Rheum Palmatum Research Articles

Prediction of the mechanism of Dachengqi Decoction treating colorectal cancer based on the analysis method of " into serum components -action target-key pathway"

Ethnopharmacological relevanceColorectal cancer (CRC) is a common digestive tract malignant tumor that its morbidity and mortality seriously affect human health. At present, Dachengqi Decoction (DCQ), a traditional Chinese medicine formula, has been clinically used as an adjuvant therapy for CRC. However, pharmacodynamic substance basis and therapeutic mechanism are still unclear. Aim of the studyThe main constituents absorbed in the blood and possible active targets after DCQ administration were explored based on the analysis method of “into serum components, action target and key pathway”, which may provide reference for the study of the pharmacodynamic material basis and action mechanism of Dachengqi Decoction in the treatment of CRC. Material and methodsBased on the serum pharmacochemistry of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the prescription prototype ingredients of DCQ in mice serum samples were identified by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry technology (UPLC-Q-TOF-MSE). Taking the prototype ingredients absorbed into serum as the research object, the possible targets and key pathways of DCQ in vivo were demonstrated by network pharmacology. Finally, using molecular docking verified the binding activity of prototype components and potential action targets. ResultsA total of 46 prototype components of DCQ were identified in mice serum, most of which were derived from flavonoids and anthraquinones in Citrus aurantium L. and Rheum palmatum L. Network pharmacology prediction results indicated that the drug prototype components entering the serum may mainly regulate targets including mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), interleukin-6 (IL-6), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), etc. and main pathways such as (phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B) PI3K-AKT signaling pathway, advanced glycation end products-receptor for AGE (AGE-RAGE) signaling pathway and IL-17 signaling pathway, etc. Molecular docking showed that the prototype active components had strong binding activity to VEGF, Harvey rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (HRAS) and MAPK1. ConclusionsThis study elucidated that most of the direct acting substances of DCQ in vivo were flavonoids and anthraquinones, which may play a role in regulating cell reproduction and apoptosis and inhibiting inflammation, providing a reference for the research of pharmacodynamic material basis and mechanism of DCQ in the treatment of CRC.

Quality evaluation of different varieties of rhubarb based on multicomponents and bioactivity: Application to quality control in the production of rhubarb decoction pieces.

In this work, we developed a novel HPLC method for the simultaneous determination of 16 bioactive components in rhubarb and used it to determine the contents. Through the determination of bioactive components and in vitro activity, we compared the differences between 18 batches of different varieties of rhubarb. The contents of 16 bioactive components in Rheum officinale Baill., Rheum tanguticum Maxim. ex Balf., and Rheum palmatum Linn. were 57.53-76.09, 98.88-130.61 and 36.18-48.66 mg/g, respectively. The average inhibition rates of alkaline phosphatase in R. tanguticum were the highest, reaching 79.53%. The average inhibition rates of thrombin and Na+ /K+ -ATPase in R. palmatum were the highest, reaching 80.93 and 62.42%, respectively. These results showed that there were significant differences in effective components and biological activities among different varieties of rhubarb. Through chemometric analysis, we preliminarily compared the differences in chemical composition of different varieties of rhubarb, and established a Fisher discriminant function which could accurately distinguish different varieties of rhubarb. Through correlation analysis and molecular docking, three potential components as quality markers of rhubarb were identified. The obtained results provide a comprehensive strategy for the quality control of multisource Chinese medicine and related products.

Emodin Protects Against Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Acute Lung Injury via the JNK/Nur77/c-Jun Signaling Pathway.

Background: Acute lung injury (ALI) is a serious inflammatory disease with clinical manifestations of hypoxemia and respiratory failure. Presently, there is no effective treatment of ALI. Although emodin from Rheum palmatum L. exerts anti-ALI properties, the underlying mechanisms have not been fully explored. Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect and mechanism of emodin on LPS-induced ALI in mice. Methods: RAW264.7 cells and zebrafish larvae were stimulated by LPS to establish inflammatory models. The anti-inflammatory effect of emodin was assessed by ELISA, flow cytometric analysis, and survival analysis. In vitro mechanisms were explored by using Western blotting, luciferase assay, electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), and small interfering RNA (siRNA) approach. The acute lung injury model in mice was established by the intratracheal administration of LPS, and the underlying mechanisms were assessed by detecting changes in histopathological and inflammatory markers and Western blotting in lung tissues. Results: Emodin inhibited the inflammatory factor production and oxidative stress in RAW264.7 cells, and prolonged the survival of zebrafish larvae after LPS stimulation. Emodin suppressed the expression levels of phosphorylated JNK at Thr183/tyr182 and phosphorylated Nur77 at Ser351 and c-Jun, and increased the expression level of Nur77 in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells, while these regulatory effects of emodin on Nur77/c-Jun were counteracted by JNK activators. The overexpression of JNK dampened the emodin-mediated increase in Nur77 luciferase activity and Nur77 expression. Moreover, the inhibitory effect of emodin on c-Jun can be attenuated by Nur77 siRNA. Furthermore, emodin alleviated LPS-induced ALI in mice through the regulation of the JNK/Nur77/c-Jun pathway. Conclusions: Emodin protects against LPS-induced ALI through regulation on JNK/Nur77/c-Jun signaling. Our results indicate the potential of emodin in the treatment of ALI.

Bacterial Inoculant and Sucrose Amendments Improve the Growth of Rheum palmatum L. by Reprograming Its Metabolite Composition and Altering Its Soil Microbial Community.

Rheum palmatum L. is an important traditional Chinese medicinal herb now in demand worldwide. Recently, the theoretical framework suggested that sucrose triggers colonization of PGPM (plant growth-promoting microbes) in the rhizosphere, but their interactions on the plant remain largely unknown. Here, we applied three concentrations of both Bacillus amyloliquefaciens EZ99 inoculant (1.0 × 105, 1.0 × 106, and 1.0 × 107 colony-forming units (CFU)/mL, denoted as LB, MB, and HB, respectively) and sucrose (0.15, 1.5, and 15 g/L, denoted as LS, MS, and HS, respectively) to investigate their co-effects on R. palmatum in a field experiment. The results showed that LB + MS (1.0 × 105 CFU/mL Bacillus + 1.5 g/L sucrose) and LB + LS (1.0 × 105 CFU/mL Bacillus + 0.15 g/L sucrose) treatments significantly increased root fresh weight (p ≤ 0.05). Metabolite analysis revealed that the treatment LB + LS significantly increased the relative content of major active components in rhubarb, namely anthraquinones and phenolic compounds, by 1.5% and 2.3%. Although high sucrose addition increased the activities of certain soil enzymes, the LB + LS treatment significantly increased total potassium (TK), whereas it decreased available potassium (AK), which facilitated the potassium utilization in rhizosphere soil. Furthermore, rhizosphere microbiomes revealed that fungal diversity was augmented in LB + LS treatment, in which the common causative fungal pathogen Fusarium spp. showed an effective suppression. Additionally, the redundancy analysis and Spearman correlations revealed a positive relationship of Sphingomonas associated with change in potassium bioavailability. Altogether, our findings suggest that the combined application of a bacterial inoculant and sucrose can improve the growth and quality of R. palmatum, and stimulate uptake of plant nutrients that contribute to alter the microbial community for biocontrol potential. Hence, this work not only has broad application prospects across economical plants, but also emphasizes agroecological practices for sustainable agriculture.

Antimicrobial Activity of Eucalyptus globulus, Azadirachta indica, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Rheum palmatum Extracts and Rhein against Porphyromonas gingivalis.

Novel plant-derived antimicrobials are of interest in dentistry, especially in the treatment of periodontitis, since the use of established substances is associated with side effects and concerns of antimicrobial resistance have been raised. Thus, the present study was performed to quantify the antimicrobial efficacy of crude plant extracts against Porphyromonas gingivalis, a pathogen associated with periodontitis. The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of Eucalyptus globulus leaf, Azadirachta indica leaf, Glycyrrhiza glabra root and Rheum palmatum root extracts were determined by broth microdilution for P. gingivalis ATCC 33277 according to CLSI (Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute). The MICs for the E. globulus, A. indica and G. glabra extracts ranged from 64 mg/L to 1024 mg/L. The lowest MIC was determined for an ethanolic R. palmatum extract with 4 mg/L. The MIC for the anthraquinone rhein was also measured, as the antimicrobial activity of P. palmatum root extracts can be partially traced back to rhein. Rhein showed a remarkably low MIC of 0.125 mg/L. However, the major compounds of the R. palmatum root extract were not further separated and purified. In conclusion, R. palmatum root extracts should be further studied for the treatment of periodontitis.

A high-value-added application of the stems of Rheum palmatum L. as a healthy food: the nutritional value, chemical composition, and anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities.

Rhubarb has edible stems or stalks. In this paper, we investigated the nutritional value, chemical composition, and bioactivities of Rheum palmatum stems (SRP) and analyzed the mode of action. SRP exhibited biosafety and had nutritional value, with abundant essential amino acids and minerals. Based on network pharmacology and western blot tests, we found that it showed anti-inflammatory activity via the PI3K-Akt-mediated NF-κB pathway. Out of 20 compounds identified using UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF/MS analysis, cirsiliol and hydrangenol were active compounds and they inhibited NO production in RAW264.7 cells induced by LPS. The alleviation of an inflammatory response is combined with a decrease in oxidative stress, and SRP showed antioxidant activity via attenuating antioxidant enzymes, scavenging free radicals, improving the mitochondrial membrane potential, and decreasing the reactive oxygen species level. These results indicated that SRP, with abundant flavonoids and a good nutritional composition, could be used as a dietary supplement for food applications.

Medicinal plants with anti-SARS-CoV activity repurposing for treatment of COVID-19 infection: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The novel SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus) has emerged as a significant threat to public health with startling drawbacks in all sectors globally. This study investigates the practicality of some medicinal plants for SARS-CoV-2 therapy using a systematic review and meta-analysis of their reported SARS-CoV-1 inhibitory potencies. Relevant data were systematically gathered from three databases, viz., Web of Science, PubMed and Scopus. The information obtained included botanical information, extraction method and extracts concentrations, as well as the proposed mechanisms. Fourteen articles describing 30 different plants met our eligibility criteria. Random effects model and subgroup analysis were applied to investigate heterogeneity. According to subgroup analysis, the substantial heterogeneity of the estimated mean based on the IC 50 values reporting the most potent anti-SARS-CoV 3C--like protease (3CLpro) inhibitors (10.07 %, p < 0.0001), was significantly higher compared to the most active anti-SARS-CoV papain-like protease (PLpro) inhibitors (6.12 %, p < 0.0001). More importantly, the literature analysis revealed that fruit extracts of Rheum palmatum L. and the compound cryptotanshinone isolated from the root of Salvia miltiorrhiza (IC 50 = 0.8 ± 0.2 μmol L-1) were excellent candidates for anti--SARS-CoV targeting PLpro. Meanwhile, iguesterin (IC 50 = 2.6 ± 0.6 μmol L-1) isolated from the bark of Tripterygium regelii emerged as the most excellent candidate for anti-SARS--CoV targeting 3CLpro. The present systematic review and meta-analysis provide valuable and comprehensive information about potential medicinal plants for SARS-CoV-2 inhibition. The chemotypes identified herein can be adopted as a starting point for developing new drugs to contain the novel virus.

Desferal (Deferoxamine) Targets Ferroptosis Triggered by Chrysophanol in Hepatic B Virus X Protein-Induced Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation

Iron plays a key role in the regulation of hepatic stellate cell activation during the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis. Prevention of hepatic stellate cell activation and promotion by activating hepatic stellate cells to death is a good strategy for resolution of liver fibrosis. Ferroptosis is an iron dependent cell death, which is characterized by accumulation of lipid peroxides. We have shown in our earlier studies that chrysophanol (isolated from Rheum palmatum rhizomes) promotes (hepatitis B virus X protein)-activated hepatic stellate cells to ferroptosis; however, the effect of desferal in our cell model is still unclear. In this study, we have shown that desferal reversed chrysophanol-induced lipid reactive oxygen species overproduction and cell death in (hepatitis B virus X protein)-activated T6 cells. Furthermore, desferal also alleviated and chrysophanol downregulated the expressions of á-smooth muscle actin, connective tissue growth fac, glutathione peroxidase 4, and solute carrier family 7-member 11 protein in hepatitis B virus X protein-activated T6 cells. In conclusion, desferal regulates ferroptosis induced by chrysophanol in hepatitis B virus X protein-activated hepatic stellate cell activation and fibrosis.

Four prescribed Chinese herbal medicines provide renoprotection and survival benefit without hyperkalemia risk in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease: A nationwide cohort study

BackgroundChinese herbal medicine (CHM) has been used as adjuvant treatment of chronic kidney disease (CKD) for years. Astragalus membranaceus (A. membranaceus, Huangqi [A]), Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels (Danggui [S]), Rheum palmatum L. (Dahuang [R]), and Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Danshen [D]) are considered as potentially renoprotective CHMs. However, there is limited evidence on whether ASRD use affects outcomes and causes hyperkalemia in patients with stage 4 and stage 5 advanced CKD. PurposeTo investigate between ASRD use (vs. nonuse) and risks of end-stage renal disease (ESRD), death, and hyperkalemia in patients with advanced CKD. Study DesignRetrospective nationwide cohort study using claims data from the Taiwan's 2005 Longitudinal Generation Tracking Database in 2000–2016. MethodsA total of 24,572 patients with advanced CKD were identified and 15,729 eligible patients were enrolled in the propensity score matching, with 1,401 incident ASRD users (8.9%) and 14,328 nonusers (91.1%). Finally, 1,076 ASRD users and 4,304 matched nonusers were subjected to analysis. We used Cox proportional hazards regression model to estimate the hazard ratios for ESRD and death and Poisson regression to estimate incidence rate ratio of hyperkalemia. The additive effect of one to four ASRD and the pooling effect of individual ASRD on risks of ESRD and death were also addressed. ResultsIn a total follow-up of 15,740 person-years, 2,703 patients (50.2%) developed ESRD and 499 (9.3%) died before progression to ESRD. As compared with nonusers, ASRD users were associated with adjusted hazard ratios of 0.83 (95% confidence interval, 0.76–0.91) for ESRD and 0.78 (0.30–0.93) for death, as well as adjusted incidence rate ratios of 0.54 (0.48–0.60) for inpatient hyperkalemia and 0.44 (0.42–0.46) for total hyperkalemia. The renal and survival benefits of ASRD use were consistent across almost patient subgroups on multivariate stratified analyses. Using all four ASRD provided the lowest risks of ESRD (0.30; 0.71–0.52) and death (0.32; 0.17–0.63). Individual use of ASRD also demonstrated comparable renal and survival benefits. ConclusionASRD use was associated with lower risks of ESRD and death among advanced CKD patients. This benefit did not increase hyperkalemia risk.

Reliable screening of beta2‐adrenoceptor ligands from Rheum palmatum L extract using a paper‐based chromatographic column containing the immobilized receptor

AbstractIsolation and identification of bioactive compounds from complex matrices like traditional Chinese medicines still challengeable because of the low specificity, efficiency and high false positive rate in the current screening methods. Herein, we reported a method for screening ligands of beta2‐adrenoceptor from Rheum palmatum L extract. The method involved in immobilization of beta2‐adrenoceptor on a paper material of polytetrafluoroethylene membrane by a site‐specific covalent method, characterization of the immobilized receptor by X ray photoelectron spectroscopy and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, parallel screening of Rheum palmatum L extract by immobilized beta2‐adrenoceptor column and the control column, identification of the screened compounds by mass spectrometry and the binding mechanism analysis of the screened compounds with beta2‐adrenoceptor by molecular docking. Morphological analysis showed beta2‐adrenoceptor was successfully immobilized. Aloe‐emodin, rhein, emodin, chrysophanol, and physcion were screened as the potential bioactive compounds binding to the receptor from Rheum palmatum L extract. Van der Waals force and π‐π stacking interactions were the main driving forces for these compounds to bind with the receptor. These results indicated that paper‐based receptor chromatography with a peak‐missing strategy is reliable in screening and identifying bioactive compounds within medicinal plants that bind to G protein coupled receptors.

Hepatotoxicity or hepatoprotection of emodin? Two sides of the same coin by 1H-NMR metabolomics profiling

Emodin is the major anthraquinone component of many important traditional Chinese herbs, such as Rheum palmatum L. and Polygonum multiflorum Thunb. They have been popular health products but recently aroused concerns about their hepatotoxicity, which are believed to be arising from the contained anthraquinones, such as emodin. However, emodin exerts potent hepatoprotective ability, such as anti-fibrotic, anti-oxidative, and anti-inflammatory effects. In this study, 1H NMR based metabolomics approach, complemented with histopathological observation, biochemical measurements, western blotting analysis and real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), was applied to interpret the paradox of emodin (30 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg BW) using both healthy mice (male, ICR) and chronic CCl4-injured mice (0.1 mL/kg, 0.35% CCl4, 3 times a week for a month). Emodin exerted a weight loss property associated with its lipid-lowing effects, which helped alleviate CCl4-induced steatosis. Emodin effectively ameliorated CCl4-induced oxidative stress and energy metabolism dysfunction in mice liver via regulating glucose, lipid and amino acid metabolism, and inhibited excessive inflammatory response. In healthy mice, emodin only exhibited hepatoxicity on high-dosage by disturbing hepatic anti-oxidant homeostasis, especially GSH and xanthine metabolism. This integrated metabolomics approach identified the bidirectional potential of emodin, which are important for its rational use.

The Health Benefits of Emodin, a Natural Anthraquinone Derived from Rhubarb—A Summary Update

Emodin (6-methyl-1,3,8-trihydroxyanthraquinone) is a naturally occurring anthraquinone derivative found in roots and leaves of various plants, fungi and lichens. For a long time it has been used in traditional Chinese medicine as an active ingredient in herbs. Among other sources, it is isolated from the rhubarb Rheum palmatum or tuber fleece-flower Polygonam multiflorum. Emodin has a wide range of biological activities, including diuretic, antibacterial, antiulcer, anti-inflammatory, anticancer and antinociceptive. According to the most recent studies, emodin acts as an antimalarial and antiallergic agent, and can also reverse resistance to chemotherapy. In the present work the potential therapeutic role of emodin in treatment of inflammatory diseases, cancers and microbial infections is analysed.

UPLC fingerprint combined with principal component analysis for quality control of Rheum palmatum

Rheum palmatum is one of the three genuine Rhubarb in Chinese Pharmacopeia and widely used in clinic as a purgative medicine. To effective quality evaluation of R. palmatum, a UPLC fingerprint method was established. Twenty batches of R. palmatum were analyzed, together with R. tanguticum, R. officinale and Polygonum cuspidatum. Fourteen common peaks were detected and four of them were identified by comparing with reference substances. The similarity degrees of 20 batches of R. palmatum were between 0.94 and 1.00. Rhubarbs from different original plants, along with confusable variety P. cuspidatum, can be readily distinguished through their fingerprint profiles. Principal component analysis was performed by using SIMCA 14.1 to compare three different rhubarbs. The results showed that three species of rhubarb can be distinguished well, indicating their discrepancies in chemical components. The established UPLC fingerprint is stable and reliable, which can be used for quality evaluation of R. palmatum, as well as comparison of rhubarbs from different original plants and its confusable variety. This study provides theoretical guidance for comprehensively improving the quality control level of R. palmatum.

Fighting antimicrobial resistance (AMR): Chinese herbal medicine as a source of novel antimicrobials - an update.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has now emerged as a global public health crisis, requiring the discovery of new and novel antimicrobial compounds, that may be precursors of future therapeutic antibiotics. Chinese Herbal Medicine (CHM) comes with a rich pedigree of holistic and empirical usage in Asia for the last 5000years. Extracts of Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge, Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels, Dianthus superbus L. Forsythiae fructus (Lian Qiao), Lonicerae flos (Jin Yin Hua), Naemorhedi cornu, Platycladus orientalis Franco, Polygonum aviculare, Polygonum cuspidatum, Poria cocos (Schw.), Rehmannia glutinosa (Gaertn.) DC, Rheum palmatum, Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, Scutellaria barbata, Scutellariae radix (Huang Qin) and Ursi fel (Xiong Dan) have shown to have antimicrobial properties against clinically significant Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial pathogens, as well as the mycobacteria (TB and non-tuberculous mycobacteria). Evidence is now beginning to emerge through systematic reviews of the outcomes of clinical studies employing CHM to treat infections. Of the 106 Cochrane systematic reviews on CHM, 16 (ca 15%) reviews examine CHM in the context of treating a specific infection disease or state. This update examines direct antimicrobial effect of CHM on bacterial pathogens, as well as synergistic effects of combining CHM with conventional antibiotics.

Research progress in the treatment of diabetic kidney disease with Chinese medicine enema

Chinese medicine enema is an effective guiding method to treat diabetic kidney disease, a common chronic complication of diabetes, by regulating the function of the intestines to increase clearing and lower turbidity. We reviewed the treatment of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) with traditional Chinese medicine enemas and found that commonly used traditional Chinese medicines included Rhei Radix Et Rhizoma ( Rheum palmatum L. ), Ostrea concha ( Ostrea gigas Thunberg), Taraxaci Herba ( Taraxacum mongolicum Hand. -Mazz.), Astmgali Radix ( Astragalus membranaceus Bge. var.mongholicus(Bge.) Hsiao), Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix Et Rhizoma ( Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge.), and Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata ( Aconitum carmichaelii Debx). The mechanism of the adjuvant therapeutic effect on DKD may relate to regulating intestinal flora, inhibiting inflammation and oxidative stress and protecting against kidney injury.

Effect of Chinese herbal medicines on the overall survival of patients with muscular dystrophies in Taiwan

Ethnopharmacological relevanceMuscular dystrophies are a rare, severe, and genetically inherited group of disorders characterized by progressive loss of muscle fibers, leading to muscle weakness. The current treatment plan for muscular dystrophies includes the use of steroids to slow muscle deterioration by dampening the inflammatory response. Aim of the studyChinese herbal medicine (CHM) has been offered as an adjunctive therapy in Taiwan's medical healthcare plan, making it possible to track CHM usage in patients with muscular dystrophic disease. Therefore, we explored the long-term effects of CHM use on the overall mortality of patients with muscular dystrophies. Materials and methodsA total of 581 patients with muscular dystrophies were identified from the database of Registry for Catastrophic Illness Patients in Taiwan. Among them, 80 and 201 patients were CHM users and non-CHM users, respectively. Student's t-test, chi-squared test, Cox proportional hazard model, and Kaplan–Meier curve (log-rank test) were used for evaluation. Association rules and network analyses were performed to explore the combination of CHMs used in muscular dystrophies. ResultsCompared to non-CHM users, there were more female patients, more comorbidities, including chronic pulmonary disease and peptic ulcer disease in the CHM user group. Patients with prednisolone usage exhibited a lower risk of overall mortality than those who did not, after adjusting for age, sex, use of CHM, and comorbidities. CHM users showed a lower risk of overall mortality after adjusting for age, sex, prednisolone use, and comorbidities. The cumulative incidence of the overall survival was significantly higher in CHM users. Association rule and network analysis showed that one main CHM cluster was commonly used to treat patients with muscular dystrophies in Taiwan. The cluster includes Yin-Qiao-San, Ban-Xia-Bai-Zhu-Tian-Ma-Tang, Zhi-Ke (Citrus aurantium L.), Yu-Xing-Cao (Houttuynia cordata Thunb.), Che-Qian-Zi (Plantago asiatica L.), and Da-Huang (Rheum palmatum L.). ConclusionsOur data suggest that adjunctive therapy with CHM may help to reduce the overall mortality among patients with muscular dystrophies. The identification of the CHM cluster allows us to narrow down the key active compounds and may enable future therapeutic developments and clinical trial designs to improve overall survival in these patients.

Thecaphora dahuangis, a new species causing leaf smut disease of the traditional medicinal plant dahuang (Rheum palmatum) in China

AbstractChinese rhubarb (Rheum palmatum) is an important crop that has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for over 2,000 years. The main cultivation areas are the Chinese provinces of Gansu, Qinhai, Tibet, and Sichuan. Various fungal diseases threaten Chinese rhubarb, the most common of which is leaf smut. In literature, the causal agent of this disease is described as Thecaphora schwarzmaniana. We present morphological data and molecular phylogenetic data of two rDNA loci (ITS1‐5.8S‐ITS2 and 28S D1‐D2) that justify the classification of the causal agent as a distinct species. Here we describe the new species Thecaphora dahuangis for the leaf smut pathogen of Chinese rhubarb.

Analysis of Endophyte Diversity of Rheum palmatum from Different Production Areas in Gansu Province of China and the Association with Secondary Metabolite.

Investigations of the differences in the metabolites of medicinal plants have typically focused on the effects of external environmental factors. However, little is known about the relationship between endophytes diversity and host metabolites. We used high-throughput sequencing methods to compare the endophyte diversity of Rheum palmatum from eight different production areas in Gansu Province of China and to analyze the association between those areas and five secondary metabolites (aloe-emodin, rhein, emodin, chrysophanol, and physcion). The results show that the diversity and OTUs (Operational taxonomic units) abundance of endophytic fungi and bacteria of R. palmatum differed according to production area. Spearman analysis showed that the five secondary metabolites of R. palmatum were positively correlated with the diversity and abundance of endophytic fungi. Comparing both space and environmental differences to determine influences on community structure, VPA analysis revealed that geographic factors explained more difference in community composition of fungal and bacterial endophytes than climate factors. PICRUSt and FUNGuild predictive analysis indicated that metabolites were the primary components of endophytic bacteria in all samples, while the function of endophytic fungi was composed of dominant trophic modes (saprotroph and pathotroph), and relative abundances were different. Our results help elucidate the correlation of plant–microbe interactions and offer pivotal information to reveal the role of endophytes in the production of R. palmatum and its important secondary metabolite.

Selective adsorption of flavonoids on cerium-doped ferroferric oxide magnetic particles

Ce-doped Fe3O4 magnetic particles (Ce-Fe3O4 MPs) were synthesized by co-precipitation method. The coordination and adsorption properties of Ce-Fe3O4 MPs to different natural products were investigated. The results verified that the “catechol-like”,“maltol-like” and “acetylacetone-like” donor sets of flavonoids were the binding sites with Ce-Fe3O4 MPs. The adsorption was conformed to be pseudo-second-order model and single-layer adsorption after being characterized by adsorption kinetics and adsorption thermodynamics. The adsorption and desorption conditions were optimized. It was found that different components adsorbed on the Ce-Fe3O4 MPs surface can be selective desorbed in different solvents, which was helpful for the selective separation to adsorbed components. The Ce-Fe3O4 MPs were successfully applied to selective adsorption of compounds containing “catechol-like”, “maltol-like” and “acetylacetone-like” donor sets in the crude extract of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi and Rheum palmatum L. The results demonstrated that the magnetic solid phase extraction (MSPE) method based on Ce-Fe3O4 MPs has the advantages of high structural selectivity, high efficiency and low consumption, and can be used for efficient separation of flavonoids with specific structures from natural products.

대황으로부터 질염 원인 균주에 대한 항균성 물질의 분리 및 정제

The present study aimed to explore natural substances as an alternative to antibiotics that result in adverse effects, such as reduced counts of essential lactic acid bacteria in the vagina and compromised vaginal function. For this purpose, Rheum palmatum L. methanol extracts were used to separate substances that do not inhibit lactic acid production in the vagina while inhibiting the pathogens causing vaginitis using different methods used in previous studies. Extraction was performed to separate the substance in the R. palmatum L. methanol extract with antibacterial activity against pathogens causing vaginitis. The maximum antibacterial substance was detected in the ethyl acetate layer extract on TLC (Thin Layer Chromatography). Fractionation by silica gel column chromatography to separate the antibacterial substance from the R. palmatum L. ethyl acetate layer extract revealed that fraction 4 had the maximum antibacterial substance. In addition, on analyzing fraction 4 using HPLC, two peaks were identified and separated at RSUBt/SUB 12.372 and RSUBt/SUB 13.44 min, with peak purities of 82.8% and 92.9%, respectively. After concentrating the fractions from both the peaks to 10 mg/mL, their antibacterial activity was tested against pathogens causing vaginitis and a beneficial strain found in the vagina. Inhibitory zones of 7 mm and 6.5 mm against Sphingomonas paucimobilis KCTC 2834 and Proteus mirabilis KCTC 2510, respectively, were identified. No antibacterial activity was found against the vaginal strain Lactobacillus coleohominis KCTC 21007.