Currently, the main types of roses circulating in China include Jinbian Rose, Kushui Rose and Pingyin Rose. Each type of rose has slight differences in usage and efficacy. There are many varieties of roses, and the quality of rose essential oils varies greatly. Almost no research has systematically studied the essential oils of various roses. In this experiment, three types of roses (Jinbian Rose, Kushui Rose, and Pingyin Rose) were selected as research subjects based on their efficacy and variety in the market. Essential oils were extracted from the three types of roses using hydrodistillation. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to qualitatively analyze the volatile substances in the essential oils of different varieties of roses. The three types of rose essential oils were identified and differentiated using chemometric methods (including HCA, PCA, PLS-DA, and OPLS-DA). On the one hand, based on the GC-MS analysis results, 40, 48, and 40 volatile components were detected in Jinbian Rose, Kushui Rose, and Pingyin Rose, respectively. The chemical compositions were primarily dominated by macromolecular compounds such as long-chain alkanes, organic acids, and esters. On the other hand, eight markers with significant identification values were identified to distinguish among the three types of roses. In conclusion, based on GC-MS analysis and chemometric methods, this experiment distinguishes and identifies three types of roses from the perspective of essential oil components for developing an effective strategy for the identification of rose varieties.

Berberine hydrochloride (BH) extracted from Coptis chinensis (CC) and Matrine (MT) separated from Sophora flavescens (SF) are alkaloids with potent anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumor effects. Motivated by the clinical practice of using CC and SF together, we aimed to demonstrate that the synergistic application of the natural compounds BH and MT could enhance therapeutic effects and minimize side effects. Two types of liposomes, liposomes containing only BH (BH-LP) and liposomes containing both BH and MT (BH-MT-LP), were successfully prepared via the reverse evaporation method. The liposome preparation process was optimized by single-factor screening and the Box–Behnken experimental design method. The results showed that the liposomes had particle sizes in the range of 222.7 to 235.4 nm, polydispersity indicated in the range of 11.8% to 23.3%, and zeta potentials in the range of −35.9 to −31.1 mv. BH-MT-LP showed superior anti-tumor activity against MDA-MB-231, HepG-2, and HGC-27 cells in vitro. The incorporation of MT effectively promoted the anti-tumor effect of BH, while the controlled release from liposomes further enhanced the therapeutic efficacy of BH. Furthermore, based on the flow cytometry results, we speculated that BH-MT-LP might promote apoptosis by blocking the G1 phase of cells and inducing cell death. In conclusion, BH-MT-LP provides evidence for the combined use of natural compounds as a stable, safe, and practical drug delivery system for the treatment of potential cancers. Meanwhile, the successful preparation for BH-MT-LP also provides a new approach to the combined use of traditional Chinese medicine ingredients.