Phytochemical Analysis最新文献

Introduction: Eleutherococcus senticosus, a traditional Chinese medicine, has shown potential in treating glioblastoma (GBM). However, its main active components and mechanisms of action remain unclear.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the inhibitory effects of E. senticosus on GBM cell proliferation and migration using in vitro cellular experiments.

Methods: Transcriptome sequencing and metabolome analysis were performed on GBM cells treated with E. senticosus. Network pharmacology and correlation analysis identified the main active components and their targets, which were further verified using molecular biology experiments. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays and molecular docking analyses were used to analyze the binding ability and mechanisms of action of transcription factors and promoters.

Results: E. senticosus significantly inhibited GBM cell proliferation and migration. Treatment with E. senticosus caused significant changes in ferroptosis-related genes and metabolites in GBM cells, significantly reducing the levels of glutathione, an antagonist of ferroptosis, and its synthetic substrates. GPX4, FTH1, and TFR1 were identified as core targets of ferroptosis induction in E. senticosus-induced GBM cells. Quercetin had similar biological effects on GBM cells as E. senticosus and is its main active component. E. senticosus and quercetin changed the binding ability of transcription factors SIX1 and MYBL2 to the promoters of GPX4, FTH1, and TFR1.

Conclusion: E. senticosus changed the binding ability of SIX1, MYBL2, and promoters of target genes via quercetin, which led to changes in the expression of GPX4, FTH1, and TFR1, finally resulting in ferroptosis induction in GBM cells.

Background: Cannabis sativa L. is an annual herbaceous plant in the genus Cannabis of the family Cannabaceae. Hempseed, a traditional Chinese medicine, is the dried and ripe decorticated fruit of C. sativa L. It has a long history of medicinal use and belongs to the category of "both medicine and food." The earliest record of hempseed as food can be found in "The Book of Rites" (Zhou Li), while its medicinal use was first documented in Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica (Shennong Bencao Jing). Hempseed contains rich chemical components, such as fatty acids, cannabinoids, lignin amides, alkaloids, flavonoids, and proteins, among which fatty acids are the most abundant. Hempseed has the effects of moistening the intestines and relieving dryness, invigorating the middle-jiao, and replenishing qi. It is often used for blood deficiency and body fluid deficiency, intestinal dryness, and constipation, and is an important drug for the treatment of functional constipation. Modern medicinal chemistry and pharmacological studies have shown that hempseed semen not only has a significant laxative effect but also possesses pharmacological effects such as anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation, anti-tumor, analgesia, lipid-lowering, and others.

Objectives: At present, the quality standards for hemp kernels have not yet established content control for single or whole components. This not only cannot fully guarantee the quality and safety of medicinal materials but also restricts the improvement of quality standards. We summarize the knowledge in this area with the aim of providing new ideas for the scientific application of cannabis and the integration of modern research and traditional medicine.

Methods: Relevant literature was retrieved from major scientific databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar. The system collected and analyzed information related to the phytochemistry, pharmacological effects, comprehensive utilization, and quality control of hemp seeds.

Results: This article provides a review of the research on traditional Chinese medicine Ma Ren from the aspects of herbal research, phytochemistry, and pharmacology, and emphasizes the latest progress in the comprehensive utilization and quality control of hemp seeds.

Conclusion: Hemp seeds contain various bioactive compounds with broad pharmacological potential. They have shown potential in disease management and prevention and are increasingly being applied in the development of functional health products. At the same time, in the future, we need to strengthen interdisciplinary mechanism analysis, accelerate clinical validation, optimize intelligent manufacturing technology, build a standard system for the entire industry chain, and promote the leapfrog development of hemp seeds from functional raw materials to precision and healthy products.

Neurological disorders impose a significant burden on the healthcare systems. The latest published data by WHO indicated that stroke was the second leading cause of death globally in 2020, with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other dementias in the seventh position. The treatment of neurological disorders is challenging because of the complex nature of the disease, as well as limited accessibility to this target organ due to several biological barriers. There is a wide range of treatment options for neurological disorders. Small drug molecules, antibodies, and stem cells have been employed for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as AD, but currently, there is no effective treatment for AD. As conventional drugs have not been successful in achieving therapeutic outcomes, natural products such as curcumin, stemming from traditional medicines, have been tested for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as AD. However, this compound has not shown significant therapeutic effects for the treatment of brain diseases, mainly due to rapid clearance from the body. Therefore, phytochemical nanoparticles have been developed. In this review article, the rationale has been provided for the use of nanoparticles for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases with emphasis on phytochemical nanoparticles.

Quercetin is one of the prestigious bioactive flavonoids found in many fruits, vegetables, and grains, which has attracted considerable attention due to its various pharmacological effects and therapeutic potential. Many researchers isolate and extract it by employing various analytical methods because of its manifold pharmacological profile. This paper provides a comprehensive review of quercetin's biological impacts, emphasizing its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, and antihypertensive effects. There are many formulations available in which quercetin is the main ingredient. Its clinical use is frequently limited by inadequate bioavailability and stability. To tackle these challenges, several drug formulations and delivery methods, including nanoparticles and liposome complexes, have been created to improve absorption and effectiveness. The author also discussed that various analytical methods, like high-performance liquid chromatography, are increasingly being employed to characterize quercetin's molecular properties, bioactivity, and interactions with biological targets and sources from which it is obtained. Additionally, the review gives insight into the synthesis of quercetin, with a description of clinical and preclinical trials as well as patents.

Introduction: Murraya koenigii contains bioactive compounds with antidiabetic and hypolipidemic activities. Considering widespread availability and traditional use of M. koenigii throughout South Asia.

Objectives: The present study was designed to perform qualitative and quantitative analysis of phytochemicals present in curry leaves.

Material and methods: Quantification method was validated according to International Council of Harmonization (ICH) guidelines and was used to analyze seasonal and geographical variability of phytoconstituents in leaf samples collected from different geographical locations across India.

Results: The isolated four carbazole alkaloids, namely, mahanimbine, girinimbine, koenimbine, and koenigicine, from methanolic extract of curry leaves, were quantitatively determined in the leaves of M. koenigii using reverse phase-high performance liquid chromatography equipped with photodiode array detector (RP-HPLC-PDA).

Conclusions: Our study revealed that mahanimbine, koenimbine, and koenigicine content was maximum in sample collected in months of April, June, and October 2020, respectively. The samples procured from Northern Indian regions showed maximum content of carbazole alkaloids. The in vitro biological assays revealed anti-obesogenic potential of carbazole alkaloids in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

Introduction: Bai Jie Zi San (BJZS) is a traditional Chinese herbal formula commonly used in acupoint sticking therapy, extensively used in clinical practice for the prevention and treatment of asthma. It has a wide application not only in China but also across various East Asian countries.

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the transdermal distribution and blood components in guinea pigs following the application of BJZS.

Methods: We used matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI) to visualize the transdermal spatial distribution of BJZS components in the skin tissue of guinea pigs and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS) to identify the components present in the blood.

Results: The results revealed significant differences in the distribution of each component across various skin areas of the guinea pigs, with the Feishu acupoint showing significantly higher concentrations compared to the other acupoints. Seventeen components were successfully identified in the blood, including eight from Corydalis Rhizoma, four from Asari Radix et Rhizoma, two from Semen Sinapis Albae, two from Rhizoma zingiberis recens, and one from Kansui Radix.

Conclusion: The study demonstrated that combining MALDI-MSI with UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS technology offered an intuitive, straightforward, and reliable approach to effectively reflect the distribution characteristics of transdermal components and identify the types of components entering the bloodstream after the application of BJZS. These findings provided valuable insights into the pharmacological mechanisms and modern development of this traditional Chinese herbal formula.

Introduction: Galls, which are abnormal or protruding tissues, form when insects bite plant cells and serve as evidence for understanding plant-insect interactions.

Objectives: This study is aimed at understanding the interactions between Chrysanthemum species and insects at the metabolomic level and to reveal the metabolic changes induced by insect galls.

Methodology: This study employed liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), along with multivariate statistics and pathway enrichment, for metabolomic profiling of Chrysanthemum glabriusculum, including gall-infected and gall-free leaves, and reported the gall phenomenon in Chrysanthemum species for the first time.

Results: LC-MS metabolomics analysis identified 105 marker metabolites, with 61 upregulated and 42 downregulated. Organic acids were the most abundant (20.00%), followed by carbohydrates (16.19%) and flavonoids (14.29%). KEGG analysis revealed significant pathway enrichment in flavone and flavonol biosynthesis, the TCA cycle, and galactose metabolism (p < 0.05). GC-MS metabolomics analysis revealed 27 volatile secondary metabolites, predominantly terpenoids (16 types), followed mainly by alcohol (4 types) and ketone compounds (three types). VIP > 1 analysis revealed 13 differentially signature metabolites; gall tissue (CgCa) presented elevated levels of β-phellandrene, camphene, and 1,8-Cineole, whereas γ-Muurolene, α-Farnesene, and Copaene were downregulated in CgCa.

Conclusions: During gall induction, C. glabriusculum plays an important role in energy metabolism through the regulation of key metabolic pathways, such as galactose metabolism and the TCA cycle, and their products; moreover, by regulating the biosynthesis of flavonoids and flavonols and the corresponding accumulation of secondary metabolites (terpenoids, ketones, and alcohols), it defends against insect-induced galls.

Introduction: Raw tubers of Pinellia ternata (PTRs) and processed ones (PTPs) have varied therapeutic applications in traditional medicine. PTRs are used to treat cancer, whereas PTPs are used to treat coughing and phlegm. The underlying reason for this difference is still unknown.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate whether polysaccharides are the key differentiators in the traditional uses of PTRs and PTPs and to explore the possible mechanism for the immunomodulatory effects of polysaccharides from PTRs.

Materials and methods: PTRs and PTPs were used to produce the total polysaccharides PTR.PS and PTP.PS, respectively, which were physiochemically characterized using various techniques, such as gel permeation chromatography, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and high-performance liquid chromatography. Their immunomodulatory activity was evaluated by flow cytometry analysis in bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) and bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) for the analyses of activation markers and concentrations of cytokines secreted. The mechanistic study was elucidated by Western blot analysis.

Results: Physicochemical characterization revealed that PTR.PS had lower molecular weights and greater abundance of monosaccharide components, including mannose and galacturonic acid, than PTP.PS. The bioactivity analysis result showed that PTR.PS has robust immunostimulatory effects on BMDMs and BMDCs by the upregulation of NF-κB and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways leading to the increased expression of activation markers and cytokine secretion. The proinflammatory M1 macrophages induce an inflammatory condition, and the activated dendritic cells can activate T cells for a cell-mediated adaptive immune response.

Conclusions: Polysaccharides are the key difference between PTRs and PTPs, resulting in different immunostimulatory effects, which are regulated through NF-κB and MAPK pathways.

Background: In terms of medicinal material market and seed sources, Schisandra sphenanthera Rehd.et Wils. is often misused as Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. Although the Chinese Pharmacopoeia makes a distinction at the medicinal material level, there is no reliable identification method for seeds. The existing approach still relies on traditional morphology, which requires rich experience.

Objectives: This study aims to fill this gap and enable quality control at the source level.

Material and methods: A neighbor-joining (NJ) tree based on the ITS2 gene was constructed to analyze species genetic relationships and find SNP site for S. chinensis. Primers targeting the SNP site were used in an allele-specific PCR system, whose sensitivity was tested with different amounts of DNA and further validated by commercial samples.

Results: The NJ tree showed that S. chinensis clustered into a single strand, clearly separated from other related species. When the primers were applied to the allele-specific PCR, a diagnostic 273 bp band was amplified specifically in S. chinensis seeds, with no cross-reactivity observed. This assay system exhibited high sensitivity, detecting as little as 0.5 ng of genomic DNA, and was validated by commercial samples, suggesting its accuracy, reproducibility, and practical applicability.

Conclusion: This method is an ideal tool for large-scale seed authentication of S. chinensis due to its high efficiency, precision, and operational simplicity. Our research contributes to quality control throughout the supply chain by ensuring the purity of the seeds at the earliest stages of cultivation, and also promotes the standardized production of this valuable medicinal resource.

Introduction: Vertigo is a prevalent clinical disorder that significantly compromises the quality of life of a patient. Among the syndrome patterns recognized in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), vertigo due to liver-yang hyperactivity (LYH) is the most common subtype. This study explored the underlying therapeutic mechanisms of Tianma Anshen Dingxuan formula (TADF) on vertigo induced by LYH through the analysis of gut microbiota and their metabolites.

Methods: A total of 30 Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to control, LYH vertigo model, and TADF groups. The LYH vertigo model was established through intragastric administration of aconite decoction combined with unilateral labyrinthectomy. Behavioral changes and colonic histopathology were conducted. The concentrations of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), dopamine (DA), and norepinephrine (NE) in the rat hypothalamus were quantified using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The gut microbiota and metabolites were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS). Spearman correlation analysis was performed to explore the relationships among the microbiota, metabolites, and behavioral indices.

Results: Treatment with TADF significantly improved behavioral indices (such as reduced head tilt, normalized reflexes) and colonic inflammation (lower histopathological scores, p < 0.01), whereas it significantly reduced the concentrations of 5-HT, DA, and NE in the rat hypothalamus (p < 0.05). Additionally, TADF modulated gut microbiota by upregulating both p_Patescibacteria and o_Oscillospirales while downregulating g_Bifidobacterium. Metabolomics identified 16 biomarkers (for instance, N-acetylneuraminate) enriched in pathways like tryptophan metabolism. Spearman analysis revealed correlations between microbiota (g_Ruminococcus), metabolites (chlorphenoxamine), and behavioral scores.

Conclusion: Collectively, this study is the first to demonstrate the therapeutic effect of TADF on vertigo-afflicted rats. TADF significantly improved the levels of microbiota-mediated metabolites by restoring the impaired gut microbiota.