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The Wanshan mercury mine, which is an abandoned mine located in northeastern Guizhou Province in Southwest China, has introduced serious Hg pollution to the local ecosystem resulting from previous mining and smelting activities. However, it is not clear to date whether soil pollution has actually improved after treatment by related departments. Therefore, the present study investigates the vegetation community and heavy metal contents of the soil and plants in the Wanshan mercury mining area. The results showed that most of Hg, Cd, As, Cu, and Zn contents in soil samples were higher than those of Soil Environment Quality Risk Control Standard for Soil Contamination of Agricultural Land in China (GB15618-2018). The observed plant species mainly consisted of Compositae, followed by Leguminosae. Unfortunately, this investigation found that heavy metal concentrations in these plants were not extremely high and far below the standard of hyperaccumulator. Despite all this, the maximum values of bioaccumulation factor for Pb, Cd, Hg, As, Cu and Zn were Serissa japonica (Thunb.) Thunb., Rhus chinensis Mill., Potentilla sibbaldii Haller f., Erigeron canadensis L., Clerodendrum bungei var. bungei. and Rhus chinensis Mill., respectively. Regardless of the carcinogenic or noncarcinogenic risk index, the potential risk to urban children is higher. Our results suggest that heavy metal pollution was indeed relieved since their contents in soil significantly decreased in comparison with those reported in other previous studies. This finding provides a reference for the long-term treatment of heavy metal pollution in the local environment and other areas employing analogous environmental protection measures.

This paper aimed to study the effect of the phenol-rich fraction from Chinese sumac fruits on ethanol-induced gastric ulcers in mice and to further elucidate the potential mechanisms. The results showed that the phenol-rich fraction of the fruits significantly decreased the ulcer index, restored the levels of prostaglandin E-2, heat shock protein 70, glutathione and superoxide dismutase, and reduced the malondialdehyde content. Further analyses revealed that the fraction significantly alleviated the gastric oxidative stress by upregulating the Nrf2 protein pathway to increase the HO-1 and NQO1 expression levels, suppressed the inflammation by reducing the expression levels of p-NF-κB and p-IκBα and inhibited the secretion of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, and interleukin-6. In addition, the fraction remarkably prevented gastric mucous cell apoptosis by upregulating Bcl-2 and downregulating Bax and cleaved caspase3. This experiment clarified for the first time that the phenol-rich fraction from Chinese sumac fruits can prevent ethanol-induced gastric ulcers in mice by inhibiting the oxidative stress, inflammatory response and cell apoptosis. The results obtained from the current work indicated that the phenol-rich fraction from Chinese sumac fruits could be applied as a kind of natural resource for producing new functional foods to prevent and/or improve gastric ulcers induced by ethanol.

The purpose of this research was to explore the preventive effect of an 80% ethanol extract of Rhus chinensis Mill. fruits on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice and to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms of this effect. The results indicated that the extract, especially when administered at a high dose, could dramatically decrease the disease activity index, maintain normal spleen conditions, and improve colonic histopathology and length in the DSS-induced mice. In addition, extract administration could significantly suppress the levels of malondialdehyde, myeloperoxidase, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, and interleukin-6 and enhance superoxide dismutase and glutathione levels. The extract obviously protected intestinal barrier integrity by improving Occludin, ZO-1 and Claudin-1 expression levels. Western blot and immunohistochemistry analyses further indicated that the preventive effect of the phenol-rich extract on DSS-induced colitis might be achieved through the up-regulation of the expression of several pivotal oxidative stress-associated proteins, namely Nrf2, NQO1 and HO-1, and the down-regulation of the expression of several pivotal inflammation-associated proteins, namely p-NF-κB, p-IκB, COX-2, iNOS, p-P38, p-Erk1/2, and p-JNK. Therefore, R. chinensis fruits extract possesses the capability to prevent DSS-induced ulcerative colitis in mice and could be utilized as a natural substance in the exploitation of functional foods as an adjuvant dietary therapy for preventing and/or alleviating inflammatory bowel disease.

Objectives: The objective of the study is to evaluate in vitro antioxidant activity of aqueous- and freeze-dried fruits extracts of Rhus chinensis and Citrus macroptera and their comparative studies. Methods: The sumac fruit extracts were prepared by macerating in distilled water for 36 h, strained, and concentrated. Hatkora juice was used as it is for further concentration. Both the sample were dried using two methods, that is, evaporation in the water bath at 50°C and freeze-dried in a lyophilizer. The total phenolic content and total flavonoid content were determined using Folin–Ciocalteu and aluminum chloride method. The extracts were evaluated for antioxidant activity by 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay and reducing power assay. Results: Both sumac extract and Hatkora juice show potent antioxidant activity. When compared, the freeze-dried sample shows better activity as compared to the aqueous dried sample in both DPPH and reducing power assay. Conclusions: This study result shows high phenolic and flavonoid content which is responsible for its high antioxidant activity. This suggests that the fruits can be viewed as a potential source of natural antioxidants that can provide valuable functional ingredients useful for the prevention of diseases related to oxidative stress, dietary supplements, functional food, nutraceuticals, etc.

Gall of Rhus chinensis Mill. (Chinese galls) and gall of Quercus infectoria Oliv. (Turkish galls) have similar applications and chemical compositions, and their extracts have been widely used for industrial production and for medicinal applications. In this study, high-performance liquid chromatography–electrospray mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS) methods were established for profiling the components of Chinese galls and Turkish galls. Compounds representing 96.56 and 99.15% of the total peak area of Chinese galls and Turkish galls were identified. The results identified that the ellagic acid, galloyl-HHDP-glucose and pedunculagin act as the identifying markers for the comparison of Chinese galls and Turkish galls in HPLC-ESI-MS/MS. The peak area of tetragalloyl-glucoside, heptagalloyl-glucoside and pentagalloyl-glucoside can be used to distinguish these two phytomedicines. This work provides a reference for the study of the chemical composition of Chinese galls and Turkish galls, which not only introduce a simple and reliable method to prevent the adulteration or misuse of Chinese galls and Turkish galls but also lay the foundations for clarifying the material basis of their similar pharmacological action.

Eight new dammarane-type triterpenoids (1-8), together with a related known analogue (9), were isolated from the roots of Rhus chinensis, a traditional Chinese medicine for treating coronary artery heart disease, guided by LC-MS analysis. Their structures were elucidated based on extensive spectroscopic analysis and quantum chemical calculations. Notably, compounds 1-7 and 9 possess an unusual 17α-side chain, and 1-4, 6, and 9 contain an uncommon 3-methyl-5,6-dihydro-2H-pyran-2-one moiety in the side chain. Compounds 1-5 and 9 have a 3,19-hemiketal bridge in the A ring. In an in vivo bioassay, 1, 2, and 4-6 exhibited significant preventive effects on zebrafish heart failure at 0.5 μg/mL, improving heart dilatation, venous congestion, cardiac output, blood flow velocity, and heart rate. Compound 5, displaying the most promising heart failure preventive activities, showed even better effects on increasing cardiac output (72%) and blood flow velocity (83%) than six first-line heart failure therapeutic drugs. Moreover, 1, 2, and 6 prevented the formation of thrombosis in zebrafish at 0.5 μg/mL. The present investigation suggests that the new dammarane triterpenoids might be partially responsible for the utility of R. chinensis in treating coronary artery heart disease.

Bee pollen is a nutrient-rich food that meets the nutritional requirements of honey bees and supports human health. This study aimed to provide nutritive composition data for 11 popular bee pollen samples (Brassica napus (Bn), Bidens pilosa var. radiata (Bp), Camellia sinensis (Cs), Fraxinus griffithii (Fg), Prunus mume (Pm), Rhus chinensis var. roxburghii (Rc), Bombax ceiba (Bc), Hylocereus costaricensis (Hc), Liquidambar formosana (Lf), Nelumbo nucifera (Nn), and Zea mays (Zm)) in Taiwan for the global bee pollen database. Macronutrients, such as carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids, were analyzed, which revealed that Bp had the highest carbohydrate content of 78.8 g/100 g dry mass, Bc had the highest protein content of 32.2 g/100 g dry mass, and Hc had the highest lipid content of 8.8 g/100 g dry mass. Only the bee pollen Hc completely met the minimum requirements of essential amino acids for bees and humans, and the other bee pollen samples contained at least 1–3 different limiting essential amino acids, i.e., methionine, tryptophan, histidine, valine, and isoleucine. Regarding the fatty acid profile of bee pollen samples, palmitic acid (C16:0), stearic acid (C18:0), oleic acid (C18:1), linoleic acid (C18:2), and linolenic acid (C18:3) were predominant fatty acids that accounted for 66.0–97.4% of total fatty acids. These data serve as an indicator of the nutritional quality and value of the 11 bee pollen samples.

Rhus chinensis Mill is a high-quality eco-economic resource for potential sustainable development. To analyze the chemical constituents of extracts from the leaves of Rhus chinensis Mill for resource values, the following analytical methods were performed: Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrum, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), thermogravimetry, and pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS). The results showed that the leaves of Rhus chinensis Mill were rich in volatile substances that could be exploited and used

Background: Rhus chinensis Mill is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) mostly used to treat several cancer types. Although previous studies have found that certain ingredients of R. chinensis such as flavonoids can inhibit tumor cell proliferation [e.g. colorectal cancer (CRC)], systematic research on the mechanism underlying anticancer effect of active compounds like triterpenoids (TER) is lacking. Study Design: Herein, the concept of “network pharmacology primarily based on active compounds” was applied to explore the anticancer mechanisms of TER extract from R. chinensis. In this regard, potential targets and pathways of glycolysis and glutaminolysis form the basis for the anti-CRC effect of triterpenoids. Network pharmacology was used to predict several key proteins in the metabolic pathways, which were further verified via western blot and metabolomics methods. Results: Our results showed that the total TER in R. chinensis remarkably inhibited the proliferation and apoptosis of SW620 cells. The top 4 compounds of TER (viz., betulinic acid-BTA, betulonic acid-BTOA, betulin-BT, and semialactic acid-SA) were confirmed through the detection of UPLC-MS and analysis of cell proliferation assays. Mechanistically, this study revealed that TER plays an anti-CRC role through key targets, such as ENO1, ALDOA, PFKFB3, PKM2, and LDHA, as well as key glycolytic and glutaminolytic pathways. Conclusion: Collectively, these results have provided new insights into the mechanism underlying anti-CRC effect of triterpenoids extract obtained from R. chinensis, mainly through combination of compositional quantitative analysis, network pharmacology, and experimental verification.

There is limited literature available regarding the characteristics of Rhus chinensis Mill fruit and seed oils, which are potential underutilized oil resources with beneficial unsaturated fatty acids and phytochemicals. In this study, chemical compositions of three cultivars of Rhus chinensis Mill fruits and seeds, as well as profiles of physicochemical properties, chemical compositions, and antioxidant capacities of the prepared Rhus chinensis Mill fruit and seed oils were investigated and compared. Results suggested that the contents of chemical components of the Rhus chinensis Mill fruit and seed and their corresponding oils varied to different extents with the certain cultivars. Rhus chinensis Mill seeds exhibited relatively high protein contents (14.38 ± 1.24–14.88 ± 0.85%), whereas the oil contents of the fruits were relatively high (19.68 ± 0.68–20.27 ± 1.33%). Rhus chinensis Mill oils were abundant in unsaturated fatty acids such as linoleic acid (51.41 ± 1.18–53.76 ± 3.01% and 74.82 ± 3.14–75.58 ± 2.32% for the fruit and seed oils, respectively) and oleic acid (15.00 ±1.04–15.59 ± 2.06% and 12.68 ± 1.15–13.44 ± 1.08% for the fruit and seed oils, respectively). Rhus chinensis Mill seed oils contained high contents of tocopherol/tocotrienol, phytosterol, and polyphenol, thus resulting in significantly higher antioxidant capacities than the fruit oils. The results observed in the present work illuminated that the Rhus chinensis Mill fruit/seed and oil can be regarded as high-quality sources and ingredients for dietary food and nutritious supplement industries.

Rhus chinensis Mill. is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) which is commonly used for cancer treatments. Our previous work had proven that triterpenoids of Rhus chinensis (TER) could effectively regulate glycolysis involved in colorectal cancer (CRC) and play an important role in the prevention of T-cells dysfunction. This study aimed to systematically investigate the effects and mechanisms of TER on glucose metabolism in CRC, while the regulatory mechanisms of TER on restoring T-cells function and activity in CRC were explored as well. The extract of triterpenoids from Rhus chinensis was obtained, and production of lactic acid and glucose uptake were assayed. Also, the expression of CD8+ T-cells surface markers, cytokines secreted by CD8+ T cells, and the expression of key glycolytic enzymes and glucose deprivation induced by tumor cells were further examined. Notably, results showed that TER prevented the dysfunction in CD8+ T cells by enhancing mTOR activity and subsequent cellular metabolism. Furthermore, our findings also demonstrated that TER promoted glycolytic gene expression in CD8+ T cells in vivo, and significantly inhibited tumor growth. Altogether, our studies suggested that TER not only reversed effector CD8+ T-cells dysfunction and enhanced T-cells recognition, but also improved tumor microenvironment, thereby providing new insight into the prevention and treatment of CRC with TCM.

Made available in DSpace on 2022-05-01T06:02:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2021-01-01 Objective: This in vitro study evaluated the influence of bioactive plant extracts as dentin biomodifying agents to improve the longevity of bonded restorations. For that, plant extracts were applied to the dentin surface prior to the adhesive system. Materials and Methods: Bovine incisors were ground flat to obtain 2 mm thick slices in which conical preparations were made (N = 10). Tannin-containing plant extracts were applied to dentin before the application of the restorative system, as follows: control group (untreated, CTL), chlorhexidine 0.12% (CHX), mastruz (Dysphania ambrosioides, MTZ), cat's claw (Uncaria tomentosa, CTC), guarana (Paullinia cupana, GUA), galla chinensis (Rhus chinensis, GCH), and tannic acid (extracted from Acacia decurrens, TNA). The push-out bond strength test was conducted (0.5 mm/min). Dentin biomodification was assessed by the modulus of elasticity and mass change in bovine tooth sections (0.5 × 1.7 × 7.0 mm). The dentin staining after extract treatments of dentin slices was compared. The dentin surface wettability was also evaluated by means of the contact angles of the adhesive system with the dentin surface and compared with the untreated control group. Data were subjected to ANOVA/Tukey's test (α = 0.05). Results: The bond strength of the restoratives to dentin was not significantly improved by the plant extracts, irrespective of the evaluation time (p > 0.05). Except for TNA, the elastic modulus of demineralized dentin significantly reduced after treatment with the plant extracts (p < 0.05). The dentin staining correlated with the tannin content of the extracts. The contact angle was significantly reduced when treated with CTC, GCH, and TNA. Conclusions: The tannin-containing extracts had a questionable effect on the longevity of bonded restorations. The dentin modulus was negatively affected by the extract treatments. Although some of the extracts changed the contact angle, which seems to improve the adhesive monomer permeation, the tannin-rich plant extract application prior to adhesive application was proven to be clinically unfeasible due to dentin staining. Universidade Anhanguera de São Paulo Department of Chemistry Universidade Federal de São Paulo São Paulo State University (UNESP) School of Sciences POSMAT-Post-Graduate Program in Materials Science and Technology Triplet Biotechnology Solutions Science and Technology Institute Universidade Estadual Paulista-UNESP São Paulo State University (UNESP) School of Sciences POSMAT-Post-Graduate Program in Materials Science and Technology Science and Technology Institute Universidade Estadual Paulista-UNESP

This study investigated the inhibitory effects of the Ethanol Extract (EE), Free Phenolic (TF), Esterified Phenolic (TE) and Insoluble-bound Phenolic (TI) from Rhus chinensis Mill. fruits on α-glucosidase, Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 (DPP-IV), and the formation of Advanced Glycation End (AGE) products. Results showed that the TF had the strongest inhibition against α-glucosidase and DPP-IV with IC50 of 0.56 ± 0.04 and 66.08 ± 1.36 μg/mL, respectively (p < 0.05). TI exhibited the strongest inhibitory effect on the formation of AGEs with IC50 of 0.43 ± 0.03 mg/mL (p < 0.05). Two major compounds (myricetin-3-O-rhamnoside and quercetin-3-O-rhamnoside) showed additive or synergistic effects on α-glucosidase inhibition, while displayed antagonistic effect on DPP-IV inhibition. Correlation analysis indicated that myricetin-3-O-(6″-galloyl) glycoside and myricetin O-gallate contributed significantly on α-glucosidase inhibition, while di-O-galloyl-glucoside and its isomer may contribute remarkably toward DPP-IV inhibition. Protocatechuic acid and myricetin-3-O-rhamnoside showed a positive correlation with the suppression of AGEs formation. Those results may provide some scientific information for exploring R. chinensis fruits as nutraceuticals and/or functional foods to prevent or improve diabetes.

Chinese sumac (Rhus chinensis Mill.) fruits are traditionally used as a condiment and herb. The aim of this study is to evaluate the preventive effect of the ethanolic extract from Chinese sumac fruits against CCl4-induced liver fibrosis in mice and to delineate the underlying mechanisms. The results showed that the ethanolic extract substantially decreased AST, ALT, MDA, and hydroxyprolin (HYP), restored GSH, SOD, and CAT, and prevented liver fibrosis induced by CCl4. Further, investigation revealed that the prevention against liver fibrosis may be related to heightened inflammation due to suppression of the release of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, and the downregulation of COX-2, iNOS, p-NF-κB, and p-P38; the prevention of hepatocyte apoptosis was due to the upregulation of Bcl-2 and downregulation of Bax; the reduction of HSCs activation was due to the downregulation of TGF-β1 and upregulation of PPAR-γ; and the decrease in the extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition was due to the regulation of MMP9 and TIMP2. These findings proved that Chinese sumac fruits could effectively prevent CCl4-induced liver fibrosis in mice and may be used to develop functional foods and/or nutraceuticals to prevent or alleviate liver fibrosis.

Free-living N2 fixation is an important pathway of external nitrogen input to natural terrestrial ecosystems. However, few measurements of N2 fixation have been conducted in shrublands. Here, free-living N2 fixation in soil (or soil N2 fixation) and litter (or litter N2 fixation) in three shrublands was measured in a karst catchment, southwest China. The three shrublands were dominated by Pterolobium punctatum Hemsl., Vitex negundo Linn. and Rhus chinensis Mill., respectively. Field measurements were carried out in January and July 2016, respectively, using acetylene reduction assay. N2 fixation had distinct patterns among shrublands or between seasons. In January, no difference was found for soil N2 fixation among the three shrublands, but litter N2 fixation rate was highest in R. chinensis and lowest in P. punctatum. In July, soil N2 fixation rate was highest in R. chinensis and lowest in P. punctatum, but litter N2 fixation was significantly lower in P. punctatum than in the other two shrublands. Across the two seasons, soil N2 fixation rate in R. chinensis was 31% greater than that in P. punctatum, and litter N2 fixation rates in V. negundo and R. chinensis were 13 and 16 times greater than the rate in P. punctatum, respectively. Both soil and litter N2 fixation rates were similar between the two seasons in P. punctatum, but the rates were significantly higher in July than in January in the other two shrublands. Annual N2 fixation rates were estimated to vary from 0.63 ± 0.07 to 0.97 ± 0.08 kg N ha−1 y−1 for the three shrublands. The strongest explanatory variable for soil N2 fixation was total nitrogen in July; and that for litter N2 fixation was nitrogen in January, but was C:N ratio in July. Our findings suggest that large variation in N2 fixation may occur among shrublands within a small scale, and hence, more measurements are needed to get a representative range of N2 fixation rates for the shrubland biome.

In the present work, acute and subchronic toxicities of the ethanol and hot-water extracts from Rhus chinensis Mill. fruits were performed by oral administration in pathogen-free SD rats. Acute toxicity study was performed at a single dose of 5000 mg/kg for 14 consecutive days. And subchronic toxicity test was conducted by daily oral administration of those two extracts at doses of 312, 625, 1250 and 2500 mg/kg for 30 days. Acute toxicity study showed that the LD50 of the ethanol and hot-water extracts were over 5000 mg /kg. The results of subchronic toxicity showed that no significant adverse effect of those two extracts was observed at 312 and 625 mg/kg. However, the weight gains of rats were significantly inhibited at both 2500 mg/kg groups of the ethanol and hot-water extracts. Moreover, those two extracts exhibited toxicities to heart, liver, spleen and kidney in rats determined by hematological, serum biochemical and/or histological analyses when daily oral administration of 1250 mg/kg and 2500 mg/kg. No significant neurotoxicity was observed in all groups. The results concluded that the low concentration of those two extracts from R. chinensis Mill. fruits can be regarded as safe and used in daily life.

This study investigated the free, esterified, and insoluble-bound phenolics in Rhus chinensis Mill. fruits and their pancreatic lipase inhibitory activities with molecular docking analysis. Results showed that the free phenolic fraction displayed the highest total phenolic content and the strongest lipase inhibitory activity. A total of 12, 11, and 8 free, esterified, and insoluble-bound phenolics were identified and quantified, respectively. Myricitrin and quercitrin were the major phenolics in all fractions with good dose-dependent lipase inhibitory effects, and myricitrin had a stronger inhibitory effect. Molecular docking analysis showed that myricitrin bound more tightly than quercitrin to the lipase with more number and shorter distance of hydrogen bonds, which indicated myricitrin had stronger lipase inhibitory activity and was consistent with their experimental results. The present study demonstrated that the free phenolics fraction of R. chinensis Mill. fruits had a strong lipase inhibitory activity, and can potentially prevent obesity-related problems.

The fruit of Rhus chinensis Mill. is traditionally used for the treatment of kidney diseases and urinary stones. The present work investigated the effectiveness of the extract obtained from the R. chinensis fruit pulp (RCFP) (water extract) on the inhibition of calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystallization in-vitro, at different concentrations (1–10 mg/mL). The rates of nucleation and aggregation were evaluated by comparing the slope of turbidity in the presence of the fruit extract with that obtained in the control. The results of the samples were compared with a parallel study conducted with standards like Citric acid (CA) and Malic acid (MA), Cystone- a marketed polyherbal combination (CYS), under identical concentrations. The densities of the formed crystals were observed under a light microscope. RCFP (water extract) significantly inhibited the slope of nucleation and aggregation of CaOx crystallization, and decreased the crystal density. The standards- CA, MA and CYS also exhibited similar effects. The study reveals that the organic acid in RCFP (water extract) was found effective in the prevention of the experimentally induced urinary stones and thus substantiating the traditional claim. Hence, the fruit of R. chinensis has a beneficial inhibitory effect on in-vitro crystallization of CaOx crystals.

This work was designed to investigate the phenolic composition, antioxidant and pancreatic lipase inhibitory activities of Rhus chinensis Mill. fruits extracted by different solvents, and to illustrate which major phenolic compounds were responsible for lipase inhibition and to evaluate their interactions. Results showed that R. chinensis Mill. fruits were rich in phenolics, which included 13 types identified and quantified by UHPLC-ESI-HRMS/MS. Among the identified phenolics, myricetin-3-O-rhamnoside and quercetin-3-O-rhamnoside were the most dominant detected in all extracts. Extracts with 80% methanol, 80% ethanol and 80% acetone exhibited strong antioxidant and pancreatic lipase inhibitory activities in vitro, and these activities were positively correlated with phenolic contents. Myricetin-3-O-rhamnoside and quercetin-3-O- rhamnoside demonstrated good lipase inhibitory activities in a dose-dependent manner and synergistically inhibited lipase. This work may provide insights into the potential uses of R. chinensis Mill. fruits in food and nutraceutical industries.

The aim of this study is to investigate the protective effect of Rhus chinensis Mill. fruits against high-fat/ethanol diet-induced alcoholic fatty liver in rats. A total of 9 and 12 phenolic compounds were respectively identified and quantified by UHPLC-HRMS/MS in the ethanol and water extracts of the fruits. Both extracts significantly improved biochemical parameters, including TG, TC, ALT, HDL-C, and MDA, and endogenous antioxidant enzymes; these effects were especially obvious in the high-dose ethanol extract (TG: 25.4 vs 20.5 mmol/g protein; ALT: 89.9 vs 48.3 U/L; MDA: 13.3 vs 7.6 nmol/mg protein). Steatosis and liver damage were significantly ameliorated by treatment with the extracts. Western blot analysis revealed that both extracts upregulated the protein expression of p-AMPK and PPAR-α and downregulated the expression of SREBP-1, FAS, and CYP2E1. The results suggest that Rhus chinensis Mill. fruits may provide a potential dietary therapy for preventing and/or alleviating alcohol fatty liver disease.

In traditional oriental medicine, nutgalls of Rhus chinensis have been used to treat various gastrointestinal and respiratory disorders. This study aimed to investigate the benefits of nutgalls of R. chinensis on bone loss and obesity in ovariectomized mice fed with a high-fat diet. Following surgical menopause induction, nutgalls of R. chinensis was orally administered for 4 weeks. Body weight gain and organ weights were measured. Histopathological examinations and UHPLC-MS/MS analysis were performed. Nutgalls of R. chinensis remarkably decreased obesity, gonadal fat, and bone loss in ovariectomized mice fed with a high-fat diet. Nutgalls of R. chinensis inhibited adipocyte differentiation of multipotent bone marrow stromal cells and reduced fat accumulation in gonadal fat, liver, and bone tissues. In UHPLC-MS/MS analysis, 27 phytochemicals containing gallotannin derivatives and flavonoids were identified by comparison with mass fragmentation of authentic standards. Taken together, the results demonstrate the beneficial effects of nutgalls of R. chinensis and its phytochemicals to manage postmenopausal bone disorders and obesity.

The green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) has been proposed as a simple, eco-friendly and cost effective alternative to chemical and physical methods. The Rhus chinensis plant is one of the well studied medicinal plant and its galls find excellent clinical and therapeutic applications. The present study reports the use of water extract from galls of R. chinensis as a reducing agent and formation of AgNPs from silver nitrate solution by a green synthesis route. The AgNPs formation was observed visually by color change and the absorbance peak at 450 nm was observed by UV–Visible spectrophotometer. The shape, size, and morphology of synthesized AgNPs were monitored by transmission electron microscopy and field-emission scanning electron microscopy. The face centered cubic structure of AgNPs was confirmed by X-ray diffraction pattern and element composition by energy dispersive X-ray analysis. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy spectrum revealed that the presence of components acts as a reducing and capping agent. The antibacterial activity was performed using the agar well diffusion method. Minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration were determined by broth dilution and spread plate method respectively. Synthesized nanoparticles were spotted as triangular and hexagonal shape and the particle size was around 150 nm.

Novel alternative antibacterial compounds have been persistently explored from plants as natural sources to overcome antibiotic resistance leading to serious foodborne bacterial illnesses. In this study, the ethanolic extracts from 239 traditional Chinese medicinal plants (TCMP)&rsquo, materials were screened to discover promising candidates that have strong antibacterial properties against multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus (S.) aureus and low cytotoxicity. The results revealed that 74 extracts exhibited good antibacterial activities (diameter of inhibition zone (DIZ) &ge, 15 mm). Furthermore, 18 extracts (DIZ &ge, 20 mm) were determined their minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimum bactericide concentrations (MBC), ranging from 0.1 to 12.5 mg/mL and 0.78 to 25 mg/mL, respectively. In addition, most of the 18 extracts showed relatively low cytotoxicity (a median lethal concentration (LC50) &gt, 100 &micro, g/mL). The 18 extracts were further determined to estimate possible correlation of their phenolic contents with antibacterial activity, and the results did not show any significant correlation. In conclusion, this study selected out some promising antibacterial TCMP extracts with low cytotoxicity, including Rhus chinensis Mill., Ilex rotunda Thunb., Leontice kiangnanensis P.L.Chiu, Oroxylum indicum Vent., Isatis tinctorial L., Terminalia chebula Retz., Acacia catechu (L.f.) Willd., Spatholobus suberectus Dunn, Rabdosia rubescens (Hemsl.) H.Hara, Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, Fraxinus fallax Lingelsh, Coptis chinensis Franch., Agrimonia Pilosa Ledeb., and Phellodendron chinense C.K.Schneid.

Ethnopharmacological relevance Studies have shown that the etiology and pathogenesis of colorectal cancer are closely related to the tumor microenvironment, and the cancer tissue is still in the state of "energy deficit" and has to promote energy generation through high glycolysis. Rhus chinensis Mill is a Chinese herbal medicine used to treat various types of solid tumors in China. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a heterogeneous disease group caused by abnormal changes in glucose metabolism resulted in lactic acid production, which remodels acidosis. Aim of the study Although previous studies have shown that the active compounds of Rhus chinensis Mill. can inhibit the proliferation of tumor cells, whether its triterpenoids could effectively regulate glycolysis involved in CRC have not been systematically investigated. Materials and methods In this study, the extraction of triterpenoids extract from Rhus chinensis Mill. was obtained, and cell viability assay, the percentage of apoptosis for CRC cells were counted, and matrigel invasion assay and production of lactic acid and glucose uptake assay was determined. we further examined the expression of the key glycolytic enzymes and acid-sending ion channel (ASIC) family members of SW620 cells, and some key proteins in the glycolytic pathway were further verified. Results Notably, triterpenoids (TER) of Rhus chinensis Mill. showed effective anti-proliferative activity and significantly altered protein levels associated with CRC cell survival and glycolysis metabolism. TER could down-regulate the expression of ASIC2, in CRC SW620 cell line. Most importantly, the levels of ASIC2 and calcineurin/nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) were also down-regulated by TER. Furthermore, inhibition of activated the ASIC2-mediated calcineurin/NFAT1 pathway and target gene transcript expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in parallel to reduce, and resulted in the reduced invasion ability by TER treatment. Conclusion The potential pathways and targets that involved in glycolysis to excert the anti-CRC effects of main compounds in triterpenoids of Rhus chinensis Mill. were predicted by network pharmacology methods. Our findings thus provided rational evidence that inhibition of the ASIC2-induced calcineurin/NFAT pathway by triterpenoids in Rhus chinensis Mill. profoundly suppressed cell growth and invasion in CRC, which target alternative glycolysis in colorectal tumor cells, may be a useful adjuvant therapy in the treatment of colorectal cancer.

Plants that have grown for many years in the special environmental conditions prevailing in mining areas are naturally screened and show strong capacity to adapt to their environment. The present study investigated the enrichment characteristics of U and other heavy metals (As, Cu, Pb, Mn, Mo, Zn, Cd, Co, and Ni) in the soil–plant system in Xiazhuang uranium mine. Four dominant plants (Castanopsis carlesii, Rhus chinensis, Liriodendron chinense, and Sapium discolor) and soil samples were collected from the mined areas, unmined areas, and background areas away from the ore field. U, As, Cu, Pb, Mn, Mo, Zn, Cd, Co, and Ni concentrations were analyzed by ICP-MS. The results demonstrate that (1) The highest concentrations of U (4.1–206.9 mg/kg) and Pb (43.3–126.0 mg/kg) with the geoaccumulation index (Igeo) greater than 1 show that they are the main soil pollutants in the research area. (2) The biological accumulation coefficient (LBAC) values for Cd, Mn, and Cu are greater than zero in S. discolor, L. chinense, and C. carlesii and these three plants indicate that they can be used for remediation of the soil in the ore field. (3) R. chinensis inhibits the accumulation of heavy metals and shows sensitive pigment responses to the accumulation of U in the leaves. L. chinense has the strongest enrichment effect on heavy metals but exhibits weak biochemical responses under U stress. C. carlesii demonstrates strong adaptation to U and can maintain healthy pigment characteristics in case of high U enrichment. (4) S. discolor, L. chinense, C. carlesii and R. chinensis have strong tolerance to U toxicity and different biochemical responses.

A characteristic feature of aggressive malignancy is the overexpression of lactic acid dehydrogenase- (LDH-) A, concomitant to pericellular accumulation of lactate. In a recent high-throughput screening, we identifiedRhus chinensis(Mill.) gallnut (RCG) (also known as Galla Chinensis) extract as a potent (IC50< 1 µg/mL) inhibitor of human LDH-A (hLDH-A). In this study, through bioactivity guided fractionation of the crude extract, the data demonstrate that penta-1,2,3,4,6-O-galloyl-β-D-glucose (PGG) was a primary constituent responsible forhLDH-A inhibition, present at ~9.95 ± 0.34% dry weight. Theoretical molecular docking studies ofhLDH-A indicate that PGG acts through competitive binding at the NADH cofactor site, effects confirmed by functional enzyme studies where the IC50= 27.32 nM was reversed with increasing concentration of NADH. Moreover, we confirm protein expression ofhLDH-A in MDA-231 human breast carcinoma cells and show that PGG was toxic (LC50= 94.18 µM), parallel to attenuated lactic acid production (IC50= 97.81 µM). In a 72-hour cell proliferation assay, PGG was found to be a potent cytostatic agent with ability to halt cell division (IC50= 1.2 µM) relative to paclitaxel (IC50< 100 nM). In summary, these findings demonstrate that PGG is a potenthLDH-A inhibitor with significant capacity to halt proliferation of human breast cancer cells.

Screening potential plant species is a crucial consideration in phytoremediation technology. Our previous study demonstrated that Rhus chinensis Mill. seedlings had potentials for phytoremediation of Pb contaminated soil. However, its bioaccumulation and tolerance characteristics remain unclear. Seedling growth, LMWOAs secreted by roots, Pb subcellular distribution and chemical forms, and mineral elements in R. chinensis tissues were evaluated under different Pb concentrations (0, 25, 50, 100, 200 and 400 mg/L) in culture solution at 14 days after planting. R. chinensis did not show visual symptoms of Pb toxicity under lower Pb treatments; however, Pb significantly declined the growth of seedlings under higher Pb treatments. Higher Pb stress also decreased the concentrations of nitrogen in leaves, but increased the concentrations of P and K in roots. Pb stress also decreased Mn concentrations in leaves. A great quantity of Pb was uptake and mostly retained in R. chinensis roots. Nonetheless, R. chinensis can still concentrate 459.3 and 1102.7 mg/kg Pb in leaves and stems, respectively. Most of Pb in R. chinensis tissues was stored in the cell wall with HAc-, HCl-, and NaCl-extractable form. LMWOAs secreted by R. chinensis roots showed a strong positive correlation with Pb concentrations in all plant tissues and with P in roots. Our results suggested that Pb deposited in the cell wall and integration with phosphate or oxalate might be responsible for the tolerance of R. chinensis under Pb stress in short period.

Ethanol extracts were obtained from Rhus chinensis Mill (RCM) leaves and used for antioxidant and antigenotoxic activity assays. IC50 values in DPPH assays were 15.96, 18.83, 20.43, 27.93, 37.43, 46.21, and 141.84 μg/mL for TPP, IPE, LLE, Vc, CE, BHT, and Trolox. Similar results were obtained using ABTS and FRAP assays. In vivo testing showed strong antioxidant activities that were positively correlated with polyphenol contents. Leaf tissue contained abundant polyphenols, and more than 10 phenolic compounds were detected in extracts. Quantitative results showed that quercetin-3-rhamnoside (26.4±0.76 mg/g of extract) was the most abundant ingredient, followed by hyperoside (15.2±0.42 mg/g of extract), quercetin (1.5±0.07mg/g of extract), and kaempferol (0.48±0.05 mg/g of extract). This study increases the knowledge for possible uses of forest by-products as a substitute for gallnuts.

Many researchers have studied the potential medicinal properties of galls from Rhus chinensis because of the importance of these galls in East Asian traditional medicine. Gall formation induced by a parasitic aphid species (Schlechtendalia chinensis) occurs via a well-documented developmental progression, and traditional medicinal efficacy is thought to be maximal during a specific portion of this cycle. To investigate seasonal changes of metabolites in the galls of R. chinensis, we collected samples from the galls and leaves of R. chinensis at sites in Mt. Jiri and Mt. Cheonma in Korea between May and December, 2011. Samples were extracted and analyzed gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography quadrupole time-offlight mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF-MS) to monitor metabolic changes. Multivariate analyses such as principle components analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least square discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) were used to find patterns in metabolite profile changes and the responsible substances for seasonal fluctuations. LC-QTOF-MS analyses showed differences of metabolites in same organisms depending on seasons, locations, and biological interactions. Additional GC-MS analyses identified approximately 28 metabolites including sugars, amino acids, and organic acids. Shikimic acid and gallic acid appear to be the major compounds contributing to the seasonal variability in metabolic profiles of R. chinensis leaves and galls. In addition, we found that shikimic acid and gallic acid content in R. chinensis galls were the highest during wintertime.

The antioxidant activity of forty kinds of Chinese herbs extraction were evaluated by DPPH and FRAP assay. Eight kinds of them were found to possess strong antioxidant activity including Magnolia and Rhus chinensis Mill. and so on. The antioxidant activities of these Chinese herbs were determined after adding the pear wine by evaluating total polyphenols content using Folin-Ciocaileu method. The results showed that Magnolia and Rhus chinensis Mill. had high antioxidant activities in eight Chinese herbs in pear wine.

The fluid-feeding aphid Schlechtendalia chinensis (Bell) induces horned galls on its primary host, the Chinese Sumac (Rhus chinensis Mill). Horned galls are harvested for their high content of tannins, and used in a range of medical and chemical applications. Gall development is a complex and highly controlled physiological process, where the growing insect population manipulates the plant developmental programs that allow the transformation of plant tissue into a gall. In this study, we examine whether Schlechtendalia alters the balance of plant hormones in the host tree as a means to achieve gall formation. For this, we measured concentrations for a series of endogenous hormones, including indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), cytokinin (CTK), gibberellic acid (GA), abscisic acid (ABA), jasmonic acid (JA), salicylic acid (SA), and ethylene (ETH). Specifically, we conducted a time course (namely, 30, 85, 100, 115, 125, 140, 155, and 170 days from gall initiation) analysis, where we measured both gall and leaf samples representing different developmental stages that spanned an entire growing season. To correlate these hormone data with developmental parameters during gall growth, we determined gall volume, tannin content, and aphid population size for the same time points. Interestingly, tannin production rose steeply in the early stages of gall development, while the aphid population size grew little. After this single peak (day 100), tannin concentrations declined moderately and aphid population size increased from then on. This switch in population growth was accompanied by notable changes in plant hormone titers. In general, all hormones but GA were elevated in all sample types isolated from the host tree (gall, leaves near and distant from gall) when compared with samples from an uninfected tree. Most of the elevated hormones showed similar changes over time; however, GA appeared to display the opposite behavior in all samples, suggesting that GA is a key target for controlling gall growth. When tannin concentrations spiked, GA levels peaked as well, while the remaining plant hormones exhibited a decline at that time. Principle component analysis revealed distinct functional groups in our hormone cohort. This yielded three groups comprising (1) CTK, ABA, ETH, and JA, (2) IAA and SA, (3) GA. The fact that GA comprised its own group and exhibited a unique profile during gall development prompted us to examine whether exogenous GA would alter the rate of gall growth. Indeed, we found that ectopic GA significantly accelerated gall growth, and more strongly than all other hormones, consistent with the notion that controlling GA levels within the gall is crucial for stimulating gall development. We propose a model, whereby the host plant downregulates GA concentrations in an attempt to throttle gall growth, while the gall-inducing aphid population counters these attempts.

Penta-O-galloyl-β-D-glucose (PGG) occurrs in high concentrations in medicinal herbs such as Rhus chinensis, Paeonia suffruticosa, Acer truncatum and Terminalia chebula, which demonstrate anti-inflammatory activity. We investigated the effect of PGG on stimulated and non-stimulated neutrophils in processes which included reactive oxygen species generation (ROS), metalloproteinase-9 and interleukin-8 secretion (IL-8), β2 integrin (CD11b) and L-selectin (CD62L) expression and apoptosis. In concentrations of 5 μM–20 μM, PGG demonstrated statistically significant inhibition of ROS generation, IL-8 secretion and β2 integrin expression in stimulated neutrophils. The inhibition of L-selectin expression by PGG resulted in prevention in neutrophils’ endothelial attachment. The result obtained may explain the anti-inflammatory activity of this compound and underline the contribution of PGG in the activity of PGG rich plant extracts. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

In the process of screening for anti-human acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase (hACAT) agents from plant resources, we found that the 80% methanolic extract of Rhus chinensis (R. chinensis) exhibited significant antioxidative and hACAT activities in rats. Two compounds were isolated as active principles from the ethyl acetate soluble fraction of the branches of R. chinensis. The structures of compounds 1 and 2 were determined as hydroxydammarenone and semialactone, respectively, by means of MS and NMR spectroscopic analysis. Compound 1 has been isolated from this plant for the first time. Compounds 1 and 2 showed inhibitory activities on both human ACAT1 with IC50 values of 12.4, and 79.1 μM and on human ACAT2 with IC50 values of 30.5 and 76.9 μM, respectively. These results suggested that R. chinensis containing dammarane triterpenes 1 and 2 might be effective in the prevention and treatment of hypercholesterolemia or atherosclerosis via inhibitory effect on hACAT.

Previously, we reported that the petroleum ether fraction, RC-1, and EtOAc fraction, RC-2, of the medicinal plant Rhus chinensis showed potent anti-HIV-1 activities. To address anti-HIV-1 constituents of RC-1 and RC-2, 17 compounds were isolated. Anti-HIV-1 activities and possible action mechanisms of these compounds were investigated.The syncytial formation induced by HIV-1 was determined under the inverted microscope, cellular toxicity and protection assay were assessed by MTT method, reduction of p24 antigen expression level and RT activity were measured by ELISA, and inhibition of recombinant HIV-1 PR was monitored by the fluorescent signal.The compounds 1 and 13 inhibited HIV-1-induced syncytium formation potently with TI value of 42.31 and 19.07, respectively. Compounds 4, 5, 6, 9 and 10 were less potent with TI value of 8.94, 8.22, 4.14, 5.11 and 5.34, respectively. Compound 1, a benzofuranone-type compound, previously reported as a novel anti-HIV-1 agent, might target late-steps of HIV-1 life cycle. Compound 13 inhibited HIV-1 replication with EC(50) of 7.16mug/ml and might target at/before integration step.These compounds might contribute to anti-HIV-1 activities extracts of the medicinal plant Rhus chinensis.

Mycelia Sterilia YY-5, an endophytic fungus isolated from Rhus Chinensis Mill, was used in SSF for laccase production using steam-exploded wheat straw (SEWS). The fermentation period of YY-5 in solid state fermentation (SSF) shortened to 4 days compared with 5 days of submerged liquid fermentation (SmF) and the maximum laccase activity was 678.1 IU g−1 substrate. The steam-explosion intensity (Log10R0) of SEWS had a significant effect on the growth of YY-5 and laccase activity, since SEWS could provide enough carbon source for YY-5 and inducers for laccase. The optimum SSF conditions using SEWS with Log10R0 = 3.597 as substrate were: inoculating with liquid inocula, keeping the solid-to-liquid ratio (S/L) for 1:4 and cultivating at 26°C. Under the optimum fermentation condition the laccase activity of YY-5 reached 849.5 ± 42.5 IU g−1 substrate. The enzyme composition analysis indicated that laccase was the dominant enzyme of YY-5. Assayed with SDS-PAGE and active PAGE electrophoresis, the molecular weight of YY-5 laccase was approximately 45 kDa.

A new benzofuran lactone, rhuscholide A (1), was isolated from the stems of RHUS CHINENSIS, together with six known compounds: 5-hydroxy-7-(3,7,11,15-tetramethylhexadeca-2,6,10,11-tetraenyl)-2(3 H)-benzofuranone (2), betulin (3), betulonic acid (4), moronic acid (5), 3-oxo-6 beta-hydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid (6) and 3-oxo-6 beta-hydroxyolean-18-en-28-oic acid (7). Based on 1D, 2D NMR (COSY, HMQC, HMBC) and mass (EI-MS, HR-EI-MS) spectral data, the structure of rhuscholide A was deduced to be 5-hydroxy-3-(propan-2-ylidene)-7-(3,7,11,15-tetramethylhexadeca-2,6,10,11-tetraenyl)-2(3 H)-benzofuranone (1). Anti-HIV-1 bioassays IN VITRO revealed that compound 1 possesses significant anti-HIV-1 activity with an EC50 value of 1.62 microM and a therapeutic index (TI) of 42.40. Compounds 2, 4, 5 and 7 showed moderate anti-HIV-1 activities with EC50 values of 3.70, 5.81, 7.49 and 13.11 microM, respectively.

Rhus chinensis, a species used in folk medicine by Chinese native people, the anti-HIV-1 activities of the petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, butanol and aqueous extract of Rhus chinensis, named as RC-1, RC-2, RC-3 and RC-4, respectively, was evaluated. The petroleum ether extract RC-1 can inhibit the syncytium formation and HIV-1 p24 antigen at non-cytotoxic concentrations, the 50% effective concentration (EC50) were 0.71 and 0.93 microg/ml, respectively. The therapeutic index (TI) was about 100. RC-1 had no activity on inhibiting HIV-1 recombinant RT and HIV-1 entry into host cells. Results showed that RC-1 was effective against HIV-1 and Rhus chinensis would be a useful medicinal plant for the chemotherapy of HIV-1 infection. RC-1 might inhibit the post steps or target the new sites of HIV-1 replication.

The present study examined the inhibitory effect of aqueous extract from the gall of Rhus chinensis (AEGRC) on alpha-glucosidase activity, an enzyme responsible for digestion of carbohydrate to monosaccharides in the process of intestinal absorption. AEGRC inhibited Bacillus alpha-glucosidase acitvity with an IC(50) of 0.9 micro g/ml. Its inhibition on alpha-glucosidase was determined to be noncompetitive and reversible when the enzyme-substrate mixture was simultaneously treated with AEGRC as an inhibitor. In addition, when it was orally administered to rats with sucrose (2g/kg), AEGRC (250-1000mg/kg) significantly suppressed the increase of blood glucose levels after sucrose loading in a dose dependent manner. These results suggest that AEGRC might exert anti-diabetic effect by suppressing carbohydrate absorption from intestine, and thereby reducing the postprandial increase of blood glucose.

To elucidate the role of cell wall in interaction with gall-inducing organisms, symplastic and apoplastic sugar contents in different shapes of gall tissue of the sumac (Rhus chinensis Mill.) were compared with those of the callus. The gall tissues with vascular cylinders, intercellular spaces and callus were fractionated into symplastic [methanol (MeOH), hot water (HW), and starch] fractions and apoplastic [pectin, hemicellulose, trifluoroacetic acid (TFA)-soluble, and cellulose] fractions. Symplastic sugar content of gall tissues was higher than that of callus. In apoplastic (cell wall) fractions, the cellulose content of gall tissues was lower than that of callus, due to large amount of pectin with high ratio of uronic acid (UA) and hemicellulose with low ratio of UA. Analysis of neutral sugar component of the hemicellulosic, TFA-soluble fraction showed that arabinose (side chain) and galactose (backbone) of arabinogalactan were rich in gall tissues and callus. The gall tissues had higher glucose and lower xylose contents than the callus. These results suggest that the structure of cell wall polysaccharides of gall changed during its development with an increase in symplastic sugar contents. The feeding activities occuring in gall by the gall-inducers were discussed.

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Hyaluronic acid, a dermal component, depolymerization by superoxide and UV irradiation is considered as one way of skin-aging process. In this study, we screened plant extracts to find effective materials on inhibiting this depolymerization. Ascorbic acid-Fe system and UVA irradiation were used to generate superoxide. In result, Myrica rubra, Rhus chinensis, and Poeonia albiflora strongly inhibited the depolymerization in the Ascorbic acid-Fe system. On irradiating UVA, Myrica rubra and Rhus chinensis inhibited the depolymerization, Coptis chinensis also inhibited the depolymerization by UVA because of its absorption in UVA range, however it weakly inhibited the depolymerization in the Ascorbic acid-Fe system.In conclusion, since these plant extracts will inhibit hyaluronic acid depolymerization by superoxide, they can be expected to apply to cosmetics.

Galla chinensis, a natural traditional Chinese medicine with main composition of tannic acid and gallic acid, is formed when the Chinese sumac aphid Baker (Melaphis chinensis bell) parasitizes the levels of Rhus chinensis Mill. Galla chinensis has shown the potential to enhance the remineralization of initial enamel carious lesion, but the mechanism is still unknown. This study was to investigate whether the enamel organic matrix plays a significant role in the potential of Galla chinensis to promote the remineralization of initial enamel caries. Bovine sound enamel blocks and non-organic enamel blocks were demineralized and exposed to a 12 day pH cycling. During the pH cycling, 30 specimens with the enamel organic matrix were randomly divided into three groups, and treated with 1 g L(-1) NaF (group A), 4 g L(-1) Galla chinensis extract (group B1) or double deionized water (group C1). Twenty specimens without the enamel organic matrix were randomly divided into two groups, and treated with 4 g L(-1) Galla chinensis extract (group B2) or double deionized water (group C2). The integrated mineral loss and lesion depth of all the specimens were analysed by transverse microradiography. The integrated mineral loss and lesion depth of group B1 were less than those of groups B2, C1 and C2, and there were no statistical differences among groups B2, C1 and C2. In conclusion, Galla chinensis can enhance the remineralization of initial enamel carious lesion, and the enamel organic matrix plays a significant role in this potential of Galla chinensis.