Four lathyrane diterpenoids from the seeds of Euphorbia lathyris.

Four new diterpenoids, including three secolathyrane diterpenoids (1-3) and one lathyrane diterpenoid (4), together with seven known diterpenoids, were obtained in the shelled seeds of Euphorbia lathyris. In particular, 1-3 possess a rare split ring structure, and currently only one compound with the same skeleton has been identified in E. lathyris. Compound 4 furnishes an unprecedented oxygen bridge structure. The structures were identified using various spectral techniques, including NMR, HR-ESI-MS, single-crystal X-ray diffraction and calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD). The biosynthetic pathway of 1-4 was inferred. Furthermore, the cytotoxic activities of all compounds (1-11) were measured on three human tumor cells. New compounds 2 and 3 showed moderate cytotoxic activities against U937 cells with IC50 values of 22.18 and 25.41 µM, respectively.

First Report of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides Causing Anthracnose on Euphorbia lathyris in China.

Euphorbia lathyris L. is a biennial herb in the Euphorbiaceae that has been used as a medicinal plant. It is distributed or cultivated worldwide, and the seeds of E. lathyris are the main source of ingenol, which is the precursor of Picato, the first medicine approved by USFDA for the treatment of solar keratosis (Abramovits et al. 2013). However, the production of E. lathyris can be severely hampered by the occurrence of plant diseases. Between 2020-2022 (specifically in October-November of each year), anthracnose-like symptoms were observed on E. lathyris in fields (E 118°49'50″, N 32°3'33″) in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China. The incidence of E. lathyris with disease symptoms was between 25%-30% (n = 100). The lesions on the leaves were evident initially as dark brown spots, which expanded into larger necrotic spots, finally resulting in leaves withering and dropping off. In severe cases, stem wilting was also observed. To determine the causal agent, we collected diseased leaf samples (n = 20) from different E. lathyris plants in the field (~ 1800 m2). After cleaning, the junctions of the diseased and healthy parts were excised and sterilized in 75% ethanol for 20-25 seconds, and rinsed with sterile water. After that, they were transferred onto potato sucrose agar (PSA) plates and placed at 25℃ for 3-4 days, until fungal growth was evident. The fungus was purified by recovering single conidia and growing them on PSA (Hu et al. 2015). A consistent fungal colony, based on morphological characteristics, was recovered from 17 samples. The colony color was initially white, green in the middle, and gradually changed into gray green as the colony matured. Conidia were transparent and cylindrical (22-28 µm × 7-9 µm, n = 50). Five loci informative (ITS, TUB, ACT, GAPDH, and CHS-1) (Weir et al. 2012) for Colletotrichum spp. identification were sequenced from two isolates ELC-1 and ELC-2 obtained from different plant individuals. Compared with a reference isolate (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides ZH3), the GAPDH, CHS-1, and TUB2 sequences of ELC-1 and ELC-2 showed 95% (263 bp out of 275 bp), 98% (295 bp out of 299 bp), and 99% (711 bp out of 712 bp and 717 bp out of 719 bp) similarity, respectively. The ITS sequence identities were 100% (577 bp out of 577 bp) and 99% (594 bp out of 597 bp), while the ACT sequence identities were 100% (281 bp out of 281 bp) and 98% (279 bp out of 284 bp). All sequences have been deposited in Genbank database (OR865865-OR865866 and OR873625-OR873632). After performing phylogenetic analysis with Mega 11, the pathogen was confirmed as C. gloeosporioides. To fulfil Koch's postulates, we sprayed six-week-old healthy plants with a conidia suspension of C. gloeosporioides (106 spores/mL) or sterile water (serve as control). The inoculated plants were placed at 25℃, 100% relative humidity, and 12-h photoperiod (Zhang et al. 2021). Six plants were inoculated for each treatment, and the experiment was repeated three times. After 6-8 days, the plants inoculated with C. gloeosporioides showed similar symptoms to those observed on diseased plants in the field, while the control plants remained healthy and free of disease. The pathogens were then re-isolated and identified as C. gloeosporioides. To our knowledge, this is the first report of C. gloeosporioides causing anthracnose on E. lathyris. Anthracnose may cause significant yield losses in E. lathyris production, and our results will provide experimental and theoretical basis for the management of the disease.

Comprehensive Analysis of 11 Species of Euodia (Rutaceae) by Untargeted LC-IT-TOF/MS Metabolomics and In Vitro Functional Methods.

The Euodia genus comprises numerous untapped medicinal plants that warrant thorough evaluation for their potential as valuable natural sources of herbal medicine or food flavorings. In this study, untargeted metabolomics and in vitro functional methods were employed to analyze fruit extracts from 11 significant species of the Euodia genus. An investigation of the distribution of metabolites (quinolone and indole quinazoline alkaloids) in these species indicated that E. rutaecarpa (Euodia rutaecarpa) was the most widely distributed species, followed by E. compacta (Euodia compacta), E. glabrifolia (Euodia glabrifolia), E. austrosinensis (Euodia austrosinensis), and E. fargesii (Euodia fargesii). There have been reports on the close correlation between indole quinazoline alkaloids and their anti-tumor activity, especially in E. rutaecarpa fruits which exhibit effectiveness against various types of cancer, such as SGC-7901, Hela, A549, and other cancer cell lines. Additionally, the E. rutaecarpa plant contains indole quinazoline alkaloids, which possess remarkable antibacterial properties. Our results offer novel insights into the utilization of Euodia resources in the pharmaceutical industry.

Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Profiling of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Universal Stress Proteins Reveal Essential Roles in Mechanical Damage and Deoxynivalenol Stress.

Universal stress proteins (USPs) play an important regulatory role in responses to abiotic stress. Most of the research related to USPs so far has been conducted on plant models such as Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), rice (Oryza sativa L.), and cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). The potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is one of the four major food crops in the world. The potato is susceptible to mechanical damage and infection by pathogenic fungi during transport and storage. Deoxynivalenol (DON) released by Fusarium can seriously degrade the quality of potatoes. As a result, it is of great significance to study the expression pattern of the potato StUSP gene family under abiotic stress conditions. In this study, a total of 108 USP genes were identified from the genome of the Atlantic potato, divided into four subgroups. Based on their genetic structure, the physical and chemical properties of their proteins and other aspects of their biological characteristics are comprehensively analyzed. Collinear analysis showed that the homologous genes of StUSPs and four other representative species (Solanum lycopersicum, Arabidopsis, Oryza sativa L., and Nicotiana attenuata) were highly conserved. The cis-regulatory elements of the StUSPs promoter are involved in plant hormones, environmental stress, mechanical damage, and light response. RNA-seq analysis showed that there are differences in the expression patterns of members of each subgroup under different abiotic stresses. A Weighted Gene Coexpression Network Analysis (WGCNA) of the central gene showed that the differential coexpression gene is mainly involved in the plant-pathogen response process, plant hormone signal transduction, and the biosynthesis process of secondary metabolites. Through qRT-PCR analysis, it was confirmed that StUSP13, StUSP14, StUSP15, and StUSP41 may be important candidate genes involved in the response to adversity stress in potatoes. The results of this study provide a basis for further research on the functional analysis of StUSPs in the response of potatoes to adversity stress.

Application of a self-designed pre-positioned 3D honeycomb guide device in internal fixation with percutaneous cannulated screws for treatment of femoral neck fractures / 中华创伤骨科杂志

Objective:To evaluate our self-designed pre-positioned 3D honeycomb guide device in the internal fixation with percutaneous cannulated screws for femoral neck fractures.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the data of 60 patients with femoral neck fracture who had been treated with cannulated screw fixation at Department of Orthopaedics, Kunshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from June 2019 to June 2022. According to the difference in intraoperative positioning for placement of cannulated screws, the patients were divided into a study group of 30 cases whose placement of cannulated screws was assisted by our self-designed pre-positioned 3D honeycomb guide device, and a control group of 30 cases whose cannulated screws were positioned freehand. In the study group, there were 17 males and 13 females with an age of (44.9±9.2) years, and 2 cases of type Ⅱ, 18 cases of type Ⅲ, and 10 cases of type Ⅳ by the Garden classification. In the control group, there were 11 males and 19 females with an age of (43.5±7.9) years), and 1 case of type Ⅱ, 16 cases of type Ⅲ, and 13 cases of type Ⅳ by the Garden classification. Closed reduction and inverted triangle internal fixation with 3 cannulated screws were conducted for all fractures. The Garden crossline index, operation time, fluoroscopy frequency, needle drillings, fracture healing time, and Harris hip functional score at the last follow-up were compared between the 2 groups. The postoperative imaging indicators in the 2 groups were measured, including screw spacing, distance from screw to neck cortex, screw coverage area, parallel deviation between screws, and deviation from screw to neck axis.Results:There were no statistically significant differences in the baseline characteristics between the 2 groups, indicating comparability ( P>0.05). All patients were followed up for (14.4±1.9) months after surgery. In the study group, operation time [(33.1±5.5) min], fluoroscopy frequency [(13.7±2.2) times], needle drillings [(3.7±0.6) times], distance from screw to neck cortex [(12.4±2.8) mm], parallel deviation between screws in the anteroposterior view (2.2°±1.1°), parallel deviation between screws in the lateral view (2.4°±1.0°), deviation from screw to neck axis in the anteroposterior view (4.0°±0.9°) and deviation from screw to neck axis in the lateral view (3.2°±0.8°) were all significantly smaller than those in the control group [(46.5±8.6) min, (23.1±5.2) times, (11.0±2.2) times, (19.0±3.3) mm, 6.5°±2.6°, 7.1°±2.9°, 7.7°±2.6°, and 9.2°±3.1°] (all P<0.05). The screw spacing [(45.7±5.8) mm] and screw coverage area [(74.1±10.9) mm 2] in the study group were both significantly larger than those in the control group [(31.3±7.7) mm and (55.5±9.0) mm 2] ( P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups in Garden crossline index, fracture healing time, follow-up time, or Harris hip functional score at the last follow-up ( P>0.05). Follow-ups revealed 1 case of bone non-union in the study group and 2 cases of bone non-union and screw withdrawal in the control group, but no such complications as infection, deep vein thrombosis, screw penetration or rupture, or femoral head necrosis in either group. Conclusion:In the internal fixation with percutaneous cannulated screws for the treatment of femoral neck fractures, our self-designed pre-positioned 3D honeycomb guide device can shorten surgical time, significantly reduce fluoroscopy frequency and needle drillings, and effectively improve accuracy of screw placement.

The Ethanolic Extract of Lycium ruthenicum Ameliorates Age-Related Physiological Damage in Mice.

Aging and age-related diseases are important study topics due to their associations with progressive physiological damage to genes, cells, tissues, and the entire organism, which ultimately affects the functional efficiency of organs. Lycium ruthenicum Murr. is a functional food that is known for its high contents of anthocyanins and spermidines, both of which have been demonstrated to have positive effects on anti-aging activity and anti-oxidation. In this study, we used HPLC-MS to analyze the constituents of L. ruthenicum Murr. Extract (LRM) and investigated their potential mechanism for exerting antioxidative effects in D-galactose (D-Gal) aging model mice. LRM (25 mg/kg, 50 mg/kg, and 100 mg/kg) improved cognitive function in D-Gal-treated mice, as shown by reduced escape latencies and increased platform crossings in behavioral tests. We measured the contents of lipid peroxidation (LPO) and malondialdehyde (MDA) and the enzyme activities of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in mice serum and brain after 6 weeks of D-Gal treatment. LRM decreased the contents of LPO and MDA and increased the enzyme activities of SOD and GSH-Px, indicating the protection effect of LRM against D-Gal-induced oxidative stress. Additionally, LRM can inhibit oxidative stress in cells by reducing intracellular ROS levels and restoring mitochondrial membrane potential, thereby inhibiting paraquat (PQ)-induced cellular senescence and delaying cell aging. Therefore, LRM has the potential to be a healthcare product for the treatment of age-related diseases.

Iva xanthiifolia leaf extract reduced the diversity of indigenous plant rhizosphere bacteria.

BACKGROUND: Iva xanthiifolia, native to North America, is now widely distributed in northeastern China and has become a vicious invasive plant. This article aims to probe the role of leaf extract in the invasion of I. xanthiifolia. METHODS: We collected the rhizosphere soil of Amaranthus tricolor and Setaria viridis in the invasive zone, the noninvasive zone and the noninvasive zone treated with extract from I. xanthiifolia leaf, and obtained I. xanthiifolia rhizosphere soil in the invasive zone. All wild plants were identified by Xu Yongqing. I. xanthiifolia (collection number: RQSB04100), A. tricolor (collection number: 831,030) and S. viridis (collection number: CF-0002-034) are all included in Chinese Virtual Herbarium ( https://www.cvh.ac.cn/index.php ). The soil bacterial diversity was analyzed based on the Illumina HiSeq sequencing platform. Subsequently, taxonomic analysis and Faprotax functional prediction were performed. RESULTS: The results showed that the leaf extract significantly reduced the diversity of indigenous plant rhizosphere bacteria. A. tricolor and S. viridis rhizobacterial phylum and genus abundances were significantly reduced under the influence of I. xanthiifolia or its leaf extract. The results of functional prediction showed that bacterial abundance changes induced by leaf extracts could potentially hinder nutrient cycling in native plants and increased bacterial abundance in the A. tricolor rhizosphere related to aromatic compound degradation. In addition, the greatest number of sensitive Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) appeared in the rhizosphere when S. viridis was in response to the invasion of I. xanthiifolia. It can be seen that A. tricolor and S. viridis have different mechanisms in response to the invasion of I. xanthiifolia. CONCLUSION: I. xanthiifolia leaves material has potential role in invasion by altering indigenous plant rhizosphere bacteria.

Genome-Wide Identification of the NPR1-like Gene Family in Solanum tuberosum and Functional Characterization of StNPR1 in Resistance to Ralstonia solanacearum.

The NPR1 (nonexpressor of pathogenesis-related genes 1) gene is an activator of the systemic acquisition of resistance (SAR) in plants and is one of the central factors in their response to pathogenic bacterial infestation, playing an important role in plant disease resistance. Potato (Solanum tuberosum) is a crucial non-grain crop that has been extensively studied. However, the identification and analysis of the NPR1-like gene within potato have not been understood well. In this study, a total of six NPR1-like proteins were identified in potato, and phylogenetic analysis showed that the six NPR1-like proteins in Solanum tuberosum could be divided into three major groups with NPR1-related proteins from Arabidopsis thaliana and other plants. Analysis of the exon-intron patterns and protein domains of the six NPR1-like genes from potato showed that the exon-intron patterns and protein domains of the NPR1-like genes belonging to the same Arabidopsis thaliana subfamily were similar. By performing quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis, we found that six NPR1-like proteins have different expression patterns in different potato tissues. In addition, the expression of three StNPR1 genes was significantly downregulated after being infected by Ralstonia solanacearum (RS), while the difference in the expression of StNPR2/3 was insignificant. We also established potato StNPR1 overexpression lines that showed a significantly increased resistance to R. solanacearum and elevated activities of chitinase, ß-1,3-glucanase, and phenylalanine deaminase. Increased peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activities, as well as decreased hydrogen peroxide, regulated the dynamic balance of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the StNPR1 overexpression lines. The transgenic plants activated the expression of the genes associated with the Salicylic acid (SA) defense response but suppressed the expression of the genes associated with Jasmonic acid (JA) signaling. This resulted in resistance to Ralstonia solanacearum.

Comparison of different adjuvant therapy regimen efficacies in patients with high risk of recurrence after radical resection of hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a high recurrence rate even after radical surgery. Postoperative adjuvant transhepatic arterial chemoembolization (PA-TACE), postoperative adjuvant hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (PA-HAIC), postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy (PA-RT), and postoperative adjuvant molecular targeted therapy have been demonstrated to be effective in reducing the postoperative recurrence rate. The present network meta-analysis was conducted to compare the effects of PA-TACE, PA-HAIC, PA-RT and postoperative adjuvant molecular targeted therapy on the overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in HCC patients after radical resection and to determine the optimal treatment strategy. METHODS: Network meta-analysis was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were used to collect eligible studies up to December 25, 2022. Studies related to PA-TACE, PA-HAIC, and postoperative adjuvant molecular targeted therapy after radical HCC resection was included. The endpoints were OS and DFS, and the effect size was determined using hazard ratio with a 95% confidence interval. R software and "gemtc" package were employed to analyze the results. RESULTS: A total of 38 studies involving 7079 patients with HCC after radical resection were ultimately enrolled to be analyzed. Four postoperative adjuvant therapy measures and two oncology indicators were evaluated. In this study, OS-related investigations validated that PA-Sorafenib and PA-RT markedly enhanced the OS rates in patients after radical resection when compared to PA-TACE and PA-HAIC. However, statistical analysis revealed no significant difference between PA-Sorafenib and PA-RT, as well as PA-TACE and PA-HAIC. In the DFS-related investigations, PA-RT demonstrated superior efficacy over PA-Sorafenib, PA-TACE, and PA-HAIC. Additionally, PA-Sorafenib displayed better efficacy than PA-TACE. Nevertheless, there was no statistical significance between PA-Sorafenib and PA-HAIC, as well as PA-TACE and PA-HAIC. We also performed a subgroup analysis of studies focusing on HCC complicated by microvascular invasion after radical resection. In terms of OS, both PA-RT and PA-Sorafenib demonstrated a noteworthy improvement over PA-TACE, whereas no statistical significance was detected between PA-RT and PA-Sorafenib. Likewise, for DFS, both PA-Sorafenib and PA-RT exhibited superior efficacy compared to PA-TACE. CONCLUSION: In patients with HCC after radical resection and a high risk of recurrence, both PA-Sorafenib and PA-RT significantly improved OS and DFS when compared to PA-TACE and PA-HAIC. Notably, PA-RT exhibited superior efficacy over PA-Sorafenib, PA-TACE, and PA-HAIC in terms of DFS. Similarly, PA-Sorafenib appeared to be more effective than PA-TACE for DFS.

Trifolirhizin inhibits proliferation, migration and invasion in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells via PI3K/Akt signaling pathway suppression.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a highly recurrent and metastatic malignant tumor affecting a large number of individuals in southern China. Traditional Chinese herbal medicine has been found to be a rich source of natural compounds with mild therapeutic effects and minimal side effects, making them increasingly popular for treating various diseases. Trifolirhizin, a natural flavonoid derived from leguminous plants, has gained significant attention for its therapeutic potential. In this study, we confirmed that trifolirhizin could effectively inhibit the proliferation, migration and invasion of nasopharyngeal carcinoma 6-10B and HK1 cells. Furthermore, our findings demonstrated that trifolirhizin achieves this by suppressing the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. The findings of the present study provides a valuable perspective on the potential therapeutic applications of trifolirhizin for the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Combined Transcriptome and Metabolome Analysis Reveals Adaptive Defense Responses to DON Induction in Potato.

Phytophthora infestans poses a serious threat to potato production, storage, and processing. Understanding plant immunity triggered by fungal elicitors is important for the effective control of plant diseases. However, the role of the potato stress response to Fusarium toxin deoxynivalenol (DON)-induced stress is still not fully understood. In this study, the metabolites of DON-treated potato tubers were studied for four time intervals using UPLC-MS/MS. We identified 676 metabolites, and differential accumulation metabolite analysis showed that alkaloids, phenolic acids, and flavonoids were the major differential metabolites that directly determined defense response. Transcriptome data showed that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were significantly enriched in phenylpropane and flavonoid metabolic pathways. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) identified many hub genes, some of which modulate plant immune responses. This study is important for understanding the metabolic changes, transcriptional regulation, and physiological responses of active and signaling substances during DON induction, and it will help to design defense strategies against Phytophthora infestans in potato.

Effect of electroacupuncture on PD-L1/PD-1-SHP-1 signaling pathway in dorsal root ganglia of rats with acute postoperative pain / 中华麻醉学杂志

Objective:To evaluate the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1)/programmed cell death receptor-1 (PD-1)/Src-homology region two domain-containing phosphatase-1 (SHP-1) signaling pathway in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) of rats with acute postoperative pain.Methods:Thirty-nine SPF male Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 220-250 g, aged 6-8 weeks, were divided into 3 groups ( n=13 each) using a random number table method: control group (group C), abdominal surgery group (group S) and abdominal surgery+ EA group (group S+ EA). Group S and group S+ EA underwent abdominal surgery under isoflurane anesthesia. In S+ EA group, both Zusanli and Sanyinjiao acupoints were selected and stimulated for 30 min with a frequency of 10 Hz continuous wave and a current of 1 mA starting from the end of operation and 2 h after operation. Seven rats were selected from each group for measurement of the mechanical paw withdrawal threshold (MWT), abdominal contraction threshold (ACT), thermal paw withdrawal latency (TWL) and cold paw withdrawal latency (CWL) at 1 day before developing the model (T 0) and 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 24 h after developing the model (T 1-6). Six rats in each group were sacrificed at 5 h after the model was prepared, and T 12-L 4 DRG was removed for determination of the expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6), PD-L1, PD-1 and SHP-1 (by Western blot) and expression of PD-L1 in various neurons (by immunofluorescence). Results:There was no significant difference in TWL and CWL between the three groups at different time points ( P>0.05). Compared with group C, MWT at T 1-5 and ACT at T 1-6 were significantly decreased, and the expression of IL-6 in DRG was up-regulated, and the expression of PD-L1, PD-1 and SHP-1 in DRG was down-regulated in group S ( P<0.05). Compared with group S, MWT and ACT were significantly increased at T 1, 2, the expression of IL-6 in DRG was down-regulated, and the expression of PD-L1, PD-1 and SHP-1 in DRG was up-regulated in group S+ EA ( P<0.05). The results of immunofluorescence showed that PD-L1 was expressed on both small diameter neurons (CGRP + neurons and IB4 + neurons) and large diameter neurons (NF200 + neurons) and mainly on CGRP + neurons and IB4 + neurons. There was no significant difference in the expression of PD-L1 in various DRG neurons among the three groups ( P>0.05). Conclusions:The mechanism by which EA relieves acute postoperative pain may be related to activation of the PD-L1/PD-1-SHP-1 signaling pathway in the DRG of rats.

Electroacupuncture alleviates postoperative pain through inhibiting neuroinflammation via stimulator of interferon genes/type-1 interferon pathway / 中西医结合学报

OBJECTIVE@#This work explores the impact of electroacupuncture (EA) on acute postoperative pain (APP) and the role of stimulator of interferon genes/type-1 interferon (STING/IFN-1) signaling pathway modulation in the analgesic effect of EA in APP rats.@*METHODS@#The APP rat model was initiated through abdominal surgery and the animals received two 30 min sessions of EA at bilateral ST36 (Zusanli) and SP6 (Sanyinjiao) acupoints. Mechanical, thermal and cold sensitivity tests were performed to measure the pain threshold, and electroencephalograms were recorded in the primary somatosensory cortex to identify the effects of EA treatment on APP. Western blotting and immunofluorescence were used to examine the expression and distribution of proteins in the STING/IFN-1 pathway as well as neuroinflammation. A STING inhibitor (C-176) was administered intrathecally to verify its role in EA.@*RESULTS@#APP rats displayed mechanical and thermal hypersensitivities compared to the control group (P < 0.05). APP significantly reduced the amplitude of θ, α and γ oscillations compared to their baseline values (P < 0.05). Interestingly, expression levels of proteins in the STING/IFN-1 pathway were downregulated after inducing APP (P < 0.05). Further, APP increased pro-inflammatory factors, including interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α and inducible nitric oxide synthase, and downregulated anti-inflammatory factors, including interleukin-10 and arginase-1 (P < 0.05). EA effectively attenuated APP-induced painful hypersensitivities (P < 0.05) and restored the θ, α and γ power in APP rats (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, EA distinctly activated the STING/IFN-1 pathway and mitigated the neuroinflammatory response (P < 0.05). Furthermore, STING/IFN-1 was predominantly expressed in isolectin-B4- or calcitonin-gene-related-peptide-labeled dorsal root ganglion neurons and superficial laminae of the spinal dorsal horn. Inhibition of the STING/IFN-1 pathway by intrathecal injection of C-176 weakened the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of EA on APP (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#EA can generate robust analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects on APP, and these effects may be linked to activating the STING/IFN-1 pathway, suggesting that STING/IFN-1 may be a target for relieving APP. Please cite this article as: Ding YY, Xu F, Wang YF, Han LL, Huang SQ, Zhao S, Ma LL, Zhang TH, Zhao WJ, Chen XD. Electroacupuncture alleviates postoperative pain through inhibiting neuroinflammation via stimulator of interferon genes/type-1 interferon pathway. J Integr Med. 2023; 21(5): 496-508.

Application prospect of reaction engineering approach in studying drying behavior of single droplet during spray drying of traditional Chinese medicine / 中国中药杂志

Spray drying technology is one of the most commonly used unit operations in the production of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) preparations, offering advantages such as short drying time and uniform product quality. However, due to the properties of TCM extracts, such as high viscosity, strong hygroscopicity, and poor flowability, there is limited scope to solve the problems of wall adhesion and clumping in spray drying from the macroscopic perspective of pharmaceutical production. Therefore, it has become a trend to study and optimize the spray drying process from the microscopic point of view by investigating single droplet evaporation behavior. Based on the reaction engineering approach(REA), the single droplet drying system, as a novel method for studying droplets, collects parameter data on individual TCM droplets during the drying process and uses the REA to process the data and establish predictive models. This approach is crucial for understanding the mechanism of TCM spray drying. This paper summarized and analyzed the cha-racteristics of various single droplet systems, the application of REA in single droplet drying systems, and its significance in optimizing the process, predicting drying states, and shortening the development cycle in the field of TCM spray drying, and looked ahead to the prospects of this method, including the introduction of new parameters and imaging techniques, aiming to provide a reference for further research in the field of TCM spray drying.

Rhamnan sulfate reduces atherosclerotic plaque formation and vascular inflammation.

OBJECTIVE: While lipid-lowering drugs have become a mainstay of clinical therapy these treatments only slow the progression of the disease and can have side effects. Thus, new treatment options are needed to supplement the effects of lipid lowering therapy for treating atherosclerosis. We examined the use of an inexpensive and widely available marine polysaccharide rhamnan sulfate as an oral therapeutic for limiting vascular inflammation and atherosclerosis. METHODS AND RESULTS: We found rhamnan sulfate enhanced the barrier function of endothelial cells, preventing the deposition of LDL and maintaining barrier function even in the presence of glycocalyx-degrading enzymes. Rhamnan sulfate was also found to bind directly to FGF-2, PDGF-BB and NF-κB subunits with high affinity. In addition, rhamnan sulfate was a potent inhibitor of NF-κB pathway activation in endothelial cells by TNF-α. We treated ApoE-/- mice with a high fat diet for 4 weeks and then an addition 9 weeks of high fat diet with or without rhamnan sulfate. Rhamnan sulfate reduced vascular inflammation and atherosclerosis in both sexes of ApoE-/- mice but had a stronger therapeutic effect in female mice. Oral consumption of rhamnan sulfate induced a significant decrease in cholesterol plasma levels in female mice but not in male mice. In addition, there was a marked reduction in inflammation for female mice in the liver and aortic root in comparison to male mice. CONCLUSIONS: Rhamnan sulfate has beneficial effects in reducing inflammation, binding growth factors and NF-κB, enhancing endothelial barrier function and reducing atherosclerotic plaque formation in ApoE-/- mice.

Chemical Constituents of Cyperus esculentus Leaves and the Protective Effect against Agricultural Fungicide-Induced Hepatotoxicity.

Cyperus esculentus is cultivated as a crop plant due to its edible and oily tubers (tiger nut). However, little is known about the phytochemicals and bioeffects of the leaves. This study was conducted to identify and quantify the chemical constituents of C. esculentus leaves and evaluate their bioactivities. By liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, 30 compounds including flavan-3-ols, caffeic acid derivatives, and flavones, were identified from the leaves. The quantitative analysis revealed that gallocatechin (8), procyanidin B1 (15), catechin (16), chlorogenic acid (19), orientin (30), and luteolin 7-O-glucuronide (31) are the major chemical constituents of C. esculentus leaves. The contents of these six chemical constituents in the leaves collected in September in Hohhot, China, reached to 1460.85±7.66, 10178.77±302.65, 1048.35±17.37, 1722.15±26.13, 5318.62±277.16, and 1526.54±11.95 µg, respectively, in one gram of the dried leaves. The leaf extract (CELE) showed strong antioxidant activity in vitro, with compounds 8, 15, and 19 contributing the most. CELE showed significant protection against the agricultural fungicide tebuconazole-induced developmental toxicity and hepatotoxicity in zebrafish.

Quantification and purification of procyanidin B1 from food byproducts.

The flavan-3-ols of 10 primarily plant food byproducts, including Muscat Hamburg grape seed, hawthorn sarcocarp, litchi pericarp, cocoa bean, peanut skin, lotus seedpod, Xinyang Maojian green tea, Cinnamomi cortex, Sargentodoxa cuneata stem, and Cyperus esculentus, leaves were analyzed. Ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry was used for the analysis. Cyperus esculentus leaves contained a high amount of procyanidin B1 (198.9 mg/100 g), second only to Muscat Hamburg grape seed (292.9 mg/100 g). Unlike grape seed that contained several procyanidin B isomers with very similar retention times, C. esculentus leaves contained primarily procyanidin B1 with few isomers. Procyanidin B1 was enriched in the ethyl acetate fraction of a 70% methanol extract of C. esculentus leaves and purified at 95% purity by two runs of open column chromatography. Direct chromatography of the plant extract on octadecylsilane and Sephadex LH20 open columns improved the yield of the resultant leaf procyanidin B1 (95% purity) to 0.21‰. The present research demonstrated that the leaves of C. esculentus, byproducts of tigernut, are ideal plant sources for isolating and providing high-purity procyanidin B1. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Procyanidin B1 has a broad range of health benefits. Cyperus esculentus is cultivated in many countries with nearly 6190 square hectares (hm2 ) in the Spanish Mediterranean region in 2020-2021 and over 16,700 hm2 in China in recent years, primarily for its tubers. The byproducts, the leaves of C. esculentus, contain high levels of procyanidin B1, with few isomers that interfere with its isolation and purification. Thus, the leaves of this plant provide a viable source for preparing high-purity procyanidin B1.

Two Novel Sesquiterpenoid Glycosides from the Rhizomes of Atractylodes lancea.

Secoatractylohexone A (1), an unprecedented secoguaiane lactone glycoside featuring 6/7 cores and dihydroxy-9-guaine-3-one 11-O-ß-d-glucopyranoside (2), a 9,10-unsaturated guaiene-type glycoside possessing an uncommon scaffold, were isolated from the water-soluble portion of the ethanolic extract of Atractylodes lancea rhizomes together with five known compounds (3-7). The structures of 1 and 2 were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic data and application of the CD technique. The potential biological activities of secoatractylohexone A were predicted by network pharmacology in silico, the result of which indicated that secoatractylohexone A may be used to treat type II diabetes.

Identification and bioactivity evaluation of flavan-3-ols in the milk of dairy sheep fed Cynomorium songaricum.

Cynomorium songaricum is a traditional medicine and also a food material that is eaten raw or processed as tea or beverages. As a featured plant in semi-desert grasslands, C. songaricum is also eaten by the cattle and sheep in the area. This research study fed dairy sheep C. songaricum to determine the flavan-3-ols in sheep milk. Catechin (Cat), epicatechin (Epi), procyanidin A1 (A1), procyanidin A2 (A2), and procyanidin B1 (B1) were detected in sheep milk with the concentration being Epi > A2 > Cat > B1 > A1 at 24 h after the administration of C. songaricum. Neither A1 nor A2 were detected in the methanol extract of C. songaricum. Cysteine degradation of the plant revealed that in addition to Epi, A2 was the extending unit of the polymeric flavan-3-ols in C. songaricum, indicating that A2 is released digestively from the polymers and enters the milk. Procyanidin B-1 was converted to A1 on incubation in raw but not heated milk, indicating that the A1 in milk is the enzymatically transformed product of B1. Accelerated oxidation showed that the flavan-3-ols, B1, Cat, and Epi significantly protects the unsaturated triacyglycerols in the milk from oxidation. The flavan-3-ol could slow down the oxidation of glutathione and the latter may play an important role in preventing the milk triglycerides from oxidation. Flavan-3-ols are polyphenols with many health benefits. The present research revealed the antioxidant activities of flavan-3-ols that could be absorbed to sheep milk, adding new evidences for the values of these flavan-3-ols and for the milk.