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Eucommia ulmoides, a plant belonging to Eucommiaceae, has a history of medical use for over two thousand years in China. The dried bark and leaves of this plant are usually used as medicinal materials. Due to the high safety in clinical application, E. ulmoides leaves were officially recognized for both medicinal and edible use by the food safety evaluation in 2019, providing a valuable resource for the development of food and health products. According to the traditional Chinese medicine theory, E. ulmoides has the effects of nourishing the liver and kidneys, strengthening sinews and bones, and calming fetus. Modern research has shown that different parts such as the bark, leaves, flowers, and seeds of E. ulmoides contain similar chemical components, including phenylpropanoids, terpenoids, flavonoids, phenolic acids, steroids, and polysaccharides. E. ulmoides exhibits diverse pharmacological activities such as lowering blood pressure and blood lipid and glucose levels, preventing osteoporosis and possesses anti-tumor, anti-bacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and hepatoprotective effects. Therefore, it holds great potential for the development of products with both medicinal and edible values. This review systematically summarizes the chemical constituents, pharmacological activities, and representative medicinal and edible products of different parts of E. ulmoides. It is expected to provide theoretical references for the clinical application of E. ulmoides and its active components and the development and utilization of the products with both medicinal and edible values. This review contributes to a deeper understanding of the medicinal properties of E. ulmoides and provides guidance for further exploration of its applications in the healthcare field. As a plant with both medicinal and edible values, E. ulmoides is expected to attract more attention in future research and contribute to human health.
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[Objective]To explore the intervention effect of β-sitosterol,an effective monomer component of Eucommia ulmoides,on postmenopausal osteoporosis in mice and its potential mechanism.[Methods]Twenty-four female C57BL/6J mice of 12 weeks old were randomly divided into sham operation group,model group and β-sitosterol intervention group,with 8 mice in each group.The model of postmenopausal osteoporosis was established by bilateral ovariectomy.Mice in sham group and model group were given 0.9%sodium chloride solution and β-sitosterol intervention group was given β-sitosterol.Eight weeks after operation,all the mice were sacrificed and samples were collected.Micro-computed tomography(Micro-CT)was used to observe the protective effect of the β-sitosterol intervention on postmenopausal bone loss and trabecular bone breakage.Hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining was used to analyze the bone histomorphology of the distal femur.The tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase(TRAP)staining and the alkaline phosphatase(ALP)staining were used to evaluate bone resorption and bone formation respectively.Then the expression level of β-catenin in each group was detected by immunohistochemistry.[Results]Micro-CT scanning showed that β-sitosterol could reduce bone loss and bone microstructure destruction in postmenopausal mice.HE staining also confirmed that β-sitosterol could effectively maintain the number and morphology of trabecular bone and inhibit abnormal fat accumulation caused by estrogen deficiency.TRAP staining also showed that β-sitosterol treatment did not affect osteoclast formation,while immunohistochemical results showed that β-sitosterol could significantly promote the expression of osteogenic marker ALP.Moreover,β-sitosterol can increase the expression of β-catenin in the distal femur to promote bone formation.[Conclusion]β-sitosterol treatment could enhance osteogenic differentiation and promote bone formation to relieve postmenopausal osteoporosis by upregulating β-catenin expression in vivo.
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OBJECTIVE To explore the effect mechanism of Eucommia ulmoides on improving postpartum depression in rats. METHODS Pregnant rats were randomly divided into normal group, postpartum depression group, and low-dose and high-dose groups of E. ulmoides (1.34, 2.68 g/kg, calculated by crude drug), with 10 rats in each group. Except for the normal group, the rats in other groups suffered from fear stress to induce postpartum depression model during pregnancy; at the same time of modeling, the administration groups were given relevant medicine intragastrically, while the normal group and postpartum depression group were given physiological saline intragastrically for 21 days. Postpartum behaviors of rats during the experiment were assessed using the open field test, Morris water maze test and sucrose preference test. Additionally, the levels of corticosterone (CORT) in serum, corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) and urocortin (UCN) in hypothalamus, and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) in hypophysis were detected; meanwhile, the protein expressions of CRF receptor 1 (CRFR1), CRFR2, and voltage-dependent anion channel 1 (VDAC1) in hippocampal tissue were measured; the proportions of apoptotic cells and JC-1 high potential cells in hippocampal tissue were determined, and the morphology of hippocampal tissue was observed. RESULTS Compared with postpartum depression group, the high-dose group of E. ulmoides showed improvements in appetite, mental state, and hair color in rats; their body weight had increased; the scores of vertical movement, horizontal movement and self-sorting significantly increased; from the 2ed to 4th day avoidance latency significantly shortened, and the times of crossing the platform and the time of crossing the platform Δ 基金项目国家自然科学基金青年基金项目(No.82204789) significantly increased/prolonged (P<0.05); the ratio of glucose and water consumption significantly increased at 20 days of pregnancy and 30 days postpartum (P<0.05); the levels of CRF, UCN, ACTH and CORT, phagocytic rate, protein expressions of CRFR2 and VDAC1, and the proportion of apoptosis cells in hippocampal tissue were decreased significantly (P<0.05); the proportion of JC-1 high potential cells significantly increased (P<0.05), and the phenomenon of edema around neuronal cells was significantly improved. CONCLUSIONS E. ulmoides can improve postpartum depression by inhibiting excessive activation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, decreasing the expression of CRFR2, thereby inhibiting the expression of VDAC1, and decreasing the apoptosis of neuronal cells.
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OBJECTIVE To explore the effect mechanism of Eucommia ulmoides on improving postpartum depression in rats. METHODS Pregnant rats were randomly divided into normal group, postpartum depression group, and low-dose and high-dose groups of E. ulmoides (1.34, 2.68 g/kg, calculated by crude drug), with 10 rats in each group. Except for the normal group, the rats in other groups suffered from fear stress to induce postpartum depression model during pregnancy; at the same time of modeling, the administration groups were given relevant medicine intragastrically, while the normal group and postpartum depression group were given physiological saline intragastrically for 21 days. Postpartum behaviors of rats during the experiment were assessed using the open field test, Morris water maze test and sucrose preference test. Additionally, the levels of corticosterone (CORT) in serum, corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) and urocortin (UCN) in hypothalamus, and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) in hypophysis were detected; meanwhile, the protein expressions of CRF receptor 1 (CRFR1), CRFR2, and voltage-dependent anion channel 1 (VDAC1) in hippocampal tissue were measured; the proportions of apoptotic cells and JC-1 high potential cells in hippocampal tissue were determined, and the morphology of hippocampal tissue was observed. RESULTS Compared with postpartum depression group, the high-dose group of E. ulmoides showed improvements in appetite, mental state, and hair color in rats; their body weight had increased; the scores of vertical movement, horizontal movement and self-sorting significantly increased; from the 2ed to 4th day avoidance latency significantly shortened, and the times of crossing the platform and the time of crossing the platform Δ 基金项目国家自然科学基金青年基金项目(No.82204789) significantly increased/prolonged (P<0.05); the ratio of glucose and water consumption significantly increased at 20 days of pregnancy and 30 days postpartum (P<0.05); the levels of CRF, UCN, ACTH and CORT, phagocytic rate, protein expressions of CRFR2 and VDAC1, and the proportion of apoptosis cells in hippocampal tissue were decreased significantly (P<0.05); the proportion of JC-1 high potential cells significantly increased (P<0.05), and the phenomenon of edema around neuronal cells was significantly improved. CONCLUSIONS E. ulmoides can improve postpartum depression by inhibiting excessive activation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, decreasing the expression of CRFR2, thereby inhibiting the expression of VDAC1, and decreasing the apoptosis of neuronal cells.
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BACKGROUND:Traditional Chinese medicine compound prescription has a long history in the treatment of primary osteoporosis,and the curative effect is definite,but the medication rule and mechanism are not clear. OBJECTIVE:Using the methodology of data mining and network pharmacology,to explore and verify the law of drug use and molecular mechanism of modern traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of primary osteoporosis. METHODS:The relevant documents included in CNKI,WanFang,VIP and PubMed were used as data sources,and the relevant data were statistically counted and extracted by Microsoft EXCEL2019,IBMSPSS25.0 and other software.The high-frequency drugs obtained from the data statistics were analyzed by association rules analysis and cluster analysis,and the core drug combination of traditional Chinese medicine compound prescription in the treatment of primary osteoporosis was obtained by combining the two results.The therapeutic mechanism of this combination was explained by network pharmacology and verified by molecular docking. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Finally,151 articles were included and 207 prescriptions were selected,involving 285 flavors of Chinese herbs.(1)Ten groups of important drug combinations were obtained through the above two analyses,among which the core drug combination with the highest confidence and improvement was"Drynaria-Eucommia-Angelica."The key components of the combination in the treatment of primary osteoporosis were quercetin,kaempferol,naringenin and so on.The core targets were SRC proto-oncogene,phosphoinositide-3-Kinase regulatory subunit 1 and RELA proto-oncogene.The main pathways were cancer signaling pathway,JAK-STAT signaling pathway,VEGF signaling pathway,and NF-κB signaling pathway.(2)The key active components were docked with the core targets,and the two showed a good combination.To conclude,Chinese herbal compound therapy in the treatment of primary osteoporosis can use a variety of active components to exert its efficacy through multiple signal pathways and acting on multiple targets,which can provide a theoretical basis for the research and development of new drugs for the follow-up treatment of primary osteoporosis.
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This study aims to develop the pre-column derivatization high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) method for the determination of 16 kinds of amino acids in Eucommia ulmoides leaves, and compare the content of amino acids in the leaves harvested at different time and under leaf-oriented cultivation mode(LCM) and arbor forest mode(AFM). The HPLC conditions are as below: phenyl isothiocyanate(PITC) as pre-column derivatization agent, Agilent ZORBAX C_(18 )column(4.6 mm×250 mm, 5 μm), mobile phase A of acetonitrile-water(80∶20), mobile phase B of 0.1 mol·L~(-1) sodium acetate solution-acetonitrile(94∶6), gradient elution, flow rate of 1.0 mL·min~(-1), injection volume of 5 μL, column temperature of 40 ℃, and detection wavelength of 254 nm. The HPLC profile indicated well separation of 16 kinds of amino acids and the amino acid content in E. ulmoides leaves was up to 16.26%. In addition, the amino acid content in leaves of E. ulmoides under LCM was higher than under AFM. The amino acid content varied with the harvesting time. Through orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis, the amino acids of E. ulmoides under LCM and AFM were compared, which can distinguish the leaves under LCM from those under AFM. Principal component analysis was applied to comprehensively score the amino acids of E. ulmoides leaves. The results showed that the score of leaves under LCM was higher than that under AFM. Nutritional evaluation results indicated that the proteins in E. ulmoides leaves belonged to high-quality vegetable proteins. The established method for the determination of amino acid content is reliable. With the amino acid content as index, the leaf quality of E. ulmoides under LCM is better than that under AFM. This study lays a theoretical basis for the promotion of LCM for E. ulmoides and the development of medicinal and edible products from E. ulmoides leaves.
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Amino Acids/metabolism , Eucommiaceae/chemistry , Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods , Plant Leaves/chemistryABSTRACT
To study the effects of different drying methods on the quality of male flowers of Eucommia ulmoides(MFOEU), we treated fresh MFOEU samples with drying in the shade(DS), vacuum freeze drying(VFD), high-or low-temperature hot air drying(HTHAD, LTHAD), microwave drying(MD), and vacuum drying(VD), respectively. The color, total flavonoid content, total polysaccharide content, and main active components such as geniposide, geniposidic acid, rutin, chlorogenic acid, galuteolin, pinoresinol diglucoside, and aucubin in MFOEU were taken as the evaluation indicators. The quality of MFOEU was comprehensively evaluated by entropy weight method combined with color index method, partial least squares discriminant analysis and content clustering heat map. The experimental results showed that VFD and DS basically kept the original color of MFOEU. The MFOEU treated with MD had higher content of total polysaccharides, phenylpropanoids, lignans, and iridoids. The MFOEU treated with LTHAD had higher content of total flavonoids and that treated with VD had lower content of active components. According to the results of comprehensive evaluation, the quality of MFOEU dried with different methods followed the order of MD>HTHAD>VFD>LTHAD>DS>VD. Considering the color of MFOEU, the suitable drying methods were DS and VFD. Considering the color, active components, and economic benefits of MFOEU, MD was the suitable drying method. The results of this study are of a reference value for the determination of suitable methods for MFOEU processing in the producing areas.
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Eucommiaceae/chemistry , Flowers/chemistry , Flavonoids/analysis , Rutin/analysis , Chlorogenic Acid/analysisABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#The compatibility of Eucommia ulmoides (Eu) and Psoralea corylifolia (Pc) on the pharmacokinetic (PK) properties in the rat was explored in this study.@*METHODS@#Eu extract, Pc extract and the combined extracts (crude drug ratio was 2:1) was administered by gavage, respectively. Two PK experiments were conducted. In first one, the blood samples were collected via the occuli chorioideae vein to get the PK properties of the components. In second one, the blood samples were simultaneously collected via the internal jugular vein or portal vein at different time points and the concentrations of target ingredients were detected by LC/MS/MS to clear the location where the interaction of Eu and Pc took place in vivo.@*RESULTS@#Eight of 11 ingredients in Eu and Pc extract were determined in rat plasma. The exposure levels of geniposidic acid (GPA), aucubin (AU), geniposide (GP), pinoresinol diglucoside (PDG), psoralen glycosides (PLG) and isopsoralen glycosides (IPLG) were decreased 1/5-2/3 after administration of combined extracts. Comparing to the combined administration, the exposure of GPA and AU in plasma of single Eu administration collected via the portal vein were decreased 1/3-2/3, and the values of AUC0-24h and AUC0-∞ of GP collected from the portal vein or internal jugular vein were double increased. The other components' parameters were not significantly changed.@*CONCLUSION@#In summary, the Pc and Eu combined administration could affect the exposure of the main components of Eu extract in rats due to the changed intestinal absorption. The research on the compatibility of Pc and Eu was helpful to guide the clinical administration of Eu and Pc simultaneously.
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Abstract Angiotensin II (AngII) causes endothelial dysfunction. Eucommia ulmoides extract (EUE) is documented to manipulate AngII, but its impact on cardiac microvascular endothelial cell (CMVEC) function remains unknown. This study determines the effects of EUE on AngII-treated CMVECs. CMVECs were treated with different concentrations of AngII or EUE alone and/or the p53 protein activator, WR-1065, before AngII treatment, followed by examinations of the apoptotic, migratory, proliferative, and angiogenic capacities and nitric oxide (NO), p53, von Willebrand factor (vWF), endothelin (ET)-1, endothelial NO synthase (eNOS), manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels. AngII induced CMVEC dysfunction in a concentration-dependent manner. EUE enhanced the proliferative, migratory, and angiogenic capacities and NO, MnSOD, and eNOS levels but repressed apoptosis and vWF and ET-1 levels in AngII-induced dysfunctional CMVECs. Moreover, AngII increased p53 mRNA levels, p-p53 levels in the nucleus, and p53 protein levels in the cytoplasm and diminishes HIF-1α and VEGF levels in CMVECs; however, these effects were counteracted by EUE treatment. Moreover, WR-1065 abrogated the mitigating effects of EUE on AngII-induced CMVEC dysfunction by activating p53 and decreasing HIF-1α and VEGF expression. In conclusion, EUE attenuates AngII-induced CMVEC dysfunction by upregulating HIF-1α and VEGF levels via p53 inactivation
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Eucommiaceae/adverse effects , Plant Extracts/adverse effects , Endothelial Cells/classification , Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/analysisABSTRACT
Aim To investigate anrl further verify the anti-PD activity and underlying mechanism of Eucom¬mia ulmoides and based on network pharmacological methods and zebrafish Parkinson's disease ( PD) mod¬el.Methods The DISGENET database and TCMSP database were used to screen the active components, key targets of Eucommia ulmoides and PD related tar¬gets.The network diagram of active components-tar- gets-PD was drawn.The protein interaction network di¬agram was constnicted.GO enrichment analysis and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were performed.Hie behavioral detection was verified by and quantita¬tive real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) based on zebrafish PD model.Results The network pharmacological study screened the potential targets associated with anti-PD action of Eucommia ulmoides.Protein-protein interac¬tion network ( PPI) analysis showed that there was tight interaction among thees targets.GO and KEGG enrichment analysis showed that Eucommia ulmoides could regulate the levels of PD neurotransmitter and the activity of dopamine neurotransmitter receptor, in¬volved in dopaminergic synapses and other related sig¬naling pathways.In vivo zebrafish PD model experi¬ments confirmed the anti-PD activity of Eucommia ul¬moides, which was related to the regulation of dopam¬inergic nervous system.Conclusions The anti-PD activity, active components, and potential targets of Eucommia ulmoides are revealed in this study.In vivo experiments verified that Eucommia ulmoides can alle¬viate PD-like symptoms in zebrafish, and it also reveals that Eucommia ulmoides exert anti-PD activity by regu¬lating dopaminergic nervous system.
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Aim To research the effect of PDG on bone metabolism in young rats. Methods The experimental rats were randomly divided into contro group, PDG-25 group and PDG-50 group. PDG-25 group and PDG-50 group were given PDG at the dose of 25 mg·kg
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OB JECTIVE To study the anti-inflammatory effect of couplet medicinals of Achyranthes bidentata -Eucommia ulmoides. METHODS Mouse macrophage RAW 264.7 were divided into blank group ,model group ,A. bidentata group(800 μg/mL),E. ulmoides group(800 μg/mL)and low- ,medium- and high- concentration groups of couplet medicinals of A. bidentata - E. ulmoides (400,800,1 600 μg/mL). Excep for blank group and model group ,the other groups were added with corresponding drugs for 6 hours;then blank group was continued to add into the medium ,while model group was added into 10 μg/mL lipopolysaccharide (to induce the inflammatory model );other groups were added into corresponding drugs and 10 μ g/mL lipopolysaccharide. The levels of inflammatory factors [nitric oxide (NO),interleukin-1β(IL-1β),IL-6,tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)] were detected ,and Jin ’s formula was used to evaluate the effects of A. bidentata -E. ulmoides . The expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS),cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2),nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB)and inhibitor α of NF-κB (IκBα)as well as the phosphorylation of NF-κB p65,IκB kinase(IKK),p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)were determined. RESULTS Compared with blank group,the level of inflammatory factors ,protein expression of iNOS and COX- 2 as well as the phosphorylation of NF-κB p65, IKK,p38 MAPK,ERK and JNK were increased significantly (P<0.01),while the protein expression of IκBα was decreased significantly(P<0.01). After intervention of couplet medicinals of A. bidentata -E. ulmoides ,the level of inflammatory factors ,the expression or phosphorylation of above proteins were reversed significantly (P<0.05 or P<0.01),and couplet medicinals of A. bidentata-E. ulmoides had a synergistic effect. CONCLUSIONS The couplet medicinals of A. bidentata -E. ulmoides have synergistic anti-inflammatory effect on RAW 264.7 cells. Its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of NF-κB/MAPK signaling pathway related protein expression.
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OBJECT IVE To study the effects and potential mechanism of saltwater stir-baked Eucommia ulmoides on kidney-yang deficiency in rats. METHODS Ninety SD rats were randomly divided into normal control group (15 rats) and modeling group (75 rats). Modeling group was given adenine intragastrically to establish kidney-yang deficiency model. After modeling,modeling group were randomly divided into model group ,positive control group (Guifu dihuang tablet 2.5 g/kg), low-dose,medium-dose and high-dose groups of saltwater stir-baked E. ulmoides (1.5,3,6 g/kg),with 15 rats in each group. Administration groups were given relevant medicine intragastrically ,normal control group and model group were given normal saline intragastrically ,once a day ,for consecutive 8 weeks. The body weight of rats was measured before modeling and after medication. The score of kidney-yang deficiency syndrome was performed after medication. The levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN),serum creatinine (SCR),testosterone(T)and cortisol (COR)in serum and superoxide dismutase (SOD)activity, malondialdehyde(MDA)level in renal tissue were detected. The pathological changes of renal tissue were observed after HE staining. Relative expressions of hypoxia-inducible factor- 1 α(HIF-1 α)and signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5) mRNA in renal tissue were detected by RT-PCR. The relative expressions of HIF- 1α,STAT5 and phosphorylated STAT 5 (p-STAT5)protein and the ratio of gray values of p-STAT 5 and STAT 5(p-STAT5/STAT5)in renal tissue were detected by Western blot. RESULTS Before modeling ,there was no statistical significance in body weight of rats in each group (P>0.05). After medication, compared with model group , pathological changes of renal tissue were all recovered in saltwater stir-baked E. ulmoides groups and positive control group , while body weight ,the level of T in serum and SOD activity qq.com in renal tissue were all increase d significantly (P<0.05). The scores of kidney-yang deficiency syndrome ,levels of BUN , SCR and COR in serum ,MDA level in renal tissue ,the relative expressions of HIF- 1α and STAT5 mRNA,the relative expressions of HIF- 1α,STAT5 and p-STAT 5 protein as well as p-STAT5/STAT5 were all significantly decre ased (P<0.05). The above effects of saltwater stir-baked E. ulmoides were in dose-dependent manner (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Saltwater stir-baked E. ulmoides can significantly relieve renal tissue damage in rats with kidney-yang deficiency ,decrease the levels of BUN ,SCR and COR in serum ,increase the level of T in serum ,the mechanism of which may be associated with anti-oxidative stress and inhibition of the expression of HIF- 1α and STAT5 protein.
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OBJECTIVE:To comp are the meridian tropism of compatible herbs and compatibility rules of ancient and modern prescriptions containing Eucommia ulmoides ,and to provide theoretical basis for modern clinical application of E. ulmoides . METHODS:Ancient prescriptions containing E. ulmoides were screened from Dictionary of TCM Prescription . The prescriptions containing E. ulmoides were screened from clinical trials which published in CNKI ,Wanfang database and VIP during Jan. 2000 to Jan. 2020. Data mining methods such as frequency statistics and Apriori algorithm were used to analyze the main diseases of ancient and modern prescriptions containing E. ulmoides and the use frequency ,types,meridian tropism and compatibility rules of medical materials. RESULTS :A total of 84 ancient prescriptions and 188 modern prescriptions of E. ulmoides were included. Ancient prescriptions were mainly used to treat diseases such as back pain ,deficiency,threatened abortion. Modern prescriptions were mainly used to treat osteoarthropathy (mainly lumbar intervertebral disc herniation ),gynecological diseases ,cardiovascular diseases. Cinnamomum cassia ,Angelica sinensis and Achyranthes bidentatawerethe were the high-frequency compatible herbs in ancient prescriptions with E. ulmoides ,and were tonifying medicine ,dispelling wind and dampness medicine and clearing heat medicine;compatible herbs were mainly of warm property ,and the channel tropism was mostly kidney meridian and liver meridian;the five tastes of compatible herbs were mainly sweet and spicy. A. sinensis ,Glycyrrhiza uralensis and Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata were the high-frequency compatible herbs in modern prescriptions with E. ulmoides ,and were mainly tonic medicine,anti-rheumatic medicine ,medicine for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis ;compatible herbs were mainly of warm property ,and the channel tropism was mostly liver meridian and kidney meridian ;the five tastes of medicine were mainly bitter and spicy. By analyzing the Apriori association rules of high-frequency herbs ,a total of 10 core herbs combinations were obtained in ancient prescriptions ,including 8 third-order association rules and 2 fourth-order association rules ;a total of 11 core herbs combinations were obtained in modern prescriptions ,including 3 third-order association rules and 8 fourth-order association rules. CONCLUSIONS : Ancient and modern prescriptions containing E. ulmoides are mainly used to treatlumbar disease , followed by obstetrics and gynecology com diseases. In addition ,the modern prescriptions can also be #used for the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. The ancient prescriptions mainly focus on warming and tonifying ,while the modern prescriptions are more compatible with medicine for dispelling wind and dampness and medicine for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis on the basis of tonifying deficiency ;most of the medicines in ancient prescriptions contribute in kidney and liver meridians ,mainly sweet and pungent ,while most of the medicines in modern prescriptions contribute in liver meridian ,and are more compatible with bitter medicines.
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Objective:To identify the TIFY gene family in <italic>Eucommia ulmoides</italic> and analyze its expression from the whole genome level to lay the foundation for further study on <italic>EuTIFYs</italic> gene function. Method:Based on the <italic>E. ulmoides</italic> genome database,the TIFY gene family was identified through bioinformatics analysis tools such as National Center for Biotechnology Information(NCBI),MEME,PlantCare,Expert Protein Analysis System(ExPASy),and TBtools. Physicochemical properties,phylogenetic evolution,gene structure,<italic>cis</italic>-acting elements of the promoters and their expression patterns in leaf development and gum formation of the gene family were systematically analyzed. Result:In this study,fourteen <italic>EuTIFY</italic> genes (<italic>EuTIFY1</italic>-<italic>EuTIFY14</italic>) were identified in the <italic>E. ulmoides</italic> genome. The <italic>EuTIFYs</italic> were composed of 312-1 074 bp nucleotides encoding 102-357 amino acid residues,with isoelectric points of 4.99-10.06 and molecular weight in the range of 10.8-39.14 kDa. According to putative subcellular localization,proteins,which were mainly hydrophilic proteins,localized in the nucleus. The 14 <italic>EuTIFYs</italic> were unevenly distributed on 13 chromosomes. <italic>EuTIFY</italic> gene family was divided into four subfamilies: <italic>TIFY</italic>,<italic>JAZ</italic>,<italic>ZML</italic>,and <italic>PPD</italic>,which contained three,four,five,and two members respectively. The promoters of <italic>EuTIFYs</italic> contained multiple photoperiodic and abiotic stress-responsive cis-acting elements,which were involved in plant growth and abiotic stress regulation. Expression pattern analysis showed that <italic>EuTIFYs </italic>exhibited different expression levels in different development stages of <italic>E. ulmoides</italic> leaves and multiple interactions,and most of the genes were highly expressed in the early stage of leaf development and positively regulated the formation of <italic>E. ulmoides</italic> gum. Conclusion:Fourteen <italic>EuTIFYs</italic> were identified from the whole genome of <italic>E. ulmoides</italic>,and their structural characteristics and expression patterns were analyzed by bioinformatics. The findings of this study are expected to provide references for further research on the function of <italic>EuTIFYs</italic>.
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OBJECTIVE:To optim ize the ultrafiltration technology of enzymatic hydrolysate from Eucommia ulmoides peel. METHODS:The single factor test was adopted to investigate the effects of molecular weight of ultrafiltration membrane ,liquid temperature,operating pressure ,operating frequency ,membrane filtration time ,liquid concentration and pH on transfer rates of aucubin,geniposide and chlorogenic acid as well as solid removal rate in enzymatic hydrolysate from E. ulmoides peel. Setting the molecular cut off of fixed ultrafiltration membrane of 100 000,liquid concentration of 7 g/L,and pH value of 7,the ultrafiltration technology was optimized by Box-Behnken design response-surface methodology and validated with liquid temperature ,operating pressure,operating frequency and membrane passing time as factors ,using comprehensive scores calculated from transfer rates of aucubin,geniposide and chlorogenic acid as well as solid removal rate as indexes. RESULTS :The optimal ultrafiltration technology of enzymatic hydrolysate from E. ulmoides peel was as follows as liquid temperature of 35 ℃,operating pressure of 0.5 MPa,operating frequency of 35 Hz and membrane passing time of 42 min. Results of validation tests showed that the comprehensive scores of the transfer rates of aucubin ,geniposide and chlorogenic acid as well as solid removal rate in enzymatic hydrolysate from E. ulmoides peel was 78.06%(RSD=1.43%,n=3),and its relative error with the predicted value (77.18%) was 1.14%. CONCLUSIONS :The optimized ultrafiltration technology is stable and reliable ,and can be used for the ultrafiltration purification of enzymatic hydrolysate from E. ulmoides peel.
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BACKGROUND: Current research on Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. mainly focuses on its use in the treatment of osteoarthritis that Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. can enhance the healing ability of bone tissue. However, research on its bone repair ability in periapical periodontitis has not been reported. OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of alcohol extract of Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. on cathepsin K expression in periapical periodontitis rats. METHODS: Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into normal control group (n=4) and apical periodontitis group (n=20). In the periapical periodontitis group, a periapical periodontitis model was established after exposure of the dental pulp in the first molar of the right mandible. The normal control group did not deal with any treatment. After 4 weeks of feeding, four rats from each group were taken for micro-CT detection. Bone destruction was quantified to confirm whether the rat model of periapical periodontitis was successfully constructed. After 5 weeks of feeding, the remaining 16 rats with periapical periodontitis were equally randomized into alcohol extract group (given alcohol extract of Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. via intragastric administration, 5 mL/kg per day) and normal saline group (given the same dose of normal saline via intragastric administration every day). After 4 weeks of gavage, four mice from each group were selected to perform micro-CT examination. The ability of alcohol extract of Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. to repair periapical bone tissue was analyzed. First molars of the right mandible from the other four rats in each group were extracted to detect the expression of cathepsin K in the alveolar bone using immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Micro-CT results showed that the rat model of periapical periodontitis was successfully constructed as there was a significant difference in the bone resorption volume between the normal control and apical periodontitis groups [(0.223±0.009) mm3 vs. (0.945±0.037) mm3, P=0.00]. After 4 weeks of gavage, the micro-CT results showed that the alcohol extract of Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. significantly reduced the bone resorption volume in the rat model of periapical periodontitis (P < 0.05). Immunohistochemistry results showed that the alcohol extract of Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. significantly inhibited the expression of cathepsin K, a marker of bone destruction, in the rat model of periapical periodontitis. Therefore, these findings indicate that the alcohol extract of Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. can inhibit the expression of cathepsin K and promote the healing of bone tissue in the rats with periapical periodontitis.
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BACKGROUND: Studies have shown that the active ingredients of Eucommia ulmoides can inhibit the growth of synovial fibroblasts of arthritis, but the molecular mechanism underlying Eucommia ulmoides treating synovial inflammation of knee osteoarthritis is not yet clear. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the possible molecular mechanism of Eucommia ulmoides ingredients treating synovitis of knee osteoarthritis based on the network pharmacology and bioinformatics. METHODS: The active ingredients and targets of Eucommia ulmoides were screened by using the TCM systematic pharmacological analysis platform (TCMSP). The disease targets corresponding to synovitis of knee osteoarthritis were obtained from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). The protein-protein interaction network was constructed by STRING online database, analyzed and showed by the Cytoscape software. Gene ontology analysis and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes pathway enrichment analysis of the targets were conducted by R/Bioconductor. The enrichment results were obtained with a significant difference (P < 0.05). RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: A total of 21 active ingredients of Eucommia ulmoides, including eugenol, eucommia glycoside, eucommia liposide A, quercetin, and 25 different expressed genes (7 up-regulated and 18 down-regulated differentially expressed genes) were obtained. The main biological processes of the differentially expressed genes were found different significantly in cytokine activity, cytokine receptor binding and activating transcription factor binding. The hub genes, such as interleukin-6, vascular endothelial growth factor A and chemotactic factor 8, may be regulated by the active ingredients to influence the signal of MAPK/NF-kappa B/Toll-like receptor signaling pathway. Based on the network pharmacology and bioinformatics approach, the study preliminarily validates the molecular mechanism of Eucommia ulmoides for treatment of synovitis of knee osteoarthritis, which may lay a foundation for further pharmacodynamics study and experiment.
ABSTRACT
To date, 205 compounds have been identified from different medicinal parts of Eucommia ulmoides, including lignans, iridoid terpenoids, phenols, flavonoids, terpenoids and steroids, polysaccharides and others. Their pharmacological effects include blood pressure-lowering, blood sugar-lowering, blood lipids-regulating, prevention of osteoporosis, anti-inflammation, liver protection, anti-cancer and so on. Their efficacy and mechanism from different parts are slightly different. In this paper, the chemical composition, pharmacological action and mechanism of different parts of E. ulmoides were systematically summarized, as well as its quality control and processing research, to provide theoretical basis for further rational development and utilization of E. ulmoides.
Subject(s)
Eucommiaceae/chemistry , Flavonoids , Iridoids , Lignans , Phenols , Phytochemicals/pharmacology , Plants, Medicinal/chemistry , Polysaccharides , Steroids , TerpenesABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect and mechanism of Eucommia ulmoides polysaccharide (EUP) on db/db diabetic mice's glycolipid metabolism. METHODS: The db/db type 2 diabetes mice model were randomly divided into model control group, EUP low, middle and high dose group and positive control metformin group,-+/db mice of the same age were set as normal control group. The mice were weighed, and the changes of fasting blood glucose (FBG), blood lipid (TG, TC, LDL-C, HDL-C), interleukin (IL-8, IL-1β, IL-6), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were detected after drug delivery for 9 weeks. HE staining and oil red O staining were used to evaluate the pathological changes and steatosis of liver in mice. Western blot assay were used to detect the protein expressions of NF-κB p65 and HO-1 in liver tissues of mice. RESULTS: EUP could reduce the body weight of db/db mice, reduce the levels of FBG, TG, TC, LDL-C, IL-8, IL-1β, IL-6, MDA, NF-κB p65 proteins and increase the levels of HDL-C and HO-1 proteins. EUP could alleviate pathological changes and steatosis of liver in db/db mice. CONCLUSION: The obesity, hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia and liver injury of db/db mice with type 2 diabetes are all improved by EUP, and the mechanism is related to the regulation of inflammatory response and oxidative stress.