The protective effect of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. polysaccharide on DSS-induced ulcerative colitis in mice via the modulation of gut microbiota and inhibition of NF-κB activation.

BACKGROUND: Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill, a fruit utilized in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has a long history of medical application. It has been used to treat diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill polysaccharide (SACP) is an important biologically active ingredient that has been shown to have a variety of beneficial effects including immune regulation and anti-oxidative properties. Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a complicated gastrointestinal inflammatory disease. We explore the protective effect of SACP against UC. RESULTS: Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill polysaccharide significantly reduced the disease activity index (DAI) and levels of myeloperoxidase(MPO) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in colonic tissue. It also alleviated weight loss and histopathological damage of mice. The expression of MUC2 and occludin proteins was increased and the barrier function of the colonic mucosa was enhanced by SACP treatment. NF-κB pathway activation was also inhibited and the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines was decreased whereas anti-inflammatory cytokines were increased. 16SrDNA sequencing of fecal flora showed that SACP increased the abundance of Muribaculaceaeunclassified, LachnospiraceaeNK4A136group and reduced the abundance of Bacteroides and Erysipelatoclostridium. CONCLUSION: Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill polysaccharide can protect against Dextran Sulfate Sodium Salt (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis in mice. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Different ratios of Schisandra chinensis and Evodia rutaecarpa combination for treating Alzheimer's disease.

Schisandra chinensis and Evodia rutaecarpa are traditional Chinese herbs that have been used for many years to treat neurodegenerative diseases. In Chinese medicine, multiple herbs are often used in combination to enhance their efficacy, and different combination ratios can produce different therapeutic effects, thus flexibly responding to the needs of various patients. This study aimed to investigate the effects of different ratios of Schisandra and Evodia herbs on learning and memory impairment in rats with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and their specific mechanisms of action. Morris water maze and hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining experiments were performed to evaluate the effects of different ratios of Schisandra-Evodia on learning memory in AD model rats. Immunohistochemical experiments were performed to investigate the effects of Schisandra-Evodia on the Aß1-42 and P-Tau proteins, and protein immunoblotting (WB) was performed to determine the expression of key proteins in two pathways, BDNF/TrkB/CREB and GSK-3ß/Tau. Our experimental results show that all Schisandra-Evodia groups showed significant neuroprotective effects, improved learning memory impairment, and reduced levels of Aß1-42 and P-Tau proteins in AD model rats. Schisandra-Evodia upregulated BDNF, P-TrkB/TrkB, and P-CREB/CREB protein expression and downregulated GSK-3ß and P-Tau/Tau protein expression. Among the different Schisandra-Evodia ratio groups, the 2:1 group showed the strongest therapeutic effect on AD. Our research results indicate that Schisandra-Evodia can reduce Aß1-42 and P-Tau protein content by modulating the activity of two pathways, BDNF/TrkB/CREB and GSK-3ß/Tau, thus improving neuronal cell damage and cognitive deficits caused by AD. In addition, we found that a Schisandra-Evodia ratio of 2:1 had the most profound therapeutic effect on AD.

The Anti-Inflammatory and Skin Barrier Function Recovery Effects of Schisandra chinensis in Mice with Atopic Dermatitis.

Background and Objectives: The fruit of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. is widely used medicinally to treat coughs, asthma, exhaustion, eczema, and pruritus in Northeast Asian countries, including Korea, China, and Japan. This study was designed to investigate the effects of S. chinensis on dermatitis in mice with calcipotriol (MC-903)-induced atopic dermatitis (AD), and its effects on skin barrier dysfunction was also investigated. Materials and Methods: The inhibitory effects of an ethanolic extract of S. chinensis (EESC) on skin lesions, water content, water-holding capacity (WHC), histopathological abnormalities, and inflammatory cytokine and chemokine levels were evaluated in mice with AD induced by MC903. Results: Topical EESC ameliorated skin lesions, reduced skin water content, and increased MC903-induced WHC. EESC also prevented MC-903-induced histopathological abnormalities such as epidermal disruption, hyperkeratosis, spongiotic changes, and immune cell infiltration in inflamed tissue. Moreover, topical EESC reduced MC-903-induced levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1, and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP). Furthermore, unlike dexamethasone, EESC did not reduce the spleen/body weight ratio. Conclusions: These results suggest that S. chinensis can be used as an alternative to external corticosteroids and that its anti-inflammatory and skin barrier dysfunction-restoring effects are related to the downregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, such as TNF-α, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, and TSLP.

Treatment effects of Radix ginseng-Schisandra chinensis herb pair on Alzheimer's disease: An investigation of MS-based metabolomics investigation.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) plays a synergistic and comprehensive pharmacodynamic role of multi-channel and multi-target through its multi-components, showing unique therapeutic advantages in chronic and multi-gene complex diseases. Herb pair is a unique combination of two relatively fixed herbs, which embodies the integrity of TCM theory. In this study, untargeted fecal metabolomics based on MS was used to investigate the action mechanism of Radix ginseng and Schisandra chinensis (GS) herb pair on the complex disease of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and further analyze the therapeutic effects of small molecular components and saccharides of GS on AD. Quantitative analysis of bile acids (BAs) and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) further verified the conclusion of untargeted metabolomics. The results of the pharmacodynamics evaluation showed that the AD model was successfully constructed, and each TCM group had a different degree of improvement compared with the AD group. PCA analysis based on untargeted fecal metabolomics showed that the metabolic disorders in AD rats changed significantly over time, and there were different degrees of callback in each TCM group. The result indicated that the GS herb pair can regulate metabolic disorders of AD. Further analysis of therapeutic biomarkers showed that GS mainly regulated the metabolism of bile acid biosynthesis, sphingolipid metabolism, porphyrin and chlorophyll metabolism, etc. to treat AD. This study will help to further understand the pathogenesis of AD from metabolomics, and provide beneficial support for the further study of GS and the clinical treatment of complex diseases with TCM.

Raw and Wine Processed Schisandra chinensis Regulate NREM-Sleep and Alleviate Cardiovascular Dysfunction Associated with Insomnia by Modulating HPA Axis.

Clinical studies have shown that insomnia and anxiety are usually accompanied by cardiovascular dysfunction. In traditional Chinese medicine, Schisandra chinensis (SC) and wine processed Schisandra chinensis (WSC) are mainly used for the treatment of dysphoria, palpitation and insomnia. However, little attention was paid to its mechanism. In this study, we monitored the effect of SC and WSC on the nervous system and cardiovascular system of free-moving rats in the real-time. Our results show that SC and WSC can alleviate cardiovascular dysfunction while promoting sleep, and we further explored their potential mechanisms. HPLC-QTOF-MS was used for the quality control of chemical components in SC and WSC. Data sciences international (DSI) physiological telemetry system was applied to collect the electroencephalogram (EEG), electrocardiogram (ECG) and other parameters of free-moving rats to understand the effects of long-term intake of SC and WSC on rats. The content of Cortisol (CORT), neurotransmitters and amino acids in rat pituitary and hypothalamus were analyzed by UPLC-MS to determine the activity of HPA axis. The expression of melatonin receptor MT1 was analyzed by immunofluorescence technique. Our results suggested that SC and WSC may play the role of promoting sleep by increasing the expression level of melatonin receptor MT1 in hypothalamus, and modulate the activity of HPA axis by regulating the levels of the related neurotransmitters and amino acid, so as to improve the abnormal cardiovascular system of rats. This study may provide theoretical support for explicating the advantages of SC and other phytomedicines in the treatment of insomnia.

Mass spectrometry-based urinary metabolomics for exploring the treatment effects of Radix ginseng-Schisandra chinensis herb pair on Alzheimer's disease in rats.

Herb pairs are the unique combinations of two relatively fixed herbs, intrinsically convey the basic idea of traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions. The compatibility of Radix ginseng and Schisandra chinensis has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for treating Alzheimer's disease for many years. However, there are few studies on Radix ginseng-Schisandra chinensis herb pair, and the underlying action mechanism is still unclear. In this study, the mechanism of Radix ginseng-Schisandra chinensis herb pair on Alzheimer's disease was investigated by using the mass spectrometry-based urinary metabolomics method. Sixteen urinary endogenous metabolites were identified as potential biomarkers. Meanwhile, 10 biomarkers were quantified with tandem mass spectrometry. The study result showed that the brain pathologic symptoms of model rats were improved and the potential biomarkers were adjusted backward significantly after the herb pair administration. The metabolic pathways linked to the herb pair-regulated endogenous biomarkers included phenylalanine and tyrosine metabolism, tryptophan metabolism, purine metabolism, and so on. The above metabolic pathways reflected that Radix ginseng-Schisandra chinensis herb pair mainly regulates abnormal energy metabolism, reduces inflammation, and regulates gut microbiota and neurotransmitters in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Biomineralized separation, concentration, and evaluation of the effectiveness of Schisandra chinensis fruit extract.

Here, we detail the biomineralization-assisted separation and concentration of crude food extract and an evaluation of its effectiveness. Schisandra chinensis fruit extract was used as a model plant extract. Hybrid grape-like mineral was assembled by calcium carbonate mineralization. The hybrid particles of S. chinensis mineral were fully characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, and particle size analysis. Data including the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area, single point total pore volume, and adsorption/desorption analysis of pore size were also investigated. Organic molecules, including lipids such as palmitic acid, stearic acid, and linolenic acid in the Schisandra chinensis fruit, affect the formation of complex structures involving the CaCO3 mineralization pathway by inhibiting crystallization. However, the cosmetic active primary components were entrapped in a similar proportion in the preserved extract, and were efficiently separated without additional filtering and concentration steps for purification. In addition, the hybrid mineral was enriched (10.5 times) in Gomisin N, a representative component of S. chinensis fruit, relative to its concentration in the initial extract samples. The hybrid mineral inhibited both intracellular and extracellular melanin production and increased the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity. The data provide the first evidence of the potential use of fruit extract for obtaining hybrid minerals and the effectiveness of the biomineralization-based separation and concentration strategy.

A network pharmacology-integrated metabolomics strategy for clarifying the action mechanisms of Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus for treating drug-induced liver injury by acetaminophen.

Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus (SCF) was a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for protecting liver. However, underlying therapeutic mechanisms of SCF for drug-induced liver injury (DILI) by acetaminophen (APAP) are still unclear. This study aims to discover the potential regulation mechanisms of SCF in the treatment of DILI by APAP using the integrated network pharmacology, plasma metabolomics profiling with UPLC-Q-TOF-MS approach. The key targets in the shared pathways of network pharmacology and metabolomics were screened and experimentally validated by Quantitative Real-time PCR analysis. The results showed that SCF could exert excellent effects on DILI by APAP probably through regulating ErbB signaling pathway and Arachidonic acid metabolism pathway, which was reflected by the reduced gene expression of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1ß, COX-2 and EGFR, as well as the increased gene expression of Nrf2, HO-1, MDM2, MAPK8, SRC, PLD1, CYP2E1, CYP1A2, CYP3A1. This study systematically explored the pharmacological mechanisms of SCF in the treatment of DILI, meanwhile, metabolomics combine with network pharmacology approach might be a useful strategy for early diagnosis of DILI by APAP.

Lignans and Terpenoids from the Leaves of Schisandra chinensis.

Fifteen constituents, including one new lignan (schisandroside E) and one new terpenoid (schisandenoid A) as well as nine known lignans and four known terpenoids, were isolated from Schisandra chinensis leaves. The structures of schisandroside E and schisandenoid A were established by entirely meticulous spectroscopic analysis (NMR, MS, CD, IR and UV). All compounds were tested for cytotoxicity against MGC-803, Caco-2 and Ishikawa cell lines. Some compounds showed strong cytotoxicity against these three cancer cell lines with IC50 <1 µm.

Decoding biomass recalcitrance: Dispersion of ionic liquid in aqueous solution and efficient extraction of lignans with microwave magnetic field.

Alkaline ionic liquid aqueous solutions were used to extract biphenyl cyclooctene lignans derivatives, and hydrolyze to the free-state biphenyl cyclooctene lignans simultaneously from Schisandra chinensis by microwave-assisted heating. The hydrogen bonds formatted between ionic liquid and water molecular attacks the amorphous region of cellulose. Selective heating by microwave produce the more polar regions, which results in swelling and fragmentation of raw materials near the hot spots. Therefore, ionic liquid-microwave-assisted extraction method of free-state biphenyl cyclooctene lignans was set up. The solid residue after treatment was characterized by infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy, which showed that cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin were removed partially. The water content of ionic liquid solution affected its viscosity and diffusivity, and in turns the extraction efficiency of lignans. The IL solutions with different mole fractions of IL were detected by FTIR and Raman spectroscopy, the result shows that IL solutions with higher water contents (>0.6) won't form clusters. The optimum hydrolysis conditions were 0.2 g of ionic liquid catalyst per 5.0 g of S. chinensis fruits, a microwave irradiation power of 600 W, and heating time of 12 min, which gave a yield of free-state biphenyl cyclooctene lignans of 4.12±0.37 mg g-1. Besides, a hydrolysis mechanism of ester-bond biphenyl cyclooctene lignans and decreasing "biomass recalcitrance effect" by ionic liquid microwave-assisted method was proposed.

Metabolic mapping of Schisandra chinensis lignans and their metabolites in rats using a metabolomic approach based on HPLC with quadrupole time-of-flight MS/MS spectrometry.

Schisandra chinensis lignans are the main active components of the traditional Chinese medicine Schisandra chinensis in East Asia. At present, there are more and more medicines and health foods in which the total S. chinensis lignans extracts are considered as the main active components, but little research has been done on the active components of S. chinensis lignans in the blood and main target organs. In this study, the components of S. chinensis lignans in the blood, liver and brain tissues of rats at different time points after the intragastrical administration of S. chinensis lignans were determined by a metabolomic method based on high-performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry spectrometry. Twelve Schisandra chinensis lignans and 15 metabolites in the blood, liver, and brain of rats were identified. The results showed that the main metabolic ways of S. chinensis lignans in rats were hydroxylation, demethylation, and demethylation-hydroxylation, and some of them might undergo demethylation, dehydrogenation, epoxidation, and elimination reaction. The time-dose characteristics of S. chinensis lignans and their metabolites in the blood and target organs were analyzed, which may be helpful to elucidate the active substances that really exert the pharmacodynamic effects of S. chinensis lignans in organisms.

Transcriptomic analyses reveal the molecular mechanisms of schisandrin B alleviates CCl4-induced liver fibrosis in rats by RNA-sequencing.

Liver fibrosis is a progression of chronic liver disease with lacks effective therapies at present. Schisandrin B (Sch B), a bioactive compound extracted from the traditional Chinese medicine Schisandra chinensis, was reported to benefit liver diseases. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects and molecular mechanisms of Sch B against CCl4-induced liver fibrosis in rats. RNA sequencing and transcriptome analysis were performed collaboratively, including analysis of differential gene expression, gene ontology (GO) analysis, pathway analysis and pathway-act-network analysis. The results demonstrated that Sch B effectively alleviated CCl4-induced liver damage and fibrosis in rats, as evidenced by improved liver function and decreased extracellular matrix deposition. Furthermore, 4440 (1878 up-regulated, 2562 down-regulated) genes in the model group versus (vs) normal group, 4243 (2584 up-regulated, 1659 down-regulated) genes in Sch B-treated group vs model group were identified as differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Subsequently, GO analysis revealed that DEGs were mainly enriched in metabolism, oxidation-reduction, endoplasmic reticulum stress and apoptosis-related biological processes. Pathway analysis suggested that Sch B up-regulated cytochrome P450 drug metabolism, PPAR signaling pathways, and down-regulated glutathione metabolism pathways. In addition, the regulatory patterns of Sch B on key genes and pathways were also confirmed. In conclusion, our study demonstrated Sch B alleviated CCl4-induced liver fibrosis by multiple modulatory mechanisms, which provide new clues for further pharmacological study of Sch B.

Rapid and direct determination of fatty acids and glycerides profiles in Schisandra chinensis oil by using UPLC-Q/TOF-MSE.

Fatty acids and glycerides are globally accepted quality and nutrition indicators of oils. Schisandra chinensis (S. chinensis) is a good functional oil source, with an oil content of 10-50% (dry weight). In this study, the UPLC-Q/TOF-MSE technique was developed to profile FFA and glycerides in the S. chinensis oils directly. The results showed that all of the 36 FFA calibration equations of the mixture standard had good linear relationships (R2 > 0.99). The limit of detection for the tested compounds ranged from 0.0001 to 0.0200 µg/mL, while the limit of quantification ranged from 0.0005 to 0.1300 µg/mL. In total, seventeen FFAs, six diglycerides and 20 triglycerides were identified. Linoleic, oleic, stearic and palmitic acids were the most abundant FFAs in the S. chinensis oils. It was also found that S. chinensis oil is rich in the L-L, L-L-L, O-L-L and O-L-O glycerides. These results will be helpful for the use of this technique in physicochemical evaluation and for further application development.

Hypolipidemic and Antidiabetic Effects of Functional Rice Cookies in High-Fat Diet-Fed ICR Mice and db/db Mice.

We have previously reported the lipid-lowering effects of a Korean rice cookie called dasik (RCD) in comparison with a western style cookie. In this study, Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. (Chinese magnolia vine) fruit-supplemented RCD (SRCD) was added to a diet, and the hypolipidemic and antidiabetic effects of different diets were examined by using the ICR and db/db mouse models, respectively. ICR mice were fed the AIN-76 diet, or high-fat diet (HFD), or the RCD- or SRCD-supplemented HFD (10%, w/w) for 9 weeks (n = 7 per group). Compared with the RCD group, plasma and hepatic triglyceride and cholesterol concentrations were decreased in the SRCD group. Hepatic expressions for fatty acid and cholesterol synthesis were downregulated, whereas those for beta-oxidation and cholesterol export were upregulated (P < .05). The antidiabetic effects of SRCD were tested in db/db mice for 10 weeks (n = 7 per group). Glucose tolerance was improved in the SRCD group through the regulation of gluconeogenic enzymes and biomarkers related to the insulin signaling pathway (P < .05). In addition, SRCD increased the expression levels of antioxidative enzymes, and decreased those of inflammatory cytokines (P < .05). Moreover, oxidative stress, leptin, and insulin levels were lower in the SRCD group than in the other groups (P < .05). In conclusion, the lipid-lowering and antidiabetic effects of SRCD were greater than those of RCD with respect to the suppression of lipid synthesis, oxidative stress, and inflammation and the improvement of glucose metabolism.

An integrated strategy using UPLC-QTOF-MSE and UPLC-QTOF-MRM (enhanced target) for pharmacokinetics study of wine processed Schisandra Chinensis fructus in rats.

Currently the pharmacokinetic (PK) research of herbal medicines is still limited and facing critical technical challenges on quantitative analysis of multi-components from biological matrices which often accompanied by lacking of authentic standards and low concentration. This present work contributes to the development of an integrated strategy for extensive pharmacokinetics assessments, and a selective and sensitive method independent of authentic standards for multi-components analysis based on the use of ultra-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole-time-of-flight/MSE (UPLC-TOF-MSE) and UPLC-TOF-MRM (rnhanced target). Initially, phytochemicals were identified by UPLC-TOF-MSE analysis, subsequently the identified components were matched with authentic standards and pre-classified, and UPLC-QTOF-MRM method optimized and developed. To guarantee reliable results, three rules are necessary: (1) detection with a mass error of less than 5ppm; (2) same class chemical compositions with structural high similarity between analytes with and without authentic reference substance; (3) a matching retention time between TOF-MRM mode and TOF-MSE within 0.2min. The developed and validated method was applied for the simultaneous determination of 12 lignans in rat plasma after administered with wine processed Schisandra Chinensis fructus (WPSCF) extract. Such an approach was found capable of providing extensive pharmacokinetic profiles of multi-components absorbed into blood after oral administrated with WPSCF extract. The results also indicated that significant difference in pharmacokinetics parameters of dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans was observed between schizandrin and gomisin compounds. For lignans, the absorption via gastrointestinal tract were all rapid and maintained relatively long retention time, especially for schisantherin A and schisantherin B with higher plasma exposure.

Metabolic mapping of Schisandra sphenanthera extract and its active lignans using a metabolomic approach based on ultra high performance liquid chromatography with high-resolution mass spectrometry.

Schisandra sphenanthera, the dried ripe fruit of Schisandra sphenanthera Rehd. et Wils, is widely used as a restorative, tonic and nutrition in many countries. Wuzhi tablet, an ethanol extract preparation of Schisandra sphenanthera, is a well-known herbal medicine widely used in China. Our previous studies show that Wuzhi tablet and its active lignans significantly protect liver injury. However, its metabolic profile remains unknown in vivo and in vitro. In this study, ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization high-resolution mass spectrometry based metabolomics was employed to decipher the metabolic map of Wuzhi tablet and its active lignans. Serum (2 h) and urine (24 h) samples after a 700 mg/kg single oral dose of Wuzhi tablet, and mice liver microsome samples after incubation with its active lignans were collected and analyzed. The data were further analyzed using metabolomics and metabolite identification software. In total, 33 metabolites in vivo and 34 metabolites in vitro were identified, and six among them were new metabolites. The major metabolic reactions encompassed demethylation, hydroxylation, dehydrogenation, and epoxidation. Taken together, in vitro and in vivo studies revealed the metabolic profile of Wuzhi tablet and its active lignans and demethylation and hydroxylation were their major metabolic pathways.

Application of a Smartphone Metabolomics Platform to the Authentication of Schisandra sinensis.

INTRODUCTION: Herbal medicines have been used for a long time all around the world. Since the quality of herbal preparations depends on the source of herbal materials, there has been a strong need to develop methods to correctly identify the origin of materials. OBJECTIVE: To develop a smartphone metabolomics platform as a simpler and low-cost alternative for the identification of herbal material source. METHODOLOGY: Schisandra sinensis extracts from Korea and China were prepared. The visible spectra of all samples were measured by a smartphone spectrometer platform. This platform included all the necessary measures built-in for the metabolomics research: data acquisition, processing, chemometric analysis and visualisation of the results. The result of the smartphone metabolomics platform was compared to that of NMR-based metabolomics, suggesting the feasibility of smartphone platform in metabolomics research. RESULTS: The smartphone metabolomics platform gave similar results to the NMR method, showing good separation between Korean and Chinese materials and correct predictability for all test samples. CONCLUSION: With its accuracy and advantages of affordability, user-friendliness, and portability, the smartphone metabolomics platform could be applied to the authentication of other medicinal plants. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Effects of Selenylation Modification on Antioxidative Activities of Schisandra chinensis Polysaccharide.

The selenylation modification of Schisandra chinensis polysaccharide (SCP) was conducted by the HNO3-Na2SeO3 method respectively under nine conditions according to L9(34) orthogonal design. Nine selenizing SCPs, sSCP1-sSCP9, were obtained, and their antioxidant activities were compared. In vitro test, the free radical-scavenging rates of nine sSCPs were determined for DPPH., .OH and ABTS+. sSCP1 presented the most significant effect, and could inhibit the nonenzymatic protein glycation. In vivo test, 14-day-old chickens were injected respectively with sSCP1 and SCP, the serum contents of CAT, SOD and MDA were determined. The result showed that as compared with the SCP group, the SOD and CAT activities were significantly or numerically raised and MDA content was significantly or numerically lowered in the sSCP1 group. These results indicate that selenylation modification can significantly enhance the antioxidant and antiglycative activity of SCP in vitro or in vivo. sSCP1 possesses the best efficacy and its modification conditions can be as optimal modification conditions that were 200 mg of Na2SeO3 for 500 mg of SCP, reaction temperature of 50°C and reaction time of 6 h.

Schisandrae Fructus Supplementation Ameliorates Sciatic Neurectomy-Induced Muscle Atrophy in Mice.

The objective of this study was to assess the possible beneficial skeletal muscle preserving effects of ethanol extract of Schisandrae Fructus (EESF) on sciatic neurectomy- (NTX-) induced hindlimb muscle atrophy in mice. Here, calf muscle atrophy was induced by unilateral right sciatic NTX. In order to investigate whether administration of EESF prevents or improves sciatic NTX-induced muscle atrophy, EESF was administered orally. Our results indicated that EESF dose-dependently diminished the decreases in markers of muscle mass and activity levels, and the increases in markers of muscle damage and fibrosis, inflammatory cell infiltration, cytokines, and apoptotic events in the gastrocnemius muscle bundles are induced by NTX. Additionally, destruction of gastrocnemius antioxidant defense systems after NTX was dose-dependently protected by treatment with EESF. EESF also upregulated muscle-specific mRNAs involved in muscle protein synthesis but downregulated those involved in protein degradation. The overall effects of 500 mg/kg EESF were similar to those of 50 mg/kg oxymetholone, but it showed more favorable antioxidant effects. The present results suggested that EESF exerts a favorable ameliorating effect on muscle atrophy induced by NTX, through anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects related to muscle fiber protective effects and via an increase in protein synthesis and a decrease in protein degradation.

The administration of Fructus Schisandrae attenuates dexamethasone-induced muscle atrophy in mice.

In the present study, we aimed to determine whether ethanol extracts of Fructus Schisandrae (FS), the dried fruit of Schizandra chinensis Baillon, mitigates the development of dexamethasone-induced muscle atrophy. Adult SPF/VAT outbred CrljOri:CD1 (ICR) mice were either treated with dexamethasone to induce muscle atrophy. Some mice were treated with various concentrations of FS or oxymetholone, a 17α-alkylated anabolic-androgenic steroid. Muscle thickness and weight, calf muscle strength, and serum creatine and creatine kinase (CK) levels were then measured. The administration of FS attenuated the decrease in calf thickness, gastrocnemius muscle thickness, muscle strength and weight, fiber diameter and serum lactate dehydrogenase levels in the gastrocnemius muscle bundles which was induced by dexamethasone in a dose-dependent manner. Treatment with FS also prevented the dexamethasone-induced increase in serum creatine and creatine kinase levels, histopathological muscle fiber microvacuolation and fibrosis, and the immunoreactivity of muscle fibers for nitrotyrosine, 4-hydroxynonenal, inducible nitric oxide synthase and myostatin. In addition, the destruction of the gastrocnemius antioxidant defense system was also inhibited by the administration of FS in a dose-dependent manner. FS downregulated the mRNA expression of atrogin-1 and muscle ring-finger protein-1 (involved in muscle protein degradation), myostatin (a potent negative regulator of muscle growth) and sirtuin 1 (a representative inhibitor of muscle regeneration), but upregulated the mRNA expression of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, Akt1, adenosine A1 receptor and transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 4, involved in muscle growth and the activation of protein synthesis. The overall effects of treatment with 500 mg/kg FS were comparable to those observed following treatment with 50 mg/kg oxymetholone. The results from the present study support the hypothesis that FS has a favorable ameliorating effect on muscle atrophy induced by dexamethasone, by exerting anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects on muscle fibers, which may be due to an increase in protein synthesis and a decrease in protein degradation.