Rapid identification and determination of adulteration in medicinal Arnebiae Radix by combining near infrared spectroscopy with chemometrics.

The medicinal Arnebia Radix (AR) is one of widely-used Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs), usually adulterated with non-medicinal species that seriously compromise the quality of AR and affect patients' health. Detection of these adulterants is usually performed by using expensive and time-consuming analytical instruments. In this study, a rapid, non-destructive, and effective method was proposed to identify and determine the adulteration in the medicinal AR by near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy coupled with chemometrics. 37 batches of medicinal AR samples originated from Arnebia euchroma (Royle) Johnst., 11 batches of non-medicinal AR samples including Onosma paniculatum Bur. et Franch and Arnebia benthamii (Wall. ex G. Don) Johnston, and 72 batches of adulterated AR samples were characterized by NIR spectroscopy. The data driven-soft independent modeling by class analogy (DD-SIMCA) and partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) were separately used to differentiate the authentic from adulterated AR samples. Then the PLS and support vector machine (SVM) were applied to predict the concentration of the adulteration in the adulterated AR samples, respectively. As a result, the classification accuracies of DD-SIMCA and PLS-DA models were 100% for the calibration set, and 96.7% vs. 100% for the prediction set. Moreover, the relative prediction deviation (RPD) values of PLS models reached 11.38 and 7.75 for quantifying two adulterants species, which were obviously superior to the SVM models. It can be concluded that the NIR spectroscopy coupled with chemometrics is feasible to identify the authentic from adulterated AR samples and quantify the adulteration in adulterated AR samples.

Microsatellite marker-based analysis of the genetic diversity and population structure of three Arnebiae Radix in western China.

Arnebiae Radix is an important medicinal and perennial herb found in Western China, particularly in the Xinjiang region. However, the assessment, utilization and conservation of Arnebiae Radix resources are still unexplored. In this study, we evaluated the genetic diversity of three Arnebiae Radix populations across 47 regions (Ae = 16, Ag = 16, Ad = 15) in Xinjiang, China, using inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) molecular markers. In total, 48 alleles were amplified by six pairs of primers screened with ISSR markers. The average number of effective alleles (Ne) was 1.5770. The percentage of interspecific genetic polymorphisms in A. guttata (Ag = 89.58 %) was greater than that in A. euchroma. and A. decumbens (Ae = Ad = 87.50 %). Intraspecific genetic polymorphisms, Bo Le (BL) population of A. euchroma exhibited the highest percentage of polymorphic bands (PPB% =58.33 %, Na = 1.313, Ne = 1.467, I = 0.0.366, H = 0.255), which indicated high genetic diversity. In contrast, the Tuo Li (TL) population of A. guttata had the lowest values for these parameters (PPB% =0.00 %, Na = 0.313, Ne = 1,000, I = 0.000, H = 0.000). The Arnebiae Radix germplasms were classified into two major groups (I and II) based on UPGMA cluster analysis (Fig. 8a) and principal coordinate analysis (PCOA). In addition, A. decumbens is placed in a separate category due to its high differentiation coefficient. The AMOVA and genetic differentiation coefficient results indicated that the genetic variation in Arnebiae Radix was predominantly due to intrapopulation differences (78 %). Additionally, the gene flow index (Nm) between populations was 2.4128, which further indicated that the genetic diversity of Arnebiae Radix was greater at the intrapopulation level. The destruction of the ecological environment leads to the continuous reduction and degradation of the genetic diversity of Arnebiae Radix germplasm resources. In this study, we used ISSR molecular markers to analyze the genetic diversity and relatedness of Arnebiae Radix, which revealed the genetic relationship of Arnebiae Radix germplasm resources at the molecular level and provided a scientific basis for future research on selecting and breeding good varieties, evaluating the quality of Arnebiae Radix, and conserving and utilizing its resources.

Systematical targeted multicomponent characterization and comparison of Arnebiae Radix and its three confusing species by offline two-dimensional liquid chromatography/LTQ-Orbitrap mass spectrometry.

Arnebiae Radix, commonly known as "Zicao," can be easily confused with other compounding species, posing challenges for its clinical use. Here, we developed a comprehensive strategy to systematically characterize the diverse components across Arnebiae Radix and its three confusing species. First, an offline two-dimensional liquid chromatography (2D-LC) system integrating hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) and reverse phase (RP) separations was established, enabling effective separation and detection of more trace constituents. Second, a polygonal mass defect filtering (MDF) workflow was implemented to screen target ions and generate a precursor ion list (PIL) to guide multistage mass (MSn) data acquisition. Third, a three-step characterization strategy utilizing diagnostic ions and neutral losses was developed for rapid determination of molecular formulas, structure classes, and compound identification. This approach enabled systematic characterization of Arnebiae Radix and its three confusing species, with 437 components characterized including 112 shikonins, 22 shikonfurans, 144 phenolic acids, 131 glycosides, 18 flavonoids, and 10 other compounds. Additionally, 361, 230, 340, and 328 components were identified from RZC, YZC, DZC, and ZZC, respectively, with 142 common components and 30 characteristic components that may serve as potential markers for distinguishing the four species. In summary, this is the first comprehensive characterization and comparison of the phytochemical profiles of Arnebiae Radix and its three confusing species, advancing our understanding of this herbal medicine for quality control.

Research progress of traditional external preparations and novel nanoformulations of Arnebiae Radix / 中国药房

Arnebiae Radix is used widely in TCM external treatment. It has obvious curative effect on skin diseases， wound infection and local inflammation， and is used to treat water and fire burns， skin ulcers， eczema， psoriasis， vitiligo and atopic dermatitis， etc. The clinical and commercial preparations mainly include ointment， liniment and suppository. Modern research has proved that microcapsules， nano-micelles， nanofiber membranes， nanogels and other novel nanoformulations can significantly improve the stability of drug-effective substances， improve local drug concentration and targeting， and perform sound drug release properties in vitro. This paper reviews the variety and application of Arnebiae Radix traditional preparations for external use and the research progress of novel nanoformulations of Arnebiae Radix， from which we prospect to provide some valuable references for the future application and development of Arnebiae Radix external preparations.

Study on active components and mechanism of shikonin in prevention and treatment of blood heat syndrome / 中国药理学通报

Aim To systematically evaluate the heat-clearing mechanism of Arnebiae Radix on two mouse models of blood heat syndrome. Methods The drug-forming molecules were screened by comprehensive network pharmacology methods, and the correlation between drug efficacy and related factors and targets was evaluated on the mouse model of short effect blood heat syndrome constructed by 2, 4-dinitrophenol (DNP) and the mouse model of severe blood heat syndrome (heat stroke) constructed by high temperature combined with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Results A total of 277 shikonin related targets were collected, mainly involving biological processes such as inflammatory reaction, oxidation reaction and coagulation reaction. Shikonin, a representative compound, significantly improved the main syndromes of mice with blood heat syndrome, reduced the levels of inflammatory factors IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in the two models, and reduced the contents of oxidative damage indexes LPO and MDA, and the two showed correlation. The main mechanism was to inhibit the expression of NF-ΚB p65 and up-regulate the expression of Nrf2. Conclusions Shikonin plays a pharmacological role in the prevention and treatment of blood heat syndrome by inhibiting inflammation and improving antioxidant capacity, which provides a pharmacological basis for shikonin in the prevention and treatment of blood heat syndrome.

Screening and characterization estrogen receptor ligands from Arnebia euchroma (Royle) Johnst. via affinity ultrafiltration LC-MS and molecular docking.

Arnebiae Radix (dried root of Arnebia euchroma (Royle) Johnst.) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) used to treat macular eruptions, measles, sore throat, carbuncles, burns, skin ulcers, and inflammations. The Arnebiae Radix extract can exert anti-breast cancer effects through various mechanisms of action. This study aimed to rapidly screen potential estrogen receptor (estrogen receptor α and estrogen receptor ß) ligands from the Arnebiae Radix extract. In this study, an analytical method based on affinity ultrafiltration coupled with UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometry was established for rapidly screening and identifying estrogen receptor ligands. Then, bindings of the components to the active site of estrogen receptor (estrogen receptor α and estrogen receptor ß) were investigated via molecular docking. Moreover, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) experiments with six compounds were performed to verify the affinity. As a result, a total of 21 ligands were screened from Arnebiae Radix using affinity ultrafiltration. Among them, 14 and 10 compounds from Arnebiae Radix showed affinity with estrogen receptor α and estrogen receptor ß, respectively. All of those ligands could have a good affinity for the multiple amino acid residues of the estrogen receptor based on molecular docking. In addition, six compounds display the great affinity by SPR. The method established in the study could be used to rapidly screen estrogen receptor ligands in Traditional Chinese medicine. The results demonstrated that the affinity ultrafiltration-UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometry method not only aids in the interpretation of the potential bioactive components and possible mechanisms of action of Arnebiae Radix but also provides a further effective basis for the quality control of this valuable herb medicine.

Phylogenomics and Genetic Diversity of Arnebiae Radix and Its Allies (Arnebia, Boraginaceae) in China.

Arnebiae Radix is a traditional medicine with pleiotropic properties that has been used for several 100 years. There are five species of Arnebia in China, and the two species Arnebia euchroma and Arnebia guttata are the source plants of Arnebiae Radix according to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. Molecular markers that permit species identification and facilitate studies of the genetic diversity and divergence of the wild populations of these two source plants have not yet been developed. Here, we sequenced the chloroplast genomes of 56 samples of five Arnebia species using genome skimming methods. The Arnebia chloroplast genomes exhibited quadripartite structures with lengths from 149,539 and 152,040 bp. Three variable markers (rps16-trnQ, ndhF-rpl32, and ycf1b) were identified, and these markers exhibited more variable sites than universal chloroplast markers. The phylogenetic relationships among the five Arnebia species were completely resolved using the whole chloroplast genome sequences. Arnebia arose during the Oligocene and diversified in the middle Miocene; this coincided with two geological events during the late Oligocene and early Miocene: warming and the progressive uplift of Tianshan and the Himalayas. Our analyses revealed that A. euchroma and A. guttata have high levels of genetic diversity and comprise two and three subclades, respectively. The two clades of A. euchroma exhibited significant genetic differences and diverged at 10.18 Ma in the middle Miocene. Three clades of A. guttata diverged in the Pleistocene. The results provided new insight into evolutionary history of Arnebia species and promoted the conservation and exploitation of A. euchroma and A. guttata.

MrgX2-SNAP-tag/cell membrane chromatography model coupled with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry for anti-pseudo-allergic compound screening in Arnebiae Radix.

Pseudo-allergic reactions (PARs) are IgE-independent hypersensitivity reactions. Mas-related G protein-coupled receptor-X2 (MrgX2) was proved the key receptor of PAR. The anti-pseudo-allergic compound discovery based on MrgX2 was of great value. Cell membrane chromatography (CMC) based on MrgX2 provides a convenient and effective tool in anti-pseudo-allergic compound screening and discovery, and further improvements of this method are still needed. In this work, SNAP-tag was introduced at C-terminal of Mas-related G protein-coupled receptor (MrgX2-SNAP-tag), and an MrgX2-SNAP-tag/CMC model was then conducted using CMC technique. Comparative experiments showed that the new model not only satisfied the good selectivity and specificity of screening but also exhibited more stable and longer life span than traditional MrgX2/CMC model. By coupling with HPLC-MS, two compounds were screened out from Arnebiae Radix and identified as shikonin and acetylshikonin. Nonlinear chromatography was performed to study the interactions between two screened compounds and MrgX2, and binding constant (KA) of shikonin and acetylshikonin with MrgX2 were 2075.67 ± 0.34 M-1 and 32201.36 ± 0.35 M-1, respectively. Furthermore, ß-hexosaminidase and histamine release assay in vitro demonstrated that shikonin (1-5 µM) and acetylshikonin (2.5-10 µM) could both antagonize C48/80-induced allergic reaction. In conclusion, the MrgX2-SNAP-tag/CMC could be a reliable model for screening pseudo-allergy-related components from complex systems.

Systematic Screening of Chemical Constituents in the Traditional Chinese Medicine Arnebiae Radix by UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap Mass Spectrometry.

Arnebiae Radix (dried root of Arnebia euchroma (Royle) Johnst.) has been used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to treat macular eruptions, measles, sore throat, carbuncles, burns, skin ulcers, and inflammation. Previous studies have shown that shikonins and shikonofurans are two of their main bioactive ingredients. However, systematic investigations of their constituents have rarely been conducted. It is necessary to establish a rapid and effective method to identify the chemical constituents of Arnebiae Radix. This will help to further improve the effective resource utilization rate of this plant. In this study, a rapid and effective UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometry method was established to simultaneously analyze chemical ingredients in Arnebiae Radix within a short period of time. Based on the results of a full scan MS, the MS2 database (mzVault and mzCloud), the diagnostic fragment ions, the retention time, and the bibliography, a total of 188 compounds were identified, with 114 of those being reported from Arnebiae Radix for the first time. The results of this study lay the foundation for obtaining a thorough understanding of the active ingredients in Arnebiae Radix and its quality control. This method may be widely used for the chemical characterization of different samples.

Anti-cancer Research on Arnebiae radix-derived Naphthoquinone in Recent Five Years.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, many naphthoquinone compounds with anticancer activity have been identified in Arnebiae Radix, and some of them have the potential to be developed into anticancer drugs. OBJECTIVE: This article aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the anticancer effects of naphthoquinone compounds through a detailed review of literature and Chinese patents, and discuss their potential to be developed as anticancer drugs for clinical application. METHODS: Research papers were collected through the databases of PubMed, Cnki and SciDirect using keyword searches "naphthoquinone compounds" and "anticancer". The keywords of "shikonin" and "shikonin derivatives" were also used in PubMed, Cnki and SciDirect databases to collect research articles. The Chinese patents were collected using the Cnki patent database. RESULTS: Naphthoquinone compounds have been found to possess anti-cancer activity, and their modes of action are associated with inducing apoptosis, inhibiting cancer cell proliferation, promoting autophagy in cancer cells, anti-cancer angiogenesis and inhibition of cell adhesion, invasion and metastasis, inhibiting glycolysis and inhibiting DNA topoisomerase activity. CONCLUSION: Most of the naphthoquinone compounds show effective anti-cancer activity in vitro. The structure modification of naphthoquinone aims to develop anti-cancer drugs with high efficacy and low toxicity.

Authentication of Three Source Spices of Arnebiae Radix Using DNA Barcoding and HPLC.

Arnebia decumbens (Vent.) Coss. et Kralik, A. euchroma (Royle) Johnst and A. guttata Bunge, three commonly used traditional Chinese medicinal plants have been widely used for the clinical treatment of inflammatory diseases caused by fungal, bacterial, oxidation, and other related pathogens. However, precise identification at the similar species level is usually challenging due to the influence of the source of medicinal materials, traditional ethnic medicine and medicinal habits. Here we developed a comprehensive and efficient identification system for three source spices of Arnebiae Radix based on DNA barcoding and HPLC fingerprinting. A total of 599 samples from thirty-five wild populations were collected and identified by using DNA barcodes of ITS2 regions, and the chemotypes of seven naphthoquinoneswere revealed by HPLC quantitative analysis including principal component analysis and hierarchical clustering analysis. Our results showed that the ITS2 sequences can distinguish three source spices of Arnebiae Radix from adulterants. However, it was difficult to identify them by HPLC-specific chromatograms combined with chemometric analysis. These results indicated that DNA barcoding was a more powerful method than HPLC fingerprinting for the identification of related species that were genetically similar. DNA barcoding analysis could be a promising and reliable tool to accurately confirm the identities of medicinal materials, especially for those whose sources are multiple and difficult to be identified by conventional chromatography.

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of Arnebiae Radix and Dictamni Cortex and efficacy study of herbal extracts on allergic contact dermatitis using 3D human reconstructed epidermis / 中草药·英文版

Objective: To evaluate the quality of Arnebiae Radix (AR) and Dictamni Cortex (DC) and study the efficacy of herbal extracts of these two herbs on the treatment of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD). Methods: Qualitative and quantitative analysis of effective components was performed using High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC), High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), and HPLC-Quadrupole Time of Flight-Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-QTOF-MS). In vitro allergic ACD 3D model was established by incubating 3D reconstructed human epidermis (RHE) with skin sensitizer, potassium dichromate. A total of 65 gene expression that were associated with ACD, which included 24 antioxidant responsive element (ARE) and 41 SENS-IS genes were quantified by qRT-PCR. More than or equal to 10 ARE genes and 18 SENN-IS genes were induced by 1.3-fold, demonstrating the successful establishment of in vitro ACD model. Oil extracts of AR and DC were applied on the in vitro ACD model to study the efficacy. Results: Batch 3 of AR and batch 2 of DC showed presence of all active ingredients with the highest concentrations. Active ingredients of the herbs were extracted using a special oil and formulated into herbal oil extracts. The herbal oil extracts were able to down regulate the induced genes in the in-vitro ACD skin model, bringing the tissue back to homeostatic status. Conclusion: The oil extracts showed the potent efficacy of using AR and DC in ACD treatment. The combination study will be done to optimize the formulation ratio which will be developed into a topical cream.

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of Arnebiae Radix and Dictamni Cortex and efficacy study of herbal extracts on allergic contact dermatitis using 3D human reconstructed epidermis.

Objective: To evaluate the quality of Arnebiae Radix (AR) and Dictamni Cortex (DC) and study the efficacy of herbal extracts of these two herbs on the treatment of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD). Methods: Qualitative and quantitative analysis of effective components was performed using High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC), High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), and HPLC-Quadrupole Time of Flight-Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-QTOF-MS). In vitro allergic ACD 3D model was established by incubating 3D reconstructed human epidermis (RHE) with skin sensitizer, potassium dichromate. A total of 65 gene expression that were associated with ACD, which included 24 antioxidant responsive element (ARE) and 41 SENS-IS genes were quantified by qRT-PCR. More than or equal to 10 ARE genes and 18 SENN-IS genes were induced by 1.3-fold, demonstrating the successful establishment of in vitro ACD model. Oil extracts of AR and DC were applied on the in vitro ACD model to study the efficacy. Results: Batch 3 of AR and batch 2 of DC showed presence of all active ingredients with the highest concentrations. Active ingredients of the herbs were extracted using a special oil and formulated into herbal oil extracts. The herbal oil extracts were able to down regulate the induced genes in the in-vitro ACD skin model, bringing the tissue back to homeostatic status. Conclusion: The oil extracts showed the potent efficacy of using AR and DC in ACD treatment. The combination study will be done to optimize the formulation ratio which will be developed into a topical cream.

An integrated data filtering and identification strategy for rapid profiling of chemical constituents, with Arnebiae Radix as an example.

Profiling the chemical components of complicated herbal extracts using traditional analytical methods is time-consuming and laborious. In this study, an integrated data filtering and identification strategy was developed to efficiently identify the chemical constituents in Arnebiae Radix. The post-acquisition data processing steps with this strategy were as follows: (1) data acquisition by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS); (2) background subtraction on the basis of the total ion chromatogram (TIC) to obtain the background-subtracted ion chromatogram; (3) construction of a diagnostic ion database based on the measured MS/MS fragment ions of reference standards and auxiliary diagnostic information according to literatures; (4) mass defect filtering (MDF) to filter the background-subtracted ion chromatogram; and (5) rapid structural identification in the MDF-processed ion chromatogram on the basis of the diagnostic ion database and further structural confirmation by analysing the retention time, fragment behaviour, and online databases (Chemspider, PubChem, and SciFinder). In this study, the herbal medicine Arnebiae Radix was used to illustrate this strategy. A total of 96 compounds were efficiently exposed and characterized from Arnebiae Radix samples obtained from 20 sources, and 13 of these compounds were confirmed by comparison with the reference standards. Thirty components with a low abundance, that remained undetected in the TIC, were identified in the MDF-processed ion chromatogram. Nine of these compounds had not been identified from Arnebiae Radix previously, and were tentatively screened as unknowns. The chemical components in traditional Chinese medicine preparations are considered to be the material basis for the effectiveness of this medical system, and are closely related to the pharmacological activities of the drugs. The pharmacodynamics of these drugs are known to be influenced by the synergistic effects of various components. Therefore, comprehensive profiling of the chemical compositions of herbal extracts is essential for systematic elucidation of the pharmacodynamics of these medicines.

Determination Content of Alcohol-soluble Components and Water-soluble Components in Arnebiae Radix by LC-MS/MS / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective::To establish an LC-MS/MS method for the determination of alcohol-soluble components and water-soluble components in Arnebiae Radix(L-shikonin, β, β′-dimethylacrylshikonin, β-acetoxy-isovalerylshikonin, lithospermic acid, caffeic acid, rosmarinic acid), for the purpose of quality control of the herb. Method::Chromatographic separation was carried out at 35 ℃ on Agilent ZORBAX SB C18 (4.6 mm×50 mm, 1.8 μm), with 0.1% formic acid acetonitrile (A)-0.1% formic acid solution (B) as the mobile phase for gradient elution (0-3 min, 5%-95%A; 3-7 min, 95%A; 7-7.01 min, 95%-5%A; 7.01-8.5 min, 5%A). The flow rate was 0.2 mL·min-1, and the injection volume was 5 μL. In a negative ionization mode, MRM scanning mode was adopted for quantification. Result::The calibration curves of L-shikonin, β, β′-dimethylacrylshikonin, β-acetoxy-isovalerylshikonin, lithospermic acid, caffeic acid, rosmarinic acid showed a good linearity, and the linear ranges of the above six compounds were 10.12-1 012 μg·L-1(r=0.998 1), 10.88-1 088 μg·L-1(r=0.991 2), 10.08-806.4 μg·L-1(r=0.997 6), 20.32-1 016 μg·L-1(r=0.996 6), 10.37-1 037 μg·L-1(r=0.999 6), 10.26-1 026 μg·L-1(r=0.997 8), respectively. The average recoveries of the analysts were 95.8%(RSD 3.2%), 103.5%(RSD 2.3%), 105.3%(RSD 2.1%), 96.1%(RSD 3.3%), 98.9%(RSD 2.7%), 100.8%(RSD 3.4%). The contents of six components in 13 batches of samples showed significant differences. Conclusion::The established method is feasible and simple, and provides a basis for comprehensive quality evaluation of Arnebiae Radix.

Arnebiae Radix prevents atrial fibrillation in rats by ameliorating atrial remodeling and cardiac function.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Arnebiae Radix, a common herbal medicine in China, is often utilized to treat blood-heat syndrome and has been reported to exert an effect on the heart. AIM OF THE STUDY: The combination of acetylcholine (Ach) and CaCl2 has been widely used to induce atrial fibrillation (AF) in animals. However, whether Arnebiae Radix displays any preventive action on Ach-CaCl2 induced AF in rats remains uncertain. In our study, we attempted to investigate the protective effects of Arnebiae Radix on Ach-CaCl2 induced AF compared to amiodarone, which was employed as the positive control. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To establish the AF model, SD rats were treated with a mixture of 0.1 mL/100 g Ach-CaCl2 (60 µg/mL Ach and 10 mg/mL CaCl2) by tail vein injection for 7 days. Rats were also given a gavage of Arnebiae Radix (0.18 g/mL) one week before or concurrently with the establishment of the AF model. At the end of the experimental period, the induction, duration and timing of AF were monitored using electrocardiogram recordings. Left atrial tissues were stained to observe the level of fibrosis. Electrophysiological measurements were used to examine atrial size and function. RESULTS: In Ach-CaCl2-induced AF rats, Arnebiae Radix decreased AF induction, duration and susceptibility to AF. In addition, Arnebiae Radix significantly reduced atrial fibrosis and inhibited atrial enlargement induced by Ach-CaCl2. Moreover, there was an apparent improvement in cardiac function in the Arnebiae Radix-treated group. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that Arnebiae Radix treatment can attenuate Ach-CaCl2-induced atrial injury and serve as an effective therapeutic strategy for the treatment of AF in the future.

Components analysis and anti-psoriatic effect of standard decoction of Lithospermum / 国际中医中药杂志

Objective To analyze the main ingredients and investigate the anti-psoriasis effect in the standard decoction of Lithospermum. Methods The extraction rate was determined by extract determination method, and the content of total polysaccharide and total phenolic acid was evaluated by spectrophotometry. Moreover, the effects of different concentrations of the standard decoction of Lithospermum on skin lesions induced by imiquimod (IMQ) in psoriatic mice were observed. Results The extracting rate was 4.65 ％, the total polysaccharide content was 1.182 mg/ml and the total phenolic acid content was 3.506 mg/ml. The different concentrations of the standard decoction of Lithospermum could ameliorate the scales, erythema and psoriasis-like mice skin and reduce the thickness of epidermis. Conclusions The standard decoction of Lithospermum could improve the psoriasis-like lesions induced by imiquimod in mice and possess the anti-psoriasis effect.

PREPARATION AND PROPERTIES OF COMPOUND ARNEBIAE RADIX MICROEMULSION GEL.

BACKGROUND: Compound Arnebiae radix oil has been clinically applied to treat burns and scalds for a long time. However, it is unstable and inconvenient to use. The aim of this study was to prepare a compound Arnebiae radix microemulsion gel for transdermal delivery system and evaluate its characteristics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Based on the solubility of Shikonin, the active component of Arnebiae radix and the results of phase studies, adequate ratio of each component in microemulsion was determined. The optimized microemulsion gel was prepared using Carbomer 940. The gels were characterized in terms of appearance, preliminary stability test and the content of Shikonin in the compound Arnebiae radix microemulsion gel with HPLC analysis. RESULTS: The optimized conditions for preparing microemulsion were Tween-80, glycerin, isopropyl myristate (IPM) with the ratio of 6:3:2. The optimal microemulsion gel was obtained with Carbomer 940 (1.0%). CONCLUSION: The prepared compound Arnebiae radix microemulsion gel showed good stability over time. It is more convenience in application than the previous used formulations.