Quality control method for commercially available wild Jujube leaf tea based on HPLC characteristic fingerprint analysis of flavonoid compounds

YOLOv7-Branch: A Jujube Leaf Branch Detection Model for Agricultural Robot

The intelligent harvesting technology for jujube leaf branches presents a novel avenue for enhancing both the quantity and quality of jujube leaf tea, whereas the precise detection technology for jujube leaf branches emerges as a pivotal factor constraining its development. The precise identification and localization of jujube leaf branches using real-time object detection technology are crucial steps toward achieving intelligent harvesting. When integrated into real-world scenarios, issues such as the background noise introduced by tags, occlusions, and variations in jujube leaf morphology constrain the accuracy of detection and the precision of localization. To address these issues, we describe a jujube leaf branch object detection network based on YOLOv7. First, the Polarized Self-Attention module is embedded into the convolutional layer, and the Gather-Excite module is embedded into the concat layer to incorporate spatial information, thus achieving the suppression of irrelevant information such as background noise. Second, we incorporate implicit knowledge into the Efficient Decoupled Head and replace the original detection head, enhancing the network's capability to extract deep features. Third, to address the issue of imbalanced jujube leaf samples, we employ Focal-EIoU as the bounding box loss function to expedite the regression prediction and enhance the localization accuracy of the model's bounding boxes. Experiments show that the precision of our model is 85%, which is increased by 3.5% compared to that of YOLOv7-tiny. The mAP@0.5 value is 83.7%. Our model's recognition rate, recall and mean average precision are superior to those of other models. Our method could provide technical support for yield estimation in the intelligent management of jujube orchards.

Sour Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba var. spinosa): A Bibliometric Review of Its Bioactive Profile, Health Benefits and Trends in Food and Medicine Applications

Research on the comprehensive utilization of sour jujube and its beneficial properties to human health has attracted extensive attention. This study aims to conduct a bibliometric analysis of the bioactive profile of sour jujube and future trends in applications. The research advancements within this field from 2000 to 2023 were addressed using the Web of Science database and VOSviewer. Among the 322 results, the most frequent keywords of bioactivity are flavonoids, antioxidants, saponins, insomnia, polyphenols, terpenoids and anti-inflammatory; the most studied parts of sour jujube are seeds, fruits and leaves; the published articles with high citations mainly focus on identification, biological effects and different parts distribution of bioactive compounds. The bioactivity of various parts of sour jujube was reviewed considering their application potential. The seeds, rich in flavonoids, saponins and alkaloids, exhibit strong effects on central nervous system diseases and have been well-developed in pharmacology, healthcare products and functional foods. The pulp has antioxidant properties and is used to develop added-value foods (e.g., juice, vinegar, wine). The leaves can be used to make tea and flowers are good sources of honey; their extracts are rich sources of flavonoids and saponins, which show promising medicinal effects. The branches, roots and bark have healing properties in traditional folk medicine. Overall, this study provides a reference for future applications of sour jujube in food and medicine fields.

Phytochemical analysis of Ziziphus jujube leaf at different foliar ages based on widely targeted metabolomics

Based on metabolomics, the metabolites of Jujube leaves LS1 (one bud and two leaves), LS2 (one bud and three leaves), and LS3 (one bud and four leaves) were taken and examined by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry technique. There were 22 substance categories that were identified. Principal component analysis was also utilized to distinguish the metabolomics at the three different foliar ages, and the results suggested that the samples at different foliar ages were clearly separated, demonstrating that the metabolites in the three foliar ages were significantly different. Through the screening of differential metabolites and hierarchical clustering analysis, our results suggested that the composition and the content distribution of the differential metabolites at three different foliar ages were significantly different. In the LS1, delphinidin, N-hydroxy tryptamine, serotonin, methylquercetin O-hexoside, tricin 7-O-hexoside, and eriodictyol C-hexoside were identified as the distinctive compounds. In the LS2, N-caffeoyl agmatine, lysoPC 18:3 (2n isomer), N-(4′-O-glycosyl)-p-coumaroyl-agmatine, dihydromyricetin, and hydroxy-methoxycinnamate were identified as the distinctive compounds. Similarly, the 3-O-p-coumaroyl-quinic acid, O-feruloyl 4-hydroxylcoumarin, isorhamnetin 3-O-neohesperidoside, cyanidin 3-O-galactoside, quercetin O-acetylhexoside, and DIMBOA glucoside were identified as the distinctive compounds in LS3. These characteristic compounds could provide a strong theoretical basis for rapid identification of jujube leaves at different foliar ages.

Wild Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba var. spinosa): A Review of Its Phytonutrients, Health Benefits, Metabolism, and Applications

Wild jujube, Ziziphus jujuba Mill. var. spinosa (Bunge) Hu ex H. F. Chou, as a food and health supplement worldwide, has rich nutritional value. It contains nutrients such as nucleosides, amino acids, polysaccharides, and fatty oils. The fruits, seeds, and leaves of wild jujube can all be used for food, medicine, or health care purposes. Among these, the fruits play many roles, such as antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory functions, and can be used as a natural nutritional supplement to prevent aging. Simultaneously, the mature seed of wild jujube exhibits beneficial effects on central nervous system diseases and is often used for the treatment of insomnia and as a functional food for improving sleep quality and enhancing learning and memory. This review presents an overview of research progress relevant to the phytonutrients, biological functions, metabolism of bioactive compounds, and applications of wild jujube and aims to provide a scientific reference for the development and utilization of this plant.

Metabolic and transcriptomic analyses reveal different metabolite biosynthesis profiles between leaf buds and mature leaves in Ziziphus jujuba mill

Jujube leaf is well known for its high nutritional value and medicinal benefits. However, a thorough and dynamic assessment of the metabolites present in jujube leaves is lacking. Here, the primary and secondary metabolites from purple leaf buds and green mature leaves were investigated using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry. A total of 778 metabolites were characterized and more than 700 compounds were reported for the first time. Analysis of differentially accumulated metabolites showed that the flavonoids were the major differential metabolites and determined the leaf coloration. The transcriptome data indicated that 20 flavonoid structural genes and three main types of flavonoid regulatory genes were significantly differentially expressed. Moreover, light had a significant influence on flavonoid accumulation. These results improve our understanding of metabolite accumulation and the molecular mechanisms of flavonoid biosynthesis in jujube leaf.

Phytochemical Profiling and Fingerprint Analysis of Chinese Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) Leaves of 66 Cultivars from Xinjiang Province

Foliage of jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) as a byproduct of agriculture, is a traditional nutraceutical material in China. Previous studies have shown that it is a rich resource of polyphenols. However, information on its complete phenolic profile and the difference between cultivars is still limited. This study investigated and compared phytochemical profiles of leaves of 66 Chinese jujube cultivars. Forty-two compounds, including 22 flavonols, two flavanols, one flavanone, 13 derivatives of phenolic acids, three simple acids, and one unknown hexoside were identified/tentatively identified using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry. Eight major flavonols were quantified by HPLC coupled with an ultraviolet (UV) detector. The contents of total flavonoids ranged from 2.6-25.1 mg/g dry weight (DW). Differences between cultivars were analyzed by hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA). This study presents a systematic study on the phenolic compounds in Chinese jujube leaves of different cultivars.

Assessment of Antinutritional Compounds and Chemotaxonomic Relationships between Camelina sativa and Its Wild Relatives

We compared the secondary metabolite composition in seeds of Camelina sativa and its wild relatives to identify potential germplasm with reduced levels of antinutritional compounds. Twenty Camelina accessions, from five different species, were analyzed by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry and subjected to principal component analysis, which revealed that Camelina spp. separated into distinct chemotaxonomic groups. Three major glucosinolates (GSs) were identified in our study, namely, 9-methylsulfinylnonyl GS (GS9), 10-methylsulfinyldecyl GS (GS10), and 11-methylsulfinylundecyl GS (GS11). While there were differences in total GS levels, species-specific patterns for GS9 and GS11 were noted. Sinapine content ranged between 1.4 and 5.6 mg/g FW, with the lowest levels observed in  C. laxa and C. sativa. Lignin levels were also lowest in C. sativa, with most accessions containing less than 6 mg/g FW. Our results show that wild Camelina spp. have distinct metabolomes, and based on their levels of major antinutritionals, some could be incorporated into breeding programs with C. sativa.

Identification and Antioxidant Activity of Flavonoids Extracted from Xinjiang Jujube (Ziziphus jujube Mill.) Leaves with Ultra-High Pressure Extraction Technology

In this study, the ultra-high pressure extraction (UHPE) conditions for obtaining the maximum flavonoid yield from Xinjiang jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) leaves (XJL) were optimized by response surface methodology (RSM). Box–Behnken design (BBD) was applied to evaluate the effects of four variables (extraction temperature, pressure, time and liquid-to-solid ratio) on flavonoid yield. The results showed that the optimal flavonoid yield (25.45 ± 0.21 mg/g) was derived at 50.0 °C, 342.39 MPa, 11.56 min, and a liquid-to-solid ratio of 43.95 mL/g. Eight compounds were tentatively identified and quantified as kaempferol and quercetin glycosides with UPLC-ESI-MS. Compared to ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), UHPE can obtain higher concentrations of total flavonoids and stronger DPPH and ABTS radical-scavenging activities in a much shorter time. Therefore, UHPE is an alternative to UAE for obtaining flavonoids from XJL, which may be an optional method for large-scale industrial flavonoid extraction from XJL.

Jujube leaf green tea extracts inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma cells by activating AMPK

Here we evaluated the anti-hepatocellular carcinoma activity by the Jujube leaf green tea extracts (JLGTE). We showed that JLGTE exerted anti-proliferative, cytotoxic and pro-apoptotic activities against HepG2 and primary human hepatocellular carcinoma cells. It was however non-cytotoxic to the normal hepatocytes. JLGTE activated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling, which was required for its cytotoxicity against hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Silence of AMPKα1, via targeted short hairpin RNAs or CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing, inhibited JLGTE-induced AMPK activation and HepG2 cell apoptosis. Further, in-activation of AMPK by a dominant negative AMPKα1 (T172A) also alleviated JLGTE's cytotoxicity against HepG2 cells. On the other hand, forced-activation of AMPK by introduction of a constitutively-active AMPKα1 (T172D) mimicked JLGTE's actions and led to HepG2 cell apoptosis. These results suggest that JLGTE inhibits human hepatocellular carcinoma cells possibly via activating AMPK.

Identification of seeds based on molecular markers and secondary metabolites in Senna obtusifolia and Senna occidentalis

BACKGROUND

Senna obtusifolia and Senna occidentalis (Leguminosae), whose seeds have similar appearance and chemical constituents, are easily confused in using their seeds. To elucidate the similarities and differences between S. obtusifolia seeds and S. occidentalis seeds, three molecular markers and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were employed to evaluate the seeds characteristics of these two medicinal herbs.

RESULTS

The results showed that selected 3 ISSR and 7 SCoT primers could distinguish S. obtusifolia seeds from S. occidentalis seeds based on the specific band and UPGMA dendrogram. ITS2 sequence indicated that the intra-specific similarity of 20 S. obtusifolia and 16 S. occidentalis was 99.79 and 100.0%, respectively, while the inter-specific similarity between S . obtusifolia and S. occidentalis was 89.58%. Although phylogenetic analysis revealed that these two species had a close relationship, they were assigned to different branches. HPLC fingerprint results showed that seeds of S. obtusifolia and S. occidentalis shared some secondary metabolites, but aurantio-obtusin was not detected in S. occidentalis seeds which could differentiate S. obtusifolia seeds from S. occidentalis seeds.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study not only compared the seeds characters of S. obtusifolia and S. occidentalis from molecular and secondary metabolites levels, but also provided a convenient method to identify S. obtusifolia seeds and S. occidentalis seeds effectively.

Rapid Characterization of Constituents in Tribulus terrestris from Different Habitats by UHPLC/Q-TOF MS

A strategy for rapid identification of the chemical constituents from crude extracts of Tribulus terrestris was proposed using an informatics platform for the UHPLC/Q-TOF MS^E data analyses. This strategy mainly utilizes neutral losses, characteristic fragments, and in-house library to rapidly identify the structure of the compounds. With this strategy, rapid characterization of the chemical components of T. terrestris from Beijing, China was successfully achieved. A total of 82 steroidal saponins and nine flavonoids were identified or tentatively identified from T. terrestris. Among them, 15 new components were deduced based on retention times and characteristic MS fragmentation patterns. Furthermore, the chemical components of T. terrestris, including the other two samples from Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous region, China, and Rome, Italy, were also identified with this strategy. Altogether, 141 chemical components were identified from these three samples, of which 39 components were identified or tentatively identified as new compounds, including 35 groups of isomers. It demonstrated that this strategy provided an efficient protocol for the rapid identification of chemical constituents in complex samples such as traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) by UHPLC/Q-TOF MS^E with informatics platform. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

Quality assessment of Herba Leonuri based on the analysis of multiple components using normal- and reversed-phase chromatographic methods

A novel, improved, and comprehensive method for quality evaluation and discrimination of Herba Leonuri has been developed and validated based on normal- and reversed-phase chromatographic methods. To identify Herba Leonuri, normal- and reversed-phase high-performance thin-layer chromatography fingerprints were obtained by comparing the colors and R_f values of the bands, and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography fingerprints were obtained by using an Agilent Poroshell 120 SB-C18 within 28 min. By similarity analysis and hierarchical clustering analysis, we show that there are similar chromatographic patterns in Herba Leonuri samples, but significant differences in counterfeits and variants. To quantify the bio-active components of Herba Leonuri, reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography was performed to analyze syringate, leonurine, quercetin-3-O-robiniaglycoside, hyperoside, rutin, isoquercitrin, wogonin, and genkwanin simultaneously by single standard to determine multi-components method with rutin as internal standard. Meanwhile, normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography was performed by using an Agilent ZORBAX HILIC Plus within 6 min to determine trigonelline and stachydrine using trigonelline as internal standard. Innovatively, among these compounds, bio-active components of quercetin-3-O-robiniaglycoside and trigonelline were first determined in Herba Leonuri. In general, the method integrating multi-chromatographic analyses offered an efficient way for the standardization and identification of Herba Leonuri.

Fingerprint analysis and quality consistency evaluation of flavonoid compounds for fermented Guava leaf by combining high-performance liquid chromatography time-of-flight electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and chemometric methods

Guava leaves are used in traditional herbal teas as antidiabetic therapies. Flavonoids are the main active of Guava leaves and have many physiological functions. However, the flavonoid compositions and activities of Guava leaves could change due to microbial fermentation. A high-performance liquid chromatography time-of-flight electrospray ionization mass spectrometry method was applied to identify the varieties of the flavonoids in Guava leaves before and after fermentation. High-performance liquid chromatography, hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis were used to quantitatively determine the changes in flavonoid compositions and evaluate the consistency and quality of Guava leaves. Monascus anka Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermented Guava leaves contained 2.32- and 4.06-fold more total flavonoids and quercetin, respectively, than natural Guava leaves. The flavonoid compounds of the natural Guava leaves had similarities ranging from 0.837 to 0.927. The flavonoid compounds from the Monascus anka S. cerevisiae fermented Guava leaves had similarities higher than 0.993. This indicated that the quality consistency of the fermented Guava leaves was better than that of the natural Guava leaves. High-performance liquid chromatography fingerprinting and chemometric analysis are promising methods for evaluating the degree of fermentation of Guava leaves based on quality consistency, which could be used in assessing flavonoid compounds for the production of fermented Guava leaves.

Comparative analysis of volatiles difference of Yunnan sun-dried Pu-erh green tea from different tea mountains: Jingmai and Wuliang mountain by chemical fingerprint similarity combined with principal component analysis and cluster analysis

BACKGROUND

Modern instrumental analysis technology can provide various chemical data and information on tea samples. Unfortunately, it remains difficult to extract the useful information. We describe the use of chemical fingerprint similarities, combined with principal component and cluster analyses, to distinguish and recognize Pu-erh green teas, which from two tea mountains, Wuliang and Jingmai, in the Pu-erh district of Yunnan province. The volatile components of all 20 Pu-erh green teas (10 Wuliang and 10 Jingmai teas) were extracted and identified by headspace solid-phase micro extraction (HS-SPME) combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

RESULTS

Sixty-three volatiles (including alcohols, hydrocarbons, ketones, and aldehydes) were identified in the 20 Pu-erh green teas, and differences in compound compositions between them were also observed. Through fingerprint similarity, combined with principal component and cluster analyses, the 20 Pu-erh green teas were differentiated successfully based on their volatile characteristics.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates that the GC-MS combined with chemical fingerprint and unsupervised pattern recognition method is suitable for the investigation of the volatile profiling and evaluating the quality and authenticity of teas related to the different origins.Graphical abstractDifferentiate Pu-erh green teas from different tea mountains by using chemical fingerprint similarity and multivariate statistical methods.

Separation and determination of flavonoids in three traditional chinese medicines by capillary electrophoresis with amperometric detection

Flavonoids are important active ingredients in many traditional Chinese medicines. In this paper, capillary electrophoresis with amperometric detection was employed to separate and detect eight flavonoids, rutin, quercetrin, quercetin, kaempferol, kaempferide, catechin, apigenin, and luteolin, in a home-made capillary electrophoresis device. Under the separation voltage of 2000 V, the eight flavonoids could be completely separated within 33 min in 18 mM borax running buffer at pH 10.2. Good linear relationships were obtained for all analytes and the detection limits for flavonoids ranged from 0.46 to 0.85 μM. Then, the method was applied to separate and determine the flavonoids in three traditional Chinese medicines, hippophae rhamnoides, hypericum perforatum, and cacumen platycladi. Finally, rutin, kaempferol, quercetin, and quercetrin were discovered in these medicines and the concentrations ranged from 0.28 to 9.94 mg/g. The recoveries of flavonoids ranged from 84.7 to 113%, which showed the high reliability of this method.

Genetic and Chemical Profiling of Gymnema sylvestre Accessions from Central India: Its Implication for Quality Control and Therapeutic Potential of Plant

BACKGROUND

Gymnema sylvestre, a vulnerable plant species, is mentioned in Indian Pharmacopeia as an antidiabetic drug.

OBJECTIVE

Study of genetic and chemical diversity and its implications in accessions of G. sylvestre.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Fourteen accessions of G. sylvestre collected from Central India and assessment of their genetic and chemical diversity were carried out using ISSR (inter simple sequence repeat) and HPLC (high performance liquid chromatography) fingerprinting methods.

RESULTS

Among the screened 40 ISSR primers, 15 were found polymorphic and collectively produced nine unique accession-specific bands. The maximum and minimum numbers of amplicones were noted for ISSR-15 and ISSR-11, respectively. The ISSR -11 and ISSR-13 revealed 100% polymorphism. HPLC chromatograms showed that accessions possess the secondary metabolites of mid-polarity with considerable variability. Unknown peaks with retention time 2.63, 3.41, 23.83, 24.50, and 44.67 were found universal type. Comparative hierarchical clustering analysis based on foresaid fingerprints indicates that both techniques have equal potential to discriminate accessions according to percentage gymnemic acid in their leaf tissue. Second approach was noted more efficiently for separation of accessions according to their agro-climatic/collection site.

CONCLUSION

Highly polymorphic ISSRs could be utilized as molecular probes for further selection of high gymnemic acid yielding accessions. Observed accession specific bands may be used as a descriptor for plant accessions protection and converted into sequence tagged sites markers. Identified five universal type peaks could be helpful in identification of G. sylvestre-based various herbal preparations.

SUMMARY

Nine accession specific unique bandsFive marker peaks for G. sylvestre.Suitability of genetic and chemical fingerprinting Abbreviations used: HPLC: High Performance Liquid Chromatography, ISSR: Inter Simple Sequence Repeats, CTAB: Cetyl Trimethylammonium Bromide, DNTP: Deoxynucleotide Triphosphates.

Total flavonoids of Bidens bipinnata L. ameliorate experimental adjuvant-induced arthritis through induction of synovial apoptosis

BACKGROUND

Bidens bipinnata are widely distributed in China, which have been widely used as a traditional Chinese medicine. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of total flavonoids of Bidens pilosa L. (TFB) on adjuvant arthritis (AA) and its possible mechanisms.

METHODS

The macroscopic scoring of paw edema, secondary paw swelling, and polyarthritis index were measured. Histological examination of the joints and the serum concentrations of IL-6, IL-1beta, and TNF-alpha were examined. Apoptosis in synovial tissue was detected. The expression of Caspase 3 cleavage, serves as a marker undergoing apoptosis, was confirmed by Western blot.

RESULTS

TFB attenuated the severity of arthritis on paw edema, hind paw volume, and polyarthritis index of AA rats, improved the histological status in AA rats as well. TFB can inhibit the production of IL-6, IL-1beta, and TNF-alpha from serum. Clear DNA ladder formation was observed in DNA extraction of synovium from TFB treated AA rats. The number of apoptosis was increased with TFB treatment in TUNEL assay. TFB treatment on AA rats significantly increased the expression of Caspase 3 in synovium.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggest that TFB has a significant anti-arthritic effect in AA through the induction of apoptosis in synovial.

The possible presence of natural β-D-glucosidase inhibitors in jujube leaf extract

Isoquercitrin is a phenolic compound well-known for having greater health benefits than quercitin, its aglycone derivative, and other related glycosides. However, isoquercitrin is rarely found in nature. Here, we optimized the conditions for the enzymatic transformation of isoquercitrin from rutin that was extracted from jujube leaf using the hesperidinase, enzyme complex containing β-D-glucosidase and α-L-rhamnosidase. The maximum productivity (2.57±0.16mg/mL) was experimentally found under the following conditions: 47.3°C, 52.16h, and pH 5.31, which agreed well with the predicted value (2.65mg/mL). However, the achievement of this maximum yield was due to the absence of β-D-glucosidase activity. Further investigations using a β-D-glucosidase assay and reaction measurements under various conditions revealed that the β-D-glucosidase activity was not blocked by denaturation or known inhibitory factors. Currently, there are no recognized β-D-glucosidase inhibitors present in the jujube leaf; however, our observations strongly suggest that an unidentified β-D-glucosidase inhibitor exists in jujube leaf extract.