RESUMEN
This work was performed to determine the pharmacological effects of Bufei Jianpi granules on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and its metabolism in rats. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), ranked as the third leading cause of death worldwide, is seriously endangering human health. At present, the pathogenesis of COPD is complex and unclear, and the drug treatment mainly aims to alleviate and improve symptoms; however, they cannot achieve the purpose of eradicating the disease. Bufei Jianpi granule (BJG) is a Chinese medicine developed by the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine for treating COPD. This study focuses on the pharmacological effects of BJG on COPD and its metabolism in rats, aiming to provide a scientific basis for developing BJG against COPD. A total of 72 Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into the blank group, model group, positive control group, and BJG groups (2.36, 1.18, and 0.59 g/kg). Except for the blank group, rats in other groups were administered lipopolysaccharide (LPS) combined with smoking for 6 weeks to establish the COPD model. After another 6 weeks of treatment, the therapeutic effect of BJG on COPD rats was evaluated. In the BJG (2.36 g/kg) group, the cough condition of rats was significantly relieved and the body weight was close to that of the blank group. Compared with the mortality of 16.7% in the model group, no deaths occurred in the BJG (2.36 g/kg) and (1.18 g/kg) groups. The lung tissue damage in the BJG groups was less than that in the COPD group. Compared with the model group, MV, PIF, PEF, and EF50 in the BJG groups were observably increased in a dose-dependent manner, while sRaw, Raw, and FRC were obviously decreased. Also, the contents of IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, PGE2, MMP-9, and NO in the serum and BALF were lowered dramatically in all BJG groups. All indicators present an obvious dose-effect relationship. On this basis, the UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS technology was used to analyze characteristic metabolites in rats under physiological and pathological conditions. A total of 17 prototype and 7 metabolite components were detected, and the concentration of most components was increased in the COPD pathologic state. It is suggested that BJG has a pharmacological effect in the treatment of COPD and the absorption and metabolism of chemical components of BJG in rats exhibited significant differences under physiological and pathological conditions.
RESUMEN
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The traditional use of Prunella vulgaris is for the treatment of liver cancer in a few areas of China. At present, it is used primarily for the treatment of thyroid cancer, throat cancer, and lymphosarcoma among others. However, there are few current scientific reports regarding its use for the treatment of liver cancer. In this paper, the effective treatment for liver cancer is studied to provide an experimental basis for the application of Prunella vulgaris, which is related to preparations in the treatment of liver cancer. AIM OF THE STUDY: To study the anti-hepatocarcinoma effect of Prunella vulgaris total flavonoids and explores the possible molecular mechanism. METHODS: The effects of Prunella vulgaris total flavonoids on the proliferation of SMMC-7721 cells were respected by RTCA analysis system. The tumor volume and weight were found in H22 tumor bearing mice. ELISA was used to observe the apoptosis and autophagy protein expressions in tumor tissue homogenate, along with the immune serum factor. Tumor tissue apoptosis was respected by the TUNEL method. And Bax, Bcl2, PI3K, Akt, mTOR, Beclin-1 and LC3-I/LC3-II expression were observed through Western blot. We also observed the expression of Beclin-1 and LC3-I/LC3-II through immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The total flavonoids of Prunella vulgaris inhibited the activity of SMMC-7721 cells, and reduced the tumor volume and weight in H22 tumor bearing mice. HE staining showed that the Prunella vulgaris total flavonoids inhibited liver metastasis of H22 tumor. The Prunella vulgaris total flavonoids significantly made the expressions of IL-6, TNF-α and IFN-γ immune factors increasing in the serum of tumor bearing mice, and the contents of caspase-3 and caspase-9 increase as well in tumor tissue homogenate. TUNEL showed that the mean density in the intervention group was significantly higher than that in the control group. P62 content in tumor tissue homogenate increased and ATG5 decreased after intervention. Immunohistochemistry showed Beclin-1 expression decreased and LC3-I/LC3-II increased in the tumor tissue. Western blot showed Bcl2, Beclin-1 expression decreased and Bax, PI3K, Akt, mTOR, LC3-I/LC3-II increased in the tumor tissue. CONCLUSION: Prunella vulgaris total flavonoids have an obvious anti-hepatocarcinoma effect, and the mechanism may be linked to the inhibition of autophagy and promotion of apoptosis in liver cancer cells. The inhibition of autophagy may be related to activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway.