Latest ArticlesEffect of heating rate on the dehydration process of borax was studied by using thermogravimetric analysis, and the optimal heating rate was determined. The calcined temperature, calcined time, and sample laying thickness were selected as influencing factors, with the dehydration rate, content of sodium tetraborate, fluffiness, and minimal inhibitory concentration as evaluation indices, the calcination process of borax was optimized by the method of analytic hierarchy process (AHP)-criteria importance through intercriteria correlation (CRITIC) combined with response surface test. The changes in microscopic morphology and compositional structure of borax before and after calcination were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. The anti-inflammatory activity of calcined borax was investigated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 cell model. The antioxidant capacity of calcined borax was assessed by the scavenging rate of 2, 2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonate) (ABTS) radical for furtherly evaluating the quality of calcined borax. The results showed that the optimal heating rate for the calcination of borax was 10 ℃·min-1, and the optimized technical conditions were as follows: the calcined temperature was 293.31 ℃, calcined time was 47.44 min, and sample laying thickness was 0.54 cm. After calcination, the microscopic morphology and compositional structure of borax were all changed, and the in vitro anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidation capacities of calcined borax were enhanced compared to those of crude one. The established calcination technique of borax is stable and feasible, which can provide guidance for the industrial production of calcined borax.
This study aimed to optimize the extraction process of Polygonatum kingianum polysaccharide (PKP), purify it to obtain the component PKP-1, analyze its chemical composition, and evaluate its anti-aging activity based on the Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) model. Single-factor and orthogonal tests determined the optimal extraction conditions as follows: extraction time 2 h, liquid-to-material ratio 10∶1 mL·g-1, and 3 extraction cycles. Subsequently, PKP was purified through ethanol precipitation, decolorization, deproteinization, dialysis, and DEAE-52 cellulose column chromatography, yielding the major fraction PKP-1. Analysis using the phenol-sulfuric acid method, BCA assay, sulfuric acid-carbazole method, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) revealed that PKP-1 had a total sugar content of 86.36% ± 3.16%, contained no detectable protein or uronic acid, and its monosaccharides were primarily composed of fructose, glucose, and arabinose. Anti-aging activity assays in the C. elegans model demonstrated that PKP-1 significantly enhanced the worms' stress resistance, reduced the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipofuscin, and effectively prolonged their lifespan. The results demonstrate that the optimized extraction process is efficient and feasible, and the purified PKP-1 exhibits high purity, is primarily composed of fructose, glucose, and arabinose, and possesses significant anti-aging bioactivity.
The study aims to investigate the pharmacokinetics (PK) and preliminary safety of desaminotyrosine (DAT) in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats and establish an ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method for determining DAT content in blood and tissues, obtaining pharmacokinetic parameters and tissue distribution characteristics of DAT in rats after intragastric administration of three single doses and multiple doses. Evaluate the safety after 7 days of administration, including general condition, toxic reactions and mortality, organ-to-body weight ratios, hematological parameters, blood biochemistry and electrolyte levels, as well as observe pathological changes in organs. The results indicated that the detection methods conformed to the requirements for biological sample analysis. The absorption and elimination of DAT in rats occurred rapidly, with PK parameters such as Cmax and AUC0-t values increasing in accordance with the dose ratio. No significant differences were observed between single and multiple administrations. DAT was primarily distributed in the kidneys > liver > testes > lungs > heart > spleen, with minimal penetration through the blood-brain barrier. Administration for 7 days at doses ≥100 mg·kg-1·d-1 induced gastrointestinal irritation, body weight loss, and liver/kidney injury. The UPLC-MS/MS analysis in the study was sensitive, accurate, and rapid. The PK parameters aligned with a linear PK profile at single doses ranging from 25 to 125 mg·kg-1, with no accumulation observed after multiple doses. DAT demonstrated good safety at the dose of 50 mg·kg-1·d-1, which will provide a basis for further development of its pharmaceutical value. This experiment was approved by the Laboratory Animal Ethics Committee of Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Grant No: 2021042).
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is characterized by high invasiveness, a high risk of recurrence and metastasis, and poor prognosis. The accumulation of lactate in the tumor microenvironment produced by tumor cell glycolysis is a key factor driving the malignant progression of TNBC. In this study, we developed a lactate metabolism-regulating self-assembled galloflavin-Fe lipid peroxidation accelerator (SGF) to inhibit the growth of TNBC. The system was constructed by coordinating iron ions with the hydroxyl groups of galloflavin to form a metal-polyphenol network, which encapsulates the drug sorafenib. By adjusting the drug loading ratio of sorafenib to galloflavin at 1:1, SGF nanoparticles with a size of 136.20 ± 0.83 nm and a polydispersity index of 0.103 ± 0.012 were prepared, achieving efficient co-loading of both drugs. The metal-polyphenol network of SGF exhibits photothermal conversion properties, generating localized heat under 808 nm laser irradiation, effectively killing tumor cells. Under the low pH conditions of the tumor microenvironment and lysosomes, iron ions and galloflavin dissociate to release sorafenib, accelerating the Fenton reaction through iron ion supplementation and glutathione downregulation, which cooperatively promotes lipid peroxidation in tumor cells. Furthermore, galloflavin inhibits lactate dehydrogenase A, downregulating the conversion of pyruvate to lactate and reducing lactate production, thereby improving the acidic tumor microenvironment and efficiently suppressing the progression of TNBC. The SGF nanosystem designed and constructed in this study integrates three synergistic mechanisms-photothermal effect, lipid peroxidation induction, and lactate metabolism regulation to provide a synergistic and precise strike against TNBC and its high-lactate microenvironment, offering a new therapeutic strategy to improve the clinical prognosis of this highly invasive cancer.
The genus Fusarium is a prevalent contaminant in medicinal herbs, posing a dual threat to both the effective components and safety of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), as well as a common pathogen in agriculture and clinical settings. Accurate identification of closely related species within this genus has always been a key challenge. In this study, we employed analysis of whole-GEnome (AGE) to conduct bioinformatics analysis on 304 genomes from 173 species of Fusarium, successfully constructing a species-specific target sequence library. The number of specific target sequences predominantly ranges from 10 001 to 50 000. To validate the reliability of the species-specific target sequences, we selected seven representative species of high concern in contaminated medicinal herbs and agricultural pathogens: Fusarium oxysporum, F. solani, F. fujikuroi, F. sambucinum, F. culmorum, F. incarnatum, and F. equiseti. Species-specific target sequence was selected from each species and subjected to detection using Sanger sequencing and CRISPR-Cas12a technology. The results showed that the species-specific target sequences exhibited high specificity, solving the identification challenge of closely related species F. incarnatum and F. equiseti. Furthermore, AGE enabled the visualization of identification results, offering an advantage for field detection. This study demonstrates that AGE can accurately identify closely related species of the genus Fusarium, providing technical support for the safety monitoring and quality assurance of medicinal herbs.
Candida albicans (C. albicans) is the most prevalent conditionally pathogenic fungus implicated in clinical fungal infections. The formation of biofilms is a critical contributor to the pathogenicity of C. albicans, facilitating its invasion and the subsequent spread of infection. Biofilm-associated C. albicans exhibits reduced susceptibility to commonly used antifungal agents, leading to prolonged treatment durations, high rates of recurrence, and the emergence of drug resistance. Consequently, the development of antifungals that are both low in toxicity and effective in inhibiting biofilm formation is of paramount importance. Plant-derived natural products have emerged as a vital resource for drug discovery, owing to their diverse chemical structures and myriad biological activities. In this review, we provide a comprehensive summary of plant-derived natural products with demonstrated anti-biofilm activity against C. albicans, as reported over the past five years. This includes an examination of various classes of compounds such as alkaloids, polyphenols, terpenes, quinones, organic acids, and essential oils, thereby offering insights that may advance the development of novel anti-fungal therapeutics targeting C. albicans.
Anxiety disorder, as a psychiatric condition characterized by high prevalence, chronic progression, and frequent comorbidities, faces significant limitations with current clinical treatments such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, and benzodiazepines. These therapies are often constrained by limited efficacy, notable side effects, and issues of drug resistance. In recent years, the sigma-1 receptor has emerged as a promising target for novel anti-anxiety medications, with its ligands demonstrating significant anxiolytic effects in various animal models, offering new hope for addressing current therapeutic challenges. However, no anti-anxiety drugs targeting the sigma-1 receptor have advanced to clinical research stages. Therefore, this article reviews recent progress in understanding the molecular mechanisms of the sigma-1 receptor in anxiety disorders and summarizes the pharmacological efficacy of its ligands in animal models, aiming to provide a theoretical foundation and research directions for the development of innovative anti-anxiety drugs targeting the sigma-1 receptor.
Heart failure (HF) has become a major challenge in global public health, and its incidence and lethality are on the rise. While the effectiveness of clinical interventions in modern medicine, they are accompanied by rising adverse drug reactions, recurring diseases, and no reduction in long-term mortality. In this context, herb pairing methods informed by traditional Chinese medicine theories, through mechanisms of multi-component synergy and multi-target network regulation, have been vital in HF prevention and treatment. In this study, we have gathered and analyzed recent investigations on the pharmacological effects of traditional Chinese medicine for HF, resulting in a list of 16 notable and representative herb pairs. Their main functions include reducing inflammation, countering oxidative stress, preventing apoptosis, inhibiting cardiac fibrosis, regulating neuroendocrine disorders and myocardial microcirculation, and ultimately preventing or treating HF, thus broadening the scope of personalized clinical drug regimens and the development of new therapeutic agents.
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) databases provide a crucial platform for deepening TCM theory, exploring the relationship between disease and syndrome, revealing compatibility mechanism, and developing component-based Chinese medicine. The construction of TCM databases is centered around the multi-level "syndrome-formula-herb-component-target-pathway-function-disease" network. With the advancement of computer science and high-throughput experimental technologies, there is a growing trend of integration with artificial intelligence and multi-omics strategies. This paper reviews the current state of TCM databases, and summarizes the research progress from three aspects of data collection, data analysis, and network visualization. It systematically discusses the strategies and methods for building TCM databases. Additionally, it also reveals the challenges faced by the current TCM databases, and puts forward the future exploration direction and potential development trend, aiming at providing technical support for the construction of subsequent related databases and offering insights for research in related fields.
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) has been identified as one of the leading factors contributing to the rising incidence of advanced liver disease, with its prevalence increasing annually. Currently, the primary treatment strategies focus on lifestyle modifications, including dietary adjustments and physical exercise, with weight loss being particularly crucial. Meanwhile, significant progress has been made in the development of pharmacological treatments, especially thyroid hormone receptor β (THR-β) agonists, which have garnered considerable attention due to their potential efficacy in MASH treatment. This review aims to provide an in-depth exploration of the latest research advancements in THR-β agonists for MASH treatment, offering new therapeutic strategies and perspectives for clinical practice.
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