The inhibitory effect of three berberine alkaloids (BAs) from Coptis chinensis Franch, a traditional Chinese medicinal (TCM) herb, on Bifidobacterium adolescentis growth was investigated by micro- calorimetry. The power-time curves of B. adolescentis with and without BAs were acquired, meanwhile the extent and duration of inhibitory effect on the metabolism were evaluated by the growth rate con- stant (k), half inhibitory ratio (IC50), maximum heat-output power (Pmax), peak time of maximum heat-output power (tp) and total heat production (Qt). k, Pmax and Qt decreased, and tp was prolonged with the increase of BAs concentration. The IC50 of BAs is 806 μg/mL for berberine, 341 μg/mL for cop- tisine and 236 μg/mL for palmatine. The sequence of antimicrobial activity of BAs is berberine < cop- tisine < palmatine. Combined with previous studies, it could be shown that the sequences of antim- icrobial activity of BAs on both Bacillus shigae and Escherichia coli are berberine > coptisine > pal- matine. The structure-function relationship of BAs indicates that the functional group methylenedioxy or methoxyl at C2 and C3 might be the major group inducing the activities of BAs on E. coli and B. adolescentis. Meanwhile, the substituent groups at C2, C3, C9 and C10 almost have equal effect on B. shigae.
The action of Cornu Cervi Pantotrichum (CCP), Cornu Cervi (CC) and Cornu Saigae Tataricae (CST) on Escherichia coli growth were investigated using microcalorimetry to find the heat change regularity of microbial growth. The similarity of thermogenic curves and thermodynamics parameters were investigated as evaluation index, such as the growth rate constant in the first expo- nential phase (k1), maximum power in the first exponential phase (P1), maximum power in the secondary exponential phase (P2), peak time in the first exponential phase (T1), peak time in the stationary phase (T2) and the total heat production in stage 1 (Q1), and the total heat production in stage 2 (Q2). Chemometric analysis was used as a reference for the bioactivity evaluation of medicinal animal horns. The results indicated that the similarity between CST and the control was smaller than that between CCP, CC and the control. Both CCP and CC could increase the heat in the microbial growth, whereas CST decreased it. The biotic thermal activity of different medicinal animal horns was objectively, qualitatively, and quantitatively evaluated by the similarity of thermogenic curves and thermodynamics parameters analysis.
YAN DanHAN YuMeiLUO JiaoYangZHANG PingTANG HuiYingPENG ChengXIAO XiaoHe
