Total flavonoids of Astragalus membranaceus protect against 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-induced neurotoxicity in mice by inhibiting ferroptosis through SLC7A11/GPX-4 signaling pathway

Parkinson’s disease(PD)is a common neurodegenerative disorder with no cure.Astragalus membranaceus is used in Chinese culture as a food supplement to boost immunity.The present study aimed to explore the neuroprotective effects of total flavonoids extracted from A.membranaceus(TFA)and their protective mechanisms.TFA offered neuroprotection against 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine(MPTP)in the mouse model of Parkinsonism,by improving behavior performance in the gait analysis and pole test,and inhibiting the decline of tyrosine hydroxylase(TH)positive neurons and TH protein expression in substantia nigra of mice.TFA also prevented 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium(MPP+)induced neurotoxicity in SHSY5Y cells,by increasing GSH and GSH/GSSG ratio,and reducing reactive oxygen species.In addition,the neuroprotective effects of TFA were associated with its ability to restore MPTP/MPP+induced downregulation of SLC7A11 and glutathione peroxidase 4(GPX-4).In conclusion,we demonstrated that TFA exerted significant neuroprotection against MPTP/MPP+induced neurodegeneration by inhibiting ferroptosis through the regulation of SLC7A11/GPX-4 axis,suggesting the use of TFA as a possible food supplement in the prevention of PD.

Effects of Astragalus membranaceus on Energy Metabolism and Expression of CNTF Protein in Skeletal Muscle of Exercise-induced Fatigue Rats

[Objectives]This study was conducted to investigate the effects of Astragalus membranaceus in different groups on energy metabolism and CNTF protein expression in skeletal muscle of exercise-induced fatigue rats.[Methods]Thirty-five clean male SD rats were randomly divided into a normal group,and low-,meddle-and high-dose groups of A.membranaceus aqueous solution,with 7 rats in each group.The low-dose,medium-dose and high-dose groups were given by gavage at 0.65,1.3 and 2.6 g/kg,respectively,while the normal group and the model group were given normal food and water.The weight of rats was observed.The contents of serum urea,lactate,muscle glycogen,liver glycogen and CNTF expression were detected.[Results]After modeling,compared with the normal group,the serum lactate and urea contents of rats in the model group significantly increased(P<0.01),while the muscle glycogen content(P<0.01)and liver glycogen content(P<0.05)of the skeletal muscle significantly decreased.Compared with the model group,the low-,meddle-and high-dose groups of A.membranaceus significantly reduced the levels of lactate and urea in serum(P<0.01),while the levels of muscle glycogen and liver glycogen in the skeletal muscle significantly increased(P<0.01,P<0.05).[Conclusions]This study provides a good research foundation for the treatment of exercise-induced fatigue using traditional Chinese herb A.membranaceus in modern clinical practice.

Comparative analysis of twenty-five compounds in different parts of Astragalus membranaceus var.mongholicus and Astragalus membranaceus by UPLC-MS/MS

As a traditional Chinese medicine,the root of Astragalus membranaceus var.mongholicus(AMM)or A.membranaceus(AM)has been widely used in China and other Asian countries for thousands of years.Till now,the flavonoids,phenolic acids and saponins are considered as the main active components contributing to their therapeutic effect in these plants.In order to clarify the distribution and contents of these compounds in different organs of these plants,a rapid and sensitive analytical method for simultaneous determination of 25 active compounds including seven types(i.e.dihydroflavones,isoflavane,isoflavones,flavones,pterocarpans,phenolic acid and saponins)within 10 min was established using ultra-pressure liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry(UPLCeMS/MS).Then,the established method was fully validated and successfully applied to the determination of the contents of these analytes in different parts(root,rhizome,stem,leaf and flower)of AMM and AM.The results indicated that the contents of the same type of compounds in two different species plants were significantly different.Moreover,the obvious differences were also found for the distribution and contents of different type of compounds in five organs of the same species.The present study could provide necessary information for the rational development and utilization of AMM and AM resource.

Two new saponins from the aerial part of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus

Two new saponins named mongholicoside A （1） and mongholicoside B （2） were isolated from the aerial part of Astragalus membranaceus var mongholicus. Their structures were determined by 1D and 2D NMR, ESI-MS techniques and chemical methods.

Protective effects of combined Astragalus membranaceus and magnesium ions on global brain ischemia

The traditional Chinese herb Astragalus membranaceus is a well-known treatment for neurological diseases and is considered to exhibit anti-dementia properties.This study investigated the synergistic effects of magnesium ions and Astragalus membranaceus on global brain ischemia in rats.4＇-6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining demonstrated that the number of living neurons was significantly greater in the rat hippocampus after administration of a combination of Astragalus membranaceus and magnesium,compared with a vehicle group,an Astragalus membranaceus alone group,and a magnesium alone group.Western blot assay revealed that cleaved Caspase-3 protein expression was significantly reduced in the rat hippocampus in the combined Astragalus membranaceus and magnesium group compared with the Astragalus membranaceus alone group and the magnesium alone group.The results suggested that the combination of Astragalus membranaceus and magnesium exhibits a stronger neuroprotective effect on global brain ischemia in rats compared with Astragalus membranaceus or magnesium alone.This effect was associated with decreased Caspase-3 expression.

Effects of Astragalus Membranaceus on oxygen consumption of intestine

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Chemistry Behind the Immunomodulatory Activity of Astragalus membranaceus

Huang Qi(黄芪Astragalus membranaceus)is a well-known and widely used herb in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)tonic preparations.It has been used for many ailments over the last 2000 years.Flavonoids,saponins,and polysaccharides have been shown to be the main compounds responsible for the biological and pharmacological activities,especially the immunomodulatory properties,of such tonic preparations.This review summarizes the published data on Astragalus extracts and fractions and the natural compounds responsible for the immunomodulatory activity with special reference to the modulation of nuclear factor-kappa B and related pathways(e.g.,Nrf2).In addition,this review highlights the importance of Astragalus membranaceus in TCM for treating patients with diseases related to immunocompromised conditions,such as cancer and diabetes.

A new isoflavane from processed Astragalus membranaceus

A new isoflavane named astraganoside, together with five known compounds had been isolated from the processed Astragralus membranaceus. The structure of the novel compound was elucidated as (3R, 4R)-3-(2-hydroxy-3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)chroman-4,7-diol-7-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (1) based on spectroscopic methods including UV, IR, ESI-MS, 1D NMR and 2D NMR techniques.

Predict the anti-cancer mechanism of astragalus membranaceus based on network pharmacology

Objective: To explore the anti-cancer mechanism of active ingredients of Astragalus membranaceus (AM) through network pharmacology. Methods: TCMSP, PubChem, STICTH and GeneCards databases were used to predict and screen the main active ingredients and anti-cancer targets of AM. Active ingredient-target-disease network was constructed by Cytoscape 3.7.0 software, and protein interaction network was constructed by STRING platform. KEGG signaling pathway and GO biological process of targets were analyzed by Bioconductor database. Results: Twenty-four active ingredients were screened from AM, which acted on 106 cancer targets such as PTGS, NCOA2, ADRB2, PRSS1, NOS2, NOS3, GABRA1. Through these targets, the anti-cancer effect of AM mainly acts on small cell lung cancer, colorectal cancer, thyroid cancer, breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, pancreatic cancer, gastric cancer, endometrial cancer, enriched in chemical carcinogenesis, Platinum drug resistance, Epstein-Barr virus infection, TNF signaling pathway, Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, p53 signaling pathway, VEGF signaling pathway, NF-kappa B signaling pathway, and PI3K - Akt signaling pathway. Conclusion: This study found that the main anti-cancer compounds of AM are kaempferol, quercetin, 7-O-methylisomucronulatol, formononetin, isorhamnetin, Calycosin, 3,9-di-O-methylnissolin. The main targets include PTGS, PTGS1, NCOA2, ADRB2, PRSS1, NOS2, NOS3, GABRA1, F2. The mechanisms involved in anticancer could be summarized as following: blocking the chemical carcinogenesis, reversing the platinum drug resistance, anti - Epstein - Barrvirus infection, and inhibiting cell proliferation related signaling pathways, such as TNF signaling pathway, Tolllike receptor signaling pathway, p53 signaling pathway, VEGF signaling pathway, NF-kappa B signaling pathway, PI3K - AKT signaling pathway.

Isolation and Identification of Root Rot Fungus of Astragalus membranaceus

The perennial root of Astragalus membranaceus is used as a medicine, while root rot is a main factor causing reduction of quality and commodity value of A. membranaceus . The screening and research of the pathogenic species and their characteristics could provide theoretical and practical basis for the control of this disease. A pathogenic strain was isolated and purified from the root part of four-year-old A. membranaceus , and identified by morphological and molecular biological methods as Fusarium oxysporum . This study will provide a theoretical basis for the research of the biological characteristics and control of F. oxysporum .

The Effects of Astragalus Membranaceus Extract on Sperm Quality in vitro

This study is to explore the effects on sperm quality and fertilizing ability by using astragalus membranaceus extract as additive among infertile males. Human sperms were cultured in the concentrated astragalus membranaceus extract for 1 h, then semen parameters were measured by the equipment of computer assisted semen analyzer (CASA). The results are as follows: compared with the original semen, the sperm motility and velocity, the percentage of grade A sperms and the swaying frequency of sperm heads were improved markedly in the semen treated with astragalus membranaceus extract (P<0.05). Meanwhile, the astragalus membranaceus aqueous extract was analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. It was found there exist several metal elements and a certain amount of trace elements in the extract (10 mg/ml). The concentration of K +, Ca 2+ , Zn 2+ were 25.1 μg/ml, 7.28 μg/ml, and 0.47 μg/ml respectively. The influence of this additive on artificial insemination was also discussed. We considered that the studied Chinese herbal medicine additive has good effects on sperm preparation in vitro, and this might be a potential method in assisted reproductive technology.

Bioinformatics analysis of Astragalus membranaceus on the treatment of prostate cancer

Objective:Prostate cancer(PCa)is the second most common male malignancy tumor in the world,and the occurrence rate and the mortality of PCa keeps increasing nowadays,exploration of accurate biomarker and predict clinical outcome of PCa is of great significance.Traditional Chinese medicine Huangqi(Astragalus membranaceus,AM)has been widely used for PCa treatment in China,while the pharmacological mechanisms are still unclear.The current paper intend to perform a network pharmacology analysis to reveal the mechanism of the effects of AM in PCa.Methods:Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database(TCMSP)was used to obtain chemical constituents of AM.PCa-related target genes were collected via OMIM and GeneCards databases.PCa-AM common target protein interaction network was established by the STRING database.Gene Ontology(GO)and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)pathway enrichment analyses were performed to further explore the PCa mechanism and therapeutic effect of AM.The network diagrams of the active component-action target and protein-protein interaction(PPI)networks were constructed using Cytoscape software.Results:A total of 20 active ingredients contained and 462 putative identified target genes were screened from AM,of which 46 overlapped with the targets of PCa and were considered potential therapeutic targets.The analysis of the network results showed that the AM activity components quercetin,kaempferol,isorhamnetin,3,9-di-O-methylnissolin and 7-O-methylisomucronulatol have a good binding activity with top ten screened targets,such as MYC,AKT1,CCND1,MAPK1,CASP3,EGFR,ESR1,VEGFA,ERBB2 and IL-6.GO and KEGG analyses revealed that these targets were associated with proteoglycans in cancer,virus infection,microRNAs in cancer,PI3K-Akt signaling pathway,and other biological process.Conclusion:This study demonstrated the multicomponent,multitarget,and multichannel characteristics of AM,which provided a novel approach for further research of the mechanism of AM in the treatment of PCa.

A New Isoflavone Glucoside from Astragalus membranaceus

A new isoflavone glucoside, 3'-methoxy-5'-hydroxy-isoflavone-7-O-beta-D-glucoside, was isolated from the roots of Astragalus membranaceus and its structure was elucidated by spectroscopic data.

The mechanism of Astragalus membranaceus in treating peritoneal fibrosis by intervening the key syndrome and pathology based on Q-marker theory

Objective:To evaluate the mechanism of Astragalus membranaceus(AM)by intervening peritoneal mesothelial cells(PMCs),epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT),and spleen deficiency syndrome(SDS)in peritoneal fibrosis(PF),we base on employing the strategy of Q-marker theory combination network pharmacology method.Methods:First,we obtained the Q-markers of AM by searching the relevant literature and its pharmacological information was collected based on SwissADME.The SwissTargetPrediction and pharmmaper were employed to predict its potential target.Secondly,GeneCards,DisGeNET,and OMIM databases were employed to search the related targets of EMT,SDS,and PF.VENNY2.1 tool was employed to obtain the intersection targets of AM and the three;then the“AM potential target-SDS-EMT-PF”Venn diagram was constructed.The common targets of AM,EMT and SDS were uploaded to the STRING database and obtained the PPI protein interaction network map.Cytoscape 3.7.2 was employed to evaluate the core target of PPI network.PATHER and Metascape databases were used to analyze protein type,GO biological process,and KEGG pathway.Finally,a network diagram of the“TCM-component-disease target-pathway”was drawn.Results:A total of 10 AM Q-makers were screened out,corresponding to 335 targets of AM,2,728 targets of SDS,373 of EMT,and 612 PF targets were found.Among them,there are 155 common AM targets related to SDS and EMT.Key targets such as ALB,AKT1,VEGFA,TNF,EGFR,CASP3,SRC,STAT3,HSP90AA1,and ESR1 were obtained.The core drug include quercetin,astragalosideIII,Calycosin-7-O-beta-D-glucoside,astragalosideIV,etc.The types of PPI proteins include protein modification enzymes,metabolite transferases,transmembrane signal receptors,etc.Biological processes include the regulation of kinase activity,the positive regulation of transferase activity,and the regulation of kinase activity.The key pathways may include PI3K-Akt signaling pathways,the non-smad pathway of the TGF-βsignaling pathway,and the AGE-RAGE signaling pathway.Conclusion:AM could prevent and treat PF through a multi-component multi-target-multi-path mechanism.Astragalus saponins may be the main component types of AM intervening EMT pathology by strengthening the spleen and nourishing Qi.AstragalosideIV and astragalosideIII may be the constituents that can invigorate the spleen and replenish Qi.The results of this study contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the critical components and mechanisms of AM by intervening SDS and EMT in the treatment of PF.

Progress in Mechanism of Astragalus membranaceus and Its Chemical Constituents on Multiple Sclerosis

The primary chemical components of Astragalus membranaceus include polysaccharides,saponins,flavonoids,and amino acids.Recent studies have shown that Astragalus membranaceus has multiple functions,including improving immune function and exerting antioxidative,anti-radiation,anti-tumor,antibacterial,antiviral,and hormone-like effects.Astragalus membranaceus and its extracts are widely used in clinical practice because they have obvious therapeutic effects against various autoimmune diseases and relatively less adverse reaction.Multiple sclerosis(MS)is an autoimmune disease of central nervous system(CNS),which mainly caused by immune disorder that leads to inflammatory demyelination,inflammatory cell infiltration,and axonal degeneration in the CNS.In this review,the authors analyzed the clinical manifestations of MS and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis(EAE)and focused on the efficacy of Astragalus membranaceus and its chemical components in the treatment of MS/EAE.

Functional characterization of a cycloartenol synthase and four glycosyltransferases in the biosynthesis of cycloastragenol-type astragalosides from Astragalus membranaceus

Astragalosides are the main active constituents of traditional Chinese medicine Huang-Qi,of which cycloastragenol-type glycosides are the most typical and major bioactive compounds.This kind of compounds exhibit various biological functions including cardiovascular protective,neuroprotective,etc.Owing to the limitations of natural sources and the difficulties encountered in chemical synthesis,re-engineering of biosynthetic machinery will offer an alternative and promising approach to producing astragalosides.However,the biosynthetic pathway for astragalosides remains elusive due to their complex structures and numerous reaction types and steps.Herein,guided by transcriptome and phylogenetic analyses,a cycloartenol synthase and four glycosyltransferases catalyzing the committed steps in the biosynthesis of such bioactive astragalosides were functionally characterized from Astragalus membranaceus.AmCAS1,the first reported cycloartenol synthase from Astragalus genus,is capable of catalyzing the formation of cycloartenol;AmUGT15,AmUGT14,AmUGT13,and AmUGT7 are four glycosyltransferases biochemically characterized to catalyze 3-O-xylosylation,3-O-glucosylation,25-O-glucosylation/O-xylosylation and 2’-O-glucosylation of cycloastragenol glycosides,respectively.These findings not only clarified the crucial enzymes for the biosynthesis and the molecular basis for the structural diversity of astragalosides in Astragalus plants,also paved the way for further completely deciphering the biosynthetic pathway and constructing an artificial pathway for their efficient production.

Fabrication porous adsorbents templated from aqueous foams using astragalus membranaceus and attapulgite as stabilizer for efficient removal of cationic dyes

The water-based foam stabilized by the natural surfactant applied in the fabrication of porous materials has attracted extensive attention,as the advantages of cleanness,convenience and low cost.Particularly,the development of a green preparation method has became themain research focus and frontier.In thiswork,a green liquid foamwith high stability was prepared by synergistic stabilization of natural plant astragalus membranaceus(AMS)and attapulgite(APT),and then a novel porous material with sufficient hierarchical pore structure was templated from the foam via a simple free radical polymerization of acrylamide(AM).The characterization results revealed that the amphiphilic molecules from AMS adsorbed onto thewater-air interface and formed a protective shell to prevent the bubble breakup,and APT gathered in the plateau border and formed a three-dimensional network structure,which greatly slowed down the drainage rate.The porous material polyacrylamide/astragalus membranaceus/attapulgite(PAM/AMS/APT)showed the excellent adsorption performance for cationic dyes of Methyl Violet(MV)and Methylene Blue(MB)in water,and the maximum adsorption capacity could reach to 709.13 and 703.30 mg/g,respectively.Furthermore,the polymer material enabled to regenerate and cycle via a convenient calcination process,and the adsorption capacitywas still higher than 200 mg/g after five cycles.In short,this research provided a new idea for the green preparation of porous materials and the treatment of water pollution.

移栽期对蒙古黄芪(Astragalus membranaceus var.mongholicus)药材产量和质量的影响

采用初冬和春季移栽对比试验,定期测定土壤含水量、生长发育指标、药材产量和质量指标,旨在探寻地道产区蒙古黄芪(Astragalus membranaceus var.mongholicus)最佳移栽季节。结果表明:与春栽田比较,冬栽田20cm土层内土壤含水量在苗栽返青期显著增高,而40cm以下土层土壤含水量在生长后期显著降低;苗栽返青和开花分别提早10d和13d,返青出苗势、出苗率和出苗指数分别提高32.6%、4.4%和0.2497,返青株成活率提高5.0%,有效延长了黄芪生长天数,为药材根的生长和有效成分积累奠定了良好的营养生长基础。初冬栽和春栽田成药根数分别为201 087根·hm-2和181 250根·hm-2,一等品出成率分别为24.02%和19.69%,药材鲜产量分别为5 400kg·hm-2和5 057kg·hm-2;黄芪甲苷含量分别为0.121%和0.098%,毛蕊异黄酮葡萄糖苷含量分别为0.080%和0.052%,水溶性浸出物含量分别为27.62%和25.54%。初冬移栽黄芪成效更为显著,建议规范化生产中合理调整移栽季节,提倡初冬移栽。

不同黄芪(Astragalus membranaceus)在ITS位点上的同源性分析

黄芪是中国重要的中药材之一。为了鉴定黄芪属各种间亲缘关系,本研究利用ITS基因对20个黄芪样本进行序列分析。结果表明:(1) 20个黄芪样本间的序列同源性高达93.67%,含有149个SNP位点及39个插入/缺失位点。75%的样本5.8S区间的GC含量为51.83%;(2)遗传距离分析可知,多枝-松潘、长尾-狐尾、青藏-湿地三对样本间的遗传距离小于0.01。背扁黄芪与其他黄芪样本的距离均较大,在0.053~0.102之间;(3)黄芪系统发育树分析显示,背扁与囊萼,绵果与长尾、狐尾分别成支。综上所述,ITS基因可较好地区分同属不同种样本,为后期转录组的研究提供数据基础。

蒙古黄芪育苗基质的筛选及应用潜力初步评价

为筛选出适宜培育高质量幼苗的育苗基质,促进移栽蒙古黄芪(Astragalus membranaceus var.mongholicus)的生产,以酒糟为主料,牛粪和沼渣为辅料,按不同体积比配制了6种有机复合基质,并对其理化性质,以及碱解氮、速效磷、速效钾的含量进行了测定。通过PLS-DA分析辅料对复合基质性质的影响,采用模糊评价法评估各复合基质肥效,进而筛选出基质F2(酒糟∶牛粪=60∶20)和Z2(酒糟∶沼渣=60∶20),将二者分别与纯土按体积比3∶7混合制成育苗基质后,通过发芽和幼苗生长试验评价应用潜力。结果表明,各有机复合基质理化性质基本符合常规基质要求,分别以牛粪和沼渣为辅料的两组复合基质,F2和Z2的肥效评价系数较高。混合育苗基质“F2+纯土”组的蒙古黄芪种子发芽率最高,且发芽势和发芽指数显著高于“Z2+纯土”组和对照组;同时,该组幼苗的整株长、株高和鲜重等指标也显著优于其他两组。由此可见,有机复合基质F2性能良好,与纯土混合后制成的育苗基质可用于蒙古黄芪优质幼苗的培育,具有较好的应用潜力。