Screening of the Active Compounds against Neural Oxidative Damage from Ginseng Phloem Using UPLC-Q-Exactive-MS/MS Coupled with the Content-Effect Weighted Method.

The neuroprotective properties of ginsenosides have been found to reverse the neurological damage caused by oxidation in many neurodegenerative diseases. However, the distribution of ginsenosides in different tissues of the main root, which was regarded as the primary medicinal portion in clinical practice was different, the specific parts and specific components against neural oxidative damage were not clear. The present study aims to screen and determine the potential compounds in different parts of the main root in ginseng. Comparison of the protective effects in the main root, phloem and xylem of ginseng on hydrogen peroxide-induced cell death of SH-SY5Y neurons was investigated. UPLC-Q-Exactive-MS/MS was used to quickly and comprehensively characterize the chemical compositions of the active parts. Network pharmacology combined with a molecular docking approach was employed to virtually screen for disease-related targets and potential active compounds. By comparing the changes before and after Content-Effect weighting, the compounds with stronger anti-nerve oxidative damage activity were screened out more accurately. Finally, the activity of the selected monomer components was verified. The results suggested that the phloem of ginseng was the most effective part. There were 19 effective compounds and 14 core targets, and enriched signaling pathway and biological functions were predicted. After Content-Effect weighting, compounds Ginsenosides F1, Ginsenosides Rf, Ginsenosides Rg1 and Ginsenosides Rd were screened out as potential active compounds against neural oxidative damage. The activity verification study indicated that all four predicted ginsenosides were effective in protecting SH-SY5Y cells from oxidative injury. The four compounds can be further investigated as potential lead compounds for neurodegenerative diseases. This also provides a combined virtual and practical method for the simple and rapid screening of active ingredients in natural products.

Effect of Tai Chi and Resistance Training on Cancer-Related Fatigue and Quality of Life in Middle-Aged and Elderly Cancer Patients.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of Tai Chi (TC) and resistance training (RT) with different intensity on the cancer-related fatigue (CRF) and quality of life (QoL) of middle-aged and elderly cancer patients. METHODS: Totally 120 cancer patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to 4 groups by a random number table, including TC group, high-intensity 60% one repetition maximum (1-RM) RT group (HIRT), low-intensity (30% 1-RM) RT group (LIRT) and control group, 30 patients in each group. Participants in the TC group received 24-form simplified Yang-style TC training at a frequency of 40 min per day, 3 days per week for 12 weeks. Patients in the two RT groups received 10 sessions, 6 designated movements per day, 3 days per week for 12 weeks. The 1-RM of 6 muscle groups, fat mass (FM), lean body mass (LBM), along with the scores of Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI), QoL questionnaire for Chinese cancer patients receiving chemobiotherapy (QLQ-CCC), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were measured before and after training. The adverse effect was also observed. RESULTS: After 12-week intervention, patients in both TC and RT groups showed significant improvements in CRF and QLQ-CCC compared to pre-treatment (P<0.05). Compared with the LIRT and TC groups, patients in the HIRT group improved more significantly in increasing muscle strength and LBM, and reducing in FM (P<0.05). Patients in the TC group significantly increased in lower limb muscle strength compared with the LIRT group (P<0.05). In addition, patients in the TC group showed more significant improvements in scores of GAD-7, PHQ-9 and PSQI than 2 RT groups (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: TC and RT, both low- and high-intensity training, can significantly increase muscle strength, reduce CRF and improve QoL in the middle-aged and elderly cancer patients. TC has a better effect than RT in terms of sleep quality and mental health. The long-term application is needed to substantiate the effect of TC as an alternative exercise in cancer patients.

Research on Function and Mechanism of Tai Chi on Cardiac Rehabilitation.

With the increasing number of cardiovascular patients, more and more people are living with diseases. Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is an effective treatment and prevention measure for cardiovascular disease (CVD), which aims to relieve both psychological and physiological stress of CVD, reduce risk of death from CVD, improve cardiovascular function and patients' quality of life. Tai Chi is popular in China and mainly used as a daily leisure activity for the elderly to strengthen their bodies. This review discusses whether Tai Chi could be taken as a positive intervention in CR and what is the exact role and its mechanisms as exercise therapy for CVD. The authors detail the role of Tai Chi on CR from the aspects of exercise capacity, risk factors of CVD and psychological factors, etc., as well as highlight the limitation of Tai Chi research at present.

Separation and identification of Taxol in the crude extracts of Taxus cuspidata and its callus culture with HPLC-ESI-MS/MS / 药学学报

<p><b>AIM</b>To study the MS/MS fragmentation mechanism of Taxol, and based on it to establish HPLC-ESI-MS/MS technique to separate and identify Taxol in the crude extracts of Taxus cuspidata and its callus culture, consequently to provide a fast and credible method for the analysis of Taxol in natural products.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Optimized the HPLC-ESI-MS/MS parameters for the sample analysis, and then discussed the ionization and cleavage mechanism of Taxol in ESI-MS and ESI-MS/MS, finally identified the Taxol in the samples with retention time, molecular weight and MS/MS spectra.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Elucidated the MS/MS fragmentation mechanism of Taxol, and developed HPLC-ESI-MS/MS method to analyze Taxol in the two samples.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The HPLC-ESI-MS/MS method is rapid, highly sensitive and specific, so it is suitable for the separation and identification of Taxol in natural products.</p>