Extraction,Isolation and Characterization of Bioactive Compounds from Artemisia and Their Biological Significance: A Review

Diverse medicinal plants such as those from the genus Artemisia have been employed globally for centuries by individuals belonging to different cultures. Universally, Artemisia species have been used to remedy various maladies that range from simple fevers to malaria. A survey conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) demonstrated that 80% of the global population is highly reliant on herbal medicine for their primary healthcare. WHO recommends artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACT) for the treatment of global diseases such as malaria. Artemisinin is a bioactive compound derived from Artemisia annua leaves. It is a sesquiterpene endoperoxide with potent antimalarial properties. This review strives to instill natural products to chemists and others in diverse fields with a heterogeneous set of knowledge compiled from multifaceted researchers and organizations in literature. In particular, the various Artemisia species and effective extraction, isolation, and characterization methodologies are discussed in detail. An in-depth investigation into the literature reveals that divergent species of Artemisia exhibit a vast array of biological activities such as antimalarial, antitumor, and anti-inflammatory activities. There is substantial potential for bioactive compounds from Artemisia to provide significant relief from differing human ailments, but more meticulous research in this field is needed.     

Green Extraction Techniques as Advanced Sample Preparation Approaches in Biological,Food, and Environmental Matrices: A Review

Green extraction techniques (GreETs) emerged in the last decade as greener and sustainable alternatives to classical sample preparation procedures aiming to improve the selectivity and sensitivity of analytical methods, simultaneously reducing the deleterious side effects of classical extraction techniques (CETs) for both the operator and the environment. The implementation of improved processes that overcome the main constraints of classical methods in terms of efficiency and ability to minimize or eliminate the use and generation of harmful substances will promote more efficient use of energy and resources in close association with the principles supporting the concept of green chemistry. The current review aims to update the state of the art of some cutting-edge GreETs developed and implemented in recent years focusing on the improvement of the main analytical features, practical aspects, and relevant applications in the biological, food, and environmental fields. Approaches to improve and accelerate the extraction efficiency and to lower solvent consumption, including sorbent-based techniques, such as solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and fabric-phase sorbent extraction (FPSE), and solvent-based techniques (μQuEChERS; micro quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe), ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), in addition to supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and pressurized solvent extraction (PSE), are highlighted.     

Natural Ingredients from Medicine Food Homology as Chemopreventive Reagents against Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus by Modulating Gut Microbiota Homoeostasis

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a noteworthy worldwide public health problem. It represents a complex metabolic disorder, mainly characterized as hyperglycemia and lipid dysfunction. The gut microbiota dysbiosis has been proposed to play a role in the development of diabetes. Recently, there has been considerable interest in the use of medicine food homology (MFH) and functional food herbs (FF) to ameliorate diabetes and lead to a natural and healthy life. Hence, this review compiles some reports and findings to demonstrate that the practical use of the MFH/FF can modulate the homoeostasis of gut microbiota, thereby ameliorating the development of T2DM. The results provided useful data to support further investigation of the functional basis and application of MFH/FF to treat T2DM through maintaining intestinal homeostasis.     

A Review on Preparation of Betulinic Acid and Its Biological Activities

Betulinic acid, a pentacyclic triterpene, is distributed in a variety of plants, such as birch, eucalyptus and plane trees. It shows a wide spectrum of biological and pharmacological properties, such as anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, antidiabetic, antimalarial, anti-HIV and antitumor effects. Among them, the antitumor activity of betulinic acid has been extensively studied. However, obtaining betulinic acid from natural resources can no longer meet the needs of medicine and nutrition, so methods such as chemical synthesis and microbial biotransformation have also been used to prepare betulinic acid. At the same time, with the development of synthetic biology and genetic engineering, and the elucidation of the biosynthetic pathways of terpenoid, the biosynthesis of betulinic acid has also been extensively researched. This article reviews the preparation of betulinic acid and its pharmacological activities, in order to provide a reference for the research and utilization of betulinic acid.     

Comparisons of Isolation Methods,Structural Features,and Bioactivities of the Polysaccharides from Three Common Panax Species: A Review of Recent Progress

Panax spp. (Araliaceae family) are widely used medicinal plants and they mainly include Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer, Panax quinquefolium L. (American ginseng), and Panax notoginseng (notoginseng). Polysaccharides are the main active ingredients in these plants and have demonstrated diverse pharmacological functions, but comparisons of isolation methods, structural features, and bioactivities of these polysaccharides have not yet been reported. This review summarizes recent advances associated with 112 polysaccharides from ginseng, 25 polysaccharides from American ginseng, and 36 polysaccharides from notoginseng and it compares the differences in extraction, purification, structural features, and bioactivities. Most studies focus on ginseng polysaccharides and comparisons are typically made with the polysaccharides from American ginseng and notoginseng. For the extraction, purification, and structural analysis, the processes are similar for the polysaccharides from the three Panax species. Previous studies determined that 55 polysaccharides from ginseng, 18 polysaccharides from American ginseng, and 9 polysaccharides from notoginseng exhibited anti-tumor activity, immunoregulatory effects, anti-oxidant activity, and other pharmacological functions, which are mediated by multiple signaling pathways, including mitogen-activated protein kinase, nuclear factor kappa B, or redox balance pathways. This review can provide new insights into the similarities and differences among the polysaccharides from the three Panax species, which can facilitate and guide further studies to explore the medicinal properties of the Araliaceae family used in traditional Chinese medicine.     

The Biological Activities and Therapeutic Potentials of Baicalein Extracted from Oroxylum indicum: A Systematic Review

In Southeast Asia, traditional medicine has a longestablished history and plays an important role in the health care system. Various traditional medicinal plants have been used to treat diseases since ancient times and much of this traditional knowledge remains preserved today. Oroxylum indicum (beko plant) is one of the medicinal herb plants that is widely distributed throughout Asia. It is a versatile plant and almost every part of the plant is reported to possess a wide range of pharmacological activities. Many of the important bioactivities of this medicinal plant is related to the most abundant bioactive constituent found in this plant—the baicalein. Nonetheless, there is still no systematic review to report and vindicate the biological activities and therapeutic potential of baicalein extracted from O. indicum to treat human diseases. In this review, we aimed to systematically present in vivo and in vitro studies searched from PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus and Google Scholar database up to 31 March 2020 based on keywords “Oroxylum indicum” and “baicalein”. After an initial screening of titles and abstracts, followed by a full-text analysis and validation, 20 articles that fulfilled all the inclusion and exclusion criteria were included in this systematic review. The searched data comprehensively reported the biological activities and therapeutic potential of baicalein originating from the O. indicum plant for anti-cancer, antibacterial, anti-hyperglycemia, neurogenesis, cardioprotective, anti-adipogenesis, anti-inflammatory and wound healing effects. Nonetheless, we noticed that there was a scarcity of evidence on the efficacy of this natural active compound in human clinical studies. In conclusion, this systematic review article provides new insight into O. indicum and its active constituent baicalein as a prospective complementary therapy from the perspective of modern and scientific aspect. We indicate the potential of this natural product to be developed into more conscientious and judicious evidencebased medicine in the future. However, we also recommend more clinical research to confirm the efficacy and safety of baicalein as therapeutic medicine for patients.     

3-（5-H/CH3-苯并咪唑-2-亚甲硫基）-5-取代-[1,2,4]三唑-4-胺衍生物的合成、结构和生物活性

利用3-巯基-4-氨基-5-取代-1,2,4-三唑和2-氯甲基-5-取代-苯并咪唑在氢氧化钠溶液中反应,得到17个3-(5-H/CH3-苯并咪唑-2-亚甲硫基)-5-取代-[1,2,4]三唑-4-胺衍生物.所有目标化合物经元素分析、红外光谱、核磁共振氢谱确定结构;采用溶液法得到化合物3f与Co2+形成的配合物,通过X射线单晶衍射确定结构.初步的生物活性测试结果表明,所合成的化合物对小麦芽鞘和绿豆发芽有着较好的生长调节作用;化合物3d,3i对金黄色葡萄球菌具有一定的抑制作用.     

Flavanols from Nature: A Phytochemistry and Biological Activity Review

Flavanols, a common class of secondary plant metabolites, exhibit several beneficial health properties by acting as antioxidant, anticarcinogen, cardioprotective, anti-microbial, anti-viral, and neuroprotective agents. Furthermore, some flavanols are considered functional ingredients in dairy products. Based on their structural features and health-promoting functions, flavanols have gained the attention of pharmacologists and botanists worldwide. This review collects and summarizes 121 flavanols comprising four categories: flavan-3-ols, flavan-4-ols, isoflavan-4-ols, and flavan-3,4-ols. The research of the various structural features and pharmacological activities of flavanols and their derivatives aims to lay the groundwork for subsequent research and expect to provide mentality and inspiration for the research. The current study provides a starting point for further research and development.     

Water-Soluble Polysaccharides from Narcissus poeticus and Their Biological Activity

A homogeneous native acetylated glucomannan of molecular weight 32000 was isolated from bulbs of N. poeticus. A linear chain polymer consisting of -14-bound D-manno- and D-glucopyranoses was found using periodate and chromic oxidation and methylation. The glucomannan has low toxicity and exhibits distinct hypolipidemic activity.     

Isolation,Purification, and Antioxidant Activities of Polysaccharides from Choerospondias axillaris Leaves

The extraction, characterization and antioxidant activity of polysaccharides from Choerospondias axillaris leaves were investigated in the present study. Two purified polysaccharide fractions, CALP-1 and CALP-2, were isolated from crude Choerospondias axillaris leaf polysaccharides (CALP) by DEAE-52 cellulose chromatography and Sephadex G-100 column chromatography. The characteristics of CAL-1 and CALP-2 were determined by using High-performance Gel Permeation Chromatography (HPGPC), High-Performance Anion-Exchange Chromatography, HPAEC (HPAEC-PAD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). CALP-1 with molecular weight of 11.20 KDa was comprised of Rhamnose, Arabinose, Galactose, Glucose, Xylose, Mannose and galacturonic acid in a molar ratio of 5.16:2.31:5.50:27.18:1.00:0.76:1.07. CAL-2 with molecular weight of 8.03 KDa consisted of Rhamnose, Arabinose, Galactose, Glucose, and galacturonic acid at a ratio of 1.38:3.63:18.84:8.28:1.45. FTIR revealed that CALP-1 and CALP-2 were acidic polysaccharides. The antioxidant activity of crude CALP, CALP-1 and CALP-2 was evaluated in vitro. The fraction CALP-2 was demonstrated to be of polysaccharide nature containing a large percentage of Galactose but no Xylose and Mannose. The antioxidant activity assays showed that CALP-1 and CALP-2 exhibited antioxidant and scavenging activities on hydroxyl and DPPH radicals in vitro. Compared with pure polysaccharide, crude CALP exhibited stronger anti-oxidant activities. These results will provide a better understanding of Choerospondias axillaris leaf polysaccharide and promote the potential applications of Choerospondias axillaris leaf polysaccharide in the pharmacological field and as a natural antioxidant.     

Hepatoprotective Polysaccharides from Geranium wilfordii: Purification,Structural Characterization,and Their Mechanism

Traditional Chinese Medicine is generally used as a decoction to guard health. Many active ingredients in the decoction are chemical ingredients that are not usually paid attention to in phytochemical research, such as polysaccharides, etc. Based on research interest in Chinese herbal decoction, crude polysaccharides from G. wilfordii (GCP) were purified to obtain two relatively homogeneous polysaccharides, a neutral polysaccharide (GNP), and an acid polysaccharide (GAP) by various chromatographic separation methods, which were initially characterized by GC-MS, NMR, IR, and methylation analysis. Studies on the hepatoprotective activity of GCP in vivo showed that GCP might be a potential agent for the prevention and treatment of acute liver injury by inhibiting the secretion levels of ALT, AST, IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, and MDA expression levels, increasing SOD, and the GSH-Px activity value. Further, in vitro assays, GNP and GAP, decrease the inflammatory response by inhibiting the secretion of IL-6 and TNF-α, involved in the STAT1/T-bet signaling pathway.     

3-芳亚甲基联氨羰基-5-(对位取代苯基)-吡唑衍生物的 合成、结构和生物活性

以4-取代苯乙酮及草酸二乙酯为起始原料, 设计合成了20个新的3-芳亚甲基联氨羰基-5-(对位取代苯基)-吡唑衍生物, 产率较高. 所合成的化合物经元素分析, IR, 1H NMR对其结构进行了表征, 化合物4b, 4h还通过X-ray单晶衍射进一步确证了其结构. 初步生物活性实验结果表明, 所合成的化合物对绿豆发芽过程有着较好的生长调节作用.     

Isolation,Structural Characterization,and Hypoglycemic Activities In Vitro of Polysaccharides from Pleurotus eryngii

Pleurotus eryngii (PE) is an edible mushroom with high nutritional value. Pleurotus eryngii polysaccharides (PEPs) are one of the main active ingredients and manifest a great variety of biological activities. This study mainly focused on the chemical characterization and biological activities of PEPs, which were separated into two fractions (named WPS and P-1). WPS is mainly dominated by β-glycosidic bonds and contains α-glycosidic bonds, and P-1 only contains α-glycosidic bonds. The molecular weights of WPS and P-1 were 4.5 × 10⁵ Da and 2.2 × 10⁴ Da. The result of GC indicated that two the fractions were composed of rhamnose, arabinose, xylose, mannose, glucose, and galactose, with a ratio of 0.35:0.24:0.45:0.24:28.78:1.10 for WPS and 0.95:0.64:0.66:1.84:60.69:0.67 for P-1. The advanced structure studies indicated that the two fractions had no triple-helical structure, where WPS had a dense structure and P-1 had a loose structure. In addition, the antioxidant activity of WPS surpassed P-1, and the two fractions also exhibited a high hypoglycemic activity via inhibiting α-glycosidase activities and promoting the expression of PI3K-AKT signaling pathway based on in vitro assay and cell experiments.     

黄姜中薯蓣皂甙元的提取、纯化及其鉴定

以湖南浏阳的盾叶薯蓣为实验材料,从发酵时间、水解时间、抽提物的pH值、回流时间对盾叶薯蓣皂甙元提取率的影响进行了研究。结果表明,发酵时间24h,水解4h,回流时间为5h,抽提物pH值近中性时可获得最佳提取率。用硅胶层析加重结晶的方法对薯蓣皂甙元粗品进行了提纯,并对纯品的结构进行了初步鉴定。     

固相萃取-高效液相色谱法测定中药制剂及保健食品中芍药苷

应用固相萃取-高效液相色谱法测定中药制剂及保健食品中芍药苷的含量。样品经30%(体积分数)乙醇溶液提取,酸性氧化铝固相萃取柱净化。以C18色谱柱为分离柱,用乙腈和0.1%(体积分数)磷酸溶液以不同比例混合的溶液为流动相进行梯度洗脱,在检测波长230nm处进行测定。芍药苷的质量浓度在2.00~200mg·L-1范围内与其峰面积呈线性关系,方法的检出限(3S/N)为0.5mg·L-1。加标回收率在99.5%~101%之间,测定值的相对标准偏差(n=6)在均小于2%。     

A Review on the Extraction,Bioactivity, and Application of Tea Polysaccharides

Tea is a non-alcoholic drink containing various active ingredients, including tea polysaccharides (TPSs). TPSs have various biological activities, such as antioxidant, anti-tumor, hypoglycemic, and anti-cancer activities. However, TPSs have a complex composition, which significantly limits the extraction and isolation methods, thus limiting their application. This paper provides insight into the composition, methodological techniques for isolation and extraction of the components, biological activities, and functions of TPSs, as well as their application prospects.     

Trends and Technological Advancements in the Possible Food Applications of Spirulina and Their Health Benefits: A Review

Spirulina is a kind of blue-green algae (BGA) that is multicellular, filamentous, and prokaryotic. It is also known as a cyanobacterium. It is classified within the phylum known as blue-green algae. Despite the fact that it includes a high concentration of nutrients, such as proteins, vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids—in particular, the necessary omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids—the percentage of total fat and cholesterol that can be found in these algae is substantially lower when compared to other food sources. This is the case even if the percentage of total fat that can be found in these algae is also significantly lower. In addition to this, spirulina has a high concentration of bioactive compounds, such as phenols, phycocyanin pigment, and polysaccharides, which all take part in a number of biological activities, such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. As a result of this, spirulina has found its way into the formulation of a great number of medicinal foods, functional foods, and nutritional supplements. Therefore, this article makes an effort to shed light on spirulina, its nutritional value as a result of its chemical composition, and its applications to some food product formulations, such as dairy products, snacks, cookies, and pasta, that are necessary at an industrial level in the food industry all over the world. In addition, this article supports the idea of incorporating it into the food sector, both from a nutritional and health perspective, as it offers numerous advantages.     

Subcritical Water Enhanced with Deep Eutectic Solvent for Extracting Polysaccharides from Lentinus edodes and Their Antioxidant Activities

In the present study, subcritical water extraction (SWE) assisted with deep eutectic solvent (DES) is used to extract Lentinus edodes polysaccharides (LEP). In addition, the antioxidant activity of the polysaccharide samples was also investigated. Based on a single factor test and response surface test, the optimal extraction factors were a liquid–solid solvent of 40:1 mL/g, extraction temperature of 147.23 °C, water content of 39.76% and extraction time of 17.58 min. Under these extraction conditions, the yield of LEP was 6.26 ± 0.08%. Compared with the SWE and hot water extraction (HWE), it improved by 19.24% and 17.01%, respectively. In addition, the results of monosaccharide composition, molecular weight, FT-IR, UV and SEM confirmed that the extracts had the features of polysaccharides. Interestingly, the polysaccharides obtained with the SWE assisted with the DES procedure showed a higher DPPH scavenging activity, hydroxyl radical scavenging activity and hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity, which indicated that the polysaccharides with this method had a stronger antioxidant activity. These findings demonstrated that the SWE-assisted DES is a strong method to obtain polysaccharides from Lentinus edodes for food, biopharmaceutical and other industrial production.     

新型呋喃基Schiff碱衍生物的合成、结构和生物活性

席夫碱类化合物具有独特的抗癌、抗菌、抗病毒等生物活性.以多羟烷基呋喃化合物为原料经氧化、脱水得到α,β-不饱和醛,活泼的醛羰基进一步与苯胺类化合物缩合得到8个新的呋喃基Schiff碱化合物,并对合成的化合物进行了初步的生物活性测试.