Search Results (7)

Morinda citrifolia L. (M. citrifolia), commonly referred to as noni, a Polynesian medicinal plant with over 2000 years of traditional use, has garnered global interest for its rich repertoire of antioxidant phytochemicals, including flavonoids (kaempferol, rutin), iridoids (aucubin, asperulosidic acid, deacetylasperulosidic acid, asperuloside), polysaccharides (nonioside A), and coumarins (scopoletin). This comprehensive review synthesizes recent advances (2018–2023) on noni’s bioactive constituents, pharmacological properties, and molecular mechanisms, with a focus on its antioxidant potential. Systematic analyses reveal that noni-derived compounds exhibit potent free radical scavenging capacity (e.g., 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl/2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonicacid) (DPPH/ABTS) inhibition), upregulate endogenous antioxidant enzymes (Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT), Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx)), and modulate key pathways such as Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2/Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Nrf2/Keap1) and Nuclear Factor kappa-B (NF-κB). Notably, polysaccharides and iridoids demonstrate dual antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects via gut microbiota regulation. This highlights the plant’s potential for innovation in the medical and pharmaceutical fields. However, it is also recognized that further research is needed to clarify its mechanisms of action and ensure its safety for widespread application. We emphasize the need for mechanistic studies to bridge traditional knowledge with modern applications, particularly in developing antioxidant-rich nutraceuticals and sustainable livestock feed additives. This review underscores noni’s role as a multi-target antioxidant agent and provides a roadmap for future research to optimize its health benefits. Full article

Chinese herbs are a huge treasure trove of natural products and an important source of many active molecules. The theory of traditional Chinese medicine compatibility (TCMC) is widely applied in clinical practice, but its mechanism is still ambiguous. This study aims to open a new window for this predicament by studying the interaction between the main active ingredients from a drug pair. Carrier-free assembly of natural products improves the shortcomings of traditional nanodelivery systems and opens a new path for the development of new nanomaterials. The drug pair “Pueraria and Hedyotis diffusa” has been commonly used in clinical practice, with a predominant therapeutic effect. This study is devoted to the study of the binary small molecule co-assembly of the main active molecules from the drug pair. In this study, we introduce a carrier-free composite gel, formed by the co-assembly of puerarin (PUE) and deacetylasperulosidic acid (DAA) via non-covalent bonds including π–π packing, intermolecular hydrogen bonding, and C=O π interactions. With a strain point 7-fold higher than that of P gel, the P − D gel exhibited favorable rheological properties. The survival rate of SW1990 cells in the P − D group was only 21.39% when the concentration of administration reached 200 μM. It thus demonstrated activity in inhibiting SW1990 cells’ survival, suggesting potential in combating pancreatic cancer. Furthermore, this research offers a valuable concept for enhancing the mechanical properties and bioactivity of hydrogel materials through the utilization of a multi-component natural small molecule co-assembly approach. More importantly, this provides new ideas and methods for the treatment of pancreatic cancer and the analysis of traditional Chinese medicine compatibility theory. Full article

This study aims to determine the immunomodulatory effects of a polysaccharide fraction from fermented M. citrifolia L. (FMP) in RAW 264.7 macrophages and Balb/c mice. M. citrifolia was fermented for 72 h using Lactobacillus brevis; polysaccharides were extracted using ethanol precipitation. The RAW 264.7 cells exposed to FMP (50, 100, and 200 μg/mL) for 24 h showed increased NO production, proinflammatory cytokine (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α) release, and COX-2 and iNOS protein expression. FMP (100, 200 mg/kg) and deacetylasperulosidic acid (DAA) (20 mg/kg) administered orally to Balb/c mice for 14 days upregulated NO production and NK cytotoxicity in abdominal cavity and spleen, respectively. Th1 and Th2 cytokines production and immune cell numbers increased in spleen, mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN), peritoneal exudate cells (PEC), Peyer’s patches (PP), and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Therefore, FMP containing DAA can be used as materials for health functional foods to enhance immune responses. Full article

The intrinsic chemical components and sensory characteristics of Gardeniae fructus Praeparatus (GFP) directly reflect its quality and subsequently, affect its clinical curative effect. However, there is little research on the correlation between the appearance traits and chemical compositions of GFP during heat processing. In this study, the major components of five typical processed decoction pieces of GFP were determined. With the deepening of processing, the contents of geniposidic acid and 5-HMF gradually increased, while the contents of deacetyl-asperulosidic acid methyl ester, gardenoside, and two pigments declined. Moreover, the electronic eye, electronic tongue, and electronic nose were applied to quantify GFP’s sensory properties. It was found that the chroma values showed a downward trend during the processing of GFP. The results of odor showed that ammonia, alkenes, hydrogen, and aromatic compounds were the material base for aroma characteristics. Complex bitterness in GF was more obvious than that in other GFP processed products. Furthermore, one mathematical model was established to evaluate the correlation between the sensory characteristics and chemical composition of GFP during five different stages. A cluster analysis and neural network analysis contributed to recognizing the processing stage of GFP. This study provided an alternative method for the exterior and interior correlation-based quality evaluation of herbs. Full article

The prevalence of atopic dermatitis (AD), a disease characterized by severe pruritus, immune imbalance, and skin barrier dysfunction, is rapidly increasing worldwide. Deacetylasperulosidic acid (DAA) has anti-atopic activity in the three main cell types associated with AD: keratinocytes, mast cells, and eosinophils. Our study investigated the anti-atopic activity of DAA in 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene-induced NC/Nga mice. DAA alleviated the symptoms of AD, including infiltration of inflammatory cells (mast cells and eosinophils), epidermal thickness, ear thickness, and scratching behavior. Furthermore, DAA reduced serum IgE, histamine, and IgG1/IgG2a ratio and modulated the levels of AD-related cytokines and chemokines, namely interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-9, IL-10, IL-12, tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-γ, thymic stromal lymphopoietin, thymus and activation-regulated chemokine, macrophage-derived chemokine, and regulated on activation the normal T cell expressed and secreted in the serum. DAA restored immune balance by regulating gene expression and secretion of Th1-, Th2-, Th9-, Th17-, and Th22-mediated inflammatory factors in the dorsal skin and splenocytes and restored skin barrier function by increasing the expression of the pro-filaggrin gene and barrier-related proteins filaggrin, involucrin, and loricrin. These results suggest DAA as a potential therapeutic agent that can alleviate the symptoms of AD by reducing pruritus, modulating immune imbalance, and restoring skin barrier function. Full article

Fermentation is a technology that enhances biologically active ingredients, improves the absorption rate and induces the generation of new functional ingredients by the catalytic action of enzyme systems possessed by microorganisms. In this study, changes in the content of five kinds of bioactive compounds (deacetylasperulosidic acid, asperulosidic acid, scopolin, asperuloside and scopoletin) of Morinda citrifolia L. were confirmed by fermentation, and a high-performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array (HPLC-PDA) analysis method for measuring analytes was developed and validated. HPLC method for the determination of five bioactive compounds in Morinda citrifolia L. extracts (MCE) was validated in terms of sensitivity, linearity, selectivity, limit of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ), precision and accuracy. The coefficient of determination of the calibration curve for bioactive compounds (1.56–100 μg/mL) showed linearity (R² ≥ 0.9999). LOD and LOQ were in the range 0.04–0.97 and 0.13–2.95 μg/mL, respectively. The range of intra- and intraday accuracies values (recovery) were 97.5–121.9% and 98.8–118.1%, respectively, and precision value (RSDs) of the bioactive compounds were <4%. In addition, changes in the content of five bioactive compounds in MCE by fermentation were confirmed. These results indicate that the developed fermentation and analysis method could be applied in the development of potential functional food ingredients. Full article

The medicinal plant noni (Morinda citrifolia) is widely dispersed throughout Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, and Australia. We previously reported that fermented Noni could alleviate atopic dermatitis (AD) by recovering Th1/Th2 immune balance and enhancing skin barrier function induced by 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene. Noni has a high deacetylasperulosidic acid (DAA) content, whose concentration further increased in fermented noni as an iridoid constituent. This study aimed to determine the anti-AD effects and mechanisms of DAA on HaCaT, HMC-1, and EOL-1 cells. DAA inhibited the gene expression and secretion of AD-related cytokines and chemokines including interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-25, IL-33, thymic stromal lymphopoietin, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, thymus and activation-regulated chemokine, macrophage-derived chemokine, and regulated upon activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted, in all cells, and inhibited histamine release in HMC-1 cells. DAA controlled mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation levels and the translocation of nuclear factor-kappa light chain enhancer of activated B cells into the nucleus by inhibiting IκBα decomposition in all the cells. Furthermore, DAA increased the expression of proteins involved in skin barrier functions such as filaggrin and involucrin in HaCaT cells. These results confirmed that DAA could relieve AD by controlling immune balance and recovering skin barrier function. Full article