A periodic review of chemical and pharmacological profiles of Tubiechong as insect Chinese medicine

Enhanced therapeutic efficacy of Eupolyphaga sinensis Walker in females through sex-specific metabolomic-pharmacodynamic divergence

Eupolyphaga sinensis Walker (ESW), a medicinal insect used in traditional Chinese medicine, is renowned for its effects on blood circulation, stasis resolution, and bone and tendon healing. The underlying reasons for the clinical preference for female ESW remain unclear. Previous investigations were limited in scope, focusing narrowly on female specimens, large-molecule compounds, and single pharmacological effect. This study systematically compared female and male ESW in terms of composition and therapeutic efficacy. Metabolomics identified 31 compound types in both female and male ESW, including lipids, amino acids, and fatty acids. Female ESW exhibited significantly higher levels of 8 bioactive compounds, 15 small peptides, and 13 prostaglandins compared to male ESW, which contribute to immunity enhancement, antithrombotic effects, and improved bone metabolism. These differences may underlie the superior medicinal efficacy of female ESW. In the thrombosis model, ESW can cause vasodilation, reduce blood cell aggregation and thrombosis rate of mice tails. It also improved t-PA levels, prolonged APTT, and enhanced hepatic SOD activity, with female ESW showing stronger effects on MDA and D2D levels, indicating its stronger ability to protect cells from damage and fibrinolytic effect. In the osteoporosis model, ESW increased femur length, liver, and thymus indices while regulating serum BALP and Mg levels. Female ESW notably reduced TRACP-5b, OT/BGP, P, and Cu to normal levels, indicating its stronger ability to improved bone metabolism, corrected disturbances in calcium-phosphorus metabolism, and regulated serum inorganic elements. Overall, female ESW exhibited a greater abundance of bioactive components and demonstrated superior anti-thrombotic and anti-osteoporotic effects. These findings highlight the superior therapeutic effects of female ESW due to its enriched bioactive components, supporting its clinical preference while underscoring the potential of male ESW for uilization of resource.

Fingerprint Profile Analysis of Eupolyphaga steleophaga Polypeptide Based on UHPLC-MS and Its Application

Background and Objectives: As a medicinal and food homologous substance, Eupolyphaga steleophaga is renowned for its potential health benefits, including anti-tumor effects, immune system support, and anti-inflammatory properties. Eupolyphaga steleophaga polypeptides have demonstrated significant biological activity, including the regulation of coagulation and lipid metabolism. However, the peptide composition of Eupolyphaga steleophaga requires further clarification to facilitate quality control improvements and a deeper investigation into its pharmacological effects. Therefore, this study aimed to simulate the digestive absorption process of Eupolyphaga steleophaga following oral administration and identify its enzymatic components to enhance quality control. Methods: The digestive absorption process was simulated using artificial gastric fluid and pepsin. A fingerprinting method based on ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS)(Acquire UPLC-Synapt G2-Si HDMS, Waters Corporation, Milford, MA, USA) was developed to identify 63 enzymatic components. The enzymolysis polypeptide fingerprint detection method was used to analyze 10 batches of Eupolyphaga steleophaga sourced from Harbin No. 4 Traditional Chinese Medicine Factory. Chromatographic collection was performed using an ACQUITY UPLC BHE C18 column. Gradient elution was carried out using a mixture of 0.1% formic acid with acetonitrile and 0.1% formic acid with water, with an average flow rate of 0.3 mL/min, a column temperature of 40 °C, and an injection volume of 2 μL. The mass spectrometry (MS) conditions were set as follows: the ion source was operated in positive electrospray ionization (ESI+) mode, with a capillary voltage of 2.8 kV and a sampling cone voltage of 40 V. The ion-source temperature was maintained at 110 °C, while the desolvation temperature was set to 400 °C. The cone gas flow rate was 50 L/h, and the desolvation gas flow rate was 800 L/h. The range for the collection of mass-to-charge ratios (m/z) was between 50 and 1200. Results: The UHPLC-MS method demonstrated high accuracy, repeatability, and stability, successfully identifying 63 enzymatic components of Eupolyphaga steleophaga. Furthermore, polypeptide markers for 63 selected components were identified in all 10 batches of Eupolyphaga steleophaga medicinal materials. This approach was validated by including numerical values such as retention times and peak areas, confirming its reliability for quality control enhancement. Conclusions: This novel UHPLC-MS approach serves as a powerful tool for advancing quality control strategies in veterinary medicine, particularly for animal-derived medicines. It lays a solid foundation for subsequent pharmacological studies of Eupolyphaga steleophaga polypeptides, offering a more reliable means to explore their biological activities and therapeutic potential.

Integrating network pharmacology with microRNA microarray analysis to identify the role of miRNAs in thrombosis treated by the Dahuang Zhechong pill

BACKGROUND

Thrombotic diseases are the leading causes of death worldwide, urging for improvements in treatment strategies. Dahuang Zhechong pill (DHZCP) is a traditional Chinese medicine widely used for treating thrombotic diseases; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to explore the potential mechanisms of DHZCP in treating thrombosis with a focus on bioinformatics and miRNAs.

METHODS

We used network pharmacology to explore the targets of thrombosis treated with DHZCP and performed microarray analysis to acquire miRNA profiles and predict the target genes in thrombin-stimulated MEG-01 cells treated with DHZCP. Based on the overlapping of targets, we carried out a component-target-miRNA network and enrichment analysis and validated the selected miRNAs and mRNAs using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS

Our data showed 850 targets of 230 active ingredients of DHZCP and 1214 thrombosis-related genes; 235 targets were common. We identified 32 miRNAs that were regulated by thrombin stimulation but regulated reversely by DHZCP treatment in MEG-01 cells, and predicted 1846 targets with function annotation. We analyzed conjointly 23 integrating targets from network pharmacology and microarray. HIF1A, PIK3CA, MAPK1 and BCL2L1 emerged as key nodes in the network diagrams. We confirmed the differential expression of seven miRNAs, one mRNA (BCL2L1) and platelet surface protein.

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed that miRNAs and their targets, such as BCL2L1, played crucial roles in platelet activation during DHZCP intervention in thrombosis, highlighting their potential to alleviate platelet activation and increase cell apoptosis. The study's findings could help develop new strategies for improving thrombosis treatment.

Substituting Fish Meal with Tubiechong (Eupolyphaga sinensis) By-Product in the Diets of Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides): Effects on Growth, Meat Quality, and Liver Health

A feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of replacing 0% (control), 10% (T10), 20% (T20), 30% (T30), and 40% (T40) fish meal with a Tubiechong (Eupolyphaga sinensis) by-product in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). Triplicate groups of 30 fish (5.36 ± 0.01 g) were fed two times daily to apparent satiation for 60 days. The experimental results showed that the Tubiechong by-product could improve the growth performance of largemouth bass by increasing the FBW, WGR, and SGR until the replacement ratio was 40%. The quadratic regression analysis showed that the proportion of the Tubiechong by-product was 20.79% and 20.91%, respectively, when WGR and SGR were the best. Concurrently, the meat quality in the replacement groups was higher, specifically, the lightness and white values were higher, and the water loss rates were lower (P < 0.05) than that in the control group. Moreover, the changes of the activities of CAT and GSH in the liver and T-AOC and GSH in serum could reveal the antioxidant capacity improvement of fish by the Tubiechong by-product. In the study, the replacement groups had lower T-CHO and HDL-C in serum (P < 0.05), indicating that the Tubiechong by-product had an active role in improving blood lipid and regulating lipid metabolism. Simultaneously, the replacement groups had a normal structure with central hepatocytes' nuclei and deviated from the center partly, while most of the hepatocytes were swollen in the control group with nuclear degeneration. The results showed that the Tubiechong by-product had a positive effect on the liver health of fish. Conclusively, the present study indicated that the partial dietary replacement of fish meal using the Tubiechong by-product (for up to 40% replacement level) in the diet of largemouth bass not only caused no adverse effects on fish health but also improved the growth performance, meat quality, antioxidant capacity, and hepatic health and is conducive to supplying nutritious, high-quality, and healthy aquatic products.

Extraction and characterization of chitosan from Eupolyphaga sinensis Walker and its application in the preparation of electrospinning nanofiber membranes

Due to its capabilities for wound healing, antimicrobial defense, hemostasis, and biodegradation, chitosan has seen increased use in biomedical disciplines in recent years. In the meantime, efforts have been made to develop and use insect chitosan as a source to address the seasonal, irritating, and regional shortcomings of traditional shrimp and crab chitosan. In this study, a new type of insect chitosan (DCS) was first extracted from Eupolyphaga sinensis Walker by a low-temperature intermittent method and was compared with commercially available pharmaceutical chitosan (CS). Firstly, the degree of deacetylation and molecular weight of DCS were determined, and DCS was characterized by FT-IR, ¹H NMR, XRD, and TGA-DTG. On this basis, DCS was mixed with PVA and PEO to create a novel electrospun nanofiber membrane. The air permeability, antibacterial properties, and biocompatibility of the nanofiber membrane were evaluated, as well as the membrane's shape, structure, and mechanical characteristics. Finally, the activity of nanofiber membranes in promoting wound healing was verified with a rat full-thickness skin defect model, hoping to provide a reference for the development of new drug delivery carriers and wound dressings.

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of the major components in Qinghao Biejia decoction by UPLC-Orbitrap Fusion-MS/MS and UPLC-QQQ-MS/MS and evaluation of their antibacterial activities

OBJECTIVE

In the present study, the chemical components of Qinghao Biejia decoction (QBD) were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed using UPLC-Orbitrap Fusion-MS/MS and UPLC-QQQ-MS/MS techniques, followed by identification of each component's origin and evaluation of the antibacterial activity of QBD and its components.

METHODS

High-resolution mass spectrometry was used to obtain information on the precise molecular weight, retention time, and fragmentation ion peaks of the compounds used to identify the components of QBD and establish a method for their quantification. In vitro assays including determination of the minimal inhibitory concentration and growth curves were used to assess the antibacterial activity of QBD and its components.

RESULTS

A total of 39 components, including fatty acids, phenolic acids, amino acids, flavonoids, coumarins, terpenoids, and alkaloids, were identified by UPLC-Orbitrap Fusion-MS/MS. A high-performance analytical method was also established to quantify 12 components of QBD. The content of mangiferin was relatively high (estimated to be 814 μg/g). The results of the antibacterial assays indicated that mangiferin exhibits antibacterial effects against two strains causing respiratory tract infections.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study suggests that mangiferin may serve as a natural compound which shows high antibacterial activity. The results can aid the discovery and analysis of the active antimicrobial components present in QBD and further provide a reference for quality assessment of multi-component herbal prescriptions.