Discussion on the effects of glycyrrhetinic acid on cough variant asthma mice by adjusting Th2 deviation based on molecular docking technique / 国际中医中药杂志

Objective:To evaluate the therapeutic effect of glycyrrhetinic acid on cough variant asthma (CVA) mice based on molecular docking technique; To explore the possibility of its treatment for cough variant asthma.Methods:The software of Autodock Vina was used for molecular docking. The mice were divided into control group, model group, prednisone acetate group, glycyrrhetinic acid high-, medium-, and low-dosage groups according to the random number table method, with 8 mice in each group. Except for the blank control group, all other groups were induced by egg protein to establish cough variant asthma models. Glycyrrhetinic acid high-, medium-, and low-dosage groups were orally administered glycyrrhetinic acid suspension at 20, 10, and 5 mg/kg, while the prednisone acetate group was orally administered prednisone acetate at 5 mg/kg. The blank control group and model group were orally administered equal volumes of physiological saline, once per day for 14 consecutive days. The animal asthma behavior was observed after drug administration. The secretion of bronchial mucus in lung tissue were observed by AB-PAS staining and the index of spleen were recorded. The protein expressions of Gata3, IL-4 and IL-13 in the spleen tissue were determined by Western blot.Results:Molecular docking results showed that glycyrrhetinic acid had good binding ability to Th2-related factors Gata3, IL-4 and IL-13. Results of animal experiment showed that compared with the model group, the mucus secretion decreased in glycyrrhetinic acid groups, the index of the spleen of mice obviously decreased, protein expression levels of IL-4 and IL-13 in the spleen tissue of mice in glycyrrhetinic acid high-, medium-, and low-dosage groups decreased ( P<0.05), and Gata3 in glycyrrhetinic acid medium- and low-dosage groups decreased ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Glycyrrhetinic acid can correct the shift of Th2 in the immune system of cough variant asthma mice and has a certain therapeutic effect.

The protective effect and mechanism of 18α glycyrrhetinic acid on acute ulcerative colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium in mice / 中国医师杂志

Objective:To explore the protective effect of 18α glycyrrhetinic acid (18α-GA) on acute ulcerative colitis (UC) induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in mice, providing theoretical and experimental basis for the clinical application of 18α-GA.Methods:Forty male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into 5 groups: DSS model group, positive drug control group, high, medium, and low dose groups of 18α-GA, with 8 mice in each group. The 5 groups of mice were continuously fed with 3% DSS solution for 7 days to establish an acute UC animal model. At the same time, each group was intraperitoneally injected with 100 mg/kg physiological saline, 100 mg/kg sulfasalazine, 40 mg/kg 18α-GA, 20 mg/kg 18α-GA, and 10 mg/kg 18α-GA daily. The weight of mice was measured and recorded daily, and the Disease Activity Index (DAI) of mice was evaluated. On the 8th day, the mice were euthanized and their colon length was measured; After slicing, the colon mucosa was observed and pathological scoring was performed; Western blot was used to detect the expression of NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome pathway related proteins in colon tissue; Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to determine the content of interleukin(IL)-1β in colon tissue.Results:Compared with the DSS model group, the weight loss amplitude of the 18α-GA high and medium dose groups was significantly smaller on the 7th day (all P<0.05); Colon length was longer (all P<0.05), the pathological score of colon mucosa was significantly lower (all P<0.05); The expression of GSDMD, cleaved caspase1, and IL-1β in colon tissue was significantly lower (all P<0.05); The 18α-GA high-dose group had lower DAI scores ( P<0.05); The expression of NLRP3 was lower in colon tissue ( P<0.05). Conclusions:18α-GA can improve DSS induced acute ulcerative colitis in mice by inhibiting the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome pathway.

Liver targeting of compound liposomes mediated by glycyrrhetinic acid derivative receptor and its effect on hepatic stellate cells / 中国中药杂志

The 3-succinate-30-stearyl glycyrrhetinic acid(18-GA-Suc) was inserted into glycyrrhetinic acid(GA)-tanshinone Ⅱ_A(TSN)-salvianolic acid B(Sal B) liposome(GTS-lip) to prepare liver targeting compound liposome(Suc-GTS-lip) mediated by GA receptors. Next, pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of Suc-GTS-lip and GTS-lip were compared by UPLC, and in vivo imaging tracking of Suc-GTS-lip was conducted. The authors investigated the effect of Suc-GTS-lip on the proliferation inhibition of hepatic stellate cells(HSC) and explored their molecular mechanism of improving liver fibrosis. Pharmacokinetic results showed that the AUC_(Sal B) decreased from(636.06±27.73) μg·h·mL~(-1) to(550.39±12.34) μg·h·mL~(-1), and the AUC_(TSN) decreased from(1.08±0.72) μg·h·mL~(-1) to(0.65±0.04) μg·h·mL~(-1), but the AUC_(GA) increased from(43.64±3.10) μg·h·mL~(-1) to(96.21±3.75) μg·h·mL~(-1). The results of tissue distribution showed that the AUC_(Sal B) and C_(max) of Sal B in the liver of the Suc-GTS-lip group were 10.21 and 4.44 times those of the GTS-lip group, respectively. The liver targeting efficiency of Sal B, TSN, and GA in the Suc-GTS-lip group was 40.66%, 3.06%, and 22.08%, respectively. In vivo imaging studies showed that the modified liposomes tended to accumulate in the liver. MTT results showed that Suc-GTS-lip could significantly inhibit the proliferation of HSC, and RT-PCR results showed that the expression of MMP-1 was significantly increased in all groups, but that of TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 was significantly decreased. The mRNA expressions of collagen-I and collagen-Ⅲ were significantly decreased in all groups. The experimental results showed that Suc-GTS-lip had liver targeting, and it could inhibit the proliferation of HSC and induce their apoptosis, which provided the experimental basis for the targeted treatment of liver fibrosis by Suc-GTS-lip.

Mechanism of glycyrrhetinic acid on inhibiting malignant biological behaviors of melanoma by Wnt / β - catenin pathways / 安徽医科大学学报

Objective @#To explore the possible mechanism of glycyrrhetinic acid on inhibiting malignant biological behaviors of melanoma by Wnt / β-catenin pathways．@*Methods@#The melanoma cells B16-F10 were selected as the research objects．The concentration gradient tests (0，1，2，4 μmol /L) were conducted by MTT．The cells given cisplatin intervention was enrolled as positive controls．The cells invasion and migration were detected by Transwell chamber assay．The expression levels of Wnt / β-catenin pathway proteins，invasion and migration related proteins (MMP-2，MMP-9) in B16-F10 cells were detected by Wester blot．The xenograft models of nude mice were constructed，and they were divided into control group (without drugs treatment) and glycyrrhetinic acid group (40 mg / kg) ．The growth of tumor tissues，and expression levels of Wnt / β-catenin pathway proteins，invasion and migration related proteins were observed. @*Results @#MTT results showed that glycyrrhetic acid could inhibit the proliferation of B16-F10 cells in a concentration-dependent manner．The inhibition effect of glycyrrhetic acid ( ≥2 μmol /L) was significant on the proliferation of B16-F10 cells (P ＜0. 05) ．The results of Transwell chamber assay showed that compared with control group，invasion and migration abilities of B16-F10 cells were significantly reduced after treatment with glycyrrhetinic acid (2，4 μmol /L) (P ＜0. 05) ．Wester blot results showed that compared with those without glycyrrhetinic acid treatment，expression levels of MMP-9 ，MMP-2，Wnt1 and β-catenin protein in B16- F10 cells significantly decreased after treatment with glycyrrhetinic acid (2，4 μmol /L) (P＜0. 05) ．The results of tumor-bearing assay showed that compared with control group ，weight and volume of tumors significantly decreased in glycyrrhetinic acid group，and expression levels of Wnt1 ，β-catenin，MMP-9 and MMP-2 proteins also significantly decreased (P＜0. 05) ．@*Conclusion @#Glycyrrhetinic acid can significantly inhibit the malignant biological behaviors of melanoma in vitro and vivo．And its mechanism may be related to inhibiting the activation of Wnt / β-catenin signaling pathways.

Glycyrrhizin and Mannitol Nasal Therapy: Cytological and Clinical Outcomes in Chronic Rhinitis

Abstract Introduction Chronic rhinitis (CR) represents a widespread inflammation with a high incidence in the general population. Although it is generally considered a benign condition, CR has a relevant impact on quality of life and requires a specific treatment approach. Objective The aim of the present study was to investigate the efficacy of glycyrrhizin and mannitol intranasal treatment on chronic rhinitis using cytological analysis and subjective evaluation of symptoms. Methods A total of 55 patients suffering from chronic rhinitis were enrolled in the present study, 34 with allergic rhinitis (AR) and 21 with nonallergic rhinitis (NAR). The severity of four different nasal symptoms was determined by using a visual analogue scale (VAS). Specimens obtained by nasal scraping were collected for cytological analysis. Data were acquired before and after a 30-day treatment with glycyrrhizin and mannitol nasal spray. Statistical analyses were performed. Results The VAS scores for all four nasal symptoms considered in the present study, as well as for neutrophil cells, reduced significantly after therapy in both allergic and nonallergic patients. The number of eosinophils was not significantly lower in nonallergic patients. Conclusion A 30-day topical treatment with glycyrrhizin and mannitol may improve nasal symptoms and reduce inflammatory cells in the nasal mucosa in patients with chronic rhinitis without significant contraindications. Further studies could support our results and would better clarify all the aspects of this treatment.

Preparation of tanshinone Ⅱ_A-glycyrrhetinic acid solid lipid nanoparticles and its inhibitory effect on acne / 中国中药杂志

The optimal prescription of tanshinone Ⅱ_A(TSN)-glycyrrhetinic acid(GA) solid lipid nanoparticles(GT-SLNs) was explored and evaluated in vivo and in vitro, and its effect on acne after oral administration was investigated. The preparation processing and prescription were optimized and verified by single factor and response surface methodology. The in vitro release of GA and TSN in GT-SLNs was determined by ultra-performance liquid chromatography(UPLC). The effect of GT-SLNs on acne was investigated by the levels of sex hormones in mice, ear swelling model, and tissue changes in sebaceous glands, and the pharmacokinetics was evaluated. The 24-hour cumulative release rates of GA and TSN in SLNs were 65.87%±5.63% and 36.13%±2.31% respectively. After oral administration of GT-SLNs and the mixture of GA and TSN(GT-Mix), the AUC_(0-t) and AUC_(0-∞) of TSN in GT-SLNs were 1.98 times and 4.77 times those in the GT-Mix group, respectively, and the peak concentration of TSN in the GT-SLNs group was 17.2 times that in the GT-Mix group. After intragastric administration of GT-SLNs, the serum levels of testosterone(T) and the ratio of testosterone to estradiol(T/E2) in the GT-SLNs group significantly declined, and the sebaceous glands of mice were atrophied to a certain extent. The results demonstrated that obtained GT-SLNs with good encapsulation efficiency and uniform particle size could promote the release of GA and TSN. GT-SLNs displayed therapeutic efficacy on acne manifested by androgen increase, abnormal sebaceous gland secretion, and inflammatory damage.

Construction and anti-tumor efficiency evaluation of redox-responsive micelles for the co-delivery of IR-780 and 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid / 药学学报

Photothermal therapy (PTT) is a highly effective anti-tumor method. However, when laser radiation was used to ablate tumors, it usually triggers a series of inflammatory reactions, promoting the further development of tumors and affecting the effect of anti-tumor therapy. Therefore, it is an effective method to improve the anti-tumor effect by suppressing the inflammatory response through the precise targeted delivery of anti-inflammatory drug while realizing the photothermal treatment of tumors. To this end, the redox-responsive linker 3,3'-dithiodipropionic acid was used to bond the classic hydrophobic anti-inflammatory drug 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid (18β-GA) and the hydrophilic fragment methoxy-polyethylene glycol (mPEG-NH2) to obtain redox-responsive amphiphilic polymer PEG-DA-GA in this study. Then, photothermal agent IR-780 was encapsulated to prepare redox-responsive polymer micelle PDG/IR-780 NPs. The PDG/IR-780 NPs exhibited uniform particle size of 80.2 ± 5.3 nm and the polydispersity index (PDI) was 0.215 ± 0.079. All animal experiments followed the ethical requirements formulated by the Ethics Committee of Sichuan University. The results showed that PDG/IR-780 NPs could respond to the abundant glutathione (GSH) in tumor cells to promote the disintegration of nanoparticle and the release of 18β-GA, thus significantly improved the killing efficiency on 4T1 cells, when compared with the non-redox-responsive control PSG/IR-780 NPs. When the concentration of 18β-GA was 50 μg·mL-1, the cell viability of 4T1 cells in the PDG/IR-780 NPs group was only (19.29 ± 1.80) %, which was significantly lower than the result of in PSG/IR-780 NPs group (29.30 ± 1.37) %. The results of frozen sections of tumor tissues showed that the designed PDG NPs can promote the tumor-targeted distribution of drugs compared with the free drug group. Eventually, PDG/IR-780 NPs achieved wonderful anti-tumor efficacy on 4T1 triple-negative breast cancer model, revealing the new possibility of the combined therapy strategy of photothermal and anti-inflammatory therapy.

18beta-glycyrrhetinic acid induces ROS-mediated apoptosis to ameliorate hepatic fibrosis by targeting PRDX1/2 in activated HSCs / 药物分析学报

Hepatic stellate cells(HSCs)are essential drivers of fibrogenesis.Inducing activated-HSC apoptosis is a promising strategy for treating hepatic fibrosis.18beta-glycyrrhetinic acid(18β-GA)is a natural com-pound that exists widely in herbal medicines,such as Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch,which is used for treating multiple liver diseases,especially in Asia.In the present study,we demonstrated that 18β-GA decreased hepatic fibrosis by inducing the apoptosis in activated HSCs.18β-GA inhibited the expression of α-smooth muscle actin and collagen type Ⅰ alpha-1.Using a chemoproteomic approach derived from activity-based protein profiling,together with cellular thermal shift assay and surface plasmon reso-nance,we found that 18β-GA covalently targeted peroxiredoxin 1(PRDX1)and peroxiredoxin 2(PRDX2)proteins via binding to active cysteine residues and thereby inhibited their enzymatic activities.18β-GA induced the elevation of reactive oxygen species(ROS),resulting in the apoptosis of activated HSCs.PRDX1 knockdown also led to ROS-mediated apoptosis in activated HSCs.Collectively,our findings revealed the target proteins and molecular mechanisms of 18β-GA in ameliorating hepatic fibrosis,highlighting the future development of 18β-GA as a novel therapeutic drug for hepatic fibrosis.

Identification of potential anti-pneumonia pharmacological components of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma after the treatment with Gan An He Ji oral liquid / 药物分析学报

Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma,a traditional Chinese medicine also known as Gan Cao(GC),is frequently included in clinical prescriptions for the treatment of pneumonia.However,the pharmacological com-ponents of GC for pneumonia treatment are rarely explored.Gan An He Ji oral liquid(GAHJ)has a simple composition and contains GC liquid extracts and paregoric,and has been used clinically for many years.Therefore,GAHJ was selected as a compound preparation for the study of GC in the treatment of pneumonia.We conducted an in vivo study of patients with pneumonia undergoing GAHJ treatments for three days.Using the intelligent mass spectrometry data-processing technologies to analyze the meta-bolism of GC in vivo,we obtained 168 related components of GC in humans,consisting of 24 prototype components and 144 metabolites,with 135 compounds screened in plasma and 82 in urine.After analysis of the metabolic transformation relationship and relative exposure,six components(liquiritin,liquiritigenin,glycyrrhizin,glycyrrhetinic acid,daidzin,and formononetin)were selected as potential effective components.The experimental results based on two animal pneumonia models and the in-flammatory cell model showed that the mixture of these six components was effective in the treatment of pneumonia and lung injury and could effectively downregulate the level of inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS).Interestingly,glycyrrhetinic acid exhibited the strongest inhibition on iNOS and the highest exposure in vivo.The following molecular dynamic simulations indicated a strong bond between glycyrrhetinic acid and iNOS.Thus,the current study provides a pharmaceutical basis for GC and reveals the possible corresponding mechanisms in pneumonia treatment.

18α￣glycyrrhetinic acid promoting neural stem cells proliferation through antioxidant in the subventricular zone of adult mice / 解剖学报

Objective To explore the effect of 18α-glycyrrhetinic acid (18α-GA) on the proliferation of adult mice neural stem cells (NSCs) and its underlying mechanism. Methods One hundred 6-month BALB/c mice were randomly divided into DMSO control group and 18α-GA group (mice were intraperitoneally injected with 40 mg/kg 18α-GA every day for 2 months). The proliferation capability, oxidative status and nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) level of NSCs in the adult mice subventricular zone (SVZ) were measured through both in vivo and in vitro experiments, including Ki-67 staining, neurosphere formation assay, BrdU incorporation, CCK-8 assay, reactive oxygen species (ROS) detection, superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) determination, Real-time PCR and Western blotting. Results Elevated Ki-67 positive cells were observed in SVZ of mice with 18α-GA application. Meanwhile, ROS level attenuated but SOD1 mRNA and protein level increased significantly in the SVZ of 18α-GA group mice, the latter of which were (3. 17 ± 0. 073) and (2. 12±0. 02) times respectively than that of the control group (P<0. 05 and P<0. 001). Likewise, the similar changes were exhibited in vitro data. NSCs of 18α-GA group mice displayed higher proliferation potency confirmed by accelerated neurosphere formation and increased neurosphere number (P<0. 001), as well as higher BrdU positive ratio (P<0. 01) and NSCs vitality (P<0. 001). NSCs of mice with 18α-GA injection exhibited decreased ROS level by 18. 91%±4. 33% (P<0. 05) and enhanced SOD1 level, compared with those in NSCs of DMSO group mice. Furtherly, the Nrf2 expression in SVZ and NSCs of 18α-GA group mice was higher than that of the control group. Conclution 18α-GA administration plays a vital role in the maintainence and amelioration of adult mice NSCs proliferation through activating SOD1 and diminishing ROS aggregations.

18ß-glycyrrhetinic acid attenuates global cerebral ischemia/reperfusion-induced cardiac damage in C57BL/J6 mice

Abstract The aim of the present study is to investigate the cardioprotective effects of 18ß-glycyrrhetinic acid (18ß -GA) against oxidative and histological damage caused by global cerebral ischemia/ reperfusion (I/R) in C57BL/J6 mice. All male mice (n:40) were randomly divided into four groups: (1) sham-operated (Sham), (2) I/R, (3) 18ß-GA, and (4) 18ß -GA+I/R. Ischemia was not applied to the sham and 18ß-GA groups. In the I/R group, the bilateral carotid arteries were clipped for 15 min to induce ischemia, and the mice were treated with the vehicle for 10 days. In the 18ß-GA group, the mice were given 18ß-GA (100 mg/kg) for 10 days following a median incision without carotid occlusion. In the 18ß-GA+I/R group, the ischemic procedure performed to the I/R model was applied to the animals and afterwards they were intraperitoneally (i.p.) treated with 18ß-GA (100 mg/kg) for 10 days. It was found that global cerebral I/R increased TBARS levels and decreased antioxidant parameters. The 18ß-GA treatment decreased the level of TBARS and increased GSH, GPx, CAT, SOD activities. Also, the control group cardiac tissue samples were observed to have a normal histological appearance with the Hematoxylin-Eosin staining method. Histopathological damage was observed in the heart tissue samples belonging to the I/R group. The 18ß-GA treatment ameliorates oxidative and histological injury in the heart tissue after global ischemia reperfusion, and may be a beneficial alternative treatment

Preparation，Characterization and Anti-tumor Activity Study of Glycyrrhetinic Acid Nanoparticles / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE：To prepare and characterize glycyrrhetinic acid （GA）nanoparticles，and to evaluate its in vitro anti-tumor activity. METHODS ：Using PVP K 30 as carrier ，GA nanoparticles were prepared by anti-solvent precipitation and freeze-drying method. X-ray diffraction ，infrared spectrum ，differential scanning calorimetry and granularity analysis were used to characterize the nanoparticles ；HPLC method was used to measure the solubility and drug-loading amount of GA in the nanoparticles. MTT method was used to assay the in vitro inhibition activity of GA raw material and nanoparticles （GA doses were 12.5，25，50，100，200 μmol/L）on human liver cancer cell HepG 2 and calculate its IC 50. RESULTS ：The characteristic peaks of X-ray diffraction and infrared absorption of GA disappeared in the nanoparticles and the endothermic peak changed. The particle size of the nanoparticles was （194.88±23.52）nm，which was lower than （2 592.33±207.51）nm of raw material. The dispersion index was 0.24±0.04，which was higher than 0.15±0.03 of raw material. The average drug-loading amount of GA was 15.99％. Moreover，the solubility of nanoparticles increased from （1.05±0.01）μg/mL to（250.00±0.15）μg/mL. The results of antitumor test in vitro showed that the cell survival rates in the group of GA raw material 200 μmol/L and GA nanoparticles groups were significantly lower than that in blank control group ，and the cell survival rates of GA nanoparticles groups （except for 12.5 μmol/L group）were significantly lower than that of same dose group of raw material （P＜0.01）. IC 50 of GA nanoparticles was 86.3 μmol/L，which was lower than 364.4 μmol/L of raw material. CONCLUSIONS：GA nanoparticles are prepared successfully ；the prepared nanoparticles have small size and uniform distribution ，and the solubility are increased and antitumor activity in vitro are enhanced.

Preparation and Characterization of Glycyrrhetinic Acid-modified Docetaxel Magnetic Nanoparticles / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE：To pre pare Glycyrrhetinic acid-modified docetaxel magnetic nanoparticles （GA-DTX-NGO/IONP- NPs），and to evaluate its physicochemical properties. METHODS ：Magnetic nano graphene oxide （NGO/IONP）was chosen as the anti-tumor drug carrier ，docetaxel（DTX）as the model drug and glycyrrhetinic acid （GA）as the target molecule. Firstly ，NGO/ IONP was synthesized by hydrothermal method and GA-CS was synthesized by amidation reaction. Fourier IR spectrometer ，DSC and vibration sample magnetic measuring instrument were used to characterize NGO/IONP and GA-CS. GA-DTX-NGO/IONP-NPs Huperzine A in the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alleviates Aβ -induced 1-42 treatment of Alzheimer ’s disease and vascular dementia ：a neurotoxicity via downregulation of p 38 and JNK MAPK meta-analysis[J]. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med ， signaling pathways[J]. Neurochem Int ，2018. DOI ：10. 2014. DOI ：10.1155/2014/363985. 1016/j.neuint.2018.09.005. were prepared by the ion gelation method. TEM and particle size analyzer were used to observe and determine the morphology ， particle size and Zeta potential of GA-DTX-NGO/IONP-NPs ；the ultrafiltration-centrifugation method was used to determine encapsulation efficiency and drug loading amount ；the magnetic properties were investigated by investigating the state with or without external magnetic field ；the photothermal conversion test was carried out with laser irradiation of 808 nm. RESULTS ：NGO/ IONP and GA-CS were successfully synthesized ，and NGO/IONP exhibited superparamagnetism characteristics. GA-DTX-NGO/ IONP-NPs were spherical under TEM ，the particle size was （262.8±4.23）nm and the Zeta potential was （13.6±1.51）mV. The encapsulation rate and drug loading amount were （94.29±0.50）％ and（17.12±0.12）％，respectively. GA-DTX-NGO/IONP-NPs were black in appearance and evenly dispersed. Under the external magnetic field ，the magnetic nanoparticles could move directionally，showing good magnetic properties. GA-DTX-NGO/IONP-NPs showed a good concentration- and time-dependent photothermal conversion effect under 808 nm laser irradiation. CONCLUSIONS ：GA-DTX-NGO/IONP-NPs are successfully prepared. This study could provide some theoretical basis for the combined treatment of magnetic heating-chemotherapy for liver tumors.

Predictive analysis of Q-marker of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma based on network pharmacology combined with qualitative and quantitative research / 中草药

Objective: To make a preliminary prediction of the Q-marker of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma from the perspective of the effectiveness and measurability of chemical components based on the concept of Q-marker of Chinese materia medica. Methods: Based on literature integration and data analysis, the source range of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma Q-marker was screened, and the effectiveness of the ingredients was analyzed through network pharmacology. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of 15 batches of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma from four places of origin was performed by HPLC. The pattern recognition method was used to screen out the main marker components that caused the differences between groups, which were combined with network pharmacological results to further determine the Q-marker of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma. Results: Literature studies had determined that flavonoids and triterpenoids were the main source of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma Q-marker; Network pharmacology results showed that liquiritin, glycyrrhizic acid and other components had high connectivity in the "component-target-pathway" network and were the main active components; The fingerprints of 15 batches of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma samples were established, and five components, including liquiritin and liquiritin apioside, were identified as the main marker components by PLS-DA analysis; The content determination results of liquiritin, liquiritin apioside, glycyrrhizic acid and glycyrrhetinic acid showed that there were significant differences in the content of ingredients among different production areas. The qualitative and quantitative research on pharmacology combined with network pharmacology revealed that liquiritin, liquiritin apioside, glycyrrhizic acid and glycyrrhetinic acid can be used as Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma Q-marker. Conclusion: Taking flavonoids and triterpenoids as the source of Q-marker for Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, the qualitative and quantitative (measurability) study of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma herbs from multiple producing areas combined with network pharmacology (effectiveness) revealed liquiritin, liquiritin apioside, glycyrrhizic acid and glycyrrhetinic acid as the potential Q-marker of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma are scientific and reasonable, which provide reference for quality control of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma.

Exploring material basis and mechanism of Lianhua Qingwen Prescription against coronavirus based on network pharmacology / 中草药

Objective: To explore the active compounds and mechanism of Lianhua Qingwen Prescription for the treatment of coronavirus, and provide a reference for the treatment of COVID-19. Methods: With the help of TCMSP, Batman, Swiss Target Prediction and other databases, the chemical constituents and targets of Lianhua Qingwen Prescription were retrieved. Coronavirus disease targets were screened by GeneCards. Cytoscape software was used to construct a “drug-component-target-disease” interaction network map and potential target interactions, and the action mechanism was predicted through enrichment analysis. The main active ingredients of Lianhua Qingwen Prescription were verified by molecular docking with Mpro and ACE2. Results: A total of 100 active ingredients, 636 drug targets, and 347 disease targets were excavated, and 67 drug-disease common targets were obtained. The key targets involved PTGS2, IL6, CASP3, MAPK1, EGFR, ACE2, etc. A total of 1 946 entries were obtained by GO enrichment analysis, which mainly involved T cell activation, viral receptors, and inflammatory responses. KEGG pathway enrichment screened 166 signaling pathways, including renin-angiotensin system, Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, JAK-STAT signaling pathway, T cell receptor signaling pathway, TNF signaling pathway and so on. The molecular docking results showed that kaempferol, quercetin and luteolin had good binding ability with Mpro; And glycyrrhetinic acid, stigmasterol, indigo had good binding ability with ACE2. Conclusion: Lianhua Qingwen Prescription acts on coronavirus through multiple components, multiple targets, and multiple pathways. The main components have good binding ability with Mpro and ACE2, so as to have a therapeutic effect on COVID-19.

Optimization of best processing technology of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma Praeparata cum Melle by multi-index QAMS-response surface methodology / 中草药

Objective: Based on response surface methodology, HPLC was applied to quantitatively determine the optimal processing technology of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma Praeparata cum Melle (GRRPM) from the perspective of multi-index and comprehensive evaluation. Methods: HPLC was used for quantitative analysis, and the content of liquiritin, liquiritigenin, licochalcone A and glycyrrhetinic acid was used as inspection indexes. Response surface methodology was used to investigate the effects of the adding amount of honey, steaming and soaking time, frying temperature and frying time on the processing technology of GRRPM, and to optimize the optimal processing technology of GRRPM. Results: The chromatographic column was Diamonsil C18 (2) (4.6 mm × 200 mm, 5 μm); mobile phase was acetonitrile-0.1% phosphate aqueous solution, gradient eluting: 0-20 min, 12%-32% acetonitrile; 20-45 min, 32%-70% acetonitrile; 45-75 min, 70%-97% acetonitrile, with detection wavelength of 260 nm, column temperature of 20 ℃, and flow rate of 1 mL/min; Using liquiritin as internal standard, the relative correction factors of glycyrrhizin, licochalcone A, glycyrrhizinic acid and their relative correction factors were determined and calculated to be 0.56, 0.64 and 1.42, respectively. The optimum processing process of GRRPM was as follows: the amount of honey was 1/4, the soaking time was 15 min, frying pan bottom temperature was 160 ℃, and frying time was 13 min. Conclusion: The results of systematic adaptability investigation of the experimental content determination method meet the requirements. The best processing scheme of GRRPM optimized by response surface methodology is feasible and provides scientific basis for formulating quality standards and modern research of GRRPM.

Improvement of glycyrrhetinic acid on damage of synaptic ultrastructures of hippocampus induced by realgar in mice / 吉林大学学报(医学版)

Objective: To explore the improvement of glycyrrhetinic acid (G A) on the damage of synaptic ultrastructures of hippocampus induced by realgar in the mice, and to clarify the related mechanisms. Methods: Sixty ICR mice were randomly divided into three groups with twenty mice in each group: control group (intragastrically treated with 0. 5 % CMC-Na), realgar group (intragatrically treated with realgar 1. 35 g • kg- 1), and GA intervention group (intragastrically administered with GA 48 mg • kgx and realgar 1. 35 g • kg1). The mice were administrated once a day for eight consecutive weeks. The cognitive and memory abilities were tested using object recognition task (ORT). The levels of glutathione (GSH) in the hippocampus in the mice in various groups were detected. The changes of the ultrastructures of synapse in hippocampal CA1 region, the width of synaptic cleft, the length of synaptic active zone, the thickness of post synaptic density (PSD) and the curvature of synaptic interface were observed by transmission electron microscope. Results: Compared with control group, the preferential index (PI) for the novel object and the level of GSH in the hippocampus tissue of the mice in realgar group were significantly decreased (P 0 . 05), and the level of GSH in the hippocampus tissue of the mice in GA intervention group was significantly increased (P 0 . 05). Conclusion: Realgar can change the synaptic structural parameters and cause deficits in cognitive and memory abilities. GA can alleviate the abnormal ultrastructural changes in the hippocampal synapses of the mice.

Antitumor mechanism of glycyrrhizic acid and glycyrrhetinic acid and their application as drug delivery carriers / 中草药

Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma is one of the commonly used Chinese materia medica in clinic. It has the effects of tonifying spleen and replenishing qi, clearing heat and removing toxin, dispelling phlegm, relieving cough, relieving pain, and reconciling various drugs. Its main active ingredients are saponins, flavonoids and polysaccharides. Among them, glycyrrhizic acid and glycyrrhetinic acid not only have inhibitory effects on liver cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer and other cancers, but also can be combined with chemotherapeutic drugs to increase drug efficacy as well. At the same time, they can be developed as drug carrier for drug delivery to solve the problems of low water solubility, low bioavailability, high toxicity and side effects of drugs. It was found that their solubilization may be closely related to their amphiphilic structure, which is expected to further explore the role of their carrier characteristics in drug transmembrane transport. Based on the anti-tumor mechanisms of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, the applications of glycyrrhizic acid and glycyrrhetinic acid in drug delivery systems were systematically summarized in this paper, which could provide reference for the further study of glycyrrhizic acid and glycyrrhetinic acid as excipients of drug delivery systems.

The inhibition of 18β-sodium glycyrrhetinic acid on thymic stromal lymphopoietin expression in the nasal mucosa of allergic rhinitis rats / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

Objective@#To explore the effect of 18β-sodium glycyrrhetinic acid on thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) in nasal mucosa of allergic rhinitis (AR) rats.@*Methods@#One hundred Wistar rats,half male and half female,were randomly divided into 5 groups by random number table method: control group, AR model group,budesonide group,18β-sodium glycyrrhetinic acid at dose of 20 mg/kg and 40 mg/kg groups, with 20 rats in each group. AR animal models were established by ovalbumin (OVA) sensitization in the other four experimental groups. After successful modeling, budesonide and 18β-sodium glycyrrhetinic acid were given in each group,and the detection time points were 2 weeks and 4 weeks. The distribution of TSLP in rat nasal mucosa was detected by immunohistochemistry,and the expression of TSLP in rat nasal mucosa was determined by Western blot at the protein level. The expression of TSLP-mRNA in rat nasal mucosa was detected and compared by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (RT-PCR) at mRNA level. The concentrations of IL-4 and OVA-sIgE in rat serum were measured and compared by ELISA. One-way analysis of variance and the least significant difference method were used for the comparison among groups, LSD t test was used for the comparison between the two groups,and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05).@*Results@#Immunohistochemistry confirmed existence of TSLP in rat nasal mucosa, especially in epithelial cells,endothelial cells and epithelial cilia. Western blot and RT-PCR suggested that the expression of TSLP and TSLP-mRNA in nasal mucosa of AR model group was significantly higher than that of control group (2 weeks TSLP: 1.795 9±0.131 4 vs 0.990 5±0.164 2, 4 weeks TSLP: 1.809 7±0.253 4 vs 0.870 3±0.124 4; 2 weeks TSLP-mRNA:4.582 9±0.697 7 vs 1.108 7±0.081 1, 4 weeks TSLP-mRNA:4.814 4±0.662 8 vs 1.001 0±0.155 3; all P<0.05). After 2 weeks and 4 weeks of drug intervention,the expression of TSLP and TSLP-mRNA was inhibited in nasal mucosa of budesonide group,18β-sodium sodium glycyrrhetinic acid at dose of 20 mg/kg and 40 mg/kg group,which was significantly different from that of AR model group (2 weeks TSLP: (0.897 8±0.081 8)/(1.072 1±0.113 6)/(1.396 6±0.133 9) vs 1.795 9±0.131 4; 4 weeks TSLP: (1.191 0±0.161 3)/(1.141 0±0.152 3)/(1.200 5±0.189 6) vs 1.809 7±0.253 4; 2 weeks TSLP-mRNA: (1.175 6±0.100 9)/(1.254 4±0.078 2)/(2.037 2±0.559 2) vs 4.582 9±0.697 7; 4 weeks TSLP-mRNA: (1.158 3±0.104 3)/(1.224 0±0.034 0)/(1.275 2±0.099 6) vs 4.814 4±0.662 8; all P<0.05), and not significantly different from control group. With the inhibition of TSLP, the concentrations of IL-4 and OVA-sIgE in rat serum were also decreased.@*Conclusion@#18β-sodium glycyrrhetinic acid has obvious inhibitory effect on TSLP in nasal mucosa of AR rats, which can control Th2 type immune inflammatory reaction.

Preparation and characterization of glycyrrhetinic acid-modified nano graphene oxide drug delivery system / 中国中药杂志

In this study,a nano drug delivery system GA-DTX-NGO which could be used for liver tumor photothermal and chemotherapy was prepared and characterized,with docetaxel(DTX) as model drug,glycyrrhetinic acid(GA) as the target molecule,and nano graphene oxide(NGO) as the photosensitizer. Firstly,GA-NGO nanocomposites were synthesized by the amidation reaction,and then GA-DTX-NGO was prepared by ultrasonic dispersion method. The encapsulation efficiency and drug loading ratio were determined by high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) and ultracentrifugation; the morphology was observed by transmission electron microscopy(TEM). The photothermal conversion test was carried out by laser irradiation at 808 nm and the drug release test in vitro was performed using reverse dialysis. Finally,the effect of GA-DTX-NGO on SMMC-7721 liver tumor cells proliferation was determined by using MTT assay. The results showed that GA-DTX-NGO had good water dispersibility,and TEM results showed a lamellar structure with about 200 nm in diameter. The encapsulation efficiency and drug loading ratio of GA-DTX-NGO were(98. 89 ± 0. 07) % and(64. 74±0. 26) %,respectively. GA-DTX-NGO had strong photothermal conversion performance under 808 nm of laser irradiation. The drug release test in vitro results showed GA-DTX-NGO had obvious sustained-release effects and temperature-dependent release characteristics. The results of cell assay showed that GA-DTX-NGO could effectively inhibit the proliferation of SMMC 7721 cells in a concentration-and time-dependent manner,and the inhibitory effect was enhanced after combination with the near-infrared therapy. In conclusion,the preparation process of GA-DTX-NGO nano drug delivery system is feasible,which could provide some theoretical basis for further study of photothermal and chemotherapy on liver tumor.