Simultaneous quantification of anthraquinone glycosides, aglycones, and glucuronic acid metabolites in rat plasma and tissues after oral administration of raw and steamed rhubarb in blood stasis rats by UHPLC-MS/MS

Discovery of Natural Products Alleviating Renal Fibrosis with a Viscosity-Responsive Molecular Probe

Renal fibrosis poses a significant threat to individuals suffering from chronic progressive kidney disease. Given the absence of effective medications for treating renal fibrosis, it becomes crucial to assess the extent of fibrosis in real time and explore the development of novel drugs with substantial therapeutic benefits. Due to the accumulation of renal tissue damage and the uncontrolled deposition of fibrotic matrix during the course of the disease, there is an increase in viscosity both intracellularly and extracellularly. Therefore, a viscosity-sensitive near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) and photoacoustic (PA) imaging probe, BDP-KY, was developed to detect aberrant changes in viscosity during fibrosis. Furthermore, BDP-KY has been applied to screen the effective components of herbal medicine, rhubarb, resulting in the identification of potential antirenal fibrotic compounds such as emodin-8-glucoside and chrysophanol 8-O-glucoside. Ultrasound, PA, and NIRF imaging of a unilateral uretera obstruction mice model show that different concentrations of emodin-8-glucoside and chrysophanol 8-O-glucoside effectively reduce viscosity levels during the renal fibrosis process. The histological results showed a significant decrease in fibrosis factors α-smooth muscle actin and collagen deposition. Combining these findings with their pharmacokinetic characteristics, these compounds have the potential to fill the current market gap for effective antirenal fibrosis drugs. This study demonstrates the potential of BDP-KY in the evaluation of renal fibrosis, and the two identified active components from rhubarb hold great promise for the treatment of renal fibrosis.

The modern scientific mystery of traditional Chinese medicine processing--take some common traditional Chinese medicine as examples

The processing of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a unique traditional pharmaceutical technology in China, which is the most important feature that distinguishes Chinese medicine from natural medicine and plant medicine. Since the record in Huangdi Neijing (Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor), till now, the processing of TCM has experienced more than 2000 years of inheritance, innovation, and development, which is a combination of TCM theory and clinical practice, and plays an extremely important position in the field of TCM. In recent years, as a clinical prescription of TCM, Chinese herbal pieces have played a significant role in the prevention and control of the COVID-19 and exhibited their unique value, and therefore they have become the highlight of China's clinical treatment protocol and provided Chinese experience and wisdom for the international community in the prevention and control of the COVID-19 epidemic. This paper outlines the research progress in the processing of representative TCM in recent years, reviews the mechanism of the related effects of TCM materials after processing, such as changing the drug efficacy and reducing the toxicity, puts forward the integration and application of a variety of new technologies and methods, so as to reveal the modern scientific mystery of the processing technology of TCM.

Comparative pharmacokinetics of six bioactive components of Shen-Wu-Yi-Shen tablets in normal and chronic renal failure rats based on UPLC-TSQ-MS/MS

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Shen-Wu-Yi-Shen tablets (SWYST), a Chinese patent medicine consisting of 12 herbal medicines, was formulated by a famous TCM nephrologist, Zou Yunxiang. It is clinically used to improve the symptoms of nausea, vomiting, poor appetite, dry mouth and throat, and dry stool in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) accompanied by qi and yin deficiency, dampness, and turbidity. SWYST can reduce urea nitrogen, blood creatinine, and urinary protein loss, and increase the endogenous creatinine clearance rate. However, little is known about its pharmacokinetics.

AIM OF STUDY

To compare the pharmacokinetics of six bioactive components after oral administration of SWYST in normal and adenine-induced CRF rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A method based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a triple-stage quadrupole mass spectrometer (UPLC-TSQ-MS/MS) was developed and validated to determine the six bioactive compounds (albiflorin, paeoniflorin, plantagoguanidinic acid, rhein, aloe-emodin, and emodin) in rat plasma. Rat plasma samples were prepared using protein precipitation. Chromatography was performed on an Agilent Eclipse Plus C18 column (3.0 × 50 mm, 1.8 μm) using gradient elution with a mobile phase composed of acetonitrile and water containing 0.1% (v/v) formic acid, while detection was achieved by electrospray ionization MS under the multiple selective reaction monitoring modes. After SWYST administration, rat plasma was collected at different time points, and the pharmacokinetic parameters of six analytes were calculated and analyzed based on the measured plasma concentrations.

RESULTS

The UPLC-TSQ-MS/MS method was fully validated for its satisfactory linearity (r ≥ 0.9913), good precisions (RSD <11.5%), and accuracy (RE: -13.4∼13.1%), as well as acceptable limits in the extraction recoveries, matrix effects, and stability (RSD <15%). In normal rats, the six analytes were rapidly absorbed (Tmax ≤ 2 h), and approximately 80% of their total exposure was eliminated within 10 h. Moreover, in normal rats, the AUC0-t and Cmax of albiflorin, plantagoguanidinic acid, and rhein exhibited linear pharmacokinetics within the dose ranges, while that of paeoniflorin is non-linear. However, in CRF rats, the six analytes exhibited reduced elimination and significantly different AUC or Cmax values. These changes may reflect a decreased renal clearance rate or inhibition of drug-metabolizing enzymes and transporters in the liver and gastrointestinal tract caused by CRF.

CONCLUSIONS

A sensitive UPLC-TSQ-MS/MS method was validated and used to investigate the pharmacokinetics of SWYST in normal and CRF rats. This is the first study to investigate the pharmacokinetics of SWYST, and our findings elucidate the causes of their different pharmacokinetic behaviors in CRF rats. Furthermore, the results provide useful information to guide further research on the pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic correlation and clinical application of SWYST.

Anti-Psoriatic Effect of Rheum palmatum L. and Its Underlying Molecular Mechanisms

Psoriasis is a chronic, immune-mediated inflammatory skin disorder. Rheum palmatum L. is a common traditional medicinal herb with anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities. This study aimed to investigate the anti-psoriatic effects of the ethanolic extract from R. palmatum L. (RPE) and its chemical constituents, as well as the mechanisms underlying their therapeutic significance. An imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis-like mouse model was used to examine the anti-psoriatic effect of RPE in vivo. Network pharmacological analysis was performed to investigate the potential targets and related pathways of the RPE components, including rhein, emodin, chrysophanol, aloe-emodin, and physcion. The anti-inflammatory effects and underlying mechanisms of these components were examined using in vitro models. Topical application of RPE alleviated psoriasis-like symptoms and reduced levels of inflammatory cytokines and proliferation markers in the skin. Network pharmacological analysis revealed that RPE components target 20 genes that are linked to psoriasis-related pathways, such as IL-17, MAPK, and TNF signaling pathways. Among the five components of RPE, rhein and emodin showed inhibitory effects on TNF-α and IL-17 production in EL-4 cells, attenuated the production of CXCL8, CXCL10, CCL20, and MMP9, and reduced proliferation in HaCaT cells. Chrysophanol, aloe-emodin, and physcion were less effective than rhein and emodin in suppressing inflammatory responses and keratinocyte proliferation. The effects of these compounds might occur through the inhibition of the ERK, STAT3, and NF-κB signaling pathways. This study suggested the anti-psoriatic effect of RPE, with rhein and emodin as the main contributors that regulate multiple signaling pathways.