Abscisic acid-induced transcription factor PsMYB306 negatively regulates tree peony bud dormancy release.

Bud dormancy is a crucial strategy for perennial plants to withstand adverse winter conditions. However, the regulatory mechanism of bud dormancy in tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa) remains largely unknown. Here, we observed dramatically reduced and increased accumulation of abscisic acid (ABA) and bioactive gibberellins (GAs) GA1 and GA3, respectively, during bud endodormancy release of tree peony under prolonged chilling treatment. An Illumina RNA sequencing study was performed to identify potential genes involved in the bud endodormancy regulation in tree peony. Correlation matrix, principal component, and interaction network analyses identified a downregulated MYB transcription factor gene, PsMYB306, the expression of which positively correlated with 9-CIS-EPOXYCAROTENOID DIOXYGENASE 3 (PsNCED3) expression. Protein modeling analysis revealed 4 residues within the R2R3 domain of PsMYB306 to possess DNA binding capability. Transcription of PsMYB306 was increased by ABA treatment. Overexpression of PsMYB306 in petunia (Petunia hybrida) inhibited seed germination and plant growth, concomitant with elevated ABA and decreased GA contents. Silencing of PsMYB306 accelerated cold-triggered tree peony bud burst and influenced the production of ABA and GAs and the expression of their biosynthetic genes. ABA application reduced bud dormancy release and transcription of ENT-KAURENOIC ACID OXIDASE 1 (PsKAO1), GA20-OXIDASE 1 (PsGA20ox1), and GA3-OXIDASE 1 (PsGA3ox1) associated with GA biosynthesis in PsMYB306-silenced buds. In vivo and in vitro binding assays confirmed that PsMYB306 specifically transactivated the promoter of PsNCED3. Silencing of PsNCED3 also promoted bud break and growth. Altogether, our findings suggest that PsMYB306 negatively modulates cold-induced bud endodormancy release by regulating ABA production.

The tree peony DREB transcription factor PrDREB2D regulates seed α-linolenic acid accumulation.

α-Linolenic acid (ALA), an essential fatty acid (FA) for human health, serves as the precursor of 2 nutritional benefits, docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid, and can only be obtained from plant foods. We previously found that phospholipid:diacylglycerol acyltransferase 2 (PrPDAT2) derived from ALA-rich tree peony (Paeonia rockii) can promote seed ALA accumulation. However, the regulatory mechanism underlying its promoting effect on ALA accumulation remains unknown. Here, we revealed a tree peony dehydration-responsive element binding transcription factor, PrDREB2D, as an upstream regulator of PrPDAT2, which is involved in regulating seed ALA accumulation. Our findings demonstrated that PrDREB2D serves as a nucleus-localized transcriptional activator that directly activates PrPDAT2 expression. PrDREB2D altered the FA composition in transient overexpression Nicotiana benthamiana leaves and stable transgenic Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) seeds. Repressing PrDREB2D expression in P. rockii resulted in decreased PrPDAT2 expression and ALA accumulation. In addition, PrDREB2D strengthened its regulation of ALA accumulation by recruiting the cofactor ABA-response element binding factor PrABF2b. Collectively, the study findings provide insights into the mechanism of seed ALA accumulation and avenues for enhancing ALA yield via biotechnological manipulation.

An R2R3-MYB network modulates stem strength by regulating lignin biosynthesis and secondary cell wall thickening in herbaceous peony.

Stem strength is an important agronomic trait affecting plant lodging, and plays an essential role in the quality and yield of plants. Thickened secondary cell walls in stems provide mechanical strength that allows plants to stand upright, but the regulatory mechanism of secondary cell wall thickening and stem strength in cut flowers remains unclear. In this study, first, a total of 11 non-redundant Paeonia lactiflora R2R3-MYBs related to stem strength were identified and isolated from cut-flower herbaceous peony, among which PlMYB43, PlMYB83 and PlMYB103 were the most upregulated differentially expressed genes. Then, the expression characteristics revealed that these three R2R3-MYBs were specifically expressed in stems and acted as transcriptional activators. Next, biological function verification showed that these P. lactiflora R2R3-MYBs positively regulated stem strength, secondary cell wall thickness and lignin deposition. Furthermore, yeast-one-hybrid and dual luciferase reporter assays demonstrated that they could bind to the promoter of caffeic acid O-methyltransferase gene (PlCOMT2) and/or laccase gene (PlLAC4), two key genes involved in lignin biosynthesis. In addition, the function of PlLAC4 in increasing lignin deposition was confirmed by virus-induced gene silencing and overexpression. Moreover, PlMYB83 could also act as a transcriptional activator of PlMYB43. The findings of the study propose a regulatory network of R2R3-MYBs modulating lignin biosynthesis and secondary cell wall thickening for improving stem lodging resistance, and provide a resource for molecular genetic engineering breeding of cut flowers.

The tree peony nuclear factor Y transcription factor PrNF-YC2 promotes seed oil accumulation.

Seed oil not only provides energy for seed postgermination development but also provides essential nutrients and raw materials for human products. However, the transcriptional regulatory mechanism controlling seed oil accumulation remains largely unknown. Tree peony (Paeonia rockii) is an emerging woody oilseed crop in China that is known for its high-quality seed oil. Here, we revealed that a tree peony nuclear factor Y transcription factor, PrNF-YC2, is expressed predominantly in developing seeds and functions as an essential positive regulator of seed oil accumulation. PrNF-YC2 promoted oil accumulation in both transient ectopic overexpression Nicotiana benthamiana leaves and stable transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana seeds, globally upregulating the expression of genes involved in oil accumulation. In contrast, PrNF-YC2-silenced tree peony leaves using a virus-induced gene silencing system showed reduced oil content and expression of oil synthesis-related genes, including four master positive regulators contributing to oil accumulation, namely, LEAFY COTYLEDON1 (LEC1), ABSCISIC ACID INSENSITIVE3 (ABI3), FUSCA3 (FUS3), and WRINKLED1 (WRI1). We demonstrated that PrNF-YC2 directly activates PrLEC1 and PrABI3 alone and indirectly activates PrFUS3 and PrWRI1 by interacting with PrLEC1. Moreover, interaction with PrLEC1 also enhances the activation capacity of PrNF-YC2. The activation of these four master positive regulators by PrNF-YC2 triggered the upregulation of numerous oil synthesis-related genes, thus promoting oil accumulation. These findings provide new insights into the regulatory mechanism of seed oil accumulation and manipulation of PrNF-YC2 may be beneficial for enhancing oil yield in tree peony and other oilseed crops.

Identification of key genes for triacylglycerol biosynthesis and storage in herbaceous peony (Paeonia lactifolra Pall.) seeds based on full-length transcriptome.

BACKGROUND: The herbaceous peony (Paeonia lactiflora Pall.) is extensively cultivated in China due to its root being used as a traditional Chinese medicine known as 'Radix Paeoniae Alba'. In recent years, it has been discovered that its seeds incorporate abundant unsaturated fatty acids, thereby presenting a potential new oilseed plant. Surprisingly, little is known about the full-length transcriptome sequencing of Paeonia lactiflora, limiting research into its gene function and molecular mechanisms. RESULTS: A total of 484,931 Reads of Inserts (ROI) sequences and 1,455,771 full-Length non-chimeric reads (FLNC) sequences were obtained for CDS prediction, TF analysis, SSR analysis and lncRNA identification. In addition, gene function annotation and gene structure analysis were performed. A total of 4905 transcripts were related to lipid metabolism biosynthesis pathway, belonging to 28 enzymes. We use these data to identify 10 oleosin (OLE) and 5 diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) gene members after de-redundancy. The analysis of physicochemical properties and secondary structure showed them similarity in gene family respectively. The phylogenetic analysis showed that the distribution of OLE and DGAT family members was roughly the same as that of Arabidopsis. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analyses revealed expression changes in different seed development stages, and showed a trend of increasing and then decreasing. CONCLUSION: In summary, these results provide new insights into the molecular mechanism of triacylglycerol (TAG) biosynthesis and storage during the seedling stage in Paeonia lactiflora. It provides theoretical references for selecting and breeding oil varieties and understanding the functions of oil storage as well as lipid synthesis related genes in Paeonia lactiflora.

Unraveling the role of PlARF2 in regulating deed formancy in Paeonia lactiflora.

MAIN CONCLUSION: PlARF2 can positively regulate the seed dormancy in Paeonia lactiflora Pall. and bind the RY cis-element. Auxin, a significant phytohormone influencing seed dormancy, has been demonstrated to be regulated by auxin response factors (ARFs), key transcriptional modulators in the auxin signaling pathway. However, the role of this class of transcription factors (TFs) in perennials with complex seed dormancy mechanisms remains largely unexplored. Here, we cloned and characterized an ARF gene from Paeonia lactiflora, named PlARF2, which exhibited differential expression levels in the seeds during the process of seed dormancy release. The deduced amino acid sequence of PlARF2 had high homology with those of other plants and contained typical conserved Auxin_resp domain of the ARF family. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that PlARF2 was closely related to VvARF3 in Vitis vinifera. The subcellular localization and transcriptional activation assay showed that PlARF2 is a nuclear protein possessing transcriptional activation activity. The expression levels of dormancy-related genes in transgenic callus indicated that PlARF2 was positively correlated with the contents of PlABI3 and PlDOG1. The germination assay showed that PlARF2 promoted seed dormancy. Moreover, TF Centered Yeast one-hybrid assay (TF-Centered Y1H), electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and dual-luciferase reporter assay analysis (Dual-Luciferase) provided evidence that PlARF2 can bind to the 'CATGCATG' motif. Collectively, our findings suggest that PlARF2, as TF, could be involved in the regulation of seed dormancy and may act as a repressor of germination.

The herbaceous peony transcription factor WRKY41a promotes secondary cell wall thickening to enhance stem strength.

Stem bending or lodging caused by insufficient stem strength is an important limiting factor for plant production. Secondary cell walls play a crucial role in plant stem strength, but whether WRKY transcription factors can positively modulate secondary cell wall thickness are remain unknown. Here, we characterized a WRKY transcription factor PlWRKY41a from herbaceous peony (Paeonia lactiflora), which was highly expressed in stems. PlWRKY41a functioned as a nucleus-localized transcriptional activator and enhanced stem strength by positively modulating secondary cell wall thickness. Moreover, PlWRKY41a bound to the promoter of the XYLOGLUCAN ENDOTRANSGLUCOSYLASE/HYDROLASE4 (PlXTH4) and activated the expression of PlXTH4. PlXTH4-overexpressing tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) had thicker secondary cell walls, resulting in enhanced stem strength, while PlXTH4-silenced P. lactiflora had thinner secondary cell walls, showing decreased stem strength. Additionally, PlWRKY41a directly interacted with PlMYB43 to form a protein complex, and their interaction induced the expression of PlXTH4. These data support that the PlMYB43-PlWRKY41a protein complex can directly activate the expression of PlXTH4 to enhance stem strength by modulating secondary cell wall thickness in P. lactiflora. The results will enhance our understanding of the formation mechanism of stem strength and provide a candidate gene to improve stem straightness in plants.

Efficacy of a mixed extract of Salvia miltiorrhiza and Paeonia lactiflora in inhibiting the aging of vascular wall through in vitro and in vivo experiments.

Vascular wall aging has been strongly associated with cardiovascular diseases. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the efficacy of USCP-GVH-014, a mixed extract of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge and Paeonia lactiflora Pall., in inhibiting vascular wall aging through in vitro and in vivo experiments. The results revealed that USCP-GVH-014 inhibited abnormal cell proliferation, collagen overproduction, and MMP-2 and MMP-9 overexpression caused by various stimuli and recovered the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase on human aortic smooth muscle cells. In addition, it inhibited the increase in ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 expression induced by tumor necrosis factor alpha on human aortic endothelial cells and prevented the aging of the vascular wall by regulating related proteins such as epidermal growth factor and interleukin-1ß. Furthermore, it reduced vascular aging in in vivo studies. These results demonstrate that USCP-GVH-014 effectively reduces vascular aging, thereby rendering it a potential therapeutic candidate for cardiovascular diseases.

Exploring the relationship between pollen viability and inclusion in Paeonia lactiflora after cryopreservation.

Pollen, as the male gametophyte, carries half of plant genetic information and is an important source of germplasm. The cryopreservation of pollen can not only preserve germplasm, but also solve the problem of time and space barrier in crossbreeding. So it is of great significance to explore the mechanism of pollen viability maintenance after cryopreservation. In this paper, 10 cultivars of Paeonia lactiflora with different fresh pollen viability that did not change after cryopreservation were taken as objects and the effects of pollen inclusions such as soluble sugar, starch, soluble protein, free amino acids, and proline were explored. The results showed that: (1) The contents of pollen inclusions in the fresh pollen of 10 cultivars were different. After cryopreservation, the contents of starch and free amino acids significantly decreased in 10 cultivars, and the soluble sugar, soluble protein, and proline varied with cultivars. (2) Correlation analysis showed that fresh pollen viability was significantly positively correlated with the soluble sugar (R-values of 0.630) and starch content (R-values of 0.694) in fresh pollen. But after cryopreservation pollen viability was only significantly positively correlated with the starch content (R-values of 0.725). These results suggest that the effects of pollen inclusions on pollen vitality are different before and after cryopreservation. The fresh pollen with higher soluble sugar and starch is more vital. But after cryopreservation, the pollen with high starch content has higher viability. The maintenance of stable pollen viability after cryopreservation appears to be related to starch content or starch metabolism, which requires further to study for a final determination.

Combination of total glucosides of paeony, narrow-band ultraviolet B, and oral corticosteroid mini-pulse therapy for nonsegmental vitiligo: A retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: The total glucoside of paeony (TGP) is recognized for its immunomodulatory properties and anti-inflammatory effects. This study evaluates the efficacy of TGP combined with oral mini-pulse therapy (OMP) and narrow-band ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) in treating active nonsegmental vitiligo (NSV). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The combination therapy was contrasted against those from a group treated solely with OMP and NB-UVB. Data from 62 patients undergoing TGP combination treatment and 55 without were analyzed over a 3-month period. After 6 months, the differences in recurrence rate were investigated by follow-up. RESULTS: The findings indicate that integrating TGP may yield superior outcomes compared to OMP + NB-UVB alone. Moreover, the patient's oxidative stress makers were significantly reduced after the treatment. The majority of patients in the TGP cohort exhibited enhanced skin pigmentation over the duration. Notably, no increase in side effects or recurrence was observed in this group. Especially, patients with vitiligo on their head and neck experienced pronounced improvements. CONCLUSION: The efficacy of the combination treatment group was better than that of the control group at 2 and 3 months, and there was no difference in recurrence rate and side effects, suggesting that TGP may continue to show efficacy in NSV for a longer period of time by reducing the level of oxidative stress, and is especially suitable for patients with head and neck lesions.

Safety assessment of Paeonia lactiflora root extract for a cosmetic ingredient employing the threshold of toxicological concern (TTC) approach.

Botanical extracts, widely used in cosmetics, pose a challenge to safety assessment due to their complex compositions. The threshold of toxicological concern (TTC) approach, offering a safe exposure level for cosmetic ingredients, proves to be a promising solution for ensuring the safety of cosmetic ingredients with low exposure level. We assessed the safety of Paeonia lactiflora root extract (PLR), commonly used in skin conditioning products, with the TTC. We identified 50 constituents of PLR extract from the USDA database and literature exploration. Concentration of each constituent of PLR extract was determined with the information from USDA references, literature, and experimental analysis. The genotoxicity of PLR and its constituents was assessed in vitro and in silico respectively. Cramer class of the constituents of the PLR extract was determined with Toxtree 3.1 extended decision tree using ChemTunes®. Systemic exposure of each constituent from leave-on type cosmetic products containing PLR at a 1% concentration was estimated and compared with respective TTC threshold. Two constituents exceeding TTC threshold were further analyzed for dermal absorption using in silico tools, which confirmed the safety of PLR extract in cosmetics. Collectively, we demonstrated that the TTC is a useful tool for assessing botanical extract safety in cosmetics.

Protective mechanism of Paeonol on central nervous system.

Cerebrovascular diseases involve neuronal damage, resulting in degenerative neuropathy and posing a serious threat to human health. The discovery of effective drug components from natural plants and the study of their mechanism are a research idea different from chemical synthetic medicines. Paeonol is the main active component of traditional Chinese medicine Paeonia lactiflora Pall. It widely exists in many medicinal plants and has pharmacological effects such as anti-atherosclerosis, antiplatelet aggregation, anti-oxidation, and anti-inflammatory, which keeps generally used in the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Based on the therapeutic effects of Paeonol for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, this article reviewed the pharmacological effects of Paeonol in Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, stroke, epilepsy, diabetes encephalopathy, and other neurological diseases, providing a reference for the research of the mechanism of Paeonol in central nervous system diseases.

Inhibitory Activity Against Rhizoctonia Solani and Chemical Composition of Extract from Moutan Cortex.

Rice sheath blight (RSB), caused by Rhizoctonia solani, is a significant disease of rice. The negative effects of chemical fungicides have created an urgent need for low-toxicity botanical fungicides. Our previous research revealed that the ethanol crude extract of Moutan Cortex (MC) exhibited superior antifungal activity against R. solani at 1000 µg/mL, resulting in a 100 % inhibition rate. The antifungal properties were mainly found in the petroleum ether extract. However, the active ingredients of the extract are still unclear. In this study, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was utilised for the analysis of its chemical components. The mycelium growth rate method was utilized to detect the antifungal activity. The findings indicated that paeonol constituted the primary active component, with a content of more than 96 %. Meanwhile, paeonol was the most significant antifungal active ingredient, the antifungal activity of paeonol (EC50=44.83 µg/mL) was much higher than that of ß-sitosterol and ethyl propionate against R. solani. Observation under an optical microscope revealed that paeonol resulted in abnormal mycelial morphology. This study provided theoretical support for identifying monomer antifungal compounds and developing biological fungicides for R. solani.

Integrated Metabolomics Approach Reveals the Dynamic Variations of Metabolites and Bioactivities in Paeonia ostii 'Feng Dan' Leaves during Development.

Paeonia ostii 'Feng Dan' is widely cultivated in China for its ornamental, medicinal, and edible properties. The whole plant of tree peony is rich in bioactive substances, while the comprehensive understanding of metabolites in the leaves is limited. In this study, an untargeted metabolomics strategy based on UPLC-ESI-TOF-MS was conducted to analyze the dynamic variations of bioactive metabolites in P. ostii 'Feng Dan' leaves during development. A total of 321 metabolites were rapidly annotated based on the GNPS platform, in-house database, and publications. To accurately quantify the selected metabolites, a targeted method of HPLC-ESI-QQQ-MS was used. Albiflorin, paeoniflorin, pentagalloylglucose, luteolin 7-glucoside, and benzoylpaeoniflorin were recognized as the dominant bioactive compounds with significant content variations during leaf development. Metabolite variations during the development of P. ostii 'Feng Dan' leaves are greatly attributed to the variations in antioxidant activities. Among all tested bacteria, the leaf extract exhibited exceptional inhibitory effects against Streptococcus hemolytis-ß. This research firstly provides new insights into tree peony leaves during development. The stages of S1-S2 may be the most promising harvesting time for potential use in food or pharmaceutical purposes.

Metabolite Profiling and Biological Activity Assessment of Paeonia ostii Anthers and Pollen Using UPLC-QTOF-MS.

Paeonia ostii is an important economic oil and medicinal crop. Its anthers are often used to make tea in China with beneficial effects on human health. However, the metabolite profiles, as well as potential biological activities of P. ostii anthers and the pollen within anthers have not been systematically analyzed, which hinders the improvement of P. ostii utilization. With comprehensive untargeted metabolomic analysis using UPLC-QTOF-MS, we identified a total of 105 metabolites in anthers and pollen, mainly including phenylpropanoids, polyketides, organic acids, benzenoids, lipids, and organic oxygen compounds. Multivariate statistical analysis revealed the metabolite differences between anthers and pollen, with higher carbohydrates and flavonoids content in pollen and higher phenolic content in anthers. Meanwhile, both anthers and pollen extracts exhibited antioxidant activity, antibacterial activity, α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibitory activity. In general, the anther stage of S4 showed the highest biological activity among all samples. This study illuminated the metabolites and biological activities of anthers and pollen of P. ostii, which supports the further utilization of them.

Establishment of a Homologous Silencing System with Intact-Plant Infiltration and Minimized Operation for Studying Gene Function in Herbaceous Peonies.

Gene function verification is a crucial step in studying the molecular mechanisms regulating various plant life activities. However, a stable and efficient homologous genetic transgenic system for herbaceous peonies has not been established. In this study, using virus-induced gene silencing technology (VIGS), a highly efficient homologous transient verification system with distinctive advantages was proposed, which not only achieves true "intact-plant" infiltration but also minimizes the operation. One-year-old roots of the representative species, Paeonia lactiflora Pall., were used as the materials; prechilling (4 °C) treatment for 3-5 weeks was applied as a critical precondition for P. lactiflora to acquire a certain chilling accumulation. A dormancy-related gene named HOMEOBOX PROTEIN 31 (PlHB31), believed to negatively regulate bud endodormancy release (BER), was chosen as the target gene in this study. GFP fluorescence was detected in directly infiltrated and newly developed roots and buds; the transgenic plantlets exhibited remarkably earlier budbreak, and PlHB31 was significantly downregulated in silenced plantlets. This study established a homologous transient silencing system featuring intact-plant infiltration and minimized manipulation for gene function research, and also offers technical support and serves as a theoretical basis for gene function discovery in numerous other geophytes.

Untargeted Metabolomics Based on UPLC-Q-Exactive-Orbitrap-MS/MS Revealed the Differences and Correlations between Different Parts of the Root of Paeonia lactiflora Pall.

BACKGROUND: Paeonia lactiflora Pall. (PLP) is a plant with excellent ornamental and therapeutic value that can be utilized in traditional Chinese medicine as Paeoniae Radix Alba (PRA) and Paeoniae Radix Rubra (PRR). PRA must undergo the "peeling" process, which involves removing the cork and a portion of the phloem. PLP's biological function is strongly linked to its secondary metabolites, and the distribution of metabolites in different regions of the PLP rhizome causes changes in efficacy when PLP is processed into various therapeutic compounds. METHODS: The metabolites of the cork (cor), phloem (phl), and xylem (xyl) were examined in the roots of PLP using a metabolomics approach based on UPLC-Q-Exactive-Orbitrap-MS/MS (UPLC-MS/MS), and the differential metabolites were evaluated using multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Significant changes were observed among the cor, phl, and xyl samples. In both positive and negative ion modes, a total of 15,429 peaks were detected and 7366 metabolites were identified. A total of 525 cor-phl differential metabolites, 452 cor-xyl differential metabolites, and 328 phl-xyl differential metabolites were evaluated. Flavonoids, monoterpene glycosides, fatty acids, sugar derivatives, and carbohydrates were among the top 50 dissimilar chemicals. The key divergent metabolic pathways include linoleic acid metabolism, galactose metabolism, ABC transporters, arginine biosynthesis, and flavonoid biosynthesis. CONCLUSION: The cor, phl, and xyl of PLP roots exhibit significantly different metabolite types and metabolic pathways; therefore, "peeling" may impact the pharmaceutical effect of PLP. This study represents the first metabolomics analysis of the PLP rhizome, laying the groundwork for the isolation and identification of PLP pharmacological activity, as well as the quality evaluation and efficacy exploration of PLP.

Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction of Paeonol from Moutan Cortex: Purification and Component Identification of Extract.

Moutan Cortex (MC) is a traditional Chinese medicine that contains abundant medicinal components, such as paeonol, paeoniflorin, etc. Paeonol is the main active component of MC. In this study, paeonol was extracted from MC through an ultrasound-assisted extraction process, which is based on single-factor experiments and response surface methodology (RSM). Subsequently, eight macroporous resins of different properties were used to purify paeonol from MC. The main components of the purified extract were identified by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight-mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS). The results indicate the optimal parameters are as follows: liquid-to-material ratio 21:1 mL/g, ethanol concentration 62%, ultrasonic time 31 min, ultrasonic temperature 36 °C, ultrasonic power 420 W. Under these extraction conditions, the actual yield of paeonol was 14.01 mg/g. Among the eight tested macroporous resins, HPD-300 macroporous resin was verified to possess the highest adsorption and desorption qualities. The content of paeonol increased from 6.93% (crude extract) to 41.40% (purified extract) after the HPD-300 macroporous resin treatment. A total of five major phenolic compounds and two principal monoterpene glycosides were characterized by comparison with reference compounds. These findings will make a contribution to the isolation and utilization of the active components from MC.

The Role and Mechanism of Paeoniae Radix Alba in Tumor Therapy.

Tumors have a huge impact on human life and are now the main cause of disease-related deaths. The main means of treatment are surgery and radiotherapy, but they are more damaging to the organism and have a poor postoperative prognosis. Therefore, we urgently need safe and effective drugs to treat tumors. In recent years, Chinese herbal medicines have been widely used in tumor therapy as complementary and alternative therapies. Medicinal and edible herbs are popular and have become a hot topic of research, which not only have excellent pharmacological effects and activities, but also have almost no side effects. Therefore, as a typical medicine and food homology, some components of Paeoniae Radix Alba (PRA, called Baishao in China) have been shown to have good efficacy and safety against cancer. Numerous studies have also shown that Paeoniae Radix Alba and its active ingredients treat cancer through various pathways and are also one of the important components of many antitumor herbal compound formulas. In this paper, we reviewed the literature on the intervention of Paeoniae Radix Alba in tumors and its mechanism of action in recent years and found that there is a large amount of literature on its effect on total glucosides of paeony (TGP) and paeoniflorin (PF), as well as an in-depth discussion of the mechanism of action of Paeoniae Radix Alba and its main constituents, with a view to promote the clinical development and application of Paeoniae Radix Alba in the field of antitumor management.

Integrating UPLC-Q-TOF-MS and Network Pharmacology to Explore the Potential Mechanisms of Paeonia lactiflora Pall. in the Treatment of Blood Stasis Syndrome.

Paeonia lactiflora Pall. (PLP) is thought to promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis. This study used blood component analysis, network pharmacology, and molecular docking to predict the mechanism of PLP in the treatment of blood stasis syndrome (BSS). PLP was processed into Paeoniae Radix Alba (PRA) and Paeoniae Radix Rubra (PRR). PRA and PRR could significantly reduce whole blood viscosity (WBV) at 1/s shear rates and could increase the erythrocyte aggregation index (EAI), plasma viscosity (PV), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) of rats with acute blood stasis. They prolonged the prothrombin time (PT), and PRR prolonged the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT). PRA and PRR increased the thrombin time (TT) and decreased the fibrinogen (FBG) content. All the results were significant (p < 0.05). Ten components of Paeoniflorin, Albiflorin, Paeonin C, and others were identified in the plasma of rats using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS). A protein-protein interaction network (PPI) analysis showed that AKT1, EGFR, SRC, MAPK14, NOS3, and KDR were key targets of PLP in the treatment of BSS, and the molecular docking results further verified this. This study indicated that PLP improves BSS in multiple ways and that the potential pharmacological mechanisms may be related to angiogenesis, vasoconstriction and relaxation, coagulation, and the migration and proliferation of vascular cells.