Evaluation on the concentration change of paeoniflorin and glycyrrhizic acid in different formulations of Shaoyao-Gancao-Tang by the tri-level infrared macro-fingerprint spectroscopy and the whole analysis method

Anti-LSSDS pharmacological components identification of YuHuangLian based on the combination of spectrum-effect analysis and network pharmacology as well as molecular docking

This research aimed to investigate the pharmacological components for liver stagnation and spleen deficiency syndrome (LSSDS) of Evodia rutaecarpa (also called Yu HuangLian [YHL]) by exploring the spectrum-effect relationship between fingerprints and pharmacological actions. The fingerprints of 17 batches of YHL with different preparation conditions according to Box-Behnken Design were generated and analyzed to identify the common peaks by HPLC and FT-IR. Vasoactive intestinal peptide (vip), substance P, and 5-HT levels in colon sample were measured by ELISA. Gray degree correlation and orthogonal partial least squares were employed to explore the correlation degree between components and pharmacologic activity. The presumed pharmacological components were further confirmed by network pharmacology, molecular docking, and qRT-PCR. The columbamine, jatrorrhizine, coptisine, berberine, rutecarpine, and evodiamine of the 14 common peaks in HPLC fingerprints were significantly correlated with the pharmacological indexes. Similarly, there was a strong correlation with -OH, δNC-H, and νC-O-C of the 10 common peaks in FT-IR fingerprints. PTGS2 and CHRM3 were the main targets intervening LSSDS, and the presumed pharmacological components could markedly increase the expression of CHRM3 and obviously reduce the expression of PTGS2 compared with the model group.

Peptide/glycyrrhizic acid supramolecular polymer: An emerging medical adhesive for dural sealing and repairing

Medical adhesives have emerged as potential materials for sealing, hemostasis and wound repairing in modern clinical surgery. However, most of existing medical adhesives are still far away from the clinical requirements for simultaneously meeting desirable tissue adhesion, safety, biodegradability, anti-swelling property, and convenient operability. Here, we present an entirely new kind of peptide-based underwater adhesives, which are constructed via cross-linked supramolecular copolymerization between cationic short peptides and glycyrrhizic acid (GA) in an aqueous solution. We revealed the unique molecular mechanism of the peptide/GA supramolecular polymers and underlined the importance of arginine residues in the enhancement of the bulk cohesion of the peptide/GA adhesive. We thus concluded a design guideline that the peptide sequence has to be encoded with multiple arginine termini and hydrophobic residues. The resulting adhesives exhibited effective tissue adhesion, robust cohesion, low cell cytotoxicity, acceptable hemocompatibility, inappreciable inflammation response, appropriate biodegradability, and excellent anti-swelling property. More attractively, the dried peptide/GA powder was able to rapidly self-gel into adhesives by absorbing water, suggesting conveniently clinical operability. Animal experiments showed that the peptide/GA supramolecular polymers could be utilized as reliable medical adhesives for dural sealing and repairing.

Electrochemical-based quantitative fingerprint evaluation strategy combined with multi-markers assay by monolinear method for quality control of herbal medicine

BACKGROUND

Improving the quality control (QC) criterion of herbal medicine (HM) is an ongoing challenge. A rapid and convenient electrochemical analysis technique is now emerging as a promising application for HM QC. So far, extraction and analysis of the overall electroactive components is a key issue need to be solved to improve its application in integral HM QC.

PURPOSE

In this work, using compound liquorice tablets (CLQTs) as an example, we like to put forward a more reliable and accurate quantification method of multi-components for the precise QC of HM. Furthermore, we propose an electrochemical fingerprint-based data mining, extract and synthesis strategy for in-depth and comprehensive QC of HM, qualitatively and quantitatively.

METHODS AND DESIGN

Firstly, the electrochemical quantitative fingerprint of 54 batches of CLQTs from nine manufacturers were developed using B-Z oscillatory system. Secondly, eight characteristic parameters were recorded and compared among samples using intuitive information and PCA. Then, t_und was used to establish the correlation with sample dosage for determination of the relative content of overall electroactive components (Rc). The quantitative determination of five quality markers (Q-markers) were also performed using the novel method, called multi-markers assay by monolinear method (MAML). Finally, after using area integral calculus for electrochemical fingerprint, average linear quantitative fingerprint method (ALQFM) was successfully proposed to extract all latent characteristics for integral quality evaluation of samples.

RESULTS

The t_und and dosage showed a good correlation, by which the obtained Rc displayed different fluctuation among nine manufacturers. Moreover, the contents of five Q-markers obtained by MAML displayed no significant difference with the traditional quantification method. Samples evaluated by ALQFM manifested the integral information and were divided into eight quality grades. The deduced results of correlation between P_l with P_5C, Rc and P_A were more persuasive for demonstrating the reliability and integrity of ALQFM in quality evaluation of HM electrochemical fingerprint.

CONCLUSION

The study confirmed the idea that quantification of Q-markers combined electrochemical-based quality evaluation strategy could be used as a reliable method for HM QC qualitatively and quantitatively from point (precise) to face (integral).

A smart spectral analysis strategy-based UV and FT-IR spectroscopy fingerprint: Application to quality evaluation of compound liquorice tablets

This study focuses on development of a smart spectral analysis strategy for rapid quality evaluation of complex sample. Firstly, the ultraviolet (UV) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy were established. Secondly, the second derivative UV spectral was obtained and showed 7 major absorption peaks, which was the projection of the 3D-spectrum profile. It can perform peak matching like chromatogram, thus, helpful for 3D UV spectrum analysis, qualitatively and quantitatively. The qualitative and quantitative similarity results based on systematic quantified fingerprint method displayed basically a consistency with their hierarchical cluster analysis results. Notably, the quality evaluation of the first proposed FT-IR spectral quantized fingerprints and the good correlation of P_m% with PA (R² = 0.80296), as well as the excellent quantitative prediction model for liquiritin, glycyrrhizinic acid and sodium benzoate all indicated the promising of FT-IR spectral quantized fingerprint in quantitative analysis and QC of compound liquorice tablets. Finally, an integrated evaluate strategy was developed by mean algorithm to reduce the error caused by single technique. 54 samples integrally had a good quality consistency as their quality ranged grade 1-5. This study illustrated that the smart data analysis strategy based on spectral fingerprint has potential to enhance existing methodologies for further rapid and integrated studies evaluating the quality of herbal medicine and its related products.

Advancement in the chemical analysis of Paeoniae Radix (Shaoyao)

Paeoniae Radix Alba (baishao or white peony root) and Paeoniae Radix Rubra (chishao or red peony root) are two highly valuable traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) usually indicated for painful conditions, menstrual disorders and viral infections. These two TCMs are collectively referred to as shaoyao (Paeoniae Radix) due to their close origins and similar chemical compositions. Modern research indicates that monoterpene glycosides, polyphenols and paeonols are the three main types of compounds related to the pharmacological activities of Paeoniae Radix. This review summarizes recent advances in the chemical analysis of Paeoniae Radix and the related traditional Chinese medicine formulas/preparations, including methods used for sample pretreatment, qualitative analysis, quantitative analysis and biological sample analysis. More than 120 papers are discussed in this review, focusing on the chemical analysis of Paeoniae Radix, and various analytical techniques (such as HPLC, LC-MS, IR, near IR and quantitative NMR), as well as their advantages/disadvantages, are described. It is our hope that this paper can provide necessary information for improving the quality evaluation methods currently available for Paeoniae Radix and offer a scientific basis for the future in-depth study of the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of Paeoniae Radix.