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Lotus leaf diseases and pests have seriously threatened the yield and quality of lotus seeds, such as rhizome rot, leaf spot, virus disease, and Spodoptera litura. The detection of diseased leaves has been the most important measure to prevent and control the lotus leaf diseases and pests. However, manual detection cannot fully meet the large-scale production in recent years, due to the subjective and inefficient experience. It is still lacking in professional knowledge, easily leading to missed or false detection. Therefore, automatic detection can be expected to improve the planting quality in the actual environment of lotus fields. In this study, a lightweight detection model was proposed for the lotus leaf disease and pest using improved YOLOv8. The detection accuracy was improved to reduce the calculation scale for the better deployability of the model. At the same time, a new dataset of lotus leaf disease and pests was established to consider the different environmental conditions. Firstly, the convolution module (Conv) in the YOLOv8 neck network was replaced with GSConv. The C2f module was replaced with the VoV-GSCSP to form a slim-neck architecture, in order to reduce the computational complexity of the model for the high recognition accuracy. The C2f_EMA module was integrated with the EMA efficient multi-scale attention mechanism. The C2f module was then replaced in the backbone network, in order to extract the features of lotus leaf pests and diseases in the complex environments. The experimental results show that the improved YOLOv8 detection model effectively detected the lotus leaf pests and diseases. The mean average precision (mAP) was achieved at 89.3%, which was 1.6% higher than the baseline model; The number of parameters of the model was reduced by 0.2M, compared with the baseline model. The model size was only 5.6 MB. A comparison was performed on several mainstream one-stage target detection models: Faster RCNN, SSD, YOLOv3, YOLOv4, YOLOv5, YOLOv7, YOLOv8, and YOLOv9. The results show that the improved YOLOv8 model shared significant advantages in the detection accuracy, number of parameters, and model size, compared with the rest mainstream models. Finally, the improved YOLOv8 model was deployed on the Jetson Xavier NX and Raspberry Pi 4B edge computing devices, where the frame rates were 27 and 0.7 frames/s, respectively. Compared with the YOLOv5 model, the frame rates increased by 8.9 and 0.3 frames/s, respectively. In terms of actual deployment performance, the improved YOLOv8 model performed better than the classic YOLOv5 model, indicating a better prospect for the mobile terminal deployment. The accurate identification can provide support to the automatic prevention and control of lotus leaf diseases and pests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A lot of attention has been paid to cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) due to their wide availability with a great potential to replace synthetic materials. The formation of CNCs from agricultural waste has numerous positive economic and environmental consequences. Cellulose nanocrystals were synthesized from pineapple leaf by acid hydrolysis and characterized by FT-IR, XRD, SEM, TEM, etc. Different concentrations of cellulose nanocrystals (1%, 3%, and 5% w/w) reinforced gelatin-based bio-nano composite was coated on tissue paper. The optimized fibrogenic solution was infused with three different plant leaf extracts (Banana leaf extract, Mantharai leaf extract, and Lotus leaf extract) used as an antimicrobial agent for hygienic tissue paper. Thickness, grammage, and bulk density analysis show the efficiency of the coating formation. The coated tissue paper shows increased mechanical properties and air permeability but significantly reduced water vapour permeability. Antimicrobial efficacy showed improved activity against Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC-2913), Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli (ATCC-27853), and fungi Candida glabrata (NCYC 388). These results reveal the potential of cellulose materials to serve as accessible platforms for anti-infective or self-sterilizing materials against both bacteria and fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In this paper, Bayer red mud (RM) and lotus leaf powder (LL) were used as the main materials, and KH2PO4 was added to modify the material. Under the condition of high-temperature carbonization, RMLL was prepared and phosphate modified red mud matrix composite (PRMLL) was prepared based on KH2PO4 modification, which can effectively remove Pb2+ from water. The optimum preparation and application conditions were determined through orthogonal experiment: dosage 0.1g, ratio 1:1, and temperature 600 °C. The effects of pH, dosage, and initial concentration on the adsorption of Pb2+ were studied. The pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, and Elovich kinetic models were fitted to the experimental data. It was found that RMLL and PRMLL were more consistent with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and chemisorption. Langmuir, Freundlich, Timkin, and Dubinin-Radushkevich isothermal adsorption models were used to fit the experimental data. It was found that RMLL and PRMLL were more consistent with Langmuir model. In addition, the maximum adsorption capacity of RMLL and PRMLL was 188.1 mg/g and 213.4 mg/g, respectively. It is larger than the adsorption capacity of their monomers. Therefore, the use of RMLL and PRMLL as the removal of Pb2+ from water is a potential application material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The surfaces of lotus leaves with micro- and nano-waxy cuticle structures are superhydrophobic and possess a self-healing ability to regain hydrophobicity after damage. Inspired by this phenomenon, the problem of water-repellent coatings used in natural environments failing to perform after damage can be solved if these coatings are endowed with rapid self-repair and self-growth functions. However, there has been almost no exploration into the hydrophobicity self-repair process in lotus leaves. The changes in surface morphology during the hydrophobicity recovery process are not understood. There is a lack of research on the hydrophobicity recovery in lotus leaves. In this study, the damage and recovery experiments on lotus leaf surfaces were carried out in an artificial climate chamber, and the water repellency recovery process and typical water repellency roughness parameters regained time were obtained. Upon analyzing the differences in the recovery process of different damage types, the recovery mechanism after lotus leaf surface damage was obtained. Finally, it was found that the microscopic roughness determined the static contact angle (WCA) of the lotus leaf surface, and the nanoscopic roughness determined the rolling angle (SA). The dual factors of the recovery of the extruded epidermal tissue and the regeneration of the epidermal wax crystals determined the hydrophobicity recovery process in damaged lotus leaves.

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Background: Lotus leaves are obtained from plants belonging to the genus Nelumbo in the Nymphaeaceae family. They serve both as agricultural produce and traditional Chinese medicinal herbs. Nuciferine, an amorphine alkaloid found in lotus leaves, holds significance due to its anti-inflammatory, lipid-lowering, and hypoglycemic properties. Objective: The factors influencing nuciferine extraction from lotus leaves using the dipping-acid-assisted ultrasonic extraction method (DAUEM) have received limited attention. This study aims to optimize DAUEM conditions (ethanol concentration, solvent-to-material ratio, and ultrasonic extraction time) through a Box-Behnken response surface design. Methods: Nuciferine purification from lotus leaves is achieved using D101 macroporous adsorptive resin. A single-factor test, with ethanol concentration (V/V), solvent-to-material ratio (V/M), and ultrasonic extraction time as variables, serves as a basis for optimizing the nuciferine extraction process via the response surface methodology. Results: The highest nuciferine yield (0.1035±0.005)% was obtained using 74% ethanol (V/V), a 26:1 solvent-to-material ratio, and an 82min extraction time. Nuciferine purity reached 67.14% using 70% ethanol as the eluent and high-performance liquid chromatography for determination. DAUEM effectively extracts nuciferine from lotus leaves, with optimization achieved using Box-Behnken response surface methodology. D101 macroporous adsorption resin efficiently separates and purifies nuciferine in lotus leaves. Conclusion: This experiment demonstrates good precision and accuracy, making it suitable for the extraction, separation, and purification of nuciferine in lotus leaves. The method lays the foundation for the development and utilization of nuciferine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, with the rapid development of the economy and great progress in science and technology, people have become increasingly concerned about their quality of life and physical health. In order to pursue a higher life, various functional and biomimetic textiles have emerged one after another and have been sought after by people. There are many animal and plant surfaces with special wettability in nature, and their unique "micro-nano structures" and low surface energy have attracted extensive attention from researchers. Researchers have prepared various textiles with superhydrophobic features by mimicking these unique structures. This review introduces the typical organisms with superhydrophobicity in nature, using lotus, water strider, and cicada as examples, and describes their morphological features and excellent superhydrophobicity. The theoretical model, commonly used raw materials, and modification technology of superhydrophobic surfaces are analyzed. In addition, the application areas and the current study status of superhydrophobic surfaces for textiles are also summarized. Finally, the development prospects for superhydrophobic textiles based on bionic technology are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Lotus leaf has long been used as food and medicine in China and is well-known for its lipid-lowering effects. However, there is a lack of a comprehensive quality evaluation for lotus leaf due to the absence of consideration of the correlation between various components and their efficacy. Objectives: This study aims to find out the key bioactive components that can be used for quality evaluation of lotus leaf on lipid-lowering effect. Methods: Thirteen compounds were characterized in the lotus leaf using ultra-high- performance liquid chromatography-time-of-fight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS). Five alkaloids and four flavonoids were identified according to their lipid-lowering activities reported in literatures. Then, the contents of these nine components were analyzed in 39 batches of lotus leaves growing in different locations using high performance liquid chromatography diode-array detector (HPLC-DAD), and further evaluated by quantitative analysis of multi-components by single marker (QAMS) and chemometrics. The anti-adipogenic activity of lotus leaves were evaluated for their inhibitory effect on the PPARγ expression by luciferase assay. Results: The 39 batches were clustered into two regions, the north and the south, based on the contents of these components. Three alkaloids, nuciferine, N-nornuciferine, and asimilobine, and three flavonoids, astragalin, hyperoside, and trifolioside, were found to serve as the key factors behind the region differences. Their contents were higher in Guangchang County of Jiangxi Province than other habitat locations. Moreover, the luciferase assay combined with chemometrics showed that these components were positively correlated with lipid-lowering activity of lotus leaf. Conclusions: Three alkaloids and three flavonoids were screened out and could be used as key compounds for quality evaluation of lotus leaf on lipid-lowering effect.

The main active ingredients in lotus leaves were introduced in this review, including flavonoids, alkaloids, volatile oils, terpenoids, polysaccharides, and organic acids. The pharmacological functions of lotus leaves, such as lipid-lowering and anti-obesity activities, anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial, and blood-lowering activities, protective effects of the cardiovascular system, nervous system, and liver, and anti-tumor activity were also summarized. The relative research and application were prospected in order to provide references for the comprehensive utilization of lotus leaf resources.

Many parts of lotus（Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.）can be used as medicine, among which benzyl isoquinoline alkaloids are the main active components in lotus leaf and lotus plumule. The study found that lotus leaf contains nuciferine, roemerine and other aporphine alkaloids, with good lipid-lowering weight-reducing effect. Lotus plumule mainly contains bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids such as neferine and liensinine, which can resist arrhythmia. In recent years, the significant pharmacological activity of lotus alkaloids and the phenomenon of ‘homologous and different effects’between lotus leaf and lotus plumule have inspired more and more researchers to study the biosynthetic pathways and key enzymes of lotus alkaloids. Therefore, this paper reviews the research progress of alkaloid composition types, alkaloid synthesis pathways and key enzyme genes of lotus leaves and lotus plumule, aiming to provide reference for analyzing the alkaloid synthesis pathways of lotus and the molecular mechanisms of pharmacodynamic differentiation of lotus leaves and lotus plumule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Superhydrophobic surfaces are surfaces which repel water at a certain contact angle (≥150°) and sliding angle (

Erhuangquzhi granules (EQG) have been clinically proven to be effective in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) treatment. However, the active components and molecular mechanisms remain unknown. This study aimed to screen active components targeting tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) in EQG for the treatment of NASH by a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor–based active ingredient recognition system (SPR–AIRS). The amine-coupling method was used to immobilize recombinant TNF-α protein on an SPR chip, the specificity of the TNF-α-immobilized chip was validated, and nine medicinal herbs in EQG were prescreened. Nuciferine (NF), lirinidine (ID), and O-nornuciferine (NNF) from lotus leaves were found and identified as TNF-α ligands by UPLC‒MS/MS, and the affinity constants of NF, ID, and NNF to TNF-α were determined by SPR experiments (Kd = 61.19, 31.02, and 20.71 µM, respectively). NF, ID, and NNF inhibited TNF-α-induced apoptosis in L929 cells, the levels of secreted IL-6 and IL-1β were reduced, and the phosphorylation of IKKβ and IκB was inhibited in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. In conclusion, a class of new active small-molecule TNF-α inhibitors was discovered, which also provides a valuable reference for the material basis and mechanism of EQG action in NASH treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Influenced by the ecological environment and other factors, the quality and yield of lotus root have been seriously affected by the occurrence of diseases and insect pests in recent years. With the improvement of living standards and the development of the lotus industry chain, people are looking for green food, high-yield and high-quality products. Nowadays, many farmers and planters are unable to accurately identify the diseases and pests of lotus due to lack of professional knowledge of diseases and insect pests control. There is a shortage of efficient, low-cost and automatic identification technology for the prevention and control of lotus diseases and insect pests. The diagnosis and identification of diseases and insect pests are of great significance for the prevention and control of diseases and insect pests in lotus fields. Over the past few years, deep learning technology has been widely used in the field of plant diseases and insect pests recognition to automatically extract the features of plant diseases and insect pests. In order to achieve an efficient and accurate diagnosis of lotus leaf diseases and insect pests, lotus leaf diseases and insect pests dataset was constructed and preliminary experiments were constructed on AlexNet, VGG-16, ResNet50, ResNeXt50, and DenseNet121 models. The experimental results indicated that DenseNet121 has the best performance on the dataset, lotus leaf diseases and insect pests identification model based on improved DenseNet was improved. Firstly, different methods for dynamic data enhancement were compared in this paper. The results show that resizing and randomly resizing the image is more accurate than directly resizing to the same size. The loss of detail information in part of the image is caused by over-compressing the image size, which affects the model’s recognition effect. The accuracy of the model was increased from 81.47% to 85.01% by using the data enhancement method of resize, random resized crop, random horizontal flip and random adjust sharpness. AdaMax optimizer was used to replace Stochastic Gradient Optimization optimizer and the accuracy of DenseNet model has been improved by 3.04 percentage points. The Stem block uses multi-layer small convolution for fast dimensionality reduction and a branch structure to combine convolution and maximum pooling. It improves the ability of the model to extract shallow features at a lower operating cost. The Squeeze and Excitation attention mechanism block and sharpen cosine similarity convolution were introduced in the Denselayer of the Dense Block and the Transition Layer. This method improved the recognition ability of the model to lotus leaf diseases, and verified the effectiveness of sharpen cosine convolution to improve the performance of the model. Transfer learning was performed on the Plantvillage dataset. The accuracy of the improved model is 91.34%, which 9.87 percentage points higher than before improvement and optimization. In order to solve the problem of monitoring diseases and insect pests in lotus fields, the improved model was applied to the identification of lotus field diseases and insect pests in UAV images. The calibration area of lotus leaf was cut and predicted by reasoning, then different masks were generated according to the model prediction results and added to the UAV image to generate a distribution map of lotus field diseases and insect pests. The recognition of lotus field diseases and insect pests in the UAV image was investigated, automatic classification and recognition of leaf spot, viral disease, Spodoptera litura, lotus Sclerotium leaf rot and lotus rhizome rot were realized. It provides a new method for efficient and accurate identification and dynamic monitoring of lotus diseases. It also supplies information supports for variable pesticide application and flight path planning in plant disease prevention and control based on UAV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient and sustainable expanded‐bed adsorption (EBA) method was developed for the valorization of lotus leaf which is an agricultural by‐product. The in‐situ procedure was used to reduce the energy consumption of EBA. Comparing this in‐situ process to the conventional one, some additional advantages were observed, namely, significant enhancement of nuciferine recovery, considerable reduction of processing time, etc. Furthermore, a multistage procedure was investigated to reduce running cost and minimize environmental pollution by reusing solvents and adsorbents. Reusing of D101 macroporous resin, HCl and NaOH solution had almost no influence on the yield of nuciferine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Lotus leaf was used as raw material to prepare HNO3-activated carbon with 1.5:1 (HNO3:lotus leaf) (wt:wt) impregnation. Then, the activated carbon was modified by Fe(NO3)3 to obtain Fe-activated carbon (Fe-AC). The adsorption test results show that Fe-AC maximum saturated adsorption capacity (Qm) is 45.68 mg/g when the Fe(NO3)3 loading is 5% of the total activated carbon, pH = 6, and the temperature is 35 ℃. The adsorption effect of Fe-AC under neutral conditions is better than that under alkaline and acidic conditions. The modified activated carbon has better adsorption selectivity. The obtained material (Fe-AC) was characterized by N2 adsorption–desorption isotherm, SEM, FT-IR, BET, XRD, XPS, and pHpzc. The total pore volume, specific surface area, and zero charges of modified activated carbon were increased. The types of modified functional groups were reduced, and the iron reacted with the functional groups, providing ion exchange sites for the adsorption of beryllium. The adsorption thermodynamics showed that the adsorption process was spontaneous and endothermic. The adsorption mechanism of Fe-AC to beryllium is mainly chemical adsorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The superhydrophobic characteristics and functional durability of the lotus leaf are determined by its surface flexible multistage topography. In this study, it is found that the hybrid arrangement of sub‐millimeter (sub‐mm) and micron papillae arrays on the edge of lotus leaves is more conducive to its resistance to hydrostatic and hydrodynamic water pressure, which provides a guarantee for the survival of lotus leaves. Inspired by this special design, a flexible hybrid structure is prepared by the template method, whose surface contains sub‐mm pillars, micropillars, and nanostructures. It has obvious advantages in resisting the continuous impact of water droplets. This systematic study reveals why the surface of the lotus leaf can withstand the fluid impact, and it provides a theoretical and experimental basis for improving the durability of artificial superhydrophobic function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance and there are currently no approved drugs for its treatment. Hyperactivation of mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) and subsequent impairment of the transcription factor EB (TFEB)-mediated autophagy–lysosomal pathway (ALP) are implicated in the development of NAFLD. Accordingly, agents that augment hepatic TFEB transcriptional activity may have therapeutic potential against NAFLD. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of nuciferine, a major active component from lotus leaf, on NAFLD and its underlying mechanism of action. Here we show that nuciferine activated ALP and alleviated steatosis, insulin resistance in the livers of NAFLD mice and palmitic acid-challenged hepatocytes in a TFEB-dependent manner. Mechanistic investigation revealed that nuciferine interacts with the Ragulator subunit hepatitis B X-interacting protein and impairs the interaction of the Ragulator complex with Rag GTPases, thereby suppressing lysosomal localization and activity of mTORC1, which activates TFEB-mediated ALP and further ameliorates hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance. Our present results indicate that nuciferine may be a potential agent for treating NAFLD and that regulation of the mTORC1–TFEB–ALP axis could represent a novel pharmacological strategy to combat NAFLD.

In order to improve the extraction yield of lotus leaf polysaccharide (LLP) and offer scientific foundation for utilization of LLPs in the food and pharmaceutical industries, pectinase-assisted extraction method was employed for the preparation of LLP. The chemical composition, physicochemical properties (e.g. rheological and thermal properties etc.), antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of LLP and its two purified fractions (LLP1 and LLP3) obtained using DEAE-52 and subsequent Sephadex G-100 column chromatography were also investigated. Antioxidant assays indicated that the polysaccharides had remarkable DPPH• and ABTS+• scavenging activities. In H 2 O 2 -induced RAW264.7 cells, LLPs showed marked protective effect on oxidative stress, reducing the MDA and ROS contents and increasing the CAT and SOD activities. LLPs were also found to effectively modulate the expressions of CAT, SOD1, Nrf-2, HO-1, NQO1 and Keap1 mRNA. Thus, the potent antioxidant effects of LLPs were achieved possibly by regulating the Keap1/Nrf-2/HO-1 signaling pathways. In lipopolysaccharide-treated RAW264.7 macrophages, LLPs reduced phagocytic ability, decreased release of NO, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6, and increased release of IL-10 and TGF-β1, indicating their potent anti-inflammatory effect. LLPs downregulated expressions of iNOS, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, COX-2, and TLR-4 mRNA. Therefore, modulation of NF-κB signaling pathway is possibly the important anti-inflammatory mechanism of LLPs. • Lotus leaf polysaccharide (LLP) was prepared using pectinase-assisted extraction. • The physicochemical properties of LLP and its two purified fractions were studied. • Three LLPs had marked protective effects on oxidative stress in RAW264.7 cells. • LLPs exhibited considerable anti-inflammatory activity in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells. • Possible antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms of LLPs were demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The superhydrophobic characteristics and functional durability of the lotus leaf are determined by its surface flexible multistage topography. In this study, it is found that the hybrid arrangement of sub‐millimeter (sub‐mm) and micron papillae arrays on the edge of lotus leaves is more conducive to its resistance to hydrostatic and hydrodynamic water pressure, which provides a guarantee for the survival of lotus leaves. Inspired by this special design, a flexible hybrid structure is prepared by the template method, whose surface contains sub‐mm pillars, micropillars, and nanostructures. It has obvious advantages in resisting the continuous impact of water droplets. This systematic study reveals why the surface of the lotus leaf can withstand the fluid impact, and it provides a theoretical and experimental basis for improving the durability of artificial superhydrophobic function.

In this study, fresh lotus leaves at two maturity stages were processed to tea products by different methods (white-tea process, green-tea process and black-tea process). The volatile compounds, phytochemical profiles and antioxidant activities of lotus-leaf tea were investigated. A total of 81 volatile components were identified with HS-GC-IMS. The mature lotus-leaf tea showed more volatile compounds than the tender lotus-leaf tea. The lotus leaf treated with the white-tea process had more aroma components than other processing methods. In addition, six types of phenolic compounds, including luteolin, catechin, quercetin, orientin, hyperoside and rutin were identified in the lotus-leaf tea. The mature leaves treated with the green-tea process had the highest levels of TPC (49.97 mg gallic acid/g tea) and TFC (73.43 mg rutin/g tea). The aqueous extract of lotus-leaf tea showed positive scavenging capacities of DPPH and ABTS radicals, and ferric ion reducing power, whereas tender lotus leaf treated with the green-tea process exhibited the strongest antioxidant activity. What is more, the antioxidant activities had a significant positive correlation with the levels of TPC and TFC in lotus-leaf tea. Our results provide a theoretical basis for the manufacture of lotus-leaf-tea products with desirable flavor and health benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Polysaccharides exist as one of the most abundant components in lotus leaves, which attract increasing attention owing to their promising health-promoting benefits. In this study, the digestive and microbial degradation characteristics of lotus leaf polysaccharides (LLP) were studied by using an in vitro gastrointestinal model. The results suggested that LLP was stable in the human upper gastrointestinal tract in vitro according to its digestive stabilities at different simulated digestion stages. Conversely, the indigestible LLP (LLPI) could be remarkably utilized by intestinal microbiota in human feces during in vitro fermentation, and its fermentability was 58.11% after the in vitro fermentation of 48 h. Indeed, the microbial degradation characteristics of LLPI during in vitro fermentation by human fecal inoculum were revealed. The results showed that the content of reducing sugars released from LLPI obviously increased from 0.498 to 2.176 mg/mL at the initial fermentation stage (0–6 h), and its molecular weight sharply decreased from 4.08 × 104 to 2.02 × 104 Da. Notably, the molar ratios of arabinose (Ara), galactose (Gal), and galacturonic acid (GalA) in LLPI decreased from 2.89 to 1.40, from 5.46 to 3.72, and from 21.24 to 18.71, respectively, suggesting that the utilization of arabinose and galactose in LLPI by intestinal microbiota was much faster than that of galacturonic acid at the initial fermentation stage. Additionally, LLPI could remarkably regulate gut microbial composition by increasing the abundances of several beneficial microbes, including Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium, Megamonas, and Collinsella, resulting in the promoted generation of several short-chain fatty acids, especially acetic, propionic, and butyric acids. The findings from the present study are beneficial to better understanding the digestive and microbial degradation characteristics of LLP, which indicate that LLP can be used as a potential prebiotic for the improvement of intestinal health.

The liver is an important organ in the human body; however, studies have shown that the excessive intake of acetaminophen (APAP), the primary ingredient in marketing pain relievers, may cause oxidative damage to liver cells. Here we found that lotus leaf water extract (LL-WE) enriched with various phenolic compounds can prevent mice AML-12 hepatocytes from APAP-induced injury, and trigger the Nrf2 pathway in HepG2-C8 cells with ARE-luciferase plasmid. LL-WE effectively induced Nrf2 nuclear translocation and glutathione synthesis, increased gene expression of antioxidant enzymes (HO-1, NQO1, and UGT1A), and reduced protein levels of epigenetic modification enzymes (HDACs and DNMTs) in AML-12 cells. LL-WE also inhibited the activity of M.SssI CpG methyltransferase in vitro. These results suggest that LL-WE can be a potential hepatoprotective agent to reduce oxidative stress-induced liver damage by activating the Nrf2 pathway and downregulating epigenetic modification enzymes.

The lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) leaf is a typical homologous ingredient of medicine and food with lipid-lowering and weight-loss effects. In the present study, lotus leaves were fermented by two probiotics, Enterococcus faecium WEFA23 and Enterococcus hirae WEHI01, and the anti-adipogenic effect of Enterococcus fermented lotus leaf supernatant (FLLS) was evaluated in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes with the aim of exploring whether its anti-obesity ability will be enhanced after fermentation with Enterococcus and to dig out the potential corresponding mechanism. The FLLS fermented by E. hirae WEHI01 (FLLS-WEHI01) was selected and further investigated for its ability to inhibit obesity in vivo in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese rats (male, 110 ± 5 g, 4 weeks old) due to its superior inhibitory effect on adipogenesis and lipid accumulation (inhibition rate of up to 56.17%) in 3T3-L1 cells (p = 0.008 for WEHI01-L, p < 0.001 for WEHI01-H). We found that the oral administration of both the low and high doses of FLLS-WEHI01 could achieve some effects, namely decreasing body weight (p < 0.001), epididymal fat mass, adipocyte cell size, LDL-C levels (p = 0.89, 0.02, respectively), liver TC levels (p < 0.001, p = 0.01, respectively), and TG levels (p = 0.2137, p = 0.0464, respectively), fasting blood glucose (p = 0.1585, p = 0.0009), and improved insulin resistance (p = 0.33, 0.01, respectively) in rats of the model group. Moreover, the administration of both high and low doses of FLLS-WEHI01 decreased the transcription levels of adipogenic transcription factors and corresponding genes such as Pparγ (p < 0.001), Cebpα (p < 0.001), Acc (p < 0.001), and Fas (p < 0.001) by at least three times. These results indicate that FLLS-WEHI01 can potentially be developed as an healthy, anti-obesity foodstuff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Journal of Food Safety & Quality is the property of Journal of Food Safety & Quality Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Lotus leaf (Heye), the dry foliage of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn, has been valuable as a dietary herbal medicine for thousands of years. Phytochemical studies indicated that alkaloids and flavonoids are the main components of Heye. Polysaccharides, terpenes, and amino acids are also active ingredients. The drug properties of Heye are mild and bitter. Meridian tropism is mainly distributed in the liver, spleen, and stomach meridian. In the Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theoretical system, it is in many formulas for the therapy of various symptoms, including wasting-thirst induced by summer heat, diarrhea caused by summer heat-dampness and spleen deficiency, hematochezia, flooding and spotting, among others. Nowadays, the extracts and active components of Heye demonstrate multiple bioactivities, for instance anti-obesity, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, cardiovascular protective, anticancer, hepatoprotective, hypoglycemic, antiviral, antimicrobial, as well as hemostatic activities. This review will provide an overview of Heye serving as a typical plant with functions of both medicine and food, including its practical applications in terms of TCM and healthy diet, phytochemistry, pharmacological activity, together with its toxicity. Besides, the new points and prospects of Heye in the overview are also outlined straightforwardly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to develop a lotus leaf tea with good bitterness-removing effect, the lotus leaf was used as the research object, and inoculated with three di任erent hyphae of Ganoderma lucidum, Hericium erinaceus and Flammulina velutiper. Then, the optimal fermentation hypha for the bitterness-removing lotus leaf tea was screened by measuring the growth rate of hyphae, the quercetin content and the tannin content. The results showed that the growth rate of Ganoderma lucidum mycelium in the lotus leaf tea was the fastest, and after the fermentation, the contents of quercetin and tannin were reduced by 18. 37% and 79. 54%, respectively, which had the best effect among the three kinds of hyphae, indicating that Ganoderma lucidum mycelium was the most suitable fermentation mycelium for the lotus leaf tea. The sensory evaluation of the fermented lotus leaf tea and two kinds of common lotus leaf tea sold on the market was carried out, and the evaluation data showed that the sensory quality of the fermented lotus leaf tea was better than that of the common lotus leaf tea sold on the marke匚 At last, the optimum technology for the removal of bitterness and fermentation of lotus leaf tea was determined as follows: the inoculation volume of 15. 0 mL, the fermentation time of 8 days, and the fermentation temperature of(28±l)°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to identify and quantify the primary components in lotus leaf and to explore the hypolipidemic components through spectral-effect relationships and chemometric methods. Utilizing a data-dependent acquisition-diagnostic fragment ion/characteristic neutral loss screening strategy (DFI-NLS), a reliable HPLC-Q-TOF-MS analysis was conducted, identifying 77 compounds, including 36 flavonoids, 21 alkaloids, 3 terpenoids, 11 organic acids, 4 phenols, 1 lignin and 1 unsaturated hydrocarbon. A straightforward HPLC-DAD method was developed for the simultaneous determination of seven major components in lotus leaf, and quercetin-3-O-glucuronide (Q3GA) was identified as the most abundant component. The HPLC fingerprints of 36 lotus leaf sample batches were assessed using chemometric approaches such as principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis. The hypolipidemic effect of these samples was analyzed by measuring total cholesterol (TC) and total triglycerides (TG) levels in palmitic acid (PA) and oleic acid (OA)-induced lipid modeling in HepG-2 cells, employing partial least squares regression and grey relation analysis to investigate the spectral-effect relationship of the lotus leaf. The in vivo hypolipidemic effect of these compounds was assessed using an egg yolk powder-induced high-fat zebrafish model. The findings indicated that peak No.11 (Q3GA) in the chemical fingerprint was significantly associated with hypolipidemic activity, suggesting it as a potential hypolipidemic compound in lotus leaf. In summary, this study facilitates the exploration of the phytochemical compounds and their bioactive properties in the lotus leaf. [Display omitted] • Seventy-seven compounds were comprehensively identified in lotus leaf. • Flavonoids in lotus leaf exhibit significant hypolipidemic activity. • Quercituron is a compound with potent hypolipidemic activity in lotus leaf. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lotus leaf is an optimal raw material for the preparation of foods with the function of regulating glycolipid metabolism. However, further investigation is required to elucidate the synergistic regulatory effects of lotus leaf polysaccharide (LLP), flavonoids, and alkaloids, which act as the main active components in lotus leaves. This study optimally prepared LLP and whole functional components (LLE) containing LLP, flavonoids and alkaloids by high-pressure homogenization-assisted dual enzyme extraction with and without pre-/post treatment. LLP and LLE exerted regulatory roles in glycolipid metabolism and alleviated liver, kidney, and pancreas damages of db/db mice. LLP was utilized by gut bacteria, promoting the production of beneficial metabolites i.e. lithodeoxycholic and butyric acids, which reached the liver through blood circulation, activating insulin signaling, and regulating glycolipid metabolism. The combination of polysaccharide, flavonoids and alkaloids promoted the production of butyric acid but different secondary bile acids i.e. deoxycholic and ursodeoxycholic acids, acted in the intestine and liver, and intervened in more metabolic pathways, showing a synergistic effect on glycolipid metabolism. This study provided insights into the rational processing of lotus leaf for hypoglycaemic foods. • Lotus leaf polysaccharide (LLP) regulates glycolipid metabolism via gut microbiota. • The whole extract (LLE) intervenes more liver metabolic pathways. • LLP and LLE regulate abnormal glycolipid metabolism by liver-gut axis. • Polysaccharide, flavonoids and alkaloids show synergistic effect. • Feasibility of high-pressure homogenization-assisted dual enzyme hydrolysis is proved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance and there are currently no approved drugs for its treatment. Hyperactivation of mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) and subsequent impairment of the transcription factor EB (TFEB)-mediated autophagy–lysosomal pathway (ALP) are implicated in the development of NAFLD. Accordingly, agents that augment hepatic TFEB transcriptional activity may have therapeutic potential against NAFLD. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of nuciferine, a major active component from lotus leaf, on NAFLD and its underlying mechanism of action. Here we show that nuciferine activated ALP and alleviated steatosis, insulin resistance in the livers of NAFLD mice and palmitic acid-challenged hepatocytes in a TFEB-dependent manner. Mechanistic investigation revealed that nuciferine interacts with the Ragulator subunit hepatitis B X-interacting protein and impairs the interaction of the Ragulator complex with Rag GTPases, thereby suppressing lysosomal localization and activity of mTORC1, which activates TFEB-mediated ALP and further ameliorates hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance. Our present results indicate that nuciferine may be a potential agent for treating NAFLD and that regulation of the mTORC1–TFEB–ALP axis could represent a novel pharmacological strategy to combat NAFLD. Nuciferine impairs Rag GTPases–Ragulator interaction to inhibit mTORC1 and activate TFEB-mediated autophagy–lysosomal pathway, which further improves hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Agriculturae Zhejiangensis is the property of Acta Agriculturae Zhejiangensis Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract Background Leaves of the natural plant lotus are used in traditional Chinese medicine and tea production. They are rich in flavonoids. Methods In this study, lotus leaf flavonoids (LLF) were applied to human lung cancer A549 cells and human small cell lung cancer cells H446 in vitro to verify the effect of LLF on apoptosis in these cells through the ROS/p38 MAPK pathway. Results LLF had no toxic effect on normal cells at concentrations up to 500 µg/mL, but could significantly inhibit the proliferation of A549 cells and H446 cells. Flow cytometry showed that LLF could induce growth in A549 cells. We also found that LLF could increase ROS and MDA levels, and decrease SOD activity in A549 cells. Furthermore, qRT-PCR and western blot analyses showed that LLF could upregulate the expression of p38 MAPK (p-p38 MAPK), caspase-3, caspase-9, cleaved caspase-3, cleaved caspase-9 and Bax and downregulate the expression of Cu/Zn SOD, CAT, Nrf2, NQO1, HO-1, and Bcl-2 in A549 cells. Results of HPLC showed that LLF mainly contain five active substances: kaempferitrin, hyperoside, astragalin, phloridzin, and quercetin. The apoptosis-inducing effect of LLF on A549 cells came from these naturally active compounds. Conclusions We have shown in this study that LLF is a bioactive substance that can induce apoptosis in A549 cells in vitro, and merits further research and development.

Abstract Background Patients with estrogen receptor negative (ER−) breast cancer have poor prognosis due to high rates of metastasis. However, there is no effective treatment and drugs for ER− breast cancer metastasis. Our purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of lotus leaf alcohol extract (LAE) on the cell migration and metastasis of ER− breast cancer. Methods The anti-migratory effect of LAE were analyzed in ER− breast cancer cells including SK-BR-3, MDA-MB-231 and HCC1806 cell lines. Cell viability assay, wound-healing assay, RNA-sequence analysis and immunoblotting assay were used to evaluate the cytotoxicity and anti-migratory effect of LAE. To further investigate the inhibitory effect of LAE on metastasis in vivo, subcutaneous xenograft and intravenous injection nude mice models were established. Lung and liver tissues were analyzed by the hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunoblotting assay. Results We found that lotus LAE, not nuciferine, inhibited cell migration significantly in SK-BR-3, MDA-MB-231 and HCC1806 breast cancer cells, and did not affect viability of breast cancer cells. The anti-migratory effect of LAE was dependent on TGF-β1 signaling, while independent of Wnt signaling and autophagy influx. Intracellular H2O2 was involved in the TGF-β1-related inhibition of cell migration. LAE inhibited significantly the breast cancer cells metastasis in mice models. RNA-sequence analysis showed that extracellular matrix signaling pathways are associated with LAE-suppressed cell migration. Conclusions Our findings demonstrated that lotus leaf alcohol extract inhibits the cell migration and metastasis of ER− breast cancer, at least in part, via TGF-β1/Erk1/2 and TGF-β1/SMAD3 signaling pathways, which provides a potential therapeutic strategy for ER− breast cancer.

Nuciferine is an important drug candidate for the treatment of many diseases. However, there is no general method for its low - cost production. In this work, a feasible method for the production of nuciferine from lotus leaf, using ultrasonic-assisted extraction-solid phase extraction (UAE-SPE) as extraction and cleanup procedure, was developed. Petroleum ether and silica gel have been successfully used as extraction solvent and adsorbent to integrate UAE with SPE, respectively. Except for filtration, no treatment (e.g. concentration and redissolution, etc) was needed on UAE extract before SPE and the effluents obtained in the loading process of SPE could be used as UAE extraction solvent without purification. No obvious decline in the extraction efficiency of UAE and adsorption capacity of SPE was observed at least for 5 runs, which provides a feasible way for the continuous production of nuciferine in industry, i.e. Cyclic UAE-SPE. Moreover, SPE column could be conveniently regenerated and reused without significant decline in its adsorption capacity at least for 5 cycles, which can be used to reduce the cost of the whole system further. In comparison with other cleanup procedures, Cyclic UAE-SPE showed apparent advantages in energy conservation and emission reduction. LLE and crystallization were applied to separate nuciferine from other impurities further. Under optimum conditions, the total recovery rate of nuciferine with a purity over 90.0% from lotus leaf reached 50.1%. All in all, the developed method has advantages in convenient operation, low cost, and high efficiency, thus, is fitting for the production of high purity nuciferine.

Abstract Inspired by the nature, lotus leaf-derived gradient hierarchical porous C/MoS2 morphology genetic composites (GHPCM) were successfully fabricated through an in situ strategy. The biological microstructure of lotus leaf was well preserved after treatment. Different pores with gradient pore sizes ranging from 300 to 5 μm were hierarchically distributed in the composites. In addition, the surface states of lotus leaf resulted in the Janus-like morphologies of MoS2. The GHPCM exhibit excellent electromagnetic wave absorption performance, with the minimum reflection loss of − 50.1 dB at a thickness of 2.4 mm and the maximum effective bandwidth of 6.0 GHz at a thickness of 2.2 mm. The outstanding performance could be attributed to the synergy of conductive loss, polarization loss, and impedance matching. In particularly, we provided a brand-new dielectric sum-quotient model to analyze the electromagnetic performance of the non-magnetic material system. It suggests that the specific sum and quotient of permittivity are the key to keep reflection loss below − 10 dB within a certain frequency range. Furthermore, based on the concept of material genetic engineering, the dielectric constant could be taken into account to seek for suitable materials with designable electromagnetic absorption performance.

Physical surface modification is an approach that has been investigated over the last decade to reduce bacterial adhesion and improve cell attachment to biomaterials. Many techniques have been reported to modify surfaces, including the use of natural sources as inspiration to fabricate topographies on artificial surfaces. Biomimetics is a tool to take advantage of nature to solve human problems. Physical surface modification using animal and vegetal topographies as inspiration to reduce bacterial adhesion and improve cell attachment has been investigated in the last years, and the results have been very promising. However, just a few animal and plant surfaces have been used to modify the surface of biomaterials with these objectives, and only a small number of bacterial species and cell types have been tested. The purpose of this review is to present the most current results on topographic surface modification using animal and plant surfaces as inspiration to modify the surface of biomedical materials with the objective of reducing bacterial adhesion and improving cell behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biochar is a ideal material for adsorbing heavy metal ions. Lotus leaf straw was used as raw material to synthesize biochar for the treatment of Cr(VI) in wastewater, and its adsorption performance was systematically studied. Various important factors were investigated, including pyrolysis temperature of lotus leaf straw, pH, reaction temperature, and dosage of biochar, initial concentration of Cr(VI),extra anions and stability of the material. The results showed that the removal efficiency of Cr(VI) reached 99.9% at 15 min while pyrolysis temperature of lotus leaf straw of 700 ℃,pH value of 2,reaction temperature of 25 ℃,the Cr(VI) concentration of 10 mg/L, and the dosage of biochar of 1 g/L, were employed in this system. In addition, the lotus leaf straw-based biochar exhibited strong resistance to anion interference and good stability. The results of adsorption mechanism indicated that the adsorption of Cr(VI) by lotus leaf straw-based biochar was in accord with the pseudo-second-order adsorption kinetic and Langmuir adsorption isotherm models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A universal infrastructural issue is wetting of surfaces; millions of dollars are invested annually for rehabilitation and maintenance of infrastructures including roadways and buildings to fix the damages caused by moisture and frost. The biomimicry of the lotus leaf can provide superhydrophobic surfaces that can repel water droplets, thus reducing the penetration of moisture, which is linked with many deterioration mechanisms in infrastructures, such as steel corrosion, sulfate attack, alkali-aggregate reactions, and freezing and thawing. In cold-region countries, the extent of frost damage due to freezing of moisture in many components of infrastructures will be decreased significantly if water penetration can be minimized. Consequently, it will greatly reduce the maintenance and rehabilitation costs of infrastructures. The present study was conducted to explore any attempted biomimicry of the lotus leaf to produce biomimetic coatings. It focuses on anti-wetting characteristics (e.g., superhydrophobicity, sliding angle, contact angle), self-cleaning capability, durability, and some special properties (e.g., light absorbance and transmission, anti-icing capacity, anti-fouling ability) of lotus-leaf-inspired biomimetic coatings. This study also highlights the potential applications of such coatings, particularly in infrastructures. The most abundant research across coating materials showed superhydrophobicity as being well-tested while self-cleaning capacity and durability remain among the properties that require further research with existing promise. In addition, the special properties of many coating materials should be validated before practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An effective vacuum-ultrasonic assisted extraction (VUAE) technique had been developed to extract bioactive compounds from lotus leaf for the first time. Single factor and response surface methodology were used to optimize the process, respectively. The most optimal results were obtained under the optimized conditions including 60 °C boiling temperature, 56% ethanol concentration, 12-mL/g liquid-to-solid ratios, and 26 min extraction time. Compared with conventional heat reflux extraction (HRE), modern ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE), and vacuum-assisted extraction (VAE), the VUAE technique remarkably obtained higher extraction efficiency and greater antioxidant capacity in a shorter extraction time, which indicated that the combination of vacuum and ultrasound was beneficial and greatly increased the effectiveness of the extraction procedure. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images also revealed that a certain degree of vacuum can accelerate the deformation of the tissue structure and the osmotic dehydration inside the cell. Combined with the cavitation effect of ultrasonic treatment, the cell walls tended to disrupt more easily, which greatly enhanced the process of mass transfer by the use of VUAE. The results demonstrated that VUAE is an effective technique for extracting bioactive compounds from lotus leaf, and it demonstrates broad application prospects in the fields of medicine and food chemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Food Safety & Quality is the property of Journal of Food Safety & Quality Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) were applied as eco‐friendly solvents in this study for the extraction of alkaloids from lotus leaf, including O‐nornuciferine, N‐nornuciferine, nuciferine and roemerine. A series of hydrophilic and hydrophobic DESs with different hydrogen bond donors and a acceptors were synthesized and screened for a suitable DESs for extraction of alkaloids from lotus leaf. The study results showed that the hydrophilic DES with choline chloride and propanediol had the highest extraction yield. The main factors affecting the extraction efficiency—choline chloride–propanediol ratio, water content in deep eutectic solvents, solid–liquid ratio and extraction time—were investigated via a single‐factor experiment. The optimized extraction conditions were 30% of water in choline chloride–propanediol (1:4) for heated extraction for 30 min and solid–liquid ratio 1:100 g/ml. Under optimum conditions, the extraction yields of O‐nornuciferine, N‐nornuciferine, nuciferine and roemerine were 0.069, 0.152, 0.334 and 0.041 g/100 g respectively, which were higher than those of methanol in acidified aqueous solution. This study suggests considerable potential for DESs as promising materials for the green and efficient extraction solvents for bioactive alkaloids from natural sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]