BACKGROUND:Agarwood, a precious resinous material derived from Aquilaria trees, is highly valued for its unique fragrance that mainly originates from sesquiterpenes and 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones. However, the dynamic release behavior of these compounds during combustion remains poorly understood. Common analytical methods, such as headspace and solid-phase microextraction, are limited by their temperature range and fail to mimic true combustion conditions. An innovative pre-treatment technique, gas liquid microextraction (GLME), was employed, requiring as little as 10 mg of sample to effectively simulate agarwood combustion over the temperature range of 25-280 °C. Coupled with GC-MS, this approach enabled systematic profiling of the thermal release behavior of major agarwood varieties under combustion-like conditions. RESULTS:A hybrid analytical strategy that integrates stepwise extraction pre-treatment with a combination of untargeted and targeted screening successfully deciphered compositional changes and trace pyrolysis products. The findings elucidate the temperature-dependent changes in key aroma constituents. Odor-active components are present in relatively low abundance at ambient temperature and 100 °C. In the temperature range of 100 °C-200 °C, sesquiterpenes and aromatic compounds are the dominant chemical classes. Temperatures exceeding 200 °C markedly accelerate the generation of diverse chromone and aromatic derivatives, facilitating the detection of previously unreported thermal degradation products. SIGNIFICANCE AND NOVELTY:This study not only achieves accurate simulation of high-temperature combustion but also establishes correlations between regional origins, combustion phases and aroma signatures. These findings enhance the mechanistic understanding of the thermal behavior of agarwood, offering practical insights for authentication, quality assessment and optimized utilization in incense production and therapeutic applications.

Satellite gravity has the capability to cover the entire globe, enabling real-time, high-precision, and periodic monitoring of gravity field changes. We introduce a novel geodesy method to monitor modern marine sedimentation issues, effectively addressing the challenge of insufficient direct observation of modern long-term sediment storage changes in the Bohai Central Basin (BCB). Combining various sources of model data, this paper uses the Newton's integration method and spherical harmonic expansion to present the theory and method for modeling Earth's gravity potential after removing seawater mass, known as the “seawater layer” method. The Marine Deposits Storage (MDS) changes in the BCB are calculated through the new gravity potential model and the method of inverting the changes in Terrestrial Water Storage (TWS). The contemporary time series from 2019 to 2022 of MDS in the BCB has been established. The seasonal fluctuation is approximately ±4 cm, and the annual rate is 0.29 cm/yr, which is highly consistent with the centennial-scale sedimentation rate from box/gravity sediment cores and indicates a rate approximately 3.7 times higher than the historical Holocene sedimentation rate inferred from seafloor seismic profile data. Through a comparative analysis with sediment discharge measurements at the Lijin Station of the Yellow River, a five-month lag period was determined, with a correlation coefficient of 0.5625. The mechanism of suspended sediment flux and diffusion in the Bohai Sea was verified from the perspective of satellite geodesy. In summer, the majority of Yellow River sediments were transported and deposited in the underwater delta; in winter, the sediments were resuspended and transported to the BCB.

Ginsenosides are a class of natural glycosidic compounds characterized by structural diversity and significant bioactivities, mainly derived from Panax genus plants. However, there are still challenges in achieving efficient and green separation of ginsenosides from complex plant matrices. Traditional methods often suffer from high consumption of organic solvents, poor selectivity, and complex purification processes. In this study, a boronic acid-functionalized dendritic mesoporous silica nanomaterial was constructed based on the reversible covalent interaction between boronic acid ligands and the cis-diol motifs in ginsenosides. It was used as the solid phase extraction adsorbent for the separation and purification of ginsenosides. Taking the decoction of Panax notoginseng stems and leaves as an example, the adsorption performance and impurity removal efficiency of this strategy were systematically evaluated. The key extraction parameters were optimized by single-factor experiments and Box-Behnken response surface methodology. Quantitative analysis of nine major ginsenosides using HPLC-CAD demonstrated that the developed strategy outperformed traditional macroporous resin, achieving enrichment fold of 3.4-4.0, which were nearly 2.0 times higher than those of the resin, along with adsorption recoveries of 93.5-98.7% and desorption recoveries of 88.9-97.9%. The extracted sample was further analyzed by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS. 127 ginsenosides were successfully identified, and the interference signals of non-ginsenosides were markedly reduced. The greenness evaluation by Analytical GREEnness metric and Green Analytical Procedure Index indicated that the boron affinity strategy had significant advantages in terms of environmental friendliness and process sustainability. The solid phase extraction technique based on boron-affinity materials provides a promising approach for the efficient, large-scale and green preparation of ginsenosides and other cis-diol natural products.

A graphite-assisted technique was used to enhance laser-assisted ionization TLC direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry (LA-TLC-DART-MS), improving the signal responses for flavonoids, alkaloids, volatile oils, and organic acids. When applied to citrus herbs, this method identified 14 compounds and differentiated samples from different origins, demonstrating its potential for natural product quality control.

BackgroundObesity is a growing global health burden with rising incidence. Red ginseng (RGS), a traditional processed ginseng product, shows potential for improving metabolic parameters, though its anti-obesity mechanism is not fully understood.PurposeThis study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects of short-term RGS administration on obesity and to elucidate its mechanism.MethodsA HFD-induced obese mouse model was employed to assess the effect of short-term RGS. To evaluate the role of the gut microbiota, antibiotic treatment and fecal microbiota transplantation were conducted. 16S rRNA sequencing and metagenomic analysis were performed to identify key bacterial species. Mass spectrometry-based proteomics was applied to identify A. muciniphila-derived proteins. The involvement of the GDF15-GFRAL axis was investigated using Gfral‒/‒ mice.ResultsShort-term RGS treatment suppressed appetite, reduced body weight, and elevated GDF15 level in DIO mice. RGS significantly enriched A. muciniphila, and depletion of A. muciniphila abolished RGS-mediated weight loss and appetite suppression. Proteomic analysis identified Amuc_1631, an A. muciniphila-derived protein, as a critical effector that promoted GDF15 secretion, and oral administration of Amuc_1631 exerts the anti-obesity effects. RGS activated the GDF15–GFRAL axis in the brainstem. Mechanistically, RGS up-regulated colonic Gdf15 transcription via the PERK-eIF2α-ATF4-CHOP axis. RGS/50 fraction is identified as the primary active component responsible for enriching A. muciniphila and elevating GDF15.ConclusionsThis study identifies a gut microbiota-dependent mechanism underlying the anti-obesity effects of RGS, centered on enrichment of A. muciniphila and its derived protein Amuc_1631, which promotes GDF15 secretion to suppress food intake via the GDF15–GFRAL axis.

Non-saponin constituents of Panax species, including amino acids, sugars, and nucleosides, have attracted increasing attention due to their nutritional relevance and potential health benefits in food-medicine homologous materials. However, their high polarity and chemical diversity pose significant challenges for comprehensive characterization, limiting their application in food quality evaluation and authenticity assessment. In this study, an integrated mass spectrometry-based workflow was developed to systematically profile water-soluble non-saponins in Panax ginseng, Panax notoginseng, and Panax quinquefolius, which are widely consumed as functional foods, dietary supplements, and traditional herbal products. An offline two-dimensional LC-MS platform was first established to improve the separation and enrichment of polar constituents, followed by feature-based molecular networking (FBMN) and machine learning-assisted structural annotation using the SIRIUS platform. A total of 201 non-saponin compounds were characterized, revealing remarkable interspecies differences in non-saponin composition. Subsequent non-targeted metabolomics identified quinic acid, raffinose, and trehalose as key species-specific markers with nutritional and quality-discriminating relevance. Furthermore, desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry imaging (DESI-MSI) was employed to visualize the spatial distribution of representative non-saponins, uncovering tissue-specific accumulation patterns associated with species identity. Finally, a portable nano-electrospray ionization miniature mass spectrometry (nESI-Mini MS) approach was developed for rapid species authentication, enabling high-throughput, on-site analysis with minimal sample preparation. Overall, this study provides an integrated analytical strategy for elucidating the chemical diversity, spatial distribution, and food-related quality attributes of non-saponin constituents in Panax species, offering practical tools for functional food evaluation, authenticity verification, and quality control.

Animal gallbladder-derived TCMs, such as those from pigs, bears, snakes, and chickens, are rich in constituents including bile acids, proteins, amino acids, and trace elements. They have been traditionally used for their properties in clearing heat, detoxifying, relieving cough, and improving vision. This article systematically reviewed the chemical composition and pharmacological activities of animal gallbladder-derived TCMs. It focused on elucidating the molecular mechanisms through which their active components exerted anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, and glucolipid metabolism-regulating effects, primarily by modulating nuclear and membrane receptors, influencing ion channels, and regulating related signaling pathways. Comparisons of similarities and differences among medicinal materials from various sources were also presented. This review aimed to provide a theoretical basis for the modern research and clinical translation of this category of TCMs.

Background Schisandrin A (Sch A), a major bioactive lignan isolated from Schisandra chinensis, exhibits hepatoprotective and metabolic regulatory activities. However, whether its metabolic effects involve context-dependent regulation of intestinal farnesoid X receptor (FXR) signaling under distinct bile acid environments remains unknown. Objective To investigate how Sch A regulates intestinal FXR to ameliorate obesity and MAFLD. Methods DIO and MAFLD mouse models were established separately with Fexaramine (Fex) as a positive control. Therapeutic effects were evaluated through histopathology, biochemistry, metabolic phenotyping, and targeted bile acid metabolomics. Mechanisms were explored using microbiota depletion, fecal microbiota transplantation, intestine-specific Fxr knockout mice, intestinal Camk2d knockdown mice, and target-binding assays. Results Sch A reduced body weight, improved glucose and lipid metabolism, alleviated hepatic steatosis, and enhanced energy expenditure in both obesity and MAFLD models, with broader effects on selected metabolic endpoints, particularly in DIO mice, compared with Fex. In DIO mice, Sch A reduced bile salt hydrolase-producing Lactobacillus, increased conjugated bile acids, inhibited intestinal FXR signaling to enhance bile acid synthesis and boost energy expenditure. In MAFLD mice, Sch A restored FXR activity in association with FXR engagement, CAMK2D-dependent phosphorylation, and nuclear translocation. Conclusion Sch A ameliorates obesity and MAFLD through bile acid context-dependent regulation of intestinal FXR, supporting further preclinical evaluation of Sch A in metabolic disease models.

Deep learning increasingly supports spectroscopic classification, but its black-box nature limits scientific interpretability and trust in the learned features. This study proposes an interpretable ATR-FTIR classification strategy, SpecResSENet, which links model predictions to chemically meaningful spectral evidence. SpecResSENet is a specialized one-dimensional convolutional neural network architecture integrated with an Activation-Weighted Grad-CAM strategy, designed to improve spectral feature localization in the discrimination of traditional agarwood categories. A total of 53 commercially valuable agarwood samples, including Guan-Xiang, Hoi-An, Sin-Chew, and the highly valued Kynam type, were analyzed by ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, yielding 2,672 technical-replicate spectra. Using a Nested Stratified Group 5-Fold Cross-Validation scheme at the biological-sample level, SpecResSENet achieved the highest mean spectrum-level accuracy among the evaluated models (92.8%), while paired fold-wise tests did not establish statistically significant superiority over closely related CNN variants. Because the preprocessing pipeline was fixed before the formal nested model comparison, these performance estimates are conditional on the predefined preprocessing input. As a supportive internal grouped-validation analysis, soft-vote aggregation across technical spectra yielded 96.2% biological-sample-level accuracy (51/53), illustrating sample-level decision aggregation within the current grouped-validation dataset. Activation-Weighted Grad-CAM, together with an Attribution-to-Band procedure, identified recurrent fingerprint-region attribution domains aligned with classification-relevant vibrational regions. The carbonyl-region attribution near 1650cm⁻¹ was consistent with reported conjugated C=O vibrational assignments in agarwood and is interpreted as spectral-domain-level evidence rather than molecule-specific marker evidence. Overall, ATR-FTIR spectroscopy combined with SpecResSENet provides a non-destructive screening framework with spectral-domain interpretability for traditional agarwood categories within the current grouped-validation setting.

Meeting the food industry's demand for safe, sustainable bioactive extraction, this research proposed an innovative "Parameter-Component" correlation strategy to clarify the mechanism of green extraction, using mechanochemical-assisted extraction (MCAE) of ginsenosides as a case. Via UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS, 92 ginsenosides were identified from ginseng. Deconstruction of key MCAE variables (i.e., particle size, pH, temperature), combined with untargeted metabolomics, multivariate statistical analysis, and quantitative validation of critical saponins, revealed a synergistic action of mechanical forces and chemical auxiliaries. This dual intervention disrupts cell walls efficiently while minimizing the degradation of heat-labile components. Different structured saponins showed specific parameter responses. MCAE at 25-40 °C balanced prototype ginsenoside dissolution and malonylated ginsenoside retention; composite processes (MCAE-HRE, MCAE-UAE) optimized functional component yield and production sustainability. This strategy provides a scientific basis for high-quality food-relevant extracts production and a scalable mechanistic study method.

BACKGROUND:Agarwood, a valuable resin-infused wood derived primarily from Aquilaria species (Thymelaeaceae), is widely used in traditional medicine, incense, perfumery, and healthcare products. Its growing scarcity, along with the demand for robust quality control, has driven extensive research, supported by advances in analytical technologies. Recent efforts have focused on elucidating the scientific basis of its traditional applications and promoting sustainable utilization. OBJECTIVES:This review aims to consolidate research progress of agarwood, encompassing updates on agarwood resources, newly identified chemical constituents (2020-2026), emerging analytical strategies, and recent pharmacological findings. It further seeks to outline future research directions to address existing challenges in quality evaluation and mechanistic understanding. METHODS:A systematic retrieval of recent literatures pertaining to agarwood was conducted. Through data extraction and integrative analysis, this review synthesizes the latest research progress and identifies prevailing trends in the field. RESULTS:Recent phytochemical studies have identified over 200 new chemical constituents (2020-2026), including structurally diverse dimeric compounds. Integrated analytical strategies combining spectroscopic, chromatographic, and sensor-based techniques have greatly improved the authentication, sensory evaluation, and grading of agarwood. Additionally, a broad spectrum of pharmacological activities attributable to agarwood has been extensively corroborated. CONCLUSION:This review documents recent advancements concerning the chemical compositions, analytical strategies, and pharmacological activities of agarwood. Challenges remain in mechanisms, structure-activity relationships, and compositional variation, hindering standardization. It will be essential for future work to deepen mechanistic insights and to identify key quality markers, thereby advancing the fields of quality control and translational research for agarwood.

Abstract The Curie Point Depth (CPD) is a key thermal boundary in the deep lithosphere and is widely used to constrain its thermal structure. However, uncertainties in magnetization and the non‐uniqueness of inversion lead to considerable inter‐study differences. We present a prior‐constrained equivalent source inversion framework that derives a spatially heterogeneous, layered susceptibility model from vertically integrated susceptibility and, by jointly enforcing lithospheric magnetic field and thermal constraints, yields a new CPD model for the conterminous United States. The resulting CPD resolves features within tectonic provinces and belt‐like structures that were muted in existing products. Surface heat flow inferred from CPD agrees well with independent thermal model estimates (RMSE = 16.36 mW/m2). The results further demonstrate the importance of a priori constraints in inversion, and that inappropriate starting models can lead to systematic biases. The inversion framework is portable, enabling rapid construction of reliable deep‐thermal constraints on the lithosphere.

2″-O-xylosylation is a rare glycosylation pattern conferring unique bioactivities to triterpenoid saponins in Panax species. Here, we identify a novel 2″-O-xylosyltransferase, PnUGT94X1, from P. notoginseng, which regioselectively catalyzes 2″-O-xylosylation at the C3-linked sugar of diverse saponins. PnUGT94X1 exhibits a pronounced preference for UDP-xylose and a broad specificity tolerance for sugar acceptors including protopanaxadiol-, cycloartenol-, and oleanane-type saponins. Site-directed mutagenesis revealed that the residues C140 and T141, with a distance of 22 residues downstream of the Asp in the catalytic His-Asp dyad, synergistically govern substrate preference between UDP-xylose and UDP-glucose, which is defined as an important part of sugar donor selectivity-determining region (SDSR). Using PnUGT94X1 and its engineered mutants, eleven rare saponins including six new compounds were biosynthesized by 2″-O-xylosylation or 2″-O-glucosylation, three of them exhibited significant effects (at 5 mg·kg-1) against LPS-induced acute lung injury in mice. The elucidated SDSR module provides a strategic framework for engineering UGTs to alter their sugar donors, thereby enabling the synthesis structurally diverse glycosides.

BACKGROUND:The principal roots (CHW) and lateral roots (FZ) of Aconitum carmichaelii Debx. are widely used medicinal herbs in Asia. Although the two roots are derived from the same plant, they exhibit differences in anti-inflammatory activity (AIA). In the market, small FZ is frequently passed off as CHW. Therefore, revealing AIA-related markers and biosynthetic regulatory mechanisms between CHW and FZ are critical for the quality control of these medicinal materials. OBJECTIVE:To identify AIA-related markers and reveal the biosynthetic regulatory mechanisms of these markers. METHODS:A "metabolite-gene-efficacy" correlation strategy was adopted. Firstly, verified the AIA difference between CHW and FZ via RAW264.7 cell model and Cyclooxygenase-2 inhibition assay, then integrated metabolomics and transcriptomics to screen AIA-related markers and regulatory genes, finally validated the results via qRT-PCR, AIA assay and molecular docking. RESULTS:12 AIA-related diterpenoid alkaloid (DA) markers were identified, with 3 components as specific discriminative markers for CHW and FZ. A novel "modular regulatory" mechanism of DA markers biosynthesis was revealed: 8 DA markers in FZ were regulated by highly expressed 3‑hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase in the mevalonate pathway, while 4 high-accumulation DA markers in CHW were positively driven by 1-deoxy-d-xylulose-5-phosphate reductoisomerase, 1-deoxy-d-xylulose-5-phosphate synthase, ent‑kaurene oxidase, ent‑kaurene synthase and BAHD-type acyltransferase in the methylerythritol phosphate and DA skeleton biosynthesis pathways, and 5 transcription factor families regulated the expression of the above-mentioned synthases. CONCLUSION:This study establishes a "gene regulation → metabolite accumulation → efficacy formation" framework to explain the AIA difference between CHW and FZ, provides specific markers for their quality control, and offers novel insights for DA biosynthetic engineering.

Background:Protopanaxatriol (PPT), a key aglycone of ginsenosides, exhibits significant anti-inflammatory potential but suffers from poor oral bioavailability. After oral administration, PPT is transformed by gastric acid, gut microbiota, and liver enzymes into metabolites with enhanced bioactivity. Methods:We employed an integrated metabolomics strategy combining LC-HRMS, in silico prediction, and molecular networking to systematically characterize PPT metabolism in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) mouse model. Metabolites were identified across serum, urine, and feces samples. Results:A total of 20 metabolites were identified, including the novel 25-hydroxy-PPT (25OH-PPT), discovered for the first time. Mechanistic in vitro assays demonstrated that 25OH-PPT was exclusively generated under simulated gastric conditions via an acid-catalyzed, non-enzymatic hydroxylation pathway. Functional evaluation showed that 25OH-PPT exhibited significantly stronger anti-inflammatory activity than PPT (IC50 = 1.52 μM vs. 40.34 μM in RAW 264.7 cells). Conclusions:These findings uncover a new metabolic activation pathway of PPT, providing mechanistic insights into its pharmacological effects and offering new perspectives for designing PPT-based therapeutics.

In conventional natural product research, the separation of bioactivity screening from chemical characterization often creates a disconnect, hindering the direct identification of active constituents. To bridge this gap, we present an integrated single-plate strategy that combines thin layer chromatography-bioautography with ambient ionization mass spectrometry (AIMS) for direct in situ identification. This approach utilizes two complementary techniques, graphite-assisted laser ablation direct analysis in real-time mass spectrometry (LA-DART-MS) and thin-layer chromatography-spray ionization mass spectrometry (TLC-SI-MS), to enable the rapid characterization of bioactive zones. The versatility of this platform was demonstrated by successfully profiling diverse bioactivities in herbal matrices, including acetylcholinesterase, lipase and α-glucosidase inhibitors, as well as antioxidant and antibacterial agents. The complementary use of AIMS techniques yielded robust datasets for these complex samples. Notably, the system enabled the discovery of differential antioxidant markers between northern and southern hawthorn, with structural validation confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. These findings provide a scientific basis for the quality control of hawthorn. This single-plate strategy serves as an efficient tool for the integrated screening and structural characterization of natural products, effectively linking biological function with chemical composition.

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are distinguished by abundance, stability, and independence from developmental stages and environments, which makes them powerful tools for quality control of Chinese herbal medicines. In this review, we systematically examine the fundamental SNP detection platforms, with a focus on the innovative breakthroughs driven by CRISPR-based technology. These advances primarily involve optimizing components of the CRISPR/SNP system, including engineering high-fidelity Cas proteins, engineering crRNA sequences, introducing synthetic mismatches into the spacer region, and overcoming the protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) sequence limitations. Collectively, these strategies enhance detection specificity and accuracy, paving the way for applications in Chinese herbal medicine. Furthermore, we synthesize the classic applications of SNP detection, propose its prospects in Chinese herbal medicine, and simultaneously explore current challenges and future directions. It aims to provide a framework for advancing precise identification and quality control of Chinese herbal medicine.

A high-performance thin-layer chromatography-bioautography (HPTLC-bioautography) method was developed for the rapid screening of β-lactamase inhibitors based on nitrocefin chromogenic hydrolysis. By integrating chromatographic separation with on-plate enzymatic detection, the proposed approach enables direct localization of β-lactamase inhibitory constituents from complex matrices while effectively minimizing matrix and sample color interference. Key experimental parameters were systematically optimized, and the method exhibited good flexibility by allowing screening against four different classes of β-lactamases through enzyme selection. Quantitative analysis was achieved by densitometric scanning at 525 nm, corresponding to the maximum absorption of the hydrolysis product. The method showed a limit of detection of 2 ng and a limit of quantification of 8 ng for the reference inhibitor tazobactam, along with satisfactory precision, repeatability, accuracy, and stability. The applicability of the method was demonstrated by screening extracts from twelve herbal medicines, leading to the identification of β-lactamase inhibitory zones in Perilla folium, Lonicera japonica Flos, and Lonicera Flos. Two active constituents were further characterized as rosmarinic acid and isochlorogenic acid A using online HPTLC-mass spectrometry, and their activities were verified by molecular docking and microplate-based enzymatic assay. Overall, the proposed HPTLC-bioautography strategy provides an efficient and selective analytical platform for the screening and characterization of β-lactamase inhibitors in complex natural products.

BACKGROUND:Obesity is a growing global health burden with rising incidence. Red ginseng (RGS), a traditional processed ginseng product, shows potential for improving metabolic parameters, though its anti-obesity mechanism remains incompletely understood. PURPOSE:This study investigated the therapeutic effects of short-term RGS administration on obesity and sought to elucidate the underlying mechanism. METHODS:A high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mouse model was used to assess short-term RGS effects. Antibiotic treatment and fecal microbiota transplantation were performed to evaluate gut microbiota involvement. 16S rRNA sequencing and metagenomic analysis identified key bacterial species, and mass spectrometry-based proteomics identified A. muciniphila-derived proteins. The growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15)-GFRAL axis was interrogated using Gfral‒/‒ mice. RESULTS:Short-term RGS treatment suppressed appetite, reduced body weight, and elevated circulating GDF15 in diet-induced obese (DIO) mice. RGS enriched A. muciniphila, and its depletion abrogated RGS-mediated weight loss and appetite suppression. The A. muciniphila-derived protein Amuc_1631 was identified as a key effector promoting GDF15 secretion. Mechanistically, RGS upregulated colonic Gdf15 transcription via the PERK-eIF2α-ATF4-CHOP axis and activated the brainstem GDF15-GFRAL pathway. The RGS 50% ethanol eluate (RGS/50) fraction was identified as the potential active component responsible for A. muciniphila enrichment and GDF15 elevation. CONCLUSIONS:This study identifies a gut microbiota-dependent mechanism underlying the anti-obesity effects of RGS, centered on A. muciniphila enrichment and its derived protein Amuc_1631, which promotes GDF15 secretion to suppress food intake via the GDF15-GFRAL axis.