Metabolites

Background: Fanhuncao, derived from Senecio cannabifolius Less. and its variety Senecio cannabifolius var. integrifolius (Koidz.) Kitag., is frequently adulterated with morphologically similar Senecio nemorensis L. var. dentatus (Kitam.) H. Koyama. Traditional identification methods, including morphological observation, microscopic examination and thin-layer chromatography (TLC), rely on expert experience and a limited set of reference standards, which fail to provide sufficient chemical evidence for discriminating these closely related taxa. In this study, to investigate the differences between Fanhuncao and morphologically similar species, we aimed to screen specific chemical markers and establish an objective authentication strategy for Fanhuncao. Methods: We collected leaf samples of Senecio cannabifolius Less. (M), Senecio cannabifolius Less. var. integrifolius (Koidz.) Kitag. (Q) and Senecio nemorensis L. var. dentatus (Kitam.) H. Koyama. (H). A widely targeted metabolomics approach was employed to characterize the metabolic profiles of the three Senecio taxa, and we evaluated its potential for authenticating Fanhuncao. Results: In total, 2443 metabolites were annotated, and 52, 346 and 302 were differentially accumulated in Q vs. M, H vs. M and H vs. Q, respectively. Principal component analysis (PCA) demonstrated clear separation among the three groups, and 15 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) were identified (p < 0.05, FC > 2, FC < 0.5, and VIP > 1). Of these, kaempferol-3-O-galactoside (Trifolin) and dehydrodiconiferyl alcohol 4-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (DCG) exhibited significant differences among the groups. Trifolin and DCG were 11-fold and 25-fold lower in H relative to M and 5.6-fold and 7.7-fold lower in H relative to Q, respectively. Conclusions: In this work, we provide candidate chemical markers and a metabolomic strategy to address the limitations of conventional authentication techniques for the rapid and objective discrimination of Fanhuncao and its adulterant. These findings indicate that widely targeted metabolomics represents a promising strategy for the authentication and quality evaluation of Fanhuncao medicinal materials.

Background/Objectives: Glutamine supplementation has been investigated across nutritional, clinical and preclinical settings, but the development and thematic structure of this literature have not been comprehensively mapped. This bibliometric study examined publication trends, leading contributors, citation patterns, international collaboration and thematic evolution. Methods: The Web of Science Core Collection was searched on 20 August 2026 using a title-based strategy targeting intervention-oriented glutamine research. The corpus comprised 1321 articles and reviews published during 1943–2025. Analyses were conducted in Python, including country co-authorship networks and author–keyword mapping. Co-occurrence and temporal analyses used author keywords from 925 publications (70.0%), with a 15-occurrence threshold for co-occurrence mapping and six thematic domains examined across four periods (1991–2025). Results: Publication output increased from the 1990s and peaked in 2014. The corpus spanned 512 sources and accumulated 42,356 citations (h-index 87). The United States, China and Brazil contributed the most publications, while the University of São Paulo was the leading institution. Clinical nutrition and critical illness, amino-acid metabolism, oxidative and inflammatory responses, intestinal function, exercise and oncology-related applications were represented. Clinical nutrition and critical illness decreased from 34.0% to 10.6% of keyword-bearing publications between the earliest and latest periods, while oxidative, inflammatory and immune responses increased from 16.0% to 21.1%. International co-authorship occurred in 17.3% of publications. Conclusions: The results demonstrate changing thematic representation and identify major contributors and collaboration patterns within intervention-oriented glutamine research. These descriptive findings do not establish clinical efficacy or the presence of substantive evidence gaps.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to compare the effects of time-restricted eating (TRE) alone and TRE combined with resistance exercise on inflammatory responses and oxidative stress levels in adults with obesity. Methods: Sixty adults who met the diagnostic criteria for obesity were randomly assigned to a control group (n = 20), a TRE group (n = 20), or a TRE plus resistance exercise group (n = 20). The TRE group underwent a 12-week TRE intervention, with an eating window from 08:00 to 16:00. Dietary composition was not modified, and total daily energy intake was maintained at baseline levels. During the remaining hours, participants strictly abstained from consuming energy-containing foods and beverages. In addition to the same TRE protocol, the combined intervention group performed elastic-band resistance exercise three times per week for 30–45 min per session. Those in the control group were instructed to maintain their usual sedentary behavior patterns and dietary habits, including food types and quantities, and to strictly avoid regular physical exercise throughout the trial. In all three groups, inflammatory markers (TNF-α, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, sICAM-1, CRP, and IFN-γ) and oxidative stress markers (MDA, SOD, 8-OHdG, CAT, and TAC) were assessed before the intervention and after its completion. Changes in these markers were compared across the three groups, with TNF-α and MDA designated as the primary outcome measures. After completion of the trial, three participants were excluded from each group, leaving 17 participants per group for the final data analysis. Results: Before the intervention, no significant between-group differences were observed in TNF-α, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, sICAM-1, CRP, IFN-γ, MDA, SOD, 8-OHdG, CAT, TAC, or energy intake (all p > 0.05). Compared with their respective baseline values, the TRE group showed significant reductions in TNF-α, MDA, and 8-OHdG levels and a significant increase in TAC levels (all p < 0.05). The combined intervention group showed significant reductions in TNF-α, IL-6, sICAM-1, MDA, and 8-OHdG levels and significant increases in IL-10, IL-4, SOD, and TAC levels (all p < 0.05). After the intervention, compared with the control group, the TRE and combined intervention groups had significantly lower levels of TNF-α, IL-6, sICAM-1, MDA, and 8-OHdG (all p < 0.05), whereas the combined intervention group had significantly higher levels of IL-10, IL-4, SOD, and TAC (all p < 0.05). In addition, IL-4 and SOD levels were significantly higher in the combined intervention group than in the TRE group after the intervention (both p < 0.05). No significant within- or between-group differences were observed for CRP, IFN-γ, CAT, or energy intake (all p > 0.05). Conclusions: TRE alone and TRE combined with elastic-band resistance exercise improved inflammatory responses and oxidative stress levels in people with obesity after 12 weeks; however, the overall effects of the two interventions did not differ significantly.