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[Display omitted] • Sophoraflavanone G and kurarinone exhibit potent antibacterial activity and do not develop drug resistance. • Sophoraflavanone G and kurarinone disrupt the integrity of cell membranes and prevent the synthesis of biofilms. • Sophoraflavanone G and kurarinone can disrupt the energy metabolism process of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. • Sophoraflavanone G and kurarinone can improve wound infection and promote wound healing. • Sophoraflavanone G and kurarinone may be potential candidates for the development of new antibiotics. The continuous emergence and rapid spread of multidrug-resistant bacteria have accelerated the demand for the discovery of alternative antibiotics. Natural plants contain a variety of antibacterial components, which is an important source for the discovery of antimicrobial agents. To explore the antimicrobial activities and related mechanisms of two lavandulylated flavonoids, sophoraflavanone G and kurarinone in Sophora flavescens against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The effects of sophoraflavanone G and kurarinone on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus were comprehensively investigated by a combination of proteomics and metabolomics studies. Bacterial morphology was observed by scanning electron microscopy. Membrane fluidity, membrane potential, and membrane integrity were determined using the fluorescent probes Laurdan, DiSC3(5), and propidium iodide, respectively. Adenosine triphosphate and reactive oxygen species levels were determined using the adenosine triphosphate kit and reactive oxygen species kit, respectively. The affinity activity of sophoraflavanone G to the cell membrane was determined by isothermal titration calorimetry assays. Sophoraflavanone G and kurarinone showed significant antibacterial activity and anti-multidrug resistance properties. Mechanistic studies mainly showed that they could target the bacterial membrane and cause the destruction of the membrane integrity and biosynthesis. They could inhibit cell wall synthesis, induce hydrolysis and prevent bacteria from synthesizing biofilms. In addition, they can interfere with the energy metabolism of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and disrupt the normal physiological activities of the bacteria. In vivo studies have shown that they can significantly improve wound infection and promote wound healing. Kurarinone and sophoraflavanone G showed promising antimicrobial properties against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus , suggesting that they may be potential candidates for the development of new antibiotic agents against multidrug-resistant bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biorefinery of flavonoid aglycones by natural deep eutectic solvents (NADESs) is a green approach for the valorization of agro-food wastes. Using rutin/quercetin as a model system, this work studies the role of Bronsted acids in deglycosylation of flavonoid glycosides and the sustainable approach to producing aglycone-rich extracts by acidic NADESs. Different NADESs were tested, and the effects of Bronsted acids in catalysis and Hammett acidities were determined. The deglycosylation kinetics of rutin in the choline chloride-citric acid was measured and followed a first-order model with a half-life time (t1/2) of 0.16 h at 90 °C and an activation energy (Ea) of 140.3 kJ mol-1. A two-step one-pot approach was valid to produce quercetin-rich extracts from Sophora japonica buds waste. The quercetin-to-rutin ratio in the acidic NADES extracts was adjustable by changing the heating time. The acidic NADES of ChCl-Citric and quercetin-rich extracts showed low cytotoxicity to Caco-2 cells with EC50 greater than 2000 mg L-1, and the cytotoxicity was mainly determined by citric acid. The study provides a new perspective for the valorization of bioproducts into ready-to-use flavonoid aglycone-rich extracts using acidic NADES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study synthesized a robust, magnetically responsive hydrogel from Sophora flavescens -modified cellulose and chitosan, employing Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA and DTG), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to confirm the preservation of cellulose's intrinsic properties and the hydrogel's remarkable elasticity, toughness, and porosity. These hydrogels integrate cellulose's structural backbone with functional moieties from chitosan, enhancing adsorption capabilities for Cu2+ ions and Congo red (CR) dye. Kinetic and thermodynamic analyses reveal that adsorption is spontaneous and endothermic, following a pseudo-second-order model and the Freundlich isotherm. Notably, Cu2+ adsorption capacity increases with pH, while CR adsorption initially decreases before rising, demonstrating the hydrogels' potential as effective, sustainable adsorbents for removing pollutants from water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pruning is a major source of carbon emissions from urban trees. The high cost of evaluating pruning quantities by destructive measurements has limited the research on pruning. By combining terrestrial laser scanning and quantitative structure models, pruning quantities can be assessed non-destructively. This study focuses on the impact of pruning during tree production, as it is intense and has been rarely evaluated. Using Sophora japonica from a nursery in Beijing as an example, point cloud data were collected from 181 uneven-aged Sophora japonica for the simulation of pruning at a single tree level. All pruning stages were incorporated into the assessment of the carbon footprint of Sophora japonica production for 15-year-old trees. The results show that previous studies have underestimated the tree carbon footprints of pruning, leading to a severe underestimation of the carbon footprint of tree production. Crown reduction removes the most above-ground woody biomass during tree production, over half, while the decomposition of pruning waste is the most significant source of carbon emissions. The removal ratio from pruning of individual trees is consistent within the same pruning pattern. The tree volume can serve as a good predictor for estimating pruning quantities, but crown diameter sometimes needs to be considered. Implementing pruning interventions, harvesting in advance, and choosing appropriate methods for pruning waste disposal can reduce carbon emissions from pruning. • Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) and Quantitative Structure Model (QSM) were used for a non-destructive and visual pruning simulation of Sophora japonica. • Crown reduction majorly contributes to carbon emissions in Sophora japonica production; ignorance of pruning underestimates the carbon footprint. • Different pruning patterns should be distinguished when estimating pruning quantities. • Early pruning and harvesting, along with proper waste disposal, can reduce carbon emissions from tree production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Chemical composition and activity of S. alopecuroides was studied. • Root extract showed high antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory activities. • The main compounds of the root extrcat were pinoresinol and vanillic acid. • Phenolics/flavonoids contributed significantly to the activity. Sophora alopecuroides L. are commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of various ailments such as refractory tinea, eczema, dermatitis, colpitis, bacillary dysentery, and other gastrointestinal diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the chemical composition, antioxidant, and enzyme inhibitory activity of the aerial part, flower, leaf, root, and stems extracts of S. alopecuroides var. alopecuroides. Major compounds of the extracts were found to be ferulic acid, luteolin, hesperidin and pinoresinol. In many of the antioxidant activity assays, the root extract exhibited high activity. In CUPRAC reducing, phosphomolybdenum, ABTS, and DPPH tests, the activity of the root extract was 1.42, 2.45, 1.25, and 8.41 mg/mL, respectively. Root extract also exhibited significant activity in enzyme inhibitory assays. Tyrosinase, α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and acetyl cholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activities of the extract were determined as 1.22, 2.97, 1.03, and 0.97 mg/mL, respectively. Chromatographic analysis showed that the root extract contained 462.25 µg/g pinoresinol and 256.23 µg/g vanillic acid as the major compounds. Pearson correlation analysis showed that besides flavonoids/phenolics, these phytochemicals also contributed to the activity of root extract. Therefore, it was concluded that these phytochemicals may be responsible for the activity of the root extract. The root extract of S. alopecuroides var. alopecuroides was thought to be an effective antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) has caused large economic losses in the swine industry worldwide; therefore, research on relevant therapeutic medicines is still urgently needed. To define the relationship between histone acetylation and inflammation induced by PCV2, we investigated whether traditional Chinese medicinal polysaccharides could alleviate viral infection by regulating histone acetylation. In this study, Sophora subprostrate polysaccharide (SSP)-treated PCV2-infected murine splenic lymphocytes in vitro and murine spleen in vivo were used to explore the regulatory effects of SSP on inflammation and histone acetylation caused by PCV2. SSP at different concentrations significantly reduced the secretion levels of the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6, the activity of COX-2, the mRNA expression levels of TNF-α, IL-6, iNOS and COX-2 and the protein expression levels of iNOS and COX-2 but promoted the secretion and mRNA expression levels of IL-10. Furthermore, the different concentrations of SSP significantly regulated the activity of histone acetylase (HAT) and the mRNA expression of HAT1 , increased the activity of histone deacetylase (HDAC) and the mRNA expression of HDAC1 and reduced the protein expression levels of Ac-H3 and Ac-H4. Overall, SSP inhibited inflammation in PCV2-infected murine splenic lymphocytes by regulating histone acetylation in vitro and in vivo , thus playing an important role in PCV2 infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Bio-functionalized ZnO NPs are formed in a flavonoids-mediated one-step method. • Bio ZnO NPs exhibits synergistically enhanced bioperformance and lower cytotoxicity. • Bio-capping layer makes ZnO NPs kill bacteria by a membrane-disruption action mode. • Membrane-disruption mode exhibited by the bio ZnO NPs is powerful antibiotic action. Developing green nanotechnology to produce safe and powerful nano-antimicrobials has become a hot direction for addressing the challenge of antibiotic resistance. In this study, to investigate the enhancement effect of bio-capping agents on the bioactivities of plant-mediated zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs), we designed a facile one-step green method to obtain bio-functioned ZnO NPs using flavonoids-rich extract of S. japonica flower buds (ESJ). The characterization results revealed that crystalline ZnO NPs with sizes smaller than 15 nm were obtained and the resultant bio-NP consists of ZnO core capped by ESJ-derived biomolecules. The biomolecules promoted the ZnO NPs to adhere to the bacterial cells and penetrate into cells by trapping bacteria and altering membrane permeability, which enhanced the bioactivities of the green-synthesized bio ZnO NPs and reduced its cytotoxicity. And the bio ZnO NPs showed minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of 0.5 and 0.125 mg/mL toward Staphylococci aureus and Escherichia coli , respectively, and had good ⋅OH and DPPH radical scavenging activities with IC 50 of 0.31 and 1.55 mg/mL, respectively. In addition, the bio ZnO NPs could maintain 80% viability of NIH3T3 cells at 2*MIC (1 mg/mL). This study provides a thought for the design of highly effective antibacterial nanomaterials, which may kill bacteria by membrane-disruption action to evade drug-resistant antimicrobial mechanisms under the synergistic actions of plant-derived biomolecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Lactic acid and animal feeds could be obtained from Sophora flavescens residues. • A total of 46.78 g/L lactic acid was obtained under optimal fermentation conditions. • The protein content of residual solid part improved from 0.26 % to 12.15 %. • The residual solid residues after fermentation were rich in Fe and Zn. • Economic analysis suggested that this method of waste utilization was promising. In this study, the feasibility of producing lactic acid and animal feeds from Sophora flavescens residues (SFR) by Rhizopus oryzae was explored. Results showed that the simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) is the optimal fermentation mode, which was simple and high-efficiency. When the inoculation volume of R. oryzae was 10 % and the pH value was adjusted by adding CaCO 3 in stages during SSF, the maximum concentration of lactic acid was 46.78 g/L, and the maximum lactic acid productivity reached 0.97 g/L/h. Results also showed that the protein content of the solid residues after fermentation of R. oryzae reached 12.15 %. This content was 46 times higher than that by the original SFRs and nearly 4.3 times the protein content of the solid residues after fermentation by Enterococcus faecium. In addition, the solid residues after fermentation rich in Fe and Zn could be used as animal feeds or feed additives. Thus, it is expected that this study may provide a novel approach for Chinese medicine residues treatment towards full resource recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• One-pot system avoids complicated processing between extraction and hydrolysis. • Natural deep eutectic solvents as extractant is "greener" than organic solvents. • Enzyme catalytic is less pollution with higher yield compared to acid catalytic. • Non-aqueous system improves catalytic efficiency of rutin degrading enzyme. • This method can be used to prepare many other natural active substances. In this study, we have established a green and efficient preparation method of quercetin. Rutin was first extracted from Sophora japonica using natural deep eutectic solvents (NADESs), then hydrolyzed into quercetin by rutin degrading enzyme (RDE) obtained from germinated tartary buckwheat in situ. Rutin solubility tests showed that most of the 11 NADESs increased the solubility of rutin by 67-3116 times compared to water. Thus, NADESs could be prior candidate to extract rutin. Extraction efficiency of rutin varied with different NADESs, and a maximum of 291.57 mg g−1 was achieved in NADES ChGly, which was prepared by mixing choline chloride and glycerol at a molar ratio of 1:1. After that hydrolysis was performed directly in extraction system by adding RDE with degradation rate of up to 8.36 mg min-1·L-1. Our findings suggest that preparation of quercetin using NADESs was simple and feasible to operate, environmentally friendly, efficient, and inspired the preparation method of bioactive components from a new perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sophora koreensis Nakai, an endemic species distributed only in the Korean Peninsula, is of great geographical, economic, and taxonomic importance. Although its complete chloroplast (cp) genome sequence has been reported, its mitochondrial (mt) genome sequence has not yet been studied. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate its mt genome sequence and compare it with those reported for other Fabaceae species. Total genomic DNA was extracted from fresh S. koreensis leaves collected from natural habitats in Gangwon-do Province, South Korea. This was followed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of cpDNA insertions in the mt genome and the detection of microsatellites and dispersed repeats in the cp and mt genomes. Finally, the cp and mt genomes of S. koreensis were compared with those reported for other Fabaceae species. The cp sequence of S. koreensis showed identical gene orders and contents as those previously reported. Only six substitutions and one deletion were detected with 99 % homology. Conversely, the complete mt genome sequence, which was 517,845 bp in length and encoded 61 genes, including 43 protein-coding, 15 transfer RNAs, and 3 ribosomal RNA genes, was considerably different from that of S. japonica in terms of gene order and composition. Further, the mt genome of S. koreensis included ca. 7 and 3 kb insertions, representing an intracellular gene transfer (IGT) event, and the regions with these insertions were determined to be originally present in the cp genome. This IGT event was also confirmed via PCR amplification. IGT events can be induced via biological gene expression control or the use of repetitive sequences, and they provide important insights into the evolutionary lineage of S. koreensis. However, further studies are needed to clarify the gene transfer mechanisms between the two organelles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A phytochemical investigation on the alkaloid fractions of Sophora alopecuroides L. led to the production of 11 undescribed matrine-type alkaloids, sophaloseedlines I – S (1−11), 12 known analogs (12−23), and an unexpected artificial matrine-derived Al(III) complex (24). The corresponding structures were elucidated by the interpretation of spectroscopic analyses, quantum chemical calculation, and six instances (1−4 , 18 , and 24), verified by X-ray crystallography. The biological activities screening demonstrated that none of the isolates exhibited cytotoxicity against four human cancer cell lines (HepG2, A549, THP-1, and MCF-7) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) at 50 μM, while moderate anti-inflammatory activity with IC 50 value from 15.6 to 47.8 μM was observed. The key structure-activity relationships of those matrine-type alkaloids for anti-inflammatory effects have been summarized. In addition, the most potent 7- epi -sophoramine (19) and aluminum sophaloseedline T (24) could effectively inhibit the release of pro-inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β), as well as the expression of iNOS and COX-2 proteins. The study on Sophora alopecuroides led to the production of 11 undescribed matrine-type alkaloids, 12 known analogs, and an unexpected artificial matrine-derived Al(III) complex. Compounds 19 and 24 were active against LPS-induced inflammation by suppressing the expression of iNOS and COX-2. [Display omitted] • Eleven undescribed matrine-type alkaloids (1 – 11) were isolated from Sophora alopecuroides. • A matrine-derived aluminium (III) complex (24) with unprecedented structure was unexpectedly obtained. • Compounds 19 and 24 could inhibit the release of many pro-inflammatory factors, and iNOS and COX-2 proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental engineering placed green demands on the functional modification of textiles. Here, the combination of bio-based tannic acid, sophora flower extract and metal salts was used to manufacture silk fabrics with flame retardancy and UV resistance via a facile impregnation strategy. With different metal salts treated, the modified silk fabrics named silk/TA/SFE-TE, silk/TA/SFE-Fe and silk/TA/SFE-Cu achieved self-extinguishing in the vertical burning test, with limiting oxygen index values of 31.7 ± 0.4 %, 30.2 ± 0.2 % and 30.9 ± 0.3 %, respectively. In the cone calorimetry test, the peak heat release rate values of the three silk fabrics modified with metal salts were all significantly suppressed, and the total smoke production values of silk/TA/SFE-TE and silk/TA/SFE-Fe were reduced from the original 0.178 m2 to 0.126 m2 and 0.138 m2, respectively. Furthermore, silk/TA/SFE-TE, silk/TA/SFE-Fe and silk/TA/SFE-Cu displayed high ultraviolet protection factor values and thus had good UV resistance, owing to the presence of tannic acid and sophora flower extract. Most importantly, the flame retardancy and UV resistance of the three silk fabrics modified with metal salts were still superior to those of the original silk fabrics after 30 washing cycles. In short, this facile route for the preparation of functionalized silk fabrics provides a novel idea for the development of advanced textiles. [Display omitted] • Combinations of bio-based compounds and metal salts are built on silk fabrics. • Modified silk fabrics achieve self-extinguishing in the vertical burning test. • Modified silk fabrics exhibit high UV protection factors in the UV resistance test. • Modified silk fabrics remain flame retardant and UV resistant after 30 washings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Six undescribed lavandulylated flavonoids (1–6) were isolated from the roots of Sophora flavescens. Remarkably, compounds 1 and 2, which were composed of a flavane unit and a phloroglucinol unit, were the first reported dimers. Compounds 3 and 4 were the first reported neoflavonoids with lavandulyl units. Compounds 5 and 6 were chalcone with oxidized lavandulyl units. Their structures were fully characterized by cumulative analyses of UV, IR, HRESIMS, NMR and ECD spectroscopic data, along with computational calculations through density functional theory. Compounds 1 and 2 showed significant protein tyrosine phosphatase-1B inhibitory activities with IC 50 values of 2.669 and 3.596 μM, respectively. [Display omitted] • Six undescribed lavandulylated flavonoids (1–6) were isolated from the roots of Sophora flavescens. • Compounds 1 and 2 were the first reported dimers which were composed of a flavane unit and phloroglucinol unit. • Compounds 1 and 2 showed significant protein tyrosine phosphatase-1B inhibitory activities with IC 50 values of 2.669 and 3.596 μM, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Five compounds display potent insecticidal activity against Mythimna separata. • Two compounds exhibit > 6 folds more pronounced acaricidal activity than matrine. • nAChR α1, α2, α4 and β3 subunits may be the target of action of 7b against Tetranychus cinnabarinus. Abstract Matrine, a quinolizidine alkaloid isolated from the roots of Sophora flavescens , is a naturally non-food bioactive product. To discover new non-food bioactive product-based pesticides, a series of 15-chloro-18-oximinoether derivatives of matrine were prepared by structural modifications of matrine. Compounds 7 m , 7o , 7q , 7 s , and 7 t display potent insecticidal activity against Mythimna separata Walker. Compounds 7b (R2 = n -butyl) and 7 l (R2 = p -methylbenzyl) exhibit greater than 6 folds more pronounced acaricidal activity than matrine against Tetranychus cinnabarinus Boisduval. Through reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis, it is found that introduction of the chlorine atom and the oximinoether moiety at the C-15 and C-18 positions of matrine is important for acting with nAChR α1, α2 and α4 subunits in T. cinnabarinus ; α1, α2, α4 and β3 subunits may be the target of action of compound 7b against T. cinnabarinus ; structural modification on the lactam ring of compound 1 can lead to the change of mode of action on VGSC in T. cinnabarinus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Natured botanical extract has attracted considerable attention recently in the field of skin anti-ultraviolet (UV) radiation. As a medicinal herb, Sophora japonica flower buds contained several components such as flavonoids, isoflavonoids, triterpenes, alkaloids and polysaccharides, which have multiple pharmacological properties except hemostatic agents which have been used in China and Korea for centuries. The purpose of our study was to investigate whether polysaccharide extracted from Sophora japonica L. flower buds (PS) was able to attenuate UVB-induced damage using a human keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT cells). HaCaT cells were pretreated with PS in a serum-free medium for 2 h and then irradiated with different doses of UVB rays. The results showed that the PS attenuated UVB-induced cytotoxicity which was verified by MTT method and morphology feature assay. UVB exposure (30–120 mJ/cm2) reduced HaCaT cells viability significantly following with the increased irradiation dose 24 h later, while pretreatment with PS (0.25–2.0 mg/mL) attenuated UVB-induced cytotoxicity significantly and increased cell viability in a dose-dependent manner except 30 mJ/cm2 group. The PS reduced the ROS generation, down-regulated the expression of phosphor-JNK and phosphor-p38 MAPK proteins significantly through MAPK pathway in UVB-irradiated HaCaT cells. It also decreased the apoptosis rate at low dose of UVB ray and protected the cells from apoptosis which had been identified by the down-regulated level of active-caspase3 in UVB-irradiated HaCaT cells. In conclusion, PS pretreatment protected HaCaT keratinocytes from UVB irradiation-induced skin injuries effectively, and the underlying mechanism may involve MAPK signaling pathway which contribute to apoptotic cell death. However, further studies especially whose using human systems are needed to determine efficacy of PS in vivo. Graphical Abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Polysaccharide from Sophora japonica flower buds decreases UVB-induced cytotoxicity. • The polysaccharide significantly reduces UVB-induced ROS generation. • The Polysaccharide decreases UVB-induced apoptosis rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, a multifunctional composite coating is constructed on silk fabrics by a facile impregnation strategy. In detail, the pre-period involves the aggregation growth of sophora flower extract/phytic acid-lanthanum ion-silk fibroin complex network, while the post-period introduces a water repellent layer that is composed of hydroxyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane and hexadecyltrimethoxysilane composite. Benefiting from the synergistic effect of P, Si and N elements, the optimized finished silk sample denoted as D/FR/W R -SF exhibits a limiting oxygen index value of up to 29.3%, and shows a damage length as low as 9.4 cm in the vertical burning test. Since the sophora flower extract contains flavonoids such as rutin and quercetin, it confers good antibacterial activity and ultraviolet resistance to silk fabrics. The results display that D/FR/W R -SF inhibits the colony propagation of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, and achieves an ultraviolet protection factor value of 38.61 compared with the control silk fabrics. Attributed to the directional arrangement of long-chain alkane and Si-CH 3 , D/FR/W R -SF exhibits good water repellency with a water contact angle of 138°. Additionally, D/FR/W R -SF also presents satisfactory washing resistance (integrated properties after 25 laundering cycles). Therefore, such a complete multifunctional composite coating scheme shows great potential for expanding advanced textile applications. [Display omitted] • A composite coating is constructed on silk fabrics by impregnation method. • Modified fabrics exhibit good flame retardancy, water repellency. • Modified fabrics also show fine antibacterial activity and ultraviolet resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • A series of novel pyrazolomatrine derivatives were prepared. • Some compounds showed potent aphicidal and acaricidal activities. • Their structure-activity relationships were observed. Abstract In continuation of our program aimed at the development of new natural product-based pesticides, a series of novel pyrazolomatrine derivatives were prepared by structural modifications of matrine, isolated as a quinolizidine alkaloid from the roots of Sophora flave. Their structures were confirmed by 1H NMR, HRMS, etc. Moreover, the steric structures of three compounds were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Among all derivatives, 19-(naphthyl-2-oyl)pyrazolomatrine (5y) showed 3.13-fold more potent acaricidal activity than its precusor matrine against Tetranychus cinnabarinus ; 19-(4-methylbenzoyl)pyrazolomatrine (5j) and 19-(3,5-dimethylbenzoyl)pyrazolomatrine (5k) displayed the promising aphicidal activity against Aphis citricola van der. Their structure-activity relationships were also observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Site-specific insertion plasmid pVO155 was used to knockout the genes involved in the alternation of host range of strain Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens USDA 110 from its original determinate-nodule-forming host soybean ( Glycine max ), to promiscuous and indeterminate-nodule-forming shrubby legume sophora ( Sophora flavescens ). Symbiotic phenotypes of these mutants inoculated to these two legumes, were compared to those infected by wild-type strain USDA 110. Six genes of the total fourteen Tn 5 transposon mutated genes were broken using the pVO155 plasmid. Both Tn 5 and pVO155-inserted mutants could nodulate S. flavescens with different morphologies of low-efficient indeterminate nodules. One to several rod or irregular bacteroids, containing different contents of poly-β-hydroxybutyrate or polyphosphate were found within the symbiosomes in nodulated cells of S. flavescens infected by the pVO155-inserted mutants. Moreover, none of bacteroids were observed in the pseudonodules of S. flavescens , infected by wild-type strain USDA 110. These mutants had the nodulation ability with soybean but the symbiotic efficiency reduced to diverse extents. These findings enlighten the complicated interactions between rhizobia and legumes, i. e., mutation of genes involved in metabolic pathways, transporters, chemotaxis and mobility could alter the rhizobial entry and development of the bacteroid inside the nodules of a new host legume. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of bush sophora root polysaccharide (BSRPS) on the aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)-induced hepatotoxicity and to explore the underlying mechanisms. The primary chicken hepatocytes were used as the model in the present experiment. The results showed that AFB1 induced hepatotoxicity of chicken hepatocytes in a dose dependent manner as demonstrated by decreasing cell viability and increasing LDH activity, ALT and AST levels. AFB1 at 0.16 μM significantly increased the levels of hepatic cytochrome P450 1A5 (CYP450 1A5) mRNA and malondialdehyde (MDA) and decreased the activity and mRNA level of manganese superoxide dismutase(SOD2) and the glutathione peroxidases (GSH-Px) activity in the hepatocytes compared with the blank control. BSRPS at 8.93 μM, 17.86 μM, and 35.72 μM supplementation could significantly reverse the above-mentioned changes induced by AFB1, and 17.86 μM of BSRPS has the largest effects on protecting the AFB1-induced hepatocytes damage. Knock-down of SOD2 by SOD2-specific siRNA significantly eliminated the protective effects of BSRPS on AFB1-induced the increase of CYP450 1A5 mRNA levels and hepatotoxicity. These results suggested that the BSRPS has protective effects on AFB1-induced hepatotoxicity by down-regulating CYP450 1A5 mRNA level via up-regulating SOD2 expression in the primary chicken hepatocytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The root of Sophora flavescens Ait. has long been used as a crude drug in China and other Asian countries for thousands of years. The quinolizidine alkaloids and flavonoids are considered as the main bioactive components in this plant. To determine the distribution and content of the flavonoids in different organs of this plant, a rapid, sensitive and reproducible method was established using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a triple quadrupole electrospray tandem mass spectrometry. A total of sixteen flavonoids including five different types (isoflavones, pterocarpans, flavones, flavonols and prenylflavonoids) were simultaneously determined in 10 min. The established method was fully validated in terms of linearity, sensitivity, precision, repeatability as well as recovery and successfully applied in the methanolic extracts of S. flavescens parts (root, stem, leaf, pod and seed). The analysis results indicated that the distribution and contents of different type of flavonoids showed remarkable differences among the five organs of S. flavescens . This study might be useful for the rational utilization of S. flavescens resource. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Afforestation as an effective measure to control soil erosion has achieved remarkable effects in northern China. However, large scale of artificial afforestation can increase soil water consumption and induce soil desiccation in arid and semi-arid areas. This study analyzed the variations of soil water storage following the conversion of croplands into forests with different species and stand ages on the Loess Plateau. Three most common artificial forests dominated by Salix matsudana , Populus cathayana , and Sophora japonica with stand ages of 5, 10, and 15 years were investigated to determine the variations in soil water storage. The results showed that soil water storage decreased with increasing afforestation ages and soil depth. Salix matsudana mainly consumed shallow soil water (0–100 cm), P. cathayana mainly consumed deep soil water (100–150 cm), while S. japonica had relatively lower water consumption than the other two species. Converting cropland into forest resulted in a significant water deficit. Soil water deficit in the 0–100 cm soil profiles was significantly higher under S. matsudana than under the other two artificial forests. Severe soil water depletion and obvious soil desiccation occurred after 12 years of afforestation. Therefore, artificial forests with less water consumption, e.g. S. japonica , should be given priority in future afforestation practice. To maintain the sustainability of vegetation, changes in land-use patterns should be considered after 12 years of afforestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roots of Sophora flavescens is an important herbal medicine for treatment of HBV and hepatic carcinoma in China. Alkaloids in the root were well known for exhibiting good hepato-protective and anti-HBV effects. However, polysaccharides as main components in the root remained unknown. In the studies, we investigated the chemical features and hepatoprotective effects of Sophora flavescens polysaccharides (SFP-100 and its active fractions) with ConA-induced hepatitis mice, human liver LO2 cells and HepG2.2.15 cells. The results showed that SFP-100 was composed of arabinose, glucose, galactose and galacturonic acid, SFP-100-A mainly contained glucose. SFP-100-B and SFP-100-C were acidic polysaccharides. SFP-100 significantly decreased hepatocytes apoptosis, inhibited the infiltration of neutrophils and macrophages into liver, and improved the production of IFN-γ and IL-6 of splenocytes in ConA-induced hepatitis mice. SFP-100 and its two sugar fractions increased LO2 cell proliferation and reduced cell apoptosis induced by ConA. SFP-100, SFP-100-A and SFP-100-C remarkedly inhibited the secretion of HBsAg and HBeAg by HepG2.2.15 cells.These results suggested Sophora flavescens polysaccharides exerts significant hepatoprotective and anti-HBV roles, and further is used for treatment of immune-mediated liver disease in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs) has the aggressive phenotype, which is very important for cartilage destruction in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). To the pathology of RA, the increased FLSs migration, activation and proliferation are essential factors. Oxymatrine is a traditional Chinese herb, which is the extraction from the root of Sophora flavescens and regarded as quinolizidine alkaloid compounds and has been shown to inhibit inflammation, proliferation and migration in vitro or vivo. However, whether oxymatrine effects in the treatment of RA FLSs is undefined. In our study, the inhibition of oxymatrine in RA FLSs inflammation, proliferation and migration in RA FLS are evaluated. We found that oxymatrine decreased the IL-6 and IL-8 expression and the proliferation, migration and invasion of RA FLSs. We also evaluated the molecular mechanisms and we found the effect of oxymatrine on NF-κB activation. The results showed that oxymatrine inhibited the activity of NF-κB. And the treatment activity of oxymatrine on collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) was further explored by us. Thus, we conclude that oxymatrine may protect joint destruction of RA by inhibiting synoviocyte activation, migration, invasion, and proliferation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional Chinese medicine Kushen ( Radix Sophorae flavescentis ) is medicinally used for the subterraneous root leaving the stems, leaves and seeds as a major industrial waste. The application value of the Sophora flavescens seed is worth of attention. Herein, it was intended to characterize the mature S. flavescens seed for their phytochemicals composition in alkaloids, fatty acids, polysaccharide, protein, nucleosides and nucleobases. In addition, their bioactivities such as antioxidant and antimicrobial activity were also evaluated through different in vitro biochemical assays. The mature S. flavescens seed is rich in alkaloids, linoleic acid and crude protein, which exhibit excellent antibacterial, antioxidant activity and nutritional value. The phytochemical profiles and the bioactivities of S. flavescens seed endorse it a promising resource, which could be utilized in pharmaceutical, cosmetics and food industry as the raw material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxymatrine (OMT), an alkaloid derived from the root of the Sophora flavescens , has been reported to possess a significant effect on relieving UC owing to its anti-inflammatory property. But the other therapeutic mechanism of OMT remains unclear. Recent studies have found, PI3K/AKT signaling pathway is involved in the pathogenesis of UC by pro-inflammatory effects and activating T cells. Moreover, PI3K/AKT pathway is one of the most important pathways for regulating cell apoptosis. Thus, we aim to explore whether OMT protects against UC by targeting PI3K/AKT pathway. We established the UC mice models, using LY294002 (a specific inhibitor of PI3K/AKT) as a positive control, to observe the effect of low, medium and high dose of OMT on UC and its influence on PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Our data indicated that OMT can significantly ameliorate UC through anti-inflammatory, pro-apoptotic, down-regulating the differentiation of Th1 and Th17 cells via PI3K/AKT pathway. This study reveals that PI3K/AKT signaling pathway is a potential mechanism of OMT-induced UC remission and suggests that OMT is a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of UC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to ascertain the mechanism underlying the therapeutic efficacy of Bush sophora root polysaccharides (BSRPS) and phosphorylated Bush sophora root polysaccharides (pBSRPS) in the treatment of in duck viral hepatitis (DVH), an investigation was conducted to assess the protective impact of BSRPS and pBSRPS against duck hepatitis A virus type 1 (DHAV-1) induced mitochondrial dysfunction both in vivo and vitro. The BSRPS underwent modification through the utilization of the sodium trimetaphosphate - sodium tripolyphosphate method, and was subsequently characterized though Fourier infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Following this, the degree of mitochondrial oxidative damage and dysfunction was described through the use of fluorescence probes and various antioxidative enzyme assay kits. Furthermore, the utilization of transmission electron microscopy facilitated the observation of alterations in the mitochondrial ultrastructure within the liver tissue. Our findings demonstrated that both BSRPS and pBSRPS effectively mitigated mitochondrial oxidative stress and conserved mitochondrial functionality, as evidenced by heightened antioxidant enzyme activity, augmented ATP production, and stabilized mitochondrial membrane potential. Meanwhile, the histological and biochemical examinations revealed that the administration of BSRPS and pBSRPS resulted in a reduction of focal necrosis and infiltration of inflammatory cells, thereby mitigating liver injury. Additionally, both BSRPS and pBSRPS exhibited the ability to maintain liver mitochondrial membrane integrity and enhance the survival rate of ducklings infected with DHAV-1. Notably, pBSRPS demonstrated superior performance in all aspects of mitochondrial function compared to BSRPS. The findings indicated that maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis is a crucial factor in DHAV-1 infections, and the administration of BSRPS and pBSRPS may mitigate mitochondrial dysfunction and safeguard liver function. • The phosphorylation modification of BSRPS was found to enhance its protective effects on mitochondria. • Mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress induced by DHAV-1 were significantly reduced by pBSRPS. • The preservation of mitochondrial function by pBSRPS resulted in improved survival rates for DHAV-infected ducklings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Appropriate drought stress could promote the accumulation of specialized metabolites in plants, especially in medicinal plants. Sophora alopecuroides L. (Leguminosae), a medicinal plant with a variety of bioactive specialized metabolites, has an excellent drought resistance. In this study, drought stress-induced metabolomic and transcriptomic changes in S. alopecuroides were identified, to explore the mechanism of specialized metabolite changes in response to mild, moderate and severe drought stress. The metabolic analysis results showed that a total of 919 annotated metabolites were detected and quantified, of them, flavonoid metabolites were the main metabolites in S. alopecuroides. Moreover, a total of 411 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) were identified, among them, 6-Hydroxydaidzein, 2-Hydroxy-2,3-dihydrogenistein, prunetin, and biochanin A significantly increased under mild drought stress but isoflavonoids significantly decreased under moderate and severe drought stress. Transcriptional analysis showed that a total of 21,307 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, and most of them were enriched in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites pathway. The integrated metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses results proved that these DAMs and DEGs were most significantly enriched in isoflavonoid biosynthesis pathway (ko00943). In addition, some structural genes such as 2-hydroxyisoflavanone synthase (IFS), 2-hydroxyisoflavanone dehydratase (HID), isoflavone 7-O-glucosyltransferase (IF7GT), and isoflavone 7-O-glucoside-6''-O-malonyltransferase (IF7MAT) and seven MYB transcription factors (SaMYB1 ∼ SaMYB7) were identified, which played crucial regulatory roles in the isoflavonoid synthesis. This study provides useful insights into the molecular mechanism of S. alopecuroides in response to drought stress, and help develop biotechnological strategies to manipulate the levels of therapeutic specialized metabolites in S. alopecuroides. • Flavonoids were the main specialized metabolites in Sophora alopecuroides L. • Mild drought stress promoted the accumulation of flavonoid metabolites. • Structural genes (IFS , HID , IF7GT , and IF7MAT) contributed to the isoflavonoid accumulation. • Seven SaMYBs may involve in the regulation of isoflavonoid biosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selecting suitable plants as green manures is essential for improving marginal soil fertility and sustainable agroecosystems. Sophora alopecuroides is a highly salt- and alkali-tolerant leguminous plant that is often used as green manure. However, the molecular mechanism underlying saline-alkali tolerance in S. alopecuroides remains largely unclear. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying saline-alkali stress tolerance through physiological and transcriptomic analyses in S. alopecuroides seedlings. Comparative transcriptome analysis revealed that saline-alkali stress induced the expression of genes involved in cell wall modification, thereby increasing the contents of pectin and hemicellulose in roots and improving saline-alkali stress tolerance. The expression of genes related to the glycolysis pathway was induced, whereas genes involved in the TCA cycle and primary nitrogen metabolism were downregulated under salt and alkali stresses, indicating that S. alopecuroides plants modulate carbon flow to provide energy and ultimately regulate saline-alkali stress adaptation. Saline-alkali stress also modulated phytohormone signaling pathways in S. alopecuroides. Moreover, the leaves of seedlings under salt and alkali stresses contained elevated potassium, zinc and manganese contents, and the roots of seedlings under salt stress contained higher iron content. Taken together, these adaptive mechanisms to saline-alkali stress provide a physiological basis for the coordinated nutrient cycling of S. alopecuroides green manure. These results provide a molecular basis for the phytoremediation and utilization of saline-alkali soil, enabling the design of an integrated nutrient cycling system and optimization of the cultivation and field management of S. alopecuroides green manure. [Display omitted] • Saline-alkali stress modulates carbon flow to provide energy in S. alopecuroides. • Saline-alkali stress increases the contents of pectin and hemicellulose in roots. • Saline-alkali stress modulates phytohormone pathways. • Micronutrient contents were increased in S. alopecuroides under saline-alkali stress. • Improving saline-alkali land use efficiency by S. alopecuroides green manure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psoriasis vulgaris is a chronic inflammatory skin disease, stubbornly intractable, with substantial consequences for patient physical and mental welfare. Approaches currently available to treat psoriasis are not satisfactory due to undesirable side-effects or expense. Psoriasis is characterized by hyperproliferation and inflammation. Oxymatrine, an active component extracted from Sophora flavescens , has been demonstrated to possess anti-proliferation, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumorigenic, immune regulation and pro-apoptotic properties. This investigation presents a detailed retrospective review examining the effect of Oxymatrine on psoriasis and investigates the mechanisms underlying patient responses to Oxymatrine. We confirm that Oxymatrine administration significantly reduced the Psoriasis Area Severity Index score, with high efficacy compared to the control group. In addition, we have found that Oxymatrine significantly inhibits the viability, proliferation and differentiation of human keratinocyte in vitro. Immunohistochemical analysis indicates Oxymatrine significantly suppresses the expression of Pan-Cytokeratin, p63 and keratin 10. The results indicate that the suppression of p63 expression may lead to the anti-proliferation effect of Oxymatrine on human skin keratinocytes. Oxymatrine does not affect the formation of basement membrane, which is very important to maintain the normal function of human skin keratinocytes. In summary, Oxymatrine offers an effective, economical, and safe treatment for patients presenting with intractable psoriasis vulgaris. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The central composite design combined with response surface methodology was used to optimize pressure-enhanced solid-liquid extraction (PSE) of flavonoids from Flos Sophorae . The optimal extraction conditions for PSE were: pressure 460 MPa, ethanol concentration 75%, liquid to solid ratio 32 mL/g, temperature 25 °C, and time 5 min. Under these conditions, the experimental flavonoids yield was 200 ± 8.63 mg/g, which closely agreed with the predicted value (202.915 mg/g). Scanning electron micrographs illustrated the severely structural disruptions of sample cells by PSE. In addition, the PSE extract exhibited a considerable antioxidant activity in a dose-dependent manner. Four flavonoids compounds including rutin, kaempferol, quercetin, and genistein were identified and quantified by HPLC analysis of PSE extracts, which contents of dry extract were 368.71 ± 5.46, 104.17 ± 6.25, 89.23 ± 4.84 and 32.31 ± 3.42 mg/g, respectively. These results indicated that PSE was a suitable approach for the extraction of flavonoids from Flos Sophorae . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioassay-guided phytochemical investigation of the EtOAc fraction (ST-EtOAc) from the roots of Sophora tonkinensis resulted in the isolation of a new compound 6a R ,11a R -1-hydroxy-4-isoprenyl-maackiain ( 1 ), along with 12 known compounds ( 2 – 13 ). The structure of the new compound was established by 1D and 2D NMR, MS data and circular dichroism analysis. Polyprenylated flavonoids 6 – 9 and 11 – 13 increased GLUT-4 translocation by the range of 1.35–2.75 folds. Sophoranone (8 ) exerted the strongest activity with 2.75 folds GLUT-4 translocation enhancement at the concentration of 10 μM. This is the first report of the GLUT-4 translocation activity of the plant Sophora tonkinensis . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, Sophora flavescens residues (SFR) were used for l -lactic acid production and were mixed with food waste (FW) to assess the effects of different compositions of SFR and FW. Positive synergistic effects of mixed substrates were achieved with co-fermentation. Co-fermentation increased the proportion of l -lactic acid by decreasing the co-products of ethanol and other organic acids. A maximum l -lactic acid concentration of 48.4 g/L and l -lactic acid conversion rate of 0.904 g/g total sugar were obtained through co-fermentation of SFR and FW at the optimal ratio of 1:1.5. These results were approximately 6-fold those obtained during mono-fermentation of SFR. Co-fermentation of SFR and FW provides a suitable C/N ratio and pH for effective open fermentative production of l -lactic acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, the inhibitory effect of Sophora subprosrate polysaccharide (SSP) on PCV-2-induced mitochondrial respiratory burst in RAW264.7 cells was first investigated. The findings suggested that SOD activity and the anti-superoxide anion radical activity of the RAW264.7 cells were significantly decreased after PCV-2 infection, and MnSOD mRNA levels were significantly decreased, while NOX2 mRNA levels and protein expression were increased. Meanwhile, the O 2 •− levels and mitochondrial membrane potentials were significantly increased. After treatment with SSP, significant increases in the activities of SOD, anti-superoxide anion radical activities, and MnSOD mRNA levels in the PCV-2 infected cells were observed. Meanwhile, significant increases in NOX2 mRNA levels and protein expression, O 2 •− levels and mitochondrial membrane potentials were also observed. The results showed that PCV2 infection resulted in the mitochondria oxidative stress of RAW264.7 cells as indicated by an increasing mitochondrial membrane potential, which was then inhibited by SSP. It was concluded that RAW264.7 cells treated with SSP could suffer from mitochondrial damage, which may be mediated by the inhibition of the mitochondrial membrane potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyperuricemia (HUA) is a common metabolic condition associated with a variety of diseases, mainly manifested by the increase in uric acid (UA) levels. As xanthine oxidase (XOD) is the key enzyme in UA production, it has become a target for treating HUA. In this study, an extract named EESJ was extracted from Sophora japonica using 80% ethanol solution and administered to HUA mice to verify its UA-lowering effect. The results confirmed that administering EESJ could reduce the UA levels in vivo by inhibiting XOD activity, and ameliorating renal injury in a dose-dependent manner. To further study the active components in EESJ, 243 chemical components and 32 blood components were identified by the UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS technology, of which flavonoids were the main constituents. The molecular docking results showed that the following six compounds, namely hydroxygenkwanin, genistein, tectorigenin, kaempferol, sophoricoside, and quercetin, had strong binding properties with XOD; among which hydroxygenkwanin had the best binding capacity. In conclusion, this study confirmed that EESJ could effectively reduce UA levels, and speculated the active compounds playing a role in lowering UA levels, which has certain guiding significance for Sophora japonica and natural compounds as potentially effective treatment options for HUA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Galactomannan (GM) has been widely applied in food and other fields due to its appealing physicochemical properties. In this work, considering the changes in structural and physicochemical properties of Sophora japonica f. pendula (SJ-GM) with very high mannose to galactose (M/G) ratio in the late deposition stage, extensive exploration is conducted. The core of structural change is the change of M/G ratio (4.94–5.68), which is caused by the loss of galactose side residues modulated by α- d -galactosidase during seed maturation. Afterwards, the more compact conformation, the higher molecular weight, the increased hydrophobicity, and the greater solution viscosity of SJ-GM can be caused. Notably, the gel strength of SJ-GM with the highest M/G surpasses other GMs, including fenugreek gum (M/G = 1.20), guar gum (M/G = 1.80), Gleditsia microphylla gum (M/G = 2.77), and LBG (M/G = 4.00). Finally, SJ-GM is proven to be an attractive alternative to other GMs. [Display omitted] • Sophora japonica galactomannan has the highest M/G ratio by comparing with other GMs. • α- d -Galactosidase in endosperm regulates the M/G ratio by removing α- d -galactose. • The M/G ratio increases from 4.94 to 5.68 in the late deposition stage of GM. • WAF 23 with the highest M/G exhibits the best gelling property compared to other GMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sophora flavescens alkaloids (SFA), a promising botanical pesticide, have been registered and commercialized in China. In this study, we attempted to investigate the effect of SFA on the growth and development of tomatoes. Tomato seedlings were exposed to SFA at three dosages: 333.0, 166.5 and 111.0 mg L −1 . The morphological and physiological responses were recorded after spraying during the vegetative period, and yield and fruit quality after spraying during the reproductive period. SFA treatment increased the height and stem diameter of the seedlings as well as having a positive effect on almost all physiological leaf characteristics. Early yield and fruit quality were also improved. These findings suggest that the application of SFA has a favorable effect on the growth and yield of tomatoes, improving overall quality and antioxidative performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxymatrine (OMT) is an active constituent of traditional Chinese herb Sophora japonica Ait which has been shown to exert potent anti-inflammatory,anti-oxidant and anti-fibrosis properties. Our previous studies have demonstrated that OMT has protective effects on isoproterenol-induced heart failure in rats through regulation of DDAH/ADMA metabolism pathway.In this study,we further investigated whether OMT could attenuate isoproterenol-induced heart failure through the regulation of COX-2/PGI 2 pathway. Heart failure was induced in Sprague-Dawley rats by 5 mg/kg isoproterenol subcutaneous injection for 7 days. The rats were maintained on normal diet and randomly divided into five groups: control, isoproterenol, isoproterenol with OMT (50, 100 mg/kg), and OMT alone groups (n = 12 in each group). Serum brain natruretic peptide (BNP, a heart failure biomarker), histopathological variables, expression of Cytosolic phospholipase A 2 (cPLA 2 ), cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and Prostacyclin synthase (PGIS) were analysed. Administration of OMT significantly reduced the increased BNP in plasm of isoproterenol-induced rats, attenuated cardiac fibrosis,suppressed overexpression of myocardial COX-1 expression, up-regulated COX-2 and PGIS expression, but had no effects on isoproterenol-induced elevated protein cPLA 2 . And compared with control group, any indexes in sham rats treated with OMT (100 mg/kg) alone were unaltered. These results demonstrated that OMT has cardioprotective effects on isoproterenol-induced heart failure in rats by regulating COX-2/PGI 2 pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A polysaccharide (SFWP), with a molecular weight of 51 kDa, was successfully purified from the roots of Sophora flavescens and the antinociceptive actions of SFWP were evaluated using acetic acid induced writhing, tail flick, and formalin tests in mice. GC–MS results showed that SFWP had a backbone composed of (1 → 2)-linked Glc, (1 → 2,6)-inked Gal and (1 → 3,6)-inked Man residues, which were terminated with (1 → )-inked Xyl and (1 → )-inked Ara at O-6 of (1 → 2,6)-inked Gal and (1 → 3,6)-inked Man along the main chain, in the ratio of 2.0: 1.02: 1.09: 1.10: 0.98. Data showed that SFWP (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) significantly reduced the number of writhings induced by acetic acid in a dose-dependent manner. However, SFWP did not produce analgesia in tail-flick test. Moreover SFWP strongly attenuated the formalin-induced flinching behaviour in the second phases but not in the first phase in a dose-dependent manner. These results revealed that SFWP could be used safely to attenuate both inflammatory and peripheral neuropathic pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four water-soluble polysaccharides, designated as SF1, SF2, SF3 and SF4, were efficiently extracted from the roots of Sophora flavescens by mechanochemistry under the conditions of rotational speed of 400 rpm, grinding time of 10 min, powder to ball weight ratio of 1:20, and Na 2 CO 3 loading of 7 wt%. The results obtained indicated that all of these four acid heteropolysaccharides are composed of rhamnose, arabinose, xylose, mannose, glucose and galactose, with the average molecular weights of 400.9, 98.6, 99.3, 42.7 kDa, respectively. In vitro, SF4 showed the most significant scavenging activity on superoxide radical, ABTS, and DPPH radical, while SF3 had the most significant scavenging activity on hydroxyl radical. Immunological tests demonstrated that SF1, SF2, SF3 and SF4 significantly stimulated nitric oxide production without cytotoxicity in macrophages and promoted splenocyte proliferation. These data suggest that the four polysaccharides fractions have the potential as novel natural sources of antioxidative and immunopotentiating agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• HPLC-MS/MS method developed for determination of four matrine-type alkaloids (MAs). • 567 Chinese honey samples were analyzed with the detection rate of 61%. • 100 % Sophora viciifolia Hance (Sv H) honey samples detected with the average content of 1183.3 μg/kg. • Positive correlation found (R2 = 0.737) between MAs and pollen frequency of Sv H. • Sv H identified as the source of MAs in Chinese honeys. A HPLC-MS/MS method for simultaneous determination of four matrine-type alkaloids (matrine, oxymatrine, sophocarpine and sophoridine) in honey was established and was applied to 567 Chinese honey samples. The overall detection rate was 61.0 % and all eight Sophora viciifolia Hance honey samples were detected with the average content of 1183.3 μg/kg. Among 383 Acacia honey samples, matrine-type alkaloids have the highest detection rates in Gansu (98.8 %) and Shaanxi (86.5 %) provinces, which were significantly correlated with the distribution of S. viciifolia Hance. Moreover, matrine-type alkaloids in fruits and flowers of S. viciifolia Hance were as high as 7.06 g/kg and 2.65 g/kg respectively. The melissopalynological analysis showed that the concentration of oxymatrine was positively correlated with the pollen frequency of S. viciifolia Hance (R2 = 0.737) in representative Acacia honey samples. It can be concluded that the matrine-type alkaloids in Chinese honeys come from the nectariferous plants S. viciifolia Hance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sophora alopecuroides has important industrial value as the main source of matrine-type alkaloids, which have the potential to develop into global botanical pesticides. However, the unclear residue dynamics of matrine-type alkaloids severely limits its industrial development and large-scale application as botanical pesticides. Therefore, this study systematically analyzed residue behavior of matrine-type alkaloids of S. alopecuroides in crops and the environment. Firstly, the indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (IC-ELISA) method for the detection of matrine was developed and verified. The IC-ELISA method showed excellent cross-reactivities to matrine analogues, and could be used directly to detect and analyze the total alkaloids from S. alopecuroides. Using the IC-ELISA method, the dissipation behaviors and terminal residues of matrine and total alkaloids in pakchoi and soil were investigated. The results showed that matrine and the total alkaloids from S. alopecuroides were both easily degradable pesticides. However, the half-lives of matrine in pakchoi and soil were 1.576 d and 1.531d, respectively, significantly lower than those of total alkaloids with values of 6.649 d and 2.767 d. The results also provide guidance for the maximum residue detection values (MRLs) and scientific application of matrine-type alkaloid pesticides. This study is of great significance to promote the industrial development and large-scale application of its matrine-type alkaloids as botanical pesticides and improve the industrial value of S. alopecuroides. [Display omitted] • Residue behavior of matrine-type alkaloids of Sophora alopecuroides was investigated. • A convenient analytical tool for monitoring the matrine-type alkaloids was developed. • Half-lives of matrine in pakchoi and soil were 1.576 d and 1.531d, respectively. • Matrine-type alkaloids of S. alopecuroides are easily degradable botanical pesticides. • Results provide guidance for the development and application of matrine-type alkaloids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Rutin magnetic micelle molecularly imprinted polymers (RMMMIP) were synthesized. • The structure and adsorption of the RMMMIP were studied. • RMMMIP showed better adsorption capacity for rutin than quercetin, naringin and cyanidin-3-O-glucose, showing good selectivity. • RMMMIP was tested for the selective adsorption of rutin from rutin crude extract. Rutin is a naturally active compound with biological and medical value. The traditional extraction and separation method not only destroys the structure and activity of rutin, but results in a low extraction rate. In this work, the magnetic micellar molecularly imprinted polymer of rutin with a selective recognition function, i.e., RMMMIP was synthesized from 4 to Vinylphenylboron acid and 4-Vinylpyridine as functional monomer, derivatives of cholic acid as amphiphilic molecules. The internal hydrophobic and external hydrophilic characteristics of micelle was used to weaken the solvation of rutin and strengthen the non-covalent interaction between functional monomer and rutin. Fe 3 O 4 , as the core, endowed the composite materials with good magnetic responsiveness and was easy to separate solid from liquid. Then its structure and adsorption were studied, adsorbing capacity and recognition specific factor of RMMMIP are 11.9 mg·g−1 and 3.55 respectively. RMMMIP was used for the separation of rutin from crude extracts of Sophora japonica Linn and showed a better selective adsorption capacity than quercetin, naringin and cyanidin-3-O-glucose. It indicated that RMMMIP as a specific adsorbent had the potential to be a practical way to purify rutin from rutin crude extracts in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a severe traumatic disease because of its complications and multi-organ dysfunction. After the injury, the disruption of microenvironment homeostasis in the lesion demolishes the surrounding healthy tissues via various pathways. The microenvironment regulation is beneficial for neural and functional recovery. Sustained release, cellular uptake, and long-term retention of therapeutic molecules at the impaired sites are important for continuous microenvironment improvement. In our study, a local-implantation system was constructed for SCI treatment by encapsulating exosomes derived from Flos Sophorae Immaturus (so-exos) in a polydopamine-modified hydrogel (pDA-Gel). So-exos are used as nanoscale natural vehicles of rutin, a flavonoid phytochemical that is effective in microenvironment improvement and nerve regeneration. Our study showed that the pDA-Gel-encapsulated so-exos allowed rapid improvement of the impaired motor function and alleviation of urination dysfunction by modulating the spinal inflammatory and oxidative conditions, thus illustrating a potential SCI treatment through a combinational delivery of so-exos. The polydopamine covered HA hydrogel loaded with exosomes derived from Flos Sophorae Immaturus was designed to implant at the spinal cord injury lesion site for nerve cell proliferation under ROS microenvironment. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The N, S-CDs-Sop were first green synthesized through hydrothermal method. • The N, S-CDs-Sop/Fe3+ system was sensitive and selective for AMX. • The fluorescent strategy was successfully applied to AMX detection in human plasma. This article first reported the green synthesis of N, S co-doped fluorescent carbon dots (N, S-CDs-Sop) and sought to establish the fluorescence detection system for amoxicillin (AMX). By using Sophora japonica L. flower as the green precursor and dl -homocystine as the co-dopant, N, S-CDs-Sop were successfully prepared via a one-pot hydrothermal method, exhibiting good water solubility and excellent photoluminescence. It was revealed that the surface of N, S-CDs-Sop was abundant in amino, hydroxyl and carboxyl groups after being characterized by a variety of techniques. When Fe3+ was added, Fe3+ could be complexed with N, S-CDs-Sop to from N, S-CDs-Sop-Fe3+ chelation leading to a significant static quenching of fluorescence. However, when N, S-CDs-Sop, Fe3+ and AMX coexisted, AMX would coordinate with Fe3+ and form the strong chelate due to the favorable chemical structure, resulting in the rapid fluorescence recovery. Such a fast, simple and sensitive fluorescence "off–on" strategy with a low LOD and a relatively wide range was successfully applied to the detection of AMX, which is closely correlated with human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functional and conformational transitions of the Sophora japonica seed lectin (SJL) were studied in detail using bioinformatics and biophysical tools. Homology model of the lectin displayed all the characteristics of the legume lectin monomer and the experimental observations correlated well with the structural information. In silico studies were performed by protein-ligand docking, calculating the respective binding energies and the residues involved in the interactions were derived from LigPlot + analysis. Fluorescence titrations showed three times higher affinity of T-antigen disaccharide than N -acetyl galactosamine (GalNAc) towards SJL indicating extended sugar binding site of the lectin. Thermodynamic parameters of T-antigen binding to SJL indicated the process to be endothermic and entropically driven while those of GalNAc showed biphasic process. SDS-PAGE showed post-translationally modified homotetrameric species of the lectin under native conditions. In presence of guanidine hydrochloride (0.5–5.0 M), the tetramer first dissociated into dimers followed by unfolding of the protein as indicated by size exclusion chromatography, fluorescence and CD spectroscopy. Different structural rearrangements were observed during thermal denaturation of SJL at physiological pH 7.2, native pH 8.5 and molten globule inducing pH 1.0. Topological information revealed by solute quenching studies at respective pH indicated differential hydrophobic environment and charge density around tryptophan residues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sophora davidii is a popular ecological and feeding plant, but it also is a potential medicinal plant. Its root has high levels of lupin alkaloids, which make a kind of valued matrine-type alkaloids as one of the best alternatives to pentazocine. Very limited agronomic information exists regarding the cultivation of S . davidii as a medicinal and industrial crop. The objective of this study was to investigate seed germination and emergence of S. davidii in response to temperature, osmotic potential, salinity and depth of seed burial. The effect of temperature, osmotic potential and salinity on seed germination were examined at different temperatures (5–40 °C), while using different polyethylene glycol (PEG)-6000 (0–−1.0 MPa) and different CaCl 2 (0–200 mM) solutions. Seedling emergence was also examined for seeds sown at different depths (0–9 cm). Temperature affected germination rates of S. davidii ; maximum germination (30.67%) was reached at 25 days a constant temperature of 20 °C. Maximum germination rates were obtained under low osmotic potential (0–−0.4 MPa) and low salinity concentrations (20–50 mM CaCl 2 ); increasing osmotic potential or salinity progressively inhibited seed germination. Deep burial significantly decreased seedling emergence rates, seedlings emerged well at depths of 0–3 cm, but no seedlings emerged from seeds buried at depths of ≥9 cm. As a general recommendation to growers S. davidii should be seeded no deeper than 3-cm depth, and the suitable environmental conditions (temperatures of 20–30 °C, water stress of 0–−0.4 MPa and salt stress of 20–50 mM CaCl 2 ) may be encountered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sophora davidii Franch. is a multipurpose shrub with significant economic and ecological importance in karst mountainous regions of southeastern China. These mountainous ecosystems are associated with altitudinal gradients that can lead to major morphological and genetic differences in the species. We examined the morphological and genetic variation of this species at six sites with different altitudes (600 m–1950 m asl). Significant morphological variations (p < 0.01) were observed for leaf area and leaf thickness across the populations, with linear increasing trends along increasing altitude. Genetic diversity exhibited an increasing trend with increasing altitude, and the highest diversity (PPB = 87.66%; h = 0.2765; I = 0.4206) was observed at 1950 m asl, whereas the lowest genetic diversity (PPB = 75.97%; h = 0.2428; I = 0.3701) existed at 870 m asl. AMOVA analyses indicated that variation existed mainly within populations (89.49%), in line with the high level of gene flow (N m = 4.6629). In addition, altitude correlated with percentage of polymorphic bands (PPB) and Shannon’s information index (I); PPB and I correlated with leaf length and leaf thickness. Our results provided strong evidence that variations in morphological and genetic parameters of S. davidii populations reflected morphological and genetic adaptations to native habitats, and highlighted its ecological and evolutionary implications along altitudinal gradients of karst mountainous ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Road dust is one of the most common pollutants and causes a series of negative effects on plant physiology. Dust's impacts on plants can be regarded as a combination of load, composition and grain size impacts on plants; however, there is a lack of integrated dust effect studies involving these three aspects. In our study, Sophora japonica seedlings were artificially dusted with road dust collected from the road surface of Beijing so that we could study the impacts of this dust on nitrogen/carbon allocation, biomass allocation and photosynthetic pigments from the three aspects of composition, load and grain size. The results showed that the growth characteristics of S. japonica seedlings were mostly influenced by dust composition and load. Leaf N, root–shoot ratio and chlorophyll a/b were significantly affected by dust composition and load; leaf C/N, shoot biomass, total chlorophyll and carotenoid were significantly affected by dust load; stem N and stem C/N were significantly affected by dust composition; while the dust grain size alone did not affect any of the growth characteristics. Road dust did influence the growth characteristics more extensively than loam. Therefore, a higher dust load could increase the differences between road dust and loam treatments. The elements in dust are well correlated to the shoot N, shoot C/N, and root–shoot ratio of S. japonica seedlings. This knowledge could benefit the management of urban green spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on advantages of microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), aqueous two-phase extraction (ATPE) and reversed micellar extraction (RME), a novel method of extraction and purification of alkaloids from Sophora flavescens Ait. was put forward by using focused microwave-assisted aqueous two-phase extraction (FMAATPE) coupled with the reversed micellar extraction (RME). The aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) consisted of ethanol and ammonia sulfate was used as extracting solvent, FMAATPE conditions such as the compositions of ATPS, and the extraction temperature, extraction time and solvent-to-materials ratio were optimized by orthogonal test through HPLC analysis. Then alkaloids extracted by FMAATPE were further purified with reverse micelles of sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate/isooctane/ n -octanol. The relative purity of total alkaloids in the product was improved greatly by RME from 58.30% to 88.75% (w/w), and purification recovery was higher than that of solvent extraction, ion exchange resin and macroporous adsorption resin. Moreover, the reverse micelles used could be readily recycled by adding salt and water, keeping better extraction performance with about 80% (w/w) of recovery. Thus, the proposed method is easy to adjust, operate and enlarge for better application prospect; the purity of alkaloids obtained meets the requirements of the compound drug preparation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is the first report of the antitumor activities of desmethylanhydroicaritin (DMAI) isolated from Sophora flavescens on U87MG cells. Human glioblastoma is one of the most aggressive malignant type of brain tumors and highly diffuses to around normal brain tissues. DMAI showed anti-proliferation effects on U87MG cells at the concentration of 30 μM, however did not affect to HEK-293 cells. DMAI induced anti-proliferation effects via ERK/MAPK, PI3 K/Akt/mTOR signal pathway and G2/M phase cell cycle arrest. DMAI led to morphological change and inhibition of filapodia formation through regulation of Rac 1 and Cdc 42. In addition, migration and invasion of U87MG cells were inhibited by DMAI via down-regulation of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) −2 and MMP −9 expressions and activities. Our results suggest that DMAI has a potential as a therapeutic agent against glioblastoma cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]