Identification of absorbed constituents in the rabbit plasma and cerebrospinal fluid after intranasal administration of Asari Radix et Rhizoma by HS-SPME-GC-MS and HPLC-APCI-IT-TOF-MSn.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) nasal therapy has been utilized to treat numerous diseases for over two millennia. It has many advantages compared with other routes. In this article, headspace-solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and high performance liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-ion trap-time of flight-multistage mass spectrometry were applied for the first time to analyze the absorbed constituents in rabbit plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) after intranasal administration of Asari Radix et Rhizoma (AR). In total, 47 absorbed AR constituents including 14 monoterpenes, 10 phenylpropanoids, four benzene derivatives, two alkanes, nine N-alkylamides and eight lignans were tentatively identified in the rabbit plasma and CSF. Thirty-three absorbed constituents are found to have different bioactivities related to the pharmacological actions of AR through bibliography data retrieval. These indicated that many types of constituents of TCM can be absorbed at the nasal cavity into both rabbit blood and CSF. This is the first study to explore the absorption of AR, and comprehensively analyze the absorbed constituents after intranasal administration of TCM. These findings extend our understanding of the effective substances of AR, and inspire us to make a hypothesis on the mechanism of additive effect of multiple constituents of TCMs, which is very worthy of further investigation.

[Study on HPLC characteristic fingerprint of active components of dachuanxiong fang in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid].

OBJECTIVE: To establish an accurate and simple qualitative analytical method in vivo in the study on HPLC characteristic fingerprint of active components of dachuanxiong fang in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid, in order to lay a foundation for studies on components found in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid and provide basis for compatible regularity of initiators. METHOD: HPLC characteristic fingerprint of active components of dachuanxiong fang in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid was established. RESULT: The similarity of fingerprints of all of six batches of samples was above 0.85, RSD of their relative retention times in common peaks was less than 2. 0%. CONCLUSION: The fingerprints of active components of dachuanxiong fang in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid were stable and accurate that they can be used in qualitative analysis on in vivo components.

Effect of Astragalus lusitanicus lam in experimental subchronic neurotoxicity of lambs.

A study was made of effect produced in lambs by the administration of Astragalus lusitanicus Lam at a daily dose of 1.25 g dry plant/kg live weight for 28 d. Clinical effects were not seen. No significant modifications were found in hematocrit, red or white blood cell count, differential leukocyte count, hemoglobin, methemoglobin, thiamine, lactate or pyruvate. Significant changes affected plasma LDH, GOT and CPK activity, where a progressive increase (70% for GOT and 113% for CPK) suggested changes in the CNS subsequently confirmed by histological examination (degeneration of neurons in the cerebrocortical grey matter, degeneration and loss of Purkinje cells in the cerebellum, satellitosis, neuronophagia, hyperemia and small hemorrhages throughout the CNS). Thiamine deficiency may play a role in this type of poisoning.