Anti-depression mechanism of Zuojin Pills:based on UHPLC-TOF-MS, network pharmacology, and experimental verification / 中国中药杂志

This study aims to explore the anti-depression mechanism of Zuojin Pills based on the plasma constituents, network pharmacology, and experimental verification. UHPLC-TOF-MS was used for qualitative analysis of Zuojin Pills-containing serum. Targets of the plasma constituents and the disease were retrieved from PharmMapper and GeneCards. Then the protein-protein interaction(PPI) network was constructed and core targets were screened for GO term enrichment and KEGG pathway enrichment. Cytoscape 3.7.2 was employed construct the "compound-target-pathway" network and the targets and signaling pathways of Zuojin Pills against depression were predicted. CUMS-induced depression mouse model was established to verify the key targets. The results showed that a total of 21 constituents migrating to blood of Zuojin Pills were identified, which were mainly alkaloids. A total of 155 common targets of the constituents and the disease and 67 core targets were screened out. KEGG enrichment and PPI network analysis showed that Zuojin Pills may play a role in the treatment of depression through AMPK/SIRT1, NLRP3, insulin and other targets and pathways. Furthermore, the results of animal experiments showed that Zuojin Pills could significantly improve the depression behaviors of depression, reduce the levels of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in hippocampus and serum, activate AMPK/SIRT1 signaling, and reduce the protein expression of NLRP3. In conclusion, Zuojin Pills may play a role in the treatment of depression by activating AMPK/SIRT1 signaling pathway, and inhibiting NLRP3 activation and neuroinflammation in the hippocampus of mice.

LC-MS/MS method for determination of tripterine in plasma： pharmacokinetic study in Beagles / 中国中药杂志

To establish a LC-MS/MS method for determination of tripterine in Beagle plasma and study its pharmacokinetics after oral administration of tripterygium tablet. Plasma samples were extracted with dichloromethane and separated on a Phenomenex Luna C₈ (2.0 mm×50 mm, 3 μm) column with methanol-acetonitrile isopropanol(1∶1)-1‰formic acid (15∶55 ∶30) as the mobile phase. Tripterine ([M+H] ⁺, m/z 451.3/201.1) and internal standard prednisolone ([M+H] ⁺, m/z 361.1/147.1) were monitored in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM). The concentration-time curves were simulated by drug and statistic software 1.0 and the pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated. There was a good linear relationship between peak area ratio and concentration of tripterine and internal standard prednisolone within range of 0.680 0-136.0 μg•L⁻¹. The limit of quantitation was 0.680 0 μg•L⁻¹ and the intra- and inter-day precision was within 6.15%. The absolute recovery rate was between 50.42% to 51.65%. The concentration-time curves were consistent with the one-compartment model(w=1/cc). The main pharmacokinetic parameters after a single dose were as follows： Cmax (35.64±9.540) μg •L⁻¹,Tmax(2.62±0.69) h,T1/2(2.93±0.29) h, CL (0.308±0.056) L•kg⁻¹•h⁻¹, AUC0-12 (131.16±31.94) μg•L•h⁻¹, AUC0-∞ (142.83±37.57) μg•L•h⁻¹. The established LC-MS/MS method was proved to be sensitive, accurate and convenient, suitable for the pharmacokinetic study of Tripterygium tablet in Beagle dogs.

Bone mineral density assessed by dual energy X-ray radiography in patients with alcoholic or HBV-related liver cirrhosis / 第二军医大学学报

Objective: To investigate the differences of bone mineral density (BMD) among the patients with alcoholic or HBV-related liver cirrhosis, and healthy controls. Methods: Dual-energy X-ray radiography was employed to determine the BMD of he lumbar vertebra and bilateral hip joints in 57 patients with alcoholic cirrhosis, 67 with hepatitis B cirrhosis, and 175 healthy controls. The demographic data and clinical characteristics(hepatic fibrosis and hepatic function) of all the participants were collected. Independent sample -test was used to compare the differences among 3 groups and multiple classified logistical regression analysiswas used to evaluate factors influencing BMD. Results: The BMD of alcoholic cirrhosis and HBV-related cirrhosis patients were significantly lower than that of healthy controls(P<0. 01), and theBMD in alcohol cirrhosis patients was significantly lower than that in HBV-related cirrhosis patients(P<0. 05). Univariate logistic regression analysis identified that female gender, elder age, liver cirrhosis degree, and liver function were significantly correlated with the levels of BMD (P<0. 01). Multivariate analysis showed that alcoholic cirrhosis (0R = 2. 053, 95%CI= 1. 931-3. 852) and HBV-related cirrhosis (0R=1. 521, 95%CI=1. 342-2. 354) were the independent risks of reduced BMD in patients. Conclusion: BMD levels of patients with alcoholic cirrhosis and HBV-related cirrhosis are significantly lower than that of the healthy controls, and hepatic cirrhosis is independent factor of osteoporosis.

Enzyme kinetics of schizandrin metabolism and sex differences in rat liver microsomes / 药学学报

To study the enzyme kinetics of schizandrin metabolism in different gender in rat liver microsomes, liver microsomes were prepared from male or female rats. Schizandrin was incubated with rat liver microsomes. Schizandrin and its metabolites were isolated and identified by HPLC-UV method. Vmax, Km and Cl(int) of schizandrin in male and female rat liver microsomes were (21.88 +/- 2.30) and (0.61 +/- 0.07) micromol x L(-1) x min(-1) x mg(-1) (protein), (389.00 +/- 46.26) and (72.64 +/- 13.61) micromol x L(-1), (0.0563 +/- 0.0007) and (0.0084 +/- 0.0008) min x mg(-1) (protein), respectively. The major metabolites of schizandrin in female and male rat liver microsomes were 7,8-dihydroxy-schizandrin (M1) and 7, 8-dihydroxy-2-demethyl schizandrin (M2b), respectively. Ketoconazole, quinidine, and orphenadrine had different level effects on schizandrin metabolism in both male and female rat liver microsomes, and cimetidine still had some inhibitory effect in male liver microsomes. CYP3A and CYP2C11 may be the main P450 enzymes in schizandrin metabolism and their difference in rat liver microsomes may be the main reason for the sex difference of metabolic enzyme kinetics and metabolites of schizandrin in rats.

Expression,Purification and Enzymatic Characterization of Klebsiella sp.Glycerol Dehydrogenase in E.coli / 中国生物工程杂志

The dhaD gene encoding glycerol dehydrogenase(GDH) from Klebsiella sp.was amplified,and was inserted into expression vector pET-28a(+),the plasmid pET-28a-dhaD was constructed and was transformed into Escherichia coli BL21(DE3).SDS-PAGE showed that the gene dhaD was expressed successfully in recombinant E.coli BL21.Then GDH was purified by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography,the results showed a single band about 39kDa on SDS-PAGE gel,and the specified activity was about 156U/mg.The special activity of GDH is 4.6-fold higher than that of unpurified and the activity recovery is 67.4%.The optimum reaction pH was 11.0,and the GDH activity have little changed when incubated in the buffer of pH7.0～11.0.The optimum reactive temperature was 30℃,and the GDH was more stable on the temperature of 25℃～45℃.The Km value was 0.54mmol/L and Vmax was 0.49 ?mol/ml?min in the glycerol.

Determination of Dihydroxyacetone in Fermentation Broth by HPLC / 中国生物工程杂志

A method to determine dihydroxyacetone (DHA) in fermentation broth was developed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). DHA was separated on a Alltima C18(5?m,250?4.6mm). The mobile phase was 0.5% methanol solution (pH adjusted to 3.0 with H3PO4), the flow-rate was 1.0 ml/min and the detective wavelength was 200 nm. The detection limits of DHA was 0.1 g/L～10.0 g/L. 6.2 g/L DHA in the fermentation broth was detected by HPLC, which was in agreement with the result by spectrophotometric method.The method was applicable for DHA determination in the fermentation process.

Screening and Identification of a Strain Producing Dihydroxyacetone During Oxidation of Glycerol / 微生物学通报

More than 20 strains capable of producing dihydroxyacetone from glycerol were isolated from 4 different natural environment samples by using two detection methods. The strain 6-8 which could grow on medium containing glycerol as sole carbon source had a higher converting capability. Under a better culture, the highest DHA production of the strain 6?8 reached 6.4 g/L. In addition to general morphological and bio-chemical characteristics, the strain 6?8 was identified by 16S rDNA sequence and systematic analysis. The results showed that 16S rDNA sequence of the strain 6-8 had similarity of 99.7% with Acinetobacter sp. suggesting that the strain 6-8 is one of subspecies of Acinetobacter sp.