Label-free target discovery technology of small molecule drug and its application in traditional Chinese medicines / 药学学报

The discovery of drug targets plays a crucial role in drug research. Accurate information of small molecule drug-protein interaction can be provided by label-free target discovery technology without any structural modification at the small molecule. So, the label-free drug target discovery technology had become the powerful tool to discover the targets of drugs. Due to the “multi-component and multi-target” characteristics of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs), the research on its targets and mechanism had been restricted. Based on potential of the label-free target discovery technology in the research of TCMs, this paper summarized the label-free target discovery technology and its application in TCMs research. It will provide a reference for the discovery of targets of TCMs and a new view for promoting the modernization of TCMs.

Research on revision of origins to Chinese medicinal materials in 2020 edition of Chinese pharmacopoeia / 中国中药杂志

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.

Screening of anti-lung cancer bioactive compounds from Curcuma longa by target cell extraction and UHPLC/LTQ Orbitrap MS / 中国中药杂志

A target cell extraction-chemical profiling method based on human alveolar adenocarcinoma cell line (A549 cells) and UHPLC/LTQ Orbitrap MS for screening the anti-lung cancer bioactive compounds from Curcuma longa has been developed in this paper. According to the hypothesis that when cells are incubated together with the extract of Curcuma longa, the potential bioactive compounds in the extract should selectively combine with the cells, then the cell-binding compounds could be separated and analyzed by LC-MS. The bioactive compounds in C. longa are lipophilic components. They intend to be absorbed on the inner wall of cell culture flask when they were incubated with A549 cells, which will produce interference in the blank solution. In this paper, by using cells digestion and multi-step centrifugation and transfer strategy, the interference problem has been solved. Finally, using the developed method, three cell-binding compounds were screened out and were identified as bisdemethoxycurcumin, demethoxycurcumin, and curcumin. These compounds are the main bioactive compounds with anti-lung cancer bioactivity in C. longa. The improved method developed in this paper could avoid the false positive results due to the absorption of lipophilic compounds on the inner wall of cell culture flask, which will to be an effective complementary method for current target cell extraction-chemical profiling technology.

Quality control study of wuziyanzong pills / 中国药学杂志

OBJECTIVE: To establish the quality standard of Wuziyanzong pills so as to improve the quality control capacity. METHODS: Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) was used for the qualitative analysis of Lycii Fructus in the formula. The fingerprint of Wuziyanzong pills based on combined control herbs, the screening method of Schisandrae Sphenantherae Fructus and the determination of hyperoside and schisandrin in the formula were established by HPLC. The contents of Pb, Cd, As, Hg, Cu and Cr were determined by ICP-MS method. RESULTS: The TLC identification method showed good separation effect and specificity. The fingerprint, using the combined control herbs, could simultaneously identify Rubi Fructus, Cuscutae Semen, Plantaginis Semen, and Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus with good method validation results. According to the peak area ratio of schisantherin A and schisandrin, it could screen out Schisandrae Sphenantherae Fructus in the formula when the ratio was proposed to be 0.20. In the assay, the content limits of hyperoside and schisandrin in Wuziyanzong pills were proposed. Three harmful elements, ie As, Hg and Pb exceeded the permitted limits in 19 batches of samples. This may be caused by using the same production line for different products and the samples may be contaminated by the residue of previous products. CONCLUSION: The established quality standard is simple and accurate and shows good specificity and reproducibility. It could be used for the comprehensive and overall quality evaluation of Wuziyanzong pills.

Fingerprint analysis of Fritillaria thunbergii using rapid resolution liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry / 中国中药杂志

A fingerprint method for quality assessment of Fritillaria thunbergii was developed by rapid resolution liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (RRLC-Q-TOF-MS). The separation was performed using Agilent Eclipse Plus C18 column (2.1 mm x 100 mm, 1.8 microm) by gradient elution with acetonitrile and 0.1% formic acid aqueous solution (containing 10 mmol x L(-1) ammonium formate) as the mobile phase. Q-TOF-MS was used to obtain the accurate mass for precursor and product ions. Under this chromatographic and MS condition, 12 batches of F. thunbergii and its adulterants (F. hupehensis and F. pallidiflora) were analyzed by RRLC-Q-TOF-MS. Fifteen steroidal alkaloids were identified from F. thunbergii, F. hupehensis and F. pallidiflora and nine were assigned as the common characteristic peaks for F. thunbergii. The RRLC-Q-TOF-MS fingerprint of F. thunbergii was different significantly with those of F. hupehensis and F. pallidiflora. The quality of 12 batches of F. thunbergii samples were finally evaluated by hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) and principle component analysis (PCA). This convenient and high specific method could be used to identify and evaluate the quality of the F. thunbergii.

Correlation of angiotensin converting enzyme gene polymorphism with perioperative myocardial protection under extracorporeal circulation

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the expression of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), angiotensin II (Ang II), cardiac troponin (cTn I), creatine kinase isozymes (CK-MB) and muscle red protein(Myo) after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), and to investigate the association of polymorphisms in angiotensin converting enzyme genes and myocardial injury.@*METHODS@#Sixty-three patients suffered from rheumatic mitral stenosis and scheduled for mitral valve replacement with CPB, were randomly divided into three groups according polymorphisms in angiotensin converting enzyme genes: type II, type ID, type DD (each=21). Blood samples were withdrawn from artery before operation (T1), at the beginning of CPB (T2), 30 min after CPB (T3), (T4) at the end of CPB (T5), 2 h after CPB (T6), 6 h after CPB (T7) to measure the expression of ACE, Ang II, cTn I, CK-MB, Myo.@*RESULTS@#The level of ACE during and after CPB were significantly higher than those before CPB (P<0.05). As extension of CPB time, the expression of ACE was increased. The level of cTn I, CK-MB, Myo after CPB were significantly higher than those before CPB(P<0.05). The level of cTn I, CK-MB and Myo were highest at T7, T6 and T5 and T7, respectively. The level of ACE, Ang II cTn I in patients with DD genotype was significantly higher than the ID and II genotype (P< 0.05). Besides, the level of ACE, Ang II in patients with ID genotype was significantly higher than the II (P< 0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#There is certain correlation between CPB perioperative midterm ACE and cTn I, Myo, CK-MB. ACE DD genotype is a susceptibility gene of the CPB perioperative myocardial injury.

PEG-mediated covalent binding of VEGF to decellularized aortic valves promotes adhesion and proliferation of endothelial progenitor cells / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To improve the biological properties of decellularized aortic valves by polyethylene glycol (PEG)-mediated covalent incorporation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>PEG crosslinking of decellularized aortic valves were completed via a Michael-type addition reaction, followed by covalent incorporation of VEGF through another Michael-type addition reaction between the unsaturated propylene acyl of PEG and the thiol groups on cysteine residues of VEGF. The effect of VEGF incorporation was evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immune fluorescence assay. The endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) were seeded on decellularized aortic valves with or without these modifications, and after 10 days of culture, the valves were examined for DNA content and by hematoxylin-eosin staining and scanning electron microscopy.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Immune fluorescence and ELISA showed that the maximal VEGF incorporation on the decellularized aortic valve reached 908.94∓0.27 pg. Compared with the unmodified valves and the valves with PEG crosslinking, decellularized aortic valves with covalent incorporation of VEGF significantly promoted the adhesion and proliferation of EPCs, which formed a confluent cell monolayer on the valve surface.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>PEG-mediated covalent incorporation of VEGF in the decellularized aortic valves improves the adhesion and proliferation of the seeded EPCs to facilitate the construction of tissue-engineered heart valves.</p>

Estrogen receptor gene polymorphisms and HBV-induced liver cirrhosis / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the relationship between estrogen receptor (ER) gene polymorphisms and HBV-induced cirrhosis.@*METHODS@#Xba I and Pvu II polymorphisms of ER gene were analyzed in 98 patients with HBV-induced cirrhosis, 72 patients with chronic hepatitis B, and 84 healthy controls by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique.@*RESULTS@#The frequencies of Pp genotype and P allele of ER gene in patients with HBV-induced cirrhosis were higher than those in patients with chronic hepatitis B and controls, while the frequencies of pp genotype and p allele of ER gene in patients with HBV-induced cirrhosis were lower than those in patients with chronic hepatitis B and controls (P 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Pp genotype and P allele might be the susceptibility gene for HBV-induced cirrhosis while pp genotype and p allele might be the protective gene.

Effects comparison of lamivudine therapy for hepatitis B virus genotypes B and C / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To determine the lamivudine response of HBV genotypes in patients with HBV DNA positive chronic hepatitis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Clinical data from 235 patients in the original trial were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>135 patients received lamivudine and 100 patients as controls. Almost all patients had HBV genotypes B or C. Antiviral response were 92.9% and 75.9% in lamivudine-treated patients (chi-square = 6.628, P < 0.05) and 9.8% and 8.5% in untreated controls (P > 0.05) with HBV genotype B and C, respectively. The incidences of lamivudine-induced mutation in YMDD motif were 3.6% and 16.5% in HBV genotype B and C, respectively (chi-square = 5.508, P < 0.01). We identified HBV genotype B, elevated pretreatment alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, and low pretreatment HBV DNA levels as independent factors associated with antiviral response.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>HBV genotype B was associated with a higher rate of lamivudine-induced HBV DNA clearance and lower rate of lamivudine-induced YMDD mutation compared with genotype C. HBV genotypes may be an important determinant of lamivudine therapy of chronic hepatitis B.</p>