Bifidobacterium infantis YLGB-1496, originally isolated from breast milk from a Taiwanese mother, is under study for use as a probiotic. As part of safety assessment, an Ames, in vivo mouse micronucleus, and in vivo mouse spermatocyte chromosome aberration assay were conducted along with a 13-week oral rat toxicity study. B. infantis YLGB-1496 had no activity in any of the genotoxicity assays. Administration of the bacteria to Sprague-Dawley rats at doses ranging from 0 to 1.5 g/kg bw/day had no treatment-related effects on any of the endpoints measured. There appear to be no concerns for translocation or pathogenicity of B. infantis YLGB-1496 based on extensive experience with the species in general. The results of the current investigations support potential use of B. infantis YLGB-1496 as a probiotic in infant formula.

Herbicide exposure poses a higher risk to reptiles due to their frequent contact with soil. Besides, food restriction is also a common environmental pressure that can seriously affect the survival of reptiles. The adaptive strategies of reptiles in the face of emerging herbicide pollution and food shortage challenges are not yet known. Therefore, Eremias Argus (a kind of small reptile) was selected as the model to simulate the real scenario of food shortage in lizards, aiming to explore the comprehensive impact of glufosinate-ammonium (GLA: an emerging herbicide) and food restriction on lizards. The results revealed that lizards often regulate their physiological and biochemical activities through body thermal selection and tend to choose lower body temperature, reduce digestibility, and actively participate in fat energy mobilization to avoid oxidative damage in the state of hunger, finally in order to achieve homeostasis. However, herbicide GLA disrupted the lizards\' efforts to resist the stress of food shortage and interfered with the normal thermoregulation and energy mobilization strategies of lizards facing starvation. The results of this study would improve our understanding of the impacts of Lizards under extreme stresses, help supplement reptile toxicology data and provide scientific basis for the risk assessment of herbicide GLA.

Megaloptera larvae are important bioindicator species and potential resource insects. To further cultivate their economic role, their living environment must be examined in more detail. In this study, we analyzed the physiological and biochemical effects of a sublethal dose of imidacloprid, a widely used neonicotinoid insecticide, on the larvae of Protohermes xanthodes. After treatment with imidacloprid, P. xanthodes larvae exhibited clear symptoms of poisoning, including the head curling up toward the ventral surface. Additionally, the activity of acetylcholinesterase was significantly inhibited following exposure. The activities of glutathione S-transferases initially continuously increased but showed a slight decrease after 8 days. Catalase activity initially increased and then decreased following imidacloprid treatment; superoxide dismutase activity fluctuated over time, and peroxidase activity continuously increased. The expression levels of HSP70s genes were evaluated using qRT-PCR. These results indicate that P. xanthodes larvae exhibit a toxic response to imidacloprid exposure, manifested as oxidative stress, as observed through behavioral and physiological indicators.

BACKGROUND: Sophorae tonkinensis Radix et Rhizoma (STR), the dried root and rhizome of Sophora tonkinensis Gagnep., is commonly used in the treatment of tonsillitis and pharyngitis, throat soreness and throat obstruction, swelling and aching of gum, etc. in China or other Asian countries. STR is usually used as the core herb in traditional Chinese medicine preparations, such as \"Biyanling Tablets\", \"Fufang Muji Granules\" and \"Ganyanling Injections\", etc. AIM OF THE REVIEW: This review aimed to provide a comprehensive analysis of STR in terms of botany, traditional use, phytochemistry, ethnopharmacology, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, toxicology and detoxification strategy, to provide a rational application in future research.
METHODS: The information involved in the study was gathered from a variety of electronic resources, including China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), SciFinder, Google Scholar, PubMed, Web of Science, and Chinese Masters and Doctoral Dissertations.
RESULTS: Till now, a total of 333 chemical components have been identified in STR, including 85 alkaloids, 124 flavonoids, 24 triterpenes, 27 triterpene saponins, 34 organic acids, 8 polysaccharides, etc. STR and its main active constituents have cardiovascular protection, anti-tumor activity, anti-inflammatory activity, antipyretic activity, analgesic activity, antibacterial activity, antifungal activity, antiviral activity, and hepatoprotective activity, etc. However, toxic effects of STR on the liver, nerves, heart, and gastrointestinal tract have also been observed. To mitigate these risks, STR needs attenuation before use, with the most common detoxification methods being processing and combined use with other drugs. The pharmacokinetics of STR in vivo and traditional and clinical prescriptions containing STR have been sorted out. Despite the potential therapeutic benefits of STR, further research is warranted to elucidate its hepatotoxicity, particularly in vivo, exploring aspects such as in vivo metabolism, distribution, and mechanisms.
CONCLUSIONS: This review serves to emphasize the therapeutic potential of STR and highlights the crucial need to address its toxicity concerns before considering clinical application. Further research is required to comprehensively investigate the toxicological properties of STR, with particular emphasis on its hepatotoxicity and neurotoxicity. Such research endeavors have the potential to standardize the rational application of STR for optimal therapeutic outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Conioselinum anthriscoides (H. Boissieu) Pimenov & Kljuykov, also known as Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort. is a perennial Umbelliferae herb, whose dried rhizome commonly called Chuanxiong Rhizoma. Chuanxiong Rhizoma is widely used in TCM, especially for cardiocerebrovascular and gynecological diseases. However, these studies are scattered and there is no review that can centralize the results of these studies. The authors summarized this review by collecting research results on the chemical, pharmacological, and toxicological of Chuanxiong Rhizoma published in various publications over the past 20 years.
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this review is to summarize the current experimental studies on Chuanxiong Rhizoma and explore its mechanism of action.
METHODS: Web of Science, PubMed, CBM, CNKI, Medline, Embase, Elsevier, Springer, Wiley Online Library, Scholar, and other databases were searched, and nearly one hundred experimental studies were collected to summarize this review.
CONCLUSIONS: Chuanxiong Rhizoma is composed of essential oil, terpenes, alkaloids, polysaccharide, organic acids, ceramides, and cerebrosides. It has the functions of promoting blood circulation, removing blood stasis, antibacterial, antiviral, and calming the mind to sleep. Now it can be used to treat cardiocerebrovascular and gynecological diseases, neurodegenerative disease, psoriasis, rectal cancer, osteoporosis, and osteoarthritis.
CONCLUSIONS: In the past 20 years, a large number of research data have confirmed that Chuanxiong Rhizoma contains rich effective metabolites, has huge medicinal potential, and has a wide range of effective treatments.

In recent years, the prevalence and fatality rates of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease have not only shown a consistent rise that cannot be ignored, but have also become a pressing social health problem that requires urgent attention. While interventional surgery and drug therapy offer significant therapeutic results, they often come with common side effects. Geniposide, an active component extracted from the Chinese medicine Gardenia jasminoides Ellis, shows promise in the management of cardiac conditions. This review comprehensively outlines the underlying pharmacological mechanisms by which geniposide exerts its effects on atherosclerosis. Geniposide exhibits a range of beneficial effects including alleviating inflammation, inhibiting the development of macrophage foam cells, improving lipid metabolism, and preventing platelet aggregation and thrombosis. It also demonstrates mitochondrial preservation, anti-apoptotic effects, and modulation of autophagy. Moreover, geniposide shows potential in improving oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum stress by maintaining the body\'s antioxidant and oxidative balance. Additionally, this review comprehensively details the biological properties of geniposide, including methods of extraction and purification, as well as its pharmacokinetics and toxicological characteristics. It further discusses the clinical applications of related biopharmaceuticals, emphasizing the potential of geniposide in the prevention and treatment of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, it highlights the limitations of current research, aiming to provide insights for future studies.

BACKGROUND: Owing to large amounts of synthetic pesticides being extensively and unreasonably used for crop protection, currently, resistance and negative impacts on human health and environment safety have appeared. Therefore, development of potential pesticide candidates is highly urgent. Herein, a series of ester derivatives of osthole were designed and synthesized as pesticidal agents.
RESULTS: Six spatial configurations of 4\'-(p-toluenoyloxy)osthole (4b), 4\'-(m-fluorobenzoyloxy)osthole (4f), 4\'-(p-fluorophenylacetyloxy)osthole (4m), 4\'-(3\'\',4\'\'-methylenedioxybenzoyloxy)osthole (4q), 4\'-formyloxyosthole (4u) and 4\'-acetyloxyosthole (4v) were determined by X-ray mono-crystal diffraction. Compounds 4b, 4\'-(p-chlorobenzoyloxy)osthole (4g), 4\'-(m-chlorobenzoyloxy)osthole (4h), 4\'-(p-bromobenzoyloxy)osthole (4i) and 4\'-(2\'\'-chloropyridin-3\'\'-ylcarbonyloxy)osthole (4p) showed higher insecticidal activity than toosendanin against Mythimna separata Walker; notably, compound 4b displayed 1.8 times insecticidal activity of the precursor osthole. Against Tetranychus cinnabarinus Boisduval, compounds 4g and 4h showed 3.3 and 2.6 times acaricidal activity of osthole, and good control effects in the glasshouse. Scanning electron microscopy assay demonstrated that compound 4g can damage the cuticle layer of T. cinnabarinus resulting in death.
CONCLUSIONS: Compounds 4g and 4h can be further studied as lead pesticidal agents for the management of M. separata and T. cinnabarinus. These results will pave the way for application of osthole derivatives as agrochemicals. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Stem cells, with their ability to self-renew and differentiate into various cell types, are a unique and valuable resource for medical research and toxicological studies. The liver is the most crucial metabolic organ in the human body and serves as the primary site for the accumulation of environmental pollutants. Enrichment with environmental pollutants can disrupt the early developmental processes of the liver and have a significant impact on liver function. The liver comprises a complex array of cell types, and different environmental pollutants have varying effects on these cells. Currently, there is a lack of well-established research models that can effectively demonstrate the mechanisms by which environmental pollutants affect human liver development. The emergence of liver cells and organoids derived from stem cells offers a promising tool for investigating the impact of environmental pollutants on human health. Therefore, this study systematically reviewed the developmental processes of different types of liver cells and provided an overview of studies on the developmental toxicity of various environmental pollutants using stem cell models.

Leonurine is an alkaloid unique to the Leonurus genus, which has many biological activities, such as uterine contraction, anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation, regulation of cell apoptosis, anti-tumor, angiogenesis, anti-platelet aggregation, and inhibition of vasoconstriction. This paper summarizes the extraction methods, synthetic pathways, biosynthetic mechanisms, pharmacokinetic properties, pharmacological effects in various diseases, toxicology, and clinical trials of leonurine. To facilitate a successful transition into clinical application, intensified efforts are required in several key areas: structural modifications of leonurine to optimize its properties, comprehensive pharmacokinetic assessments to understand its behavior within the body, thorough mechanistic studies to elucidate how it works at the molecular level, rigorous safety evaluations and toxicological investigations to ensure patient wellbeing, and meticulously conducted clinical trials to validate its efficacy and safety profile.

The compound Honokiol, derived from the bark of Magnolia officinalis, possesses the ability to induce apoptosis and inhibit cellular damage caused by reactive oxygen species. The objective of this study was to investigate the toxicological and histopathological effects of Honokiol on zebrafish (Danio rerio) through conducting a semistatic acute toxicity test involving immersion in an Honokiol-containing solution. The results showed that the toxic effects of Honokiol on zebrafish were primarily manifested in the liver and gills. When exposed to 0.6 mg/L of Honokiol, it could lead to liver hemorrhage as well as swelling and necrosis of gill tissues, and high concentrations of Honokiol could trigger inflammatory responses. Additionally, research found that Honokiol could induce apoptosis in liver and gill tissues through the P53 pathway and possessed the ability to enhance antioxidation. The present findings significantly contribute to a more profound understanding of the toxic impact of Honokiol and its underlying mechanism, thereby providing a valuable reference for the future safe utilization of Honokiol and related pharmaceutical advancements.