Mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaf is a well-established traditional Chinese botanical and culinary resource. It has found widespread application in the management of diabetes. The bioactive constituents of mulberry leaf, specifically mulberry leaf flavonoids (MLFs), exhibit pronounced potential in the amelioration of type 2 diabetes (T2D). This potential is attributed to their ability to safeguard pancreatic β cells, enhance insulin resistance, and inhibit α-glucosidase activity. Our antecedent research findings underscore the substantial therapeutic efficacy of MLFs in treating T2D. However, the precise mechanistic underpinnings of MLF's anti-T2D effects remain the subject of inquiry. Activation of brown/beige adipocytes is a novel and promising strategy for T2D treatment. In the present study, our primary objective was to elucidate the impact of MLFs on adipose tissue browning in db/db mice and 3T3-L1 cells and elucidate its underlying mechanism. The results manifested that MLFs reduced body weight and food intake, alleviated hepatic steatosis, improved insulin sensitivity, and increased lipolysis and thermogenesis in db/db mice. Moreover, MLFs activated brown adipose tissue (BAT) and induced the browning of inguinal white adipose tissue (IWAT) and 3T3-L1 adipocytes by increasing the expressions of brown adipocyte marker genes and proteins such as uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) and beige adipocyte marker genes such as transmembrane protein 26 (Tmem26), thereby promoting mitochondrial biogenesis. Mechanistically, MLFs facilitated the activation of BAT and the induction of WAT browning to ameliorate T2D primarily through the activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/sirtuin 1 (SIRT1)/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator 1α (PGC-1α) signaling pathway. These findings highlight the unique capacity of MLF to counteract T2D by enhancing BAT activation and inducing browning of IWAT, thereby ameliorating glucose and lipid metabolism disorders. As such, MLFs emerge as a prospective and innovative browning agent for the treatment of T2D.
Mice ; Animals ; Adipose Tissue, Brown ; Sirtuin 1/pharmacology* ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/metabolism* ; AMP-Activated Protein Kinases/metabolism* ; Morus/metabolism* ; Flavonoids/metabolism* ; Prospective Studies ; Signal Transduction ; Adipose Tissue, White ; Plant Leaves ; Uncoupling Protein 1/metabolism* ; Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha/metabolism*

We cloned and analyzed the two genes of the 1-hydroxy-2-methyl-2-(E)-butenyl-4-diphosphate reductase (HDR) gene family from Huperzia serrate. The two transcripts coding HDR, named HsHDR1 and HsHDR2, were discovered in the transcriptome dataset of H. serrate and were cloned by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The physicochemical properties, protein domains, protein secondary structure, and 3D structure of the putative HsHDR1 and HsHDR2 proteins were analyzed. The full-length cDNA of the HsHDR1 gene contained 1431 bp encoding a putative protein with 476 amino acids, whereas the HsHDR2 gene contained 1428 bp encoding a putative protein of 475 amino acids. These two proteins contained the conserved domain of 1-hydroxy-2-methyl-2-(E)-butenyl-4-diphosphate reductase (PF02401), but without the transmembrane region and signal peptide. The most abundant expression of HsHDR1 and HsHDR2 was detected in H. serrate roots, followed by the stems and leaves. Our results provide a foundation for exploring the function of HsHDR1 and HsHDR2 in terpenoid and sterol biosynthesis in Huperziaceae plants.

Objective To compare the dissolution of Chuangxiong powder in different medium and discuss the dissolution characteristics in vitro of Changxiong powder. Methods The paddle method was adopted, the UV spectrophotometric method was developed to determine the in vitro dissolution quantity of Changxiong powder in five medium (water, 0.1 mol/L hydrochloric acid, acetate buffer of pH 4.5, phosphate buffer of pH 6.8, phosphate buffer of pH 7.4) with ferulic acid as index, and evaluated by drawing the dissolution curve and using the similar factor method and Weibull model. Results The dissolution quantity of Changxiong oral powder in five medium was different. The dissolution quantity in water, 0.1 mol/L hydrochloric acid, acetate buffer of pH 4.5 and phosphate buffer of pH 6.8 was similar and fit Weibull model, but it mutated in phosphate buffer of pH 7.4 and reached the maximum amount at 30 min. Conclusion The dissolution quantity of Changxiong powder is gradually increasing and the time is shorted in the medium from acidic to neutral then to alkaline. Dissolution curve is similar in the acidic and neutral medium. Changxiong powder dissolves out fast and completely in the alkaline medium.

Objective To evaluate clinical the effects and significance of the occurence and development of varies intervention on control of acute lung injury(ALI)in clinical practice.Methods Sixty-nine ALI patients were randomly divided into three groups:traditional ventilation therapy group(n=17),low dose ulinastatin intervention with traditional ventilation therapy group(n=24)and high dose ulinastatin intervention in lung protective ventilation therapy group(n=28).We compared the changes of pneumodynamics,arterial blood gas and hemodynamics among these groups.Resident time in ICU,time course of mechanical ventilation and mortality of these groups were also compared.Results Large dose ulinastatin intervention in lung protective ventilation therapy group had further improved influence on pneumodynamics,arterial blood gas and puhnonary oxygenation than other groups(P＜0.05)and no mechanical ventilation induced lung injury was found in the group.There were no obvious differences in pneumodynamics,arterial blood gas and pulmonary oxygenation between the other two groups(P＞0.05).Lung injuries induced by mechanical ventilation were all observed in these two groups.There were no obvious differences in hemodynamics among the three groups(P＞0.05).Conclusions Large dose ulinastatin intervention in lung protective ventilation can improve pneumodynamics,arterial blood gas and pulmonary oxygenation of ALI patients.It could decrease the incidence of ventilator induced lung injury(VILI).The treatment should been applied prospectively in clinical practice.