Correction to: Enzyme­derived deer velvet extract activate the immune response in cyclophosphamide­induced immunosuppressive mice.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1007/s10068-023-01275-4.].

Enzyme-derived deer velvet extract activate the immune response in cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppressive mice.

Deer velvet (DV) is an oriental traditional medicine used to treat various diseases. The present study examined the effect of flavourzyme-derived DV extract (YC-1101) on macrophages and an immunosuppressed mouse model. YC-1101 induced activation of macrophages as measured by nitric oxide production, cell proliferation, and cytokine release via concentration-dependent phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase, extracellular signal-regulated kinase, and AKT, and nuclear translocation of p65 in macrophages. In addition, oral YC-1101 administration significantly increased splenocyte proliferation and natural killer cell activity in the immunosuppressed mouse model. Moreover, the levels of immune-related cytokines such as tumor necrotic factor-α, interferon-γ, and interleukin-2 were significantly increased by YC-1101 treatment comparable to the control group. Thus, these results suggest that YC-1101 is an efficient natural ingredient that has an immune-enhancing effect, and it might be a potential functional food for improving immunity.

A Metabolomics and Big Data Approach to Cannabis Authenticity (Authentomics).

With the increasing accessibility of cannabis (Cannabis sativa L., also known as marijuana and hemp), its products are being developed as extracts for both recreational and therapeutic use. This has led to increased scrutiny by regulatory bodies, who aim to understand and regulate the complex chemistry of these products to ensure their safety and efficacy. Regulators use targeted analyses to track the concentration of key bioactive metabolites and potentially harmful contaminants, such as metals and other impurities. However, the metabolic complexity of cannabis metabolic pathways requires a more comprehensive approach. A non-targeted metabolomic analysis of cannabis products is necessary to generate data that can be used to determine their authenticity and efficacy. An authentomics approach, which involves combining the non-targeted analysis of new samples with big data comparisons to authenticated historic datasets, provides a robust method for verifying the quality of cannabis products. To meet International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards, it is necessary to implement the authentomics platform technology and build an integrated database of cannabis analytical results. This study is the first to review the topic of the authentomics of cannabis and its potential to meet ISO standards.

Efficacy and Safety of Maca (Lepidium meyenii) in Patients with Symptoms of Late-Onset Hypogonadism: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.

PURPOSE: To evaluated the efficacy and safety of gelatinized Maca (Lepidium meyenii) for eugonadal patients with late onset hypogonadism symptoms (LOH). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Participants were instructed to receive 1,000 mg of Maca or placebo, two pills at a time, three times per day for 12 weeks before food intake. To evaluate the efficacy of the drug, Aging Males' Symptoms scale (AMS), Androgen Deficiency in the Aging Males (ADAM), International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), and International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) questionnaires, serologic tests (total testosterone and free testosterone, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride), body weight, and waist circumference were assessed at 4 and 12 weeks after treatment. RESULTS: A total of 80 participants were enrolled and randomly assigned to Maca treated group (n=41) or the placebo group (n=39). AMS, IIEF, and IPSS were significantly (p<0.05) improved in Maca treated group than in the placebo group. ADAM positive rate was also significantly (p<0.0001) decreased in Maca treated group. CONCLUSIONS: Maca may be considered an effective and safe treatment for eugonadal patients with late onset hypogonadism symptoms.

Cannabidiol, a Regulator of Intracellular Calcium and Calpain.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the most abundant components of Cannabis and has long been used in Cannabis-based preparations. Recently, CBD has become a promising pharmacological agent because of its beneficial properties in the pathophysiology of several diseases. Although CBD is a kind of cannabinoid and acts on cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2), molecular targets involved in diverse therapeutic properties of CBD have not been identified because CBD also interacts with other molecular targets. Considering that CBD alters the intracellular calcium level by which calpain activity is controlled, and both CBD and calpain are associated with various diseases related to calcium signaling, including neurological disorders, this review provides an overview of calpain and calcium signaling as possible molecular targets of CBD. As calpain is known to play an important role in the pathophysiology of neurological disease, a deeper understanding of its relationship with CBD will be meaningful. To understand the role of CBD as a calpain regulator, in silico structural analysis on the binding mode of CBD with calpain was performed.