Objective: Apios americana,a plant used as a staple ingredient of native American diets,has various properties,including anti-cancer,anti-hyperglycemic,hypotensive,and anti-inflammatory activity.In Japan,Apios is used...Objective: Apios americana,a plant used as a staple ingredient of native American diets,has various properties,including anti-cancer,anti-hyperglycemic,hypotensive,and anti-inflammatory activity.In Japan,Apios is used as a post-natal medication.After parturition,women undergo a period of recovery as they return to pre-pregnancy conditions.However,few health products that aid post-partum recovery are on the market.We explored whether Apios can accelerate the post-partum recovery process,in particular the involution of the uterus.Methods: Female rats kept in individual cages were mated with two male rats,with the exception of the control group(female rats without mating,on basal diet;n=6).After delivery,rats were divided into five groups based on their diet: basal diet(model;n=6);basal diet+oral intake at 5.4 g/kg of Chanfukang granules(a Chinese patent medicine preparation for post-partum lochia)(positive;n=6);basal diet containing 10% Apios powder(low;n=6);basal diet containing 20% Apios powder(medium;n=6);basal diet containing 40% Apios powder(high;n=6).Five days later,uteri and spleens were weighed.Uterus and spleen indices for each rat were calculated by dividing visceral weight by the total weight.Hormone and cytokine concentrations were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).Histological analysis of uteri was completed using hematoxylin and eosin(H&E) staining.Expression of matrix metalloproteinases and inhibitors in uteri was measured by western blotting.Results: Our results showed that Apios treatment reduced the post-partum uterus index and regulated the hormone concentrations.Moreover,we found that the process of uterine involution was accelerated,based on morphological changes in the uterus.In addition,our results indicated that Apios alleviated the inflammatory response induced by the involution process.Transforming growth factor β was also found to be regulated by Apios.There were significant downregulation of matrix metalloproteinases and upregulation of their inhibitors by Apios,which suggested that Apios increased the rate of the collagen clearance process.Conclusions: These results,based on experimental observations at the molecular and protein levels,verified our hypothesis that Apios can improve uterine involution,and demonstrated the potential application of Apios in post-partum care.展开更多
As the modulator of gut microbiota,resistant starch(RS)demonstrates the significant therapeutic efficacy against difficult defecation.This study investigated the novel prebiotic effects of Apios americana Medikus tube...As the modulator of gut microbiota,resistant starch(RS)demonstrates the significant therapeutic efficacy against difficult defecation.This study investigated the novel prebiotic effects of Apios americana Medikus tuber starch(AS)on diphenoxylate-induced constipation in mice.AS was characterized by a typical B-type crystalline pattern with a high RS content of 87.25%.Treatment with the high dosage of AS(AS-H),the wet weight and number of black feces,and gastrointestinal transit ratio of constipated mice significantly enhanced by 57.5%,242.9%and 33.9%,respectively,in comparison with the model group.Moreover,AS-H supplementation significantly inhibited the levels of inflammation-related factors including tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin-6(IL-6)and interleukin-1β(IL-1β)as well as the increased protein expression levels of zonula occluden-1(ZO-1)and occludin in the colon tissue of constipated mice.AS-H group showed marked increases in the excitatory neurotransmitters with concurrent decreases in the inhibitory neurotransmitters.Additionally,the colonic expression of vasoactive intestinal peptide receptor 1(VIPR1)was significantly suppressed,while serotonin receptor 4(5-HT4)was enhanced by AS-H treatment.A significant increase at gut bacterial genus level(such as Bacteroides,Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group and Oscillibacter)accompanied by increasing concentrations of SCFAs was observed after AS-H treatment,with these changes directly correlating to the alleviation of constipation.Importantly,fecal microbiota transplantation(FMT)intervention with a AS-derived microbiome notably ameliorated the fecal parameters in constipated mice.Collectively,supplementation with AS could promote the fecal excretion by modulating enteric neurotransmitters and gut microbiota in mice,providing the conduct of subsequent human clinical trials.展开更多
Type 2 diabetes(T2D)is a chronic metabolic disease related to glucose metabolism disorders.Increasing evidences indicate that flavonoids obtained from plants have beneficial effects on T2D.Apios americana Medik,origin...Type 2 diabetes(T2D)is a chronic metabolic disease related to glucose metabolism disorders.Increasing evidences indicate that flavonoids obtained from plants have beneficial effects on T2D.Apios americana Medik,originally cultivated in North America,is rich in flavonoids.In this study,A.americana flower extract(AFE)was purified and flavonoids were identified.The beneficial effects of AFE on glucose metabolism disorders were investigated.Results showed that AFE protected hepatic cells from oxidative stress caused by hyperglycemia and increased glucose consumption and glucose uptake.The AKT pathway was involved in AFE-mediated hypoglycemic action in LO2 cells,accompanied by phosphorylation of FoxO1,Gsk-3βand AMPK.In vivo,AFE protected Caenorhabditis elegans(C.elegans)from oxidative stress under hyperglycemia and restored the expressions of PMK-1 and SKN-1.Furthermore,AFE decreased excessive glucose and lipid accumulation and extended the lifespans of high glucose(HG)treated C.elegans.AFE might be beneficial to decrease glucose metabolism disorders and T2D.展开更多
The protected apiose-containing disaccharide, benzyl O-(2,3, 3'-tri-O-acetyl-β-D-apiofuranosyl)-( 1→3)-2, 4-di-O-benzoyl-α-D-xylopyranoside, was synthesized and its X-ray structure provided.
基金Project supported by the Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China(No.LZ14C200001)
文摘Objective: Apios americana,a plant used as a staple ingredient of native American diets,has various properties,including anti-cancer,anti-hyperglycemic,hypotensive,and anti-inflammatory activity.In Japan,Apios is used as a post-natal medication.After parturition,women undergo a period of recovery as they return to pre-pregnancy conditions.However,few health products that aid post-partum recovery are on the market.We explored whether Apios can accelerate the post-partum recovery process,in particular the involution of the uterus.Methods: Female rats kept in individual cages were mated with two male rats,with the exception of the control group(female rats without mating,on basal diet;n=6).After delivery,rats were divided into five groups based on their diet: basal diet(model;n=6);basal diet+oral intake at 5.4 g/kg of Chanfukang granules(a Chinese patent medicine preparation for post-partum lochia)(positive;n=6);basal diet containing 10% Apios powder(low;n=6);basal diet containing 20% Apios powder(medium;n=6);basal diet containing 40% Apios powder(high;n=6).Five days later,uteri and spleens were weighed.Uterus and spleen indices for each rat were calculated by dividing visceral weight by the total weight.Hormone and cytokine concentrations were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).Histological analysis of uteri was completed using hematoxylin and eosin(H&E) staining.Expression of matrix metalloproteinases and inhibitors in uteri was measured by western blotting.Results: Our results showed that Apios treatment reduced the post-partum uterus index and regulated the hormone concentrations.Moreover,we found that the process of uterine involution was accelerated,based on morphological changes in the uterus.In addition,our results indicated that Apios alleviated the inflammatory response induced by the involution process.Transforming growth factor β was also found to be regulated by Apios.There were significant downregulation of matrix metalloproteinases and upregulation of their inhibitors by Apios,which suggested that Apios increased the rate of the collagen clearance process.Conclusions: These results,based on experimental observations at the molecular and protein levels,verified our hypothesis that Apios can improve uterine involution,and demonstrated the potential application of Apios in post-partum care.
基金supported by the China Agriculture Research System of MOF and MARA(CARS-21)Taishan Scholars Program(NO.tsqnz20231230)Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province(ZR2024QH636).
文摘As the modulator of gut microbiota,resistant starch(RS)demonstrates the significant therapeutic efficacy against difficult defecation.This study investigated the novel prebiotic effects of Apios americana Medikus tuber starch(AS)on diphenoxylate-induced constipation in mice.AS was characterized by a typical B-type crystalline pattern with a high RS content of 87.25%.Treatment with the high dosage of AS(AS-H),the wet weight and number of black feces,and gastrointestinal transit ratio of constipated mice significantly enhanced by 57.5%,242.9%and 33.9%,respectively,in comparison with the model group.Moreover,AS-H supplementation significantly inhibited the levels of inflammation-related factors including tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin-6(IL-6)and interleukin-1β(IL-1β)as well as the increased protein expression levels of zonula occluden-1(ZO-1)and occludin in the colon tissue of constipated mice.AS-H group showed marked increases in the excitatory neurotransmitters with concurrent decreases in the inhibitory neurotransmitters.Additionally,the colonic expression of vasoactive intestinal peptide receptor 1(VIPR1)was significantly suppressed,while serotonin receptor 4(5-HT4)was enhanced by AS-H treatment.A significant increase at gut bacterial genus level(such as Bacteroides,Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group and Oscillibacter)accompanied by increasing concentrations of SCFAs was observed after AS-H treatment,with these changes directly correlating to the alleviation of constipation.Importantly,fecal microbiota transplantation(FMT)intervention with a AS-derived microbiome notably ameliorated the fecal parameters in constipated mice.Collectively,supplementation with AS could promote the fecal excretion by modulating enteric neurotransmitters and gut microbiota in mice,providing the conduct of subsequent human clinical trials.
基金supported by the Zhejiang Provincial Major R&D Program[2021C02020]the Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China[LQ20C160011].
文摘Type 2 diabetes(T2D)is a chronic metabolic disease related to glucose metabolism disorders.Increasing evidences indicate that flavonoids obtained from plants have beneficial effects on T2D.Apios americana Medik,originally cultivated in North America,is rich in flavonoids.In this study,A.americana flower extract(AFE)was purified and flavonoids were identified.The beneficial effects of AFE on glucose metabolism disorders were investigated.Results showed that AFE protected hepatic cells from oxidative stress caused by hyperglycemia and increased glucose consumption and glucose uptake.The AKT pathway was involved in AFE-mediated hypoglycemic action in LO2 cells,accompanied by phosphorylation of FoxO1,Gsk-3βand AMPK.In vivo,AFE protected Caenorhabditis elegans(C.elegans)from oxidative stress under hyperglycemia and restored the expressions of PMK-1 and SKN-1.Furthermore,AFE decreased excessive glucose and lipid accumulation and extended the lifespans of high glucose(HG)treated C.elegans.AFE might be beneficial to decrease glucose metabolism disorders and T2D.
