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Telomeres are ribonucleoprotein structures that form a protective buffer at the ends of chromosomes, maintaining genomic integrity during the cell cycle. A decrease in average telomere length is associated with with age and with aging-related diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. In this study, we conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial over six months to compare the effects of the Astragalus-based supplement versus a placebo on telomere length (TL) in 40 healthy volunteers (mean age 56.1 ± 6.0 years). Twenty subjects received the supplement, and 20 received placebo capsules. All participants completed the study, and no adverse side effects were reported at six months. Subjects taking the Astragalus-based supplement exhibited significantly longer median TL (p = 0.01) and short TL (p = 0.004), along with a lower percentage of short telomeres, over the six-month period, while the placebo group showed no change in TL. This trial confirmed that the supplement significantly lengthens both median and short telomeres by increasing telomerase activity and reducing the percentage of short telomeres (<3 Kbp) in a statistically and possibly clinically significant manner. These results align with a previous open prospective trial, which found no toxicity associated with the supplement's intake. These findings suggest that this Astragalus-based supplement warrants further investigation for its potential benefits in promoting health, extending life expectancy, and supporting healthy aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This comprehensive review was carried out to integrate all the data published in the electronic databases (Scopus, etc.) over the past two decades about the distribution, phytochemistry, ethnopharmacology, and pharmacology of Astragalus L. Although Astragalus is one of the largest genera of flowering plants in Iran, limited phytochemical screening of this genus has been reported. Cycloartane triterpene glycosides, labdane diterpenoids, flavonoids, and polysaccharides are the major identified compounds. Pharmacological studies revealed significant properties such as anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antidiabetic, etc. Moreover, ethnopharmacological studies of Astragalus sp. showed that this genus is used for gastrointestinal, fractures, joint pains, and skin problems in different localities of Iran. Tragacanth gum, as the main product of some Astragalus sp. with economic value, shows proper biological activities and uses as an emulsifier in food industries. This review might be helpful for researchers to find new chemical entities responsible for its claimed traditional uses and food supplements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have shown that astragalus may inhibit lung cancer, but its anticancer components and molecular mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. The aim of this study was to identify the primary active components and targets of astragalus against lung cancer through a comprehensive search in authoritative databases. Subsequently, protein--protein interaction, gene ontology, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses, and correlation analysis of key targets with lung cancer were performed, and their binding activity was evaluated by molecular docking simulation. The main active components of astragalus against lung cancer were identified as jaranol, quercetin, kaempferol, isomucronulatol, isorhamnetin, methylnissolin, 3,9-di-O-methylnissolin, and 7-O-methylisomucronulatol, which involved seven key targets (CYP19A1, EGFR, SRC, PIK3CA, ABL1, CDK4, and CDK6) and PI3K/AKT-signaling pathway. Further results showed that kaempferol and quercetin had a high binding activity with CDK6 and methylnissolin with PIK3CA. Also, the overexpression of CDK6 and PIK3CA was associated with poor prognosis in lung cancer patients. This study has systematically elucidated the correlation between "astragalus-targets-signaling pathway-lung cancer": kaempferol, methylkinisoline, and quercetin in astragalus may inhibit lung cancer through CDK6-PI3K/AKT-signaling pathway. These compounds are expected to be potential candidates for natural small-molecule anticancer drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Astragalus L. is one of the largest genera, including over 3000 taxa worldwide. In the present study, we found two new records of A. teskhemicus Sytin and Shaulo and A. testiculatus Pall. in western Mongolia. We provided a morphological revision and DNA barcoding (ITS) of two new records along with that of the most similar Astragalus species including A. ammodytes Pall., A.gubanovii N. Ulziykh., A. hypogaeus Ledeb., A. junatovii Sanchir. Furthermore, we made detailed photo illustrations and wild photos for new records and four species based on our field observations, respectively. The general distribution, taxonomic notes, type information, habitats, and species examined are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Astragalus is a widely used traditional Chinese medicine material that is easily confused due to its quality, price and other factors derived from different origins. This article describes a novel method for the rapid tracing and detection of Astragalus via the joint application of an electronic tongue (ET) and an electronic eye (EE) combined with a lightweight convoluted neural network (CNN)–transformer model. First, ET and EE systems were employed to measure the taste fingerprints and appearance images, respectively, of different Astragalus samples. Three spectral transform methods – the Markov transition field, short‐time Fourier transform and recurrence plot – were utilized to convert the ET signals into 2D spectrograms. Then, the obtained ET spectrograms were fused with the EE image to obtain multimodal information. A lightweight hybrid model, termed GETNet, was designed to achieve pattern recognition for the Astragalus fusion information. The proposed model employed an improved transformer module and an improved Ghost bottleneck as its backbone network, complementarily utilizing the benefits of CNN and transformer architectures for local and global feature representation. Furthermore, the Ghost bottleneck was further optimized using a channel attention technique, which boosted the model's feature extraction effectiveness. RESULTS: The experiments indicate that the proposed data fusion strategy based on ET and EE devices has better recognition accuracy than that attained with independent sensing devices. CONCLUSION: The proposed method achieved high precision (99.1%) and recall (99.1%) values, providing a novel approach for rapidly identifying the origin of Astragalus, and it holds great promise for applications involving other types of Chinese herbal medicines. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is one of the most common clinical critical illnesses, with decreased glomerular filtration rate, retention of nitrogen products, water and electrolyte disorders, and acid–base imbalance as the main clinical manifestations. Presently, there is no effective treatment for acute kidney injury, but the main treatment is to cure the primary disease, remove risk factors, maintain acid–base and water–electrolyte balance, and undergo kidney replacement. However, the mortality rate is still high. Investigations and studies showed that the mortality rate of patients with acute kidney injury in the ICU is 5–80% [1]. In recent years, Chinese medicine has been widely used in acute kidney injury treatment due to its complete dialectical system and rich experience. Astragalus is a commonly used medicine in traditional Chinese medicine to treat acute kidney injury. Astragaloside IV is the main active component of traditional Chinese medicine, Astragalus membranaceus. This article summarizes the relevant studies on treating acute kidney injury with astragaloside IV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Astragalus, as the most commonly used traditional Chinese medicinal herb, contains various active components, the most important of which are astragaloside IV, flavonoids, and polysaccharides.These components endow Astragalus with a variety of pharmacological effects such as immunity enhancement, anti-fatigue, anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular protection, visceral tissue protection, anti-cancer, anti-tumor, etc.The article reviews the physiological functions of the active components of Astragalus and their application in food, with the aim of providing theoretical references for the further development and application of Astragalus and its active components in the food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fermentation products of Astragalus have been acknowledged for their ability to enhance immune functions. This study assessed the impact of incorporating Astragalus, fermented with Lactobacillus plantarum and Bacillus coagulans, on crucian carp's growth, disease resistance, and immunological characteristics. The experimental groups were fed with common feed (C), C + Astragalus (A), A + Lactobacillus plantarum (AL), A + Bacillus coagulans (AB), and AL + Bacillus coagulans (ALB). The fermented products were mixed with common feed at a 1:99 ratio, and crucian carp were fed 2% of their body weight for four weeks, with sampling conducted on days 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28. Disease resistance was evaluated using Aeromonas hydrophila (A. hydrophila) at a concentration of 0.2 mL (1.0×107 CFU/mL). The final weights in the AL, AB, and ALB groups significantly increased compared to the C group. The ALB group exhibited elevated serum albumin levels, alkaline phosphatase, intestinal lipase, protease enzyme, C3, and IgM gene expression compared to the C group. At the same time, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and glucose contents were significantly reduced. The survival rate significantly increased in all experimental groups after treatment with A. hydrophila. In conclusion, Astragalus products fermented with Lactobacillus plantarum and Bacillus coagulans could effectively improve crucian carp's growth, disease resistance, and immune response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To elucidate the mechanism underlying the therapeutic impact of Astragalus-Danshen in chronic glomerulonephritis (CGN), a comprehensive exploration was conducted utilizing network pharmacology. The TCMSP database was employed to aggregate the chemical constituents and targets associated with Astragalus and Danshen. Simultaneously, disease targets specific to CGN were sourced from the Genecards database. The convergence of these datasets yielded a set of intersection genes, representing potential targets for CGN treatment through Astragalus-Danshen formulations. Subsequently, protein interaction networks and "chemical composition-target" networks were meticulously constructed. Core targets were subjected to GO and KEGG enrichment analyses. The investigation revealed a total of 240 targets corresponding to 20 and 65 chemical components of Astragalus and Danshen, respectively. From this pool, 86 potential targets associated with CGN treatment were discerned, ultimately identifying 29 core targets. Noteworthy among these were TNF, JUN, TP53, IL1B, RELA, MMP9, CASP3, IL10, MAPK14, MYC, and TGFB1. KEGG enrichment analysis illuminated pathways pertinent to CGN, encompassing the IL-17 signaling pathway, TNF signaling pathway, and the AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications. In summary, Astragalus-Danshen exhibited a potential anti-inflammatory and renoprotective effect on CGN, particularly through modulating the IL-17 signaling pathway, TNF signaling pathway, and AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications, involving key regulators such as TNF, JUN, TP53, IL1B, MAPK14, and others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The review integrates information on the component composition and biological activity of some Astragalus L. (Fabaceae) species from studies reported over the past 5–7 years. The aerial and underground parts of 34 Astragalus species contain triterpene saponins, flavonoids, polysacharides, tannins, free organic acids, higher fatty acids, vitamins, trace elements, and other constituents. Among the Astragalus species, A. membranaceus (Fisch.) Bunge is the best studied in terms of component composition and biological activity. Anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, anticancer, cardioprotective, and hepathoprotective activities have been experimentally detected in total bioactive substances, fractions, and individual compounds extracted from various parts of A. membranaceus and A. membranaceus var. mongholicus in vitro and in vivo. The composition and biological effects of other Astragalus species are still poorly understood. The review summarizes the recent advances in studying new compounds extracted from Astragalus species and their biological activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, pollen morphologies of 5 species (Astragalus guttatus Banks & Sol., A. cretaceus Boiss., A. caprinus L., A. brachystachys DC. and A. ancistrocarpus Boiss. & Hausskn.) belonging to the Astragalus genus of the family Fabaceae, which are distributed in Şanlıurfa province, were exemined by light and electron microscope. As a result of the study, it was determined that the pollen of the taxa were monad, radial symmetrical and isopolar. Pollen of all studied species are trizonocolporate, colpus length (Clg) 16.5-27.62 µm, colpus width (Clt) 2.15-4.16 µm, pore length (Plg) 6.69-9.32 µm, pore width (Plt) was detected between 6.69-11.44 µm. Polar axis length was measured between 19.23-33.66 µm and equatorial axis diameter was measured as 14.95-28.61 µm. Ornamentation was determined as psilate, psilate-perforate, psilate-microreticulate, microreticulate in the polar region and aperture surround the while microreticulate in the equatorial region. As a result of the study, it was determined that the characters such as pollen shape, pollen size and surface ornamentation differ between species and these characters have taxonmic value in the systematic separation of species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The physicochemical, rheological, and mucoadhesive characteristics of gum derived from Astracantha echidnaeformis are investigated. It's polysaccharides are isolated using chromatography techniques, and their immunomodulatory characteristics are evaluated by subjecting Jurkat cells to the WST‐1 assay. The composition of these polysaccharides is analyzed using gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry (GC‐MS). The viscosity and shear‐thinning behavior of gum are directly influenced by its concentration and the presence of NaCl, whereas they are inversely affected by temperature. The gum has strong potential as a thickening agent for dispersed systems. The mucoadhesion strength of the gum insoluble fraction is 109 ± 4.58 g cm−2, indicating excellent adhesiveness for application to mucoadhesive formulations. Cells’ proliferation enhancement is found for the isolated manno‐arabinoglucan (MW: ≤1.27 kDa) and galacto‐arabinan (MW: ≥667.8 kDa) at concentrations lower than 400 µ mL−1, but at higher concentrations they inhibited the proliferation. The isolated pectic galacto‐arabinan (MW: 669.58 kDa) exhibited a proliferative effect at 250 µg mL−1, but the isolated manno‐galactoglucan (MW: 80.90 kDa) showed cytotoxicity at higher doses. The isolated proteoglycans has mostly galacto‐arabinan backbones with immunomodulatory properties. The gum can be used as a thickening agent for the physical stabilization of suspensions and gels, specifically those needing to be stored at cold temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the experiment was to study the effects of Astragalus compound Chinese herbal medicine on the serum immune indexes, meat quality, and muscle nutrients of finishing pigs. A total of 250 finishing pigs of 170 days of age with similar body condition and body weight were randomly divided into five groups with five replicates per group and 10 finishing pigs per replicate. The control group was fed a basal diet, and the experimental groups were fed diets supplemented with 0.6%, 0.8%, 1.0%, and 1.2% Astragalus compound Chinese herbal medicine (ACM), respectively. The experiment lasted for 60 days. The results showed that the contents of serum immunoglobulin and complement protein were significantly higher in the 0.8% ACM group and 1.0% ACM group than in the control group (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the muscle water loss rate of the experimental groups decreased significantly (P<0.05), the redness value of meat color increased significantly (P<0.05), and the yellowness value decreased significantly (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the water content in meat of the experimental groups decreased significantly (P<0.05), the content of crude fat in meat of the 1.0% ACM group increased significantly (P<0.05), and the content of crude protein in meat of the 0.8% ACM group and 1.2% ACM group increased significantly (P<0.05). Adding 1.2% ACM significantly increased the content of total amino acids and essential amino acids (P<0.05), and adding 0.8% ACM significantly increased the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (P<0.05). The study indicates that the dietary addition of 0.8%~1.0% ACM can improve serum immune function and meat quality of finishing pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some interesting Astragalus L. (Fabaceae) specimens that have short stems, long stipules and short yellow petals were collected from Nallıhan, Ankara. In the careful examination made, it was seen that the specimens resemble Astragalus ovinus Boiss., A. fabaceus M.Bieb. and A. angustiflorus K.Koch belonging to the section Caprini, but it was determined that there is a difference due especially to some generative characters. After comparison with the closest taxa, it was decided that it is new for science and was named Astragalus nallihanicus. It grows at altitudes between about 850-1050 meters a.s.l. in a pine forest clearing. The size of some morphological features such as stipules (lower ones 17-22 mm long), calyx teeth (8-9 mm long), standards (19-22 mm long), wings (16-18 mm long), legumes (8.3-10.5 mm wide) and the dimensions of the seeds (3.5-4.1 × 2.1-2.5 mm), allow Astragalus nallihanicus to be distinguished from the closest taxa. Here, a description of the new species, comparison with similar taxa, informative photographs, and some ecological preferences have been given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we analyze bone products from the male burial No. 9 of the cemetery near the Berezovaya Mountain (Orenburg District of the Cis-Ural region) attributed to the Sintashta Culture (20th–18th centuries BC). The funerary complex is specifically interesting because it combines the ritual and inventory of representatives of the Seima-Turbino phenomenon and items belonging to chariot cultures. Furthermore, an item rare for the cultures of the chariot circle of the Ural region was placed in the burial — a disc-shaped bone buckle. The aim of this work is to find an analogy for this buckle and for other bone items of the complex using traceology data. The buckle was traceologically processed on 31st July 2002 in the campus of the Orenburg archaeological expedition two days after its discovery; at the same time its drawing was made. An astragalus and a fragment of the articular angle of the animal's scapula, both having been placed within the burial, were also analysed. Due to field conditions, a portable contact microscope “Mikko” was used. The main focus of this work is the buckle. The results of the traceological analysis are being introduced into the scientific discourse. Besides, for the first time this article presents the results of traceological study of a similar object from burial mound 27 near the city of Atkarsk. A total of 15 buckles with similar morphology have been analyzed, 11 of them have traceological definitions. A fragment of the product of the same type was only once identified in the Sintashta necropolis (grave 30 of the Sintashta burial ground); the majority of similar items derive from the sites of the Abashev Culture of the Volga-Don region. It has been revealed that the analyzed artifacts could have been used as both belt buckles and ornaments/amulets. The artifact from the burial ground near the Berezovaya Mountain is most likely a buckle, judging by its size and the size of the central hole. The discovery of a buckle typologically characteristic of the Don-Volga Abashevo Culture in the Sintashta Culture necropolis demonstrates the western connections of the population who left the site. The astragalus found in the burial could have been used as a fortune-telling/dice object. The functional purpose of the articular angle of the animal’s scapula has not been determined — no analogies have been found for it, though a possible circle of analogies has been outlined.

Abstract Background Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a prevalent complication of diabetes and the leading cause of end-stage renal disease. Recent evidence suggests that total flavonoids of Astragalus (TFA) has promising effects on diabetes; however, its influence on DKD and the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Methods In this study, we induced the DKD model using streptozotocin (STZ) in male C57BL/6J mice and utilized glomerular endothelial cell (GEC) lines for in vitro investigations. We constructed a network pharmacology analysis to understand the mechanism of TFA in DKD. The mechanism of TFA action on DKD was investigated through Western blot analysis and multi-immunological methods. Results Our findings revealed that TFA significantly reduced levels of urinary albumin (ALB). Network pharmacology and intracellular pathway experiments indicated the crucial involvement of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in mediating these effects. In vitro experiments showed that TFA can preserve the integrity of the glomerular filtration barrier by inhibiting the expression of inflammatory factors TNF-alpha and IL-8, reducing oxidative stress. Conclusion Our findings demonstrated that TFA can ameliorates the progression of DKD by ameliorating renal fibrosis and preserving the integrity of the kidney filtration barrier. These results provide pharmacological evidence supporting the use of TFA in the treatment of kidney diseases.

Objective To determine the efficacy and safety of Astragalus combined with renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) blockers in treating stage III diabetic nephropathy (DN) by meta-analysis.Methods PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Wiley, and Web of Science databases were searched for articles published between August 2007 and August 2022. Clinical studies on Astragalus combined with RAAS blockers for the treatment of stage III DN were included. Meta-analysis was performed by RevMan 5.1 and Stata 14.3 software.Results A total of 32 papers were included in this meta-analysis, containing 2462 patients from randomized controlled trials, with 1244 receiving the combination treatment and 1218 solely receiving RAAS blockers. Astragalus combined with RAAS blockers yielded a significantly higher total effective rate (TER) (mean difference [MD] 3.63, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.59–5.09) and significantly reduced urinary protein excretion rate (UPER), serum creatinine (Scr), blood urine nitrogen (BUN) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbAlc) levels. In subgroup analysis, combining astragalus and angiotensin receptor blocker significantly lowered fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and 24 h urinary protein (24hUTP) levels, compared with the combined astragalus and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor treatment. Meanwhile, the latter significantly decreased the urinary microprotein (β2-MG). Importantly, the sensitivity analysis confirmed the study’s stability, and publication bias was not detected for UPER, BUN, HbAlc, FPG, or β2-MG. However, the TER, SCr, and 24hUTP results suggested possible publication bias.Conclusions The astragalus-RAAS blocker combination treatment is safe and improves outcomes; however, rigorous randomized, large-scale, multi-center, double-blind trials are needed to evaluate its efficacy and safety in stage III DN.

Background: Astragalus is one of the largest angiosperms and has important economic value. The chloroplast genomes (Cp) of most plants in its family have been sequenced and annotated, but there are fewer studies on the characteristics of the chloroplast genomes and codon usage bias of Astragalus. In this study, we sequenced and annotated the complete chloroplast genomes of three Astragalus species, that systematically compared the chloroplast genome and codon usage characteristics of three Astragalus. Methods: In this study, we used three Astragalus species as materials. Firstly, we sequenced and assembled their chloroplast genomes. Subsequently, we analyzed the codon usage bias of the chloroplast genomes of the three medicinal Astragalus species using software such as CodonW, CUSP and SPSS. Result: The results illustrated that the length of Astragalus chloroplast genome ranges from 122,815 bp (A. dahuricus) to 123,729 bp (A. melilotoides Pall.). There were 107-110 genes, including 75-76 protein-coding genes (PCGs), four ribosomal RNA genes (rRNAs) and 28-30 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs). In addition, the results illustrated that codons in three Cp genomes from Astragalus had the same 11 Optimal codons and ending with A/U. The codon usage frequency of five model creatures were compared and the results revealed that the codon preferences of Astragalus and five model creatures were pretty significant, the natural selection was the main factor in codon preference. Our research provides some value for the researches of chloroplast genetic engineering and molecular breeding in Astragalus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bruchophagus is a serious pest that damages the seeds of Astragalus, causing significant negative effects on the yield and quality of Astragalus seeds. In order to clarify the characteristics and mechanism by which Bruchophagus damages in different planting areas of Shanxi province, in this study, the species, damage situation, and field occurrence rule of Bruchophagus in different regions of Shanxi province from 2021 to 2022 were studied. The results suggested that the Bruchophagus species in Shanxi province included six species: B. huonchili, B. mongolicus, B. ciriventrious, B. beijingensis, B. pseudobeijingensis, and Habrocytus huonchei. However, the dominant species differed in different planting areas. B. huonchili was dominant in Taigu district and Hunyuan county, while H. huonchei was dominant in Wuzhai county. Moreover, the infestation rates of pods and seeds of Astragalus varied among different planting areas, with Hunyuan county showing the highest rates of 65.93% and 41.36%, respectively. Additionally, field investigation found that there were differences in the occurrence period of Bruchophagus among different planting areas. The occurrence period in Taigu district, Jinzhong city, was earlier than in Wuzhai county and Hunyuan county, indicating a delayed occurrence as latitude increases. In Shanxi province, the Bruchophagus occurred from mid-May or late-May to early-August or mid-August, with variations in the peak occurrence period among different regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise: Astragalus (Fabaceae), with more than 3000 species, represents a globally successful radiation of morphologically highly similar species predominant across the northern hemisphere. It has attracted attention from systematists and biogeographers, who have asked what factors might be behind the extraordinary diversity of this important arid‐adapted clade and what sets it apart from close relatives with far less species richness. Methods: Here, for the first time using extensive phylogenetic sampling, we asked whether (1) Astragalus is uniquely characterized by bursts of radiation or whether diversification instead is uniform and no different from closely related taxa. Then we tested whether the species diversity of Astragalus is attributable specifically to its predilection for (2) cold and arid habitats, (3) particular soils, or to (4) chromosome evolution. Finally, we tested (5) whether Astragalus originated in central Asia as proposed and (6) whether niche evolutionary shifts were subsequently associated with the colonization of other continents. Results: Our results point to the importance of heterogeneity in the diversification of Astragalus, with upshifts associated with the earliest divergences but not strongly tied to any abiotic factor or biogeographic regionalization tested here. The only potential correlate with diversification we identified was chromosome number. Biogeographic shifts have a strong association with the abiotic environment and highlight the importance of central Asia as a biogeographic gateway. Conclusions: Our investigation shows the importance of phylogenetic and evolutionary studies of logistically challenging "mega‐radiations." Our findings reject any simple key innovation behind high diversity and underline the often nuanced, multifactorial processes leading to species‐rich clades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since Astragalus is a genus with many important medicinal plant species, the present work aimed to investigate the phytochemical composition and some biological activities of Astragalus gymnolobus. The methanolic fractions of four organs (stems, flowers, leaves, root and whole plant) were quantified and identified by Liquid Chromatography Electrospray Ionization Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC–ESI–MS/MS) analysis. Hesperidin, hyperoside, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, protocatechuic acid and p-coumaric acid were identified as main compounds among the extracts. Among all cells, leaf methanol (Lm) extract had the highest cytotoxic effect on HeLa cells (IC50 = 0.069 μg/mL). Hesperidin, the most abundant compound in A. gymnolobus extract, was found to show a strong negative correlation with the cytotoxic effect observed in HeLa cells according to Pearson correlation test results and to have the best binding affinity to targeted proteins by docking studies. The antimicrobial activity results indicated that the most susceptible bacterium against all extracts was identified as Streptococcus pyogenes with 9–11 mm inhibition zone and 8192 mg/mL MIC value. As a result of the research, it was suggested that A. gymnolobus could be considered as a promising source that contributes to the fight against cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Astragalus is a medicinal plant with obvious rhizosphere effects. At present, there are many Astragalus plants with high application value but low recognition and resource reserves in the northwestern area of Yunnan province, China. In this study, metagenomics was used to analyze the microbial diversity and community structure of rhizosphere soil of A. forrestii, A. acaulis, and A. ernestii plants grown in a special high-cold environment of northwestern Yunnan, China, at different altitudes ranging from 3225 to 4353 m. These microbes were taxonomically annotated to obtain 24 phyla and 501 genera for A. forrestii, 30 phyla and 504 genera for A. acaulis, as well as 39 phyla and 533 genera for A. ernestii. Overall, the dominant bacterial phyla included Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Acidobacteria, while the dominant fungal ones were Ascomycota and Basidiomycota. At the genus level, Bradyrhizobium, Afipia, and Paraburkholderia were the most prevalent bacteria, and Hyaloscypha, Pseudogymnoascus, and Russula were the dominant fungal genera. Some of them are considered biocontrol microbes that could sustain the growth and health of host Astragalus plants. Redundancy analysis revealed that pH, TN, and SOM had a significant impact on the microbial community structures (p < 0.05). Finally, triterpene, flavonoid, polysaccharide, and amino acid metabolisms accounted for a high proportion of the enriched KEGG pathways, which possibly contributed to the synthesis of bioactive constituents in the Astragalus plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a prevalent complication of diabetes and the leading cause of end-stage renal disease. Recent evidence suggests that total flavonoids of Astragalus (TFA) has promising effects on diabetes; however, its influence on DKD and the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Methods: In this study, we induced the DKD model using streptozotocin (STZ) in male C57BL/6J mice and utilized glomerular endothelial cell (GEC) lines for in vitro investigations. We constructed a network pharmacology analysis to understand the mechanism of TFA in DKD. The mechanism of TFA action on DKD was investigated through Western blot analysis and multi-immunological methods. Results: Our findings revealed that TFA significantly reduced levels of urinary albumin (ALB). Network pharmacology and intracellular pathway experiments indicated the crucial involvement of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in mediating these effects. In vitro experiments showed that TFA can preserve the integrity of the glomerular filtration barrier by inhibiting the expression of inflammatory factors TNF-alpha and IL-8, reducing oxidative stress. Conclusion: Our findings demonstrated that TFA can ameliorates the progression of DKD by ameliorating renal fibrosis and preserving the integrity of the kidney filtration barrier. These results provide pharmacological evidence supporting the use of TFA in the treatment of kidney diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Astragalus nordizensis Fırat (sect. Hymenostegis Bunge), is described as a new species from Gürpınar district of Van province, Türkiye. From the morphological point of view, the new species appears to be most similar to Astragalus zohrabi Bunge and A. rubrostriatus Bunge, but it differs in several morphological characters including peduncle indumentum, inflorescence shape, leaf and flower, fruit and seed morphology, etc. A comprehensive description of this new species is provided, including detailed photographs, geographical distribution map, habitat and ecology, vernacular name and IUCN conservation status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Astragalus-cultivated soils are enriched in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF); however, the community changes of AMF between years in stragalus-cultivated soils are still unclear. Methods: To illustrate this, using high-throughput amplicon sequencing and quantitative real-time PCR, we analyzed the AMF communities of the abandoned farmlands and interannual astragalus-cultivated soils for 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-years, including community composition, dominant, core, specific and significantly fluctuating AMF, co-occurrence network, alpha diversity, and beta diversity. Results: A total of 74 OTUs were classified into one phylum, Glomeromycota; one class, Glomeromycetes; four orders; four families; and six genera. The 2-year soil had the highest number of reads among the interannual soils. Only one OTU was shared among all interannual soils. The treatments significantly affected the Ace, Shannoneven, and Shannon estimators of the communities. The 2-year soil had the highest richness, evenness, and diversity among all interannual soils and was the closest to the abandoned farmland in terms of alpha diversity. Glomus of the family Glomeraceae was the dominant genus present in all treatments, and the composition of the dominant genus in interannual soils was different. Both Glomus and Diversispora were the core AMF in interannual soils, and specific AMF existed in different interannual soils. Glomus is a genus that exhibits significant interannual variation. The interannual time significantly affected the network connectivity. The results of the principal coordinate analysis showed that the community composition of the interannual soils was close to each other and separated from the abandoned farmland, and that the interannual time significantly affected the community composition. Conclusion: Among the interannual soils, the 2-year soil may be more suitable for A. sinensis seedling rotation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This meta-analysis evaluated the beneficial and potential adverse effects of Astragalus in the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: The authors searched for randomized controlled trials of Astragalus treatment for patients with T2DM in the following databases: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database (CNKI), Wanfang Data, China Science and Technology Journal Database (CQVIP), and SinoMed. Two reviewers conducted independent selection of studies, data extraction, and coding, as well as the assessment of risk of bias in the studies included. Standard meta-analysis and, if appropriate, meta-regression were performed using the STATA, v.15.1, software. Results: This meta-analysis encompasses 20 studies and a total of 953 participants. Compared to the control group (CG), the observation group (OG) decreased fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (WMD = −0.67, 95% CI: −1.13∼−0.20, P = 0.005), 2 hours postprandial plasma glucose (2hPG) (WMD = −0.67 (95% CI: −1.13∼−0.20, P=0.005), glycated hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) (WMD = −0.93, 95% CI: −1.22∼−0.64, P = 0.000), homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (WMD = −0.45, 95% CI: −0.99∼0.99, P = 0.104), insulin sensitive index (WMD = 0.42, 95% CI: 0.13-0.72, P = 0.004). The total effective ratio of the OG is more effective than CG (RR = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.26-1.40, P = 0.000), the significant effective ratio (RR = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.48-1.93, P = 0.000). Conclusions: Astragalus may provide specific benefits for T2DM patients as an adjuvant treatment. Nonetheless, the certainty of the evidence and risk of bias fell short of optimal performance, indicating the need for additional clinical research to ascertain potential effects. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER CRD42022338491. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species, Astragalus roseocephalus sp. nov., is described and illustrated. It is known from Islamabad Capital Territory (Margalla hills), Rawalpindi district, Hazara and Kashmir. It belongs to Astragalus section Poliothrix Bunge. Morphologically, it is closely related to Astragalus leucocephalus Benth., but differs in height, presence of connate stipules, opposed to free lateral stipules in A. leucocephalus, stipule shape, leaf length, leaflet size, number, arrangement and shape, peduncle length, corolla colour, size and shape of standard, fruit shape and number of seeds. In addition, anatomy, pollen morphology, distribution and conservation status of the new species are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Telomeres are ribonucleoprotein structures that form a protective buffer at the ends of chromosomes, maintaining genomic integrity during the cell cycle. A decrease in average telomere length is associated with with age and with aging-related diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. In this study, we conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial over six months to compare the effects of the Astragalus-based supplement versus a placebo on telomere length (TL) in 40 healthy volunteers (mean age 56.1 ± 6.0 years). Twenty subjects received the supplement, and 20 received placebo capsules. All participants completed the study, and no adverse side effects were reported at six months. Subjects taking the Astragalus-based supplement exhibited significantly longer median TL (p = 0.01) and short TL (p = 0.004), along with a lower percentage of short telomeres, over the six-month period, while the placebo group showed no change in TL. This trial confirmed that the supplement significantly lengthens both median and short telomeres by increasing telomerase activity and reducing the percentage of short telomeres (

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The genus Astragalus L. with about 3000 species is the largest genus of flowering plants. It is also the largest genus in the flora of Iran with more than 850 taxa. Astragalus cyclophyllon Beck is an endemic taxon belonging to Astragalus sect. Incani DC. It occurs scattered in the steppe and semi-steppe areas of the western and central parts of Iran. This species is one of the most important forage taxa of Astragalus. According to IUCN criteria it has been classified as a vulnerable taxon in Iran, as it occurs in habitats intensely used by herders for their livestock. Here we evaluate the genetic diversity of the populations of this species in Iran to see whether genetic diversity is high or if reductions have already happened. For this purpose, sampling was done in all geographical areas with A. cyclophyllon populations in Iran. In total, 80 individuals representing 29 populations were studied using 33 quantitative and qualitative morphological characters and 10 inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) primers. ISSR revealed 240 bands which all were polymorphic. Neighbor-joining cluster analysis divided the individuals in four groups, Principal Coordinate Analysis and Bayesian population assignment analysis in Structure resulted in three genetic units. Morphological variation showed no correlation with the molecular data. The mean of Gst and Nm indices are 0.516 and 0.468, respectively, which indicate a very high genetic differentiation and low gene flow between the studied populations. According to these results, we conclude that genetic diversity is high in this species and that, therefore, the major threat for A. cyclophyllon is currently not related to inbreeding depression in populations, but might be due to livestock grazing that could change the population demographic structure by reducing regular establishment of new offspring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Searching for non-toxic and harmless feed ingredients that can improve growth performance and host immunity has always been the focus of attention in the protected areas for artificially bred Dabry's sturgeons. The present study explored the effect of dietary Poria cocos and Astragalus polysaccharides on the antioxidant status, expression of immune related genes, and composition and putative functions of gut bacterial communities in Dabry's sturgeons for the first time. In this study, Dabry's sturgeons were randomly divided into 3 groups and fed diets of normal, P. cocos polysaccharide-added (200 mg/kg), and Astragalus polysaccharide-added (200 mg/kg) food for 14 days. The results indicated that dietary Astragalus polysaccharide can increase the final body weight of Dabry's sturgeon. Compared with normal breeding individuals, feeding diets containing the P. cocos and Astragalus polysaccharides up-regulated the activity of superoxide dismutase, lysozyme, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase while also decreasing the levels of malondialdehyde. In addition, the Astragalus polysaccharide group had higher gene expression of two inflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor alpha and immunoglobulin M, than the control group. Analysis of intestinal microbiota revealed that the dietary Astragalus polysaccharide improved the richness and diversity of major gut microbiota in Dabry's sturgeons, while the structure in the P. cocos polysaccharide group was clearly distinguished from that of the control group. Our results preliminarily indicated that dietary supplementation of P. cocos and Astragalus polysaccharides may contribute to better performance in growth, development, and inflammatory response for Dabry's sturgeons, and they provide basic guidance for plant polysaccharide additives in artificial breeding of sturgeons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fossils of the India Muerta Formation (Neogene, Tucumán Province, Northwestern Argentina) include several vertebrate groups, mainly metatherian, xenarthran, and notoungulate mammals. Nevertheless, these remains have been scarcely mentioned in the literature, being mostly noted in faunistic lists, without a focus on taxonomic or morphological aspects. Additionally, most of the biostratigraphic or paleobiogeographic considerations, which are based merely on lithostratigraphic inferences, have suggested a correlation mainly with the Andalhuala (Late Miocene–Pliocene) and the Corral Quemado (Pliocene) formations, both units corresponding to the Santa María sedimentary basin of the Calchaquí valleys of Northwestern Argentina. Here, we present a study of a notoungulate assemblage recently recovered from levels of the India Muerta Formation, clarifying the geological context and correlating fossil levels with western outcrops. Our study identifies remains grouped systematically as two toxodontids, one mesotheriid, and four hegetotheriids, some of which represent the first records for the unit and/or the region. The sedimentological analysis suggests that this fauna developed in a paleoenvironment corresponding to a complex of braided to meandering fluvial systems. Based on these new data, the fossiliferous levels of the India Muerta Formation reinforce a Late Miocene (Tortonian) age. Consequently, our chronological proposal leads to a closer correlation between the India Muerta Formation and the Las Arcas and Chiquimil formations, which immediately underlie the Andalhuala Formation in western valleys. These inferences agree with previous radioisotopic analyses and, hence, the evidence yielded by the presence of these newly documented notoungulates stands as our most reliable basis for stratigraphic correlation.

Abstract Background Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a chronic progressive interstitial lung disease of unknown etiology, is characterized by continuous damage to alveolar epithelial cells, abnormal repair of alveolar tissue, and alveolar wall scar formation. Currently, the recommended treatment for IPF in Western medicine is relatively limited. In contrast, traditional Chinese medicine and compound prescriptions show advantages in the diagnosis and treatment of IPF, which can be attributed to their multi-channel and multi-target characteristics and minimal side-effects. The purpose of this study was to further corroborate the effectiveness and significance of the traditional Chinese medications Astragalus and Danshen in IPF treatment. Methods We performed whole-genome methylation analysis on nine rat lung tissue samples to determine the epigenetic variation between IPF and non-fibrotic lungs using Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reactions. Results We identified differentially methylated regions and 105 associated key functional genes in samples related to IPF and Chinese medicine treatment. Based on the methylation levels and gene expression profiles between the Chinese medicine intervention and pulmonary fibrosis model groups, we speculated that Astragalus and Salvia miltiorrhiza (traditionally known as Danshen) act on the Isl1, forkhead box O3, and Sonic hedgehog genes via regulation at transcriptional and epigenetic levels during IPF. Conclusions These findings provide novel insights into the epigenetic regulation of IPF, indicate the effectiveness of Astragalus and Danshen in treating IPF, and suggest several promising therapeutic targets for preventing and treating IPF.

Background: Chinese herbs have been used in sports and exercises as potent remedies for the treatment of sports injuries and recovery from sports fatigue. Herbs such as Astragalus, Radix Codonopsis, Shiitake and Rhodiola are favoured for their ability to help athletes improve their physical performance and to enable rapid recovery from fatigue. Abundant studies have proved that these traditional Chinese medicines(TCM) have a positive effect on athletic performance. For instance, TCM have been shown to have a significant recovery effect on skeletal muscle, cardiovascular and central nervous system fatigue caused by sports training or intense competition. Admittedly, it is necessary for more in-depth research to ensure the safety of TCM in sports. However, relatively little research has been done in this area and more studies are needed to assess and confirm the effects of TCM on the post-exercise organism, particularly with regard to the dosage of TCM, the duration of supplementation and a larger sample size. Purpose: The main purpose of the research is to restore athletes' athletic fatigue and improve their athletic performance through traditional Chinese medicine, changing the traditional massage method to restore fatigue. By looking for literature, the achievements of predecessors are summarized and summarized. Methods: I reviewed the literature of many scholars on Chinese medicine, described the value and potential of Chinese medicine in sports, and put forward a new research direction on Chinese medicine and sports Results: the results of scholars have shown that the fatigue recovery of athletes can be improved through traditional Chinese medicine, and the performance of athletes can be improved to a certain extent. Conclusion: The conclusion is that the conditioning through traditional Chinese medicine can promote the athletic performance of athletes, while improving their physiology and restoring fatigue to a certain extent.

The recent increase in antibiotic-resistant bacteria has led to a notable difficulty in medicine, demanding endeavors to fabricate efficient antibacterial substances. Unlike traditional physical and chemical approaches, bio-genic approaches demonstrate various advantages, such as affordability, safety, and speed. The current study presents novel green silver nanoparticles employing Astragalus sarcocolla (Anzaroot) gum extract (ASG-AgNPs). For the first time, the alcoholic gum extract of this plant was used to synthesize silver nanoparticles in order to obtain antioxidant and antimicrobial nanoparticles. After optimizing the fabrication reaction conditions, ASG-AgNPs were characterized by DLS, UV-Vis spectroscopy, TEM, FT-IR, and XRD analyses. The antibacterial and antifungal potential of ASG-AgNPs and ASG extract was examined against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, and Candida albicans by the broth microdilution method. Also, the DPPH technique was carried out to investigate the antioxidant property. TEM images displayed a highly even and spherical configuration of ASG-AgNPs, with an average size of 15.76 ± 1.40 nm. ASG-AgNPs exhibited high antimicrobial activity against all examined microbial models. The strongest effects were on Candida albicans and Klebsiella pneumoniae microorganisms, with MIC values of 62.5 and 156.25 μg/ml, respectively. DPPH radical inhibition percentages were raised from 14 to 98 by raising the concentration of ASG-AgNPs from 100 to 800 μg/ml, indicating suitable antioxidant activity. Both the antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of the extract were weaker than ASG-AgNPs, suggesting significant synergism between the extract and AgNPs. These findings demonstrate that utilizing the gum of the Astragalus sarcocolla plant is effective in producing AgNPs, which likely possess significant potential for pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. However, further research is required.

Background: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a chronic progressive interstitial lung disease of unknown etiology, is characterized by continuous damage to alveolar epithelial cells, abnormal repair of alveolar tissue, and alveolar wall scar formation. Currently, the recommended treatment for IPF in Western medicine is relatively limited. In contrast, traditional Chinese medicine and compound prescriptions show advantages in the diagnosis and treatment of IPF, which can be attributed to their multi-channel and multi-target characteristics and minimal side-effects. The purpose of this study was to further corroborate the effectiveness and significance of the traditional Chinese medications Astragalus and Danshen in IPF treatment. Methods: We performed whole-genome methylation analysis on nine rat lung tissue samples to determine the epigenetic variation between IPF and non-fibrotic lungs using Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reactions. Results: We identified differentially methylated regions and 105 associated key functional genes in samples related to IPF and Chinese medicine treatment. Based on the methylation levels and gene expression profiles between the Chinese medicine intervention and pulmonary fibrosis model groups, we speculated that Astragalus and Salvia miltiorrhiza (traditionally known as Danshen) act on the Isl1, forkhead box O3, and Sonic hedgehog genes via regulation at transcriptional and epigenetic levels during IPF. Conclusions: These findings provide novel insights into the epigenetic regulation of IPF, indicate the effectiveness of Astragalus and Danshen in treating IPF, and suggest several promising therapeutic targets for preventing and treating IPF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to explore the effects of adding astragalus powder to feed of laying ducks on the growth, intestinal flora and antioxidant capacity, a total of 120 laying ducks in the growing period of a private farm were randomly divided into four groups (control group and experimental groups Ⅰ-Ⅲ), with six replicates in each group and five ducks in each replicate. The control group was fed with the basic diet, and the experimental groups Ⅰ-Ⅲ were fed with 100, 200 mg·kg-1 and 300 mg·kg-1 astragalus powder added to the basic diet, respectively. The preliminary experiment lasted for 7 days and the formal experiment lasted for 42 days. The results showed that compared with the control group, the terminal weight and average daily gain of laying ducks in the experimental groups Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ were significantly increased (P<0.05), and the feed-to-weight ratio was significantly decreased (P<0.05), the average daily feed intake of laying ducks in the experimental groups Ⅱ and Ⅲ were significantly increased (P< 0.05). The number of Escherichia coli in intestines of laying ducks in the experimental groups I, Ⅱ and Ⅲ were all decreased significantly (P<0.05), while the number of Lactobacillus and Bifido-bacterium were increased significantly (P<0.05). The contents of CAT, SOD and GSH-Px in the serum of laying ducks in the experimental groups I, Ⅱ and Ⅲ were increased significantly (P<0.05). The above results indicated that adding astragalus powder to the feed could effectively not only improve the growth performance and the intestinal microbiota structure, but also enhance the body's antioxidant performance of laying ducks. Under the conditions of this experiment, the optimal dosage of adding astragalus powder to the feed was 300 mg·kg-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of SHILAP Revista de Lepidopterologia is the property of Sociedad Hispano-Luso-Americana de Lepidopterologia 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.)

This paper aims to provide a fundamental analysis of the Fabaceae Lindl. family in the context of the Aktobe Floristic District (AFD) legume family presented in this region. According to the present findings, the most commonly seen genus of the family Fabaceae in the region is Astragalus, which includes three subgenera with a certain number of sections. Based on the species distribution model, the dominant group is macro-disjunctive species, with plants migrated at a distance of 500–1,000 km. The usability analysis showed that the majority of plants are used as fodder (60.5%), and medicinal plants account for 26.3%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cicer milkvetch (Astragalus cicer L.) is a non-bloating perennial forage legume suitable for stockpiled grazing in the fall because of its rapid regrowth and high nutritive value. Genetically diverse germplasm are needed for the development of improved cicer milkvetch cultivars that can provide consistent production across variable climatic conditions. The objective of this research was to assess the diversity and relationship of 27 cicer milkvetch populations to inform the selection of populations for future cultivars that have superior agro-morphological traits during summer and fall growth. A completely randomized field trial was established in 2019 near Clavet, Saskatchewan. In 2020 and 2021, forage dry matter yield (DMY), maximum stem length, leaf number per stem, rhizome spread, and stem density were recorded on 27 populations of cicer milkvetch in late June at a first harvest and mid-October at a stockpile harvest. All five traits were different (p < 0.05) among the populations at both harvests except for leaf number per stem in late June. Principal component analysis identified that the first three principal components described 89% of the variation in agro-morphological traits at the first and stockpile harvests. Of the agro-morphological traits, maximum stem length had the greatest correlation with forage DMY at the first harvest (r = 0.69) and stockpile harvest (r = 0.6). Our research demonstrates that there is a high morphological diversity among cicer milkvetch populations, and plant introductions, PI 362266, PI 576963, PI 440143, and PI 362254 could be used as novel genetic resources for the development of climate-resilient cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neuroinflammatory disease characterized by CD4 + T cell-mediated immune cell infiltration and demyelination in the central nervous system (CNS). The subtypes of CD4 + T cells are T helper cells 1 (Th1), Th2, Th17, and regulatory T cells (Treg), while three other types of cells besides Th2 play a key role in MS and its classic animal model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Tregs are responsible for immunosuppression, while pathogenic Th1 and Th17 cells cause autoimmune-associated demyelination. Therefore, suppressing Th1 and Th17 cell differentiation and increasing the percentage of Treg cells may contribute to the treatment of EAE/MS. Astragali Radix (AR) is a representative medicine with immunoregulatory, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and neuroprotective effects.The active ingredients in AR include astragalus flavones, polysaccharides, and saponins. In this study, it was found that the total flavonoids of Astragus (TFA) could effectively treat EAE in mice by ameliorating EAE motor disorders, reducing inflammatory damage and demyelination, inhibiting the proportion of Th17 and Th1 cells, and promoting Tregs differentiation by regulating the JAK/STAT and NF κ B signaling pathways. This novel finding may increase the possibility of using AR or TFA as a drug with immunomodulatory effects for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Astragalus L. is the largest flowering genus of the Fabaceae family and is represented by approximately 3000 species worldwide. This study aims to determine the anti-aging and anti-diabetes effects of Astragalus leporinus, A. distinctissimus, and A. schizopterus, three endemic species in Anatolia. The anti-aging effects against elastase and collagenase enzymes and the anti-diabetic effects against α-glucosidase and α-amylase enzymes were determined. Some triterpene contents were also determined by GC-MS. Ursolic acid (85.86 mg/g extract) and oleanolic acid (49.11 mg/g extract) were detected in the acetone extract of A. schizopterus species, and only (2.10 mg/g extract) oleanolic acid was detected in the ethanol extract. α-Amyrin (5.46 mg/g extract), oleanolic acid (6.09 mg/g extract), and ursolic acid (8.95 mg/g extract) were identified in the acetone extract of A. distinctissimus species. In terms of anti-aging, A. leporinus var. hirsutus ethanol extract has shown the highest activity in elastase and collagenase inhibition activity methods (inhibition %: 17.26±0.18 and 11.47±0.15, respectively), standard reference substances (oleanolic acid and epicatechin gallate, inhibition %: 43.80±0.76, 84.08±0.49, respectively). When it is evaluated in terms of anti-diabetic, it was determined that acetone extracts of A. schizopterus and A. distinctissimus species inhibited α-glucosidase at a higher level than acorbose, which was used as the standard reference substance, at all concentrations. In addition, it has also been observed that both acetone and ethanol extracts of the three species studied showed moderate inhibitory activity against the α-amylase enzyme. When the results obtained were evaluated, it is possible to state that A. schizopterus and A. distinctissimus species used as animal feed should be subjected to more detailed studies to be used for the pharmaceutical industry, as they are rich in oleanolic and ursolic acids and show anti-diabetic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Astragalus root is a commonly used herb in traditional Chinese medicine. Although renoprotective effects have been reported in some clinical and experimental studies, the details remain unknown. Methods: We used 5/6 nephrectomized rats as chronic kidney disease (CKD) models. At 10 weeks, they were divided into four groups, namely, CKD, low-dose astragalus (AR400), high-dose astragalus (AR800), and sham groups. At 14 weeks, they were sacrificed for the evaluation of blood, urine, mRNA expression in the kidney, and renal histopathology. Results: Kidney dysfunction was significantly improved following astragalus administration (creatinine clearance: sham group; 3.8 ± 0.3 mL/min, CKD group; 1.5 ± 0.1 mL/min, AR400 group; 2.5 ± 0.3 mL/min, AR800 group; 2.7 ± 0.1 mL/min). Blood pressure, urinary albumin, and urinary NGAL levels were significantly lower in the astragalus-treated groups than those in the CKD group. Excretion of urinary 8-OHdG, an oxidative stress marker, and intrarenal oxidative stress were lower in the astragalus-treated groups than those in the CKD group. Furthermore, the mRNA expression of NADPH p22 phox, NADPH p47 phox, Nox4, renin, angiotensin II type 1 receptor, and angiotensinogen in the kidney was lower in the astragalus-treated groups compared with the CKD group. Conclusion: This study suggests that astragalus root slowed CKD progression, possibly through the suppression of oxidative stress and the renin–angiotensin system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the effect and molecular mechanism of total flavonoids of Astragalus on the apoptosis and inflammation of alveolar epithelial cells induced by tumor necrosis factor alpha. Human alveolar epithelial cells were divided into control group, tumor necrosis factor alpha group, tumor necrosis factor alpha+trifluoroacetic acid-low, tumor necrosis factor alpha+trifluoroacetic acid-medium, tumor necrosis factor alpha+trifluoroacetic acid-high group, tumor necrosis factor alpha+anti-microRNA-NC group, tumor necrosis factor alpha+microRNA-221 inhibitor group, tumor necrosis factor alpha+trifluoroacetic acid-high+microRNA-NC group, tumor necrosis factor alpha+trifluoroacetic acid-H+microRNA-221 mimic group. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the expression of microRNa-221; (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide was used to detect the cell proliferation inhibition rate; flow cytometry to detect the apoptosis of alveolar epithelial cells; enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to detect the levels of interleukin-1 beta, I interleukin-6 and interleukin-10. In tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced alveolar epithelial cells, the expression of microRNA-221 was increased, the cell proliferation inhibition rate and apoptosis rate were increased, the levels of interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-6 were increased and the level of interleukin-10 was decreased (p<0.05). After treatment with medium and high concentrations of total flavones of Astragalus, the expression of microRNA-221 in alveolar epithelial cells induced by tumor necrosis factor alpha was decreased, cell proliferation inhibition rate and apoptosis rate were decreased, interleukin-1 beta and interleukin-6 levels were decreased and interleukin-10 was increased (p<0.05). Inhibition of microRNA-221 expression can inhibit tumor necrosis factor alpha induced apoptosis and inflammation of alveolar epithelial cells. Overexpression of microRNA-221 can reverse the effect of total flavonoids of Astragalus on apoptosis and inflammation of alveolar epithelial cells induced by tumor necrosis factor alpha. Total flavones of Astragalus inhibited tumor necrosis factor alpha induced apoptosis and inflammation of alveolar epithelial cells by down-regulating microRNA-221. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Agriculture & Nature / Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam Üniversitesi Tarım & Doğa Dergisi is the property of Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam Universitesi 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.)

Astragalus is a medicinal plant with obvious rhizosphere effects. At present, there are many Astragalus plants with high application value but low recognition and resource reserves in the northwestern area of Yunnan province, China. In this study, metagenomics was used to analyze the microbial diversity and community structure of rhizosphere soil of A. forrestii, A. acaulis, and A. ernestii plants grown in a special high-cold environment of northwestern Yunnan, China, at different altitudes ranging from 3225 to 4353 m. These microbes were taxonomically annotated to obtain 24 phyla and 501 genera for A. forrestii, 30 phyla and 504 genera for A. acaulis, as well as 39 phyla and 533 genera for A. ernestii. Overall, the dominant bacterial phyla included Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Acidobacteria, while the dominant fungal ones were Ascomycota and Basidiomycota. At the genus level, Bradyrhizobium, Afipia, and Paraburkholderia were the most prevalent bacteria, and Hyaloscypha, Pseudogymnoascus, and Russula were the dominant fungal genera. Some of them are considered biocontrol microbes that could sustain the growth and health of host Astragalus plants. Redundancy analysis revealed that pH, TN, and SOM had a significant impact on the microbial community structures (p < 0.05). Finally, triterpene, flavonoid, polysaccharide, and amino acid metabolisms accounted for a high proportion of the enriched KEGG pathways, which possibly contributed to the synthesis of bioactive constituents in the Astragalus plants.

Since Astragalus is a genus with many important medicinal plant species, the present work aimed to investigate the phytochemical composition and some biological activities of Astragalus gymnolobus. The methanolic fractions of four organs (stems, flowers, leaves, root and whole plant) were quantified and identified by Liquid Chromatography Electrospray Ionization Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC–ESI–MS/MS) analysis. Hesperidin, hyperoside, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, protocatechuic acid and p-coumaric acid were identified as main compounds among the extracts. Among all cells, leaf methanol (Lm) extract had the highest cytotoxic effect on HeLa cells (IC50 = 0.069 μg/mL). Hesperidin, the most abundant compound in A. gymnolobus extract, was found to show a strong negative correlation with the cytotoxic effect observed in HeLa cells according to Pearson correlation test results and to have the best binding affinity to targeted proteins by docking studies. The antimicrobial activity results indicated that the most susceptible bacterium against all extracts was identified as Streptococcus pyogenes with 9–11 mm inhibition zone and 8192 mg/mL MIC value. As a result of the research, it was suggested that A. gymnolobus could be considered as a promising source that contributes to the fight against cancer.

Background: Sepsis is a common complication of many diseases and is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. Astragalus can improve humoral and innate immunity, inhibit inflammatory responses, and protect immune cells and organs from damage. However, to the best of our knowledge there are no reports on whether astragalus can regulate intestinal innate immune function during sepsis. Methods: In this study, a rat cecal ligation and puncture model of sepsis was used to investigate the effects of astragalus treatment, following which the apoptosis rate of lymphocytes from Peyer’s patches (PP) was determined. Type 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3) were cultured in vitro to further evaluate the effects and mechanisms of astragalus. Results: The apoptosis level of lymphocytes from PP in rats with sepsis was significantly increased, and the number of ILC3 was significantly reduced, compared with the sham operation group, which aggravated intestinal injury and ultimately led to the death of rats. Astragalus treatment significantly inhibited the apoptosis of lymphocytes from PP, increased the number of ILC3, and improved the intestinal inflammatory environment compared to the sepsis group. RT-PCR revealed that astragalus and the retinoic acid-related orphan receptor γt (RORγt) agonist LYC-55716 both promote the expression of interleukin (IL)-17A, IL-17F, IL-22, interferon-γ, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor mRNA. Mechanistically, astragalus promotes the proliferation of ILC3 through RORγt, thereby reducing intestinal inflammatory damage. Conclusion: Astragalus, via RORγt, promotes the generation of ILC3, improves the inflammatory environment in rats with sepsis.