Yinshan Zhengyao stands as a classic in health preservation, gathering the principles of the homology of food and medicine. The book is divided into three volumes, emphasizing the significance of food in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases and health management. The book’s overall content predominantly comprises theories, prescriptions, and Materia Medica of Food, encompassing 237 prescriptions involving 174 medicinal plants from 55 families and 111 genera. The therapeutic effects of these dietary formulas can be divided into regulating the digestive, respiratory, endocrine, and nervous systems, possessing anti-aging properties, and safeguarding our body’s organs, presented in a diverse array of forms, including porridge, clear soups, hearty broths, pastes, decoctions, wines, noodles, vegetables with dishes, and cooked wheaten food. Yinshan Zhengyao showcases the significant role of the concept of medicinal and edible homology in traditional Chinese medicine culture. It provides practical experiences from ancient wisdom, offering a valuable resource for people to understand and apply the ancient Chinese wisdom of the homology of food and medicine.

Hyperlipidemia is associated with many diseases and considered the main contributing factor in the development of metabolic syndrome. The traditional Mongolian medicine Dracocephalum moldavica L. (D. moldavica) is commonly consumed as a tea (non-Camellia tea) for the prevention and treatment of coronary heart disease, hypertension, atherosclerosis, and other diseases. Here, we attempted to investigate the hypolipidemic activity and mechanisms underlying the active components of D. moldavica. First, the mechanism underlying the lipid accumulation-reducing effects of the D. moldavica ethanol extract was determined using in vitro experiments, and four polar fractions were screened for activity. Then, the effect of the ethyl acetate fraction of D. moldavica (EAD) on lowering blood lipid was confirmed in vivo. The combination of network pharmacological and serum pharmacochemistry analyses showed that apigenin, luteolin, and naringenin of EAD existed in prototype form in the drug-containing serum of rats. We also determined the content of the three active ingredients in EAD. Finally, in vitro experiments showed that apigenin, luteolin, and naringenin improved oleic acid-induced lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells by regulating the PPAR signaling pathway (PPARα, CPT1, and FABP3). Our findings provide mechanistic insights and application prospects for the prevention and treatment of hypolipidemia using D. moldavica.

Cymbaria daurica L. has a long history as a folk medicine and tea for the treatment of diabetes. However, the biological activity and mechanism of its hypoglycemic effect have not been fully elucidated. In this study, the potential mechanism of C. daurica against type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) was postulated via pharmacological network analysis. Based on data mining techniques involving topological parameters, gene ontology, and pathway enrichment, we established a compound-target, protein-protein interaction, and target-pathway network to identify central targets and pathways. Pathway enrichment analysis revealed that the most important pathway associated with C. daurica in treating T2DM is the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Molecular docking was performed to validate the predicted results. Then, a HepG2 cell insulin resistance model and a high-fat, high-glucose diet combined with a streptozotocin-induced T2DM rat model was established to assess the fasting glucose changes and lipid profile after C. daurica treatment, respectively. Finally, real-time PCR and western blotting were used to verify changes in key targets. The anti-diabetic mechanism of the active ingredient in C. daurica may involve the regulation of IRS-2, Akt1, GLUT4, and GSK3β.

Cymbaria daurica L. is a well-known traditional Mongolian medicine, which has been used to treat diabetes-related conditions characterized by persistent thirst and hunger, copious urination, and weight loss. We aimed to investigate the protective effects of C. daurica extracts and phenylethanoid glycosides including verbascoside and isoacteoside on INS-1 cells. We discovered phenylethanoid glycosides from n-butanol extract with large content through extraction and separation. We continue to study the protective effects of phenylethanoid glycosides including verbascoside and isoacteoside on INS-1 cells. INS-1 cells were treated with C. daurica, cell viability assay, RNA-seq technology, superoxide dismutase activity and malonaldehyde content, quantitative real time-PCR and Western blot analysis were used to study the protective effects of C. daurica. Cell viability assay resulted that n-butanol extract and verbascoside, isoacteoside showed protective effects of C. daurica. According to the RNA-seq technology to identify the differentially expressed genes in INS-1 cells, the pathway of gene enrich the protective effect of C. daurica on oxidative stress. SOD activity and the content of MDA indicated that C. daurica could enhance the antioxidant capacity of INS-1 cells. Further investigation indicated C. daurica alleviate oxidative stress by inhibiting INS-1 cell apoptosis. C. daurica may play an anti-diabetic role by inhibiting islet cell apoptosis.

Food-microbiota-host interactions provide an overarching framework for understanding the function of the gut microbiota axis. Diet is a major modulator of gut microbiota. Plant-based foods are rich in phytochemicals; therefore, it is essential to assess such foods and elucidate the mechanisms underlying their action. In this review, we summarize the role of gut microbiota in the communication between the gut and the brain, liver, lung, kidney, and joints, as well as the role of the gut microbiota axis in diseases involving these organs. In addition, we assess the effects of phytochemicals from plant-based foods on the gut microbiota axis via different pathways.