Application of response surface methodology (RSM) for optimization of the supercritical CO2 extract of oil from Zanthoxylum bungeanum pericarp: Yield, composition and gastric protective effect

Da-Jian-Zhong decoction alleviates diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome via modulation of gut microbiota and Th17/Treg balance

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Da-Jian-Zhong decoction (DJZD) is a herbal formula clinically used for abdominal pain and diarrhea induced by spleen-Yang deficiency syndrome. Recently, treatment of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) with DJZD has received increasing attention, but the underlying mechanism of action remains elusive.

AIM OF THE STUDY

We aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effect of DJZD on IBS-D rats and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An IBS-D rats model was constructed using a two-factor superposition method of neonatal maternal separation and Senna folium aqueous extract lavage. Moreover, the effect of DJZD was evaluated based on the body weight, rectal temperature, abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR), and Bristol stool scale score (BSS). The factors that regulate the DJZD effects on IBS-D were estimated using whole microbial genome, transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq), flow cytometry, and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analyses.

RESULTS

We found that DJZD alleviated the symptoms of IBS-D rats, with the low-dose (2.4 g/kg) as the better ones, as shown by the higher body weight and lower AWR score and BSS. At the phylum level, the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes was obviously increased, and at the genus level, Lactobacillus and Parabacteroides were increased, while that of Firmicutes_bacterium_424 and Ruminococcus gnavus was decreased in DJZD group. Furthermore, the significantly enriched GO terms after treatment with DJZD mainly included the immune response, positive regulation of activated T cell proliferation, and positive regulation of interleukin-17 (IL-17) production. Importantly, flow cytometry analysis further revealed that the T helper cell type 17/regulatory T cell (Th17/Treg) balance contributed to the DJZD-induced alleviation of IBS-D symptoms, as DJZD downregulated Th17/Treg ratio and Th17 cell-related cytokines IL-17 and IL-6 levels in the colon.

CONCLUSIONS

These results demonstrated that DJZD has a good therapeutic effect on IBS-D rats, probably by maintaining the homeostasis of gut microbiota and regulating Th17/Treg balance and its related inflammatory factors.

Multiple effects of spicy flavors on neurological diseases through the intervention of TRPV1: a critical review

The spicy properties of foods are contributed by various spicy flavor substances (SFs) such as capsaicin, piperine, and allicin. Beyond their distinctive sensory characteristics, SFs also influence health conditions and numerous studies have associated spicy flavors with disease treatment. In this review, we enumerate different types of SFs and describe their role in food processing, with a specific emphasis on critically examining their influence on human wellness. Particularly, detailed insights into the mechanisms through which SFs enhance physiological balance and alleviate neurological diseases are provided, and a systematic analysis of the significance of transient receptor potential vanilloid type-1 (TRPV1) in regulating metabolism and nervous system homeostasis is presented. Moreover, enhancing the accessibility and utilization of SFs can potentially amplify the physiological effects. This review aims to provide compelling evidence for the integration of food flavor and human health.

Origin differentiation based on volatile constituents of genuine medicinal materials Quisqualis indica L. via HS-GC-MS, response surface methodology, and chemometrics

INTRODUCTION

Quisqualis indica L. (QIL) has a long history as a traditional Chinese herb in China, but the study of volatile components in QIL from different geographical sources has been relatively rare.

OBJECTIVES

To establish an optimal headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-GC-MS) method to comprehensively analyse the volatile component profile and screen quality markers of QIL from different origins.

METHODS

Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimise the conditions for headspace analysis. The volatile components of QIL from four main origins of southwest China were analysed and identified by HS-GC-MS. The similarity of all samples of QIL was evaluated by fingerprint. The differences of the volatile components in QIL from different origins were distinguished by chemometrics.

RESULTS

According to the optimal conditions of RSM, a total of 31 volatile components were identified, including fatty acids, aldehydes, alcohols, alkyl pyrazines, and other volatile components. Similarity evaluation presented that there were 26 common volatile components with different contents in all samples. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that QIL from four different origins could be roughly divided into four categories. Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) indicated that QIL from different origins had obvious regional characteristics.

CONCLUSION

The optimised HS-GC-MS method provided a strategy to rapidly, effectively, and accurately elucidate the volatile component profile of QIL from different origins, and seven important differential components were screened for quality evaluation and origin traceability.

In Vitro Bioactivities of Commonly Consumed Cereal, Vegetable, and Legume Seeds as Related to Their Bioactive Components: An Untargeted Metabolomics Approach Using UHPLC-QTOF-MS2

We conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the antioxidant, anti-obesity, anti-diabetic, and anti-glycation activities associated with the consumption of broccoli, red cabbage, alfalfa, and buckwheat seeds. Additionally, we explored the relationship between these biological activities and the profiles of amino acids, polyphenols, and organic acids identified in the seeds. Our findings demonstrated that red cabbage, broccoli, and buckwheat extracts exhibited significantly higher antioxidant potential compared to the alfalfa extract. Moreover, buckwheat displayed the most significant capacity for inhibiting alpha-glucosidase. Remarkably, broccoli and red cabbage demonstrated substantial anti-glycation and lipase inhibitory potentials. We identified the presence of amino acids, polyphenols, and organic acids in the extracts through untargeted metabolomics analysis. Correlation analysis revealed that pyroglutamic acid positively correlated with all the investigated functional properties. Most polyphenols made positive contributions to the functional properties, with the exception of ferulic acid, which displayed a negative correlation with all tested biological activities. Furthermore, gluconic acid and arabinonic acid among the organic acids identified displayed a positive correlation with all the functional properties. These results strongly support the anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, and anti-glycation potential of red cabbage, broccoli, and buckwheat seeds.

Optimization of Extraction and Separation Process of Notoginsenoside Fc from Panax notoginseng Leaves

Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to determine the optimal conditions for ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) of Notoginsenoside Fc (Fc) from panax notoginseng leaves. The experiment utilized a Box-Behnken design (BBD) and separation conditions were optimized. The optimum extraction conditions were as follows: extraction time = 1.5 h, ethanol concentration = 86%, liquid-to-solid ratio = 19:1. The experimentally obtained values were in accordance with the values predicted by the RSM model. We determined that the RSM model was able to successfully simulate the optimal extraction of Fc from the leaves. Further, Fc was enriched from Panax notoginseng through nine macroporous resins, and HPD-100 macroporous resins were selected for preliminary enrichment of Fc due to its economic costs and benefits. Subsequently, octadecyl silane (ODS) column chromatography was used to improve the purity of Fc to over 90% after separation by ODS column chromatography. Fc with a purity greater than 95% can be obtained by recrystallization. This is the first study that has focused on the extraction and enrichment of Fc from Panax notoginseng leaves using macroporous resin combined with ODS column chromatography, which provides the possibility for further application of Fc.