Unusual sesquilignans with anti-inflammatory activities from the resin of Ferula sinkiangensis.

Sinkianlignans A - D (1-4), four new sesquilignans with an unusual architectures was characterized with a rarely α-γ', ß-γ', and γ-γ' linkage pattern, and sinkianlignans E - F (5 and 6), two lignans, were isolated from the Ferula sinkiangensis. Hypothetic biosynthetic pathway of compound 3 contain a newly formed six-membered C-ring by Diels-Alder cycloaddition. The structures of isolates were established by spectroscopic techniques and computational methods. Biological evaluation of all the isolated compounds revealed that compounds 2a and 2b could inhibit IL-6 and TNF-α production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced RAW264.7 cells in a dose-dependent manner.

Systematic analysis of the metabolites of Angelol B by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS after oral administration to rats.

Angelicae Pubescentis Radix (APR), a widely used traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), is mainly used to treat rheumatism and headache diseases. Angelol B is one of the bioactive constituents of APR with significant anti-inflammatory activity. This paper is aimed to illustrate the metabolites of angelol B in vivo. To achieve this objective, a metabolomics approach based on a rapid and accurate UPLC-Q-TOF-MS method was used to detect the metabolites of Angelol B in rat. A gradient elution system (ACN and 0.1% formic acid water) equipped with an Agilent SB-C18 column (1.8 µm, 2.1 mm × 50 mm) to complete the separation. Scanning area at m/z 100.800 operated on an electrospray ionization (ESI). The data were collected in both positive and negative ion mode and analyzed by the Masslynx 4.1 and SIMCA 13.0 software. A total of 31 metabolites including 20 phase I and 11 phase II. metabolites were identified. Their structure and fragmentation process were deduced based on the MS and MS/MS data. All of thirty-one metabolites are new compounds based on the search of SCI-Finder database.

Antifungal coumarins and lignans from Artemisia annua.

Two new coumarins (1 and 2), two new lignans (3 and 4), one new phloroglucinol derivative (5), together with eleven known compounds, were isolated from Artemisia annua. Their structures were identified by spectroscopic methods with 1 to be secured by X-ray diffraction. Antifungal activities of the isolates against Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium solani, and Cylindrocarpon destrutans were evaluated. It was found that compound 1 could inhibit all the fungal strains with respective MIC values of 18.75, and 25.00 µg/mL. In contrast, compounds 4, 5, 7, and 8 are active toward C. destrutans and 14 displays inhibitory property toward F. solani.

The Fight Against Panax notoginseng Root-Rot Disease Using Zingiberaceae Essential Oils as Potential Weapons.

The root of Panax notoginseng (P. notoginseng) is one of the most highly valuable medicinal herbs in China owing to its pronounced hemostatic and restorative properties. Despite this important fact, growing P. notoginseng is seriously limited by root-rot diseases. In studies aimed at developing a solution to this problem, environment-friendly essential oils (EOs) of five medicinal plants of the family Zingiberaceae were tested for their inhibitory effects on the growth of three main soil pathogens associated with the root-rot diseases of P. notoginseng. The results showed that the EOs of Alpinia katsumadai Hayata and Zingiber officinale Roscoe promote significant reductions in the mycelium growth of the pathogen in vitro at a concentration of 50 mg mL-1, which is much higher than that needed (5 mg mL-1) to reduce growth by the positive control, flutriafol. Furthermore, the chemical components of the two EOs were determined by using GC-MS analysis. Eucalyptol was found to account for more than 30% of the oils of the two plants, with the second major components being geranyl acetate and α-terpineol. These substances display different degrees of fungistasis in vitro. To further determine the effects of the EO of Zingiber officinale (Z. officinale) in vivo, soilless cultivation of P. notoginseng with pathogen inoculation was conducted in a greenhouse. Addition of the petroleum ether extract (approximately equal to EO) of Z. officinale to the culture matrix causes a large decrease in both the occurrence and severity of the P. notoginseng root-rot disease. The decreasing trend of net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (gs), intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci), and transpiration rate (Tr) were all alleviated. In addition, the activities of catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), and the malondialdehyde (MDA) content were also largely reduced after pathogen infection, with the root activity being higher than that of the control. Taken together, the findings reveal that the EOs from plants might serve as promising sources of eco-friendly natural pesticides with less chemical resistance.

[Effects of Zhuang-medical thread moxibustion combined with needle-pricking on vascular oxidative stress injury in the rat].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of Zhuang-medical thread moxibustion combined with needle-pricking on vascular oxidative stress injury in oxidative stress injury rats. METHODS: Eighty Wistar rats were randomly allocated to normal control, sham operation (sham), model, and combined treatment groups (n=20 in each group). The oxidative stress injury model was established by ligation of the left sciatic nerve to induce chronic constriction injury (CCI) pain stress stimulation. Zhuang-medical thread moxibustion was applied to bilateral "Zusanli" (ST 36), once a day for 3 weeks. Needle-pricking was applied to left "Yanglingquan" (GB 34) and left "Huantiao" (GB 30), once a day for 3 weeks except Sundays. Plasma 6-keto-PGF 1α, thromboxane B 2 (TXB 2), NO and ET contents were assayed by radioimmunoassay. COX-2 immunoactivity of the femoral artery was determined by immunohistochemistry, and pathological changes of the femoral artery were detected by H. E. staining. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the levels of plasma 6-keto-PGF 1α and NO in the model group were significantly reduced (P<0.05), while those of plasma TXB 2 and ET and COX-2 expression in the femoral artery were obviously increased in the model group (P<0.01). After moxibustion plus needle-pricking treatment, CCI-induced decrease of plasma 6-keto-PGF 1α and NO contents, and increase of plasma TXB 2 and ET and COX-2 expression levels were obviously reversed (P<0.05, P<0.01). The tubal wall of the femoral artery in rats of the model group got thicker, while that of the combined treatment group was relatively thinner, suggesting an inhibition of vascular intimal hyperplasia after the treatment. CONCLUSION: Zhuang-medical thread moxibustion combined with needle-pricking of ST 36, GB 34 and GB 30 can reduce the expression of femoral artery COX-2 and regulate the balance of both plasma PGI 2/TXA 2 and plasma NO/ET in CCI-induced oxidative stress rats, which may contribute to its effect in suppressing oxidative stress-induced vascular intimal hyperplasia.

[Effects of needle pricking therapy of Zhuang minority medicine on expression of pulmonary T-bet, GATA-binding protein 3 genes and thymic stromal lymphopoietin protein in the lung of asthma mice].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of needle pricking therapy on the expression of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) protein, T-box expressed in T cells(T-bet)mRNA and GATA-binding protein-3 (GATA 3) mRNA in the lung tissue of mice with asthma, so as to explore its mechanism underlying improvement of asthma. METHODS: Thirty female BALB/c mice were randomly divided into control, model and needle pricking groups (10 mice/group). The asthma model was established by i. p. of Ovalbumin (OVA) suspension fluid (containing Aluminium Hydroxide 400 microg and OVA 100 microg, 50 microg/L) and forced inhalation of atomized OVA. A sharp needle was held to prick "Dazhui" (GV 14),"Feishu" (BL 13), "Dingchuan" (EX-B 1),"Fengmen" (BL 12),"Shenshu" (BL 23) and "Pishu" (BL 20) acupoint regions to let a little bit of white fibrous tissue out, then to insert into the acupoints to about 1 mm in depth, once a day for seven times. The lung tissue was taken for detecting the expression of T-bet mRNA and GATA-3 mRNA by RT-PCR and for determining the immunoactivity of TSLP by immunofluorescence method. In addition, HE staining was used to examine the pathologic changes of the lung tissue. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the expression levels of GATA-3 mRNA and TSLP protein of the lung tissue in the model group were significantly increased (P < 0.01), whereas that of T-bet mRNA was remarkably decreased (P < 0.05). Following needle prick stimulation treatment, the expression levels of GATA-3 mRNA and TSLP protein were markedly down-regulated (P < 0.01) and that of T-bet mRNA was obviously upregulated (P < 0.05). After the treatment, pathological changes including hyperemia of the pulmonary alveoli, epithelial thickening, narrowing of the lumina, and infiltration of many inflammatory cells around the tracheal blood vessels were improved. CONCLUSION: Needle pricking therapy can regulate the expression of pulmonary TSLP protein and GATA 3 and T-bet genes in mice with asthma, which may contribute to its effect in improving pulmonary pathological changes of asthma mice.

[Experimental study of saikosaponin-D (SSd) on lipid peroxidation of hepatic fibrosis on rat].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of SSd on lipid peroxidation during experimental hepatic fibrosis progression. METHOD: The experimental models of hepatic fibrosis were induced by intraperitoneal injection of dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) on rats. SSd was administered by intraperitoneal injection for 4 weeks. Serum was analyzed for alanine and aspartate aminotransferase (ALT and AST), hyaluronic acid (HA), laminin (LN), collagen IV (IV-C), malonaldehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities. Liver samples were measured for MDA contents and SOD activities in normal group, model group and SSd group. RESULT: SSd significantly decreased ALT and AST activities and lowered HA, LN and IV-C contents. It enhanced SOD activities in liver, while reduced MDA contents both in serum and liver. CONCLUSION: SSd has obvious effects of protecting hepatocytes and resisting hepatic fibrosis, and the mechanism may be associated with its anti-lipid peroxidation effect.

[Studies on antiviral constituents in stems and leaves of Pithecellibium clypearia].

OBJECTIVE: To study the antiviral constituents in the stems and leaves of Pithecellibium clypearia. METHOD: The constituents of P. clypearia were systematically separated with various chromatographic techniques in combination with antiviral activity monitoring. Their structures were elucidated by physical and chemical properties and spectral data. RESULT: Six compounds were isolated from P. clypearia and were identified as: tricetiflavan (5, 7, 3', 4', 5'-pentahydroxylflavan) (1), myricitrin (myricetin-3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside) (2), quercitrin (quercetin-3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside) (3), quereetin (4), methyl gallate (5) and gallic acid (6). CONCLUSION: Compound 1 approximately 5 were obtained from this plant for the first time. Compound 4 was found to show an obvious anti-respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) activity.

[Effect of magnesium lithospermate B on endothelial cells in human aorta after free radical injury].

OBJECTIVE: To study the cardiovascular effects of magnesium lithospermate B (MLB), a water soluble extract from red sage root, on human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) proliferation and in treating free radical injured endothelial cells, so as to further understand the cardiovascular pharmacological mechanism of MLB. METHODS: HAECs of 3-6 passages were used in the experiment. MLB of different concentrations was used to treat the cells, and cell proliferation was observed using morphological and MTT method. The free radical injured model cell was made by glucose-glucose oxidase method for observing the effect of MLB on its microstructure by transmission electron microscopy. RESULTS: MLB in concentration of 1.0 mg/ml and 0.5 mg/ml had significant cytotoxicity (P<0.01), when its concentration was lower than 0.2 mg/ml, the drug showed no adverse reaction on cell proliferation. MLB showed significantly cell protective effect against free radical injury, the effect in protecting ultrastructure of cells, such as mitochondria, could be demonstrated in transmission electron microscopy. CONCLUSION: MLB showed a low cytotoxicity on HAECs, it could obviously protect cells from free radical injury.