Shuang-Huang-Lian Attenuates Airway Hyperresponsiveness and Inflammation in a Shrimp Protein-Induced Murine Asthma Model

Rapid detection and quality evaluation of Shuang-Huang-Lian injection by ATR-IR and NIR spectroscopy combined with chemometrics

Quality evaluation and consistency evaluation of drugs are the keys to ensure the therapeutic effect and safety of drugs. In this study, attenuated total refraction infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy and near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy combined with chemometrics were used for rapid detection and quality evaluation of active components of Shuang-Huang-Lian injection (SHLI), a traditional Chinese medicine preparation commonly used in China. Taking the chromatographic detection results as a reference, the partial least squares (PLS) model based on ATR-IR and NIR data was constructed by removing the bands with serious noise interference and low signal frequency band. The results showed that the PLS model achieved satisfactory results for the prediction of the three active components (chlorogenic acid, baicalin and phillyrin) in SHLI, indicating that the two spectral techniques combined with the PLS regression method could be successfully used for rapid quantitative analysis of the three active ingredients in SHLI. Relatively, the PLS model based on the ATR-IR spectrum has higher R² and smaller RMSE than it based on the NIR spectrum. Furthermore, based on the rapid quantitative analysis of the three active ingredients in SHLI, the quality of 140 SHLI samples from seven manufacturers was evaluated by TOPSIS (technique for order preference by similarity to the ideal solution) analysis, and the consistency of different batches of SHLI products from the same manufacturer was evaluated. The results showed that there were differences in the quality of SHLI produced by different manufacturers, and the quality of different batches of SHLI produced by the same manufacturer was not completely consistent. In conclusion, ATR-IR and NIR spectroscopy combined with chemometrics can be used for accurate and rapid quantitative analysis and quality evaluation of SHLI. This study provides a good idea for the rapid quantitative analysis and quality evaluation of drugs or food based on spectroscopic technology and chemometrics.

Effect of polyethylene glycol 400 on the pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of baicalin by intravenous injection based on the enzyme activity of UGT1A8/1A9

Baicalin (BG) is a bioactive flavonoid extracted from the dried root of the medicinal plant, Scutellaria radix (SR) (dicotyledonous family, Labiatae), and has several biological activities. Polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG400) has been used as a suitable solvent for several traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) and is often used as an excipient for the compound preparation of SR. However, the drug-excipient interactions between BG and PEG400 are still unknown. Herein, we evaluated the effect of a single intravenous PEG400 administration on the BG levels of rats using pharmacokinetic and tissue distribution studies. A liver microsome and recombinant enzyme incubation system were used to further confirm the interaction mechanism between PEG400 and UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) (UGT1A8 and UGT1A9). The pharmacokinetic study demonstrated that following the co-intravenous administration of PEG400 and BG, the total clearance (CL_z) of BG in the rat plasma decreased by 101.60% (p < 0.05), whereas the area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC)_0-t and AUC_0-inf increased by 144.59% (p < 0.05) and 140.05% (p < 0.05), respectively. Additionally, the tissue distribution study showed that the concentration of BG and baicalein-6-O-β-D-glucuronide (B6G) in the tissues increased, whereas baicalein (B) in the tissues decreased, and the total amount of BG and its metabolites in tissues altered following the intravenous administration of PEG400. We further found that PEG400 induced the UGT1A8 and UGT1A9 enzyme activities by affecting the maximum enzymatic velocity (V_max) and Michaelis-Menten constant (K_m) values of UGT1A8 and UGT1A9. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that PEG400 interaction with UGTs altered the pharmacokinetic behaviors and tissue distribution characteristics of BG and its metabolites in rats.

Potential cellular endocrinology mechanisms underlying the effects of Chinese herbal medicine therapy on asthma

Asthma is a complex syndrome with polygenetic tendency and multiple phenotypes, which has variable expiratory airflow limitation and respiratory symptoms that vary over time and in intensity. In recent years, continuous industrial development has seriously impacted the climate and air quality at a global scale. It has been verified that climate change can induce asthma in predisposed individuals and that atmospheric pollution can exacerbate asthma severity. At present, a subset of patients is resistant to the drug therapy for asthma. Hence, it is urgent to find new ideas for asthma prevention and treatment. In this review, we discuss the prescription, composition, formulation, and mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine monomer, traditional Chinese medicine monomer complex, single herbs, and traditional Chinese patent medicine in the treatment of asthma. We also discuss the effects of Chinese herbal medicine on asthma from the perspective of cellular endocrinology in the past decade, emphasizing on the roles as intracellular and extracellular messengers of three substances-hormones, substances secreted by pulmonary neuroendocrine cells, and neuroendocrine-related signaling protein-which provide the theoretical basis for clinical application and new drug development.

A comprehensive review of pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic in animals: exploration of interaction with antibiotics of Shuang-Huang-Lian preparations

As a traditional Chinese medicine, Shuang-Huang-Lian (SHL) has been widely used for treating infectious diseases of the respiratory tract such as encephalitis, pneumonia and asthma. During the past few decades, considerable research has focused on the pharmacological action, pharmacokinetic interaction with antibiotics and clinical applications of SHL. A huge and more recent body of pharmacokinetic study supports the combination of SHL and antibiotics has different effects such as antagonism and synergism. SHL has been one of the best-selling traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) products. However, there is no system review of SHL preparations, ranging from protection against respiratory tract infections to interaction with antibiotics. Since their important significance in clinical therapy, the pharmacodynamic, pharmacokinetic, and interactions with antibiotics of SHL were reviewed and discussed. In addition, this review attempts to explore the possible potential mechanism of SHL preparations in prevention and treatment of COVID-19. We are concerned about what is known of the effects of SHL against virus, bacterium, and its interactions with antibiotics, providing a new strategy for expanding the clinical research and medication of SHL preparations.

Forsythiasides-Rich Extract From Forsythiae Fructus Inhibits Mast Cell Degranulation by Enhancing Mitochondrial Ca2+ Uptake

Mast cells (MCs) activated via IgE/FcεRI or MAS-related G protein coupled receptor (Mrgpr)-mediated pathway can release granules that play prominent roles in hypersensitivity reactions. Forsythiae Fructus, a well-known traditional Chinese medicine, has been clinically used for allergic diseases. Although previous studies indicated that Forsythiae Fructus extract inhibited compound 48/80-induced histamine release from MCs, its effect on IgE-dependent MC degranulation and possible underlying mechanisms remain to be explored. Herein, we prepared the forsythiasides-rich extract (FRE) and investigated its action on MC degranulation and explored its underlying mechanism. Our data showed that FRE could dampen IgE/FcεRI- and Mrgpr-mediated MC degranulation in vitro and in vivo. Mechanism study indicated that FRE decreased cytosolic Ca²⁺ (Ca²⁺_[c]) level rapidly and reversibly. Moreover, FRE decreased Ca²⁺_[c] of MCs independent of plasma membrane Ca²⁺-ATPase (PMCA), sarco/endoplasmic Ca²⁺-ATPase (SERCA) and Na⁺/Ca²⁺ exchanger (NCX). While, along with Ca²⁺_[c] decrease, the increase of mitochondrial Ca²⁺ (Ca²⁺_[m]) occurred simultaneously in FRE-treated RBL-2H3 cells. In the isolated mitochondria, FRE also promoted the subcellular organelle to uptake more extramitochondrial Ca²⁺. In conclusion, by increasing Ca²⁺_[m] uptake, FRE decreases Ca²⁺_[c] level to suppress MC degranulation. Our findings may provide theoretical support for the clinical application of Forsythiae Fructus on allergy and other MC-involved diseases.

Aloe-emodin, a naturally occurring anthraquinone, is a highly potent mast cell stabilizer through activating mitochondrial calcium uniporter

Mast cells play a fundamental role in immune system. Upon stimulation, they are activated via IgE dependent or independent pathway and then release granules which contain plenty of preformed constituents. Mast cell stabilizers are commonly used clinically for inhibiting the degranulation of mast cells. In the current study, we firstly identified aloe-emodin, a naturally occurring anthraquinone, was a prominent mast cell stabilizer. It could strikingly dampen IgE/FcεRI- and MAS-related G protein coupled receptor (Mrgpr)-mediated mast cell degranulation in vitro and in vivo. Mechanism study indicated that aloe-emodin rapidly and reversibly decreased cytosolic Ca²⁺ (Ca²⁺_[c]) concentration through enhancing the mitochondrial Ca²⁺ (Ca²⁺_[m]) uptake. After genetically silencing or pharmacologic inhibiting mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU), the effects of aloe-emodin on the Ca²⁺_[c] level and mast cell degranulation were significantly weakened. In contrast to six clinical drugs with mast cell stabilizing properties (amlexanox, tranilast, ketotifen, cromolyn disodium salt, dexamethasone and pimecrolimus), aloe-emodin showed an impressive and potent inhibitory action on the mast cell degranulation. Collectively, aloe-emodin is a highly potent mast cell stabilizer. By directly activating MCU, it decreases Ca²⁺_[c] level to suppress mast cell degranulation. Our study may provide a promising candidate for the treatment of mast cell activation-related diseases.