Xuewu Zhang

1H NMR-Based Metabolic Profiling of Urine from Mice Fed Lentinula edodes-Derived Polysaccharides

Abstract A heteropolysaccharide, named L2, from Lentinula edodes has been proved to possess immunostimulating and anti-ageing activities in previous studies, but its acting mechanism was not completely understood. In this study, 1H NMR spectroscopy approach was employed to investigate the metabolic profiles of the urine from adult mice after L2 intervention. Using principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares-discriminate analysis (PLS-DA), 22 potential biomarkers were found to be mainly involved in some metabolic pathways: amino acid metabolism, energy metabolism, lipid metabolism, tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, urea cycle and gut microbiota metabolism. Among them, the significantly altered metabolites include: elevated glutamate (75%) and creatine (64%); decreased proline (65%), betaine (58%), fucose (63%) and dimethylamine (59%). In conclusion, the present data is helpful to understand the mechanisms related to previously confirmed immunomodulation and anti-aging effects of L2, and provide valuable information for mining new functions of L2.

Anti-oxidant, hemolysis inhibition, and collagen-stimulating activities of a new hexapeptide derived from Arthrospira ( Spirulina) platensis

In this study, the whole protein of Arthrospira (Spirulina) platensis was extracted and hydrolyzed with trypsin. Screening process for new peptides was driven by 2,2′-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical scavenging activity assay, and a hexapeptide with sequence of GMCCSR was identified. Its anti-oxidant activity was measured based on ABTS, 1,1’-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) assays. Hemolysis inhibition on human erythrocytes and collagen-stimulating activities on human skin fibroblasts (HSFs) were investigated. Results showed that its radical scavenging effect could compete with ascorbic acid. Intracellular assays revealed the reduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents and the increase in activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in erythrocytes pretreated with hexapeptide, demonstrating that the peptide could protect erythrocytes from lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation. Moreover, results from HSFs showed that it could promote proliferation and collagen production of HSFs pro-damaged by UVB. These results suggest the potential of the hexapeptide in food and pharmaceutical industries.

Application of fluorescently labeled tracer technique for detection of natural active macromolecules in Chinese medicine

Abstract Active substances in traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) contain not only a variety of small molecules, but also many other macromolecules (TCMMs), such as proteins, peptides and polysaccharides. Active TCMM can achieve good therapeutic effects by regulating the bodys overall function with lower side effects. This review summarized the literatures published in recent years on the application of fluorescently labeled tracer technique for detection of natural active macromolecules in TCM. Classified by fluorescent markers, applications of fluorescein, rhodamine, and quantum dots (QDs) in TCMM active tracer are reviewed, and the methods and principles of TCMM fluorescent marker are illustrated. Studies on active TCMMs and their action mechanism are quite difficult due to a multitarget, multicomponent, and multipath system of TCM. However, the development of fluorescently labeled active tracer technique (FLATT) provides this research with new tools. Traditional fluorescent markers have many deficiencies, such as easily quenched, short luminous cycle, and intrinsic toxicity. Relatively, FLATT has many obvious advantages, and its application in TCMM is still at the early stage. In order to improve the overall level of fluorescence labeling in TCMM active tracer, the improvement on FLATTs detection sensitivity and biological affinity is urgent and critical to allow study of these interesting molecules.

Potential cardiovascular system‐protective effects of flavan‐3‐ol

I read with great interest the recent paper by Ostertag et al. [1]. Flavan-3-ols can improve platelet function in men only, and may thus beneficially affect atherogenesis, and the effects are needed to examine. Interestingly, recent data suggests that flavan-3-ol might augment existing therapeutic strategies to reduce cardiovascular disease risk in postmenopausal T2DM patients [2]. Flavan-3-ols share a non-planar, 2-phenyl-3, 4-dihydro-2H-chromen-3-ol skeleton (Fig. 1).