Quality standards of Gleditsiae Spina and its decoction pieces / 中国中药杂志

In view of the current inadequate standards for Gleditsiae Spina in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, this study put forward some new items of the quality standards of Gleditsiae Spina. Thin-layer chromatography(TLC) was performed for identification with the reference substance of taxifolin and the reference material of Gleditsiae Spina as the control. According to the general principles of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia(2020 edition, Vol. 4), the moisture, total ash content, and alcohol-soluble extract of medicinal materials and decoction pieces of Gleditsiae Spina were determined. The content determination method for medicinal materials and decoction pieces of Gleditsiae Spina was established using high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC), with taxifolin as the quality control index. Based on the determination results of 30 batches of samples of Gleditsiae Spina from different habitats, the draft quality standards of Gleditsiae Spina were developed, which provided suggestions for the revision of the quality standards of Gleditsiae Spina in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia.

Neuroprotective effects of Yiqihuoxue calm wind capsule on ischemic stroke in rats / 中国天然药物

Stroke remains the third leading cause of death and of adult disability worldwide. Vascular occlusion, followed by ischemic cascade, leads to irreversible tissue injury. Recombinant tissue plasminogen activator is the only FDA approved drug for the current treatment of acute ischemic stroke. However, traditional Chinese medicine has a long history and rich clinical experience in the treatment and rehabilitation of ischemic stroke. Using a classical middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) stroke model, we tested the effectiveness of Yiqihuoxue calm wind (YCW) capsule on neurological function, gross pathology and oxidative stress status in MCAO rats. YCW capsule (3.36 and 6.72 g·kg of crude drug) could significantly lower Longa's score and superoxide dismutase (SOD) level, together with less necrotic cells and infarcted area. In addition to elevated MDA and downregulated iNOS expression, YCW capsule exhibited its neuroprotective effects via free radical scavenging and NO inhibition.