Preliminary exploration of detoxification mechanism of processing methods on cardiotoxicity induced by radix Tripterygium wilfordii in mice via Nrf2/HO-1 pathway / 中国中药杂志

This study aims to investigate the detoxification effects of different processing methods on the cardiotoxicity induced by radix Tripterygium wilfordii, and preliminarily explore the detoxification mechanism via the nuclear factor E2-related factor 2(Nrf2)/heme oxygenase 1(HO-1) pathway. The raw and processed products [stir-fried product, product stir-fried with Lysimachiae Herba(JQC), product stir-fried with Phaseoli Radiati Semen(LD), product stir-fried with Paeoniae Radix Alba(BS), product stir-fried with Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma(GC), and product stir-fried with vinegar(CZ)] of radix T. wilfordii were administrated to mice by gavage at a dose of 2 g·kg~(-1)(based on crude drugs) for 28 days. Twenty-four hours after the last administration, we measured the serum biochemical indexes of mice to evaluate the detoxification effect. Furthermore, we determined the expression of key proteins of Nrf2/HO-1 pathway in mouse heart tissue by Western blot and some oxidation/antioxidation-related indexes by corresponding kits to explore the detoxification mechanism. The administration of the raw product elevated the levels of serum creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, and malondialdehyde, a product of cardiac lipid peroxidation(P<0.01), down-regulated the protein levels of Nrf2 and HO-1(P<0.01), and reduced the levels of total superoxide dismutase, glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione S-transferase(P<0.01). However, after the administration of the products stir-fried with JQC, LD, BS, GC, and CZ, the abnormalities of the above indexes induced by the raw product were recovered(P<0.05 or P<0.01). In particular, the product stir-fried with JQC showed the best performance. Taken all together, the cardiotoxicity induced by radix T. wilfordii could be attenuated by stir-frying with JQC, LD, BS, GC, and CZ, and the stir-frying with JQC showed the best detoxification effect. The mechanism might be associated with the cardiac antioxidant defense and oxidative damage mitigation mediated by the up-regulated Nrf2.

Processing technology for reducing toxicity of fried Tripterygium wilfordii in Lysimachia christinae decoction / 中国中药杂志

On the basis of the previous work of the research group, the orthogonal design method was further used to optimize the processing technology for reducing toxicity of fried Tripterygium wilfordii in Lysimachia christinae Decoction. A total of 9 processed products of T.wilfordii in L.christinae decoction were prepared by four factors and three levels orthogonal design table. The contents of triptolide in T.wilfordii were determined by high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) before and after processing: 4.27, 3.92, 3.57, 2.75, 2.42, 2.66, 3.51, 1.87, 1.75, 2.03 μg·g~(-1). On this basis, the above processed products were orally given to mice for 28 days. 12 hours after the last administration, food fasting except water was provided, and 24 hours later, the eyeballs were taken for blood and liver tissue. Serum biochemical indexes, liver lipid peroxidation and antioxidant related indexes were detected by kit method. Twenty-eight days after oral administration of raw T.wilfordii, the levels of serum alanine aminotransferase(AST), alanine aminotransferase(ALT), alkaline phosphatase(ALP) and liver malondialdehyde(MDA) in mice increased by 91%(P<0.01), 46%(P<0.05), 73%(P<0.01) and 99%(P<0.01), while the liver antioxidant indexes such as superoxide dismutase(SOD), glutathione(GSH), glutathione peroxidase(GPX) and glutathione-S transferase(GST) significantly decreased(P<0.01). After administration of the processed products, the above indexes were significantly reversed(P<0.01 or P<0.05). Especially, the processing conditions of A_3B_2C_1D_3 had the best detoxification effect on T.wilfordii, which decreased the high levels of AST, ALT, ALP and MDA by 49%(P<0.01), 32%(P<0.01), 42%(P<0.01), and 17%(P<0.05). Therefore, the best processing conditions for T.wilfordii in L.christinae decoction were A_3B_2C_1D_3, namely "15% mass fraction of L.christinae, 1 h moistening time, 160 ℃ frying temperature, and 9 min frying time".

Comparison of Detoxification Effect of Different Solvent Extracts of Lysimachiae Herba on Toxicity Induced by Tripterygii Radix et Rhizoma / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To investigate the effect of different extracts of Lysimachiae Herba on the main toxicity induced by Tripterygii Radix et Rhizoma. Method:Ninety male SPF Kunming mice were randomly divided into 9 groups according to their body weight，control group， Lysimachiae Herba water extract group， Lysimachiae Herba 30% ethanol extract group， Tripterygii Radix et Rhizoma group， Tripterygii Radix et Rhizoma combined with Lysimachiae Herba water extract group， Tripterygii Radix et Rhizoma combined with Lysimachiae Herba 30% ethanol extract group， Tripterygii Radix et Rhizoma combined with Lysimachiae Herba 60% ethanol extract group， Tripterygii Radix et Rhizoma combined with Lysimachiae Herba 95% ethanol extract group and Tripterygii Radix et Rhizoma combined with Lysimachiae Herba ethyl acetate extract group. The dosage of Tripterygii Radix et Rhizoma and Lysimachiae Herba were 2，1 g·kg^-1 based on crude drugs， respectively. The control group was given an equal volume of solvent， and each group was given by gavage for 14 consecutive days. The blood and liver tissues were taken 24 hours after the last administration. The enzyme linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to detect serum biochemical indexes and liver lipid peroxidation/antioxidant indexes in mice. Meanwhile， principal component analysis was used to evaluate the attenuating effect and the mechanism of Lysimachiae Herba extract on toxicity of Tripterygii Radix et Rhizoma. Result:Compared with control group， Tripterygii Radix et Rhizoma caused the levels of alanine aminotransferase（ALT），aspartic acid amino transferase（AST），alkaline phosphatase（ALP） in serum of mice， and the levels of malondialdehyde （MDA） in liver， and comprehensive score of toxicity （Z value） produced by the above four indexes increased significantly （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. The levels of total superoxide dismutase （T-SOD），glutathione-peroxidase （GPX），glutathione-S transferase （GST） decreased significantly （<italic>P</italic><0.01） in liver. Compared with Tripterygii Radix et Rhizoma group， after intervention with extracts of two solvents （water， 30% ethanol） of Lysimachiae Herba， the levels of serum ALT， AST， ALP and liver MDA were significantly decreased （<italic>P</italic><0.05， <italic>P</italic><0.01）， while the levels of liver T-SOD， GPX and GST were significantly increased （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. After intervention with extracts of two solvents （60% ethanol， 95% ethanol） of Lysimachiae Herba， the levels of serum ALT， AST， ALP were significantly decreased （<italic>P</italic><0.01）， and liver GPX levels were significantly increased （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. After the intervention with ethyl acetate extract of Lysimachiae Herba， only the level of serum AST was significantly decreased （<italic>P</italic><0.05） and the level of GPX was significantly increased （<italic>P</italic><0.05）. After the intervention with extracts of different solvents （water， 30% ethanol， 60% ethanol， 95% ethanol， ethyl acetate） of Lysimachiae Herba， it can significantly reduce the comprehensive score of toxicity （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. The overall decline rates of toxicity were 127.5%， 113.4%， 98.1%， 56.3% and 31.0% respectively. Among them， the toxicity reduction rate of the extracts with water as a solvent was 14.1%， 29.4%， 71.2%， 96.5% higher than those of other solvent extracts with ethanol. Conclusion:The extracts of different solvents （water， 30% ethanol， 60% ethanol， 95% ethanol and ethyl acetate） of Lysimachiae Herba can reverse the toxicity induced by Tripterygii Radix et Rhizoma in varying degrees. Among them， water and 30% ethanol are the best solvents for detoxification， especially water as the extraction solvent， and with the increase of ethanol content or fat solubility of extraction solvent， the detoxification shows a downward trend.