Comparative analysis of twenty-five compounds in different parts of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus and Astragalus membranaceus by UPLC-MS/MS / 药物分析学报

As a traditional Chinese medicine, the root of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus (AMM) or A. membranaceus (AM) has been widely used in China and other Asian countries for thousands of years. Till now, the flavonoids, phenolic acids and saponins are considered as the main active components contributing to their therapeutic effect in these plants. In order to clarify the distribution and contents of these compounds in different organs of these plants, a rapid and sensitive analytical method for simultaneous determination of 25 active compounds including seven types (i.e. dihydroflavones, iso-flavane, isoflavones, flavones, pterocarpans, phenolic acid and saponins) within 10 min was established using ultra-pressure liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). Then, the established method was fully validated and successfully applied to the determination of the contents of these analytes in different parts (root, rhizome, stem, leaf and flower) of AMM and AM. The results indicated that the contents of the same type of compounds in two different species plants were significantly different. Moreover, the obvious differences were also found for the distribution and con-tents of different type of compounds in five organs of the same species. The present study could provide necessary information for the rational development and utilization of AMM and AM resource.

Phenolic compounds in branches of Tamarix rasissima / 中国中药杂志

To study the chemical constituents of the branches of Tamarix rasissima, repeated silica gel column chromatography, Sephadex LH-20 chromatography and recrystallization were applied for chemical constituents isolation and purification. Ten phenolic compounds were isolated from the n-BuOH fraction and their structures were elucidated by physical properties and spectra analysis such as UV, ESI-MS and NMR as monodecarboxyellagic acid (1), ellagic acid (2), 3, 3'-di-O-methylellagic acid (3), 3, 3'-di-O-methylellagic acid-4-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (4), 3, 3'-di-O-methylellagic acid-4'-O-alpha-D-arabinfuranoside (5), ferulic acid (6), isoferulic acid (7), caffeic acid (8), 4-O-acetyl-caffeic acid (9), and 4-methyl-1, 2-benzenediol (10). All compounds except for isoferulic acid were isolated firstly from this plant except for isoferulic acid, and compounds 5, 9 and 10 were obtained from Tamarix genus for the first time.

Effects of oxysophoridine on Glu and GABA immuno-reaction positive neurons in cortex and hippocampus of rats / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of oxysophoridine (OSR) on glutamate (Glu) and gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) immuno-reaction positive neurons in the cortex and hippocampus of rats.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Immunohistochemistry method (SABC) and the micrographic analysis technique were employed to monitor the effect of OSR in the variations of Glu and GABA immunoreaction positive neurons in the cortex and hippocampus of rats.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>OSR administrated icv (10 mg) significantly increased the number of GABA immuno-reaction positive neurons while decreasing the number of glu immunoreaction positive neurons in cortex and hippocampus in rats (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Results showed that the change of Glu and GABA caused by OSR may responsible for its inhibitory effects on the central nervous system.</p>

Study on direct electrochemical behaviors and the electroanalytical method of matrine type alkaloids at glassy carbon electrode / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the direct electrochemical behaviors of matrine (MT), oxymatrine (OMT), sophoridine (SR) and oxysophoridine (OSR) at a glassy carbon electrode in a physiological medium, and to determine the contents of commercial MT and SR pharmaceutical products were determined.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Their electrochemical behaviors and contents in 0.15 mol x L(-1) NaCl aqueous solutions were obtained by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and square wave voltammetry (SWV) methods.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The electrochemical experimental results show that the two totally irreversible oxidation peaks for both MT and SR were observed, which potential values are 0.81 V and 0.92 V, and the electrode reaction processes were diffusion-controlled. But for both OMT and OSR, they have no oxidation peaks observed in the same condition as well. The linear range of the concentration of MT and SR and the contents in their products were obtained by SWV.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The research results can be applied in determination of the contents of commercial MT and SR pharmaceutical products.</p>

Study on electrochemical kinetics of matrine and sophoridine in a physiological medium / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the kinetic processes of direct electrooxidation for both matrine and sophoridine in a physiological medium.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Their direct electrooxidative behaviors and the parameters of electrochemical kinetics were obtained by cyclic voltammetry (CV), bulk electrolysis with coulometry, chronocoulometry (CC), chronoamperometry (CA).</p><p><b>RESULT AND CONCLUSION</b>The electrochemical experimental results show that the two totally irreversible oxidation peaks in the region of 0.3-1.2 V vs SCE for both MT and SR were observed, and the electrode reactions processes were diffusion-controlled. Their electron transfer number n and electron transfer coefficient alpha were obtained by CV and electrolysis with coulometry. The diffusion coefficient D and rate constant kf were also calculated by CC and CA.</p>