Development of an efficient method for separation and purification of cordycepin from liquid fermentation of Cordyceps militaris and analysis of cordycepin antitumor activity.

Cordycepin (3 '-deoxyadenosine) is the main active component of Cordyceps militaris, which is a chemical marker for quality detection of Cordyceps militaris and has important medicinal development value. Existing methods for obtaining cordycepin are complex and costly. In this study, an economical and simple method for separation and purification of cordycepin from Cordyceps militaris fermentation liquid through physical crystallization was explored. First, lyophilized powdered fermentation liquid (LPFL) and pure methanol (1 g/100 mL, w/v) were mixed, and then repeatedly dissolved and crystallized until the precipitation was white. Purified product was obtained by freeze-drying the precipitate. The substance was determined to be cordycepin by high performance liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry and infrared spectroscopy, and the purity was 94.26%. Compared with the existing methods, this method is simple and low cost. In addition, the functional activity of cordycepin was determined by in vitro test. The results exhibited that cordycepin caused death and morphological changes in human colon cancer Caco-2 cells, and significantly inhibited the proliferation of Caco-2 cells, with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 107.2 µg/mL. Cordycepin could induce early apoptosis of Caco-2 and caused cell cycle arrest in the G2 phase. Caco-2 cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest showed dose dependence to cordycepin over a certain range. These results improved cordycepin purification method, provided insights into the mechanism of cordycepin in cancer inhibition, and would provide important reference for further development and clinical application of cordycepin.

The Pathways from Type A Personality to Physical and Mental Health Amid COVID-19: A Multiple-Group Path Model of Frontline Anti-Epidemic Medical Staff and Ordinary People.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, a survey was conducted using the questionnaire method among participants consisting of both ordinary people (n = 325) and frontline anti-epidemic medical staff (n = 310), and physiological data was obtained on the basis of physical examination. This study aimed to scrutinize the influence of Type A personality on the biochemical indicators of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and the behavioral indicators of appetite and sleep disorder, and to analyze the mediating effect of depression. Meanwhile, multiple-group path analysis was used to evaluate path differences between the models of two samples. The results of the mediation analysis for both samples demonstrated that depression significantly mediated the relationship between Type A personality and appetite and sleep disorder. The results of multiple-group path analysis showed that the relationship between Type A personality and appetite and sleep disorder seems to be significantly stronger in ordinary people, whereas the relationship between depression and appetite and sleep disorder, as well as with the path towards AST, seems to be significantly stronger in frontline anti-epidemic medical staff. This paper provides ideas for the selection and distribution of medical personnel based on personality characteristics in major public health emergencies, and physical and mental health status should be taken into account to provide relative health assistance.

Extraction and antioxidant activity of total triterpenoids in the mycelium of a medicinal fungus, Sanghuangporus sanghuang.

The scientific name of the traditional Chinese medicinal fungus, Sanghuang, has been clarified and confirmed that it is a new species -Sanghuangporus sanghuang in the recently discovered genus, Sanghuangporus. To maximize the yield of the active ingredients such as the triterpenoids from authentic Sanghuangporus sanghuang, four parameters of the extraction process, including the extraction time, solid-liquid ratio, extraction temperature, and ethanol concentration were determined. The Box-Behnken experimental design and the response surface method were used to optimize the triterpenoid extraction processes of Sanghuangporus sanghuang mycelium. The results showed that the parameters of the triterpenoid extraction processes were not simple linear relationships. Optimum conditions of ultrasonic extraction required an 80% ethanol concentration, a 1:20 solid-liquid ratio, a 20-min extraction time, and a 60 °C extraction temperature, to obtain a maximum triterpenoid extraction of 13.30 mg/g. Antioxidant capacity tests showed that the Sanghuangporus sanghuang triterpenoids had high clearance capabilities for hydroxyl free radicals, superoxide anions, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radicals, and 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonate) radicals, indicating that the Sanghuangporus sanghuang triterpenoids had high antioxidant activities.