What is the Effective Component in Suanzaoren Decoction for Curing Insomnia? Discovery by Virtual Screening and Molecular Dynamic Simulation

Sour Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba var. spinosa): A Bibliometric Review of Its Bioactive Profile, Health Benefits and Trends in Food and Medicine Applications

Research on the comprehensive utilization of sour jujube and its beneficial properties to human health has attracted extensive attention. This study aims to conduct a bibliometric analysis of the bioactive profile of sour jujube and future trends in applications. The research advancements within this field from 2000 to 2023 were addressed using the Web of Science database and VOSviewer. Among the 322 results, the most frequent keywords of bioactivity are flavonoids, antioxidants, saponins, insomnia, polyphenols, terpenoids and anti-inflammatory; the most studied parts of sour jujube are seeds, fruits and leaves; the published articles with high citations mainly focus on identification, biological effects and different parts distribution of bioactive compounds. The bioactivity of various parts of sour jujube was reviewed considering their application potential. The seeds, rich in flavonoids, saponins and alkaloids, exhibit strong effects on central nervous system diseases and have been well-developed in pharmacology, healthcare products and functional foods. The pulp has antioxidant properties and is used to develop added-value foods (e.g., juice, vinegar, wine). The leaves can be used to make tea and flowers are good sources of honey; their extracts are rich sources of flavonoids and saponins, which show promising medicinal effects. The branches, roots and bark have healing properties in traditional folk medicine. Overall, this study provides a reference for future applications of sour jujube in food and medicine fields.

Jujuboside B inhibits febrile seizure by modulating AMPA receptor activity

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Febrile seizure is a common neurologic disorder with limited treatment occurring in infants and children under the age of five. Jujuboside B (JuB) is a main bioactive saponin component isolated from the Chinese anti-insomnia herbal medicine Ziziphi Spinosae Semen (ZSS), seed of Ziziphus jujuba Mill, which has been proved to exhibit neuroprotective effects recently.

AIM OF THE STUDY

In this study, we aimed at elucidating the effect of JuB on suppressing febrile seizure and the potential mechanisms.

METHODS

Electroencephalogram (EEG) recording was used to monitor the severity of febrile seizures. The JuB in the brain was identified by mass spectrometry. Neuronal excitability was investigated using patch clamp.

RESULTS

JuB (30 mg/kg) significantly prolonged seizure latency and reduced the severity in hyperthermia-induced seizures model mice. Hippocampal neuronal excitability was significantly decreased by JuB. And JuB significantly reduced the excitatory synaptic transmission mediated by α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-iso-xazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR), including evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents (eEPSCs), and miniature EPSCs (mEPSCs) in hippocampal neurons. Furthermore, JuB also significantly inhibited recombinant GluA1 and GluA2 mediated AMPA current in HEK293 cell and decreased the upregulation of [Ca²⁺]_i induced by AMPA in primary cultured cortex neurons.

CONCLUSIONS

JuB suppressed the excitability of hippocampal neurons by inhibiting the activity of AMPAR and reducing the intracellular free calcium, thereby relieving febrile seizures.

The Effect of Zao Ren An Shen Capsule on Insomnia among Patients with Anxiety: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background. Zao Ren An Shen capsule (ZRASC) is one of the most widely used Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) in treating insomnia, but its effect on insomnia patients with anxiety remains unclear. We aimed to examine the effect of ZRASC combined with alprazolam in anxiety patients compared with those only with alprazolam prescription. Methods. We conducted a single-blind, parallel-group, randomized trial involving persons from 2 hospitals in China. Participants were randomly assigned in a 1 : 1 ratio to the intervention group, in which the participants were provided with ZRASC and alprazolam, or to the control group, in which the participants were provided with alprazolam. The primary outcomes were insomnia symptoms measured by the insomnia severity index (ISI). The secondary outcomes were anxiety symptoms measured with the Hamilton anxiety rating scale (HAMA). All participants were followed up at 2-week and 4-week after the treatment. The effect was estimated using the mixed-effect models. Results. A total of 334 patients were enrolled in the trial. 167 of them (mean (SD) age, 44.4 (12.8) years; 43.1% female) were assigned to the usual treatment group, while 167 (mean (SD) age, 46.0 (13.4) years; 43.7% female) were assigned to the ZRASC group. From baseline to the 4-weekfollow-up, the mean differences in ISI and HAMA scores between the ZRASC group and the usual care group were −2.542 and −2.563, respectively (both $p<0.001$ ). Patients in the ZRASC group were more likely to have remission of insomnia and anxiety than those in the control group at the 4-weekfollow-up, with incidence rate ratios of 265% and 213%, respectively (both $p<0.001$ ). Proportions of remission were 74.93% ( $p<0.001$ ) for insomnia and 85.80% ( $p<0.001$ ) for anxiety at 4-weekfollow-up. Conclusions. This randomized study showed that adjunctive treatment with ZRASC was able to reduce insomnia and anxiety symptoms at the 4-weekfollow-up. Trial Registration. This study was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR1800019913).

Wild Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba var. spinosa): A Review of Its Phytonutrients, Health Benefits, Metabolism, and Applications

Wild jujube, Ziziphus jujuba Mill. var. spinosa (Bunge) Hu ex H. F. Chou, as a food and health supplement worldwide, has rich nutritional value. It contains nutrients such as nucleosides, amino acids, polysaccharides, and fatty oils. The fruits, seeds, and leaves of wild jujube can all be used for food, medicine, or health care purposes. Among these, the fruits play many roles, such as antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory functions, and can be used as a natural nutritional supplement to prevent aging. Simultaneously, the mature seed of wild jujube exhibits beneficial effects on central nervous system diseases and is often used for the treatment of insomnia and as a functional food for improving sleep quality and enhancing learning and memory. This review presents an overview of research progress relevant to the phytonutrients, biological functions, metabolism of bioactive compounds, and applications of wild jujube and aims to provide a scientific reference for the development and utilization of this plant.

Structure and Undulations of Escin Adsorption Layer at Water Surface Studied by Molecular Dynamics

The saponin escin, extracted from horse chestnut seeds, forms adsorption layers with high viscoelasticity and low gas permeability. Upon deformation, escin adsorption layers often feature surface wrinkles with characteristic wavelength. In previous studies, we investigated the origin of this behavior and found that the substantial surface elasticity of escin layers may be related to a specific combination of short-, medium-, and long-range attractive forces, leading to tight molecular packing in the layers. In the current study, we performed atomistic molecular dynamics simulations of 441 escin molecules in a dense adsorption layer with an area per molecule of 0.49 nm2. We found that the surfactant molecules are less submerged in water and adopt a more upright position when compared to the characteristics determined in our previous simulations with much smaller molecular models. The number of neighbouring molecules and their local orientation, however, remain similar in the different-size models. To maintain their preferred mutual orientation, the escin molecules segregate into well-ordered domains and spontaneously form wrinkled layers. The same specific interactions (H-bonds, dipole-dipole attraction, and intermediate strong attraction) define the complex internal structure and the undulations of the layers. The analysis of the layer properties reveals a characteristic wrinkle wavelength related to the surface lateral dimensions, in qualitative agreement with the phenomenological description of thin elastic sheets.

The novel FAT4 activator jujuboside A suppresses NSCLC tumorigenesis by activating HIPPO signaling and inhibiting YAP nuclear translocation

FAT atypical cadherin 4 (FAT4) has been identified as a tumor suppressor in lung cancers. However, no agent for lung cancer treatment targeting FAT4 has been used in the clinic. Jujuboside A (JUA) is a major active compound in Semen Ziziphi Spinosae. Semen Ziziphi Spinosae is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine used clinically for tumor treatment to improve patients' quality of life. However, the anti-lung cancer activity and the underlying mechanisms of JUA are not yet fully understood. Here, we demonstrated the anti-lung cancer activity of JUA in two lung cancer mice models and three non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines, and further illustrated its underlying mechanisms. JUA suppressed the occurrence and development of lung cancer and extended mice survival in vivo, and suppressed NSCLC cell activities through cell cycle arrest, proliferation suppression, stemness inhibition and senescence promotion. Moreover, JUA directly bound with and activated FAT4, subsequently activating FAT4-HIPPO signaling and inhibiting YAP nuclear translocation. Knockdown of FAT4 diminished JUA's effects on HIPPO signaling, YAP nuclear translocation, cell proliferation and cellular senescence. In conclusion, JUA significantly suppressed NSCLC tumorigenesis by regulating FAT4-HIPPO-YAP signaling. Our findings suggest that JUA is a novel FAT4 activator that can be developed as a promising NSCLC therapeutic agent targeting the FAT4-HIPPO-YAP pathway.

ASF (a Compound of Traditional Chinese Medicine) in the treatment of patients with alcohol dependence: Study protocol of a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial

BACKGROUND

Alcohol dependence is one of the biggest problems facing public health worldwide. Currently, it is an under-diagnosed and under-treated disease. Even when given treatments for addiction withdrawal, over 2/3 of patients who have undergone abstinence-oriented treatment will relapse in the first year. Therefore, it is necessary to find an efficacious way to prevent and treat alcohol dependence. ASF (a Compound of Traditional Chinese Medicine) has proven to inhibit the formation and expression of ethanol-induced behavioral sensitization and the development of conditioned place preference in mice. As an empirical prescription for abstinence from alcohol, ASF has long been used in clinical patients. However, the effect of ASF in humans has not yet been investigated. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of ASF for patients with alcohol dependence.

METHODS

The effect of ASF will be studied in a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial. 82 outpatients and inpatients will be recruited and randomly assigned to treatment with either ASF or placebo for 6 weeks as a complement to cognitive behavioural therapy. The primary endpoints are the changes in the average daily alcohol consumption of the 2 groups before and after treatment and comparison of the scores of the psychological craving self-rating scale during the courses of treatment of 2 groups. The secondary endpoints include abstinence rates of the 2 groups during the follow-up period, days without consumption, and changes of Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) scores in 2 groups before and after therapy.

DISCUSSION

This study is the first randomized controlled trial to investigate ASF in the treatment of alcohol dependence. ASF is likely to be a new and effective drug for the treatment of alcohol dependence developed from natural products with a low incidence of side effects or toxicity.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Registry number: ChiCTR2000039397.

Efficacy and safety of Zaoren Anshen capsules in the treatment of insomnia: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND

Zaoren Anshen capsules (ZRAS) have been widely used to treat patients with insomnia. However, the efficacy and safety of ZRAS for insomnia treatment is not entirely clear. Therefore, it is necessary to clarify the effect of ZRAS for the treatment of insomnia by a systematic meta-analysis.

METHODS

We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and WanFang databases and performed a manual search to retrieve relevant articles (available through January 2019) describing randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of ZRAS for the treatment of insomnia. The quality of the selected articles was assessed with the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool. A meta-analysis of the selected articles was performed with RevMan 5.3 software.

RESULTS

A total of 13 articles including 1175 patients were included in the study. Overall, our results showed that ZRAS was slightly higher than that of the conventional Western medicine for insomnia in terms of clinical efficacy rate; but there was no statistical difference between the 2 groups (relative risk [RR] = 1.03, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [0.97, 1.09], P = .34). However, it should be noted that ZRAS treatment causes far fewer adverse reaction than treatment with conventional Western medicine (RR = 0.20, 95% CI = [0.14, 0.28], P < .00001).

CONCLUSION

Our results suggested that ZRAS is an effective and safe treatment for insomnia, especially in adverse reaction. However, multi-regional and well-designed RCTs studies are needed in the future to validate the results.

In Silico Study of Anti-Insomnia Mechanism for Suanzaoren Prescription

Insomnia is a common and widespread sleeping disorder caused by various risk factors. Though beneficial, conventional treatments of insomnia have significant limitations. As an alternative treatment, Chinese herbal formula Suanzaoren prescription (SZRP), composed of Suanzaoren [seeds of Ziziphus jujuba var. spinosa (Bunge) Hu ex H.F.Chow] and four additional herbs, has been reported with significant anti-insomnia effects. Yet the anti-insomnia mechanism of the herb formulae remains unknown. In this study, we attempted to extrapolate the holistic anti-insomnia mechanism of SZRP through herbal targeting and network pharmacology. The results indicated that the ingredients of Suanzaoren can target multi-neurotransmitter receptors at synapse interface, which was reported to be associated with sedative and hypnotic effects, while the four additional herbs can hit multiple pathways downstream of membrane neurotransmitters. Furthermore, the four additional herbs showed highly cooperative targeting patterns in the paralleled and cross-talked pathways related to inflammatory regulation and endocrine system, which may contribute to the additional relief of insomnia caused by inflammation, anxiety, or endocrine disorder. The interesting complementary mechanism we found among the herbal groups of SZRP may provide an example to study Chinese herbal formula and offers clues to future design of anti-insomnia strategy.

Dissecting the Metabolic Phenotype of the Antihypertensive Effects of Five Uncaria Species on Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

The sourcing of plants from multiple botanical origins is a common phenomenon in traditional Chinese medicines. Uncaria Stem with Hooks (UHs) are approved for using five botanical origins in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2015 Edition). All five UHs are commonly used for treating hypertension even though the plants have different chromatographic fingerprints based on our previous study. However, their hypotensive effects and metabolic phenotypes have not been fully studied. In the present study, spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) were orally administered five aqueous extracts (4 g crude drug/kg) prepared from the different UHs over a 6-week period. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was measured every week, and urine was collected after SBP measurement. Untargeted metabonomics was performed using ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) coupled with an LTQ-Orbitrap mass spectrometer. Bidirectional orthogonal projection to latent structures discriminant analysis (O2PLS-DA), Student's t test, and correlation analysis were used for pattern recognition and the selection of significant metabolites. A similar and prolonged reduction in SBP was observed in each of the groups given the five different UHs, while the metabolic profiles were perturbed slightly compared with that of SHR. Further analysis has shown that only a few common, different components were observed within the five groups, which showed the similar antihypertensive effect in spite of the distinct metabolic pathways due to their different alkaloid composition. These results help in understanding the mechanisms of the phenomenon "different species, same effect" of UHs.

Jujuboside A prevents sleep loss-induced disturbance of hippocampal neuronal excitability and memory impairment in young APP/PS1 mice

Sleep deprivation (SD) is the hallmark of modern society and may increase risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, it is unclear how SD facilitates early cognitive impairments observed in AD models, as the underlying molecular mechanism is largely unknown. Here, we aim to investigate SD-induced cellular and molecular alterations in hippocampus of young APP/PS1 mice and whether jujuboside A (JuA) treatment could negate these alterations. Our results reveal that although SD causes spatial memory impairments in both genotypes, SD decreases frequency and amplitude of mEPSCs and pCREB levels in WT, but increases frequency and amplitude of mEPSCs, NMDAR, GluR1, pCaMKII (β, α) and decreases CREB levels in APP/PS1 mice, implicating that SD may facilitate abnormalities in young APP/PS1 mice via enhancing neuronal excitability. Moreover, JuA suppresses SD-induced enhancement of mEPSCs and prevents memory impairment in APP/PS1 mice. Further, whole-cell puff experiment suggests that JuA may function to activate GABAergic inhibition to reduce SD-induced enhancement of excitatory synaptic transmission in APP/PS1 mice. The present study reveals that sleep loss induces spatial memory impairment in an AD mouse model by disrupting the excitatory signaling pathway, and JuA prevents this via GABAergic mechanism.

Effect of Guizhi Gancao Longgu Muli Tang on sleep disturbances in menopausal women

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of Guizhi Gancao Longgu Muli Tang (GGLMT), a decoction prepared with herbal medicine of Traditional Chinese Medicine, on sleep disturbances in women with menopause.

METHODS

Totally 162 participants were recruited for the treatment of sleep difficulty from February, 2012 to December, 2014. Decoction of 200 mL was taken by every participant twice daily in half an hour after lunch and dinner during two weeks. Sleep quality was assessed by Pittsburg sleep quality index (PSQI) and menopausal symptoms and quality of life were evaluated by the menopause rating scale (MRS) and the Chinese version of World Health Organization quality of life-BREF at the final fellow-up in the fourth weekend after beginning.

RESULTS

The average scores of PSQI had reduced from (13.82 ± 4.97) to (8.14 ± 3.19), 95% CI (－ 4.87, － 3.05) after 2-week GGLMT treatment in the fourth week. GGLMT improved symptoms in patients with more severe conditions (MRS ≥ 16). Three adverse drug reaction, mouth ulcer, constipation, and folliculitis, might be related with GGLMT and disappeared after withdrawals of the treatment.

CONCLUSION

For menopausal women suffering from chronic sleep disturbances, our findings suggest that two weeks treatment of GGLMT was safe and effective.

Simultaneous Determinations of Eleven Bioactive Components in Suanzaoren Decoction Granules by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography and Its Application to the Quality Control in Productive Processes

A simple and reliable method using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a photodiode array detector (HPLC-PDA) was firstly established for the determinations of eleven bioactive compounds (neomangiferin, mangiferin, spinosin, liquiritin apioside, liquiritin, fumalic acid, 6'''-feruloylspinosin, senkyunolide I, isoliquiritin, glycyrrhizic acid and senkyunolide A) in Suanzaoren decoction (SZRD) extract and its granules. The chromatographic analysis was performed on a C18 column at 30°C. Excellent linear behaviors over the investigated concentration ranges were observed with the values of R(2) being higher than 0.9990 for all analytes. The developed method showed good precision and accuracy with overall intra- and inter-day variations of less than 2.0%, and overall recoveries in the range of 97.2 - 102.1%. The validated method was successfully applied to the determination of eleven components in SZRD samples from different production batches, including SZRD extract, lab-made SZRD granules and clinical medicine. This accurate and reliable HPLC-PDA method will be helpful for improving the quality evaluation of SZRD granules and its quality control in productive processes.

Ziziphus spinosa seeds for insomnia: A review of chemistry and psychopharmacology

BACKGROUND

In Chinese medicine, Ziziphus jujuba Mill. var. spinosa (Bunge) Hu ex H. F. Chou is widely used for the treatment of insomnia.

PURPOSE/SECTIONS

This paper summarises the chemistry, psychopharmacology, and compares the pharmaceutical effects of the seeds of Ziziphus jujuba plant, Ziziphus spinosa (ZS) seeds, with benzodiazepines. Whole extracts and constituent compounds have been evaluated in preclinical and clinical studies.

CONCLUSIONS

ZS secondary metabolites modulate GABAergic activity and the serotonergic system. The actual therapeutic agents require further confirmation/identification so that new insomnia phytomedicines can be discovered.

Gastrointestinal Absorption and Metabolic Dynamics of Jujuboside A, A Saponin Derived from the Seed of Ziziphus jujuba

Jujuboside A (JuA), an active saponin, is responsible for the anxiolytic and sedative effects of Zizyphi Spinosae Semen (ZSS). In this study, the gastrointestinal absorption and metabolic dynamics of JuA were investigated in vivo and in vitro. The results showed that the bioavailability was 1.32% in rats, indicating only a trace amount of JuA was able to be absorbed. Further investigation revealed that its poor bioavailability was not caused by malabsorption but by the metabolic process. JuA was hydrolyzed largely in the stomach before being absorbed into the different parts of the intestine (especially duodenum and colon), and the gastric environment played a vital role in this process. Furthermore, the metabolites, jujuboside B (JuB) and jujubogenin, exhibited significant effects on the expression and activation of γ-amino-butyric acid A (GABA(A)) receptors. Our findings demonstrate that the metabolites of the saponin, not the original molecule, should be responsible for the specific bioactivities.

Ziziphi spinosae lily powder suspension in the treatment of depression-like behaviors in rats

Background

Depression is a chronic, recurring and potentially life-threatening illness. Current treatments for depression are characterized by a low success rate and associated with a wide variety of side effects. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the behavioral anti-depressant effect of a novel herbal compounds named ziziphi spinosae lily powder suspension, as well as to investigate its potential mechanisms.

Methods

Except for body weight, depressive-like behaviors were also evaluated using forced swimming test, sucrose consumption test and open field test. In order to investigate the underlying potential mechanisms, serum 5-HT and brain 5-HIAA were measured using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography, respectively.

Results

Results showed that the herbal compounds ziziphi spinosae lily suspension could alleviate depressive symptoms in rat model of chronic depression. Biochemical analysis revealed that the herbal compounds elevated serum 5-HT and brain 5-HIAA.

Conclusion

Ziziphi spinosae lily powder suspension could alleviate depressive behaviors in depression model animals. The underlying mechanisms may be related to the increase of serum 5-HT in peripheral blood and 5-HIAA in brain. The study provides important mechanistic insights into the protective effect of the herbal compounds against chronic depressive disorder and suggests that the herbal compounds may be a potential pharmacological agent for treatment of major depressive disorder.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12906-017-1749-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Simultaneous quantitative determination of 13 active components in the traditional Chinese medicinal preparation Suanzaoren oral liquid by HPLC coupled with diode array detection and evaporative light scattering detection

To control the quality of different forms of Suanzaoren decoction, an effective and reliable method for the simultaneous determination of 13 major components (neomangiferin, mangiferin, spinosin, liquiritin apioside, liquiritin, 6'''-feruloylspinosin, senkyunolide I, timosaponin BII, isoliquiritoside, timosaponin C, jujuboside A, jujuboside B, and timosaponin AIII) was developed and validated for the first time in this study using high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection and evaporative light scattering detection. The chromatographic separation was performed on a Venusil MP C₁₈ column (250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) at 30°C with a gradient of acetonitrile/redistilled water as the mobile phase. Diode array detection was carried out at a wavelength of 275 nm. The drift tube temperature and the nitrogen gas flow rate of the evaporative light scattering detection were set at 50°C and 1.6 L/min, respectively. The newly developed method was successfully applied to the determination of 13 components in lab-prepared Suanzaoren oral liquid, Suanzaoren mixture, and clinical Suanzaoren granules, and this study showed that this was a useful way to comprehensively evaluate the quality of Suanzaoren decoction in different forms of the preparation.

Treatment of Insomnia With Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine

Insomnia is a condition with sleep problems and many people suffered from it. Chronic insomnia can last for long time and it will severely affect people's health and the quality of life. In conventional medicine, the most commonly used the medicine is benzodiazepine. It is effective but also has significant side effects. Patients try to use some kinds of alternative medicines. Chinese medicinal herbs and formulas have been used in the treatment of insomnia for more than 2000 years in China. In recent decades, Chinese herbal medicine has been widely used in the Western countries. Many clinical studies including randomized controlled clinical trials and research on pharmacological action mechanisms of the herbs for treatment of insomnia have been conducted. It is very important and very helpful to review the published research papers to gather the available information for a critical analysis. This chapter evaluated the data from both of clinical studies and pharmacological researches on the therapeutic formulas and on some key herbs used in the treatment of insomnia. Clinical studies showed a very wide spectrum of herbs that were used in clinical treatment of insomnia. This was due to different syndrome patterns happened with insomnia. This brought complexity and difficulties to identify which are the essential key herbs or formulas. It was found Suanzaoren decoction (Ziziphus spinose decoction ) is the most frequently used formula for the treatment of insomnia. Based on the clinical data, several herbs were identified as most frequently used sedative and hypnotic herbs in Chinese herbal medicine including Suanzaoren (Ziziphus spinose ), Fuling (Poria cocos ), and Gancao (Glycyrrhiza uralensis ). The underlying pharmacological action mechanisms discovered in the studies on some key herbs used in the treatment of insomnia were evaluated. The major pharmacological action mechanisms shared by most of the sedative herbs are to act through the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) or via stimulation of GABAA_A receptor. Some herbs exert sedative activities via inhibition of 5-hydroxytryptamine 1A receptor. Another mechanism shown by some herbs is to upregulate the expression of orexin-A, leptin, orexin receptor-1, and leptin receptor in the brain, reducing insomnia-induced negative consequences, and thus indirectly help improvement of insomnia.

Ethanol extract of the seed of Zizyphus jujuba var. spinosa potentiates hippocampal synaptic transmission through mitogen-activated protein kinase, adenylyl cyclase, and protein kinase A pathways

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

As the seed of Zizyphus jujuba var. spinosa (Bunge) Hu ex H.F. Chow (Rhamnaceae) has been used to sleep disturbances in traditional Chinese and Korean medicine, many previous studies have focused on its sedative effect.

AIM OF THE STUDY

Recently, we reported the neuroprotective effect of the effect of Z. jujuba var. spinosa. However, its effects on synaptic function have not yet been studied. In this project, we examined the action of ethanol extract of the seed of Z. jujuba var. spinosa (DHP1401) on synaptic transmission in the hippocampus.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

To investigate the effects of DHP1401, field recordings were conducted using hippocampal slices (400µm). Object recognition test was introduced to examine whether DHP1401 affect normal recognition memory.

RESULTS

DHP1401 (50μg/ml) induced a significant increase in synaptic activity in Shaffer collateral pathway in a concentration-dependent manner. This increase of synaptic responses was blocked by NBQX, a broad spectrum α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor antagonist, but not IEM-1460, a Ca²⁺-permeable AMPAR blocker. Moreover, U0126, a mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitor, SQ22536, an adenylyl cyclase inhibitor, and PKI, a protein kinase A inhibitor, blocked DHP1401-induced increase in synaptic transmission. Finally, DHP1401 facilitated object recognition memory.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that DHP1401 increase synaptic transmission through increase of synaptic AMPAR transmission via MAPK, AC and PAK.

Jujuboside A Protects H9C2 Cells from Isoproterenol-Induced Injury via Activating PI3K/Akt/mTOR Signaling Pathway

Jujuboside A is a kind of the saponins isolated from the seeds of Ziziphus jujuba, which possesses multiple biological effects, such as antianxiety, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects; however, its mediatory effect on isoproterenol-stimulated cardiomyocytes has not been investigated yet. In this study, we tried to detect the protective effect and potential mechanism of JUA on ISO-induced cardiomyocytes injury. H9C2 cells were treated with ISO to induce cell damage. Cells were pretreated with JUA to investigate the effects on the cell viability, morphological changes, light chain 3 conversion, and the activation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. Results showed that ISO significantly inhibited the cell viability in a time- and dose-dependent manner. JUA pretreatment could reverse the reduction of cell viability and better the injury of H9C2 cells induced by ISO. Western blot analysis showed that JUA could accelerate the phosphorylation of PI3K, Akt, and mTOR. Results also indicated that JUA could significantly decrease the ratio of microtubule-associated protein LC3-II/I in H9C2 cells. Taken together, our research showed that JUA could notably reduce the damage cause by ISO via promoting the phosphorylation of PI3K, Akt, and mTOR and inhibiting LC3 conversion, which may be a potential choice for the treatment of heart diseases.

Structural characterization and discrimination of Chinese medicinal materials with multiple botanical origins based on metabolite profiling and chemometrics analysis: Clematidis Radix et Rhizoma as a case study

Traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs)-based products are becoming more and more popular over the world. To ensure the safety and efficacy, authentication of Chinese medicinal materials has been an important issue, especially for that with multiple botanical origins (one-to-multiple). Taking Clematidis Radix et Rhizoma (CRR) as a case study, we herein developed an integrated platform based on metabolite profiling and chemometrics analysis to characterize, classify, and predict the "one-to-multiple" herbs. Firstly, the predominant constituents, triterpenoid saponins, in three Clematis CRR were rapid characterized by a novel UPLC-QTOF/MS-based strategy, and a total of 49 triterpenoid saponins were identified. Secondly, metabolite profiling was performed by UPLC-QTOF/MS, and 4623 variables were extracted and aligned as dataset. Thirdly, by using pattern recognition analysis, a clear separation of the three Clematis CRR was achieved as well as a total number of 28 variables were screened as the valuable variables for discrimination. By matching with identified saponins, these 28 variables were corresponding to 10 saponins which were identified as marker compounds. Fourthly, based on the relative intensity of the marker compounds-related variables, genetic algorithm optimized support vector machines (GA-SVM) was employed to predict the species of CRR samples. The obtained model showed excellent prediction performance with a prediction accuracy of 100%. Finally, a heatmap visualization was employed for clarifying the distribution of identified saponins, which could be useful for phytochemotaxonomy study of Clematis herbs. These results indicated that our proposed platform was a powerful tool for chemical profiling and discrimination of herbs with multiple botanical origins, providing promising perspectives in tracking the formulation processes of TCMs products.

Spinosin, a C-Glucosylflavone, from Zizyphus jujuba var. spinosa Ameliorates Aβ1-42 Oligomer-Induced Memory Impairment in Mice

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder associated with progressive memory loss and neuronal cell death. Although numerous previous studies have been focused on disease progression or reverse pathological symptoms, therapeutic strategies for AD are limited. Alternatively, the identification of traditional herbal medicines or their active compounds has received much attention. The aims of the present study were to characterize the ameliorating effects of spinosin, a C-glucosylflavone isolated from Zizyphus jujuba var. spinosa, on memory impairment or the pathological changes induced through amyloid-β_1–42 oligomer (AβO) in mice. Memory impairment was induced by intracerebroventricular injection of AβO (50 μM) and spinosin (5, 10, and 20 mg/kg) was administered for 7 days. In the behavioral tasks, the subchronic administration of spinosin (20 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly ameliorated AβO-induced cognitive impairment in the passive avoidance task or the Y-maze task. To identify the effects of spinosin on the pathological changes induced through AβO, immunohistochemistry and Western blot analyses were performed. Spinosin treatment also reduced the number of activated microglia and astrocytes observed after AβO injection. In addition, spinosin rescued the AβO-induced decrease in choline acetyltransferase expression levels. These results suggest that spinosin ameliorated memory impairment induced through AβO, and these effects were regulated, in part, through neuroprotective activity via the anti-inflammatory effects of spinosin. Therefore, spinosin might be a useful agent against the amyloid b protein-induced cognitive dysfunction observed in AD patients.

Suan zao ren tang in combination with zhi zi chi tang as a treatment protocol for insomniacs with anxiety: a randomized parallel-controlled trial

Insomnia is a serious worldwide health problem that is often comorbid with anxiety. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of a Chinese formula containing Suan Zao Ren Tang (SZRT) and Zhi Zi Chi Tang (ZZCT; SZR-ZZC) for improving sleep quality and anxiety states with four indices of Polysomnography (PSG), the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Self Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS). Methods. A randomized, parallel-controlled trial compared SZR-ZZC to lorazepam tablet in insomniacs with anxiety. Patients were randomized to the SZR-ZZC treatment group (n = 60) and the lorazepam tablet treatment group (n = 59). Results. SZR-ZZC significantly improved scores on all four treatment indices. Compared with lorazepam, treatment with SZR-ZZC resulted in a significant reduction in the ISI (P = 0.029), the PSQI (P = 0.017), and wake after sleep onset (WASO; P = 0.008) scores and improved sleep architecture (P = 0.000-0.003) after a 4-week treatment period. Only one subject in the SZR-ZZC group experienced adverse side effects. Conclusion. Treatment with SZR-ZZC for 4 weeks appears to be a relatively safe and effective complementary therapeutic option when aiming to improve sleep quality and anxiety in insomniacs with anxiety.

Influence of JuA in evoking communication changes between the small intestines and brain tissues of rats and the GABAA and GABAB receptor transcription levels of hippocampal neurons

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Jujuboside A (JuA) is a main active ingredient of semen ziziphi spinosae, which can significantly reduce spontaneous activity in mammals, increase the speed of falling asleep, prolong the sleeping time as well as improve the sleeping efficiency. In this study, the mechanism and the pathway of the sedative and hypnotic effect of JuA were investigated.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

After being treated with JuA (in vitro), the rat׳s small intestine tissues cultures were used to stimulate the brain tissues. Then 27 cytokine levels were detected in the two kinds of tissue culture via liquid protein chip technology; In addition, the cultured hippocampal neurons of rat were treated with JuA, and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor subunits (GABAAα1, GABAAα5, GABAAβ1 and GABABR1) mRNAs were evaluated by Real-time PCR.

RESULTS

The levels of IL-1α, MIP-1α, IL-1β and IL-2 were reduced significantly after 3h of treating the small intestine tissues with JuA (200µl/ml), and the concentration change rates, in order, were -59.3%, -3.59%, -50.1% and -49.4%; these cytokines were transmitted to brain tissues 2h later, which could lead to significant levels of reduction of IL-1α, IFN-γ, IP-10 and TNF-α; the concentration change rates were -62.4%, -25.7%, -55.2% and -38.5%, respectively. Further, the intercellular communication network diagram was mapped out, which could suggest the mechanism and the pathway of the sedative and hypnotic effect of JuA. The results also indicated that JuA (50µl/ml) increased significantly GABAAα1 receptor mRNAs and reduced GABABR1, mRNAs in hippocampal neurons after 24h of stimulation; however, all the mRNA transcription levels of GABAAα1,GABAAα5, GABAAβ1 and GABABR1 receptors increased significantly after 48h.

CONCLUSION

JuA performed its specific sedative and hypnotic effect through not only adjusting GABA receptors subunit mRNAs expression, but also down-regulating the secretion of relevant inflammation cytokines on the intestinal mucosal system to affect the intercellular cytokine network between nerve cells in the brain. This mechanism is similar to that of melatonin.

A systematic review on the efficacy, safety and types of Chinese herbal medicine for depression

Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) is one of the commonly used complementary and alternative medicine therapies for major depressive disorder. The objective of this study was to review the efficacy, safety and types of CHM for depression. We systematically searched key databases (9 Chinese and 7 English) up until May 2013 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and examined 7 systematic reviews for additional articles. Methodological quality was assessed by modified Jadad scale and Cochrane's risk of bias assessment. Only studies with moderate methodological quality, defined as modified Jadad scale score ≥3, were included in meta-analysis for efficacy. Of the 296 RCTs that were assessed in details, 278 (93.9%) had modified Jadad scale score < 3, and only 21 scored ≥ 3. The frequently used formulas were Xiao Yao decoction, Chaihu Shugan decoction and Ganmai Dazao decoction; while Chaihu, Bai Shao and Fu Ling were the frequently used single herb. Meta-analyses showed that CHM monotherapy was better than placebo and as effective as antidepressants in reducing Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) score (CHM vs. placebo: mean difference: -7.97, 95% CI: -10.25 to -5.70, P < 0.00001, 2 studies; CHM vs. antidepressants: mean difference: 0.01, 95% CI: -0.28 to 0.30, P = 0.95, 7 studies). CHM were associated with less adverse events than antidepressants, and adding CHM to antidepressants reduced adverse events. Despite the overall positive results, due to the small number of studies with sufficient methodological quality, it is premature to accurately conclude the benefits and risks of CHM for depression.

Jujuboside A, a neuroprotective agent from semen Ziziphi Spinosae ameliorates behavioral disorders of the dementia mouse model induced by Aβ 1-42

Semen Ziziphi Spinosae (SZS) has been used as a hypnotic-sedative medicine for thousands of years. Recently, SZS has also shown notable neuroprotective activities via anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects in dementia animals. Jujuboside A (JuA), isolated from SZS, has been proved to be a major hypnotic-sedative component of SZS. In the present study, we firstly evaluated the effects of intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of JuA (0.02 and 0.2mg/kg) for five consecutive days on cognitive impairment induced by ICV injection of Aβ 1-42. The results showed that ICV treatment with JuA significantly mitigated learning and memory impairment in mice induced by Aβ 1-42 as measured by the Y-maze, active avoidance and Morris water maze. Furthermore, ICV treatment with JuA reduced the level of Aβ 1-42 in hippocampus, significantly inhibited the activities of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and NO, and decreased the amount of the increased malondialdehyde (MDA) in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex of mice treated with ICV injection of Aβ 1-42. Shrinkage of nuclei, swollen and eccentrically dispersed neuronal bodies were observed in hippocampus of AD mice induced by Aβ 1-42, however, JuA noticeably improved the histopathological damage. Cumulatively, the present study indicates that JuA may serve as a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of Alzheimer' disease.

Finding inhibitors of mutant superoxide dismutase-1 for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis therapy from traditional chinese medicine

Superoxide dismutase type 1 (SOD1) mutations cause protein aggregation and decrease protein stability, which are linked to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) disease. This research utilizes the world's largest traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) database to search novel inhibitors of mutant SOD1, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were used to analyze the stability of protein that interacted with docked ligands. Docking results show that hesperidin and 2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O- β -D-glucoside (THSG) have high affinity to mutant SOD1 and then dopamine. For MD simulation analysis, hesperidin and THSG displayed similar value of RMSD with dopamine, and the migration analysis reveals stable fluctuation at the end of MD simulation time. Interestingly, distance between the protein and ligand has distinct difference, and hesperidin changes the position from initial binding site to the other place. In flexibility of residues analysis, the secondary structure among all complexes does not change, indicating that the structure are not affect ligand binding. The binding poses of hesperidin and THSG are similar to dopamine after molecular simulation. Our result indicated that hesperidin and THSG might be potential lead compound to design inhibitors of mutant SOD1 for ALS therapy.

Cerebrospinal fluid pharmacology: an improved pharmacology approach for chinese herbal medicine research

Despite many successful applications of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) in the treatment and prevention of neurological diseases (ND), the fully scientific understanding of CHM's action mechanisms had been hampered for lack of appropriate methods to explore the combinatorial rules, the synergistic mechanisms, and the molecular basis of CHM. As an improved pharmacology approach, cerebrospinal fluid pharmacology (CSFP), based on the fact that cerebrospinal fluid plays an important role in the health maintenance of specific survival environment for neurons and glial cells, has been constructed and applied to CHM research for treating ND. In the present review, the concept and advantages of CSFP are briefly introduced. The approaches and key technologies of CSFP in CHM research are also collated and analyzed. Furthermore, the developing tendency of CSFP is summarized, and its framework in CHM research is also proposed. In summary, CSFP provides a new strategy not only to eliminate some barriers of CHM research for treating ND, but also to broaden the pharmacology research for bridging the gap between CHM and modern medicine. Moreover, the advancements in CSFP will bring about a conceptual move in active ingredients discovery of CHM and make a significant contribution to CHM modernization and globalization.

Ethanolic Extract of the Seed of Zizyphus jujuba var. spinosa Ameliorates Cognitive Impairment Induced by Cholinergic Blockade in Mice

In the present study, we investigated the effect of ethanolic extract of the seed of Zizyphus jujuba var. spinosa (EEZS) on cholinergic blockade-induced memory impairment in mice. Male ICR mice were treated with EEZS. The behavioral tests were conducted using the passive avoidance, the Y-maze, and the Morris water maze tasks. EEZS (100 or 200 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly ameliorated the scopolamine-induced cognitive impairment in our present behavioral tasks without changes of locomotor activity. The ameliorating effect of EEZS on scopolamine-induced memory impairment was significantly reversed by a sub-effective dose of MK-801 (0.0125 mg/kg, s.c.). In addition, single administration of EEZS in normal naïve mouse enhanced latency time in the passive avoidance task. Western blot analysis was employed to confirm the mechanism of memory-ameliorating effect of EEZS. Administration of EEZS (200 mg/kg) increased the level of memory-related signaling molecules, including phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase or cAMP response element-binding protein in the hippocampal region. Also, the time-dependent expression level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor by the administration of EEZS was markedly increased from 3 to 9 h. These results suggest that EEZS has memory-ameliorating effect on scopolamine-induced cognitive impairment, which is mediated by the enhancement of the cholinergic neurotransmitter system, in part, via NMDA receptor signaling, and that EEZS would be useful agent against cognitive dysfunction such as Alzheimer’s disease.

May disordered protein cause serious drug side effect?

Insomnia is a self-reported disease where patients lose their ability to initiate and maintain sleep, leading to daytime performance impairment. Several drug targets to ameliorate insomnia symptoms have been discovered; however, these drug targets lead to serious side effects. Thus, we characterize the structural properties of these sleep-related receptors and the clock complex and discuss a possible drug design that will reduce side effects. Computational prediction shows that disordered property is shared. Over 30% of the structure of CLOCK, PER1/2/3, BMAL-1, muscarinic acetylcholine receptor-M1, melatonin receptor and casein kinase I are structurally disordered (the remaining proteins represent <30%). Investigations support the principle that the failures of insomnia drugs might be closely related to the protein architecture.

Efficacy and safety of Suanzaoren decoction for primary insomnia: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND

Insomnia is a widespread human health problem, but there currently are the limitations of conventional therapies available. Suanzaoren decoction (SZRD) is a well known classic Chinese herbal prescription for insomnia and has been treating people's insomnia for more than thousand years. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of SZRD for insomnia.

METHODS

A systematic literature search was performed for 6 databases up to July of 2012 to identify randomized control trials (RCTs) involving SZRD for insomniac patients. The methodological quality of RCTs was assessed independently using the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions.

RESULTS

Twelve RCTs with total of 1376 adult participants were identified. The methodological quality of all included trials are no more than 3/8 score. Majority of the RCTs concluded that SZRD was more significantly effective than benzodiazepines for treating insomnia. Despite these positive outcomes, there were many methodological shortcomings in the studies reviewed, including insufficient information about randomization generation and absence of allocation concealment, lack of blinding and no placebo control, absence of intention-to-treat analysis and lack of follow-ups, selective publishing and reporting, and small number of sample sizes. A number of clinical heterogeneity such as diagnosis, intervention, control, and outcome measures were also reviewed. Only 3 trials reported adverse events, whereas the other 9 trials did not provide the safety information.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the apparent reported positive findings, there is insufficient evidence to support efficacy of SZRD for insomnia due to the poor methodological quality and the small number of trials of the included studies. SZRD seems generally safe, but is insufficient evidence to make conclusions on the safety because fewer studies reported the adverse events. Further large sample-size and well-designed RCTs are needed.

Pattern recognition approaches and computational systems tools for ultra performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based comprehensive metabolomic profiling and pathways analysis of biological data sets

Metabolomics represents an emerging and powerful discipline that provides an accurate and dynamic picture of the phenotype of biosystems through the study of potential metabolites that could be used for therapeutic targets and discovery of new drugs. Metabolomic network construction has led to the integration of metabolites associated with the caused perturbation of multiple pathways. Herein, we present a method for the construction of efficient networks with regard to that Jujuboside B (JuB) protects against insomnia as a case study. UPLC/ESI-SYNAPT-HDMS coupled with pattern recognition methods including PCA, PLS-DA, OPLS-DA, and computational systems analysis were integrated to obtain comprehensive metabolomic profiling and pathways of the large biological data sets. Among the regulated pathways, twelve biomarkers were identified and tryptophan metabolism, phenylalanine, tyrosine, tryptophan biosynthesis, arachidonic acid metabolism, and phenylalanine metabolism related network were acutely perturbed. Results not only supplied a systematic view of the development and progression of insomnia but also were used to analyze the therapeutic effects of JuB, a widely used anti-insomina medicine in clinics. The results showed that JuB administration could provide satisfactory effects on insomnia through partially regulating the perturbed pathway. We have constructed a metabolomic feature network of JuB to protect against insomnia. The most promising use in the near future would be to clarify pathways for the drugs and get biomarkers for these pathways, to help guide testable predictions, provide insights into drug action mechanisms, and enable us to increase research productivity toward metabolomic drug discovery.

Potential drug targets on insomnia and intervention effects of Jujuboside A through metabolic pathway analysis as revealed by UPLC/ESI-SYNAPT-HDMS coupled with pattern recognition approach

Potential metabolites from the metabolic pathways could be therapeutic targets and useful for the discovery of broad spectrum drugs. UPLC/ESI-SYNAPT-HDMS coupled with pattern recognition methods including PCA, PLS-DA, OPLS-DA and Heatmap were integrated to examine the global metabolic signature of insomnia and intervention effects of Jujuboside A (JuA). Six unique pathways of the insomnia were identified using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) software. The VIP-value threshold cutoff of the metabolites was set to 10, above this threshold, were filtered out as potential target biomarkers. Sixteen distinct metabolites were identified from these pathways, and 6 of them can be considered for rational drug design. It was further experimental validation that the changes in metabolic profiling were restored to their baseline values after JuA treatment according to the multivariate data analysis. Potential metabolite network of the insomnia was preliminarily predicted JuA-target interaction networks, and could be further explored for in silico docking studies with suitable drugs. Thus, our method is an efficient procedure for drug target identification through metabolic analysis. It can guide testable predictions, provide insights into drug action mechanisms and enable us to increase research productivity toward metabolomic drug discovery.

Screening from the world's largest TCM database against H1N1 virus

The swine influenza virus (H1N1) 2009 pandemic highlights the importance of having effective anti-viral strategies. Recently, oseltamivir (Tamiflu) resistant influenza viruses are identified; which further emphasizes the urgency in developing new antiviral agents. In influenza virus replication cycle, viral surface glycoprotein, hemagglutinin, is responsible for viral entry into host cells. Hence, a potentially effective antiviral strategy is to inhibit viral entry mechanism. To develop novel antiviral agent that inhibits viral entry, we analyzed 20,000 traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) ingredients in hemagglutinin subtype H1 sialic acid binding site found on H1N1 virus. We then performed molecular dynamics simulations to investigate receptor-ligand interaction of the candidates obtained from docking. Here, we report three TCM derivatives that have high binding affinities to H1 sialic acid binding site residues based on structure-based calculations. The top three derivatives, xylopine_2, rosmaricine_14 and rosmaricine_15, all have an amine group that interact with Glu83 and a pyridinium group that interact with Asp103. Molecular dynamics simulations show that these derivatives form strong hydrogen bonding with Glu83 but interact transiently with Asp103. We therefore suggest that an enhanced hemagglutinin inhibitor, based on our scaffold, should be designed to bind both Glu83 and Asp103 with high affinity.

Metabolomic study of insomnia and intervention effects of Suanzaoren decoction using ultra-performance liquid-chromatography/electrospray-ionization synapt high-definition mass spectrometry

Metabolomics is the comprehensive assessment of endogenous metabolites of a biological system in a holistic context, and its property consists with the global view of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Suanzaoren decoction (SZRD), an ancient TCM formulae, has been used for treating insomnia for centuries, and its mechanism remains unclear completely. This paper was designed to explore globally metabolomic characters of the insomnia and the therapeutic effects of SZRD. Ultra-performance liquid-chromatography/electrospray-ionization synapt high-definition mass spectrometry (UPLC/ESI-SYNAPT-HDMS) combined with pattern recognition approaches including principal component analysis (PCA), partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and orthogonal projection to latent structures discriminate analysis (OPLS-DA) were integrated to approximate the comprehensive metabolic signature and discover differentiating metabolites. The changes in metabolic profiling were restored to their baseline values after SZRD treatment according to the PCA score plots. Altogether, the current metabonomic approach based on UPLC/ESI-SYNAPT-HDMS indicate 20 ions (9 in the negative mode, 11 in the positive mode) as "differentiating metabolites". The alterations in these metabolites were associated with perturbations in amino acid and fatty acid metabolism, in response to insomnia through immune and nervous system. Of note, we found that SZRD increases sleep activity and exhibits binding affinity for serotonin receptors. These results implicate the therapeutic effects of SZRD may mediate through serotonergic activation. Our findings also show the robust UPLC/ESI-SYNAPT-HDMS techniques is promising for metabolites profiling analysis of TCM and open new perspectives to using metabolomics platform to resolve special TCM issues.

Potent inhibitor design against H1N1 swine influenza: structure-based and molecular dynamics analysis for M2 inhibitors from traditional Chinese medicine database

The rapid spread of influenza virus subtype H1N1 poses a great threat to million lives worldwide. To search for new anti-influenza compounds, we performed molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation to identify potential traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) constituents that could block influenza M2 channel activity. Quinic acid, genipin, syringic acid, cucurbitine, fagarine, and methyl isoferulate all have extremely well docking results as compared to control amantadine. Further de novo drug design suggests that derivatives of genipin and methyl isoferulate could have enhanced binding affinity towards M2 channel. Selected molecular dynamics simulations of M2-derivative complexes show stable hydrogen bond interactions between the derivatives and M2 residues, Ser10 and Ala9. To our best knowledge, this is the first study on the anti-viral activity of the above listed TCM compounds.

Predictive analyses of biological effects of natural products: from plant extracts to biomolecular laboratory and computer modeling

Year by year, the characterization of the biological activity of natural products is becoming more competitive and complex, with the involvement in this research area of experts belonging to different scientific fields, including chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, immunology and bioinformatics. These fields are becoming of great interest for several high-impact scientific journals, including eCAM. The available literature in general, and a survey of reviews and original articles recently published, establishes that natural products, including extracts from medicinal plants and essential oils, retain interesting therapeutic activities, including antitumor, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, pro-apoptotic and differentiating properties. In this commentary, we focus attention on interest in networks based on complementary activation and comparative evaluation of different experimental strategies applied to the discovery and characterization of bioactive natural products. A representative flow chart is shown in the paper.