Ancient Prescriptions Research Articles

Clinical and fundamental research Yinhua Miyanling Tablets in treating urinary tract infection

As the famous Chinese patent medicine, Yinhua Miyanling Tablets, which was derived from ancient prescription denominated Bazhengsan, has not only the effects in clearing away heat and purging pathogenic fire, removing dampness and relieving stranguria, but also have the functions of detoxifying and tonifying. A great number of scientific studies have demonstrated that Yinhua Mi-yanling Tablets played significant roles in destroying harmful microbes and resisting inflammatory and diuresis. Compared with antibiotics, traditional antibacterial Chinese patent medicine Yinhua Miyanling Tablets has the advantage in bacterial resistance in long-term use. Fundamental studies about the content of pharmaceutical ingredients and the modern pharmacology of Yinhua Miyanling Tablets were collected and summarized, which conduces to indicating the active ingredients of Yinhua Miyanling Tablets with the medicinal efficacy from the molecular level and the internal mechanism of Yinhua Miyanling Tablets in the treatment of urinary tract infection(UTI) from the scientific perspective. In the field of clinical research, literatures associated with Yinhua Miyanling Tablets for the treatment of UTI were summarized and analyzed in terms of treatment type, administration mode, dosage, frequency of medication, course, efficiency, side effects and whether combined with healthy lifestyle. These literatures confirmed the medicinal values and the application prospect of Yinhua Miyanling Tablets in treating UTI, especially acute UTI, which provides a scientific theoretical foundation and a correct direction for the clinical application of Yinhua Miyanling Tablets. In conclusion, this article contributes to the standardization of Yinhua Miyanling Tablets in the treatment of UTI, in the expectation of giving the scientific guidance for clinical practice.

Marriage and Family Law in the Ancient Church Order Literature

ABSTRACTNumerous ancient texts present prescriptions on Christianity’s ethic, liturgy, leadership, and other institutions. Scholars call ‘church order literature’ a few of them composed in Greek, because of literary dependencies among them that make them an identifiable corpus. The composition of some of them seems to begin in the first century. In the fourth century, Christians began to gather them in various collections. While all these texts and their collections have no common literary genre, they do all purport to convey a tradition of apostolic teaching on the conduct of church life and its institutions. This teaching sees God’s law based on Christian scripture as the only valid law for church life. This article will present the prescriptions of that law conveyed by the ancient church order literature on the following topics: family requirements for membership in the church, prohibitions defining and defending marriage, regulations on family relationships, and restrictions on who may marry. Even in its dispositions on marriage and family, the ancient church order literature attests Christians’ contact with multiple legal regimes in the Roman empire. This literature reflects a view of the ancient Christian family that is typical in its difference from, and its similarity to, Greco-Roman conceptions.

Validation of a 16th Century Traditional Chinese Medicine Use of Ginkgo biloba as a Topical Antimicrobial.

In the search for new therapeutic solutions to address an increasing number of multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens, secondary metabolites from plants have proven to be a rich source of antimicrobial compounds. Ginkgo biloba, a tree native to China, has been spread around the world as an ornamental tree. Its seeds have been used as snacks and medical materials in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), while over the last century its leaf extracts emerged as a source of rising pharmaceutical commerce related to brain health in Western medicine. Besides studies on the neuro-protective effects of Ginkgo, its antibacterial activities have gained more attention from researchers in the past decades, though its leaves were the main focus. We reviewed a 16th-century Chinese text, the Ben Cao Gang Mu by Li Shi-Zhen, to investigate the ancient prescription of Ginkgo seeds for skin infections. We performed antibacterial assays on various Ginkgo seed extracts against pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus, Cutibacterium acnes, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Streptococcus pyogenes) relevant to skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs). We demonstrate here that Ginkgo seed coats and immature seeds exhibit antibacterial activity against Gram-positive skin pathogens (C. acnes, S. aureus, and S. pyogenes), and thus validated its use in TCM. We also identified one compound tied to the antibacterial activity observed, ginkgolic acid C15:1, and examine its toxicity to human keratinocytes. These results highlight the relevance of ancient medical texts as leads for the discovery of natural products with antimicrobial activities.

Polysaccharide of Schisandra Chinensis Fructus ameliorates cognitive decline in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease

Ethnopharmacological relevancePolysaccharides is an important ingredient of Schisandra Chinensis Fructus which often appears in ancient prescriptions for forgetfulness or dementia. Aim of the studyThe purpose of our study is to investigate the effects of polysaccharides of Schisandra Chinensis Fructus (SCP) on animal model of Alzheimer's disease (AD), which is a common disease of dementia, to elucidate the traditional medical theories with modern pharmacological methods and provide a reference for further clarifying its active mechanisms. Materials and methodsHydrolysates of SCP were analyzed by HPLC. Y-maze, Morris water maze (MWM) were used for evaluating cognition processes of mice. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to detect the deposition of Aβ. The levels of cytokine expression including Tumor Necrosis Factor α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the hippocampus were detected by ELISA kits. Activation of astrocytes and microglia was assessed by immunofluorescence labeling GFAP and Iba-1. The phosphorylated state of various mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPKs) signaling molecules (p38 MAPK, ERK 1/2, and JNK) and activation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) was studied by western blot. Histopathological changes were observed by H.E. straining. ResultsSCP could significantly improve the cognition and histopathological changes of AD mice, reduce the deposition of Aβ, downregulate the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the activation of glial cells in the hippocampus. Further, SCP decreased nuclear displacement of NF-κB and MAPKs phosphorylation. ConclusionsSCP could improve the cognition of mice, and it may play an anti-AD role by activating the NF-κB/MAPK pathway to alleviate neuroinflammation.

"I was named Doctor": Fancy about Medicine in Dickens's Doctor Marigold's Prescriptions

"I was named Doctor":Fancy about Medicine in Dickens's Doctor Marigold's Prescriptions Shu-Fang Lai (bio) It is well acknowledged that Dickens's novels and journalism have formed a canon of realistic reflections on Victorian lives containing people, ideas, and events related to medicine, among other subject matter. Doctors attending to patients in sick-rooms, elaborated death-bed scenes, and portrayals of the mentally ill in his novels have intrigued many critics to explore Dickens's fiction in relation to the medical profession.1 Among Dickens's works is a novel entitled Doctor Marigold's Prescriptions that features a "doctor" in the most quaint and metaphorical sense that parallels other fictional narratives centred on medical practitioners such as George Eliot's Middlemarch, Harriet Martineau's Deerbrook, Mary Elizabeth Braddon's The Doctor's Wife, Wilkie Collins's Heart and Science, Anthony Trollope's Doctor Thorne, and Robert Louis Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. In this work, I intend to explore Dickens's representations of health-related issues and heredity in this story, his fictional use of the medical profession in a refreshingly uncanny way, and his understanding of emotions and evolution as intertwined with his literary imagination. "Doctor Marigold's Prescriptions" is originally among the selection of tales written by Dickens and his contributors published anonymously as the extra Christmas special issue of his family magazine All the Year Round in 1865 and then in a single volume published by Chapman and Hall (both forms sold at fourpence). By this time, Dickens had already established himself as the mouthpiece of Christmas festival celebrations due to A Christmas Carol, Christmas books, and all the extra Christmas special issues of the two weekly magazines he edited. Seasonal special issues promised better circulation than regular ones, so Dickens readily kept up this ritual of collaborating with other contributors to write the extra Christmas special issues until he died in 1870.2 He considers something affecting like Harriet Martineau's "The Deaf Playmate's Story" for the 1852 extra Christmas Number was "precisely what his readers wanted in short fiction" (Allingham 148, 150). Even if the sale of the weekly (with the early serialized parts of Our Mutual Friend) declined in 1864, the sales of [End Page 39] the Christmas issue of 1865 surged and "reached 200,200 copies by early January and eventually topped a quarter of a million" (Grass 82). The cover of the special issue displays a table of contents written as prescriptions. The medication guidance is clearly endowed with philosophical connotations: I. To be Taken Immediately II. Not to be Taken at Dinner Time III. To be Taken at Dinner Time IV. Not to be Taken for Granted V. To be Taken in Water VI. To be Taken with a Grain of Salt VII. To be Taken and Tried VIII. To be Taken for Life Of these "philosophical prescriptions" (to borrow Andrew Mangham's phrase in The Science of Starving, 155)3 or what may also be called "social prescriptions," three are by Dickens's hand. The beginning and end (named "To be Taken Immediately" and "To be Taken for Life") make up the chapters of "Doctor Marigold's Prescriptions."4 The other story by Dickens is the prescription of "To Take Something with a Grain of Salt," which bears origin in the ancient prescription of a grain of salt as the antidote for poison noted in Pliny the Elder's translation of The Natural History. The phrase "To Take Something with a Grain of Salt" is an idiomatic expression of a skeptical attitude, meaning "(to accept a statement) with a certain amount of reserve," according to the OED. This piece is embedded with Dickens's criticism of the Victorian justice system and was later reprinted with other ghost stories, retitled "The Trial for Murder." The Victorian period is known to be a time when drugs such as opium and laudanum could be bought and taken without doctors' prescriptions; for example, opiates were sold to anyone who could afford them. In his fictional narrative, Dickens exploits the image of the prescription, namely, a doctor's written Click for larger view View full...

Evaluation of the antidepressant activity of Tricholepis glaberrima bark alone and in combination with Mimosa pudica root extract

Background: The incidence of depressive disorder statistics has increased in every year; it differs from county to county and risk factor is also differed between country and lifestyle modification, cultures. Depression is a serious health problem in worldwide including India. Due to the present utilizing antidepressant drugs, a variety of upsetting symptoms. Amid the most recent decade, the disclosure of more secure stimulant natural cures is on the rise. Tricholepis glaberrima has been utilized in ancient people prescription different diseases incorporating central nervous system disorders in Ayurveda. Aims and Objectives: The study was aimed to investigate the persistent behavioral antidepressant activity of T. glaberrima bark alone and in combination with Mimosa pudica root extract. Materials and Methods: Ethanolic extract of T. glaberrima bark and M. pudica root extracts was prepared followed by analysis of phytochemical constituents was determined using appropriate biochemical method, acute toxicity studies also performed, and the biological investigation of both plants extracts was conducted through pharmacological screening models (forced swimming test and tail suspension test) in Swiss albino mice. Sixty trained animals were divided into six groups, each group six animals allotted (n = 6), Groups-1 and 2 served as vehicle control and imipramine (15 mg/kg), respectively, Groups-3 and 4 were treated 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg of Ethanolic extract of T. glaberrima bark (ETGB), and Group-5 was treated ETGB 100 mg/kg and Ethanolic extract of M. pudica root (EMPR) 100 mg/kg extracts; Imipramine was used as reference standard control. Following 14 days chronic treatment with acute restrain stress induced. All animals were tested using behaviors depression screening models. Results: The study shown significant (P < 0.0001 [at 1% level]) improvement in chronically treated mice in both screening models. Group V shown significant improvement compare to alone ETGB treated groups. Conclusion: The results suggest that this combination groups can be potential antidepressant effect. However, further mechanistic studies are required to confirm the cellular action and therapeutic efficacy of ETGB and EMPR against depression.

Targeting lifestyle energy expenditure in the management of obesity and health: from biology to built environment.

Increasing lifestyle energy expenditure has long been advocated in the prevention and treatment of obesity, as embodied in the ancient prescription of Hippocrates (the 'father of modern medicine') that people with obesity should eat less and exercise more. However, the long-term outcome of exercise alone or in combination with dieting in obesity management is poor. To understand the reasons underlying these failures and to develop novel strategies that target lifestyle energy expenditure in both prevention and treatment of obesity, research over the past decades has focused on (i) the interactions between physical activity and body weight (and its composition) throughout the lifespan; (ii) the influence of biology and potential compensatory changes in energy expenditure, food intake and food assimilation in response to energy deficits; and (iii) the impact of the built environment (outdoor and indoor) and smart technology on physical activity behaviours, thermoregulatory thermogenesis and metabolic health. It is against this background that recent advances relevant to the theme of 'Targeting Lifestyle Energy Expenditure in the Management of Obesity and Health: From Biology to Built Environment' are addressed in this overview and the nine review articles in this supplement, reporting the proceedings of the 9th Fribourg Obesity Research Conference.

The Establishment of the Method of Cell Biochromatograpy and Analysis of the Active Ingredients from TongQiaoHuoXue Decoction Acting on the Neurocytes

A novel strategy for screening active components in traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) using living cells and HPLC and GC analysis are proposed. The hypothesis is that when cells are incubated with the extract of Tongqiao Huoxue Decoction (TQHXD), a famous ancient prescription in TCM, the potential active components in the TQHXD should selectively combine with the cells, and the cell-combining components would be detectable in the extract of denatured cells. The identities of the cell-combining components could be determined by HPLC and GC analysis. Using the proposed approach, two characteristic active ingredients binding to the membrane of the PC12 cells are indicated. In the fingerprint of HPLC, there are two characteristic peaks. One active ingredient with its retention time was at around 70 min had been identified as muscone by HPLC, GC, which came from Moschus herb, the other active ingredient may come from the Allium fistulosum, its structure needs further research. Also, the protective effect of muscone on PC12 cells induced by Oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) had been explored. These results show that the pretreatment with muscone on PC12 cells observably increased cell viability, reduced the release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and cell apoptosis. Combined with the pharmacodynamic study of muscone on neuroprotective effect, it could be identified as one of the effective components in TQHXD.

Analysis of professor Lin Yi's experience for metastasis breast cancer by data mining

Data mining method based on the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) inheritance system(V2.5) was adopted to analyze professor Lin Yi's experience for metastasis breast cancer(MBC) by analysing the high frequency medicine, drug categories，drug properties，the key symptoms and key drugs of different metastasis regions and different syndromes, drug symptom analysis in the effective prescriptions for treating MBC by Lin from January 2013 to December 2017. A total of 89 MBC patients, 5 syndromes and 117 prescriptions were involved. The first 10 most frequently used were Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma, Poria, Dioscoreae Rhizoma, Coicis Semen, Crataegi Fructus, Hordei Fructus Germinatus, Galli Gigerii Endothelium Corneum, Hedyotis Diffusa, Codonopsis Radix, Astragali Radix. The warm and placid property was higher, the most herbs had Gan taste, the first two channel tropisms were spleen and the stomach. Drug symptom analysis in 5 different metastasis regions and 6 different syndromes were also been done. The conclusion showed that professor Lin's experience as: recognizing the basis of diseases,differentiating the syndrome, combinating disease and syndrome, cautiously grasping pathogenesis,combinating tonification and purgation together, regulating balance, treating the symptoms and origin, regulating spleen and stomach, caring for the postnatal throughout, prefering ancient prescription,rational compatibility, using medicine gently.

Decryption of Active Constituents and Action Mechanism of the Traditional Uighur Prescription (BXXTR) Alleviating IMQ-Induced Psoriasis-Like Skin Inflammation in BALB/c Mice.

Bai Xuan Xia Ta Re Pian (BXXTR) is a traditional Uighur medicine ancient prescription in China widely used in the treatment of psoriasis, presenting a high curative rate and few side effects. Given that the active constituents and action mechanism still remain unclear, the aim of this study is to explore the potential active constituents and mechanism of antipsoriasis of BXXTR. Psoriasis-like lesions model in BALB/c mice was induced by Imiquimod (IMQ), including five treatment groups: control group, IMQ-treated group, IMQ-ACITRETIN group (Positive control group), IMQ-BXXTR low dose group, IMQ-BXXTR medium dose group and IMQ-BXXTR high dose group. The Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score, skin and ear thickness, and histologic section were collected. The differentially expressed genes were determined by using RNAseq technology and the relevant pathways were analyzed by KEGG database. The ELISA kit and western blot assays were used to detect the related protein expression levels. In addition, the chemical constituents of BXXTR were determined by UPLC-TOF-MS analysis and the potential active constituents were predicted by SEA DOCK and Gene Ontology (GO). The data demonstrated that BXXTR significantly alleviated IMQ-induced psoriasis. RNA-seq analysis showed that BXXTR induced the expression levels of 31 genes; the KEGG analysis suggested that BXXTR could significantly change IL-17-related inflammatory pathways. The ELISA kit confirmed that the expression level of IL-17A protein was significantly reduced. 75 compounds of BXXTR were determined by UPLC-TOF-MS analysis, 11 of 75 compounds were identified as potential active compounds by similarity ensemble approach docking (SEA DOCK) and Gene Ontology (GO). BXXTR reduced the severity of skin lesions by inhibiting IL-17-related inflammatory pathways. The results indicated that BXXTR could suppress psoriasis inflammation by multiple-constituents-regulated multiple targets synergistically. Collectively, this study could provide important guidance for the elucidation of the active constituents and action mechanism of BXXTR for the treatment of psoriasis.

Investigating the effectiveness of the Trigonella foenum-graecum L. (fenugreek) seeds in mild asthma: a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundAsthma is one of the important chronic diseases. The asthma prevalence is increasing in last decades. Despite the presence of good controller drugs like corticosteroids, about 60% of asthmatic patients use alternative medicine. This study was done to determine the effectiveness of Tregonella foenum graceum (fenugreek) seeds in mild asthma.MethodsIt is a double blind trial with placebo effect. One of the ancient prescriptions from Persian Medicine was selected. The participants were divided to three groups randomly. On group received fenugreek syrup one received honey syrup and the third received placebo. Duration of treatment was 4 weeks. Quality of life, Lung function tests and IL-4 levels were evaluated before and after treatment.ResultsFrom 90 participants to study 79 completed the process. After study there was significant increase in quality of the life and lung function tests and IL-4 levels in fenugreek and honey groups.ConclusionFEV1 level was improved more than 10% in fenugreek group. Treatment was well tolerated. No serious side effects were reported during the study. The aqueous extract of fenugreek seeds appears to be effective and safe in treatment of mild asthma.Trial registration The study was recorded with the Iranian Registry of Clinical trials [http://www.irci.ir], registration code: IRCT2016011325991N1

Herbal textual research on Chinese medicine "Huangjing" (Polygonati Rhizoma)and some enlightenments

To clarify the change and development of the original plants， medicinal organs， traditional functions， resource distribution of "Huangjing"(Polygonati Rhizome)， a traditional Chinese medicine， we investigated Polygonatum species on the ancient Chinese herbal texts. The name of "Nüwei" was first carried out in the book of Sheng Nong's Herbal Classic. Its effects included two aspects： one was similar to "Weirui"(Polygonati Odorati Rhizome， "Yuzhu")， that was tonifying， nourishing one's vitality， removing wind and dampness， settling five organs， making body lightness， keeping longevity and not being hungry; the second was alike to "Huangjing" recorded in the book of Ming Yi Bie Lu(Appendant Records of Famous Physicians). Specifically， "Weirui" possesses the therapeutic effect of "Nüwei"， while "Huangjing" possesses the tonic effect of " Nüwei". Thereafter， the following ancient Chinese herbal texts kept those two names and function records. Accordingly， we hold the point of view that "Huangjing" was first carried out in the book of Sheng Nong's Herbal Classic in the synonym of "Nüwei". "Yuzhu" included the "Huangjing" in ancient herbal text before Qing Dynasty， that was further confirmed by the research on change and development of the original plants. The identification between "Yuzhu" and "Huangjing" was based on the shape of rhizome and size before early Tang Dynasty. The shape was a key character and used up to now， but size was not reasonable. The opposite phyllotaxy was an important character of authentic "Huangjing" from Tang to Qing Dynasty. The seedling of Polygonatum sibiricum and P. kingianum， the adult plant of P. cyrtonema with alternate leaves were misused as "Yuzhu"("Nüwei" and "Weirui") at that time. Therefore， both "Yuzhu" and "Huangjing" should be used as key words during the search of ancient prescriptions and development of new drugs and health foods. The leaves， flowers， fruits and seedlings could be used as food or medicine other than the rhizomes in ancient China， but they haven't been developed in modern times. The culture of "Huangjing" had a long history starting with Tang Dynasty， which was recorded in Tang poetry. Then in Ming Dynasty， the culture method was described in Compendium of Materia Medica， that was cutting the rhizomes into 2 feet， planting sparsely(they would be grown densely in the next year)， or sowing the seeds. The harvesting and processing were first recorded in Ming Yi Bie Lu： "harvest the roots in February， dry in the shade". Then the processing method was changed to "steaming and drying in the sun， repeatedly for nine times" in Shi Liao Ben Cao(Dietetic Materia Medica) and "harvesting in August as well" in Ben Cao Tu Jing(Commentaries on the Illustrations). No breakthrough has been taken in the breeding of cultivars and key cultivation technologies yet. As to the geo-authentic habitats， Mount Songshan and Maoshan were firstly recorded as the best producing areas of "Huangjing" in Ben Cao Tu Jing. But Maoshan， Jiangsu province and Mount Songshan， Henan province， are not main producing areas in modern China. Consequently， the plantation plan of Polygonati Rhizome needs further study.

Analysis and Application of Antagonism Compound Prescription Compatibility

Deer horn glue is deer family animals deer or red deer horn made of solid plastic animal medicine, according to Chinese medicine “seven emotions together” theory, the antler and other Chinese herbal medicines compatibility can be better play its Medicinal value. In this paper, the chemical composition, pharmacological effects, compatibility analysis, clinical application and classic ancient prescriptions of antler are reviewed in recent years.

Research on compatibility of prescriptions including Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma and Trogopterus Dung based on complex network analysis

The applications of prescriptions including Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma and Trogopterus Dung in contemporary literatures from 1949 to 2016 are compiled and the data mining techniques containing scale-free complex network method are utilized to explore its practical characteristics, with comparison between modern and ancient ones. The results indicate that malignant neoplasms, coronary heart disease which present Qi deficiency and blood stasis type are the main diseases treated by prescriptions including Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma and Trogopterus Dung according to the reports during 1949 to 2016. The complex network connection shows that Glycyrrhizae Radixet Rhizoma, Angelicae Sinensis Radix, Astragali Radix, Typhae Pollen, Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma are the primary drugs related to Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma and Trogopterus Dung. The next are Paeoniae Radix Alba, Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma, Persicae Semen, Foria, et al. Carthami Flos, Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma, Cyperi Rhizoma, Bupleuri Radix are the peripheral ones. Also, Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma-Glycyrrhizae Radixet Rhizoma, Trogopterus Dung-Glycyrrhizae Radixet Rhizoma, Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma-Angelicae Sinensis Radix, Trogopterus Dung-Angelicae Sinensis Radix, Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma-Astragali Radix, Trogopterus Dung-Astragali Radix are the main paired drugs. The paired drugs including Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma-Trogopterus Dung-Glycyrrhizae Radixet Rhizoma, Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma-Trogopterus Dung-Angelicae Sinensis Radix, Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma-Trogopterus Dung-Astragali Radix, Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma-Trogopterus Dung-Typhae Pollen have a higher support degree. The main compatible drugs are different in ancient and modern prescriptions including Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma and Trogopterus Dung. Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma, Typhae Pollen, Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, Astragali Radix are utilized frequently in modern prescriptions while less used in ancient ones. It is also shown that more attentions are paid to the drugs contributing to invigorating Qi and promoting blood circulation in modern times with comparative results between modern and ancient prescriptions.

六朝〜唐代の仏教系散逸医書と伝存医書に見る医方の伝承関係(第四部会,研究報告,第七十一回学術大会)

六朝〜唐代の仏教系散逸医書と伝存医書に見る医方の伝承関係(第四部会,研究報告,第七十一回学術大会)

Sensitive UHPLC-MS/MS quantitation and pharmacokinetic comparisons of multiple alkaloids from Fuzi- Beimu and single herb aqueous extracts following oral delivery in rats.

Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata- Fritillariae Thunbergii bulbus, namely Fuzi- Beimu in Chinese, is a classic herb pair whose combined administration was prohibited according to the rule of "Eighteen antagonisms". However, incompatibility of Fuzi and Beimu has become controversial because of the application supported by many recorded ancient prescriptions and increasing modern researches and clinical practice. The present study aimed to investigate the pharmacokinetic differences of multiple alkaloids from Fuzi- Beimu and the single herb aqueous extracts following oral delivery in rats. Twelve alkaloids including aconitine, mesaconitine, hypaconitine, benzoylaconitine, benzoylmesaconitine, benzoylhypacoitine, neoline, fuziline, talatisamine, chasmanine, peimine and peimisine in rat plasma were simultaneously quantitated by using sensitive ultra-high performance liquid chromatography- tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS), with the method developed and fully validated. Plasma concentrations of the twelve alkaloids after administration were determined and pharmacokinetic parameters were compared. Significant differences were observed for all alkaloids except aconitine, mesaconitine and benzoylaconitine for Fuzi- Beimu group in comparison with the single herb group. AUC0-t and T1/2 of hypaconitine were increased significantly. AUC0-t and Cmax were increased and Tmax decreased significantly for benzoylmesaconitine and benzoylhypacoitine. Fuziline showed significantly increased AUC0-t, Cmax and Tmax. T1/2 of neoline was notably increased. T1/2 and Tmax were significantly elevated for talatisamine while Cmax decreased. Tmax of chasmanine was significantly increased and Cmax decreased. Extremely significant increase of Tmax was found for peimisine, and significant increase of T1/2 for peimine. Results revealed that combined use of Fuzi and Beimu significantly influenced the system exposure and pharmacokinetic behaviors of multiple alkaloids from both herbs, indicating herb- herb interaction between Fuzi and Beimu.

A herbal formula, SYKT, reverses doxorubicin‑induced myelosuppression and cardiotoxicity by inhibiting ROS‑mediated apoptosis.

Doxorubicin (DOX) is an antineoplastic drug widely used for the treatment of various types of cancer; however, it can induce severe side effects, such as myelosuppression and cardiotoxicity. Sanyang Xuedai (SYKT) is a natural medicine originating from an ancient prescription of the Dai nationality in Southwest China. With eight Chinese herbal medicines, including sanguis draconis, radix et rhizoma notoginseng, radix et rhizoma glycyrrhizae and radix angelicae sinensis as the primary ingredients, SYKT has been reported to possess numerous biological functions. The present study investigated whether SYKT can confer protection against DOX-induced myelosuppression and cardiotoxicity, and explored the potential mechanism involved. Mice were treated with DOX, SYKT or a combination of the two; hematopoietic functions were assessed by measuring the number of peripheral blood cells, cluster of differentiation CD34+/CD44+ bone marrow cells and apoptotic cells. Myocardial enzymes, including aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase (CK) and its isoform CK-MB, were assessed using a biochemical analyzer. The apoptotic rate of cardiomyocytes was assessed using flow cytometry. Histopathological analysis was conducted using hematoxylin-eosin staining. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was evaluated using a dichlorofluorescein intensity assay. The mice treated with DOX exhibited a reduced survival rate, reduced peripheral blood and CD34+/CD44+ cell counts, elevated myocardial enzymes and apoptotic indices in bone marrow cells and cardiomyocytes, all of which were effectively prevented by SYKT co-administration. Furthermore, bone marrow cells and myocytes from mice treated with DOX demonstrated increased dichlorofluorescein intensity, which was attenuated by SYKT. Notably, SYKT did not interfere with the effects of DOX on tumor volume or the induction of tumor cell apoptosis in tumor-bearing mice. The present study indicated that SYKT may counteract DOX-induced myelosuppression and cardiotoxicity through inhibiting ROS-mediated apoptosis. These findings suggested that SYKT may have potential as a means to counteract the potentially fatal hematopoietic and cardiac complications associated with DOX treatment.

Lyophilized Powder of Catalpol and Puerarin Protected Cerebral Vessels from Ischemia by Its Anti-apoptosis on Endothelial Cells.

Catalpol and puerarin are two monomers of Rehmannia glutinosa and Lobed Kudzuvine Root, which are two herbs commonly used together in ancient prescriptions of traditional Chinese medicine for cerebral ischemia. Our previous study shows that the lyophilized powder of the two monomers improved the outcome of cerebral ischemia excellently in rodents. However, if it protects vessels from ischemia is unknown. The present research studied the protection of lyophilized powder of catalpol and puerarin (CP) on endothelial cells and the relative mechanism in vivo and in vitro. Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) rats were used to study the improvement of CP on neurological deficiency, regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), and infarct volume. The morphology of vessels and the apoptosis of brain vascular endothelial cells (BVECs) were observed and detected by immunohistochemistry approaches. To study how CP protected primary BVECs (pBVECs) from ischemic penumbra, oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD)-damaged pBVECs were cultured in the condition of insufficient nutrition and low oxygen which recapitulate the low perfusion of ischemic penumbra. Using the cell model, the mechanism by which CP protected pBVECs was studied by shRNA and pathway inhibitors. CP at the dose of 65.4 mg/kg increased regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), reduced infarct volume, protected vessel integrity and inhibited endothelial cell apoptosis in vivo. But it only improved rCBF, vessel integrity and BVECs apoptosis at the dose of 32.7 mg/kg. In vitro, the protection of CP on pBVECs was proved to be ERK/HIF-1a- and PI3K/AKT/mTOR/HIF-1a-dependent. This study indicates a possibility of CP being a new drug for cerebral ischemia. Besides, this research provides an alternative cell model for penumbra ECs study.

Lipidomics study of plasma phospholipid metabolism in early type 2 diabetes rats with ancient prescription Huang-Qi-San intervention by UPLC/Q-TOF-MS and correlation coefficient

Potential impact of lipid research has been increasingly realized both in disease treatment and prevention. An effective metabolomics approach based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/Q-TOF-MS) along with multivariate statistic analysis has been applied for investigating the dynamic change of plasma phospholipids compositions in early type 2 diabetic rats after the treatment of an ancient prescription of Chinese Medicine Huang-Qi-San. The exported UPLC/Q-TOF-MS data of plasma samples were subjected to SIMCA-P and processed by bioMark, mixOmics, Rcomdr packages with R software. A clear score plots of plasma sample groups, including normal control group (NC), model group (MC), positive medicine control group (Flu) and Huang-Qi-San group (HQS), were achieved by principal-components analysis (PCA), partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and orthogonal partial least-squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA). Biomarkers were screened out using student T test, principal component regression (PCR), partial least-squares regression (PLS) and important variable method (variable influence on projection, VIP). Structures of metabolites were identified and metabolic pathways were deduced by correlation coefficient. The relationship between compounds was explained by the correlation coefficient diagram, and the metabolic differences between similar compounds were illustrated. Based on KEGG database, the biological significances of identified biomarkers were described. The correlation coefficient was firstly applied to identify the structure and deduce the metabolic pathways of phospholipids metabolites, and the study provided a new methodological cue for further understanding the molecular mechanisms of metabolites in the process of regulating Huang-Qi-San for treating early type 2 diabetes.

Research Progress of Dunhuang Ancient Prescriptions

Dunhuang medical examination paper contains about 1100 ancient prescriptions. From the ancient prescriptions of literature research, experimental study and clinical study summarized from three aspects, this article gets a conclusion: of Dunhuang ancient prescriptions dose research rarely, the formulas of TCM side cannot pass the secret lies in the dosage, so Dunhuang ancient prescriptions dose is worth of further clinical research.