Poria Cocos Research Articles

Poria cocos compounds targeting neuropeptide Y1 receptor (Y1R) for weight management: A computational ligand- and structure-based study with molecular dynamics simulations identified beta-amyrin acetate as a putative Y1R inhibitor.

Poria cocos (PC) is a medicinal herb frequently used in weight-loss clinical trials, however the mechanisms by which its compounds target orexigenic receptors including the neuropeptide Y1 receptor (Y1R) remain largely unknown. This study aimed to screen PC compounds for favourable pharmacokinetics profiles and examine their molecular mechanisms targeting Y1R. Forty-three PC compounds were systematically sought from pharmacological databases and docked with Y1R (PDB: 5ZBQ). By comparing the relative binding affinities, pharmacokinetics and toxicity profiles, we hypothesised that compounds designated PC1 3,4-Dihydroxybenzoic acid, PC8 Vanillic acid, PC40 1-(alpha-L-Ribofuranosyl)uracil, could be potential antagonists as they contact major residues Asn283 and Asp287, similar to various potent Y1R antagonists. In addition, PC21 Poricoic acid B, PC22 Poricoic acid G and PC43 16alpha,25-Dihydroxy-24-methylene-3,4-secolanosta-4(28),7,9(11)-triene-3,21-dioic acid, contacting Asn299, Asp104 and Asp200 proximal to the extracellular surface could also interfere with agonist binding by stabilising the extracellular loop (ECL) 2 of Y1R in a closed position. Owing to their selective interaction with Phe302, an important residue in binding of selective Y1R antagonists, PC12 beta-Amyrin acetate, PC26 3-Epidehydrotumulosic acid and PC27 Cerevisterol were proposed as putative antagonists. Following the consensus approach, PC12 beta-Amyrin acetate, PC26 3-Epidehydrotumulosic acid and PC27 Cerevisterol were identified as candidate compounds due to their high affinities (-12.2, -11.0 and -10.8 kcal, respectively), high drug-likeness and low toxicity profiles. Trajectory analyses and energy contributions of PC12-Y1R complex further confirmed their structural stability and favourable binding free energies, highlighting the feasibility and possible development of PC12 beta-Amyrin acetate as a future Y1R inhibitor.

Preclinical study of pachyman inducing ferroptosis against ovarian cancer: Biological targets and underlying mechanisms.

Ferroptosis has gained extreme purpose in targeting cancer treatment. Poria cocos Wolf, a traditional Chinese herb, has potential anticancer properties, but the action and mechanism against ovarian cancer remain undetailed. Pachyman (Poria cocos polysaccharides) refers to the pharmacologically bioactive ingredients rich in Poria cocos. This study aimed to identify the potent actions and the network mechanisms of pachyman against ovarian cancer through preclinical analysis. Online-accessible database or platform was employed to predict candidate genes and core targets associated with ferroptosis in pachyman against ovarian cancer. Enrichment analyses were used to characterize the functional action and signaling mechanism in pachyman to treat ovarian cancer. Molecular docking imitation was conducted for verification of core target proteins. Network analysis uncovered that there were 30 mutual and 13 core genes targeting ferroptosis in pachyman and/against ovarian cancer, and additional enrichment analysis characterized that these core genes may act synergistically through multiple biological processes and molecular pathways associated with ferroptosis, including anti-inflammatory action, immunoregulation, and microenvironment modulation. The strongest affinities in core target proteins between pachyman and sarcoma (SRC), signal transducer, and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) were further validated using molecular docking method. In conclusion, pachyman may induce antiovarian cancer potentials via regulating ferroptosis-associated biological functions and pharmacological mechanisms based on current bioinformatics findings. We reason that pachyman, the beneficial nutraceuticals, may be used clinically for future application in ovarian cancer treatment.

Ling-Gui-Qi-Hua formula alleviates left ventricular myocardial fibrosis in rats with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction by blocking the transforming growth factor-β1 /Smads signaling pathway

Ethnopharmacological relevanceLing-Gui-Qi-Hua (LGQH) decoction, composed of Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf, Cinnamomum cassia (L.) J. Presl, Paeonia veitchii Lynch, and Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz., is a compound formula derived from Ling-Gui-Zhu-Gan decoction recorded in the Treatise on Febrile and Miscellaneous. It has shown cardioprotective effects on patients or rats with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Nevertheless, the active ingredients of LGQH and its anti-fibrotic mechanism remain unknown. Aim of the studyTo determine the active ingredients in LGQH decoction and verify that LGQH decoction may inhibit left ventricular (LV) myocardial fibrosis in HFpEF rats by blocking the transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)/Smads signaling pathway from the perspective of animal experiments. Materials and methodsFirst, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) technology was used to identify active components in the LGQH decoction. Secondly, a rat model of the metabolic syndrome-associated HFpEF phenotype was established and subsequently received LGQH intervention. The mRNA and protein expression of targets in the TGF-β1/Smads pathway were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis. Finally, molecular docking was conducted to examine the interactions between the active ingredients in the LGQH decoction and key proteins of the TGF-β1/Smads pathways. ResultsAccording to LC-MS analysis, the LGQH decoction contained 13 active ingredients. In animal experiments, LGQH attenuated LV hypertrophy, enlargement, and diastolic function in HEpEF rats. Mechanically, LGQH not only down-regulated TGF-β1, Smad2, Smad3, Smad4, α-SMA, Coll I, and Coll III mRNA expressions and TGF-β1, Smad2, Smad3, P-Smad2/Smad3, Smad4, α-SMA, and Coll I protein expressions, but also up-regulated Smad7 mRNA and protein expressions, which ultimately led to myocardial fibrosis. Furthermore, molecular docking confirmed that 13 active ingredients in the LGQH decoction have excellent binding activities to the critical targets of the TGF-β1/Smads pathway. ConclusionLGQH is a modified herbal formulation with multiple active ingredients. It might alleviate LV remodeling and diastolic dysfunction and inhibit LV myocardial fibrosis by blocking TGF-β1/Smads pathways in HFpEF rats.

Effects of degradation on the physicochemical and antioxidant properties of carboxymethyl pachymaran

Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf is a well-known edible and medicinal fungus. The polysaccharide in the sclerotium of P. cocos was extracted and prepared into carboxymethyl pachymaran (CMP). Three different degradation treatments including high temperature (HT), high pressure (HP) and gamma irradiation (GI) were used to process CMP. The changes in physicochemical properties and antioxidant activities of CMP were then comparatively investigated. We found that the molecular weights of HT-CMP, HP-CMP, and GI-CMP decreased from 787.9 kDa to 429.8, 569.5 and 6.0 kDa, respectively. Degradation treatments had no effect on the main chains of →3-β-D-Glcp-(1 → while changed the branched sugar residues. The polysaccharide chains of CMP were depolymerized after high pressure and gamma irradiation treatments. The three degradation methods improved the stability of CMP solution while decreased the thermal stability of CMP. In addition, we found that the GI-CMP with lowest molecular weight had the best antioxidant activity. Our results suggest that gamma irradiation treatment could degrade CMP as functional foods with strong antioxidant activity.

Immune modulatory effects of food supplement products Zeng Jian Heath Tonic and Zhen Yuan Capsule in elderly mice

ABSTRACT Immunosenescence is the degeneration of immunological organs and cells due to aging. Some plants and fungi may have anti-aging benefits through regulating immunosenescence. In this study, mice were fed with two dietary supplement products: Zeng Jian Health Tonic (ZJ) contains extracts from Lentinula edodes, Poria cocos, Tremella fuciformis, cassia seed, Flammulina velutipes, Fructus lycii, chrysanthemum, and mulberry. Zhen Yuan Capsule (ZY) contains extracts from Ganoderma lucidum, Semen cuscutae, Poria cocos, Schisandra chinensis, Codonopsis pilosula, and Atractylodes macrocephala. In addition, the immune organ index, immune cell functions, inflammatory cytokines, and antioxidant enzyme activities were evaluated. The combination of ZJ and ZY could restore the function of lymphocytes and NK cells; decrease the level of pro-inflammatory cytokines including IL-1α, IL-1β, and GM-CSF; increase the level of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-5; and enhance superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities. Therefore, combining ZJ with ZY has anti-aging effects on elderly mice.

Qingjin Huatan decoction protects mice against influenza a virus pneumonia via the chemokine signaling pathways

Ethnopharmacological relevanceQingjin Huatan Decoction (QJHTT) consists of 11 herbal medicines: Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, Gardenia jasminoides J.Ellis, Platycodon grandiflorus (Jacq.) A.DC., Ophiopogon japonicus (Thunb.) Ker Gawl., Morus alba L., Fritillaria thunbergii Miq., Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge, Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim., Citrus reticulata Blanco, Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf, and Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. As a traditional compound Chinese medicinal formula, QJHTT has been used for more than 400 years in China. Historically, it was used to treat respiratory diseases and had shown beneficial clinical results for diseases related to lung inflammation. Aim of the studyTo investigate the therapeutic effect of QJHTT on influenza A virus (IAV) pneumonia in mice and explore its possible mechanism of action. Materials and methodsThe components in QJHTT were analyzed by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS and some antiviral active components reported in the literature were determined and quantified by HPLC. The protective effects of QJHTT were investigated using lethal and sublethal doses (2 LD50 or 0.8 LD50 viral suspension, separately) of H1N1-infected mice. Mortality and lung lesions in H1N1-infected mice were used to evaluate the efficacy of QJHTT. The potential mechanism of QJHTT in the treatment of viral pneumonia was determined at the gene level by RNA sequencing and validated by qRT-PCR. Following this, the changes in protein levels of JAK2/STAT3 were analyzed since it is a key downstream target of the chemokine signaling pathways. Preliminary elucidation of the mechanism of QJHTT to protect mice against IAV pneumonia through this pathway was conducted. ResultsIn this study, 12 antiviral active constituents including baicalin, geniposide, and mangiferin were identified from QJHTT. In vivo treatment of QJHTT reduced the virus titers of lung tissue significantly and improved the survival rate, lung index, and pulmonary histopathological changes; additionally, a reduction in the serum levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IFN-γ inflammatory factors in H1N1-infected mice was observed. RNA-seq analysis and qRT-PCR showed that QJHTT primarily reversed the activities CCL2, CCL7, CCR1, and other chemokines and their reception-related genes, suggesting that QJHTT may produce disease-resistant pneumonia by inhibiting the downstream JAK2/STAT3 pathway. Western blot analysis confirmed that QJHTT effectively reduced the protein levels of JAK2, STAT3, and related phosphorylated products in the lung tissue of H1N1-infected mice. ConclusionsOur results indicated that QJHTT alleviated IAV pneumonia in mice by regulating related chemokines and their receptor-related genes in lung tissue, thereby inhibiting JAK2/STAT3 pathway. This could pave way for the design of novel therapeutic strategies to treat viral pneumonia.

Flat micro heat pipe-based shell and tube storage unit for indirect solar dryer: a pilot study.

Poria cocos has been dried in an indirect solar drying system composed of a roughened solar air heater (RSAH), a shell and tube storage unit assisted with flat micro heat pipes fins, and a drying chamber. The main novelty in this study is using FMHPs as fins in shell and tube storage unit with paraffin wax and lack of investigations on Poria cocos solar drying as medicinal material used in Chinese medicine. First and second laws of thermodynamics are used to assess the performance of the system and the results indicated that the RSAH average thermal ( ) and exergy efficiency ( ) were 73.9% and 5.1%, respectively, with averaged incident solar radiation of 671 W/m2 under airflow rate of 0.0381 m3/s. Furthermore, the storing system showed 37.6% as averaged overall and 17.2% as averaged overall , as well as, discharging prolonged to 4h with effective drying temperature. The overall of the dryer was 27.6% with specific energy consumption (SEC) of 8.629 kWh/kg moisture. The payback period of the system is 1.7years.

A Comparative Study on the Effects of Different Sources of Carboxymethyl Poria Polysaccharides on the Repair of DSS-Induced Colitis in Mice.

Carboxymethyl poria polysaccharide plays important anti-tumor, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory roles. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the healing impacts of two different sources of carboxymethyl poria polysaccharides [Carboxymethylat Poria Polysaccharides I (CMP I) and Carboxymethylat Poria Polysaccharides II (CMP II)] on ulcerative colitis in mice caused by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS). All the mice were arbitrarily split into five groups (n = 6): (a) control (CTRL), (b) DSS, (c) SAZ (sulfasalazine), (d) CMP I, and (e) CMP II. The experiment lasted for 21 days, and the body weight and final colon length were monitored. A histological analysis of the mouse colon tissue was carried out using H&E staining to assess the degree of inflammatory infiltration. The levels of inflammatory cytokines [interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-4 (IL-4)] and enzymes [superoxide dismutase (SOD) and myeloperoxidase (MPO)] in the serum were examined using ELISA. Additionally, 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing was used to analyze the microorganisms in the colon. The results indicated that both CMP I and CMP II alleviated weight loss, colonic shortening, and inflammatory factor infestation in colonic tissues caused by DSS (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the ELISA results revealed that both CMP I and CMP II reduced the expression of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and MPO, and elevated the expression of IL-4 and SOD in the sera of the mice (p < 0.05). Moreover, 16S rRNA sequencing showed that CMP I and CMP II increased the plenitude of microorganisms in the mouse colon relative to that in the DSS group. The results also indicated that the therapeutic effect of CMP I on DSS-induced colitis in the mice was superior to that of CMP II. This study demonstrated that carboxymethyl poria polysaccharide from Poria cocos had therapeutic effects on DSS-induced colitis in mice, with CMP I being more effective than CMP II.

Systematic evaluation of combined herbal adjuvant therapy for proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of combined traditional Chinese medicine in the adjuvant treatment of proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) by Meta-analysis. PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang databases were searched by computer. Random controlled clinical trials (RCTS) using traditional Chinese medicine as adjuvant therapy for proliferative diabetic retinopathy were screened, and Stata16.0 software was used to perform meta-analysis on the final included literatures. A total of 18 studies involving 1392 patients were included. Meta-analysis showed that the clinical effective rate OR=2.99 (CI: 2.18-4.10, I2=42.7%, P<0.05); Visual acuity MD=0.10(CI: 0.06-0.13, I2=0%, P<0.05); Fundus efficacy OR=5.47 (CI: 1.33-22.51, I2=71.4%, P<0.05); Neovascularisation regression rate OR=8 (CI: 3.83-16.71, I2=30.1%, P<0.05); Macular foveal thickness MD=-44.24 (CI: -84.55-3.93, I2=95.6%, P<0.05); Absorption of vitreous hemorrhage OR=4.7 (CI: 2.26-9.77, I2=0%, P<0.05); Fasting blood glucose MD=-0.23, (CI: -0.38-0.07, I2=0%, P<0.05); 2h postprandial blood glucose MD=-0.19 (CI: -0.52-0.14, I2=0%, P=0.25). From the results, the combined Chinese medicine adjuvant therapy showed better efficacy than the control group. A total of 69 kinds of traditional Chinese medicine were involved in 18 studies, among which the top four applied frequencies were Panax notoginseng, Rehmannia rehmannii, Astragalus membranaceus and Poria cocos. Most of the medicines were sweet and bitter in taste, the qi tended to be slight cold and cold, and the meridian tropism belongs to the liver meridian. The combination of traditional Chinese medicine adjuvant therapy has a good curative effect on PDR patients. However, the relevant clinical trials are few and more high-quality clinical trials are still needed, what's more the attention should be paid to the exploration of its safety.

UP360, a Standardized Composition from Extracts of Aloe barbadense, Poria cocos, and Rosemary officinalis Protected Against Sepsis and Mitigated Acute Lung Injury in Murine Models.

Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated and unbalanced immune response to microbial infection. Restoring immune homeostasis and infection control are considered the primary strategies to manage sepsis. Natural bioactives such as polysaccharide and polyphenols from botanicals are known for their immune modulation activity. In this study, we evaluated a standardized aloe-based composition, UP360 (constitute of polysaccharides from Aloe barbadense and Poria cocos and polyphenols from Rosemary officinalis) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced sepsis and acute inflammatory lung injury murine models. Prophylactic oral administration of UP360 for 7 days at an oral dose of 500 mg/kg improved the survival rate of mice by 62.5%, whereas all mice in the vehicle control group were deceased 82 h after LPS injection. The merit of combining these traditional herbs to yield the standardized composition UP360 was also demonstrated in this model with a mortality rate of only 30.8%, whereas 76.9%, 53.9%, and 61.5% were recorded for each individual constituents A. barbadense, P. cocos, and R. officinalis, respectively. Dose-correlated statistically significant reductions in proinflammatory cytokines and chemokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant (CINC)-3 were observed for UP360 when administered at 250 and 500 mg/kg orally for 7 days before induction of acute lung injury (ALI) model in rats. The histopathology data from lung showed statistically significant 37.9% and 37% reductions in the overall lung damage severity and pulmonary edema, respectively, for UP360-treated rats. The aloe-based composition UP360 effectively improved the survival rate of septic animals and mitigated the severity of LPS-induced ALI in vivo. These data warrant further investigation of the composition for a potential application in human as an adjunct supplement in respiratory distress and sepsis.

Pachymic acid modulates sirtuin 6 activity to alleviate lipid metabolism disorders.

Pachymic acid (Pac), a major bioactive constituent of Poria cocos, is an antioxidant that inhibits triglyceride (TG) accumulation. To the best of our knowledge, the present study investigated for the first time whether Pac activated sirtuin 6 (SIRT6) signaling to alleviate oleic acid (OA)-palmitic acid (PA)-induced lipid metabolism disorders in mouse primary hepatocytes (MPHs). In the present study, MPHs challenged with Pac were used to test the effects of Pac on intracellular lipid metabolism. Molecular docking studies were performed to explore the potential targets of Pac in defending against lipid deposition. MPHs isolated from liver-specific SIRT6-deficient mice were subjected to OA + PA incubation and treated with Pac to determine the function and detailed mechanism. It was revealed that Pac activated SIRT6 by increasing its expression and deacetylase activity. Pa prevented OA + PA-induced lipid deposition in MPHs in a dose-dependent manner. Pac (50 µM) administration significantly reduced TG accumulation and increased fatty acid oxidation rate in OA + PA-incubated MPHs. Meanwhile, as per the results of molecular docking and relative mRNA levels, Pac activated SIRT6 and increased SIRT6 deacetylation levels. Furthermore, SIRT6 deletions in MPHs abolished the protective effects of Pac against OA + PA-induced hepatocyte lipid metabolism disorders. The present study demonstrated that Pac alleviates OA + PA-induced hepatocyte lipid metabolism disorders by activating SIRT6 signaling. Overall, SIRT6 signaling increases oxidative stress burden and promotes hepatocyte lipolysis.

Physicochemical characterization, rheological properties, and hypolipidemic and antioxidant activities of compound polysaccharides in Chinese herbal medicines by fractional precipitation

This study aimed to investigate the effects of different compound polysaccharides (CPs) extracted from Folium nelumbinis, Fructus crataegi, Fagopyrum tataricum, Lycium barbarum, Semen cassiae, and Poria cocos (w/w, 2:4:2:1:1.5:1) by gradient ethanol precipitation on the physicochemical properties and biological activities. Three CPs (CP50, CP70, and CP80) were obtained and comprised rhamnose, arabinose, xylose, mannose, glucose, and galactose in different proportions. The CPs contained different amounts of total sugar, uronic acid, and proteins. These also exhibited different physical properties, including particle size, molecular weight, microstructure, and apparent viscosity. Scavenging abilities of 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS), 1,1′-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), hydroxyl, and superoxide radicals of CP80 were more potent compared to those of the other two CPs. Furthermore, CP80 significantly increased serum levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and lipoprotein lipase (LPL), and hepatic lipase (HL) activity in the liver, while decreasing the serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), along with LPS activity. Therefore, CP80 may serve as a natural novel lipid regulator in the field of medicinal and functional food.

The effect of combined dietary supplementation of herbal additives on carcass traits, meat quality, immunity and cecal microbiota composition in Hungarian white geese.

The present study was performed to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with herbal additives on meat quality, slaughter performance and the cecal microbial community in Hungarian white geese. A total of 60 newborn geese were assigned equally into the control group (CON) and the herbal complex supplemented group (HS). The dietary supplementations consisted of Compound Herbal Additive A (CHAA) including Pulsatilla, Gentian and Rhizoma coptidis, and Compound Herbal Additive B (CHAB) containing Codonopsis pilosula, Atractylodes, Poria cocos and Licorice. The geese in the HS group received a basal diet supplemented with 0.2% CHAA from day 0 to day 42 at the postnatal stage. Then from day 43 to day 70, the geese in HS group were provide a basal diet with 0.15% CHAB. The geese in the CON group were only provided with the basal diet. The results showed that the slaughter rate (SR), half chamber rates (HCR), eviscerated rate (ER) and breast muscle rate (BMR) in the HS group tended to increase slightly compared with the CON group (ns). In addition, the shear force, filtration rate and pH value of breast muscle and thigh muscle in the HS group were slightly enhanced compared to the CON group (ns). Significant increased levels in carbohydrate content, fat content and energy (P<0.01) and significant decreased levels in cholesterol content (P<0.01) were observed in the muscle of the HS group. The total amino acid (Glu, Lys, Thr and Asp) content in the muscle increased in HS group than in the CON group (P<0.01). Dietary herb supplementations significantly increased the levels of IgG in serum (P<0.05) on day 43 and higher levels of IgM, IgA and IgG (P<0.01) were also observed in the HS group on day 70. Furthermore, 16S rRNA sequencing results indicated that herbal additives increased the growth of beneficial bacteria and inhibited the proliferation of harmful bacteria in the geese caecum. Altogether, these results offer crucial insights into the potential benefits of incorporating CHAA and CHAB into the diets of Hungarian white goose. The findings indicate that such supplementations could significantly improve meat quality, regulate the immune system and shape the intestinal microbiota composition.

Biotransformation and bioaccessibility of active ingredients from Radix Astragali by Poria cocos during solid-state fermentation and in vitro digestion and antioxidant activity evaluation

Radix Astragali is one of the most famous and frequently used health food supplements and herbal medicines. Among more than 227 components of Radix Astragali, Astragaloside IV (AG IV) is famous functional compound and is commonly used as a quality marker for Radix Astragali. However, the relatively low content of AG IV in Radix Astragali (< 0.04%, w/w) severely limits its application. The purpose of this study is to improve the biotransformation of AG IV and its bioaccessibility during in vitro digestion by Poria cocos solid fermenting Radix Astragali. The optimum fermentation conditions were as follows: Inoculation amount 8 mL; fermentation time 10 d; fermentation humidity 90%. Through fermentation, the content of AG IV was increased from 384.73 to 1986.49 μg/g by 5.16-fold. After in vitro digestion, the contents of genistin, calycosin, formononetin, AG IV, Astragaloside II (AG II) and total flavonoids in fermented Radix Astragali (FRA) of enteric phase II (ENTII) were 34.52 μg/g, 207.32 μg/g, 56.76 μg/g, 2331.46 μg/g, 788.31 μg/g, 3.37 mg/g, which were 2.08-fold, 2.51-fold, 1.05-fold, 8.62-fold, 3.22-fold and 1.50-fold higher than those of control, respectively. The Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of FRA showed rough surface and porous structure. The DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging rate of FRA were higher than those of control. These results showed that the Poria cocos solid fermentation could increase the content of the AG IV in Radix Astragali and improve the bioaccessibility and antioxidant activity of Radix Astragali, which is providing new ideas for future development and utilization of Radix Astragali.

Gut microbiota-based metabolites of Xiaoyao Pills (a typical Traditional Chinese medicine) ameliorate depression by inhibiting fatty acid amide hydrolase levels in brain

Ethnopharmacological relevanceTraditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) are often prepared in oral dosage forms, making TCMs interact with gut microbiota after oral administration, which could affect the therapeutic effect of TCM. Xiaoyao Pills (XYPs) are a commonly used TCM in China to treat depression. The biological underpinnings, however, are still in its infancy due to its complex chemical composition. Aim of the studyThe study aims to explore XYPs’ underlying antidepressant mechanism from both in vivo and in vitro. Materials and methodsXYPs were composed of 8 herbs, including the root of Bupleurum chinense DC., the root of Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels, the root of Paeonia lactiflora Pall., the sclerotia of Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf, the rhizome of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch., the leaves of Mentha haplocalyx Briq., the rhizome of Atractylis lancea var. chinensis (Bunge) Kitam., and the rhizome of Zingiber officinale Roscoe, in a ratio of 5:5:5:5:4:1:5:5. The chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) rat models were established. After that, the sucrose preference test (SPT) was carried out to evaluate if the rats were depressed. After 28 days of treatment, the forced swimming test and SPT were carried out to evaluate the antidepressant efficacy of XYPs. The feces, brain and plasma were taken out for 16SrRNA gene sequencing analysis, untargeted metabolomics and gut microbiota transformation analysis. ResultsThe results revealed multiple pathways affected by XYPs. Among them, the hydrolysis of fatty acids amide in brain decreased most significant via XYPs treatment. Moreover, the XYPs' metabolites which mainly derived from gut microbiota (benzoic acid, liquiritigenin, glycyrrhetinic acid and saikogenin D) were found in plasma and brain of CUMS rats and could inhibit the levels of FAAH in brain, which contributed to XYPs’ antidepressant effect. ConclusionsThe potential antidepressant mechanism of XYPs by untargeted metabolomics combined with gut microbiota-transformation analysis was revealed, which further support the theory of gut-brain axis and provide valuable evidence of the drug discovery.

Healthy adults supplemented with a nutraceutical formulation containing Aloe vera gel, rosemary and Poria cocos enhances the effect of influenza vaccination in a randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

The study objective was to examine the role of a formulation, UP360, containing rosemary and Poria cocos extracts and Aloe vera gel powder, in healthy adults on supporting immune function with influenza vaccination. A 56-day randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel study consisted of a 28-day pre-vaccination period, an influenza vaccination on Day 28 and a 28-day post-vaccination period. Men and women ages 40-80 who had not yet been vaccinated for the flu were randomized to UP360 or Placebo (n = 25/group). At baseline, Days 28 and 56, blood lymphocyte populations, immunoglobulins (Ig), and cytokines were measured, and quality of life (QoL) questionnaires administered. The Wisconsin Upper Respiratory Symptom Survey (WURSS)-24 was completed daily by participants to measure incidence of upper respiratory tract infection (URTIs). In the post-vaccination period, TCR gamma-delta (γδ+) cells, known as γδ T cells, increased with UP360 supplementation compared to Placebo (p < 0.001). The UP360 group had a 15.6% increase in influenza B-specific IgG levels in the post-vaccination period (p = 0.0006). UP360 significantly increased the amount of circulating glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) from baseline at Day 28 (p = 0.0214), an enzyme that is important for neutralizing free radicals. While UP360 supplementation initially decreased levels of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-1RA in the pre-vaccination period, IL-1RA levels were increased in the post-vaccination period (p ≤ 0.0482). Levels of IL-7 increased from baseline at Day 56 with UP360 supplementation (p = 0.0458). Despite these changes in immune markers, there were no differences in URTI symptoms or QoL between UP360 and Placebo. These results suggest UP360 supplementation was beneficial in eliciting a healthy, robust immune response in the context of vaccination. No changes in subjective measures of URTI illness or QoL demonstrated that participants' QoL was not negatively impacted by UP360 supplementation. There were no differences in clinical chemistry, vitals or adverse events confirming the good safety profile of UP360. The trial was registered on the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ISRCTN15838713).

Chemical Profile Determination and Quantitative Analysis of Components in Oryeong-san Using UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS and UPLC-TQ-MS/MS.

In this study, a method to both qualitatively and quantitively analyze the components of Oryeong-san (ORS), which is composed of five herbal medicines (Alisma orientale Juzepzuk, Polyporus umbellatus Fries, Atractylodes japonica Koidzumi, Poria cocos Wolf, and Cinnamomum cassia Presl) and is prescribed in traditional Oriental medicine practices, was established for the first time. First, ORS components were profiled using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole Orbitrap mass spectrometry, and 19 compounds were clearly identified via comparison against reference standard compounds. Subsequently, a quantitative method based on ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple-quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry was established to simultaneously measure the identified compounds. Nineteen compounds were accurately quantified using the multiple-reaction-monitoring mode and used to analyze the sample; we confirmed that coumarin was the most abundant compound. The method was validated, achieving good linearity (R2 ≤ 0.9991), recovery (RSD, 0.11-3.15%), and precision (RSD, 0.35-9.44%). The results suggest that this method offers a strategy for accurately and effectively determining the components of ORS, and it can be used for quality assessment and management.

Acid-induced Poria cocos alkali-soluble polysaccharide hydrogel: Gelation behaviour, characteristics, and potential application in drug delivery

Poria cocos alkali-soluble polysaccharide (PCAP), a water-insoluble β-glucan, is the main component of the total dried sclerotia of Poria cocos. However, its gelation behaviour and properties have yet to be comprehensively studied. In this study, an acid-induced physical hydrogel based on natural PCAP is fabricated. The acid-induced gelation in PCAP is explored with respect to the pH and polysaccharide concentration. PCAP hydrogels are formed in the pH range of 0.3–10.5, and the lowest gelation concentration is 0.4 wt%. Furthermore, dynamic rheological, fluorescence, and cyclic voltammetry measurements are performed to elucidate the gelation mechanism. The results reveal that hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions play a dominant role in gel formation. Subsequently, the properties of the PCAP hydrogels are investigated using rheological measurements, scanning electron microscopy, gravimetric analysis, free radical scavenging, MTT assays, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The PCAP hydrogels exhibit a porous network structure and cytocompatibility, in addition to good viscoelastic, thixotropic, water-holding, swelling, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. Furthermore, using rhein as a model drug for encapsulation, it is demonstrated that its cumulative release behaviour from the PCAP hydrogel is pH dependent. These results indicate the potential of PCAP hydrogels for application in biological medicine and drug delivery.

Exploring Edible Mushrooms for Diabetes: Unveiling Their Role in Prevention and Treatment.

Diabetes mellitus is a complex illness in which the body does not create enough insulin to control blood glucose levels. Worldwide, this disease is life-threatening and requires low-cost, side-effect-free medicine. Due to adverse effects, many synthetic hypoglycemic medications for diabetes fail. Mushrooms are known to contain natural bioactive components that may be anti-diabetic; thus, scientists are now targeting them. Mushroom extracts, which improve immune function and fight cancer, are becoming more popular. Mushroom-derived functional foods and dietary supplements can delay the onset of potentially fatal diseases and help treat pre-existing conditions, which leads to the successful prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes, which is restricted to the breakdown of complex polysaccharides by pancreatic-amylase and the suppression of intestinal-glucosidase. Many mushroom species are particularly helpful in lowering blood glucose levels and alleviating diabetes symptoms. Hypoglycaemic effects have been observed in investigations on Agaricussu brufescens, Agaricus bisporus, Cordyceps sinensis, Inonotus obliqus, Coprinus comatus, Ganoderma lucidum, Phellinus linteus, Pleurotus spp., Poria cocos, and Sparassis crispa. For diabetics, edible mushrooms are high in protein, vitamins, and minerals and low in fat and cholesterol. The study found that bioactive metabolites isolated from mushrooms, such as polysaccharides, proteins, dietary fibers, and many pharmacologically active compounds, as well as solvent extracts of mushrooms with unknown metabolites, have anti-diabetic potential in vivo and in vitro, though few are in clinical trials.

Yunpi Qushi Jiangzhuo Recipe Alleviates Lipid Deposition and Reduces Liver Damage in Mice with Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a multifactorial liver metabolic disease, which affects nearly a quarter of the world's population. Yunpi Qushi Jiangzhuo Recipe (QSJZR) is a traditional Chinese medicine compound, which is composed of Amomum kravanh Pierre ex Gagnep, Coix lacryma-jobi L.var.ma-yuen (Roman.) Stapf, Prunus armeniac a L.var.ansu Maxim, Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge, Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn, Alisma plantago-aquatica Linn, Polyporus umbellatus ( Pers.) Fries, Poria cocos ( Schw.) Wolf, and Artemisia capillaris Thunb. QSJZR has a certain therapeutic effect on NAFLD patients, but its specific mechanism is not clear. To investigate the effect of QSJZR on high-fat diet (HFD)-fed NAFLD mice and its mechanism. Twenty-four SPF female C57BL/6J mice (21.0±0.5 g) were randomly divided into normal diet group, HFD group and QSJZR group. ND group was given basal diet, while the other two groups were given HFD. Meanwhile, each mouse in QSJZR group was given 0.2 mL/day (containing 2.27g crude drug per mL) QSJZR, ND group and HFD group were given the same amount of normal saline for 13 consecutive weeks. Then, the serum was collected for biochemical assay, and the liver was removed for pathological examination and biochemical analysis. Body weight and white fat weight of the HFD-induced NAFLD mice significantly decreased after ministration with QSJZR, while liver weight had no significant change. QSJZR also significantly reduced liver and serum triglyceride levels, and alleviated hepatocyte lipid deposition by regulating genes and proteins expression related to lipid metabolism, including AMPK, SREBP1C, CPT1A and ACC. In addition, compared with HFD group, liver malondialdehyde (MDA) content was lower in QSJZR group, while glutathione peroxidase (GPx) content was higher. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were lower in QSJZR group than those in HFD group. Treatment with QSJZR significantly alleviated liver injury by increasing BCL2/BAX protein ratio and down-regulating ASK1/JNK pathway. Administration of QSJZR to NAFLD mice once daily for 13 weeks can decrease lipid levels, and alleviate liver damage. These results suggest that QSJZR might be used to treat NAFLD, although more studies need to be conducted for further verification. Yunpi Qushi Jiangzhuo Recipe (QSJZR) is a traditional Chinese medicine compound QSJZR. It reduces fatty liver and reduces liver damage by inhibiting lipogenesis and promoting lipid oxidation, providing a beneficial effect in the HFD-induced NAFLD mouse model.