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Poria cocos is an edible fungus used as a health product and traditional Chinese medicinal preparation. Nevertheless, little is known about its nutrients. In this study, ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple‐quadrupole linear ion‐trap tandem mass spectrometry was conducted to quantify nucleosides, nucleobases, and amino acids in 32 batches of Poria cocos samples collected from Anhui, Sichuan, Hubei, Hunan, and Guizhou. Subsequently, the linearity, precision, repeatability, stability, and recovery of our methods were validated. Samples from different regions were clearly separated by partial least squares discriminant analysis and cluster analysis. Our results suggested that Poria cocos samples from different geographical environments differed in nucleosides, nucleobases, and amino acids. The plot of variable importance for projection disclosed differential compositions of L‐Leucine, Uridine, L‐Asparagine, L‐Glutamine, L‐phenylalanine, L‐Ornithine monohydrochloride, L‐Hydroxyproline, Taurine, and Inosine in Poria cocos from five regions. We found the highest content of total analytes, total amino acids, and total non‐essential amino acids in Poria cocos from Anhui, total essential amino acids in the Sichuan samples, and total nucleosides in the Hunan samples. Overall, we determined the content of Poria cocos‐derived nucleosides, nucleobases, and amino acids, providing the foothold for further chemical mining and use of Poria cocos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polysaccharides are good chelating agents for metal ions, which are often used to synthesize polysaccharide metal ion complexes. With carboxymethyl pachymaran (CMP) as the substrate, carboxymethyl pachymaran iron (CMPF), carboxymethyl pachymaran selenium (CMPS), and carboxymethyl pachymaran zinc (CMPZ) were synthesized by response surface methodology, and their biological characteristics were studied. The results showed that the CMP was a β‐polysaccharide, and the degree of carboxymethylation was 0.6352. The polysaccharide metal ion complexes were characterized by physicochemical methods, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, circular dichroism spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. All the polysaccharides and complexes possessed antioxidant activity in vitro with scavenging activities to ABTS, superoxide anions, and ferrous ions. CMPF, CMPS, and CMPZ caused significant inhibition of A2780 cell proliferation, promoted the production of reactive oxygen species, and induced apoptosis in a human ovarian cancer cell line (A2780 cells). These results suggest that the CMP complex may be an effective candidate drug for cancer treatment in the field of functional food and pharmacology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel strategy of "pick the best of the best" was proposed for the nondestructive identification of different‐origin and adulterated Poria cocos with near‐infrared spectroscopy. First, various preprocessing methods were divided into three classes: baseline correction, scattering and trend correction, and scaling. The single preprocessing methods with the best predictions in each class were selected. Then, the selected preprocessing methods were combined in pairs according to three classes. The pair combination preprocessing methods with the best predictions and also better predictions than single methods were selected. Finally, the selected pair combination preprocessing method was combined with the methods in the unselected class. The three combination preprocessing methods with the best predictions and also better predictions than pair combination methods were selected as the final prediction. With this strategy, the optimized preprocessing combination can be obtained quickly, and the identification accuracy with principal component analysis method can be greatly improved. 0% identification accuracy of adulterated samples and 12.5% identification accuracy of different‐origin samples were obtained with the raw data. However, 100% accuracy of adulterated samples, 93.8% accuracy of calibration dataset, and 75% accuracy of validation dataset can be obtained with the novel strategy. The developed technology can be regarded as a simple, rapid, and accurate nondestructive identification method for different‐origin and adulterated samples, and has a broad application prospect in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder. Amyloid beta‐protein (Aβ) plaques, which are the hallmark of AD, are formed from the imbalance of Aβ production and clearance accompanied by neuroinflammation, gut dysbiosis, and metabolite dysfunction. All of these processes give rise to neurochemical deficiencies and synaptic dysfunction, which ultimately contribute to recognition dysfunction. Poria cocos (PC), which contains multiple active ingredients, plays a significant role in the treatment of multiple‐pathogenesis senile diseases such as AD. Nevertheless, there are only very few investigations on the intricate action mechanism of PC for the treatment of AD. In this study, we evaluate the multi‐target cure effect of PC on APP/PS1 mice by behavioral, immunohistochemical (IHC), targeted metabolomics, and 16S rRNA sequencing experiments. Mice treated with PC showed significant improvements in cognitive function as evaluated by the behavioral experiment. IHC revealed that PC treatment relieved Aβ deposition by reducing the formation of Aβ and increasing its clearance. Moreover, PC treatment improved gut dysbiosis, which reversed the metabolite dysfunction of bile acid. These findings reveal that PC is a promising therapeutic agent, which might ameliorate the cognitive function of AD by restoring the imbalance of Aβ production and clearance and gut microbiota dysbiosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poria cocos is an edible and medicinal fungus that is widely used in Traditional Chinese Medicines as well as in modern applications. Retinoid X receptor (RXR) occupies a central place in nuclear receptor signaling, and a pharmacological RXR‐dependent pathway is involved in myeloid cell function. Here, structural information for 82 triterpenes from P. cocos and 17 known RXR agonists was collected in a compound library and retrieved for a molecular docking study. Three triterpenes, 16α‐hydroxytrametenolic acid (HTA), pachymic acid (PA), and polyporenic acid C (PPAC), were identified as novel RXR‐specific agonists based on luciferase reporter assays and in silico evidence. Treatment with HTA, PA, and PPAC significantly induced differentiation of the human promyelocytic leukemia cell line HL‐60 with EC50 values of 21.0 ± 0.52, 6.7 ± 0.37, and 9.4 ± 0.65 μM, respectively. These effects were partly blocked by the RXR antagonist UVI3003, suggesting that an RXR‐dependent pathway may play an important role in their anti‐acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) effects. Taken together, triterpenes from P. cocos are revealed as naturally occurring RXR selective agonists with the potential for anti‐cancer activity. These results suggest a novel approach to the treatment or prevention of APL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Triterpene acids from the dried sclerotia of Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf (poria) were recently found to possess anti‐cancer activities. Identification of more triterpene acid analogues in poria is worthwhile for high throughput screening in anti‐cancer drug discovery. Objective: To establish an efficient dereplication strategy for identifying triterpene acid analogues in poria based on ultra‐performance liquid chromatography with electrospray ionisation quadrupole time‐of‐flight tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC‐ESI‐QTOF‐MS/MS). Methodology: The structural characteristics and mass spectrometric data profiles of known triterpene acids previously reported in poria were used to establish a predicted‐analogue database. Then, the quasi‐molecular ions of components in a poria extract were automatically compared with those in the predicted‐analogue database to highlight compounds of potential interest. Tentative structural identification of the compounds of potential interest and discrimination of isomers were achieved by assessing ion fragmentation patterns and chromatographic behaviour prediction based on structure–retention relationship. Results: A total of 62 triterpene acids were unequivocally or tentatively characterised from poria, among which 17 triterpene acids were tentatively identified for the first time in poria. Conclusion: This study provided more structure information of triterpene acids in poria for future high throughput screening of anti‐cancer candidates. It is suggested that this semi‐automated approach in which MS data are automatically compared to a predictive database may also be applicable for efficient screening of other herbal medicines for structural analogues of proven bioactives. An efficient dereplication strategy was established for identifying triterpene acid analogues in poria using UPLC‐ESI‐QTOF MS/MS. This strategy combined analogue prediction‐based selective filtering, fragmentation pattern analysis and chromatographic behaviour prediction. A total of 62 triterpene acids were unequivocally or tentatively characterised from poria, among which 17 triterpene acids were tentatively identified for the first time in poria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poria cocos is an edible medicinal fungus known as "Fuling" in Chinese and has been used as a Chinese traditional medicine for more than two thousand years. Pharmacological studies reveal that polysaccharide is the most abundant substance in Poria cocos and has a wide range of biological activities including antitumour, immunomodulation, anti‐inflammation, antioxidation, anti‐ageing, antihepatitis, antidiabetics and anti‐haemorrhagic fever effects. As a result, "Poria cocos polysaccharide oral solution" was developed and sold as an over‐the‐counter health supplement since 1970s. In 2015, "Polysaccharidum of Poria cocos oral solution" was approved as a drug by Chinese Food and Drug Administration for treating multiple types of cancers, hepatitis and other diseases alone or during chemo‐ or radiation therapy for patients with cancer. In this article, biochemical, preclinical and clinical studies of Poria cocos polysaccharide from 72 independent studies during the past 46 years (1970‐2016) based on PubMed, VIP (Chongqing VIP Chinese Scientific Journals Database), CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure) and Wanfang database searches are summarized. The structure, pharmacological effects, clinical efficacy, immunobalancing molecular mechanism and toxicity of Poria cocos polysaccharide are deliberated to provide a general picture of Poria cocos polysaccharide as a clinically used antitumour drug. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stroke is one of the most common diseases worldwide. Lactate dehydrogenase inhibitors are widely used in the treatment of ischemic stroke, with natural products considered a promising source of lactate dehydrogenase inhibitors. In this study, ultrafiltration liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry was used for the screening and identification of lactate dehydrogenase inhibitors from Poria cocos. Five lactate dehydrogenase inhibitors were selected: dehydropachymic acid, pachymic acid, dehydrotrametenolic acid, trametenolic acid, and eburicoic acid. The inhibitors were extracted and isolated with purities of 96.75, 98.15, 97.25, 95.46, and 94.88%, respectively, by using a new 'hyphenated' strategy of microwave-assisted extraction coupled with counter-current chromatography and centrifugal partition chromatography by a two-phase solvent system of n-hexane/ethyl acetate/ethanol/water at the volume ratio 0.965:1.000:0.936:0.826 v/v/v/v. The bioactivity of the isolated compounds was assessed using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay in PC12 cells. The results also showed that the hyphenated technique of microwave-assisted extraction coupled with counter-current chromatography and centrifugal partition chromatography was an efficient method for the continuous extraction and online isolation of chemical constituents from medicinal herbs. Furthermore, the research route based on the activity screening, extraction, separation, and activity verification of the compounds offered advantages of efficiency, orientation, and objectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triterpene acids were extracted from the epidermis of Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf. These acids were found to inhibit the growth of lung cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. An efficient method for the preparative separation of antitumor triterpene acids was established that involves the combination of pH-zone-refining counter-current chromatography and conventional high-speed counter-current chromatography. We used pH-zone-refining counter-current chromatography to concentrate the triterpene acids using a two-phase solvent system composed of petroleum ether/ethyl acetate/methanol/water (3:7:5:5, v/v/v/v), trifluoroacetic acid (10 mM) was added to the upper phase as a retainer, and ammonia (10 mM) was added to the lower phase as an eluter. As a result, 200 mg concentrate of triterpene acids was obtained from 1.0 g of crude extract. The concentrate was further separated by conventional high-speed counter-current chromatography using a solvent system composed of petroleum ether/ethyl acetate/methanol/water (0.8:1.2:1.2:0.9, v/v), yielding 50 mg of poricoic acid A and 5 mg of poricoic acid B from 120 mg concentrate, respectively. The inhibitory activity of the major compound on lung A549 cells was examined and poricoic acid A was found to significantly inhibit the growth of A 549 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Poria cocos is a well-known medicinal plant widely used in China and other East Asian countries owing to its various therapeutic effects. However, the bioactive constituents responsible for the pharmacological effects of Poria cocos and their metabolites in vivo are still unclear to date. The aim of the present study was to develop a practical method based on the combined use of the liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization multistage tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS n) for the comprehensive and systematic separation and characterization of the bioactive constituents of Poria cocos extract and their metabolites in rats. Based on the proposed strategy, a total of 34 compounds were characterized from the extract of Poria cocos. Among them, eight were unambiguously identified by comparing their retention times and mass spectra with those of reference standards, and 26 were tentatively identified on the basis of their MS n fragmentation behaviors and molecular weight information from literatures. In vivo, seven compounds were successfully detected in rat urine whereas one was found in rat plasma. This study proposed a series of potential bioactive components and provided helpful chemical information for further research on the action mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rehmannia Six Formula (RF) is a formula that is commonly used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to treat patients with diabetes. A literature search was performed in PubMed for the years 2000-2009 using the key words RF, Rehmannia glutinosa, Fructus Corni, Dioscorea sp. ( D. alata, D. opposita, D. batatas), Poria cocos, Alisma sp. ( A. orientalis, A. plantago aquatica), and Paeonia suffruticosa/Cortex Moutan. On the basis of the publications found, RF appears to have beneficial effects on blood glucose, neuropathy, and nephropathy. There is also evidence of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Although there are many studies on compounds extracted from individual herbs, there are not many studies on RF as a whole. Because there is preliminary evidence that RF may be a useful supplement for the prevention of diabetic complications, clinical studies are warranted. For future clinical studies, it is recommended that details are provided regarding the preparation of RF and that the ratio of the individual components in RF is standardized so that results across studies can be compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new triterpenes, poricoic acid AE 1 and poricoic acid CE 2, were isolated from the surface layer of the mushroom Poria cocosSchw. Wolf, together with four known triterpenes, 3Oacetyldehydroeburicoic acid, 3oxolanosta7,911,2431trien21oic acid, dehydrotrametenolic acid, and poricoic acid A. The structures of the two new triterpenes were elucidated as 16αhydroxy3,4secolanosta428,7,911,2431tetraene3,21dioic acid3ethyl ester 1 and 3,4secolanosta428,7,911,2431tetraene3,21dioic acid3ethyl ester 2 mainly on the basis of HRESIMS, EIMS, and 2DNMR analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of hydrocolloids – namely Arabic (AR), guar (GR), xanthan (XN), carrageenan (CG) and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) – on the rheological, microstructural and quality characteristics of south Indian parotta was studied separately at the level of 0.5%. Addition of hydrocolloids increased farinograph water absorption. The extensograph resistance to extension at 135 min increased with the addition of hydrocolloids. Addition of XN, GR and CG decreased extensibility, while AR and HPMC increased extensibility. The alveograph maximum over pressure increased, with the exception of AR, and average abscissa at rupture decreased with different hydrocolloids. The amylograph peak viscosity increased with all the hydrocolloids. In the micrographs of dough treated with different hydrocolloids, the starch granules appeared coated with gum, and the coating appeared prominent in the case of dough treated with GR and HPMC. Among the hydrocolloids tried, GR brought about the greatest improvement in the quality of parotta, followed in decreasing order by HPMC, XN, CG and AR. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS In India, demand for the large-scale manufacture of packed parottas is increasing. The beneficial effects of hydrocolloids in parotta-making have not yet been explored. This paper discusses the effect of different hydrocolloids on the rheological characteristics of dough in relation to parotta. The information generated on the use of hydrocolloids that are beneficial for parotta-making will be useful for the large-scale manufacturers of parotta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Linear pachyman was isolated from the sclerotium of Poria cocos. Its hydroxypropyl and carboxymethyl derivatives, with considerable hydrophilicities, were synthesized. Their chemical structures, biocompatibilities, powder and tableting properties were determined. To exploit their novel applications in tablet excipients, ampicillin and probenecid dispersible tablets were compressed using the two derivatives as disintegrants, respectively. The detailed characterization of the tablets indicated the great potential of the two synthesized derivatives to be used as pharmaceutical excipients. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In the present study, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory activity of Poria cocos (PoCo) on experimentally induced irritant contact dermatitis (ICD) in a repeated sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) irritation model. Methods: The anti-irritative effect of PoCo was evaluated with a visual score and quantified by non-invasive bioengineering methods, namely chromametry and transepidermal water loss. Three concentrations of PoCo in base cream DAC (amphiphilic emollient; German pharmacopoeia) were tested in a 4-day repetitive irritation test using SLS. Results: A statistically significant anti-inflammatory activity was observed for PoCo by all three methods when applied in parallel to the induction period of ICD. Application of PoCo after induction of ICD once a day for 5 days, starting just at the end of 4 days, was without any effect. Conclusion: An anti-inflammatory efficacy of PoCo on the elicitation phase of the ICD induced by repeated SLS test could be observed and quantified by three independent, non-invasive biophysical assessment parameters. This effect can be explained by its influence on pro-inflammatory enzymes, namely phospholipase A2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article the author discusses the use of fasting lipid profile to evaluate cardiovascular risk. It states that the main reason that a patient needs to gain the reliable lipid profile is to evaluate the magnitude of risk for future cardiovascular events. Moreover, it notes that the recognized approach is that plasma cholesterol and triglycerides should be measured periodically.

The article discusses the proposal to conserve the name Poria cocos against Daedalea extensa (Basidiomycota). Poria cocos is one of the traditional cultivated oriental medicinal fungi. In North America, this fungus was identified as one of the traditional aboriginal foods with various tuberous plant roots, collectively known as tuckahoe.

A novel immunomodulatory protein (PCP) has been purified from the dried sclerotium of an Oriental therapeutic fungus, Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf. The protein PCP is a heterodimer protein consisting of 14.3 and 21.3 kDa subunits. Our previous studies revealed that PCP had mitogenic capacity toward murine splenocytes and was able to stimulate RAW 264.7 macrophages in vitro. Similarly, in primary mouse macrophages, PCP directly activated peritoneal cavity macrophages to enhance the production of nitric oxide (NO), IL-1β, IL-6, IL-18 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). Besides these cytokines, mRNAs for NF-κB, TRAF6, TIRAP, and MyD88 were also enhanced that indicated their involvement in tandem in the activity of PCP. Toll-like receptor TLR4 expression was increased on peritoneal cells by coincubation with PCP, whereas the expression of TLR2 and TLR6 remained unaffected. Moreover, PCP-induced activities were absent in the cells obtained from TLR4 knockout C57BL/10ScN mice. Furthermore, the binding of PCP to the cell surface of peritoneal macrophages was demonstrated by comparing the flow cytometry results of C57BL/6 and C57BL/10ScN mice. These results suggest that PCP is a potential immune Stimulus and TLR4 is primarily responsible in PCP signaling in murine macrophages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]