Fourteen undescribed steroidal saponins from Solanum capsicoides leaves and their neuroprotective effects.

A total of 14 previously undescribed steroidal saponins named capsicsaponins A-N were isolated from the leaves of Solanum capsicoides, encompassing various types, including cholesterol derivatives and pseudospirostanol saponins. The structures of all compounds were determined through comprehensive analysis of spectroscopic data (1D NMR and 2D NMR), along with physicochemical analysis methods (acid hydrolysis, OR, and UV). Moreover, in the H2O2-induced pheochromocytoma cell line model, compounds 1-14 were screened for their neuroprotective effects on cells. The bioassay results demonstrated compounds 8-14 were able to revive cell viability compared to the positive control edaravone. The damage neuroprotection of the most active compound was further explored.

Five new sesquiterpenoids isolated from Dictamnus dasycarpus Turcz.

Five new sesquiterpenoids, dictamtrinorguaianols E and F (1-2), and dictameudesmnosides F, G, and H (3-5), along with seven known sesquiterpenoids (6-12) were isolated from Dictamnus dasycarpus Turcz. The structures of all new compounds were characterized by spectroscopic methods, including UV, IR, HR-ESI-MS, and 1D and 2D NMR. The In-vitro anti-proliferative activities of all the compounds against two human cancer cell lines (SW982 and A549) were evaluated by CCK-8 assay. Compounds 1 and 4 showed medium anti-proliferative activity against SW982 cells, with IC50 values of 3.49 ± 0.10 and 6.42 ± 1.23 µM, respectively. Additionally, compounds 2, 7, and 8 exhibited medium anti-proliferative activity against A549 cells, with IC50 values ranging from 0.80 ± 0.05 to 6.60 ± 0.46 µM.

Euchronin A-F isolated from the Arnebia euchroma (Royle) Johnst. and their anti-proliferative activities in vitro.

Six new naphthoquinones, euchronin A-F (1-6) and nine known naphthoquinones (7-15), were isolated from the roots of Arnebia euchroma (Royle) Johnst. The structures of the new compounds were confirmed by extensive spectroscopic analyses, including UV, IR, HR-ESI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR. In the present study, we estimated the anti-proliferative activities of these compounds with HaCaT cells. The results indicated that compounds 2 and 4 showed strong anti-proliferative activities at 25 µM, with relative viability at 38.83% and 68.44%, respectively.

Cytotoxicity sesquiterpenoids from the leaves of Datura stramonium L.

Four new sesquiterpenoids, dstramonins A-D (1-4), and one new natural product (5), together with three known compounds (6-8), were isolated from the leaves of Datura stramonium L. The structures of new compounds were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis and comparison with the literature. The cytotoxicity of isolates against LN229 cells was assessed and compounds 2-4, and 7 displayed cytotoxic activity with IC50 values ranging from 8.03 to 13.83 µM.

Phenolic components from the fruits of Solanum xanthocarpum with anti-inflammatory activity.

Two new compounds (1 and 2), along with thirty-one known compounds (3-33) were isolated from the fruits of Solanum xanthocarpum. The structure of isolates was elucidated by analysis of spectroscopic data and the physicochemical methods. Meanwhile, the anti-inflammatory activity of isolates was determined using LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. The results of anti-inflammatory assays indicated that most isolated compounds (3, 4, 6, 8-14, 17-20, and 30) possessed significant nitric oxide (NO) production inhibition in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 cells with IC50 values ranging from 14.33 to 48.55 µM.

Reclassifying historical disasters: From single to multi-hazards.

Multi-hazard events, characterized by the simultaneous, cascading, or cumulative occurrence of multiple natural hazards, pose a significant threat to human lives and assets. This is primarily due to the cumulative and cascading effects arising from the interplay of various natural hazards across space and time. However, their identification is challenging, which is attributable to the complex nature of natural hazard interactions and the limited availability of multi-hazard observations. This study presents an approach for identifying multi-hazard events during the past 123 years (1900-2023) using the EM-DAT global disaster database. Leveraging the 'associated hazard' information in EM-DAT, multi-hazard events are detected and assessed in relation to their frequency, impact on human lives and assets, and reporting trends. The interactions between various combinations of natural hazard pairs are explored, reclassifying them into four categories: preconditioned/triggering, multivariate, temporally compounding, and spatially compounding multi-hazard events. The results show, globally, approximately 19 % of the 16,535 disasters recorded in EM-DAT can be classified as multi-hazard events. However, the multi-hazard events recorded in EM-DAT are disproportionately responsible for nearly 59 % of the estimated global economic losses. Conversely, single hazard events resulted in higher fatalities compared to multi-hazard events. The largest proportion of multi-hazard events are associated with floods, storms, and earthquakes. Landslides emerge as the predominant secondary hazards within multi-hazard pairs, primarily triggered by floods, storms, and earthquakes, with the majority of multi-hazard events exhibiting preconditioned/triggering and multivariate characteristics. There is a higher prevalence of multi-hazard events in Asia and North America, whilst temporal overlaps of multiple hazards predominate in Europe. These results can be used to increase the integration of multi-hazard thinking in risk assessments, emergency management response plans and mitigation policies at both national and international levels.

Study on the mechanism of Coptis chinensis Franch. And its main active components in treating Alzheimer's disease based on SCFAs using Orbitrap Fusion Lumos Tribrid MS.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Coptis chinensis Franch. (CCF), as an extensively used traditional Chinese medicine, has therapeutic effects on Alzheimer's disease (AD), but its mechanism of action has not yet been elucidated. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aims to reveal the mechanism of action of CCF via the gut-brain axis, and provide a new strategy for the clinical treatment of AD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: APPswe/PS1ΔE9 mice were used as AD models, and were given CCF extract by intragastric administration. Barnes maze was used to test the therapeutic effect of CCF on the treatment of AD. To reveal the mechanism of action of CCF in the treatment of AD, Vanquish Flex UHPLC-orbitrap fusion lumos mass was chosen to detect endogenous differential metabolite; MetaboAnalyst 5.0 was applied to derive relevant metabolic pathways; similarly, to explore the effects of CCF on the gut-brain axis, Vanquish Flex UPLC-Orbitrap fusion lumos mass was utilized to detect the changes in the content of SCFAs in AD mice after CCF administration; the prototype components and metabolites in CCF were identified by UPLC/ESI/qTOF-MS, then their effects on Bifidobacterium breve were explored. RESULTS: CCF shortened the latency time of AD mice, improved the target quadrant ratio of AD mice, and made the maze roadmap simpler of AD mice; CCF regulated fifteen potential metabolites of AD mice, interestingly, ILA (indole-3-lactic acid) in SCFAs (short-chain fatty acids) was also included; CCF acted on histidine and phenylalanine metabolic pathways of AD mice; CCF increased the contents of acetic acid and ILA in AD mice; magnoflorine, jatrorrhizine, coptisine, groenlandicine, thalifendine, palmatine, berberine, epiberberine, hydroxylated jatrorrhizine, and 3-methoxydemethyleneberberine in CCF were detected in fecal samples of AD mice; magnoflorine, palmatrubine, 13-methylberberine, berberine, coptisine, and palmatine promoted the growth of Bifidobacterium breve. CONCLUSIONS: we have demonstrated that CCF acts on the gut-brain axis by regulating SCFAs to treat AD.

Theoretical and Experimental Determination of Thermomechanical Properties of Epoxy-SiO2 Nanocomposites.

Improvements in the thermomechanical properties of epoxy upon inclusion of well-dispersed SiO2 nanoparticles have been demonstrated both experimentally and through molecular dynamics simulations. The SiO2 was represented by two different dispersion models: dispersed individual molecules and as spherical nanoparticles. The calculated thermodynamic and thermomechanical properties were consistent with experimental results. Radial distribution functions highlight the interactions of different parts of the polymer chains with the SiO2 between 3 and 5 nm into the epoxy, depending on the particle size. The findings from both models were verified against experimental results, such as the glass transition temperature and tensile elastic mechanical properties, and proved suitable for predicting thermomechanical and physicochemical properties of epoxy-SiO2 nanocomposites.

Phenylpropanoids from Solanum capsicoides and their anti-inflammatory activity.

Two new phenylpropanoids, 4-O-(1''-O-cis-caffeoyl)-ß-glucopyran osyl-1-allyl-3-methoxy-benzene (1), 4'-O-(1''-O-cis-caffeoyl)-ß-glucopyranosyl-hydroxymegastigm-4-en-3-one (2), together with nine known compounds were obtained from the leaves of Solanum capsicoides. Their structures were elucidated based on spectroscopic methods, and comparing spectral data with those in literature. Meanwhile, their anti-inflammatory activities were evaluated on (LPS)-induced RAW 246.7 cells, and 1, 9, and 10 showed better inhibitory effects with IC50 values of 17.19 ± 1.12, 18.15 ± 0.47, and 19.8 ± 0.95 µM, respectively.

A novel framework for addressing uncertainties in machine learning-based geospatial approaches for flood prediction.

Globally, many studies on machine learning (ML)-based flood susceptibility modeling have been carried out in recent years. While majority of those models produce reasonably accurate flood predictions, the outcomes are subject to uncertainty since flood susceptibility models (FSMs) may produce varying spatial predictions. However, there have not been many attempts to address these uncertainties because identifying spatial agreement in flood projections is a complex process. This study presents a framework for reducing spatial disagreement among four standalone and hybridized ML-based FSMs: random forest (RF), k-nearest neighbor (KNN), multilayer perceptron (MLP), and hybridized genetic algorithm-gaussian radial basis function-support vector regression (GA-RBF-SVR). Besides, an optimized model was developed combining the outcomes of those four models. The southwest coastal region of Bangladesh was selected as the case area. A comparable percentage of flood potential area (approximately 60% of the total land areas) was produced by all ML-based models. Despite achieving high prediction accuracy, spatial discrepancy in the model outcomes was observed, with pixel-wise correlation coefficients across different models ranging from 0.62 to 0.91. The optimized model exhibited high prediction accuracy and improved spatial agreement by reducing the number of classification errors. The framework presented in this study might aid in the formulation of risk-based development plans and enhancement of current early warning systems.

Integrated Chinese herbal medicine with Western Medicine versus Western Medicine in the effectiveness of primary hypertension treatment: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Integrated Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) and Western Medicine (WM) treatments have been used for primary hypertension (PHTN) patients in China. Currently, there are many randomized control trials (RCTs) published regarding the effect of CHM and WM on PHTN, which indicated that combining Chinese with WM was effective and safe for PHTN when compared with WM alone, but the quality of evidence was insufficient, and there is no clear information and summary are available for these RCTs assessing the effectiveness of CHM with WM versus WM in patients with PHTN. OBJECTIVES: This systematic study and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of CHM combined with WM in comparison with WM in reducing systolic and diastolic blood pressure for patients with PHTN. METHODS: The information of this study was searched from electronic databases (PubMed, COCHRANE, EMBASE, Ovid, CNKI, VIP, Wanfang, and CBM). The markedly effective and effective terms were according to Guiding Principles for Clinical Research of New Chinese Medicines. Two investigators independently reviewed each trial. The Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool was used for quality assessment, and RevMan 5.4 was used for meta-analysis. RESULTS: In this study, a total of 29 studies that included 2623 patients were recorded. The study results displayed that the clinical effectiveness in the treatment of hypertension patients from the integrated medicines was considerably higher than that with WM alone, clinical effective (RR 1.23, 95% CI [1.17, 1.30], P < 0.00001), and markedly effective (ME) in the patients (RR 1.66, 95% CI [1.52, 1.80], and P < 0.00001). Random effect in SBP (MD 7.91 mmHg,[6.00, 983], P < 0.00001) and DBP (MD 5.46 mmHg, [3.88, 6.43], P < 0.00001), a subgroup analysis was carried out based on the type of intervention, duration of treatment, and CHM formulas that showed significance. Furthermore, no severe side effects were reported, and no patients stopped treatment or withdrawal due to any severe adverse events. CONCLUSION: Compared to WM alone, the therapeutic effectiveness of CHM combined with WM is significantly improved in the treatment of hypertension. Additionally, CHM with WM may safely and efficiently lower systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in individuals with PHTN. However, rigorous randomized controlled trials with a large sample, high quality, long duration of treatment, and follow-up are recommended to strengthen this clinical evidence.

New steroids from the pericarps of Datura metel L.

Three new steroids (1-3) and 13 reported analogs (4-16) were extracted from Datura metel L. pericarps. Structure analysis of these extracted compounds was performed by 1 D-NMR and 2 D-NMR spectroscopy, and their spectra were compared with those of similar compounds previously described in the literature. The extracted steroids (1-3) and known compounds (4-16) were evaluated for anti-inflammatory activity against LPS-activated RAW 264.7 cells. Compounds 5, 7, 9, 12 and 15 showed potential anti-inflammatory activity with IC50 less than 35 µM, while compounds 3 and 11 showed weak anti-inflammatory activity with IC50 less than 100 µM.

Two new terpenoids with anti-inflammatory activity from the fruits of Arenga pinnata (Wurmb) Merr.

Two new terpenoids (1 and 2), arenterpenoid D (1) and pinnasesquiterpene A (2), along with 16 phenylpropanoids (3-18) and 8 known terpenoids (19-26) were isolated from 70% EtOH extract of the Arenga pinnata (Wurmb) Merr. fruits. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods including HR-ESI-MS, 1D, and 2D NMR. The absolute configuration of arenterpenoid D (1) was defined by X-ray crystallographic analysis. Furthermore, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory activity of all compounds, and outcomes showed that 2 and 21 exposed moderate suppressive effects against NO generation in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells.

Mantuoluosides A-H, new steroids isolated from the leaves of Datura stramonium L.

Eight new steroids, designated mantuoluosides A-H (1-8), were obtained from the enrichment of steroids of the Datura stramonium L. using HPD-BJQH macroporous resin. Their respective structures were elucidated based on spectroscopic methods and comparison data with literature. The anti-inflammatory activities of these compounds were evaluated on (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 cells with inhibition ratio. It was found that most isolates showed potential anti-inflammatory activity with varying degrees of inhibition rate in a concentration-dependent manner at non-cytotoxic concentrations.

Inositol Derivatives with Anti-Inflammatory Activity from Leaves of Solanum capsicoides Allioni

Eight new inositol derivatives, solsurinositols A-H (1-8), were isolated from the 70% EtOH extract of the leaves of Solanum capsicoides Allioni. Careful isolation by silica gel column chromatography followed by preparative high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) allowed us to obtain analytically pure compounds 1-8. They shared the same relative stereochemistry on the ring but have different acyl groups attached to various hydroxyl groups. This was the first time that inositol derivatives have been isolated from this plant. The chemical structures of compounds 1-8 were characterized by extensive 1D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and 2D NMR and mass analyses. Meanwhile, the in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of all compounds was determined using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced BV2 microglia, and among the isolates, compounds 5 (IC50 = 11.21 ± 0.14 µM) and 7 (IC50 = 14.5 ± 1.22 µM) were shown to have potential anti-inflammatory activity.

Schisandraceae triterpenoids: A review of phytochemistry, bioactivities and synthesis.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Plants of the Schisandraceae family have a rich and medicinal history dating back to ancient times. Many of them are used as folk medicine in the treatment of chronic coughs, asthma, nocturnal emission, spontaneous sweating, night sweats, palpitation, insomnia and thirst. AIM OF THE REVIEW: The current review is carried out on triterpenoids from the Schisandraceae family, aiming to comprehensively summarize their phytochemistry, pharmacology and synthesis and provide new insights to the chemical and pharmacological study and rational utilization on medicinal plants of the Schisandarceae family. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The information was searched from the scientific literature published from June 2014 to November 2021 on the online databases (including PubMed, CNKI, Elsevier, SciFinder and Web of Science) and other bibliography (e.g. the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, 2020 edition, Chinese herbal books). The scientific literature related to phytochemistry, pharmacology, biological activites and synthesis of triterpenoids from the Schisandraceae family was gathered. RESULTS: From June 2014 to November 2021, there were approximately 211 novel triterpenoids isolated and identified from 18 species of the Schisandraceae family. These compounds exhibit tremendous diversity in their structures, and some of them possess promising pharmacological activities, including anti-viral, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, immunosuppressive activities and neuroprotective effects. In the attempt to synthesize active compounds, the total synthesis of 13 schinortriterpenoids belonging to five structural types was successfully completed. CONCLUSIONS: Studies of triterpenoids from the Schisandraceae family are well documented in this review (from June 2014 to November 2021), and it is also well acknowledged that they are valuable resources with medicinal efficacy. However, relevant pharmacological studies are limited to in vitro tests, and data from in vivo studies and toxicology are lacking or unavailable. Fortunately, there is growing interest in the synthesis of active compounds, which should serve as an approach for accessing active compounds to develop in vivo or toxicity studies, with a view of clarifying their in vitro and vivo mechanisms for more effective and safe natural drugs.

Vulnerability of Australia to heatwaves: A systematic review on influencing factors, impacts, and mitigation options.

BACKGROUND: Heatwaves have received major attention globally due to their detrimental effects on human health and the environment. The frequency, duration, and severity of heatwaves have increased recently due to changes in climatic conditions, anthropogenic forcing, and rapid urbanization. Australia is highly vulnerable to this hazard. Although there have been an increasing number of studies conducted in Australia related to the heatwave phenomena, a systematic review of heatwave vulnerability has rarely been reported in the literature. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to provide a systematic and overarching review of the different components of heatwave vulnerability (e.g., exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity) in Australia. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted using the PRISMA protocol. Peer-reviewed English language articles published between January 2000 and December 2021 were selected using a combination of search keywords in Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed. Articles were critically analyzed based on three specific heatwave vulnerability components: exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: A total of 107 articles meeting all search criteria were chosen. Although there has been an increasing trend of heat-related studies in Australia, most of these studies have concentrated on exposure and adaptive capacity components. Evidence suggests that the frequency, severity, and duration of heatwaves in Australian cities has been increasing, and that this is likely to continue under current climate change scenarios. This study noted that heatwave vulnerability is associated with geographical and climatic factors, space, time, socioeconomic and demographic factors, as well as the physiological condition of people. Various heat mitigation and adaptation measures implemented around the globe have proven to be efficient in reducing the impacts of heatwaves. CONCLUSION: This study provides increased clarity regarding the various drivers of heatwave vulnerability in Australia. Such knowledge is crucial in informing extreme heat adaptation and mitigation planning.

Datinolides E-I, five new withanolides with anti-inflammatory activity from the leaves of Datura inoxia Mill.

Five new withanolides, datinolides E-I (1-5), and three known withanolides (6-8) were separated from Datura inoxia Mill. leaves, and datinolide E (1) was the first withanolide with C-27 connected to a nitrogen-containing group. Their structures were clarified by comprehensive spectroscopic analysis and comparison with literature. The anti-inflammatory of isolated compounds against RAW264.7 cells was investigated by the CCK8 assay.

Spatial Pattern and Land Surface Features Associated with Cloud-to-Ground Lightning in Bangladesh: An Exploratory Study.

Severe weather events such as lightning appear to be a significant threat to humans and property in South Asia, an area known for intense convective activity directly related to the tropical climate of these areas. The current study was conducted in Bangladesh and examined the association between cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning and ground surface properties, with the aim of improving existing knowledge regarding this phenomenon. GLD360 data from 2015 to 2020 were used to describe the seasonal lightning climatology. Elevation, land use and land cover, vegetation and surface heat flux data were used to examine all land surface features possibly associated with CG lightning occurrence. Hot and cold spot spatial patterning was calculated using local indicators of spatial association. Results indicated a strong CG lightning seasonality. CG stroke density varied considerably across seasons with the pre-monsoon exhibiting the highest density. This was followed by occurrences in the monsoon season. The March-June period experienced 73% of the total observed. Elevation appeared to influence the post-monsoon CG stroke, however, its role in the other seasons was more difficult to define. The land cover/lightning index indicated that waterbodies and herbaceous wetlands had more influence than other land cover types, both during the day and at night, and it appeared that latent heat flux played a major role. The CG stroke hot and cold spot locations varied diurnally. The findings suggest that large-scale irrigation practices, especially during the pre-monsoon months, can influence the observed spatiotemporal pattern. The production of hotspot maps could be an initial step in the development of a reliable lightning monitoring system and play a part in increasing public awareness of this issue. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s41748-022-00310-4.

The Polysaccharides from the Aerial Parts of Bupleurum chinense DC Attenuate Epilepsy-Like Behavior through Oxidative Stress Signaling Pathways.

Bupleurum chinense DC. is a traditional Chinese medicine with a long medicinal history and is often used as the main ingredient in prescription drugs for epilepsy. The aerial parts of B. chinense DC. have similar efficacy and composition to B. chinense DC. Therefore, we speculated that the aerial parts of B. chinense DC. could be used in the treatment of epilepsy. Polysaccharides from the aerial parts of B. chinense DC. were selected to explore their therapeutic effects on epilepsy and their potential mechanism of action. The study is aimed at clarifying the antiepileptic effects of the polysaccharides from the aerial parts of B. chinense DC. and their potential underlying mechanisms. The chemical profile of the aerial parts of B. chinense DC. polysaccharides (ABP) was characterized by FT-IR spectrum and HPLC chromatogram. To determine the therapeutic effects of ABPs on epilepsy, we established a kainic acid- (KA-) induced rat model of epilepsy, and through H&E staining, Nissl staining, immunohistochemistry, biochemical analysis, ELISA, and Western blot analysis, we explored the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of ABPs on epilepsy. The monosaccharide content of ABP included galacturonic acid (45.19%), galactose (36.63%), arabinose rhamnose (12.13%), and mannose (6.05%). Moreover, the average molecular weight of ABP was 1.38 × 103 kDa. ABP could improve hippocampal injuries and neuronal function in the KA-induced epilepsy rat model. ABP significantly inhibited oxidative stress in the hippocampus of KA-induced rats. More importantly, ABP could regulate TREM2 activation in the PI3K/Akt/GSK-3ß pathway to inhibit neuronal apoptosis, including increasing the expression of superoxide dismutase and lactate dehydrogenase and decreasing the expression of malondialdehyde. The current study defined the potential role of ABP in inhibiting the development of epilepsy, indicating that ABP could upregulate TREM2 to alleviate neuronal apoptosis, by activating the PI3K/Akt/GSK-3ß pathway and oxidative stress in epilepsy.