Khalid Rahman

• Professor
• Professor at Liverpool John Moores University

Corms serve as the primary mode of reproduction for saffron, which growth state determines the yield and quality of saffron under field cultivation conditions. In this study, fourteen rhizobacteria were isolated from the rhizosphere soil of C. sativus. The findings of this study indicate that all of the rhizobacterial isolates have the capacity to...

The vast biodiversity of endophytic fungi and its potential to improve the production of bioactive metabolites in host plants has attracted intense research of endophytic fungi. However, extensive research is needed to explore in detail the interaction between specific endophytic fungi, host physiological responses and changes to plant secondary me...

Using endophytic fungal elicitors to increase the accumulation of valuable secondary metabolites in plant tissue culture is an effective biotechnology strategy. In this study, a collection of 56 strains of endophytic fungi were isolated from different organs of cultivated Panax ginseng, of which seven strains can be symbiotically co-cultured with t...

Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge. is commonly used to treat vascular diseases because of its activity ingredients, phenolic acids and tanshinones. Polysaccharide fraction (PSF) extracted from Trichoderma atroviride D16 could promote tanshinone accumulation in S. miltiorrhiza hairy roots. Transcriptome sequencing was conducted to describe the global gene e...

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.01596.].

Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge is a common Chinese herbal medicine, and its major active ingredients are phenolic acids and tanshinones, which are widely used to treat vascular diseases. However, the wild form of S. miltiorrhiza possess low levels of these important pharmaceutical agents; thus, improving their levels is an active area of research. Trans...

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) have received increasing interest due to their tunable particle size, large surface area, stable framework, and easy surface modification. They are increasingly being used in varying applications as delivery vehicles including bio-imaging, drug delivery, biosensors and tissue engineering etc. Precise structure...

Isorhamnetin is one of the most important active ingredients in the fruits of Hippophae rhamnoides L. and the leaves of Ginkgo biloba L., which possesses extensive pharmacological activities. At present, there have been numerous investigations on isorhamnetin, which has the effects of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular protection, anti-tumor, anti-...

Endophytic fungi possess favorable effects on their host plants, including disease-resistance improvement, secondary metabolite induction, and growth promotion. It is therefore a promising and sustainable strategy to utilize endophytic fungi for the quality improvement of medicinal herbs or important crops. In our study, a collection of 277 strains...

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Chinese medicine formula (CMF) has a long history of clinical use in the treatment of various diseases under the guidance of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory. The application of CMF can be divided into three levels, crude extracts, homologous compounds mixture, and specific compounds. However, the modern sc...

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the main causes of renal fibrosis and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) therapy has a long history of usage in a clinical setting and its usage is increasing. ErHuang Formula (EHF), a Chinese herbal compound, has been clinically used in treating DN for more than 3...

Scutellaria barbata has a long history of medical use in Traditional Chinese Medicine for clearing away heat and toxic material, promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, and inducing diuresis to reduce edema. Recent pharmacology investigations have provided evidence for its anti-cancer, bacteriostasis, anti-virus, anti-inflammation, a...

We have previously reported that Trichoderma atroviride, an endophytic fungus isolated from S. miltiorrhiza, promotes S. miltiorrhiza hairy root growth and significantly stimulates the biosynthesis of tanshinones specifically the polysaccharide fraction (PSF). However, this study only focused exclusively on six metabolites whilst ignoring changes t...

Trichoderma atroviride develops a symbiont relationship with Salvia miltiorrhiza and this association involves a number of signaling pathways and proteomic responses between both partners. In our previous study, we have reported that polysaccharide fraction (PSF) of T. atroviride could promote tanshinones accumulation in S. miltiorrhiza hairy roots...

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Cynanchum bungei Decne. (CB) (Asclepiadaceae) and its two related species Cynanchum auriculatum Royle ex Wight. (CA) and Cynanchum wilfordii (Maxim.) Hemsl. (CW) are well known Chinese herbal medicines known by the name Baishouwu. Among them, CB has long been used for nourishing the kidney and liver, strengthening t...

Geniposide is a well-known iridoid glycoside compound and is an essential component of a wide variety of traditional phytomedicines, for example, Gardenia jasminoides Elli (Zhizi in Chinese), Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. (Duzhong in Chinese), Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch. (Dihuang in Chinese), and Achyranthes bidentata Bl. (Niuxi in Chinese). It is also...

Prunella vulgaris (PV) is a perennial herb belonging to the Labiate family and is widely distributed in the northeastern Asian countries such as Korea, Japan, and China. It is reported to display diverse biological activities including anti-microbial, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammation as determined by in vitro or in vivo studies. So far, about 200...

In this study the role of CXCL6 in diabetic nephropathy (DN) was investigated. It was found to be overexpression in DN patients and DN rat model. And the expression of fibrosis-related cytokines was consistent with the expression of CXCL6. High glucose significantly increased the proliferation of rat renal fibroblasts NRK-49F cell and the expressio...

Vitex rotundifolia is an important coastal and medicinal plant, and is recorded in the List of the Important Wild Plants for Conservation in China and Japan. However, an effective conservation strategy is lacking. In the present study, the genetic diversity and population structure were analyzed using phylogeographical methods based on the trnH-psb...

Prunella vulgaris (PV) is a perennial herb belonging to the Labiate family and is widely distributed in the northeastern Asian countries such as Korea, Japan, and China. It is reported to display diverse biological activities including anti-microbial, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammation as determined by in vitro or in vivo studies. So far, about 200...

Background: Stellera Chamaejasme is a perennial weed and is found across a wide geographic range. It is found in the Altai of eastern Russia, northern China and Mongolia southwards and reaches as far as the western Himalayas of the Qinghai-Tibet and Yungui Plateaus. The dried roots of S. Chamaejasme are named "Rui-Xiang-Lang-Du" and this herb with...

Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers. (Lauraceae family) has been used as a folk prescription in China for the treatment of rheumatic diseases for a long time. Previous studies of our laboratory have indicated that 9′-O-di-(E)-feruloyl-meso-5, 5′-dimethoxy-secoisolariciresinol (FCL) which is a dibenzylbutane lignan enriched in L. cubeba displayed anti-inflam...

All forms of chronic kidney disease (CKD) eventually lead to renal fibrosis irrespective of its origin. It is generally characterized by an excessive accumulation and deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) and to date no ideal treatment has been established. Bian-Zheng-Lun-Zhi (syndrome differentiation and treatment), a classic feature of traditi...

Nine new minor diterpenoids, jatrogossones A–I (1–9), and six known analogues (10–15) were separated from an extract of the branches and leaves of Jatropha gosspiifolia. Compounds 4–6 and 10, possessing a 5/11 fused-ring skeleton, and 8, 9, and 13, with a 5/9/5 fused-ring skeleton, represent rare diterpenoid skeletons that have been found only in c...

Four new tetracyclic-type triterpenoids, jatrogossols A - D (1-4), along with 5 known analogues (5-9), were isolated from the ethanol extract of the branches and leaves of Jatropha gossypiifolia. The absolute configurations of 1-4 were defined by using a combination of electronic circular dichroism data analysis and single-crystal X-ray diffraction...

Over the past decades, a number of phytochemicals have been reported to possess potent pharmacological effects. Saikosaponins represent a group of oleanane derivatives, usually as glucosides, which are commonly found in medicinal plants Bupleurum spp., which have been used as traditional Chinese medicine for more than 1,000 years in China. Emerging...

Salvia miltiorrhiza is known for tanshinones and salvianolic acids, which have been shown to have a protective effect against ROS, especially for cardiovascular diseases and other various ailments of human organs. Due to the low yield of tanshinones and their analogs in S. miltiorrhiza, multiple stimulation strategies have been developed to improve...

Chemical investigation of the Daphne genkwa has led to the isolation of four sesquiterpenes (1a/1b, 2 and 3), including one pair of sesquiterpene enantiomers (1a/1b), 1a is a new compound (+)-4-hydroxy-10-epirotundone, and twelve lignans (4-15). Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis, and the absolute configurations of 1a/1b wer...

Objectives: To identify whether lncRNAs (long non-coding RNA) participate in the regulation of cisplatin-resistant induced autophagy in endometrial cancer cells. Results: Autophagy activity was significantly boosted in cisplatin-resistant Ishikawa cells, a human endometrial cancer cell line, compared with that in parental Ishikawa cells. After a...

Ethnopharmacological relevance Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has become the focus of research for the treatment of chronic pelvic inflammatory disease (CPID) based on unique medical theory system. Man-Pen-Fang (MPF), a Chinese herbal compound, which is composed of Thlaspi arvense L. (Cruciferae), Gleditsia sinensis Lam. (Leguminosae), Smilax c...

Chemical investigation of the Jatropha multifida has led to the isolation of nine diterpenoids (1–9), including a new jatromulone A, four podocarpane diterpenoids (2–5), two lathyrane-type diterpenoids (6 and 7) and two dinorditerpenoids (8 and 9). Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis, and the absolute configurations of 1 were...

Ethnopharmacological relevance: There are many plants of genus Piper which have been reported to induce antidepressant-like effects, Piper sarmentosum (PS) is one of them. PS is a Chinese herbal medicine and a traditional edible vegetable. Materials and methods: In the present study, the antidepressant-like effects of PS extracts and the ethyl a...

Protein glycation involves formation of early (Amadori) and late advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) together with free radicals via autoxidation of glucose and Amadori products. Glycation and increased free radical activity underlie the pathogenesis of diabetic complications. This study investigated whether aged garlic has more potent antiglycat...

A wide range of external stress stimuli trigger plant cells to undergo complex network of reactions that ultimately lead to the synthesis and accumulation of secondary metabolites. Accumulation of such metabolites often occurs in plants subjected to stresses including various elicitors or signal molecules. Throughout evolution, endophytic fungi, an...

Endophytic fungi or endophytes exist widely inside the healthy tissues of living plants, and are important components of plant micro-ecosystems. Over the long period of evolution, some co-existing endophytes and their host plants have established a special relationship with one and another, which can significantly influence the formation of metabol...

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Osteoporosis is a chronic epidemic which can leads to enhanced bone fragility and consequent an increase in fracture risk. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulas have a long history of use in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. Antiosteoporotic TCM formulas have conspicuous advantage over single drugs...

Alisma orientale (Sam.) Juzep. (Alismataceae) is a traditional and famous Chinese medicinal herb. Its rhizomes, which possess versatile bioactivities, are commonly used to treat oliguria, edema, gonorrhea with turbid urine, leukorrhea, diarrhea and dizziness. Approximately 120 compounds have been isolated from A. orientale. Terpenoids have been ide...

Background: Daidzein is an isoflavone with extensive nutritious value and is mainly extracted from soy plants. It is also called phytoestrogen due to its structural similarity to the human hormone estrogen. However, daidzein is distinct from estrogen due to the specificity of the estrogen receptor (ER) complex. In recent years, the pharmacological...

Background: Daidzein is an isoflavone with extensive nutritious value and is mainly extracted from soy plants. It is also called phytoestrogen due to its structural similarity to the human hormone estrogen. However, daidzein is distinct from estrogen due to the specificity of the estrogen receptor (ER) complex. In recent years, the pharmacological...

Ethnopharmacological significance: Icariin (I), ferulic acid (F) and timosaponin B II (T) derived respectively from the leaf of Epimedium brevicornu Maxim (EBM, Berberidaceae), rhizome of Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge (AAB, Liliaceae) and root of Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels (ASD, Umbelliferae) are included in several traditional Chinese medi...

Background: Platelet rich plasma (PRP) therapy is widely used in enhancing the recovery of skeletal muscle from injury. However, the impact of intramuscular delivery of PRP on hematologic and biochemical responses has not been fully elucidated in exercise-induced muscle damage. The purpose of this investigation the effects of intramuscular delivery...

Background: Geranium carolinianum L. (Geraniaceae) is widely used for a variety of diseases including herpetic keratitis, eczema, rheumatalgia etc. However, there is lack of relevant scientific research.Materials and Methods: GCE (125, 250, 500mg/kg body weight) was evaluated for its pharmacological properties by using the acetic acid-induced writh...

Background: Increased platelet aggregation plays a pivotal role in the etiology of cardiovascular disease. Upon platelet aggregation, an increase in free cytoplasmic Ca(2+) results in the inhibition of soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) and adenylyl cyclase (AC), leading to a decrease in cyclic guaninosine-5'-monophosphate (cGMP) and cAMP, respectivel...

This study was designed to investigate the inhibitory effects of Angelica polysaccharide (AP) on activation of mast cells and its possible molecular mechanism. In our study, we determined the proinflammatory cytokines and allergic mediators in anti-DNP IgE stimulated RBL-2H3 cells and found that AP (50, 100, and 200 μg/mL) significantly decreased t...

Background: Geranium carolinianum L. (Geraniaceae) is widely used for a variety of diseases including herpetic keratitis, eczema, rheumatalgia etc. However, there is lack of relevant scientific research. Materials and Methods: GCE (125, 250, 500mg/kg body weight) was evaluated for its pharmacological properties by using the acetic acid-induced writ...

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a theoretical based system and is completely different from western medicine and states that numerous diseases, especially chronic diseases, are cured or relieved. "Zheng" (syndrome) is a summarization of the pathological changes which take place during the different stages of the development of a disease, incl...

A simple and efficient method was developed for the chemical fingerprint analysis and simultaneous determination of four phenylnaphthalene-type lignans in Vitex negundo seeds using high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection. For fingerprint analysis, 13 V. negundo seed samples were collected from different regions in China, a...

Background: Podocarpium podocarpum (DC.), an edible and medicinal plant popularly used for the treatment of bruises and fracture in Chinese folk medicine, has been proved to possess significant antiosteoporotic effect in our latest research. Purpose: Our study aimed to investigate the in vitro and in vivo antiosteoporotic effect of kaempfertrin...

: Leukocytes play a vital role in the host defence and inflammatory systems, the latter being responsible for the pathogenesis of a wide spectrum of acute and chronic diseases. Green tea is a popular beverage, which is consumed worldwide and its active ingredients are epicatechin derivatives, which possess distinct anti-inflammatory properties. The...

Cnidium monnieri (L.) Cuss., an annual plant of the Umbelliferae species is one of the most widely used traditional herbal medicines and its fruits have been used to treat a variety of diseases in China, Vietnam, and Japan. The aim of this review is to provide an up-to-date and comprehensive analysis of the botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry,...

Currently, human liver is susceptible to injury caused by alcohol and virus infiltration, resulting in hepatitis, cirrhosis, and even hepatocellular carcinoma. Paederia scandens (Lour.) Merr. var. tomentosa (Rubiaceae) has been used as traditional medicine in Asian countries to treat jaundice, dysentery, and abdominal mass. Furthermore, the abundan...

Rhein (4, 5-dihydroxyanthraquinone-2-carboxylic acid) is a lipophilic anthraquinone extensively found in medicinal herbs, such as Rheum palmatum L., Cassia tora L., Polygonum multiflorum Thunb., and Aloe barbadensis Miller, which have been used medicinally in China for more than 1,000 years. Its biological activities related to human health are bei...

Hypertrophic scar is a complication of wound healing and has a high recurrence rate which can lead to significant abnormity in aesthetics and functions. To date, no ideal treatment method has been established. Meanwhile, the underlying mechanism of hypertrophic scarring has not been clearly defined. Although a large amount of scientific research ha...

Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (SM) is a very popular medicinal plant that has been extensively applied for many years to treat various diseases, especially coronary heart diseases and cerebrovascular diseases, either alone or in combination with other Chinese plant-based medicines. Although a large number of studies on SM have been performed, they are...

The article aims to review all the chemical constituents and pharmacological properties of Vitex negundo L. (Verbenaceae) (VN). VN is an important medicinal plant used as reputed herbal medicine with versatile pharmacological activities in China, India and Japan. A total of 104 referred articles about VN were compiled from major databases and acade...

Portulaca oleracea L., belonging to the Portulacaceae family, is commonly known as purslane in English and Ma-Chi-Xian in Chinese. It is a warm-climate, herbaceous succulent annual plant with a cosmopolitan distribution. It is eaten extensively as a potherb and added in soups and salads around the Mediterranean and tropical Asian countries and has...

This study investigate the antioxidant properties of Hibiscus anthocyanins rich extract (HAE) prepared from Hibiscus sabdariffa. The extract significantly inhibited superoxide production by xanthine – xanthine oxidase by 41.18% at 5% (v/v) of the reaction volume. In addition, the antioxidant investigation showed that HAE has potent scavenging abili...

Context: Portulacerebroside A (PCA) is a novel cerebroside compound isolated from Portulaca oleracea L. (Portulacaceae), an edible and medicinal plant distributed in the temperate and tropical zones worldwide. Objective: This study investigates the effects of PCA in human liver cancer HCCLM3 cells on metastasis and invasion. Materials and metho...

Objectives Autologous Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy, is considered to be a promising solution in accelerating the healing process of injured skeletal muscle tissue. In addition to the release of growth factors, PRP also promotes concentrated anti-inflammatory signals, including interleukins. However, the impact of the intramuscular administrat...

Plant endophytic fungi have been recognized as an important and novel resource of natural bioactive products, especially in anticancer application. This review mainly deals with the research progress on the production of anticancer compounds by endophytic fungi between 1990 and 2013. Anticancer activity is generally associated with the cytotoxicity...

Cervical cancer is the second most common female carcinoma. Current therapies are often unsatisfactory, especially for advanced stage patients. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of tatariside G (TG) on apoptosis in human cervical cancer HeLa cells and the possible mechanism of action involved. An MTT assay was employed to evaluate ce...

Abstract The development of plant tissue (including organ and cell) cultures for the production of secondary metabolites has been underway for more than three decades. Plant cell cultures with the production of high-value secondary metabolites are promising potential alternative sources for the production of pharmaceutical agents of industrial impo...

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Xanthium strumarium L. fruit (Xanthiu fruit) has been traditionally used as a medicinal herb in China for the treatment of many ailments including rheumatoid arthritis. However, the anti-arthritic activity of Xanthium strumarium fruit has still not been demonstrated. In the present study, we confirmed that the extra...

In the recent years, the international community has attached increasing importance to possible toxicity associated with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). And hepatotoxicity is one of the major concerns, a fundamental pathological process induced by toxicant. This paper is in an attempt to identify the hepatotoxic components in Xanthium strumariu...

Biotic elicitors can be used to stimulate the production of secondary metabolites in plants. However, limited information is available on the effects of biotic elicitors from endophytic fungi on their host plant. Trichoderma atroviride D16 is an endophytic fungus isolated from the root of Salvia miltiorrhiza and previously reported to produce tansh...

To isolate biliary lipid-carrying vesicles from isolated perfused rat livers after taurohyodeoxycholic acid (THDC) infusion. Biliary lipid vesicles have been implicated in hepatic disease and THDC was used since it increases biliary phospholipid secretion. Rat livers were isolated and perfused via the hepatic portal vein with THDC dissolved in Kreb...

Two strains of endophytic fungi, Penicillium melinii Yuan-25 and Penicillium janthinellum Yuan-27, with strong anti-Pyricularia oryzae activity, were obtained from the roots of Panax ginseng. Based on bioactivity-oriented isolation, a new benzaldehyde derivative, ginsenocin (1), together with six known compounds, methyl 2,4-dihydroxy-3,5,6-trimethy...

Context: Podocarpium podocarpum (DC.) Yang et Huang (Leguminoseae) is a very important Podocarpium species with significant anti-inflammatory, analgesic and anti-pyretic activities, which has not yet been subjected to adequate phytochemical investigation. Objective: To isolate and identify bioactive compounds from P. podocarpum. Materials and m...

Ethnopharmacological relevance: In the genus Curculigo, Curculigo orchioides Gaertn, Curculigo capitulata (Lour) O. Ktze and Curculigo pilosa (Schumach. & Thonn.) Engl are often used in traditional medicine. Curculigo orchioides is used for the treatment of impotence, limb limpness, arthritis of the lumbar and knee joints, and watery diarrhea in t...

Ethnopharmacological relevance: The dried root of Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers. (Family Lauraceae) has long been used as a folk remedy in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Dai Ethnopharmacy for the treatment of rheumatic diseases in southwestern China. Aim of the study: This study investigated the preventive efficacy of Litsea cubeba root in...

The effects of resveratrol on haematological and biochemical parameters were investigated in rats that had inflammation induced by experimental non-sterile clean wound technique. Twenty four male Wistar-Albino rats weighing 250-300 g were placed into three groups of eight after matching for age, sex and weight. In the sham-operated and resveratrol-...

A novel bi-isoflavonoid, podocarnone (1), together with five known flavonoids, namely genistein (2), afzelin (3), astragalin (4), luteolin (5) and pratensein (6), were isolated from the whole plants of Podocarpium podocarpum (DC.) Yang and Huang for the first time. The structure of podocarnone (1) was elucidated by detailed spectroscopic analyses,...

Seven new labdane-type diterpenoids, vitextrifolins A-G (1-7), along with eight previously reported analogues, were isolated from the fruits of Vitex trifolia. The structures of 1-7 were elucidated by spectroscopic data interpretation. The isolates were evaluated for their cytotoxicity against four human cancer cell lines (A549, HCT116, HL-60, and...

Osteoporosis is a major health hazard and is a disease of old age; it is a silent epidemic affecting more than 200 million people worldwide in recent years. Based on a large number of chemical and pharmacological research many plants and their compounds have been shown to possess antiosteoporosis activity. This paper reviews the medicinal plants di...

Hypertrophic scarring is a common proliferative disorder of dermal fibroblasts characterized by collagen overproduction and excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM). There is no consensus about the best therapeutics to produce complete and permanent improvement of scars with few side effects. To investigate the therapeutic effects of olea...

Er-Xian decoction (EXD), a traditional Chinese medicine, has been reported to have a protective effect against bone loss in ovariectomized osteoporotic rats, and the inclusion of icariin (I), curculigoside (C), and berberine (B) in EXD displays inhibitory effects on osteoclastic bone resorption. In the present paper, we investigated the interaction...

Aims: Increased platelet aggregation plays an important role in the etiology of cardiovascular disease. Garlic inhibits platelet aggregation; however, the mechanisms involved have not clearly been defined. This study was undertaken to investigate the mechanisms by which an aged garlic extract (AGE) inhibits both the activation and aggregation of h...

Endophytc fungi were collected from the barks, branches and leaves of Taxus chinensis var. mairei from the Jiangxi, Zhejiang and Chongqing regions of China and their influences on geographic and tissue investigated. A total of 145 fungal taxa were identified based on molecular techniques, of these 125 taxa (86.2 %) belonging to Ascomycota, 14 (9.7...

Objective: An attempt was made to isolate vesicles, rich in biliary-type lipid from livers of ratsfed with diosgenin, which is reported to increase cholesterol carrying vesicles in hepatocytes, and to determine their lipid, alkaline phosphodiesterase I, protein status and hepatic ATP-binding cassette half-transporter genes 5/8 (ABCG5/ABCG8) express...

In recent years, a number of alkaloids have been discovered from endophytic fungi in plants, which exhibited excellent biological properties such as antimicrobial, insecticidal, cytotoxic, and anticancer activities. This review mainly deals with the research progress on endophytic fungi for producing bioactive alkaloids such as quinoline and isoqui...