Mechanisms and structure-activity relationships of natural polysaccharides as potential anti-osteoporosis agents: A review.

In recent years, polysaccharides derived from natural sources have garnered significant attention due to their safety and potential anti-osteoporotic effects. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the sources, distribution, structures, and mechanisms of anti-osteoporosis polysaccharides, as well as an investigation into their structure-activity relationships. Over thirty distinct, homogenous polysaccharides with anti-osteoporosis properties have been extracted from natural sources, primarily categorized as glucans, fructans, galactomannans, glucomannans, and various other heteropolysaccharides.

Integrating lipidomics, 16S rRNA sequencing, and network pharmacology to explore the mechanism of Qikui granule in treating diabetic kidney disease mice.

Qikui granule (QKG), a hospital preparation of traditional Chinese medicine, has been widely used for diabetic kidney disease (DKD) in clinical practice. However, its holistic therapeutic effects and the underlying therapeutic mechanisms remain unclear. In the present study, the integrated analysis of network pharmacology, 16S rRNA sequencing, and non-targeted lipidomics was performed to explore the anti-DKD effects of QKG and the underlying mechanisms in db/db mouse DKD model.

Integrating sodium cholate-modified MOF hybrid lipase and solubilization of hydrophobic candidates into a step for liganding fishing lipase inhibitors from Nelumbinis Folium.

Enzyme immobilization by metal organic frameworks (MOFs) is an efficient way for screening active constituents in natural products. However, the enzyme's biocatalysis activity is usually decreased due to unfavorable conformational changes during the immobilization process. In this study, sodium cholate was firstly used as the modifier for zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) immobilized lipase to increase both the stability and activity.

Targeting Neuraminidase 4 Attenuates Kidney Fibrosis in Mice.

Despite significant progress in therapy, there remains a lack of substantial evidence regarding the molecular factors that lead to renal fibrosis. Neuraminidase 4 (NEU4), an enzyme that removes sialic acids from glycoconjugates, has an unclear role in chronic progressive fibrosis. Here, this study finds that NEU4 expression is markedly upregulated in mouse fibrotic kidneys induced by folic acid or unilateral ureter obstruction, and this elevation is observed in patients with renal fibrosis.

Comprehensive evaluation and screening of phytochemical compounds and their hypolipidemic activities of lotus leaf based on HPLC-Q-TOF-MS and spectral-effect analysis.

This study aimed to identify and quantify the primary components in lotus leaf and to explore the hypolipidemic components through spectral-effect relationships and chemometric methods. Utilizing a data-dependent acquisition-diagnostic fragment ion/characteristic neutral loss screening strategy (DFI-NLS), a reliable HPLC-Q-TOF-MS analysis was conducted, identifying 77 compounds, including 36 flavonoids, 21 alkaloids, 3 terpenoids, 11 organic acids, 4 phenols, 1 lignin and 1 unsaturated hydrocarbon. A straightforward HPLC-DAD method was developed for the simultaneous determination of seven major components in lotus leaf, and quercetin-3-O-glucuronide (Q3GA) was identified as the most abundant component.

Baitouweng decoction alleviates ulcerative colitis by regulating tryptophan metabolism through DOPA decarboxylase promotion.

Background: Baitouweng decoction (BTW) is a classic botanical drugs formula that has been widely used clinically for the treatment of gut-related disorders in China. However, its role in ameliorating ulcerative colitis (UC) remains to be explored.

Purpose: The study aimed to determine the therapeutic efficacy and potential mechanism of action of BTW on dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis mice.

An integrated multi-omics approach reveals polymethoxylated flavonoid biosynthesis in Citrus reticulata cv. Chachiensis.

Citrus reticulata cv. Chachiensis (CRC) is an important medicinal plant, its dried mature peels named "Guangchenpi", has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine to treat cough, indigestion, and lung diseases for several hundred years. However, the biosynthesis of the crucial natural products polymethoxylated flavonoids (PMFs) in CRC remains unclear.

Compound chenpi tea consumption reduces obesity-related metabolic disorders by modulating gut microbiota and serum metabolites in mice.

Background: Compound chenpi tea (CCT) is a popular herbal beverage made from citri reticulatae pericarpium, Ganoderma lucidum, and pu-erh tea. This study aimed to investigate the anti-obesity effect of CCT in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) and to explore the potential mediators by 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing and serum metabolomic analysis.

Results: The results showed that CCT supplementation can effectively reduce diet-induced obesity, hepatic steatosis, dyslipidemia, and insulin resistance.

Authentication of Platycladus Orientalis Leaves and Its Five Adulterants by Combination of Morphology and Microscopic Characteristics, TLC, and HPLC Analysis.

Background: Platycladus orientalis leaves (POL), as the source of the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) Platycladi Cacumen, has frequently been found to be misused with five adulterants including Chamaecyparis obtusa leaves (COL), Cupressus funebris leaves (CFL), Juniperus virginiana leaves (JVL), Sabina chinensis leaves (SCL), and Juniperus formosana leaves (JFL).

Objective: The purpose of this study was to distinguish POL (fresh leaves) from its five adulterants (fresh leaves).

Methods: The micromorphological features in terms of transection and microscopic characteristics of POL and adulterants were captured and compared using the an microscope.

Nobiletin Ameliorates Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease by Regulating Gut Microbiota and Myristoleic Acid Metabolism.

Disturbance of the gut microbiota plays a critical role in the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Increasing evidence supports that natural products may serve as prebiotics to regulate the gut microbiota in the treatment of NAFLD. In the present study, the effect of nobiletin, a naturally occurring polymethoxyflavone, on NAFLD was evaluated, and metabolomics, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and transcriptomics analysis were performed to determine the underlying mechanism of nobiletin, and the key bacteria and metabolites screened were confirmed by in vivo experiment.

Construction of coaxial liquid centrifugal platform for the extraction of active ingredients from natural products.

In the classical natural product extraction and separation process, it is tedious and requires large amounts of reagents and time. In this study, an efficient coaxial liquid centrifugal oil-water-oil triple-liquid-phase system with a simple structure and convenient operation was successfully constructed and used to extract flavonoids from Platycladi Cacumen. The results showed that the coaxial liquid centrifugal platform constructed in this study had good stability and 6 ml was the minimum volume of the middle phase for 1000 rpm to stabilize the system.

Evolving interplay between natural products and gut microbiota.

Growing evidence suggests gut microbiota status affects human health, and microbiota imbalance will induce multiple disorders. Natural products are gaining increasing attention for their therapeutical effects and less side effects. The emerging studies support that the activities of many natural products are dependent on gut microbiota, meanwhile gut microbiota is modulated by natural products.

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of novel 9-N-substituted-13-alkylberberine derivatives from Chinese medicine as anti-hepatocellular carcinoma agents.

A series of novel 9-N-substituted-13-alkylberberine derivatives from Chinese medicine were designed and synthesized with improved anti-hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) activities. The optimal compound 4d showed strong activities against HepG2, Sk-Hep-1, Huh-7 and Hep3B cells with IC values of 0.58-1.

Discovery of potential hypoglycemic metabolites in Cassiae Semen by coupling UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS combined plant metabolomics and spectrum-effect relationship analyses.

Cassiae Semen (CS) is consumed as fried tea or medicinal food in Asian areas. Its two commercial forms, namely raw and fried CS, exert different clinical applications, in which fried CS is commonly applied as a functional tea for losing weight. To prevent confusion in the use of the two forms of CS, a comprehensive strategy by combining plant metabolomics and spectrum-effect relationship analyses was developed for the fast and efficient discrimination of raw and fried CS, and further for the discovery of the potential hypoglycemic metabolites of CS to control its quality.

New 4',5'-methylenedioxyflavone derivatives from the whole plant of .

Two new natural products named 5,7-dihydroxy-3,3',6,8-tetramethoxy-4',5'-methylenedioxyflavone () and 3,3',5,7-tetramethoxy-4',5'-methylenedioxyflavone (), along with thirteen known compounds, β-sitosterol (), desmethoxyyangonin (), hexadecane (), 3,9-bis(2,4-di-tert-butylphenoxy)-2,4,8,10-tetraoxa-3,9-diphosphaspiro [5.5] undecane 3,9-dioxide (), 2'6'-dihydroxy-4'-methoxydihydrochalcone (), cardamonin (), 3,3',5,6,7,8-hexamethoxy-4',5'-methylenedioxyflavone (), isofraxidin (), aniba dimer A (), 3,3',4',5,5',8-hexamethoxy-6,7-methylenedioxyflavone (), quercetin (), quercitrin () and isoquercitrin () were isolated from (Thunb.) Nakai by various chromatographic methods.

The Role of Fecal Microbiota in Liver Toxicity Induced by Perfluorooctane Sulfonate in Male and Female Mice.

Background: Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is a persistent organic pollutant that can cause hepatotoxicity. The underlying toxicological mechanism remains to be investigated. Given the critical role of fecal microbiota in liver function, it is possible that fecal microbiota may contribute to the liver toxicity induced by PFOS.

The antihyperlipidemic equivalent combinatorial components from peel of Citrus reticulata 'Chachi'.

Since the combinatorial components responsible for the antihyperlipidemic activity of Citrus reticulata 'Chachi' (CRC) peels remains unclear, we herein developed a bioactive equivalence oriented feedback screening method to discover the bioactive equivalent combinatorial components (BECCs) from CRC peels. Using palmitic acid (PA)-stimulated hepatocyte model, a combination of 5 polymethoxyflavones (PMFs) including tangeretin, sinensetin, nobiletin, 5,7,8,4'-tetramethoxyflavone and 3,5,6,7,8,3',4'-heptamethoxyflavone was identified to be responsible for the antihyperlipidemic effect of CRC peels. Via evaluation of combination effect by combination index (CI), these 5 PMFs were found to take effect via a synergistic mode.

Screening of hypoglycemic components in Platycladi Cacumen by phytochemical investigation, spectrum-effect relationship, and chemometric methods.

In this work, the hypoglycemic components in Platycladi Cacumen, an essential traditional Chinese medicine, were evaluated by combining phytochemical investigation, spectrum-effect relationship analysis, and chemometric methods. The phytochemical studies on Platycladi Cacumen extract lead to the isolation of 21 potential bioactive compounds. The chromatographic fingerprints of Platycladi Cacumen samples were established by high-performance liquid chromatography.

Baicalin attenuate diet-induced metabolic syndrome by improving abnormal metabolism and gut microbiota.

In this work, we examined whether baicalin (BC), a bioactive flavonoid in Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, can reduce high-fat diet (HFD)-induced metabolic syndrome (MetS) in mice. The UPLC-QTOF/MS was used for metabolome profiles analysis, and an analysis of bacterial 16S rDNA in feces was used to examine the effects of BC on gut microbiota composition. Our results showed that BC (400 mg/kg) could reduce the body weight gain, decrease hepatic fat accumulation and abnormal blood lipids, and increase insulin sensitivity after 8 weeks of treatment.

Spectrum-Effect Relationships Between High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Fingerprints and Hepatoprotective Activities of Cuscutae Semen.

Background: Cuscutae Semen (CS) is a commonly used hepatoprotective traditional Chinese medicine, but the chemical components responsible for its hepatoprotective activity are unclear.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the spectrum-effect relationships between HPLC fingerprints and hepatoprotective effects of CS, and to identify its bioactive components.

Methods: Phytochemical isolation of CS extracts was first carried out and 14 potential bioactive compounds were obtained.

Identification of antidiabetic components in Uncariae Rammulus Cum Uncis based on phytochemical isolation and spectrum-effect relationship analysis.

Objectives: Uncariae Rammulus Cum Uncis (URCU) is a commonly used herbal medicine to treat diabetes. This work is aimed to discover and identify the antidiabetic components from URCU extract.

Methods: Column chromatography and recrystallisation were used to separate individual compounds from URCU extract, and the obtained individual compounds were used for determination of α-glucosidase inhibitory activity.

A simple and sensitive preconcentration strategy by coupling salting-out assisted liquid-liquid extraction with online three-step stacking for the determination of potent anti-tumour compound vinblastine and its precursor in biological samples by capillary electrophoresis.

A sensitive capillary electrophoresis strategy was developed by combining salting-out assisted liquid-liquid extraction and online three-step stacking to detect trace quantities of antitumour indole alkaloids in complex biological samples. The proposed strategy fully exploits these two technologies such that extraction, online stacking and separation are combined in a fast and efficient manner. First, salting-out assisted liquid-liquid extraction was used to extract three indole alkaloids (vinblastine sulfate, catharanthine sulfate and vindoline) from complex biomasses.