Ameliorative effect of Luffa cylindrica fruits on Caenorhabditis elegans and cellular models of Alzheimer's disease-related pathology via autophagy induction.

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disorder without an effective cure. Natural products, while showing promise as potential therapeutics for AD, remain underexplored. AIMS: This study was conducted with the goal of identifying potential anti-AD candidates from natural sources using Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) AD-like models and exploring their mechanisms of action. MATERIALS & METHODS: Our laboratory's in-house herbal extract library was utilized to screen for potential anti-AD candidates using the C. elegans AD-like model CL4176. The neuroprotective effects of the candidates were evaluated in multiple C. elegans AD-like models, specifically targeting Aß- and Tau-induced pathology. In vitro validation was conducted using PC-12 cells. To investigate the role of autophagy in mediating the anti-AD effects of the candidates, RNAi bacteria and autophagy inhibitors were employed. RESULTS: The ethanol extract of air-dried fruits of Luffa cylindrica (LCE), a medicine-food homology species, was found to inhibit Aß- and Tau-induced pathology (paralysis, ROS production, neurotoxicity, and Aß and pTau deposition) in C. elegans AD-like models. LCE was non-toxic and enhanced C. elegans' health. It was shown that LCE activates autophagy and its anti-AD efficacy is weakened with the RNAi knockdown of autophagy-related genes. Additionally, LCE induced mTOR-mediated autophagy, reduced the expression of AD-associated proteins, and decreased cell death in PC-12 cells, which was reversed by autophagy inhibitors (bafilomycin A1 and 3-methyladenine). DISCUSSION: LCE, identified from our natural product library, emerged as a valuable autophagy enhancer that effectively protects against neurodegeneration in multiple AD-like models. RNAi knockdown of autophagy-related genes and cotreatment with autophagy inhibitors weakened its anti-AD efficacy, implying a critical role of autophagy in mediating the neuroprotective effects of LCE. CONCLUSION: Our findings highlight the potential of LCE as a functional food or drug for targeting AD pathology and promoting human health.

The Potential of Glycyrrhiza from "Medicine Food Homology" in the Fight against Digestive System Tumors.

Glycyrrhiza has a long history of applications and a wide range of pharmacological effects. It is known as the "king of all herbs". Glycyrrhiza is effective in clearing heat, detoxifying, relieving cough, and tonifying qi and has good bioactivity in multiple inflammatory, immune, and tumor diseases. This review aims to summarize the origin, distribution, and anti-digestive system tumor mechanism of glycyrrhiza and its homologous applications in medicine and food. The active compounds include triterpenoids, flavonoids, and coumarins, which are widely used in clinical treatments, disease prevention, and daily foods because of their "enhancement of efficacy" and "reduction of toxicity" against digestive system tumors. This paper reviews the use of glycyrrhiza in digestive system tumors and provides an outlook on future research and clinical applications.

Medicine-Food Herbs against Alzheimer's Disease: A Review of Their Traditional Functional Features, Substance Basis, Clinical Practices and Mechanisms of Action.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive, neurodegenerative disorder that currently has reached epidemic proportions among elderly populations around the world. In China, available traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) that organically combine functional foods with medicinal values are named "Medicine Food Homology (MFH)". In this review, we focused on MFH varieties for their traditional functional features, substance bases, clinical uses, and mechanisms of action (MOAs) for AD prevention and treatment. We consider the antiAD active constituents from MFH species, their effects on in vitro/in vivo AD models, and their drug targets and signal pathways by summing up the literature via a systematic electronic search (SciFinder, PubMed, and Web of Science). In this paper, several MFH plant sources are discussed in detail from in vitro/in vivo models and methods, to MOAs. We found that most of the MFH varieties exert neuroprotective effects and ameliorate cognitive impairments by inhibiting neuropathological signs (Aß-induced toxicity, amyloid precursor protein, and phosphorylated Tau immunoreactivity), including anti-inflammation, antioxidative stress, antiautophagy, and antiapoptosis, etc. Indeed, some MFH substances and their related phytochemicals have a broad spectrum of activities, so they are superior to simple single-target drugs in treating chronic diseases. This review can provide significant guidance for people's healthy lifestyles and drug development for AD prevention and treatment.

Natural Ingredients from Medicine Food Homology as Chemopreventive Reagents against Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus by Modulating Gut Microbiota Homoeostasis.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a noteworthy worldwide public health problem. It represents a complex metabolic disorder, mainly characterized as hyperglycemia and lipid dysfunction. The gut microbiota dysbiosis has been proposed to play a role in the development of diabetes. Recently, there has been considerable interest in the use of medicine food homology (MFH) and functional food herbs (FF) to ameliorate diabetes and lead to a natural and healthy life. Hence, this review compiles some reports and findings to demonstrate that the practical use of the MFH/FF can modulate the homoeostasis of gut microbiota, thereby ameliorating the development of T2DM. The results provided useful data to support further investigation of the functional basis and application of MFH/FF to treat T2DM through maintaining intestinal homeostasis.

Hypoglycemic effects of bioactive ingredients from medicine food homology and medicinal health food species used in China.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic progressive systemic disease caused by a metabolic disorder. In recent years, a large number of studies have shown that certain traditional Chinese medicines and their bioactive ingredients have obvious hypoglycemic effects. This literature review focuses on medicine food homology (MFH) and medicinal health food (MHF) species used in China with a hypoglycemic function and emphasizes the bioactive ingredients and their pharmacological effects. The bioactive ingredients of MFH and MHF have been divided into six categories: saponins, flavonoids, terpenoids, alkaloids, polysaccharides, and others; and their sources, models, efficacy, and mechanisms of action have been described. It is noteworthy that the mechanisms of the bioactive ingredients of MFH and MHF with hypoglycemic effects have been summarized as follows: a) insulin-mimetic effects and restoration of the damaged pancreas; b) effect on glucose metabolism; c) increased insulin sensitivity and improved insulin resistance; and d) regulation of intestinal flora. We conclude that this review provides useful data and information to support the further investigation and application of MFH and MHF to treat DM.

Renal Health Through Medicine-Food Homology: A Comprehensive Review of Botanical Micronutrients and Their Mechanisms.

BACKGROUND: As an ancient concept and practice, "food as medicine" or "medicine-food homology" is receiving more and more attention these days. It is a tradition in many regions to intake medicinal herbal food for potential health benefits to various organs and systems including the kidney. Kidney diseases usually lack targeted therapy and face irreversible loss of function, leading to dialysis dependence. As the most important organ for endogenous metabolite and exogenous nutrient excretion, the status of the kidney could be closely related to daily diet. Therefore, medicinal herbal food rich in antioxidative, anti-inflammation micronutrients are ideal supplements for kidney protection. Recent studies have also discovered its impact on the "gut-kidney" axis. METHODS: Here, we review and highlight the kidney-protective effects of botanicals with medicine-food homology including the most frequently used Astragalus membranaceus and Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels, concerning their micronutrients and mechanism, offering a basis and perspective for utilizing and exploring the key substances in medicinal herbal food to protect the kidney. RESULTS: The index for medicine-food homology in China contains mostly botanicals while many of them are also consumed by people in other regions. Micronutrients including flavonoids, polysaccharides and others present powerful activities towards renal diseases. CONCLUSIONS: Botanicals with medicine-food homology are widely speeded over multiple regions and incorporating these natural compounds into dietary habits or as supplements shows promising future for renal health.

Antihypertensive effect and mechanism of the traditional recipe of medicine food homology (Buyang Huanwu Decoction) in China: Meta analysis and network pharmacological exploration.

Background: Hypertension has become a part of the lives of many people worldwide. With the development, an increasing number of people have begun to control their hypertension through products of medicine food homology, such as Buyang Huanwu Decoction (BYHWD). However, there has been no objective review of the regulation of hypertension by BYHWD. Methods: As of 9 October 2023, this review made a detailed search of nine databases to look for random controlled trials (RCTs) focused on the use of BYHWD for treating hypertension. This was followed by network pharmacological analysis, and molecular docking assessment using AutoDockTools to explore the mode of action. Results: BYHWD was effective in reducing SBP (MD: 0.767; 95 % CI: 0.629, 0.905; p = 0.000), DBP (MD: 0.427; 95 % CI: 0.292, 0.561; p = 0.000), 24h SBP (MD: 0.665; 95 % CI: 0.368, 0.962; p = 0.000), 24h DBP (MD: 0.547; 95 % CI: 0.318, 0.777; p = 0.000), dSBP (MD: 0.625; 95 % CI: 0.395, 0.855; p = 0.000), dDBP (MD: 0.632; 95 % CI: 0.401, 0.862; p = 0.000), nSBP (MD: 0.859; 95 % CI: 0.340, 1.377; p = 0.001), nDBP (MD: 0.704; 95 % CI: 0.297, 1.112; p = 0.001), pv (MD: 1.311; 95 % CI: 0.363, 2.259; p = 0.007) and NIHSS (MD: 1.149; 95 % CI: 0.100, 2.199; p = 0.032), and elevating CER (OR = 2.848; 95 % CI: 1.388, 5.843; p = 0.004). However, BYHWD did not significantly reduce HCY, and there was no significant difference in the incidence of AE. In terms of the mechanism of action, the main active ingredient of BYHWD is quercetin, and the core targets are AKT1, MMP9, and others. Molecular docking also showed that quercetin mainly interacts with the amino acid residue CYS-28 of MMP2. Second, the KEGG analysis showed that BYHWD mainly act on HIF-1, Apelin, and cGMP-PKG signalling pathways, and GO analysis showed that it related to the apical part of the cell, circulatory system processes, and nuclear receptor activity. Conclusion: BYHWD can lowered blood pressure, reduced plasma viscosity, and restored neurological function with good tolerability, and had no significant effect on HCY levels. This study further demonstrated that quercetin is the main active ingredient of BYHWD that acts via the AKT1 and HIF-1 signalling pathways. These results provide new guidance for people's dietary choices by the general public.

Analysis on patents of health care products with substances of medicine food homology in China.

Objective: The concept of substances of medicine food homology (SMFH) has garnered significant attention in recent years. This study conducts a systematic analysis of patent literature related to SMFH, and elucidates the development trends, technical hotspots, and the overall patent protection landscape of SMFH in China over the past two decades. Methods: The patent search focused on the SMFH varieties as the objects of inquiry, with retrieval conducted in patent databases. Subsequently, the acquired data underwent processing, analysis, and visualization. Results: While the technical threshold for pharmaceutical applications surpasses that of the food service sector, the former may assume a prominent role in the future. Research and development (R&D) activities in the southeast of China demonstrate robust activity than other regions. Colleges and scientific research institutions exhibit substantial advantages in patent applications compared with individuals and hold greater potential for future development. Conclusion: The findings of this patent analysis indicate that China's SMFH industry are presently undergoing a transition from an extensive model to a high-quality model. The quality and technical standards of SMFH products are consistently improving. Consequently, there is a need for more stringent patent application requirements to align with the evolving development needs.

A ratiometric fluorescent sensor based on dual-emitting carbon dots for the rapid detection of sulfite.

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) derivatives are typically employed as antioxidants in food and pharmaceutical processing. However, excessive sulfite intake could trigger serious health problems. Hence, it is urgent to establish a rapid and effective system for monitoring SO2. This study adopted a one-step hydrothermal method to synthesize dual-emitting nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots (CECDs) and developed a ratiometric sensor for sulfite using CECDs-Cr (VI) composites. The emission intensity ratio (I440/I500) of the CECDs-Cr (VI) composites increased considerably with the addition of HSO3-. A method based on the ratiometric sensor was established for SO2 derivatives with advanced efficiency and excellent linearity over a broad concentration range of 0-500 µM (R2 = 0.9946). Four medicine-food homology materials (MFHMs) fumigated with sulfur have been accurately detected using this approach. Furthermore, a portable test tube was prepared to achieve rapid and semi-quantitative detection of SO2 residues and applied to real samples. This work presents an effective approach to develop a rapid on-site detection platform for sulfite residues in food and pharmaceuticals.

Rapid Construction of Recombinant PDCoV Expressing an Enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein for the Antiviral Screening Assay Based on Transformation-Associated Recombination Cloning in Yeast.

Porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) is an emerging enteropathogenic coronavirus that mainly causes diarrhea and death in suckling piglets and also has the potential for cross-species transmission, threatening public health. However, there is still no effective vaccine or drug to prevent PDCoV infection. In order to accelerate the development of antiviral drugs, we established a high-throughput screening platform using a novel genome editing technology called transformation-associated recombination cloning in yeast. The recombinant PDCoV and PDCoV reporter virus expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein were both rapidly rescued with stable genealogical characteristics during passage. Further study demonstrated that the reporter virus can be used for high-throughput screening of antiviral drugs with a Z-factor of 0.821-0.826. Then, a medicine food homology compound library was applied, and we found that three compounds were potential antiviral reagents. In summary, we have established a fast and efficient reverse genetic system of PDCoV, providing a powerful platform for the research of antiviral drugs.

Predicting the potential geographical distribution of Zingiber striolatum Diels (Zingiberaceae), a medicine food homology plant in China.

Zingiber striolatum Diels is a unique medicine food homology plant native to China. In recent years, due to severe habitat destruction, studying the impact of climate change on the distribution of wild resources is of great significance for the ecological conservation and artificial cultivation of Z. striolatum. This study collected 141 valid species distribution records, and 37 environmental variables, and projected two future climate scenarios (SSP126 and SSP585) for two periods (2050s and 2090s). By employing Pearson analysis, Maximum Entropy Model (MaxEnt), and Geographic Information System (ArcGIS), we predicted the potential suitable habitats for Z. striolatum under present and future climates, as well as identified the dominant environmental variables influencing its distribution. The results indicated that the MaxEnt model performed well (AUC > 0.9) with high accuracy and reliability. The dominant environmental factors included Precipitation of driest quarter (39.0 ~ 473.8 mm), Precipitation of wettest quarter (593.2 ~ 1269.4 mm), Temperature annual range (9.8 ~ 28.6℃), and Mean diurnal range (6.5 ~ 9.6℃). The highly suitable areas for Z. striolatum were mainly distributed in western and southern Yunnan, northern and western Guangxi, Guangdong, Fujian, and central Hainan. Under future climate change, the centroid of the total suitable area for Z. striolatum is projected to shift towards the southwest (Yungui Plateau) at higher elevations.

Lonicerae Japonicae Flos with the homology of medicine and food: a review of active ingredients, anticancer mechanisms, pharmacokinetics, quality control, toxicity and applications.

Lonicerae Japonicae Flos (LJF, called Jinyinhua in China), comes from the dried flower buds or flowers to be opened of Lonicera japonica Thunb. in the Lonicera family. It has a long history of medicinal use and has a wide range of application prospects. As modern research advances, an increasing number of scientific experiments have demonstrated the anticancer potential of LJF. However, there is a notable absence of systematic reports detailing the anti-tumor effects of LJF. This review integrates the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) with contemporary pharmacological techniques, drawing upon literature from authoritative databases such as PubMed, CNKI, and WanFang to conduct a comprehensive study of LJF. Notably, a total of 507 compounds have been isolated and characterized from the plant to date, which include volatile oils, organic acids, flavonoids, iridoids, triterpenes and triterpenoid saponins. Pharmacological studies have demonstrated that LJF extract, along with components such as chlorogenic acid, luteolin, rutin, luteoloside, hyperoside and isochlorogenic acid, exhibits potential anticancer activities. Consequently, we have conducted a comprehensive review and summary of the mechanisms of action and clinical applications of these components. Furthermore, we have detailed the pharmacokinetics, quality control, and toxicity of LJF, while also discussing its prospective applications in the fields of biomedicine and preventive healthcare. It is hoped that these studies will provide valuable reference for the clinical research, development, and application of LJF.

Hawthorn with "homology of medicine and food": a review of anticancer effects and mechanisms.

Over the past few years, there has been a gradual increase in the incidence of cancer, affecting individuals at younger ages. With its refractory nature and substantial fatality rate, cancer presents a notable peril to human existence and wellbeing. Hawthorn, a medicinal food homology plant belonging to the Crataegus genus in the Rosaceae family, holds great value in various applications. Due to its long history of medicinal use, notable effects, and high safety profile, hawthorn has garnered considerable attention and plays a crucial role in cancer treatment. Through the integration of modern network pharmacology technology and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), a range of anticancer active ingredients in hawthorn have been predicted, identified, and analyzed. Studies have shown that ingredients such as vitexin, isoorientin, ursolic acid, and maslinic acid, along with hawthorn extracts, can effectively modulate cancer-related signaling pathways and manifest anticancer properties via diverse mechanisms. This review employs network pharmacology to excavate the potential anticancer properties of hawthorn. By systematically integrating literature across databases such as PubMed and CNKI, the review explores the bioactive ingredients with anticancer effects, underlying mechanisms and pathways, the synergistic effects of drug combinations, advancements in novel drug delivery systems, and ongoing clinical trials concerning hawthorn's anticancer properties. Furthermore, the review highlights the preventive health benefits of hawthorn in cancer prevention, offering valuable insights for clinical cancer treatment and the development of TCM with anticancer properties that can be used for both medicinal and edible purposes.

4D-DIA-based Proteomics Analysis Reveals the Protective Effects of Pidanjiangtang Granules in IGT Rat Model.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The Pidanjiangtang (PDJT) formula was founded on the "Pidan" theory from the "Nei Jing." PDJT is considered to eliminate the accumulation of pathological products, remove heat sources, and prevent damage to organs such as the liver and islets. It is widely used in clinical practice to treat impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). However, the bioactive ingredients and underlying mechanisms are still unclear and need further investigation. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the therapeutic effect of PDJT on IGT rats and explore the mechanism of PDJT intervention on IGT by four-dimensional independent data acquisition (4D-DIA) proteomics analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The IGT model was established by a high-fat diet combined with Streptozotocin (STZ) injection. The IGT rats were treated with low, medium, and high doses of PDJT orally for 42 days and compared with the Metformin positive control group. The therapeutic effects of PDJT on IGT rats were evaluated using the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), serum lipoprotein detection, insulin detection, liver histopathology, and hepatic steatosis assessment. 4D-DIA proteomics analysis was used to explore the differential proteins (DEPs) and potential pathways of PDJT. Finally, Western blotting and ELISA techniques were used to verify DEPs and major targets. RESULTS: PDJT can enhance glucose metabolism, restore islet ß cell function, regulate lipoprotein metabolism, reduce hepatic steatosis, and consequently slow down the progression of IGT. In the proteomic analysis, a total of 355 DEPs were identified, and critical proteins were validated. The results indicated that the JAK2/STAT1 signaling pathway plays a pivotal role in the effects of PDJT. IκB-ζ may be a potential target for PDJT in regulating the inflammatory response of IGT. CONCLUSION: PDJT is an effective formula for improving IGT, with its potential mechanism linked to the JAK2/STAT1/ IκB-ζ signaling pathway. This study offers a novel approach to investigating the mechanisms of TCM formula through proteomics and offers new insight into exploring TCM treatment for IGT.

PungentDB: Bridging traditional Chinese medicine of medicine food homology and modern food flavor chemistry.

Merging traditional Chinese medicine's (TCM) principles of medicine-food homology with modern flavor chemistry, this research unveils PungentDB (http://www.pungentdb.org.cn/home), a database documenting 205 unique pungent flavor compounds from 231 TCMs. It provides detailed insights into their chemical attributes, biological targets (including IC50/EC50 values), and molecular structures (2D/3D), enriched with visualizations of target organ distribution and protein structures, exploring the pungent flavor space with the help of a feature-rich visual interface. This collection, derived from over 3249 sources and highlighting 9129 targets, delves into the compounds' unique pungent flavors-taste, aroma, and thermal sensations-and their interaction with taste and olfactory receptors. PungentDB bridges ancient wisdom and culinary innovation, offering a nuanced exploration of pungent flavors' role in enhancing food quality, safety, and sensory experiences. This initiative propels flavor chemistry forward, serving as a pivotal resource for food science advancement and the innovative application of pungent flavors.

Molecular mechanism underlying coencapsulating chrysophanol and hesperidin in octenylsuccinated ß-glucan aggregates for improving their corelease and bioaccessibility.

Chrysophanol and hesperidin are natural nutraceuticals that exhibit synergistic bioactivities, but their hydrophobicity limits their applications, and it is unclear whether coencapsulation can improve their solubility and release behaviors. The objective of this work was to coencapsulate chrysophanol and hesperidin by octenylsuccinated ß-glucan aggregates (OSßG-Agg) and to reveal how coencapsulation improves their release and bioaccessibility. Mechanisms underlying the hypothesis of beneficial effects in coloading, corelease and bioaccessibility were revealed. The solubilization of OSßG-Agg was due to hydrogen-bonding among ß-glucan moieties of OSßG and hydroxyl groups of chrysophanol and hesperidin and hydrophobic interactions among octenyl chains of OSßG and hydrophobic moieties of chrysophanol and hesperidin. Structural analyses confirmed the hypothesis that chrysophanol molecules were nearly embedded deeper into the interior of hydrophobic domains, and most of hesperidin molecules were incorporated into the exterior of the hydrophobic domains of OSßG-Agg due to the strength of these interactions, but they interacted in OSßG-Agg with a dense and compact structure rather than existing in isolation. The combined effects delayed their release and enhanced their bioaccessibility because of dynamic equilibrium between the favorable interactions and unfavorable structural erosion and relaxation of OSßG-Agg. Overall, OSßG-Agg is effective at codelivering hydrophobic phenolics for functional foods and pharmaceuticals.

Generation of a medicine food homology formula and its likely mechanism in treatment of microvascular angina.

Microvascular angina (MVA) is the most common cause of cardiac ischemic chest pain in patients without obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) and lacks of effective treatment means. Medicine food homology (MFH) involves substances with both nutritional and medicinal qualities that have the potential to improve MVA symptoms as medicines, dietary supplements. However, research on MFH formula (MFHF) for MVA is not available. The study aims to generate a core MFHF for MVA through data mining and offer scientific backing for the utilization of edible medications in the prevention and alleviation of MVA. 11 databases were utilized to construct a database of MFH drugs, and the MFHF was generated through frequency analysis, association rule analysis, and clustering analysis. The composition of the formula is Codonopsis Radix, Astragali Radix, Platycodonis Radix, Persicae Semen, Glycyrrhizae Radix Et Rhizoma, Angelicae Sinensis Radix, and Allii Macrostemonis Bulbus. Through network pharmacology and molecular docking, we identified five major active components of MFHF: Adenosine, Nonanoic Acid, Lauric Acid, Caprylic Acid, and Enanthic Acid, along with nine core targets (NFKB1, ALB, AKT1, ACTB, TNF, IL6, ESR1, CASP3, and PTGS) for the improvement of MVA. These 5 active components have various biological activities, such as reducing oxidative stress, anti-inflammation, analgesia effect, inhibiting platelet aggregation, vasodilatation, vascular endothelial protection, and cardio-protection. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses revealed that MFHF mainly acted on the response to xenobiotic stimulus, integrative component of the plasma membrane, RNA polymerase II transcription factor activity, ligand-activated sequence-specific DNA binding, pathways in cancer, lipid and atherosclerosis, human cytomegalovirus infection, and the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, which are the main pathogenesis of MVA.

Gut microbiota: A magical multifunctional target regulated by medicine food homology species.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between gut microbiota and human health has gradually been recognized. Increasing studies show that the disorder of gut microbiota is related to the occurrence and development of many diseases. Metabolites produced by the gut microbiota are responsible for their extensive regulatory roles. In addition, naturally derived medicine food homology species with low toxicity and high efficiency have been clearly defined owing to their outstanding physiological and pharmacological properties in disease prevention and treatment. AIM OF REVIEW: Based on supporting evidence, the current review summarizes the representative work of medicine food homology species targeting the gut microbiota to regulate host pathophysiology and discusses the challenges and prospects in this field. It aims to facilitate the understanding of the relationship among medicine food homology species, gut microbiota, and human health and further stimulate the advancement of more relevant research. KEY SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS OF REVIEW: As this review reveals, from the initial practical application to more mechanism studies, the relationship among medicine food homology species, gut microbiota, and human health has evolved into an irrefutable interaction. On the one hand, through affecting the population structure, metabolism, and function of gut microbiota, medicine food homology species maintain the homeostasis of the intestinal microenvironment and human health by affecting the population structure, metabolism, and function of gut microbiota. On the other hand, the gut microbiota is also involved in the bioconversion of the active ingredients from medicine food homology species and thus influences their physiological and pharmacological properties.

"Medicine food homology" plants promote periodontal health: antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and inhibition of bone resorption.

"Medicine food homology" (MFH) is a term with a lengthy history. It refers to the fact that a lot of traditional natural products have both culinary and therapeutic benefits. The antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects of MFH plants and their secondary metabolites have been confirmed by numerous research. A bacterially generated inflammatory illness with a complicated pathophysiology, periodontitis causes the loss of the teeth's supporting tissues. Several MFH plants have recently been shown to have the ability to prevent and treat periodontitis, which is exhibited by blocking the disease's pathogens and the virulence factors that go along with them, lowering the host's inflammatory reactions and halting the loss of alveolar bone. To give a theoretical foundation for the creation of functional foods, oral care products and adjuvant therapies, this review has especially explored the potential medicinal benefit of MFH plants and their secondary metabolites in the prevention and treatment of periodontitis.

Effect of "maccog" TCM tea on improving glucolipid metabolism and gut microbiota in patients with type 2 diabetes in community.

Objectives: This work aimed to observe the effect of consuming Chinese herb tea on glucolipid metabolism and gut microbiota in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: Ninety patients with T2DM were recruited from a community and randomly divided into the control group (CG) and intervention group (IG). CG maintained conventional treatment and lifestyle, and IG accepted additional "maccog" traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) tea (mulberry leaf, radix astragali, corn stigma, cortex lycii, radix ophiopogonis, and gynostemma) for 12 weeks. Glucolipid metabolism, hepatorenal function, and gut microbiota were then measured. Results: After the intervention, the decreases in fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and total cholesterol (TC) were greater (P<0.05) in IG than in CG, and those in glycosylated serum protein (GSP) were almost significantly greater (P=0.066) in IG than in CG. The total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), and creatinine (CREA) levels in IG were significantly lower and their decreases were larger in IG than in CG (P<0.05) after the intervention. The Ace and Chao1 indices in IG were slightly higher after the intervention (P=0.056 and 0.052, respectively) than at baselines. The abundance of Actinobacteria, Lachnospiraceae, Bifidobacteriaceae, and Phascolarctobacterium increased significantly after the intervention in IG (P<0.05), and the abundance was higher in IG than in CG (P<0.05 or P<0.1). The abundance of Clostridiales and Lactobacillales was negatively correlated with FPG (P<0.05), Clostridiales and Lachnospiraceae was negatively correlated with GSP (P<0.05), and Bacteroides/Firmicutes was positively correlated with both (P<0.05). No adverse event was observed during the intervention. Conclusions: Administration of "maccog" TCM tea for 12 weeks slightly improved glucolipid metabolism and significantly increased the abundance of beneficial gut microbiota in community patients with T2DM. The increase in beneficial bacteria abundance may be involved in the improvement of glucose metabolism indicators. In addition, this intervention is safe and feasible. Clinical trial registration: https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=31281, identifier ChiCTR1800018566.