Licorice, a perennial herb of Leguminosa, is one of the oldest and most widely used herbal medicines worldwide. Its distinct sweet flavor and rich medicinal value make it an integral component of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulations, which continue to be widely employed. The main chemical constituents of licorice include triterpenoid saponins, flavonoids, and polysaccharides. Experimental and clinical studies have demonstrated that various extracts and pure compounds derived from licorice exhibit a wide range of pharmacological properties including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiviral, antitumor, immune-regulatory, and neuroprotective activities. The bioactive constituents of licorice offer therapeutic benefits for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, and liver disorders. This comprehensive review discusses the primary chemical constituents of licorice and their pharmacological activities, describes in vivo and in vitro models employed for studying licorice, and its potential targets and mechanisms of action. Furthermore, we discuss the toxicological profile, side effects, dosage recommendations, and clinical applications of licorice. This review aims to establish a foundation for further research on the safe and effective utilization of licorice while facilitating an in-depth exploration of its properties and fostering the development of novel therapeutic agents.

In this study, we report the complete mitochondrial genome of Harpalus sinicus (occasionally named as the Chinese ground beetle) which is the first mitochondrial genome for Harpalus. The mitogenome is 16,521 bp in length, comprising 37 genes, and a control region. The A + T content of the mitogenome is as high as 80.6%. A mitochondrial origins of light-strand replication (OL)-like region is found firstly in the insect mitogenome, which can form a stem-loop hairpin structure. Thirteen protein-coding genes (PCGs) share high homology, and all of them are under purifying selection. All tRNA genes (tRNAs) can be folded into the classic cloverleaf secondary structures except tRNA-Ser (GCU), which lacks a dihydrouridine (DHU) stem. The secondary structure of two ribosomal RNA genes (rRNAs) is predicted based on previous insect models. Twelve types of tandem repeats and two stem-loop structures are detected in the control region, and two stem-loop structures may be involved in the initiation of replication and transcription. Additionally, phylogenetic analyses based on mitogenomes suggest that Harpalus is an independent lineage in Carabidae, and is closely related to four genera (Abax, Amara, Stomis, and Pterostichus). In general, this study provides meaningful genetic information for Harpalus sinicus and new insights into the phylogenetic relationships within the Carabidae.

Natural killer (NK) cells play key roles in eliminating pathogen-infected cells. Verbena officinalis (V. officinalis) has been used as a medical plant in traditional and modern medicine for its anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory activities, but its effects on immune responses remain largely elusive. This study aimed to investigate the potential of V. officinalis extract (VO extract) to regulate inflammation and NK cell functions. We examined the effects of VO extract on lung injury in a mouse model of influenza virus infection. We also investigated the impact of five bioactive components of VO extract on NK killing functions using primary human NK cells. Our results showed that oral administration of VO extract reduced lung injury, promoted the maturation and activation of NK cells in the lung, and decreased the levels of inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α and IL-1β) in the serum. Among five bioactive components of VO extract, Verbenalin significantly enhanced NK killing efficiency in vitro, as determined by real-time killing assays based on plate-reader or high-content live-cell imaging in 3D using primary human NK cells. Further investigation showed that treatment of Verbenalin accelerated the killing process by reducing the contact time of NK cells with their target cells without affecting NK cell proliferation, expression of cytotoxic proteins, or lytic granule degranulation. Together, our findings suggest that VO extract has a satisfactory anti-inflammatory effect against viral infection in vivo, and regulates the activation, maturation, and killing functions of NK cells. Verbenalin from V. officinalis enhances NK killing efficiency, suggesting its potential as a promising therapeutic to fight viral infection.

Objective. To investigate the phytoestrogenic and phytoandrogenic activities of compounds isolated from CS and uncover the role of CS in prevention of oestrogen/androgen‐induced BPH.Methods. Cells were treated with CS compounds, and immunofluorescence assay was performed to detect the nuclear translocation of ERαor AR in MCF‐7 or LNCaP cells; luciferase reporter assay was performed to detect ERs or AR transcriptional activity in HeLa or AD293 cells; MTT assay was performed to detect the cell proliferation of MCF‐7 or LNCaP cells. Oestrogen/androgen‐induced BPH model was established in rat and the anti‐BPH, anti‐estrogenic, and anti‐androgenic activities of CS in vivo were further investigated.Results. The nuclear translocation of ERαwas stimulated by nine CS compounds, three of which also stimulated AR translocation. The transcriptional activities of ERαand ERβwere induced by five compounds, within which only ECG induced AR transcriptional activity as well. Besides, ECG stimulated the proliferation of both MCF‐7 cells and LNCaP cells. CS extract suppressed oestrogen/androgen‐induced BPH progress in vivo by downregulation of E2 and T level in serum and alteration of the expressions of ERα, ERβ, and AR in the prostate.Conclusion. Our data demonstrates that compounds from CS exhibit phytoestrogenic and phytoandrogenic activities, which may contribute to inhibiting the oestrogen/androgen‐induced BPH development.