Research on historical evolution of Combretum indicum / 药学实践杂志

Combretum indicum can kill insects and benefit the spleen and stomach, which is the most important medicine to treat children's diseases. The classics of materia medica, calendar edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia, local processing standards and related literature were reviewed to sort out the processing history of Combretum indicum, compare the ancient medicinal parts and processing methods, and summarize the inclusion in national and local standards. The history of the evolution of Combretum indicum was summarized in order to provide ideas for rational drug use in clinical and standard improvement.

Application of partial least squares algorithm to explore bioactive components of crude and stir-baked hawthorn for invigorating spleen and promoting digestion / 中国中药杂志

This study was aimed at identifying the bioactive components of the crude and stir-baked hawthorn for invigorating spleen and promoting digestion, respectively, to clarify the processing mechanism of hawthorn by applying the partial least squares(PLS) algorithm to build the spectrum-effect relationship model. Firstly, different polar fractions of crude and stir-baked hawthorn aqueous extracts and combinations of different fractions were prepared, respectively. Then, the contents of 24 chemical components were determined by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The effects of different polar fractions of crude hawthorn and stir-baked hawthorn aqueous extracts and combinations of different fractions were evaluated by measuring the gastric emptying rate and small intestinal propulsion rate. Finally, the PLS algorithm was used to establish the spectrum-effect relationship model. The results showed that there were significant differences in the contents of 24 chemical components for different polar fractions of crude and stir-baked hawthorn aqueous extracts and combinations of different fractions, and the gastric emptying rate and small intestinal propulsion rate of model rats were improved by administration of different polar fractions of crude and stir-baked hawthorn aqueous extracts and combinations of different fractions. The bioactive components of crude hawthorn identified by PLS models were vitexin-4″-O-glucoside, vitexin-2″-O-rhamnoside, neochlorogenic acid, rutin, gallic acid, vanillic acid, citric acid, malic acid, quinic acid and fumaric acid, while neochlorogenic acid, cryptochlorogenic acid, rutin, gallic acid, vanillic acid, citric acid, quinic acid and fumaric acid were the bioactive components of stir-baked hawthorn. This study provided data support and scientific basis for identifying the bioactive components of crude and stir-baked hawthorn, and clarifying the processing mechanism of hawthorn.

Dryness-alleviating effect of processed Aurantii Fructus from Lingnan based on correlation of fecal metabolomics and dryness / 中国中药杂志

With the approach of untargeted metabolomics and correlation analysis, this study aimed to explore the mechanism of Aurantii Fructus from Lingnan region in alleviating dryness by analyzing the different effects of raw Aurantii Fructus(RAF) and processed Aurantii Fructus(PAF) on fecal endogenous metabolism in normal rats. Eighteen Sprague-Dawley(SD) rats were randomly divided into a control group(C), an RAF group(10 g·kg~(-1)), and a PAF group(10 g·kg~(-1)). After seven days of administration, the effects of RAF and PAF on dryness-related indexes were compared, including water intake, fecal water content, salivary secretion, the expression of AQP5, VIP, and 5-HT in the submandibular gland, as well as the expression of AQP3, VIP, and 5-HT in the colon. The fecal samples in each group were determined by LC-MS. Multivariate statistical analysis and Pearson correlation coefficient were used for screening the differential metabolites and metabolic pathways in alleviating dryness of RAF. The results indicated that both RAF and PAF showed certain dryness, and the dryness of RAF was more significant. Moreover, PAF could alleviate dryness of RAF to a certain extent by reducing the water intake, fecal water content, and the expression of AQP3, VIP, and 5-HT in the colon and increasing the salivary secretion and the levels of AQP5, VIP, and 5-HT in the submandibular gland. According to the analysis of fecal metabolomics, 99 and 58 metabolites related to dryness were found in RAF and PAF respectively, where 16 of them played an important role in alleviating dryness of RAF. Pathway analysis revealed that the mechanism of PAF in alleviating dryness of RAF was presumably related to the regulation of riboflavin metabolism, purine metabolism, arginine biosynthesis, pyrimidine metabolism, alanine metabolism, aspartate metabolism, glutamate metabolism, and retinol metabolism pathways. This study suggested that PAF might alleviate dryness of RAF by affecting the metabolic levels of the body, which provides a new basis for further clarifying the processing mechanism of PAF.

Twenty years in the 21st century: research hotspots and frontier analysis on Chinese medicine processing mechanism / 中国中药杂志

The research on the processing mechanism of Chinese medicine is the key and core foundation to improve processing technologies of Chinese medicine, formulate the quality standards of Chinese medicinal pieces, enhance the clinical efficacy of Chinese medicine, enrich Chinese medicine processing theories, and promote the development of Chinese medicine processing. Many researc-hers have conducted in-depth exploration on the processing mechanism of Chinese medicine in the 20 years in the 21 st century. Significant progress has been made in the transformation of chemical components during the processing, the change of active components in the body, the law of toxicity attenuation in the processing of toxic Chinese medicine, the mechanism of efficacy enhancement and toxicity attenuation of processing with auxiliary materials, and the application of new biomedical technologies. At present, the processing mechanism of multiple Chinese medicines has been preliminarily clarified, which has greatly promoted the development of Chinese me-dicine processing. The development of the processing mechanism of Chinese medicine reveals that the in vitro transformation of chemical components is combined with the in vivo absorption, transport, and metabolism, and the macroscopic biological effects of the organism are combined with the cells, molecules, targets, and pathways in the study of the processing mechanism of Chinese medicine. More attention has been paid to exploring the processing mechanism from the overall level, and a modern systematic research system on the processing mechanism of Chinese medicine has been initially formed. To further promote the scientific development of Chinese me-dicine processing, the present study proposed that the research on the processing mechanism of Chinese medicine should take Chinese medicine properties into account, focus on the influence of disease condition on the mode of action and effect strength of the drugs, comply with the characteristics of clinical compound compatibility of Chinese medicine, use the holistic view research strategies of systems bio-logy, and deeply explore the processing mechanism of Chinese medicine from traditional Chinese medicine theories and the characteristics of clinical medication of Chinese medicine.

Metabonomics and its application in Chinese medicine processing / 中国中药杂志

Chinese medicine processing is a procedure to process medicinal materials under the guidance of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) theories by using unique methods in China. The medicinal materials can only be used clinically after proper processing. With the development of the modernization of TCM, it is difficult to solve the problems in the inheritance, development, and internationalization of Chinese medicine processing. Metabonomics, a new omics technology developed at the end of the last century, is used to infer the physiological or pathological conditions of the organism with the methods such as NMR and LC-MS via investigating the changes in endogenous small molecule metabolic network after the organism is stimulated by external environment. Metabonomics coincides with the holistic view of TCM because it displays the characteristics of integrity, comprehensiveness, and dynamics, and it has been widely applied in the field of Chinese medicine processing in recent years. This study summarized the application of metabonomics in the processing mechanism and quality control of Chinese medicine processing and prospected the development of this technology in the field of Chinese medicine processing.

Pharmacodynamics and intestinal flora research on different processed products of Puerariae Lobatae Radix and Puerariae Thomsonii Radix / 中国中药杂志

This study aims to explore the pharmacodynamic differences of Puerariae Lobatae Radix(PLR), Puerariae Thomsonii Radix(PTR) and their different processed products and the influences of these medical materials on the diversity of intestinal flora. The Sennae Folium-induced diarrhea model, streptozotocin(STZ)-induced diabetes model and L-nitro-arginine methyl ester(L-NAME)-induced hypertension model were used to compare the pharmacodynamic differences in anti-diarrhea, blood glucose reduction and blood pressure lowering among raw, roasted and vinegar-processed PLR and PTR. The effects of raw and processed PLR and PTR on intestinal flora diversity of rats were evaluated by 16 S rDNA high-throughput sequencing. The roasted PLR and PTR performed better in anti-diarrhea, especially the former. PLR and its processed products all presented the efficacy of reducing blood glucose, and the vinegar-processed PLR was the most outstanding. The raw PTR was not that effective in reducing blood glucose, whereas its efficacy was improved after roasting and vinegar processing. Both PLR and PTR were capable of lowering blood pressure to a certain extent, and PLR is superior to PTR in this aspect. Further, the vinegar-processed PLR showed the best effect. The diversity of intestinal flora was different among rats to which different products of PLR and PTR were administered. The roasted PLR led to the highest abundance of Lactobacillus, which was closely related to its best antidiarrheal effect. The highest abilities of vinegar-processed PLR to lower blood glucose and blood pressure were associated with the high abundance of Blautia and Prevotella_9. This study lays a foundation for elucidating the processing mechanisms of PLR and PTR and provides a basis for their further development and application.

Research Progress of Gypsum Ustum and Application of Calcium-containing Hemostatic Materials / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Mineral medicine is an indispensable part of traditional Chinese medicine and has a long history of application. Among them， mineral-based hemostatics have been widely applied for the treatment of various hemorrhagic diseases with extensive clinical experience and established efficacy. Gypsum Fibrosum （GF）， a commonly used mineral medicine in clinical， can clear away heat， and relieve anxiety and thirst. Gypsum Ustum （GU） is the processed product of GF after calcining at high temperature. It is mainly composed of anhydrous calcium sulfate （CaSO4） with the functions of moisturizing， promoting muscle growth， astringent sores and hemostasis. GU is often used externally to treat ulcer， itching， eczema， water and fire scalds， trauma bleeding， etc. Studies on the mechanism of hemostasis have shown that Ca2+ （coagulation factor Ⅳ） is involved in many key processes of the internal and external coagulation cascades and can prevent bleeding by regulating platelet activation and aggregation， and promoting the production of insoluble fibrin and the ultimate formation of a blood clot. GF and GU both contain Ca2+ which provide an important material basis of hemostatic effect for both compounds， but GU has a significant hemostatic effect， while GF has no hemostatic effect. After processing， the taste and efficacy of the GF have been obviously changed which reflects the characteristics of processing， but the processing mechanism of GU has not been fully clarified. Therefore， based on studies of GF before and after calcining， this paper focused on these aspects including calcining process， crystal form comparison， element content， efficacy comparison， and summarized various aspects of Ca2+ involved in hemostasis. In addition， the hemostatic properties of other calcium-containing mineral medicines and new calcium-containing hemostatic materials such as calcium alginate， mesoporous calcium silicate and nanogel hemostatic materials were also discussed. The paper aimed to provide a reference for elucidating processing mechanism and clinical dialectical use of GU， also to promote development of new calcium-containing hemostatic materials.

Research progress of quality marker during Chinese materia medica processing / 中草药

As a traditional pharmacy technology, Chinese materia medica processing is the key link between traditional Chinese medicine and Chinese pharmacy. Some complex chemical changes occur in the processed Chinese medicinal materials, and the chemical changes in these materials are the significant causes leading to the changes in the nature and flavor of medicines before and after processing. A key restraint factor of the modernization of Chinese materia medica is the quality control of Chinese materia medica, which has always been a research focus in sociology and traditional Chinese medicine field. A new concept of "Q-marker" was first put forward by academician Chang-xiao Liu in 2016, which prompted a heated discussion in the Chinese medicine community field. Combining the research thinking "Q-marker" with Chinese materia medica processing, clarifying chemical composition changes during Chinese materia medica processing, and forming a new idea of quality control with the characteristic of Chinese materia medica processing are beneficial to accelerate the development and perfection of quality control methods for Chinese materia medica processing.

Research progress on Polygonatum cyrtonema processed by nine times steaming and nine times shining / 中草药

The nine times steaming and nine times shining processing method of Polygonatum cyrtonema was originated in ancient China and developed in modern times. The historical evolution of its processing technology includes raw-used, single-steamed, re-steamed, nine times steaming and nine times shining. It can eliminate toxicity, enhance curative effect, change meridians, facilitate storage and eliminate bacteria and so on. After nine times steaming and nine times shining, the chemical composition and drug efficacy of P. cyrtonema changed significantly, and it is widely used in medicine, health care products, common food, cosmetics and other fields. The historical evolution, processing mechanism, composition change, and clinical application of P. cyrtonema are reviewed in this paper, which provide a scientific basis for optimizing the nine times steaming and nine times shining technology of P. cyrtonema, lay the foundation for establishing the quality control standard control system, and provide a reference for the study of observing the ancient processing.

Research Progress on Processing of Polygalae Radix / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Polygalae Radix， a traditional Chinese medicine， has the functions of improving intelligence， calming nerves， relieving cough and eliminating phlegm. Its processing methods are various， but the purpose of processing is to reduce toxicity and increase efficiency. In this paper， the methods of ancient processing， such as cleansing， cutting， processing with excipient and processing without excipient， were summarized， the processing methods of Polygalae Radix in the different versions of Chinese Pharmacopoeia and the local processing specifications were summarized， in order to compare the differences and research progress of different processing methods. On this basis， taking the modern research of processed products of Polygalae Radix as the breakthrough point， this paper reviewed the modern research on processed products of Polygalae Radix from the aspects of processing technology， chemical composition changes and pharmacodynamics changes before and after processing， and the mechanism of reducing toxicity and increasing efficiency. Based on the research status of processing of Polygalae Radix， some existing problems were analyzed in this paper， including not many ancient processing methods used in modern times， lack of standardized research on processing technology， few studies on the ingredients introduced by excipients， etc. The author thinks that it is necessary to strengthen the research on the ancient processing of Polygalae Radix combined with processing methods with local characteristics. While discussing the processing technology， combining with the composition and efficacy， we should carry out in-depth research on the processing mechanism of different processing products of Polygalae Radix， so as to provide scientific basis for the rationality of processing of Polygalae Radix and ensure the clinical safety of medication.

Analysis of Differential Chemical Compositions of Aurantii Fructus Immaturus Before and After Stir-frying with Bran and Chemical Compositions of Wheat Bran After Processing by UPLC-Q-TOF-MSE / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To quickly analyze and identify the differential chemical compositions of Aurantii Fructus Immaturus before and after stir-frying with bran and chemical compositions of wheat bran after processing by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry （UPLC-Q-TOF-MSE） combined with UNIFI database screening method. Method:ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18 column （2.1 mm×100 mm， 1.7 µm） was used for chromatographic separation with 0.1% formic acid solution （A）-acetonitrile （B） as the mobile phase for gradient elution （0-11 min， 98%-70%B； 11-15 min， 70%-55%B； 15-16 min， 55%-35%B； 16-20 min， 35%-5%B； 20-20.5 min， 5%-98%B； 20.5-22 min， 98%B） at the flow rate of 0.3 mL·min-1 and the injection volume of 2 µL. The analytes were determined in positive ion mode with electrospray ionization （ESI） and data collection range of m/z 50-1 500. Principal component analysis （PCA） and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis （OPLS-DA） were used to find the component differences between raw and processed products of Aurantii Fructus Immaturus， and the chemical compositions of wheat bran after processing were determined. Result:There were 64 compounds in raw products， 58 compounds in bran-fried products， and 18 compounds in wheat bran.There were 19 different components between raw and processed products of Aurantii Fructus Immaturus， mainly volatile oil， flavonoids， phenolic acid， coumarins and saponins. Conclusion:Based on the analysis of these different components before and after stir-frying with bran and the chemical compositions carried by wheat bran， the stir-frying with bran can alleviate the intensity of Aurantii Fructus Immaturus， which proves the necessity of stir-frying with bran for the processing technology of this herb， and provides a comprehensive experimental basis for research on processing mechanism of Aurantii Fructus Immaturus.

Study on synergistic mechanism of pangolin in high temperature sand-fried processing / 中草药

Objective Traditional raw pangolin products are not used as medicine, which can only be used as medicine after processing. Therefore, the processing mechanism of high temperature sand-fried pangolin was studied. Methods The changes of liposolubility and protein composition of pangolin before and after processing were analyzed by TLC and Nano LC-Q Exactive Orbitrap MS. Meanwhile, the simulation processing of cyclic dipeptides, which were significantly increased during processing, was performed. The activity of L-serine-L-tyrosine cyclic dipeptide was screened. Results The results showed that there was no significant change in fat-soluble components, significant decrease in polypeptides and significant increase in cyclic dipeptides after the sand-fried processing of pangolin. The formation of cyclic dipeptides was mainly related to the heating of the processing. At low temperature, the N-terminal of the linear peptide could be cycled to form L-shaped cyclic dipeptides. At high temperature, the N-terminal and C-terminal of the linear peptide could be rapidly cycled to form cyclic dipeptides. L-serine-L-tyrosine cyclic dipeptide could prolong coagulation time and increase the proliferation rate of mammary epithelial cells and the expression of genes related to milk protein synthesis in dairy cows. It also had significant analgesic activity, which was consistent with the traditional efficacy of pangolin. Conclusion These results suggested that large amounts of L-serine-L-tyrosine cyclic dipeptide produced by the processing of pangolin may be one of the material bases for enhancing the processing efficiency of pangolin. It was of great significance for revealing the material basis of pharmacodynamics of pangolin, searching for alternative resources and protecting pangolin.

Analysis on Bidirectional Regulation of Purging and Astringency About Raw and Steamed Products of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma and Their Active Components / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To elucidate the characteristics of bidirectional regulation of raw and steamed products of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma and their active components, in order to provide scientific basis for clinical rational use of this decoction pieces. Method:Mice were randomly divided into the blank group(distilled water, 10 mL·kg-1), raw rhubarb group(1.62 g·kg-1), steamed rhubarb group(0.972 g·kg-1), raw rhubarb anthraquinone group(0.22 g·kg-1), steamed rhubarb anthraquinone group(0.19 g·kg-1), raw rhubarb tannin group(0.17 g·kg-1) and steamed rhubarb tannin group(0.027 g·kg-1). Each group was divided into 3 batches of 10 mice. Mice in each group were given the corresponding dose by continuous gavage for 7 days, the diarrhea index(EI) of mice in each group was recorded every day. The serum levels of motilin(MTL), vasoactive intestinal peptide(VIP) and epinephrine(EPI) were measured on day 1,3,7. Result:Compared with the blank group, EI of the rhubarb group increased significantly on the 3rd day(Pth day of administration(Prd day(Pth day(Pst day of administration, on the 3rd day of administration, the MTL level in the steamed rhubarb anthraquinone group increased significantly(PPPth day of administration, the MTL levels of the raw and steamed rhubarb tannin groups increased to the level in the blank group, the VIP level of the raw rhubarb anthraquinone group increased significantly(PPConclusion:The combined anthraquinone and hydrolyzable tannin in rhubarb can promote gastrointestinal motility and diarrhea. The effect of astringent intestines is caused by the monomer tannin produced by digestion and decomposition of condensed tannin, which may be one of the mechanisms of bidirectional regulation of rhubarb decoction pieces.

Inheritance and development of traditional Mongolian medicine processing / 中国中药杂志

The processing of Mongolian medicine,which is called " mort harl" in Mongolian language,refers to a traditional processing technology to " tame" some toxic,aggressive,ineffective or inconvenient Mongolian medicines,so as to make it " compliant" to clinical needs. It is the summary of long-term experience in drug preparation by Mongolian medicine experts,one of the bridges for the dialectical unity of Mongolian medicine,the essential content in evaluation of the clinical efficacy of Mongolian medicine and the study of Mongolian medicine modernization,and also the important soft power carrier of " intangible cultural heritage" and " grassland culture" in Inner Mongolia autonomous region. In this study,the processing history,purpose,crafts,mechanism,processing standards and quality standards of Mongolian medicine were explained,and some suggestions were proposed for the problems of the Mongolian medicine processing and development: focus on the basic theory of Mongolian medicine and the clinical experience of Mongolian medicine in the development of traditional Mongolian medicine processing; strengthen the literature research on the processing method of Mongolian medicine; establish comprehensive and systematic Mongolian medicine concocts standards and quality standards; enhance the research and development of special processing equipment and process quality control instruments for Mongolian medicine; and strengthen the training of professional technicians,the protection of copyright in Mongolian medicine processing,and scientific research on Mongolian medicine processing. In the inheritance of the tradition,the latest achievements of modern scientific development can be also absorbed to provide reference for the further development of traditional Mongolian medicine processing technology.

Preliminary investigation on processing mechanism of Kansui Radix by liquorice based on thermal analysis technology / 中国中药杂志

In the thermal analysis, the pyrolysis characteristics of crude Kansui Radix, alcohol extract of Kansui Radix, petroleum ether extract, chloroform extract, ethyl acetate extract, n-butanol extract, and licorice vinegar were analyzed with simulated air (N₂-O₂ 4:1) as the carrier gas, at a temperature increase rate of 10 °C·min⁻¹ and a volume flow rate of 60 mL·min⁻¹, respectively. The results showed that due to the different polarity of the extraction solvent, the type and quantity of the chemical components contained in each polar part were different, and with the increase in the amount of solid powder of licorice, the peak of the maximum heat loss rate occurred in advance. For petroleum ether, chloroform, and ethyl acetate fractions, (157.40±1.06), 3.50, (25.83±1.66) °C in advance respectively, but the weight loss rate of the chloroform fraction was increased by (2.62±5.19) °C, while decreased by (33.90±1.72), (19.28±1.11) °C for the petroleum ether and ethyl acetate fractions. So we can conclude that with the addition of licorice, the pyrolysis rate of the petroleum ether and chloroform fractions in the toxic part of Kansui Radix was increased; the temperature point at the peak of the maximum weight loss rate was decreased, and the ethyl acetate fraction (effective part) showed a decrease in temperature rising process, but its overall ratio of weight loss and weight loss rate were relatively small, retaining the effect of medicinal ingredients. This proved the mechanism of licorice system Kansui Radix on attenuating toxicity after processing and the scientificity and rationality of licorice system Kansui Radix. At the same time, as the proportion of glycyrrhizin was increased, the peak of the maximum heat loss rate of petroleum ether, chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions occurred in advance; the peak temperature was decreased, with easy pyrolysis. Among them, the thermogravimetric rate of the mixture of petroleum ether and chloroform fractions (10:1) was relatively large, with a low peak temperature, while ethyl acetate fraction showed opposite results. This conclusion has certain guiding significance for the ratio of gansui to licorice.

Research progress on mechanism of chemical constituents change during processing of seed Chinese materia medica / 中草药

Chinese materia medica (CMM) processing is a traditional Chinese pharmaceutical technology with independent intellectual property rights in China, which includes historical evolution, processing technology, quality standards and processing mechanism. Clarification of the chemical constituents changes in seed Chinese materia medica (SCMM) is the core purpose of mechanism research of CMM processing. It is well known that "SCMM be stir-heated before using", which has been confirmed by many research institutions at home and abroad. This article gives a brief introduction to the chemical mechanism during SCMM processing and concludes their similarities. It has been found that the chemical constituents in SCMM have experienced complex changes both in quantitative and qualitative during processing. The main chemical reactions occurred in the SCMM processing are decomposition reaction so as to increase therapeutic effect or reduce toxicity and so on. The theory has a certain scientific connotation and it should be clarified under the guidance of the theory of traditional Chinese medicine for rational clinical use.