Quality evaluation of Potentilla discolor by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detection and electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry

Recent phytochemical and pharmacological advances in the genus Potentilla L. sensu lato - An update covering the period from 2009 to 2020

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Potentilla plants are still common herbal medicines used in folk medicine. This review provides an update of research undertaken on Potentilla from 2009 until 2020.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This comprehensive review considers biological updates, recent advances in phytochemical and pharmacological research, and toxicological reports on Potentilla sensu lato based on available data since 2009.

METHODS

A literature search was conducted using available databases including ScienceDirect, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Google Scholar.

RESULTS

Until now, more than 210 new and known compounds, including flavonoids, tannins, triterpenes and phenolic compounds, have been confirmed and elucidated for numerous Potentilla species, i.e., in the underground and aerial parts of this genus. Modern pharmacology studies have revealed that those structures are responsible for a broad spectrum of pharmacological activities, such as anti-neoplastic, antihyperglycemic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, antibacterial and anti-yeast effects.

CONCLUSIONS

However, in vitro studies must be re-considered due to the discovery of urolithins and their origins, including microbiota, which can lead to different results when applying Potentilla species and their extracts to in vivo conditions. Thus, future research should focus more on in vivo and particularly clinical studies to confirm the validity and safety of traditional uses. Particularly, the use of Potentilla alba extracts in the treatment of thyroid gland disorders should be further explored to confirm the underlying mechanism of their action, efficacy and safety. In addition, more clinical studies should focus on Potentilla erecta rhizome extracts for application as herbal remedies against dysentery, diarrhoea and inflammation of the skin.

Chemical profiling and total quality assessment of Isodon japonica using data-independent acquisition mode combined with superimposed multiple product ion UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS and chemometric analysis

In this paper, an analytical strategy combined data acquisition with a practical mining strategy aimed at rapid characterization and quantitation of ent-kaurane diterpenoids in Isodon japonica using ultra high-performance liquid chromatography-triple time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS). First, an effective self-built filter template based on drug phase I/II metabolic reaction theory and a components library data set were established. Second, the mass spectra of ent-kaurane diterpenoid standards were studied and their mass spectrum cleavage pathways were summarized. Next, the methanol extract of this herb was studied by data-independent acquisition mode (DIA). With the aid of a self-built filter template, the peaks of ent-kaurane diterpenoids were easily picked out and rapidly classified as ent-kaurane diterpenoids from a complex matrix. A total of 24 ent-kaurane diterpenoids were structurally identified. Meanwhile, the self-built filter template provided a convenient and fast method for the structural characterization and Isodon japonica was used to illustrate this approach for the first time. Furthermore, eight major bioactive diterpenoids were simultaneously quantified by a newly developed superimposed multiple product ion (SMPI) with UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS method. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed significant differences in different batches of samples. These combined qualitative and quantitative methods were used to provide a potential approach for the holistic quality evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and its preparations.

Anti-allergic effects of the ethanol extract of Syzygium formosum (Wall.) Masam leaves and its immunoregulatory mechanisms

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

As documented in a Vietnamese traditional medical encyclopedia, Syzygium formosum (Wall.) Masam leaves have been routinely used among indigenous Vietnamese people for treatment of various allergy-like symptoms including dermatitis and rhinitis.

AIM OF THE STUDY

Anti-allergic activity of S. formosum leaves was examined with a mouse model of chicken ovalbumin (cOVA)-induced food allergy, and mechanisms underlying the anti-allergic effect were explored.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

BALB/c mice were administered i.p. cOVA (20μg) plus alum (2mg) twice on day 0 and 14 for sensitization (immunization). Two weeks after the second immunization, the mice were administered cOVA (50mg) p.o. 5 times every 3 days to induce food allergy symptoms (i.e., anaphylaxis, diarrhea, and drop in the body temperature). Ethanol extract of dried leaves of S. formosum (80mg/kg or 200mg/kg body weight) was administered p.o. daily during the induction (challenge) period.

RESULTS

Treatment with the S. formosum leaves ethanol extract ameliorated the allergic symptoms to a significant extent and in a dose-dependent manner. The treatment also resulted in a significant improvement in the inflammatory lesion in the small intestine and reduction in the numbers of mast cells and eosinophils recruited to the lesion. The treatment also brought about a significant reduction in the levels of Th2 cytokines produced by the mesenteric lymph node cells cultured ex vivo with cOVA. The passive anaphylaxis experiment also showed that the extract treatment impaired the mast cell function.

CONCLUSION

Our study provides a scientific basis for the traditional (indigenous) use of the S. formosum leaves extract for the treatment of various allergy symptoms in Vietnam. In addition, the results show that the extract has activities to suppress antigen-specific Th2 T cell immune responses and the mast cell function, which are directly related with its anti-allergic effect.

Morphological Effects and Antioxidant Capacity of Solanum crispum (Natre) In Vitro Assayed on Human Erythrocytes

In order to gain insight into the molecular mechanism of the antioxidant properties of Solanum crispum, aqueous extracts of its leaves were assayed on human erythrocytes and molecular models of its membrane. Phenolics and alkaloids were detected by HPLC-MS. Scanning electron and defocusing microscopy showed that S. crispum changed erythrocytes from the normal shape to echinocytes. These results imply that molecules present in the aqueous extracts were located in the outer monolayer of the erythrocyte membrane. Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) and dimyristoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DMPE) were chosen as representative of phospholipid classes located in the outer and inner monolayers of the erythrocyte membrane, respectively. X-ray diffraction showed that S. crispum preferentially interacted with DMPC bilayers. Experiments regarding its antioxidant properties showed that S. crispum neutralized the oxidative capacity of HClO on DMPE bilayers; defocusing microscopy and hemolysis assays demonstrated the protective effect of S. crispum against the oxidant effects of HClO on human erythrocytes.

Comparative study of lanostane-type triterpene acids in different parts of Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf by UHPLC-Fourier transform MS and UHPLC-triple quadruple MS

Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf is widely used as a traditional Chinese medicine, and approximately 10% of traditional Chinese medicinal preparations contain this material, according to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2010 edition). Although the epidermis (fulingpi in Chinese, or FLP) and the inner parts (baifuling in Chinese, or BFL) of P. cocos had different therapeutic applications in history, studies pertaining to a comparative analysis of their chemical constituents have been scarce. UHPLC-DAD-FT/MS(n) has been used in the current study to identify the triterpene acids present in fungus based on a detailed analysis of the fragmentation behavior of 13 standard compounds. This analysis allowed for the identification of 27 triterpene acids, including five groups of isomers and four potential new compounds. Furthermore, a UHPLC-MS/MS method has been developed for quantifying the amounts of nine bioactive triterpene acids in samples of the FLP and BFL, including three 3,4-seco-lanostane-type triterpene acids. These results revealed significant differences in the amounts of these compounds in the FLP and BFL samples. Principal component analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis of the results for the FLP and BFL samples clearly demonstrated that dehydrotumulosic acid, trametenolic acid, dehydrotrametenolic acid and poricoic acid A were the main compounds contributing to the clusters in FLP and BFL. The observed differences in the chemical compositions of FLP and BFL could provide some explanation of the differences in their clinic applications. This study represents the first reported comprehensive analysis of lanostane-type triterpene acids in FLP and BFL parts of P. cocos.

Flavones from Erythrina falcata are modulators of fear memory

Background

Flavonoids, which have been identified in a variety of plants, have been demonstrated to elicit beneficial effects on memory. Some studies have reported that flavonoids derived from Erythrina plants can provide such beneficial effects on memory. The aim of this study was to identify the flavonoids present in the stem bark crude extract of Erythrina falcata (CE) and to perform a bioactivity-guided study on conditioned fear memory.

Methods

The secondary metabolites of CE were identified by high performance liquid chromatography combined with a diode array detector, electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-ESI/MSⁿ) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The buthanolic fraction (BuF) was obtained by partitioning. Subfractions from BuF (BuF1 – BuF6) and fraction flavonoidic (FfA and FfB) were obtained by flash chromatography. The BuF3 and BuF4 fractions were used for the isolation of flavonoids, which was performed using HPLC-PAD. The isolated substances were quantified by HPLC-DAD and their structures were confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The activities of CE and the subfractions were monitored using a one-trial, step-down inhibitory avoidance (IA) task to identify the effects of these substances on the acquisition and extinction of conditioned fear in rats.

Results

Six subclasses of flavonoids were identified for the first time in CE. According to our behavioral data, CE, BuF, BuF3 and BuF4, the flavonoidic fractions, vitexin, isovitexin and 6-C-glycoside-diosmetin improved the acquisition of fear memory. Rats treated with BuF, BuF3 and BuF4 were particularly resistant to extinction. Nevertheless, rats treated with FfA and FfB, vitexin, isovitexin and 6-C-glycoside-diosmetin exhibited gradual reduction in conditioned fear response during the extinction retest session, which was measured at 48 to 480 h after conditioning.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrate that vitexin, isovitexin and diosmetin-6-C-glucoside and flavonoidic fractions resulted in a significant retention of fear memory but did not prevent the extinction of fear memory. These results further substantiate that the treatment with pure flavonoids or flavanoid-rich fractions might represent potential therapeutic approaches for the treatment of neurocognitive disorders, improvement of memory acquisition and spontaneous recovery of fear.

Metabonomic analysis of the therapeutic effect of Potentilla discolor in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus

A plasma metabonomic approach was applied to investigate the effects of P. discolor and corosolic acid.