RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by elevated blood glucose levels, posing a significant global health concern due to its increasing prevalence. Insulin resistance (IR) plays a major role in the development of T2DM and is often linked to factors such as obesity, physical inactivity, and a sedentary lifestyle. Recently, there has been growing interest in exploring the potential of natural products for improving insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism. Among these, Cynomorium songaricum Rupr., an edible parasitic plant, has shown promising antidiabetic effects. However, research on its beneficial effects on IR is still nascent. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the application of a Cynomorium songaricum flavonoid-enriched fraction (CSF) in the treatment of IR in T2DM, along with elucidating the chemical and biochemical mechanisms involved. METHOD: First, UHPLC/ESI-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS was utilized to perform a chemical profiling of CSF. Subsequently, glycogen synthesis, gluconeogenesis and glucose consumption assays were conducted on HepG2 cells with a high glucose high insulin-induced IR model to illustrate the favorable impacts of CSF on IR. Then, an innovative network pharmacology analysis was executed to predict the potential chemical components and hub genes contributing to CSF's protective effect against IR. To further elucidate molecular interactions, molecular docking studies were performed, focusing on the binding interactions between active constituents of CSF and crucial targets. Additionally, an RNA-sequencing assay was employed to uncover the underlying biochemical signaling pathway responsible for CSF's beneficial effects. To validate these findings, western blot and qPCR assays were employed to verify the pathways related to IR and the potential signaling cascades leading to the amelioration of IR. RESULTS: The UHPLC/ESI-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS analysis successfully identified a total of thirty-six flavonoids derived from CSF. Moreover, CSF was shown to significantly improve glycogen synthesis and glucose consumption as well as inhibit gluconeogenesis in HepG2 cells of IR. An innovative network pharmacology analysis unveiled key hub genes-AKT1 and PI3K-integral to metabolic syndrome-related signaling pathways, which contributed to the favorable impact of CSF against IR. Noteworthy active ingredients including quercetin, ellagic acid and naringenin were identified as potential contributors to these effects. The results of western blot and qPCR assays provided compelling evidence that CSF improved insulin sensitivity by modulating the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Subsequent RNA-sequencing analysis, in tandem with western blot assays, delved deeper into the potential mechanisms underlying CSF's advantageous effects against IR, potentially associated with the enhancement of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) proteostasis. CONCLUSION: CSF exhibited a remarkable ability to enhance insulin sensitivity in the IR model of HepG2 cells. This was evident through enhancements in glycogen synthesis and glucose consumption, along with its inhibitory impact on gluconeogenesis. Furthermore, CSF demonstrated an improvement in the insulin-mediated PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. The potential active constituents were identified as quercetin, ellagic acid and naringenin. The underlying biochemical mechanisms responsible for CSF's beneficial effects against IR were closely linked to its capacity to mitigate ER stress, thereby offering a comprehensive understanding of its protective action.
Asunto(s)
Cynomorium , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 2 , Flavonoides , Resistencia a la Insulina , Flavonoides/farmacología , Flavonoides/química , Humanos , Células Hep G2 , Cynomorium/química , Cromatografía Líquida de Alta Presión , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 2/tratamiento farmacológico , Hipoglucemiantes/farmacología , Espectrometría de Masa por Ionización de Electrospray/métodos , Gluconeogénesis/efectos de los fármacos , Simulación del Acoplamiento Molecular , Extractos Vegetales/farmacología , Extractos Vegetales/química , Insulina/metabolismo , Glucógeno/metabolismo , Glucosa/metabolismo , Transducción de Señal/efectos de los fármacosRESUMEN
Cynomorium songaricum Rupr. (CSR) belongs to the family Cynomoriaceae. It is a perennial succulent parasitic herb with a reddish-brown coloration, predominantly submerged in sand and lacking chlorophyll. Traditionally, it has been used in ethnic medicine to treat various diseases, such as gastric ulcers, indigestion, bowel movements, and improving sexual function. To comprehensively collect CSR data, extensive literature searches were conducted using medical, ecological, and scientific databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). This article summarizes and categorizes research on the uses, phytochemical characteristics, pharmacological activities, and toxicity of ethnic medicine, with the aim of establishing a solid foundation and proposing new avenues for exploring and developing potential applications of CSR. So far, a total of 98 compounds have been isolated and identified from CSR, including flavonoids, terpenes, steroids, and other compounds. It is worth noting that flavonoids and polysaccharides have significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In addition, these compounds also show good application prospects in anti-tumor, antioxidant, anti-aging, anti-fatigue, anti-diabetes, and other aspects. Although extensive progress has been made in the basic research of CSR, further research is still needed to enhance the understanding of its mechanism of action and explore more unknown compounds. Our review indicates that CSR has broad prospects and deserves further research.
Asunto(s)
Cynomorium , Etnofarmacología , Antioxidantes , Medicina Tradicional China , Fitoquímicos/farmacología , Flavonoides , Extractos Vegetales/química , FitoterapiaRESUMEN
Addressing soil salinization and implementing sustainable practices for cultivating cash crops on saline-alkali land is a prominent global challenge. Cynomorium songaricum is an important salt-alkali tolerant medicinal plant capable of adapting to saline-alkali environments. In this study, two typical ecotypes of C. songaricum from the desert-steppe (DS) and saline-alkali land (SAL) habitats were selected. Through the integration of multi-omics with machine learning, the rhizosphere microbial communities, genetic maps, and metabolic profiles of two ecotypes were created and the crucial factors for the adaptation of C. songaricum to saline-alkali stress were identified, including 7 keystone OTUs (i.e. Novosphingobium sp., Sinorhizobium meliloti, and Glycomyces sp.), 5 core genes (cell wall-related genes), and 10 most important metabolites (i.e. cucurbitacin D and 3-Hydroxybutyrate) were identified. Our results indicated that under saline-alkali environments, the microbial competition might become more intense, and the microbial community network had the simple but stable structure, accompanied by the changes in the gene expression related to cell wall for adaptation. However, this regulation led to the reduction in active ingredients, such as the accumulation of flavonoids and organic acid, and enhanced the synthesis of bitter substances (cucurbitacin D), resulting in the decrease in the quality of C. songaricum. Therefore, compared to the SAL ecotype, the DS was more suitable for the subsequent development of medicinal and edible products of C. songaricum. Furthermore, to explore the reasons for this quality variation, we constructed a comprehensive microbial-genetic-metabolic regulatory network, revealing that the metabolism of C. songaricum was primarily influenced by genetic factors. These findings not only offer new insights for future research into plant salt-alkali tolerance strategies but also provide a crucial understanding for cultivating high-quality medicinal plants.
Asunto(s)
Cynomorium , Microbiota , Triterpenos , Transcriptoma , Cynomorium/química , Cynomorium/fisiología , Álcalis , MetabolomaRESUMEN
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a degenerative disorder characterized by cognitive dysfunction and BDNF/TrkB is a well-conceived anti-AD signaling. Cynomorium songaricum Rupr. ( C. songaricum ) is a herb with promising neuroprotective effects and the function is majorly attributed to flavonoids. The current study attempted to explore the effects of total flavonoids of C. songaricum (CS) on AD model by focusing on changes in BDNF/TrkB axis. AD model was induced in rats via transcranial injection of Aß 1-42 and AD symptoms treated with CS of three doses. Donepezil was used as the positive control. Changes in rat memory and learning abilities, brain histological, apoptosis, production of neurotransmitters, BDNF/TrkB axis, and apoptosis-related markers were measured. The injection of Aß 1-42 induced cognitive dysfunction in AD rats. The integrity of brain tissue structure was destructed and apoptosis was induced in AD rats, in which was found the increased production of AChE and Aß 1-42 , and decreased production of ChAT, ACH. At the molecular level, the expression of BDNF, TrkB, and Bcl-2 was suppressed, while the expression of Bax, caspase-3, and caspase-9 was induced. After the administration of CS, the memory and learning abilities of rats were improved, the production of neurotransmitter was restored, ordered arrangement of pyramidal cells was retained, and neuron apoptosis was inhibited. The attenuation of Aß 1-42 -indcued impairments was associated with the activation of BDNF/TrkB axis and blockade of apoptosis-related pathways. Collectively, CS can improve learning and memory abilities in Aß 1-42 -induced AD model rats. which may depend on the activation of the hippocampal BDNF/TrkB signaling pathway.
Asunto(s)
Enfermedad de Alzheimer , Disfunción Cognitiva , Cynomorium , Ratas , Animales , Enfermedad de Alzheimer/inducido químicamente , Enfermedad de Alzheimer/tratamiento farmacológico , Enfermedad de Alzheimer/metabolismo , Factor Neurotrófico Derivado del Encéfalo/metabolismo , Cynomorium/metabolismo , Péptidos beta-Amiloides/toxicidad , Péptidos beta-Amiloides/metabolismo , Flavonoides/farmacología , Flavonoides/uso terapéutico , Disfunción Cognitiva/tratamiento farmacológico , Transducción de Señal , Hipocampo/metabolismo , CogniciónRESUMEN
To clarify the content characteristics of the main active components and mineral elements of Cynomorium songaricum under different habitat conditions, and further explore the relationship between the quality of C. songaricum and habitats, this study took C. songaricum from 25 different habitats in China as the research object, and measured the contents of 8 main active components and 12 mineral elements separately. Diversity analysis, correlation analysis, principal component analysis and cluster analysis were carried out. The results showed that the genetic diversity of total flavonoids, ursolic acid, ether extract, potassium(K), phosphorus(P) and zinc(Zn) in C. songaricum was high. The coefficient of variation of crude polysaccharide, ether extract, gallic acid, protocatechuic aldehyde, catechin, epicatechin, calcium(Ca), sodium(Na), magnesium(Mg), sulfur(S), iron(Fe), manganese(Mn), selenium(Se) and nickel(Ni) were all over 36%, indicating that the quality of C. songaricum was significantly affected by habitats. There were strong synergistic and weak antagonistic effects among the contents of the 8 active components, and complex antagonistic and synergistic effects among the contents of the 12 mineral elements. Principal component analysis revealed that crude polysaccharide, ursolic acid, catechin, epicatechin and total flavonoids could be used as the characteristic components to evaluate the quality of C. songaricum, and Na, copper(Cu), Mn and Ni were the characteristic elements to evaluate the quality of C. songaricum. In cluster ana-lysis, the second group with the main active components as cluster center had better quality in terms of the content of active substances, and the second group with the mineral elements as cluster center had higher utilization potential in the exploitation of mineral elements. This study could provide a basis for resource evaluation and breeding of excellent varieties of C. songaricum in different habitats, and provide a reference for cultivation and identification of C. songaricum.
Asunto(s)
Catequina , Cynomorium , Selenio , Fitomejoramiento , Éteres , Éteres de Etila , Flavonoides , Extractos Vegetales , Ácido UrsólicoRESUMEN
To clarify the content characteristics of the main active components and mineral elements of Cynomorium songaricum under different habitat conditions, and further explore the relationship between the quality of C. songaricum and habitats, this study took C. songaricum from 25 different habitats in China as the research object, and measured the contents of 8 main active components and 12 mineral elements separately. Diversity analysis, correlation analysis, principal component analysis and cluster analysis were carried out. The results showed that the genetic diversity of total flavonoids, ursolic acid, ether extract, potassium(K), phosphorus(P) and zinc(Zn) in C. songaricum was high. The coefficient of variation of crude polysaccharide, ether extract, gallic acid, protocatechuic aldehyde, catechin, epicatechin, calcium(Ca), sodium(Na), magnesium(Mg), sulfur(S), iron(Fe), manganese(Mn), selenium(Se) and nickel(Ni) were all over 36%, indicating that the quality of C. songaricum was significantly affected by habitats. There were strong synergistic and weak antagonistic effects among the contents of the 8 active components, and complex antagonistic and synergistic effects among the contents of the 12 mineral elements. Principal component analysis revealed that crude polysaccharide, ursolic acid, catechin, epicatechin and total flavonoids could be used as the characteristic components to evaluate the quality of C. songaricum, and Na, copper(Cu), Mn and Ni were the characteristic elements to evaluate the quality of C. songaricum. In cluster ana-lysis, the second group with the main active components as cluster center had better quality in terms of the content of active substances, and the second group with the mineral elements as cluster center had higher utilization potential in the exploitation of mineral elements. This study could provide a basis for resource evaluation and breeding of excellent varieties of C. songaricum in different habitats, and provide a reference for cultivation and identification of C. songaricum.
Asunto(s)
Cynomorium , Catequina , Fitomejoramiento , Selenio , Éteres , Éteres de Etila , Flavonoides , Extractos VegetalesRESUMEN
Polysaccharides are the main effective components of Cynomorium songaricum's stem that perform biological activities and have positive impacts on immune enhancement. In this study, the polysaccharide CSP-III of Cynomorium songaricum's stem was isolated using a DEAE-52 cellulose column through Sephadex G-100 gel column chromatography. Upon analysis, the monosaccharide composition of CSP-III included Mannose (Man), Glucuronic acid (GlcA), Galacturonic acid (GalA), Rhamnose (Rha), Glucose (Glc), Galactose (Gal), and Arabinose (Ara), at a molar ratio of 0.01:0.11:0.03:0.57:0.02:0.32:1. The molecular weight of CSP-III was 4018234 Da. Meanwhile, the capacity of CSP-III, at various concentrations, to stimulate the proliferation of mouse spleen lymphocytes in vitro was compared, and the influence of CSP-III on cell proliferation was examined using RAW264.7 mouse mononuclear macrophages as a model. The influence of CSP-III on the expression of important phosphorylating proteins in the MAPK signaling pathway was initially analyzed by Western blotting. In RAW264.7 cells, CSP-III promoted the phosphorylation of JNK proteins, which thus activated the MAPK signaling cascade and exerted immunomodulatory effects. Moreover, according to in vivo studies using cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced immunosuppression mouse models, CSP-III improved the CTX-induced histopathological damage, promoted T and B lymphocyte proliferation, upregulated CD4+ and CD8+ T-lymphocyte counts in the spleen, increased the serum levels of IgG and IgM, and activated three essential proteins of the MAPK signaling pathway. As revealed by analysis of intestinal flora, CSP-III improved the immune function by maintaining the homeostasis of the bacterial flora by boosting the relative abundances of some beneficial bacterial groups, such as Bacteroidetes, Desmodium, and Actinomyces, and reducing the relative abundance of Aspergillus phylum. Through in vitro and in vivo experiments, our present study demonstrates that polysaccharides from the stem of Cynomorium songaricum possess strong immunoregulatory effects. Findings in this work provide theoretical support for the potential application of Cynomorium songaricum in the field of health food.
Asunto(s)
Cynomorium , Humanos , Animales , Ratones , Inmunomodulación , Terapia de Inmunosupresión , Activación de Linfocitos , Sistema de Señalización de MAP QuinasasRESUMEN
Cynomorium songaricum is a perennial parasitic herb, and its stem is widely used as a traditional Chinese medicine, which largely relies on bioactive compounds (e.g., polysaccharides, flavonoids, and triterpenes). To date, although the optimum harvest time of stems has been demonstrated at the unearthed stage (namely the early flowering stage, EFS), the accumulation mechanism of polysaccharides and flavonoids during growth stages is still limited. In this study, the physiological characteristics (stem fresh weight, contents of soluble sugar and flavonoids, and antioxidant capacity) at four different growth stages (germination stage (GS), vegetative growth stage (VGS), EFS, and flowering stage (FS)) were determined, transcriptomics were analyzed by illumina sequencing, and expression levels of key genes were validated by qRT-PCR at the GS, VGS, and EFS. The results show that the stem biomass, soluble sugar and total flavonoids contents, and antioxidant capacity peaked at EFS compared with GS, VGS, and FS. A total of 6098 and 13,023 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were observed at VGS and EFS vs. GS, respectively, with 367 genes co-expressed. Based on their biological functions, 109 genes were directly involved in polysaccharide and flavonoid biosynthesis as well as growth and development. The expression levels of key genes involved in polysaccharides (e.g., GLCs, XTHs and PMEs), flavonoids (e.g., 4CLLs, CYPs and UGTs), growth and development (e.g., AC58, TCPs and AP1), hormones biosynthesis and signaling (e.g., YUC8, AIPT and ACO1), and transcription factors (e.g., MYBs, bHLHs and WRKYs) were in accordance with changes of physiological characteristics. The combinational analysis of metabolites with transcriptomics provides insight into the mechanism of polysaccharide and flavonoid biosynthesis in C. songaricum during growth stages.
Asunto(s)
Cynomorium , Triterpenos , Antioxidantes/metabolismo , Cynomorium/genética , Cynomorium/metabolismo , Flavonoides , Hormonas , Polisacáridos , Azúcares , Factores de Transcripción , TranscriptomaRESUMEN
Cynomorium songaricum is an important endangered plant with significant medicinal and edible values. However, the lack of resources and quality variation have limited the comprehensive developments and sustainable utilization of C. songaricum. Here, we evaluated the chemical and genetic traits of C. songaricum from the highly suitable habitat regions simulated with species distribution models. The PCA and NJ tree analyses displayed intraspecific variation in C. songaricum, which could be divided into two ecotypes: ecotype I and ecotype II. Furthermore, the LC-MS/MS-based metabolomic was used to identify and analyze the metabolites of two ecotypes. The results indicated that a total of 589 compounds were detected, 236 of which were significantly different between the two ecotypes. Specifically, the relative content and the kind of flavonoids were more abundant in ecotype I, which were closely associated with the medicinal activities. In contrast, amino acids and organic acids were more enriched in ecotype II, which may provide better nutritional quality and unique flavor. In summary, our findings demonstrate the ecotype division and chemical diversity of C. songaricum in China from different geographical regions and provide a reference for the development of germplasm and directed plant breeding of endangered medicinal plants.
Asunto(s)
Cynomorium , Cromatografía Liquida , Cynomorium/química , Ecotipo , Fitomejoramiento , Espectrometría de Masas en TándemRESUMEN
Cynomorium songaricum is a traditional medicine and also a food material that is eaten raw or processed as tea or beverages. As a featured plant in semi-desert grasslands, C. songaricum is also eaten by the cattle and sheep in the area. This research study fed dairy sheep C. songaricum to determine the flavan-3-ols in sheep milk. Catechin (Cat), epicatechin (Epi), procyanidin A1 (A1), procyanidin A2 (A2), and procyanidin B1 (B1) were detected in sheep milk with the concentration being Epi > A2 > Cat > B1 > A1 at 24 h after the administration of C. songaricum. Neither A1 nor A2 were detected in the methanol extract of C. songaricum. Cysteine degradation of the plant revealed that in addition to Epi, A2 was the extending unit of the polymeric flavan-3-ols in C. songaricum, indicating that A2 is released digestively from the polymers and enters the milk. Procyanidin B-1 was converted to A1 on incubation in raw but not heated milk, indicating that the A1 in milk is the enzymatically transformed product of B1. Accelerated oxidation showed that the flavan-3-ols, B1, Cat, and Epi significantly protects the unsaturated triacyglycerols in the milk from oxidation. The flavan-3-ol could slow down the oxidation of glutathione and the latter may play an important role in preventing the milk triglycerides from oxidation. Flavan-3-ols are polyphenols with many health benefits. The present research revealed the antioxidant activities of flavan-3-ols that could be absorbed to sheep milk, adding new evidences for the values of these flavan-3-ols and for the milk.
Asunto(s)
Catequina , Cynomorium , Animales , Antioxidantes , Catequina/análisis , Bovinos , Flavonoides , Leche/química , Extractos Vegetales/farmacología , Polifenoles/análisis , OvinosRESUMEN
Cynomorium coccineum subsp. songaricum (Rupr.) J. Leonard has been widely used as a Chinese herbal remedy or a functional food for treating symptoms of aging or neurodegenerative diseases. A further investigation on the finding of active constituents led to the isolation and identification of four previously undescribed triterpenoids, together with 20 known compounds. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis (IR, NMR, HRMS, and CD). Sixteen compounds showed significant neuroprotective effects against glutamate-induced or oxygen-glucose deprivation-induced SK-N-SH cell death. Our findings revealed the active constituents of C. coccineum subsp. songaricum and indicated that both oleanane-type and ursane-type triterpenes could be valuable platforms for neurodegenerative agents based on primary structure-activity relationship analysis.
Asunto(s)
Cynomorium , Medicamentos Herbarios Chinos , Fármacos Neuroprotectores , Triterpenos , Cynomorium/química , Medicamentos Herbarios Chinos/química , Neuroprotección , Fármacos Neuroprotectores/farmacología , Triterpenos/farmacologíaRESUMEN
Cynomorium songaricum Rupr. (CSR), an edible and medicinal material, is widely cultivated in desert regions of Eastern and Western Asia, Europe, and North Africa. Ten glycoside constituents 1-10 including one new songaricumone A (1) were isolated from the fresh C. songaricum. Their structures were elucidated by comprehensive NMR data analysis. Further, various antioxidant effects of isolated compounds (1-3 and 5-10) were comprehensively and comparatively investigated. In conclusion, it is obvious that different glycosides vary significantly toward different sources of free radicals, which are attributed to different aglycones and substituted positions of sugar unit in structures.
Asunto(s)
Glicósidos Cardíacos , Cynomorium , Antioxidantes/farmacología , Cynomorium/química , Glicósidos/farmacología , Estructura MolecularRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders, but there is still no effective way to stop or slow its progression. Our previous studies demonstrated that extract of Cynomorium songaricum (ECS), a Chinese herbal medicine, had neuroprotective effects in AD models in vivo. However, the pharmacological mechanism of ECS in AD is still unclear. METHODS: To study the mechanisms of action of the effects of ECS on AD, we used Aß25-35- and H2O2-exposed HT22 cells to mimic specific stages of AD in vitro. The mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), intracellular ATP, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), and expression levels of mitochondrial dynamics-related proteins in each group were examined. Furthermore, we explored the mechanisms by which ECS reduces the phosphorylation of Drp1 at Ser637 and the changes in the concentrations of intracellular calcium ions in the two models after FK506 intervention. RESULTS: The results showed that ECS significantly enhanced the MMP (P < 0.05), increased intracellular ATP levels (P < 0.05) and decreased intracellular ROS levels in the Aß- and H2O2-induced cell models (P < 0.05). Additionally, ECS regulated the expression levels of mitochondrial dynamics-related proteins by reducing the phosphorylation of Drp1 at Ser637 (P < 0.05) and decreasing the expression of Fis1 in the H2O2-induced models (P < 0.05). Further study indicated that ECS reduced the overload of intracellular calcium (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our study results suggest that ECS protects the mitochondrial ultrastructure, ameliorates mitochondrial dysfunction, and maintains mitochondrial dynamics in AD models.
Asunto(s)
Enfermedad de Alzheimer/tratamiento farmacológico , Cynomorium/metabolismo , Dinámicas Mitocondriales/efectos de los fármacos , Fármacos Neuroprotectores/farmacología , Extractos Vegetales/farmacología , Humanos , Técnicas In VitroRESUMEN
Cynomorium songaricum is a medicinal, edible, and endangered plant species. Since inflorescences are not considered medicinal parts, their discard causes a waste of resources. To expand the medicinal uses of C. songaricum, we evaluated their chemistry and pharmacology by applying widely targeted metabolomics, network pharmacology, and molecular docking. Widely targeted metabolomics results indicated chemical diversity in C. songaricum with 599 compounds. Among them, 280 compounds were different between the succulent stem and inflorescence. With 218 upregulated compounds, inflorescence has more abundant compounds than the succulent stem, especially pigment compounds such as flavonols, flavones, and flavanones. Moreover, anthocyanin and proanthocyanidin were unique compounds in the inflorescence and succulent stem, respectively. Sixty-five compounds in inflorescence and 18 compounds in succulent stems were found to be associated with atherosclerosis in the network pharmacology analysis. Tests revealed that inflorescence had a stronger anti-atherosclerotic effect than succulent stems. Molecular docking analysis revealed that 30 compounds (29 pigment compounds) in inflorescence and 6 compounds (4 pigment compounds) in succulent stem showed strong binding affinities with three target proteins, namely ALB, MPO, and NOS2, especially amentoflavone, quercetin 7-O-rutinoside, and luteolin 7-O-glucoside (cynaroside). Results demonstrated that the inflorescence is rich in pigment compounds and has a potential anti-atherosclerosis effect. This study provides novel methods and ideas for the sustainable development of endangered medicinal plants.
Asunto(s)
Cynomorium/química , Inflorescencia/química , Plantas Medicinales/química , Simulación del Acoplamiento Molecular/métodosRESUMEN
Although Cynomorium songaricum Rupr. polysaccharide (CSP) has been examined for its effects on glucose regulation, its underlying mechanism is still unclear. To address this issue, a MS-based lipidomics strategy was developed to gain a system-level understanding of the mechanism of CSP on improving type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). UPLC-QTOF/MS and multivariate statistical tools were used to identify the alteration of serum metabolites associated with T2DM and responses to CSP treatment. As a result, 35 potential biomarkers were found and identified in serum, amongst which 26 metabolites were regulated to normal like levels after the administration of CSP. By analyzing the metabolic pathways, glycerophospholipid metabolism was suggested to be closely involved. These results indicated that the intake of CSP exhibited promising anti-diabetic activity, largely due to the regulation of phospholipid metabolism, including phosphatidylcholines, lysophosphatydylcholines, phosphtatidylethanolamines and sphingomyelins.
Asunto(s)
Cynomorium/química , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 2/metabolismo , Lipidómica , Polisacáridos/farmacología , Animales , Humanos , Metabolismo de los Lípidos/efectos de los fármacos , Lípidos/sangre , Masculino , Ratones , Ratones Endogámicos C57BL , Páncreas/efectos de los fármacos , Páncreas/metabolismo , Extractos Vegetales/farmacologíaRESUMEN
This study was aimed to investigate whether host plant species and lifestyles, and environmental conditions in the desert affect endophytic fungi composition. Endophytic fungal communities from parasitic plant Cynomorium songaricum and its host Nitraria tangutorum were investigated from three sites including Tonggu Naoer, Xilin Gaole, and Guazhou in Tengger and Badain Jaran Deserts in China using the next-generation sequencing of a ribosomal RNA gene region. Similarity and difference in endophytic fungal composition from different geographic locations were evaluated through multivariate statistical analysis. It showed that plant genetics was a deciding factor affecting endophytic fungal composition even when C. songaricum and N. tangutorum grow together tightly. Not only that, the fungal composition was also greatly affected by the local environment and rainfall. However, the distribution and richness of fungal species indicated that the geographical distance exerted little influence on characterizing the fungal composition. Overall, the findings suggested that plant species, parasitic or non-parasitic lifestyles of the plant, and local environment strongly affected the number and diversity of the endophytic fungal species, which may provide valuable insights into the microbe ecology, symbiosis specificity, and the tripartite relationship among parasitic plant, host, and endophytic fungi, especially under desert environment.
Asunto(s)
Cynomorium/microbiología , Clima Desértico , Magnoliopsida/microbiología , Micobioma , China , Cynomorium/clasificación , Cynomorium/genética , Cynomorium/fisiología , Endófitos/clasificación , Endófitos/genética , Endófitos/aislamiento & purificación , Hongos/clasificación , Hongos/genética , Hongos/aislamiento & purificación , Interacciones Microbiota-Huesped , Magnoliopsida/clasificación , Magnoliopsida/genética , Magnoliopsida/parasitología , Especificidad de la EspecieRESUMEN
Cynomorium songaricum is a root holoparasitic herb that is mainly hosted in the roots of Nitraria roborowskii and Nitraria sibirica distributed in the arid desert and saline-alkaline regions. The stem of C. songaricum is widely used as a traditional Chinese medicine and applied in anti-viral, anti-obesity and anti-diabetes, which largely rely on the bioactive components including: polysaccharides, flavonoids and triterpenes. Although the differences in growth characteristics of C. songaricum between N. roborowskii and N. sibirica have been reported, the difference of the two hosts on growth and polysaccharides biosynthesis in C. songaricum as well as regulation mechanism are not limited. Here, the physiological characteristics and transcriptome of C. songaricum host in N. roborowskii (CR) and N. sibirica (CS) were conducted. The results showed that the fresh weight, soluble sugar content and antioxidant capacity on a per stem basis exhibited a 3.3-, 3.0- and 2.1-fold increase in CR compared to CS. A total of 16,921 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were observed in CR versus CS, with 2573 characterized genes, 1725 up-regulated and 848 down-regulated. Based on biological functions, 50 DEGs were associated with polysaccharides and starch metabolism as well as their transport. The expression levels of the selected 37 genes were validated by qRT-PCR and almost consistent with their Reads Per kb per Million values. These findings would provide useful references for improving the yield and quality of C. songaricum.
Asunto(s)
Cynomorium/fisiología , Polisacáridos/biosíntesis , Transcriptoma , Antioxidantes/metabolismo , Transporte Biológico , Metabolismo de los Hidratos de Carbono , Perfilación de la Expresión Génica , Almidón/metabolismo , Azúcares/metabolismoRESUMEN
Cynomorium coccineum is a non-photosynthetic plant that grows in Mediterranean countries and that is amply used in the traditional medicine. The aim of this study was to extend previous studies on the chemical and biological properties of C. coccineum, evaluating the potential antiviral and antiproliferative activity of the methanolic extract. The MTT assay was used for the in vitro cytotoxic studies against human cancer-derived cell lines, while both MTT and plaque reduction (PRT) methods were used to evaluate the potential inhibitory effect of the extract against a panel of mammal viruses. The results obtained showed no selective activity against any DNA and RNA virus but revealed an interesting antiproliferative activity against human leukaemia-derived cell lines.
Asunto(s)
Antineoplásicos/farmacología , Antivirales/farmacología , Cynomorium , Animales , Antineoplásicos/aislamiento & purificación , Antivirales/aislamiento & purificación , Productos Biológicos/aislamiento & purificación , Productos Biológicos/farmacología , Línea Celular Tumoral , Cynomorium/química , Humanos , Medicina Tradicional , MetanolRESUMEN
Cynomorium songaricum Rupr is widely known in China as a traditional herbal medicine. In this study, single-factor experiments and response surface methodology were used to optimize the extraction of Cynomorium songaricum Rupr glycoprotein (CSG). The results show that a maximum glycoprotein yield of 6.39 ± 0.32% was achieved at a ratio of solid to liquid 32:1 for 4.2 H at 52 °C. Then, the IR, monosaccharide composition, amino acid composition, type of glycopeptide linkage, and average molecular weight of CSG-1 purified from CSG were characterized. The results indicate that CSG-1 presented the characteristic absorption peak of polysaccharide and protein, including four monosaccharides and 17 amino acids, had O-linked glycopeptide bonds, Mw , Wn , Mw /Mn , Mp , and the z-average were 5.343 × 106 , 3.203 × 106 , 1.668, 8.911 × 106 , and 6.948 × 106 , respectively. Besides, CSG-1 solution was described by the Herschel-Bulkley model and it behaved as a shear-thinning fluid. Also, under a frequency sweep the moduli G' and Gâ³ both increased with increasing CSG-1 concentration and the CSG-1 dispersions had weak thermal stability over the temperature sweep. These results provide a scientific basis for the further study of Cynomorium songaricum Rupr.
Asunto(s)
Cynomorium/química , Glicoproteínas , Proteínas de Plantas , Glicoproteínas/química , Glicoproteínas/aislamiento & purificación , Proteínas de Plantas/química , Proteínas de Plantas/aislamiento & purificación , ReologíaRESUMEN
Holoparasitic plants are interesting heterotrophic angiosperms. However, carrion- or faeces-mimicking is rarely described for such plants. There is no information on the pollination biology of Cynomoriaceae, despite the fact that these plants are rare and vulnerable. This is the first study to reveal pollination in a member of this family, Cynomorium songaricum, a root holoparasite with a distinctive and putrid floral odour. From 2016 to 2018, we studied the floral volatiles, floral visitors and pollinators, behavioural responses of visitors to floral volatiles, breeding system, flowering phenology and floral biology of two wild populations of C. songaricum in Alxa, Inner Mongolia, China. A total of 42 volatiles were identified in inflorescences of C. songaricum. Among these volatiles are compounds known as typical carrion scents, such as p-cresol, indole, dimethyl disulphide and 1-octen-3-ol. C. songaricum is pollinated by various Diptera, such as Musca domestica, M. stabulans (Muscidae), Delia setigera, D. platura (Anthomyiidae), Lucilia sericata, L. caesar (Calliphoridae), Wohlfahrtia indigens, Sarcophaga noverca, S. crassipalpis and Sarcophila meridionalis (Sarcophagidae). The inflorescence scent of C. songaricum attracted these pollinators. The plants significantly benefit from insect pollination, although wind can be a pollen vector in the absence of pollinators. C. songaricum is a cross-pollinated, self-incompatible plant. Our findings suggest that C. songaricum releases malodorous volatiles to attract Diptera to achieve pollination. This new example lays the foundation for further comparative studies in other members of this plant group and contributes to a better understanding of fly-pollinated, carrion mimicking plants.