Cordata Thunb Research Articles

Ethnobotanical survey of herbal tea plants from the traditional markets in Chaoshan, China

Ethnopharmacological relevanceHerbal tea, which refers to “cooling tea”, “cool beverage”, or “liáng chá” in China, includes a range of drinks with heat-clearing and detoxification qualities. Herbal tea plants are great contributive to the health and prosperity of Chaoshan people. The aim of the study was to document herbal tea plant species used and commercialized as “liáng chá” in Chaoshan area, to facilitate the use and development of herbal tea enterprises, and to promote the further development of national herbal tea. Materials and methodsInformation and data were obtained from all 83 stall holders in 12 traditional markets, semi-structured informant interviews were carried out individually with the stall holders, 10 questions were asked. ResultsIn this study, 186 species of herbal tea plants belonging to 65 families and 156 genera were indicated by 83 stall holders, with Asteraceae being the most prevalent family with 22 species. Herbs are main sources of herbal tea plants in Chaoshan area, with whole plants (97 species) being the most used parts. Herbal drinks are mostly consumed for heat-clearing and detoxification, and a large number of plant species were reported to treat coughs, colds, dysentery, dampness and sore throats. The most cited species were Hedyotis corymbosa (L.) Lam. (47 times mentioned), Hedyotis diffusa Willd. (46), Plantago asiatica L. (43), Houttuynia cordata Thunb (42), Centella asiatica (L.) Urban (36), Desmodium styracifolium (Osbeck) Merr. (35) and Morus alba L. (31), and 5 protected species were recorded in the list of the nationally protected species of China: Dendrobium officinale Kimura et Migo, Dendrobium nobile Lindl., Anoectochilus formosanus Hayata, Bulbophyllum odoratissimum (J. E. Smith) Lindl. and Pholidota chinensis Lindl. The selling price of most fresh herbal tea plants in the market varied from￥10–16/kg, with the profit margin of sales ranging from 12.5% to 20%. The consumption of herbal tea for one family costs about ￥3–5/day. ConclusionChaoshan herbal teas, prepared by diverse plant species, are regarded as a long tradition inseparable part in daily life of local people. Although they can effectively prevent and treat different kinds of diseases, they are not suitable for everyone (e.g. the elderly, children, and pregnant or breastfeeding women), even in healthy people, improper use of herbal tea can lead to physical discomfort. Furthermore, in order to appropriately understand the function, efficacy, and safety of herbal tea plants, additional research of traditional practices and phytochemistry, nutrient, physiological and toxicity properties should be analyzed.

Influences of N, PO and KO fertilizer application amounts on growth of Thunb and soil properties

We conducted this study to determine the recommended application rate of fertilizer for Houttuynia cordata Thunb cultivation. The effects of various application levels of N, P₂O₅, and K₂O fertilizers on the growth of this plant were investigated and the associated changes in soil properties were evaluated in the field. Soil pH at harvest time of Houttuynia cordata Thunb did not differ from that before fertilization, whereas EC tended to decrease during cultivation. The soil organic matter (SOM) and available phosphorus increased after treatment, and the amount of applied fertilizer (P₂O₅) and available phosphorus were proportional. The nitrogen absorption amount increased in N 100% treatment, but decreased in N 150% treatment. The phosphorus absorption amount rose with the fertilizer treatment concentration until P₂O₅ 150% treatment. The amount of absorbed potassium decreased in treatments with K₂O 150% and K₂O 200%. The plant length was the longest in N 100%, P₂O₅ 150%, and K₂O 200%. The stem diameter was estimated to be 3.46 - 3.67 ㎜ in N 100 - 200% treatment, 3.55 - 3.67 ㎜ in P₂O₅ 100 - 150%, and 3.79 ㎜ in K₂O 200%. The number of tillers did not differ amongst fertilization treatments. The fresh weight was summed to be 3.67 ton/10 a in N 100% treatment, 3.79 Mg/10 a in P₂O₅ 150%, and 3.83 Mg/10 a in K₂O 150%. Thus, the relationship between the fertilizer amount and yields of the plant showed that the most economical quantity of fertilizers should be 10.2 N ㎏/10 a, 5.5 P₂O₅ ㎏/10 a, and 8.2 K₂O ㎏/10 a for Houttuynia Cordata Thunb.

Houttuynia cordataThunb Promotes Activation of HIF-1A–FOXO3 and MEF2A Pathways to Induce Apoptosis in Human HepG2 Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells

Houttuynia cordata Thunb (H cordata), a medicinal plant, has anticancer activity, as it inhibits cell growth and induces cell apoptosis in cancer. However, the potential anti-cancer activity and mechanism of H cordata for human liver cancer cells is not well understood. Recently, we identified hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1A, Forkhead box (FOX)O3, and MEF2A as proapoptotic factors induced by H cordata, suggesting that HIF-1A, FOXO3, and MEF2A contribute to the apoptosis of HepG2 hepatocellular carcinoma cells. FOXO3 transcription factors regulate target genes involved in apoptosis. H cordata significantly increased the mRNA and protein expression of HIF-1A and FOXO3 and stimulated MEF2A expression in addition to increased apoptosis in HepG2 cells within 24 hours. Therefore, we determined the potential role of FOXO3 on apoptosis and on H cordata–induced MEF2A in HepG2 cells. HIF-1A silencing by siRNA attenuated MEF2A and H cordata–mediated FOXO3 upregulation in HepG2 cells. Furthermore, H cordata–mediated MEF2A expression enhanced caspase-3 and caspase-7, which were abolished on silencing FOXO3 with siRNA. In addition, H cordata inhibited growth of human hepatocellular carcinoma xenografts in nude mice. Taken together, our results demonstrate that H cordata enhances HIF-1A/FOXO3 signaling, leading to MEF2A upregulation in HepG2 cells, and in parallel, it disturbs the expression of Bcl-2 family proteins (Bax, Bcl-2, and Bcl-xL), which results in apoptosis. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that H cordata promotes the activation of HIF-1A–FOXO3 and MEF2A pathways to induce apoptosis in human HepG2 hepatocellular carcinoma cells and is, therefore, a promising candidate for antitumor drug development.

Effects of botanicals against anthracnose and blight diseases of Houttuynia cordata Thunb

Anthracnose and blight were recorded on Houttuynia cordata Thunb. during April 2013 to December 2013. The isolated fungi from the symptomatic plants were identified as Alterneria alternata (Fr.) Keissler and Colletotrichum gloeosporoides (Penz.) Sacc. Ethanol leaf extracts of five plants viz.,Azadirachta indica L., Citrus limon L., Datura metel L., Sennaalata L. and Tagetes erecta L.were evaluated against the pathogenic fungi A. alternata and C. gloeosporoides at 5%, 10% and 20% concentrations in vitro. A. indica recorded as good inhibitor against the test fungi followed by C. limon, S. alata, D. metel and T.erecta. In vivo treatment also showed that A.indica is the most effective in controlling diseases at 10% concentration. The plants treated with A. indica were fresh and healthy up to one month of observation.J. Asiat. Soc. Bangladesh, Sci. 42(1): 41-48, June 2016

Hepatoprotective Effect of Houttuynia cordata Thunb Extract against Carbon Tetrachloride-induced Hepatic Damage in Mice.

Houttuynia cordata Thunb (Saururaceae) is a traditional medicinal herb used to treat several disease symptoms. The present study was focused on the hepatoprotective effects of H. cordata ethyl acetate extract in experimental mice. Further the antioxidant potential of the extract was also evaluated to substantiate its hepatoprotective properties. Carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic damage in mice was used to measure the serum biochemical parameters. Morphological changes in hepatocyte architecture were studied by haematoxylin and eosin staining. In vitro alkyl and hydroxyl free radical scavenging assays were performed to evaluate the antioxidant effect. Administration of H. cordata extract significantly reduced the elevated serum levels and regulated the altered levels of serum cholesterol in carbon tetrachloride-treated mice (P<0.05). The morphological changes in hepatocyte architecture were also reversed by H. cordata treatment. Further, the extract showed significant antioxidant actions by scavenging the alkyl and hydroxyl free radicals. The concentration of the extract necessary for 50% scavenging of alkyl and hydroxyl radicals was 15.5 and 410 μg/ml, respectively. H. cordata extract exhibited significant hepatoprotective property in carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in mice. The strong antioxidant activities possessed by the extract might be responsible for such actions.

어성초(Houttuynia cordata Thunb) 유산균 발효물의 항산화 활성

This study was performed to evaluate the possibility of application of lactic acid bacteria fermentation to increase the anti-oxidative activity of extracts from Houttuynia cordata Thunb. Houttuynia cordata Thunb. was fermented by two species of lactic acid bacteria, Leuconostoc mesenteroides 4395 and Lactobacillus sakei 383. The anti-oxidative activities of Houttuynia cordata Thunb. extracts were analyzed both before and after fermentation. Anti-oxidative activity was determined by in vitro assays to measure 1,1-di-phenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging and super oxide dismutase (SOD)-like activities, and by determining total flavonoid and total phenolic compound contents. The extracts of fermented Houttuynia cordata Thunb. had higher anti-oxidative activity than the unfermented control. The DPPH scavenging activity of the extracts after fermentation by Leuconostoc mesenteroides 4395 at 30℃ for 5 days was 71.67±0.52%, and after Lactobacillus sakei 383 fermentation at 35℃ for 5 days was 70.11±0.67%; these activities were both about 20% higher than the control. Increases of about 10 mg GAE/g of total phe-nolic compounds were found in both fermented extracts and both contained about 6 mg quercetin equivalents/g of total flavonoids, compared with 35.90±0.61 mg/g and 21.69±1.52 mg/g in the con-trol, respectively. These results also suggested that fermentation time and temperature were important factors in determining the anti-oxidative effect of extracts from fermented Houttuynia cordata Thunb. These findings should be valuable for the development of medicines or functional foods with anti-oxidative activity.

Mendelian Population Can Let Extraction Rate Of Medical Herb Be Stable

Over the past 20 years, the quality instability of medicinal herbs (QIMH) has stimulated research in the world, revealing that the crucial factors are Good Agriculture Practice and Good Manufacturing Practice. A classical view argues that QIMH controlled by these laws should have a good identical quality and the same extraction rate [1]. However, it is now clear that the considerable variation of the extraction rate among the batches caused different qualities and unstable clinical effects of the herbal extraction [2]. In this research Mendelian population firstly went forward into pharmaceutics field to steady the extraction rate of medical herbs under the controlled conditions. Based on the inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers results that indicated the individual plant had genetic diversity, a Mendelian population of houttuynia cordata thunb (n) was examined through entropy of information (H). The experiments presented the results that H value ranged from 0.3656 to 0.9786, and n was 863 individual houttuynia plants, whose weight (w) was 11.22 kg if calculated as 13.0 g per individual plant. After verification tests, the several-fold n of houttuynia cordata thunb can let its extraction rate be stable. This is a novel view to stabilize the herbal extraction rate, which will contribute to a vital improvement of the classical theory.

Studies on antagonistic effect against plant pathogenic fungi from Endophytic fungi isolated from Hottuynia Cordata Thunb and screening for Siderophore and indole-3-acetic acid production

The endophytic fungi that colonizes internal plant tissues without causing apparent harm to their host were isolated from healthy leaf, root and stem of Hottuynia cordata Thunb. Twelve fungal isolates found were identified by their morphological characteristic and using molecular technique. The result showed that ten isolates belonging to Ascomycota were presumed to be in genus Colletotrichum, Lasiodiplodia and Fusarium in eight isolates and two isolates were identified to class Dothideomycetes and Sordariomycetes. Two unidentified isolates (R14 and R15), confined only to root segments were isolated, these members may be from the group of Mycelia-Sterilia. The evaluation of antagonistic activity of twelve fungal endophytes isolated from healthy Houttuynia cordata Thumb against Trichoderma harzianum and five plant pathogenic fungi (Fusarium oxysporum, Sclerotium rolfsii, Rhizoctonia sp., Alternaria brassicicola and Phytophthora palmivora) by dual culture technique were performed. The in vitro antagonistic activities as two types of activities in this study; mycoparasitism and competition were found. Endophyte isolate B06, B12, B09 and R15 gave the highest percent inhibition of radial growth against to the plant pathogenic fungi (F. oxysporum, S. rolfsii, A. brassicicola) and T. harzianum within 24.22%, 29.07%, 13.54 and 24.15%, respectively. Endophyte isolate R14 showed the highest antagonistic activity to Rhizoctonia sp. and P. palmivora with 39.33% and 33.34% respectively. For the siderophore production, the seven active endophyte isolates showed orange halo formed around the colonies more than 30 mm on CAS agar. Three endophyte isolates efficiently produced IAA more than 24 µg/ml. The active endophyte isolates B06 identified as Lasiodiplodia pseudotheobromae showed the highest ability to produce IAA (37.034 µg/ml) and also showed the highest orange halo formed around the colonies which determined to siderophore production.

Evaluation of antiviral activities of Houttuynia cordata Thunb. extract, quercetin, quercetrin and cinanserin on murine coronavirus and dengue virus infection.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the in vitro activities of the ethyl acetate (EA) fraction of Houttuynia cordata (H. cordata) Thunb. (Saururaceae) and three of its constituent flavonoids (quercetin, quercitrin and rutin) against murine coronavirus and dengue virus (DENV).MethodsThe antiviral activities of various concentrations of the EA fraction of H. cordata and flavonoids were assessed using virus neutralization tests against mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) and DENV type 2 (DENV-2). Cinanserin hydrochloride was also tested against MHV. The EA fraction of H. cordata was tested for acute oral toxicity in C57BL/6 mice.ResultsThe EA fraction of H. cordata inhibited viral infectivity up to 6 d. Cinanserin hydrochloride was able to inhibit MHV for only 2 d. The 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of the EA fraction of H. cordata added before the viral adsorption stage were 0.98 μg/mL for MHV and 7.50 μg/mL for DENV-2 with absence of cytotoxicity. The mice fed with the EA fraction up to 2 000 mg/kg did not induce any signs of acute toxicity, with normal histological features of major organs. Certain flavonoids exhibited comparatively weaker antiviral activity, notably quercetin which could inhibit both MHV and DENV-2. This was followed by quercitrin which could inhibit DENV-2 but not MHV, whereas rutin did not exert any inhibitory effect on either virus. When quercetin was combined with quercitrin, enhancement of anti-DENV-2 activity and reduced cytotoxicity were observed. However, the synergistic efficacy of the flavonoid combination was still less than that of the EA fraction.ConclusionsThe compounds in H. cordata contribute to the superior antiviral efficacy of the EA fraction which lacked cytotoxicity in vitro and acute toxicity in vivo. H. cordata has much potential for the development of antiviral agents against coronavirus and dengue infections.

Management of anthracnose and blight diseases of Houttuynia cordata Thunb. with fungicides

Two types of symptoms, namely anthracnose and blight were recorded on Houttuynia cordata Thunb. during the period of April to December 2013. The isolated fungi from the diseased plants were Alterneria alternata (Fr.) Keissler and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz.) Sacc. Five fungicides viz., Bavistin DF, Dithane M-45, Indofil, Salcox 50 WP and Tall 25 EC were evaluated against the pathogenic fungi at 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 ppm concentrations. Tall 25 EC was found most efficient inhibitor of the test fungi followed by Bavistin, Indofil, Dithane M-45 and Salcox. In vivo treatment Tall 25 EC was found most effective in controlling the diseases.Journal of Bangladesh Academy of Sciences, Vol. 39, No. 1, 83-90, 2015

An Effective Quality Control of Pharmacologically Active Volatiles of Houttuynia cordata Thunb by Fast Gas Chromatography-Surface Acoustic Wave Sensor.

Fast gas chromatography-surface acoustic wave sensor (GC/SAW) has been applied for the detection of the pharmacological volatiles emanated from Houttuynia cordata Thunb which is from South Korea. H. cordata Thunb with unpleasant and fishy odors shows a variety of pharmacological activities such as anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and insect repellent. The aim of this study is to show a novel quality control by GC/SAW methodology for the discrimination of the three different parts of the plant such as leaves, aerial stems, and underground stems for H. cordata Thunb. Sixteen compounds were identified. β-Myrcene, cis-ocimene and decanal are the dominant volatiles for leaves (71.0%) and aerial stems (50.1%). While, monoterpenes (74.6%) are the dominant volatiles for underground stems. 2-Undecanone (1.3%) and lauraldehyde (3.5%) were found to be the characteristic components for leaves. Each part of the plant has its own characteristic fragrance pattern owing to its individual chemical compositions. Moreover, its individual characteristic fragrance patterns are conducive to discrimination of the three different parts of the plant. Consequently, fast GC/SAW can be a useful analytical method for quality control of the different parts of the plant with pharmacological volatiles as it provides second unit analysis, a simple and fragrant pattern recognition.

Anatomical structure of the leaves of Crassula cordata (Crassulaceae)

Crassulaceae DC. is a family of plants belonging to dicotyledons with a succulent leaves. They occur mostly in warm regions, especially many species distributed in Africa. Grow usually in sandy or mountainous areas and among the rocks, in habitats where water is scarce. The conditions which they live in cause that their leaves are modified to a greater or lesser extent. In a succulent leaf the chlorenchymatic tissue is not differentiated into the palisade and spongy layers. It forms clearly distinguishable water tissue with the large volumes of vacuoles. In leaf, additional amounts of water are stored as reserves during drought. The cells are tightly packed, the intercellular spaces are small. Such structure is also connected with the CAM photosynthesis. In Crassulaceae collecting of carbon dioxide takes place at night, and then used during photosynthesis during the day. It is adaptation for increased efficiency of water too. Moreover, in the large vacuoles, besides water, malate is accumulated – an intermediate compound in CAM. The epidermal tissue is also active in adaptation, often the outer call wall is thickened, covered a thick layer of cuticle, sometimes with a wax deposit. The aim of this study was to investigate the anatomy of the leaf of Crassula cordata Thunb. using the light microscopy. Mature leaves of plants were cut into small pieces and fixed in 2.5% glutaraldehyde and 2.5% formaldehyde in 0.1 M cacodylate buffer. Than tissue was post fixed in 2% osmium tetroxide, dehydrated in a graded acetone series and embedded in Spurr resin. Sections of 0.5-1.0 μm were cut using glass knives on a microtome and observed under light microscopy. Crassula cordata is a typical leaf succulent plant. It has a characteristic morphology and small size (Fig. 1). This also indicates the anatomical structure of the leaf, observed on the cross-sections (Fig. 2). Single-layered epidermis is composed of thick-walled, elongated cells. It is covered with a thick layer of cuticle. In the abaxial surface stomata was observed. Parenchyma is relatively uniform. The same cells perform the functions of water storage and photosynthesis. Mesophyll is not differentiated into palisade and spongy layer. Cells are tightly packed with small intercellular spaces. In mesophyll cells can be seen large vacuoles and plastids near the cell wall. These characteristics make good use of the volume for water storage. On the adaxial surface of leaf numerous hydathodes are present. Epithem, tissue which forms hydathodes, is composed of thick-walled, tightly packed, small cells with visible nucleus. Mesophyll cells surrounding vascular bundle and hydathodes contain vacuoles filled tannin substances.

Highly Efficient Extraction of Decanoyl Acetaldehyde from Houttuynia cordata by a Cryogenic Grinding Technique

Regarded as the antibiotic of herbal medicine, Houttuynia cordata Thunb. (HCT) has been a time-honored traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and widely employed for treating anaphylaxis, cough, cancer, and viral infection in China and other countries [1]. The medicinal properties claimed for the drug have been attributed to its volatile oil. Houttuynine (decanoyl acetaldehyde) is one of the key effective components in the essential oil of HCT. The content of decanoyl acetaldehyde in the volatile oil of HCT showed great differences. Qi M. et al 2 reported that the content of decanoyl acetaldehyde extracted by flash gas chromatography was only 0.60%. Zeng Z. et al 3 reported that the content of decanoyl acetaldehyde extracted by steam distillation (SD) was up to 5.1%. The maximum content of decanoyl acetaldehyde extracted by headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) was 7.23% as reported by 4. Decanoyl acetaldehyde is unstable and easily oxidized into decanoyl acetic acid and then decomposed into 2-undecanone in the process of distillation and during storage 4. Thus, it is difficult to extract this component from HCT efficiently. Herein, we communicate the results of further research on the extraction of essential oil from HCT by the cryogenic grinding technique. The specimen was the fresh subterranean stems of HCT collected from Shanghai. The volatile components of HCT extracted by immersing the cryogenically ground HCT with ethyl acetate (ICG) was compared with two other methods of SD and solvent immersion at room temperature (IRT). An Agilent 6890 gas chromatograph equipped with a 5973N mass spectrometer was employed for analysis of the volatile components. Twenty-eight components extracted by SD, such as -pinene, -phellandrene, -pinene, -myrcene, limonene, 3-cyclohexen-1-ol, bornyl acetate, 2-undecanone, decanoyl acetaldehyde, etc., were obtained. The highest content among these components was 2-undecanone (26.56%), while the content of decanoyl acetaldehyde was only 0.03%. The volatile components extracted by IRT decreased remarkably, and only 14 compounds were obtained. The content of 2-undecanone among these components decreased from 26.56% to 0.63%, while the content of decanoyl acetaldehyde increased from 0.03% to 48.26%, in contrast to SD. The results showed that the oxidation of decanoyl acetaldehyde was inhibited effectively under lower extraction temperatures. Therefore, the content of decanoyl acetaldehyde in the volatile oil extracted by IRT was far higher than that extracted by SD, and it was also far higher than that obtained by HS-SPME (7.23%) 1. However, it was a time-consuming process, although the content of decanoyl acetaldehyde in the volatile oil obtained by IRT increased remarkably in contrast to SD and HS-SPME. On the other hand, decanoyl acetaldehyde was also oxidized slowly to produce more 2-undecanone, and the content of decanoyl acetaldehyde in the volatile oil extracted by IRT decreased slightly with increase in immersing time. A quick extraction method for the volatile components of HCT was developed, in which the extract was obtained by immersing the cryogenically ground HCT with ethyl acetate. The HCT was frozen by liquid nitrogen beforehand. Twelve volatile components as shown in Table 1 were obtained. The 2-undecanone was not detected, while the content of decanoyl acetaldehyde among these components reached as high as 62.54%. The results showed that the oxidation of decanoyl acetaldehyde was further restrained under extremely low temperatures. The extractability of the volatile oil by ICG increased up to 0.85%, in contrast to the two other methods SD (0.09%) and IRT (0.15%), while the extractability of decanoyl acetaldehyde increased to 0.53%. The results showed that the ICG extraction method was highly efficient for extraction of decanoyl acetaldehyde from HCT.

어성초 분말을 첨가한 식빵의 품질 특성

This study was carried out to investigate the quality characteristics of bread containing Houttuynia cordata Thunb. powder (HTP; in ratios of 0, 0.3, 0.5 and 1.0% of the total flour). We found that addition of HTP decreased the pH of dough, whereas the pH of bread remained unchanged. HTP caused no significant change in dough volume during fermentation. Baking loss did not show significant difference between HTP containing bread and control. However, we found changes in bread volume with the most pronounced decrease observed in bread containing 0.1% HTP. Lightness and redness of the inner crumb were decreased by the addition of HTP, whereas yellowness was increased. 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl-radical scavenging activity and total polyphenol contents were increased significantly by the addition of HTP. The overall acceptability of bread containing 0.5% HTP was better than that of control.

A comparative study of sodium houttuyfonate and 2-undecanone for their in vitro and in vivo anti-inflammatory activities and stabilities.

Houttuynia cordata Thunb. (H. cordata) is an anti-inflammatory herbal drug that is clinically used in Asia. The essential oil obtained from H. cordata is known to contain 2-undecanone (2-methyl nonyl ketone). In addition, sodium houttuyfonate is a compound that can be derived from H. cordata and has important clinical uses as an anti-inflammatory agent. Sodium houttuyfonate can be converted to decanoyl acetaldehyde (houttuynin) and then to 2-undecanone. Therefore, the experiments described here explore the comparative anti-inflammatory activities of these compounds. Sodium houttuyfonate showed more potent anti-inflammatory activities than that of 2-undecanone at the same dosage, both in vitro and in vivo, although both compounds significantly inhibited the production of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and the expression of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), but increased the secretion of interleukin-10 (IL-10) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. In addition, both compounds showed dose-dependent inhibitory effects on xylene-induced mouse ear edema. In a previous study, we found sodium houttuyfonate to be transformed to 2-undecanone during steam distillation (SD). Optimum therapeutic effects are related to the stability and pharmacological activity of the drugs. Consequently, we studied the stability of sodium houttuyfonate under a simulated gastrointestinal environment with the main influencing factors being solvent, temperature and pH effects. For the first time, sodium houttuyfonate and 2-undecanone were detected simultaneously in the mouse serum and the gastrointestinal tissue after oral administration. Sodium houttuyfonate is detected within a short period of time in the systemic circulation and tissues without conversion to 2-undecanone.

An ethyl acetate fraction derived from Houttuynia cordata extract inhibits the production of inflammatory markers by suppressing NF-кB and MAPK activation in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages.

BackgroundHouttuynia cordata Thunb. (Saururaceae) has been used in traditional medicine for treatment of inflammatory diseases. This study evaluated the anti-inflammatory effects of an ethyl acetate fraction derived from a Houttuynia cordata extract (HCE-EA) on the production of inflammatory mediators and the activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages.MethodsTo measure the effects of HCE-EA on pro-inflammatory cytokine and inflammatory mediator’s expression in RAW 264.7 cells, we used the following methods: cell viability assay, Griess reagent assay, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting analysis.ResultsHCE-EA downregulated nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin (IL-6) production in the cells, as well as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression. Furthermore, HCE-EA suppressed nuclear translocation of the NF-κB p65 subunit, which correlated with an inhibitory effect on IκBα (nuclear factor of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in B-cells inhibitor, alpha) phosphorylation. HCE-EA also attenuated the activation of MAPKs (p38 and JNK).ConclusionsOur results suggest that the anti-inflammatory properties of HCE-EA may stem from the inhibition of pro-inflammatory mediators via suppression of NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways.

어성초 분말을 첨가한 국수의 품질특성

The purpose of this study was to evaluate appropriate concentrations of Houttuynia cordata Thunb. powder, which has various functions, to dried wheat flour noodles. The viscosity of the composite flour and cooking quality of the noodle samples were measured, and sensory evaluations were conducted in this study. When measured by the amylograph, the composite flour had lower viscosity in the gelatinization points, maximum viscosity, and viscosity at a temperature of 95°C than those of control. However, the gap between the maximum viscosity and viscosity after 15 minutes at a temperature of 95°C was not great among all of the samples. While cooked noodles containing H. cordata Thunb. powder had lower weight and lower volume than those of control, the weight of two cooked noodle samples with 0.5% and 1.5% of H. cordata Thunb. powder was insignificantly different. Cooked noodles had higher concentrations of H. cordata Thunb. powder; therefore, the L value of cooked noodles decreased, while a and b color values of the noodles increased. Color, flavor, taste, and overall acceptability of the samples with H. cordata Thunb. powder were lower than those of wheat flour noodles via sensory evaluation. In the overall acceptability, however, samples with 0.5% and 1.5% of H. cordata Thunb. powder were insignificantly different from control. As a result, it was finally suggested that optimum level of the H. cordata Thunb. powder in the product was below 0.5%.

Antihyperglycemic Activity of Houttuynia cordata Thunb. in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats.

Present study is an attempt to investigate plausible mechanism involved behind antidiabetic activity of standardized Houttuynia cordata Thunb. extract in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. The plant is used as a medicinal salad for lowering blood sugar level in North-Eastern parts of India. Oral administration of extract at 200 and 400 mg/kg dose level daily for 21 days showed a significant (P < 0.05) decrease in fasting plasma glucose and also elevated insulin level in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. It also significantly reversed all the alterations in biochemical parameters, that is, total lipid profile, blood urea, creatinine, protein, and antioxidant enzymes in liver, pancreas, and adipose tissue of diabetic rats. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that the extract significantly reversed the expression patterns of various glucose homeostatic enzyme genes like GLUT-2, GLUT-4, and caspase-3 levels but did not show any significant effect on PPAR-γ protein expressions. Additionally, the extract positively regulated mitochondrial membrane potential and succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity in diabetic rats. The findings justified the antidiabetic effect of H. cordata which is attributed to an upregulation of GLUT-4 and potential antioxidant activity, which may play beneficial role in resolving complication associated with diabetes.

A current update on the phytopharmacological aspects of Houttuynia cordata Thunb

The present review is an attempt to put an insight into a medicinal plant Houttuynia cordata Thunb, which is indigenous to North-East India and China. It is an aromatic medicinal herb belonging to family Saururaceae and is restricted to specialized moist habitats. The review provides detailed information regarding the morphology, distribution, phytochemistry, ethnopharmacological uses and also describes various pharmacological activities reported on the plant H. cordata. The review describes therapeutic efficacy of the whole plant and its extracts, fractions and isolated compounds in different diseased condition. Among the important pharmacological activities reported includes, anti-mutagenic, anti-cancer, adjuvanticity, anti-obesity, hepatoprotective, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, free radical scavenging, anti-microbial, anti-allergic, anti-leukemic, chronic sinusitis and nasal polyps activities. Thus, the present review will act as a source of referential information to researchers to perform clinical studies on isolated compounds that may serve the society and will help in improving human health care system.

Molecular Cloning, Expression of minD Gene from Lactobacillus acidophilus VTCC-B-871 and Analyses to Identify Lactobacillus rhamnosus PN04 from Vietnam Hottuynia cordata Thunb.

The minD gene encoding an inhibitor cell division MinD homolog from Lactobacillus acidophilus VTCC-B-871 was cloned. We showed that there were 97% homology between minD genes of L. acidophilus VTCC-B-871 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and Lactobacillus rhamnosus Lc705. Based on the analysis of the DNA sequence data from the L. rhamnosus genome project and sequenced minD gene of L. acidophilus VTCC-B-871, a pair of primers was designed to identified the different minD genes from L. acidophilus ATCC 4356, L. rhamnosus ATCC 11443. Besides, the polymerase chain reaction product of minD gene was also obtained in L. rhamnosus PN04, a strain was isolated from Vietnamese Hottuynia cordata Thunb. In addition, we performed a phylogenetic analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence of MinD homologs from L. acidophilus VTCC-B-871 with the other strains and compared the predicted three-dimension structure of L. acidophilus VTCC-B-871 MinD with Escherichia coli MinD, there are similarity that showed evolution of these strains. The overexpression of L. acidophilus VTCC-B-871 MinD in E. coli led to cell filamentation in IPTG and morphology changes in different sugar stresses, interestingly. The present study is the first report characterizing the Lactobacilus MinD homolog that will be useful in probiotic field.