Clonal integration of stress signal induces morphological and physiological response of root within clonal network.

Clonal integration of defense or stress signal induced systemic resistance in leaf of interconnected ramets. However, similar effects of stress signal in root are poorly understood within clonal network. Clonal fragments of Centella asiaticas with first-young, second-mature, third-old and fourth-oldest ramets were used to investigate transportation or sharing of stress signal among interconnected ramets suffering from low water availability. Compared with control, oxidative stress in root of the first-young, second-mature and third-old ramets was significantly alleviated by exogenous ABA application to the fourth-oldest ramets as well as enhancement of antioxidant enzyme (SOD, POD, CAT and APX) activities and osmoregulation ability. Surface area and volume in root of the first-young ramets were significantly increased and total length in root of the third-old ramets was significantly decreased. POD activity in root of the fourth-oldest and third-old ramets was significantly enhanced by exogenous ABA application to the first-young ramets. Meanwhile, total length and surface area in root of the fourth-oldest and third-old ramets were significantly decreased. Ratio of belowground to aboveground biomass in the whole clonal fragments was significantly increased by exogenous ABA application to the fourth-oldest or first-young ramets. It is suggested that transportation or sharing of stress signal may induce systemic resistance in root of interconnected ramets. Specially, transportation or sharing of stress signal against phloem flow was observed in the experiment. Possible explanation is that rapid recovery of foliar photosynthesis in first-young ramets subjected to exogenous ABA application can partially reverse phloem flow within clonal network. Thus, our experiment provides insight into ecological implication on clonal integration of stress signal.

Xianglian Pill combined with 5-fluorouracil enhances antitumor activity and reduces gastrointestinal toxicity in gastric cancer by regulating the p38 MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Perioperative or postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy based on 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is a common first-line adjuvant therapy for gastric cancer (GC). However, drug resistance and the side effects of 5-FU have reduced its efficacy. Among these side effects, gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity is one of the most common. Xianglian Pill (XLP) is a Chinese patent medicine that is commonly used for the treatment of diarrhoea. It can reduce inflammation and has a protective effect on the intestinal mucosa. Recent studies have shown that many components of XLP can inhibite tumor cell growth. However, the therapeutic effect of XLP in combination with 5-FU on GC is unclear. AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate whether the combination of XLP and 5-FU can enhance anti-GC activity while reducing GI toxicity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: XLP was administered orally during intraperitoneal injection of 5-FU in GC mice model. Mice were continuously monitored for diarrhea and xenograft tumor growth. After 2 weeks, the mice were sacrificed and serum was collected to determine interleukin-6 levels. Pathological changes, the expression of pro-inflammatory factors and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in GI tissue were determined by Western blot analysis. Pathological changes, apoptosis levels and p38 MAPK expression levels in xenograft tissues were also determined. RESULTS: The results showed that XLP could alleviate GI mucosal injury caused by 5-FU, alleviated diarrhea, and inhibited the expression of nuclear factor (NF)-κB and myeloid differentiation primary response-88. Besides, XLP could promote the 5-FU-induced apoptosis of GC cells and enhance the inhibitory effect of 5-FU on tumor xenografts. Further study showed that XLP administration could regulate the expression of p38 MAPK. CONCLUSIONS: XLP in combination with 5-FU could alleviate its GI side effects and enhance its inhibitory effect on xenograft tumor. Moreover, these effects were found to be related to the regulation of the p38 MAPK/NF-κB pathway.

Bioactive solanidane steroidal alkaloids from Solanum lyratum.

Six previously unreported solanidane steroidal alkaloids, namely lyrasolanosides A-F, were isolated from Solanum lyratum. In addition, five known steroidal alkaloids were also identified. The structures of these compounds were determined through the use of NMR, HRESIMS,UV, IR and ECD analysis. To assess their bioactivities, the cytotoxic effects of the six previously unreported compounds were evaluated on A549 cells. The results revealed that lyrasolanoside B (2) exhibited the highest potency among them. Lyrasolanoside B (2) exhibited significant inhibition of cell migration, invasion, and adhesion dramatically. Mechanistically, it was found to suppress the activity of JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway by downregulating the expression of phosphorylated JAK2/STAT3 in an exosome-dependent manner. In addition, lyrasolanoside B (2) was found to significantly upregulate the expression of E-cadherin and downregulate the expression of N-cadherin and vimentin. These findings indicate that lyrasolanoside B (2) inhibits the metastasis of A549 cells by suppressing exosome-mediated EMT. These findings suggest that lyrasolanoside B (2) may inhibit the metastasis of lung cancer by regulating A549-derived exosomes.

Eudesmane sesquiterpenoids with inhibitory effects on NO production from Artemisia princeps.

Five undescribed eudesmane methyl esters (1-5), three undescribed eudesmane-12,6-olides (6-8), and 21 known analogues (9-29) were isolated from the aerial part of Artemisia princeps Pamp. Their structures were established by detailed analysis of the NMR and HRESIMS data. The absolute configurations of 1-8 were determined based on single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and ECD calculations. Moreover, the inhibitory effects on LPS-induced NO production in BV-2 microglial cells of all the isolated compounds were assessed. Except for compounds 2, 4, 10, and 11, the others showed significant inhibitory activities, with IC50 values of 0.73-18.66 µM, wherein the potential structure-activity relationship was also discussed.

Salidroside suppresses cell growth and inflammatory response of fibroblast-like synoviocytes via inhibition of phosphoinositol-3 kinase/threonine kinase signaling in rheumatoid arthritis.

BACKGROUND: Salidroside (Sal) is a natural product commonly isolated from Rhodiola rosea L., which has been found to have numerous pharmacological activities (e.g., ameliorating apoptosis and inflammation, and acting as an antioxidant) in various diseases, but its concrete function in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has not been revealed yet. Here, we aimed to explore the specific role and underlying mechanisms of Sal in RA-fibroblast-like synoviocytes (RA-FLSs). METHODS: Cell counting kit 8 (CCK-8) was used to assess the viability of normal-FLSs and RA-FLSs. Cell apoptosis in RA-FLSs was evaluated by flow cytometry. Western blotting was prepared to examine the levels of apoptosis- and signaling-related proteins. Wound-healing and Transwell assays were conducted to examine RA-FLSs migration and invasion. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to assess the effect of Sal on tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)-induced inflammation in RA-FLSs. RA animal model was established through complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) induction, and the histopathological changes in synovial tissues of the rat model were analyzed by H&E staining. RESULTS: RA-FLSs were treated with 200 µM Sal for 24 h, and cell viability was significantly suppressed. Sal promoted RA-FLSs apoptosis. The migratory and invasive abilities of RA-FLSs were markedly inhibited by Sal. Sal incubation reduced the levels of inflammatory cytokines interleukin­8 (IL-8), IL-1ß, and IL­6 in RA-FLSs under the stimulation of TNF­α. Subsequently, Sal downregulated phosphorylated phosphatidylinositol­3 kinase (p-PI3K) and protein kinase (p-AKT) expression in RA-FLSs. After the treatment with pathway activator 740Y­P (20 µM) in RA-FLSs, the promotive effect of Sal on cell apoptosis was reversed, and inhibitory effects of it on cell viability, migration, invasion, and inflammatory response were abolished. Sal inhibited RA development in the CFA-induced rat model. CONCLUSION: Sal suppressed cell growth and inflammation in RA-FLSs by inactivating PI3K/AKT-signaling pathways.

[Mechanism of Wuling Capsules against hepatic fibrosis based on network pharmacology and animal experiments].

The present study aimed to explore the underlying mechanism of Wuling Capsules in the treatment of hepatic fibrosis(HF) through network pharmacology, molecular docking, and animal experiments. Firstly, the chemical components and targets of Wuling Capsules against HF were searched from Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform(TCMSP), Traditional Chinese Medicines Integrated Database(TCMID), GeneCards, and literature retrieval. The protein-protein interaction(PPI) network analysis was carried out on the common targets by STRING database and Cytoscape 3.9.1 software, and the core targets were screened, followed by Gene Ontology(GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses. Enrichment analysis was conducted on the core targets and the "drug-core component-target-pathway-disease" network was further constructed. Subsequently, molecular docking between core components and core targets was conducted using AutoDock Vina software to predict the underlying mechanism of action against HF. Finally, an HF model induced by CCl_4 was constructed in rats, and the general signs and liver tissue morphology were observed. HE and Masson staining were used to analyze the liver tissue sections. The effects of Wuling Capsules on the levels of inflammatory factors, hydroxyproline(HYP) levels, and core targets were analyzed by ELISA, RT-PCR, etc. A total of 445 chemical components of Wuling Capsules were screened, corresponding to 3 882 potential targets, intersecting with 1 240 targets of HF, and 47 core targets such as TNF, IL6, INS, and PIK3CA were screened. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the core targets mainly affected the process of cell stimulation response and metabolic regulation, involving cancer, PI3K-Akt, MAPK, and other signaling pathways. Molecular docking showed that the core components of Wuling Capsules, such as lucidenic acid K, ganoderic acid B, lucidenic acid N, saikosaponin Q2, and neocryptotanshinone, had high affinities with the core targets, such as TNF, IL6 and PIK3CA. Animal experiments showed that Wuling Capsules could reduce fat vacuole, inflammatory infiltration, and collagen deposition in rat liver, decrease the levels of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-6, and HYP, and downregulated the expressions of PI3K and Akt mRNA. This study suggests that the anti-HF effect of Wuling Capsules may be achieved by regulating the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, reducing the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 inflammatory factors, and inhibiting the excessive deposition of collagen.

High-Quality Indigo Naturalis Obtained with Automatic Foam Separation.

Indigo Naturalis is not only an ancient plant dye but also a famous herbal medicine with antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. In traditional processes, thousands of manual stirring separate the high-quality Indigo Naturalis from the crude pulp system. However, this method is time-consuming and labor-intensive, resulting in an unstable quality and low yield, which cannot meet the requirements of modern industrial production. In this study, foam-separation technology was used to increase the industrial applicability of high-quality Indigo Naturalis. The process parameters were optimized based on the content of active ingredients, skin irritation effects, and antioxidative stress activity. The results showed that the optimal process of the foam separation achieved the liquid level difference of 40 cm and the foaming intensity of 0.35 MPa. Compared with the original sample, the indigo and indirubin contents in purified Indigo Naturalis were 1.6 and 3 times higher, the total ash content decreased from 86 to 70%, the pH value decreased from 12.18 to 9.71, and the leachate doubled. Animal experiments suggested the significantly reduced irritation (p < 0.01) and enhanced antioxidative stress activity (p < 0.01) of Indigo Naturalis after foam separation. Therefore, the foam-separation equipment developed in this study enabled the refinement of active ingredients in Indigo Naturalis, which greatly improved the production efficiency and quality.

An endophytic fungus Schizophyllum commune isolated from Panax ginseng enhances hairy roots growth and ginsenoside biosynthesis.

Using endophytic fungal elicitors to increase the accumulation of valuable secondary metabolites in plant tissue culture is an effective biotechnology strategy. In this study, a collection of 56 strains of endophytic fungi were isolated from different organs of cultivated Panax ginseng, of which seven strains can be symbiotically co-cultured with the hairy roots of P. ginseng. Further experiments observed that strain 3R-2, identified as endophytic fungus Schizophyllum commune, can not only infect hairy roots but also promote the accumulation of specific ginsenosides. This was further verified because S. commune colonization significantly affected the overall metabolic profile of ginseng hairy roots. By comparing the effects of S. commune mycelia and its mycelia extract (EM) on ginsenoside production in P. ginseng hairy roots, the EM was confirmed to be a relatively better stimulus elicitor. Additionally, the introduction of EM elicitor can significantly enhance the expressions of key enzyme genes of pgHMGR, pgSS, pgSE, and pgSD involved in the biosynthetic pathway of ginsenosides, which was deemed the most relevant factor for promoting ginsenosides production during the elicitation period. In conclusion, this study is the first to show that the EM of endophytic fungus S. commune can be considered as an effective endophytic fungal elicitor for increasing the biosynthesis of ginsenosides in hairy root cultures of P. ginseng.

Unusual N-pyridinium amino acid-type alkaloids from roots and rhizomes of Sophora tonkinensis Gagnep.

Two previously undescribed amino acid-type alkaloids with unusual N-pyridinium cation (1-2) and six known alkaloids (3-8), were isolated from the roots and rhizomes of Sophora tonkinensis Gapnea. Their structures were characterized by UV, IR, NMR, and HRESIMS spectroscopic data. The absolute configurations of compounds 1 and 2 were established through comparison of their experimental ECD spectra to the theoretical spectra of 2 calculated by TDDFT method. The plausible biosynthetic pathway of pyridinium was also proposed. Moreover, compound 4 exhibited weak XOD inhibitory activity with the inhibition rate of 65.8% at concentration of 10 µM.

ompX contribute to biofilm formation, osmotic response and swimming motility in Citrobacter werkmanii.

Citrobacter werkmanii, an aerobe and mesophilic Proteobacterium, is universal in industrial putrefaction, coastal water, and human blood. Our previous studies have discovered that outer membrane protein X (OmpX) of C. werkmanii is involved in calcium response, but the underlying mechanisms and its molecular characteristics remain elusive. To that end, the ompX gene was deleted from the genome of C. werkmanii and its phenotypic variations were thoroughly investigated in conjunction with the wild type (WT) and complementary strains using biochemical and molecular techniques such as RNA-Seq, respectively. The results demonstrated that deleting ompX reduces biofilm formation on polystyrene and glass surfaces. Meanwhile, ΔompX's swimming ability but not for its twitching or swarming abilities, was also reduced on semi-solid plates compared with WT, which was caused by inhibition of flagellar assembly genes, such as flgC, flhB, and fliE, etc. Furthermore, ompX inactivation altered susceptibility to various bactericide classes, as well as responses to Ca2+ and Mg2+ stress. In addition, when compared to WT, ΔompX captures a total of 1,357 deferentially expressed genes (DEGs), of which 465 were up-regulated and 892 were down-regulated, which can be enriched into various GO ontology and KEGG pathway terms. Furthermore, ompX, as well as ompD and ompW, can be modulated at the transcriptional levels by rbsR and tdcA. Overall, the ompX gene contributed to a variety of biological functions in C. werkmanii and could be served as a targeted site for controlling biofilm formation and developing new bactericides.

The effect and mechanism of metformin on peripheral neuropathy in type 1 diabetic rats / 药学学报

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is one of the most common microvascular complications occurring in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus patients, which often results in patients suffering from severe hyperalgesia and allodynia. Up to now, the clinical therapeutic effect of DPN is still unsatisfactory. Metformin is an anti-diabetic drug that has been safely and widely used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes for decades. Studies have shown that metformin can improve pain caused by DPN, but its effects on the nerve conduction velocity and morphology of the sciatic nerve of DPN, and the mechanism for improving DPN are not clear. Therefore, the STZ-induced model of type 1 DPN in SD rats was used to study the effects of metformin on DPN, and to preliminarily explore its mechanism in this study. All animal experiments were carried out with approval of the Experimental Animal Welfare Ethics Committee of the Institute of Materia Medica (Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College). After the model was established successfully, STZ diabetic rats were randomly divided into a model group and a metformin treatment group, and 10 normal SD rats were selected as the normal control group, and the rats were intragastrically administered for 12 weeks. The results showed that metformin significantly reduced blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, food consumption and water consumption in STZ rats. Metformin markedly increased the motor nerve conduction velocity and mechanical stabbing pain threshold, prolonged the hot plate latency threshold, and improved the pathological morphological abnormalities of the sciatic nerve in STZ rats. In addition, metformin increased the content of glutathione (GSH), enhanced the activities of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), and reduced the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in serum and sciatic nerve of STZ diabetic rats, as well as regulating the expression of genes related to oxidative stress in the sciatic nerve. Metformin obviously reduced the levels of pro-inflammatory factors such as tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 in the serum in STZ rats, and inhibited the gene expression of these inflammatory factors in the sciatic nerve. In summary, metformin significantly increased nerve conduction velocity, improved sciatic nerve morphological abnormalities and pain in DPN rats, which may be related to its effect in improving oxidative stress and reducing inflammation.

Effects of nutrient supply on leaf stoichiometry and relative growth rate of three stoloniferous alien plants.

Different nutrient supply brings about changes in leaf stoichiometry, which may affect growth rate and primary production of plants. Invasion of alien plants is a severe threat to biodiversity and ecosystem worldwide. A pot experiment was conducted by using three stoloniferous alien plants Wedelia trilobata, Alternanther philoxeroides and Hydrocotyle vulgaris to investigate effects of nutrient supply on their leaf stoichiometry and relative growth rate. Different nitrogen or phosphorus supply was applied in the experiment (N1:1 mmol L-1, N2:4 mmol L-1, and N3:8 mmol L-1, P1:0.15 mmol L-1, P2:0.6 mmol L-1 and P3:1.2 mmol L-1). Nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in leaves of the three alien plants significantly increased with increase of nitrogen supply. With increase of phosphorus supply, nitrogen or phosphorus concentration of leaf was complex among the three alien plants. N:P ratio in leaf of the three alien plants subjected to different levels of nutrient supply was various. A positive correlation between relative growth rate and N:P ratio of the leaf is observed in W. trilobata and A. philoxeroides suffering from N-limitation. A similar pattern was not observed in Hydrocotyle vulgaris. We tentatively concluded that correlations between relative growth rate and N: P ratio of the leaf could be affected by species as well as nutrient supply. It is suggested that human activities, invasive history, local abundance of species et al maybe play an important role in the invasion of alien plants as well as relative growth rate.

Recent advances in polysaccharides from Rose roxburghii Tratt fruits: isolation, structural characterization, and bioactivities.

Rosa roxburghii Tratt fruit (RRF), known commonly as Cili in China, is a highly valued fruit that contains abundant functional and nutritional constituents with a variety of health-promoting benefits. Polysaccharides (RRFPs) are regarded as one of the crucial biological compounds in RRF. Existing literature has shown that RRFPs possess various remarkable biological activities, such as antioxidant, hypoglycemic, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and gut microbiota modulation capabilities. In recent years, isolation and purification methods, structural characteristics, and biological activities of RRFPs have been drawing increasing attention. However, there is no up-to-date review of research progress on this front. In this review, recent advances in RRFPs, including their isolation, purification, structural characterization, biological activity, and the structure-activity relationship are summarized and discussed. In addition, this review highlights the challenges and prospects of RRFPs. Overall, this review provides useful research underpinnings and updated information for the further development and utilization of RRFPs in the fields of health, food, and medicine.

Undescribed protolimonoids from the root bark of Dictamnus dasycarpus Turcz.

Nine undescribed protolimonoids, including two apotirucallane and seven tirucallane triterpenoids, as well as five known compounds, were isolated from the root bark of Dictamnus dasycarpus Turcz. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis. Compounds 4-8, with an undescribed 22,25-epoxytirucallene part, were established their absolute configuration by single-crystal X-ray diffraction of 4. Such compounds might provide evidence for the degradation of protolimonoids to limonoids, bridging an oxidative cleavage biogenetic pathway between these structurally diverse triterpenoids. None of them showed anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, or monoamine oxidase B inhibitory activity.

Quality Markers of Dendrobium officinale by "Oligosaccharide-Spectrum-Effect" Relationships.

Dendrobium officinale Kimura et Migo has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and a functional food for thousands of years. Carbohydrate is one of the most important effective substances and indicative components in D. officinale. However, since the qualitative and quantitative analysis of polysaccharides in D. officinale remains a challenge and limitation, herein, an oligosaccharide-quality marker approach was newly developed for quality assessment of D. officinale by spectrum-effect relationships between high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) fingerprints and anti-inflammatory effects. The HPLC fingerprints of 48 batches of oligosaccharides from D. officinale (DOOS) were developed and analyzed with similarity analysis (SA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), and eight common peaks were identified. In vitro screening experiment indicated that DOOS potentially inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production and effectively reduced the release of inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1ß in RAW 264.7 cells, thereby reducing the inflammatory response of cells. Finally, the HPLC fingerprint of different batches of DOOS was combined with in vitro anti-inflammatory activity to assess the spectrum-effect relationships of DOOS by gray correlation analysis (GCA), in addition, the purified oligosaccharide components were identified and validated for NO inhibitory activity. Our results showed four DOOS (maltotetraose, maltopentaose, maltohexaose, and mannohexaose) were relevant to anti-inflammatory effects and could be as quality markers for the quality control of D. officinale. It suggests that the "oligosaccharide-spectrum-effect" relationships approach is a simple and reliable method for the quality control of herb medicines or nutritious foods.

Structures and neuroprotective activities of triterpenoids from Cynomorium coccineum subsp. songaricum (Rupr.) J. Leonard.

Cynomorium coccineum subsp. songaricum (Rupr.) J. Leonard has been widely used as a Chinese herbal remedy or a functional food for treating symptoms of aging or neurodegenerative diseases. A further investigation on the finding of active constituents led to the isolation and identification of four previously undescribed triterpenoids, together with 20 known compounds. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis (IR, NMR, HRMS, and CD). Sixteen compounds showed significant neuroprotective effects against glutamate-induced or oxygen-glucose deprivation-induced SK-N-SH cell death. Our findings revealed the active constituents of C. coccineum subsp. songaricum and indicated that both oleanane-type and ursane-type triterpenes could be valuable platforms for neurodegenerative agents based on primary structure-activity relationship analysis.

Effects of Serum Vitamin D Levels and Vitamin D Supplementation on Urticaria: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

(1) Backgrounds: Several studies have shown that the level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) could affect urticaria. The association of Vitamin D (VitD) with urticaria has not been well established. (2) Methods: The up-to-date meta-analysis was performed to synthesize the new findings. We performed a systematic search in PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Database. We included the observational studies with the comparisons of 25(OH)D between urticarial populations and controls and clinical studies with the clinical severity of urticaria records. (3) Results: A meta-analysis of seventeen studies of urticaria group vs. controls revealed a mean difference of -9.35 ng/mL (95% CI -12.27 to -6.44). There was also an association of urticaria with VitD deficiency. In the subgroup analysis of age and disease type, significant effects of 25(OH)D were found among adult and chronic urticarial populations. Six VitD supplementation trials showed a significant reduction in clinical urticarial score on intervention with VitD with the standard mean difference of -3.63 and -1.54 among randomized control studies and repeated measure trials, respectively. (4) Conclusions: The urticarial population, especially the adult chronic urticarial patients, may be associated with a high risk for lower serum 25(OH)D. VitD supplementations could result in a reduction of urticarial clinical symptoms.

Behavior of Nutritional Supplements Use in Association With Inflammatory Skin Diseases in Chinese College Students.

Objectives: It is understudied how frequently adolescents use nutritional supplements (NS) and whether the corresponding behavior is associated with skin diseases that may cause unpleasant symptoms and disfigurement. The current study aimed to investigate the prevalence of NS use in Chinese college students and its association with inflammatory skin diseases. Methods: This was a university-based epidemiologic investigation that included 20,138 students who underwent dermatological examinations. A questionnaire survey was conducted to inquire about the use of NS along with related information. Skin diseases were diagnosed by dermatologists during the health examination. Logistic regression models were used for analysis. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) were presented as the effect size. Results: Survey responses from a total of 20,138 participants were analyzed. Specifically, 18.3% of the participants reported the use of NS in the past year. The use of vitamin C was most frequently reported, accounting for a proportion of 12.9%, followed by vitamin B and mineral supplements. The use of NS was found to be associated with female sex, Han ethnicity, higher annual household income, and a series of healthy lifestyles such as more physical activity, less second-hand smoke exposure, less alcohol consumption, and higher intake of milk and yogurt (p < 0.001). Participants with chronic urticaria (aOR = 1.3; 95% CI, 1.0-1.7), atopic dermatitis (aOR = 1.4; 95% CI, 1.2-1.6), or acne (aOR = 1.17; 95% CI, 1.04-1.31) were more likely to use NS, especially herbs (aOR = 2.7; 95% CI, 1.2-3.7), followed by vitamin B (aOR = 1.6; 95% CI, 1.2-2.0) and mineral supplements (aOR = 1.4; 95% CI, 1.0-2.0). Conclusion: College students with inflammatory skin diseases are more likely to use NS.

Chemical Components of Aqueous Extracts of Melia azedarach Fruits and Their Effects on The Transcriptome of Staphylococcus aureus.

Staphylococcus aureus is the causative agent of numerous and varied clinical infections. Crude aqueous extracts of Melia azedarach fruits inhibit the planktonic growth and initial biofilm formation of S. aureus in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, the biofilm topologies became sparse and decreased as the concentration of the aqueous extracts increased. RNA-Seq analyses revealed 532 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) after S. aureus exposure to 0.25 g/ml extracts; 319 of them were upregulated, and 213 were downregulated. The majority of DEGs were categorized into abundant sub-groups in the Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways. Finally, untargeted UHPLC-MS/MS analyses of the aqueous extracts of M. azedarach fruits demonstrated a highly complex profile in positive and negative electrospray ionization modes. The extracts primarily consisted of lipids and lipid-like molecules, organic acids and their derivatives, phenylpropanoids, polyketides, organoheterocyclic compounds, and benzenoids annotated by abundant lipid maps and KEGG pathways. Overall, this study provides evidences that the aqueous extracts of M. azedarach fruits can control S. aureus infections and sought to understand the mode of action of these extracts on S. aureus.

The Chinese patent medicine, Jin-tang-ning, ameliorates hyperglycemia through improving ß cell function in pre-diabetic KKAy mice.

Jin-tang-ning (JTN), a Chinese patent medicine, mainly comprised of Bombyx moriL., has been proved to show α-glucosidase inhibitory efficacy and clinically effective for the treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Recently, we have reported that JTN could ameliorate postprandial hyperglycemia and improved ß cell function in monosodium glutamate (MSG)-induced obese mice, suggesting that JTN might play a potential role in preventing the conversion of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) to T2DM. In this study, we evaluated the effect of JTN on the progression of T2DM in the pre-diabetic KKAy mice. During the 10 weeks of treatment, blood biochemical analysis and oral glucose tolerance tests were performed to evaluate glucose and lipid profiles. The ß cell function was quantified using hyperglycemic clamp at the end of the study. JTN-treated groups exhibited slowly raised fasting and postprandial blood glucose levels, and also ameliorated lipid profile. JTN improved glucose intolerance after 8 weeks of treatment. Meanwhile, JTN restored glucose-stimulated first-phase of insulin secretion and induced higher maximum insulin levels in the hyperglycemic clamp. Thus, to investigate the underlying mechanisms of JTN in protecting ß cell function, the morphologic changes of the pancreatic islets were observed by optical microscope and immunofluorescence of hormones (insulin and glucagon). Pancreatic protein expression levels of key factors involving in insulin secretion-related pathway and ER stress were also detected by Western blot. Pre-diabetic KKAy mice exhibited a compensatory augment in ß cell mass and abnormal α cell distribution. Long-term treatment of JTN recovered islet morphology accompanied by reducing α cell area in KKAy mice. JTN upregulated expression levels of glucokinase (GCK), pyruvate carboxylase (PCB) and pancreas duodenum homeobox-1 (PDX-1), while down-regulating C/EBP homologous protein (Chop) expression in pancreas of the hyperglycemic clamp, which indicated the improvement of mitochondrial metabolism and relief of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress of ß cells after JTN treatment. These results will provide a new insight into exploring a novel strategy of JTN for protecting ß cell function and preventing the onset of pre-diabetes to T2DM.