The anti-urolithiasis activity and safety of strangury-relieving herbs: A comparative study based on fruit fly kidney stone model

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Urolithiasis is one of the oldest and most widespread urological diseases suffered globally. In the long history of Traditional Chinese Medicine, there're numerous herbs documented with strangury-relieving properties playing crucial roles in treating various urological disorders, including dysuria, hematuria, and renal colic, etc., which may be caused by urolithiasis. Exploring these herbs may reveal safer, more effective, and cost-efficient drugs and therapies for urolithiasis.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study aims to assess the anti-urolithiasis efficacy and safety of 46 Chinese traditional and folk herbal drugs using the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) kidney stone model, in order to identify the most valuable ethnomedicinal materials.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Water extract and 50% ethanol extract of each herb were prepared respectively. 0.2% (w/w) sodium oxalate was chosen as appropriate lithogenic agent through fruit fly life span study. Male fruit-flies within three days of emergence were aged for an additional three days, then were randomly divided into experimental groups, model group and control groups (n = 20). The flies in blank control group, model group and positive control group were fed with standard food, standard food containing 0.2% sodium oxalate, standard food containing 0.2% sodium oxalate and 3% (w/w) Garcinia cambogia extract, respectively. Meanwhile, flies in the experimental groups were raised on standard food containing 0.2% sodium oxalate and 3% (w/w) herbal extract. The anti-urolithiasis capability of the extracts was evaluated using stone area ratio (the stone area divided by the area of the Malpighian tubule) and stone-clearing rate. Additionally, the 7-day mortality rate was employed as an indicator of safety.

RESULTS

Out of the 46 herbs, 24 exhibited significant anti-urolithiasis effects in their water extracts. Among them, Herba Nephrolepidis, Herba Humuli, Herba Desmodii Styracifolii, Cortex Plumeriae Rubrae, and Herba Mimosae Pudicae showed us a low 7-day mortality rate of fruit-flies as well. However, only a limited number of herbal extracts (8 out of 46) showed obvious anti-urolithiasis activity in their 50% ethanol extracts.

CONCLUSION

Highly potential anti-urolithiasis candidates were discovered from strangury-relieving herbs recorded in classical Traditional Chinese Medicine works, highlighting the significant value of traditional and folk ethnopharmacological knowledge.

Molecular evidence provides new insights into the evolutionary origin of an ancient traditional Chinese medicine, the domesticated "Baizhi"

Introduction

"Baizhi" is a famous herbal medicine in China, and it includes four landraces named as 'Hangbaizhi', 'Chuanbaizhi', 'Qibaizhi', and 'Yubaizhi'. Long-term artificial selection had caused serious degradation of these germplasms. Determining the wild progenitor of the landraces would be benefit for their breed improvements. Previous studies have suggested Angelica dahurica var. dahurica, A. dahurica var. formosana, or A. porphyrocaulis as potential candidates, but the conclusion remains uncertain, and their phylogenetic relationships are still in controversy.

Methods

In this study, the genetic variation and phylogenetic analyses of these species and four landraces were conducted on the basis of both the nrITS and plastome datasets.

Results

Genetic variation analysis showed that all 8 population of four landraces shared only one ITS haplotype, meanwhile extremely low variation occurred within 6 population at plastid genome level. Both datasets supported the four landraces might be originated from a single wild germplasm. Phylogenetic analyses with both datasets revealed largely consistent topology using Bayesian inference and Maximum likelihood methods. Samples of the four landraces and all wild A. dahurica var. dahurica formed a highly supported monophyletic clade, and then sister to the monophyly clade comprised by samples of A. porphyrocaulis, while four landraces were clustered into one clade, which further clustered with a mixed branches of A. porphyrocaulis and A. dahurica var. dahurica to form sister branches for plastid genomes. Furthermore, the monophyletic A. dahurica var. formosana was far distant from the A. dahurica var. dahurica-"Baizhi" clade in Angelica phylogeny. Such inferences was also supported by the evolutionary patterns of nrITS haplotype network and K2P genetic distances. The outcomes indicated A. dahurica var. dahurica is most likely the original plant of "Baizhi".

Discussion

Considering of phylogenetic inference and evolutionary history, the species-level status of A. dahurica var. formosana should be accepted, and the taxonomic level and phylgenetic position of A. porphyrocaulis should be further confirmed. This study preliminarily determined the wild progenitor of "Baizhi" and clarified the phylogenetic relationships among A. dahurica var. dahurica, A. dahurica var. formosana and A. porphyrocaulis, which will provide scientific guidance for wild resources protections and improvement of "Baizhi".

Prognostic impact of absolute peripheral blood NK cell count after four cycles of R-CHOP-like regimen treatment in patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma

As a subtype of lymphocyte, natural killer (NK) cell is the first line of defense that shows a strong function in tumor immunotherapy response and clinical outcomes. The current study aims to investigate the prognostic influence of peripheral blood absolute NK cell count after four cycles of rituximab combined with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone (R-CHOP) treatment (NKCC4) in diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients. A total of 261 DLBCL patients treated with R-CHOP from January 2018 to September 2022 were enrolled. The low NKCC4 was observed in patients who died during the study period compared with survival individuals. A NKCC4 < 135 cells/μl had a remarkable negative influence in overall survival and progression-free survival (PFS) compared to a NKCC4 ≥ 135 cells/μl (p < 0.0001 and p < 0.0004, respectively). In addition, the OS and PFS were synergistically lower in a NKCC4 < 135 cells/μl group among DLBCL patients with GCB type or high IPI. In conclusion, this study indicates NCKK4 as a valuable marker in clinical practice and provides an insight for combination treatment of R-CHOP to improve outcomes of DLBCL patients.

A specific SNP-based multiplex PCR assay for the simultaneous identification of two biological ingredients for the Chinese patent medicine, Danggui Buxue pill

Background: An increasing number of Chinese patent medicines (CPM) have been widely used in East Asian and North American countries, and the safety and efficacy of CPM have highly attracted public attention. However, it is difficult to supervise the authenticity of multiple biological ingredients within CPM based on microscopic inspection and physical and chemical detection. The raw materials may have similar characteristics of tissue structures and ergastic substances or similar chemical composition and contents when substitutes and/or adulterants are added. DNA molecular markers have been used to distinguish the biological ingredients within CPM based on conventional PCR assay. However, it was proved to be time- and labor-consuming and reagent-wasting, as multiple PCR amplification strategies were required for identifying the complex species composition within CPM. Here, we took the CPM (Danggui Buxue pill) as an example and aimed to establish a specific SNP-based multiplex PCR assay and simultaneously determine the authenticity of the two biological ingredients (Angelicae Sinensis Radix and Astragali Radix) within this CPM. Methods: We, respectively, designed the species-specific primers based on highly variable nrITS for discriminating Angelicae Sinensis Radix and Astragali Radix from their common substitutes and adulterants. The specificity of the primers was checked through conventional PCR assay and multiplex PCR assay. Furthermore, we used a handcrafted Danggui Buxue pill sample (DGBXP) to optimize annealing temperatures for the primers with multiplex PCR, and the sensitivity was also assessed. Finally, fourteen batches of commercial Danggui Buxue pills were used to verify the stability and practicability of the established multiplex PCR assay. Results: Two pairs of highly species-specific primers for amplifying Angelicae Sinensis Radix and Astragali Radix were screened, and our established multiplex PCR assay showed high specificity and sensitivity (lowest detection concentration: 4.0 × 10^-3 ng/μL) at an optimal annealing temperature of 65°C. The method could simultaneously identify both biological ingredients within the Danggui Buxue pill. Conclusion: The specific SNP-based multiplex PCR provided a simple, time-, and labor-saving method for the simultaneous identification of the two biological ingredients within Danggui Buxue pills. This study was expected to provide a novel qualitative quality control strategy for CPM.

Molecular quantification for differentiation of fresh and dried Jinqian Baihua She

Freshly-used crude drugs have unique functions and advantages in TCM practice of treating diseases. Jinlong Capsule is a patent traditional Chinese medicine product effective for treatment of hepatocarcinoma, and fresh Jinqian Baihua She (JBS, the body of juvenile Bungarus multicinctus) is one of its important ingredients. The emergence of counterfeit fresh JBS, often identified as dried JBS with almost identical appearance, poses a difficult problem in the quality control of the product. Herein we report a molecular quantification-based method for differentiation of fresh and dried JBS by determining the copy number of a specific DNA marker in the samples. Using species-specific primers and TaqMan probes, we established a real-time quantitative PCR system for amplification of a fragment in the 658-bp cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) region from JBS specimens. The amplicon copy number in the muscle tissues ranged from 1.14 × 10⁷ to 4.83 × 10⁷ copies/mg in fresh JBS samples, as compared with 1.13 × 10⁵-8.91 × 10⁶ copies/mg in dried JBS samples. Based upon Fisher discriminant analysis, we used 1.27 × 10⁷ copies/mg as the cut-off value for differentiating fresh and dried JBS, which was validated in the single-blinded validation test of fresh and dried JBS samples. This qPCR system may provide an efficient means for accurate identification of fresh JBS to improve the quality control of the medicinal product.

High genetic diversity and low population differentiation of a medical plant Ficus hirta Vahl., uncovered by microsatellite loci: implications for conservation and breeding

BACKGROUND

Wuzhimaotao (Radix Fici Hirtae) originates from the dry root of Ficus hirta (Moraceae), which is widely known as a medical and edible plant distributed in South China. As the increasing demand for Wuzhimaotao, the wild F. hirta has been extremely reduced during the past years. It is urgent to protect and rationally develop the wild resources of F. hirta for its sustainable utilization. However, a lack of genetic background of F. hirta makes it difficult to plan conservation and breeding strategies for this medical plant. In the present study, a total of 414 accessions of F. hirta from 7 provinces in southern China were evaluated for the population genetics using 9 polymorphic SSR markers.

RESULTS

A mean of 17.1 alleles per locus was observed. The expected heterozygosity (He) varied from 0.142 to 0.861 (mean = 0.706) in nine SSR loci. High genetic diversity (H_e = 0.706, ranged from 0.613 to 0.755) and low genetic differentiation among populations (G'_ST = 0.147) were revealed at population level. In addition, analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) indicated that the principal molecular variance existed within populations (96.2%) was significantly higher than that among populations (3.8%). Meanwhile, the three kinds of clustering methods analysis (STRUCTURE, PCoA and UPGMA) suggested that the sampled populations were clustered into two main genetic groups (K = 2). Mantel test showed a significant correlation between geographic and genetic distance among populations (R² = 0.281, P < 0.001). Pollen flow, seed flow and/or geographical barriers might be the main factors that formed the current genetic patterns of F. hirta populations.

CONCLUSIONS

This is a comprehensive study of genetic diversity and population structure of F. hirta in southern China. We revealed the high genetic diversity and low population differentiation in this medicinal plant and clarified the causes of its current genetic patterns. Our study will provide novel insights into the exploitation and conservation strategies for F. hirta.

Chloroplast genome structure and phylogenetic analysis of Glycosmis parviflora (Sims) Little 1948, a folk medicinal plant featured in Lingnan Region, China

Glycosmis parviflora is the most widely spread and the most morphologically varied species of Chinese Glycosmis, and its roots and leaves serve as folk medicines. We sequenced the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of G. parviflora. The cp genome obtained was a circular DNA molecule of 159,825 bp in length, containing one large and one small single copy region (LSC and SSC) of 87,517 and 18,352 bp separated by a pair of 26,978 bp inverted repeat regions (IRs). The overall GC content of the cp genome was 38.40%. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that Glycosmis was strongly supported as a monophyletic group belonging to Clauseneae, and G. parviflora was closely related to G. pentaphylla. The results will provide the basis for the further study of molecular markers and phylogeny of G. parviflora.

Limited genetic diversity and high differentiation in Angelica dahurica resulted from domestication: insights to breeding and conservation

BACKGROUND

Angelica dahurica belongs to the Apiaceae family, whose dry root is a famous traditional Chinese medicine named as "Bai zhi". There are two cultivars (A. dahurica cv. 'Hangbaizhi' and A. dahurica cv. 'Qibaizhi'), which have been domesticated for thousands of years. Long term artificial selection has led to great changes in root phenotypes of the two cultivars, and also decreased their adaptability to environment. We proposed hypothesis that the cultivars may have lost some of the genetic diversity found in the wild species and may be highly differentiated from the latter during the domestication process. However, few studies have been carried out on how domestication affected the genetic variation of this species. Here, we accessed the levels of genetic variation and differentiation within and between wild A. dahurica populations and two cultivars using 12 microsatellite markers.

RESULTS

The results revealed that the genetic diversity of the cultivars was much lower than that of wild A. dahurica, and A. dahurica cv. 'Qibaizhi' had lower genetic diversity compared to A. dahurica cv. 'Hangbaizhi'. AMOVA analysis showed significant genetic differentiation between the wild and cultivated A. dahurica populations, and between A. dahurica cv. 'Hangbaizhi' and A. dahurica cv. 'Qibaizhi'. Results from Bayesian, UPGMA, NJ and PcoA clustering analysis indicated that all 15 populations were assigned to two genetic clusters corresponding to the wild and cultivated populations. Bayesian clustering analysis further divided the cultivated populations into two sub-clusters corresponding to the two cultivars.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggests that the domestication process is likely the major factor resulting in the loss of genetic diversity in cultivated A. dahurica populations and in significant genetic differentiation from the wild populations due to founder effect and/or artificially directional selections. This large-scale analysis of population genetics could provide valuable information for genetic resources conservation and breeding programs of Angelica dahurica.

[Extracellular Enzyme Stoichiometry and Microbial Metabolism Limitation During Vegetation Restoration Process in the Middle of the Qinling Mountains, China]

Clarifying the characteristics of soil microbial nutrient limitation and its driving mechanisms during vegetation restoration after farmland abandonment has important implications for revealing soil nutrient cycling and maintaining ecosystem stability. To determine the limitation of soil microbial nutrients and its relationship with soil properties along a chronosequence of abandoned farmland in the middle of the Qinling Mountains, the soil physicochemical properties and five enzyme activities (β-1,4-glucosidase (BG), cellobiohydrolase (CBH), β-1,4-N-acetylglucosaminidase (NAG), leucine aminopeptidase (LAP), and acid phosphatase (AP)) were measured, and models of extracellular enzymatic activity were applied. The results showed that the activities of BG, CBH, NAG, LAP, and AP were significantly increased following farmland abandonment. With the increasing years of abandonment, the ratios of (BG+CBH)/(NAG+LAP) and (BG+CBH)/AP significantly decreased, whereas the ratio of (NAG+LAP)/AP increased. Correlation analysis showed that most soil physicochemical properties were significantly correlated with extracellular enzyme activities and extracellular enzymatic stoichiometry. The vector length of extracellular enzymatic stoichiometry decreased with the increase in abandonment years, indicating that the limitation of soil microorganisms on carbon (C) was reduced. Moreover, the vector angles (>45°) showed a decreasing trend, indicating that microbial metabolisms were limited by phosphorus (P) and gradually decreased. Regression analysis showed that the C and P limitations were significantly related to total nutrients, available nutrients, nutrient ratio, and soil physical properties. Partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM) revealed that the C and P limitations were directly regulated by nutrient ratio. PLS-PM further showed that soil total nutrients indirectly affected soil microbial C and P limitations by affecting nutrient ratio, and nutrient ratio affected the soil metabolism limitation via available nutrients and pH. Our study suggests that the characteristics of microbial metabolism during the vegetation restoration process reflect the mechanism of microorganism-mediated soil nutrient cycling, which provides a theoretical basis for revealing the community dynamics and stability during the vegetation restoration process and maintaining the regional ecological environment security in the Qinling Mountains.

Molecular quantification, a new strategy for quality control of Chinese patent medicine containing animal-derived crude drug: Qi She in Jinlong capsule as an example

Quality control for Chinese patent medicine (CPM) containing animal-derived crude drug(s) is rather difficult. The methods based on chemical composition analysis, which are commonly used in CPM consisted of plant-derived crude drugs, are often not applicable for CPM containing animal-derived crude drug, because the effective constituents of most animal-derived crude drugs remain unknown. Even if there are such methods, they are usually qualitative rather than quantitative, and the specificity is generally poor. Here we proposed a molecular quantification method for CPM containing animal-derived crude drug, based upon the hypothesis that the amount of remnant DNA fragments could reflect feeding quantity of the crude drugs and thus ensure the quality of the CPM. Take Jinlong capsule [a hepatocellular carcinoma-resisting Chinese patent medicine comprising of three fresh animal drugs, i.e. Shougong (Peking gecko, Gekko swinhonis), Qi She (sharp-snouted pitviper, Deinagkistrodon acutus), and Jinqian Baihua She (many-banded krait, Bungarus multicinctus)] as an example, we established a qPCR assay for Qi She in the capsule, which verified the feasibility of the quality control method based on molecular quantification. Species-specific primers and TaqMan probe for Qi She were designed, and the qPCR assay system was then established. The assay exhibited a good specificity; there's a good linearity between Ct values and logarithm of the target amplicon copy numbers within the range of 8.8 × 10¹ to 8.8 × 10⁶ copies/μL, and the limit of detection was 88 copies/μL. The method was validated through reproducibility, stability assessment. Recovery of spiked samples was between 91.59% and 101.69%. It was verified that the copy numbers reflected the original feeding amount of an animal-derived crude drug by self-made Jinlong capsules. The assay was successfully applied in Qi She-specific amplicon determination in 20 batches of Jinlong capsule. The study was expected to provide a new strategy for quality control of CPM containing animal-derived crude drug.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi enhance disease resistance of Salvia miltiorrhiza to Fusarium wilt

Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Danshen in Chinese) is vulnerable to Fusarium wilt, which severely affects the quality of the crude drug. Mycorrhizal colonization enhances resistance to fungal pathogens in many plant species. In this study, pre-inoculation of S. miltiorrhiza with the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) Glomus versiforme significantly alleviated Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum. Mycorrhizal colonization protected S. miltiorrhiza from pathogen infection, thereby preventing a loss of biomass and photosynthesis. There were greater defense responses induced by pathogen infection in AMF pre-inoculated plants than those in non-treated plants. AMF pre-inoculation resulted in systemic responses upon pathogen inoculation, including significant increases in the protein content and activities of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), chitinase, and β-1,3-glucanase in S. miltiorrhiza roots. In addition, mycorrhizal pre-inoculation caused upregulation of defense-related genes, and jasmonic acid (JA) and salicylic acid (SA) signaling pathway genes after pathogen infection. The above findings indicate that mycorrhizal colonization enhances S. miltiorrhiza resistance against F. oxysporum infection by enhancing photosynthesis, root structure, and inducing the expression of defense enzymes and defense-related genes on the other hand.

Circ_SEC61A1 contributes to the progression of multiple myeloma cells via regulating miR-660-5p/CDK6 axis

BACKGROUND

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been reported to play critical roles in the malignant progression of diverse human cancers, including multiple myeloma (MM). This study aimed to explore the functional role and underlying mechanism of circ_SEC61A1 in MM progression.

METHODS

Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assay was performed to detect the expression levels of circ_SEC61A1, microRNA (miR)-660-5p and cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (CDK6) mRNA. The localization of circ_SEC61A1 in MM cells was tested by the subcellular fractionation location assay. Actinomycin D assay was conducted to determine the characteristics of circ_SEC61A1. Cell proliferation was evaluated by colony formation assay, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) incorporation assay and 3-(4, 5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Western blot assay was exploited to examine the expression of proteins. Cell migration and invasion were tested via transwell assay, and cell apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry analysis. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was utilized to confirm the interaction between miR-660-5p and circ_SEC61A1 or CDK6.

RESULTS

Circ_SEC61A1 level was increased in MM tissues and cells. Circ_SEC61A1 was a stable circRNA and mainly located in cytoplasm. Circ_SEC61A1 silence restrained the proliferation, metastasis and expedited the apoptosis in MM cells. CDK6 was identified as the target of miR-660-5p, and circ_SEC61A1 sponged miR-660-5p to positively regulate CDK6 expression. The inhibitory impacts of circ_SEC61A1 knockdown on the progression of MM cells were mitigated by miR-660-5p inhibition. MiR-660-5p overexpression blocked the malignant phenotypes of MM cells by targeting CDK6.

CONCLUSION

Our study manifested that circ_SEC61A1 could accelerate MM progression at least partially through modulating miR-660-5p/CDK6 axis.

Chloroplast genome sequencing based on genome skimming for identification of Eriobotryae Folium

Background

Whole chloroplast genome (cpDNA) sequence is becoming widely used in the phylogenetic studies of plant and species identification, but in most cases the cpDNA were acquired from silica gel dried fresh leaves. So far few reports have been available to describe cpDNA acquisition from crude drugs derived from plant materials, the DNA of which usually was seriously damaged during their processing. In this study, we retrieved cpDNA from the commonly used crude drug Eriobotryae Folium (Pipaye in Chinese, which is the dried leaves of Eriobotrya japonica, PPY) using genome skimming technique.

Results

We successfully recovered cpDNA sequences and rDNA sequences from the crude drug PPY, and bioinformatics analysis showed a high overall consistency between the cpDNA obtained from the crude drugs and fresh samples. In the ML tree, each species formed distinct monophyletic clades based on cpDNA sequence data, while the phylogenetic relationships between Eriobotrya species were poorly resolved based on ITS and ITS2.

Conclusion

Our results demonstrate that both cpDNA and ITS/ITS2 are effective for identifying PPY and its counterfeits derived from distantly related species (i.e. Dillenia turbinata and Magnolia grandiflora), but cpDNA is more effective for distinguishing the counterfeits derived from the close relatives of Eriobotrya japonica, suggesting the potential of genome skimming for retrieving cpDNA from crude drugs used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for their identification.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12896-021-00728-0.

The chloroplast genomes of four Bupleurum (Apiaceae) species endemic to Southwestern China, a diversity center of the genus, as well as their evolutionary implications and phylogenetic inferences

Background

As one of the largest genera in Apiaceae, Bupleurum L. is well known for its high medicinal value. The genus has frequently attracted the attention of evolutionary biologist and taxonomist for its distinctive characteristics in the Apiaceae family. Although some chloroplast genomes data have been now available, the changes in the structure of chloroplast genomes and selective pressure in the genus have not been fully understood. In addition, few of the species are endemic to Southwest China, a distribution and diversity center of Chinese Bupleurum. Endemic species are key components of biodiversity and ecosystems, and investigation of the chloroplast genomes features of endemic species in Bupleurum will be helpful to develop a better understanding of evolutionary process and phylogeny of the genus. In this study, we analyzed the sequences of whole chloroplast genomes of 4 Southwest China endemic Bupleurum species in comparison with the published data of 17 Bupleurum species to determine the evolutionary characteristics of the genus and the phylogenetic relationships of Asian Bupleurum.

Results

The complete chloroplast genome sequences of the 4 endemic Bupleurum species are 155,025 bp to 155,323 bp in length including a SSC and a LSC region separated by a pair of IRs. Comparative analysis revealed an identical chloroplast gene content across the 21 Bupleurum species, including a total of 114 unique genes (30 tRNA genes, 4 rRNA genes and 80 protein-coding genes). Chloroplast genomes of the 21 Bupleurum species showed no rearrangements and a high sequence identity (96.4–99.2%). They also shared a similar tendency of SDRs and SSRs, but differed in number (59–83). In spite of their high conservation, they contained some mutational hotspots, which can be potentially exploited as high-resolution DNA barcodes for species discrimination. Selective pressure analysis showed that four genes were under positive selection. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the 21 Bupleurum formed two major clades, which are likely to correspond to their geographical distribution.

Conclusions

The chloroplast genome data of the four endemic Bupleurum species provide important insights into the characteristics and evolution of chloroplast genomes of this genu, and the phylogeny of Bupleurum.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-021-08008-z.

A review about industrialization of Chinese materia medica decoction pieces

Chinese materia medica decoction pieces (CMMDPs), one of the three pillars of the Chinese materia medica industry, are a key link in the Chinese materia medica industrial chain. Industrialization is the only way for the modernization of CMMDPs. This review mainly summarizes the characteristics, history, current situation and prospect of CMMDPs industry, providing a new reference for promoting the flourishing development of the industrialization of CMMDPs and for serving massive health industry. The literature was collected from databases including Web of Science, PubMed, Elsevier and CNKI (Chinese). CMMDPs industry has the characteristics of regionalism, resource dependency, customer diversity and low industrial concentration. Deeply processed products include traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula granules, small-packed decoction pieces, ultrafine decoction pieces, puffed decoction pieces, compressed decoction pieces and instant decoction pieces. Integration of treatment and processing at the place of origin is emerging. However, there is still room for improvement, for example, the manufacturing technologies of CMMDPs industry need to be continually improved. The management of CMMDPs' normalized production also needs to be strengthened. The quality of CMMDPs should be strengthened supervision and it should establish the objective and feasible quality evaluation system for CMMDPs. At present, China has attached unprecedented importance to the development of TCM, and issued a number of supporting policies, sparing no effort to support its development.

Phylogenetic position of Bupleurum sikangense inferred from the complete chloroplast genome sequence

Bupleurum sikangense is an endemic species to China distributed in Xizang (Tibet), which has high saikosaponin content and potential medicinal value. Morphologically, it extremely resembles B. commelynoideum. In order to get a better understanding of the relationship between B. sikangense and B. commelynoideum, and on the phylogenetic status of the two species in the genus, the complete chloroplast (cp) genomes of them were sequenced. The genome organization, repeat sequences, codon usage, RNA-editing sites, and variation of their cp genomes revealed high similarity between the species. Some highly variable regions like trnK-UUU_rps16, rps16_trnQ-UUG, ndhC_trnV-UAC, petA_psbJ, accD_psaI, and petL_psbE were identified, providing potential molecular markers for differentiating the two species. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that B. commelynoideum has a closer relationship to B. chinese than that to B. sikangense. Overall, this study will not only improve our knowledge about cp genomes of these two species, and but also provide data for further research on species identification, safe medical application, conservation genetics, etc., of Bupleurum plants.

The complete chloroplast genome of Pluchea pteropoda Hemsl, a mangrove associate plant

Pluchea pteropoda Hemsl is a mangrove associate plant of Asteraceae with medicinal properties such as anti-inflammation and fever-relieving. Here, our study presented the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of Pluchea pteropoda Hemsl. The cp genome of P. pteropoda was 152,300 bp in length, including a large single copy (LSC) region of 84,127 bp, a small single copy (SSC) region of 18,093 bp and a pair of inverted repeats (IR) regions of 25,040 bp. A total of 111 unique genes were found, comprising 79 protein-coding genes, 28 tRNA genes, and 4 rRNA genes. The GC content of the cp genome was 37.5%. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that P. pteropoda nested in Pluchea clade, which was closely related to Ageratina adenophora and Senecio scandens. The work provides beneficial data for following researches on the genetic variation, species delimitation, phylogeny and classification of Pluchea genus.

Chloroplast genomes of two Mediterranean Bupleurum species and the phylogenetic relationship inferred from combined analysis with East Asian species

The chloroplast genomes of Mediterranean Bupleurum species are reported for the first time. Phylogenetic analysis supports the species as a basal clade of Bupleurum with divergence time at 35.40 Ma. Bupleurum is one of the most species-rich genus with high medicinal value in Apiaceae. Although infrageneric classifications of Bupleurum have been the subject of numerous studies, it still remains controversial. Chloroplast genome information will prove essential in advancing our understanding on phylogenetic study. Here we report cp genomes of two woody Bupleurum species (Bupleurum gibraltaricum and B. fruticosum) endemic to Mediterranean. The complete cp genomes of the two species were 157,303 and 157,391 bp in size, respectively. They encoded 114 unique genes including 30 tRNA genes, 4 rRNA genes and 80 protein coding genes. Genome structure, distributions of SDRs and SSRs, gene content exhibited similarities among Bupleurum species. High variable hotspots were detected in eight intergenic spacers and four genes. Most of genes were under purifying selection with two exceptions: atpF and clpP. The phylogenetic analysis based on 80 coding genes revealed that the genus was divided into 2 distinct clades corresponding to the 2 subgenera (subg. Penninervia, subg. Bupleurum) with divergence time at the end of collision of India with Eurasia. Most species diversified mainly during the later period of uplift of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. The cp genomes of the two Bupleurum species can be significant complementary to insights into the cp genome characteristics of this genus. The comparative chloroplast genomes and phylogenetic analysis advances our understanding of the evolution of cp genomes and phylogeny in Bupleurum.

Adoptive transfer of immunomodulatory M2 macrophages suppresses experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in C57BL/6 mice via blockading NF-κB pathway

Macrophages play important roles in multiple sclerosis (MS) and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), and M2 macrophage may have anti-inflammatory effects. In this study, we elucidated the roles of M1 and M2 macrophages in the pathogenesis of EAE and the effects of treatment with M2 macrophages that target certain proinflammatory cytokines and with immunomodulatory preparations that beneficially influence the disease course. We found macrophages increased at the onset of clinical signs in the EAE group, consistent with an increased proportion of M1 macrophages and low numbers of M2 macrophages. As the disease progressed and the symptoms worsened, M1 macrophages decreased and M2 macrophages gradually increased until the peak. In the recovery stage, M2 macrophages gradually decreased. Treatment with M2 macrophages inhibited the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) pathway, alleviated the symptoms of EAE, reduced inflammatory cell infiltration and demyelination in the central nervous system and decreased the numbers of macrophages in the spleens. BAY-11-7082, an NF-κB blocking agent, could reduce the total number of macrophages both in vivo and in vitro, effectively prevented EAE development and significantly inhibited EAE symptoms in mice. Our study demonstrates that macrophages may play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of EAE, while M2 macrophages have anti-inflammatory effects. Transfer of M2 macrophages to EAE mice can block the NF-κB pathway successfully and relieve EAE symptoms. Application of NF-κB blockers is useful in the prevention and treatment of EAE.

The linkages of plant, litter and soil C:N:P stoichiometry and nutrient stock in different secondary mixed forest types in the Qinling Mountains, China

Background

Carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) stoichiometric ratios are important indicators of ecosystem function and productivity. However, few studies have assessed the nutrient relationship between plant, litter and soil, and the nutrient stock in different secondary mixed forest types.

Methods

We investigated the C, N and P concentrations and stoichiometric ratios in trees, understory plants, litter and soil layers in three different secondary mixed forest types (broadleaf mixed forests (BM), broadleaf-conifer mixed forests (BCM) and coniferous mixed forests (CM)) in the Qinling Mountains.

Results

The results showed that significant differences in C:N:P stoichiometry were detected in multiple organs in the vegetation layers in the different forest types. Trees, shrubs and herbs all allocated more N and P in leaves and had a higher N:P ratio in leaves than in other organs. The C concentrations, C:N ratios and C:P ratios of all tree organs showed a decreasing order: BM < BCM < CM, while the N and P concentrations showed an increasing order: BM > BCM > CM. For litter and soil, BM had generally higher N and P concentrations than those of BCM and CM. The highest N and P stock was in tree branches-not in the stem, which had the highest biomass (except for P in CM). Compared with other forest types, CM stored more nutrients in the labile litter layer, while BM stored more nutrients in the stable soil layer. The net ecosystem nutrient element stock in BM was generally higher than that in BCM and CM. The C, N and P concentrations and stoichiometry in the plant organs, litter and soil were significantly correlated.

Conclusion

Our findings demonstrate that nutrient concentrations in plant organs, litter and soil are tightly linked in secondary mixed forests.

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Centella asiatica (Linnaeus) Urban

The apiaceous species Centella asiatica (Linnaeus) Urban is attractive not only to pharmaceutical researchers for its versatile medicinal uses, but also to botanists for its phylogenetic significance. We acquired its whole chloroplast genome (CP) through genome skimming. The CP genome ofCentella asiatica was 154,771 bp in length, including a large single-copy (LSC) region with 86176 bp, a small single copy (SSC) region with 18107 bp, and a pair of inverted repeats (IR) regions with 25,343 bp. The whole AT content of the CP genome was 62.3%. Phylogenomic analysis revealed that Centella asiatica formed a separate clade sister to Saniculoideae and Apioideae species in the family Apiaceae. The work provides beneficial data for following researches on the genetic variation, species identification, phylogeny, and classification of Centella.

Development and characterization of 16 novel microsatellite markers by Transcriptome sequencing for Angelica dahurica and test for cross-species amplification

BACKGROUND

Angelica dahurica (Apiaceae) is an important herb in traditional Chinese medicine. Because of its important medicinal and economic values, its wild resources were over-exploited and increasingly reduced. Meanwhile, the diversity of cultivars of A. dahurica has decreased as a result of long-term artificial cultivation. However, there are no population genetics studies of natural A. dahurica reported yet, especially for using microsatellite markers (SSRs) to investigate population genetics of the species.

RESULTS

Sixteen polymorphic EST-SSR loci were isolated from A. dahurica with transcriptome sequencing technology (RNA-Seq). The number of alleles varied from 2 to 15 per polymorphic locus over populations with the observed and expected heterozygosities ranging from 0.000 to 1.000 and from 0.000 to 0.829, respectively. Significant deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium were observed at 8 loci. Tests of linkage disequilibrium showed 11 informative locus pairs were significant across all populations. Cross-species amplification showed that 14 out of 16 SSR loci have the transferability in cultivar-A. dahurica cv. 'Hangbaizhi' and A. decursiva.

CONCLUSIONS

The 16 newly developed loci microsatellite primers with RNA-Seq will be useful for further investigating population genetics of A. dahurica, cultivars and other members of this genus.

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Ficus hirta (Moraceae)

The dry root (Radix Fici Hirtae) of Ficus hirta has been used as a traditional herbal medicine in Ling nan regions of China for a long time. As its large market demand, the wild resources of F. hirta have sharply reduced. It is necessary to conduct the study of conservation genetics. However, there is still lack of complete genome information for the research on evolutionary biology, population genetics and phylogeography of this species. Here, we sequenced the complete chloroplast (CP) genome of F. hirta using Next Generation Sequencing technology (NGS). The CP genome of F. hirta is 160,374 bp in length, which contains a large single-copy (LSC) region of 88,446 bp, a small sing-copy (SSC) region of 18,134 bp, and two inverted repeat (IRa and IRb) regions of 26,897 bp. A total of 130 genes were successfully annotated containing 85 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes and 8 rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis support genus Ficus is monophyletic and F. hirta is closely related to F. carica within this genus.

[Preliminary study of determination of Shougong in Jinlong Capsules based on fluorescence quantitative PCR method]

A pair of species-specific primer (GZG1/GZG2) based on COⅠ sequence regions for identification of Gekko chinensis were designed. A fluorescent quantitative PCR method was established to identify and quantify G. chinensis from Jinlong Capsules Formula. A standard curve for quantitative analysis of G. chinensis was established (the standard curve equation: y=-3.012 7x+34.501, y is Ct value, x is lg N, N is the copies of COⅠ fragment from G. chinensis). Samples included G. chinensis appeared amplification, while falsify group (not included G. chinensis) and negative control did not have amplification products. The copy number of COⅠ region of G. chinensis was respectively 11.511×10⁶, 6.416×10⁶, 2.553×10⁶ copies/μL in all quality goods, quality goods-adulterants 1:1, quality goods-adulterants 1:4. The results accorded with proportion of adding amount roughly. This study can provide a new strategy for quality control of Chinese patent medicine containing animal drug ingredients.

The Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Risk Factors for the Morbidity and Prognosis of Bone Metastasis in Patients With Prostate Cancer

Background: Globally, prostate cancer is the second most common malignancy in males and fifth leading cancer-related cause of death. To build a reliable predictive system for screening performance, the study looking into the risk factors of BM in prostate cancer patients is warranted. Aim: Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database (SEER) to assess the incidence, and risk factors of morbidity and prognosis for bone metastases in initial metastatic prostate cancer. Methods: A total of 249,331 prostate cancer patients who were diagnosed between 2010 and 2014 in SEER database were obtained to investigate the risk factors for developing bone metastasis, and 9925 of them who registered before 2013 were retrieved (with at least 1 year follow-up) to explore the prognostic factors for bone metastasis. Multivariate logistic and Cox regression were used to identify risk factors and prognostic factors for bone metastases, respectively. Results: Totally, 12,794 patients (5.1%) were diagnosed with bone metastases at the initial diagnosis. Older age, unmarried status, higher tumor stage, lymph node metastasis, metastases at lung brain and liver were the homogeneous risk factors for the morbidity and prognosis of bone metastasis in prostate cancer. Race and histologic differentiation grade were the heterogeneities associated factors. Black race was positively associated with bone metastasis morbidity; however, it has no significant effect on the prognosis. Poor differentiated grade may be the risk factors for developing bone metastasis; however, grade II was negatively associated with prognosis of bone metastasis. Conclusion: The survival of prostate cancer was poor with the bone metastasis approximate 5%. The prostate cancer has homogeneous and heterogeneities risk factors for incidence and prognosis of bone metastasis, which may provide potential guideline for the screening and preventive treatment of the bone metastasis of prostate cancer.

Development of a Competitive Time-Resolved Fluoroimmunoassay for Paclitaxel

INTRODUCTION

Paclitaxel (Tax) is a diterpene alkaloid isolated from Taxus species and has proved clinically effective in treating a number of malignancies. Current quantitative analytical methods for Tax such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) often involve complicated sample preparation procedures with low recovery rates.

OBJECTIVE

To establish a rapid and sensitive time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay (TRFIA) for measuring Tax in Taxus materials with convenient sample preparation and a high recovery rate.

METHODS

Rabbit anti-mouse IgG was coated onto a 96-well microplate, which was then incubated with standard solutions of Tax and anti-Tax monoclonal antibody 3A3. A Eu³⁺ -labelled conjugate of Tax and human serum albumin was used as the tracer. The luminescent system was enhanced with a solution containing 2-naphthoyltrifluoroacetone.

RESULTS

The established TRFIA showed a linear response within the Tax concentration range of 3.2 to 80 ng/mL, with a limit of detection of 1.4 ng/mL. The intra- and inter-assay coefficient of variation of the assay was 9.6% and 9.7%, respectively, with an average recovery rate from spiked samples of 108.5%. Tax contents in Taxus samples were determined using both the established TRFIA system and a previously established enzyme-linked immunosorbent (ELISA), and the results of two assays were well correlated.

CONCLUSION

This TRFIA system shows a high sensitivity, precision and accuracy for detection of Tax. This assay, which is convenient and less time-consuming, allows rapid analysis of Tax and provides another option for Tax measurement for quality control of Taxus materials and products. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

[Epidemiological analysis of malaria prevalence in Jiangsu Province in 2015]

Objective To understand the malaria epidemic situation and characteristics in Jiangsu Province in 2015, so as to provide the evidence for malaria elimination. Methods The data of malaria cases in Jiangsu Province in 2015 were collected from China's routine diseases surveillance information system. Results Totally 405 imported cases were reported in Jiangsu Province in 2015, and the cases increased by 14.08% compared with those in 2014. All the malaria cases were imported, and 5 cases (1.23%) were from Southeast Asia and 400 (98.77%) were from 25 African countries or regions. The imported malaria cases were reported in 13 cities across Jiangsu Province, where Taizhou, Lianyungang, Nantong, Huaian and Yangzhou cities accounted for 68.64% of all the cases in the province. Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases (JIPD) reference lab checked all the cases and classified 299 falciparum malaria cases, 13 vivax malaria cases, 18 quartan malaria cases, 71 ovale malaria cases, and 4 mixed Plasmodium infection cases. Conclusions In Jiangsu Province, there are no local malaria cases for 4 consecutive years, but the imported cases are on the rise. Compared to 2014, the imported vivax cases increased significantly in 2015. It should be the key points to strengthen the surveillance of imported malaria cases, improve malaria diagnosis and treatment abilities for all levels of medical institutions, and promote the abilities of Plasmodium check, and focus survey and disposal of all Center for Disease Control (CDC) staffs across Jiangsu Province.

Glomus mosseae Inoculation Improves the Root System Architecture, Photosynthetic Efficiency and Flavonoids Accumulation of Liquorice under Nutrient Stress

The poor quality and low productivity of cultivated liquorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) continues to put pressure on wild plant populations. As arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are known to support plant growth and in some cases even to enhance the accumulation of valuable molecules in the plant, the effect of Glomus mosseae on the growth and active ingredient contents was evaluated in liquorice plants grown under nutrient deficiency. We created a nutrient-deficient environment by mixing paddy soil, washed river sand, and pumice at a ratio of 1:5:1. Our results showed that the inoculation of pot-grown liquorice plants with G. mosseae significantly increased the shoot and root biomass (by 25- and 17-folds, respectively) and the contents of glycyrrhizic acid, liquiritin, isoliquiritin, and isoliquiritigenin in the main root (by 1.6-, 4.8-, 6.5-, and 4.4-folds, respectively). Both isoliquiritin and isoliquiritigenin were detectable in the lateral roots of the plants inoculated with G. mosseae, but not in plants without G. mosseae inoculation. G. mosseae inoculation improved the features of the root system and increased photosynthetic efficiency of liquorice. The uptake of P and K by liquorice increased when G. mosseae was inoculated, leading to the depletion of these macronutrients in the soil; G. mosseae also improved the availability of Mg, Cu, Zn, and Mn. Based on these results, we concluded that the inoculation of liquorice plants with G. mosseae is beneficial, particularly for those grown in nutrient-deficient soil, and such positive effect is related to the improvement of the root system and an increased photosynthetic efficiency.

[Identification of Original Species of Fish Maw by DNA Barcoding]

OBJECTIVE

To identify the original species of fish maw sold in Guangzhou market by DNA barcoding technology.

METHODS

Mitochondrial cytochrome C subunit I (CO I) gene fragment of eleven fish maw samples were amplified and sequenced with the self-designed primers. UPGMA phylogenetic tree were constructed for clustering analysis. The species origin of each sample was identified with the identification engine provided in the Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD).

RESULTS

The self-designed primers were effective in fish maw CO I amplification and sequencing, with success rates both of 100%. BOLD identification and UPGMA clustering analysis indicated the fish maw samples were derived from five fish species of three families.

CONCLUSION

DNA barcoding combined with BOLD identification system can accurately identify the species origin of commercial fish maw.

[Effectiveness of CLAT Protocol for Treating Patients with Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the clinical efficacy and toxicity of CLAT protocol (cladribine, cytarabine and topotecan) for treating patients with refractory acute myeloid leukemia (R-AML).

METHODS

A total of 18 patients with R-AML (median age 37 years, range 18 to 58 years; male n = 16, female n = 2) were treated with CLAT protocol, which consisted of cladribine 5 mg/m(2)/d, i.v. on days 1-5, cytarabine 1.5 g/m(2)/d, i.v. on days 1-5, topotecan 1.25 mg/m(2)/d, i.v. on days 1-5 and G-CSF 300 µg/d subcutaneous injection on day 6 until neutrophile granulocyte recovery.

RESULTS

Out of 18 patients 2 died of severe infection before the assessment. Among 16 evaluated patients, 10 (55.6%) achieved complete remission (CR), and 2 (11.1%) achieved partial remission (PR), the overall response rate was 66.7%, the rest 4 patients did not respond (NR). The median overall survival time and DFS for the CR patients was 9.5 months (95%CI: 6.7-16.64) and 9.5 months (95%CI: 6.1-16.7) respectively. The 1 year OS and DFS rates were 45% and 46.9%, respectively. All patients developed grade 4 of granulocytopenia and thrombocytopenia, the median duration was 13 (range 2 to 21) days and 12 days (range 2 to 21), respectively, all patients developed infection, 2 patients died of severe infection. The most common non-hematological side effects included nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, aminotransferase or bilirubin elevation and were grade 1 to 2.

CONCLUSION

The CLAT protocol seems to have promising for the treatment of refractory AML patients, and patients well tolerated. This CLAT protocol offers an alternative treatment for R-AML patients who received severe intensive treatment, especially with anthracycline-containing chemotherapy.

Ultrasensitive Time-Resolved Fluoroimmunoassay for Saikosaponin a in Chaihu (Bupleuri Radix)

The aim of this study is to establish a time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay (TRFIA) system for quantitative analysis of saikosaponin a (SSa) in the crude drug of Chaihu (Bupleuri Radix). A 96-well microplate coated with rabbit anti-mouse IgG was incubated with the methanol extracts of Chaihu samples and a mouse anti-SSa monoclonal antibody, and a Eu3+-labeled SSa-human serum albumin conjugate was used as the tracer. The established competitive TRFIA showed a good fourth order polynomial fitting from 0.01 to 10.0 μg/mL for standard SSa sample with a detection limit of 0.006 μg/mL. The intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation of the assay were 7.3% and 8.9%, respectively, and the average SSa recovery was 119.2%. For samples of Chaihu extract, the results of this assay showed a good correlation with those by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay established previously. This TRFIA system is ultrasensitive for detecting SSa with a wide detection range and a good stability and represents the first attempt of using TRFIA for quality evaluation of the crude drug of Chaihu.

The influences of ambient temperature and crude protein levels on performance and serum biochemical parameters in broilers

This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of ambient temperature, crude protein levels and their interaction on performance and serum biochemical parameters of broiler chickens. A total of 216 Arbor Acre broiler chickens (108 males and 108 females) were used in a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement and randomly reared at two temperatures (normal temperature: 23 °C; daily cyclic high temperature: 28-32 °C) and fed on three diets with different crude protein levels (153.3, 183.3 or 213.3 g/kg, with constant essential amino acids) from 28 to 42 days of age. Daily cyclic high ambient temperature decreased final body weight, average daily weight gain, average daily feed intake and serum total protein contents (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.008 respectively), but increased feed/gain, mortality, respiratory rate, rectal temperature, serum uric acid contents and serum creatine kinase activity (p = 0.008, p = 0.003, p < 0.0001, p < 0.0001, p < 0.0001, p = 0.003 respectively), irrespective of crude protein levels. At the ambient temperature, reducing crude protein levels resulted in an increase in feed/gain (p < 0.001), but a decrease in serum total protein and uric acid contents. Only serum creatine kinase activity in broiler chickens was interacted by daily cyclic high ambient temperature and dietary crude protein levels (p = 0.003). These results indicated that daily cyclic high ambient temperature had a great effect on performance and serum biochemical parameters in broiler chickens, whereas dietary crude protein levels affected them partially.

DNA Barcode-Based PCR-RFLP and Diagnostic PCR for Authentication of Jinqian Baihua She (Bungarus Parvus)

We established polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and diagnostic PCR based on cytochrome C oxidase subunit I (COI) barcodes of Bungarus multicinctus, genuine Jinqian Baihua She (JBS), and adulterant snake species. The PCR-RFLP system utilizes the specific restriction sites of SpeI and BstEII in the COI sequence of B. multicinctus to allow its cleavage into 3 fragments (120 bp, 230 bp, and 340 bp); the COI sequences of the adulterants do not contain these restriction sites and therefore remained intact after digestion with SpeI and BstEII (except for that of Zaocys dhumnades, which could be cleaved into a 120 bp and a 570 bp fragment). For diagnostic PCR, a pair of species-specific primers (COI37 and COI337) was designed to amplify a specific 300 bp amplicon from the genomic DNA of B. multicinctus; no such amplicons were found in other allied species. We tested the two methods using 11 commercial JBS samples, and the results demonstrated that barcode-based PCR-RFLP and diagnostic PCR both allowed effective and accurate authentication of JBS.

Flumethrin residue levels in honey from apiaries of China by high-performance liquid chromatography

A method for detection of flumethrin residue in honey by high-performance liquid chromatography was established. After n-hexane-dichloromethane (4:6, vol/vol) extraction, the honey samples were concentrated by rotary evaporation, purified by an Oasis HLB solid-phase extraction column, and detected using a UV detector at 267 nm. The interference of the matrix was greatly reduced by optimizing pretreatment conditions; thus, the minimal detection limit of cyhalothrin was 0.005 mg/kg, the average recovery was 80.8 to 96.8%, and the coefficient of variation was 0.6 to 1.5%. The precision and reproducibility of this method was suitable and applicable for detecting flumethrin residue in honey. With this method, 135 honey samples from seven locations in the People's Republic of China were tested; 77 samples tested positive for flumethrin residue, resulting in a detection rate of 75.3%. Samples from the Guangdong province had the highest flumethrin residue level (0.122 mg/kg) of the locations tested. On the basis of analytical validation, the high-performance liquid chromatography has been shown to be a promising alternative for the analysis of flumethrin residue in honey samples.

Cytochrome C oxidase subunit I barcodes provide an efficient tool for Jinqian Baihua She (Bungarus parvus) authentication

Objective:

To test the feasibility of DNA barcoding for accurate identification of Jinqian Baihua She and its adulterants.

Materials and Methods:

Standard cytochrome C oxidase subunit I (COI) gene fragments were sequenced for DNA barcoding of 39 samples from 9 snake species, including Bungarus multicinctus, the officially recognized origin animal by Chinese Pharmacopoeia, and other 8 adulterate species. The aligned sequences, 658 base pairs in length, were analyzed for divergence using the Kimura-2-parameter (K2P) distance model with MEGA5.0.

Results:

The mean intraspecific K2P distance was 0.0103 and the average interspecific genetic distance was 0.2178 in B. multicinctus, far greater than the minimal interspecific genetic distance of 0.027 recommended for species identification. A neighbor-joining (NJ) tree was constructed, in which each species formed a monophyletic clade with bootstrap supports of 100%. All the data were submitted to Barcode of Life Data system version 3.0 (BOLD, http://www.barcodinglife.org) under the project title “DNA barcoding Bungarus multicinctus and its adulterants”. Ten samples of commercially available crude drugs of JBS were identified using the identification engine provided by BOLD. All the samples were clearly identified at the species level, among which five were found to be the adulterants and identified as Dinodon rufozonatum.

Conclusion:

DNA barcoding using the standard COI gene fragments provides an effective and accurate means for JBS identification and authentication.

DNA barcoding Chinese medicinal Bupleurum

We tested 4 markers, namely nuclear internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2), psbA-trnH, matK, and rbcL, to evaluate these candidate DNA barcodes for distinguishing Bupleuri radix (Chaihu) from its adulterants. 51 plant samples of Bupleurum representing 19 species were collected from different areas in China. Amplification and sequencing were attempted for all the 4 candidate barcode regions, whose validity was assessed in terms of the success rate of PCR amplification and sequencing, differential intra- and inter-specific divergences, DNA barcoding gap and the ability to discriminate species. The results showed that ITS2 had the best performance in identifying Bupleurum with an identification efficiency of 73.68%, which, after combining with psbA-trnH, increased to 83.33%. We further evaluated the efficiency of ITS2 for discriminating the species of Bupleurum using a large database from GenBank, which archived data of 223 samples from 74 species, and ITS2 successfully discriminated 64.13% of the samples at the species level. In conclusion, the ITS2 can serve as a potentially useful barcode for Bupleurum species, with psbA-trnH as a supplementary locus.

[Identification of common medicinal snakes in medicated liquor of Guangdong by COI barcode sequence]

OBJECTIVE

To identify the common snakes in medicated liquor of Guangdong using COI barcode sequence,and to test the feasibility.

METHODS

The COI barcode sequences of collected medicinal snakes were amplified and sequenced. The sequences combined with the data from GenBank were analyzed for divergence and building a neighbor-joining(NJ) tree with MEGA 5.0.

RESULTS

The genetic distance and NJ tree demonstrated that there were 241 variable sites in these species, and the average (A + T) content of 56.2% was higher than the average (G + C) content of 43.7%. The maximum interspecific genetic distance was 0.2568, and the minimum was 0. 1519. In the NJ tree,each species formed a monophyletic clade with bootstrap supports of 100%.

CONCLUSION

DNA barcoding identification method based on the COI sequence is accurate and can be applied to identify the common medicinal snakes.

Production, Characterization of a Monoclonal Antibody against Aristolochic Acid-II and Development of its Assay System

Aristolochic acid-II (AA-II) conjugated with bovine serum albumin (BSA) was used as an antigen for immunizing BALB/c mice. Isolated splenocytes from the immunized mice were fused with an aminopterin-sensitive mouse myeloma cell line, SP2/0-Ag14, to produce hybridoma cells that secreted a monoclonal antibody (MAb) against AA-II. The selected hybridoma was subsequently cloned by limited dilution method. For MAb, the isotype and an estimated dissociation constant ( K D ) of the MAb were determined. The MAb was used to establish an ELISA method. Accuracy and variation assays, as well as determinations of the specificity and sensitivity, were also carried out and the linear range was 0.19–13 μg/ml. The anti-AA-II MAb showed a very high specificity for AA-II and had low cross-reactivities against the other aristolochic acid (AAs) (CR: AA-I, 3.4%; AA-VIIa, 0.86%) or aristololactam-I (AL-I) (CR < 0.07%) except AA-IIIa which has 17% of cross activity. Anti-AA-II MAb also showed negligible cross-reactivity (< 0.5%) toward other natural compounds with different chemical structures including barbaloin, sennoside A, rutin, glycyrrhizin, caffeic acid etc. This is the first time that an ELISA method was successfully established for the application of anti-AA-II MAb.

Molecular Analysis of Leonurus Species in China Based on ITS and matK Sequences

The genus Leonurus has long been recognized as a natural group, but its interspecific relationship has not yet been studied in the light of sequence data. The ITS regions and matK sequences of all subgenera of Leonurus in China were amplified, sequenced and investigated. Phylogenies generated by maximum parsimony and neighbor-joining methods and division of the genus into two major clades. The phylogenetic results indicated that L. chaituroides has the very close phylogenetic relationship with Subg. Cardiochilium and supported the notion that L. macranthus acts as the bridge between Subg. cardiochilium and Subg. Leonurus. According to the analysis of information given by ITS and matK sequences, we suggest that ITS sequences would be more suitable to serve as markers for authentication of Herba Leonuri than matK does.

[Quality inspection of commercial Bupluri Radix samples in Guangzhou: an ELISA for determining saikosaponin A content using anti-saikosaponin A monoclonal antibody]

OBJECTIVE

To inspect the quality of commercially available Chaihu (Bupluri Radix, a common traditional Chinese herbal drug) in Guangzhou by determining the content of saikosaponin A (SSa) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

METHODS

A competitive ELISA system using mouse anti-saikosaponin A monoclonal antibody was established for determining SSa content. Commercial samples of Chaihu were obtained from 10 drug stores in Guangzhou, and SSa contents in the methanol extracts of these samples were determined using the ELISA system.

RESULTS

The detection range of this competitive assay was 0.16-2.5 µg/ml for determining SSa contents. In the 10 commercial Chaihu samples, SSa contents in the methanol extract determined by this method ranged from 0.32 µg/mg to 6.87 µg/mg, and 3 samples showed a SSa content lower than the minimum requirement documented in the Chinese Pharmacopeia.

CONCLUSION

This competitive ELISA is sensitive, rapid, economic and environment-friendly for SSa determination, especially suitable for batch determination. The results of SSa detection for the commercial Chaihu samples demonstrate an uneven quality of Chaihu in Guangzhou market, suggesting the necessity of more rigorous quality control measures for this drug.

Superiority of visipaque (iodixanol)-controlled density gradient over Ficoll-400 in adult porcine islet purification

OBJECTIVE

Sufficient and favorable biological functions of islets are major problems hindering xenotransplantation. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects on harvesting, purity, viability, and function of using improved Visipaque (iodixanol) and Ficoll-400 for adult porcine islet purification.

METHODS

Twelve adult porcine pancreata were randomly divided into an Iodixanol-University of Wisconsin (UW) group and a Ficoll-400-UW group according to the purification method. Porcine pancreata were isolated by collagenase digestion. After isolation and purification, the islet yield and purity were evaluated by dithizone staining, and islet function assessed by in vitro insulin release assays and in vivo islet xenotransplantation.

RESULTS

There were no marked differences in the islet yield before purification (5254.67 +/- 189.44 IEQ/g vs 5092.67 +/- 178.94 IEQ/g, P > .05). After purification, there were significantly more islets harvested in Iodixanol-UW group than in the Ficoll-400-UW group: 4222.00 +/- 228.84 IEQ/g vs 3036.83 +/- 79.60 IEQ/g (P < .05). Islets from the two groups showed satisfactory insulin secretory ability. There were no significant differences in islet survival times between the two groups in diabetic rats: 8.2 +/- 1.619 days vs 6.9 +/- 1.197 days (P > .05).

CONCLUSION

The improved iodixanol-UW density gradient method was superior to Ficoll-400 method to improve the number, viability, and insulin secret of purified adult porcine islets although the benefits did not improve in vivo survival.

Identification of crude drugs from Chinese medicinal plants of the genus Bupleurum using ribosomal DNA ITS sequences

To determine the variation of rDNA ITS sequences in medicinal plants of the genus Bupleurum and identify corresponding DNA molecular markers associated with medicinally important members, ITS regions were amplified, sequenced, and analyzed by DNAssist version 2.2. We found that the homologous alignment of ITS sequences between members of the genus Bupleurum and associated out-groups was lower than 75%, while within-group alignment was greater than 87%. The conclusion can be drawn that ITS sequences can be used as reliable molecular markers for the identification of Radix Bupleuri.

[Selective determination of norepinephrine by a cyclic voltammetric method using poly-proline-modified electrodes]

OBJECTIVE

To establish a new method for determining norepinephrine (NE) in the presence of epinephrine and ascorbic acid using proline-modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE).

METHODS

In phosphate buffer solution (pH 9.0), the poly-proline-modified electrode was prepared by cyclic voltammetry method. The voltammetric behavior of NE on poly(proline) film were analyzed to establish a electrochemical analysis method for determination of NE on the modified electrode.

RESULTS

In PBS (pH 7.0), a couple of redox peaks of NE was observed on the modified electrode. The modified electrode was used to determine NE in a excess of epinephrine (EP) and ascorbic acid (AA) by reduction peak current of cyclic voltammetry. The reduction peak currents were in linear relationship with the NE concentrations within the range of 7.0 x 10(-7) to 1.1 x 10(-4) mol/L, with the detection limit of 6.0x10(-8) mol/L.

CONCLUSION

The modified electrode shows good sensitivity, selectivity, and stability for NE determination, and is well applicable for analysis of injection solution samples.