Development of Immunonutrient from Pumpkin (Cucurbita Moschata Duchense Ex. Lamk.) Seed
Publication date: 2014 Source:Procedia Chemistry, Volume 13 Author(s): Maria Immaculata Iwo , Muhamad Insanu , Caryn Anne Santhana Dass Pumpkin seeds has long been used as a source of nutrition. Based on its content, it is possible that part of this plant used as immunonutrient. The purpose of this research is to study the immunomodulatory activity of pumpkin seeds. It effects on the non-specific immune response was determined through carbon clearance test, organ indexes (liver, spleen and thymic gland) and mice peritoneal exudate activity (PEA). The effects on specific immune response were determined through total ...
Source: Procedia Chemistry - December 25, 2014 Category: Chemistry Source Type: research
Effects of grafting with pumpkin rootstock on carbohydrate metabolism in cucumber seedlings under Ca(NO3)2 stress
This study investigated the effects of grafting on the carbohydrate status and the enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism in self-grafted and grafted cucumber seedlings using the salt-tolerant pumpkin rootstock ‘Qingzhen 1’ (Cucurbita maxima × Cucurbita moschata) under 80 mM Ca(NO3)2 stress for 6 d. The growth of self-grafted seedlings was significantly inhibited after the treatment of Ca(NO3)2 stress, whereas the inhibition of growth was alleviated in pumpkin rootstock-grafted seedlings. Ca(NO3)2 stress increased the contents of the total soluble sugar, sucrose and fructose, but decreased the starch content in rootst...
Source: Plant Physiology and Biochemistry - December 24, 2014 Category: Biochemistry Source Type: research
Upregulation of heme oxygenase-1 expression by dehydrodiconiferyl alcohol (DHCA) through the AMPK-Nrf2 dependent pathway.
In this study, it was tested whether DHCA could affect the expression of HO-1, using Raw264.7 mouse macrophage cell line. DHCA increased the protein and RNA levels of HO-1 and upregulated its promoter activity. Data from transient transfection assays indicated that ARE located in the E1 region of the HO-1 promoter are important in this DHCA-mediated induction of HO-1 expression. DHCA was also shown to enhance the nuclear translocation and binding of Nrf2 to the respective DNA sequences. The upregulation of HO-1 expression by DHCA was also observed in primary macrophages derived from wild type animals, but not in those from...
Source: Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology - September 24, 2014 Category: Toxicology Authors: Lee J, Kim S Tags: Toxicol Appl Pharmacol Source Type: research
Adaptive Responses of Mitochondria to Mild Copper Deprivation Involve Changes in Morphology, OXPHOS Remodeling and Bioenergetics
In this study, a mild copper deficiency was produced in an animal model through intraperitoneal injections of bathocuproine disulfonate in order to study the MAR. Under these conditions, a new type of mitochondrial morphology was discovered in the liver. Termed the “butternut squash” mitochondria, it coexisted with normal and swollen mitochondria. Western blot analyses of mitochondrial dynamics proteins showed an up‐regulation of MFN‐2 and OPA1 fusion proteins. Furthermore, isolated liver mitochondria displayed OXPHOS remodeling through a decrease in supercomplex activity with a concomitant increase at an individua...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - January 21, 2014 Category: Cytology Authors: Lina María Ruiz, Erik L. Jensen, Rodrigo I. Bustos, Graciela Argüelloa, Ricardo Gutierrez‐Garcia, Mauricio González, Claudia Hernández, Rodolfo Paredes, Felipe Simon, Claudia Riedel, David Ferrick, Alvaro A. Elorza Tags: Original Research Article Source Type: research
Hypolipidemic effect of the polysaccharides extracted from pumpkin by celluase-assisted method on mice.
This study was conducted to investigate the hypolipidemic effect of the polysaccharide isolated from pumpkin (PP). Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups and treated with diets containing either high fat, PP, or normal fat. Oral administration of PP could significantly decrease the levels of plasma triacylglycerol (TG), total cholesterol (TC), and plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and increase the levels of faecal fat, cholesterol, and plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Therefore, results suggest that PP had a high hypolipidaemic activity and could be explored as a possible agent for hyp...
Source: International Journal of Biological Macromolecules - December 7, 2013 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Zhao XH, Qian L, Yin DL, Zhou Y Tags: Int J Biol Macromol Source Type: research
Adaptive responses of mitochondria in mice under mild copper deprivation involve changes in morphology, OXPHOS remodeling, and bioenergetics
In this study, a mild copper deficiency was produced in an animal model through intraperitoneal injections of bathocuproine disulfonate in order to study the MAR. Under these conditions, a new type of mitochondrial morphology was discovered in the liver. Termed the “butternut squash” mitochondria, it coexisted with normal and swollen mitochondria. Western blot analyses of mitochondrial dynamics proteins showed an up‐regulation of MFN‐2 and OPA1 fusion proteins. Furthermore, isolated liver mitochondria displayed OXPHOS remodeling through a decrease in supercomplex activity with a concomitant increase at an individua...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - October 8, 2013 Category: Cytology Authors: Lina María Ruiz, Erik L. Jensen, Rodrigo I. Bustos, Graciela Argüelloa, Ricardo Gutierrez‐Garcia, Mauricio González, Claudia Hernández, Rodolfo Paredes, Felipe Simon, Claudia Riedel, David Ferrick, Alvaro A. Elorza Tags: Original Research Article Source Type: research
Cucurbita spp. and Cucumis sativus enhance the dissipation of polychlorinated biphenyl congeners by stimulating soil microbial community development.
Abstract
A number of Cucurbita species have the potential to extract polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from soil, but their impact on the soil microbial communities responsible for PCB degradation remains unclear. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of three Cucurbita and one Cucumis species on PCB dissipation and soil microbial community structure. Compared to the unplanted control, enhanced losses of PCBs (19.5%-42.7%) were observed in all planted soils. Cucurbita pepo and Cucurbita moschata treatments were more efficient in PCB dissipation, and have similar patterns of soil ph...
Source: Environmental Pollution - September 26, 2013 Category: Environmental Health Authors: Qin H, Brookes PC, Xu J Tags: Environ Pollut Source Type: research
