Differences of Typical Wuyi Rock Tea in Taste and Nonvolatiles Profile Revealed by Multisensory Analysis and LC-MS-Based Metabolomics.

Wuyi Rock tea, specifically Shuixian and Rougui, exhibits distinct sensory characteristics. In this study, we investigated the sensory and metabolite differences between Shuixian and Rougui. Quantitative description analysis revealed that Rougui exhibited higher intensity in bitter, thick, harsh, and numb tastes, while Shuixian had stronger salty and umami tastes. Nontargeted metabolomics identified 151 compounds with 66 compounds identified as key differential metabolites responsible for metabolic discrimination. Most of the catechins and flavonoids were enriched in Rougui tea, while epigallocatechin-3,3'-di-O-gallate, epigallocatechin-3,5-di-O-gallate, gallocatechin-3,5-di-O-gallate, isovitexin, and theaflavanoside I were enriched in Shuixian tea. Catechins, kaempferol, quercetin, and myricetin derivatives were positively correlated with bitter taste and numb sensation. Sour taste was positively correlated to organic acids. Amino acids potentially contributed to salty and umami tastes. These results provide further insights into the taste characteristics and the relationship between taste attributes and specific metabolites in Wuyi Rock tea.

Growth performance and nitrogen excretion of broiler chickens fed low protein diets supplemented with crystalline amino acids.

This study was conducted to determine the effects of amino acid (AA) supplementation in low-protein (LP) diets on growth performance and nitrogen (N) excretion. A total of 175 7-day-old Ross 308 male broilers, with a mean body weight (BW) of 165 g (standard deviation = 11.2 g), were grouped into five blocks by BW and allocated to seven treatments according to a randomized complete block design with five replicate cages at five birds per cage. Dietary treatments comprised a control diet containing 20.0% crude protein (CP) and six LP diets containing either 18.5% or 17.0% CP. These LP diets were supplemented with either no AA supplementation, indispensable AA, or both indispensable and dispensable AA (glutamic acid and glycine). Birds were fed experimental grower diets from day 7 to 21 and then commercial finisher diets until day 28. During the grower period (day 7 to 21), birds fed LP diets supplemented with indispensable AA exhibited greater (p < 0.05) BW, body weight gain (BWG), feed intake (FI), and gain-to-feed ratio (G:F) than birds fed LP diets without crystalline AA and were comparable to birds fed the control diet. During the finisher period (day 21 to 28), birds fed LP diets supplemented with indispensable AA showed greater (p < 0.05) BW than birds fed LP diets without crystalline AA, and their growth performance was comparable to birds fed the control diet. Throughout the overall period, supplementing indispensable AA in LP diets resulted in elevated (p < 0.05) BWG, FI, and G:F more than those of LP diets without crystalline AA and were comparable to those of the control diet. Supplementing indispensable AA in LP diets decreased amount and coefficient of N excretion as much as the control diet. Dispensable AA supplementation in LP diets did not influence growth performance and N excretion. In conclusion, supplementing indispensable AA in LP diets maintains growth performance and N excretion until the dietary CP lowers from 20.0% to 17.0% during the grower period. As long as dietary CP is above 17.0%, dispensable AA may not be deficient in LP diets during the grower period.

Neurotoxic non-protein amino acids in commercially harvested Lobsters (Homarus americanus H. Milne-Edwards).

Cyanobacteria produce neurotoxic non-protein amino acids (NPAAs) that accumulate in ecosystems and food webs. American lobsters (Homarus americanus H. Milne-Edwards) are one of the most valuable seafood industries in Canada with exports valued at > $2 billion. Two previous studies have assessed the occurrence of ß-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) in a small number of lobster tissues but a complete study has not previously been undertaken. We measured NPAAs in eyeballs, brain, legs, claws, tails, and eggs of 4 lobsters per year for the 2021 and 2022 harvests. Our study included 4 male and 4 female lobsters. We detected BMAA and its isomers, N-(2-aminoethyl)glycine (AEG), 2,4-diaminobutyric acid (DAB) and ß-aminomethyl-L-alanine (BAMA) by a fully validated reverse phase chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method. We quantified BMAA, DAB, AEG and BAMA in all of the lobster tissues. Our quantification data varied by individual lobster, sex and collection year. Significantly more BMAA was quantified in lobsters harvested in 2021 than 2022. Interestingly, more BAMA was quantified in lobsters harvested in 2022 than 2021. Monitoring of lobster harvests for cyanobacterial neurotoxins when harmful algal bloom events occur could mitigate risks to human health.

Pharmacokinetics of L-theanine and the effect on amino acid composition in mice administered with L-theanine.

L-theanine, an amino acid component of the tea leaves of Camellia sinensis, is sold in Japan as a supplement for good sleep. Although several studies in humans and mice have reported the effects of L-theanine on brain function, only a few reports have comprehensively clarified the disposition of theanine administered to mice and its effects on concentrations of other blood amino acids. In this study, we aimed to determine the changes in the blood levels of L-theanine administered to mice and amino acid composition of the serum. L-theanine were administered to four-week-old Std-ddY male mice orally or via tail vein injection. L-theanine and other amino acids in serum prepared from blood collected at different time points post-dose were labeled with phenylisothiocyanate and quantified. The serum concentration of orally administered L-theanine peaked 15 min after administration. The area under the curve for tail vein injection revealed the bioavailability of L- theanine to be approximately 70%. L-theanine administration did not affect any amino acid levels in the serum, but a significant increase in the peak area overlapping the Glycine (Gly) peak was observed 30 min after administration. L-theanine administered to mice was rapidly absorbed and eliminated, suggesting that taking L-theanine as a supplement is safe without affecting its own levels or serum levels of other amino acids. However, considering that Gly, similar to L-theanine, is used as a dietary supplement for its anxiolytic effects and to improve sleep, determining the effects of L-theanine administration on Gly is important and needs further research.

Taurine amino acid supplementation impacts performance, blood hematology, oxidative stress, and jejunum morphology in broiler chickens.

Excess levels of free radicals cause oxidative damage to cells. Taurine is a rare amino acid with antioxidant effects whose dietary deficiency increases oxidative damage to the cell membrane. To investigate the effects of dietary taurine supplementation on performance, blood hematology, oxidative stress, and jejunum morphology in broilers, 300 broilers (Ras 308, 1D of age) were randomly allocated into 4 groups with 5 replicates of 15 birds. The experimental treatments included basic diet (control treatment) and basic diet with 1, 3, and 6 g/kg taurine amino acid. During 1 to 45 days, the inclusion of taurine supplementation in diets improved the body weight gain (BWG), feed consumption (FC), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) of broilers (P < 0.05). In CBC tests, the experimental treatments were significantly different concerning the red blood cell (RBC) count, the average hemoglobin in the cell, the RBC width in the curve, and the hematocrit (P < 0.05). Despite the significance of oxidative stress among the treatments, the control and fourth treatments showed the highest and the lowest oxidative stress, respectively (P < 0.05). Also, in jejunum morphology, the fourth treatment showed the best performance in terms of villus length and width and the villus length to crypt depth (V/C) ratio (P < 0.05). Overall, 6 g/kg taurine addition to the diet reduced oxidative stress and positive features in the jejunum morphology while improving the functional traits of broilers.

High synthetic cost-amino acids reduce member interactions of acetate-degrading methanogenic microbial community.

Introduction: The cooperation among members of microbial communities based on the exchange of public goods such as 20 protein amino acids (AAs) has attracted widespread attention. However, little is known about how AAs availability affects interactions among members of complex microbial communities and the structure and function of a community. Methods: To investigate this question, trace amounts of AAs combinations with different synthetic costs (low-cost, medium-cost, high-cost, and all 20 AAs) were supplemented separately to acetate-degrading thermophilic methanogenic reactors, and the differences in microbial community structure and co-occurring networks of main members were compared to a control reactor without AA supplementation. Results: The structure of the microbial community and the interaction of community members were influenced by AAs supplementation and the AAs with different synthetic costs had different impacts. The number of nodes, links, positive links, and the average degree of nodes in the co-occurrence network of the microbial communities with AAs supplementation was significantly lower than that of the control without AAs supplementation, especially for all 20 AAs supplementation followed by the medium- and high-cost AAs supplementation. The average proportion of positive interactions of microbial members in the systems supplemented with low-cost, medium-cost, high-cost, all AAs, and the control group were 0.42, 0.38, 0.15, 0.4, and 0.45, respectively. In addition, the ecological functions of community members possibly changed with the supplementation of different cost AAs. Discussion: These findings highlight the effects of AAs availability on the interactions among members of complex microbial communities, as well as on community function.

A multi-hierarchical approach reveals d-serine as a hidden substrate of sodium-coupled monocarboxylate transporters.

Transporter research primarily relies on the canonical substrates of well-established transporters. This approach has limitations when studying transporters for the low-abundant micromolecules, such as micronutrients, and may not reveal physiological functions of the transporters. While d-serine, a trace enantiomer of serine in the circulation, was discovered as an emerging biomarker of kidney function, its transport mechanisms in the periphery remain unknown. Here, using a multi-hierarchical approach from body fluids to molecules, combining multi-omics, cell-free synthetic biochemistry, and ex vivo transport analyses, we have identified two types of renal d-serine transport systems. We revealed that the small amino acid transporter ASCT2 serves as a d-serine transporter previously uncharacterized in the kidney and discovered d-serine as a non-canonical substrate of the sodium-coupled monocarboxylate transporters (SMCTs). These two systems are physiologically complementary, but ASCT2 dominates the role in the pathological condition. Our findings not only shed light on renal d-serine transport, but also clarify the importance of non-canonical substrate transport. This study provides a framework for investigating multiple transport systems of various trace micromolecules under physiological conditions and in multifactorial diseases.

Peeling the onion: additional layers of regulation in the acid stress response.

Bacteria are capable of withstanding large changes in osmolality and cytoplasmic pH, unlike eukaryotes that tightly regulate their pH and cellular composition. Previous studies on the bacterial acid stress response described a rapid, brief acidification, followed by immediate recovery. More recent experiments with better pH probes have imaged single living cells, and we now appreciate that following acid stress, bacteria maintain an acidic cytoplasm for as long as the stress remains. This acidification enables pathogens to sense a host environment and turn on their virulence programs, for example, enabling survival and replication within acidic vacuoles. Single-cell analysis identified an intracellular pH threshold of ~6.5. Acid stress reduces the internal pH below this threshold, triggering the assembly of a type III secretion system in Salmonella and the secretion of virulence factors in the host. These pathways are significant because preventing intracellular acidification of Salmonella renders it avirulent, suggesting that acid stress pathways represent a potential therapeutic target. Although we refer to the acid stress response as singular, it is actually a complex response that involves numerous two-component signaling systems, several amino acid decarboxylation systems, as well as cellular buffering systems and electron transport chain components, among others. In a recent paper in the Journal of Bacteriology, M. G. Gorelik, H. Yakhnin, A. Pannuri, A. C. Walker, C. Pourciau, D. Czyz, T. Romeo, and P. Babitzke (J Bacteriol 206:e00354-23, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1128/jb.00354-23) describe a new connection linking the carbon storage regulator CsrA to the acid stress response, highlighting new additional layers of complexity.

Exome-Based Amino Acid Optimization: A Dietary Strategy to Satisfy Human Nutritional Demands and Enhance Muscle Strength in Breast Tumor Mice Undergoing Chemotherapy.

Breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy often experience muscle wasting and weakness, which impact their quality of life. A potential solution lies in customizing amino acid compositions based on exome-derived formulations (ExAAs). The study hypothesized that tailoring dietary amino acids using ExAAs could enhance muscle health. Theoretical amino acid requirements were calculated from the genome's exome region, and a breast cancer mouse model undergoing paclitaxel treatment was established. The mice were supplemented with a cancer-specific nutritional formula (QJS), and the effects of QJS and amino acid-adjusted QJS (adjQJS) were compared. Both formulations improved the nutritional status without compromising tumor growth. Notably, adjQJS significantly enhanced muscle strength compared to QJS (1.51 ± 0.25 vs. 1.30 ± 0.08 fold change, p < 0.05). Transcriptome analysis revealed alterations in complement and coagulation cascades, with an observed upregulation of C3 gene expression in adjQJS. Immune regulation also changed, showing a decrease in B cells and an increase in monocytes in skeletal muscle with adjQJS. Importantly, adjQJS resulted in a notable increase in Alistipes abundance compared to QJS (10.19 ± 0.04% vs. 5.03 ± 1.75%). This study highlights the potential of ExAAs as valuable guide for optimizing amino acid composition in diets for breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Chemical Composition and Nutritional Value of Royal Jelly Samples Obtained from Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) Hives Fed on Oak and Rapeseed Pollen Patties.

Young workers, i.e., nurse honey bees, synthesize and secrete royal jelly to feed the brood and queen. Since royal jelly is a protein-rich substance, the quality of royal jelly may be influenced by the consumption of feed with varying protein content. We tested whether honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies compensates for the nutritional quality to produce royal jelly by feeding different pollen patties made of oak or rapeseed pollen. After harvesting royal jelly, we examined the chemical composition including proximate nutrients, amino acids, proteins, fatty acids, and minerals of royal jelly samples obtained from two treatments. The results revealed that pollen patties with different nutritional levels did not influence the nutritional composition except for the crude fat. The levels of 10-HDA, which serves as an indicator of the royal jelly quality, showed no significant difference between the oak and rapeseed treatments, with values of 1.9 and 2.1 g/100 g, respectively. However, we found some differences in the protein intensity, particularly the MRJP3 precursor, MRJP3-like, and glucose oxidase. This study suggests that honey bees may have mechanisms to compensate for nutritional standards to meet the brood's and queen's nutritional requirements during bee pollen collection, preserving bee bread and royal jelly secretion.

Enhancing osteoblast proliferation and bone regeneration by poly (amino acid)/selenium-doped hydroxyapatite.

Among various biomaterials employed for bone repair, composites with good biocompatibility and osteogenic ability had received increasing attention from biomedical applications. In this study, we doped selenium (Se) into hydroxyapatite (Se-HA) by the precipitation method, and prepared different amounts of Se-HA-loaded poly (amino acid)/Se-HA (PAA/Se-HA) composites (0, 10 wt%, 20 wt%, 30 wt%) byin-situmelting polycondensation. The physical and chemical properties of PAA/Se-HA composites were characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and their mechanical properties. XRD and FT-IR results showed that PAA/Se-HA composites contained characteristic peaks of PAA and Se-HA with amide linkage and HA structures. DSC and TGA results specified the PAA/Se-HA30 composite crystallization, melting, and maximum weight loss temperatures at 203.33 °C, 162.54 °C, and 468.92 °C, respectively, which implied good thermal stability. SEM results showed that Se-HA was uniformly dispersed in PAA. The mechanical properties of PAA/Se-HA30 composites included bending, compressive, and yield strengths at 83.07 ± 0.57, 106.56 ± 0.46, and 99.17 ± 1.11 MPa, respectively. The cellular responses of PAA/Se-HA compositesin vitrowere studied using bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) by cell counting kit-8 assay, and results showed that PAA/Se-HA30 composites significantly promoted the proliferation of BMSCs at the concentration of 2 mg ml-1. The alkaline phosphatase activity (ALP) and alizarin red staining results showed that the introduction of Se-HA into PAA enhanced ALP activity and formation of calcium nodule. Western blotting and Real-time polymerase chain reaction results showed that the introduction of Se-HA into PAA could promoted the expression of osteogenic-related proteins and mRNA (integrin-binding sialoprotein, osteopontin, runt-related transcription factor 2 and Osterix) in BMSCs. A muscle defect at the back and a bone defect at the femoral condyle of New Zealand white rabbits were introduced for evaluating the enhancement of bone regeneration of PAA and PAA/Se-HA30 composites. The implantation of muscle tissue revealed good biocompatibility of PAA and PAA/Se-HA30 composites. The implantation of bone defect showed that PAA/Se-HA30 composites enhanced bone formation at the defect site (8 weeks), exhibiting good bone conductivity. Therefore, the PAA-based composite was a promising candidate material for bone tissue regeneration.

Amino acid-based metallo-supramolecular nanoassemblies capable of regulating cellular redox homeostasis for tumoricidal chemo-/photo-/catalytic combination therapy.

Nanozymes, as nanomaterials with natural enzyme activities, have been widely applied to deliver various therapeutic agents to synergistically combat the progression of malignant tumors. However, currently common inorganic nanozyme-based drug delivery systems still face challenges such as suboptimal biosafety, inadequate stability, and inferior tumor selectivity. Herein, a super-stable amino acid-based metallo-supramolecular nanoassembly (FPIC NPs) with peroxidase (POD)- and glutathione oxidase (GSHOx)-like activities was fabricated via Pt4+-driven coordination co-assembly of l-cysteine derivatives, the chemotherapeutic drug curcumin (Cur), and the photosensitizer indocyanine green (ICG). The superior POD- and GSHOx-like activities could not only catalyze the decomposition of endogenous hydrogen peroxide into massive hydroxyl radicals, but also deplete the overproduced glutathione (GSH) in cancer cells to weaken intracellular antioxidant defenses. Meanwhile, FPIC NPs would undergo degradation in response to GSH to specifically release Cur, causing efficient mitochondrial damage. In addition, FPIC NPs intrinsically enable fluorescence/photoacoustic imaging to visualize tumor accumulation of encapsulated ICG in real time, thereby determining an appropriate treatment time point for tumoricidal photothermal (PTT)/photodynamic therapy (PDT). In vitro and in vivo findings demonstrated the quadruple orchestration of catalytic therapy, chemotherapeutics, PTT, and PDT offers conspicuous antineoplastic effects with minimal side reactions. This work may provide novel ideas for designing supramolecular nanoassemblies with multiple enzymatic activities and therapeutic functions, allowing for wider applications of nanozymes and nanoassemblies in biomedicine.

Tangshen Formula alleviates inflammatory injury against aged diabetic kidney disease through modulating gut microbiota composition and related amino acid metabolism.

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is leading causes and one of the fastest growing causes of chronic kidney disease worldwide, and leads to high morbidity and mortality. Emerging evidences have revealed gut microbiota dysbiosis and related metabolism dysfunction play a dominant role in DKD progression and treatment through modulating inflammation. Our previous studies showed that Tangshen Formula (TSF), a Chinese herbal prescription, exhibited anti-inflammatory effect on DKD, but underlying mechanism that involved gut microbiota and related metabolism in aged model remained obscure. Here, BTBR ob/ob mice were used to establish aged DKD model, and 16S rRNA sequence and untargeted metabolomic analyses were employed to investigate the correlation between colonic microbiota and serum metabolism. The aged ob/ob mice exhibited obvious glomerular and renal tubule injury and kidney function decline in kidney, while TSF treatment significantly attenuated these abnormalities. TSF also exhibited potent anti-inflammatory effect in aged ob/ob mice indicating by reduced proinflammatory factor IL-6 and TNF-α, MCP-1 and COX-2 in serum, kidney and intestine, which suggested the involvement of gut microbiota with TSF effect. The 16S rDNA sequencing of the colonic microbiome and untargeted serum metabolomics analysis revealed significant differences in gut microbiota structure and serum metabolomic profiles between WT and ob/ob mice. Notably, TSF treatment reshaped the structure of gut microbiota and corrected the disorder of metabolism especially tryptophan metabolism and arginine biosynthesis. TSF increased Anaeroplasma and Barnesiella genera and decreased Romboutsia, Akkermansia, and Collinsella genera, and further elevated tryptophan, 5-hydroxyindoleacetate, glutamic acid, aspartate and reduced 4-hydroxy-2-quinolinecarboxylic acid, indole-3-acetic acid, xanthurenic acid, glutamine. Further correlation analysis indicated that disturbed gut microbiota was linked to tryptophan metabolism and arginine biosynthesis to regulate inflammation in aged DKD. Our data revealed that TSF attenuated renal inflammation by modulating gut microbiota and related amino acid metabolism in aged DKD model, highlighting gut microbiota and related metabolism functioned as potential therapeutic target for DKD in elderly patients.

Amino acids to prevent cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to examine the preventive effect of amino acids on postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI). METHODS: This was single-center, patient- and assessor-blinded, randomized controlled trial. Patients who underwent aortic surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass were included. The intervention group received 60 g/day of amino acids for up to 3 days. The control group received standard care. The primary outcome was the incidence of AKI. We assessed the effect of amino acids on AKI using a Cox proportional hazards regression model. RESULTS: Sixty-six patients were randomly assigned to the control or intervention group. One patient in the control group withdrew consent after randomization. The incidence of AKI was 10 patients (30.3%) in the intervention group versus 18 patients (56.2%) in the control group (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.44; 95% confidence interval, 0.20-0.95; P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: This trial demonstrated a significant reduction in AKI incidence with amino acid supplementation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: jRCT, jRCTs051210154. Registered 31 December 2021, https://jrct.niph.go.jp/re/reports/detail/69916.

Protein extracts from amaranth and quinoa as novel fining agents for red wines.

Due to allergenic concerns, only pea, potato, and wheat proteins have been approved as alternatives for replacing animal-based fining agents in wines. In pursuit of other substitutes, this work aimed to determine the fining ability of amaranth (Amaranthus caudatus L.) proteins (AP) in red wine, compared to quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) (QP) and a commercial pea protein. Phenolic and volatile composition, as well as color characteristics, were analyzed. AP was as effective as QP at decreasing condensed tannins, with AP at 50 g/hL being the most effective treatment (25.6% reduction). QP and AP produced a minor or no statistical change in the total anthocyanins and wine color intensity. They reduced the total ester concentration, but the total alcohols remained unchanged. The outcomes of AP and QP were similar, and sometimes better than the pea proteins, thus suggesting that they could be promising options for the development of novel fining agents.

Lactococcus cell envelope proteases enable lactococcal growth in minimal growth media supplemented with high molecular weight proteins of plant and animal origin.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have evolved into fastidious microorganisms that require amino acids from environmental sources. Some LAB have cell envelope proteases (CEPs) that drive the proteolysis of high molecular weight proteins like casein in milk. CEP activity is typically studied using casein as the predominant substrate, even though CEPs can hydrolyze other protein sources. Plant protein hydrolysis by LAB has rarely been connected to the activity of specific CEPs. This study aims to show the activity of individual CEPs using LAB growth in a minimal growth medium supplemented with high molecular weight casein or potato proteins. Using Lactococcus cremoris MG1363 as isogenic background to express CEPs, we demonstrate that CEP activity is directly related to growth in the protein-supplemented minimal growth media. Proteolysis is analyzed based on the amino acid release, allowing a comparison of CEP activities and analysis of amino acid utilization by L. cremoris MG1363. This approach provides a basis to analyze CEP activity on plant-based protein substrates as casein alternatives and to compare activity of CEP homologs.

Supplementation for Performance and Health in Patients with Phenylketonuria: An Exercise-Based Approach to Improving Dietary Adherence.

Supplementation is crucial for improving performance and health in phenylketonuria (PKU) patients, who face dietary challenges. Proteins are vital for athletes, supporting muscle growth, minimizing catabolism, and aiding muscle repair and glycogen replenishment post-exercise. However, PKU individuals must limit phenylalanine (Phe) intake, requiring supplementation with Phe-free amino acids or glycomacropeptides. Tailored to meet nutritional needs, these substitutes lack Phe but fulfill protein requirements. Due to limited supplement availability, athletes with PKU may need higher protein intake. Various factors affect tolerated Phe levels, including supplement quantity and age. Adhering to supplement regimens optimizes performance and addresses PKU challenges. Strategically-timed protein substitutes can safely enhance muscle synthesis and sports performance. Individualized intake is essential for optimal outcomes, recognizing proteins' multifaceted role. Here, we explore protein substitute supplementation in PKU patients within the context of physical activity, considering limited evidence.

Intake Modalities of Amino Acid Supplements: A Real-World Data Collection from Phenylketonuria Patients.

BACKGROUND: To achieve a normal nutritional status, patients suffering from phenylketonuria (PKU) are typically prescribed amino acid (AA) supplements with low or no phenylalanine (Phe) content. Studies evaluating patient preferences regarding the intake modalities of AA supplements are limited. This study aimed to collect real-world data regarding prescription adherence and intake modalities of AA supplements reported by PKU patients while monitoring metabolic control. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 33 PKU patients (16 female and 17 male) with a mean age of 27.2 years. Questionnaires were provided to assess information on AA supplement intake, such as prescription adherence rate, frequency and timing of administration, supplement formulation, and combination with food or drinks. Plasma phenylalanine levels were monitored during the study period. RESULTS: 51.5% (n = 17) of patients reported to lay within an adherence range of 75-100%. The majority of patients consumed AA supplements twice daily, with breakfast (87.9%) and afternoon snacks (51.5%). Powder supplements were most commonly used (72.7%) and often combined with milk and/or fruit juices (45.4%). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the known concerns related to treatment compliance among PKU adolescents and adults, most of the study participants reported a high level of adherence to AA supplement prescription. The personalized dietary regimens followed by the patients included in the current study represent a treatment approach that might be worth trying in non-compliant patients.

The Efficacy of Chaihu-Guizhi-Ganjiang Decoction on Chronic Non-Atrophic Gastritis with Gallbladder Heat and Spleen Cold Syndrome and Its Metabolomic Analysis: An Observational Controlled Before-After Clinical Trial.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to verify the effectiveness and explore the mechanism of Chaihu-Guizhi-Ganjiang decoction (CGGD) in the treatment of chronic non-atrophic gastritis (CNAG) with gallbladder heat and spleen cold syndrome (GHSC) by metabolomics based on UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS. Patients and Methods: An observational controlled before-after study was conducted to verify the effectiveness of CGGD in the treatment of CNAG with GHSC from January to June 2023, enrolling 27 patients, who took CGGD for 28 days. 30 healthy volunteers were enrolled as the controls. The efficacy was evaluated by comparing the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome and CNAG scores, and clinical parameters before and after treatment. The plasma levels of hormones related to gastrointestinal function were collected by ELISA. The mechanisms of CGGD in the treatment of CNAG with GHSC were explored using a metabolomic approach based on UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS. Results: Patients treated with CGGD experienced a statistically significant improvement in TCM syndrome and CNAG scores (p < 0.01). CGGD treatment evoked the concentration alteration of 15 biomarkers, which were enriched in the glycerophospholipid metabolism, and branched-chain amino acids biosynthesis pathways. Moreover, CGGD treatment attenuated the abnormalities of the gastrointestinal hormone levels and significantly increased the pepsinogen level. Conclusion: It was the first time that this clinical trial presented detailed data on the clinical parameters that demonstrated the effectiveness of CGGD in the treatment of CNAG with GHSC patients. This study also provided supportive evidence that CNAG with GHSC patients were associated with disturbed branched-chain amino acid metabolism and glycerophospholipid levels, suggesting that CNAG treatment based on TCM syndrome scores was reasonable and also provided a potential pharmacological mechanism of action of CGGD.

The protective effects of Ninjin'yoeito against liver steatosis/fibrosis in a non-alcoholic steatohepatitis model mouse.

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a progressive fibrotic form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Liver fibrosis leads to liver cancer and cirrhosis, and drug therapy for NASH remains lacking. Ninjin'yoeito (NYT) has shown antifibrotic effects in a model of liver fibrosis without steatosis but has not been studied for NASH. Therefore, we evaluated the efficacy of NYT in mice fed a choline-deficient, L-amino acid-defined, high-fat diet (CDAHFD) as a NASH model. Compared with the normal diet group, mice fed CDAHFD showed decreased body weight and increased white adipose tissue, liver weight, and triglyceride content in the liver. Furthermore, a substantial increase in the hepatic concentration of hydroxyproline, expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and transforming growth factor-ß was observed in CDAHFD-fed mice. Masson's trichrome and Picro-Sirius red staining revealed a remarkable increase in collagen fiber compared with the normal diet group. Compared with mice that received CDAHFD alone, those supplemented with NYT exhibited reduced hepatic triglyceride and hydroxyproline levels and α-SMA expression. Additionally, compared with the group fed CDAHFD alone, the stained liver tissues of NYT-treated mice exhibited a reduction in Masson's trichrome- and Picro-Sirius red-positive areas. Locomotor activity was significantly reduced in the CDAHFD-fed group compared with the normal diet group. In the NYT-treated group, the CDAHFD-induced decrease in locomotor activity was significantly suppressed. The findings indicate that NYT inhibited fatty and fibrotic changes in the livers of NASH mice and alleviated the decrease in locomotor activity. Therefore, NYT may serve as a novel therapeutic approach for NASH.