Anti-inflammatory effect and component analysis of Chaihu Qingwen granules.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: As prevalent acute respiratory condition in clinical practice, acute lung injury has a quick start and severe symptoms which can harm patients physically. Chaihu Qingwen granules (CHQW) is a classic formula for the treatment of respiratory diseases. Clinical observation shows that CHQW has good efficacy in treating colds, coughs, and fevers. AIM OF THE STUDY: The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of CHQW on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) model in rats and to explore its potential mechanism, as well as to clarify its substance composition. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male SD rats were randomly divided into the blank group, the model group, the ibuprofen group, the Lianhua Qingwen capsule group and the CHQW group (2, 4 and 8 g/kg, respectively). The LPS-induced acute lung injury (ALI) model in rats was established after pre-administration. The histopathological changes in the lung and the levels of inflammatory factors in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and serum of ALI rats were observed. The inflammation-related proteins toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), inhibitory kappa B alpha (IκBα), phospho-IκBα (p-IκBα), nuclear-factor-kappa B (NF-κB), and NLR family pyrin domain containing 3(NLRP3) expression levels were measured by western blotting analysis and immunohistochemical analysis. The chemical composition of CHQW was identified by liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight-mass spectrometry (LC-Q-TOF-MS). RESULTS: CHQW significantly ameliorated lung tissue pathological injury in LPS-induced ALI rats and decreased the release of inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-1ß, interleukin-17 and tumor necrosis factor-α) in BALF and serum. In addition, CHQW decreased the expression of TLR4, p-IκBα and NF-κB proteins, increased the level of IκBα, regulated the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway, and inhibited the activation of NLRP3. The chemical components of CHQW were analyzed by LC-Q-TOF-MS, and a total of 48 components were identified by combining information from the literature, mainly flavonoids, organic acids, lignans, iridoids and phenylethanoid glycosides. CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that the pretreatment of CHQW had a strong protective effect on LPS-induced ALI in rats, reducing lung tissue lesions and decreasing inflammatory cytokines released in BALF and serum. The protective mechanism of CHQW may be related to the inhibition of the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway and NLRP3 activation. The main active ingredients of CHQW are flavonoids, organic acids, lignans, iridoids and phenylethanoid glycosides.

[GC-MS analysis for volatile components from alpiniae katsumadai semen by three extraction methods].

OBJECTIVE: To analysis the volatile components in Alpiniae Katsumadai Semen. METHODS: The volatile components were extracted from Alpiniae Katsumadai Semen by steam distillation, head space injection and supercritical fluid extraction respectively, and then analyzed by GC-MS combined with Kovat's retention index. RESULTS: The volatile components extracted by steam distillation or head space extraction were found more likely to be terpenoids, whereas components extracted by supercritical fluid extraction were more likely to be alkenes, alcohols and aromatic compounds. CONCLUSION: Different sample pre-treatment methods are focused on different types of volatile components; Identification of the volatile components by GC-MS combined with Kovat's retention index is more accurate and rapid.