Using the UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MSE method and intestinal bacteria for metabolite identification in the nonpolysaccharide fraction from Bletilla striata

Structural characteristics and wound-healing effects of Bletilla striata fresh tuber polysaccharide

A homogeneous polysaccharide from Bletilla striata fresh tuber (BSPS) was prepared and extensively characterized using HP-GPC, colorimetry, FT-IR, methylation, GC-MS, NMR, Congo red experiment, SEM, and AFM. The molecular weight of BSPS was 722.90 kDa. BSPS consisted of glucose and mannose in the molar ratio of 1 : 2.5. BSPS had a linear chain structure consisting mainly of →4)-β-d-Glcp-(1→ and →4)-β-d-Manp-(1→ residues. O-acetyl group linked to C2 of →4)-β-d-Manp-(1→ residue. Its monosaccharide molar ratio, molecular weight, and O-acetyl substituted position were different from that of the polysaccharide from B. striata dried tuber reported previously. Furthermore, BSPS at concentrations of 3.125-25 μg/mL significantly promoted the viability (ca. 10%), differentiation (1.5-4 folds), migration (15%-70%), and invasion (1.84-4.65 folds) of C2C12 cells. Of note, BSPS remarkably accelerated the epidermal regeneration and wound healing in mice. This study for the first time reported the structure of polysaccharides in B. striata fresh tubers. The results demonstrated that BSPS could be explored as a novel natural wound-healing drug.

Validation of the Anticolitis Efficacy of the Jian-Wei-Yu-Yang Formula

Background

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality due to its repetitive remission and relapse. The Jian-Wei-Yu-Yang (JW) formula has a historical application in the clinic to combat gastrointestinal disorders. The investigation aimed to explore the molecular and cellular mechanisms of JW.

Methods

2% dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) was diluted in drinking water and given to mice for 5 days to establish murine models of experimental colitis, and different doses of JW solution were administered for 14 days. Network pharmacology analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) were utilized to predict the therapeutic role of JW against experimental colitis and colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CAC). 16S rRNA sequencing and untargeted metabolomics were conducted using murine feces. Western blotting, immunocytochemistry, and wound healing experiments were performed to confirm the molecular mechanisms.

Results

(1) Liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry was utilized to confirm the validity of the JW formula. The high dose of JW treatment markedly attenuated DSS-induced experimental colitis progression, and the targets were enriched in inflammation, infection, and tumorigenesis. (2) The JW targets were related to the survival probability in patients with colorectal cancer, underlying a potential therapeutic value in CRC intervention. (3) Moreover, the JW therapy successfully rescued the decreased richness and diversity of microbiota, suppressed the potentially pathogenic phenotype of the gut microorganisms, and increased cytochrome P450 activity in murine colitis models. (4) Our in vitro experiments confirmed that the JW treatment suppressed caspase3-dependent pyroptosis, hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF1α), and interleukin-1b (IL-1b) in the colon; facilitated the alternative activation of macrophages (Mφs); and inhibited tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα)-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) level in intestinal organoids (IOs).

Conclusion

The JW capsule attenuated the progression of murine colitis by a prompt resolution of inflammation and bloody stool and by re-establishing a microbiome profile that favors re-epithelization and prevents carcinogenesis.

The Application of UHPLC-HRMS for Quality Control of Traditional Chinese Medicine

UHPLC-HRMS (ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry) is a new technique that unifies the application of UHPLC with HRMS. Because of the high sensitivity and good separation ability of UHPLC and the sensitivity of HRMS, this technique has been widely used for structure identification, quantitative determination, fingerprint analysis, and elucidation of the mechanisms of action of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) in recent years. This review mainly outlines the advantages of using UHPLC-HRMS and provides a survey of the research advances on UHPLC-HRMS for the quality control of TCMs.

Metabolic Activation of Militarine In Vitro and In Vivo

Bletilla striata is consumed as food and herbal medicine. Militarine (MLT) is a major ingredient in B. striata. Previous studies demonstrated that MLT showed teratogenic toxicity to zebrafish embryos. The present study aimed to identify reactive metabolites possibly involved in the cytotoxicity of MLT and determine the metabolic pathways involved. MLT was found to be hydrolyzed to p-hydroxybenzyl alcohol (HBA) by β-glucosidase and esterases. The resulting HBA further underwent spontaneous dehydration to form quinone methide. HBA was also metabolized to the corresponding sulfate, followed by departure of the sulfate to generate a quinone methide. The resultant quinone methide reacted with hepatic glutathione (GSH) and protein to form the corresponding GSH conjugate and protein adduction. Additionally, inhibition of sulfotransferases (SULTs) attenuated the susceptibility of hepatocytes to the toxicity of MLT. This study provides that the hydrolytic enzymes β-glucosidase, esterases, and SULTs participate in the metabolic activation of MLT.

Phenotype correlation analysis and excellent germplasm screening of herb Bletilla Rchb. f. based on comprehensive evaluation from thirty-three geographic populations

BACKGROUND

The Bletilla genus of Orchidaceae includes plants with great economic value, among which B. striata is the main traditional medicinal plant, and its pseudobulb, known as BaiJi, was first recorded in Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica. However, there has been little systemic evaluation of the germplasm quality of Bletilla plants in China. In order to comprehensive evaluate the Bletilla resources in China and screen out the candidate phenotypic traits determining yield and/or quality of Bletilla, the variation of phenotypic indicators (pseudobulb, leaf, stem, inflorescence, flower) and active ingredients contents (polysaccharide, total phenolics and militarine) in different populations of B. striata and B. ochracea were investigated through 4 years' common-garden experiment.

RESULTS

There were abundant phenotypic variations and significant differences among different populations in the morphological phenotypes, pseudobulb weight and main active ingredient contents. AHBZ, HBLT and HBSN populations showed good prospects for industrial development, presenting higher quality in terms of yield and main active ingredient content. Pseudobulb yield, polysaccharide and total phenol content are positively correlated with phenotypic traits. Militarine content is negatively correlated with almost all indexes. Plant height, leaf width and stem diameter may be important indicators of potential excellent germplasms.

CONCLUSIONS

Bletilla is not strictly geoauthentic medicinal plants. B. ochracea could be accepted as an alternative resource to B. striata. The best harvest period of Bletilla is the third year after cultivation. Plant height, leaf width and stem diameter may be important indicators of potential excellent germplasms. These results provide important information required for the efficient screening and utilization of Bletilla germplasm resources.

Cocktail Method: Effect of the Bletilla striata Extracts on CytochromeP450 Activity in Rat

Bletilla striata is a dried tuber of B striata (Thunb.) Reichb.f. of Orchidaceae plant, which is mainly used for hemoptysis, vomiting blood, trauma bleeding, sore swollen poison, and cracked skin. There have been few research reports on the effect of this herb on cytochrome P450 (CYP), therefore, the study was aimed to investigate the effects of the B striata extracts on the activity of 6 subtypes (CYP2D6, 1A2, 2C19, 2E1, 3A4, and 2C9) using a cocktail method. The B striata extracts were administrated to rats in 0.21 or 0.63 g/kg once a day for 7 or 14 days. The 3 control groups were used to ensure the accuracy of the results. Subsequently, a cocktail of tolbutamide, chlorzoxazone, midazolam, metoprolol, omeprazole, and caffeine was injected. A ultra performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometer was developed and validated to investigate the concentration of the probes and the pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated to investigate the effects of the extracts on the activity of 6 enzymes under different doses and different dosing periods. The results suggested that the B striata extracts could induce the activities of CYP2D6, 1A2, and 2C19 and could inhibit the activities of CYP2E1, 3A4, and 2C9. When used in combination with drugs that are metabolized by CYP2D6, 1A2, 2C19, 2E1, 3A4, and 2C9, appropriate dose adjustments were needed to avoid toxic side effects caused by drug interactions.

Simultaneous Determination of Three Bioactive Constituents from Bletilla striata by UPLC-MS/MS and Application of the Technique to Pharmacokinetic Analyses

Bletilla striata has been widely used as a valuable hemostatic agent for thousands of years due to the high levels of bioactive constituents it contains. Here, we used a sensitive ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy (UPLC-MS/MS) method for the simultaneous determination of three major active ingredients of the B. striata extract, namely, α-isobutylmalic acid, gymnoside I, and militarine in rat plasma. The three major active ingredients were determined using the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode at m/z 189 ⟶ 129 for α-isobutylmalic acid, m/z 457.2 ⟶ 285.1 for gymnoside I, m/z 725.3 ⟶ 457.2 for militarine, and m/z 417.0 ⟶ 267.0 for the IS puerarin. All calibration curves showed good linearity (R² ≥ 0.999) over the concentration range with the lower limit of quantification between 0.015 and 0.029 μg/mL. The relative standard deviations of intraday and interday measurements were less than 15%, and the method was accurate within 93.3–100.4%. The extraction recovery was 92.65–100.98%, and no matrix effect was observed. The results indicated that after oral administration of B. striata in rats, the T_max of α-isobutylmalic acid was significantly longer than that of gymnoside I and militarine and the mean residence time and area under the curve of α-isobutylmalic acid and gymnoside I in rats were significantly higher than those of militarine. Moreover, the blood concentration-time curve of α-isobutylmalic acid showed double peaks, suggesting that α-isobutylmalic acid could exhibit the phenomenon of enterohepatic circulation or metabolic conversion. We also explored some of the pharmacokinetic characteristics of three ingredients from B. striata extract in vivo, and the data obtained may provide a basis for the further investigation of B. striata.

Chemical Constituents, Pharmacologic Properties, and Clinical Applications of Bletilla striata

Bletilla striata is a plant from the Orchidaceae family that has been employed as a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for thousands of years in China. Here, we briefly review the published studies of the last 30 years that were related to chemical constituents, pharmacologic activities, and clinical applications of B. striata. Approximately 158 compounds have been extracted from B. striata tubers with clarified molecular structures that were classified as glucosides, bibenzyls, phenanthrenes, quinones, biphenanthrenes, dihydrophenanthrenes, anthocyanins, steroids, triterpenoids, and phenolic acids. These chemicals support the pharmacological properties of hemostasis and wound healing, and also exhibit anti-oxidation, anti-cancer, anti-viral, and anti-bacterial activities. Additionally, various clinical trials conducted on B. striata have demonstrated its marked activities as an embolizing and mucosa-protective agent, and its application for use in novel biomaterials, quality control, and toxicology. It also has been widely used as a constituent of many preparations in TCM formulations, but because there are insufficient studies on its clinical properties, its efficacy and safety cannot be established from a scientific point of view. We hope that this review will provide reference for further research and development of this unique plant.