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Safety evaluation of a triterpenoid-rich extract from bamboo shavings.

Triterpenoids, which may have significant application to the development of natural medicines and functional foods as biological active components, are widely distributed throughout the plant kingdom. This paper evaluated the safety of a triterpenoid-rich extract of bamboo shavings (EBS) systematically. (i) Acute toxicity test: The oral maximum tolerated dose of EBS was more than 10 g/kg body weight both in rats and in mice, due to the absence of toxicity according to the criteria of acute toxic classifications. (ii) Mutagenicity test: It had no mutagenicity judged by negative experimental results of Ames test, mouse bone marrow cell micronucleus test and mouse sperm abnormality test. (iii) 30 days feeding study: No abnormal symptoms and clinical signs or deaths had been found in rats in each group during the test. No significant difference had been found in body weight, food consumption and food availability of rats in each test group (P>0.05). In addition, no significant differences were found in each hematology value, clinical chemistry value and organ/body weight ratio, either (P>0.05). No abnormality of any organ was found during histopathological examination. It can be concluded that the extract of bamboo shavings is of low toxicity and support the use of EBS for various foods.

Administration, Oral↗

The Chinese bamboo leaf odorous frog (Rana (Odorrana) versabilis) and North American Rana frogs share the same families of skin antimicrobial peptides.

The Chinese bamboo leaf odorous frog (Rana (Odorrana) versabilis) and the North American pickerel frog (Rana palustris) occupy different ecological niches on two different continents with no overlap in geographical distribution. R. palustris skin secretions contain a formidable array of antimicrobial peptides including homologs of brevinin-1, esculentin-1, esculentin-2, ranatuerin-2, a temporin and a family of peptides considered of unique structural attributes when isolated, palustrins 1-3. Here we describe the structures of mature peptides and precursors of eight putative antimicrobial peptides from the skin secretion of the Chinese bamboo leaf odorous frog (Rana (Odorrana) versabilis). Each peptide represents a structural homolog of respective peptide families isolated from R. palustris, including two peptides identical in primary structure to palustrin 1c and palustrin 3b. Additionally, two peptides were found to be structural homologs of ranatuerin 2B and ranatuerin 2P from the closely-related North American species, Rana berlandieri (the Rio Grande leopard frog) and Rana pipiens (the Northern leopard frog), respectively. Both palustrins and ranatuerins have hitherto been considered unique to North American ranid frogs. The use of primary structures of amphibian skin antimicrobial peptides is thus questionable as a taxonomic device or alternatively, the micro-evolution and/or ancestry of ranid frogs is more highly complex than previously thought.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Hot-compressed-water decomposed products from bamboo manifest a selective cytotoxicity against acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells.

We examined the effect of hot-compressed-water (HCW) extracted and fractionated bamboo products (named as fractions A and B) on the viability of human cultured cell lines, derived from leukemia patients and human peripheral blood lymphocytes, obtained from normal adults. Fraction A was composed of xylose, xylooligosaccharides and water-soluble lignin, determined by high-performance anion exchange chromatography and spectrophotometry. Fraction B was composed of glucose and celooligosaccharides. It was found that Fraction B expressed a negligible cytotoxic effect against leukemia cells, while Fraction A reduced markedly (in a dose-dependent manner) the viability of leukemia cell lines, derived from acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)--Jurkat and MOLT-4. Fraction A did not influence the viability of leukemia cells, derived from myelogenous leukemia (ML-2) or lymphoma (SupT-1), as well as the viability of normal lymphocytes. Furthermore, microscopic examination of ALL-derived cells treated with Fraction A showed typical apoptotic morphological changes such as a condensation of nucleus and membrane blebing, as well as phosphatidylserine (PSer) exposure on the cell surface. The effect of decomposed products of commercially available xylan against ALL-derived Jurkat cells was significantly lower than that of Fraction A. These results suggest that the cytotoxic effect of Fraction A may be attributed to apoptosis, induced by xylooligosaccharides and it is specific for ALL-derived cells. We speculate that the water-soluble lignin is an important factor, potentiating the cytotoxic effect of xylan in HCW-extracts from bamboo.

Apoptosis↗

Phenylpropanoid amides of serotonin accumulate in witches' broom diseased bamboo.

Aciculosporium take (Ascomycota; Clavicipitaceae), causes the witches' broom disease in bamboo, particularly Phyllostachys bambusoides. Since it was observed that endogenous indole-3-acetic acid is reduced in the twigs of the diseased bamboo, the symptoms (bushy appearance) may be induced by reduction in auxin levels. Furthermore, two indolic compounds accumulated in diseased twigs, these being identified as N-p-coumaroylserotonin and N-feruloylserotonin by LC-MS, 1H NMR and 13C NMR spectroscopic analyses. N-p-Coumaroylserotonin possesses antifungal activity against A. take.

Amides↗

Hemicellulosic polysaccharides from bamboo shoot cell-walls.

Cell-wall polysaccharides of bamboo shoots were extracted with chelating reagent (CDTA, trans-1,2-cyclohexanediamine-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid), Na(2)CO(3) and KOH solutions. Glycosyl composition and glycosyl linkage analyses showed that the hemicellulose was composed of arabinoxylan, (1-->3, 1-->4)-beta-D-glucan, xyloglucan and glucomannan. (1-->3, 1-->4)-beta-D-glucan was purified by anion-exchange chromatography and xylanase-treatment. It consisted of 20-30% of 3-linked and 70-80% of 4-linked glucosyl residues, having a M(r) range of 100000-380000. Hydrolysis of the glucan with a purified cellulase {endo-beta-(1-->4)-glucanase}, released glucose, cellobiose and Glcp-(1-->4)-beta-D-Glcp-(1-->3)-beta-D-Glcp. Oligosaccharides having contiguous 3-linked glucosyl residues were not detected. The structure of (1-->3, 1-->4)-beta-D-glucan of bamboo shoot cell-walls was thus determined to be -->3)-beta-D-Glcp-[-(1-->4)-beta-D-Glcp-](2-4)-(1-->. Xyloglucan was purified by anion-exchange chromatography, precipitation with iodide and gel-permeation chromatography. Arabinoxylan could not be separated completely by the procedure. The remaining arabinoxylan could not be degraded completely by xylanase treatment. Any linkage between arabinoxylan and xyloglucan would retard removal of arabinoxylan.

Journal Article↗

Bamboo node: primary vocal fold lesion as evidence of autoimmune disease.

Descriptions of vocal fold lesions related to autoimmune diseases are rare in the literature, and focus mainly on rheumatoid nodules. This is the first report in which autoimmune diseases were promptly suspected by the observation of a unique white transverse submucosal lesion in the vocal fold during clinical examination. This lesion, reported only in autoimmune disease, has been called the bamboo node and its features are different from those of rheumatoid nodules. We report here on two patients who did not have a diagnosis of systemic disease before investigation of their main complaint of hoarseness. At the patients' first visit, vocal fold bamboo nodes were seen in the vocal fold and the otolaryngologist suspected the presence of an autoimmune disease. We requested clinical investigation to clarify our suspicion that there was an underlying systemic disease. After the investigation, both patients were shown to have autoimmune disease, Sjögren's syndrome and systemic lupus erythematous, respectively. This paper emphasizes the important role of the otolaryngologist in the detection of these unique lesions in the vocal folds through the conventional laryngeal methods. These methods consisted of direct observation with a rigid laryngeal endoscope and investigation of the patient's distinctive vibratory pattern by means of laryngeal stroboscopy. The method of treatment we used to obtain the best outcome in terms of voice improvement is also discussed.

Adult↗

Identification and antioxidant activity of novel chlorogenic acid derivatives from bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis).

One known and two novel antioxidant compounds have been isolated from bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis). The butanol-soluble extract of the bamboo leaves was found to have a significant antioxidant activity, as measured by scavenging the stable 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical and the superoxide anion radical (O(2)(-)) in the xanthine/xanthine oxidase assay system. Antioxidant activity-directed fractionation of the extract led to the isolation and characterization of three structural isomeric chlorogenic acid derivatives: 3-O-(3'-methylcaffeoyl)quinic acid (1), 5-O-caffeoyl-4-methylquinic acid (2), and 3-O-caffeoyl-1-methylquinic acid (3). Compounds 2 and 3 were isolated and characterized for the first time from the natural products. In the DPPH scavenging assay as well as in the iron-induced rat microsomal lipid peroxidation system, compounds 2 (IC(50) = 8.8 and 19.2 microM) and 3 (IC(50) = 6.9 and 14.6 microM) showed approximately 2-4 times higher antioxidant activity than did chlorogenic acid (IC(50) = 12.3 and 28.3 microM) and other related hydroxycinnamates such as caffeic acid (IC(50) =13.7 and 25.5 microM) and ferulic acid (IC(50) = 36.5 and 56.9 microM). Among the three compounds, compound 1 yielded the weakest antioxidant activity, and the DPPH scavenging and lipid peroxidation inhibitory activity (IC(50) = 16.0 and 29.8 microM) was lower than those of chlorogenic and caffeic acids. All three compounds exhibited both superoxide scavenging activities and inhibitory effects on xanthine oxidase. Their superoxide anion (O(2)(-)) scavenging activities (IC(50) = 1, 4.3 microM; 2, 2.8 microM; and 3, 1.2 microM) were markedly stronger than those of ascorbic acid (IC(50) = 56.0 microM), alpha-tocopherol (IC(50) > 100 microM), and other test compounds, although their inhibition effects on xanthine oxidase may contribute to the potent scavenging activity. alpha-Tocopherol exerted a significant inhibitory effect (65.5% of the control) on superoxide generation in 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-induced human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells, and compound 3 showed moderate activity (36.0%). On the other hand, other compounds including 1, 2, chlorogenic acid, and other antioxidants were weakly active (24.8-10.1%) in the suppression of superoxide generation.

Animals↗

In situ synthesis, magnetic property, and formation mechanism of Fe3O4 particles encapsulated in 1D bamboo-shaped carbon microtubes.

Fe3O4 particles embedded in bamboo-shaped carbon microtubes (defined as "BCIOs") with ferromagnetic properties were in situ produced by redox reactions between ferrocene and glycerol in a stainless steel autoclave of 20-mL capacity at 600 degrees C; these BCIOs have wide and periodic variable outer diameter distributions and have lengths up to tens of micrometers. It is found that their coercivity values were in inverse ratio with the sizes of interior Fe3O4 particles when compared with the previous reports. After the acid treatment process, bamboo-shaped carbon microtubes could also be obtained, while when a contrasting experiment was carried out in a stainless steel autoclave of 60-mL capacity, only irregular-shaped Fe3O4 particles encapsulated in carbon capsule core-shell composites were produced. On the basis of the experimental results, the possible formation processes of these as-obtained products were discussed.

Journal Article↗

Population dynamics of phytophagous and predatory mites (Acari: Tetranychidae, Eriophyidae, Phytoseiidae) on bamboo plants in Fujian, China.

The seasonal cycle and population dynamics of Schizotetranychus nanjingensis Ma and Yuan, Aponychus corpuzae Rimando (Tetranychidae), Aculus hambusae Kuang (Eriophyidae) and their natural enemy Tvphlodromus bambusae Ehara (Phytoseiidae) were studied during 1996-1998 in moso bamboo forests in Nanping, Fujian, China. Damage to bamboo leaves was often caused by mixed populations of the three phytophagous species, which displayed different seasonal dynamics: S. nanjingensis fed actively and reproduced in May and from late July to late October (aestivating from June to mid July), Ap. corpuzae was active and reproduced from mid July to late November, and Ac. bambusae from July to next February. During Spring S. nanjingensis was the dominant species with the greatest niche width, but in Summer Ac. bambusae and Ap. corpuzae became dominant and had greater niche widths. In Autumn, Ac. bambusae decreased but both S. nanjingensis and Ap. corpuzae mites increased and the latter became dominant. In winter all species decreased sharply in number. The two spider mite species (S. nanjingensis and Ap. corpuzae) had high niche overlaps in all four seasons. Niche overlaps between the eriophyid Ac. bambusae and the two spider mites were similarly high except during the spring when Ac. bambusae was absent. The predatory mite (T. bambusae) had higher niche overlap with Ap. corpuzae than with others during Autumn and Winter, but during Spring and Summer niche overlap was higher with S. nanjingensis.

Animals↗

Ambulatory migration in mites (Acari: Tetranychidae, Phytoseiidae) to new leaves of moso bamboo shoots.

The migratory behaviour of two tetranychid pest species, Aponychus corpuzae and Schizotetranychus nanjingensis, and one phytoseiid, Typhlodromus bambusae, was studied in several monocultural bamboo forests in Fujian Province, China. The aim of the study was to assess how the ambulatory immigration of tetranychid and phytoseiid mites from the ground to new leaves is affected by a sticky barrier around the stem, by the age of bamboo shoots or by shoot density. The results show that while the sticky barrier is particularly effective at disrupting the ambulatory immigration from the ground to new leaves of S. nanjinigensis to 1-year-old shoots and of A. corpuzae to 3-year-old shoots, it has no significant effect on the immigration of the phytoseiid mite.

Animal Migration↗

Isolation and characterization of anticomplementary beta-glucans from the shoots of bamboo Phyllostachys edulis.

Bamboo, Phyllostachys edulis produces well known edible shoots in Asia. Immunostimulating anticomplementary (complement activating) substances have been recognized as a characteristic biological response modifier (BRM). In the present study, we isolated and characterized three anticomplementary beta-glucans (BS-BGA, BS-BGB, and BS-BGC) from bamboo shoots. Hot-water extraction, DEAE-Toyopearl 650M-column chromatography, amylase digestion and concanavalin A adsorption, and Sephacryl S-100 HR column chromatography were applied to isolate the beta-glucans. The average molecular masses of the beta-glucans were estimated to be from 14,500 to 85,300 Da by HPSEC-MALLS-RI. All three beta-glucans (0.1-1.0 mg/mL) activated the complement system via the alternative pathway, and could cleave human complement C3 under Ca 2+-free gelatin veronal buffered saline. Among them, the largest molecule, BS-BGA was the most potent complement activator. Methylation analysis and NMR spectroscopy were used to achieve their structural characterization. They are all water-soluble and composed mainly of backbone structures of beta-(1-->3)-glucan with beta-(1-->4)-linked side chains varying in degree of branching. BS-BGA consisted of a higher proportion of 3-linked glucopyranosyl residues and a lower degree of branching than BS-BGB and BS-BGC. In particular, BS-BGA contained a small amount of O-acetyl groups at C-6 of the 3-linked glucopyranosyl residues. These data demonstrate that the structural characteristics including molecular size, degree of branching, and O-acetyl substitution are involved, at least in part, in their different anticomplementary activities.

Complement Inactivator Proteins↗

Human penicilliosis marneffei and its relation to the bamboo rat (Rhizomys pruinosus).

Fourteen cases of penicilliosis marneffei occurred in persons in the Guangxi region of the People's Republic of China; the first known case of that disease had been found in Vietnamese bamboo rats (Rhizomys sinensis). A survey of the wild rats in this region was initiated to determine if any of these animals were infected by Penicillium marneffei. Although R. sinensis rats live in the study area, they are relatively rare. The only rats captured were another species of bamboo rat (R. pruinosus). Of the 19 rats captured, 18 yielded cultures of P. marneffei from one or more of their internal organs. The implications of this finding in respect to the epidemiology of penicilliosis marneffei are discussed.

Animals↗

Developmental changes in cell wall structure of phloem fibres of the bamboo Dendrocalamus asper.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Bamboo culms have excellent physical and mechanical properties, which mainly depend on their fibre content and anatomical structure. One of the features which is known to contribute to the high tensile strength in bamboo is the multilayered structure of the fibre cell wall. The aim of this study was to characterize the development of the layered structure in fibre cell walls of developing and maturing culms of Dendrocalamus asper. METHODS: Cell wall development patterns were investigated in phloem fibre caps of vascular bundles in the inner culm wall areas of Dendrocalamus asper of three different age classes (<6 months old, 1 year old, 3 years old). A combination of light microscopy and image analysis techniques were employed to measure cell wall thickness and to determine number of cell wall layers, as well as to describe the layering structure of fibre walls. Two-dimensional maps showing the distribution pattern of fibres according to the number of cell wall layers were produced. KEY RESULTS: The cell walls of fibres in phloem fibre caps located in the inner part of the culm wall of D. asper developed rapidly during the first year of growth. Six different fibre types could be distinguished based upon their cell wall layering and all were already present in the young, 1-year-old culm. In the mature stage (3 years of age) the multilayering was independent of the cell wall thickness and even the thinner-walled fibres could have a large number of wall layers. The multilayered nature of cell wall structure varied considerably between individual cells and was not exclusively related to the cell wall thickness. Nevertheless, fibres at the periphery of the fibre bundles and immediately adjacent to the phloem elements exhibited a consistent and high degree of layering in their cell walls. CONCLUSIONS: The multilayered structure of fibre cell walls was formed mainly during the first year of growth by the deposition of new wall layers of variable thickness, resulting in a high degree of heterogeneity in the layering patterns amongst individual fibres. A degree of 'order' in the distribution of multilayered fibres within the caps does exist, however, with multilayered cell walls common in fibres adjacent to phloem elements and around the edge of the fibre cap. These findings confirm the observations, primarily in Phyllostachys viridi-glaucescens. The layering structure was not found to be specifically related to the thickness of the cell wall.

Cell Wall↗

Generation and characterization of SCARs by cloning and sequencing of RAPD products: a strategy for species-specific marker development in bamboo.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The aim of this study was to develop species-specific molecular markers for Bambusa balcooa and B. tulda to allow for their proper identification, in order to avoid unintentional adulteration that affects the quality and quantity of paper pulp production. METHODS: Two putative, species-specific RAPD markers, Bb836 for B. balcooa and Bt609 for B. tulda were generated using a PCR-based RAPD technique. Species-specificity of these two markers was confirmed through Southern hybridization in which RAPD gels were blotted and hybridized with radiolabelled cloned RAPD markers. Southern hybridization analyses were also performed to validate homology of the co-migrating Bb836 and Bt609 marker bands amplified from 16 different populations of B. balcooa and B. tulda, respectively. Sequence-characterized amplified region (SCAR) markers were developed from Bb836 and Bt609 sequences, using 20-mer oligonucleotide primers designed from both the flanking ends of the respective RAPD primers. KEY RESULTS: As anticipated, Bb836 hybridized with an amplified band from B. balcooa and Bt609 hybridized only with an amplified product from B. tulda; the two markers did not hybridize with the amplified products of any of the other 14 bamboo species studied. The two pairs of SCAR primers amplified the target sequences only in the respective species. The species-specific SCAR fragments were named as 'Balco836' for B. balcooa and 'Tuldo609' for B. tulda. The species-specific 'Balco836' was amplified from the genomic DNA of 80 individuals of 16 populations of B. balcooa studied. Similarly, the presence of 'Tuldo609' was noted in all the 80 individuals representing 16 populations of B. tulda assessed. These SCAR fragments contained no obvious repetitive sequence beyond the primers. CONCLUSION: These two molecular markers are potentially useful for regulatory agencies to establish sovereign rights of the germplasms of B. balcooa and B. tulda. In addition, this is the first report of species-specific SCAR marker development in bamboo.

Bambusa↗

The arginine-rich motif of Bamboo mosaic virus satellite RNA-encoded P20 mediates self-interaction, intracellular targeting, and cell-to-cell movement.

Satellite RNA of Bamboo mosaic virus (satBaMV) has a single open reading frame for a nonstructural, RNA-binding protein, P20, which facilitates the long-distance movement of satBaMV in Nicotiana benthamiana. Here, we elucidate various biological properties of P20 and the involvement of a single domain in its activities. P20 displayed a strong self-interaction in vitro and in vivo, and cross-linking assays demonstrated its oligomerization. Domain mapping, using the bacterial two-hybrid system, indicated that the self-interacting domain overlaps the RNA-binding domain in the N-terminal arginine-rich motif (ARM) of P20. The deletion of the ARM abolished the self-interaction of P20 in vitro and in vivo and impaired its intracellular targeting and efficient cell-to-cell movement in N. benthamiana leaves. Moreover, RNA and protein accumulation of the ARM deletion mutant of satBaMV was significantly reduced in leaves systemically coinfected with Bamboo mosaic potexvirus and satBaMV. This is the first report of the involvement of ARM in various biological activities of a satellite RNA-encoded protein during infection of its host.

Amino Acid Motifs↗

Histochemistry of complex carbohydrate in the major salivary glands of hoary bamboo rats (Rhizomys purinosus).

The major salivary glands (parotid glands, monostomatic sublingual glands and submandibular glands) were obtained from hoary bamboo rats (Rhizomys purinosus) and fixed in Bouin's solution. Paraffin sections were subjected to a battery of staining methods including lectin staining for demonstration of complex carbohydrates. Among the three major salivary glands, unique histochemical features were observed in the submandibular gland. Different from most myomorpha species, submandibular glands of the hoary bamboo rats have two types of secretory cells in the secretory endpieces. One type of cells showed positive reactions with Alcian blue (AB)(pH2.5), periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) and some lectins (peanuts agglutinin, Griffonia simplicifolia I, Maclura pomifera agglutinin). The granular ducts, which exist in animals belonging to suborder myomorpha, were not observed in the submandibular glands of this animal.

Animals↗

Bamboo skewer perforation of the bowel: computed tomography appearances.

A 25-year-old Chinese woman presented with a painful left-lower-quadrant abdominal mass. Computed tomography (CT) demonstrated a dense forked foreign body within an extraluminal mass. A 2.5 cm bamboo skewer surrounded by inflamed omentum was found at laparotomy. Different CT densities of bamboo skewers were obtained when exposed to air, water and 2% Gastrografin in an in vitro experiment. Awareness of the possible variations in appearances of wooden foreign bodies in and around the bowel may aid their CT diagnoses.

Abdominal Muscles↗

Orthogonal acoustical factors of a sound field in a bamboo forest.

To investigate the acoustical quality of a sound field in a bamboo forest, acoustical measurements were conducted to obtain orthogonal acoustical factors of the sound field. These results are compared with previous results for a sound field in an ordinary forest [H. Sakai, S. Sato, and Y. Ando, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 104, 1491-1497 (1998)]. The IACC, which is defined as a maximum value of the normalized interaural cross-correlation function between signals at the ears, was 0.07 (4 kHz) and 0.16 (2 kHz) at positions 20 and 40 m from the source, respectively. These values are much better than those in the previously investigated forest. The measured subsequent reverberation time Tsub was up to 1.5 s in the frequency range above 1 kHz at the position 40 m from the source. For certain music sources with higher frequency components, therefore, sound fields in a bamboo forest have excellent acoustic properties.

Acoustics↗