Mechanistic insights of magnolol antimicrobial activity against Mycoplasma using untargeted metabolomic analyses.

The unreasonable use of antibiotics is one of the important causes of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) that poses a huge public health threat. Magnolol is a traditional Chinese medicine exhibiting antibacterial-, antifungal-, anti-inflammatory-, and antioxidant activities. However, it is unclear whether magnolol has an inhibitory effect on mycoplasma. This study found that magnolol showed excellent inhibitory activity against various mycoplasmas. Magnolol showed dose-dependent inhibition of Mycoplasma synoviae growth and biofilm formation in vitro. Magnolol caused severely sunken and wrinkled M. synoviae cell membranes at the minimum inhibitory concentration, and an enlarged cell diameter. The chicken embryo infection model showed that magnolol significantly reduced M. synoviae pathogenicity in vivo. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis showed that the citrate cycle, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, and pyruvate metabolism were significantly disturbed at the minimum inhibitory concentration of magnolol. Interestingly, 41% of differential metabolites were in the categories of lipids and lipid-like molecules. Protegenin A was up-regulated 58752-fold after magnolol treatment. It belongs to fatty acyls, and destroys cell membrane integrity and cell activity. Ghosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidic acid, and phosphatidylserine related to membrane maintenance and stress response were widely down-regulated. Collectively, our results illustrate the feasibility of magnolol as a phytochemical compound to treat mycoplasma infection.

Anti-lung Cancer Mechanism of Qingzao Jiufei Tang / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Lung cancer is currently the leading malignant tumor in China, which seriously endangers people's health. Nowadays, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has played an increasingly important role in the comprehensive treatment of lung cancer. It has unique advantages in promoting postoperative recovery, reducing the side effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and effectively prolonging the lifetime of patients. Qingzao Jiufei Tang is mainly used to treat the syndrome of Qi-Yin deficiency due to dryness-heat injury to the lungs. The experimental and clinical studies have confirmed that Qingzao Jiufei Tang has a good anti-lung cancer effect and broad application prospects. In this paper, we reviewed relevant literatures through China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Weipu Data, Wanfang Data, PubMed and other databases in recent years, and found a few reports on the anti-lung cancer effect of Qingzao Jiufei Tang. There was still a lack of systematic and comprehensive explanation for its specific mechanism of action against lung cancer. This paper systematically summarized the clinical application of Qingzao Jiufei Tang against lung cancer in recent years, as well as its effects through cell-related signaling pathways and energy metabolism against lung cancer cells. It is clear that this decoction can significantly inhibit the signaling pathways of epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR), nuclear transcription factor kappa B (NF-κB)/intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), and Janus kinase 2 (JAK2)/signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3) of the lung cells. It could also inhibit energy metabolism of tumor cells, and reduce the production of relevant metabolites. This will provide new ideas for the clinical application of Qingzao Jiufei Tang against lung cancer.

Sodium tanshinone IIA sulfonate attenuates cardiac dysfunction and improves survival of rats with cecal ligation and puncture-induced sepsis / 中国天然药物

Cardiac dysfunction, a common consequence of sepsis, is the major contribution to morbidity and mortality in patients. Sodium tanshinone IIA sulfonate (STS) is a water-soluble derivative of Tanshinone IIA (TA), a main active component of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, which has been widely used in China for the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebral system diseases. In the present study, the effect of STS on sepsis-induced cardiac dysfunction was investigated and its effect on survival rate of rats with sepsis was also evaluated. STS treatment could significantly decrease the serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), cardiac troponin I (cTn-I), cardiac troponin T (cTn-T), and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) in cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced) septic rats and improve left ventricular function, particularly at 48 and 72 h after CLP. As the pathogenesis of septic myocardial dysfunction is attributable to dysregulated systemic inflammatory responses, several key cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10) and high mobility group protein B1 (HMGB1), were detected to reveal the possible mechanism of attenuation of septic myocardial dysfunction after being treated by STS. Our study showed that STS, especially at a high dose (15 mg·kg), could efficiently suppress inflammatory responses in myocardium and reduce myocardial necrosis through markedly reducing production of myocardial TNF-α, IL-6 and HMGB1. STS significantly improved the 18-day survival rate of rats with sepsis from 0% to 30% (P < 0.05). Therefore, STS could suppress inflammatory responses and improve left ventricular function in rats with sepsis, suggesting that it may be developed for the treatment of sepsis.

Sodium tanshinone IIA sulfonate attenuates cardiac dysfunction and improves survival of rats with cecal ligation and puncture-induced sepsis / 中国天然药物

Cardiac dysfunction, a common consequence of sepsis, is the major contribution to morbidity and mortality in patients. Sodium tanshinone IIA sulfonate (STS) is a water-soluble derivative of Tanshinone IIA (TA), a main active component of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, which has been widely used in China for the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebral system diseases. In the present study, the effect of STS on sepsis-induced cardiac dysfunction was investigated and its effect on survival rate of rats with sepsis was also evaluated. STS treatment could significantly decrease the serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), cardiac troponin I (cTn-I), cardiac troponin T (cTn-T), and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) in cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced) septic rats and improve left ventricular function, particularly at 48 and 72 h after CLP. As the pathogenesis of septic myocardial dysfunction is attributable to dysregulated systemic inflammatory responses, several key cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10) and high mobility group protein B1 (HMGB1), were detected to reveal the possible mechanism of attenuation of septic myocardial dysfunction after being treated by STS. Our study showed that STS, especially at a high dose (15 mg·kg), could efficiently suppress inflammatory responses in myocardium and reduce myocardial necrosis through markedly reducing production of myocardial TNF-α, IL-6 and HMGB1. STS significantly improved the 18-day survival rate of rats with sepsis from 0% to 30% (P < 0.05). Therefore, STS could suppress inflammatory responses and improve left ventricular function in rats with sepsis, suggesting that it may be developed for the treatment of sepsis.

STUDY ON THE DIFFERENCES OF MAJOR PHARMACEUTICAL INGREDIENTS IN DIFFERENT PARTS AND PROCESSED MEDICINAL MATERIAL OF EPIMEDIUM BREVICORNU MAXIM IN TAIHANG MOUNTAIN.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the medicinal values of different parts of Epimedium brevicornu Maxim. and the effect of processing on major pharmaceutical ingredients in it. The contents of icariin and epimedin C in different parts and processed medicinal material of E. brevicornu in Taihang Mountain were determined with ultrasonic extraction and RP-HPLC. The results indicated that the contents of icariin and epimedin C, respectively 3.4524% and 0.5485%, in the leaf are higher than that in other parts. The contents of icariin and epimedin C, respectively 0.1942 % and 0.1342%, in the stem (include petiole) are the lowest. The contents of these ingredients in the root (include rhizome) are close to that in the leaf. The icariin and epimedin C in all parts of E. brevicornu reduced after processing. The content of icariin in the processed leaf is about 59.5% of that in unprocessed leaves. The effect of prossing on the content of icariin in the stem is unobvious. The content of epimedin C in the processed leaf is about 33.7% of that in unprocessed leaf. The content of epimedin C in the processed stem (include petiole) is about 36.9% of that in unprocessed stem. It is worth to exploit the stem and petiole of E. brevicornu because there are certain contents of pharmaceutical ingredients in them. The firepower should be paid attention to and the temperature should not be very high to avoid the damage on pharmaceutical ingredients in E. brevicornu when process it.

Este estudio pretende evaluar los valores medicinales de diferentes partes de la Epimedium brevicornu Maxim y el efecto de su procesamiento sobre sus principales componentes farmacéuticos. El contenido de icariina y epimedin C en diferentes partes y en material medicinal procesado de Epimedium brevicornu en la montaña de Taihang fue determinado mediante extracción ultrasónica y RP-HPLC. Los resultados indicaron que el contenido de icariina y epimedin C, respectivamente 3,4524% y 0,5485%, en la hoja son mayores que en otras partes. El contenido de icariina y epimedin C, respectivamente 0,1942% y 0,1342%, en el tallo (peciolo incluido) es más bajo. El contenido de estos componentes en la raíz (rizoma incluido) es similar al de la hoja. El contenido de icariina y epimedin C en todas las partes de E. brevicornu se vio reducido después del procesado. El contenido de icariina en la hoja procesada es aproximadamente el 59,5% del de la hoja sin procesar. El efecto del procesado sobre el contenido de icariina en el tallo no es evidente. El contenido de epimedin C en el tallo procesado es de aproximadamente el 33,7% del de la hoja sin procesar. El contenido de epimedin C en el tallo procesado (peciolo incluido) es de aproximadamente el 36,9% de aquel del tallo sin procesar. Vale la pena aprovechar el tallo y peciolo de la E. brevicornu porque hay cierto contenido de componentes farmacéuticos en ellos. Hay que controlar la potencia de fuego y la temperatura no debe ser muy alta para evitar dañar los componentes farmacéuticos de la E. brevicornu.

Quality evaluation of fluconazole-loaded cubic ohase gels / 军事医学

Objective To characterize the internal structures of fluconazole-loaded cubic phase gels and establish a method for determination of fluconazole.Methods Glycerol monooleate( GMO) was used as the liquid crystal material to prepare the fluconazole loaded cubic phase gels.Polarizing light microscopy ( PLM ) and small-angle X-ray scattering ( SAXS) were used to confirm their internal structures and establish an HPLC method for determination of their content. Results Cubic phase gels were the dark field under PLM,SAXS showed that the blank cubic phase gels had two single peaks:q1(0.832 09 nm-1 ) and q2 (1.017 nm-1 ) while the fluconazole-loaded cubic phase gels had two single peaks:q1(0.818 88 nm-1)and q2(0.950 95 nm-1).Under the selected HPLC, the linearity within the range of 20-500 μg/ml was good.Conclusion PLM and SAXS are reliable for characterization of cubic phase gels.The HPLC method can be used in quality control and evaluation of this enema.