Selection and application of aptamers for p-hydroxybenzyl hydrogen sulfite after Gastrodia elata Bl. fumigated with sulfur.

Gastrodia elata Bl. is a widely used traditional Chinese medicine known for its medicinal properties. However, during the drying process, G. elata is often fumigated with sulfur to prevent corrosion and improve its appearance. Sulfur-fumigation can result in a reduction in the effective components of the herb and can also be hazardous to human health due to the remaining sulfur dioxide. Sulfur-fumigation of G. elata poses a significant challenge to both end-users and researchers. The detection of p-hydroxybenzyl hydrogen sulfite (p-HS) is a useful tool in determining whether G. elata has been fumigated with sulfur. Unfortunately, the current method for detecting p-HS is costly and requires sophisticated instruments. Therefore, there is a need to develop a more cost-effective and user-friendly method for the detection of p-HS. This study utilized the Capture-SELEX technique to screen high-affinity aptamers for p-HS, which were subsequently characterized by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). An aptamer sequence (seq 6) with a high affinity of Kd = 26.5 µM was obtained following 8 rounds of selection against p-HS. With the aptamer serving as the recognition element and gold nanoparticles as the colorimetric indicator, a simple and efficient colorimetric sensor was developed for the specific detection of p-HS. This detection method exhibited a limit of detection of 1 µg/ml, while the p-HS recoveries demonstrated a range of between 88.5 % and 105 % for samples of G. elata obtained in the market. In summary, the aptamer exhibited a high affinity for p-HS, and the sensor developed through the use of a colloidal gold detector based on nucleic acid aptamer can be utilized for rapid detection of sulfur-fumigated G. elata. With these findings, this research paper provides valuable scientific insights and highlights significant potential for future studies in this area.

Effect of different cooking methods on saponin content and hematopoietic effects of Panax notoginseng-steamed chicken on mice.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Panax notoginseng-steamed chicken (PNSC) is a medicinal food with ethnic characteristics developed by the Miao ethnic group in the southeast of Yunnan Province, China. PNSC has been eaten for hundreds of years, and its tonic effect has been widely recognized by the people. However, its cooking conditions and scientific connotation of its effect of toning blood and supplementing deficiency are also lack of in-depth analysis. AIM OF THE STUDY: To optimize the cooking conditions of Panax notoginseng-steamed chicken (PNSC) and to explore its anemia-improving effects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The ratio of P. notoginseng (PN) to chicken and the steaming time were systematically altered, and the PNSC cooking conditions was optimized with the response surface method. By establishing animal models of postpartum blood-deficiency anemia, acute hemorrhagic anemia and myelosuppressive anemia, the blood replenishing effect of PNSC was explored, and the blood replenishing mechanism of PNSC on myelosuppressive anemia was revealed by immunoblotting analyses and histopathological sectioning. RESULTS: The optimal processing conditions included a ratio of chicken to P. notoginseng of 100:5 and a steaming time of 5.5 h. The amounts of P. notoginseng polysaccharides (PNPS), total protein and blood-enriching P. notoginseng saponins were 44.3 mg/g, 2.48% and 2.04%, respectively. Freeze-dried powder of P. notoginseng steamed chicken soup (FPSC) was found to promote the recovery of routine blood factors and organ indexes in the three models of anemia and to activate the JAK2-STAT5 signaling pathway, induce phosphorylation of JAK2 and STAT5 and normalize the secretion of hematopoietic regulators EPO, IL-3, and TNF-α. CONCLUSION: FPSC improves the symptoms of anemia in mice, and it plays a role in tonifying blood by activating the JAK2-STAT5 signaling pathway and altering the expression of hematopoiesis-related factors.