Crataegus pinnatifida: A botanical, ethnopharmacological, phytochemical, and pharmacological overview

Hawthorn leaf flavonoids alleviate the deterioration of atherosclerosis by inhibiting SCAP-SREBP2-LDLR pathway through sPLA2-ⅡA signaling in macrophages in mice

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Hawthorn leaves are a combination of the dried leaves of the Rosaceae plants, i.e., Crataegus pinnatifida Bge. or Crataegus pinnatifida Bge. var. major N. E. Br., is primarily cultivated in East Asia, North America, and Europe. hawthorn leaf flavonoids (HLF) are the main part of extraction. The HLF have demonstrated potential in preventing hypertension, inflammation, hyperlipidemia, and atherosclerosis. However, the potential pharmacological mechanism behind its anti-atherosclerotic effect has yet to be explored.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The in vivo and in vitro effects of HLF on lipid-mediated foam cell formation were investigated, with a specific focus on the levels of secreted phospholipase A2 type IIA (sPLA2-II A) in macrophage cells.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The primary constituents of HLF were analyzed using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. In vivo, HLF, at concentrations of 5 mg/kg, 20 mg/kg, and 40 mg/kg, were administered to apolipoprotein E knockout mice (ApoE-/-) fed by high-fat diet (HFD) for 16 weeks. Aorta and serum samples were collected to identify lesion areas and lipids through mass spectrometry analysis to dissect the pathological process. RAW264.7 cells were incubated with oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) alone, or ox-LDL combined with different doses of HLF (100, 50, and 25 μg/ml), or ox-LDL plus 24-h sPLA2-IIA inhibitors, for cell biology analysis. Lipids and inflammatory cytokines were detected using biochemical analyzers and ELISA, while plaque size and collagen content of plaque were assessed by HE and the Masson staining of the aorta. The lipid deposition in macrophages was observed by Oil Red O staining. The expression of sPLA2-IIA and SCAP-SREBP2-LDLR was determined by RT-qPCR and Western blot analysis.

RESULTS

The chemical profile of HLF was studied using UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS, allowing the tentative identification of 20 compounds, comprising 1 phenolic acid, 9 flavonols and 10 flavones, including isovitexin, vitexin-4″-O-glucoside, quercetin-3-O-robibioside, rutin, vitexin-2″-O-rhamnoside, quercetin, etc. HLF decreased total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) levels in ApoE-/- mice (P < 0.05), reduced ox-LDL uptake, inhibited level of inflammatory factors, such as IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, and IL-1ꞵ (P < 0.001), and alleviated aortic plaques with a thicker fibrous cap. HLF effectively attenuated foam cell formation in ox-LDL-treated RAW264.7 macrophages, and reduced levels of intracellular TC, free cholesterol (FC), cholesteryl ester (CE), IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β (P < 0.001). In both in vivo and in vitro experiments, HLF significantly downregulated the expression of sPLA2-IIA, SCAP, SREBP2, LDLR, HMGCR, and LOX-1 (P < 0.05). Furthermore, sPLA2-IIA inhibitor effectively mitigated inflammatory release in RAW264.7 macrophages and regulated SCAP-SREBP2-LDLR signaling pathway by inhibiting sPLA2-IIA secretion (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

HLF exerted a protective effect against atherosclerosis through inhibiting sPLA2-IIA to diminish SCAP-SREBP2-LDLR signaling pathway, to reduce LDL uptake caused foam cell formation, and to slow down the progression of atherosclerosis in mice.

Hawthorn with "homology of medicine and food": a review of anticancer effects and mechanisms

Over the past few years, there has been a gradual increase in the incidence of cancer, affecting individuals at younger ages. With its refractory nature and substantial fatality rate, cancer presents a notable peril to human existence and wellbeing. Hawthorn, a medicinal food homology plant belonging to the Crataegus genus in the Rosaceae family, holds great value in various applications. Due to its long history of medicinal use, notable effects, and high safety profile, hawthorn has garnered considerable attention and plays a crucial role in cancer treatment. Through the integration of modern network pharmacology technology and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), a range of anticancer active ingredients in hawthorn have been predicted, identified, and analyzed. Studies have shown that ingredients such as vitexin, isoorientin, ursolic acid, and maslinic acid, along with hawthorn extracts, can effectively modulate cancer-related signaling pathways and manifest anticancer properties via diverse mechanisms. This review employs network pharmacology to excavate the potential anticancer properties of hawthorn. By systematically integrating literature across databases such as PubMed and CNKI, the review explores the bioactive ingredients with anticancer effects, underlying mechanisms and pathways, the synergistic effects of drug combinations, advancements in novel drug delivery systems, and ongoing clinical trials concerning hawthorn's anticancer properties. Furthermore, the review highlights the preventive health benefits of hawthorn in cancer prevention, offering valuable insights for clinical cancer treatment and the development of TCM with anticancer properties that can be used for both medicinal and edible purposes.

Danshen-Shanzha formula for the treatment of atherosclerosis: ethnopharmacological relevance, preparation methods, chemical constituents, pharmacokinetic properties, and pharmacological effects

Danshen-Shanzha Formula (DSF) is a well-known herbal combination comprising Radix Salvia Miltiorrhiza (known as Danshen in Chinese) and Fructus Crataegi (known as Shanzha in Chinese), It has been documented to exhibit considerable benefits for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, and was used extensively in the treatment of atherosclerotic cardiac and cerebral vascular diseases over decades. Despite several breakthroughs achieved in the basic research and clinical applications of DSF over the past decades, there is a lack of comprehensive reviews summarizing its features and research, which hinders further exploration and exploitation of this promising formula. This review aims to provide a comprehensive interpretation of DSF in terms of its ethnopharmacological relevance, preparation methods, chemical constituents, pharmacokinetic properties and pharmacological effects. The related information on Danshen, Shanzha, and DSF was obtained from internationally recognized online scientific databases, including Web of Science, PubMed, Google Scholar, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Baidu Scholar, ScienceDirect, ACS Publications, Online Library, Wan Fang Database as well as Flora of China. Data were also gathered from documentations, printed works and classics, such as the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, Chinese herbal classics, etc. Three essential avenues for future studies were put forward as follows: a) Develop and unify the standard preparation method of DSF as to achieve optimized pharmacological properties. b) Elucidate the functional mechanisms as well as the rationality and rule for the compatibility art of DSF by focusing on the clinic syndromes together with the subsequent development of preclinic study system in vitro and in vivo with consistent pathological features, pharmacokinetical behaviour and biomarkers. c) Perform more extensive clinical studies towards the advancement of mechanism-based on evidence-based medicine on the safety application of DSF. This review will provide substantial data support and broader perspective for further research on the renowned formula.

The Effects of Crataegus pinnatifida and Wolfiporia extensa Combination on Diet-Induced Obesity and Gut Microbiota

Obesity is a multifactorial chronic metabolic disease with multiple complications. Crataegus pinnatifida (CP) and Wolfiporia extensa (WE) are traditional functional foods with improving metabolic health properties. This study demonstrated the effect of CP and WE combination on ameliorating obesity induced by a high-fat diet (HFD). Moreover, the CP-WE food pair ameliorated HFD-induced metabolic disorders, including glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, hyperlipidemia, and hepatic steatosis. 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and analysis revealed that CP combined with WE reshaped the composition of gut microbiota in HFD-fed mice. Furthermore, correlation analysis revealed a substantial association between the obesity-related parameters and the shifts in predominant bacterial genera influenced by the food pair intervention. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that the CP-WE food pair ameliorated HFD-induced obesity and reshaped gut microbiota composition, providing a promising approach to combat obesity through specific food combinations.

Research on the signaling pathways related to the intervention of traditional Chinese medicine in Parkinson's disease:A literature review

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the most common progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting more than 10 million people worldwide and is characterized by the progressive loss of Daergic (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. It has been reported that signaling pathways play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of PD, while the active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) have been found to possess a protective effect against PD. TCM has demonstrated significant potential in mitigating oxidative stress (OS), neuroinflammation, and apoptosis of DA neurons via the regulation of signaling pathways associated with PD.

AIM OF THE REVIEW

This study discussed and analyzed the signaling pathways involved in the occurrence and development of PD and the mechanism of active ingredients of TCM regulating PD via signaling pathways, with the aim of providing a basis for the development and clinical application of therapeutic strategies for TCM in PD.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

With "Parkinson's disease", "Idiopathic Parkinson's Disease", "Lewy Body Parkinson's Disease", "Parkinson's Disease, Idiopathic", "Parkinson Disease, Idiopathic", "Parkinson's disorders", "Parkinsonism syndrome", "Traditional Chinese medicine", "Chinese herbal medicine", "active ingredients", "medicinal plants" as the main keywords, PubMed, Web of Science and other online search engines were used for literature retrieval.

RESULTS

PD exhibits a close association with various signaling pathways, including but not limited to MAPKs, NF-κB, PI3K/Akt, Nrf2/ARE, Wnt/β-catenin, TLR/TRIF, NLRP3, Notch. The therapeutic potential of TCM lies in its ability to regulate these signaling pathways. In addition, the active ingredients of TCM have shown significant effects in improving OS, neuroinflammation, and DA neuron apoptosis in PD.

CONCLUSION

The active ingredients of TCM have unique advantages in regulating PD-related signaling pathways. It is suggested to combine network pharmacology and bioinformatics to study the specific targets of TCM. This not only provides a new way for the prevention and treatment of PD with the active ingredients of TCM, but also provides a scientific basis for the selection and development of TCM preparations.

Isolation, structural properties and bioactivities of polysaccharides from Crataegus pinnatifida

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGIC RELEVANCE

Crataegus pinnatifida, commonly known as hawthorn, is a plant species with a long history of medicinal use in traditional Chinese medicine. Hawthorn polysaccharides (HP) have gained worldwide attention due to their decent biological activities and potential health benefits. Their excellent antioxidant activity, antitumor activity, immunomodulatory activity, hypoglycemic effect and hypolipidemic effects, intestinal microbiota modulatory activity makes them valuable in the field of ethnopharmacological research.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The purpose of the current review is to provide a systematic and comprehensive summary of the latest literatures and put forward the future perspectives on hawthorn polysaccharides in the context of its extraction, purification, structural characteristics and bioactivities. Furthermore, the underlying structure-bioactivity relationship of hawthorn polysaccharides was also explored and discussed. The current review would provide the important research underpinnings and the update the information for future development and application of hawthorn polysaccharides in the pharmaceutical and functional food industries.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We use Google Scholar, CNKI, PubMed, Springer, Elsevier, Wiley, Web of Science and other online databases to search and obtain the literature on extraction, isolation, structural analysis and the biological activity of hawthorn polysaccharides published before October 2023. The key words are "extraction", "isolation and purification", "bioactivities", and "Crataegus pinnatifida polysaccharides ".

RESULTS

Crataegus pinnatifida has been widely used for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, digestive disorders, inflammatory and oxidative stress in traditional Chinese medicine. Polysaccharides are the key active components of Crataegus pinnatifida which have gained widespread attention. The structure and bioactivity of polysaccharides from Crataegus pinnatifida varies in terms of raw materials, extraction methods and purification techniques. Crataegus pinnatifida polysaccharides possess diverse bioactivities, including antitumor, immunomodulatory, hypoglycemic activity, cardioprotective and antioxidant activities, among others. These biological properties can not only lay firm foundation for the treatment of diverse diseases, but also provide a theoretical basis for the in-depth study of the structure-activity relationship. In addition, the underlying structure-activity relationship is also explored and discussed, and further research and development of hawthorn polysaccharides are also prospected.

CONCLUSION

As a natural compound, hawthorn polysaccharides has garnered significant attention and held immense research potential. Hawthorn polysaccharides can be obtained through different extraction methods, including hot water extraction method, ultrasonic extraction method and enzymatic extraction method etc. The structures of hawthorn polysaccharides have also been characterized and reported in numerous studies. Moreover, hawthorn polysaccharides exhibit a wide range of bioactivities, such as the antioxidant activity, the antitumor activity, the immunomodulatory activity, the hypoglycemic effect and the hypolipidemic effect, as well as the intestinal microbiota modulatory activity. These diverse bioactivities contribute to the growing interest in hawthorn polysaccharides and its potential applications. Hawthorn polysaccharides has promising application prospects in various industries, including functional food, pharmaceuticals and biomedical research. Therefore, it is imperative to fully explore and harness the potential of hawthorn polysaccharides in the food and medicine fields.

A study on the treatment effects of Crataegus pinnatifida polysaccharide on non-alcoholic fatty liver in mice by modulating gut microbiota

The objective of this study was to investigate the protective effect of Crataegus pinnatifida polysaccharide (CPP) on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) in mice. The findings demonstrated that CPP improved free fatty acid (FFA)-induced lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells and effectively reduced liver steatosis and epididymal fat weight in NAFLD mice, as well as decreased serum levels of TG, TC, AST, ALT, and LDL-C. Furthermore, CPP exhibited inhibitory effects on the expression of fatty acid synthesis genes FASN and ACC while activating the expression of fatty acid oxidation genes CPT1A and PPARα. Additionally, CPP reversed disturbances in intestinal microbiota composition caused by HFD consumption. CPP decreased the firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, increased Akkermansia abundance, and elevated levels of total short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) content specifically butyric acid and acetic acid. Our results concluded that CPP may intervene in the development of NAFLD by regulating of intes-tinal microbiota imbalance and SCFAs production. Our study highlights that CPP has a potential to modulate lipid-related pathways via alterations to gut microbiome composition thereby ex-erting inhibitory effects on obesity and NAFLD development.

An Interpretable Screening Approach Derived Through XGBoost Regression for the Discovery of Hypolipidemic Contributors in Chinese Hawthorn Leaf and its Counterfeit Malus Doumeri Leaf

The active ingredient group is a prominent feature reflecting the inherent characteristics of plant-based functional foods. Chinese hawthorn leaf (CHL), a tea substitute possessing intrinsic nutritional properties in anti-hyperlipidemia, was first found to be adulterated with Malus doumeri leaf (MDL) owing to similar commercial labels. In this context, the above-mentioned two contrasting species were explored through phytochemical profiling and activity assessment. The amelioration effect of CHL on free fatty acids-elicited lipid deposition in HepG2 cells was significantly better than that of MDL. Molecular networking-based metabolic profiles identified 68 and 67 components in CHL and MDL, with 33 shared components. Extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) algorithm with outstanding performance was selected to screen candidate components contributing to hypolipidemic activity, and the output was later interpreted by Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) method. Twelve and eight components were separately screened as hyperlipidemic inhibitors in CHL and MDL, while only four constituents were shared. The bioactivity evaluation of selected ingredients and combinations further confirmed their anti-hyperlipidemia capacity. These findings emphasized the feasibility of filtering bioactivity-related compounds using interpretable machine learning approaches and illustrated that related species may contain different hypolipidemic contributors, even if shared constituents existed.

9,9'-epoxylignans from Syringa pinnatifolia: A typical case of stereochemical assignment by a quantum chemical calculation with MAEΔΔδ parameter

In the current study, twenty-two stereochemical 9,9'-epoxylignans including 19 undescribed ones were isolated from the ethanol extract of Syringa pinnatifolia in our continuing effort to understand the overall chemical spectrum of this species. These isolates were structurally elucidated by extensive spectroscopic data analysis, X-ray diffraction, modified Mosher's method, and quantum chemical calculations. Meanwhile, the utilization of 13C NMR calculation and the MAEΔΔδ parameter facilitated the stereochemical assignment of groups of lignan stereoisomers. The 13C NMR data were corrected by the averaged errors at each corresponding carbon position in groups of lignan stereoisomers, which improved the theoretic 13C NMR calculation. The finding of the stereochemical structures of 9,9'-epoxylignans is significant. It is helpful to determine the absolute configurations of molecules with the similar core. In addition, these lignans exhibited potential cardioprotective activities on H9c2 cardiomyocytes in vitro and presented significant antioxidant effect.

Four pairs of neolignan enantiomers with distinctive isochroman moiety from the fruits of Crataegus pinnatifida and their protective activities against H2O2-induced SH-SY5Y cells

Four pairs of neolignan enantiomers (±)-1- (±)-4 with a distinctive isochroman moiety, including seven undescribed compounds, were isolated and identified from the fruits of Crataegus pinnatifida. Structural characterization of these compounds was established through comprehensive spectroscopic analyses, as well as quantum chemical calculations of ECD and NMR data. The preliminary bioassay displayed that compounds (+)-2 and (±)-3 exerted protective activities against H2O2-induced human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells compared with the positive control. These bioactive compounds could be potential candidates for further pharmaceutical applications.

Traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and safety concerns of hawthorn (Crataegus genus): A comprehensive review

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The genus Crataegus (hawthorn), a member of the Rosaceae family, encompasses several species with broad geographical distribution across the Northern Hemisphere, including Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Hawthorn is recognized as an edible medicinal plant with applications related to strengthening the digestive system, promoting blood circulation, and resolving blood stasis.

AIM OF THE REVIEW

This study critically summarized the traditional uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacological properties to provide a theoretical basis for further studies on hawthorn and its applications in medicine and food.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The available information on hawthorn was gathered from scientific databases (including Google Scholar, Web of Science, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Baidu Scholar, CNKI, online ethnobotanical databases, and ethnobotanical monographs, and considered data from 1952 to 2023). Information about traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and safety concerns of the collected data is comprehensively summarized in this paper.

RESULTS

The literature review revealed that hawthorn includes more than 1000 species primarily distributed in the northern temperate zone. Traditional uses of hawthorn have lasted for millennia in Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Within the past decade, 337 chemical compounds, including flavonoids, lignans, fatty acids and organic acids, monoterpenoids and sesquiterpenoids, terpenoids and steroids, have been identified from hawthorn. Modern pharmacological studies have confirmed numerous bioactivities, such as cardiovascular system influence, antitumor activity, hepatoprotective activity, antimicrobial properties, immunomodulatory functions, and anti-inflammatory activities. Additionally, evaluations have indicated that hawthorn lacks toxicity.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on its traditional uses, chemical composition, and pharmacological studies, hawthorn has significant potential as a medicinal and edible plant with a diverse range of pharmacological activities. Traditional uses of the hawthorn include the treatment of indigestion, dysmenorrhea, and osteoporosis. However, modern pharmacological research primarily focuses on its cardiovascular and cerebrovascular system effects, antitumor effects, and liver protection properties. Currently, there is a lack of correlative research involving its traditional uses and pharmacological activities. Moreover, phytochemical and pharmacological research has yet to focus on many types of hawthorn with traditional applications. Therefore, it is imperative to research the genus Crataegus extensively.

Protective Effect of Hawthorn Fruit Extract against High Fructose-Induced Oxidative Stress and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Pancreatic β-Cells

Hyperglycemia has deleterious effects on pancreatic β-cells, causing dysfunction and insulin resistance that lead to diabetes mellitus (DM). The possible causes of injury can be caused by glucose- or fructose-induced oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida) fruit has been widely used as a hypolipidemic agent in traditional herbal medicine. The study aimed to investigate whether high fructose-induced pancreatic β-cell dysfunction could be reversed through amelioration of ER stress by the treatment of polyphenol-enriched extract (PEHE) from hawthorn fruit. The extract was partitioned using ethyl acetate as a solvent from crude water extract (WE) of hawthorn fruits, followed by column fractionation. The results showed that the contents of total polyphenols, flavonoids and triterpenoids in PEHE could be enhanced by 2.2-, 7.7- and 1.1-fold, respectively, in comparison to the original obtained WE from hawthorn fruit. In ER stress studies, a sharp increase in the inhibitory activity on the gene expression levels of GRP79, ATF6, IRE1α and CHOP involved in ER stress was evident when dosages of PEHE at 50–100 μg/mL were used against high-fructose (150 mM)-treated cells. HPLC–MS/MS analysis showed that polyphenols and flavonoids collectively accounted for 87.03% of the total content of PEHE.

3'-Demethoxy-6-O-Demethylisoguaiacin and Norisoguaiacin Nematocidal Lignans from Artemisia cina against Haemonchus contortus Infective Larvae

Artemisia cina is a plant used in traditional Chinese medicine as a remedy for parasitic diseases. This study describes the isolation and chemical characterization of anthelmintic compounds of A. cina against Haemonchus contortus infective larvae (L₃) through lethal testing. Previously, three extracts-n-hexane (HexAc), ethyl acetate (EtOAc) and methanol (MeOAc)-were evaluated at concentrations of 4 to 0.5 mg/mL, resulting in the HexAc extract with the greatest effect of 76.6% mortality of the larvae at 4 mg/mL. Then, this was chemically fractioned by polarity, obtaining seven fractions (C1F1-C1F7), and, when evaluated at concentrations from 2 to 0.25 mg/mL, the 2 mg/mL C1F5 fraction produced an effect against the nematode H. contortus of 100% mortality of the larvae. Thus, this fraction was fractionated again by column chromatography, obtaining twelve subfractions (C2F1-C2F12) which were evaluated from 1 to 0.125 mg/mL, with the C2F5 subfraction causing a nematicidal effect of 100% mortality. NMR analysis of one (¹H, ¹³C and DEPT) and two dimensions (COSY, HSQC and HMBC) and mass spectrometry of this fraction allowed us to identify the mixture of 3'-demethoxy-6-O-demethylisoguaiacin and norisoguaiacin. Therefore, it can be assumed that the mixture of these compounds is responsible for the anthelmintic effect. These results indicate that A. cina containing anthelmintic compounds and might be used as an antiparasitic drug against H. contortus.

Research progress on effects of traditional Chinese medicine on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury: A review

Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is a high-risk disease in the middle-aged and elderly population. The ischemic heart may be further damaged after reperfusion therapy with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and other methods, namely, myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI), which further affects revascularization and hinders patient rehabilitation. Therefore, the investigation of new therapies against MIRI has drawn great global attention. Within the long history of the prevention and treatment of MIRI, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has increasingly been recognized by the scientific community for its multi-component and multi-target effects. These multi-target effects provide a conspicuous advantage to the anti-MIRI of TCM to overcome the shortcomings of single-component drugs, thereby pointing toward a novel avenue for the treatment of MIRI. However, very few reviews have summarized the currently available anti-MIRI of TCM. Therefore, a systematic data mining of TCM for protecting against MIRI will certainly accelerate the processes of drug discovery and help to identify safe candidates with synergistic formulations. The present review aims to describe TCM-based research in MIRI treatment through electronic retrieval of articles, patents, and ethnopharmacology documents. This review reported the progress of research on the active ingredients, efficacy, and underlying mechanism of anti-MIRI in TCM and TCM formulas, provided scientific support to the clinical use of TCM in the treatment of MIRI, and revealed the corresponding clinical significance and development prospects of TCM in treating MIRI.