Evaluation of Astragali Radix quality grade based on appearance characteristics and internal ingredients / 中国中药杂志

This study is to provide the basis of establishing a quality evaluation system, based on the differences in appearance and internal components of Astragali Radix from different sources. The diameter of 18 batches of Astragali Radix, the content of alcohol(water) extract and 7 kinds of flavonoids were determined. The peak area ratio of flavonoid aglycon to aglycone was calculated. PCA and CA were carried out by synthesizing various indexes. The results of PCA and CA showed that Astragali Radix was obviously clustered into three types. Alcohol extract, formononetin/formosan glycosides,(pilose isoflavones+astragalus flavonoid A)/pilose isoflavone glucoside are the most significant differences in the variable importance projection index(VIP) of Astragali Radix. Combining the diameter, alcohol(water) extract, flavonoid aglycon to aglycone peak area ratio can provide an analysis method for the establishment of the grade evaluation system of Astragali Radix.

Regulatory effect of Jiaotai Pills on central and peripheral neurotransmitters in rats with heart-kidney imbalance insomnia / 中国中药杂志

To explore the pathogenesis of heart and kidney imbalance insomnia and the regulatory effect of Jiaotai Pills, in order to study the changes of central and peripheral neurotransmitters in rat. Insomnia rats with heart and kidney imbalance were induced through intraperitoneal injection with p-chlorophenylalanine(PCPA, 400 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), and the model rats were intragastrically administrated with Jiaotai Pills(3.3 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)) for 7 days. Nine neurotransmitters were determined by UPLC-MS/MS and principal component analysis(PCA) method in serum, urine, brain, heart, liver, kidney and adrenal gland of rats. The results showed that the ratio of 5-HT and 5-HIAA in platelet of insomnia rats was significantly lower than that in the normal group, and Jiaotai Pills had a significant up-regulatory or down-regulatory effect. Compared with the normal group, the changed neurotransmitters in blood of insomnia rats were 5-HIAA, E, NE, DA, Glu and ACH, and except ACH, the changes of 7 kinds of neurotransmitters in urine were more significant, Jiaotai Pills had a significant up-regulatory or down-regulatory effect. Compared with the normal group, all of the 8 neurotransmitters in insomnia rats except HVA were changed. Jiaotai Pills could regulate the neurotransmitters in each tissue of insomnia rats, especially in brain, liver and adrenal gland. In conclusion, insomnia is caused by not only a change of neurotransmitters in brain, but also a series of changes in peripheral tissues. It indicates that insomnia is a systematic imbalance of neurotransmitters. Jiaotai Pills not only regulates the central nervous system, but also has a certain protective effect on other organs, reflecting the multi-target and systematic effect of Jiaotai Pills in the treatment of insomnia.

Analysis of in Vivo and in Vitro Metabolites of Coptisine in Rats by HPLC-MS/MS / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective::To investigate in vivo and in vitro metabolites of coptisine and their metabolic pathways. Method::SD rats were given coptisine by single gavage (dose of 25 mg·kg-1). Urine and feces from 0 h to 48 h, bile from 0 h to 24 h, and plasma and brain tissue samples at 0.25, 1, 2 h after administration were collected.In vitro metabolism was incubated with rat liver microsomes and intestinal flora.The metabolites were analyzed and identified by the high-resolution HPLC-MS/MS technique.The liquid chromatography separation was carried out on ZORBAX SB-C18 column (4.6 mm×150 mm, 5 μm) with acetonitrile-0.1% formic acid solution as the mobile phase for gradient elution, the flow rate was 1.0 mL·min-1, and column temperature was 25 ℃.The mass spectra were obtained in positive and negative ion mode with electrospray ionization (ESI), the scanning range was m/z 50-1 200.The relative molecular weight was determined according to the quasi-molecular ion peaks.The structures of metabolites were elucidated by comparing the data with literature data, including main ion peaks, UV spectrum and HPLC retention time information. Result::A total of 17 metabolites were identified in each sample, including 11 phase Ⅰ metabolites and 6 phase Ⅱ metabolites.The pathways to these metabolites were hydroxylation, demethylation, dehydrogenation, sulfation and glucuronide conjugation. Conclusion::Coptisine can produce metabolic reaction of phase Ⅰ and phase Ⅱ in rat, and metabolites are predominantly present in urine, and the main metabolic site is liver.Coptisine is poorly absorbed and rarely metabolized in gastrointestinal tract, so it is mostly excreted through feces by prototype.This experiment can provide material basis for the pharmacodynamics and pharmacology of coptisine.