DCTPP1, a reliable Q-biomarker for comprehensive evaluation of the quality of tripterygium glycoside tablets based on chemical references

BACKGROUND

As first-line clinical drugs, tripterygium glycoside tablets (TGTs) often have inconsistent efficacy and toxic side effects, mainly due to inadequate quality control. Therefore, clinically relevant quality standards for TGTs are urgently required.

PURPOSE

Based on chemical substances and considering pharmacological efficacy, we aimed to develop an effective quality evaluation method for TGTs.

METHODS

Representative commercial samples of TGTs were collected from different manufacturers, and qualitative UHPLC/LTQ-Orbitrap-MS and quantitative UHPLC-MS/MS analysis methods were successfully applied to evaluate their quality similarities and differences based on their chemical properties. Then the anti-immunity, anti-inflammatory and antitumor activities of TGTs and related monomers were evaluated using Jurkat, RAW264.7, MIA PaCa-2, and PANC-1 as cellular models. Subsequently, we predicted and verified small molecule-DCTPP1 interactions via molecular docking using the established DCTPP1 enzymatic activity assay. Finally, we performed a gray relational analysis to evaluate the chemical characteristics and biological effects of TGTs produced by different manufacturers.

RESULTS

We collected 24 batches of TGTs (D01-D24) from 5 manufacturers (Co. A, Co. B, Co. C, Co. D, Co. E) for quality evaluation. The chemical composition analysis revealed significant differences in the substance bases of the samples. The D02, D18-D20 samples from Co. B constituted a separate group that differed from other samples, mainly in their absence of diterpenoids and triterpenoids, including triptolide, triptophenolide, and triptonide. In vitro anti-immunity, antitumor and anti-inflammatory tests using the same TGT concentration revealed that, except for D02, D18-D20, the remaining 20 samples exhibited different degrees of anti-immunity, antitumor and anti-inflammatory activity. Our experiments verified that triptolide, triptophenolide, and triptonide were all DCTPP1 inhibitors, and that TGTs generally exhibited DCTPP1 enzyme inhibitory activity. Moreover, the inhibitory activity of D02, D18-D20 samples from Co. B was much lower than that of the other samples, with a nearly tenfold difference in IC50. Further comprehensive analysis revealed a high correlation between DCTPP1 enzyme inhibition activity and the anti-immunity and antitumor and anti-inflammatory activities of these samples.

CONCLUSION

The established DCTPP1 enzymatic activity assay proved suitable for quantitative pharmacological and pharmaceutical analysis to complement the existing quality control system for TGTs and to evaluate their effectiveness.

Chemical profiling of Fritillariae thunbergii Miq prepared by different processing methods reveals two new quality markers: Zhebeininoside and imperialine-3-β-D-glucoside

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Fritillariae thunbergii Miq (FTM)exhibit versatile biological activities including the significant antitussive and expectorant activities. As a herbal medicine, the therapeutic effects of FTM may be expressed by multi-components which have complicated integration effects on multi-targets. With the time going, the different processing methods of FTM has been changed a lot. Thus，the study described the effect of processing methods to FTM and its quality.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

Studies were undertaken by using UHPLC-LTQ Orbitrap MS and pharmacodynamic models. All reagents were involved of analytical grade. While a HPLC-ELSD's method has been developed and validated, a certified Quality System is conformed to ICH requirements. The experimental animals followed the animal welfare guidelines.

AIM OF THE STUDY

We aimed to found the differences after the different processing methods of FTM, and to demonstrate the changes could be selected as quality control indicators, and established a method for simultaneous determination of these for quality control.

RESULTS

we have previously found two new steroidal alkaloids: zhebeininoside and imperialine-3-β-D-glucoside from the different processing methods of FTM, which is the difference between the different processing methods of FTM, mainly on the steroidal alkaloids. The activity analysis of zhebeininoside, imperialine-3-β-D-glucoside, verticine and verticinone showed that the mouse model of cough expectorant has antitussive effect. The positive drug selected was dextromethorphan syrup. The positive group showed biological activity, but the blank group showed nothing. The model group showed illness which means that the model was effective. There are two ways of the mechanism of action of the expectorant action which can make sputum thin, reduce its viscosity, and be easy to cough up, or can accelerate the movement of mucous cilia in the respiratory tract and promote the discharge of sputum. In our study, the content of phenol red was significantly reduced in the administration group.

CONCLUSIONS

To sum up, our results suggest that zhebeininoside and other three components cloud be selected as quality control indicators, and a method for simultaneous determination of zhebeininoside and other three components was established for quality control.

[Research on revision of origins to Chinese medicinal materials in 2020 edition of Chinese pharmacopoeia]

The origins of 9 species of the Chinese medicinal materials in the 2015 edition of the Chinese pharmacopoeia(ChP) has revised in the 2020 edition of ChP. The revision is based on the investigation and textual research on the problems found after screening the original plants, animals or minerals of all the Chinese medicinal materials in the 2015 edition. Among them the Chinese names of Alismatis Rhizoma, Cassiae Semen, Coicis Semen, Corydalis Bungeanae Herba and Echinopsis Radix all do not match to the Latin scientific names, and also do not match the name of the actual medicinal origins. In addition, Alismatis Rhizoma has the omission of original plant. There is confusion about the Chinese name and the family name of the original insect of Cera Chinensis. The original mineral of Gypsum Fibrosum has the wrong group names. Alumstone and melanterite, the original mineral of Alumen and Melanteritum respectively, of which the group names are missing. To solve these problems, field survey and literature research were conducted on the medicinal materials and their origins. The source of these problems are explored. The correct origins and the Chinese names or Latin names are all determined according to the research results to the situation, in which the Chinese and Latin names of the original plants of the medicinal materials do not match. The correct family name and group name are obtained through textual research by taxonomy if the names are confused or mis-sing. The scientific evidence and correct results of revision in the 2020 edition of ChP are determined at last.

[Study on original plant species and geographical distribution of Fructus Aurantii]

The original plant species of Fructus Aurantii are multitudinous and complex, and their requirements to the growing environment is strict. In order to clarify the original plant species and geographical distribution of Fructus Aurantii which recorded in the standards and circulated, used in commodity. The national and local standards of Chinese medicinal materials were collected and the original plants of Fructus Aurantii recoded in standards were found. Ten original plant species of Fructus Aurantii (including varieties of cultivars, the same below) were recorded in the Chinese pharmacopoeia and six local standards of Zhejiang, Yunnan and Guizhou etc. The producing areas and commodity in markets of Fructus Aurantii were investigated. The growth environment and geographical distribution of them were analyzed. There are six types of Fructus Aurantii i.e., Fructus Aurantii Chuan, Fructus Aurantii Xiang, Fructus Aurantii Jiang, Fructus Aurantii Qu, Fructus Aurantii Su, Fructus Aurantii Wen, and nineteen species of original plants in the practical commodities. There are four major Fructus Aurantii producing areas: Sichuan Basin, Dongting Lake Plain, Poyang Lake Plain, Jinqu Basin and its surrounding hilly areas. All of them are located in the area of the east longitude 104° to 121° and the northern latitudes 27° to 31°. There is a certain difference between the actual commodity and the standards of medicinal materials. It is suggested that the traditional mainstream types of Fructus Aurantii with fine quality should be accepted into Chinese Pharmacopoeia, and the types with poor quality should be withdrawn from Chinese Pharmacopoeia.

Identification of Cancer Hallmarks Based on the Gene Co-expression Networks of Seven Cancers

Identifying the hallmarks of cancer is essential for cancer research, and the genes involved in cancer hallmarks are likely to be cancer drivers. However, there is no appropriate method in the current literature for identifying genetic cancer hallmarks, especially considering the interrelationships among the genes. Here, we hypothesized that "dense clusters" (or "communities") in the gene co-expression networks of cancer patients may represent functional units regarding cancer formation and progression, and the communities present in the co-expression networks of multiple types of cancer may be cancer hallmarks. Consequently, we mined the conserved communities in the gene co-expression networks of seven cancers in order to identify candidate hallmarks. Functional annotation of the communities showed that they were mainly related to immune response, the cell cycle and the biological processes that maintain basic cellular functions. Survival analysis using the genes involved in the conserved communities verified that two of these hallmarks could predict the survival risks of cancer patients in multiple types of cancer. Furthermore, the genes involved in these hallmarks, one of which was related to the cell cycle, could be useful in screening for cancer drugs.

[Alarming system in real time and high quality display using volumerendering for otologic surgical navigation: a preclinical study]

Objective:The aim of this study is to design and develop a novel navigation framework that alarms the surgeon with sound during drilling and dynamically renders the high quality medical image data. Method:The accuracy of the proposed system were measured with a skull model using paired point registration and the target registration error (TRE) was computed. We segmented the accurate structure of target and compute the minimum distance between the drill tip and the target. Once the drill tip approached the target structures, the system would alarm the surgeon. We proposed a novelty method that used a mask to render the medical image data in real time. Result:The maximum distance error of 90 target points was 1.016 mm, the minimum was 0.427 mm, and the average distance error was (0.74±0.07) mm. The design and development of the alarming system and dynamically rendering the medical image data of navigation system was accomplished. Conclusion:The results show that the accuracy of the navigation system can meet the clinical needs. It also demonstrates the feasibility of the alarm system and dynamic display system and its application prospects.

[Preliminary study on general regulations for processing of different processing procedures of prepared slices of Chinese crude drugs in China]

General regulations for the processing are the important part of processing procedures of prepared slices of Chinese crude drugs. It has an important significance on enhancing the operability of actual production, regulating production of prepared slices of Chinese crude drugs, improving quality and establishing drug safety. The article could provides suggestions and reference for future compilation work on "National processing procedures of prepared slices of Chinese crude drugs" by comparative analysis and summary on general regulations for the processing of different processing procedures of prepared slices of Chinese crude drugs in China.

Effects of inhaled nitric oxide and high-frequency ventilation in rabbits with meconium aspiration

AIM

To evaluate effects of inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) in experimental meconium aspiration treated with high-frequency (HFV) or conventional mechanical ventilation (CMV). Ventilated adult rabbits had meconium instilled intratracheally resulting in respiratory failure as evidenced by more than 50% reduction of dynamic lung compliance (Cdyn) and increase in mean oxygenation index (OI) from 1 to 16. The animals were then allocated to 2 groups treated without (control) or with iNO at 20 ppm (NO). In each group the animals were initially ventilated with CMV or HFV mode for 3 h and then in a crossover fashion with HFV or CMV for another 3 h (CMV-->HFV, HFV-->CMV), respectively. In the first 3 h of treatment, the animals subjected to HFV-CMV in the control, and those with both HFV-CMV and CMV-HFV in the NO group had significantly reduced OI. In the subsequent 3 h, the animals in the control group with CMV-HFV did not improve in OI and those with HFV-CMV had deteriorated. In the NO group with both CMV-HFV and HFV-CMV moderate improvement of OI was observed. Platelet aggregation capability and counts were significantly decreased and bleeding time prolonged in animals receiving iNO treatment. These results suggest that both HFV alone and a combined treatment of iNO with either CMV or HFV are more effective in improving blood oxygenation than that of CMV in this animal model. The influence of iNO on platelet aggregation should be considered.

Serum concentration fluctuation and bioavailability comparison between indomethacin sustained-release and conventional capsules during steady state

The comparison between indomethacin conventional capsule (CC) po 25 mg q 8 h or 25 mg tid and indomethacin sustained-release capsule (SRC) po 25 mg bid in human by crossover design showed that both maximal serum concentration (Cmax) and fluctuation index (FI%) of SRC were significantly lower than those of CC during steady state (P < 0.01). No practical differences were observed between the 2 preparations in the trough serum concentration (Cmin) and area under serum concentration-time profiles (AUC0-tau) (P > 0.05). The time period reaching maximal serum concentration (Tmax) of SRC was much more delayed than that of CC (P < 0.01). It suggested that SRC possesses a better controlled release property and could avoid a higher serum peak concentration of CC.