Search Results (221)

Grass carp in aquaculture exhibited symptoms of bacterial infection leading to mortality. To investigate the cause of the disease and control grass carp infections, samples from diseased grass carp were collected, and a bacterial strain named XH-1 was isolated from the internal organs of the infected fish. Artificial infection experiments were conducted to determine whether the isolated strain XH-1 was the pathogenic bacterium. The biological characteristics of the isolated strain were studied through a 16S rRNA sequence analysis, physiological and biochemical identification, and phylogenetic tree construction. Extracts from 14 traditional Chinese herbs were tested to evaluate their bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects on the isolated strain. The regression infection experiment confirmed that the isolated strain XH-1 was the pathogenic bacterium causing the grass carp disease. Biological characterization studies identified the bacterium as Aeromonas veronii, which is clustered with A. veronii MW116767.1 on the phylogenetic tree. Among the 14 Chinese herbal extracts, Lignum sappa, Pericarpium granna, Artemisia argyi, Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, Coptis chinensis, and Artemisiacapillaris thunb exhibited significant bacteriostatic effects on XH-1. Lignum sappa showed the highest sensitivity to A. veronii, with the largest inhibition zone diameter, and its minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were 7.813 mg/mL and 15.625 mg/mL, respectively. As the concentration of Lignum sappa extract increased, its bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects strengthened. When the concentration exceeded 14 mg/mL, it maintained strong bactericidal activity over 32 h. This study on A. veronii XH-1 provides theoretical insights for the prevention of grass carp aquaculture diseases and the use of traditional Chinese herbs for treatment. Full article

Background/Objectives: Chestnut inner shells, traditionally used in Korean and Chinese herbal medicine, contain antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds that contribute to complementary medicine. This study aimed to explore the therapeutic effects of chestnut inner-shell extract (CIE) on skeletal muscle injury and atrophy using both in vivo and in vitro models. Methods: We used three experimental models representing distinct pathological mechanisms: (1) barium chloride (BaCl₂)-induced muscle injury to model acute myofiber damage, (2) sciatic nerve transection to model chronic neurogenic muscle atrophy, and (3) H₂O₂-treated C2C12 myoblasts to model oxidative-stress-related myogenic impairment. Histological analyses (e.g., hematoxylin and eosin staining and cross-sectional area measurement) and molecular analyses were performed to evaluate the effects of CIE on muscle structure, apoptosis, and oxidative stress. Results: In the BaCl₂ injury model, CIE treatment significantly restored the muscle fiber structure, with muscle protein levels returning to near-normal levels. In the denervation-induced muscle atrophy model, CIE treatment led to a dose-dependent decrease in apoptosis-related factors (especially cleaved caspase-3) and mitigated the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. In the in vitro oxidative stress model, CIE suppressed the expression of NRF2 and HO-1, which are key oxidative stress response regulators. Conclusions: These findings suggest that CIE may offer therapeutic potential for mitigating skeletal muscle damage, atrophy, and oxidative stress. Full article

The Quality by Design (QbD) concept has been widely applied to the optimization of traditional Chinese medicine production processes recently. This work focused on optimizing the critical purification process of Scutellaria baicalensis extract used in the preparation of Zhusheyong Shuanghuanglian. Considering the impact of noise parameters and changes in herbal properties, an experimental design method was employed for optimization. Multiple batches of Scutellaria baicalensis decoction were prepared in this research, and quantitative models of Scutellaria baicalensis herbal properties, critical process parameters (CPPs), and process evaluation indicators were established. The R² of the quantitative models were all higher than 0.80. According to the model, the yield of baicalin was identified as a critical material property (CMA). The pH of first acid precipitation (X₁), first temperature holding time (X₂), pH of alkalization (X₃), ethanol amount (X₄), and end pH of ethanol washing (X₅) were CPPs. Considering the difficulty in controlling the end pH of the ethanol washing, it was considered to be a noise parameter. The Monte Carlo probability-based method was used to calculate the design space, determining the range of controllable parameters, which was successfully validated through experiments. Normal operation ranges for controllable parameters are recommended as follows: X₁ of 0.8–2.2, X₂ of 25–35 min, X₃ of 6.5–7.5, and X₄ of 0.8–1.2 g/g. Full article

Background: Assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) are essential in treating infertility but often face limited success due to low implantation and live birth rates. East Asian traditional medicine (EATM), including acupuncture and herbal medicine (HM), may enhance physiological responses during ART cycles. This study evaluated the effectiveness and safety of EATM in improving clinical pregnancy and live birth outcomes in women undergoing ART. Methods: This review, registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023411712), systematically searched 11 databases up to 31 March 2023. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing EATM interventions to control groups. Data extraction and quality assessment were performed independently by two authors. Meta-analysis used the inverse-variance method in Stata 12.0. A total of 37 RCTs involving 10,776 women (aged 29–38) were analyzed. Studies addressed infertility causes including polycystic ovary syndrome, tubal blockage, diminished ovarian reserve, and unexplained infertility. Acupuncture therapies included body, electro-, laser, and auricular acupuncture. Herbal treatments were administered as powders, pills, granules, decoctions, and ointments based on traditional Chinese formulas. Results: EATM interventions were associated with significant improvements in clinical pregnancy and live birth rates. Acupuncture increased clinical pregnancy rates (CPR: RR 1.316, 95% CI 1.171–1.480) and live birth rates (LBR: RR 1.287, 95% CI 1.081–1.533). HM also enhanced CPRs (RR 1.184) and LBRs (RR 1.147). Subgroup analysis showed true acupuncture and HM were more effective than sham or placebo. No significant differences in adverse events were found. Conclusions: EATM, particularly acupuncture and HM, appears to be a safe and effective complementary therapy that can be used to improve ART outcomes. Future research should focus on developing standardized acupuncture and herbal protocols to optimize integration with ART. Full article

Atopic dermatitis (AD), a chronic inflammatory skin condition, is a common allergic disorder. The human skin, the largest organ, serves as the first barrier in protecting the body against various external threats. Human epidermal keratinocytes (HEKs) in the epidermal layer and human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) in the dermis of the skin are implicated in AD-associated skin inflammation through the secretion of diverse inflammatory mediators, including chemokines. Sigesbeckia pubescens Makino (SP), a traditional Korean and Chinese herbal remedy, is used for treating inflammatory conditions. While several pharmacological effects of SP extract (SPE) have been documented, its specific inhibitory effect on AD-related skin inflammation remains unexplored. Hence, oral administration of SPE to NC/Nga mice reduced the severity of house dust mite extract-induced dermatitis, accompanied by lowered levels of serum inflammatory mediators, decreased epidermal thickness, reduced mast cell infiltration, and restoration of skin barrier function within skin lesions. In conclusion, SPE has demonstrated the ability to alleviate skin inflammation and protect the skin barrier and shows potential as a therapeutic option for AD. SPE inhibited proinflammatory chemokine production by modulating the Janus kinase (JAK) 2/signal transducer and activator of transcription proteins (STAT) 1/STAT3 signaling pathway in IFN-γ- and TNF-α-stimulated skin cells. Full article

Objective: This study aims to review the existing literature on the efficacy and safety of unconventional treatments among pancreatic cancer patients, including the use of natural products, dietary supplements, probiotics, whole medical systems, and body-based therapies. Methods: An electronic, systematic, and comprehensive literature review was conducted searching for studies up to November 2024 following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Randomized controlled trials and prospective and retrospective studies assessing the efficacy and safety of unconventional treatments for pancreatic cancer were considered eligible. Data on overall survival, quality of life, and treatment tolerability were extracted. Results: A total of 21 studies, providing data from 3095 patients, met the inclusion criteria. Various types of unconventional treatments are used in pancreatic cancer patients, including Chinese herbal medicine (CHM), mistletoe extract (ME), curcumin, and electroacupuncture. Among these, the use of CHM and curcumin concomitant with standard therapy was associated with survival and quality-of-life benefits. Electroacupuncture reduced pancreatic cancer pain intensity in a cost-effective manner. The data on ME are mixed and of insufficient quality for drawing definitive conclusions. Conclusions: Some unconventional treatments showed potential benefits in improving overall survival and quality of life in pancreatic cancer patients within an integrative oncology setting. Further high-quality studies are needed to provide robust, rigorous, and ethical evidence to support their integration into future guidelines, ensuring a holistic approach to cancer treatment. Full article

Chinese herbal medicines have played a significant role in the development of new and effective drugs, but how to identify the active ingredients from complex extracts of traditional Chinese herbal medicines was a research difficulty. In recent years, few studies have focused on high-efficiency identification of small-molecule inhibitors of Programmed Death Ligand 1 with lower antigenicity and flexible structure tunability. In order to identify small molecule inhibitors of PD-L1 from complex Chinese herbal extracts, this study established a protein–ligand trapping system based on high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a photo-diode array detector, ion trap/quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry, and a Programmed Death Ligand 1 affinity chromatography unit (ACPD-L1-HPLC-PDA-IT-TOF (Q-TOF)-MS) to rapidly screen and identify small-molecule inhibitors of Programmed Death Ligand 1 from Toddalia asiatica (L.) Lam. Fourteen components were then identified as PD-L1 binders, and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) validation results showed that six of them—magnoflorine (6), nitidine (22), chelerythrine (24), jatrorrhizine (13), toddaculin (68), and toddanol (45)—displayed PD-L1 binding activity. Laser scanning confocal microscopy results demonstrated that these compounds effectively inhibited the binding of PD-1 to PD-L1 in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, flow cytometry analysis indicated they could promote human lung cancer cell line (A549) apoptosis when co-cultured with Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs). The system’s innovation lies in its first integration of dynamic protein–ligand trapping with multi-dimensional validation, coupled with high-throughput screening capacity for structurally diverse natural products. This workflow overcomes traditional phytochemical screening bottlenecks by preserving native protein conformations during affinity capture while maintaining chromatographic resolution, offering a transformative template for accelerating natural product-derived immunotherapeutics through the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway. Full article

Due to the low quality of existing Chinese herbal medicine datasets and the lack of recognition algorithms for herbal images, automatic classification of Chinese herbal medicine is ineffective. In this paper, we constructed a comprehensive dataset comprising 4485 images across 20 categories of Chinese herbal medicine. This dataset captures the morphological diversity of Chinese herbal medicine while reducing inter-class variations and closely mimics real-world complexity. Considering the subtle differences among the data, we proposed a multi-scale feature extraction architecture called MSPyraNet. This architecture is composed of multiple FACNBlock units, which are designed explicitly for herbal medicine characteristics. FACNBlock utilizes a multi-scale representation module, using convolutions and atrous convolutions of varying sizes to generate and fuse multi-scale feature maps. Experimental results show that MSPyraNet improves accuracy by more than 4.72% and 4.54% compared to existing SOTA models on two datasets. Ablation studies validate the effectiveness of the multi-scale representation module. Furthermore, we discovered that MSPyraNet achieves a notable improvement in classifying Chinese herbal medicines that are morphologically similar but belong to different categories. Briefly, this study provides a dataset and methodological reference for future research on Chinese herbal medicine classification. Full article

Aquilaria spp. are a highly valuable plant species found in the Chinese herbal medicine and agarwood fragrance supplement industries for fumigation, combustion and perfume. The phytochemical composition of agarwood oils (extracts) was derived from Aquilaria sinensis and its subspecies ‘Qi-Nan’ using supercritical CO₂ extraction technology. Gas chromatography connected with a mass spectrometry apparatus was employed for qualitative and quantitative analyses. Comparing the agarwood oils from six planting areas, 12 common components were obtained, among which sesquiterpenes and chromones had the highest relative content. Genetic and environmental factors had the greatest impact on the three chromones, especially on 2-phenyl-4H-chromen-4-one. According to the PCA and PLS-DA models, the ‘Qi-Nan’ was derived from a variety selected from the native A. sinensis, and the difference in the volatile components was able to indirectly prove that it was genetically heterogeneous with the native A. sinensis. Using the 73 components obtained from GC–MS analysis, the VIP values and S-plots were generated using the OPLS-DA model. Seven components with VIP values > 1.0 were selected from two groups of agarwood oils of the native A. sinensis and ‘Qi-Nan’ subspecies. In addition, by analyzing 12 common components, the differential components with VIP values > 1 were 2-phenyl-4H-chromen-4-one and 2-(4-methoxyphenethyl)-4H-chromen-4-one. Chromones were the main component of agarwood oils extracted by supercritical CO₂, and 2-phenyl-4H-chromen-4-one could be used as a volatile marker, especially in the ‘Qi-Nan’ subspecies, where this marker exhibited more prominent characteristics. Full article

Fritillaria cirrhosa D. Don (known as Chuan-Bei-Mu in Chinese) is a prominent medicinal plant utilized in traditional medicine for chronic respiratory ailments. It has garnered global acknowledgment because of its incorporation in many herbal preparations, resulting in a significant increase in demand and, consequently, leading to the decimation of wild populations. The study aimed to obtain regenerated plantlets of F. cirrhosa using in vitro propagation techniques and evaluate the accumulation of active metabolites and anti-inflammatory properties from in vitro and natural plant bulbs. UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS analysis identified 267 metabolites. Notably, 118 metabolites showed significantly different intensities between the wild bulbs (WBs) and in vitro tissue culture-regenerated bulbs (RBs). Higher edpetiline amounts were obtained from the RBs, and 14 steroid-related metabolites were elevated in RBs. Both RB and WB extracts had comparable anti-inflammatory abilities and significantly inhibited TNF-α-induced epithelial cell TSLP release. Subsequent mechanistic studies revealed that the efficacy of WB and RB extracts depended on the regulation of the TRPV1/NFAT pathway. These findings highlight the viability of in vitro regeneration and medicinal part replacement as sustainable alternatives to the existing detrimental overharvesting of wild Chuan-Bei-Mu populations. Full article

Chinese herbal medicines have become a new green feed additive in the aquaculture industry. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of traditional Chinese herbal medicines (Isatidis radix, Forsythia suspensa, and Schisandra chinensis) on the growth performance, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal microbiota of hybrid snakehead (Channa maculata ♀ × Channa argus ♂). A total of 600 fish (mean weight: 15.85 ± 0.15 g) were randomly assigned to five groups, including the control group (CG), I. radix extract group (IRE), F. suspensa extract group (FSE), S. chinensis extract group (SCE), and the Chinese herbal medicine mixture group (CHMM; a mixture of extracts of I. radix, F. suspensa, and S. chinensis at the ratio of 1:1:1) for 6 weeks. The results show that the IRE-supplemented diet improved the survival rate (SR), feed efficiency ratio (FE), and condition factor (CF) compared to others. Compared to the control group, the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in plasma and intestine was significantly increased in the FSE and CHMM groups, whereas the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in plasma and liver was significantly reduced in the SCE group. A 16s rRNA analysis indicates that dietary supplementation with FSE significantly promoted the proliferation of Fusobacteriota, while IRE supplementation increased the alpha diversity of intestinal bacteria. In conclusion, the addition of I. radix to the diet of hybrid snakehead improves growth, antioxidant capacity, and liver and intestine health, and modulates the intestinal microbiota of snakehead positively. Full article

Background/Objectives: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a persistent inflammatory condition affecting the gastrointestinal tract, distinguished by the impairment of the intestinal epithelial barrier, dysregulation of the gut microbiota, and abnormal immune responses. Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp., traditionally used in Chinese herbal medicine for gastrointestinal issues such as bleeding and dysentery, has garnered attention for its potential therapeutic benefits. However, its effects on IBD remain largely unexplored. Methods: In this study, the major compounds from Cajanus cajan leaf extract (CCLE) were initially characterized by LCMS-IT-TOF. The IBD model was developed in C57BL/6 mice by administering continuous 4% (w/v) dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) aqueous solution over a period of seven days. The body weight, colon length, disease activity index (DAI), and histopathological examination using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining were performed in the IBD model. The levels of the main inflammatory factors, specifically TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and myeloperoxidase (MPO), were quantified by employing enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. Additionally, the levels of tight junction proteins (ZO-1, Occludin) and oxidative stress enzymes (iNOS, SOD1, CAT) were investigated by qPCR. Subsequently, flow cytometry was employed to analyze the populations of various immune cells within the spleen, thereby assessing the impact of the CCLE on the systemic immune homeostasis of IBD mice. Finally, 16S rDNA sequencing was conducted to examine the composition and relative abundance of gut microbiota across different experimental groups. In addition, molecular docking analysis was performed to assess the interaction between the principal components of CCLE and the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR). Results: We identified seven bioactive compounds in CCLE: catechin, cajachalcone, 2-hydroxy-4-methoxy-6-(2-phenylcinyl)-benzoic acid, longistylin A, longistylin C, pinostrobin, amorfrutin A, and cajaninstilbene acid. Our results demonstrated that oral administration of CCLE significantly alleviates gastrointestinal symptoms in DSS-induced IBD mice by modulating the balance of gut-derived pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. This modulation is associated with a functional correction in M1/M2 macrophage polarization and the Th17/Treg cell balance in splenic immune cells, as well as shifts in the populations of harmful bacteria (Erysipelatoclostridium and Staphylococcus) and beneficial bacteria (Odoribacter, unidentified Oscillospiraceae, Lachnoclostridium, and Oscillibacter) in the gut. Furthermore, cajaninstilbene acid, longistylin A, and longistylin C were identified as potential AhR agonists. Conclusions: The present results suggested that CCLE, comprising stilbenes like cajaninstilbene acid, longistylin A, and longistylin C, protects the epithelial barrier’s structure and function against DSS-induced acute IBD by restoring gut microbiota balance and systemic immune response as AhR agonists. Overall, CCLE represents a promising natural product-based therapeutic strategy for treating IBD by restoring gut microbiota balance and modulating systemic immune responses. Full article

Artemisia ordosica Krasch, a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, possesses antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of this experiment was to investigate the therapeutic effect of Artemisia ordosica Krasch extraction (AOE) in treating colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in mice. The in vitro antioxidant activity of AOE was evaluated by assessing its iron reduction capacity and scavenging capacity towards 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and hydroxyl radicals (·OH). The protective effect of AOE on colitis in mice was determined by monitoring key indicators such as body weight, colon length, and survival rate in mice, as well as by assessing the expression of colon-related genes and cytokine levels. We evaluated the impact of AOE on intestinal microbiota by measuring the 16s sequencing of cecal contents and bile acid metabolism. The results showed that the iron reduction capacity of AOE was positively correlated with its concentration. The half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC₅₀) for scavenging DPPH and hydroxyl radicals were 3.126 mg/mL and 6.139 mg/mL, with a 95% confidence interval of 95%. In vivo studies demonstrated that AOE reduced DSS-induced colitis in mice by increasing the colon length, enhancing antioxidant enzyme activity, inhibiting inflammatory cell infiltration, suppressing the formation of TNF-α and IL-6, and reducing malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. qPCR analysis revealed that AOE reversed the down-regulation of Claudin mRNA expression, and altered the composition of cecal microbiota, thus mitigating DSS-induced colitis. AOE plays a crucial role in alleviating colitis in mice and effectively improves DSS-induced colitis, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic agent for inflammatory bowel diseases. Full article

Background/Objectives: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing threat that undermines the effectiveness of global healthcare. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization have identified numerous microbial organisms, particularly members of the ESKAPEE pathogens, as critical threats to global health and economic security. Many clinical isolates of these pathogens have become completely resistant to current antibiotics, making treatment nearly impossible. Herbal remedies, such as those found in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), have been practiced for thousands of years and successfully used to treat a wide range of ailments, including infectious diseases. Surprisingly, despite this extensive knowledge of folk medicine, no plant-derived antibacterial drugs are currently approved for clinical use. As such, the objective of this study is to evaluate the antimicrobial properties of extracts derived from TCM plants. Methods: This study explores a comprehensive library comprising 664 extracts from 132 distinct TCM plant species for antimicrobial properties against gram-negative (Escherichia coli) and gram-positive (Micrococcus luteus) bacteria using liquid and solid in vitro assays. Results: Intriguingly, our results reveal 17 plant species with potent antimicrobial properties effective primarily against gram-positive organisms, including Streptococcus aureus and epidermidis. A literature search revealed that nearly 100 purified compounds from the identified TCM plants were previously isolated and confirmed for their antimicrobial properties, collectively inhibiting 45 different bacterial species. Conclusions: Our results indicate that phytobiotics from the identified plants could serve as potential candidates for novel antimicrobials. Full article

Widespread endocrine disorders and infertility caused by environmental and food pollutants have drawn considerable global attention. Aflatoxins (AFTs), a prominent class of mycotoxins, are recognized as one of the key contributors to environmental and food contamination. Aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) is the most potent and toxic pollutant among them and is known to cause multiple toxic effects, including neuro-, nephro-, hepato-, immune-, and genotoxicity. Recently, concerns have been raised regarding AFB₁-induced infertility in both animals and humans. Exposure to AFB₁ can disrupt the structure and functionality of reproductive organs, leading to gametogenesis impairment in males, subsequently reducing fertility. The potential molecular mechanisms have been demonstrated to involve oxidative stress, cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, inflammatory responses, and autophagy. Furthermore, several signaling pathways, including nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2; NOD-, LRR-, and pyrin domain-containing protein 3; nuclear factor kappa-B; p53; p21; phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B; the mammalian target of rapamycin; adenosine 5′-monophosphate-activated protein kinase; and mitochondrial apoptotic pathways, are implicated in these processes. Various interventions, including the use of small molecules, Chinese herbal extracts, probiotic supplementation, and camel milk, have shown efficacy in ameliorating AFB₁-induced male reproductive toxicity, by targeting these signaling pathways. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the harmful impacts of AFB₁ exposure on male reproductive organs in mammals, highlighting the potential molecular mechanisms and protective agents. Full article