The purpose of this work was to illustrate the effect of processing with vinegar on saikosaponins of Bupleurum chinense DC. (BC) and the protective effects of saikosaponin A (SSA), saikosaponin b1 (SSb1), saikosaponin b2 (SSb2), and saikosaponin D (SSD) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) mice. We comprehensively evaluated the anti-inflammatory effects and potential mechanisms of SSA, SSb1, SSb2, and SSD through an LPS-induced ALI model using intratracheal injection. The results showed that SSA, SSb1, SSb2, and SSD significantly decreased pulmonary edema; reduced the levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β in serum and lung tissues; alleviated pulmonary pathological damage; and decreased the levels of the IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β genes and the expression of NF-κB/TLR4-related proteins. Interestingly, they were similar in structure, but SSb2 had a better anti-inflammatory effect at the same dose, according to a principal component analysis. These findings indicated that it may not have been comprehensive to only use SSA and SSD as indicators to evaluate the quality of BC, especially as the contents of SSb1 and SSb2 in vinegar-processed BC were significantly increased.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a class of natural drugs with multiple components and significant therapeutic effects through multiple targets. It also originates from a wide range of sources containing plants, animals and minerals, and among them, plant-based Chinese medicine also includes fungi. Fungal traditional Chinese medicine is a medicinal resource with a long history and widespread application in China. Accumulating evidence confirms that polysaccharide is the main pharmacodynamic material on which fungal TCM is based. The purpose of the current systematic review is to summarize the extraction, isolation, structural identification, biological functions, quality control and medicinal and edible applications of polysaccharides from fungal TCM in the past three years. This paper will supplement and deepen the understanding and application of polysaccharides from fungal TCM, and propose some valuable insights for further research and development of drugs and functional foods.

Bear bile powder is an essential, traditional and valuable Chinese herbal medicine that clears heat, calms the liver, and improves eyesight. Early studies have shown that bear bile powder has lipid-lowering activity, but due to the scarcity of natural bear bile powder resources, it has yet to be used on a large scale. Researchers have found that tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) is the primary characteristic bioactive substance of bear bile powder. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of TUDCA on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced hyperlipidemia. A hyperlipidemia model was established by feeding mice high-fat chow, following the intervention of different concentrations of TUDCA (25/50/100 mg/kg) orally, the hallmark biochemical indexes (total cholesterol (TC), total triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)), histopathological examination (hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and oil red O (ORO) staining), and metabolomic analysis of serum and liver. The results showed that TUDCA could downregulate total TC, TG, LDL-C, upregulate HDL-C, reduce fat deposition in hepatocytes, reverse hepatocyte steatosis, and exhibit prominent lipid-lowering activity. In addition, it may play a therapeutic role by regulating glycerophospholipid metabolism.

Type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is characterized by chronic glycolipid metabolic dysregulation. This study aimed to investigate the effects and mechanisms of Artemisia integrifolia Linn. (LH) as a functional food in a T2DM rat model. The UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS technique was used to identify the components of LH. T2DM was induced in rats via a high-fat/high-sugar diet combined with streptozotocin (STZ, 35 mg/kg, i.p.). The rats were subsequently treated with LH (90 mg/kg, 180 mg/kg) for 15 days. A total of 66 compounds were identified in both positive and negative ions. LH treatment resulted in an increase in body weight while reducing FBG levels. It also improved insulin resistance, blood lipid levels, liver pathology, function, and lipid accumulation. Furthermore, 18 metabolites and 5 metabolic pathways were identified in the liver. Mechanistically, LH may improve T2DM through modulation of the S1P and PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Caffeic acid, coumarin, trifolin, and apigetrin were identified as the likely active components. In conclusion, LH may mitigate glycolipid metabolism disorders in T2DM rats by modulating metabolic profiling, S1P, and the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, supporting its potential as a functional food.