Journal of Natural Medicines最新文献

{"title":"To interpret gypenoside-L mediated PIWI/piRNA regulatory effect on cuproptosis in ovarian cancer and the mechanism based on PANDORA-seq.","authors":"XiaoFei Sun, Jiajia Zhang, Jiao Zhao, Qun Wang, Ying Yang, Jiaxin Wang, Meiling Zhang, JingXuan Zhu, Nan Song, Lijiang Zhou","doi":"10.1007/s11418-026-02092-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11418-026-02092-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Ovarian cancer (OC) poses a significant threat to women's health, and has limited therapeutic options. Small RNAs play a critical role in the regulation of OC, and the initiation and progression of OC are closely associated with the aberrant regulation of the PIWI/piRNA pathway. Gypenoside-L (Gyp-L), a bioactive saponin with antitumor potential, has not been fully studied for its mechanisms against OC. In this study, we investigated the effects of Gyp-L on ovarian cancer cells and the underlying molecular mechanisms involving the PIWI/piRNA pathway and the regulation of cuproptosis. Molecular docking, colony formation, scratch wound healing, PANDORA-seq, western blotting, and qRT-PCR were used to evaluate binding affinity, cell functions, and molecular expression. Using PANDORA-seq, we identified nine piRNAs with significant differential expression in Gyp-L-affected ovarian cancer cells. Our results showed that PIWIL1, PIWIL2 were upregulated, and nine specific piRNAs were downregulated in OC tissues. Gyp-L inhibited proliferation and migration of OVCAR3 and SKOV3 cells dose-dependently, downregulated PIWIL1/PIWIL2, and upregulated dysregulated piRNAs. Knockdown of piR-hsa-2,804,461 upregulated FNBP4 and suppressed cuproptosis, which was reversed by Gyp-L. Collectively, Gyp-L inhibits ovarian cancer cell progression by modulating the PIWI/piRNA pathway, regulating piR-hsa-2,804,461/FNBP4, and reactivating cuproptosis, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic candidate for OC.</p>","PeriodicalId":654,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Natural Medicines","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-11-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149340250","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dimeric aromatic polyketides isolated from the marine-derived fungus Didymella aeria and their antifungal activity against Candida auris.","authors":"Hitoshi Kamauchi, Mayu Tanaka, Kanako Usui, Yuka Kiba, Masashi Kitamura, Makoto Hashimoto, Koji Ichinose, Yoshiaki Sugita","doi":"10.1007/s11418-026-02098-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11418-026-02098-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>An integrastatin derivative, integrastatin A methyl ether (1), was isolated from the marine-derived fungus Didymella aeria, along with the known compound integrastatin A (2). The structure of 1 was elucidated using the NMR and MS spectroscopy. Integrastatin derivatives 1-3 and their related monomers 4 and 5 were evaluated for antifungal activity against Candida auris, an emerging multidrug-resistant fungal pathogen urgently requiring novel therapeutic agents, and against C. albicans. Compounds 1 and 2 showed inhibitory activity against C. auris, with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 3.12 µg/mL for both compounds, whereas 3 showed weaker activity, with an MIC value of 25 µg/mL. In contrast, compounds 4 and 5 showed no inhibitory activity at 100 µg/mL. None of the tested compounds inhibited the growth of C. albicans at 100 µg/mL. The minimum fungicidal concentrations (MFC) of compounds 1 and 2 against C. auris were 12.5 µg/mL each, resulting in a MFC/MIC ratio of 4 and suggesting fungicidal activity under these assay conditions. Genome sequence analysis of D. aeria led to the identification of the putative biosynthetic pathway, including a non-reducing polyketide synthase gene cluster and a benzaldehyde lyase-like enzyme. This suggests that a benzoin condensation-like dimerization is a key step in integrastatin biosynthesis.</p>","PeriodicalId":654,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Natural Medicines","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-11-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149340248","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Strengthened anti-hyperuricemia activity of Flos Sophorae Immaturus polyphenols induced by de-glycosylation modification and its underlying mechanisms.","authors":"Jun Li, Jianfeng Tang, Peng Wu, Conghui Chen, Guohong Chen, Xiangren Meng","doi":"10.1007/s11418-026-02104-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11418-026-02104-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>As a traditional Chinese medicinal and edible plant for lowering uric acid (UA), the polyphenols in Flos Sophorae Immaturus tea (FSIt) have been proven to exert in vitro xanthine oxidase (XOD) inhibitory activity, and the de-glycosylation modification of polyphenols further improved their bioactivities. However, the in vivo anti-hyperuricemia effects and underlying mechanisms of FSIt polyphenols remain to be further investigated. Herein, a hyperuricemia mice model was established using potassium oxonate and hypoxanthine. The biochemical indicators in hyperuricemia mice urine, serum, liver, and kidney were determined. Results showed that FSIt polyphenols after de-glycosylation modification exhibited significant serum and liver XOD inhibitory activities. Meanwhile, the extraction of the FSIt polyphenols after de-glycosylation modification (DM-EFSIt) groups reduced the UA levels, inhibited XOD and adenosine deaminase activities, alleviated liver and kidney damage, increased the superoxide dismutase and catalase activities, reduced the malondialdehyde level, and downregulated the expression of glucose transporter 9 and urate-anion transporter 1, and upregulated the expression of organic anion transporter 1 and 3. Moreover, the increased contents of quercetin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin in the DM-EFSIt groups are one of the important reasons for the improvement of its anti-hyperuricemia efficacy. Overall, de-glycosylation modification of polyphenols further enhanced the anti-hyperuricemia efficacy of FSIt, which serves as an effective processing strategy for UA-lowering functional foods.</p>","PeriodicalId":654,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Natural Medicines","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-11-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149340249","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Baicalin attenuates malignant progression of salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma by downregulating the STIM1-SOCE/c-Myc/RPL35-mediated ribosomal pathway via ubiquitination.","authors":"Tangjun Liu, Zhipeng Sun, Huanhuan Xu, Jialu Liu, Xiaoting Cheng, Hongye Yue, Kaiwen Li, Yunxia Liu","doi":"10.1007/s11418-026-02099-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11418-026-02099-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study aimed to define the STIM1-SOCE/c-Myc/RPL35 axis driving malignant progression and cisplatin resistance in salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma (SACC), and elaborate the anti-SACC mechanisms of baicalin (BA). Transcriptomics was performed on STIM1-overexpressing (STIM1-OE) and control SACC-83 cells. A panel of cellular functional tests, western blotting, molecular docking, xenograft models and cell co-culture assays were applied to validate pathway function as well as BA's pharmacological and immunomodulatory effects. Transcriptomic data revealed that STIM1 activated ribosomal signaling by boosting SOCE activity, upregulating c-Myc and its downstream RPL35, whereas STIM1 overexpression conferred cisplatin resistance to SACC cells. Molecular docking verified favorable binding affinity between BA and STIM1/c-Myc/RPL35. BA concentration-dependently suppressed SACC proliferation, migration, invasion and angiogenesis, with stronger efficacy in STIM1-OE cells. Mechanistically, BA triggered ubiquitin-proteasome-dependent degradation of these three proteins, which was rescued by MG132; BA also suppressed SOCE to abrogate oncogenic ribosomal signaling. Besides, BA downregulated PD-L1 and reversed STIM1-induced M2 macrophage polarization to restore anti-tumor immunity, while in vivo xenograft assays validated BA's inhibitory effects on tumor growth and angiogenesis. In summary, the STIM1-SOCE/c-Myc/RPL35 cascade promotes SACC progression and platinum resistance. BA exerts potent anti-SACC effects by degrading core pathway molecules and remodeling the tumor immune microenvironment, indicating BA as a low-toxic candidate therapy for STIM1-high SACC.</p>","PeriodicalId":654,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Natural Medicines","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149293846","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Isolation and structure elucidation of pyridinium-type metabolites from the sponge Agelas nakamurai.","authors":"Chung-Wei Fu, Lin Chiang, Chih-Hua Chao, Shu-Fen Chiou, Hui-Chun Wang, Meng-Chen Yu, Jyh-Horng Sheu","doi":"10.1007/s11418-026-02101-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11418-026-02101-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Chemical investigation of the Formosan marine sponge Agelas nakamurai led to the isolation of four pyridinium compounds (1-4). The structures were elucidated through comprehensive spectroscopic analysis, including 1D and 2D NMR and HRESIMS. Among these, agelapyridinium A (1) is a naturally undescribed 2,4-dimethyl-1-phenylethylpyridinium, while pyridinebetaine C (2) is a new 2,4-dimethylated sulfonate-containing pyridinium betaine. Additionally, the known metabolites pyridinebetaine A (3) and pyridinebetaine B (4) were identified for the first time from this organism. All isolated compounds were shown to be inactive in inhibiting the growth of the few tested cancer cell lines and bacteria in the conducted bioassays. The putative biosynthetic pathways for the isolated pyridinium compounds were also proposed herein.</p>","PeriodicalId":654,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Natural Medicines","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149284357","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Geissoschizine methyl ether can be simultaneously measured with rhynchophylline and hirsutine in Yokukansan extract.","authors":"Atsushi Tsuge, Sayaka Masada, Michiho Ito","doi":"10.1007/s11418-026-02094-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11418-026-02094-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Yokukansan (YKS) is a Kampo prescription used to treat neurosis, insomnia, and behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). Previous studies have reported that geissoschizine methyl ether (GM), an indole alkaloid from Uncaria species, is the principal active constituent of YKS in the treatment of BPSD. Within YKS, GM originates from Uncaria Hook (UH), a component of natural drugs. Rhynchophylline (RIN) and hirsutine (HIR) are specified as quantitative marker constituents of YKS in the Japanese Pharmacopoeia 18th Revision (JP18) to determine the total alkaloid content. Given the recent focus on the pharmacological activity of GM, this study examined an HPLC method for detecting GM, RIN, and HIR in YKS extracts. RIN, HIR, and GM were detected as well-resolved peaks in the YKS extract under JP18 assay conditions. Comparison with the Uncaria Hook-depleted YKS extract showed no apparent matrix interference at the retention times of these alkaloids. In addition, this method was applied to most of the tested C18 columns, meeting the JP18 specifications. These findings indicate that the Japanese Pharmacopoeia assay framework can be extended to enable concurrent measurement of GM, RIN, and HIR in YKS extracts, thereby providing additional alkaloid information without requiring a separate GM-specific assay.</p>","PeriodicalId":654,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Natural Medicines","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149260351","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Fufang Xianzhuli Ye attenuates airway inflammation and epithelial injury in experimental asthma: involvement of PI3K-Akt and PPAR-γ signaling and associated lipid metabolic changes.","authors":"Denglong Sun, Chenxuan Wang, Yang Zhan, Xiaoying Cheng, Yingmeng Li, Yanxia Xiong, Yongqian Xu","doi":"10.1007/s11418-026-02102-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11418-026-02102-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Asthma is characterized by chronic airway inflammation and epithelial injury. Fufang Xianzhuli Ye (FXZLY) is a traditional Chinese medicinal formulation used for respiratory disorders. However, its pharmacological effects and underlying mechanisms in asthma remain incompletely understood. In this study, FXZLY was evaluated in an ovalbumin-induced murine model of asthma and an LPS-stimulated lung organoid model. Airway inflammation was assessed by bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cell analysis and lung histopathology. Lung transcriptomics and serum metabolomics were performed to characterize treatment-associated molecular alterations. In lung organoids, inflammatory cytokines, apoptosis-related genes, and PI3K-Akt and PPAR-γ signaling were examined. Pharmacological inhibition was further used to assess the functional involvement of these pathways. FXZLY reduced inflammatory cell infiltration in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and attenuated lung histopathological injury-related changes. Transcriptomic analysis identified changes in genes related to inflammatory responses, lipid metabolism, and cell survival. Serum metabolomic profiling showed partial reversal of lipid metabolic alterations, particularly those involving glycerophospholipid and linoleic acid metabolism. In LPS-stimulated lung organoids, FXZLY reduced the levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α. It also decreased Bax and Caspase-3 expression while increasing Bcl2 expression. The PI3K inhibitor LY294002 and the PPAR-γ antagonist GW9662 partially attenuated the anti-inflammatory effects of FXZLY and reversed several FXZLY-associated changes in apoptosis-related gene expression. These findings support the functional involvement of PI3K-Akt and PPAR-γ signaling. Overall, FXZLY attenuated airway inflammation and epithelial injury in experimental asthma. Its effects were associated with partial reversal of lipid metabolic alterations and involved PI3K-Akt and PPAR-γ signaling. These results provide an experimental basis for further investigation of FXZLY in airway inflammatory diseases.</p>","PeriodicalId":654,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Natural Medicines","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149260311","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploration of bioactive natural products from tropical plant genetic resources: from diversity to functional seeds","authors":"Hiroshi Morita,&nbsp;Yusuke Hirasawa,&nbsp;Toshio Kaneda","doi":"10.1007/s11418-026-02085-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11418-026-02085-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Natural products derived from higher plants continue to represent an important source of structurally diverse and biologically active molecules for drug discovery. In particular, tropical plant genetic resources provide a rich reservoir of unique secondary metabolites owing to their exceptional biodiversity. Through long-term collaborative studies conducted mainly in Southeast Asia, extensive collections of tropical plant materials were screened for diverse biological activities, leading to the discovery of numerous bioactive natural products. Early phytochemical studies on medicinal plants such as <i>Eurycoma longifolia</i>, a well-known traditional herbal medicine widely used in Malaysia and Indonesia, also contributed to the establishment of our research platform for tropical natural product discovery. This review summarizes representative studies on structurally unique compounds isolated from tropical plant resources and highlights their biological activities and mechanisms of action. Representative examples include ceramicines, limonoids from <i>Chisocheton ceramicus</i> with anti-lipid droplet accumulation activity, calofolic acids from <i>Calophyllum scriblitifolium</i> exhibiting vasorelaxant effects through PI3K–PKA signaling modulation, cassiarins, alkaloids from <i>Cassia siamea</i> with potent antimalarial activity, bisindole alkaloids from <i>Leuconotis</i> species inducing autophagy through AKT–mTOR pathway inhibition, cyclolinopeptides from flaxseed suppressing osteoclast differentiation via the c-Fos/RANK axis, celogentins, bicyclic peptides from <i>Celosia argentea</i> inhibiting tubulin polymerization, and mollugin derivatives from <i>Rubia</i> species targeting TLR4-mediated inflammatory signaling pathways. These studies demonstrate that tropical plant-derived natural products possess remarkable structural diversity and act on biologically relevant molecular targets. Furthermore, several cases illustrate the importance of mechanistic analysis and structural modification for the optimization of pharmacological activity. Collectively, this review highlights the significance of biodiversity-driven natural product exploration as a strategy for identifying functional seeds for future drug discovery.</p><h3>Graphical abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":654,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Natural Medicines","volume":"80 6","pages":"1539 - 1557"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11418-026-02085-8.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149178697","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"LC–MS profiling and antiulcer mechanisms of Rumex pictus extract and its isolated emodin-8-O-β-glucoside against ethanol-induced gastric damage","authors":"Enaam M. AbouZeid,&nbsp;Lamia T. Abou El-Kassem,&nbsp;Sally A. El Awdan,&nbsp;Usama W. Hawas,&nbsp;Nagwa M. Ammar","doi":"10.1007/s11418-026-02091-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11418-026-02091-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Peptic ulcer disease is considered a global health concern, commonly caused by <i>Helicobacter pylori</i> infection, chronic NSAID use, and ethanol-induced gastric mucosal injury. Although proton pump inhibitors and anti-secretory drugs are effective, their prolonged use increases risks of fractures, infections, and nutrient deficiencies, highlighting the urgent need for safer alternatives. The <i>Rumex</i> genus, particularly <i>R. pictus</i> Forssk. aerial parts, has long been employed in Middle Eastern traditional medicine to alleviate gastric inflammation and ulcers. The antiulcer bioassays of the 70% aqueous methanolic <i>R. pictus</i> extract (RPE) (150–300 mg/kg) and its isolated emodin-8-<i>O-β</i>-glucoside (EGL) (15–30 mg/kg) were assessed using an in vivo ethanol-induced gastric injury model. Additionally, LC–ESI–MS/MS was used to identify the phenolic constituents from RPE. 42 Metabolites were identified from LC–ESI–MS/MS profiling of RPE including phenolic acids (e.g. caffeic, ferulic, chlorogenic), flavonoid <i>C</i>- and <i>O</i>-glycosides (e.g. orientin, isoorientin, vitexin, isovitexin, hyperoside), and anthraquinones (e.g. emodin, chrysophanol, physcion, and their glycosides). Both RPE and EGL restored gastric antioxidant defenses by elevating glutathione and glutathione-S-transferase while lowering MDA levels, downregulated pro-inflammatory cytokines: TNF-α and IL-1β, and enhanced cytoprotective PGE2 production. Notably, the higher dose of EGL (30 mg/kg) produced superior gastroprotection as it demonstrated greater suppression of oxidative stress and cytokine release alongside enhanced mucosal regeneration. Histopathological analysis further confirmed reduced hemorrhage, edema, and epithelial necrosis, particularly at higher doses. These findings establish RPE and EGL as promising gastroprotective candidates, reinforcing their ethnomedicinal value and supporting further development as safer alternatives for peptic ulcer management.</p><h3>Graphical abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":654,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Natural Medicines","volume":"80 6","pages":"1764 - 1777"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149178692","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development of a species-specific PCR-lateral flow assay integrated with SYBR Safe for rapid authentication of commercial Polygoni Multiflori Caulis (Ye-Jiao-Teng)","authors":"Ngoc-Phuoc Ngo,&nbsp;Yen-Ying Kung,&nbsp;PeiJung Chiang,&nbsp;Meng-Shiou Lee,&nbsp;Kai-Wei Chang,&nbsp;Kun-Chang Wu","doi":"10.1007/s11418-026-02068-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11418-026-02068-9","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p><i>Pleuropterus multiflorus</i> (PM) is a widely used medicinal plant in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). However, the closely related species <i>Pleuropterus angulatus</i> (PA) is commonly misidentified as PM due to morphological similarities, leading to frequent adulteration in commercial Polygoni Multiflori Caulis (PMC) products. To address this issue, we developed a species-specific PCR-lateral flow assay integrated with SYBR Safe for rapid and species-specific authentication of PM and PA. Species-specific primers were designed based on a diagnostic single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) within the chloroplast <i>trnL-trnF</i> region. After validation of specificity, visual detection of PM and PA was achieved using lateral flow strips. The assay demonstrated detection limits of 0.5 ng/μL for PM and 0.05 ng/μL for PA genomic DNA. The application of this assay to eighteen commercial PMC products revealed the presence of PA in all samples, with only one product containing both PM and PA, indicating widespread adulteration in the herbal marketplace. In conclusion, the developed PCR-lateral flow assay provides a rapid, sensitive, and user-friendly molecular diagnostic tool suitable for authenticity testing of herbal products and quality control during pharmaceutical manufacturing.</p><h3>Graphical abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":654,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Natural Medicines","volume":"80 6","pages":"1611 - 1625"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149178650","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}