Revealing the mechanisms of Arisaema cum Bile on allergic asthma with systematic pharmacology approach-experimental validation.

Arisaema cum Bile (Dan Nanxing in Chinese, DNX) have been employed to treat allergic asthma. However, the active components and its mechanisms remain unknown. Therefore, the systematic pharmacology approach-experimental validation was performed in this study. Each 5, 6, and 10 compounds of DNX were obtained by HPLC analysis, TCMSP, and literature report, respectively. A total of 379 targets on all these compounds were acquired from Swiss Target Prediction, and 1973 targets on allergic asthma were predicated. The KEGG enrichment analysis was performed. Furthermore, a rat model of allergic asthma was established and DNX (450 mg/kg, p.o.) was given for 2 weeks. DNX treatment prevented OVA-induced pathological changes in lung cell of irregular arrange and necrotic bronchial epithelial. It also decreased inflammatory cytokines IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 of serum and BALF, and increased IL-12 and IFN-γ. The main MAPK signaling pathway predicted by KEGG enrichment was verified, as indicated by the decreased protein expression of JNK (p < 0.05 & p < 0.01), ERK (p < 0.05), and p38 MAPK (p < 0.01) in lung tissue. These findings indicated that DNX attenuated OVA-induced allergic asthma mainly by decreasing the MAPK signaling pathway.

A Study on the Mechanism of Lavender in the Treatment of Insomnia Based on Network Pharmacology.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVE: The common disease of insomnia has complex and diverse clinical manifestations. Lavender represents an effective treatment of insomnia, but the molecular mechanism underlying the effectiveness of this treatment is not clear. The purpose of this study is to investigate the active components, target proteins and molecular pathways of lavender in the treatment of insomnia, thus explaining its possible mechanism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Firstly, 54 active components of lavender were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The target protein of lavender was predicted by the Traditional Chinese Medicine System Pharmacological Database and Analysis Platform and the SwissTargetPredicating tool, and the target protein of insomnia was predicted by the DisGeNET and DrugBank databases. Then, the "component-target-disease" network diagram was constructed using the Cytoscape 3.7.1 software. KEGG and GO enrichments were analyzed using the R statistical language. Finally, the key target proteins were verified by collecting and verifying the target protein GEO data using the Discovery Studio 3.5 molecular docking verification software. RESULTS: 906 target proteins of lavender were predicted by the Traditional Chinese Medicine System Pharmacological Database and Analysis Platform and the SwissTargetPredicating tool, and 182 insomnia target proteins were predicted by the DisGeNET and DrugBank databases. The results of GO enrichment analysis showed that it included the reaction process of ammonium ion, the regulation of the membrane potential and the secretion of catecholamine, while the results of KEGG enrichment included the calcium signaling pathway, serotonin synapse, morphine addiction and many more. Finally, using the Discovery Studio3.5 molecular docking verification software, it was verified that the key target proteins are ADRB1 and HLA-DRB1. CONCLUSION: The components in the lavender essential oil include the Ethyl 2-(5-methyl-5-vinyltetrahydrofuran- 2-yl)propan-2-ylcarbonate (0.774); 5-Oxatricyclo[8.2.0.04,6]dodecane, 4,12,12-trimethyl- 9-methylene-, (1R,4R,6R,10S)-(0.147); P-Cymen-7-ol (0.063); .alpha-Humulenem (0.317); Acetic acid, hexyl ester (1.374); etc. The role lavender plays in the treatment of insomnia might be accomplished through the regulation of the key targets ADRB1 and HLA-DRB1.

[Effect of compound Longmaining decoction with different combinations on intestinal absorption of puerarin].

To study the effects of compound Longmaining(FFLMN) with different combinations on the intestinal absorption of puerarin. The rat single pass intestinal perfusion model was adopted, and the concentration of puerarin in intestinal samples was determined by HPLC. The effects of different combination groups on the absorption of puerarin in duodenum, jejunum, ileum and colon were investigated. The combined drugs were GG(Puerariae Lobatae Radix), GG-CSL (Puerariae Lobatae Radix compared with Dioscoreae Nipponicae Rhizoma), GG-CX(Puerariae Lobatae Radix compared with Chuanxiong Rhizoma) and FFLMN (compound Longmaining). We found that the absorption rate constant(Ka) and the apparent coefficient(Papp) of puerarin had no significant difference between GG-CSL and FFLMN groups, but significantly higher in GG and GG-CX groups(P<0.05) in the duodenum and ileum. In jejunum and colon, Ka and Papp of puerarin showed significant differences between GG and other groups(P<0.05). At the same time, FFLMN also had significant differences with GG-CSL and GG-CX groups(P<0.05). The results showed that in the whole intestine of rats, FFLMN could significantly promote the absorption of puerarin. In the duodenum and ileum, Dioscoreae Nipponicae Rhizoma played a significant role in promoting absorption of puerarin. In jejunum and colon, Dioscoreae Nipponicae Rhizoma and Chuanxiong Rhizoma have a synergistic effect in promoting absorption of puerarin.

Non-alkaloids extract from Stemona sessilifolia enhances the activity of chemotherapeutic agents through P-glycoprotein-mediated multidrug-resistant cancer cells.

One of the major impediments to the successful treatment of cancer is the development of resistant cancer cells, which could cause multidrug resistance (MDR), and overexpression of ABCB1/P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is one of the most common causes of MDR in cancer cells. Recently, natural products or plant-derived chemicals have been investigated more and more widely as potential multidrug-resistant (MDR) reversing agents. The current study demonstrated for the first time that non-alkaloids extract from Stemona sessilifolia significantly reversed the resistance of chemotherapeutic agents, adriamycin, paclitaxel and vincristine to MCF-7/ADR cells compared with MCF-7/S cells in a dose-dependent manner. The results obtained from these studies indicated that the non-alkaloids extract from S. sessilifolia plays an important role in reversing MDR of cancer as a P-gp modulator in vitro and may be effective in the treatment of multidrug-resistant cancers.

[Effect of puerarin in Longmaining formula on pharmacokinetics-pharmacodynamics correlation in rats with myocardial ischemia].

To study the pharmacokinetics of puerarin in compound Longmaining(FFLMN) in normal rats and myocardial ischemia rats, and investigate its correlation with anti-myocardial ischemia effect of FFLMN. Models of myocardial ischemia rats were produced by subcutaneous injection of isoproterenol(ISO), then FFLMN extract solution was administered by gavage. Orbital sinus blood sampling was collected at different time points after gavage. HPLC-UV method was applied to determine the concentration of puerarin in plasma, and compare the difference in pharmacokinetics between normal rats and model rats after application of same dose of FFLMN. Meanwhile, microplate reader was used to determine IL-6 and SOD activities in plasma of different time points, and draw dose-effect curve. The results indicated that the pharmacokinetics of puerarin conformed to the two-compartment model in both normal group and myocardial ischemia model group. In the comparison of main pharmacokinetic parameters between two groups: AUC0-∞=(11.451±3.228) mg•h•L⁻¹,AUC0-t=(14.047±3.765) mg•h•L⁻¹, Cmax=(5.623±1.40) mg•L⁻¹ in normal group; AUC0-∞=(68.849±50.396 9) mg•h•L⁻¹, AUC0-t= (58.312±45.802) mg•h•L⁻¹,Cmax=(18.456±7.517) mg•L⁻¹ in treatment group. The SOD level was significantly increased and IL-6 concentration was significantly decreased in plasma, indicating that as compared with the normal group, puerarin in FFLMN had a higher plasma concentration, slower elimination rate and higher bioavailability. Therefore, puerarin concentration in plasma has correlation with the anti-myocardial ischemia effect of FFLMN, which could increase SOD level and inhibit the release of IL-6.

Evaluation of the wound-healing activity and anti-inflammatory activity of aqueous extracts from Acorus calamus L.

In folklore medicine, Acorus calamus has been used as a wound-healing agent for thousands of years; however, there have been few scientific reports on this activity so far. Now, we explored deeply the wound-healing effect of aqueous extracts from the fresh roots and rhizomes of A. calamus in vivo, as well as anti-inflammatory activity in vitro, so as to provide scientific evidence for the traditional application. The wound-healing effect was determined by the image analysis techniques and the histological analysis in the excisional wounding test, and the anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated by the real-time RT-PCR techniques in the lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW 264.7 cells test. Aqueous extracts, administered topically at the dose range from twice to thrice in a day, could enhance significantly the rate of skin wound-healing. Moreover, the extracts could effectively inhibit the mRNA expressions of inflammatory mediators induced by lipopolysaccharide in RAW 264.7 cells. These results showed significantly the wound-healing activity of aqueous extracts in the animal model of excise wound healing, and anti-inflammatory activity in vitro.

[The history of evolvement of bronchoscope].

Since 1897, the year when the bronchoscope was invented, the instrument have experienced three stages of evolvement, namely, the period of conventional rigid bronchoscope, the period of flexible fibreoptic bronchoscope as well as the period of the combined use of electronic bronchoscope, broncho fibrescope and video-assisted rigid bronchoscope simultaneously. Bronchoscope plays a significant role in the fields of thoracic surgery and respiratory internal medicine. In China, the technique started rather late, but after years of hard work, it has approached or reached the international advanced level. The blossoming new techniques and their upgrading make bronchoscope play an even more important role in the interventional pulmonology.