Lotus Leaf Extract Research Articles

Diospyros lotus leaf extract and its main component myricitrin inhibit itch‑related IL‑6 and IL‑31 by suppressing microglial inflammation and microglial‑mediated astrocyte activation.

Diospyros lotus has been traditionally used in Asia for medicinal purposes, exhibiting a broad spectrum of pharmacological effects including antioxidant, neuroprotective and anti‑inflammatory properties. While the anti‑itch effect of D. lotus leaves has been reported, studies on the detailed mechanism of action in microglia and astrocytes, which are members of the central nervous system, have yet to be revealed. The present study aimed to investigate effects of D. lotus leaf extract (DLE) and its main component myricitrin (MC) on itch‑related cytokines and signaling pathways in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‑stimulated microglia. The effect of DLE and MC on activation of astrocyte stimulated by microglia was also examined. Cytokine production was evaluated through reverse transcription PCR and western blot analysis. Signaling pathway was analyzed by performing western blotting and immunofluorescence staining. The effect of microglia on astrocytes activation was evaluated via western blotting for receptors, signaling molecules and itch mediators and confirmed through gene silencing using short interfering RNA. DLE and MC suppressed the production of itch‑related cytokine IL‑6 and IL‑31 in LPS‑stimulated microglia. These inhibitory effects were mediated through the blockade of NF‑κB, MAPK and JAK/STAT pathways. In astrocytes, stimulation by microglia promoted the expression of itch‑related molecules such as oncostatin M receptor, interleukin 31 receptor a, inositol 1,4,5‑trisphosphate receptor 1, lipocalin‑2 (LCN2), STAT3 and glial fibrillary acidic protein. However, DLE and MC significantly inhibited these receptors. Additionally, astrocytes stimulated by microglia with IL‑6, IL‑31, or both genes silenced did not show activation of LCN2 or STAT3. The findings of the present study demonstrated that DLE and MC could suppress pruritic activity in astrocytes induced by microglia‑derived IL‑6 and IL‑31. This suggested the potential of DLE and MC as functional materials capable of alleviating pruritus.

Photocatalytic Degradation of Toxic Rhodamine B Dye by Green‐Synthesised Activated Carbon‐Supported Cobalt Doped ZnO With Further Assessment of ZnO Nanoparticles in Antimicrobial Applications

AbstractThis work investigates the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles, cobalt (Co)‐doped ZnO, and Activated Carbon (AC) ‐Co doped ZnO via green precipitation technique. AC developed from lotus stems and precipitated by lotus leaf extract. Comprehensive structural, optical, and morphological investigations by FT‐IR, XRD, FE‐SEM, EDX, HR‐TEM, UV‐DRS, PL, and XPS studies are used to characterize the photocatalysts. The ZnO nanoparticles are shown to have a hexagonal phase by XRD examination. The results of the FT‐IR analysis proved that specific chemical bonds exist in the ZnO, Co−ZnO, and AC−Co‐doped ZnO nanocomposites. FE‐SEM images revealed spherical morphology with aggregated, randomly distributed particles with an average size range of ZnO, Co−ZnO and AC−Co−ZnO are 59.55, 42.55, 41.16 nm. The band gap energies of ZnO, Co ‐ZnO, and AC−Co‐ ZnO, are found to be 3.10, 2.57, and 1.94 eV, respectively. Rhodamine B is used as a model contaminant to assess the samples under UV‐light driven photocatalytic effectiveness. The photocatalytic degradation efficiency (%) of the pristine ZnO, Co‐doped ZnO, and AC−Co‐doped ZnO catalysts are increased to 61.76, 74.86, and 91.46 % after 140 minutes of under UV‐light irradiation. Degradation rate constant (k) of the AC−Co−ZnO photocatalyst is found to be greater than that of pristine ZnO and Co−ZnO. Due to the synergistic effect of the AC and Co metal dopants and the spherical morphology of the AC−Co−ZnO sample, which boosted UV‐visible light absorption with reduced charge carrier recombination, resulting in outstanding photocatalytic activity. The study also investigated the bioactive effect of the samples on six bacterial species, revealing that the AC−Co‐doped ZnO nanocomposite has the most enhanced inhibitory effects against gram‐positive and gram‐negative bacteria. Consequently, medical wound dressing materials which helps to promote early healing by preventing microbial contamination.

Antibacterial Activity of Herbal Tea Extract from Lotus Leaves (Nelumbo nucifera) Using Different Solvents

This research aimed to examine the antibacterial activity of lotus leaf (Nelumbo nucifera) extract as a basis for herbal tea production. Lotus leaf was chosen as the herbal tea ingredient due to its abundant availability in South Kalimantan and its believed beneficial phytochemical content for health. The research process involved several stages including lotus leaf herbal tea processing, multi-stage maceration extraction using hexane, ethyl acetate, and ethanol solvents, and testing the extract's ability against Escherichia coli bacteria. The research design employed a 2-factor complete randomized design, with the first factor being the extract concentration and the second being the solvent type. Data analysis was conducted using Two-Way ANOVA in IBM SPSS 25. The results revealed that ethanol solvent produced the highest concentration extract with a yield of 10.86%, while hexane solvent yielded the lowest at 1.64%. Subsequent antibacterial activity testing was carried out using direct contact method with lotus leaf extract concentrations of 0.5%, 1%, and 1.5% in all three solvents. The findings indicated that 0.5% and 1% concentration extracts inhibited Escherichia coli growth across all solvents, whereas the 1.5% extract concentration in ethanol was capable of killing Escherichia coli bacteria. It was concluded that lotus leaf extract holds potential as an antibacterial agent, with higher extract concentrations showing greater efficacy in inhibiting bacterial growth. The 1.5% concentration (45 μl) exhibited the most effective results in killing Escherichia coli, underscoring the potential of Nelumbo nucifera lotus leaf in the development of antibacterial herbal products.

Lotus Leaf Extract Alleviates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Intestinal Injury in Mice by Regulating Oxidative Stress and Inflammation.

Inflammatory bowel disease, a disease featured by intestinal epithelial barrier destruction and dysfunction, has been a constant threat to animal health. The primary objective of this research was to assess the impact of the extract derived from lotus leaves (LLE) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced damage to the intestines in mice, as well as to investigate the fundamental mechanism involved. The LLE was prepared using ultrasonic extraction in this experiment, and the LLE total flavonoid content was 117.02 ± 10.73 mg/g. The LLE had strong antioxidant activity in vitro, as assessed by 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, ferric reducing antioxidant power, and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) methods. In the vivo experiment, different doses of LLE (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) were administered for 2 weeks before LPS treatment in mice. The results revealed that LLE alleviates intestinal tissue damage in LPS-induced mice. In the jejunum tissue, LLE significantly upregulated mRNA and protein expression levels of tight junction proteins, such as ZO-1, occludin, and claudin-1, and decreased the contents of the inflammatory cytokines, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α. Furthermore, the malondialdehyde and lactate dehydrogenase contents increased by LPS in the liver were significantly reduced after administration of LLE, and the total antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase, and reduced glutathione decreased by LPS were remarkably increased by LLE. It was found that LLE could relieve LPS-induced oxidative stress by upregulating mRNA and protein expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 in jejunum tissue. In conclusion, LLE alleviates LPS-induced intestinal damage through regulation of the Nrf2/HO-1 signal pathway to alleviate oxidative stress, reducing inflammatory factors and increasing the expression of tight junction proteins in mice.

Nuciferine prevents obesity by activating brown adipose tissue.

Increasing evidence suggests that brown adipose tissue (BAT) plays an important role in obesity and related diseases. Increasing the amount or activity of BAT could prevent obesity. Therefore, a safe and effective method of activating BAT is urgently required. Here, we evaluated the potential effects of lotus leaf extract (LLE) on BAT function. We found that LLE substantially increased UCP1 mRNA and protein levels as well as thermogenic protein expression in primary brown adipocytes. Additionally, LLE treatment reduced diet-induced obesity and improved glucose homeostasis owing to BAT activation and increased energy expenditure. We found that nuciferine, an active ingredient of LLE, could dose-dependently activate BAT in vitro and in vivo, alleviate diet-induced obesity, and improve glucose homeostasis by increasing energy expenditure. Mechanistically, we found that nuciferine induced PPARG coactivator 1 alpha (PGC1-α) expression, which is a key gene involved in mitochondrial biogenesis promoter activity, by directly binding to RXRA. Furthermore, RXRA knockdown abolished expression of the nuciferine-induced mitochondrial and thermogenesis-related gene in primary brown adipocytes. In summary, we found that LLE and nuciferine have a notable effect on BAT activation and highlight the potential applications of the main component of LLE in preventing obesity and treating metabolic disorders.

Mitophagy suppression by miquelianin-rich lotus leaf extract induces 'beiging' of white fat via AMPK/DRP1-PINK1/PARKIN signaling axis.

Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) leaf has been described to have anti-obesity activity, but the role of white fat 'browning' or 'beiging' in its beneficial metabolic actions remains unclear. Here, 3T3-L1 cells and high-fat-diet (HFD)-fed mice were used to evaluate the effects of miquelianin-rich lotus leaf extract (LLE) on white-to-beige fat conversion and its regulatory mechanisms. Treatment with LLE increased mitochondrial abundance, mitochondrial membrane potential and NAD+ /NADH ratio in 3T3-L1 cells, suggesting its potential in promoting mitochondrial activity. qPCR and/or western blotting analysis confirmed that LLE induced the expression of beige fat-enriched gene signatures (e.g. Sirt1, Cidea, Dio2, Prdm16, Ucp1, Cd40, Cd137, Cited1) and mitochondrial biogenesis-related markers (e.g. Nrf1, Cox2, Cox7a, Tfam) in 3T3-L1 cells and inguinal white adipose tissue of HFD-fed mice. Furthermore, we found that LLE treatment inhibited mitochondrial fission protein DRP1 and blocked mitophagy markers such as PINK1, PARKIN, BECLIN1 and LC-3B. Chemical inhibition experiments revealed that AMPK/DRP1 signaling was required for LLE-induced beige fat formation via suppressing PINK1/PARKIN/mitophagy. Our data reveal a novel mechanism underlying the anti-obesity effect of LLE, namely the induction of white fat beiging via AMPK/DRP1/mitophagy signaling. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Lotus leaf extract can attenuate salpingitis in laying hens by inhibiting apoptosis

This study aimed to determine whether the lotus leaf extract (LLE) had the effect of treating salpingitis in laying hens. First, the salpingitis model was established by the method of bacterial infection. Differential genes between salpingitis and healthy laying hens were identified by transcriptome sequencing, and GO and KEGG enrichment analyses were performed. Groups of treatment of antibiotics and LLE were established to verify the feasibility of the lotus leaf extract in treating salpingitis. Furthermore, the active component and pharmacological effects of LLE were identified using the UPLC-Q-TOF-MS and network pharmacology technique. At last, the mechanism of LLE treating salpingitis was further evaluated by DF-1 cells infected with bacteria. The results showed that LLE significantly reduced the levels of TLR4 and IFN-γ (P < 0.05), accelerated the levels of IgA and IgG (P < 0.05), regulated the levels of SOD and MDA (P < 0.05) in laying hens with salpingitis. A total of 1,874 differential genes were obtained according to the transcriptome sequencing. It was revealed a significant role in cell cycle and apoptosis by enrichment analysis. In addition, among the 28 components identified by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS, 20 components acted on 58 genes, including CDK1, BIRC5, and CA2 for treating salpingitis. After bacterial infection, cells were damaged and unable to complete the normal progression of the cell cycle, leading to cell cycle arrest and further apoptosis formation. However, with the intervention of LLE, bacterial infection was resisted. The cells proliferation was extensively restored, and the expression of NO was increased. The addition of LLE significantly decreased cell apoptosis. The G1 phase increased, the S phase and the G2 phase decreased in the model group; after the intervention of LLE, the G1 phase gradually returned to the average level, and G2 and S phases increased. The mRNA expression levels of BIRC5, CDK1, and CA2 were consistent with the predicted results in network pharmacology. At the same time, the mRNA expression levels of Caspase-3 and Caspase-7 were reduced after added with LLE. The mRNA expression levels of TNF-α, TRADD, FADD, Caspase-8, Caspase-10, and Caspase-9 (P < 0.05), which would inhibit death receptor activation and decrease the apoptotic cascade, were upregulated after bacterial infection. However, the results in LLE groups were downregulated (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the mRNA expression levels of BCL-2 in LLE groups were increased significantly compared with it in model group (P < 0.05). Notably, LLE administration inhibited apoptosis and regulated the cell cycle distribution in the salpingitis induced by bacterial infection. These results indicated that the LLE attenuated bacterial-induced salpingitis by modulating apoptosis and immune function in laying hens.

Diospyros lotus leaf extract and its main component myricitrin regulate pruritus through the inhibition of astrocyte activation.

Diospyros lotus is a deciduous plant native to Asian countries, including Korea, Japan and China, and southeast Europe. In traditional medicine, Diospyros lotus is used as an anticancer, antidiabetic and antipyretic agent. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of Diospyros lotus leaf extract (DLE) in ameliorating histamine-independent pruritus. Activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) in astrocytes contributes to pruritus. In this study, the effects of DLE and its main component, myricetin (MC), on the activation of STAT3, expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and production of lipocalin-2 (LCN2) in IL-6-treated astrocytes and chloroquine-injected mice were investigated through western blot, reverse transcription-quantitative PCR, and immunofluorescence staining. DLE and MC inhibited STAT3 activation, GFAP expression and LCN2 release via inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor type 1 blockade in astrocytes. DLE and MC ameliorated scratching behavior, expression of GFAP, mast cell infiltration and serum IL-6 levels in chloroquine-injected mice. These results suggested that DLE and MC can be used as oral therapeutic agents for the treatment and management of pruritus.

Study on the vasodilatory activity of lotus leaf extract and its representative substance nuciferine on thoracic aorta in rats.

Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) leaves are widely used for both edible and medicinal applications. For its further utilization, we studied the vasodilatory activity of lotus leaf extract for the first time. In this study, we obtained the extracts using different ratios of water and ethanol, which was followed by polarity-dependent extraction. We found that the CH2Cl2 layer exhibited better vasodilatory activity (EC50 = 1.21 ± 0.10 μg/ml). HPLC and ESI-HRMS analysis of the CH2Cl2 layer using the standard product as a control revealed that nuciferine (Emax = 97.95 ± 0.76%, EC50 = 0.36 ± 0.02 μM) was the main component in this layer. Further research revealed that nuciferine exerts a multi-target synergistic effect to promote vasodilation, via the NO signaling pathway, K+ channel, Ca2+ channel, intracellular Ca2+ release, α and β receptors, etc. Nuciferine exhibits good vasodilatory activity, and it exhibits the potential to be utilized as a lead compound.

Screening of bioactivity-oriented extraction approach and quality control standards of lotus leaf extracts with dual functions

In the present study, various lotus leaf extracts were prepared by multiple methods, characterized by 12 alkaloids, 14 flavonoids, and superoxide anion radical scavenging (OS) and xanthine oxidase inhibitory (XOI) activities, and divided into 3/4 groups with different characteristics. Both alkaloids and flavonoids contributed to XOI activity of representative lotus leaf extract. Norcoclaurine, O-nornuciferine, N-nornuciferine, nuciferine, luteolin, diosmetin, quercetin, and quercetin-3-O-glucuronide were defined as quality control standards for lotus leaf extracts with dual OS and XOI activities. Enzymatic hydrolysis coupled with ultrasound-assisted extraction method using 50% (v/v) ethanol was the most favorable approach for preparing food-grade lotus leaf extract with dual functions. Network pharmacology revealed that this extract having abundant alkaloids and flavonoids (especially flavonoid aglycones) could improve hyperuricemia by multiple actions on uric acid synthesis and transport, inflammation response, oxidative stress and lipid metabolism. Our study provided crucial data about clear quality control standards for plant-based functional food with potential hypouricemic effect.

The inhibitory effect of lotus leaf extract on hyperuricemia and its potential mechanism

Abstract Objective: Lotus leaf is a traditional Chinese herb that has been used successfully for centuries for relieving edema by inducing diuresis. Based on its good clinical evidence and anti-hypertensive effectiveness, this study aimed to investigate the potential mechanism of the hyperuricemic inhibitory effects of lotus leaf crude extract (LL) and lotus leaf total alkaloids fraction (LA). Methods: The xanthine oxidase (XOD) inhibitory effect of LL and LA was analyzed in vitro by determining mRNA expression and protein expression levels of hepatic XOD. The hyperuricemic inhibitory effect of the lotus leaf was analyzed in vivo in a potassium oxonate (PO)-induced rat model by determining mRNA expression for renal urate transporters. Results: At a concentration of 40 μg/mL, LL and LA suppressed XOD enzymatic activity by 37.35% ± 9.50% and 47.73% ± 8.32%, respectively. Both LL and LA administration significantly reduced the concentration of uric acid in the serum and liver of PO-induced hyperuricemic rats. Both LL and LA administration could inhibit XOD mRNA and protein expression, activate renal organic anion transporter 1/3 mRNA expression, and inhibit renal urate reabsorption by decreasing renal GLUT9 and renal urate transporter 1. Conclusions: Insight was gained into the mechanism behind the hyperuricemic inhibitory effects of LL and LA. Our results suggest that they act on two targets: decreasing the production of uric acid by inhibiting mRNA and protein expression of XOD in the liver, and regulating the mRNA expression of renal urate transporters in the kidneys.

Quercetin-3-O-glucuronide in the Ethanol Extract of Lotus Leaf (Nelumbo nucifera) Enhances Sleep Quantity and Quality in a Rodent Model via a GABAergic Mechanism.

Current pharmacological treatments for insomnia carry several and long-term side effects. Therefore, natural products without side effects are warranted. In this study, the sleep-promoting activity of the lotus leaf (Nelumbo nucifera) extract was assessed using ICR mice and Sprague Dawley rats. A pentobarbital-induced sleep test and electroencephalogram analysis were conducted to measure sleep latency time, duration, and sleep architecture. The action mechanism of the extract was evaluated through ligand binding experiments. A high dose (300 mg/kg) of the ethanolic lotus leaf extract significantly increased sleep duration compared to the normal group (p < 0.01). Administration of low (150 mg/kg) and high doses (300 mg/kg) of the extract significantly increased sleep quality, especially the relative power of theta waves (p < 0.05), compared to the normal group. Furthermore, caffeine and lotus leaf extract administration significantly recovered caffeine-induced sleep disruption (p < 0.001), and the sleep quality was similar to that of the normal group. Additionally, ligand binding assay using [3H]-flumazenil revealed that quercetin-3-O-glucuronide contained in the lotus leaf extract (77.27 μg/mg of extract) enhanced sleep by binding to GABAA receptors. Collectively, these results indicated that the lotus leaf extract, particularly quercetin-3-O-glucuronide, exhibits sleep quantity- and quality-enhancing activity via the GABAergic pathway.

Lotus leaf extract inhibits ER\u2212 breast cancer cell migration and metastasis

BackgroundPatients with estrogen receptor negative (ER−) breast cancer have poor prognosis due to high rates of metastasis. However, there is no effective treatment and drugs for ER− breast cancer metastasis. Our purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of lotus leaf alcohol extract (LAE) on the cell migration and metastasis of ER− breast cancer.MethodsThe anti-migratory effect of LAE were analyzed in ER− breast cancer cells including SK-BR-3, MDA-MB-231 and HCC1806 cell lines. Cell viability assay, wound-healing assay, RNA-sequence analysis and immunoblotting assay were used to evaluate the cytotoxicity and anti-migratory effect of LAE. To further investigate the inhibitory effect of LAE on metastasis in vivo, subcutaneous xenograft and intravenous injection nude mice models were established. Lung and liver tissues were analyzed by the hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunoblotting assay.ResultsWe found that lotus LAE, not nuciferine, inhibited cell migration significantly in SK-BR-3, MDA-MB-231 and HCC1806 breast cancer cells, and did not affect viability of breast cancer cells. The anti-migratory effect of LAE was dependent on TGF-β1 signaling, while independent of Wnt signaling and autophagy influx. Intracellular H2O2 was involved in the TGF-β1-related inhibition of cell migration. LAE inhibited significantly the breast cancer cells metastasis in mice models. RNA-sequence analysis showed that extracellular matrix signaling pathways are associated with LAE-suppressed cell migration.ConclusionsOur findings demonstrated that lotus leaf alcohol extract inhibits the cell migration and metastasis of ER− breast cancer, at least in part, via TGF-β1/Erk1/2 and TGF-β1/SMAD3 signaling pathways, which provides a potential therapeutic strategy for ER− breast cancer.

The Effect of L-Carnitine, Green Tea Extract and Lotus Leaf Extract on the Body Fat Percentage in High Energy Diet-Induced Obese Rats

Background Obesity has become a public health issue of global concern. Obesity is often associated with the occurrence of many diseases, and will also increase mortality; it not only affects personal health, but also increases healthcare costs, thus reducing social productivity and causing negative social and economic impacts. Therefore, ameliorating obesity is an issue worth attention and effort. The development of a natural and safe anti-obesity combination is worthy of further research. It is known that L-carnitine, green tea and lotus leaves have anti-obesity potential, but there is no research and discussion on this novel combination to improve body fat. Objective This study explored how the dietary supplement formula containing L-carnitine, green tea extract and lotus leaf extract (CGL) lowered the body fat accumulation in rats induced by high-energy diet. Design The test used 60-week-old male Sprague Dawley® white rats, which were first divided into the control group (12 rats were given normal feed) and the experimental group (48 rats were given high energy diet; HE). The HE group was further divided into H2O and CGL groups (296, 593 and 1186 mg/kg, to be designated as CGL-L, CGL-M, CGL-H respectively). The rats were first fed with feed for five-weeks, and then fed with different doses of CGL by gavage starting from the sixth-week. After nine-weeks of feeding, the rats were sacrificed to obtain their body weight, feed intake, body fat, serum biochemical indices and liver lipid measurements. Results The results show that the final body weight of HE+CGL-L (578.8±41.6 g) was significantly lower than that of HE+H2O (634.9±42.2 g), and the body fat amount of HE+CGL-L (36.6±9.8 g) was significantly lower than that of HE+H2O (49.4±13.8 g). Feed efficiency and calorie efficiency of HE+CGL-L were also significantly lower than that of HE+H2O (p&lt;0.001). HE+CGL-M and HE+CGL-H were also able to significantly reduce the final body weight, body fat amount and serum-free fatty acid concentration (p&lt;0.05). Conclusion CGL can significantly reduce the final body weight, body fat amount, body fat ratio, feed efficiency and calorie efficiency. CGL has the potential as a new dietary supplement for weight loss. However, the significance of these results on humans taking the supplement for prolonged periods of time is unknown and should be a focus for future investigations.

The effects of dietary supplementation with lotus leaf extract on the immune response and intestinal microbiota composition of broiler chickens

This study aimed to assess the effect of lotus leaf extract (LLE) on the immune response and intestinal microbiota composition of broiler chickens. One-day-old birds were assigned to 7 treatments. Two maize-based control diets were each given with or without 50 mg/kg chlortetracycline (antibiotics and blank control groups, respectively). Five experimental diets were each given with 1.0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, or 10.0 g/kg LLE. Average daily weight gain (ADG) was assessed, and the immune organ index was calculated. Serum cytokine and immunoglobulin levels were determined, and intestinal microbiota composition was analyzed via high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Results showed that in the LLE5 group, ADG was higher than that of the antibiotics and blank control groups (P < 0.05) from d 7 to 21, the thymus index at d14, spleen index at d 21, and bursa index at d 14 and 21 were increased markedly (P < 0.05). In the LLE5 and LLE7.5 groups, serum total IgG and sIgA concentrations were higher than those of the antibiotics and blank control groups (P < 0.05) at d 7 and higher than those of the antibiotics group (P < 0.05) at d 14. No significant effect was observed for interferon-gamma concentrations between the antibiotics and LLE5 or LLE7.5 groups; compared with the antibiotics group, IL2 concentrations were increased in the LLE5 group at d 7 and in the LLE7.5 group at d 21 (P < 0.05). 16s rRNA sequencing analysis revealed that there were 1,704, 232, and 4,814 operational taxonomic unit in the blank control group, antibiotics group, and LLE groups, respectively. The intestinal microbiota consisted mainly of Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes (>95%) at the phylum level; at the family level, the abundance of Clostridiaceae and Bacteroidales S24-7 was increased, whereas that of Peptostreptococcaceae was reduced in LLE5 group (P < 0.05). These findings suggest that LLE may be a good source of prebiotics, helping to modulate the immune response and boost the levels of beneficial bacteria.

Simultaneous Determination of Five Alkaloids by HPLC-MS/MS Combined With Micro-SPE in Rat Plasma and Its Application to Pharmacokinetics After Oral Administration of Lotus Leaf Extract.

An environment-friendly and efficient method for simultaneous determination of five alkaloids (nunciferine, O-nornuciferin, liriodenine, armepavine, and pronuciferine) in rat plasma was established by HPLC-MS/MS associated with micro-solid phase extraction (micro-SPE). The plasma sample was pretreated by using micro-SPE columns filled with polymer materials PEP-2 and eluted by little organic solvent (400 µl acetonitrile). The five alkaloids were separated with acetonitrile and 0.1% formic acid aqueous solution on Eclipse plus C18 column. The mode of positive electrospray ionization was used to measure the analytes in multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM). The determination coefficients (R2) of the five alkaloids were greater than 0.99. The lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) of O-nornuciferin, liriodenine, and armepavine was 0.5 ng·ml−1, and that of nunciferine and pronuciferine was 1 ng·ml−1. The validated method was effectively used for the pharmacokinetics of the five orally administrated alkaloids of lotus leaf extract in rat plasma.

Combined effects of Diospyros lotus leaf and grape stalk extract in high-fat-diet-induced obesity in mice.

The aim of this study was to investigate the combined effects of Diospyros lotus leaves extracts (DLE) and Muscat Bailey A grape stalk extracts (MGSE) in obesity induced by high-fat diet (HFD) in mice. The mice were fed with HFD and orally administered daily with DLE, MGSE, a mixture of DLE and MGSE, and Garcinia cambogia extract over a period of 16weeks. The results revealed that daily administration of DLE and MGSE mixtures markedly prevented HFD-induced weight gain, plasma lipid profile, hepatic steatosis, hepatic fibrosis, diabetic symptoms, and the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Also, DLE and MGSE mixtures administration greatly prevented oxidative stress and liver toxicity. The combined effects of DLE and MGSE mixtures were higher than effects of the single extracts and ofG. cambogia, a plant known for its anti-obesity effects. In summary, these findings demonstrated that DLE and MGSE mixtures, exhibit anti-obesity activity in HFD-fed mice.

Evaluation of in vitro antioxidant activity of Nelumbo nucifera leaf extract and its potential application as antibacterial agent against fish pathogens

The aim of this study was to determine the antioxidant and antibacterial property of Nelumbo nucifers (lotus) leaf extract. Total phenolic content and DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrozyl) scavenging methods were used to evaluate the antioxidant property of crude extract. DPPH scavenging capacity of extract varied significantly (p<0.05) depending on the concentration, except 5.5mg/ml and 7 mg/ml concentrations. The maximum concentration (10mg/ml) of the extract showed the highest scavenging effect (57.75%). The phenolic contents exhibited a similar trend to that of DPPH. Total phenolic compounds increased with the increasing concentration of N. nucifera leaf extract. Disc diffusion and broth micro-dilution methods showed bactericidal property of lotus leaf extract. Water, acetone-water and ethanol-water based extracts were tested against selected gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and gram-negative (Aeromonas hydrophila, Pseudomonas fluorescens) bacterial pathogens of fish. The broth micro-dilution method with TTC (2, 3, 5-triphenyl tetrazolium chloride) to indicate the viability of aerobic bacteria was found to be the best alternative method.

Effect of lotus leaf extract incorporated composite coating on the postharvest quality of fresh goji (Lycium barbarum L.) fruit

This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of composite coating with lotus leaf extract (LLE) on the quality of fresh goji fruit during postharvest storage at ambient temperature. The best coating formulation as follows: 0.2% LLE + 1% film former (the blend mass ratio 2:3:3 included sodium alginate, konjae glucomannan and starch) + 1% glycerin + 0.5% CaCl2 was defined based on the effect of the weight loss and decay ratio on goji berries. Goji fruit coated with LLE incorporated coating had significantly lower weight loss, decay rate and malondialdehyde (MDA) content than the blank control (uncoated) and the positive control (fumigated with 1-methylcyclopropene) after 9 d of storage. Moreover, LLE incorporated coating was found to effectively maintain ascorbic acid, titratable acidity, soluble solids content and superoxyde dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD) activities higher levels compared to other treatments. Using LLE incorporated coating can extend the shelf life of goji berries for about 4 d. These findings suggested that LLE incorporated coating treatment has positive effects on extending postharvest life and improving quality of fresh goji fruit.

Anti-obesity effects of Diospyroslotus leaf extract in mice with high-fat diet-induced obesity.

Diospyros(D.)lotus has been demonstrated to have antioxidant and anti‑inflammatory properties. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of D.lotus leaf water extract (DLE) on high‑fat diet (HFD)‑induced obesity in C57BL/6 mice. The present study first investigated the effect of DLE on the lipid accumulation and triglyceride (TG) contents in 3T3‑L1 cells, and the results revealed that treatment with DLE suppressed the lipid accumulation and TG level. Subsequently, the anti‑obesity effects of DLE were investigated invivo. Oral administration of DLE reduced the body weight gain, food efficiency ratio, and liver and visceral fat weight in mice fed with a HFD. DLE administration in these mice also reduced TG, total cholesterol, low‑density lipoprotein cholesterol, glucose, insulin and leptin levels, as well as the atherogenic index. Furthermore, DLE administration decreased hepatic steatosis, as well as serum aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase and alkaline phosphatase levels in mice fed with HFD. It was further observed that treatment of the HFD‑fed mice with DLE prevented lipid peroxidation, while it recovered glutathione depletion and the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase. In conclusion, the current study suggests that the anti‑obesity effect of DLE may provide positive insights as a potential functional food ingredient for the prevention of obesity.