Analysis of the Variation in Antioxidant Activity and Chemical Composition upon the Repeated Thermal Treatment of the By-Product of the Red Ginseng Manufacturing Process.

Steamed ginseng water (SGW) is a by-product of the repeated thermal processing of red ginseng, which is characterized by a high bioactive content, better skin care activity, and a large output. However, its value has been ignored, resulting in environmental pollution and resource waste. In this study, UHPLC-Q-Exactive-MS/MS liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and multivariate statistical analysis were conducted to characterize the compositional features of the repeated thermal-treated SGW. The antioxidant activity (DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and OH) and chemical composition (total sugars, total saponins, and reducing and non-reducing sugars) were comprehensively evaluated based on the entropy weighting method. Four comparison groups (groups 1 and 3, groups 1 and 5, groups 1 and 7, and groups 1 and 9) were screened for 37 important common difference markers using OPLS-DA analysis. The entropy weight method was used to analyze the weights of the indicators; the seventh SGW sample was reported to have a significant weight. The results of this study suggest that heat treatment time and frequency can be an important indicator value for the quality control of SGW cycling operations, which have great potential in antioxidant products.

Ginsenoside Rd reduces cell proliferation of non-small cell lung cancer cells by p53-mitochondrial apoptotic pathway.

Ginsenoside Rd is a tetracyclic triterpenoid derivative, widely existing in Panax ginseng, Panax notoginseng and other traditional Chinese medicines. Many studies have proved that ginsenoside Rd have a variety of significant biological activities on certain types of cancer. However, the mechanism of ginsenoside Rd remains unclear in lung cancer. The findings of this study reveal that GS-Rd inhibits the proliferation of NSCLC cells, induces apoptosis, and suppresses migration and invasion. The results showed Ginsenoside Rd inhibited the cell proliferation (∼99.52 %) by S phase arrest in cell cycle and promoted the apoptosis (∼54.85 %) of NSCLC cells. It also inhibited the migration and invasion of cells (p < 0.001). The expression levels of related mitochondrial apoptosis proteins (Bax/Bcl-2/Cytochrome C) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-2/-9) were significantly changed. The results showed that ginsenoside Rd inhibited the proliferation of tumor cells by activating p53/bax-mediated mitochondrial apoptosis and the expression of key enzymes for cell apoptosis caspase-3/cleaved-caspase-3 were significantly increased. This research contributes to a better understanding of the anti-tumor effects and molecular mechanisms of GS-Rd, paving the way for its potential development and clinical application in NSCLC therapy.

The influence of storage conditions on the quality of Schisandra chinensis fruits: A integrated investigation of constituent and antioxidant activity.

Schisandra chinensis is a functional fruit with tonic effect and was widely used by traditional Chinese medicine for treatment and health care. The quality of Schisandra chinensis fruit may vary by different storage condition. In this study, the influence of ambient temperature, humidity, packaging materials and period of storage on the quality of Schisandra chinensis fruits were investigated. The contents of main active components lignans and organic acids were simultaneously determined by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole electrostatic field orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC Orbitrap HRMS). The antioxidant activity was determined using DPPH radical scavenging capacity, ABTS+ inhibition rate and FRAP value. The correlation of multicomponent and antioxidant activity was analyzed by grey relevance analysis. Taking the changes of multicomponent and antioxidant activity as investigation index, Schisandra chinensis fruits under different storage conditions was comprehensively evaluated. Schisandrol A, malic acid, sorbic acid, schizandrin A, schizandrin B, and schisandrol B were the main effective components of antioxidant activity. Ambient temperature at 5 °C and humidity at 40 % were more suitable for Schisandra chinensis fruits and kraft paper bag was better packaging material. Do not exceed 1 year was the effective storage period. For the safety evaluation, no aflatoxin was detected within the storage period of 2 years, demonstrated the storage was satisfactory. This study provided a reference for the high-quality storage and standardized operating procedures for storage of Schisandra chinensis fruits.

Analysis Transcriptome and Phytohormone Changes Associated with the Allelopathic Effects of Ginseng Hairy Roots Induced by Different-Polarity Ginsenoside Components.

The allelopathic autotoxicity of ginsenosides is an important cause of continuous cropping obstacles in ginseng planting. There is no report on the potential molecular mechanism of the correlation between polarity of ginsenoside components and their allelopathic autotoxicity. This study applied a combination of metabolomics and transcriptomics analysis techniques, combined with apparent morphology, physiological indexes, and cell vitality detection of the ginseng hairy roots, through which the molecular mechanism of correlation between polarity and allelopathic autotoxicity of ginsenosides were comprehensively studied. The hairy roots of ginseng presented more severe cell apoptosis under the stress of low-polarity ginsenoside components (ZG70). ZG70 exerted allelopathic autotoxicity by regulating the key enzyme genes of cis-zeatin (cZ) synthesis pathway, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) synthesis pathway, and jasmonates (JAs) signaling transduction pathway. The common pathway for high-polarity ginsenoside components (ZG50) and ZG70 to induce the development of allelopathic autotoxicity was through the expression of key enzymes in the gibberellin (GA) signal transduction pathway, thereby inhibiting the growth of ginseng hairy roots. cZ, indole-3-acetamid (IAM), gibberellin A1 (GA1), and jasmonoyl-L-isoleucine (JA-ILE) were the key response factors in this process. It could be concluded that the polarity of ginsenoside components were negatively correlated with their allelopathic autotoxicity.

Ginsenoside Rb1 Inhibits the Proliferation of Lung Cancer Cells by Inducing the Mitochondrial-mediated Apoptosis Pathway.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is one of the more common malignant tumors posing a great threat to human life, and it is very urgent to find safe and effective therapeutic drugs. The antitumor effect of ginsenosides has been reported to be a treatment with a strong effect and a high safety profile. OBJECTIVE: This paper aimed to investigate the inhibitory effect of ginsenoside Rb1 on 95D and NCI-H460 lung cancer cells and its pathway to promote apoptosis. METHODS: We performed the CCK-8 assay, fluorescence staining assay, flow cytometry, scratch healing assay, and Transwell assay to detect the effects of different concentrations of ginsenoside Rb1 on the antitumor activity of 95D and NCI-H460 cells and Western Blot detected the mechanism of antitumor effect. RESULTS: Ginsenoside Rb1 treatment significantly increased the inhibition and apoptosis rates of 95D and NCIH460 cells and inhibited the cell cycle transition from S phase to G2/M. Rb1 induces apoptosis by altering the levels of P53, Bax, Cyto-c, Caspase-8, Caspase-3, Cleaved Caspase-3, Bcl-2, MMP-2, and MMP-9 proteins and activating the external apoptotic pathway. CONCLUSION: Ginsenoside Rb1 inhibits proliferation and migration and induces apoptosis of 95D and NCI-H460 lung cancer cells by regulating the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway to achieve antitumor activity.

Exploring the allelopathic autotoxicity mechanism of ginsenosides accumulation under ginseng decomposition based on integrated analysis of transcriptomics and metabolomics.

Continuous cropping obstacles seriously constrained the sustainable development of the ginseng industry. The allelopathic autotoxicity of ginsenosides is the key "trigger" of continuous cropping obstacles in ginseng. During harvest, the ginseng plants could be broken and remain in the soil. The decomposition of ginseng residue in soil is one of the important release ways of ginsenosides. Therefore, the allelopathic mechanism of ginsenosides through the decomposed release pathway needs an in-depth study. To investigate this allelopathic regulation mechanism, the integrated analysis of transcriptomics and metabolomics was applied. The prototype ginsenosides in ginseng were detected converse to rare ginsenosides during decomposition. The rare ginsenosides caused more serious damage to ginseng hairy root cells and inhibited the growth of ginseng hairy roots more significantly. By high-throughput RNA sequencing gene transcriptomics study, the significantly differential expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained under prototype and rare ginsenoside interventions. These DEGs were mainly enriched in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites and metabolic pathways, phytohormone signal transduction, and protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum pathways. Based on the functional enrichment of DEGs, the targeted metabolomics analysis based on UPLC-MS/MS determination was applied to screen endogenous differential metabolized phytohormones (DMPs). The influence of prototype and rare ginsenosides on the accumulation of endogenous phytohormones was studied. These were mainly involved in the biosynthesis of diterpenoid, zeatin, and secondary metabolites, phytohormone signal transduction, and metabolic pathways. After integrating the transcriptomics and metabolomics analysis, ginsenosides could regulate the genes in phytohormone signaling pathways to influence the accumulation of JA, ABA, and SA. The conclusion was that the prototype ginsenosides were converted into rare ginsenosides by ginseng decomposition and released into the soil, which aggravated its allelopathic autotoxicity. The allelopathic mechanism was to intervene in the response regulation of genes related to the metabolic accumulation of endogenous phytohormones in ginseng. This result provides a reference for the in-depth study of continuous cropping obstacles of ginseng.

Review on active components and mechanism of natural product polysaccharides against gastric carcinoma.

One of the malignant tumors with a high occurrence rate worldwide is gastric carcinoma, which is an epithelial malignant tumor emerging from the stomach. Natural product polysaccharides are a kind of natural macromolecular polymers, which have the functions of regulating immunity, anti-oxidation, anti-fatigue, hypoglycemia, etc. Natural polysaccharides have remarkable effectiveness in preventing the onset, according to studies, and development of gastric cancer at both cellular and animal levels. This paper summarizes the inhibitory mechanisms and therapeutic significance of plant polysaccharides, fungi polysaccharides, and algal polysaccharides in natural product polysaccharides on the occurrence and development of gastric cancer in recent years, providing a theoretical basis for the research, development, and medicinal value of polysaccharides.

Facilitating Effects of Reductive Soil Disinfestation on Soil Health and Physiological Properties of Panax ginseng.

Chemical soil fumigation (CSF) and reductive soil disinfestation (RSD) have been proven to be effective agricultural strategies to improve soil quality, restructure microbial communities, and promote plant growth in soil degradation remediation. However, it is still unclear how RSD and CSF ensure soil and plant health by altering fungal communities. Field experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of CSF with chloropicrin, and RSD with animal feces on soil properties, fungal communities and functional composition, and plant physiological characteristics were evaluated. Results showed that RSD and CSF treatment improved soil properties, restructured fungal community composition and structure, enhanced fungal interactions and functions, and facilitated plant growth. There was a significant increase in OM, AN, and AP contents in the soil with both CSF and RSD treatments compared to CK. Meanwhile, compared with CK and CSF, RSD treatment significantly increased biocontrol Chaetomium relative abundance while reducing pathogenic Neonectria relative abundance, indicating that RSD has strong inhibition potential. Furthermore, the microbial network of RSD treatment was more complex and interconnected, and the functions of plant pathogens, and animal pathogen were decreased. Importantly, RSD treatment significantly increased plant SOD, CAT, POD activity, SP, Ca, Zn content, and decreased MDA, ABA, Mg, K, and Fe content. In summary, RSD treatment is more effective than CSF treatment, by stimulating the proliferation of probiotic communities to further enhance soil health and plant disease resistance.

Effects of reductive soil disinfestation combined with different types of organic materials on the microbial community and functions.

Reductive soil disinfestation (RSD) is an effective method to inhibit soilborne pathogens. However, it remains unclear how RSD combined with different types of organic materials affects the soil ecosystems of perennial plants. Pot experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of RSD incorporated with perilla (PF), alfalfa (MS), ethanol, and acetic acid on soil properties, enzyme activities, microbial communities and functions, and seedling growth. Results showed that RSD-related treatments improved soil properties and enzyme activities, changed microbial community composition and structure, enhanced microbial interactions and functions, and facilitated seedling growth. Compared with CK, RSD-related treatments increased soil pH, available nitrogen, and available potassium contents, sucrase and catalase activities, and decreased soil electric conductivity values. Meanwhile, RSD-related treatment also significantly reduced the relative abundance of Fusarium while increasing the relative abundance of Arthrobacter, Terrabacter, and Gemmatimonas. The reduction was more evident in PF and MS treatment, suggesting the potential for RSD combined with solid agricultural wastes to suppress pathogens. Furthermore, the microbial network of RSD-related treatment was more complex and interconnected, and the functions related to carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and hydrogen cycling were significantly increased, while the functions of bacterial and fungal plant pathogens were decreased. Importantly, RSD-related treatments also significantly promoted seed germination and seedling growth. In summary, RSD combined with solid agricultural wastes is better than liquid easily degradable compounds by regulating the composition and function of microbial communities to improve soil quality and promote plant growth.IMPORTANCEReductive soil disinfestation (RSD) is an effective agricultural practice. We found that RSD combined with solid agricultural wastes is better than that of liquid easily degradable compounds, may improve soil quality and microbial community structure, inhibit the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria, and contribute to the growth of replanted crops. Thus, RSD combined with solid agricultural wastes is more effective than liquid easily degradable compounds.

6,7-Dimethoxycoumarin, Gardenoside and Rhein combination improves non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in rats.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: This study explores the potential therapeutic benefits of using a three-component DGR (composed of specific compounds) to target the NLRP3 inflammasome in the context of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). AIM OF THE STUDY: To assess the impact of a three-component DGR on NAFLD, specifically examining its effects on liver lipid accumulation, inflammation, and the diversity of intestinal microbial communities. METHODS: NAFLD was induced in 8-week-old Sprague Dawley rats by feeding them a high-fat emulsion diet every morning for 8 consecutive weeks. Oral administration of DGR or its constituent equivalents in the afternoon. The pharmacological effects of DGR were evaluated using H&E, ORO and ELISA methods to determine the changes in serum and liver tissue indexes of rat-models. Immunohistochemical staining and Western blot were used to assess the interaction between DGR, NLRP3 and IL-1ß. RESULTS: The induction of NAFLD resulted in elevated hepatic triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), and free fatty acids (FFA). However, these alterations were ameliorated upon administration of DGR. It is noteworthy that DGR exhibited superior efficacy in comparison to its constituent compounds, manifesting augmented antioxidant activity, diminished hepatic damage, and the attenuation of pro-inflammatory factors. Both DGR and its individual monomeric constituents exhibited the capacity to attenuate the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in the liver, leading to an amelioration of the pathological characteristics associated with NAFLD. An analysis of the intestinal flora unveiled an elevated abundance of p_Firmicutes (1.1-fold), p_Cyanobacteria (5.76-fold), and p_Verrucomicrobia (5.2-fold), accompanied by a heightened p_Firmicutes to p_Bacteroidetes ratio (5.49-fold). CONCLUSIONS: In the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) rat model, the concurrent administration of three-component DGR effectively regulated lipid deposition, suppressed liver inflammation, and restored balance in the intestinal flora, thereby improving NAFLD pathology. These findings propose a promising therapeutic strategy for NAFLD, centered on inhibiting the NLRP3 inflammasome through the use of the three-component DGR.

First Report of Pantoea agglomerans Causing Leaf Blight on Schisandra chinensis in China.

Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill is a perennial liana, which is widely cultivated and used in China. In August 2022, Schisandra chinensis leaves with small light brown spots were found on plants growing in Fusong (127°28'E, 42°33'N) of China. There was 15% disease incidence and 50% disease severity of Schisandra chinensis in 2-ha fields of S. chinensis. As the disease progressed, the spots become darker and form round or irregular concentric circles. Leaves with brown spot symptoms were collected from the field. Leaf pieces (5 mm × 5 mm) were excised from lesion margins, surface disinfected with 75% ethanol for 1 min, followed by 1.5% sodium hypochlorite for 3 min, and incubated on Luria Bertani (LB) solid medium at 28°C for 24 hours. Eight cultures were isolated, and representative single colony (XWWZH) was selected from the pure cultures according to colony characteristics for observation The purified colonies were round, yellow, and slimy, cells were straight rod-shaped (0.40 to 0.52 × 1.12 to 1.69 µm) were observed. The isolate was Gram negative. It was positive for methyl red reaction, lysine decarboxylase reaction, gelatin hydrolysis reactionand sucrose utilization. It was negative for indole reaction and produced H2S. The bacterium was preliminarily identified as Pantoea agglomerans based on morphological and biochemical tests (Baird et al. 2007). The 16S rDNA and a portion of rpoB of strain XWWZH were amplified and sequenced. The sequences were submitted to GenBank. (Accession OP763753 and OQ813505, respectively). Phylogenetic trees were constructed based on the 16S rDNA and rpoB gene sequences. The sequences of strain XWWZH clustered with strains P. agglomerans deposited in GenBank. The pathogenicity was verified with non-wounded S. chinensis seedlings by punching holes with sterile needles and injecting a solution of 1 × 108 CFU/ml solution. Sterile ddH2O was injected in the control experiment. The inoculated seedlings were incubated in a greenhouse at 25°C with a relative humidity of 65 to 70%. Five to eight days after inoculation, inoculated leaves, exhibited symptoms which were morphologically identical to those of the originally infected leaves whereas control plants remained asymptomatic. The pathogenicity assays were repeated twice with the same results. The re-isolated pathogen had the same morphology and DNA sequences as the original isolate obtained from the field samples, completing Koch's postulates. Strains of P. agglomerans have been reported to severely infect many plants (Ren et al.2008; Lee et al. 2010; Yang et al. 2011; Guo et al. 2019; Gao et al, 2022), but to the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a strain of P. agglomerans causing leaf blight on Schisandra chinensis in China. The identification of leaf blight caused by P. agglomerans will enable farmers to prevent and manage it ahead of time to reduce losses.

Carbon nanodots constructed by ginsenosides and their high inhibitory effect on neuroblastoma.

BACKGROUND: Neuroblastoma is one of the common extracranial tumors in children (infants to 2 years), accounting for 8 ~ 10% of all malignant tumors. Few special drugs have been used for clinical treatment currently. RESULTS: In this work, herbal extract ginsenosides were used to synthesize fluorescent ginsenosides carbon nanodots via a one-step hydrothermal method. At a low cocultured concentration (50 µg·mL- 1) of ginsenosides carbon nanodots, the inhibition rate and apoptosis rate of SH-SY5Y cells reached ~ 45.00% and ~ 59.66%. The in vivo experiments showed tumor volume and weight of mice in ginsenosides carbon nanodots group were ~ 49.81% and ~ 34.14% to mice in model group. Since ginsenosides were used as sole reactant, ginsenosides carbon nanodots showed low toxicity and good animal response. CONCLUSION: Low-cost ginsenosides carbon nanodots as a new type of nanomedicine with good curative effect and little toxicity show application prospects for clinical treatment of neuroblastoma. It is proposed a new design for nanomedicine based on bioactive carbon nanodots, which used natural bioactive molecules as sole source.

First Report of Fusarium acuminatum Causing Leaf Spot on Schisandra chinensis in China.

Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. is a popular and widely cultivated medicinal herb in China, which has rich nutritional value and medicinal effect. In August 2022, leaves with oval and irregularly circular light brown spots from 2 to 10 mm wide with white centers were found on Schisandra chinensis growing in Fusong district (127°28'E, 42°33'N) of Jilin, China. The symptoms were observed in 20% of the plants of a 2 ha-1 field of Schisandra chinensis. About 50% of the leaf areas were affected. As the disease developed, the lesions grew larger and developed necrotic centers. Leaves with light brown spot symptoms from five plants were collected from the field. Five leaf pieces (3 to 5 mm2) were excised from lesion margins, surface sterilized based on Ju et al. (Ju et al. 2021), and incubated on potato dextrose agar (PDA) at 25°C. Six single spores were isolated from five independently infected isolates for pure culture using the single spore isolation technique (Zhang. 2003). Representative single spore isolate (ZWWZH) was selected from pure cultures for further culture. After 5 days, fluffy white aerial mycelium with pink pigmentation on the underside of the colony were observed on PDA. Mycelia became pinkish-brown as the culture aged. Microscopic observations showed the presence of elongated or pointed, and thick-walled macroconidia (n = 50), predominantly three septate, 3.40 to 7.50 × 40.34 to 61.29 µm were observed. Chlamydospores formed in chains within or on top of the mycelium. The primers ITS1/ITS4 (White et al. 1990) and Bt-2a/Bt-2b (Robideau et al., 2011) were used to amplify the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA and ß-tubulin (TUB2) region, respectively. The obtained sequences were submitted to GenBank under accession numbers for OQ629789 (ITS) and OQ803521(TUB2). BLASTn analysis of both ITS sequence and TUB2 sequence, revealed 100% and 99.92% sequence identity with F. acuminatum MT566456, MT560377 and KJ396328, respectively. The pathogen was identified as F. acuminatum based on morphological and molecular data. Pathogenicity tests were carried out in the greenhouse. Select five healthy Schisandra chinensis seedlings, each with each healthy leaf surfaces inoculated a 1 × 106 spores/mL solution, 3 wells on one side, 10 µL per well. Sterile ddH2O was used in the control experiment. The inoculated seedlings were incubated at 25°C with a relative humidity of 65 to 70% in a greenhouse. Four days after inoculation, all inoculated leaves exhibited the same symptoms as observed in the field, while the controls showed no symptoms. The experiment was repeated three more times with similar results. The re-isolated fungi from the inoculated plants had the same morphology and DNA sequences as the original isolate (ZWWZH) obtained from the field samples, completing Koch's postulates. To our knowledge, this is the first report of F. acuminatum causing leaf spot on Schisandra chinensis in China. F. acuminatum has seriously affected the quality of Schisandra chinensis production. The identification of leaf spot caused by F. acuminatum will enable farmers to identify practices to minimize disease on this important crop.

Application of UPLC-Orbitrap-HRMS targeted metabolomics in screening of allelochemicals and model plants of ginseng.

Continuous cropping of ginseng leads to serious declines in yield and quality because of self-toxicity of allelochemicals and other factors in soil. However, because of the long growth cycle and low survival rate of ginseng, rapid screening of autotoxic activity is difficult. Therefore, it is important to analyze the allelochemicals and identify a model plant with autotoxic responses similar to those of ginseng. In this study, UPLC-Orbitrap-HRMS targeted metabolomics and verification of autotoxic activity were used to analyze a problem soil from continuously cropped ginseng. Allelochemical markers were screened by OPLS-DA. Seeds and seedlings of maize, Chinese cabbage, cucumber, green beans, wheat, sunflower, and oats were selected to identify potential model plants. Model plants with autotoxic responses similar to those of ginseng were evaluated by comparing morphological, physiological, and biochemical characteristics. The n-butanol extract of the continuously cropped problem soil had the most significant autotoxic activity. Twenty-three ginsenosides and the contributions to autotoxic effects were screened and evaluated. Of potential model plants, seeds and seedlings of cucumber showed similar growth inhibition to that of ginseng under the action of allelochemicals. Thus, metabolomics can be used to screen allelochemicals in soil and predict the autotoxic effects, and the cucumber plant model can be used to rapidly screen allelopathic activity of ginseng. The study will provide reference for methodology in allelopathy research on ginseng.

Structural characteristics of mixed pectin from ginseng berry and its anti-obesity effects by regulating the intestinal flora.

Ginseng berry is the mature berry of ginseng and its polysaccharide has hypolipidaemic effect, but its mechanism remains unclear. A pectin (GBPA) with a molecular weight of 3.53 × 104 Da was isolated from ginseng berry, it was mainly composed of Rha (25.54 %), GalA (34.21 %), Gal (14.09 %) and Ara (16.25 %). Structural analysis showed that GBPA is a mixed pectin containing rhamnogalacturonan-I and homogalacturonan domains and has a triple helix structure. GBPA distinctly improved lipid disorders in obese rats, and changed intestinal flora with enrichments of Akkermansia, Bifidobacterium, Bacteroides and Prevotella, improved the levels of acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid and valeric acid. Serum metabolites which involved in the lipid regulation-related pathway, including cinnzeylanine, 10-Hydroxy-8-nor-2-fenchanone glucoside, armillaribin, 24-Propylcholestan-3-ol, were also greatly changed after GBPA treatment. GBPA activated AMP-activated protein kinase, phosphorylated acetyl-CoA carboxylase, and reduced the expression of lipid synthesis-related genes sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c and fatty acid synthases. The regulatory effects of GBPA on lipid disorders in obese rats are related to the regulation of intestinal flora and activation of AMP-activated protein kinase pathway. Ginseng berry pectin could be considered in the future as a health food or medicine to prevent obesity.

Effect of ginsenosides on microbial community and enzyme activity in continuous cropping soil of ginseng.

Root exudates contain plant metabolites secreted by the roots into the soil, such as ginsenosides secreted by the ginseng root. However, little is known about ginseng root exudate and its impact on the chemical and microbial properties of soil. In this study, the effect of increasing concentrations of ginsenosides on the chemical and microbial properties of soil was tested. Chemical analysis and high-throughput sequencing techniques were used to evaluate the soil chemical properties and microbial characteristics following exogenous application of 0.1 mg·L-1, 1 mg·L-1, and 10 mg·L-1 ginsenosides. Ginsenosides application significantly altered soil enzyme activities; SOM-dominated physicochemical properties were significantly reduced which altered the composition and structure of the soil microbial community. In particular, treatment with 10 mg∙L-1 ginsenosides significantly increased the relative abundance of pathogenic fungi such as Fusarium, Gibberella and Neocosmospora. These findings indicate that ginsenosides in root exudates are important factors that may lead to increased deterioration of soil during ginseng cultivation and provided new research direction for the subsequent study on the mechanism of interaction between ginsenosides and soil microbial communities.

Nitric oxide modulates folate-mediated one-carbon metabolism and mitochondrial energy levels of peaches during cold storage.

Folate-mediated one-carbon metabolism (FOCM) is closely associated with postharvest preservation. This study investigated the effects of exogenous nitric oxide (NO) on FOCM, storage quality, energy metabolism, and mitochondrial membrane integrity in cold-storage peach fruit. In this experiment, peaches were soaked with 1.5 mmol L-1S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) as NO donor, and the negative treatment (NT) solution containing 5 µmol L-1 carboxy-PTIO (c-PTIO, NO scavenger), 200 µmol L-1 NG-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, NO synthase-like enzyme inhibitor), and 200 µmol L-1 sodium tungstate dihydrate (nitrate reductase inhibitor) and stored at 0°C. The results showed that NO decreased the activity of S-adenosylmethionine synthase and S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase and increased the activity of methionine sulfoxide reductase A, as well as the content of N5-methyl-THF, the ratio of tetrahydrofolate (THF), homocysteine, methionine, S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), and SAM to S-adenosylhomocysteine compared with the control, indicating that NO effectively increased FOCM flux by affecting the activity of FOCM enzymes. Meanwhile, NO increased the activities of H+-ATPase, Ca2+-ATPase, cytochrome c oxidase, succinate dehydrogenase, and the contents of adenosine triphosphate and adenosine diphosphate, and maintained high energy charge in peaches during storage. NO retarded the increase in mitochondrial permeability transition, reactive oxygen species content, and the decrease in mitochondrial membrane fluidity, membrane potential, and swelling. NT treatment exhibited the opposite results. In conclusion, these results suggested that NO could induce the accumulation of folate and FOCM flux and maintain mitochondrial energy levels, which might be responsible for maintaining the quality of peaches during cold storage.

Polysaccharides of Floccularia luteovirens Alleviate Oxidative Damage and Inflammatory Parameters of Diabetic Nephropathy in db/db Mice.

BACKGROUND: Floccularia luteovirens (Alb. & Schwein.) Pouzar, is an extremely rare edible and medicinal mushroom in China. The crude polysaccharides of F. luteovirens (FLPs) has significant antioxidant and anti-inflammation activities and exerts excellent protective functions in diabetic nephropathy (DN) complications, but the material basis of the pharmacological effects of FLPs and the molecular mechanism of its pharmacological action are still unclear. METHODS: First, we performed systemic composition analysis on extracted and isolated FLPs. Next, the spontaneous db/db mouse DN model was used to investigate the mitigation and protection functions of FLPs in DN and the underlying mechanism through the mammalian target of the rapamycin (mTOR)/GSK-3ß/NRF-2 pathway. RESULTS: FLPs contained 65.0% total sugars, 7.2% reducing sugars, 7.93% proteins, 0.36% total flavonoids, 17 amino acids, 13 fatty acids, and 8 minerals. After intragastric administration of FLPs with concentrations of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg for 8 weeks, FLPs inhibited excessive weight gain, relieved the symptoms of obesity, and significantly improved glucose metabolism and lipid metabolism in the db/db mice. In addition, FLPs were also involved in regulating the indicators of various oxidases and inflammatory factors in the serum and kidney of db/db mice. CONCLUSIONS: FLPs effectively improved and relieved kidney tissue injury caused by high glucose, targeted and regulated phospho-GSK-3ß, and suppressed inflammatory factor accumulation. Furthermore, FLPs activated the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2/heme oxygenase 1 (NRF2/HO-1) pathway and enhanced the activity of catalase (CAT) to further play a role in relieving and treating T2DM and nephropathy complications.

Comparative Study on Chemical Constituents of Ginseng Flowers with Four Consecutive Cultivation Age.

The harvest period of cultivated ginseng is generally 4-6 years. Ginseng flowers (GFs), the nonmedicinal parts, are usually removed every autumn, in which components are generally believed to stay unchanged with the increasing cultivation age. Recently, few documents were reported on the variation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other components about ginseng flowers. This study had an insight into the variation of the chemical constituents with the cultivation ages through the comparison of the volatile organic compounds, gross ginsenosides, crude polysaccharide, and gross proteins of ginseng flowers from 3-, 4-, 5-, and 6-yr-old (GF3, GF4, GF5, and GF6) which were conducted by headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-QQQ/MS) and spectroscopic analysis combined with multivariate statistical analysis, including one-way ANOVA analysis and T test. The results indicated that the crude polysaccharide contents raised significantly depending on cultivation age except 6-yr-old, whereas the gross ginsenosides and the gross protein content were indistinctive. According to the peak intensity of determined VOCs, the contents of most differential compounds arranged in an order from high to low are GF3, GF4, GF5, and GF6, such as the compounds 2-15, 17-19, 22, and 25-26, therefore, they can be inferred that they are important markers to identify the age of GFs. 461 common differential compounds were gained and 26 common volatile organic compounds were identified with RSI >800 and RI and RIx no more than 30, including alcohols (such as 11, 12, and 15), sesquiterpenes (such as 2, 3, and 4), esters (such as 1 and 26), naphthalene and naphthol (such as 7 and 20), which had potential effects on curing Alzheimer's disease, inflammatory diseases, and prostate cancer based on network pharmacology analysis. This paper firstly revealed the variation rules of constitutions of GFs, which may provide a reference for the harvest and making rational application.