HR-ESIMS), and one-dimensional (1D) and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). All isolated triterpenoid saponins (1-12) were reported from this genus for the first time, and they were further evaluated for their cytotoxicity against four cancer cell lines (A549, HepG2, MGC-803, and MFC), which indicated that compound 11 showed potent cytotoxicity against the HepG2 cell line, with an IC50 value of 6.85 μg/mL.
Unprecedented levels of nitrogen (N) have entered terrestrial ecosystems over the past century, which substantially influences the carbon (C) exchange between the atmosphere and biosphere. Temperature and moisture are generally regarded as the major controllers over the N effects on ecosystem C uptake and release. N-phosphorous (P) stoichiometry regulates the growth and metabolisms of plants and soil organisms, thereby affecting many ecosystem C processes. However, it remains unclear how the N-induced shift in the plant N:P ratio affects ecosystem production and C fluxes and its relative importance. We conducted a field manipulative experiment with eight N addition levels in a Tibetan alpine steppe and assessed the influences of N on aboveground net primary production (ANPP), gross ecosystem productivity (GEP), ecosystem respiration (ER), and net ecosystem exchange (NEE); we used linear mixed-effects models to further determine the relative contributions of various factors to the N-induced changes in these parameters. Our results showed that the ANPP, GEP, ER, and NEE all exhibited nonlinear responses to increasing N additions. Further analysis demonstrated that the plant N:P ratio played a dominate role in shaping these C exchange processes. There was a positive relationship between the N-induced changes in ANPP (ΔANPP) and the plant N:P ratio (ΔN:P), whereas the ΔGEP, ΔER, and ΔNEE exhibited quadratic correlations with the ΔN:P. In contrast, soil temperature and moisture were only secondary predictors for the changes in ecosystem production and C fluxes along the N addition gradient. These findings highlight the importance of plant N:P ratio in regulating ecosystem C exchange, which is crucial for improving our understanding of C cycles under the scenarios of global N enrichment.
An ethyl acetate extract from the barks of the ethnic Chinese medicine <i>Daphne tangutica</i> Maxim. exhibited antihepatocellular carcinoma activity against HepG2 and Hep3B cell lines. By using high-performance liquid chromatography based activity profiling in combination with offline liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry and NMR analysis, we rapidly identified ten major components of the extract, including seven active principles, coumarins (<b>1-4</b>) and biscoumarins (<b>7, 8, 10</b>), along with three inactive flavonoids (<b>5, 6, 9</b>). This study demonstrated that our combined protocol can be used as an important strategy for chemical profiling, dereplication as well as the identification of bioactive compounds from herbal medicines.
Using diffusion tensor imaging, several recent studies have shown that training results in changes in white matter efficiency as measured by fractional anisotropy (FA). In our work, we found that a form of mindfulness meditation, integrative body–mind training (IBMT), improved FA in areas surrounding the anterior cingulate cortex after 4-wk training more than controls given relaxation training. Reductions in radial diffusivity (RD) have been interpreted as improved myelin but reductions in axial diffusivity (AD) involve other mechanisms, such as axonal density. We now report that after 4-wk training with IBMT, both RD and AD decrease accompanied by increased FA, indicating improved efficiency of white matter involves increased myelin as well as other axonal changes. However, 2-wk IBMT reduced AD, but not RD or FA, and improved moods. Our results demonstrate the time-course of white matter neuroplasticity in short-term meditation. This dynamic pattern of white matter change involving the anterior cingulate cortex, a part of the brain network related to self-regulation, could provide a means for intervention to improve or prevent mental disorders.
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The use of herbal medicine in China has a long history. Since ancient times, plants have been the main source of medicines for people’s healthcare all over China. Today, medicinal plants are widely used in different medical systems including Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Tibetan Medicine (TM) for health care and functional food in China, and as supplies of natural products for industrial manufacturing for the international market. In the last half-century, great progress has been made in science and technology and there has been rapid social and economic development. The impact of this rapid development and population pressures on medicinal plants from wild habitats increases day by day. The modernization policy of traditional medicine in China is seen as a challenge to maintaining traditional medical systems. The Chinese Himalayan Region covers five provinces (Tibet, Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan, and Yunnan) in west China, with a land area of 2 million km<sup>2</sup>, including the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau in the west and the Hengduan Mountains in the southwest. In this paper, we discuss the rich diversity of medicinal plants of China and the Chinese Himalayan Region; the diversity of medicinal plant utilization of China; threatened medicinal plants and threats to medicinal plants; the conservation status of medicinal plants in China; and proposed Important Plant Areas for medical plants in the Chinese Himalayan Region.
BACKGROUND: Medicinal plants used by the local people in Xizang (Tibet) have been investigated since the 1960s. The others out of Xizang, however, have been less understood, although they may be easily and strongly influenced by the various local herbal practices, diverse environments, local religious beliefs and different prevalent types of diseases. In 2006, two ethnobotanical surveys were organized in the county of Shangri-la, Yunnan Province, SW China, to document the traditional medicinal plants used by the Tibetan people.METHODS: After literature surveying, four local townships were selected to carry out the field investigation. Three local healers were interviewed as key informants. The methods of ethnobotany, anthropology and participatory rural appraisal (PRA) were used in the field surveys. Plant taxonomic approach was adopted for voucher specimen identification.
RESULTS: Sixty-eight medicinal plant species in 64 genera of 40 families were recorded and collected. Among them, 23 species were found to have medicinal values that have not been recorded in any existing Tibetan literatures before, and 31 species were recorded to have traditional prescriptions. Moreover, the traditional preparations of each species and some folk medicinal knowledge were recorded and analyzed. These traditional prescriptions, preparations, new medicinal plants and folk medicinal knowledge and principles were discovered and summarized by local traditional Tibetan healers through times of treatment practices, and were passed down from generation to generation.
CONCLUSION: As a part of the cultural diversity of Tibetan community, these traditional medicinal knowledge and experiences may provide data and information basis for the sustainable utilization and development of Tibetan medicine, and may contribute to the local economic development. However, for many reasons, they are disappearing gradually as time goes by. Our study showed that there were abundant traditional Tibetan medicinal prescriptions and using methods. It implies that more Tibetan medicinal plants and traditional knowledge can be discovered. Further research should be done to save the wealth of these traditional medicinal knowledge and experiences before they are dying out.
<b>Resumen: </b> <i>Las Himalaya contienen la mayor masa de hielo fuera de las regiones polares y son la fuente de los 10 ríos principales de Asia. La rápida reducción en el volumen de los glaciares del Himalaya se debe al cambio climático. Los efectos en cascada de la elevación de la temperatura y la pérdida de hielo y nieve en la región afectan, por ejemplo, la disponibilidad de agua (cantidad, estacionalidad), la biodiversidad (especies endémicas, relaciones depredador-presa), cambios en los límites de ecosistemas (movimiento de línea de árboles, cambios en los ecosistemas de elevación alta) y cambios globales (cambios en los monzones, pérdida de carbono del suelo). El cambio climático también tendrá impactos ambientales y sociales que probablemente incrementarán la incertidumbre en las reservas de agua y producción agrícola para poblaciones humanas de Asia. Se requiere desarrollar un entendimiento común del cambio climático por medio de investigación regional y a escala local para que se puedan identificar e implementar estrategias de mitigación y adaptación. Los retos derivados del cambio climático en el Himalaya solo pueden ser abordados mediante mayor colaboración regional en investigación científica y definición de políticas.</i>
A novel molecular iodine-catalyzed protocol for the construction of thiocarbamates from readily available sodium sulfinates, isocyanides, and water has been described. The present methodology offers a facile and practical route to a variety of thiocarbamates in moderate to good yields with favorable functional group tolerance by use odorless sodium sulfinates as the sulfur source. The mechanistic studies suggest the present transformation involves a radical process.
A novel and efficient visible-light-induced C(sp2)-H/N-H cross-dehydrogenative coupling (CDC)-amination with both primary and secondary aliphatic amines at room temperature in air is developed. This photocatalytic reaction allows the direct formation of 3-aminoquinoxalin-2(1 H)-ones via CDC-amination in the absence of any external oxidant added from outside. Preliminary mechanistic studies reveal that the present reaction proceeds through a radical process.
A facile I2O5-mediated direct oxidative coupling of aromatic alkenes with thiols toward vinyl sulfones has been developed under metal-free conditions. This methodology provides a convenient and efficient approach to various (E)-vinyl sulfones from readily available starting materials with excellent regioselectivity. The present oxidative coupling reaction, not only expands the scope of functionalization of alkenes with thiols, but also makes it a practical and powerful complement to traditional methods for the synthesis of (E)-vinyl sulfones.
To discuss the relationship between metallic element and disease through determine the elementals in Tibetan Herbal Medicines and Tibetan Medicine Preparations that have obvious effect on hepatobiliary diseases by Synchrotron Radiation X-ray Source, then to reveal the substance foundation of pharmacological action. The results show that all the Tibetan Herbal Medicines used in the experiment have the 9 kinds of metallic elements of potassium(K), calcium(Ca), titanium(Ti), vanadium(V), chromium(Cr), manganese(Mn), ferrum(Fe), zinc(Zn) and lead(Pb), the content of the elements are in the ppb or ppm level though the element constitute and the content have obvious difference. Tibetan Medicine Preparations have another 6 kinds of metallic elements of nickel(Ni), copper(Cu), rubidium(Rb), mercury(Hg), cobalt(Co), gallium(Ga) and 1 kind of nonmetallic elements of arsenic(As) when compare with Herbal Medicines, and the element constitute and the content also have obvious difference. Take advantage of SR-XRF, the test gets the basic data of elements of Tibetan Herbal Medicines and Preparations, supply the scientific support to discuss the interaction of pharmacological mechanism and the metallic elements, and find the suitability of the technique for the metallic elements detection in Tibetan Medicines.
High levels of stress and burnout have been reported among mental health professionals worldwide, including Singapore, with concerning potential implications for the quality of patient care. Mindfulness has been associated with decreased stress and burnout; however, associations between mindfulness, stress, and burnout have not been examined in Singapore. The aim of this study was to investigate whether mindfulness is associated with stress and burnout among healthcare professionals working in a mental health setting in Singapore. A total of 224 Singaporean mental health professionals completed a cross-sectional survey which included measures of: mindfulness (observe, describe, act with awareness, non-judge, and non-react), stress, and burnout (exhaustion and disengagement). Using multiple regression, significant negative associations were found between each of the mindfulness facets and: stress, exhaustion, and disengagement, while controlling for years of experience. Of the five mindfulness facets, act with awareness demonstrated the strongest negative association with all three variables. This study showed that mental health professionals in Singapore who have higher levels of mindfulness also have lower levels stress and burnout (disengagement and exhaustion). Future longitudinal research is warranted to better understand the directionality of these associations, with implications for the development of interventions aimed to reduce stress and burnout within this population.
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