title: Integrative approach to analyze biodiversity and anti-inflammatory bioactivity of Wedelia medicinal plants.
abstract: For the development of "medical foods" and/or botanical drugs as defined USA FDA, clear and systemic characterizations of the taxonomy, index phytochemical components, and the functional or medicinal bioactivities of the reputed or candidate medicinal plant are needed. In this study, we used an integrative approach, including macroscopic and microscopic examination, marker gene analysis, and chemical fingerprinting, to authenticate and validate various species/varieties of Wedelia, a reputed medicinal plant that grows naturally and commonly used in Asian countries. The anti-inflammatory bioactivities of Wedelia extracts were then evaluated in a DSS-induced murine colitis model. Different species/varieties of Wedelia exhibited distinguishable morphology and histological structures. Analysis of the ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region revealed significant differences among these plants. Chemical profiling of test Wedelia species demonstrated candidate index compounds and distinguishable secondary metabolites, such as caffeic acid derivatives, which may serve as phytochemical markers or index for quality control and identification of specific Wedelia species. In assessing their effect on treating DSS induced-murine colitis, we observed that only the phytoextract from W. chinensis species exhibited significant anti-inflammatory bioactivity on DSS-induced murine colitis among the various Wedelia species commonly found in Taiwan. Our results provide a translational research approach that may serve as a useful reference platform for biotechnological applications of traditional phytomedicines. Our findings indicate that specific Wedelia species warrant further investigation for potential treatment of human inflammatory bowel disease.
authors.affiliation: Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan; Institute of Plant Biology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wen-Ching
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chih-Chun
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yung-Hsiang
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Pei-Wen
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Hsiao
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Veterinary Pathology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jiunn-Wang
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ching-I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ning-Sun
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001483:Base Sequence; D044822:Biodiversity; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003092:Colitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D021901:DNA, Intergenic / Q000235:genetics; D016264:Dextran Sulfate; D005838:Genotype; D008297:Male; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000737:chemistry; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D013045:Species Specificity; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization; D013624:Taiwan; D031209:Wedelia / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D021901:DNA, Intergenic; D010936:Plant Extracts; D016264:Dextran Sulfate