Phthalide mono- and dimers from the radix of Angelica sinensis

Sustainable extraction of ligustilide and ferulic acid from Angelicae Sinensis Radix, for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development envisions a rational use of energy and resources in all technological processes. However, in the extraction methods of compounds from medicinal plants and herbs, there is an urgent to reduce the use of organic solvents and increase the energy efficiency of these methods. Therefore, a sustainable extraction method (enzyme and ultrasonic co-assisted aqueous two-phase extraction, EUA-ATPE) of simultaneous extraction and separation of ferulic acid and ligustilide from Angelicae Sinensis Radix (ASR) was developed by integrating enzyme-assisted extraction (EAE) with ultrasonic-assisted aqueous two-phase extraction (UAE- ATPE). The effects of different enzymes, extraction temperature, pH, ultrasonic time, liquid-to-materials ratio, etc., were optimized by single-factor experiments and central composite design (CCD). Under the optimum conditions, the highest comprehensive evaluation value (CEV) and extraction yield were obtained by EUA-ATPE. Furthermore, recovery (R), partition coefficient (K), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed that enzyme and ultrasonic treatment improved mass transfer diffusion and increased the degree of cell disruption. Besides, the EUA-ATPE extracts have shown great antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity in vitro. Finally, compared to different extraction methods, EUA-ATPE achieved higher extraction efficiency and higher energy efficiency due to the synergistic effect between EAE and UAE-ATPE. Therefore, the EUA-ATPE provides a sustainable method for extracting bioactive compounds from medicinal plants and herbs, contributing to Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), including SDG-6, SDG-7, SDG-9, SDG-12, and SDG-15.

Riligustilide alleviates hepatic insulin resistance and gluconeogenesis in T2DM mice through multitarget actions

Riligustilide (RG), one of the dimeric phthalides of Angelica sinensis and Ligusticum chuanxiong, was confirmed effective against many diseases. However, its effects on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and the underlying molecular mechanisms have not been clearly elucidated yet. The current study was designed to investigate the hypoglycemic potential by which RG affects the pathogenesis of T2DM. Comprehensive insights into the effects and underlying molecular mechanisms of RG on attenuating aberrant metabolism of glucose were determined in high-fat diet-induced T2DM mice and insulin-resistant (IR) HepG2 cells. In high-fat diet-induced C57BL/6J mice, RG administration significantly reduced hyperglycemia, decreased hyperinsulinemia, and ameliorated glucose intolerance. Mechanistically, RG activated PPARγ and insulin signaling pathway to improve insulin sensitivity, and increase glucose uptake as well as glycogenesis. In addition, RG also upregulated AMPK-TORC2-FoxO1 axis to attenuate gluconeogenesis in vivo and in vitro. According to the findings, RG may be a promising candidate for the treatment of T2DM.

Knowledge Mapping of Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels (Danggui) Research: A Scientometric Study

BACKGROUND

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been widely accepted and applied worldwide, and many publications related to Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels (AS, Chinese name is "Danggui") have been published. However, to date, there has not been a scientometric study to systematically analyze the intellectual landscape and emerging research trends regarding AS. Therefore, we performed a scientometric study to address this gap.

METHODS

Publications related to AS published from 2009 to 2018 were identified and selected from the Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection on May 30, 2019 using relevant keywords. HistCite, CiteSpace, and Excel 2016 software tools were used to conduct this scientometric study.

RESULTS

Seven hundred and sixty-seven articles (including 717 primary articles and 60 review articles) and their cited references were included and analyzed. The majority of publications (N = 565, 73.7%) were published in mainland China, with Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine contributing the most publications (N = 42, 5.5%). The first core journal was Journal of Ethnopharmacology (N = 58, 7.6%; impact factor = 3.414). The identification and assessment of active components (like ferulic acid) of AS and their pharmacological actions (such as immunomodulatory effects) are the current research foci for AS research.

CONCLUSION

The present scientometric study provides an overview of the development of AS research over the previous decade using quantitative and qualitative methods, and this overview can provide references for researchers focusing on AS.

Isolation and evaluation of endophytic Bacillus tequilensis GYLH001 with potential application for biological control of Magnaporthe oryzae

Biological control is a promising measure in the control of plant disease. In the present study, we isolated 13 endophytic strains from Angelica dahurica. Among them, an endophytic strain which was named GYLH001 exhibited remarkable activity against Magnaporthe oryzae. 16S rRNA sequence analysis, biochemical and physiological proved that it is Bacillus tequilensis. The sterilized culture filtrate of GYLH001 can inhibit the growth of M.oryzae, which suggests the presence of secondary metabolites. Proved by experiment, GYLH001 can produce cellulase, protease, gelatinase, indole-3-acetic acid and 1-amino-cyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase. In addition, the temperature experiment showed that secondary metabolites produced by GYLH001 had good thermal stability. They can remain activity even heated at 100°C for 30 min. They also had good acid-resistance in heavily acidic condition. But under alkaline condition, the antifungal effect decreased significantly. By simulative field tests, the spraying of GYLH001 spore solution could prevent and treat rice blast. Through continuous separation and purification of sterilized culture filtrate and identification by mass spectrometry, the molecular weight of an active substance is 364.26. In the control of rice blast, B. tequilensis GYLH001 has potential as a biological control agent in agriculture.

Urine metabonomic study for blood-replenishing mechanism of Angelica sinensis in a blood-deficient mouse model

This study aimed at determining the effects of Angelica sinensis (AS) on urinary metabolites in blood deficiency mice and exploring its replenishing blood mechanism. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was applied to detect metabolites in the urine samples in different collection periods. Principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) were used to investigate the differences in metabolic profiles among control group (CG), blood deficiency model group (MG), AS groups, and Colla Corii Asini group (CCAG). The potential biomarkers were identified based on the variable importance in the projection (VIP), T-test, and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and mass spectra library. The metabolites were analyzed using metabolomics pathway analysis (MetPA) to build the metabolic pathways. Our results indicated that, on the seventh day, the levels of glucose, lactic acid, pyruvic acid, alanine, acetoacetic acid, and citric acid changed significantly in blood deficiency mice. However, these metabolic deviations came to closer to normal levels after AS intervention. The reversing blood-deficiency mechanism of AS might involve regulating synthesis and degradation of ketone bodies, Pyruvate metabolism, TCA cycle, and Glycolysis/Gluconeogenesis. In conclusion, metabonomics is a robust and promising means for the identification of biomarkers and elucidation of the mechanisms of a disease, thereby highlighting its importance in drug discovery.

Danggui to Angelica sinensis root: are potential benefits to European women lost in translation? A review

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Danggui (Chinese Angelica root; Dong quai; Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels.) is a traditional Chinese herbal remedy with a long history of use in China, Korea and Japan. Even today it is still one of the herbs most commonly used by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioners in China, as well as Europe. It is mainly used for the treatment of women's reproductive problems, such as dysmenorrhea, amenorrhoea, menopause, among others. Using Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels. root as the example, this Review examines the ease with which the use of a Traditional Chinese Herbal Remedy can be transposed from one culture to another. By examining the more recent literature, a number of aspects are considered by the author to be potentially lost in translation: (i) identity and quality (phytochemistry); (ii) tradition of use and processing (smoke-drying, stir-frying, with and without wine); (iii) method of use and traditional types of Chinese herbal medicines; (iv) ethnic differences (Caucasian vs. Asian); (v) efficacy, safety and potential for western drug-herb interactions.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This review is based on evaluation of the literature available in scientific journals, textbooks, electronic sources such as ScienceDirect, PubMed, Scopus, etc., as well as other web-sites.

RESULTS

A vast amount of information concerning the use of Angelica sinensis exists in the public domain. Many aspects associated with the use of the root are deemed problematical, such as identity, processing, amount and types of constituents, tradition of use in combination with other Chinese herbs, ethnicity of users, etc. Numerous constituents have been isolated with phthalides, ferulic acid and polysaccharides showing biological activities.

CONCLUSION

In spite of the potential activities associated with the traditional use of danggui, and the many trials using the Chinese system of 'Zheng differentiation', well-designed western-style clinical trials carried out using the authenticated, chemically standardized crude drug material to confirm clinical efficacy are in short supply. However increasing research into Angelica sinensis extracts and constituents shows that many of the traditional uses are not without scientific basis.