Cornus officinalis with high pressure wine steaming enhanced anti-hepatic fibrosis: Possible through SIRT3-AMPK axis

Cornus officinalis,a medicinal and edible plant known for its liver-nourishing properties,has shown promise in inhibiting the activation of hepatic stellate cells(HSCs),crucial indicators of hepatic fibrosis,especially when processed by high pressure wine steaming(HPWS).Herein,this study aims to investigate the regulatory effects of cornus officinalis,both in its raw and HPWS forms,on inflammation and apoptosis in liver fibrosis and their underlying mechanisms.In vivo liver fibrosis models were established by subcutaneous injection of CCl4,while in vitro HSCs were exposed to transforming growth factor-b(TGF-b).These findings demonstrated that cornus officinalis with HPWS conspicuously ameliorated histopathological injury,reduced the release of proinflammatory factors,and decreased collagen deposition in CCl4-induced rats compared to its raw form.Utilizing ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer(UHPLC-QTOF-MS)combined with network analysis,we identified that the pharmacological effects of the changed components of cornus officinalis before and after HPWS,primarily centered on the adenosine phosphate(AMP)-activated protein kinase(AMPK)pathway.Of note,cornus officinalis activated AMPK and sirtuin 3(SIRT3),promoting the apoptosis of activated HSCs through the caspase cascade by regulating caspase3,caspase6 and caspase9.small interfering RNA(siRNA)experiments showed that cornus officinalis could regulate AMPK activity and its mediated-apoptosis through SIRT3.In conclusion,cornus officinalis exhibited the ability to reduce inflammation and apoptosis,with the SIRT3-AMPK signaling pathway identified as a potential mechanism underlying the synergistic effect of cornus officinalis with HPWS on anti-liver fibrosis.

Effects of indole-3-butyric acid and age of stem cuttings on root morphology,growth,and survival of Cornus sericea

Red osier dogwood(Cornus sericea L.),widely distributed throughout North America,is essential for wildlife,thus biodiversity.It is recommended for reclamation or revegetation of sites disturbed by oil and gas extraction because it tolerates a wide range of soil types and high pH levels.Since germination of this species is extremely difficult with long stratification requirements and poor germination,cuttings facilitate propagation.In this study,to develop techniques to propagate the species from stem cuttings,four concentrations of indole-3-butyric acid(IBA)and two cutting ages previous year’s growth(PYG)and current year’s growth(CYG)were investigated for survival and growth.After 4 months,survival rate,height growth,and shoot biomass from PYG cuttings were enhanced with IB A.In contrast,IB A did not affect these parameters in CYG cuttings.Root morphology was significantly affected by IB A concentration and cutting age.IBA,at higher concentrations,increased root surface and length.Total root surface area and length of PYG cuttings were increased,which may facilitate the absorption of essential resources and consequently increase growth.The results indicate that increasing the concentration of IB A may be an effective way to have better plant survival and growth of previous year’s cuttings in red osier dogwood.

Flavonoids and Amino Acids Analysis of the Fruits of Cornus mas L. Introduced in Uzbekistan

Cornelian cherry is used in the food and pharmaceutical industry as an ornament, in traditional medicine, and in the manufacture of household items. It is widely used in medicine for the prevention and treatment of many diseases. Therefore, it is important to research the chemical composition of these species. In the article, based on our research, the analysis of the quantitative calculation of flavonoids and amino acids of the fruits of the “Elegant” and “Svetlyachok” cherry varieties was carried out. It was found that the amount of amino acids in the fruits of Cornus mas L., introduced in Uzbekistan, is higher in the variety “Svetlyachok” 2.643235 mg/g. In “Elegant” variety it was 1.794235 mg/g. The amount of 4 different flavonoids in the fruit was also determined. It has been established that the Elegant variety has a high concentration of lutein and rutin, and the svetlyachok has a high concentration of apigenin and quercetin.

Cornus controversa的木材解剖学研究

Cornus controversa为Cornaceae植物,通过对其进行木材解剖学研究,发现其为散孔材,射线为异形Ⅱ型,具梯状穿孔板,是一种结构较原始的树种。

The Mechanism of Cornus officinalis Total Glycosides and Cornus Polysaccharide on Myocardial Protection in Rats with Acute Myocardial Infarction

Objective: To investigate effects of Cornus officinalis Total Glycosides (COTG) and Cornus Polysaccharide (CP) on myocardial protection and on expression of mitochondria biogenesis related gene of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rats, Materials and Methods: Ninety-six SD rats of SPF level were randomly divided into 5 groups: sham operation group, model group, preventive treatment group, COTG treatment group, CP treatment group, and there were 12 cases in each one. By legating the left anterior descending branch of coronary artery method, acute myocardial infarction model was established. The rat of sham operation group and model group was intragastric administered with physiological saline;other groups were given with corresponding drugs. The cardiac function, the myocardial infarct area, the expression of mitochondrial biogenesis genes such as PGC-1α, PGC-1β, NRF-1mRNA and GSK-3β mRNA, GSK-3β Protein Expression were analyzed. Results: The results revealed that compared with model group, myocardial infarction size, LVDs, LVDd, LVESV, LVEDP, and -dp/dt decreased;LVSP increased in preventive treatment group, COTG treatment group, and CP treatment group (p < 0.05);LVEDV increased in preventive treatment group (p < 0.05), PGC 1 alpha, and PGC 1 beta;the NRF-1 mRNA expression increased in preventive treatment group, COTG treatment group, and CP treatment group (p < 0.05). Compared with CP and COTG treatment group, PGClpha, beta PGC 1, the NRF-1 mRNA expression increased in preventive treatment group (p < 0.05). Compared with the sham operation group, GSK-3 beta mRNA and protein expression increased in model group, preventive treatment group, COTG treatment group, and CP treatment group (p < 0.05). Compared with model group, GSK-3 beta mRNA expression reduced in preventive treatment group, COTG treatment group, and CP treatment group (p Cornus officinalis total glycosides and Cornus polysaccharides can effectively protect myocardial mitochondria of acute myocardial infarction rats by activating GSK-3β signaling pathways, and reduce the myocardial infarct size, which has great significance for improving cardiac function.

Effects of Cornus Officinal Is Total Glycoside on Cardiomyocyte Apoptosis and Calcium Overload after Hypoxia/Reoxygenation Injury in Rats

Objective: To investigate the mechanism of Cornus officinalis Total Glycosides (COTG) on myocardial protection, by studying effects of COTG on cardiomyocyte apoptosis induced by hypoxia/reoxygenation and calcium concentration in rats. Methods: The myocardial cells of born 1-3d SD rats were isolated by enzyme digestion, cultured for 3 days. Cells were divided into five groups: Control group, H/R group, Cornus officinalis Total Glycosides low-dose group (LDG), Cornus officinalis Total Glycosides middle-dose group (MDG) and Cornus officinalis Total Glycosides high-dose group (HDG). Three drug groups were pretreated with different doses of Cornus officinalis Total Glycosides before hypoxia/reoxygenation treatment. The apoptotic rate was determined by flow cytometry assay, the intracellular free calcium concentration was examined by flow cytometry, and the ultrastructure of myocardial cells was observed under transmission electron microscope. Results: The results revealed that Cornus officinalis Total Glycosides pretreatment decreased apoptosis rate, but the effect of lower dosage is not significant. Furthermore, Cornus officinalis Total Glycosides can attenuate mitochondrial calcium overload, improve mitochondrial morphology and inhibit cardiomyocyte apoptosis caused by H/R. Conclusion: Cornus officinalis Total Glycosides pretreatment can inhibit cardiomyocyte apoptosis and calcium overload during H/R injury. However, the underlying mechanisms require us to further study.

Effect of physiographic factors on qualitative and quantitative charac-teristics of Cornus mas L. natural stands in Arasbaran forests, Iran

Arasbaran forests are located in East Azerbaijan （northwest Iran）. Increasing of socio-economic problems in this area causes destruction of biodiversity and structure of these forests. Using multipurpose trees such as cornelian cherry （Cornus mas L） to encourage villagers to produce forest by-products is a basic approach for preserving these forests. This species grows naturally in Arasbaran forests and the fruit is annually exploited using traditional harvest methods. This study aims to assess the ecological requirements of cornelian cherry and the important factors affecting its distribution. For this purpose, 40 circular sampling plots （300 m2） on various slope aspects were demarcated for sampling the occurrence of cornelian cherry in forest stands. DBH and crown cover percentage on north aspects were significantly greater than on other aspects and 4.5% of all trees were cornelian cherry in mature forest stands. North aspects had more seed-origin trees （standards） of cornelian cherry than coppiced trees, while west facing aspects had more coppiced than standard trees. This species had the highest regeneration rate in the sapling stage of 0–2.5 cm DBH. Thus, I recommend cultivation and development of cornelian cherry as a multi-purpose tree in the Arasbaran region on degraded forest lands on north and west aspects.

Evaluation of yields and quality parameters of oils from Cornus wilsoniana fruit extracted by subcritical n-butane extraction and conventional methods

Cornus wilsoniana fruit oil is a very important woody oil and is the main raw material of biodiesel.In this study,the oil yield,physicochemical properties,fatty acid composition,rheological properties,thermal stability,and Fourier transform infrared(FTIR)spectra of C.wilsoniana fruit oil obtained by subcritical n-butane extraction(SBE)and conventional methods such as pressing extraction(PE)and Soxhlet extraction(SE)were determined to study the influence of different extraction methods on the quality and yield of C.wilsoniana fruit oil.The oil yield of SBE(19.47%)was higher than that of PE(9.93%)but slightly lower than that of SE(21.08%).All of the extracted oils exhibited similar physicochemical properties,and the SBE oil was richer in polyunsaturated fatty acids(PUFA)than that of the PE oil,with an approximate 1:2 ratio of total saturated fatty acids against unsaturated fatty acids.The results of rheological behavior and thermal stability showed that all extracted oils had Newtonian flow characteristics,wherein the SBE oil exhibited lower viscosity and higher thermal stability.Furthermore,scanning electron microscopy(SEM)images of the surface topography indicated that different oil extraction methods will affect the residual oil content of the C.wilsoniana fruit powder.Compared with PE,the pores on the surface of the C.wilsoniana fruit powder after oil extraction were clearly visible,indicating that the driving force of SBE for oil extraction is stronger than that of PE.Based on the above results,it is implied that SBE is the best of the three methods for extracting C.wilsoniana fruit oil and can be potentially applied to extract other edible oils.

Modeling habitat distribution of Cornus officinalis with Maxent modeling and fuzzy logics in China

Aims Predicting suitable habitat distribution is an effective way to protect rare or endangered medicinal plants.Cornus officinalis is a perennial tree growing in forest edge and its air-dried pericarp is one of the traditional Chinese medicines(TCM)with significant medicinal values.In recent years,C.officinalis has undergone severe degeneration of its natural habitat owing to growing market demands and unprecedented damage to the forests.Moreover,the degeneration of suitable habitat has threatened the supply of medicinal materials,and even led to the extinction of some engendered medicinal plant species.In this case,there is a great risk to introduce and cultivate medicinal plants if planners determine the suitable cultivation regions based on personal subjective experience alone.Therefore,predicting suitable potential habitat distribution of medicinal plants(e.g.C.officinalis)and revealing the environmental factors determining such distribution patterns are important to habitat conservation and environmental restoration.Methods In this article,we report the results of a study on the habitat distribution of C.officinalis using maximum entropy(Maxent)modeling and fuzzy logics together with loganin content and environmental variables.The localities of 106 C.officinalis in China were collected by our group and other researchers and used as occurrence data.The loganin content of 234 C.officinalis germplasm resources were tested by high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC)and used as content data.79 environmental variables were selected and processed with multicollinearity test by using Pearson Correlation Coefficient(r)to determine a set of independent variables.The chosen variables were then processed in the fuzzy linear model according to the cell values(maximum,minimum)of localities with estimated loganin content.The SDMtoolbox was used to spatially rarefy occurrence data and prepare bias files.Furthermore,combined Maxent modeling and fuzzy logics were used to predict the suitable habitat of C.officinalis.The modeling result was validated using null-model method.Important Findings As a result,six environmental factors including tmin3,prec3,bio4,alt,bio12 and bio3 were determined as key influential factors that mostly affected both the habitat suitability and active ingredient of C.officinalis.The highly suitable regions of C.officinalis mainly distribute in a‘core distribution zone’of the east-central China.The statistically significant AUC value indicated that combined Maxent modeling and fuzzy logics could be used to predict the suitable habitat distribution of medicinal plants.Furthermore,our results confirm that ecological factors played critical roles in assessing suitable geographical regions as well as active ingredient of plants,highlighting the need for effective habitat rehabilitation and resource conservation.

Cornus mas L.extract as a multifunctional material for manufacturing cosmetic emulsions

Dogwood fruits are a valuable source of active ingredients, such as phenolic compounds, vitamin C, iridoids, flavonoids and anthocyanins. Plant extracts and substances derived from latin Cornus mas L. exhibit not only strong antibacterial but also antioxidant and tonicity properties, effectively preventing the development of inflammation in living organisms. In the present study, we attempted to obtain the innovative, multi-functional plant extract from the fruit of dogwood(Cornus mas L.). During the extraction process a mixture of water, glycerol, and vegetable oil were used as an extractant. The usage of such mixtures of solvents enabled us to extract a variety of active substances, soluble in both water and oils. The obtained extracts were analyzed for their physicochemical and biochemical properties, in order to apply the extract in a body nutrient lotion. The results clearly showed that such extract could be an innovative and multi-functional raw material used in cosmetics industry.

UPLC-Q-TOF/MS-based Metabolic Profiles of Bioactive Components in Rehmannia glutinosa and Cornus officinalis Herb Pair by Rat Intestinal Bacteria

Objective To investigate the metabolic routes and metabolites of Rehmannia glutinosa and Cornus officinalis herb pair produced by gut microbiome from rats.Methods A rapid and sensitive ultra-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole-time-offlight mass spectrometry（UPLC-Q-TOF/MS） technique combined with Metabolynx？software was established and successfully applied to identify the metabolites of the main bioactive components in the herb pair extract by rat intestinal bacteria.Results Four parent compounds（loganin,morroniside,catalpol,and acteoside） and their eight corresponding metabolites were detected and tentatively identified by the characteristics of their protonated ions.Hydrogenated and demethylated loganetin,dehydroxylated morronisid aglycone,caffeic acid,and its methylated product were the main metabolites.These metabolites suggested that the glycosides were firstly hydrolyzed to their aglycones by hydrolytic enzymes of the enteric microbial flora and subsequently to the other metabolites through hydrogenation,（de）-methylation,and de-hydroxylation.Conclusion The results may be helpful for the further investigation of the pharmacokinetic study of R.glutinosa and C.officinalis herb pair in vivo.

Estimation of Nuclear DNA Content in Tannin-rich Medicinal Plant Cornus officinalis by Flow Cytometry

Objective The amount of nuclear DNA（C-value）is a key biodiversity character that provides strong unifying elements in revealing the phylogenetic regularity and relationship between genome size and functional traits for plant resource.The estimation of C-values could primarily extend our knowledge on the genetic background and genome diversity for medicinal plants,and thereby the variation of pharmacological constituents and phylogenetic mechanism of medicinal plant taxa will be revealed.However,a large number of medicinal plants（e.g.Cornus officinalis）typically contain a series of secondary metabolites,especially tannic acid,which would significantly affect the estimation of DNA content by flow cytometry（FCM）.Methodological discussions and improvement need to be made to solve this problem.Methods Two isolation buffers LB01 and Otto 1 were selected to prepare nuclear suspension with additional treatments of pre-soaking and centrifugation combination of gradient centrifugal force and duration.The best isolation and estimation methods were determined by FCM measurement in C.officinalis.Results The dry leaves were pre-soaked in Otto I buffer for 15 min and the Otto I nuclear suspension was centrifugated at 1.0×103 g for 2 min.The results showed that debris and nuclei were better separated and the scatterplots of good quality were obtained with low coefficient of variation（CV）.Contrarily,the nuclear DNA content of C.officinalis could not be accurately estimated for nuclei extracted by LB01 buffer.Finally,2C-value and genome size of C.officinalis were first estimated as 5.92 pg and 2893 Mbp,respectively.Conclusion The new methods proposed here are able to accurately estimate DNA content of C.officinalis,which provides valuable references for the estimation of genome size in other tannin-rich medicinal plants.

Multi-component quantitative and feed-forward neural network for pattern classification of raw and wine-processed Corni Fructus

Background:To promote the quality evaluation,clarify the processing mechanism and distinguish origins of Corni Fructus(cornus)from different regions.Methods:This study developed a high performance liquid chromatography method for simultaneous determination of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural,2 phenolic acids and 4 iridoid glycosides and the reference fingerprint of cornus from different regions.In addition,the feedforward neural network model provided a pattern classification of sample regions.Results:The content of morroniside and loganin were the highest in all raw cornus samples ranging from 9.45μg/mg to 16.3μg/mg and 6.64μg/mg to 13.7μg/mg,respectively.The level of sweroside in raw cornus from Henan(0.83μg/mg^(-1).39μg/mg)and Zhejiang(0.64μg/mg^(-1).17μg/mg)were greater than other origins.After wine-processing,the glucose or fructose were dehydrated to increase the levels of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural.The C-4 position of-COOCH3 of hot-sensitive iridoid glycosides was hydrolyzed to generate-COOH as stable components.Polyphenol derivatives may be degraded to increase the content of phenolic acid.Subsequently,an excellent feedforward neural network model for identification of raw cornus and wine-prepared cornus was established which could distinguish the sample origins.Conclusion:This work provided a trustworthy method to evaluate the quality and distinguish the sources of cornus.Meanwhile,the clear processing mechanism provided a scientific foundation for controlling the cornus quality during wine-processing.

邢台西部太行山区山茱萸引种栽培技术

山茱萸（Cornus officinalis）是山萸科（Cornaceae）植物,又名山萸、药枣、肉枣、红子、蜀枣等。山茱萸的成熟干燥果实是我国传统的名贵中药材,中医称为山萸肉、山茱萸、萸肉、枣皮。其性味酸涩,有滋补肝肾、固肾涩精的作用,是中医临床常用的中药材-（[1]）。由于药用保健价值很高,市场需求量大,种植投入少、效益高,山茱萸的种植有广阔的发展前景。

山茱萸提取物改善脊髓损伤小鼠骨质疏松的研究（英文）

目的观察山茱萸的提取物对脊髓损伤大鼠的骨质疏松的治疗作用。方法 40只Wistar雄性大鼠分成四组:标准对照组、脊髓损伤组、脊髓损伤高剂量提取物治疗组、脊髓损伤低剂量提取物治疗组。除标准对照组外,建立脊髓损伤引起的骨质疏松大鼠模型,然后进行相关生物化学、骨密度及形态的分析和比较。结果与标准对照组相比,脊髓损伤组的大鼠显示骨量、生物化学指标和形态学参数的显著下降。山茱萸提取物高剂量组治疗大鼠胫骨骨干内、外部区域骨质疏松显示剂量依赖性。结论山茱萸提取物治疗可能通过刺激成骨细胞引骨组织反应,从而导致形态学的变化。

光皮树油的嗅味及其他不皂化成分

光皮树(Cornus Wilsoniana Wang)山茱荑科植物,主要分布在长江以南各省,江西、福建、四川、贵州、湖南、湖北等地区。它全果富含油脂(32%),江西于都县部分地区群众长期做为食用油。我们曾对光皮树的植物分布、生物习性、群众食用情况以及果实含油量、油脂的脂肪酸组成等进。

Immune enhancement effect of an herb complex extract through the activation of natural killer cells and the regulation of cytokine levels in a cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppression rat model

Objective: To investigate the effects of a herb complex extract(HCE) prepared from Cornus officinalis Sieb. Et Zucc., Eriobotrya japonica Lindley, and olive leaves on immune response of mouse spleen NK cells in vitro and in vivo analysis. Methods: The activity of natural killer(NK) cells was measured in splenocytes and YAC-1 cells. Mice were immunosuppressed using cyclophosphamide(5 mg/kg body weight). Three different doses of HCE(200, 400, and 800 mg/kg body weight) and red ginseng extract(800 mg/kg body weight) which was used as standard immunomodulatory herb were administered orally for 4 weeks. The body weight, dietary, water intake, organs(liver, thymus, and spleen) weight, completed blood count, and cytokines(tumor necrosis factor alpha, interferon gamma, and interleukin-2) production was measured. Results: At the maximum concentration of HCE, the activity of NK cells was increased by 48.5%. HCE increased liver, spleen, and thymus weights without altering numbers of white blood cells, lymphocytes, and neutrophils in a cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppression rat model. However, HCE recovered the inhibited cytokine expression; HCE(800 mg/kg) increased cytokines levels. The results indicate the immune enhancement potential of this HCE. Conclusion: The HCE enhances immunity by increasing NK cell activity, regulating cytokine levels, and maintaining spleen weight. Therefore, it may be used as a potential immunity enhancer.

Anti-quorum sensing and anti-biofilm formation activities of plant extracts from South Korea

Objective: To investigate anti-quorum sensing(anti-QS) and anti-biofilm formation(antiBF) activities of the ethanol extracts of 388 plants. Methods: The anti-QS activity of the plant extracts was evaluated by disc-diffusion assays using the bio-reporter strain, Chromobacterium violaceum CV017. Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1, Yersinia enterocolitica ATCC 9610, and Agrobacterium tumefaciens C58, which possess QS systems, were used to evaluate the antiBF activity of the plant extracts. Results: Among 388 plant extracts, the Cornus controversa(C. controversa) and Cynanchum wilfordii extracts exhibited the strongest anti-QS activity. The C. controversa extract exhibited anti-BF activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Yersinia enterocolitica and Agrobacterium tumefaciens, whereas the Cynanchum wilfordii extract exhibited no anti-BF activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In addition, the C. controversa extract suppressed soft rot of cabbage. Conclusions: The C. controversa extract inhibits bacterial QS and BF, and is capable of controlling soft rot. Therefore, this extract has potential for the prevention and treatment of bacterial infections and for the development of alternatives to antibiotics.

伪品山茱萸粉末的鉴定

中药山茱萸为山茱萸科植物山茱萸Cornus officinalis Sieb. el Zucc·的干燥成熟果肉。目前市场上出现一种伪品山茱萸粉末,其外观同正品山茱萸粉末相似,有医疗单位及药厂将其作为山茱萸使用。为弄清伪品来源及组成,我们对其进行了显微鉴别、色素溶解试验及总灰分、酸不溶性灰分测定,其结果同正品山茱萸粉末有明显差异。现介绍如下:

用Ｃornu卷线分析均匀半透明平面上的菲涅耳单缝衍射

运用缩小和旋转Ｃornu卷线的方法，作出了两条新的Ｃornu卷线，以此分析均匀半透明平面上的菲涅耳单缝衍射屏上的相对光强分布。