Background: Angelicae Dahuricae Radix (ADR) is used as both a traditional Chinese medicine and a food ingredient in China and East Asian countries. ADR is generally sun-dried post-harvest but is sometimes sulfur-fumigated to prevent decay and rot. Although there are some studies on the effect of sulfur fumigation on ADR, they are not comprehensive. Methods: This study used HPLC fingerprinting, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI), in vitro anti-inflammatory assays, and metabolite analysis in blood based on UPLC-MS/MS to assess the impact of sulfur fumigation on the active ingredients of ADR. Results: There were significant decreases in specific coumarins and amino acids, particularly byakangelicol, oxypeucedanin, L-proline, and L-arginine, following sulfur fumigation. Among the 185 metabolites in blood, there were 30 different compounds, and oxypeucedanin was the most obvious component to decrease after sulfur fumigation. ADR showed anti-inflammatory activity regardless of sulfur fumigation. However, the effects on the production of cytokines in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells were different. Conclusions: Chemometric analysis and in vitro anti-inflammatory studies suggested that byakangelicol and oxypeucedanin could serve as potential quality markers for identifying sulfur-fumigated ADR. These findings provide a chemical basis for comprehensive safety and functional evaluations of sulfur-fumigated ADR, supporting further research in this field.

Glehniae Radix has a wide range of pharmaceutical applications, and research on its main components has mainly focused on coumarins, alkaloids, lignans, and flavonoids, while neglecting the research on polysaccharides. Literature reports and our previous studies have shown that polysaccharides have certain therapeutic significance in immune regulation, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and other aspects. Herein, the rat model of ulcerative colitis (UC) was established to evaluate the anti-inflammatory efficacy of the prepared Glehniae Radix polysaccharide (GLP) from the perspectives of inflammatory factors, intestinal tissue morphology, and microflora changes. The polysaccharides are mainly composed of galacturonic acid, rhamnose, glucose, galactose, and arabinose in molar ratios of 1.4:9.2:33.3:2.5:2.9, and GLP could downregulate the expression pro-inflammatory factors (interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interferon-γ) and significantly upregulate the expression of anti-inflammatory factor (interleukin-10). In addition, Glehniae Radix aqueous extract (GLA), GLP with low dosage (GLPL) and GLP with high dosage (GLPH) could increase the number of goblet cells, enhance the integrity of crypt structure, and reverse the status of inflammatory infiltrating cells. Moreover, GLA and GLPH could upregulate Lactobacillus and Lachnoclostridium in UC rats, and appropriately downregulate Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group, thereby optimizing the proportion of bacterial flora and improving the intestinal microbial environment. Our findings not only be valuable as theoretical materials for the further clinical applications of GLP, but the identified biomarkers and metabolic pathways also provide new clues for the diagnosis of UC.

Background: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a prevalent chronic liver disorder with limited effective pharmacological treatments. Ziziphus jujuba Mill. leaves (ZJL) contain multiple bioactive compounds, but their effects on MASLD and underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Methods: The chemical constituents of ethanolic ZJL extract were characterized using UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap MS. A high-fat diet (HFD)-induced MASLD mouse model was used to evaluate its protective effects. Serum biochemical parameters, liver histopathology, and inflammatory indicators were assessed. Gut microbiota and hepatic metabolic alterations were investigated using 16S rDNA sequencing and untargeted metabolomics, respectively. Potential microbiota–metabolite associations and key regulatory targets were further explored by correlation analysis, molecular docking, and qRT-PCR. Results: Fifty-five compounds were identified in ZJL, mainly flavonoids, organic acids, and triterpenoids. ZJL treatment significantly reduced HFD-induced body weight gain, dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia, hepatic injury, inflammation, and lipid accumulation. ZJL also partially restored gut microbial homeostasis, particularly by decreasing the abundances of Blautia and Dorea. Metabolomic analysis indicated that glycerophospholipid metabolism was the major affected pathway, together with fatty acid biosynthesis and cytochrome P450-related metabolism. Microbial alterations were closely associated with lipid-related metabolites. Moreover, ZJL downregulated key genes, including Pla2g2a, Fasn, and Cyp2e1. Conclusions: ZJL alleviated HFD-induced MASLD, accompanied by coordinated alterations in gut microbiota composition, hepatic metabolism, and lipid-related gene expression, suggesting that these changes may contribute to its protective effects.