Rehmanniae Radix and Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata improve diabetes induced by high-fat diet coupled with streptozotocin in mice through AMPK-mediated NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway / 中国中药杂志

This study investigated the differential mechanisms of Rehmanniae Radix and Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata in improving diabetes in mice through AMPK-mediated NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway. The diabetic mouse model was established with high-fat diet coupled with streptozotocin(STZ, intraperitoneal injection, 100 mg·kg~(-1), once a day for three consecutive days), after which the mice were randomly divided into model group, low-dose(5 g·kg~(-1)) and high-dose(15 g·kg~(-1)) Rehmanniae Radix groups, low-dose(5 g·kg~(-1)) and high-dose(15 g·kg~(-1)) Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata groups, catalpol group(250 mg·kg~(-1)), 5-hydroxymethylfurfural(5-HMF) group(250 mg·kg~(-1)), metformin group(250 mg·kg~(-1)), with the normal group also set. The organ indexes of heart,liver, spleen, lung, kidney and pancreas were calculated after four weeks of administration. The pathological changes and fibrosis of pancreas, kidney and liver in mice were observed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining and Masson staining. Western blot was used to determine the expression levels of Toll-like receptor-4(TLR4), nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB), Nod-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3),interleukin-1β(IL-1β), adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase(AMPK), phosphorylated AMPK(p-AMPK) in the pancreas, kidney and liver of mice. Compared with the model group, the administration groups witnessed significant decrease in the liver,spleen, kidney, pancreas and fat indexes of diabetic mice, and there was no significant difference in heart and lung indexes. The pathological states and fibrosis of pancreatic, kidney and liver tissues were significantly improved after administration. Additionally, the expression levels of TLR4, NF-κB and NLRP3 in pancreas, kidney and liver of diabetic mice were significantly lowered. The expression levels of p-AMPK/AMPK were enhanced significantly in kidney and liver of mice in Rehmanniae Radix group while in pancreas, kidney and liver in Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata group. This suggests that Rehmanniae Radix and Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata differ in the mechanism of regulating energy metabolism of multiple organs and thereby exerting anti-inflammatory effects to alleviate symptoms of diabetic mice.

Analysis of Mechanism of Phytolaccae Radix and Its Processed Products on Doxorubicin-induced Nephropathy in Rats / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective: To compare the protective effect of Phytolaccae Radix and its processed products on nephropathy induced by doxorubicin (DOX) in rats, and explore its mechanism. Method: A rat model of nephropathy was established by a single tail intravenous injection of DOX hydrochloride. Content of esculentoside A (EsA) in Phytolaccae Radix and its processed products was determined by HPLC-ELSD. Contents of serum total protein (TP), albumin (Alb), urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (SCr), total cholesterol (TC) and urine protein (UP) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The mRNA and protein expression of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) in renal tissue of rats was examined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR) and immunohistochemistry. Result: A single intravenous injection of DOX could induce a severe nephrotic syndrome associated with decreased serum TP, Alb and elevated serum BUN, SCr, TC, and a high urinary excretion of protein (Pβ in renal tissue of model group rats was significantly higher than that of blank group (PPPConclusion: Phytolaccae Radix and its processed products can improve the symptoms of DOX nephropathy model rats in different degrees, among which the vinegar prepared products have the strongest effect, and this effect may be related to the reduction of TGF-β expression in renal tissue.

Processing of calamine with modern analytical techniques: Processed with Huanglian Decoction () and Sanhuang Decoction () / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To determine the pyrolysis characteristics of calcined and processed calamine, qualitatively and quantitatively compare the contents of related elements, morphology and functional groups of the pyrolysis products dried at different heating temperatures and explore the critical temperature and the optimal drying temperature for the process of calamine with Huanglian Decoction (HLD, ) and San Huang Decoction (SHD, ).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Pyrolysis products were prepared by programmable and constantly heating the calcined and processed calamine to or at different heating temperatures. Thermogravimetry (TG) was used to test their pyrolysis characteristics. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopeenergy dispersive spectrometer were used to determine their morphology, functional groups and element contents. Page model was used to investigate the constant drying kinetics of processed calamine.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The adding of HLD or SHD to calcined calamine (CC) can slow its weight loss in drying pyrolysis process. The temperature ranges where HLD and SHD can affect its weight loss were 65-150 °C and 74-180 °C, respectively. The drying temperature was optimized as 90 °C. The drying kinetic for the processed calamine fits Page model shows good linearity.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Conclusions: The critical temperature and the optimal drying temperature where HLD and SHD can affect the weight loss rate in the process of calamine were explored using the theories and methods of both biophysical chemistry and processing of Chinese materia medica. This work provides a good example for the study of the process of other Chinese medicines using modern analytical techniques.</p>

Pyrolysis characteristics of radix rhizoma rhei, cortex moudan radicis, and radix sanguisorbae and correlations with the carbonizing process of Chinese herbs / 中国天然药物

AIM@#The aim of the work is to study the pyrolysis characteristics of radix rhizoma rhei, cortex moudan radicis, and radix sanguisorbae in an inert atmosphere of argon (Ar), and to investigate the mechanism of the carbonizing process of the three traditional Chinese herbs.@*METHODS@#The pyrolysis characteristics of the crude materials and their extracts were studied by thermogravimetry-mass spectrometry (TG-MS) in a carrier gas of argon, coupled with Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) methods. Correlation of the pyrolysis behaviors with the carbonizing process by stir-frying of traditional Chinese medicines was made.@*RESULTS@#Within the temperature range of 200-300 °C, which is the testing range for the study of the carbonizing process of Chinese herbs, the temperatures indicated by the maximum weight loss rate peak of the above three extracts were taken as the upper-limit temperatures of the carbonizing process of the herbs, and which were 200, 240 and 247 °C for radix rhizoma rhei, cortex moudan radicis, and radix Sanguisorbae, respectively. The ion monitoring signal peaks detected by the TG-MS method corresponded with reports that the level of chemical components of traditional Chinese medicinal materials would decrease after the carbonizing process. It was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) methods that better results of "medicinal property preservation" could be obtained by heating at 200 °C for radix rhizoma rhei, at about 250 °C for cortex moudan radicis, and radix sanguisorbae, as the relative intensity values of the common peaks were among the middle of their three carbonized samples by programmed heating.@*CONCLUSION@#The upper-limit temperatures of the carbonizing process for radix rhizoma rhei, cortex moudan radicis and radix sanguisorbae were 200, 240 and 247 °C respectively. It is feasible to research the mechanism and technology of the carbonizing process of traditional Chinese medicinal materials using thermogravimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, and scanning electron microscopy methods.

Study on thermoanalysis-based calamina processing / 中国中药杂志

Thermogravimetry (TG), TG-MS, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM)-energy dispersive spectrometer(EDS) were adopted to investigate the pyrolysis characteristics of calamina. According to the findings of the qualitative and quantitative studies on the changes in the content of relevant elements, the whole shape, the functional groups, and the volatile components of calamina before and after being pyrolyzed, the 200-360, 580-750 degrees C were two sensitive temperature ranges related to the changes in effective component during calamina processing. Thermal weight loss was observed for ZnCO3, Zn(OH)2 and ZnCO3-2Zn(OH)2-H2O under 200-360 degrees C and for CaCO3 under 580-750 degrees C. The results of studies on chemical reaction kinetics showed good linear relations. This experiment integrated relevant methods and theories of physical chemistry and science of traditional Chinese medicine processing, and interpretes calamina processing techniques and mechanism, in order to provide a good example for modem studies on other traditional Chinese medicine processing.