Lin Zhao

Physalis alkekengi L. fruit polysaccharides can reduce blood sugar, regulate blood lipids, and improve intestinal flora structure. However, the specific polysaccharide components exerting these effects are unclear. In this study, we extracted, separated, purified, and characterized the P. alkekengi polysaccharides Phy-1a, Phy-1b, and Phy-1c. Ion chromatography showed that Phy-1b was mainly composed of rhamnose, arabinose, galactose, glucose, and xylose at a molar ratio of 3.0:19.8:47.5:20.9:8.8, and Phy-1c was composed of rhamnose, arabinose, galactose, glucose, xylose, mannose, ribose Galactosamine hydrochloride and Glucosamine hydrochloride at a molar ratio of 10.4:7.9:22.8:30.5:4.6:4.4:19.4:3.9:5.8. Neither of these polysaccharides contained uronic acid, indicating their neutral property. Methylation analysis and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy showed that Phy-1b was mainly composed of terminal sugars (1-Araf); 1,5-Araf; 1,4-Xylp; 1-Glcp; 2,4-Rhap; 1,3-Glcp; 1,4-Galp; 1,4-Glcp; 1,3-Galp; 1,6-Glcp; 1,3,6-Glcp; and 1,4,6-Galp at a molar ratio of 5.2:7.1:7.8:13.7:6.3:11.2:7.0:16.3:7.4:6.0:6.8:5.3, with the main chain being →2)-α-L-Rhap-(1→4)-β-d-Galp-(1→4)-β-d-Galp-(1→[3)-β-d-Glcp-(1]2→3)-β-d-Glcp-(1→[4)-β-d-Glcp-(1]2→ and the branched chains being β-L-Araf-(1→5)-β-L-Araf-(1→, β-d-Glcp-(1→4)-β-d-Xylp-(1→ 3)-β-d-Galp-(1→, and β-d-Glcp-(1→6)-β-d-Glcp-(1→. The three fragments, respectively, pass through the O-4 key of →2,4)-α-l-Rhap-(1→, O-6 key of →4,6)-β-d-Galp-(1→, and O-6 of →3,6)-β-d-Glcp-(1→ connected to the main chain. These results provide a reference for enhancing the utilization value of P. alkekengi resources to promote its high-value and efficient processing.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a common metabolic disease that adversely impacts patient health. In this study, a T2DM model was established in ICR mice through the administration of a high-sugar and high-fat diet combined with the intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin to explore the hypoglycemic effect of polysaccharides from Physalis alkekengi L. After six weeks of treatment, the mice in the high-dosage group (800 mg/kg bw) displayed significant improvements in terms of fasting blood glucose concentration, glucose tolerance, serum insulin level, insulin resistance, and weight loss (p < 0.05). The polysaccharides also significantly regulated blood lipid levels by reducing the serum contents of total triglycerides, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoproteins and increasing the serum content of high-density lipoproteins (p < 0.05). Furthermore, they significantly enhanced the hepatic and pancreatic antioxidant capacities, as determined by measuring the catalase and superoxide dismutase activities and the total antioxidant capacity (p < 0.05). The results of immunohistochemistry showed that the P. alkekengi polysaccharides can increase the expression of GPR43 in mice colon epithelial cells, thereby promoting the secretion of glucagon-like peptide-1. In summary, P. alkekengi polysaccharides can help to regulate blood glucose levels in T2DM mice and alleviate the decline in the antioxidant capacities of the liver and pancreas, thus protecting these organs from damage.

Black-bone fowl are different from ordinary broilers in appearance and are considered to have rich nutritional properties. However, the metabolism of therapeutic drugs in black-bone fowl remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the tissue residue depletion kinetics of trimethoprim and sulfachloropyridazine in Yugan black-bone fowl, after daily oral administrations for 5 days at 4 mg/kg bw/day trimethoprim and 20 mg/kg bw/day sulfachloropyridazine, and to calculate the withdrawal times. After consecutive oral administrations, the tissues (liver, kidney, muscle and skin/fat) were collected at each of the following time points (0.16, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 20, 30 and 40 days). A newly-devised LC-MS/MS method was used to analyse the concentrations of trimethoprim and sulfachlorpyridazine in target tissues. The results showed that sulfachloropyridazine was rapidly metabolised in broilers, and there was no residue in all tissues 3 days post-administration. The concentration of trimethoprim in black-bone fowl skin/fat is the highest, and its metabolism rate is low. After 40 days, the concentration of trimethoprim in skin/fat is still as high as 140.1 & PLUSMN; 58.0 & mu;g/kg, exceeding the maximum residue limit. In order to protect consumers' health, it is suggested that the withdrawal time of TMP in Yugan black-bone fowl is 69 days.

Opuntia ficus-indica is rich in a variety of active substances, such as anthocyanins, flavonoids, and polysaccharides. Some studies have shown that anthocyanins extracted from natural plants can regulate intestinal flora. The fruit was used as raw material, and anthocyanins were extracted from it. In vivo experiments were used to study the effect of Opuntia ficus-indica anthocyanins on the mouse intestine by 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing (NovaSeq 6000 platform) and gas chromatography (hydrogen flame ionization detector (FID)) methods. Microbiota and effects of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). The results showed that after feeding anthocyanins, the diversity of intestinal microorganisms in mice was significantly increased (p < 0.05), the ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F/B value) was significantly decreased (p < 0.05), the relative abundances of beneficial bacteria Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Prevotella, and Akkermansia in the intestinal tract of mice were significantly increased (p < 0.05), and the relative abundance of pathogenic bacteria Escherichia-Shigella and Desulfovibrio decreased significantly (p < 0.05). Furthermore, anthocyanins significantly increased the content of short-chain fatty acids in the cecum of mice, among which the content of acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid increased the most. Opuntia ficus-indica anthocyanins can change the microbial diversity and flora composition of the mouse gut and promote the production of short-chain fatty acids. The findings provide a theoretical basis for the use of Opuntia ficus-indica anthocyanins as dietary supplements to regulate human intestinal flora.