Water extract of Ferula lehmanni Boiss. prevents high-fat diet-induced overweight and liver injury by modulating the intestinal microbiota in mice.

Obesity, often accompanied by hepatic steatosis, has been associated with an increased risk of health complications such as fatty liver disease and certain cancers. Ferula lehmannii Boiss., a food and medicine homologue, has been used for centuries as a seasoning showing anti-bacterial and anti-oxidant effects on digestive discomfort. In the present study, we sought to investigate whether a short-term oral administration of water extract of Ferula lehmanni Boiss. (WEFL) could prevent high-fat diet (HFD)-induced abnormal weight gain and hepatic steatosis in mice and its underlying mechanisms. WEFL reduced HFD-increased body weight, liver injury markers and inflammatory cytokines (i.e. IL-6 and IL-1ß), and inhibited the elevation of AMPKα, SREBP-1c and FAS in HFD. Moreover, WEFL reconstructed the gut microbiota composition by increasing the relative abundances of beneficial bacteria, e.g. Akkermansia spp., while decreasing Desulfovibrio spp. and so on, thereby reversing the detrimental effects of HFD in mice. Removal of the gut microbiota with antibiotics partially eliminated the hepatoprotective effects of WEFL. Notably, WEFL substantially promoted the levels of short-chain fatty acids, especially butyric acid. To clarify the functional components at play in WEFL, we used UPLC-MS/MS to comprehensively detect its substance composition and found it to be a collection of polyphenol-rich compounds. Together, our findings demonstrate that WEFL prevented HFD-induced obesity and liver injury through the hepatic-microbiota axis, and such health-promoting value might be explained by the enriched abundant polyphenols.

Pheromone effects on the human hypothalamus in relation to sexual orientation and gender.

Pheromones are chemicals that serve communicational purposes within a species. In most terrestrial mammals, pheromones are detected by either the olfactory epithelium or the vomeronasal organ and processed by various downstream structures including the medial amygdala and the hypothalamus to regulate motivated behaviors and endocrine responses. The search for human pheromones began in the 1970s. Whereas bioactive ligands are yet to be identified, there has been accumulating evidence that human body odors exert a range of pheromone-like effects on the recipients, including triggering innate behavioral responses, modulating endocrine levels, signaling social information, and affecting mood and cognition. In parallel, results from recent brain imaging studies suggest that body odors evoke distinct neural responses from those observed with common nonsocial odors. Two endogenous steroids androsta-4,16,- dien-3-one and estra-1,3,5(10),16-tetraen-3-ol are considered by some as candidates for human sex pheromones. The two substances produce sexually dimorphic effects on human perception, mood, and physiological arousal. Moreover, they reportedly elicit different hypothalamic response patterns in manners contingent on the recipients' sex and sexual orientation. Neuroendocrine mechanisms underlying the effects of human chemosignals are not yet clear and await future detailed analyses.

High performance liquid chromatography time of flight electrospray ionization mass spectrometry for quantification of sesquiterpenes in Chrysanthemi indici Flos active extract.

BACKGROUND: Chrysanthemi indici Flos, a traditional herbal medicine is used to clearing heat-toxicity, removing the liver fire, and improving eyesight. In our preliminary work, an active extract of CTC in C. An indici Flos with anti-hepatitis B virus and liver protective activity was found by HepG2.2.1.5 test and experiment of protein synthesis in mice's injured liver. In this work, we aimed to study the active faction CTC further by qualitative and quantitative analysis method. MATERIALS AND METHODS: High performance liquid chromatography time of flight electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC TOF ESI-MS) analysis method of the CTC was established. Cumambrin A and angeloylcumambrin B in CTC were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet-evaporative light scattering detector (HPLC-UV-ELSD) analysis methods. A binary gradient elution program was conducted for chromatographic separation with acetonitrile (A) and ultrapure water (B) as follows: 0-10 min, 42-46% A; 10-20 min, 46-55% A; 20-25 min, 55-60% A; and 25-35 min, 60-75% A. The column temperature and UV wavelength were set at 30°C and 205 nm. RESULT: Ten constituents including (3R, 5R, 6S, 7S, 10R)-7-(2-hydroxy-2-propyl)-10-methyl-4-methyleneperhy, dronaphthal-ene-3, 5, 6-triol acetone solvate; (+)-edusmance-4, (14)-ene-11, 13-diol; linarin; luteolin; apigenin; tricin; 5, 3',4'- trimethyl-6,7-dimethoxy flavones; cumambrin A; acacetin; and angeloylcumambrin B in CTC were identified by HPLC TOF ESI-MS. The contents of sesquiterpenes in CTC were decreased by storing years. CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that both UV and ELSD methods were feasible, accurate, and the determination results were in good consistency. The contents of two sesquiterpenes decreased with storing years. Two sesquiterpenes could be used as quality control for C. indici flos CTC.