The leaves of sea buckthorn(Hippophae rhamnoides), considered as common food raw materials, have records of medicinal use and diverse pharmacological activities, showing a potential medicinal value. However, the active substances in the sea buckthorn leaves and their mechanisms of action remain unclear. In addition, due to the extensive source and large variety variations, the quality evaluation criteria of sea buckthorn leaves remain to be developed. To solve the problems, this study predicted the main active components, core targets, key pathways, and potential pharmacological effects of sea buckthorn leaves by network pharmacology and molecular docking. Furthermore, ultra-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection(UPLC-DAD) was employed to determine the content of active components and establish the chemical fingerprint, on the basis of which the quality markers of sea buckthorn leaves were predicted and then verified by the enzyme activity inhibition method. The results indicated that sea buckthorn leaves had potential therapeutic effects on a variety of digestive tract diseases, metabolic diseases, tumors, and autoimmune diseases, which were consistent with the ancient records and the results of modern pharmacological studies. The core targets of sea buckthorn leaves included PTPN11, AKT1, PIK3R1, ESR1, and SRC, which were mainly involved in the PI3K-AKT, MAPK, and HIF-1 signaling pathways. In conclusion, the active components of sea buckthorn leaves are associated with the rich flavonoids and tannins, among which quercitrin, narcissoside, and ellagic acid can be used as the quality markers of sea buckthorn leaves. The findings provide a reference for the quality control and further development and utilization of sea buckthorn leaves as medicinal materials.
Hippophae/chemistry* ; Network Pharmacology ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism* ; Flavonoids/analysis* ; Fruit/chemistry*

The Solanaceae plants distributed in China belong to 105 species and 35 varietas of 24 genera. Some medicinal plants of Solanaceae are rich in tropane alkaloids(TAs), which have significant pharmacological activities. In this paper, the geographical distribution, chemical components, traditional therapeutic effect, pharmacological activities, and biosynthetic pathways of TAs in Solanaceous plants were summarized. Besides, the phylogeny of medicinal plants belonging to Solanaceae was visualized by network diagram. Fourteen genera of Solanaceae plants in China contain TAs and have medical records. TAs mainly exist in Datura, Anisodus, Atropa, Physochlaina, and Hyoscyamus. The TAs-containing species were mainly concentrated in Southwest China, and the content of TAs was closely related to plant distribution area and altitude. The Solanaceae plants containing TAs mainly have antispasmodic, analgesic, antiasthmatic, and antitussive effects. Modern pharmacological studies have proved the central sedative, pupil dilating, glandular secretion-inhibiting, and anti-asthma activities of TAs. These pharmacological activities provide a reasonable explanation for the traditional therapeutic efficacy of tropane drugs. In this paper, the geographical distribution, chemical components, traditional therapeutic effect, and modern pharmacological activities of TAs-containing species in Solanaceae were analyzed for the first time. Based on these data, the genetic relationship of TAs-containing Solanaceae species was preliminarily discussed, which provided a scientific basis for the basic research on TAs-containing solanaceous species and was of great significance for the development of natural medicinal plant resources containing TAs.
Biosynthetic Pathways ; Phylogeny ; Plants, Medicinal ; Solanaceae/genetics* ; Tropanes

Objective To investigate the antibody levels against diphtheria among healthy population in Jiading District of Shanghai, and to make evaluation of the effect of diphtheria toxoid vaccination strategy. Methods Serum samples were collected from healthy population in Jiading District of Shanghai in 2010-2013.Antibody against diphtheria was tested by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).Geometric mean titer (GMT) of diphtheria antibody was compared between different population characteristics. Results A total of 1 029 serum samples were collected from the healthy population.With 1 003 of 1 029 diphtheria antibody titer of IgG (over 0.01 IU/mL), the positive rate was 97.47%, reaching the level of security protection (over 0.1 IU/mL) that accounted for 70.36%, and achieving the long-term protection level (over 1 IU/mL) that accounted for 35.57%;IgG GMT 0.325 IU/mL.There was significant difference in the positive rates and antibody levels between city residents and floating population in the field of diphtheria antibodies (χ²=4.708, P < 0.05;t=2.787, P < 0.05).There were statistically significant differences between different age groups in diphtheria antibody positive rates (χ²=30.262, P < 0.001) and statistically significant differences in GMT diphtheria antibody levels between different age groups (F=99.500, P < 0.001), GMT ranged in 0.029 IU/mL (30 years age group)~1.526 IU/mL (5 years age group). Conclusion The investigation of diphtheria antibody levels in Shanghai Jiading District truly reflects the effect of routine diphtheria immunization in Jiading District.DT (diphtheria & tetanus) vaccination for third grade junior is effective.We suggest a booster dose of diphtheria-containing vaccine for adolescents or adults so as to maintain immune levels.

Background: The effect and mechanism of Saccharomyces boulardii (Sb) in inflammatory bowel disease are unclear. The objective of the study was to evaluate the impact of Sb on intestinal mucosal barrier and intestinal flora in a colitis mouse model. Methods: Forty C57BL/6J male mice were randomly assigned to five groups: normal control group (A), pathologic control group (B), Sb treatment group (C), mesalazine treatment group (D), and Sb combined with mesalazine treatment group (E). Colitis was induced by the addition of 2.5% (wt/vol) dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) in the drinking water ad libitum for 7 days. The general condition, weight change, stool property, and bloody stool level of mice were observed to evaluate the disease activity index. The expression of zona occludens-1 (ZO-1) and occludin in intestinal tissue were measured by immunohistochemistry. The level of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin (IL)-8 in plasma was measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Inter-cellular tight junctions were observed by transmission electron microscopy. The feces and intestinal contents were collected sterilely, and intestinal flora was analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing. Results: Compared with group B, Sb reduced the disease activity index and histological score of group C (disease activity index: group B 2.708 ± 0.628, group C 1.542 ± 0.616, P_BC = 0.005; histological score: group B 9.875 ± 3.271, group C 4.750 ± 1.832, P_BC = 0.005) in DSS-induced colitis in mice. Sb exerted a protect effect on the expression of ZO-1 (group B 2.075 ± 1.176, group C 4.225 ± 1.316, P_BC = 0.019) and occludin (group B 2.200 ± 0.968, group C 3.525 ± 1.047, P_BC = 0.023). Compared with group B, Sb decreased the level of TNF-α and IL-8 of group C (TNF-α: group B 716.323 ± 44.691 ng/L, group C 521.740 ± 90.121 ng/L, P_BC = 0.001; IL-8: group B 128.992 ± 11.475 pg/mL, group C 106.283 ± 15.906 pg/mL, P_BC = 0.012). Treatment with Sb preserved the tight junctions and ameliorated microvilli and inter-cellular space. Treatment with Sb also showed its own characteristics: a higher percentage of Bacteroidetes and a lower percentage of Firmicutes, with significant differences or a significant trend. The proportion of the S24-7 family was increased significantly in the Sb treatment group. Conclusions Sb shows an anti-inflammatory effect and has a protective effect on the intestinal mucosal mechanical barrier. Sb may up-regulate the abundance of family S24-7 specifically, and maybe a mechanism underlying its function.

As an important herbaceous plant, Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (Chinese skullcap) is geographically widespread and commonly used throughout the world. In the Chinese medicine market, S. baicalensis has been divided into two primary types, "Ku Qin" (WXR) and "Tiao Qin" (TST). Moreover, TST is also divided into different grades according to the diameter of roots. To explore the distribution patterns of the contents of five biologically activate ingredients (FBAI), we used six-year-old cultivated S. baicalensis and analyzed its growth characteristics as well as the quality difference among different types and diameters in roots. Throughout the entire root, we discovered that contents of the FBAI all initially increased and subsequently decreased from the top to the bottom of the roots. The baicalin content of WXR was less than that of TST. On the contrary, the contents of baicalein, wogonin, and oroxylin A in WXR were up to about two times higher than that in TST. We also found that the 0 to 40 cm part of the S. baicalensis root possessed about 87% of the root biomass and about 92% of the contents of the active ingredients.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Flavanones ; analysis ; Flavonoids ; analysis ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Scutellaria baicalensis ; chemistry

Rheum tanguticum from the same area was divided into 8 types of variation according to the plant morphology, content differences of free anthraquinones, combined anthraquinones, double anthrone were studied. The results showed that the functional components of different variation types were significantly different. The average content of free anthraquinone combined anthraquinone was 2.10-6.71 and 15.43-22.04 mg•g⁻¹, respectively. The average content of sennoside A plus sennoside B was 32.88-42.36 mg•g⁻¹. There were significant differences among the difference of 10 kinds of active components, except for sennoside B and physcion glycoside. Interred with the content and proportion of functional components, type B and type E might be potential special medicinal germplasm for diarrhea attack product, type G and type H might be a potential special medicinal germplasm for clearing heat and detoxifing, type C and type F might be potential special medicinal germplasm for activating blood circulation to dissipate blood stasis, type A and type D might be potential special medicinal germplasm with anastaltic funtion. The conclusion laid the foundation for the directional cultivation of fine varieties of special purpose of rhubarb.

The seed of tree peony and herbaceous peony contained a variety of stilbenes which possess many pharmacological activities, such as antitumor, anti-inflammatory, allergy and neuraminidase inhibition. In order to develop and use peony seed resources, a simple and sensitive HPLC-DAD was developed for simultaneous determination of 10 stilbenes in peony samples, i.e.,suffruticosol A,suffruticosol B,suffruticosol C,trans-resveratrol,cis-ε-viniferin,trans-ε-viniferin,cis-suffruticosol D,cis-gnetin H,trans-suffruticosol D and trans-gnetin H. At the same time, the scavenging activity of DPPH free radicals was employed to evaluate their antioxidant effect. The results showed that the 10 stilbenes are mainly present in peony seed coat (total content of more than 16.7%) compared to peony seed kernel (total content less than 0.3%), and can be enriched in the extract of peony seed coat (total content of more than 75%) The extract of peony seed coat and 10 stilbenes exhibited significant antioxidant properties. This work provides a foundation for comprehensive utilization of the tree peony and herbaceous peony seed resources.

OBJECTIVETaxus species are highly valued for the production of taxol. Based on high-throughput sequenceing, EST-SSRs were explored and studied in the transcriptome of Taxus cuspidata.

METHODT cuspidata leaf cDNA was extracted and sequenced by 454 GS FLX Titanium. High-quality sequences were assembled using Newbler Assembler Software, which produced unique sequences. SSRs motif was explored using simple sequence repeat identification tool (Perl Script). Primers were designed using PRIMER3.

RESULTA total of 81 148 high-quality reads from the needles of T. cuspidata were produced using the Roche GS FLX Titanium system. A total of 20 557 unique sequences were obtained. There were 753 simple sequence repeat motifs identified. Primers of PCR were obtained for 519 EST-SSRs, randomly selected cloning sequencing revealed that 87.5% of ESTs were the same as the results of Sanger sequencing.

CONCLUSIONThe results provide the first EST-SSRs collection in Taxus and are essential for future efforts of gene discovery, functional genomics, and genome annotation in related species.

DNA Primers ; genetics ; Expressed Sequence Tags ; Gene Expression Profiling ; methods ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ; methods ; Microsatellite Repeats ; genetics ; Taxus ; genetics ; Transcriptome ; genetics

Computer Graphics ; Computer-Assisted Instruction ; Forensic Pathology ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Pathology ; education ; Pathology, Clinical ; Specimen Handling ; methods

Objective To detect and analyze the clusters of schistosomiasis on marshland and lake areas based on geographic information system (GIS) in 2008 and to provide suggestions for the development of integrated methodology on the detection of clusters on related diseases. Methods Moran' s I of global spatial autocorrelation, Getis-Ord Gi of local spatial autocorrelation and SaTScan were used to detect the schistosomiasis clusters based on GIS and comparison of the results for different methods were performed. Results Results from the global Moran' s I tests for all the marshland and lake areas related to the schistosomiasis were statistically significant (P＜0.05)and indicated spatial heterogeneity; the z-score outcomes as calculated by Getis-Ord Gi indicated high cluster that 50 clusters were categorized at the 0.05 significance level and the z-score of these 45 clusters were more than 0. Results of SaTScan statistics appeared the same as local spatial autocorrelation and almost showing the existence of 5 cluster areas. Conclusion The geographical distribution of clusters where schistosomiasis was prevalent showed that it was closely corresponded to the middle and lower Yangtse river and in particular, many clusters were located near the boundary of Hubei and Hunan province.