Search Results (51)

The global obesity epidemic and associated metabolic disorders present urgent public health challenges. This study employed a multi-omics approach (lipidomics, metabolomics, and gut microbiome analysis) to investigate how Bletilla striata polysaccharides (BSPs) and composite polysaccharides modulate liver lipid metabolism and gut microbiota in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice. HFD elevated hepatic phosphatidylcholines, cholesteryl esters (CEs), and acylcarnitines (CARs), alongside increased cecal choline and trimethylamine. BSP interventions reduced hepatic CEs, free fatty acids (FAs), CARs, and cecal sarcosine while restoring gut microbial diversity. Notably, BSP enriched beneficial genera, including Jeotgalicoccus and Atopostipes, and the network analysis revealed negative correlations between these genera and hepatic triglycerides (TGs), implicating the gut–liver axis in lipid metabolism regulation. These findings elucidate the anti-obesity mechanisms of polysaccharides through gut microbiota remodeling and cross-tissue metabolic interactions, providing a foundation for leveraging plant polysaccharides in developing safer, effective obesity therapies. Full article

Background: Bletilla striata (Thunb.) Rchb.f., a perennial medicinal plant in the genus Bletilla of the Orchidaceae family, is renowned for its hemostatic, anti-inflammatory, and tissue-regenerative properties. Despite the established importance of polysaccharides as key bioactive components in B. striata, the genes and molecular mechanisms underlying their synthesis remain largely unexplored. Methods: This study conducted transcriptomic analysis on the roots, tubers, and leaves of B. striata, and identified gene expression profiles and candidate genes for polysaccharide synthesis in different organs. Results: The results indicated that there were 7699 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in Tuber vs. Leaf, 7695 DEGs in Luber vs. Root, and 6151 DEGs in Tuber vs. Root. There were significant differences in polysaccharide metabolism pathways (photosynthesis, starch, and sucrose metabolism) in different organs of B. striata. The overall enrichment levels were ranked as tubers > leaves > roots. It is worth noting that enzyme genes involved in polysaccharide synthesis exhibit significant organ specificity, with HK genes expression significantly higher in roots than in tubers and leaves, PMM, GMPP, pgm, and UGP2 genes highly expressed in tubers, while scrK, manA, and GPI genes have similar expression levels in the three organs. Conclusions: These findings identify key enzyme genes involved in the synthesis of polysaccharides in B. striata, providing a theoretical framework for enhancing its medicinal value through genetic improvement. Full article

The formation of flower color is closely related to anthocyanin synthesis. In this study, flowers of Bletilla striata (Orchidaceae) exhibiting distinct color morphs were collected and analyzed. The HPLC results showed significantly higher total flavonoid and anthocyanin contents in purple flowers compared to pink counterparts, with increases of 2.20-fold (p < 0.01) and 15.22-fold (p < 0.01), respectively. Cyanidin was the predominant anthocyanin in B. striata. Resequencing analyses highlighted SNP as the primary variation associated with color divergence. A comprehensive screen identified 61 genes encoding enzymes critical to the flavonoid and anthocyanin biosynthesis pathways in B. striata. Among these, 16 flower-specific genes exhibited high expression levels and harbored SNP variations. Notably, a premature stop codon was identified in a gene encoding dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR), leading to truncated protein synthesis and potential disruption of anthocyanin production. Further, the heterologous overexpression of BsDFR4 in Phalaenopsis aphrodite changed petal color from white to yellow-green, demonstrating that it indeed played a regulatory role in the formation of flower color. Furthermore, yeast one-hybrid assays confirmed that transcription factors BsMYB36 and BsMYB51 could directly bind to the BsDFR4 promoter, suggesting their synergistic regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis. These results provided a conceptual basis for insights into the formation of different flower colors in Orchidaceae. Full article

Calmodulin-like proteins (CMLs) are essential for calcium signal transduction in plants, influencing growth, development, stress responses, and the regulation of medicinal secondary metabolites. Despite their importance, the roles of CML genes in B. striata have not been characterized. This study aimed to elucidate the composition and function of the BsCML gene family in B. striata, identifying 38 genes across eight subfamilies. Evolutionary analysis showed that BsCML genes are stable and conserved, while functional predictions indicated involvement in environmental stress response, hormone regulation, and circadian rhythms. Expression profiling revealed that BsCML27 and BsCML16 were highly expressed during callus culture, suggesting their involvement in growth and development. Notably, BsCML32 and BsCML37 exhibited bidirectional regulation of militarine synthesis under sodium acetate (NaAc) and salicylic acid (SA) treatments, with tissue-specific expression strongly correlated (p < 0.01) with metabolite accumulation. These findings highlight the significant roles of BsCML genes in stress response and secondary metabolite synthesis, providing a foundation for enhancing the medicinal quality of B. striata. Full article

A Bletilla striata (Thunb.) Reichb.f., known as Bai Ji in Chinese, is a plant from the Orchidaceae family that has been used for its medicinal properties for thousands of years in China. B. striata holds significant economic value due to its esteemed medicinal applications. Our study aimed to analyze the transcriptome of wild B. striata tubers across multiple years to understand the molecular mechanisms regulating polysaccharide metabolism and tuber enlargement. We collected wild B. striata samples of different growth ages and analyzed their chemical composition, including total phenols, polysaccharides, alkaloids, and proteins. The results showed that the content of these compounds varied with the growth age of the plants. Our study focused on analyzing the genes associated with growth years and accelerating the seedling growth cycle, which holds immense value for the preservation and optimal utilization of superior B. striata orchid resources. To further investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms, we performed a comprehensive transcriptome analysis to explore gene expression, functional annotation, and regulatory networks related to the development and chemical composition of B. striata tubers. The quality of perennial medicinal herbs is intricately linked to their growth age. Unfortunately, excessive wild resource excavation has resulted in the premature harvesting of these herbs, causing a decline in their overall quality and effectiveness. Our study offers valuable insights into the conservation and utilization of B. striata resources. Full article

Most of the existing hydrogel dressings have inadequacies in mechanical performance, biological activities, compatibility, or versatility, which results in the development of rapid, green, and cost-effective approaches for hydrogels in biochemical and biomedical applications becoming a top-priority task. Herein, inspired by the inherent bioactivity, water retention properties, and biocompatibility of natural polysaccharide hydrogels, we have prepared self-healing gels. Using Bletilla striata polysaccharide (BSP), carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS), and borax via borate ester linkages, we created hemostatic and self-healing Chinese herbal medicine hydrogels in varying concentrations (2.5%, 3.0%, and 4.0%). A rotational rheometer was used to describe the hydrogels’ shape and rheological characteristics. At all concentrations, it was found that the hydrogels’ elastic modulus (G′) consistently and significantly outperformed their viscous modulus (G″), suggesting a robust internal structure. All of the hydrogels had cell viability levels as high as 100% and hemolysis rates below 1%, indicating the hydrogels’ outstanding biocompatibility. Furthermore, the hydrogels demonstrated superior hemostatic qualities in an in vivo mouse tail amputation model, as well as in in vitro coagulation tests. The results show that the hydrogel possesses excellent self-healing properties, as well as a good biocompatibility and hemostatic performance, thus paving the way for the development of a potential hemostatic green hydrogel. Full article

Agroforestry is being promoted as a feasible land use management to improve understory economic benefits. However, there are few studies on species selection and the comprehensive evaluation of soil quality change in rhizoma bletillae (Bletilla striata) agroforestry systems. The soil quality index (SQI) and minimum dataset (MDS) methods can reflect the overall condition and were effective tools for understanding different cultivation systems. In this study, we evaluated the soil quality of four cultivation models (including three agroforestry systems: PeB, moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis)–rhizoma bletillae; PoB, plane trees (Platanus orientali)–rhizoma bletillae; CcB, pecan trees (Carya cathayensis)–rhizoma bletillae; and CK, rhizoma bletillae monoculture. The total dataset (TDS) consisted of 15 soil parameters containing physical, chemical, and biological characteristics. The results showed that soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) were finally selected and established as the MDS. Agroforestry could significantly influence soil quality. Compared with CK, the SQI in CcB significantly increased and decreased in PeB and PoB. Soil water content (SWC), nitrate nitrogen (NO₃⁻-N), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), SOC, TN, and TP contents were higher in CcB than in the other cultivation models. Based on various soil indicators and SQI analysis, the CcB was the best in improving soil quality. These findings showed that the soil quality index based on the MDS can be used as an effective indicator for agroforestry systems selection. It provides theoretical guidance for the practice of bionic cultivation and the sustainable management of rhizoma bletillae. Full article

β-glucosidases (BGLUs) are abundant enzymes in plants that play pivotal roles in cell wall modification, hormone signal transduction, secondary metabolism, defense against herbivores, and volatile compound release. Bletilla striata, a perennial herb revered for its therapeutic properties, lacks a comprehensive analysis of its BGLU gene family despite the critical role these genes play in plant secondary metabolism. This study aims to perform a genome-wide analysis of the BGLU gene family in B. striata (BsBGLU) to elucidate their functions and regulatory mechanisms in secondary metabolite biosynthesis. We conducted a genome-wide screening to identify BsBGLU, followed by phylogenetic analysis to classify these genes into groups. Sequence characteristics were analyzed to predict functional roles. Simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were examined to assess conservation and polymorphism among different landraces. Expression profiles of BsBGLUs were evaluated under sodium acetate and salicylic acid elicitor treatments and across different tissues. The accumulation of phylogenetic metabolites in different treatments and tissues was also analyzed by HPLC and LCMS detection to explore the correlation between gene expression and metabolite accumulation. A total of 23 BsBGLU genes were identified and classified into eight distinct groups. Sequence analysis suggested diverse functions related to hormone responses, secondary metabolism, and stress resistance. BsBGLUs with SSR sequences were conserved yet showed polymorphism among different B. striata landraces. Under elicitor treatments, expression profiling revealed that BsBGLUs significantly modulate the synthesis of secondary metabolites such as dactylorhin A and militarine. Tissue-specific expression analysis indicated that BsBGLU15 and BsBGLU28 were highly expressed in tubers compared to other tissues, suggesting their central role and a potential negative regulatory effect in metabolite accumulation. The elicitor NaAc can regulate metabolite synthesis by modulating the expression of BsBGLUs. The BsBGLU gene family in B. striata is integral to the modulation of secondary metabolite biosynthesis and accumulation and can respond to elicitors to promote the synthesis of militarine. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for the further exploration of BsBGLU gene functions and their regulatory mechanisms, advancing the production of medicinally active compounds in B. striata. Full article

Plant-derived medicinal materials have significant potential and promising applications in wound healing and skin regeneration. This study aims to develop a plant-based extract hydrogel from Bletilla striata (Thunb.Reichb.f.), specifically a glucosyloxybenzyl 2-isobutylmalates extract (B), and characterize its potential effects on wound healing. We synthesized the hydrogel using carbomer (C), glycerol (G), and triethanolamine (T) as the matrix, incorporating B into the hydrogel base, and evaluated its physical and chemical properties. In vitro tests assessed the biocompatibility of the glucosyloxybenzyl 2-isobutylmalates-carbomer-glycerol-triethanolamine (B-CGT) hydrogel and its effects on cell proliferation, migration, and adhesion. Animal model experiments evaluated its potential to promote wound healing. The results showed that the prepared B-CGT hydrogel possessed a good three-dimensional network structure and stability, demonstrating significant free radical scavenging capacity in antioxidant tests. In cell experiments, the B-CGT hydrogel exhibited no potential cytotoxicity and showed good hemocompatibility and promotion of cell proliferation. Animal experiments indicated that wounds treated with the B-CGT hydrogel healed significantly faster, with improved formation of new epithelial tissue and collagen. This study suggests that the developed B-CGT hydrogel is a promising candidate for wound dressings, with excellent physicochemical properties and controlled drug release capabilities, effectively promoting the wound healing process. Full article

Bletilla striata is the dried tuber of B. striata (Thund.) Reichb.f., which has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, antioxidant and wound healing effects. Traditionally, it has been used for hemostasis therapy, as well as to treat sores, swelling and chapped skin. In this study, we used the ultraviolet (UV) absorbance rate of B. striata extracts as the index, and the extraction was varied with respect to the solid–liquid ratio, ethanol concentration, ultrasonic time and temperature in order to optimize the extraction process for its sunscreen components. The main compounds in the sunscreen ingredients of Baiji (B. striata) were analyzed using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography combined with quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry. The sunscreen properties were subsequently evaluated in vitro using the 3M tape method. The results show that the optimal extraction conditions for the sunscreen components of B. striata were a solid–liquid ratio of 1:40 (g/mL), an ethanol concentration of 50%, an ultrasonic time of 50 min and a temperature of 60 °C. A power of 100 W and an ultrasonic frequency of 40 Hz were used throughout the experiments. Under these optimized conditions, the UV absorption rate of the isolated sunscreen components in the UVB region reached 84.38%, and the RSD was 0.11%. Eighteen compounds were identified, including eleven 2-isobutyl malic acid glucose oxybenzyl esters, four phenanthrenes, two bibenzyl and one α-isobutylmalic acid. An evaluation of the sunscreen properties showed that the average UVB absorption values for the sunscreen samples from different batches of B. striata ranged from 0.727 to 1.201. The sunscreen ingredients of the extracts from B. striata had a good UV absorption capacity in the UVB area, and they were effective in their sunscreen effects under medium-intensity sunlight. Therefore, this study will be an experimental reference for the extraction of sunscreen ingredients from the B. striata plant, and it provides evidence for the future development of B. striata as a candidate cosmetic raw material with UVB protection properties. Full article

In this study, we developed a green and multifunctional bioactive nanoemulsion (BBG-NEs) of Blumea balsamifera oil using Bletilla striata polysaccharide (BSP) and glycyrrhizic acid (GA) as natural emulsifiers. The process parameters were optimized using particle size, PDI, and zeta potential as evaluation parameters. The physicochemical properties, stability, transdermal properties, and bioactivities of the BBG-NEs under optimal operating conditions were investigated. Finally, network pharmacology and molecular docking were used to elucidate the potential molecular mechanism underlying its wound-healing properties. After parameter optimization, BBG-NEs exhibited excellent stability and demonstrated favorable in vitro transdermal properties. Furthermore, it displayed enhanced antioxidant and wound-healing effects. SD rats wound-healing experiments demonstrated improved scab formation and accelerated healing in the BBG-NE treatment relative to BBO and emulsifier groups. Pharmacological network analyses showed that AKT1, CXCL8, and EGFR may be key targets of BBG-NEs in wound repair. The results of a scratch assay and Western blotting assay also demonstrated that BBG-NEs could effectively promote cell migration and inhibit inflammatory responses. These results indicate the potential of the developed BBG-NEs for antioxidant and skin wound applications, expanding the utility of natural emulsifiers. Meanwhile, this study provided a preliminary explanation of the potential mechanism of BBG-NEs to promote wound healing through network pharmacology and molecular docking, which provided a basis for the mechanistic study of green multifunctional nanoemulsions. Full article

Shading and drought are considered crucial abiotic stress factors that limit the normal growth of plants. Under natural conditions, the quality of Bletilla striata pseudobulbs (BP), a Chinese traditional medicinal crop, is often affected by the dual stresses of shading and drought. However, the relationship and mechanism of the interaction between the two stress factors in B. striata remain unclear. In this study, we examined the changes in photosynthetic properties and active ingredients of B. striata under shading (L), drought (W), and shading-drought dual stresses (LW). We aimed to explore the metabolite mechanism that led to these changes using GC-MS-based non-targeted metabolomics techniques. The results indicated a significant reduction in the polysaccharide content of BP under W and LW treatments compared to the control (CK). The total phenol content was significantly reduced under L treatment, while the total flavonoid content did not change significantly under the three stresses. The significant increase in militarine content under all three stresses implies that B. striata may modulate its biosynthesis in response to different environmental stresses. Transpiration rate and stomatal conductance were reduced, amino acid expression was up-regulated, and carbohydrate expression was down-regulated in B. striata under L treatment. The net photosynthesis rate, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rate exhibited significant reductions, and the tuber metabolic disorder marker Homocysteine increased and organic acid content as well under W treatment. The net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, and water use efficiency of B. striata were further reduced under LW compared with single stress, which is in agreement with the “trade-off theory”. Pseudobulb metabolite changes, in combination with the results of the two single stresses, showed an up-regulation of amino acids and disaccharide compounds and a down-regulation of monosaccharide compounds. A support vector machine model (SVM) was used to screen 10 marker metabolites and accurately predict the changes in active ingredient content through an artificial neural network model (ANN). The results suggest that an appropriate stress environment can enhance the content of the target active ingredients based on cultivation goals. Full article

(1) Background: Heterotrophs can affect plant biomass and alter species diversity–productivity relationships. However, these studies were conducted in systems with a low nitrogen (N) availability, and it is unclear how heterotroph removal affects the relationship between plant species diversity and productivity in different N habitats. (2) Methods: Three typical understory herbaceous plants were selected to assemble the plant species diversity (three plant species richness levels (1, 2, and 3) and seven plant species compositions), and the control, insecticide, fungicide, and all removal treatments were performed at each plant species diversity level in systems with or without N addition treatments. (3) Results: In systems without N addition, the insecticide treatment increased the plant aboveground biomass, total biomass, and leaf area, while the fungicide treatment reduced the plant belowground biomass, root length, and root tip number; the presence of Bidens pilosa increased the plant aboveground biomass. Similarly, the presence of Bletilla striata increased the plant belowground biomass and root diameter under each heterotroph removal treatment. In systems with N addition, all removal treatments reduced the plant belowground biomass and increased the plant leaf area; the presence of B. pilosa significantly increased the plant aboveground biomass, total biomass, and root length under each heterotroph removal treatment. The presence of B. striata significantly increased the plant belowground biomass and leaf area under insecticide and fungicide treatments. (4) Conclusions: Heterotroph removal alters the plant species diversity–biomass relationship by affecting the plant functional traits in systems with different N availabilities. The impact of biodiversity at different trophic levels on ecosystem functioning should be considered under the background of global change. Full article

A combination of starch and hydrocolloids is a facile method for physically modifying native starch. Bletilla striata polysaccharide (BSP) is a glucomannan with various applications in the food and cosmetic industries as a thickening agent. This study focused on investigating the impact of BSP on the pasting, rheological and adhesive properties of wheat starch (WS). Results from a Rapid Visco-Analyzer (RVA) revealed that the addition of BSP (below 0.2%) resulted in increases in peak viscosity, breakdown and setback values. However, for the addition of BSP at a higher concentration (0.3%), the opposite trend was observed. Rheological measurements indicated that the presence of BSP increased the viscoelastic properties of WS–BSP gels. TGA results demonstrated that the presence of BSP promoted the thermal stability of starch. FTIR results indicated the short-range order structure decreased at low addition concentrations of BSP (0.05% and 0.1%) and increased with higher BSP addition concentrations (0.2% and 0.3%). SEM observation showed that the BSP improved the hydrophilic property of starch gels and decreased the size of pores in the starch gels. Further, the mechanical properties of paper samples unveiled that the present of BSP in starch gels obviously increased its bonding strength as an adhesive. Full article