Strain Self-Adaptive Iron Selenides Toward Stable Na+ -Ion Batteries with Impressive Initial Coulombic Efficiency.

High tap density electrodes play a vital role in developing rechargeable batteries with high volumetric capacities, however, developing advanced electrodes with satisfied capacity, excellent structural stability, and achieving the resulted batteries with a high initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE) and good rate capability with long lifespan simultaneously, are still an intractable challenge. Herein, an ultrahigh ICE of 94.1% and stable cycling of carbon-free iron selenides anode is enabled with a high tap density of 2.57 g cm-3 up to 4000 cycles at 5 A g-1 through strain-modulating by constructing a homologous heterostructure. Systematical characterization and theoretical calculation show that the self-adaptive homologous heterointerface alleviates the stress of the iron selenide anodes during cycling processes and subsequently improves the stability of the assembled batteries. Additionally, the well-formed homologous heterostructure also contributes to the rapid Na+ diffusion kinetic, increased charge transfer, and good reversibility of the transformation reactions, endowing the appealing rate capability of carbon-free iron selenides. The proposed design strategy provides new insight and inspiration to aid in the ongoing quest for advanced electrode materials with high tap densities and excellent stability.

Non-linear associations of circulating total bilirubin concentration with the risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and all-cause mortality.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Accumulating evidence has supported that mild elevated total bilirubin exerts antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in multiple metabolic diseases. We aimed to explore the association of circulating total bilirubin concentration with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) risk and all-cause mortality and examine the potential nonlinear relationships between them. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We used nationally representative data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). NAFLD was assessed using the fatty liver index (FLI) and United States fatty liver index (USFLI), respectively. RESULTS: A total of 35 912 and 17 329 participants were included in FLI-NAFLD (case with NAFLD was diagnosed by FLI) and USFLI-NAFLD (case with NAFLD was diagnosed by USFLI) groups, respectively. The mean age of total population was 46.25 years, and 48.51% were male. Compared to participants with lowest quintile of total bilirubin concentration, those with highest quintile had lower risk of NAFLD in both FLI-NAFLD (OR: 0.48, 95% CI: 0.40, 0.59) and USFLI-NAFLD (OR: 0.55, 95% CI: 0.43, 0.70) groups. Compared to participants with lowest quintile of total bilirubin concentration, the association between total bilirubin concentration and all-cause mortality was not significant among those with highest quintile of total bilirubin concentration (HR: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.66, 1.20). The restricted spline curves showed the nonlinear U-shaped association of total bilirubin concentration with NAFLD risk and all-cause mortality. The segmented linear regression analysis showed negative associations between total bilirubin concentration and risk of NAFLD in both FLI-NAFLD (OR: 0.94, 95% CI: 0.93, 0.95) and USFLI-NAFLD (OR: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.93, 0.96) groups when total bilirubin concentration was below the turning point (FLI-NAFLD: 18.81 µmol/L; USFLI-NAFLD: 15.39 µmol/L) and these associations were not significant when total bilirubin concentration was higher than the turning point. Furthermore, all-cause mortality decreased (OR: 0.97, 95%CI: 0.95, 1.00) with increased total bilirubin concentration up to the turning point (11.97 µmol/L), and then all-cause mortality increased with increasing total bilirubin concentration (OR: 1.03, 95%CI: 1.02, 1.04). CONCLUSIONS: We found that higher circulating total bilirubin concentration within the physiological range was associated with decreased risk of NAFLD and all-cause mortality among NAFLD patients.

Preparation, Characterization, and Antioxidant Activities of Extracts from Amygdalus persica L. Flowers.

A novel water-soluble Amygdalus persica L. flowers polysaccharide (APL) was successfully isolated and purified from Amygdalus persica L. flowers by hot water extraction. Its chemical components and structure were analyzed by IR, GC-MS, and HPLC. APL consisted of rhamnose, arabinose, mannose and glucose in a molar ratio of 0.17:0.034:1.0:0.17 with an average molecular weight of approximately 208.53 kDa and 15.19 kDa. The antioxidant activity of APL was evaluated through radical scavenging assays using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), Hydroxyl radical scavenging, Superoxide radical scavenging, and the reducing power activity was also determined in vitro. Besides, in vivo antioxidant experiment, zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos were treated with different concentrations of APL and then exposed to LPS to induce oxidative stress. Treatment with APL at 50 or 100 µg/mL significantly reduced LPS-induced oxidative stress in the zebrafish, demonstrating the strong antioxidant activity of APL. Moreover, the effect of APL on zebrafish depigmentation was tested by analyzing the tyrosinase activity and melanin content of zebrafish embryos. APL showed a potential reduction in the total melanin content and tyrosinase activity after treatment. This work provided important information for developing a potential natural antioxidant in the field of cosmetics and food.

High-Resistant Starch, Low-Protein Flour Intervention on Patients With Early Type 2 Diabetic Nephropathy: A Randomized Trial.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to explore the effect of high-resistant starch (RS), low-protein flour as a source of RS on patients with early type 2 diabetic nephropathy (DN) through the clinical intervention trial. DESIGN: This was a single center, randomized, comparative, open-label trial. Seventy-five patients with early DN, aged 18 to 80 y, were recruited and randomly assigned to two groups. During the 12-week intervention, the control group patients (38 cases) followed protein-restriction diet daily with a common staple. The intervention group (37 cases) received 50 g of high-RS, low-protein flour instead of a common staple of equal quality at lunch and dinner each day. The blood glucose, blood lipids, nutritional parameters, indicators of renal function, oxidative stress, and inflammatory markers were measured. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, high-RS, low-protein flour intake led to a significant reduction in fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, total cholesterol, and triglycerides levels (P < .05 for all). The changes in serum uric acid (UA) and ß2-microglobulin (ß2-MG) level were observed after high-RS, low-protein flour intervention (uric acid [mean ± standard deviation]: -24.7 ± 38.5 µmol/L, P = .001; ß2-MG: 0.5 ± 0.9 mg/L, P = 0.018). In addition, high-RS, low-protein flour intake increased serum superoxide dismutase level by 10.1 ± 27.7 U/mL (P < .05); however, it did not change the interleukin-6 and Tumor Necrosis Factor α (TNF-α) concentration. CONCLUSIONS: Twelve-week intervention with high-RS, low-protein flour improved the blood glucose and blood lipid levels, decreased the serum uric acid (UA) and urine ß2-MG, and enhanced the ability to prevent antioxidative stress in patients with early DN.

ACE2 and Ang-(1-7) protect endothelial cell function and prevent early atherosclerosis by inhibiting inflammatory response.

BACKGROUND: Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is a counter-regulator against ACE by converting angiotensin II (Ang-II) to Ang-(1-7), but the effect of ACE2 and Ang-(1-7) on endothelial cell function and atherosclerotic evolution is unknown. We hypothesized that ACE2 overexpression and Ang-(1-7) may protect endothelial cell function by counterregulation of angiotensin II signaling and inhibition of inflammatory response. METHODS: We used a recombinant adenovirus vector to locally overexpress ACE2 gene (Ad-ACE2) in human endothelial cells in vitro and in apoE-deficient mice in vivo. The Ang II-induced MCP-1, VCAM-1 and E-selectin expression, endothelial cell migration and adhesion of human monocytic cells (U-937) to HUVECs by ACE2 gene transfer were evaluated in vitro. Accelerated atherosclerosis was studied in vivo, and atherosclerosis was induced in apoE-deficient mice which were divided randomly into four groups that received respectively a ACE2 gene transfer, Ad-ACE2, Ad-EGFP, Ad-ACE2 + A779, an Ang-(1-7) receptor antagonist, control group. After a gene transfer for 4 weeks, atherosclerotic pathology was evaluated. RESULTS: ACE2 gene transfer not only promoted HUVECs migration, inhibited adhesion of monocyte to HUVECs and decreased Ang II-induced MCP-1, VCAM-1 and E-selectin protein production in vitro, but also decreased the level of MCP-1, VCAM-1 and interleukin 6 and inhibit atherosclerotic plaque evolution in vivo. Further, administration of A779 increased the level of MCP-1, VCAM-1 and interleukin 6 in vivo and led to further advancements in atherosclerotic extent. CONCLUSIONS: ACE2 and Ang-(1-7) significantly inhibit early atherosclerotic lesion formation via protection of endothelial function and inhibition of inflammatory response.

Polyethyleneimine-mediated assembly of DNA nanotubes for KRAS siRNA delivery in lung adenocarcinoma therapy.

Self-assembled DNA nanostructures hold great promise in biosensing, drug delivery and nanomedicine. Nevertheless, challenges like instability and inefficiency in cellular uptake of DNA nanostructures under physiological conditions limit their practical use. To tackle these obstacles, this study proposes a novel approach that integrates the cationic polymer polyethyleneimine (PEI) with DNA self-assembly. The hypothesis is that the positively charged linear PEI can facilitate the self-assembly of DNA nanostructures, safeguard them against harsh conditions and impart them with the cellular penetration characteristic of PEI. As a demonstration, a DNA nanotube (PNT) was successfully synthesized through PEI mediation, and it exhibited significantly enhanced stability and cellular uptake efficiency compared to conventional Mg2+-assembled DNA nanotubes. The internalization mechanism was further found to be both clathrin-mediated and caveolin-mediated endocytosis, influenced by both PEI and DNA. To showcase the applicability of this hybrid nanostructure for biomedical settings, the KRAS siRNA-loaded PNT was efficiently delivered into lung adenocarcinoma cells, leading to excellent anticancer effects in vitro. These findings suggest that the PEI-mediated DNA assembly could become a valuable tool for future biomedical applications.

Psychological responses and dietary changes of residents during the local outbreak of COVID-19 in the post-epidemic era: A cross-sectional study.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a dramatic impact on the psychological state and dietary behavior of individuals. Many previous studies have discussed the psychological and dietary problems during the first COVID-19 pandemic. However, few papers have discussed them during the local COVID-19 outbreak in the post-epidemic era. To explore the psychological responses and the influencing factors, dietary changes and the relationship with psychological responses during the local COVID-19 outbreak in the post-epidemic era. Methods: A total 3790 residents were surveyed by online questionnaire to collect information about social demography, health status, local outbreak related information, lifestyle changes, anxiety and depression. Binary logistic regression was used to discuss the influencing factors of anxiety and depression. Kendall tau-b correlation coefficient was used to discuss the relationship between anxiety, depression and dietary changes. Self-perceived physical condition, chronic disease, lockdown or quarantine, fear of COVID-19, changes in smoking, drinking and physical activity were the influencing factors of anxiety and depression. The top 3 foods with increased intake were drinking water, fresh fruits and fresh vegetables, while the top 3 foods with reduced intake were puffed foods, fried foods and sugary foods. Dietary changes were correlated with generalized anxiety disorder-7 and patient health questionnaire-9 scores. These findings provide experience and clues for local governments to improve the psychological status and dietary habits of residents during the local COVID-19 outbreak in the post-pandemic era.

Engineering the Surface Properties of DNA Nanostructures by Tuning the Valency of Assembling Species for Biomedical Applications.

Self-assembled DNA nanostructures hold great potentials in biomedical applications. Nevertheless, the negatively charged DNA backbone and susceptivity to enzyme degradation pose challenges to this regard. Engineering the surface properties of DNA nanostructures by assembling DNA with guest molecules in magnesium-free system is promising to solve these issues. In this study, the polyamines-mediated DNA self-assembly with an emphasis on the valency of polyamines is investigated. Both spermine, spermidine, and putrescine can assemble DNA tetrahedron under appropriate concentrations. The cytotoxicity and cellular uptake efficiencies vary with the polyamine valency. Compared with magnesium-assembled DNA tetrahedron, polyamine-assembled DNA tetrahedron exhibits higher cellular uptake efficiency and serum stability. Circular dichroism spectrum results indicate that polyamines induce DNA conformation slightly shifting from B form to A form. The improved performances of polyamine-assembled DNA tetrahedrons under physiological settings are attributed to the surface properties that altered by guest molecules polyamine. The current study suggests that engineering the surface properties of DNA nanostructures by assembling them with guest cationic species is promising to further their biomedical applications.

(Pro)renin receptor involves in myocardial fibrosis and oxidative stress in diabetic cardiomyopathy via the PRR-YAP pathway.

(Pro)renin receptor (PRR) and Yes-associated protein (YAP) play an important role in cardiovascular diseases. However, the role of PRR-YAP pathway in the pathogenesis of DCM is also not clear. We hypothesized that PRR-YAP pathway may promote pathological injuries in DCM by triggering redox. Wistar rats and neonatal rat cardiac fibroblasts were respectively used in vivo and in vitro studies. In order to observe the effects of PRR mediated YAP pathway on the pathogenesis of DCM, animal experiments were divided into 3 parts, including the evaluation the effects of PRR overexpression, PRR RNAi silencing and YAP RNAi silencing. Recombinant-adenoviruses-carried-PRR-gene (Ad-PRR), Ad-PRR-shRNA and lentivirus-carried-YAP-shRNA were constructed and the effects of PRR mediated YAP on the pathogenesis of DCM were evaluated. YAP specific inhibitor Verteporfin was also administrated in cardiac fibroblasts to explore the impact of PRR-YAP pathway on oxidative stress and myocardial fibrosis. The results displayed that PRR overexpression could enhance YAP expression but PRR RNAi silencing down-regulated its expression. Moreover, PRR overexpression could exacerbate oxidative stress and myocardial fibrosis in DCM, and these pathological changes could be rescued by YAP blockade. We concluded that PRR-YAP pathway plays a key role in the pathogenesis of DCM.

Effects of Vitamin D Supplementation in Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

CONTEXT: Vitamin D (VD) has been found to play a key role in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This meta-analysis explored the effects of VD supplementation in patients with NAFLD. METHODS: The PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library databases were searched to find randomized control trials (RCTs) that measured the changes between the VD supplement group and the control group until May 2019. Standard mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) was calculated when data units were different, otherwise weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% CI was calculated. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 statistic. RESULTS: Eight RCTs with 624 individuals were extracted. The main indicators, including serum alanine aminotransferase (WMD = -0.052; 95% CI: -3.740, 3.636; P = 0.978) and aspartate aminotransferase concentrations (WMD = -0.479; 95% CI: -2.791, 1.833; P = 0.685) were not significantly different between the intervention and placebo groups. In addition, no significant intergroup difference was observed in the following secondary indicators: fasting blood glucose (WMD = 0.466; 95% CI: -5.313, -10.879; P = 0.061), homeostasis model assessment (WMD = 0.380, 95% CI: -0.162, 0.923; P = 0.169), serum insulin concentration (WMD = 0.760; 95% CI: -0.532, 2.052; P = 0.249), high-density lipoprotein (WMD = -0.012; 95% CI: -0.188, 0.164; P = 0.891), and low-density lipoprotein (WMD = -0.115; 95% CI: -3.849, -3.620; P = 0.952). CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that VD supplementation does not improve liver enzymes, insulin resistance, glucose metabolism parameters, and lipid levels in patients with NAFLD.

[Overexpression of angiotensin converting enzyme 2 inhibits inflammatory response of atherosclerotic plaques in hypercholesterolemic rabbits].

OBJECTIVE: Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) efficiently hydrolyses the potent vasoconstrictor angiotensin II to vasodilative angiotensin (1-7). We hypothesized that ACE2 overexpression may inhibit inflammation response in atherosclerotic plaque by degrading Ang II into Ang-(1-7). METHODS: Atherosclerosis (AS) plaques were induced in the abdominal aorta of 38 rabbits by endothelial injury and atherogenic diet for 3 months. Rabbits were then underwent injection of a recombinant adenovirus (2.5 x 10(9) pfu/ml) carrying a murine ACE2 gene (Ad-ACE2) through a catheter into the abdominal aortic segments rich in plaques (n = 19) or injection of a control vector Ad-EGFP (n = 19). One month later, all rabbits were sacrificed and plaques from aortic segments were analyzed. RESULTS: ACE2 expression in aortic tissues of the Ad-ACE2 group were confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Macrophage infiltration (13.6% +/- 4.2% vs. 23.6% +/- 6.9%, P < 0.01) and MCP-1 expression (13.2% +/- 0.4% vs. 25.0% +/- 7.4%, P < 0.01) were significantly reduced in Ad-ACE2 group compared to Ad-EGFP group. CONCLUSIONS: Overexpression of ACE2 inhibited atherosclerotic plaque inflammation response in hypercholesterolemic rabbits.

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of Radix Astragali products by fast high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry through dynamic adjustment of fragmentor voltage.

A novel fast high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method coupled with diode array detection (DAD) and time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF/MS) was developed for qualitative and quantitative analysis of Radix Astragali products. The potential of fast HPLC on 1.8-microm particles was compared with the performance of HPLC on conventional 5-microm particles columns. Significant advantages of fast HPLC include high-speed chromatographic separation, four times faster than HPLC with conventional columns, and great enhancement in sensitivity with limits of detection low to 0.001 ng. With dynamic adjustment of fragmentor voltage in TOF/MS, an efficient transmission of the ions was achieved to obtain the best sensitivity and abundant fragmentation. By accurate mass measurements within 5 ppm error for each molecular ion and subsequent fragment ions, a reliable identification and differentiation of six major saponins including two groups of isomers and twelve main isoflavonoids was described here for the first time. For quantitative analysis by fast HPLC-TOF/MS, linearity of response over two orders of magnitude was demonstrated (r(2)>0.99) for all analytes. Intra-day reproducibility was below 3% RSD and inter-day values were below 5% RSD. A good correlation (slope=1.1108, r(2)=0.9853) was observed for accuracy test. It is concluded that the fast and sensitive HPLC-DAD-TOF/MS is powerful in qualitative and quantitative analysis of complex herbal medicines in terms of time savings, sensitivity, selectivity, precision, accuracy as well as increasing sample throughout and lowering solvent consumption.

Structural-Activity Relationship of Ginsenosides from Steamed Ginseng in the Treatment of Erectile Dysfunction.

Ginseng has been reported to have diverse pharmacological effects. One of the therapeutic claims for ginseng is to enhance sexual function. Ginsenosides are considered as the major active constituents. A steaming process can alter the ginsenoside profile of ginseng products. The structure-function relationship of ginsenosides in the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) has not been investigated yet. In this work, 15 different processed ginsengs are produced by steaming, and 13 major ginsensosides are quantified by liquid chromatography with UV detection, including Rg1, Re, Rf, Rb1, Rc, Rb2, Rf, Rk3, Rh4, 20S-Rg3, 20R-Rg3, Rk1, and Rg5. Their anti-ED activities are screened using hydrocortisone-induced mice model (Kidney Yang Deficiency Syndrome in Chinese Medicine) and primary corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells (CCSMCs). A processed ginseng with steaming treatment at 120[Formula: see text]C for 4[Formula: see text]h and five times possesses abundant ginsenosides Rk1, Rk3, Rh4 and Rg5 transformed via deglycosylation and dehydroxylation, and produces optimal activity against ED. The number of sugar molecules, structure of hydroxyl groups and stereoselectivity in ginsenosides affect their anti-ED activity. Among the 13 ginsenosides, Rk1, Rk3, Rh4 and Rg5 are the most efficient in decreasing intracellular calcium levels by inhibiting phosphodiesterase 5A (PDE5A) to reduce the degradation of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) in CCSMCs. Rg5 also restrain hypoxia inducible factor-1[Formula: see text] (HIF-1[Formula: see text] expression in hypoxia state, and increase endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression in isolated rat cavernous tissue. These observations suggest a role for steamed ginseng containing two pairs of geometric isomers (i.e., Rk1/Rg5 and Rk3/Rh4) in the treatment of ED.

Comparison of Immunomodulatory Effects of Fresh Garlic and Black Garlic Polysaccharides on RAW 264.7 Macrophages.

Garlic has a long history to be used for medicine and food purposes. Black garlic, the fermented product of fresh garlic, is considered with better biological activities, such as antioxidant activity, and is developed as an increasingly popular functional food. Polysaccharides are the major components of fresh and black garlic, and immunomodulatory activity is one major pharmacological effect of polysaccharides. Therefore, chemical characteristics and immunomodulatory effects of polysaccharides from fresh and black garlic are investigated and compared in vitro for the 1st time, in order to reveal their molecular and pharmacological differences. It is demonstrated that the molecular weights of polysaccharides from the 2 sources and molar ratios of monosaccharides after acid hydrolysis are greatly variant. The effects of polysaccharides from 2 sources on RAW 264.7 macrophages functions, including promotion of phagocytosis, release of NO, and expressions of several immune-related cytokines (including interleukin [IL]-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and interferon gamma), were different from each other. The results indicated that fresh garlic polysaccharide exhibited stronger immunomodulatory activities than that of black garlic. Moreover, it is revealed that fructan might be the bioactive component in garlic and it is indicated that during the fermentation treatment, fructan constituents of garlic has degraded, and basically no immunomodulatory effect can be found in black garlic polysaccharides.

Quality evaluation of Radix Astragali through a simultaneous determination of six major active isoflavonoids and four main saponins by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array and evaporative light scattering detectors.

A method, high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array and evaporative light scattering detectors (HPLC-DAD-ELSD), was developed to evaluate the quality of Radix Astragali through a simultaneous determination of six major active isoflavonoids and four main saponins. The wavelength at 280 nm was chosen to determine six isoflavonoids: calycosin-7-O-beta-D-glucoside (1), ononin (2), (6alphaR, 11alphaR)-9,10-dimethoxypterocarpan-3-O-beta-D-glucoside (3), (3R)-2'-hydroxy-3',4'-dimethoxyisoflavan-7-O-beta-D-glucoside (4), calycosin (5), and formononetin (6); and ELSD connected after DAD was employed to determine four saponins: astragaloside IV (7), astragaloside II (8), astragaloside I (9), and acetylastragaloside I (10). This assay was fully validated with respect to precision, repeatability and accuracy. The proposed method was successfully applied to quantify the ten components in eleven samples from different localities in China; significant variations were demonstrated in the content of these compounds in the samples from different areas. This simple, rapid, low-cost and reliable HPLC-DAD-ELSD method is suitable for routine quantitative analysis and quality control of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) consisting of bioactive multi-components with different structures such as Radix Astragali.

Distinct urine metabolome after Asian ginseng and American ginseng intervention based on GC-MS metabolomics approach.

Ginseng occupies a prominent position in the list of best-selling natural products worldwide. Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng) and American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) show different properties and medicinal applications in pharmacology, even though the main active constituents of them are both thought to be ginsenosides. Metabolomics is a promising method to profile entire endogenous metabolites and monitor their fluctuations related to exogenous stimulus. Herein, an untargeted metabolomics approach was applied to study the overall urine metabolic differences between Asian ginseng and American ginseng in mice. Metabolomics analyses were performed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) together with multivariate statistical data analysis. A total of 21 metabolites related to D-glutamine and D-glutamate metabolism, glutathione metabolism, TCA cycle and glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism, differed significantly under the Asian ginseng treatment; 34 metabolites mainly associated with glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism, TCA cycle and taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, were significantly altered after American ginseng treatment. Urinary metabolomics reveal that Asian ginseng and American ginseng can benefit organism physiological and biological functions via regulating multiple metabolic pathways. The important pathways identified from Asian ginseng and American ginseng can also help to explore new therapeutic effects or action targets so as to broad application of these two ginsengs.

Integrated evaluation of malonyl ginsenosides, amino acids and polysaccharides in fresh and processed ginseng.

Many analytical methods have been developed to characterize ginsenosides in ginseng. Relatively less attention has been paid to the malonyl ginsenosides, amino acids and polysaccharides in various processing ginsengs. In this study, malonyl ginsenosides were characterized by LC-Q-TOF/MS. In positive mode, the most abundant ions at m/z 425.38 were observed corresponding to the protopanoxadiol-type ginsenosides. A rich diagnostic ion at 835.48 was shown representing the malonyl ginsenosides with at least two glucosides. Twelve malonyl ginsenosides were rapidly screened using 835.48-835.49 to restructure ion chromatograms. In negative mode, besides the high deprotonated ion, a neutral loss of 44 Da (CO2) was found. High-energy collision-induced dissociation at 50 V produced the most abundant product ion [M-H-malonyl](-) by a neutral loss of 86 Da. Determination of 17 common amino acids was performed on an automatic amino acid analyzer. Arginine, glutamic acid, and aspartic acid were abundant. The contents of amino acids were 9.1% in fresh ginseng and 3.1% in black ginseng. Phenol-sulfuric acid method was applied to analysis of polysaccharides. The contents of polysaccharides were 29.1% in fresh ginseng and 11.1% in black ginseng. The optimal growth age for the accumulation of constituents was supposed to be 5-6 years. In conclusion, the contents of malonyl ginsenosides, amino acids, and polysaccharides, based on decreasing order, ranked as follows: fresh ginseng>frozen ginseng>white ginseng>stoved ginseng>red ginseng>black ginseng. Processing should be paid more attention for the quality control of ginseng products.

Application of high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry for analysis and quality control of Radix Astragali and its preparations.

A high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-TOF-MS) method has been developed for qualitative and quantitative analysis of isoflavonoids and saponins, as well as for the quality control of Radix Astragali and its preparations. The selectivity, reproducibility and sensitivity are compared with HPLC with diode array detection (DAD) and evaporative light scattering detection (ELSD). Limits of detection and quantification fell in ranges of 9-40 and 23-103 ng/mL for 13 analytes with a injection of 10 microL samples, and all calibration curves showed good linear regression (r(2)>0.9938) within the test range. The assay was successfully utilized to analyze the 13 marker components in 20 samples of Radix Astragali products. The quantitative results demonstrated that samples from different localities and manufacturers showed different quality. Advantages, in comparison with conventional HPLC-DAD-ELSD, are that reliable identification of target compounds could be achieved by accurate mass measurements (<3 ppm) along with characteristic retention time, extracted ions chromatograms using a narrow mass window for quantification ensure that the chromatographic peaks are free from background or co-elutes interference, and the great enhancement in selectivity and sensitivity allows identification and quantification of low levels of constituents in complex Radix Astragali matrixes.

Determination of nine active components in Radix Hedysari and Radix Astragali using capillary HPLC with diode array detection and MS detection.

A capillary HPLC (cHPLC) coupled with diode array detection (DAD) and MS method was developed for the simultaneously qualitative and quantitative determination of nine components, namely vanillic acid, calycosin-7-O-beta-D-glucoside, (6alphaR,11alphaR)-9,10-dimethoxypterocarpan-3-O-beta-D-glucoside, ononin, calycosin, (3R)-2'-hydroxy-3',4'-dimethoxyisoflavan-7-O-beta-D-glucoside, isoliquiritigenin, formononetin, (3R)-8,2'-dihydroxy-7,4'-dimethoxyisoflavan, in Radix Hedysari (Hongqi) and Radix Astragali (Huangqi). Simultaneous separation of these nine compounds was achieved on a Zorbax C18 microcolumn (5 microm, 150 x 0.3 mm). The mobile phase consisted of (A) 0.3% aqueous formic acid and (B) ACN with a gradient elution. The identification of nine compounds in both Hongqi and Huangqi was confirmed by TOF-MS. All calibration curves showed good linearity (R(2) >0.998) within test ranges. This method showed good repeatability for the quantification of these nine components in Hongqi and Huangqi with intra- and inter-day variations of less than 1.89 and 3.13%, respectively. The validated method was successfully applied to quantify nine investigated components in eighteen samples of Hongqi and Huangqi. Hierarchical cluster analysis of 18 samples was performed using the peak area of nine analytes on cHPLC chromatograms. The result showed that Hongqi and Huangqi are significantly different, though the two species of Astragalus are very similar.

Screening and identification of potential bioactive components in a combined prescription of Danggui Buxue decoction using cell extraction coupled with high performance liquid chromatography.

A cell extraction coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis has been developed to screen the potential bioactive components in combined prescription of Danggui Buxue decoction. The method was validated by using HL-7702 cells, RAW 264.7 cells and Caco-2 cell extraction. According to the hypothesis that, when cells are incubated together with the extract of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs), the potential bioactive compounds in the extract should selectively combine with the cells, cell-combining compounds were analyzed by HPLC-diode array-evaporative light scattering detectors. Their structures were elucidated in comparison with available reference compounds, and further confirmed by HPLC-electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry with accurate mass measurement. The results demonstrated that nine compounds were combined with the HL-7702 cells, seven with RAW 264.7 cells, and thirteen with the Caco-2 cell line. In view of the two key steps of drugs action, absorption by intestinal epithelium cells and interaction with target cells, this rapid and reliable method could be utilized to predict the bioactive constituents in TCMs, and it was in agreement with the characteristics of combined prescriptions of TCMs as multi-components, multi-target sites and multi-channel actions.