Transcriptome and metabolome analysis of the developmental changes in Cynanchum thesioides anther.

Cynanchum thesioides, a xerophytic species utilized both as a medicinal herb and a food source, plays a significant role in arid and desert ecosystem management. Its inflorescence is an umbellate cyme, each carrying nearly a thousand flowers; however, its fruiting rate remains remarkably low. The normal development of the anther is a necessary prerequisite for plants to produce seeds. However, our understanding of the anther development process in Cynanchum thesioides remains limited. To better understand the pollen development process in Cynanchum thesioides, the stages of pollen development were determined through paraffin sectioning, and observations were made on the distribution characteristics of polysaccharides and lipid droplets in the pollen development of Cynanchum thesioides using Periodic Acid-Schiff stain (PAS) and 0.5% Sudan Black B tissue staining. Concurrently, the gene expression patterns and metabolite profiles were delineated across various developmental stages of Cynanchum thesioides anthers (T1: microspore stage, T2: tetrad stage, T3: mononuclear stage, and T4: maturation stage). The findings revealed that Cynanchum thesioides pollen is in an aggregate form. Polysaccharides gradually accumulate during maturation and lipid droplets form a surrounding membrane, thereby preventing pollen dispersion. Furthermore, transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses across distinct developmental phases uncovered a plethora of differentially expressed genes and metabolites associated with the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway. Flavonoid levels exhibited dynamic changes concurrent with anther development, aligning with the gene regulatory patterns of the corresponding biosynthetic pathways. The study identified 63 differentially accumulated flavonoid compounds and 21 differentially expressed genes associated with flavonoid biosynthesis. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis revealed six MYB and ten bHLH transcription factors as key candidates involved in flavonoid biosynthesis, with CtbHLH (Cluster-6587.1050) and CtMYB (Cluster-6587.31743) specifically regulating structural genes within the pathway. These findings underscore the pivotal role of flavonoid biosynthesis in anther development of Cynanchum thesioides. In conclusion, this research offers a comprehensive insight into the anther development process in Cynanchum thesioides.

Eucalyptol-loaded microcapsules combined with Cynanchum komarovii extracts provide long-term and low-risk management of Chinese wolfberry (Lycium barbarum L.).

Realizing eco-friendly, long-term, and low-risk aphid control on Lycium barbarum (medicinal cash crop) using a Cynanchum komarovii extracts and eucalyptus oil-loaded microcapsules (EOMCs) formulation compositions is viable. In this study, the aim is to optimize the composition of Cynanchum komarovii extracts and EOMCs formulation for effective control of aphids, the release of EOMCs was controlled by changing the cross-linking degree of the shell to match the aphid control characteristics of Cynanchum komarovii extracts. Four types of polyamines were used as cross-linking agents for the preparation of EOMCs by interfacial polymerization. The bioactivity, wettability, and field application efficacy of Cynanchum komarovii extracts and different EOMCs formulation compositions were evaluated. These EOMCs exhibited an encapsulation efficiency exceeding 85 %. The control efficiency of the formulation compositions of microcapsules with a moderate release rate and Cynanchum komarovii extracts on aphids remained at 62.86 %, while the control efficiency of the combination of microcapsules with the fastest and slowest rates with Cynanchum komarovii extracts was only 48.62 % and 57.11 %, respectively. The formulation compositions of Cynanchum komarovii extracts with all four types of EOMCs were found to be safe for Chinese wolfberry plants. Overall, by selecting appropriate polyamines during fabrication, the release rate can be effectively controlled to achieve sustainable and low-risk aphid control in Lycium barbarum through compounding with selected microcapsules.

Five New C21 -Steroidal Sapogenins from the Acid Hydrolysate of Cynanchum otophyllum Roots.

Five new C21 -steroidal sapogenins (1-5) named cynotogenins J-N, were isolated from the acid hydrolysate of Cynanchum otophyllum roots. Their structures were established by extensive spectroscopic analysis (UV, IR, HR-ESI-MS, and NMR). Most notably, compounds 1-3 harboring a rare 5ß,6ß-epoxy group in the C21 -steroidal skeleton of Cynanchum plants. All compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxicities against multiple cancer cell lines, in which compounds 5 showed weak cytotoxicity against HepG2 cancer cells with IC50 values of 44.90 µM.

Cynasibirolide A, One New Humulanolide Sesquiterpene from Cynanchum acutum subsp. sibiricum.

Cynasibirolide A (1), one new humulanolide sesquiterpene, together with four known analogs, asteriscanolide (2), (1S,8S)-8-hydroxyhumula-2Z,6E,9E-trien-1,12-olide (3), (1S,7R)-8-oxohumula-2Z,9E-dien-1,12-olide (4), and (+)-6,7,9,10-tetrahydroasteriscunolide (5) were isolated from the roots and rhizomes of Cynanchum acutum subsp. sibiricum. Their structures and configurations were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, including 2D-NMR techniques, and the structure of 1 was confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. All compounds were evaluated for their anti-complementary activity in vitro, and compound 3 exhibited anti-complement effect with CH50 value of 0.45 mM.

Cynanotophyllosides E-F, two minor pregnane glycosides from the roots of cultivated Cynanchum otophyllum.

Cynanotophyllosides E-F, two new minor pregnane glycosides were isolated from the antidepressant active fraction of cultivated Cynanchum otophyllum, and their structures were determined as 12-O-vanilloyl-deacetylmetaplexigenin 3-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)-ß-D-cymaropyranosyl-(1→4)-ß-D-oleandropyranosyl-(1→4)-ß-D-digitoxopyranoside, and 12-O-nicotinoyl-deacetylmetaplexigenin 3-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)-ß-D-cymaropyranosyl-(1→4)-ß-D-oleandropyranosyl-(1→4)-ß-D-cymaropyranoside respectively, with the combination of spectroscopic and chemical analysis.

Two new pregnane glycosides from the root of Cynanchum auriculatum.

Two new pregnane glycosides (1 and 2), together with four known ones (3- 6), were isolated from the roots of Cynanchum auriculatum Royle ex Wight (Asclepiadaceae). On the basis of detailed spectroscopic analysis and chemical method, the structures of new compounds were characterized to be metaplexigenin 3-O-ß-D-cymaropyranosyl- (1→4)-α-L-diginopyranosyl-(1→4)-ß-D-cymaropyranoside (1), metaplexigenin 3-O-α-L-diginopyranosyl-(1→4)-ß-D-cymaropyranoside (2). All the isolated compounds (1-6) were tested for their in vitro inhibitory activity against the growth of human colon cancer cell lines HCT-116. Compounds 5 and 6 showed significant cytoxicities with IC50 values of 43.58 µM and 52.21 µM.

Comparison of In Vitro Estrogenic Activity of Polygoni multiflori Radix and Cynanchi wilfordii Radix via the Enhancement of ERα/ß Expression in MCF7 Cells.

Postmenopausal women experience several symptoms, including inflammation and a sharp rise in oxidative stress caused by estrogen deprivation. Although estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) is generally regarded as an effective treatment for menopause, it has been used less frequently due to some adverse effects and high costs. Therefore, there is an immediate need to develop an effective herbal-based treatment that is affordable for low-income populations. Acordingly, this study explored the estrogen-like properties of methanol extracts from Cynanchum wilfordii (CW) and Poligonum multiflorum (PM), two important medicinal plants in Republic of Korea, Japan, and China. Due to the similar names and morphologies of these two radixes, they are frequently confused in the marketplace. Our previous colleagues discriminated between these two plants. In this study, we investigated the estrogenic activity of PM and CW using several in vitro assays with their possible mechanism of action. First, their phytochemical contents, such as gallic acid, 2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-glucoside (TSG) and emodin, were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Secondly, estrogen-like activity was assessed utilizing the well-known E-screen test and gene expression analysis in estrogen receptor (ER)-positive MCF7 cells. ROS inhibition and anti-inflammatory effects were analyzed using HaCaT and Raw 264.7 cells, respectively. Our findings demonstrate that PM extracts significantly increased the expression of the estrogen-dependent genes (ERα, ERß, pS2) and boosted MCF7 cell proliferation in comparison to CW extracts. Additionally, PM extract demonstrated a significant reduction in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production as well as an enhanced antioxidant profile compared to the CW extract. Further, the PM extract treatment significantly reduced the generation of nitric oxide (NO) in RAW 264.7 cells, a murine macrophage cell line, demonstrating the anti-inflammatory properties of the extract. Finally, this research offers an experimental foundation for the use of PM as a phytoestrogen to minimize menopausal symptoms.

Genome structure and diversity among Cynanchum wilfordii accessions.

BACKGROUND: Cynanchum wilfordii (Cw) and Cynanchum auriculatum (Ca) have long been used in traditional medicine and as functional food in Korea and China, respectively. They have diverse medicinal functions, and many studies have been conducted, including pharmaceutical efficiency and metabolites. Especially, Cw is regarded as the most famous medicinal herb in Korea due to its menopausal symptoms relieving effect. Despite the high demand for Cw in the market, both species are cultivated using wild resources with rare genomic information. RESULTS: We collected 160 Cw germplasm from local areas of Korea and analyzed their morphological diversity. Five Cw and one Ca of them, which were morphologically diverse, were sequenced, and nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) and complete plastid genome (plastome) sequences were assembled and annotated. We investigated the genomic characteristics of Cw as well as the genetic diversity of plastomes and nrDNA of Cw and Ca. The Cw haploid nuclear genome was approximately 178 Mbp. Karyotyping revealed the juxtaposition of 45S and 5S nrDNA on one of 11 chromosomes. Plastome sequences revealed 1226 interspecies polymorphisms and 11 Cw intraspecies polymorphisms. The 160 Cw accessions were grouped into 21 haplotypes based on seven plastome markers and into 108 haplotypes based on seven nuclear markers. Nuclear genotypes did not coincide with plastome haplotypes that reflect the frequent natural outcrossing events. CONCLUSIONS: Cw germplasm had a huge morphological diversity, and their wide range of genetic diversity was revealed through the investigation with 14 molecular markers. The morphological and genomic diversity, chromosome structure, and genome size provide fundamental genomic information for breeding of undomesticated Cw plants.

Isolation and characterization of antioxidative monoterpenes from Cynanchum atratum roots.

One novel monoterpene rhamnoside (1) and 7 known monoterpenes (2-8) were isolated from the ethanol extract of Cynanchum atratum for the first time. Their structures were identified by comprehensive spectroscopic data analysis such as nuclear magnetic resonance, high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectra, optical rotatory dispersion, and acid hydrolysis. In the subsequent antioxidant assay, compound 8 exhibited obvious 2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl hydrate radical scavenging activity.

Three New Pregnanes Isolated from the Cynanchum auriculatum.

Three new compounds named cynansteroid A (1), cynansteroid B (2) and cynansteroid C (3), together with nine known C21 -steroidal pregnane sapogenins (4-12) were isolated from the hydrolytic extract of the roots of Cynanchum auriculatum. The structures of cynansteroid A-C (1-3) were ascertained via the detailed analysis of the HR-ESI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR, and the calculated and experimental ECD data of cynansteroid B (2). Compound 11 displayed moderate inhibitory activity toward Verticillium dahliae Kleb (IC50 =37.15 µM), furthermore, compounds 11 and 12 showed significant inhibitory activity against Phomopsis sp. (IC50 =16.49 µM and 17.62 µM, respectively).

First report of seedling blight caused by Fusarium tricinctum on Cynanchum stauntonii in China.

Cynanchum stauntonii is a perennial herb plant of the Asclepiadaceae family. The dried roots and rhizomes have been used as medicine in China for 1500 years and are considered a remedy for cough and phlegm. In recent years, the wild C. stauntonii resources have not been sufficient for market demand, therefore, a large artificial cultivation area was established in Xinzhou, Tuanfeng and Macheng in Hubei province. In March and April 2022, serious outbreaks of seedling blight were observed in C. stauntonii in Xinzhou county (N30°48'12″, E114°49'24″), and the disease occurred on 10 to 15% of plants in five C. stauntonii nursery beds. Early symptoms included withered tips, chlorosis, stunting, yellow leaves and leaf drop, and later, seedlings die in patches. To determine the causal agent of disease, pieces (5 mm × 5 mm) of diseased tissue at the junction of disease and healthy tissue were surface disinfected by soaking in 75% ethanol for 3 min, rinsed three times with sterilized water, and pieces were placed on PDA at 25°C. Fungal isolates obtained were yellow-brown at the center and pink to white toward the periphery, and dark red pigments were observed in the agar. Isolates were cultured in synthetic low nutrient agar (SNA) and carnation leaf agar to observe the spore morphology. The macroconidia were sickle-shaped with 3-4 septate, with sizes of 30.26±2.36×3.77±0.53 µm on SNA and 33.52±2.20×3.81±0.48 µm on carnation leaf agar (n=30). Morphological characteristics of the isolates were consistent with those of Fusarium sp in the Fusarium Laboratory Manual (Leslie et al. 2006). Furthermore, the genomic DNA from a representative isolate BQ-2 was extracted, the ITS, TEF-1α, RPB1 and RPB2 genes were amplified with primers ITS1/ITS4, EF1/EF2, Fa/G2R and 5F2/7cr, respectively (Zhang et al. 2022). BLAST analysis showed that the ITS (ON935780.1), TEF-1α (OP985126.1), RPB1 (OP985125.1) and RPB2 (OP985124.1) amplicon sequence were 99.44%, 98.94%, 99.88% and 100% identical to the sequences of F. tricinctum strain (KU350724.1, AB674264.1, LC701712.1, MW474678.1), respectively. A phylogenetic tree constructed based on a concatenated sequence (ITS, TEF-1α, RPB1, RPB2) using the neighbor-joining and maximum likelihood method in MEGA7 revealed that BQ-2 grouped with concatenated sequences from four representative F. tricinctum isolates in GenBank. Based on the morphological characteristics and molecular identification, the strain BQ-2 was identified as F. tricinctum. For pathogenicity tests, 5 mm pieces of a BQ-2 colony on PDA were placed on excised leaves of healthy C. stauntonii wounded with a needle (n=5) and kept at 25±2℃. Leaves treated PDA were used as a control (Li et al.2020). After three days inoculation, the mycelia proliferated and began to infect leaf tissues. Ten days later, large parts of the detached leaves were extensively infested with the pathogen and brown. For live plant inoculation, stem bases of five healthy seedlings were punctured with sterile needle and then inoculated with BQ-2 mycelia from PDA. Controls were treated with only PDA. The seedlings began wilting after three days and at five days showed typical disease symptoms, similar to those observed in the field. The controls were asymptomatic. The pathogen was reisolated from the diseased tissues, and the colonies and microscopic characteristics were similar to those of BQ-2. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of F. tricinctum causing seedling blight on C. stauntonii in China. This report will provide resources and reference for controlling the increased incidence and economic losses of seedling blight on C. stauntonii.

First report of Alternaria alternata causing leaf spot of Cynanchum atratum Bunge in China.

Cynanchum atratum Bunge belongs to Asclepiadaceae, and is distributed in North Korea, Japan and China. Its roots and rhizomes have antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor effects. In July 2021, a leaf spot was observed in a 1.3 ha plantation of C. atratum in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province in China. The incidence was more than 85%. Initial symptoms were yellowing leaves with circular, or ellipsoid brown spots forming on leaf apexes or leaf margins. Small spots expanded and coalesced to form large circular or irregular, pale to light brown lesions, and leaves finally withered. Thirty, 5 × 5 mm, leaf pieces excised from the junction of symptomatic and healthy tissues were collected from different leaves with typical symptoms on ten plants, sterilized in 75% ethanol for 30s, then in 2% NaClO for 30s, rinsed in sterile water three times, placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA) plates, incubated for 5 days at 28°C in the dark, further purified by single spore method and transferred to new PDA and potato carrot agar (PCA) plates. Finally, 12 fungal isolates, most with similar morphology, were selected. After a 7-day incubation in the dark, colonies on PDA were 53 to 70 mm in diameter, circular and grayish brown. A total of 150 conidia were evaluated for morphology. Conidia were single or in chains, ovoid to inverted pear-shaped, with 2 to 6 transverse septa, 0 to 4 longitudinal or oblique septa, and measured 16.5 to 56.5µm × 9.0 to 16.5 µm. Beaks and supposititious beaks were mostly columnar, rarely conical, 0 to 22.5 µm × 2.5 to 4.0 µm. Conidiophores were solitary or clustered, pale brown, erect or bent, branched or unbranched, separated, 53.5 to 120.5 µm × 2.5 to 6.0 µm (Fig 1). Based on morphological characteristics, the fungus was identified as Alternaria alternata (Simmons 2007). Two representative isolates (BW and BW2) were used for molecular identification. Internal transcribed spacer rDNA regions (ITS), RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (RPB2), Alternaria major allergen (Alt a 1), translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF-1 α) and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) gene were amplified and sequenced with the primers ITS1/ITS4 (White, et al. 1990), RPB2-5F2/RPB2-7CR (Khodaei and Arzanlou. 2013), Alt-F /Alt-R (Hong et al. 2005), TEF-F/TEF-R (Carbone and Kohn. 1999) and GDF/GDR (Templeton et al. 1992). The sequences obtained were deposited in GenBank (ITS: OM317915, ON534349; RPB2: OM296253, ON550475; Alt a 1: OM171248, O550474; TEF: OM238096, O550473; GAPDH: OM296217, ON550472). The phylogenetic analysis of maximum likelihood tree by MEGA 7 showed that the two isolates had 98% similarity with A. alternata CBS 916.96 (Fig 2). To test pathogenicity, 40-day-old plants were sprayed with spore suspensions (1×106 spores /mL) from 7-day-old cultures of BW and BW2. Each isolate was inoculated onto 3 leaves on 3 separate plants. Three other plants were sprayed with sterile distilled water as a control. The plants were incubated in the greenhouse (natural light, T: 25℃, H: 50%). After 15 days, the leaves turned yellow and irregular grayish spots appeared. The fungi reisolated from the inoculated leaves shared the same morphological and molecular features as A. alternata, fulfilling Koch's postulates. No fungi were isolated from the control group. This is the first time to report A. alternata causing leaf spot on C. atratum. Leaf spot can reduce the yields of C. atratum and this study provides a basis for the prevention and control of the disease.

Twelve New Seco-Pregnane Glycosides from Cynanchum taihangense.

For our interest in the potential biologically active and structurally unique steroidal glycosides, continued phytochemical investigation of Cynanchum taihangense was carried out; twelve new seco-pregnane glycosides, cynataihosides I-L (1-4), M-T (7-14), and two known glycosides, glaucoside A (5) and atratcynoside F (6), were isolated from the 95% ethanol extract of Cynanchum taihangense. Two new aglycones were found among compounds 10, 11, 13, and 14. The structures of the glycosides were elucidated based on 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic data, HR-ESI-MS analysis, and chemical evidence. The cytotoxicity of compounds against three human tumor cell lines (HL-60, THP-1, and PC-3) were evaluated by MTT assay. Compound 11 displayed significant cytotoxicity against THP-1 and PC-3 cell line with IC50 values of 5.08 and 22.75 µm, respectively. Compounds 3 and 14 exhibited moderate and selective cytotoxicity on HL-60 and THP-1 with IC50 values of 17.78 and 16.02 µm, respectively.

Caudatin blocks the proliferation, stemness and glycolysis of non-small cell lung cancer cells through the Raf/MEK/ERK pathway.

CONTEXT: The antitumor effects of caudatin have been explored in multiple cancers, but the research on lung cancer has not been fully understood. OBJECTIVE: We explored the effects of caudatin on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in vitro and in vivo. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the in vitro experiments, 0, 25, 50 and 100 µM of caudatin were selected to examine the effects on stemness and glycolysis. Subcutaneous tumour xenografts were constructed by injecting the nude mice (BALB/C) with 5 × 106 H1299 cells. In the in vivo experiments, all nude mice were divided into the caudatin group (50 mg/kg/day, n = 5) and the sham group (equal amount of DMSO, n = 5). RESULTS: The IC50 of caudatin for H1299 and H520 cells was 44.68 µM and 69.37 µM, respectively. Compared with caudatin 0 µM group, cell apoptosis rate was increased about 10 times and cell stemness was decreased by 75-85% in caudatin 100 µM group. Glucose uptake (65-80% reduction), lactic acid production (75-80% reduction), ATP level (70-80% reduction) and the expression of HK2 and LDHA (75-85% reduction) were decreased in caudatin 100 µM group. The expression of Raf/MEK/ERK pathway related proteins was decreased to 20-25% by caudatin. Tumour weight (about 70% reduction) and the expression of stemness, glycolysis and Raf/MEK/ERK pathway related proteins (about 50-75% reduction) were suppressed by caudatin in vivo. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: We revealed that caudatin blocked stemness and glycolysis in NSCLC for the first time. More experiments about exact dosage of caudatin in vivo should be conducted.

[Excretion of Cynanchum auriculatum extract in urine and feces of normal and functional dyspepsia rats].

In the present study, the excretion of four active components(qingyangshengenin, deacylmetaplexigenin, baishouwu benzophenone, and scopoletin) in Cynanchum auriculatum extract in the urine and feces of normal and functional dyspepsia(FD) rats was investigated. Rats were divided into a normal group and an FD model group. The FD model was induced by oral administration of ice hydrochloric acid combined with irregular feeding. The C. auriculatum extract was administered orally at a dose of 1 g·kg~(-1). The rat urine and feces were collected at 4, 8, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, and 84 h for UPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis. The differences in excretion of the four components were compared between normal and FD rats. The results showed that except for the baishouwu benzophenone in the feces, the components such as qingyangshengenin in the urine and feces did not reach the plateau value within 84 h. Qingyangshengenin was mainly excreted through defecation, and the cumulative excretion rates in the normal state and FD were 0.32% and 0.66%, respectively. Deacylmetaplexigenin was mainly excreted through urination, and the cumulative excretion rates in the normal state and FD were 6.70% and 7.56%, respectively. Baishouwu benzophenone was mainly excreted through defecation in the normal state, but mainly excreted through urination in the FD state, with cumulative excretion rates of 0.41% and 0.52%, respectively. Scopoletin was mainly excreted through urination, with cumulative excretion rates of 0.83% and 2.13% in the normal state and FD, respectively. In general, the components were mainly excreted in the urine in the FD state. Compared with the normal group, the FD group showed decreased cumulative excretion rates of qingyangshengenin, baishouwu benzophenone, and scopoletin in the urine(P<0.05). Therefore, FD had a certain influence on the excretion of the main components of C. auriculatum extract, and the excretion of each component through urination and defecation was low, suggesting that there might be a wide range of metabolic pathways after oral administration and components were mainly excreted in the form of metabolites. This experiment provides a reference for the new drug development and clinical application of C. auriculatum.

[Differences in intestinal absorption characteristics of Cynanchum auriculatum extract based on in situ intestinal circulation perfusion model in two states].

The present study aimed to investigate the intestinal absorption characteristics of six components(syringic acid, scopoletin, baishouwu benzophenone, caudatin, qingyangshengenin, and deacylmetaplexigenin) in Cynanchum auriculatum extract. In situ intestinal circulation perfusion model was employed to investigate the differences in intestinal absorption characteristics of C. auriculatum extract under the influence of different intestinal segments, different drug concentrations, and bile in the normal and functional dyspepsia(FD) states. The results showed that the absorption of baishouwu benzophenone decreased with the increase in the concentration of C. auriculatum extract(P<0.01), while the absorption of syringic acid and other components increased in a dose-independent manner, suggesting that baishouwu benzophenone might follow active absorption, while other components might not be on a single absorption pattern. The main absorption sites of each component in the normal state were different from those in the FD state. The cumulative absorption conversion rates in the FD state were generally lower than those in the normal state, and bile inhibited the absorption of other components except for scopoletin in both states(P<0.05). As revealed, the small intestine showed selectivity to the absorption of drugs, and the pathological state(such as FD) and bile both affected the absorption of the main components, which provides a theoretical basis for the development of new drugs and further development of C. auriculatum.

[Intestinal absorption characteristics of root tuber of Cynanchum auriculatum extract in normal and functional dyspepsia model rats via everted intestine sac model].

The study investigated the difference of intestinal absorption characteristics of root tuber of Cynanchum auriculatum extract between normal and functional dyspepsia(FD) model rats with everted intestine sac model.The content of syringic acid, scopoletin, caudatin, baishouwu benzophenone, qingyangshengenin and deacyhmetaplexigenin in the C.auriculatum extract in different intestinal segments was detected by UPLC-MS/MS.The cumulative absorption amount(Q) and absorption rate constant(K_a) of the six chemical constituents were calculated.The results showed that the six components could be absorbed into the intestinal sac and were unsaturated, which indicated that the absorption mechanism of scopoletin was active transport in the intestine, while that of the other five components were passive diffusion.For normal group, the syringic acid and baishouwu benzophenone in ileum, qingyangshengenin and deacyhmetaplexigenin in ileum and duodenum, and caudatin in colon were well absorbed and scopoletin at low, medium and high concentrations was found excellent absorption in jejunum, ileum, and colon, respectively.Whereas the best absorption site of each component was ileum in model group.The absorption characteristics of each component between normal group and model group were complex at different concentrations, showing inconsistent tendency of absorption, which suggested that the components of root tuber of C.auriculatum extract were selectively absorbed in small intestine, and the absorption characteristics of the six components could be changed under FD status.This study provided theoretical basis for the clinical drug application and development of root tuber of C.auriculatum.

Biomass allocation of Vincetoxicum rossicum and V. nigrum in contrasting competitive environments.

PREMISE: Understanding how drought and biomass allocation patterns influence competitive ability can help identify traits related to invasiveness and guide management. Vincetoxicum nigrum and V. rossicum are increasingly problematic herbaceous perennial vines in the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada. METHODS: Using a greenhouse experiment, we investigated how biomass allocation and competition intensity of Vincetoxicum spp. responded to four competitive regimes at two levels of soil water availability in the presence of conspecific or congeneric neighbors. RESULTS: Soil moisture was the most important influence on growth and biomass allocation. Vincetoxicum nigrum had a greater capacity for growth and reproduction than V. rossicum, especially under drought. Drought reduced the probability of reproduction for V. rossicum. Vincetoxicum rossicum had a higher root-to-shoot ratio than V. nigrum under adequate soil moisture. This difference more than doubled under drought. Under interspecific competition, V. nigrum maximized its biomass, while V. rossicum limited aboveground growth and reproduction. Root-only competition increased shoot and root biomass relative to shoot-only competition. The effects of root and shoot competition were additive under interspecific competition, but interacted under intraspecific competition (negative interaction under drought and positive interaction under sufficient soil moisture). CONCLUSIONS: Management strategies targeting mixed populations of V. rossicum and V. nigrum are most important under ample water availability. Under drought conditions, strategies focused on V. nigrum should effectively limit Vincetoxicum growth and seed reproduction. Phenotypic plasticity and the positive competition intensity associated with drought in monocultures may contribute to drought resistance in these invasive species.

Cynanchum auriculatum Royle ex Wight., Cynanchum bungei Decne. and Cynanchum wilfordii (Maxim.) Hemsl.: Current Research and Prospects.

Cynanchum auriculatum Royle ex Wight. (CA), Cynanchum bungei Decne. (CB) and Cynanchum wilfordii (Maxim.) Hemsl. (CW) are three close species belonging to the Asclepiadaceous family, and their dry roots as the bioactive part have been revealed to exhibit anti-tumor, neuroprotection, organ protection, reducing liver lipid and blood lipid, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, and other activities. Until 2021, phytochemistry investigations have uncovered 232 compounds isolated from three species, which could be classified into C21-steroids, acetophenones, terpenoids, and alkaloids. In this review, the morphology characteristics, species identification, and the relationship of botany, extraction, and the separation of chemical constituents, along with the molecular mechanism and pharmacokinetics of bioactive constituents of three species, are summarized for the first time, and their phytochemistry, pharmacology, and clinical safety are also updated. Moreover, the direction and limitation of current research on three species is also discussed.

[Identification,biological characteristics and fungicide screening of pathogen of southern blight in Cynanchum stauntonii].

During the high-temperature and rainy season from June to October in 2017-2019,serious southern blight broke out in the Cynanchum stauntonii planting area in Tuanfeng county,Hubei province,which had a great impact on the yield and quality of medicinal materials. In this study,the pathogen of C. stauntonii was isolated,purified,and identified,and the pathogenicity was tested according to Koch's postulates. Meanwhile,the biological characteristics of the pathogen were analyzed. On this basis,the effective fungicides were screened in laboratory. Finally,the pathogen( BQ-1) was identified as Athelia rolfsii( Deuteromycotina,Basidiomycota,anamorph: Sclerotium rolfsii). The optimum growth conditions for BQ-1 were 25-30 ℃,p H 5-8,and alternating light and dark.The effective chemical fungicides were lime-sulphur-synthelic-solution( LSSS) and flusilazole,and the effective botanical fungicide was osthole. BQ-1 was highly homologous to the pathogen HS-1 of peanut southern blight,with the similarity of 18 S r DNA and TEF sequences at 99. 09%. The southern blight in C. stauntonii might be resulted from that in peanut. In the production of C. stauntonii,the following measures should be taken: avoiding rotation or neighboring with peanut,draining water from June to October to reduce humidity,and reasonably applying fungicides.