Ingredient Of Chinese Herbal Medicine Research Articles

Compound Chinese herbal medicinal ingredients can enhance immune response and efficacy of RHD vaccine in rabbit

In order to validate the immune-enhancement efficacy of compound Chinese herbal medicinal ingredients (cCHMIs), made with astragalus polysaccharide (APS), epimedium polysaccharide (EPS), propolis flavone (PF) and ginsenosides (GS), as immune potentiator or vaccine adjuvants for rabbits, the effects of two cCHMIs on rabbit lymphocyte proliferation and IFN-γ and IL-10 mRNA expression of T lymphocyte in vitro were determined. At the same time, two cCHMIs were injected into 35-day-old rabbits after mixed with rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD) vaccine taking aluminum adjuvant and phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) as controls. On days 7, 14, 21, 35 and 49 after the vaccination, the dynamic changes of peripheral lymphocyte proliferation and serum antibody titers of the rabbits were analyzed. On day 63, all rabbits were challenged with RHD virus. The results showed that the two cCHMIs could significantly promote rabbit lymphocyte proliferation and IFN-γ and IL-10 mRNA expression of T lymphocyte in vitro. In vivo, two cCHMIs could significantly enhance serum antibody titers and lymphocyte proliferation. Their adjuvanticity was slightly superior to aluminum adjuvant. All the rabbits vaccinated with the cCHMIs adjuvant vaccine were protected. These findings confirmed that two cCHMIs possessed better immune-enhancement efficacy and would be used as effective immune adjuvant of RHD vaccine.

Effect of Chinese Herbal Medicinal Ingredients on IL-2 mRNA Levels of T Lymphocytes in Mice Measured Using Semiquantification RT-PCR

In this study, the IL-2 mRNA levels of T lymphocytes in normal mice stimulated by nine Chinese herbal medicinal ingredients (CHMIs) were measured using Semiquantification reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The results showed that astragalus polysaccharide (APS), epimedium polysaccharide (EPS), Chinese angelica polysaccharide (CAPS), propolis flavone (PF), and astrogalosides (AS) promoted IL-2 mRNA levels in T lymphocytes in vitro and in vivo to differing degrees, and the level of IL-2 mRNA induced by propolis polysaccharide (PPS) in vitro was higher than that induced by the control, which differed from that of PPS in vivo.

Immunologic synergism with IL-2 and effects of cCHMIs on mRNA expression of IL-2 and IFN-γ in chicken peripheral T lymphocyte

Two compound Chinese herbal medicinal ingredients (cCHMIs) were prepared, respectively, with epimedium polysaccharide plus propolis flavone (cCHMIs 1) and astragalus polysaccharide plus ginsenoside (cCHMIs 2). In animal immune experiment, Newcastle disease vaccine was mixed, respectively, with two cCHMIs and IL-2 to vaccinate 15-day-old chicken in experimental groups. On days 7, 14, 21 and 28 after vaccination, the dynamic changes of serum antibody titers were tested by micro-method. In gene expression experiment, each cCHMIs, at three concentrations, was added into cultured chicken peripheral T lymphocyte. After cultivation of 7 h, the expression of IL-2 mRNA in the cell, 24 h, IFN-γ mRNA, were determined by semi-quantitative RT-PCR assay. The results showed that two cCHMIs, whether single or cooperative injection with IL-2, could significantly raise the antibody titers, while immunologic synergisms of two cCHMIs with IL-2 were unconspicuous. cCHMs 1 at three doses and cCHMIs 2 at high dose could remarkably promote the expression of IL-2 mRNA in chicken T lymphocyte, two cCHMIs at three doses, the expression of IFN-γ mRNA, which could explain why the immunologic synergism of cCHMIs with IL-2 was not obvious.

Immunologic enhancement of compound Chinese herbal medicinal ingredients and their efficacy comparison with compound Chinese herbal medicines

Two compound Chinese herbal medicinal ingredients (cCIs) were prepared respectively with epimedium polysaccharide (EPS) plus propolis flavone (PF) and astragalus polysaccharide (APS) plus ginsenoside (GS). Also, two compound Chinese herbal medicines (cCMs) with the same ingredient content as corresponding cCIs were made with the extracts of epimedium plus propolis and astragalus plus ginseng. In rabbit immune trial, two cCIs, physiological saline in the control, were respectively injected to the rabbits vaccinated with inactivated rabbit hemorrhagic disease vaccine. On Days 3, 7, 10, 14, 21, 28, 35 and 42 after vaccination, the dynamic changes of serum antibody titers were determined by hemagglutination inhibition (HI) test. In chicken immune trial, all of cCIs and cCMs were mixed respectively with inactivated Newcastle disease vaccine virus to vaccinate chickens, taking oil-adjuvant and non-adjuvant vaccine as controls. On Days 7, 14, 21, 28, 35 and 42 after vaccination, the dynamic changes of peripheral lymphocyte proliferation and serum antibody titers were tested respectively by MTT method and HI test method. The results showed that both cCIs could significantly raise antibody titer in rabbits, which the effect of compound Chinese herbal medicinal ingredients 1 (cCIs 1) was better than that of compound Chinese herbal medicinal ingredients 2 (cCIs 2). All of cCIs and cCMs could markedly promote lymphocyte proliferation and enhance antibody titer in chickens, which was similar to oil adjuvant, the immunologic enhancement of cCIs were slightly superior to that of the cCMs.

Comparative study on adjuvanticity of compound Chinese herbal medicinal ingredients

In order to compare the adjuvant activity of compound Chinese herbal medicinal ingredients (cCHMIs) and filtrate best prescription and dose, two initial screened cCHMIs were prepared and mixed with Newcastle disease (ND) vaccine respectively at three doses to vaccinate 17-day-old chickens, taking the non-adjuvant and oil adjuvant vaccines as controls. On day 7, 14, 21, 28, 35 and 42 after vaccination, the dynamic changes of peripheral lymphocyte proliferation and serum antibody titers in the chickens were determined by means of MTT method and hemagglutination inhibition test. The results showed that two cCHMIs could promote peripheral lymphocyte proliferation and enhance serum antibody titer, of which adjuvant activity was similar to and even stronger than oil adjuvant in promoting lymphocyte proliferation at some time points, and there was a certain dose-effect relationship. The best adjuvant activity of cCHMIs 2 in promoting cellular immunity occurred at middle dose, and cCHMIs 1 in enhancing humoral immunity, at high dose. Based on good synergistic effects of their components, two cCHMIs would be expected as new-type immunologic adjuvants to substitute for oil adjuvant.

Tetramethylpyrazine reduces ischemic brain injury in rats

Tetramethylpyrazine (TMP), which is widely used in the treatment of ischemic stroke by Chinese herbalists, is one of the most important active ingredients of the traditional Chinese herbal medicine, Ligusticum wallichii Franchat (Chung Xiong). However, the mechanism by which TMP protects the brain is still not clear. We examined neuroprotective effects of TMP after transient focal cerebral ischemia using common carotid artery and middle cerebral artery occlusion model in rats and evaluated the involvement of anti-inflammation. TMP administrated intraperitoneally significantly protected the brain against ischemic insult as evidenced by the reduction in infarction volume, preservation of neurons, and decrease in brain edema. TMP markedly reduced cerebral ischemia/reperfusion-induced inflammatory cell activation and proinflammatory mediator production. Moreover, TMP suppressed lipopolysaccharide/interferon-γ-induced inflammation and prostaglandin E 2 production in cultured glial cells. Our findings suggest that one of neuroprotective effects of TMP against ischemic brain injury might involve its anti-inflammatory potential.

Pharmacological evaluation of several major ingredients of Chinese herbal medicines in human hepatoma Hep3B cells.

Long-dan-tan (Chinese name) is one of the most common herbal medicines used by Chinese people with chronic liver disease. Accumulated anecdotal evidence suggests that Long-dan-tan may show a beneficial effect in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Long-dan-tan is made from five plants: Gentiana root, Scutellaria root, Gardenia fruit, Alisma rhizome, and Bupleurum root. In this study, we have examined the cytotoxic effects of the five major ingredients isolated from the above plants, i.e. gentiopicroside, baicalein, geniposide, alisol B acetate and saikosaponin-d, respectively, on human hepatoma Hep3B cells. Annexin V immunofluorescence detection, DNA fragmentation assays and FACScan analysis of propidium iodide-staining cells showed that gentiopicroside, baicalein, and geniposide had little effect, whereas alisol B acetate and saikosaponin-d profoundly induced apoptosis in Hep3B cells. Alisol B acetate, but not saikosaponin-d, induced G2/M arrest of the cell cycle as well as a significant increase in caspase-3 activity. Interestingly, baicalein by itself induced an increase in H(2)O(2) generation and the subsequent NF-kappaB activation; furthermore, it effectively inhibited the transforming growth factor-beta(1) (TGF-beta(1))-induced caspase-3 activation and cell apoptosis. We suggest that alisol B acetate and saikosaponin-d induced cell apoptosis through the caspase-3-dependent and -independent pathways, respectively. Instead of inducing apoptosis, baicalein inhibits TGF-beta(1)-induced apoptosis via increase in cellular H(2)O(2) formation and NF-kappaB activation in human hepatoma Hep3B cells.