Diabetes is called a “wasting and thirsting disorder” in Chinese traditional medicine because there is a depletion of vital substances in the body independent of the intake of food or water and an inability to reintroduce fluids through drinking. Pueraria lobata (Willd.) Ohwi (GG) and Pueraria thomsonii Benth. (FG) are traditional Chinese herbal medicines used in the treatment of wasting-thirst that reduce blood glucose levels. Flavonoids are the main pharmacodynamic components of GG and FG, and they are also the most studied components at present, but polysaccharides are also active components of GG and FG, which, however, are less studied. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of Pueraria polysaccharides (GG and FG polysaccharides) on type 2 diabetes (T2D), as well as their related mechanisms of action in terms of both intestinal flora and metabolomics. The C57BL/KsJ-db/db mouse model, a well-established model of obesity-induced T2D, was used in this study. The metabolomic analysis showed that Pueraria polysaccharides improved the metabolic profile of diabetic mice and significantly regulated metabolites and metabolic pathways. Both GG and FG polysaccharides regulated insulin resistance in mice by regulating PPAR signaling pathway so as to treat T2D. Additionally, Pueraria polysaccharides regulated the structure of gut microbiota and improved the diabetes-related metabolic pathway. Therefore, this study discovered the antidiabetic effects and potential mechanisms of Pueraria polysaccharides through multiple pathways involving gut microbiota and metabolites, providing a theoretical basis for further studies on their effects in the treatment of T2D.

Semiliquidambar cathayensis Chang was a traditional medicinal plant and used to treat rheumatism arthritis and rheumatic arthritis for centuries in China with no scientific validation, while only 15 components were reported. Thus, a rapid, efficient, and precise method based on ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) was applied in both positive- and negative-ion modes to rapidly analysis the main chemical compositions in S. cathayensis for the first time. Finally, a total of 85 chemical compositions, including 35 alkaloids, 12 flavonoids, 7 terpenoids, 5 phenylpropanoids, 9 fatty acids, 7 cyclic peptides, and 10 others were identified or tentatively characterized in the roots of S. cathayensis based on the accurate mass within 5 ppm error. Moreover, alkaloid, flavonoid, phenylpropanoid, and cyclic peptide were reported from S. cathayensis for the first time. This rapid and sensitive method was highly useful to comprehend the chemical compositions and will provide scientific basis for further study on the material basis, mechanism and clinical application of S. cathayensis roots.

Chlorogenic acid (CGA) exhibits various biological properties, including the inhibition of oxidation, obesity, apoptosis and tumorigenesis. CGA is also able to promote cell survival and proliferation. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects and underlying molecular mechanisms of CGA on the adipogenesis of bone marrow‑derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). Treatment with CGA had a marginal effect on cell proliferation, by promoting the expression levels of phosphorylated Akt and cyclin D1. Furthermore, treatment with CGA also upregulated the phosphorylation of extracellular signal‑regulated kinase (Erk) and inhibited the adipocyte differentiation of BMSCs by inhibiting the expression of peroxisome proliferator‑activated receptor (PPAR)γ and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP)α. However, knockdown of the expression of Shp2 attenuated CGA‑induced proliferation and inhibited the phosphorylation of Akt and expression of cyclin D1. Furthermore, CGA treatment upregulated Erk phosphorylation and decreased the expression levels of PPARγ and CEBPα, which was inhibited by treatment with the Shp2 PTPase activity inhibitor, NSC‑87877. The results of the present study suggested that CGA‑induced Akt and Erk pathways regulate proliferation and differentiation and that Shp2 is important in the proliferation and differentiation of BMSCs.

Background: Hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida) is a Chinese medicinal plant traditionally used in the treatment of hyperlipidemia. Recently, studies indicated free radical scavenging was one of the major pathways to alleviate hyperlipidemia. Moreover, hawthorn fruit is a rich source of phenols, which quench free radical and attenuate hyperlipidemia. However, the phenols vary with processing methods, especially solvent type. Objective: Our aim was to compare hypolipidemic and antioxidant effects of aqueous and ethanol extracts of hawthorn fruit in hyperlipidemia rats. Materials and Methods: After a 4-week treatment of high-fat emulsion, lipid profile levels and antioxidant levels of two extracts were determined using commercial analysis. Total phenols content in the extract of hawthorn fruit was determined colorimetrically by the Folin-Ciocalteu method. Results: Both ethanol and aqueous extracts of hawthorn fruit possessed hypolipidemic and antioxidant activities. Simultaneously, stronger activities were observed in ethanol extract. Besides, total phenols content in ethanol extract from the same quality of hawthorn fruit was 3.9 times more than that in aqueous extract. Conclusion: The obvious difference of hypolipidemic and antioxidant effects between ethanol extract and aqueous extract of hawthorn fruit was probably due to the presence of total phenols content, under the influence of extraction solvent.