In this paper, the extraction conditions of water-soluble polysaccharide from Bletilla striata were optimized by response surface methodology. With the dried Bletilla striata as raw materials, phenol-sulfuric acid method as the method of polysaccharide extraction rate, polysaccharide extraction rate as an indicator, the optimum process conditions for polysaccharide extraction from Bletilla striata were obtained including liquid-solid ratio of 15 mg/mL, extraction temperature 90 °C, extraction time of 90 h, sample immersion time 90 min, and extraction 2 times, achieving the corresponding polysaccharide yield of 48.38%. The antioxidant assays in vitro revealed that the polysaccharides from Bletilla striata exhibited a slight scavenging activity for 1,1-diphenyl-2- picrylhydrazyl radicals and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical cations.

Hydroxychloroquine, a known antiviral metabolite of chloroquine, is increasingly used along with antibiotic azithromycin for the treatment of COVID-19 infection. In about one month, India, the world’s largest manufacturer, delivered the pharmaceutical ingredient for treating COVID-19 to over 50 countries. Coupled to azithromycin, the therapy is being used across the world both for patients staying at home at the early phase of symptoms, as well as for patients hospitalized. We summarize achievements as of late April 2020, review possible modes of action and suggest avenues for the quick scale-up of production of hydroxychloroquine.

Percutaneous penetration enhancers can regulate the transdermal absorption of drugs. Generally speaking, it can be divided into two categories: chemical synthesis and natural sources. Natural percutaneous penetration enhancers have the advantages of safety and mildness. This review summarizes the mechanism and characteristics of three kinds of percutaneous penetration enhancers and their combined application in transdermal drug delivery systems. The three different types of percutaneous penetration enhancers are fatty acids, alkaloids and terpenes. It is expected to provide considerations for the application research of percutaneous penetration enhancers rich in traditional Chinese medicines in transdermal drug delivery systems.

Bletilla striata (Thunb.) Reichb.f. is a species of genus Bletilla (Family Orchidaceae) and it is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine. Bletilla striata polysaccharides (BSPs) were extracted from the tuber of Bletilla striata. Herein, we reviewed the extraction and purification methods of BSPs, compared the advantages and disadvantages of different methods comprehensively, and analyzed molecular weights and structural characterization of BSPs systematically. In addition, we analyzed hemostasis, anti-oxidation, anti-aging and other functional activities of BSPs to provide scientific basis for further study of BSPs.

Fourteen arenecarbaldehyde 2-pyridinylhydrazone derivatives have been synthesized and evaluated for their cytotoxic potential against four cancer cell lines using the MTT assay. The products were characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and HRMS, and the cytotoxicity results were expressed as the concentration that induced 50% inhibition of cell growth (IC₅₀) in μM. The most active compound was 2-pyridinecarbaldehyde 2-pyridinylhydrazone, with an IC50 value of 0.96 μM, which displayed potent and selective activity against the human prostate cancer cell line, PC3, similar to the antineoplastic drug doxorubicin.

 

This study explores the inhibitory effect of triptolide on ovarian cancer cells through in vitro cell and in vivo animal model experiments. We use the CCK-8 survival rate experiment to determine appropriate concentration of triptolide and the type of cell line including SF9, HEK293, A2780 and Skov-3. Furthermore, the cell invasion and migration of A2780 and Skov-3 cells shows that triptolide had a strong inhibitory effect on ovarian cancer cell line. In addition, flow cytometry is used to detect the apoptosis and cycle of A2780 cells. The results prove that the proliferation of ovarian cancer cell lines is significantly inhibited by triptolide at a 200 nmol/L concentration. Finally, in vivo animal model shows a strong inhibitory effect of triptolide with a 200 nmol/L concentration on ovarian cancer. However, HE staining of animal liver, kidney and ovarian tissue section reveals that there is a stronger effect of 200 nmol/L triptolide on the damage of living organs coming from its toxicity. The result offers a chance for reasonable safety use of triptolide.

Fifteen compounds, including 11 flavonoids, 2 phenylethanoids and 2 phenylpropanoids, were isolated from the roots of Rhodiola rosea L. Among them, quercetin (1) and quercetin-3-O-β-D-glucoside (2) were afforded from the genus Rhodiola for the first time. All isolates were evaluated for their agitating activities on receptor 5-HT_2A and four compounds (12—15) showed obvious agitating activities, which were probably the main lipid-lowering active components of R. rosea L.

^{Nicotiana tabacum} L., well known as tobacco, could be not only used for raw materials of producing cigarettes, but also as a folk Chinese herbal medicine. This paper offers a systematic review of newly reported compounds from N. tabacum over the past four years covering the literatures from the beginning of 2017 through the end of 2020 and describes their structural diversities and bioactivities. A total of 46 natural compounds and 42 references were updated and compiles in this review, which may be of interest to pharmacognosists and natural products chemists.

Transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) is an ion channel involved in nociception. In addition, TRPA1 activation triggers an inflammatory response, which intensifies the sensation of pain. The role of TRPA1 in pain makes it an attractive target for painkiller drug design. The research on TRPA1 antagonists and agonists has increased in recent years with the focus on discovering novel and effective TRPA1 antagonists. This minireview describes some computational drug design methods that have been applied for examining TRPA1 and its ligands. So far, three ligand binding sites have been proposed for TRPA1. The binding of various ligands into TRPA1 has been explored with molecular docking and molecular dynamics. This is the first review that con-centrates on TRPA1 computational studies.

Triterpenoids exist commonly in the genus Ficus. Till now, ninety-seven triterpenes have been isolated from the genus Ficus. The bioactivities of five triterpenes including maslinic acid, oleanolic acid, lupeol, betulinic acid and ursolic acid have been studied extensively. Herein, we provide an overview of triterpenes in the genus Ficus and their various bioactivities.

Ixeris sonchifoia (Bge.) Hance is a famous traditional Chinese herb (TCH) for medicinal treatment and diet with wide distribution and rich resources. Flavonoids, triterpenoids and sesquiterpene lactones are the characteristic constituents of this TCH. Biological investigation on I. sonchifoia revealed the remarkable pharmacological activities of this herb for the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. This review summarized the phytochemical and biological progress of I. sonchifoia to provide a reference for further research and development of this TCH.

In our early screening process, songorine isolated from Aconitum brachypodum diels possessed prominent activity of inhibiting class B G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). For further study, a series of ester and carbonyl derivatives were synthesized and their potential inhibitory activities on class B GPCRs were also assayed by the Double Antibody Sandwich ELISA (DAS-ELISA) in vitro. Moreover, the structure-activity relationships (SARs) of songorine derivatives were discussed in detail. In this paper, the story behind this study was described.

Broussonetia papyrifera (B. papyrifera) is a deciduous tree of the genus Broussonetia of Mo-raceae. Its roots, stems, leaves, skins, fruits and seeds can be used as folk medicine. Modern technology research showed that the B. papyrifera was rich in flavonoids and triterpenoids, and its components exhibited anti-proliferation, antibacterial, anti-oxidation, cytotoxicity, enzyme inhibition and other activities. In this paper, we summarized the progress in the chemical constituents and bioactivities of B. papyrifera since 2000 to provide ideas for the medicinal development prospects of B. papyrifera.

In this paper, the surface of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) scaffold is modified to improve the hydrophilicity and cell adhesion behavior with silk fibroin (SF) grafting. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), Thermogravimetric (TG) and water contact angle analysis are performed to characterize the chemical structure, hydrophilicity and the morphology of UHMWPE/SF composites. The results show that SF can coat on the surface of UHMWPE scaffold, and the chromic acid etching is more conducive to SF deposition. After chrome-acid etching, both of the hydrophilicity and SF deposition on the surface of UHMWPE scaffold are improved, and the coating amount of SF is 10.31%. Furthermore, there is no obvious decrease in mechanical properties, which proves that SF on the surface of UHMWPE scaffold has no effect on its mechanical properties. The cell adhesion experiments on UHMWPE scaffold are evaluated and the maximum cell viability appears in PECrSFs, which means that the biocompatibility is the best. All results have clearly indicated that the surface modification on UHMWPE scaffold with SF is an effective way of producing a suitably hydrophilic surface for their applications in biomedicine.

The Xplorer Award is awarded by the Tencent Foundation for supporting research and development in mathematical physics, life sciences, astronomy and geosciences, new chemical materials, information electronics, energy and en-vironmental protection, advanced manufacturing, transporta-tion and construction technology, cutting-edge and cross-discip- linary technology. The Award winners, 50 sci-ence professionals aged below 45 with a full-time job in Mainland China each year, will receive 600,000 yuan annually for five consecutive years.

Education: Ph.D., South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Experience: Professor, Guizhou Medical University
Research Areas: Natural Medicinal Chemistry
Awards: Excellent Teaching Staff of Guizhou Medical University

Dendrobium has a long clinical usage history and diverse chemical compositions. The picrotoxane type alkaloid represented by dendrobine from Dendrobium species has antipyretic and anti-hypertensive activities. Since the 1930s, the study of dendrobine has made a huge progress, including many new reported picrotoxane type alkaloid compounds. In this article, some developments of picrotoxane type alkaloids in D. wardianum and D. findlayanum are described.

 

 

The protective effect of the polysaccharides on ethylene glycol induced kidney impairment has been explored. Polysaccharides have been extracted from Sargassum graminifolium, which belongs to brown algae. Three different doses of polysaccharides were used for rats with kidney stones by ethylene glycol feeding. Then, urinary biochemistry parameters, renal function factors including blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine (Scr) levels were detected. Besides, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) in kidney tissue were elevated, which belong to proinflammatory cytokines. Moreover, kidney histopathological sections were examined. The results illustrated that polysaccharides not only increased calcium level but also decreased oxalate, Scr, and BUN levels. In addition, the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were reduced. Moreover, renal micro-scopic analysis showed polysaccharides treatment alleviated observably calcium oxalate deposits in the kidney tissue. The results indicated that the renoprotective mechanism of SGP may be attributed to suppression of inflammation, reducing the growth of urinary stones and improving kidney function in vivo, which explained SGP through multiple ways to protect kidney cells from damaging of hyperoxaluria rats.

Osteoarthritis has been a common disease among elderly people, but there is not a solution clinically efficient for osteoarthritis. Therefore, tissue engineering has been developed in the field of cartilage regeneration. Tissue engineering has three basic elements: cell, scaffold and growth factor. An injectable scaffold, which can form a gel with original liquid form at the site of defect by injection, is an emerging scaffold for cartilage engineering. A scaffold can be composed of many materials such as natural materials, synthetic materials, composite materials, as well as hybrid materials. This paper reviews natural materials for cartilage regeneration.

Rhodotorula benthica is a unicellular yeast strain and presents widely in ocean with rich compositions of proteins, carotenoids, vitamins, digestive enzymes, and other biologically active substances. It has been applied in many fields including food, feed, medicine, and water industry. Rhodotorula species grow rapidly at 30 ℃ with coral pink, smooth, and moist to mucoid fettle, while the growth at 37 ℃ is variable. Rhodotorula species are strict aerobic yeasts with peculiarly metabolic characteristics. Rhodotorula produces urease and it has the inability to assimilate inositol and ferment sugars. Moreover, it is well known as a good source of carotenoids, proteins, essential amino-acids, digestive enzymes, lipids and vitamins. Rhodotorula benthica possesses a broad utilization prospect based on its metabolites, structures and bioactivities. This review summarizes some advances on the types, structures, and biological applications of the isolates from Rhodotorula glutinis.

 

Thrombus is a severe health problem all over the world, especially in developing countries. However, there is still no satisfactory antithrombotic therapeutic strategy. Currently, the clinical antithrombotic drugs suffer from several drawbacks such as high rate of bleedings and short half-life, causing allergic reactions or complications, etc. In recent years, small-molecule compounds isolated from natural products with antithrombotic activities become a hot issue in the field of drug research. In this review, we will focus on representative naturally occurring small molecule flavonoids with antithrombotic potency and potential for future therapeutic regimens to combat thrombosis disease.