[Role of NLRP3 inflammasome in prevention and treatment of cognitive impairment-related diseases and traditional Chinese medicine intervention: a review].

Alzheimer's disease(AD), vascular dementia(VD), and traumatic brain injury(TBI) are more common cognitive impairment diseases characterized by high disability and mortality rates, imposing a heavy burden on individuals and their families. Although AD, VD, and TBI have different specific mechanisms, their pathogenesis is closely related to the nucleotide-binding oligome-rization domain-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3). The NLRP3 inflammasome is involved in neuroinflammatory responses, mediating microglial polarization, regulating the reduction of amyloid ß-protein(Aß) deposition, neurofibrillary tangles(NFTs) formation, autophagy regulation, and maintaining brain homeostasis, and synaptic stability, thereby contributing to the development of AD, VD, and TBI. Previous studies have shown that traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) can alleviate neuroinflammation, promote microglial polarization towards the M2 phenotype, reduce Aß deposition and NFTs formation, regulate autophagy, and maintain brain homeostasis by intervening in NLRP3 inflammasome, hence exerting a role in preventing and treating cognitive impairment-related diseases, reducing psychological and economic pressure on patients, and improving their quality of life. Therefore, this article elucidated the role of NLRP3 inflammasome in AD, VS, and TBI, and provided a detailed summary of the latest research results on TCM intervention in NLRP3 inflammasome for the prevention and treatment of these diseases, aiming to inherit the essence of TCM and provide references and foundations for clinical prevention and treatment of cognitive impairment-related diseases with TCM. Meanwhile, this also offers insights and directions for further research in TCM for the prevention and treatment of cognitive impairment-related diseases.

Exploration on Anti-Depression Mechanism of Baihe Zhimu Decoction Based on Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze anti-depression mechanism of Baihe Zhimu decoction (BZD) based on network pharmacology method, which provides reference for the development of new drugs and the clinical application of classical prescriptions. METHOD: The main chemical components and targets of Baihe and Zhimu were obtained through traditional Chinese medicine pharmacology system technology platform (TCMSP) database, and the active components of TCM were filtered according to ADME; Major targets for anti-depression were get through Gencards, OMIM and DRUGBANK databases; Protein interaction analysis was performed using the String platform; Build PPI networks and mine potential protein functional modules in the network; The Metascape platform was used to analyze the "drug-ingredients-target" and its involved biological processes and pathways; Finally, the molecular docking validation was performed by Systems Dock Web Site. RESULTS: The core active ingredients of BZD treating depression are kaempferol and Stigmasterol, The core targets are AKT1, TNF, TP53, PTGS2, and CASP3. The biological pathway of the anti-depression mainly acts on Lipid and atherosclerosis, Chemical carcinogenesis and receptor activation. Molecular docking results showed that AKT1, TNF and TP53 have good affinity with components kaempferol and Stigmasterol. CONCLUSION: This study initially revealed the mechanism of multicomponent, multiple target and multiple pathway of anti-depression, which may be related to neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, atherosclerotic, PI3K-Akt and TNF signaling pathway.

Analysis of the Analgesic Effect, Emotion, and Safety of Esketamine in Cesarean Section Analgesia for Puerperae.

Objective: This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of esketamine as an analgesic during cesarean section procedures. Methods: 102 puerperae undergoing cesarean section were divided into a control group and an esketamine (SK) group. Various parameters, including HR, MAP, and postoperative pain, were analyzed. Blood gas analysis and Apgar scores were assessed in neonates. Postoperative depression and satisfaction were evaluated in puerperae. Drug concentrations were measured using liquid-phase tandem mass spectrometry. Results: No significant differences in dimension levels were observed between the two groups (P > .05). However, the SK group showed better HR and MAP indicators at various time points, less postoperative pain, and better mental well-being on postpartum days 1, 3, and 7 (P < .05). Adverse reaction rates were similar between groups (P > .05), but postoperative satisfaction was significantly different (P = .027). Neonatal outcomes did not differ significantly (P > .05). In the SK group, SK2 and SK3 groups had better results compared to SK1 (P < .05). Conclusion: Esketamine during cesarean section stabilized vital signs, reduced pain, and improved well-being in puerperae without affecting newborns. Optimal dosage: 30 µg/kg/h esketamine, 15 ng/kg/h sufentanil.

A pan-influenza antibody inhibiting neuraminidase via receptor mimicry.

Rapidly evolving influenza A viruses (IAVs) and influenza B viruses (IBVs) are major causes of recurrent lower respiratory tract infections. Current influenza vaccines elicit antibodies predominantly to the highly variable head region of haemagglutinin and their effectiveness is limited by viral drift1 and suboptimal immune responses2. Here we describe a neuraminidase-targeting monoclonal antibody, FNI9, that potently inhibits the enzymatic activity of all group 1 and group 2 IAVs, as well as Victoria/2/87-like, Yamagata/16/88-like and ancestral IBVs. FNI9 broadly neutralizes seasonal IAVs and IBVs, including the immune-evading H3N2 strains bearing an N-glycan at position 245, and shows synergistic activity when combined with anti-haemagglutinin stem-directed antibodies. Structural analysis reveals that D107 in the FNI9 heavy chain complementarity-determinant region 3 mimics the interaction of the sialic acid carboxyl group with the three highly conserved arginine residues (R118, R292 and R371) of the neuraminidase catalytic site. FNI9 demonstrates potent prophylactic activity against lethal IAV and IBV infections in mice. The unprecedented breadth and potency of the FNI9 monoclonal antibody supports its development for the prevention of influenza illness by seasonal and pandemic viruses.

Clinical Effects of Primary Nursing on Diabetic Nephropathy Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis and Its Impact on the Inflammatory Responses.

Objective: To assess the clinical effects of primary nursing on diabetic nephropathy patients undergoing hemodialysis and its impact on inflammatory responses. Methods: Between July 2019 and April 2021, 80 patients with diabetic nephropathy who underwent hemodialysis in our institution were recruited and assigned at a ratio of 1 : 1 to receive either routine nursing (routine group) or primary nursing (primary group). The outcome measures included nursing outcomes, inflammatory factor levels, and psychological status. Results: Primary nursing resulted in lower levels of blood creatinine, fasting glucose, urea nitrogen, and proteinuria versus routine nursing (P < 0.05). Patients receiving primary nursing showed significantly lower levels of interleukin (IL)-6, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) versus those given routine nursing (P < 0.05). The patients in the primary group had significantly lower scores on the self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and self-rating depression scale (SDS) versus those in the routine group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Primary nursing improves the renal function of diabetic nephropathy patients undergoing hemodialysis, reduces the inflammatory response, and eliminates their negative emotions, which shows great potential for clinical application.

Effects of Dietary Rumen-Protected Betaine on Lactation Performance and Serum Metabolites of Mid-lactation Holstein Dairy Cows.

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary rumen-protected betaine (RPB) supplementation, as partial replacement for methionine, on the lactation performance of mid-lactation dairy cows. A total of 36 Holstein dairy cows were randomly assigned to three groups [control, 20 g/day RPB, or 15 g/day rumen-protected methionine (RPM)]. The experiment was conducted over 9 weeks, with the first week for adaptation. Blood metabolites were analyzed with metabolomics in the control and RPB groups. The results revealed that the milk yield and milk protein content were higher in cows fed RPB and RPM compared to those in the control group. Concentrations of nine metabolites differed between cows in the RPB and control groups. These metabolites were mainly concentrated in six pathways, such as arginine synthesis and proline degradation and cyanoamino acid synthesis. This study revealed that RPB can spare methionine and improve lactation performance of dairy cows fed with diets moderately deficient in methionine.

Pharmacokinetic and metabolic profiling studies of sennoside B by UPLC-MS/MS and UPLC-Q-TOF-MS.

Sennoside B is a specific dianthrone compound extracted from senna, which is widely used as a stimulant laxative but has potential side effects. This study aimed to obtain the metabolic and pharmacokinetic data of sennoside B. The metabolic profiles of sennoside B were obtained from rat plasma, urine, bile and feces by an ultra-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS). As a result, 14 metabolites were structurally identified and the proposed metabolic pathways of sennoside B included hydrolysis to aglycones, release of rhein-type anthrone, and extensive conjugation. As the only compound detected in the plasma samples after intravenous and intragastric administrations, the prototype was selected as the plasma marker in the pharmacokinetic study. A simple and sensitive ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method was developed for the quantitation of sennoside B in rat plasma. The linear range of sennoside B was 5-1000 ng/mL (R2 ≥ 0.991) and the lowest limit of quantification (LLOQ) was 5 ng/mL. The intra- and inter- precisions of the assay were less than 10%, whereas accuracy ranged from 85.80% to 103.80%. The extraction recovery, matrix effect and stability of sennoside B were within acceptable limits. The established method was well validated and successfully applied to the pharmacokinetic study of sennoside B. The oral absolute bioavailability of sennoside B was calculated as 3.60% and the value apparent volume of distribution of intravenous and intragastric administrations were 32.47 ±â€¯10.49 L/kg and 7646 ±â€¯1784 L/kg, respectively. The maximum plasma concentrations were 212.6 ±â€¯50.9 µg/L and 14.06 ±â€¯2.73 µg/L for intravenous and intragastric dosing groups, respectively. According to the current results of pharmacokinetic and metabolic profiling studies, metabolites with high abundance in tissues would be the next object in the pharmacokinetic study of sennoside B.

Determination of kaurenoic acid in rat plasma using UPLC-MS/MS and its application to a pharmacokinetic study.

Kaurenoic acid (KA), a kaurane diterpene found in several medicinal plants, is an active ingredient with potential anti-inflammatory, anticonvulsant, antibacterial and antitumor activities. In this work, an ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method (UPLC-MS/MS) was firstly developed and validated to quantify kaurenoic acid in rat plasma. Rhein was chosen as the internal standard (IS) and the plasma was processed with one-step acetonitrile protein precipitation; the chromatographic separation was achieved on a HSS T3 (2.1 × 50 mm, 1.8 µm) column with the mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile and water containing 0.1% formic acid via gradient elution. An electrospray ionization source was applied and operated in the negative ion and multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) modes. Kaurenoic acid and IS were quantified using the transitions of m/z 301.2→301.2 (pseudo MRM) and m/z 283.2 → 238.9, respectively. The calibration curves were linear over the range of 5∼ 100 ng/mL (R2 = 0.990). The lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) was 5 ng/mL. The intra- and inter- day precision (RSD) ranged from 3.0% to 11.4%. The matrix effect and extraction recovery were within acceptable limits. The validated method was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetic study of kaurenoic acid in rats after oral administration at three dosages.

Cerebral blood flow features in chronic subcortical stroke: Lesion location-dependent study.

We investigated the influence of lesion location on cerebral blood flow (CBF) in chronic subcortical stroke patients. Three-dimensional pseudocontinuous arterial spin labeling was employed to obtain CBF images in normal controls (NC) and patients with left hemisphere subcortical infarctions involving motor pathways. Stroke patients were divided into two subgroups based on the infarction location (basal ganglia (BS) or pontine (PS). We mapped CBF alterations in a voxel-wise manner and compared them to detect differences among groups with height-level false discovery rate correction. Regions with significant group differences were extracted to perform post hoc analyses among the BS, PS and NC groups using a general linear model with age, gender, years of education, and interval after stroke as covariates. The BS group displayed significantly increased CBF in the contralesional putamen relative to NC and significantly decreased CBF in the ipsilesional sensorimotor cortex, ipsilesional thalamus and contralesional cerebellum. The PS group displayed significantly increased CBF in the contralesional inferior frontal gyrus relative to both the NC and BS groups. Nevertheless, the PS group showed significantly decreased CBF mainly in the cerebellum. Our results suggest different alteration patterns of CBF in chronic stroke patients with different infarct locations within subcortical motor pathways, potentially providing important information for the initiation of individualized rehabilitation strategies for subcortical stroke patients involving different infarct types.

Simultaneous and fast separation of three chlorogenic acids and two flavonoids from bamboo leaves extracts using zirconia.

Phenolic acids and flavonoids in bamboo leaves are of great importance for their functional attributes, but they can hardly be separated simultaneously. In this study, zirconia was prepared and applied as a potential absorbent for simultaneous separation of these phenolic compounds. Three phenolic acids (neochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acid and cryptochlorogenic acid) and two flavonoids (isoorientin and orientin) were isolated at the same time. The influence of bamboo leaves extraction conditions, zirconia calcination temperatures, desorption conditions and absorption/desorption dynamics on the separation were further investigated. When zirconia-400 (calcined at 400 °C) was treated with 70% ethanol extract of bamboo leaves for 40 min followed by desorption with 70% acetic acid solution for 60 min, the recovery of three chlorogenic acids and two flavonoids was about 65%. To conclude, the concise method developed here may provide a new way for simultaneous separation of phenolic acids and flavonoids from various plants.

Convenient isolation of strictinin-rich tea polyphenol from Chinese green tea extract by zirconium phosphate.

Zirconium phosphate (ZrP) was prepared and employed to separate strictinin-rich tea polyphenol from Chinese green tea extracts. The influences of ZrP calcination temperatures, green tea extraction conditions, and the amounts of ZrP on the isolation of strictinin-rich tea polyphenol were evaluated; the absorption and desorption dynamics of strictinin on ZrP were also determined. Our results revealed that the HPLC content of strictinin increased from 4.96% in 70% ethanol extract of green tea to 58.2% in isolated strictinin-rich tea polyphenol obtained by ZrP-900 (ZrP calcined at 900°C). Furthermore, the suitable time for both strictinin absorption and desorption was 4 hours at 37°C. The method developed here consisted of easy steps such as ZrP absorption, water washing, and 0.4% phosphoric acid solution desorption, which may facilitate the detection and isolation of strictinin from different samples.

Effects of extraction methods on the rheological properties of polysaccharides from onion (Allium cepa L.).

In this work we described the rheological properties of polysaccharides (HBSS, CHSS, DASS, CASS) sequentially extracted from onion (Allium cepa L.). Four onion polysaccharides (ACLPs) solutions resulted into significant differences on their rheological properties. ACLPs solutions showed non-Newtonian shear-thinning behavior over the range of 0.5-2.5%. At concentration of 1%, the apparent viscosity of CHSS was observed to be the highest. The apparent viscosity of ACLPs solutions decreased with the acidic pH (4.0) or alkaline pH (10.0) which was further declined at higher temperature (90 °C). After the addition of various salts, ACLPs had apparent differences on apparent viscosity. The G' (storage modulus) and G″ (loss modulus) of ACLP solutions were increased with increasing oscillation frequency. Moreover, the crossover value of oscillation frequency gradually decreased with increasing concentration of ACLPs. Our results exhibited that among the ACLPs, CHSS can be used as supplements in the food industry as thickening agent, gelling agent and stabilizer.

Antioxidant and antibacterial evaluation of polysaccharides sequentially extracted from onion (Allium cepa L.).

We investigated the antioxidant and antimicrobial potential of sequentially extracted onion polysaccharide fractions namely HBSS, CHSS, DASS and CASS. The different antioxidant assays indicated that ACLPs exhibited potentially appreciable antioxidant activity in a dose-dependent manner. Among all the fractions, CHSS rendered the highest antioxidant action towards ABTS radical cations (97.52%), Fe2+ chelating (98.94%) and superoxide anion radical scavenging (76.27%). Whereas, HBSS possessed the highest potential for DPPH radicals (93.68%), hydroxyl radicals (65.12%) as well as for reducing power (0.559). CASS exhibited the highest lipid peroxidation inhibition (86.43%), while, DASS showed the best ß-carotene bleaching inhibition (92.26%). Furthermore, regardless of the bacterial strain, DASS represented the strongest antibacterial activity on the basis of largest inhibition zone, the lowest minimal inhibitory concentration and maximum inhibition of bacterial growth in liquid medium. Overall results indicated that ACLPs hold a promise as potential natural antioxidant additives and antimicrobial agents for formulating the functional foods with potential applications in the medical and food industries.

The complete chloroplast genome of Plagiorhegma dubia Maxim., a traditional Chinese medicinal herb.

Plagiorhegma dubia Maxim. is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb from Plagiorhegma, Berberidaceae, which is distributed in the northeast of China, Korea, Russia. The complete chloroplast genome is 152,468 bp in length, with large single copy (LSC 82,257 bp) and small single copy (SSC 16,599 bp) regions separated by a pair of inverted repeats (IR 26 805 bp). The genome has a total of 113 genes including 79 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA genes, and 4 rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis shows that P. dubia is closely related with Sinopodophyllum hexandrum and Epimedium species. The results are of great implication for the development and utilization of P. dubia and the phylogenetic researches on Berberidaceae.

A multiple-dimension liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry data strategy for the rapid discovery and identification of unknown compounds from a Chinese herbal formula (Er-xian decoction).

It is very important to rapidly discover and identify the multiple components of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula. High performance liquid chromatography with high resolution tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-HRMS/MS) has been widely used to analyze TCM formula and contains multiple-dimension data including retention time (RT), high resolution mass (HRMS), multiple-stage mass spectrometric (MSn), and isotope intensity distribution (IID) data. So it is very necessary to exploit a useful strategy to utilize multiple-dimension data to rapidly probe structural information and identify chemical compounds. In this study, a new strategy to initiatively use the multiple-dimension LC-MS data has been developed to discover and identify unknown compounds of TCM in many styles. The strategy guarantees the fast discovery of candidate structural information and provides efficient structure clues for identification. The strategy contains four steps in sequence: (1) to discover potential compounds and obtain sub-structure information by the mass spectral tree similarity filter (MTSF) technique, based on HRMS and MSn data; (2) to classify potential compounds into known chemical classes by discriminant analysis (DA) on the basis of RT and HRMS data; (3) to hit the candidate structural information of compounds by intersection sub-structure between MTSF and DA (M,D-INSS); (4) to annotate and confirm candidate structures by IID data. This strategy allowed for the high exclusion efficiency (greater than 41%) of irrelevant ions in er-xian decoction (EXD) while providing accurate structural information of 553 potential compounds and identifying 66 candidates, therefore accelerating and simplifying the discovery and identification of unknown compounds in TCM formula.

Insights into physicochemical and functional properties of polysaccharides sequentially extracted from onion (Allium cepa L.).

Onion polysaccharides (ACLP) were sequentially extracted with four different solvents (hot buffer, chelating agent, dilute alkaline and concentrated alkaline) and obtained four fractions, named as HBSS, CHSS, DASS and CASS, respectively. The present studies characterized the ACLP concerning its physicochemical and functional properties. Monosaccharides analysis revealed that mannose (81.68%) was the dominant sugar in HBSS and galactose (67.59%) was the most in CASS. Similarly, CHSS and DASS possessed mannose and galactose as major sugar, which were 25.80% and 31.37%, 20.33% and 33.96%, respectively. The obtained molecular weight of ACLPs were 7.702×103 (HBSS), 4.690×103 (CHSS), 4.943×103 (DASS) and 1.390×103kDa (CASS). CASS resulted in the strongest solubility, fat-binding capacity, foam capacity and foam stability whereas, HBSS showed the highest thermal stability. DASS showed the best hygroscopicity and the best moisture retention was obtained by CHSS. Subsequently, the emulsifying activity and emulsifying stability were the highest for HBSS and the longest for of CASS, respectively. The rheological properties of CHSS exhibited the largest viscosity. Our results indicated that all factions could be considered as functional polysaccharides according to their respective characteristics, which have vast potential in food production.

Altered thalamo-cortical resting state functional connectivity in smokers.

The thalamus has widespread connections with the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and modulates communication between the striatum and PFC, which is crucial to the neural mechanisms of smoking. However, relatively few studies focused on the thalamic resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) patterns and their association with smoking behaviors in smokers. 24 young male smokers and 24 non-smokers were enrolled in our study. Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) was used to assess the nicotine dependence level. The bilateral thalamic RSFC patterns were compared between smokers and non-smokers. The relationship between neuroimaging findings and smoking behaviors (FTND and pack-years) were also investigated in smokers. Relative to nonsmokers, smokers showed reduced RSFC strength between the left thalamus and several brain regions, i.e. the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the bilateral caudate. In addition, the right thalamus showed reduced RSFC with the right dlPFC as well as the bilateral insula in smokers. Therefore, the findings in the current study revealed the reduced RSFC of the thalamus with the dlPFC, the ACC, the insula and the caudate in smokers, which provided new insights into the roles of the thalamus in nicotine addiction from a function integration perspective.

Facile Separation of 5-O-Galloylquinic Acid from Chinese Green Tea Extract using Mesoporous Zirconium Phosphate.

INTRODUCTION: 5-O-Galloylquinic acid from green tea and other plants is attracting increasing attention for its antioxidant and antileishmanial bioactivities. It is always isolated using a silica column, a Sephadex column and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods, which are either laborious or instrument dependent. OBJECTIVE: To develop a new method to easily separate 5-O-galloylquinic acid. METHODOLOGY: Mesoporous zirconium phosphate (m-ZrP) was prepared to conveniently separate 5-O-galloylquinic acid from Chinese green tea extract, and the target compound was easily obtained by simple steps of adsorption, washing and desorption. The effects of the green tea extraction conditions, extract concentrations, and m-ZrP adsorption/desorption dynamics on the 5-O-galloylquinic acid separation were evaluated. RESULTS: 5-O-Galloylquinic acid that was separated from a 70% ethanol extract of green tea was of moderate HPLC purity (92%) and recovery (88%), and an increased non-specific binding of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) on m-ZrP was observed in the diluted tea extract. The times for maximal adsorption of 5-O-galloylquinic acid in 70% ethanol extract and maximal desorption of 5-O-galloylquinic acid in 0.4% phosphoric acid solution were confirmed as 7 h and 5 h, respectively. CONCLUSION: A facile method to separate 5-O-galloylquinic acid from Chinese green tea extract using m-ZrP was established. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

An Integrated Approach for Studying Exposure, Metabolism, and Disposition of Multiple Component Herbal Medicines Using High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry and Multiple Data Processing Tools.

A typical prescription of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) contains up to a few hundred prototype components. Studying their absorption, metabolism, distribution, and elimination (ADME) presents great challenges. The objective of this study was to develop a practical approach for investigating ADME of individual prototypes in TCM. An active fraction of Xiao-Xu-Ming decoction (AF-XXMD) as a model TCM prescription was orally administered to rats. AF-XXMD-related components in plasma, urine, bile, and feces were detected using high-resolution mass spectrometry and background subtraction, an untargeted data-mining tool. Components were then structurally characterized on the basis of MS(n) spectral data. Connection of detected AF-XXMD metabolites to their precursor species, either prototypes or upstream metabolites, were determined on the basis of mass spectral similarity and the matching of biotransformation reactions. As a result, 247 AF-XXMD-related components were detected and structurally characterized in rats, 134 of which were metabolites. Among 198 AF-XXMD prototypes dosed, 65 were fully or partially absorbed and 13 prototypes and 34 metabolites were found in the circulation. Glucuronidation, isomerization, and deglycosylation followed by biliary and urinary excretions and direct elimination of prototypes via kidney and liver were the major clearance pathways of AF-XXMD prototypes. As an example, the ADME profile of H56, the single major AF-XXMD component in rat plasma, was elucidated on the basis of profiles of H56-related components in plasma and excreta. The results demonstrate that the new analytical approach is a useful tool for rapid and comprehensive detection and characterization of TCM components in biologic matrix in a TCM ADME study.

Pharmacokinetics of 21 active components in focal cerebral ischemic rats after oral administration of the active fraction of Xiao-Xu-Ming decoction.

The Xiao-Xu-Ming decoction (XXMD) is a traditional Chinese medicine prescription that is clinically used for the treatment of stroke. The active fraction of XXMD (AF-XXMD) exhibits pharmacological effects that are similar to those of XXMD. In this study, 21 primary compounds of AF-XXMD with potential anti-ischemic-stroke activities were selected as effective candidates to perform comparisons of their pharmacokinetic differences between control and cerebral ischemic rats and to characterize their pharmacokinetic behaviors in cerebral ischemic rats. After oral administration of AF-XXMD to control and cerebral ischemic rats, plasma and brain were harvested and analyzed using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. Reverse molecular docking results indicate that 21 AF-XXMD-derived compounds exert potential neuroprotection, anti- inflammation, and vascular dilation effects via interaction with multiple targets in stroke-related pathways. The blood-brain permeability, cerebral exposure and brain region distribution of these compounds were found to change in cerebral ischemic models. Flavonoids were identified as the predominant form in plasma, whereas chromones were found to be the major form in the brain, and alkaloids possessed moderate blood-brain permeability. Collectively, the cerebral pharmacokinetic behaviors of chromones, flavonoids and alkaloids were found to change under pathological conditions. The efficacy of AF-XXMD against cerebral ischemia is relevant to the synergistic effects of these compounds in targeting different receptors and pathways. Chromones exhibit relatively high brain permeability, and their activity and mechanism warrant further investigation.