Free Carbohydrates, Glucofructans, and Other Polysaccharides from Rhaponticum uniflorum

The Ethnopharmacological Uses, Metabolite Diversity, and Bioactivity of Rhaponticum uniflorum (Leuzea uniflora): A Comprehensive Review

Rhaponticum uniflorum (L.) DC. (syn. Leuzea uniflora (L.) Holub) is a plant species of the Compositae (Asteraceae) family that is widely used in Asian traditional medicines in China, Siberia, and Mongolia as an anti-inflammatory and stimulant remedy. Currently, R. uniflorum is of scientific interest to chemists, biologists, and pharmacologists, and this review includes information from the scientific literature from 1991 to 2022. The study of the chemodiversity of R. uniflorum revealed the presence of 225 compounds, including sesquiterpenes, ecdysteroids, triterpenes, sterols, thiophenes, hydroxycinnamates, flavonoids, lignans, nucleosides and vitamins, alkanes, fatty acids, and carbohydrates. The most studied groups of substances are phenolics (76 compounds) and triterpenoids (69 compounds). Information on the methods of chromatographic analysis of selected compounds, as well as on the quantitative content of some components in various organs of R. uniflorum, is summarized in this work. It has been shown that the extracts and some compounds of R. uniflorum have a wide range of biological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antitumor, immunostimulatory, anxiolytic, stress-protective, actoprotective, antihypoxic, anabolic, hepatoprotective, inhibition of PPARγ receptors, anti-atherosclerotic, and hypolipidemic. Published research on the metabolites and bioactivity of R. uniflorum does not include clinical studies of extracts and pure compounds; therefore, an accurate study of this traditional medicinal plant is needed.

Ethanol extracts of Rhaponticum uniflorum (L.) DC flowers attenuate doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity via alleviating apoptosis and regulating mitochondrial dynamics in H9c2 cells

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Loulu flowers (LLF) is the inflorescence of Rhaponticum uniflorum (L.) DC. (R. uniflorum), a member of the Compositae family. This plant possesses heat-clearing properties, detoxification effects, and is therefore frequently used for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

AIM OF THIS STUDY

This study aimed to investigate the cardioprotective effects of ethanol extracts of LLF against doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiotoxicity and explore the associated mechanisms.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Ethanol extracts of LLF were prepared and analyzed by LC-ESI-MS/MS. DOX-treated H9c2 cells and DOX-treated zebrafish models were used to explore the cardioprotective effect of ethanol extracts on myocardial function. The effects of LLF on DOX-induced cytotoxicity in H9c2 cells were investigated by MTT assay. Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) levels, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 were examined using fluorescent probes. The expression level of Bax, Bcl-2, PARP, caspase-3, cleaved-caspase3, caspase9, IκBα, p-IκBα, IKK, p-IKK, p65, p-p65, OPA1, Mfn1, MFF and Fis 1 and GAPDH was determined by western blotting.

RESULTS

Twenty-five compounds were detected in ethanol extracts of LLF, include Nicotinamide, Coumarin, Parthenolide, and Ligustilide. Pre-treatment with LLF attenuated the DOX-induced decrease in viability and ROS production in H9c2 cells. Moreover, LLF treatment maintained the mitochondrial membrane integrity and suppressed apoptosis by upregulating expression level of Bcl-2 and downregulating the expression level of Bax, cleaved-caspase-3, cleaved-caspase-9 and cleaved-PARP. In addition, LLF significantly inhibited the DOX-induced activation of NF-κB signaling. Cells treated with DOX showed aberrant expression of mitochondrial dynamics related proteins, and these effects were alleviated by LLF pre-treatment. In conclusion, these results show that LLF can alleviate DOX-induced cardiotoxicity by blocking NF-κB signaling and re-balancing mitochondrial dynamics.

CONCLUSION

Ethanol extracts of LLF is a potential treatment option to against DOX-induced cardiotoxicity.

Fragaria viridis Fruit Metabolites: Variation of LC-MS Profile and Antioxidant Potential during Ripening and Storage

Fragaria viridis Weston or creamy strawberry is one of the less-known species of the Fragaria genus (Rosaceae family) with a wide distribution in Eurasia and is still in the shadow of more popular relatives F. ananassa (garden strawberry) or F. vesca (wild strawberry). Importantly, there is a lack of scientific knowledge on F. viridis compounds, their stability in the postharvest period, and bioactivity. In this study, metabolites of F. viridis fruits in three ripening stages were characterized with high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array and electrospray ionization triple quadrupole mass spectrometric detection (HPLC-PAD-ESI-tQ-MS). In total, 95 compounds of various groups including carbohydrates, organic acids, phenolics, and triterpenes, were identified for the first time. The quantitative content of the compounds varied differently during the ripening progress; some of them increased (anthocyanins, organic acids, and carbohydrates), while others demonstrated a decrease (ellagitannins, flavonols, etc.). The most abundant secondary metabolites of F. viridis fruits were ellagitannins (5.97–7.54 mg/g of fresh weight), with agrimoniin (1.41–2.63 mg/g) and lambertianin C (1.20–1.86 mg/g) as major components. Antioxidant properties estimated by in vitro assays (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH), 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) cation radical (ABTS), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC)) showed good antioxidant potential in all ripening stages of F. viridis fruits. The pilot human experiment on the effect of F. viridis fruit consumption on the serum total antioxidant capacity confirmed the effectiveness of this kind of strawberry. Postharvest storage of ripe fruits at 4 °C and 20 °C lead to declining content in the majority of compounds particularly ascorbic acid, ellagitannins, and flavonols, with the most significant loss at room temperature storage. These results suggest that F. viridis fruits are a prospective source of numerous metabolites that have potential health benefits.