Hybrid Feature Fusion-Based High-Sensitivity Fire Detection and Early Warning for Intelligent Building Systems.

High-sensitivity early fire detection is an essential prerequisite to intelligent building safety. However, due to the small changes and erratic fluctuations in environmental parameters in the initial combustion phase, it is always a challenging task. To address this challenge, this paper proposes a hybrid feature fusion-based high-sensitivity early fire detection and warning method for in-building environments. More specifically, the temperature, smoke concentration, and carbon monoxide concentration were first selected as the main distinguishing attributes to indicate an in-building fire. Secondly, the propagation neural network (BPNN) and the least squares support vector machine (LSSVM) were employed to achieve the hybrid feature fusion. In addition, the genetic algorithm (GA) and particle swarm optimization (PSO) were also introduced to optimize the BPNN and the LSSVM, respectively. After that, the outputs of the GA-BPNN and the PSO-LSSVM were fused to make a final decision by means of the D-S evidence theory, achieving a highly sensitive and reliable early fire detection and warning system. Finally, an early fire warning system was developed, and the experimental results show that the proposed method can effectively detect an early fire with an accuracy of more than 96% for different types and regions of fire, including polyurethane foam fire, alcohol fire, beech wood smolder, and cotton woven fabric smolder.

Synergistic Antibacterial Effect and Mechanism of Allicin and an Enterobacter cloacae Bacteriophage.

Enterobacter cloacae is a troublesome pathogen causing refractory infections of the lower respiratory tract, urethra and abdominal cavity, endocarditis, osteomyelitis, and neonatal septicemia. It is prone to developing resistance to ordinary antibiotics and has brought a serious problem to clinical treatment. An artful synergistic combination of an antibacterial natural product allicin and a newly isolated bacteriophage, named BD523, was constructed herein. This combination significantly lowered effective dosage of allicin and effectually overcame bacterial drug-resistance. We experimentally evidenced that allicin interacts with bacterial DNA in the groove region by inserting itself into the DNA double helix and, subsequently, disrupts the bacterial DNA by cleaving phosphate diester bonds of deoxynucleotides. Further, BD523 destroys the cell wall and membrane of bacteria by synthesizing lyase proteins, including holin and endolysins. Thus, the synergistic effect of the combination benefits from complementary targeting mechanisms of allicin and BD523. They cooperatively act on bacterial DNA, cell wall, and membrane to improve antibacterial efficiency and avoid drug-resistance. IMPORTANCE Bacterial drug-resistance is a serious problem afflicting pharmacologists all over the world. Many strategies have been developed and practiced to overcome it, but almost no one is satisfactory due to the continual change of bacteria. Combinations of antibiotics and bacteriophages are promising because of the cooperation of 2 bacterial killers with distinct mechanisms. The combination of allicin and an Enterobacter cloacae bacteriophage reported herein can significantly improve the effect of allicin against E. cloacae. Its synergistic effect was even superior to the combination of bacteriophage and neomycin, of which the MIC was significantly lower than allicin. It was ascribed to the complementary antibacterial and the possible resistance-proof mechanism of bacteriophage and allicin. This study provided a pragmatic way to conquer the cunning bacterium, and may offer reference for research and development of new bacterial killers.

The localization of the alkaloids in Coptis chinensis rhizome by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry.

Background: Understanding the spatial distribution of active compounds can effectively evaluate the quality of decoction pieces of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Traditional methods are economical and practical but lack chemical information on the original distribution. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS), with the advantage of non-destructive detection of samples, can directly analyze the distribution of chemical compounds on the surface of various samples. Methods: In this study, TOF-SIMS image analysis technology was used to detect TCM for the first time. Taking Coptis rhizome (CR) as an example, a commonly used TCM, the distribution of the compounds in the cross-section of CR was studied. Meanwhile, ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UPLCQQQ-MS/MS) was used to verify the results of TOF-SIMS. Results: The distribution of nine active compounds: berberine, epiberberine, coptisine, palmatine, columbamine, jatrorrhizine, tetrahydricheilanthifolinium, and oxyberberine, was well imaged in the cross-section of CR by TOF-SIMS. The content of berberine and epiberberine was the highest; Palmatine distribution in the pith was more than that in other parts; Oxyberberine was mainly concentrated in the cork and xylem rays. Normalization analysis showed contents of these compounds increased along with the growth years. The result was consistent with UPLC-QQQ-MS/MS. Conclusion: The TOF-SIMS method can display the spatial distribution status of the active compounds of herbs, providing a basis for selecting the medicine site with non-destructive and fast detection.

Metabolome and transcriptome analysis reveals the molecular profiles underlying the ginseng response to rusty root symptoms.

BACKGROUND: Ginseng rusty root symptoms (GRS) is one of the primary diseases of ginseng. This disease leads to a severe decline in the quality of ginseng. It has been shown that the occurrence of GRS is associated with soil environmental degradation, which may involve changes in soil microbiology and physicochemical properties. RESULTS: In this study, GRS and healthy ginseng (HG) samples were used as experimental materials for comparative analysis of transcriptome and metabolome. Compared with those in HG samples, 949 metabolites and 9451 genes were significantly changed at the metabolic and transcriptional levels in diseased samples. The diseased tissues' metabolic patterns changed, and the accumulation of various organic acids, alkaloids, alcohols and phenols in diseased tissues increased significantly. There were significant differences in the expression of genes involved in plant hormone signal transduction, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, the peroxidase pathway, and the plant-pathogen interaction pathway. CONCLUSION: The current study involved a comparative metabolome and transcriptome analysis of GRS and HG samples. Based on the findings at the transcriptional and metabolic levels, a mechanism model of the ginseng response to GRS was established. Our results provide new insights into ginseng's response to GRS, which will reveal the potential molecular mechanisms of this disease in ginseng.

Novel 2,5-Diarylcyclopentenone Derivatives from the Wild Edible Mushroom Paxillus involutus and Their Antioxidant Activities.

Wild edible mushrooms are important as a source of nutraceuticals and for the discovery of bioactive metabolites as pharmaceuticals. In this work, 10 rare 2,5-diarylcyclopentenone derivatives were isolated from the wild edible mushroom Paxillus involutus (Batsch) Fr., including eight novel compounds termed involutenone A-H (1-8) and two previously identified compounds (9-10). Their structures were established using high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy and 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance data. The absolute configurations of compounds 1-3 and 6-8 were assigned based on the comparison of the experimental and calculated electronic circular dichroism data. The antioxidant activities of 1-8 were tested through DPPH free radical scavenging, hydroxyl radical scavenging, and superoxide anion radical scavenging assays. Compounds 3, 5, 6, and 7 demonstrated significant antioxidant activity compared to the positive control (tert-butylhydroquinone). These compounds could be effective natural antioxidants with considerable pharmaceutical value.

Fermented ginseng attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory responses by activating the TLR4/MAPK signaling pathway and remediating gut barrier.

Generally, ginsenosides have the physiological effect of an anti-inflammatory immunity. After fermentation, the types of ginsenosides in ginseng change, and their physiological activity becomes a concern. L. plantarum KP-4 screened from Korean kimchi were used to ferment ginseng, and the changes of ginsenosides were observed. C57BL/6N mice were treated using fermented ginseng (390 mg kg-1 day-1), which was mixed with normal food, and an inflammatory mice model was established by the intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (2.5 mg per kg body weight) four weeks later. The liver index, pathological index, biochemical index, and inflammatory signaling pathway were determined. The results demonstrated that L. plantarum KP-4 fermentation increased the content of minor ginsenosides in ginseng and decreased the content of major ginsenosides. Fermented ginseng significantly reduced LPS-induced increases in ALT, AST, and pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1ß in mice. Supplementation with fermented ginseng significantly ameliorated LPS-induced overexpression of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), caspase3, phosphorylation p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK), and phosphorylation extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) compared with the control group. Moreover, fermented ginseng significantly increased the expression of claudin 1, the intestinal tight junction protein, caused by LPS. In conclusion, fermented ginseng alleviates LPS-induced inflammation through the TLR4/MAPK signaling pathway and increased intestinal barrier function in mice.

Effects of light irradiation on essential oil biosynthesis in the medicinal plant Asarum heterotropoides Fr. Schmidt var. mandshuricum (Maxim) Kitag.

Asarum heterotropoides Fr. var. mandshuricum (Maxim) Kitag (Chinese wild ginger) is an important medicinal herb. Essential oil extracted from its roots is the key ingredient and is mainly composed of phenylpropanoid compounds. As a skiophyte plant, light is a crucial factor for A. heterotropoides var. mandshuricum growth and metabolism. To investigate the effects of light irradiation on the essential oil biosynthesis in A. heterotropoides var. mandshuricum, the plants were cultivated in four light irradiation treatments (100, 50, 24 and 12% full sunlight). The photosynthetic capacity, essential oil content and composition, activities of several enzymes and levels of some secondary metabolites involved in the shikimic acid and cinnamic acid pathways were analyzed. The leaf mass per area, average diurnal net photosynthetic rate, and the essential oil content increased significantly with increasing light intensity. Phenylalanine, cinnamic acid, and p-coumaric acid in the cinnamic acid pathway were at their highest levels in plants cultivated in 100% full sunlight. The highest content of shikimic acid in the shikimic acid pathway was obtained in plants grown in 50% sunlight transmittance. The activity of the enzymes 3-Deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate synthase, phenylalanine ammonia lyase, cinnamate-4-hydroxylase and 4-coumarate:CoA ligase increased proportionally with light intensity. Overall, we conclude that high light irradiation promotes high net photosynthetic rate, high activity of enzymes and high amounts of phenylpropanoid precursor metabolites leading to significant biosynthesis of essential oil in A. heterotropoides var. mandshuricum.

Comparative analysis of rhizosphere soil physiochemical characteristics and microbial communities between rusty and healthy ginseng root.

Ginseng rusty root (GRR) symptom is one of the primary diseases of ginseng. There has been a problem of ginseng rusty root, leading to a severe decline in the quality of ginseng. To clarify the relationship between root symptoms of ginseng rust and soil, the physical and chemical properties, enzyme activity, community structure and microbial diversity of GRR and healthy ginseng (HG) rhizosphere soil were analyzed and compared. The pH and redox potential (Eh) of GRR soil decreased, and the contents of total phosphorus (TP), available phosphorus (AP), and available potassium (AK) decreased. The activity of catalase and phosphatase and invertase was lower than that of HG groups. Besides, the microbial community of GRR rhizosphere soil changes much, and its abundance and diversity are significantly reduced. The community structure of GRR rhizosphere soil also shows apparent differences, and the samples of the HG group gathered together, and the samples of the GRR group were dispersed. In general, GRR was closely associated with decreases in soil pH and Eh; decreases in TP, AP, and AK; decreases in the activity of several enzymes. Additionally, it is strongly associated with an increase in pathogenic microorganisms such as Ilyonectria and a reduction of beneficial microorganisms such as Tremellomycetes Acidobacteria subgroup 6 and Gemmatimonadetes.

Discovery of chemical markers for improving the quality and safety control of Sinomenium acutum stem by the simultaneous determination of multiple alkaloids using UHPLC-QQQ-MS/MS.

Sinomenium acutum stem is a popular traditional Chinese medicine used to treat bone and joint diseases. Sinomenine is considered the only chemical marker for the quality control of S. acutum stem in mainstream pharmacopeias. However, higenamine in S. acutum stem is a novel stimulant that was banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency in 2017. Therefore, enhancing the quality and safety control of S. acutum stem to avoid potential safety risks is of utmost importance. In this study, a fast, sensitive, precise, and accurate method for the simultaneous determination of 11 alkaloids in S. acutum stem by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QQQ-MS/MS) was established. This method successfully analyzed thirty-five batches of S. acutum stem samples. The average contents of sinomenine, magnoflorine, coclaurine, acutumine, higenamine, sinoacutine, palmatine, magnocurarine, columbamine, 8-oxypalmatine, and jatrorrhizine were 24.9 mg/g, 6.35 mg/g, 435 µg/g, 435 µg/g, 288 µg/g, 44.4 µg/g, 22.5 µg/g, 21.1 µg/g, 15.8 µg/g, 9.30 µg/g, and 8.75 µg/g, respectively. Multivariate analysis, including principal component analysis (PCA), orthogonal partial least square method-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), were performed to characterize the importance and differences among these alkaloids in S. acutum stem samples. As a result, sinomenine, magnoflorine, coclaurine, acutumine, and higenamine are proposed as chemical markers for quality control. Higenamine and coclaurine are also recommended as chemical markers for safety control. This report provides five alkaloids that can be used as chemical markers for improving the quality and safety control of S. acutum stem. It also alerts athletes to avoid the risks associated with consuming S. acutum stem.

Discovery of chemical markers for identifying species, growth mode and production area of Astragali Radix by using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometry.

BACKGROUND: Astragali Radix (AR) is a well-known Chinese herbal medicine. The quality of AR can be affected by many factors such as species, growth mode and production area, but there are still no chemical markers to distinguish it. PURPOSE: To explore chemical markers for improving the quality assessment of AR and discover chemical markers for identifying species, growth mode and production area of AR. METHODS: A highly sensitive, efficient and accurate method based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QQQ-MS/MS) for simultaneous quantitative determination of 14 major chemical components (five flavonoids and nine triterpene saponins) in 94 batches of AR from China, Republic of Korea and Germany was developed for the first time. To explore chemical markers and assess changes in the contents of 14 compounds in the 94 batches of AR samples from different regions, hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA) were performed. RESULTS: Astragaloside III was not only an important chemical marker for distinguishing two species of AR, i.e.: Astragalus mongholicus and A. membranaceus, but also a potential chemical marker for the classification of cultivated and semi-wild AR. In addition, in the batches of cultivated AR, the content of isoastragaloside II and cyclocephaloside II were greater in batches from the region of Shaanxi Province than that of other Provinces in China, but the content of calycosin-7-O-ß-D-glucoside and astragaloside IV, which are the quality control markers of AR required by the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, were higher than that of other Provinces in China. In addition, the content of calycosin-7-O-ß-D-glucoside, ononin, calycosin and astragaloside I could be used to identify samples of AR collected from China, Republic of Korea and Germany. CONCLUSION: This UHPLC-QQQ-MS/MS method could be applied to the quantitative evaluation of AR and could be an important and meaningful reference to develop chemical markers for quality control of AR.

Inhibitory Effects of Ginsenoside Ro on the Growth of B16F10 Melanoma via Its Metabolites.

Ginsenoside Ro (Ro), a major saponin derived and isolated from Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer, exerts multiple biological activities. However, the anti-tumour efficacy of Ro remains unclear because of its poor in vitro effects. In this study, we confirmed that Ro has no anti-tumour activity in vitro. We explored the anti-tumour activity of Ro in vivo in B16F10 tumour-bearing mice. The results revealed that Ro considerably suppressed tumour growth with no significant side effects on immune organs and body weight. Zingibroside R1, chikusetsusaponin IVa, and calenduloside E, three metabolites of Ro, were detected in the plasma of Ro-treated tumour-bearing mice and showed excellent anti-tumour effects as well as anti-angiogenic activity. The results suggest that the metabolites play important roles in the anti-tumour efficacy of Ro in vivo. Additionally, the haemolysis test demonstrated that Ro has good biocompatibility. Taken together, the findings of this study demonstrate that Ro markedly suppresses the tumour growth of B16F10-transplanted tumours in vivo, and its anti-tumour effects are based on the biological activity of its metabolites. The anti-tumour efficacy of these metabolites is due, at least in part, to its anti-angiogenic activity.

Antifeedant and ovicidal activities of ginsenosides against Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenee).

INTRODUCTION: Ginsenosides, including protopanaxdiol (PPD) and protopanaxtriol (PPT) type ginsenosides, have been identified as natural insecticidess. This study aimed to investigate the antifeedant and ovicidal activities of total ginsenosides, protopanaxdiol saponins (PDS) and protopanaxtriol saponins (PTS) against Asian corn borer, O. furnacalis (Guenee). METHODS AND RESULTS: O. furnacalis egg masses (> 40 eggs) at 0-, 1- and 2-day-old were dipped into ginsenosides and egg hatchability was significantly inhibited by total ginsenosides, PDS, and PTS in dose and egg-age dependent manners. 100 mg/ml PDS had the strongest ovicidal activity against 0- (80.58 ± 0.95%), 1- (71.48 ± 5.70%), and 2-day-old eggs (64.31 ± 3.20%). In no-choice and choice feeding tests, we observed that the 3rd instar larvae consumed decreased area of leaves treated with ginsenosides, and the antifeedant activities of total ginsenosides, PDS, and PTS against the 3rd instar larvae were time and dose-dependent, with higher activities at 48 h. 100 mg/ml PDS had relative higher antifeedant activity (88.39 ± 3.43% in no-choice and 80.9±4.36% in choice) than total ginsenosides and PTS at all time intervals, except at 48 h in no-choice test. In further experiments, we found PPD ginsenosides (Rb1, Rb2, Rc, and Rd) had relative higher time and dose dependent antifeedant activities than PPT ginsenosides (Re and Rg1). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggested the insecticidal action of total ginsenosides, PDS, and PTS on O. furnacalis. All ginsenosides, especially PDS, showed antifeedant and ovicidal activities against O. furnacalis.

Discovery of markers for discriminating the age of cultivated ginseng by using UHPLC-QTOF/MS coupled with OPLS-DA.

BACKGROUND: Ginseng (Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma, Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) is gaining more publicity in modern society due to its health benefit and huge value in market. In the practice of grading and pricing of ginseng, the age is one of the major factor influencing the price and grade of ginseng. Therefore, the age discrimination is an important task for the quality control of ginseng. However, the traditional morphological methods are too subjective to be reproductive in discrimination. PURPOSE: To establish a method that can discriminate the ginseng samples with different cultivation years. STUDY DESIGN: To analyze the correlation between chemical compositions and cultivation years of cultivated ginseng samples of different age and thus discover potential quality marker (Q-marker) for discriminating the age of cultivated ginseng. METHODS: In the present study, the ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with the quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF/MS) were utilized for the age discrimination and marker discovery. A statistical data processing procedure was established to screen markers and reduce the false positive rate. RESULTS: The results showed that the ginseng samples from 2- to 6-year-old could be well separated in the orthogonal projections on the latent structure - discrimination analysis (OPLS-DA) using the markers screened by the established statistical procedure, which could reduce approximately 20% of the insignificant markers and false positive discoveries. Ultimately, more than 50 compounds contributing to the age discrimination were identified including one new compound (malonylginsenoside). One negative marker (1038.4825@8.98) was discovered for the 2-year-old ginseng, and an equation was established to effectively predict the age of 3- to 6-year-old of ginseng. CONCLUSION: The constructed method can discriminate the ginseng samples with different cultivation years and is a complement to the traditional discrimination method of ginseng age.

Supplementation of American ginseng berry extract mitigated cisplatin-evoked nephrotoxicity by suppressing ROS-mediated activation of MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways.

Nephrotoxicity induced by cisplatin in 30% of all cisplatin treated patients seriously limits its clinical implication as a widely used anticancer agent, and may even cause patients to alter or give up cisplatin therapy. The purpose of this study is to test a protective effect of American ginseng berry extract (AGBE) on cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in mice. In this study, the histopathological changes and elevated levels of serum creatinine (CRE) and urea nitrogen (BUN) caused by cisplatin were significantly diminished by AGBE treatment. Oxidative stress caused by cisplatin, evidenced by increases in kidney tissues malondialdehyde (MDA) content, cytochrome P450 E1 (CYP2E1), renal 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) levels and decreases of glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) contents, was significantly ameliorated by AGBE pretreatment. The expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) were inhibited by AGBE treatment, suggesting a suppression of inflammatory response. Additionally, AGBE clearly inhibited cisplatin-induced activations of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal pathways. Supplementation of cisplatin-intoxicated mice with AGBE also significantly reduced apoptotic protein levels of Bax, cleaved caspase-3, cytochrome c and increased anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2. These findings highlight nephroprotective effect of AGBE against cisplatin-evoked nephrotoxicity through ROS-mediated MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways.

Influence of B-Complex Vitamins on the Pharmacokinetics of Ginsenosides Rg1, Rb1, and Ro After Oral Administration.

After cultivation of ginseng, ginsenosides, which are the major active ingredients of gingeng, were approved for use by the food industry, and began to be used as added functional ingredients to try to improve the quality and price of functional foods. However, the interaction between different types of ginsenosides and nutrients needs further study. We investigated the effect of B-complex vitamins (which are essential nutrients) on the pharmacokinetics of the ginsenosides protopanaxatriol-type saponin Rg1, protopanaxadiol-type saponin Rb1, and oleanolic acid-type saponin Ro after oral administration. Ginsenosides Rg1, Rb1, and Ro, with or without B-complex vitamins, respectively, were administered orally to rats to evaluate their pharmacokinetics. The concentration of ginsenosides in plasma was determined by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry. Pharmacokinetic parameters were fitted using WinNonlin v6.2. After oral coadministration with B-complex vitamins, the area under the concentration-time curve from zero to infinity (AUC0-∞) of ginsenoside Rg1 was reduced by 70%, that of ginsenoside Rb1 was reduced by 43%, and that of ginsenoside Ro was reduced by 34%. The AUC0-∞ of ginsenosides Rg1 and Rb1 showed significant differences between different treatments, but the AUC0-∞ of ginsenoside Ro did not. These results suggest significant ginsenoside-nutrient interactions between ginsenosides Rg1, Rb1, and B-complex vitamins.

Purity assessment of ginsenoside Rg1 using quantitative 1H nuclear magnetic resonance.

Ginseng herbs comprise a group of the most popular herbs, including Panax ginseng, P. notoginseng and P. quinquefolius (Family Araliaceae), which are used as traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and are some of the best-selling natural products in the world. The accurate quantification of ginsenoside Rg1 is one of the major aspects of its quality control. However, the purity of the commercial Rg1 chemical reference substance (CRS) is often measured with high-performance chromatography coupled with an ultraviolet detector (HPLC-UV), which is a selective detector with unequal responses to different compounds; thus, this detector introduces probable error to purity assessments. In the present study, quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance (qNMR), due to its absolute quantification ability, was applied to accurately assess the purity of Rg1 CRS. Phenylmethyl phthalate was used as the internal standard (IS) to calibrate the purity of Rg1 CRS. The proton signal of Rg1 CRS in methanol-d4 at 4.37ppm was selected to avoid interfering signals, enabling accurate quantitative analysis. The relaxation delay, number of scans, and NMR windowing were optimized for data acquisition. For post-processing, the Lorentz/Gauss deconvolution method was employed to increase the signal accuracy by separating the impurities and noise in the integrated region of the quantitative proton. The method validation showed that the developed method has acceptable sensitivity, linearity, precision, and accuracy. The purity of the commercial Rg1 CRS examined with the method developed in this research was 90.34±0.21%, which was obviously lower than that reported by the manufacturer (>98.0%, HPLC-UV). The cross-method validation shows that the commonly used HPLC-UV, HPLC-ELSD (evaporative light scattering detector) and even LC-MS (mass spectrometry) methods provide significantly higher purity values of Rg1 CRS compared with the qNMR method, and the accuracy of these LC-based methods largely depend on the amount of the sample that was loaded and the properties of the impurities.

Complete (1)H-NMR and (13)C-NMR spectral assignment of five malonyl ginsenosides from the fresh flower buds of Panax ginseng.

BACKGROUND: Ginsenosides are the major effective ingredients responsible for the pharmacological effects of ginseng. Malonyl ginsenosides are natural ginsenosides that contain a malonyl group attached to a glucose unit of the corresponding neutral ginsenosides. METHODS: Medium-pressure liquid chromatography and semipreparative high-performance liquid chromatography were used to isolate purified compounds and their structures determined by extensive one-dimensional- and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments. RESULTS: A new saponin, namely malonyl-ginsenoside Re, was isolated from the fresh flower buds of Panax ginseng, along with malonyl-ginsenosides Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd. Some assignments for previously published (1)H- and (13)C-NMR spectra were found to be inaccurate. CONCLUSION: This study reports the complete NMR assignment of malonyl-ginsenoside Re, Rb1, Rb2, Rc, and Rd for the first time.

Rapid Isolation and Determination of Flavones in Biological Samples Using Zinc Complexation Coupled with High-Performance Liquid Chromatography.

Chlorophyll-type contaminants are commonly encountered in the isolation and determination of flavones of plant aerial plant parts. Heme is also a difficult background substance in whole blood analysis. Both chlorophyll and heme are porphyrin type compounds. In this study, a rapid method for isolating flavones with 5-hydroxyl or ortho-hydroxyl groups from biological samples was developed based on the different solubilities of porphyrin-metal and flavone-metal complexes. It is important that other background substances, e.g., proteins and lipids, are also removed from flavones without an additional processing. The recoveries of scutellarin, baicalin, baicalein, wogonoside and wogonin, which are the primary constituents of Scutellaria baicalensis (skullcaps) were 99.65% ± 1.02%, 98.98% ± 0.73%, 99.65% ± 0.03%, 97.59% ± 0.09% and 95.19% ± 0.47%, respectively. As a sample pretreatment procedure, this method was coupled to high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with good separation, sensitivity and linearity and was applied to determine the flavone content in different aerial parts of S. baicalensis and in dried blood spot samples.

Mass Spectral Profile for Rapid Differentiating Beta-Lactams from Their Ring-Opened Impurities.

High performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC MS) has been widely used for ß-lactam antibiotics determination. However, its application to identify impurities of these frequently used drugs is not sufficient at present. In this job, characteristic profiles of the collision induced dissociation (CID) spectra of both ß-lactams and ring-opened ß-lactams were extracted from the MS data of six ß-lactam antibiotics and their forty-five impurities, and were confirmed by the MS data reported in the literature. These characteristics have been successfully applied to rapid differentiation of ß-lactam and ring-opened ß-lactam impurities in cefixime, cefdinir, and cefaclor. However, these characteristic profiles can only be obtained under low activating voltage. They did not display in the high energy activated CID spectra. Diagnostic fragmentations for determining the localization of double bond and substituents on the thiazine ring and the side chain were also observed. In addition, several characteristic fragmentations are hopeful to be used to differentiate the configurations of C-2 on the thiazine ring of ring-opened impurities, which is generally disadvantageous of mass spectrometry. Taken together, forty-five impurities were identified from the capsules of cefixime, cefdinir, and cefaclor.