Study on the Effects of Chinese Materia Medica Processing on the Hypoglycemic Activity and Chemical Composition of Anemarrhenae Rhizoma.

PURPOSE: To compare the hypoglycemic effects of different extracts of Anemarrhenae Rhizoma (AR) before and after being stir-baked with salt water on the diabetic mice and to detect the contents of 8 components in the corresponding active parts simultaneously using the UPLC-MS method, in order to screen the better extracts for diabetes and to clear the material basis for enhancing hypoglycemic activity of Anemarrhenae Rhizoma stir-baked with salt water (SAR). METHODS: Taking spontaneous type II diabetic db/db mice as models and fasting blood glucose (FBG), oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), glycated hemoglobin or glycosylated hemoglobin (HbAlc), serum resistin (RESISTEIN), fasting insulin (FINS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), and nitric oxide (NO) as indicators, the hypoglycemic effects of different active parts of Anemarrhenae Rhizoma were evaluated. The chromatographic separation was performed on a Waters BEH C18 (2.1 mm × 50 mm, 1.7 µm) column using acetonitrile (B) and 0.1% formic acid in water (A) as mobile phases, and the flow rate was 0.3 ml/min. The column temperature was set as 28°C, and the injection volume was 10 µL. A mass spectrometer was connected to the UPLC system via an electrospray ionization (ESI) interface. Full-scan data acquisition was performed in the negative ion mode. RESULT: In the study of pharmacodynamics, the hypoglycemic effect of Anemarrhenae Rhizoma stir-baked with salt water is better than that of Anemarrhenae Rhizoma and the hypoglycemic effect of ethanol extract of Anemarrhenae Rhizoma is more remarkable than that of the decoction. The measured components all have a good linear relationship within their respective linear ranges (r ≥ 0.9990); the average recovery rates are 98.86%-100.69%, RSD <2.90%. Compared with the raw Anemarrhenae Rhizoma, the contents of Timosaponin AIII, Timosaponin BII, Timosaponin BIII, Anemarrhenasaponin I, Anemarrhenasaponin Ia, and Mangiferin of Anemarrhenae Rhizoma stir-baked with salt water are all higher, the changes of Timosaponin AI and Anemarrhenasaponin AII are not obvious, and all the contents of chemical composition in the ethanol extract of Anemarrhenae Rhizoma and Anemarrhenae Rhizoma stir-baked with salt water were obviously higher compared with the water decoction. CONCLUSION: The processing method, stir-baking with salt water, can increase the contents of active compositions in Anemarrhenae Rhizoma and strengthen the hypoglycemic effect. The ethanol extract of Anemarrhenae Rhizoma stir-baked with salt water is the better active site.

Investigating the effects and possible mechanisms of danshen- honghua herb pair on acute myocardial ischemia induced by isoproterenol in rats.

Danshen (salvia miltiorrhiza) and honghua(Carthamus tinctorius) were traditional herb pair with promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis actions, in China. Both were widely used to treat cardiovascular diseases (CVD) for hundreds years, especially shown definite advantage in the treatment of ischemic heart disease (IHD). However, the mechanism of danshen-honghua herb pair (DHHP) in the treatment of IHD was still unclear. This study was focused on examining the effects and possible mechanisms of DHHP in rats with acute myocardial ischemia induced by isoproterenol (ISO). The results suggested that DHHP significantly ameliorated the myocardial tissue abnormalities, notablely inhibited the elevation of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatinekinase isoenzyme (CK-MB) and cardiac troponin T (CTn-T) in plasma, obviously decreased the plasma levels of Tumor Necrosis Factor α (TNF-α), outstandingly inhibited the reduction of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) caused by ISO, significantly inhibited the high expression of Bcl-2 assaciated X protein (Bax) and nuclear transcriptionfactor-κBP65 (NF-κBP65) protein, significantly induced the low expression of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) protein in acute myocardial ischemia rats. DHHP can obviously ameliorate hemodynamic parameters. In summary, DHHP can significantly improve myocardial ischemia in acute myocardial ischemia model rats caused by ISO. Anti-free radicals, anti-peroxidation, inhibition of cell apoptosis and anti- inflammation maybe are the potential mechanisms of DHHP anti-myocardial ischemia in acute myocardial ischemia rats in duced by ISO.

The complete chloroplast genome of Liparis nervosa (Orchidaceae).

Liparis nervosa, a terrestrial orchid was widely used as a traditional medicinal plant in China. In this study, we assembled the complete chloroplast genome of L. nervosa using Illumina sequencing data. The whole genome is 158,716 bp, contains a large single-copy region (LSC 86,010 bp), a small single-copy region (SSC 18,276 bp), and a pair of inverted repeats (IR 27,215 bp). The complete genome has 132 genes, including 77 protein-coding genes, 38 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. In addition, a maximum-likelihood phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that L. nervosa was most closely related to Oberonia japonica. This work provides a theoretical basis for the development of conservation strategies of L. nervosa.

[Comparison of integration processing technology of origin and traditional cutting processing technology of Moslae Herba for lung-Yang deficiency rats].

To compare the effect of integration processing technology of origin (IPTO) and traditional cutting processing technology (TCPT) of Moslae Herba for lung-Yang deficiency rats caused by complex factors, analyze the mechanism, and provide the modern pharmacology basis for the implementation of IPTO of Moslae Herba. The rat models of lung-Yang deficiency were established by smoking + swimming in ice water + drinking ice water. The model rats were randomly divided into different groups, and were treated with intragastric administration for 30 d. Then the general signs, anal temperature and autonomic activity of the rats were observed. The pathological morphology of lung tissues was observed, and the positive expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) was observed by immunohistochemical method, and the hematological indexes were determined. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method was used to detect serum nitric oxide (NO), immunoglobulin G (IGG), malondialdehyde (MDA), thromboxane B2 (TXB2) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) level, and the organ coefficients of heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney and other organs were calculated. According to the results, Moslae Herba volatile oil and decoction could improve the general signs and autonomic activities of lung-Yang deficiency rats, improve the body weight, rectal temperature, and the content of IGG in serum of lung-Yang deficiency rats, reduce organ coefficients of heart, liver, spleen, lung and kidney, serum NO, MDA, TXB2, IL-8 contents, white blood cell and TNF-α mean optical density in the lung tissues of rats. witg statistically significant difference (P<0.01 or P<0.05). The effects of IPTO volatile oil and water decoction were slightly higher. Therefore, Moslae Herba has therapeutic effect on lung-Yang deficiency rats, and ICPT has better effect, whose mechanism may be related to the intervention of TNF-α expression, improving the level of IGG, and inhibiting NO, MDA, IL-8, and TXB2 levels.

Three new indole alkaloid derivatives from the roots of Murraya paniculata.

Three new indole alkaloid derivatives, named paniculidines D‒F (1‒3), and six known analogs (4‒9) were isolated from the roots of Murraya paniculata. The structures were elucidated on the basis of comprehensive HRESIMS, UV, IR, and NMR spectroscopic data analysis and comparison with the data reported in literature. The absolute configurations of new compounds were assigned via the determination of specific optical rotation, Mosher's method, and ECD spectra. Compound 3 is the first heterodimer of C-N linked indole and coumarin derivatives.

Structural characterization and inhibition on α-d-glucosidase activity of non-starch polysaccharides from Fagopyrum tartaricum.

In the present study, the crude polysaccharide was extracted from Fagopyrum tartaricum and purified by Sephadex G-25 and G-75 column to produce a polysaccharide fraction termed TBP-II. Its average molecular weight was 26kDa. The structural characterization of TBP-II was investigated by gas chromatography, periodate oxidation-Smith degradation, Methylation and NMR. Congo red was applied to explore its advanced structures. The results revealed that chemical composition and structural characteristic of TBP-II was mainly consisted of galactose, arabinose, xylose and glucose with a molar ratio of 0.7:1:6.3:74.2. The backbone of TBP-II was composed of (1→4)-linked α-d-glucopyranosyl (Glcp), while the branches comprised of (1→3)-linked α-d-glucopyranosyl (Glcp), (1→6)-linked α-d-galactopyranosyl (Galp) and (1→2,4)-linked α-d-rhamnopyranosyl (Rhap). The structure of TBP-II was 1,3 and 1,6-branched-galactorhamnoglucan that had a linear backbone of (1→4)-linked α-d-glucopyranose (Glcp). Using Congo red assay showed that it was absent of triple helix structure. The α-d-glucosidase inhibitory activity of TBP-II was determined using acarbose as positive control. The result showed that the inhibition rate depended on the concentration of polysaccharides.

Antitumor Efficacy and Mechanism in Hepatoma H22-Bearing Mice of Brucea javanica Oil.

Brucea javanica is a traditional herbal medicine in China, and its antitumor activities are of research interest. Brucea javanica oil, extracted with ether and refined with 10% ethyl alcohol from Brucea javanica seed, was used to treat hepatoma H22-bearing mice in this study. The antitumor effect and probable mechanisms of the extracted Brucea javanica oil were studied in H22-bearing mice by WBC count, GOT, GPT levels, and western blotting. The H22 tumor inhibition ratio of 0.5, 1, and 1.5 g/kg bw Brucea javanica oil were 15.64%, 23.87%, and 38.27%. Brucea javanica oil could inhibit the involution of thymus induced by H22 tumor-bearing, but it could not inhibit the augmentation of spleen and liver. Brucea javanica oil could decrease the levels of WBC count and GOT and GPT in H22-bearing mice. The protein levels of GAPDH, Akt, TGF-ß1, and α-SMA in tumor tissues decreased after being treated with Brucea javanica oil. Disturbing energy metabolism and neoplastic hyperplasia controlled by Akt and immunoregulation activity were its probable antitumor mechanisms in hepatoma H22-bearing mice.

Inhibition of soluble epoxide hydrolase by extracts derived from inflammation-treating Chinese medicinal herbs.

Soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) has been proved to be a key enzyme involved in inflammation progression, and inhibition of sEH is therefore very helpful or crucial for the treatment of inflammation-related diseases. In order to uncover new clues suggesting the presence of phytochemical-based sEH inhibitors, and to rationalize the utility of the inflammation-treating Chinese medicinal herbs, the ethanol extracts derived from 46 medicinal herbs, traditionally used for the treatment of inflammation-associated diseases in China, were tested for sEH-inhibition activity using a recently developed sensitive fluorescence-based assay. Screened at 10 microg/mL, four extracts showed substantial inhibitions of sEH (inhibition rates >50%). The ethanol extract of Sophora flavescens root (Fabaceae) possessed the strongest inhibitory activity against sEH (IC(50): 2.07 microg/mL). These preliminary findings highlighted the presence of sEH inhibitor(s) in the plant kingdom, and the possibility that the inflammation-treating herbal medicines could be an untapped reservoir for sEH-inhibition agents.