XingQiChuShiYin (XQCSY), a conventional Chinese medicine dietary therapy, is effective in preventing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), but its effective constituents and functional mechanisms are yet vague for the reason conventional modes are not suitable. Therefore, this study is centered on exploring the NAFLD prevention mechanisms of XQCSY via an in-silico method. The potential targets of XQCSY and NAFLD are obtained from public databases, and there are 81 intersected targets. Then six key targets including RAC-alpha serine/threonine-protein kinase, tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-6, interleukin-1 beta, cellular tumor antigen p53, and epidermal growth factor receptor are screened from the “herb-compound-common target” network. Subsequently, Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis reveals that 513 of biological processes, 51 of cellular components, and 90 of molecular functions in XQCSY are related to the treatment of NAFLD. Results from network pharmacology show that XQCSY plays a pivotal role in preventing NAFLD with a “multicomponent-multitarget-multichannel” mechanism. Molecular docking also confirms active ingredients from XQCSY are well affinitive to the key genes and thus greatly affect NAFLD prevention. In conclusion, this research may provide a vital theoretical basis for determining the prevention mechanism of XQCSY on NAFLD.

As a renewable lignocellulosic biomass resource, corn straw has great potential for waste utilization in agriculture and sustainable development. In recent years, considerable attention has been given to the research on repurposing organic acids, saccharides, and other active substances extracted from corn straw. This review is focused on the progress in the preparative techniques and product development of organic acids and saccharides, realizing the high-value utilization of corn straw. This review also discusses the potential applications of corn straw in the food and biopharmaceutical industries, and sheds light on the current challenges and future directions in the efficient utilization of straw resources.

With the continuous technological innovation in the high-value utilization of rice bran byproducts, rice bran oil retains a higher concentration of beneficial components such as a well-balanced composition of fatty acids and abundant phytosterols. This makes it a highly nutritious and healthy vegetable oil. This review provides an overview of the advancements made in separating, purifying, and processing phytosterols in rice bran oil. The review also introduces techniques for assessing the stability of rice bran oil. Moreover, the review emphasizes the nutritional value of phytosterols found in rice bran oil, highlighting their various health benefits, including their anticancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, antibacterial, cholesterol-lowering, skin-protective, anti-obesity, anti-diabetic, neuroprotective, gastroprotective, and immune-enhancing effects. Attaining a comprehensive understanding of the research progress made in phytosterols derived from rice bran oil can offer valuable guidance for the efficient utilization of rice bran.

Star anise has been used for a long time in improving human health and curing diseases, owing to its unlimited components with complex chemical structures and a wide range of bioactivities. This study is aimed to investigate the influence of extraction methods (steam distillation, ethanol Soxhlet extraction, supercritical carbon dioxide extraction, subcritical n‐butane extraction) on the yield, aroma properties, chemical composition, and bioactivity of star anise essential oils. Electronic nose detection revealed the essential oils from subcritical extraction exhibited the most intense aroma, while the essential oils from ethanol Soxhlet extraction had a more complex aroma profile. Fourier‐transform infrared analysis showed the presence of benzene rings, carbonyl groups, C=C, and aromatic ether bonds in the essential oils extracted through different methods. The major components were heterocyclic olefins, heterocyclic oxygenates, and aromatic oxygenates, as well as certain amounts of flavonoids and polyphenols. Correlation analysis revealed the relative contents of volatile trans ‐anethole, wormwood, d ‐limonene, cineole, and trans ‐α‐citronelene were strongly associated with the antibacterial activity of the essential oils. Similarly, the contents of volatile components ( d ‐limonene, cineole) and non‐volatile components (total flavonoids and total polyphenols) were strongly correlated with the DPPH scavenging activity of the essential oils. These results confirm the effectiveness of the ethanol Soxhlet extraction method in retaining the bioactivity of the essential oils. Finally, with a Box–Behnken central composite design of response surface and single‐factor experiments, the optimal extraction conditions for the ethanol Soxhlet method were determined: ultrasonic frequency of 80 kHz, crushing particle size of 60 meshes, liquid–material ratio of 8:1 (mL:g), and ultrasonic time of 35 min. Under these conditions, the essential oil yield was 25.51% ± 0.21%. Overall, these findings highlight the significance of extraction methods in obtaining high‐quality star anise essential oils with desirable aroma properties and potent bioactivities.