Serum and urine metabolomics based on UPLC-QTOF/MS reveal the effect and potential mechanism of "schisandra-evodia" herb pair in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

The "schisandra-evodia" herb pair (S-E) is a herbal preparation to treat Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study aims to investigate the therapeutic efficacy and potential mechanism of S-E in AD rats, utilizing pharmacodynamic assessments and serum- and urine-based metabolomic analyses. Pharmacodynamic assessments included Morris water maze test, hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunohistochemistry experiments. The results of the study showed that the AD model was successful; the S-E significantly enhanced long-term memory and spatial learning in AD rats. Meanwhile, S-E notably ameliorated Aß25-35-induced cognitive impairment, improved hippocampal neuron morphology, decreased Aß deposition in the hippocampus and mitigated inflammatory damage. We then analyzed serum and urine samples using UPLC-MS/MS to identify potential biomarkers and metabolic pathways. Metabolomic analysis revealed alterations in 40 serum metabolites and 38 urine metabolites following S-E treatment, predominantly affecting pathways related to taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, linoleic acid metabolism, α-linolenic acid metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism and arachidonic acid metabolism. This study elucidates the biochemical mechanism underlying AD and the metabolic pathway influenced by S-E, laying the groundwork for future clinical applications.

Integrated metabolomics and network pharmacology study on the mechanism of herbal pair of danggui-kushen for treating ischemia heart disease.

DangGui-KuShen (DK) is a well-known classic traditional Chinese medicine recipe that improves blood circulation, eliminates moisture, and detoxifies, and is frequently used in the treatment of cardiovascular problems. Some protective effects of DK on cardiovascular disease have previously been identified, but its precise mechanism remains unknown. The goal of this study is to combine metabolomics and network pharmacology to investigate DK's protective mechanism in Ischemic Heart Disease(IHD) rat models. A combination of metabolomics and network pharmacology based on UPLC-Q-TOF/MS technology was used in this study to verify the effect of DK on IHD through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, HE staining, and electrocardiogram, and it was determined that DK improves the synergistic mechanism of IHD. In total, 22 serum differential metabolites and 26 urine differential metabolites were discovered, with the majority of them involved in phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan biosynthesis, glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism, arginine and proline metabolism, aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, purine metabolism, and other metabolic pathways. Furthermore, using network pharmacology, a composite target pathway network of DangGui and KuShen for treating IHD was created, which is primarily associated to the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling pathway, P53 signaling, and HIF-1 signaling pathways. The combined research indicated that the NF-B signaling pathway and the HIF-1 signaling pathway are critical in DK treatment of IHD. This study clearly confirms and expands on current knowledge of the synergistic effects of DG and KS in IHD.

The study of therapeutic efficacy and mechanisms of Schisandra chinensis and Evodia rutaecarpa combined treatment in a rat model of Alzheimer's disease.

Schisandra chinensis and Evodia rutaecarpa are traditional Chinese herbs used to treat neurodegenerative diseases. This study investigates the combined effects of SC and ER on learning and memory in an Alzheimer's disease rat model and their underlying mechanisms. Methods: High-performance liquid chromatography was employed to analyze the primary active constituents of Schisandra and Evodia. The effects of the combined treatment of Schisandra and Evodia on learning and memory in an Alzheimer's disease rat model were evaluated through Morris water maze and Hematoxylin-Eosin staining experiments. Immunohistochemical analysis was conducted to investigate the impact of S-E on Aß1-42 and P-tau proteins. Western blotting and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction were utilized to quantify the expression of pivotal proteins and genes within the BDNF/TRKB/CREB and GSK-3ß/Tau pathways. Results: The treatment group exhibited significant neuroprotective effects, ameliorating learning and memory impairments in the Alzheimer's disease rat model. The treatment regimen modulated the activity of the BDNF/TRKB/CREB and GSK-3ß/Tau pathways by influencing the expression of relevant genes, thereby reducing the generation of Aß1-42 and P-Tau proteins and inhibiting the deposition of senile plaques. Furthermore, among the three treatment groups, the combined treatment demonstrated notably superior therapeutic effects on Alzheimer's disease compared to the single-drug treatment groups.

An image reconstruction method for transmission computed tomography with the constraint of the linear attenuation coefficients.

For the reconstructed image of transmission computed tomography, the linear attenuation coefficients of the diagnosed object may improve the image quality by adding additional constraint besides the projection data. In the present work, an image reconstruction method with the constraint of the linear attenuation coefficients is developed and two models including a classical numerical Shepp-Logan model and a Monte Carlo model are used to show the corresponding benefits. The results indicate that the number of the projection angles is potentially decreased to 1/3 of itself while the quality of the reconstructed image is not deteriorated.

Characterization of chemical constituents and metabolites in vivo and in vitro after oral administration of Wuteng tablets in rats by UHPLC-Q/TOF-MS.

Waste medicinal plants are widely used in drug production. With the increasing demand for botanical drugs, there is an urgent need to identify new and effective drugs and improve the utilization of medicinal plant resources. Wuteng tablets (WTP) are extracted from the stem of Schisandra chinensis and have a good therapeutic effect on Alzheimer's disease. In this study, a holistic identification strategy based on UHPLC-Q/TOF-MS was developed for the first time to investigate the metabolites and metabolic pathways involved in the in vitro metabolism and liver microsomal incubation and in the in vivo metabolic system of rats after WTP administration. After the oral administration of WTP, 21 metabolites were identified in the serum and 25 metabolites were identified in the urine, of which six were new metabolites; 33 metabolites were inferred from the microsomal metabolites in vitro. The metabolic pathways related to WTP mainly involve demethylation, hydroxylation, dehydroxylation and dehydrogenation. In this study, the metabolites and metabolic pathways of WTP were elucidated via UHPLC-Q/TOF-MS, which provided a basis for an in-depth study of the pharmacodynamic and pharmacotoxicological effects of WTP.

STUDY OF NEUTRON RADIATION FIELD AT THE FIRST RADIOACTIVE ION BEAM LINE IN LANZHOU.

The first Radioactive Ion Beam Line in Lanzhou was a projectile fragment separator located in the HIRFL. The process of production and separation of radioactive ion beams can induce a strong and complex radiation field. The neutron dose equivalent rates were measured in four positions with a 70 MeV/u 40Ar18+ beam. The results were compared with that simulated by the FLUKA code. New shielding walls were installed to reduce the neutron background for spectroscopy measurement in the experimental terminal. In addition, the induced radioactivity of accelerator components and corresponding residual dose rates were analyzed for the radiation safety of accelerator workers. The airborne radioactivity as well as occupational exposure due to immersion in and inhalation of activated air were also estimated. This work aims to provide a valuable experience for the radiation study in the future fragment separator HFRS at HIAF.