Differential Analysis of Korean and Chinese Lingzhi or Reishi Medicinal Mushroom Ganoderma lucidum (Agaricomycetes) Spore Powder by Infrared Spectroscopy with Stoichiometry.

To investigate the differences between Korean Ganoderma lucidum spore powder (KP), broken-spo-roderm KP (BSKP), Chinese traditional G. lucidum spore powder (CP), and broken-sporoderm CP (BSCP), they were identified by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), second derivative infrared spectroscopy (SD-IR), dual-index sequence analysis (DISA) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). SEM showed that there were no significant differences in microstructure between the two kinds of spore powders. FT-IR spectra showed that the four spore powders appeared with characteristic peaks of 3400, 3006, 2925, 1745, 1535, 1454, 1249, 1074, 1049, and 896 cm-1, respectively, they were contained the characteristic peaks of total triterpenes, polysaccharides and fatty acids. DISA showed that the same species of spore powders, the overall similarity of before and broken the sporoderm was high with minor differences and there were no differences between the different kinds of spore powders. Similarity analysis showed that the four spore powders were in high agreement and were no differences. The polysaccharide, total triterpene, spore oil and protein content of the four spore powders were determined separately. The results showed that the active ingredients content of the batch of KP were lower than that of CP, that of BSKP were lower than that of BSCP, while the active ingredients content of both broken-sporoderm spore powders were higher than that of before broken-sporoderm. It is inferred that the structure of the main chemical and component of KP is the same as that of CP. This study provides a reference for the future development and application of G. lucidum.

Basic characterization, antioxidant and immunomodulatory activities of polysaccharides from sea buckthorn leaves.

The polysaccharides from Sea buckthorn leaves (SBLPs) were extracted by hot water and purified by DEAE cellulose, then separated into six polysaccharides (SBLP-S) by DEAE-52 column. Six separated polysaccharides were characterized by Ultraviolet Spectroscopy, Infrared Spectrum, High Performance Liquid Chromatographic and Congo red analysis. The antioxidant activity and immunological activity were investigated in vitro. The results revealed that the monosaccharide composition of SBLP-S-1, SBLP-S-2, SBLP-S-3, SBLP-S-5 and SBLP-S-6 contained Man, GlcN, Rib, Rha, GluA, GalA, Glu, Gal, Xyl, Ara and Fuc, among them, rare glucosamine was found. And SBLP-S-4 contained all above components except GlcN and GluA. FT-IR showed that SBLP-S were sulfated polysaccharide containing uronic acid. Molecular weights of SBLP-S were 338.659, 401.305, 599.849, 393.904, 626.895 and 176.862 kDa. The Congo-red test indicated that SBLP-S-2, SBLP-S-4, SBLP-S-5, and SBLP-S-6 had triple helix conformation. Crude polysaccharides had the strong scavenging activities on DPPH radicals, ABTS radicals and hydroxyl radicals. The six polysaccharides had the activity of immune stimulation on RAW264.7 cell. SBLP-S-2 promoted the phagocytosis best and SBLP-S-6 promoted the NO production best. The results suggested that SBLPs could be used as potential antioxidants and immunomodulatory agents in pharmaceutical and functional food fields.

Farnesoid X receptor regulators from natural products and their biological function.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) has been a growing public health concern worldwide without specific medicine. Through summarizing the chemical structure type and effect mechanisms of natural products targeted on farnesoid X receptor (FXR), to provide the research basis for exploring the treatment of MetS. The following databases were searched for natural products which targeting FXR: PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, Wanfang Database, China Science and Technology Journal Database, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database. Totally 120 natural products were summarized, including terpenoids (51 compounds), steroidal saponins (27 compounds), phenylpropanolds (19 compounds), flavonoids (13 compounds), alkaloids (3 compounds) and others (7 compounds), most researches focus on terpenoids and part of synthetic FXR regulators were based on the structure of terpenoids. FXR regulators could improve cholestasis and liver injury, hyperlipidemia, diabetes and atherosclerosis. FXR is a potential target of treating MetS. Natural products are characteristics with unique novel structures and special biological activity, and they are important sources of bioactive precursor compounds and drug discovery. Exploring the effects and mechanism of natural products and its derivative on MetS by targeting FXR may be a new way to develop the new drugs of treating MetS.

Egg yolk phospholipids as an ideal precursor of fatty note odorants for chicken meat and fried foods: A review.

Egg yolk phospholipids (PLs) have been demonstrated to generate large quantities of lipid-derived odorants, especially the fatty note odorants. Recently, egg yolk PLs have been successfully used in chicken meat and fried foods to improve aroma. This review comprehensively summarizes the properties of egg yolk PLs as precursors of fatty note odorants, including their classes, extraction, identification, oxidation, decomposition and odorant formation, applications, considerations and future prospects in the food industry. Most likely, phosphatidylcholine (PC) is the most abundant class in egg yolk PLs, and PC is more efficient than phosphatidylethanolamine in generating fatty note odorants; moreover, the predominant polyunsaturated fatty acid is linoleic acid, and its corresponding predominant hydroperoxide is 9-hydroperoxy-10,12-octadecadienoic acid during autoxidation, which is the precursor of 2,4-decadienals and 2,4-nonadienals, the key fatty note odorants. Therefore, egg yolk PLs could be an ideal precursor of fatty note odorants for chicken meat and fried foods.

Involvement of YTHDF1 in renal fibrosis progression via up-regulating YAP.

Renal fibrosis is a progressive, fatal renal disease characterized by the aberrant accumulation of myofibroblasts that produce excess extracellular matrix (ECM) in the renal interstitium and glomeruli. Yes-associated protein (YAP) has been regarded as a crucial modulator in myofibroblast transformation, but its upstream regulator remains a mystery. In the present study investigating the participation of m6A methylation during renal fibrosis through bioinformatics analysis, we identified YTHDF1, a modulator of m6A methylation, as a key contributor for renal fibrosis because it was highly expressed in human fibrotic kidneys and had a significant correction with YAP. Their co-localization in human fibrotic kidneys was additionally shown by immunofluorescence. We then found that YTHDF1 was also up-regulated in fibrotic mouse kidneys induced by unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO), high-dose folic acid administration, or the unilateral ischemia-reperfusion injury, further supporting a causal role of YTHDF1 during renal fibrosis. Consistent with this notion, YTHDF1 knockdown alleviated the progression of renal fibrosis both in cultured cells induced by transforming growth factor-beta administration and in the UUO mouse model. Meanwhile, YAP was accordingly down-regulated when YTHDF1 was inhibited. Furthermore, the specific binding of YTHDF1 to YAP mRNA was detected using RNA Binding Protein Immunoprecipitation, and the up-regulation of fibrotic related molecules in cultured cells induced by YTHDF1 over-expression plasmid was attenuated by YAP siRNA. Taken together, our data highlight the potential utility of YTHDF1 as an indicator for renal fibrosis and suggest that YTHDF1 inhibition might be a promising therapeutic strategy to alleviate renal fibrosis via downregulating YAP.

A-Lipoic Acid Alleviates Folic Acid-Induced Renal Damage Through Inhibition of Ferroptosis.

Folic acid (FA)-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) is characterized by the disturbance of redox homeostasis, resulting in massive tubular necrosis and inflammation. Α-lipoic acid (LA), as an antioxidant, has been reported to play an important role in renal protection, but the underlying mechanism remains poorly explored. The aim of this study is to investigate the protective effect of LA on FA-induced renal damage. Our findings showed that LA could ameliorate renal dysfunction and histopathologic damage induced by FA overdose injection. Moreover, FA injection induced severe inflammation, indicated by increased release of pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and IL-1ß, as well as infiltration of macrophage, which can be alleviated by LA supplementation. In addition, LA not only reduced the cellular iron overload by upregulating the expressions of Ferritin and ferroportin (FPN), but also mitigated reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and lipid peroxidation by increasing the levels of antioxidant glutathione (GSH) and glutathione peroxidase-4 (GPX4). More importantly, we found that LA supplementation could reduce the number of Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL)-positive tubular cells caused by FA, indicating that the tubular cell death mediated by ferroptosis may be inhibited. Further study demonstrated that LA supplementation could reverse the decreased expression of cystine/glutamate antiporter xCT (SLC7A11), which mediated GSH synthesis. What is more, mechanistic study indicated that p53 activation was involved in the inhibitory effect of SLC7A11 induced by FA administration, which could be suppressed by LA supplementation. Taken together, our findings indicated that LA played the protective effect on FA-induced renal damage mainly by inhibiting ferroptosis.

[Impact of the Timing of Traditional Chinese Medicine Therapy on the Therapeutic Effect and Prognosis of Severe Coronavirus Disease 2019].

Objective To explore the optimal therapy time for the treatment of severe coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)by traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)and its influence on the therapeutic effect and prognosis. Methods The clinical data,laboratory findings,and outcomes of 64 patients with severe COVID-19 treated with TCM and western medicine in Chongqing from January 20,2020, to March 11,2020 were retrospectively analyzed.Patients were divided into early intervention group[TCM was initiated within 3 days (including day 3) after the first diagnosis of severe type/critical type COVID-19]and late intervention group[TCM was initiated after 7 days (including day 7) after the first diagnosis of severe type /critical type COVID-19].The changes in clinical parameters during the course of disease were compared between the two groups. Results On day 14,the oxygenation index was 292.5(252.0,351.0)mmHg in the early intervention group,which was significantly higher than that in the late intervention group [246.0(170.0,292.5)mmHg](P=0.005).The length of hospital stay [(18.56±1.11)d vs.(24.87±1.64)d,P=0.001],duration of ICU stay [(14.12±0.91)d vs.(20.00±1.53)d,P=0.000] and time to negativity [(16.77±1.04)d vs.(22.48±1.66)d,P=0.001] in the early intervention group were significantly shorter than those in the late intervention group.The intubation rate(7.3%)in the early intervention group was significantly lower than that in the late intervention group(30.4%)(P=0.028). Conclusion Early TCM therapy within three days after a diagnosis of severe COVID-19 can shorten the length of hospital stay,duration of ICU stay,and time to negativity and decrease intubation rate.

Long-Term Consumption of 2-O-ß-d-Glucopyranosyl-l-ascorbic Acid from the Fruits of Lycium barbarum Modulates Gut Microbiota in C57BL/6 Mice.

The modulating effect of 2-O-ß-d-glucopyranosyl-l-ascorbic acid (AA-2ßG), a natural derivative of ascorbic acid from the fruits of Lycium barbarum, on mice gut microbiota was investigated in the present study. It was found that AA-2ßG was able to adjust the structure of mice gut microbiota, elevated the relative abundances of Verrucomicrobia, Porphyromonadaceae, Verrucomicrobiaceae, and Erysipelotrichaceae, and meanwhile reduced the relative abundances of Firmicutes, Lachnospiraceae, Rikenellaceae, Ruminococcaceae, Bdellovibrionaceae, Anaeroplasmataceae, and Peptococcaceae. Through the linear discriminant analysis effect size analysis, the key microbiota that were found to be significantly changed after long-term consumption of AA-2ßG were Ruminococcaceae, Porphyromonadaceae, Lachnospiraceae, and Rikenellaceae. In addition, AA-2ßG could upregulate pro-inflammatory cytokines, promote tight junctions between intestinal cells, facilitate the generation of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and upregulate the mRNA expression level of SCFAs receptors, indicating that AA-2ßG might promote organism health. The results demonstrated that AA-2ßG might maintain organism health by modulating gut microbiota.

Preparation of theasinensin A and theasinensin B and exploration of their inhibitory mechanism on α-glucosidase.

Theasinensin A (TSA) and theasinensin B (TSB), dimers of tea catechins produced during the processing of oolong tea and black tea, had superior inhibitory effects on α-glucosidase. However, the potential inhibitory mechanisms on α-glucosidase are still unclear. In the present study, TSA and TSB were chemically synthesized and purified, and their inhibitory effects on α-glucosidase and potential mechanisms were investigated. The results showed that TSA and TSB could inhibit the activity of α-glucosidase in a reversible and noncompetitive manner with IC50 values of 6.342 and 24.464 µg mL-1, respectively, which were much lower than that of acarbose. The fluorescence and circular dichroism spectra revealed that TSA and TSB could alter the microenvironment and the secondary structure of α-glucosidase, thereby decreasing the α-glucosidase activity. Molecular docking results indicated that both TSA and TSB had a strong binding affinity to α-glucosidase by hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonds. Moreover, the stronger inhibition of TSA on α-glucosidase might be related to the closer binding site to the active site pocket of α-glucosidase.

Modulation of gut microbiota by Ilex kudingcha improves dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis.

Increasing evidence shows that the gut microbiota contributes to the occurrence and development of colitis. Kudingcha (KDC), made from the leaves of Ilex kudingcha, could mitigate inflammation, however, little is known about the relationship between modulatory effect on gut microbiota by KDC and improvement of colitis. In this study, the attenuating effects of KDC extract (KDCE) on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis and gut microbiota in C57BL/6 mice were investigated. It was found that the supplementation of KDCE could alleviate typical symptoms of IBD including weight loss, colon shortening, intestinal barrier damage, and decreases in the colitis disease activity index and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Moreover, KDCE supplementation could reverse the alteration of gut microbiota in the colitic mice by increasing the abundances of potential beneficial bacteria, e.g. Odoribacter, Prevotella and Helicobacter, and decreasing the abundances of potential harmful bacteria, e.g. Parabacteroides, Bacteroides, Turicibacter, Parasutterella and Lachnospiraceae. The levels of short-chain fatty acids in feces, cecum contents and serum were also regulated by KDCE. Furthermore, the correlation analysis suggested that KDCE could attenuate DSS-induced colitis which might be related to the alteration of gut microbiota. Therefore, the modulation of gut microbiota by KDCE might be a potential strategy for improving inflammation-driven diseases.

2-O-ß-d-Glucopyranosyl-l-ascorbic Acid, an Ascorbic Acid Derivative Isolated from the Fruits of Lycium Barbarum L., Modulates Gut Microbiota and Palliates Colitis in Dextran Sodium Sulfate-Induced Colitis in Mice.

In this study, the effects of 2-O-ß-d-glucopyranosyl-l-ascorbic acid (AA-2ßG), a natural ascorbic acid derivative from the fruits of Lycium barbarum, on treating the dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice were investigated. The results revealed that AA-2ßG had palliating effects on DSS-induced inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in terms of slowing down the trends of body weight and solid fecal mass loss, reducing colitis disease activity index, improving serum physiological and biochemical indicators, increasing colon length, blocking proinflammatory cytokines, and increasing tight junction proteins. Additionally, AA-2ßG treatment could promote the production of short-chain fatty acids and modulate the composition of the gut microbiota. The key bacteria related to IBD were found to be Porphyromonadaceae, Prevotellaceae, Rikenellaceae, Parasutterella, Parabacteroides, and Clostridium. The results indicated that AA-2ßG might treat IBD through the regulation of gut microbiota, suggesting that AA-2ßG has the potential to be used as a dietary supplement in the treatment of IBD.

Gut microbiota modulation and anti-inflammatory properties of anthocyanins from the fruits of Lycium ruthenicum Murray in dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis in mice.

In the present study, the therapeutic effects of crude anthocyanins (ACN) from the fruits of Lycium ruthenicum Murray and the main monomer of ACN, petunidin 3-O-[rhamnopyranosyl-(trans-p-coumaroyl)]-5-O-[ß-d-glucopyranoside] (P3G), on the dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis in mice were investigated. Both ACN and P3G showed intestinal anti-inflammatory effects, evidenced by restoration of various physical signs (body weight, feed quantity, solid fecal weight and colon length were increased, and DAI score was decreased), reduction of the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and related mRNA (such as TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1ß and IFN-γ), and promotion of the intestinal barrier function by histological and immunofluorescence analysis (proteins such as ZO-1, occludin and claudin-1 were increased). Furthermore, the effects on gut microbiota community of DSS-induced colitis in mice have been investigated. It was found that Porphyromonadaceae, Helicobacter, Parasutterella, Parabacteroides, Oscillibacter and Lachnospiraceae were the key bacteria associated with inflammatory bowel disease. Taken together, P3G and ACN ameliorated DSS-induced colitis in mice through three aspects including blocking proinflammatory cytokines, increasing tight junction protein and modulating gut microbiota. What's more, P3G showed better anti-inflammatory effects than ACN.

Anti-inflammatory effects of dicaffeoylquinic acids from Ilex kudingcha on lipopolysaccharide-treated RAW264.7 macrophages and potential mechanisms.

Increasing evidence has shown that dicaffeoylquinic acids (DiCQAs) have anti-inflammatory activity. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of the anti-inflammatory effects of DiCQAs are still unclear. In the present study, the anti-inflammatory effects of DiCQAs from the leaves of Ilex kudingcha and the potential molecular mechanisms on LPS-induced inflammatory responses in RAW264.7 macrophage cells were investigated. The results showed that pretreatment with DiCQAs could suppress the production of NO, PGE2 and also pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1ß and IL-6, and the mRNA expression of two major inflammatory mediators of COX-2 and iNOS. The phosphorylated IκBα, ERK, JNK and p38 proteins in LPS-treated cells were significantly increased, which could be reversed by pretreatment with DiCQAs in a concentration-dependent manner. Taken together, the results suggest that DiCQAs from I. kudingcha have potent anti-inflammatory effects on LPS-induced inflammatory responses by inhibiting the NF-κB and MAPKs pathways and may be a prophylactic for inflammation.

Effects of Dicaffeoylquinic Acids from Ilex kudingcha on Lipid Metabolism and Intestinal Microbiota in High-Fat-Diet-Fed Mice.

Kudingcha made from the leaves of Ilex kudingcha and chlorogenic acid have antiobesity and intestinal microbiota modulating effects. However, the effects of kudingcha dicaffeoylquinic acids (diCQAs) on obesity and intestinal microbiota are still poorly understood. In the present study, the effects of kudingcha diCQAs on adipose accumulation and intestinal microbiota were investigated in high-fat-diet-fed mice. As a result, kudingcha diCQAs decreased the liver and adipose tissue masses, concentrations of serum inflammatory factors, and hepatic expressions of lipid synthesis related genes and increased the expressions of genes involved in lipid degradation in the liver. Kudingcha diCQAs also exhibited considerable effects on intestinal microbiota. They increased the relative abundances of Bifidobacterium and Akkermansia and affected the function of the microbial community including bile acid biosynthesis. Kudingcha diCQAs had antiobesity potential, possibly acting through affecting intestinal microbiota. Furthermore, the effects of kudingcha diCQAs on fat accumulation and intestinal microbiota had a dose-dependent manner.

Evaluation of chemical property, cytotoxicity and antioxidant activity in vitro and in vivo of polysaccharides from Fuzhuan brick teas.

Fuzhuan brick tea (FBT) possesses various health-promoting functions. However, the available information regarding biological activity of polysaccharides from FBT (FBTPS) is still limited. In this work, the chemical property, cytotoxicity and antioxidant activity in vitro and in vivo of FBTPS were evaluated. It was found that FBTPSs were typical acidic heteropolysaccharides mainly composed of Man, Rha, GalA, Glc, Gal and Ara with little molar content of Rib and GlcA. FBTPS showed little toxicity to human hepatic epithelial (L-02) cell. FBTPS exhibited antioxidant activities, including limited scavenging activity on DPPH free radicals (ranged from 54.3 ±â€¯1.9 to 67.8 ±â€¯2.5%), noticeable scavenging activity on superoxide radicals (over 85%), superior scavenging activity on ABTS radicals (near 100%), and protective effect on H2O2-induced oxidative injury in rat pheochromocytoma line 12 (PC12) cell. Moreover, FBTPS showed significant amelioration of high-fat diet-induced oxidative injury in mice. The results suggest that FBTPS, as natural safe antioxidants, may have potential application in functional foods.

Fuzhuan Brick Tea Polysaccharides Attenuate Metabolic Syndrome in High-Fat Diet Induced Mice in Association with Modulation in the Gut Microbiota.

An increasing amount of evidence suggests that the gut microbiota composition and structure contribute to the pathophysiology of metabolic syndrome (MS), which has been put forward as a new target in the treatment of diet-induced MS. In this work, we aimed to investigate effects of Fuzhuan brick tea polysaccharides (FBTPS) on MS and gut microbiota dysbiosis in high-fat diet (HFD) fed mice and to further investigate whether its attenuation of MS is related to the modulation of gut microbiota. The results showed that FBTPS intervention could significantly attenuate metabolic syndrome in HFD-induced mice. Based on results of sequencing, FBTPS treatment could increase the phylogenetic diversity of HFD-induced microbiota. FBTPS intervention could significantly restore the HFD-induced increases in relative abundances of Erysipelotrichaceae, Coriobacteriaceae, and Streptococcaceae. Spearman's correlation analysis showed that 44 key OTUs were negatively or positively associated with MS. Our results suggested that FBTPS could serve as a novel candidate for prevention of MS in association with the modulation of gut microbiota.

Protective Effects of Enteral Nutrition Supplemented with Crassostrea hongkongensis Polysaccharides Against 5-Fluorouracil-Induced Intestinal Mucosal Damage in Rats.

Chemotherapeutics, including 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), often damage the intestinal mucosal barrier and cause intestinal mucositis (IM). Supplementation with immunoregulatory polysaccharides from Crassostrea hongkongensis has been shown to positively influence the effectiveness and toxicity of 5-FU. Therefore, we studied the effects of oyster polysaccharides on 5-FU-induced intestinal mucosal damage in rats. The C30-60% ethanol-precipitated fraction of polysaccharides promoted IEC-6 cell proliferation and exhibited a maximal effect at a 0.0195 mg/mL concentration. Moreover, treatment with C30-60% polysaccharide-based nutrition formula (OPNF) partially prevented the 5-FU-induced degenerative changes in the histology and ultrastructure of small intestinal mucosa. In addition, the endotoxin level of rats fed with 5-FU and OPNF decreased to the normal control level. Furthermore, the 5-FU-induced increase of proinflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-2 and the decrease of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 level in the peripheral blood were significantly attenuated by OPNF administration. In conclusion, Oyster C30-60% polysaccharides can ameliorate 5-FU-induced IM by partially preventing mucosal damage, reducing inflammation, and promoting immunity.

Kudingcha and Fuzhuan Brick Tea Prevent Obesity and Modulate Gut Microbiota in High-Fat Diet Fed Mice.

SCOPE: Kudingcha (KDC) from Ilex kudingcha and Fuzhuan brick tea (FBT) are popular beverages in China, and their preventive and therapeutic roles in metabolic disorders have been reported. However, the relationship between the gut microbiota modulatory effects of KDC and FBT and prevention of obesity is still not clearly understood. METHODS AND RESULTS: KDC and FBT are tested individually for their capacities to prevent obesity and modulate the gut microbiota in high-fat diet (HFD) fed C57BL/6J mice. The results show that both KDC and FBT supplementation could modulate oxidative injury, inflammation, lipid metabolism, and reduce HFD induced obesity significantly. Both KDC and FBT could enhance the diversity of gut microbiota. KDC could reduce the relative abundance of Erysipelotrichaceae, while FBT could reduce the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes and enhance the relative abundance of Bifidobacteriaceae. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that KDC and FBT could attenuate features of the metabolic syndrome in HFD-fed mice, which might be due to the modulation of gut microbiota by KDC and FBT.

Digestion under saliva, simulated gastric and small intestinal conditions and fermentation in vitro by human intestinal microbiota of polysaccharides from Fuzhuan brick tea.

The aim of present study was to examine whether the digestivesystem (saliva, simulated gastric and small intestinal conditions) could break down and large intestinal microbiota could utilize the polysaccharides from Fuzhuan brick tea (FBTPS). The results showed that there was no change in molecular weight, monosaccharide content and content of reducing sugars before and after saliva, simulated gastric and small intestinal digestion, indicating that FBTPS could pass through the digestive system without being broken down and reach the large intestine safely. The content of carbohydrate was significantly decreased by fermentation in vitro of gut microbiota, suggesting that FBTPS could be broken down and utilized by gut microbiota. FBTPS could significantly modulate the composition and abundance of gut microbiota. Furthermore, the contents of short-chain fatty acids were significantly increased. Therefore, FBTPS is expected to be a functional food to improve human health and prevent disease through promoting the gut health.

Research progress on chemical constituents and pharmacological effects of Ophiopogon japonicas / 中草药

Ophiopogon japonicus is widely distributed in China and rich in resources, and is a kind of medicinal plants with great utilization value. It could nourish yin, promote body fluid production, moisten the lung, ease the mind, and clear away heart fire. Modern research showed that there are several secondary metabolites, such as steroidal saponins, homoisoflavonoids and polysaccharides. Its pharmacological research mainly focused on the hypoglycemic effect, cardiovascular protection, enhanced immunity, anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor effect. In this paper, the chemical compositions and pharmacological activities of O. japonicas were summarized, in order to provide reference for further study and application of O. japonicas.