Bioactivities of Dietary Polyphenols and Their Effects on Intestinal Microbiota.

The human gut is a complex but stable micro-ecosystem in which the intestinal microbiota play a key role in human health, the health of the intestine and also affect the ability of the host to metabolize nutrients. Intestinal microbiota can affect human physiological functions by regulating host metabolism, immunity and intestinal barrier function. Dysbiosis in the intestinal microbiota is a crucial stimulus for the development of various diseases, which is associated with a variety of diseases in the body. The composition and function of intestinal microbiota depend on the host's physiological status, genetic makeup, dietary habits, age, and environment, which are the risk factors for obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and tumors. Polyphenols are important plant secondary metabolites with many physiological functions like anti-oxidation, antitumor, bacteriostasis, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular prevention, and protection of liver and kidney and so on. A large number of studies have confirmed the benefits of dietary polyphenols to human health. Polyphenols and their associated metabolites affect intestinal health and the balance of intestinal microbiota by stimulating the growth of beneficial bacteria and inhibiting the proliferation of pathogens. This review aims to update the current knowledge and highlight how the bioactivities of polyphenols can modulate the intestinal microbiota and regulate the mechanisms of the microbiota, providing a theoretical basis and reference for the scientific and overall use of polyphenols to prevent and treat intestinal diseases and maintain human intestinal health.

A comprehensive review on phytochemistry, bioactivities, toxicity studies, and clinical studies on Ficus carica Linn. leaves.

The leaves of Ficus carica Linn. (FC) have been widely used for medicine purposes since ancient times, and its decoction is consumed as tea. Many scientific papers have been published in the literature and the researchers across the world are still exploring the health benefits of FC leaves. In this review, we have collected the literature published since 2010 in the databases: Pubmed, Scopus, Web of Science, SciFinder, Google Scholar, Baidu Scholar and local classic herbal literature. The summary of the chemical constituents in FC leaves, biological activities, toxicity studies, and clinical studies carried out on FC leaves is provided in this review. In addition, the molecular mechanisms of the active constituents in FC leaves are also comprehended. FC leaves are reported to 126 constituents out of which the polyphenolic compounds are predominant. Many scientific studies have proven the antidiabetic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, anticholinesterase, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, and renoprotective activities. Many studies have carried out to provide the insights on molecular pathways involved in the biological activities of FC leaves. The toxicity studies have suggested that FC leaves exhibit toxicity only at very high doses. We believe this review serve as a comprehensive resource for those who are interested to understand the scientific evidence that support the medicinal values of FC leaves and also the research gaps to further improve the commercial value and health benefits of FC leaves.

Callicarpa nudiflora Hook. & Arn.: A comprehensive review of its phytochemistry and pharmacology.

ETHNOPHARMALOGICAL RELEVANCE: Callicarpa nudiflora Hook. & Arn. is a perennial evergreen shrub or low arbor in the Genus Callicarpa. Its dried aerial parts are used as traditional Chinese herbal medicine, Luo-hua-zi-zhu (Callicarpa nudiflora), which has been widely used in anti-bacteria and anti-ulcer in China (Commission, 2015; Development, 1994; Ming-Sheng, 2008). AIM OF THE STUDY: The present paper reviewed findings in phytochemistry and pharmacology of Callicarpa nudiflora. METHODS: Chinese and English studies on Callicarpa nudiflora were collected from databases including Web of Science, SciFinder, PubMed, Elsevier, and CNKI (Chinese), and the phytochemical and pharmacological studies of Callicarpa nudiflora were reviewed. RESULTS: A total of 300 small molecules, 173 of which are volatile oils, have been isolated from Callicarpa nudiflora. These small molecules could be divided into seven structural types - phenylpropanoids, flavonoids, triterpenes, diterpenes, iridoid glycosides, volatile oils, and other small molecules. Different types of compounds in Callicarpa nudiflora were summarized as follow: a) diterpenoid compounds can inhibit the generation of nitric oxide (NO) for exerting the function of anti-inflammation; b) triterpene compounds can play a role of anti-thrombus via inhibiting platelet aggregation and oleanane type and arbutane type pentacyclic triterpenes have the hepatoprotective activities; c) iridoid glycosides have cytotoxicity to tumor cells, and phenylpropanoids compounds have an antioxidant effect and could improve the function of memory. Our group further studied the antiviral activities of Callicarpa nudiflora finding that it has significant effects on RSV, EV71, COXB5, and HSV-1.