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Nitrogen fertilizer is the most frequently used fertilizer in the cultivation of medicinal plants, and has a significant contribution to their yields and quality. Yet, there is biased and excessive N application in medicinal crops. This study aims to quantitatively analyze the recommended N application concentrations for diverse medicinal species and disentangle the intricate relationships between soil fertility, N application rate (NAR), and the quality/yield of medicinal crops. We first characterized 179 medicinal species and 7 classes of phytometabolites therein, including terpenoids, flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, phenolics, alkaloids, etc., reported during the past three decades from the phylogenetic and spatial perspectives. The relationships between soil fertility, NAR, and medicinal crops were then subjected to statistical analyses. The pharmaco-phylogenetic and geographic distributions of NAR suggest that the impact of ecological/environmental factors on the N demand of medicinal plants was much greater than that of genetic endowments. We found that different medicinal species were distinct in N demand, which is related to soil fertility levels in different production areas. The NAR reported by China, 215.6 ± 18.6 kg/ha, was higher than that of other countries (152.2 ± 20.3 kg/ha; p = 0.023). Moderate N application generally increases the yield and phytometabolite content of medicinal crops, but excessive N application has the opposite effect. It is necessary to plan N concentration and formula fertilization on a case-by-case basis and with reference to empirical research. Our results provide baseline information and references for the rational application of N fertilizer in the precision agriculture of medicinal crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen fertilizer is the most frequently used fertilizer in the cultivation of medicinal plants, and has a significant contribution to their yields and quality. Yet, there is biased and excessive N application in medicinal crops. This study aims to quantitatively analyze the recommended N application concentrations for diverse medicinal species and disentangle the intricate relationships between soil fertility, N application rate (NAR), and the quality/yield of medicinal crops. We first characterized 179 medicinal species and 7 classes of phytometabolites therein, including terpenoids, flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, phenolics, alkaloids, etc., reported during the past three decades from the phylogenetic and spatial perspectives. The relationships between soil fertility, NAR, and medicinal crops were then subjected to statistical analyses. The pharmaco-phylogenetic and geographic distributions of NAR suggest that the impact of ecological/environmental factors on the N demand of medicinal plants was much greater than that of genetic endowments. We found that different medicinal species were distinct in N demand, which is related to soil fertility levels in different production areas. The NAR reported by China, 215.6 ± 18.6 kg/ha, was higher than that of other countries (152.2 ± 20.3 kg/ha; p = 0.023). Moderate N application generally increases the yield and phytometabolite content of medicinal crops, but excessive N application has the opposite effect. It is necessary to plan N concentration and formula fertilization on a case-by-case basis and with reference to empirical research. Our results provide baseline information and references for the rational application of N fertilizer in the precision agriculture of medicinal crops.

Gastrodia elata Blume (Tianma in Chinese), a myco-heterotrophic orchid, is widely distributed in China. Tubers derived from this orchid are traditionally used as both medicinal and edible materials. At present, five primary varieties of G. elata are recorded in the "Flora of China." Among them, the three main varieties currently in artificial cultivation are G. elata f. elata (GR, red stem), G. elata f. glauca (GB, black stem), and G. elata f. viridis (GG, green stem). In our study, the metabolic profiles and chemical composition of these three varieties were determined via UPLC-MS/MS and HPLC-UV. In total, 11,132 metabolites were detected, from which multiple phytometabolites were identified as aromatic compounds, heteroatomic compounds, furans, carbohydrates, organic acids, and their derivatives. A number of differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) were annotated as bioactive ingredients. Overall, parishins, vanilloloside, and gastrodin A/B in the GB group were markedly higher, whereas gastrodin, gastrol, and syringic acid were more enriched in the GG or GR groups. Moreover, HPLC fingerprint analysis also found six metabolites used as markers for the identification of Gastrodiae Rhizoma in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, which were also typical DEMs in metabolomics. Of these, gastrodin, 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol, citric acid, and adenosine were quantitatively detected, showing a similar result with the metabolomic data. In summary, our findings provide novel insights into the phytochemical ingredients of different G. elata varieties, highlighting diverse biological activities and healthcare value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastrodia elata Blume (Tianma in Chinese), a myco-heterotrophic orchid, is widely distributed in China. Tubers derived from this orchid are traditionally used as both medicinal and edible materials. At present, five primary varieties of G. elata are recorded in the "Flora of China." Among them, the three main varieties currently in artificial cultivation are G. elata f. elata (GR, red stem), G. elata f. glauca (GB, black stem), and G. elata f. viridis (GG, green stem). In our study, the metabolic profiles and chemical composition of these three varieties were determined via UPLC-MS/MS and HPLC-UV. In total, 11,132 metabolites were detected, from which multiple phytometabolites were identified as aromatic compounds, heteroatomic compounds, furans, carbohydrates, organic acids, and their derivatives. A number of differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) were annotated as bioactive ingredients. Overall, parishins, vanilloloside, and gastrodin A/B in the GB group were markedly higher, whereas gastrodin, gastrol, and syringic acid were more enriched in the GG or GR groups. Moreover, HPLC fingerprint analysis also found six metabolites used as markers for the identification of Gastrodiae Rhizoma in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, which were also typical DEMs in metabolomics. Of these, gastrodin, 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol, citric acid, and adenosine were quantitatively detected, showing a similar result with the metabolomic data. In summary, our findings provide novel insights into the phytochemical ingredients of different G. elata varieties, highlighting diverse biological activities and healthcare value., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The reviewer JD declared a shared affiliation with the authors to the handling editor at the time of review., (Copyright © 2023 Zeng, Li, Chen, Li and Guo.)

Around 70-80% of drugs used in traditional Tibetan medicine (TTM) come from Qinghai Tibet Plateau, the majority of which are plants. The biological and medicinal culture diversity on Qinghai Tibet Plateau are amazing and constitute a less tapped resource for innovative drug research and development. Meanwhile, the problem of the exhausting Tibetan medicine resources is worrying. Here, the latest awareness, as well as the gaps of the traditional Tibetan medicinal plant issues in drug development and clinical usage of TTM compounds, was systematically reviewed and highlighted. The TTM resource studies should be enhanced within the context of deeper and more extensive investigations of molecular biology and genomics of TTM plants, phytometabolites and metabolomics and ethnopharmacology-based bioactivity, thus enabling the sustainable conservation and exploitation of Tibetan medicinal resource.

Background: Salvia is the largest genus of family Lamiaceae and has nearly 1000 species. This genus produces several representative phytometabolites, e.g., diterpenoids and phenolic acids. The traditional uses in ethnomedicine and contemporary experimental studies have corroborated extensive therapeutic efficacy of Salvia plants. Drug metabolism and pharmacokinetic (DMPK) studies of Salvia natural products and their derivatives are indispensable in the optimization of lead compounds. New chemical entity with improved DMPK profiles is preferred. So far, there are few summaries concerning about the DMPK features of Salvia derived medicinal compounds. Tanshinones and Salvianolic acids raise concerns of herb-drug interaction. DMPK studies of various Salvia species, especially Salvia miltiorrhiza, are swiftly increasing., Objective: Here, the latest awareness, as well as the gaps of the DMPK issues in drug development and clinical usage of Salvia compounds, was highlighted., Conclusion: Herb-herb interactions of Salvia-containing traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) medicine pair/formula significantly impact the PK/pharmacodynamic performance of compounds thereof, which may inspire researchers to develop novel herbal formula. While the absorption, distribution, metabolism, elimination and toxicity (ADME/T) of some tanshinones and Salvianolic acids have been outlined, DMPK studies should be extended to more compounds, Salvia species, and Salvia-containing formulations. In the context of systems pharmacology, the DMPK knowledgebase is expected to streamline the Salvia-based drug discovery and development., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.)

Introduction: Although investigations in metabolism and pharmacokinetics of Ranunculales phytometabolites are booming, data obtained from human and animal studies have not been summarized as a whole to outline current trends and to predict future development., Areas Covered: Here, we highlight the current knowledge, as well as the challenges around the DMPK (drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics) associated concerns in streamlining drug research and therapeutic use of Ranunculales phytometabolites. Data from various in vivo and in vitro models are classified and discussed. DMPK characteristics of Ranunculales phytometabolites are summarized and presented according to the phylogenetic relationship of families and genera. This review also presents an overview of the complex interaction between drug metabolizing enzymes/transporters and phytochemicals, as well as of the most advanced approaches in the relevant field., Expert Opinion: Since species-specific differences in DMPK exist, data obtained from animal studies may not be sufficient to predict drug metabolism reactions in humans. Omics-based methodologies (genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, microbiomics, and metabolomics) should be used to enhance the reliability of DMPK prediction. The fluorescent probes may bridge the gap between conventional models and in vivo clinical studies in humans and provide a consistent basis for DMPK assay development.