Acute and Subacute Oral Toxicity of Mumefural, Bioactive Compound Derived from Processed Fruit of Prunus mume Sieb. et Zucc., in ICR Mice

Toxicity studies of condensed fuzheng extract in mice and rats

Nutritional supplements have been used to improve immune function. Condensed fuzheng extract (CFE) is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula that is predominantly made from sheep placenta, Astragalus mongholicus Bunge, and Polygonatum kingianum Collett & Hemsl. However, the toxicological profile of CFE has not been determined. In this study, we investigated the acute (14 days) and sub-chronic (90 days) oral toxicities of CFE in mice and rats and the phytochemical composition of CFE.

Materials and methods

For the assessment of acute toxicity, 80 ICR mice of both sexes were randomly divided into four groups. Three groups were treated with 4500, 2250 and 1125 mg/kg/d bw CFE daily (n = 10/group per sex) for 14 days; a separate group was used as control. To test the sub-chronic toxicity, male and female Sprague Dawley rats were orally administered 8150, 4075 or 2037 mg/kg bw of CFE for 90 days; a control group was included. Hematological, biochemical, and histopathological markers were tested at the end of the experiment. The chemical composition of CFE was determined by UPLC-HRMS method.

Results

In both acute and sub-chronic toxicity studies, no mortalities, indications of abnormality, or treatment-related adverse effects were observed. The LD50 of CFE was higher than 4500 mg/kg. There were no significant changes in the hematological and biochemical data in the treatment group compared with the control group (p > 0.05). Histopathological analyses of the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, kidneys, thymus, testes (male rats) and ovaries (female rats) revealed no anatomical changes of each organ. Phytochemical analysis of CFE revealed the presence of flavonoids (highest abundance), phenols and alkaloids. In conclusion, our results showed that CFE is a safe and non-toxic formula. We also reported phytochemicals in CFE that may possess important pharmacological effects.

Probiotic Potential and Safety Assessment of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum cqf-43 and Whole-Genome Sequence Analysis

This study reports the whole-genome sequence of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum cqf-43 isolated from healthy sow feces. Based on genomic analysis, we performed a comprehensive safety assessment of strain cqf-43, using both in vitro and in vivo experiments, and explored its probiotic potential. The total genome length measures 3,169,201 bp, boasting a GC content of 44.59%. Through phylogenetic analyses, leveraging both 16S rRNA gene and whole-genome sequences, we confidently categorize strain cqf-43 as a member of Lactiplantibacillus. Genome annotation using Prokka unveiled a total of 3141 genes, encompassing 2990 protein-coding sequences, 71 tRNAs, 16 rRNAs, and 1 tmRNA. Functional annotations derived from COG and KEGG databases highlighted a significant abundance of genes related to metabolism, with a notable emphasis on carbohydrate utilization. The genome also revealed the presence of prophage regions and CRISPR-Cas regions while lacking virulence and toxin genes. Screening for antibiotic resistance genes via the CARD database yielded no detectable transferable resistance genes, effectively eliminating the potential for harmful gene transfer. It is worth highlighting that the virulence factors identified via the VFDB database primarily contribute to bolstering pathogen resilience in hostile environments. This characteristic is particularly advantageous for probiotics. Furthermore, the genome is devoid of menacing genes such as hemolysin, gelatinase, and biogenic amine-producing genes. Our investigation also unveiled the presence of three unannotated secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters, as detected by the online tool antiSMASH, suggesting a great deal of unknown potential for this strain. Rigorous in vitro experiments confirmed tolerance of strain cqf-43 in the intestinal environment, its antimicrobial efficacy, sensitivity to antibiotics, absence of hemolysis and gelatinase activity, and its inability to produce biogenic amines. In addition, a 28-day oral toxicity test showed that the strain cqf-43 did not pose a health hazard in mice, further establishing it as a safe strain.

Mumefural Improves Recognition Memory and Alters ERK-CREB-BDNF Signaling in a Mouse Model of Chronic Cerebral Hypoperfusion

Cognitive impairment resulting from chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH) is known as vascular dementia (VaD) and is associated with cerebral atrophy and cholinergic deficiencies. Mumefural (MF), a bioactive compound found in a heated fruit of Prunus mume Sieb. et Zucc, was recently found to improve cognitive impairment in a rat CCH model. However, additional evidence is necessary to validate the efficacy of MF administration for treating VaD. Therefore, we evaluated MF effects in a mouse CCH model using unilateral common carotid artery occlusion (UCCAO). Mice were subjected to UCCAO or sham surgery and orally treated with MF daily for 8 weeks. Behavioral tests were used to investigate cognitive function and locomotor activity. Changes in body and brain weights were measured, and levels of hippocampal proteins (brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), cyclic AMP-response element-binding protein (CREB), and acetylcholinesterase (AChE)) were assessed. Additionally, proteomic analysis was conducted to examine the alterations in protein profiles induced by MF treatment. Our study showed that MF administration significantly improved cognitive deficits. Brain atrophy was attenuated and MF treatment reversed the increase in AChE levels. Furthermore, MF significantly upregulated p-ERK/ERK, p-CREB/CREB, and BDNF levels after UCCAO. Thus, MF treatment ameliorates CCH-induced cognitive impairment by regulating ERK/CREB/BDNF signaling, suggesting that MF is a therapeutic candidate for treating CCH.

Evaluation of isolated probiotics on the efficacy of immune system in male and female Wistar rats

Probiotics were isolated from fruits and vegetables. Microscopic, biochemical, and molecular tests were carried out for the characterization of strains of probiotics. To assess the effects of isolated probiotics on immunity, male and female (15 + 15) Wistar rats (n = 3) were randomly distributed into 5 groups: 0-day, negative control, positive control (commercially available Lactobacillus acidophilus-14), laboratory isolated probiotics with accession numbers; Lactobacillus plantarum (MZ707748) and Lactobacillus plantarum (MZ729681), respectively. After hematological investigations, the amounts of IgA and IgG in male and female groups were significantly different (p < 0.05). At the same time, the values of Alanine-transaminase (ALT) and Aspartate-aminotransferase (AST) in both genders were average, and there were no differences (p > 0.05). Male probiotic-treated groups had decreased levels of interleukin-6, bilirubin, and creatinine, but female probiotic-treated groups had a slight rise in bilirubin and creatinine values (p = 0.05). Cellular blood count levels of Hematocrit (HCT) and white blood cells (WBC) in male groups showed considerable differences (p < 0.05), while there were no differences (p > 0.05) in female groups. Levels of Red blood cells (RBC) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) showed distinct changes (p < 0.05) in female groups, while these values were insignificant changes (p > 0.05) among male groups. There were considerable differences between the control and groups that were given probiotics. Histopathological results showed no damage to the liver and thymus. A fecal examination of rats was used to examine the viability and survival of Lactobacilli. Based on blood tests, it was observed that the immune system was boosted and improved in probiotic-treated groups compared to control groups.

Polyphenols from Prunus mume: extraction, purification, and anticancer activity

Prunus mume is an ancient medicinal herb and food that are commonly used in Asian countries with high nutritional ingredients and biological activities. Polyphenols are important functional components in Prunus mume. To obtain a more efficient extraction process of Prunus mume polyphenols, a single-factor test and response surface method were used. After extraction and purification, the final polyphenol content of Prunus mume (L¹) was up to 90%. Biological experiments showed that L¹ had high anticancer activity against HeLa (125.28 μg mL^-1), HepG2 (117.24 μg mL^-1), MCF-7 (170.19 μg mL^-1), and A549 (121.78 μg mL^-1) in vitro by MTT assay. The combination of DDP and DOX significantly enhanced the anticancer activity of the four cell lines, especially L¹-DOX had the smallest IC₅₀ value of 0.04 μg mL^-1 against HepG2 cells, indicating the combination of drugs had synergistic effects. It is further demonstrated that L¹ could inhibit cell proliferation by inducing apoptosis with ROS detection and confocal fluorescence images. The relative tumor proliferation rate (T/C) was 40.6%, and the tumor inhibition rate was 57.9%, indicating L¹ to have no significant toxicity but high anti-HepG2 activity in vivo. Although the study is very limited, it is anticipated to provide a reference for further exploration of the functionality of the plant.

Optimization of Extraction Process, Preliminary Characterization and Safety Study of Crude Polysaccharides from Morindae Officinalis Radix

In this study, the hot water extraction process of crude polysaccharides from Morindae officinalis radix (cMORP) was conducted and optimized through a single-factor test and orthogonal experimental design. With the optimal extraction process (extraction temperature of 80 °C, extraction time of 2 h, liquid/solid ratio of 15 mL/g, and number of extraction of 1), the cMORP was obtained by the ethanol precipitation method. The chemical properties and preliminary characterization of the cMORP were analyzed by chemical or instrumental methods. Furthermore, to indicate a preliminary study on safety, a single oral dose of 5000 mg/kg body weight (BW) was administered orally to Kunming (KM) mice for acute toxicity, and the cMORP was administered orally to KM mice once a day at doses of 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg BW for 30 days. General behaviors, body weight variations, histopathology, relative organ weights, and hematological and serum biochemical parameters were observed and recorded. The results suggested there were no toxicologically significant changes. Based on the safety study, cMORP can be initially considered non-toxic with no acute oral toxicity up to 5000 mg/kg BW and safe at up to 100 mg/kg BW in KM mice for 30 days.

Safety Assessment of One Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Isolated from the Traditional Chinese Fermented Vegetables—Jiangshui

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum is a kind of extensively utilized probiotic species, which plays a critical role in the prevention of pathogenic bacteria and development of functional probiotics. Our group previously isolated one Lactiplantibacillus from Jiang Shui, a traditional Chinese fermented vegetable, which remarkably inhibited the growth of Aspergillus flavus. Herein, the safety of this isolate was assessed to ensure its application feasibility in food industry. Firstly, the phenotypic analyses including tolerance to low pH and bile salt, aggregation ability, and hemolytic activity detection, indicated the isolate could survive and colonize in the gastrointestinal tract, without hemolysin activity. The susceptibilities of the isolate to eight antibiotics and the absence of most resistance genes were demonstrated by agar disk diffusion and PCR, respectively. Furthermore, no mortality or toxicity was observed in mice by in vivo tests using gross autopsy, hematology, serum biochemistry, and HE-staining. Taken together, this study demonstrated the safety of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum WYH as a probiotic strain in terms of phenotypic analyses, absence of antimicrobial resistance and toxin-related genes, as well as mice toxicity test, while supported the prospect of applying isolate in suppression of fungal growth and mycotoxin biosynthesis.

Current and potential trends in the bioactive properties and health benefits of Prunus mume Sieb. Et Zucc: a comprehensive review for value maximization

Prunus mume Sieb. Et Zucc (P. mume) is an acidic fruit native to China (named Chinese Mei or greengage plum). It is currently cultivated in several Asian countries, including Japan ("Ume"), Korea (Maesil), and Vietnam (Mai or Mo). Due to its myriad nutritional and functional properties, it is accepted in different countries, and its characteristics account for its commercialization. In this review, we summarize the information on the bioactive compounds from the fruit of P. mume and their structure-activity relationships (SAR); the pulp has the highest enrichment of bioactive chemicals. The nutritional properties of P. mume and the numerous uses of its by-products make it a potential functional food. P. mume extracts exhibit antioxidant, anticancer, antimicrobial, and anti-hyperuricaemic properties, cardiovascular protective effects, and hormone regulatory properties in various in vitro and in vivo assays. SAR shows that the water solubility, molecular weight, and chemical conformation of P. mume extracts are closely related to their biological activity. However, further studies are needed to evaluate the fruit's potential nutritional and functional therapeutic mechanisms. The industrial process of large-scale production of P. mume and its extracts as functional foods or nutraceuticals needs to be further optimized.

Investigating the acute and sub-acute toxicity of medicinal Cuscuta chinensis Lam plant

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY RELEVANCE

Cuscuta chinensis Lam. (Convolvulaceae) had received growing attention as a traditional medicinal herb widely used for treating female impotence, abortion, male reproductive system disease and cardiovascular diseases, respectively.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The present study investigated the acute and sub-acute toxicities of C. chinensis water extract (CLW) in the ICR mice model.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Various doses of CLW (1250, 2500, and 5000 mg/kg) were administered consecutively for 14 days to evaluate the acute toxicity level with examine mortality, general behavior, body weight, food and water intake of the mice. At the end of treatmet, macroscopic observation of the skin and major internal organs in the abdominal part and organ coefficients were taken. The same doses were administered daily for 28 days to determine the sub-acute toxicity level with examine mortality, general behavior, body weight, food and water intake of the mice. At the end of treatmet, macroscopical examination of organs, tissues, cavities, organ coefficients, pathology, hematological and biochemical parameters were carried out.

RESULTS

The acute toxicity test results revealed an LD ₅₀ of over 5000 mg/kg for CLW. Similarly, no CLW-related mortality and severe toxicities were experienced in the sub-acute study. However, the treatment of CLW had a reducing effect on body weight of both male and female mice, and feed intake in female mice at the all tested doses (1250, 2500 and 5000 mg/kg). Moreover, significant effects in organ coefficients of brain, liver, lung, testis and thymus became apparent due to CLW mainly at the 2500 and 5000 mg/kg. The hematological analysis result showed a significant decrease in platelets, lymphocytes, and hematocrit. In contrast, a significant increase in the neutrophils was observed in the CLW treated groups (2500 and 5000 mg/kg). Biochemical test results showed a significant increase in aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase levels while decreasing albumin, total cholesterol and triglyceride levels after treatment of CLW mostly at the doses of 2500 and 5000 mg/kg. Mild liver toxicity in both sexes treated with 5000 mg/kg of CLW was recorded in the histopathological analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, our results suggested that CLW is safe at its dose lower than 1250 mg/kg, although liver toxicity from daily use may be a matter of concern.

Comprehensive Review of Phytochemical Constituents, Pharmacological Properties, and Clinical Applications of Prunus mume

Prunus mume is one of the most ancient medicinal herbs and health foods commonly used in Asian countries. It is widely used as a constituent of many medicinal preparations and as a food ingredient for its beneficial health effects. In this review, we retrieved reports from PubMed, embase, Scopus, and SciFinder databases, to collect extensive scientific evidence on the phytochemical constituents, pharmacological properties, and clinical applications of Prunus mume. The literature review revealed that approximately 192 compounds have been isolated from different parts of the plant, and their molecular structures have been identified. The pharmacological properties of the plant, including anti-diabetic, liver-protective, antitumor, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities, as well as their underlying mechanisms, have been clarified by in vitro and in vivo studies. Clinical studies, although very limited, have been highlighted in this review to provide a reference for further exploration on therapeutic applications of the plant.

Herbal Remedies and Their Possible Effect on the GABAergic System and Sleep

Sleep is an essential component of physical and emotional well-being, and lack, or disruption, of sleep due to insomnia is a highly prevalent problem. The interest in complementary and alternative medicines for treating or preventing insomnia has increased recently. Centuries-old herbal treatments, popular for their safety and effectiveness, include valerian, passionflower, lemon balm, lavender, and Californian poppy. These herbal medicines have been shown to reduce sleep latency and increase subjective and objective measures of sleep quality. Research into their molecular components revealed that their sedative and sleep-promoting properties rely on interactions with various neurotransmitter systems in the brain. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that plays a major role in controlling different vigilance states. GABA receptors are the targets of many pharmacological treatments for insomnia, such as benzodiazepines. Here, we perform a systematic analysis of studies assessing the mechanisms of action of various herbal medicines on different subtypes of GABA receptors in the context of sleep control. Currently available evidence suggests that herbal extracts may exert some of their hypnotic and anxiolytic activity through interacting with GABA receptors and modulating GABAergic signaling in the brain, but their mechanism of action in the treatment of insomnia is not completely understood.