Steroidal saponins profiling of Rohdea chinensis (Baker) N.Tanaka by high performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization and quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

The rhizome of Rohdea chinensis (Baker) N.Tanaka (RRc) is a famous folk medicine for the treatment of carbuncles and pharyngitis. Steroidal saponins (SSs) were considered to be the most abundant active constituents in RRc. However, to date, the in-depth study of SSs is still lacking. This study was aimed to investigate the SSs profiles of RRc extract by HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS. Analysis was performed on an Agilent poroshell 120 EC-C18 column (2.1 mm × 100 mm, i.d., 2.7 µm) with 0.1% formic acid aqueous solution and acetonitrile as the mobile phase under gradient conditions. The results showed that 32 SSs including 20 furospirostanol, 11 spirostanol and 1 pseudo-spirostanol saponins were identified, 5 of which were reported in this plant for the first time. This is the first report on the analysis of SSs in RRc. This novel analysis method may stimulate further research regarding the identification of SSs in other plant species.

Rapid Detection and Characterization of Steroidal Saponins in the Root of Asparagus cochinchinensis by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled to Electrospray Ionization and Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry.

The dried root of Asparagus cochinchinensis (RAC) has been used as an important traditional Chinese medicine for a long time in China. Steroidal saponins (SSs) are considered to be the main active ingredients of this herb. However, the isolation and structural determination of SSs from RAC are time-consuming and laborious. For this reason, the development of new methods for the separation and characterization of SSs is highly desirable. In this study, a new high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization and quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS) method with precursor ions and the corresponding fragment ions was developed for the identification of SSs in RAC. Finally, 30 SSs have been detected and identified, including 17 potential new compounds. This is the first systematic study of SSs in RAC by HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS method.

Effects of Histidine-rich glycoprotein on erythrocyte aggregation and hemolysis: Implications for a role under septic conditions.

The apoptotic process of erythrocytes is known as eryptosis, and is characterized by phosphatidylserine (PS) expression on the outer membrane. PS-positive erythrocytes are increased in sepsis, and PS is believed to facilitate coagulation of erythrocytes and activate macrophages. However, the relationship between eryptosis and abnormal coagulation in sepsis is still not fully understood. Histidine-rich glycoprotein (HRG) inhibits immunothrombus formation by regulating neutrophils and vascular endothelial cells. In the present study, we subjected isolated erythrocytes to Zn2+ stimulation, which activated their aggregation and PS expression. We then determined the Zn2+ contents in septic lung and kidney tissues, and found that they were elevated, suggesting that eryptosis was enhanced in these tissues. Erythrocyte adhesion to endothelial cells was also significantly increased after Zn2+ stimulation, and this effect was inhibited by HRG. Finally, we examined HRG treatment in septic model mice, and found that HRG decreased hemolysis, possibly due to its ability to bind heme. Our study demonstrated a novel Zn2+-initiated aggregation/thrombus formation pathway. We also showed the regulatory role of HRG in this pathway, together with the ability of HRG to inhibit hemolysis under septic conditions. HRG supplementation might be a novel therapeutic strategy for inflammatory disorders, especially sepsis.

Voluntary exercise induces neurogenesis in the hypothalamus and ependymal lining of the third ventricle.

In the adult hypothalamus and ependymal lining of the third ventricle, tanycytes function as multipotential progenitor cells that enable continuous neurogenesis, suggesting that tanycytes may be able to mediate the restoration of homeostatic function after stroke. Voluntary wheel running has been shown to alter neurochemistry and neuronal function and to increase neurogenesis in rodents. In the present study, we found that voluntary exercise improved the survival rate and energy balance of stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP/Kpo). We also investigated the effect of exercise on the proliferation and differentiation of hypothalamic cells using immunoreactivity for tanycytes and neural markers. The proliferation of elongated cells, which may be the tanycytes, was enhanced in exercising SHRSP compared to sedentary rats before and after stroke. In addition, the proliferation of cells was correlated with the induction of fibroblast growth factor-2 in the subependymal cells of the third ventricle and in the cerebrospinal fluid. Some of the newborn cells of exercising SHRSP showed differentiation into mature neurons after stroke. Our results suggest that voluntary exercise correlates with hypothalamic neurogenesis, leading to recovery of homeostatic functions in the adult brain after stroke.

High performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization and quadrupole time-of-flight-mass spectrometry as a powerful analytical strategy for systematic analysis and improved characterization of the major bioactive constituents from Radix Dipsaci.

Radix Dipsaci (RD), the dried root of Dipsacus asper, is commonly used as a traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of bone diseases and functions in strengthening bone and healing bone fractures. Nevertheless, the high polarity, non chromophores and low abundance of multiple compounds in this plant bring difficulty for their isolation and structural determination by traditional chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques, which hindered the use of RD in clinical practice and retarded the process of RD modernization. In this work, a sensitive and rapid high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS) was employed to rapidly separate and identify the multiple minor constituents in RD. Separation was performed an Agilent poroshell 120 EC-C18 column (2.1mm×100mm, i.d., 2.7µm) with 0.1% formic acid aqueous solution and acetonitrile as the mobile phase under gradient conditions. As a result, 36 major constituents including dipsacus saponins, iridoid glycosides and caffeoyl quinic acid derivatives were identified or tentatively characterized from the RD, 11 of which had not been previously reported to the best of our knowledge. In conclusion, the HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS is feasible and credible technique to separate and identify the constituents in complex matrices of traditional Chinese medicines.

[Phytochemical and pharmacological research progress in Tussilago farfara].

Tussilago farfara contained the chemical constitutents including terpenes, flavonoids, and alkanoids. It has been used for the relief of coughs and as an expectorant, blood pressure raiser, platelet activating factor inhibitor and anti-inflammatory agents. This paper reviewed the phytochemical and pharmacological research progress in T. farfara, including the chemical ingredients, the pharmaceutical activities and the security evaluation aiming at its toxicity. The problems at present and the reseach direction for the future on T. farfara have been put forward.