A computational drug-target network for yuanhu zhitong prescription

Establishment of Dissolution Test Method for Multi-Components in Traditional Chinese Medicine Preparations Based on In Vitro-In Vivo Correlation

In this study, a multi-component integrated dissolution evaluation system of Yuanhu Zhitong tablets (YZTs) was established based on in vitro and in vivo correlation (IVIVC). The dissolution tests of five quality markers (Q-markers), including tetrahydropalmatine, α-allocryptopine, protopine, corydaline, and byakangelicin, in YZTs were conducted under different dissolution conditions, and pharmacokinetic studies were performed in beagle dogs to construct a correlation model using numerical deconvolution. The data of the five ingredients were integrated in vitro and in vivo according to the biopharmaceutical classification system (BCS) to establish an IVIVC integrating multiple Q-markers. The dissolution media with the best correlation of components were obtained and validated. The results showed that all five components were classified as BCS I compounds, and α-allocryptopine, byakangelicin, tetrahydropalmatine, and corydaline showed good correlation in the paddle method, 75 rpm, with dissolution media of artificial gastric fluid, acetate buffer, acetate buffer and 0.1 M HCl, respectively. Protopine showed good correlation in the paddle method, 100 rpm, with dissolution media of 0.1 M HCl. The integrated BCS I Q-markers showed the best correlation in the medium of acetate buffer. The multi-component integrated dissolution evaluation system established in this experiment accurately predicted the pharmacokinetic data of YZTs by verifying the media, which can be used for the quality control of YZTs. The present study provides an effective and promising strategy for the dissolution evaluation for traditional Chinese medicine preparations.

Multimodal integrated strategy for the discovery and identification of quality markers in traditional Chinese medicine

With the modernization and internationalization of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the requirement for quality control has increased. The quality marker (Q-marker) is an important standard in this field and has been implemented with remarkable success in recent years. However, the establishment of Q-markers remains fragmented and the process lacks systematicity, resulting in inconsistent quality control and insufficient correlation with clinical efficacy and safety of TCM. This review introduces four multimodal integrated approaches that contribute to the discovery of more comprehensive and accurate Q-markers, thus aiding in the establishment of new quality control patterns based on the characteristics and principles of TCM. These include the whole-process quality control strategy, chemical-activity-based screening method, efficacy, safety, and consistent combination strategy, and TCM theory-guided approach. Furthermore, methodologies and representative examples of these strategies are described, and important future directions and questions in this field are also proposed.

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Four multimodal integrated strategies were introduced to establish Q-markers.

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Quality control of TCM should focus on the entire process chain.

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The identification of Q-markers needs to be guided by TCM theory.

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Ensuring efficacy, safety, and consistency is an essential goal of Q-markers.

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Multidisciplinary techniques are the driving force for improving Q-markers.

A comprehensive review of integrative pharmacology-based investigation: A paradigm shift in traditional Chinese medicine

Over the past decade, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has widely embraced systems biology and its various data integration approaches to promote its modernization. Thus, integrative pharmacology-based traditional Chinese medicine (TCMIP) was proposed as a paradigm shift in TCM. This review focuses on the presentation of this novel concept and the main research contents, methodologies and applications of TCMIP. First, TCMIP is an interdisciplinary science that can establish qualitative and quantitative pharmacokinetics-pharmacodynamics (PK-PD) correlations through the integration of knowledge from multiple disciplines and techniques and from different PK-PD processes in vivo. Then, the main research contents of TCMIP are introduced as follows: chemical and ADME/PK profiles of TCM formulas; confirming the three forms of active substances and the three action modes; establishing the qualitative PK-PD correlation; and building the quantitative PK-PD correlations, etc. After that, we summarize the existing data resources, computational models and experimental methods of TCMIP and highlight the urgent establishment of mathematical modeling and experimental methods. Finally, we further discuss the applications of TCMIP for the improvement of TCM quality control, clarification of the molecular mechanisms underlying the actions of TCMs and discovery of potential new drugs, especially TCM-related combination drug discovery.

Yuan-Hu Zhi Tong Prescription Mitigates Tau Pathology and Alleviates Memory Deficiency in the Preclinical Models of Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by memory dysfunction, Aβ plaques together with phosphorylated tau-associated neurofibrillary tangles. Unfortunately, the present existing drugs for AD only offer mild symptomatic cure and have more side effects. As such, developments of effective, nontoxic drugs are immediately required for AD therapy. Present study demonstrates a novel role of Chinese medicine prescription Yuan-Hu Zhi Tong (YZT) in treating AD, and it has substantiated the in vivo effectiveness of YZT in two different transgenic mice models of AD, namely P301S tau and 3XTg-AD mice. Oral treatment of YZT significantly ameliorates motor dysfunction as well as promotes the clearance of aggregated tau in P301S tau mice. YZT improves the cognitive function and reduces the insoluble tau aggregates in 3XTg-AD mice model. Furthermore, YZT decreases the insoluble AT8 positive neuron load in both P301S tau and 3XTg-AD mice. Using microarray and the "Connectivity Map" analysis, we determined the YZT-induced changes in expression of signaling molecules and revealed the potential mechanism of action of YZT. YZT might regulate ubiquitin proteasomal system for the degradation of tau aggregates. The research results show that YZT is a potential drug candidate for the therapy of tau pathogenesis and memory decline in AD.

TCM-ADMEpred: A novel strategy for poly-pharmacokinetics prediction of traditional Chinese medicine based on single constituent pharmacokinetics, structural similarity, and mathematical modeling

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Yuanhu Zhitong prescription (YZP) is a commonly used and relatively simple clinical herb preparation recorded in the China Pharmacopoeia. It contains Corydalis yanhusuo (Chinese name, Yanhusuo [YH]) and Angelica dahurica (Hoffm.) (Chinese name, Baizhi [BZ]), and has a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for the treatment of stomach pain, hypochondriac pain, headache, and dysmenorrhea.

AIM OF THE STUDY

A TCM-ADMEpred method is developed for novel strategy for poly-pharmacokinetics prediction of TCM. To predict the pharmacokinetic characteristics of the main YZP constituents in rat plasma using in silico models, based on the theory that structurally similar constituents show similar pharmacokinetic properties. This approach may facilitate in silico prediction of the pharmacokinetics of TCM.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A robust platform using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS/MS) was developed and validated for simultaneous determination of seven active YZP constituents in rat plasma. These seven compounds were divided into two structural classes, alkaloids and coumarins. The correlation between AUC profiles within a structural class was expressed as Γ⁺, and this variable was used to develop two novel in silico models to predict constituent AUC values. The pharmacokinetics of tetrahydropalmatine, tetrahydroberberine, and corydaline following YZP administration were predicted using the Γ⁺-values of α-allocryptopine observed following YH administration, while those of imperatorin and isoimperatorin following BZ administration were predicted using the Γ⁺-values of byakangelicin observed following YZP administration.

RESULTS

The UPLC-ESI-MS/MS method was successfully used to evaluate pharmacokinetic parameters after oral YZP, YH, or BZ administration. Our findings showed that co-administration of YH and BZ increased the AUC of four alkaloid constituents and reduced the AUC of three coumarin constituents, which might provide a scientific rationale for co-administering these herbs clinically as a YZP preparation, thus increasing their efficacy and reducing toxicity. The AUC values of imperatorin and isoimperatorin were predicted 3 h after oral BZ administration, with the bias ratios between the theoretical values and the observed experimental values ranging from 0.61% to 11.4%, and average bias ratios of 5.8% and 8.0%, respectively. The AUC values of tetrahydropalmatine, tetrahydroberberine, and corydaline were predicted 3 h after oral YZP administration, with bias ratios ranging from 3.7% to 46.4%, and average bias ratios of 23.8%, 15.4%, and 25.8%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The UPLC-ESI-MS/MS method was successfully applied to pharmacokinetic evaluations after oral administration of YZP, YH, and BZ to rats. The Γ⁺ variable was used to express the correlation between the AUC profiles of structurally similar compounds. This facilitated the development of an in silico model that was used to predict the AUC of three alkaloids in YZP and of two coumarins in BZ. Calculation of the bias ratios between the predicted and experimental values suggested that this in silico model provided a viable approach for the prediction of TCM pharmacokinetics.

Poly-pharmacokinetic strategy-delineated metabolic fate of bioactive compounds in a traditional Chinese medicine formula, Yuanhu Zhitong tablets, using parallel reaction monitoring mode

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the pharmacokinetics of eight constituents in Yuanhu Zhitong tablets, which may provide a method for the poly-pharmacokinetic study of traditional Chinese medicine.

METHODS

A robust platform using Thermo Scientific™ Dionex™ UltiMate™ 3000 rapid separation LC, integrated with Thermo Scientific™ Q Exactive™ MS, was developed and validated to acquire, in a high-resolution full-scan mode, a global profile of all ionized components in rat plasma after oral administration of a suspension of Yuanhu Zhitong tablets.

RESULTS

This robust UPLC-HRMS method was successfully applied for pharmacokinetic evaluation after oral administration of Yuanhu Zhitong tablets. The MS response showed a good linear relationship, with a coefficient of determination (r²) of >0.99. The levels of detection were in the range of 0.088-0.414 ng·ml^-g for the different constituents. The recoveries ranged from 92.23% to 104.47%, and the matrix effect ranged from 85.24% to 101.02%. The intra- and inter-day accuracy was in the range of 0.00-12.54%, while the intra- and inter-day precision ranged from 0.44% to 7.63%. Short-term stability, long-term stability, freeze-thaw stability, and post-preparative stability ranged from -recision rangedThe time to reach peak plasma concentration (t_max) values for the analytes was less than 10 h, except that for tetrahydropalmatine, which was quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. The large area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) values (≥105 ng·h·l^-g) for the eight compounds indicated good absorption and utility in rat plasma. The mean residence time was more than 6 h, indicating slow elimination.

CONCLUSION

UPLC-HRMS was shown to be a very promising and powerful tool for the kinetic screening and characterization of compounds in medicinal herbs and traditional Chinese medicine formulas. Pharmacokinetic profiling of multiple compounds enables the clarification of metabolic processes and fates of the selected medicinal herbs or traditional Chinese medicine formula. This allows us to better understand the actions and associated therapeutic mechanisms of the traditional Chinese medicine.

Induction of phytoalexins and proteins related to pathogenesis in plants treated with extracts of cutaneous secretions of southern Amazonian Bufonidae amphibians

Cutaneous secretions produced by amphibians of the family Bufonidae are rich sources of bioactive compounds that can be useful as new chemical templates for agrochemicals. In crop protection, the use of elicitors to induce responses offers the prospect of durable, broad-spectrum disease control using the plant's own resistance. Therefore, we evaluated the potential of methanolic extracts of cutaneous secretions of two species of amphibians of the family Bufonidae found in the Amazon biome-Rhaebo guttatus (species 1) and Rhinella marina (species 2)-in the synthesis of phytoalexins in soybean cotyledons, bean hypocotyls, and sorghum mesocotyls. Additionally, changes in the enzyme activity of β-1,3-glucanase, peroxidase (POX), and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and in the total protein content of soybean cotyledons were determined. In the soybean cultivar 'TMG 132 RR', our results indicated that the methanolic extract of R. guttatus cutaneous secretions suppressed glyceollin synthesis and β-1,3-glucanase activity and increased POX and PPO activities at higher concentrations and total protein content at a concentration of 0.2 mg/mL. On the other hand, the methanolic extract of R. marina cutaneous secretions induced glyceollin synthesis in the soybean cultivars 'TMG 132 RR' and 'Monsoy 8372 IPRO' at 0.1-0.2 mg/mL and 0.2 mg/mL, respectively. The methanolic extract of R. marina cutaneous secretions also increased the specific activity of POX and PPO in 'Monsoy 8372 IPRO' and 'TMG 132 RR', respectively, and decreased the activity of β-1,3-glucanases in 'Monsoy 8372 IPRO'. At 0.3 mg/mL, it stimulated phaseolin synthesis. The extracts did not express bioactivity in the synthesis of deoxyanthocyanidins in sorghum mesocotyls. The study in soybean suggests that the bioactivity in defense responses is influenced by cultivar genotypes. Therefore, these results provide evidence that extracts of cutaneous secretions of these amphibians species may contribute to the bioactivity of defense metabolites in plants.

Identification of quality markers of Yuanhu Zhitong tablets based on integrative pharmacology and data mining

BACKGROUND

The quality evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulations is needed to guarantee the safety and efficacy. In our laboratory, we established interaction rules between chemical quality control and biological activity evaluations to study Yuanhu Zhitong tablets (YZTs). Moreover, a quality marker (Q-marker) has recently been proposed as a new concept in the quality control of TCM. However, no appropriate methods are available for the identification of Q-markers from the complex TCM systems.

PURPOSE

We aimed to use an integrative pharmacological (IP) approach to further identify Q-markers from YZTs through the integration of multidisciplinary knowledge. In addition, data mining was used to determine the correlation between multiple constituents of this TCM and its bioactivity to improve quality control.

METHODS

The IP approach was used to identify the active constituents of YZTs and elucidate the molecular mechanisms by integrating chemical and biosynthetic analyses, drug metabolism, and network pharmacology. Data mining methods including grey relational analysis (GRA) and least squares support vector machine (LS-SVM) regression techniques, were used to establish the correlations among the constituents and efficacy, and dose efficacy in multiple dimensions.

RESULTS

Seven constituents (tetrahydropalmatine, α-allocryptopine, protopine, corydaline, imperatorin, isoimperatorin, and byakangelicin) were identified as Q-markers of YZT using IP based on their high abundance, specific presence in the individual herbal constituents and the product, appropriate drug-like properties, and critical contribution to the bioactivity of the mixture of YZT constituents. Moreover, three Q-markers (protopine, α-allocryptopine, and corydaline) were highly correlated with the multiple bioactivities of the YZTs, as found using data mining. Finally, three constituents (tetrahydropalmatine, corydaline, and imperatorin) were chosen as minimum combinations that both distinguished the authentic components from false products and indicated the intensity of bioactivity to improve the quality control of YZTs.

CONCLUSIONS

Tetrahydropalmatine, imperatorin, and corydaline could be used as minimum combinations to effectively control the quality of YZTs.

Network pharmacology-based identification of key pharmacological pathways of Yin-Huang-Qing-Fei capsule acting on chronic bronchitis

For decades in China, the Yin-Huang-Qing-Fei capsule (YHQFC) has been widely used in the treatment of chronic bronchitis, with good curative effects. Owing to the complexity of traditional Chinese herbal formulas, the pharmacological mechanism of YHQFC remains unclear. To address this problem, a network pharmacology-based strategy was proposed in this study. At first, the putative target profile of YHQFC was predicted using MedChem Studio, based on structural and functional similarities of all available YHQFC components to the known drugs obtained from the DrugBank database. Then, an interaction network was constructed using links between putative YHQFC targets and known therapeutic targets of chronic bronchitis. Following the calculation of four topological features (degree, betweenness, closeness, and coreness) of each node in the network, 475 major putative targets of YHQFC and their topological importance were identified. In addition, a pathway enrichment analysis based on the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway database indicated that the major putative targets of YHQFC are significantly associated with various pathways involved in anti-inflammation processes, immune responses, and pathological changes caused by asthma. More interestingly, eight major putative targets of YHQFC (interleukin [IL]-3, IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL-13, FCER1G, CCL11, and EPX) were demonstrated to be associated with the inflammatory process that occurs during the progression of asthma. Finally, a molecular docking simulation was performed and the results exhibited that 17 pairs of chemical components and candidate YHQFC targets involved in asthma pathway had strong binding efficiencies. In conclusion, this network pharmacology-based investigation revealed that YHQFC may attenuate the inflammatory reaction of chronic bronchitis by regulating its candidate targets, which may be implicated in the major pathological processes of the asthma pathway.

A 1H-NMR-Based Metabonomic Study on the Anti-Depressive Effect of the Total Alkaloid of Corydalis Rhizoma

Corydalis Rhizoma, named YuanHu in China, is the dried tuber of Corydalis yanhusuo W.T. Wang which is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for pain relief and blood activation. Previous pharmacological studies showed that apart from analgesics, the alkaloids from YuanHu may be useful in the therapy of depression by acting on the GABA, dopamine and benzodiazepine receptors. In this study, the antidepressive effect of the total alkaloid of YuanHu (YHTA) was investigated in a chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) rat model using 1H-NMR-based metabonomics. Plasma metabolic profiles were analyzed and multivariate data analysis was applied to discover the metabolic biomarkers in CUMS rats. Thirteen biomarkers of CUMS-introduced depression were identified, which are myo-inositol, glycerol, glycine, creatine, glutamine, glutamate, β-glucose, α-glucose, acetoacetate, 3-hydroxybutyrate, leucine and unsaturated lipids (L7, L9). Moreover, a metabolic network of the potential biomarkers in plasma perturbed by CUMS was detected. After YHTA treatment, clear separation between the model group and YHTA-treated group was achieved. The levels of all the abnormal metabolites mentioned above showed a tendency of restoration to normal levels. The results demonstrated the therapeutic efficacy of YHTA against depression and suggested that NMR-based metabolomics can provide a simple and easy tool for the evaluation of herbal therapeutics.

A systems biology-based approach to uncovering the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of dragon's blood tablet in colitis, involving the integration of chemical analysis, ADME prediction, and network pharmacology

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is one of the oldest East Asian medical systems. The present study adopted a systems biology-based approach to provide new insights relating to the active constituents and molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of dragon's blood (DB) tablets for the treatment of colitis. This study integrated chemical analysis, prediction of absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME), and network pharmacology. Firstly, a rapid, reliable, and accurate ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry method was employed to identify 48 components of DB tablets. In silico prediction of the passive absorption of these compounds, based on Caco-2 cell permeability, and their P450 metabolism enabled the identification of 22 potentially absorbed components and 8 metabolites. Finally, networks were constructed to analyze interactions between these DB components/metabolites absorbed and their putative targets, and between the putative DB targets and known therapeutic targets for colitis. This study provided a great opportunity to deepen the understanding of the complex pharmacological mechanisms underlying the effects of DB in colitis treatment.

Study on the absorbed fingerprint-efficacy of yuanhu zhitong tablet based on chemical analysis, vasorelaxation evaluation and data mining

Yuanhu Zhitong Tablet (YZT) is an example of a typical and relatively simple clinical herb formula that is widely used in clinics. It is generally believed that YZT play a therapeutical effect in vivo by the synergism of multiple constituents. Thus, it is necessary to build the relationship between the absorbed fingerprints and bioactivity so as to ensure the quality, safety and efficacy. In this study, a new combinative method, an intestinal absorption test coupled with a vasorelaxation bioactivity experiment in vitro, was a simple, sensitive, and feasible technique to study on the absorbed fingerprint-efficacy of YZT based on chemical analysis, vasorelaxation evaluation and data mining. As part of this method, an everted intestinal sac method was performed to determine the intestinal absorption of YZT solutions. YZT were dissolved in solution (n = 12), and the portion of the solution that was absorbed into intestinal sacs was analyzed using rapid-resolution liquid chromatography coupled with quadruple time-of-flight mass spectrometry (RRLC-Q-TOF/MS). Semi-quantitative analysis indicated the presence of 34 compounds. The effect of the intestinally absorbed solution on vasorelaxation of rat aortic rings with endothelium attached was then evaluated in vitro. The results showed that samples grouped by HCA from chemical profiles have similar bioactivity while samples in different groups displayed very different. Moreover, it established a relationship between the absorbed fingerprints and their bioactivity to identify important components by grey relational analysis, which could predict bioactive values based on chemical profiles and provide an evidence for the quantification of multi-constituents.

Navigating traditional chinese medicine network pharmacology and computational tools

The concept of "network target" has ushered in a new era in the field of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). As a new research approach, network pharmacology is based on the analysis of network models and systems biology. Taking advantage of advancements in systems biology, a high degree of integration data analysis strategy and interpretable visualization provides deeper insights into the underlying mechanisms of TCM theories, including the principles of herb combination, biological foundations of herb or herbal formulae action, and molecular basis of TCM syndromes. In this study, we review several recent developments in TCM network pharmacology research and discuss their potential for bridging the gap between traditional and modern medicine. We briefly summarize the two main functional applications of TCM network models: understanding/uncovering and predicting/discovering. In particular, we focus on how TCM network pharmacology research is conducted and highlight different computational tools, such as network-based and machine learning algorithms, and sources that have been proposed and applied to the different steps involved in the research process. To make network pharmacology research commonplace, some basic network definitions and analysis methods are presented.