Armeniacae Semen Research Articles

Sangbaipi decoction exerted in vitro and in vivo anti-influenza effect through inhibiting viral proteins

Headings ethnopharmacological relevanceSangbaipi Decoction (SBPD) is an effective treatment for lung diseases caused by phlegm-heat obstruction according to Jingyue Quanshu, and soothes panting by purging the lung meridian. It is composed of anti-pyretic herbs (e.g., Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi and Coptis chinensis Franch.) and antitussive herbs (e.g., Cortex Mori and Armeniacae Semen Amarum). Therefore, we hypothesized that SBPD has therapeutic effects on lung injury caused by influenza virus. Aim of the studyThis study aimed to explore anti-influenza activity, active components, and mechanisms of SBPD. Materials and methodsThe anti-influenza activities of SBPD were determined in 48 h drug-treated MDCK cell model using CPE and plaque reduction assays, and 24 h drug-treated A549 cells using qRT-PCR. The in vivo efficacy of SBPD (1.0 g/kg/day and 0.5 g/kg/day) was evaluated in PR8 infected BALB/c mice. The chemical component was assessed through HPLC-Q-TOF MS/MS analysis. Network pharmacology was built via TCMSP, GeneCards, DisgeNet, OMIM, DrugBank databases, and Cytoscape software. Additionally, TOA, HI and NAI assays were employed to investigate impact on the virus replication cycle with different concentrations of SBPD (2.5 mg/mL, 1.25 mg/mL, or 0.625 mg/mL). ResultsIn MDCK infected with viruses A/PR/8/34, A/Hong Kong/1/68, or A/California/4/2009, the IC50 values of SBPD were 0.80 mg/mL, 1.20 mg/mL, and 1.25 mg/mL. In A549 cells, SBPD treatment reduced cytokine expression (e.g., TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β) (p < 0.05). In PR8 infected BALB/c mice, SBPD improved the survival rate of infected mice, reduced lung index (p < 0.05), protected lung tissue from pathological damage, and regulated cytokine overexpression (p < 0.05). 29 components of SBPD were identified in SBPD treated mouse serum including some phytochemicals targeting influenza proteins. HI and NAI assays suggested the potential antiviral mechanism of SBPD through inhibition of HA and NA. ConclusionThis study is the first to demonstrate the anti-influenza and the anti-inflammatory effects of SBPD in vitro and in vivo. Its major anti-influenza phytochemicals were explored and its inhibitory effects on HA and NA protein were proved. It provides more options for anti-influenza drug discovery.

Optimization of prediction model for personalized water pills based on semantic analysis of traditional Chinese medicine materials

This study aims to optimize the prediction model of personalized water pills that has been established by our research group. Dioscoreae Rhizoma, Leonuri Herba, Codonopsis Radix, Armeniacae Semen Amarum, and calcined Oyster were selected as model medicines of powdery, fibrous, sugary, oily, and brittle materials, respectively. The model prescriptions were obtained by uniform mixing design. With hydroxypropyl methylcellulose E5(HPMC-E5) aqueous solution as the adhesive, personalized water pills were prepared by extrusion and spheronizaition. The evaluation indexes in the pill preparation process and the multi-model statistical analysis were employed to optimize and evaluate the prediction model of personalized water pills. The prediction equation of the adhesive concentration was obtained as follows: Y_1=-4.172+3.63X_A+15.057X_B+1.838X_C-0.997X_D(adhesive concentration of 10% when Y_1&lt;0, and 20% when Y_1&gt;0). The overall accuracy of the prediction model for adhesive concentration was 96.0%. The prediction equation of adhesive dosage was Y_2=6.051+94.944X_A~(1.5)+161.977X_B+70.078X_C~2+12.016X_D~(0.3)+27.493X_E~(0.3)-2.168X_F~(-1)(R~2=0.954, P&lt;0.001). Furthermore, the semantic prediction model for material classification of traditional Chinese medicines was used to classify the materials contained in the prescription, and thus the prediction model of personalized water pills was evaluated. The results showed that the prescriptions for model evaluation can be prepared with one-time molding, and the forming quality was better than that established by the research group earlier. This study has achieved the optimization of the prediction model of personalized water pills.

Deciphering the mechanism of Ephedra Herba-Armeniacae Semen Amarum herb pairs on COVID-19 by integrated network pharmacology and bioinformatics

BackgroundEffective prevention of COVID-19 is vital for impeding the current pandemic. Our study is devoted to investigating the targets of Ephedra Herba (EH)-Armeniacae Semen Amarum (ASA) herb pairs on COVID-19 and identifying the signature genes. MethodsFirstly, the active constituents and corresponding targets of EH-ASA were separately obtained through Traditional Chinese Medicine System Pharmacology Database (TCMSP) and UniProt KB database. We searched the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) for COVID-19 and intersected the targets with DEGs to retrieve common genes. Subsequently, the Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) network and weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WCGNA) were carried out to discover the genes related to COVID-19, which was combined with DEGs performed the GO and KEGG enrichment analysis to investigate the pathogenesis of COVID-19. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) and molecular docking were ultimately exerted to verify the precision and stability of the screened genes. ResultsThere were 42 active compounds of the EH-ASA corresponding to 200 targets, including Luteolin, Glycyrol, Glabridin, and Quercetin. Also, 548 DEGs were filtered out, and 74 common genes were obtained after the intersection. In addition, 358 genes associated with COVID-19 were identified through the WGCNA method, mainly involved in Human T-cell leukemia virus one infection and IL-17 signaling pathway, etc. At last, three signature genes were obtained, containing ESR1, IL2, and NFKBIA, and the ROC of these three genes was 1.000, 0.967, and 0.967, respectively, which illuminated the accuracy of the results. Also, molecular docking indicated that the main chemical constituents of the EH-ASA had a good affinity with COVID-19. ConclusionEH-ASA herb pairs may play a preventive and therapeutic role in COVID-19 through the three characteristic genes, ESR1, IL2, and NFKBIA.

Similarity and Specificity of Lianhua Qingwen and Damp-Heat Plague Formula for the Management of Mild COVID-19

Lianhua Qingwen (LHQW) and damp-heat plague formula (DHPF) have positive therapeutic outcomes on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study aimed to clarify the mechanisms of LHQW and DHPF in COVID-19 treatment, and examined the differences between the 2 formulas in the treatment process. This study is based on systems biology and network pharmacology; the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology database and Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicine were used to compare information on LHQW and DHPF; the STRING database was used to construct the “protein–protein interaction (PPI)” and protein module networks. Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment were used to analyze the intersecting targets of LHQW and DHPF. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis was used to analyze the specific targets of the 2 formulas. Molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulation were used to validate the interactions of candidate active compounds and targets. The results show that both LHQW and DHPF alleviate mild COVID-19 by relieving inflammation, increasing immunity, apoptosis, and reducing oxidative stress. Furthermore, Machiline and Estrone in Armeniacae Semen Amarum (Kuxingren) in LHQW can target neurological disease-related genes (ADRA2B, ADRA2C, and DRD2). In contrast, Ellagic acid in Paeoniae Radix Rubra (Chi Shao) in DHPF can target immunity- and inflammation-related genes (GSTA1 and GSTA2). These findings suggest that when translated into clinical applications, LHQW would likely be more potent in treating patients with nervous disorders who experienced mild COVID-19, whereas DHPF would effectively perform antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.

Phytochemistry and pharmacology of Armeniacae semen Amarum: A review.

Armeniacae Semen Amarum (Prunus armeniaca L. var. ansu Maxim., Ku xingren, bitter almond, ASA) is an important medicine in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It is widely used because of its remarkable curative effect in relieving cough and asthma, moistening intestines and defecating. This review aims to enlighten the deeper knowledge about ASA, giving a comprehensive overview of its traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology for future investigation of plant-based drugs and therapeutic applications. The databases used are Web of Science, PubMed, Baidu academic, Google academic, CNKI, Wanfang and VIP . In addition, detailed information on ASA was obtained from relevant monographs such as Chinese Pharmacopoeia. The active components of ASA mainly include amygdalin, bitter almond oil, essential oil, protein, vitamin, trace elements and carbohydrates. The pharmacological studies have shown that ASA has beneficial effects such as antitussive, antiasthmatic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antioxidant, antitumour, cardioprotective, antifibrotic, immune regulatory, bowel relaxation, insecticidal, etc. CONCLUSIONS: Many reports have been published on ASA's various active ingredients and biological uses. However, only a few reviews on its phytoconstituents and pharmacological uses. In addition, the exploration and development of ASA in other fields also deserve more attention in future research.

Shelf Life of Eight Chinese Herbs Sealed in Composite Bags

The shelf life of eight traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) was investigated by examining their appearance, moisture content, and index component content. A total of 24 batches of samples of the eight TCM were packaged in the same composite bags and stored according to the requirements of the 'Chinese Pharmacopoeia' 2020 edition. Samples were taken at 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24 months, and the appearance, moisture content, and content of index components were measured. The results were analyzed using GraphPad Prism 5 and Minitab 21 software. During the study period, there were no significant changes in the appearance or moisture content of all samples. Among the eight TCM, the index component content of polyporus umbellatus did not change significantly, while that of the others showed a clear downward trend over time. Among them, rehmanniae radix and dipsaci radix slices had the fastest and slowest decline in index component content, respectively. The regression-fitting curve indicated that the shelf life of the eight TCM packed in composite plastic bags was 40 months for armeniacae semen amarum processed with boiling water, 20 months for chuanxiong rhizoma, 20 months for euodiae fructus, 12 months for zanthoxyli pericarpium, 81 months for dipsaci radix slices, 24 months for rehmanniae radix, 26 months for heishunpian (aconiti lateralis radix praeparata), and 24 months for polyporus umbellatus. During the study period, the quality of all eight TCM, except for zanthoxyli pericarpium, met the relevant requirements. The study demonstrates the research on the shelf life of TCM is significant and stability regression analysis can be used to predict the shelf life.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Pattern Classification and Herbal Medicine for COVID-19

Background: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) plays a crucial role in the prevention and control of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Objective: The study aimed to reveal the distribution characteristics of COVID-19 TCM syndrome types and syndrome elements and the law of TCM treatment and medication. Methods: The TCM diagnosis and treatment protocol for COVID-19 and clinical research data were obtained through network retrieval, and Revman 5.3 and SPSS 23.0 were employed to analyze the composition of TCM syndromes and the situation of TCMs in meta and frequency. Results: The top three TCM syndromes of COVID-19 included damp-heat accumulation in the lung pattern, damp abundance due to spleen deficiency, and epidemic toxin invading the lung pattern, while the syndrome elements were dampness, heat, and toxin. Gypsum fibrosum, Pogostemonis herba, and Armeniacae semen were identified as the commonly used drugs. Different syndrome elements were identified at lung disease location: Forsythiae fructus, Glycyrrhizae radix, and Armeniacae semen can be used for “wind;” Glycyrrhizae radix, Armeniacae semen, and Scutellariae radix can be used for “Heat;” Armeniacae semen, Sheng Gypsum fibrosum, and Ephedrae herba can be used for “Toxin;” Ephedrae herba, Armeniacae semen, and Atractylodis rhizome can be used for “Damp;” Magnoliae officinalis Cortex, Ephedrae herba, and Zingiberis Rhizoma recens can be used for “cold;” and Armeniacae semen, Gypsum fibrosum, Ephedrae herba, and Lepidii/Descurainiae semen can be used for “epidemic.” Conclusion: The establishment of a treatment scheme based on the classification of disease syndrome elements should be considered for sudden infectious diseases, such as COVID-19. Pogostemonis herba, Armeniacae semen, Gypsum fibrosum, and Glycyrrhizae radix should be considered as effective drugs from TCM for the treatment of COVID-19.

Reveal the Patterns of Prescriptions for Recurrent Respiratory Tract Infections' Treatment Based on Multiple Illustrious Senior Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners.

Recurrent respiratory tract infections (RRTIs) are one of the most common diseases in children and adolescents. The causes of RRTIs are various. In addition to the factors related to infection, basic diseases such as respiratory system, immune system, and digestive system are also involved. The cost of patients' frequent medical treatment and hospitalization has been deemed to be a heavy burden to the society and family. In China, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is commonly used to treat RRTIs. TCM treatment has been appraised to be effective, for reducing the number of hospital stays. Illustrious senior TCM practitioners of pediatrics are recognized as a group of outstanding physicians with significantly better patient outcomes. However, different illustrious senior TCM practitioners can lead to differences in treatment strategies due to factors such as region, prescription theory, and individual differences of patients. This makes it difficult for the experience of illustrious senior TCM practitioners to be popularized. However, there have been no prescription mining studies for the treatment of RRTIs based on different and multiple illustrious senior TCM practitioners. We explored the core prescriptions and drug mechanisms through data mining based on the prescriptions of illustrious senior TCM practitioners treating RRTIs from different clinical settings. This is important to promote the effective treatment of RRTIs with TCM. The objective of this study is to reveal the strategies (core prescriptions) from the prescriptions of multiple illustrious senior TCM practitioners for the treatment of RRTIs. We hope that this core prescription can help all TCM pediatricians to improve RRTIs children's outcome. Meanwhile, it could provide a new way for researchers to study the treatment of RRTIs. In this study, we prospectively collected 400 children's prescriptions with RRTIs receiving TCM treatment from four illustrious senior TCM practitioners in different hospitals. We described and analyzed the characteristics of TCM prescriptions. The prescription regularity was analyzed by hierarchical clustering and association rules. Network pharmacology methods has been used to reveal the pathway mechanism of core prescriptions which have been mined and visualized with the help of SymMap, Genecards, KEGG, Metascape databases, and R. The execution of all methods was completed in May 2022. According to RRTIs multiple clinical syndromes, five new prescriptions were obtained based on illustrious senior TCM practitioners. Among them, the prescription composed of Scutellariae radix (Huangqin), Armeniacae semen amarum (Kuxingren), Peucedani radix (Qianhu), and Pheretima (Dilong) is the core strategy for the treatment of RRTIs. Cold herbs and heat herbs in the core prescription are approximately equal. Scutellariae radix (Huangqin) was dominant, and other herbs exert synergistic effects. The core prescription covered 76 pathways and 226 herb-disease genes. It promotes the differentiation of Th1, Th2, and Th17 cells and the secretion of inflammatory factors through toll-like receptor signaling pathway in the immune system, T cell receptor signaling pathway, and PPAR signaling pathway in the endocrine system, thereby exerting immune regulation and anti-inflammation. In this study, we revealed the prescription regularity of TCM in the treatment of RRTIs and analyzed the mechanism of core prescriptions, which provided new ideas for the treatment of RRTIs.

Recycling of detoxification wastewater from Semen Armeniacae Amarum

Detoxification of Semen Armeniacae Amarum requires large amounts of water, and the detoxifying wastewater contains highly toxic hydrocyanic acid. This paper aims to explore the recovery of water after the removal of cyanide from it by chemical precipitation. The results show that when the dosage of ferrous sulfate is 1.76 times of the theoretical value, the cyanide removal in water can be reduced to about 2.70×105mol/L, the hydrocyanic acid in Semen Armeniacae Amarum can be entirely removed when the treated water is recycled.

Near-Infrared Metabolic Profiling for Discrimination of Apricot and Peach Kernels.

Apricot and Peach Kernels are commercial crude drugs used in many formulas of traditional Japanese medicine, Kampo. Although their applications are quite different, it is difficult to distinguish them using conventional methods such as HPLC. The study aimed at near-infrared (NIR) metabolic profiling to discriminate Apricot and Peach Kernels (Armeniacae Semen and Persicae Semen) collected from Japanese markets. A fast, simple, non-destructive, and robust NIR measurement of kernel surface with no sample pre-treatment was achieved in situ. Principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) models showed discrimination between the two crude drugs with good fitting and prediction values. These results indicate that NIR metabolic profiling is useful for discriminating Apricot and Peach Kernels based on their chemical constituents using a simple and non-destructive procedure.

Exploration on Varying Patterns of Morphological Features and Quality of Armeniacae Semen Amarum in Rancid Process Based on Colorimeter, Electronic Nose, and GC/MS Coupled With Human Panel.

In recent years, the domestic and international trade volumes of Chinese medicinal materials (CMMs) keep increasing. By the end of 2019, the total amount of exported CMMs reached as high as US $1.137 billion, while imported was US $2.155 billion. A stable and controllable quality system of CMMs apparently becomes the most important issue, which needs multifaceted collaboration from harvesting CMMs at a proper season to storing CMMs at a proper temperature. However, due to imperfect storage conditions, different kinds of deteriorations are prone to occur, for instance, get moldy or rancid, which not only causes a huge waste of CMM resources but also poses a great threat to clinical medication safety and public health. The key issue is to quickly and accurately distinguish deteriorated CMM samples so as to avoid consuming low-quality or even harmful CMMs. However, some attention has been paid to study the changing quality of deteriorated CMMs and a suitable method for identifying them. In this study, as a medicine and food material which easily becomes rancid, armeniacae semen amarum (ASA) was chosen as a research objective, and experimental ASA samples of different rancidness degrees were collected. Then, various kinds of analytical methods and technologies were applied to explore the changing rules of ASA quality and figure out the key indicators for the quality evaluation of ASA in the rancid process, including the human panel, colorimeter, electronic nose, and GC/MS. This study aims to analyze the correlation between the external morphological features and the inner chemical compounds, to find out the specific components from “quantitative change” to “qualitative change” in the process of “getting rancid,” and to discover the dynamic changes in the aforementioned key indicators at different stages of rancidness. The results showed since ASA samples began to get rancid with the extension of storage time, morphological features, namely, surface color and smell, changed significantly, and the degree of rancidness further deepened at the same time. Based on macroscopic identification accomplished via the human panel, ASA samples with varying degrees of rancidness were divided into four groups. The result of colorimeter analysis was in agreement with that of the human panel, as well as the determination of the amygdalin content and peroxide value. Moreover, there were obvious differences in the amygdalin content and peroxide value among ASA samples with different rancidness degrees. With a higher degree of rancidness, the content of amygdalin decreased, while the peroxide value increased significantly. The rancidness degree of ASA has a negative correlation with the amygdalin content and a positive correlation with the peroxide value. The newly discovered nonanal and 2-bromopropiophenone in rancid ASA samples may be the key components of “rancidity smell,” and these two components would be the exclusive components that trigger “quantitative change” to “qualitative change” in the process of rancidness of ASA. This study sheds light on studying the internal mechanism of “rancidness” of CMMs and provides an important basis for the effective storage and safe medication of easy-to-get rancid herbs, and it also plays an important foundation for the establishment of a stable and controllable quality system for CMMs.

Pharmacokinetics and anti-liver fibrosis characteristics of amygdalin: Key role of the deglycosylated metabolite prunasin

BackgroundAmygdalin (Amy) is a cyanoside and is one of the chief active ingredients in Persicae Semen, Armeniacae Semen Amarum, and Pruni Semen. Amy has extensive and remarkable pharmacological activities, including against anti-hepatic fibrosis. However, the pharmacokinetic and anti-liver fibrosis effects of Amy and its enzyme metabolite prunasin (Pru) in vivo have not been studied and compared, and studies on Pru are limited. PurposeTo investigate the pharmacokinetic characteristics and anti-liver fibrosis effect of Amy and its metabolite Pru in vivo and in vitro, and elucidate whether the metabolism of Amy in vivo for Pru is activated. MethodsPru was prepared from Amy via the enzymatic hydrolysis of β-glucosidase, and isolated by silica gel column chromatography. An efficient and sensitive ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-Q exactive hybrid quadrupole orbitrap high-resolution accurate mass spectrometry was developed and validated to determine simultaneously Amy and Pru in rat plasma after dosing intravenously and orally for pharmacokinetic studies. The affinities of Amy and Pru for β-glucosidase were compared by enzyme kinetic experiments to explain the possible reasons for the differences in pharmacokinetic behavior. In vitro, the inhibitory effects of Amy and Pru on hepatic stellate cell activation and macrophage inflammation on JS1 and RAW 264.7 cells were determined. In vivo, the ameliorative effects of Amy and Pru on liver fibrosis effects were comprehensively evaluated by CCl4-induced liver fibrosis model in mice. ResultsThe standard curves of Amy and Pru in rat plasma showed good linearity within the concentration range of 1.31–5000.00 ng/ml, with acceptable selectivity, carry-over, detection limit and quantification limits, intra- and inter-day precision, accuracy, matrix effect, and stability. The Cmax and AUC(0−∞) of Pru (Cmax = 1835.12 ± 268.09 ng/ml, AUC(0−∞) = 103,913.17 ± 14,202.48 ng•min/ml) were nearly 79.51- and 66.22-fold higher than those of Amy (Cmax = 23.08 ± 5.08 ng/ml, AUC(0−∞) = 1569.22 ± 650.62 ng•min/ml) after the oral administration of Amy. The oral bioavailability of Pru (64.91%) was higher than that of Amy (0.19%). The results of enzyme hydrolysis kinetics assay showed that the Vmax and Km of Pru were lower than those of Amy in commercial β-glucosidase and intestinal bacteria. In vitro cellular assays showed that Amy and Pru were comparable in inhibiting the NO production in the RAW264.7 cell supernatant and the mRNA expression of α-SMA and Col1A1 in JS1 cells. Amy and Pru were also showed comparable activity in ameliorating CCl4-induced liver fibrosis in mice. ConclusionThe pharmacokinetic characteristics of Amy and Pru in rat plasma were significantly different. After the separate gavage of Amy and Pru, Amy was absorbed predominantly as it's metabolite Pru, whereas Pru was absorbed predominantly as a prototype. The anti-liver fibrosis effects of Amy and its deglycosylated metabolite Pru were comparable in vivo and in vitro. The deglycosylated activated metabolite Pru of Amy plays an important role in anti-liver fibrosis. These findings will facilitate the further exploitation of Amy and Pru.

Protective Effects of Carbon Dots Derived from Armeniacae Semen Amarum Carbonisata Against Acute Lung Injury Induced by Lipopolysaccharides in Rats.

IntroductionThe charcoal processed product of Armeniacae Semen Amarum (ASA), ASA Carbonisata (ASAC), has long been used for its anti-inflammatory effects. However, the material basis and mechanism of action of ASAC remain unclear.AimTo explore the anti-inflammatory effects of Armeniacae Semen Amarum Carbonisata-derived carbon dots (ASAC-CDs).MethodsThe physicochemical properties of ASAC-CDs including morphology, optical properties, functional groups were characterized by a series of methods, mainly including electron microscopy, optical technology and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The anti-inflammatory effect of ASAC-CDs was evaluated and confirmed using acute lung injury (ALI) induced by lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in rats.ResultsThe ASAC-CDs ranged from 1.5 to 5.5 nm in diameter, with a quantum yield of 3.17%. ASAC-CDs alleviated LPS-induced inflammation, as demonstrated by reducing the levels of IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α and increasing the contents of IL-10 in rat serum. More interestingly, ASAC-CDs reduce the content of MDA and MPO and increase the activity of SOD and the content of GSH, indicating the antioxidant activity of ASAC-CDs.ConclusionThese results demonstrate the remarkable anti-inflammatory effects of ASAC-CDs against ALI induced by LPS, which provide an important basis for the application of ASAC-CDs in clinical anti-pneumonia, and lay an experimental foundation for the research and development of novel nano-drugs.

Phytochemical Screening, Chemical Constituents, Traditional Medicine Usage, Pharmacological Effect, Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics of Semen armeniacae

Semen armeniacae refers to the seeds of Prunus armeniaca L. (Rosaceae). The Prunus armeniaca L. plant is spreading in the Korean peninsula, China, India, Japan, North Africa, and the United States of America. The Prunus armeniaca contains 3% amygdalin, titratable acidity, sugars (saccharose, fructose, and glucose), and organic acids (citric and malic acids) in addition to prunasin and mandelonitrile. Semen armeniacae is used for the treatment of asthma and cough (with expectoration and fever). It is used in constipation therapy. It is also used as eardrops for inflammation and tinnitus and the treatment of skin diseases. The pharmacological effect of Semen armeniacae includes experimental and clinical pharmacology. Experimental pharmacology includes anti-cholinesterase, neuroprotective, analgesic, antipyretic, antitumor, antibacterial, antimicrobial, antifungal, and antitussive activities. Decoction of Semen armeniacae to 2275 patients with COVID-19 improves clinical parameters such as lung state, clinical cure rate, number of cough reduction cases, symptom score of cough, viral nucleic acid testing, and inflammatory biomarkers. Oral intake of Semen armeniacae extract for 28 days did not cause any hematological, biochemical, or histological changes in rats. The Prunus armeniaca plant declines oxidative stress, inflammation, fat degeneration, and necrosis in alcohol-induced in-vivo and in-vitro liver injury models. There is no effect on fertility in rats after eating Semen armeniacae for 5 weeks. The average daily dose= 3-9 g of Semen armeniacae rinsing in boiling water then adding to a decoction. In conclusion, Semen armeniacae has anti-cholinesterase, neuroprotective, analgesic, antipyretic, antitumor, antibacterial, antimicrobial, antifungal, and antitussive activities.

Anti-proliferative Effects of Prunus Armeniaca Semen on Acute Leukemia by Regulate of Cell Cycle Progression

Introduction: Prunus armeniaca is one member of the Rosaceae family. Antitumor activity of this family on the colon, prostate, bladder, cervix, lung and breast cancers has been proven in previous research, which is attributed to a natural compound called amygdalin. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the effect of apricot kernel extract on acute leukemia that has not been studied before. Methods: In this experimental study, Aqueous, ethyl acetate, and hydro alcoholic of the Armeniacae semen extracts were prepared. The NALM-6 and KG-1 cell lines were treated with different doses of extracts; cell viability was investigated with MTT test and using double staining fluorescent, cell apoptosis was detected. Cell cycle progression was analyzed, using a BD Cycle TEST PLUS DNA Kit. Results: The results showed that different extracts of Prunus armeniaca induced dose-dependent inhibition in both Kg1 and Nalm6 cell lines. According to the results of MTT test, the strongest IC50 in Kg1 and Nalm6 cell lines was related to the 48h effect of ethyl acetate extract of Prunus armeniaca. Fluorescent microscopy analysis showed apoptosis. The ethyl acetate extract application in both cell lines increased the number of cells in the G0 / G1 phase and decreased the number of cells in the G2 / M phase. Conclusion: It seems that ethylacetat extract of Prunus armeniaca can reduce the proliferation of Kg1 and Nalm6 cell lines, probably by regulates cell cycle progression.

Identification of Armeniacae Semen Amarum and Persicae Semen from different origins based on near infrared hyperspectral imaging technology

In order to establish a rapid and non-destructive evaluation method for the identification of Armeniacae Semen Amarum and Persicae Semen from different origins, the spectral information of Armeniacae Semen Amarum and Persicae Semen in the range of 898-1 751 nm was collected based on hyperspectral imaging technology. Armeniacae Semen Amarum and Persicae Semen from different origins were collected as research objects, and a total of 720 Armeniacae Semen Amarum samples and 600 Persicae Semen samples were used for authenticity discrimination. The region of interest(ROI) and the average reflection spectrum in the ROI were obtained, followed by comparing five pre-processing methods. Then, partial least squares discriminant analysis(PLS-DA), support vector machine(SVM), and random forest(RF) method were established for classification models, which were evaluated by the confusion matrix of prediction results and receiver operating characteristic curve(ROC). The results showed that in the three sample sets, the se-cond derivative pre-processing method and PLS-DA were the best model combinations. The classification accuracy of the test set under the 5-fold cross-va-lidation was 93.27%, 96.19%, and 100.0%, respectively. It was consistent with the confusion matrix of the predicted results. The area under the ROC curve obtained the highest values of 0.992 3, 0.999 6, and 1.000, respectively. The study revealed that the near-infrared hyperspectral imaging technology could accurately identify the medicinal materials of Armeniacae Semen Amarum and Persicae Semen from different origins and distinguish the authentication of these two varieties.

Application of Chinese Herbal Medicine in COVID-19

Traditional Chinese herbal medicine has a long history in treating febrile diseases, according to the Shang Han Lun, a classical theory of traditional Chinese medicine developed by Zhang Zhongjing in the Han Dynasty. Some herbs have been formulated as prescription formulae or manufactured as finished medicine such as pills, capsules or injections. The Chinese government has recommended specific TCM prescriptions alone or combined with Western medicine to treat patients with COVID-9. Here, we introduce three prescription formulae, Qingfei Paidu Decoction, Huashi Baidu Formula, and Xuanfei Baidu Formula, three finished medicines, Lianhua Qingwen Capsule, Jinhua Qinggan Granule, and Xuebijing Injection; following this, several single herbs such as Ephedra herba, Honeysuckle, Scutellaria, Glycyrrhizae radix, Armeniacae semen, Sophorae flavescentis radix, and Curcuma longa. We review existing evidence of these traditional medicines and herbs for their related antiviral activities, efficacy, and underlying mode of action in virus-related diseases. Most of these drugs have been traditionally used in Chinese medicine for over a thousand years, and they have been proved to be safe in treating flu-like virus infections. It will be adequate to further test for their efficacy for COVID-19 and understand the underlying molecular mechanism.

Armeniacae Semen Regulates Apoptosis and Cell Cycle Progression in MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, and T47D Breast Cancer Cell Lines

Background: Amygdalin is a glycoside ingredient of rosacea plants that exerts an antitumor effect by blocking the growth of the tumor cells. Therefore, we aimed to use the Armeniacae semen, a member of the Rosacea family, which contains a large amount of the amygdalin, to evaluate its antiproliferative effect on MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, and T47D breast cancer cell lines. Method: In this experimental study, we prepared the aqueous, ethyl acetate, and hydro-alcoholic extracts of the Armeniacae semen. The MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, and T47D cell lines were treated with different doses of the extracts for 12, 24, 36, and 48 hours; cell viability was investigated with MTT test and cell apoptosis was detected by use of double staining fluorescent. Cell cycle progression was analyzed using a BD Cycle TEST PLUS DNA Kit. We also assessed Bcl2, Bax, and caspase-3 mRNA expression. Results: The best IC50s belonged to hydro-alcoholic extract of the Armeniacae semen in all three cell lines for the 48-hour treatment. We observed a significant increase in Bax and caspase-3 mRNA expression and a noticeable reduction in Bcl2 mRNA compared with the controls. Application of amygdalin to MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, and T47D cell lines increased the number of G0/G1 cells and reduced the number of cells at G2/M phasecompared to the controls. Conclusion: This study showed that the hydro-alcoholic extract of Prunus armeniaca had antitumor effects on breast cancer cell lines as it inhibited the cell cycle at G0/G1 phase and apoptosis induction in the MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, and T47D cell lines.

Identification of peach and apricot kernels for traditional Chinese medicines using near-infrared spectroscopy

Peach kernels (persicae semen) and apricot kernels (armeniacae semen) are used in traditional Chinese medicines as an anti-blood stasis agent and an antitussive/expectorant, respectively. They are sometimes mixed with each other, either mistakenly or deliberately to counterfeit products, because they are similar in appearance. However, they contain greatly different amounts of the active ingredient. Their medicinal effects are also different. Therefore, it is necessary to distinguish them correctly. The traditional identification method, which is based on human senses, requires experience and skill and is time-consuming. Its accuracy thus varies by inspector. In this study, near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and multivariate analyses were employed to identify peach and apricot kernels. The analyses were performed either at 12500−4000 cm−1 (entire NIR region) or at 12500−9000 cm−1 (high-wavenumber region). The spectra in the latter region can be measured with an inexpensive and simple device suitable for practical use. An analysis of the spectra obtained at 12500−4000 cm−1 indicates that the two types of kernel can be distinguished using the principal component score plot. In the high-wavenumber region (12500−9000 cm−1), the analysis was performed using partial least squares discriminant analysis. All the test samples were correctly identified, showing that the proposed method is a powerful tool for accurately identifying peach and apricot kernels.

Herb pair of Ephedrae Herba-Armeniacae Semen Amarum alleviates airway injury in asthmatic rats

Ethnopharmacological relevanceEphedrae Herba (EH, Ephedra sinica Stapf.) and Armeniacae Semen Amarum (ASA, Prunus armeniaca L. var. ansu Maxim.) have been used to treat asthma, cold, fever, and cough in China for thousands of years. Aim of the studyIn this study, we aimed to investigate the optimal ratio of EH and ASA compatibility (EAC) to reduce airway injury in asthmatic rats and its possible mechanism. MethodsRats were sensitized with a mixture of acetylcholine chloride and histamine bisphosphate 1 h before sensitization by intragastric administration of EAC or dexamethasone or saline for 7 days. Subsequently, the ultrastructure of rat airway epithelial tissue changes, apoptosis of the airway epithelial cells, and the expression of mRNA and protein of EGRF and Bcl-2 were detected. ResultsTransmission electron microscope: EAC (groups C and E) had the most prominent effect on repairing airway epithelial cells' ultrastructural changes in asthmatic rats. TUNEL: dexamethasone and EAC (groups B、C、E and F) inhibited the apoptosis of airway epithelial cells in asthmatic rats (P < 0.05). In situ hybridization: EAC (group E) inhibited the overexpression of EGFR and Bcl-2 mRNA (P < 0.05).Western Blotting: EAC (groups A、B、C、E and F) inhibited the upregulation of airway epithelial EGFR and Bcl-2 protein expression (P < 0.01). ConclusionsOur findings indicate that EAC can inhibit abnormal changes in airway epithelial structure and apoptosis of airway epithelial cells, thereby alleviating airway injury. In this study, the best combination of EH and ASA to alleviate airway epithelial injury in asthmatic rats was group E (EH: ASA = 8: 4.5).