Computational Molecular Biology 2025, Vol.15, No.2, 84-90 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/cmb 89 and anti-inflammation. But don't think it only treats gynecological diseases. Recently, there was an unexpected discovery: its extract can even inhibit melanin production, which caught the attention of cosmetic companies. Of course, the regulatory effect of components like 7-methylisoflavone on estrogen synthesis also suggests its potential in hormone therapy. However, to be fair, our understanding of motherwort is still far from sufficient. Although advanced tools such as ultra-performance liquid chromatography are now available to compare the component differences of Leonurus japonicus from different origins and parts, how exactly are those active ingredients synthesized and regulated? What roles do genetic and environmental factors play respectively? None of these issues have been fully understood yet. What's more troublesome is that there might still be many active substances hidden in motherwort that we haven't discovered. If the methods of systems pharmacology can be applied in the future, perhaps more new ideas for treating diseases can be discovered. From this perspective, this ancient Chinese herbal medicine does indeed hold many treasures worth exploring in modern science. Acknowledgments I would like to thank Dr. Ding continuous support throughout the development of this study. Conflict of Interest Disclosure The author affirms that this research was conducted without any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. References Chen C., Liu F., Zhang K., Niu X., Zhao H., Liu Q., Georgiev M., Xu X., Zhang X., and Zhou M., 2022, MeJA-responsive bHLH transcription factor LjbHLH7 regulates cyanogenic glucoside biosynthesis in Lotus japonicus, Journal of Experimental Botany, 73(8): 2650-2665. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erac026 Du B., Zhang X., Shi N., Peng T., Gao J., Azimova B., Zhang R., Pu D., Wang C., Abduvaliev A., Rakhmanov A., Zhang G., Xiao W., and Wang F., 2020, Luteolin-7-methylether from Leonurus japonicus inhibits estrogen biosynthesis in human ovarian granulosa cells by suppression of aromatase (CYP19), European Journal of Pharmacology, 884: 173154. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejphar.2020.173154 He Y., Shi J., Peng C., Hu L., Liu J., Zhou Q., Guo L., and Xiong L., 2018, Angiogenic effect of motherwort (Leonurus japonicus) alkaloids and toxicity of motherwort essential oil on zebrafish embryos, Fitoterapia, 128: 36-42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fitote.2018.05.002 Huang Y.M., 2024, Molecular mechanisms of the rice HAM domain gene OsHIPP16 in ovule development, Bioscience Evidence, 14(5): 218-226. https://doi.org/10.5376/be.2024.14.0023 Jiao C., Wei M., Fan H., Song C., Wang Z., Cai Y., and Jin Q., 2022, Transcriptomic analysis of genes related to alkaloid biosynthesis and regulation under precursor and methyl jasmonate treatment in Dendrobium officinale, Frontiers in Plant Science, 13: 941231. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2022.941231 Kuchta K., Ortwein J., and Rauwald H., 2012, Leonurus japonicus, Leonurus cardiaca, Leonotis leonurus: a novel HPLC study on the occurrence and content of the pharmacologically active guanidino derivative leonurine, Die Pharmazie-An International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 67(12): 973-979. Li H., Peng X., Jin X., Wei W., Kang K., Ma K., Li Y., Chen J., and Gao K., 2019a, Labdane-type diterpenoids from Leonurus japonicus and their plant-growth regulatory activity, Journal of Natural Products, 82(9): 2568-2579. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jnatprod.9b00422 Li J., Li Y., Dang M., Li S., Chen S., Liu R., Zhang Z., Li G., Zhang M., Yang D., Yang M., Liu Y., Tian D., and Deng X., 2022, Jasmonate-responsive transcription factors NnWRKY70a and NnWRKY70b positively regulate benzylisoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis in Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera), Frontiers in Plant Science, 13: 862915. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2022.862915 Li Y., Lin Y., Liu X., Wang L., Yu M., Li D., Zhu Y., and Du M., 2019b, Leonurine: from gynecologic medicine to pleiotropic agent, Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine, 26(2): 152-160. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-019-3453-0 Liu J., Peng C., Zhou Q., Guo L., Liu Z., and Xiong L., 2018, Alkaloids and flavonoid glycosides from the aerial parts of Leonurus japonicus and their opposite effects on uterine smooth muscle, Phytochemistry, 145: 128-136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phytochem.2017.11.003 Mertens J., Van Moerkercke A., Vanden Bossche R., Pollier J., and Goossens A., 2016, Clade IVa basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors form part of a conserved jasmonate signaling circuit for the regulation of bioactive plant terpenoid biosynthesis, Plant and Cell Physiology, 57(12): 2564-2575. https://doi.org/10.1093/pcp/pcw168
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