Methanol extract of semen Ziziphi Spinosae attenuates ethanol withdrawal anxiety by improving neuropeptide signaling in the central amygdala

E-eye, flash GC E-nose and HS-GC-MS combined with chemometrics to identify the adulterants and geographical origins of Ziziphi Spinosae Semen

Ziziphi Spinosae Semen (ZSS), a valuable seed food, has faced increasing authenticity issues. In this study, the adulterants and geographical origins of ZSS were successfully identified by electronic eye, flash gas chromatography electronic nose (Flash GC e-nose) and headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-GC-MS). As a result, there were color differences between ZSS and adulterants, mainly represented by the a* value of ZSS was less than adulterants. In ZSS, 29 and 32 compounds were detected by Flash GC e-nose and HS-GC-MS. Spicy, sweety, fruity and herbal were the main flavor of ZSS. Five compounds were determined to be responsible for flavor differences between different geographical origins. In the HS-GC-MS analysis, the relative content of Hexanoic acid was the highest in ZSS from Hebei and Shandong, while 2,4-Decadien-1-ol was the highest in Shaanxi. Overall, this study provided a meaningful strategy for addressing authenticity problems of ZSS and other seed foods.

Neuroprotective effect of Ziziphi Spinosae Semen on rats with p-chlorophenylalanine-induced insomnia via activation of GABAA receptor

Ziziphus jujuba var. spinosa (Bunge) Hu ex H.F.Chow [Rhamnaceae; Ziziphi Spinosae Semen (ZSS)] has attracted extensive attention as the first choice of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of insomnia. However, recent studies on the sleep-improving mechanism of ZSS have mainly focused on the role of single components. Thus, to further reveal the potential mechanism of ZSS, an assessment of its multiple constituents is necessary. In this study, ZSS extract (ZSSE) was obtained from ZSS via detailed modern extraction, separation, and purification technologies. The chemical constituents of ZSSE were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). For in vivo experiments, a rat model of insomnia induced by p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA) was established to investigate the potential effect and corresponding mechanism of ZSSE on improving sleep. Hematoxylin-eosin staining (HE) results revealed that the drug group showed prominent advantages over the model group in improving sleep. Moreover, the brain levels of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamic acid (Glu), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), and dopamine (DA) were monitored via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to further study the sleep-improving mechanism of ZSSE. We found that sleep was effectively improved via upregulation of GABA and 5-HT and downregulation of Glu and DA. In addition, molecular mechanisms of ZSSE in improving sleep were studied by immunohistochemical analysis. The results showed that sleep was improved by regulating the expression levels of GABA receptor subunit alpha-1 (GABAARα1) and GABA acid receptor subunit gamma-2 (GABAARγ2) receptors in the hypothalamus and hippocampus tissue sections. Therefore, this work not only identified the active ingredients of ZSSE but also revealed the potential pharmacological mechanism of ZSSE for improving sleep, which may greatly stimulate the prospective development and application of ZSSE.

Wild Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba var. spinosa): A Review of Its Phytonutrients, Health Benefits, Metabolism, and Applications

Wild jujube, Ziziphus jujuba Mill. var. spinosa (Bunge) Hu ex H. F. Chou, as a food and health supplement worldwide, has rich nutritional value. It contains nutrients such as nucleosides, amino acids, polysaccharides, and fatty oils. The fruits, seeds, and leaves of wild jujube can all be used for food, medicine, or health care purposes. Among these, the fruits play many roles, such as antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory functions, and can be used as a natural nutritional supplement to prevent aging. Simultaneously, the mature seed of wild jujube exhibits beneficial effects on central nervous system diseases and is often used for the treatment of insomnia and as a functional food for improving sleep quality and enhancing learning and memory. This review presents an overview of research progress relevant to the phytonutrients, biological functions, metabolism of bioactive compounds, and applications of wild jujube and aims to provide a scientific reference for the development and utilization of this plant.

Ziziphus jujuba Mill. var. spinosa (Bunge) Hu ex H. F. Chou Seed Ameliorates Insomnia in Rats by Regulating Metabolomics and Intestinal Flora Composition

The seed of Ziziphus jujuba Mill. var. spinosa (Bunge) Hu ex H. F. Chou (ZSS) is often used as a traditional Chinese medicine for insomnia due to its sedative and hypnotic effects, but the mechanism underlying this effect has not been thoroughly elucidated. In this study, an insomnia model induced by intraperitoneal injection of DL-4-chlorophenylalanine suspension in Sprague-Dawley rats was adopted to investigate the therapeutic effect of ZSS extract. Metabolomics analyses of plasma and urine as well as 16S rRNA gene sequencing of the intestinal flora were performed. The relationships between the plasma and urine metabolites and the intestinal flora in insomnia rats were also analyzed. The results showed that changes in plasma and urine metabolites caused by insomnia were reversed after administration of ZSS, and these changes were mainly related to amino acid metabolism, especially phenylalanine metabolism. The results of 16S rRNA gene sequencing and short-chain fatty acid determination showed that the ZSS extract could reverse the imbalance of intestinal flora caused by insomnia and increase the contents of SCFAs in feces. All of these improvements are mainly related to the regulation of inflammation. Therefore, it is concluded that insomnia, which alters metabolic profiles and the intestinal flora, could be alleviated effectively by ZSS extract.

Sauchinone Blocks Ethanol Withdrawal-Induced Anxiety but Spares Locomotor Sensitization: Involvement of Nitric Oxide in the Bed Nucleus of the Stria Terminalis

Both the positive (manifested by locomotor sensitization) and negative (withdrawal symptoms) reinforcing effects of ethanol (EtOH) involve central nitric oxide (NO) signaling. Sauchinone (a bioactive lignan in Saururus chinensis) has been shown to improve methamphetamine-induced behavioral and neurochemical changes via the NO signaling pathway. Thus, this study evaluated the effects of sauchinone on locomotor sensitization and anxiety during EtOH withdrawal (EtOHW). Male adult Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with 1.5 g/kg/day of EtOH (20%, vol/vol) via intraperitoneal injection for 28 days, followed by a 3-day withdrawal. During withdrawal, the rats were given intragastric sauchinone (2.5, 7.5, or 25 mg/kg/day) once a day. EtOH locomotor sensitization was determined by challenging EtOHW rats with 0.75 g/kg EtOH, while EtOHW-induced anxiety was assessed using the elevated plus maze (EPM). None of the three doses of sauchinone affected EtOH locomotor sensitization. However, in the EPM, treatment of EtOHW rats with sauchinone at 7.5 or 25 mg/kg/day increased both the number of entries into and the time spent in the open arms. Moreover, the two doses of sauchinone inhibited the oversecretion of plasma corticosterone during EtOHW. In the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), EtOHW increased NO production, enhanced gene and protein expression of both inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and neuronal NOS (nNOS), and also elevated protein levels of corticotropin-releasing factor, which were all inhibited by 25 mg/kg/day sauchinone. In an in vitro experiment, sauchinone (3, 10, and 30 μM) inhibited H₂O₂-stimulated nNOS protein expression in neuronal PC12 cells. Finally, intra-BNST infusion of sodium nitroprusside, a NO donor, after sauchinone (25 mg/kg/day) administration, abolished its expected anxiolytic effect. Taken together, these results indicate that sauchinone attenuates anxiety-like behavior in rats during EtOHW but spares EtOH locomotor sensitization, and the anxiolytic effect is mediated via the NO signaling pathway in the BNST.

Antidepressant-Like Effects of Ethanol Extract of Ziziphus jujuba Mill Seeds in Mice

The antidepressant-like activity of ethanol extract of Ziziphus jujuba Mill var. spinosa seeds (Semen Ziziphi Spinosae, SZS) was investigated by behavioral tests, such as a forced swimming test (FST), a tail-suspension test (TST), and an open field test (OFT), using mice exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). In the TST, immobility times of the extract-treated groups E100 and E300 (CUMS + 100 and 300 mg/kg extract, respectively) were significantly decreased in a dose-dependent manner compared with the negative control (CUMS; p < 0.01, though those of E100 and E300 were higher than those of the positive control (CUMS + 15 mg/kg fluoxetine). In the FST, immobility times of E100 and E300 were decreased compared to the normal control. In the OFT, total and zone distances of E100 and E300 were significantly higher than those of negative controls (p < 0.01) with a dose dependency. In liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis after behavioral tests, norepinephrine (NE) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) levels in the hippocampus tissues of E100 and E300 were significantly higher than those of negative controls. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in the hippocampus tissues of E100 and E300 were higher than those of negative controls. From these results, the SZS ethanol extract exhibited significant antidepressant-like effects via immobility decrease, distance increase, hippocampal NE and 5-HT increase, and BDNF expression. These results suggest that the extract could be a potential antidepressant agent.