OBJECTIVETo establish fingerprint analysis method by HPLC for the quality control of Cichorium intybus and effective identification of C. intybus and C. glandulosum.

METHODThe software "Similarity Evaluation System for Chromatographic Fingerprint of TCMs" (Version 2004A) was employed to generate the mean chromatogram and carry out the similarity analysis of the samples. Cluster analysis was adopted in combination with principal component analysis to study seventeen chicory's characteristic common peaks and to differentiate the two chicory resources.

RESULTThe fingerprint of C. intybus and C. glandulosum has been set up, and the range of similarity for seventeen chicory samples was 0. 847-0. 988. The difference among chromatographic fingerprints of chicory samples between the two different varieties was identified by cluster analysis and principal component analysis.

CONCLUSIONThe method can be used to evaluate the quality of C. intybus and identify C. intybus and C. glandulosum conveniently.

Chicory ; chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid

Chicory (Cichorium intybus L) is a bushy perennial herb with blue, lavender, or occasionally white flowers. It grows as a wild plant on roadsides in its native Europe, and in North America, where it has become naturalized. Common chicory is also known as blue sailors, succory, and coffeeweed. Chicory contains saccharides, organic acid, alkaloid, triterpenes, sesquiterpenes, coumarins, and so on. It has a function of lowering the blood glucose and lipid, decreasing uric acid, and hepatoprotection. Therefore, it is evacuant and appetitive with better cardiovascular effect. Furthermore, it can be sorbefacient calcium, enhancing immunity via antiallergic, antibacterial and antivirus. So, with research and development on the peculiar physiology function of chicory, it must have a bright prospect on discovering salubrious beverage, functional food and remedy with chicory at present and near future.
Animals ; Chicory ; chemistry ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Research

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the effect of vege-powder (VP), mainly consisted of chicory, broccoli, and whole grains, on bowel habit improvement and constipation alleviation. METHODS: Using the Roman standard II, 96 male and female subjects in their twenties with constipation symptoms were divided into a control group or VP group. Subjects in a control group were supplied with rice flakes-powder (RFP) and subjects in the VP group were provided with 30 g of VP twice daily for 4 weeks. Constipation relief effectiveness was surveyed on 5-point Likert scales depending on stool hardness, amount of stool, sensation of incomplete evacuation, and straining to defecate at day 0, 14, and 28 of RFP or VP intake. RESULTS: Repeated measures analysis of variance analysis revealed that VP intake caused significant temporal changes in stool hardness, amount, sensation of incomplete evacuation, and straining to defecate. In addition, significant differences between control and VP groups were found in stool hardness, amount, sensation of incomplete evacuation, and straining to defecate at day 14 and 28 of experimental diet consumption. VP supplement for 2 weeks significantly increased the evacuation frequency (1.04 +/- 0.71), compared to control group (0.41 +/- 0.64) and this increase was maintained at 4 week of diet supplements. CONCLUSIONS: This result showed that constipated subjects who consumed VP, mainly consisting of chicory, broccoli, and whole grains, improved constipation symptoms at 2 and 4 weeks of consumption compared to those of control group who were provided with RFP.
Brassica ; Edible Grain* ; Chicory ; Constipation ; Defecation* ; Diet ; Dietary Fiber* ; Female ; Hardness ; Humans ; Male ; Sensation ; Vegetables* ; Weights and Measures ; Young Adult*

Human xanthine oxidase is considered to be a target for therapy of hyperuricemia. Cichorium intybus is a Chinese plant medicine which widely used in Xinjiang against various diseases. In order to screen the inhibitors of xanthine oxidase from C. intybus and to explore main pharmacological actions of cichory a compound collection of C. intybus was built via consulting related references about chemical research on cichory. The three-dimensional crystal structure of xanthine oxidase (PDB code: 1N5X) from Protein Data Bank was downloaded.. Autodock 4.2 was employed to screen the inhibitors of xanthine oxidase from cichory 70 compounds were found to possess quite low binding free energy comparing with TEI (febuxostat). C. intybus contains constituents possessing potential inhibitive activity against xanthine oxidase. It can explain the main pharmacological actions of cichory which can significantly lower the level of serum uric acid.
Chicory ; chemistry ; Databases, Protein ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Enzyme Inhibitors ; chemistry ; Humans ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Molecular Structure ; Xanthine Oxidase ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents in the root of Cichorium intybus.

METHODThe compounds were isolated and identified by column chromatography and NMR, IR, MS data.

RESULTTwelve compounds were isolated and identified.

CONCLUSION2,3,4,9-tetrahydro-1H-pyrido-(3,4-b)indole-3-carboxylic acid was isolated from the Cichorium genus for the first time, azelaic acid and daucosterol were isolated from the the plant for the first time.

Chicory ; chemistry ; Dicarboxylic Acids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Indoles ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Sitosterols ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

Animals ; Chicory ; Fibronectins ; metabolism ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Proteins ; metabolism ; Liver ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental ; metabolism ; Male ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Smad3 Protein ; metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the efficacy mechanisme of chicory extract interventing abdominal obesity rat from the aspect of gut bacteria.

METHODMale SD rats were randomly divided into five groups, namely the normal group, model group, large and small dose group of chicory and the fenofibrate group. Normal group was given deionized water, the other group was given fructose water and give the medical treatment of chicory and fenofibrate. Assay triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL and HDL by biochemical methods and measure body weight and abdominal circumference and microscopicly observe the count changes of gut bacteria through real-time PCR method.

RESULTCompared with normal group, the triglyceride level and abdominal circumference were significantly higher (P < 0.05), weight and high-density lipoprotein increased but no significant changes and E. coli, lactobacillus increased significantly. Compared with model group, chicory extract large and small dose group and the fenofibrate group can significantly reduce triglyceride levels (P < 0.05), reduce the number of E. coli and Lactobacillus and increase the number of bifidobacteria. The fenofibrate group can significantly reduce total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein levels.

CONCLUSIONThe chicory's treatment effect on abdominal obesity is significant. The efficacy mechanisme intervention abdominal obesity may be related to the reduction of the number of lactic acid bacteria and E. coli and the increase of bifidobacteria.

Animals ; Bacteria ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Biodiversity ; Chicory ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Cholesterol ; metabolism ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; microbiology ; Humans ; Male ; Microbiota ; Obesity, Abdominal ; metabolism ; microbiology ; Plant Extracts ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Triglycerides ; metabolism

Oral allergy syndrome (OAS) is caused by cross-reactivity between certain pollens and plant foods, including vegetables, nuts, or fruits. Here, we experienced 2 cases of OAS patients associated with mugwort pollinosis without sensitization to Fagales. A 54-year-old female repeatedly experienced skin rashes, perioral edema, nasal obstruction after eating fresh vegetables (celery, lettuce, chicory, radish sprouts, ginseng, etc.). She had suffered from allergic rhinitis worsening in autumn for 5 years. Specific IgE (sIgE) titers to ragweed and mugwort were elevated to 54.1 and 24.9 kU/L, respectively. With regard to the allergen component of pollens, sIgE to Art v 1 (mugwort) and Amb a 1 (ragweed) were elevated to 21.9 and 36.1 kU/L, respectively. Birch sIgE (including Bet v 1 and Bet v 2) was not detected. A 35-year-old male suffered from abdominal pain, skin rashes after eating mango and kiwi. In addition, systemic allergic reaction developed after consumption of tomato and ginseng. He had chronic rhinitis. The sIgE levels to ragweed, mugwort, and tomato were elevated to 0.55, 6.39, and 0.78 kU/L, respectively. The sIgE test results were all negative for Amb a 1, Bet v 1, and Bet v 2 sIgE. Specific IgE levels to Art v 1, Art v 2 sIgE were 3.51 and 4.46 kU/L, respectively. Based on the history and sIgE test results, 2 cases OAS were related to mugwort. We experienced 2 cases of weed pollinosis related to OAS. Culprit foods of OAS can vary depending on their cuisine cultures.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult ; Ambrosia ; Apium graveolens ; Artemisia ; Betula ; Chicory ; Eating ; Edema ; Exanthema ; Female ; Food Hypersensitivity ; Fruit ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity* ; Immunoglobulin E ; Lettuce ; Lycopersicon esculentum ; Male ; Mangifera ; Middle Aged ; Nasal Obstruction ; Nuts ; Panax ; Plants ; Pollen ; Raphanus ; Rhinitis ; Rhinitis, Allergic ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal* ; Vegetables