Table1_The potential of Valeriana as a traditional Chinese medicine: traditional clinical applications, bioactivities, and phytochemistry.DOCX

Valeriana plants are members of the Caprifoliaceae family, which include more than 200 species worldwide. We summarized previous reports on traditional clinical applications, bioactivities, and phytochemistry of Valeriana by searching electronic databases of Science Direct, Web of Science, PubMed, and some books. Some Valeriana species have been used as traditional medicines, demonstrating calming fright and tranquilizing mind, promoting Qi and blood, activating blood circulation and regulating menstruation, dispelling wind and eliminating dampness, regulating Qi-flowing to relieve pain, and promoting digestion and checking diarrhea, and treating diseases of the nervous, cardiovascular, and digestive systems, inflammation, gynecology, and others. Pharmacology studies revealed the effects of Valeriana, including sedative, hypnotic, antispasmodic, analgesic, antidepressant, anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, antiepileptic, neuroprotective, antibacterial, antiviral, cytotoxic, and antitumor effects as well as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular system improvements. More than 800 compounds have been isolated or identified from Valeriana, including iridoids, lignans, flavonoids, sesquiterpenoids, alkaloids, and essential oils. Constituents with neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic, and sedative activities were also identified. However, at present, the developed drugs from Valeriana are far from sufficient. We further discussed the pharmacological effects, effective constituents, and mechanisms directly related to the traditional clinical applications of Valeriana, revealing that only several species and their essential oils were well developed to treat insomnia. To effectively promote the utilization of resources, more Valeriana species as well as their different medicinal parts should be the focus of future related studies. Clinical studies should be performed based on the traditional efficacies of Valeriana to facilitate their use in treating diseases of nervous, cardiovascular, and digestive systems, inflammation, and gynecology. Future studies should also focus on developing effective fractions or active compounds of Valeriana into new drugs to treat diseases associated with neurodegeneration, cardiovascular, and cerebrovascular, inflammation and tumors. Our review will promote the development and utilization of potential drugs in Valeriana and avoid wasting their medicinal resources.</p

Chemical constituents from <i>Sambucus williamsii</i> Hance fruits and hepatoprotective effects in mouse hepatocytes

<p>Chemical investigation of Chinese folk medicine <i>Sambucus williamsii</i> Hance has resulted in the isolation and characterisation of seventeen compounds from the <i>n</i>-BuOH extract of its fruits, including two new phenylethanoid glycosides and fifteen known compounds. Structures of new compounds were elucidated primarily on the basis of their extensive spectroscopic data including 2D NMR. In addition, the <i>n</i>-BuOH extract from the fruits of <i>S. williamsii</i> was found to show a protective effect on D-galactosamine (D-GalN)-induced cytotoxicity in primary cultured mouse hepatocytes. So the hepatoprotective effects of principal constituents from it were tested by MTT assays. The results showed that Compounds <b>13</b>, <b>16</b> and <b>17</b> displayed hepatoprotective effects.</p

Two new <i>ent</i>-atisanes from the root of <i>Euphorbia fischeriana</i> Steud.

<div><p>Two new <i>ent</i>-atisanes <i>ent</i>-1β,3β,16β,17-tetrahydroxyatisane (<b>1</b>), <i>ent</i>-1β,3α,16β,17-tetrahydroxyatisane (<b>2</b>) together with 11 known diterpenes were isolated from the anti-tumour activity fraction of <i>Euphorbia fischeriana</i> Steud. The compounds were identified by detailed spectroscopic analysis, including extensive 2D-NMR experiments. X-ray analysis was applied to determine the structure of compound <b>2</b>. All 13 compounds were screened for cytotoxicity <i>in vitro</i> against human tumour MCF-7, HepG-2 and SGC-7901 cell lines. Compounds <b>1</b> and <b>2</b> showed the inhibitory effects against MCF-7 with IC₅₀ levels of 23.21 and 15.42 μM; simultaneously, compounds <b>4</b>, <b>6</b>, <b>8</b> and <b>11</b> also had definite inhibitory effect against different cell lines.</p></div

Genomic characteristics of 50 representative sapovirus strains in 15 genogroups.

<p>Genomic characteristics of 50 representative sapovirus strains in 15 genogroups.</p

Xanthones isolated from <i>Gentianella acuta</i> and their protective effects against H₂O₂-induced myocardial cell injury

<p>In the present study, two new xanthones, (5′S,8′S)-1,3,5,8-tetrahydroxyxanthone(7→2′)-1,3,5,8-tetrahydroxy-5′,6′,7′,8′-tetrahydroxanthone (<b>1</b>), 5-hydroxy-3,4,6-trimethoxyxanthone-1-<i>O</i>-<i>β</i>-D-glucopyranoside (<b>2</b>), and eight known xanthones (<b>3–10</b>) were isolated from the whole plants of <i>Gentianella acuta</i>. Their structures were identified by the spectroscopic analyses (HR-ESI-MS, and 1D and 2D NMR). Meanwhile, cell-protective effects against H₂O₂-induced H9c2 cardiomyocyte injury and cytotoxic activities of compounds <b>1–10</b> were also determined.</p

Chemical composition and cytotoxicity of the essential oil from different parts of <i>Datura metel</i> L.

<p>The essential oil from different parts of <i>Datura metel</i> L. were extracted using hydrodistillation and GC–MS was used to analyse the essential oil. The main components of flowers were ketone (23.61%) and ethyl palmitate (15.84%). The main components of leaves were ketone (18.84%) and phytol (18.71%). Ketone (39.45%) and phytol (31.32%) were the major components of petioles. Palmitic acid (30.60%) and ethyl linoleate (21.56%) were the major components of seeds. The major ingredient of roots was palmitic acid (52.61%). The main ingredients of the stems were palmitic acid (38.38%) and ethyl linoleate (17.38%). All the different parts of essential oil were screened for cytotoxicity. The roots and stems showed the inhibitory effects against HepG-2 with IC₅₀ levels of 613.88 and 341.12 mg/L. The leaves and roots showed the inhibitory effects against HeLa with IC₅₀ levels of 267.76 and 348.35 mg/L. All the six parts have inhibitory effects against SGC-7901 cell lines.</p

Phylogenetic tree of the full length genomic sequences of 34 sapovirus strains using MEGA 6.

<p>The five strains whose complete genomes were determined in this study are boxed with dotted lines. Among these, the two SaV strains that were newly identified in this study are also indicated with arrows. The number on each branch indicates the bootstrap value. The scale represents the amino acid substitutions per site. Each sapovirus strain is indicated in the following format: Genbank accession number-strain name (species).</p

Phylogenetic tree of the putative NS7 amino acid sequences (approx. 500 aa) of sapovirus strains.

<p>These 44 strains represent 12 genogroups (GI-GV, GVI, GVII, GVIII, GIX, GXII, GXIII, and GXIV) using MEGA 6. The amino acid sequences covering from “WKGL” sequence to the end of the putative NS7, “XXME”, were used. Only 44 of the 74 SaV strains in the VP1-tree (<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0156373#pone.0156373.g003" target="_blank">Fig 3</a>) have sequences for this region. The 10 strains analyzed in this study are boxed with dotted lines. Among these, the eight SaV strains whose corresponding sequences were determined in this study are indicated with arrows. The NS7 sequences of porcine GIX and GX SaVs, and rat GII and GXV SaVs are not yet available. The number on each branch indicates the bootstrap value. The scale represents the amino acid substitutions per site. Each sapovirus strain is indicated in the following format: Genbank accession number-strain name (species).</p

Sapovirus genomic organization: non-structural (NS) and structural proteins VP1 and VP2, and the conserved motifs.

<p>Genomic organization of a common sapovirus, including two open reading frames (ORF1 and ORF2). ORF1 encodes the predicted viral NS proteins (NS1, NS2, NS3 [NTPase], NS4, NS5 [VPg], NS6-NS7 [protease-RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp)], and the major capsid protein (VP1). ORF2 encodes the minor capsid protein VP2. The following amino acid or nucleotide motifs are conserved among all available sequenced SaVs: GXPGXGKT, PL (N / D) CD, and WDE (F / Y) D of NS3, KGKXX and XDEYXX of NS5, GDCG of NS6, WKGL, KDEL, DYSXWDST, GLPSG, and YGDD of NS7, PPG and WGS of VP1, and the first three nucleotides (GTG) at the 5’–end. Also shown are the first five amino acids of NS1 (M [A / V] S [K / R] P) and around the NS7-VP1 cleavage site (FEME / G, the slash indicates the putative cleavage site by viral protease NS6) that are conserved among GI-GV, GVIII, and GXIII SaVs.</p

Fold changes in HuNoV and HuSaV RNA levels at 120 hpi relative to 0 hpi in cells (cell lysates) inoculated with HuNoV or HuSaV in medium supplemented with bacteria or the culture supernatants of co-culturing bacteria and immune cells.

<p>Fold changes in HuNoV and HuSaV RNA levels at 120 hpi relative to 0 hpi in cells (cell lysates) inoculated with HuNoV or HuSaV in medium supplemented with bacteria or the culture supernatants of co-culturing bacteria and immune cells.</p