The dynamic relationship between skin microbiomes and personal care products: A comprehensive review.

Healthy skin reflects a healthy microbiome and vice versa. The contemporary society, marked by a sharp increase in skin irritation cases, has compelled researchers, dermatologists, and the cosmetics industry to investigate the correlation between skin microbiomes and the use of skincare products. Different cosmetics can change skin's normal flora to a varying degree -some changes can be detrimental, there are also instances where these alterations aid in restoring the skin microbiome. Previous studies using artificial skin models, metagenomic analysis, and culture-based approaches have suggested that skincare products play an important role in skin microbial alteration. This article assessed current knowledge on microbial shifts from daily use of various personal and skincare products. We have also introduced a readily applicable framework, synthesized from various observations, which can be employed to identify the normal skin microbiome and evaluate the impact of personal care and skincare products on it. We also discussed how lifestyle choice remake skin microbial makeup. Future studies are warranted to examine the effect of personal and skincare product usage on skin microbiome across various age groups, genders, and body sites with a multi-study approach.

An Outlook on Platinum-Based Active Ingredients for Dermatologic and Skincare Applications.

Platinum-based materials exhibit a broad spectrum of biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and pro-collagen synthesis properties, making them particularly useful for various biomedical applications. This review summarizes the biological effects and therapeutic potential of platinum-based active ingredients in dermatological and skincare applications. We discuss their synthesis methods and their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and collagen synthesis properties, which play essential roles in treating skin conditions including psoriasis and acne, as well as enhancing skin aesthetics in anti-aging products. Safety and sustainability concerns, including the need for green synthesis and comprehensive toxicological assessments to ensure safe topical applications, are also discussed. By providing an up-to-date overview of current research, we aim to highlight both the potential and the current challenges of platinum-based active ingredients in advancing dermatology and skincare solutions.

Dynamic profiling of metabolite changes and health-promoting functions in 'yuling paste' during nine steaming and nine sun-drying processes.

Yuling paste, a traditional Chinese health food derived from longan pulp and American ginseng, undergoes a unique processing method involving nine cycles of steaming and sun-drying. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry combined with widely targeted metabolomics has been used to examine the dynamic change in metabolite profiles through the processing. A total of 758 metabolites were identified. Processing significantly affects metabolite changes, and network pharmacology is subsequently used to explore potential pharmacological ingredients. After processing, the contents of active ingredients such as ginsenoside rh2, oleanolic acid, choline, d-glucose, and D-galacturonic acid were found to increase significantly. These increases can be correlated to the enhancement of five distinct pathways, and the contents of naringenin-7-O-glucoside, adenosine, pantothenic acid, and D-sucrose decreased after the processing, correlating with decreases in two different pathways. This study provides a comprehensive reference and scientific basis for understanding the health benefits associated with this traditional health food.

[Advances in the microbial synthesis of active ingredients in cosmetics].

With the rapid development of the medical beauty industry, functional skin care products become increasingly popular. The functions of cosmetics mainly depend on the active ingredients, which are mainly proteins, peptides, polysaccharides, phenolic acids, terpenes, vitamins, and amino acids. These active ingredients endow cosmetics with skin repairing, moistening, whitening, UV protecting, and anti-aging effects. They are mainly obtained through biological extraction and chemical synthesis. In recent years, with the development of biomanufacturing, microbial synthesis of active ingredients in cosmetics has been widely studied and applied. This article reviews the research progresses in the production of natural products including collagens, peptides, hyaluronic acid, polyphenols, terpenes, and vitamins by microbial synthetic biotechnology. Moreover, this article highlighted the synthetic pathways, metabolic regulation, and prospects of the natural products, providing a reference for subsequent microbial synthesis of active ingredients in cosmetics.

Distribution of active ingredients and quality control of Forsythia suspensa with AP-MALDI mass spectrometry imaging.

The fruits of Forsythia suspensa (F. suspensa) have been used as a traditional Chinese medicine for 2000 years. Currently, the quality control of F. suspensa strictly follows the instructions of Chinese Pharmacopeia, which mainly controls the content of forsythoside A, phillyrin, and volatile oil. In this study, air pressure MALDI mass spectrometry imaging (AP-MALDI MSI) was used to evaluate the quality of F. suspensa fruits and the distribution of dozens of active ingredients. The variation of active ingredients was measured for more than 30 batches of samples, regarding harvest time, cultivated environment, shelf-life, and habitat. Fifty-three active ingredients could be detected in F. suspensa fruits with AP-MALDI MSI. Seven active ingredients were upregulated, four ingredients downregulated, and 15 ingredients did not change in ripe fruits. A sharp variation of active ingredients in late September was observed for the Caochuan fruits harvested in 2019, which is closely related to the appearance of the ginger color of the pericarp under the microscope observation. The microscope observation is a reliable way to classify ripe and green fruits instead of outlook. Just considering forsythoside A and phillyrin, it is found that wild fruits are better than cultivated fruits, but cultivated fruits have high contents of other ingredients. The shelf-life of F. suspensa fruits is proposed to be 3 years, considering the 26 ingredients investigated. It was found that Luoning wild fruits are better than those from Caochuan with a new evaluation method. Mass spectrometry imaging is an easy, objective, and effective method to evaluate the quality of F. suspensa fruits.

Effect of electrohydrodynamic (EHD) drying on active ingredients, textural properties and moisture distribution of yam (Dioscorea opposita).

This paper systematically investigates the changes in material properties during electrohydrodynamic (EHD) drying, the discharge characteristics of the EHD system as well as the active ingredients, textural properties (hardness, adhesiveness, etc.) and moisture distribution of yam under EHD, air drying and hot air drying were investigated. The results showed that the active particles and the ionized wind generated during the discharge process of the electrohydrodynamic drying device had a significant effect on the drying. Compared to thermal drying, 21 kV drying resulted in the most complete cellular structure, the best internal bound water content as well as textural properties of yam. It played a positive role in the retention of internal nutrients in yam, and the total phenol and allantoin contents were increased by 25.74% and 81.99%, respectively. These results elucidate the advantages of electrohydrodynamic drying in yam drying and provide a reference for the application of EHD in drying.

Systematically investigate the mechanism underlying the therapeutic effect of Astragalus membranaceus in ulcerative colitis.

BACKGROUND: Whether Astragalus membranaceus is an effective drug in treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC) and how it exhibit activity effect on UC is unclear. METHODS: TCMSP, GeneCards, String, and DAVID database were used to screening target genes construct PPI network and performed for GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis respectively. Molecular docking and animal experiment were performed. The body weight and disease activity index (DAI) of mice were recorded. ELISA kits were used to detect the levels of CAT, SOD, MDA and IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α in the blood of mice. Western blot kits were utilized to measured the expressions of MAPK14, RB1, MAPK1, JUN, ATK1, and IL2 proteins. RESULTS: The active components of Astragalus membranaceus mainly including 7-O-methylisomucronulatol, quercetin, kaempferol, formononetin and isrhamnetin. Astragalus membranaceus may inhibited the expression of TNF-α, IL-6, MDA, and promoted the expression of CAT, SOD, IL-10. The expression levels of MAPK14, RB1, MAPK1, JUN and ATK1 proteins were significantly decreased while IL2 protein increased administrated with Astragalus membranaceus. CONCLUSIONS: Astragalus membranaceus is an effective drug in treatment of UC according to related to above targets that may exhibits the anti-UC effect via its antioxidant pathway and regulating the balance of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory factors.

Advances in Research on the Effectiveness and Mechanism of Active Ingredients from Traditional Chinese Medicine in Regulating Hepatic Stellate Cells Autophagy Against Hepatic Fibrosis.

Hepatic fibrosis (HF) is a pathological process of structural and functional impairment of the liver and is a key component in the progression of chronic liver disease. There are no specific anti-hepatic fibrosis (anti-HF) drugs, and HF can only be improved or prevented by alleviating the cause. Autophagy of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is closely related to the development of HF. In recent years, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has achieved good therapeutic effects in the prevention and treatment of HF. Several active ingredients from TCM (AITCM) can regulate autophagy in HSCs to exert anti-HF effects through different pathways, but relevant reviews are lacking. This paper reviewed the research progress of AITCM regulating HSCs autophagy against HF, and also discussed the relationship between HSCs autophagy and HF, pointing out the problems and limitations of the current study, in order to provide references for the development of anti-HF drugs targeting HSCs autophagy in TCM. By reviewing the literature in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, CNKI and other databases, we found that the relationship between autophagy of HSCs and HF is currently controversial. HSCs autophagy may promote HF by consuming lipid droplets (LDs) to provide energy for their activation. However, in contrast, inducing autophagy in HSCs can exert the anti-HF effect by stimulating their apoptosis or senescence, reducing type I collagen accumulation, inhibiting the extracellular vesicles release, degrading pro-fibrotic factors and other mechanisms. Some AITCM inhibit HSCs autophagy to resist HF, with the most promising direction being to target LDs. While, others induce HSCs autophagy to resist HF, with the most promising direction being to target HSCs apoptosis. Future research needs to focus on cell targeting research, autophagy targeting research and in vivo verification research, and to explore the reasons for the contradictory effects of HSCs autophagy on HF.

[Research progress of traditional Chinese medicines and active ingredients targeting M1/M2 macrophage polarization balance in intervening obese with type 2 diabetes].

Type 2 diabetes(T2DM) is a metabolic disorder marked by glucose toxicity, lipotoxicity, insulin resistance, and other pathological manifestations, representing a pressing global health concern. Obesity stands out as a pivotal risk factor for T2DM development. When combined with T2DM, obesity exacerbates insulin resistance and metabolic abnormalities. The disturbance in the inflammatory microenvironmental balance between adipose and pancreatic islet tissue emerges as a significant contributor to obese with T2DM development. Macrophages play a crucial role in maintaining immune homeostasis and responding to inflammation in adipose and pancreatic islet tissue. Individuals with obese with T2DM exhibit an imbalanced M1/M2 macrophage polarization, contributing to the progression of glycolipid metabolism abnormalities. Hence, restoring the equilibrium of macrophage polarization becomes imperative for obese with T2DM treatment. Scientific researchers have demonstrated that traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) therapies can effectively modulate macrophage polarization, offering a viable approach for treating obese with T2DM. In light of the existing evidence, this study systematically reviewed the research progress of TCM targeting the balance of M1/M2 macrophage polarization to ameliorate obese with T2DM, so as to furnish evidence supporting the clinical diagnosis and treatment of obese with T2DM with TCM while also contributing to the exploration of the biological basis of obese with T2DM.

[Synergistic effect and compatibility structure of active anti-inflammatory ingredients from Lamiophlomis rotata based on network pharmacology and component structure theory].

The synergistic effect and compatibility structure of active anti-inflammatory ingredients(iridoid glycosides: shanzhiside methylester and 8-O-acetylshanzhiside methyl ester, flavonoid glycoside: luteoloside, and phenylethanoid glycoside: forsythoside B) from Lamiophlomis rotata were explored based on network pharmacology and component structure theory. In network pharmacology, CTD, SwisseTargetPrediction, and PharmMapper databases were used to collect and screen the targets of all active ingredients. The inflammation-related targets were obtained from CTD and GeneCards databases. The core targets were obtained by Venny 2.1.0, STRING, and Cytoscape 3.9.1. Core targets were annotated by the GO function and enriched by the KEGG pathway based on the DAVID database. In terms of component structure, based on a uniform design method and xylene-induced ear swelling model in mice, tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6 were taken as the dependent variables, and the compatibility relationship among anti-inflammatory ingredients from L. rotata was explored through the quadratic polynomial stepwise regression. In addition, in vivo pharmacological experiments were conducted to verify the results. A network pharmacology study showed that compared with a single ingredient, the combined action of the three ingredients can synergistically exert anti-inflammatory effects through more biological processes, pathways, and targets. Component structure study showed that the optimal structural ratio of shanzhiside methylester and 8-O-acetylshanzhiside methyl ester in the iridoid glycoside ingredient was 1.21∶1. The optimal structural ratio among the three types of ingredients(iridoid glycosides∶phenylethanol glycoside∶flavonoid glycoside) was 4.8∶1.6∶1. In conclusion, each anti-inflammatory ingredient from L. rotata can work synergistically, and there is an optimal compatibility ratio relationship among these ingredients. This work provides a new experimental basis for the intrinsic quality control of L. rotata.

Advanced Bioinspired Multifunctional Platforms Focusing on Gut Microbiota Regulation.

Gut microbiota plays a crucial role in maintaining host homeostasis, impacting the progression and therapeutic outcomes of diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, hepatic conditions, obesity, cardiovascular pathologies, and neurologic disorders, via immune, neural, and metabolic mechanisms. Hence, the gut microbiota is a promising target for disease therapy. The safety and precision of traditional microbiota regulation methods remain a challenge, which limits their widespread clinical application. This limitation has catalyzed a shift toward the development of multifunctional delivery systems that are predicated on microbiota modulation. Guided by bioinspired strategies, an extensive variety of naturally occurring materials and mechanisms have been emulated and harnessed for the construction of platforms aimed at the monitoring and modulation of gut microbiota. This review outlines the strategies and advantages of utilizing bioinspired principles in the design of gut microbiota intervention systems based on traditional regulation methods. Representative studies on the development of bioinspired therapeutic platforms are summarized, which are based on gut microbiota modulation to confer multiple pharmacological benefits for the synergistic management of diseases. The prospective avenues and inherent challenges associated with the adoption of bioinspired strategies in the refinement of gut microbiota modulation platforms are proposed to augment the efficacy of disease treatment.

Overview of Panax ginseng and its active ingredients protective mechanism on cardiovascular diseases.

ETHNIC PHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Panax ginseng is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine used to treat cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), and it is still widely used to improve the clinical symptoms of various CVDs. However, there is currently a lack of summary and analysis on the mechanism of Panax ginseng exerts its cardiovascular protective effects. This article provides a review of in vivo and in vitro pharmacological studies on Panax ginseng and its active ingredients in reducing CVDs damage. AIM OF THIS REVIEW: This review summarized the latest literature on Panax ginseng and its active ingredients in CVDs research, aiming to have a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the cardiovascular protection mechanism of Panax ginseng, and to provide new ideas for the treatment of CVDs, as well as to optimize the clinical application of Panax ginseng. METHODS: Enrichment of pathways and biological terms using the traditional Chinese medicine molecular mechanism bioinformatics analysis tool (BATMAN-TCM). The literature search is based on electronic databases such as PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, CNKI, with a search period of 2002-2023. The search terms include Panax ginseng, Panax ginseng ingredients, ginsenosides, ginseng polysaccharides, ginseng glycoproteins, ginseng volatile oil, CVDs, heart, and cardiac. RESULTS: 132 articles were ultimately included in the review. The ingredients in Panax ginseng that manifested cardiovascular protective effects are mainly ginsenosides (especially ginsenoside Rb1). Ginsenosides protected against CVDs such as ischemic reperfusion injury, atherosclerosis and heart failure mainly through improving energy metabolism, inhibiting hyper-autophagy, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and promoting secretion of exosomes. CONCLUSION: Panax ginseng and its active ingredients have a particularly prominent effect on improving myocardial energy metabolism remodeling in protecting against CVDs. The AMPK and PPAR signaling pathways are the key targets through which Panax ginseng produces multiple mechanisms of cardiovascular protection. Extracellular vesicles and nanoparticles as carriers are potential delivery ways for optimizing the bioavailability of Panax ginseng and its active ingredients.

Nano-based drug delivery systems for active ingredients from traditional Chinese medicine: Harnessing the power of nanotechnology.

Introduction: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is gaining worldwide popularity as a complementary and alternative medicine. The isolation and characterization of active ingredients from TCM has become optional strategies for drug development. In order to overcome the inherent limitations of these natural products such as poor water solubility and low bioavailability, the combination of nanotechnology with TCM has been explored. Taking advantage of the benefits offered by the nanoscale, various drug delivery systems have been designed to enhance the efficacy of TCM in the treatment and prevention of diseases. Methods: The manuscript aims to present years of research dedicated to the application of nanotechnology in the field of TCM. Results: The manuscript discusses the formulation, characteristics and therapeutic effects of nano-TCM. Additionally, the formation of carrier-free nanomedicines through self-assembly between active ingredients of TCM is summarized. Finally, the paper discusses the safety behind the application of nano-TCM and proposes potential research directions. Discussion: Despite some achievements, the safety of nano-TCM still need special attention. Furthermore, exploring the substance basis of TCM formulas from the perspective of nanotechnology may provide direction for elucidating the scientific intension of TCM formulas.

Protection effect of Dioscoreae Rhizoma against ethanol-induced gastric injury in vitro and in vivo: A phytochemical and pharmacological study.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Dioscoreae Rhizoma, a kind of Chinese yam, is a medicinal and edible plant used in China for strengthening the spleen and stomach. However, there is a lack of modern pharmacology studies regarding its anti-gastric injury activity. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed to investigate the phytochemical composition of Chinese yam aqueous extract (CYW) and evaluate its gastroprotective effects against ethanol-induced gastric injury in vitro and in vivo. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The active components of CYW were identified using HPLC-QTOF-MS/MS in combination with the GNPS molecular networking and network pharmacology. In vitro studies were performed in the RAW264.7/GES-1 cell coculture system. In vivo study, mice were treated with CYW (0.31, 0.63, and 3.14 g/kg BW, orally) for 14 days, followed by a single oral dose of ethanol (10 mL/kg BW) to induce gastric injury. The biochemical, inflammation and oxidative stress markers were analyzed using commercial kits. Histopathology was used to assess the degree of gastric injury. Gene and protein expressions were studied using RT-qPCR and western blotting, respectively. RESULTS: CYW significantly restored the levels of SOD, GPx and CAT, and reduced the MDA content. Further analyses showed that CYW significantly alleviated the gastric oxidative stress by inhibiting the inflammation via decreasing p-NF-κB and p-IκB-α expression levels and inhibiting the generation of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1ß. At the same time, the fraction remarkably upregulated Bcl-2, downregulated Bax and increased growth factor secretion, thereby prevented gastric mucous cell. Besides, The combination of HPLC-QTOF-MS/MS, GNPS molecular networking analysis, and network pharmacology demonstrated that linoleic acid, 3-acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid, adenosine, aminocaproic acid, tyramine, DL-tryptophan, cycloleucine, lactulose, melibiose, alpha-beta-trehalose, and sucrose would be the main active compounds of CYW against ethanol-induced gastric injury. CONCLUSION: This study showed that CYW is potentially rich source of anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory bioactive compounds. It showed efficacy against ethanol-induced gastric injury by inhibiting inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis in the stomach. The results of the current work indicate that Dioscoreae Rhizoma could be utilized as a type of natural resource for production of new medicine and functional foods to prevent and/or ameliorate ethanol-induced gastric injury.

Using Quercetin to Construct Molecularly Imprinting Polymer in the Preparation and Enrichment of Flavonol and Flavonoid Compounds.

Flavonol and flavonoid compounds are important natural compounds with various biomedical activities. Therefore, it is of great significance to develop a strategy for the specific extraction of flavonol and flavonoid compounds. Quercetin is a well-studied flavonoid possessing many health benefits. This compound is a versatile antioxidant known to possess protective abilities against body tissue injury induced by pathological situations and various drug toxicities. Although quercetin is widely distributed in many plants, its content generally is not very high. Therefore, the specific extraction of quercetin as well as other flavonol and flavonoid compounds has profound significance. In this work, the quercetin molecularly imprinting polymer (QMIP) was successfully prepared, in which a typical flavonol quercetin was selected as the template molecule. QMIP was synthesized by performing the surface molecular imprinting technology on the surface of NH2-MIL-101(Fe). Our study results showed that QMIP exhibited quick binding kinetic behavior, a high adsorption capacity (57.04[Formula: see text]mg/g), and the specific recognition ability toward quercetin compared with structurally distinct compounds (selective [Formula: see text]). The specific adsorption ability of quercetin by QMIP was further explained using computation simulation that molecules with non-planar 3D conformations hardly entered the molecularly imprinted cavities on QMIP. Finally, QMIP was successfully used for the specific extraction of quercetin and five other flavonol and flavonoid compounds in the crude extracts from Sapium sebiferum. This study proposes a new strategy to synthesize the molecularly imprinted polymer based on a single template for enriching and loading a certain class of active ingredients with similar core structures from variable botanicals.

Assessment of pesticide knowledge, Safety Practices and postharvest handling among cocoa farmers in South Western Nigeria.

Cocoa beans are susceptible to fungal contamination during processing and storage. The knowledge of the use of pesticides and post-harvest handling of cocoa beans among farmers is of great importance for safe consumption. The study evaluated common cocoa production and post-harvest practices of farmers in selected study locations in South Western Nigeria. Primary data were collected through the administration of structured questionnaires, and interviews. The collected data were analyzed using inferential descriptive statistics. The results of 394 farmers showed that 52.9 % in Osun and 47.3 % in Oyo were primarily farmers by occupation, the rest had other ventures. The majority of cocoa farmers were men:83.6 % in Oyo State, 88.2 % in Osun state and 87.9 % in Ondo state. 28.6 % and 32.7 % of farmers were aged 51-60 in the Ondo and Oyo communities, respectively. Osun farming communities are dominated by young adults (51 %) of 31-50 years, followed by Ondo 40 % and36 % of farmers in Oyo State. Most cocoa farmers were married with 4-6 children as the most common household size in Osun (51 %), Ondo (60.4 %) and 49.1 % in Oyo State. The literacy level of farmers in cocoa communities was the highest in Oyo state where 47.3 % had tertiary education. Farmers in Oyo State had better knowledge of the dangers of pesticides than Ondo and Osun. However, ignorance of dangers in agrochemicals was higher among Osun farmers than in Ondo State. The highest (18 %) pesticide use during storage was recorded among Oyo farmers, while the least (11.0 %) was recorded among farmers in Ondo State. Pesticide usage was more abundant in Osun (50 %) during cocoa production than in the other study areas. The majority of farmers were positively disposed to make use of nose masks during agrochemical application, meanwhile, 69 %, 62 %, and 61 % of farmers used them already in Oyo, Ondo, and Osun states, respectively. Educational qualification (χ2 = 9.176, p = 0.027) of cocoa farmers was significantly related to knowledge of best practices. Farmers with higher education have a greater ability to receive and process information relating to global best practices in production, postharvest, and pesticide handling in cocoa. In conclusion, cocoa farmers' knowledge of processing, use of pesticides, and storage practices differed from one location to another. Intensive orientation and more enlightenment by extension workers against indiscriminate use of pesticides in cocoa plantations and stores must be consistently and continuously done.

Research progress of nano-delivery systems for the active ingredients from traditional Chinese medicine.

INTRODUCTION: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used for thousands of years in China, characterizing with novel pharmacological mechanisms, low toxicity, and limited side effects. However, the application of TCM active ingredients is often hindered by their physical and chemical properties, including poor solubility, low bioavailability, short half-life, toxic side effects within therapeutic doses, and instability in biological environments. Consequently, an increasing number of researchers are directing their attention towards the discovery of nano-delivery systems for TCM to overcome these clinical challenges. OBJECTIVES: This review aims to provide the latest knowledge and results concerning the studies on the nano-delivery systems for the active ingredients from TCM. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Recent literature relating to nano-delivery systems for the active ingredients from TCM is summarized to provide a fundamental understanding of how such systems can enhance the application of phytochemicals. RESULTS: The nano-delivery systems of six types of TCM monomers are summarized and categorized based on the skeletal structure of the natural compounds. These categories include terpenoids, flavonoids, alkaloids, quinones, polyphenols, and polysaccharides. The paper analyzes the characteristics, types, materials used, and the efficacy achieved by TCM-nano systems. Additionally, the advantages and disadvantages of nano-drug delivery systems for TCM are summarized in this paper. CONCLUSION: Nano-delivery systems represent a promising approach to overcoming clinical obstacles stemming from the physical and chemical properties of TCM active ingredients, thereby enhancing their clinical efficacy.

Therapeutic Potential of Essential Oils Against Ulcerative Colitis: A Review.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic non-sp ecific inflammatory disease of the colorectal mucosa. Researchers have associated UC onset with familial genetics, lifestyle behavior, inflammatory immune factors, intestinal microbiota, and the integrity of the intestinal mucosal barrier. The primary therapeutic interventions for UC consist of pharmacological management to control inflammation and promote mucosal healing and surgical interventions. The available drugs effectively control and decelerate the progression of UC in most patients; nonetheless, their long-term administration can exert adverse effects and influence the therapeutic effect. Plant essential oils (EOs) refer to a group of hydrophobic aromatic volatile substances. EOs have garnered considerable attention in both domestic and international research because of their anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties. They include peppermint, peppercorns, rosemary, and lavender, among others. Researchers have investigated the role of EOs in medicine and have elucidated their potential to mitigate the detrimental effects of UC through their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidepressant, and anti-insomnia properties as well as their ability to regulate the intestinal flora. Furthermore, EOs exert minimal toxic adverse effects, further enhancing their appeal for therapeutic applications. However, these speculations are based on theoretical experiments, thereby warranting more clinical studies to confirm their effectiveness and safety. In this article, we aim to provide an overview of the advancements in utilizing natural medicine EOs for UC prevention and treatment. We will explore the potential pathogenesis of UC and examine the role of EOs therapy in basic research, quality stability, and management specification of inadequate EOs for UC treatment. We intend to offer novel insights into the use of EOs in UC prevention and management.

Antileishmanial and Antifungal Activities of Volatile Oils from Cinnamomum Cassia Bark and Schinus Molle Leaves.

This study reports on the chemical composition and antileishmanial and anticandidal activities of volatile oils (VOs) of Schinus molle dried leaves (SM), Cinnamomum cassia branch bark (CC) and their blends. Major constituents of SM were spathulenol (26.93 %), ß-caryophyllene (19.90 %), and caryophyllene oxide (12.69 %), whereas (E)-cinnamaldehyde (60.11 %), cinnamyl acetate (20.90 %) and cis-2-methoxycinnamic acid (10.37 %) were predominant in CC. SM (IC50=21.45 µg/mL) and CC (IC50=23.27 µg/mL) displayed good activity against L. amazonensis promastigotes, besides having good or moderate activity against nine Candida strains, with Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) values ranging from 31.25 to 250 µg/mL. While the three SM and CC blends were not more active than the VOs tested individually, they exhibited remarkably high antileishmanial activity, with IC50 values ranging between 3.12 and 7.04 µg/mL, which is very similar to the IC50 of amphotericin B (positive control).

Hawthorn with "homology of medicine and food": a review of anticancer effects and mechanisms.

Over the past few years, there has been a gradual increase in the incidence of cancer, affecting individuals at younger ages. With its refractory nature and substantial fatality rate, cancer presents a notable peril to human existence and wellbeing. Hawthorn, a medicinal food homology plant belonging to the Crataegus genus in the Rosaceae family, holds great value in various applications. Due to its long history of medicinal use, notable effects, and high safety profile, hawthorn has garnered considerable attention and plays a crucial role in cancer treatment. Through the integration of modern network pharmacology technology and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), a range of anticancer active ingredients in hawthorn have been predicted, identified, and analyzed. Studies have shown that ingredients such as vitexin, isoorientin, ursolic acid, and maslinic acid, along with hawthorn extracts, can effectively modulate cancer-related signaling pathways and manifest anticancer properties via diverse mechanisms. This review employs network pharmacology to excavate the potential anticancer properties of hawthorn. By systematically integrating literature across databases such as PubMed and CNKI, the review explores the bioactive ingredients with anticancer effects, underlying mechanisms and pathways, the synergistic effects of drug combinations, advancements in novel drug delivery systems, and ongoing clinical trials concerning hawthorn's anticancer properties. Furthermore, the review highlights the preventive health benefits of hawthorn in cancer prevention, offering valuable insights for clinical cancer treatment and the development of TCM with anticancer properties that can be used for both medicinal and edible purposes.