Kind Of Traditional Chinese Medicine Research Articles

Determination of Four Compositions of Lonicerae japonicae flos Based on UPLC–MS/MS Method

Background Lonicerae japonicae flos, a representative kind of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for clearing heat and detoxifying, is known as Jinyinhua in China. The determination of multiple components’ content, especially multiple pharmacological components’ content, is often used to evaluate the quality of TCM, which could objectively evaluate the quality of TCM. Purpose The ultra high-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS/MS) method was used to determine the content of chlorogenic acid, isochlorogenic acid A, isochlorogenic acid C, and luteoloside in the current study. Methods 15 batches of Lonicera japonica flos were collected from different sources. 75% methanol was taken as a solvent, and the solution ratio was 1 (mg:mL). The ultrasonic method was utilized to prepare the sample solution for 30 min, which was centrifuged for 10 min at 10,000 rpm. Then, the supernatant was taken for reserve. C18 was chosen as the fixed phase, and acetonitrile (A)–0.1% phosphate acid solution (B) was chosen as the mobile phase. The flow rate was 0.3 mL.min−1. The column temperature was 40°C, and the sample injection was 1 µL. In the negative ion mode, data were collected using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) scan mode. Results The scope of chlorogenic acid, isochlorogenic acid A, isochlorogenic acid C, and luteoloside was in the range of 62.5–6,250 ng. mL−1, which had good linearity ( r2 = 0.9997). The content of the four components showed some differences among different sources. Conclusion The method was fast and sensitive, which could effectively evaluate and control the quality of Lonicera japonica flos.

Study of the Pharmacodynamic Material Basis And Mechanisms of the Action of Fubai Chrysanthemum in Relieving Visual Fatigue.

Fubai chrysanthemum is a kind of traditional Chinese medicine, which can be used as a common food, and is commonly used to improve and relieve visual fatigue. However, its pharmacodynamic material basis and action mechanisms in relieving visual fatigue have not been systematically studied. In this article, 11 absorbed ingredients from Fubai chrysanthemum were detected in rat plasma. Then, the target network pharmacology and KEGG pathway analysis were performed. It was found that Fubai chrysanthemum could inhibit various apoptotic cells and reduce oxidative damage of eyes by regulating the apoptosis pathway, thus alleviating visual fatigue. Further in vitro experiments showed that Fubai chrysanthemum could effectively protect against oxidation damage of adult retinal pigment epithelial cells (ARPE-19), retinal ganglion cells (RGC-5), and lens. The results of cell experiments showed that Fubai chrysanthemum could increase the cell activity, GSH content, and SOD content of ARPE-19 and RGC-5 after oxidative injury, while decreasing the IL-18 content. Similarly, in the study of lens transparency, we found that Fubai chrysanthemum could effectively alleviate the oxidative damage degree of the lens, and significantly increase the content of CAT, GSH, and SOD. The above results suggested that Fubai chrysanthemum could play an important role in alleviating visual fatigue through regulating cell apoptosis and antioxidative damage.

The conversion of monolignans to sesquilignans and dilignans is closely correlated to the regulation of Arctium lappa seed germination.

The secondary metabolic conversion of monolignans to sesquilignans/dilignans was closely related to seed germination and seedling establishment in Arctium lappa. Arctium lappa plants are used as a kind of traditional Chinese medicines for nearly 1500years, and so far, only a few studies have put focus on the key secondary metabolic changes during seed germination and seedling establishment. In the current study, a combined approach was used to investigate the correlation among secondary metabolites, plant hormone signaling, and transcriptional profiles at the early critical stages of A. lappa seed germination and seedling establishment. Of 50 metabolites in methonolic extracts of A. lappa samples, 35 metabolites were identified with LC-MS/MS and 15 metabolites were identified with GC-MS. Their qualitative properties were examined according to the predicted chemical structures. The quantitative analysis was performed for deciphering their metabolic profiles, discovering that the secondary metabolic conversion from monolignans to sesquilignans/dilignans was closely correlated to the initiation of A. lappa seed germination and seedling establishment. Furthermore, the critical transcriptional changes in primary metabolisms, translational regulation at different cellular compartments, and multiple plant hormone signaling pathways were revealed. In addition, the combined approach provides unprecedented insights into key regulatory mechanisms in both gene transcription and secondary metabolites besides many known primary metabolites during seed germination of an important traditional Chinese medicinal plant species. The results not only provide new insights to understand the regulation of key medicinal components of 'ARCTII FRUCTUS', arctiin and arctigenin at the stages of seed germination and seedling establishment, but also potentially spur the development of seed-based cultivation in A. lappa plants.

Zwitterion-Modified MXene Quantum Dot as a Nanocarrier for Traditional Chinese Medicine Sanguinarine Delivery and Its Application for Photothermal-Chemotherapy Synergistic Antibacterial and Wound Healing.

The nanomaterialization of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has aroused widespread interest among researchers. Sanguinarine (SAN) is a kind of TCM with good antibacterial properties, which has important applications in anti-infection of wounds. Additionally, the combination of photothermal therapy and chemotherapy can overcome bacterial resistance, further improving bactericidal and wound healing efficiency. In this paper, we prepared an antibacterial agent by loading SAN on the zwitterion-modified MXene quantum dot nanocarrier (SAN@AHEP@Ta4C3), realizing pH/NIR controlled drug release and photothermal/chemotherapy synergistic antibacterial and wound healing. The particle size of SAN@AHEP@Ta4C3 is about 120 nm, and it has a good water solubility and stability. In addition, it also has excellent photothermal conversion performance (η = 39.2%), which can effectively convert light energy into heat energy under near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation, further promoting drug release and achieving bactericidal effects by synergistic chemotherapy and photothermal therapy. The in vitro and in vivo experiments show that SAN@AHEP@Ta4C3 exhibits an excellent antibacterial effect against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, and it can effectively promote the wound healing of mice. Moreover, the SAN@AHEP@Ta4C3 also has good biocompatibility and has no side effects on normal tissue and organs. This work introduces a multifunctional antibacterial agent based on TCM and hot-spot material MXene, which will have considerable application prospects in biomedical fields.

Polysaccharide of Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz alleviates LPS-induced proliferation, differentiation inhibition and excessive apoptosis in chicken embryonic myogenic cells.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) can induce systemic inflammation and affect the growth and development of poultry. As a kind of traditional Chinese medicine, polysaccharide of Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz (PAMK) can effectively improve the growth performance of animals and improve the immunity of animal bodies. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of PAMK on LPS-induced inflammatory response, proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis of chicken embryonic myogenic cells. We used chicken embryonic myogenic cells as a model by detecting EdU/MYHC immunofluorescence, the expression of inflammation, proliferation, differentiation-related genes and proteins and the number of apoptotic cells in the condition of adding LPS, PAMK, belnacasan (an inhibitor of Caspase1) or their combinations. The results showed that LPS stimulation increased the expression of inflammatory factors, inhibited proliferation and differentiation, and excessive apoptosis in chicken embryonic myogenic cells, and PAMK alleviated these adverse effects induced by LPS. After the addition of belnacasan (inhibitor of Caspase1), apoptosis in myogenic cells was inhibited, and therefore, the number of apoptotic cells and the expression of pro-apoptotic genes Caspase1 and Caspase3 were increased. In addition, belnacasan inhibited the increased expression of inflammatory factors, inhibited proliferation, differentiation and excessive apoptosis in chicken embryonic myogenic cells induced by LPS. This study provides a theoretical basis for further exploring the mechanism of action of PAMK and exogenous LPS on chicken embryonic myogenic cells and lays the foundation for the development and application of green feed additives in animal husbandry industry.

Synthesis and evaluation of bone targeting PLGA nanoparticles loaded with components of traditional Chinese medicine formulas.

Targeted nanoparticles' preparation can enhance local drug concentration and reduce the side effects of drugs in non-targeted organs. At present, many patents have been applied for in the field of bone-targeted nanoparticles' preparations. They play an important role in the treatment and diagnosis of diseases. In this experiment, nanoparticles with bone targeting function were prepared by poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) copolymer and tetracycline. These nanoparticles contain active ingredients in the Huangqi Sanxian decoction, a kind of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) compound formula. These nanoparticles are predicted to be useful in the treatment of osteoporosis. Synthesis of tetracycline targeting groups was performed by acylation reaction, and PLGA nanoparticles were prepared by the Emulsification-solvent Evaporation Method. The appearance and particle size of the product were evaluated, and the effects of nanoparticles on the physiological activities of osteoblasts were observed. Finally, the bone-targeting ability of targeted nanoparticles in vivo and in vitro was investigated. The average particle size of the nanoparticles was about 200 nm, and the average drug entrapment was 60%. In vitro evaluation of osteoblasts assay showed that the nanoparticles can be well taken by cells. Their good biocompatibility and sustained-release properties reduce the toxic side effects of drugs when they promote osteoblasts' physiological activities. The results of the in vitro and in vivo bone targeting ability assays showed that tetracycline modified nanoparticles could effectively accumulate in the bone, indicating the great bone-targeting ability of the nanoparticles. The use of PLGA to load active components in the TCM compound formulas and remodel targeting groups is expected to improve drug efficacy, reduce drug dosage, and effects on non- action sites. This may provide new ideas for the development of TCM compound dosage forms. In summary, we prepared PLGA nanoparticles of multiple TCM ingredients with bone targeting ability, and they had good morphological appearance, and a promoting effect on various physiological activities of osteoblasts.

Cow placenta extract ameliorates d-galactose-induced liver damage by regulating BAX/CASP3 and p53/p21/p16 pathways

Ethnopharmacological relevancePlacenta is a kind of traditional Chinese medicine, known as “Ziheche”, which has the function of tonifying qi and blood, nourishing liver and kidney. Placenta extract (PE) has been used for delaying organismal aging and treating various liver diseases. Cow placenta is a rich natural resource with large mass. Its composition is similar to that of human placenta, but it has not been effectively utilized. However, little is known about the effect of CPE on the liver of aging mice. Aim of the studyThe aim of this study is to explore the protective effect and mechanism of CPE on the liver of d-galactose (D-gal) induced aging mice. Materials and methodsStatistical methods were used to calculate mouse body weight and liver index. Hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to detect the morphological structure of the liver. Automatic biochemical analyzer was used to measure serum biochemical indicators. Three special staining methods were used to observe hepatocytes apoptosis, senescence and proliferation respectively. Relative kits were used to detect oxidative, inflammatory, and aging markers in the liver. Finally, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western-blot were used to detect aging related signaling pathways. ResultsCPE significantly improved the morphological damage and dysfunction of liver, restored the activities of liver enzymes in serum, and alleviated liver oxidative stress and inflammatory response in D-gal induced aging mice. Furthermore, CPE inhibited hepatocyte apoptosis and senescence, and promoted hepatocyte proliferation by regulating BAX/CASP3 and p53/p21/p16 signaling pathways, ultimately reduced the effects of aging on the liver. ConclusionCPE effectively ameliorated the impact of aging on the liver by inhibiting free radical production or scavenging excessive free radicals, and its mechanism is associated to the regulation of apoptosis and proliferation-related factors.

A real-world data analysis-based study of Chinese medicine treatment patterns after breast cancer surgery.

Based on the real clinical data of Hospital Information System to explore the common clinical syndromes of traditional Chinese medicine after breast cancer surgery, analysis of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of breast cancer after the compatibility law. The real medical records of breast cancer patients after surgery in a tertiary hospital in Sichuan Province were collected and screened to build a medical record database. Python language was used for data preprocessing to remove outliers and fill in missing values. Using International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) Modeler software, Apriori association rules algorithm for data analysis, mining Chinese medicine treatment of breast cancer after common syndromes and the corresponding medication rules. A total of 472 cases of clinical real medical record data were included. Data analysis showed that there were 42 TCM syndromes after breast cancer surgery, of which the highest frequency was liver depression and spleen deficiency, qi deficiency and blood stasis, qi stagnation and blood stasis, qi and blood deficiency, qi and yin deficiency, phlegm and blood stasis. A total of 416 kinds of traditional Chinese medicine were involved. High-frequency drugs included angelica sinensis, coix seed, bupleurum, ginger magnolia bark, keel, oyster, astragalus, platycodon grandiflorum, antler frost, vinegar tortoise shell, poria cocos, lily, Jianqu, Ophiopogon japonicus (Maidong), Shancigu, etc. A total of 18 pairs of commonly used drug combinations were excavated, such as Fushen-Gancao-Chaihu-Angelica, Huangqi-Baishao-Jianghoupu, Chaihu-Huanhua-Maidong-Lily, Baizhu-Huangqi-Maidong, Fuling-Baishao, etc. The clinical syndrome type of traditional Chinese medicine after breast cancer surgery is mainly liver depression and spleen deficiency syndrome. The clinical treatment is mainly soothing liver and relieving depression, and harmonizing liver and spleen. Analyze the syndrome type and the corresponding drug compatibility law, and provide decision support for the clinical dialectical prescription of traditional Chinese medicine after breast cancer surgery.

Effects of medical abortion assisted by traditional Chinese medicine: A network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

To what extent traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) combined with mifepristone and misoprostol is beneficial for improving the complete abortion rate and duration of vaginal bleeding has been a subject of debate in the field of medical abortion. To assess the evidence regarding the complete abortion rate and duration of vaginal bleeding of medical abortion assisted by different kinds of TCM. We searched electronic databases such as PubMed, Web of Science and Cochrane Library database, China National Knowledge Internet, Wan fang Database, VIP Database, and China Biology Medicine disc from 2000 to February 15, 2023. The control group was medical abortion with mifepristone and misoprostol, and the experimental group was medical abortion assisted by TCM. Major data extraction included sample size, age, medicine used for abortion, outcome measures. RevMan 5.3 and Stata 15.1 software were used to assess the literature quality and perform network meta-analysis, respectively. A total of 73 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with 11 683 patients and nine kinds of TCM were included in this study. Compared with mifepristone and misoprostol, eight kinds of TCM had statistical significance in improving the complete abortion rate. The effect value of Sancao decoction was 5.86 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.53-13.58). Seven kinds of TCM shortened the duration of vaginal bleeding. The effect value of comfrey and trichosanthin decoction was -8.75 (95% CI -10.86 to -6.64). This network meta-analysis showed that Lenge Zhumo decoction and Sancao decoction could have a large beneficial effect on complete abortion rate in medical abortion during early pregnancy, and comfrey and trichosanthin decoction could be the best TCM for shortening the duration of vaginal bleeding.

The progress on the Chemical Constituents and Biological Activities of Dendrobium Officinalis Caulis

Dendrobium Officinalis Caulis is a kind of Traditional Chinese Medicine, which has a long history of use and has been widely concerned by Chinese and foreign scholars. Much work on the chemical constituents (including polysaccharide, stilbene compound, flavonoids, alkaloids, volatile oil amino acids, etc.) together with their biological activities (including anti-oxidation, anti-tumor, enhance the body's immunity, anti-fatigue, regulate the digestive system, improve diabetes and so on) has been achieved. In this paper, we comprehensively reviewed the recent progress of its constitutents and biological activities, to provide the good reference for the researchers.

Revealing the improvement of diabetes by Si Wei Jiang Huang Tang San through ERK/HIF1α signaling pathway via network pharmacology

Ethnopharmacological relevanceSi Wei Jiang Huang Tang San (SWJHTS) is a traditional Tibetan medicine prescription for the treatment of urethritis, frequent urination, and urgency, composed of four traditional Chinese medicines: Curcumae longae rhizoma, Berberidis cortex, Tribuli fructus, and Phyllanthi fructus. However, whether SWJHTS exhibits hypoglycemic efficacy and its specific mechanism remain unclear. Aim of the studyIn this study, we aimed to investigate the anti-diabetic effects of SWJHTS and elucidate the underlying mechanism. Materials and methodsHPLC-MS method was used to identify the key components of four kinds of traditional Chinese medicine (Curcumae longae rhizoma, Berberidis cortex., Tribuli fructus, and Phyllanthi fructus) which composed SWJHTS and determine their structure. Normal mice and 145 mg/kg STZ-induced type 1 diabetic mice were treated with three doses of SWJTHS by oral gavage. Body weight, 24h food and water intake, fasting blood glucose, glucose tolerance and other indicators were measured to evaluate the hypoglycemic effect of SWJHTS. OMIM, Genecards and other databases were used to collect targets of diabetes, and HPLC-MS results and TCMSP database information were used to collect drug component targets. Bioinformatics methods such as pathway enrichment analysis and molecular docking were used to predict the key targets of SWJHTS. The gene and protein expressions of HIF1α and ERK signaling pathways in HepG2 cells treated with SWJHTS were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot. ResultsA total of 181 components were identified, including curcumin, palmatine, and berberine, etc. The in vivo studies showed that SWJHTS could significantly lower fasting blood glucose levels and improve the symptoms of polydipsia, polyphagia, and polyuria in diabetic mice. Furthermore, we identified HIF1α as the potential key target of SWJHTS against diabetes utilizing network pharmacology approach and in silico molecular docking. Subsequently, we experimentally confirmed that SWJHTS could suppress the high glucose-induced upregulation of HIF1α expression, which mediated the glucose consumption in HepG2 cells. The ERK signaling pathway was further found to be activated by the SWJHTS as the upstream of HIF1α. ConclusionsSWJHTS can improve glucose metabolism by targeting the ERK/HIF1α signaling pathway; hence might be a prospective anti-diabetic drug for diabetic patients as traditional Tibetan medicine.

Astragaloside IV Suppresses the Effects of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells on Proliferation, Angiogenesis, and Invasion in Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells by Controlling Exosomes by Inhibiting Rab27a

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third most common cancer worldwide, and invasion and metastasis are the leading causes of death. Astragaloside IV (AS-IV), a kind of traditional Chinese medicine, has been widely used in cancer therapy. Cell Counting Kit-8, tube formation, and Transwell analyses were performed to determine cell proliferation, invasion, and angiogenesis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) under the treatment of Hep3B or SK-Hep1 cells-derived exosomes or Hep3B or SK-Hep1 cells with or without AS-IV treatment. Then, Rab27a overexpression in Hep3B cells was selected to determine the function of AS-IV on the regulation of cell proliferation, invasion, and angiogenesis of HUVECs. Ultimately, the injection of Hep3B cell-derived exosomes or treatment with AS-IV on nude mice was used to comprehensively investigate AS-IV functions in vivo. Hep3B or SK-Hep1 cells promoted proliferation, invasion, and angiogenesis of HUVECs, which were inhibited by AS-IV therapy. The concentrations of Hep3B and SK-Hep1 cells-derived exosomes were markedly reduced after AS-IV therapy. Meanwhile, Rab27a expression was significantly decreased in SK-Hep1 or Hep3B cells after AS-IV therapy, and it inhibited the effects of AS-IV on Hep3B-induced proliferation, invasion, and angiogenesis of HUVECs. Tumor growth was also suppressed by AS-IV, which was accompanied by the decreased expression levels of Ki67 and CD34. Overall, this study demonstrated that AS-IV inhibits the effects of HCC cell-derived exosomes on proliferation, invasion, and angiogenesis of HUVECs via inhibiting Rab27a expression. Practical Applications. To our knowledge, this is the first study to explore the efficacy of AS-IV against HCC cell-induced proliferation, invasion, and angiogenesis of HUVECs to reveal the underlying mechanism. In this study, CCK-8, Transwell, and tube formation assay detection show that AS-IV has an inhibitory effect on HCC cell-induced proliferation, invasion, and angiogenesis of HUVECs by inhibiting Rab27a, which helps in the development of novel nutraceutical/functional food against HCC progression and thus could improve the quality of life in patients with HCC.

Quality Evaluation of Volatile Oil in Yanyangke Mixture (YM) Based on GC-MS Fingerprint, GC Multicomponent Quantitative Analysis and Chemical Pattern Recognition Analysis.

Yanyangke mixture (YM) is composed of 12 kinds of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) used for the treatment of patients with cough, dry throat and other diseases caused by acute or chronic pharyngitis or patients with difficulty in expectoration. With the wide application of YM in clinical practice, its quality control has attracted huge attention. Based on the multi-component characteristics of Chinese herbal medicines, it is pertinent to establish a quality evaluation system. A new idea is to adopt gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) chemical composition identification, GC-MS fingerprint, and GC content determination as a potential quality control index of the volatile oil in YM. In this study, the volatile oil of YM was extracted by steam distillation, and the chemical components of the volatile oil were analyzed by GC-MS, and 43 chemical components were identified. The fingerprint of the volatile oil from YM was established and the similarity evaluation was performed. Combined with chemometric methods, such as cluster analysis, principal component analysis and partial least squares analysis, the chemical composition differences of the volatile oil from different batches of YM were compared and the symbolic components affecting the quality of the volatile oil from different batches of YM were excavated. Finally, three components were selected as the potential active component markers of YM and the GC content determination method of these three components was established. A rapid, reasonable, and effective quality evaluation and control method of YM volatile oil was established, which provided a reference for further development and research on YM, as well as a new idea for research on other TCM prescriptions.

Simultaneous determination of six α-dicarbonyl compounds in traditional Chinese medicines using high-performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detector with pre-column derivatization.

A reliable method for determination of six α-dicarbonyl compounds in traditional Chinese medicines was first developed and validated by high-performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detector with pre-column derivatization. α-Dicarbonyl compounds in traditional Chinese medicines were extracted and derivatized with 2,3-diaminaphthalene. The derivatization procedure of six α-dicarbonyl compounds was confirmed by high-resolution mass spectrometry. The limits of quantitation for six α-dicarbonyl compounds ranged from 3.70×10-3 to 2.21×10-2 μM. The established method showed good linearity (regression coefficient>0.9990), precision (relative standard deviation<3.37%), and high recovery (97.8%∼113.1%). The developed method was successfully applied to detect the six α-dicarbonyl compounds in traditional Chinese medicines. The result exhibited six α-dicarbonyl compounds was found in the 15 kinds of traditional Chinese medicines, which suggested us that the determination of α-dicarbonyl compounds should be paid more attention in the quality control of traditional Chinese medicines.

Improvement of neurological recovery in the insomnia rats by Warming Yang Strategy through targeting SIRT4 by inhibiting inflammation and apoptosis.

The incidence rate of insomnia is increasing, but the mechanism of it remains unclear. Warming Yang Strategy (WY) is a kind of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and it is proved to be effective in treating insomnia patients. The insomnia animal was established with chlorophenylalanine (PCPA). Morris water maze and open field test were performed to evaluate the influence of WY on the neurological recovery of insomnia rats. TUNEL staining and flow cytometry were used to measure apoptosis level. WY promoted the neurological recovery in the insomnia rats through Morris water maze and open field test evaluation. The increase of γ-aminobutyric acid, dopamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine, and norepinephrine caused by WY was suppressed by siSIRT4. The decrease of apoptosis and inflammation factors expression induced by WY was promoted by siRNA-SIRT4 (siSIRT4). WY improve neurological recovery in the insomnia rats through SIRT4 by inhibiting inflammation and apoptosis. This research might provide a novel insight for the prevention and treatment of insomnia through targeting SIRT4.

Discovery and Activity Evaluation of the Inhibitory Effect of Four Kinds of Traditional Chinese Medicine Extracts on the CYP3A4 Enzyme.

Traditional Chinese medicines that have inhibitory effects on the CYP3A4 enzymes were screened and their inhibitory effects were verified with in vitro bioassay. The computer virtual screening methods, including the CYP3A4 enzyme pharmacophore model and the molecular docking method, were used to rapidly screen the potential CYP3A4 inhibitors in the Traditional Chinese Medicine Database (TCMD), and then in vitro experiments were conducted to validate the computational data. A total of 413 chemical components in TCMD that have potential inhibitory effects on the CYP3A4 enzyme were screened, and four kinds of traditional Chinese medicines (Abrus precatorius, Andrographis paniculata, Angelica pubescens f. biserrata and Lithospermum erythrorhizon) contained the most potential CYP3A4 inhibitors; The results of the in vitro experiments showed that these four traditional Chinese medicine extracts all had certain degrees of inhibition on the CYP3A4 enzyme, with IC50 values of 5.15, 14.97, 15.2, and 24.21 μg/ml, respectively. The extracts of Abrus precatorius, Andrographis paniculata, Angelica pubescens f. biserrata and Lithospermum erythrorhizon had certain inhibitory effects on the CYP3A4 enzyme, and attention should be paid to the possible adverse reactions when they were used in combination with the CYP3A4 enzyme-substrate drugs. A combination of computational approaches might be a useful tool to identify potential inhibitors of the CYP3A4 enzyme from traditional Chinese medicine.

Advances in the study of chemical composition and pharmacological effects of Mentha haplocalyx

Mentha haplocalyx is an important medicinal and edible plant, which has been used in many industries such as food, cosmetics medicine, and health. Here, we sorted out the recent articles related to Mentha haplocalyx at home and abroad, and summarized the research progress of chemical components and pharmacological effects of Mentha haplocalyx, so as to provide recent knowledge to understand Mentha haplocalyx and its usage. It was found that the main part of Mentha haplocalyx was cool and pungent and had many pharmacological effects, such as antiviral, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, analgesic, expectorant, cholagogic effects. These findings could support the usage of Mentha haplocalyx in clinical practice. In conclusion, as a kind of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Mentha haplocalyx is not only in great demand, cheap, and easy to obtain, but also has many pharmacological effects so as to support its clinical usage. This review provides a reference for the basic and clinical research of Mentha haplocalyx in the treatment and prevention of human diseases.

Huoxue Jiedu Recipe represses mitochondrial fission to alleviate submandibular gland inflammation in Sjögren's syndrome.

Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is the second most common autoimmune rheumatism. Huoxue Jiedu Recipe (HXJDR) is a kind of traditional Chinese medicine with a variety of pharmacological functions; however, its biological function in SS has not been studied yet. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and serum samples were isolated from healthy controls and patients with SS. NOD/Ltj mice were used for developing the SS mouse model. The levels of inflammatory cytokines and NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome-related markers as well as dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) were determined by ELISA, quantitative real-time PCR, and western blot analysis, respectively. Hematoxylin and eosin and TUNEL staining detected the pathological damage. A transmission electron microscope was used to observe the mitochondrial microstructure. Inflammatory cytokines IL-18, IL-1β, B-cell activating factor (BAFF), BAFF-receptor (BAFF-R), IL-6, and TNF-α in serum samples and NLRP3 inflammasome-related makers (NLRP3, cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase 1 [caspase-1], apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase-1 recruitment domain [ASC], IL-1β) in PBMCs were greatly upregulated in patients with SS. Furthermore, cytoplasmic phosphorylation of Drp1 and mitochondrial Drp1 level were significantly increased in PBMCs, while mitochondrial swelling and fuzzy inner ridge were observed in PBMCs of patients with SS, suggesting increased mitochondrial fission. Compared with control mice, SS mice showed decreased salivary flow rate, increased submandibular gland index, and more severe inflammatory infiltration and damage as well as mitochondrial fission in submandibular gland tissues. After HXJDR administration, these effects were significantly reversed. HXJDR treatment could alleviate the inflammatory infiltration and pathological damage in submandibular glands of SS mice by inhibiting Drp-1-dependent mitochondrial fission.

Systematic evaluation of combined herbal adjuvant therapy for proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of combined traditional Chinese medicine in the adjuvant treatment of proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) by Meta-analysis. PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang databases were searched by computer. Random controlled clinical trials (RCTS) using traditional Chinese medicine as adjuvant therapy for proliferative diabetic retinopathy were screened, and Stata16.0 software was used to perform meta-analysis on the final included literatures. A total of 18 studies involving 1392 patients were included. Meta-analysis showed that the clinical effective rate OR=2.99 (CI: 2.18-4.10, I2=42.7%, P<0.05); Visual acuity MD=0.10(CI: 0.06-0.13, I2=0%, P<0.05); Fundus efficacy OR=5.47 (CI: 1.33-22.51, I2=71.4%, P<0.05); Neovascularisation regression rate OR=8 (CI: 3.83-16.71, I2=30.1%, P<0.05); Macular foveal thickness MD=-44.24 (CI: -84.55-3.93, I2=95.6%, P<0.05); Absorption of vitreous hemorrhage OR=4.7 (CI: 2.26-9.77, I2=0%, P<0.05); Fasting blood glucose MD=-0.23, (CI: -0.38-0.07, I2=0%, P<0.05); 2h postprandial blood glucose MD=-0.19 (CI: -0.52-0.14, I2=0%, P=0.25). From the results, the combined Chinese medicine adjuvant therapy showed better efficacy than the control group. A total of 69 kinds of traditional Chinese medicine were involved in 18 studies, among which the top four applied frequencies were Panax notoginseng, Rehmannia rehmannii, Astragalus membranaceus and Poria cocos. Most of the medicines were sweet and bitter in taste, the qi tended to be slight cold and cold, and the meridian tropism belongs to the liver meridian. The combination of traditional Chinese medicine adjuvant therapy has a good curative effect on PDR patients. However, the relevant clinical trials are few and more high-quality clinical trials are still needed, what's more the attention should be paid to the exploration of its safety.

Ginkgetin suppresses ovarian cancer growth through inhibition of JAK2/STAT3 and MAPKs signaling pathways

BackgroundGinkgo biloba L., a kind of traditional Chinese medicine, is always used to treat various diseases. Ginkgetin is an active biflavonoid isolated from leaves of Ginkgo biloba L., which exhibits diverse biological activities, including anti-tumor, anti-microbial, anti-cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and anti-inflammatory effects. However, there are few reports on the effects of ginkgetin on ovarian cancer (OC). Hypothesis/PurposeOC is one of the most common cancers with high mortality in women. The purpose of this study was to find out how ginkgetin inhibited OC and which signal transduction pathways was involved to suppress OC. MethodsThe OC cell lines, A2780, SK-OV-3 and CP70, were used for in vitro experiments. MTT assay, colony formation, apoptosis assay, scratch wound assay and cell invasion assay were used to determine the inhibitory effect of ginkgetin. BALB/c nude female mice were injected with A2780 cells subcutaneously, then treated with ginkgetin by intragastric administration. Western blot experiment was used to verify the inhibitory mechanism of OC in vitro and in vivo. ResultsWe found that ginkgetin inhibited the proliferation and induced apoptosis in OC cells. In addition, ginkgetin reduced migration and invasion of OC cells. In vivo study showed that ginkgetin significantly reduced tumor volume in the xenograft mouse model. Furthermore, the anti-tumor effects of ginkgetin were associated with a down regulation of p-STAT3, p-ERK and SIRT1 both in vitro and in vivo. ConclusionOur results suggest that ginkgetin exhibits anti-tumor activity in OC cells via inhibiting the JAK2/STAT3 and MAPK pathways and SIRT1 protein. Ginkgetin could be a potential candidate for the treatment of OC.