Modulating Effects of Turmeric Polysaccharides on Immune Response and Gut Microbiota in Cyclophosphamide-Treated Mice.

Turmeric, a traditional medicinal herb, is commonly used as a dietary and functional ingredient. This study aimed to investigate the effect of turmeric polysaccharides (TPs) on intestinal immunity and gut microbiota in cyclophosphamide (Cy)-induced immunosuppressed BALB/c mice. We verified that the oral administration of TPs-0 and TPs-3 (200 and 400 mg/kg, bw) improved thymus and spleen indexes, increased the whole blood immune cells (WBC) and lymph count index, and stimulated the secretion of serum immunoglobulin IgG. More importantly, TPs-0 and TPs-3 could repair intestinal immune damage and reduce intestinal inflammation. The specific mechanism is ameliorating the intestinal pathological damage, promoting CD4+ T cell secretion, regulating the expression of related cytokines, and reducing the level of critical proteins in the NF-κB/iNOS pathway. Interestingly, the intake of TPs-0 and TPs-3 significantly increased the content of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Moreover, TPs-0 and TPs-3 relieved the intestinal microbiota disorder via the proliferation of the abundance of Lactobacillus and Bacteroides and the inhibition of Staphylococcus. Cumulatively, our study suggests that TPs-0 and TPs-3 can relieve intestinal immune damage by repairing the immune barrier and regulating intestinal flora disorders. TPs have potential applications for enhancing immunity as a functional food.

Isatidis Radix and Isatidis Folium: A systematic review on ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry and pharmacology.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Isatidis Radix (called Banlangen, BLG in Chinese) and Isatidis Folium (called Daqingye, DQY in Chinese) are common traditional edible-medicinal herbs in detoxifying for thousands of years, have been traditionally applied in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. Both of them are bitter in taste, coolness in nature, acting on the heart and stomach channels. They are often used to treat influenza and other viral infectious diseases in clinic, as well as could treat fever, dizziness, and cough and sore throat caused by lung heat. AIMS OF THE REVIEW: This review aimed at summarizing the latest and comprehensive information of BLG and DQY on the ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicity and clinical application to explore the therapeutic potential of them. In addition, outlooks and perspective for possible future researches that related are also discussed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Related information concerning BLG and DQY were gathered from the internet database of Google Scholar, PubMed, Baidu Scholar, GeenMedical, CNKI and Web of Science, as well as other relevant textbooks, reviews, and documents (e.g., Chinese Pharmacopoeia, 2020 edition, Chinese herbal classic books and PhD and MSc thesis, etc.). Among of them with the keywords including "Isatis indigotica" "Isatidis Radix", "Isatidis Folium", "phytochemistry", "pharmacology", "toxicology", "clinical application" etc. and their combinations. RESULTS: To date, 39 Chinese patent medicines containing BLG and/or DQY have been developed on basis of the data of NMPA. Besides, 304 and 142 compounds have been found in BLG and DQY, respectively. The main chemical differences between BLG and DQY were concentrated on alkaloids and lignans, such as indican, indirubin, (R, S)-epigoitrin, 4(3H)-quinazolinone, clemastanin B and isatindigotindolines A-D. In 2020 Edition ChP, (R, S)-goitrin and indirubin are now used as the official marker to monitor the quality of BLG and DQY, respectively. Modern pharmacology has mainly studied some monomer components such as 4(3H)-quinazolinone, clemastanin B, erucic acid and adenosine, etc., all of which have shown good effects. These active compounds can resist various viruses, such as influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus, herpes simplex virus, etc.. By regulating the level of immunity and a variety of inflammatory factors, inhibit the growth and reproduction of the virus. At the same time, it is worth noting that different components of BLG and DQY lead to BLG is more powerful in antiviral and immunomodulatory activity than DQY, while DQY possesses a higher intensity than BLG in anti-oxidant activity. CONCLUSION: By collecting and collating a large number of literature and various data websites, we concluded that the common compounds are mainly alkaloids. Recent findings regarding the phytochemical and pharmacological properties of BLG and DQY have confirmed their traditional uses in antiviral, antibacterial and treatment immune diseases. Without doubt, their significant differences on ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry and pharmacology can be used as evidence of separate list of BLG and DQY. For shortcomings, some comprehensive studies should be well designed for further utilization of BLG and DQY.

Essential oil from the raw and vinegar-processed Rhizoma Curcumae ameliorate CCl4-induced liver fibrosis: integrating network pharmacology and molecular mechanism evaluation.

Liver fibrosis, caused by multiple chronic liver injuries, is a known contributor to cirrhosis and even liver cancer. As a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Rhizoma curcumae has been extensively used in the treatment of liver fibrosis with satisfying therapeutic effects; however, its mechanism is unclear. The essential oil is the main bioactive component. The purpose of this study was to investigate the chemical profile and the pharmacological mechanisms of the essential oil of Rhizoma curcumae (EORC) against liver fibrosis by combining network pharmacology and transcriptomic technologies. A total of 37 active compounds were identified using the GC/MS system and literature mining, and the corresponding putative targets were predicted. Then, network pharmacology method was applied to identify the 168 candidate targets of EORC-alleviated liver fibrosis. String database and Cytoscape software were used to build the herb-compound-target network and protein-protein interactions (PPIs) network. Functional and pathway enrichment analysis indicated that EORC significantly influenced TGF-ß1/Smads and PI3K/AKT pathways. Experimentally, we verified that EORC attenuated the severity and pathological changes during liver fibrosis progression based on the CCl4-induced liver fibrosis rat model. Transcriptomic technologies demonstrated that EORC ameliorated liver fibrosis partially by regulating the TGF-ß1/Smads and PI3K/AKT pathways. In addition, the effect of vinegar-processed EORC was more significant than that of the raw one. Therefore, EORC can alleviate the severity of liver fibrosis through mechanisms predicted by network pharmacology and provide a basis for the further understanding of the application of EORC in the treatment of liver fibrosis.

Terpenoids from Curcumae Rhizoma: Their anticancer effects and clinical uses on combination and versus drug therapies.

Cancer is a fatal disease with high mortality and low survival rate worldwide. At present, there is still no known cure for most cancers. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) represents a noteworthy reservoir for anticancer agents in drug discovery and development. Curcumae Rhizoma (called Ezhu in Chinese) is widely prescribed in TCM for anticancer therapy owing to its broad-spectrum antineoplastic activities. Especially, the terpenoids isolated from the essential oil of Curcumae Rhizoma form an integral part of cancer research and are well established as a potential anticancer agent. For example, ß-elemene has been developed into a new drug for the treatment of solid tumors in China, and is currently undergoing clinical trials in the United States. The review aims to systematically summarize the recent advances on the anticancer effects and related molecular mechanisms of Curcumae Rhizoma, and its terpenoids (ß-elemene, Furanodiene, Furanodienone, Germacrone, Curcumol, Curdione). In addition, we evaluated and compared the anticancer efficacy and clinical use of the terpenoids with combination therapies and traditional therapies. Therefore, this review provides sufficient evidence for the anticancer therapeutic potential of Curcumae Rhizoma and its terpenoids, and will contribute to the development of potential anticancer drugs.

Medicinal dietary plants of the Yi in Mile, Yunnan, China.

BACKGROUND: The Yi is the largest ethnic group in Yunnan Province (China), with a population of five million. The Yi people tend to live in mountainous areas, and their culture includes a unique dietary system for treating and protecting people against illnesses. Medicinal plants occupy an essential place in the Yi diet because they play a key role in health and the prevention and treatment of diseases. However, few studies have addressed these medicinal dietary plants and their importance in the Yi's daily lives. The aim of this study was to (1) investigate the medicinal dietary plants used by the Yi in Mile City, (2) document the traditional knowledge held about these plants, (3) identify species with important cultural significance to the Yi in Mile City, and (4) analyze the special preparation methods and consumption habits of these plants. METHODS: Field investigations were performed in six villages in Mile City, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan, from July 2017 to May 2018. Information was collected using direct observation, semi-structured interviews, key informant interviews, individual discussions, and focus group discussions. The use value (UV) and frequency of utilization index (FUI) of these plants were analyzed. Plant samples and voucher specimens were collected for taxonomic identification. RESULTS: This study documented 124 species belonging to 62 families and 102 genera. These plants included angiosperms (117 spp.), gymnosperms (3), pteridophytes (2), lichen (1), and fungus (1). The 20 species with the highest UV were noted as being particularly important to the Yi people's daily life in Mile City. The primary medicinal preparation method for plants recorded in the study was decoction. The most commonly used plant parts were fruits and roots. The most frequently used edible parts were fruits, and the most frequently used medicinal parts were roots. The medicinal parts were used to treat diseases such as rheumatism, edemas, kidney deficiency, spleen deficiency, gastritis, parasites, and so on. CONCLUSION: A wide variety of medicinal dietary plants are used by the Yi people in Mile City. Those plants, which have both rich nutritional and medicinal value, occupy an essential part of the Yi dietary and medicine culture. Ethnobotanical surveys of medicinal dietary plants provide a theoretical reference for the conservation and sustainable use of the plant resources and could contribute to the protection of the Yi food culture and traditional medicine in Mile City. In addition, this information provides a sound basis for developing and using Yi ethnic medicine and health products.

Clinical Benefit of Sorafenib Combined with Paclitaxel and Carboplatin to a Patient with Metastatic Chemotherapy-Refractory Testicular Tumors.

Testicular cancer is one of the few tumor types that have not yet benefited from targeted therapy. Still no new active agents for treating this cancer have been identified over the past 15 years. Once patients are refractory to cisplatin-based chemotherapy, they will be expected to die from testicular cancer. This report describes a 21-year-old man who was refractory to chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Whole exome sequencing and low-depth whole genome sequencing confirmed the KRAS gene amplification, which may lead to the tumor cells' progression and proliferation. After discussion at the molecular tumor board, the patient was offered paclitaxel, carboplatin, and sorafenib (CPS) based on a phase III clinical trial of melanoma with KRAS gene copy gains. After treatment with CPS, the patient achieved excellent curative effects. Because of a nearly 50% frequency of KRAS amplification in chemotherapy-refractory testicular germ cells, CPS regimen may provide a new therapy, but it still warrants further validation in clinical studies. KEY POINTS: Chemotherapy-refractory testicular cancer has a very poor prognosis resulting in a lack of effective targeted therapies. KRAS gene amplification occurs in nearly 20% of testicular cancer and 50% of chemotherapy-refractory testicular cancer. KRAS amplification may activate the MAPK signaling pathway, and inhibition of MAPK by sorafenib combined with paclitaxel and carboplatin could be a viable option based on a phase III clinical trial of melanoma.To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of response to sorafenib-based combination targeted therapy in a patient with chemotherapy-refractory testicular cancer.Clinical genomic profiling can confirm copy number variation of testicular cancer and provide insights on therapeutic options.

The functional gene composition and metabolic potential of coral-associated microbial communities.

The phylogenetic diversity of coral-associated microbes has been extensively examined, but some contention remains regarding whether coral-associated microbial communities are species-specific or site-specific. It is suggested that corals may associate with microbes in terms of function, although little is known about the differences in coral-associated microbial functional gene composition and metabolic potential among coral species. Here, 16S rRNA Illumina sequencing and functional gene array (GeoChip 5.0) were used to assess coral-associated microbial communities. Our results indicate that both host species and environmental variables significantly correlate with shifts in the microbial community structure and functional potential. Functional genes related to key biogeochemical cycles including carbon, nitrogen, sulfur and phosphorus cycling, metal homeostasis, organic remediation, antibiotic resistance and secondary metabolism were shown to significantly vary between and among the four study corals (Galaxea astreata, Porites lutea, Porites andrewsi and Pavona decussata). Genes specific for anammox were also detected for the first time in the coral holobiont and positively correlated with ammonium. This study reveals that variability in the functional potential of coral-associated microbial communities is largely driven by changes in environmental factors and further demonstrates the importance of linking environmental parameters with genomic data in complex environmental systems.

An unusual piceatannol dimer from Rheum austral D. Don with antioxidant activity.

A novel dimer of piceatannol glycoside, named rheumaustralin (1) was isolated from the underground parts of the ethnomedicinal plant Rheum austral (Polygonaceae) collected from Tibet together with 17 known compounds, including rheumin (2), 2,5-dimethyl-7-hydroxychromone (3), 2,5-dimethylchromone-7-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside (4), 7-hydroxy-2-(2'-hydroxypropyl)-5-methylchromone (5), torachrysone (6) torachrysone-8-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside (7), 4-(4'-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butanone-4'-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside (8), amabiloside (9), N-trans-feruloyl tyramine (10), chrysophanol (11), aloe-emodin (12), emodin (13), physcion (14), physcion-1-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside (15), emodin-8-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside (16), D-catechin (17) and gallic acid (18). Their structures were determined by combined spectroscopic methods and by comparison of their spectral data with those reported in literature. Compounds 1-10 were tested for their ability to scavenge 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical.

New resveratrol oligomer derivatives from the roots of Rheum lhasaense.

Two new resveratrol trimer derivatives, named rheumlhasol A (1) and rheumlhasol B (2) were isolated from the methanolic extract of roots of Rheum lhasaense A. J. Li et P. K. Hsiao together with four known resveratrol dimer derivatives, including maximol A (3), gnetin C (4), ε-viniferin (5), and pallidol (6). The structures were determined by combined spectroscopic methods and by comparison of their spectral data with those reported in the literature. All the compounds isolated from R. lhasaense were tested for their ability to scavenge1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical.

[Spatial heterogeneity of soil properties and its relationships with terrain factors in broad-leaved forest in Tiantong of Zhejiang Province, East China].

By using geostatistical methods, this paper studied the spatial heterogeneity and distribution patterns of soil pH, total carbon, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus in an evergreen broad-leaved forest in Tiantong of Zhejiang Province, and the effects of terrain factors (elevation, convexity, and slope) on the soil properties were quantified based on RDA ordination and partial regression analysis. The coefficient of variation for the soil pH, total carbon, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus was 5.18%, 42.98%, 36.55%, and 46.27%, respectively, and the spatial dependence of the soil properties was at a scale of 81.6-54.5 m. The soil pH, total carbon, and total nitrogen had moderate spatial autocorrelation, while the soil total phosphorus had a strong spatial autocorrelation. The soil pH, total carbon, and total nitrogen showed scattered spatial distribution, while the soil total phosphorus presented banded type. Among the terrain factors, convexity had the strongest effects on the soil pH and total phosphorus, both of which had negative correlation with convexity, and the convexity could explain 21.24% and 14.62% of the spatial variability of soil pH and total phosphorus, respectively. Elevation had the most powerful effects on the soil total carbon and total nitrogen, both of which had positive correlation with elevation, and the elevation could explain 10.54% and 10.60% of the spatial variability of soil total carbon and total nitrogen, respectively. There existed differences in the effects of different terrain factors on the spatial variability of the soil properties, which was related to the effects of terrain factors on the distribution of acidic rainfall in the region and on the local soil moisture content and air temperature.