The Traditional Usages, Chemical Components and Pharmacological Activities of Wolfiporia cocos: A Review.

As an endemic species,Wolfiporia cocos (F.A. Wolf) Ryvarden & Gilb. is widely distributed, such as in China, Korea, Japan, and North America, which have had a dual-purpose resource for medicines and food for over 2000 years. The applications of W. cocos were used to treat diseases including edema, insomnia, spleen deficiency, and vomiting. What's more, there have been wide uses of such edible fungi as a function food or dietary supplement recently. Up until now, 166 kinds of chemical components have been isolated and identified from W. cocos including triterpenes, polysaccharides, sterols, diterpenes, and others. Modern pharmacological studies showed that the components hold a wide range of pharmacological activities both in vitro and in vivo, such as antitumor, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-oxidant, and antidepressant activities. In addition, present results showed that the mechanisms of pharmacological activities were closely related to chemical structures, molecular signaling paths and the expression of relate proteins for polysaccharides and triterpenes. For further in-depth studies on this fungus based on the recent research status, this review provided some perspectives and systematic summaries of W. cocos in traditional uses, chemical components, pharmacological activities, separation and analysis technologies, and structure-activity relationships.

Extended application of deep learning combined with 2DCOS: Study on origin identification in the medicinal plant of Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis.

INTRODUCTION: Medicinal plants are very important to human health, and ensuring their quality and rapid evaluation are the current research concerns. Deep learning has a strong ability in recognition. This study extended it to the identification of medicinal plants from the perspective of spectrum. OBJECTIVE: In order to realise the rapid identification and provide a reference for the selection of high-quality resources of medicinal plants, a combination of deep learning and two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2DCOS) was proposed. METHODS: For the first time, Fourier transform mid-infrared (FT-MIR) and near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy 2DCOS images combined with residual neural network (ResNet) was used for the origin identification of Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis. In total 1593 samples were collected and 12821 2DCOS images were drawn. The climate of different origins was briefly analysed. RESULTS: The xishuangbanna, puer, lincang, honghe and wenshan are the five regions with more ecological advantages. The synchronous 2DCOS models of FT-MIR and NIR could realise origin identification with the accuracy of 100%. The synchronous images were suitable for the identification of medicinal plants with complex systems. The full band, feature band and different contour models had no big difference in distinguishing ability, so they were not the key factors affecting the discrimination results. CONCLUSION: The ResNet models established were stable, reliable, and robust, which not only solved the problem of origin identification, expanded the application field of deep learning, but also provided practical reference for the related research of other medicinal plants.

Mitochondrial stress adaptation promotes resistance to aromatase inhibitor in human breast cancer cells via ROS/calcium up-regulated amphiregulin-estrogen receptor loop signaling.

Many breast cancer patients harbor high estrogen receptor (ER) expression in tumors that can be treated with endocrine therapy, which includes aromatase inhibitors (AI); unfortunately, resistance often occurs. Mitochondrial dysfunction has been thought to contribute to progression and to be related to hormone receptor expression in breast tumors. Mitochondrial alterations in AI-resistant breast cancer have not yet been defined. In this study, we characterized mitochondrial alterations and their roles in AI resistance. MCF-7aro AI-resistant breast cancer cells were shown to have significant changes in mitochondria. Low expressions of mitochondrial genes and proteins could be poor prognostic factors for breast cancer patients. Long-term mitochondrial inhibitor treatments-mediated mitochondrial stress adaptation could induce letrozole resistance. ERα-amphiregulin (AREG) loop signaling was activated and contributed to mitochondrial stress adaptation-mediated letrozole resistance. The up-regulation of AREG-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) crosstalk activated the PI3K/Akt/mTOR and ERK pathways and was responsible for ERα activation. Moreover, mitochondrial stress adaptation-increased intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and calcium were shown to induce AREG expression and secretion. In conclusion, our results support the claim that mitochondrial stress adaptation contributes to AI resistance via ROS/calcium-mediated AREG-ERα loop signaling and provide possible treatment targets for overcoming AI resistance.

Mechanisms of Traditional Chinese Medicine Bushenantai granules in promoting angiogenesis at the maternal-fetal interface of recurrent spontaneous abortion mice.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of Bushenantai (BSAT) granule() on angiogenesis-related factors [E2, P, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)] at the maternal-fetal interface of recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) mice, and to evaluate the role of BSAT in promoting angiogenesis at the maternal-fetal interface by influencing the expression of sex hormones, and VEGF. METHODS: A mouse model with normal pregnancy and another with Clark's classic RSA were established. The RSA mice were randomly assigned to six groups: normal, model, progesterone, high-doseBSAT granule (BSAT-H), medium-dose-BSAT granule (BSAT-M), and low-dose-BSAT granule (BSAT-L) (n = 10 for each group). The embryo loss rate and the histopathological changes in the decidual tissues were measured. Serum levels of estrogen (E2), progesterone (P), and VEGF were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The mRNA and protein expressions of estradiol receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), VEGF, and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) in the decidual tissues were identified by immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: The embryo loss rate in all groups that received BSAT treatment was reduced, while the number of blood vessels at decidual tissues was increased. The serum levels of E2, P and VEGF were elevated, and the mRNA and protein expressions of ER, PR, VEGF, and VEGFR2 in the decidual tissues were enhanced. CONCLUSION: BSAT can improve angiogenesis at the maternal-fetal interface and reduce the embryo loss rate, which may be associated with its ability to increase the serum levels of estrogen, progesterone, and VEGF, in addition to up-regulation of mRNA and protein expression of ER, PR, VEGF, and VEGFR2 in the decidual tissue.

The traditional uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacological properties of Paris L. (Liliaceae): A review.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Paris L. (Liliaceae) consisted of 33 species, of which the study focused on Paris polyphylla Smith, P. polyphylla var. chinensis (Franch.) Hara, and P. polyphylla Smith var. yunnanensis (Franch.) Hand. -Mazz. Due of course to the good effects of analgesia and hemostasis, it was traditionally used to treat trauma by folk herbalists. AIM OF THIS REVIEW: This study summarized the traditional uses, distributions, phytochemical components, pharmacological properties, and toxicity evaluation of the genus Paris, and reviewed the economic value of cultivate P. polyphylla. This aim was that of providing a new and comprehensive recognition of these medicinal plants for the further utilization of Paris plants. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The literature about traditional and folk uses of genus Paris was obtained from Duxiu Search, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). The other literature about genus Paris was searched online on Web of Science, PubMed, Google Scholar, Baidu Scholar, Scifinder database, and Springer research. The Scientific Database of China Plant Species (DCP) (http://db.kib.ac.cn/Default.aspx) databases were used to check the scientific names and provide species, varieties, and distribution of genus Paris. The botany studies information of genus Paris was available online from Plant Plus of China (www.iplant.cn). All the molecular structures of chemical compounds displayed in the text were produced by ChemBioDraw Ultra 14.0. RESULTS: The plants of genus Paris, containing about 33 species and 15 varieties, are mainly distributed in Southwest China (Yunnan, Sichuan, and Guizhou provinces). More than 320 chemical components have been isolated from genus Paris since 2020, including steroidal saponins, C-21 steroids, phytosterols, insect hormones, pentacyclic triterpenes, flavonoids, and other compounds. Arrays of pharmacological investigations revealed that compounds and extracts of Paris species possess a wide spectrum of pharmacological effects, such as antitumor, cytotoxic, antimicrobial, antifungal, hemostatic, and anti-inflammatory activities. The studies about toxicity evaluation suggested that Rhizome Paridis had slight liver toxicity. CONCLUSIONS: The dried rhizomes of P. polyphylla, P. polyphylla var. chinensis, and P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis were used to treat wound, bleeding, and stomachache, etc. in folk medicine. Phytochemistry researches showed that different species had pretty similarities especially in terms of chemical constituents. Pharmacological studies witnessed that Rhizome Paridis has various activities. Among these activities, steroidal saponins were the main active ingredients. Furthermore, an important aspect responsible for increasing interest in genus Paris is the use of antifertility-nonhormonal contraceptives by women. Also, the development of TCM (Traditional Chinese medicine) planting industry can improve the income of ethnic minorities and promote economic development.

Toll-like receptors: Triggers of regulated cell death and promising targets for cancer therapy.

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) belong to a family of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). It is well known that TLRs play an essential role in activating innate and adaptive immune responses. TLRs are involved in mediating inflammatory responses and maintaining epithelial barrier homeostasis, and they are highly likely to activate various signalling pathways during cancer chemotherapy. For a long time, much research focused on the immune modulating function of TLRs in cancer genesis, pathology and therapeutic strategies. However, recent reports have suggested that except for the innate and adaptive immune responses that they initiate, TLRs can signal to induce regulated cell death (RCD), which also plays an important role in the antitumor process. TLR agonists also have been investigated as cancer therapeutic agents under clinical evaluation. In this review, we focused on the mechanism of RCD induced by TLR signals and the important role that they play in anticancer therapy combined with recent experimental and clinical trial data to discuss the possibility of TLRs as promising targets for cancer therapy. TLRs represent triggers of regulated cell death and targets for cancer therapy. The molecular mechanisms of TLR-induced RCD and relationship between TLR-signalling pathways and cancer remain to be investigated by further studies.

Traditional uses, chemical diversity and biological activities of Panax L. (Araliaceae): A review.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Panax L. (Araliaceae) is globally-recognized plant resource suitable for the globalization of traditional Chinese medicines. It has traditionally been used as tonic agents in various ethnomedicinal systems of East Asia, especially in China. It is often used to regulate bodily functions and considered as adjuvant therapy for tumor, resuscitation of traumatic hemorrhagic shock, etc. AIM OF THIS REVIEW: This review systematically summarized the information on distributions, botanical characteristics, traditional uses, chemical components and biological activities of the genus Panax, in order to explore and exploit the therapeutic potential of this plant. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The available information about genus Panax was collected via the online search on Web of Science, Google Scholar, PubMed, Baidu Scholar, Science Direct, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Springer search. The keywords used include Panax, saponin, secondary metabolites, chemical components, biological activity, pharmacology, traditional medicinal uses, safety and other related words. The Plant List (www.theplantlist.org) and Catalogue of Life: 2019 Annual Checklist (www.catalogueoflife.org/col/) databases were used to provide the scientific names, subspecies classification and distribution information of Panax. RESULTS: Panax is widely assessed concerning its phytochemistry and biological activities. To date, at least 748 chemical compounds from genus Panax were isolated, including saponins, flavonoids, polysaccharides, steroids and phenols. Among them, triterpenoid saponins and polysaccharides were the representative active ingredients of Panax plants, which have been widely investigated. Modern pharmacological studies showed that these compounds exhibited a wide range of biological activities in vitro and in vivo including antineoplastic, anti-inflammatory, hepatorenal protective, neuroprotective, immunoregulatory, cardioprotective and antidiabetic activities. Many studies also confirmed that the mechanisms of organ-protective were closely related to molecular signaling pathways, the expression of related proteins and antioxidant reactions. To sum up, genus Panax has high medicinal and social value, deserving further investigation. CONCLUSIONS: The genus Panax is very promising to be fully utilized in the development of nutraceutical and pharmaceutical products. However, there is a lack of in-depth studies on ethnomedicinal uses of Panax plants. In addition, further studies of single chemical component should be performed based on the diversity of chemical structure, significant biological activities and clinical application. If the bioactive molecules and multicomponent interactions are discovered, it will be of great significance to the clinical application of Panax plants. It is an urgent requirement to carry out detailed phytochemical, pharmacology and clinical research on Panax classical prescriptions for the establishment of modern medication guidelines. Exploring the molecular basis of herbal synergistic actions may provide a new understanding of the complex disease mechanisms and accelerate the process of pharmaceutical development.

Traditional uses, chemical components and pharmacological activities of the genus Ganoderma P. Karst.: a review.

In recent years, some natural products isolated from the fungi of the genus Ganoderma have been found to have anti-tumor, liver protection, anti-inflammatory, immune regulation, anti-oxidation, anti-viral, anti-hyperglycemic and anti-hyperlipidemic effects. This review summarizes the research progress of some promising natural products and their pharmacological activities. The triterpenoids, meroterpenoids, sesquiterpenoids, steroids, alkaloids and polysaccharides isolated from Ganoderma lucidum and other species of Ganoderma were reviewed, including their corresponding chemical structures and biological activities. In particular, the triterpenes, polysaccharides and meroterpenoids of Ganoderma show a wide range of biological activities. Among them, the hydroxyl groups on the C-3, C-24 and C-25 positions of the lanostane triterpenes compound were the necessary active groups for the anti-HIV-1 virus. Previous study showed that lanostane triterpenes can inhibit human immunodeficiency virus-1 protease with an IC50 value of 20-40 µM, which has potential anti-HIV-1 activity. Polysaccharides can promote the production of TNF α and IFN-γ by macrophages and spleen cells in mice, and further inhibit or kill tumor cells. Some meroterpenoids contain oxygen-containing heterocycles, and they have significant antioxidant activity. In addition, Ganoderma has been used as a medicine to treat diseases for more than 2000 years, and we also reviewed its traditional uses.

[Geographical distribution and bioclimatic characteristics of the wild Gentiana rigescens resources.] / 滇龙胆草野生资源的地理分布与生物气候特征.

Based on the species distribution data provided by the National Specimen Information Infrastructure combined with field survey and MaxEnt model, we simulated and verified the suitable distribution area of Gentiana rigescens. Furthermore, the relationship between the geographical distribution and climatic factors of G. rigescens was analyzed. The results showed that area under curve of training set and test set were more than 0.90, indicating high prediction precision and accurate prediction results. Geographic coordinate range of G. rigescens were 22.2°â”€28.75° N and 98.48°â”€110.59° E. The suitable altitude range was from 1830 to 1959 m. The total area of suitable distribution region was 63.92×104 km2, including the most suitable distribution region (4.33×104 km2) and middle suitable distribution region (21.42×104 km2). Total area of suitable distribution region in Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan provinces was about 59.10×104 km2, which accounted for 92.46% of total suitable distribution region in China. Solar radiation (March, June and August), temperature annual range, mean temperature of warmest quarter, mean precipitation of October and November, precipitation of driest quarter were the major climatic factors influencing the geographi-cal distribution of G. rigescens. Results from partial least squares regression analysis showed that solar radiation (March, June and August), temperature annual range, mean precipitation of October and November, precipitation of driest quarter were the main restriction factors in north and east of suitable distribution region. The main restriction factors in south of suitable distribution region were solar radiation of June, mean temperature of warmest quarter, precipitation of October and November. The factors limiting distribution of G. rigescens to basin of Sichuan and Guangxi were solar radiation, temperature annual range, mean temperature of warmest quarter, annual biotempe-rature and annual potential evapotranspiration. In conclusion, suitable distribution region of G. rigescens primarily located in the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, where subtropical humid climate was most suitable for its growth.

Data Fusion of Fourier Transform Mid-Infrared (MIR) and Near-Infrared (NIR) Spectroscopies to Identify Geographical Origin of Wild Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis.

Origin traceability is important for controlling the effect of Chinese medicinal materials and Chinese patent medicines. Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis is widely distributed and well-known all over the world. In our study, two spectroscopic techniques (Fourier transform mid-infrared (FT-MIR) and near-infrared (NIR)) were applied for the geographical origin traceability of 196 wild P. yunnanensis samples combined with low-, mid-, and high-level data fusion strategies. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and random forest (RF) were used to establish classification models. Feature variables extraction (principal component analysis-PCA) and important variables selection models (recursive feature elimination and Boruta) were applied for geographical origin traceability, while the classification ability of models with the former model is better than with the latter. FT-MIR spectra are considered to contribute more than NIR spectra. Besides, the result of high-level data fusion based on principal components (PCs) feature variables extraction is satisfactory with an accuracy of 100%. Hence, data fusion of FT-MIR and NIR signals can effectively identify the geographical origin of wild P. yunnanensis.

[Research progress in chemical constituents in plants of Polygonatum and their pharmacological effects].

Polygonatum plants are perennial plants of Liliaceae. There are about 60 species reported at home and abroad,32 species in China,mainly distributed in the north temperate zone. Their main chemical components are steroidal saponins,polysaccharides,flavonoids,alkaloids,etc. They have anti-aging,anti-tumor,immunomodulation,antibacterial,antiviral,hypoglycemic and blood lipid effects. With the development of health industry,Polygonati Rhizome used as medicine and food has attracted great attention in recent years,and has become a research hotspot. However,the material basis of its efficacy is unclear and the product quality is uneven,which seriously limited the rapid upgrading of the industry. This review summarizes Polygonatum plants system classification,the chemical composition and pharmacological activity to provide theoretical basis for the development and utilization of Polygonatum plants.

Ethnobotany, Phytochemistry and Pharmacological Properties of Eucommia ulmoides: A Review.

Eucommia ulmoides Oliver, a single species of Eucommia genus belonging to the Eucommiaceae family, is an endemic in China and has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for nearly two thousand years. Records from different historical periods highlight E. ulmoides and its officinal botanical parts, usefulness in adaptation to disease and its central role in Chinese medicine theory. There are also historical collection documents for minorities in China. Tearing the leaves, bark and fruit produces strands of latex; a description of E. ulmoides's morphological features is recorded in this paper. This review summarizes 204 natural compounds isolated from this plant, which are divided into seven categories: lignans, iridoids, flavonoids, phenols, steroids, terpenes and others. These components possess wide-ranging pharmacological efficacies, such as antihypertensive, antihyperglycemic, antihyperlipidemia, anti-oxidative, anti-osteoporosis, antitumor, immunomodulatory and neuroprotective activities. This review aims to provide a reference for extensive researches of E. ulmoides crude drugs, especially for quality control, biosynthesis and structure modification of active ingredients and pharmacological mechanism.

Structural characterisation and discrimination of the aerial parts of Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis and Paris polyphylla var. chinensis by UHPLC-QTOF-MS coupled with multivariate data analysis.

INTRODUCTION: As sources of Rhizoma Paridis are facing shortages, utilising the aerial parts of Paris polyphylla has emerged as a promising additional source. However, the components in the aerial parts still need to be explored, and it is difficult to distinguish the aerial parts of P. polyphylla Smith var. yunnanensis (PPY) and P. polyphylla var. chinensis (PPC), two varieties of P. polyphylla. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to establish a comprehensive platform to characterise steroid saponins from the aerial parts of PPY and PPC and to discriminate these two varieties. METHODOLOGY: A dereplication approach and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF-MS) analysis were used for the characterisation of steroidal saponins in the aerial parts of PPY and PPC. Multivariate statistical analysis was performed to differentiate these two varieties and screen discriminant variables. In addition, a genetic algorithm-optimised for support vector machines (GA-SVM) model was developed to predict P. polyphylla samples. The distribution of steroidal saponins in PPY and PPC was visualised by a heatmap. RESULTS: A total of 102 compounds were characterised from the aerial parts of PPY and PPC by dereplication. A clear separation of PPY and PPC was achieved, and 35 saponins were screened as marker compounds. The established GA-SVM model showed excellent prediction performance with a prediction accuracy of 100%. CONCLUSIONS: Many steroid saponins that have been reported in Rhizoma Paridis also exist in the aerial parts of P. polyphylla. Samples from the aerial parts of PPY and PPC could be discriminated using our platform.

Molecular Mechanisms of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (BDE-47, BDE-100, and BDE-153) in Human Breast Cancer Cells and Patient-Derived Xenografts.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been used as flame retardants in household materials. Their environmental persistence has led to continuous human exposure and significant tissue levels. Three PBDE congeners (BDE-47, BDE-100, and BDE-153) have been frequently detected in human serum. Although these compounds appear to possess endocrine disrupting activity, studies are largely missing to determine the biological mechanisms of PBDEs in breast cancer cells. Here, we assessed PBDE bioactivities with three complementary strategies: receptor binding/activity assays; nonbiased RNA-sequencing analysis using an estrogen-dependent breast cancer cell line MCF-7aroERE; and in vivo assessments using patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models of human breast cancer. According to the results from in vitro experiments, the PBDE congeners regulate distinct nuclear receptor signaling pathways. BDE-47 acts as a weak agonist of both estrogen receptor α (ERα) and estrogen-related receptor α (ERRα); it could stimulate proliferation of MCF-7aroERE and induced expression of ER-regulated genes (including cell cycle genes). BDE-153 was found to act as a weak antagonist of ERα. BDE-100 could act as (1) an agonist of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), inducing expression of CYP1A1 and CYP1B1 and (2) as a very weak agonist/antagonist of ERα. In vivo, a mixture of the three congeners with ratios detected in human serum was tested in an ER+ PDX model. The mixture exhibited estrogenic activity through apoptosis/cell cycle regulation and increased the expression of a proliferation marker, Ki-67. These results advance our understanding of the mechanisms of PBDE exposure in breast cancer cells.

Traceability the provenience of cultivated Paris polyphylla Smith var. yunnanensis using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy combined with chemometrics.

The conventional procedures, based on attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (ATR-FTIR), have been developed for the origins traceability of cultivated Paris polyphylla Smith var. yunnanensis (PPY) samples with the help of partial least square discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and random forest. In this study, a set of 219 batch cultivated PPY samples, containing the cultivation years of 5, 6 and 7, and covering the municipal districts of Chuxiong, Dali, Honghe, Lijiang and Yuxi in Yunnan Province, China, were used to build the discrimination models. Firstly, a visualized analysis was carried out by t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE) to reduce each data point in a two-dimensional map and make a knowledge of the sample distribution tendency. Secondly, the single spectra data sets of Paridis rhizome and leaf tissues, and the combination of these two data sets with variable selection (mid-level data fusion strategy), were used to establish PLS-DA and random forest models, and parallelly compared the model performance. Results demonstrated that the discrimination ability of PLS-DA preceded the random forest model, and the classification performance was remarkably improved after mid-level data fusion. These results verified each other by 5-, 6- and 7-year old Paridis samples and indicated that the model performance established in the present study was reliable. Besides, five agronomic characters, including the plant height, dry weight of rhizome and leaf tissues, and the allocation of rhizome and leaf were determined and analyzed, results of which indicated that the dry weight and their allocation was significantly different among various origins and fluctuated with the cultivation years. This study was using a comprehensive and green analytical method to discriminate the cultivated Paridis according to their provenances, which was simultaneously benefited for the appropriate cultivation areas selection based on the dry weight of rhizome tissues.

Comparison and Identification for Rhizomes and Leaves of Paris yunnanensis Based on Fourier Transform Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy Combined with Chemometrics.

Paris polyphylla, as a traditional herb with long history, has been widely used to treat diseases in multiple nationalities of China. Nevertheless, the quality of P. yunnanensis fluctuates among from different geographical origins, so that a fast and accurate classification method was necessary for establishment. In our study, the geographical origin identification of 462 P. yunnanensis rhizome and leaf samples from Kunming, Yuxi, Chuxiong, Dali, Lijiang, and Honghe were analyzed by Fourier transform mid infrared (FT-MIR) spectra, combined with partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), random forest (RF), and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) methods. The obvious cluster tendency of rhizomes and leaves FT-MIR spectra was displayed by principal component analysis (PCA). The distribution of the variable importance for the projection (VIP) was more uniform than the important variables obtained by RF, while PLS-DA models obtained higher classification abilities. Hence, a PLS-DA model was more suitably used to classify the different geographical origins of P. yunnanensis than the RF model. Additionally, the clustering results of different geographical origins obtained by HCA dendrograms also proved the chemical information difference between rhizomes and leaves. The identification performances of PLS-DA and the RF models of leaves FT-MIR matrixes were better than those of rhizomes datasets. In addition, the model classification abilities of combination datasets were higher than the individual matrixes of rhizomes and leaves spectra. Our study provides a reference to the rational utilization of resources, as well as a fast and accurate identification research for P. yunnanensis samples.

Traceability of wild Paris polyphylla Smith var. yunnanensis based on data fusion strategy of FT-MIR and UV-Vis combined with SVM and random forest.

Paris polyphylla Smith var. yunnanensis (Franch.) Hand.-Mazz (PPY) was a frequently used herbal medicine in pharmaceutical field and different provenances might affect the clinical efficacy. Tracing the geographical origin was an important portion for PPY authentication and quality assessment. Present study was compared low-, mid- and high-level data fusion methodology for geographical traceability of PPY samples (161 batches) combined with multivariate classification methods such as support vector machine gird search (SVM-GS) and random forest (RF) on the basis of Fourier transform mid-infrared (FT-MIR) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectra. Compared with the low- and mid-level data fusion strategy results basing on SVM-GS algorithm, result of high-level data fusion method (calculated by RF) was more satisfying. Result of RF basing on high-level data fusion strategy showed that merely two samples were misclassified and one sample was multiple assigned after voting with fuzzy set theory. Values of specificity, sensitivity, and accuracy rates were exceeded 0.91, 0.99 and 90.91%, for each class respectively, satisfying results of these were shown in training and test sets for high-level data fusion method. This feasible result indicated that the RF algorithm could establish a reliable and good performance model in geographical traceability on the basis of high-level data fusion strategy. Combination of high-level data fusion and RF algorithm could consider as a good choice for establishing a discrimination multivariate model for origins identification of PPY samples.

[Rapid prediction of the content of polyphyllin in various species of Paris by infrared spectrometry].

Polyphyllin is the main active constituent in Paris which was a traditional Chinese medicine. In order to evaluate the quality of Paris rapidly and ensure the efficacy in clinical therapy, we quantified the contents of polyphyllin Ⅰ, polyphyllin Ⅱ and polyphyllin Ⅶ using infrared spectroscopy with partial least squares regression(PLSR). The method for evaluating the quality of Paris was established. Infrared spectra of 78 samples from various species in different origins were collected. The contents of polyphyllin Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅶ were determined by high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC). The HPLC data were combined with the spectral data to predict the contents of three polyphyllin rapidly. Multiplicative signal correction(MSC), standard normal variate(SNV), orthogonal signal correction(OSC), first derivative and second derivative were utilized for the spectral preprocessing. Then, the optimized spectral data were used to establish the quantitative prediction model based on PLSR. The results showed that the best spectral pretreatment of polyphyllin Ⅰ and Ⅱ were MSC+OSC+2nd Der and that of polyphyllin Ⅶ was MSC+SNV+OSC+2nd Der. In the quantitative calibration model, the determination coefficients (R²) of polyphyllin Ⅰ, polyphyllin Ⅱ and polyphyllin Ⅶ were 0.930 8, 0.934 8 and 0.912 3, respectively while the Root mean square error of estimation(RMSEE) were 1.855 0, 0.632 3 and 0.001 6 mg•g⁻¹, respectively. In the verification model, the R² of polyphyllin Ⅰ, polyphyllin Ⅱ and polyphyllin Ⅶ were 0.948 8, 0.703 6 and 0.801 7, respectively, and the root mean square error of prediction(RMSEP)were 1.704 6, 1.227 8 and 0.002 0 mg•g⁻¹, respectively. Because of the predictive value of quantitative model was closed to the real value, the effect of the model was good. The model of polyphyllin Ⅰ and Ⅱ were better than that of polyphyllin Ⅶ. The developed method was non-destructive, fast, and accurate. It was feasible to determine the content of polyphyllin in Paris.

Phytochemistry and Pharmacological Activities of the Genus Swertia (Gentianaceae): A Review.

Swertia plants have been considered to be medicinal plants useful for the treatment of various ailments for thousands of years, especially in Asian countries. This is due to the broad variety of chemical compounds that provide multiple ligands for bonding to different endogenous biomacromolecules for patients. Chemical constituents and pharmacological activities of Swertia plants are summarized in this paper. Approximately 419 metabolites and 40 bioactive compounds have been reported from 30 Swertia species, including xanthones, flavonoids, seco-iridiods, iridiods, triterpenoids, alkaloids, volatiles, and other secondary metabolites. The bioactivities of Swertia plants include anticarcinogenic, hepatoprotective, anti-oxidant, hypoglycemic, anthelmintic, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-diabetic, gut, and airways modulatory, metabolizing isozymes inhibitory, neuroprotective, HIV-I reverse transcriptases inhibitory, anticholinergic, and CNS-depressant activities, etc. In addition, biosynthetic pathways of xanthones, and seco-iridiods, two most important secondary metabolites for Swertia, are elucidated. The xanthones biosynthetic pathway is a mixed biosynthetic pathway involved the shikimate and the malonate routes, and the seco-iridoid pathway starts with geraniol derived from IPP which is produced either via the MEP or the MVA pathway. This review will offer a reference for future researches on the protection of natural resources, the investigation of therapeutic basis, new drug development, and so forth. Metabolic pathways of some crucial active compounds were also discussed in this review.

Quantitative determination and evaluation of Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis with different harvesting times using UPLC-UV-MS and FT-IR spectroscopy in combination with partial least squares discriminant analysis.

A rapid method was developed and validated by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectroscopy with ultraviolet detection (UPLC-UV-MS) for simultaneous determination of paris saponin I, paris saponin II, paris saponin VI and paris saponin VII. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) based on UPLC and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy was employed to evaluate Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis (PPY) at different harvesting times. Quantitative determination implied that the various contents of bioactive compounds with different harvesting times may lead to different pharmacological effects; the average content of total saponins for PPY harvested at 8 years was higher than that from other samples. The PLS-DA of FT-IR spectra had a better performance than that of UPLC for discrimination of PPY from different harvesting times.