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The enzyme-assisted approaches for plant phenolics extraction are more eco-friendly methods compared to acid or alkaline hydrolysis. Carbohydrase enzymes can release free phenolics from plant materials by cleaving the glycosidic bonds between phenolic compounds and cell wall polymers. In this study, the efficiency of carbohydrase-assisted treatment approaches was evaluated to extract bioactive phenolics from hawthorn (Crataegus orientalis) fruit residues. Enzymatic treatment of the fruits was operated by using a crude cellulolytic enzyme cocktail from Rhizomucor miehei NRRL 5282 and a pectinase preparate from Aspergillus niger. Both cellulase and combined cellulase–pectinase treatments improved the total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity of extracts. The TPC increased to 1899 ± 27 mg gallic acid equivalents/100 g dry matter during the combined enzyme treatment, showing a strong correlation with the average antioxidant capacity determined by ferric-reducing antioxidant power (1.7-fold increment) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (1.15-fold increment) reagents. The major phenolics in enzyme-treated extracts were vanillic and ferulic acids, the concentrations of which increased 115.6-fold and 93.9-fold, respectively, during carbohydrase treatment. The planktonic growth of Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Chromobacterium violaceum was slightly inhibited by the extracts with minimum inhibitory concentration values between 15.0 and 77.9 mg/mL, while the yeasts tested were quite resistant to the samples. B. subtilis and yeast biofilms were sensitive to the enzyme-treated extracts, which also showed quorum-sensing inhibitory effects against C. violaceum. The obtained bioactive hawthorn extracts hold potential as a natural source of antioxidants and antimicrobials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Flowering plant (angiosperm) mitochondrial genomes are remarkably dynamic in their structures. We present the complete mitochondrial genome of hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida Bunge), a shrub that bears fruit and is celebrated for its extensive medicinal history. We successfully assembled the hawthorn mitogenome utilizing the PacBio long-read sequencing technique, which yielded 799,862 reads, and the Illumina novaseq6000 sequencing platform, which producing 6.6 million raw paired reads. The C. pinnatifida mitochondria sequences encompassed a total length of 440,295 bp with a GC content of 45.42%. The genome annotates 54 genes, including 34 that encode proteins, 17 that encode tRNA, and three genes for rRNA. A fascinating interplay was observed between the chloroplast and mitochondrial genomes, which share 17 homologous sequences sequences that rotal 1,933 bp. A total of 134 SSRs, 22 tandem repeats and 42 dispersed repeats were identified in the mitogenome. Four conformations of C. pinnatifida mitochondria sequences recombination were verified through PCR experiments and Sanger sequencing, and C. pinnatifida mitogenome is more likely to be assembled into three circular-mapping chromosomes. All the RNA editing sites that were identified C-U edits, which predominantly occurred at the first and second positions of the codons. Phylogenetic and collinearity analyses identified the evolutionary trajectory of C. pinnatifida, which reinforced the genetic identity of the hawthorn section. This unveiling of the unique multi-partite structure of the hawthorn mitogenome offers a foundational reference for future study into the evolution and genetics of C. pinnatifida. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research was carried out in Idlib Governorate, located in northwestern Syria, during the years 2021, 2022, and 2023. The self-environment of the Crataegus genus was also studied in the study areas, by conducting botanical surveys there, according to the Braun-Blanquet method. The results showed that Crataegus has environmental flexibility as it spreads in multiple bioclimatic environments. Specie Crataegus monogyna belonging to the order Quercetaliapubescentis, which follows the Querceteapubescentis order, whose components are part of the plant alliance Quercioninfectoriae. Which includes deciduous oak forests within the Supra-Mediterranean structure. As for the species C. azarolus, it belongs to the order Quercetaliailicis, which belongs to the class Querceteailicis, and whose components are considered within the botanical alliance QuercionCalliprini within the Eu-Mediterranean structure. In general, the hawthorn did not constitute a characteristic type of species, but was always accompanying species, and did not rise to the level of characteristic types of species included in the designation of plant communities specialized in it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research was conducted in Idlib Governorate, located in northwestern Syria, during the years 2021, 2022 and 2023. The two types of wild hawthorn, Monogyna hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), and Aronia hawthorn (Crataegus azarolus var. aronia) were propagated by seeds and vegetatively. Two types of treatments were used for sexual propagation by seeds, namely soaking with gibberellin at concentrations of 1000 and 2000 ppm and intervals of 24 and 48 hours, and soaking with sulfuric acid at concentrations of 50% and 98% and intervals of one and two hours. The two treatments were followed by warm stratification for two months, followed by cold stratification for 3 months, while the control treatment was subjected to stratification only. Vegetative propagation was done by cuttings that were dipped in several concentrations of IBA, where concentrations of 4000, 6000, and 8000 ppm were used. The results showed that seed propagation achieved better results than vegetative propagation. The treatment of Monogyna seeds with gibberellin at a concentration of 2000 ppm and during the 48-hour soaking period significantly outperformed all other treatments, with a germination rate of 73.33%. The treatment of Monogyna cuttings at a concentration of 8000 ppm of IBA significantly outperformed the rest of the experimental treatments, with a rooting rate of 16.67%. The Monogyna type significantly outperformed the Aronia type in seed germination rate and rooting rate of cuttings, with values of 40 and 20.42% for seed germination and 8.42 and 5.17% for rooting of cuttings for the two types, respectively. Finally, alternating (warm and cold) seed stratification, treatment with gibberellin or sulfuric acid, and the use of seeds stored in the refrigerator for a full year, played an important role in increasing the germination rate of hawthorn seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The food industry is intensifying its effort to enrich food composition in various nutrients through animal feeding, but these challenges can be limited by the costly feed resources, water scarcity, and pesticide pollution, making it crucial to explore alternative feedstuffs with fewer requirements. Blackthorns and hawthorns are characterized by their rich phytochemical and antioxidant profiles, suggesting their potential to enhance the performance of ruminants though the supply of bioactive substances. Our study revealed their rich composition of micronutrients; hawthorns showed a remarkable amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids (57.23 g FAME/100 g total FAME), particularly omega-3 and omega-6, while blackthorn presented higher concentration of monounsaturated fatty acids, specifically oleic acid (56.99 g FAME/100 g total FAME). In terms of lipo-soluble antioxidants, blackthorn exhibited higher levels of xanthophyll and vitamin E (123.83 mg/kg DM), including its isomers (alpha, gamma, and delta). Concerning the water-soluble antioxidants, hawthorns showed elevated composition of the total content of flavonoids and polyphenols, comparing with blackthorn. Moreover, hawthorns showed a high antioxidant capacity, as assessed through DPPH, ABTS, and TAC analyses. In terms of the scavenging capacity of blackthorn and hawthorn against superoxide radicals, blackthorn had higher radical scavenging potential against superoxide radicals, compared to hawthorn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Storage & Process is the property of Tianjin Academy of Agricultural Sciences 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.)

Copyright of Mersin University School of Medicine Lokman Hekim Journal of History of Medicine & Folk Medicine is the property of Mersin University School of Medicine 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.)

Hawthorn seeds are a by-product of fruit processing and due to the scale of processing of this raw material, they can be an important source of bioactive compounds. This work is the first report on the phenolic composition of hawthorn seeds and their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antiobesity and anticancer activities. In the isolated phenolic fraction of six seed species, 23 phenolic compounds were identified using the UPLC-ESI-TQD-MS/MS method, the key ones of which included the B-type procyanidin dimer. The seeds of the tested species showed high antioxidant activity (mainly by scavenging O2•− and OH• radicals), anti-inflammatory (mainly through LOX inhibition), anti-diabetic, anti-obesity and anti-cancer, with the highest activity against colon cancer cells (Dld-1 line), showing no activity against healthy colon epithelial cells (CCD841CoN). This activity was significantly dependent on the analyzed hawthorn species and, according to PCA analysis, on the content of flavan-3-ols. These discoveries provided the theoretical basis for the possibility of industrial use of hawthorn seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Flowering plant (angiosperm) mitochondrial genomes are remarkably dynamic in their structures. We present the complete mitochondrial genome of hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida Bunge), a shrub that bears fruit and is celebrated for its extensive medicinal history. We successfully assembled the hawthorn mitogenome utilizing the PacBio long-read sequencing technique, which yielded 799,862 reads, and the Illumina novaseq6000 sequencing platform, which producing 6.6 million raw paired reads. The C. pinnatifida mitochondria sequences encompassed a total length of 440,295 bp with a GC content of 45.42%. The genome annotates 54 genes, including 34 that encode proteins, 17 that encode tRNA, and three genes for rRNA. A fascinating interplay was observed between the chloroplast and mitochondrial genomes, which share 17 homologous sequences sequences that rotal 1,933 bp. A total of 134 SSRs, 22 tandem repeats and 42 dispersed repeats were identified in the mitogenome. Four conformations of C. pinnatifida mitochondria sequences recombination were verified through PCR experiments and Sanger sequencing, and C. pinnatifida mitogenome is more likely to be assembled into three circular-mapping chromosomes. All the RNA editing sites that were identified C-U edits, which predominantly occurred at the first and second positions of the codons. Phylogenetic and collinearity analyses identified the evolutionary trajectory of C. pinnatifida, which reinforced the genetic identity of the hawthorn section. This unveiling of the unique multi-partite structure of the hawthorn mitogenome offers a foundational reference for future study into the evolution and genetics of C. pinnatifida.

In this study, dynamic high-pressure microjet (DHPM) was used to investigate its effect on the structure and physicochemical properties of dietary fiber in hawthorn pomace. The results showed that after DHPM treatment under different conditions, the content of soluble dietary fiber (SDF) in hawthorn pomace increased by 34.59%-73.54% when compared with that of the control group, and the nitrite-adsorbing capability and cation-exchange capacity significantly enhanced (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, water-holding, oil-holding and swelling capacity reached up to the maximum when the pomace was at 200 MPa for 3 cycles, which was increased by 2.08, 8.34, and 2.25 times, respectively, when compared with that of the control group (P < 0.05). Thermogravimetric and rheological analyses showed a decreasing trend in apparent viscosity and a decrease in thermal stability; particle size and scanning electron microscopy analyses showed that the particle size decreased and then increased, the surface was rough, the structure was loose, and the particles agglomerated at the pressure of 250 MPa; infrared spectroscopy and 13C NMR analyses showed decreased crystallinity and degradation of some cellulose, hemicellulose and pectin. Therefore, DHPM treatment could increase the soluble dietary fiber content, hydration characteristics, and enhance its nitrite-adsorbing capacity and cation-exchange capacity with reduced thermal stability, particle size, apparent viscosity and crystallinity. This study provides a theoretical basis for the high-value utilization of hawthorn pomace.

[Objective] A solid beverage with antialcoholic function was developed by the raw materials of tangerine peel, hawthorn and Pueraria lobata, which had the same origin as food and medicine, and explore its protective effect on mice with acute alcoholic liver injury. [Methods] The dry paste rate and total flavone content were used as the indexes，the extraction process was selected by orthogonal test. The single factor method was used to optimize the forming process with the indexes of sensory evaluation, shaping rate and solubility. A mouse model of acute alcoholic liver injury was established by administering 52% alcohol. The liver index, aspartate aminotransferase （AST） and serum alanine aminotransferase （ALT） in serum, as well as total cholesterol （TC）, triglyceride （TG）, superoxide dismutase （SOD）, malondialdehyde （MDA）, glutathione （GSH）, the inflammatory factor IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α in liver tissue were measured. The pathological changes of the liver were observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining. [Results] The optimal preparation process of tangerine peel composite solid beverage: three herbs were soaked for 30 minutes and extracted twice. The first solid-liquid ratio was 1∶12 （g/mL） and the extraction time was 2.0 h, and the second solid-liquid ratio was 1∶10 （g/mL） and the extraction time was 1.5 h. And then combined the two extracts. After concentration, drying and crushing, dry paste powder was obtained, mixed with maltodextrin in a 1∶1 ratio, added 1.0% mogroside, and used 90% ethanol as wetting agent for wet granulation. The results of animal experiments show that: compared with model group, the levels of AST, ALT, TG, TC, MDA, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α were reduced （P＜0.01, P＜0.05） by the pretreatments with tangerine peel composite solid beverage, and the levels of GSH, SOD were increased （P＜0.01）. The histopathological sections of the liver showed significant improvement in the degree of hepatic injury in the administered mice. [Conclusion] tangerine peel composite solid beverage has uniform color, good solubility, moderate sweetness and delicate taste, and has good protective effect on acute alcoholic liver injury.

This research investigated the effects of drying temperature and vacuum pressure duration (t-VPD) on drying characteristics, rehydration ratio (RR), microstructure, color, vitamin C (VC), and citric acid (CA) during the pulsed vacuum-drying (PVD) process of hawthorn slices. An extreme learning machine (ELM) model was developed to predict the change of moisture content of hawthorn slices during PVD process. Experimental results indicated that both drying temperature and t-VPD significantly affected the drying characteristics and quality attributes of dried hawthorn slices. As the drying temperature increased from 60 to 70 °C, the drying time decreased from 274 to 181 min. Compared to hot air drying (HAD), the dried hawthorn obtained by PVD had higher retention rates of VC and CA and lower color differences. The highest retention rates of VC and CA of dried hawthorn slices occurred at a drying temperature of 60 °C and a t-VPD of 8 min, i.e., 80.65% and 94.82%, respectively. PVD promoted the formation of pore structures and improved the rehydration capacity of dried products. The correlation analysis showed that the values of a* and b* were in association with the VC content of hawthorn. Besides, an optimal ELM model with a 3-12-1 topology structure was obtained to predict the change of moisture ratio of hawthorn slices during PVD process. The obtained R2 and RMSE values between the actual and predicted values were 0.997 and 2.07e−2, respectively. Overall, these results indicated that PVD could be a desirable technique for the drying of hawthorn slices processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The discovery of new natural sources has brought increased attention to the development of functional foods. The hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida Bge.) fruit is an underutilized fruit due to its benefits for human health and good taste. It contains a variety of bioactive ingredients, contributing to its multiple beneficial functions and applications. This review summarized and discussed the main bioactive ingredients, beneficial functions based on in vitro, in vivo, and human studies, and different applications of the hawthorn fruit according to the updated literature in the past 3 years. Hawthorn berries contain phenolic acids, flavonoids, proanthocyanidins, pectin, and many other bioactive components, which have a variety of beneficial functions, such as antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, antibacterial, antidiabetic, intestinal protection, cardiovascular protection, hepatoprotection, anti‐cancer, and neuroprotection. Its potential molecular mechanism and different food‐related applications such as hawthorn wine and antioxidant drink are discussed in detail in this review. Additionally, hawthorn berries are shown to be safe when consumed within the proper dosage. Collectively, this updated review indicates that the hawthorn fruit can be a new dietary source of bioactive ingredients with multiple beneficial functions and can be affordably developed into functional and medicinal foods for the prevention and management of certain chronic diseases.

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Copyright of China Condiment is the property of China Condiment 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.)

In recent years, people have had more expectations from the developed technology in medicine, especially in the field of orthopedics and traumatology. Tissue engineers are interested in techniques that benefit from patients' cells and biomaterials, instead of prostheses and implants. On the other hand, researchers have begun to use various medicinal plants for regeneration and anti-cancer studies. In the present study, we aimed to produce cartilage and bone inductive scaffolds for osteochondral tissue engineering applications with the addition of hawthorn or elderberry extracts. Firstly, wet electro-spun poly (3-hydroxybutyric acid-co-3-hydroxyvaleric acid) fibers were integrated with a loofah mat. Then, they were impregnated into chitosan solution with/without hawthorn or elderberry extract. Composite hydrogel scaffolds were obtained by cross-linking with 0.3% (w/v) genipin. Fabricated scaffolds had more than 90% porosity and showed swelling capacity in the range of 1500–2200%. Based on the in vitro biocompatibility analyses using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), all the fabricated scaffolds were found to be biocompatible by WST-1, ALP activity, and GAG content analysis. Also, histological/immunohistochemical analyses showed that hawthorn and elderberry extract addition increased MSCs proliferation and collagen type I and II positivity. Consequently, all the scaffolds showed promising features for osteochondral tissue engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advancements in new treatment methods are becoming increasingly necessary due to a longer life expectancy, particularly in the field of osteochondral tissue engineering. In the present study, osteochondral tissue scaffolds with/without the addition of hawthorn or elderberry extracts were fabricated. Poly(ethylene glycol) diglycidyl ether (PEGDE) cross‐linked carboxymethyl chitosan hydrogel scaffold matrix was used as a control group. The addition of the plant extracts resulted in open porous structures with pore sizes around 100–450 μm and elastic modulus between 0.5 and 0.7 MPa, biomimicking the osteochondral tissue. Scaffolds containing either plant extract showed a high swelling tendency (1500–1750%) and a delayed release of the extracts after a week. Furthermore, the weight loss of the scaffolds after an enzymatic degradation for 56 days was ~30%. In addition, in vitro biocompatibility analyses were performed using bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cells confirming non‐cytotoxicity for all the scaffold types. Biochemical assessment of alkaline phosphatase activity and glycosaminoglycan content yielded results consistent with osteochondral scaffold requirements. Finally, immunohistochemical analyses indicated that the plant extract addition, especially elderberry, increased collagen type I and type II formation. As a result, the addition of both hawthorn and elderberry extracts is a promising approach to osteochondral tissue regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study on the hypolipidemic effect of turmeric combined with hawthorn on C57BL/6 obese mice and its possible mechanism. C57 mice were fed with 60% high‐fat diet for 8 weeks to establish an obesity model, and 4 mice were slaughtered to verify whether the modeling was successful. The successful mice were divided into model group (HFD), positive group (high fat feed group [HFD] + simvastatin group [SIM]), turmeric group (HFD + TUR), hawthorn group (HFD + HAW), and para‐medicine group (HFD + para‐drug group [DOU]) for 4 weeks by gavage intervention. Different intervention groups had certain lipid‐lowering effects, and the para‐medicine group showed significant differences (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, p < 0.001) in reducing serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, glutamic acid transaminase (ALT), glutamic acid transaminase (AST), and increasing high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol. In the para‐medicine group, the protein expression of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor γ, fatty acid synthase, platelet‐reactive protein receptor 36, and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α were significantly downregulated, and the protein expression of carnitine palmitoyl transferase1 and peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor α protein expression (p < 0.01, p < 0.001), thus suggesting that turmeric and hawthorn are superior to turmeric and hawthorn alone in enhancing lipid metabolism‐related mechanisms. Combined effects of turmeric and hawthorn improve lipid metabolism in mice, protect the liver, and improve the protein expression of liver‐related genes. This study can lay the theoretical basis for the future association of medicinal food products and the development of related weight loss products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Over the past few years, there has been a gradual increase in the incidence of cancer, affecting individuals at younger ages. With its refractory nature and substantial fatality rate, cancer presents a notable peril to human existence and wellbeing. Hawthorn, amedicinal food homology plant belonging to the Crataegus genus in the Rosaceae family, holds great value in various applications. Due to its long history of medicinal use, notable effects, and high safety profile, hawthorn has garnered considerable attention and plays a crucial role in cancer treatment. Through the integration of modern network pharmacology technology and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), a range of anticancer active ingredients in hawthorn have been predicted, identified, and analyzed. Studies have shown that ingredients such as vitexin, isoorientin, ursolic acid, and maslinic acid, along with hawthorn extracts, can effectivelymodulate cancer-related signaling pathways and manifest anticancer properties via diverse mechanisms. This review employs network pharmacology to excavate the potential anticancer properties of hawthorn. By systematically integrating literature across databases such as PubMed and CNKI, the review explores the bioactive ingredients with anticancer effects, underlying mechanisms and pathways, the synergistic effects of drug combinations, advancements in novel drug delivery systems, and ongoing clinical trials concerning hawthorn's anticancer properties. Furthermore, the review highlights the preventive health benefits of hawthorn in cancer prevention, offering valuable insights for clinical cancer treatment and the development of TCM with anticancer properties that can be used for both medicinal and edible purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The hawthorn fruit is an interesting medicinal plant that has several biological features, especially related to anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and immune-modulating actions, and boosting general health. In this study, we aimed to clarify the immunological effects of hawthorn vinegar on immunity and general health. We also focused on three different production processes to improve the antioxidant activity of hawthorn vinegar (2) Methods: In the study, besides the traditional production of hawthorn vinegar (N), thermal pasteurization (P) and ultrasound (U) techniques were applied to vinegars. A total of 56 female adult Wistar albino rats were randomly allocated into seven groups; Control, N0.5 (regular vinegar; 0.5 mL/kgbw), N1 (regular vinegar; 1 mL/kgbw), P0.5 (pasteurized vinegar; 0.5 mL/kgbw), P1 (pasteurized vinegar; 1 mL/kgbw), U0.5 (ultrasound treated vinegar; 0.5 mL/kgbw), and U1 (ultrasound treated vinegar; 1 mL/kgbw). Vinegars were administered by oral gavage daily. The average weight gains, body mass index, and blood hematological parameters were measured, and the Neutrophil Lymphocyte ratio was calculated. The plasma IL-1β and TNF-α values, and MDA, IL-1β and TNF-α values of intestinal tissue, were determined. Also, the streptavidin–biotin–peroxidase complex method was applied to determine the expressions of TNF-α and IL-1β in duodenum. (3) Results: There was a decreasing tendency in the average weight gains in all vinegar groups compared to the control group. In addition, there was an increase in NL ratio in all vinegar groups, although not significant. There were no statistical differences among all vinegar groups, although decreases were observed in plasma IL-1β. Also, the plasma TNF-α values showed slight increases in high-dose-of-vinegar groups (N1, P1 and U1), although not significant. In addition, the intestinal tissue IL-1β value tended to increase in groups N0.5, N1 and P0.5, while it tended to decrease in P1, U0.5 and U1. On the other hand, there were slight increases in the TNF-α values of intestinal tissue in all groups compared to control, although these were not significant. Furthermore, the intensive expressions of TNF-α and IL-1β were determined in groups U0.5 and U1. (4) Conclusions: The results suggest that either high doses or ultrasound applications of hawthorn vinegar have positive effects on intestinal health, boosting immunity and general health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fruit skin color is an important trait of the hawthorn tree, which has an important influence on fruit quality. Crataegus pinnatifida Bge. var. Major N.E.Br. Is one of the most widely cultivated varieties in China and has a long history of medicinal use. In recent years, it has attracted the attention of the world due to its nutritional and medicinal values. Skin color is the focus of breeders and food processors. At present, skin color-related genes have still not been mapped. In this study, "Shandong Da Mianqiu" (\, red skin color), "Da Huang Mianzha" (_, yellow skin color) and 131 F1 hybrids were used to construct genetic map of hawthorn by RAD-seq, and QTL mapping was performed by combining these features with the hue angle and the observed color. In this study, 13,260 SNP was assigned to 17 linkage groups, with an integrated map covering 2,297.75 cM was constructed. A total of 5 QTLs related to hawthorn skin color were detected on LG1, LG3 and LG15. Whether hue angle or pericarp color acts as phenotype for QTL mapping, the candidate genes include bHLH086, WD repeat regions and Myb-like. bHLH, WDand Myb play an important role in the color regulation of Hawthorn skin color. These results lay a solid foundation for QTL mapping and molecular markerassisted breeding of hawthorn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Competition among trees plays a pivotal role in shaping the development, structure, and dynamics of forests, prompting ecologists to delve into quantifying these interactions. The vast forests spanning Lorestan province, covering an area of 1,112,475 ha, represent significant ecosystems within the Middle Zagros region, predominantly characterized by Iranian oak. Within these forests, Hawthorn stands out as a crucial wood species, frequently found as a companion species and occasionally forming pure forests in specific areas. This study was conducted to investigate and compare crown competition and spatial distribution patterns of Hawthorn across two distinct forest formations and companion species. Materials and Methods: In this study, two distinct forest habitats, Khoshkeroud (predominantly hawthorn) and Perk (dominated by oak), located in Khorramabad, were analyzed. Following a thorough survey of the forests to pinpoint areas rich in Hawthorn species and conducive for crown competition assessments, approximately 45 ha of suitable study areas were delineated. Within these relatively uniformly distributed forest zones, 45 central Hawthorn trees were identified, each exhibiting crown overlap with at least one neighboring tree. To identify competing trees, the crown overlap method was employed. The level of competition was quantified by assessing the ratio of the central tree's crown size to that of its neighbors. Spatial patterns were analyzed using the uniform angle index. Various data, including the distance and azimuth of neighboring trees, the height of central trees, and the crown diameters of both reference trees and competitors, were meticulously recorded. Given the non-normal distribution of the data, as indicated by the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, the non-parametric Mann-Whitney test was applied to compare means across the studied variables. This comprehensive methodology aimed to shed light on the intricate dynamics of crown competition and spatial distribution patterns within these distinct forest ecosystems, offering valuable insights into the interplay among tree species in these habitats. Results: The distinct characteristics of the Khoshkeroud and Perk habitats manifest in notable differences in species types and diversity within these environments. Notably, the average distance to influential neighbors in terms of competition reveals a substantial contrast, even when other characteristics exhibit minimal divergence. Specifically, the BDC index highlights a significant dissimilarity between the two habitats: in Khoshkeroud, central trees contend with up to four neighboring trees, whereas in Perk, central trees typically interact with a maximum of three neighbors whose crowns overlap. Moreover, the composition of influential neighbors varies markedly between the two habitats. In Perk, over 80% of neighboring trees belong to species other than Hawthorn, while in Khoshkeroud, these non-Hawthorn species constitute only a small fraction of the neighboring tree population. Further accentuating the habitat disparities, the results derived from the uniform angle index underscore distinct spatial distribution patterns of Hawthorn species in the Khoshkeroud and Perk habitats. Despite the pronounced differences in species composition and spatial arrangement, the competition index results concerning reference trees do not exhibit significant disparities between the two habitats. This finding of this study suggests that while the ecological dynamics and species interactions vary considerably between Khoshkeroud and Perk, the impact on competition levels among reference trees remains relatively consistent across these diverse forest environments. Conclusion: Given the Hawthorn genus's potential for afforestation of degraded regions in the Zagros area, attributed to its valuable traits like edible fruits and its role as a pioneer and nurse species, the findings of this study offer practical insights for afforestation and forestry practices. The implications of this research extend to the realm of reforestation strategies, emphasizing the significance of leveraging Hawthorn's characteristics for sustainable land restoration and forest management efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The common hawthorn (Crataegus rhipidophylla Gand.) is a typical representative of arid woodland species of Piedmont Dagestan. It grows in the lower, middle, and upper mountain zones. Identification of patterns of intraspecific and interpopulation diversity, including quantitative traits of annual shoots and their adaptive manifestations under conditions of introduction, makes it possible to determine the optimum of the species and the adaptive potential to specific arid growing conditions. The results of an ecological–geographical experiment on the altitudinal gradient of common hawthorn using the example of an annual shoot are presented. This study was carried out using a unique research assembly "System of experimental bases located along an altitude gradient (1100 and 1700 m above sea level)." Plants grown from seeds collected in different conditions of arid areas were studied. To study adaptive changes using the example of an annual shoot under introduction conditions, ten quantitative traits and one qualitative trait (hairs) of the shoot and leaf were studied. The research results were processed and evaluated using descriptive statistics, correlation, cluster, and two-factor analysis of variance. The degree and structure of variability in the quantitative traits of the annual shoot and leaf were revealed, and the presence of population–geographic differentiation was established based on the traits of "shoot length," "number of leaves," and "number of thorns" depending on the germination conditions of the samples. Differences between the samples in terms of the quantitative and qualitative characteristics were determined; with growing altitude above sea level, the increase in the "number of thorns" and hairs on the shoot and leaf can be considered as one of the adaptive mechanisms of vegetative organs to the abiotic factors of the arid climate in mountain conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The geographical origin was one of the important factors affecting the quality of hawthorn. To discriminate the geographical origin of hawthorn rapidly and nondestructively, hawthorns from five different provincial production areas were used as samples, and visible-shortwave infrared (410~2500 nm) band hyperspectral data were obtained for the pedicel face (G), side (C), and bottom (D) of each sample by using a near-infrared hyperspectral imaging system. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), support vector machine (SVM), and random forests (RF) classification models were built by multivariate scattering correction (MSC), first derivative (D1), SG smoothing (Savitzky-Golay, SG), and standard normal transform (SNV) four preprocessing methods. The results showed that the D-D1-SVM model discriminated optimally, with 100% accuracy in both the training and prediction sets. To simplify the model, successive projections algorithm (SPA) and competitive adaptive reweighted sampling algorithm (CARS) were applied to select feature wavelength. The multivariate data analysis revealed that the D-SPA-SVM model had the best performance, with an accuracy of 95.2% and 93% for the training and prediction sets, respectively. This study could provide technical support for rapid and non-destructive identification of hawthorn origin.

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Cardiovascular diseases are a broadly understood concept focusing on vascular and heart dysfunction. Lack of physical exercise, type 2 diabetes, obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, thromboembolism, and kidney and lung diseases all contribute to the development of heart and blood vessel dysfunction. Although effective and important, traditional treatment with diuretics, statins, beta blockers, calcium inhibitors, ACE inhibitors, and anti-platelet drugs remains a second-line treatment after dietary interventions and lifestyle changes. Scientists worldwide are still looking for an herbal product that would be effective and free from side effects, either taken together with or before the standard pharmacological intervention. Such herbal-originated medication therapy may include Morus alba L. (white mulberry), Elaeagnus rhamnoides (L.) A. Nelson (sea-buckthorn), Allium sativum L. (garlic), Convallaria majalis L. (lily of the valley), Leonurus cardiaca L. (motherwort), and Crataegus spp. (hawthorn). Valuable herbal raw materials include leaves, fruits, seeds, and even thorns. This short review focuses on six herbs that can constitute an interesting and potential therapeutic option in the management of cardiovascular disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Hawthorn is a type of natural food with significant medicinal and nutritional properties; it has been listed in the "Both Food and Drug" list by the Chinese Ministry of Health Item List since 1997. However, hawthorn varieties have complex origins, and there are significant differences in the content, type, and medicinal efficacy of the chemically active ingredients in different varieties of hawthorn. This leads to the phenomenon of mixed varieties and substandard products being passed off as high-quality. In this work, by using headspace gas chromatography–ion mobility spectrometry (HS-GC-IMS), we identified and analyzed volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in four varieties of hawthorn, establishing their characteristic fingerprints. As a result, a total of 153 peaks were detected, and 139 VOCs were also identified. As shown by the fingerprint profiles, the different hawthorn samples contained different VOCs. Meanwhile, by using principal component analysis (PCA), Euclidean distance, and partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), the relationship between the VOCs found in the different varieties of hawthorn was revealed. This study developed a simple, fast, accurate, and sensitive method for identifying, tracking, and evaluating hawthorn varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional Chinese herb hawthorn is gaining attention for its potential to lower lipid levels due to its active components that positively influence lipid metabolism. Our meta-analysis of fourteen randomized controlled trials compared traditional Chinese medicine containing hawthorn with conventional lipid-lowering drugs for hyperlipidemia. Hawthorn-based medicine showed promise in reducing total cholesterol and triglycerides while increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, albeit less effective than standard drugs in lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. However, caution is needed due to methodological limitations in some trials, emphasizing the importance of further well-designed studies to clarify hawthorn's efficacy in managing hyperlipidemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Since antiquity, lots of plants used in perfumery have been forgotten for different reasons. They could be of huge interest for scientific investigations, but also for developing natural perfumery ingredients. Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna Jacq.) was mainly used in scented oils, ‘antique’ oils and ointments during the nineteenth century in perfumery; before being replaced with synthetic materials. This study presents new insights into the phytochemical and olfactory profile of hawthorn, to investigate its interest in perfumery and cosmetics. Obtained by hydrodistillation of frozen flowering aerial parts, the Provencal Crataegus monogyna volatile extract showed an aniseed, green fragrance. A total of 105 components were identified using GC/MS and GC/FID techniques, accounting for 96.4% of the total GC/FID chromatogram. The volatile profile is mainly composed of hydrocarbons, oxygenated monoterpenes and aldehydes, among which linalool (20.3 ± 0.2%) appeared to be the most abundant. A strong anti-elastase (anti-ageing) activity was also highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Sleep is essential for overall health, yet various sleep disorders disrupt normal sleep patterns, affecting duration, quality, and timing. This pilot study investigate the impact of a food supplement (SPINOFF®) on both sleep quality and mental well-being in 41 participants (mean age: 45.3 years). Initial assessments revealed sleep disturbances (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index—PSQ—mean score: 8.2) and insomnia symptoms (Insomnia Severity Index—ISI— mean score: 12.7). Mental health assessments showed psychological distress (Dass-21 Depression mean score: 4.2, Anxiety mean score: 6.9, Stress mean score: 11.6, Total mean score: 22.7). This study assessed sleep continuity using Awakenings per Night (ApN) via a smartwatch (HELO HEALTH®) and conducted the study in two phases: baseline (T0) and after 30 days of treatment (T1) (Phase A). No placebo-control was used in this study. After 30 days (Phase B), 21 patients were selected for reassessment. Eleven continued treatment for another 30 days (T2), while ten discontinued. Following the intervention, we observed remarkable improvements in sleep quality and mental distress. The SPINOFF® supplement significantly reduced the PSQI scores (22.4%), indicating enhanced sleep quality. Additionally, there was a 19.6% decrease in ISI scores, demonstrating a reduction in insomnia symptoms. Moreover, overall psychological distress decreased by 19.5% signifying improved psychological well-being. In the second phase, participants who continued treatment experienced more substantial improvements, with a mean decrease of 0.8 points in PSQI scores (±0.9) and a mean decrease of 0.9 points in ISI scores. Our findings suggest that the SPINOFF® supplement has the potential to effectively address both sleep disturbances and psychological distress in our study population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two exsiccata sampled at the end of the 19th century, and wrongly identified as Pyrus torminalis or Sorbus torminalis in the herbarium of Francesco Tornabene at Catania, belonged to a woody species never reported to occur in Sicily, Crataegus coccinea. This hawthorn, native to eastern North America, grew in two different sites located on the foothills of Mt. Etna. These records are of interest because they represent the first and only ones concerning the occurrence of this species outside botanic gardens in southern Europe. Never observed by the botanists who explored Sicily over the following 130 years, C. coccinea has probably experienced a short period of success as an ornamental plant cultivated in public and private gardens. The available information does not allow us to establish with certainty whether this species was fully naturalised in the Etnean territory in the past or not. C. coccinea should therefore be regarded as a dubious alien plant for Sicily. In the following decades this hawthorn was unable to become established, probably because of the severe constraints of fully Mediterranean climatic conditions.

Objective: To evaluate the weight loss effect of turmeric combined with hawthorn and explore its weight loss mechanism. Methods: Thirty-two C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into four groups: normal group, normal intervention group, high-fat group and high-fat intervention group, 8 mice in each group. The mice were gavaged with the corresponding drugs regularly every day, and the changes of adiposity, leanness, food intake and water consumption were detected regularly every week. The random blood glucose of the mice was measured at the same time every two weeks, after 12 weeks, the mice were removed from the cervical spine and the specimens were collected. The contents of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were measured in serum. The morphological changes of fat and liver tissue were observed by HE staining of epididymal fat and liver. The relative mRNA expressions of cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1), fatty acid synthase (FAS), Liver X Receptorα (LXRα), Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 2 (SREBP2), Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein (SREBP1C), Steary-coenzyme A dehydro-synthase-1 (SCD1) in liver were measured by real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results: Compared with the high-fat group, the body mass, fat percentage, TG, TC, LDL-C of mice in the high-fat intervention group were significantly decreased, lean meat percentage and HDL-C were significantly increased (P

The enzyme-assisted approaches for plant phenolics extraction are more eco-friendly methods compared to acid or alkaline hydrolysis. Carbohydrase enzymes can release free phenolics from plant materials by cleaving the glycosidic bonds between phenolic compounds and cell wall polymers. In this study, the efficiency of carbohydrase-assisted treatment approaches was evaluated to extract bioactive phenolics from hawthorn (Crataegus orientalis) fruit residues. Enzymatic treatment of the fruits was operated by using a crude cellulolytic enzyme cocktail from Rhizomucor miehei NRRL 5282 and a pectinase preparate from Aspergillus niger. Both cellulase and combined cellulase–pectinase treatments improved the total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity of extracts. The TPC increased to 1899 ± 27 mg gallic acid equivalents/100 g dry matter during the combined enzyme treatment, showing a strong correlation with the average antioxidant capacity determined by ferric-reducing antioxidant power (1.7-fold increment) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (1.15-fold increment) reagents. The major phenolics in enzyme-treated extracts were vanillic and ferulic acids, the concentrations of which increased 115.6-fold and 93.9-fold, respectively, during carbohydrase treatment. The planktonic growth of Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Chromobacterium violaceum was slightly inhibited by the extracts with minimum inhibitory concentration values between 15.0 and 77.9 mg/mL, while the yeasts tested were quite resistant to the samples. B. subtilis and yeast biofilms were sensitive to the enzyme-treated extracts, which also showed quorum-sensing inhibitory effects against C. violaceum. The obtained bioactive hawthorn extracts hold potential as a natural source of antioxidants and antimicrobials.

The food industry is intensifying its effort to enrich food composition in various nutrients through animal feeding, but these challenges can be limited by the costly feed resources, water scarcity, and pesticide pollution, making it crucial to explore alternative feedstuffs with fewer requirements. Blackthorns and hawthorns are characterized by their rich phytochemical and antioxidant profiles, suggesting their potential to enhance the performance of ruminants though the supply of bioactive substances. Our study revealed their rich composition of micronutrients; hawthorns showed a remarkable amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids (57.23 g FAME/100 g total FAME), particularly omega-3 and omega-6, while blackthorn presented higher concentration of monounsaturated fatty acids, specifically oleic acid (56.99 g FAME/100 g total FAME). In terms of lipo-soluble antioxidants, blackthorn exhibited higher levels of xanthophyll and vitamin E (123.83 mg/kg DM), including its isomers (alpha, gamma, and delta). Concerning the water-soluble antioxidants, hawthorns showed elevated composition of the total content of flavonoids and polyphenols, comparing with blackthorn. Moreover, hawthorns showed a high antioxidant capacity, as assessed through DPPH, ABTS, and TAC analyses. In terms of the scavenging capacity of blackthorn and hawthorn against superoxide radicals, blackthorn had higher radical scavenging potential against superoxide radicals, compared to hawthorn.

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High-voltage electrostatic field assisted freezing (HVEF) and freeze-thaw (H-FT) pretreatment were conducted before the microwave freeze drying to improve the quality of freeze-dried hawthorn. The hawthorn samples were frozen at electric field intensities of 0, 1, 3, and 5 kV/cm (C, HVEF1, HVEF3, and HVEF5, respectively), and freeze-thawed in one to three cycles (H-FT1, H-FT2, and H-FT3, respectively) under the selected electric field intensity of 3 kV/cm. The control group was freeze-thawed in two cycles and without electric field treatment (CFT2). The results showed that the drying time of HVEF- and H-FT-treated hawthorn was reduced by 8–25% compared with that of the untreated hawthorn. The HVEF and H-FT pretreatments also affected the quality of hawthorn. Among the samples treated with HVEF, the total phenolic content of HVEF3 samples was the highest (46.31 mg GAE/g), followed by that of HVEF5 (41.87 mg GAE/g) and HVEF1 (37.25 mg GAE/g) samples. Similarly, among the samples treated with H-FT, the total anthocyanin content of H-FT2 samples was the highest (1.50 mg C-3-G eqiv/g), followed by that of H-FT1 (1.34 mg C-3-G eqiv/g) and H-FT3 (0.87 mg C-3-G eqiv/g) samples. Additionally, the H-FT2 treatment led to higher hardness (16.60 N), rehydration capacity (3.47 g/g), and total phenolic content (38.19 mg GAE/g) than the CFT2 treatment. In conclusion, H-FT2 improved the quality of hawthorn. This study lays a foundation for producing high-quality dried hawthorn using H-FT pretreatment, reducing the drying time and thereby improving drying efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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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]