Effects of polysaccharides from different species of Dendrobium (Shihu) on macrophage function.

Dendrobium spp. are precious medicinal plants, used in China for thousands of years as health foods and nutrients. Polysaccharides are the main effective ingredients in Dendrobium plants. In this study, the chemical characteristics and the effects of crude polysaccharides (CPs) from five species of Dendrobium on macrophage function were investigated and compared in vitro for the first time. Chemical characteristic studies showed that CPs from different species of Dendrobium were diverse, displaying widely varied Mw distributions and molar ratios of monosaccharides. Their effects on macrophage functions, such as promoting phagocytosis, release of NO and cytokines IL-1α, IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-α, were also different. Moreover, CPs from D. officinale, especially collected from Yunnan Province, exerted the strongest immunomodulatory activities and could be explored as a novel potential functional food. The diverse chemical characteristics of CPs from different species of Dendrobium might contribute to their varied effects on macrophage functions, which should be further investigated.

Mycelia extracts of fungal strains isolated from Cordyceps sinensis differently enhance the function of RAW 264.7 macrophages.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Cordyceps sinensis, an entomogenous fungus used in traditional Chinese medicine with multiple pharmacological activities. However, its usage has been limited due to the high price and short supply. Isolate of fungi strains from natural Cordyceps sinensis to achieve a large-scale production by fermentation is an alternative choice. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the effects of mycelia extracts of different fungal stains isolated from natural Cordyceps sinensis on macrophage functions in vitro. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Macrophages' proliferation, phagocytosis, nitric oxide (NO) production, cytokines secretion, iNOS, NF-κB p65 activation and translocation were investigated by the MTT assay, flow cytometry assay, Griess reagent method, ELISA, western blot and immunostaining assay, respectively. RESULTS: The results showed that the effects of cultured Cordyceps mycelia of different fungal strains isolated from natural Cordyceps sinensis on macrophages greatly variant. Among 17 Cordyceps aqueous extracts, only five extracts (UM01, QH11, BNQM, GNCC and DCXC) could significantly increase cell proliferation and NO production of RAW 264.7 mouse macrophages. Moreover, the five extracts, especially UM01 and QH11, significantly enhanced phagocytosis and promoted cytokines release of macrophages. Polysaccharides in cultured UM01 mycelia were found to be the main immune stimulating compounds. CONCLUSIONS: The variation of biological effects of fermented mycelia of different fungal strains from natural Cordyceps sinensis may be derived from their chemical diversity, especially polysaccharides, which need further study in future.

Oplopanphesides A-C, three new phenolic glycosides from the root barks of Oplopanax horridus.

Three new phenolic glycosides, named oplopanphesides A-C (1-3), have been isolated from the root barks of Oplopanax horridus. Their structures were elucidated by a combination of spectroscopic analyses, including 1D- and 2D-NMR techniques. These phenolic glycosides possess a novel feature in their sugar moieties that a 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl moiety was connected with C-6 of the ß-D-glucopyranosyl group. Those compounds showed no cytotoxic effects against human cancer cell lines (MDA-231 and MCF-7) by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) method.

Relationship between HPLC fingerprints and in vivo pharmacological effects of a traditional Chinese medicine: Radix Angelicae Dahuricae.

We report the fingerprint development of a traditional Chinese medicine Radix Angelicae Dahuricae root and the correlation of the fingerprint peaks with its in vivo pharmacological effects. The high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods with the computer aided similarity evaluation were validated and used in serial pharmacological studies in mice. The major constituents of R. Angelicae Dahuricae were successfully separated by the HPLC methods, and the effects of sedation and analgesia were mainly related to the chromatographic peaks of group II. The anti-inflammatory, anti-heat stroke and anti-endotoxemic effects were mainly related to the peaks in group III. These results indicated a correlation between the HPLC fingerprints in groups and the pharmacological effects of R. Angelicae Dahuricae. This simple and accurate method can be used for the identification of the active components of R. Angelicae Dahuricae and for the quality control of its pharmaceutical preparations.

Imperatorin is responsible for the vasodilatation activity of Angelica Dahurica var. Formosana regulated by nitric oxide in an endothelium-dependent manner.

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the vasodilatation activity of the coumarin-containing Angelica dahurica var. formosana and to further analyze active components in the herb extracts. METHODS: (1) The vasodilatation effects induced by different extracts (cyclohexane, ethyl acetate, acetone, methanol, 95 % ethanol and water) of Angelica dahurica var. formosana on mouse thoracic aorta pre-contracted with phenylephrine were investigated. (2) The amount of imperatorin and isoimperatorin in each extract was measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. (3) The vasodilatation effects of imperatorin and isoimperatorin on mouse thoracic aorta were compared using the same in vitro method. (4) The vasodilatation mechanism of imperatorin in the mouse thoracic aorta pre-contracted with phenylephrine was studied using the methods of denuded endothelium, NG-nitro-L-arginine methylester (L-NAME, a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor), and propranolol. RESULTS: (1) The cyclohexane and ethyl acetate extracts of Angelica dahurica var. formosana decreased the maximal response of phenylephrine-induced mouse thoracic aorta contraction dose-dependently, with 50% inhibiting concentration (IC(50)) values of 35.3+/-12.4 mg/L and 40.5+/-12.0 mg/L, respectively. The vasodilatation effect of imperatorin and isoimperatorin was dose-dependent. (2) The cyclohexane extract, showing the strongest vasodilatation effect, possessed the highest contents of imperatorin (4.09%) and isoimperatorin (0.27%, w/w). There was a correlation between the vasodilatation activity and the contents of imperatorin and isoimperatorin in the extracts. (3) The vasodilatation effect of imperatorin was about 4-fold stronger than that of isoimperatorin. (4) The vasodilatation effect of imperatorin was signifificantly attenuated to 24.88%+/-4.06% in the denuded endothelium group compared with the intact endothelium group. And 1 mmol/L L-NAME reduced the imperatorin-induced vasorelaxation by 32.18 %+/-11.29 %. CONCLUSIONS: The principal effective component of Angelica dahurica var. Formosana was found to be imperatorin. Imperatorin-induced vasodilatation is at least partially regulated by nitric oxide, and has no correlation to beta-receptor.

Analysis of anti-platelet aggregation components of Rhizoma Zingiberis using chicken thrombocyte extract and high performance liquid chromatography.

BACKGROUND: The conventional procedure for screening bioactive components from traditional Chinese medicine is time-consuming, expensive and low efficient. Therefore, some alternative strategies are needed urgently. A novel method for screening anti-platelet aggregation components from oleoresins was developed using chicken thrombocyte extract and high performance liquid chromatography. METHODS: The anti-platelet aggregation components of oleoresins were combined with receptors, channels and enzymes of chicken thrombocytes under physiological environment. Unbound substances were washed away and bound compounds were eluted using specific phosphate buffered solution (PBS). Compounds released from target sites were collected and analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography and LC-MS. The activity of three compounds which were screened from this model was confirmed using platelet aggregation pharmacology in vivo. RESULTS: There were four typical compounds that bound to the thrombocytes: 6-gingerol, 8-gingerol, 6-shogaol and 10-gingerol, and all had shown anti-platelet aggregation activities. Eight-gingerol displayed the best anti-platelet aggregation effect. CONCLUSIONS: Chicken thrombocyte extract can be used to isolate chemicals that are ligands of the receptor or other bio-targets on the platelet. This may therefore be a simple and efficient method to screen for anti-platelet aggregation compounds from traditional Chinese medicine.

[Effect of gingerol on endotoxemia mouse model induced by heatstroke].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of Gingerol on endotoxemia mouse induced by heatstroke. METHODS: Forty mice were randomly divided into five groups, the endotoxemia model group (A), the normal temperature group (B), the Gingerol treated group (C), the solvent control group (D), and the saline control group (E), 8 mice in each group. Group B to E was administered with saline, Gingerol, solvent and saline respectively. Mice in group B were placed at room temperature 25 +/- 0.5 degrees C , relative humidity 43 +/- 5 % for 2 hrs, while mice in the other groups were exposed under 35 +/- 0.5 degrees C and relative humidity 65 +/- 5 % for 2 hrs in an artificial hot-climate mimic cabin to establish heatstroke endotoxemia model. The energy metabolic level of celiomacrophage was detected with MTT; the phagocytic ability was examined with neutral red chromometry; the hepatocyte ultrastructure was observed with transmission electron microscopy, as well as the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) in plasma was tested. RESULTS: As compared with Group A, D and E, in Group C, energy metabolic levels of macrophage, phagocytic ability, and activity of SOD were significantly higher (P < 0.01), and the level of MDA was significantly lower respectively (P < 0.01), with the levels of SOD and MDA approaching to those in Group B (P >0.05). The pathologic changes of hepatocyte ultrastructure in group C were less than those in the other three endotoxemia groups. CONCLUSION: Gingerol could raise the energy metabolic level of celio-macrophage to enhance its phagocytic ability, increase the activity of SOD and reduce the production of MDA in mouse with heatstroke endotoxemia, so as to alleviate the liver damage.