[Analysis of inorganic elements of several species from Moghania genus and M. philippinensis from different habitats].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the contents of inorganic elements in root, stem and leaf of several species from Moghania genus and root of M. philippinensis from different habitats. METHODS: Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrum (ICP-OES) was used to determine twenty five inorganic elements simultaneously. The correlation analysis, principal component analysis and cluster analysis were applied for the study of inorganic elements. RESULTS: The content of inorganic elements from different species was difference. As for M. philippinensis from different habitats, the content sequence was Guangxi > Jiangxi > Guangdong > Sichuan. There was significant correlation between different inorganic elements. The principal component analysis results showed that V, Co, K, Fe, Cr, P, Mo, Si, Na, Ca and Mg might be the characteristic elements of these species from Moghania genus. The results of cluster analysis showed that M. philippinensis and M. strobilifera could be separated and M. philippinensis from Guangxi, Jiangxi, Guangdong and Sichuan could be separated. CONCLUSION: This experiment provided theoretical basis for distinguish and quality assessment of species from Moghania genus and M. philippinensis from different habitats.

Role of MicroRNAs in Dietary Interventions for Obesity and Obesity-Related Diseases.

Obesity and related metabolic syndromes pose a serious threat to human health and quality of life. A proper diet is a safe and effective strategy to prevent and control obesity, thus maintaining overall health. However, no consensus exists on the connotations of proper diet, and it is attributed to various factors, including "nutritional dark matter" and the "matrix effect" of food. Accumulating evidence confirms that obesity is associated with the in vivo levels of miRNAs, which serve as potential markers and regulatory targets for obesity onset and progression; food-derived miRNAs can regulate host obesity by targeting the related genes or gut microbiota across the animal kingdom. Host miRNAs mediate food nutrient-gut microbiota-obesity interactions. Thus, miRNAs are important correlates of diet and obesity onset. This review outlines the recent findings on miRNA-mediated food interventions for obesity, thereby elucidating their potential applications. Overall, we provide new perspectives and views on the evaluation of dietary nutrition, which may bear important implications for dietary control and obesity prevention.