Dehydrocorydaline alleviates sleep deprivation-induced persistent postoperative pain in adolescent mice through inhibiting microglial P2Y12 receptor expression in the spinal cord.

During adolescence, a second period of central nervous system (CNS) plasticity that follows the fetal period, which involves sleep deprivation (SD), becomes apparent. SD during adolescence may result in abnormal development of neural circuits, causing imbalance in neuronal excitation and inhibition, which not only results in pain, but increases the chances of developing emotion disorders in adulthood, such as anxiety and depression. The quantity of surgeries during adolescence is also consistently on the rise, yet the impact and underlying mechanism of preoperative SD on postoperative pain remain unexplored. This study demonstrates that preoperative SD induces upregulation of the P2Y12 receptor, which is exclusively expressed on spinal microglia, and phosphorylation of its downstream signaling pathway p38Mitogen-activated protein/Nuclear transcription factor-κB (p38MAPK/NF-κB)in spinal microglia, thereby promoting microglia activation and microglial transformation into the proinflammatory M1 phenotype, resulting in increased expression of proinflammatory cytokines that exacerbate persisting postoperative incisional pain in adolescent mice. Both intrathecal minocycline (a microglia activation inhibitor) and MRS2395 (a P2Y12 receptor blocker) effectively suppressed microglial activation and proinflammatory cytokine expression. Interestingly, supplementation with dehydrocorydaline (DHC), an extract of Rhizoma Corydalis, inhibited the P2Y12/p38MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway, microglia activation, and expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the model mice. Taken together, the results indicate that the P2Y12 receptor and microglial activation are important factors in persistent postoperative pain caused by preoperative SD in adolescent mice and that DHC has analgesic effects by acting on these targets.

Antiatherosclerotic effect of dehydrocorydaline on ApoE-/- mice: inhibition of macrophage inflammation.

Despite improvements in cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes by cholesterol-lowering statin therapy, the high rate of CVD is still a great concern worldwide. Dehydrocorydaline (DHC) is an alkaloidal compound isolated from the traditional Chinese herb Corydalis yanhusuo. Emerging evidence shows that DHC has anti-inflammatory and antithrombotic benefits, but whether DHC exerts any antiatherosclerotic effects remains unclear. Our study revealed that intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of DHC in apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE-/-) mice not only inhibited atherosclerosis development but also improved aortic compliance and increased plaque stability. In addition, DHC attenuated systemic and vascular inflammation in ApoE-/- mice. As macrophage inflammation plays an essential role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, we next examined the direct effects of DHC on bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) in vitro. Our RNA-seq data revealed that DHC dramatically decreased the levels of proinflammatory gene clusters. We verified that DHC significantly downregulated proinflammatory interleukin (IL)-1ß and IL-18 mRNA levels in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, DHC decreased lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in BMDMs, as evidenced by the reduced protein levels of CD80, iNOS, NLRP3, IL-1ß, and IL-18. Importantly, DHC attenuated LPS-induced activation of p65 and the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) pathway. Thus, we conclude that DHC ameliorates atherosclerosis in ApoE-/- mice by inhibiting inflammation, likely by targeting macrophage p65- and ERK1/2-mediated pathways.

Dehydrocorydaline Accelerates Cell Proliferation and Extracellular Matrix Synthesis of TNFα-Treated Human Chondrocytes by Targeting Cox2 through JAK1-STAT3 Signaling Pathway.

Osteoarthritis (OA) causes severe degeneration of the meniscus and cartilage layer in the knee and endangers joint integrity and function. In this study, we utilized tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) to establish in vitro OA models and analyzed the effects of dehydrocorydaline (DHC) on cell proliferation and extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis in human chondrocytes with TNFα treatment. We found that TNFα treatment significantly reduced cell proliferation and mRNA and protein expression levels of aggrecan and type II collagen, but caused an increase in mRNA and protein expression levels of type I collagen, matrix metalloproteinase 1/13 (MMP1/13), and prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2, also known as Cox2) in human chondrocytes. DHC significantly promoted the cell activity of normal human chondrocytes without showing cytotoxity. Moreover, 10 and 20 µM DHC clearly restored cell proliferation, inhibited mRNA and protein expression levels of type I collagen, MMP 1/13, and Cox2, and further increased those of aggrecan and type II collagen in the TNFα-treated human chondrocytes. RNA transcriptome sequencing indicated that DHC could improve TNFα-induced metabolic abnormalities and inflammation reactions and inhibit the expression of TNFα-induced inflammatory factors. Furthermore, we found that the JAK1-STAT3 signaling pathway was confirmed to be involved in the regulatory effects of DHC on cell proliferation and ECM metabolism of the TNFα-treated human chondrocytes. Lastly, to explore the effects of DHC in vivo, we established an anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT)-stimulated rat OA model and found that DHC administration significantly attenuated OA development, inhibited the enzymatic hydrolysis of ECM, and reduced phosphorylated JAK1 and STAT3 protein expression in vivo after ACLT for 6 weeks. These results suggest that DHC can effectively relieve OA progression, and it has a potential to be utilized for the clinical prevention and therapy of OA as a natural small molecular drug.

Inhibition of Glutamate Release from Rat Cortical Nerve Terminals by Dehydrocorydaline, an Alkaloid from Corydalis yanhusuo.

Excessive release of glutamate induces excitotoxicity and causes neuronal damage in several neurodegenerative diseases. Natural products have emerged as potential neuroprotective agents for preventing and treating neurological disorders. Dehydrocorydaline (DHC), an active alkaloid compound isolated from Corydalis yanhusuo, possesses neuroprotective capacity. The present study investigated the effect of DHC on glutamate release using a rat brain cortical synaptosome model. Our results indicate that DHC inhibited 4-aminopyridine (4-AP)-evoked glutamate release and elevated intrasynaptosomal calcium levels. The inhibitory effect of DHC on 4-AP-evoked glutamate release was prevented in the presence of the vesicular transporter inhibitor bafilomycin A1 and the N- and P/Q-type Ca2+ channel blocker ω-conotoxin MVIIC but not the intracellular inhibitor of Ca2+ release dantrolene or the mitochondrial Na+/Ca2+ exchanger inhibitor CGP37157. Moreover, the inhibitory effect of DHC on evoked glutamate release was prevented by the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) inhibitor PD98059. Western blotting data in synaptosomes also showed that DHC significantly decreased the level of ERK1/2 phosphorylation and synaptic vesicle-associated protein synapsin I, the main presynaptic target of ERK. Together, these results suggest that DHC inhibits presynaptic glutamate release from cerebrocortical synaptosomes by suppressing presynaptic voltage-dependent Ca2+ entry and the MAPK/ERK/synapsin I signaling pathway.

Dehydrocorydaline attenuates bone cancer pain by shifting microglial M1/M2 polarization toward the M2 phenotype.

Bone cancer pain remains a major challenge in patients with primary or metastatic bone cancer due to a lack of understanding the mechanisms. Previous studies have revealed the two distinct functional polarization states of microglia (classically activated M1 and alternatively activated M2) in the spinal cord in nerve injury-induced neuropathic pain. However, whether microglia in the spinal cord polarize to M1 and M2 phenotypes and contribute to the development of bone cancer pain remains unclear. In this study, we used a mouse model with bone cancer to characterize the M1/M2 polarization of microglia in the spinal cord during the development of bone cancer pain, and investigated the antinociceptive effects of dehydrocorydaline, an alkaloidal component isolated from Rhizoma corydalis on bone cancer pain. Our results show that microglia in the spinal cord presented increased M1 polarization and decreased M2 polarization, while overproduction of IL-1ß and inhibited expression of IL-10 was detected during bone cancer pain development. Intraperitoneal administration of dehydrocorydaline (10 mg/kg) had significant antinociceptive effects on day 14 after osteosarcoma cell implantation, accompanied by suppressed M1 phenotype and upregulated M2 phenotype of microglia in the spinal cord, while alleviated inflammatory response was observed then. These results suggest that the imbalanced polarization of microglia toward the M1 phenotype in the spinal cord may contribute to the development of bone cancer pain, while dehydrocorydaline helps to attenuate bone cancer pain, with microglial polarization shifting toward the M2 phenotype in the spinal cord.

Anti-Metastatic Effect of Dehydrocorydaline on H1299 Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma Cells via Inhibition of Matrix Metalloproteinases and B Cell Lymphoma 2.

Though Dehydrocorydaline, an alkaloid isolated from Corydalis turtschaninovii tuber, was known to have anti-coronary artery disease, anti-inflammatory, apoptotic, anti-allergic, anti-acetylcholinesterase, and antitumor effects, the underlying anti-metastatic mechanism of Dehydrocorydalin was never elucidated in lung cancer cells so far. Thus, in the present study, the anti-metastatic effect of Dehydrocorydaline was examined in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) cells, mainly targeting matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and B cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) signaling. Here, Dehydrocorydaline exerted weak cytotoxicity and attenuated the protein expression of Bcl-2 and activated Bax in a concentration-dependent manner in NSCLC cells, such as A549, H460, H1299, and H596 cells. Also, Dehydrocorydaline suppressed the migration of H1299 cells by wound healing assay and transwell migration assay. Consistently, Dehydrocorydaline attenuated mRNA and protein levels of MMP7 and MMP9 as metastasis biomarkers in H1299 cells by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Of note, Bcl-2 overexpression reduced the cytotoxic and anti-metastatic effects of Dehydrocorydaline on pCDNA-Bcl-2 transfected H1299 cells. Overall, our findings provide scientific evidence that Dehydrocorydaline exerts anti-metastatic potential via suppression of MMPs and Bcl-2 signaling in NSCLC cells. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Identification of Metabolites of the Cardioprotective Alkaloid Dehydrocorydaline in Rat Plasma and Bile by Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Triple Quadrupole Linear Ion Trap Mass Spectrometry.

Dehydrocorydaline (DHC), a quaternary alkaloid from Corydalis yanhusuo, has been demonstrated to be the active constituent in the treatment of coronary heart disease. In this study, a high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-triple quadrupole linear ion trap mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-QTRAP MS) technique was used to identify DHC metabolites in plasma and bile after oral administration of DHC to rats. A total of 18 metabolites (M1 to M18) were identified and characterized by LC-MS/MS in the positive ion mode. These 18 metabolites were all present in rat bile, while only 9 were detected in plasma. O-demethylation, hydroxylation, di-hydroxylation, glucuronidation of O-demethyl DHC, sulfation of O-demethyl DHC and di-hydroxylation of dehydro-DHC were the major metabolic pathways of DHC. This is the first time that these metabolites of DHC have been identified in rat plasma and bile, which provides useful information for further analysis of the biotransformation of DHC and other quaternary protoberberine-type alkaloids.

Gastroprotective action of the extract of Corydalis yanhusuo in Helicobacter pylori infection and its bioactive component, dehydrocorydaline.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is a frequent chronic infection. Persistent infection is the strongest risk factor for developing gastric complications leading to gastric cancer. The antibiotic resistance of current anti-H. pylori drugs lead to the search for novel candidates from medicinal plants. Traditionally, Corydalis yanhusuo (Y.H. Chou & Chun C.Hsu) W.T. Wang ex Z.Y. Su & C.Y. Wu (Papaveraceae) has been used for the treatment of digestive system diseases in China. So, it's essential to explore and confirm the anti-H. pylori activity of C. yanhusuo and characterize the pharmacologically active compounds. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of C. yanhusuo as complementary or alternative modes of treatment against H. pylori-related diseases and ascertain the active substances of C. yanhusuo to develop non-toxic, natural, and inexpensive products. MATERIALS AND METHODS: C. yanhusuo was subjected to solid-liquid extraction with water (WECY), ethanol EECY), and chloroform (CECY). The extracts were screened by agar diffusion assay, the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC), the minimum bactericidal (MBC) for their in vitro antimicrobial activity, and by Berthelot reaction for urease inhibition. To assess the in vivo action, H. pylori-induced C57BL/6 mice were used to detect RUT biopsy, perform visual and histopathological analyses and evaluate IgG expression. Furthermore, we compared the anti-H. pylori activities of major alkaloids in CECY to identify the bioactive constituents. RESULTS: Among the three C. yanhusuo extracts, CECY showed the maximum in vitro antibacterial activity. Administration of CECY significantly inhibited the survival of H. pylori colonized in the gastric mucosa and alleviated gastric damage along with a reduction in the expression levels of IgG in H. pylori-infected mice. Berberine and dehydrocorydaline exhibited obvious anti-H. pylori activity with MIC of 25 and 12.5 µg/mL, respectively. CONCLUSION: C. yanhusuo extracts showed anti-H. pylori activity in different degrees. Among them, CECY showed significant anti-H. pylori, gastroprotective and anti-inflammatory activities in vivo and in vitro. Dehydrocorydalmine, an active alkaloid compound isolated from C. yanhusuo, warranted further investigation for its potential anti-H. pylori activity.

The composition, pharmacological effects, related mechanisms and drug delivery of alkaloids from Corydalis yanhusuo.

Corydalis yanhusuo W. T. Wang, also known as yanhusuo, yuanhu, yanhu and xuanhu, is one of the herb components of many Chinese Traditional Medicine prescriptions such as Jin Ling Zi San and Yuanhu-Zhitong priscription. C. yanhusuo was traditionally used to relieve pain and motivate blood and Qi circulation. Now there has been growing interest in pharmacological effects of alkaloids, the main bioactive components of C. yanhusuo. Eighty-four alkaloids isolated from C. yanhusuo are its important bioactive components and can be characterized into protoberberine alkaloids, aporphine alkaloids, opiate alkaloids and others and proper extraction or co-administration methods modulate their contents and efficacy. Alkaloids from C. yanhusuo have various pharmacological effects on the nervous system, cardiovascular system, cancer and others through multiple molecular mechanisms such as modulating neurotransmitters, ion channels, gut microbiota, HPA axis and signaling pathways and are potential treatments for many diseases. Plenty of novel drug delivery methods such as autologous red blood cells, self-microemulsifying drug delivery systems, nanoparticles and others have also been investigated to better exert the effects of alkaloids from C. yanhusuo. This review summarized the alkaloid components of C. yanhusuo, their pharmacological effects and mechanisms, and methods of drug delivery to lay a foundation for future investigations.

The role and mechanism of NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated astrocyte activation in dehydrocorydaline against CUMS-induced depression.

Background: Depression is a common and potentially life-threatening mental illness, and currently, there is a lack of effective treatment. It has been reported that dehydrocorydaline (DHC) can inhibit monoamine transporter uptake in depressed CUMS mice, but more possible mechanisms of action remain to be further studied. Methods: C57BL/6 mice were exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) for five consecutive weeks. The mice were administrated with dehydrocorydaline or fluoxetine (FLU) for four consecutive weeks. Behavioral tests including sucrose preference test (SPT), tail suspension test (TST), and forced swimming test (FST) were applied. In parallel, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and Nissl staining were used to explore the effect of DHC on pathological changes in the hippocampus. The concentrations of depression-related factors (5-HT and DA) and inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1ß) in the hippocampus and serum were assessed by ELISA assay. NLRP3 inflammasome pathway-related proteins (NLRP3, IL-18, IL-1 IL-1α, and caspase-1) were detected by western blot. The activation of microglia and astrocytes was subjected to immunofluorescent staining. Additionally, microglia were treated with DHC (100 mg/L) for 24 h following incubation with 100 ng/ml LPS for 12 h. ov-NC or ov-NLRP3 plasmid was transfected into microglia 6 h before LPS induction for exploring the effect of NLRP3 overexpression on DHC-inhibited microglia activation. Then, conditioned media of microglia were collected from each group, followed by intervention of astrocytes for 24 h to explore the effect of NLRP3 overexpression of microglia on astrocyte activation. Results: In vivo administration of DHC was found to ameliorate depressive-like behaviors and attenuate neuron damage of CUMS mice. DHC increased neurotransmitter concentration, reduced the proinflammatory factor levels, attenuated NLRP3 inflammasome activation, and decreased A1 astrocyte and microglia activation in the hippocampus of CUMS mice. Furthermore, in vivo results showed that activated microglia induced activation of A1 astrocytes but not A2 astrocytes. Conclusion: Taken together, we provided evidence that DHC exhibited antidepressive effects on CUMS mice possibly via NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated astrocyte activation.

Dehydrocorydaline Protects Against Sepsis-Induced Myocardial Injury Through Modulating the TRAF6/NF-κB Pathway.

We aim to investigate the effect and mechanism of dehydrocorydaline (Deh), an alkaloidal component isolated from Rhizoma corydalis, in the treatment of sepsis-mediated myocardial injury. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was taken to construct an in-vitro sepsis-myocardial injury models H9C2 cardiomyocytes. The in-vivo model of sepsis in C57BL/6 mice was induced by intraperitoneal injection of Escherichia coli (E. coli). The in-vitro and in-vivo models were treated with Deh in different concentrations, respectively. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, Masson staining, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining were taken to evaluate the histopathological changes of the heart. ELISA was applied to evaluate the levels of inflammatory factors, including IL-6, IL-1ß, TNFα, IFNγ, and oxidized factors SOD, GSH-PX in the plasma or culture medium. Western blot was used to measure the expressions of Bax, Bcl2, Caspase3, iNOS, Nrf2, HO-1, TRAF6, NF-κB in heart tissues and cells. The viability of H9C2 cardiomyocytes was detected by the CCK8 method and BrdU assay. The ROS level in the H9C2 cardiomyocytes were determined using immunofluorescence. As a result, Deh treatment improved the survival of sepsis mice, reduced TUNEL-labeled apoptosis of cardiomyocytes. In vitro, Deh enhanced the viability of LPS-induced H9C2 cardiomyocytes and inhibited cell apoptosis. Additionally, Deh showed significant anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative stress functions via decreasing IL-1ß, IL-6, TNFα, and IFNγ levels, mitigating ROS level, up-regulating Nrf2/HO-1, SOD, and GSH-PX expressions dose-dependently. Mechanistically, Deh inhibited TRAF6 expression and the phosphorylation of NF-κB p65. The intervention with a specific inhibitor of TRAF6 (C25-140) or NF-κB inhibitor (BAY 11-7082) markedly repressed the protective effects mediated by Deh. In conclusion, Deh restrains sepsis-induced cardiomyocyte injury by inhibiting the TRAF6/NF-κB pathway.

Dehydrocorydaline inhibits cell proliferation, migration and invasion via suppressing MEK1/2-ERK1/2 cascade in melanoma.

Purpose: Alkaloids are naturally occurring chemical compounds that are widely distributed in plants, and have pharmaceutical values and low toxicity. In recent years, some of them have been demonstrated to be promising therapeutic drug candidates for cancer treatment. Herein, we tried to explore the antitumor effect of dehydrocorydaline (DHC), a natural alkaloid isolated from Corydalis, on malignant melanoma. Methods: We treated two malignant metastatic melanoma cell lines, A375 and MV3, and a normal melanocyte cell line, PIG1, with various concentrations of DHC for set amounts of time, and detected cell proliferation, migration, and invasion by using MTT, BrdU, transwell, Western blot and soft agar assay in vitro and tumorigenicity in the xenografts in vivo. Results: Our results showed that DHC dramatically blocked cell proliferation and led to cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase and downregulated the expressions of cell cycle regulators CDK6 and Cyclin D1 in melanoma cells. However, DHC had little inhibitory effect on normal melanocyte cell line PIG-1. Meanwhile, DHC suppressed cell invasion and migration through modulating the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers including E-cadherin, vimentin, as well as ß-catenin. In addition, DHC also significantly attenuated tumor growth in vivo. The expressions of cell cycle-related and metastasis-related proteins were further confirmed by immunohistochemical staining in the xenografts. Importantly, MEK1/2-ERK1/2 cascade was inactivated after DHC treatment and ERK activator t-butylhydroquinone (tBHQ) treatment rescued DHC-induced cell proliferation inhibition. Conclusions: Our results indicated that DHC inhibited cell proliferation and migration/invasion via inactivating MAPK signaling, and showed that DHC might be a potential novel drug to treat malignant melanoma.

Potential target-related proteins in rabbit platelets treated with active monomers dehydrocorydaline and canadine from Rhizoma corydalis.

BACKGROUND: Dehydrocorydaline (DHC) and canadine (THB) are two active alkaloid compounds in Corydalis yanhusuo (Y.H. Chou & Chun C. Hsu) W.T. Wang ex Z.Y. Su & C.Y. Wu (Papaveraceae) (Rhizoma Corydalis). DHC and THC were previously shown to exert anti-platelet aggregation effect dose-dependently, but their exact mechanisms had not yet been addressed. Therefore, it is essential to study the mechanisms of DHC and THB affecting on platelet's function. PURPOSE: To investigate the anti-platelet effects and corresponding signal cascades of DHC and THB on platelet aggregation. METHODS: Firstly, in vitro anti-platelet aggregation of DHC and THB induced by different agonists including thrombin (THR), adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and arachidonic acid (AA) were determined through turbidimetry method. Then the possible target-related platelet proteins after treated with DHC/THB were separated and identified by two dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and MALDI-TOF-MS/MS analysis, respectively. Finally, the signal cascades network induced by DHC/THB were predicted through functional analysis of these proteins along with the determination of platelet DAG concentration. RESULTS: The platelet aggregation stimulated by THR, ADP and AA were inhibited by DHC and THB dose-dependently to a certain degree. Meanwhile, DHC and THB had the strongest effect on ADP- and THR-induced platelet aggregation respectively. In addition, treatment of these two compounds caused regulations of about sixty proteins in platelet, including cytoskeleton proteins, cell signaling proteins, proteins related to material energy metabolism, etc. CONCLUSIONS: Using proteomic analysis combined with platelet aggregation test and ELISA, this study was successful in exploring the possible mechanisms of DHC/THB on platelet aggregation. DHC might inhibit platelet aggregation by a mechanism involving the ADP receptors P2Y1 and P2Y12, and the effect of THB on platelet function may be related to its binding to THR receptor PAR1 for mediated Gi signaling pathway. These results provide fundamental information for the anti-thrombotic effect of RC.

Dehydrocorydaline induced antidepressant-like effect in a chronic unpredictable mild stress mouse model via inhibiting uptake-2 monoamine transporters.

Dehydrocorydaline, is an active alkaloid compound in Corydalis yanhusuo W. T. Wang. We found dehydrocorydaline induced antidepressant-like effects in a chronic unpredictable mild stress mouse model, but the exact mechanisms have not been addressed. We speculated that dehydrocorydaline may have an antidepressant effect via inhibiting monoamine transporters in the brain. We evaluated the mechanism of action of dehydrocorydaline by examining the levels of monoamine transmitters (5-HT, NE and DA) in the prefrontal cortex in chronic unpredictable mild stress mice. Then, we used cell models and the mouse synaptosome to study molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying these behaviors and monoamine alterations by dehydrocorydaline. Our results indicated that dehydrocorydaline affects the concentrations of monoamine transmitters and decreases the turnover ratio, which indicates increased neuronal activity. The possible mechanism is that dehydrocorydaline potently inhibits uptake-2 transporters with the IC50 values of 0.1-4 µM and could inhibit the reuptake of 5-HT/DA/NE in the synaptosome. These data suggest that dehydrocorydaline has an antidepressant effect that is likely related to changing the content of monoamines in the brain by inhibiting uptake-2 transporters.

Quality control of ethanol extraction process of Corydalis Rhizoma based on quality by design (QbD) / 中草药

Objective: To improve the quality control level of ethanol extraction process of Corydalis Rhizoma (CR) by using quality by design (QbD), so as to meet the extraction requirements of Kedaling Tablets. Methods: The critical process parameters were solvent multiple, extraction time and soaking time, and the critical quality attributes were dry extract rate, content and transfer rate of dehydrocorydaline. The response surface methodology was used to establish the mathematical model between the critical process parameters and the critical quality attributes. The overlapping design space of multiple index design spaces was established to select the optimal operation space, where the process verification was carried out. Results: The operating space parameters of ethanol extraction of CR was 14-24 h of the immersion time, 3.0-4.0 times of the first time solvent multiple, 1.5-2.0 times of the second and third time solvent multiple, and 1.5-2.5 h of the extraction time. Under this operating space, the extraction yield of CR was ranged from 6%-8%, the content of dehydrocorydaline was more than 2.8%, and the transfer rate was not less than 85%. Conclusion: The concept of QbD is helpful to improve the ethanol extraction process of CR, and to obtain a reliable and suitable extraction operation space for the production of Kedaling Tablets.

Analysis of Correlation Between Color and Intrinsic Quality of Vinegar-processed Corydalis Rhizoma Decoction Pieces / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective: Based on the color space technology of CIE-LAB,the color of vinegar-processed Corydalis Rhizoma decoction pieces was digitized,combining with the contents of 10 major alkaloids in the decoction pieces,to discuss the correlation between the color and contents of main ingredients of vinegar-processed Corydalis Rhizoma decoction pieces,and investigate the intrinsic quality difference in the decoction pieces with different color. Method: The precision colorimeter was used to determine the color parameters of vinegar-processed Corydalis Rhizoma decoction pieces;HPLC was employed to determine contents of main chemical components in the decoction pieces,which was performed on Agilent ZORBAX SB-C18 column(4.6 mm×250 mm,5 μm) with mobile phase of acetonitrile(A)-0.1% potassium dihydrogen phosphate aqueous solution(B) for gradient elution(0-10 min,5%-22%A;10-30 min,22%-25%A;30-50 min,25%-60%A;50-70 min,60%-95%A),detection wavelength of 280 nm,column temperature at 30℃ and flow rate of 1.0 mL·min-1. Result: The quality of vinegar-processed Corydalis Rhizoma decoction pieces with different color was in line with the requirement of the 2015 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia,but there were differences in the intrinsic quality between the decoction pieces.The total content of chemical components in the samples showed a positive correlation with the a*(green-red axis) and total chromatic aberration value(ΔE) in the CIE-LAB color space, and it was significantly negative correlated with L*(lightness) and b*(blue-yellow axis).In the 10 tested components,except for D-tetrahydrojatrorrhizine and tetrahydrocoptisine,contents of protopine and other 6 components were positively correlated with color,and only the content of corydaline was negatively correlated with color. Conclusion: Color analysis technology can objectively quantify the color of the decoction pieces,and can achieve a quick evaluation of quality of the decoction pieces by analyzing correlation between the color and the contents of main active ingredients.

Purification process of alkaloids from Corydalis Rhizoma by macroporous adsorption resin / 中草药

Objective To determine the technological conditions for the purification of the total alkaloid from the Corydalis Rhizoma (CR) by macroporous adsorption resin. Methods Total alkaloids of CR were determined by acid dye colorimetry, palmatine hydrochloride, dehydrocorydaline, tetrahydropalmatine, and corydaline were determined by HPLC. Six macroporous adsorption resins were investigated with the absorption rates, elution rates, and the content of the total alkaloid and four alkaloids of CR by static and dynamic adsorbing experiments. The purification process conditions of the total alkaloid of CR were optimized by the loading amount and volume flow of sample, the type and volume of the impurity removal of solvent and elution solvent and so on. The stability of the purification process was investigated by 5, 10 times enlargement. Results D141 type macroporous adsorption resin was the best choice for the purification of the total alkaloid from CR, the optimized parameters were as follows: Drug concentration was 0.6 g/mL of medicinal material and was added to the D141 macroporous resin column that the ratio of diameter to height range from 1:5 to 1:9 at a flow rate of 2 BV/h to 2 BV, 1.3 BV of purified water was used to remove impurities, and then 6 BV 95% ethanol was used as eluent at a flow rate of 2 BV/h. The purity of the total alkaloid of CR was up to 68.19% after purification, and the content of palmatine hydrochloride, dehydrocorydaline, tetrahydropalmatine, and corydaline was 1.95%, 11.74%, 4.93%, and 6.36%, respectively. The purity of the total alkaloid of the CR can reach more than 65% by 5 times and 10 times enlargement. Conclusion The purity of the total alkaloids can reach more than 65% after verification test, and the transfer rate of total alkaloids and four alkaloid monomers of CR can reach more than 85%, indicating that D141 macroporous adsorption resin can effectively purify total alkaloids from CR, and can be applied to industrial production.

Effects of dehydrocorydaline on complete Freund's adjuvant-induced mechanical hyperalgesia in mice / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective To investigate the effects of dehydrocorydaline(DHC) on complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced mechanical hyperalgesia in mice.Methods 40 mice were divided randomly into 4 groups (CFA test:experiment group =8,control group =8;locomotor activity and organ coefficient test:experiment group=12,control group =12).Subcutaneously injected CFA in the plantar of mice to establish pain model.The experimental group mice were injected with 10 mg/kg DHC while the control group mice received 10％ DMSO.The paw withdrawal mechanical threshold(PWMT) of mice was tested before and after administration of DHC.The effects of DHC on spontaneous activity and organ coefficient were observed in mice.Results The basic values of PWMT showed there were no statistically significant differences between experimental group and control group ((10.27± 1.34)g vs (10.28 ±0.35)g,P＞0.05).Compared with the control group,the values of PWMT in experimental group at 0.5 h,1 h,2 h,3 h after administration of DHC were significantly increased(0.5 h:(8.18±0.87) g vs (4.85±0.65) g;1 h:(7.85±0.59) g vs (4.84±0.54) g;2 h:(7.36±0.49) g vs (4.90±0.59) g;3 h:(6.66±0.45) g vs (5.00±0.36) g;all P＜0.01).Compared with the control group,no significant effect was observed on the number mice crossed grids and lifted forelimb and stood in 2 min in the experimental group (P＞ 0.05).And no significant effect was observed on the liver,kidney,spleen,heart,lung and brain organ coefficient in the experiment group (P＞0.05).Conclusion DHC can alleviate CFA-induced mechanical hyperalgesia in mice.

Simultaneous determination of seven alkaloids in Cuyanhusuo Granule by RP-HPLC / 中草药

Objective: To establish HPLC method for the simultaneous determination of protopine, palmatine hydrochloride, berberine hydrochloride, dehydrocorydaline, tetrahydropalmatine, tetrahydroberberine, and corydaline in Cuyanhusuo Granule. Methods: The analysis was performed on Ultimate AQ-C18 column (250 mm×4.6 mm, 5 μm) by gradient elution of acetonitrile-0.1% phosphoric acid (adjust to pH 6.0 with triethylamine) (10:90). The UV detection wavelength was set at 280 nm and the flow rate was 1.0 mL/min. Results: The linear ranges of protopine, palmatine hydrochloride, berberine hydrochloride, dehydrocorydaline, tetrahydropalmatine, tetrahydroberberine, and corydaline were 6.8-119.0 (r=0.9999), 24.38-426.65 (r=0.9999), 8.88-155.40 (r=0.9999), 77.66-1359.05 (r=0.9999), 41.4-724.5 (r=0.9999), 6.70-117.25 (r=0.9999), and 25.50-446.25 ng (r=0.9999). The average recoveries (n=6) were 98.2% (RSD=2.0%), 99.6% (RSD=2.8%), 100.2% (RSD=1.3%), 99.0% (RSD=2.2%), 100.8% (RSD=2.6%), 98.7% (RSD=2.5%), and 97.7% (RSD=2.2%), respectively. Conclusion: This method is simple and rapid, and can be used for the quality control of Cuyanhusuo Granule with satisfactory separation and repeatability.

Isolation and identification of dehydrocorydaline and glaucine from Corydalis Rhizoma by using high-speed counter-current chromatography and UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS / 中草药

Objective: To isolate dehydrocorydaline and glaucine by high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC) from the extraction of Corydalis Rhizoma (CR). Methods: A mixture of chloroform-n-butanol-methanol-water (4:1:2:5) was used as the two phase solvent system both in forward and reversal direction, with a flow rate of 10.0 mL/min and a rotary speed of 800 r/min eluting for 30 min. The detection wavelength was 282 nm and injection volume was 50 mg. The purity of the target product was analyzed by HPLC-UV and the structure was identified by ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem quadrupole time-of- flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS). Results: Under optimized conditions, 7.1 mg and 3.4 mg of two compounds were obtained and their yields were 81.43% and 91.11% respectively. Their purities were 98.9% and 94.3% detected by HPLC. dehydrocorydaline and glaucine were identifiled through HPLC, ultraviolet absorbance, and UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS. Conclusion: The result indicate that HSCCC is a powerful technique for the purification of dehydrocorydaline and glaucine from CR.