Abelmoschus manihot (L.) medik. seeds alleviate rheumatoid arthritis by modulating JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Abelmoschus manihot (L.) Medik. Seeds (AMS, སོ་མ་ར་ཛ།), a Tibetan classical herbal in China, are rich in flavonoids and phenolic glycosides compounds, such as quercetin and its derivatives. Moreover, it has been found to possess anti-rheumatoid arthritis (RA) effects. Nonetheless, its anti-RA mechanism is yet unknown. AIM OF THE STUDY: This research aimed to examine the active ingredients of AMS as well as potential pharmacological mechanisms in AMS on RA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem multistage mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-IT-MSn) technique was used to determine the primary chemical components of AMS that were responsible for the therapeutic effects on RA. In addition, 36 male Wistar rats weighing between 200 and 220 g were classified at random into six groups [normal control group, collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) group, methotrexate group (positive control, 1.05 mg/kg), AMS group (157.5 mg/kg, 315 mg/kg, 630 mg/kg)]. CIA rats were given AMS extract by intragastric administration for 28 days, and their ankles were photographed to observe the degree of swelling. Further, the arthritis score, paws swelling, and body weight changes of CIA rats were determined to observe whether AMS has any effect on RA, and synovial and cartilage tissue injuries were identified by histopathology. Besides, the levels of IL-10, TNF-α, IL-1ß, INF-γ, etc. in serum were estimated by ELISA. Western blot experiments were implemented to identify the expression levels of protein involved in the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway in the CIA rats' synovial tissues. Moreover, the mechanisms and targets of active ingredient therapy of AMS for RA were predicted using network pharmacology and then verified using molecular docking. RESULT: In the present study, 12 compounds were detected by UPLC-ESI-IT-MSn, such as quercetin and its derivative which could be potential active ingredients that contribute to the anti-RA properties of AMS. Our in vivo studies on CIA rats revealed that an AMS-H dose of 630 mg/kg significantly improved joint damage while decreasing the arthritic index and paw swelling. Furthermore, AMS inhibited the INF-γ, IL-6, IL-17, IL-1ß, and TNF-α, levels while upregulating the expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-10 and IL-4 in serum. Besides, AMS inhibited the protein Bcl-2/Bax, STAT3, and JAK2 levels, and promoted the expression of Caspase3, SOCS1, and SOCS3 in the JAK2/STAT3 pathway. Additionally, the JAK/STAT signaling pathway was found to perform a remarkable function in the AMS therapy of RA as evidenced by enrichment in GO terms and KEGG pathways. Meanwhile, data from molecular docking experiments indicated that the core targets of PIK3CA, JAK2, and SRC bound stably to the active ingredients of mimuone, 4'-methoxy-bavachromanol, and quercetin. CONCLUSION: According to these findings, the AMS could improve joint inflammation in CIA rats, and its underlying mechanism could be linked to the regulation of the JAK2/STAT3 pathway. Therefore, AMS might become a promising agent for alleviating inflammation in RA patients.

Development and Validation of a Stable Isotope Dilution Headspace-SPME-GC/MS Method for the Determination of Vanillin in Fragrant Vegetable Oils.

It has been reported that vanillin has been intentionally added to enhance the taste and flavor of low-quality vegetable oils. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate the accurate concentrations of vanillin in three types of fragrant vegetable oils commonly consumed in China. In this study, a method has been developed for the quantification of vanillin in commercial fragrant vegetable oils using the stable isotope dilution assay (SIDA) and headspace-solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) of the analyte were determined to be 20 µg kg-1 and 50 µg kg-1, respectively. The validation study demonstrated that the recoveries ranged from 89% to 101%, with intra-day and inter-day precision being less than 7.46%. A survey of 80 commercially available fragrant vegetable oils was performed using the present method. Vanillin was found to be widely present in fragrant vegetable oils, with sesame oils showing the highest average content (842.6 µg kg-1), followed by rapeseed oils (262.1 µg kg-1) and peanut oils (115.0 µg kg-1). The results indicate that the proposed method is a simple, accurate, and eco-friendly approach for determining the presences of vanillin in fragrant vegetable oils.

Seed Germination Ecology of the Medicinal Plant Peganum harmala (Zygophyllaceae).

Seed germination is a crucial stage in the life cycle of annuals in arid, saline regions and is particularly vulnerable to abiotic stresses. Peganum harmala, a valuable medicinal plant, has limited research on its seed germination response to different environmental stresses in the arid, saline regions of Central Asia. To investigate this, we studied the effects of various temperature regimes (ranging from 20/5 to 35/20 °C), light exposure (12 hours light/12 hours dark and continuous dark), seven levels of polyethylene glycol (PEG-6000) concentration (ranging from 0-30%), and four types of salinity (ranging from 0-600 mmol L-1). Our findings show that photoperiod and temperature significantly influence germination. Optimal temperature range for seed germination was observed at 30/15 °C, with simulated critical and limit values of drought tolerance being highest (17.30% and 24.98%). However, higher temperatures (35/20 °C) and lower temperatures (20/5 °C) reduced the critical and limit values of drought tolerance. Additionally, the type and concentration of salinity had a significant effect on the seed germination, shoot, and root lengths of P. harmala. Regression analysis indicated that the critical values of NaCl, Na2SO4, NaHCO3, and Na2CO3 tolerance during germination were 178 mmol L-1, 101 mmol L-1, 106 mmol L-1, and 54 mmol L-1, respectively. Salinity inhibition on seed germination followed the order: NaCl < NaHCO3 < Na2SO4 < Na2CO3. Moreover, NaCl, Na2SO4, NaHCO3, and Na2CO3 significantly inhibited the growth of P. harmala seedlings in both shoots and roots. Our study demonstrates the sensitivity of P. harmala to environmental factors such as light, temperature, drought, and salinity. The study provides valuable information on the germination ecology of P. harmala under diverse ecological scenarios, which can be useful in developing efficient propagation and utilization of this medicinal plant.

Impact of dietary supplementation with N-carbamoyl-aspartic acid on serum metabolites and intestinal microflora of sows.

BACKGROUND: N-Carbamoyl-aspartic acid (NCA) is a critical precursor for de novo biosynthesis of pyrimidine nucleotides. To investigate the cumulative effects of maternal supplementation with NCA on the productive performance, serum metabolites and intestinal microbiota of sows, 40 pregnant sows (∼day 80) were assigned into two groups: (1) the control (CON) and (2) treatment (NCA, 50 g t-1 NCA). RESULTS: Results showed that piglets from the NCA group had heavier birth weight than those in the CON group (P < 0.05). In addition, maternal supplementation with NCA decreased the backfat loss of sows during lactation (P < 0.05). Furthermore,16S-rRNA sequencing results revealed that maternal NCA supplementation decreased the abundance of Cellulosilyticum, Fournierella, Anaerovibrio, and Oribacterium genera of sows during late pregnancy (P < 0.05). Similarly, on the 14th day of lactation, maternal supplementation with NCA reduced the diversity of fecal microbes of sows as evidenced by significantly lower observed species, Chao1, and Ace indexes, and decreased the abundance of Lachnospire, Faecalibacterium, and Anaerovorax genera, while enriched the abundance of Catenisphaera (P < 0.05). Untargeted metabolomics showed that a total of 48 differentially abundant biomarkers were identified, which were mainly involved in metabolic pathways of arginine/proline metabolism, phenylalanine/tyrosine metabolism, and fatty acid biosynthesis, etc. CONCLUSION: Overall, the results indicated that NCA supplementation regulated intestinal microbial composition of sows and serum differential metabolites related to arginine, proline, phenylalanine, tyrosine, and fatty acids metabolism that may contribute to regulating the backfat loss of sows, and the birth weight and diarrhea rate of piglets. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Retrospective case-control study on screening risk factors of antibiotic-associated encephalopathy in patients with chronic kidney disease.

OBJECTIVE: The renal excretion function of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is reduced, and the nervous system toxic reactions of antibiotics are prone to occur. The purpose of this study is to screen out some risk factors for patients with CKD to suffer from antibiotic-associated encephalopathy (AAE). DESIGN: A case-control study. SETTING: A tertiary hospital in China. PARTICIPANTS: The medical records of patients who were hospitalised for CKD and infectious diseases in our hospital from January 2010 to December 2019. All patients used antibiotics to treat infectious diseases during hospitalisation. All patients were divided into two groups according to whether they developed AAE during hospitalisation. The patients with CKD without AAE were selected as the control group (n=120), and the patients with CKD with AAE were regarded as the AAE group (n=102). INTERVENTIONS: This study systematically analysed its clinical manifestations, laboratory examinations, prognosis, etc, and summarised the risk factors related to AAE in patients with CKD. PRIMARY OUTCOME: Screening risk factors of AAE in patients with CKD. RESULTS: Logistic regression analysis showed that coronary heart disease, as well as abnormal indicators of haemoglobin, albumin, uric acid and blood phosphorus were independent risk factors for patients with CKD with AAE (OR values were 4.137, 0.963, 0.849, 0.996 0.161, respectively, all p<0.05). The case fatality rate (Pearson χ2=7.524, p=0.006), rehospitalisation rate (Pearson χ2=6.187, p=0.013) and treatment costs (t=-8.44, p<0.001) in encephalopathy group are significantly higher than the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with CKD with AAE will increase the case fatality rate and cause poor prognosis. Coronary heart disease, as well as decreased levels of haemoglobin, albumin, uric acid, and blood phosphorus are independent risk factors for patients with CKD with AAE. Timely intervention of these risk factors may reduce the incidence of AAE and improve the prognosis.

Optimization of Flavonoid Extraction from Salix babylonica L. Buds, and the Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities of the Extract.

The present study was designed to evaluate the chemical extraction, chemical composition, and antioxidant and antibacterial properties of the total flavonoids in Willow Buds (TFW). We investigated the optimal extraction of TFW using response surface methodology (RSM). Chemical compounds were analyzed using Q-Orbitrap LC-MS/MS. The DPPH radical scavenging capacity, hydroxy radical inhibitory ability, and superoxide anion radical inhibitory ability were explored to determine the antioxidant properties of flavonoid extractions. The antibacterial effect was assessed via minimal inhibitory concentration. The results demonstrated that the optimal extraction conditions were an ethanol concentration of 50%, a time of 35 min, and a liquid/material ratio of 70:1 mL/g. Under these conditions, the yield of TFW was 7.57%. Eight flavonoids, a phenolic glycoside, and an alkaloid were enriched in the Willow Buds. The TFW exhibited significant antioxidant activity, with IC50 values of 0.18-0.24 mg/mL and antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus pneumoniae. TFW may be explored as potential and natural compounds in food and pharmacological applications.

Highland barley Monascus purpureus Went extract ameliorates high-fat, high-fructose, high-cholesterol diet induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease by regulating lipid metabolism in golden hamsters.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Hepatocyte lipid accumulation is the main feature in the early stage of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Highland barley Monascus purpureus Went (HBMPW), a fermentation product of Hordeum vulgare Linn. var. nudum Hook. f. has traditionally been used as fermented foods in Tibet with the effect of reducing blood lipid in folk medicine. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study investigated the protective effects and molecular mechanism of highland barley Monascus purpureus Went extract (HBMPWE) on NAFLD in syrian golden hamster fed with high-fat, high-fructose, high-cholesterol diet (HFFCD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: HFFCD-induced NAFLD golden hamster model was established and treated with HBMPWE. Liver index, biochemical index, and hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining were observed. Liver metabolomics and western blot analysis were employed. RESULTS: Our study found that HBMPWE ameliorated HFFCD induced dyslipidemia, weight gain and elevated the liver index. In addition, HBMPWE treatment significantly attenuated lipid accumulation in the liver and modulated lipid metabolism (sphingolipid, glycerophospholipid). Our data demonstrated that HBMPWE not only regulated the expression of proteins related to fatty acid synthesis and decomposition (SREBP-1/ACC/FAS/AceS1, PPARα/ACSL/CPT1/ACOX1), but also regulated the expression of proteins related to cholesterol synthesis and clearance (HMGCR, LDLR, CYP7A1). CONCLUSIONS: HBMPWE improved NAFLD through multiple pathways and multiple targets in body metabolism and could be used as a functional food to treat NAFLD and other lipid metabolic disorders.

Analysis and Intervention of Factors Affecting Abnormal Postpartum Glucose Tolerance and Gestational Recurrence in Gestational Diabetes.

ObjectiveTo investigate the influencing factors of abnormal postpartum glucose tolerance and pregnancy recurrence in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and to develop reasonable interventions to prevent postpartum glucose tolerance and recurrence of pregnancy. Methods. Retrospective analysis of clinical data of 238 GDM patients during pregnancy, including age, body mass index (BMI) before and after pregnancy, regular exercise during pregnancy, insulin use, family history of diabetes, fasting blood glucose (FPG) during pregnancy, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) 2 h time value, blood lipid index, and whether pregnant again. At the same time, the women were followed up by telephone or home visits to understand and guide the patient's diet and exercise. The clinical characteristics of the two groups of patients were compared. According to the OGTT test, the recovery of glucose tolerance in pregnant women 6-8 weeks postpartum was divided into the normal postpartum glucose tolerance group and the abnormal group. Logistic multivariate analysis was used to find the influencing factors of postpartum glucose tolerance and recurrence of pregnancy. Results. Between 238 patients of followed-up, 150 pregnant women had abnormal postpartum glucose tolerance, accounting for 63.03%. There were 115 repregnants, of whom 37 (32.17%) had a recurrence of postpartum glucose tolerance. Pre and postpregnancy BMI, insulin use during pregnancy, family history of diabetes, FPG during pregnancy, OGTT 2 h values, and triglyceride (TG) were independent risk factors for abnormal postpartum diabetes and recurrence of pregnancy in GDM patients. Conclusions. Patients with GDM are at high risk of postpartum abnormal glucose tolerance and pregnancy recurrence, which may be influenced by the pregnant woman's prepregnancy and postpartum BMI, insulin use during pregnancy, family history of diabetes, FPG, OGGT 2 h values during pregnancy, and TG levels. Therefore, health education for pregnant women should be strengthened in the clinic, with guidance on proper diet for weight control, increased exercise, and regular blood glucose screening and monitoring for those at risk.

Two new phenylpropanoid glycosides from Lagotis brachystachya Maxim and their Xanthione Oxidase inhibitions.

Two new phenylpropanoid glycosides lagotiside C and D, along with 11 known compounds were isolated from the whole plant of Lagotis brachystachya Maxim. The structures of lagotiside C and D was elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data analysis. Moreover, all isolated components were evalued for the inhibition on Xanthione Oxidase (XOD) activity in vitro. Results indicated that all the compounds exhibited inhibitory effects on XOD with inhibition ratio in the range of 6.35%-83.69%, which suggested that Lagotis brachystachya could be served as an XOD inhibitor.

Ethyl acetate extract of Tibetan medicine Rhamnella gilgitica ameliorated type II collagen-induced arthritis in rats via regulating JAK-STAT signaling pathway.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Rhamnella gilgitica Mansf. et Melch. (སེང་ལྡེང་།, RG) is a traditional Tibetan medicinal plant that is currently grown throughout Tibet. According to the theory of Tibetan medicine, RG is efficient for removing rheumatism, reducing swelling, and relieving pain. Hence, it has been used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Tibet for many years. However, there are no previous reports on the anti-RA activities of ethyl acetate extract of RG (RGEA). AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed to explore the anti-RA effect and mechanism of RGEA on collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The CIA model was established in male Wister rats by intradermal injection of bovine type II collagen and Complete Freund's Adjuvant at the base of the tail and left sole, respectively. The rats were orally administered with RGEA (9.71, 19.43, or 38.85 mg/kg) for 23 days. The body weight, swelling volume, arthritis index score, thymus and spleen indices, and pathological changes were observed to evaluate the effect of RGEA on RA. Furthermore, the inflammatory cytokines in serum, such as interleukin1 beta (IL-1ß), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin6 (IL-6), interleukin17 (IL-17), interferon-γ (INF-γ), interleukin4 (IL-4), and interleukin10 (IL-10) were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to explore the anti-inflammatory effects of RGEA. The terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labelling (TUNEL) staining was used to examine apoptosis. Finally, the protein and gene expression of B-cell lymphoma-2-associated X (Bax), B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), Caspase3, janus-activated kinase 2 (JAK2), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), suppressor of cytokine signaling1 (SOCS1), and 3 (SOCS3) in synovial tissue were detected using immunohistochemistry and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). RESULTS: After the treatment with RGEA, the body weight of rats was restored, both the arthritis index and paw swelling were suppressed, and spleen and thymus indices were decreased. RGEA reduced the inflammatory cells and synovial hyperplasia in the synovial tissue of the knee joint, and suppressed bone erosion. Meanwhile, RGEA decreased the levels of IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-17, TNF-α, and INF-γ, while increased the levels of IL-4 and IL-10. TUNEL fluorescence apoptosis results confirmed that RGEA obviously promoted the apoptosis of synovial cells. Further studies showed that RGEA inhibited the proteins and mRNAs expression of JAK2 and STAT3 as well as increased the proteins and mRNAs expression of SOCS1 and SOCS3. In addition, RGEA upregulated the expression of Bax and Caspase3, and downregulated the expression of Bcl-2. CONCLUSION: The anti-RA effectof RGEA might be related to the promotion of apoptosis and inhibition of inflammation, which regulated the JAK-STAT pathway.

[Primary study on computer-aided qualitative and quantitative radial thin-layer chromatography methods for analysis of Yiqing tablets].

Radial thin-layer chromatography (RTLC) is a form of chromatography in which the sample and developing agent/solvent are applied at the edge of a circle on the silica-layered TLC plate. The sample components are radially transported from the center of the circle toward the periphery by the solvent flow. RTLC is an efficient separation and semi-preparation method, with the advantages of fast separation, low diffusion, and absence of tailing at a certain distance. Although RTLC isolation has been well documented in the literature, there are only a few qualitative and quantitative reports on this technique. In this study, a self-programming module combined with image processing software was adopted for digital processing of RTLC images, and a digital atlas was created. Qualitative and quantitative verification of RTLC was then conducted. With the aid of computer technology, qualitative and quantitative methods of radially expanded TLC for Yiqing tablets were investigated. The results showed that the qualitative RTLC method has good reliability, but the quantitative RTLC method has inherent drawbacks, which may be associated with the experimental environment. We strongly believe that better separation and data acquisition equipment, as well as the combination of computer image processing and programming methods, will open up infinite possibilities of analysis/separation using RTLC-based techniques. We also believe that TLC will take a new step in the future with the assistance of computer technology.

Total flavonoids from sea buckthorn ameliorates lipopolysaccharide/cigarette smoke-induced airway inflammation.

The total flavonoids from sea buckthorn (TFSB) exhibit a potent anti-inflammatory activity; however, the effect of TFSB on respiratory inflammatory disease is not fully known. The present study evaluated the potential of TFSB to prevent airway inflammation and the underlying mechanism. The results showed that TFSB remarkably inhibited lipopolysaccharide/cigarette smoke extract (LPS/CSE)-induced expression of IL-1ß, IL-6, CXCL1, and MUC5AC at both mRNA and protein levels in HBE16 bronchial epithelial cells. TFSB also decreased the production of PGE2 through inhibition the expression of COX2 in LPS/CSE-stimulated HBE16 cells. Furthermore, bronchoalveolar fluid and histological analyses revealed that LPS/cigarette smoke exposure-induced elevated cell numbers of neutrophils and macrophages in bronchoalveolar fluid, inflammatory cell infiltration, and airway remodeling were remarkably attenuated by TFSB in mice. Immunohistochemical results also confirmed that TFSB decreased the expression of IL-1ß, IL-6, COX2, CXCL1, and MUC5AC in LPS/CS-exposed mice. Mechanistically, TFSB blocked LPS/CSE-induced activation of ERK, Akt, and PKCα. Molecular docking further confirmed that the main components in TFSB including quercetin and isorhamnetin showed potent binding affinities to MAPK1 and PIK3CG, two upstream kinases of ERK and Akt, respectively. In summary, TFSB exerts a potent protective effect against LPS/CS-induced airway inflammation through inhibition of ERK, PI3K/Akt, and PKCα pathways, suggesting that TFSB may be a novel therapeutic agent for respiratory diseases.

Quercetin, Kaempferol and Isorhamnetin in Elaeagnus pungens Thunb. Leaf: Pharmacological Activities and Quantitative Determination Studies.

Elaeagnus pungens leaf was documented to be very effective to treat asthma and chronic bronchitis both as traditional Chinese medicine and minority traditional medicine; yet the actual effective components still remain unknown. This work is to investigate the anti-inflammatory, antalgic and antitussive activities of E. pungens leaf, quercetin and kaempferol, and their contents in E. pungens leaf. Pharmacological experiments showed that they could considerably reduce ear-swelling of mouse and relieve writhing reaction of mouse; they could also prevent mouse from coughing significantly. These findings suggested that quercetin and kaempferol are major effective components treating asthma and chronic bronchitis. Quantitative analysis results indicated that the levels of quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin varied greatly in different species of Elaeagnus and in different plant parts: E. pungens leaf is more similar to Elaeagnus umbellate leaf chemically; quercetin level is exceptionally high in Elaeagnus oldhami leaf; E. pungens leaf is a better medical part for treating asthma and chronic bronchitis in comparison with other parts.

Mulberry anthocyanins improves thyroid cancer progression mainly by inducing apoptosis and autophagy cell death.

Dietary anthocyanin compounds have multiple biological effects, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-atherosclerotic characteristics. The present study evaluated the anti-tumor capacity of mulberry anthocyanins (MA) in thyroid cancer cells. Our data showed that MA suppressed SW1736 and HTh-7 cell proliferation in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Meanwhile, flow cytometry results indicated that MA significantly increased SW1736 and HTh-7 cell apoptosis. We additionally observed that SW1736 and HTh-7 cell autophagy was markedly enhanced after MA treatment. Importantly, anthocyanin-induced cell death was largely abolished by 3-methyladenine (3-MA) or chloroquine diphosphate salt (CQ) treatment, suggesting that MA-induced SW1736 and HTh-7 cell death was partially dependent on autophagy. In addition, activation of protein kinase B (Akt), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and ribosomal protein S6 (S6) were significantly suppressed by anthocyanin exposure. In summary, MA may serve as an adjunctive therapy for thyroid cancer patients through induction of apoptosis and autophagy-dependent cell death.

Oxysophocarpine Ameliorates Carrageenan-induced Inflammatory Pain via Inhibiting Expressions of Prostaglandin E2 and Cytokines in Mice.

Oxysophocarpine is an alkaloid extracted from Sophora alopecuroides. We investigated the analgesic effect of oxysophocarpine on carrageenan-induced inflammatory pain in mice, in order to explore its possible mechanisms. Mouse ear swelling tests and carrageenan-induced paw edema tests were used to investigate the effects of oxysophocarpine on inflammatory pain in mice. Morphological changes on inflamed paw sections were measured by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The mRNA and protein expression of extracellular signal-regulated kinase, phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, cyclooxygenase-2, tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-6 and prostaglandin E2 were investigated by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry, western-blot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In our results, oxysophocarpine shows a significant anti-inflammatory effect in the mouse ear swelling test. Oxysophocarpine also significantly reduced the paw edema volume and improved mechanical allodynia threshold value on carrageenan-induced inflammatory pain, as well as relieved paw tissues inflammatory damage and reduced the numbers of neutrophils in mice. Oxysophocarpine significantly suppressed over-expression of cyclooxygenase-2, tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-6 and prostaglandin E2, and inhibited the over-phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2. Based on these findings we propose that oxysophocarpine attenuates inflammatory pain by suppressing the levels of phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, cyclooxygenase-2, prostaglandin E2, tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin-1 beta and interleukin-6.

[Chemical constituents of Swertia patens].

Chemical constituents of Swertia patens. The whole plant of air-dried Swertia patens was extracted with 90% EtOH. The water extract was suspended in H2O and extracted with petroleum ether, EtOAc and n-BuOH, successively. The compounds were isola- ted and purified by column chromatography from the EtOAc fraction, and identified based on spectral analyses (MS, ¹H-NMR, ¹³C- NMR). Eighteen compounds were isolated and elucidated as 3, 4-dihydro-1H,6H,8H-naptho [1,2-c:4,5-c', d'dipyrano-1, 8-dione (1), angelone (2), gentiogenal (3), erythricin (4), erythrocentaurin (5), gentianine (6), swertiakoside B (7), swertiamarin (8), 2'-O-actylswertiamarin (9), amarogentin (10), 1, 3, 5-trihydroxyxanthone (11), 1, 3-dihydroxy-5-methoxyxanthone (12), 1-hydroxy- 2, 3, 5-trimethoxyxanthone (13), gentiocrucine (14), 3-hydroxyphenylketone (15), n-hexacosyl ester 4-hydroxy-trans-cinnamate (16), n-hexacosyl ester 4-hydroxy-cis-cinnamate (17), and cholest-4-en-3-one (18). Compounds 1-7, 9-18 were obtained from S. patens for the first time.

[Chemical constituents of Swertia kouitchensis Franch].

This study is to investigate the chemical constituents of Swertia kouitchensis. The whole plants of air-dried Swertia kouitchensis was extracted with 90% EtOH. The water extract was suspended in H2O and extracted with petroleum ether, EtOAc and n-BuOH, successively. The compounds were isolated and purified by column chromatography from the EtOAc fraction, and their structures were identified based on spectral analyses (MS, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR). Twenty-eight compounds were obtained, and characterized as erythrocentaurin (1), erythrocentaurin dimethylacetal (2), swertiamarin (3), vogeloside (4), 2'-O- actylswertiamarin (5), swertianoside D (6), gentiocrucines A-B (7-8), gentiocrucine (9), 1-hydroxy-3, 7, 8-trimethoxyxanthone (10), 1-hydroxy-3, 5, 6-trimethoxyxanthone (11), 3-epitaraxerol (12), erythrodiol 3-O-palmitate (13), (+) -syringaresinol (14), caffeic acid (15), trans-coniferyl aldehyde (16), trans-coniferyl alcohol (17), 3, 4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (18), 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoic acid (19), 3, 4-dihydroxybenzoic aldehyde (20), 2, 3-dihydroxybenzoic acid (21), 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (22), 3-acetoxybenzoic acid (23), 3-hydroxybenzoic acid (24), 3-hydroxybenzoic alcohol (25), nicotinic acid (26), 2-furoic acid (27), and uracil (28). Compounds 1-4, 6-28 were obtained from S. kouitchensis for the first time.

[Chemical constituents of Swertia angustifolia].

This present work is to study the chemical constituents of Swertia angustifolia. The whole plants of air-dried Swertia angustifolia was extracted with 90% EtOH. The water extract was suspended in H2O and extracted with petroleum ether, EtOAc and nBuOH, successively. The compounds were isolated and purified by column chromatography from the EtOAc fraction, and identified based on spectral analyses (MS, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR). Fourteen compounds were isolated and characterized as 1, 8-dihydroxy-3, 7-dimethoxyxanthone (1), 1, 8-dihydroxy-3, 5, 7-trimethoxyxanthone (2), 7-hydroxy-3, 8-dimethoxyxanthone-1-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside (3), 8-0-[ß-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-6) -ß-D-glucopyranosyl] -1, 7-dihydroxy-3-methoxyxanthone (4), (+) -syringaresinol (5), ferulic acid (6), trans-coniferyl aldehyde (7), sinapaldehyde (8), trans-coniferyl alcohol (9), 3, 4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (10), 2-hydroxybenzoic acid (11), isophthalic acid (12), 2-furoic acid (13), and 2-methyl-4(3H)-quinazolinone(14). Compounds 2-14 were obtained from this plant for the first time.

[Chemical constituents from ethyl acetate extract of flower of Albizia julibrissin].

The ethyl acetate extract of the flower of Albizia julibrissin was isolated and purified by silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and MCI GEL CHP-20P column chromatography to yield 29 compounds. Their structures were elucidated as 8-hydroxy-2, 6-dimethyl-2E, 6Z-octadienoic acid (1), 8-O-formyl-2, 6-dimethyl-2E, 6Z-octadienoic acid (la), 8-hydroxy-2, 6-dimethyl-2E, 6E-octadienoic acid (2), 8-O-formyl-2, 6-dimethyl-2E, 6E-octadienoic acid (2a), (2E, 6S)-2, 6-dimethyl-6-O-beta-D-xylpyranosyloxy-2, 7-menthia-folic acid (3), clovan-2beta, 9alpha-diol (4), 2beta-O-formyl-clovan-9alpha-ol (4a), 2beta, 9alpha-O-diformyl-clovan (4b), vomifoliol (5), (6S, 9R)-roseoside (6), vanillin (7), 4-O-ethylgallic acid (8), 3-ethoxy4-hydroxy-benzoic acid (9), p-hydroxybenzaldehyde (10), gallic acid (11), protocatechoic acid (12), stearic acid (13), palmitic acid (14), 2, 3-dihydroxypropyl hexadecanoate (15), linoleic acid (16), scopoletin (17), indole-3-carboxaldehyde (18), 2-furoic acid (19), 5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-furaldehyde (20), (22E, 24R)-5alpha, 8alpha-epidioxy-ergosta-6, 22-dien-3beta-ol (21), (22E, 24R)-5alpha, 8alpha-epidioxy-ergosta-6, 9, 22-trien-3beta-ol (22), (+)-lariciresinol 9'-stearate (23), formononetin (24) and uridine (25). Compounds 1a, 2a, 4a and 4b were new artifacts from the separation process, and others were obtained from A. julibrissin for the first time.

Baicalin inhibits high-mobility group box 1 release and improves survival in experimental sepsis.

Baicalin, as the main active ingredient of the root from Scutellaria, is usually used in the treatment of inflammatory diseases. In our study, we found that baicalin improved survival in septic mice in vivo and attenuated high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) and cytokine release from macrophages in vitro. The experiments in vitro showed that baicalin inhibited both viability of macrophages and the cell's secretion of HMGB1, tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin 6 (IL-6), and IL-1ß induced by lipopolysaccharide. Meanwhile, experiments in vitro also indicated that baicalin did not affect the transcription and translation of HMGB1 but inhibit the cytoplasmic translocation of HMGB1 induced by lipopolysaccharide. We found that baicalin improved survival and tissue injury of septic mice in vivo. It also decreased serum HMGB1, tumor necrosis factor α, IL-6, and IL-1ß in septic mice. In conclusion, baicalin inhibits the release of HMGB1 from macrophages and may be a potential therapeutic strategy for sepsis-related diseases.