Network pharmacology based investigation into the bioactive compounds and molecular mechanisms of Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus against drug-induced liver injury

Schisandrin B restores M1/M2 balance through miR-124 in lipopolysaccharide-induced BV2 cells

BACKGROUND

In this study, Schisandrin B (SCHB), the main active component of Schisandra chinensis extract (SCE), was taken as the research object. From gene, microRNA (miR-124), and the level of protein expression system to study the influences of microglia phenotype to play the role of nerve inflammation.

METHODS

In this study, we investigated the role of miR-124 in regulating microglial polarization alteration and NF-κB/TLR4 signaling and MAPK signaling in the LPS-induced BV2 by PCR, western blot, ELISA, immunofluorescence, and cytometry.

RESULTS

SCE and SCHB significantly reduced the NO-releasing, decreased the levels of TNF-α, iNOS, IBA-1, and ratio of CD86+/CD206+, and increased the levels of IL-10, Arg-1. In addition, SCE and SCHB inhibited the nucleus translocation of NF-κB, decreased the expressions of IKK-α, and increased the expressions of IκB-α. Besides, the expressions of TLR4 and MyD88, and the ratios of p-p38/p38, p-ERK/ERK, and p-JNK/JNK were reduced by SCE and SCHB treatments. Furthermore, SCHB upregulated the mRNA levels of miR-124. However, the effects of SCHB were reversed by the miR-124 inhibitor.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggested SCHB downregulated NF-κB/TLR4/MyD88 signaling pathway and MAPK signaling pathway via miR-124 to restore M1/M2 balance and alleviate depressive symptoms.

A quantitative chemomics strategy for the comprehensive comparison of Murraya paniculata and M. exotica using liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry

Murrayae Folium et Cacumen (MFC) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) derived from two plant species, Murraya exotica L. and Murraya paniculata (L.) Jack, as recorded in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. However, there is no research available on the comprehensive analysis and comparison of the chemical constituents of these two species. In the present study, an integrated LC-MS-based quantitative metabolome strategy was proposed to conduct a comprehensive and in-depth qualitative and quantitative analysis and comparison of the chemome of M. exotica and M. paniculata. Firstly, the universal chemical information of two plants was obtained by quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (Q-TOF-MS) combined with hybrid triple quadrupole-linear ion trap mass spectrometry (Qtrap-MS). Subsequently, a UNIFI in house database, the proposed fragmentation patterns, and a quantitative structure chromatographic retention relationship (QSRR) model were integrated for the rapid, comprehensive, and accurate structural elucidation of the chemical constituents of these two species. Thirdly, a large-scale quantitation method was established using scheduled multiple reaction monitoring mode (sMRM) and 76 primary components were selected as quantitative markers for the method validation. The obtained dataset was then subjected for multivariate statistical analysis to comprehensive comparison of these two plants. As a result, a total of 209 and 212 compounds were identified from M. exotica and M. paniculata, respectively. Among them, 103 common constituents were disclosed in both plants. The multivariate statistical analysis and absolute quantitative analysis revealed noticeable differences in the contents of specific chemical constituents between these two plants. The higher quantity constituents in M. exotica are 7-methoxycoumarins, while polymethoxylated flavonoids are the major constituents in M. paniculata. The common compounds accounted for approximately 80 % of the quantitative components in both plants, which provides a theoretical basis for their common use as the official source of MFC. In sum, the established quantitative chemomics strategy supplies an effective means for comprehensive chemical comparison of multi-source TCMs.

Schisandrin B promotes hepatic differentiation from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells

Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs)-derived hepatocyte-like cells (HLCs) have shown great promise in the treatment of liver diseases. However, most current induction protocols yield hepatocyte-like cells with limited function as compared with primary hepatocytes. Schisandrin B (Sch B) is one of the main components of Schisandra chinensis, which can prevent fibrosis progression and promote liver cell regeneration. Herein, we investigated the effects of Sch B on hepatic differentiation of UC-MSCs. We found that treatment with 10 μM Sch B from the second stage of the differentiation process increased hepatic marker levels and hepatic function. Additionally, RNA-seq analysis revealed that Sch B promoted hepatic differentiation via activating the JAK2/STAT3 pathway. When transplanted HLCs into mice with CCL4-induced liver fibrosis, Sch B-treated HLCs exhibited significant therapeutic effects. This study provides an optimized hepatic differentiation protocol for UC-MSCs based on Sch B, yielding functioning cells for liver disease treatment.

Integrated metabolomics and network pharmacology revealed the key active ingredients for the treatment of ulcerative colitis in the Citrus reticulata 'Dahongpao' peel

Citrus reticulata pericarpium (CRP), the peel of Citrus reticulata 'Dahongpao' (DHP) is a medicinal herb with significant therapeutic value for treating ulcerative colitis (UC). However, the active therapeutic components of CRP are unclear. This study aims to reveal the metabolites potentially associated with the pharmacological properties of CRP. We performed flavonoid-targeting metabolomics to characterize the components of CRP (anti-UC part), tangerine pith and Citrus reticulata semen (no anti-UC effects parts) of DHP and further screened active components of CRP using network pharmacology and molecular docking. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells were used to study the anti-inflammatory effect of the selected biologically active components. The therapeutic effects of the selected components were further investigated in a mouse model of UC induced by DSS. Three compounds, namely nobiletin, sinensetin, and hispidulin had the lowest docking scores among all screened ingredients. IL-6 and NO concentrations were significantly decreased in the LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells compared with control cells treated with these compounds. Moreover, UC mice treated with these compounds showed a reversal in weight loss, inhibition of shortening of colon length, and amelioration of colon injury. Our results indicated that sinensetin, nobiletin, and hispidulin can be potentially used for the treatment of UC.

Network pharmacology and experimental study of phenolic acids in salvia miltiorrhiza bung in preventing ischemic stroke

At present, the preventive effect of ischemic stroke is not ideal, and the preventive drugs are limited. Danshen, the dried root of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge, is a common medicinal herb in Traditional Chinese Medicine, which has been used for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases for many years. Phenolic Acids extracted from danshen, which showed multiple biological activities, have been developed as an injection for the treatment of ischemic stroke. However, its preventive effect on ischemic stroke has not been fully reported. The current study aimed to identify the potential active phenolic acids for the prevention of ischemic stroke and explore its mechanism using network pharmacology and experimental analyses. The targets of phenolic acids and ischemic stroke were obtained from public databases. Network pharmacology predicted that 35 kinds of phenolic acids had 201 core targets with ischemic stroke. The core prevention targets of ischemic stroke include IL-6, AKT1, VEGFA, etc. The signaling pathways involved in core targets include AGE-RAGE signaling pathway, HIF-1 signaling pathway, and cAMP signaling pathways, etc. Then, the antiplatelet effect of phenolic acids was screened by in vitro antiplatelet experiment. Our results showed that phenolic acids have a good inhibitory effect on ADP-induced platelet aggregation and salvianolic acid A had a good antiplatelet effect. We further demonstrated that SAA preventive administration reduced neurobehavioral scores, decreased infarct size, and protected tight junction proteins in autologous thrombus stroke model. These studies not only shed light on the potential mechanisms of phenolic acids active components on ischemic stroke, but also provided theoretical and experimental information for the development of new medicines from Danshen for the prevention of ischemic stroke. In addition, our results suggest that SAA has the potential to be a candidate for ischemic stroke prevention drug.

Methodology of network pharmacology for research on Chinese herbal medicine against COVID-19: A review

Traditional Chinese medicine, as a complementary and alternative medicine, has been practiced for thousands of years in China and possesses remarkable clinical efficacy. Thus, systematic analysis and examination of the mechanistic links between Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) and the complex human body can benefit contemporary understandings by carrying out qualitative and quantitative analysis. With increasing attention, the approach of network pharmacology has begun to unveil the mystery of CHM by constructing the heterogeneous network relationship of "herb-compound-target-pathway," which corresponds to the holistic mechanisms of CHM. By integrating computational techniques into network pharmacology, the efficiency and accuracy of active compound screening and target fishing have been improved at an unprecedented pace. This review dissects the core innovations to the network pharmacology approach that were developed in the years since 2015 and highlights how this tool has been applied to understanding the coronavirus disease 2019 and refining the clinical use of CHM to combat it.

Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking to Explore the Mechanism of Kangxian Decoction for Epilepsy

Purpose

Kangxian decoction (KXD) has been used in clinical practice to treat epilepsy. The purpose of this study was to explore the active components of KXD and clarify its antiepileptic mechanism through network pharmacology and molecular docking.

Methods

The components of KXD were collected from the Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicine (ETCM) database and the literature was searched. Then, active ingredients were screened by SwissADME and potential targets were predicted by the SwissTargetPrediction database. Epilepsy-related differentially expressed genes were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. A component-target-pathway network was constructed with Cytoscape. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis and protein‒protein interaction network analysis revealed the potential mechanism and critical targets. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and box plots in microarray data validated the good diagnostic value and significant differential expression of these critical genes. Molecular docking verified the association between active ingredients and essential target proteins.

Results

In our study, we screened the important compounds of KXD for epilepsy, including quercetin, baicalin, kaempferol, yohimbine, geissoschizine methyl ether, baicalein, etc. KXD may exert its therapeutic effect on epilepsy through the following targets: PTGS2, MMP9, CXCL8, ERBB2, and ARG1, acting on the following pathways: neuroactive ligand-receptor interactions, arachidonic acid metabolism, IL-17, TNF, NF-kappa B, and MAPK signaling pathways. The molecular docking results showed that the active ingredients in KXD exhibited good binding ability to the key targets.

Conclusion

In this study, we explored the possibility that KXD for epilepsy may act on multiple targets through multiple active ingredients, involving neurotransmitters and neuroinflammatory pathways, providing a theoretical basis for subsequent clinical and experimental studies that will help develop effective new drugs to treat epilepsy.

Yuan-Zhi decoction in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease: An integrated approach based on chemical profiling, network pharmacology, molecular docking and experimental evaluation

Yuan-Zhi Decoction (YZD) is a traditional Chinese medical formulation with demonstrated clinical benefits in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). We used liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry to identify 27 unique chemical components of YZD. Analyzing these using network pharmacology and molecular docking models identified 34 potential interacting molecular targets involved in 26 biochemical pathways. When tested in an animal model of AD, the APP/PS1 transgenic mice showed measurable improvements in spatial orientation and memory after the administration of YZD. These improvements coincided with significantly reduced deposition of Aβ plaques and tau protein in the hippocampi in the treated animals. In addition, a decreased BACE1 and beta-amyloid levels, a downregulation of the p-GSK-3β/GSK-3β, and an upregulation of the PI3K and p-AKT/AKT pathway was seen in YZD treated animals. These in vivo changes validated the involvement of molecular targets and pathways predicted in silico analysis of the chemical components of YZD. This study provides scientific support for the clinical use of YZD and justifies further investigations into its effects in AD. Furthermore, it demonstrates the utility of network pharmacology in elucidating the biochemical mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of traditional Chinese medicines (TCM).

Network Pharmacology and Bioinformatics Methods Reveal the Mechanism of Berberine in the Treatment of Ischaemic Stroke

Aim

To elucidate the mechanism of action of berberine on ischaemic stroke based on network pharmacology, bioinformatics, and experimental verification.

Methods

Berberine-related long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) were screened from public databases. Differentially expressed lncRNAs in ischaemic stroke were retrieved from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. GSE102541 was comprehensively analysed using GEO2R. The correlation between lncRNAs and ischaemic stroke was evaluated by the mammalian noncoding RNA-disease repository (MNDR) database. The component-target-disease network and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of berberine in the treatment of ischaemic stroke were constructed by using network pharmacology. We then performed gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses. Finally, according to the molecular docking analysis and the binding probability between the lncRNA and key proteins, the effectiveness of the results was further verified by in vitro experiments.

Results

After matching stroke-related lncRNAs with berberine-related lncRNAs, four genes were selected as potential targets of berberine in the treatment of ischaemic stroke. Subsequently, lncRNA H19 was identified as the potential crucial regulatory lncRNA of berberine. Here, 52 target proteins of berberine in the treatment of ischaemic stroke were identified through database mining. Through topological analysis, 20 key targets were identified which were enriched in inflammation, apoptosis, and immunity. Molecular docking results showed that MAPK8, JUN, and EGFR were central genes. Finally, in vitro experiments demonstrated that lncRNA H19, p-JNK1/JNK1, p-c-Jun/c-Jun, and EGFR expressions were significantly increased in hypoxia-treated SH-SY5Y cells and were restored by berberine treatment.

Conclusion

The potential targets and biological effects of berberine in the treatment of ischaemic stroke were predicted in this study. The lncRNA H19/EGFR/JNK1/c-Jun signalling pathway may be a key mechanism of berberine-induced neuroprotection in ischaemic stroke.

Protective Effect of Hedyotis diffusa Willd. Ethanol Extract on Isoniazid-Induced Liver Injury in the Zebrafish Model

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Identifying absorbable bioactive constituents of yupingfeng powder acting on COVID-19 through integration of UPLC-Q/TOF-MS and network pharmacology analysis

Objective

Yupingfeng Powder (YPF), a kind of preventative patent medicine, is chosen for treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) due to its high frequency application in respiratory tract diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, respiratory tract infections, and pneumonia, with the advantage of reducing the relapse rate and the severity. However, the active components of YPF and the mechanisms of components affecting COVID-19 are unclear. This study aimed to determine active constituents and elucidate its potential mechanisms.

Methods

Ultra performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q/TOF-MS) and liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC-QQQ-MS) were used to determine the components and absorbable constituents of YPF. Secondly, TCMSP, Drugbank, Swiss and PharmMapper were used to search the targets of absorbable bioactive constituents of YPF, and the targets of COVID-19 were identified based on GeneCards and OMIM databases. STRING database was used to filter the possible inter-protein interactions. Thirdly, Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways analysis were performed to identify molecular function and systemic involvement of target genes.

Results

A total of 61 components of YPF and 36 absorbable constituents were identified through UPLC-Q/TOF-MS. Wogonin, prim-O-glucosylcimifugin, 5-O-methylvisamminol, astragaloside IV and 5-O-methylvisamminol (hydroxylation) were vital constituents for the treatment of COVID-19, and RELA, TNF, IL-6, MAPK14 and MAPK8ere recognized as key targets of YPF. The major metabolic reactions of the absorbed constituents of YPF were demethylation, hydroxylation, sulfation and glucuronidation. GO and KEGG pathway analysis further showed that the most important functions of YPF were T cell activation, response to molecule of bacterial origin, cytokine receptor binding, receptor ligand activity, cytokine activity, IL-17 signaling pathway, Chagas disease, lipid and atherosclerosis, etc.

Conclusion

The approach of combining UPLC-Q/TOF-MS with network pharmacology is an effective tool to identify potentially bioactive constituents of YPF and its key targets on treatment of COVID-19.

The Protective Effects of a Modified Xiaohua Funing Decoction against Acute Liver Failure in Mice Induced by D-Gal and LPS

Objective

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a modified Xiaohua Funing decoction (Xfd) on acute liver failure (ALF) and determine whether the protective mechanisms are related to alterations in the gut microbiota.

Methods

An animal model of ALF was induced by intraperitoneal injection of D-galactosamine (D-Gal, 0.5 g/kg) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 100 μg/kg). Male BALB/c mice were randomly divided into the following 4 groups: the control group (saline, Con), model group (D-Gal/LPS, Mod), silymarin pretreatment group (200 mg/kg, Sil), and modified Xfd pretreatment group (650 mg/kg, Xfd). The Sil and Xfd groups received the respective intervention orally for 14 days and 2 h before D-Gal/LPS treatment. The liver injury markers included alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels and liver histology. 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed to assess the effects on the caecum content.

Results

D-Gal/LPS treatment caused severe ALF, illustrating that the ALF model was successfully established. The administration of Sil and Xfd greatly reduced the serum ALT and AST levels and improved the pathological signs of liver injury. However, no significant difference was found between the two groups. In contrast to the Mod group, the Sil and Xfd groups showed a shift toward the Con group in terms of the gut microbiota structure. The abundances of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes and the Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes ratio in the Mod group significantly differed from those in the Con group. The Sil and Xfd groups showed restoration of the disordered microbiota. Significantly increased relative abundances of Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group and Candidatus_Saccharimonas and a markedly decreased Muribaculaceae abundance were found in the Sil and Xfd mice compared with those in the Mod mice (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Interestingly, a negative correlation was observed between the abundances of the gut microbiota constituents, specifically Clostridia_UCG-014, and ALT and AST levels.

Conclusion

In summary, our results indicate that Xfd may protect the liver and modify the gut microbiota in ALF mice.

Network pharmacology-based strategy to investigate the active ingredients and molecular mechanisms of Scutellaria Barbata D. Don against radiation pneumonitis

INTRODUCTION

Herbal medicines combined with radiotherapy significantly reduced the incidence of radiation pneumonitis (RP), and the Scutellaria barbata D. Don (SBD) is a perennial herb that has been reported to protect against radiation-induced pneumonitis. However, the exact molecular mechanism is not known. The objective of this research was to investigate the against radiation pneumonitis ingredients and their functional mechanisms in SBD.

METHODS

Based on the network pharmacology approaches, we collected active ingredients and target genes in SBD against RP through Traditional Chinese Medicine System Pharmacology (TCMSP) Database, and the "Herb-Ingredients-Target Genes-Disease" Network was constructed by using of Cytoscape. STRING analysis was performed to reveal the protein-protein interactions, and then we applied enrichment analysis on these target proteins, gene function, and pathways.

RESULTS

A total of 18 ingredients in SBD regulate 65 RP related target proteins, which show that quercetin, luteolin, baicalein, wogonin may be the key active ingredients, while IL6, AKT1, VEGFA, MMP9, CCL2, prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2) (cyclooxygenase-2 [COX-2]), CXCL8, IL1B, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK1), and IL10 were identified as critical targets. Besides, the results of Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis indicated that predicted targets of SBD are mostly associated with the pathological process of oxidative stress and inflammation. AGE- Receptor of Advanced Glycation Endproducts (RAGE) signaling pathway in diabetic complications, IL-17 signaling pathway, hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) signaling pathway, NF-kappa B signaling pathway might serve as the principal pathways for RP treatment.

CONCLUSION

In our study, the pharmacological and molecular mechanism of SBD against RP was predicted from a holistic perspective, and the results provided theoretical guidance for researchers to explore the mechanism in further research.

Network pharmacology-based prediction of the active compounds and mechanism of Buyang Huanwu Decoction for ischemic stroke

Buyang Huanwu Decoction (BYHWD) is used to promote blood circulation and is widely used in Chinese clinical practice for the treatment and prevention of ischemic cerebral vascular diseases. However, the mechanism and active compounds of BYHWD used to treat ischemic stroke are not well understood. The current study aimed to identify the potential active components of BYHWD and explore its mechanism using network pharmacology and bioinformatics analyses. The compounds of BYHWD were obtained from public databases. Oral bioavailability and drug-likeness were screened using the absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME) criteria. Components of BYHWD, alongside the candidate targets of each component and the known therapeutic targets of ischemic stroke were collected. A network of target gene compounds and cerebral ischemia compounds was established using network pharmacology data sources. The enrichment of key targets and pathways was analyzed using STRING and DAVID databases. Moreover, three of key targets [IL6, VEGFA and hypoxia-inducible-factor-1α (HIF-1α)] were verified using western blot analysis. Network analysis determined 102 compounds in seven herbal medicines that were subjected to ADME screening. A total of 42 compounds as well as 79 genes formed the principal pathways associated with ischemic stroke. The 16 key compounds identified were baicalein, beta-carotene, baicalin, kaempferol, luteolin, quercetin, hydroxysafflor yellow A, isorhamnetin, bifendate, formononetin, calycosin, astragaloside IV, stigmasterol, sitosterol, Z-ligustilide, and dihydrocapsaicin. The core genes in this network were IL6, TNF, VEGFA, HIF-1α, MAPK1, MAPK3, JUN, STAT3, IL1B and IL10. Furthermore, the TNF, IL17, apoptosis, PI3K-Akt, toll-like receptor, MAPK, NF-κB and HIF-1 signaling pathways were identified to be associated with ischemic stroke. Compared with the control group (no treatment), BYHWD significantly inhibited the expression of IL6 and increase the expression of HIF-1α and VEGFA. Network pharmacology analyses can help to reveal close interactions between multi-components and multi-targets and enhance understanding of the potential effects of BYHWD on ischemic stroke.

Network Pharmacology-Based Validation of the Efficacy of Huiyangjiuji Decoction in the Treatment of Experimental Colitis

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is the major type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) characterized by an overactive immune responses and destruction of the colorectal epithelium with intricate pathological factors. In China, Huiyangjiuji decoction (HYJJ) has been widely administered against inflammation, but the underlying mechanical mechanisms are not known. A murine model of colitis was established by orally feeding 4% dextran sodium sulfate for 5 days. Intestinal organoids (IOs) were treated with TNFα (Tumor necrosis factor-α) as an ex-vivo UC model. A scratch assay combined with a co-culture system that incubated murine epithelial cell line (IEC-6) with macrophages (Mφs) was utilized to assess epithelial recovery under inflammatory conditions. Network pharmacology analysis was performed to elucidate the mechanism of HYJJ decoction. In the present study, we confirmed that HYJJ considerably alleviated of DSS-induced colitis, as evidenced by the improved intestinal injury and fecal albumin, as well as feces blood. Network pharmacology analysis identified the active components in HYJJ formula, and KEGG enrichment analysis indicated that HYJJ-target genes were enriched in pathogen-induced infections, cancer-related as well as inflammatory pathways. Consistently, RNA-sequencing demonstrated that HYJJ treated inhibited cytokine-cytokine interaction, IBD as well as TNF signaling pathways, confirming the anti-inflammatory and anti-neoplastic role of HYJJ decoction. In-vitro experimental evidence confirmed the suppression of pro-interleukins by HYJJ, including IL-2, IL-10 and IL-12. Moreover, the contribution of HYJJ to mucosal healing was corroborated by ex-vivo experiments, in which HYJJ rescued TNFα-compromised IOs functions, i.e., elevated mitochondrial stress (MOS) and impaired regeneration capacity. IEC-6 cells co-culture with Mφs from HYJJ-treated experimental colitis mice showed an improved migration capacity as compared to those incubated with Mφs from untreated colitis mice. We conclude that HYJJ re-establishes homeostasis of the gut epithelium during colitis by suppressing inflammation and orchestrating cytokines interaction.

Evaluation of Biological Mechanisms of Eucommiae Folium in Hypertensive Kidney Injury by Integration of Untargeted Metabolomics and Network Pharmacology

Hypertensive kidney injury (Hki) is one of the most common complications of hypertension. Early prevention and treatment of renal injury in patients with hypertension is great significance. The study, which used an integrated ultraperformance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) analysis, network pharmacology approach, and plasma metabolomics, aimed to discover the active ingredients and therapeutic mechanisms of Eucommiae folium (Ef) in treating Hki. The chemical components of Ef were analyzed by UPLC-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF/MS), and the "compound-target-disease" network was constructed by screening the closely related drug targets from the drug-target database, then the signaling pathways related to Hki were analyzed. Finally, the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and real-time quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction were used to test and verify the key targets in the common pathways of metabolomics and network pharmacology. The results indicated that Eucommiae folium might play an excellent role in treating Hki, likely through regulating the vascular endothelial growth factor signaling pathway, hypoxia inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) signaling pathway, and glycerophospholipid metabolism pathway, which were validated by increasing levels of nitric oxide, endothelial nitric oxide synthase and reducing levels of endothelin 1, angiotensin II, renin, cyclic guanosine monophosphate, blood urea nitrogen, and serum creatinine, as well as the reduced gene expression of Ache, Ddah2, Egfr, Lcat, Pla2g2a, Stat3 and Vegfa. The study systematically explored the protective mechanisms of Ef against Hki and also provided the practical treatment strategies of Hki from the Chinese herb.

Antidepressant and Anxiolytic Effects and Subacute Toxicity of the Aerial Parts of Psychotria ankasensis J.B.Hall (Rubiaceae) in Murine Models

Background

The present study aimed at validating the traditional use and toxicity profile of a methanolic extract of the aerial parts of Psychotria ankasensis in alleviating depression and anxiety disorders.

Method

The antidepressant effect of methanolic extract of Psychotria ankasensis (PAE 30, 100, and 300 mg/kg, p.o.) was assessed in mice using the forced swim test (FST) and the tail suspension test (TST). The plant's anxiolytic potential was also evaluated in mice using the elevated plus-maze (EPM) and the open field tests (OFT). The subacute toxicity was assessed via oral administration of PAE at doses of 100, 300, and 1000 mg/kg in rats for 28 days.

Results

PAE 100 and 300 mg/kg showed antidepressant-like properties by significantly (at least p < 0.05) decreasing the frequency and duration of immobility in FST and TST. PAE (100 and 300 mg/kg) also showed a significant (at least p < 0.05) anxiolytic effect in both EPM and OFT. In the EPM test, E_max for PAE and diazepam were 92.52 ± 40.11% and 85.95 ± 45.92%, respectively, whereas E_max was approximately 100% for both test drugs in the OFT. Subacute administration of PAE did not reveal any toxic effects with respect to organ weight index, haematological, serum biochemical, and histopathological parameters.

Conclusions

Methanolic extract of P. ankasensis exhibited antidepressant-like and anxiolytic-like effects devoid of significant toxicity at the doses tested in murine models.

Research for improvement on the extract efficiency of lignans in traditional Chinese medicines by hybrid ionic liquids: As a case of Suhuang antitussive capsule

Recently, efficient extraction of natural products from traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) by green solvents is deemed an essential area of green technology and attracts extensive attentions. In this work, a green protocol for simultaneous ultrasonic-extraction of the native compounds with different polarities of TCMs by using a hybrid ionic liquids (HILs)-water system was reported for the first time. As a case study, three superior ILs (1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([EMIM][BF4]), 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([EMIM][OAc]), and 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([AMIM]Cl)) were chosen as the compositions of the HILs system, and the TCMs Suhuang antitussive capsule (SH) containing different-polarity lignans was selected. Primarily, an ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-QqQ-MS/MS) method in the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode was established for qualitative and quantitative analysis of 18 lignans. After majorization by uniform design experiment, the HILs prepared with [AMIM]Cl, [EMIM][BF4], and [EMIM][OAc] at a volume ratio of 1:5:5 could simultaneously extract multi-polarity lignans compared to single IL. Subsequently, the conditions of ultrasonic extraction employing with HILs and traditional organic solvent were optimized by the response surface methodology, respectively. The results indicated that the extract efficiency of the HILs system for target compounds was significantly improved compared with the traditional organic solvent-extraction, i.e. the content of total lignans in ethanol system was up to 47 mg/g, while that in the HILs system was up to 69 mg/g, with an increasing of 47%. Additionally, ¹H-NMR and ¹³C-NMR spectra were used to characterize the hydrogen-bond interactions in the HILs-lignan mixtures. Extraction with the HILs in TCMs is a new application schema of ILs, which not only avoids the use of volatile toxic organic solvents, but also shows the potential to be comprehensively applied for the extraction of bioactive compounds from TCMs.

A network pharmacology-integrated metabolomics strategy for clarifying the action mechanisms of Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus for treating drug-induced liver injury by acetaminophen

Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus (SCF) was a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for protecting liver. However, underlying therapeutic mechanisms of SCF for drug-induced liver injury (DILI) by acetaminophen (APAP) are still unclear. This study aims to discover the potential regulation mechanisms of SCF in the treatment of DILI by APAP using the integrated network pharmacology, plasma metabolomics profiling with UPLC-Q-TOF-MS approach. The key targets in the shared pathways of network pharmacology and metabolomics were screened and experimentally validated by Quantitative Real-time PCR analysis. The results showed that SCF could exert excellent effects on DILI by APAP probably through regulating ErbB signaling pathway and Arachidonic acid metabolism pathway, which was reflected by the reduced gene expression of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, COX-2 and EGFR, as well as the increased gene expression of Nrf2, HO-1, MDM2, MAPK8, SRC, PLD1, CYP2E1, CYP1A2, CYP3A1. This study systematically explored the pharmacological mechanisms of SCF in the treatment of DILI, meanwhile, metabolomics combine with network pharmacology approach might be a useful strategy for early diagnosis of DILI by APAP.