Pharmacological evaluation and phytochemical profiling of butanol extract of L. edodes with in- silico virtual screening.

L. edodes (L. edodes) is the most consumed mushroom in the world and has been well known for its therapeutic potential as an edible and medicinal candidate, it contains dietary fibers, vitamins, proteins, minerals, and carbohydrates. In the current study butanolic extract of mushroom was used to form semisolid butanol extract. The current study aimed to explore biometabolites that might have biological activities in n-butanol extract of L. edodes using FT-IR and GC-MS and LC-MS. The synergistic properties of bioactive compounds were futher assessed by performing different biological assays such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic. FTIR spectra showed different functional groups including amide N-H group, Alkane (C-H stretching), and (C = C stretching) groups at different spectrum peaks in the range of 500 cm-1 to 5000 cm-1 respectively. GC-MS profiling of n-butanol extract depicted 34 potent biomolecules among those dimethyl; Morphine, 2TMS derivative; Benzoic acid, methyl ester 1-(2-methoxy-1-methylethoxy)-2-propanol were spotted at highest range. Results indicate that L. edodes n-butanol extract showed a maximum anti-inflammatory potential 91.4% at 300 mg/mL. Antioxidant activity was observed by measuring free radical scavenging activity which is 64.6% at optimized concentration along with good antidiabetic activity. In-silico study executed the biopotential of active ingredient morphine which proved the best docking score (- 7.0 kJ/mol) against aldose reductase. The in-silico drug design analysis was performed on biometabolites detected through GC-MS that might be a potential target for sulfatase-2 to treat ruminated arthritis. Morphine binds more strongly (- 7.9 kJ/mol) than other bioactive constituents indicated. QSAR and ADMET analysis shown that morphine is a good candidates against ruminated arthritis. The current study showed that L. edodes might be used as potent drug molecules to cure multiple ailments. As mushrooms have high bioactivity, they can be used against different diseases and to develop antibacterial drugs based on the current situation in the world in which drug resistance is going to increase due to misuse of antibiotics so new and noval biological active compounds are needed to overcome the situation.

Phytochemical analysis and evaluation of its antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic activities for different extracts of Casuarina equisetifolia.

BACKGROUND: Casuarina equisetifolia belongs to the Casuarina species with the most extensive natural distribution, which contain various phytochemicals with potential health benefits. This study aimed to investigate the chemical composition and biological activities of different extracts of Casuarina equisetifolia. METHODS: The n-hexane extract was analyzed for its unsaponifiable and fatty acid methyl esters fractions, while chloroform, ethyl acetate, and butanol extracts were studied for their phenolic components. Six different extracts of C. equisetifolia needles were evaluated for their total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, and their antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic activities. RESULTS: The n-hexane extract contained mainly hydrocarbons and fatty acid methyl esters, while ten phenolic compounds were isolated and identified in the chloroform, ethyl acetate, and butanol extracts. The methanolic extract exhibited the highest total phenolic and flavonoid content, highest antioxidant activity, and most potent cytotoxic activity against HepG-2 and HCT-116 cancer cell lines. The ethyl acetate extract showed the most significant inhibition zone against Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis. CONCLUSION: Casuarina equisetifolia extracts showed promising antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic activities. Overall, Casuarina equisetifolia is a versatile tree with a variety of uses, and its plant material can be used for many different purposes.

Nutritional, chemical and functional potential of Inga laurina (Fabaceae): A barely used edible species.

Inga laurina is a plant species which produces edible fruits, and until now there is little information available concerning its nutritional, chemical and bioactive composition. In this study, we evaluated for the first time the proximate composition and mineral contents in its fruit (peel, pulp and seed), that is the traditionally consumed part. The seeds obtained the highest protein (19.52 g/100 g), carbohydrate (22.5 g/100 g) and mineral contents, mainly Cu, Cr, P, Mn, Se and Zn. The peel and pulp were excellent sources of fiber (4.5 and 11.05 g/100 g) as well as mineral content, with Cr and Cu standing out in the pulp. This study is notably the first to provide a detailed assessment of the nutritional compositions of traditionally consumed and not consumed parts of this fruit. Sensory analysis of the pulp was also performed, which indicated good acceptance. The antioxidant properties were characterized in the fruit, peels and leaves. The ABTS test showed that leaf supernatant hydroethanolic crude extract (EC50 = 2.70 µg/mL) and its corresponding ethyl acetate (EC50 = 1.68 µg/mL) and butanol (EC50 = 2.48 µg/mL) partitions presented higher antioxidant potential compared to the control Ginkgo biloba (EC50 = 12.17 µg/mL). The most active precipitate extract regarding DPPH was from the peel (EC50 = 13.30 µg /mL) and the most active partition was the ethyl acetate (EC50 = 13.37 µg/mL), both with better activity compared to the control Ginkgo biloba (EC50 = 46.97 µg/mL). The ethyl acetate partition (EC50 = 13.45 µg/mL) and butanol partition (EC50 = 7.97 µg/mL) from the leaves showed the highest antioxidant capacity. Thus, extracts and partitions from the peels and leaves were studied from a phytochemical point of view due to presenting the best results for antioxidant capacity. The presence of phenolic compounds such as myricetin-3-O-rhamnopyranoside, myricetin-3-O-(2″-O-galloyl)-rhamnopyranoside and myricetin-3-O-(2″,4″-di-O-galloyl)-arabinopentoside-methyl ether were observed in the leaf crude extract and polar partitions, being reported for the first time in the Inga genus and Fabaceae family. Moreover, quercetin, quercetin-3-O-galatoctoside, quercetin-3-O-rhamnopyranoside, quercetin-3-O-(2″-O-galloyl)-rhamnoside, and quercetin tri-hexose were identified in the peel crude extract and ethyl acetate partition, in which the galloyl derivative of quercetin was identified for the first time in I. laurina fruit peels. GC-MS enabled separating and identifying substances such as palmitic and stearic acids, and ethyl oleate. It is possible to conclude that I. laurina pulp can be a supplementary food as a source of phenolic compounds, and the other organs of the plant (leaves and peel) are rich in flavonoids with great antioxidant capacity, making this species a promising source of antioxidants.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) Produced by Levilactobacillus brevis WLP672 Fermentation in Defined Media Supplemented with Different Amino Acids.

Fermentation by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) is a promising approach to meet the increasing demand for meat or dairy plant-based analogues with realistic flavours. However, a detailed understanding of the impact of the substrate, fermentation conditions, and bacterial strains on the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced during fermentation is lacking. As a first step, the current study used a defined medium (DM) supplemented with the amino acids L-leucine (Leu), L-isoleucine (Ile), L-phenylalanine (Phe), L-threonine (Thr), L-methionine (Met), or L-glutamic acid (Glu) separately or combined to determine their impact on the VOCs produced by Levilactobacillus brevis WLP672 (LB672). VOCs were measured using headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). VOCs associated with the specific amino acids added included: benzaldehyde, phenylethyl alcohol, and benzyl alcohol with added Phe; methanethiol, methional, and dimethyl disulphide with added Met; 3-methyl butanol with added Leu; and 2-methyl butanol with added Ile. This research demonstrated that fermentation by LB672 of a DM supplemented with different amino acids separately or combined resulted in the formation of a range of dairy- and meat-related VOCs and provides information on how plant-based fermentations could be manipulated to generate desirable flavours.

Effect of the Pulsatilla decoction n-butanol extract on vulvovaginal candidiasis caused by Candida glabrata and on its virulence factors.

Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) caused by Candida glabrata (C. glabrata) is more persistent and resistant to treatment than when caused by Candida albicans (C. albicans) and has been on the rise in recent years. The n-butanol extract of Pulsatilla Decoction (BEPD) has been shown to be effective in treating VVC caused by C. glabrata, but the underlying mechanism of action remains unclear. In this study, the experimenter conducted in vitro and in vivo experiments to explore the effects of BEPD on the virulence factors of C. glabrata, as well as its efficacy, with a focus on possible immunological mechanism in VVC caused by C. glabrata. The contents of Anemoside B4, Epiberberine, Berberine, Aesculin, Aesculetin, Phellodendrine and Jatrorrhizine in BEPD, detected by high-performance liquid chromatography, were 31,736.64, 13,529.66, 105,143.72, 19,406.20, 4952.67, 10,317.03, 2489.93 µg/g, respectively. In vitro experiments indicated that BEPD moderately inhibited the growth of C. glabrata, its adhesion, and biofilm formation, and affected the expression of efflux transporters in the biofilm state. In vivo experiments demonstrated that BEPD significantly reduced vaginal inflammatory manifestation and the release of proinflammatory cytokines and LDH in mice with VVC caused by C. glabrata. Moreover, it inhibited the Phosphorylation of EGFR, ERK, P38, P65, and C-Fos proteins. The results suggested that although BEPD moderately inhibits the growth and virulence factors of C. glabrata in vitro, it can significantly reduce vaginal inflammation by down-regulating the EGFR/MAPK signaling pathway in mice with VVC infected by C. glabrata.

Phytochemical analysis, radical scavenging and glioblastoma U87 cells toxicity studies of stem bark of buckthorn (Rhamnus pentapomica R. Parker).

BACKGROUND: During the past two decades, the correlation between oxidative stress and a variety of serious illnesses such as atherosclerosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Alzheimer disease (AD) and cancer has been established. Medicinal plants and their derived phytochemicals have proven efficacy against free radicals and their associated diseases. The current work was aimed to evaluate the phytochemical constituents of Rhamnus pentapomica R. Parker via Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and its antioxidant and anti-glioblastoma potentials. METHODS: The bioactive compounds were analysed in Rhamnus pentapomica R. Parker stem bark extracts by GC-MS analysis, and to evaluate their antioxidant and anti-glioblastoma effects following standard procedures. The stem bark was extracted with 80% methanol for 14 days to get crude methanolic extract (Rp.Cme) followed by polarity directed fractionation using solvents including ethyl acetate, chloroform, butanol to get ethyl acetate fraction (Rp.EtAc), chloroform fraction (Rp.Chf) and butanol fraction (Rp.Bt) respectively. Antioxidant assay was performed using DPPH free radicals and cell viability assay against U87 glioblastoma cancer cell lines was performed via MTT assay. RESULTS: In GC-MS analysis, thirty-one compounds were detected in Rp.Cme, 22 in Rp.Chf, 24 in Rp.EtAc and 18 compounds were detected in Rp.Bt. Among the identified compounds in Rp.Cme, 9-Octadecenoic acid (Z)-methyl ester (7.73%), Octasiloxane (5.13%) and Heptasiloxane (5.13%), Hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester (3.76%) and Pentadecanoic acid, 14-methyl-, methyl Ester (3.76%) were highly abundant.. In Rp.Chf, Benzene, 1,3-dimethyl- (3.24%) and in Rp.EtAc Benzene, 1,3-dimethyl-(11.29%) were highly abundant compounds. Antioxidant studies revealed that Rp.Cme and Rp.EtAc exhibit considerable antioxidant potentials with IC50 values of 153.53 µg/ml and 169.62 µg/ml respectively. Both fractions were also highly effective against glioblastoma cells with IC50 of 147.64 µg/ml and 76.41ug/ml respectively. CONCLUSION: Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of important metabolites which might be active against free radicals and glioblastoma cells. Various samples of the plant exhibited considerable antioxidant and anti-glioblastoma potentials warranting further detailed studies.

Inflammatory mediators, oxidative stress and genetic disturbance in rheumatoid arthritis rats supported by alfalfa seeds metabolomic constituents via blocking interleukin-1receptor.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by aggressive cartilage and bone erosion. This work aimed to evaluate the metabolomic profile of Medicago sativa L. (MS) (alfalfa) seeds and explore its therapeutic impact against RA in rats. Arthritis was induced by complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) and its severity was assessed by the arthritis index. Treatment with MS seeds butanol fraction and interlukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) were evaluated through measuring interlukin-1 receptor (IL-1R) type 1 gene expression, interlukin-1 beta (IL-1ß), oxidative stress markers, C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), caspase-3 (Cas-3), intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), DNA fragmentation, and chromosomal damage. Total phenolics/ flavonoids content in the ethyl acetate, butanol fraction and crude extract of MS seeds were estimated. The major identified compounds were Quercetin, Trans-taxifolin, Gallic acid, 7,4'-Dihydroxyflavone, Cinnamic acid, Kudzusaponin SA4, Isorhamnetin 3-O-beta-D-2'',3'',4''-triacetylglucopyranoside, Apigenin, 5,7,4'-Trihydroxy-3'-methoxyflavone, Desmethylxanthohumol, Pantothenic acid, Soyasapogenol E, Malvidin, Helilandin B, Stigmasterol, and Wairol. Treatment with MS seeds butanol fraction and IL-1RA enhanced all the biochemical parameters and the histopathological features of the ankle joint. In conclusion, Trans-taxifolin was isolated for the first time from the genus Medicago. MS butanol fraction seeds extract and IL-1 RA were considered as anti-rheumatic agents.

In vitro antimalarial activity of Syzygium cumini fruit fraction.

Background: Malaria is still one of the most severe public health problems worldwide. The development of treatment, prevention, and control of malaria is one of the substantial problems in the world. Aims: To investigate the in vitro antimalarial activity of Syzygium cumini methanol fruit fraction. Methods: Syzygium cumini L fruit powder was macerated with methanol (PA) and the extract obtained was fractionated using the liquid-liquid partition method with n-hexane, ethyl acetate, butanol, chloroform, methanol, and water solvents. In vitro antimalarial assay was conducted using the culture of Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 strain culture that had reached >5% growth and was examined for IC50 values using a 24-well microplate in duplicate. Each treatment and control well contained 1,080 µl of complete media. Well, number 1 was added with 120 µl fraction, and then the solution was diluted until it reached 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10, and 100 µg/ml the final concentration in the microtiter well. The control only contained complete media and infected erythrocytes without the addition of anti-malarial drugs. The microplate was incubated for 48 hours. After 48 hours, a thin blood smear was made fixed with methanol and stained with 20% Giemsa for 20 minutes to determine the IC50 value by plotting sample concentrations and percentage of parasitemia in Excel. Results: The IC50 values of ethyl acetate fraction, n.hexane fraction, butanol fraction, and water fraction were 1.189, 76.996, 1,769, and 15.058 µg/ml, respectively. Whereases the IC50 values of C1 fraction (mix fraction from chloroform: methanol 100:0 and 90:10) and C4 fraction (mix fraction from chloroform: methanol 20:80, 10:90, and 0:100) were 100.126 and 1.015 µg/ml, respectively. The results showed that the IC50 value of ethyl acetate, butanol, and C4 fraction were lower than 10µg/ml and were considered as good activity (strong antimalarial activity). Conclusion: The ethyl acetate, butanol and C4 subfraction from S. cumini fruit have the potential to be developed as an antimalarial agent.

Characterization of Polyphenols from Chenopodium botrys after Fractionation with Different Solvents and Study of Their In Vitro Biological Activity.

In the present work, we have investigated the polyphenolic composition of Chenopodium botrys from Bulgaria. The polyphenols were fractionated with solvents of varying polarity (n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and n-butanol). The fractions were analyzed by HPLC-PDA and UHPLC-MS. The ethyl acetate fraction contained mono- and di-glycosides of quercetin, di-glycosides of kaempferol, and isorhamnetin and monoglycosides of hispidulin and jaceosidine. We found quercetin triglycosides in the butanol fraction. The ethyl acetate and butanol fractions contained 168.82 mg/g Extr and 67.21 mg/g Extr of quercetin glycosides, respectively. The main components of the polyphenolic complex in C. botrys were 6-methoxyflavones (355.47 mg/g Extr), which were found in the chloroform fraction. The flavonoids pectolinarigenin, demethylnobiletin, and isosinensetin, and the glycosides of quercetin (triglycosides, acylglycosides), kaempferol, isorhamnetin, hispidiulin, and jaceosidine, were discovered and reported in Chenopodium botrys for the first time. We used in vitro methods to assess the biological activity against oxidative stress (hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity (HPSA) and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity (HRSA)), nitrosative stress (nitric oxide scavenging activity (NOSA)), anti-inflammatory activity (IAD inhibition), and anti-tryptic activity (ATA). Quercetin mono- and di-glycosides exhibited greater HPSA and HRSA (IC50 = 39.18, 105.03 µg/mL), while 6-methoxyflavones had a greater NOSA (IC50 = 146.59 µg/mL). The same components showed the highest ATA (IC50 ranging from 116.23 to 202.44 µg/mL).

Jing-Fang n-butanol extract and its isolated JFNE-C inhibit ferroptosis and inflammation in LPS induced RAW264.7 macrophages via STAT3/p53/SLC7A11 signaling pathway.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Traditional Chinese medicine has accumulated valuable experience in the treatment of inflammatory diseases caused by Ferroptosis. Jing Jie and Fang Feng are two warm acrid exterior-resolving medicinal herbs that play an important role in the prevention and treatment of inflammatory diseases. The pairing of the two forms a drug pair (Jing-Fang) that shows significant advantages in fighting oxidative stress and inflammation. Whereas, the underlying mechanism needs to be further improved. AIM OF THE STUDY: In this study, the anti-inflammatory effect of Jing-Fang n-butanol extract (JFNE) and its isolate C (JFNE-C) on LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells and the regulation effect on ferroptosis were investigated, and also the mechanism of STAT3/p53/SLC7A11 signal pathway-related to ferroptosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Jing-Fang n-butanol extract (JFNE) and its active isolate (JFNE-C) were extracted and isolated. LPS-induced inflammation model in RAW264.7 cells was established to assess the anti-inflammatory effect and ferroptosis mechanism of JFNE and JFNE-C. The levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 1ß (IL-1ß) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) were measured. The activity levels of antioxidant substances such as glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured. Flow cytometry, immunofluorescence and transmission electron microscopy were used to assess ROS level, ferrous iron content and mitochondrial morphological changes. Through administration of Ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1), an ferroptosis inhibitor, to verify the role of JFNE and JFNE-C in regulating ferroptosis in resistance to the inflammatory response. Western blotting was used to determine whether the JFNE and JFNE-C exerted effectiveness by modulating the STAT3/p53/SLC7A11 signaling pathway. In addition, the important role of STAT3/p53/SLC7A11 signaling pathway in drug regulation of ferroptosis and inflammatory response was further validated by administration of S3I-201 (STAT3 inhibitor). Finally, high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) was used to determine the major active components of JFNE and JFNE-C. RESULTS: The results showed that treated with JFNE-C significantly reduced the contents of interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 1ß (IL-1ß) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) in the supernatant of LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells. The pretreatment with JFNE and JFNE-C significantly decreased intracellular oxidative stress levels, including reductions of ROS and MDA levels, and increases of GSH-Px, SOD and GSH levels. In addition, JFNE and JFNE-C obviously reduced intracellular ferrous iron level, and JFNE-C was effective in alleviating mitochondrial damage which includes mitochondrial shrinkage, increase of mitochondrial membrane density and reduction and absence of cristae. Further results indicated that JFNE-C showed a reduction of p53 and p-p53 protein levels in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells, while significantly increasing the protein expression levels of STAT3, p-STAT3, SLC7A11 and GPX4. Besides, JFNE-C contains key active substances such as 5-O-Methylvisammioside, Hesperidin and Luteolin. Remarkably, this is different from JFNE, which is rich in nutrients such as sucrose, choline and various amino acids. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that JFNE and JFNE-C may exert anti-inflammatory effect through activating the STAT3/p53/SLC7A11 signaling pathway to inhibit ferroptosis.

The effect of Alnus incana (L.) Moench extracts in ameliorating iron overload-induced hepatotoxicity in male albino rats.

Iron overload causes multiorgan dysfunction and serious damage. Alnus incana from the family Betulaceae, widely distributed in North America, is used for treating diseases. In this study, we investigated the iron chelating, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic activities of the total and butanol extract from Alnus incana in iron-overloaded rats and identified the bioactive components in both extracts using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. We induced iron overload in the rats via six intramuscular injections of 12.5 mg iron dextran/100 g body weight for 30 days. The rats were then administered 60 mg ferrous sulfate /kg body weight once daily using a gastric tube. The total and butanol extracts were given orally, and the reference drug (deferoxamine) was administered subcutaneously for another month. After two months, we evaluated the biochemical, histopathological, histochemical, and immunohistochemical parameters. Iron overload significantly increased the serum iron level, liver biomarker activities, hepatic iron content, malondialdehyde, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and caspase-3 levels. It also substantially (P < 0.05) reduced serum albumin, total protein, and total bilirubin content, and hepatic reduced glutathione levels. It caused severe histopathological alterations compared to the control rats, which were markedly (P < 0.05) ameliorated after treatment. The total extract exhibited significantly higher anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic activities but lower antioxidant and iron-chelating activities than the butanol extract. Several polyphenolic compounds, including flavonoids and phenolic acids, were detected by ultraperformance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS) analysis. Our findings suggest that both extracts might alleviate iron overload-induced hepatoxicity and other pathological conditions characterized by hepatic iron overload, including thalassemia and sickle-cell anemia.

Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of E-B-FAHF-2 in Combination With Omalizumab-Facilitated Multiallergen Oral Immunotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Oral immunotherapy (OIT) is limited by adverse events, and most patients require continued treatment to maintain their increased threshold. Adjunctive treatments have been explored to increase the safety and efficacy of OIT. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the safety and efficacy of enhanced, butanol purified Food Allergy Herbal Formula-2 (E-B-FAHF-2) for inducing remission in subjects undergoing omalizumab-facilitated multiallergen OIT (multi-OIT). METHODS: In this double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, subjects were randomized 1:1 to receive either E-B-FAHF-2 or placebo, starting 2 months before OIT and continuing throughout OIT. All subjects received a 4-month course of omalizumab, starting 2 months before OIT through the 2-month OIT build-up phase. After 24 months of multi-OIT (maintenance dose of 1000 mg of each allergen), desensitization and remission were assessed. The primary objective was to determine if subjects in the E-B-FAHF-2 group (EOIT) were more likely than the placebo group (OIT) to develop remission to all 3 allergens treated with multi-OIT, as defined by the absence of dose-limiting symptoms to a cumulative dose of 4444 mg of protein after discontinuing treatment for 3 months. RESULTS: Thirty-three subjects were randomized. A total of 63.6% were desensitized to 4444 mg of protein for each allergen at 26 months, and 24.2% met the primary outcome of remission at 29 months, with no difference between the treatment groups. There was good adherence (>85%) with study medications, with no difference between the treatment groups. There was no difference in reported overall adverse events between the treatment groups. CONCLUSION: Omalizumab-facilitated multifood OIT was safe and effective, and remission was achieved in about a quarter of subjects. However, outcomes were not improved by the addition of E-B-FAHF-2.

Separation and Identification of an Antimicrobial Substance from Schisandra chinensis Extract against Streptococcus mutans KCCM 40105 Strain.

This study aimed to isolate and identify antibacterial compounds from Schisandra chinensis (S. chinensis) that are effective against the Streptococcus mutans KCCM 40105 strain. First, S. chinensis was extracted using varying concentrations of ethanol, and the resulting antibacterial activity was evaluated. The 30% ethanol extract of S. chinensis showed high activity. The fractionation and antibacterial activity of a 30% ethanol extract from S. chinensis were examined using five different solvents. Upon investigation of the antibacterial activity of the solvent fraction, the water and butanol fractions showed high activity, and no significant difference was found. Therefore, the butanol fraction was chosen for material exploration using silica gel column chromatography. A total of 24 fractions were obtained from the butanol portion using silica gel chromatography. The fraction with the highest antibacterial activity was Fr 7. From Fr 7, thirty-three sub-fractions were isolated, and sub-fraction 17 showed the highest level of antibacterial activity. A total of five peaks were obtained through the pure separation of sub-fraction 17 using HPLC. Peak 2 was identified as a substance exhibiting a high level of antibacterial activity. Based on the results of UV spectrometry, 13C-NMR, 1H-NMR, LC-MS, and HPLC analyses, the compound corresponding to peak number 2 was identified as tartaric acid.

Butanol Extract of Acanthopanax senticosus (Rupr. et Maxim.) Harms Alleviates Atherosclerosis in Apolipoprotein E-Deficient Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet.

This study investigated the effect of butanol extract of AS (ASBUE) on atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE-/-) mice. The mice were administered ASBUE (390 or 130 mg/kg/day) or rosuvastatin (RSV) via oral gavage for eight weeks. In ApoE-/- mice, ASBUE suppressed the abnormal body weight gain and improved serum and liver biochemical indicators. ASBUE remarkably reduced the aortic plaque area, improved liver pathological conditions, and lipid metabolism abnormalities, and altered the intestinal microbiota structure in ApoE-/- mice. In the vascular tissue of ASBUE-treated mice, P-IKKß, P-NFκB, and P-IκBα levels tended to decrease, while IκB-α increased in high fat-diet-fed atherosclerotic mice. These findings demonstrated the anti-atherosclerotic potential of ASBUE, which is mediated by the interaction between the gut microbiota and lipid metabolism and regulated via the Nuclear Factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathway. This work paves the groundwork for subsequent studies to develop innovative drugs to treat atherosclerosis.

Melanogenesis Inhibitory Activity, Chemical Components and Molecular Docking Studies of Prunus cerasoides Buch.-Ham. D. Don. Flowers.

Safe depigmenting agents are currently increasing in the cosmetic or pharmaceutical industry because various compounds have been found to have undesirable side effects. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the melanogenesis inhibitory effects of Prunus cerasoides Buch. -Ham. D. Don. flower extracts and their molecular mechanism in B16F10 mouse melanoma cells. Moreover, we also examined phenolic and flavonoid contents, antioxidant activity, chemical constituents of potential extracts, and molecular docking. The highest phenolic and flavonoid contents with the greatest scavenging activity were found in the butanol extract of the P. cerasoides flower compared to other extracts. From all extracts, only crude, diethyl ether, and butanol extracts showed an inhibition of mushroom tyrosinase activity, cellular tyrosinase activity, and melanin content as well as the downregulation of the gene expression of the microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein-1 (TRP-1), and tyrosinase-related protein-2 (TRP-2) in α-MSH-stimulated B16F10 cells. Based on the molecular docking study, n-hexadecanoic acid, heptadecanoic acid, octadecanoic acid, 9,12-octadecadienoic acid, 9,12,15-octadecanoic acid, and eicosanoic acid might show an inhibitory effect against tyrosinase and MITF. In conclusion, this finding demonstrates that both the diethyl ether and butanol extracts of the P. cerasoides flower can effectively reduce tyrosinase activity and melanin synthesis through the downregulation of the melanogenic gene expression in B16F10 cells and through the molecular docking study. Taken together, the diethyl ether and butanol extracts of the P. cerasoides flower could be an anti-melanogenic ingredient for hyperpigmentary or melasma treatment.

Highly selective butanol production by manipulating electron flow via cathodic electro-fermentation.

Butanol production by solventogenic Clostridia shows great potential to combat the energy crisis, but is still challenged by low butanol selectivity and high downstream cost. In this study, a novel cathodic electro-fermentation (CEF) system mediated by methyl viologen (MV) was proposed and sequentially optimized to obtain highly selective butanol production. Under the optimal conditions (-0.60 V cathode potential, 0.50 mM MV, 30 g/L glucose), 7.17 ± 0.55 g/L butanol production were achieved with the yield of 0.32 ± 0.02 g/g. With the supplement of 4 g/L butyric acid as co-substrate, butanol production further improved to 13.14 ± 1.14 g/L with butanol yield and selectivity as high as 0.43 ± 0.01 g/g and 90.44 ± 1.66%, respectively. The polarized electrode enabled the unbalanced fermentation towards butanol formation and MV further inhibited hydrogen production, both of which contributed to the high-level butanol production and selectivity. The MV-mediated CEF system is a promising approach for cost-effective bio-butanol production.

Transcriptome profiling Revealed the potential mechanisms of Shen Lin Bai Zhu San n-butanol extract on DSS induced Colitis in Mice and LC-MS analysis.

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic and recurrent inflammatory disorder in gastrointestinal tract. Shen Ling Bai Zhu San (SLBZS), which has a long history of use in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), has been widely used to treat gastrointestinal diseases. The isolated fractions of TCM have also been proved to possess an important potential for treating diseases, which are due to their effective components. PURPOSE: In this study, we examined the possibility that SLBZS and its isolated active fractions may prevent DSS-induced colitis, and investigated the potential mechanisms by regulating genetic profile of colon. METHODS: Colitis mice were induced by 2.5% DSS for 7 days, and then SLBZS and different SLBZS extracts were administrated to protect the mice for 7 days. Body weight, diarrhea, bleeding in stool, colon length, spleen weight, cytokines of serum and colon and pathology of colon were assessed. The level of Ginsenoside Rg1, Re and Rb1 in different SLBZS extracts and qualitative analysis of n-butanol extract of SLBZS (S-Nb) was performed by HPLC and LC-MS, respectively. And the effects of S-Nb on the transcriptome in colitis were investigated. RESULTS: Our results showed that SLBZS and S-Nb significantly regained body weight, reduced DAI, splenomegaly and the length of colon and attenuated histological damage of the colon. Meanwhile, SLBZS and S-Nb markedly reduced the levels of TNF-α, IL-1ß and IL-6 and increased the level of IL-10 in serum and colon. These effects may be associated with the high levels of Ginsenoside Rg1, Re and Rb1 and rich variety of compounds in S-Nb including 6 ginsenosides, glycyrrhizin, L-tryptophan, and so on. Transcriptome analysis revealed that S-Nb selectively regulated 103 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), 36 of which were changed in DSS-induced mice. And the genes of Per2, Per3, Npy and Serpina3m were closely related to colitis and also restored by S-Nb with different extent. Remarkably, these DEGs modulated the biological functions of colitis mice, including extracellular region, response to external stimulus, MAPK signaling pathway and arginine and proline metabolism. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicated that SLBZS and S-Nb blunted DSS-induced colitis by modulating differentially expression gene profile and biological functions based on their ginsenosides and rich compounds.

Asparagus falcatus L. (Asparagaceae) leaf extracts attenuate doxorubicin-induced renal toxicity via antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic pathways.

The search for therapeutic agents that improve kidney function against doxorubicin-induced renal toxicity is important. Herein, the potential nephroprotective activity by Asparagus falcatus L. (AF, Asparagaceae) leaf extracts against doxorubicin-induced renal toxicity (5 mg/kg, ip) in Wistar rats (n = 6/group) after oral administration of hexane (55 mg/kg), ethyl acetate (35 mg/kg), butanol (75 mg/kg), and aqueous (200 mg/kg) extracts of AF for 28 consecutive days was investigated. It was noticed that the treatment with the selected extracts of AF significantly attenuated doxorubicin-induced elevations of serum creatinine, urea nitrogen, ß2-microglobulin, cystatin C, and proteinuria in experimental rats. The histology showed attenuation of the features of acute tubular injury. Treatment regimens significantly reversed the doxorubicin-induced reduction in total antioxidant status, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase activity in renal tissue homogenates. A suppression in lipid peroxidation was noted with hexane, ethyl acetate, and butanol extracts of AF. Moreover, a reduction in the concentration of the pro-inflammatory mediator TNF-α (p < 0.05), and immunohistochemical expression of COX-2 were observed. The immunohistochemical expression of pro-apoptotic Bax protein was decreased and the anti-apoptotic BCL-2 was increased in renal tissues following the treatments. In conclusion, it was revealed that, hexane, ethyl acetate, butanol, and aqueous extracts of AF attenuate doxorubicin-induced renal toxicity in Wistar rats through antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic pathways. The plant, AF could be recommended as a promising therapeutic agent to minimize renal toxicity induced by doxorubicin in cancer patients, however, subsequent clinical trials are warranted.

Analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of ethyl acetate and butanol fractions from Vitex polygama hydroalcoholic leaf extract.

This study evaluated the analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of Vitex polygama. Ethyl acetate and butanol fractions (10-30 mg/kg), obtained from the hydroalcoholic leaf extract, showed an antinociceptive effect in the acetic acid-induced abdominal writhing test, formalin test and modified hot plate test in mice, indicating a peripheral anti-inflammatory action. Ethyl acetate and butanol fractions were effective in inhibiting nitric oxide and TNF-α production, respectively, in RAW 264.7 macrophages. Both fractions (10-30 mg/kg) showed an acute analgesic effect in mice with vincristine-induced neuropathic pain exposed to a thermal stimulus. Through ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-UV-MS/MS) it was possible to identify seven major compounds: isoorientin, orientin, vitexin, isovitexin, O-p-hydroxybenzoyl orientin, O-caffeoyl-orientin, and di-caffeoylquinic acid. Orientin and isoorientin were isolated from ethyl acetate fraction and had their identity confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Glucosyl flavones appear to be the main metabolites responsible for the anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities observed for V. polygama.

Butanol fraction of Alstonia boonei De Wild. leaves ameliorate oxidative stress and modulate key hypoglycaemic processes in diabetic rats.

OBJECTIVE: The effect of Alstonia boonei fractions on glucose homeostasis was investigated via in vitro enzyme inhibition activity, ex vivo glucose uptake assay, and in vivo methods in diabetic rats. METHODOLOGY: A. boonei fractions were subjected to in vitro α-glucosidase inhibitory assay and then ex vivo glucose uptake activity. The butanol fraction of the leaves (ABBF) was picked for the in vivo assay since it showed more activity in the initial tests conducted. ABBF was administrated via oral dosing to six-weeks old fructose-fed STZ-induced type 2 diabetic rats over a 5-week experimental period. RESULTS: ABBF treatment at a low dose of 150 mg/kg bw, significantly (p < .05) reduced blood glucose level, enhanced oral glucose tolerance ability, restored insulin secretion and hepatic glycogen synthesis as well as promoted islet regeneration than the high dose (300 mg/kg bw). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that ABBF could be exploited as a therapeutic potential for treating T2D.