Study of Edible Spontaneous Herbs in the Republic of Moldova for Ensuring a Sustainable Food System

Recent studies have shown that food systems fail to provide a healthy diet and are unfair and ecologically unsustainable. Sustainable food production will require multidisciplinary approaches, in which human, animal, and environmental health, are inextricably linked. There are various researches that make edible spontaneous herbs (ESP) the protagonists of a new trend in food approach, focused more on health, food safety, and connection with nature. The research consisted of the analysis and capitalization of (ESH) from the territory of the Republic of Moldova (RM) by reviewing their traditional use in local gastronomy and describing the nutritional characteristics. Ethnographic research techniques, such as conversations and interviews, were used to identify knowledge about the use of ESH in the RM. The use, phytochemical profile, and curative effects of the analyzed ESH were taken from the online database Plants For A Future (PFAF) and the phytochemical and ethnobotanical database of the US Department of Agriculture and Agricultural Research. The analysis of the specialized literature on ESH consumption in the world showed that their culinary application in the RM could still be diversified. Some of their properties could possibly be used in the design of new products for people with special diets.

An optimal medicinal and edible Chinese herbal formula attenuates particulate matter-induced lung injury through its anti-oxidative,anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptosis activities

Objective:Identifying novel strategies to prevent particulate matter(PM)-induced lung injury is crucial for the reduction of the morbidity of chronic respiratory diseases.The combined intervention represented by herbal formulae for simultaneously targeting multiple pathological processes can provide a more beneficial effect than the single intervention.The aim of this paper is therefore to design a safe and effective medicinal and edible Chinese herbs(MECHs)formula against PM-induced lung injury.Methods:PM-induced oxidative stress,inflammatory response and apoptosis A549 cell model were used to screen anti-oxidant,anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic MECHs,respectively.A network pharmacology method was utilized to rationally design a novel herbal formula.Ultra performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometer was utilized to assess the quality control of MECHs formula.The excretion of magnetic iron oxide nanospheres of the MECHs formula was estimated in zebrafish.The MECH formula against PM-induced lung injury was investigated with mice experiments.Results:Five selected herbs were rationally designed to form a new MECH formula,including Citri Exocarpium Rubrum(Juhong),Lablab Semen Album(Baibiandou),Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma(Baizhu),Mori Folium(Sangye)and Polygonati Odorati Rhizoma(Yuzhu).The formula effectively promoted the magnetic iron oxide nanospheres excretion in zebrafish.The mid/high dose formula significantly prevented PM-induced lung damage in mice by enhancing the activity of SOD and GSH-Px,reducing the MDA and ROS level and attenuating the upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokine(IL-6,IL-8,IL-1βand TNFa),down regulating the protein expression of NF-κB,STAT3 and Caspase-3.Conclusion:Our findings suggest that the effective MECHs formula will become a novel strategy for preventing PM-induced lung injury and provide a paradigm for the development of functional foods using MECHs.