DNA metabarcoding analysis of fungal community on surface of four root herbs / 中草药·英文版

OBJECTIVE@#Angelicae Sinensis Radix (ASR, Danggui in Chinese), Cistanches Herba (CH, Roucongrong in Chinese), Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (PG, Renshen in Chinese), and Panacis Quinquefolii Radix (PQ, Xiyangshen in Chinese), widely used as medicine and dietary supplement around the world, are susceptible to fungal and mycotoxin contamination. In this study, we aim to analyze their fungal community by DNA metabarcoding.@*METHODS@#A total of 12 root samples were collected from three main production areas in China. The samples were divided into four groups based on herb species, including ASR, CH, PG, and PQ groups. The fungal community on the surface of four root groups was investigated through DNA metabarcoding via targeting the internal transcribed spacer 2 region (ITS2).@*RESULTS@#All the 12 samples were detected with fungal contamination. Rhizopus (13.04%-74.03%), Aspergillus (1.76%-23.92%), and Fusarium (0.26%-15.27%) were the predominant genera. Ten important fungi were identified at the species level, including two potential toxigenic fungi (Penicillium citrinum and P. oxalicum) and eight human pathogenic fungi (Alternaria infectoria, Candida sake, Hyphopichia burtonii, Malassezia globosa, M. restricta, Rhizopus arrhizus, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, and Ochroconis tshawytschae). Fungal community in ASR and CH groups was significantly different from other groups, while fungal community in PG and PQ groups was relatively similar.@*CONCLUSION@#DNA metabarcoding revealed the fungal community in four important root herbs. This study provided an important reference for preventing root herbs against fungal and mycotoxin contamination.

A Review on Anti-Diabetic Herbs of Siddha System Based on Their Organoleptic Characteristic

The Siddha system is a primordial system of medicine followed over a long period in the Southern part of India. Siddha system has peculiar methods in treating a disease and also possesses various diagnostic methods and treatment protocols. In the Siddha system, diagnostic methods are purely differing from other systems. The diagnostic tools are Envagaithervu (Eight Fold Assessment Test), Neer Kuri & Nei Kuri (Siddha Urine Test), Nadi (Pulse Test) etc. In the Siddha system treatments are based on Nadi, Suvai. Diabetics are the major non-communicable disease in the world. According to the statistics India is second among the top ten nations in the world, with 69.2 million people suffering from diabetes and another 36.5 million struggling with pre-diabetes. This rising prevalence is mostly due to changes in lifestyle, such as consuming unhealthy foods and being physically sedentary. In the Siddha system, it is compared with Neerizhuvu Noi. In Siddha, diabetes is not an illness. It is possible to keep it under control with the right diet and treatment. The article focus on scientific justification of the relationship of herbs cured Neerizhuvu Noi mentioned in classical text by their organoleptic characters and anti diabetic activity of the herbs. Taste plays a significant part in the selection of medicinal plants for each person in this kind of personalized treatment that is based on their constitution. This article discusses the Siddha approach to the control of diabetes, with a particular focus on the flavour of herbs.

Role of herbs at the crossroads of metabolic syndrome and mental illness

The potential use of herbs in treating and managing comorbidities is emerging. Mental illnesses (MIs) are a widespread cause of distress and dysfunction and substantially impact one's quality of life. While the precise reason for the onset of mental illness is elusive, several chronic health complications, including metabolic syndrome (MetS), affect an individual's well-being. Thus, it is beneficial to identify the intercepts and explore the role of herbs in combating MetS-associated MIs or vice versa. This study explores the relationship between Mets and mental illness and assesses which herbs may have properties that benefit both conditions. The research design and selection process were done among the mental disorder individuals with two sets of keywords and expanded controlled vocabulary phrases, nine databases for systematic literature searches, critical assessment of the papers obtained, and meta-analysis. Our findings suggest that the excess levels of inflammatory cytokines such as C-reactive protein, interleukin, and leptin resistance in MetS strongly correlate with MIs such as depression. The resulting cross-sectional pooled odds ratio was 1.75 (95% CI 1.60-1.92), indicating a strong relationship between Mets and MIs. This study provides an essential theoretical foundation for therapeutic options and prospective intervention methods for comorbid Mets and mental illness. Some herbs have a relevant effect in treating both cases, broadening the breadth of knowledge to guide future research on this topic.

Coherence and vitals of medicinal herbs, nutrients, and yoga in stress management and psychological stasis

When the time lows of the psychological body, about the human mind, there is a vital relationship between the psychological and somatic body leading to stress and mishaps. This could be a lack of coherence among significant components in the body, which are characterized by hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline that come into play. Cortisol and adrenaline are released when there is usually a response of fight or flight, where these hormones get ready to handle the body’s reaction, and when this happens properly, it yields stress. Stress occurs through all age groups across every ethnicity and population, as the functioning of the mind is very similar. Managing this emerging stress and anxiety condition could be done through the easy way of the modern system of medicine, allopathy. Alternatively, the traditional method comes in handy to maintain such a condition with hardly any long-term side effects. A few conventional techniques like the practice of yoga, support of the proper nutrients, and certain medicinal herbs are bent to see a change in the perspective of coping mechanisms that results in a stress-free environment within the human mind. Many patterns of practices are noticed that there are specific nutrients and supplements formulated with medicinal herbs with significant pharmacological properties and the ancient activity of yoga aid in stress management. Using and practicing regularly can help in an integrated caliber of living. This review article sheds information and collation on such significant medicinal herbs, nutrients, and renounced practices of yoga that play together in the balance of the human body to overcome the distress of the mind. Many studies have noticed that medicinal herbs, nutrients, and specific yogic asanas help handle stress and anxiety, giving a holistic living pattern.

Elettaria cardamomum essential oil; immunomodulatory, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects for controlling acute Toxoplasma gondii infection

@#The present study was conducted to investigate the immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects of Elettaria cardamomum essential oil (ECEO) for the control of acute Toxoplasma gondii infection. The effect of ECEO on T. gondii tachyzoites was measured by the tetrazolium bromide method. Mice received ECEO orally at doses of 1-4 mg/kg/day for 14 days. Once acute toxoplasmosis was induced in mice, their mortality rate and parasite load were recorded. The level of liver antioxidant/oxidant enzymes and the level of mRNA expression of interleukin-1 beta and interferongamma were also investigated. ECEO particularly at a concentration of 150 µg/ml has promising in vitro anti-Toxoplasma effects (p<0.001). After treatment with ECEO, the mortality rate (9th day) and parasite load decreased (p<0.001) in the infected mice. ECEO markedly (p < 0.05) restored hepatic oxidant and antioxidant enzyme levels, as well as increased cytokines. These results report a significant inhibitory effect of ECEO mainly at a dose of 4 mg/mL, against the T. gondii Rh strain through strengthening the immune system and reducing inflammation and oxidative stress; however, further research is needed to verify these results.

Characteristic Analysis of "Imprinting Template" for Pungent Herbs Based on Molecular Connectivity Index and Matching Frequency Total Statistical Moment / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo analyze the fingerprint of six pungent herbs based on the molecular connectivity index（MCI）and the matching frequency total statistical moment method， and to study the division and integration of the "imprinting template" of their volatile components， so as to find the common "imprinting template" characteristics of the pungent herbs. MethodThe volatile components of six pungent herbs were extracted by steam distillation， and their fingerprints were established by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry（GC-MS） with a programmed temperature increase（80 ℃ for 5 min， 5 ℃·min-1 to 200 ℃ for 5 min， 2 ℃·min-1 to 230 ℃ for 10 min）， a splitting ratio of 20∶1， an electron bombardment ion source（EI） and the detection range of m/z 35-650， and the average MCI and total statistical moment parameters of the fingerprints were calculated. Then the matching frequency method was used to classify， integrate and confirm the chromatographic peaks of the fingerprints of six pungent herbs. ResultThe average zero order， first-order and second-order MCI values of the volatile components of Pogostemonis Herba， Artemisiae Argyi Folium， Atractylodis Rhizoma， Asari Radix et Rhizoma， Magnoliae Flos and Schizonepetae Herba were 9.02， 5.28 and 5.05， respectively. The average values of peak number， total zero-order moment， total first-order moment and total second-order moment were 60， 169×107， 22.49 min and 36.82 min2， respectively. The 20 integrated imprinting templates were obtained by the matching frequency method for the six pungent herbs， among which three were common imprinting templates with the retention times of （25.97±0.21），（26.90±0.20），（31.64±1.24） min， respectively， and the representative components were valencene，β-elemene， caryophyllin， etc. ConclusionMCI combined the matching frequency total statistical moment can divide and integrate the characteristics of imprinting templates of six pungent herbs， and find their common chromatographic imprinting characteristics， which can provide a reference for the determination of effective substances of pungent herbs.

Characteristics, origin, and processing of Poria in Qing Dynasty Palace:evidence of both historical relics and documents / 中国中药杂志

Poria(Fu Ling) is a bulk traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)with a long history and complex varieties. The royal medical records of the Qing Dynasty include multiple medicinal materials of Fu Ling, such as Bai Fu Ling(white Poria), Chi Fu Ling(rubra Poria), and Zhu Fu Ling(Poria processed with cinnabaris). The Palace Museum preserves 6 kinds of specimens including Fu Ling Ge(dried Poria), Bai Fu Ling, Chi Fu Ling, Zhu Fu Ling, Bai Fu Shen(white Poria cum Radix Pini), and Fu Shen Mu(Poria cum Radix Pini). After trait identification and textual research, we found that Fu Ling Ge was an intact sclerotium, which was processed into Fu Ling Pi(Poriae Cutis), Bai Fu Ling and other medicinal materials in the Palace. The Fu Ling in the Qing Dynasty Pa-lace was mainly from the tribute paid of the officials in Yunnan-Guizhou region. The tribute situation was stable in the whole Qing Dynasty, and changed in the late Qing Dynasty. The cultural relics of Fu Ling in the Qing Dynasty Palace confirm with the archival documents such as the royal medical records and herbal medicine books, providing precious historical materials for understanding Fu Ling in the Qing Dynasty and a basis for the restoration of the processing of the Fu Ling in the Qing Dynasty Palace.

Quality evaluation and multi-spectral identification of origin herbs of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos based on grey correlation-TOPSIS method / 中国中药杂志

The grey correlation-TOPSIS method was used to evaluate the quality of the origin herbs of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos, and the Fourier transform near-infrared(NIR) and mid-infrared(MIR) spectroscopy was applied to establish the identification model of origin herbs of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos by combining chemometrics and spectral fusion strategies. The content of neochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acid, cryptochlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, secoxyloganin, isoquercitrin, isochlorogenic acid B, isochlorogenic acid A, and isochlorogenic acid C in six origin herbs of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC), and their quality was evaluated by the grey correlation-TOPSIS method. The Fourier transform NIR and MIR spectra of six origin herbs of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos(Lonicera japonica, L. macranthoides, L. hypoglauca, L. fulvotomentosa, L. confuse, and L. similis) were collected. At the same time, principal component analysis(PCA), support vector machine(SVM), and spectral data fusion technology were combined to determine the optimal identification method for the origin herbs of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos. There were differences in the quality of the origin herbs of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos. Specifically, there were significant differences between L. japonica and the other five origin herbs(P<0.01). The quality of L. similis was significantly different from that of L. fulvotomentosa, L. macranthoides, and L. hypoglauca(P=0.008, 0.027, 0.01), and there were also significant differences in the quality of L. hypoglauca and L. confuse(P=0.001). The PCA and SVM 2D models based on a single spectrum could not be used for the effective identification of the origin herbs of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos. The data fusion combined with the SVM model further improved the identification accuracy, and the identification accuracy of the mid-level data fusion reached 100%. Therefore, the grey correlation-TOPSIS method can be used to evaluate the quality of the origin herbs of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos. Based on the infrared spectral data fusion strategy and SVM chemometric model, it can accurately identify the origin herbs of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos, which can provide a new method for the origin identification of medicinal materials of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos.

Active Components in Chinese Medicinal Herbs Regulate AMPK/mTOR Pathway to Mediate Autophagy in Diabetic Kidney Disease： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Diabetic kidney disease （DKD） is one of the typical microvascular complications in patients with diabetes and a major cause of end-stage renal disease， with the pathogenesis remains to be elucidated. It may be associated with hemodynamic effects， genetic factors， kidney inflammatory injury， oxidative stress， autophagy dysregulation， metabolic disorders and so on. Because of its complex mechanism， there are no specific prevention and treatment measures in clinical practice. AMP-activated protein kinase （AMPK）/mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR） signaling pathway is a classical pathway involved in the regulation of autophagy. This pathway can be activated for treating DKD. Recent studies have demonstrated that the active components in Chinese medicinal herbs play a role in the prevention and treatment of DKD by directly acting on targeted cells and autophagy targets， which has attracted extensive attention. Researchers have extensively studied the occurrence and development of DKD and the mechanism of drug intervention in DKD， and the results prove that AMPK/mTOR pathway plays a role in the development of this disease. The active components in Chinese medicinal herbs regulate the AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway to affect autophagy， alleviate oxidative stress， inflammation， and extracellular matrix aggregation， and promote the generation of autophagosomes， thus mitigating kidney injury. This paper mainly reviews the relationship between AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway， autophagy， and DKD and the mechanism of active components in Chinese medicinal herbs in mediating autophagy via the AMPK/mTOR pathway， aiming to provide a theoretical basis for the clinical prevention and treatment of DKD.

Active Components in Chinese Medicinal Herbs Regulate Osteogenic Signaling Pathway in Treatment of Steroid-induced Osteonecrosis of Femoral Head： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

As a threat to human health， steroid-induced osteonecrosis of femur head is a common refractory orthopedic disease mainly caused by glucocorticoids， with poor prognosis and unclear pathogenesis. Osteogenesis-associated signaling pathways play an important role in bone formation. Glucocorticoid-induced abnormal activation and transport of these signaling pathways lead to abnormal differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells， dysfunction of bone metabolism， and osteogenesis disorders， which may be the main reasons for the occurrence and development of steroid-induced osteonecrosis of femur head. Bone formation and remodeling need the participation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells， which are stem cells characterized by continuous self-renewal and differentiation. The key to strengthening bone remodeling is to improve the osteogenic differentiation capacity， which is the key point to inhibit bone resorption and prevent bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells from differentiating into osteoclasts. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has been used in the treatment of osteonecrosis in ancient times. It is recorded in the Treasury of Words on Materia Medica （《本草汇编》） that "The deficiency in the lower energizer cannot be tonified without Eucommiae Cortexz.The soreness in lower legs cannot be alleviated without Eucommiae Cortex...The pain in the waist and knee cannot be relieved without Eucommiae Cortex...Tonifying liver and invigorating kidney， Eucommiae Cortex is an essential medicine." This indicates that ancient physicians have already begun to use the liver-tonifying， kidney-invigorating， and sinew-bone-strengthening effects of Eucommiae Cortex for the treatment of osteonecrosis. As the national support for the development of TCM strengthens， increasing studies have been conducted on the TCM prevention and treatment of steroid-induced osteonecrosis of femur head. Studies have suggested that Chinese medicinal herbs can exert a positive effect on the differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells by affecting targeted signaling molecules， and promote osteogenesis and bone defect repair， thus combating the occurrence and development of steroid-induced osteonecrosis of femur head. The regulation of osteogenic signaling pathway by Chinese medicines to prevent steroid-induced osteonecrosis of femoral head has become a hot research topic. This article reviews the studies about the prevention and treatment of steroid-induced osteonecrosis of femur head with the active components in Chinese medicinal herbs by regulating osteogenic signaling pathways. We then explore the mechanism of the active components in promoting the differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells into osteoblasts and inhibiting their differentiation into osteoclasts to facilitate bone formation， aiming to provide a reference for the further study of treating steroid-induced osteonecrosis of femoral head with Chinese medicinal herbs.

Mitochondrial Function Reveals Connotation of "Seven-Seven" Theory of Huangdi's Internal Classic and Mechanism of Herbal Intervention for Elderly Women Undergoing IVF-ET / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo study the changes of mitochondrial function of ovarian granulosa cells in women of different ages and the effect of Erzhi-Tiangui prescription on in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer （IVF-ET） outcomes for elderly women， so as to verify the connotation of the "Seven-Seven" theory in the Huangdi's Internal Classic （《黄帝内经》）. MethodA total of 150 infertility patients undergoing IVF-ET at the Reproductive and Genetic Center of Integrative Medicine， Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine were recruited and assigned into "hree-Seven/Four-Seven （30 cases）， Five-Seven （60 cases）， and Six-Seven （60 cases） groups according to the "Seven-Seven" theory. The Five-Seven and Six-Seven groups were further assigned into control and Chinese medicine subgroups using the random number plus envelope method， and the Chinese medicine group was administrated with Erzhi Tiangui prescription from the start day of controlled ovulation stimulation cycle to the trigger day. The IVF outcome was observed， and Western blot was employed to determine the levels of mitofusin 1 （MFN1）， mitofusin 2 （MFN2）， and dynamin-related protein 1 （Drp1） in the ovarian granulosa cells. ResultCompared with the Three-Seven/Four-Seven group， the control subgroups of the Five-Seven and Six-Seven groups showed decreased retrieved oocytes， two pronuclear （2PN） embryos， available embryos， high-quality embryos， clinical pregnancy rate， and live birth rate （P<0.05）. Moreover， the control subgroup of the Six-Seven group showed decreased fresh embryo transfer rate（P<0.05）. Compared with the control subgroup of the Five-Seven group， that of the Six-Seven group showed reduced retrieved oocytes， 2PN embryos， available embryos， high-quality embryos， and clinical pregnancy rate （P<0.05）. The Chinese medicine subgroup had more retrieved oocytes， 2PN oocytes， and available embryos than the control subgroup in the Five-Seven groups （P<0.05）. The Chinese medicine subgroup had more retrieved oocytes， than the control subgroup in the Six-Seven groups （P<0.05）. The control subgroup of the Six-Seven group showed lower expression levels of Mfn1 and Mfn2 and higher level of Drp1 than the control subgroup of the Five-Seven group （P<0.05）， which indicated that the levels of Mfn1 and Mfn2 in ovarian granulosa cells were down-regulated while the expression of Drp1 was up-regulated with aging （P<0.05）. The Chinese medicine subgroup had higher Mfn2 level and lower Drp1 level than the control subgroup in the Five-Seven group （P<0.05）， and the Chinese medicine subgroup had higher Mfn1 and Mfn2 levels and lower Drp1 level than then control subgroup in the Six-Seven group （P<0.05）. ConclusionsThe prognosis of IVF in women after "Five-Seven" became worse with aging， and the mitochondria in ovarian granulosa cells showed decreased fusion ability and increased fission， which verified the connotation of the "Seven-Seven" theory from the mitochondrial function. Erzhi Tiangui prescription can regulate the mitochondrial function of ovarian granulosa cells in elderly women， up-regulate the expression levels of Mfn1 and Mfn2 to promote mitochondrial fusion， and down-regulate the expression of Drp1 to reduce mitochondrial fission， thus alleviating the ovarian hypofunction caused by aging， improve the development potential of oocytes， and improve the IVF outcomes of elderly women. However， this prescription has limited efficacy for the elderly women in the age range of "Six-Seven".

Specific DNA barcodes, germplasm resources, and genetic diversity of Eleutherococcus senticosus / 中国中药杂志

Eleutherococcus senticosus is one of the Dao-di herbs in northeast China. In this study, the chloroplast genomes of three E. senticosus samples from different genuine producing areas were sequenced and then used for the screening of specific DNA barcodes. The germplasm resources and genetic diversity of E. senticosus were analyzed basing on the specific DNA barcodes. The chloroplast genomes of E. senticosus from different genuine producing areas showed the total length of 156 779-156 781 bp and a typical tetrad structure. Each of the chloroplast genomes carried 132 genes, including 87 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNAs, and 8 rRNAs. The chloroplast genomes were relatively conserved. Sequence analysis of the three chloroplast genomes indicated that atpI, ndhA, ycf1, atpB-rbcL, ndhF-rpl32, petA-psbJ, psbM-psbD, and rps16-psbK can be used as specific DNA barcodes of E. senticosus. In this study, we selected atpI and atpB-rbcL which were 700-800 bp and easy to be amplified for the identification of 184 E. senticosus samples from 13 genuine producing areas. The results demonstrated that 9 and 10 genotypes were identified based on atpI and atpB-rbcL sequences, respectively. Furthermore, the two barcodes identified 23 genotypes which were named H1-H23. The haplotype with the highest proportion and widest distribution was H10, followed by H2. The haplotype diversity and nucleotide diversity were 0.94 and 1.82×10~(-3), respectively, suggesting the high genetic diversity of E. senticosus. The results of the median-joining network analysis showed that the 23 genotypes could be classified into 4 categories. H2 was the oldest haplotype, and it served as the center of the network characterized by starlike radiation, which suggested that population expansion of E. senticosus occurred in the genuine producing areas. This study lays a foundation for the research on the genetic quality and chloroplast genetic engineering of E. senticosus and further research on the genetic mechanism of its population, providing new ideas for studying the genetic evolution of E. senticosus.

Overview of Chinese medicinal materials industry in 2021 and development suggestions / 中国中药杂志

This paper introduced the overview of the "eight trends" of Chinese medicinal materials(CMM) industry in 2021, analyzed the problems of CMM production, and put forward development suggestions. Specifically, "eight trends" could be summarized as follows.(1) The growing area of CMM tended to be stable, and some provinces began to release the local catalog of Dao-di herbs.(2) The protection process of new varieties accelerated, and a number of excellent varieties were bred.(3) The theory of ecological cultivation was further enriched, and the demonstration effect of ecological cultivation technology was prominent.(4) Some CMM realized complete mechanization and formed typical model cases.(5) The number of cultivation bases using the traceability platform increased, and provincial internet trading platforms were set up.(6) The construction of CMM industrial clusters accelerated, and the number of provincial-level regional brands increased rapidly.(7) Many new agricultural business entities were founded nationwide, and a variety of methods were used to drive the intensified development of CMM.(8) A number of local TCM laws were promulgated, and the management regulation of food and medicine homology substances catalogs was issued. On this basis, four suggestions for CMM production were proposed.(1) It is suggested to speed up the formulation of the national catalog of Dao-di herbs and carry out the certification of Dao-di herbs production bases.(2) Ecological planting of forest and grassland medicine should be further strengthened in terms of technical research and promotion based on the principle of ecological priority.(3) The basic work of disaster prevention should be paid more attention and technical measures for disaster mitigation should be developed.(4) The planted area of commonly used CMM should be incorporated into the national regular statistical system.

The traditional Chinese medicines treat chronic heart failure and their main bioactive constituents and mechanisms

Chronic heart failure (CHF) is a severe public health problem with increasing morbidity and mortality, any treatment targeting a single session is insufficient to tackle this. CHF is characterized by reduced cardiac output resulting from neurohumoral dysregulation and cardiac remodeling, which might be related to oxidative stress, inflammation, endoplasmic reticulum stress, apoptosis, autophagy, mitochondrial function, and angiogenesis. These molecular mechanisms interact with each other through crosstalk. Historically, Chinese medicinal herbs have been widely applied in the treatment of CHF, and therapeutic effects of Chinese medicinal herbs and their ingredients have been scientifically confirmed over the past decades. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with multiple components can confront the different pathogenesis of CHF through multiple targets. This review analyzes commonly used TCM patent drugs and TCM decoctions that are applicable to different stages of CHF based on clinical trials. Diverse bioactive ingredients in Chinese medicinal herbs have been found to treat CHF via multiple molecular mechanisms. This review comprehensively covers the key works on the effects and underlying mechanisms of TCM, herbal ingredients and synergistic effects of constituent compatibility in treating CHF, providing additional ideas to address this threat.

An optimal medicinal and edible Chinese herbal formula attenuates particulate matter-induced lung injury through its anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptosis activities / 中草药·英文版

OBJECTIVE@#Identifying novel strategies to prevent particulate matter (PM)-induced lung injury is crucial for the reduction of the morbidity of chronic respiratory diseases. The combined intervention represented by herbal formulae for simultaneously targeting multiple pathological processes can provide a more beneficial effect than the single intervention. The aim of this paper is therefore to design a safe and effective medicinal and edible Chinese herbs (MECHs) formula against PM-induced lung injury.@*METHODS@#PM-induced oxidative stress, inflammatory response and apoptosis A549 cell model were used to screen anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic MECHs, respectively. A network pharmacology method was utilized to rationally design a novel herbal formula. Ultra performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometer was utilized to assess the quality control of MECHs formula. The excretion of magnetic iron oxide nanospheres of the MECHs formula was estimated in zebrafish. The MECH formula against PM-induced lung injury was investigated with mice experiments.@*RESULTS@#Five selected herbs were rationally designed to form a new MECH formula, including Citri Exocarpium Rubrum (Juhong), Lablab Semen Album (Baibiandou), Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma (Baizhu), Mori Folium (Sangye) and Polygonati Odorati Rhizoma (Yuzhu). The formula effectively promoted the magnetic iron oxide nanospheres excretion in zebrafish. The mid/high dose formula significantly prevented PM-induced lung damage in mice by enhancing the activity of SOD and GSH-Px, reducing the MDA and ROS level and attenuating the upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokine (IL-6, IL-8, IL-1β and TNF-α), down regulating the protein expression of NF-κB, STAT3 and Caspase-3.@*CONCLUSION@#Our findings suggest that the effective MECHs formula will become a novel strategy for preventing PM-induced lung injury and provide a paradigm for the development of functional foods using MECHs.

Research progress on vesicles from Chinese medicinal herbs / 浙江大学学报·医学版

Vesicles derived from Chinese medicinal herbs (VCMH) are nano-vesicular entities released by the cells of Chinese medicinal herbs. VCMHs have various biological effects and targeting characteristics, and their component chemicals and functional activities are closely related to the parent plant. VCMH differs from animal-derived vesicles in three ways: stability, specificity, and safety. There are a number of extraction and isolation techniques for VCMH, each with their own benefits and drawbacks, and there is no unified standard. When two or more approaches are used, high quantities of intact vesicles can be obtained more quickly and efficiently. The obtained VCMHs were systematically examined and evaluated. Firstly, they are generally saucer-shaped, cup-shaped or sphere, with particle size of 10-300 nm. Secondly, they contain lipids, proteins, nucleic acids and other active substances, and these components are an important part for intercellular information transfer. Finally, they mostly have good biocompatibility and low toxicity, with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-tumor and anti-fibrotic effects. As a new drug carrier, VCMHs have outstanding active targeting capabilities, and the capsule form can effectively preserve the drugs, considerably enhancing drug delivery efficiency and stability in vitro and in vivo. The modification of its vesicular structure by suitable physical or chemical means can further create more stable and precise drug carriers. This article reviews the extraction and purification techniques, activity evaluation and application of VCMH to provide information for further research and application of new active substances and targeted drug carriers.

Biological Mechanism of Drought Improving Quality of Rhizoma Atractylodis Chinensis / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the biological mechanism of drought improving the quality of Rhizoma Atractylodis Chinensis and establish a new method for the production of high-quality medicinal materials. MethodThe fresh roots of Atractylodes chinensis were soaked in 0 （control）， 5%， 10%， and 20% PEG-6000 solutions. The changes in reactive oxygen species （ROS） level， antioxidant enzyme activity， activities of key enzymes in primary metabolism and secondary metabolism， and content of secondary metabolites were compared. ResultCompared with the control group， the treatment with 20% PEG for 2 days elevated the levels of superoxide anion radicals （O2-·）， hydrogen peroxide （H2O2）， and malondialdehyde （MDA） by 172.5%， 56.9%， and 14.7%， respectively. The treatment did not change the activity of superoxide dismutase （SOD）， reduced the peroxidase （POD） activity， and increased the catalase （CAT） activity by 10.8%. It increased the activities of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase （HMGR）， phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase （PEPC）， and acetyl-CoA carboxylase （ACC） by 49.9%， 12.1%， and 19.0%， respectively. Furthermore， the content of atractylodin， β-eudesmol， atractylone， and atractylenolide Ⅱ was increased by 51.0%， 36.9%， 47.1%， and 91.5%， respectively. The simulated drought stress can cause the burst of ROS in the fresh roots of A. chinensis， induce the physiological state of plants under drought， change the antioxidant system， and promote the massive synthesis of secondary metabolites in a short time. ConclusionPEG-6000-simulated drought stress can greatly improve the quality of A. chinensis in cultivation.

Ethnobotanical survey of plants used for the managememnt of hypertension in Zango Kataf, Kaduna state, Nigeria

Zango Kataf is home to a diverse range of medicinal plant species among which are herbs used for the management of high blood pressure. This study was conducted to document the antihypertensive plants used by indigenes of Zango Kataf , Kaduna State, Nigeria. Seventeen (17) herbal healers were interviewed (using a semi structure questionnaire) in order to gather information about their knowledge of plants used for the treatment of hypertension. A total of twenty-three (23) antihypertensive plants (Zingiber officinale, Carica papaya, Lycopersicon esculentum, Anacardium occidentale, Annona senegalensis, Moringa oleifera, Newbouldia laevis, Vernonia amygdalina, Vitex doniana, Cymbopogon citratus, Terminalia catappa, Sesamum indicum, Hibiscus sabdariffa, Piliostigma reticulatum, Nelsonia canescens, Hibiscus cannabinus, Allium sativum, Aloe vera, Pavetta crassipes, Ocimum basilicum, Ocimum gratissimum, Persea americana and Eucalyptus globulus) used for the treatment of hypertension were identified. The identified plant species belong to 21 families. Most of the ethnomedicinal plant parts used were leaves. It was concluded that herbal healers in Zango Kataf Local Government area of Kaduna State hold medicinal knowledge of plants used for the treatment of hypertension.

Effect of Medicinal and Edible Herbs in Colorectal Cancer Patients During Chemotherapy / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Malignant tumors are a major health problem in current society. With the improvement of people's living standards and the changes in diet structure， the development trend of gastrointestinal tumors in China is gradually similar to that in developed countries. The incidence and mortality of colorectal cancer （CRC） remain high in China. Although targeted therapy and immunotherapy have greatly improved the prognosis of patients in recent years， chemotherapy is still the main means in clinical practice. However， the adverse reactions of chemotherapy often seriously affect the quality of life of patients， and even lead to treatment interruption， thereby affecting the efficacy. Oral Chinese medicine shows unique advantages in enhancing efficiency and reducing toxicity in CRC patients during chemotherapy， but its poor drug experience not only makes it difficult for patients to take it consistently but also affects the popularization of Chinese medicine at this stage. Medicinal and edible herbs （MEHs） are an important part of Chinese medicine and they are mild， delicious， convenient， affordable， nutritious， and safe. Therefore， they may be more suitable for patients with CRC chemotherapy to adhere to treatment. However， their efficacy is often criticized by clinical practitioners. They are only used in the food and health products industry， and their role as Chinese medicines has not been fully utilized. This paper summarized the common traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndromes and treatment methods during CRC chemotherapy， sorted out the nature， flavor， meridian tropism， and efficacy of MEHs， and reviewed the modern pharmacological research results of MEHs by the method of literature statistics. This study finds that the nature， flavor， meridian tropism， and efficacy of MEHs are in good agreement with the common TCM syndromes and treatment methods during CRC chemotherapy. Moreover， many MEHs have the effects of resisting CRC and alleviating the adverse reactions of chemotherapy. Furthermore， the effectiveness and superior efficacy of MEHs in CRC chemotherapy are initially demonstrated from the theoretical level， but high-quality clinical evidence is still needed to support it. The present study discussed the efficiency-enhancing and toxicity-reducing effects and application advantages of MEHs in CRC patients during chemotherapy to provide references for the clinical promotion of MEHs.

Research progress in microevolutionary process of excellent traits and quality of Dao-di herbs / 中国中药杂志

Dao-di herbs are the treasure of Chinese materia medica and one of the characteristic research objects of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM). Probing into the microevolution of Dao-di herbs can help to reveal their biological essence and quality formation mechanisms. The progress in molecular biology and omics provides the possibility to elucidate the phylogenetic and quality forming characteristics of Dao-di herbs at the molecular level. In particular, genomics serves as a powerful tool to decipher the genetic origins of Dao-di herbs, and molecular markers have been widely used in the research on the genetic diversity and population structure of Dao-di herbs. Focusing on the excellent traits and quality of Dao-di herbs, this paper reviews the studies about the microevolution process of quality formation mechanisms of Dao-di herbs with the application of molecular markers and omics, aiming to underpin the protection and utilization of TCM resources.