[1H-NMR based metabonomic approach to evaluate detoxification effect of vinegar-processed Euphorbia kansui].

Euphorbia kansui (EK) is a toxic herbal drug, and often used after vinegar-processing to reduce its toxicity. In present study, a 1H-NMR based metabonomic approach was used to evaluate the detoxification effect of vinegar-processed EK. The water extracts of EK and VEK were administered orally to male SD rats at doses of 9 g x kg(-1) x d(-1) for 1 week, respectively, and one more week observation was further conducted. The control group was orally given with saline. Histopathological studies of liver samples on the 8th and 15th day were conducted, and the metabolites of rat urine and liver were analysed by 1H-NMR. Histopathological studies of liver samples from EK and VEK treated rats showed no negative impacts. In metabonomic analyses of urines, changes of metabolites indicated liver damages, kidney lesions and imbalance of gut microbes in the second week. VEK-treated rats showed a quite lower toxicity compared with EK-treated ones. The present study revealed that the metabonomic approach might be helpful for the evaluation of toxicity of EK and detoxic effect of VEK.

A metabonomic approach to a unique detoxification effect of co-use of Euphorbia kansui and Zizyphus jujuba.

Euphorbia kansui (EK) has been widely used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM); however, it possesses toxic effects. The fruits of Zizyphus jujuba (ZJ) are frequently co-used with EK to reduce EK's toxicity. The present study is to clarify the toxicity of water extract of EK and explore the detox effect of ZJ using (1) H NMR-based metabonomic approach. The water extracts of ZJ, EK and the co-use of EK and ZJ (CEZ) were orally administered to SD rats at designed doses for 1 week, respectively, and one more week observation was further conducted. Histopathological studies of liver samples from all groups showed no negative impacts. In metabonomic analyses of urines, ZJ showed no toxicity, while significant changes of metabolites indicating liver damages, kidney lesions and imbalance of gut microbes were clearly observed during the second week in EK-treated rats. Very meaningfully, CEZ clearly indicated that the toxicities appeared at the first week and became weaker, and furthermore, was recovered during the second week. These results clearly demonstrated the rationality of traditional co-use of EK together with ZJ, and the metabonomic approach should be a promising tool to research the toxicity of TCM.

Metabonomic classification and detection of small molecule biomarkers of malignant pleural effusions.

To date, most research has been focused on the benign molecules in pleural effusions, and diagnosis of malignant ones still remains challenging. In the present study, targeting the small molecules as potential biomarkers to predict the malignancy of the effusions, the metabolic profiles of 81 clinical pleural effusions (41 malignant effusions from lung cancer and 40 benign ones) were investigated through a NMR-based metabonomic approach. In (1)H NMR analysis, a total of ten small molecules in the effusions were simultaneously determined. Significantly higher mean values of valine, lactate, and alanine and markedly lower signal intensities of acetoacetate, trimethylamine-N-oxide, and α- and ß-glucose were observed in malignant pleural effusions compared with those in benign ones. DFA modeling of NMR spectra subjected to a validation allowed the malignant effusions to be discriminated from benign ones in both training and validation groups. Currently, the conventional clinical analyses on chemical constituents in effusions could not provide a reliable prediction of malignancy of the effusions; the present results revealed that the small molecules might serve as useful biomarkers for diagnosis of the effusions, and the present NMR-based metabonomic approach provided a valuable potential to rapidly and sensitively predict the malignancy of the pleural effusions.

Preventive effects of Citrus reticulata essential oil on bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats and the mechanism.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of essential oil of Citrus reticulata (EOCR) on proliferation of human embryonic lung fibroblasts (HELFs), and to explore its protective effects on bleomycin (BLM)-induced lung fibrosis in rats. METHODS: Routinely cultured HELFs during the logarithmic phase of growth were divided into control and treated groups, and applied for evaluation of inhibitory activity using methylthiazol tetrazolium (MTT) assay. A rat model of BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis was used for the evaluation of antifibrotic effect of EOCR. Forty-two Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into normal group, model group, prednisone group and different doses of EOCR groups. BLM was intratracheally instilled into all the rats except those in the normal group, and EOCR was orally given to BLM-treated rats at doses of 25, 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg once per day for four weeks. The rats in the normal group were intratracheally administered the same volume of saline. On the 28th day, rats were sacrificed under anesthesia, and the serum and lung tissues were collected. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents in serum and lung tissues were analyzed with corresponding kits; type I collagen (Col I) content in lung tissues was evaluated with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; pulmonary fibrosis was assessed by lung histology; protein and mRNA expressions of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in lung tissues were measured with immunohistochemical and in situ hybridization semiquantitative image analyses, respectively. RESULTS: The EOCR at different concentrations displayed inhibitory activity on proliferation of HELFs. In in vivo experiment, the weight gain of the rats in groups treated with EOCR at doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg per day was significantly higher than those in the model group at the 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th day (P<0.05 or Plt;0.01). The scores of alveolitis and pulmonary fibrosis in the groups treated with EOCR at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg per day were significantly lower than those in the model group (Plt;0.01); the SOD levels in serum and pulmonary tissues of the EOCR (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg) groups were markedly increased compared with the model group (Plt;0.01 ), while the MDA levels in both serum and pulmonary tissues were markedly reduced (Plt;0.05); the Col I level in pulmonary tissues of the EOCR (100 and 200 mg/kg per day) groups were markedly lower than that of the model group (Plt;0.01); the protein and mRNA expressions of CTGF in the groups treated with EOCR at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg per day were down-regulated compared with the model group (Plt;0.01). CONCLUSION: The results indicate that EOCR has preventive effects on BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats. The mechanism may be via adjusting the unbalance of oxidation and antioxidation, down-regulating CTGF protein and mRNA expressions, and reducing collagen deposition and fibrosis.

NMR-based metabonomic approach on the toxicological effects of a Cimicifuga triterpenoid.

Cimicifugae Rhizoma, a well-known botanical dietary supplement, has been the subject of intense interest due to its potential application for alleviating menopausal symptom. Although there are clinic data that the Cimicifuga extract should have hepatotoxicity, no evidence on the main chemical components has been reported. Cimicidol-3-O-ß -d-xyloside (CX) is one of the main triterpenoids of the rhizome. This work studies the toxicological effects of CX after oral administration (50 mg kg(-1) per day) over a 7-day period in female SD rats using metabonomic analyses of (1) H NMR spectra of urine, serum and liver tissue extracts. Histopathological studies of liver and analyses of blood biochemical parameter, such as alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, blood urea nitrogen and creatinine revealed that CX had no negative impacts on liver and kidney. However, the metabolic signature of (1) H NMR-based urinalysis of daily samples displayed an increment in the levels of taurine, trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), betaine and acetate. Elevated serum levels of creatinine, glucose, alanine, TMAO and betaine and lower levels of lactate were observed. Metabolic profiling on aqueous soluble extracts of liver showed simultaneously increases in succinate, glycogen, choline, glycerophosphorylcholine, TMAO and betaine levels and reduction in valine, glucose and lactate levels. Nevertheless, no changes in any metabonomic level were found in lipid-soluble extracts of liver. These findings indicate that CX has a slight toxicity in liver and kidney via disturbance of the metabolisms of energy and amino acids. The present study provides a reasonable explanation for the clinical hepatotoxicity of Cimicifuga extract.

Osteoprotective effect of extract from Achyranthes bidentata in ovariectomized rats.

AIM OF THE STUDY: A Chinese herbal drug, root of Achyranthes bidentata showed a potent inhibitory activity on bone resorption induced by parathyroid hormone (PTH) in a bone organ culture using neonatal mouse parietal bones. The present study is to clarify the fractions responsible for the activity and further explore the osteoprotective effect of the fraction in vivo. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The hexane, ethyl acetate (EtOAc), n-butanol (n-BuOH) and water soluble fractions of methanol extract of the root of Achyranthes bidentata were prepared and screened for their anti-bone resorption activity using the bone organ culture system. The n-BuOH soluble fraction was further administered orally at doses of 25, 50 and 100mg/(kgday) to ovariectomized (OVX) rats. The analyses of the rat body weight, serum estradiol (E2), total cholesterol and triglyceride levels, uteri weight and measurement of bone mineral density (BMD) were conducted. RESULTS: The EtOAc and n-BuOH fractions showed the most potent inhibitory activity on PTH-induced bone resorption. Further research using OVX rat model revealed that the n-BuOH fraction significantly prevented BMD loss due to OVX operation. While, the uteri weight and serum estradiol (E2), total cholesterol and triglyceride levels displayed no differences compared with those of control group (OVX rats), suggesting the n-BuOH fraction should have no estrogen-like side effects. CONCLUSIONS: The results reveal that the n-BuOH soluble fraction of the root of Achyranthes bidentata is effective at preventing bone loss in OVX rats and has a great potential as an alternative tool for the treatment of osteoporosis.

Inhibitory effects of citrus extracts on the experimental pulmonary fibrosis.

AIM OF THE STUDY: A Chinese herbal formula, Hu-qi-yin possessed an anti-pulmonary fibrosis effect. Pericarp of Citrus reticulata, one of the herbal drugs contained in this formula showed the most potent inhibitory activity on the proliferation of human embryonic lung fibroblasts (HELF). The present study was designed to clarify the active principles responsible for the activity and further explore the anti-pulmonary fibrosis effect in vivo. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The water, 75% ethanol and flavonoids-enriched extracts of Citrus reticulata were prepared and screened for their anti-proliferation activity using HELF culture system. The ethanol extract was further administered orally at doses of 100 and 200 mg/(kg day) to bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis rats. The analyses of the rat body weight, hydroxyproline levels in serum and lung, scores of alveolitis and fibrosis, as well as the expression of transforming growth factor-beta(1) (TGF-beta(1)) at the protein and the messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) levels in lung were performed. RESULTS: The ethanol extract showed the strongest inhibitory activity on HELF proliferation. Further research using BLM-induced rat model revealed that the ethanol extract at the doses of 100 and 200 mg/(kg day) caused a marked increase of body weight at first 7 days, significantly lowered the hydroxyproline levels in lung, greatly improved the pathologic scores, as well as inhibited the overexpressions of TGF-beta(1) protein and mRNA. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the ethanol extract of Citrus reticulata has anti-pulmonary fibrosis effects and might have a great potential for the treatment of fibrosis of lung.

Synthesis and evaluation of a novel series of quinoline derivatives with immunosuppressive activity.

A series of quinoline derivatives were synthesized and their immunosuppressive activity and cytotoxicity were evaluated with a T-cell functional assay and MTT method, respectively. Most of 5,7-dimethoxyquinolin-4-yl ortho-substituted benzoate derivatives (18, 22, 24, 28, 31 and 37) showed a quite stronger inhibitory activity compared to other analogs. Among the synthesized compounds, 5,7-dimethoxyquinolin-4-yl 2,6-dichlorobenzoate (22) and 5,7-dimethoxyquinolin-4-yl 4-methylbenzenesulfonate (40) exhibited a potent inhibitory activity without significant cytotoxicity at 10 microM concentration. The preliminary mechanism of the active compounds 22 and 40 was further clarified based on the fluorescence activated cell sorter (FACS) assay, and the compounds exerted immunosuppressive activity via inhibiting the T cell activation in a dose dependent manner.

pH-dependent, stereoselective dimerization of sinomenine.

In a continuing study on discovery of more potent derivatives of sinomenine (1), a clinically available alkaloid for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment, oxidation of sinomenine provided two unique stereoisomers, disinomenines 2 and 3. The structure of 3 was determined by MS, NMR, and X-ray analysis. The formation of 2 and 3 via oxidation of sinomenine by potassium permanganate (KMnO4) exhibited a pH-dependent stereoselectivity. The bioassay results using human synovial sarcoma cells (SW982) showed that 2 inhibited, while 3 stimulated, IL-6 production.