Characterization, antioxidant and antitumor activities of polysaccharides from Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge

Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge Ameliorates Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia through Regulation of Oxidative Stress via Nrf-2/HO-1 Activation

Oxidative stress is a key factor in the pathogenesis of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) that leads to inflammation. This study aimed to evaluate the ameliorative effects of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge extract (HLT-101) on BPH through the regulation of oxidative stress and inflammation. A testosterone propionate (TP)-induced BPH rat model was orally administered HLT-101 (20, 40, or 80 mg/kg), and its effects on oxidative stress- and inflammation-related gene expression were examined. Further, HLT-101 was assessed for its effect on reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and Nrf-2/HO-1 signaling pathways in BPH-1 cells. HLT-101 decreased testosterone-induced excessive free radical production and inflammatory factor activation. Moreover, HLT-101 treatment significantly decreased the intracellular ROS level in the TNF-α and IFN-γ treated BPH-1 cells through the activation of Nrf-2. In addition, HLT-101 treatment inhibited the NF-κB pathway and androgen receptor (AR) signaling, which is highly linked to the pathogenesis of BPH. Therefore, HLT-101 has the potential to be an effective treatment reagent for BPH because of its ability to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress via Nrf-2/HO-1 signaling.

UBC Gene Family Analysis in Salvia castanea and Roles of ScUBC2/5 Genes under Abiotic Stress

Salvia castanea Diels, a relative of the medicinal plant Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, belongs to the genus Salvia and family Lamiaceae. Ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2 (UBC) is an important ubiquitin-binding enzyme in protein ubiquitination. This study aimed to analyze the regulatory role of UBC genes, particularly ScUBC2/5, on the growth and adaptation of S. castanea to extreme environments including cold or drought stress. We identified nine UBC genes in S. castanea and found that these genes were extremely stable and more highly expressed in the roots than other tissues. This suggested that UBC genes might play a role in promoting root adaptation to cold and dry environments. Further analysis of UBC gene expression in hairy roots under cold (4 °C) and UV stress also confirmed their importance under stress. The contents of tanshinone and salvianolic acid in hairy roots with the overexpression of ScUBC2/5 were increased compared to non-transgenic wild type, and the cold and UV resistance of hairy roots was increased compared with that of wild type. Together, these findings highlighted the role of ScUBC2/5 in enhancing secondary metabolite accumulation and regulation in response to cold and ultraviolet stress in S. castanea, providing a new perspective for genetic improvement in its phytochemistry.

Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharide promotes the health of crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) by promoting hemocyte phagocytosis, protecting hepatopancreas and enhancing intestinal barrier function

Plant polysaccharides as immunomodulators are considered one of the effective measures to reduce antibiotic therapy in aquaculture. The immunomodulatory function of Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharides (SMP) has been demonstrated and begun to be applied in vertebrates, but its potential effect on crustaceans is unclear. In this study, crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) was fed with 0 %, 0.3 %, 0.7 %, 1.1 %, and 1.5 % SMP for 4 weeks to investigate the effects of SMP on hemocytes phagocytosis, hepatopancreatic function, and intestinal barrier function. The results revealed that hemocyte phagocytic activity was increased in all SMP groups. During the process of hemocytes phagocytic recognition and formation of phagosomes and phagolysosomes, the mRNA expression levels of mas, hem, rab3, ctsb, and lamp-1 were up-regulated mainly in the 0.3 % SMP group. During the clearance phase of phagocytosis, respiratory burst activity, ROS level, T-SOD, CAT, GST, and LZM activities were mainly increased in the 1.5 % SMP group. Hepatopancreas AKP and GOT activity were no significant change in all SMP groups. ACP activity was significantly enhanced in the 1.1 % SMP group. The GPT activity of 0.3-0.7 % SMP group was significantly decreased. The 0.7 % SMP group had the highest intestinal fold height. The highest index values of OTUs, Ace, Chao, and Shannon were in the 0.3 % SMP group. The dietary addition of 0.3 % SMP led to a tendency of increased relative abundance of Firmicutes and Bacteroidota at the phylum level, while the relative abundance of Proteobacteria at the phylum level decreased. In conclusion, dietary SMP could promote crayfish health by enhancing phagocytosis, protecting hepatopancreas and enhancing intestinal barrier function. This study contributes to the theoretical foundation for exploring the potential application of plant polysaccharides in crustaceans.

Effect of hydrochloric acid and citric acid with ultrasound processing on characteristics of superfine-ground pectic polysaccharides from okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) peel

The structural properties and biological activities of okra pectic polysaccharides (OPs) were impacted by various extraction methods. Based on commonly grinding (40, 100 meshes) and superfine grinding okra powders, two extraction solvents (hydrochloric acid, HA; citric acid, CA) were used firstly. Next, the extraction yield, physical and chemical properties, molecular structure and functional properties of OPs were analyzed by non-ultrasonic treatment and ultrasound-assisted superfine grinding method. The outcomes demonstrated that the extraction yield of OPs rose as the particle size of the powder decreased. HA-OPs had higher molecular weight (Mw), apparent viscosity and emulsification ability than CA-OPs. CA-OPs had higher esterification degree (DE), solubility and total sugar content, and higher amounts of rhamnogalacturonan-I (RG-I) segments. Compared with OPs without ultrasound-assisted extraction, ultrasound-assisted superfine grinding extraction exhibited higher sugar content, antioxidant capacity, emulsification ability, lower Mw, DE and apparent viscosity. Finally, the correlation between structure and function of OPs was further quantified. The antioxidant capacity was positively correlated with RG-I content, and negatively correlated with DE and Mw. The emulsification ability was mainly positively correlated with the GlcA of OPs. This study provides a theoretical basis for the development of OPs foods with clear structure-function relationship, which would be instructive for the application of OPs in food and cosmetics.

Kuijie decoction ameliorates ulcerative colitis by affecting intestinal barrier functions, gut microbiota, metabolic pathways and Treg/Th17 balance in mice

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Currently, the clinical treatment is limited and difficult to achieve satisfactory results for ulcerative colitis (UC). The role of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the treatment of UC is very complex. Kuijie decoction (KJD) as a classic TCM, is widely used in the clinical treatment of UC, but the mechanism of its action is still unclear.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study is to investigate the protective effects of KJD on UC and the underlying mechanisms.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The experimental model of UC was induced by DSS, and KJD was introduced into the model at the same time. Clinical symptoms, including the body weight, colon length and colon histopathological, were used to measure the severity of colitis. The expression of inflammatory cytokines and tight junction proteins was quantified. The effect of KJD on intestinal flora and intestinal metabolism was determined by 16S rRNA and untargeted metabolomics analysis, respectively. The proportion of Th17 cells and Tregs in the spleen was examined by flow cytometry.

RESULTS

Mice treated with KJD showed significantly alleviated clinical symptoms and histological damage, such as more body weight gain, lower disease activity index (DAI) score, and longer colon length. The administration of KJD also led to the down-regulation of inflammatory mediators, upregulation of the expression of ZO-1, occludin and decreased claudin-2, as well as altered microbiota composition against DSS challenges (especially an increase of Lachnospiraceae). KJD enhanced the percentage of Treg cells but decreased the proportion of Th17 cells to maintain intestinal homeostasis by improving gut microbiota metabolism.

CONCLUSIONS

In summary, KJD maintained intestinal epithelial homeostasis by regulating epithelial barrier function, intestinal flora, and restoring Th17/Treg balance. KJD has the potential to be a Chinese medicine treatment for UC.

Unveiling the spatial distribution and molecular mechanisms of terpenoid biosynthesis in Salvia miltiorrhiza and S. grandifolia using multi-omics and DESI-MSI

Salvia miltiorrhiza and S. grandifolia are rich in diterpenoids and have therapeutic effects on cardiovascular diseases. In this study, the spatial distribution of diterpenoids in both species was analyzed by a combination of metabolomics and mass spectrometry imaging techniques. The results indicated that diterpenoids in S. miltiorrhiza were mainly abietane-type norditerpenoid quinones with a furan or dihydrofuran D-ring and were mainly distributed in the periderm of the roots, e.g. cryptotanshinone and tanshinone IIA. The compounds in S. grandifolia were mainly phenolic abietane-type tricyclic diterpenoids with six- or seven-membered C-rings, and were widely distributed in the periderm, phloem, and xylem of the roots, e.g. 11-hydroxy-sugiol, 11,20-dihydroxy-sugiol, and 11,20-dihydroxy-ferruginol. In addition, the leaves of S. grandifolia were rich in tanshinone biosynthesis precursors, such as 11-hydroxy-sugiol, while those of S. miltiorrhiza were rich in phenolic acids. Genes in the upstream pathway of tanshinone biosynthesis were highly expressed in the root of S. grandifolia, and genes in the downstream pathway were highly expressed in the root of S. miltiorrhiza. Here, we describe the specific tissue distributions and mechanisms of diterpenoids in two Salvia species, which will facilitate further investigations of the biosynthesis of diterpenoids in plant synthetic biology.

Preparation methods, structural characteristics, and biological activity of polysaccharides from Salvia miltiorrhiza: A review

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Salvia miltiorrhiza is a traditional Chinese medicine with the application of more than a two-thousand-year history. It is a common medicine used in the clinical treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and is listed as the top grade in Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica. Polysaccharide is an important chemical component of Salvia miltiorrhiza and has a variety of biological activities.

AIM OF THE STUDY

In this review, we summarized the preparation methods, structural characteristics, and biological activities of Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharides, as well as discussed current research problems, providing support for further research, development, and utilization.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

By inputting the search term "Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharides", relevant research information was obtained from databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, VIP, Web of Science, and China Knowledge Network (CNKI).

RESULTS

It has been found that the monosaccharide composition of Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharides containing glucose (Glc), galactose (Gal), mannose (Man), and arabinose (Ara) has antioxidant, anti-tumor, liver protection, and other activities.

CONCLUSIONS

We summarized the preparation methods, structural information, and biological activities of Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharides in this review and discussed the issues that are currently being researched. Although this product has a wide range of biological activities and has high development and utilization potential, its structure information and structure-activity relationship require further investigation.

Recent developments in Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharides: Isolation, purification, structural characteristics and biological activities

In recent years, natural polysaccharides have attracted more and more attention and research because of their value in the medicine, beauty and food fields. Salvia miltiorrhiza is a traditional Chinese herb that has been used for thousands of years and has antidiabetic, antifibrotic, neuroprotective, antioxidation, anti-inflammatory and other effects. It mainly includes rosmarinic acid, tanshinone I, tanshinone IIA, tanshinone IIB, procatechualdehyde, polysaccharide and salvianolic acids. Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharide is a polysaccharide extracted and isolated from Salvia miltiorrhiza and has diverse biological functions, including antioxidation, anti-tumor, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, immune regulatory and cardioprotective effect. In this review, the extraction, purification, structural characterization and biological activity of SMPs are summarized and new perspectives for the future work of SMPs were also proposed, we hope our research can provide a reference for further research on SMPs.

Microwave assisted extraction, characterization of a polysaccharide from Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge and its antioxidant effects via ferroptosis-mediated activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway

A microwave-assisted extraction procedure for the crude Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharides (SMPs) obtained from Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge was optimized. Four independent variables were studied: microwave power, extraction time, solvent-to-solid ratio, and concentration of ethanol, with optimal settings of 1200 W, 12 min, 38, and 86 %, respectively. The SMPs were successively purified by DEAE Sepharose Fast Flow and Sephadex G-100 chromatography to produce a novel polysaccharide termed SMP1. The SMP1 was composed of glucose, galactose, and fructose in a molar ratio of 1:1.67:1.12 with an average molecular weight of 6087 Da. Pharmacological studies showed that SMP1 protected from OGD/R-induced ferroptosis and lipid peroxidation by activating Nrf2/HO-1 pathway in PC12 cells. Our research systematically indicated that polysaccharide could inhibit ferroptosis to alleviate oxidative stress injury, which laid the foundation for the future clinical application of Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharide.

Current emerging trends in antitumor activities of polysaccharides extracted by microwave- and ultrasound-assisted methods

This overview highlighted the in vitro and in vivo antitumor effects of polysaccharides extracted by ultrasound- and microwave-assisted solvent extraction methods. The polysaccharide fragments with stronger antiproliferation, antitumoral, and anticarcinoma effects can be identified through purification, fractionation, and bio-analytical assessments. Most of the extracted glucan-based polysaccharides in a dose-dependent manner inhibited the growth of human cancer cell types with cell death-associated morphological changes. Glucans, glucogalactans, and pectins without any cytotoxicity on normal cells showed the antitumor potential by the apoptosis induction and the inhibition of their tumorigenesis, metastasis, and transformation. There is a significantly high association among antiproliferative activities, structural features (e.g., molecular weight, monosaccharide compositions, and contents of sulfate, selenium, and uronic acid), and other bio-functionalities (e.g., antiradical and antioxidant) of isolated polysaccharides. The evaluation of structure-activity relationships of antitumor polysaccharides is an intriguing step forward to develop highly potent anticancer pharmaceuticals and foods without any side effects.

Polysaccharides from traditional Asian food source and their antitumor activity

Polysaccharides extracted from Asian traditional food source have been demonstrated to possess different antitumor activities mostly without side effect. In this paper, we reviewed many kinds of polysaccharides from different Asian food source and their antitumor activities. Some are common food such as different mushroom with more research. Some are special e.g., Ginseng, Salvia, Astragalus, Lycium barbarum etc. with relatively fewer research. This review mainly focused on their structure, derivatives, antitumor activities and their mechanism of action in the last decades. It aimed to bridge traditional Asian ingredients with tumor and cancer curation in order to avoid side effect of traditional treatment. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: There are abundant resources of Asian food. And polysaccharides from these resources have been showed good antitumor activities and immunopotentiating activity. This review introduced the advance of the polysaccharides and their antitumor activities, which will promote the development antitumor medicine derived from Asian food source, or their applications as Adjuvant therapy of traditional chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Due to their multiple antitumor activities, enhancing immunity potential, and non-toxic side-effects, it might be utilized for the treatment of multiple tumors and improve the health and the life quality of patients whether as anti-tumor drugs or as adjuvant therapy method. Furthermore, traditional Asian food source is rich. In the near future, more and more efficient polysaccharides with antitumor activities of Asian food source will be discovered. There will be broad application market for the polysaccharides.

Degraded polysaccharides from Porphyra haitanensis: purification, physico-chemical properties, antioxidant and immunomodulatory activities

To explore effect of the structural properties of porphyra haitanensis polysaccharide on its biological activity, degraded porphyra polysaccharides were separated and purified by Cellulose DEAE-52 and Sephadex G-100 chromatography, obtaining three purified components (P1, P2 and P3). All the three components were sulfate polysaccharides containing the repeating units of → 3) β-D-galactose (1 → 4) 3,6-anhydro-α-L-galactose (1 →, and → 3) β-D-galactose (1 → 4) α-L-galactose-6-S (1 →, and → 3) 6-O-methyl-β-D-galactose (1 → 4) 3,6-anhydro-α-L-galactose (1 →. The molecular weight of the three fractions was measured to be 300.3, 130.4 and 115.1 kDa, respectively. Their antioxidant activity was investigated by the determination of the free radical scavenging effect and ferric reducing power. It was found that P1, P2 and P3 possessed marked antioxidant activity. It was also found that they appreciably enhanced the proliferation, phagocytic ability and nitric oxide secretion in RAW264.7 cells. Lower molecular weight and higher sulfate content were beneficial to bioactivities of P. haitanensis polysaccharides. Overall, P2 and P3 possess superior immuno-modulatory activity to that of P1 and PHP. Thus, the current work will provide the basis for the better utilization of P. haitanensis to develop the related functional foods.

The Role of Reactive Oxygen Species in Tumor Treatment and its Impact on Bone Marrow Hematopoiesis

Reactive oxygen species (ROS), an important molecule inducing oxidative stress in organisms, play a key role in tumorigenesis, tumor progression and recurrence. Recent findings on ROS have shown that ROS can be used to treat cancer as they accelerate the death of tumor cells. At present, pro-oxidant drugs that are intended to increase ROS levels of the tumor cells have been widely used in the clinic. However, ROS are a double-edged sword in the treatment of tumors. High levels of ROS induce not only the death of tumor cells but also oxidative damage to normal cells, especially bone marrow hemopoietic cells, which leads to bone marrow suppression and (or) other side effects, weak efficacy of tumor treatment and even threatening patients' life. How to enhance the killing effect of ROS on tumor cells while avoiding oxidative damage to the normal cells has become an urgent issue. This study is a review of the latest progress in the role of ROS-mediated programmed death in tumor treatment and prevention and treatment of oxidative damage in bone marrow induced by ROS.

Chemical characteristic and bioactivity of hemicellulose-based polysaccharides isolated from Salvia miltiorrhiza

Salvia miltiorrhiza roots (SMRs), the main component of cell wall from the residual waste extraction, differ depending on the forming ways of monosaccharides. The extraction from 8% sodium hydroxide solution (H-8) was characterized by gel permeation chromatography (GPC), monosaccharide composition, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The structure model of hemicellulose-based polysaccharides (HBPs) was derived by combining one-dimensional and two-dimensional NMR. Monosaccharides difference and correlation were performed by partial least square analysis (PLS). Seven H-8s exhibited optimal inhibitory activities, which varied based on different sources of Danshen. The backbone structure indicated that 4-β-D-Xylp served as the main chain connected by 3-α-L-Araf or 5-α-L-Araf-1, 4-β-D-Galp, and β-D-Glcp branch, as well as α-L-Rhap, α-D-GalpA and α-D-GlcpA fragments. The variation of HBPs in terms of the structure and bioactivity of SMRs correlated with different cultivation sites can be a new approach to optimize and utilize the medical materials by chemical and biological aspects of natural macromolecules.

Pretreatment with Salvia miltiorrhiza Polysaccharides Protects from Lipopolysaccharides/d-Galactosamine-Induced Liver Injury in Mice Through Inhibiting TLR4/MyD88 Signaling Pathway

The study was conducted to investigate the protective effects of Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharides (SMPs) on lipopolysaccharides (LPS)/d-galactosamine (d-GalN)-induced liver injury in mice and its mechanism. Seventy-two mice were allocated to 6 groups of 12 each, that is, the untreated control group, the liver injury model group, the Bifendate group (Bifendate 200 mg/kg/day), and 3 SMP-treated groups at low (250 mg/kg/day), medium (500 mg/kg/day), and high doses (750 mg/kg/day). After 12 days oral treatment, liver injury was induced with LPS/d-GalN, and 1 h later the mice were sacrificed for a series of analyses. The results showed that SMPs significantly alleviated pathological changes in the hepatic tissue. Compared with the untreated control group, the messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP), cluster of differentiation 14 (CD14), myeloid differentiation factor 2 (MD-2), toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), and myeloid differentiation primary response protein 88 (MyD88) detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), the protein levels of TLR4, MyD88, phosphorylated inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa-B kinase alpha/beta (P-IKK-α/β), phosphorylated inhibitor of NF-κB alpha (P-IκB-α) and phosphorylated P65 (P-P65) detected by Western blot, the levels of C-X-C motif chemokine 10 (CXCL-10) and Intercellular Adhesion Molecule 1 (ICAM-1) detected by immunohistochemistry, and the concentrations of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β) detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of liver injury model group were increased significantly (P < 0.01). Compared with liver injury model group, the mRNA levels of LBP, CD14, MD-2, TLR4, and MyD88; protein levels of TLR4, MyD88, P-IKK-α/β, P-IκB-α, and P-P65; levels of CXCL-10 and ICAM-1; and the concentrations of TNF-α and IL-1β of SMP groups and Bifendate group were decreased significantly (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). In conclusion, SMPs can effectively inhibit TLR4/MyD88 inflammatory signaling pathway of LPS/d-GalN-induced liver injury in mice, and it may be part of the mechanism by which SMPs relieve excessive inflammation in the liver of mice.

Bivariate Correlation Analysis of the Chemometric Profiles of Chinese Wild Salvia miltiorrhiza Based on UPLC-Qqq-MS and Antioxidant Activities

To better understand the mechanisms underlying the pharmacological actions of Salvia miltiorrhiza, correlation between the chemical profiles and in vitro antioxidant activities in 50 batches of wild S. miltiorrhiza samples was analyzed. Our ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis detected twelve phenolic acids and five tanshinones and obtained various chemical profiles from different origins. In a principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis, the tanshinones cryptotanshinone, tanshinone IIA and dihydrotanshinone I exhibited higher weights in PC1, whereas the phenolic acids danshensu, salvianolic acids A and B and lithospermic acid were highly loaded in PC2. All components could be optimized as markers of different locations and might be suitable for S. miltiorrhiza quality analyses. Additionally, the DPPH and ABTS assays used to comprehensively evaluate antioxidant activities indicated large variations, with mean DPPH and ABTS scavenging potencies of 32.24 and 23.39 μg/mL, respectively, among S. miltiorrhiza extract solutions. Notably, samples that exceeded the mean IC₅₀ values had higher phenolic acid contents. A correlation analysis indicated a strong correlation between the antioxidant activities and phenolic acid contents. Caffeic acid, danshensu, rosmarinic acid, lithospermic acid and salvianolic acid B were major contributors to antioxidant activity. In conclusion, phenolic compounds were the predominant antioxidant components in the investigated plant species. These plants may be sources of potent natural antioxidants and beneficial chemopreventive agents.

Multitarget Effects of Danqi Pill on Global Gene Expression Changes in Myocardial Ischemia

Danqi pill (DQP) is a widely prescribed traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. The objective of this study is to systematically characterize altered gene expression pattern induced by myocardial ischemia (MI) in a rat model and to investigate the effects of DQP on global gene expression. Global mRNA expression was measured. Differentially expressed genes among the sham group, model group, and DQP group were analyzed. The gene ontology enrichment analysis and pathway analysis of differentially expressed genes were carried out. We quantified 10,813 genes. Compared with the sham group, expressions of 339 genes were upregulated and 177 genes were downregulated in the model group. The upregulated genes were enriched in extracellular matrix organization, response to wounding, and defense response pathways. Downregulated genes were enriched in fatty acid metabolism, pyruvate metabolism, PPAR signaling pathways, and so forth. This indicated that energy metabolic disorders occurred in rats with MI. In the DQP group, expressions of genes in the altered pathways were regulated back towards normal levels. DQP reversed expression of 313 of the 516 differentially expressed genes in the model group. This study provides insight into the multitarget mechanism of TCM in the treatment of complex diseases.

Antitumor effect and molecular mechanism of antioxidant polysaccharides from Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge in human colorectal carcinoma LoVo cells

Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge polysaccharides (SMP) was comprehensively investigated in this study. The polysaccharides were extracted by the method of water boiling and ethanol precipitation with high purity. The monosaccharide composition of SMP was characterized using the established HPLC-UV protocol with PMP precolumn derivatization, and the results indicate that the polysaccharides are mainly composed of d-galactose (Gal), d-glucose (Glc) and d-galacturonic acid (GalUA), and their mole percentages are 64.5%, 31.1% and 4.4%, respectively. In addition, the antioxidant potential of SMP was evaluated in terms of reducing power, scavenging ability against DPPH, superoxide and hydroxyl free radicals. The results indicate that polysaccharides from S. miltiorrhiza Bunge possess versatile antioxidant activities in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, SMP is observed with high inhibition ratio against LoVo cells (typical tumor cells) in both dose- and time-dependent manners. FCM analysis demonstrates that SMP is able to induce apoptosis of LoVo cells, arrest the cell cycle at S phase, as well as elevate the intracellular reactive oxygen pressure. These findings for the first time reveal the potential anti-tumor mechanism of SMP, suggesting that SMP may serve a natural anticancer agent with lower cost and cytotoxicity, as well as a bioactive factor for functional food development.

Comparative Analysis of the Major Chemical Constituents in Salvia miltiorrhiza Roots, Stems, Leaves and Flowers during Different Growth Periods by UPLC-TQ-MS/MS and HPLC-ELSD Methods

Salvia miltiorrhiza is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine containing multiple components that contribute to its notable bioactivities. This article investigated the distribution and dynamic changes of chemical constituents in various parts of S. miltiorrhiza from different growth periods. An ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (UPLC-TQ-MS/MS) and high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with evaporative light scattering detector (HPLC-ELSD) methods were developed for accurate determination of 24 compounds (including phenolic acids, flavonoids, triterpenes, and saccharides) in S. miltiorrhiza. The established methods were validated with good linearity, precision, repeatability, stability, and recovery. Results indicated that there were category and quantity discrepancies in different parts of the plant, for the roots mainly contained salvianolic acids and tanshinones, and most of the saccharides are stachyose. In the aerial parts, salvianolic acids, flavonoids, and triterpenes, except the tanshinones, were detected, and the saccharides were mainly monosaccharides. Dynamic accumulation analysis suggested the proper harvest time for S. miltiorrhiza Bunge was the seedling stage in spring, and for the aerial parts was July to August. This study provided valuable information for the development and utilization value of the aerial parts of S. miltiorrhiza and was useful for determining the optimal harvest time of the plant.

Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharide activates T Lymphocytes of cancer patients through activation of TLRs mediated -MAPK and -NF-κB signaling pathways

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharide (SMP) is one of the most important components in the water extract of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, which has been mainly applied for the prevention or treatment of ischemic encephalopathy and cardiac diseases including myocardial infarction and coronary heart diseases in clinical practice.

AIM OF THE STUDY

Our object is to investigate the immune regulation effects of SMP, specifically on the proliferation and cytotoxicity of T lymphocytes through MAPK and NF-κB pathway in peripheral blood of cancer patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

SMP was prepared through refluxing with ethanol, refluxing with water, Sevage treatment and ethanol precipitation. The lymphocytes were obtained from the peripheral blood of cancer patients. The effect of SMP on T lymphocyte proliferation was investigated by cell counting and flow cytometry. The effect of SMP on the proliferation of cancer cell lines A549, hepG2 and HCT116 was examined by MTT assay. The cytotoxic activity of T lymphocytes treated with SMP was detected by Calcein-acetoxymethyl (Calcein-AM) release. The gene expression of IL-4, IL-6, IFN-γ and toll like receptors (TLRs) was detected by semi-quantitative PCR. The protein expression of mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) signaling pathway were detected by western blotting. To further verify whether SMP functions through the indicated pathways,, T lymphocytes were treated with SMP and an extracellular regulated protein kinase (ERK) inhibitor (U0126), a c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitor (SP600125) or an inhibitor of NF-κB inhibitor-α (IκBα) (BAY11-7082), respectively. After 24 h co-treatment, the expressions of p-JNK, p-ERK, IκBα, inhibitory kappa B kinase α (IKKα) and inhibitory kappa B kinase β (IKKβ) protein were detected by western blotting, meanwhile cell numbers of T lymphocytes after inhibition were calculated again by cell counter.

RESULTS

SMP dose-dependently promoted the proliferation of T lymphocytes of the cancer patients and significantly improved the cytotoxicity of T lymphocytes against cancer cells. However, SMP showed no effect on the proliferation of the tumor cells from the same source. Furthermore, the gene expression of cytokines including IL-4, IL-6 and IFN-γ were also up-regulated. Moreover, SMP enhanced gene expression of TLR1, TLR2 and TLR4; elevated protein expression of p-JNK and p-ERK; increased protein expression of IKKα, and IKKβ and decreased IκBα levels. Meanwhile, knockdown of ERK、JNK or IκBα expression with specific inhibitor significantly depressed the proliferation of T lymphocytes treated with SMP, corroborating the specific regulation effect of SMP on T lymphocytes through MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways.

CONCLUSION

SMP specifically promotes the proliferation and enhances cytotoxicity of T lymphocytes in peripheral blood of cancer patients through activation of TLRs mediated -MAPK and -NF-κB signaling pathways.

Oxidative Stress and Salvia miltiorrhiza in Aging-Associated Cardiovascular Diseases

Aging-associated cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) have some risk factors that are closely related to oxidative stress. Salvia miltiorrhiza (SM) has been used commonly to treat CVDs for hundreds of years in the Chinese community. We aimed to explore the effects of SM on oxidative stress in aging-associated CVDs. Through literature searches using Medicine, PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane library, CINAHL, and Scopus databases, we found that SM not only possesses antioxidant, antiapoptotic, and anti-inflammatory effects but also exerts angiogenic and cardioprotective activities. SM may reduce the production of reactive oxygen species by inhibiting oxidases, reducing the production of superoxide, inhibiting the oxidative modification of low-density lipoproteins, and ameliorating mitochondrial oxidative stress. SM also increases the activities of catalase, manganese superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and coupled endothelial nitric oxide synthase. In addition, SM reduces the impact of ischemia/reperfusion injury, prevents cardiac fibrosis after myocardial infarction, preserves cardiac function in coronary disease, maintains the integrity of the blood-brain barrier, and promotes self-renewal and proliferation of neural stem/progenitor cells in stroke. However, future clinical well-designed and randomized control trials will be necessary to confirm the efficacy of SM in aging-associated CVDs.

The Synthesis and Evaluation of Arctigenin Amino Acid Ester Derivatives

The use of arctigenin (ARG), a traditional medicine with many pharmacological activities, has been restricted due to its poor solubility in water. Five amino acid derivatives of ARG have been synthesized using glycine, o-alanine, valine, leucine, and isoleucine, which have t-butyloxy carbonyl (BOC) as a protective group. In this study, we examined the effects of removing these protective groups. The results showed that the amino acid derivatives have better solubility and nitrite-clearing ability than ARG. Among the compounds tested, the amino acid derivatives without protective group were the best. Based on these results, ARG and its two amino acid derivatives without protective group (ARG8, ARG10) were selected to evaluate their anti-tumor activity in vivo at a dosage of 40 mg/kg. The results indicated that ARG8 and ARG10 both exhibit more anti-tumor activity than ARG in H₂₂ tumor-bearing mice. The tumor inhibition rates of ARG8 and ARG10 were 69.27 and 43.58%, which was much higher than ARG. Furthermore, the mice treated with these compounds exhibited less damage to the liver, kidney and immune organs compared with the positive group. Furthermore, ARG8 and ARG10 improved the serum cytokine levels significantly compared to ARG. In brief, this study provides a method to improve the water solubility of drugs, and we also provide a reference basis for new drug development.

Polysaccharides from Rhizoma Panacis Majoris and its anti-oxidant activity

Response surface method (RSM) was employed to optimize the extraction conditions of polysaccharides from Rhizoma Panacis Majoris (the rhizomes of Panax japonicus C. A. Mey. var. major (Burk.) C. Y. Wu et K. M. Feng) (RPMP), a well-known Chinese traditional medicine. In order to obtain the optimal processing parameters, a three-variable Box-Behnken designs (BBD) were applied for experimental designs. RSM analysis indicated the good correspondence between experimental and predicted values, the optimal conditions for the yield of polysaccharides were as follows: the ultrasound time is 31.15 min, extraction temperature is 92.50 °C, and the ratio of water to raw material is 40 mL/g. The maximum value (13.87 ± 0.16%) of the yield of polysaccharides was obtained under these optimal conditions. The molecular weight (MW) was determined to be 1.48 × 10(5)(±0.39%)Da by HPSEC-MALLS-RID chromatography system. FT-IR spectra demonstrated obvious characteristic peaks of polysaccharides. The antioxidant activities of RPMP were investigated including scavenging activity of hydrogen radicals, ABTS radicals, and free radicals of superoxide anion in vitro, and the results exhibited that RPMP had a good potential for antioxidant.

Chemical Analysis of the Herbal Medicine Salviae miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Danshen)

Radix Salviae miltiorrhizae et Rhizoma, known as Danshen in China, is one of the most popular traditional Chinese medicines. Recently, there has been increasing scientific attention on Danshen for its remarkable bioactivities, such as promoting blood circulation, removing blood stasis, and clearing away heat. This review summarized the advances in chemical analysis of Danshen and its preparations since 2009. Representative established methods were reviewed, including spectroscopy, thin layer chromatography, gas chromatography, liquid chromatography (LC), liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), capillary electrophoresis, electrochemistry, and bioanalysis. Especially the analysis of polysaccharides in Danshen was discussed for the first time. Some proposals were also put forward to benefit quality control of Danshen.

Optimization of extraction, characterization and antioxidant activity of polysaccharides from Brassica rapa L

The root of Brassica rapa L. has been traditionally used as a Uyghur folk medicine to cure cough and asthma by Uyghur nationality in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China. In the present study, therefore, extraction optimization, characterization and antioxidant activity in vitro of polysaccharides from the root of B. rapa L. (BRP) were investigated. The optimal extraction conditions with an extraction yield of 21.48 ± 0.41% for crude BRP were obtained as follows: extraction temperature 93°C, extraction time 4.3h and ratio of extraction solvent (water) to raw material 75 mL/g. The crude BRP was purified by chromatographic columns of DEAE-52 cellulose and Sephadex G-100, affording three purified fractions of BRP-1-1, BRP-2-1 and BRP-2-2 with average molecular weight of 1510, 1110 and 838 kDa, respectively. Monosaccharide composition analysis indicated that BRP-1-1 was composed of mannose, rhamnose, glucose, galactose and arabinose, BRP-2-1 was composed of rhamnose, galacturonic acid, galactose and arabinose, and BRP-2-2 was composed of rhamnose and galacturonic acid in a molar ratio of 1.27: 54.92. Furthermore, the crude BRP exhibited relatively higher antioxidant activity in vitro than purified fractions; hence, it could be used as a natural antioxidant in functional foods or medicines.

An in vivo and in vitro study: High-dosage Danshen injection induces peripheral vascular endothelial cells injury

Danshen injection, a pharmaceutical dosage form of Danshen, has been widely used in the treatment of coronary heart diseases, myocardial infarction, and hypertension. With more and more adverse drug reactions linked with Danshen injection, its safety comes under suspicion. To evaluate its safety, mice were divided into four groups: vehicle, low-, middle-, and high-Danshen group, and each group was intravenously administered with Danshen injection at a dose of 0, 0.64, 1.55, and 5.76 g/kg/day for 5 days, respectively (the low dosage was the recommended clinical dosage, the middle dosage was the most commonly used higher dosage, and the high dosage was the highest dosage used in clinic). Peripheral vascular toxicity wasn't observed in the low-dosage group, elevated serum endothelin-1 (ET-1) was observed in the middle-dosage group; and more peripheral vascular toxicities like increased vascular leakage, elevated serum nitrate and ET-1, and vascular endothelial cells apoptosis were detected in the high-dosage group. In vitro study, low-concentration Danshen injection showed protective effect to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), while high concentration displayed strong cytotoxic effects, including increase in nitric oxide and ET-1 production, inhibition of cell viability, and apoptosis induction. Further, the HUVECs' apoptosis induced by high-concentration Danshen injection was found along with the induction of reactive oxygen species. In conclusion, these results suggest that Danshen injection is nontoxic in its recommended clinical dosage, and the 2.4-fold as the recommended clinical dosage might be the highest safety dosage in clinic treatment. In addition, Danshen injection is a potential vascular toxic drug in its high dosage and shouldn't be used far beyond its recommended dosage in clinic treatment.