Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae-Assessing the influence of herbal processing methods and improved effects on functional dyspepsia.

Background: The unique pharmaceutical methods for the processing of botanical drugs according to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) affect clinical syndrome differentiation and treatment. The objective of this study was to comprehensively elucidate the principles and mechanisms of an herbal processing method by investigating the alterations in the metabolites of Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae (AMR) processed by Aurantii Fructus Immaturus (AFI) decoction and to determine how these changes enhance the efficacy of aqueous extracts in treating functional dyspepsia (FD). Methods: A qualitative analysis of AMR before and after processing was conducted using UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS, and HPLC was employed for quantitative analysis. A predictive analysis was then conducted using a network analysis strategy to establish a botanical drug-metabolite-target-disease (BMTD) network and a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, and the predictions were validated using an FD rat model. Results: A total of 127 metabolites were identified in the processed AMR (PAMR), and substantial changes were observed in 8 metabolites of PAMR after processing, as revealed by the quantitative analysis. The enhanced aqueous extracts of processed AMR (PAMR) demonstrate improved efficacy in treating FD, which indicates that this processing method enhances the anti-inflammatory properties and promotes gastric motility by modulating DRD2, SCF, and c-kit. However, this enhancement comes at the cost of attenuating the regulation of motilin (MTL), gastrin (GAS), acetylcholine (Ach), and acetylcholinesterase (AchE). Conclusion: Through this series of investigations, we aimed to unravel the factors influencing the efficacy of this herbal formulation in improving FD in clinical settings.

Chinese herbal medicine for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases ─ Targeting cardiac ion channels.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality, imposing an increasing global health burden. Cardiac ion channels (voltage-gated NaV, CaV, KVs, and others) synergistically shape the cardiac action potential (AP) and control the heartbeat. Dysfunction of these channels, due to genetic mutations, transcriptional or post-translational modifications, may disturb the AP and lead to arrhythmia, a major risk for CVD patients. Although there are five classes of anti-arrhythmic drugs available, they can have varying levels of efficacies and side effects on patients, possibly due to the complex pathogenesis of arrhythmias. As an alternative treatment option, Chinese herbal remedies have shown promise in regulating cardiac ion channels and providing anti-arrhythmic effects. In this review, we first discuss the role of cardiac ion channels in maintaining normal heart function and the pathogenesis of CVD, then summarize the classification of Chinese herbal compounds, and elaborate detailed mechanisms of their efficacy in regulating cardiac ion channels and in alleviating arrhythmia and CVD. We also address current limitations and opportunities for developing new anti-CVD drugs based on Chinese herbal medicines.

[Effect of processing method on chemical constituents of Rehmanniae Radix: based on UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap MS].

This study aims to explore the chemical composition of Rehmanniae Radix braised with mild fire and compare the effect of processing method on the chemical composition of Rehmanniae Radix. To be specific, ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with linear ion trap-orbitrap mass spectrometry(UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap MS) was used to screen the chemical constituents of Rehmanniae Radix. The chemical constituents were identified based on the relative molecular weight and fragment ions, literature information, and Human Metabolome Database(HMDB). The ion peak area ratio of each component before and after processing was used as the index for the variation. SIMCA was employed to establish principal component analysis(PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) models of different processed products. According to the PCA plot, OPLS-DA plot, and VIP value, the differential components before and after the processing were screened out. The changes of the content of differential components with the processing method were analyzed. A total of 66 chemical components were identified: 57 of raw Rehmanniae Radix, 55 of steamed Rehmanniae Radix, 55 of wine-stewed Rehmanniae Radix, 51 of repeatedly steamed and sundried Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata, 62 of traditional bran-braised Rehmanniae Radix, and 63 of electric pot-braised Rehmanniae Radix. Among them, the 9 flavonoids of braised Rehmanniae Radix were from Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium. PCA suggested significant differences in the chemical composition of Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata prepared with different processing methods. OPLS-DA screened out 32 chemical components with VIP value >1 as the main differential components. Among the differential components, 9 were unique to braised Rehmanniae Radix(traditional bran-braised, electric pot-braised) and the degradation rate of the rest in braised(traditional bran-braised, electric pot-braised) or repeatedly steamed and sundried Rehmanniae Radix was higher than that in the steamed or wine-stewed products. The results indicated the chemical species and component content of Rehmanniae Radix changed significantly after the processing. The 32 components, such as rehmapicrogenin, martynoside, jionoside D, aeginetic acid, hesperidin, and naringin, were the most important compounds to distinguish different processed products of Rehmanniae Radix. The flavonoids introduced by Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium as excipient may be the important material basis for the effectiveness of braised Rehmanniae Radix compared with other processed products.

Benefits of Text Supplementation on Sentence Recognition and Subjective Ratings With and Without Facial Cues for Listeners With Normal Hearing.

OBJECTIVES: Recognizing speech through telecommunication can be challenging in unfavorable listening conditions. Text supplementation or provision of facial cues can facilitate speech recognition under some circumstances. However, our understanding of the combined benefit of text and facial cues in telecommunication is limited. The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential benefit of text supplementation for sentence recognition scores and subjective ratings of spoken speech with and without facial cues available. DESIGN: Twenty adult females (M = 24 years, range 21 to 29 years) with normal hearing performed a sentence recognition task and also completed a subjective rating questionnaire in 24 conditions. The conditions varied by integrity of the available facial cues (clear facial cues, slight distortion facial cues, great distortion facial cues, no facial cues), signal-to-noise ratio (quiet, +1 dB, -3 dB), and text availability (with text, without text). When present, the text was an 86 to 88% accurate transcription of the auditory signal presented at a 500 ms delay relative to the auditory signal. RESULTS: The benefits of text supplementation were largest when facial cues were not available and when the signal-to-noise ratio was unfavorable. Although no recognition score benefit was present in quiet, recognition benefit was significant in all levels of background noise for all levels of facial cue integrity. Moreover, participant subjective ratings of text benefit were robust and present even in the absence of recognition benefit. Consistent with previous literature, facial cues were beneficial for sentence recognition scores in the most unfavorable signal-to-noise ratio, even when greatly distorted. It is interesting that, although all levels of facial cues were beneficial for recognition scores, participants rated a significant benefit only with clear facial cues. CONCLUSIONS: The benefit of text for auditory-only and auditory-visual speech recognition is evident in recognition scores and subjective ratings; the benefit is larger and more robust for subjective ratings than for scores. Therefore, text supplementation might provide benefit that extends beyond speech recognition scores. Combined, these findings support the use of text supplementation in telecommunication, even when facial cues are concurrently present, such as during teleconferencing or watching television.

[Differences in chemical components in processing of dried ginger-steamed, sand-fried, and rice swill water-bleached Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata pieces in "Jianchang" faction based on UPLC-MS/MS].

This study compared the changes in chemical components during the processing of different types of Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata(ALRP) in "Jianchang" faction, i.e., dried ginger-steamed ALRP pieces(Yin-FP), sand-fried ALRP pieces(Yang-FP), and rice swill water-bleached ALRP pieces(DFP), and provided a scientific basis for the mechanism in toxicity reduction and efficacy enhancement from a compositional perspective. Samples were collected during the processing of the three types of ALRP pieces, yielding raw ALRP pieces, water-bleached Yin-FP, ginger juice-moistened Yin-FP, steamed Yin-FP, water-bleached Yang-FP, sand-fried Yang-FP, water-bleached DFP, rice swill water-bleached DFP, and roasted DFP. Aconitine, mesaconitine, hypaconitine, benzoylaconine, benzoylmesaconine, benzoylhypaconine, aconine, mesaconine, hypaconine, salsolinol, fuziline, and higenamine in the extracts were determined by UPLC-MS/MS, and then content analysis and cluster heatmap analysis were performed on 11 sets of samples. During the processing of the three types of ALRP pieces, bleaching significantly reduced the content of 12 alkaloids; steaming, stir-frying, and roasting significantly reduced the content of diester-type alkaloids(aconitine, mesaconitine, and hypaconitine) and significantly increased the content of monoester-type alkaloids(benzoylaconine, benzoylmesaconine, and benzoylhypaconine) and aminoalcohol-type alkaloids(aconine, mesaconine, and hypaconine). During the processing of Yin-FP, the diester-type alkaloids continuously decreased, while the monoester-type and aminoalcohol-type alkaloids showed an initial decrease followed by an increase. During the processing of Yin-FP, Yang-FP, and DFP, the diester-type alkaloids continuously decreased, while the monoester-type and aminoalcohol-type alkaloids showed an initial decrease followed by an increase. Steamed Yin-FP showed a higher increase in content than fried Yang-FP and roasted DFP. Comprehensive analysis of content differences in toxic and therapeutic components in three ALRP pieces suggests that the distinctive processing methods in "Jianchang" faction can indeed achieve detoxification and efficacy enhancement on ALRP. This study provides references for understanding the mechanisms of action of the three processing methods.

First Report of Leaf Spot on Stephania tetrandra Caused by Albifimbria verrucaria in China.

Stephania tetrandra S. Moore belongs to the family Menispermaceae and is a Chinese medicinal plant widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of Asia and Africa. The root can be used for a variety of treatments (Jiang et al. 2020). In August 2021, leaf spot symptoms were observed on S. tetrandra cultivated in Jiangxi (114.456E, 27.379N, southern China). The disease symptoms included a slight constriction of the leaves, with irregularly shaped brown to black spots with well-defined borders. Severely affected leaves were shed by the plant. In order to determine the cause, symptomatic leaves were surface-disinfested with 0.6% NaOCl for 2 min, and rinsed twice in sterile water, then incubated on moist paper towels at 26°C in the dark for 2 days. Cream-colored sporodochia were observed within the leaf spots, turning dark green to black within 16 hours. A slow-growing white fungus was isolated from 95% of the samples (n = 30) on PDA. Dark green sporodochia emerged after 7 to 10 days of incubation, and released tip-end oval, non-septate, hyaline conidia measuring 6.7 to 8.5 µm (mean 7.5 µm, n = 50) by 2.0 to 3.3 µm (mean 2.7 µm, n = 50). Concentric rings were interspersed with sporodochia on the continually incubated mycelium. The morphological characteristics of the isolates matched the description of Albifimbria (Lombard et al. 2016). Nucleotide sequences, amplified from isolate FJL5C using primers of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) (White et al. 1990), calmodulin (cmdA; Carbone and Kohn 1999), and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (rpb2; O'Donnell et al. 2007), were deposited in GenBank under accession numbers OM317911, OM386815, and OM386816. A BLASTn analysis of the sequences showed 100% identity with the type strain CBS 328.52 (Lombard et al. 2016) of Albifimbria verrucaria (syn. Myrothecium verrucaria) for ITS, and 99% for cmdA and rpb2 (KU845893, KU845875, and KU845931, respectively). A phylogenetic tree generated using the three sequences showed that the isolate from S. tetrandra grouped with the A. verrucaria isolates, but away from other species of Albifimbria. These results together with the lack of a pale luteus exudate produced by A. viridis (Lombard et al. 2016) implied that the isolate was A. verrucaria. The culture was deposited in Guangdong Microbial Culture Collection Center (GDMCC 3.716). To verify pathogenicity, conidial suspension (106 conidia/mL in 0.05% Tween 20 solution) was sprayed onto six healthy plants. Six other plants sprayed with the Tween 20 solution alone served as controls. All plants were incubated in the dark at 26°C and 95% humidity for 30 hours, then transferred to a greenhouse at 26°C and 12 hours of illumination per day for 2 to 3 days. Inoculated leaves developed similar symptoms to those described above, whereas control plants remained healthy. The same pathogen was isolated from the diseased leaves, with the same morphological and molecular traits as those from the field plants. This experiment fulfilled Koch's postulates and confirmed that A. verrucaria causes leaf spots on S. tetrandra. This pathogen has been reported to cause disease in a wide range of weeds, legumes, and crop plants (Herman et al. 2020). To our knowledge, this is the first report of A. verrucaria causing leaf spots on S. tetrandra in natural or controlled environments. The disease can seriously threaten S. tetrandra on growth and yield loss.

First Report of Sclerotium rolfsii Causing Southern Blight on Stephania tetrandra in China.

Stephania tetrandra S. Moore is a perennial liana and is widely cultivated in southern China for traditional Chinese medicine as a diuretic, anti-inflammatory, and antirheumatic treatment (Jiang et al. 2020). In August 2021, it was observed that a severe stem rot disease affected St. tetrandra cultivated in Anfu, Jiangxi province, China (114°27'26" E, 27°22'46" N). The disease symptoms included constriction and rot at the base of the stem, and covered with a layer of white mycelia. The plants above-ground finally wilted and dried with a disease incidence ranging from 8% to 16%. Lots of dried plants formed withered patches of field. Sections (1.0~2.0 cm) from browning stem tissues were surface-disinfected with 75% ethanol for 15 s, followed by 60 s in 4% NaClO, rinsed twice in sterile water, dried on sterilized filter paper, placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA), and incubated at 26°C in the dark for 3 days. A white rhizomorphic fungal mycelium, that is similar to the mycelium of strain FJSR0 on the surface of an infected plant in the field, was isolated from the cultured tissues with 67% frequency. When incubated on PDA, white and fluffy mycelia with even margins and a slight halo formed. Mycelia-produced clamp connections were observed. Colonies grew quickly and covered the dish (diameter: 9 cm) in 5 or 6 days. After that, sclerotia were initially white, then turned yellow, and chestnut brown at maturity. Spherical and subspherical sclerotia were observed after 8 days, with each plate containing 448 to 634 sclerotia (0.8 to 1.4 mm diameter; mean = 0.94 mm; n = 50). On the basis of morphology, the pathogen was similar to Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc. [teleomorph: Athelia rolfsii (Curzi) Tu & Kimbrough] (Sun et al. 2020; Ling et al. 2021). For molecular confirmation, the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region with approximately 680 bp was amplified from strains FJRS0 and FJRS1 using primers ITS1/ITS4 (White et al. 1990). Two distinct types (different in one SNP and one 1-bp InDel) of ITS sequences were obtained from each isolate, and all isolates contain the two types (FJSR0: ON972516, ON972517; FJSR1: ON972520, ON972518). BLAST analysis of each type found that the hits, with identities >99%, are A. rolfsii except for two Sc. delphinii sequences (GU567775.1 and MK073010.1). Phylogenetic analysis placed strains FJSR0 and FJSR1 in the same clade as Sc. rolfsii but away from Sc. delphinii based on the previous method (Sun et al. 2021). Both morphological and molecular characteristics confirmed that the strains were Sc. rolfsii. For pathogenicity tests, PDA plugs (8 mm in diameter) covered with 5-day-old fungal mycelium were inoculated at the stem bases of three healthy St. tetrandra seedings and incubated at 26℃ and relative humidity of 80%. On the fifth day, inoculated plants were wilting. The infected stem bases turned brown to black and constricted as previously observed in the field. Some leaves, infected by the mycelium expanded from the PDA plugs, developed an orange and irregular spot. Sclerotia were observed 20 days post inoculation. In contrast, the leaves and stems of non-inoculated control plants remained symptomless. Pathogenicity tests were repeated three times. The fungus was reisolated consistently from each symptomatic tissue, thus completing Koch's postulates. Although Sc. rolfsii has been previously reported to cause a southern blight symptoms on vegetables, ornamentals, grass, and medicinal and leguminous crops (Sun et al. 2020; Ling et al. 2021), this is the first report of Sc. rolfsii causing similar symptoms of southern blight on St. tetrandra in China.

[Optimization of processing technology of braised Rehmanniae Radix based on multiple indexes and response surface technology and correlation between components and color].

This study aims to explore the key factors influencing the processing of braised Rehmanniae Radix, optimize the processing, and determine the correlation between the components in different processed products and chroma values, which is expected to add quantitative indexes for the processing of braised Rehmanniae Radix and better control the processing. The weights of the indexes catalpol, rehmannioside D, verbascoside, isoacteoside, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, reducing sugar, and appearance were calculated based on analytic hierarchy process(AHP) in combination with coefficient of variation, and the overall desirability(OD) was obtained. Box-Behnken design was used to explore the optimal amount of water added, time for soaking with rice wine, and steaming time in the processing of braised Rehmanniae Radix. Colorimeter was employed to determine the chroma of 17 samples and raw samples, and SPSS, Prism, and other software to investigate the correlation between the components in braised Rehmanniae Radix and the chroma values. The results showed that each factor influenced the processing, and the influence followed the order of steaming time>amount of water added>time for soaking with rice wine. The optimal processing process is as below: A total of 100 g medicinal material was added with 7 times of water, followed by soaking with rice wine for 5 h and steaming in a pot for 6 h. The correlation analysis suggested the extremely significantly positive correlation between L~* and content of catalpol, between a~* and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural content, and between b~* and catalpol content, and the extremely significantly negative correlation between L~* and the content of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural and reducing sugar, and between b~* and the content of 5-hydroxymethylfural and reducing sugar. In this experiment, response surface methodology was used to optimize the processing technology of braised Rehmanniae Radix and the optimized process was rational and feasible. The content of chemical components in braised Rehmanniae Radix was significantly correlated with the chroma. This study provided a new method for the quality evaluation of braised Rehmanniae Radix.

Effect of Zhujingqiaoyun Receptivity of Infertility with Kidney Deficiency Based on Ultrasonic Evaluation.

Objective: This study aims to explore the effect of the prescription for Zhujingqiaoyun receptivity in patients with infertility. Methods: This project is a prospective randomized controlled clinical study, including infertility diagnostic criteria and dialectical kidney deficiency patients. 60 cases were randomly divided into 2 groups: the control group, where medication complex packing estradiol tablets were given, and the treatment group, on the basis of the control group, which was given Zhujingqiaoyun receptivity plus or minus. Transvaginal ultrasound was used to observe the endometrial thickness, endometrial volume, endometrial blood supply, and other aspects of patients in the two groups to evaluate the endometrial receptivity before and after treatment, and to record the pregnancy rate and safety of patients in the two groups after three menstrual cycles. Results: There was no significant difference in age, course of disease, and endometrial thickness between the two groups (P > 0.05). Before and after treatment, the endometrial thickness of the two groups increased significantly, and the uterine artery blood flow pulsatility index (PI) and resistance index (RI) decreased significantly (P < 0.05). The endometrial volume in the control group was significantly lower than that in the treatment group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The endometrial FI and VFI in the control group were significantly lower than those in the treatment group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). In the treatment group, 30 cases were treated for 3 months, and 11 of those were pregnant (36.7%). There were 30 cases in the control group, and 5 cases were pregnant (16.67%). Both groups had good safety. SPSS 22.0 statistical software was used for the chi-square test. Conclusion: Zhujingqiaoyun receptivity on endometrial receptivity can treat infertility patients with good efficacy, increasing endometrial thickness and reducing uterine artery blood flow index. It is worthy of clinical promotion to improve pregnancy rates.

[Quality value transfer of material benchmark of Guizhi Jia Gegen Decoction].

A total of 15 batches of the substance reference of Guizhi Jia Gegen Decoction(GZGGD) were prepared and the characteristic fingerprints of them were established. Furthermore, the similarity of the fingerprints and peak attributes were explored. The extraction rate, and the content and the transfer rate ranges of the index components, puerarin, paeoniflorin, liquiritin, and ammonium glycyrrhizate were determined for the analysis of the quality value transfer. The result demonstrated that the fingerprints of the 15 batches of the samples showed high similarity(>0.99). A total of 15 characteristic peaks were identified from the fingerprints, with 10 for Puerariae Lobatae Radix, 1 for Cinnamomi Ramulus, 2 for Paeoniae Radix Alba, and 2 for Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma. The content of puerarin was 11.05-18.35 mg·g~(-1) and the average transfer rate was 21.27%-39.49%. The corresponding figures were 7.95-10.90 mg·g~(-1) and 23.28%-43.23% for paeoniflorin, 3.25-4.95 mg·g~(-1) and 32.31%-61.27% for ammonium glycyrrhizate, and 3.65-5.80 mg·g~(-1) and 14.57%-27.05% for liquiritin. The extraction rate of the 15 batches of samples was in the range of 16.85%-21.78%. In this paper, the quality value transfer of the substance reference of GZGGD was analyzed based on characteristic fingerprint, content of index components, and the extraction rate. This study is expected to lay a basis for the quality control and further development of GZGGD.

[Water migration and kinetics of Arecae Semen during moistening process].

In this study, low-field nuclear magnetic resonance(LF-NMR) and magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) were employed to analyze the water distribution, status, and migration in the moistening process of Arecae Semen. Peleg model was adopted to study the water absorption kinetics of Arecae Semen moistened at different water temperatures(10, 30, and 50 ℃). The Arecae Semen samples soaked at different water temperatures all contained four water states: binding water T_(21), non-flowing water T_(22), free water T_(23), and unbound water T_(24). Non-flowing water had the largest increase in peak area during the moistening process, followed by free water. The peak areas of non-flowing water, free water, and total water were correlated with the water content(P<0.01). Therefore, LF-NMR can quickly and non-destructively predict the water content of Arecae Semen during moistening. The peak area of non-flowing water and the content of free water were correlated with the content of arecoline in the soaking solution(P<0.01), which indicated that the faster flow of non-flowing water and more free water corresponded to more arecoline dissolved. The MRI images showed that the water migration pathway varied at different soaking temperatures, and the moistening degree obtained by this means was consistent with that obtained based on traditional experience. The rate constant K_1 fitted by Peleg model decreased with the increase in water temperature, while the capacity constant K_2 showed an opposite trend. The Arrhenius equation fitting of K_1 with temperature showed that the activation energy of Arecae Semen in the moistening process was 32.98 kJ·mol~(-1). LF-NMR/MRI can be used to analyze the water status and content and determine the end moisturing point of Arecae Semen. Peleg model can accurately describe the water absorption properties of Arecae Semen in the moistening process. The findings of this study can guide the moistening optimization and mechanism research of other seed Chinese medicinal materials.

Effects of text supplementation on speech intelligibility for listeners with normal and impaired hearing: a systematic review with implications for telecommunication.

OBJECTIVE: Telecommunication can be difficult in the presence of noise or hearing loss. The purpose of this study was to systematically review evidence regarding the effects of text supplementation (e.g. captions, subtitles) of auditory or auditory-visual signals on speech intelligibility for listeners with normal or impaired hearing. DESIGN: Three databases were searched. Articles were evaluated for inclusion based on the Population Intervention Comparison Outcome framework. The Effective Public Health Practice Project instrument was used to evaluate the quality of the identified articles. STUDY SAMPLE: After duplicates were removed, the titles and abstracts of 2019 articles were screened. Forty-six full texts were reviewed; ten met inclusion criteria. RESULTS: The quality of all ten articles was moderate or strong. The articles demonstrated that text added to auditory (or auditory-visual) signals improved speech intelligibility and that the benefits were largest when auditory signal integrity was low, accuracy of the text was high, and the auditory signal and text were synchronous. Age and hearing loss did not affect benefits from the addition of text. CONCLUSIONS: Although only based on ten studies, these data support the use of text as a supplement during telecommunication, such as while watching television or during telehealth appointments.

[Pharmacodynamics and intestinal flora research on different processed products of Puerariae Lobatae Radix and Puerariae Thomsonii Radix].

This study aims to explore the pharmacodynamic differences of Puerariae Lobatae Radix(PLR), Puerariae Thomsonii Radix(PTR) and their different processed products and the influences of these medical materials on the diversity of intestinal flora. The Sennae Folium-induced diarrhea model, streptozotocin(STZ)-induced diabetes model and L-nitro-arginine methyl ester(L-NAME)-induced hypertension model were used to compare the pharmacodynamic differences in anti-diarrhea, blood glucose reduction and blood pressure lowering among raw, roasted and vinegar-processed PLR and PTR. The effects of raw and processed PLR and PTR on intestinal flora diversity of rats were evaluated by 16 S rDNA high-throughput sequencing. The roasted PLR and PTR performed better in anti-diarrhea, especially the former. PLR and its processed products all presented the efficacy of reducing blood glucose, and the vinegar-processed PLR was the most outstanding. The raw PTR was not that effective in reducing blood glucose, whereas its efficacy was improved after roasting and vinegar processing. Both PLR and PTR were capable of lowering blood pressure to a certain extent, and PLR is superior to PTR in this aspect. Further, the vinegar-processed PLR showed the best effect. The diversity of intestinal flora was different among rats to which different products of PLR and PTR were administered. The roasted PLR led to the highest abundance of Lactobacillus, which was closely related to its best antidiarrheal effect. The highest abilities of vinegar-processed PLR to lower blood glucose and blood pressure were associated with the high abundance of Blautia and Prevotella_9. This study lays a foundation for elucidating the processing mechanisms of PLR and PTR and provides a basis for their further development and application.

Components and Pharmacodynamical Mechanism of Yinfupian Based on Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Analyses.

Objective: According to the treatment records of Yang deficiency syndrome (YDS) with characteristic decoction pieces of lateral root of Aconitum carmichaelii-Yinfupian (YF) in traditional Chinese medicine prepare school, known as "Jianchangbang". The aim of this study was to investigate differences in the composition and therapeutic mechanism of the unprocessed lateral root of Aconitum carmichaelii (ULRA) and its processed product (YF). Methods: Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis method were used to determine and screen the main components of ULRA and YF. Changes in the histological structure and morphology of gonads in rats were observed using hematoxylin-eosin. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine the contents of serum cyclic adenosine monophosphate and cyclic guanosine monophosphate in YDS rats treated with ULRA and YF. Tandem mass tag proteomics analysis was used to identify the differentially expressed proteins in YDS rats treated with ULRA and YF. Results: Both ULRA and YF exerted certain therapeutic effects on rats with YDS. They improved the gonadal morphology and increased the contents of serum cyclic adenosine monophosphate and cyclic guanosine monophosphate. After processing of ULRA into YF, the content of C19-diester-diterpenoid alkaloids decreased (converted into C19-monoester-diterpenoid alkaloids and C19-alkylol amine-diterpenoid alkaloids), whereas that of C20-diterpene alkaloids increased. Proteomics analysis showed that cytochrome P450 and aldehyde oxidase 3 (AOX3) were downregulated, whereas cathepsin G (CTSG) was upregulated in rats with YDS. Treatment with ULRA mainly downregulated the expression of α-actinin, fast skeletal troponin, creatine kinase, and myosin. Treatment with YF mainly upregulated the expression of mitochondrial ribosomal protein and mitochondrial inner membrane protein. Conclusion: ULRA and YF exerted good therapeutic effects on YDS; the main difference in components between these preparations was in C19-diterpenoid alkaloids. ULRA mainly acts on the muscle contraction-related proteins and is closely related to inflammation and myocardial injury. YF mainly acts on the mitochondrial proteins and is closely related to adenosine triphosphate energy metabolism.

Progress on biosynthesis and function of the natural products of Zi Cao as a traditional Chinese medicinal herb.

Zi Cao is an important traditional medicinal plant resource in China. Shikonin and its derivatives, as the purple-red naphthoquinones among natural products of its roots, are commonly used clinically in the treatment of sores and skin inflammations. Over the past few decades, due to their highly effective multiple biological activities, pharmacological effects, good clinical efficacy and high utilization value, shikonin and its derivatives have attracted increasing attention of domestic and foreign researchers. For this reason, the wild plant germplasm resources have been suffering a grievous exploitation, leading to a serious threat to the habitat. With the development of the biosynthesis, molecular metabolism and biotechnology, as well as the continuous innovation of research methods on the biological activities and pharmacological effects of plant natural products, significant progress has been made in the research on the biosynthetic pathways and related regulatory genes of shikonin. The pharmacological action and its mechanism of shikonin have also been deeply elucidated, which greatly promoted the basic research and clinical application development of shikonin. In this review, we briefly introduce and analyze the classification of Zi Cao, structure and composition of natural shikonin and its biosynthesis pathway, functional genes related to the regulation of shikonin biosynthesis, and biological activities and pharmacological functions of shikonin. Finally, we address possible prospective for the trend on the future research and development of natural shikonin and its derivatives, hoping to provide a useful reference for the deep mining and development of medicinal natural products from important Chinese medicinal materials, and to promote the modern development of traditional Chinese medicine.

Truncated YY1 interacts with BASP1 through a 339KLK341 motif in YY1 and suppresses vascular smooth muscle cell growth and intimal hyperplasia after vascular injury.

AIMS: In-stent restenosis and late stent thrombosis are complications associated with the use of metallic and drug-coated stents. Strategies that inhibit vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation without affecting endothelial cell (EC) growth would be helpful in reducing complications arising from percutaneous interventions. SMC hyperplasia is also a pathologic feature of graft stenosis and fistula failure. Our group previously showed that forced expression of the injury-inducible zinc finger (ZNF) transcription factor, yin yang-1 (YY1), comprising 414 residues inhibits neointima formation in carotid arteries of rabbits and rats. YY1 inhibits SMC proliferation without affecting EC growth in vitro. Identifying a shorter version of YY1 retaining cell-selective inhibition would make it more amenable for potential use as a gene therapeutic agent. METHODS AND RESULTS: We dissected YY1 into a range of shorter fragments (YY1A-D, YY1Δ) and found that the first two ZNFs in YY1 (construct YY1B, spanning 52 residues) repressed SMC proliferation. Receptor binding domain analysis predicts a three-residue (339KLK341) interaction domain. Mutation of 339KLK341 to 339AAA341 in YY1B (called YY1Bm) abrogated YY1B's ability to inhibit SMC but not EC proliferation and migration. Incubation of recombinant GST-YY1B and GST-YY1Bm with SMC lysates followed by precipitation with glutathione-agarose beads and mass spectrometric analysis identified a novel interaction between YY1B and BASP1. Overexpression of BASP1, like YY1, inhibited SMC but not EC proliferation and migration. BASP1 siRNA partially rescued SMC from growth inhibition by YY1B. In the rat carotid balloon injury model, adenoviral overexpression of YY1B, like full-length YY1, reduced neointima formation, whereas YY1Bm had no such effect. CD31+ immunostaining suggested YY1B could increase re-endothelialization in a 339KLK341-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: These studies identify a truncated form of YY1 (YY1B) that can interact with BASP1 and inhibit SMC proliferation, migration, and intimal hyperplasia after balloon injury of rat carotid arteries as effectively as full length YY1. We demonstrate the therapeutic potential of YY1B in vascular proliferative disease.

[Study progress on Pinelliae Rhizoma processed by replication method].

In the clinical practice of traditional Chinese medicine, Pinelliae Rhizoma is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicinal material, with a very important medicinal value, but its raw products have certain toxicity. According to the basic theory of traditional Chinese medicine, after Pinelliae Rhizoma is processed, its toxic and side effects can be reduced, there by ensuring its medication safety in clinic. Based on the processing characteristics of Pinelliae Rhizoma replication method, this article discusses the changes before and after processing of Pinelliae Rhizoma with multiple materials and multiple processes. This method does not have a unified process. One or more materials are added, and various processes, such as dipping, soaking, bleaching, or steaming, cooking or combined methods are adopted. Then, Pinelliae Rhizoma is repeatedly processed to meet the specified quality requirements. By different processing methods, the efficacy changes accordingly, and Pinelliae Rhizoma can be used for the treatment of different diseases. The article starts in the two directions of multi-materials and multi-processes, and summarizes the effects of multi-materials or multi-processes on the chemical composition and efficacy, as well as the processing mechanism of reducing toxicity and increasing efficiency, in the expectation of reducing the toxicity and enhancing the efficacy of Pinelliae Rhizoma. The medicinal scope provides a reference and theoretical basis for further studies on the processing mechanism. An in-depth study is conducted to make Pinelliae Rhizoma more safe and effective in clinic application, and ensure its clinical efficacy. It will provide reference for future studies on quality control, active ingredients and new drug development of the processing of pinellia slices. It has laid a scientific foundation for exploring the best processing techno-logy, and provided a theoretical basis for solving the production problems of processed Pinelliae Rhizoma products, so as to improve the production efficiency and the quality of medicines.

Differences in Serum Amino Acid Phenotypes Among Patients with Diabetic Nephropathy, Hypertensive Nephropathy, and Chronic Nephritis.

BACKGROUND We assessed levels of circulating amino acids in different etiologies of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and the association of amino acids with risk factors of CKD progression. MATERIAL AND METHODS High-performance liquid chromatography-based analysis was used to determine amino acid profiles in patients with diabetic nephropathy (DN, n=20), hypertensive nephropathy (HN, n=26), and chronic nephritis (CN, n=33), and in healthy controls (HC, n=25). RESULTS All 3 types of CKD patients displayed decreased serum levels of serine, glycine, GABA, and tryptophan compared with healthy controls. Moreover, serine and tryptophan were positively correlated with glucose in DN cohorts. Total cholesterol was positively correlated with tryptophan levels in the DN cohort and negatively correlated with serine levels in the CN cohort. In the HN cohort, glycine was negatively correlated with triglyceride levels, and systolic blood pressure (SBP) was negatively correlated with GABA levels. CONCLUSIONS Patients with different etiologies of CKD have significantly different amino acids profiles, and this indicates specific supplementary nutritional needs in CKD patients.

Pharmacological effects of different ginger juices on the concurrent symptoms in animal models of functional dyspepsia: A comparative study.

OBJECTIVE: Patients with gastrointestinal disorders commonly suffer from poor treatment outcomes and adverse effects of traditional pharmacological therapy. Herbal medicine is a favorable alternative due to the low risk of side effects. This study was performed to explore the antiemetic effects and the improvement effect on gastrointestinal function of components of three ginger juice excipients. METHODS: The compositions were analyzed by liquid chromatograph mass spectrometer (LC-MS), especially the gingerols of dried ginger juice (DGJ), fresh ginger juice (FGJ), and fresh ginger boiled juice (FGBJ). Furthermore, the respective gastrointestinal effects on rat models with functional dyspepsia (FD) were compared. RESULTS: The 6-keto-PGF1α levels in the serum of the treated groups were significantly reduced (p < 0.05), as compared with the control group. Compared with the cisplatin group, there was an apparent reduction in kaolin intake for DGJ, FGJ, and FGBJ (p < 0.01; p < 0.01; p < 0.05). The intestinal propulsive rate of the rats in the treated group was significantly higher than that in the control group (p < 0.05). Ginger juices significantly improved gastrointestinal function in rats. Eight common components were found in DGJ, FGJ, and FGBJ, among which 6-paradol, 10-gingerol, and 12-shogaol led to inhibited gastric mucosal damage function effect according to the Pearson correlation analysis. Only 6-shogaol was found to have a positive correlation with gastrointestinal function effect through Pearson correlation analysis. CONCLUSION: Ginger juice should be recommended for the medicinal materials used in the treatment of concurrent symptoms of FD.

Silk fibroin peptide suppresses proliferation and induces apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in human lung cancer cells.

Silkworm cocoon was recorded to cure carbuncle in the Compendium of Materia Medica. Previous studies have demonstrated that the supplemental silk protein sericin exhibits anticancer activity. In the present study, we investigated the effects of silk fibroin peptide (SFP) extracted from silkworm cocoons against human lung cancer cells in vitro and in vivo and its possible anticancer mechanisms. SFP that we prepared had high content of glycine (~ 30%) and showed a molecular weight of ~ 10 kDa. Intragastric administration of SFP (30 g/kg/d) for 14 days did not affect the weights, vital signs, routine blood indices, and blood biochemical parameters in mice. MTT assay showed that SFP dose-dependently inhibited the growth of human lung cancer A549 and H460 cells in vitro with IC50 values of 9.921 and 9.083 mg/mL, respectively. SFP also dose-dependently suppressed the clonogenic activity of the two cell lines. In lung cancer H460 xenograft mice, intraperitoneal injection of SFP (200 or 500 mg/kg/d) for 40 days significantly suppressed the tumor growth, but did not induce significant changes in the body weight. We further examined the effects of SFP on cell cycle and apoptosis in H460 cells using flow cytometry, which revealed that SFP-induced cell cycle arrest at the S phase, and then promoted cell apoptosis. We demonstrated that SFP (20-50 mg/mL) dose-dependently downregulates Bcl-2 protein expression and upregulates Bax protein in H460 cells during cell apoptosis. The results suggest that SFP should be studied further as a novel therapeutic agent for the treatment of lung cancer.