A gradient-based discriminant analysis method for process quality control of carbonized TCM via Fourier transform near infrared spectroscopy: A case study on carbonized Typhae Pollen.

Carbonized traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a kind of distinctive traditional drug which has been widely used in various bleeding syndromes for over two thousand years, and most of them are still in clinical use. Although they share similar processing method: stir-frying, there are no specific quality standards and few quality control researches carried out on carbonized TCM up until now. Carbonized Typhae Pollen (CTP) is a typical carbonized TCM with efficacy of eliminating blood stasis and stanching bleeding. In this study, a novel process quality control model coupled with near infrared spectroscopy was established, called Gradient-based Discriminant Analysis method (GDA). Compared with conventional modeling methods (Convolutional Neural Network, Linear Discriminant Analysis, Standard Normal Variate-LDA), GDA model applied in fiber optic probe acquisition mode exhibited highest test accuracy (0.961), satisfactory correct identification (internal validation, 100%; external validation, 97.1%) and excellent model stability. This method provided a perfect guideline for process quality control of Carbonized TCM as well as ensured their clinical efficacy.

Research Progress of Gypsum Ustum and Application of Calcium-containing Hemostatic Materials / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Mineral medicine is an indispensable part of traditional Chinese medicine and has a long history of application. Among them， mineral-based hemostatics have been widely applied for the treatment of various hemorrhagic diseases with extensive clinical experience and established efficacy. Gypsum Fibrosum （GF）， a commonly used mineral medicine in clinical， can clear away heat， and relieve anxiety and thirst. Gypsum Ustum （GU） is the processed product of GF after calcining at high temperature. It is mainly composed of anhydrous calcium sulfate （CaSO4） with the functions of moisturizing， promoting muscle growth， astringent sores and hemostasis. GU is often used externally to treat ulcer， itching， eczema， water and fire scalds， trauma bleeding， etc. Studies on the mechanism of hemostasis have shown that Ca2+ （coagulation factor Ⅳ） is involved in many key processes of the internal and external coagulation cascades and can prevent bleeding by regulating platelet activation and aggregation， and promoting the production of insoluble fibrin and the ultimate formation of a blood clot. GF and GU both contain Ca2+ which provide an important material basis of hemostatic effect for both compounds， but GU has a significant hemostatic effect， while GF has no hemostatic effect. After processing， the taste and efficacy of the GF have been obviously changed which reflects the characteristics of processing， but the processing mechanism of GU has not been fully clarified. Therefore， based on studies of GF before and after calcining， this paper focused on these aspects including calcining process， crystal form comparison， element content， efficacy comparison， and summarized various aspects of Ca2+ involved in hemostasis. In addition， the hemostatic properties of other calcium-containing mineral medicines and new calcium-containing hemostatic materials such as calcium alginate， mesoporous calcium silicate and nanogel hemostatic materials were also discussed. The paper aimed to provide a reference for elucidating processing mechanism and clinical dialectical use of GU， also to promote development of new calcium-containing hemostatic materials.

Multi-template molecularly imprinted solid phase extraction and its application in the extraction and separation of multi-components from traditional Chinese medicine / 药学学报

Multi-template molecularly imprinted solid phase extraction not only has the advantages of high selectivity, large adsorption capacity, easy preparation, reuse and low environmental pollution, but also can realize the enrichment and separation of many kinds of compounds. It has attracted wide attention in the extraction and separation of traditional Chinese medicine components. This study summarizes the latest development of multi-template molecularly imprinted solid phase extraction. At the same time, based on the classification of active components of traditional Chinese medicine (flavonoids, alkaloids, phenylpropanol, terpenes, etc.), the latest application of multi-template molecular imprinting solid phase extraction in multi-component separation of traditional Chinese medicine was reviewed, with a view to better application of multi-template molecularly imprinted polymer in active multi-component extraction and separation of traditional Chinese medicine and provide reference for the material basic research of the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine.

Alternative processing technology for the preparation of carbonized Zingiberis Rhizoma by stir-frying with sand.

Context: Carbonized ginger, a type of charry herb, has been used as a hemostatic medicine since ancient times. However, there are some serious problems such as inhomogeneous heating and emitting smoke during processing with traditional stir-frying method.Objective: To investigate the feasibility to obtain carbonized ginger by stir-frying with sand instead of stir-frying method.Materials and methods: Dried-ginger (100 g) was processed by stir-frying for 30 min at 270 ± 10 °C, or by stir-frying with sand (1:10, w/w) for 8 min at 240 ± 5 °C. The HPLC fingerprint was established for two samples. The adsorption capacity and major components including tannins, gingerols, shogaols and gingerone were quantitated by UV and HPLC, respectively. The hemostatic effect by prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) was evaluated in vitro.Results: The similarity of the two samples for HPLC fingerprints was >0.93. The sand-fried samples showed significantly higher adsorption capacity compared with the stir-fried samples (4.915 vs. 4.593 mg/g; p < 0.05) and higher contents of major components (4.698 vs. 3.930 mg/g, 1.352 vs. 1.144 mg/g, 2.419 vs. 2.095 mg/g, 0.666 vs. 0.568 mg/g and 1.083 vs. 0.911 mg/g for tannins, gingerone, 6-shogaol, 8-shogaol and 10-shogaol, respectively; p < 0.05); while no significant differences were seen for 6-gingerol, 8-gingerol and 10-gingerol (p > 0.05). The PT and APTT values were similar between the stir-fried and sand-fried test groups and significantly lower compared to controls (p < 0.05).Conclusions: The carbonizing process by stir-frying with sand is superior to the stir-frying method for carbonized ginger.

The mechanism study of protecting kidney of Erzhi Pill based on network pharmacology / 药学学报

Based on the concept of network pharmacology, the main nephroprotective components in Erzhi Pill reported in previous studies, were used to predict the targets through the PharmMapper method. Molecular docking was applied to screen for potential targets and biological information annotation databases (DAVID) was used to analyze the molecular function and biological process of the action targets. The Cytoscape software was used to construct the “ingredient-target-pathway” network of Erzhi Pill for renal injury treatment. TTD and GAD database were then applied to screen for the targets of renal disease for building “ingredient-core target” network. We found that 17 major active ingredients of Erzhi Pill regulated 32 targets (including ESR1, ESR2, GCK, MMP3) and affected 6 pathways, such as PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, estrogen signaling pathway and purine metabolism. This study reflected the nature of traditional Chinese medicine as multi-ingredients, multi-targets and multi-pathways, providing new clues for basic science research on the nephroprotective pharmacological mechanism of Erzhi Pill.

Network pharmacology-based study on mechanism of liver protection of Erzhi Pill / 药学学报

This study was designed to construct a "drug-core target-pathway" network of Erzhi Pill for hepatic injury treatment in an effort to explore the "multi-components, multi-targets, multi-pathways" mechanism. ADME/T calculation method was used to screen the active components of Erzhi Pill, and then predict the potential targets according to the reverse pharmacophore matching method. Biological information annotation databases (DAVID) was used to analyze the molecular function and biological process of the action targets. The Cytoscape software was used to construct the "ingredient-core target-pathway" network of Erzhi Pill for hepatic injury treatment. It was found that 39 major active ingredients of Erzhi Pill regulated 321 targets (HRAS, DCK, HSD17B1, UCK2, et al) and affected 51 pathways, such as insulin signaling pathway, FoxO signaling pathway, metabolic pathways and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis. The method revealed the action features of traditional Chinese medicine as multi-ingredients, multi-targets, multi-pathways, providing new clues for further basic study on the hepatic injury pharmacological mechanism of Erzhi Pill.

Sodium tanshinone IIA sulfonate attenuates cardiac dysfunction and improves survival of rats with cecal ligation and puncture-induced sepsis / 中国天然药物

Cardiac dysfunction, a common consequence of sepsis, is the major contribution to morbidity and mortality in patients. Sodium tanshinone IIA sulfonate (STS) is a water-soluble derivative of Tanshinone IIA (TA), a main active component of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, which has been widely used in China for the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebral system diseases. In the present study, the effect of STS on sepsis-induced cardiac dysfunction was investigated and its effect on survival rate of rats with sepsis was also evaluated. STS treatment could significantly decrease the serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), cardiac troponin I (cTn-I), cardiac troponin T (cTn-T), and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) in cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced) septic rats and improve left ventricular function, particularly at 48 and 72 h after CLP. As the pathogenesis of septic myocardial dysfunction is attributable to dysregulated systemic inflammatory responses, several key cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10) and high mobility group protein B1 (HMGB1), were detected to reveal the possible mechanism of attenuation of septic myocardial dysfunction after being treated by STS. Our study showed that STS, especially at a high dose (15 mg·kg), could efficiently suppress inflammatory responses in myocardium and reduce myocardial necrosis through markedly reducing production of myocardial TNF-α, IL-6 and HMGB1. STS significantly improved the 18-day survival rate of rats with sepsis from 0% to 30% (P < 0.05). Therefore, STS could suppress inflammatory responses and improve left ventricular function in rats with sepsis, suggesting that it may be developed for the treatment of sepsis.

Sodium tanshinone IIA sulfonate attenuates cardiac dysfunction and improves survival of rats with cecal ligation and puncture-induced sepsis / 中国天然药物

Cardiac dysfunction, a common consequence of sepsis, is the major contribution to morbidity and mortality in patients. Sodium tanshinone IIA sulfonate (STS) is a water-soluble derivative of Tanshinone IIA (TA), a main active component of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, which has been widely used in China for the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebral system diseases. In the present study, the effect of STS on sepsis-induced cardiac dysfunction was investigated and its effect on survival rate of rats with sepsis was also evaluated. STS treatment could significantly decrease the serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), cardiac troponin I (cTn-I), cardiac troponin T (cTn-T), and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) in cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced) septic rats and improve left ventricular function, particularly at 48 and 72 h after CLP. As the pathogenesis of septic myocardial dysfunction is attributable to dysregulated systemic inflammatory responses, several key cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10) and high mobility group protein B1 (HMGB1), were detected to reveal the possible mechanism of attenuation of septic myocardial dysfunction after being treated by STS. Our study showed that STS, especially at a high dose (15 mg·kg), could efficiently suppress inflammatory responses in myocardium and reduce myocardial necrosis through markedly reducing production of myocardial TNF-α, IL-6 and HMGB1. STS significantly improved the 18-day survival rate of rats with sepsis from 0% to 30% (P < 0.05). Therefore, STS could suppress inflammatory responses and improve left ventricular function in rats with sepsis, suggesting that it may be developed for the treatment of sepsis.

Suitable investigation method of exploration and suggestions for investigating Chinese materia medica resources from wetland and artificial water of Hongze Lake region / 中国中药杂志

According to the technology requirements of the fourth national survey of Chinese Materia Medica resources (pilot), suitable investigation method of exploration and suggestions for investigating Chinese Materia Medica resources was proposed based on the type of wetland and artificial water of Hongze Lake region. Environment of Hongze Lake and overview of wetland, present situation of ecology and vegetation and vegetation distribution were analyzed. Establishment of survey plan, selection of sample area and sample square and confirmation of representative water area survey plan were all suggested. The present study provide references for improving Chinese materia medica resources survey around Hongze Lake, and improving the technical specifications. It also provide references for investigating Chinese Materia Medica resources survey on similar ecological environment under the condition of artificial intervention.

Quantitative analysis of pulegone in Herba Schizonepetae / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To establish the determination method of pulegone in Herba Schizonepetae.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>HPLC method was developed for the determination of pulegone in Herba Schizonepetae. The separation was performed on C18 column with MeOH-H2O (80:20) as a mobile phase. The detection wavelength was set at 252 nm.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The quantitation of pulegone in Herba Schizonepetae varied from 0.2-0.7 mg x g(-1). The average recovery is 96.2%, RSD 0.81%.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The method is simple, rapid and accurate.</p>