Shengbai decoction enhances the anti-tumor efficacy of cyclophosphamide on hepatoma 22-bearing mice.

Combination therapies with chemotherapy and traditional Chinese medicines are attracted increasing attentions for cancer treatment in China. Shengbai decoction (SBD) is a traditional Chinese compound medicine, composed of 6 traditional Chinese herbs. The aim of this study was to investigate the synergistic anti-tumor activity of SBD with cyclophosphamide (CTX) and the possibly underlying mechanisms in treating the hepatoma 22 (H22) -bearing mice. The liver cancer models in C57BL/6 mice were established by injecting with mouse H22 cancer cells. Results showed that combination treatment with SBD and CTX processed a significantly synergistic anti-tumor effect in H22 tumor-bearing mice. Moreover, SBD could not only improve leukopenia caused by CTX, but prolong the survival time of the mice. Furthermore, SBD could upregulate the expressions of the pro-apoptotic genes, including p53, BAD, Cas3 and Bax, and suppress the expression of anti-apoptotic gene Bcl-2. These results suggested that the combination treatment with SBD and CTX had health improving function and less side effects compared with the administration of CTX alone, and SBD could be a promising adjunct agent for liver cancer chemotherapy.

Combination of cyclophosphamide and shengbai decoction has synergistic effect against melanoma.

Shengbai decoction (SBD), a famous Chinese herbal prescription, has been used for treatment of leukopenia for decades in China. In this study, its synergistic antitumor effect in combination with cyclophosphamide (CTX) on melanoma-bearing mice was investigated. A total of forty C57BL/6 male mice successfully modeled (6-8 weeks old, 18-22 g) were randomly divided into 4 groups (n = 10): 1) the model group, 2) the CTX group, 3) the low dose of SBD (10.66 g/kg/d, raw medicine) and CTX group, and 4) the high dose of SBD (31.98 g/kg/d, raw medicine) and CTX group. Melanoma mice models were established by injection of 0.1 mL of melanoma cell suspension under the midline of the back of each C57BL/6 mouse. Treatment started five days after modeling. The results showed that SBD significantly alleviated histopathological damage, and reduced tumor growth and the concentrations of IL-6, IFN-γ and TNF-α in serum. Furthermore, the combined therapy increased the positive expression of NF-κB and promoted apoptosis compared with CTX alone. These results indicated that SBD could improve the antitumor effect of CTX on melanoma in vivo. And this combination treatment may be an ideal therapy against melanoma.

Effect of N-methyltyramine on the regulation of adrenergic receptors via enzymatic epinephrine synthesis for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders.

BACKGROUND: Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium (CRP), Aurantii Fructus Immaturus (AFI) and Aurantii Fructus (AF) are all important Citrus species used in traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders. Although they have been used since ancient times and are still in use today, the mechanistic basis for their regulation of adrenergic receptors (ARs) is still not clear. PURPOSE: In this study, we aimed to determine the active components and mechanisms of action of CRP, AFI and AF in treating gastrointestinal disorders related to ARs. METHODS: First, the phenethylamine alkaloid components of CRP, AFI and AF were identified and compared across 30 samples of three Citrus species by UPLC-Q/TOF-MS in combination with content difference analysis. Second, the effect of the main active alkaloid component on AR-based gastrointestinal disorders was investigated by an in vivo small intestinal propulsive test and an in vitro relaxing small intestinal smooth muscle activity test. The mechanism of AR regulation of the active alkaloid was further studied by evaluating its effect on relaxing small intestinal smooth muscle in the presence of an inhibitor. Lastly, the enzymes, which played an important role in epinephrine synthesis and AR regulation, were detected by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Three phenethylamine AR regulators (N-methyltyramine, synephrine and hordenine) in CRP, AFI and AF were characterized. It was found that N-methyltyramine could relax mouse small intestinal smooth muscle and inhibit small intestinal propulsion. The effect of N-methyltyramine on relaxing small intestinal smooth muscle could be inhibited by a-methyl-l-tyrosine. The enzymes related epinephrine synthesis and AR function were found in the mouse small intestine. The biotransformation process that converts N-methyltyramine to epinephrine was determined. CONCLUSION: The treatment of gastrointestinal disorders of CRP, AFI and AF is associated with their alkaloid component N-methyltyramine via the regulation of ARs, and the mechanism is considered to be the biotransformation of N-methyltyramine to epinephrine by serial synthase, which takes place at the nerves cells in small intestine.

Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities of extract and fractions from Pyrrosia petiolosa (Christ et Bar.) Ching.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Pyrrosia petiolosa is commonly used as a traditional Chinese medicine for treatment of acute pyelonephritis, chronic bronchitis and bronchial asthma. This study aims to evaluate the antibacterial activity of the ethanol extract and its derived fractions of Pyrrosia petiolosa obtained with solvents of different polarities and to perform the anti-inflammatory screening. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The powdered aerial parts of Pyrrosia petiolosa were used to extract various fractions with ethanol, petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, N-butanol and aqueous. Qualitative phytochemical screening was performed on the ethanol extract, petroleum ether fraction, ethyl acetate fraction, N-butanol fraction and aqueous fraction. The agar diffusion method, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were employed to evaluate antibacterial activity of the ethanol extract and fractions. The in vitro cytotoxicity of ethanol extract and fractions was determined using MTT assay. The anti-inflammatory activity was analyzed using the mouse ear swelling induced by xylene. RESULTS: The phytochemical screening revealed the presence of anthraquinones, flavonoids, terpenoids, steroids, saponins, phenols and reducing sugars in the extract and fractions. Antibacterial results showed that petroleum ether fraction and N-butanol fraction inhibited all the tested microorganisms with the maximum inhibition zone of 15.25±0.35 mm. Ethyl acetate fraction also exhibited good antibacterial activity except Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, while extract and aqueous fraction inhibited 8 out of 13 (61.5%) of the tested microorganisms. The MIC values of ethanol extract and fractions ranged from 1.25 to 10.00 mg/mL and most of the MBC values were equal or twice as high as the corresponding MIC values. The in vitro cytotoxicity showed the ethanol extract and fractions exhibited non-toxic or low toxic activity against lung cancer cell lines A549 and mouse spleen cells. In anti-inflammatory experiment, ethanol extract at 5.0 and 10.0 mg/kg exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity against the mouse ear swelling induced by xylene and the maximum inhibition rate reached as high as 67%. CONCLUSIONS: Pyrrosia petiolosa could be a potential candidate for future development of a novel antibacterial and anti-inflammatory agent.

Comparative pharmacognosy of Pyrrosia petiolosa and Pyrrosia davidii

Pyrrosia petiolosa (Christ) Ching, Polypodiaceae, is an important medicinal pteridophyte used for the treatment of nephritis and bronchitis, while P. davidii (Giesenhagen. ex Diels) Ching, Polypodiaceae, often substitutes medicinal Pyrrosia in clinic. The present study was aimed to compare the pharmacognosy of P. petiolosa and P. davidii, including plant morphology, microscopic characteristics, physico-chemical parameters, UV and IR spectrum, and HPLC fingerprint. It was revealed that the two herbs had basically similar pharmacognostical characteristics but with certain differences. The present study contributes to the standardization and verification of these medicinal materials.

Characterization of the programmed cell death induced by metabolic products of Alternaria alternata in tobacco BY-2 cells.

Alternaria alternata has received considerable attention in current literature and most of the studies are focused on its pathogenic effects on plant chloroplasts, but little is known about the characteristics of programmed cell death (PCD) induced by metabolic products (MP) of A. alternata, the effects of the MP on mitochondrial respiration and its relation to PCD. The purpose of this study was to explore the mechanism of MP-induced PCD in non-green tobacco BY-2 cells and to explore the role of mitochondrial inhibitory processes in the PCD of tobacco BY-2 cells. MP treatment led to significant cell death that was proven to be PCD by the concurrent cytoplasm shrinkage, chromatin condensation and DNA laddering observed in the cells. Moreover, MP treatment resulted in the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), rapid ATP depletion and a respiratory decline in the tobacco BY-2 cells. It was concluded that the direct inhibition of the mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC), alternative pathway (AOX) capacity and catalase (CAT) activity by the MP might be the main contributors to the MP-induced ROS burst observed in tobacco BY-2 cells. The addition of adenosine together with the MP significantly inhibited ATP depletion without preventing PCD; however, when the cells were treated with the MP plus CAT, ROS overproduction was blocked and PCD did not occur. The data presented here demonstrate that the ROS burst played an important role in MP-induced PCD in the tobacco BY-2 cells.