Comparison of raw and processed Radix Polygoni Multiflori (Heshouwu) by high performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Radix Polygoni Multiflori </it>is the dried root tuber of <it>Polygonum multiflorum </it>Thunb. (Fam. Polygonaceae). According to Chinese medicine theory, raw (R-RPM) and processed (P-RPM) <it>Radix Polygoni Multiflori </it>possess different properties. The present study investigates the differences in chemistry between raw and processed <it>Radix Polygoni Multiflori</it>.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Five pairs of R-RPM and P-RPM as well as 15 commercial decoction pieces were analyzed with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and mass spectrometry (MS).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Two anthraquinones, namely emodin-8-<it>O</it>-(6'-<it>O</it>-malonyl)-glucoside and physcion-8-<it>O</it>-(6'-<it>O</it>-malonyl)-glucoside disappeared or decreased significantly and 2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxystilbene-2-<it>O</it>-<it>β</it>-<it>D</it>-glucopyranoside, emodin-8-<it>O</it>-<it>β</it>-<it>D</it>-glucopyranoside and physcion-8-<it>O</it>-<it>β</it>-<it>D</it>-glucopyranoside decreased after the R-RPM samples being processed. On the other hand, the contents of emodin and physcion generally increased after processing.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The present study indicates that processing <it>Radix Polygoni Multiflori </it>may change the contents and types of chemicals in it. These changes are probably responsible for the various pharmacological effects of R-RPM and P-RPM as well as hepatotoxicity.</p

Comparison of the Immunoregulatory Function of Different Constituents in Radix Astragali and Radix Hedysari

Radix Astragali (RA), known as “Huangqi” in China, is one of the most popular herbal medicines known worldwide to reinforce “Qi”. RA is traditionally prepared from the dried roots of Astragalus membranaceus (MJHQ) and A. membranaceus var. mongholicus (MGHQ). Radix Hedysari is named “Hongqi” (HQ), which is similar to RA. We assessed and compared the chemical constituents and bioactivity of RA and HQ. Different constituents were extracted into five major parts and were analyzed using different methods. Comparison of the immunological effects of extracts was done by using two immunological models. Results showed that flavonoids and saponins present in RA and HQ were not only structurally significantly different but also different in their immunological effect. Amino acids extract (AE) in MGHQ shows immunological effect while AE in MJHQ and HQ did not. Polysaccharides comprised the major constituents in RA and HQ. All polysaccharides extract (PE) of the three herbs showed similar levels of immunological effect in both immunological assays

Phage combination alleviates bacterial leaf blight of rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Rice bacterial leaf blight (BLB) is the most destructive bacterial diseases caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo). Phages have been proposed as a green and efficient strategy to kill bacterial pathogens in crops, however, the mechanism of action of phages in the control of phyllosphere bacterial diseases remain unclear. Here, the glasshouse pot experiment results showed that phage combination could reduce the disease index by up to 64.3%. High-throughput sequencing technology was used to analyze the characteristics of phyllosphere microbiome changes and the results showed that phage combinations restored the impact of pathogen invasion on phyllosphere communities to a certain extent, and increased the diversity of bacterial communities. In addition, the phage combination reduced the relative abundance of epiphytic and endophytic Xoo by 58.9% and 33.9%, respectively. In particular, Sphingomonas and Stenotrophomonas were more abundant. According to structural equation modeling, phage combination directly and indirectly affected the disease index by affecting pathogen Xoo biomass and phage resistance. In summary, phage combination could better decrease the disease index. These findings provide new insights into phage biological control of phyllosphere bacterial diseases, theoretical data support, and new ideas for agricultural green prevention and control of phyllosphere diseases

Phase II of the LAMOST-Kepler/K2 survey. I. Time series of medium-resolution spectroscopic observations

Phase \RNum{2} of the LAMOST-{\sl Kepler/K}2 survey (LK-MRS), initiated in 2018, aims at collecting medium-resolution spectra ($R\sim7,500$; hereafter MRS) for more than $50,000$ stars with multiple visits ($\sim60$ epochs) over a period of 5 years (2018 September to 2023 June). We selected 20 footprints distributed across the {\sl Kepler} field and six {\sl K}2 campaigns, with each plate containing a number of stars ranging from $\sim2,000$ to $\sim 3,000$. During the first year of observations, the LK-MRS has already collected $\sim280,000$ and $\sim369,000$ high-quality spectra in the blue and red wavelength range, respectively. The atmospheric parameters and radial velocities for $\sim259,000$ spectra of $21,053$ targets were successfully calculated by the LASP pipeline. The internal uncertainties for the effective temperature, surface gravity, metallicity, and radial velocity are found to be $100$\,K, $0.15$\,dex, $0.09$\,dex, and $1.00$\,km\,s$^{-1}$, respectively. We found $14,997$, $20,091$, and $1,514$ stars in common with the targets from the LAMOST low-resolution survey (LRS), GAIA and APOGEE, respectively, corresponding to a fraction of $\sim70\%$, $\sim95\%$ and $\sim7.2\%$. In general, the parameters derived from LK-MRS spectra are consistent with those obtained from the LRS and APOGEE spectra, but the scatter increases as the surface gravity decreases when comparing with the measurements from APOGEE. A large discrepancy is found with the GAIA values of the effective temperature. The comparisons of radial velocities of LK-MRS to GAIA and LK-MRS to APOGEE nearly follow an Gaussian distribution with a mean $\mu\sim1.10$ and $0.73$\,km\,s$^{-1}$, respectively.Comment: 24 pages, 15 figures, 4 tables, ApJS, accepte

A comparative analysis of morphology, microstructure, and volatile metabolomics of leaves at varied developmental stages in Ainaxiang (Blumea balsamifera (Linn.) DC.)

IntroductionAinaxiang (Blumea balsamifera (Linn.) DC.) is cultivated for the extraction of (-)-borneol and other pharmaceutical raw materials due to its abundant volatile oil. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the structural basis and composition of volatile oil accumulation in fresh B. balsamifera leaves.MethodsTo address this problem, we compare the fresh leaves’ morphology, microstructure, and volatile metabonomic at different development stages, orderly defined from the recently unfolded young stage (S1) to the senescent stage (S4).Results and discussionDistinct differences were observed in the macro-appearance and microstructure at each stage, particularly in the B. balsamifera glandular trichomes (BbGTs) distribution. This specialized structure may be responsible for the accumulation of volatile matter. 213 metabolites were identified through metabolomic analysis, which exhibited spatiotemporal accumulation patterns among different stages. Notably, (-)-borneol was enriched at S1, while 10 key odor metabolites associated with the characteristic balsamic, borneol, fresh, and camphor aromas of B. balsamifera were enriched in S1 and S2. Ultra-microstructural examination revealed the involvement of chloroplasts, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, and vacuoles in the synthesizing, transporting, and storing essential oils. These findings confirm that BbGTs serve as the secretory structures in B. balsamifera, with the population and morphology of BbGTs potentially serving as biomarkers for (-)-borneol accumulation. Overall, young B. balsamifera leaves with dense BbGTs represent a rich (-)-borneol source, while mesophyll cells contribute to volatile oil accumulation. These findings reveal the essential oil accumulation characteristics in B. balsamifera, providing a foundation for further understanding

Application of Nanotechnology in Analysis and Removal of Heavy Metals in Food and Water Resources

Toxic heavy metal contamination in food and water from environmental pollution is a significant public health issue. Heavy metals do not biodegrade easily yet can be enriched hundreds of times by biological magnification, where toxic substances move up the food chain and eventually enter the human body. Nanotechnology as an emerging field has provided significant improvement in heavy metal analysis and removal from complex matrices. Various techniques have been adapted based on nanomaterials for heavy metal analysis, such as electrochemical, colorimetric, fluorescent, and biosensing technology. Multiple categories of nanomaterials have been utilized for heavy metal removal, such as metal oxide nanoparticles, magnetic nanoparticles, graphene and derivatives, and carbon nanotubes. Nanotechnology-based heavy metal analysis and removal from food and water resources has the advantages of wide linear range, low detection and quantification limits, high sensitivity, and good selectivity. There is a need for easy and safe field application of nanomaterial-based approaches

Chemical profiling and histochemical analysis of Bupleurum marginatum roots from different growing areas of Hubei province

AbstractBupleuri Radix has been widely used in traditional Chinese medicine. In the current herbal market, the species Bupleurum marginatum Wall. ex DC. is the main source of Bupleuri Radix. Although Bupleuri Radix from the roots of B. marginatum grown wild in the North West of Hubei province has higher quality compared with those from other regions according to the previous investigations, the exhaustive exploitation driven by increasing demand has drastically reduced the wild resource. As a result, germplasm evaluation and quality resource exploration are important for the sustainable utilization and cultivation of B. marginatum. A preliminary study indicated differences in the tissue structure of B. marginatum grown in different areas of North Western Hubei province. In the current study, various tissues of the roots of B. marginatum grown in different areas of North Western Hubei were subjected to laser microdissection and analyzed by microscopy and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC–Q-TOF-MS). The results show that wild plants from Maqiao Town, Baokang County contain the most saikosaponins distributed mainly in cork, cortex and phloem. This study provides key chemical information for evaluating the quality of B. marginatum roots