Correction to: Search of anti-allodynic compounds from Plantaginis Semen, a crude drug ingredient of Kampo formula "Goshajinkigan".

The article Search of anti-allodynic compounds from Plantaginis Semen, a crude drug ingredient of Kampo formula "Goshajinkigan".

Search of anti-allodynic compounds from Plantaginis Semen, a crude drug ingredient of Kampo formula "Goshajinkigan".

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is one of the dose-limiting side effects of cancer chemotherapy. Although the control of CIPN is important, it is difficult to manage with currently available therapeutic drugs. Therefore, there is a need for novel therapeutic agents for treating CIPN. Goshajinkigan (GJG) is a Kampo formula composed of ten crude drugs. While GJG has been used for the treatment of CIPN, the active constituents of GJG and their underlying mechanisms of pharmacological effects are still unknown. Our previous study revealed that repetitive oral administration of the water extract of Plantaginis Semen, a crude drug ingredient of GJG, inhibited the mechanical allodynia induced by an intraperitoneal injection of paclitaxel in mice. To elucidate the active compounds of Plantaginis Semen, activity-guided separation of the water extract of Plantaginis Semen was performed. From the active fraction, four iridoids (1-4) were identified. Repetitive oral administration of aucubin (1) at 100 or 30 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg of the fraction crude 3 [primarily comprised of pedicularis-lactone (3)], showed anti-allodynic activity, suggesting 1 and 3 could be some of the active compounds responsible for the anti-allodynic property of Plantaginis Semen and GJG. Our study establishes that oral administration of 1 has potent anti-allodynic effect in addition to the activity of intraperitoneally administered 1 reported previously. Identification of active anti-allodynic compounds found in Kampo formulations will support the development of novel therapies for the management of CIPN in cancer patients.

Aristololactams and aporphines from the stems of Fissistigma oldhamii (Annonaceae).

Two aristololactams, aristololactam GI (1) and aristololactam GII (2), and three aporphines, fissistigamide A (3), fissistigamide B (4) and fissistigmine (5), together with nineteen known alkaloids, one flavone and one anthraquinone were isolated from the ethanol extracts of the stems of Fissistigma oldhamii (Annonaceae). Their structures were elucidated primarily by analysis of NMR, IR, UV, MS and CD data. Alkaloid 1 is a chiral aristololactam formed from a phenylpropanoid derivative attached to a 3,4-dihydroxy aristololactam scaffold. The absolute configuration of 1 was determined by comparing experimental and calculated ECD spectra. The anti-inflammatory activity of the crude extracts and the five alkaloids were tested by measuring the amount of TNF-α and IL-6 released from LPS stimulated RAW264 cell via ELISA. The results demonstrated that the CHCl(3)-soluble part and alkaloid 2 exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity in vitro in both assays.

Active components from Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) for protection of amyloid ß(25-35)-induced neuritic atrophy in cultured rat cortical neurons.

Not only neuronal death but also neuritic atrophy and synaptic loss underlie the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease as direct causes of the memory deficit. Extracts of Siberian ginseng (the rhizome of Eleutherococcus senticosus) were shown to have protective effects on the regeneration of neurites and the reconstruction of synapses in rat cultured cortical neurons damaged by amyloid ß (Aß)(25-35), and eleutheroside B was one of the active constituents. In this study, a comprehensive evaluation of constituents was conducted to explore active components from Siberian ginseng which can protect against neuritic atrophy induced by Aß(25-35) in cultured rat cortical neurons. The ethyl acetate, n-butanol and water fractions from the methanol extract of Siberian ginseng showed protective effects against Aß-induced neuritic atrophy. Twelve compounds were isolated from the active fractions and identified. Among them, eleutheroside B, eleutheroside E and isofraxidin showed obvious protective effects against Aß(25-35)-induced atrophies of axons and dendrites at 1 and 10 µM.

Hypnotic effect of jujubosides from Semen Ziziphi Spinosae.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Semen Ziziphi Spinosae, the seed of Ziziphus jujuba Mill. var. spinosa (bunge) Hu ex H.F. Chow has been widely used in treating insomnia and anxiety. AIM OF THE STUDY: In this study, we investigated the hypnotic effect of jujubosides, one of the major components (saponin) of Semen Ziziphi Spinosae, in both day and night period. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After the administration of jujubosides (9 mg/kg once per day for 3 days), sleep parameters were examined by EEG and EMG analysis in normal rats and the action of jujubosides on pentobarbital-induced sleep assessed by the loss-of righting reflex. RESULTS: During daytime (9:00-15:00), jujubosides significantly increased the total sleep and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep without significant influence on non-REM (NREM) sleep. During nighttime (21:00-3:00), jujubosides significantly increased the total sleep and NREM sleep especially the light sleep while showed no significant effect on REM sleep and slow wave sleep (SWS). In pentobarbital-treated mice, jujubosides significantly augmented the hypnotic effect of pentobarbital (45 mg/kg, i.p.), proved by increasing sleep time and this augmentative effect was potentiated by 5-hydroxytryptophan (2mg/kg, i.p.). Furthermore, jujubosides inhibited the para-chlorophenylalanine-induced suppression of pentobarbital-induced hypnosis. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggested that the hypnotic effect of jujubosides on normal rats may be influenced by circadian rhythm and the serotonergic system may involve in the hypnotic effect of jujubosides. Jujubosides may be good source of lead compounds for novel hypnotics.

[Studies on chemical constituents from seed of Psoralea corylifolia].

OBJECTIVE: To study the chemical constituents of Psoralea corylifolia. METHOD: Chromatographic methods were used to separate compounds, and spectroscopic methods were used to determine the structures. RESULT: Five compounds were isolated and identified as furano (2", 3", 7, 6)-4'-hydroxyflavanone (1), psoralidin (2), genistein (3), psoralen (4), isopsoralen (5). CONCLUSION: Compounds 1 was a new compound named psoraleflavanone. And 13C-NMR data of compound 2 were assined for the first time.

Inhibitory effects of Eleutherococcus senticosus extracts on amyloid beta(25-35)-induced neuritic atrophy and synaptic loss.

Neurons with atrophic neurites may remain alive and therefore may have the potential to regenerate even when neuronal death has occurred in some parts of the brain. This study aimed to explore effects of drugs that can facilitate the regeneration of neurites and the reconstruction of synapses even in severely damaged neurons. We investigated the effects of Eleutherococcus senticosus extracts on the regeneration of neurites and the reconstruction of synapses in rat cultured cortical neurons damaged by amyloid beta (Abeta)(25-35). Treatment with Abeta(25-35) (10 microM) induced axonal and dendritic atrophies and synaptic loss in cortical neurons. Subsequent treatment with the methanol extract and the water extract of E. senticosus (10 - 1000 ng/ml) resulted in significant axonal and dendritic regenerations and reconstruction of neuronal synapses. Co-application of the extract and Abeta(25-35) attenuated Abeta(25-35)-induced neuronal death. We investigated neurite outgrowth activities of eleutherosides B and E and isoflaxidin, which are known as major compounds in E. senticosus. Although eleutheroside B protected against Abeta(25-35)-induced dendritic and axonal atrophies, the activities of eleutheroside E and isofraxidin were less than that of eleutheroside B. Although the contents of these three compounds in the water extract were less than in the methanol extract, restoring activities against neuronal damages were not different between the two extracts. In conclusion, extracts of E. senticosus protect against neuritic atrophy and cell death under Abeta treatment, and one of active constituents may be eleutheroside B.

Spinosin, a C-glycoside flavonoid from semen Zizhiphi Spinozae, potentiated pentobarbital-induced sleep via the serotonergic system.

Semen Zizhiphi Spinozae has been used extensively for the treatment of insomnia. This study investigated the effect and possible mechanism of action of spinosin (also known as 2''-beta-o-glucopyranosyl swertisin), a major constituent of semen Zizhiphi Spinozae, on sleep in mice. The present results showed that spinosin significantly and dose-dependently augmented pentobarbital (45 mg/kg, i.p.)-induced sleep, reflected by increased sleep time and reduced sleep latency assessed with the loss-of-righting reflex, and these effects were potentiated by the 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin) precursor 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP, 2.5 mg/kg,i.p.). With a subhypnotic dose of pentobarbital (28 mg/kg, i.p.), spinosin significantly increased the rate of sleep onset and exhibited a synergistic effect with 5-HTP (2.5 mg/kg, i.p.). Pretreatment with p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA, 300 mg/kg, s.c.), an inhibitor of tryptophan hydroxylase, significantly decreased pentobarbital-induced sleep time, and spinosin significantly reversed this effect. The dopamine precursor L-3-(3, 4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) reduced pentobarbital-induced sleep, an effect not significantly affected by spinosin. These results suggest that spinosin potentiated pentobarbital-induced sleep via a serotonergic mechanism.

Stability and structure studies on alisol a 24-acetate.

Alisol A 24-acetate is one of the main active triterpenoid compounds isolated from Rhizoma Alismatis, which is a famous Traditional Chinese Medicine, and has been determined for the quality control of this crude drug. In this study, alisol A 24-acetate was found to be unstable in solvents and its stability in different solvents was investigated in detail. The results showed that alisol A 24-acetate and 23-acetate inter-transformed in solvents and the transformation rate was more rapid in protic solvents than in aprotic solvents. Moreover, both alisol A 24-acetate and 23-acetate were deacetylated to yield alisol A when kept in methanol for a long time. This is the first report on the structural transformation between alisol A 24-acetate, alisol A 23-acetate and alisol A. In addition, the single crystal X-ray structure of alisol A 24-acetate and the NMR data of alisol A 23-acetate were also reported for the first time.

SPE-HPLC method for the determination of four flavonols in rat plasma and urine after oral administration of Abelmoschus manihot extract.

A SPE-HPLC method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of flavonols, isoquercitrin (1), hibifolin (2), myricetin (3), quercetin-3'-O-d-glucoside (4) and quercetin (5) in rat plasma and urine after oral administration of the total flavonoids from Abelmoschus manihot (TFA). The astragalin (6) and kaempferol (7) were used as internal standards (IS). Plasma and urine samples were pretreated by solid-phase extraction using Winchem C(18) reversed-phase cartridges. Analysis of the plasma and urinary extract was performed on YMC-Pack ODS-A C(18) and Thermo ODS-2HYEPRSIL C(18) reversed-phase column, respectively and a mobile phase of acetonitrile-0.1% phosphoric acid was employed. HPLC analysis was conducted with different elution gradients. The flow rate was 1.0 mL/min and the detection wavelength was set at 370 nm. Calibration ranges in plasma for flavonols 2-5 were at 0.011-2.220, 0.014-2.856, 0.022-4.320, and 0.028-5.600 microg/mL, respectively. In urine calibration ranges for flavonols 1, 2, 4 and 5 were at 2.00-16.00, 8.56-102.72, 2.70-21.60, and 3.00-24.00 microg/mL, respectively. The RSD of intra- and inter-day was less than 5.40% and 4.89% in plasma, and less than 3.96% and 6.85% in urine for all the analyses. A preliminary experiment to investigate the plasma concentration and urinary excretion of the flavonols after oral administration of TFA to rats demonstrated that the present method was suitable for determining the flavonols in rat plasma and urine.

Solvent effect in 1H NMR spectra of 3'-hydroxy-4'-methoxy isoflavonoids from Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus.

Four 3'-hydroxy-4'-methoxy-isoflavonoids: calycosin-7-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (1), calycosin (2), pratensein-7-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (3), and pratensein (4) were isolated from Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus, among which compound 4 was obtained from this plant for the first time. The solvent effect obscuring (1)H signal patterns of B ring of compounds 1-4 was reported to avoid mis-assignments. Previously reported NMR data of compounds 1 and 2 were corrected based on 1D and 2D NMR experiments.

[Structure identification of jujuboside E].

AIM: To study the chemical constituents of the seeds of Ziziphus jujuba Mill var. spinosa (Bunge) Hu ex. H.F. Chou. METHODS: To separate the constituents by using various kinds of chromatography methods and identify their structures on the basis of spectral analysis. RESULTS: Seven compounds were isolated. Their structures were established as jujuboside E (1), jujuboside B (2), jujuboside A (3), betulic acid (4), stearic acid (5), sucrose (6) and inosine (7). CONCLUSION: Compound 1 is a new compound named jujuboside E. Compounds 5, 6, 7 were isolated for the first time from this plant.

[Studies on the phenylpropanoids from Eucommia ulmoides].

OBJECTIVE: To study the chemical constituents from the leaves of Eucommia ulmoides. METHOD: The constituents were isolated by chromatography method and the structures were identified on the basis of spectral analysis. RESULT: Six compounds, ursolic acid(1), beta-sitosterol(2), p-coumaric(3), caffeic acid ethyl ester(4), chlorogenic acid(5) and syringin(6) were obtained. CONCLUSION: Compound 3, 4, 5 were obtained from the plant for the first time.