The reserves, distribution, production and utilization of natural gas resources in China are introduced in this paper which leads a point of view that China's natural gas resources are relatively rich while distributed unevenly. The future production and consumption of China's natural gas are predicted using the Generalized Weng model and the Gray prediction model. The prediction suggests that with the increasing gas consumption China's natural gas production will not meet demand after 2010. In order to ease the supply-demand gap and realize rational development and utilization of China's natural gas resources, this paper puts forward some measures, such as using advanced technologies for natural gas development, establishing a long-distance pipeline network to rationalize the availability of natural gas across China and importing foreign natural gas and liquid natural gas (LNG).
Rheum emodi Wall has been reported to possess protective effect in many inflammatory diseases and oxidative stress-related injuries. This study aims to investigate antioxidant power of stilbenoids from R. emodi and then explore the material basis for its antioxidant potential. The most abundant stilbenoid piceatannol-4′-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (PICG) and its aglycon piceatannol (PICE) were isolated from R. emodi rhizome. Using well-accepted antioxidant chemicals as reference, antioxidant activity of these stilbenoids was examined by measuring DPPH and superoxide anion radical scavenging, ferric reducing power, and inhibition of lipid peroxidation in vitro. Both PICG and PICE displayed promising antioxidant activity in all the four assays. Comparisons among the tested compounds indicated that PICE has the most potent antioxidant activity and the presence of 3′-hydroxyl group may enhance antioxidant activity of stilbenoids. The antioxidative effect of PICE at the cellular level was further demonstrated on the model of hydrogen-peroxide-induced H9c2 rat cardiomyoblasts injury. Taking into account the rapid in vivo metabolic transformation of PICG into PICE it can be inferred that the most abundant stilbenoid PICG may be an important constituent responsible for the antioxidant potential of R. emodi and promising to be developed as an antioxidant agent for supplementary or therapeutic use.
Curcumin is a well-known anticancer natural product with various significant bioactivities that has been well documented, but its widespread use is mainly hindered by insufficient ADME properties such as poor solubility and low metabolic stability. Dimethoxycurcumin (DiMC) is a kind of lipophilic compound derived from curcumin that maintains its anticancer potency and has greatly improved systematic bioavailability. Therefore, DiMC is regarded as a promising plant-derived anticancer agent that deserves to be well developed. Herein, we concentrate on the published work by those from original research groups concerned with the pharmacokinetics, efficacy, and mechanism of DiMC involved in the treatment of various tumors, as well as the nanoformulations for effective drug delivery.
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