RESUMEN
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are an important type of active microvesicles. EVs encapsulate and transfer functional substances such as miRNAs, transcription factors and proteins, which are important vectors for cell communication and organ dialogue. In recent years, studies have shown that quite a number of Chinese medicinal herbs have the pharmacological effect of regulating EVs, and play a unique trans-organ and remote role in the treatment of diseases. Some Chinese medicinal herbs also contain plant-derived EVs themselves, which can be directly involved in the treatment of diseases. As one of the core theories of raditional Chinese medicines (TCM), Qi plays a variety of important roles in the physiological and pathological processes of human body and pharmacology. However, the scientific connotation of Qi′s role and the potential material carrier are still unclear. The latest research suggests that the effect of EVs is potentially related to that of Qi. Therefore, this paper reviews the effect of Qi nourishing Chinese medicinal herbs in regulating EVs in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, nervous system diseases, liver diseases, renal diseases, malignant tumors and other diseases in recent years. EVs may play an important role in the pharmacological effect of some Chinese medicinal herbs in the treatment of diseases as an intermediary substance. EVs have the characteristics of long-distance transportation, which is consistent with the movement of Qi in TCM. EVs carry a variety of functional molecules, which is consistent with the function of Qi. As the potential material basis of Qi in TCM, the function of EVs is worth further study.
RESUMEN
Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases (CCDs) are the primary causes of death in Chinese adults. With the increase in morbidity and mortality rates and the decrease in the age of onset, CCD becomes a very natural target for traditional Chinese medicine. Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus (SCF) is the dry ripe fruit of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill., which features a sweet and sour taste and the effects of calming the heart and tranquilizing the mind. It is mainly used for treatment of dysphoria and palpitation, insomnia and dreamful sleep due to the lack of spirit preservation. The main components of SC include lignans, volatile oils and polysaccharides. This review summarized the pharmacological effects of SC and its active components in the treatment of CCDs. The results showed that SCF and its active components protect against cardiovascular diseases mainly through the antioxidant, apoptosis inhibition and anti-inflammatory mechanisms. In addition, they protect against cerebrovascular diseases mainly by increasing energy metabolism, regulating autophagy and inhibiting apoptosis, antioxidant, and regulating nerve neurotransmitters and circadian genes. In conclusion, lignans are the most active components in SCF. This study provides a reference for the clinical research and utilization of SCF, as well as the application basis for co-treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
RESUMEN
The chemical composition of Chinese materia medica (CMM) is complex. It is crucial to carry out quality control in pharmacological experiment in vitro of CMM, understand its mechanism, and identify its pharmacodynamic material basis. In recent years, drug-containing intestinal absorption solution (DCIAS), as a new method for evaluating in vitro pharmacological activity, has been used in research of CMM. This article detailed the methodology and development of applying DCIAS to in vitro experiments of CMM with a comparison to other methods. The results showed that DCIAS played an important role in quality evaluation, mechanism analysis and material basis identification of CMM and Chinese herbal compound prescriptions. Meanwhile, DCIAS has the advantages of being simple to operate and cheap to apply. This study provides a basis for the application of DCIAS and a reference for in vitro pharmacological study of CMM.