Background/Objectives: Agriophyllum squarrosum (L.) Moq. (A. squarrosum), also known as sandrice, is an important medicinal plant widely distributed in dunes across all the deserts of China. Common garden trials have shown content variations in flavonoids among the ecotypes of sandrice, which correlated with temperature heterogeneity in situ. However, there have not been any environmental control experiments to further elucidate whether the accumulation of flavonoids was triggered by cold stress; Methods: This study conducted a four-day ambient 4 °C low-temperature treatment on three ecotypes along with an in situ annual mean temperature gradient (Dulan (DL), Aerxiang (AEX), and Dengkou (DK)); Results: Target metabolomics showed that 12 out of 14 flavonoids in sandrice were driven by cold stress. Among them, several flavonoids were significantly up-regulated, such as naringenin and naringenin chalcone in all three ecotypes; isorhamnetin, quercetin, dihydroquercetin, and kaempferol in DL and AEX; and astragalin in DK. They were accompanied by 19 structural genes of flavonoid synthesis and 33 transcription factors were markedly triggered by cold stress in sandrice. The upstream genes, AsqAEX006535−CHS, AsqAEX016074−C4H, and AsqAEX004011−4CL, were highly correlated with the enrichment of naringenin, which could be fine-tuned by AsqAEX015868−bHLH62, AsqAEX001711−MYB12, and AsqAEX002220−MYB1R1; Conclusions: This study sheds light on how desert plants like sandrice adapt to cold stress by relying on a unique flavonoid biosynthesis mechanism that regulating the accumulation of naringenin. It also supports the precise development of sandrice for the medicinal industry. Specifically, quercetin and isorhamnetin should be targeted for development in DL and AEX, while astragalin should be precisely developed in DK.

Agriophyllum squarrosum (sand rice), a widespread desert plant, possesses anti-hyperglycemic and anti-inflammatory properties, and has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for many years. However, its effects on ruminants are unknown. To fill this gap, we examined the effects of A. squarrosum on the immune and anti-inflammatory responses of lambs. A total of 23, 6-month-old Tan ewe-lambs (27.6 ± 0.47 kg) were divided into four groups and offered a basic diet (C—control), or a diet that contained 10%, 20%, or 30% A. squarrosum, on a dry matter basis, for 128 days. Serum concentrations of total cholesterol were lower (p = 0.004) in the 30% supplemented lambs than controls, while concentrations of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were lower (p = 0.006) in the 10% and 20%, but not in 30% supplemented lambs than controls. Serum-cortisol concentrations were lower (p = 0.012) in the 30% supplemented lambs and free fatty acid concentrations were higher in the 10% and 20% supplemented lambs than in control lambs (p < 0.001). Supplementation with A. squarrosum decreased (p < 0.05) the area of adipocytes in subcutaneous adipose tissue, but there was no difference between the 20% and 30% diets. Conversely, the area in visceral adipose tissue (VAT) increased (p < 0.05), especially for the 10% and 20% supplemented diets. Supplementation with A. squarrosum also enriched immune and anti-inflammatory related and lipid and glucose-metabolic pathways and associated differentially expressed gene expressions in adipose tissue. A total of 10 differential triacylglycerol, 34 differential phosphatidylcholines and seven differential phosphatidylethanolamines decreased in the diet with 30% supplementation, when compared to the other diets. Finally, adipocyte-differentiation genes, and immune and inflammatory response-related gene expression levels decreased in lamb adipocytes cultured with an aqueous A. squarrosum extract. In conclusion, supplementing lamb diets with A. squarrosum reduced blood lipids, enhanced immunity and anti-inflammatory capacities, and mediated lipid metabolism in adipose tissue and adipocytes of Tan lambs. A level of approximately 10% is recommended, but further research is required to determine the precise optimal level.

Forsythia suspensa (Thunb.) Vahl, a pharmacopoeial medicinal plant, is valued for its therapeutic efficacy in heat-clearing detoxification, dispelling wind-heat, and promoting blood circulation to resolve stasis. Flavonoids, ubiquitous secondary metabolites in F. suspensa, are critically linked to pharmacological activities and exhibit diverse biological functions. To elucidate the chemotypic divergence and ecological drivers of its bioactive compounds, we conducted flavonoid metabolomic profiling across ten wild populations F. suspensa using UPLC-MS/MS. Results revealed significant inter-population variation in all twenty-nine flavonoid metabolites analyzed. Notably, Notably, Cinchonain Ic was significantly enriched in the JX population, Flavanomarein in the LT population, and Desmethylxanthohumol in the HX population. Association analysis with environmental variables further indicated that Sulfuretin, Apigenin-5-O-glucoside, and Flavanomarein were positively correlated with multiple precipitation-related variables (bio12-Annual Precipitation, bio14-Precipitation of Driest Month, bio17-Precipitation of Driest Month, and bio19-Precipitation of Coldest Quarter), whereas Vicenin 2 was negatively correlated with bio12, bio17, and bio19. Homoplantaginin showed a positive correlation with bio4 (Temperature Seasonality) and bio7 (Temperature Annual Range). Loureirin B was positively correlated with elevation but negatively correlated with high-temperature variables (bio5-Max Temperature of Warmest Month, bio8-Mean Temperature of Wettest Quarter, and bio10-Mean Temperature of Warmest Quarter). 5-Demethoxynobiletin was positively associated with both precipitation (bio12, bio17, bio19) and temperature variables (bio1-Annual Mean Temperature, bio6-Min Temperature of Coldest Month, bio9-Mean Temperature of Driest Quarter and bio11-Mean Temperature of Coldest Quarter). Cinchonain Ic was positively correlated with bio2 (Mean Monthly Temperature Range), and Oroxin A was negatively correlated with elevation. These findings demonstrated that flavonoids accumulation in F. suspensa was predominantly influenced by temperature heterogeneity, with precipitation serving as a secondary factor, while latitude and elevation play only limited roles. This study systematically investigates the divergence and environmental drivers of flavonoids in F. suspensa populations, clarifies the molecular ecological basis of its adaptation to environmental heterogeneity, and provides valuable insights for leveraging ecological factors to enhance medicinal potential, ultimately supporting targeted breeding and optimized field management strategies.