Gastrodia elata (G. elata) tuber is a valuable herbal medicine used to treat many diseases. The procedure of establishing a reasonable and feasible quality assessment method for G. elata tuber is important to ensure its clinical safety and efficacy. In this research, an effective and comprehensive evaluation method for assessing the quality of G. elata has been developed, based on the analysis of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fingerprint, combined with the quantitative analysis of multi-components by single marker (QAMS) method. The contents of the seven components, including gastrodin, p-hydroxybenzyl alcohol, p-hydroxy benzaldehyde, parishin A, parishin B, parishin C, and parishin E were determined, simultaneously, using gastrodin as the reference standard. The results demonstrated that there was no significant difference between the QAMS method and the traditional external standard method (ESM) (p > 0.05, RSD < 4.79%), suggesting that QAMS was a reliable and convenient method for the content determination of multiple components, especially when there is a shortage of reference substances. In conclusion, this strategy could be beneficial for simplifying the processes in the quality control of G. elata tuber and giving references to promote the quality standards of herbal medicines.

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Beneficial interactions between endophytes and plants are critical for plant growth and metabolite accumulation. Nevertheless, the secondary metabolites controlling the feedback between the host plant and the endophytic microbial community remain elusive in medicinal plants. In this report, we demonstrate that plant-derived triterpenoids predominantly promote the growth of endophytic bacteria and fungi, which in turn promote host plant growth and secondary metabolite productions. From culturable bacterial and fungal microbial strains isolated from the medicinal plant Schisandra sphenanthera, through triterpenoid-mediated screens, we constructed six synthetic communities (SynComs). By using a binary interaction method in plates, we revealed that triterpenoid-promoted bacterial and fungal strains (TPB and TPF) played more positive roles in the microbial community. The functional screening of representative strains suggested that TPB and TPF provide more beneficial abilities to the host. Moreover, pot experiments in a sterilized system further demonstrated that TPB and TPF play important roles in host growth and metabolite accumulation. In summary, these experiments revealed a role of triterpenoids in endophytic microbiome assembly and indicated a strategy for constructing SynComs on the basis of the screening of secondary metabolites, in which bacteria and fungi join forces to promote plant health. These findings may open new avenues towards the breeding of high yielding and high metabolite-accumulating medicinal plants by exploiting their interaction with beneficial endophytes.

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Cardiovascular disease is a kind of heart, brain, and blood vessel injury disease by the interaction of various pathological factors. The pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease is complex with various risk factors, including abnormally elevated blood pressure, glucose, and lipid metabolism disorders, atherosclerosis, thrombosis, etc. Plant polysaccharides are a special class of natural products derived from plant resources, which have the characteristics of wide sources, diverse biological activities, and low toxicity or side effects. Many studies have shown that plant polysaccharides improve cardiovascular diseases through various mechanisms such as anti-oxidative stress, restoring the metabolism of biological macromolecules, regulating the apoptosis cascade to reduce cell apoptosis, and inhibiting inflammatory signal pathways to alleviate inflammation. This article reviews the pharmacological effects and protective mechanisms of some plant polysaccharides in modulating the cardiovascular system, which is beneficial for developing more effective drugs with low side effects for management of cardiovascular diseases.

Jasmine flower residue (JFR) is a by-product retained in the production process of jasmine tea and can be used as an unconventional feed due to its rich nutrient value. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the addition of JFR to the diet of goats on their meat quality and flavor. Twenty-four castrated Nubian male goats were randomly divided into two groups and fed a mixed diet containing 10% JFR (JFR, n = 12) or a conventional diet (CON, n = 12) for 45 days. Meat quality and flavor were measured at the end of the treatment. The addition of JFR to the diet could reduce the shear force of the longissimus dorsi muscle, as well as, the cross-sectional area and diameter of muscle fibers, indicating that the addition of JFR improved meat quality. JFR also increased the content of glutamic acid and ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (C18:3n3 and C20:5N3) and reduced the content of C24:1 and saturated fatty acid (C20:0 and C22:0). In addition, the use of JFR increased the content of acetaldehyde and hexanal in the meat. Furthermore, JFR introduced new volatile components in the meat. The umami, saltiness, and richness of the meat also improved. In conclusion, the addition of jasmine flower residue to the diet can improve the meat quality and flavor of goat.

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As a member of purinoceptors, the P2Y 6 receptor (P2Y 6 R) plays a crucial role in modulating immune signals and has been considered as a potential therapeutic target for inflammatory diseases. On the basis of the speculated probable conformation and binding determinants of P2Y 6 R, a hierarchical strategy that combines virtual screening, bioassays, and chemical optimization was presented. A potent P2Y 6 R antagonist (compound 50) was identified to possess excellent antagonistic activity (IC 50 = 5.914 nM) and high selectivity. In addition, binding assays and chemical pull-down experiments confirmed that compound 50 was nicely bound to P2Y 6 R. Notably, compound 50 could effectively ameliorate DSS-induced ulcerative colitis in mice through inhibiting the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome in colon tissues. Moreover, treatment with compound 50 reduced LPS-induced pulmonary edema and infiltration of inflammatory cells in mice. These findings suggest that compound 50 could serve as a specific P2Y 6 R antagonist for treating inflammatory diseases and deserve further optimization studies.