Extraction optimization, structural characterization and bioactivity evaluation of triterpenoids from hawthorn (Crataegus cuneata ) fruits

Expanding annotation of chemical compounds in hawthorn fruits and their variations in thermal processing using integrated mass spectral similarity networking

Chemical structural characterization of chemical compounds from hawthorn fruits and its thermal processed products was carried out in present study. By linking Global Natural Products Social (GNPS) Molecular Networking and MolNetEnhancer workflow, seventy-four chemical compounds in hawthorn fruits and its thermal processed products were tentatively identified. Three quercetagetin derivatives (quercetagetin-3-O-glucoside, quercetagetin-di-glucoside and its isomer), five quercetin or kaempferol derivatives (quercetin-acetylapiosyl-hexoside, quercetin-3-O-(6″-malonyl-hexoside), quercetin-3-O-(6″-malonyl-hexoside)-(1 → 2)-O-hexoside, quercetin-3-O-(6″-malonyl-hexoside)-(1 → 2)-O-deoxyhexoside, kaempferol-3-O-(6″-malonyl-hexoside)), six procyanidins including four (E)C-ethyl-procyanidins and two A-type procyanidins digallate, as well as 13 triterpenoids including ursolic aldehyde, triterpenoid glycosides, and triterpene acids were reported for the first time in hawthorn fruits. In addition, triterpenoids exhibited considerable thermal stability, while all of flavonoid glycosides, proanthocyanidins and 10 in 13 organic acids showed dramatic decrease after thermal processing.

An antiviral optimized extract from Sanguisorba officinalis L. roots using response surface methodology, and its efficacy in controlling viral hemorrhagic septicemia of olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus)

Viral hemorrhagic septicemia causes considerable economic losses for Korea's olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) aquaculture farms; therefore, effective antiviral agents for controlling viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) infection are imperative. The present study implemented a Box-Behnken design and cytopathic reduction assay to derive an optimized extract of Sanguisorba officinalis L. roots (OE-SOR) with maximum antiviral activity against VHSV. OE-SOR prepared under optimized extraction conditions (55% ethanol concentration at 50 °C for 5 h) exhibited potent antiviral activity against VHSV, with a 50% effective 0.21 μg/mL concentration and a 340 selective index. OE-SOR also showed direct virucidal activity in the plaque reduction assay. Administering OE-SOR to olive flounder exhibited substantial efficacies against VHSV infection. Fish receiving 100 mg/kg body weight/day of OE-SOR as a preventive (40.0%; p < 0.05) or therapeutic (44.4%; p < 0.05) exhibited a higher relative survival than the untreated VHSV-infected control group (mortalities of 100% and 90%, respectively). In addition, fish fed with OE-SOR (100 mg/kg body weight/day) for two weeks conveyed a significantly higher inflammatory cytokine expression (nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells [NF-κB], interleukin-1 beta [IL-1β], and tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF-α]) than the control group one to two days post-administration. Moreover, no hematological or histological changes were observed in olive flounder treated with OE-SOR over four weeks. Liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight tandem mass spectrometry and -triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry analyses identified ziyuglycoside I as a prominent OE-SOR constituent and marker compound (content: 14.5%). This study verifies that OE-SOR is an effective alternative for controlling viral hemorrhagic septicemia in olive flounder farms as it exhibits efficient in vivo anti-VHSV activity and increases innate immune responses.

The neuroprotective effect of traditional Chinese medicinal plants-A critical review

Neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases are increasingly affecting individuals' quality of life, thus increasing their cost to social and health systems. These diseases have overlapping mechanisms, such as oxidative stress, protein aggregation, neuroinflammation, neurotransmission impairment, mitochondrial dysfunction, and excitotoxicity. Currently, there is no cure for neurodegenerative diseases, and the available therapies have adverse effects and low efficacy. For neuropsychiatric disorders, such as depression, the current therapies are not adequate to one-third of the patients, the so-called treatment-resistant patients. So, searching for new treatments is fundamental. Medicinal plants appear as a strong alternative and complement towards new treatment protocols, as they have been used for health purposes for thousands of years. Thus, the main goal of this review is to revisit the neuroprotective potential of some of the most predominant medicinal plants (and one fungus) used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), focusing on their proven mechanisms of action and their chemical compositions, to give clues on how they can be useful against neurodegeneration progression.

Food Applications and Potential Health Benefits of Hawthorn

Hawthorn (Crataegus) is a plant of the Rosaceae family and is widely grown throughout the world as one of the medicinal and edible plants, known as the “nutritious fruit” due to its richness in bioactive substances. Preparations derived from it are used in the formulation of dietary supplements, functional foods, and pharmaceutical products. Rich in amino acids, minerals, pectin, vitamin C, chlorogenic acid, epicatechol, and choline, hawthorn has a high therapeutic and health value. Many studies have shown that hawthorn has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, anti-cardiovascular disease, and digestive enhancing properties. This is related to its bioactive components such as polyphenols (chlorogenic acid, proanthocyanidin B2, epicatechin), flavonoids (proanthocyanidins, mucoxanthin, quercetin, rutin), and pentacyclic triterpenoids (ursolic acid, hawthornic acid, oleanolic acid), which are also its main chemical constituents. This paper briefly reviews the chemical composition, nutritional value, food applications, and the important biological and pharmacological activities of hawthorn. This will contribute to the development of functional foods or nutraceuticals from hawthorn.

Establishment of extraction design space for ursolic acid from Paulowniae Flos based on the concept of quality by design

INTRODUCTION

The application of quality by design (QbD) concept needs to be strengthened in the field of traditional Chinese medicine research. The extraction process has an important influence on the effectiveness of the drug, and the combination of QbD and the extraction process of the active ingredient helps to improve the effectiveness of the drug.

OBJECTIVE

To establish the extraction design space for ursolic acid (UA) from Paulowniae Flos based on the concept of QbD.

METHODS

The extraction yield of the target component UA was taken as critical quality attributes (CQAs), extraction time, extraction temperature, ethanol concentration and liquid-solid ratio, as critical process parameters (CPPs). Box-Behnken design (BBD) was applied to optimise the design space and the chromatographic conditions were performed on a Shimadzu C18 reversed-phase column with 0.1% (v/v) acetic acid aqueous water-acetonitrile (7:13, v/v) as the mobile phase at a 1 mL/min flow rate, using UA standard as a control and detection at 210 nm.

RESULTS

The single factor investigation and BBD experiment were used to construct the design space, while verification experiments and methodological validation were used to demonstrate that the space was robust and analytical methods were appropriate. The operating space of ethanol concentration 93-98%, liquid-solid ratio 28-37 mL/g and extraction temperature 70-78.3°C was recommended.

CONCLUSION

The proposed methodology can help to promote the quality control of the Chinese medicine extraction process and facilitate the production operation of the enterprise easier.