Article
Environmental Sciences
Guangfei Wei, Xiaotong Guo, Yichuan Liang, Congsheng Liu, Guozhuang Zhang, Conglian Liang, Zhixin Huang, Yuqing Zheng, Shilin Chen, Linlin Dong
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the contamination levels of mycotoxins and toxigenic fungi in herbal medicines and establish a rapid method for detecting toxin-producing fungi. The results showed high contamination rates of aflatoxins (AFs), ochratoxins, and fumonisins in herbal medicines. Several species of Aspergillus were identified as key toxin-producing fungi. Using multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction, toxin synthesis genes were successfully detected. This study provided valuable insights into the contamination status of fungi and mycotoxins in herbal medicines and developed a rapid method for detecting toxigenic fungi.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Review
Food Science & Technology
Mina Allameh, V. Orsat
Summary: Anxiety is a disorder that can be managed with a combination of therapies or the use of complementary and alternative medicine. Scientists are searching for natural anxiolytics and have identified several medicinal plants with active components. However, further studies are needed to minimize side effects and enhance effectiveness. The use of natural anxiolytics can be improved by managing preparation protocols.
FOOD REVIEWS INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Review
Oncology
Yu-Yao Wu, Yan-Ming Xu, Andy T. Y. Lau
Summary: Recent research has shown that traditional herbal medicine has the potential to modify the epigenome and treat chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and inflammation. Understanding the effect of herbal medicine on the epigenome may lead to new therapeutic approaches and diagnostics for human diseases.
CLINICAL EPIGENETICS
(2023)
Review
Engineering, Chemical
Pavitra Murthy, Nur Adania Shaibie, Chooi Ling Lim, Anna Pick Kiong Ling, Soi Moi Chye, Rhun Yian Koh
Summary: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive lung disease characterized by interstitial lung scarring. Herbal medicines, such as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), have shown promise as alternative treatments for IPF due to their natural properties and therapeutic effects.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Jie Sun, Jiangong Ren, Xuejian Hu, Yuanhua Hou, Yan Yang
Summary: With the improvement of people's living standards and changes in the environment, the incidence of diabetes has rapidly increased, becoming one of the main diseases threatening the health of modern people. Although existing treatment methods can control symptoms and delay disease progression, they have not significantly improved quality of life for patients. Chinese herbal medicines and their extracts, combining traditional experience with modern scientific research, are expected to bring a qualitative leap in the clinical management of diabetes.
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Mayang Kusuma Dewi, Anis Yohana Chaerunisaa, Muhaimin Muhaimin, I. Made Joni
Summary: Phytochemicals or secondary metabolites are substances produced by plants that have shown various biological activities, providing a scientific basis for the use of herbs in traditional medicine. Although herbal medicines are considered to be safe and cost-effective, they have disadvantages such as low solubility, stability, and bioavailability. In recent years, nanotechnology-based herbal drug formulations have gained attention for their enhanced activity and potential in overcoming these issues.
Article
Integrative & Complementary Medicine
Jillian L. Capodice, Barbara M. Chubak
Summary: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a comprehensive medical system that has been developed over thousands of years and is utilized in the treatment of COVID-19. This paper highlights the use of TCM in treating COVID-19, discussing concepts and challenges of integrating TCM into medical settings.
Review
Nutrition & Dietetics
Ji Hee Jun, Tae Young Choi, Hye Won Lee, Lin Ang, Myeong Soo Lee
Summary: RCT studies on herbal medicine decoctions for treating Behcet's disease showed significant effects on the total response rate and erythrocyte sedimentation rate, but not on C-reactive protein level. Herbal medicine also significantly decreased the recurrence rate after three months of follow-up.
Review
Chemistry, Medicinal
Alireza Heiran, Kamran Bagheri Lankarani, Ryan Bradley, Alireza Simab, Mehdi Pasalar
Summary: Herbal remedies showed better improvement in symptoms and quality of life for patients with functional dyspepsia (FD) compared to placebo, with no significant differences in adverse events. Further high-quality studies are needed to firmly establish the clinical efficacy of herbal remedies.
PHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH
(2022)
Review
Plant Sciences
Lin Ang, Eunhye Song, Junhua Zhang, Hye Won Lee, Myeong Soo Lee
Summary: This overview of systematic reviews on herbal medicine interventions for COVID-19 shows that although there is some evidence supporting the advantages of herbal therapy, the quality of the evidence is inadequate to make definitive and accurate judgments.
Review
Chemistry, Medicinal
Yulong Chen, Shengpeng Wang, Yitao Wang
Summary: Migraine is a disabling neurovascular disease that severely impacts quality of life, and herbal treatment is considered a promising strategy for preventing and treating migraine, improving the condition through multiple therapeutic pathways.
PHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Banaz Jalil, Abdallah Y. Naser, Jose M. Prieto, Michael Heinrich
Summary: This study explored the perspectives and knowledge of Jordanian community pharmacists regarding herbal medicines. The results showed that there are some key concerns regarding recommendations, awareness, and reporting of herbal medicines among pharmacists. It is necessary to enhance education in order to provide objective and evidence-based information on the benefits and risks of herbal medicines.
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Dalia M. Kopustinskiene, Urte Bernatonyte, Yuliia Maslii, Nataliia Herbina, Jurga Bernatoniene
Summary: Pain is a common symptom in different clinical diseases, especially chronic pain in the elderly. Herbal and nutritional supplements may offer a safer and more effective alternative to traditional pharmaceuticals for pain management, and topical analgesic therapies have gained attention due to their efficacy and fewer systemic side effects.
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Behdad Jahromi, Iulia Pirvulescu, Kenneth D. Candido, Nebojsa Nick Knezevic
Summary: Herbal medicines, although not part of conventional medicine, have gained attention for their efficacy and safety concerns. Due to their alternative role in treating pain traditionally managed by conventional therapies, clinical studies have focused on herbal medicines.
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Celine Longden-Naufal, Vivien Rolfe, Marion Mackonochie
Summary: This scoping review uses thematic analysis of existing literature to explore the narratives of people using herbal medicine (HM) in the United Kingdom. The study found that ethnic groups are the primary users of HM in the UK, while for women, the naturalness of HMs is associated with femininity and self-healing. The review also highlights the judgement from healthcare practitioners when addressing the use of HM. However, studies show that practitioners are supportive of using HM in certain cases. Understanding public narratives of HM usage is important for integrating alternative approaches into conventional healthcare systems and ensuring relevant future research.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Xiu-Qin Zheng, Lei-Xin Song, Zhu-Zhen Han, Ying-Bo Yang, Yi Zhang, Li-Hua Gu, Li Yang, Gui-Xin Chou, Zheng-Tao Wang
Summary: In this study, five new triterpenoids were isolated from the fruit spikes of Prunella vulgaris L., along with 15 known triterpenoids. Their structures were elucidated, and their anti-thyroid cancer activities were evaluated. Three of the compounds showed apparent inhibitory activity against thyroid cancer.
NATURAL PRODUCT RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Hao Qiu, Lei-Xin Song, Ying-Bo Yang, Si-Yu Zhang, Zhu-Zhen Han, Zheng-Tao Wang, Li Yang
Summary: Two undescribed stilbenoid diglycosides, dendrosonside A and dendrosonside B, were isolated from the stems of Dendrobium 'Sonia'. Their structures were elucidated and they showed inhibition of nitric oxide production.
JOURNAL OF ASIAN NATURAL PRODUCTS RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Jia-Ying Zhao, Qi Liao, Jian-Wei Zhang, Guo-Qiang Lin, Zhengtao Wang, Dingding Gao, Qing-Hua Li, Ping Tian
Summary: In this study, a metal-free cascade dihalogenation-cyclization reaction was reported for the convenient preparation of dibrominated cis-tetrahydrobenzofuran-5(4H)-ones and cis-dihydrobenzopyran-6(5H)-ones. These products bear 1,4-dibromobut-1-enyl subunit in trans-trans and trans-cis form. The anticancer activity against MDA-MB-468 cells was also observed for the corresponding products.
ADVANCED SYNTHESIS & CATALYSIS
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Analytical
Longchan Liu, Ziying Wang, Qian Zhang, Yuqi Mei, Linnan Li, Huwei Liu, Zhengtao Wang, Li Yang
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kelsang Gyab Ala, Zhili Zhao, Lianghong Ni, Zhengtao Wang
Summary: In this study, the mitochondrial genomes of Gentiana crassicaulis and G. straminea were sequenced, revealing their genetic characteristics and gene arrangements. The analysis also identified gene losses, pseudogenes, repeat sequences, and transferred segments in these genomes. Additionally, a comparative analysis with other species provided insights into the core genes and placement of Gentianaceae in the phylogenetic tree of Gentianales.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Tianqi Chen, Xiuqin Zheng, Limin Ouyang, Zhuzhen Han, Yingbo Yang, Lihua Gu, Li Yang, Zhengtao Wang
Summary: Six new polyacetylenes (1-6) and three known ones (7-9) were isolated from Atractylodes macrocephala. The structures and absolute configurations were determined by NMR, HR-ESI-MS, DP4+ calculations, and ECD calculations. The cytotoxicity and apoptosis of the compounds (1-9) were evaluated on CT-26 cell lines. Compounds 5 and 7 showed significant cytotoxicity, while compounds 3-6 promoted apoptosis in CT-26 cells. These findings suggest the potential use of polyacetylenes from Atractylodes macrocephala in colorectal cancer treatment.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Rufeng Wang, Zhongji Pu, Jonathan Joel Janke, Yu-Cong Zheng, Xu-Dong Kong, Tengfei Niu, Shujuan Zhao, Li Yang, Zhengtao Wang, Jian-He Xu
Summary: Researchers have identified an enzyme that can synthesize ginsenoside R7 from notoginsenoside Fc, and they have significantly improved its catalytic efficiency through protein engineering. This study provides insights for the development of other valuable natural products.
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yin Cao, Mingrui Li, Lihua Gu, Xin Zhao, An Zhou, Yuping Miao, Yi Wu, Zunji Ke, Rongfeng Hu, Zhengtao Wang, Xiaojun Wu
Summary: The study investigated the effects of Kaixin San (KXS) on hippocampal neurons and cardiac ferroptosis in mice with rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep deprivation. The results showed that KXS improved learning and memory, prevented mitochondrial damage, alleviated myocardial injury, and reversed the expression of proteins involved in ferroptosis in the hippocampus and heart tissues.
JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Rui Tian, Yufan Guo, Fazhen Luo, Tianshu Yang, Zhenhua Zhou, Zhengtao Wang, Yan Xie
Summary: This paper reports the synthesis of multifunctional carbon dots (CFCDs) using herbal medicine as a precursor, and investigates their fluorescent properties and biological activities. The obtained CFCDs have a graphitic structure, abundant functional groups, high aqueous solubility, and excellent stability. CFCDs exhibit pH-dependent fluorescence properties and low cytotoxicity, making them suitable for cell imaging. Moreover, CFCDs have good hemostatic effects and can promote platelet aggregation. CFCDs have potential for wide application in the medical domain.
JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY A-CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Lihua Gu, Yue Jiang, Yuanyuan Han, Li Yang, Zhengtao Wang
Summary: A practical TLC-direct bioassay method was established for screening and evaluating antioxidant activity. The method involved a series of reactions, including the production of lipid peroxides by UV irradiation of linoleic acid and the conversion of peroxides into malondialdehyde. A dot blot test using TLC separation showed that substances with anti-lipid peroxidation activity appeared as white spots/zones on a red background. The method was validated for selectivity, sensitivity, linearity, precision, and recovery, and was successfully used to identify active antioxidant constituents from Perilla fruits.
LWT-FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Deqing Ruan, Jingyi Yang, Qianfei Luo, Yanhong Shi, Lili Ding, Zhengtao Wang, Rui Wang, Li Yang
Summary: In this study, we found that goitrin, an alkaloid from Radix Isatidis, showed protective effects in LPS-induced septic shock by inhibiting caspase-11 non-canonical inflammasome pathway. This finding provides a new therapeutic strategy for the clinical treatment of septic shock.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Jingnan Zhang, Ze Zhang, Zhenlin Huang, Manlin Li, Fan Yang, Zeqi Wu, Qian Guo, Xiyu Mei, Bin Lu, Changhong Wang, Zhengtao Wang, Lili Ji
Summary: This study reported that a natural compound isotoosendanin (ITSN) reduced TNBC metastasis by inhibiting TGF-P-induced EMT and the formation of invadopodia. ITSN can directly interact with TGF-P receptor type-1 (TGFPR1) and abrogated the kinase activity of TGFPR1, thereby blocking the TGF-P-initiated downstream signaling pathway. Moreover, ITSN also improved the inhibitory efficacy of programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) antibody for TNBC in vivo via inhibiting the TGF-P-mediated EMT in the tumor microenvironment.
ACTA PHARMACEUTICA SINICA B
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Pei Liu, Xing Yan, Jiaying Pu, Qi Liao, Kang Wang, Jiping Lan, Rui Wang, Zhengtao Wang, Lili Ding, Li Yang
Summary: The study explored the mechanisms of Plantaginis Semen-Coptidis Rhizoma Compound (CQC) on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) through network pharmacology and experimental research. The results showed that CQC improved hyperglycemia and liver injury in T2DM mice, and the potential mechanism may involve the regulation of the AGEs/RAGE signaling pathway.
JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Ruiyang Gao, Zhilun Yu, Cheng Lv, Xiaolong Geng, Yijing Ren, Junyu Ren, Hao Wang, Fangbin Ai, Beibei Zhang, Bei Yue, Zhengtao Wang, Wei Dou
Summary: This study found that a plant called Allium macrostemon Bunge (AMB) promotes hair regrowth in AGA mice and identifies the underlying molecular mechanisms. AMB stimulates proliferation and migration of human hair dermal papilla cells (HDPC) and enhances growth factors expression through the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Treatment with AMB extract promotes hair regeneration in AGA mice. These findings contribute to the potential use of AMB in alopecia treatment.
JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zhonglian Yu, Mengqin Xia, Jiping Lan, Li Yang, Zhengtao Wang, Rui Wang, Hongxun Tao, Yanhong Shi
Summary: The Lycium genus, including Lycium barbarum L., Lycium chinense Mill., and Lycium ruthenicum Murr., has been used as a source of medicines and nutrient supplements in China for thousands of years. These fruits have been extensively studied and commercialized for their health-related properties, including antioxidant, immunomodulatory, anti-tumor, hepatoprotective, and neuroprotective effects. However, there is limited systematic and comprehensive information available on the Lycium genus.
