A strategy for quality evaluation of complex herbal preparations based on multi-color scale and efficacy-oriented high-performance thin-layer chromatography characteristic fingerprint combined with chemometric method: Sanwujiao Pills as an example.

To rapidly evaluate the quality of complex herbal preparations, a new strategy was proposed based on multi-color scale and efficacy-oriented high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) characteristic fingerprint combined with chemometric method. Firstly, effective components were screened through high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection and evaporative light-scattering (HPLC-UV-ELSD), using multi-wavelength fusion combined with network pharmacology and molecular docking techniques. Subsequently, guided by the effective components, the targeted HPTLC characteristic fingerprint was established by multi-color scale scanning. Finally, combined with the chemometric method, the consistency of the preparation quality was evaluated, the marker components leading to quality differences were screened, and the quality control limit was established. Sanwujiao Pills (SWJPs) is a herbal preparation composed of six herbs for treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Through this strategy, four HPTLC characteristic fingerprints were established, they were derived from five herbs and guided by eight effective components in SWJPs. Through similarity, clustering heatmap, principal component analysis (PCA), and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), the quality distinctions among the 12 batches of SWJPs were determined. These batches were categorized into two groups based on their production time, and eight components affecting the quality of the preparation were identified. Meanwhile, the quality control threshold for SWJPs was determined based on Hotelling's T2 and DModX methods. This strategy aims to rapidly evaluate the quality of complex herbal preparations by HPTLC and extends the application of HPTLC fingerprint chromatography for identifying herbal medicine species and activity-related quality detection. The proposed strategy is also helpful for the quality control of other complex herbal preparations.

[Study on chemical constituents of Wedelia trilobata].

A new taraxer-based triterpenoid ester, taraxer-14-en-30-al-3ß-O-palmitate(1), was isolated from the whole plant of Wedelia trilobata, along with six known compounds, ent-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid(2), 16α-hydroxy-ent-kauran-19-oic acid(3), tara-xerol(4), ß-amyrin(5), 1ß-acetoxy-4α, 9α-dihydroxy-6ß-isobutyroxyprostatolide(6), and stigmasterol(7). Their structures were elucidated with use of a combination of spectroscopic techniques(IR, HR-ESI-MS, 1 D, 2 D NMR data) and chemical methods.

The function of androgen/androgen receptor and insulin growth factor­1/insulin growth factor­1 receptor on the effects of Tribulus terrestris extracts in rats undergoing high intensity exercise.

Our previous study demonstrated that treatment with Tribulus terrestris (TT) extracts (120 mg/kg) promoted the muscle weight gain and performance of rats undergoing high intensity exercise. The present study was designed to explore the mechanisms underlying the effect of treatment with TT extracts and the involvement of androgens, the androgen receptor (AR), insulin growth factor­1 (IGF­1) and the IGF­1 receptor (IGF­1R). A total of 32 Sprague­Dawley rats were randomly divided into groups as follows: Control; TT, treated with TT extracts, E, high intensity exercise; E+TT, high intensity exercise plus TT treatment. The rats of the E and E+TT groups underwent high intensity exercise with a progressively increasing load for 5 weeks, and TT extracts were intragastrically administered in the TT and E+TT rats 30 min prior to training. TT extract composition was analyzed using ultra­high performance liquid chromatography­quadrupole­time of flight mass spectrometry. Testosterone and IGF­1 plasma levels and AR, IGF­1R and myosin heavy chain (MHC) protein levels in muscles were determined by ELISA and western blotting, respectively. The saponins tigogenin and diosgenin comprised ~71.35% of the total peak area. Compared with the E group, TT extracts increased the testosterone and IGF­1 plasma levels, and AR, IGF­1R and MHC protein levels in the gastrocnemius of rats undergoing high intensity exercise, accompanied with increased body weight and gastrocnemius weight. In conclusion, the effect of TT extracts on the performance of high intensity exercise rats may be attributed to increased levels of circulating testosterone and IGF­1 and increased AR and IGF­1R protein expression levels in the gastrocnemius, resulting in increased muscle weight and increased MHC in the gastrocnemius. The present study provided preliminary evidence supporting the use of TT extracts as a dietary supplement for the promotion of skeletal muscle mass increase and the enhancement of athletic performance in humans performing high intensity exercise.

Total synthesis of two naturally occurring bicyclo[3.2.1]octanoid neolignans.

The first total syntheses of the racemates of naturally occurring macrophyllin-type bicyclo[3.2.1]octanoid neolignans, kadsurenin C 3 and kadsurenin L 4, were accomplished starting from vanillin and resorcinol. The acid-catalyzed rearrangement of hydrobenzofuranoid neolignans into bicyclo[3.2.1]octanoid neolignans was used as the key step.