"Isolation by Gentes with Asymmetric Migration" shapes the genetic structure of the common cuckoo in China.

Amid coevolutionary arms races between brood parasitic birds and their diverse host species, the formation of host-specific races, or gentes, has drawn significant research focus. Nevertheless, numerous questions about gentes evolutionary patterns persist. Here, we investigated the potential for gentes evolution across multiple common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) populations parasitizing diverse host species in China. Using maternal (mitochondrial and W-linked DNA) and biparental (autosomal and Z-linked DNA) markers, we found consistent clustering of cuckoo gentes (rather than geographical populations) into distinct clades in matrilineal gene trees, indicating robust differentiation. In contrast, biparental markers indicated intermixing of all gentes, suggesting asymmetric gene flow regardless of geography. Unlike the mitonuclear discordance commonly resulting from incomplete lineage sorting, adaptive introgression, or demographic disparities, the observed pattern in brood parasitic cuckoos might reflect biased host preferences between sexes. We hereby present the "Isolation by Gentes with Asymmetric Migration" model. According to this model, the maternal line differentiation of the common cuckoo in China is potentially driven by host preferences in females, whereas males maintained the integrity of the cuckoo species through random mating. To achieve this, cuckoo males could perform flexible migration among gentes or engage in early copulation with females before reaching the breeding sites, allowing female cuckoos to store sperm from various gentes. Future studies collecting additional samples from diverse cuckoo gentes with overlapping distribution and investigating the migratory and copulation patterns of each sex would enhance our understanding of sex-biased differentiation among cuckoo populations in China.

Quantification and purification of procyanidin B1 from food byproducts.

The flavan-3-ols of 10 primarily plant food byproducts, including Muscat Hamburg grape seed, hawthorn sarcocarp, litchi pericarp, cocoa bean, peanut skin, lotus seedpod, Xinyang Maojian green tea, Cinnamomi cortex, Sargentodoxa cuneata stem, and Cyperus esculentus, leaves were analyzed. Ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry was used for the analysis. Cyperus esculentus leaves contained a high amount of procyanidin B1 (198.9 mg/100 g), second only to Muscat Hamburg grape seed (292.9 mg/100 g). Unlike grape seed that contained several procyanidin B isomers with very similar retention times, C. esculentus leaves contained primarily procyanidin B1 with few isomers. Procyanidin B1 was enriched in the ethyl acetate fraction of a 70% methanol extract of C. esculentus leaves and purified at 95% purity by two runs of open column chromatography. Direct chromatography of the plant extract on octadecylsilane and Sephadex LH20 open columns improved the yield of the resultant leaf procyanidin B1 (95% purity) to 0.21‰. The present research demonstrated that the leaves of C. esculentus, byproducts of tigernut, are ideal plant sources for isolating and providing high-purity procyanidin B1. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Procyanidin B1 has a broad range of health benefits. Cyperus esculentus is cultivated in many countries with nearly 6190 square hectares (hm2 ) in the Spanish Mediterranean region in 2020-2021 and over 16,700 hm2 in China in recent years, primarily for its tubers. The byproducts, the leaves of C. esculentus, contain high levels of procyanidin B1, with few isomers that interfere with its isolation and purification. Thus, the leaves of this plant provide a viable source for preparing high-purity procyanidin B1.

Combination of Ephedra sinica stems and Terminalia chebula fruits produces new ephedrine derivatives in vivo that diminish the permeability to BBB while retaining airway dilation and hepatoprotective effects.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The stems of Ephedra sinica and the fruits of Terminalia chebula are combined using in traditional Mongolian medicine formula "Gurigumu-7" for liver diseases. E. sinica stems contains ephedrine with broncho-dilatory activity. However, ephedrine can pass through the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and excite the central nervous system (CNS) to cause insomnia and restlessness. AIM OF THE STUDY: The present study was to investigate the structures and bioactivities of new compounds formed in vivo after co-administration of E. sinica stems and T. chebula fruits. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pharmacokinetic investigation was carried out in rats. A parallel artificial membrane permeability measurement system was used to determine BBB permeability. Ex vivo experiments using tracheal rings of guinea pig was performed to examine the tracheal relaxation effect. In vivo hepatoprotective tests were carried out in Tg (fabp10a: dsRed) liver transgenic zebrafish. The fluorescent probe, 2,7-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate, was used to measure reactive oxygen species, and UHPLC-MS was used to determine glutathione concentrations after derivatization with N-ethylmaleimide. RESULTS: New ephedrine derivatives (1 and 2) formed in vivo and reached their maximum serum concentrations at 0.5 h after administration of the two herbal drugs. Compounds 1 and 2 showed lower BBB permeability than ephedrine, suggesting that they have less adverse effects on the CNS. Compounds 1 and 2 relaxed the tracheal rings and had strong hepatoprotective effect on transgenic zebrafish with liver specific expression of RFP. Compounds 1 and 2 significantly reduced the level of reactive oxygen species while increasing that of glutathione in thioacetamide-treated zebrafish, which might be the hepatoprotective mechanism. CONCLUSION: These results provided evidences that the chemical constituents in various herbal drugs in a medicinal formula can interact to generate new compounds with fewer side effects and increased or additive bioactivity.

Hydroxysafflor yellows alleviate thrombosis and acetaminophen-induced toxicity in vivo by enhancing blood circulation and poison excretion.

BACKGROUND: Hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) from the flower of Carthamus tinctorius (Safflower) has been reported to have various pharmacological effects. However, little is known about the bioactivities of other chemical constituents in Safflower and the relationship between enhancement of blood circulation and hepatoprotection by HSYA. PURPOSE: The present research was to evaluate the antithrombotic and hepatoprotective activities of HSYA and C, examine their mechanisms of actions, including influence on the excretion velocity of acetaminophen, and the relationship between the antithrombotic, hepatoprotective, and other bioactivities. METHODS: The hepatoprotective activities were examined by acetaminophen (APAP)-induced zebrafish toxicity and carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced mouse liver injury. The concentrations of APAP in zebrafish and APAP that was excreted to the culture media were quantified by UHPLC-MS. The anti-thrombosis effect of HSYA and C were examined by the phenylhydrazine (PHZ)-induced zebrafish thrombosis. RESULTS: HSYA and HSYC showed robust protection on APAP-induced toxicity and PHZ-induced thrombosis. The hepatoprotective effects of HSYA and C were more potent than that of the positive control, acetylcysteine (61.7% and 58.0%, respectively, vs. 56.9% at 100 µM) and their antithrombosis effects were more robust than aspirin (95.1% and 86.2% vs. 52.7% at 100 µM). HSYA and C enhanced blood circulation, rescued APAP-treated zebrafish from morphological abnormalities, and mitigated APAP-induced toxicity in liver development in liver-specific RFP-expressing transgenic zebrafish. HSYC attenuated CCl4-induced mouse liver injury and regulated the levels of HIF-1α, iNOS, TNF-α, α-SMA, and NFκB in liver tissues. HSYA was also protective in a dual thrombotic and liver toxicity zebrafish model. By UHPLC-MS, HSYA accelerated the excretion of APAP. CONCLUSION: HSYA and C are the bioactive constituents of Safflower that are responsible for the herbal drug's traditional use in promoting blood circulation to remove blood stasis. Safflower and its chalcone constituents may protect from damage due to exogenous or disease-induced endogenous toxins by enhancing the excretion velocity of toxins.