Variations in Volatile Oil Yield and Composition of "Xin-yi" (Magnolia biondii Pamp. Flower Buds) at Different Growth Stages

The Protective Role of Magnoliae Flos in Preventing Ovotoxicity and Managing Ovarian Function: An In Vitro and In Vivo Study

Magnoliae Flos (MF) is a medicinal herb widely employed in traditional medicine for relieving sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, headaches, and toothaches. Here, we investigated the potential preventive effects of MF extract (MFE) against 4-vinylcyclohexene diepoxide (VCD)-induced ovotoxicity in ovarian cells and a mouse model of premature ovarian insufficiency (POI). The cytoprotective effects of MFE were assessed using CHO-K1 or COV434 cells. In vivo, B6C3F1 female mice were intraperitoneally injected with VCD for two weeks to induce POI, while MFE was orally administered for four weeks, beginning one week before VCD administration. VCD led to a significant decline in the viabilities of CHO-K1 and COV434 cells and triggered excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and apoptosis specifically in CHO-K1 cells. However, pretreatment with MFE effectively prevented VCD-induced cell death and ROS generation, while also activating the Akt signaling pathway. In vivo, MFE increased relative ovary weights, follicle numbers, and serum estradiol and anti-Müllerian hormone levels versus controls under conditions of ovary failure. Collectively, our results demonstrate that MFE has a preventive effect on VCD-induced ovotoxicity through Akt activation. These results suggest that MFE may have the potential to prevent and manage conditions such as POI and diminished ovarian reserve.

Screening for Neuroprotective and Rapid Antidepressant-like Effects of 20 Essential Oils

Depression is a serious psychiatric disorder with high prevalence, and the delayed onset of antidepressant effects remains a limitation in the treatment of depression. This study aimed to screen essential oils that have the potential for rapid-acting antidepressant development. PC12 and BV2 cells were used to identify essential oils with neuroprotective effects at doses of 0.1 and 1 µg/mL. The resulting candidates were treated intranasally (25 mg/kg) to ICR mice, followed by a tail suspension test (TST) and an elevated plus maze (EPM) after 30 min. In each effective essential oil, five main compounds were computationally analyzed, targeting glutamate receptor subunits. As a result, 19 essential oils significantly abolished corticosterone (CORT)-induced cell death and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage, and 13 reduced lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin 6 (IL-6). From in vivo experiments, six essential oils decreased the immobility time of mice in the TST, in which Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat. and Myristica fragrans Houtt. also increased time and entries into the open arms of the EPM. Four compounds including atractylon, α-curcumene, α-farnesene, and selina-4(14),7(11)-dien-8-one had an affinity toward GluN1, GluN2B, and Glu2A receptor subunits surpassed that of the reference compound ketamine. Overall, Atractylodes lancea (Thunb.) DC and Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat essential oils are worthy of further research for fast-acting antidepressants through interactions with glutamate receptors, and their main compounds (atractylon, α-curcumene, α-farnesene, and selina-4(14),7(11)-dien-8-one) are predicted to underlie the fast-acting effect.

Comparative Study on Chemical Constituents of Ginseng Flowers with Four Consecutive Cultivation Age

The harvest period of cultivated ginseng is generally 4-6 years. Ginseng flowers (GFs), the nonmedicinal parts, are usually removed every autumn, in which components are generally believed to stay unchanged with the increasing cultivation age. Recently, few documents were reported on the variation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other components about ginseng flowers. This study had an insight into the variation of the chemical constituents with the cultivation ages through the comparison of the volatile organic compounds, gross ginsenosides, crude polysaccharide, and gross proteins of ginseng flowers from 3-, 4-, 5-, and 6-yr-old (GF3, GF4, GF5, and GF6) which were conducted by headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-QQQ/MS) and spectroscopic analysis combined with multivariate statistical analysis, including one-way ANOVA analysis and T test. The results indicated that the crude polysaccharide contents raised significantly depending on cultivation age except 6-yr-old, whereas the gross ginsenosides and the gross protein content were indistinctive. According to the peak intensity of determined VOCs, the contents of most differential compounds arranged in an order from high to low are GF3, GF4, GF5, and GF6, such as the compounds 2-15, 17-19, 22, and 25-26, therefore, they can be inferred that they are important markers to identify the age of GFs. 461 common differential compounds were gained and 26 common volatile organic compounds were identified with RSI >800 and RI and RIx no more than 30, including alcohols (such as 11, 12, and 15), sesquiterpenes (such as 2, 3, and 4), esters (such as 1 and 26), naphthalene and naphthol (such as 7 and 20), which had potential effects on curing Alzheimer's disease, inflammatory diseases, and prostate cancer based on network pharmacology analysis. This paper firstly revealed the variation rules of constitutions of GFs, which may provide a reference for the harvest and making rational application.

The Difference of Volatile Compounds in Female and Male Buds of Herpetospermum pedunculosum Based on HS-SPME-GC-MS and Multivariate Statistical Analysis

Herpetospermum pedunculosum (Ser.) C. B. Clarke (Family Cucurbitaceae) is a dioecious plant and has been used as a traditional Tibetan medicine for the treatment of hepatobiliary diseases. The component, content, and difference in volatile compounds in the female and male buds of H. pedunculosum were explored by using headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) technology and multivariate statistical analysis. The results showed that isoamyl alcohol was the main compound in both female and male buds and its content in males was higher than that in females; 18 compounds were identified in female buds including 6 unique compounds such as (E)-4-hexenol and isoamyl acetate, and 32 compounds were identified in male buds, including 20 unique compounds such as (Z)-3-methylbutyraldehyde oxime and benzyl alcohol. (Z)-3-methylbutyraldehyde oxime and (E)-3-methylbutyraldehyde oxime were found in male buds, which only occurred in night-flowering plants. In total, 9 differential volatile compounds between female and male buds were screened out, including isoamyl alcohol, (Z)-3-methylbutanal oxime, and 1-nitropentane based on multivariate statistical analysis such as principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discrimination analysis (OPLS-DA). This is the first time to report the volatile components of H. pedunculosum, which not only find characteristic difference between female and male buds, but also point out the correlation between volatile compounds, floral odor, and plant physiology. This study enriches the basic theory of dioecious plants and has guiding significance for the production and development of H. pedunculosum germplasm resources.

Profiles of Essential Oils and Correlations with Phenolic Acids and Primary Metabolites in Flower Buds of Magnolia heptapeta and Magnolia denudata var. purpurascens

Magnolia flower buds are a source of herbal medicines with various active compounds. In this study, differences in the distribution and abundance of major essential oils, phenolic acids, and primary metabolites between white flower buds of Magnolia heptapeta and violet flower buds of Magnolia denudata var. purpurascens were characterised. A multivariate analysis revealed clear separation between the white and violet flower buds with respect to primary and secondary metabolites closely related to metabolic systems. White flower buds contained large amounts of monoterpene hydrocarbons (MH), phenolic acids, aromatic amino acids, and monosaccharides, related to the production of isoprenes, as MH precursors, and the activity of MH synthase. However, concentrations of β-myrcene, a major MH compound, were higher in violet flower buds than in white flower buds, possibly due to higher threonine levels and low acidic conditions induced by comparatively low levels of some organic acids. Moreover, levels of stress-related metabolites, such as oxygenated monoterpenes, proline, and glutamic acid, were higher in violet flower buds than in white flower buds. Our results support the feasibility of metabolic profiling for the identification of phytochemical differences and improve our understanding of the correlated biological pathways for primary and secondary metabolites.

Diversity of Essential Oil-Secretory Cells and Oil Composition in Flowers and Buds of Magnolia sirindhorniae and Its Biological Activities

Magnolia sirindhorniae Noot. & Chalermglin produces fragrant flowers. The volatile oil secretary cells, quantity and quality as well as antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the oils extracted from buds and flowers, have been investigated. The distribution of essential oil secretory cell in bud and flower revealed that the density and size of the oil cells were significantly higher in flowers compared to buds. In different floral parts, carpel has a higher oil cell density followed by gynophore and tepal. The histochemical analysis revealed the essential oil is synthesized in oil secretory cells. The volatile oil yield was 0.25 % in the buds and 0.50 % in flowers. GC/FID and GC/MS analysis identified 33 compounds contributing 83.2-83.5 % of the total essential oil composition. Linalool is the main constituent contributing 58.9 % and 51.0 % in the buds and flowers oils, respectively. The essential oil extracted from the flowers showed higher antimicrobial efficacy against Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus. Similarly, the essential oil isolated from the flowers depicts higher free radical scavenging, and antioxidant activity compared to buds' oil.

The effect of developmental and environmental factors on secondary metabolites in medicinal plants

Secondary metabolites (SMs) of medicinal plants are the material basis of their clinically curative effects. They are also important indicators for evaluating the quality of medicinal materials. However, the synthesis and accumulation of SMs are very complex, which are affected by many factors including internal developmental genetic circuits (regulated gene, enzyme) and by external environment factors (light, temperature, water, salinity, etc.). Currently, lots of literatures focused on the effect of environmental factors on the synthesis and accumulation of SMs of medicinal plants, the effect of the developmental growth and genetic factors on the synthesis and accumulation of SMs still lack systematic classification and summary. Here, we have given the review base on our previous works on the morphological development of medicinal plants and their secondary metabolites, and systematically outlined the literature reports how different environmental factors affected the synthesis and accumulation of SMs. The results of our reviews can know how developmental and environmental factors qualitatively and quantitatively influence SMs of medicinal plants and how these can be integrated as tools to quality control, as well as on the improvement of clinical curative effects by altering their genomes, and/or growth conditions.

Alkaloids and lignans with acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity from the flower buds of Magnolia biondii Pamp

Sixteen compounds, including two new alkaloids and three new lignans, were isolated and their AChE inhibitory activities were evaluated.

Two new phenylpropanoids and a new dihydrostilbenoid from the flower buds of Magnolia biondii pamp and their acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activities

Two new phenylpropanoids, named (2'R*,3'R*)-2',3'-dihydroxy-4'-methoxy-caffeoyl butyrate (1), 9-acetoxy syringin (2), and a new dihydrostilbene, named (8'R)-4',5-dihydroxy-4,8'-dimethoxy-2-hydroxyethyl diphenylethane (3), together with five analogues (4-8), were isolated from the flower buds of Magnolia biondii Pamp. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analyses and comparison with literature data. The absolute configurations were deduced by comparison of experimental and calculated gauge-independent atomic orbital (GIAO) 1 D NMR data. Moreover, the isolated compounds (1-8) were evaluated in vitro for their acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activities.

Study on the Material Basis of Houpo Wenzhong Decoction by HPLC Fingerprint, UHPLC-ESI-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS, and Network Pharmacology

Houpo Wenzhong Decoction (HWD) as a classical prescription has been widely used for hundreds of years. However, the quality of HWDs is difficult to control because of its herb materials from different regions. It is a new idea to use HPLC fingerprints, LTQ-ESI-Orbitrap-MS, and network pharmacology in combination to screen common components (CCs) as potential quality control indicators. In this paper, the fingerprints of HWDs were established, which were used to determine HWDs compounded from different sources of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs). Through the similarity analysis, 45 CCs were selected. UHPLC-LTQ-ESI-Orbitrap-MS was used to carry out the chemical composition analysis of HWD. Seventy-three chemical constituents were distinguished, and 30 CCs were identified. Through network pharmacology, networks of candidate CCs, diseases, and candidate targets were constructed. Finally, four CCs were screened as potential active ingredient markers of HWD, and a method for content determination of these four components was established. A rapid, reasonable, and effective method for quality evaluation and control of HWDs was established. It provides a reference for the further development and research of HWDs and a new way of thinking for the research of other Chinese medicine prescriptions.