Chemical constituents of Ruta graveolens L. and their melanogenic effects and action mechanism

Dengzhanxixin (DZXX), the dried whole plant of Erigeron breviscapus (Vaniot) Hand.-Mazz., belonging to Compositae and first published in Materia Medica of South Yunnan by Lan Mao in the Ming Dynasty (1368 AD–1644 AD), is included in Medicinal Materials and Decoction Pieces of the 2020 edition of the Pharmacopeia of the People’s Republic of China. Its main chemical components are flavonoids that mainly include flavonoid, flavonols, dihydroflavones, flavonol glycosides, flavonoid glycosides, coffee acyl compounds, and other substances, such as volatile oil compounds, coumarins, aromatic acids, pentacyclic terpenoids, phytosterols, and xanthones. Among them, scutellarin and 1,5-dicoffeoylquininic acid are the main active components of DZXX. DZXX has pharmacological effects, such as improving cerebral and cerebrovascular ischemia, increasing blood flow, inhibiting platelet aggregation, promoting antithrombotic formation, improving microcirculation, reducing blood viscosity, protecting optic nerves, exhibiting anti-inflammatory properties, scavenging free radicals, and eliciting antioxidant activities. It is widely used in the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular ischemic diseases, kidney diseases, liver diseases, diabetic complications, and glaucoma. Pharmacokinetic studies have shown that the active components of DZXX have a low bioavailability and a high elimination rate in vivo. Nevertheless, its utilization can be improved through liposome preparation and combination with other drugs. Acute and subacute toxicity studies have shown that DZXX is a safe medicinal material widely used in clinical settings. However, its target and drug action mechanism are unclear because of the complexity of its composition. In this paper, the clinical application and pharmacological toxicology of DZXX are reviewed to provide a reference for further studying its active components and action mechanism.

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Electron microscopic studies on ultrathin frozen sections of lactating mouse mammary gland

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100081097 ◽

1978 ◽

Vol 36 (2) ◽

pp. 46-47

Author(s):

Jan Zarzycki ◽

Joseph Szroeder

Keyword(s):

Mammary Gland ◽

Protein Denaturation ◽

Chemical Constituents ◽

Freeze Substitution ◽

Electron Microscopic Examination ◽

Mouse Mammary Gland ◽

Electron Microscopic ◽

Preparation Methods ◽

Microscopic Studies ◽

Ultrathin Frozen Sections

The mammary gland ultrastructure in various functional states is the object of our investigations. The material prepared for electron microscopic examination by the conventional chemical methods has several limitations, the most important are the protein denaturation processes and the loss of large amounts of chemical constituents from the cells. In relevance to this,one can't be sure about a degree the observed images are adequate to the realy ultrastructure of a living cell. To avoid the disadvantages of the chemical preparation methods,some autors worked out alternative physical methods based on tissue freezing / freeze-drying, freeze-substitution, freeze-eatching techniqs/; actually the technique of cryoultraraicrotomy,i,e.cutting ultrathin sections from deep frozen specimens is assented as a complete alternative method. According to the limitations of the routine plastic embbeding methods we were interested to analize the mammary gland ultrastructure during lactation by the cryoultramicrotomy method.

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Sem and X-Ray Analysis of Renal and Biliary Calculi

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100091512 ◽

1976 ◽

Vol 34 ◽

pp. 306-307

Author(s):

R. J. Narconis ◽

G. L. Johnson

Keyword(s):

Chemical Constituents ◽

Natural State ◽

X Ray Diffraction ◽

Chemical Methods ◽

X Ray ◽

Additional Dimension ◽

Biliary Calculi ◽

Calculus Formation ◽

Scanning Electron

Analysis of the constituents of renal and biliary calculi may be of help in the management of patients with calculous disease. Several methods of analysis are available for identifying these constituents. Most common are chemical methods, optical crystallography, x-ray diffraction, and infrared spectroscopy. The application of a SEM with x-ray analysis capabilities should be considered as an additional alternative.A scanning electron microscope equipped with an x-ray “mapping” attachment offers an additional dimension in its ability to locate elemental constituents geographically, and thus, provide a clue in determination of possible metabolic etiology in calculus formation. The ability of this method to give an undisturbed view of adjacent layers of elements in their natural state is of advantage in determining the sequence of formation of subsequent layers of chemical constituents.

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