[Comparative study on excretion of Shuganning Injection and Scutellariae Radix extract in bile, urine, and feces of rats].

Scutellariae Radix extract is one of the important components in Shuganning Injection. In this study, an ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS/MS) method was established for simultaneously determining five components in Shuganning Injection and Scutellariae Radix extract in bile, urine, and feces of rats, so as to reveal the difference in the excretion process of Shuganning Injection and Scutellariae Radix extract in rats and explore the law of the excretion process of the five components in vivo before and after the compatibility of Scutellariae Radix. Rats were injected with Shuganning Injection and Scutellariae Radix extract(4.2 mL·kg~(-1)), respectively, and the excretion of baicalin, baicalein, oroxylin A, oroxylin A-7-O-ß-D-glucuronide, and scutellarin in bile, urine, and feces of rats in 24 h was observed. The results showed that except for baicalin, the other four index components were excreted as prototype components in a high proportion after intravenous injection of Shuganning Injection and Scutellariae Radix extract in rats, respectively. The excretion of each component was relatively high in urine and less in feces and bile. After the compatibility of Scutellariae Radix extract, the accumulative excretion of five index components in rats all decreased. Among them, the cumulative excretion of baicalein in bile, urine, and feces significantly decreased by 26.67%, 48.11%, and 31.01%. The cumulative excretion of baicalin in bile, urine, and feces decreased significantly by 70.69%, 19.43%, and 31.22%. The result showed that the five index components in Scutellariae Radix extract were mainly excreted by the kidneys, and other components in Shuganning Injection delayed the excretion process and prolonged the residence time. This study is of great significance for elucidating the compatibility rationality of Shuganning Injection.

Development of a hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose/polyacrylic acid interpolymer complex formulated buccal mucosa adhesive film to facilitate the delivery of insulin for diabetes treatment.

Buccal mucosa administration is a promising method for insulin (INS) delivery with good compliance. However, buccal mucosa delivery systems still face challenges of long-term mucosal adhesion, sustained drug release, and mucosal drug penetration. To address these issues, a double-layer film consisting of a hydroxypropyl methylcellulose/polyacrylic acid interpolymer complex (IPC)-formulated mucoadhesive layer and an ethylcellulose (EC)-formulated waterproof backing layer (IPC/EC film) was designed. Protamine (PTM) and INS were co-loaded in the mucoadhesive layer of the IPC/EC film (PTM-INS-IPC/EC film). In ex vivo studies with porcine buccal mucosa, this film exhibited robust adhesion, with an adhesion force of 120.2 ±â€¯20.3 N/m2 and an adhesion duration of 491 ±â€¯45 min. PTM has been shown to facilitate INS mucosal transfer. Pharmacokinetic studies indicated that the PTM-INS-IPC/EC film significantly improved the absorption of INS, exhibiting a 1.45 and 2.24-fold increase in the area under the concentration-time curve (AUC0-∞) compared to the INS-IPC/EC film and free INS, respectively. Moreover, the PTM-INS-IPC/EC film effectively stabilized the blood glucose levels of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) rats with post oral glucose administration, maintaining lower glucose levels for approximately 8 h. Hence, the PTM-INS-IPC/EC film provides a promising noninvasive INS delivery system for diabetes treatment.

Polysaccharides screening for pulmonary mucus penetration by molecular dynamics simulation and in vitro verification.

Mucus penetration is one of the physiologic barriers of inhalation and nanocarriers can effectively facilitate the permeation of drugs. The interactions between the nanocarriers and mucin are crucial for penetration across the mucus layer on the respiratory tract. In this study, we proposed a molecular dynamics (MD) simulation method for the screening of polysaccharides that acted as the surface modification materials for inhalable nano-preparations to facilitate mucus penetration. MD revealed all-atom interactions between the monomers of polysaccharides, including dextran (DEX)/hyaluronic acid (HA)/carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) and the human mucin protein MUC5AC (hMUC5AC). The obtained data showed that DEX formed stronger non-covalent bonds with hMUC5AC compared to HA and CMCS, which suggested that HA and CMCS had better mucus permeability than DEX. For the in vitro verification, HA/CMCS-coated liposomes and DEX/PEG-inserted liposomes were prepared. The results of mucin interactions and mucus penetration studies confirmed that HA and CMCS possessed the weakest interactions with mucin and facilitated the mucus penetration, which was in consistent with the data from MD simulation. This work may shed light on the MD simulation-based screening of surface modification materials for inhalable nano-preparations to facilitate mucus penetration.

Icaritin with autophagy/mitophagy inhibitors synergistically enhances anticancer efficacy and apoptotic effects through PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is among the deadliest malignancies worldwide and still a pressing clinical problem. Icaritin, a natural compound obtained from the Epimedium genus plant, has garnered significant attention as a potential therapeutic drug for HCC therapies. Mitophagy plays a crucial role in mitochondrial quality control through efficiently eliminating damaged mitochondria. However, the specific mechanisms of the interplay between mitophagy and apoptosis in HCC is still unclear. We aimed to explore the cross-talk between icaritin-induced mitophagy and apoptosis in HCC cells and investigate its potential mechanisms. Firstly, we confirmed that icaritin inhibits proliferation and migration while inducing mitochondrial damage and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in HCC cells. Secondly, based on proteomics analysis, we discovered that icaritin inhibits the growth of tumor cells and disrupts their mitochondrial homeostasis through the regulation of both mitophagy and apoptosis. Thirdly, icaritin causes mitophagy mediated by PINK1-Parkin signaling via regulating feedforward loop. Furthermore, knockdown of PINK1/Parkin leads to inhibition of mitophagy, which promotes cell death induced by icaritin in HCC cells. Finally, autophagy/mitophagy inhibitors remarkably enhance icaritin-induced cell death and anticancer efficacy. Collectively, our findings reveal that icaritin suppresses growth, proliferation and migration of HCC cell through induction of mitophagy and apoptosis, while inhibition of mitophagy significantly increased the anti-cancer and pro-apoptotic effects of icaritin, indicating that targeting autophagy or mitophagy is a novel approach to overcome drug resistance and enhance anticancer therapies.

A biomimetic nanocarrier facilitates glucose consumption and reactive oxide species accumulation in enzyme therapy for colorectal cancer.

Glucose oxidase (GOx)-based enzyme therapeutics are potential alternatives for colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment via glucose consumption and accumulation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Given that H2O2 can be eliminated by cytoprotective autophagy, autophagy inhibitors that can interrupt autolysosome-induced H2O2 elimination are promising combination drugs of GOx. Here, we developed a multifunctional biomimetic nanocarrier for effective co-delivery of an autophagy inhibitor-chloroquine phosphate (CQP) and GOx to exert their synergistic effect by irreversibly upregulating intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Poly (D, l-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) were used to encapsulate both GOx and CQP using a W/O/W multi-emulsion method. Calcium phosphate (CaP) was used to "fix" CQP to GOx in the internal water phase, where it served as a pH-sensitive unit to facilitate intracellular drug release. Folic acid-modified red blood cell membranes (FR) were used to camouflage the GOx/CQP/CaP encapsulated PLGA NPs (referred to as PLGA/GCC@FR). In an AOM/DSS-induced CRC mouse model, PLGA/GCC@FR exhibited improved antitumor effects, in which the number of tumor nodes were only a quarter of that in the free drug combination group. The enhanced therapeutic effects of PLGA/GCC@FR were attributed to the prolonged tumor retention which was verified by both dynamic in vivo imaging and drug biodistribution. This multifunctional biomimetic nanocarrier facilitated combined enzyme therapeutics by depleting glucose and augmenting intracellular ROS levels in tumor cells, which exerted a synergistic inhibitory effect on tumor growth. Therefore, this study proposed a novel strategy for the enhancement of combined enzyme therapeutics, which provided a promising method for effective CRC treatment.

Metabolites-Based Network Pharmacology to Preliminarily Verify In Vitro Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Ardisiacrispin B.

Ardisiae Crenatae Radix is an ethnic medicinal herb with good anti-inflammatory activity. Ardisiacrispin B is one of the main components in Ardisiae Crenatae Radix extract, with a content of up to 16.27%, and it may be one of the pharmacological components through which Ardisiae Crenatae Radix exerts anti-inflammatory activity. At present, reports on ardisiacrispin B mainly focus on anti-tumor effects, and there have been no reports on anti-inflammatory activities. As a triterpenoid saponin, due to its large molecular weight and complex structure, the composition of substances that function in the body may include other forms after metabolism, in addition to compounds with original structures. Exploring the anti-inflammatory effects on the prototypes and metabolites of the compound may provide a more comprehensive response to the characteristics of ardisiacrispin B's anti-inflammatory action. In this study, ardisiacrispin B was analyzed for metabolites to explore its metabolic processes in vivo. Subsequently, the anti-inflammatory effects of the prototypes and metabolites were further analyzed through network pharmacology, with the expectation of discovering the signaling metabolic pathways through which they may act. Finally, the anti-inflammatory effects of ardisiacrispin B in vitro and the effects on key signaling pathways at the protein level were explored. The results of this study showed that the isolated compounds were confirmed to be ardisiacrispin B. After the metabolite analysis, a total of 26 metabolites were analyzed, and the metabolism process in rats mainly involves oxidation, dehydration, glucuronide conjugation, and others. Speculation as to the anti-inflammatory molecular mechanisms of the prototypes and metabolites of ardisiacrispin B revealed that it may exert its anti-inflammatory effects mainly by affecting the PI3K-AKT pathway. Further anti-inflammatory mechanisms demonstrated that ardisiacrispin B had a good anti-inflammatory effect on LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells and a strong inhibitory effect on NO, TNF-α, and IL-1ß release in cells. Furthermore, it had significant inhibitory effects on the expression of PI3K, P-PI3K, AKT, and P-AKT. This study supplements the gaps in the knowledge on the in vivo metabolic process of ardisiacrispin B and explores its anti-inflammatory mechanism, providing an experimental basis for the development and utilization of pentacyclic triterpenoids.

[Determination of plasma protein binding rate of Shuganning Injection using equilibrium dialysis and UPLC-MS/MS].

Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) compound preparations have complex compositions. As a widely used TCM injection, Shuganning Injection, its in vivo processes are not yet fully understood. Determining the plasma protein binding rate is of great significance for pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies. In this experiment, the equilibrium dialysis method combined with UPLC-MS/MS technology was used to determine the plasma protein binding rates of 10 components, including p-hydroxyacetophenone, caffeic acid, baicalein, oroxylin A, geniposide, baicalin, cynaroside, oroxylin A-7-O-ß-D-glucuronide, scutellarin, and hyperoside, in Shuganning Injection in rat and human plasma to provide a theoretical basis for further elucidating the in vivo processes of Shuganning Injection and guiding clinical medication. The results showed that, except for baicalein and geniposide, the plasma protein binding rates of the other eight components were higher in human plasma than in rat plasma, and there were interspecies differences. In human plasma, except for geniposide, caffeic acid, and baicalin, the plasma protein binding rates of the remaining seven components were above 80%, with baicalein and oroxylin A exceeding 90%. All components exhibit a high level of binding to plasma proteins, with the exception of geniposide.

Targeted treatment of atherosclerosis with protein-polysaccharide nanoemulsion co-loaded with photosensitiser and upconversion nanoparticles.

Macrophages are the most abundant cell group in atherosclerosis (AS) lesions and play a vital role in all stages of AS progression. Recent research has shown that reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation from photodynamic therapy (PDT) induces macrophage autophagy to improve abnormal lipid metabolism and inflammatory environment. Especially in macrophage-derived foam cells, which has become a potential strategy for the treatment of AS. In this study, we prepared the conjugate (DB) of dextran (DEX) and bovine serum albumin (BSA). The DB was used as the emulsifier to prepare nanoemulsion loaded with upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) and chlorin e6 (Ce6) (UCNPs-Ce6@DB). The DEX modified on the surface of the nanoemulsion can recognise and bind to the scavenger receptor class A (SR-A) highly expressed on macrophages and promote the uptake of macrophage-derived foam cells in AS plates through SR-A-mediated endocytosis. In addition, UCNPs-Ce6@DB-mediated PDT enhanced ROS generation and induced autophagy in macrophage-derived foam cells, enhanced the expression of ABCA1, a protein closely related to cholesterol efflux, and inhibited the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Ultimately, UCNPs-Ce6@DB was shown to inhibit plaque formation in mouse models of AS. In conclusion, UCNPs-Ce6@DB offers a promising treatment for AS.

Pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of four major bioactive components of Cynanchum auriculatum extract: a UPLC-MS/MS study in normal and functional dyspepsia rats.

Introduction: Cynanchum auriculatum (CA) is usually used to treat digestive disorders, such as anorexia, enteritis, dysentery, and indigestion. Functional dyspepsia (FD) is characterized by a group of symptoms associated with the gastroduodenal region. Recent pharmacological studies have demonstrated the efficacy of CA for treating FD. However, the pharmacokinetics (PK) and tissue distribution of CA in physiological and FD states is still unclear. The present study aimed to clarify the differences in PK parameters and tissue distribution of the four major active components of CA (baishouwu benzophenone, deacylmet-aplexigenin, qingyangshengenin, and syringic acid) under both physiological and FD states. Methods: For this, normal and FD rats were orally administered 10 mg/kg CA extract. Then, plasma and tissue (heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney, brain, stomach, and small intestine) samples were obtained. The four active components of CA in rat plasma and tissues were quantified by developing and validating a fast and reliable ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method. Results: The area under the plasma concentration-time curve from time zero to time t (AUC0-t) of baishouwu benzophenone was significantly lower in the FD group than in the normal group (p < 0.01). The FD group had significantly lower (p < 0.001) apparent volume of distribution and plasma clearance of qing-yangshengenin and significantly higher (p < 0.05) AUC0-t of deacylmetaplexigenin and qingyangshengenin. The four active components were rapidly distributed into various tissues, and the main target organs of CA activity were the stomach and small intestine. In addition, baishouwu benzophenone, deacylmetaplexigenin, and qingyangshengenin could cross the blood-brain barrier, indicating that the brain may be another target organ in the treatment of FD. Discussion: These results indicate that the pathological state of FD alters the PK behavior and tissue distribution characteristics of baishouwu benzophenone, deacylmetaplexigenin, qingyangshengenin, and syringic acid in the CA extract, providing an experimental basis for the role of CA in FD treatment.

Anti-Rheumatoid Arthritis Pharmacodynamic Substances Screening of Periploca forrestii Schltr.: Component Analyses In Vitro and In Vivo Combined with Multi-Technical Metabolomics.

The purpose of this study was to elucidate the metabolic action patterns of P. forrestii against rheumatoid arthritis (RA) using metabolomics, and to obtain its potential effective substances for treating RA. First, the therapeutic effects of P. forrestii against RA were confirmed; second, the chemical composition of P. forrestii was analyzed, and 17 prototypes were absorbed into blood; subsequently, plasma metabolomics studies using UPLC-Triple-TOF-MS/MS and GC-MS were performed to disclose the metabolomics alterations in groups, which revealed 38 altered metabolites after drug intervention. These metabolites were all associated with the arthritis pathophysiology process (-log(p) > 1.6). Among them, sorted by variable important in projection (VIP), the metabolites affected (VIP ≥ 1.72) belonged to lipid metabolites. Finally, Pearson's analysis between endogenous metabolites and exogenous compounds was conducted to obtain potential pharmacological substances for the P. forrestii treatment of RA, which showed a high correlation between five blood-absorbed components and P. forrestii-regulated metabolites. This information provides a basis for the selection of metabolic action modes for P. forrestii clinical application dosage, and potential pharmacological substances that exerted anti-RA effects of P. forrestii were discovered. The study provided an experimental basis for further research on pharmacoequivalence, molecular mechanism validation, and even the development of new dosage forms in the future.

Systematic thermal analysis of the Arabidopsis proteome: Thermal tolerance, organization, and evolution.

Understanding the thermal stability of the plant proteome in the context of the native cellular environment would aid the design of crops with high thermal tolerance, but only limited such data are available. Here, we applied quantitative mass spectrometry to profile the thermal stability of the Arabidopsis proteome and identify thermo-sensitive and thermo-resilient protein networks in Arabidopsis, providing a basis for understanding heat-induced damage. We also show that the similarities of the protein-melting curves can be used as a proxy to evaluate system-wide protein-protein interactions in non-engineered plants and enable the identification of transient interactions exhibited by metabolons in the context of the cellular environment. Finally, we report a systematic comparison of the thermal stability of paralogs in Arabidopsis to aid the investigation and understanding of gene duplication and protein evolution. Taken together, our results could have broad implications for the fields of plant thermal tolerance, plant protein assemblies, and evolution.

Biancaea decapetala (Roth) O.Deg. extract exerts an anti-inflammatory effect by regulating the TNF/Akt/NF-κB pathway.

BACKGROUND: Biancaea decapetala (Roth) O.Deg. (Fabaceae) is used to treat colds, fever, and rheumatic pain caused by inflammation. However, the mechanism underlying its anti-inflammatory properties remains unclear. PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of Biancaea decapetala extract (BDE) in vitro and in vivo and explore the possible underlying mechanism and potential targets. METHODS: The release of nitric oxide (NO) and inflammatory cytokines in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells and rats were measured using Griess reagent and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining was employed to examine the pathology of animal tissues. Transcriptome analysis was performed to screen the pathways related to BDE-mediated inhibition of inflammation, and the expression of related proteins was measured using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), western blotting, ELISA, and immunofluorescence methods. Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) and the Drug Affinity Reaction Target Stability (DARTS) method were used to verify whether BDE binds to TNF-α target protein, while a L929 cell model and NF-κB gene reporter systematic method were used to investigate the inhibitory effect of BDE on the activity of TNF-α protein. RESULTS: BDE inhibited the expression of TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6, and NO in RAW264.7 cells and rats, and improved the pathological changes in lung tissue. RNA-seq showed that BDE may regulate the TNF/Akt/NF-κB pathway to inhibit inflammation onset. BDE significantly downregulated the mRNA expression of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1ß, and that of relevant proteins, including TNF-α, p-p65, p-Akt, p-IκBα. Furthermore, BDE inhibited the nuclear translocation of NF-κB (p65) and the activation of the Akt pathway by SC79. The L929 cell model, luciferase reporter gene analysis, DARTS, and SPR experiments showed that BDE may bind to TNF-α and inhibit the TNF-α-NF-κB pathway. CONCLUSION: BDE may target TNF-α to inhibit the TNF/Akt/NF-κB pathway, thereby attenuating inflammation. These findings reveal the anti-inflammatory effects and mechanisms of BDE and provide a theoretical basis for the further development and utilization of BDE.

ETCM v2.0: An update with comprehensive resource and rich annotations for traditional Chinese medicine.

Existing traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)-related databases are still insufficient in data standardization, integrity and precision, and need to be updated urgently. Herein, an Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicine version 2.0 (ETCM v2.0, http://www.tcmip.cn/ETCM2/front/#/) was constructed as the latest curated database hosting 48,442 TCM formulas recorded by ancient Chinese medical books, 9872 Chinese patent drugs, 2079 Chinese medicinal materials and 38,298 ingredients. To facilitate the mechanistic research and new drug discovery, we improved the target identification method based on a two-dimensional ligand similarity search module, which provides the confirmed and/or potential targets of each ingredient, as well as their binding activities. Importantly, five TCM formulas/Chinese patent drugs/herbs/ingredients with the highest Jaccard similarity scores to the submitted drugs are offered in ETCM v2.0, which may be of significance to identify prescriptions/herbs/ingredients with similar clinical efficacy, to summarize the rules of prescription use, and to find alternative drugs for endangered Chinese medicinal materials. Moreover, ETCM v2.0 provides an enhanced JavaScript-based network visualization tool for creating, modifying and exploring multi-scale biological networks. ETCM v2.0 may be a major data warehouse for the quality marker identification of TCMs, the TCM-derived drug discovery and repurposing, and the pharmacological mechanism investigation of TCMs against various human diseases.

Urinary Tract Infections Caused by Uropathogenic Escherichia coli: Mechanisms of Infection and Treatment Options.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common bacterial infections that represent a severe public health problem. They are often caused by Escherichia coli (E. coli), Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumonia), Proteus mirabilis (P. mirabilis), Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis), and Staphylococcus saprophyticus (S. saprophyticus). Among these, uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) are the most common causative agent in both uncomplicated and complicated UTIs. The adaptive evolution of UPEC has been observed in several ways, including changes in colonization, attachment, invasion, and intracellular replication to invade the urothelium and survive intracellularly. While antibiotic therapy has historically been very successful in controlling UTIs, high recurrence rates and increasing antimicrobial resistance among uropathogens threaten to greatly reduce the efficacy of these treatments. Furthermore, the gradual global emergence of multidrug-resistant UPEC has highlighted the need to further explore its pathogenesis and seek alternative therapeutic and preventative strategies. Therefore, a thorough understanding of the clinical status and pathogenesis of UTIs and the advantages and disadvantages of antibiotics as a conventional treatment option could spark a surge in the search for alternative treatment options, especially vaccines and medicinal plants. Such options targeting multiple pathogenic mechanisms of UPEC are expected to be a focus of UTI management in the future to help combat antibiotic resistance.

Fabrication of a protein-dextran conjugates formed oral nanoemulsion and its application to deliver the essential oil from Alpinia zerumbet Fructus.

The injury of vascular endothelial cells caused by high glucose (HG) is one of the driving factors of vascular complications of diabetes. Oral administration is the most common route of administration for the treatment of diabetes and its vascular complications. Essential oil extracts from Chinese medicine possess potential therapeutic effects on vascular endothelial injury. However, low solubility and volatility of essential oils generally result in poor oral absorption. Development of nanocarriers for essential oils is a promising strategy to overcome the physiological barriers of oral absorption. In this study, a nanoemulsion composed of bovine serum albumin (BSA)-dextran sulfate (DS) conjugate and sodium deoxycholate (SD) was constructed. The nanoemulsions were verified with promoted oral absorption and prolonged circulation time. After the primary evaluation of the nanoemulsion, essential oil from Alpinia zerumbet Fructus (EOFAZ)-loaded nanoemulsion (denoted as EOFAZ@BD5/S) was prepared and characterized. Compared to the free EOFAZ, EOFAZ@BD5/S increased the protective effects on HG-induced HUVEC injury in vitro and ameliorative effects on the vascular endothelium disorder and tunica media fibroelastosis in a T2DM mouse model. Collectively, this study provides a nanoemulsion for the oral delivery of essential oils, which holds strong promise in the treatment of diabetes-induced vascular endothelial injury.

[Content determination of seven active components of Eucommiae Cortex in aortic vascular endothelial cells of spontaneously hypertensive rats by UPLC-MS/MS].

In the present study, the contents of seven active components [genipinic acid(GA), protocatechuic acid(PCA), neochlorogenic acid(NCA), chlorogenic acid(CA), cryptochlorogenic acid(CCA),(+)-pinoresinol di-O-ß-D-glucopyranosid(PDG), and(+)-pinoresinol 4'-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside(PG)] of Eucommiae Cortex in aortic vascular endothelial cells of spontaneously hypertensive rats(SHR) were simultaneously determined by ultra-high liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS/MS). The qualified SHR models were selected. The primary aortic endothelial cells(VECs) of rats were separated and cultured by ligation and adherence, followed by subculture. After successful identification, an UPLC-MS/MS method for simultaneously determining the contents of GA, PCA, NCA, CA, CCA, PDG, PG in seven components of Eucommiae Cortex in VECs was established, including specificity, linearity, matrix effect, recovery, accuracy, precision and stability. The established method had the lo-west limit of quantification of 0.97-4.95 µg·L~(-1), accuracy of 87.26%-109.6%, extraction recovery of 89.23%-105.3%, matrix effect of 85.86%-106.2%, and stability of 86.00%-112.5%. Therefore, the established accurate UPLC-MS/MS method could rapidly and simultaneously determine the contents of the seven active components of Eucommiae Cortex in VECs of SHRs, which provided a refe-rence for the study of cellular pharmacokinetics of active components of Eucommiae Cortex extract.

Dual-targeting of artesunate and chloroquine to tumor cells and tumor-associated macrophages by a biomimetic PLGA nanoparticle for colorectal cancer treatment.

The regimens on colorectal cancer (CRC) are clinically limited due to the ignorance of tumor-supportive microenvironments. To combine the therapeutic effects on both tumor cells growth and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironments (TME), we propose the artesunate (AS) and chloroquine (CQ) combination and develop a poly (d,l-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA)-based biomimetic nanoparticle for dual-targeting delivery of the drug combination. Hydroxymethyl phenylboronic acid conjugated PLGA (HPA) is synthesized to form a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-sensitive core of biomimetic nanoparticles. A mannose-modified erythrocyte membrane (Man-EM) obtained by a novel surface modification method is cloaked on the AS and CQ-loaded HPA core to receive a biomimetic nanoparticle-HPA/AS/CQ@Man-EM. It holds a strong promise in inhibiting the proliferation of CRC tumor cells and reversing the phenotypes of TAMs via targeting both tumor cells and M2-like tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Verifying in an orthotopic CRC mouse model, the biomimetic nanoparticles showed improved accumulation at tumor tissues and effectively suppressed the tumor growth via both inhibition of tumor cell growth and repolarization of TAMs. Notably, unbalanced distribution to the tumor cells and TAMs is the key to realize the remarkable anti-tumor effects. This work proposed an effective biomimetic nanocarrier for the CRC treatment.

Comparison of Surface Morphology and Tool Wear in the Machining of Ti-6Al-4V Alloys with Uncoated and TiAlN Tools under Dry, Minimum Quantity Lubrication, Flood Cooling, and Low-Temperature Spray Jet Cooling Conditions.

TiAlN-coated carbide tools have been used to machine Ti-6Al-4V alloys in aviation workshops. However, the effect of TiAlN coating on surface morphology and tool wear in the processing of Ti-6Al-4V alloys under various cooling conditions has not been reported in the public published literature. In our current research, turning experiments of Ti-6Al-4V with uncoated and TiAlN tools under dry, MQL, flood cooling, and cryogenic spray jet cooling conditions were carried out. The machined surface roughness and tool life were selected as the two main quantitative indexes for estimating the effects of TiAlN coating on the cutting performance of Ti-6Al-4V under various cooling conditions. The results showed that TiAlN coating makes it hard to improve the machined surface roughness and tool wear of a cutting titanium alloy at a low speed of 75 m/min compared to that achieved by uncoated tools. The TiAlN tools presented excellent tool life in turning Ti-6Al-4V at a high speed of 150 m/min compared to that achieved by uncoated tools. From the perspective of obtaining finished surface roughness and superior tool life in high-speed turning Ti-6Al-4V, the selection of TiAlN tools is feasible and reasonable under the cryogenic spray jet cooling condition. The dedicative results and conclusions of this research could guide the optimized selection of cutting tools in machining Ti-6Al-4V for the aviation industry.

Fabrication of a Polysaccharide-Protein/Protein Complex Stabilized Oral Nanoemulsion to Facilitate the Therapeutic Effects of 1,8-Cineole on Atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis (AS) is a systemic disease characterized by lipid deposition in the blood vessel wall that urgently requires effective and safe therapeutic drugs for long-term treatment. An essential oil monomer-1,8-cineole (CIN) with ameliorative effects on vascular injuries has considerable potential for preventing the progression of AS because of its antioxidant, anti-inflammation, and cholesterol regulatory effects. However, the high volatility and instability of CIN result in low oral bioavailability and a short half-life, thereby limiting its clinical application. We formulated a nanoemulsion using a polysaccharide-protein/protein complex (dextran-bovine serum albumin/protamine, DEX5k-BSA/PTM) as an emulsifier, with vitamin B12 (VB12) as the ligand to facilitate the transportation across the small intestine. An emulsion preparation method using a microjet followed by ultraviolet irradiation was developed to obtain the CIN-loaded oral nanoemulsion CIN@DEX5k-BSA/PTM/VB12. The nanoemulsion improved the stability of CIN both in vitro and in vivo, prolonged the retention time in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), and enhanced the permeability across the mucus layer and intestinal epithelial cells to increase oral bioavailability and plaque accumulation of CIN. Validated in an AS mouse model, CIN@DEX5k-BSA/PTM/VB12 achieved prominent therapeutic efficacy combating AS. This study highlights the advantages of DEX5k-BSA/PTM and VB12 in the development of nanoemulsions for CIN and provides a promising oral nanoplatform for the delivery of essential oils.

[Simultaneous determination of eleven volatile components in Cinnamomi Oleum by GC-MS].

A gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry(GC-MS) method was established for the simultaneous determination of eleven volatile components in Cinnamomi Oleum and the chemical pattern recognition was utilized to evaluate the quality of essential oil obtained from Cinnamomi Fructus medicinal materials in various habitats. The Cinnamomi Fructus medicinal materials were treated by water distillation, analyzed using GC-MS, and detected by selective ion monitoring(SIM), and the internal standards were used for quantification. The content results of Cinnamomi Oleum from various batches were analyzed by hierarchical clustering analysis(HCA), principal component analysis(PCA), and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) for the statistic analysis. Eleven components showed good linear relationships within their respective concentration ranges(R~2>0.999 7), with average recoveries of 92.41%-102.1% and RSD of 1.2%-3.2%(n=6). The samples were classified into three categories by HCA and PCA, and 2-nonanone was screened as a marker of variability between batches in combination with OPLS-DA. This method is specific, sensitive, simple, and accurate, and the screened components can be utilized as a basis for the quality control of Cinnamomi Oleum.