An integrated chemical characterization based on FT-NIR, and GC-MS for the comparative metabolite profiling of 3 species of the genus Amomum.

BACKGROUND: The fruits and seeds of genus Amomum are well-known as medicinal plants and edible spices, and are used in countries such as China, India and Vietnam to treat malaria, gastrointestinal disorders and indigestion. The morphological differences between different species are relatively small, and technical characterization and identification techniques are needed. RESULTS: Fourier transform near infrared spectroscopy (FT-NIR) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), combined with principal component analysis and two-dimensional correlation analysis were used to characterize the chemical differences of Amomum tsao-ko, Amomum koenigii, and Amomum paratsaoko. The targets and pathways for the treatment of diabetes mellitus in three species were predicted using network pharmacology and screened for the corresponding pharmacodynamic components as potential quality markers. The results of "component-target-pathway" network showed that (+)-Nerolidol, 2-Nonanol, α-Terpineol, α-Pinene, 2-Nonanone had high degree values and may be the main active components. Partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) was further used to select for differential metabolites and was identified as a potential quality marker, 11 in total. PLS-DA and residual network (ResNet) classification models were developed for the identification of 3 species of the genus Amomum, ResNet model is more suitable for the identification study of large volume samples. SIGNIFICANCE: This study characterizes the differences between the three species in a visual way and also provides a reliable technique for their identification, while demonstrating the ability of FT-NIR spectroscopy for fast, easy and accurate species identification. The results of this study lay the foundation for quality evaluation studies of genus Amomum and provide new ideas for the development of new drugs for the treatment of diabetes mellitus.

Comparison of metabolites and variety authentication of Amomum tsao-ko and Amomum paratsao-ko using GC-MS and NIR spectroscopy.

Amomum tsao-ko, as an edible and medicinal variety, has been cultivated for more than 600 years in China. Recently, two cultivars, A. tsao-ko and Amomum paratsao-ko, were found in A. tsao-ko planting area. The two cultivars are often confused because of the similar phenotype and difficult to distinguish through sensory judgment. In this study, the non-targeted gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) metabolomics combined with near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) were used for dissecting the two cultivars with phenotypic differences. According to principal component analysis (PCA) loading diagram and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) S-plot of the metabolites, the accumulation of major components including 1,8-cineole, α-phellandrene, (E)-2-decenal, (-)-ß-pinene, (E)-2-octenal, 1-octanal, D-limonene, and decanal, were present differences between the two cultivars. Seven metabolites potential differentiated biomarkers as ß-selinene, decamethylcyclopentasiloxane, (E,Z)-2,6-dodecadienal, (E)-2-hexenal, (E)-2-decenal, isogeranial, 1,8-cineole and ß-cubebene were determined. Although A. tsao-ko and A. paratsao-ko belong to the same genera and are similar in plant and fruit morphology, the composition and content of the main components were exposed significant discrepancy, so it is necessary to distinguish them. In this study, the discriminant model established by GC-MS or NIRS combined with multivariate analysis has achieved a good classification effect. NIRS has the advantages of simple, fast and nondestructive and can be used for rapid identification of varieties and fruit tissues.

Stabilization of Delphinidin in Complex with Sulfobutylether-ß-Cyclodextrin Allows for Antinociception in Inflammatory Pain.

Aims: Delphinidin (DEL) is a plant-derived antioxidant with clinical potential to treat inflammatory pain but suffers from poor solubility and low bioavailability. The aim of the study was to develop a well-tolerated cyclodextrin (CD)-DEL complex with enhanced bioavailability and to investigate the mechanisms behind its antinociceptive effects in a preclinical model of inflammatory pain. Results: CD-DEL was highly soluble and stable in aqueous solution, and was nontoxic. Systemic administration of CD-DEL reversed mechanical and heat hyperalgesia, while its local application into the complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced inflamed paw dose-dependently reduced mechanical hyperalgesia, paw volume, formation of the lipid peroxidation product 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4-HNE), and tissue migration of CD68+ macrophages. CD-DEL also directly prevented 4-HNE-induced mechanical hyperalgesia, cold allodynia, and an increase in the intracellular calcium concentration into transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 expressing cells. Both 4-HNE- and CFA-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were sensitive to CD-DEL, while its capacity to scavenge superoxide anion radicals (inhibitory concentration 50 [IC50]: 70 ± 5 µM) was higher than that observed for hydroxyl radicals (IC50: 600 ± 50 µM). Finally, CD-DEL upregulated heme oxygenase 1 that was prevented by HMOX-1 siRNA in vitro. Innovation:In vivo application of DEL to treat inflammatory pain is facilitated by complexation with CD. Apart from its antioxidant effects, the CD-DEL has a unique second antioxidative mechanism involving capturing of 4-HNE into the CD cavity followed by displacement and release of the ROS scavenger DEL. Conclusion: CD-DEL has antinociceptive, antioxidative, and anti-inflammatory effects making it a promising formulation for the local treatment of inflammatory pain.

[Study on the Genetic Relationship of Panax Notoginseng and Its Wild Relatives Based on Fourier Translation Infrared Spectroscopy].

Wild relatives play a very important role in enriching germplasm resources and improving the quality and yield of cultivated species. In this paper, the genetic relationship between Panax notoginseng and its wild relatives has been investigated by using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy in order to provide theoretical bases in the variety improvement of P. notoginseng as well as the development and utilization of germplasm resources. The FTIR spectra of P. notoginseng and its wild relatives (P. japonicus var. major, P. stipuleanatus, P. vietnamensis, P. japonicus var. bipinnatifidus) as well as Panax notoginsenosides were collected. The original infrared spectra of P. notoginseng and its wild relatives were pretreated by automatic baseline correction, smoothing, ordinate normalization and second derivative. The genetic relationship between P. notoginseng and its wild relatives has been studied together with the aid of principal component analysis (PCA), partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). By comparing the infrared spectra of P. notoginseng with that of panax notoginsenosides, some common peaks such as 3 400, 2 930, 1 635, 1 385, 1 075 and 927 cm-1 has been found. It showed that the peak heights of P. notoginseng samples may relate with the content of panax notoginsenosides. The original infrared spectra of P. notoginseng are similar to its wild relatives and the absorption peaks of the functional groups of C­H, CO, O­H, C­N and C­O were presented. There were some differences in the fingerprint region (1 800～500 cm-1) of the second derivative spectra of these five species samples. The characteristic absorption peaks such as 1 385 and 784 cm-1 has an obviously differentiation. Then the fingerprint region of second derivative spectra is subjected to be analyzed by PCA and PLS-DA. By comparing the 3D score plots of these two methods, the classification result of PLS-DA is significantly better than PCA. In addition, the result of HCA which based on the six principal components of PLS-DA has shown that P. japonicus var. major and P. vienamensis have close relationship with P. notoginseng while P. stipuleanatus and P. japonicus var. bipinnatifidus are far from P. notoginseng. The use of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy combined with chemometrics methods could effectively investigate the genetic relationship between P. notoginseng and its wild relatives. Furthermore, it could provide reference for the research of medicinal plants.

[Ultraviolet absorption spectrum analysis and identification of medicinal plants of Paris].

Species of Paris are important medicinal plants of China. They possess anticancer, hot alexipharmic, detumescence, acesodyne, and arrest blood and remove blood stasis effects. They are the main raw material for several Chinese patent drugs such as "Yunnan Baiyao", "Gong Xue Ning", "Re Du Qing" and "Ji De Sheng Sheyaopian". The present paper, through optimizing the chloroform, absolute ethyl alcohol and water extraction condition of Paris by orthogonal test L3(4) (16), using mean value, smoothness and second differential methods on the observed UV spectrum, to inspects the RSD of stability and repeatability of different waveband. By SIMCA and the common and variant peak ratio dual index sequence analysis method, it evaluated the quality and quantity of Paris. The results showed that at the time of 50, 40 and 50 min, chloroform, absolute ethyl alcohol and water had the highest extraction ratios. Within 20 h, the RSDs of stability were 0.06-1.88, 0.05-2.42 and 0.03-0.35; the RSDs of accuracy were 0-1.48, 0.05-0.37 and 0.09-0.44; and the RSDs of repeatability were 0-1.23, 0.04-0.30 and 0.12-0.25 respectively. The qualitative analysis revealed large differences between different Paris species and different areas. The quantitative analysis indicated that the highest common peak ratio among the Paris samples was 80.00% and the lowest variant peak ratio was 6.25%. The method evaluated Paris of different species and from different producing areas, and also quantitatively assessed the arbitrary two samples, clarified the similarity between the species and areas of Paris, which provided basis of distinguishing the real and false, identification of variety and quality evaluation for Chinese herbal medicine.

[Species and ecological control of disease on cultivated Gentiana rigescens in Yunnan].

OBJECTIVE: To find out variety of the fungal diseases of cultivated Gentiana rigescens and provide important basis for prevention. METHODS: The diseases were diagnosed based on field investigate, symptoms observation, pathogen isolation, determination the size of morphological and verification following the Koch's Postulate procedures. RESULTS: Anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides), grey mould (Botrytis cinerea), brown spot (Alternaria tenuis), rust (Aecidiumpers), circular spot (Pestalotiopsis), leaf blight (Stemphylium, Ascochyta, Pleospora) and nematodes (Heterodera spp., Meloidogyne spp.) were found on Gentiana rigescens. Anthracnose was the first main disease, the diseased plant rate was over 40% and disease severity was 4 - 5 degree and second disease was rust, incidence of rate was less 10% and other diseases rate was not enough 2%. CONCLUSION: All these diseases on Gentiana rigescens are reported for the first time and Gentiana rigescens is the new host plant of the diseases.