Chemical Compositions of Lianqiao (<i>Forsythia suspensa</i>) Extracts and Their Potential Health Benefits

Boyan Gao; Hanshu Zhu; Zhihao Liu; Xiaohua He; Jianghao Sun; Yanfang Li; Xianli Wu; Pamela Pehrsson; Yaqiong Zhang; Yuanhang Yao; Liangli Yu

doi:10.3390/ph17060740

Pharmaceuticals (Jun 2024)

Chemical Compositions of Lianqiao (<i>Forsythia suspensa</i>) Extracts and Their Potential Health Benefits

Boyan Gao,
Hanshu Zhu,
Zhihao Liu,
Xiaohua He,
Jianghao Sun,
Yanfang Li,
Xianli Wu,
Pamela Pehrsson,
Yaqiong Zhang,
Yuanhang Yao,
Liangli Yu

Affiliations

Boyan Gao: Institute of Food and Nutraceutical Science, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
Hanshu Zhu: Institute of Food and Nutraceutical Science, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
Zhihao Liu: Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
Xiaohua He: Western Regional Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Albany, CA 94710, USA
Jianghao Sun: Methods and Application of Food Composition Laboratory, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA
Yanfang Li: Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
Xianli Wu: Methods and Application of Food Composition Laboratory, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA
Pamela Pehrsson: Methods and Application of Food Composition Laboratory, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA
Yaqiong Zhang: Institute of Food and Nutraceutical Science, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
Yuanhang Yao: Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
Liangli Yu: Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ph17060740
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 17, no. 6
p. 740

Abstract

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This study evaluated the fruits of Forsythia suspensa (Lianqiao), an important economic crop, for the chemical components of its water and ethanol extracts, inhibitory effects on SARS-CoV-2 virus spike protein binding to ACE2, inhibition of ACE2 activity, and capacity to scavenge free radicals. A total of 42 compounds were tentatively identified in the extracts via HPLC-MS/MS analysis. The water extract showed a greater ACE2 inhibition but a weaker inhibition on SARS-CoV-2 spike protein binding to ACE2 than the ethanol extract on a per-botanical-weight-concentration basis. The phenolic content was found to be greater in the water extract at 45.19 mg GAE/g dry botanical weight than in the ethanol extract (6.89 mg GAE/g dry botanical). Furthermore, the water extract had greater scavenging capacities against HO●, DPPH●, and ABTS●+ at 448.48, 66.36, and 121.29 µmol TE/g dry botanical, respectively, as compared to that of the ethanol extract (154.04, 3.55, and 33.83 µmol TE/g dry botanical, respectively). These results warrant further research into, and the development of, the potential COVID-19-preventive applications of Lianqiao and its extracts.

Published in Pharmaceuticals

ISSN: 1424-8247 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Medicine: Pharmacy and materia medica
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/pharmaceuticals/

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