Acanthopanax henryi (Oliv.) Harms (Araliaceae), also known as Eleutherococcus henryi and Caoyewujia (Hengliwujia) in Chinese, is a widely used traditional Chinese herb with the effects of expelling wind and removing dampness, relaxing the muscles and stimulating the blood circulation, and regulating the flow of qi to alleviate pain in the theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Acanthopanax henryi (AH, thereafter) possesses ginseng-like activities and is known as ginseng-like herb. In the past decade, a great number of phytochemical and pharmacological studies on AH have been carried out. Several kinds of chemical compositions have been reported, including terpenoids (monoterpenoids, diterpenoids, and triterpenoid saponins), phenylpropanoids, caffeoyl quinic acid derivatives, flavonoids, lignans, sterols, fatty acids, etc., among which, triterpenoid saponins were considered to be the most active components. Considerable pharmacological experiments in vitro have demonstrated that AH possessed anti-neuroinflammatory, anti-adipogenic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-cancer, anti-oxidation, anti-AChE, anti-BuChE, and antihyaluronidase activities. The present review is an up-to-date and comprehensive analysis of the botany, phytochemistry, and pharmacology of AH.

The traditional herb Eleutherococcus henryi Oliv. is commonly used to treat inflammatory conditions including rheumatism, arthritis, and hepatitis, as well as mental fatigue and amnesia, according to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory. Savinin is a natural lignan obtained from the roots of E. henryi. The present study was undertaken to determine whether savinin can relieve LPS-induced neuroinflammation and if so, what the mechanism is. Groups of male C57BL/6 mice were administered savinin (5, 10, 20 mg/kg) and DEX (10 mg/kg) by gavage once daily for a continuous 7 days. On the 5th day of continuous pre-administration, LPS (2.5 mg/kg) was injected into the lateral ventricles of the mice for modeling 48 h. We found that treatment with savinin decreased the levels of neuroinflammatory cytokines and histopathological alterations dramatically. Consequently, it improved the LPS-induced neuroinflammatory response in mice. Furthermore, savinin inhibited the up-regulated expression of related proteins in the activated MAPK/NF-κB and NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathways caused by LPS. Docking studies demonstrated the binding of savinin to three receptors (MAPK, NF-κB and NLRP3) using a well-fitting mode. These findings suggest that savinin may suppress neuroinflammation induced by LPS in vivo via modulating MAPK/NF-κB and NLRP3 signaling pathways.

Background: Striga asiatica (L.) O. Kuntze is a traditional medicinal plant rich in flavonoids, which has various pharmacological effects such as anti-hepatitis and antioxidant activities. However, there is a scarcity of resources, and artificial cultivation has not yet been achieved. This study explored the association between flavonoid metabolites and soil physicochemical properties and trace elements in different habitats, with the aim of offering theoretical guidance for the high-quality artificial cultivation of S. asiatica. Results: The results showed that S. asiatica has low requirements for soil fertility and prefers to grow in acidic soil with high contents of potassium and available potassium, while low contents of phosphorus, nitrogen and alkali hydrolyzed nitrogen. Additionally, 1592 kinds of metabolites were identified from S. asiatica, including 78 flavonoids. Conclusions: The flavonoid metabolites were strongly related to soil factors. Reasonable application of nitrogen and potassium fertilizers as well as controlling the contents of sodium, manganese and boron in the soil, can promote the synthesis of flavonoid metabolites in the plant. Moreover, kaempferide, glycitein, luteolin, apigenin and genistein may be the metabolic markers for identifying different regions. Graphical