Herbal Medicine In China Research Articles

Characterization of the complete plastome of Cyperus rotundus L. (Cyperaceae)

Cyperus rotundus L. (C. rotundus) is a sedge belonging to the family Cyperaceae and is widely distributed in tropical and warmer temperate regions worldwide. It is one of the oldest traditional medicinal herbs in China, India, Japan, and Korea. In this study, we sequenced the complete chloroplast genome of C. rotundus on the Illumina HiSeq Platform. The chloroplast genome is 182,986 bp in length, with a typical quadripartite structure and consisting of a pair of inverted repeat (IR) regions (35,969 bp) separated by a large single-copy (LSC) region (100,733 bp) and a small single-copy (SSC) region (10,315 bp). It was predicted to contain a total of 133 genes, with an overall GC content of 33.26%. Phylogenetic analysis suggested C. rotundus is sister to Eleocharis celluosa and Eleocharis dulcis.

De Novo Transcriptome Analysis of the Willow Bracket Medicinal Mushroom Phellinus igniarius (Agaricomycetes) by RNA Sequencing.

Phellinus igniarius has been widely used as traditional herbal medicine in China, Korea, Japan, and other Asian countries for centuries. To gain a molecular understanding of this fungus, Illumina high-throughput technology was used to sequence and analyze the transcriptome of Ph. igniarius, and 11,847 unigenes were obtained. Additionally, based on similarity search with known proteins, unigenes were annotated with gene descriptions, gene ontology (GO), and clusters of orthologous groups (COG). Based on the GO annotation, a total of 6983 unigenes could be assigned to one or more terms, which were categorized into 39 functional groups under three main divisions (biological process, cellular component and molecular function). A total of 2315 Ph. igniarius unigenes were associated with 124 unique Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways. A total of 832 simple sequence repeats were identified in these unigenes. In addition, nine candidate genes involved in laccases were discovered, 17 candidate genes involved in the biosynthesis of triterpenoid were identified and were worthy for further investigation. This is the first study to conduct transcriptome analyses on Ph. igniarius, which lays a basis for further functional genomics studies of Ph. igniarius.

Effects of foliar selenium application on growth and rhizospheric soil micro-ecological environment of Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz

Atractylodes macrocephala (A. macrocephala), a famous medicinal herb in China, is widely cultivated and consumed in China with various beneficial effects. Numerous studies have shown that selenium (Se) plays an important role in promoting plant growth, although Se has not been considered an essential element for higher plants. The objectives of this research were to determine the effects of foliar Se application (0, 2.5, 5.0, 10.0 and 20.0 mg m−2 Se in sodium selenite, sprayed monthly from May to August) on the growth and rhizospheric soil micro-ecological environment of A. macrocephala, and explore the possible mechanisms underlying plant response to foliar Se application through a field experiment. The results were: The foliar application of 5.0 mg m−2 Se significantly increased the survival rate of A. macrocephala compared to the control. The yield of A. macrocephala was increased when the Se level maintained belowed 10.0 mg m−2 but decreased when Se level reached 20.0 mg m−2. The Se content in the rhizome of A. macrocephala showed a significant positive correlation with the Se level, while the insect attack rate was significantly negatively correlated with the Se level. However, foliar Se application hardly affected the concentration of bioactive compound atractylenolide in the rhizome of A. macrocephala. Notably, the application of foliar Se changed the content of partial soil nutrients, microbial diversity and composition in the rhizosphere soil of A. macrocephala. Bacterial diversity was positively correlated with A. macrocephala growth whereas fungal diversity was negatively correlated, suggesting that microbial diversity in the rhizosphere soils is closely related to plant growth. Moreover, correlation analysis showed that available potassium, Burkholderia and Cupriavidus in rhizospheric soil might be critical factors for promoting the growth of A. macrocephala. Overall, the foliar application of Se at moderate concentration was beneficial for the growth of A. macrocephala, and 5.0-10.0 mg m−2 Se level was the optimum. Our findings revealed novel insights into the response of A. macrocephala to foliar Se application from plant growth, rhizospheric soil nutrient and microbial community composition .

The Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, and Quality Control of Tetrastigma hemsleyanum Diels & Gilg in China: A Review.

Tetrastigma hemsleyanum Diels & Gilg (TDG), the family member of Vitaceae, is a traditional herbal medicine in China. The root of TDG can be immediately used after cleaning the muddy soil, and can be dehydrated for dry use. TDG is able to be collected all year round, which is commonly used in the treatment of hepatitis, infantile high fever, snake bite, etc. Based on phytochemistry, the chemical components of TDG are divided into flavonoids, phenolic acids, terpenes, steroids, polysaccharide, and other compounds, showing many pharmacological effects which include anti-tumor, anti-oxidation, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, analgesic, and immunomodulatory activity, as well as other activities. Currently, TDG involves some problems of the reduction of wild resources, the backward processing methods, and storage difficulties as well as the imperfection of detection methods. Therefore, this review summarizes the literature of the past 20 years, and the purpose of this review is to summarize the recent researches on the phytochemistry, pharmacology, quality control, and clinical application of TDG. The above discussions provide new insights for the future research on TDG.

Rosmarinic Acid Protects Mice from Concanavalin A-Induced Hepatic Injury through AMPK Signaling

Rosmarinic acid (RA) is extensively utilized in herbal medicine in China. The AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling can be activated by RA and inhibited by the synthetic, reversible AMP-competitive inhibitor, Compound C (CC). The objective of this study was to investigate the role of AMPK signaling involving the protective effects of RA on concanavalin A (Con A)-induced autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) in mice. BALB/c mice were treated with RA, with or without CC, followed by the pretreatment with Con A. Analysis of serum aminotransferases and cytokines were conducted and liver tissue histology was performed to evaluate hepatic injury. Cytokine levels in serum and hepatic tissue were respectively measured by enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) and used quantitative (q)PCR. Levels of phosphorylated acetyl CoA carboxylase in the liver, representing AMPK activation, were detected by Western blotting. Compared with the Con A group, serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in RA group (100 and 150 mg/kg/d) were significantly reduced. RA also reduced hepatocyte swelling, cell death, and infiltration of leukocytes in the liver of Con A-treated mice. Serum levels of cytokines, such as interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β), were reduced by RA pretreatment, while the levels of serum interleukin-10 (IL-10), an anti-inflammatory cytokine, was elevated. These protective effects were reversed by treatment with CC. RA treatment reduced the hepatic damage via the activation of AMPK in the mice of Con A-induced. So RA acts as a potential part in the therapy of autoimmune hepatitis.

Alternative therapy of rheumatoid arthritis with a novel transdermal patch containing Siegesbeckiae Herba extract

Ethnopharmacological relevanceSiegesbeckiae Herba (SiH) is a traditional anti-rheumatic herbal medicine in China. A SiH derived product, Phynova Joint and Muscle Relief Tablets™, has been granted the UK license in 2015. Although transdermal delivery provides better patient compliance and relative constant plasma drug concentration, the feasibility of transdermal delivery of SiH was not clear. Aim of the studyThe aim of the present study was to develop a novel transdermal patch containing SiH extract for alternative therapy of rheumatoid arthritis. Materials and methodsSiH extract containing 48.5% (w/w) of kirenol was prepared from Siegesbeckia pubescens Makino. Then transdermal patches containing SiH extract were prepared by the solvent evaporation technique. The formulation of the transdermal patch was optimized based on the in vitro skin permeation experiment. Finally, the anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity of the optimal patch were evaluated by chronic inflammation model induced by complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) and writhing model induced by acetic acid, separately. ResultsOleic acid (OA) showed the maximum permeation enhancement effect with the enhancement ratio (ER) values of 3.32. Therefore, OA was used as a permeation enhancer in the transdermal patch. The optimal formulation consisted of SiH extract (10% of the matrix, w/w), OA (10% of the matrix, w/w), DURO–TAK® 87–2287 (pressure sensitive adhesive matrix) and Scotchpak™ 9701 (backing layer). The optimal transdermal patch containing SiH extract significantly reduced the degree of paw swelling and number of writhing in inflammation model and writhing model, respectively. ConclusionsThe developed transdermal patch containing Siegesbeckiae Herba extract showed good anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, which demonstrated a great potential for alternative therapy of rheumatoid arthritis.

Rare benzonaphthoxanthenones from Chinese folk herbal medicine Polytrichum commune and their anti-neuroinflammatory activities in vitro

Two new (1–2) as well as five known (3–7) compounds were isolated from Polytrichum commune, a folk herbal medicine in China, and three of them (2, 4, 5) belong to benzonaphthoxanthenones that are rarely found in nature. Their structures were elucidated by the approach to 1D and 2D NMR spectra. The absolute configuration of 2 was assigned by comparing its experimental and calculated ECD data. 1–5 were investigated for their anti-neuroinflammatory activity against LPS-induced BV-2 cells. 1 and 3 exhibited well protective effect at a concentration of 2.5 μmol/mL. Molecular docking studies were adopted to further investigate the possible mechanism, whose results suggested that 1 might exert anti-neuroinflammatory effect by inhibiting activity of p38α, JNK2 and TAK1 to reduce the liberation of pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Hydroxy-α-sanshool Possesses Protective Potentials on H2O2-Stimulated PC12 Cells by Suppression of Oxidative Stress-Induced Apoptosis through Regulation of PI3K/Akt Signal Pathway.

Zanthoxylum bungeanum pericarp is a commonly used herbal medicine in China with effects of anti-inflammatory and analgesic, improving learning and memory ability, while hydroxy-α-sanshool (HAS) is the most important active ingredient of Z. bungeanum pericarps. The purpose of this study was to investigate the neuroprotective effect of HAS and its related possible mechanisms using a H2O2-stimulated PC12 cell model. CCK-8 assay results showed that HAS had a significant protective effect on H2O2-stimulated PC12 cells without obvious cytotoxicity on normal PC12 cells. Flow cytometry and fluorescence microscope (DAPI staining and DCFH-DA staining) indicated that HAS could reduce the H2O2-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells via reduction of intracellular ROS and increase of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). Subsequently, results of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) determination suggested that HAS could increase the enzyme activities of SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px whereas it could decrease the MDA contents in H2O2-stimulated PC12 cells. Furthermore, the western blotting assays showed that HAS could upregulate the expressions of p-PI3k, Akt, p-Akt, and Bcl-2, while it could downregulate the expressions of cleaved caspase-3 and Bax in H2O2-stimulated PC12 cells. Collectively, it could be concluded according to our results that HAS possesses protective potentials on H2O2-stimulated PC12 cells through suppression of oxidative stress-induced apoptosis via regulation of PI3K/Akt signal pathway.

ANALISA SENYAWA BIOAKTIF ANTIOKSIDAN DAN ZAT GIZI TERHADAP BUAH TERUNG POKAK (Solanum torvum) SEBAGAI BAHAN PANGAN FUNGSIONAL

Solanum torvum has potential as a functional food ingredient because it contains bioactive antioxidant compounds which are quite high and are proven as herbal medicines in China and are a popular food in Florida, Alabama, West India, Malaysia, Thailand, Mexico, Central America, South America, Brazil. The study aims to analyze the components of bioactive antioxidant compounds and nutrients in qualitative and quantitative methods and functional groups in fresh Solanum torvum. The research method used phytochemical screening, quantitative tests, chemical identification with LCMS, FTIR, AAS. The results of phytochemical screening studies, the Solanum torvum contains few alkaloids, while it contains a great number of saponins, steroids, glycosides. The quantitative test showed that the fruit contains 36.31 mg /g phenol, 0.62 mg/g tannin content, 2.76 mg/g flavonoid content and antioxidant activity (% DPPH inhibition) of 84.55%, 82.77% water content, 1.63% ash content, 2.73% fat content, 9.78% protein, 3.69% carbohydrates, 3.77% vitamin C, 0.97% phosphorus, 0.13% potassium, Ca 36.64 ppm, Mg 79.1 ppm, Fe 2.34 ppm. Chemical tests with LCMS contain 13 types of components namely (1) chlorogenic acid, (2) 4-O-caffeoylquinic, (3) 3-O-caffeoylquinic, (4) 4-O-caffeoylquinic, (5) 3-O-feruloylquinic acid, (6) 5-O-feruloylquinic acid, (7) 3-O-dicaffeoylquinic acid, (8) 4-O-dicaffeoylquinic acid, (9) 3-5-O-dicaffeoylquinic acid, (10) 3-O -feruloylquinic acid, (11) 5-O-feruloquinic acid, (12) putative dicaffeoylquiniacid, (13) putativedicaffeoylquinic acid. The functional groups of Solanum torvum have seven types namely phenol (OH), Alkane (C-H), Alkene (C = C), aromatic ring, Nitro (NO2), Amine and Amide (C-N), Alcohol (C-O). Thus, fresh Solanum torvum contains potential antioxidant compounds and nutrients that function for health and functional food.

Characterization of the metabolites of gigantol in rat, dog, monkey, and human hepatocytes using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry.

Gigantol (3',4-dihydroxy-3,5'-dimethoxybibenzyl) is a bibenzyl compound isolated from Dendrobii Caulis that has been widely used as a medicinal herb in China. To fully understand the mechanism of action of gigantol, it is necessary to determine its metabolic profile. Gigantol at a concentration of 20 μM was incubated with hepatocytes (rat, dog, monkey, and human) at 37°C. After 120 min incubation, the samples were analyzed using liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. The structures of the metabolites were characterized by their molecular masses, product ions, and retention times. A total of 17 metabolites were detected and structurally identified. The metabolism involved the following pathways: (a) oxidation to form quinone-methide species and subsequently conjugation with glutathione (GSH); (b) demethylation to form demethylated gigantol, which was further conjugated with GSH; (c) hydroxylation to yield hydroxyl-gigantol followed by glucuronidation or GSH conjugation; and (d) glucuronidation to form glucuronide conjugates. Glucuronidation was the primary metabolic pathway in all tested species. Hydroxylation, demethylation, glucuronidation, and GSH conjugation were the major metabolic pathways of gigantol. This study provides new information on the metabolic profiles of gigantol and helps us understand the disposition of the compound.

Cinnamaldehyde suppresses NLRP3 derived IL-1β via activating succinate/HIF-1 in rheumatoid arthritis rats

Cinnamaldehyde (CA) is an essential component of cinnamon (Cinnamomum cassia Presland), which is often used as a flavoring condiment in beverages, pastries, perfumes, etc. Cinnamon is also used as herbal medicine in China and Southeast Asia to treat rheumatoid arthritis. However, the molecular mechanism is unclear. In this study, we aim to investigate its anti-inflammatory effects against Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) using activated macrophages (Raw246.7) in vitro and adjuvant arthritis rats (AA) in vivo. The results demonstrated that CA significantly reduced synovial inflammation in AA rats, possibly due to suppression of the expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines, especially the IL-1β. Further investigation found that CA also suppressed the activity of HIF-1α by inhibiting the accumulation of succinate in cytoplasm. As we know, the reduction of HIF-1α nucleation slows down IL-1β production, because HIF-1α activates the expression of NLRP3, which is involved in the assembly of inflammasome and processing of IL-1β. In addition, CA also inhibited the expression of the succinate receptor GPR91, which in turn inhibited the activation of HIF-1α. In conclusions, our results suggested that CA might be a potential therapeutic compound to relieve rheumatoid arthritis progress by suppressing IL-1β through modulating succinate/HIF-1α axis and inhibition of NLRP3.

First Report of Gray Mold on Jinxianlian (Anoectochilus roxburghii) Caused by Botrytis cinerea in China

Anoectochilus roxburghii is one of the important herbal medicines in China. As a national rare and endangered plant, A. roxburghii is presently cultivated in bottles through greenhouse productions. The cultivation of A. roxburghii in Zhejiang Province accounts for a large proportion in China. Gray mold was found to severely affect the production of A. roxburghii. In 2018, the incidence of gray mold indicated by water-soaked gray mold symptoms with white to gray mycelia and conidiogenous apparatus on infected stems and leaves was observed for 6% of seedling bottles. When the conditions are suitable, gray mold spreads to the whole leaf and then gradually turns into grayish black and produces brown dead plaque, which causes the plant to wrinkle in severe cases. Thirty-one diseased leaves collected from different greenhouses in Jinhua City were picked with a needle on 2% potato dextrose agar (PDA) and cultured in the dark at 23°C. The colonies on the PDA were initially grayish white, followed by brownish black, and produced one-celled, round conidia (8.78 ± 0.4 × 12.60 ± 0.3 μm). These morphological features are consistent with Botrytis cinerea. In order to confirm the identification based on morphological features, DNA-dependent RNA polymerase subunit II (RPB2), heat-shock protein 60 (HSP60), and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate (G3PDH) were amplified from the DNA extracted from the mycelium produced on PDA (Berbee et al. 1999; Liu et al. 1999; Smith 1989). The sequences were deposited in NCBI under accession numbers RPB2 (MN464111, MN464112, MN464113), HSP60 (MN464108, MN464109, MN464110), and G3PDH (MN464105, MN464106, MN464107). BLAST analysis of the RPB2 (1,106 bp) segment showed 100% identity to the RPB2 sequence of B. cinerea isolate S4GBR40 (GenBank accession no. MK3880531). The HSP60 (956 bp) segment showed 100% identity to the HSP60 sequence of B. cinerea isolate F2-17 (GenBank accession no. MK256903). And the G3PDH (994 bp) gene segment showed 100% identity to B. cinerea isolate GZFQ-1 (GenBank accession no. MH479930). Phylogenetic analysis based on RPB2, HSP60, and G3PDH showed that the pathogen was B. cinerea. Uninfected A. roxburghii healthy plants were sprayed with 2 × 10⁶ conidia/ml in distilled water as inoculum, and plants inoculated with only distilled water were adopted as the blank control. For each isolate, 16 intact plants were inoculated. Plants were then kept at 25°C and 95% relative humidity in a 12-h light/dark incubation. After 10 days, all three tested isolates caused gray mold symptoms on A. roxburghii, whereas no symptoms appeared in the controls. Cultures reisolated from lesions and cultured on PDA exhibited the same morphological characteristics as B. cinerea (Carmichael et al. 2019), confirming Koch’s postulates. The inoculations were performed twice. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the gray mold in A. roxburghii, which is the main factor limiting its productions. Measures must be taken to manage the disease in a timely manner.

Analysis of shading on DNA methylation by MSAP in Pinellia ternata

Pinellia ternata is a medicinal herb of Araceae, and its tubers are used as medicines. It is a common Chinese herbal medicine in China and has a large market demand. When exposing to strong light intensity and high temperature during the growth process, P. ternata withers in a phenomenon known as "sprout tumble", which largely limits tuber production. Shade can effectively delay sprout tumble formation and increase its yield, however the relevant regulation mechanism is unclear. DNA methylation, as a self-modifying response to environmental changes, is often involved in the regulation of plant growth and development. In this study, P. ternata grown under natural light and 90% shading were selected as the control group and the experimental group for genomic DNA methylation analysis by using methylate sensitive amplification polymorphism(MSAP). The results showed that a total of 617 loci were detected with 20 pairs of primers, of which 311 were in the natural light group and 306 in the shading group. The methylation sites in the light and shading groups accounted for 58.2% and 71.57%, respectively, and the methylation ratios in the methylation sites were 27.65% and 29.41%, respectively, indicating that shading significantly induced the genome DNA methylation of P. ternata. Compared to the natural light group, shading promoted 32.51% of the genes methylation, while inducing 16.25% gene demethylation. This study reveals the DNA methylation variation of P. ternata under shading conditions, which lays a preliminary theoretical foundation for further analysis of the mechanism of shading regulation of P. ternata growth from epigenetic level.

Characterization of the complete chloroplast genome of Chrysanthemum oreastrum (Asteraceae) as a traditional medicinal plant to China

Chrysanthemum oreastrum is a perennial herb of Compositae and one of the traditional Chinese medicinal herb in China. In this study, the complete chloroplast genome of C. oreastrum was illustrated to add more genetic information. The chloroplast genome is 151,045 bp in length as the circular, which consists a large single-copy region (LSC) of 82,793 bp, a small single-copy region (SSC) of 18,348 bp and a pair of inverted-repeat regions (IRs) of 24,952 bp. The overall nucleotide composition of chloroplast genome is: 47,014 bp A (31.1%), 47,399 bp T (31.4%), 27,963 bp C (18.5%), 28,699 bp G (19.0%), and the total G + C content of 37.5%. 128 species genes were annotated that included 85 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 35 transfer RNA (tRNAs), and 8 ribosome RNA (rRNAs). Phylogenetic relationship indicated that C. oreastrum is closely related to C. morifolium in the genetic relationship constructed using the maximum-likelihood (ML) method.

Magnesium reduces cadmium accumulation by decreasing the nitrate reductase-mediated nitric oxide production in Panax notoginseng roots

Panax notoginseng is a traditional medicinal herb in China. However, the high capacity of its roots to accumulate cadmium (Cd) poses a potential risk to human health. Our previous study showed that nitrate reductase (NR)-dependent nitric oxide (NO) production promoted Cd accumulation in P. notoginseng root cell walls. In this study, the role of Mg in the regulation of NO production and Cd accumulation in P. notoginseng roots was characterized. Exposure of P. notoginseng roots to increasing concentrations of Cd resulted in a linear increase in NO production. The application of 2 mM Mg for 24 h significantly alleviated Cd-induced NO production and Cd accumulation in roots, which coincided with a significant decrease in the NR activity. Western analysis suggested that Mg increased the interaction between the 14-3-3 protein and NR, which might have been a reason for the Mg-mediated decrease in NR activity and NO production under Cd stress. These results suggested that Mg-mediated alleviation of Cd-induced NO production and Cd accumulation is achieved by enhancement of the interaction between the 14-3-3 protein and NR in P. notoginseng roots.

Comparison of intramuscular and intravenous pharmacokinetics of ginsenosides in humans after dosing XueShuanTong, a lyophilized extract of Panax notoginseng roots

Ethnopharmacological relevanceMany bioactive constituents of Chinese herbal medicines have poor oral bioavailability. Besides oral administration, herbal medicines in China are also prepared for parenteral administration. Unlike for intravenous route, little is known about the intramuscular pharmacokinetics of herbal compounds. To facilitate rational use of herbal medicine, it is important to better understand such intramuscular pharmacokinetics. Aim of the studyBioactive constituents of XueShuanTong (a lyophilized extract of Panax notoginseng roots, extensively used in treatment of ischemic heart and cerebrovascular diseases) predominantly comprise ginsenosides Rb1 and Rd of 20(S)-protopanaxadiol-type and ginsenosides Rg1, and Re, and notoginsenoside R1 of 20(S)-protopanaxatriol-type; these saponins are poorly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. This study aimed to compare intramuscular and intravenous pharmacokinetics of these ginsenosides after dosing XueShuanTong. MethodsPharmacokinetics of ginsenosides was assessed in human volunteers receiving an intramuscular injection or 1.5-h intravenous infusion of XueShuanTong, both at 150 mg/person, and the plasma and urine samples were analyzed by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. ResultsLike after intravenous administration, the unchanged saponins were the major circulating forms after intramuscular administration, while their metabolites were poorly detected. These ginsenosides exhibited intramuscular bioavailability of 100%–112%, relative to the respective intravenous data. Similar to that after intravenous infusion, the 20(S)-protopanaxadiol-type ginsenosides after the intramuscular injection exhibited notably longer terminal half-lives (46–106 h) than the 20(S)-protopanaxatriol-type ginsenosides (1.1–1.4 h). ConclusionsIntramuscular route might be an effective alternative to intravenous route for XueShuanTong, from the pharmacokinetic perspective.

Transcriptome analyses revealed molecular responses of\xa0Cynanchum auriculatum leaves to saline stress

Cynanchum auriculatum is a traditional herbal medicine in China and can grow in saline soils. However, little is known in relation to the underlying molecular mechanisms. In the present study, C. auriculatum seedlings were exposed to 3.75‰ and 7.5‰ salinity. Next, transcriptome profiles of leaves were compared. Transcriptome sequencing showed 35,593 and 58,046 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in treatments with 3.75‰ and 7.5‰, compared with the control, respectively. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses of these DEGs enriched various defense-related biological pathways, including ROS scavenging, ion transportation, lipid metabolism and plant hormone signaling. Further analyses suggested that C. auriculatum up-regulated Na+/H+ exchanger and V-type proton ATPase to avoid accumulation of Na+. The flavonoid and phenylpropanoids biosynthesis pathways were activated, which might increase antioxidant capacity in response to saline stress. The auxin and ethylene signaling pathways were upregulated in response to saline treatments, both of which are important plant hormones. Overall, these results raised new insights to further investigate molecular mechanisms underlying resistance of C. auriculatum to saline stress.

Comparison of volatile components in 11 Chinese yam (Dioscorea spp.) varieties

Yams (Dioscorea spp.) are widely cultivated as a vegetable and as herbal medicines in China. Although the analysis of volatile components is important for edible vegetables, less is known about yam's volatiles. The aim of this work was to investigate the differences in the volatile compositions of Chinese yams and to explore the varietal and geographical influences on their volatile compositions. A total of 84 volatile compounds were identified from 11 varieties of Chinese yams using HS-SPME-GC-MS/MS. Alcohols and ethers such as 1-octen-3-ol and anthole were identified as the universal characteristic volatile components in Chinese yams. Principal components analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis showed two clear clusters: Ziyu yam and other yams, and variety was a more important factor than producing area. The results of orthogonal projections to latent structures discriminant analysis showed that ZY was different from the other varieties and 3,3,6,6-tetramethyl-1,2,4,5-tetroxane and 2,3-butanediol were its characteristic volatile compounds. As a special yam, ZY might be studied further.

UFLC-PDA-MS/MS Profiling of Seven Uncaria Species Integrated with Melatonin/5-Hydroxytryptamine Receptors Agonistic Assay

Uncariae Ramulus Cum Uncis (Gou-Teng), the dried hook-bearing stems of several Uncaria plants (Rubiaceae), is a well-known herbal medicine in China. The clinical application of Gou-Teng is bewildered for the morphological and chemical similarity between different species. In order to discern their chemical and biological difference, an ultra-fast liquid chromatography equipped with ion trap time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UFLC-IT/TOF-MS) combining with melatonin (MT1 and MT2) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT1A and 5-HT2C) receptors agonistic assay in vitro was conducted on seven Uncaria species. As a result, 57 compounds including 35 indole alkaloids, ten flavonoids, five triterpenoids, five chlorogenic analogues, and two other compounds were characterized based on their MS/MS patterns and UV absorptions. Specifically, cadambine-type and corynanthein-type alkaloids were exclusively present in U.rhynchophylla and U.scandens, whereas corynoxine-type alkaloids were commonly detected in all the seven Uncaria plants. Three Uncaria species, U. rhynchophylla, U. macrophylla, and U. yunnanensis showed obviously agnostic activity on four neurotransmitter receptors (MT1, MT2, 5-HT1A, and 5-HT2C). This first-time UFLCMS-IT-TOF analyses integrated with biological assay on seven Uncaria plants will provide scientific viewpoints for the clinical application of Gou-Teng.Graphic

Decoding an Old 1907 Prescription of Dr. Ing Hay (“Doc Hay”): One of the Earliest Chinese Medicine Doctors in the United States

Objectives: Chinese medicine doctors have practiced in the United States since April of 1854, the world's first Chinese medicine doctor's memorial is Kam Wah Chung Museum in John Day, Oregon, U.S., to commemorate Dr.Ing Hay (”Doc Hay” 伍于念) and his business partner Lung On (梁光荣). There were few studies to explore Doc Hay's real practice and prescription, while most of papers focused on Doc Hay's legend life. This paper aims to analyze and interpret one of the intriguing herbal prescriptions that Doc Hay had hand-written. Materials and Methods: Dr. Arthur Yin Fan made an academic travel to Kam Wah Chung museum on August 5, 2018 and examined the books and hand-written prescriptions of Doc Hay, which were not exhibited to the public at that time. This paper analyzes and interprets one of herbal prescriptions that Doc Hay had hand-written in 1907. Interpretation process included four steps: (1): Transform Doc Hay's hand-written prescription (with original herb names) to standard herb names in Chinese. (2): Induct and rearrange the herb name into groups based on herb property characteristics and then translate them into both PinYin names and English names. Analyzation of the prescription may include in what classic formula (s) routinely introduced in Chinese medicine textbooks. (3): Analyze the herbal action for each group and potential symptoms or conditions the patient may have had. An analysis of classic formula (s) used in the prescription may represent what clinical condition was being treated at that time. (4): Combine the analysis to give a comprehensive picture of the patient. Results: The prescription consists of 67 herbs, total 934.6 grams, and including Yin Qiao Powder (银翘散), Sang Ju Decoction (桑菊饮), Zhi Sou Powder (止嗽散), Qing Ying Decoction (清营汤), Xi Jiao Di Huang Decoction (犀角地黄汤), Long Dan Xie Gan Decoction (龙胆泻肝汤) and Chai Hu Shu Gan Powder (柴胡疏肝散). Speculation indicated that the prescription was for a patient who had obvious pulmonary infection accompanied by severe cough, and probably had prolonged pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) also with acute respiratory infection caused by other bacteria or viruses. Based on the analysis of composition of this prescription, it can be used for the treatment of epidemic diseases. Conclusion: The majority of herbs used in this prescription are commonly included in the herbal medicines in China used to effectively counter severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), H1N1 and currently COVID-19, it might be Doc Hay's basic formula for patients with “Spanish Flu” during the 1918-1920 pandemic.