[Research progress in gut-skin axis and its association with traditional Chinese medicine theory].

Currently, the gut-organ axis has become a hot research topic. As increasing attention has been paid to the role of gut microbiota in the health of organs, the complex and integrated dialogue mechanism between the gastrointestinal tract and the associated microbiota has been demonstrated in more and more studies. Skin as the largest organ in the human body serves as the primary barrier protecting the human body from damage. The proposal of the gut-skin axis has established a bidirectional link between the gut and the skin. The disturbance of gut microbiota can lead to the occurrence of skin diseases, the mechanism of which is complex and may involve multiple pathways in immunity, metabolism, and internal secretion. According to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), the connection between the intestine and the skin can be established through the lung, and the interior disorders will definitely cause symptoms on the exterior. This paper reviews the research progress in the gut-skin axis and its correlation with TCM theory and provides ideas and a basis for cli-nical treatment and drug development of skin and intestinal diseases.

[Preparation and in vitro property evaluation of ß-cyclodextrin-daidzein/PEG_(20000)/Carbomer_(940) nanocrystals].

This study aims to improve the solubility and bioavailability of daidzein by preparing the ß-cyclodextrin-daidzein/PEG_(20000)/Carbomer_(940) nanocrystals. Specifically, the nanocrystals were prepared with daidzein as a model drug, PEG_(20000), Carbomer_(940), and NaOH as a plasticizer, a gelling agent, and a crosslinking agent, respectively. A two-step method was employed to prepare the ß-cyclodextrin-daidzein/PEG_(20000)/Carbomer_(940) nanocystals. First, the insoluble drug daidzein was embedded in ß-cyclodextrin to form inclusion complexes, which were then encapsulated in the PEG_(20000)/Carbomer_(940) nanocrystals. The optimal mass fraction of NaOH was determined as 0.8% by the drug release rate, redispersability, SEM morphology, encapsulation rate, and drug loading. The inclusion status of daidzein nanocrystals was determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis(TGA), and X-ray diffraction(XRD) analysis to verify the feasibility of the preparation. The prepared nanocrystals showed the average Zeta potential of(-30.77±0.15)mV and(-37.47±0.64)mV and the particle sizes of(333.60±3.81)nm and(544.60±7.66)nm before and after daidzein loading, respectively. The irregular distribution of nanocrystals before and after daidzein loading was observed under SEM. The redispersability experiment showed high dispersion efficiency of the nanocrystals. The in vitro dissolution rate of nanocrystals in intestinal fluid was significantly faster than that of daidzein, and followed the first-order drug release kinetic model. XRD, FTIR, and TGA were employed to determine the polycrystalline properties, drug loading, and thermal stability of the nanocrystals before and after drug loading. The nanocrystals loaded with daidzein demonstrated obvious antibacterial effect. The nanocrystals had more significant inhibitory effects on Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa than daidzein because of the improved solubility of daidzein. The prepared nanocrystals can significantly increase the dissolution rate and oral bioavailability of the insoluble drug daidzein.

[Modern research progress in external application of traditional Chinese medicine to acupoints].

Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) has a long history and abundant experience in external therapy, which marks human wisdom. In the early history of human, people found that fumigation, coating, and sticking of some tree branches and herb stems can help alleviate scabies and remove parasites in productive labor, which indicates the emergence of external therapy. Pathogen usually enters the body through the surface, so external therapy can be used to treat the disease. External therapy is among the major characteristic of surgery of TCM. As one of the external therapies in TCM, external application to acupoints smooths the zang-fu organs through meridians and collaterals, thereby harmonizing yin and yang. This therapy emerged in the early society, formed the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, improved in the Song and Ming dynasties, and matured in the Qing dynasty. With the efforts of experts in history, it has had a mature theory. According to modern research, it can avoid the first-pass effect of liver and the gastrointestinal irritation and improve the bioavailability of Chinese medicine. Based on the effect of Chinese medicine and the theory of meridian and collateral, it can stimulate the acupoints, exert regulatory effect on acupoints, and give full play to the efficacy of TCM and the interaction of the two. Thereby, it can regulate qi and blood and balance yin and yang, thus being widely used in the treatment of diseases. In this paper, the use of external application to acupoints, the effect on skin immunity, the regulation of neuro-inflammatory mechanism, the relationship between acupoint application and human circulation network, and the development of its dosage form were summarized through literature review. On this basis, this study is expected to lay a foundation for further research.

[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.

[Pharmacokinetic behavior and brain tissue distribution of paeoniflorin combined with normal and toxic doses of strychnine in rats after percutaneous administration].

This study aims to establish a rapid and sensitive UPLC-MS/MS method for simultaneously determining the content of strychnine and paeoniflorin in plasma and brain tissue of rats, and compare the pharmacokinetic behavior and brain tissue distribution of paeoniflorin combined with normal and toxic doses of strychnine in rats after percutaneous administration. Compared with those in the toxic-dose strychnine group, the AUC_(0-t), AUC_(0-∞), and C_(max) of strychnine decreased by 51.51%, 45.68%, and 46.03%, respectively(P<0.01), and the corresponding values of paeoniflorin increased by 91.41%, 102.31%, and 169.32%, respectively(P<0.01), in the compatibility group. Compared with the normal-dose strychnine group, the compatibility group showed insignificantly decreased C_(max), AUC_(0-t), and AUC_(0-∞) of strychnine, increased C_(max) and T_(max) of paeoniflorin(P<0.01), 66.88% increase in AUC_(0-t), and 70.55% increase in AUC_(0-∞) of paeoniflorin. In addition, the brain tissue concentration of strychnine decreased and that of paeoniflorin increased after compatibility. The combination of paeoniflorin with normal dose and toxic dose of strychnine can inhibit the percutaneous absorption of strychnine, and greatly promote the percutaneous penetration of paeoniflorin, whereas the interaction mechanism remains to be explored. The UPLC-MS/MS method established in this study is easy to operate and has good precision. It is suitable for in vivo study of pharmacokinetic behavior and brain tissue distribution of paeoniflorin and strychnine after percutaneous administration in rats, which provides reference for the safe and rational clinical use of strychnine and the combined use of drugs, and lays a solid foundation for the development of external preparations containing Strychni Semen.

[Drying effect of Chinese medicinal pills based on new spiral vibration drying technology].

The present study explored the drying effect of new spiral vibration drying technology on Chinese medicinal pills with Liuwei Dihuang Pills, Zhuanggu Guanjie Pills, and Muxiang Shunqi Pills as model drugs. With the drying uniformity, drying time, energy consumption, pill split, dissolution time, and change of index components as evaluation indicators, the drying effect of spiral vibration drying technology on model drugs was evaluated and compared with traditional drying methods, such as hot air drying and vacuum drying in the oven. The dynamic changes of moisture in Liuwei Dihuang Pills with different drying time were investigated. Compared with the traditional drying methods in the oven(hot air drying and vacuum drying) at 80 ℃, the spiral vibration drying only took 80 min, shortened by 80%, with 10%-13% energy consumed. The results showed that the moisture of Liuwei Dihuang Pills was negatively related to the drying time. By virtue of multi-layer countercurrent drying and super resonant fluidization techniques, the new spiral vibration drying technology can significantly improve the drying quality of Chinese medicinal pills, improve the drying efficiency, and enhance the manufacturing capacity of Chinese medicinal pills. This study is expected to provide references for the innovation and development of new drying technology of Chinese medicinal pills.

Pharmacokinetics and Tissue Distribution of Combined Triptolide and Paeoniflorin Regimen for Percutaneous Administration in Rats Assessed by Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

Triptolide (TP) has shown potential in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment, but the narrow therapeutic window limits its clinical application. In clinical practice, the compatibility of Tripterygium wilfordii and Paeonia lactiflora is often used to attenuate the toxicity of TP, but its compatibility mechanism has not been fully elucidated. The aim of this study was to investigate the pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of a combined regimen of TP and paeoniflorin (PF) after transdermal administration in male and female Sprague Dawley (SD) rats via a rapid and sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method. The results showed that after percutaneous administration of TP and PF, there was no significant difference in AUC (0-t) (area under the curve) of TP, the peak concentration decreased by 58.17%, and the peak time was delayed. The AUC (0-t) of PF increased significantly (P < 0.01), the peak-reaching concentration and AUC (0-∞) increased, and the half-life and average retention time were shortened, indicating that TP absorption in rats may be delayed. After percutaneous administration of TP and PF, the content of TP in the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys of male rats significantly decreased at 2 h (P < 0.05) and the drug concentration in the liver tissues significantly decreased at 2 h, 4 h, and 8 h (P < 0.05). The TP content in the spleen of female rats significantly decreased at 2 h and 4 h (P < 0.05) and also decreased in other tissues, but not significantly. After percutaneous administration of TP and PF, the PF content in the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys of male and female rats had no significant difference. However, after percutaneous administration of TP and PF, the TP concentration in the skin increased, suggesting that the amount of TP retained in the skin increased, thereby reducing its content in blood and tissues, producing a reduction in toxicity effect.

Uncovering the Protective Mechanism of the Volatile Oil of Acorus tatarinowii against Acute Myocardial Ischemia Injury Using Network Pharmacology and Experimental Validation.

Acorus tatarinowii is a traditional aromatic resuscitation drug that can be clinically used to prevent cardiovascular diseases. The volatile oil of Acorus tatarinowii (VOA) possesses important medicinal properties, including protection against acute myocardial ischemia (MI) injury. However, the pharmacodynamic material basis and molecular mechanisms underlying this protective effect remain unclear. Using network pharmacology and animal experiments, we studied the mechanisms and pathways implicated in the activity of VOA against acute MI injury. First, VOA was extracted from three batches of Acorus tatarinowii using steam distillation, and then, its chemical composition was determined by GC-MS. Next, the components-targets and protein-protein interaction networks were constructed using systematic network pharmacology. Gene Ontology (GO) function and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were also conducted in order to predict the possible pharmacodynamic mechanisms. Furthermore, animal experiments including ELISAs, histological examinations, and Western blots were performed in order to validate the pharmacological effects of VOA. In total, 33 chemical components were identified in VOA, and ß-asarone was found to be the most abundant component. Based on network pharmacology analysis, the therapeutic effects of VOA against myocardial ischemia might be mediated by signaling pathways involving COX-2, PPAR-α, VEGF, and cAMP. Overall, the obtained results indicate that VOA alleviates the pathological manifestations of isoproterenol-hydrochloride-induced myocardial ischemia in rats, including the decreased SOD (superoxide dismutase) content and increased LDH (lactic dehydrogenase) content. Moreover, the anti-MI effect of VOA might be attributed to the downregulation of the COX-2 protein that inhibits apoptosis, the upregulation of the PPAR-α protein that regulates energy metabolism, and the activation of VEGF and cAMP signaling pathways.

[Investigating effect of Faeces Bombycis on intestinal microflora in rats with syndrome of damp retention in middle-jiao by high-throughput sequencing].

The aim of this paper was to investigate the effect of Faeces Bombycis(FB) on the intestinal microflora in rats with syndrome of damp retention in middle-jiao, and to explore its mechanism in regulating intestinal microflora from the perspective of microorganisms contained in FB. The contents of antidiuretic hormone(ADH) and C-reactive protein(CRP) in serum and aquaporin 3(AQP3) in jejunum were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). Illumina Miseq platform was used for high-throughput sequencing of the rat feces and FB. The ELISA results showed that as compared with the normal control group, the contents of ADH and CRP in the model group were significantly increased(P<0.05), and the content of AQP3 was significantly decreased(P<0.05). After drug administration, the ADH, CRP and AQP3 contents were recovered. Sequencing of rat feces showed that the ACE, Chao1 and Shannon indexes of the intestinal microflora were the lowest in the model group. As compared with the normal control group, the levels from phylum to genus were all significantly changed in model group, and Proteobacteria, Acinetobacter, Anaerobacter, Pseudomonas, and Parabacteroides levels were significantly increased(P<0.05), while Marvinbryantia level was significantly decreased(P<0.05). As compared with the model group, Proteobacteria was significantly decreased in the FB low and high dose groups(P<0.05), and Acinetobacter, Anaerobacter, Pseudomonas, Parabacteroides levels were significantly decreased in the low, medium and high dose groups(P<0.05), while Lachnoanaerobaculum, Intestinimonas and Marvinbryantia were increased significantly in the high dose group(P<0.05). Sequencing analysis of FB showed that the relative abundance of Leclercia, Pantoea, Brachybacterium, Shimwellia, Hartmannibacter, Klebsiella, Serratia, Aurantimonas, Paenibacillus and Bacillus was high in the FB, but they were basically not present or little in the rat feces. In conclusion, FB may play a role in the treatment of "syndrome of damp retention in middle-jiao" by balancing the intestinal microflora, and this effect may be related to the metabolites of microorganisms in the FB.

[Pharmacokinetics of skin and blood of Tripterygium wilfordii and Paeonia lactiflora micro-emulsion gel based on micro-dialysis technology].

To further investigate the metabolism of Tripterygium wilfordii and Paeonia lactiflora micro-emulsion gel in vivo,an LCMS/MS method was established for the determination of triptolide and paeoniflorin in T. wilfordii and P. lactiflora micro-emulsion gel.The extracorporeal recovery rate of blood probe was measured by concentration difference methods( incremental method and decremental method). Meanwhile,the skin and blood micro-dialysis methods of tripterine and paeoniflorin were established,and the pharmacokinetics of T. wilfordii microemulsion gel in skin and blood was studied by micro-dialysis combined with LC-MS/MS quantitative analysis. The results showed that the established method for the determination of triptolide and paeoniflorin in T. wilfordii microemulsion gel was well linear within the required range,and the specificity,recovery rate and degree of precision of the chromatography all conformed to the research requirements of micro-dialysis samples. The stability of freeze-thawing and the residual effect all conformed to the criteria of biological sample methodology. The probe recovery rates measured by incremental method and decremental method were almost consistent with the extracorporeal recovery rate test. The recovery rates of paeoniflorin in skin and blood micro-dialysis were( 30. 60±1. 09) % and( 28. 01± 1. 75) %,respectively. And the recovery rates of skin and blood micro-dialysis were( 26. 79 ± 2. 78) % and( 25. 39±1. 86) %,respectively. The intraday recovery rate of probes was stable within 11 h. The results of pharmacokinetic study showed that the Cmaxvalues of triptolide in skin and blood were( 148. 03±41. 51) and( 76. 77±15. 27) µg·L-1,respectively. And the Tmaxvalues were( 2. 33±0. 29) and( 3. 00± 0) h,respectively. The AUC0-11 hvalues were( 2 814. 05± 1 070. 37) and( 1 580. 63±208. 27) µg·h·L-1,respectively. The MRT0-11 hvalues were( 4. 20± 0. 33) and( 4. 54± 0. 34) h,respectively. The T1/2 values were( 4. 61±4. 11) and( 1. 07± 0. 13) h,respectively. The Cmaxvalues of paeoniflorin in skin and blood were( 991. 88 ± 152. 22) and( 407. 02±120. 06) µg·L-1,respectively. The Tmaxvalues were( 2. 00±0) h and( 2. 83±0. 29) h,respectively. The AUC0-11 hvalues were( 18 430. 27±3 289. 35) and( 6 338. 59 ± 1 659. 32) µg·h·L-1,respectively. The MRT0-11 hvalues were( 4. 29 ± 0. 16) and( 4. 00±0. 05) h,respectively. The T1/2 values were( 2. 16±0. 43) and( 1. 78±0. 48) h,respectively. The results suggested that micro-emulsion gel played a role in forming skin reservoir through percutaneous penetration. It not only could improve drug transdermal efficiency,but also control the sustained release of drug and form a long-term effect.

[Establishment of skin and joint micro-dialysis sampling method of triptolide in vivo by HPLC-MS/MS].

To detect the concentration of triptolide in skin and joint after percutaneous administration,an HPLC-MS/MS method and skin and joint micro-dialysis( MD) method of triptolide were established in this study. The separation was achieved on triple quadrupole( AB QTRAP4500) and phenomenex-C18( 4. 6 mm×150 mm,5 µm,luna) column with acetonitrile-water with 0. 1% formic acid( 65 ∶35) as the mobile phase at a flow rate of 0. 7 m L·min-1. An electrospray ionization( ESI) source was applied and operated in the positive multiple reaction monitoring( MRM) mode. The fragment ion for triptolide was m/z 361. 1→145. 0. The effects of different perfusion [Ringer's,PBS( p H 7. 4),30% ethanol saline]drug concentrations and flow rates on the recovery rate,as well as the relationship between the recovery rate and the loss rate were determined by incremental( dialysis) and reduction( retrodialysis) methods.The reduction method was applied in the in vivo study to investigate and determine the stability of the probe recovery rate in 10 h. The results of HPLC-MS/MS detection method conformed to the requirements of biological samples. The perfusion fluid was 30% ethanol saline. The recovery rate of skin and joint probes in vitro of triptolide increased within the flow rate of 0. 5-2. 5 µL·min-1. In order to increase the timeliness of data and the accuracy,the flow rate was determined to be 1 µL·min-1,and the sample interval was determined to be 0. 5 h. The recovery rate of triptolide in skin and joint probes in vitro and the loss rate were stable and equal despite of change of triptolide concentration within 10-200 µg·L-1. This indicated that the effect of drug concentration on the MD probe recovery rate was small,and the recovery rate could be replaced by the loss rate. The loss rate in vivo using MD method was measured at 10 h,indicating that the transfer rate of triptolide was stable within 10 h. The established method of triptolide in MD and HPLC-MS/MS can be applied to investigate the kinetic in skin and joint after percutaneous administration of triptolide.

[Preparation and evaluation of four kinds of mixed essential oil liposomes in Jieyu Anshen Formula].

In order to increase the stability and solubility of essential oil in Jieyu Anshen Formula, this study was to prepare the essential oil into liposomes. In this experiment, the method for the determination of encapsulation efficiency of liposomes was established by ultraviolet spectrophotometer and dextran gel column. The encapsulation efficiency and particle size of liposomes were used as evaluation indexes for single factor investigation and Box-Behnken design-response surface method was used to optimize the design. Then the optimal formulation of volatile oil liposome was characterized using methyleugenol, elemin, ß-asarone and α-asarone as index components. Finally, the in vitro transdermal properties of liposomes were studied by modified Franz diffusion cell. The results showed that the concentration of lecithin, the mass ratio of lecithin to volatile oil, and the stirring speed were the three most significant factors affecting the liposome preparation. The optimum formulation of volatile oil liposome was as follows: the concentration of lecithin was 7 g·L~(-1); mass ratio of lecithin to volatile oil was 5∶1; and the stirring speed was 330 r·min~(-1). Under such conditions, the prepared liposomes had blue emulsion light, good fluidity, half translucent, with particle size of(102.6±0.35) nm, Zeta potential of(-17.8±0.306) mV, permeability of(1.67±1.01)%, and stable property if liposome was stored at 4 ℃. 24 h after percutaneous administration, the cumulative osmotic capacity per unit time was(30.485 2±1.238 9),(34.794 8±0.928 3),(26.677 1±1.171 7),(3.066 2±0.175 3) µg·cm~(-2)respectively for methyleugenol, elemin, ß-asarone and α-asarone. In vitro transdermal behaviors of methyleugenol, elemin, ß-asarone and α-asarone in liposomes were all consistent with Higuchi equation. The prepared volatile oil liposomes met the relevant quality requirements, providing a reference for further research on preparation of multi-component Chinese medicine essential oil liposomes.

[Improving hygroscopicity of fermented Cordyceps powder based on particle design technology of traditional Chinese medicine].

Commonly used dosage forms of fermented Cordyceps powder products are capsules and tablets. The hygroscopicity of the powder,as one of the important parameters in the tableting process,has important effects on the tabletting process of the tablets. How to improve the hygroscopicity of powder is of great significance for the development of new composite particles. Therefore,particle design technology was used in this study to prepare composite particle powder,and its hygroscopicity was compared with fermented Cordyceps powder and physically mixed powder. By preparing three different types of powders,the equilibrium moisture absorption,particle size,scanning electron micrograph,angle of repose,contact angle and compression degree were compared to observe the effect of traditional Chinese medicine particle design technology on improving the hygroscopicity of the fermented Cordyceps powder. The results showed that the equilibrium moisture absorption was 21. 2%,19. 6%,14. 5% respectively for the fermented Cordyceps powder,physically mixed powder and composite particle powder; the median diameter was(49. 751± 0. 280),(59. 183± 0. 170),(12. 842±0. 080) µm,respectively; the mode diameter was(185. 479±1. 372),(173. 964± 1. 104),(61. 671± 0. 979) µm,respectively. In the scanning electron micrograph of the composite particle powder,it can be clearly seen that the fermented Cordyceps powder had hydrophobic gas phase nano-silica with a fixed shape and uniform size. The angle of repose was(50. 63 ± 0. 75) °,(49. 25 ± 0. 43) °,(48. 33±0. 84) ° respectively; the contact angle was(7. 4±0. 2) °,(8. 2±0. 3) °,(15. 0±2. 6) ° respectively; and the compression degree was(38. 2±1. 3) %,(35. 8±0. 2) %,(32. 5±2. 6) % respectively. This study showed that after treatment by the vibrating ultrafine pulverizer,the fermented Cordyceps powder particles had obvious and uniform small particle hydrophobic gas phase nano-silica adhered to form a partially wrapped coating structure,which reduced the contact surface of fermented Cordyceps powder with the outside world,thereby reducing the hygroscopicity of the composite particle powder. It further demonstrated that the hygroscopicity of fermented Cordyceps powder can be improved by particle design.

[Decipherment of ancient literature about fresh use,crude use and processed use of Puerariae Lobatae Radix].

Puerariae Lobatae Radix is a traditional Chinese medicine,which was first recorded in Shennong Classic of Materia Medica,and was recorded in many ancient books. Its main effect is to relieve muscles to expel heat,produce saliva and promote eruption,invigorate splenic yang and stop diarrhea. CNKI and Wanfang Data were searched in this paper with the words " Pueraria", " puerarin usage" and " puerarin application" as the key words,and it was found that the puerarin usage characteristics were rarely reported.Therefore,the application characteristics of fresh use,crude use and processed use of Puerariae Lobatae Radix in ancient books were summarized in this paper,in order to provide a reference for the modern development of Puerariae Lobatae Radix.

[Preparation and transdermal permeation of triptolide and ferulic acid ethosomes gel in vitro].

The aim of this study was to prepare triptolide and ferulic acid ethosomes gel, investigate its transdermal permeation, and compare the results with ordinary gel and cream. Improved Franz diffusion cell method was used in the transdermal delivery experiment with rat abdominal skin as in vitro model. The receptor fluid at different time points was collected; ferulic acid concentration was determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and triptolide concentration was determined by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Then the penetration rate, transdermal volume and skin reserve of three dosage forms (hydroplasy gel, ordinary gel, and cream) to investigate the transdermal properties of ferulic acid and triptolide in vitro of triptolide and ferulic acid ethosomes gel. The results showed that the steady penetration rate of ferulic acid was 5.268 5, 8.990 9, 12.042 0 µg·cm⁻² ·h⁻¹ respectively in triptolide and ferulic acid ethosomes gel, ordinary gel and cream; the skin retention was (30.234 8±1.525 4), (20.402 6±0.402 6), (7.635 3±1.094 2) µg·cm⁻² . The steady-state permeation rate of triptolide was 67.238 0, 67.238 0 ng·cm⁻² ·h⁻¹ in triptolide and ferulic acid ethosomes gel, about 1.24 times of cream and 3.28 times of ordinary gel; the skin retention was (371.351 4±35.317 1) ng·cm⁻², about 3.35 times of cream and 5.25 times of ordinary gel. Therefore, the ethosomes gel showed good transdermal absorption property and it may be good for clinical safety administration.

[Effects of Frankincense and Myrrh essential oil on transdermal absorption of ferulic acid in Chuanxiong].

The aim of this paper was to explore the effects of Frankincense and Myrrh essential oil on transdermal absorption, and investigate the mechanism of permeation on the microstructure and molecular structure of stratum corneum. Through the determination of stratum corneum/medium partition coefficient of ferulicacid in Chuanxiong influenced by Frankincense and Myrrh essential oil, the effects of volatile oil of frankincense and Myrrh on the the microscopic and molecular structure of stratum corneum were explored by observation of skin stratum corneum structure under scanning electron microscopy, and investigation of frankincense and myrrh essential oil effects on the molecular structure of keratin and lipids in stratum corneum under Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The results showed that the oil could enhance the distribution of ferulic acid in the stratum corneum and medium, and to a certain extent damaged the imbricate structure of stratum corneum which was originally regularly, neatly, and closely arranged; some epidermal scales turned upward, with local peeling phenomenon. In addition, frankincense and myrrh essential oil caused the relative displacement of CH2 stretching vibration peak of stratum corneum lipids and amide stretching vibration peak of stratum corneum keratin, indicating that frankincense and myrrh essential oil may change the conformation of lipid and keratin in the stratum corneum, increase the bilayer liquidity of the stratum corneum lipid, and change the orderly and compact structure to increase the skin permeability and reduce the effect of barrier function. It can be concluded that Frankincense and Myrrh essential oil can promote the permeation effect by increasing the distribution of drugs in the stratum corneum and changing the structure of the stratum corneum.

Mechanisms of P-Glycoprotein Modulation by Semen Strychni Combined with Radix Paeoniae Alba.

Semen Strychni has been extensively used as a Chinese herb, but its therapeutic window is narrowed by the strong toxicity of the compound, which limits its effectiveness. Radix Paeoniae Alba has been reported to reduce the toxic effects and increase the therapeutic effects of Semen Strychni, but the underlying mechanism remains unknown. This research aimed to explore the mechanism through which P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is modulated by Semen Strychni combined with Radix Paeoniae Alba in vitro. An MTT assay was used to study cytotoxicity in an MDCK-MDR1 cell model. Rh123 efflux and accumulation were measured to assess P-gp function. The expression levels of MDR1 mRNA and P-gp protein in MDCK-MDR1 cells were investigated. A P-gp ATPase activity assay kit was applied to detect the effect on P-gp ATPase activity. Semen Strychni combined with Radix Paeoniae Alba could induce P-gp-mediated drug transport by inhibiting brucine and strychnine transport in MDCK-MDR1 cells, enhancing the P-gp efflux function, upregulating the P-gp expression and MDR1 mRNA levels, and stimulating P-gp ATPase activity.

[Effects of Frankincense and Myrrh essential oil on transdermal absorption in vitro of Chuanxiong and penetration mechanism of skin blood flow].

The aim of this paper was to explore the effects of Frankincense and Myrrh essential oil on transdermal absorption in vitro of Chuanxiong, and to investigate the possible penetration mechanism of their essential oil from the perspective of skin blood perfusion changes. Transdermal tests were performed in vitro with excised mice skin by improved Franz diffusion cells. The cumulative penetration amounts of ferulic acid in Chuanxiong were determined by HPLC to investigate the effects of Frankincense and Myrrh essential oil on transdermal permeation properties of Chuanxiong. Simultaneously, the skin blood flows were determined by laser flow doppler. The results showed that the cumulative penetration amount of ferulic acid in Chuanxiong was (8.13±0.76) µg•cm⁻² in 24 h, and was (48.91±4.87), (57.80±2.86), (63.34±4.56), (54.17±4.40), (62.52±7.79) µg•cm⁻² respectively in Azone group, Frankincense essential oil group, Myrrh essential oil, frankincense and myrrh singly extracted essential oil mixture group, and frankincense and myrrh mixed extraction essential oil group. The enhancement ratios of each essential oil groups were 7.68, 8.26, 7.26, 8.28, which were slightly greater than 6.55 in Azone group. In addition, as compared with the conditions before treatment, there were significant differences and obvious increasing trend in blood flow of rats in Frankincense essential oil group, Myrrh essential oil group, frankincense and myrrh singly extracted essential oil mixture group, and frankincense and myrrh mixed extraction essential oil group when were dosed at 10, 20, 30, 10 min respectively, indicating that the skin blood flows were increased under the effects of Frankincense and Myrrh essential oil to a certain extent. Thus, Frankincense and Myrrh essential oil had certain effect on promoting permeability of Chuanxiong both before and after drug combination, and may promote the elimination of drugs from epidermis to dermal capillaries through increase of skin blood flow, thus enhancing the transdermal permeation amounts of drugs.

[Effect investigation of coumarin constituents in Angelica dahurica on pharmacokinetics of docetaxel by LC-MS].

The study was aimed to establish a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric method for the determination of the docetaxel concentration in rat plasma, and study the effect of coumarin constituents (imperatorin, isoimperatorin and oxypeucedanin) in Angelica dahurica on pharmacokinetics of docetaxel.Plasma was precipitated with acetonitrile and determined by LC-MS method with Paclitaxel as an internal standard. The specificity, linearity, range, accuracy, precision and stability of the method were suitable for the determination of docetaxel in plasma.Six sprague-dawley rats in each group received intragastric administration of docetaxel (50 mg•kg⁻¹), oxypeucedanin (8 mg•kg⁻¹) combined with docetaxel (50 mg•kg⁻¹), imperatorin (15 mg•kg⁻¹) combined with docetaxel (50 mg•kg⁻¹), and isoimperatorin(15 mg•kg⁻¹) combined with docetaxel (50 mg•kg⁻¹).Their drug plasma concentration was determined by LC-MS with Paclitaxel as an internal standard to draw plasma concentration-time curve, and the phamacokinetic parameters were calculated by DAS 2.0. The results showed that the phamacokinetic parameters of docetaxel all had notable changes when combined with imperatorin, isoimperatorin, and oxypeucedanin, respectively. The phamacokinetic parameters AUC and Cmax were significantly increased, indicating that coumarin constituents in Angelica dahurica could promote the oral bioavailability of docetaxel, and their effects were in the following order: oxypeucedanin> isoimperatorin> imperatorin.

[Effects of baicalin, matrine, glycyrrhetinic acid and emodin in three kinds of emulsifier cream system on transdermal absorption in vitro].

To study effects of APG, Span-Tween and A6/25 emulsifier cream system on transdermal absorption in vitro of baicalin, matrine, glycyrrhetinic acid and emodin in emulsifier. Permeations studies were carried out in vitro with excised mice skin by improved Franz diffusion cells. The cumulative penetration amounts and the retention amounts of Chinese herbal medicinal ingredients in three kinds of emulsifier cream systems were determined by HPLC. The effects of different Chinese herbal medicinal ingredients in the same emulsifier system and the same herbal medicinal ingredients in different emulsifier systems on cumulative permeation amount, skin retention amount and permeation rate were investigated. According to the results, the order of different Chinese herbal medicinal ingredients in same kinds of emulsifier system by the cumulative permeation amount and the permeation rate were matrine>baicalin>glycyrrhetinic acid>emodin. With respect to the effect of different emulsifier systems on cumulative permeation amount and permeation rate of the same herbal medicinal ingredients, glycyrrhetinic acid and emodin showed no significant difference, Span-Tween emulsifier cream system had higher cumulative permeation amount and permeation rate. The cumulative permeation amount and the permeation rate of Chinese herbal medicinal ingredients in the three kinds of emulsifier cream systems had an identical regularity. However, the cumulative permeation amount, the skin retension amount and the permeation rate of the same herbal medicinal ingredients in different emulsifier systems had no regularity.