Edible wild plants, chicory and purslane, alleviated diabetic testicular dysfunction, and insulin resistance via suppression 8OHdg and oxidative stress in rats.

Testicular dysfunction is a prevalent health problem frequently reported in individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM). Oxidative-inflammatory reactions, hormonal and spermatic abnormalities often accompany this illness. Herbal remedies "particularly wild plants" including chicory (Chicorium Intybus) and purslane (Portulaca Oleracea) are emerging as popular agents for people dealing with these issues due to their ability to act as antioxidants, reduce inflammation, and exhibit antidiabetic effects. According to the collected data, the daily administration of chicory (Ch) seed-extract (250 mg/kg) or purslane (Pu) seed-extract (200 mg/kg) to streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats (50 mg/kg) for 30 days resulted in the normalization of fasting blood glucose (FBG), serum fructosamine, insulin levels, and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), as well as reducing lipid peroxidation end-product malondialdehyde (MDA) level, aldehyde oxidase (AO) and xanthene oxidase (XO) activities. While caused a considerable improvement in glutathione (GSH) content, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) activity, and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) when compared to diabetic rats. Ch and Pu extracts had a substantial impact on testicular parameters including sperm characterization, testosterone level, vimentin expression along with improvements in body and testis weight. They also mitigated hyperlipidemia by reducing total lipids (TL), total cholesterol (TC) levels, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), while increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Furthermore, oral administration of either Ch or Pu notably attuned the elevated proinflammatory cytokines as tumor necrotic factor (TNF-α), C-reactive protein (CRP), and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) together with reducing apoptosis and DNA damage. This was achieved through the suppression of DNA-fragmentation marker 8OHdG, triggering of caspase-3 immuno-expression, and elevation of Bcl-2 protein. The histological studies provided evidence supporting the preventive effects of Ch and Pu against DM-induced testicular dysfunction. In conclusion, Ch and Pu seed-extracts mitigate testicular impairment during DM due to their antihyperglycemic, antilipidemic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic properties.

Therapeutic potential of traditional Chinese medicine in the prevention and treatment of digestive inflammatory cancer transformation: Portulaca oleracea L. as a promising drug.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used for centuries to treat various types of inflammation and tumors of the digestive system. Portulaca oleracea L. (POL), has been used in TCM for thousands of years. The chemical composition of POL is variable and includes flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids and organic acids and other classes of natural compounds. Many of these compounds exhibit powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer-transforming effects in the digestive system. AIM OF STUDY: In this review, we focus on the potential therapeutic role of POL in NASH, gastritis and colitis and their associated cancers, with a focus on the pharmacological properties and potential mechanisms of action of the main natural active compounds in POL. METHODS: The information and data on Portulaca oleracea L. and its main active ingredients were collated from various resources like ethnobotanical textbooks and literature databases such as CNKI, VIP (Chinese literature), PubMed, Science Direct, Elsevier and Google Scholar (English literatures), Wiley, Springer, Tailor and Francis, Scopus, Inflibnet. RESULTS: Kaempferol, luteolin, myricetin, quercetin, genistein, EPA, DHA, and melatonin were found to improve NASH and NASH-HCC, while kaempferol, apigenin, luteolin, and quercetin played a therapeutic role in gastritis and gastric cancer. Apigenin, luteolin, myricetin, quercetin, genistein, lupeol, vitamin C and melatonin were found to have therapeutic effects in the treatment of colitis and its associated cancers. The discovery of the beneficial effects of these natural active compounds in POL supports the idea that POL could be a promising novel candidate for the treatment and prevention of inflammation-related cancers of the digestive system. CONCLUSION: The discovery of the beneficial effects of these natural active compounds in POL supports the idea that POL could be a promising novel candidate for the treatment and prevention of inflammation-related cancers of the digestive system. However, clinical data describing the mode of action of the naturally active compounds of POL are still lacking. In addition, pharmacokinetic data for POL compounds, such as changes in drug dose and absorption rates, cannot be extrapolated from animal models and need to be measured in patients in clinical trials. On the one hand, a systematic meta-analysis of the existing publications on TCM containing POL still needs to be carried out. On the other hand, studies on the hepatic and renal toxicity of POL are also needed. Additionally, well-designed preclinical and clinical studies to validate the therapeutic effects of TCM need to be performed, thus hopefully providing a basis for the validation of the clinical benefits of POL.

Purification, structural characterization, and immunomodulatory activity of two polysaccharides from Portulaca oleracea L.

In present study, two water-soluble polysaccharides designated as POL-1 and POL-2 were purified from purslane and their structural characteristics as well as immunomodulatory activity were investigated. The weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of POL-1 and POL-2 were determined to be 64,100 Da and 21,000 Da, respectively. Comprehensive techniques including UV, IR, GC-MS, and NMR were applied to deduced that POL-1 was a pectin polysaccharide homogalacturonan (HG) consisting of →4)-α-GalpA-(1→ with methyl ester degree of 9.71 % and acetylation degree of 0.34 %, while POL-2 was composed of a 1, 4-linked ß-Galp backbone substituted by short side chain →4)-α-Glcp-(1→ and →6)-α-Glcp-(1→. The →4)-α-Glcp-(1→ was attached at the O-6 position of →4)-ß-Galp-(1→. TEM further revealed that POL-1 was non-branched single chains, while POL-2 was entangled microstructure with side chains. Moreover, POL-2 significantly promoted macrophage phagocytosis as well as the secretion of NO and cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6) through activating NF-κB signaling pathway, thus demonstrating potential immunomodulatory activity. These findings suggested that purslane may be exploited as a potential adjuvant and dietary supplement with immunostimulatory purpose.

Network pharmacology and untargeted metabolomic-based investigation of anti-osteoporotic effects of viscozyme-assisted polysaccharide from Portulaca oleracea L.

Osteoporosis is a metabolic bone disease closely associated with oxidative stress. We had previously confirmed that the Viscozyme-assisted polysaccharide from Portulaca oleracea L (VPOP1) protects against antioxidant stress and evaluated the structure of VPOP1. In this study, we aimed to explore the anti-osteoporotic effects of VPOP1 on H2O2-induced osteoblast apoptosis. In addition, untargeted zebrafish metabolomics based on UPLC-Q-Orbitrap-HRMS was used to investigate the potential anti-osteoporotic mechanisms of VPOP1. The levels of Bcl-2 decreased significantly and those of caspase-3, Bax, and cytochrome C increased after treatment with H2O2. VPOP1 inhibited apoptosis in H2O2-induced MC3T3 cells. Metabolomic analyses showed that 28 potential biomarkers were gradually restored to normal levels after treatment with VPOP1 compared with that in the model group. Among them, leukotrienes D4 and A4, L-dopa, and L-tyrosine are important biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Pathway analysis revealed that arachidonic acid, tyrosine, phenylalanine, and sphingolipid metabolism were the major intervening pathways. Collectively, these results help us understand the protective activity of large molecular weight compounds, such as VPOP1, against osteoporosis.

Portulaca oleracea L. polysaccharide inhibits ovarian cancer via inducing ACSL4-dependent ferroptosis.

The antitumor effect of Portulaca oleracea L. polysaccharide (POL) has been demonstrated, but whether it curbs the development of ovarian cancer has not been reported. Here, we treated ovarian cancer cells with different concentrations of POL, detected cell activity by CCK-8 assay, and apoptosis rate by flow cytometry. The results showed that SKOV3 and Hey cell survival decreased with increasing POL concentration in a dose-dependent manner. POL significantly inhibited ovarian cancer cell migration and increased cell death compared with the control group. Ferroptosis inhibitors, but not apoptosis, necrosis, and autophagy inhibitors, reversed POL-induced cell death. Further studies revealed that POL promoted the accumulation of lipid reactive oxygen species (ROS), Fe2+, malondialdehyde (MDA), and decreased glutathione (GSH) production. Moreover, POL significantly increased the mortality of ovarian cancer cells. In vivo studies confirmed that POL reduced the volume and weight of tumors and increased the levels of Fe2+ and MDA in mice in vivo. Western blot assay revealed that POL increased the expression of ACSL4 in ovarian cancer cells as well as in tumors in mice in vivo. More importantly, the POL-mediated increase in lipid ROS, Fe2+, MDA, and decrease in GSH were significantly reversed after knocking down ACSL4 in ovarian cancer cells. Thus, POL can effectively inhibit ovarian cancer development, which may be achieved by increasing ACSL4-mediated ferroptosis. These results suggest that POL has the potential to be a potential drug for targeted treatment of ovarian cancer.

Isolation and characterization of dihydrohomoisoflavonoids from Portulaca oleracea L.

Eight pairs of dihydrohomoisoflavonoids (1-8), including four pairs of enantiomeric aglycones [(R,S)-portulacanones B (1) and C (2) and (R,S)-oleracones C (3) and Q (4)] and four pairs of epimeric glycosides [portulacasides A-D and epiportulacasides A-D (5-8)], were obtained from Portulaca oleracea L. Among them, (R,S)-oleracone Q (4) and four pairs of epimeric glycosides (5-8) were reported for the first time. The 50% EtOH fraction from the 70% EtOH extract prevented HepG2 human liver cancer cell damage induced by N-acetyl-p-aminophenol (APAP), and the cell survival rate was 62.3%. Portulacaside B (6a), which was isolated from the 50% EtOH fraction, exhibited hepatoprotective and anti-inflammatory effects. The compound increased the survival rate of APAP-damaged HepG2 human liver cancer cells from 40.0% to 51.2% and reduced nitric oxide production in RAW 264.7 macrophages, resulting in an inhibitory rate of 46.8%.

Preparation Optimization and Immunological Activity Studies of Portulaca oleracea L. Polysaccharides Liposomes.

AIMS: This study combines traditional Chinese medicine polysaccharides with nanomaterials to enhance drug bioavailability and immunological activity. BACKGROUND: The study of polysaccharide preparation, structure identification, pharmacological activity, and mechanism of action is deepening, but the research combined with the new drug delivery system is relatively weak, so the application of polysaccharides is still facing great limitations. In order to prolong the action time of polysaccharides and improve their bioavailability, liposome has become the most promising delivery carrier. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to optimize the preparation process of Portulaca oleracea L. polysaccharides liposomes (POL-PL) and evaluate the immunoactivity in vitro. METHODS: POL-PL was prepared by reverse evaporation, and the preparation process was optimized using the response surface methodology. The characteristic analysis of POL-PL was detected by the indicators including morphology, particle size, zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency, release, and stability. The effects of POL-PL on the proliferation and immunological activity of mouse spleen lymphocytes and RAW264.7 cells were evaluated in vitro. RESULTS: POL-PL is highly homogeneous in morphology and particle size, and its sustained release improves the bioavailability of Portulaca oleracea L. polysaccharides (POL-P). Moreover, POL-PL treatment significantly enhanced the proliferation and phagocytic activity of RAW264.7 cells and increased the secretion of IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1ß, and NO. CONCLUSION: This study suggested that POL-PL were prepared successfully by reverse evaporation method, and POL-PL had immunoenhancing activity in vitro. The results provided a theoretical basis for further application of POL-PL.

Review of isolation, purification, structural characteristics and bioactivities of polysaccharides from Portulaca oleracea L.

Portulaca oleracea L., also known as purslane, affiliates to the Portulacaceae family. It is an herbaceous succulent annual plant distributed worldwide. P. oleracea L. is renowned for its nutritional value and medicinal value, which has been utilized for thousands of years as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The extract derived from P. oleracea L. has shown efficacy in treating various diseases, including intestinal dysfunction and inflammation. Polysaccharides from P. oleracea L. (POP) are the primary constituents of the crude extract which have been found to have various biological activities, including antioxidant, antitumor, immune-stimulating, and intestinal protective effects. While many publications have highlighted on the structural identification and bioactivity evaluation of POP, the underlying structure-activity relationship of POP still remains unclear. In view of this, this review aims to focus on the extraction, purification, structural features and bioactivities of POP. In addition, the potential structure-activity relationship and the developmental perspective for future research of POP were also explored and discussed. The current review would provide a valuable research foundation and the up-to-date information for the future development and application of POP in the field of the functional foods and medicine.

Purslane (Portulacae oleracea L.) polysaccharide relieves cadmium-induced colonic impairments by restricting Cd accumulation and inhibiting inflammatory responses.

This study aimed to assess the protective effects of purslane polysaccharide (PP) on colonic impairments in mice exposed to cadmium (Cd). C57BL/6 mice were administered with PP (200-800 mg/kg/day) by gavage for 4 weeks after treatment with 100 mg·L-1 CdCl2. PP significantly reduced Cd accumulation in the colon tissue and promoted the excretion of Cd in the feces. PP could reduce the expression levels of inflammatory factors (tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), and IL-6) and inhibit the activation of the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway. In addition, the results of 16S rRNA analysis revealed that PP significantly increased the abundance of probiotics (Lactobacillus), while decreased the abundance of pathogenic bacteria (Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group). Following the augmentation of beneficial intestinal bacteria, the treatment with PP led to an increase in the levels of intestinal microbial metabolites, specifically short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). The SCFAs are known for their anti-inflammatory properties, immune-regulatory effects, and promotion of intestinal barrier function. Additionally, the results suggested that PP effectively impeded the enterohepatic circulation by inhibiting the FXR-FGF15 axis in the intestines of Cd-exposed mice. In summary, PP mitigated the toxic effects of Cd by limiting its accumulation and suppressing inflammatory responses in colon.

Antidiabetic Effect of Combined Leaf Extracts of Portulaca oleracea L., Beta vulgaris L., and Cichorium intybus L. in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats.

Purslane (P), chard (CHA), and chicory (CHI) leaf extracts are individually and traditionally used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Polyphenols, flavonoids, the polyphenolic profile of the extracts, and their antioxidant activity were determined. This study evaluated the antidiabetic activity of combinations of these extracts in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Diabetic groups were administered orally and daily for 40 days with the investigated extracts at 250 mg/kg body weight (b.w.) or metformin (100 mg/kg b.w.) as a drug. Fasting blood glucose, oral glucose tolerance, insulin, and fructosamine were assessed. The combined extracts with high levels of P or CHI exerted potent hypoglycemic activity compared with metformin in addition to the restoration of the histopathological changes in the liver and pancreas of diabetic rats to a near-normal state. Therefore, these combined extracts could be developed as natural drugs for diabetes.

Portulaca oleracea L. polysaccharide alleviates dextran sulfate sodium-induced ulcerative colitis by regulating intestinal homeostasis.

Portulaca oleracea L. (purslane) is a vegetable that contains a variety of active compounds with nutritional properties and has the potential to treat ulcerative colitis (UC). However, the mechanisms underlying the effects of Portulaca oleracea L. polysaccharide (POP) in alleviating UC remain unclear. In this study, we prepared an aqueous extract of purslane and separated a fraction with molecular weight >10 kDa using membrane separation. This fraction was used to isolate POP. The effect of POP on gut microbiota and colon transcriptome in dextran sulfate sodium-induced UC model mice was evaluated. POP treatment reduced inflammation and oxidative stress imbalance in UC mice. In addition, POP improved the intestinal barrier and regulated intestinal homeostasis. Importantly, POP was found to regulate gut microbiota, maintain the levels of retinol and short-chain fatty acids in the gut, promote the proliferation and differentiation of B cells in the colon, and increase the expression of immunoglobulin A. These results provide novel insights into the role of POP in regulating intestinal homeostasis, which should guide further development of POP as a functional food.

A new alkaloid and two organic acids from Portulaca oleracea L. and their bioactivities.

A new alkaloid, identified as 1-benzyl-2-nitroso-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline-6,7-diol, named oleraisoquinoline (1), and five organic acids and two esters, identified as 5-(hydroxymethyl)furan-2-carboxylic acid (2), 1H-pyrrole-2,5-dicarboxylic acid (3), (7E,10E)-octadeca-7,10-dienoic acid (4), (10E,13E)-octadeca-10,13-dienoic acid (5), (7E,10E)-hexadeca-7,10-dienoic acid (6), methyl tridecanoate (7) and methyl (9E,12E)-octadeca-9,12-dienoate (8), were isolated from Portulaca oleracea L., among which compounds 2 and 4‒7 were isolated for the first time. Moreover, the anti-inflammatory activities of compounds 1‒3 were studied, especially, compound 1 presented good inhibitory effects on the production of inflammatory factors IL-1ß and TNF-α.

A review on ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacology and potential uses of Portulaca oleracea L.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Portulaca oleracea L. (PO), popularly known as purslane, has been documented in ethnopharmacology in various countries and regions. Traditional application records indicated that PO might be used extensively to treat the common cold, dysentery, urinary tract infections, coughing, eye infections, skin problems, gynecological diseases, and pediatric illnesses. AIM OF THE REVIEW: This paper includes a systematic review of the traditional usage, phytochemicals, pharmacological activity, and potential uses of PO to provide an overview of the research for further exploitation of PO resources. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This article uses "Portulaca oleracea L." and "purslane" as the keywords and collects relevant information on PO from different databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Springer, Science Direct, ACS, Wiley, CNKI, Baidu Scholar, Google Scholar, and ancient meteria medica. RESULTS: PO is a member of the Portulacaceae family and is grown worldwide. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that purslane has the effect of improving eyesight, eliminating evil qi, quenching thirst, purgation, diuresis, hemostasis, regulating qi, promoting hair growth, detoxifying, and avoiding epidemic qi. Recent phytochemical investigations have shown that PO is a rich source of flavonoids, homoisoflavonoids, alkaloids, organic acids, esters, lignans, terpenoids, catecholamines, sterols, and cerebrosides. The purslane extracts or compounds have exhibited numerous biological activities such as anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antimicrobial, antiviral, antioxidant, anticancer, renoprotective, hepatoprotective, gastroprotective, metabolic, muscle relaxant, anti-asthmatic and anti-osteoporosis properties. The significant omega-3 fatty acids, vital amino acids, minerals, and vitamins found in purslane also provide nutritional benefits. Purslane as a food/feed additive in the food industry and animal husbandry has caused concern. Its global wide distribution and tolerance to abiotic stress characteristics make it in the future sustainable development of agriculture a certain position. CONCLUSIONS: Based on traditional usage, phytochemicals, and pharmacological activity, PO is a potential medicinal and edible plant with diverse pharmacological effects. Due to purslane's various advantages, it may have vast application potential in the food and pharmaceutical industries and animal husbandry.

Infestation of Portulaca oleracea (Portulacaceae) plants by Neotuerta platensis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae in Brazil: evaluations for five consecutive years / Infestação de plantas de Portulaca oleracea (Portulacaceae) por larvas de Neotuerta platensis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) no Brasil: avaliações por cinco anos consecutivos

The bioecology and infestation aspects of Neotuerta platensis Berg, 1882 (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on plants are poorly known. This insect fed on the leaves of common purslane, Portulaca oleracea L. (Portulacaceae) for two consecutive years, which triggered its study in the following five years in Januária, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The objective of this work was to study the bioecology and infestation aspects of N. platensis on P. oleracea plants in the field and laboratory. The mean duration (± SD) of the egg, larva and pupa stages was 3.6 ± 0.89, 11.5 ± 2.81 and 10.7 ± 1.97 days, respectively. The mean numbers of egg masses and eggs per female (± SD) were 3.8 ± 1.16 and 891.6 ± 116.83, respectively. The percentage of infested plants was 59, 74, 0, 78 and 75% and the mean numbers of larvae per plant (± SD) ranged from 0.7 ± 0.45 to 1.6 ± 0.49 individuals, respectively from 2015 to 2019. Neotuerta platensis larvae infested P. oleracea plants in four out of five years evaluated.

Os aspectos de bioecologia e infestação de Neotuerta platensis Berg, 1882 (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) em plantas são pouco conhecidos. Esse inseto se alimentou das folhas de beldroega comum, Portulaca oleracea L. (Portulacaceae) por dois anos consecutivos, o que desencadeou seu estudo nos cinco anos seguintes em Januária, Minas Gerais, Brasil. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar a bioecologia e os aspectos da infestação de N. platensis em plantas de P. oleracea em campo e laboratório. A duração média (± DP) dos estágios de ovo, larva e pupa foi de 3,6 ± 0,89, 11,5 ± 2,81 e 10,7 ± 1,97 dias, respectivamente. Os números médios de posturas e ovos por fêmea (± DP) foram de 3,8 ± 1,16 e 891,6 ± 116,83, respectivamente. A porcentagem de plantas infestadas foi de 59, 74, 0, 78 e 75% e os números médios de larvas por planta (± DP) variaram de 0,7 ± 0,45 a 1,6 ± 0,49 indivíduos, respectivamente de 2015 a 2019. Larvas de N. platensis infestaram plantas de P. oleracea em quatro dos cinco anos avaliados.

Identification of Novel Alkaloids from Portulaca oleracea L. and Characterization of Their Pharmacokinetics and GLP-1 Secretion-Promoting Activity in STC-1 Cells.

Six new alkaloids (compounds 1-6) were isolated from Portulaca oleracea L. The compounds were triple pair (1 and 2, 3 and 4, and 5 and 6) enantiomers, with 1, 3, and 5 in the R-configuration and 2, 4, and 6 in the S-configuration, and all could bind to SUR1 according to molecular docking analysis. Treatment of STC-1 cells with each compound led to an influx of intracellular Ca2+, eventually leading to the secretion of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), with compound 3 giving the highest secretion, resulting in 24.3 ± 7.03% more GLP-1 than nateglinide-treated cells, suggesting that these alkaloids may be able to reduce blood glucose based on their ability to stimulate the release of GLP-1. Furthermore, compound 3 also exhibited slightly faster absorption than nateglinide, as shown by pharmacokinetic analysis conducted in rats. Therefore, the results showed that some purslane alkaloids (such as compound 3) had good pharmacological activity in vivo and may have preventive and therapeutic effects on diabetes.

The effects of purslane consumption on blood pressure, body weight, body mass index, and waist circumference: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled.

The effects of purslane consumption on anthropometric measurements and blood pressure have been studied in numerous experiments. However, the research findings conflict with one another. In order to assess the impact of purslane on weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), this meta-analysis was carried out. Up until February 2023, PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, and the reference lists of the identified pertinent randomised controlled trials (RCTs) were all searched. The random-effects model was used to calculate the effect size and then to describe it as a weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95 % confidence interval (CI) (CRD42023427955). The systematic review was able to incorporate seven RCTs. Meta-analysis showed that purslane significantly decreased body weight (WMD): -0⋅73 kg, 95 % confidence interval (CI): -1⋅37, -0⋅09, P=0⋅025), BMI (WMD: -0⋅35 kg/m2, 95 % CI: -0⋅64, -0⋅07, P=0⋅016), and SBP (WMD: -3⋅64 mmHg, 95 % CI: -6⋅42, -0⋅87, P = 0⋅01), and for WC, there was no discernible effect (WMD: -0⋅86 cm; 95 % CI, -1⋅80 to 0⋅07; P = 0⋅06) and DBP (WMD: -0⋅36 mmHg; 95 % CI, -1⋅75 to 1⋅03; P = 0⋅61). Purslane consumption, especially in participants with a BMI of <30, might play a role in decreasing SBP, body weight, BMI, and WC. Purslane consumption significantly reduced body weight, BMI, and SBP; however, WC and DBP did not experience a reduction. More investigation is needed to verify the impact of purslane consumption on anthropometric parameters and blood pressure.

A new alkaloid from Portulaca oleracea L. with its anti-inflammatory activity.

A new isoindole alkaloid, 6-hydroxy-2-(4'''-hydroxy-3'''-methoxyphenethyl)-4-(4'-hydroxy-3'-methoxyphenyl)-7-methoxy-1H-benzo[f]isoindole-1,3(2H)-dione, named oleraisoindole B was isolated from Portulaca oleracea L., its structure was elucidated using NMR and UHPLC-ESI-Q-TOF/MS spectroscopic methods, and presented anti-inflammatory activity at 5 µM.

Comparison of topical purslane & topical 0.1% triamcinolone acetonide in the management of oral lichen planus - a double blinded clinical trial.

AIM AND BACKGROUND: Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic autoimmune mucocutaneous disorder of unknown etiology and treatment is targeted at alleviating symptoms. At present, corticosteroids are the mainstay treatment, and their side effects hamper their long-term use, demanding alternative therapy. This study intended to assess the efficacy of topical purslane (Portulaca oleracea) at two concentrations, 5% and 10%, in OLP and to compare the level of clinical improvement in comparison to topical 0.1% triamcinolone acetonide gel. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After sample size determination, thirty-four subjects confirmed histopathologically with OLP were included in the study. They were divided into 3 groups, Group 1(Control) was treated with 0.1% triamcinolone acetonide, and Group 2(Case) and 3 (Case) were treated with topical purslane 5% and 10%, respectively. They were examined at baseline, 14 days, 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days. Clinical improvement was then analyzed at the end of 90 days using a visual analog scale (VAS) and Thongprasom's criteria. RESULTS: The study was analyzed statistically and a P value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Intragroup comparison revealed a statistically significant difference between the five time periods (baseline, 14 days, 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days) for the study variables (burning sensation, pain, lesion score, clinical response, symptomatic response) for all three groups (p = 0.001). Alleviation of all symptoms and remission of the lesion were noted for all three groups at the end of three months. CONCLUSION: Purslane is a magical herb with a plethora of rich nutrients, ease in accessibility and devoid of side effects. It was concluded that its preparation is beneficial and can be a safer alternative long-term drug for the management of OLP. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: With available literature evidence, our present study is the first of its kind to formulate a topical gel with purslane to treat symptomatic OLP. Our study had a longer follow-up of 3 months compared to other studies in the literature.

The effects of purslane (Portulaca oleracea) on glycemic indices: A GRADE-assessed systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Although several studies have revealed the benefits of purslane on glycemic indices, the results of some studies reject such effect. Therefore, aim of this meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was to assess the effects of purslane supplementation on glycemic indices. Scientific international databases as Scopus, Web of Sciences, PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane library were searched up to December 2022. For net changes in glycemic indices, weighted mean differences (WMDs) were calculated using random-effects models. Purslane supplementation had a statistically significant reduction in fasting blood glucose [FBG, WMD: -6.37; 95% CI: -9.34, -3.40, p < 0.001]. In addition, purslane did not significant effect on serum levels of insulin [WMD: -0.74; 95% CI: -2.58, 1.10; p = 0.430], homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance [HOMA-IR, WMD: -0.25; 95% CI: -0.88, 0.37, p = 0.429], and QUICKI [WMD: -0.01; 95% CI: -0.01, 0.03, p = 0.317] compared with the control group. The results of our meta-analysis revealed a beneficial effect of purslane supplementation as a tool to decrease FBG levels, but not to HOMA-IR, insulin, and QUICKI levels. However, future high-quality, long-term clinical trials are needed to confirm our results.

Edible exosome-like nanoparticles from portulaca oleracea L mitigate DSS-induced colitis via facilitating double-positive CD4+CD8+T cells expansion.

Plant-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (PDENs) have been paid great attention in the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC). As a proof of concept, we isolated and identified Portulaca oleracea L-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (PELNs) from edible Portulaca oleracea L, which exhibited desirable nano-size (~ 160 nm) and a negative zeta potential value (-31.4 mV). Oral administration of PELNs effectively suppressed the expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-12, and IL-1ß) and myeloperoxidase (MPO), increased levels of the anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10), and alleviated acute colitis in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced C57 mice and IL-10-/- mice. Notably, PELNs exhibited excellent stability and safety within the gastrointestinal tract and displayed specific targeting to inflamed sites in the colons of mice. Mechanistically, oral administration of PELNs played a crucial role in maintaining the diversity and balance of gut microbiota. Furthermore, PELNs treatment enhanced Lactobacillus reuteri growth and elevated indole derivative levels, which might activate the aryl-hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in conventional CD4+ T cells. This activation downregulated Zbtb7b expression, leading to the reprogramming of conventional CD4+ T cells into double-positive CD4+CD8+T cells (DP CD4+CD8+ T cells). In conclusion, our findings highlighted the potential of orally administered PELNs as a novel, natural, and colon-targeted agent, offering a promising therapeutic approach for managing UC. Schematic illustration of therapeutic effects of oral Portulaca oleracea L -derived natural exosome-like nanoparticles (PELNs) on UC. PELNs treatment enhanced Lactobacillus reuteri growth and elevated indole derivative levels, which activate the aryl-hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in conventional CD4+ T cells leading to downregulate the expression of Zbtb7b, reprogram of conventional CD4+ T cells into double-positive CD4+CD8+T cells (DP CD4+CD8+ T cells), and decrease the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines.