Rhus Verniciflua Research Articles

A Study on Lacquer Design Teaching via Digital Platform

Lacquer art is the essence of Chinese culture; however the teaching of lacquer art is unpopular due to the complicated production process. There is little opportunity for primary and secondary school students to access relevant knowledge, and this has resulted in a weak foundation of Chinese lacquer art knowledge. This study researched the lacquer art teaching in primary and secondary education and exerted digital information resources to explore a new learning mode. This study measured the teaching outcomes and summarized the advantages and disadvantages of the teaching methods based on the author’s participatory observations and students’ after-class questionnaire feedback. The most significant aspect of the study was the hope that Chinese teenagers could have a comparatively early acquaintance of the cultural knowledge for lacquer art and provide more positive social factors for the inheritance and development of future lacquer design.

An ultrastructural study of the development of resin canals and lacquer secretion in Toxicodendron vernicifluum (Stokes) F.A.Barkley

Raw lacquer is a natural resin obtained by tapping the secondary phloem of oriental lacquer trees (T. vernicifluum), and the secretory cells of the resin canals play an important role in raw lacquer production. The objective of this study was to perform a detailed analysis of the anatomy and ultrastructure of the secretory cells, to investigate the structural characteristics and ontogeny of secretory cells, and study the synthesis and secretion of raw lacquer. This cytological study on the structure of secretory cells and the secretion of raw lacquer were investigated using alight microscope (LM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM).The results showed that the resin canals was formed by the initial cells of secretory cells through schizogeny. Secretory granules with monofilm were shaped by Golgi bodies and transported to the plasma membrane. Thereafter, the granules were fused with the cell membrane, and the interior flocculent materials were released to the periplasmic space and spread to the resin canals through the cell walls of secretory cells. Finally, the cells fused and gathered in the lumen to form raw lacquer. The present study offers detailed information on the ultrastructure of secretory cells and the process of raw lacquer secretion.

Extract of Rhus verniciflua stokes protects against renal ischemia-reperfusion injury by enhancing Nrf2-mediated induction of antioxidant enzymes.

Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) may cause acute kidney disease (AKD) by mediating the oxidative stress-induced apoptosis of parenchymal cells. The extract of Rhus verniciflua Stokes (RVS) is used as a traditional herbal medicine as it exhibits anti-oxidant, anti-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, the current study investigated the therapeutic effect and the underlying mechanism of RVS on IRI-induced AKD in vivo and in vitro. The current study assessed the effects of RVS on a mouse model of renal IRI and in hypoxic human renal tubular epithelial HK-2 cells. The results demonstrated that the IRI-induced elevation of blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine and lactate dehydrogenase was significantly attenuated by the intraoral administration of RVS (20 mg/kg/day) for 14 days prior to surgery. It was demonstrated that IRI surgery induced histological damage and cellular apoptosis in renal parenchyma, which were attenuated by pretreatment with RVS. Furthermore, in HK-2 cells incubated with 300 µM CoCl2 to induce chemical hypoxia, it was demonstrated that RVS treatment significantly inhibited cell death and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Furthermore, RVS treatment upregulated the levels of endogenous antioxidant enzymes, including heme oxygenase-1 and catalase, as well as their upstream regulator nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, in HK-2 cells. Taken together, these results suggested that the intraoral administration of RVS induces a therapeutic effect on IRI-induced AKD. These effects are at least partly due to the attenuation of ROS production via upregulation of the antioxidant defense system in renal tubular cells.

Analysis of Japanese Jōmon period red lacquerwares by pyrolysis gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

Sixteen lacquerwares excavated from the Minamikonuma ruins located in Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture, Japan, were analyzed by mean of cross-section observation, attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FT/IR), energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF), and pyrolysis gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS). The results showed that Fe2O3 was used as a red pigment in the relatively cheap lacquerwares or in the under layers, and HgS was used as another red pigment in an advanced stage. The characteristic urushiol products were detected in direct and derivative pyrolysis GC/MS of all sixteen lacquerwares and suggested that these Jōmon period lacquerwares were coated with lacquer sap collected from Toxicodendron vernicifluum lacquer trees.

Rhus verniciflua Stokes extract induces inhibition of cell growth and apoptosis in human chronic myelogenous leukemia K562 cells.

Rhus verniciflua Stokes has been widely used as a traditional medicinal plant with a variety of pharmacological activities. We investigated the mechanisms involved in mediating the effects of Rhus verniciflua Strokes (R.verniciflua) extract in human chronic myelogenous leukemia K562 cells, including caspase-dependent apoptotic pathways related to cell-cycle arrest, as well as the inhibition of nuclear factor NF-κB activation and upregulation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. R.verniciflua extract suppressed the abnormal cellular proliferation of K562 cells in a dose- and time‑dependent manner and increased the quantitative proportions of cells involved in the early and late process of apoptosis. Furthermore, R.verniciflua extract significantly mediated the mRNA levels of pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic regulators, such as Bcl-2, Bax, Mcl-1 and survivin in apoptotic cells. Particularly, the treatment of K562 cells with R.verniciflua extract augmented the caspase‑3 activity and increased the expression of caspase‑3 protein, while co-treatment with R.verniciflua extract and the permeant pan‑caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK and caspase‑3 inhibitor Z-DEVD-FMK inversely enhanced the proliferation of K562 cells. The extract of R.verniciflua inhibited the activation of NF-κB and the phosphorylation of ERK. Collectively, these results indicated that the extract of R.verniciflua inhibited the proliferation of human chronic myelogenous leukemia K562 cells by activating the apoptotic process via caspase‑3 overexpression and the regulation of the NF-κB and MAPK signaling.

De novo Assembly and Analysis of Sumac (Toxicodendron vernicifluum (Stokes) F.A. Barkley) Transcriptomes Provides Insights into the Biosynthesis of Urushiol

Sumac is universally known for its abundance of raw lacquer. Toxicodendron vernicifluum (Stokes) F.A. Barkley is one of the widely distributed native sumac cultivars. To accelerate sumac breeding for more prolific, high-quality, and robust cultivars, it is essential to explore its lacquer metabolism. However, transcriptomic and genomic data available for sumac are still limited. In this study, we generated the transcriptomic profiles of triploid Toxicodendron vernicifluum CV. Dahongpao (Dahongpao) and diploid T. vernicifluum and Toxicodendron vernicifluum CV. Huoyanzi (Huoyanzi), with 87856 unigenes. About 53% of these unigenes were annotated using Nr, Swiss-Prot, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), Cluster of Orthologous Groups (COG) and Gene Ontology (GO). We identified nine differentially expressed candidate genes associated with type III polyketide synthase formation, which is the first step in urushiol biosynthesis. Additionally, a number of simple sequence repeats (EST-SSRs) were identified in T. vernicifluum for further molecular marker-assisted breeding. This study is the first report of Toxicodendron species transcriptome.

Identification of powdery mildew on fruits of Toxicodendron vernicifluum, and its damage on seeds production

Identification of powdery mildew on fruits of <i>Toxicodendron vernicifluum</i>, and its damage on seeds production

The anti-inflammatory influence of fermented soy products containing a fermented Rhus verniciflua extract on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated RAW 264.7 cells

The anti-inflammatory influence of fermented soy products containing a fermented Rhus verniciflua extract on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated RAW 264.7 cells

Китайские лаковые изделия в Забайкалье и на Алтае в хуннуское время

С конца III века до н.э. одним из наиболее известных и воинственных объединений кочевников Внутренней Азии был племенной союз хунну (сюнну), который в течение почти трех столетий определял судьбы многих народов огромного региона. В сферу такого влияния попали территории Забайкалья, Тувы, Минусинской котловины, Алтая и других областей Северной Азии, что находит отражение в многочисленных археологических памятниках. Постоянное взаимодействие империи хунну с Китаем отразилось на специфике их материальной и духовной культуры. Это, в свою очередь, транслировалось на соседние кочевые социумы того времени. Статья посвящена изучению фрагментов китайских лаковых предметов, которые были обнаружены при раскопках Иволгинского археологического комплекса в Забайкалье и могильника Яломан-II на Алтае. Исследованные объекты датируются II–I вв. до н.э. Рассматриваемые находки хранятся в Государственном Эрмитаже и в Музее археологии и этнографии Алтая Алтайского государственного университета. Они изучались по специальной комплексной методике, при которой учитывался археологический контекст их нахождения и технологический подход при детальном анализе и сопоставлении составов древних лакокрасочных покрытий на основе китайского ци-лака. Исследования образцов проводились последовательно: от применения научно-технических методов с бóльшей степенью погрешности (микрохимия, рентгенофлюоресцентный анализ, оптическая микроскопия с различными степенями увеличения) к более точным (ИК-Фурье спектрометрия, дифференциальный термический анализ). Имеющиеся аналогии представленным предметам указывают, что время их создания приходится на эпоху Цинь и средний период существования Западной Хань.

Analytical investigation into materials and technique: Carved lacquer decorated panel from Fuwangge in the Forbidden City of Qianlong Period, Qing Dynasty

Carved lacquer is a kind of distinctive Chinese traditional handicraft. However, there are few researches on its scientific investigation. Since carved lacquer has developed to its peak in Qianlong Period (1736–1796CE) of the Qing Dynasty (1636–1912CE), a typical carved lacquer object of this period collected from the decorated panel of Fuwangge (Belvedere of Viewing Achievements) in the Forbidden City, has been analyzed by complementary techniques to investigate its materials and technique. Morphology observation and dimension survey of the cross section of carved lacquer object were achieved through laser scanning confocal microscope. Pigments and other inorganic materials were identified by the combination of polarized light microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, as well as thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry, meanwhile, pyrolysis coupled with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry was carried out to identify organic materials. Analytical results indicated that the investigated carved lacquer object was consisted by three layers, including mortar layer, carved yellow lacquer layer in the middle and carved red lacquer layer in the surface. In mortar layer, brick powder was served as aggregate, the mixture of boiled tung oil and porcine blood might be used as binding media. Yellow pigment of orpiment and red pigment of cinnabar were confirmed as coloring material in carved yellow and red lacquer layer respectively, in addition, mixture of Chinese lacquer and boiled tung oil was applied as main materials in both carved yellow and red lacquer layers. Materials used in the carved lacquer object of decorated panel of Fuwangge was consistent with the historical recipe about carved lacquer in Qing Dynasty. The present research could not only be served as a scientific recovering of Chinese traditional carved lacquer technique in Qianlong Period of Qing Dynasty, but also can contributed to the conservation and restoration of carved lacquer decorated panel of Fuwangge in the Forbidden City.

Laccase Fermentation of Clove Extract Increases Content of Dehydrodieugenol, Which Has Neuroprotective Activity against Glutamate Toxicity in HT22 Cells.

Enzyme fermentation is a type of food processing technique generally used to improve the biological activities of food and herbal medicines. In this study, a Syzygii Flos (clove) extract was fermented using laccase derived from Trametes versicolor (LTV). The fermented clove extract showed greater neuroprotective effects against glutamate toxicity on HT22 than the non-fermented extract did. HPLC analysis revealed that the eugenol (1) and dehydrodieugenol (2) contents had decreased and increased, respectively, after fermentation. The content of 2 peaked at 1 h after fermentation to 103.50 ± 8.20 mg/gex (not detected at zero time), while that of 1 decreased to 79.54 ± 4.77 mg/gex (185.41 ± 10.16 mg/gex at zero time). Compound 2 demonstrated promising HT22 neuroprotective properties with inhibition of Ca2+ influx, the overproduction of intracellular reactive oxygen species, and lipid peroxidation. In addition, LTV showed the best fermentation efficacy compared with laccases derived from Pleurotus ostreatus and Rhus vernicifera.

Did a cooling event in the middle to late Jomon periods induced change in the use of plant resources in Japan?

In Japan management and use of plant resources around settlements can be detected since the early Jomon period starting at ca. 7300 cal BP. At least two arboreal species, Castanea crenata (chestnut) and Toxicodendron vernicifluum (lacquer tree), show clear records of management by the Jomon people. After the early Jomon period corresponding to the Holocene Climate Optimum, the sea level lowered and the climate cooled, and these changes must have affected geomorphology and vegetation around settlements. However, it is not known if the management and use of plant resources by the Jomon people changed with such changes in environment. From the middle to late Jomon periods corresponding to this phase, pollen records indicated change in dominant plants around settlements from Castanea crenata to Aesculus turbinata (horse chestnut). This change in vegetation was attributed to a cooling event at the beginning of the late Jomon period at ca. 4400 cal BP or to human management. To examine the influence of environmental changes on vegetation and plant use from the early to final Jomon periods, plant records at four previously studied sites in the Kanto plain, central Japan, were compared. The results revealed that plant use centered on Castanea crenata and Toxicodendron vernicifluum did not change through the periods, but became more multi-faceted after the late Jomon period with additions of such plants as Aesculus turbinata and Quercus (Cyclobalanopsis).

Immobilization of Rhus vernicifera laccase on sepiolite; effect of chitosan and copper modification on laccase adsorption and activity

The enzyme laccase, a multi-copper oxidase found in many plants and fungi, can be used in water treatment processes for the removal of pollutants. Commercially available laccase, derived from Rhus vernicifera, was adsorbed on sepiolite, sepiolite modified with chitosan, sepiolite plus Cu(II), and sepiolite modified with both chitosan and Cu(II) to investigate enzymatic activity. Adsorption of laccase on unmodified sepiolite increased its activity by 250±40% compared to the non-adsorbed enzyme, whereas for sepiolite-Cu–chitosan and sepiolite–chitosan the activity was enhanced by up to 700% and 500%, respectively. The stronger enhancement for the Cu-containing adsorbent suggests that exchangeable Cu has an effect on the adsorbed laccase. Desorption of the adsorbed laccase was <10%, and the non-desorbed enzyme retained high activity, indicating robust adsorption. This study suggests that chitosan-sepiolite based composites might be used as efficient support for laccase scaffolding and immobilization, thus providing in an effective adsorbent surface for catalytic oxidation of organic pollutants sensitive to laccase activity.

Analysis of Fresh Sap Collected from Ryukyu Lacquer Tree.

The chemical structure of fresh lacquer sap collected from a lacquer tree growing in Nago City of Okinawa, Japan, was analyzed by gas chromatography/mass-spectrometry (GC/MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The results showed that Nago lacquer is laccol lacquer and its major components are 3-(heptadeca-10Z,13E,15E-trienyl)catechol, 3-(heptadeca-10Z,13E-dienyl)catechol, 3-(heptadeca-14Z-enyl)catechol, and 3-(heptadeca-12Z-enyl)catechol, which are similar to the components of Vietnamese lacquer. It showed higher laccase activity at pH 5 - 8 and better low temperature adaptability than Vietnamese lacquer. The Nago lacquer reached a dust free dry (DF) condition after 6 h, but Vietnamese lacquer did not. However, both were able to achieve harden dry (HD) in 24 h at 25°C, 80% relative humidity. In order to identify the lacquer provenance, the strontium isotope ratio was analyzed. The strontium isotope ratio (87Sr/86Sr) of Nago lacquer was 0.7110, which is different from the 0.7450 of Vietnamese lacquer.

Plant community composition and interspecific relationships among dominant species on a post-seismic landslide in Hongchun Gully, China

The 5.12 Earthquake in 2008 and 8.14 Debris Flow in 2010 resulted in large-scale landslides that disturbed vast areas of vegetation in the Hongchun Gully, Wenchuan County, China. To define the specific characteristics of vegetation restoration during natural recovery after catastrophic events, vegetation species composition and interspecific associations were investigated on this typical landslide. Field survey data selected from a total of 51 sample plots belonged to seven belt transects and were analysed by Schluter’s variance ratio, pearson's chi-squared test, Spearman’s correlation coefficients and ecological species groups. Plant communities on the landslide consisted of 78 species, 65 genera and 52 families. Of the total of 78 species, 25 are identified as dominant species, among which Camptotheca acuminate, Toxicodendron vernicifluum, Coriaria nepalensis, Robinia pseudoacacia, Buddleja alternifolia, Anemone vitifolia and Nephrolepis auriculata play a constructive role during the natural afforestation. Moreover, according to environmental and ecological factors, these 25 dominant species could be divided into four ecological species groups. This study found that even though the landslide had frequently suffered from interference due to heavy rain, the vegetation succession processes are ongoing, and it is now at a shrub–herb community succession stage, which indicates that vegetation can naturally recover in the denuded sites. This study provides a useful insight into the ecological interactions and interdependence between plant species during the natural recovery of vegetation and provides valuable information on vegetation recovery modelling in the landslide area.

Manufacturing Equipment for Urushiol Free Raw Rhus Verniciflua Stem(RRVS) Extracts

In this study, manufacturing equipments for urushiol free raw rhus verniciflua stem(RRVS) extracts are developed which do not need for drying process and high pressure device. The three layered pressure tank and heating medium oil boiler are designed which are more efficient than the conventional ones, and the safety of the tank is assured by the structural analysis software. Finally, the RRVS extracts are prepared by water extraction technique at 100℃ using the developed equipments. In the physicochemical experiments for the RRVS extracts, an allergen such as urushiol is not detected, whereas the antioxidant such as polyphenol and flavonoid are contained.

Caspase-dependent and Akt-pathway Regulated Rhus Verniciflua Stokes Extract-induced Apoptosis in Human Breast Carcinoma MDA-MB-231 Cells

Caspase-dependent and Akt-pathway Regulated Rhus Verniciflua Stokes Extract-induced Apoptosis in Human Breast Carcinoma MDA-MB-231 Cells

Characterization of polysaccharides purified from Lacquer tree seed cakes and its antioxidant activity

Three polysaccharides, LTPS-1, LTPS-21 and LTPS-31 were isolated and purified from the seed cakes of lacquer tree using DEAE-52 cellulose and Sephadex G-200 column chromatography. The total sugar contents of LTPS-1, LTPS-21 and LTPS-31 were 931.8, 958.2 and 895.1 g kg−1, respectively. LTPS-1 (3.48 kDa) was mainly composed of rhamnose, arabinose, glucose and galactose in a ratio of 35.36:5.06:1:2. LTPS-21 (11.4 kDa) was mainly composed of rhamnose, arabinose, mannose and galactose in a ratio of 41.93:21.8:1.01:9.24. LTPS-31 (19.49 kDa) was mainly composed of rhamnose, arabinose and mannose in a ratio of 38.31:16.44:1.1. IR analysis suggested they contained lower sulphuric acids, the LTPS-21 and LTPS-31 belonged to β-type polysaccharide. Among the three polysaccharides, LTPS-21 exhibited the strongest reducing power, scavenging activity on ABTS and hydroxyl radicals. These findings suggested that polysaccharides from the seed cakes could be potentially developed as natural functional ingredients in the food and cosmetic industry.

Analysis on the Composition/structure and Lacquering Techniques of the Coffin of Emperor Qianlong Excavated from the Eastern Imperial Tombs

This article presents the results of an investigation on the coffin of Emperor Qianlong excavated from the Eastern Imperial Tombs of the Qing Dynasty in Zunhua, China. The composition, structure and lacquering techniques used in the manufacturing process were analyzed in this project. Stereoscopic Microscopy, SEM-EDS, XRD, FTIR, Raman, Double-shot Py-GC/MS were used as scientific analytical methods. The results show that the structure of the coffin body consists of a wooden body layer, a lacquer ash layer and a lacquer film pigment layer. The lacquer ash layer consists of nine stucco layers and ten fiber layers on top of each other in an alternating order. The lacquer film pigment layer consists of mineral pigments, lacquer sap, animal gelatin, drying oil, quartz sand and proteinaceous materials. Pigments used in the lacquer film include calcite white, carbon black, cinnabar red and gold. The presence of three distinctive catechols along with the other catechols’ and phenols’ profiles in the lacquer film matrix clearly indicate the species of the lacquer tree was Rhus. Vernicifera. Several distinctive lacquering techniques that improved the coffin body’s stability and mechanical strength were identified in the investigation, including the “wan lacquering”, “painting lacquer above the gold” and “Jin Jiao”.

Characteristics of Molecular Evolution of Toxicodendron vernicifluum in Qinba Mountains by nrDNA ITS and cpDNA Sequence

Characteristics of Molecular Evolution of Toxicodendron vernicifluum in Qinba Mountains by nrDNA ITS and cpDNA Sequence