Discovering the Major Antitussive, Expectorant, and Anti-Inflammatory Bioactive Constituents in Tussilago Farfara L. Based on the Spectrum-Effect Relationship Combined with Chemometrics

A systematic review of the botany, traditional use, phytochemistry, analytical methods, pharmacological effects and pharmacokinetics of NOTOPTERYGII RHIZOMA ET RADIX

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

NOTOPTERYGII RHIZOMA ET RADIX (NRR), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has been utilized in China for millennia. Thriving in high-altitude regions with cold climates, wild NRR has been heavily exploited for its significant economic worth, particularly in the medical sector.

THE AIM OF THE REVIEW

This paper presents a comprehensive review of the botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, analytical methods, quality control, processing methods, pharmacological effects, and pharmacokinetics of NRR. These findings offer valuable insights for future research endeavors and establish a solid groundwork for the judicious clinical utilization of NRR.

MATERIALS AND METHOD

The related information for NRR comes from scientific databases (such as Baidu Scholar, CNKI, Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, SciFinder Scholar, Chinese Herb Classics, Chinese Pharmacopoeia, PhD and MSC Dissertations, etc.).

RESULTS

Currently, components isolated from NRR are identified as coumarins, volatile oils, organic acids, flavonoids, glycosides, polyacetylenes, and trace elements. Most compounds are analyzed using HPLC and GC techniques. NRR exhibits a broad spectrum of pharmacological effects, such as anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antipyretic, antitumor, antiviral, antibacterial, immunosuppressive activities, as well as promoting blood circulation, removing blood stasis, providing neuroprotection, and liver protection.

CONCLUSION

The research on NRR in phytochemistry and pharmacology has made great progress, and some traditional uses have been proven by modern pharmacology. However, because the complex chemical composition of NRR has not been effectively related to its pharmacological action, its mechanism of action has not been clearly expounded. In this review, the processing methods of NRR are summarized, and the exploration of further strengthening the processing mechanism of NRR is put forward, which provides some theoretical help for the clinical application of NRR. Furthermore, the complex chemical composition of NRR makes quality control difficult, so we must study its quality control thoroughly. In order to better develop and utilize NRR, we should establish a reasonable, reliable, and accurate quality control standard, and focus on the relationship between its active components and pharmacodynamic indicators and the study of its mechanism of pharmacological effects.

Discovery of antitussive material basis and mechanisms in Citri Sarcodactylis Fructus by coupling UHPLC-Q/Orbitrap HRMS combined spectrum-effect relationship and metabolomics analyses

Citri Sarcodactylis Fructus (CSF) is widely used as food raw material and traditional Chinese medicine. Fingerprints of different fractions of CSF were established for spectrum-effect relationship analysis, and the main compounds were identified by UHPLC Quadrupole Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q/Orbitrap HRMS). The antitussive effect was evaluated using a classical mouse model of cough induced by ammonia water. One-way ANOVA was used to determine differences in efficacy. The potential active compounds were screened by spectrum-effect relationship with grey relational degree analysis (GRA), Pearson bivariate correlation analysis (Pearson's), and partial least squares analysis (PLS) analyses. Differential metabolites associated with cough in serum were screened and identified using orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis, HMDB database, and UHPLC-Q/Orbitrap HRMS. Metabolic pathway analysis was performed using MetaboAnalyst 5.0. Results indicate that 70 % ethanol elution fraction (70 % EF) is the major active fraction, and 8 components were identified to possess antitussive effects. Metabolomic analysis showed that 19 metabolites are potential biomarkers related to cough, and 70 % EF can remarkable restore 13 of them to normal levels (P < 0.05). These biomarkers are mainly involved in glycerophospholipid metabolism and sphingolipid metabolism. This study aims to reveal the main pharmacodynamic active sites and potential active ingredients of CSF's antitussive effect. In addition, metabolomics was used to preliminarily elucidate the in-vivo regulatory mechanism of the antitussive effect of the 70 % EF of CSF.

Investigation of the principle of concoction by using the processing excipient Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. juice to reduce the main toxicity of Dioscorea bulbifera L. and enhance its main efficacy as expectorant and cough suppressant

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Dioscorea bulbifera L. (Rhizoma Dioscoreae Bulbiferae; RDB) is commonly used as an expectorant and cough suppressant herb but is accompanied by severe hepatotoxicity. Using the juice of auxiliary herbs (such as Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma; GRR) juice) in concocting poisonous Chinese medicine is a conventional method to reduce toxicity or increase effects. Our previous study found that concoction with GRR juice provided a detoxifying effect against the major toxic hepatotoxicity induced by RDB, but the principle for the detoxification of the concoction is unknown to date.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The principle of concoction was investigated by using the processing excipient GRR juice to reduce the major toxic hepatotoxicity of RDB, and the efficacy of RDB as an expectorant and cough suppressant was enhanced.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this study, common factors (RDB:GRR ratio, concocted temperature, and concocted time) in the concoction process were used for the preparation of each RDB concocted with GRR juice by using an orthogonal experimental design. We measured the content of the main toxic compound diosbulbin B (DB) and serum biochemical indicators and performed pathological analysis in liver tissues of mice to determine the best detoxification process of RDB concocted with GRR juice. On this basis, the biological mechanisms of target organs were detected by Western blot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay at the inflammation and apoptosis levels. Further, the effects of RDB on expectorant and cough suppressant with GRR juice were evaluated by the conventional tests of phenol red expectorant and concentrated ammonia-induced cough. Lastly, the major compounds in the GRR juice introduced to RDB concoction were determined.

RESULTS

RDB concocted with GRR juice significantly alleviated DB content, serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase levels, and improved liver pathological damages. The best detoxification process was achieved by using an RDB:GRR ratio of 100:20 at 120 °C for 20 min. Further, RDB concocted with GRR juice down-regulated the protein levels of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), and Bcl-2 related X protein (Bax) in the liver and enhanced the expectorant and cough suppressant effects of RDB. Finally, liquiritin (LQ) and glycyrrhizic acid (GA) in the GRR juice were introduced to the RDB concoction.

CONCLUSION

Concoction with GRR juice not only effectively reduced the major toxic hepatotoxicity of RDB but also enhanced its main efficacy as an expectorant and cough suppressant, and that the rationale for the detoxification and/or potentiation of RDB was related to the reduction in the content of the main hepatotoxic compound, DB, the introduction of the hepatoprotective active compounds, LQ and GA, in the auxiliary GRR juice, as well as the inhibition of NF-κB/COX-2/Bax signaling-mediated inflammation and apoptosis.

Chemical Comparison and Identification of Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitors of Dioscoreae Hypoglaucae Rhizoma and Dioscoreae Spongiosae Rhizoma by Chemometric Analysis and Spectrum-Effect Relationship

Dioscoreae hypoglaucae Rhizoma (DH) and Dioscoreae spongiosae Rhizoma (DS) are two similar Chinese herbal medicines derived from the Dioscorea family. DH and DS have been used as medicines in China and other Asian countries for a long time, but study on their phytochemicals and bioactive composition is limited. This present study aimed to compare the chemical compositions of DH and DS, and explore the anti-xanthine oxidase components based on chemometric analysis and spectrum-effect relationship. Firstly, an HPLC method was used to establish the chemical fingerprints of DH and DS samples, and nine common peaks were selected. Then, hierarchical clustering analysis, principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis were employed to compare and discriminate DH and DS samples based on the fingerprints data, and four steroidal saponins compounds (protodioscin, protogracillin, dioscin, gracillin) could be chemical markers responsible for the differences between DH and DS. Meanwhile, the anti-xanthine oxidase activities of these two herbal medicines were evaluated by xanthine oxidase inhibitory assay in vitro. Pearson correlation analysis and partial least squares regression analysis were subsequently used to investigate the spectrum-effect relationship between chemical fingerprints and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activities. The results showed that four steroidal saponins, including protodioscin, protogracillin, methyl protodioscin and pseudoprogracillin could be potential anti-xanthine oxidase compounds in DH and DS. Furthermore, the xanthine oxidase inhibitory activities of the four selected inhibitors were validated by anti-xanthine oxidase inhibitory assessment and molecular docking experiments. The present work provided evidence for understanding of the chemical differences and the discovery of the anti-xanthine oxidase constituent of DH and DS, which could be useful for quality evaluation and bioactive components screening of these two herbal medicines.

Identifying the active ingredients of carbonized Typhae Pollen by spectrum-effect relationship combined with MBPLS, PLS, and SVM algorithms

Typhae Pollen (TP) and its carbonized product (carbonized Typhae Pollen, CTP), as cut-and-dried herbal drugs, have been widely used in the form of slices in clinical settings. However, the two drugs exhibit a great difference in terms of their clinical efficacy, for TP boasts an effect of removing blood stasis and promoting blood circulation, while CTP typically presents a hemostatic function. Since the active ingredients of CTP, so far, still remain unclear, this study aimed at identifying the active ingredients of CTP by spectrum-effect relationship approach coupled with multi-block partial least squares (MBPLS), partial least squares (PLS), and support vector machine (SVM) algorithms. In this study, the chemical profiles of a series of CTP samples which were stir-fried for different duration (denoted as CTP0∼CTP9) were firstly characterized by UHPLC-QE-Orbitrap MS. Then the hemostatic effect of the CTP samples was evaluated from the perspective of multiple parameters-APTT, PT, TT, FIB, TXB2, 6-keto-PGF1α, PAI-1 and t-PA-using established rat models with functional uterine bleeding. Subsequently, MBPLS, PLS and SVM were combined to perform spectrum-effect relationship analysis to identify the active ingredients of CTP, followed by an in vitro hemostatic bioactivity test for verification. As a result, a total of 77 chemical ingredients were preliminarily identified from the CTP samples, and the variations occurred in these ingredients were also analyzed during the carbonizing process. The study revealed that all the CTP samples, to a varying degree, showed a hemostatic effect, among which CTP6 and CTP7 were superior to the others in terms of the hemostatic effect. The block importance in the projection (BIP) indexes of MBPLS model indicated that flavonoids and organic acids made more contributions to the hemostatic effect of CTP in comparison to other ingredients. Consequently, 9 bioactive ingredients, including quercetin-3-O-glucoside, kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, quercetin, kaempferol, isorhamnetin, 2-methylenebutanedioic acid, pentanedioic acid, benzoic acid and 3-hydroxybenzoic acid, were further identified as the potential active ingredients based on PLS and SVM models as well as the in vitro verification. This study successfully revealed the bioactive ingredients of CTP associated with its hemostatic effect, and also provided a scientific basis for further understanding the mechanism of TP processing. In addition, it proposed a novel path to identify the active ingredients for Chinese herbal medicines.

Spectrum-Effect Relationships as an Effective Approach for Quality Control of Natural Products: A Review

As natural products with biological activity, the quality of traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) is the key to their clinical application. Fingerprints based on the types and contents of chemical components in TCM are an internationally recognized quality evaluation method but ignore the correlation between chemical components and efficacy. Through chemometric methods, the fingerprints represented by the chemical components of TCM were correlated with its pharmacodynamic activity results to obtain the spectrum-effect relationships of TCM, which can reveal the pharmacodynamic components information related to the pharmacodynamic activity and solve the limitations of segmentation of chemical components and pharmacodynamic research in TCM. In the 20th anniversary of the proposed spectrum-effect relationships, this paper reviews its research progress in the field of TCM, including the establishment of fingerprints, pharmacodynamic evaluation methods, chemometric methods and their practical applications in the field of TCM. Furthermore, the new strategy of spectrum-effect relationships research in recent years was also discussed, and the application prospects of this technology were discussed.

Rapid identification of α-glucosidase inhibitors from Poria using spectrum-effect, component knock-out, and molecular docking technique

Instruction

Poria (Poria cocos) is known for its health-promoting effects and is consumed as a food due to its potential hypoglycemic activity. However, the composition of Poria is complex, and the bioactive compounds that inhibit α-glucosidase are not clear.

Methods

In this study, the fingerprint of the Poria methanol extract characterized by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and the model of the corresponding spectrum-effect relationship for α-glucosidase was first established to screen the active compounds from Poria. Then, the predicted bioactive compounds were knocked out and identified using mass spectrometry. Finally, the potential binding sites and main bonds of each compound with α-glucosidase were studied using molecular docking.

Results

The results have shown that at least 11 compounds from Poria could inhibit α-glucosidase effectively. Moreover, eight individual compounds, i.e., poricoic acid B (P8), dehydrotumulosic acid (P9), poricoic acid A (P10), polyporenic acid C (P12), 3- epidehydrotumulosic acid (P13), dehydropachymic acid (P14), 3-O-acetyl-16α-hydroxytrametenolic acid (P21), and pachymic acid (P22), were identified, and they exhibited effective inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase.

Discussion

The possible inhibitory mechanism of them based on molecular docking showed that the binding sites are mainly found in the rings A, B, and C of these compounds, and C-3 C-16 and side chains of C-17, with the phenylalanine, arginine, tyrosine, histidine, and valine of α-glucosidase. The main interactions among them might be alkyl and hydrogen bonds, which theoretically verified the inhibitory activity of these compounds on α-glucosidase. The achievements of this study provided useful references for discovering bioactive compounds with hypoglycemic effects from Poria.

Effect of Adulteration on Quality and Preliminary Risk Assessment of the Decoction Pieces of Farfarae Flos Based on the Determination of Hepatotoxic Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids by UHPLC-MS/MS

BACKGROUND

Farfarae Flos (FF) is a frequently used traditional herbal medicine with outstanding antitussive actions. The adulteration of FF decoction pieces is common.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to study the effect of adulteration on the safety and quality of FF decoction pieces.

METHODS

The proportion of impurities was conducted by cone quartering method. A simple and accurate ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method was established to simultaneous determinate three pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) as endogenous toxic compounds in FF. The traditional medicinal parts (flower bud), impurities (pedicel and rhizome) and unselected samples were determined respectively. The values of estimated daily intake (EDI) and margin of exposure (MOE) were used for risk assessment.

RESULTS

Twenty batches of samples were collected from different habitats, and the proportion of impurities ranged from 17.51% to 41.27%. Pedicel and rhizome were the main impurities, accounting for more than 87.40% of the total impurities. The content of PAs in impurities was significantly higher. The EDI value range was 5.34 to 16.59 μg/kg bw/day, which was much higher than the standard safety value of 7.00 × 10-3 μg/kg bw/day. The MOE values ranges for life long time and shorter exposure were 14.29 to 44.37 and 371.53 to 1153.63, respectively, indicating that at least 80% of the samples had safety risks. Correlation analysis showed that the proportion of adulterated impurities had significant correlation with the values of EDI and MOE.

CONCLUSIONS

Adulteration of non medicinal parts may significantly increase the risk of medications of FF decoction pieces.

HIGHLIGHTS

This study provides an efficient methodology reference for the control of PAs and a basis for adulteration to affect the safety and quality of FF decoction pieces.

Isolation and identification of Tussilago farfara leaf spot caused by Alternaria alternata in China

Tussilago farfara is of vital medical value. A new leaf spot disease was observed on T. farfara leaves, in Dingxi, Gansu Province, China, in October 2019. In order to research the pathogen, the diseased samples were collected for isolation and identification. The isolate KD3 was verified by pathogenicity test, as the pathogen causing the T. farfara leaf spot disease. Its morphological characteristics were consistent with Alternaria alternata, the colony color gray-green with concentric rings, conidia fusiform and pear-shaped, brown, with 1-7 septa and 0-3 longitudinal septa, conidia size (19. 62-44.49) μm × (6.97-10.53) μm, beak length (1.35-10.03) μm × (1.01-3.63) μm, and the spore phenotype was a dwarf tree-like chain of short conidia. Multilocus sequences analysis manifested that the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), Alternaria major allergen (Alta1), and Calcium barine (CAL) sequences of strain KD3 were most closely to A. alternata (A23), with the homology of 99.47%, 99.56% and 98.28%, respectively. Based on morphological and molecular characteristics, strain KD3 was identified as A. alternata. OA was the optimal medium for its growth and PCA medium was the optimal for sporulation. This is the first report of A. alternata causing T. farfara leaf spots in China.

Quality Markers of Dendrobium officinale by “Oligosaccharide-Spectrum-Effect” Relationships

Dendrobium officinale Kimura et Migo has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and a functional food for thousands of years. Carbohydrate is one of the most important effective substances and indicative components in D. officinale. However, since the qualitative and quantitative analysis of polysaccharides in D. officinale remains a challenge and limitation, herein, an oligosaccharide-quality marker approach was newly developed for quality assessment of D. officinale by spectrum–effect relationships between high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) fingerprints and anti-inflammatory effects. The HPLC fingerprints of 48 batches of oligosaccharides from D. officinale (DOOS) were developed and analyzed with similarity analysis (SA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), and eight common peaks were identified. In vitro screening experiment indicated that DOOS potentially inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production and effectively reduced the release of inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β in RAW 264.7 cells, thereby reducing the inflammatory response of cells. Finally, the HPLC fingerprint of different batches of DOOS was combined with in vitro anti-inflammatory activity to assess the spectrum–effect relationships of DOOS by gray correlation analysis (GCA), in addition, the purified oligosaccharide components were identified and validated for NO inhibitory activity. Our results showed four DOOS (maltotetraose, maltopentaose, maltohexaose, and mannohexaose) were relevant to anti-inflammatory effects and could be as quality markers for the quality control of D. officinale. It suggests that the “oligosaccharide-spectrum-effect” relationships approach is a simple and reliable method for the quality control of herb medicines or nutritious foods.

A novel strategy for discriminating different cultivation and screening odor and taste flavor compounds in Xinhui tangerine peel using E-nose, E-tongue, and chemometrics

A rapid strategy for discriminating Quanzhi (QZ) and Bozhi (BZ) of different cultivation of Xinhui tangerine peel was established by combining electronic nose, electronic tongue and chemometrics, which can be used as tool in the market to identify food fraud. 30 volatiles and 34 low molecular weight compounds of characteristic fingerprints of Xinhui tangerine peel of 108 samples were identified using GC-MS and UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS. Key compounds of BZ and QZ were screened and further compared by chemometrics. We discriminated odor and taste of BZ and QZ using electronic nose and electronic tongue, respectively. Our studies showed that β-myrcene, limonene, β-trans-Ocimene, γ-terpinene and terpinolene, etc, were screened the chief volatile flavor compounds by Spearman's rank correlation. Hydroxymethyl furfural, hesperitin, nobiletin and tangeretin, etc, were screened the key taste flavor compounds based gray relational analysis and partial least squares regression. Our study provides further insight for quality evaluation of Xinhui tangerine peel.

Study on The Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Callicarpa nudiflora Based on The Spectrum-Effect Relationship

Callicarpa nudiflora (C. nudiflora) is widely used to treat inflammation-related diseases in China. C. nudiflora mainly contains phenylethanol glycosides, flavonoids, triterpenes, diterpenes, iridoid glycosides, volatile oils, and other small molecules. Therefore, it is necessary to screen out anti-inflammatory active substances from C. nudiflora. In this paper, high-performance liquid chromatography was used to establish the fingerprint of C. nudiflora extracts. The anti-inflammation of C. nudiflora extracts were evaluated by the experiment of toes swelling in inflammatory rats. Then, the spectrum–effect relationship between the fingerprints and anti-inflammatory activities was researched by Pearson analysis and orthogonal partial least squares analysis to identify a group of anti-inflammatory compounds of C. nudiflora extracts. The differences of extracts are illustrated by principal component analysis and cluster analysis in pharmacological effects. Finally, 12 compounds, including catalpol (P1), caffeic acid (P2), protocatechuic acid (P9), 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (P10), forsythiaside E (P12), protocatechualdehyde isomers (P14), forsythiaside B (P15), rutin (P16), alyssonoside (P21), verbascoside (P22), 2′-acetyl forsythoside B (P24), and isorhamnetin (P32) by HPLC-DAD and UPLC-Q-TOF MS/MS, were determined as potential compounds for anti-inflammatory activity in C. nudiflora. In particular, six compounds were identified as active substances with the greatest anti-inflammatory potential. Moreover, all compounds were tested for anti-inflammatory experiments or anti-inflammatory literature retrieval. In this study, a method for rapid screening of potential anti-inflammatory active ingredients of C. nudiflora was established, which can provide a reference for the future study of active compounds of C. nudiflora.

Preparation of Naringenin Nanosuspension and Its Antitussive and Expectorant Effects

Naringenin (NRG) is a natural flavonoid compound abundantly present in citrus fruits and has the potential to treat respiratory disorders. However, the clinical therapeutic effect of NRG is limited by its low bioavailability due to poor solubility. To enhance the solubility, naringenin nanosuspensions (NRG-NSps) were prepared by applying tocopherol polyethylene glycol succinate (TPGS) as the nanocarrier via the media-milling method. The particle size, morphology, and drug-loading content of NRG-NSps were examined, and the stability was evaluated by detecting particle size changes in different physiological media. NRG-NSps exhibited a flaky appearance with a mean diameter of 216.9 nm, and the drug-loading content was 66.7%. NRG-NSps exhibited good storage stability and media stability. NRG-NSps presented a sustainable release profile, and the cumulative drug-release rate approached approximately 95% within 7 d. NRG-NSps improved the antitussive effect significantly compared with the original NRG, the cough frequency was decreased from 22 to 15 times, and the cough incubation period was prolonged from 85.3 to 121.6 s. Besides, NRG-NSps also enhanced expectorant effects significantly, and phenol red secretion was increased from 1.02 to 1.45 μg/mL. These results indicate that NRG-NSps could enhance the bioavailability of NRG significantly and possess a potential clinical application.

Screening of blood-activating active components from Curcuma wenyujin Y.H. Chen et C. Ling rhizome based on spectrum-effect relationship analysis and network pharmacology

Curcuma wenyujin Y.H. Chen et C. Ling rhizome (also called EZhu in China) has long been used as plant medicine for its traditional effect on promoting blood circulation and remove blood stasis. However, the active components of EZhu are still unclear at present. This research is managed to investigate the pharmacodynamics material basis on removing blood stasis of EZhu by exploring the spectrum-effect relationship between UPLC-Q/TOF-MS fingerprints and pharmacologic actions. Hemorheology and related functional parameters were detected to evaluate the pharmacologic actions of EZhu. Relative content Changes of components in rat plasma were detected by UPLC-Q/TOF-MS. A compound-target-pathway network was built to predict the pharmacological activity of components in plasma. Then, bivariate correlation analysis (BCA) was used to explore the correlation degree between components in plasma and pharmacologic actions of EZhu. In UPLC-Q/TOF-MS fingerprints of rat plasma, 10 prototype components were identified. BCA results show that 8 components were concerned with the pharmacological activity for treating blood stasis syndrome (BSS) in varying degrees (R > 0.5, P < 0.05). Among them, zedoarofuran and curzerenone have shown correlation with more pharmacological indicators. The network predicted that 80 targets were closely related to 10 components, in which 48 targets were connected with 159 metabolic pathways including arachidonic acid metabolism, sphingolipid signaling pathway, and linoleic acid metabolism. Overall, this study provided a scientific basis for TCM quality control to ensure its safety and efficacy.

Correlations between phytochemical fingerprints of Moringa oleifera leaf extracts and their antioxidant activities revealed by chemometric analysis

INTRODUCTION

Moringa oleifera Lam. is widely cultivated and applied in tropical and subtropical areas. Numerous studies have been focused on the antioxidant capacity of M. oleifera leaves, but its correlated bioactive phytochemicals remain elusive.

OBJECTIVE

In order to search for the corresponding chemical compounds from M. oleifera leaves responsible for their antioxidant activity, the correlations between phytochemical fingerprints of 15 batches of M. oleifera leaves and their antioxidant activities were investigated by using chemometric analysis.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Fifteen batches of M. oleifera leaves were extracted with 90% ethanol solution, and their phytochemical fingerprints and antioxidant activities were estimated by using high-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet-electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-UV/ESI-MS/MS), and three detected methods, namely 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assay and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, respectively. Chemometric analysis was then applied to reveal the correlations between their phytochemical fingerprints and corresponding antioxidant capacity.

RESULTS

Fifteen M. oleifera leaf extracts exhibited strong antioxidant activities, in which 24 common compounds were identified by LC-MS. Furthermore, the partial least squares (PLS) analysis indicated that compounds 14, 16, 18 and 23 were the main potential effective components in at least two antioxidant tests. They were identified as kaempferol 3-O-rutinoside, quercetin 3-O-(6″-malonyl-glucoside), kaempferol 3-O-glucoside, and quercetin derivative, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The correlations between phytochemical fingerprints of M. oleifera leaf extracts and their corresponding antioxidant capacities were revealed by chemometric analysis, which provides an alternative method for screening for potential bioactive compounds with antioxidant capacity from M. oleifera leaves.

A systematic approach to decode the mechanism of Cornus in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)

Cornus Officinalis (Cornus), the dried pulp of mature Cornus, is used to treat liver diseases. However, the pharmacological mechanism of Cornus in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been systematically studied. The chemical compounds and the bioactive chemical compounds of Cornus were screened through Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP). Gene Cards database was used to explore the targets in liver cancer pathogenesis. The disease-drug Venn diagram was constructed using the VENN 2.1 and the STRING database was used to analyze protein-protein Interaction Network (PPI). Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis were performed using the R package. Molecular docking was performed using Discovery Studio were assessed using Pymol and Discovery Studio 2016. Cell survival of BEL-7404 cells treated by Hydroxygenkwanin (HGK) were valued through CCK-8 assay. Expressions of caspase-3 and cleaved PARP was detected through Western blot. Pharmacological network diagrams of the Cornus compound-target network and HCC-related target network were successfully constructed. A total of 20 active compounds, 1841 predicted biological targets of Cornus, and 7100 HCC-related targets were identified. 37 target genes between Cornus and HCC were screened trough the network pharmacology. Molecular docking studies suggested that HGK has the highest affinity with caspase-3. HGK could induce apoptosis of HCC cells and significantly activate the caspase-3 protease activity in BEL-7404. This study systematically elaborated the mechanism of Cornus in the treatment of HCC and provided a new perspective to exploit Antineoplastic from Cornus.

Spectrum-effect relationship between UPLC fingerprints and anti-lung cancer effect of Panax ginseng

OBJECTIVES

Lung cancer has the highest mortality rate among the various types of cancer. Panax ginseng (C. A. Mey). is a popular anti-cancer herbal supplement. The quality control of ginseng is crucial to ensure its clinical efficacy. This study aimed to establish new quality control methods for ginseng and to identify its main active components responsible for lung cancer treatment.

METHODS

Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) was used to establish fingerprints of 18 batches of ginseng. CCK-8 test was performed to evaluate the inhibitory activity of ginseng on Lewis lung cancer (LLC) cells. The spectrum-effect relationship analysis of ginseng was assessed by canonical correlation analysis (CCA) and bioactivity validation.

KEY FINDINGS

Six common peaks were identified and the variation coefficients were determined. The 18 batches of ginseng inhibited the proliferation of LLC cells to different degrees, showing different half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀ ) values. Spectrum-effect relationship analysis showed that ginsenoside Ro is the main anti-proliferative constituent of LLC cell.

CONCLUSIONS

Spectrum-effect relationship is suitable for quality control of ginseng used for lung cancer. It is also effective in discovering the active ingredients related to the clinical efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine.

Antitussive, Antioxidant, and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of a Walnut (Juglans regia L.) Septum Extract Rich in Bioactive Compounds

The antitussive, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects of a walnut (Juglans regia L.) septum extract (WSE), rich in bioactive compounds were investigated using the citric acid aerosol-induced cough experimental model in rodents. Wistar male rats were treated orally for three days with distilled water (control), codeine (reference), and WSE in graded doses. On the third day, all rats were exposed to citric acid aerosols, the number of coughs being recorded. Each animal was sacrificed after exposure, and blood and lung tissue samples were collected for histopathological analysis and the assessment of oxidative stress and inflammatory biomarkers. The results of the experiment showed a significant antitussive effect of WSE, superior to codeine. This activity could be due to cellular protective effect and anti-inflammatory effect via the stimulation of the antioxidant enzyme system and the decrease of IL-6 and CXC-R1 concentration in the lung tissue of WSE-treated animals. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of WSE were confirmed by biochemical assays and histopathological analysis. This is the first scientific study reporting the antitussive effect of walnut septum, a new potential source of non-opioid antitussive drug candidates, and a valuable bioactive by-product that could be used in the treatment of respiratory diseases.

Application of "spider-web" mode in discovery and identification of Q-markers from Xuefu Zhuyu capsule

BACKGROUND

The selection of quality control indicators in a complex system is a key scientific issue for the study of Chinese materia medica (CMM), which is directly related to its safety and efficacy. In order to scientifically understand and control the quality of CMM, quality marker (Q-marker) has been recently raised as a new concept, which provided a novel research idea for the quality control and evaluation of CMM.

PURPOSE

By a new and integrated "spider-web" mode, Q-markers of Xuefu Zhuyu capsule (XZC) were comprehensively uncovered, conducing to great improvement of quality control of XZC.

METHODS

Mainly established by three dimensions derived from six variables including content, stability and activity, "spider-web" mode was constructed to evaluate Q-marker property of candidate compounds by taking regression area of the tested compounds into account.

RESULTS

The candidate compounds with larger regression area were preferentially adopted as Q-markers, which should possess the satisfactorily integrated properties of content, stability and activity. Six compounds, naringin, isoliquiritin, paeoniflorin, protocatechuic acid, neohesperidin and ferulic acid, were identified and preferred as Q-markers of XZC.

CONCLUSION

Based on "spider-web" mode, Q-markers from Xuefu Zhuyu capsule were successfully screened, which would substantially perform quality control of XZC and prove the feasibility of "spider-web" mode in solving the selection of quality control indicators from compound formulae.

Research Progress on Main Symptoms of Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia Improved by Traditional Chinese Medicine

Novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pneumonia has become a major threat to worldwide public health, having rapidly spread to more than 180 countries and infecting over 1.6 billion people. Fever, cough, and fatigue are the most common initial symptoms of COVID-19, while some patients experience diarrhea rather than fever in the early stage. Many herbal medicine and Chinese patent medicine can significantly improve these symptoms, cure the patients experiencing a mild 22form of the illness, reduce the rate of transition from mild to severe disease, and reduce mortality. Therefore, this paper summarizes the physiopathological mechanisms of fever, cough, fatigue and diarrhea, and introduces Chinese herbal medicines (Ephedrae Herba, Gypsum Fibrosum, Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, Asteris Radix et Rhizoma, Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma, Codonopsis Radix, Atractylodis Rhizoma, etc.) and Chinese patent medicines (Shuang-huang-lian, Ma-xing-gan-shi-tang, etc.) with their corresponding therapeutic effects. Emphasis was placed on their material basis, mechanism of action, and clinical research. Most of these medicines possess the pharmacological activities of anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral, and immunity-enhancement, and may be promising medicines for the treatment or adjuvant treatment of COVID-19 patients.

A Review of the Botany, Traditional Use, Phytochemistry, Analytical Methods, Pharmacological Effects, and Toxicity of Angelicae Pubescentis Radix

Angelicae Pubescentis Radix (AP), as a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has been used for thousands of years in China. In this paper, the botany, traditional use, phytochemistry, analytical methods, quality control, pharmacological effects, and toxicity of AP were reviewed. It can provide a reference for the further research and lay a foundation for the rational clinical application of AP. The relevant information on AP was collected from scientific databases (such as Baidu Scholar, CNKI, Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, and SciFinder Scholar), Chinese herbal classics, Chinese Pharmacopoeia, PhD and MSc dissertations, and so on. The components which have been isolated and identified in AP include coumarins, volatile oils, organic acids, terpenes, polysaccharides, flavonoids, sterols, and trace elements. Most of them were analyzed by HPLC and GC. A pharmacological study shows that the AP has extensive pharmacological effects, including anti-inflammatory, antirheumatism, sedative and hypnotic, neuroprotection, antioxidation, antitumor, and allergy, and it is widely used in the treatment of the rheumatoid arthritis, knee osteoarthritis, lumbar disc, ankylosing spondylitis, headaches, stroke hemiplegia, Alzheimer's, and arrhythmia. AP is a valuable natural medicinal plant. So far, significant advances have been made in phytochemistry and pharmacology. Some traditional uses have been demonstrated by modern pharmacology. However, the chemical components and pharmacological effects of AP are complex and varied, and there are different standards for the evaluation of its quality and efficacy. The mechanism of action, the structure-activity relationship among the components, and the potential synergistic and antagonistic effects remain to be studied. At the same time, there are few studies on the specific compounds related to its pharmacodynamics. In order to better develop and utilize AP, we should establish a more reasonable, reliable, and accurate quality control standard and focus on the study of bioactive constituents and the demonstration of their mechanism of action.

Development and Validation of Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Method for Pharmacokinetic Evaluation of 7β-(3-Ethyl-cis-crotonoyloxy)-1α-(2-methylbutyryloxy)-3,14-dehydro-Z-notonipetranon in Rats

Recently, potent neuroprotective and anti-diabetic effects of 7β-(3-Ethyl-cis-crotonoyloxy)-1α-(2-methylbutyryloxy)-3,14-dehydro-Z-notonipetranone (ECN), a sesquiterpenoid isolated from Tussilago farfara Linnaeus, have been elucidated. To facilitate further pre-clinical evaluation in rats, an analytical method for the determination of ECN in rat plasma was developed and optimized by using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Plasma samples were pretreated by the protein precipitation method with an acetonitrile solution of losartan (LST) as the internal standard. Chromatographic separation was performed using a an Octadecyl-silica (ODS) column (2.6 µm, 100 x 4.6 mm) in the isocratic mode. The mobile phase, comprising 10 mM ammonium formate in water pH 5.75) and acetonitrile (11:89, v/v), was eluted at a flow rate of 0.4 mL/min. Mass spectrometric detection was performed in the multiple reaction monitoring mode with positive electrospray ionization, and the mass transitions of ECN and LST were m/z 431.3 to 97.3 and m/z 423.1 to 207.2, respectively. The calibration curves of spiked plasma samples were linear in the 10.0–10,000 ng/mL range (r² > 0.996). The lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) was determined as 10.0 ng/mL. Validation was conducted in the LLOQ, and three quality control (QC) sample levels (10.0, 25.0, 3750, and 7500 ng/mL) were studied. Among them, the relative standard deviation for the within- and between-run precisions was under 9.90%, and the relative error of the accuracies was within the −8.13% to 0.42% range. The validated method was successfully employed to investigate the pharmacokinetic properties of ECN in rats, which revealed the linear pharmacokinetic behavior of ECN for the first time.