Hong Wu’s research while affiliated with South China Agricultural University and other places

Zanthoxylum nitidum is a traditional Chinese herb, but limited information is available concerning its composition and pharmacological effects of essential oils from different parts of Z. nitidum. This study examined the composition and in vitro antioxidant activity of essential oils from different parts of Z. nitidum in China. The results indicate that the highest essential oil extraction rate was obtained from the pericarps (0.42%), primarily consisting of caryophyllene oxide (15.33%), nerolidol 2 (14.03%), and spathulenol (9.64%). This was followed by the leaves (0.21%), stems (0.09%), and roots (0.05%), with the highest content in their essential oils being caryophyllene (27.03%), cadina-1(10),4-diene (25.76%), and benzyl benzoate (17.11%), respectively. Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that, compared with the essential oils from stems and leaves, the essential oils from roots and pericarps showed relatively smaller differences and were usually clustered into one category. The leaf essential oil has the highest in vitro antioxidant activity, followed by the root, pericarp, and stem. This study aims to provide a scientific reference for the rational development and utilization of different parts of Z. nitidum, especially the leaf essential oil.

Morinda officinalis is a renowned medicinal and edible plant native to southern China and northern Vietnam. Its dried roots, known as bajitian are extensively used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat various ailments. Driven by the increasing market demand, the wild populations of M. officinalis have been threatened, leading to the surge of cultivated varieties. Here, we present the chromosome-scale genome assemblies of both wild and cultivated M. officinalis, achieved through a combination of nanopore long-read sequencing and Hi-C technology, resulting in high-quality genomes for the wild (423 Mb) and cultivated (425 Mb) M. officinalis, boasting scaffold N50 values of 5.91 Mb and 10.99 Mb, respectively. Additionally, we predicted 31,308 and 29,528 protein-coding genes in wild and cultivated M. officinalis, respectively. Approximately 96.3% and 97.8% of the assembled sequences were anchored to 11 pseudo-chromosomes for the wild and cultivated genomes. The high-quality chromosome-scale genomes of M. officinalis could serve as a valuable resource for understanding the genetic basis of medicinal trait variations, improving cultivation practices, and conserving this ecologically and economically important species.

Citri Grandis Exocarpium (CGE) is derived from the immature or nearly mature dried outer peel of Citrus grandis 'Tomentosa' (Huazhou pomelo) or C. grandis (L.) Osbeck (pomelo). CGE is a traditional medicinal herb from Guangdong Province (China) that primarily contains active substances, such as flavonoids, with expectorant, antitussive, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, the differences in quality and the mechanisms underlying these differences between the two plant sources specified in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia have not been fully elucidated. For the first time, this study systematically analyzed Huazhou pomelo (C. grandis 'Tomentosa' ) from its authentic production region and Sanhong pomelo (C. grandis (L.) Osbeck) from Meizhou by using an integrated analysis of metabolomics and transcriptomics. The results showed that the flavonoid components in both extracts were generally consistent, indicating that both pomelos could serve as sources of CGE. However, the content differed significantly. Flavonoids related to medicinal effects, such as naringin and hesperidin, were significantly more abundant in Huazhou pomelo than in Sanhong pomelo, with compounds such as 5-demethylnobiletin detected only in Huazhou pomelo. The integrative metabolomics and transcriptomics analysis identified 11 key structural genes and transcription factors potentially involved in flavonoid biosynthesis, providing candidate targets for functional validation. This study uncovered the molecular basis for Huazhou pomelo being superior in quality to Sanhong pomelo as an authentic medicinal material for CGE and provided scientific evidence for optimizing quality standards and enhancing its commercial value. Furthermore, this study provided a theoretical foundation for further functional research.

Xinyi” (Magnolia biondii Pampan., Magnolia denudata Desr., and Magnolia sprengeri Pampan.) is a traditional Chinese medicine listed in the Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China. “Xinyi” has anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, antioxidant, and antibacterial effects, and has significant curative effects in the treatment of acute and chronic rhinitis, allergic rhinitis, and other rhinitis symptoms. However, comparative quality assessments of these three species are scarce. This study investigated the variations in the volatile oil content and composition in the flower buds of M. biondii, M. denudata, and M. sprengeri using the gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and the microscopic analysis at different growth stages. This study indicated the following findings. (1) The volatile oil levels varied among the species, with M. biondii, M. denudata, and M. sprengeri peaking, respectively. In addition, the cell density was positively correlated with the oil deposition. (2) The content of 1,8-Cineole varied significantly, where M. biondii exhibited the high levels at 14.50% at stage 4 and 16.40% at stage 5; M. denudata peaked at 17.87% at stage 5; and M. sprengeri was 1.07% at stage 3. Moreover, M. biondii and M. denudata from Hubei exceeded the Pharmacopoeia’s 1% standard, whereas M. sprengeri did not. These findings underscore the need to improve the herb production standards and provide valuable data for assessing the therapeutic potential of these “Xinyi” species.