A review on the application,phytochemistry and pharmacology of Polygonatum odoratum,an edible medicinal plant

Polygonatum odoratum is distributed in several countries around the world as a medicinal and dual-use plant,and its rhizomes are used in China as a traditional Chinese medicine,also as vegetables,foods,functional foods or tea,with a history of application for more than 2000 years,with precise efficacy and no toxic side effects.However,few reviews are published on its chemical composition and its pharmacological effects.There are many components of P.odoratum,including steroidal saponins,homoisoflavanones,isoflavones,flavonoids,alkaloids,lignin,volatile oil,polysaccharides and lectins.In this review,recent advances of the history and consumption of P.odoratum,the types of chemical components,and the pharmacological effects manifested in antitumour and anticancer,antioxidant,slowing senescence,relieving fatigue and immune regulation are summarized and discussed.Presumably,the main active ingredients of the plant are homoisoflavanones,polysaccharides,saponins,and lectins.The review provides a reference for its development and utilization in the field of functional food and medicine in the future.

Key Artificial Cultivation Technique by the Naxi Nationality for Dioscorea bulbifera:A Traditional Medicinal and Edible Plant

Dioscorea bulbifera is a medicinal and edible plant of the Naxi nationality living in Lijiang area,and its tuber as a vegetable has the functions of clearing away heat and detoxification,and its bulbil has the functions of clearing away heat and resolving phlegm,relieving cough and relieving asthma,dispersing the accumulation of evils and detoxification,etc.Related studies have shown that it mainly contains steroids,diterpene lactones,flavonoids,polyphenols,alkaloids and so on,and it can also fight cancer,inhibit bacteria,relieve pain,resist inflammation and so on.There is also related literature about hepatotoxicity after taking it.The key technique of traditional vegetable cultivation in Lijiang area is systematically summarized in this paper for reference in the future cultivation process.

The Edible and Medicinal Value of <i>Coix lacryma-jobi</i>and Key Cultivation Techniques for High and Stable Yield

In this paper, it was introduced that Coix lacryma-jobi is a traditional dual-use edible and medicine crops in China, and the nutritional components and medicinal value of Coix lacryma-jobi were described. Based on the published literature at home and abroad, a variety of chemical components found in Coix lacryma jobi and their medicinal effects were reviewed. At the same time, the problems existing in the production of Coix lacryma jobi were put forward. With the improvement of people’s living standards, the nutritional and health care value of Coix lacryma-jobi has been paid more and more attention. The problems of Coix lacryma-jobi in production were analyzed. Some biological characteristics of Coix lacryma-jobi, especially its hygrophyte characteristics, were re-recognized, which is very important to increase the yield of Coix lacryma jobi. In the paper, the key cultivation techniques for high and stable yield of Coix lacryma-jobi were also summarized. In order to obtain high quality, high and stable yield, we should adopt the new technical methods of “two wet, two dry and two water” in water management. At the same time, if artificial pollination is applied in the peak of flowering period, the seed setting rate and the yield will be increased.

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.

Study on Cultivation Technology of Rosa rugosa Thunb.

Rosa rugosa Thunb. is a traditional medicinal and food plant in Hotan region,which has important medicinal and economic value. In recent years,the planting area in Hotan region has been expanding. This paper described the cultivation techniques,planting models and field management,pest control,harvesting and processing of R. rugosa. Based on the analysis of the advantages and cultivation techniques of developing the rose industry in Hotan region,the paper discussed how to accelerate the development of rose cultivation and deep processing industry in Hotan region.

Cultivated hawthorn(Crataegus pinnatifida var.major)genome sheds light on the evolution of Maleae(apple tribe)

Cultivated hawthorn(Crataegus pinnatifida var.major)is an important medicinal and edible plant with a long history of use for health protection in China.Herein,we provide a de novo chromosomelevel genome sequence of the hawthorn cultivar“Qiu Jinxing.”We assembled an 823.41 Mb genome encoding 40571 genes and further anchored the779.24 Mb sequence into 17 pseudo-chromosomes,which account for 94.64%of the assembled genome.Phylogenomic analyses revealed that cultivated hawthorn diverged from other species within the Maleae(apple tribe)at approximately 35.4 Mya.Notably,genes involved in the flavonoid and triterpenoid biosynthetic pathways have been significantly amplified in the hawthorn genome.In addition,our results indicated that the Maleae share a unique ancient tetraploidization event;however,no recent independent whole-genome duplication event was specifically detected in hawthorn.The amplification of non-specific long terminal repeat retrotransposons contributed the most to the expansion of the hawthorn genome.Furthermore,we identified two paleo-sub-genomes in extant species of Maleae and found that these two sub-genomes showed different rearrangement mechanisms.We also reconstructed the ancestral chromosomes of Rosaceae and discussed two possible paleopolyploid origin patterns(autopolyploidization or allopolyploidization)of Maleae.Overall,our study provides an improved context for understanding the evolution of Maleae species,and this new highquality reference genome provides a useful resource for the horticultural improvement of hawthorn.