Pharmacokinetic characteristics of psoralen,isopsoralen,psoralenoside and isopsoralenoside in rats after oral administration of Psoraleae Fructus extract / 中国中药杂志

Coumarins are the main active components in Psoraleae Fructus. To study the multi-component pharmacokinetics of Psoraleae Fructus, this study established a sensitive and rapid ultra-pressure liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS/MS) method for simultaneous determination of psoralen, isopsoralen, psoralenoside, and isopsoralenoside in rat plasma. After validation, the method was applied to the investigation of pharmacokinetics of psoralen, isopsoralen, psoralenoside, and isopso-ralenoside in rats after single and multiple administration of Psoraleae Fructus extract. The results revealed that the exposure of psoralen and isopsoralen in rat plasma was high after a single intragastric administration of Psoraleae Fructus extract, with an AUC_(0-∞) of 443 619-582 680 and 167 314-276 903 ng·mL~(-1)·h~(-1), respectively. Compared with these two compounds, the exposure of psoralenoside and isopsoralenoside was lower with marked gender difference. After 7-day administration of Psoraleae Fructus extract to rats, the AUC_(0-∞) of psoralen and isopsoralen was 29 701-81 783 and 39 234-89 914 ng·mL~(-1)·h~(-1), respectively, which was significantly lower than that at the first day(P<0.05), and that of psoralenoside and isopsoralenoside was 7 360-19 342 and 8 823-45 501 ng·mL~(-1)·h~(-1), respectively. There was no significant gender difference in exposure of psoralenoside and isopsoralenoside in male and female rats. However, the exposure of psoralenoside and isopsoralenoside in male rats was reduced(P<0.05), and the t_(1/2) and mean residence time(MRT) were shortened, suggesting that the removal of these two compounds from the body was accelerated.

Rapid and simultaneous determination of 10 active components of Psoraleae Fructus in beagle dog plasma using UPLC-MS/MS and its application in pharmacokinetic study / 中国中药杂志

An UPLC-MS/MS method for rapid and simultaneous determination of psoralen, isopsoralen, apigenin, genistein, bavaisoflavone, neobavaisoflavone, bavachin, bavachinin, psoralenoside, and isopsoralenoside of Psoraleae Fructus in beagle dog plasma was established, and then the method was applied in the pharmacokinetic study after oral administration of Psoraleae Fructus extract to beagle dogs. The pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated by the software of WinNonlin. A Waters HSS-T3 column(2.1 mm×100 mm,1.8 μm)was used for liquid chromatography separation with acetonitrile-water(containing 0.004% formic acid) as the mobile phase for gradient elution.The mass spectrometry was detected using electrospray ion source(ESI) under multi-reaction monitoring mode(MRM), as well as positive ion mode. Analysis time only takes 8.5 min. The methodological study in terms of specificity, accuracy, precision, linear range, recovery, matrix effect, and stability, was validated. The LC-MS analysis method established in this experiment was simple, specific, accurate, reliable, and meet the requirement of pharmacokinetic study in plasma after administration of Psoraleae Fructus extract to beagle dogs. Six beagle dogs received intragastric administration of Psoraleae Fructus extract, T_(max) of 10 chemical components is 1.92-5.67 h; among them, C_(max) of psoralen, isopsoralen, psoralenoside and isopsoralenoside is 383-3 613 ng·mL~(-1), and AUC_(0-∞) is 3 556-18 949 ng·h·mL~(-1), t_(1/2) is 2.45-4.83 h. C_(max) of the remaining six compounds is 0.81-19.9 ng·mL~(-1), AUC_(0-∞ )is 6.54-178 ng·h·mL~(-1), t_(1/2) is 2.95-7.29 h. The UPLC-MS/MS analysis method established in this study was proved to be accurate and sensitive that it can be applied to the pharmacokinetic study of beagle dogs after oral administration of Psoraleae Fructus extract.

An exploration into the therapeutic effects and molecular mechanisms of paeoniflorin in the treatment of adjuvant-induced arthritis rats by a network pharmacology-based research strategy / 药学学报

Paeoniflorin (PAE), the major active compounds of Chinese herbs Radix Paeoniae Alba andChinese patent drug "Total Glucosides of Paeony Capsules", which is effective in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), exerted multi-pharmacological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, immune-regulatory, etc. However, its potential action mechanisms remain unclear. Herein, we predicted the putative targets of Radix Paeoniae Alba and constructed an interaction network of putative targets of Radix Paeoniae Alba and known RA-related genes. A list of key putative targets was identified by calculating their topological features (degree, node betweenness and closeness) in the above pharmacological network. Importantly, pathway enrichment analysis revealed that these key putative targets were significantly enriched in several RA-related pathways, including cartilage damage-related IL1B-TNF-TLR2-JUN-MMP1-MMP3 signaling pathway. Further molecular docking simulation showed that PAE, the major active compounds of Radix Paeoniae Alba, has strong binding affinity with MMP1 and MMP3 proteins. Next, in vivo experiments based on the adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA) animal models showed that PAE significantly alleviated the disease severity and the syndromes of severe redness or swelling in hind limbs of AIA rats, including decreasing the arthritis score, the diameter of the limbs, and elevating body weight and pain thresholds (all P<0.05). ELISA assay indicated that PAE obviously suppressed the abnormal up-regulation of serum inflammatory factors including IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-17 and IFN-γ in AIA rats (all P<0.001). Western blot analysis found that PAE simultaneously modulated the abnormal up-regulation of MMP1 and MMP3 proteins in the ankle tissues of AIA rats (all P<0.001) (all procedures in the current study were performed in accordance with the ethical standards of the Center for Laboratory Animal Care, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences). In conclusion, PAE alleviated the cartilage damage and disease severity in the progressive process of RA via regulating the IL1B-TNF-TLR2-JUN-MMP1-MMP3 pathway. This study provided the theoretical basis of the PAE for its immune-regulatory effects, and as well provided references for the action mechanism study of extract compounds of Chinese herbs.

Qualitative characterization of flavonoids in Scutellariae Radix by using PREC-IDA-EPI / 中国中药杂志

Flavonoids are the most abundant constituents and induce these the rapeutic effects against inflammation, gastrointestinal infections, cardiovascular diseases, and respiratory. Most of these flavonoids have low content in Scutellarie Radix. It was difficult to detect some minor compounds by using LC-MS method with full scan. Based on the review of flavonoids that had been extracted from Scutellariae Radix, a method with PREC-IDA-EPI technique was developed and applied to Scutellariae Radix by using UPLC-MS/MS. A total of 97 flavonoids were identified, including 29 aglycones and 68 -glycosides. This study laid the foundation for pharmacodynamicss of Scutellariae Radix.It is believed that an individual detection scheme based on the PREC-IDA-EPI technique could be used to identify unknown compounds.

Changyanqing decoction produces anti-inflammatory effect by inhibiting the activation of nuclear factor-kappaB / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To detect the changes in intestinal mucosal permeation in rats with methotrexate-induced small intestinal damage and investigate the protective effects of Changyanqing decoction.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Rat enteritis model was established by methotrexate (MTX) and sodium chloride. The rats were randomly divided into normal control group, model group, N-acetylcysteine (NAC) group and Changyanqing decoction group, and Changyanqing decoction (100 mg/kg) or saline was administered daily in the corresponding groups by gastric irrigation for 6 days. The disease activity index (DAI), colonic mucosal damage index (CMDI) and histological score (HS) of the rats were observed and evaluated. The levels of mRNA expressions of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta were detected by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. The expression of IL-10 was detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, and IkappaB expression was determined with Western blotting.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the normal control group, the model group showed significantly increased DAI, CMDI and HS. The DAI, CMDI, and HS in rats treated with Changyanqing decoction were significantly decreased in comparison with those in the model group (P<0.01). The expressions of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta were significantly higher in MTX-treated group than in the control group. The expression of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta mRNA in the Changyanqing group and NAC group were significantly lower, but IL-10 significantly higher than those of the MTX group. In MTX group, obvious NF-kappaB activation was observed, whose expression was significantly stronger in the cell nuclei, and the IkappaB in the cytoplasm was markedly degraded.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Changyanqing decoction offers protection on intestinal mucosa by inhibiting NF-kappaB activation to reduce TNF-alpha and IL-1beta mRNA expressions and increase IL-10 expression.</p>

Effects of Changyanqing decoction on the expressions of interleukin-10 and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in rats with ulcerative colitis / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of Changyanqing decoction, a traditional Chinese medicinal preparation, on the expressions of interleukin-10 (IL-10) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in the colon mucosa of rats with ulcerative colitis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The rats with ulcerative colitis induced by trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid and ethanol enema were randomly divided into 3 groups, namely the model group, sulfasalazine (SASP) group, and Changyanqing decoction group. Daily treatment with intragastric administration and enema of normal saline, SASP (100 mg/kg), and Changyanqing decoction (39.75 mg/kg), respectively, were administered 24 h after the establishment of colitis till the end of the experiment. Another group of rats was used as the normal control group. The disease activity index (DAI) and colon mucosa damage index (CMDI) of the rats were calculated. The activity of myeloperoxidase (MPO) was measured by biochemical method, and the expressions of IL-10 and ICAM-1 protein were measured by ELISA and immunohistochemistry, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the normal group, the model group showed significantly increased DAI, CMDI, HS score and MPO activity in the colon tissues (P < 0.01), with also significantly increased expression of ICAM-1 (P < 0.01) and decreased expression of IL-10 in the rat colon mucosa (P < 0.01). Treatment with Changyanqing decoction resulted in a significant reduction in DAI, CMDI, HS score and MPO activity (P < 0.01), and decreased the expression of ICAM-1 (P < 0.01) and increased the expression of IL-10 (P < 0.01) in the colon mucosa. The expression of ICAM-1 in the colon mucosa was positively correlated to that of IL-10 (r = 0.927, P < 0.01) and the activity of MPO (r = 0.621, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Changyanqing decoction has protective effect against rat ulcerative colitis, mediated probably by enhancement of IL-10 expression and reduction in ICAM-1 expression and neutrophil infiltration.</p>

Effects of siwu tang on protein expression of bone marrow of blood deficiency mice induced by irradiation / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effects of siwu tang on protein expression of bone marrow of blood deficiency mice and provide the theoretical and experimental basis for understanding the molecular mechanism of blood enriching function of siwu tang.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Blood deficiency mice were established by using 3.5 Gy 60Co gamma-ray. With proteomic technologies including two-dimensional electrophoresis, image analysis, in-gel digestion, peptide mass fingerprinting and bioinformatics the proteins of bone marrow of blood deficiency mice were isolated, analyzed, and identified.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Siwu tang could reverse 10 up-regulated and 4 down-regulated proteins of blood deficiency mice bone marrow. Seven of the proteins were likely to be lymphocyte specific protein 1, proteasome 26S ATPase subunit 4, hematopoietic cell protein-tyrosine phosphatase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, growth factor receptor binding protein 14 and lgals12 respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Siwu tang can regulate the protein expression of bone marrow of blood deficiency mice and thus promote the growth and differentiation of hematopoietic cells and then exert its effects on blood enriching function.</p>