Identification of Bioactive Chemical Markers in Zhi zhu xiang Improving Anxiety in Rat by Fingerprint-Efficacy Study

Research progress in the ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology, and quality control of Valeriana jatamansi Jones

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGIC RELEVANCE

Valeriana jatamansi Jones, belongs to the Valerianaceae family, is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Ayurveda, traditional Indian medicine (TIM). This traditional herb has been officially listed in the pharmacopoeia of sixteen countries. Its usage was first described in Diannan Bencao, also known as "Zhizhuxiang", is a famous folk medicine herb with a long history of medicinal usage in China, and it was used to treat indigestion, flu, and mental disorders in the Han, Achang, Bai, Blang, Dai, Jingpo, Naxi, and Wa ethnic groups. In recent years, V. jatamansi has attracted worldwide attention as an important medicinal due to its pharmacological activity especially in nervous and digestive systems, and multiple uses.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The current review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicity, and quality control of V. jatamansi.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The relevant information of V. jatamansi was obtained from several databases including Web of Science, PubMed, ACS Publications, Google Scholar, Baidu Scholar, CNKI, Ph.D. and MSc dissertations, using "Valeriana jatamansi Jones", "Valeriana jatamansi", and "" as keywords. After eliminating repetitive and low-quality reports, the remaining reports were analyzed and summarized to prepare this review. Plant information was retrieved by www.worldfloraonline.org and www.gbif.org using "Valeriana jatamansi Jones" as keyword.

RESULTS

V. jatamansi has been historically utilized as a traditional medicine to treat various diseases, including infectious, inflammatory, neurological, and gastrointestinal disorders. More than 400 compounds have been identified in V. jatamansi including iridoids, volatile oils, lignans, flavonoids, phenolic acids, phenylpropanoids, sesquiterpenes, sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, triterpenes as well as other compounds. The plant extracts and compounds showed various pharmacological activities such as antitumor, cytotoxic, antivirus, etc. In addition, V. jatamansi has found various applications in the agricultural, food, and cosmetics industry.

CONCLUSION

A review of literature shows V. jatamansi has pharmacological properties valuable in treating diseases, particularly for antianxiety and gastrointestinal disorders. Despite a wide spectrum of effects from specific compounds, research mainly focuses on in vitro and in vivo, with a lack of pharmacokinetics, clinical trials and underlying mechanisms. Consequently, it becomes important to embark on additional researchs to elucidate the pharmacokinetics, material basis and mechanisms of V. jatamansi, thereby realizing the aspiration of its comprehensive utilization and sustainable development.

Iridoids rich fraction from Valeriana jatamansi Jones promotes axonal regeneration and motor functional recovery after spinal cord injury through activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway

Valeriana jatamansi Jones (VJJ), renowned for its extensive history in traditional Chinese medicine and ethnomedicine within China, is prevalently utilized to alleviate ailments such as epigastric distension and pain, gastrointestinal disturbances including food accumulation, diarrhea, and dysentery, as well as insomnia and other diseases. Moreover, the Iridoid-rich fraction derived from Valeriana jatamansi Jones (IRFV) has demonstrated efficacy in facilitating the recuperation of motor functions after spinal cord injury (SCI). This study is aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of IRFV on SCI and its underlying mechanism. Initially, a rat model of SCI was developed to assess the impact of IRFV on axonal regeneration. Subsequently, employing the PC12 cell model of oxidative damage, the role and mechanism of IRFV in enhancing axonal regeneration were explored using the phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway inhibitor LY294002. Ultimately, the same inhibitor was administered to SCI rats to confirm the molecular mechanism through which IRFV promotes axonal regeneration by activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. The results showed that IRFV significantly enhanced motor function recovery, reduced pathological injury, and facilitated axonal regeneration in SCI rats. In vitro experiments revealed that IRFV improved PC12 cell viability, augmented axonal regeneration, and activated the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Notably, the inhibition of this pathway negated the therapeutic benefits of IRFV in SCI rats. In conclusion, IRFV promote promotes axonal regeneration and recovery of motor function after SCI through activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Dose Optimization of Anxiolytic Compounds Group in Valeriana jatamansi Jones and Mechanism Exploration by Integrating Network Pharmacology and Metabolomics Analysis

Anxiety disorder impacts the quality of life of the patients. The 95% ethanol extract of rhizomes and roots of Valeriana jatamansi Jones (Zhi zhu xiang, ZZX) has previously been shown to be effective for the treatment of anxiety disorder. In this study, the dose ratio of each component of the anxiolytic compounds group (ACG) in a 95% ethanol extract of ZZX was optimized by a uniform design experiment and mathematical modeling. The anxiolytic effect of ACG was verified by behavioral experiments and biochemical index measurement. Network pharmacology was used to determine potential action targets, as well as predict biological processes and signaling pathways, which were then verified by molecular docking analysis. Metabolomics was then used to screen and analyze metabolites in the rat hippocampus before and after the administration of ZZX-ACG. Finally, the results of metabolomics and network pharmacology were integrated to clarify the anti-anxiety mechanism of the ACG. The optimal dose ratio of ACG in 95% ethanol extract of ZZX was obtained, and our results suggest that ACG may regulate ALB, AKT1, PTGS2, CYP3A4, ESR1, CASP3, CYP2B6, EGFR, SRC, MMP9, IGF1, and MAPK8, as well as the prolactin signaling pathway, estrogen signaling pathway, and arachidonic acid metabolism pathway, thus affecting the brain neurotransmitters and HPA axis hormone levels to play an anxiolytic role, directly or indirectly.

Machine Learning Approaches in Traditional Chinese Medicine: A Systematic Review

Machine learning (ML), as a branch of artificial intelligence, acquires the potential and meaningful rules from the mass of data via diverse algorithms. Owing to all research of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) belonging to the digitalization of clinical records or experimental works, a massive and complex amount of data has become an inextricable part of the related studies. It is thus not surprising that ML approaches, as novel and efficient tools to mine the useful knowledge from data, have created inroads in a diversity of scopes of TCM over the past decade of years. However, by browsing lots of literature, we find that not all of the ML approaches perform well in the same field. Upon further consideration, we infer that the specificity may inhere between the ML approaches and their applied fields. This systematic review focuses its attention on the four categories of ML approaches and their eight application scopes in TCM. According to the function, ML approaches are classified into four categories, including classification, regression, clustering, and dimensionality reduction, and into 14 models as follows in more detail: support vector machine, least square-support vector machine, logistic regression, partial least squares regression, k-means clustering, hierarchical cluster analysis, artificial neural network, back propagation neural network, convolutional neural network, decision tree, random forest, principal component analysis, partial least squares-discriminant analysis, and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis. The eight common applied fields are divided into two parts: one for TCM, such as the diagnosis of diseases, the determination of syndromes, and the analysis of prescription, and the other for the related researches of Chinese herbal medicine, such as the quality control, the identification of geographic origins, the pharmacodynamic material basis, the medicinal properties, and the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. Additionally, this paper discusses the function and feature difference among ML approaches when they are applied to the corresponding fields via comparing their principles. The specificity of each approach to its applied fields has also been affirmed, whereby laying a foundation for subsequent studies applying ML approaches to TCM.

A spectrum-effect based method for screening antibacterial constituents in Niuhuang Shangqing Pill using comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography

To investigate and screen the active antibacterial constituents of Niuhuang Shangqing Pill (NSP), the current study developed a two-dimensional liquid chromatography (2DLC) method combining microcalorimetry technique. 60% ethanol extracts from 10 batches of different commercial NSP samples were analyzed and their chemical fingerprint were developed by the comprehensive 2DLC system of Shimadzu Nexera X2. Anti-streptococcus pneumoniae (SP) constituents were determined by microcalorimetry. Thermal kinetic parameters of the SP thermogram affected by 60% ethanol extracts from 10 NSP samples were analyzed by principal component analysis. Spectrum-effect correlation between comprehensive 2DLC fingerprint and the antibacterial activity were analyzed by orthogonal partial least squares (OPLS) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA). Findings showed that peak X1 (unknown), X9 (aloe-emodin), X10 (baicalein), X11 (unknown), X14 (wogonin), X15 (glycyrrhizic acid) and X17 (unknown) are the relevant components that are in positive correlation with inhibitory rate. Regarding inhibitory rate, X17 is the most powerful one, followed by X14, X15, X10, X11, X1 and X9, suggesting that compound X17, wogonin, glycyrrhizic acid and baicalein are the major active antibacterial components of NSP. The current method employing 2DLC with microcalorimetry technique proposes a new insight for screening and identifying antibacterial components in complex herbal formula.

Valeriana jatamansi Jones ex Roxb. Against Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Network Pharmacological Analysis, and In Vivo Evaluation

Zhi zhu xiang (ZZX) is the root and rhizome of Valeriana jatamansi Jones ex Roxb. Recent studies have shown that ZZX can exert antianxiety, antidepressant, and sedative effects. Because post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is similar to depression and anxiety in terms of its etiology, pathogenesis, and clinical manifestations, it is possible that ZZX may also be useful for the prevention and treatment of PTSD. In this study, a mouse model of PTSD was established and used to study the pharmacological action of a 95% ethanol extract of ZZX on PTSD via a series of classic behavioral tests. We found that a 95% ethanol extract of ZZX was indeed effective for relieving the symptoms of PTSD in mice. Moreover, network pharmacology analysis was used to predict the potential active ingredients, targets, and possible pathways of ZZX in the treatment of PTSD. The neurotransmitter system, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, and the endocannabinoid (eCB) system were identified to be the most likely pathways for anti-PTSD action in ZZX. Due to the lack of a falsification mechanism in network pharmacology, in vivo tests were carried out in mice, and the expression levels of neurotransmitters, hormones, and genes of key targets were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and real-time PCR to further verify this inference. Analysis showed that the levels of norepinephrine, 5-hydroxytryptamine, and glutamic acid were increased in the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and amygdala of PTSD mice, while the levels of dopamine and γ-aminobutyric acid were decreased in these brain regions; furthermore, ZZX could restore the expression of these factors, at least to a certain extent. The levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone, corticosterone, and corticotropin-releasing hormone were increased in these different brain regions and the serum of PTSD mice; these effects could be reversed by ZZX to a certain extent. The expression levels of cannabinoid receptor 1 and diacylglycerol lipase α mRNA were decreased in PTSD mice, while the levels of fatty acid amide hydrolase and monoacylglycerol lipase mRNA were increased; these effects were restored by ZZX to a certain extent. In conclusion, our findings suggest that ZZX may provide new therapeutic pathways for treating PTSD by the regulation of neurotransmitters, the HPA, and expression levels of eCB-related genes in the brain.

Plant Species of Sub-Family Valerianaceae-A Review on Its Effect on the Central Nervous System

Valerianaceae, the sub-family of Caprifoliaceae, contains more than 300 species of annual and perennial herbs, worldwide distributed. Several species are used for their biological properties while some are used as food. Species from the genus Valeriana have been used for their antispasmodic, relaxing, and sedative properties, which have been mainly attributed to the presence of valepotriates, borneol derivatives, and isovalerenic acid. Among this genus, the most common and employed species is Valerianaofficinalis. Although valerian has been traditionally used as a mild sedative, research results are still controversial regarding the role of the different active compounds, the herbal preparations, and the dosage used. The present review is designed to summarize and critically describe the current knowledge on the different plant species belonging to Valerianaceae, their phytochemicals, their uses in the treatment of different diseases with particular emphasis on the effects on the central nervous system. The available information on this sub-family was collected from scientific databases up until year 2020. The following electronic databases were used: PubMed, Scopus, Sci Finder, Web of Science, Science Direct, NCBI, and Google Scholar. The search terms used for this review included Valerianaceae, Valeriana, Centranthus, Fedia, Patrinia, Nardostachys, Plectritis, and Valerianella, phytochemical composition, in vivo studies, Central Nervous System, neuroprotective, antidepressant, antinociceptive, anxiolytic, anxiety, preclinical and clinical studies.

Mucuna pruriens Administration Minimizes Neuroinflammation and Shows Anxiolytic, Antidepressant and Slimming Effects in Obese Rats

This study evaluated the effect of Mucuna pruriens (MP) administration on neuroinflammation and behavioral and murinometric parameters in obese rats. Proximate composition, oligosaccharide and phenolic compound profile of MP were determined. Wistar adult male rats were randomized into healthy (HG) and obese group (OG). The HG consumed a control chow diet while OG consumed a cafeteria diet for eight weeks. Then, they were subdivided into: Healthy (HG); Healthy with MP administration (HGMP); Obese (OG); Obese with MP administration (OGMP), with the consumption of the respective diets remaining for another eight weeks, in addition to gavage with MP extract to supplemented groups (750 mg/kg weight). MP presented a composition rich in proteins and phenolic compounds, especially catechin, in addition to 1-kestose and levodopa. Supplementation reduced food intake, body weight, and thoracic and abdominal circumferences in obese rats. MP showed anxiolytic and antidepressant effects and reduced morphological damage and expression of interleukin 6 in the hippocampus of obese rats. MP treatment showed satietogenic, slimming, anxiolytic and antidepressant effects, besides to minimizing hippocampal neuroinflammation in obese rats. Our results demonstrated the potential anti-obesity of MP which are probably related to the high content of bioactive compounds present in this plant extract.