Molecular Mechanisms Underlying the Effects of Bimin Kang Mixture on Allergic Rhinitis: Network Pharmacology and RNA Sequencing Analysis.

Background: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a highly prevalent chronic inflammatory disease of the respiratory tract. Previous studies have demonstrated that Bimin Kang Mixture (BMK) is effective in alleviating AR symptoms and reducing the secretion of inflammatory factors and mucin; however, the precise mechanisms underlying these effects remain unclear. Methods: We built target networks for each medication component using a network pharmacology technique and used RNA-seq transcriptome analysis to screen differentially expressed genes (DEGs) for AR patients and control groups. The overlapping targets in the two groups were assessed using PPI networks, GO, and KEGG enrichment analyses. The binding ability of essential components to dock with hub target genes was investigated using molecular docking. Finally, we demonstrate how BMK can treat AR by regulating the NF-κB signaling pathway through animal experiments. Results: Effective targets from network pharmacology were combined with DEGs from RNA-seq, with 20 intersections as key target genes. The construction of the PPI network finally identified 5 hub target genes, and all hub target genes were in the NF-κB signaling pathway. Molecular docking suggests that citric acid, deoxyandrographolide, quercetin, luteolin, and kaempferol are structurally stable and can spontaneously attach to IL-1ß, CXCL2, CXCL8, CCL20, and PTGS2 receptors. Animal experiments have shown that BMK inhibits NF-κB transcription factor activation, reduces the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines IL-1ß, CXCL2, IL-8, and COX-2, and exerts anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effects. Conclusion: BMK by regulating the NF-κB signaling pathway improves inflammatory cell infiltration, regulates mucosal immune balance, and reduces airway hypersensitivity. These findings provide theoretical support for the clinical efficacy of BMK for AR treatment.

[A new benzamide derivative from rice fermentation of Streptomyces sp. CPCC 202950].

Eight compounds were isolated from the rice fermentation of Streptomyces sp. CPCC 202950 by a combination of various chromatographic techniques including column chromatography over silica, Sephadex LH-20, flash C18, and reversed-phase HPLC. Their structures were identified as 3-[(3'-amino-3'-oxoprop-1'-en-2'-yl)oxy]benzamide (1), m-hydroxybenzamide (2), leptosphaepin (3), 5-methyluracil (4), feruloylamide (5), p-hydroxyphenylacetoamide (6), vanillamide (7), cyclo (L-val-L-ala) (8). Among them, 1 was a new benzamide analogue, and 2 was a new natural product. In the preliminary assays, none of the compounds 1-8 exhibited obvious inhibition of HIV-1 protease activity, and toxic with the Hela, HepG2, and U2OS cells. (IC50 > 10 µmol•L⁻¹).

[Separation, purification and primary reverse cholesterol transport study of Cordyceps militaris polysaccharide].

The authors designed to separate, purify and determine the monosaccharide composition of the polysaccharide from Cordyceps militaris, and study its effect on reverse cholesterol transport in vivo by isotope tracing assay. Polysaccharides were separate and purify by ion exchange column Q-sepharose Fast Flow and size exclusion column Sephacryl S200HR; the molecular weight and monosaccharide composition of the polysaccharides were determined by high performance gel permeation chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography coming with pre-column derivation, respectively. Finally, three purified polysaccharides CMBW1, CMBW2 and CMYW1 were obtained, their total carbohydrate contents were 87%, 89%, 95%, respectively; their protein contents were 6.5%, 1.3%, 2.8%, respectively; their molecular weights were 772.1, 20.9, 13.2 kDa, respectively; CMBW1 was composed of mannose, glucosamine, rhamnose, glucuronic acid, glucose, galactose and arabinose with a molar ratio of 7.25: 0.17: 1.29: 0.23: 6.30: 11.08: 0.79; CMBW2 was composed of mannose, glucosamine, galactose and arabinose with a molar ratio of 2.40: 0.16: 2.92: 0.24; CMYW1 was composed of mannose, glucosamine, glucuronic acid and glucose with a molar ratio of 0.59: 0.57: 0.45: 25.61. Polysaccharide at 50 mg x kg(-1) could significantly improve the transport of 3H- cholesterol to blood and excretion from feces. All of the three purified polysaccharides CMBW1, CMBW2 and CMYW1 were heteropolysaccharide; and they could improve reverse cholesterol transport in vivo, the underlying mechanisms are being studied.