Comparison of two Polygonum chinense varieties used in Chinese cool tea in terms of chemical profiles and antioxidant/anti-inflammatory activities

Exploring anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-related quality markers of Artemisia absinthium L. based on spectrum-effect relationship

INTRODUCTION

Artemisia absinthium L. is a well-known medicinal, aromatic, and edible plant with important medicinal and economic properties and a long history of use in treating liver inflammation and other diseases; however, there has been insufficient progress in quality control.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the quality markers for the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of A. absinthium based on spectrum-effect relationship analysis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Eighteen batches of A. absinthium from different origins were used. Chemical fingerprints were obtained by ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC). The chemical compositions were identified by quadrupole-Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry. Anti-inflammatory activity was assessed by inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 and 15-lipoxygenase in vitro and inhibition of nitric oxide release in lipopolysaccharide-induced BV-2 cells. Antioxidant activity was assessed by DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assays. The relationship between bioactivity and chemical fingerprints was then analyzed using chemometrics including gray relational analysis, bivariate correlation analysis, and orthogonal partial least squares analysis.

RESULTS

Different batches of A. absinthium extracts possessed significant anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities to varying degrees. Eighty compounds were identified from A. absinthium, and 12 main common peaks were obtained from the UPLC fingerprints. P3 (chlorogenic acid), P5 (isochlorogenic acid A), and P6 (isochlorogenic acid C) were screened as the most promising active compounds by correlation analysis and further validated for their remarkable anti-inflammatory effects.

CONCLUSION

This is the first study to screen the quality markers of A. absinthium by establishing the spectrum-effect relationship, which can provide a reference for the development of quality standards and further research on A. absinthium.

The genus Polygonum: An updated comprehensive review of its ethnomedicinal, phytochemical, pharmacological activities, toxicology, and phytopharmaceutical formulation

Polygonum is a plant genus that includes annual and perennial species and is found at various temperatures, from northern temperate regions to tropical and subtropical areas. The genus Polygonum has been used for centuries for various disorders, including hypertension, intestinal and stomach pain, dysuria, jaundice, toothaches, skin allergies, hemorrhoids, cardiac disorders, kidney stones, hemostasis, hyperglycemia, and others. Various databases, including Google Scholar, Scifinder, ScienceDirect, PubMed, Scopus, ResearchGate, and Web of Science, were utilized to collect pertinent scientific literature data. According to bibliographic studies, the Polygonum genus possesses various compounds from different families, including phenolic acids (gallic acid, caffeic acid, quinic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, protocatechuic acid, chlorogenic acid, and many other compounds), flavonoids (quercetin, catechin, epicatechin, quercitrin, kaempferol, myricetin, etc.), tannins, stilbenes (polydatin and resveratrol), terpenes (α-pinene, β-caryophyllene and β-caryophyllene oxide, bisabolene, β-farnesene, etc.), fatty acids (decanoic acid, lauric acid, linoleic acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, dodecanoic acid), polysaccharides, and others. Various chemical and biological activities (in vitro and in vivo), such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antiparasitic, hepatoprotective, neuropharmacological, gastroprotective, diuretic, antipyretic, and others, have been described in several biological studies involving this species. An updated summary of Polygonum species and their ethnomedicinal, phytochemical, toxicological, pharmacological, and phytopharmaceutical formulations is necessary. Considering the numerous potentialities of the Polygonum species and their wide-ranging use, it is extremely essential to provide knowledge by compiling the accessible literature to identify the topics of intense investigation and the main gaps to better design future studies. The objective of this review is to give readers a better understanding, greater comprehension, and in-depth knowledge of the genus Polygonum's traditional applications, phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicological features, and galenic formulation. Several species of this genus have been detailed in this review, including those that were frequently used in traditional medicine (P. minus, P. aviculare, P. hydropiper, P. cuspidatum, and P. multiflorum) and many of the genus' therapeutic species, like P. equisetiforme, which do not get enough attention.

Phytochemistry and Antioxidant Activities of the Rhizome and Radix of Millettia speciosa Based on UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap-MS

The root of Millettia speciosa Champ. (MSCP) is used in folk medicine and is popular as a soup ingredient. The root is composed of the rhizome and radix, but only the radix has been used as a food. Thus, it is very important to compare the chemical components and antioxidant activities between the rhizome and radix. The extracts were analyzed by UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap-MS and multivariate analysis, and the antioxidant activities were evaluated by 2,20-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazo-line-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assays. Ninety-one compounds were detected simultaneously and temporarily identified. Ten compounds were identified as chemical markers to distinguish the rhizome from the radix. The antioxidant activities of the radix were higher than the rhizome. Correlation analysis showed that uvaol-3-caffeate, 3-O-caffeoyloleanolic acid, and khrinone E were the main active markers for antioxidant activity, which allowed for the rapid differentiation of rhizomes and the radix. Therefore, it could be helpful for future exploration of its material base and bioactive mechanism. In addition, it would be considered to be used as a new method for the quality control of M. speciosa.

Influence of heat processing on the anti-inflammatory activity of fresh Smilax glabra based on PDE4 inhibition

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Heat processing plays a key role in chemical profiles and health benefits of fresh SG.

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Fresh SG exhibits significant anti‐inflammatory effect based on PDE4 inhibition.

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The heat-labile quality and safety aspects of four astilbin isomers are compared.

Smilax glabra Roxb. (SG) is widely used as functional food with various beneficial effects. Fresh SG without processing has been eaten directly for anti-inflammation from ancient China, while the underlying mechanism remains underexplored. This study aims to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of fresh SG by using metabolites profiles, affinity ultrafiltration mass spectrometry, PDE4 enzyme inhibition assay, and in silico analysis. Encouragingly, fresh SG showed promising anti-inflammatory effect with IC₅₀ value (0.009 μg/μL) on PDE4 was about 12 times higher than that of processed SG (0.110 μg/μL). Astilbin was identified as the main bioactive compound of fresh SG responsible for PDE4 inhibitory activity. We found that heat processing strongly affected astilbin isomerization, leading to significant changes in contents and PDE4 inhibitory activities of four astilbin isomers, resulting in decreased anti-inflammatory activity of fresh SG. This finding will provide theoretical basis for systematic research and food/nutraceutical applications of fresh Smilax glabra in the future.

Ethnobotanical Survey on Bitter Tea in Taiwan

Ethnopharmacological evidence: In Taiwan, herbal tea is considered a traditional medicine and has been consumed for hundreds of years. In contrast to regular tea, herbal teas are prepared using plants other than the regular tea plant, Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze. Bitter tea (kǔ-chá), a series of herbal teas prepared in response to common diseases in Taiwan, is often made from local Taiwanese plants. However, the raw materials and formulations have been kept secret and verbally passed down by store owners across generations without a fixed recipe, and the constituent plant materials have not been disclosed.

Aim of the study: The aim was to determine the herbal composition of bitter tea sold in Taiwan, which can facilitate further studies on pharmacological applications and conserve cultural resources.

Materials and methods: Interviews were conducted through a semi-structured questionnaire. The surveyed respondents were traditional sellers of traditional herbal tea. The relevant literature was collated for a systematic analysis of the composition, characteristics, and traditional and modern applications of the plant materials used in bitter tea. We also conducted an association analysis of the composition of Taiwanese bitter tea with green herb tea (qing-cao-cha tea), another commonly consumed herbal tea in Taiwan, as well as herbal teas in neighboring areas outside Taiwan.

Results: After visiting a total of 59 stores, we identified 32 bitter tea formulations and 73 plant materials. Asteraceae was the most commonly used family, and most stores used whole plants. According to a network analysis of nine plant materials used in high frequency as drug pairs, Tithonia diversifolia and Ajuga nipponensis were found to be the core plant materials used in Taiwanese bitter tea.

Conclusion: Plant materials used in Taiwanese bitter tea were distinct, with multiple therapeutic functions. Further research is required to clarify their efficacy and mechanisms.

Chemical Compounds, Antioxidant Activities, and Inhibitory Activities Against Xanthine Oxidase of the Essential Oils From the Three Varieties of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) Receptacles

Background/Aim: Essential oils of sunflower receptacles (SEOs) have antibacterial and antioxidant potential. However, the differences of biological activities from the different varieties of sunflowers have not been studied till now. The purpose of this study was to compare the differences of chemical compounds, antioxidant activities, and inhibitory activities against xanthine oxidase (XO) of SEOs from the three varieties of sunflowers including LD5009, SH363, and S606.

Methods: SEOs were extracted by using the optimal extraction conditions selected by response surface methodology (RSM). Chemical compounds of SEOs were identified from the three varieties of sunflowers by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Antioxidant activities of SEOs were detected by 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and iron ion reduction ability. Inhibitory activities of SEOs against XO were measured by using UV spectrophotometer. XO inhibitors were selected from the main chemical compounds of SEOs by the high-throughput selections and molecular simulation docking.

Results: The extraction yields of SEOs from LD5009, SH363, and S606 were 0.176, 0.319, and 0.580%, respectively. A total of 101 chemical compounds of SEOs were identified from the three varieties of sunflowers. In addition, the results of inhibitory activities against XO showed that SEOs can reduce uric acid significantly. Eupatoriochromene may be the most important chemical compounds of SEOs for reducing uric acid. The results of antioxidant activities and inhibitory activities against XO showed that SEOs of LD5009 had the strongest antioxidant and XO inhibitory activities. The Pearson correlation coefficient (r > 0.95) showed that γ-terpinene, (E)-citral, and L-Bornyl acetate were highly correlated with the antioxidant activities and XO inhibitory ability.

Conclusion: SEOs had antioxidant activities and XO inhibitory ability. It would provide more scientific information for utilization and selection of varieties of sunflowers, which would increase the food quality of sunflowers and incomes of farmers.

HPLC fingerprinting-based multivariate analysis of chemical components in Tetrastigma Hemsleyanum Diels et Gilg: Correlation to their antioxidant and neuraminidase inhibition activities

Tetrastigma Hemsleyanum Diels & Gilg (TDG) has attracted growing attention in China; however, there were few studies on its bioactive components. Herein, the characteristic chemical components and dual antioxidant and neuraminidase inhibitory activities of fifteen batches of TDG from different places of origin and their relevance were investigated. The HPLC fingerprint was first established and the marker components were identified by using UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS. Catechin-5-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, tartaric acid, (1R, 2R, 4S)-2-hydroxy-1, 8-cineole-β-d-glucopyranoside, and phlorizin were identified for the first time. The result of multivariate statistical analysis indicated that multiple components have a significant contribution to the classification of TDG, such as chlorogenic acid, saccharumoside C/D, robinin, procyanidin B₂, rutin, isoquercitrin, etc. Then, the antioxidant and neuraminidase inhibitory activities of fifteen batches of TDG were measured. The result of grey relationship analysis showed that the contents of rutin, isoquercitrin, kaempferol-3-rutinoside, and astragalin were positively correlated with these two activities with correlation coefficients more than 0.8. The quantitative analysis of these four bioactive compounds was performed by using HPLC-DAD. The recovery rate of the method varied from 98.02% to 100.21%, the RSD values of precision, stability and repeatability were between 1.32-3.15 %, and the R value of the linear equation was above 0.9990. To sum up, this study is valuable in the quality control of TDG.

An Update on Phytochemicals and Pharmacological Activities of the Genus Persicaria and Polygonum

The discovery of new pharmaceutical identities, particularly anti-infective agents, represents an urgent need due to the increase in immunocompromised patients and the ineffectiveness/toxicity of the drugs currently used. The scientific community has recognized in the last decades the importance of the plant kingdom as a huge source of novel molecules which could act against different type of infections or illness. However, the great diversity of plant species makes it difficult to select them with probabilities of success, adding to the fact that existing information is difficult to find, it is atomized or disordered. Persicaria and Polygonum constitute two of the main representatives of the Polygonaceae family, which have been extensively used in traditional medicine worldwide. Important and structurally diverse bioactive compounds have been isolated from these genera of wild plants; among them, sesquiterpenes and flavonoids should be remarked. In this article, we firstly mention all the species reported with pharmacological use and their geographical distribution. Moreover, a number of tables which summarize an update detailing the type of natural product (extract or isolated compound), applied doses, displayed bioassays and the results obtained for the main bioactivities of these genera cited in the literature during the past 40 years. Antimicrobial, antioxidant, analgesic and anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, anticancer, antiviral, antiparasitic, anti-diabetic, antipyretic, hepatoprotective, diuretic, gastroprotective and neuropharmacological activities were explored and reviewed in this work, concluding that both genera could be the source for upcoming molecules to treat different human diseases.

Comparison of metabolites and variety authentication of Amomum tsao-ko and Amomum paratsao-ko using GC-MS and NIR spectroscopy

Amomum tsao-ko, as an edible and medicinal variety, has been cultivated for more than 600 years in China. Recently, two cultivars, A. tsao-ko and Amomum paratsao-ko, were found in A. tsao-ko planting area. The two cultivars are often confused because of the similar phenotype and difficult to distinguish through sensory judgment. In this study, the non-targeted gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) metabolomics combined with near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) were used for dissecting the two cultivars with phenotypic differences. According to principal component analysis (PCA) loading diagram and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) S-plot of the metabolites, the accumulation of major components including 1,8-cineole, α-phellandrene, (E)-2-decenal, (-)-β-pinene, (E)-2-octenal, 1-octanal, D-limonene, and decanal, were present differences between the two cultivars. Seven metabolites potential differentiated biomarkers as β-selinene, decamethylcyclopentasiloxane, (E,Z)-2,6-dodecadienal, (E)-2-hexenal, (E)-2-decenal, isogeranial, 1,8-cineole and β-cubebene were determined. Although A. tsao-ko and A. paratsao-ko belong to the same genera and are similar in plant and fruit morphology, the composition and content of the main components were exposed significant discrepancy, so it is necessary to distinguish them. In this study, the discriminant model established by GC-MS or NIRS combined with multivariate analysis has achieved a good classification effect. NIRS has the advantages of simple, fast and nondestructive and can be used for rapid identification of varieties and fruit tissues.

Mitochondrial Function as a Potential Tool for Assessing Function, Quality and Adulteration in Medicinal Herbal Teas

Quality control has been a significant issue in herbal medicine since herbs became widely used to heal. Modern technologies have improved the methods of evaluating the quality of medicinal herbs but the methods of adulterating them have also grown in sophistication. In this paper we undertook a comprehensive literature search to identify the key analytical techniques used in the quality control of herbal medicine, reviewing their uses and limitations. We also present a new tool, based on mitochondrial profiling, that can be used to measure medicinal herbal quality. Besides being fundamental to the energy metabolism required for most cellular activities, mitochondria play a direct role in cellular signalling, apoptosis, stress responses, inflammation, cancer, ageing, and neurological function, mirroring some of the most common reasons people take herbal medicines. A fingerprint of the specific mitochondrial effects of medicinal herbs can be documented in order to assess their potential efficacy, detect adulterations that modulate these effects and determine the relative potency of batches. Furthermore, through this method it will be possible to assess whole herbs or complex formulas thus avoiding the issues inherent in identifying active ingredients which may be complex or unknown. Thus, while current analytical methods focus on determining the chemical quality of herbal medicines, including adulteration and contamination, mitochondrial functional analysis offers a new way of determining the quality of plant derived products that is more closely linked to the biological activity of a product and its potential clinical effectiveness.

Transcriptome analysis of signaling pathways targeted by Ellagic acid in hepatocellular carcinoma cells

BACKGROUND

Ellagic acid (EA) possesses prominent inhibitory activities against various cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Our recent study demonstrated EA's activities in reducing HCC cell proliferation and tumor formation. However, the mechanisms of EA to exert its anticancer activities and its primary targets in cancer cells have not been systematically explored.

METHODS

Cell proliferation assay and flow cytometric analysis were used to examine the effects of EA treatment on viability and apoptosis, respectively, of HepG2 cells. RNA-seq studies and associated pathway analyses by Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) were employed to determine EA's primary targets. Differentially expressed genes (DEG) in EA-treated HepG2 cells were verified by RT-qPCR and Western blot. Integrative analyses of the RNA-seq dataset with a TCGA dataset derived from HCC patients were conducted to verify EA-targeted genes and signaling pathways. Interaction network analysis of the DEGs, shRNA-mediated knockdown, cell viability assay, and colony formation assay were used to validate EA's primary targets.

RESULTS

EA reduced cell viability, caused DNA damage, and induced cell cycle arrest at G1 phase of HepG2 cells. We identified 5765 DEGs encoding proteins with over 2.0-fold changes in EA-treated HepG2 cells by DESeq2. These DEGs showed significant enrichment in the pathways regulating DNA replication and cell cycle progression. As primary targets, p21 was significantly upregulated, while MCM2-7 were uniformly downregulated in response to EA treatment. Consistently, p21 knockdown desensitized liver cells to EA in cell viability and colony formation assays.

CONCLUSION

EA induced G1 phase arrest and promoted apoptosis of HCC cells through activating the p21 gene and downregulating the MCM2-7 genes, respectively.

GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE

The discoveries in this study provide helpful insights into developing novel strategies in the therapeutic treatment of HCC patients.

Quality markers based on phytochemical analysis and anti-inflammatory screening: An integrated strategy for the quality control of Dalbergia odorifera by UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS

BACKGROUND

Quality control, key for the clinical application of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs), should be connected to the authentication and efficacy of TCMs. The heartwood of Dalbergia odorifera has been widely used to treat inflammation-related diseases. However, in the Chinese pharmacopeia, only the total volatile oil, which does not sufficiently reflect the clinical efficacy, is used as a quality control indicator.

PURPOSE

Establishing a "phytochemical-specificity-effectiveness-Q-marker" analytical strategy to improve the quality control of D. odorifera.

METHODS

Combined with biosynthetic pathway analysis, phytochemical compositions identified by UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS were used to build substantial phytochemical groups and further discover specific Q-markers. Then, lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells were used to screen effective anti-inflammatory ingredients. Finally, a UHPLC-HRMS method was developed and validated to quantify the selected Q-markers in D. odorifera samples.

RESULTS

Along the constructed biosynthetic pathways, 93 phytochemical components were identified in D. odorifera, including 7 chalcones, 13 flavanones, 21 isoflavones, 21 isoflavanones, 3 flavonols, 19 neoflavones, etc. Among them, 31 compounds representing these 6 categories were further evaluated for their anti-inflammatory activities. It revealed that the extract of D. odorifera and nine flavonoids in the noncytotoxic range could alleviated lipopolysaccharide-stimulated inflammation in RAW 264.7 cells by decreasing the production of proinflammatory mediators such as nitric oxide and interleukin-6. Notably, neoflavones, as species-specific components, exhibited superior anti-inflammatory activities among the representative compounds. Finally, 12 Q-markers (butin, liquiritigenin, eriodictyol, melanettin, naringenin, butein, genistein, 4'-hydroxy-4-methoxydalbergione, isoliquiritigenin, 2,4-dihydroxy-5-methoxybenzophenone, medicarpin, and pinocembrin), which reflect specificity and effectiveness, were successfully quantified in 10 batches of samples from different origins. The origins and consistency of D. odorifera could be efficiently discriminated by hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA).

CONCLUSION

The analysis strategy that combines phytochemical analysis with anti-inflammatory screening clarified the therapeutic material basis and discovered Q-markers, which possibly offers a more comprehensive quality assessment of D. odorifera.