Screening for potential biomarkers of traditional Chinese medicinechest impediment syndromesbased on plasma metabonomics / 中国药理学与毒理学杂志

OBJECTIVE To have a systematic pathomechanism view of three chest impediment-syndromes of Qi Deficiency and Blood Stasis syndrome(QDBS),Qi Stagnation and Blood Stasis syn-drome (QSBS), Cold Obstruction and Qi Stagnation syndrome(COQS) and further investigate the changed metabolome and related pathways for screening potential biomarkers in rat plasma. METHODS According to clinical pathogeny, three kinds of syndrome models were established to simulate the disease of chest impediment. Plasma metabonomics based on UPLC-Q-TOF/MS was applied in this research to detected small molecule metabolites for identifyingthe special potential biomarkers of three chest impediment syndromes, respectively. RESULTS Significant metabolic differences were observed between thecontrol group and three syndrome groups. Furthermore, three syndrome groups were distinguished clearly by pattern recognition method.The particular metabolites contributing most to the classification of three chest impediment syndromes were identified. In the QSBS group, the potential biomarkers could include 2-keto-glutaramic acid, L-methionine, L-homocysteic acid, octadecanamide, stearoylglycine,behenic acid,linoleylcarnitine,lysoPC(14:1(9Z)),indoxyl sulfate and cholic acid.In the COQS group, they could be aminoadipic acid, palmitic amide, oleamide, lysoPC(P-16:0), lysoPC(P-18:0), lysoPC(20:2(11Z,14Z)), 9-HETE and tauroursodeoxycholic acid. Moreover, 4-pyridoxic acid, L-palmi-toylcarnitine, lysoPC(20:0), lysoPC (22:5 (4Z,7Z,10Z,13Z,16Z)), 3- hydroxyhexadecanoic acid and arachidonic acid could be the potential biomarkers for the QDBS group. CONCLUSION Three chest impediment syndromes have their own potential biomarkers.Each special metabolite has its owndifferent metabolic pathway.Both metabolismof cysteine and methionine,and metabolism of alanine,aspartate and glutamate are the main pathways in regulation of metabolic disorders in QSBS syndrome. Lysine biosynthesis and degradation,fatty acid metabolism,and glycerophospholipid metabolism are the main pathways in regulation of metabolic disorders in COQS syndrome.Arachidonic acid metabolism, fatty acid metabolism,fatty acid elongation in mitochondria,and vitamin B6 metabolism are the main pathways in regulation of metabolic disorders in QDBS syndrome.These endogenous substances were indicated as the special potential biomarkers for three chest impediment syndromes and worth studying in depth.

Simultaneous determination of six Salvia miltiorrhiza gradients in rat plasma and brain by LC-MS/MS / 中国中药杂志

To develop a LC-MS/MS method for the determination of protocatechuic acid, protocatechuic aldehyde, salvianolic acid A, salvianolic acid B, cryptotanshinone and tanshinone II(A) in rat plasma and brain. The plasma and brain samples were precipitated with ethyl acetate, then were separated on an Agilent eclipse plus-C18 column (2.1 mm x 50 mm, 3.5 microm) using acetonitrile (consisting of 0.1% formic acid) and water (consisting of 0.1% formic acid) as mobile phase in gradient elution mode. The mass spectrometer was operated under both positive and negative ion mode with the ESI source, and the detection was performed by MRM. The transition of 154.3/153.1 m/z for protocatechuic acid, 137.3/108 m/z for protocatechuic aldehyde, 493.0/295.2 m/z for Salvianolic acid A, 718.0/520.0 m/z for salvianolic acid B, 321.4/152.3 m/z for chloramphenicol, 297.4/254.3 m/z for cryptotanshinone, 295.5/249.3 m/z for tanshinone II(A) and 285.2/154.0 m/z for Diazepam. The calibration curves in the range of 0.625-1 000 microg x L(-1) for protocatechuic acid and protocatechuic aldehyde, 1.25-1 000 microg x L(-1) for salvianolic acid A, 2.5-1 000 microg x L(-1) for salvianolic acid B, 0.15-1 000 microg x L(-1) for cryptotanshinone, 0.625-1 000 microg x L(-1) for tanshinone II(A) are with good linearityin rat plasma and brain. The analysis method is sensitive, simple, and suitable enough to be applied in the pharmacokinetic study of the 6 main components. Animal testing gives the lgBB of the drugs and further studies of the 6 components cross the blood-brain barrier can be carried out.

Advance in studies on chemical constitutions, pharmacological mechanism and pharmacokinetic profile of dalbergiae odoriferae lignum / 中国中药杂志

Dalbergiae Odoriferae Lignum is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) commonly used for promoting blood circulation, relieving pain and removing blood stasis. Volatile oil and flavonoid compounds are two main chemical constituents of Dalbergiae Odoriferae Lignum. Modern pharmacological studies show that Dalbergiae Odoriferae Lignum has many effects, such as relaxing blood, increasing blood flow of coronary, anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation and antitumor. Dalbergiae Odoriferae Lignum, as a characteristic TCM with the potential of further development, is generally compatible with other TCMs to treat cardio-cerebral vascular diseases. This article summarizes studies on chemical composition, pharmacological action, pharmacokinetic procfile in vivo and TCM compatibility in recent years, in order to provide references for further studies.

Study on canceration law of gastric mucosal dysplasia based on syndromes of Chinese medicine / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the syndrome evolution law of Chinese medicine (CM) in the patients with gastric mucosal dysplasia.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Three hundred and twenty four gastric mucosal dysplasia patients with deficiency and excess correlation syndromes were enrolled by a multi-center collaboration for two years' clinical follow-up to detect the levels of tumor supplied group of factors (TSGF) and carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Among the 324 cases, 29 cases turned cancer in the two years, and the canceration rate was 9.0%. The three syndromes with higher canceration rate were the damp-heat accumulating Wei syndrome concurring or combining with asthenia-cold in Pi and Wei syndrome for 16.7%; stagnation in Wei collaterals syndrome concurring or combining with asthenia of both qi and yin syndrome for 13.2%; stagnation of Gan and Wei qi syndrome concurring or combining with asthenia-cold in Pi and Wei syndrome for 8.0%, respectively. Among the three syndromes, the highest level of TSGF occurred in the former two syndromes. In the half year before carcinogenesis, the syndromes of the patients took on deficiency and excess concurrent syndromes, and the deficiency syndromes involving the qi and blood deficiency syndrome and the Shen deficiency syndrome accounting for 48.0%.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Gastric mucosal dyspalsia canceration syndromes took on the polymorphism of excess and deficiency concurrent syndromes and had the characteristics of deficiency syndromes involving qi and blood deficiency syndrome and Shen-yin-yang deficiency syndrome.</p>

A clinical study of Suogudan granule in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the clinical efficacy of Suogudan Granule (SGDG) in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Ninety patients with RA were randomly divided into the treated group and the control group. The treated group was administered orally with SGDG 6 g each time, thrice a day, while the control group with the combined therapy of Fenbid Capsules 0.3 g each time, twice a day and Tripterygium tablet 20 mg each time, thrice a day. The treatment course for both groups was 6 weeks. The changes of clinical symptoms and signs, and laboratory indices such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), rheumatoid factor (RF), antistreptolysin O (ASO), routine examination of blood and urine, liver and kidney function, etc. before and after treatment were observed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) The total effective rate in the treated group (88.0%) was obviously higher than that in the control group (67.5%) with significant difference (P < 0.05). (2) The improvement in arthralgia, joint swelling, time of morning stiffness, 15-meter walking, analgesia initiation and persistence in the treated group was better than that in the control group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), but there was no obvious difference in improvement of joint tenderness, range of joint motion, grip strength, and initiating detumescence time (P > 0.05). (3) The improvement in ESR and RF in the treated group was better than that in the control group with significant difference (P < 0.05). The negative-conversion rate of ASO in the treated group was also higher than that in the control group (P < 0.01). (4) No evident abnormality in blood, urine, liver or kidney function was found in either group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>SGDG is effective and safe for the treatment of RA.</p>