Qualitative analysis of Gynostemma longipes for medicinal usage / 中国中药杂志

The Qinling-Daba Mountains area is the main producing areas of Gynostemma longipes for medicinal usage, and samples of wild whole plants in Pingli, Shaanxi Province and Qingchuan, Sichuan Province were collected. The ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS~E) was used to profile the chemical compositions and analyze the similarities and differences of G. longipes samples in these areas. Based on the accurate molecular weight and fragment information obtained from Q-TOF-MS~E, the structures of the main components were identified by combining with the mass spectra, chromatographic behaviors of reference standards and related literatures. The results showed that the components of wild G. longipes from different places among Qinling-Daba Mountains area were similar. Forty-five chemical components were identified in the whole plant of G. longipes from Pingli, Shaanxi Province, including 43 triterpenoid saponins and 2 flavonoids which contain all main peaks in its fingerprint. The main components are dammarane-type triterpenoid saponins, such asgypenoside ⅩLⅨ, gypenoside A and its malonylated product of glycosyl.

San-Cao Granule () Ameliorates Hepatic Fibrosis through High Mobility Group Box-1 Protein/Smad Signaling Pathway / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the possible mechanism of San-Cao Granule (SCG, ) mediating antiliver fibrosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 60 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the normal control group, porcine serum-treated group, ursodesoxycholic acid (UDCA, 60 mg/kg), SCG (3.6 g/kg) group, SCG (1.8 g/kg) group and SCG (0.9 g/kg) group, with 10 rats in each group. Liver fibrosis was induced with porcine serum by intraperitoneal injection for 8 weeks, except for the normal control group. Then, the rats in the three SCG-treated groups and UDCA group were administered SCG and UDCA respectively for 4 weeks. The serum levels of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), albumin (ALB), total bilirubin (TBIL), hyaluronic acid (HA), laminin (LN), and type IV collagen (IVC) were examined using commercial kits and hepatic histopathology was examined with hematoxylin and eosin and Masson staining. Moreover, the protein expression levels of high mobility group box-1 protein (HMGB1), transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1), phosphorylated mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 3 (p-Smad3), Smad7, toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) were determined by western blot, immunohistochemistry and real time quantitative-reverse transcription polymerase.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Both SCG (3.6 and 1.8 g/kg) and UDCA significantly ameliorated the liver fibrosis induced by porcine serum as indicated by retarding the serum levels increasing of ALT, AST, TBIL, HA, LN and IVC and preventing the serum level reducing of ALB compared with the model group (all P<0.01). Meanwhile, the collagen deposition was attenuated by SCG and UDCA treatment. Furthermore, SCG markedly reduced the expressions of HMGB1, TGF-β1, p-Smad3, TLR4, MyD88, NF-κB and α-SMA, and enhanced the expression of the Smad7 compared with the model group (all P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>SCG ameliorates hepatic fibrosis possibly through inhibiting HMGB1, TLR4/NF-κB and TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway.</p>

Intestinal absorption and metabolism of Puerariae Lobatae Radix decoction by in situ closed-loop method / 中国中药杂志

Biopharmaceutics classification system of Chinese materia medica (CMMBCS) emphasizes characteristic of the multi-component environment based on the drug solubility and permeability. In this study, the in situ closed-loop method combined with LC-MS technique was utilized to study the intestinal absorption and metabolism of Puerariae Lobatae Radix decoction (PLRD), providing selection basis for intestinal permeability components in CMMBCS. A total of 36 components were identified from PLRD. Among them, 17 components could be detected in the plasma sample, indicating that 17 components could be absorbed into blood, so these 17 components could be used as intestinal permeability evaluation components in CMMBCS. The other 19 components were not detected in the plasma sample, suggesting that they may not be absorbed or metabolized by the gut wall enzymes.

Protective Effect of Tibetan Medicine Compound Duoxuekang Capsules on Acute Lung Injury in Mice In-duced by Lipopolysaccharide / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE:To investigate the protective effect of Tibetan medicine Compound Duoxuekang capsules on the acute lung injury in mice induced by lipopolysaccharide. METHODS:60 KM mice were randomly divided into blank group,model group,dexamethasone group (positive control,1 mg/kg) and Compound Duoxuekang high-dose,medium-dose,low-dose groups (3.6,1.8,0.9 g/kg,calculated by crude drug),10 in each group. Intragastrically administrated,mice in blank group and model group intragastrically administrated equal volume of normal saline,once a day. After 7 d of administration,except for blank group, mice in other groups intraperitoneally injected lipopolysaccharide to induce acute lung injury. After 6 h modeling,pathological changes in the lung tissue was observed,lung tissue water content was measured,superoxide dismutase(SOD),glutathione peroxi-dase(GSH-Px),malondialdehyde(MDA)levels in lung tissue and IL-6,TNF-α levels in serum were detected. RESULTS:Com-pared with blank group,mice in model group showed pathological changes in congestion and edema,inflammatory cell infiltra-tion,obvious widened alveolar septum and alveolar wall;water content in lung tissue and IL-6,TNF-αlevels in serum were signifi-cantly increased (P<0.01);SOD,GSH-Px levels in lung tissue were significantly decreased (P<0.01). Compared with model group,injury degree of lung tissue reduced to varying degrees in each treatment group,except for the water content,MDA level in lung tissue and TNF-α level in serum in Compound Duoxuekang capsules low-dose group;the above-mentioned indexes in other groups were significantly improved (P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS:Compound Duoxuekang capsules can obviously re-duce mice's oxidative stress and inflammatory response,and has certain protective effect on acute lung injury in mice.

Effect and mechanism of application in canicular days plus enteral nutrition for cough variant asthma in kids / 针灸推拿医学（英文版）

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of application in canicular days plus enteral nutrition in treating cough variant asthma (CVA) in kids, and to explore its action mechanism. Methods:Following a randomized controlled single-blind parallel-group design, 138 eligible kids with CVA were randomized into an observation group, a canicular-day application group, and an enteral nutrition group, 46 kids in each group. The canicular-day application group was intervened by application in canicular days, the enteral nutrition group was by enteral feeding, and the observation group was by both canicular-day application and enteral feeding. The therapeutic efficacies were evaluated after a treatment course. Results: The recovery rate and total effective rate were respectively 50.0% and 98.0% in the observation group, versus 23.9% and 91.3% in the canicular-day application group, and 13.0% and 78.6% in the enteral nutrition group. The observation group was significantly superior to the other two groups (bothP<0.05). In comparing the global symptom score, peak expiratory flow (PEF), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), CD3+, CD4+, CD4+/CD8+, CD8+, hemoglobin (Hb), total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), lipid peroxide (LPO), leukotriene (LT), body weight (BW), triceps skin-fold (TSF), and arm muscle circumference (AMC), the observation group was significantly better than the other two groups (bothP<0.05). Conclusion:Application in canicular days plus enteral nutrition can significantly improve the pulmonary function and symptoms in children’s CVA, and the effect is possibly produced by regulating cellular immune system, enhancing Hb, TP, ALB, BW, TSF, AMC, and inhibiting the production of ECP, LPO, and LT.

Absorption and metabolism of Chuanxiong Rhizoma decoction with multi-component sequential metabolism method / 中国中药杂志

The multiple components in Chinese herbal medicines (CHMS) will experience complex absorption and metabolism before entering the blood system. Previous studies often lay emphasis on the components in blood. However, the dynamic and sequential absorption and metabolism process following multi-component oral administration has not been studied. In this study, the in situ closed-loop method combined with LC-MS techniques were employed to study the sequential process of Chuanxiong Rhizoma decoction (RCD). A total of 14 major components were identified in RCD. Among them, ferulic acid, senkyunolide J, senkyunolide I, senkyunolide F, senkyunolide G, and butylidenephthalide were detected in all of the samples, indicating that the six components could be absorbed into blood in prototype. Butylphthalide, E-ligustilide, Z-ligustilide, cnidilide, senkyunolide A and senkyunolide Q were not detected in all the samples, suggesting that the six components may not be absorbed or metabolized before entering the hepatic portal vein. Senkyunolide H could be metabolized by the liver, while senkyunolide M could be metabolized by both liver and intestinal flora. This study clearly demonstrated the changes in the absorption and metabolism process following multi-component oral administration of RCD, so as to convert the static multi-component absorption process into a comprehensive dynamic and continuous absorption and metabolism process.

Publication trends in studies examining radix notoginseng as a treatment for ischemic brain injury.

Acute ischemic stroke has become a major disease burden with high mortality and morbidity rates. There is a lack of evidence-based medicine confirming the efficacy of common treatments. Panax notoginseng saponins, the main active ingredient of radix notoginseng, have a neuroprotective role in ischemic brain injury, and have been popularized as a maintenance treatment for acute cerebral infarction and its sequelae. We conducted literature searches on the Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, Cochrane Collaboration, CNKI, Wanfang and the China Scientific & Technological Achievements Database and analyzed the experimental and clinical outcomes of studies investigating the use of radix notoginseng in the treatment of ischemic brain injury to improve the understanding of relevant research trends and existing problems. We found that over the past 10 years, China has maintained its interest in Panax notoginseng research, while such studies are scarce on the Web of Science. However, Chinese researchers often focus on the neuroprotective role of radix notoginseng in ischemic brain injury, but there are no large-scale clinical data to confirm its efficacy and safety. There remains a need for more rigorous large-sample randomized controlled clinical trials with long-term follow-up, to determine whether radix notoginseng lowers stroke recurrence and improves patient's quality of life.

Chemical constituents contained in Desmodium caudatum / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study chemical constituents contained in Desmodium caudatum.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The chemical compounds were separated by using such chromatographic methods as macroporous resin, Sephadex LH-20, ODS and normal phase silicagel column, and their structures were identified by spectroscopic data analysis.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Fifteen compounds were separated and identified as stigmasterol (1), beta-sitosterol (2), citrusinol (3), hibiscone A (4), yukovanol (5), kenusanone I (6), neophellamuretin (7), desmodol (8), erythrotriol (9), hibiscone D (10), kaempferol (11), 8-prenylquercetin (12), leachianone G (13), 5,7,4'-trihydroxy-dihydroflavonol (14), and 4H-1-benzopyran-4-one, 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl) -2, 3-dihydro-3,5,7-trihydroxy-8-( 3-methyl-2-butenyl) -, (2R-trans)-(9CI) (15).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>All of the compounds were separated from D. caudatum for the first time except compound 8.</p>

Chemical constituents of bear bile / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the chemical constituents of bear bile.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The compounds were isolated by repeated column HP20 macroporous adsorption resin, Sephadex LH-20, ODS and silica gel as packing materials. The structures were identified on the basis of extensive spectroscopic data analysis and by comparison of their spectral data reported.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Nine compounds were identified as 4',7-dihydroxyisoflavone (1), 4',7-dihydroxy-6-methoxyisoflavone (2), 4',6,7-trihydroxyisoflavone (3), 4'-methoxy-7-hydroxyisoflavone (4), tauroursodeoxycholic acid (5), taurochenodeoxycholic acid (6), ursodeoxycholic acid (7), chenodeoxycholic acid (8), cholesterol (9).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Compounds 1-4 were separated from bear bile for the first time.</p>

The neuroprotective effects and its mechanisms of qingkailing injection on bacterial meningitis induced by E. coli in rabbits / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the neuro-protective effect and mechanism of qingkailing injection (QKL) against cerebral injury caused by E. coli-meningitis (CM).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The CM model rabbits were treated by ampicillin with QKL as adjuvant. The leukocyte count and protein content in cerebral spinal fluid (CSF), the contents of water, sodium, potassium and calcium in cerebral tissues were measured before, 16 h and 26 h after Bacillus coli injection respectively. The expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) was determined at the same time.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Adjunctive treatment with QKL can not only inhibit the increase of leukocyte cells, protein content in CSF, and water, sodium, calcium content in cerebral tissues, but also the decrease of potassium content revealed during simple antibiotic treatment. It also can decrease the expression of MMP-9 in cerebral tissues of rabbits with CM.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>As an adjunctive treatment, QKL can prevent transient inflammatory reaction and aggravation of brain injury in CM induced by simple antibiotic treatment, its mechanisms might relate with calcium antagonism and attenuation of MMP-9 expression in brain tissues.</p>