Ephedrine and pseudoephedrine in Ephedra saxatilis on the vertical altitude gradient changed in southern Tibet Plateau, China.

Ephedra is one of the world's most important plants, used in medicine, plants and ecology. Most Ephedra grows in plain areas and is stable. But the plateau environment is special, with the change of altitude, the variety difference of plateau Ephedra saxatilis is very obvious. E. saxatilis metabolism on the Tibetan Plateau is not only affected by altitude, but also environmental conditions such as climate conditions and different soil components. However, the change mechanism of E. saxatilis alkaloids in special ecological environment is still unclear. Therefore, we analyzed the metabolic and altitude of E. saxatilis species in the Tibetan Plateau. Through the functional analysis of Kyoto Metabolism and Metabolomic Encyclopedia (KEGG), we can determine that the number of E. saxatilis metabolites decreases with the increase of altitude, and there are differences in metabolism among the three mountains. This was confirmed by univariate analysis of the top five metabolic pathways. Based on the analysis of soil and metabolomics, it was found that soil water content was also a factor affecting E. saxatilis metabolism. According to the difference of vertical height gradient, ephedrine and pseudephedrine showed the same change in vertical altitude under different mountains. Ephedrine increased as the altitude gradient increased, and pseudoephedrine decreased as the altitude gradient decreased. Our results provide valuable information for further study of metabolic mechanism and efficacy stability. It provides useful reference for the research of E. saxatilis planting in special area.

Total saponins of Panax notoginseng enhance VEGF and relative receptors signals and promote angiogenesis derived from rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Total saponins of Panax notoginseng (tPNS), main constituents extracted from Panax Notoginseng, a highly valued traditional Chinese medicine, has been shown to increase protein expression and the secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. AIMS OF THE STUDY: The effects of tPNS on angiogenesis were studied in rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (rBMSCs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: rBMSCs were stimulated by tPNS of 48 h. The mRNA expression levels of VEGF-A, Flt-1 and Kdr in rBMSCs were determined by quantitative real time PCR (qRT-PCR). rBMSCs were induced to differentiate into endothelial-like cells and the effects of tPNS on the angiogenesis ability of rBMSCs and rBMSCs after endothelial differentiation were assayed by a Matrigel model in vivo and in vitro. RESULTS: tPNS (100 µg/ml) significantly enhanced the mRNA expression level of VEGF-A and Kdr compared to the control group, while they had no obvious effect on the expression of Flt-1. tPNS (1 µg/ml and 100 µg/ml) significantly increased capillary network forming of rBMSCs after endothelial differentiation in Matrigel in vitro. tPNS (50 µg/kg, 100 µg/kg and 150 µg/kg) also significantly increased angiogenesis induced by the combination with implantation of rBMSCs and Matrigel in vivo. CONCLUSION: tPNS up-regulate VEGF-A and Kdr expression, and promote angiogenesis in rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells.

[Studies on antitumor activities of triterpene glycoside colochiroside A from sea cucumber Colochirus anceps].

OBJECTIVE: To study the antitumor activities of the triterpene glycoside colochiroside A (CA) from the sea cucumber Colochirus anceps. METHOD: The tests of antitumor activities in vitro and in vivo were applied to demonstrate the effect of CA. RESULT: The preliminary cytotoxic assay of CA exhibited significant cytotoxic activity against 6 types cultured tumor cell lines of p388, HL60, A-549, SpC-A4, MKN-28, and SGC-7901, the mean of IC50 were (3.61 +/- 0.55) mg x L(-1). The preliminary antitumor assay of CA indicated that this saponin exhibited high inhibiting activity against the H22 live cancer and the S180 sarcoma cells in mouse. The inhibition ratio to H22 liver cancer were 34.8%, 43.9% and 52.2%, while the ratio to S180 sarcoma were 36.4%, 70.0%, the immunoregulatory founction study indicated CA has not significant effect on the developments of thymus and spleen. CONCLUSION: The saponin CA exhibited remarkable antineoplastic activities in vitro and in vivo, and could not reduce the immunoregulatory founction of mice.