Chemical Composition, Antioxidant Activity and α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activity of Chaenomeles Speciosa from Four Production Areas in China

In vitro digestion and antioxidant activity of Xuan-Mugua (Chaenomeles fruit) peel and pulp phenolics

Since time immortal, people have used the well-known Chinese Chaenomeles fruit Xuan-Mugua for both traditional medicine and nourishment. With an aim to explore the digestive and antioxidant properties of the phenolics, Xuan-Mugua peel and pulp were extracted, digested and analyzed in vitro. Our results indicated that the total phenolics content (TPC), total flavonoids content (TFC) and the antioxidant activity of the peel were 3.24-8.89 times higher than that of pulp. The contents and activity of the peel and pulp consistently dropped in the sequence of oral, gastric, and small intestine digestions, from 22.78 % to 52.16 %. With a level of 1.590 ± 0.060 and 0.395 ± 0.015 mg g-1 dried weight in the peel and pulp, respectively, chlorogenic acid was the primary phenolic ingredient in Xuan-Mugua, with a promising recovery (81.39-82.23 %) during the digestion. According to these results, Xuan-Mugua exhibited an appreciable level of phenolic content and antioxidant activity during digestion, making it a suitable ingredient for use in functional foods.

Anti-Hyperuricemic Effects of Extracts from Chaenomeles speciosa (Sweet) Nakai Fruits on Hyperuricemic Rats

Chaenomeles speciosa (Sweet) Nakai (C. speciosa) fruit has medicinal and food applications and exhibits beneficial pharmacological properties. This study aimed to explore the hypouricemic effect of C. speciosa fruit extracts on hyperuricemic rats and uncover potential protective mechanisms. The rats were given hypoxanthine (HX, 100 mg/kg) and potassium oxonate (PO, 300 mg/kg) for 14 days to induce hyperuricemia. Subsequently, the rats were orally administered C. speciosa fruits total extract (CSFTE, 250, 500, and 1000 mg/kg) and allopurinol (AP, 10 mg/kg) one hour after exposure to HX and PO. The results showed that CSFTE had significant xanthine oxidase (XOD) inhibitory activity in vitro (IC50 value of 334.2 μg/mL) and exhibited hypouricemic effects in vivo, reducing uric acid (UA), creatinine (CRE), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels in serum. CSFTE increased UA excretion through the regulation of URAT1, GLUT9, OAT1, and OAT3 protein expression in the kidneys of hyperuricemic rats. Additionally, CSFTE (500 and 1000 mg/kg) was more effective than AP in improving renal injury and protecting kidney function in hyperuricemic rats. Our study demonstrated that CSFTE effectively reduced UA levels and protected the kidneys by inhibiting XOD expression in vitro and regulating UA, CRE, BUN, URAT1, GLUT9, OAT1, and OAT3 proteins in vivo.

Phytochemistry and pharmacology of plants in the genus Chaenomeles

Chaenomeles plants belong to the Rosaceae family and include five species, Chaenomeles speciosa (Sweet) Nakai, Chaenomeles sinensis (Thouin) Koehne, Chaenomeles japonica (Thunb.) Lindl, Chaenomeles cathayensis (Hemsl.) Schneid and Chaenomeles thibetica Yu. Chaenomeles plants are found and cultivated in nearly every country worldwide. China serves as both the origin and distribution hub for the plants in the Chaenomeles genus, and all Chaenomeles species except for C. japonica are indigenous to China. Chaenomeles spp. is a type of edible medicinal plant that has been traditionally used in China to treat various ailments, such as rheumatism, cholera, dysentery, enteritis, beriberi, and scurvy. A variety of chemical constituents have been extracted from this genus, including terpenoids, phenolics, flavonoids, phenylpropanoids and their derivatives, benzoic acid derivatives, biphenyls, oxylipins, and alkaloids. The biological activity of some of these constituents has already been evaluated. Pharmacological investigations have demonstrated that the plants in the genus Chaenomeles exhibit anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antioxidant, antihyperglycemic, antihyperlipidemic, gastrointestinal protective, antitumor, immunomodulatory, antibacterial, antiviral, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective and other pharmacological activities. The objective of this review is to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date summary of the available information on the genus Chaenomeles to serve as a valuable reference for further investigations.

Ursolic acid: biological functions and application in animal husbandry

Ursolic acid (UA) is a plant-derived pentacyclic triterpenoid with 30 carbon atoms. UA has anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, antimicrobial, hepato-protective, anticancer, and other biological activities. Most studies on the biological functions of UA have been performed in mammalian cell (in vitro) and rodent (in vivo) models. UA is used in animal husbandry as an anti-inflammatory and antiviral agent, as well as for enhancing the integrity of the intestinal barrier. Although UA has been shown to have significant in vitro bacteriostatic effects, it is rarely used in animal nutrition. The use of UA as a substitute for oral antibiotics or as a novel feed additive in animal husbandry should be considered. This review summarizes the available data on the biological functions of UA and its applications in animal husbandry.

Anti-Diabetic Potential of Polyphenol-Rich Fruits from the Maleae Tribe-A Review of In Vitro and In Vivo Animal and Human Trials

The Maleae tribe consists of over one thousand species, including many well-known polyphenol-containing fruit crops with wide-ranging biological properties, e.g., apples (Malus), chokeberries (Aronia), pears (Pyrus), quinces (Cydonia, Chaenomeles), saskatoon (Amelanchier), loquats (Eriobotrya), medlars (Mespilus), rowans (Sorbus), and hawthorns (Crataegus). Considering the current interest in the concept of functional foods and the still-insufficient methods of diabetes management, the anti-diabetic potential of fruits has been studied intensively, including those of the Maleae tribe. This paper is the first comprehensive overview of this selected topic, covering articles published from 2000 to 2023 (131 articles in total). The first part of this review focuses on the potential mechanisms of action of fruits investigated so far (46 species), including their effects on tissue-specific glucose transport and the expression or activity of proteins in the insulin signalling pathway. The second part covers the phytocompounds responsible for particular fruits' activity-primarily polyphenols (e.g., flavonols, dihydrochalcones, proanthocyanidins, anthocyanins, phenolic acids), but also polysaccharides, triterpenes, and their additive and synergistic effects. In summary, fruits from the Maleae tribe seem promising as functional foods and anti-diabetic agents; however, their prospects for more expansive pro-health application require further research, especially more profound in vivo trials.

Integrated untargeted metabolome, full-length sequencing, and transcriptome analyses reveal insights into the fruit quality at different harvest times of Chaenomeles speciosa

Chaenomeles speciosa fruit is a homologous medicine and food plant with a long history of multiple uses. It could be harvested near maturity and last for a long time. However, the optimal harvest strategy of Chaenomeles speciosa for various uses is currently unavailable. Here, untargeted metabolome at different harvest times during maturation was investigated for the first time, and 896 metabolites, including sugars, organic acids, amino acids, and phenylpropanoids, were identified. Optimal harvesting methods were proposed for different purposes. During the early maturation stages (before 105 days after full bloom), Ch. speciosa fruit could be harvested as Chinesemedicine. Whereas as snacks and food, Ch. speciosa fruit might be harvested at late maturity (after 120 days after full bloom). In addition, the overall network was revealed by integrating full-length Iso-seq and transcriptomics (RNA-seq) to investigate the association between quality-associated metabolites and Chaenomeles speciosa fruit gene expression during maturation. A few putative genes were captured via screening, dissecting and correlation analysis with the quality-associated metabolites (including d-glucose, catechin, gallocatechin, and succinic acid). Overall, in addition to providing a harvesting strategy for food and medicine, we also investigated the metabolism and gene expression pattern of Chaenomeles speciosa fruit during maturation. This comprehensive data and analyses laid the foundation for further investigating potential regulatory mechanisms during harvest and provided a new possibility for its development and utilization.

UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS Analysis of the Phytochemical Compositions From Chaenomeles speciosa (Sweet) Nakai Fruits

Chaenomeles speciosa (Sweet) Nakai (C. speciosa Nakai) is a popular fruit widely used in China for its health-promoting properties. The presences of phytochemical compositions in the plants play an important role in the health benefits. Nevertheless, the detailed information of these ingredients is still unknown. Therefore, in this work, an untargeted analytical method based on ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight coupled to mass spectrometry in two different ionization modes was used to qualitative the phytochemicals in C. speciosa Nakai, meanwhile, the anti-inflammatory activity of these phytochemicals was researched through detecting the inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) that was induced by lipopolysaccharide in RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cells. The results showed that there were totally 175 primary and secondary metabolites were identified in the fruit of C. speciosa Nakai, including phenols, terpenoids, flavonoids and other phyto-constituents. Actually, most compounds were described in C. speciosa Nakai fruits for the first time. Besides, the anti-inflammatory activity was measured by the result of NO inhibition rate, the consequence showed that the value of half-inhibitory concentration (IC50) was 365.208 μg/mL. These results indicate that C. speciosa Nakai is an efficient medicinal fruit, which owns various bioactivities and has the potential to treat various diseases.

Water Caltrop (Trapa quadrispinosa Roxb.) Husk Improves Oxidative Stress and Postprandial Blood Glucose in Diabetes: Phenolic Profiles, Antioxidant Activities and α-Glycosidase Inhibition of Different Fractions with In Vitro and In Silico Analyses

The aim of this study was to investigate the phenolic profiles, antioxidant activities and α-glycosidase inhibitory activities of three different phenolic fractions from water caltrop (Trapa quadrispinosa Roxb.) husk and to further explore the predominant compounds and their mechanisms on α-glycosidase inhibition by virtual screening and molecular dynamics. A total of 29 substances were identified and quantified in this study. Tannins were the main constituents of water caltrop husk extract. All of the free phenolic (FP), esterified phenolic (EP) and insoluble-bound phenolic (BP) fractions exhibited good antioxidant activities, and the BP had the highest radical scavenging ability with IC50 values of 0.82 ± 0.12 μg/mL (ABTS) and 1.15 ± 0.02 μg/mL (DPPH), respectively (p < 0.05). However, compared with the EP and BP, the FP showed the strongest inhibition towards the α-glycosidase and the IC50 value of FP was 1.43 ± 0.12 μg/mL. The 1,2,6-trigalloylglucose and α-glycosidase complex had better root mean square deviations (RMSD) stability via molecular dynamics simulation study. Results obtained from this study may provide a good potential natural resource for the improvement of oxidative stress injury and blood glucose control in diabetes mellitus, which could expand the use of water caltrop husk and improve its economic value.

An Ethnopharmaceutical Study on the Hypolipidemic Formulae in Taiwan Issued by Traditional Chinese Medicine Pharmacies

Globally, approximately one-third of ischemic heart diseases are due to hyperlipidemia, which has been shown to cause various metabolic disorders. This study was aimed to disassemble and analyze hypolipidemic formulae sold by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) pharmacies. Using commonly used statistical parameters in ethnopharmacology, we identified the core drug combination of the hypolipidemic formulae, thereby exploring the strategy by which the Taiwanese people select hypolipidemic drugs. Most important of all, we preserved the inherited knowledge of TCM. We visited 116 TCM pharmacies in Taiwan and collected 91 TCM formulae. The formulae were mainly disassembled by macroscopical identification, and the medicinal materials with a relative frequency of citation (RFC) >0.2 were defined as commonly used medicinal materials. Subsequently, we sorted the information of medicinal materials recorded in the Pharmacopeia, searched for modern pharmacological research on commonly used medicinal materials using PubMed database, and visualized data based on the statistical results. Finally, the core hypolipidemic medicinal materials used in folk medicine were obtained. Of the 91 TCM formulae collected in this study, 80 traditional Chinese medicinal materials were used, belonging to 43 families, predominantly Lamiaceae. Roots were the most commonly used part as a medicinal material. There were 17 commonly used medicinal materials. Based on medicinal records in Pharmacopeia, most flavors and properties were warm and pungent, the majority traditional effects were “tonifying and replenishing” and “blood-regulating.” Besides, the targeted diseases searching from modern pharmacological studies were diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia. The core medicinal materials consisted of Astragalus mongholicus Bunge and Crataegus pinnatifida Bunge, and the core formulae were Bu-Yang-Huan-Wu-Tang and Xie-Fu-Zhu-Yu-Tang. In addition, 7 groups of folk misused medicinal materials were found. Although these TCMs have been used for a long period of time, their hypolipidemic mechanisms remain unclear, and further studies are needed to validate their safety and efficacy.

Comparative Metabolomics Study of Chaenomeles speciosa (Sweet) Nakai from Different Geographical Regions

Chaenomeles speciosa (Sweet) Nakai (C. speciosa) is not only a Chinese herbal medicine but also a functional food widely planted in China. Its fruits are used to treat many diseases or can be processed into food products. This study aims to find key metabolic components, distinguish the differences between geographical regions and find more medicinal and edible values of C. speciosa fruits. We used ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) and widely targeted metabolomics analysis to reveal key and differential metabolites. We identified 974 metabolites and screened 548 differential metabolites from 8 regions. We selected significantly high-content differential metabolites to visualize a regional biomarker map. Comparative analysis showed Yunnan had the highest content of total flavonoids, the highest amounts of compounds related to disease resistance and drug targets and the most significant difference from the other regions according to the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform database, a unique platform for studying the systematic pharmacology of Chinese herbal medicine and capturing the relationship between drugs, targets and diseases. We used oral bioavailability (OB) ≥ 30% and drug likeness (DL) ≥ 0.18 as the selection criteria and found 101 key active metabolites, which suggests that C. speciosa fruits were rich in healthy metabolites. These results provide valuable information for the development of C. speciosa.

Soluble cuticular wax composition and antimicrobial activity of the fruits of Chaenomeles species and an interspecific hybrid

Plants of the genus Chaenomeles Lindl. (Rosaceae) naturally grow in Southeast Asia and represent the richest resource of biologically active compounds with beneficial properties for humans. Plants of C. japonica (Thunb.) Lindl. and C. speciosa (Sweet) Nakai species, and interspecific hybrid C. × superba (Frahm) Rehder (C. japonica × C. speciosa, Superba group) have been successfully introduced in the steppe zone of Ukraine and bear fruits. In this study, we evaluated chemical composition of fruit cuticular waxes and antimicrobial activity of fruit extracts. The soluble waxes were characterized using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and 26–36 compounds, representing 91.7–96.6% of the total soluble cuticular waxes, were identified. Waxes of Chaenomeles fruits belonged to six classes, namely fatty acids, alcohols, aldehydes, esters, ethers and alkanes. Aldehydes 7-hexadecenal and heptacosanal, and alkanes hexatriacontane and tetrapentacontane were the main constituents in the soluble cuticular waxes of C. speciosa and C. × superba fruits, accounting for more than half of the total contents. However, alkane tetrapentacontane, alcohol 8,10-hexadecadien-1-ol and heptacosanal prevailed in C. japonica fruit waxes. Isopropanolic fruit extracts exhibited dose-dependent antimicrobial activity against four Gram-negative bacteria, five Gram-positive bacteria and one fungal strain in the disc diffusion assay. In general, extracts from the Chaenomeles fruits demonstrated higher activity against Gram+ bacteria than Gram- strains. The strongest inhibiting activity was shown against Staphylococcus epidermidis (by the fruit extracts of C. × superba and C. speciosa), Micrococcus lysodeikticus and Candida albicans (both by C. × superba fruit extract). Results of the study confirmed accumulation of the bioactive compounds in the fruit waxes of different Chaenomeles species and antimicrobial ability of Chaenomeles fruits as well. These findings revealed the bioactive compounds in fruit cuticular waxes and suggested health-promoting properties of introduced Chaenomeles species.

Soluble cuticular wax composition and antimicrobial activity of the fruits of Chaenomeles species and an interspecific hybrid

Plants of the genus Chaenomeles Lindl. (Rosaceae) naturally grow in Southeast Asia and represent the richest resource of biologically active compounds with beneficial properties for humans. Plants of C. japonica (Thunb.) Lindl. and C. speciosa (Sweet) Nakai species, and interspecific hybrid C. × superba (Frahm) Rehder (C. japonica × C. speciosa, Superba group) have been successfully introduced in the steppe zone of Ukraine and bear fruits. In this study, we evaluated chemical composition of fruit cuticular waxes and antimicrobial activity of fruit extracts. The soluble waxes were characterized using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and 26–36 compounds, representing 91.7–96.6% of the total soluble cuticular waxes, were identified. Waxes of Chaenomeles fruits belonged to six classes, namely fatty acids, alcohols, aldehydes, esters, ethers and alkanes. Aldehydes 7-hexadecenal and heptacosanal, and alkanes hexatriacontane and tetrapentacontane were the main constituents in the soluble cuticular waxes of C. speciosa and C. × superba fruits, accounting for more than half of the total contents. However, alkane tetrapentacontane, alcohol 8,10-hexadecadien-1-ol and heptacosanal prevailed in C. japonica fruit waxes. Isopropanolic fruit extracts exhibited dose-dependent antimicrobial activity against four Gram-negative bacteria, five Gram-positive bacteria and one fungal strain in the disc diffusion assay. In general, extracts from the Chaenomeles fruits demonstrated higher activity against Gram+ bacteria than Gram- strains. The strongest inhibiting activity was shown against Staphylococcus epidermidis (by the fruit extracts of C. × superba and C. speciosa), Micrococcus lysodeikticus and Candida albicans (both by C. × superba fruit extract). Results of the study confirmed accumulation of the bioactive compounds in the fruit waxes of different Chaenomeles species and antimicrobial ability of Chaenomeles fruits as well. These findings revealed the bioactive compounds in fruit cuticular waxes and suggested health-promoting properties of introduced Chaenomeles species.

GC-MS analysis of cuticular waxes and evaluation of antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of Chaenomeles cathayensis and Ch. × californica fruits

Fruit extracts of the Chaenomeles species are a rich source of compounds having health-promoting properties, while their distribution between the species and cultivars varies significantly depending on both genotype and environmental threats. This study aimed at discovering antioxidant and antimicrobial potential of the secondary metabolites of fruit and waxes of fruit cuticular of introduced Ch. cathayensis and Ch. × californica plants. The sum of detected polyphenols in the isopropanolic fruit extracts varied slightly between the species, while significant excesses in indices were seen for both species peel extracts as compared to pulp extracts. Antimicrobial assays carried out by disc diffusion method showed notable activity of the fruit peel and pulp extracts of both species against all tested Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial strains, and two Candida strains as well. Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain was the most resistant to the action of both fruit extracts, especially peel extracts of Ch. cathayensis fruits. As identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) assays, chloroformic extracts from the fruits of cuticular waxes of Ch. cathayensis and Ch. × californica contained six prevailing fractions: aldehydes, alkanes, alcohols, esters, fatty acids and various terpenoids. The predominant compounds were tetrapentacontane (21.8% of total amount) and heptacosanal (23.1% of total), respectively in the cuticular waxes of Ch. cathayensis and Ch. × californica. Cinnamaldehyde, cis-9-hexadecenal, hexadecanoic acid, oleic acid, olean-12-ene-3,28-diol (3. beta), lupeol, diisooctyl phthalate, 9-octadecenoic acid, 1,2,3-propanetriyl ester, 1,3,12-nonadecatriene-5,14-diol and some other identified compounds are well-known for their bioactivity, indicating the feasibility of studying the antimicrobial potential of plant fruits.

Bioactivity Ingredients of Chaenomeles speciosa against Microbes: Characterization by LC-MS and Activity Evaluation

Chaenomeles speciosa (Sweet) Nakai is a dual-purpose Chinese herbal medicine and functional food favored by minorities in Southwest China, and its fruits are used for the treatment of dyspepsia, dysentery, enteritis, and rheumatism inflammation. Some diseases may be related to microbial infection; however, it is not known how the fruits possess antimicrobial activity. We evaluated the antimicrobial bioctivity of different evaluation extracts of C. speciosa fruits by in vitro and in vivo with colony-forming unit assays, and the strongest bioactive-guided fraction was selected for column chromatography (CC), UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS, and NMR spectroscopy to confirm the chemical constituents. The most possible antimicrobial mechanism of C. speciosa fruits was explored by metabolomics approach, fluorescence microscopy imaging, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Thirty compounds, which were major characteristic ions of the bioactive fraction, were determined precisely. The bioactive fraction could inhibit 18 pathogenic microorganisms, significantly reduced, especially drug-resistant bacteria, compared to ampicillin sodium salt, fluconazole, and berberine chloride form; and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) or minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) values were in the range of 0.1-1 mg/mL. The compounds 2'-methoxyaucuparin (1) and oleanolic acid (20) not only have antibacterial activity but also may have synergistic effects. Further, the bioactive fraction might inhibit the biofilm formation, enhance immunity, and restore bacterial infection damage in vitro and in vivo to kill microorganisms. The data indicated that C. speciosa fruits' major bioactive fraction enriched with triterpenes, flavonoids, and phenolics could be developed as a functional supplement for individuals to prevent and treat microbial infection.

Effect-Directed Profiling of 17 Different Fortified Plant Extracts by High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography Combined with Six Planar Assays and High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry

An effect-directed profiling method was developed to investigate 17 different fortified plant extracts for potential benefits. Six planar effect-directed assays were piezoelectrically sprayed on the samples separated side-by-side by high-performance thin-layer chromatography. Multipotent compounds with antibacterial, α-glucosidase, β-glucosidase, AChE, tyrosinase and/or β-glucuronidase-inhibiting effects were detected in most fortified plant extracts. A comparatively high level of antimicrobial activity was observed for Eleutherococcus, hops, grape pomace, passiflora, rosemary and Eschscholzia. Except in red vine, black radish and horse tail, strong enzyme inhibiting compounds were also detected. Most plants with anti-α-glucosidase activity also inhibited β-glucosidase. Green tea, lemon balm and rosemary were identified as multipotent plants. Their multipotent compound zones were characterized by high-resolution mass spectrometry to be catechins, rosmarinic acid, chlorogenic acid and gallic acid. The results pointed to antibacterial and enzymatic effects that were not yet known for plants such as Eleutherococcus and for compounds such as cynaratriol and caffeine. The nontarget effect-directed profiling with multi-imaging is of high benefit for routine inspections, as it provides comprehensive information on the quality and safety of the plant extracts with respect to the global production chain. In this study, it not only confirmed what was expected, but also identified multipotent plants and compounds, and revealed new bioactivity effects.

Anti-Inflammatory Constituents From Chaenomeles speciosa

Phytochemical investigation of fruits of Chaenomeles speciosa Lindley (Rosaceae) led to the isolation of 20 compounds including 5 flavonoids (1-5), 5 phenylpropanoids (6-10), 3 benzoic acid derivatives (11-13), 2 phloroglucinols (14 and 15), 2 purines (16 and 17), and 3 terpenoids (18–20). Their structures were elucidated by nuclear magnetic resonance analyses and from mass spectrometry data. These compounds were confirmed as catechin (1), epicatechin (2), catechin-5- O-β-d-glucoside (3), procyanidin B1 (4), quercetin-3- O-β-d-glucoside (5), p-coumaric acid (6), ferulic acid (7), caffeic alcohol (8), 1- O-p-coumaroyl-β-d-glucose (9), 1- O-cinnamoyl-β-d-glucose (10), p-hydroxybenzonic acid (11), protocatechuic acid (12), benzoic acid-β-d-gentiobioside (13), phloracetophenone 4′-glucoside (14), 3,5-dihydroxyphenyl β-d-glucopyranoside (15), adenine (16), adenosine (17), betulalbuside A (18), vomifoliol (19), and roseoside (20). Compounds 3-5, 8, 10, and 13-18 were isolated from the genus Chaenomeles and C. speciosa for the first time. Out of all these, compound 17 showed the best anti-inflammatory properties, comparable with those of the already known minocycline.

Phytochemical Constituents and the Evaluation Biological Effect of Cinnamomum yabunikkei H.Ohba Leaf

Cinnamomum yabunikkei H.Ohba leaf is known as a traditional medicinal material in Korea. However, no scientific identification of the components or efficacy of C.yabunikkei H.Ohba leaf has been reported. In the present study, we prepared various solvent extracts of C.yabunikkei H.Ohba leaf to understand its basic properties and evaluated the antioxidant, xanthine oxidase inhibitory, and elastase inhibitory activities of hexane, ethyl acetate, acetone, methanol, ethanol, and water extracts for the first time. The antioxidant properties were evaluated based on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity, reducing power, and total phenolic contents. The hot water extract showed the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity and total phenolic contents, and the reducing power was the highest in the water extract. The hexane extract showed an excellent elastase inhibitory effect compared to control (phosphoramidone) and the highest xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity. These results present basic information for the possible uses of the hot water and hexane extracts from C. yabunikkei leaf for the treatment of diseases caused by oxidative imbalance. In the present study, individual extracts exhibited different effects. Therefore, it is hypothesized that the applicability of C. yabunikkei will depend on the extraction method and nature of the extract. The hot water and hexane extracts could be used as antioxidants, and as anti-gout and anti-wrinkle materials respectively. Several biologically active substances present in hexane extract of C. yabunikkei have been analyzed by GCMS and demonstrated to possess antioxidant and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that reports the chemical profiling and biological effects of various C. yabunikkei leaf extracts, suggesting their potential use in food therapy, cosmetics or alternative medicine.

Phytochemical and Pharmacological Properties of Chaenomeles speciosa: An Edible Medicinal Chinese Mugua

Chaenomeles plants are adapted to diverse ecological zones particularly the temperate areas of Korea, Japan, and China. In China, Chaenomeles speciosa is mainly planted in Chongqing, Anhui, and Hubei provinces. Most of the studies till date have been focused on the anti-inflammatory activities of C. speciosa fractions. The present study aimed to review the maximum literature reported for the presence of various phytochemicals in C. speciosa. In addition, the pharmacological properties of these chemical compounds of this plant shall also be discussed. The extracts of the various parts of the plant are rich in diversity of antioxidants, organic acids, phenolics, terpenoids, and many different phytochemicals that bear strong anticancer, antioxidant, antiviral, antibacterial properties, anti-inflammation, antihyperlipidemic, antihyperglycemic, and anti-Parkinson properties. C. speciosa fruits have broad scope in industry as well as in medicines. Not only the leaves and fruits of C. speciosa plant, but various other parts including roots, seeds, bark twigs, and flowers all have long history of clinical trials in curing many human ailments. However, the maximum accessible data concerning the chemical compositions and their broad pharmacological properties of C. speciosa plant parts is pretty restricted that make it more appealing for in-depth investigations.