To determine the active components within the compound preparation of Ziziphi Spinosae Semen-Schisandrae Sphenantherae Fructus, the approaches of network pharmacology and molecular docking were employed. Standards for evaluation were established according to the content measurement guidelines specified for both herbs in the 2020 Chinese Pharmacopoeia. The comprehensive score, serving as the process evaluation index, was calculated using weight coefficients for each component, determined through the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The Box-Behnken method was utilized to enhance and optimize the ethanol extraction procedure for Ziziphi Spinosae Semen-Schisandrae Sphenantherae Fructus. The drug pair, Ziziphi Spinosae Semen-Schisandrae Sphenantherae Fructus, was analyzed to isolate the constituent components, including spinosin, jujuboside A, jujuboside B, schisandrin, schisandrol, schisandrin A, and schisandrin B. Utilizing network pharmacology and molecular docking, evaluation parameters for the process were determined, leading to a stable optimized process, providing a foundation for the production of Ziziphi Spinosae Semen and Schisandrae Sphenantherae Fructus preparations.
This research sought to clarify the processing mechanism of hawthorn, specifically how crude and stir-baked varieties contribute to spleen invigorating and digestive promotion, using a partial least squares (PLS) algorithm to build a spectrum-effect relationship model. Separately, polar fractions of hawthorn crude extracts and stir-baked hawthorn aqueous extracts were isolated, followed by the preparation of combinations of these fractions. To determine the 24 chemical components, ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was subsequently used. Gastric emptying and small intestinal propulsion rates were assessed to evaluate the effects of various polar fractions of crude hawthorn, stir-baked hawthorn aqueous extracts, and combinations of these fractions. The PLS algorithm, in the end, was utilized to formulate the spectrum-effect relationship model. VX-745 datasheet The results indicated considerable disparities in the levels of 24 chemical components within different polar fractions of both raw and stir-baked hawthorn aqueous extracts and their blended forms. Consequently, administering various polar fractions, as well as their combinations, led to improvements in gastric emptying and small intestinal transit in the test rats. In crude hawthorn, bioactive components identified by PLS models include vitexin-4-O-glucoside, vitexin-2-O-rhamnoside, neochlorogenic acid, rutin, gallic acid, vanillic acid, citric acid, malic acid, quinic acid, and fumaric acid. Stir-baked hawthorn's bioactive components comprised neochlorogenic acid, cryptochlorogenic acid, rutin, gallic acid, vanillic acid, citric acid, quinic acid, and fumaric acid. Through the analysis presented in this study, the bioactive constituents of raw and stir-baked hawthorn were identified, alongside a clearer picture of the processing mechanisms involved.
The present research investigated the impact of lime water immersion on lectin protein toxicity within Pinelliae Rhizoma Praeparatum, exploring the scientific significance of lime water's detoxifying properties during the preparation process. The effects of immersion in lime water (pH 10, 11, and 124), saturated sodium hydroxide, and sodium bicarbonate solutions on the quantity of lectin protein were investigated using the Western blot method. The protein profiles in the supernatant and precipitate were characterized following the immersion of lectin protein in lime water of differing pH, using a combined approach of SDS-PAGE and silver staining techniques. Employing MALDI-TOF-MS/MS analysis, the molecular weight distribution of peptide fragments in the supernatant and precipitate fractions was determined subsequent to immersing lectin protein in lime water with varying pH values. The secondary structure ratio alterations in the lectin protein throughout the immersion process were evaluated by circular dichroism spectroscopy. The experimental results demonstrated a considerable reduction in lectin protein when samples were immersed in lime water with a pH greater than 12, accompanied by a saturated sodium hydroxide solution; conversely, identical immersion in lime water with a pH lower than 12 and sodium bicarbonate solution had no notable effect on lectin protein. Treatment of the lectin protein with lime water at a pH above 12 caused the absence of 12 kDa lectin protein bands and molecular ion peaks in both supernatant and precipitate fractions. This was attributed to the significant disruption of the secondary structure, leading to irreversible denaturation. Treatments at a lower pH did not produce any detectable change in the lectin's secondary structure. Consequently, a pH exceeding 12 was the crucial determinant for the detoxification of lime water during the preparation of Pinelliae Rhizoma Praeparatum. Irreversible denaturation of lectin proteins within *Pinelliae Rhizoma Praeparatum*, triggered by lime water immersion at a pH above 12, could lead to a significant reduction in its inflammatory toxicity, a vital component in detoxification.
The WRKY transcription factor family significantly influences plant growth and development, secondary metabolite production, and responses to both biotic and abiotic stresses. Employing the PacBio SMRT high-throughput platform, the present study performed full-length transcriptome sequencing on Polygonatum cyrtonema, leading to the identification of the WRKY family through bioinformatics analysis. The analysis further encompassed an examination of its physicochemical properties, subcellular localization, evolutionary history, and conserved sequence motifs. Redundancy reduction in the data resulted in the identification of 3069 gigabases of nucleotide bases and 89,564 transcripts. 2,060 base pairs was the mean length of the transcripts, with an N50 value of 3,156 base pairs. Comprehensive transcriptome sequencing resulted in the selection of 64 candidate WRKY transcription factors, displaying protein sizes varying between 92 and 1027 amino acids, relative molecular masses ranging from 10377.85 to 115779.48 kDa, and isoelectric points spanning 4.49 to 9.84. Within the nucleus, the WRKY family members were prominently found, and they were hydrophobic proteins. The phylogenetic analysis of the WRKY family in *P. cyrtonema* and *Arabidopsis thaliana* separated the members into seven subfamilies, with the *P. cyrtonema* WRKY proteins showing variable and uneven representation within each of them. A confirmation of expression patterns showed 40 WRKY family members exhibiting unique expression profiles in the rhizomes of one-year-old and three-year-old P. cyrtonema. In the three-year-old samples, the expression levels of 38 of the 39 WRKY family members were down-regulated, with only PcWRKY39 remaining unaffected. This research, in its ultimate conclusion, provides a large quantity of reference data for genetic study on *P. cyrtonema*, which sets a precedent for a deeper dive into the biological functions of the WRKY protein family.
Aimed at understanding the structure of the terpene synthase (TPS) gene family in Gynostemma pentaphyllum and its influence on tolerance to abiotic factors, this study investigates its composition. VX-745 datasheet Utilizing bioinformatics approaches, the G. pentaphyllum TPS gene family was comprehensively identified and analyzed at the genome-wide level, and the expression of these family members was investigated in diverse G. pentaphyllum tissues and under various abiotic stress situations. G. pentaphyllum's TPS gene family comprised 24 members, and their protein products demonstrated a length range of 294 to 842 amino acids. On the 11 chromosomes of G. pentaphyllum, all elements were situated either in the cytoplasm or chloroplasts, exhibiting an uneven distribution. According to the phylogenetic tree's structure, the members of the G. pentaphyllum TPS gene family could be sorted into five subfamilies. The analysis of cis-acting elements in the promoters of TPS genes within G. pentaphyllum suggested a potential for a diverse range of responses to abiotic stresses, such as salt, cold, and darkness. The expression profiles of nine TPS genes were found to be tissue-specific in G. pentaphyllum across different tissues. Through qPCR, it was observed that the GpTPS16, GpTPS17, and GpTPS21 genes displayed varying degrees of response to different types of abiotic stress conditions. G. pentaphyllum TPS genes' biological functions under environmental stress will be further investigated with the help of the references generated by this anticipated research.
REIMS analysis, combined with machine learning techniques, was employed to investigate the unique spectral signatures of 388 Pulsatilla chinensis (PC) root samples and their common counterfeits: roots of P. cernua and Anemone tomentosa. The samples were analyzed using REIMS, involving dry burning, and the resulting REIMS data was subjected to cluster analysis, similarity analysis (SA), and principal component analysis (PCA). VX-745 datasheet Dimensionality reduction, achieved through principal component analysis (PCA), paved the way for similarity analysis and self-organizing map (SOM) application on the data, followed by the modeling process. Based on the results, the REIMS fingerprints of the samples exhibited features associated with varietal distinctions, and the SOM model successfully classified PC, P. cernua, and A. tomentosa. Traditional Chinese medicine benefits from the broad application potential of Reims coupled with machine learning algorithms.
Understanding how habitat variation affects Cynomorium songaricum, this study examined 25 samples from different Chinese habitats. The concentration of 8 crucial active components and 12 mineral elements in each sample was determined. Analyses of diversity, correlations, principal components, and clusters were conducted. The investigation indicated a high degree of genetic variation in C. songaricum regarding total flavonoids, ursolic acid, ether extract, the presence of potassium (K), phosphorus (P), and zinc (Zn).