Chemical composition and anti‐complement activity of Glechomae Herba collected in different months

Glechomenes A-G, diterpenoids with anti-inflammatory activities from the aerial part of Glechoma longituba

Ten diterpenoids including six unreported abietane-type diterpenoids Glecholmenes A-F (1-6) and an undescribed labdane-type diterpenoid Glecholmene G (9), together with three known diterpenoids (7,8,10), were firstly isolated from the aerial part of G. longituba. Their structures were established mainly by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HR-ESI-MS) methods. Electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations and X-ray crystallographic analyses were used for the determination of their absolute configurations. The anti-inflammatory activity of all compounds was evaluated using the classical LPS-induced NO release model in RAW264.7 cells. Compound 2 displayed significant anti-inflammatory activities with IC50 values of 29.08 ± 1.40 μM (Aminoguanidine hydrochloride as the positive control, IC50 = 21.84 ± 0.48 μM).

Full-length transcriptome sequencing provides new insights into the complexity of flavonoid biosynthesis in Glechoma longituba

Glechoma longituba has been frequently used in treating urolithiasis and cholelithiasis due to the presence of flavonoids, which are its major bioactive constituents. However, research on the molecular background of flavonoid biosynthesis in G. longituba is limited. In this study, we used single-molecule real-time combined with next-generation sequencing technologies to construct the complete transcriptome of G. longituba. We identified 404,648 non-redundant transcripts, including 249,697 coding sequences, 197,811 simple sequence repeats, 174,846 long noncoding RNA, and 176,554 coding RNA. Moreover, we functionally annotated 346,218 isoforms (85.56%) and identified 86,528 differentially expressed genes. We also identified 55 non-redundant full-length isoforms related to the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway. Pearson correlation analysis revealed that the expression levels of some key genes of the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway were significantly positively correlated with the flavonoid metabolites. Furthermore, we performed bioinformatics analysis (sequence and structural) of isoform_47029 (encoding flavanone 3-hydroxylase) and isoform_53692 (encoding flavonol synthase) to evaluate their potential biological functions. Finally, we validated gene expression levels of 12 flavonoid-related key enzyme genes using quantitative real-time PCR. Overall, this study provides full-length transcriptome information on G. longituba for the first time and valuable molecular resources for further research on the medicinal properties of this plant.

Study on the Role of an Erythrocyte Membrane-Coated Nanotheranostic System in Targeted Immune Regulation of Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases in the elderly population. Despite significant advances in studies of the pathobiology on AD, there is still no effective treatment. Here, an erythrocyte membrane-camouflaged nanodrug delivery system (TR-ZRA) modified with transferrin receptor aptamers that can be targeted across the blood-brain barrier to ameliorate AD immune environment is established. Based on metal-organic framework (Zn-CA), TR-ZRA is loaded with CD22shRNA plasmid to silence the abnormally high expression molecule CD22 in aging microglia. Most importantly, TR-ZRA can enhance the ability of microglia to phagocytose Aβ and alleviate complement activation, which can promote neuronal activity and decrease inflammation level in the AD brain. Moreover, TR-ZRA is also loaded with Aβ aptamers, which allow rapid and low-cost monitoring of Aβ plaques in vitro. After treatment with TR-ZRA, learning, and memory abilities are enhanced in AD mice. In conclusion, the biomimetic delivery nanosystem TR-ZRA in this study provides a promising strategy and novel immune targets for AD therapy.

Rapid identification of chemical constituents in Yinqiao Powder using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole-time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry with data filtering strategy

Yinqiao Powder is a classic and effective prescription for the treatment of many kinds of pneumonia in China. To date, the chemical constituents had not been uncovered. Comprehensive identification of chemical constituents provided a structure basis to discover the potential anti-pneumonia ingredients in Yinqiao Powder. In this paper, ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time of flight tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS) analysis with diagnostic product ions and neutral loss filtering strategy were established and applied for the comprehensive chemical profiling of Yinqiao Powder, which simplified structure elucidation of chemical constituents in Yinqiao Powder. A total of 124 compounds, including 8 C6-C2 glucoside conjugates, 28 iridoid glycosides, 14 lignans, 21 phenylethanol glycosides, 20 triterpenoid saponins, 9 chlorogenic acids and 24 flavonoids were rapidly identified in Yinqiao Powder, and 32 of them were characterized by comparing their MS/MS data and retention time with reference standards. The results indicated that UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS method coupled with data filtering strategy was feasible and rational to identify the complex chemical constituents of Yinqiao Powder, which would be conducive to discover the active ingredients of Yinqiao Powder for the treatment of pneumonia and establish its quality standard.

Caffeoylquinic acids: chemistry, biosynthesis, occurrence, analytical challenges, and bioactivity

Caffeoylquinic acids (CQAs) are specialized plant metabolites we encounter in our daily life. Humans consume CQAs in mg-to-gram quantities through dietary consumption of plant products. CQAs are considered beneficial for human health, mainly due to their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Recently, new biosynthetic pathways via a peroxidase-type p-coumaric acid 3-hydroxylase enzyme were discovered. More recently, a new GDSL lipase-like enzyme able to transform monoCQAs into diCQA was identified in Ipomoea batatas. CQAs were recently linked to memory improvement; they seem to be strong indirect antioxidants via Nrf2 activation. However, there is a prevalent confusion in the designation and nomenclature of different CQA isomers. Such inconsistencies are critical and complicate bioactivity assessment since different isomers differ in bioactivity and potency. A detailed explanation regarding the origin of such confusion is provided, and a recommendation to unify nomenclature is suggested. Furthermore, for studies on CQA bioactivity, plant-based laboratory animal diets contain CQAs, which makes it difficult to include proper control groups for comparison. Therefore, a synthetic diet free of CQAs is advised to avoid interferences since some CQAs may produce bioactivity even at nanomolar levels. Biotransformation of CQAs by gut microbiota, the discovery of new enzymatic biosynthetic and metabolic pathways, dietary assessment, and assessment of biological properties with potential for drug development are areas of active, ongoing research. This review is focused on the chemistry, biosynthesis, occurrence, analytical challenges, and bioactivity recently reported for mono-, di-, tri-, and tetraCQAs.

A review of plant characteristics, phytochemistry and bioactivities of the genus Glechoma

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Plants of the genus Glechoma have been abundantly used for thousands of years in China as folk treatments for cholelithiasis, urolithiasis, inflammation, and other conditions.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This review discusses the potential application of Glechoma as an herbal medicine. The plant characteristics, ethnobotanical uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacological activities of Glechoma are summarized as a guide for phytochemical and pharmacological investigations.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Various search engines including SciFinder, Google Scholar, Scopus-Elsevier, Medline, Web of Science, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure were searched for publications on Glechoma using relevant keywords. Additionally, local records, books, and non-English journals were screened up to October 2020.

RESULTS

The phytochemistry of several Glechoma plants has been systematically studied, and over one hundred different compounds have been isolated and identified. Terpenoids, flavonoids and polyphenols are the major secondary metabolites. Crude extracts and isolated compounds have been shown to exhibit various pharmacological activities including prevention of nephrolithiasis, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anticomplement, antimicrobial, antioxidant, depigmenting, anticancer, and antiviral activities, among others.

CONCLUSION

Glechoma species have been used as folk medicine to treat various diseases and have diverse biological activities, making them valuable starting materials for drug development. However, in most cases the pharmacological mechanisms, pharmacokinetics, toxicology, safety, and possible interactions with other drugs remain to be determined.

Characterization of Phenolics in Rejected Kiwifruit and Their Antioxidant Potential

Kiwifruit hold significant nutritional value and are a good source of antioxidants due to their diverse range of bioactive compounds. Kiwifruit waste is generated throughout the food supply chain, particularly during transportation and storage. Kiwifruit rejected from the retail market due to unfavorable appearance still possess potential economic value as kiwifruit are abundant in phenolic compounds. The present work studied the phenolic profile and antioxidant potential of rejected kiwifruit, including SunGold (Actinidia chinensis), Hayward (Actinidia deliciosa), and round organic Hayward (Actinidia deliciosa). Regarding phenolics estimation, SunGold possessed the highest TPC (0.72 ± 0.01 mg GAE/g), while Hayward exhibited the highest TFC (0.05 ± 0.09 mg QE/g). In antioxidant assays, SunGold showed the highest antioxidant activities in DPPH (0.31 ± 0.35 mg AAE/g), FRAP (0.48 ± 0.04 mg AAE/g), ABTS (0.69 ± 0.07 mg AAE/g), •OH-RSA (0.07 ± 0.03 mg AAE/g) assays, and FICA (0.19 ± 0.07 mg EDTA/g), whereas Hayward showed the highest RPA (0.09 ± 0.02 mg AAE/g) and TAC (0.57 ± 0.04 mg AAE/g). Separation and characterization of phenolics were conducted using LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS. A total of 97 phenolics were tentatively characterized from rejected SunGold (71 phenolics), Hayward (55 phenolics), and round organic Hayward (9 phenolics). Hydroxycinnamic acids and flavonols were the most common phenolics characterized in the three samples. The quantitative analysis was conducted by HPLC-PDA and found that chlorogenic acid (23.98 ± 0.95 mg/g), catechin (23.24 ± 1.16 mg/g), and quercetin (24.59 ± 1.23 mg/g) were the most abundant phenolics present in the rejected kiwifruit samples. The notable presence of phenolic compounds and their corresponding antioxidant capacities indicate the potential value of rescuing rejected kiwifruit for further utilization and commercial exploitation.