Osteoprotective Effect and Mechanisms of Taxillus chinensis from Different Hosts on Ovariectomized Osteoporotic Rats / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo compare the effects of Taxillus chinensis from different hosts with different meridian affinity on bone microstructure and bone metabolism in ovariectomized osteoporotic rats， and investigate its mechanism of action. MethodEighty-eight specific-pathogen-free （SPF）-grade female Sprague-Dawley （SD） rats were selected and randomly divided into 11 groups： sham-operated group， model group， low-， medium- and high-dose groups of T. chinensis from Morus alba （2.5， 5， and 10 g·kg-1）， low-， medium- and high-dose groups of T. chinensis from Cinnamomum cassia （2.5， 5， and 10 g·kg-1）， and low-， medium- and high-dose groups of T. chinensis from C. burmannii （2.5， 5， and 10 g·kg-1）. After 12 weeks of drug intervention， the rats were examined for proximal femur bone density and bone microstructure using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry （DXA） and micro-computed tomography （Micro-CT）. Histopathological changes in rat femur were observed by the hematoxylin-eosin staining （HE）. Contents of serum estradiol （E2）， bone Gla protein （BGP）， bone alkaline phosphatase （BALP）， tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b （TRACP-5b） and pre-collagen type Ⅰ amino-terminal protopeptide （PINP） were measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was employed to detect the messenger ribonucleic acid （mRNA） expressions of bone morphogenetic protein-2 （BMP-2）， Smad1， Smad9 and recombinant runt-related transcription factor 2 （Runx2） in rat humerus. Western blot was used to detect the protein expressions of BMP-2， p-Smad1/5/9 and Runx2 in rat humerus. ResultCompared with that in the sham-operated group， the femur microstructure of rats in the model group was significantly disrupted， with significant decreases in bone mineral density （BMD） value， bone volume fraction （BV/TV）， trabecular number （Tb.N）， and trabecular thickness （Tb.Th） （P<0.01）， and significant increases in trabecular separation （Tb.Sp） and structure model index （SMI） （P<0.01）. The serum levels of BGP， BALP， TRACP-5b and PINP were significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and E2 levels were significantly decreased （P<0.01）. The mRNA expressions of BMP-2， Smad1， Smad9， and Runx2 were significantly decreased in rat humerus （P<0.01）， and the protein expressions of BMP-2， p-Smad1/5/9， and Runx2 were significantly reduced （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the administration groups of T. chinensis from different hosts all elevated the BMD， BV/TV， Tb.N， Tb.Th， Tb.Sp， and SMI levels in the femur， improved bone microstructure， increased serum E2 levels （P<0.05， P<0.01）， lowered the levels of serum BGP， BALP， TRACP-5b， and PINP， upregulated the mRNA expression of BMP-2， Smad1， and Runx2 and upregulated the mRNA expression levels of Smad9 （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and upregulated the protein expressions levels of BMP-2， p-Smad1/5/9， and Runx2 （P<0.01）. The best effect was observed in the group of T. chinensis from C. cassia. ConclusionT. chinensis from different hosts improved osteoporosis in ovariectomized rats， with the group of T. chinensis from C. cassia being the most potent among the administered groups， and its treatment of osteoporosis may regulate the balance of bone conversion by regulating BMP/Smad signaling pathway.

Mechanism of achyranthes bidentata bl.-taxillus Chinensis danser in the treatment of osteoarthritis based on network pharmacology / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND: Achyranthes bidentata Bl.-Taxillus chinensis Danser is the most commonly used drug combination for clinical treatment of osteoarthritis, but its pharmacological mechanism is not clear. OBJECTIVE: To screen the main active chemical constituents of Achyranthes bidentata Bl.-Taxillus chinensis Danser based on the method of network pharmacology, collect the targets corresponding to the compounds, and build a drug-active ingredient-potential target network for treating osteoarthritis to treat bones and joints, and to systematically elucidate the pharmacological mechanism of inflammation. METHODS: The TCMSP database was used to obtain the active ingredients and targets of Achyranthes bidentata Bl.-Taxillus chinensis Danser, and the targets of osteoarthritis diseases obtained from the DisGeNET and GENE databases were intersected to screen out potential targets for the treatment of osteoarthritis by Achyranthes bidentata Bl.-Taxillus chinensis Danser. Using the String database and Cytoscape 3.6.1 software, we built a drug-active ingredient-therapeutic osteoarthritis potential target network and a protein-protein interaction network between potential targets. At the same time, the gene ontology (GO) biological function and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Gnomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment of potential targets were analyzed through the Omicshare cloud platform and DAVID database. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: A total of 21 active ingredients and 48 potential targets for the prevention and treatment of osteoarthritis were screened from Achyranthes bidentata Bl.-Taxillus chinensis Danser. A total of 1 970 GO entries were obtained by GO enrichment analysis, of which 1 862 were biological processes, 29 were cellular components, and 79 were molecular functions (P < 0.01). KEGG pathway enrichment analysis screened out 76 potential signaling pathways for Achyranthes bidentata Bl.-Taxillus chinensis Danser to prevent osteoarthritis (P < 0.01). These findings indicate that Achyranthes bidentata Bl.-Taxillus chinensis Danser affects multiple metabolic pathways, affects different metabolic pathways that interacts and coordinates with each other, thereby preventing and curing osteoarthritis. This study tentatively explains the mechanism of the prevention and treatment of osteoarthritis by multi-component-multi-target-multi-pathway in Achyranthes bidentata Bl.-Taxillus chinensis Danser, which provides new ideas and clues for the prevention and treatment of osteoarthritis.

Correlation study on chemical constitutes of cardiac glycosides in Taxillus chinensis and its Nerium indicum host by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS / 中国中药杂志

To build up an identification method on cardiac glycosides in Taxillus chinensis and its Nerium indicum host, and evaluate the influence on medicine quality from host to T. chinensis, ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-time-of-flight tandem mass-mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS)was applied. The samples of T. chinensis(harvested from N. indicum)and its N. indicum host were collected in field. The samples of T. chinensis(harvested from Morus alba)and its M. alba host was taken as control substance. All samples were extracted by ultrasonic extraction in 70% ethanol. Chromatographic separation was performed on an ACQUITY UPLC HSS T3 C_(18)(2.1 mm×100 mm,1.8 μm)column at 40 ℃. Gradient elution was applied, and the mobile phase was consisted of 0.1% formic acid water and acetonitrile. The 0.5 μL of sample solution was injected and the flow rate of the mobile phase was kept at 0.6 mL·min~(-1) in each run. It was done to identify cardiac glycosides and explore the chemical composition correlation in T. chinensis and its N. indicum host by analyzing positive and negative ion mode mass spectrometry data, elemental composition, cardiac glycoside reference substance and searching related literatures. A total of 29 cardiac glycosides were identified, 28 of it belonged to N. indicum host, 5 belonged to T. chinensis(harvested from N. indicum host), none of cardiac glycoside was identified in T. chinensis(harvested from M. alba host). The result could provide a reference in evaluating the influence in T. chinensis medicine quality from host. It was rapid, accurate, and comprehensive to identify cardiac glycosides in T. chinensis and its N. indicum host by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS.

Impacts of Different Host Trees on the Quality of Taxillus Chinensis / 世界科学技术-中医药现代化

Taxillus chinensis,belonging to hemiparasitic herbal medicine and featuring its wild host range,is used for relief from rheumatic conditions,reinforcement of liver and kidney,strengthening of tendon and bone,and prevention of abortion.It showed that host trees presented significant impacts on the quality of Taxillus chinensis in the modern researches.In this study,both domestic and foreign published articles over Taxillus chinensis from various host trees were reviewed to summarized its herbalogy,chemical constituents,toxicity,and pharmacological action.In regard to the influences on the quality of medicinal materials,ideas and references for the quality control of Taxillus chinensis were provided by analyzing the quality of Taxillus chinensis impacted by hosts.

Study on flavones from Taxillus chinensis (DC.) Danser and assay of its quercetin / 中成药

AIM: To isolate and identify flavones from Taxillus chinensis (DC.) Danser, to establish the content determination of quercetin. METHODS: The flavones were isolated and purified by column chromatography on silica gel. Its structures were identified by spectroscopic methods, including IR, UV, MS. HPLC was used to assay the quercetin. RESULTS: quercetin and quercitrin content were determined. CONCLUSION: This method is accurate, reliable with good separability and reproducibility, it can be applied as standard for the control of Taxillus chinensis (DC.) Danser.