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ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Intrahepatic cholestasis is a common condition of many liver diseases with few therapies. Yinchenzhufu decoction (YCZFD) is a representative traditional Chinese herbal formula used for treating jaundice and liver disease. AIM OF THE STUDY To investigate the hepatoprotective effect of YCZFD against cholestatic liver injury and reveal its potential mechanism. MATERIALS AND METHODS Mice with alpha-naphthyl isothiocyanate (ANIT)-induced intrahepatic cholestasis were orally administered YCZFD at doses of 3, 6, and 12g crude drug/kg for 2 weeks followed by subsequent analyses. A serum metabolomics study was then performed to explore the different metabolites influenced by YCZFD using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with linear ion trap-Orbitrap hybrid mass spectrometry (UPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS/MS).The levels of individual bile acids in the serum, liver, and bile were determined by UPLC-MS/MS. The expression of metabolic enzymes, transporters, inflammatory factors, an CK-19 was lower in the YCZFD intervention group than in the ANIT-induced cholestatic mice. CONCLUSION YCZFD administration ameliorated disordered bile acid homeostasis, inhibited NF-κB pathway-mediated inflammation, and protected the liver from bile duct injury. Therefore, YCZFD exerted a protective effect against cholestatic liver injury. ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE The Musa x paradisiaca L. inflorescence, known as banana blossom or banana heart, is used in traditional medicine for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. AIM OF THE STUDY The aim of the study was to investigate the antidiabetic activity of aqueous extracts and fractions prepared from the bracts and flowers of Musa x paradisiaca in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats and to chemically characterize the extracts. MATERIALS AND METHODS Standard aqueous extracts of the flowers, bracts, and their fractions were prepared and their chemical composition was determined tentatively by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to diode-array detection and mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-MS). Changes in fasting glycemia and oral glucose tolerance were evaluated in STZ-induced diabetic rats (n = 8) treated with aqueous extracts of Musa x paradisiaca (200 mg/kg) for 20 days. RESULTS Chemical analyses detected 21 compounds and 17 metabolites were identified, among which were glycosylated and acetylated phenylpropanoids of p-coumaric acid and caffeic acid, as well as a glycosylated flavonol and anthocyanins. Following 15 days of treatment, the bract aqueous extracts and the methanolic fraction of the flower had significant effects on the glycemic profile after glucose load in diabetic rats as compared with the untreated diabetic group. CONCLUSIONS The results of the present study show the antidiabetic potential of extracts of the flowers and bracts of M. x paradisiaca. ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Flora of the Mexican region is represented by approximately 30,000 vascular plant species, many of which are used as traditional medicines based on knowledge compiled and refined since ancient times (e.g. Cruz-Badiano and Florentino Codexes). The traditional use of plants as medicines, including the treatment of infectious diseases such as diarrhoea, is generally practiced in communities that are geographically isolated or in human settlements where health services are scarce. AIM OF THE STUDY The aim of this review is to evaluate current research advances in the ethnopharmacology and phytochemistry of Mexican medicinal plants exhibiting antiprotozoal activity, used to treat diarrhoea, and to identify the gaps in this research area for future studies. METHODS The literature study and compilation of information relied on books and scientific journals from leading electronic databases including Scopus, Springer, SciFinder, ISI Web of Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar; the topicsants with antiprotozoal activity has yielded relevant findings whose results provide evidence-based support for the use of these plants in the traditional medicine of Mexico to treat diarrhoea. learn more Toxicological and clinical trials of standardized extracts and bioactive compounds are proposed as priority future works in this research area. In addition, in vivo assays are required, of more extracts and/or pure compounds. The optimization of the pharmacological properties of the bioactive specialized metabolites through semisynthetic derivatives and computational methods could aid in developing new antiprotozoal phytomedicines and novel drugs for the treatment of these types of infections. Furthermore, elucidation of the mechanism of action of these bioactive compounds through pharmacological and molecular studies are also necessary. The Vitamin D External Quality Assessment Scheme (DEQAS) distributes serum samples globally, on a quarterly basis, to assess participants’ performance of specific methods for 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25-(OH)2D). DEQAS occasionally circulates samples containing high levels of substances found in certain clinical situations e.g. 25-OH-D2, 24,25-(OH)2D3, hypertriglyceridemia. The increased availability and use of health supplements containing biotin has led to case reports of assay interference in methods utilizing a biotin-streptavidin detection system. In October 2018, DEQAS included a serum sample (545) containing exogenous biotin (concentration =586 μg/L) which was analyzed by a total of 683 laboratories using 35 different methods. The same serum sample (544) without exogenous biotin was also included in the 5-sample set. All methods (760 laboratories) performed satisfactorily on sample 544 giving an All-Laboratory Trimmed Mean = 50.2 ± 6.5 nmol/L (±SD, CV = 12.9%). The targto report sample 545 data from 77 laboratories is due solely to those running Roche Total 25OHD or Roche Vitamin D Total II assays. Given the prevalence of the adversely affected assays (25% of DEQAS users) and the high volume of 25OHD testing, clinicians using these assays should, where possible, only measure 25OHD when patients are off biotin. Adequate nutrition is essential for maintaining good oral health. Minerals such as magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus found in the diet constitute the main structural components of the tooth. Their inadequacy leads to absorption impairment, increased bleeding tendency, bone resorption, looseness, and premature tooth loss. Inadequacy of those essential minerals is associated with delayed tooth eruption and with enamel or dentin hypoplasia. Taking calcium without magnesium results in soft dental enamel, which cannot resist the acids causing tooth decay. In addition to magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus, adequate vitamin D is needed to maintain optimal oral health. Vitamin D exerts anti-inflammatory effects and helps in calcium absorption and bone remodeling. Moreover, adequate vitamin D status could reduce formation of dental caries by delaying its onset and progression. Here we summarize the oral manifestations of vitamin D and magnesium inadequacy.