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Crataegus monogyna (CM) fruits are highly regarded for their rich nutritional content, boasting elevated levels of various beneficial secondary metabolites like total polyphenols, including anthocyanins, and ample amounts of ascorbic acid and antioxidant activity. Despite the acknowledged benefits of CM fruits, researchers have directed more attention toward its leaves and flowers. Consequently, the current research attempts to optimize extraction techniques for CM fruit using a multifaceted approach involving varied durations, temperatures, and concentrations of ethanol solvent to isolate the diverse range of bioactive components present effectively. High-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) is employed for the identification and quantification of polyphenolic compounds. According to the results, by following the optimum extraction parameters (50% ethanolic solvent, 50 °C extraction temperature, and 60 min extraction time), the total polyphenol content can be increased up to 410%, reaching 55.59 mg gallic acid equivalents/g. Using 50% ethanolic solvent, 80 °C extraction temperature, and extraction time of 90 min, the total anthocyanin content can be enhanced by more than 560%, reaching a quantity of 51.83 μg cyanidin equivalents/g. Moreover, the antioxidant activity of CM fruit extracts can reach 415.95 μmol ascorbic acid equivalents (AAE)/g dw (by FRAP method), using 50% ethanolic solvent, 50 °C extraction temperature, and 60 min extraction time, and 270.26 μmol AAE/g dw (by DPPH method) and 1053.28 mg/100 g dw ascorbic acid content, using 50% ethanolic solvent, 80 °C extraction temperature, and 90 min extraction time. This comprehensive study seeks to augment the already substantial content of bioactive compounds found in CM, resulting in an extract with promising applications across the pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetics industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to clarify the effect of adding different levels of medicinal plants and vitamin E supplements on productive performance, serum physiological, immunological parameters, and antioxidant status of broiler under cold stress 15 ⸰C±2 for 35 days. A total of 600 Ross one-day-old broiler chicks were distributed randomly into eight treatments with five replicates for each (15 birds/replicate) as follows: T1= standard ration (negative control); T2= 50 mg vitamin E /kg ration (positive control); T3= 5g Dill powder /kg ration; T4= 10g Dill powder/kg ration; T5= 5g Adiantum powder /kg ration; T6= 10g Adiantum powder /kg ration; T7=5g Crataegus powder /kg ration and T8=10g Crataegus powder /kg ration. Results showed that adding medicinal plants had a significant effect (p

Copyright of Mustafa Kemal University Journal of Agricultural Sciences / Mustafa Kemal Üniversitesi Tarım Bilimleri Dergisi is the property of Mustafa Kemal University, Faculty of Agriculture and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

BACKGROUND: Rosaceae fruits have been used in traditional medicine for the prevention and treatment of diseases. However, these fruits have not extensively been studied regarding their phenolic composition. Thus, this research focuses on the determination of phenolic compounds by high‐performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry, flavan‐3‐ols by high‐performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection, and the antioxidant activity by 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl, 2,2′‐azino‐bis(3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid), and ferric reducing antioxidant power of the fruits of five species of genera Crataegus and Sorbus (Rosaceae). RESULTS: We found a total of 71 phenolic compounds from which 30 were identified in these berries for the first time. Crataegus monogyna and Crataegus laciniata revealed higher total phenolic and flavan‐3‐ol contents than the other species and the highest antioxidant activities. CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, the fruits evaluated have demonstrated to be important sources of bioactive compounds with huge potential for being used in nutraceutical or food scopes. Additional studies could be needed to evaluate the influence of the different production areas on the phenolic content. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to clarify the effect of adding different levels of medicinal plants and vitamin E supplements on productive performance, serum physiological, immunological parameters, and antioxidant status of broiler under cold stress 15 ⸰C±2 for 35 days. A total of 600 Ross one-day-old broiler chicks were distributed randomly into eight treatments with five replicates for each (15 birds/replicate) as follows: T1= standard ration (negative control); T2= 50 mg vitamin E /kg ration (positive control); T3= 5g Dill powder /kg ration; T4= 10g Dill powder/kg ration; T5= 5g Adiantum powder /kg ration; T6= 10g Adiantum powder /kg ration; T7=5g Crataegus powder /kg ration and T8=10g Crataegus powder /kg ration. Results showed that adding medicinal plants had a significant effect (p<0.05) on live body weight, weight gain, feed conversion ratio, mortality percentage, and production index, as well as a significant effect on serum protein, lipid profile, T3, T4, corticosterone hormone, significantly lower malondialdehyde (MDA) stimulator oxidative enzymes and higher the concentration of antioxidant enzymes total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in all additive treatments compared with control groups, all helped to reduce oxidative stress as well as boost antibody titers of ND and IBD when compared with negative and positive control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Mustafa Kemal University Journal of Agricultural Sciences / Mustafa Kemal Üniversitesi Tarım Bilimleri Dergisi is the property of Mustafa Kemal University, Faculty of Agriculture and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Although the two drugs currently available for the treatment of Chagas disease, Benznidazole and Nifurtimox, have proven to be effective in the acute phase of the disease, the 60–90-day treatment leads to high toxicity and unwanted side effects, presenting, in addition, a low efficacy in the chronic phase of the disease. For this reason, new therapies that are more effective are needed. In this regard, we have recently shown that the inhibition of the Epac-Rap1b pathway suppressed the cAMP-mediated host cell invasion by Trypanosoma cruzi. Interestingly, it has been described that vitexin, a natural flavone that protects against ischemia–reperfusion damage, acts by inhibiting the expression of Epac and Rap1 proteins. Vitexin can be found in plants of the genus Crataegus spp., traditionally known as hawthorn, which are of great interest considering their highly documented use as cardio-protectors. Pre-treating cells with an extract of Crataegus oxyacantha produced levels of T. cruzi invasion comparable to the ones observed for the commercially available Epac1-specific inhibitor, ESI-09. In addition, extracttreated cells exhibited a decrease in the activation of Rap1b, suggesting that the effects of the extract would be mediated by the inhibition of the cAMP-Epac-Rap1 signaling pathway. Using HPLC-HRMS2, we could confirm the presence of vitexin, and other flavones that could act as inhibitors of Epac/Rap1b, in the extracts of C. oxyacantha. Most significantly, when cells were treated with the extract of C. oxyacantha in conjunction with Nifurtimox, an increased modulation of invasion was observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Shan Zha (Hawthorn or Crataegus) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) most commonly used for the treatment of hyperlipidemia. Gastrointestinal cancer is closely correlated with blood lipid levels. This study illustrates the potential anticancer effects of Shan Zha on gastrointestinal tumors based on network pharmacology and molecular docking. Methods: Hawthorn's bioactive ingredients and drug targets were obtained from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP), Integrative Pharmacology-based Research Platform of Traditional Chinese Medicine version 2.0 (TCMIP v2.0), and Herbal Ingredients' Targets Platform (HIT 2.0) databases. Validated disease targets of gastrointestinal cancer were obtained from the Therapeutic Targets Database (TTD) and HIT 2.0 databases. Protein–protein interaction analysis of intersecting genes was performed using the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes (STRING) database. The functions of these genes were further analyzed by performing gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses. Molecular docking verification was performed using Molecular Operating Environment (MOE) software. Results: Four main bioactive components were identified in Shan Zha. A total of 271 potential drug targets were identified, and 393 gastrointestinal-tumor targets were obtained. Through protein interaction analysis of intersecting targets, the main components of Shan Zha were found to interact more closely with proteins such as tumor protein p53 (TP53), AKT serine/threonine kinase 1 (AKT1), JUN proto-oncogene (JUN), interleukin 6 (IL6), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA). KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed a total of 127 pathways, mainly involving pathways in multiple types of cancer, the Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-Akt (PI3K-Akt) signaling pathway, and EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance. Combined with The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) differential analysis, key targets, including TP53, cyclin D1 (CCND1), EGFR, and VEGFA, were screened. Molecular docking results showed that quercetin and kaempferol had the good binding potential for TP53, CCND1, EGFR, and VEGFA. Conclusion: These findings suggest that Shan Zha exerts its effects on gastrointestinal cancers through a multitarget, multi-component, and a multi-pathway mechanism.

This study was conducted in the Poultry Farm for KYSAR Company in Erbil City and aimed to determine the effect, adding of the single Powder of Hawthorn tree leafs PHTL with or without adding mixed Garlimmune liquid to Obtain the Synergism effect upon physiological blood parameters for ROSS-308 broiler. In this experiment randomly distributed 144 unsexed one-day age broilers to 6 treatments with three replicates for each. The system of feeding was ad libitum and the drinking water was available and the average live weight of the chicks was 40 gm. The nutritional treatments were as follow. T1, basal diet (Control I diet), T2: basal diet with 0.025 % of PHTL, T3: basal diet with 0.50% of PHTL, T4: basal diet and the drinking water contained liquid Garlimmune as 0.50ml per100 liter. T5: basal diet with 0.25% of PHTL and the drinking Wart Contained liquid Garlimmune as 0.50ml per N100 water, T6: The basal diet with 0.50% of PHTL and drinking water contained liquid Garlimmune as 0.50ml per 100 drinking water. The Statistical analysis for the serum bio chemical parameters obtained significantly (P ≤0.05) depression of the cholesterol and Triglycerides for the 2,3,4,5, and 6th treatments serum by comparing with control group birds the Serum by comparing with control group birds. The serum total protein percentage for the 3rd treatment was significantly (P ≤0.05) bigger than another treatments and average for the same parameter for the serum of control group birds was less from all treatments, while the low density lipoproteins for the serum of 6th treatment birds were significantly (P ≤0.05) less than control treatment birds. There was no significantly difference between the serum cef the all treatments birds for the values of albumin and globulin.

The most important task of the present time for botanical gardens is the assessment of collections of living plants with the subsequent introduction of the positive results of the introduction of new species, forms and varieties of plants into the practice of urban gardening and urban floristics. Collections published in our country at different times on wild and useful species, as well as on rare species successfully introduced in different countries in botanical gardens, show what a rich and promising assortment of ornamental tree and shrub plants we have. All that remains is to introduce the new promising range of ornamental species developed over the years through various nurseries into organizations involved in the design and specific landscaping of the modern urban environment, especially in large cities of the country.

Although the two drugs currently available for the treatment of Chagas disease, Benznidazole and Nifurtimox, have proven to be effective in the acute phase of the disease, the 60–90-day treatment leads to high toxicity and unwanted side effects, presenting, in addition, a low efficacy in the chronic phase of the disease. For this reason, new therapies that are more effective are needed. In this regard, we have recently shown that the inhibition of the Epac-Rap1b pathway suppressed the cAMP-mediated host cell invasion by Trypanosoma cruzi. Interestingly, it has been described that vitexin, a natural flavone that protects against ischemia–reperfusion damage, acts by inhibiting the expression of Epac and Rap1 proteins. Vitexin can be found in plants of the genus Crataegus spp., traditionally known as hawthorn, which are of great interest considering their highly documented use as cardio-protectors. Pre-treating cells with an extract of Crataegus oxyacantha produced levels of T. cruzi invasion comparable to the ones observed for the commercially available Epac1-specific inhibitor, ESI-09. In addition, extract-treated cells exhibited a decrease in the activation of Rap1b, suggesting that the effects of the extract would be mediated by the inhibition of the cAMP-Epac-Rap1 signaling pathway. Using HPLC-HRMS2, we could confirm the presence of vitexin, and other flavones that could act as inhibitors of Epac/Rap1b, in the extracts of C. oxyacantha. Most significantly, when cells were treated with the extract of C. oxyacantha in conjunction with Nifurtimox, an increased modulation of invasion was observed.

Crataegus monogyna (CM) fruits are highly regarded for their rich nutritional content, boasting elevated levels of various beneficial secondary metabolites like total polyphenols, including anthocyanins, and ample amounts of ascorbic acid and antioxidant activity. Despite the acknowledged benefits of CM fruits, researchers have directed more attention toward its leaves and flowers. Consequently, the current research attempts to optimize extraction techniques for CM fruit using a multifaceted approach involving varied durations, temperatures, and concentrations of ethanol solvent to isolate the diverse range of bioactive components present effectively. High-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) is employed for the identification and quantification of polyphenolic compounds. According to the results, by following the optimum extraction parameters (50% ethanolic solvent, 50 °C extraction temperature, and 60 min extraction time), the total polyphenol content can be increased up to 410%, reaching 55.59 mg gallic acid equivalents/g. Using 50% ethanolic solvent, 80 °C extraction temperature, and extraction time of 90 min, the total anthocyanin content can be enhanced by more than 560%, reaching a quantity of 51.83 μg cyanidin equivalents/g. Moreover, the antioxidant activity of CM fruit extracts can reach 415.95 μmol ascorbic acid equivalents (AAE)/g dw (by FRAP method), using 50% ethanolic solvent, 50 °C extraction temperature, and 60 min extraction time, and 270.26 μmol AAE/g dw (by DPPH method) and 1053.28 mg/100 g dw ascorbic acid content, using 50% ethanolic solvent, 80 °C extraction temperature, and 90 min extraction time. This comprehensive study seeks to augment the already substantial content of bioactive compounds found in CM, resulting in an extract with promising applications across the pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetics industries.

During field surveys of eriophyoid species associated with rosaceous plants in Zagros forests of Iran, three new species were discovered and described including Eriophyes cotosaricasp. nov. from Cotoneaster hissaricus Pojark., Eriophyes cratameyerissp. nov. from Crataegus meyeri Pojark. and Eriophyes pyrusyriacasp. nov. from Pyrus syriaca Boiss. All species cause galls on their host plant's leaves. In addition, a list of Eriophyes species found on Rosaceous plants in Iran and a supplementary description of Eriophyes pyri (Pagenstecher, 1857) are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crataegus (+Crataegomespilus) 'Kokhno' is a new graft chimera originated from the junction where Crataegus germanica (= Mespilus germanica) scion was top-grafted onto a stock Crataegus sp. In 1993, in the arboretum of one of the forestry-division offices in the Volhynia region, Vladyslav Oleshko found a putative hybrid between hawthorn and medlar, which was named in honor of well-known Ukrainian dendrologist Mykola Kokhno. He believed this plant was the result of a crossing between Mespilus germanica and Crataegus ucrainica because it was characterized by heterophylly having a mixture of both medlar and hawthorn leaves. The flowers of this plant are not solitary but placed in corymbs. The fruits are not aligned in size and range from 0.5-5.0 cm in diameter. The study of this hawthorn-medlar in the dendrological collection of the M.M. Hryshko National Botanical Garden (Kyiv, Ukraine) led to the conclusion that it is a graft chimera, not a hawthorn-medlar sexual hybrid. This hawthorn-medlar cultivar is morphologically similar to medlar but differs in the arrangement of flowers and fruits. The fruits typical for varietal medlar develop from solitary flowers, whereas atypical small fruits are located in groups. Both types of fruits have no germs in the stones. The cultivar 'Kokhno' is adapted to the Forest-Steppe of Ukraine and performs well as an ornamental and fruit plant. An outline of the history and nomenclature of graft hybrids (chimeras) between Crataegus and Mespilus is given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Kirkuk University for Agricultural Sciences is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Crataegus scabrifolia (Franch.) Rehd is a medicinal and edible plant in Southwest China. The chloroplast genome of C. scabrifolia was analyzed by high-throughput sequencing technology, and its genetic relationship to related species was discussed. The chloroplast genome is 159,637 bp long, with two inverted repeat (IR) regions (26,384 bp each) that separate a large single-copy (LSC) region (87,730 bp) and a small single-copy (SSC) region (19,139 bp). A total of 127 genes were annotated, including 83 protein-coding genes, 8 rRNA genes, and 36 tRNA genes. The phylogenetic tree shows that C. hupehensis is closely related to C. scabrifolia with strong bootstrap support.

To explore the in vivo hypolipidemic effect of the compound composition of crataegus, ume, grape skin, wolfberry and mulberry. There were 50 SPF-grade healthy male SD rats, 10 rats were given maintenance feed as a blank control group, and 40 rats were given model feed as a model group. After the model group was given the model feed for 2 weeks, the 40 animals in the model group were randomly divided into 4 groups according to the TC level, namely high, medium and low dose groups (1.5, 0.5, 0.25g/kg·BW) and the model control group. After grouping, the three dose groups were given the test sample orally at 10mL/kg·BW every day, and the blank control group and the model control group were given the same volume of distilled water at the same time. After continuous intragastric administration for 30 days, serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were measured. The liver coefficient, hepatic lipase (HL), and lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity levels were measured, and the degree of hepatic steatosis was observed by HE staining. The results showed that compared with the model control group, the levels of serum TC, TG and LDL-C in the high-dose and middle-dose groups significantly decreased (P

Crataegus (+Crataegomespilus) ‘Kokhno’ is a new graft chimera originated from the junction where Crataegus germanica (= Mespilus germanica) scion was top-grafted onto a stock Crataegus sp. In 1993, in the arboretum of one of the forestry-division offices in the Volhynia region, Vladyslav Oleshko found a putative hybrid between hawthorn and medlar, which was named in honor of well-known Ukrainian dendrologist Mykola Kokhno. He believed this plant was the result of a crossing between Mespilus germanica and Crataegus ucrainica because it was characterized by heterophylly having a mixture of both medlar and hawthorn leaves. The flowers of this plant are not solitary but placed in corymbs. The fruits are not aligned in size and range from 0.5–5.0 cm in diameter. The study of this hawthorn-medlar in the dendrological collection of the M.M. Hryshko National Botanical Garden (Kyiv, Ukraine) led to the conclusion that it is a graft chimera, not a hawthorn-medlar sexual hybrid. This hawthorn-medlar cultivar is morphologically similar to medlar but differs in the arrangement of flowers and fruits. The fruits typical for varietal medlar develop from solitary flowers, whereas atypical small fruits are located in groups. Both types of fruits have no germs in the stones. The cultivar ‘Kokhno’ is adapted to the Forest-Steppe of Ukraine and performs well as an ornamental and fruit plant. An outline of the history and nomenclature of graft hybrids (chimeras) between Crataegus and Mespilus is given.

Crataegus scabrifolia (Franch.) Rehd is a medicinal and edible plant in Southwest China. The chloroplast genome of C. scabrifolia was analyzed by high-throughput sequencing technology, and its genetic relationship to related species was discussed. The chloroplast genome is 159,637 bp long, with two inverted repeat (IR) regions (26,384 bp each) that separate a large single-copy (LSC) region (87,730 bp) and a small single-copy (SSC) region (19,139 bp). A total of 127 genes were annotated, including 83 protein-coding genes, 8 rRNA genes, and 36 tRNA genes. The phylogenetic tree shows that C. hupehensis is closely related to C. scabrifolia with strong bootstrap support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of apomeiosis, parthenogenesis, and pseudogamy in the asexual reproduction of some plant groups has not been fully elucidated in relation to species diversification. Quantitative analyses of seed origin may help in gaining better understanding of intercytotypic interactions. Asexual reproduction associated with polyploidy and frequent hybridization plays a crucial role in the evolutionary history of the genus Crataegus in North America. In Europe, the genus represents a taxonomically complex and very difficult species group not often studied using a modern biosystematic approach. We investigated the reproduction pathways in mixed-cytotype populations of selected taxa of Crataegus in eastern Slovakia, Central Europe. The investigated accessions were characterized by seed production data and the ploidy level of mature plants as well as the embryo and endosperm tissues of their seeds determined via flow cytometry. Diploid and polyploid hawthorns reproduce successfully; they also produce high numbers of seeds. An exception is represented by an almost sterile triploid. Diploids reproduce sexually. Polyploids shift to asexual reproduction, but pseudogamy seems to be essential for regular seed development. In rare cases, fertilization of unreduced gametes occurs, which offers opportunity for the establishment of new polyploid cytotypes between diploid sexuals and polyploid asexuals. Opposite to sexual diploids, triploids are obligate, and tetraploids almost obligate apomicts. Apomixis is considered to help stabilize individual weakly differentiated polyploid microspecies. Pseudogamy is a common feature and usually leads to unbalanced maternal to paternal contribution in the endosperm of triploid accessions. Parental contribution to endosperm gene dosage is somehow relaxed in triploids. Our Crataegus plant system resembles reproduction in the diploids and polyploids of North American hawthorns. Our data provide support for the hypothesis that polyploidization, shifts in reproduction modes, and hybridization shape the genus diversity also in Central Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Crataegus genus has many species growing as wild that have positive effects on human health. The information about the phenotypic diversity of this species is rather inadequate. Phenotypic diversity among forty-four genotypes belonging to four Crataegus species (C. monogyna, C. orientalis, C. astrosanguinea, and C. meyeri) was determined based on morphological and physicochemical characteristics. Significant differences were observed among the species in terms of studied characteristics. Fruit weight ranges from 1.60 to 2.50 g for C. orientalis, 1.53 to 2.33 g for C. meyeri, 1.26 to 2.41 g for C. astrosanguinea, and 0.38 to 1.98 g for C. monogyna. The highest fruit length (15.19 mm) and width (17.58 mm) were determined in C. orientalis. The heights color values, L*, a*, and hueo values were highest in C. meyeri, while b* value was highest in C. monogyna and Chroma* was in C. orientalis. The highest TSS and pH were found in C. monogyna as 3.99% and 4.33%, respectively. TA was highest in C. monogyna with 1.83 mg L-1. Seed size ranged from 1.36 (C. monogyna) to 4.33 (C. orientalis), while seed weight ranged from 0.23 g to 0.45 g in C. mongyna and C. astrosanguinea, respectively. The correlation analysis indicated significant correlations between morphological characters. The principal component and clustering analyses revealed high phenotypic variety among and within the species, showing that the studied characters were useful for describing Crataegus species. The results provided valuable insights for morphological and colorimetric characterization of hawthorn species and their utilization.

Copyright of Egyptian Journal of Botany is the property of Egyptian National Agricultural Library (ENAL) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Glyphosate is the active ingredient in the herbicide (i.e., Roundup, Touchdown and Erasure), the safety of which has become a social concern. Hawthorn-leaf flavonoid (HF) possesses various biological functions, including antioxidant, regulating lipid metabolism and intestinal microbiota. Whether HF could reduce the health risk of pure glyphosate to birds remain unknown. The experiment aimed to evaluate the effects of pure glyphosate (25 mg/kg added to water) on the intestinal health and microbiota of chicks and the protective roles of HF (60 mg/kg added to the diet). Exposure to glyphosate decreased growth performance, ileal morphology structure, and antioxidant capacity, and increased the serum level of lipid and pro-inflammatory factors. 16S rRNA sequencing indicated that glyphosate decreased bacterial richness and the abundance of Lactobacillus, and increased proportions of pathogens in the ileum. Metabolomic results revealed that glyphosate increased the level of the cholic acid and fatty acids in the ileac digesta. Meanwhile, glyphosate down-regulated the protein expression associated with lipid transport, antioxidant and tight junction in the ileal mucosal tissue, and up-regulated the pro-inflammatory, oxidative stress proteins. However, dietary HF supplementation effectively mitigated the adverse effects of glyphosate and improved intestinal health of chicks. Therefore, dietary HF can ameliorate the harmful effects of glyphosate on birds, which highlights the potential application of HF in reducing the health risks., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Crataegus bretschneideri C. K. Schneid. is one of the species cultivated in China. Due to its unclear taxonomic classification status, the conservation and utilization of this germplasm resource have been limited. In this study, we analyzed the chloroplast genomes and nuclear sequences to reveal the taxonomic relationships among C. bretschneideri and related species. We assembled the chloroplast genomes of C. bretschneider and related species and varieties, including C. maximowiczii C. K. Schneid., C. maximowiczii var. ninganensis S. Q. Nie & B. J. Jen., C. pinnatifida Bunge, and C. pinnatifida var. major N. E. Br. The lengths of the chloroplast genomes ranged from 159,644 bp (C. bretschneideri) to 159,947 bp (C. pinnatifida var. major). The five Crataegus chloroplast genomes had similar features and possessed 86 to 88 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and eight rRNA genes which were arranged in the same order. Eight mutation hotspot regions, including matk, psaB, accD, petA, clpP, trnD-GUC, psbH-petB, and trnN-GUU-trnR-ACG could be used as potential molecular markers for further studies of Crataegus genetic diversity. Phylogenetic analyses based on 17 chloroplast genomes of Crataegus and Amelanchier indicated that C. bretschneideri was related to C. maximowiczii and C. maximowiczii var. ninganensis. However, the phylogenetic trees constructed by nuclear sequences of 36 Crataegus accessions reflected a closer relationship between C. bretschneideri and C. pinnatifida. Furthermore, divergence time estimation suggested that C. bretschneideri and C. maximowiczii diverged in the late Miocene and that speciation of C. pinnatifida occurred during the middle to late Miocene. These findings revealed that C. bretschneideri is an independent species and may be of hybrid origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCM) are known for their curative effects on hypertension through a holistic approach. The molecular mechanisms of the formulation comprising Polygonum multiflorum, Rehmannia glutinosa, Senna obtusifolia and Crataegus, used by Chinese practitioners in ameliorating hypertension, however remain a mystery. This initial study is thus aimed at unveiling the molecular mechanisms of this TCM formulation in treating hypertension. The methanolic extract compounds of the decoction were identified through Liquid chromatography mass spectrometry-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Oral bioavailability and drug likeness were then measured to filter out identified compounds. Several databases, such as the SwissTargetPrediction, STRING, OMIM and KEGG, were used to retrieve information on the predicted targets for the purpose of developing a network using Cytoscape Version 3.8. Enrichment analysis was then performed to elucidate the mechanisms of the decoction in hypertension mitigation. A total of 11 compounds identified were revealed to possess bioavailable and drug like characteristics, based on the Veber and Quantitative Estimation of Drug-likeness (QED) parameters. Pathway analysis showed enrichment of pathways such as cardiac muscle contraction, fluid shear stress and atherosclerosis, dilated cardiomyopathy, renin-angiotensin system and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), which are all strongly associated with hypertension. The network pharmacology analysis clearly shows that this TCM decoction ameliorates hypertension through several indirect pathways where most of the targets are involved in HCM, which is caused by hypertension.

Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) plants are major sources of health food and medicines. Twenty species and seven variations of Crataegus are present in China. A variety of unique Crataegus species was found in their natural distribution in northeast China. In the present study, we assembled and annotated the mitochondrial genomes of five Crataegus species from northeastern China. The sizes of the newly sequenced mitochondrial genomes ranged from 245,907 bp to 410,837 bp. A total of 45–55 genes, including 12–19 transfer RNA genes, three ribosomal RNA genes, and 29–33 protein-coding genes (PCGs) were encoded by these mitochondrial genomes. Seven divergent hotspot regions were identified by comparative analyses: atp6 , nad3 , ccmFN , matR , nad1 , nad5 , and rps1. The most conserved genes among the Crataegus species, according to the whole-genome correlation analysis, were nad1, matR, nad5, ccmFN, cox1, nad4, trnQ-TTG, trnK-TTT, trnE-TTC , and trnM-CAT. Horizontal gene transfer between organellar genomes was common in Crataegus plants. Based on the phylogenetic trees of mitochondrial PCGs, C. maximowiczii , C. maximowiczii var. ninganensis , and C. bretschneideri shared similar maternal relationships. This study improves Crataegus mitochondrial genome resources and offers important insights into the taxonomy and species identification of this genus. • Crataegus bretschneideri , C. maximowiczii , and C. maximowiczii var. ninganensis shared similar maternal relationships. • Horizontal gene transfer between organellar genomes was common in Crataegus species. • atp6 , nad3 , ccmFN , matR , nad1 , nad5 , and rps1 were possible regarded as molecular markers for Crataegus phylogenetic studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Yuzuncu Yil Universitesi Journal of Agricultural Sciences (YYU J Agr Sci) is the property of Yuzuncu Yil University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Exercise increases the pain threshold in healthy people. However, the pain threshold modulation effect of exercise and hawthorn is unclear because of its potential benefits in people with persistent pain, including those with Alzheimer's disease. Accordingly, after the induction of Alzheimer's disease by trimethyl chloride, male rats with Alzheimer's disease were subjected to a 12-week training regimen consisting of resistance training, swimming endurance exercises, and combined exercises. In addition, hawthorn extract was orally administered to the rats. Then, their pain threshold was evaluated using three Tail-flick, Hot-plate, and Formalin tests. Our results showed that Alzheimer's decreased the pain threshold in all three behavioral tests. Combined exercise with hawthorn consumption had the most statistically significant effect on Alzheimer's male rats' pain threshold in all three experiments. A combination of swimming endurance and resistance exercises with hawthorn consumption may modulate hyperalgesia in Alzheimer's rats. Future studies need to determine the effects of these factors on the treatment and/or management of painful conditions., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

In order to explore the effects of ultrasonic pretreatment on the fermentation performance and quality characteristics of fermented hawthorn pulp. Five types of fermented hawthorn pulp were obtained using 0 W for 5 min, 300 W for 5 min, 360 W for 5 min, 420 W for 5 min, 540 W for 5 min. The fermentation performance and quality of fermented hawthorn pulp were characterized. The results indicated Low power ultrasound (360 W) could improve the fermentation performance and quality of FHP, and high power ultrasound (540 W) could reduce the fermentation performance and quality. Under the ultrasonic condition of 360 W for 5 min; the cell membrane of lactic acid bacteria produced repairable damage and the morphology did not change significantly, the consumption of reducing sugar, total acid, soluble solids, amino nitrogen, conductivity, and sensory quality of the fermented hawthorn pulp reached the highest. The fermentation performance and quality of fermented hawthorn pulp were improved by the optimum ultrasonic treatment, which could be used as an effective and alternative method for producing FHP with good flavor, high bioactivity and good quality., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The role of apomeiosis, parthenogenesis, and pseudogamy in the asexual reproduction of some plant groups has not been fully elucidated in relation to species diversification. Quantitative analyses of seed origin may help in gaining better understanding of intercytotypic interactions. Asexual reproduction associated with polyploidy and frequent hybridization plays a crucial role in the evolutionary history of the genus Crataegus in North America. In Europe, the genus represents a taxonomically complex and very difficult species group not often studied using a modern biosystematic approach. We investigated the reproduction pathways in mixed-cytotype populations of selected taxa of Crataegus in eastern Slovakia, Central Europe. The investigated accessions were characterized by seed production data and the ploidy level of mature plants as well as the embryo and endosperm tissues of their seeds determined via flow cytometry. Diploid and polyploid hawthorns reproduce successfully; they also produce high numbers of seeds. An exception is represented by an almost sterile triploid. Diploids reproduce sexually. Polyploids shift to asexual reproduction, but pseudogamy seems to be essential for regular seed development. In rare cases, fertilization of unreduced gametes occurs, which offers opportunity for the establishment of new polyploid cytotypes between diploid sexuals and polyploid asexuals. Opposite to sexual diploids, triploids are obligate, and tetraploids almost obligate apomicts. Apomixis is considered to help stabilize individual weakly differentiated polyploid microspecies. Pseudogamy is a common feature and usually leads to unbalanced maternal to paternal contribution in the endosperm of triploid accessions. Parental contribution to endosperm gene dosage is somehow relaxed in triploids. Our Crataegus plant system resembles reproduction in the diploids and polyploids of North American hawthorns. Our data provide support for the hypothesis that polyploidization, shifts in reproduction modes, and hybridization shape the genus diversity also in Central Europe.

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) causes severe diarrhea and death in piglets, resulting in significant economic losses for the pork industry. There is an urgent need for new treatment strategies. Here, we focused on optimizing the process of purifying natural hyperoside (nHYP) from hawthorn and evaluating its effectiveness against PEDV both in vitro and in vivo. Our findings demonstrated that nHYP with a purity >98% was successfully isolated from hawthorn with an extraction rate of 0.42 mg/g. Furthermore, nHYP exhibited strong inhibitory effects on PEDV replication in cells, with a selection index of 9.72. nHYP significantly reduced the viral load in the intestines of piglets and protected three of four piglets from death caused by PEDV infection. Mechanistically, nHYP could intervene in the interaction of PEDV N protein and p53. The findings implicate nHYP as having promising therapeutic potential for combating PEDV infections., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background. Hawthorn species (Crataegus L.; Rosaceae tribe Maleae) form a welldefined clade comprising five subgeneric groups readily distinguished using either molecular or morphological data. While multiple subsidiary groups (taxonomic sections, series) are recognized within some subgenera, the number of and relationships among species in these groups are subject to disagreement. Gametophytic apomixis and polyploidy are prevalent in the genus, and disagreement concerns whether and how apomictic genotypes should be recognized taxonomically. Recent studies suggest that many polyploids arise from hybridization between members of different infrageneric groups. Methods. We used target capture and high throughput sequencing to obtain nucleotide sequences for 257 nuclear loci and nearly complete chloroplast genomes from a sample of hawthorns representing all five currently recognized subgenera. Our sample is structured to include two examples of intersubgeneric hybrids and their putative diploid and tetraploid parents. We queried the alignment of nuclear loci directly for evidence of hybridization, and compared individual gene trees with each other, and with both the maximum likelihood plastome tree and the nuclear concatenated and multilocus coalescent-based trees. Tree comparisons provided a promising, if challenging (because of the number of comparisons involved) method for visualizing variation in tree topology. We found it useful to deploy comparisons based not only on tree-tree distances but also on a metric of tree-tree concordance that uses extrinsic information about the relatedness of the terminals in comparing tree topologies. Results. We obtained well-supported phylogenies from plastome sequences and from a minimum of 244 low copy-number nuclear loci. These are consistent with a previous morphology-based subgeneric classification of the genus. Despite the high heterogeneity of individual gene trees, we corroborate earlier evidence for the importance of hybridization in the evolution of Crataegus. Hybridization between subgenus Americanae and subgenus Sanguineae was documented for the origin of Sanguineae tetraploids, but not for a tetraploid Americanae species. This is also the first application of target capture probes designed with apple genome sequence. We successfully assembled 95% of 257 loci in Crataegus, indicating their potential utility across the genera of the apple tribe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the bronchodilator effect of different Crataegus azarolus var aronia unripped fruit extracts on tracheal smooth muscle of rats and to study the roles of K channels and EDHFs in produced responses. Background: Crataegus is widely used in Kurdistan Region for the prevention of several diseases such as respiratory, cardiovascular, hypertension .... etc. due to its content of several bioactive compounds like aromatic amines, phenolic acid, flavonoids, and proanthocyanidins. Method: The bronchodilator effects of various Crataegus fruit's extracts on rat's tracheal rings and the roles of K+, Ca2+ channels and EDHFs in bronchodilation using specific blockers. Results: Most of Crataegus fruit's extracts used showed a potent bronchodilator effect on trachea, in which the HME produced a highly significant dilation, followed by methanol and ethyl acetate extracts which showed a considerable relaxant effect. The results confirmed that the induced dilation was NO and PGI2 dependent, along with activations of KATP and Kir and Kca while Kv plays a minor and limited role. Conclusion: The novel results indicate that HM, M, EA extracts prepared from Crataegus unripped fruit produce a potent bronchodilator effect, which was NO and PGl2 dependent along with the activation of KATP, Kir and Kca2+ channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hawthorns (Crataegus L.) are one of the most important processing and table fruits in China, due to their medicinal properties and health benefits. However, the interspecific relationships and evolution history of cultivated Crataegus in China remain unclear. Our previously published data showed C. bretschneideri may be derived from the hybridization of C. pinnatifida with C. maximowiczii, and that introgression occurs between C. hupehensis, C. pinnatifida, and C. pinnatifida var. major. In the present study, chloroplast sequences were used to further elucidate the phylogenetic relationships of cultivated Crataegus native to China. The chloroplast genomes of three cultivated species and one related species of Crataegus were sequenced for comparative and phylogenetic analyses. The four chloroplast genomes of Crataegus exhibited typical quadripartite structures and ranged from 159,607 bp (C. bretschneideri) to 159,875 bp (C. maximowiczii) in length. The plastomes of the four species contained 113 genes consisting of 79 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA genes, and 4 rRNA genes. Six hypervariable regions (ndhC-trnV(UAC)-trnM(CAU), ndhA, atpH-atpI, ndhF, trnR(UCU)-atpA, and ndhF-rpl32), 196 repeats, and a total of 386 simple sequence repeats were detected as potential variability makers for species identification and population genetic studies. In the phylogenomic analyses, we also compared the entire chloroplast genomes of three published Crataegus species: C. hupehensis (MW201730.1), C. pinnatifida (MN102356.1), and C. marshallii (MK920293.1). Our phylogenetic analyses grouped the seven Crataegus taxa into two main clusters. One cluster included C. bretschneideri, C. maximowiczii, and C. marshallii, whereas the other included C. hupehensis, C. pinnatifida, and C. pinnatifida var. major. Taken together, our findings indicate that C. maximowiczii is the maternal origin of C. bretschneideri. This work provides further evidence of introgression between C. hupehensis, C. pinnatifida, and C. pinnatifida var. major, and suggests that C. pinnatifida var. major might have been artificially selected and domesticated from hybrid populations, rather than evolved from C. pinnatifida. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Hawthorn species (Crataegus L.; Rosaceae tribe Maleae) form a well-defined clade comprising five subgeneric groups readily distinguished using either molecular or morphological data. While multiple subsidiary groups (taxonomic sections, series) are recognized within some subgenera, the number of and relationships among species in these groups are subject to disagreement. Gametophytic apomixis and polyploidy are prevalent in the genus, and disagreement concerns whether and how apomictic genotypes should be recognized taxonomically. Recent studies suggest that many polyploids arise from hybridization between members of different infrageneric groups. Methods We used target capture and high throughput sequencing to obtain nucleotide sequences for 257 nuclear loci and nearly complete chloroplast genomes from a sample of hawthorns representing all five currently recognized subgenera. Our sample is structured to include two examples of intersubgeneric hybrids and their putative diploid and tetraploid parents. We queried the alignment of nuclear loci directly for evidence of hybridization, and compared individual gene trees with each other, and with both the maximum likelihood plastome tree and the nuclear concatenated and multilocus coalescent-based trees. Tree comparisons provided a promising, if challenging (because of the number of comparisons involved) method for visualizing variation in tree topology. We found it useful to deploy comparisons based not only on tree-tree distances but also on a metric of tree-tree concordance that uses extrinsic information about the relatedness of the terminals in comparing tree topologies. Results We obtained well-supported phylogenies from plastome sequences and from a minimum of 244 low copy-number nuclear loci. These are consistent with a previous morphology-based subgeneric classification of the genus. Despite the high heterogeneity of individual gene trees, we corroborate earlier evidence for the importance of hybridization in the evolution of Crataegus. Hybridization between subgenus Americanae and subgenus Sanguineae was documented for the origin of Sanguineae tetraploids, but not for a tetraploid Americanae species. This is also the first application of target capture probes designed with apple genome sequence. We successfully assembled 95% of 257 loci in Crataegus, indicating their potential utility across the genera of the apple tribe.

Objective- This study examined the effect of Crataegus hydroalcoholic extract (CHE) on intestinal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) in rats. Design- Experimental study Animals- 25 adult male Wistar rats Procedures- Rats weighing 200±25 g were randomly divided into five individual groups as follows: sham group without intestinal I/R, control group with intestinal I/R, and treatment groups with intestinal I/R and 10 days oral administration of CHE at doses of 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg. Intestinal I/R was accomplished by occlusion of the cranial mesenteric artery for 30 min, followed by 60 min reperfusion. Then tissue sections of jejunum were prepared and stained with hematoxylin-eosin. Histopathological lesions including hyperemia, hemorrhage, necrohemorrhagic inflammation, and villi destruction were scored as mild, moderate and severe. Results- In histopathologic evaluation, sham and control group showed the minimum and maximum injury, respectively. The mean scores of necrohemorrhagic inflammation and villi destruction significantly decreased in 25 mg/kg CHE group compared to control. However, hyperemia and hemorrhage did not change in comparison to control (p>0.007). In the group of 50 mg/kg CHE, no pathologic lesions were observed and the results were similar to those in the sham group. The mean scores of hyperemia and necrohemorrhagic inflammation in the 100 mg/kg CHE group had no significant difference with the control group. However, the mean rank of hemorrhage and villi destruction was significantly lower than control and higher than the sham group (p Conclusion and clinical relevance- The findings of this study indicate that CHE at the dose of 50 mg/kg has the most protective effect against intestinal I/R injury in a rat model. Therefore, Crataegus can be a promising compound against intestinal I/R injuries.

Introdution: Crataegus oxycanta (hawthorn) is used in herbal and homeopathic medicine as a cardiotonic.The present study was done to investigate the effect of the Crataegus oxycanta on antioxidant status in induced myocardial infarction in rat. Methods: In this experimental study, four groups of wistar rats (200-220g) each comprising 10 animals, were selected for this study. Group I, rats served as control. Group II rats were given isoperternol (85mg/kg body weight) subcutaneously on 15th and 16th days. Group III rats were given Crataegus oxycanta (100mg/kg/day), orally for 30 days. Group IV rats were given Crataegus oxycanta (100mg/kg/day), orally for 30 days and isoperternol (85mg/kg body weight, subcutaneously) was given on 15th and 16th days. At the end of the experimental period, the rats were anaesthetized and blood obtained from the heart then rats were sacrificed and the hearts were removed for biochemical and histological analysis. The activity of malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and total antioxidants was studied. Descriptive one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used in different group. Significance was defined as P ≤ 0.05. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software version 16. Results: Crataegus significantly reduced plasma and heart tissue MDA levels (p

A strain of Podosphaera clandestina has been highlighted as a priority pest threat to the Australian cherry industry. Australia currently has no records of powdery mildew on cherry (Prunus avium). P. clandestina is reported to cause disease on a range of Rosaceae genera including Crataegus and Prunus; in Australia, P. clandestina has only been recorded on Crataegus. A recent species revision identified Podosphaera cerasi on P. avium as a separate species from P. clandestina. Therefore, a revision of which powdery mildew species is present in Australia on Crataegus is required to inform Australian plant biosecurity. Reference collection specimens from the Victorian Plant Pathology Herbarium (VPRI) recorded as Podosphaera spp. collected between 1889 to 2008 on cherry and three other host plant genera from Australia and overseas were sampled for DNA extraction and next‐generation sequencing (NGS). Sequence data from preserved specimens were successfully mapped to internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences of P. clandestina in the strict sense, P. cerasi, and Podosphaeraprunicola, and chloroplast matK sequences were used to identify plant hosts. Australian specimens on Crataegus hosts were P. clandestina in the strict sense and specimens on Prunus from the USA were identified as P. cerasi and P. prunicola. The outcome of this study confirmed the powdery mildew on Australian Crataegus specimens to be P. clandestina and none of the cherry powdery mildews (Podosphaerapruni‐avium, P. cerasi, or P. prunicola) are present on Australian specimens in the VPRI collection, which suggests they are not present in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Fruits of Crataegus songarica are commonly used for the treatment of vascular insufficiency and heart problems. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to determine the effect of C. songarica on vascular tone and to determine the mechanisms underlying the vasorelaxant properties. METHODS: Extracts of C. songarica were tested for vasodilator activity of porcine coronary artery after pre-contraction with the thromboxane mimetic U46619 in the presence or absence of inhibitors of intracellular signaling cascades. Reactive oxygen species were assessed by dihydroethidine staining and the level of eNOS and AKT phosphorylation was measured by immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS: Extracts of C. songarica berries produced endothelium dependent vasorelaxation, with most significant effect induced by aqueous fraction (AS-CS). This vasorelaxant effect of AS-CS was reduced by inhibition of nitric oxide pathways and inhibition of potassium channels. Inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3- kinase and Src tyrosine kinase, as well as scavenging of reactive oxygen species, produced an attenuation of the relaxation response. Estrogen receptor antagonists (tamoxifen and ICI 182,782) reduced the AS-CS mediated vasorelaxation. AS-CS also stimulated the endothelial formation of ROS and phosphorylation of Akt and eNOS. CONCLUSION: The data indicated that C. songarica produces an endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation, which is partly dependent upon estrogen receptors, and sensitive to inhibition of ROS/Src/PI3K/NO pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Shenyang Agricultural University is the property of Journal of Shenyang Agricultural University Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: One of the main problems in the poultry industry is excess body fat, and the anti-fat effect of Cratagus extract has been confirmed in several studies., Objectives: The present study was carried out to investigate the effects of hawthorn extract (Crataegus oxyacantha) on growth performance, haematological variables and hepatic gene expression in broiler chickens reared at high altitude (2100 m)., Methods: A total of 225-day-old chicks (Ross 308) were randomly distributed into three treatments. Experimental treatments were prepared by adding 0.0, 0.2 and 0.4 mL of hawthorn extract per litre of consumption of water., Results: The results showed that weight gain and feed conversion ratio were significantly improved and abdominal fat decreased by consumption of two levels of Crateagus extract when compared to the control (p < 0.05). Consumption of hawthorn extract decreased circulatory levels of malondialdehyde, triacylglycerol, total cholesterol and low-density lipoproteins cholesterol but increased ferric reducing antioxidant power and high-density lipoproteins cholesterol (p < 0.05). Hawthorn extract caused an up-regulation of catalase, superoxide dismutase1, glutathione peroxidase1 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha but reduced the expression of key lipogenic enzymes (p < 0.05)., Conclusions: Overall, consumption of 0.4 mL hawthorn extract per litre of drinking water, improved growth performance, suppressed lipogenesis and enhanced antioxidant response., (© 2024 The Authors. Veterinary Medicine and Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

In this study, hydrogel beads [SPI/HP-Fe (II)] were prepared by cross-linking soybean isolate protein (SPI) and hawthorn pectin (HP) with ferrous ions as a backbone, and the effects of ultrasound and Fe 2+ concentration on the mechanical properties and the degree of cross-linking of internal molecules were investigated. The results of textural properties and water-holding capacity showed that moderate ultrasonic power and Fe 2+ concentration significantly improved the stability and water-holding capacity of the hydrogel beads and enhanced the intermolecular interactions in the system. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed that the hydrogel beads with 60% ultrasonic power and 8% Fe 2+ concentration had a denser network. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic absorption experiments demonstrated that ferrous ions were successfully loaded into the hydrogel beads with an encapsulation efficiency of 82.5%. In addition, in vitro, simulated digestion experiments were performed to understand how the encapsulated Fe 2+ is released from the hydrogel beads, absorbed, and utilized in the gastrointestinal environment. The success of the experiments demonstrated that the hydrogel beads were able to withstand harsh environments, ensuring the bioactivity of Fe 2+ and improving its bioavailability. In conclusion, a novel and efficient ferrous ion delivery system was developed using SPI and HP, demonstrating the potential application of SPI/HP-Fe (II) hydrogel beads as an iron supplement to overcome the inefficiency of intake of conventional iron supplements., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no conflict of interest related to the publication of this manuscript., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The fruit of Crataegus sp. is known as "Shanzha (SZ)" in China and is widely used in the food, beverage, and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) industries. SZ usually requires thermal processing to reduce the irritation of its acidity to the gastric mucosa. Different processed products of SZ resulting from thermal processing have different or even opposite functions in clinical applications. In addition, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) intermediates produced during thermal processing are carcinogenic to humans. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore a rapid and accurate method by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) for the identification of different processed products and the determination of 5-HMF in extracts. In qualitative identification, a three-stage infrared spectroscopy identification method (raw spectra, the second derivative spectra, and two-dimensional correlation (2DCOS) spectra) was developed to distinguish different processed products of SZ step by step. In quantitative determination, partial least squares regression combined with different variable selection methods, especially the 2DCOS method, was applied to determine the 5-HMF content. The results show that temperature-induced 2DCOS synchronous spectra can effectively identify different processed products of SZ by shape, intensity, and position of auto-peaks or cross-peaks, and the variables selected by power spectra from concentration-induced 2DCOS synchronous spectra have better prediction ability for 5-HMF compared to full variables. The above results demonstrate that 2D-COS analysis is a potential tool in qualitative and quantitative analysis, which can improve sample identification accuracy and determination capabilities. This study not only establishes a rapid and accurate method for the identification of different processed products but also provides a practical reference for food safety and the efficient use of TCM., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Crataegus orientalis Pall. ex M. Bieb fruit (COPMB) is extensively used as a source of various products in the medicinal-aromatic field and holds the potential for erosion control, ornamental purposes, food source, and economic benefits for forest villagers from its fruits. This study aims to determine the chemical components and biological activities of extracts prepared from COPMB using different solvents., Results: The present work was designed to define the antioxidant activity [phosphomolybdenum (total antioxidant capacity), 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), cupric ion-reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) and metal chelating activity (MCA)], phytochemical screening analysis, enzyme inhibitor (α-amylase, α-glucosidase and tyrosinase) potential, and liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) secondary metabolite profiling in different extracts of COPMB. The results of LC-HRMS revealed that fumaric acid was the main phenolic compound in all extracts. Among the extracts, ethyl acetate extract has the highest phytochemical and antioxidant properties [total phenolic content (TPC): 32.5 mg GAE/g, total flavonoid content (TFC): 12.2 mg QE/g, ABTS: 213.0 mg TE/g; CUPRAC: 126.0 mg TE/g, MCA: 145.0 mg EDTA/g; FRAP: 122.8 mg TE/g; TAC: 2.8 mmol TE/g]. Ethyl acetate and methanol extracts are more effective in α-amylase (0.27 ± 0.01 mg/mL; 0.12 ± 0.00 mg/mL), α-glucosidase (0.63 ± 0.02 mg/mL; 0.77 ± 0.02 mg/mL) and tyrosinase (0.03 ± 0.00 mg/mL; 0.03 ± 0.00 mg/mL) enzyme inhibition potentials compared to standard acarbose (0.75 ± 0.02 mg/mL for α-amylase; 1.11 ± 0.03 mg/mL for α-glucosidase) and kojic acid (0.04 ± 0.00 mg/mL)., Conclusion: The findings from this study suggest that COPMB could serve as a valuable source of natural agents for the food and pharmaceutical industry. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.)