Advanced analytical techniques for authenticity identification and quality evaluation in Essential oils: A review.

Essential oils (EO), secondary metabolites of plants are fragrant oily liquids with antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, and antioxidant effects. They are widely applied in food, medicine, cosmetics, and other fields. However, the quality of EOs remain uncertain owing to their high volatility and susceptibility to oxidation, influenced by factors such as the harvesting season, extraction, and separation techniques. Additionally, the huge economic value of EOs has led to a market marked by widespread and varied adulteration, making the assessment of their quality challenging. Therefore, developing simple, quick, and effective identification techniques for EOs is essential. This review comprehensively summarizes the techniques for assessing EO quality and identifying adulteration. It covers sensory evaluation, physical and chemical property evaluation, and chemical composition analysis, which are widely used and of great significance for the quality evaluation and adulteration detection of EOs.

The Hypolipidemic Effect of Hawthorn Leaf Flavonoids through Modulating Lipid Metabolism and Gut Microbiota in Hyperlipidemic Rats.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the potential mechanisms of the lipid-regulating effects and the effect on modulating the gut microbiota of hawthorn leaf flavonoids (HLF) in the high-fat diet-induced hyperlipidemic rats. Methods: The hypolipidemic effect of HLF was investigated in the high-fat diet-induced hyperlipidemic rats. The action targets of HLF in the treatment of hyperlipidemia were predicted by network pharmacology and KEGG enrichment bubble diagram, which were verified by the test of western blotting. Meanwhile, we used 16S rRNA sequencing to evaluate the effects of HLF on the microbes. Results: The results of animal experiments showed that HLF could reduce the body weight and regulate the levels of serum lipid in high-fat diet (HFD) rats. Meanwhile, for the related targets of cholesterol metabolism, HLF could significantly upregulate the expression of LDLR, NR1H3, and ABCG5/ABCG8; reduce the expression of PCSK9; and increase the level of CYP7A1 in the intestinal tissue, whereas cholesterol biosynthetic protein expressions including HMGCR and SCAP were lowered by HLF. In addition, HLF increased the activities of plasma SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px and decreased the levels of Casp 1, NLRP3, IL-1ß, IL-18, and TNF-α, improving the degree of hepatocyte steatosis and inflammatory infiltration of rats. Notably, HLF significantly regulated the relative abundance of major bacteria such as g_Lactobacillus, g_Anaerostipes, g_[Eubacterium]_hallii_group, g_Fusicatenibacter, g_Akkermansia, and g_Collinsella. Synchronously, we found that HLF could regulate the disorder of plasma HEPC and TFR levels caused by HFD. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that HLF can regulate metabolic hyperlipidemia syndromes and modulate the relative abundance of major bacteria, which illustrated that it might be associated with the modulation of gut microbiota composition and metabolites.

Dalbergiones lower the inflammatory response in oral cells in vitro.

OBJECTIVES: Periodontitis is a global health burden that underlines the demand for anti-inflammatory treatment. Dalbergia melanoxylon being a rich source of flavonoids has been widely used in traditional medicine but the potential anti-inflammatory activity of its dalbergiones remains to be shown. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We have isolated 3'-hydroxy-4,4'-dimethoxydalbergione, 4-methoxydalbergione, and 4'-hydroxy-4-methoxydalbergione from Dalbergia melanoxylon and tested their potential anti-inflammatory activity. RESULTS: All dalbergiones are potent inhibitors of an LPS-induced inflammatory response of RAW 264.7 macrophages. This is specified by IL1ß and IL6 production, and the p65 nuclear translocation. Consistently, in primary macrophages, the dalbergiones caused an M1-to-M2 polarization switch indicated by the decreased ration of IL1ß and IL6 versus arginase 1 and YM1 expression. To implement oral cells, we have used gingival fibroblasts exposed to IL1ß and TNFα. Consistently, all dalbergiones reduced the expression of IL6 and IL8 as well as the nuclear translocation of p65. CONCLUSION: These findings increase the accumulating knowledge on dalbergiones and extend it towards its capacity to lower the inflammatory response of oral cells. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: These findings are another piece of evidence that supports the use of herbal medicine to potentially lower inflammatory events related to dentistry.

Heartwood of Dalbergia cochinchinensis: 4,7,2'-Trihydroxy-4'-methoxyisoflavanol and 6,4'-Dihydroxy-7-methoxyflavane Reduce Cytokine and Chemokine Expression In Vitro.

Dalbergia cochinchinensis has been widely used in traditional medicine because of its flavonoids; however, the impact of the flavonoids to modulate the inflammatory response to oral cells remains to be described. For this aim, we isolated 4,7,2'-trihydroxy-4'-methoxyisoflavanol (472T4MIF) and 6,4'-dihydroxy-7-methoxyflavane (64D7MF) from the heartwood of D. cochinchinensis and confirmed the chemical structure by nuclear magnetic resonance. We show here that both flavonoids are inhibitors of an inflammatory response of murine RAW 264.7 inflammatory macrophages stimulated by LPS. This is indicated by interleukin (IL)1, IL6, and chemokine CCL2 production besides the phosphorylation of p65. Consistently, in primary murine macrophages, both flavonoids decreased the inflammatory response by lowering LPS-induced IL1 and IL6 expression. To introduce oral cells, we have used human gingival fibroblasts and provoked the inflammatory response by exposing them to IL1ß and TNFα. Under these conditions, 472T4MIF, but not 64D7MF, reduced the expression of chemokines CXCL1 and CXCL2. Taken together, we identified two flavonoids that can reduce the expression of cytokines and chemokines in macrophages and fibroblastic cells.

The Hypolipidemic Effect of Dalbergia odorifera T. C. Chen Leaf Extract on Hyperlipidemic Rats and Its Mechanism Investigation Based on Network Pharmacology.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore the hypolipidemic effect and mechanism of Dalbergia odorifera T. C. Chen leaf extract. METHODS: The hypolipidemic effect of D. odorifera leaf extract was investigated using a hyperlipidemic rat model. Then, its mechanism was predicted using network pharmacology methods and verified using western blotting. RESULTS: Compared with the levels in the model group, the serum levels of triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) decreased significantly, whereas the serum level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) increased dramatically after treatment with the extract. The degrees of hepatocyte steatosis and inflammatory infiltration were markedly attenuated in vivo. Then, its hyperlipidemic mechanism was predicted using network pharmacology-based analysis. Thirty-five key targets, including sterol regulatory element-binding protein cleavage-activating protein (SCAP), sterol regulatory element-binding protein-2 (SREBP-2), 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR), low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR), and ten signaling pathways, were associated with hyperlipidemia. Finally, it was verified that the extract downregulated the protein levels of SCAP, SREBP-2, and HMGCR, and upregulated protein levels of LDLR. CONCLUSION: These findings provided additional evidence of the hypolipidemic effect of D. odorifera leaf extract.

[Chemical Constituents from Dalbergia cochinchinensis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the chemical constituents from the heartwood of Dalbergia cochinchinensis. METHODS: Isolate and purify compounds by various column chromatographic methods. Spectral analysis were taken to identify the structures. RESULTS: Elev- en compounds were isolated and identified as dibutyl terephthalate (1), medicarpin (2), pterostilbene (3), 6-hydroxy-2-(2-hydroxy-4- methoxyphenyl)-benzofuran (4), pterocarpol (5), butyl isobutyl phthalate (6), pterolinus B (7), methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate (8), ethyl 4- hydroxybenzoate (9),2-(2'-methoxy-4'-hydroxy)-aryl-3-methyl-6-hydroxy-benzofuran (10) and 6α-hydroxycyclonerolidol (11). CONCLUSION: Compounds 1 and 6~10 are isolated from Dalbergia genus for the first time, and compounds 2, 4 and 11 are isolated from this plant for the first time.

[Effects of heishunpian total alkaloids on Cassia acutifolia induced mice diarrhea and contraction of isolated intestinal smooth muscle in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of Heishunpian total alkaloids on Cassia acutifolia induced mice diarrhea and contraction of isolated intestinal smooth muscle in rats. METHODS: The experiment was carried out with Cassia acutifolia induced mice diarrhea model, small intestinal propulsive rate in mice was used to valuate the effect of Heishunpian total alkaloids on diarrhea mice; The effects of Heishunpian total alkaloids on contraction of isolated intestinal smooth muscle in rats and its mechanism were investigated by monitoring amplitude and tension of isolated intestinal smooth muscle in rats; The chemical constituents of Heishunpian total alkaloids were analyzed by HPLC. RESULTS: Heishunpian total alkaloids could significantly slow down intestine propulsive motility in diarrhea mice (P < 0. 05), and reduce amplitude and tension of isolated small intestinal smooth muscle contraction in normal rats in dose-dependent manner. Heishunpian total alkaloids had a certain inhibitory effect on acetylcholine chloride and neostigmine methylsulfate strengthening small intestine smooth muscle movement, however, had no significantly effect on Atropine sulfate inhibiting small intestine smooth muscle movement. By HPLC analysis, benzoylaconitine, benzoylmesaconitine, benzoylhypaconitine were the main chemical constituents of Heishunpian total alkaloids. CONCLUSION: Heishunpian total alkaloids have a certain role of antidiarrheal and its mechanism may be related to antagonizing muscarinic receptors.