Endophytic fungus Colletotrichum sp. AP12 promotes growth physiology and andrographolide biosynthesis in Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Nees.

Endophytic fungi can promote host plant growth, enhance antioxidant defense enzyme activity, and induce the biosynthesis and accumulation of secondarymetabolites. Therefore, using endophytic fungi to improve the quality and yield of medicinal plants or important crops is an effective means of regulation. Colletotrichum sp. AP12 has been reported to produce andrographolide compounds (ADCs). This study aimed to investigate the effects of AP12 and its elicitors on the growth, defense enzyme activity, accumulation, and transcription levels of key genes in Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Nees (A. paniculata). Using fermentation method to prepare AP12 into the inactivated fermentation solution (IFS), fermentation solution (FS), inactivated mycelium solution (IMS), and mycelium solution (MS), and the results showed that all four fungal elicitor components (ECs) could promote A. paniculata growth, enhance antioxidant defense enzymes, and increase ADC content and yield, especially the IMS group that had the highest leaf area, whole plant dry weight, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) enzyme activities, total lactone contents, and yields, which were 2.37-, 1.60-, 2.20-, 3.27-, 1.59-, and 2.65-fold of the control, respectively. The 14-deoxyandrographolide (NAD) in the host irrigated with MS was 3.35-fold that of the control. In addition, AP12-infected A. paniculata sterile seedlings could significantly increase ADC content and expression levels of key enzyme genes, especially on day 12, when the total lactone content of the host reached 88.881± 5.793 mg/g DW, while on day 6, CPS gene expression level reached 10.79-fold that of the control, in turn promoting the biosynthesis and accumulation of andrographolide. In conclusion, the endophytic fungus AP12 is beneficial to the growth and secondary metabolism of A. paniculata, which is helpful for the cultivation and application of the biological bacterial fertilizer in A. paniculata, providing a theoretical and research basis for the use of endophytic fungi as a microbial resource to improve the quality and yield of medicinal plants.

FTZ polysaccharides ameliorate kidney injury in diabetic mice by regulating gut-kidney axis.

BACKGROUND: The Fufang-zhenzhu-tiaozhi formula (FTZ), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) commonly used to treat metabolic diseases, potentially impacts the microbial ecosystem. Increasing evidence suggests that polysaccharides, bioactive components of TCMs, have great potential on kinds of diseases such as DKD by regulating intestinal flora. PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate whether the polysaccharide components in FTZ (FTZPs) have beneficial effects in DKD mice via the gut-kidney axis. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: The DKD model in mice was established by streptozotocin combined with a high-fat diet (STZ/HFD). Losartan was used as a positive control, and FTZPs were administered at doses of 100 and 300 mg/kg daily. Renal histological changes were measured by H&E and Masson staining. Western blotting, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (q-PCR) and immunohistochemistry were performed to analyze the effects of FTZPs on renal inflammation and fibrosis, which were further confirmed using RNA sequencing. Immunofluorescence was used to analyze the effects of FTZPs on colonic barrier function in DKD mice. Faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) was used to evaluate the contribution of intestinal flora. 16S rRNA sequencing was utilized to analyze the composition of intestinal bacteria, and UPLC-QTOF-MS-based untargeted metabolomics was used to identify the metabolite profiles. RESULTS: Treatment with FTZPs attenuated kidney injury, as indicated by the decreased urinary albumin/creatinine ratio and improved renal architecture. FTZPs downregulated the expression of renal genes associated with inflammation, fibrosis, and systematically blunted related pathways. FTZPs also restored the colonic mucosal barrier and increased the expression of tight junction proteins (E-cadherin). The FMT experiment confirmed the substantial contribution of the FTZPs-reshaped microbiota to relieving DKD symptoms. Moreover, FTZPs elevated the content of short-chain fatty acids (propionic acid and butanoic acid) and increased the level of the SCFAs transporter Slc22a19. Intestinal flora disorders caused by diabetes, including the growth of the genera Weissella, Enterococcus and Akkermansia, were inhibited by FTZPs treatment. Spearman's analysis revealed that these bacteria were positively correlated with indicators of renal damage. CONCLUSION: These results show that oral administration of FTZPs, by altering SCFAs levels and the gut microbiome, is a therapeutic strategy for the treatment of DKD.

[Research progress of mechanisms of acupuncture in treating slow transit constipation].

As an important part of the traditional Chinese medicine treatment system, acupuncture therapy has been used in the treatment of slow transit constipation (STC) for a long time and has achieved good clinical effects. This article reviews research on the effects of acupuncture therapy on STC published in recent years, focusing on the mechanism of acupuncture on the enteric nervous system, neurotransmitters, interstitial cells of Cajal, smooth muscle cells, gastrointestinal motility, psychological factors and intestinal microecology of STC, in order to provide reference for the clinical application and mechanism research of acupuncture in the treatment of STC in the future.

Clinical application value of Huanglian Jiedu Pills in improving syndrome of excess heat and fire toxin based on phase Ⅱ clinical trial study on plasma ATP, 4-HNE, and ACTH levels / 中国中药杂志

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center phase Ⅱ clinical trial design was used in this study to recruit subjects who were in line with the syndrome of excess heat and fire toxin, and were diagnosed as recurrent oral ulcers, gingivitis, and acute pharyngitis. A total of 240 cases were included and randomly divided into a placebo group and a Huanglian Jiedu Pills group. The clinical efficacy of Huanglian Jiedu Pills in treating the syndrome of excess heat and fire toxin was evaluated by using the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) syndrome scale. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was used to determine and evaluate the levels of adenosine triphosphate(ATP), 4-hydroxynonenal(4-HNE), and adrenocorticotropic hormone(ACTH) in plasma of the two groups before and after administration and to predict their application value as clinical biomarkers. The results showed that the disappearance rate of main symptoms in the Huanglian Jiedu Pills group was 69.17%, and that in the placebo group was 50.83%. The comparison between the Huanglian Jiedu Pills group and the placebo group showed that 4-HNE before and after administration was statistically significant(P<0.05). The content of 4-HNE in the Huanglian Jiedu Pills group decreased significantly after administration(P<0.05), but that in the placebo group had no statistical significance and showed an upward trend. After administration, the content of ATP in both Huanglian Jiedu Pills group and placebo group decreased significantly(P<0.05), indicating that the energy metabolism disorder was significantly improved after administration of Huanglian Jiedu Pills and the body's self-healing ability also alleviated the increase in ATP level caused by the syndrome of excess heat and fire toxin to a certain extent. ACTH in both Huanglian Jiedu Pills group and placebo group decreased significantly after administration(P<0.05). It is concluded that Huanglian Jiedu Pills has a significant clinical effect, and can significantly improve the abnormal levels of ATP and 4-HNE in plasma caused by the syndrome of excess heat and fire toxin, which are speculated to be the effective clinical biomarkers for Huanglian Jiedu Pills to treat the syndrome of excess heat and fire toxin.

Classical prescription Huanglian Decoction relieves ulcerative colitis via maintaining intestinal barrier integrity and modulating gut microbiota.

BACKGROUND: Ulcerative colitis (UC) has affected an increasing number of people globally, with still limited clinical success. Huanglian Decoction (HLD) is a famous classical prescription documented for alleviating gastrointestinal disorders with unexplored therapeutic effects and mechanisms. PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect and underlying mechanism of HLD in dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis mice. METHODS: The efficacy and safety of HLD were evaluated in a well-established DSS-induced colitis mice model. Disease progression was monitored via clinical symptoms, histopathological examination, biochemical assays, and epithelial barrier function evaluation. RESULTS: HLD alleviated DSS-induced colitis symptoms, reversed colon length reduction, reduced histological injury, downregulated the level of pro-inflammatory cytokines, maintained the tight distribution of ZO-1/occludin-1 and the normal level of ß-catenin, concurrent with apoptosis reduction in the colonic epithelium. After HLD treatment, the DSS-induced gut dysbiosis was modulated, and the gut microbiota achieved a new equilibrium state. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that HLD may present a potential remedy for UC treatment, providing evidence for further developing Chinese classical prescriptions.

Targeted delivery of Chinese herb pair-based berberine/tannin acid self-assemblies for the treatment of ulcerative colitis.

INTRODUCTION: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic recurrent idiopathic disease characterized by damage to the colonic epithelial barrier and disruption of inflammatory homeostasis. At present, there is no curative therapy for UC, and the development of effective and low-cost therapies is strongly advocated. OBJECTIVES: Multiple lines of evidence support that tannic acid (TA) and berberine (BBR), two active ingredients derived from Chinese herb pair (Rhei Radix et Rhizoma and Coptidis Rhizoma), have promising therapeutic effects on colonic inflammation. This study aims to develop a targeted delivery system based on BBR/TA-based self-assemblies for the treatment of UC. METHODS: TA and BBR self-assemblies were optimized, and hyaluronic acid (HA) was coated to achieve targeted colon delivery via HA-cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44) interactions. The system was systematically characterized and dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced mouse colitis model was further used to investigate the biodistribution behavior, effect and mechanism of the natural system. RESULTS: TA and BBR could self-assemble into stable particles (TB) and HA-coated TB (HTB) further increased cellular uptake and accumulation in inflamed colon lesions. Treatment of HTB inhibited pro-inflammatory cytokine levels, restored expression of tight junction-associated proteins and recovered gut microbiome alteration, thereby exerting anti-inflammatory effects against DSS-induced acute colitis. CONCLUSION: Our targeted strategy may provide a convenient and powerful platform for UC and reveal new modes of application of herbal combinations.

Ginger polysaccharides relieve ulcerative colitis via maintaining intestinal barrier integrity and gut microbiota modulation.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an autoimmune disease afflicting an increasing number of patients and increasing demands towards the development of efficacious and safe drugs. Recently, with increasing interest in alternative medicines, natural resources have become a hotspot for drug discovery against UC. In addition to being consumed as a food and spice, ginger is also widely used as a well-recognized gastrointestinal herbal medicine. With a long history in the treatment of digestive disorders, the potential of ginger in alleviating UC has been documented in several experimental models and clinical trials. However, as a major active constituent of ginger, ginger polysaccharides (GP) and its effect on UC has yet to be reported. In this study, GP was firstly separated and characterized. In a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis mouse model, GP alleviated UC symptoms by inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokines levels to regulate intestinal inflammation, repairing the intestinal barrier as indicated by occludin-1 and ZO-1, as well as regulating gut microbiota. Taking these results together, we believe GP could be an innovative option in developing functional foods or therapeutic agents for UC management.

Fecal fermentation characteristics of Rheum tanguticum polysaccharide and its effect on the modulation of gut microbial composition.

BACKGROUND: Rheum tanguticum is utilized as one of the well known traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. Recently, R. tanguticum polysaccharides (RP) have received increasing attention due to their diversely pharmacological activities. Usually, the pharmacological activities of polysaccharides are closely correlated to their metabolic properties from the stomach to the intestine. However, the digestive behavior and fecal fermentation characteristics of RP are unknown, which need to be fully investigated. METHODS: In this study, an in vitro simulated gastrointestinal model was carried out for the investigation of the digestive behavior and fecal fermentation characteristics of RP. The possible changes in physicochemical properties of RP, such as molecular weight, monosaccharide composition, reducing sugar released, chemical composition, pH value, and short chain fatty acids, were determined during in vitro simulated digestion and human fecal fermentation, and its effect on the modulation of gut microbial composition was also evaluated. RESULTS: The results revealed that RP was indigestible under the in vitro simulated digestion conditions according to its stabilities in physicochemical properties. Conversely, the indigestible RP (RPI) could be notably utilized by colonic microbiota in human feces after the in vitro fermentation, especially, at the initial fermentation stage (0-6 h). The fecal fermentation characteristics of RPI were revealed. Results showed that the content of reducing sugars obviously increased from 0.177 to 0.778 mg/mL at the initial stage of fermentation, and its molecular weight notably declined from 2.588 × 105 to 0.828 × 105 Da at the end stage of fermentation. Notably, the utilization of arabinose and galactose in RPI by colonic bacteria was faster than that of galacturonic acid. Besides, RPI could obviously modulate gut microbial composition via promoting the relative abundances of several beneficial bacteria, such as genera Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium, and Megamonas, resulting in the promoted production of several short-chain fatty acids, such as acetic, propionic, and butyric acids. CONCLUSIONS: Results from this study showed that RP was indigestible in the human upper gastrointestinal tract in vitro, but could be easily utilized by colonic microbiota in human feces at the initial stage of fermentation. RP could be used as potential prebiotics for the improvement of intestinal health.

A New Source of Diterpene Lactones From Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Nees-Two Endophytic Fungi of Colletotrichum sp. With Antibacterial and Antioxidant Activities.

Endophytic fungi of medicinal plants are abundant, and their metabolites often have antioxidant, antibacterial, and antitumor effects and can produce secondary metabolites identical or similar to those of their hosts, which can mitigate the problem of insufficient supply of medicinal plants. In this study, we screened endophytic fungi for strains that produce the same diterpene lactones as Andrographis paniculata based on their biological activity. Firstly, the dominant group of endophytic fungi of Andrographis paniculata was screened and pathogenicity was studied using Koch's rule. Secondly, DPPH, ABTS, OH, PTIO radical scavenging, and FRAP assays were used to detect the antioxidant activity of the extracellular extracts of the strains, and total phenol and total flavonoid contents of the strains with high antioxidant capacity were determined. S. aureus, B. subtilis, E. coli, and P. aeruginosa were used to determine the antibacterial activity of the mycelial extracts of the strains. Finally, the secondary metabolites of the mycelial extracts of the strains were examined by high-performance liquid chromatography. The results showed that 32 strains of Andrographis paniculata were relatively isolated > 70% and non-pathogenic. Extracellular extracts of strains AP-1 and AP-4 showed vigorous antioxidant activity, and AP-4, AP-12, AP-47, and AP-48 showed antibacterial activity against four strains of bacteria. The HPLC results indicated that the mycelial extracts of AP-4 and AP-12 contained diterpene lactones. The two endophytic fungi were recognized as Colletotrichum sp. The study successfully obtained diterpene lactones from the endophytic fungus of Andrographis paniculata and confirmed the feasibility of using endophytic fungal strains to produce active substances consistent with the host. It was also useful for exploring endophytic fungi and medicinal plants. The relationship provides theoretical guidance.

Rabdosia serra alleviates dextran sulfate sodium salt-induced colitis in mice through anti-inflammation, regulating Th17/Treg balance, maintaining intestinal barrier integrity, and modulating gut microbiota.

Rabdosia serra (R. serra), an important component of Chinese herbal tea, has traditionally been used to treat hepatitis, jaundice, cholecystitis, and colitis. However, the chemical composition of R. serra and its effect against colitis remain unclear. In this study, the chemical composition of the water extract of R. serra was analyzed using ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled with a hybrid linear ion trap quadrupole-orbitrap mass spectrometer (UPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS). A total of 46 compounds, comprising ent-kaurane diterpenoids, flavonoids, phenolic acids, and steroids, were identified in the water extract of R. serra, and the extract could significantly alleviate dextran sulfate sodium salt-induced colitis by improving colon length, upregulating anti-inflammatory factors, downregulating proinflammatory factors, and restoring the balance of T helper 17/T regulatory cells. R. serra also preserved intestinal barrier function by increasing the level of tight junction proteins (zonula occludens 1 and occludin) in mouse colonic tissue. In addition, R. serra modulated the gut microbiota composition by increasing bacterial richness and diversity, increasing the abundance of beneficial bacteria (Muribaculaceae, Bacteroides, Lactobacillus, and Prevotellaceae_UCG-001), and decreasing the abundance of pathogenic bacteria (Turicibacter, Eubacterium_fissicatena_group, and Eubacterium_xylanophilum_group). Gut microbiota depletion by antibiotics further confirmed that R. serra alleviated colitis in a microbiota-dependent manner. Overall, our findings provide chemical and biological evidence for the potential application of R. serra in the management of colitis.

The antitumor effect of the combination of aconitine and crude monkshood polysaccharide on hepatocellular carcinoma.

Aconitine, the main component in Radix Aconiti Lateralis Preparata, not only exerts the anti-tumor effect on Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) but also damages on immune system. In the present study, Crude Monkshood Polysaccharide (CMP), another one natural composition component originated from the same herbal with aconitine, combined with aconitine to investigate the effects on HCC and immunity in vitro and in vivo. The combination of CMP and aconitine enhanced the ability of the immunocyte to kill the tumor cell in vitro and had an additive effect on anti-HCC in vivo. Aconitine-CMP in combination improved the spleen weights, spleen index, thymus weights, thymus index. Elevated CD4+ T and CD8+ T cells and macrophages in spleen, decreased serum IL-6 level and increased serum IFN-γ and TNF-α levels were observed in mice treated with the combination of aconitine and CMP compare with control group (P<0.05). Our results showed that the combination of aconitine and CMP exerts anti-tumor effect by directly killing tumor cells and enhancing the anti-tumor immune responses, which further implies that chemotherapy drugs combined with Chinese medicine immunopotentiator maybe a feasible and effective strategy for HCC.

Anti-hypertensive and cardioprotective activities of traditional Chinese medicine-derived polysaccharides: A review.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), a leading cause of death in modern society, have become a major public health issue globally. Although numerous approaches have been proposed to reduce morbidity and mortality, the pursuit of pharmaceuticals with more preventive and/or therapeutic value remains a focus of attention. Being a vast treasure trove of natural drug molecules, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has a long history of clinical use in the prophylaxis and remedy of CVDs. Increasing lines of preclinical evidence have demonstrated the effectiveness of TCM-derived polysaccharides on hindering the progression of CVDs, e.g. hypertension, myocardial infarction. However, to the best of our knowledge, there are few reviews on the application of TCM-derived polysaccharides in combating CVDs. Hence, we provide an overview of primary literature on the anti-hypertensive and cardioprotective activities of herbal polysaccharides. Additionally, we also discuss the current limitations and propose a new hypothesis about how polysaccharides exert cardiovascular effects based on the metabolism of polysaccharides.

Web repositories of natural agents promote pests and pathogenic microbes management.

The grand challenge to meet the increasing demands for food by a rapidly growing global population requires protecting crops from pests. Natural active substances play a significant role in the sustainable pests and pathogenic microbes management. In recent years, natural products- (NPs), antimicrobial peptides- (AMPs), medicinal plant- and plant essential oils (EOs)-related online resources have greatly facilitated the development of pests and pathogenic microbes control agents in an efficient and economical manner. However, a comprehensive comparison, analysis and summary of these existing web resources are still lacking. Here, we surveyed these databases of NPs, AMPs, medicinal plants and plant EOs with insecticidal, antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal activity, and we compared their functionality, data volume, data sources and applicability. We comprehensively discussed the limitation of these web resources. This study provides a toolbox for bench scientists working in the pesticide, botany, biomedical and pharmaceutical engineering fields. The aim of the review is to hope that these web resources will facilitate the discovery and development of potential active ingredients of pests and pathogenic microbes control agents.

Phenolic Compounds from Polygonum chinense Induce Growth Inhibition and Apoptosis of Cervical Cancer SiHa Cells.

Cervical cancer is considered to be one of the most serious malignant tumors in women. Natural compounds have been considered as important sources in the search for new anticancer agents. Polygonum chinense (PC) has been used as herbal medicine and Chinese cool tea. By activity-guided of the extracts from PC, PCwater shows good growth inhibition on SiHa cell, then by chromatographic analysis (HPLC and HPLC-MS/MS), we found twelve components, seven were phenolic compounds (PHE), two PHE named ellagic acid and corilagin were found to show strong growth inhibition effects in SiHa cell dose-dependently, while the seven phenolic compounds showed low inhibition on the common human HcerEpic cell. Further research found ellagic acid and corilagin induced G2 phase cell cycle arrest by upregulating levels of P53, Bcl-2, caspase 3, and caspase 9, while the Bax was reduced. These results suggested that PHE from PC might have potential anticancer effects against SiHa cells by acting through the apoptosis pathway, PHE from PC might have the potential to be used as a nutraceutical for the prevention and treatment of ovarian cancer.

Yupingfeng Granule Improves Th2-Biased Immune State in Microenvironment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma through TSLP-DC-OX40L Pathway.

The tumor immunological microenvironment in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the T-helper (Th) 2 dominant inhibition state. Improving the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment represents an important strategy for HCC treatment. TSLP-OX40L pathway is a target to improve Th2 immunosuppression. Yupingfeng granule (YPF) is clinically used to effectively improve the immune status of HCC. In this study, YPF increased the percentage of mature dendritic cells (DCs) and decreased levels of TSLP, TSLPR, and OX40L in tumor and adjacent tissues of the orthotopic-HCC mice model. This occurs together with the decreased levels of Th2 cytokines and increased levels of Th1 cytokines and Th1/Th2 ratio. In vitro experiment showed that YPF not only increased the percentage of mature DCs and stimulated IL-12 secretion in DCs but also reduced the positive rate of OX40L expression, decreased the proportion of CD4+ IL-13+ T cells, increased levels of Th1 cytokines, and decreased levels of Th2 cytokines from TSLP-treated DCs. In summary, these findings demonstrated that YPF promoted the maturation of DCs, decreased OX40L in TSLP-induced DCs, and improved the immunosuppressive state of Th2 in HCC microenvironment. Our results suggest that the mechanism underlying the improving effect of YPF on the immunosuppression is related to the DC-mediated TSLP-OX40L pathway.

Effects of simulated saliva-gastrointestinal digestion on the physicochemical properties and bioactivities of okra polysaccharides.

This study was to investigate the effects of in vitro simulated saliva-gastrointestinal digestion on the physicochemical properties and bioactivities of okra polysaccharides (OPS). Results showed that the digestibilities of OPS were about 5.1%, 37.5%, and 41.3% after saliva digestion (SD), saliva-gastric digestion (SGD), and saliva-gastrointestinal digestion (SGID), respectively. The SGID significantly changed the physicochemical properties of OPS, such as total uronic acids, total flavonoids, monosaccharide composition, rheological properties, and molecular weights (Mw). Especially, Mw changes resulted in the breakdown of glycosidic bonds during SGD, and the degradation of OPS during SGID was mainly caused by disrupting aggregates. Furthermore, the bioactivities of OPS were also affected by SGID. After SGID, OPS still possessed strong antioxidant activities, binding capacities, and prebiotic activities, but the α-glucosidase inhibitory effect was obviously decreased. Overall, results can provide valuable and scientific support on the oral administration of OPS as functional foods and medicines in the future.

Structural characterization, antioxidant activity, and immunomodulatory activity of non-starch polysaccharides from Chuanminshen violaceum collected from different regions.

Chuanminshen violaceum has been used as an important traditional Chinese medicine and a popular tonic food in China. Polysaccharides are considered the major bioactive components in C. violaceum. In this study, in order well understand the chemical structures and bioactivities of non-starch polysaccharides in C. violaceum (CVPs), the physicochemical structures, antioxidant activities, and immunomodulatory activities of CVPs in C. violaceum collected from different regions of China were investigated and compared. Results showed that the constituent monosaccharides and Fourier transform infrared spectra of CVPs in C. violaceum collected from different regions were similar. However, their molar ratios of constituent monosaccharides, molecular weights, and contents of uronic acids were different. Furthermore, CVPs exerted remarkable antioxidant activities (ABTS and nitric oxide radical scavenging capacities) and immunomodulatory activities (promoted production of nitric oxide, IL-6, and TNF-α from RAW 264.7 macrophages in vitro). Meanwhile, the antioxidant and immunomodulatory activities of CVPs extracted from C. violaceum also varied by cultivated regions. Moreover, results indicated that the antioxidant and immunomodulatory activities of CVPs were closely correlated to their α-1,4-d-galactosiduronic linkages. Results are helpful for better understanding of the structure-bioactivity relationships of CVPs, and beneficial for the improvement of their applications in pharmaceutical and functional food industries.

Yu Ping Feng San Exert Anti-Angiogenesis Effects through the Inhibition of TSLP-STAT3 Signaling Pathways in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Clinically, Yu ping feng san (YPFS) has been extensively used as a medication for treating immune deficiency, and YPFS is combined with chemotherapy drugs to treat cancer, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), lung cancer, and pancreatic cancer. Previous research has shown that YPFS has a therapeutic effect on HCC by improving the immunosuppressive state of the liver cancer microenvironment. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of YPFS on angiogenesis of HCC. METHODS: High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to certify the composition of YPFS. An orthotopic transplanted model of murine HCC was entrenched. Immunohistochemistry was used to observe the changes of the microvessel density (MVD). The MTT assay was used to detect the cell viability. ELISA was performed to analyze the expression of related factors. Western blot was used to analyze the protein expression. Tube formation assay was used to analyze the anti-angiogenic efficiency. RESULTS: YPFS significantly reduced the tumor volume and weight, thus exerted the growth inhibitory effect. The level of MVD and VEGF was obviously decreased in YPFS-treated HCC-bearing mice, and the YPFS treatment also reduced the VEGF level in Hepa1-6 cells. Further study revealed that the expression of TSLP/TSLPR and p-STAT3/STAT3 was decreased by YPFS. The level of MVD and VEGF and the expression of TSLP/TSLPR and p-STAT3/STAT3 in tumor tissue and Hepa1-6 cells were suppressed by incubation with the anti-TSLP antibody, whereas treatment with the anti-TSLP antibody in YPFS-treated cells did not cause further significant inhibition compared with the cells treated only with YPFS. More importantly, YPFS inhibited proliferation, expression of p-STAT3/STAT3, and tube formation of HUVECs induced by TSLP. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicated that YPFS attenuated the activation of the TSLP-STAT3 signaling pathway by inhibiting the immune-related factor-TSLP, thereby inhibiting the formation of hepatic microvessels and exerting an anti-HCC effect.

Physicochemical characteristics and biological activities of polysaccharides from the leaves of different loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) cultivars.

In order to explore polysaccharides from loquat leaves (LLPs) as functional food ingredients for prevention and treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes, the physicochemical characteristics, in vitro binding properties, and inhibitory effects on α-amylase and α-glucosidase of polysaccharides from the leaves of different loquat cultivars, including 'Baiyu', 'Chuannong8', 'Yuanbao', and 'Dawuxing', were investigated and compared. Results showed that the contents of total uronic acids and degree of esterification in LLPs ranged from (27.04 ±â€¯1.76)% to (41.46 ±â€¯1.91)%, and from (20.54 ±â€¯0.11)% to (26.90 ±â€¯0.10)%, respectively. The weight-average molecular weights of LLPs ranged from 4.307 × 106 Da to 5.101 × 106 Da, and the major constituent monosaccharides of LLPs were rhamnose, galacturonic acid, arabinose, and galactose. Furthermore, LLPs exerted strong in vitro fat binding, cholesterol binding, and bile acid binding capacities, as well as remarkable inhibitory effects on α-amylase and α-glucosidase, which might be attributed to their molecular weights, molecular weight distributions, and degree of esterification. Results are helpful for better understanding of chemical structures and bioactivities of polysaccharides from loquat leaves, and LLPs had good potential to be explored as functional food ingredients for prevention and treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Phenolic Profiles, Antioxidant Capacities, and Inhibitory Effects on Digestive Enzymes of Different Kiwifruits.

In order to obtain high-quality kiwifruits with health-promoting characteristics, physicochemical properties, phenolic profiles, antioxidant capacities, and inhibitory effects on digestive enzymes (pancreatic lipase and α-glucosidase), of fourteen different types of kiwifruit obtained from China were systematically investigated and compared. Noticeable variations in the fruits' physicochemical properties and phenolic profiles were observed among them. The total phenolic content of Actinidia chinensis cv. Hongshi, A. chinensis cv. Jinshi, and A. chinensis cv. Jinlong were 16.52 ± 0.26 mg GAE/g DW (dry weight), 13.38 ± 0.20 mg GAE/g DW, and 11.02 ± 0.05 mg GAE/g DW, respectively, which were much higher than those of the other tested kiwifruits. According to high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis, phenolic compounds, including procyanidin B1, procyanidin B2, (-)-epicatechin, chlorogenic acid, gallic acid, and quercetin-3-rhamnoside, were found to be the major compounds in kiwifruits, while procyanidin B1, procyanidin B2, and chlorogenic acid were the most abundant phenolic compounds. Furthermore, all the tested kiwifruits exerted remarkable antioxidant capacities and inhibitory effects on pancreatic lipase and α-glucosidase. Indeed, A. chinensis cv. Hongshi, Actinidia chinensis cv. Jinshi, and Actinidia chinensis cv. Jinlong exhibited much better antioxidant capacities and inhibitory effects on digestive enzymes than those of the other tested kiwifruits. Particularly, A. polygama showed the highest inhibitory activity on α-glucosidase. Therefore, Actinidia chinensis cv. Hongshi, Actinidia chinensis cv. Jinshi, and Actinidia chinensis cv. Jinlong, as well as A. polygama could be important dietary sources of natural antioxidants and natural inhibitors against pancreatic lipase and α-glucosidase, which is helpful for meeting the growing demand for high-quality kiwifruits with health-promoting characteristics in China.