Mechanism and Protective Effect of Smilax glabra Roxb on the Treatment of Heart Failure via Network Pharmacology Analysis and Vitro Verification.

Smilax glabra Roxb (SGR) has been widely applied alone or in combination with other Chinese herbs in heart failure (HF), but its mechanism and protective effect have not been investigated. We aimed to explore the mechanism and protective effect of SGR on the treatment of HF. Network pharmacology analysis predicted that SGR was involved in the regulation of cell proliferation, oxidation-reduction process, apoptotic process, ERK1 and ERK2 cascade, MAPK cascade, etc. Its mechanism was mainly involved in the MAPK signaling pathway, calcium signaling pathway, cardiac muscle contraction, etc. Subsequently, SGR was proved to improve cellular viability, restore cellular morphology, suppress cellular and mitochondrial ROS production, improve H2O2-induced lysosome inhibition, attenuate mitochondrial dysfunction, and protect mitochondrial respiratory and energy metabolism in H9c2 cells. SGR activated the p38MAPK pathway by decreasing the mRNA expression of AKT, PP2A, NF-KB, PP2A, RAC1, and CDC42 and increasing the mRNA expression of Jun, IKK, and Sirt1. SGR also decreased the protein expression of ERK1, ERK2, JNK, Bax, and Caspase3 and increased the protein expression of p38MAPK and Bcl-2. In addition, Istidina at the highest degree was identified in SGR via the UHPLCLTQ-Orbitrap-MSn method, and it was suggested as anti-heart failure agents by targeting SRC with molecular docking analysis. In conclusion, SGR has a protective effect on HF through cellular and mitochondrial protection via multi-compounds and multi-targets, and its mechanism is involved in activating the p38 MAPK pathway. Istidina may be possible anti-HF agents by targeting SRC.

Wearable Sensors for Remote Health Monitoring: Potential Applications for Early Diagnosis of Covid-19.

Wearable sensors are emerging as a new technology to detect physiological and biochemical markers for remote health monitoring. By measuring vital signs such as respiratory rate, body temperature, and blood oxygen level, wearable sensors offer tremendous potential for the noninvasive and early diagnosis of numerous diseases such as Covid-19. Over the past decade, significant progress has been made to develop wearable sensors with high sensitivity, accuracy, flexibility, and stretchability, bringing to reality a new paradigm of remote health monitoring. In this review paper, the latest advances in wearable sensor systems that can measure vital signs at an accuracy level matching those of point-of-care tests are presented. In particular, the focus of this review is placed on wearable sensors for measuring respiratory behavior, body temperature, and blood oxygen level, which are identified as the critical signals for diagnosing and monitoring Covid-19. Various designs based on different materials and working mechanisms are summarized. This review is concluded by identifying the remaining challenges and future opportunities for this emerging field.

[Study on Chemical Constituents of Petroleum Ether Fraction from Rubus alceaefolius].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the chemical constituents of Rubus alceaefolius. METHODS: Nine compounds were isolated and purified from the petroleum ether extract of 95% alcohol extract of Rubus alceaefolius by repeated column chromatography on silica, Sephadex LH-20 and structurally identified by spectral analysis. RESULTS: The compounds were identified as chrysophanol(1), physcion (2), ß-sitosterol(3), 3-oxotirucalla-7, 24-dien-21-oic acid(4), myricadiol(5), 19-α-hydroxy-3-acetyl-ursolic acid(6), N-benzoylphenylalaninyl-N-benzoylphenylalaninate(7), aurantiamide acetate(8) and euscaphic acid(9). CONCLUSION: Compounds land 4~8 are isolated from this plant for the first time, and compounds 4 - 8 are found in plants of Rubus genus for the first time.

[Determination of anthraquinones from different medicinal parts of Berchemia lineata by HPLC].

OBJECTIVE: To develop an HPLC method for determination of emodin,chrysophanol and physcion from different medicinal parts of Berchemia lineata. METHODS: Samples were analyzed on Diamonsil ODS C18 (250 mm x 4. 6 mm,5 µm), with the mobile phase consisted of methanol-0. 20% phosphoric acid solution(74: 26). The flow rate was 1.0 mL/min,column temperature was set at 35 °C ,and detection UV wavelength was 254 nm. RESULTS: The linear range of emodin, chrysophanol and physcion was 0. 00201~ 0. 0804 µg,0. 0066~0. 264 µg and 0. 0124 ~0. 496 µg,with the average recovery was 100. 43% ,101. 29% and 98. 36% ,respectively. The content of total anthraquinones in root was higher than that in taten of Berchemia lineata. CONCLUSION: The method is simple,accurate and reliable for quality control of Berchemia lineata.

[Chemical constituents from roots of Rubus parvifolius].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the chemical constituents from the roots of Rubus parvifolius. METHODS: The chemical constituents were isolated by silica gel column chromatography, Sephadex LH-20, as well as preparative high performance liquid chromatography. Their structures were identified on the basis of physicochemical properties and NMR analysis. RESULTS: Six comounds were isolated and identified as 3-O-Acetyl-11α, 12α-epoxy-oleanan-28,ß-olide( I ) ,3-O-Acetyl-pomolic acid( II ), Ursolic acid( Ill),Ursolic acid acetate (1V ), Euscaphic acid ( V) and ß-Sitosterol ( VI). CONCLUSION: Compounds I , II and IV are isolated from Rubus parvifolius for the first time.

[Comparative study on the content of chlorogenic acid in Solanum torvum from different origin, different harvest time and different part].

OBJECTIVE: To develop a HPLC method for determination of chlorogenic acid in Solanum torvum and provide a scientific basis for evaluating the quality and reasonable utilization of the herb. METHODS: HPLC was used to quantitatively determine the chlorogenic acid content in Solanum torvum from different origin, different harvest time and different part. The assay was performed on a Agela Promosil C18 (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) column and eluted with a mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile -0.1% phosphoric acid solution at a flow rate of 1.0 ml/min. The column temperature was set at 35 degrees C. The detection wavelength was 327 nm. RESULTS: The calibration curve was linear within the range of 0.1000 - 200.0 microg/mL (r = 0.9999). The average recoveries were 99.8% (RSD = 0.71%). The contents of chlorogenic acid in Solanum torvum were different from different origin, different harvest time and different part. CONCLUSION: The method is reliable, accurate and specific. It can be used for quality control of Solanum torvum and reasonable utilization of the herb.

[Study on triterpenes from Solanum torvum].

OBJECTIVE: To study on the chemical constituents of Solanum torvum. METHOD: The aerial parts of S. torvum swartz were extracted with 95% alcohol and the constituents were isolated and purified by chromatographic silica gel and Sephadex LH-20. Their structures were determined by NMR and MS spectral analysis. RESULT: Six triterpenes were isolated and identified as 3beta-acetyloleanolic acid (1), 3-O-acetyl-11alpha, 12alpha-epoxy-oleanan-28, 13beta-olide (2), oleanolic acid (3), ursolic acid (4), 2alpha-hydroxy-oleanolic acid (5), 2alpha, 3beta-dihydroxyursolic acid (6). CONCLUSION: All compounds were obtained from this plant for the first time.

The correlation between bioactive components of Fallopia multiflora root and environmental factors.

Fallopia multiflora (Thunb.) Harald, a traditional Chinese medicinal plant, is used in treating dizziness. In this study, the samples of F. multiflora from ten different locations were collected, and five bioactive components (2, 3, 5, 4'-tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-beta-D-glucoside, emodin, emodin-8-O-beta-D-glucoside, physcion and physcion-8-O-beta-D-glucoside) were quantified by high performance liquid chromatography. The correlations between 17 environmental factors and 5 bioactive components were analyzed. The results showed that the highest contents of bioactive components were in samples from Deqing, and the lowest in samples from Tianyang, which indicated that the quality of F. multiflora grown in Deqing was superior, while that grown in Tianyang was inferior. Emodin content was negatively correlated with the average temperature in January (p < 0.01) and the accumulated temperature (p < 0.01). Physician content was also negatively correlated with the average temperature in January (P < 0.01), the accumulated temperature (p < 0.05) and the organic matter (p < 0.05). However, emodin was positively correlated with the soil available K (p < 0.05) and Zn (p < 0.01). The results of stepwise regression showed that the accumulated temperature was the main factor influencing the contents of emodin and physcion. However, none of the environmental factors had significant correlation with 2, 3, 5, 4'-tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-beta-D-glucoside, emodin-8- O-beta-D-glucoside and physcion-8-O-beta-D-glucoside. In conclusion, some environmental factors have significant influence on the content of dissociated anthraquinones, while some have no influence on that of combined anthraquinones.

Applications of ultra-performance liquid chromatography to traditional Chinese medicines.

Ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC), as a development of the chromatographic technique, was used in the quality control of Panax ginseng C.A. Mey. In the study, the UPLC methods were transferred from conventional high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods according to chromatographic equations. The results demonstrated that UPLC analysis methods could be transferred from HPLC without loss of efficiency. Compared with conventional HPLC, UPLC made a surprising 10-fold increase in speed and 20-fold decrease in solvent consumption. The study indicated UPLC as a suitable alternative to HPLC and can be reliably applied to quality control of traditional Chinese medicines.

[Study on determination and principal component analysis of inorganic elements in Polygonum multiflorum from different areas].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the character of inorganic elements in Polygonum multiflorum. METHOD: The contents of elements such as Al, B, Ba, Ca, Cu, Mn, Mg, Fe, Na, Ni, P, Se, Sr, Ti and Zn in nine P. multiflorum samples were determined by means of ICP-AEC. The results were used for the development of element distrubution diagram. The principal component analysis and one-way ANOVA of SPSS were applied for the study of characteristic elements in P. multiflorum. RESULT: The contents of Al, Ca, K, Mg, Sr,Ti in wild P. multiflorum were remarkable higher than those in cultured P. multiflorum, and there was no significant difference between cultured and wild in the other elements. Five principal components which accounted for over 90% of the total variance were extracted from the original data. The analysis results show that Al, B, Ba, Fe, Na, Ni, Ti, Ca and Sr may be the characteristic elements in P. multiflorum. The element distrubution diagram of the sample from Tianyang was remarkable different comparing with the others. CONCLUSION: The principal component analysis could be used in data processing in inorganic elements.

[Studies on HPLC fingerprint chromatogram of Folium Fici Microcarpa].

OBJECTIVE: To establish a sensitive and specific method for quality control of Folium Fici Microcarpa, HPLC method was applied for studies on the fingerprint chromatogram of Folium Fici Microcarpa. METHODS: Isovitexin was used as reference substance to evaluate the chromatogram of 10 samples from different regions and 12 samples collected in different months. RESULTS: The result revealed that all the chromatographic peaks were seperated efficiently. There were 17 common peaks showed in the fingerprint chromatogram. CONCLUSION: The method of fingerprint chromatogram with characteristic and specificity will be used to identify the quality and evaluate different origins and collection period of Folium Fici Microcarpa.

[Research on extracting process for Fengshitongbi capsules].

OBJECTIVE: The optimal extraction technology of Fengshitongbi capsule was investigated in this study. METHODS: Orthogonal tests were employed for optimum of extraction technology, the determination of the contents of Chlorogenic acid and Sinomenine were gained by HPLC and TLC-scanning respectively. RESULTS: Six volume of water,extracting 3 times with half an hour each time, and seven volume of 70% ethanol, extracting two times with one and a half hour each time were considered the optimum extraction technology of Flos Lonicerae and Caulis Sinomenii as well as Rhizoma Smilacis Glabrae respectively. CONCLUSION: The considerable extraction rate of active components in the drugs is achieved by applying the selected technology.