Objectives: The aim of this study is to establish a Reversed Phase – High Performance Liquid Chromatographic (RP-HPLC) method for the quantification of Rhein from Cassia fistula L. leaves. Methods: A Shimadzu system equipped with a C18 Column (150 x 4.6 mm, 5 μm) with an isocratic elution of Acetonitrile (solvent A) and 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid aqueous solution (solvent B) (Merck, 1.08178.0050) with a 55:45 ratio, respectively and a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min and sample injection of 10 μL detection was done at 230 nm. Standard solution of Rhein (Chengdu Biopurify) was prepared for method development. This study was validated using the guidelines set under “ICH Topic Q2 R2 or the Validation of Analytical Procedures”. Procedures for linearity, precision, accuracy, limit of detection, and limit of quantitation were performed. Results: The retention time of Rhein standard was determined at 5.10 minutes. LOD and LOQ were determined to be 1.278 mcg/mL and 3.872 mcg/mL, respectively with good linearity (R2 ≥0.996) with a linear range of 2.5-20 ug/mL of the Rhein standard. The accuracy of the method was determined based on % recovery method and ranged from 94.75%-100.32% (intraday, n=3) with %RSD of 0.71. The intraday precision %RSD was 2.92 (n=6) while interday precision %RSD was 3.75 (n=3). The method was able to check the Rhein quantity among 10 samples of Cassia fistula L. leaves from different locations in the Philippines. Conclusion The method was found to be sensitive and accurate for the quantification of Rhein. The method was found to be useful for the quantification of the amount of Rhein and can be used as a Quality Control tool for the assessment of Cassia fistula.
Cassia ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study is to establish a Reversed Phase – High Performance Liquid Chromatographic (RP-HPLC) method for the quantification of Rhein from Cassia fistula L. leaves.

A Shimadzu system equipped with a C18 Column (150 x 4.6 mm, 5 μm) with an isocratic elution of Acetonitrile (solvent A) and 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid aqueous solution (solvent B) (Merck, 1.08178.0050) with a 55:45 ratio, respectively and a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min and sample injection of 10 μL detection was done at 230 nm. Standard solution of Rhein (Chengdu Biopurify) was prepared for method development. This study was validated using the guidelines set under “ICH Topic Q2 R2 or the Validation of Analytical Procedures”. Procedures for linearity, precision, accuracy, limit of detection, and limit of quantitation were performed.

The retention time of Rhein standard was determined at 5.10 minutes. LOD and LOQ were determined to be 1.278 mcg/mL and 3.872 mcg/mL, respectively with good linearity (R2 ≥0.996) with a linear range of 2.5-20 ug/mL of the Rhein standard. The accuracy of the method was determined based on % recovery method and ranged from 94.75%-100.32% (intraday, n=3) with %RSD of 0.71. The intraday precision %RSD was 2.92 (n=6) while interday precision %RSD was 3.75 (n=3). The method was able to check the Rhein quantity among 10 samples of Cassia fistula L. leaves from different locations in the Philippines.

The method was found to be sensitive and accurate for the quantification of Rhein. The method was found to be useful for the quantification of the amount of Rhein and can be used as a Quality Control tool for the assessment of Cassia fistula.

Cytisine derivatives are a group of alkaloids containing the structural core of cytisine, which are mainly distributed in Fabaceae plants with a wide range of pharmacological activities, such as resisting inflammation, tumors, and viruses, and affecting the central nervous system. At present, a total of 193 natural cytisine and its derivatives have been reported, all of which are derived from L-lysine. In this study, natural cytisine derivatives were classified into eight types, namely cytisine type, sparteine type, albine type, angustifoline type, camoensidine type, cytisine-like type, tsukushinamine type, and lupanacosmine type. This study reviewed the research progress on the structures, plant sources, biosynthesis, and pharmacological activities of alkaloids of various types.
Alkaloids/chemistry* ; Quinolizines/pharmacology* ; Azocines/chemistry* ; Fabaceae

WUSCHEL-related homebox (WOX) gene family is a type of plant specific transcription factor, and belongs to the homeobox (HB) transcription factor superfamily. WOX genes play an important role in plant development, such as stem cell regulation and reproductive progress, and have been identified in many plant species. However, the information of mungbean VrWOX genes is limited. In this study, we identified 42 VrWOX genes in mungbean genome using Arabidopsis AtWOX genes as BLAST queries. VrWOX genes are unevenly distributed on 11 mungbean chromosomes, and chromosome 7 contains the most VrWOX genes. VrWOX genes are classified into three subgroups, the ancient group, the intermediate group and the modern/WUSCHEL group, which contains 19, 12 and 11 VrWOX members, respectively. Intraspecific synteny analysis revealed 12 VrWOX duplicated gene pairs in mungbean. Mungbean and Arabidopsis thaliana have 15 orthologous genes, and mungbean and Phaseolus vulgaris have 22 orthologous genes, respectively. The gene structure and conserved motif are different among VrWOX genes, indicating their functional diversity. The promoter regions of VrWOX genes contain different number and type of cis-acting elements, and VrWOX genes show distinct expression levels in eight mungbean tissues. Our study investigated the bioinformation and expression profiles of VrWOX genes, and provided essential information for further functional characterization of VrWOX genes.
Vigna/genetics* ; Fabaceae/genetics* ; Transcription Factors/genetics* ; Plants

ACC oxidase (ACO) is one of the key enzymes that catalyze the synthesis of ethylene. Ethylene is involved in salt stress response in plants, and salt stress seriously affects the yield of peanut. In this study, AhACO genes were cloned and their functions were investigated with the aim to explore the biological function of AhACOs in salt stress response, and to provide genetic resources for the breeding of salt-tolerant varieties of peanut. AhACO1 and AhACO2 were amplified from the cDNA of salt-tolerant peanut mutant M29, respectively, and cloned into the plant expression vector pCAMBIA super1300. The recombinant plasmid was transformed into Huayu22 by pollen tube injection mediated by Agrobacterium tumefaciens. After harvest, the small slice cotyledon was separated from the kernel, and the positive seeds were screened by PCR. The expression of AhACO genes was analyzed by qRT-PCR, and the ethylene release was detected by capillary column gas chromatography. Transgenic seeds were sowed and then irrigated with NaCl solution, and the phenotypic changes of 21-day-seedings were recorded. The results showed that the growth of transgenic plants were better than that of the control group Huayu 22 upon salt stress, and the relative content of chlorophyll SPAD value and net photosynthetic rate (Pn) of transgenic peanuts were higher than those of the control group. In addition, the ethylene production of AhACO1 and AhACO2 transgenic plants were 2.79 and 1.87 times higher than that of control peanut, respectively. These results showed that AhACO1 and AhACO2 could significantly improve the salt stress tolerance of transgenic peanut.
Salt Tolerance/genetics* ; Arachis/genetics* ; Plant Breeding ; Ethylenes/metabolism* ; Plants, Genetically Modified/genetics* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Plant Proteins/genetics*

This paper aimed to study the effect of Dalbergia cochinchinensis heartwood on plasma endogenous metabolites in rats with ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery, and to analyze the mechanism of D. cochinchinensis heartwood in improving acute myocardial ischemic injury. The stability and consistency of the components in the D. cochinchinensis heartwood were verified by the establishment of fingerprint, and 30 male SD rats were randomly divided into a sham group, a model group, and a D. cochinchinensis heartwood(6 g·kg~(-1)) group, with 10 rats in each group. The sham group only opened the chest without ligation, while the other groups established the model of ligation. Ten days after administration, the hearts were taken for hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining, and the content of heart injury indexes in the plasma creatine kinase isoenzyme(CK-MB) and lactate dehydrogenase(LDH), energy metabolism-related index glucose(Glu) content, and vascular endothelial function index nitric oxide(NO) was determined. The endogenous metabolites were detected by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-time-of-flight-mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS). The results showed that the D. cochinchinensis heartwood reduced the content of CK-MB and LDH in the plasma of rats to relieve myocardial injury, reduced the content of Glu in the plasma, improved myocardial energy metabolism, increased the content of NO, cured the vascular endothelial injury, and promoted vasodilation. D. cochinchinensis heartwood improved the increase of intercellular space, myocardial inflammatory cell infiltration, and myofilament rupture caused by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery. The metabolomic study showed that the content of 26 metabolites in the plasma of rats in the model group increased significantly, while the content of 27 metabolites decreased significantly. Twenty metabolites were significantly adjusted after the administration of D. cochinchinensis heartwood. D. cochinchinensis heartwood can significantly adjust the metabolic abnormality in rats with ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery, and its mechanism may be related to the regulation of cardiac energy metabolism, NO production, and inflammation. The results provide a corresponding basis for further explaining the effect of D. cochinchinensis on the acute myocardial injury.
Male ; Animals ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Dalbergia ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Metabolomics ; Heart ; Heart Injuries ; Creatine Kinase, MB Form

This study aimed to provide data support for resource utilization of the stems and leaves of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus(SLAM) by analyzing and evaluating the chemical constituents. The crude protein, crude fiber, and soluble saccharide of SLAM were analyzed by Kjeldahl method, filtration method, and UV-Vis spectrophotometry, respectively. The nucleosides, amino acids, flavonoids, and saponins of SLAM were analyzed by ultraperformance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry(UPLC-TQ-MS). Combined with principal component analysis(PCA), the quality difference of resource components of SLAM was comprehensively evaluated. The results showed that the average content of crude protein, crude fiber, total polysaccharide, and redu-cing sugar in SLAM was 5.11%, 30.33%, 11.03 mg·g~(-1), and 31.90 mg·g~(-1), respectively. Six nucleosides, 15 amino acids, 22 flavonoids, and one saponin were detected, with an average content of 1.49 mg·g~(-1), 6.00 mg·g~(-1), 1.86 mg·g~(-1), and 35.67 μg·g~(-1), respectively. The content of various types of chemical components in SLAM differed greatly in different harvesting periods and growing years. The results of PCA showed that the quality of SLAM produced in Ningxia was superior. The results can provide references for the utilization of SLAM.
Astragalus propinquus/chemistry* ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Flavonoids/analysis* ; Plant Leaves/chemistry* ; Amino Acids ; Saponins/analysis*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the spectrum-effect relationship between the total anthraquinone extract of Cassia seeds and fluorouracil (5-Fu)-induced liver injury in mice and identify the effective components in the extract. METHODS: A mouse model of liver injury was established by intraperitoneal injection of 5-Fu, with bifendate as the positive control. The serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and myeloperoxidase (MPO), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) in the liver tissue were detected to investigate the effect of the total anthraquinone extract of Cassia seeds (0.4, 0.8 and 1.6 g/kg) on liver injury induced by 5-Fu. HPLC fingerprints of 10 batches of the total anthraquinone extracts were established to analyze the spectrum- effectiveness of the extract against 5- Fu- induced liver injury in mice and screen the effective components using the grey correlation method. RESULTS: The 5- Fu- treated mice showed significant differences in liver function parameters from the normal control mice (P < 0.05), suggesting successful modelling. Compared with those in the model group, serum ALT and AST activities were decreased, SOD and T- AOC activities significantly increased, and MPO level was significantly lowered in the mice treated with the total anthraquinone extract (all P < 0.05). HPLC fingerprints of the 31 components in the total anthraquinone extract of Cassia seeds showed good correlations with the potency index of 5-Fu-induced liver injury but with varying correlation strengths. The top 15 components with known correlations included aurantio-obtusina (peak 6), rhein (peak 11), emodin (peak 22), chrysophanol (peak 29) and physcion (peak 30). CONCLUSION The effective components in the total anthraquinone extract of Cassia seeds, including aurantio-obtusina, rhein, emodin, chrysophanol, and physcion, are coordinated to produce protective effects against 5-Fu-induced liver injury in mice.
Animals ; Mice ; Emodin ; Cassia ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury, Chronic ; Anthraquinones ; Antioxidants ; Fluorouracil/adverse effects* ; Plant Extracts/pharmacology*

The syndrome of dampness stagnancy due to spleen deficiency (DSSD) is relatively common globally. Although the pathogenesis of DSSD remains unclear, evidence has suggested that the gut microbiota might play a significant role. Radix Astragali, used as both medicine and food, exerts the effects of tonifying spleen and qi. Astragalus polysaccharide (APS) comprises a macromolecule substance extracted from the dried root of Radix Astragali, which has many pharmacological functions. However, whether APS mitigates the immune disorders underlying the DSSD syndrome via regulating gut microbiota and the relevant mechanism remains unknown. Here, we used DSSD rats induced by high-fat and low-protein (HFLP) diet plus exhaustive swimming, and found that APS of moderate molecular weight increased the body weight gain and immune organ indexes, decreased the levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, and endotoxin, and suppressed the Toll-like receptor 4/nuclear factor-‍κB (TLR4/NF-‍κB) pathway. Moreover, a total of 27 critical genera were significantly enriched according to the linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe). APS increased the diversity of the gut microbiota and changed its composition, such as reducing the relative abundance of Pseudoflavonifractor and Paraprevotella, and increasing that of Parasutterella, Parabacteroides, Clostridium XIVb, Oscillibacter, Butyricicoccus, and Dorea. APS also elevated the contents of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Furthermore, the correlation analysis indicated that 12 critical bacteria were related to the body weight gain and immune organ indexes. In general, our study demonstrated that APS ameliorated the immune disorders in DSSD rats via modulating their gut microbiota, especially for some bacteria involving immune and inflammatory response and SCFA production, as well as the TLR4/NF-κB pathway. This study provides an insight into the function of APS as a unique potential prebiotic through exerting systemic activities in treating DSSD.
Rats ; Animals ; NF-kappa B/metabolism* ; Spleen ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Toll-Like Receptor 4 ; Polysaccharides/pharmacology* ; Astragalus Plant/metabolism* ; Immune System Diseases/drug therapy* ; Body Weight

Animals ; Astragalus Plant ; Cardiomyopathies ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Myocardium ; Rats