Search Results (1,848)

The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants highlights the urgent need for novel therapeutic strategies, particularly entry inhibitors that could efficiently prevent viral infection. Medicinal herbs and herbal combination formulas have long been recognized for their effects in treating infectious diseases and their antiviral properties, thus providing abundant resources for the discovery of antiviral candidates. While many candidates have been suggested to have antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 infection, few have been validated for their mechanisms, including possible effects on viral entry. This study aimed to identify SARS-CoV-2 entry inhibitors from medicinal herbs and herbal formulas that are known for heat-clearing and detoxifying properties and/or antiviral activities. A SARS-CoV-2 pseudoparticle (SARS-CoV-2pp) system was used to assess mechanism-specific entry inhibition. Our results showed that the methanol extract of Anemarrhena asphodeloides rhizome, as well as the water extracts of Cimicifuga foetida rhizome, Xiao Chai Hu Tang (XCHT), and Sheng Ma Ge Gen Tang (SMGGT), have substantial inhibitory effects on the entry of SARS-CoV-2pps into host cells. Given the observation that Cimicifuga foetida exhibited the most potent inhibition and is a constituent of SMGGT, we further investigated the major compounds of the herb and identified caffeic acid as a bioactive component for blocking SARS-CoV-2pp entry. Entry inhibition of Cimicifuga foetida and caffeic acid was validated on both wild-type and the currently dominant JN.1 strain SARS-CoV-2pp systems. Moreover, caffeic acid was able to both inactivate the pseudoparticles and prevent their entry into pretreated host cells. The results support the traditional use of these herbal medicines and underscore their potential as valuable resources for identifying active compounds and developing therapeutic entry inhibitors for the management of COVID-19. Full article

The genus Panax contains traditional herbs that have been widely used in traditional medicine. The active constituents, collectively known as ginsenosides, are well characterized in the most representative species, P. notoginseng. However, the major bioactive chemical constituents of P. stipuleanatus together with P. vietnamensis are relatively less studied. In this study, an untargeted metabolomic analysis was performed in P. notoginseng, P. stipuleanatus, and P. vietnamensis using root and leaf organs. Further metabolomic differences in P. stipuleanatus were compared with those of the two most prevalent species. The analysis results revealed tissue-specific qualitative and quantitative metabolic differences in each species. Several differentially accumulated metabolites were enriched in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, including the biosynthesis of ginsenosides I. The ginsenosides Rb1, Rf, Rg1, Rh1, Rh8, and notoginsenosides E, M, and N had a higher abundance level in the roots of both P. notoginseng and P. vietnamensis. In P. stipuleanatus, the accumulation of potentially important ginsenosides is mainly found in the leaf. In particular, the dammarane-type ginsenosides Rb3, Rb1, Mx, and F2 as well as the notoginsenosides A, Fe, Fa, Fd, L, and N were identified to have a higher accumulation in the leaf. The strong positive correlation network of different ginsenosides probably enhanced secondary metabolism in each species. The comparative analysis revealed a significant differential accumulation of metabolites in the leaves of both species. The various compounds of dammarane-type ginsenoside, such as Rb1, Rg1, Rg6, Rh8, Rh10, Rh14, and majoroside F2, had a significantly higher concentration level in the leaves of P. stipuleanatus. In addition, several notoginsenoside compounds such as A, R1, Fe, Fd, and Ft1 showed a higher abundance in the leaf. These results show that the abundance level of major ginsenosides is significant in P. stipuleanatus and provides an important platform to improve the ginsenoside quality of Panax species. Full article

Saposhnikovia divaricata (Turcz. ex Ledeb.) Schischk., commonly known as divaricate siler, is a well-known medicinal plant from the Apiaceae family. Its natural habitat is rapidly declining owing to the harvesting of its roots, used as fángfēng in traditional Oriental medicine. This underutilized herb may serve as a valuable source of bioactive phenolic compounds, which can potentially be influenced by salicylic acid (SA) elicitation—a practical method to increase the concentration of valuable substances in plants. A field study showed that foliar application of SA on one-year-old S. divaricata positively influenced the total phenolic content in the herb, with the highest increase observed at 1.0 mM SA. Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) data became increasingly complex with rising SA levels, identifying up to 48 compounds, including cinnamoyl quinic acids (CQAs), dihydrofurochromones (DFCs), and flavonol O-glycosides (FOGs), most reported for the first time in this species. The highest concentrations of CQAs, DFCs, and FOGs in plants treated with 1.0 mM SA were 83.14, 3.75, and 60.53 mg/g, respectively, compared to 42.76, 0.95, and 40.73 mg/g in untreated (0.0 mM SA) plants. Nine in vitro antioxidant assays revealed strong radical-scavenging and nitric oxide (NO)- and Fe²⁺-chelating activities in 1.0 mM SA-treated plants, indicating robust antioxidative properties of the S. divaricata herb. Thus, foliar application of SA considerably enriches the herb with target antioxidants, increasing its medicinal value, which is reflected in the plant’s biological response. This could potentially reduce the overexploitation of natural populations of S. divaricata, helping to preserve this valuable plant. Full article

Rhubarb, a medicinal herb in Gansu Province, China, undergoes significant quality changes during sun-drying. This study investigated color changes, drying kinetics, anthraquinone (AQ) content, metabolic profiles, and enzyme activity during the process. Results showed that drying induced enzymatic browning, with the browning index (BI) progressively increasing over extended drying periods (4–16 h) and with greater slice thickness (2–8 mm). Catalase (CAT) activity first decreased and then increased, while polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity decreased throughout drying. Slice thickness significantly affected AQ content, with the highest in 2 mm slices and the lowest in 4 mm slices. The drying process followed a logarithmic model (R² = 0.99418, RMSE = 0.02310, and χ² = 0.0005). Metabolomics analysis identified 631 differential metabolites, with 8 key metabolites linked to flavonoid biosynthesis, phenylalanine biosynthesis, and tyrosine metabolism. Fifteen enzymes were involved in metabolite synthesis and decomposition, though some enzyme activity trends contradicted metabolite changes. This study provides insight into rhubarb drying mechanisms and a basis for optimizing the drying process. Full article

Trust in Traditional Thai Medicine (TTM) among Thai people has been reduced due to a lack of objective standards and the susceptibility of the general population to false information. The emergence of generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) has significantly impacted various industries, including traditional medicine. However, previous Gen AI models have primarily focused on prescription generation based on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), leaving TTM unexplored. To address this gap, we propose a novel fast-learning fine-tuned language model fortified with TTM knowledge. We utilized textual data from two TTM textbooks, Wat Ratcha-orasaram Ratchaworawihan (WRO), and Tamra Osot Phra Narai (NR), to fine-tune Unsloth’s Gemma-2 with 9 billion parameters. We developed two specialized TTM tasks: treatment prediction (TrP) and herbal recipe generation (HRG). The TrP and HRG models achieved precision, recall, and F1 scores of 26.54%, 28.14%, and 24.00%, and 32.51%, 24.42%, and 24.84%, respectively. Performance evaluation against TCM-based generative models showed comparable precision, recall, and F1 results with a smaller knowledge corpus. We further addressed the challenges of utilizing Thai, a low-resource and linguistically complex language. Unlike English or Chinese, Thai lacks explicit sentence boundary markers and employs an abugida writing system without spaces between words, complicating text segmentation and generation. These characteristics pose significant difficulties for machine understanding and limit model accuracy. Despite these obstacles, our work establishes a foundation for further development of AI-assisted TTM applications and highlights both the opportunities and challenges in applying language models to traditional medicine knowledge systems in Thai language contexts. Full article

Lonicera japonica Thunb. is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb whose floral buds are the primary source of pharmacological compounds that require manual harvesting. As a result, its floral bud duration, determined by the opening time, is a key determinant of both quality and economic value. However, the genetic mechanisms controlling floral bud duration remain poorly understood. In this study, we employed population structure analysis and molecular experiments to identify candidate genes associated with this trait. The improved cultivar Beihua No. 1 (BH1) opens its floral buds significantly later than the landrace Damaohua (DMH). Exogenous application of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) to BH1 indicated that jasmonate acts as a negative regulator of floral bud duration by accelerating floral bud opening. A genome-wide selection scan across 35 germplasms with varying floral bud durations identified the transcription factor LjWRKY50 as the causative gene influencing this trait. The dual-luciferase reporter assay and qRT-PCR experiments showed that LjWRKY50 activates the expression of the jasmonate biosynthesis gene, LjAOS. A functional variant within LjWRKY50 (Chr7:24636061) was further developed into a derived cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (dCAPS) marker. These findings provide valuable insights into the jasmonate-mediated regulation of floral bud duration, offering genetic and marker resources for molecular breeding in L. japonica. Full article

Herbs are valued for their antioxidant richness and traditional use in cuisine and medicine. This study analysed wild herbs (e.g., Achillea, Lamium) and cultivated spices (Salvia, Artemisia) for their bioactive compounds. It was found that antioxidant profiles varied notably among species, even within the same family. Helichrysum italicum and Salvia officinalis had the highest polyphenol levels, while Achillea millefolium and Ocimum basilicum had the lowest. Total polyphenols did not always correlate with antioxidant activity. For instance, Petroselinum hortense and Salvia rosmarinus showed high antioxidant activity despite low polyphenol levels, whereas Levisticum officinale and Artemisia dracunculus combined both. Mentha spicata, M. x citrata, Origanum vulgare, and S. officinalis were rich in carotenoids, while H. italicum showed high α-carotene but low levels of other carotenoids. Most Lamiaceae accumulated a high amount of chlorophylls and polyphenols. Cultivated herbs like M. spicata, M. x citrata, and S. officinalis exhibited stronger and more diverse properties than wild species. It can be concluded that taxonomy alone does not predict antioxidant potential. The differences observed may be attributed to species-specific metabolic pathways, ecological adaptations, or environmental factors influencing phytochemical expression. These findings highlight the importance of conducting species-level screenings in the search for plant-derived antioxidants with potential therapeutic applications. Full article

Thesium chinense Turcz., a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, is enriched with bioactive constituents such as flavonoids and polysaccharides, demonstrating multifaceted therapeutic properties including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective effects. This review systematically elucidates the regulatory mechanisms by which active components of Thesium chinense Turcz. modulate pathological processes in NDDs, such as neuroinflammation and oxidative stress. Furthermore, it synthesizes evidence of its neuroprotective efficacy across experimental models and evaluates its translational potential for clinical applications. By integrating preclinical findings and mechanistic insights, this work provides a robust theoretical foundation for advancing natural product-based therapeutics in the management of NDDs. Full article

Black crusts and biological colonisation are among the most common types of ‘diseases’, with diverse aetiologies and presentations, affecting masonry architectural heritage. Over the past decades, there has been an increase in the incidence of this degradation phenomena due to the increase in pollution and climate change, especially on the urban walls of ancient cities. In particular, the present research examines the state of conservation of the city walls of Perugia, which are divided into two main city walls dating back to the Etruscan and Medieval periods and are recognised as historical heritage of high identity and cultural value. The degradation reflects, in the mentioned cases, on the liminal public and green areas. A view is also reflected in local journalism and social media, where residents and visitors have framed the spontaneous growth of herbs and medicinal shrubs within the stone joints of historic walls as an apparently benign and aesthetically pleasing occurrence. This misleading interpretation, while rooted in a superficial aesthetic appreciation, nevertheless draws attention to a real and urgent issue: the pressing need for systematic maintenance and intervention strategies—coordinated between academics, students, designers and stakeholders—which are able to reposition the city walls as central agents of urban and cultural regeneration, rather than peripheral remnants of the past. Full article

Fagonia cretica, a medicinal herb from the Zygophyllaceae family, is traditionally utilized to treat various conditions such as hepatitis, gynecological disorders, tumors, urinary tract issues, and diabetes. The present study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of Fagonia cretica in treating polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) induced in female rats. PCOS, a complex hormonal disorder, was experimentally induced by administering Letrozole (1 mg/kg) in combination with a high-fat diet for 21 days. The affected rats were then treated with hydro-alcoholic extracts of Fagonia cretica at doses of 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, and 300 mg/kg for 20 days. Key biochemical parameters—including serum testosterone, insulin, fasting blood glucose, insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), cholesterol, triglycerides, and lipoprotein levels—were measured. Ultrasound imaging and histopathological analysis of ovarian tissues were also performed. The data were analyzed using computer-based statistical tools, including one-way ANOVA, Cohen’s d effect size, and Tukey’s HSD test, with graphical representations generated using Python 3.10 on the Kaggle platform. Results demonstrated a significant reduction in serum testosterone, insulin, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels (p < 0.05) in treated groups, along with improved ovarian morphology. These findings support the therapeutic potential of Fagonia cretica as a natural treatment for PCOS. Full article

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), a holistic medical system rooted in dialectical theories and natural product-based therapies, has served as a cornerstone of healthcare systems for millennia. While its empirical efficacy is widely recognized, the polypharmacological mechanisms stemming from its multi-component nature remain poorly characterized. The conventional trial-and-error approaches for bioactive compound screening from herbs raise sustainability concerns, including excessive resource consumption and suboptimal temporal efficiency. The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and multi-omics technologies with network pharmacology (NP) has emerged as a transformative methodology aligned with TCM’s inherent “multi-component, multi-target, multi-pathway” therapeutic characteristics. This convergent review provides a computational framework to decode complex bioactive compound–target–pathway networks through two synergistic strategies, (i) NP-driven dynamics interaction network modeling and (ii) AI-enhanced multi-omics data mining, thereby accelerating drug discovery and reducing experimental costs. Our analysis of 7288 publications systematically maps NP-AI–omics integration workflows for natural product screening. The proposed framework enables sustainable drug discovery through data-driven compound prioritization, systematic repurposing of herbal formulations via mechanism-based validation, and the development of evidence-based novel TCM prescriptions. This paradigm bridges empirical TCM knowledge with mechanism-driven precision medicine, offering a theoretical basis for reconciling traditional medicine with modern pharmaceutical innovation. Full article

Exocarpium Citrus grandis is a traditional Chinese medicinal and edible herb whose pharmacological efficacy is closely tied to its aging duration. The accurate discrimination of aging years is essential for quality control but remains challenging due to limitations in current analytical techniques. This study proposes a novel feature-optimized classification framework that integrates hyperspectral imaging (HSI) with a Broad Learning System (BLS). Bilateral spectral data (side A and side B) were collected to capture more comprehensive sample information. A combination of normalization (NOR) preprocessing and the Iterative Variable Importance for Spectral Subset Selection Algorithm (iVISSA) was found to be optimal. The NOR–iVISSA–BLS model achieved classification accuracies of 94.09 ± 1.01% (side A) and 95.10 ± 0.82% (side B). Furthermore, cross-validation between the two sides (A→B: 94.92%, B→A: 94.11%) confirmed the model’s robustness and generalizability. This dual-side spectral validation strategy offers a rapid, nondestructive, and reliable solution for the vintage authentication of Exocarpium Citrus grandis, contributing to the modernization of quality control in medicinal foodstuffs. Full article

Viola philippica (VP), a traditional Chinese medicinal herb widely used for its antibacterial and antioxidant properties, has recently garnered attention for its potential in skin photoprotection. VP was extracted using glycerol (GLY), 1,3-propanediol (PDO), and 1,3-butanediol (BDO) at concentrations of 30%, 60%, and 90% (w/w) to evaluate its antioxidant and UV-protective properties. The total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) of the nine extracts ranged from 34.73 to 71.45 mg GAEs/g and from 26.68 to 46.68 mg REs/g, respectively, with the highest TPC observed in 90% PDO and the highest TFC in 60% GLY. Antioxidant assays revealed IC₅₀ values of 0.49–1.26 mg/mL (DPPH), 0.10–0.19 mg/mL (ABTS), and 1.58–460.95 mg/mL (OH). Notably, the 60% GLY, 30% PDO, and 90% PDO extracts demonstrated notable protective effects against UVB-induced cell damage, reducing intracellular ROS levels and preventing DNA damage. RNA-seq analysis revealed that the protective effects were associated with the modulation of key molecular pathways, including neutrophil extracellular trap formation and TNF, IL-17, and HIF-1 signaling. These findings suggest that Viola philippica polyol extracts, particularly those using 60% GLY, 30% PDO, and 90% PDO, have promising potential for skin photoprotection and could be utilized as natural antioxidants in cosmetic formulations. Full article

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), an aggressive and poorly prognosed subtype of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), has prompted urgent calls for innovative therapeutic approaches. Evodiamine (EVO), a natural alkaloid extracted from the Chinese herb Evodia rutaecarpa, has demonstrated significant potential in curbing tumor cell proliferation and slowing tumor expansion. However, its specific effects on cell senescence within the context of OSCC have remained shrouded in uncertainty. This study delves into the mechanisms of EVO’s impact on OSCC by harnessing databases such as the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP), The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), and CellAge to pinpoint potential targets and carry out in-depth bioinformatics analysis. The findings reveal that EVO can markedly enhance the expression of the androgen receptor (AR) in OSCC cells, inducing cellular senescence and thereby inhibiting tumor progression. Furthermore, the research indicates that AR expression is considerably lower in OSCC tissues than in normal tissues. This low expression of AR in tumor tissues is closely associated with advanced clinical stages and unfavorable prognoses in HNSCC patients. These discoveries open up new avenues for therapeutic strategies, and suggest that AR holds promise as a potential therapeutic target for OSCC, and EVO may amplify its antitumor effects by enhancing AR-mediated cellular senescence in the treatment of OSCC. Full article

Bupleurum scorzonerifolium Willd. is a perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Bupleurum in the Apiaceae family. Also known as red Bupleurum, it is mainly distributed in Northeast China, North China and other regions and is a commonly used medicinal plant. It is difficult for the wild plant resources of Bupleurum scorzonerifolium Willd. to meet the market demand. In artificial cultivation, there are problems such as a low yield per plant, low quality, weakened stress resistance and variety degradation. The contents of bioactive components and metabolites in traditional Chinese medicinal materials vary significantly across different growth years. The growth duration directly impacts their quality and clinical efficacy. Therefore, determining the optimal growth period is one of the crucial factors in ensuring the quality of traditional Chinese medicinal materials. In this study, Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were comprehensively applied to analyze the metabolically differential substances in different parts of Bupleurum scorzonerifolium Willd. By comparing the compositions and content differences of chemical components in different growth years and different parts, the chemical components with significant differences were accurately screened out. In order to further explore the dynamic change characteristics and internal laws of metabolites, a metabolic network was constructed for a visual analysis and, finally, to see the optimal growth years of Bupleurum scorzonerifolium Willd. This result showed that with the accumulation of the growth cycle, the height, root width, fresh mass and saikosaponins content of Bupleurum scorzonerifolium Willd. increased year by year. Except for sodium and calcium elements in the main shoot, the other elements were significantly reduced. In addition, 59 primary metabolites were identified by GC-MS, with the accumulation of the growth cycle, the contents of organic acids, sugars, alcohols and amino acids gradually decreased, while the contents of alkyl, glycosides and other substances gradually increased. There were 53 positive correlations and 18 negative correlations in the triennial Bupleurum scorzonerifolium Willd. grid, all of which were positively correlated with saikosaponins. Therefore, the triennial Bupleurum scorzonerifolium Willd. was considered to be the suitable growth year. It not only provided a new idea and method for the quality evaluation of Bupleurum scorzonerifolium Willd., but also provided a scientific basis for the quality control of Chinese herbs. Full article