Antiviral Effects of Green Tea EGCG and Its Potential Application against COVID-19

(–)-Epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCG), the most abundant component of catechins in tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze), plays a role against viruses through inhibiting virus invasiveness, restraining gene expression and replication. In this paper, the antiviral effects of EGCG on various viruses, including DNA virus, RNA virus, coronavirus, enterovirus and arbovirus, were reviewed. Meanwhile, the antiviral effects of the EGCG epi-isomer counterpart (+)-gallocatechin-3-O-gallate (GCG) were also discussed.     

White Tea Intake Abrogates Markers of Streptozotocin-Induced Prediabetes Oxidative Stress in Rat Lungs’

Prediabetes (PrDM) is a prodromal stage of diabetes mellitus (DM) with an increasing prevalence worldwide. During DM progression, individuals gradually develop complications in various organs. However, lungs are suggested to be affected later than other organs, such as the eyes, heart or brain. In this work, we studied the effects of PrDM on male Wistar rats’ lungs and whether the regular consumption of white tea (WTEA) for 2 months contributes to the improvement of the antioxidant profile of this tissue, namely through improved activity of the first line defense antioxidant enzymes, the total antioxidant capacity and the damages caused in proteins, lipids and histone H2A. Our data shows that PrDM induced a decrease in lung superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities and histone H2A levels and an increase in protein nitration and lipid peroxidation. Remarkably, the regular WTEA intake improved lung antioxidant enzymes activity and total antioxidant capacity and re-established the values of protein nitration, lipid peroxidation and histone H2A. Overall, this is the first time that lung is reported as a major target for PrDM. Moreover, it is also the first report showing that WTEA possesses relevant chemical properties against PrDM-induced lung dysfunction.     

赣南三地绿茶中微量元素含量的测定

选用了赣南宁都小布岩茶、上犹梅林毛尖茶及定南六台山茶，用火焰原子吸收分光光度法对这三类绿茶中的微量元素Ca、Zn、Mg、Mn、Fe、Cu、Pb的含量进行了测定。方法简单，精密度和灵敏度高，回收率为101％-92％，结果可靠。     

VISCOUS FORCES BETWEEN TWO SPHERES COLLIDING THROUGH INTERSTITIAL POWER-LAW FLUID

Interaction between two spheres with an interstitial fluid is essential in Discrete Element modeling for simulating the behaviors of ‘wet‘ particulate materials. In this paper the interaction between two spheres with an interstitial Power-law fluid was approximately resolved as normal and tangential interactive models respectively, for which the governing equations were simplified on the basis of Reynolds approximation. These equations were then solved analytically together with the boundary conditions to obtain the pressure distributions for each individual model, and event ually solutions of the viscous squeeze force and the tangential viscous resistance were obtained, which provide a set of solutions for implementing into DEM code or other purposes.     

Essential Oils of Sideritis Species of Turkey Belonging to the Section Empedoclia

The paper summarizes the work done on the essential oil content and composition of fifty Sideritis species of Turkey belonging to the section Empedoclia. The water-distilled oils were analyzed by GC/MS. The oils were characterized as having mono- and sesquiterpenoids.     

56种中药内微量铝的含量测定

分别采用等离子体发射光谱法和4，5-二溴苯基荧光酮-二溴化十六烷基三甲铵荧光法测定了56种中药内微量铝的含量．     

Ellagitannin Digestion in Moth Larvae and a New Dimeric Ellagitannin from the Leaves of Platycarya strobilacea

Ellagitannins (ETs) are plant polyphenols with various health benefits. Recent studies have indicated that the biological activities of ETs are attributable to their degradation products, including ellagic acid and its gut microflora metabolites, such as urolithins. Insect tea produced in the Guangxi region, China, is made from the frass of moth larvae that feed on the ET-rich leaves of Platycarya strobilacea. Chromatographic separation of the Guangxi insect tea showed that the major phenolic constituents are ellagic acid, brevifolin carboxylic acid, gallic acid, brevifolin, and polymeric polyphenols. Chemical investigation of the feed of the larvae, the fresh leaves of P. strobilacea, showed that the major polyphenols are ETs including pedunculagin, casuarictin, strictinin, and a new ET named platycaryanin E. The new ET was confirmed as a dimer of strictinin having a tergalloyl group. The insect tea and the leaves of P. strobilacea contained polymeric polyphenols, both of which were shown to be composed of ETs and proanthocyanidins by acid hydrolysis and thiol degradation. This study clarified that Guangxi insect tea contains ET metabolites produced in the digestive tract of moth larvae, and the metabolites probably have higher bioavailabilities than the original large-molecular ETs of the leaves of P. strobilacea.     

Comparative Study of Natural Terpenoid Precursors in Reactive Plasmas for Thin Film Deposition

If plasma polymer thin films are to be synthesised from sustainable and natural precursors of chemically heterogeneous composition, it is important to understand the extent to which this composition influences the mechanism of polymerisation. To this end, a well-studied monoterpene alcohol, terpinen-4-ol, has been targeted for a comparative study with the naturally occurring mix of terpenes (viz. Melaleuca alternifolia oil) from which it is commonly distilled. Positive ion mode mass spectra of both terpinen-4-ol and M. alternifolia oil showed a decrease in disparities between the type and abundance of cationic species formed in their respective plasma environments as applied plasma power was increased. Supplementary biological assay revealed the antibacterial action of both terpinen-4-ol and M. alternifolia derived coatings with respect to S. aureus bacteria, whilst cytocompatibility was demonstrated by comparable eukaryotic cell adhesion to both coatings. Elucidating the processes occurring within the reactive plasmas can enhance the economics of plasma polymer deposition by permitting use of the minimum power, time and precursor pre-processing required to control the extent of monomer fragmentation and fabricate a film of the desired thickness and functionality.     

硫熏中药材品质及其毒理学研究进展

硫磺熏蒸是我国传统中药材干燥的一种加工方法,该方法具有杀虫、防霉、防腐和增白等功效。近年来研究发现,硫磺熏蒸会导致中药材某些活性成分转化生成新的含硫衍生物,导致其在人体的代谢过程和药效发生改变,甚至引发毒性反应,存在安全隐患。本文在现有文献的基础上归纳总结硫元素的各种形态、硫磺熏蒸中药材化学成分的转化规律及其毒理学研究,为进一步评价硫熏工艺的合理性研究提供理论参考。     

Application of amino‐based chitosan cyclodextrin derivatives for the extraction of catechins in green tea with high‐performance liquid chromatography

Chitosan derivatives have been studied widely, but poor solubility in water restricts their applications. In this study, four types of amine‐based chitosan derivatives were prepared and modified further with beta‐cyclodextrin. The sequential microextraction of catechins ((+)‐catechin and (?)‐epigallocatechin gallate) from green tea powder by an optimized solid‐phase extraction method using these four derivatives was investigated. The optimal conditions for the extraction of catechins were 60°C for a 40 min extraction period. The purity and amount of each catechin were determined by high‐performance liquid chromatography. The different amines strengthened the extraction capacity of chitosan. Among the four types of amines, ethylene diamine grafted chitosan beta‐cyclodextrin had the highest extraction capacity to catechins. Therefore, this material was used in the extraction assay, and the standard curves of (+)‐catechin and (?)‐epigallocatechin gallate were linear over the concentration range, 0.25–500 µg/mL, after assaying five data points in duplicate. Solid‐phase extraction with the amino‐based chitosan beta‐cyclodextrin system is a new application of chitosan, which has potential applications in the extraction of bioactive compounds from plant materials or the removal of different impurities from specific extracts.