Compound Herbal Medicine Research Articles

The Efficacy of a Traditional Herbal Medicine Compound for Functional Dyspepsia: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Background: Herbal medicines have recently been incorporated into the treatment algorithm for functional dyspepsia (FD). Persian-FACT, a traditional herbal medicine compound, has been used for centuries in Persian medicine to alleviate dyspeptic symptoms. This compound includes anise, fennel, ajwain, and cumin seeds. Objectives: To investigate the efficacy of Persian-FACT as a therapeutic agent for FD. Methods: We conducted an add-on, single-center, double-arm, parallel-group, double-blind, randomized controlled clinical trial at the Imam-Reza Clinic, affiliated with Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in Shiraz, Iran, in 2022. Adults aged 18 to 65 years with a confirmed diagnosis of FD, as referred by a gastroenterologist, were included in the study. After block randomization, participants received sachets containing either Persian-FACT or a placebo (oat) to be taken twice daily for two weeks. The severity of dyspepsia, postprandial distress syndrome (PDS), and epigastric pain syndrome (EPS) (PPI) was assessed using the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale and the Rome IV questionnaire every week. Results: Thirty-two patients in the Persian-FACT group and twenty-three in the placebo group completed all visits. According to the results of the GEE analysis, the severity of dyspepsia symptoms in the Persian-FACT group was significantly lower than in the placebo group after the intervention (P-value = 0.019). Patients with EPS showed significant improvement from the first week, and those with PDS showed significant improvement after two weeks in the Persian-FACT group compared to the placebo group (P-value = 0.001 vs. P-value = 0.028). Additionally, constipation, gastroesophageal reflux, postprandial fullness, and bloating were significantly reduced with Persian-FACT. Conclusions: Persian-FACT appears to be effective in improving dyspepsia symptoms.

Phylogenetic and spatial patterns of herbal medicine compounds: Which medicinal plants are phytochemically characterized?

ObjectiveThe study of phytometabolites of medicinal plants and their phylogenetic distribution is an important content of pharmacophylogeny. The objectives of this study were to provide an updated estimate of the extent to which the medicinal plants were investigated phytochemically and relate this to the species-level phylogeny and their geographical pattern. MethodsHere, we further characterized 1648 phytometabolites, including terpenoids, steroids, flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, phenolics, alkaloids, etc., reported in journals Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs (Zhong Cao Yao) and Chinese Herbal Medicines (CHMs) from the phylogenetic and spatial perspectives. According to the structural characteristics, terpenoids, flavonoids, alkaloids and phenylpropanoids were subdivided into subclasses, and the research effort of phytometabolites was for the first time delineated at both subclass and phylogenetic levels. ResultsThe phytometabolites of 90 families were reported on two journals in three years. It is noted that terpenoids with diverse bioactivities still constitute the primary object of phytochemical research, followed by flavonoids, phenolics, phenylpropanoids and alkaloids. Among the reported species, the family Asteraceae had the most, followed by Lamiaceae, Fabaceae, and Ranunculaceae. In the phylogenetic distribution of the reported phytometabolites, the NRI (net relatedness index) results revealed a clustered structure for triterpene, iridoid, flavone, flavonol, coumarin, indole alkaloid and terpenoid alkaloid, while the NTI (nearest taxon index) metric identified the clustered structure for triterpene, sesquiterpene, indole alkaloid and terpenoid alkaloid. Especially in Ranunculaceae, there were more reports on triterpene and terpenoid alkaloid subclasses. The overdispersion pattern of diterpene and phenolic was suggested by NRI and NTI respectively, albeit more reported diterpenes and phenolics were in Lamiaceae. The geographical distribution hotspots of reported species and compounds thereof highlighted the enormous progress of herbal medicine research and industry, which play a positive role in the future drug discovery and development. ConclusionThese results provide new dimensions and perspectives in the context of pharmacophylogeny for perceiving and evaluating research trends and flashpoints in medicinal phytochemistry.

Determination of α-Dicarbonyl compounds in traditional Chinese herbal medicines

α-DCs (α-dicarbonyls) have been proven to be closely related to aging and the onset and development of many chronic diseases. The wide presence of this kind of components in various foods and beverages has been unambiguously determined, but their occurrence in various phytomedicines remains in obscurity. In this study, we established and evaluated an HPLC-UV method and used it to measure the contents of four α-DCs including 3-deoxyglucosone (3-DG), glyoxal (GO), methylglyoxal (MGO), and diacetyl (DA) in 35 Chinese herbs after they have been derivatized with 4-nitro-1,2-phenylenediamine. The results uncover that 3-DG is the major component among the α-DCs, being detectable in all the selected herbs in concentrations ranging from 22.80 μg/g in the seeds of Alpinia katsumadai to 7032.75 μg/g in the fruit of Siraitia grosuenorii. The contents of the other three compounds are much lower than those of 3-DG, with GO being up to 22.65 μg/g, MGO being up to 55.50 μg/g, and DA to 18.75 μg/g, respectively. The data show as well the contents of the total four α-DCs in the herbs are generally in a comparable level to those in various foods, implying that herb medicines may have potential risks on human heath in view of the α-DCs.

Development of a virus-based affinity ultrafiltration method for screening virus-surface-protein-targeted compounds from complex matrixes: Herbal medicines as a case study.

Herbal medicines (HMs) are one of the main sources for the development of lead antiviral compounds. However, due to the complex composition of HMs, the screening of active compounds within these is inefficient and requires a significant time investment. We report a novel and efficient virus-based screening method for antiviral active compounds in HMs. This method involves the centrifugal ultrafiltration of viruses, known as the virus-based affinity ultrafiltration method (VAUM). This method is suitable to identify virus specific active compounds from complex matrices such as HMs. The effectiveness of the VAUM was evaluated using influenza A virus (IAV) H1N1. Using this method, four compounds that bind to the surface protein of H1N1 were identified from dried fruits of Terminalia chebula (TC). Through competitive inhibition assays, the influenza surface protein, neuraminidase (NA), was identified as the target protein of these four TC-derived compounds. Three compounds were identified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS), and their anti-H1N1 activities were verified by examining the cytopathic effect (CPE) and by performing a virus yield reduction assay. Further mechanistic studies demonstrated that these three compounds directly bind to NA and inhibit its activity. In summary, we describe here a VAUM that we designed, one that can be used to accurately screen antiviral active compounds in HMs and also help improve the efficiency of screening antiviral drugs found in natural products.

SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF MOLECULAR IMPRINTED POLYMERS FOR PHENYLBUTAZONE EXTRACTION

Phenylbutazone is a pharmaceutical substance often added to rheumatic herbs. However, because of the complexity of the matrix caused by the presence of compounds in herbal medicines, the determination of phenylbutazone requires a time-consuming sample preparation process prior to analysis. This study was conducted to develop a specific sorbent that can be used to prepare phenylbutazone in herbal medicine. The performance of phenylbutazone Molecularly Imprinted Polymer (MIP) was evaluated using three distinct porogens (ethanol, methanol, and methanol-chloroform (1:1)) and two polymerization procedures (bulk and precipitation). According to the results of the polymer optimization, the polymer generated by precipitation in methanol-chloroform (1:1) has good sorbent characteristics. FTIR physical characterization revealed complete polymerization. The bulk procedure produces a more physically stable sorbent than the precipitation method does. Keywords: MIP Performance Evaluation, Phenylbutazone Molecular Imprinted Polymer, Polymer Imprinting Factor

Therapeutic Potential of Natural Compounds from Herbs and Nutraceuticals in Alleviating Neurological Disorders: Targeting the Wnt Signaling Pathway.

As an important signaling pathway in multicellular eukaryotes, the Wnt signaling pathway participates in a variety of physiological processes. Recent studies have confirmed that the Wnt signaling pathway plays an important role in neurological disorders such as stroke, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease. The regulation of Wnt signaling by natural compounds in herbal medicines and nutraceuticals has emerged as a potential strategy for the development of new drugs for neurological disorders. Purpose: The aim of this review is to evaluate the latest research results on the efficacy of natural compounds derived from herbs and nutraceuticals in the prevention and treatment of neurological disorders by regulating the Wnt pathway in vivo and in vitro. A manual and electronic search was performed for English articles available from PubMed, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect from the January 2010 to February 2023. Keywords used for the search engines were "natural products,″ "plant derived products,″ "Wnt+ clinical trials,″ and "Wnt+,″ and/or paired with "natural products″/″plant derived products", and "neurological disorders." A total of 22 articles were enrolled in this review, and a variety of natural compounds from herbal medicine and nutritional foods have been shown to exert therapeutic effects on neurological disorders through the Wnt pathway, including curcumin, resveratrol, and querctrin, etc. These natural products possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and angiogenic properties, confer neurovascular unit and blood-brain barrier integrity protection, and affect neural stem cell differentiation, synaptic formation, and neurogenesis, to play a therapeutic role in neurological disorders. In various in vivo and in vitro studies and clinical trials, these natural compounds have been shown to be safe and tolerable with few adverse effects. Natural compounds may serve a therapeutic role in neurological disorders by regulating the Wnt pathway. This summary of the research progress of natural compounds targeting the Wnt pathway may provide new insights for the treatment of neurological disorders and potential targets for the development of new drugs.

Research Progress on the Synergistic Anti-Tumor Effect of Natural Anti-Tumor Components of Chinese Herbal Medicine Combined with Chemotherapy Drugs.

The application of chemotherapy drugs in tumor treatment has a long history, but the lack of selectivity of drugs often leads to serious side effects during chemotherapy. The natural anti-tumor ingredients derived from Chinese herbal medicine are attracting increased attention due to their diverse anti-tumor effects, abundant resources, and minimal side effects. An effective anti-tumor strategy may lie in the combination of these naturally derived anti-tumor ingredients with conventional chemotherapy drugs. This approach could potentially inhibit tumor growth and the development of drug resistance in tumor cells while reducing the adverse effects of chemotherapy drugs. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the combined therapy strategies integrating natural anti-tumor components from Chinese herbal medicine with chemotherapy drugs in current research. We primarily summarize various compounds in Chinese herbal medicine exhibiting natural anti-tumor activities and the relevant mechanisms in synergistic anti-tumor combination therapy. The focus of this paper is on underlining that this integrative approach, combining natural anti-tumor components of Chinese herbal medicine with chemotherapy drugs, presents a novel cancer treatment methodology, thereby providing new insights for future oncological research.

Comparative Analysis of Quality Requirements for Medicines Based on Horse-Chestnut Seeds

Scientific relevance. When harmonising conditions for qualitative and quantitative analysis of bioactive compounds in herbal medicines, the Institute of Pharmacopoeia and Medicinal Product Standardisation has discovered that horse-chestnut products lack national quality standards.Aim. This study aimed to review international quality standards in order to identify the most promising testing methods for the main groups of bioactive compounds in horse-chestnut seeds and draw upon these methods when drafting national pharmacopoeial monographs for horse-chestnut seed products.Discussion. The authors compared the requirements established by leading world pharmacopoeias for the identification and assay of herbal drugs and herbal drug preparations derived from horse-chestnut seeds.Conclusions. The study results show that, predominantly, identification tests are based on thin-layer chromatography, assays rely on spectrophotometry, and aescin is used as a pharmacopoeial reference standard. The authors drafted a pharmacopoeial monograph for the medicinal product Horse-Chestnut Seed Dry Extract + Thiamine Hydrochloride, Oral Solution, which requires using thin-layer chromatography and spectrophotometry for qualitative and quantitative testing.

Effects of Chinese herbal medicines on growth performance, intestinal flora, immunity and serum metabolites of hybrid grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus♀×Epinephelus lanceolatu♂).

The immunomodulatory roles of Chinese herbal Medicine (CHM) in aquatic animals have been well-recorded. However, how CHM impacts the intestinal microbiota and serum metabolism is not fully understood. In this study, the effects of different additive levels of CHM on the growth performance, immunity, intestinal flora and serum metabolism of hybrid grouper (♀Epinephelus fuscoguttatus×♂Epinephelus lanceolatu) were investigated. The addition of 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5% and 2.0% Chinese herbal medicine compound to feed could significantly improve the weight gain rate (WGR), specific growth rate (SGR) and survival rate (SR) of grouper, reduced feed coefficient, while had no significant difference on morphometric parameter. The most significant improvement for the parameters above was observed in 1.5% group. Different addition levels of CHM could also significantly enhance the activities of ACP, AKP, SOD, CAT and LZM in serum. Accordingly, the supplementation of CHM significantly induced up-regulation of immune genes such as IL-8, IL-1β, TNF-α, Nrf2, Lzm in the liver, spleen and head kidney of grouper, improved the resistance of grouper to V. harveyi as well. The intestinal flora analysis showed that at the phylum level, the main dominant species of intestinal microorganisms were Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, Actinobacteriota, Gemmatimonadota, Desulfobacterota, Fusobacteriota and Myxococcota. At the genus level, the high abundance was Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Bacteroides, Escherichia, Romboutsia, Sphingomonas and Muribaculaceae. The abundance of probiotics (such as Lachnospiraceae, Lactobacillaceae, Streptococcaceae, etc) in CHM-supplement groups were higher (highest in 1.5% group) compared with control group. Moreover, a total of 11 common differential metabolic pathways were screened by LC-MS metabolism analysis of serum, they were Neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, Purine metabolism, Linoleic acid, Glycerophospholipid metabolism, Taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, Arginine and proline metabolism, ABC transporters, Aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, Arachidonic acid metabolism, Drug metabolism-cytochrome P450, alpha-Linolenic acid metabolism. Also, three common differential metabolites (PI(20:4(5Z,8Z,11Z,14Z)/18:1(11Z)), PC(20:3(8Z,11Z,14Z)/22:1(13Z)), PC(22:0/20:4(5Z,8Z,11Z,14Z)) associated with intestinal health, growth and disease resistance was found. These data will contributes to a comprehensive understand for the regulatory roles of CHM on fish, which is also beneficial for the disease control and sustainable development of aquaculture.

Asian herbal medicine for atopic dermatitis: a systematic review.

Asian herbal medicines have been known for decades, and some have been used to treat atopic dermatitis (AD). This chronic and persistent inflammatory skin condition causes severe morbidity and negatively impacts the quality of life. In numerous trials, traditional Chinese medicines have demonstrated clinical efficacy for AD. However, there is no well-documented summary of the wide variety of Asian herbal medicines used in treating AD. We aimed to systematically summarize the use of Asian herbal medicine in AD. An English-language literature search was performed in three electronic medical databases: PubMed, Cochrane Library, and EBSCOhost using keywords [("atopic dermatitis" OR "atopic eczema") AND ("traditional" OR "herbal")] and limited to references published between January 2015 and December 2022. The literature included newborns, infants, children, adolescents, and adults. The review was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension to determine the main criteria. The content and inclusiveness of the search were filtered using relevant terms (MeSH/Emtree), keywords, titles, and abstracts. Thirteen articles (12 randomized clinical trial + 1 clinical trial) reported a variety of herbal medicine compounds to treat AD with various efficacy. Most studies reported significant improvement when comparing the herbal medicine with a placebo, but only 1 study reported substantial improvement of SCORAD compared to corticosteroids. Asian herbal medicines have been studied and may be used as an alternative treatment in treating AD with fewer adverse effects. However, its role did not change the position of standard treatment in treating atopic dermatitis.

Nano Uncaria gambir as Chemopreventive Agent Against Breast Cancer.

Breast cancer is one of the main causes of death in women. Uncaria gambir is an Indonesian herbal plant that can be used as an anti-cancer. However, herbal medicines have low bioavailability, which affects their bioactivity. Nanoencapsulation can increase bioavailability and stability of bioactive compounds in herbal medicines. This recent finding tried to unravel anti-cancer and chemopreventive of U. gambir nano-encapsulated by Na-alginate. U. gambir bioactive compounds were isolated and characterized using UV-Vis spectrometer, FTIR, NMR and HR-MS. U. gambir extract was nanoencapsulated using Na-alginate. Anti-cancer effect was assessed by MTT assay towards T47D cell. Meanwhile, a chemopreventive analysis was carried out in breast cancer mice-induced benzo[α]pyrene. The healthy mice were divided into 8 groups comprising control and treatment. Elucidation of U. gambir ethyl acetate extract confirmed high catechin content, 89.34% (w/w). Successful nanoencapsulation of U. gambir (G-NPs) was indicated. The particle size of G-NPs was 78.40 ± 12.25 nm. Loading efficiency (LE) and loading amount (LA) of G-NPs were 97.56 ± 0.04% and 32.52 ± 0.01%, respectively. G-NPs had an EC50 value of 10.39 ± 3.50 µg/mL, which was more toxic than the EC50 value of extract towards the T47D cell line. Administration of 200 mg/kg BW G-NPs to mice induced by benzo[α]pyrene exhibited SOD and GSH levels of 13.69 ng/mL and 455.6 ng/mL. In addition, the lowest TNF-α level was 27.96 ng/mL. A dose of 100 mg/kg BW G-NPs could best increase CAT levels by 7.18 ng/mL. There was no damage or histological abnormalities found in histological analysis of the breast tissue in the group given 200 mg/kg BW G-NPs.

The Therapeutic Potential of a Strategy to Prevent Acute Myeloid Leukemia Stem Cell Reprogramming in Older Patients.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the most common and incurable leukemia subtype. Despite extensive research into the disease's intricate molecular mechanisms, effective treatments or expanded diagnostic or prognostic markers for AML have not yet been identified. The morphological, immunophenotypic, cytogenetic, biomolecular, and clinical characteristics of AML patients are extensive and complex. Leukemia stem cells (LSCs) consist of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and cancer cells transformed by a complex, finely-tuned interaction that causes the complexity of AML. Microenvironmental regulation of LSCs dormancy and the diagnostic and therapeutic implications for identifying and targeting LSCs due to their significance in the pathogenesis of AML are discussed in this review. It is essential to perceive the relationship between the niche for LSCs and HSCs, which together cause the progression of AML. Notably, methylation is a well-known epigenetic change that is significant in AML, and our data also reveal that microRNAs are a unique factor for LSCs. Multiple-targeted approaches to reduce the risk of epigenetic factors, such as the administration of natural compounds for the elimination of local LSCs, may prevent potentially fatal relapses. Furthermore, the survival analysis of overlapping genes revealed that specific targets had significant effects on the survival and prognosis of patients. We predict that the multiple-targeted effects of herbal products on epigenetic modification are governed by different mechanisms in AML and could prevent potentially fatal relapses. Thus, these strategies can facilitate the incorporation of herbal medicine and natural compounds into the advanced drug discovery and development processes achievable with Network Pharmacology research.

Effect of herbal medicine compound promotes beta cell function among type 2 diabetes (T2D) adults: A randomized controlled clinical trial

BackgroundHerbal medicine as complementary ways are needed for patients who refuse to take medicine for life. Early intervention and lifestyle could delay the time of taking drugs. ObjectiveTo assess the efficacy of XiaokeGranules vs Sitagliptin in patients who diagnosed T2D. MethodsThis is a randomized, double-blind trial. T2D patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to Xiaoke Granules and Sitagliptin(50 mg), an anti-diabetic medicine group, for 12 weeks. Before randomization, the consenting participants were subjected to 2 weeks of screening, followed by twelve weeks of intervention. The primary outcome was change from baseline in glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1C) and homeostasis model assessment-estimated insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) calculation at 12 week. ResultsWe recruited 103 patients, 84 patients participated in the clinical trial and finally 79 patients finished., the least square mean change in HbA1c and HOMA-IR from baseline was similar in both groups, in which HbA1c (6.93 ± 0.76, P = 0.007) and 2hPG (10.87 ± 2.20, P = 0.016) for the Control group, and HbA1c (6.76 ± 0.67, P < 0.001) and 2hPG (10.52 ± 2.46, P = 0.019). ConclusionsThis study revealed that the herbal medicine Xiaoke Granules provides effective glycaemic control with similar safety and immunogenicity profile to Sitagliptin among T2D patients treated for 12 weeks. This study strongly suggests further studies and utilization of Xiaoke Granules usage for controlling hyperglycemia among T2D patients. Trial registrationClinicalTrials: ChiCTR1900026782.

Unraveling the Antioxidant Capacity of Spatholobi caulis in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Multiscale Network Approach Integrated with Experimental Validation.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a global health problem that is closely associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome. Spatholobi caulis (SC) is a herbal medicine with potential hepatoprotective effects; however, its active compounds and underlying mechanisms have not been fully explored. In this study, we combined a multiscale network-level approach with experimental validation to investigate SC's antioxidant properties and their impact on NAFLD. Data collection and network construction were performed, and active compounds and key mechanisms were identified through multi-scale network analysis. Validation was conducted using in vitro steatotic hepatocyte models and in vivo high-fat diet-induced NAFLD models. Our findings revealed that SC treatment improved NAFLD by modulating multiple proteins and signaling pathways, including AMPK signaling pathways. Subsequent experiments showed that SC treatment reduced lipid accumulation and oxidative stress. We also validated SC's effects on AMPK and its crosstalk pathways, emphasizing their role in hepatoprotection. We predicted procyanidin B2 to be an active compound of SC and validated it using a lipogenesis in vitro model. Histological and biochemical analyses confirmed that SC ameliorated liver steatosis and inflammation in mice. This study presents SC's potential use in NAFLD treatment and introduces a novel approach for identifying and validating active compounds in herbal medicine.

Validation of HPLC method for quantitative determination of active compounds in Thai traditional herbal medicine to treat gastrointestinal disease

Quality control is essential for determining the quality and consistency of medicinal plant products before their use. Thatbunjob is a Thai herbal formulation included in the National List of Essential Medicines for treating gastrointestinal diseases. This study aimed to develop and validate a high-performance liquid chromatography method for determining active compounds in Thatbunjob. The main compounds, gallic acid, chebulagic acid, rutin, and eugenol, were determined following the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) guidelines. The method was validated in terms of linearity, accuracy, precision, limit of detection (LOD), and limit of quantitation (LOQ), and found to be linear, with a correlation coefficient (R2) ranging from 0.9995 to 0.9998. The LOD and LOQ values calculated from the calibration curve ranged from 7.29 to 20.29 and 22.09 to 61.48 µg/mL, respectively. The method also exhibited acceptable precision, with relative standard deviation values lower than 2%. The accuracy of the method was evaluated based on the recovery percentages, and found to be within an acceptable range (90.12–105.39%). The validated protocol developed in this study was employed to analyze the concentration levels of gallic acid, chebulagic acid, rutin, and eugenol in eight different Thatbunjob products commercially available in Thailand. The performance parameters show that the developed and validated method is appropriate for the quantitative determination of gallic acid, chebulagic acid, rutin, and eugenol in Thatbunjob.

Establishment of a fast discriminant model with electronic nose for Polygonati Rhizoma mildew based on odor variation

The odor fingerprint of Pollygonati Rhizoma samples with different mildewing degrees was analyzed and the relationship between the odor variation and the mildewing degree was explored. A fast discriminant model was established according to the response intensity of electronic nose. The α-FOX3000 electronic nose was applied to analyze the odor fingerprint of Pollygonati Rhizoma samples with different mildewing degrees and the radar map was used to analyze the main contributors among the volatile organic compounds. The feature data were processed and analyzed by partial least squares discriminant analysis(PLS-DA), K-nearest neighbor(KNN), sequential minimal optimization(SMO), random forest(RF) and naive Bayes(NB), respectively. According to the radar map of the electronic nose, the response values of three sensors, namely T70/2, T30/1, and P10/2, increased with the mildewing, indicating that the Pollygonati Rhizoma produced alkanes and aromatic compounds after the mildewing. According to PLS-DA model, Pollygonati Rhizoma samples of three mildewing degrees could be well distinguished in three areas. Afterwards, the variable importance analysis of the sensors was carried out and then five sensors that contributed a lot to the classification were screened out: T70/2, T30/1, PA/2, P10/1 and P40/1. The classification accuracy of all the four models(KNN, SMO, RF, and NB) was above 90%, and KNN was most accurate(accuracy: 97.2%). Different volatile organic compounds were produced after the mildewing of Pollygonati Rhizoma, and they could be detected by electronic nose, which laid a foundation for the establishment of a rapid discrimination model for mildewed Pollygonati Rhizoma. This paper shed lights on further research on change pattern and quick detection of volatile organic compounds in moldy Chinese herbal medicines.

Anticancer effects of herbal medicine compounds and novel formulations: A literature review

Anticancer effects of herbal medicine compounds and novel formulations: A literature review

Collaborative modification strategy to develop a highly selective fluorescent probe for human UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1A10

UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1A10 (UGT1A10) is an important phase II human metabolic enzyme. However, few methods are available to facilely monitor the function of UGT1A10 in biological systems. Here we report the first sensitive and selective fluorescent “off–on” UGT1A10 probe substrate UPr6. Using a collaborative modification strategy, we introduced a rigid propyl morpholine group to the amide and a methoxy group next to 4′-phenoxy of the 4-phenyl-1,8-naphthalimide skeleton to obtain UPr6. Visualization methods were established to evaluate the function of UGT1A10 in living cells, rat tissues, and zebrafish. From a Chinese herbal medicine compound library, two natural products EUC and DAP from licorice were discovered as potent UGT1A10 inhibitors, which remarkably improved the sensitivity of CPT-11 against a resistant human cancer cell line. This work established a feasible strategy to rationally design isoform-specific UGT probe substrates.

Role of traditional Chinese medicine in ameliorating mitochondrial dysfunction via non-coding RNA signaling: Implication in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) are common chronic disorders associated with progressive nervous system damage, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Huntington's disease, among others. Mitochondria are abundant in various nervous system cells and provide a bulk supply of the adenosine triphosphate necessary for brain function, considered the center of the free-radical theory of aging. One common feature of NDs is mitochondrial dysfunction, which is involved in many physiopathological processes, including apoptosis, inflammation, oxidative stress, and calcium homeostasis. Recently, genetic studies revealed extensive links between mitochondrion impairment and dysregulation of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in the pathology of NDs. Traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) have been used for thousands of years in treating NDs. Numerous modern pharmacological studies have demonstrated the therapeutic effects of prescription, herbal medicine, bioactive ingredients, and monomer compounds of TCMs, which are important for managing the symptoms of NDs. Some highly effective TCMs exert protective effects on various key pathological features regulated by mitochondria and play a pivotal role in recovering disrupted signaling pathways. These disrupted signaling pathways are induced by abnormally-expressed ncRNAs associated with mitochondrial dysfunction, including microRNAs, long ncRNAs, and circular RNAs. In this review, we first explored the underlying ncRNA mechanisms linking mitochondrial dysfunction and neurodegeneration, demonstrating the implication of ncRNA-induced mitochondrial dysfunction in the pathogenesis of NDs. The ncRNA-induced mitochondrial dysfunctions affect mitochondrial biogenesis, dynamics, autophagy, Ca2+ homeostasis, oxidative stress, and downstream apoptosis. The review also discussed the targeting of the disease-related mitochondrial proteins in NDs and the protective effects of TCM formulas with definite composition, standardized extracts from individual TCMs, and monomeric compounds isolated from TCM. Additionally, we explored the ncRNA regulation of mitochondrial dysfunction in NDs and the effects and potential mechanisms of representative TCMs in alleviating mitochondrial pathogenesis and conferring anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-apoptotic pathways against NDs. Therefore, this review presents an overview of the role of mitochondrion-related ncRNAs and the target genes for TCM-based therapeutic interventions in NDs, providing insight into understanding the "multi-level compound-target-pathway regulatory" treatment mechanism of TCMs.

Experimental design study on the antimicrobial effect of compound herbs on poultry manure fed to ruminants

In this paper, an experimental scheme based on poultry manure as a feed additive for ruminants along with a compound herbal medicine as a bacterial inhibitor of poultry manure was proposed by implementing linear simulations by polynomial cubic fitting method on today's topical environmental pollution issues of chicken manure and straw. The results of the fitting yielded that the herbal medicine addition at 1% was the best ratio value to effectively inhibit the bacteria of poultry manure and promote the growth of cattle. Therefore, this herbal dosing is effective for feeding ruminants. It also provides a new scientific research method for the application of poultry manure in ruminant feeding today.