This study was conducted to compare the methods of seed bedpreparation in rangelands of Khash region in Sistan and Baluchestan province inIran. A split plot design was conducted based on Randomized complete blockdesign with three replications in 1999. Five seed bed preparation methods wereused as main plot as: 1) Seed sown by passing livestock. 2) Seed sown machinery.3) Seeds sown as drilled in...

Although predispersal seed predation by insects is common, no test exists of its effect on plant recruitment. This study examines seed predation in the population dynamics of a native, temperate shrub, Haplopappus squarrosus H. and A. (Asteraceae), over an elevational gradient in the coastal sage scrub vegetation of San Diego County, California USA. Frequency and abundance of H. squarrosus incr...

A survey of 153 acid grasslands from the Atlantic biogeographic region of Europe indicates that chronic nitrogen deposition is changing plant species composition and soil and plant-tissue chemistry. Across the deposition gradient (2-44 kg N ha(-1) yr(-1)) grass richness as a proportion of total species richness increased whereas forb richness decreased. Soil C:N ratio increased, but soil extrac...

This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of Astragalus on human nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) viability and apoptosis and to investigate the mechanism of Astragalus in a NPC cell line (CNE2). Cell viability was measured using the MTT assay. CNE2 cells treated with Astragalus were stained with acridine orange/ethidium bromide and subjected to fluorescence microscopy. Bcl-2, Bax, caspa...

The antimicrobial activity of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of 11 Bryophyta species and 9 Marchantiophyta species collected in Latvia was tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Bacillus cereus. The extract of Lophocolea heterophylla inhibited the growth of B. cereus, but none of the tested extracts inhibited the growth of E. coli. 70% of bryophyte species demonstrated certa...

Astragalus L., is one of the largest genuses of flowering plants in the Leguminosae family. Roots of A. membranaceus Bge. var. mongholicus (Bge.) Hsiao, A. membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge. and its processed products are listed in the China Pharmacopeia for "qi deficiency" syndrome treatment. However, more and more researches on other species of Astragalus have been conducted recently. We summarize th...

Sulfate and selenate uptake were investigated in both selenium (Se) hyperaccumulators (Astragalus racemosus and Astragalus bisulcatus) and closely related nonaccumulator species (Astragalus glycyphyllos and Astragalus drummondii). Sulfur (S) starvation increased Se accumulation, whereas increased selenate supply increased sulfate accumulation in both root and shoot tissues. cDNAs for homologs o...

BACKGROUND Astragalus memebranaceus is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine used in treatment of common cold, diarrhea, fatigue, anorexia and cardiac diseases. Recently, there are growing evidences that Astragalus extract may be a potential anti-tumorigenic agent. Some research showed that the total saponins obtained from Astragalus membranaceus possess significant antitumorigenic activity. Ga...

Astragalus membranaceus is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine for strengthening the host defense system. Astragalus membranaceus-polysaccharides is an effective component with various important bioactivities, such as immunomodulation, antioxidant, anti-diabetes, anti-inflammation and neuroprotection. In the present study, we determine the effects of Astragalus membranaceus-polysaccha...

Astragalus polysaccharide is an important bioactive component of Astragalus membranaceus, an herb used in traditional Chinese medicine for treating inflammatory bowel disease. The NOD-like receptor protein 3 inflammasome plays an important role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease. However, little is known about the role of NOD-like receptor protein 3 inflammasome in Astragalus pol...