Cimicifugae Rhizoma, generally known as “Sheng Ma” in China, has great medicinal and dietary values. Cimicifugae Rhizoma is the dried rhizome of Cimicifuga foetida L., Cimicifuga dahurica (Turcz.) Maxim. and Cimicifuga heracleifolia Kom., which has been used to treat wind-heat headache, tooth pain, aphtha, sore throat, prolapse of anus and uterine prolapse in traditional Chinese medicine. This review systematically presents the traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, clinical studies, quality control and toxicity of Cimicifugae Rhizoma in order to propose scientific evidence for its rational utilization and product development. Herein, 348 compounds isolated or identified from the herb are summarized in this review, mainly including triterpenoid saponins, phenylpropanoids, chromones, alkaloids, terpenoids and flavonoids. The crude extracts and its constituents had various pharmacological properties such as anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antiviral, antioxidant, neuroprotective, anti-osteoporosis and relieving menopausal symptoms. The recent research progress of Cimicifugae Rhizoma in ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry and pharmacological effects demonstrates the effectiveness of its utilization and supplies valuable guidance for further research. This review will provide a basis for the future development and utilization of Cimicifugae Rhizoma.

The multiple species characteristics of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) are crucial for expanding TCMs sources, meeting the needs of the pharmaceutical industry and ensuring clinical requirements. It’s also one of the significant factors affecting the quality control of TCMs. Systematic differential analysis of original species in TCMs is an important link in achieving comprehensive quality control, ensuring the effectiveness and safety of clinical medication. The study aims to establish a reliable and efficient approach to screen combinatorial discriminatory quality markers for rapid differentiation of original species by metabolomics coupled with DNA barcoding as a case of Cimicifugae Rhizoma. DNA barcoding is used to identify the origin of Cimicifugae Rhizoma. The data-dependent acquisition mode integrated with the computerized intelligent filtering system was established for in-depth characterization of metabolites from Cimicifugae Rhizoma using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS). The untargeted metabolomics combined with multivariate statistical analysis was performed to screen and identify the potential combinatorial discriminatory quality markers. Finally, quantitative analysis and predictive model of these markers were employed to validate the feasibility of this strategy to distinguish the original species. Based on the scores of variable importance in projection greater than 1.0 and t-test (p < 0.05) in chemometric analysis, caffeic acid, cimifugin, ferulic acid and isoferulic acid were authenticated as combinatorial discriminatory quality markers for the two original species of Cimicifugae Rhizoma. In addition, the Fisher discriminant model successfully classified 56 batches of Cimicifugae Rhizoma with an accuracy of 94.4 %, showcased the practicality and scientific validity of this method. This study has provided a comprehensive strategy for efficient discrimination of multiple species of medicinal materials.

Four experimental diets were formulated,with fish meal as the main protein source in control diet(FM),and 21.2%fish meal replaced by the mixture of soybean protein concentrate,meat and bone meal,and monosodium glutamate protein in replacement diets.Considering the difference value of Lys and Met content between FM group and blank control group(i.e.,no added amino acids)as standard,0,30%(Lys 1.7+Met 1.1)and 100%(Lys 5.0+Met 3.4)coated Lys and Met were added respectively,as diet LM(0),diet LM(30)and diet LM(100).Each diet was fed to triplicate groups of 20fish[initial mean weight,(4.13±0.16)g]to apparent satiation in twice a day for 8weeks.Results showed that adding 100% Lys and Met markedly improved the proteinase activities in liver and mid-gut(P0.05),as well as the lipase in fore-gut.There was a positive correlation between the increase in muscular layer thickness of foregut/mid-gut and the dietary Lys and Met level,and the thickness of those in diet LM(100)thicker than in diet FM(P0.05).Comparing with diet LM(0),the apparent digestibility coefficients(ADCs)of dry matter,crude protein and crude lipid were markedly increased when enough Lys and Met added,even higher than those in diet FM(P0.05).The ADCs of essential amino acids showed similar trends as the Lys and Met content changed.

A series of laboratory experiments was conducted using electrical penetration graph, salivary flange, and honeydew measurement to study the effects of feeding-induced intra- and interspecific interactions on feeding behavior and honeydew excretion between planthoppers Nilaparvata lugens (Stål) and Sogatela furcifera (Horváth). Feeding-induced intra- and interspecific interactions affected many measures of feeding behavior. The number of salivary flanges, mean duration of pathway activities per insect, and mean duration from first probe to first sustained phloem ingestion for both N. lugens and S. furcifera were significantly shorter on rice plants with feeding-induced conspecific and heterospecific effects than those for planthoppers fed on control plants. Feeding-induced intra- and interspecific interactions also affected the duration per insect of phloem ingestion for both N. lugens and S. furcifera. The durations per insect of phloem ingestion on host plants with feeding-induced conspecific and heterospecific effects were significantly longer than those on control plants. An asymmetric facilitative effect of induced interspecific interactions on the weight of honeydew excreted was detected, because only the honeydew weights of S. furcifera were significantly increased by the induced heterospecific effect on both varieties. The results demonstrated that the facilitative effects on honeydew excretion were consistent with previously documented effects on performance. Both facilitative effects on honeydew excretion and performance were asymmetrical, with more benefits to S. furcifera from N. lugens. Such facilitative effects might be mainly related to altered nutrient status and induced allelochemistry in rice.