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Neurodegenerative diseases are a group of diseases caused by degeneration and dysfunction of the cells and tissues of the central nervous system, mainly including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and epilepsy. A common clinical manifestation of these diseases is cognitive decline. Neurodegenerative diseases are more common in the elderly. As population aging is aggravating, neurodegenerative diseases have aroused increasing concern since they seriously affect human health and quality of life. The pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases is complex, mainly related to mitochondrial dysfunction, apoptosis, neurotoxin, neurotransmitter abnormalities, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Although western drugs on the market can attenuate the symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases, they may induce severe adverse reactions and are thus not conducive to long-term use by the patients. The Chinese herbal medicine Angelicae Sinensis Radix was first recorded in the Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica (Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing). It has the functions of activating blood, tonifying blood, modulating the immune system, regulating menstruation, and relieving pain. This paper summarizes the research progress in the effects of Angelicae Sinensis Radix and the prescriptions containing this medicine on neurodegenerative diseases in recent 10 years, aiming to provide a reference for the future application and research of Angelicae Sinensis Radix in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
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OBJECTIVE@#Angelicae Sinensis Radix (ASR, Danggui in Chinese), Cistanches Herba (CH, Roucongrong in Chinese), Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (PG, Renshen in Chinese), and Panacis Quinquefolii Radix (PQ, Xiyangshen in Chinese), widely used as medicine and dietary supplement around the world, are susceptible to fungal and mycotoxin contamination. In this study, we aim to analyze their fungal community by DNA metabarcoding.@*METHODS@#A total of 12 root samples were collected from three main production areas in China. The samples were divided into four groups based on herb species, including ASR, CH, PG, and PQ groups. The fungal community on the surface of four root groups was investigated through DNA metabarcoding via targeting the internal transcribed spacer 2 region (ITS2).@*RESULTS@#All the 12 samples were detected with fungal contamination. Rhizopus (13.04%-74.03%), Aspergillus (1.76%-23.92%), and Fusarium (0.26%-15.27%) were the predominant genera. Ten important fungi were identified at the species level, including two potential toxigenic fungi (Penicillium citrinum and P. oxalicum) and eight human pathogenic fungi (Alternaria infectoria, Candida sake, Hyphopichia burtonii, Malassezia globosa, M. restricta, Rhizopus arrhizus, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, and Ochroconis tshawytschae). Fungal community in ASR and CH groups was significantly different from other groups, while fungal community in PG and PQ groups was relatively similar.@*CONCLUSION@#DNA metabarcoding revealed the fungal community in four important root herbs. This study provided an important reference for preventing root herbs against fungal and mycotoxin contamination.
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Objective To optimize the optimal extraction process for phthalein and phenolic acid components in Angelicae Sinensis Radix-Chuanxiaong Rhizoma decoction pieces.Methods On the basis of a single factor experiment,central combination design-response surface methodology was adopted,and the extraction time,ethanol concentration,and ethanol dosage were used as influencing factors,and the total normalized values of the content of Senkyunolide I,Senkyunolide A and ligustilide,and extract yield were used as evaluation indicators to optimize the extraction process of phthalein components in Angelicae Sinensis Radix-Chuanxiaong Rhizoma decoction pieces;the total normalized values of chlorogenic acid,caffeic acid,ferulic acid,and extract yield were used as evaluation indicators to optimize the extraction process of phenolic acids components in Angelicae Sinensis Radix-Chuanxiaong Rhizoma decoction pieces.Results The optimal extraction process was to add 7 times the amount of 90%ethanol to the phthalein components,extract for 130 minutes each time,and extract twice;phenolic acid components were extracted twice with 7.5 times the amount of 65%ethanol for 120 minutes each time.Conclusion The optimized extraction process for phthalein and phenolic acids in Angelicae Sinensis Radix-Chuanxiaong Rhizoma decoction pieces is stable and feasible,which can provide a basis for subsequent research.
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Angelicae Sinensis Radix (AS) is reproted to exert anti-depression effect (ADE) and nourishing blood effect (NBE) in a rat model of depression. The correlation between the two therapeutic effects and its underlying mechanisms deserves further study. The current study is designed to explore the underlying mechanisms of correlation between the ADE and NBE of AS based on hepatic metabonomics, network pharmacology and molecular docking. According to metabolomics analysis, 30 metabolites involved in 11 metabolic pathways were identified as the potential metabolites for depression. Furthermore, principal component analysis and correlation analysis showed that glutathione, sphinganine, and ornithine were related to pharmacodynamics indicators including behavioral indicators and hematological indicators, indicating that metabolic pathways such as sphingolipid metabolism were involved in the ADE and NBE of AS. Then, a target-pathway network of depression and blood deficiency syndrome was constructed by network pharmacology analysis, where a total of 107 pathways were collected. Moreover, 37 active components obtained from Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography-Triple-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometer (UPLC-Triple-TOF/MS) in AS extract that passed the filtering criteria were used for network pharmacology, where 46 targets were associated with the ADE and NBE of AS. Pathway enrichment analysis further indicated the involvement of sphingolipid metabolism in the ADE and NBE of AS. Molecular docking analysis indciated that E-ligustilide in AS extract exhibited strong binding activity with target proteins (PIK3CA and PIK3CD) in sphingolipid metabolism. Further analysis by Western blot verified that AS regulated the expression of PIK3CA and PIK3CD on sphingolipid metabolism. Our results demonstrated that sphingolipid metabolic pathway was the core mechanism of the correlation between the ADE and NBE of AS.
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Rats , Animals , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Molecular Docking Simulation , Network Pharmacology , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry , Metabolomics/methods , Mass SpectrometryABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of Astragali Radix (AR)-Angelicae Sinensis Radix (ASR) drug pair on supplementing Qi and activating blood circulation in rats with Qi deficiency and blood stasis and provide a theoretical basis for clinical rational medication and identification and quality control of compound pharmacodynamic substances from the three aspects of characteristic map, identification of pharmacodynamic substances, and comparison of blood components. MethodHigh-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was employed to establish the fingerprint of AR∶ASR (3∶1), and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-Q-Exactive Orbitrap-mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap-MS) was employed to analyze the ingredients of the decoction. Adult male Wistar rats with SPF grades were selected and randomly divided into a blank group, a model group, a 3∶1 group, and a 5∶1 group. The rat model of Qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome was prepared by controlling food intake and swimming in cold water every day. In parallel, each group was given medicine (or water) once a day. The dose of drug groups was 10.2 g∙kg-1, and the model group and blank group were given the same amount of distilled water for 15 d. Animal behavior, body weight, whole blood and plasma viscosity, thymus index, spleen index, the levels of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), adenosine diphosphate(ADP), von willebrand factor (vWF), and ATP/ADP value in serum of rats were recorded. The morphology of vascular endothelium was observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and scanning electron microscopy. UPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap-MS was used to analyze prototype and metabolic components in serum. ResultThe fingerprint of AR-ASR drug pair (AR-ASR 3∶1) was established. UPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap MS identified 49 chemical components in vitro and preliminarily identified 11 prototype components absorbed into blood in vivo. As compared with the blank group, the body mass decreased significantly (P<0.01), the whole blood (high shear, middle shear, and low shear) viscosity and plasma viscosity were significantly increased (P<0.05, P<0.01), the thymus index and spleen index decreased significantly (P<0.05, P<0.01), serum ATP content decreased significantly (P<0.01), ADP content increased significantly (P<0.01), ATP/ADP value decreased significantly (P<0.01), and vWF content increased significantly (P<0.01). The results of HE staining and scanning electron microscopy showed that the vessels were partially damaged, showing the structural disorder of the intima, the bulge, defect, and roughness of the endothelium, and the obvious cell adhesion and migration in the model group. As compared with the model group, the body mass also increased significantly (P<0.01). The results of whole blood and plasma viscosity showed that the whole blood low shear viscosity was significantly decreased in the 3∶1 group (P<0.05). The results of thymus index and spleen index showed that 5∶1 group significantly increased the thymus index of rats (P<0.05). The results of serum ATP and ADP levels showed that the 5∶1 group had more significant effects on ATP and ADP levels (P<0.05), and both groups significantly reduced ATP/ADP values (P<0.01). The results of serum vWF level showed that the vWF content in the 3∶1 group decreased significantly (P<0.05). The results of HE staining and scanning electronic microscopy showed that the damage of vascular endothelium was improved in the treatment group and the structure of intima was neat. ConclusionAR-ASR drug pair can improve the macro and micro indexes of rats with qi deficiency and blood stasis in the 3∶1 and 5∶1 groups. Overall, the 5∶1 ratio has a better effect on supplementing Qi but 3∶1 ratio has a better effect on promoting blood circulation.
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In order to prevent the maternal immune defenses to the semi-allogeneic fetus, the maternal body will present a special adaptive immune system change represented by acute thymic involution(ATI) during pregnancy, which can be quickly regenerated after delivery. The ATI during pregnancy is related to the level of sex hormones, which is mainly caused by progesterone. Pregnancy-induced ATI is manifested as the continuous shrinkage of thymus volume, especially the cortex, and the wrinkle and phagocytosis of the subcapsular cortical thymic epithelial cells(cTECs), while other thymic epithelial cells(TECs) remain unchanged. The postpartum thymus is regenerated by the co-mediation of forkhead box N1(FOXN1) as well as its target genes chemokine(C-C motif) ligand 25(CCL25), chemokine(C-X-C motif) ligand 12(CXCL12), δ-like ligand 4(DLL4), cathepsin L(CTSL), and serine protease 16(PRSS16). Once the postpartum thymus is poorly repaired, immune dysfunction of the maternal body and several puerperal diseases will be induced, seriously endangering the survival of the mother and the newborn. In traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), Qi and blood are the cornerstone of pregnancy, and the thymus plays a key role in regulating Qi and blood. The deficiency of Qi and blood during pregnancy and childbirth is closely related to the abnormal ATI during pregnancy and the poor regeneration of the postpartum thymus. Based on this theory, TCM has profound academic ideas and rich clinical experience in postpartum recuperation. Based on the systematic description of the mechanism of ATI regeneration during pregnancy, as well as data mining and analysis of two classic gynecological works of TCM, Wan's Gynecology and Fu Qing-zhu's Treatise on Gynecology, this study found that the commonly used TCM for postpartum included Angelicae Sinensis Radix, Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma, Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, and Chuanxiong Rhizoma. Among them, Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma, Angelicae Sinensis Radix, and Chuanxiong Rhizoma are high-frequency TCMs with positive effects on postpartum recovery.However, the mechanism of these TCMs in promoting postpartum thymus regeneration needs further investigation.
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Female , Infant, Newborn , Humans , Pregnancy , Ligands , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology , Medicine, Chinese Traditional , Prescriptions , Postpartum Period , ChemokinesABSTRACT
Angelicae Sinensis Radix is one of the main Chinese medicinal materials with both medicinal and edible values. It has the functions of tonifying and activating blood, regulating menstruation and relieving pain, and moistening intestines to relieve constipation. It is mainly produced in the southeastern Gansu province, and that produced in Minxian, Gansu is praised for the best quality. The chemical components of Angelicae Sinensis Radix mainly include volatile oils, organic acids, and polysaccharides, which have anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, anti-tumor, anti-oxidation, immunomodulatory and other pharmacological effects. Therefore, this medicinal material is widely used in clinical practice. By reviewing the relevant literature, this study systematically introduced the research status about the chemical constituents and pharmacological effects of processed Angelicae Sinensis Radix products, aiming to provide a theoretical reference and support for the future research, development, and clinical application of related drugs.
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology , Angelica sinensis , Oils, Volatile , Anti-Inflammatory Agents , PainABSTRACT
The demand for Angelicae Sinensis Radix, the dry root of Angelica sinensis, has been increasing year by year. However, the continuous cropping obstacles, frequent occurrence of pests and diseases, overuse of chemical pesticides, excessive pesticide residues and other problems in Angelicae Sinensis Radix production have attracted much attention. In this paper, we summarized the common diseases and pests attacking Angelica sinensis as well as the detection methods and characteristics of pesticide residues in Angelicae Sinensis Radix from 2002 to 2021. Additionally, we compared the limit standards of pesticide residues in Angelicae Sinensis Radix in and out of China and put forward suggestions for the high-quality and green development of Angelicae Sinensis Radix industry conside-ring the existing problems. The pesticide residues in Angelicae Sinensis Radix have been changing from organochlorines to organophosphorus pesticides. In recent years, some organophosphorus pesticides such as phorate, phoxim, isofenphos-methyl, phorate-sulfoxide, fenamiphos, isocarbophos, omethoate, and triazophos in Angelicae Sinensis Radix have seriously exceeded the standards. The detection methods of pesticide residues has evolved from chromatography to high performance chromatography-mass spectrometry, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS), and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry(LC-MS), and some new detection techniques such as immunoassay have also been applied. Pesticide residues have become a primary factor that restricting the development of Angelicae Sinensis Radix industry. Therefore, moderate application of pesticides, establishment of ecological planting system, and strict limit standards of pesticide residues are necessary to solve the pesticide residue problem.
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Angelica sinensis/chemistry , Chromatography, Liquid , Organophosphorus Compounds , Pesticide Residues , PesticidesABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo establish a simple, fast and accurate method for locating the volatile oil in Angelicae Sinensis Radix based on frozen section and fluorescence imaging technology, and to reveal the distribution and accumulation of volatile oil in the roots of this herbal medicine. MethodAngelicae Sinensis Radix was used as the research material, the best frozen section conditions for the research material were established by comparing the effects of different cryoprotectants on the quality of frozen sections of Angelicae Sinensis Radix. The suitability of Sudan Ⅲ chemical staining and fluorescence localization for positioning the volatile oil were compared according to the loss of volatile oil and the complexity of operation process. ResultA new method for evaluating the quality of frozen sections of Angelicae Sinensis Radix was established. According to the evaluation equation, it was found that the highest score was obtained when the head, body and tail positions of Angelicae Sinensis Radix were treated with 20% glycerol, 15% glycerol and 20% sucrose, respectively. There was yellowish-brown oily substance in the oil chambers of phelloderm and secondary phloem, and oil canal of the secondary xylem of Angelicae Sinensis Radix, which could be stained orange red or orange yellow by Sudan Ⅲ, and there was green spontaneous fluorescence in the same part under the fluorescence microscope. ConclusionThe relatively complete section of Angelicae Sinensis Radix can be obtained after being treated with cryoprotectant. The volatile oil exists in the oil chambers of phelloderm and secondary phloem, and oil canal of the secondary xylem of Angelicae Sinensis Radix. This study can provide reference for observation of the accumulation sites of volatile oil in other plants.
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The occurrence and development of malignant tumors seriously affect the survival time and quality of life of people all over the world, and finding proper treatment methods has been a focus for doctors. Especially in recent years, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has developed and attracted the attention of doctors and patients. From the perspective of TCM syndrome differentiation and treatment, deficiency and stasis are the most fundamental causes of malignant tumors, and supplementing deficiency and removing stasis can be regarded as the basic criteria of TCM treatment of malignant tumors. TCM prescriptions can treat diseases by means of multiple components and multiple targets, with the characteristics of slight side effect and high efficacy, safety and cost performance, as well as easiness to be accepted and taken. As a classic recipe for invigorating Qi and generating blood, Danggui Buxuetang consists of Astragali Radix -Angelicae Sinensis Radix 5∶1. It has excellent effects in anti-tumor, bone marrow suppression after chemotherapy, immune function decline, anemia, heart and cerebral vessels protection, blood deficiency-led fever, diabetes, anti-atherosclerosis, anti-fatigue, anti-radiation, myocardial ischemia alleviation, inhibition of platelet aggregation, liver damage, etc. In addition, with many active anti-tumor ingredients, Danggui Buxuetang can exert anti-tumor effects via acting on multiple targets in different binding sites. However, there has been a lack of reviews on the role of Danggui Buxuetang in malignant tumors so far. Therefore, in this paper, the functions of Danggui Buxuetang in malignant tumors were reviewed. Besides, molecular docking technology was used to analyze the main active anti-tumor ingredients and action targets of Danggui Buxuetang.
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ObjectiveTo study the effects of foliar spraying of two kinds of compound rhizosphere growth-promoting agents on the growth and physiological characteristics of Angelicae Sinensis Radix (ASR), as well as the pharmacodynamic components, in order to lay a foundation for providing functional microbial agents for ecological cultivation of ASR. MethodThe compound growth-promoting agents T1 (Pseudomonas CBS5, CBS7 and CBSB) and T2 (Bacillus 5C1, 5C5 and 5C7) with the concentration of 1×108 CFU·mL-1 were sprayed on the leaf surface of the field, and the sterile potato glucose broth medium was used as the control (CK). The plant growth indexes of ASR were measured by conventional methods, the photosynthetic physiological indexes of ASR were measured by portable photosynthetic measurement system, the enzyme activities of plants and microorganisms were measured by kit method, and the endogenous hormone levels were analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. The contents of ferulic acid, senkyunolide I, coniferyl ferulate, senkyunolide A and Z-ligustilide were determined by high performance liquid chromatography. ResultCompared with CK, the two compound inoculants could promote the growth of ASR and increase the biomass, increase the leaf net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, intercellular CO2 concentration, transpiration rate, increase catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, polyamine oxidase, diamine oxidase and polyphenol oxidase enzyme activities, increase endogenous jasmonic acid, cytokinin and gibberellin levels in plants, increase the contents of ferulic acid, senkyunolide A and Z-ligustilide, reduce the contents of malondialdehyde and abscisic acid, and reduce the incidence of root rot. ConclusionFoliar spraying of two kinds of rhizosphere compound growth-promoting agents can promote the growth, photosynthesis and stress resistance of ASR, and can improve the quality of ASR in different degrees. Comprehensive analysis shows that T1 treatment is better than T2 treatment in the growth-promoting and quality-enhancing of ASR.
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Angelicae Sinensis Radix excels in activating blood, but the scientific mechanism has not been systematically analyzed, thus limiting the development of the medicinal. This study employed the computer-aided drug design methods, such as structural similarity-based target reverse prediction, complex network analysis, molecular docking, binding free energy calculation, cluster analysis, and ADMET(absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, toxicity) calculation, and enzyme activity assay in vitro, to explore the components and mechanism of Angelicae Sinensis Radix in activating blood. Target reverse prediction and complex network analysis yielded 40 potential anticoagulant targets of the medicinal. Gene Ontology(GO) term enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis indicated that the targets mainly acted on the complement and coagulation cascade signaling pathway to exert the anticoagulant function. Among them, the key enzymes thrombin(THR) and coagulation factor Xa(FXa) in coagulation cascade and thrombosis were the drug targets for thromboembolic diseases. At the same time, molecular docking and cluster analysis showed that the medicinal had high selectivity for FXa. According to binding free energy score, 8 potential active components were selected for enzyme activity assay in vitro. The results demonstrated that 8 components inhibited THR and FXa, and the inhibition was stronger on FXa than on THR. The pharmacophore model of 8 active compounds was constructed, which suggested that the components had the common pharmacophore AAHH. The ADMET calculation result indicated that they had good pharmacokinetic properties and were safe. Based on target reverse prediction, complex network analysis, molecular docking and binding free energy calculation, anticoagulant activity in vitro, spatial binding conformation of molecules and targets, pharmacophore model construction, and ADMET calculation, this study preliminarily clarified the material basis and molecular mechanism of Angelicae Sinensis Radix in activating blood from the perspective of big data, and calculated the pharmacology and toxicology parameters of the active components. Our study, for the first time, revealed that the medicinal had obvious selectivity and pertinence for different coagulation proteins, reflecting the unique effect of different Chinese medicinals and the biological basis. Therefore, this study can provide clues for precision application of Angelicae Sinensis Radix and the development of the blood-activating components with modern technology.
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Anticoagulants/pharmacology , Blood Coagulation , Drug Design , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology , Molecular Docking SimulationABSTRACT
Dao-di herbs, produced in a specific region and screened through long-term clinical application, is characterized by high stable quality, good efficacy, and high popularity. With favorable climate conditions, Gansu gives birth to the Dao-di herbs Angelicae Sinensis Radix which is widely used in clinical practice, and multiple regions in Gansu, with similar ecological environment produce Angelicae Sinensis Radix. In this study, the spatial correlation and difference of phenolic acid content in Angelicae Sinensis Radix from Dao-di producing areas, emerging producing areas, and emerging planting areas in Gansu were analyzed based on ArcGIS to explore the "quality(chemical type)" characteristics of genuine Angelicae Sinensis Radix. Moreover, spatial distribution law and main driving factors of the total phenolic acid content in Angelicae Sinensis Radix in Gansu were analyzed based on geodetecctor. This study is expected to lay a basis for Dao-di research and production regionalization of Angelicae Sinensis Radix.
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Angelica sinensis , Cell Differentiation , Drugs, Chinese Herbal , HydroxybenzoatesABSTRACT
The anti-inflammatory activity and compatibility ratio of flavonoids in Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma Praeparata Cum Melle(GR) and Angelicae Sinensis Radix(AS) were evaluated by the superoxide anion scavenging test. The matrix formula of gel was optimized by orthogonal test design and the model of deep partial-thickness scald in mice was induced. The gel was applied to the wound. The tissue water content, wound healing rate, serum TNF-α and IL-1, and EGF and VEGF in tissues were measured at diffe-rent periods. The results revealed that when the compatibility ratio of GR and AS was 1∶2, the maximal scavenging efficacy on supe-roxide anion was observed. The gel displayed the optimal properties when carbomer(1%), glycerol(5%), propylene glycol(10%) were added into the matrix. Gel external application can significantly improve the wound healing rate, relieve tissue edema, diminish tissue water content, alleviate inflammatory reaction, and increase the content of EGF and VEGF in tissues(P<0.05). The gel prepared in the present study is effective in promoting granulation, relieving pain, resisting inflammation, and alleviating edema, and is potent in healing scalds.
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Animals , Mice , Anti-Inflammatory Agents , Drugs, Chinese Herbal , Flavonoids , Glycyrrhiza , RhizomeABSTRACT
A HPLC method was established for simultaneous determination of two organic acids(chlorogenic acid and ferulic acid) and five phthalides(senkyunolide I, senkyunolide H, senkyunolide A, ligustilide, and butylidenephthalide) in Angelicae Sinensis Radix and its processed products to clarify the underlying material transferring rules. The analysis was performed on a Welch Ultimate C_8 column(4.6 mm×250 mm, 5 μm) with acetonitrile(A)-0.085% phosphoric acid water(B) as the mobile phase in a gradient elution mode at the flow rate of 1.1 mL·min~(-1), the column temperature of 25 ℃, the detection wavelength of 280 nm, and the injection volume of 10 μL. Under these conditions, the content of the above-mentioned seven components was analyzed in 15 batches of Angelicae Sinensis Radix and its processed products, and the transfer rate of each compound was calculated. As a result, in the processed products, the average content of chlorogenic acid was slightly decreased and that of ferulic acid was equivalent to the medicinal materials. The content of senkyunolide I, senkyunolide H, senkyunolide A, and butylidenephthalide showed an increasing trend in the processed products as compared with the medicinal materials. The mass fraction of ligustilide in the medicinal materials was above 0.7%(0.94% on average), meeting the requirement of 0.6% in the Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards, but was 0.47% on average in the processed products, which was decreased by 50% approximately. Further investigation showed that the content of ligustilide in freshly made processed products of Angelicae Sinensis Radix did not change significantly compared with that in the medicinal materials, indicating that the loss of ligustilide in the processed products mainly occurred in the storage. Therefore, Angelicae Sinensis Radix is suitable for storing in the form of medicinal materials and the freshly made processed products should be used except for special cases. Additionally, it is recommended to control the content of volatile oils or ligustilide in medicinal materials and processed products of Angelicae Sinensis Radix to ensure its effectiveness in clinical medication.
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Angelica sinensis , Chlorogenic Acid , Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid , Drugs, Chinese Herbal , Plant RootsABSTRACT
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that leads to progressive memory and cognitive impairment and behavioral disorders, which has seriously threatened the health of the majority of middle-aged and elderly people. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) believes that the basic pathogenesis of AD is deficiency of kidney-essence, blood stasis and meridian stagnation. In recent years, many studies have shown that TCM has obvious value and advantages in the prevention and treatment of AD by multi-target mechanism. Therefore, it is of great significance to screen out effective anti-AD drugs from TCM compound prescriptions. Huangjingwan, also known as Jiuzhuan Huangjingwan, has the effects in tonifying kidney-essence, activating blood and removing stasis, with a potential effect in preventing AD. In this article, the feasibility of Huangjingwan in the prevention and treatment of AD was analyzed and discussed from the perspective of TCM theory, the study results of Huangjingwan in the prevention and treatment of AD were summarized, and the mechanism of its action was analyzed from the perspective of pharmacological mechanism. Based on TCM theory, Huangjingwan has the effect of anti-AD. According to relevant findings, Huangjingwan has many targets, such as anti-oxidation, anti-inflammatory, decrease of the level of oxidative stress in brain, activation of Wnt/β-catenin signal transduction in brain, regulation of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β), protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) activity balance, reduction of amyloid β (Aβ) content and tau protein hyperphosphorylation in brain, so as to exert effects in improving neurological symptoms and increasing learning and memory ability, with an anti-AD neuroprotective function. This will provide new ideas for in-depth studies and clinical applications of Huangjingwan against AD.
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Objective:To explore the action mechanism of medicinal pair Astragali Radix-Angelicae Sinensis Radix against diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) based on network pharmacology and<italic> in vivo </italic>animal experiment. Method:The active ingredients and targets of Astragali Radix and Angelicae Sinensis Radix were retrieved from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP) and Bioinformatics Analysis Tool for Molecular mechANism of Traditional Chinese Medicine (BATMAN-TCM), and the relevant targets of DCM from the disease database. The common specific targets between the medicinal pair and DCM obtained via comparison were used for constructing the main active ingredients of Astragali Radix-Angelicae Sinensis Radix-DCM-target network, followed by protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis of compound-DCM common targets and the screening of important modules using Molecular Complex Detection (MCODE) plugin. The gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis was carried out based on DAVID for exploring the possible molecular mechanisms, which were then subjected to experimental verification. Result:A total of 126 core targets of Astragali Radix-Angelicae Sinensis Radix for treating DCM were screened out based on network pharmacology. As indicated by KEGG pathway enrichment analysis, the above-mentioned key targets might be related to such pathways as inflammatory response, oxidative stress, insulin resistance, and apoptosis. The findings of <italic>in vivo</italic> animal experiments demonstrated that Astragali Radix-Angelicae Sinensis Radix delayed high glucose-induced cardiomyocyte injury of DCM rats, suggesting that this medicinal pair intervened in the pathological process to a certain extent. Conclusion:Astragali Radix-Angelicae Sinensis Radix alleviates DCM possibly by acting on multiple targets including interleukin-6, vascular endothelial growth factor A, tumor necrosis factor, TP53 gene, and nuclear transcription factor, regulating apoptosis and glucolipid metabolism, and improving oxidative stress and inflammatory response. The research based on network pharmacology and experimental verification has provided new ideas for investigating the pathogenesis of DCM and its clinical treatment.
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Objective:To investigate the protective effect and molecular mechanism of Angelicae Sinensis Radix-Chuanxiong Rhizoma medicated serum (ASRCRS) against oxidative damage of PC12 cells induced by H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>. Method:Oxidative damage of PC12 cells was induced by H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub><italic> in vitro</italic>, and intervention was performed in the low-, medium-, and high-dose ASRCRS groups with a final volume fraction of 15%. The cell viability was determined by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay. Cell morphology was observed by an inverted fluorescence microscope. The content of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and malondialdehyde (MDA), the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), and the distribution of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the cell supernatant were detected by the kits. Cell apoptosis was detected by Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining. The protein expression levels of nuclear factor E<sub>2</sub>-related factor 2 (Nrf2), Kelch-like epichlorohydrin associated protein-1 (Keap1), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), and SOD1 were detected by Western blot. Result:Oxidative damage was induced by 300 μmol·L<sup>-1</sup> H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> for 24 hours. Compared with the normal group, the model group showed abnormal cell morphology, reduced cell viability (<italic>P</italic><0.01), increased LDH and MDA (<italic>P</italic><0.01), blunted SOD activity, elevated intracellular distribution of ROS, down-regulated protein expression of Nrf2, HO-1, and SOD1 (<italic>P</italic><0.05, <italic>P</italic><0.05), and up-regulated protein expression of Keap1 (<italic>P</italic><0.01). Compared with the model group, ASRCRS groups displayed improved cell morphology, increased cell viability, inhibited cell apoptosis, potentiated SOD activity (<italic>P</italic><0.01), suppressed release of LDH (<italic>P</italic><0.01) and generation of ROS, decreased content of MDA (<italic>P</italic><0.01), up-regulated protein expression of Nrf2, HO-1 and SOD1 (<italic>P</italic><0.05, <italic>P</italic><0.01), and down-regulated protein expression of Keap1 (<italic>P</italic><0.01). Conclusion:ASRCRS could protect PC12 cells from oxidative damage induced by H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> by up-regulating the expression of Nrf2 to activate the Nrf2/antioxidant response element (ARE) signaling pathway, enhancing the ability to resist oxidative damage, and inhibiting cell apoptosis.
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Angelicae Sinensis Radix, derived from a medicinal and edible plant Angelica sinensis, is one of the traditional bulk Chinese medicines. In addition to gynecological blood stagnation and deficiency, its indications also include dysmenorrhea, deficiency and cold-induced abdominal pain, and rheumatoid arthritis. With the in-depth study of Angelicae Sinensis Radix, its anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities have attracted widespread attention. However, there has been no systemic report. The present study comprehensively reviewed the anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of Angelicae Sinensis Radix (including its compositions, extracts, and different processed products) and mechanisms published in recent 30 years. The anti-inflammatory effect of Angelicae Sinensis Radix was achieved mainly by blocking the expression of proteins and genes in nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK), and Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling pathways, inhibiting the release of inflammatory mediators including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and IL-1β, and maintaining the high sensitivity of immune cells in the host to external stimuli. The mechanism of analgesic effect may be related to the suppression of the production of algesic substances (such as inflammatory factors and chemokines) or blocking of the amplification and transmission of pain perception in cascade reaction. Furthermore, the study also pointed out some problems in modern research and proposed suggestions on its future research to provide references for investigation and clinical applications of Angelicae Sinensis Radix.
ABSTRACT
Astragali Radix-Angelicae Sinensis Radix (AA) is a basic pair of drugs mainly targeting the syndrome characteristics of Qi and blood diseases. LI Dong-yuan's Danggui Buxuetang (DBT) is composed of AA, which is mainly used to tonify Qi and generate blood, with main indications of Qi deficiency and blood deficiency, blood heat and so on. It is favored by doctors because of its refined prescription and remarkable curative effect. However, there are many compatibility ratios of AA in different prescriptions in ancient books, and their efficacy and indications are also slightly different. This research showed that DBT also had the effect of invigorating Qi and activating blood, and the previous study of the group showed that 3∶1 compatibility ratio of the two herbs in the total amount of 36 g had more obvious effect of invigorating Qi and activating blood. By consulting the relevant literature, it was found that the drug pair had a certain effect of invigorating Qi and activating blood in various compatibility ratios such as 1∶1, 3∶1, 1∶5, 3∶2, 2∶1, 5∶1. The corresponding pharmacological effect mainly included regulating the energy metabolism of substances, regulating immune function, reducing blood viscosity, anti-oxidation stress, anti-inflammation, lowering blood lipids, lowering blood sugar, protecting heart function, protecting blood vessel wall, intervening angiogenesis, fighting against organ tissue fibrosis and so on. Regardless of the AA single-medicine's activating blood effect and the theory that "Qi circulation leads to blood circulation" or the drug pair's manifestation in modern pharmacological effects, all of these have confirmed that AA's effect of invigorating Qi and activating blood does exist, and the difference of action performance caused by different ratios of AA is closely related to dosage and proportion, which needs further study. Based on the study focusing on the effect of tonifying Qi and generating blood, it is easy to ignore the effect of invigorating Qi and activating blood, which limits the clinical application of the latter. Therefore, the tonifying Qi and activating blood circulation effect of the drug pair is reviewed in this paper, so as to provide a theoretical basis for its clinical rational drug use and related research.