arbutin and Sepsis

Chinese yam (CY), used as both a traditional Chinese medicine and a nutritious food, is an excellent candidate for treating septic cardiomyopathy (SCM). Adenosine, arbutin and allantoin are the major active components in the aqueous extract of CY. The aim of the present study was to interpret the roles of CY, adenosine, arbutin and allantoin in SCM treatment. Firstly, significant physiological indexes were examined to assess the model and treatment effects of CY, adenosine, arbutin and allantoin. Then, a metabolomic approach was utilized to reveal the metabolic disorders in SCM concerning the intervention of CY/adenosine/arbutin/allantoin. The integrated results demonstrated that adenosine, arbutin and allantoin are responsible for the efficacy of CY on SCM treatment by regulating amino acid, arachidonic acid, sphingolipid, glycerophospholipid and glycol metabolism. Moreover, adenosine and/or arbutin could be used as a substitute for CY in treating SCM, and allantoin efficacy was slightly weaker. This integrated metabolomic approach performed excellently in understanding the herbal function and the roles of its components.

Topics: Adenosine; Allantoin; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Arbutin; Biomarkers; Cardiomyopathies; Cardiotonic Agents; China; Dietary Supplements; Dioscorea; Disease Models, Animal; Energy Metabolism; Female; Immunologic Factors; Male; Metabolomics; Plant Extracts; Plant Tubers; Principal Component Analysis; Random Allocation; Rats, Wistar; Sepsis

Escherichia coli strains, in general, do not ferment cellobiose and aryl-beta-D-glucosidic sugars, although "cryptic" beta-d-glucoside systems have been characterized. Here we describe an additional cryptic operon (bgc) for the utilization of cellobiose and the aryl-beta-d-glucosides arbutin and salicin at low temperature. The bgc operon was identified by the characterization of beta-glucoside-positive mutants of an E. coli septicemia strain (i484) in which the well-studied bgl (aryl-beta-d-glucoside) operon was deleted. These bgc* mutants appeared after 5 days of incubation on salicin indicator plates at 28 degrees C. The bgc operon codes for proteins homologous to beta-glucoside/cellobiose-specific phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent phosphotransfer system permease subunits IIB (BgcE), IIC (BgcF), and IIA (BgcI); a porin (BgcH); and a phospho-beta-D-glucosidase (BgcA). Next to the bgc operon maps the divergent bgcR gene, which encodes a GntR-type transcriptional regulator. Expression of the bgc operon is dependent on the cyclic-AMP-dependent regulator protein CRP and positively controlled by BgcR. In the bgc* mutants, a single nucleotide exchange enhances the activity of the bgc promoter, rendering it BgcR independent. Typing of a representative collection of E. coli demonstrated the prevalence of bgc in strains of phylogenetic group B2, representing mainly extraintestinal pathogens, while it is rare among commensal E. coli strains. The bgc locus is also present in the closely related species Escherichia albertii. Further, bioinformatic analyses demonstrated that homologs of the bgc genes exist in the enterobacterial Klebsiella, Enterobacter, and Citrobacter spp. and also in gram-positive bacteria, indicative of horizontal gene transfer events.

Topics: Arbutin; Benzyl Alcohols; beta-Glucosidase; Cellobiose; Citrobacter; Cyclic AMP Receptor Protein; Enterobacter; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli Infections; Escherichia coli Proteins; Glucosides; Klebsiella; Operon; Phylogeny; Repressor Proteins; Sepsis; Sequence Homology; Synteny; Urinary Tract Infections

A group of 147 Aeromonas isolates from diverse clinical and environmental sources was subjected to the biotyping scheme of Popoff and Veron. Of the 147 isolates biotyped, 137 (93%) could be identified, with Aeromonas hydrophila predominating (48%) and equal percentages (25 to 27%) of the other two species (Aeromonas sobria and Aeromonas caviae). A number of additional biochemical properties were found to be significantly associated with one or more of these three species. These included lysine decarboxylase activity, hemolysis of sheep erythrocytes, lecithinase production, staphylolytic activity, arbutin hydrolysis, and acid production from utilization of various carbohydrates. By incorporating these phenotypic properties into an extended biotyping system, 98% of the isolates were identified. Selective distribution of individual species with respect to certain body sites was noted.

Topics: Aeromonas; Arbutin; Bacterial Infections; Bacteriolysis; Carbohydrate Metabolism; Carboxy-Lyases; Digestive System; Hemolysis; Humans; Hydrolysis; Phenotype; Phospholipases; Sepsis; Species Specificity; Staphylococcus; Wounds and Injuries