Simultaneous determination of protocatechuic acid, syringin, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, liriodendrin and isofraxidin in Acanthopanax senticosus Harms by HPLC-DAD

Simultaneous quantification method for eleutheroside B, eleutheroside E, chiisanoside, and sesamin using reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with ultraviolet detection and integrated pulsed amperometric detection

We developed a method combining ultraviolet (UV) detection and integrated pulsed amperometric detection (IPAD) to simultaneously analyze eleutheroside B, eleutheroside E, chiisanoside, and sesamin. The gradient elution system allowed complete separation of all target components within 35 min, and showed limits of detection of 0.006-0.020 μg/mL and limits of quantification of 0.018-0.050 μg/mL. The linear regression coefficients of determination were 0.9990-0.9998. All inter- and intra-day precision values were below 4.89%, and the average recoveries were 97.79-104.40%. The developed approach exhibits excellent reproducibility, sensitivity, and selectivity without requiring any complicated pre-treatment, and is therefore expected to be helpful as a tool for establishing appropriate content criteria for Acanthopanax species.

Characterization of lignin extracted from Acanthopanax senticosus residue using different methods on UV-resistant behavior

Acanthopanax senticosus has been used to extract active products. However, abundant Acanthopanax senticosus residues (ASR), which contain plenty of lignin are discarded after extraction. An appropriate extraction method should be chosen to obtain the lignin with such desirable properties. Thus, this study investigated the effect of alkali, milled wood, deep eutectic solvent and ethanol methods on the lignin. Lignin obtained from different extraction methods were characterized, yields, chemical structure, thermal behavior, molecular weight and phenolic content were evaluated. The results show that the process of lignin acquisition has a great influence on the properties of lignin. Moreover, the multifarious functional groups exist in lignin macromolecules, such as phenolic, ether groups and other chromophores, conferred good UV resistance to lignin. Among them, the lignin from alkali method has the most phenolic-OH groups and smallest molecular weight result in a good UV-resistant, the SPF value achieves 2.39 at 1% AL content, the alkali method was the best way to make sunscreen blended with cream take various factors into consideration. This study used lignin as a bioactive ingredient to provide UV-resistant property to sunscreen formulations. Furthermore, lignin extracted from Acanthopanax senticosus residue provides a new application for the treatment of herb residue waste.

Research progress on intervention effect and mechanism of protocatechuic acid on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become a surge burden worldwide due to its high prevalence, with complicated deterioration symptoms such as liver fibrosis and cancer. No effective drugs are available for NALFD so far. The rapid growth of clinical demand has prompted the treatment of NAFLD to become a research hotspot. Protocatechuic acid (PCA) is a natural secondary metabolite commonly found in fruits, vegetables, grains, and herbal medicine. It is also the major internal metabolites of anthocyanins and other polyphenols. In the present manuscript, food sources, metabolic absorption, and efficacy of PCA were summarized while analyzing its role in improving NAFLD, as well as the mechanism involved. The results indicated that PCA could ameliorate NAFLD by regulating glucose and lipid metabolism, oxidative stress and inflammation, gut microbiota and metabolites. It was proposed for the first time that PCA might reduce NAFLD by enhancing the energy consumption of brown adipose tissue (BAT). However, the PCA administration mode and dose for NAFLD remain inconclusive. Fresh insights into the specific molecular mechanisms are required, while clinical trials are essential in the future. This review provides new targets and reasoning for the clinical application of PCA in the prevention and treatment of NAFLD.

Quality evaluation of Acanthopanax senticosus via quantitative analysis of multiple components by single marker and multivariate data analysis

A comprehensive method for the evaluation of Acanthopanax senticosus (AS) was established by the quantitative analysis of multiple components by single marker (QAMS), fingerprint, similarity analysis (SA), hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), and factor analysis (FA) based on high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). A total of 27 common peaks were identified in the standard fingerprint of 20 batches of AS from different regions in China, of which 8 peaks were identified as protocatechuic acid, syringin, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, eleutheroside E, hyperoside, isofrqxidin, and acacetin, and the concentrations of these eight components were determined simultaneously by QAMS. The results showed that the QAMS method was effective and feasible compared with the external standard method (ESM) (RD < 3.3 %, P ≤ 0.01). Sample 1 (S1) was used as the reference chromatogram, the similarity of other samples was between 0.765 and 0.968. Through HCA, AS could be mainly divided into two production areas, the north Liaoning (including Liaoning) and the south Liaoning areas. Furthermore, FA showed that the quality of AS in the north Liaoning area was better than that in the south Liaoning area. In summary, the method established in this study can comprehensively and systematically evaluate quality differences in AS samples, and may be used to help to improve the quality control of AS.

Isofraxidin: Synthesis, Biosynthesis, Isolation, Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacological Properties

Isofraxidin (7-hydroxy-6, 8-dimethoxy coumarin) (IF) is a hydroxy coumarin with several biological and pharmacological activities. The plant kingdom is of the most prominent sources of IF, which, among them, Eleutherococcus and Fraxinus are the well-known genera in which IF could be isolated/extracted from their species. Considering the complex pathophysiological mechanisms behind some diseases (e.g., cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and heart diseases), introducing IF as a potent multi-target agent, which possesses several herbal sources and the multiple methods for isolation/purification/synthesis, along with the unique pharmacokinetic profile and low levels of side effects, could be of great importance. Accordingly, a comprehensive review was done without time limitations until February 2020. IF extraction methods include microwave, mechanochemical, and ultrasound, along with other conventional methods in the presence of semi-polar solvents such as ethyl acetate (EtOAc). In addition to the isolation methods, related synthesis protocols of IF is also of great importance. From the synthesis point of view, benzaldehyde derivatives are widely used as precursors for IF synthesis. Along with the methods of isolation and biosynthesis, IF pharmacokinetic studies showed hopeful in vivo results of its rapid absorption after oral uses, leading to different pharmacological effects. In this regard, IF targets varieties of inflammatory mediators including nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). thereby indicating anticancer, cardioprotective, and neuroprotective effects. This is the first review on the synthesis, biosynthesis, isolation, and pharmacokinetic and pharmacological properties of IF in combating different diseases.

Targeted Development-Dependent Metabolomics Profiling of Bioactive Compounds in Acanthopanax senticosus by UPLC-ESI-MS

An ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry targeted metabolomics strategy was applied to analyze protocatechuate, syringin, eleutheroside E, isofraxidin, hyperoside, kaempferol, and oleanolic acid, the active compounds in 3-year-old, 5-year-old, and 9-year-old Acanthopanax senticosus. Then, targeted metabolomics was conducted with 3 growth year plants to identify 19 phenolic metabolites related to the above-mentioned active compounds, including 9 C6C3C6-type, 6 C6C3-type, and 4 C6C1-type. Multivariate statistical analysis was applied to the bioactive metabolite data, and targeted metabolic profiling was used for marker compound classification and characterization. The results showed that 7 active compounds in the roots and stems in the 3 growth year plants differed. The principal component “Q” values showed that the total contents of 7 active compounds in 5-year-old roots and stems were higher than in other growth years. Results of targeted metabolomics profiling of 19 phenolic metabolites showed that the C6C1-type compounds accumulated in 9-year-old plants, the C6C3-type in 3-year-old plants, and the C6C3C6-type in 5-year-old plants. The stems had the greatest accumulations of the phenolic metabolites. C6C1 and C6C3-type metabolites are the most abundant in both roots and stems. In conclusion, the active compounds and pharmacological effects of A. senticosus in different growth years are different. The best harvest age for A. senticosus roots and stems was 5 years. The accumulation of 19 phenolic metabolites in different growth years also showed significant differences.

Acanthopanax senticosus polysaccharide regulates the intestinal homeostasis disruption induced by toxic chemicals in Drosophila

The intestinal epithelium provides the first line of defense against pathogens and toxic compounds. The ingestion of toxic compounds causes an enhanced epithelial cell death and an excessive proliferation of intestinal stem cells, eventually resulting in the disruption of gut homeostasis. In this study, Drosophila gut inflammation model induced by toxic compounds was exploited to analyze the ameliorative effect of Acanthopanax senticosus polysaccharide on the disruption of gut homeostasis. As a result, it was found that A. senticosus polysaccharide can significantly increase the survival rate of Drosophila adults as well as reduce the excessive proliferation and differentiation of intestinal stem cells through epidermal growth factor receptor, jun-N-terminal kinase, and Notch signaling pathways under the exposure to toxic compounds dextran sodium sulfate. Moreover, the polysaccharide effectively decreased the epithelial cell death and the accumulation of reactive oxygen species and antimicrobial peptides induced by sodium dodecyl sulfate. In addition, it was found that A. senticosus polysaccharide can extend the lifespan of only female flies but not male flies. In conclusion, A. senticosus polysaccharide has an obvious protective effect on the gut homeostasis of Drosophila melanogaster.

Antioxidant Activity of Graptopetalum paraguayense E. Walther Leaf Extract Counteracts Oxidative Stress Induced by Ethanol and Carbon Tetrachloride Co-Induced Hepatotoxicity in Rats

(1) Background: Graptopetalum paraguayense E. Walther is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine. In our previous study, 50% ethanolic G. paraguayense extracts (GE50) demonstrated good antioxidant activity. (2) Methods: To investigate the hepatoprotective effects of GE50 on ethanol and carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) co-induced hepatic damage in rats, Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups (Control group; GE50 group, 0.25 g/100 g BW; EC group: Ethanol + CCl₄, 1.25 mL 50% ethanol and 0.1 mL 20% CCl₄/100 g BW; EC + GE50 group: Ethanol + CCl₄ + GE50; EC + silymarin group: ethanol + CCl₄ + silymarin, 20 mg/100 g BW) for six consecutive weeks. (3) Results: Compared with the control group, EC group significantly elevated the serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminitransferase (ALT), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). However, GE50 or silymarin treatment effectively reversed these changes. GE50 had a significant protective effect against ethanol + CCl₄ induced lipid peroxidation and increased the levels of glutathione (GSH), vitamin C, E, total antioxidant status (TAS), and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT), and glutathione S-transferases (GST). Furthermore, in EC focal group, slight fat droplet infiltration was observed in the livers, while in the GE50 or silymarin treatment groups, decreased fat droplet infiltration. HPLC phytochemical profile of GE50 revealed the presence of gallic acid, flavone, genistin, daidzin, and quercetin. (4) Conclusions: The hepatoprotective activity of GE50 is proposed to occur through the synergic effects of its chemical component, namely, gallic acid, flavone, genistin, daidzin, and quercetin. Hence, G. paraguayense can be used as a complementary and alternative therapy in the prevention of alcohol + CCl₄-induced liver injury.

Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of the Major Ingredients of a Herbal Preparation, Ciwujia Injection by Combination of HPLC-Q-TOF-MS, HPLC-TQ-MS/MS and UPLC-PDA

Background:

Ciwujia injection, prepared from water extraction of Acanthopanax senticosus, is widely used for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases in the clinic in China. The ingredients of the preparation are still not efficiently clear and its quality control method requires further improvement. </P><P> Objective: In this paper, the qualitative and quantitative methods for quality control of Ciwujia injection were originally developed by a combination of HPLC-Q-TOF-MS, HPLC-TQ-MS/MS and UPLCPDA.

Methods:

With HPLC-Q-TOF-MS and HPLC-TQ-MS/MS, compounds were identified firstly by comparison of their MS spectra and retention times with those of standards or recorded information in the literature. Further, a new UPLC-PDA method was originally established to simultaneously determine the multiple ingredients in the preparations.

Results:

For qualitative analysis, 22 compounds were identified by the presented method. For quantitative analysis, the validated method exhibited good linearity (R2 > 0.998), repeatability (RSD < 1.50%), intra- and inter-day precisions (RSD < 8.33%) and recoveries (95.93-108.58%) for the simultaneous determination of the active ingredients, including protocatechuic acid-3-glucoside, l-phenylalanine, protocatechuic acid, neochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acid, gentiopicroside, eleutheroside B, and cryptochlorogenic acid, and was successfully utilized to analyze the eight compounds in 4 batches of Ciwujia injection.

Conclusion:

The presented method is simple and rapid for quality control of Ciwujia injection, and could provide a useful reference for the quality control and routine analysis of others Ciwujia preparations.

Eleutherococcus Species Cultivated in Europe: A New Source of Compounds with Antiacetylcholinesterase, Antihyaluronidase, Anti-DPPH, and Cytotoxic Activities

Secondary metabolites of the roots of Eleutherococcus spp. cultivated in Poland, or the bioactivity, are not fully known. The 75% methanol extracts of five Eleutherococcus spp. (E. senticosus, E. divaricatus, E. sessiliflorus, E. gracilistylus, and E. henryi) were examined for the content of polyphenols and phenolic acids as well as for antiacetylcholinesterase, antihyaluronidase, anti-DPPH∗, and cytotoxic activities. The richest in polyphenols were the roots of E. henryi (10.4 mg/g DW), while in flavonoids the roots of E. divaricatus (6.5 mg/g DW). The richest in phenolic acids occurred the roots of E. henryi [protocatechuic acid (1865 μg/g DE), caffeic acid (244 μg/g DE), and p-coumaric and ferulic acids (55 μg/g DE)]. The highest inhibition of AChE was observed for E. gracilistylus and E. sessiliflorus (32%), at the concentration of 100 μg/0.19 mL of the reaction mixture, while that of Hyal for the roots of E. henryi (40.7%), at the concentration of 100 μg/0.16 mL of the reaction mixture. Among five species tested, the E. henryi extract exhibited the strongest HL-60 cell line growth's inhibition (IC50 270 μg/mL). The extracts reduced DPPH∗ in a time-dependent mode, at the concentration of 0.8 mg/mL. After 90 min from 14.7 to 26.2%, DPPH∗was reduced. A phytochemical composition and activity of the Eleutherococcus species, cultivated in Poland, are still under research; however, on the basis of the results obtained, it may be concluded that they may become a source of phytochemicals and be useful for Europe's citizens.

A Comparative Metabolomics Analysis Reveals the Tissue-Specific Phenolic Profiling in Two Acanthopanax Species

Acanthopanax senticosus (Rupr. Maxim.) Harms (ASH) and Acanthopanax sessiliflorus (Rupr. Maxim.) Seem (ASS), are members of the Araliaceae family, and both are used in Asian countries. These herbals have drawn much attention in recent years due to their strong biological activity, with innocuity and little side effects. However, the common and distinct mode of compound profiles between ASH and ASS is still unclear. In this study, a high performance liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) method was developed to simultaneously quantify the seven major active compounds, including protocatechuate, eleutheroside B, eleutheroside E, isofraxidin, hyperoside, kaempferol and oleanolic acid. Then the targeted metabolomics were conducted to identify 19 phenolic compounds, with tight relation to the above mentioned active compounds, including nine C6C3C6-type, six C6C3-type and four C6C1-type in the two Acanthopanax species studied here. The results showed that the seven active compounds presented a similar trend of changes in different tissues, with more abundant accumulation in roots and stems for both plants. From the view of plant species, the ASH plants possess higher abundance of compounds, especially in the tissues of roots and stems. For phenolics, the 19 phenols detected here could be clearly grouped into five main clusters based on their tissue-specific accumulation patterns. Roots are the tissue for the most abundance of their accumulations. C6C3C6-type compounds are the most widely existing type in both plants. In conclusion, the tissue- and species-specificity in accumulation of seven active compounds and phenolics were revealed in two Acanthopanax species.

LC-ESI-MS/MS profiling of phenolics from Eleutherococcus spp. inflorescences, structure-activity relationship as antioxidants, inhibitors of hyaluronidase and acetylcholinesterase

Nature is a source of many plant-based molecules used as pro- or drugs. Eleutherococcus species are native to Asia and the North Russia, and are traditionally used to treat various diseases. In turn, neither secondary metabolites of the species cultivated in the West Europe nor the bioactivity is known. No differences in the phenols and flavonoids content in the inflorescences were found. The richest in polyphenols was E. giraldii (5.18 mg/g), while in flavonoids it was E. gracilistylus (1.80 mg/g). Using LC-ESI-MS/MS, protocatechuic and trans-caffeic acids have been identified as the most abundant compounds in E. gracilistylus, E. giraldii, E. senticosus (833.4; 855.6; 614.7 and 280.8; 156.0; 167.6 μg/g DE). It was observed that all species were able to chelate Fe²⁺ with the EC₅₀ value of 0.2, 0.6, 0.3 mg/mL for E. gracilistylus, E. giraldii, E. senticosus, respectively. E. gracilistylus exhibited the strongest antiperoxidation and anti-DPPH^∗ activity (EC₅₀ 3.2 and 0.48 mg/mL). The weak inhibitory potential has been observed in case of AChE inhibition at the level of 16.17 and 12.2% for E. gracilistylus, E. giraldii. We report for the first time that the extracts inhibited Hyal activity in the range from 16.4 to 60.7%. To our best knowledge, no information was available on this activity of the inflorescences and this provides a background to study inflorescences in more detail. Considering the SAR, an antioxidant activity may be correlated with a high amount of protocatechuic and trans-caffeic acids and their chemical structure.

Phytochemical Content and Pharma-Nutrition Study on Eleutherococcus senticosus Fruits Intractum

In the past two decades public interest in herbal products has increased significantly in Europe, especially in the plant-based products from non-European traditions. Eleutherococcus senticosus has been used for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, anemia, and rheumatoid arthritis. The Eleutherococcus senticosus fruits intractum was examined for the content of phenolic acids (LC-ESI-MS/MS), minerals (AAS), TPC, and TFC (spectrophotometric assay). The antioxidant activity was determined using free radical scavenging assay and TLC-DB-DPPH^∗ dot-blot test. An anti-Hyal activity was evaluated by the spectrophotometric assay method. Cytotoxicity towards HL-60, HL-60/MX1, HL-60/MX2, CEM/C1, and CCRF/CEM leukemic cell lines was done using trypan blue test. Among eight phenolic acids, trans-caffeic acid was found in the largest amount (41.2 mg/g DE). The intractum presented a high amount of macroelements (Ca, Mg, K; 1750, 1300, and 21000 mg/kg) and microelements (Fe, Mn; 32.7, 54.3 mg/kg), respectively. The content of TPC and TFC was 130 and 92 mg/g DE, respectively. The intractum showed anti-Hyal activity (2.16-60%) and an antioxidant capacity (EC₅₀; 52 μg/mL). The intractum most strongly inhibited the growth of HL-60, HL-60/MX1, and CCRF/CEM. A better understanding of the intractum health benefits is important in order to increase its utility and enrich dietary sources of health promoting compounds.

Acute and subchronic (13-week) toxicity of fermented Acanthopanax koreanum extracts in Sprague Dawley rats

The biological fermentation of plants is usually used to improve their product properties, including their biological activity. Acanthopanax koreanum is a plant indigenous to Jeju, Korea; however, fermented A. koreanum (FAK) has not been guaranteed to be safe. Therefore, in this study, a safety evaluation of aqueous extracts of FAK was performed using Sprague Dawley rats. The acute toxicity of FAK did not influence animal mortality, body weight changes or the animals' clinical appearance at a concentration of 5000 mg/kg body weight. Using doses of 500, 1000 and 2000 mg/kg/day in a subchronic (13-week) toxicity study, the administration of FAK in male rats increased their body weight, food consumption, absolute liver weight, liver-associated enzymes and total cholesterol content. However, these effects of FAK were not considered toxic because the changes were not accompanied by any evidence of clinical signs or any change in the histopathological examination. On the other hand, the FAK-treated female rats did not exhibit significant changes in their body weight, food consumption, absolute and relative organ weights or liver enzymes. These results suggest that the acute oral administration of FAK is non-toxic to rats, and 13 weeks of repeated dosing demonstrated no FAK-related toxicity at a concentration of 2000 mg/kg. Therefore, the no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) of FAK was determined to be 2000 mg/kg/day for both male and female rats.

Characterization of the multiple components of Acanthopanax Senticosus stem by ultra high performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry

Acanthopanax Senticosus Harms. has been used widely in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of chronic bronchitis, neurasthenia, hypertension and ischemic heart disease. However, the in vivo constituents of the stem of Acanthopanax Senticosus remain unknown. In this paper, ultra high performance liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry and the MarkerLynx(TM) software combined with multiple data processing approach were used to study the constituents in vitro and in vivo. The aqueous extract from the Acanthopanax Senticosus stem and the compositions in rat serum after intragastric administration were completely analyzed. Consequently, 115 compounds in the aqueous extract from Acanthopanax Senticosus stem and 41 compounds absorbed into blood were characterized. Of the 115 compounds in vitro, 54 were reported for first time, including sinapyl alcohol, sinapyl alcohol diglucoside, and 1-O-sinapoyl-β-D-glucose. In the 41 compounds in vivo, 7 were prototype components and 34 were metabolites which were from 21 components of aqueous extract from Acanthopanax Senticosus stem, and the metabolic pathways of the metabolites were elucidated for first time. The results narrowed the range of screening the active components and provided a basis for the study of action mechanism and pharmacology.

The antioxidant activity and their major antioxidant compounds from Acanthopanax senticosus and A. koreanum

The antioxidant activity and chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid contents were investigated from different parts of Acanthopanax senticosus and A. koreanum. Antioxidant activity was assessed by various in vitro assays such as DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, reducing power assays and ORAC, and the chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid were validated by HPLC chromatography. Among the various extracts, the fruit extracts of A. senticosus and A. koreanum exhibited strongest antioxidant activities including ABTS, FRAP, reducing power and ORAC, however, strongest DPPH radical scavenging activity was observed from the leaf extract of A. senticosus. In addition, the antioxidant activities of various extracts were correlated with total phenolic and proanthocyanidin contents. The major phenolic contents from various parts of these plants observed that leaf extract of A. senticosus expressed higher levels of chlorogenic acid (14.86 mg/dry weigh g) and caffeic acid (3.09 mg/dry weigh g) than other parts. Therefore, these results suggest that the leaf of A. senticosus may be an excellent natural source for functional foods and pharmaceutical agents, and the validated method was useful for the quality control of A. senticosus.

Simultaneous determination of six constituents in the fruit of Acanthopanax sessiliflorus (Rupr. et Maxim.) Seem. by HPLC-UV

A simple and accurate liquid chromatographic method was developed for the simultaneous determination of six constituents in the fruit of Acanthopanax sessiliflorus. The conditions of sample extraction were optimised by using orthogonal design. The method provided good accuracy with recoveries in the range of 95.6-101.6% and good precision with RSD values less than 3.0%, which has been successfully applied to the quantitative determination of the six compounds in the fruit of A. sessiliflorus from two maturation periods.

Pharmacokinetics of protocatechuic acid in mouse and its quantification in human plasma using LC-tandem mass spectrometry

Protocatechuic acid (PCA), a major microbial-mediated metabolite of anthocyanins, has significant anti-oxidative and anti-carcinogenic activities in vitro and in vivo; however, its pharmacokinetics remains largely unknown. In this report, a sensitive and rapid LC-MS/MS method was developed and validated for the measurement of PCA concentrations in both mouse and human plasma. This method showed a linearity of 1-1000ng/mL in both mouse and human plasma with a lower limit of quantification of 1ng/mL. The within-day and between-day coefficient of variation ranged from 1.18 to 11.8% and accuracy from 92 to 110%. The method was applied to characterize the pharmacokinetics of PCA in mice after oral administration of 50mg/kg PCA. PCA was absorbed rapidly with a half-life of 2.9min, reached a peak plasma level (C(max)) of 73.6μM at 5min, and remained detectable up to 8h with the initial elimination half-life of about 3min and a terminal half-life of 16min. The area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC(0→8h)) of PCA was 1456μMmin. The method was capable of detecting low ng/mL quantities of PCA in the plasma of patients with prostate cancer after an oral ingestion of 60g of black raspberry (BRB) powder. Because PCA is derived from the anthocyanins in BRB, our method provides a useful analytical tool to further investigate the metabolism of anthocyanins, and the pharmacology of PCA in future pre-clinical and clinical studies.

Simultaneous quantification of five bioactive components of Acanthopanax senticosus and its extract by ultra performance liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

A simple and reliable ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry method (UPLC-TOF-MS) was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of the major bioactive constituents in Acanthopanax senticosus and its extract. The separation of five compounds was performed on a UPLC^TM HSS T3 column (100 mm × 2.1 mm, 1.7 μm) with gradient elution using a mobile phase consisting of 0.1% aqueous formic acid and acetonitrile containing 0.1% formic acid. All targeted compounds (syringin, chlorogenid acid, caffeic acid, eleutheroside E and isofraxidin) were baseline separated within 5.3 min in samples, which represented an approximate six-fold reduction in the analysis time in comparison to published HPLC method. Quantitation was carried out working in the V mode using the narrow widow extracted ion chromatograms (nwXICs) of each compound (extracted using a 20 mDa window). Furthermore, all calibration curves showed good linearity (r > 0.999) within the test ranges. The precision was evaluated by intra- and inter-day tests, which revealed relative standard deviation (RSD) values of less than 3.88%. The recoveries for the quantified compounds were between 96.3% and 103.7%, with RSD values below 2.89%. According to the literature, this study represents the first investigation of the simultaneous analysis of multiple components and the method can be applied to determine the amounts of the major compounds in Acanthopanax senticosus and its extract by UPLC-TOF-MS.

Anti-fatigue activity of extracts of stem bark from Acanthopanax senticosus

In the present study, we investigated the anti-fatigue activity in male Kunming mice of extracts of stem bark from Acanthopanax senticosus (ASSE) using a forced swimming test. Mice were divided into four groups (three ASSE administered groups and the control group). The control group were gavaged with distilled water and ASSE administered groups were gavaged with ASSE (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg). After four weeks, a forced swimming test was performed and the biochemical parameters related to fatigue were examined. The results suggested that ASSE could extend the swimming time to exhaustion of the mice, as well as increase the tissue glycogen contents, while decreasing the blood lactate and serum urea nitrogen contents. This indicated that ASSE had anti-fatigue activity and could elevate the exercise tolerance.

Graptopetalum paraguayense E. Walther Leaf Extracts Protect Against Brain Injury in Ischemic Rats

As practice in folk medicine, Graptopetalum paraguayense E. Walther possesses several biological/pharmacological activities including hepatoprotective, anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory. We investigated the neuroprotective potential of Graptopetalum paraguayense E. Walther leaf extracts on inflammation-mediated ischemic brain injury. Water (GWE), 50% alcohol (GE50) extracts of Graptopetalum paraguayense E. Walther, and extracts obtained from further extraction of GE50 with ethyl acetate (GEE) were used. Oral administration of GEE, but not GWE or GE50, for 2 weeks protected animals against cerebral ischemia/reperfusion brain injury. The neuroprotective effect of GEE was accompanied by reductions in brain infarction, neurological deficits, caspase-3 activity, malondialdehyde content, microglia activation, and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression. Since microglia-mediated inflammation plays critical roles in ischemic brain injury, anti-inflammatory potential of Graptopetalum paraguayense E. Walther leaf extracts was further investigated on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/interferon-γ (IFN-γ-activated BV-2 microglial cells. GEE decreased H2O2 - and LPS/IFN-γ-induced free radical generation and LPS/IFN-γ-induced iNOS expression. Mechanistic study revealed that the neuroactive effects of GEE were markedly associated with anti-oxidative potential, activation of serine/threonine and tyrosine phosphatases, and down-regulation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, p38, Akt, Src, Janus kinase-1, Tyk2, signal transducer and activator of transcription-1, and NF-κB and might be attributed to the presence of polyphenolic compounds such as gallic acid, genistin, daidzin, and quercetin. Together, our findings point out its potential therapeutic strategies that target microglia activation, oxidative stress, and iNOS expression to reduce ischemic brain injury and suggest that Graptopetalum paraguayense E. Walther leaf extracts represent a valuable source for the development of neuroprotective agents.

Effects of the Cellcultured Acanthopanax senticosus Extract on Antioxidative Defense System and Membrane Fluidity in the Liver of Type 2 Diabetes Mouse

This study examined the effect of cellcultured Acanthopanax senticosus (A. senticosus) extract on the antioxidative defense system, oxidative stress and cell membrane fluidity in the liver of type 2 diabetes in the C57BL/6J mouse as an animal which is genetically prone to develop insulin resistance and obesity/diabetes. C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided, control diet (N-C), high fat diet (DM-C), control diet plus A. senticosus extract (N-CASM), and high fat diet plus A. senticosus extract (DM-CASM). The mice were orally administered an A. senticosus extract (0.5 g/kg body weight) in the N-CASM and DM-CASM groups once a day for 12 weeks, and distilled water in the N-C and DM-C groups. Cellcultured A. senticosus extract was found to be excellent for strengthening the antioxidative defense system, reducing the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and damaging oxidative substances, and maintaing membrane fluidity (MF) in the liver of type 2 diabetes mouse.

The effects of A. senticosus supplementation on serum lipid profiles, biomarkers of oxidative stress, and lymphocyte DNA damage in postmenopausal women

This study examined the effects of Acanthopanax senticosus supplementation on serum lipid profiles, biomarkers of oxidative stress, and lymphocyte DNA damage in postmenopausal women. Forty postmenopausal women, ages 40-65, were randomly divided into two groups: (1) control group (calcium) and (2) treatment group (calcium plus A. senticosus). Both groups were treated for 6 months. Blood samples were obtained before and after supplementation at 6 months. The following blood parameters were measured: serum total cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), serum malondialdehyde (MDA), ccdd protein-carbonyl (PC) levels, the degree of lymphocyte DNA damage by comet assay, total ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), uric acid, and total bilirubin in serum. The treatment group had significant decreases (p<0.001) in serum LDL (127.54+/-29.79mg/dL vs 110.33+/-22.26mg/dL) and the LDL/HDL ratio (2.40+/-0.65 vs 2.11+/-0.58) after A. senticosus supplementation. Serum MDA concentrations decreased by 2.2% in the control group and by 12.61% in the treatment group after 6 months of intervention; however, the reductions were not significant in either group. Protein-carbonyl levels and lymphocyte DNA damage decreased significantly (p<0.001 and p<0.05, respectively) after 6 months of A. senticosus supplementation. These results suggest that A. senticosus supplementation may have beneficial effects against oxidative stress and improve serum lipid profiles without subsequent side effects.