Houttuynia cordata Thunb. holds a longstanding reputation as a traditional folk remedy in East Asia, where it has been employed to treat a variety of inflammatory conditions, nephritis, hepatitis and cancer. Despite its extensive use, there exists a paucity of research examining its efficacy in managing thyroid disorders and diabetes. Moreover, the bioactive components responsible for modulating the molecular pathways remain elusive. Objectives: This research aimed to determine the key bioactive components in the ethanolic extract of H. cordata Thunb. (HCEE) responsible for its thyroid-modifying properties and examine its effects on rats with experimentally induced hypothyroidism and diabetes. Methods: Molecular docking was performed to investigate the possible mechanisms of thyroid regulation of HCEE constituents. Researchers induced hypothyroidism in rats by adding 6-propyl-2-thiouracil to their drinking water for a period of four weeks. To induce diabetes, the rats received an intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. The animals were then given daily oral doses of HCEE (500 mg/kg b.w.), levothyroxine (50 mg/kg b.w.), or glibenclamide (5 mg/kg b.w.) for 28 days. Following this treatment, standard methods were employed to measure biochemical parameters in the rats’ serum. Results: The results demonstrate that HCEE ameliorated hypothyroidism by increasing serum T3 (14.38%) and T4 (125.96%) levels and decreasing TSH (p < 0.01; −41.75%) levels. In diabetic rats with induced hypothyroidism, HCEE significantly (p < 0.001) increased T3 (149.51%) and T4 (73.54%) levels with reduced TSH (−64.39%) levels. In silico analysis demonstrated that the identified bioactive compounds from HCEE may enhance thyroid hormone function through interaction with the thyroid hormone receptor protein TRβ1 (PDB:3GWS), similar to the conventional pharmaceuticals levothyroxine and triiodothyronine (T3). Conclusions: HCEE exhibits potential as a natural alternative to synthetic medications in the prevention and treatment of thyroid dysfunctions.

Although Schinus terebinthifolia (commonly known as Brazilian peppertree) has been documented to possess various biological activities, such as anticancer, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties, its anti-influenza activity has not yet been documented. Here, an aqueous-ethanolic extract (30% v/v ethanol solution), prepared from its aerial parts (leaves and stalks), was established to determine whether it is a rich source of antiviral agents. The hydroethanolic plant extract, with a TPC value of 264.11 mg (GAE)/g DE, exhibits a promising IC₅₀ value of 16.33 μg/mL, similar to that of authentic quercetin (IC₅₀ = 12.72 μg/mL), and approximately 5.34 times higher than that of gallic acid (IC₅₀ = 3.06 μg/mL) as determined by the DPPH assay. This extract contains 1.71 mg of gallic acid (representative marker) per gram of dried plant material, according to HPLC analysis. Using untargeted metabolomics analysis coupled with a series of cheminformatics tools (MetFrag, SIRIUS, CSI:FingerID, and CANOPUS), we ultimately proved that the S. terebinthifolia hydroethanolic extract contains simple phenolics (e.g., methyl gallate, ethyl gallate, and chlorogenic acid), flavonoids (afzelin and myricitrin), dicarboxylic acids, and germacrone. As anticipated, the plant extract exhibited anti-influenza activity with an IC₅₀ of 2.21 μg/mL (CC₅₀ > 50 μg/mL) and did not exert hemolytic activity at the concentration of 2000 μg/mL, underscoring its efficacy as a safe antiviral solution. In silico molecular docking and dynamic simulations suggest that neuraminidase and the cap-binding domain of influenza RNA polymerase (PB2) are preferentially targeted for inhibition by the detected metabolites. Owing to the diverse therapeutic effects of secondary metabolites, the anti-H5N1 activity of the newly developed plant extract is currently under investigation.

Previous studies have highlighted differences in faecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) between hypercholesterolemic (HC) and normocholesterolemic (NC) individuals; however, the impact of nutritional factors on SCFAs remains underexplored. This cross-sectional observational study involved 42 HC and 38 NC Thai adults and examined faecal SCFA concentrations and their associations with nutritional factors. Aliphatic (acetic, propionic, butyric acids) and branched (isobutyric and isovaleric acids) SCFAs were analysed. Although NC participants exhibited higher aliphatic and total SCFAs than HC participants, these differences were insignificant. Carbohydrate intake was positively associated with acetic and propionic acid, in the NC group. Sugar intake was negatively correlated with isobutyric and isovaleric acids in the NC group but positively correlated in the HC group. These findings suggest less efficient sugar and carbohydrate fermentation in the HC group, potentially affecting SCFA profiles. Future studies should investigate gut microbiota composition, bile acid secretion and gut pH as contributing factors.

This research addresses a key bottleneck in cellular agriculture by identifying FGFR1 inhibition as a target for controlling cell fate. Our in silico and in vitro data provide a high-quality benchmark for future food-grade compound discovery.