BACKGROUND: Triphala (TLP), as a Chinese Tibetan medicine composing of Emblica officinalis, Terminalia chebula and Terminalia bellirica (1.2:1.5:1), exhibited hepatoprotective, hypolipidemic and gut microbiota modulatory effects. Nonetheless, its roles in prevention of high-fat diet (HFD)-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and the related mechanistic insights involving the interplay of gut microbiota and hepatic inflammation are not known.
PURPOSE: The present study seeks to determine if TLP would prevent HFD-induced NAFLD in vivo and its underlying mechanisms from the perspectives of gut microbiota, metabolites, and hepatic inflammation.
METHODS: TLP was subjected to extraction and chemo-profiling, and in vivo evaluation in HFD-fed rats on hepatic lipid and inflammation, intestinal microbiota, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and permeability, and body weight and fat content profiles.
RESULTS: The TLP was primarily constituted of gallic acid, corilagin and chebulagic acid. Orally administered HFD-fed rats with TLP were characterized by the growth of Ligilactobacillus and Akkermansia, and SCFAs (acetic/propionic/butyric acid) secretion which led to increased claudin-1 and zonula occludens-1 expression that reduced the mucosal permeability to migration of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) into blood and liver. Coupling with hepatic cholesterol and triglyceride lowering actions, the TLP mitigated both inflammatory (ALT, AST, IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α) and pro-inflammatory (TLR4, MYD88 and NF-κB P65) activities of liver, and sequel to histopathological development of NAFLD in a dose-dependent fashion.
CONCLUSION: TLP is promisingly an effective therapy to prevent NAFLD through modulating gut microbiota, mucosal permeability and SCFAs secretion with liver fat and inflammatory responses.
Bacterial infection is amongst the most common diseases in community and hospital settings. Fluoroquinolones, exerting the antibacterial activity through binding to type II bacterial topoisomerase enzymes, DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV, are mainstays of chemotherapy. At present, fluoroquinolones are the most valuable antibacterial agents used popularly. However, the emergence of more virulent and resistant pathogens by the development of either mutated DNA-binding proteins or efflux pump mechanism for fluoroquinolones results in an urgent demand to develop new fluoroquinolones to withstand the drug resistance and to obtain a broader spectrum of activity. This review aims to outline the recent advances of fluoroquinolone derivatives with antibacterial potential and to summarize the structure-activity relationship (SAR) so as to provide an insight for rational design of more active candidates, covering articles published between January 2018 and June 2021.
An order, family and genus are validated, seven new genera, 35 new species, two new combinations, two epitypes, two lectotypes, and 17 interesting new host and / or geographical records are introduced in this study. Validated order, family and genus: Superstratomycetales and Superstratomycetaceae (based on Superstratomyces ). New genera: Haudseptoria (based on Haudseptoria typhae); Hogelandia (based on Hogelandia lambearum); Neoscirrhia (based on Neoscirrhia osmundae); Nothoanungitopsis (based on Nothoanungitopsis urophyllae); Nothomicrosphaeropsis (based on Nothomicrosphaeropsis welwitschiae); Populomyces (based on Populomyces zwinianus); Pseudoacrospermum (based on Pseudoacrospermum goniomae). New species: Apiospora sasae on dead culms of Sasa veitchii (Netherlands); Apiospora stipae on dead culms of Stipa gigantea (Spain); Bagadiella eucalyptorum on leaves of Eucalyptus sp. (Australia); Calonectria singaporensis from submerged leaf litter (Singapore); Castanediella neomalaysiana on leaves of Eucalyptus sp. (Malaysia); Colletotrichum pleopeltidis on leaves of Pleopeltis sp. (South Africa); Coniochaeta deborreae from soil (Netherlands); Diaporthe durionigena on branches of Durio zibethinus (Vietnam); Floricola juncicola on dead culm of Juncus sp. (France); Haudseptoria typhae on leaf sheath of Typha sp. (Germany); Hogelandia lambearum from soil (Netherlands); Lomentospora valparaisensis from soil (Chile); Neofusicoccum mystacidii on dead stems of Mystacidium capense (South Africa); Neomycosphaerella guibourtiae on leaves of Guibourtia sp. (Angola); Niesslia neoexosporioides on dead leaves of Carex paniculata (Germany); Nothoanungitopsis urophyllae on seed capsules of Eucalyptus urophylla (South Africa); Nothomicrosphaeropsis welwitschiae on dead leaves of Welwitschia mirabilis (Namibia); Paracremonium bendijkiorum from soil (Netherlands); Paraphoma ledniceana on dead wood of Buxus sempervirens (Czech Republic); Paraphoma salicis on leaves of Salix cf. alba (Ukraine); Parasarocladium wereldwijsianum from soil (Netherlands); Peziza ligni on masonry and plastering (France); Phyllosticta phoenicis on leaves of Phoenix reclinata (South Africa); Plectosphaerella slobbergiarum from soil (Netherlands); Populomyces zwinianus from soil (Netherlands); Pseudoacrospermum goniomae on leaves of Gonioma kamassi (South Africa); Pseudopyricularia festucae on leaves of Festuca californica (USA); Sarocladium sasijaorum from soil (Netherlands); Sporothrix hypoxyli in sporocarp of Hypoxylon petriniae on Fraxinus wood (Netherlands); Superstratomyces albomucosus on Pycnanthus angolensis (Netherlands); Superstratomyces atroviridis on Pinus sylvestris (Netherlands); Superstratomyces flavomucosus on leaf of Hakea multilinearis (Australia); Superstratomyces tardicrescens from human eye specimen (USA); Taeniolella platani on twig of Platanus hispanica (Germany), and Tympanis pini on twigs of Pinus sylvestris (Spain). Citation: Crous PW, Hernández-Restrepo M, Schumacher RK, Cowan DA, Maggs-Kölling G, Marais E, Wingfield MJ, Yilmaz N, Adan OCG, Akulov A, Álvarez Duarte E, Berraf-Tebbal A, Bulgakov TS, Carnegie AJ, de Beer ZW, Decock C, Dijksterhuis J, Duong TA, Eichmeier A, Hien LT, Houbraken JAMP, Khanh TN, Liem NV, Lombard L, Lutzoni FM, Miadlikowska JM, Nel WJ, Pascoe IG, Roets F, Roux J, Samson RA, Shen M, Spetik M, Thangavel R, Thanh HM, Thao LD, van Nieuwenhuijzen EJ, Zhang JQ, Zhang Y, Zhao LL, Groenewald JZ (2021). New and Interesting Fungi. 4. Fungal Systematics and Evolution 7: 255-343. doi: 10.3114/fuse.2021.07.13.
Novel species of fungi described in this study include those from various countries as follows: Argentina, Neocamarosporium halophilum in leaf spots of Atriplex undulata. Australia, Aschersonia merianiae on scale insect (Coccoidea), Curvularia huamulaniae isolated from air, Hevansia mainiae on dead spider, Ophiocordyceps poecilometigena on Poecilometis sp. Bolivia, Lecanora menthoides on sandstone, in open semi-desert montane areas, Sticta monlueckiorum corticolous in a forest, Trichonectria epimegalosporae on apothecia of corticolous Megalospora sulphurata var. sulphurata, Trichonectria puncteliae on the thallus of Punctelia borreri. Brazil, Catenomargarita pseudocercosporicola (incl. Catenomargarita gen. nov.) hyperparasitic on Pseudocercospora fijiensis on leaves of Musa acuminata, Tulasnella restingae on protocorms and roots of Epidendrum fulgens. Bulgaria, Anthracoidea umbrosae on Carex spp. Croatia, Hymenoscyphus radicis from surface-sterilised, asymptomatic roots of Microthlaspi erraticum, Orbilia multiserpentina on wood of decorticated branches of Quercus pubescens. France, Calosporella punctatispora on dead corticated twigs of Aceropalus. French West Indies (Martinique), Eutypella lechatii on dead corticated palm stem. Germany, Arrhenia alcalinophila on loamy soil. Iceland, Cistella blauvikensis on dead grass (Poaceae). India, Fulvifomes maritimus on living Peltophorum pterocarpum, Fulvifomes natarajanii on dead wood of Prosopis juliflora, Fulvifomes subazonatus on trunk of Azadirachta indica, Macrolepiota bharadwajii on moist soil near the forest, Narcissea delicata on decaying elephant dung, Paramyrothecium indicum on living leaves of Hibiscus hispidissimus, Trichoglossum syamviswanathii on moist soil near the base of a bamboo plantation. Iran, Vacuiphoma astragalicola from stem canker of Astragalus sarcocolla. Malaysia, Neoeriomycopsis fissistigmae (incl. Neoeriomycopsidaceae fam. nov.) on leaf spots on flower Fissistigma sp. Namibia, Exophiala lichenicola lichenicolous on Acarospora cf. luederitzensis. Netherlands, Entoloma occultatum on soil, Extremus caricis on dead leaves of Carex sp., Inocybe pseudomytiliodora on loamy soil. Norway, Inocybe guldeniae on calcareous soil, Inocybe rupestroides on gravelly soil. Pakistan, Hymenagaricus brunneodiscus on soil. Philippines, Ophiocordyceps philippinensis parasitic on Asilus sp. Poland, Hawksworthiomyces ciconiae isolated from Ciconia ciconia nest, Plectosphaerella vigrensis from leaf spots on Impatiens noli-tangere, Xenoramularia epitaxicola from sooty mould community on Taxus baccata. Portugal, Inocybe dagamae on clay soil. Saudi Arabia, Diaporthe jazanensis on branches of Coffea arabica. South Africa, Alternaria moraeae on dead leaves of Moraea sp., Bonitomyces buffels-kloofinus (incl. Bonitomyces gen. nov.) on dead twigs of unknown tree, Constrictochalara koukolii on living leaves of Itea rhamnoides colonised by a Meliola sp., Cylindromonium lichenophilum on Parmelina tiliacea, Gamszarella buffelskloofina (incl. Gamszarella gen. nov.) on dead insect, Isthmosporiella africana (incl. Isthmosporiella gen. nov.) on dead twigs of unknown tree, Nothoeucasphaeria buffelskloofina (incl. Nothoeucasphaeria gen. nov.), on dead twigs of unknown tree, Nothomicrothyrium beaucarneae (incl. Nothomicrothyrium gen. nov.) on dead leaves of Beaucarnea stricta, Paramycosphaerella proteae on living leaves of Protea caffra, Querciphoma foliicola on leaf litter, Rachicladosporium conostomii on dead twigs of Conostomium natalense var. glabrum, Rhamphoriopsis synnematosa on dead twig of unknown tree, Waltergamsia mpumalanga on dead leaves of unknown tree. Spain, Amanita fulvogrisea on limestone soil, in mixed forest, Amanita herculis in open Quercus forest, Vuilleminia beltraniae on Cistus symphytifolius. Sweden, Pachyella pulchella on decaying wood on sand-silt riverbank. Thailand, Deniquelata cassiae on dead stem of Cassia fistula, Stomiopeltis thailandica on dead twigs of Magnolia champaca. Ukraine, Circinaria podoliana on natural limestone outcrops, Neonematogonum carpinicola (incl. Neonematogonum gen. nov.) on dead branches of Carpinus betulus. USA, Exophiala wilsonii water from cooling tower, Hygrophorus aesculeticola on soil in mixed forest, and Neocelosporium aereum from air in a house attic. Morphological and culture characteristics are supported by DNA barcodes. Citation: Crous PW, Costa MM, Kandemir H, et al. 2023. Fungal Planet description sheets: 1550-1613. Persoonia 51: 280-417. doi: 10.3767/persoonia.2023.51.08.
Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in endothelial cells often leads to endothelial dysfunction which underlies the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. Paeonol, a major phenolic component extracted from Moutan Cortex, possesses various medicinal benefits which have been used extensively in traditional Chinese medicine. The present study investigated the protective mechanism of paeonol against tunicamycin-induced ER stress in isolated mouse aortas and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Vascular reactivity in aorta was measured using a wire myograph. The effects of paeonol on protein expression of ER stress markers, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor δ (PPARδ) activity in the vascular wall were assessed by Western blot, dihydroethidium fluorescence (DHE) or lucigenin enhanced-chemiluminescence, 4-amino-5-methylamino-2',7'-difluorofluorescein (DAF-FM DA) and dual luciferase reporter assay, respectively. Ex vivo treatment with paeonol (0.1μM) for 16h reversed the impaired endothelium-dependent relaxations in C57BJ/6J and PPARδ wild type (WT) mouse aortas following incubation with tunicamycin (0.5μg/mL). Elevated ER stress markers, oxidative stress and reduction of NO bioavailability induced by tunicamycin in HUVECs, C57BJ/6J and PPARδ WT mouse aortas were reversed by paeonol treatment. These beneficial effects of paeonol were diminished in PPARδ knockout (KO) mouse aortas. Paeonol increased the expression of 5' adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and PPARδ expression and activity while restoring the decreased phosphorylation of eNOS. The present study delineates that paeonol protects against tunicamycin-induced vascular endothelial dysfunction by inhibition of ER stress and oxidative stress, thus elevating NO bioavailability via the AMPK/PPARδ signaling pathway.