Accelerated Solvent Extraction Coupled to GC–MS/MS for the Analysis of Atractylenolide in Atractylodes macrocephala

Therapeutic effect of Atractylenolide I on Aspergillus fumigatus keratitis by affecting MyD88/ NF-κB pathway and IL-1β, IL-10 expression

PURPOSE

Atractylenolide I (AT-I) is a natural sesquiterpene with anti-inflammatory effects. The purpose of this study was to research the anti-inflammatory effect of AT-I on Aspergillus fumigatus(A. fumigatus) keratitis in mice.

METHODS

Cytotoxicity test and cell scratch test were used to determine the therapeutic concentrations of corneal infections. In vivo and in vitro studies, mouse cornea and human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs) infected with A. fumigatus were treated with AT-I or dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Then, to analyze the effect of AT-I on inflammatory response, namely neutrophil or macrophage recruitment and the expression of cytokines involving MyD88, NF-κB, interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and interleukin 10 (IL-10). To study the effects of the drug, the techniques used include slit-lamp photography, immunofluorescence, myeloperoxidase (MPO) detection, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (QRT-PCR), and western blot. At the same time, in order to explore the combined effect of the drug and natamycin, slit-lamp photographs and clinical scores were used to visually display the disease process.

RESULTS

No cytotoxicity was observed under the action of AT-I at a concentration of 800 μM. In mouse models, AT-I significantly suppressed inflammatory responses, reduced neutrophil and macrophage recruitment, and decreased myeloperoxidase levels early in infection. Studies have shown that AT-I may reduce the levels of IL-1β and IL-10 by inhibiting the MyD88/ NF-κB pathway. The drug combined with natamycin can increase corneal transparency in infected mice.

CONCLUSION

AT-I may inhibit MyD88 / NF-κB pathway and the secretion of inflammatory factors IL-1 β and IL-10 to achieve the therapeutic effect of fungal keratitis.

Quantitative Interrelation between Atractylenolide I, II, and III in Atractylodes japonica Koidzumi Rhizomes, and Evaluation of Their Oxidative Transformation Using a Biomimetic Kinetic Model

Analytical methods based on ultraperformance liquid chromatography/ion-trap mass spectrometry (UPLC/ion-trap MS) were developed for quantification of atractylenolide I, II, and III in the methanol extract of Atractylodes japonica rhizomes with a C₁₈ column in an acidified water/acetonitrile gradient eluent in an LC system, and ion-trap MS coupled with electrospray ionization was employed under positive-ion mode. The three atractylenolides were quantified in all A. japonica samples, and the content of atractylenolide I, II, and III showed a significant correlation to each other. Such high correlation was explained by the mechanistic insights into the biosynthetic pathway of atractylenoide III and I from atractylenoide II by using the biomimetic cytochrome P450 model, [Fe(tmp)](CF₃SO₃) (tmp = meso-tetramesitylporphyrin). Atractylenolides could be transformed by oxidation via the oxidative enzyme in the A. japonica plant. The present study first reports the first oxidative transformation of atractylenolides using the heme iron model complex.

Quantitative and fingerprinting analysis of Atractylodes rhizome based on gas chromatography with flame ionization detection combined with chemometrics

This study assessed the feasibility of gas chromatography with flame ionization detection fingerprinting combined with chemometrics for quality analysis of Atractylodes rhizome. We extracted essential oils from 20 Atractylodes lancea and Atractylodes koreana samples by hydrodistillation. The variation in extraction yields (1.33-4.06%) suggested that contents of the essential oils differed between species. The volatile components (atractylon, atractydin, and atractylenolide I, II, and III) were quantified by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection and confirmed by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry, and the results demonstrated that the number and content of volatile components differed between A. lancea and A. koreana. We then calculated the relative peak areas of common components and similarities of samples by comparing the chromatograms of A. lancea and A. koreana extracts. Also, we employed several chemometric techniques, including similarity analysis, hierarchical clustering analysis, principal component analysis, and partial least-squares discriminate analysis, to analyze the samples. Results were consistent across analytical methods and showed that samples could be separated according to species. Five volatile components in the essential oils were quantified to further validate the results of the multivariate statistical analysis. The method is simple, stable, accurate, and reproducible. Our results provide a foundation for quality control analysis of A. lancea and A. koreana.

Atractylenolide I protects mice from lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury

Atractylenolide I (AO-I), one of the major bioactive components isolated from Rhizoma Atractylodes macrocephala, has been reported to have anti-inflammatory effects. In the present study, we investigated the protective effects of AO-I on acute lung injury (ALI) using LPS-induced ALI mouse model. Lung injury was assessed by histological study. Inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β production were detected by ELISA. TLR4 expression and NF-κB activation were measured by western blot analysis. The results showed that treatment of AO-I significantly attenuated LPS-induced lung wet-to-dry weight ratio and MPO activity. Meanwhile, treatment of AO-I significantly inhibited the production of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, IL-13, and MIF production in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), as well as neutrophils and macrophages in BALF. AO-1 could up-regulate the production of IL-10 in BALF. Besides, LPS-induced TLR4 expression and NF-κB activation were suppressed by treatment of AO-I. In conclusion, the current study suggested that AO-I protected mice acute lung injury induced by LPS via inhibition of TLR4 expression and NF-κB activation.