Synchronous Extraction, Antioxidant Activity Evaluation, and Composition Analysis of Carbohydrates and Polyphenols Present in Artichoke Bud.

This study investigated the optimization of ultrasonic-assisted aqueous two-phase synchronous extraction of carbohydrates and polyphenols present in artichoke bud, evaluated their antioxidant activities in vitro, and analyzed the composition of carbohydrates and polyphenols by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The powder mass, ultrasonic time, ammonium sulfate concentration, and alcohol-water ratio were considered the influencing factors based on the single-factor experiment results, and a dual-response surface model was designed to optimize the synchronous extraction process to extract carbohydrates and polyphenols. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by measuring the scavenging capacity of ABTS+· and DPPH· and the reducing capacity of Fe3+. The optimal process conditions in this study were as follows: the powder mass of 1.4 g, ammonium sulfate concentration of 0.34 g/mL, alcohol-water ratio of 0.4, and ultrasonic time of 43 min. The polyphenol content in artichoke bud was 5.32 ± 0.13 mg/g, and the polysaccharide content was 74.78 ± 0.11 mg/g. An experiment on in vitro antioxidant activity showed that both carbohydrates and polyphenols had strong antioxidant activities, and the antioxidant activity of polyphenols was stronger than that of carbohydrates. The HPLC analysis revealed that the carbohydrates in artichoke bud were mannose, rhamnose, glucuronic acid, galacturonic acid, glucose, galactose, and arabinose, and the molar ratio was 10.77:25.22:2.37:15.74:125.39:48.62:34.70. The polyphenols comprised chlorogenic acid, 4-dicaffeoylquinic acid, caffeic acid, 1,3-dicaffeoylqunic acid, isochlorogenic acid B, isochlorogenic acid A, cynarin, and isochlorogenic acid C, and the contents were 0.503, 0.029, 0.022, 0.017, 0.008, 0.162, 1.621, 0.030 mg/g, respectively. This study also showed that the carbohydrates and polyphenols in artichoke bud could be important natural antioxidants, and the composition analysis of HPLC provided directions for their future research. Carbohydrates and polyphenols in artichoke buds can be separated and enriched using the optimized process technology, and it is an effective means of extracting ingredients from plants.

Xiaoqinglong Decoction Enhances Autophagy to Antagonist Airway Inflammation Induced by Cold in Asthmatic Rats.

Asthma is a common chronic respiratory disease characterized by wheezing and shortness of breath. Its risk factors include genetic and acquired factors. The acquired factors are closely related to the environment, especially cold conditions. Autophagy plays a regulatory role in asthma. Therefore, we hypothesized that asthma can be controlled by drug intervention at the autophagy level under cold conditions. The Xiaoqinglong decoction (XQLT) was freeze-dried. The compounds in the freeze-dried powder were identified and quantified using reference standards via the high-performance liquid chromatography method. Ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized rats were subjected to cold stimulation. The effect of cold stimulation on autophagy levels was determined, and it was confirmed that cold stimulation affected autophagy. The effects and mechanisms of XQLT in an asthmatic rat model (OVA-sensitized rats stimulated with cold) were explored. The concentrations of paeoniflorin, liquiritin, trans-cinnamic acid, glycyrrhizic acid, 6-gingerol, schisandrol A, and asarinin in XQLT freeze-dried powder were 14.45, 3.85, 1.03, 3.93, 0.59, 0.24, and 0.091 mg/g, respectively. Cold stimulation is an important cause of asthma. The inflammatory factors in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and serum were increased in the model group, accompanied by a decline in autophagy level. The treatment with XQLT increased the expression of autophagy genes and decreased the expression of inflammatory factors. Histological studies showed that XQLT improved inflammatory infiltration and collagen fiber deposition in the lungs of rats. XQLT intervention increased autophagy in asthmatic rats. Autophagy plays a role in phagocytosis and reduces the accumulation of abnormal metabolites in the body to reduce airway inflammation and promote asthma recovery.

Radix Asteris: Traditional Usage, Phytochemistry and Pharmacology of An Important Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Radix Asteris (RA), also known as 'Zi Wan', is the dried root and rhizome of Aster tataricus L. f., which has been used to treat cough and asthma in many countries such as China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam. This article summarizes the available information on RA in ancient Chinese medicine books and modern research literature: its botanical properties, traditional uses, chemical composition, pharmacological activity, toxicity and quality control. Studies have shown that RA extracts contain terpenes, triterpenoid saponins, organic acids, peptides and flavonoids, and have various pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-oxidation, and anti-depression. RA is considered to be a promising medicinal plant based on its traditional use, chemical constituents and pharmacological activities. However, there are few studies on its toxicity and the consistency of its components, which indicates the need for further in-depth studies on the toxicity and quality control of RA and its extracts.

Investigation of Lonicera japonica Flos against Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Using Network Integration and Experimental Validation.

Background and objective: Lonicera japonica Flos (LJF) is a well-known traditional herbal medicine that has been used as an anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, and antipyretic agent. The potent anti-inflammatory and other ethnopharmacological uses of LJF make it a potential medicine for the treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This research is to explore the mechanisms involved in the activity of LJF against NAFLD using network integration and experimental pharmacology. Materials and methods: The possible targets of LJF involved in its activity against NAFLD were predicted by matching the targets of the active components in LJF with those targets involved in NAFLD. The analysis of the enrichment of GO functional annotations and KEGG pathways using Metascape, followed by constructing the network of active components-targets-pathways using Cytoscape, were carried out to predict the targets. Molecular docking studies were performed to further support the involvement of these targets in the activity of LJF against NAFLD. The shortlisted targets were confirmed via in vitro studies in an NAFLD cell model. Results: A total of 17 active components in LJF and 29 targets related to NAFLD were predicted by network pharmacology. Molecular docking studies of the main components and the key targets showed that isochlorogenic acid B can stably bind to TNF-α and CASP3. In vitro studies have shown that LJF down-regulated the TNF-α and CASP3 expression in an NAFLD cell model. Conclusions: These results provide scientific evidence for further investigations into the role of LJF in the treatment of NAFLD.

SIRT5-Related Desuccinylation Modification Contributes to Quercetin-Induced Protection against Heart Failure and High-Glucose-Prompted Cardiomyocytes Injured through Regulation of Mitochondrial Quality Surveillance.

Myocardial fibrosis represents the primary pathological change associated with diabetic cardiomyopathy and heart failure, and it leads to decreased myocardial compliance with impaired cardiac diastolic and systolic function. Quercetin, an active ingredient in various medicinal plants, exerts therapeutic effects against cardiovascular diseases. Here, we investigate whether SIRT5- and IDH2-related desuccinylation is involved in the underlying mechanism of myocardial fibrosis in heart failure while exploring related therapeutic drugs for mitochondrial quality surveillance. Mouse models of myocardial fibrosis and heart failure, established by transverse aortic constriction (TAC), were administered with quercetin (50 mg/kg) daily for 4 weeks. HL-1 cells were pretreated with quercetin and treated with high glucose (30 mM) in vitro. Cardiac function, western blotting, quantitative PCR, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and immunofluorescence analysis were employed to analyze mitochondrial quality surveillance, oxidative stress, and inflammatory response in myocardial cells, whereas IDH2 succinylation levels were detected using immunoprecipitation. Myocardial fibrosis and heart failure incidence increased after TAC, with abnormal cardiac ejection function. Following high-glucose treatment, HL-1 cell activity was inhibited, causing excess production of reactive oxygen species and inhibition of mitochondrial respiratory complex I/III activity and mitochondrial antioxidant enzyme activity, as well as increased oxidative stress and inflammatory response, imbalanced mitochondrial quality surveillance and homeostasis, and increased apoptosis. Quercetin inhibited myocardial fibrosis and improved cardiac function by increasing mitochondrial energy metabolism and regulating mitochondrial fusion/fission and mitochondrial biosynthesis while inhibiting the inflammatory response and oxidative stress injury. Additionally, TAC inhibited SIRT5 expression at the mitochondrial level and increased IDH2 succinylation. However, quercetin promoted the desuccinylation of IDH2 by increasing SIRT5 expression. Moreover, treatment with si-SIRT5 abolished the protective effect of quercetin on cell viability. Hence, quercetin may promote the desuccinylation of IDH2 through SIRT5, maintain mitochondrial homeostasis, protect mouse cardiomyocytes under inflammatory conditions, and improve myocardial fibrosis, thereby reducing the incidence of heart failure.