Characterization of the physiological parameters, effective components, and transcriptional profiles of Polygonum multiflorum Thunb. Under pH stress.

Polygonum multiflorum Thunb. is a traditional Chinese medicine with extensive distribution and robust adaptability, but comprehensive research on its acid and alkali resistance is presently lacking. This study aimed to analyze the effects of 5 months of continuous pH stress on the physiological and photosynthetic parameters of P. multiflorum, and the content of effective components. Results revealed that pH stress significantly influenced the normal growth, physiological functions, and photosynthetic indicators of P. multiflorum. At soil pH 4.5, the tubers of P. multiflorum exhibited the highest levels of 2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxy stilbene-2-O-ß-d-glucoside (THSG) and total anthraquinones at 5.41% and 0.38%, respectively. However, increased soil pH significantly reduced the content of THSG and total anthraquinones. Reference-free transcriptome analysis was further conducted on P. multiflorum treated at pH 4.5 and 9.5, generating a total of 47,305 unigenes with an N50 of 2118 bp, of which 31,058 (65.65%) were annotated. Additionally, 2472 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. Among them, 17 DEGs associated with the biosynthesis of THSG and anthraquinones were screened. A comprehensive analysis of differential gene expression and effective component content demonstrated a significant positive correlation between the content of effective components and the 14 DEGs' expression but a negative correlation with soil pH. This study highlighted the influence of varying soil pH values on the effective component content of P. multiflorum. Specific acidic conditions proved beneficial for the synthesis and accumulation of THSG and total anthraquinones in P. multiflorum, thereby enhancing the quality of the medicinal material.

2,3,5,4'-Tetrahydroxy stilbene-2-Ο-ß-D-glucoside, a mechanism-based inactivator of CYP2C19 and CYP3A4, potentiates hepatic protein adduction and hepatotoxicity induced by emodin in vivo.

2,3,5,4'-Tetrahydroxy stilbene-2-Ο-ß-D-glucoside (TSG) and emodin (EMD) are two main components of Polygonum multiflorum Thunb. (PMT). Its root is widely used as herbal medicine and supplement. However, PMT-induced liver injury has drawn increasing attention. The purpose of this study was to investigate the interaction of TSG with EMD in the aspects of enzymology, pharmacokinetics, and hepatotoxicity. Co-administration with TSG increased internal exposure of EMD, EMD-derived hepatic protein adduction, and EMD-induced liver injury in mice. Mouse and human liver microsomal incubation study demonstrated that co-incubation with TSG decreased the formation of hydroxylation metabolites of EMD. Human recombinant cytochrome P450 enzyme incubation study showed that TSG induced time-, concentration-, NADPH-dependent and irreversible inhibition of CYP2C19 and CYP3A4. An epoxide metabolite derived from TSG was responsible for the observed enzyme inactivations. The findings allow us to better understand the mechanisms by which herbal processing detoxifies raw PMT.

2,3,5,4'-Tetrahydroxystibane-2-O-β-D-glucoside induces liver injury by disrupting bile acid homeostasis and phospholipids efflux / 中国中药杂志

Polygonum multiflorum is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine and has many biological activities such as hair-blacking, anti-atherosclerosis, anti-inflammatory and anti-aging. However, the liver injury induced by P. multiflorum has aroused wide attention in recent years. 2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxystibane-2-O-β-D-glucoside(TSG) is a main component of P. multiflorum, but the role of TSG in inducing liver injury is unclear. The aim of present study was to evaluate TSG's potential liver injury and effects on bile acid homeostasis and phospholipids efflux. C57 BL/6 J mice received intraperitoneal administration of 400 mg·kg~(-1) of TSG daily for 15 days, and then biochemical indexes of liver injury and changes of phospholipid content were detected. The changes of bile acid compositions were detected by LC-MS/MS. The results showed TSG 400 mg·kg~(-1) significantly increased the content of serum total bile acid(TBA) and alkaline phosphatase(ALP). Elevated free bile acid levels were observed in TSG-treated groups, including β-muricholic acid(β-MCA), ursodeoxycholic acid(UDCA), hyodeoxycholic acid(HDCA), chenodeoxycholic acid(CDCA), deoxcholic acid(DCA) in serum and β-MCA, CDCA in liver. TSG inhibited the protein expression of farnesoid X receptor(FXR) and down stream bile salt export pump(BSEP), which may result in the accumulation of bile acid. TSG also inhibited the expression of 25-hydroxycholesterol-7 alpha-hydroxylase(CYP7 B1), which may disturb the alternative pathway for bile acid synthesis. In addition, intraperitoneal injection of TSG 400 mg·kg~(-1) significantly decreased the content of phospholipids in bile. The research showed that TSG significantly inhibited the expression of multidrug resistance protein 2(MDR2) and destroyed the regular distribution of MDR2 on the bile duct membrane of liver. In vitro results showed that the IC_(50) of TSG on HepG2 cells was about 1 500 μmol·L~(-1) and TSG at 500 μmol·L~(-1)(for 24 h) could destroy the distribution of MDR2 on the bile duct membrane of liver. In conclusion, TSG induced liver injury by disrupting bile acid homeostasis and phospholipids efflux.

Inflammation inhibition and gut microbiota regulation by TSG to combat atherosclerosis in ApoE-/- mice.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: 2,3,5,4'-Tetrahydroxy-stilbene-2-O-ß-D-glucoside (TSG) is the main active component of Polygoni Multiflori Radix, a root of the homonymous plant widely used in traditional Chinese medicine. TSG has protective effects on the liver, reduces cholesterol and possesses anti-oxidant, anti-tumor, and anti-atherosclerotic properties. However, the pharmacological effects and mechanisms of action of Polygonum multiflorum on atherosclerosis (AS) have not been studied yet. PURPOSE: The aim of this research was to study the effects of Polygoni Multiflori Radix Praeparata (PMRP) and its major active chemical constituent TSG on AS in ApoE-deficient (ApoE-/-) mice fed with high fat diets to provide a scientific basis in the use of PMRP and TSG against cardiovascular diseases. METHODS: High fat diet induced AS in ApoE-/- mice were treated with PMRP, TSG (low and high doses), and simvastatin (SIM) for 8 weeks. At the end of the treatment, mouse serum lipid levels, triglycerides (TG), and total cholesterol (TC) were measured by an oxidase method (other indicators were determined by ELISA), while the content in oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) and the expression of inflammatory factors such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) in the serum and aortic samples were measured by ELISA. Atherosclerotic plaque morphology was evaluated by oil red O in thoracic aorta. In addition, 16S rDNA-V4 hypervariable region genome sequence of all microbes in the fecal sample from each group was analyzed to evaluate potential structure changes in the gut microbiota after treatment with PMRP and TSG. RESULTS: TSG markedly inhibited AS plaque formation in ApoE-/- mice. Furthermore, PMRP and TSG improved lipid accumulation by reducing TG and ox-LDL levels. TSG inhibited inflammation by the down-regulation of IL-6, TNF-α, VCAM-1 and MCP-1 expression in serum, and PMRP inhibited inflammation by reducing VCAM-1, ICAM-1 and CCRA expression in aortic tissue. In addition, TSG reduced or prevented AS by the regulation of the composition of the overall gut microbiota, such as Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Tenericutes, Proteobacteria phyla, Akkermensia genera and Helicobacter pylori. CONCLUSION: PMRP and TSG improved lipid accumulation and inflammation, and regulated the intestinal microbial imbalance in ApoE-/- mice. TSG exerted a preventive effect in the development and progression of AS.

Grade Evaluation of Polygoni Multiflori Caulis Based on Quality Constant Method / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective::To establish a scientific and reasonable grade evaluation standard for Polygoni Multiflori Caulis. Method::The quality constant method was used to conduct a grade evaluation study on Polygoni Multiflori Caulis. A total of 16 batches of samples were collected from Chinese herbal slices enterprises and medicinal materials markets. By measuring its appearance traits (average quality and average thickness of the decoction pieces) and the intrinsic quality indicators (content of 2, 3, 5, 4′-tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-β-D-glucoside), then its quality constant and percentage quality constant were calculated comprehensively, finally, the grades of Polygoni Multiflori Caulis were classified by quality constant method. Result::The quality constant of 16 batches of the decoction pieces was 0.054-0.417, and the percentage quality constant was 12.98-100.00.If these samples were divided into three grades, the quality constant shall be ≥0.334 for the first-grade decoction pieces, the quality constant shall be <0.334 and ≥0.209 for the second-grade decoction pieces, while for the third-grade decoction pieces, the quality constant shall be <0.209. Conclusion::The grade evaluation method based on quality constant can overcome the shortcomings of traditional evaluation method for decoction pieces, and can realize scientific, objective and simple classification of Polygoni Multiflori Caulis. This study enriches the research data of modern grade evaluation of Polygoni Multiflori Caulis, and provides reference for grade evaluation and market circulation of other decoction pieces.

[Developing spectrum-toxicity relationship with rough set theory for hepatotoxicity material basis of Polygonum multiflorum].

Idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity of Polygonum multiflorum has attracted a great attention in the world. The most toxic part of idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity was screened by MTT assay and flow cytometry, which was the 50% ethanol elute by macroporous adsorptive resins from alcohol-extraction of P. multiflorum. The fingerprints were collected by HPLC from 50% ethanol elute of crude and processed P. multiflorum from different habitats, then 14 common peaks were determined. Spectrum-toxicity relationship was analyzed by rough set theory(RST). Two main chemical components were predicted for idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity, in which TSG was the greater contributor. Idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity of TSG was tested in vitro, and the results indicated that TSG was the most important constituent contributed to idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity of P. multiflorum. The study showed the discovery of the main chemical components for idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity, and RST was effective for analyzing the spectrum-toxicity relationship, which could be a new method used in the effective/toxic constituents field of traditional Chinese medicine.

Developing spectrum-toxicity relationship with rough set theory for hepatotoxicity material basis of Polygonum multiflorum / 中国中药杂志

Idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity of Polygonum multiflorum has attracted a great attention in the world. The most toxic part of idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity was screened by MTT assay and flow cytometry, which was the 50% ethanol elute by macroporous adsorptive resins from alcohol-extraction of P. multiflorum. The fingerprints were collected by HPLC from 50% ethanol elute of crude and processed P. multiflorum from different habitats, then 14 common peaks were determined. Spectrum-toxicity relationship was analyzed by rough set theory(RST). Two main chemical components were predicted for idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity, in which TSG was the greater contributor. Idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity of TSG was tested in vitro, and the results indicated that TSG was the most important constituent contributed to idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity of P. multiflorum. The study showed the discovery of the main chemical components for idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity, and RST was effective for analyzing the spectrum-toxicity relationship, which could be a new method used in the effective/toxic constituents field of traditional Chinese medicine.

Effects of 2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxy-stilbene-2-O-β-D-glycoside on Senile Plaques Formation and Inflammatory Response in APP/PS1 Mice / 中国康复理论与实践

@#Objective To observe the effects of 2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxy-stilbene-2-O-β-D-glycoside (TSG) on formation of senile plaques and beta amyloid (Aβ), as well as activation of microglia and astrocytes, in cortex and hippocampus of APP/PS1 double transgenic mice. Methods A total of 64 five-month-old APP/PS1 mice were randomly divided into model group (n=16), low-dose TSG (0.05 g/kg) group (n=16), high-dose TSG (0.1 g/kg) group (n=16), and donepezil group (n=16); other 32 same age wild type (WT) mice were randomly divided into normal control group (n=16) and high-dose TSG (0.1 g/kg) WT group (n=16). The normal control group and model group were given distilled water, and the other groups were given the corresponding drugs intragastrically. The mice were tested with object recognition test, the deposi-tion of plaques in brain was detected with Congo red staining, and the expression of Aβ40/42, ionized calcium bind-ing adapter molecule 1 (Iba1) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) with immunohistochemistry after seven months of treatment (twelve-month-old). Results Compared with the model group, the discrimination index significantly increased (P<0.01), the deposition of plaques decreased in brain (P<0.05), and the expression of Aβ40/42, Iba1 and GFAP all significantly decreased in each treatment group (P<0.05). Conclusion TSG can improve learning and memory of APP/PS1 transgenic mice, reduce Aβ deposition and senile plaques, and reduce the inflammatory response, even in low-dose, which is similar to that of donepezil.

Three dimensional organoids-based evaluation for hepatotoxicity of the susceptible compound in Polygonum multiflorum Thunb / 药学学报

In this study, the three dimensional(3D)organoid culture system was established by liquid overlay method, and applied as an effective model to evaluate the hepatic injury of susceptible compounds in Polygonum multiflorum Thunb. Compared with the ordinary two dimensional(2D)culture of liver cells, the albumin expression of L02 cells and HepG2 cells were increased by 2.5 and 6.7 times in the 3D organoid culture system, respectively. After the cultivation of 21 days, urea generation levels of 3D culture were increased by 8.3 and 15.5 times. More importantly, HepG2 cells were more suitable to development of organoids than L02 cells. The gene expressions of phase I and II drug metabolism enzymes of HepG2 cells cultured as 3D organoids were significantly increased than that in 2D culture, such as the fold changes of CYP2C9 was up to 381.9, CYP3A4 to 87.0, CYP2D6 to 312.6. In addition, drug transporter relative genes were also up-regulated. The results demonstrated that the liver synthesis and metabolic function of the 3D model were better than that of the 2D cultured hepatocytes. The results of hepatotoxicity evaluation showed this developed model can be used to assess the hepatotoxicity of acetaminophen and other positive control drugs, which were considered with defined hepatotoxicity. On the 3D culture model, the IC50 value of repeated drug dose administration was significantly lower than that of single dose administration. However, the IC50 of 2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxy-cis-stilbene-2-O-β-glucoside(cis-SG), which is the susceptible compound in Polygonum multiflorum Thunb., could not be detected in 2D cultured model. With the treatment of a single dose administration in organ 3D culture model, the IC50 of cis-SG was 1.9 times than that of cyclosporine A, and the IC50 of 2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxy-trans-stilbene-2-O-β-glucoside(trans-SG)was 4.1 times than cis-SG. The hepatotoxicity results of cis-SG and trans-SG on the 3D cultures were similar to in vivo toxicity results obtained in previous work. On organ 3D culture model, the IC50 of cis-SG with repeat of administration decreased compared with that with single dose administration, suggesting that long-term medication may increase the risk of liver injury. In summary, the 3D organoid culture system can be used for a long period to preserve the capacity of liver synthesis and metabolism. The organoids were a model suitable for evaluation of mechanism of the drugs with low toxicity.

Tetrahydroxystilbene Glucoside Inhibits Excessive Autophagy and Improves Microvascular Endothelial Dysfunction in Prehypertensive Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats.

Autophagy exists in vascular endothelial cells, but the relationship between autophagy and blood vessel dysfunction in hypertension remains elusive. This study aimed to investigate role of autophagy in vascular endothelial dysfunction in prehypertension and hypertension and the underlying mechanisms involved. Furthermore, we sought to determine if and how tetrahydroxystilbene glucoside (TSG), a resveratrol analogue and active ingredient of Polygonum multiflorum Thunb used for its cardiovascular protective properties in traditional Chinese medicine, influences vascular endothelial function. Male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) aged 4 weeks (young) and 12 weeks (adult) were studied and the vascular function of isolated aorta and mesenteric artery was assessed in vitro. Compared with Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY), young and adult SHRs showed endothelial dysfunction of the aorta and mesenteric artery, along with decreased pAkt, pmTOR, and autophagic marker protein p62 and increased LC3 II/I in microvascular but not aortic tissues. TSG administration for 14 days significantly improved mesenteric vascular endothelial function, increased levels of pAkt and pmTOR, and decreased autophagy. Pretreatment of young SHRs with the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin blocked the antiautophagic and vasodilative effects of TSG. Moreover, TSG significantly activated Akt-mTOR signaling in HUVECs and reduced the autophagic levels in vitro, which were almost completely blocked by rapamycin. In summary, mesenteric endothelial dysfunction in prehypertensive SHRs was at least partly attributable to excessive autophagy in vascular tissues. TSG partly restored microvascular endothelial dysfunction through activating the Akt/mTOR pathway, which consequently suppressed autophagy, indicating that TSG could be potentially applied to protect vascular function against subclinical changes in prehypertension.

[Recent advances in anti-aging study of 2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside--a main component of Polygonum multiflorum].

Aging is an inevitable process of life caused by a combination of organs and tissues events which manifests as loss of structure and function. It is accompanied with organ hypofunction, decline in defense against stress and energy metabolism, and lots of age-related diseases. Therefore, it is critical to understand the mechanism of aging, as well as to discover new drugs to slow aging. Polygonum multiflorum has long been recognized in traditional Chinese medicine as anti-aging medicine. Interestingly, its extract has been shown to prolong lifespan in drosophila and elegans. Tetrahydroxystilbene glucoside (TSG), the main ingredient of P. multiflorum, shares a strong structural similarity with resveratrol, a well-known anti-aging natural product. This review summarized up-to-date literature reports and our laboratory findings on the mechanism of TSG anti-aging efficiency and function against age-related disease. It could provide reference for searching for anti-aging tradition Chinese medicine.

Influence of metal ions on stability of 2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxy stilbene-2-O-β-D-glucoside contained in Polygoni Multiflori Radix / 药学学报

Decoction is one of the most commonly used dosage forms of traditional Chinese medicine. The stability of chemical constituents in decoction is closely related to the clinical efficacy and safety. There were few reports about the influence of metal ions in the stability of chemical constituents in traditional Chinese medicine. However, there is no evidence that metal ions in decoction water need to be controlled. In this study, 2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxy stilbene-2-O-β-D-glucoside (THSG), one of the main constituents in Polygoni Multiflori Radix was studied. Ordinary tap water, deionized water, and water containing different metal ions were used to investigate and compare the influence on THSG . The results showed that after storage in a dark place at the room temperature for 10 days, the degradation of THSG was 7% in deionized water, while undetectable in tap water. The content of THSG could be decreased by different kinds of metal ions, and the effect was concentration- dependent. Moreover, Fe3+ and Fe2+ showed the greatest influence at the same concentration; and our study has shown that THSG decreased more than 98% in Fe3+ and Fe2+ solutions at 500 ppm concentration. In the same time we found out p-hydroxybenzaldehyde (molecular weight: 122.036 7) and 2,3,5-trihydroxybenzaldehyde-2- O-glycoside (molecular weight: 316.079 4) were the main degradation products of THSG in tap water and water containing Cu2+, Ca2+, Zn2+, Mg2+ and Al3+. The product of THSG dimer with a water molecule was found in water containing Fe3+ and Fe2+. The above results showed that the metal ions in water could significantly influence the stability of THSG in water, indicating that the clinical efficacy and safety of decoction would be affected if the metal ions in water were not under control. It's suggested that deionized water should be used in the preparation of decoction containing Polygoni Multiflori Radix in the clinic to avoid degradation of THSG. Meanwhile, decoction prepared by tap water should be taken by patients in a short time. Our investigation provides important information and reference about the influence of metal ions on the stability of decoctions in other traditional Chinese medicine that have unstable groups such as hydroxyls and unsaturated bonds, etc.

Recent advances in anti-aging study of 2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside--a main component of Polygonum multiflorum / 中国中药杂志

Aging is an inevitable process of life caused by a combination of organs and tissues events which manifests as loss of structure and function. It is accompanied with organ hypofunction, decline in defense against stress and energy metabolism, and lots of age-related diseases. Therefore, it is critical to understand the mechanism of aging, as well as to discover new drugs to slow aging. Polygonum multiflorum has long been recognized in traditional Chinese medicine as anti-aging medicine. Interestingly, its extract has been shown to prolong lifespan in drosophila and elegans. Tetrahydroxystilbene glucoside (TSG), the main ingredient of P. multiflorum, shares a strong structural similarity with resveratrol, a well-known anti-aging natural product. This review summarized up-to-date literature reports and our laboratory findings on the mechanism of TSG anti-aging efficiency and function against age-related disease. It could provide reference for searching for anti-aging tradition Chinese medicine.