Rapid Authentication of the Poisonous Plant Gelsemium elegans by Combining Filter-Paper-Based DNA Extraction and RPA–LFD Detection

Numerous plants and animals are edible and officinal,but some can be poisonous.There is sometimes confusion between poisonous and non-poisonous materials because of similarities in their morphologies.Consequently,the unwitting intake of poisonous plant or animal material has resulted in poisoning cases and sometimes in death,especially for situation in the wild.Rapid and accurate authentication of toxic species is essential for establishing and adopting optimal and urgent treatment for patients in such cases,and can be life-saving or can at least minimize the damage to health.Unfortunately,most of the current species authentication methods,including DNA barcoding,loop-mediated isothermal amplification(LAMP),chromatography technologies,and other methods,depend on professional equipment and a specialist laboratory,which are impracticable for real-time application in the field.It is therefore crucial to develop a rapid,accurate,and specific authentication method for poisonous species that does not require any equipment.

Acetylshikonin Inhibits Colorectal Cancer Growth via PI3K/Akt/mTOR Signaling Pathway

Background: Acetylshikonin, a major constituent isolated from Arnebia euchroma, is a potential candidate for anti-colorectal cancer drugs. However, the potential activity and underlying mechanism of Acetylshikonin against colorectal cancer remain unclear. Methods: In this study, Acetylshikonin was isolated from the active CHCl3 extract of Arnebia euchroma using activity-guided screening, and elucidated by the extensive spectroscopic analysis and comparison with literature data. Human colorectal cancer cells HT29, DLD-1, HCT116 or Caco-2 were exposed to different concentrations of Acetylshikonin (6.25 - 100 μg/mL) for 24 or 48 h. Cell viability, cell apoptosis and cell cycle distribution were detected. The activity of Acetylshikonin and potential mechanism of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway were evaluated in vitro and vivo. Results: We found that Acetylshikonin exhibited remarkable anti-proliferative activity in a dose-dependent manner against HT29 cells with the IC50 values of 60.82 μg/ml and 30.78 μg/ml at 24, 48 h, respectively. Moreover, Acetylshikonin induced cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase and early apoptosis through inhibition of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. Furthermore, the assays of cell inhibition, early apoptosis and G0/G1 phase distribution showed that suppression of the PI3K/Akt pathway using LY294002 enhanced the anti-cancer effect of Acetylshikonin. Similarly, Acetylshikonin also decreased the growth of tumour in colorectal cancer xenografts in mice through PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. Conclusions: To sum up, these new findings provided a framework for further exploration of Acetylshikonin which possessed the potential antitumor activity by inhibiting PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway.

Characterization of edible bird’s nest by peptide fingerprinting with principal component analysis

OBJECTIVES:Proteins are the major component and play a key role in nutritious and therapeutic functions of edible bird’s nest(EBN);however,limited studies have been conducted on the protein due to difficulties in extraction,isolation as well as identification.This study aimed to provide comprehensive information for the quality evaluation of EBN peptides,which would be a valuable reference for further study on EBN proteins.METHODS:Here,we developed a quality control method using high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC)peptide fingerprints deriving from EBN being digested with simulated gastric fluid.The characteristic peptide peaks were collected and identified by LC-MS/MS.RESULTS:The characteristic peptide peaks,corresponding to the protein fragments of acidic mammalian chitinase-like,lysyl oxidase,and Mucin-5AC-like,were identified and quantified.Interestingly,the principal component analysis indicated that the fingerprints were able to discriminate colour of EBN(white/red)and production sites(cave/house)of White EBN on the same weight basis.As proposed by the model developed in this study,Muc-5AC-like and AMCaselike proteins were the markers with the highest discriminative power.CONCLUSIONS:The overall findings suggest that HPLC peptide fingerprints were able to clearly demonstrate peptide profile differences between genuine and adulterated EBN samples;and classify EBN samples by its color and production site.In addition,the protein identification results suggested that Muc-5AC-like protein was the major protein in EBN.

Three new carabrane sesquiterpenoid derivatives from the whole plant of Carpesium abrotanoides L.

Dicarabrols B and C(1 and 2),two new carabrane sesquiterpenoid dimers,along with one new carabrane sesquiterpenoid(3)were isolated from the whole plant of Carpesium abrotanoides L.Their full structures were established by extensive analysis of HR-ESI-MS and NMR spectroscopic data,and time-dependent density functional theory(TDDFT)electronic circular dichroism(ECD)calculations.Dicarabrol B possesses a novel C30 skeleton featuring a methylene-tethered bridge between two sesquiterpene moieties,while dicarabrol C presents the unique linkage of a cyclopentane ring in the molecule.Dicarabrol C exhibited potent inhibitory effects on HL−60 cells with an IC50 value of 3.7μmol·L^(−1).