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Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Acorus tatarinowii Rhizoma, a traditional Chinese medicine known for open the orifices and transform phlegm, is used in the treatment of brain disorders. The essential oil of Acorus tatarinowii Rhizoma (EOAT) has demonstrated neuroprotective properties clinically. However, research into its effect on Olfactory Dysfunction (OD) remains limited., Aim of the Study: This study aimed to investigate the effects and mechanisms of sniffing EOAT on improving olfactory function in a 3-Methylindole (3-MI)-induced OD mouse model., Materials and Methods: The research involved intraperitoneal injection of 3-MI to induce OD in mice. The effects of EOAT treatment were assessed on olfactory function, olfactory bulb (OB) pathology, inflammatory factors, olfactory marker protein (OMP), microglial activation, and related pathway proteins and mRNA., Results: Based on the GC-MS analysis results of EOAT and network pharmacology studies, we predicted 18 targets associated with the treatment of OD. SLC6A3, MAOB, DRD1, and PTGS2 were identified as the core targets of EOAT against OD. Molecular docking and KEGG enrichment results indicated that EOAT may exert anti-inflammatory effects by acting on the core target PTGS2, with its anti-inflammatory mechanism possibly related to the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Subsequent animal experiments confirmed that inhalation of EOAT significantly increased the body weight of OD model mice, shortened the foraging time, enhanced the expression of OMP in OB, reduced damage to the OB cells, and improved olfactory function. Meanwhile, EOAT significantly alleviated the inflammatory response in OB of OD model mice, inhibited the activation of microglial cells, and suppressed the expression of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway proteins and mRNA., Conclusion: EOAT inhalation could improve olfactory function in 3-MI-induced OD model. The underlying mechanism may be related to the modulation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Acori graminei Rhizoma is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine for treating TD, with its main component being calamus volatile oil. Volatile Oil from Acori graminei Rhizoma (VOA)can protect nerve cells and alleviate learning and memory disorders. However, the mechanism of anti-tic of VOA is still unclear., Aim of the Study: We aimed to explore the effects of Volatile Oil from Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma (VOA) on striatal dopaminergic and glutamatergic systems and synaptic plasticity of rats with Tic Disorder (TD), as well as its pharmaceutical mechanism against TD., Materials and Methods: This study involved 48 (three-week-old) Sprague Dawley (SD) rats, which were randomly divided into two primary groups: Control (8) and TD (40). Rats in the TD group were injected intraperitoneally with 3,3-iminodipropionitrile (IDPN) to construct the TD rat model. They were divided into five subgroups: Model, Tiapride, VOA-high, VOA-medium, and VOA-low (N = 8). After modeling, VOA was administrated to rats in the VOA groups through gavage (once/day for four consecutive weeks), while rats in the blank control and model groups received normal saline of the same volume. The animals' behavioral changes were reflected using the stereotypic and motor behavior scores. After interferences, patterns of striatal neurons and the density of dendritic spines were investigated using H&E and Golgi staining, and the ultrastructure of striatal synapses was examined using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Furthermore, Ca 2+ content was determined using the Ca 2+ detector, and Dopamine (DA) and Glutamate (GLU) contents in serum and striatum were detected through ELISA. Finally, DRD1, DRD2, AMPAR1, NMPAR1, DAT, VMAT2, CAMKⅡ, and CREB expression in the striatum was detected using Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), Western Blotting (WB) and Immunohistochemical (IHC) methods., Results: Compared to rats in the blank control and model groups, rats in the VOA groups showed lower stereotypic behavior scores. Furthermore, rats in the VOA groups exhibited relieved, neuron damage and increased quantities of neuronal dendrites and dendritic spines Additionally, based on TEM images show that, the VOA groups showed a clear synaptic structure and increased amounts of postsynaptic dense substances and synaptic vesicles. The VOA groups also exhibited reduced Ca 2+ contents, and upregulation of DRD1, DRD2, DAT, AMPAR1, and NMPAR1 and downregulation of VMAT-2, CAMKⅡ, and CREB in the striatum., Conclusions: In summary, VOA could influence synaptic plasticity by tuning the dopaminergic and glutamatergic systems, thus relieving TD., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) presently stands as the most prevalent neurodegenerative disease. Existing research underscores the pivotal role of insulin signaling in the progression of AD. Acorus tatarinowii Schott (SCP), a traditional Chinese herbal, is employed for AD treatment in China. The volatile oil of Acorus tatarinowii Schott (SCP-oil) is the active component. However, its impact on AD-associated insulin resistance (AD-IR) remains inadequately investigated., Purpose: This study used network pharmacology and experimental to investigate the effects and mechanisms of SCP-oil on cognitive improvement in AD by inhibiting IR., Materials and Methods: GC-Q/TOF-MS was employed to analyze the chemical composition of SCP-oil, while network pharmacology predicted the targets associated with SCP-oil in treating AD-IR to identify its regulatory mechanism. IR in the brain was simulated by intracerebroventricular streptozotocin administration (ICV-STZ). The neuroprotective and cognitive improvement effects of SCP-oil were assessed using the Morris water maze and hematoxylin and eosin, as well as Nissl staining. The expression levels of Neun and proteins related to p-tau, tau, amyloid-beta (Aβ), apoptosis, and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) pathway were measured using immunohistochemistry and Western blotting, respectively. Dexamethasone (DXM)-induced HT22 cells were used for IR modeling. Chemical analysis determined the glucose consumption rate, and periodic acid Schiff staining was employed to detect glycogen deposition. Western Blots were utilized to investigate the expression of characteristic AD proteins, apoptosis-related proteins, and PI3K/AKT pathway-related proteins. The apoptosis rate was detected by flow cytometry. Reverse validation was further performed using LY294002 to evaluate the pharmacodynamic effects of SCP-oil after PI3K/AKT pathway inhibition., Results: A total of 25 chemical constituents were identified in SCP-oil. The network pharmacology findings indicated that SCP-oil holds the potential to ameliorate IR in the brain by activating the PI3K/AKT pathway, thereby improving AD. SCP-oil significantly improved ICV-STZ-induced cognitive dysfunction and pathological damage, reduced neuronal loss, Aβ deposition, and tau protein hyperphosphorylation, inhibited cell apoptosis, and activated the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Neuron loss, Aβ deposition, and tau protein hyperphosphorylation and cell apoptosis were further enhanced following treatment with LY294002, while the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway was further inhibited, and the protective effect of SCP-oil was weakened., Conclusion: SCP-oil exhibited the potential to ameliorate brain IR, inhibiting cell apoptosis by activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, thereby improving learning and memory ability., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All authors disclosed no relevant relationships., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Seven compounds, named β-sitosterol ( 1 ), daucosterol ( 2 ), (+)-pinoresinol-β-D-glucoside ( 3 ), (-)-syringaresinol 4-O-β-D-apiofuranosyl-(1→2)- β-D-glucopyranoside ( 4 ), 4-hydroxybenzoic acid ( 5 ), 2-(3', 4'-dihydroxyphenyl)-1, 3-pepper ring-5-aldehyde ( 6 ) and spinosin ( 7 ) were isolated from the rhizome of Acorus calamus var. angustatus Besser. 3 , 4 , 6 and 7 were isolated from this medicinal plant for the first time. Structures were elucidated by physicochemical properties and extensive spectroscopic analysis, as well as by comparison with literature data. The anti-inflammatory activity and related mechanisms of the seven compounds showed that compounds 1 - 7 all increased the levels of GSH-PX and SOD and decreased the levels of MDA, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6. Compound 4 showed the best effect of anti-inflammatory and Beclin-1 inhibition. These results suggest that compound 4 has stronger anti-inflammatory effect and provide preliminary evidence that the mechanism of action of compound 4 in attenuating LPS-induced inflammatory damage may be related to the inhibition of Beclin-1-dependent autophagy.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: India's ancient texts, the Charak Samhita and Sushruta Samhita, make reference to the traditional medicinal usage of Acorus calamus L. In India and China, it has long been used to cure stomach aches, cuts, diarrhea, and skin conditions. This ability of the rhizome is attributed to its antimicrobial properties. Research studies to date have shown its antimicrobial properties. However, scientific evidence on its mode of action is still lacking., Aim of the Study: Acorus calamus L. rhizome extract and its bioactive fraction exhibits antibacterial effect by modulating membrane permeability and fatty acid composition., Material and Method: The secondary metabolites in the rhizome of A. calamus L. were extracted in hexane using Soxhlet apparatus. The ability of the extract to inhibit multidrug resistant bacterial isolates, namely Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were evaluated using checkerboard assay. Further, the extract was purified using thin layer chromatography, gravity column chromatography, and combiflash chromatography. Structure elucidation of the active compound was done using GC-MS, FT-IR, and UV-Vis spectral scan. The mode of action of the bioactive fraction was determined. Bacterial membrane damage was analyzed using SEM, membrane permeability was determined using SYBR green I and PI dye, leakage of cytoplasmic contents were analyzed using Bradford assay and Fehling's reagent. The ability to inhibit efflux pump of A. baumannii was determined using EtBr accumulation assay and β-lactamase inhibition was analyzed using nitrocefin as substrate. Also, the biofilm inhibition of B. cereus was determined using crystal violet dye. Moreover, the effect of the bioactive fraction on the fatty acid profile of the bacterial membrane was determined by GC-FAME analysis using 37 component FAME mix as standard., Results: Acorus calamus L. rhizome hexane extract (AC-R-H) demonstrated broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against all the isolates tested. AC-R-H extract also significantly reduced the MIC of ampicillin against all tested bacteria, indicating its bacterial resistance modulating properties. The assay guided purification determined Asarone as the major compound present in the bioactive fraction (S-III-BAF). S-III-BAF was found to reduce the MIC of ampicillin against Escherichia coli (100-25 mg/mL), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (15-3.25 mg/mL), Acinetobacter baumannii (12.5-1.56 mg/ml), and Bacillus cereus (10-1.25 mg/mL). Further, it recorded synergistic activity with ampicillin against B. cereus (FICI = 0.365), P. aeruginosa (FICI = 0.456), and A. baumannii (FICI = 0.245). The mode of action of S-III-BAF can be attributed to its ability to disturb the membrane integrity, enhance membrane permeability, reduce biofilm formation, and possibly alter the fatty acid composition of the bacterial cell membranes., Conclusion: The bioactive fraction of AC-R-H extract containing Asarone as the active compound showed antibacterial activity and synergistic interactions with ampicillin against the tested bacterial isolates. Such activity can be attributed to the modulation of fatty acids present in bacterial membranes, which enhances membrane permeability and causes membrane damage., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors whose names are listed immediately below certify that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest (such as honoraria; educational grants; participation in speakers bureaus; membership, employment, consultancies, stock ownership, or other equity interest; and expert testimony or patent-licensing arrangements), or non-financial interest (such as personal or professional relationships, affiliations, knowledge or beliefs) in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript. We (authors) hereby declare the followings: (1) the information in the manuscripts is true, correct and we do not have any conflict of interest, (2) all authors mutually agree that the manuscript is submitted to Journal of Ethnopharmacology, and (3) this work has not been published/submitted or being submitted to another journal., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study aims to investigate the effect of essential oil of Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma on microglial pyroptosis and decipher the underlying mechanism. BV-2 cells were treated with 1 μg·mL~(-1) lipopolysaccharide(LPS) and 10 μmol·L~(-1) nigericin sodium salt for the modeling of pyroptosis. The cells were treated with different doses of essential oil of Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma, and then the cell viability and apoptosis were examined by the CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry, respectively. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin-1β(IL-1β), and interleukin-18(IL-18) were measured by ELISA. The mRNA levels of nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich repeat, and pyrin domain-containing protein 3(NLRP3), apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing CARD(ASC), and cysteine proteinase-1(caspase-1) were determined by qRT-PCR. The immunofluorescence assay was used to detect the expression of ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1(Iba-1) and NLRP3. Western blot was employed to determine the protein levels of B lymphocytoma-2(Bcl-2), Bcl-2 associated X protein(Bax), Iba-1, κB-inhibitor kinase beta(IKKβ), p-IKKβ(Y188), nuclear factor-κB p65(NF-κB p65), p-NF-κB(S536), NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1, cleaved caspase-1, gasdermin D(GSDMD), and GSDMD-N. The results showed that 8, 16, and 32 μg·mL~(-1) essential oil of Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma increased the viability, increased the expression of Bcl-2/Bax, and reduced the apoptosis of the cells exposed to LPS and nigericin sodium salt. In addition, the essential oil inhibited the expression of Iba-1, lowered the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-18, and down-regulated the mRNA levels of NLRP3, ASC, and caspase-1 as well as the protein levels of NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1, p-IKKβ(Y188)/IKKβ, p-NF-κB(S536)/NF-κB p65, cleaved caspase-1, and GSDMD-N. The results indicated that the essential oil of Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma inhibited the NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis of microglia.

Acorus gramineus has a number of beneficial effects, including protective effects against age-related disorders. In this study, the effects of A. gramineus on testosterone production and andropause symptoms were evaluated. We first treated TM3 mouse Leydig cells, responsible for testosterone production, with A. gramineus aqueous extract at different concentrations. In TM3 cells, the testosterone concentration increased in a concentration-dependent manner compared with those in the control. In addition, at 400 μg/mL extract, the mRNA expression level of the steroidogenic enzyme CYP11A1 was increased. Subsequently, 23-week-old Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats exhibiting an age-related reduction in serum testosterone (approximately 80% lower than that in 7-week-old SD rats) were administered A. gramineus aqueous extract for 8 weeks. Serum total testosterone and free testosterone levels were higher and serum estradiol, prostate-specific antigen levels, and total cholesterol levels were lower in the AG50 group ( A. gramineus aqueous extract 50 mg/kg of body weight/day) than in the OLD (control group). The AG50 group also showed significant elevations in sperm count, grip strength, and mRNA expression of StAR , CYP11A1 , 17β-HSD , and CYP17A1 compared with those in the OLD group. In conclusion, A. gramineus aqueous extract facilitated steroidogenesis in Leydig cells, elevated testosterone levels, lowered serum estradiol and total cholesterol levels, and increased muscle strength and sperm count, thus alleviating the symptoms of andropause. These findings suggest that A. gramineus aqueous extract is a potentially effective therapeutic agent against various symptoms associated with andropause.

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) causes substantial mortality and morbidity globally. Current treatments only alleviate symptoms and do not halt secondary injury progression., Objectives: Evaluate the neuroprotective potential of Acorus calamus Linn. (AC) in a Drosophila melanogaster model of high-impact TBI., Methods: Fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) of the Oregon R + strain were administered hydroalcoholic extracts of Acorus calamus Linn. (HAEAC) at concentrations of 25 and 50 µg/mL, 24 h and continuously for 72 h, respectively, following TBI induction. Mortality rate, locomotor function, neurotransmitter levels, and oxidative stress markers were assessed at 24 and 72 h post-injury as outcomemeasures., Results: AC significantly reduced post-TBI mortality and improved locomotor function in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, AC increased acetylcholinesterase, gamma-aminobutyric acid, serotonin, and dopamine levels while reducing glutamate. It also boosted antioxidant activity (superoxide dismutase, glutathione, and catalase) and lowered markers of oxidative damage (malondialdehyde, nitrite)., Conclusions: AC mitigated behavioral deficits, oxidative damage, and neurotransmitter imbalance in fruit flies after TBI. These findings indicate AC may be more effective than individual drugs for TBI therapy. Further research into its neuroprotective phytochemicals is warranted., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Depression is a common and complex mental illness that manifests as persistent episodes of sadness, loss of interest, and decreased energy, which might lead to self-harm and suicide in severe cases. Reportedly, depression affects 3.8 % of the world's population and has been listed as one of the major global public health concerns. In recent years, aromatherapy has been widely used as an alternative and complementary therapy in the prevention and treatment of depression; people can relieve anxiety and depression by sniffing plant aromatic essential oils. Acorus tatarinowii and Panax ginseng essential oils in Chang Shen Hua volatile oil (CSHVO) are derived from Acorus tatarinowii and Panax ginseng, respectively, the main medicines in the famous Chinese medicine prescription Kai Xin San (KXS), Then, these oils are combined with the essential oil of Albizia julibrissin flower to form a new Chinese medicine inhalation preparation, CSHVO. KXS has been widely used in the treatment of depression; however, whether CSHVO can ameliorate depression-like behavior, its pharmacological effects, and the underlying mechanisms of action are yet to be elucidated., Study Design and Methods: A rat model of chronic and unpredictable mild stimulation (CUMS) combined with orphan rearing was treated with CSHVO for 4 weeks. Using behavioral tests (sucrose preference, force swimming, tail suspension, and open field), the depression-like degree was evaluated. Concurrently, brain homogenate and serum biochemistry were analyzed to assess the changes in the neurotransmitters and inflammatory and neurotrophic factors. Furthermore, tissue samples were collected for histological and protein analyses. In addition, network pharmacology and molecular docking analyses of the major active compounds, potential therapeutic targets, and intervention pathways predicted a role of CSHVO in depression relief. Subsequently, these predictions were confirmed by in vitro experiments using a corticosterone (CORT)-induced PC12 cell damage model., Results: CSHVO inhalation can effectively improve the weight and depression-like behavior of depressed rats and regulate the expression of inflammatory factors and neurotransmitters. Hematoxylin-eosin, Nissl, and immunofluorescence staining indicated that compared to the model group, the pathological damage to the brain tissues of rats in the CSHVO groups was improved. The network pharmacological analysis revealed that 144 CSHVO active compounds mediate 71 targets relevant to depression treatment, most of which are rich in the cAMP signaling and inflammatory cytokine pathways. Protein-protein interaction analysis showed that TNF, IL6, and AKT are the core anti-depressive targets of CSHVO. Molecular docking analysis showed an adequate binding between the active ingredients and the key targets. In vitro experiments showed that compared to the model group, the survival rate of PC12 cells induced by CSHVO intervention was increased, the apoptosis rate was decreased, and the expression of inflammatory cytokines in the cell supernatant was improved. Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence staining confirmed that CSHVO regulates PC12 cells in the CORT model through the cAMP-PKA-CREB signaling pathway, and pretreatment with PKA blocker H89 eliminates the protective effect of CSHVO on CORT-induced PC12 cells., Conclusions: CSHVO improves CORT-induced injury in the PC12 cell model and CUMS combined with orphan rearing-induced depression model in rats. The antidepressant mechanism of CSHVO is associated with the modulation of the cAMP-PKA-CREB signaling pathway., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no competing interests associated with this study., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Growing evidence has demonstrated that gut microbiota could be developed as a therapeutic target due to its contribution to microglia activation in the pathological process of ischemic stroke. Acorus tatarinowii oils (AT oils), which is considered as the active fraction of a traditional Chinese herbal medicine Acorus tatarinowii, exerts various bioactivities and prebiotic effects. However, it remains unclear that the effect of AT oils on inflammatory response after ischemic stroke and whether its underlying mechanism is associated to gut microbiota and the intestinal barrier. In the current study, we aim to investigate the anti-microglial neuroinflammation mechanism of AT oils in a middle cerebral artery occlusion model of ischemic stroke. The compositions of AT oils were identified by GC-MS. Our results demonstrated that AT oils could effectively relieve cerebral infarction, inhibit neuronal apoptosis, degrade the release of pro-inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-17, IL-6 and IFN-γ), and mediate the polarization of microglia. Moreover, AT oils restored the composition and the balance of gut microbiota in stroke rats, and reduced abundance of opportunistic genera including Verrucomicrobia, Akkermansia and Tenericutes, as well as increased beneficial bacteria abundance such as Tenericutes and Prevotella_copri. To investigate the role of gut microbiota on AT oils against ischemic stroke, we conducted the fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) experiments with gut microbiota consumption, which suggested that the depletion of gut microbiota took away the protective effect of AT oils, confirming the importance of gut microbiota in the protective effect of AT oils on ischemic stroke. FMT experiments have demonstrated that AT oils preserved the gut permeability and blood-brain barrier, as well as mediated the microglial phenotype under the intervention of gut microbiota. In summary, AT oils could efficaciously moderate neuronal damage and intervene microglial phenotype by reversing gut microbiota disorder in ischemic stroke rats., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors confirm that the research was conducted without any existing commercial or financial relationships that could be perceived as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Due to the presence of several active secondary metabolites, the traditional Indian and Chinese medicinal herb Acorus calamus L. has been utilized for both medical and culinary purposes since ancient times. A recent report has underscored the promising cytotoxic effect of A. calamus leaves extract against non-small cell lung cancer A549 cells. Thus, we want to separate the bioactive substance from the hydromethanolic extract of A. calamus leaves in the current investigation. Thin-layer chromatography was used to separate the compounds and different spectroscopic methods (UV, FTIR, NMR, and LCMS/MS) were used for the structure prediction. α- asarone was found to be the main bioactive compound present and it was isolated from A. calamus leaves extract. It exerted a good cytotoxic effect with an IC 50 value of 21.43 ± 1.27 μM against A549 cells and IC 50 value of 324.12 ± 1.32 μM against WI-38 cells. The induction of apoptosis in A549 cells by α - asarone was reaffirmed by the diverse differential staining methods including DAPI, Acridine Orange/Ethidium Bromide, and Giemsa staining. Additionally, α-asarone induced mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨ m ) dissipation with a concomitant increase in the production of ROS. Furthermore, it also increased expressions of caspase-3, caspase-9, caspase-8, DR4, and DR5 genes in A549 cells. In conclusion, α-asarone-induced apoptotic cell death in non-small lung cancer cells (A549) as a result of loss of mitochondrial function, increased ROS production, subsequent activation of an internal and extrinsic caspase pathway, and altered expression of genes controlling apoptosis. As a whole, α - asarone is a plausible therapeutic agent for managing lung cancer. HIGHLIGHTSIsolation of bioactive compound from hydromethanolic leaves extract of Acorus calamus L. by thin layer chromatography.Structural elucidation of the bioactive compound was carried out using different methods like UV analysis, FTIR, NMR, and LC-MS/MS analysis.A plausible mode of action revealed that α-asarone can induce apoptosis in lung cancer cells (A549).Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

The rhizomes of Acorus tatarinowii Schott and Acorus gramineus Solander are widely used for treating amnesia in traditional Chinese medicine. In contrast, their leaves are usually discarded without their medicinal properties being known. Here, we found that the hot water extract of leaves improved cognition and tau pathology in model mice of frontotemporal dementia, similar to or even better than that of rhizomes. To explore the optimal method of processing, we made three preparations from dried leaves: hot water extract, extraction residue, and non-extracted simple crush powder. Among them, the simple crush powder had the strongest effect on tauopathy in mice. The crush powder also ameliorated Aβ and α-synuclein pathologies and restored cognition in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. These findings suggest the potential of Acorus tatarinowii / gramineus leaves as a dietary source for dementia prevention and reveal that simple crushing is a better way to maximize their efficacy.

Objective: To investigate the activity of Acorus tatarinowii extracts against dust mites, and to isolate and characterize active ingredient of A. tatarinowii extracts., Methods: The essential oil components were extracted from A. tatarinowii rhizome powder by rotary evaporation with methanol as solvents, followed by petroleum ether extraction and rotary evaporation. The essential oil was mixed with Tween-80 at a ratio of 1:1 and diluted into concentrations of 1.000 00%, 0.500 00%, 0.250 00%, 0.125 00%, 0.062 50% and 0.031 25%, while diluted Tween-80 served as controls. A. tatarinowii essential oil at each concentration (200 μL) was transferred evenly to filter papers containing 100 adult mites, with each test repeated in triplicate, and controls were assigned for each concentration. Following treatment at 25 °C and 75% relative humidity for 24 h, the mean corrected mortality of mites was calculated. The essential oil components were separated by silica gel column chromatography, and the essential oil was prepared in the positive column of medium pressure; and then, each component was collected. Silica gel column chromatography was run with the mobile phase that consisted of petroleum ether solution containing 10% ethyl acetate and pure ethyl acetate, detection wavelength of 254 nm, positive silica gel column as the chromatography column, and room temperature as the column temperature. Each component of the purified A. tatarinowii essential oil was diluted into 1.000 00% for acaricidal tests. The components with less than 100% acaricidal activity were discarded, and the remaining components were diluted into 50% of the previous-round tests for subsequent acaricidal tests. The components with acaricidal activity were subjected to high-performance liquid chromatography, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and pulsed-Fourier transform nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The structure of active monomer compounds was determined by standard spectral library retrieval and literature review., Results: A. tatarinowii essential oil at concentrations of 1.000 00%, 0.500 00%, 0.250 00% and 0.125 00% killed all dust mites, and the corrected mortality was all 100%. Exposure to A. tatarinowii extracts at an effective concentration of 0.062 50% for 24 hours resulted in 94.33% mortality of dust mites. Six components (A to F) were separated using gel column chromatography, and components D and E both showed a 100% acaricidal activity against dust mites at a concentration of 0.50000%. In addition, Component D was identified as isoeugenol methyl ether, and Component E as β-asarinol., Conclusions: The extract of A. tatarinowii essential oil has acaricidal activity, and the isoeugenol methyl ether shows a remarkable acaricidal activity against dust mites.

Acorus tatarinowii, a famous traditional Chinese medicine, is used for the clinical treatment of memory impairment and dementia. In this research, AT50, the crude polysaccharide extracted from A. tatarinowii rhizome, significantly improved the memory and learning ability of mice with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and exerted excellent anti-neuroinflammatory effects. More importantly, AT50 returned the levels of NO, TNF-α, IL-1β, PGE-2, and IL-6 in AD mouse brains to normal levels. To identify the active ingredients in AT50, a heteropolysaccharide ATP50-3 was obtained from AT50. Structural analysis indicated ATP50-3 consisted of α-L-Araf-(1→, →2)-α-L-Araf-(1→, →3)-α-L-Araf-(1→, →5)-α-L-Araf-(1→, α-D-Xylp-(1→, →3,4)-β-D-Xylp-(1→, →3)-α-D-Galp-(1→, →3,6)-α-D-Galp-(1→, →6)-4-OAc-α-D-Galp-(1→, →3,4,6)-α-D-Galp-(1→, →4)-α-D-Glcp-(1→, →2,3,6)-β-D-Glcp-(1→, →4,6)-α-D-Manp-(1→, →3,4)-α-L-Rhap-(1→, →4)-α-D-GalpA-(1→, and →4)-α-D-GlcpA-(1 → residues and terminated with Xyl and Ara. Additionally, ATP50-3 significantly inhibited the release of proinflammatory factors in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated BV2 cells. ATP50-3 may be an active constituent of AT50, responsible for its anti-neuroinflammatory effects, with great potential to treat AD., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest There are no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The development of novel antioxidant compounds with high efficacy and low toxicity is of utmost importance in the medicine and food industries. Moreover, with increasing concerns about the safety of synthetic components, scientists are beginning to search for natural sources of antioxidants, especially essential oils (EOs). The combination of EOs may produce a higher scavenging profile than a single oil due to better chemical diversity in the mixture. Therefore, this exploratory study aims to assess the antioxidant activity of three EOs extracted from Cymbopogon flexuosus, Carum carvi, and Acorus calamus in individual and combined forms using the augmented-simplex design methodology. The in vitro antioxidant assays were performed using DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging approaches. The results of the Chromatography Gas-Mass spectrometry (CG-MS) characterization showed that citral (29.62%) and niral (27.32%) are the main components for C. flexuosus, while D-carvone (62.09%) and D-limonene (29.58%) are the most dominant substances in C. carvi. By contrast, β-asarone (69.11%) was identified as the principal component of A. calamus (30.2%). The individual EO exhibits variable scavenging activities against ABTS and DPPH radicals. These effects were enhanced through the mixture of the three EOs. The optimal antioxidant formulation consisted of 20% C. flexuosus, 53% C. carvi, and 27% A. calamus for DPPHIC50. Whereas 17% C. flexuosus, 43% C. carvi, and 40% A. calamus is the best combination leading to the highest scavenging activity against ABTS radical. These findings suggest a new research avenue for EOs combinations to be developed as novel natural formulations useful in food and biopharmaceutical products., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Acorus tatarinowii Schott (A. tatarinowii), a well-known traditional Chinese medicinal plant renowned for its high medicinal value, but its mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) is still unexplored. In this study, we meticulously assembled the complete mitochondrial genome of A. tatarinowii using a combination of Illumina short reads and Oxford Nanopore long reads. Our findings revealed that A. tatarinowii possesses a complex chromosomal structural mitogenome, comprising two linear chromosomes and seven circular chromosomes. This mitogenome spans 1.81 Mb in length with a GC content of 38.29 %. Notably, it contained 24 unique mitochondrial core genes, seven unique variable genes, 17 tRNA genes, and three rRNA genes. Analyses of codon usage, most protein-coding genes (PCGs) exhibited a common codon usage preference, with RSCU values greater than 1, and the codon with the highest RSCU value was UAA(End, 1.90). We conducted a thorough analysis of repeat sequences, the distribution of repetitive sequences in nine mitochondrial chromosomes showed distinct patterns. Moreover, we identified 82 and 12 homologous fragments by comparing the sequences of chloroplast and nuclear genomes to the A. tatarinowii mitogenome, respectively. Lastly, We predicted a total of 234 potential RNA editing sites in 28 unique PCGs and discovered that the nad4 gene has been edited the most often, at 26 times. Our results contribute to the enrichment of mitochondrial genome resources for Acoraceae, and the mitogenome also can be used as a reference for other species., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

A pair of new guaiane-type sesquiterpene tautomers ( 1 ) was isolated from rhizomes of Acorus calamus . Meanwhile, three pairs of known compounds, including a pair of dihydroflavone glycoside tautomers ( 2 ), a pair of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid ester glycoside tautomers ( 3 ), as well as a pair of secoiridoid glycoside tautomers ( 4 ) were isolated from fruits of Cornus officinalis . Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic and computational methods. Furthermore, the tautomeric mechanisms were discussed.

Epilepsy is a serious public health problem in the world. At present, over 30% of affected patients remain refractory to currently available treatment. Medicinal plants as pharmaceuticals and healthcare treatments have been frequently used in the management of epilepsy in China for many centuries. Gastrodia elata-Acous tatarinowii (GEAT), as a classic and most commonly used herb pair in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has been employed to control seizures for thousands of years. However, the animal experiment data on its anticonvulsant effect is limited in the literature. Thus, this study aimed to reveal the therapeutic actions of GEAT decoction against seizures in mice. UHPLC-MS/MS was performed to analyze the chemical components of GEAT decoction. The mice were given GEAT decoction for 7 days, and MES, PTZ, and 3-MP injection was given 30 min after the last administration. Video monitoring was performed for comparisons. In addition, the PTZ-induced kindling models were conducted to investigate the seizure severity, anxiety and cognitive profile, inflammation, and oxidative stress parameters in mice. The results showed that GEAT decoction dose-dependently protected mice against MES, 3-MP, and PTZ-induced acute seizures. Furthermore, GEAT decoction significantly ameliorated seizure severity, decreased the accumulation of inflammatory mediators TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, mitigated oxidative stress, as well as alleviated anxious-like behavior and cognitive deficits in PTZ-kindled mice. These results suggest that GEAT decoction possesses certain anticonvulsant properties, which might be clinically useful as phytotherapy alone or as an adjunct therapy for the prevention and treatment of seizures and epilepsy., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

In the present study, we report herein the isolation of cadinane-type sesquiterpenoid, tatarinowin A (ACH-6), and pentadecanoic acid (ACH-8) from petroleum ether extract of rhizome of Acorus calamus L. (Acoraceae) along with 6 other known compounds in this species. It is pertinent to mention here that this is the first report to stain these compounds in which dereplication approach based on GC-MS was applied to target unknown compounds ACH-6 and ACH-8 in A. calamus L. Derelpication approaches based on GC-MS is very useful technique in the area of drug discovery and have eminence potential to identify known and unknown compounds present in extracts of medicinal important plants. This technique can be used to expedite the process of purification of unknown compounds from different matrixes. The isolated compounds were identified with the help of inbuilt library search which reveals the presence of 17 known and 4 unknown compounds. Further, the structure elucidation of all isolated compounds was done using spectroscopy techniques. Also, the structure of ACH-6 was further confirmed by using the single-crystal X-ray diffraction technique.

Acorus tatarinowii Schott ( A. tatarinowii ) is a natural medicinal plant. It plays an indispensable role in the treatment of diseases by the empirical medicine system and has achieved remarkable curative effects. A. tatarinowii is often used to treat various diseases, such as depression, epilepsy, fever, dizziness, heartache, stomachache, etc. More than 160 compounds of different structural types have been identified in A. tatarinowii , including phenylpropanoids, terpenoids, lignans, flavonoids, alkaloids, amides, and organic acids. These bioactive ingredients make A. tatarinowii remarkable for its pharmacological effects, including antidepressant, antiepileptic, anticonvulsant, antianxiety, neuroprotective, antifatigue, and antifungal effects, improving Alzheimer's disease, and so on. It is noteworthy that A. tatarinowii has been widely used in the treatment of brain diseases and nervous system diseases and has achieved satisfactory therapeutic effects. This review focused on the research publications of A. tatarinowii and aimed to summarize the advances in the botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacology, which will provide a reference for further studies and applications of A. tatarinowii .

Noroviruses (NVs) are a major cause of foodborne diseases worldwide. The rhizomes of Acorus gramineus (AGR) have been used as a traditional medicinal plant and a food additive. In this study, AGR and its bioactive components-α-asarone and β-asarone-showed significant antiviral activities against murine NV (MNV) with pre-treatment, with more than two log reductions in viral plaques. They also demonstrated strong inhibition on binding to A- and O-type saliva by the recombinant P domain derived from human NV (HuNV) GII.4. Both α- and β-asarones also inhibited the binding of the P domain to the receptor at 0.125-1 mM in a concentration-dependent manner and induced a marked reduction in T m , suggesting that they may reduce structural stability and block receptor binding by the P domain. In simulated digestive conditions, the AGR extract, α-asarone, or β-asarone further showed a significant reduction of MNV plaques by 1.5-2.8 logs. The asarones show a potential for development as a scaffold for anti-NV agents.

Acorus calamus is a perennial aromatic medicinal plant from the Acorusaceae family, known for its pharmaceutical and medicinal value. A combined chemical, biochemical, and molecular study was conducted to evaluate the differential accumulation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in rhizomes and leaves of A. calamus essential oil. Here, we performed VOC profiling and transcriptome-based identification and functional characterization of terpene synthase (TPS) genes. A total of 110 VOCs were detected from the rhizomes and leaves of A. calamus, and some VOCs showed significant differences between them. The further transcriptome-based analysis led to the identification of six putative TPSs genes. In phylogenetic analysis, three TPSs belonged to the TPS-g clade, one to each of the TPS-a, TPS-c, and TPS-e clades. The heterologous E. coli-based expression of recombinant TPSs identified three genes (AcTPS3, AcTPS4, and AcTPS5) as bifunctional linalool/nerolidol synthase. The correlation of TPS gene expression and VOC metabolite profiles supported the function of these genes in A. calamus. Our findings provide a roadmap for future efforts to enhance the molecular mechanisms of terpene biosynthesis and our understanding of Acorus-insect interactions., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Alzheimer's disease places a heavy economic burden to healthcare systems around the world. However, the effective treatments are still lacking. Traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) of Schisandra chinensis and Acorus tatarinowii Schott have the pharmacological effects of sedation and neuroprotection and have been clinically proven to be effective in the treatment of AD. However, their main anti-Alzheimer's compounds and functional mechanisms remain unclear., Purpose: To elucidate the main therapeutic components and possible mechanisms of Sc-At in AD using a comprehensive strategy combining metabolomics and network pharmacology., Methods: First, the UPLC-QTOF/MS method was used to identify the main chemical constituents of Schisandra chinensis and Acorus tatarinowii Schott alcohol extracts in vitro and in vivo . Secondly, the theoretical active ingredients, targets, and pathways of Sc-At for AD treatment were predicted by network pharmacology methods. Finally, plasma metabolomics were detected by UPLC-QTOF/MS to analyze the differential metabolites and metabolic pathways related to Sc-At. Based on the analyses above, the anti-AD mechanism of Sc-At was explored., Results: A total of 95 chemical components were identified in Sc-At extracts in vitro , and 34 prototype drug components were detected in rat plasma; network pharmacology screening identified 14 drug components in line with the principle of Lipinski, of which 10 were present for in vitro drug composition analysis. For these 10 components, 58 AD disease targets were predicted, and 85 AD-related KEGG signaling pathways were enriched. Six core biomarkers of Sc-At ( cis -8,11,14,17-eicosatetraenoic acid, prostaglandin H2, sphingosine 1-phosphate, enol-phenylpyruvate, 3-methoxytyrosine, and pristanoyl-CoA) were regulated to a normal state during the treatment of AD., Conclusion: The mechanism of Sc-At for the treatment of AD can be achieved by the effect of the 10 compounds of Sc-At on TNF, MAPK8, MAPK14, PTGS1, and other targets, thereby affecting arachidonic acid metabolism, neurotransmitters, and sphingolipid metabolism., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (Copyright © 2022 Jian Chen et al.)