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【Objective】The research aims to investigate the inhibitory effects of different Chinese herbal medicine extracts on banana Fusarium wilt, and to screen effective plant resources for the control of banana Fusarium wilt.【Method】Tests were carried out on 29 Chinese herbal medicines, including Rheum palmatum and Andrographis paniculata, and the effective active ingredients were extracted by ethanol extraction. The inhibitory effects of different extracts on Foc TR4 were detected by the growth rate method, and the ethanol extracts of Rheum palmatum were extracted by using four solvents with different polarities, namely, petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate and n-butanol. The inhibitory effects of the extracts on the spores germination of banana Fusarium wilt were determined by the pendant drop method, and the effects of the extracts on the mycelial morphology of banana Fusarium wilt were observed.【Result】The inhibitory effects of 29 herbal medicine extracts on Foc TR4 showed great differences, and four extracts, including Rheum palmatum, Andrographis paniculata, Sophora flavescens, and Chrysanthemum indicum had better inhibitory effects on Foc TR4, among which the best inhibitory effect was achieved by Rheum palmatum extract, with the inhibitory rate of 6 mg/mL Rheum palmatum extract being 48.57%, and the EC50 of the mycelial growth being 6.68 mg/mL, while the EC50 of the spore germination was 4.60 mg/mL. Through observation by light microscope, the Rheum palmatum extract had a certain destructive effect on Foc TR4 mycelium, which produced a large number of branches and adhesions and caused uneven mycelial growth; among the four extraction fractions of the ethanolic crude extracts of Rheum palmatum, namely, petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate and n-butanol, the extract fraction of ethyl acetate showed the best inhibitory effects on the growth and spore germination of Foc TR4 mycelium, and the inhibition rate of mycelial growth could reach 85.68% when the concentration was 10 mg/mL. The EC50 value of ethyl acetate extract fraction of Rheum palmatum extract on Foc TR4 was 0.16 mg/mL.【Conclusion】The Rheum palmatum extract was screened out from 29 Chinses herbal medicine extracts with better inhibitory effect, and its main effective inhibitory component against banana Fusariu wilt Foc TR4 was in the ethyl acetate extract fraction was further clarified, which could provide a reference for the research and development of new pesticides from plant resources for the prevention and control of banana Fusarium wilt.

With the rapid advancements in sequencing technology, an increasing number of genome sequences for medicinal plants have become available. In 2021, TCMPG was introduced as a comprehensive database dedicated to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) plant genomes, capturing significant attention within the scientific community. To offer invaluable resources to researchers, this database received an upgrade to its latest version, named TCMPG 2.0, accessible at http://cbcb.cdutcm.edu.cn/TCMPG2/. TCMPG 2.0 surpasses its predecessor by adding 114 medicinal plants, 129 genomes, and 159 related herbs. Recognizing the critical role of ingredients in assessing the pharmacological effects of Chinese medicines, TCMPG 2.0 has also amassed data on 13,868 herbal ingredients. Additionally, four practical analytical tools, including Heatmap, Primer3, PlantiSMASH, and CRISPRCasFinder, have been integrated into the toolbox. These valuable enhancements significantly enhance the database's utility for researchers in the field.

Abstract Background Astragalus mongolicus Bunge is used in traditional Chinese medicine and is thus cultivated in bulk. The cultivation of A. mongolicus requires a large amount of nitrogen fertilizer, increasing the planting cost of medicinal materials and polluting the environment. Isolation and screening of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and exploring the nitrogen fixation potential of A. mongolicus rhizosphere microorganisms would effectively reduce the production cost of A. mongolicus. Results This study used A. mongolicus roots and rhizosphere soil samples from Longxi County of Gansu Province, Jingle County, and Hunyuan County of Shanxi Province, China, to isolate and identify nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Through nitrogen fixation efficiency test, single strain inoculation test, and plant growth-promoting characteristics, three strains, Bacillus sp. J1, Arthrobacter sp. J2, and Bacillus sp. G4 were selected from 86 strains of potential nitrogen-fixing bacteria, which were the most effective in promoting the A. mongolicus growth and increasing the nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium content in plants. The antagonistic test showed that these bacteria could grow smoothly under the co-culture conditions. The J1, J2, and G4 strains were used in a mixed inoculum and found to enhance the biomass of A. mongolicus plants and the accumulation of the main medicinal components in the field experiment. Mixed bacterial agent inoculation also increased bacterial diversity and changed the structure of the bacterial community in rhizosphere soil. Meanwhile, the relative abundance of Proteobacteria increased significantly after inoculation, suggesting that Proteobacteria play an important role in plant growth promotion. Conclusions These findings indicate that specific and efficient PGPRs have a significant promoting effect on the growth of A. mongolicus, while also having a positive impact on the structure of the host rhizosphere bacteria community. This study provides a basis for developing a nitrogen-fixing bacterial fertilizer and improving the ecological planting efficiency of A. mongolicus.

【Objective】The research aims to investigate the inhibitory effects of different Chinese herbal medicine extracts on banana Fusarium wilt, and to screen effective plant resources for the control of banana Fusarium wilt. 【Method】Tests were carried out on 29 Chinese herbal medicines, including Rheum palmatum and Andrographis paniculata, and the effective active ingredients were extracted by ethanol extraction. The inhibitory effects of different extracts on Foc TR4 were detected by the growth rate method, and the ethanol extracts of Rheum palmatum were extracted by using four solvents with different polarities, namely, petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate and n-butanol. The inhibitory effects of the extracts on the spores germination of banana Fusarium wilt were determined by the pendant drop method, and the effects of the extracts on the mycelial morphology of banana Fusarium wilt were observed.【Result】The inhibitory effects of 29 herbal medicine extracts on Foc TR4 showed great differences, and four extracts, including Rheum palmatum, Andrographis paniculata, Sophora fl avescens, and Chrysanthemum indicum had better inhibitory effects on Foc TR4, among which the best inhibitory effect was achieved by Rheum palmatum extract, with the inhibitory rate of 6 mg/mL Rheum palmatum extract being 48.57%, and the EC50 of the mycelial growth being 6.68 mg/mL, while the EC50 of the spore germination was 4.60 mg/mL. Through observation by light microscope, the Rheum palmatum extract had a certain destructive effect on Foc TR4 mycelium, which produced a large number of branches and adhesions and caused uneven mycelial growth; among the four extraction fractions of the ethanolic crude extracts of Rheum palmatum, namely, petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate and n-butanol, the extract fraction of ethyl acetate showed the best inhibitory effects on the growth and spore germination of Foc TR4 mycelium, and the inhibition rate of mycelial growth could reach 85.68% when the concentration was 10 mg/mL. The EC50 value of ethyl acetate extract fraction of Rheum palmatum extract on Foc TR4 was 0.16 mg/mL.【Conclusion】The Rheum palmatum extract was screened out from 29 Chinses herbal medicine extracts with better inhibitory effect, and its main effective inhibitory component against banana Fusariu wilt Foc TR4 was in the ethyl acetate extract fraction was further clarified, which could provide a reference for the research and development of new pesticides from plant resources for the prevention and control of banana Fusarium wilt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionPaeonia ostii T. Hong & J.X. Zhang (s.s.) (Chinese name, Fengdan) is a widely cultivated food-medicine plant in China, in which root bark, seed kernels, and flowers are utilized for their medicinal and edible values. However, other parts of the plant are not used efficiently, in part due to a poor understanding of their chemical composition and potential biological activity.MethodsUntargeted ultra-performance liquid chromatography–quadrupole time of flight–mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) metabolomics was applied to characterize the metabolic profiles of 10 different parts of P. ostii.Results and discussionA total of 160 metabolites were alternatively identified definitely or tentatively, which were significantly different in various plant parts by multivariate statistical analysis. Quantitative analysis showed that underutilized plant parts also contain many active ingredients. Compared with the medicinal part of root bark, the root core part still contains a higher content of paeoniflorin (17.60 ± 0.06 mg/g) and PGG (15.50 ± 2.00 mg/g). Petals, as an edible part, contain high levels of quercitrin, and stamens have higher methyl gallate and PGG. Unexpectedly, the ovary has the highest content of methyl gallate and rather high levels of PGG (38.14 ± 1.27 mg/g), and it also contains surprisingly high concentrations of floralalbiflorin I. Paeoniflorin (38.68 ± 0.76 mg/g) is the most abundant in leaves, and the content is even higher than in the root bark. Branches are also rich in a variety of catechin derivatives and active ingredients such as hydrolyzable tannins. Seed kernels also contain fairly high levels of paeoniflorin and albiflorin. Fruit shells still contain a variety of components, although not at high levels. Seed coats, as by-products removed from peony seeds before oil extraction, have high contents of stilbenes, such as trans-gnetin H and suffruticosol B, showing significant potential for exploitation. Except for the seed kernels, extracts obtained from other parts exhibited good antioxidant activity in DPPH, ABTS, and ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays (0.09–1.52 mmol TE/g). Five compounds (gallic acid, PGG, trans-resveratrol, kaempferol, and quercitrin) were important ingredients that contributed to their antioxidant activities. Furthermore, P. ostii seed cakes were first reported to possess agonistic activity toward CB1/CB2 receptors. This study provides a scientific basis for the further development and utilization of P. ostii plant resources.

Nowadays, plant-based bioactive compounds (BCs) are a key focus of research, supporting sustainable food production and favored by consumers for their perceived safety and health advantages over synthetic options. Lavandula pedunculata (LP) is a Portuguese, native species relevant to the bioeconomy that can be useful as a source of natural BCs, mainly phenolic compounds. This study compared LP polyphenol-rich extracts from conventional maceration extraction (CE), microwave and ultrasound-assisted extraction (MAE and UAE). As a result, rosmarinic acid (58.68–48.27 mg/g DE) and salvianolic acid B (43.19–40.09 mg/g DE) were the most representative phenolic compounds in the LP extracts. The three methods exhibited high antioxidant activity, highlighting the ORAC (1306.0 to 1765.5 mg Trolox equivalents (TE)/g DE) results. In addition, the extracts obtained with MAE and CE showed outstanding growth inhibition for B. cereus, S. aureus, E. coli, S. enterica and P. aeruginosa (>50%, at 10 mg/mL). The MAE extract showed the lowest IC50 (0.98 mg DE/mL) for angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition and the best results for α-glucosidase and tyrosinase inhibition (at 5 mg/mL, the inhibition was 87 and 73%, respectively). The LP polyphenol-rich extracts were also safe on caco-2 intestinal cells, and no mutagenicity was detected. The UAE had lower efficiency in obtaining LP polyphenol-rich extracts. MAE equaled CE’s efficiency, saving time and energy. LP shows potential as a sustainable raw material, allowing diverse extraction methods to safely develop health-promoting food and nutraceutical ingredients.

One of the programs that can be implemented by women managing watersheds (DAS) in an effort to improve family welfare and preserve the environment, especially in the food sector, is the program for planting and utilizing the watershed environment as a place to plant Family Medicinal Plants (TOGA). This program also responds to the decline in people's purchasing power due to increasingly expensive drug prices, so that it indirectly has an impact on the decline in public health status. The general purpose of the research is to see the efforts of empowering women around the Martapura watershed in the use of yard land to plant TOGA by formulating strategies and programs for women's empowerment. To answer these objectives, a SWOT analysis was carried out to determine the strategy and then continued with the Process Hierarchy (AHP) analysis to determine the priority strategy. The total score of internal and external factors is 1.4384 and 0.2465, respectively. So it can be concluded that the strategy of Empowering Women Around the Martapura Watershed in the use of yard land for TOGA farming is in quadrant I position, a very favorable condition. The priority strategies based on the results of questionnaire data processing using the AHP method are WO2: developing products produced through processing results (38.52%), WO1: conducting partnership programs between producers and marketing agencies (27.50%), SO1: relying on product advantages (11.78%), SO2: promoting socialization of the use of family medicinal plant cultivation (TOGA) through face-to-face and social media (7.95%), WT1: establishment of a medicinal plant market by the relevant agencies (6.64%), ST1 : re-encouragement of extensions to business actors of family medicinal plants (TOGA) (4.53%), and ST2: holding seminars/business promotions regarding the benefits of using family medicinal plants (TOGA) (7.56%).

Laggera crispata, an herbaceous plant, has been used in Chinese medicines as anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and anti-viral. In this study, the complete chloroplast (cp) genome sequence of L. crispata was first reported. The cp genome of L. crispata is 155522 bp in length, with two inverted repeats (IR) regions of 25042 bp, the large single copy (LSC) region of 84198 bp and the small single copy (SSC) region of 21240 bp. 128 genes were predicted, including 87 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. The phylogenetic analysis suggested that L. crispata is more closely related to Pluchea pteropoda and P. indica with solid bootstrap values belonging to the subfamily Inuleae of Asteraceae.

Nowadays, plant-based bioactive compounds (BCs) are a key focus of research, supporting sustainable food production and favored by consumers for their perceived safety and health advantages over synthetic options. Lavandula pedunculata (LP) is a Portuguese, native species relevant to the bioeconomy that can be useful as a source of natural BCs, mainly phenolic compounds. This study compared LP polyphenol-rich extracts from conventional maceration extraction (CE), microwave and ultrasound-assisted extraction (MAE and UAE). As a result, rosmarinic acid (58.68-48.27 mg/g DE) and salvianolic acid B (43.19-40.09 mg/g DE) were the most representative phenolic compounds in the LP extracts. The three methods exhibited high antioxidant activity, highlighting the ORAC (1306.0 to 1765.5 mg Trolox equivalents (TE)/g DE) results. In addition, the extracts obtained with MAE and CE showed outstanding growth inhibition for B. cereus , S. aureus , E. coli , S. enterica and P. aeruginosa (>50%, at 10 mg/mL). The MAE extract showed the lowest IC 50 (0.98 mg DE/mL) for angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition and the best results for α-glucosidase and tyrosinase inhibition (at 5 mg/mL, the inhibition was 87 and 73%, respectively). The LP polyphenol-rich extracts were also safe on caco-2 intestinal cells, and no mutagenicity was detected. The UAE had lower efficiency in obtaining LP polyphenol-rich extracts. MAE equaled CE's efficiency, saving time and energy. LP shows potential as a sustainable raw material, allowing diverse extraction methods to safely develop health-promoting food and nutraceutical ingredients.

Breynia fruticosa (L.) Müll.Arg. is a well-known folk medicinal plant and found abundantly in South China. The complete chloroplast genome of B. fruticosa reported firstly here was 155,630 bp in length, including a large single-copy region with 85,065 bp (LSC), a small single-copy region with 19,441 bp (SSC) and a pair of inverted repeats with 25, 562 bp (IRa and IRb). The plastome was comprised of 112 distinct genes, with 78 protein coding genes, four ribosomal RNA genes and 30 transfer RNA genes. The overall GC content of B. fruticose chloroplast genome was 36.7%. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that B. fruticosa was closely related to Glochidion fruticosa.

Introduction: Paeonia ostii T. Hong & J.X. Zhang (s.s.) (Chinese name, Fengdan) is a widely cultivated food-medicine plant in China, in which root bark, seed kernels, and flowers are utilized for their medicinal and edible values. However, other parts of the plant are not used efficiently, in part due to a poor understanding of their chemical composition and potential biological activity., Methods: Untargeted ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time of flight-mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) metabolomics was applied to characterize the metabolic profiles of 10 different parts of P. ostii ., Results and Discussion: A total of 160 metabolites were alternatively identified definitely or tentatively, which were significantly different in various plant parts by multivariate statistical analysis. Quantitative analysis showed that underutilized plant parts also contain many active ingredients. Compared with the medicinal part of root bark, the root core part still contains a higher content of paeoniflorin (17.60 ± 0.06 mg/g) and PGG (15.50 ± 2.00 mg/g). Petals, as an edible part, contain high levels of quercitrin, and stamens have higher methyl gallate and PGG. Unexpectedly, the ovary has the highest content of methyl gallate and rather high levels of PGG (38.14 ± 1.27 mg/g), and it also contains surprisingly high concentrations of floralalbiflorin I. Paeoniflorin (38.68 ± 0.76 mg/g) is the most abundant in leaves, and the content is even higher than in the root bark. Branches are also rich in a variety of catechin derivatives and active ingredients such as hydrolyzable tannins. Seed kernels also contain fairly high levels of paeoniflorin and albiflorin. Fruit shells still contain a variety of components, although not at high levels. Seed coats, as by-products removed from peony seeds before oil extraction, have high contents of stilbenes, such as trans -gnetin H and suffruticosol B, showing significant potential for exploitation. Except for the seed kernels, extracts obtained from other parts exhibited good antioxidant activity in DPPH, ABTS, and ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays (0.09-1.52 mmol TE/g). Five compounds (gallic acid, PGG, trans -resveratrol, kaempferol, and quercitrin) were important ingredients that contributed to their antioxidant activities. Furthermore, P. ostii seed cakes were first reported to possess agonistic activity toward CB1/CB2 receptors. This study provides a scientific basis for the further development and utilization of P. ostii plant resources., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Zheng, Li, Shen, Yang, Wu, Wang, Yuan, Xiao and He.)

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been practiced in the treatment of bone diseases and alcoholism. Chronic excessive alcohol use results in alcohol-induced bone diseases, including osteopenia and osteoporosis, which increases fracture risk, deficient bone repair, and osteonecrosis. This preclinical study investigated the therapeutic effects of TCM herbal extracts in animal models of chronic excessive alcohol consumption-induced osteopenia. TCM herbal extracts (Jing extracts) were prepared from nine Chinese herbal medicines, a combinative herbal formula for antifatigue and immune regulation, including Astragalus, Cistanche deserticola, Dioscorea polystachya, Lycium barbarum, Epimedium, Cinnamomum cassia, Syzygium aromaticum, Angelica sinensis, and Curculigo orchioides. In this study, Balb/c male mice were orally administrated alcohol (3.2 g/kg/day) with/without TCM herbal extracts (0.125 g/kg, 0.25 g/kg, or 0.5 g/kg) by gavage. Our results showed that after 50 days of oral administration, TCM herbal extracts prevented alcohol-induced osteopenia demonstrated by μ-CT bone morphological analysis in young adults and middle-aged/old Balb/c male mice. Biochemical analysis demonstrated that chronic alcohol consumption inhibits bone formation and has a neutral impact on bone resorption, suggesting that TCM herbal extracts (Jing extracts) mitigate the alcohol-induced abnormal bone metabolism in middle-aged/old male mice. Protocatechuic acid, a natural phenolic acid in Jing extracts, mitigates in vivo alcohol-induced decline of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) gene expression in the bone marrow of Balb/c male mice and in vitro ALP activity in pre-osteoblast MC3T3-E1 cells. Our study suggests that TCM herbal extracts prevent chronic excessive alcohol consumption-induced osteopenia in male mice, implying that traditional medicinal plants have the therapeutic potential of preventing alcohol-induced bone diseases.

Thalictrum foliolosum DC. 1817, a widely distributed species in the genus of Thalictrum, is used as a traditional herbal medicine in China. For the first time, the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of T. foliolosum was assembled and characterized for the first time in this study. The cp genome of T. foliolosum was 155,764 bp in length, including a large-single copy region of 85,086 bp, a small-single copy region of 17,636 bp, and a pair of inverted repeats region of 53,042 bp. The overall GC content was 38.50%. A total of 127 genes were predicted, including 82 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and 8 ribosomal RNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that T. foliolosum is closely related to T. petaloideum.

Kushen root, from the woody legume Sophora flavescens, is a traditional Chinese medicine that is a key ingredient in several promising cancer treatments. This activity is attributed in part to two quinolizidine alkaloids (QAs), oxymatrine and matrine, that have a variety of therapeutic activities in vitro. Genetic selection is needed to adapt S. flavescens for cultivation and to improve productivity and product quality. Genetic diversity of S. flavescens was investigated using genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) on 85 plants grown from seeds collected from 9 provinces of China. DArTSeq provided over 10,000 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers, 1636 of which were used in phylogenetic analysis to reveal clear regional differences for S. flavescens. One accession from each region was selected for PCR-sequencing to identify gene-specific SNPs in the first two QA pathway genes, lysine decarboxylase (LDC) and copper amine oxidase (CAO). To obtain SfCAO sequence for primer design we used a targeted transcript capture and assembly strategy using publicly available RNA sequencing data. Partial gene sequence analysis of SfCAO revealed two recently duplicated genes, SfCAO1 and SfCAO2, in contrast to the single gene found in the QA-producing legume Lupinus angustifolius. We demonstrate high efficiency converting SNPs to Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP) markers developing 27 new KASP markers, 17 from DArTSeq data, 7 for SfLDC, and 3 for SfCAO1. To complement this genetic diversity analysis a field trial site has been established in South Australia, providing access to diverse S. flavescens material for morphological, transcriptomic, and QA metabolite analysis. Analysis of dissected flower buds revealed that anthesis occurs before buds fully open suggesting a potential for S. flavescens to be an inbreeding species, however this is not supported by the relatively high level of heterozygosity observed. Two plants from the field trial site were analysed by quantitative real-time PCR and levels of matrine and oxymatrine were assessed in a variety of tissues. We are now in a strong position to select diverse plants for crosses to accelerate the process of genetic selection needed to adapt kushen to cultivation and improve productivity and product quality.

Andrographis paniculata is widely distributed and used in tropical and subtropical regions of Asia. To enhance the development of its medicinal value, we reported and characterized the complete chloroplast genome sequence of A. paniculata in an effort to provide genomic resources useful to promoting its medicinal value and systematic research. The chloroplast genome of Andrographis paniculata was found to possess a total length 150,249 bp with the typical quadripartite structure of angiosperms, respectively. It contained a large single-copy (LSC) region of 82,460 bp, a small single-copy (SSC) region of 17,111 bp and separated by a pair of inverted repeat (IR) regions of 25,339 bp. The chloroplast genome of Andrographis paniculata is composed of 132 individual genes, consisting of 87 protein-coding genes, 37 transfer RNA genes and 8 ribosomal RNA genes. The overall G-C content of the chloroplast genome is 38.4%, A of 45,852 bp (30.5%), T of 46,873 bp (31.2%), C of 29,281 bp (19.5%) and G of 18.8% (28,243 bp). Phylogenetic tree analysis result shown that Andrographis paniculata was clustered to Strobilanthes cusia by the maximum-likelihood (ML) method in this study.

Ilex rotunda is a traditional Chinese medicine plant. In this study, we characterized the complete chloroplast (cp) genome sequence of I. rotunda to investigate its phylogenetic relationship. The cp genome of I. rotunda was 157,743 bp in length with 37.62% overall GC content, including a large single-copy (LSC) region of 87,060bp, a small single-copy (SSC) region of 18,432 bp, which were separated by a pair of inverted repeats (IRS) of 26,121 bp. The cp genome contained 133 genes, including 88 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis based on whole cp genome sequences showed that I. rotunda is closely related to I. pubescens and I. polyneura.

Lagotis brevituba is a famous Tibetan medicine plant and its complete chloroplast genome is determined in this study. The complete chloroplast genome is 152,967 bp in length, with a large single-copy (LSC) region of 83,740 bp, a small single copy (SSC) region of 17,845 bp, and a pair of inverted repeats (IRs) of 25,691 bp. The whole genome contained 131 genes, including 86 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes and 8 rRNA genes. The phylogenetic tree showed that L. brevituba clustered with L. yunnanensis in family Plantaginaceae.

Utilization of medicinal plants by Krui People those whose raw materials come from agroforestry “Repong Damar” has long been known and this knowledge has been passed down from generation to generation. Repong Damar is a term for agroforestry in Krui. Research has been conducted in Mei-Juni 2018 with the aim to known the species of plant as utilizing medicinal plants. Data were collected through direct interview with snowball sampling technique and field observations. The results showed that 93 species of plants from 40 families were used as medicine. The highest family is Piperaceae (10%). The most widely used plant parts are 46% of leaves and the type of disease that is often treated as medicinal plants is respiratory tract. Keywords: agroforestry, repong damar, medicinal plants

Pueraria thomsonii is a leguminous plant with high root yield and starch content. It is also a medicinal material in the Chinese pharmacopeia. However, the raw materials of P. thomsonii are often confused with some non-medicinal Pueraria plants. To enrich the genetic resources of P. thomsonii and guide its molecular identification, the complete chloroplast genome was sequenced and reported. The total genome of P. thomsonii is 153,434 bp in length. consisting of two inverted repeat regions (IRS, 25,640 bp each) separated by a large single-copy (LSC, 84,155 bp) and a small single-copy region (SSC, 17,999 bp). The overall GC content is 35.41%. It contains 130 genes, including 85 protein coding genes, 8 rRNA genes and 37 tRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis showed that P. thomsonii could be distinguished from other plants and closely related to the legume Pachyrhizus erosus. This study enriches the genetic information of P. thomsonii and contributes to the screening of excellent germplasm.

Scutellaria baicalensis is the important herb and perennial medicinal plant, which has a medical history of thousands years in China. In this study, we assembled and annotated the complete chloroplast genome of S. baicalensis. The chloroplast genome size is 152,301 bp, containing a large single-copy region (83,521 bp), a small single-copy region (17,476 bp), and a pair of IR regions (25,652 bp). The overall nucleotide composition is: A of 30.4%, T of 31.2%, C of 19.5%, and G of 18.9%, with a total GC content of the chloroplast genome 38.4% and AT of 61.6%. Scutellaria baicalensis whole chloroplast genome contains 132 genes, including 88 protein-coding genes (PCG), 36 transfer RNA (tRNAs), and eight ribosome RNA (rRNAs). Genetic and Phylogenetic analysis based on 28 herbal medicine plants species confirmed the position of S. baicalensis closely related to two other Scutellaria species of Scutellaria insignis and Scutellaria lateriflora. The complete chloroplast genome of S. baicalensis study is able to provide a reference for the phylogenetic relationships and assessment of the genetic structure of the Scutellaria family in China.

The complete chloroplast (cp) genome of Ilex chinensis, an important economic plant with ornamental and ecological values, was sequenced to investigate its phylogenetic relationship. The entire cp genome of I. chinensis was 157,885 bp in length with 37.61% overall GC content, including a large single-copy (LSC) region of 87,289 bp, and a small single-copy (SSC) region of 18,388 bp, which were separated by a pair of inverted repeats (IRs) of 52,208 bp. The cp genome contained 135 genes, including 90 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and eight rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis based on whole cp genome sequences showed that I. chinensis was closely related to I. szechwanensis and I. viridis species.

Eucommia ulmoides is an important traditional medicinal plant and as a common herb for orthopedic treatment in China. In this study, we reported and analyzed the complete chloroplast genome of E. ulmoides. The chloroplast genome length of E. ulmoides was 163,586 bp in size that has the typical quadripartite structure. It contained a large single-copy (LSC) region of 86,773 bp, a small single-copy (SSC) region of 14,167 bp and separated by two inverted repeat (IRa and IRb) regions of 31,323 bp. The overall GC content of the circular genome was 38.4% while A of 30.8% (50,496 bp), T of 30.8% (50,414 bp), C of 19.2% (31,341 bp), G of 19.2% (31,335 bp). In the chloroplast genome, 135 genes had been found, which included 89 protein-coding (PC) genes, 38 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes and 8 ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes. Phylogenetic relationship analysis shown that Eucommia ulmoides was clustered with Aucuba japonica in the evolutionary relationship by the Maximum-Likelihood (ML) method.

Bulbophyllum disciflorum is one of Orchidaceae species, which has important ornamental and economic value. Here, we reported the first chloroplast genome sequence of Bulbophyllum. The genome of B. disciflorum is 148,554 bp in length, including a large single-copy (LSC) of 79,001 bp, a small single-copy (SSC) of 16,797 bp, and a pair of inverted repeat regions (IRa and IRb) of 26,378bp. It contains 108 unique genes consisting of 74 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA genes, and 4 rRNA genes. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that Bulbophyllum is sister to the genus of Dendrobium.

Calotropis procera (Ait) R. Br. belongs to the family Asclipiadaceae. It is widely used in the traditional medicinal system for the treatment of various common ailments such as fever, rheumatism, colds, eczema, diarrhea, elephantiasis, asthma, cough, leprosy, intestinal worms, ulcers and other diseases. C. procera contains a wide range of phytochemical compounds such as cardenolides, steroids, glycosides, sugars, tannins, terpenoids, phenols, flavonoids, saponins and alkaloids. This paper reviews information pertaining its traditional uses, phytochemistry and biological activities such as analgesic activity, antioxidant activity, anticancer activity, anthelmintic activity, antidiabetic activity, hepatoprotective activity, antiinflammatory activity, antimicrobial activity, antimalarial activity and other activities. It is hoped that the information provided here will encourage additional research that could eventually result in the creation of medicinal medicines from this plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bletilla striata is an endangered medicinal plant the habitats of which are polluted by cadmium (Cd). Nutrient management is a potential way to mitigate Cd toxicity, providing reference for B. striata artificial cultivation. Pot experiments were undertaken to examine the effect of five levels of Cd concentration (control: 0.28 mg/kg; I: 0.37 mg/kg; II: 1.00 mg/kg; III: 7.39 mg/kg; IV: 54.6 mg/kg) on the temporal dynamics of nutrient allocation in B. striata components. The results showed that the content and accumulation of Cd increased significantly in all tissues of Bletilla striata as Cd concentration was increasing, and most accumulated in the roots and slightly transferred to the aboveground parts, while tubers were less likely to accumulate Cd. Excessive cadmium accumulation under long-term exposure reduced the biomass of all tissues of B. striata, and the yield was not significantly affected when cultivated in soil with a concentration of Cd ≤ 1 mg/kg. Potassium (K) was quickly transferred from the root to other tissues in response to the Cd stress. The absorption of zinc (Zn) increased at first and then decreased with increased Cd concentration. According to Pearson correlation analysis, a mechanism is suggested that Cd accumulation affects the absorption of nutrients but is positively and significantly correlated with translocation factor of K and Zn in the tuber. This may imply that B. striata tends to promote the absorption of nutrient elements to adapt to the Cd enrichment in tubers and to compensate for the interrupted mineral nutrition metabolism.

Laggera crispata, an herbaceous plant, has been used in Chinese medicines as anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and anti-viral. In this study, the complete chloroplast (cp) genome sequence of L. crispata was first reported. The cp genome of L. crispata is 155522 bp in length, with two inverted repeats (IR) regions of 25042 bp, the large single copy (LSC) region of 84198 bp and the small single copy (SSC) region of 21240 bp. 128 genes were predicted, including 87 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. The phylogenetic analysis suggested that L. crispata is more closely related to Pluchea pteropoda and P. indica with solid bootstrap values belonging to the subfamily Inuleae of Asteraceae., Competing Interests: No potential conflicts of interest and would be responsible for the content were declared by the authors., (© 2022 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.)

Thalictrum foliolosum DC. 1817, a widely distributed species in the genus of Thalictrum, is used as a traditional herbal medicine in China. For the first time, the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of T. foliolosum was assembled and characterized for the first time in this study. The cp genome of T. foliolosum was 155,764 bp in length, including a large-single copy region of 85,086 bp, a small-single copy region of 17,636 bp, and a pair of inverted repeats region of 53,042 bp. The overall GC content was 38.50%. A total of 127 genes were predicted, including 82 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and 8 ribosomal RNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that T. foliolosum is closely related to T. petaloideum ., Competing Interests: The authors report there are no competing interests to declare., (© 2022 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.)

Because of their great therapeutic and economic value, medicinal plants have attracted increasing scientific attention. With the rapid development of high-throughput sequencing technology, the genomes of many medicinal plants have been sequenced. Storing and analyzing the increasing volume of genomic data has become an urgent task. To solve this challenge, we have proposed the T raditional C hinese M edicine P lant G enome database (TCMPG, http://cbcb.cdutcm.edu.cn/TCMPG/), an integrative database for storing the scattered genomes of medicinal plants. TCMPG currently includes 160 medicinal plants, 195 corresponding genomes, and 255 herbal medicines. Detailed information on plant species, genomes, and herbal medicines is also integrated into TCMPG. Popular genomic analysis tools are embedded in TCMPG to facilitate the systematic analysis of medicinal plants. These include BLAST for identifying orthologs from different plants, SSR Finder for identifying simple sequence repeats, JBrowse for browsing genomes, Synteny Viewer for displaying syntenic blocks between two genomes, and HmmSearch for identifying protein domains. TCMPG will be continuously updated by integrating new data and tools for comparative and functional genomic analysis., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nanjing Agricultural University.)

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been practiced in the treatment of bone diseases and alcoholism. Chronic excessive alcohol use results in alcohol-induced bone diseases, including osteopenia and osteoporosis, which increases fracture risk, deficient bone repair, and osteonecrosis. This preclinical study investigated the therapeutic effects of TCM herbal extracts in animal models of chronic excessive alcohol consumption-induced osteopenia. TCM herbal extracts (Jing extracts) were prepared from nine Chinese herbal medicines, a combinative herbal formula for antifatigue and immune regulation, including Astragalus , Cistanche deserticola , Dioscorea polystachya , Lycium barbarum , Epimedium , Cinnamomum cassia , Syzygium aromaticum , Angelica sinensis , and Curculigo orchioides . In this study, Balb/c male mice were orally administrated alcohol (3.2 g/kg/day) with/without TCM herbal extracts (0.125 g/kg, 0.25 g/kg, or 0.5 g/kg) by gavage. Our results showed that after 50 days of oral administration, TCM herbal extracts prevented alcohol-induced osteopenia demonstrated by μ-CT bone morphological analysis in young adults and middle-aged/old Balb/c male mice. Biochemical analysis demonstrated that chronic alcohol consumption inhibits bone formation and has a neutral impact on bone resorption, suggesting that TCM herbal extracts (Jing extracts) mitigate the alcohol-induced abnormal bone metabolism in middle-aged/old male mice. Protocatechuic acid, a natural phenolic acid in Jing extracts, mitigates in vivo alcohol-induced decline of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) gene expression in the bone marrow of Balb/c male mice and in vitro ALP activity in pre-osteoblast MC3T3-E1 cells. Our study suggests that TCM herbal extracts prevent chronic excessive alcohol consumption-induced osteopenia in male mice, implying that traditional medicinal plants have the therapeutic potential of preventing alcohol-induced bone diseases., Competing Interests: Authors HZ, ZW, SL, GT, YS, LW, and YL were employed by the company Jing Brand Co., Ltd. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Qian, Zhou, Fan, Yu, Patel, O’Brien, Wang, Lu, Tong, Shan, Wang, Gao, Xiong, Zhang, Wang, Liu and Zhou.)

For many years, plants have been used in the traditional medicine of different cultures. The biennial plant of the family Asteraceae, Onopordum acanthium L., also known as Scotch thistle, is used in traditional medicine as an anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and cardiotonic agent. The plant is widespread in the world; it grows in Europe and Asia and was introduced to America and Australia. Stems and buds of the first-year plant are used in cooking as an analogue of artichoke in European cuisine. Additionally, inflorescences contain a complex of proteolytic enzymes “onopordosin„, which may be used as a milk-clotting agent in the dairy industry. The chemical composition of the aerial part and roots of O. acanthium is represented by flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, lignans, triterpenoids, sesquiterpene lactones, and sterols. The anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, and cardiotonic properties of the plant have been confirmed by pharmacological experiments with extracts and individual compounds using in silico, in vitro, and in vivo methods. This work is a review of information on the chemical composition and pharmacological studies of O. acanthium as a promising medicinal plant.

Ilex rotunda is a traditional Chinese medicine plant. In this study, we characterized the complete chloroplast (cp) genome sequence of I. rotunda to investigate its phylogenetic relationship. The cp genome of I. rotunda was 157,743 bp in length with 37.62% overall GC content, including a large single-copy (LSC) region of 87,060bp, a small single-copy (SSC) region of 18,432 bp, which were separated by a pair of inverted repeats (IRS) of 26,121 bp. The cp genome contained 133 genes, including 88 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis based on whole cp genome sequences showed that I. rotunda is closely related to I. pubescens and I. polyneura ., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s)., (© 2021 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.)

Kushen root, from the woody legume Sophora flavescens , is a traditional Chinese medicine that is a key ingredient in several promising cancer treatments. This activity is attributed in part to two quinolizidine alkaloids (QAs), oxymatrine and matrine, that have a variety of therapeutic activities in vitro . Genetic selection is needed to adapt S. flavescens for cultivation and to improve productivity and product quality. Genetic diversity of S. flavescens was investigated using genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) on 85 plants grown from seeds collected from 9 provinces of China. DArTSeq provided over 10,000 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers, 1636 of which were used in phylogenetic analysis to reveal clear regional differences for S. flavescens . One accession from each region was selected for PCR-sequencing to identify gene-specific SNPs in the first two QA pathway genes, lysine decarboxylase (LDC) and copper amine oxidase (CAO). To obtain SfCAO sequence for primer design we used a targeted transcript capture and assembly strategy using publicly available RNA sequencing data. Partial gene sequence analysis of SfCAO revealed two recently duplicated genes, SfCAO1 and SfCAO2 , in contrast to the single gene found in the QA-producing legume Lupinus angustifolius . We demonstrate high efficiency converting SNPs to Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP) markers developing 27 new KASP markers, 17 from DArTSeq data, 7 for SfLDC , and 3 for SfCAO1 . To complement this genetic diversity analysis a field trial site has been established in South Australia, providing access to diverse S. flavescens material for morphological, transcriptomic, and QA metabolite analysis. Analysis of dissected flower buds revealed that anthesis occurs before buds fully open suggesting a potential for S. flavescens to be an inbreeding species, however this is not supported by the relatively high level of heterozygosity observed. Two plants from the field trial site were analysed by quantitative real-time PCR and levels of matrine and oxymatrine were assessed in a variety of tissues. We are now in a strong position to select diverse plants for crosses to accelerate the process of genetic selection needed to adapt kushen to cultivation and improve productivity and product quality., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Schultz, Goonetilleke, Liang, Lahnstein, Levin, Bianco-Miotto, Burton, Mather and Chalmers.)

Lagotis brevituba is a famous Tibetan medicine plant and its complete chloroplast genome is determined in this study. The complete chloroplast genome is 152,967 bp in length, with a large single-copy (LSC) region of 83,740 bp, a small single copy (SSC) region of 17,845 bp, and a pair of inverted repeats (IRs) of 25,691 bp. The whole genome contained 131 genes, including 86 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes and 8 rRNA genes. The phylogenetic tree showed that L. brevituba clustered with L. yunnanensis in family Plantaginaceae., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s)., (© 2021 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.)

Breynia fruticosa (L.) Müll.Arg. is a well-known folk medicinal plant and found abundantly in South China. The complete chloroplast genome of B. fruticosa reported firstly here was 155,630 bp in length, including a large single-copy region with 85,065 bp (LSC), a small single-copy region with 19,441 bp (SSC) and a pair of inverted repeats with 25, 562 bp (IRa and IRb). The plastome was comprised of 112 distinct genes, with 78 protein coding genes, four ribosomal RNA genes and 30 transfer RNA genes. The overall GC content of B. fruticose chloroplast genome was 36.7%. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that B. fruticosa was closely related to Glochidion fruticosa ., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s)., (© 2020 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.)