Studies were conducted to evaluate polysaccharides from mycelia of Cordyceps sinensis (PMCS) as a feed additive for pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei). Shrimps were randomly divided into two groups. One group received the PMCS‐supplemented diet for 52 days, and the other group received no treatment. The data showed that shrimps given PMCS gained more body weight compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Haemolymph immunity indicators, including phenoloxidase (PO), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), acid phosphatase (ACP) and lysozyme (LSZ), were remarkably greater in the PMCS group (P < 0.05). In addition, antioxidant parameters, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reduced form (GSH), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC), were significantly greater in the treatment group. However, there were no significant differences in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and glutathione peroxidase (GSH‐PX) activity between the control and treatment groups. Moreover, the number of Vibrio ichthyoenteri was less in the group treated with PMCS (P < 0.05). In conclusion, PMCS can be used to improve the growth performance and health of pacific white shrimp.

The chemical constituents and the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic activities of fresh rhizome essential oil (FR-EO) and dry rhizome essential oil (DR-EO) of Zingiber zerumbet (L.) Smith obtained from Southwest China were compared. Zerumbone was the predominant component in both FR-EO and DR-EO (75.0% and 41.9%, respectively). FR-EO, DR-EO, and zerumbone were all demonstrated to have significant antimicrobial capacity against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, and Proteus vulgaris, with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranging from 31.25 to 156.25 μg/mL and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) ranging from 62.50 to 625.00 μg/mL. Zerumbone showed the strongest antimicrobial potential against all tested microorganisms compared with the fresh and dry rhizome essential oils. FR-EO was found to be more active than DR-EO against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, and Proteus vulgaris. FR-EO, DR-EO, and zerumbone all showed significant cytotoxic activity against K562, PC-3, and A549 human tumor cell lines in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Zerumbone exhibited the strongest antiproliferative activity against all tested human tumor cell lines with an IC50 of 4.21–11.09 μg/mL for 72 h incubation, as compared with the fresh and dry rhizome oils. The cytotoxic activity of FR-EO (IC50: 10.48–14.51 μg/mL for 72 h) was found to be significantly higher (p<0.05) than that of DR-EO (IC50: 13.83–33.24 μg/mL for 72 h). FR-EO, DR-EO, and zerumbone exhibited selective cytotoxic activity to tumor cells, with a significantly low cytotoxicity to normal cells (MRC-5, IC50: 56.98–147.29 μg/mL). However, FR-EO, DR-EO, and zerumbone all exhibited weak free-radical-scavenging activity according to DPPH and ABTS analysis. The findings highlighted in this study show that FR-EO provides appreciably higher content of the bioactive compound, zerumbone, and has higher antimicrobial and cytotoxic properties than DR-EO. Thus, fresh Z. zerumbet rhizome should be preferred in cosmetic, food, and pharmaceutical applications.

cholinesterase. Based on the current results, H. flavum could be considered as a source of bioactive compounds and has high exploitation potential in the cosmetics, food, and pharmaceutical industries.

The chemical composition and biological activities of the essential oil from Ficus tikoua Bur. were reported for the first time. Fifty-three compounds, accounting for 99.60% of the total essential oil composition, were identified and the main components were palmitic acid (51.13%) and linoleic acid (47.54%). The essential oil revealed significant antibacterial activity with the inhibition zones (7.89-10.59 mm), MIC (0.20-6.25 mg/mL) and MBC (0.20-12.50 mg/mL) against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Proteus vulgaris. The essential oil exhibited significant cytotoxicity against A549, NCI-H1299, PC-3 and K562 tumor cells with the IC50 values of 131.08, 50.32, 120.58 and 31.68 μg/mL, respectively. The essential oil exhibited selective cytotoxic activity to human tumor cell lines, with a significantly lower cytotoxicity to human normal cell line (MRC-5, IC50 = 161.75 μg/mL) than to tumor cells. Additionally, palmitic acid, as the major compound, aslo revealed significant antibacterial and cytotoxic activities.

The chemical composition and biological activities of the essential oil (EO) from the rhizomes of Zingiber striolatum Diels were reported for the first time. Forty-five compounds were identified, and represented 95.7% of the total composition of the EO. The predominant components of the EO were β-phellandrene (24.0%), sabinene (17.3%), β-pinene (11.4%), geranyl linalool (8.6%), terpinen-4-ol (8.3%), α-pinene (5.6%) and crypton (4.5%). The EO revealed a weak DPPH and ABTS radical-scavenging activity. The EO exhibited significant antimicrobial activity with the inhibition zones (12.86-24.62 mm) and MIC (0.78-3.12 mg/mL) against Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans. The EO showed significant cytotoxicity against human leukemic (K562), lung cancer (A549) and prostatic carcinoma (PC-3) cell lines with the IC 50 values of 29.67, 48.87 and 86.05 μg/mL, respectively. Thus, the EO could be regarded as a bioactive natural product with potential for utilization in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry.