Polyphenol extract and essential oil of Amomum tsao-ko equally alleviate hypercholesterolemia and modulate gut microbiota

Health-promoting compounds in Amomum villosum Lour and Amomum tsao-ko: Fruit essential oil exhibiting great potential for human health

The Zingiberaceae family serves as a diverse repository of bioactive phytochemicals, comprising approximately 52 genera and 1300 species of aromatic perennial herbs distinguished by their distinct creeping horizontal or tuberous rhizomes. Amomum villosum Lour. and Amomum tsao-ko Crevost & Lemaire., are the important plants of family Zingiberaceae that have been widely used in traditional medicine for the treatment of many ailments. The Amomum species are employed for their aromatic qualities and are valued as spices and flavorings. In the essential oils (EOs) of Amomum species, notable constituents include, camphor, methyl chavicol, bornyl acetate, trans-p-(1-butenyl) anisole, α-pinene, and β-pinene.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this review is to present an overview of pharmacological studies pertaining to the extracts and secondary metabolites isolated from both species. The foremost objective of review is not only to increase the popularity of Amomum as a healthy food choice but also to enhance its status as a staple ingredient for the foreseeable future.

RESULT

We endeavored to gather the latest information on antioxidant, antidiabetic, anticancer, antiobesity, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties of plants as well as their role in neuroprotective diseases. Research conducted through in-vitro studies, animal model, and compounds analysis have revealed that both plants exhibit a diverse array health promoting properties.

CONCLUSION

the comprehensive review paper provides valuable insights into the diverse range of bioactive phytochemicals found in A. villosum and A. tsao-ko, showcasing their potential in preventing diseases and promoting overall human well-being. The compilation of information on their various health-enhancing properties contributes to the broader understanding of these plants and their potential applications in traditional medicine and beyond.

Polyphenols Influence the Development of Endometrial Cancer by Modulating the Gut Microbiota

Dysbiosis of the microbiota in the gastrointestinal tract can induce the development of gynaecological tumours, particularly in postmenopausal women, by causing DNA damage and alterations in metabolite metabolism. Dysbiosis also complicates cancer treatment by influencing the body's immune response and disrupting the sensitivity to chemotherapy drugs. Therefore, it is crucial to maintain homeostasis in the gut microbiota through the effective use of food components that affect its structure. Recent studies have shown that polyphenols, which are likely to be the most important secondary metabolites produced by plants, exhibit prebiotic properties. They affect the structure of the gut microbiota and the synthesis of metabolites. In this review, we summarise the current state of knowledge, focusing on the impact of polyphenols on the development of gynaecological tumours, particularly endometrial cancer, and emphasising that polyphenol consumption leads to beneficial modifications in the structure of the gut microbiota.

Gut microbiota: A magical multifunctional target regulated by medicine food homology species

BACKGROUND

The relationship between gut microbiota and human health has gradually been recognized. Increasing studies show that the disorder of gut microbiota is related to the occurrence and development of many diseases. Metabolites produced by the gut microbiota are responsible for their extensive regulatory roles. In addition, naturally derived medicine food homology species with low toxicity and high efficiency have been clearly defined owing to their outstanding physiological and pharmacological properties in disease prevention and treatment.

AIM OF REVIEW

Based on supporting evidence, the current review summarizes the representative work of medicine food homology species targeting the gut microbiota to regulate host pathophysiology and discusses the challenges and prospects in this field. It aims to facilitate the understanding of the relationship among medicine food homology species, gut microbiota, and human health and further stimulate the advancement of more relevant research.

KEY SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS OF REVIEW

As this review reveals, from the initial practical application to more mechanism studies, the relationship among medicine food homology species, gut microbiota, and human health has evolved into an irrefutable interaction. On the one hand, through affecting the population structure, metabolism, and function of gut microbiota, medicine food homology species maintain the homeostasis of the intestinal microenvironment and human health by affecting the population structure, metabolism, and function of gut microbiota. On the other hand, the gut microbiota is also involved in the bioconversion of the active ingredients from medicine food homology species and thus influences their physiological and pharmacological properties.

Interactions between gut microbiota and polyphenols: A mechanistic and metabolomic review

BACKGROUND

Polyphenols are a class of naturally sourced compounds with widespread distribution and an extensive array of bioactivities. However, due to their complex constituents and weak absorption, a convincing explanation for their remarkable bioactivity remains elusive for a long time. In recent years, interaction with gut microbiota is hypothesized to be a reasonable explanation of the potential mechanisms for natural compounds especially polyphenols.

OBJECTIVES

This review aims to present a persuasive explanation for the contradiction between the limited bioavailability and the remarkable bioactivities of polyphenols by examining their interactions with gut microbiota.

METHODS

We assessed literatures published before April 10, 2023, from several databases, including Scopus, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science. The keywords used include "polyphenols", "gut microbiota", "short-chain fatty acids", "bile acids", "trimethylamine N-oxide", "lipopolysaccharides" "tryptophan", "dopamine", "intestinal barrier", "central nervous system", "lung", "anthocyanin", "proanthocyanidin", "baicalein", "caffeic acid", "curcumin", "epigallocatechin-3-gallate", "ferulic acid", "genistein", "kaempferol", "luteolin", "myricetin", "naringenin", "procyanidins", "protocatechuic acid", "pterostilbene", "quercetin", "resveratrol", etc. RESULTS: The review first demonstrates that polyphenols significantly alter gut microbiota diversity (α- and β-diversity) and the abundance of specific microorganisms. Polyphenols either promote or inhibit microorganisms, with various factors influencing their effects, such as dosage, treatment duration, and chemical structure of polyphenols. Furthermore, the review reveals that polyphenols regulate several gut microbiota metabolites, including short-chain fatty acids, dopamine, trimethylamine N-oxide, bile acids, and lipopolysaccharides. Polyphenols affect these metabolites by altering gut microbiota composition, modifying microbial enzyme activity, and other potential mechanisms. The changed microbial metabolites induced by polyphenols subsequently trigger host responses in various ways, such as acting as intestinal acid-base homeostasis regulators and activating on specific target receptors. Additionally, polyphenols are transformed into microbial derivatives by gut microbiota and these polyphenols' microbial derivatives have many potential advantages (e.g., increased bioactivity, improved absorption). Lastly, the review shows polyphenols maintain intestinal barrier, central nervous system, and lung function homeostasis by regulating gut microbiota.

CONCLUSION

The interaction between polyphenols and gut microbiota provides a credible explanation for the exceptional bioactivities of polyphenols. This review aids our understanding of the underlying mechanisms behind the bioactivity of polyphenols.

Effect of tea catechins on gut microbiota in high fat diet-induced obese mice

BACKGROUND

Tea catechins have been shown to have beneficial effects on the alleviation of obesity, the prevention of diabetes, and the amelioration of metabolic syndrome. The purpose of the present work is to explore the underlying mechanisms linking the intestinal microbiota and anti-obesity benefits of green tea, oolong tea, and black tea catechins in C57BL/6J mice fed with a high-fat diet (HFD).

RESULTS

The results indicated that, after the dietary intake of three tea catechins, obesity and low-grade inflammation were significantly alleviated. Hepatic steatosis was prevented, and this was accompanied by the upregulation of the mRNA and protein expressions of hepatic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα). Metagenomic analysis of fecal samples suggested that the three tea catechins similarly changed the microbiota in terms of overall structure, composition, and protein functions by regulating the metabolites, facilitating the generation of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and repressing lipopolysaccharides.

CONCLUSION

The anti-obese properties of three tea catechins were partially mediated by their positive effect on gut microbiota, hepatic steatosis alleviation, and anti-inflammatory activity. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

The potential mechanism of the Ruhao Dashi formula in treating acute pneumonia via network pharmacology and molecular docking

BACKGROUND

Acute pneumonia (AP) has a high seasonal prevalence every year, which seriously threatens the lives and health of patients. Six traditional Chinese medicines in Ruhao Dashi formula (RDF) have excellent antiinflammatory, antibacterial, and antiviral effects. RDF is commonly used in the clinical treatment of AP. However, the mechanism and target of RDF are unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to use network pharmacology and molecular docking to evaluate the target and mechanism of RDF in the treatment of AP.

METHODS

The Herbs and Disease Gene databases were searched to identify common targets of AP and RDF. Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis, and Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) network analyses were performed to identify the potential molecular mechanisms behind RDF. Molecular docking was performed to compare the binding activities of the active molecules with that of the target protein.

RESULTS

The "drug-component-common target" network contained 64 active compounds and 134 targets. GO and KEGG analyses indicated that RDF could act by regulating cell death, cell proliferation, apoptosis, and hypoxic response. The PPI network and "pathway-target" network identified 31 core targets. Molecular docking revealed that the 14 active ingredients of RDF bind vigorously to the core targets.

CONCLUSION

Through network pharmacology and molecular docking, we found that RDF contains 14 active components and 31 core AP targets. These targets were linked to the development of an antiinflammatory response and could be used to develop new drugs to treat AP.

De novo transcriptome assembly, gene annotation, and EST-SSR marker development of an important medicinal and edible crop, Amomum tsaoko (Zingiberaceae)

BACKGROUND

Amomum tsaoko is a medicinal and food dual-use crop that belongs to the Zingiberaceae family. However, the lack of transcriptomic and genomic information has limited the understanding of the genetic basis of this species. Here, we performed transcriptome sequencing of samples from different A. tsaoko tissues, and identified and characterized the expressed sequence tag-simple sequence repeat (EST-SSR) markers.

RESULTS

A total of 58,278,226 high-quality clean reads were obtained and de novo assembled to generate 146,911 unigenes with an N50 length of 2002 bp. A total of 128,174 unigenes were successfully annotated by searching seven protein databases, and 496 unigenes were identified as annotated as putative terpenoid biosynthesis-related genes. Furthermore, a total of 55,590 EST-SSR loci were detected, and 42,333 primer pairs were successfully designed. We randomly selected 80 primer pairs to validate their polymorphism in A. tsaoko; 18 of these primer pairs produced distinct, clear, and reproducible polymorphisms. A total of 98 bands and 96 polymorphic bands were amplified by 18 pairs of EST-SSR primers for the 72 A. tsaoko accessions. The Shannon's information index (I) ranged from 0.477 (AM208) to 1.701 (AM242) with an average of 1.183, and the polymorphism information content (PIC) ranged from 0.223 (AM208) to 0.779 (AM247) with an average of 0.580, indicating that these markers had a high level of polymorphism. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) indicated relatively low genetic differentiation among the six A. tsaoko populations. Cross-species amplification showed that 14 of the 18 EST-SSR primer pairs have transferability between 11 Zingiberaceae species.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study is the first to provide transcriptome data of this important medicinal and edible crop, and these newly developed EST-SSR markers are a very efficient tool for germplasm evaluation, genetic diversity, and molecular marker-assisted selection in A. tsaoko.

Characterization, Hypoglycemic Activity, and Antioxidant Activity of Methanol Extracts From Amomum tsao-ko: in vitro and in vivo Studies

The dried fruit of Amomum tsao-ko is well-known as a spice as well as a Chinese traditional herb. This study aimed to identify the bioactive constituents in the powder of methanol extract from Amomum tsao-ko (PMEAT) and to evaluate the hypoglycemic and antioxidant effects of PMEAT, in vitro and in vivo. We identified 36 phytochemicals in PMEAT by employing HPLC-MS/MS. PMEAT solution was found to have potent α-glucosidase-inhibiting activity (IC₅₀, 0.145 mg/mL) in vitro, twice as strong as that of acarbose (IC₅₀, 0.273 mg/mL). To investigate the hypoglycemic activity of PMEAT in vivo, we studied the impact of low-dose PMEAT (the addition of 100 mg/kg PMEAT to the mice diet) and high-dose PMEAT (200 mg/kg PMEAT addition) treatments in STZ-induced diabetic mice. After 6 weeks of intervention, significantly decreased fasting blood glucose (FBG) (p < 0.05), significantly decreased area under the curve (AUC) of the oral glucose tolerance test (p < 0.05), significantly decreased HOMA-IR (p < 0.05), and significantly increased HOMA-β (p < 0.05) were observed in the high-dose PMEAT group. Moreover, we performed an antioxidant activity experiment in vitro. The results showed that PMEAT had a strong ability to scavenge DPPH (IC₅₀, 0.044 mg/mL) as well as ABTS free radicals (IC₅₀, 0.040 mg/mL). In an animal experiment conducted on oxidative damage mice model which was induced by D-glucose and a high-fat diet, we observed significantly increased dismutase (SOD) (p < 0.01), glutathione (GSH) (p < 0.01), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) (p < 0.01) and significantly reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) and 8-ISO-prostaglandin-PGF2α (8-ISO-PGF2α), after treatment with PMEAT for 90 days. In conclusion, this study reveals the therapeutic potential of Amomum tsao-ko for the treatment of diabetes and helps us discover new antioxidant candidates from natural sources.

Genome Sequencing of Amomum tsao-ko Provides Novel Insight Into Its Volatile Component Biosynthesis

As an important economic and medicinal crop, Amomum tsao-ko is rich in volatile oils and widely used in food additives, essential oils, and traditional Chinese medicine. However, the lack of the genome remains a limiting factor for understanding its medicinal properties at the molecular level. Here, based on 288.72 Gb of PacBio long reads and 105.45 Gb of Illumina paired-end short reads, we assembled a draft genome for A. tsao-ko (2.70 Gb in size, contig N50 of 2.45 Mb). Approximately 90.07% of the predicted genes were annotated in public databases. Based on comparative genomic analysis, genes involved in secondary metabolite biosynthesis, flavonoid metabolism, and terpenoid biosynthesis showed significant expansion. Notably, the DXS, GGPPS, and CYP450 genes, which participate in rate-limiting steps for terpenoid backbone biosynthesis and modification, may form the genetic basis for essential oil formation in A. tsao-ko. The assembled A. tsao-ko draft genome provides a valuable genetic resource for understanding the unique features of this plant and for further evolutionary and agronomic studies of Zingiberaceae species.

Amomum tsao-ko essential oil, a Novel Anti-COVID-19 Omircon Spike Protein Natural Products: A Computational Study

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, this virus has been constantly mutating. The latest mutant Omicron has been identified as VOC by WHO. The main reason for its concern is the mutation of 46 amino acids in spike protein, which has brought the global epidemic prevention into another difficulty. Herbal aromatic plant Amomum tsao-ko was excavated from formula 1 and 2 for the treatment of COVID-19 in China, and its active components were extracted and identified. Molecular dynamics simulation and Fpocket were applied to find the key sites on RBD_Omicron, and molecular docking was also used to reveal the interaction between A. tsao-ko essential oil (AEO) and RBD_Omicron. The AEO components were analyzed and identified by GC/Q-TOF MS. There were 20 kinds of AEO with a relative area percentage of more than 1%, and they were related to the three active centres of RBD_Omicron. In this study, virtual screening was used to mine the essential oil components of medicinal plants, and it was found that the components could interact with the spike protein RBD in aerosol to block the interaction of RBD and hACE2, thus cutting off the transmission route and protecting the host. This study has certain guiding significance in the modernization of Traditional Chinese medicine and the prevention of COVID-19.

Flavonoid constituents of Amomum tsao-ko Crevost et Lemarie and their antioxidant and antidiabetic effects in diabetic rats - in vitro and in vivo studies

Amomum tsao-ko Crevost et Lemarie (A. tsao-ko) is a well-known dietary spice and traditional Chinese medicine. This study aimed to identify the flavonoids in A. tsao-ko and evaluate their antioxidant and antidiabetic activities in in vitro and in vivo studies. A. tsao-ko methanol extracts possessed a high flavonoid content (1.21 mg QE per g DW) and a total of 29 flavonoids were identified by employing UPLC-MS/MS. In vitro, A. tsao-ko demonstrated antioxidant activity (ORAC value of 34276.57 μM TE/100 g DW, IC₅₀ of ABTS of 3.49 mg mL^-1 and FRAP value of 207.42 μM Fe²⁺ per g DW) and α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory ability with IC₅₀ values of 14.23 and 1.76 mg mL^-1, respectively. In vivo, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) models were induced by a combined high-fat diet (HFD) and streptozotocin (STZ) injection in rats. Treatment with the A. tsao-ko extract (100 mg freeze-dried powder per kg bw) for 6 weeks could significantly improve impaired glucose tolerance, decrease the levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG), insulin, and malondialdehyde (MDA), and increase the superoxide dismutase (SOD) level. Histopathology revealed that the A. tsao-ko extract preserved the architecture and function of the pancreas. In conclusion, the flavonoid composition of A. tsao-ko exhibits excellent antioxidant and antidiabetic activity in vitro and in vivo. A. tsao-ko could be a novel natural material and developed as a related functional food and medicine in T2DM management.