Research progress on chemical constituents and pharmacological effects of Chuanxiong Rhizoma / 新乡医学院学报

Chuanxiong Rhizoma,the dried rhizome of Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort.(Umbelliferae),has the effects of ac-tivating blood,promoting the circulation of Qi,dispelling pathogenic wind,and relieving pain.Chuanxiong Rhizoma contains phthalides,alkaloids,phenolic acids,and polysaccharides.Pharmacological research indicates that Chuanxiong Rhizoma has various pharmacological activities on the cardiovascular system,nervous system,and respiratory system,which are mainly manifested as anti-cerebral ischemia,anti-thrombosis,analgesia,anti-inflammation,antioxidation,and anti-asthma effects.In this paper,the chemical constituents and pharmacological effects of Chuanxiong Rhizoma are systematically summarized in order to provide references for its clinical application and resource development.

The Effect of Chuanxiong （Rhizoma Chuanxiong） & Tianma （Rhizoma Gastrodiae） Herbal Pair on the Periorbital Mechanical Pain Threshold and AMPK/TRPA1 Pathway in the Trigeminal Ganglion of Migraine Model Rats / 中医杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the possible mechanism of Chuanxiong （Rhizoma Chuanxiong） & Tianma （Rhizoma Gastrodiae） herbal pair in treating migraines based on AMP-activated protein kinase （AMPK）/transient receptor potential A1 channel （TRPA1） pathway. MethodsForty-eight healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into control group， model group， and Chuanxiong Tianma medication group， with 16 rats in each group. The control group and model group were given 10 ml/kg of normal saline by gavage， while the Chuanxiong Tianma medication group was given 0.675 g/kg of Chuanxiong Tianma herbal pair by gavage， once daily for 8 consecutive days in both groups. Migraime model was performed before the last administration， with subcutaneous injection of 10 ml/kg of normal saline in the control group， and subcutaneous injection of 10 ml/kg of nitroglycerin in the model group and Chuanxiong Tianma medication group. The Von Frey filament was used to measure the periorbital mechanical pain threshold of rats. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to determine the levels of calcitonin gene-related peptide （CGRP） in rat serum and cerebrospinal fluid. The nitric oxide （NO） assay kit was used to determine the NO level in serum and cerebrospinal fluid. RT-PCR was usedto detect the mRNA expression levels of immediate-early genes in the trigeminal ganglion of rats （c-Fos）， CGRP， transient receptor potential V1 channel （TRPV1）， AMPK alpha subunit （PRKAA）， and TRPA1. Immunofluorescence was used to detect the number of c-Fos-positive cells in the trigeminal cervical complex （TCC） and the protein expression levels of phosphorylated AMPK （pAMPK） and TRPA1 in the trigeminal ganglion. ResultsCompared to those in the control group， the mechanical stimulation threshold and pAMPK protein expression in the model group decreased， while the levels of CGRP and NO in serum， c-Fos， CGRP， TRPV1 and TRPA1 mRNA levels in the trigeminal ganglion， TRPA1 protein expression， and the number of c-Fos-positive cells in the TCC significantly increased （P＜0.05）. Compared to those in the model group， the mechanical stimulation threshold and pAMPK protein expression in the Chuanxiong Tianma medication group significantly increased， while the levels of CGRP and NO in serum， c-Fos， CGRP， TRPV1 and TRPA1 mRNA levels in the trigeminal ganglion， TRPA1 protein expression， and the number of c-Fos-positive cells in the TCC significantly decreased （P＜0.05）. ConclusionChuanxiong Tianma herbal pair may improve migraine symptoms by regulating the AMPK/TRPA1 pathway in the trigeminal ganglion and increasing the mechanical pain threshold.

Chuanxiong Rhizoma extracts prevent liver fibrosis via targeting CTCF-c-MYC-H19 pathway / 中草药·英文版

OBJECTIVE@#Hepatic fibrosis has been widely considered as a conjoint consequence of almost all chronic liver diseases. Chuanxiong Rhizoma (Chuanxiong in Chinese, CX) is a traditional Chinese herbal product to prevent cerebrovascular, gynecologic and hepatic diseases. Our previous study found that CX extracts significantly reduced collagen contraction force of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Here, this study aimed to compare the protection of different CX extracts on bile duct ligation (BDL)-induced liver fibrosis and investigate plausible underlying mechanisms.@*METHODS@#The active compounds of CX extracts were identified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Network pharmacology was used to determine potential targets of CX against hepatic fibrosis. Bile duct hyperplasia and liver fibrosis were evaluated by serologic testing and histopathological evaluation. The expression of targets of interest was determined by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and Western blot.@*RESULTS@#Different CX extracts were identified by tetramethylpyrazine, ferulic acid and senkyunolide A. Based on the network pharmacological analysis, 42 overlap targets were obtained via merging the candidates targets of CX and liver fibrosis. Different aqueous, alkaloid and phthalide extracts of CX (CXAE, CXAL and CXPHL) significantly inhibited diffuse severe bile duct hyperplasia and thus suppressed hepatic fibrosis by decreasing CCCTC binding factor (CTCF)-c-MYC-long non-coding RNA H19 (H19) pathway in the BDL-induced mouse model. Meanwhile, CX extracts, especially CXAL and CXPHL also suppressed CTCF-c-MYC-H19 pathway and inhibited ductular reaction in cholangiocytes stimulated with taurocholate acid (TCA), lithocholic acid (LCA) and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), as illustrated by decreased bile duct proliferation markers.@*CONCLUSION@#Our data supported that different CX extracts, especially CXAL and CXPHL significantly alleviated hepatic fibrosis and bile duct hyperplasia via inhibiting CTCF-c-MYC-H19 pathway, providing novel insights into the anti-fibrotic mechanism of CX.

Optimization of extraction process of Chuanxiong Rhizoma-Gastrodiae Rhizoma based on network pharmacology and multi-index orthogonal test / 中国中药杂志

To optimize the extraction process of Chuanxiong Rhizoma-Gastrodiae Rhizoma herb pair by network pharmacology combined with analytic hierarchy process(AHP)-entropy weight method and multi-index orthogonal test. The potential active components and targets of Chuanxiong Rhizoma-Gastrodiae Rhizoma were screened by network pharmacology and molecular docking, and the process evaluation indexes were determined with reference to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia(2020 edition). The core components of Chuanxiong Rhizoma-Gastrodiae Rhizoma were determined as gastrodin, parishin B, parishin C, parishin E, ferulic acid, and 3-butylphthalide. With the extraction volume of each indicator and yield of dry extract as comprehensive evaluation indicators, the extraction conditions were optimized by the AHP-entropy weight method and orthogonal test as the ethanol volume of 50%, the solid-liquid ratio of 1∶8(g·mL~(-1)), extraction for three times, and 1.5 h each time. Through network pharmacology and molecular docking, the process evaluation index was determined, and the optimized process was stable and reproducible for the extraction of Chuanxiong Rhizoma-Gastrodiae Rhizoma herb pair, which could provide reference for in-depth research.

Research trends and hot spots of Chuanxiong Rhizoma from 2010 to 2023 / 中国中药杂志

This study aims to objectively and quantitatively analyze the research status and hot spots of Chuanxiong Rhizoma and provide guidance for further research and clinical application of this herbal medicine. Firstly, the research articles involving Chuanxiong Rhizoma from 2010 to 2023 were retrieved from seven databases including Web of Science, PubMed, Medline, CNKI, VIP, Wanfang, and SinoMed. Then, NoteExpress and manual reading were employed to complete the de-duplication and screening of the articles, and the annual number of publications and journals was analyzed. Finally, CiteSpace was used for systematic analysis of the research institutions, authors, and keywords, and the corresponding knowledge maps were established. After screening, 1 137 articles in Chinese and 433 articles in English were included, and the annual number of publications showed an increasing trend. Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae and Journal of Ethnopharmacology were the top Chinese and English journal in the number of publications. Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine published the most articles in Chinese and English, respectively. PENG Cheng and FENG Yi were the authors published more articles in Chinese and English. Ferulic acid, signaling pathway, mechanism, headache, ligustrazine, and apoptosis were frequent keywords. A total of 20 clusters and 30 bursts were generated. The comprehensive analysis showed that the research trends and hot spots in this field mainly focused on pharmacological components and isolation, pharmacological effects and mechanism, clinical application and efficacy, compatibility and efficacy of drug pairs, quality evaluation and control, and cultivation and germplasm improvement.

Mechanism of Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma-Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma-Chuanxiong Rhizoma medicinal pair in delaying heart aging based on animal experiments and computer verification / 国际中医中药杂志

Objective:To explore the mechanism of Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma- Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma- Chuanxiong Rhizoma medicinal pair in delaying heart aging based on animal experiments, network pharmacology and molecular docking. Methods:Mice were divided into control group, aging group, metformin group and TCM group according to random number table method. All the groups were injected subcutaneously by D-galactose except the control group to build the subacute aging model. Two weeks later, the metformin group was given metformin suspension (150 mg/kg), the TCM group was given Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma- Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma- Chuanxiong Rhizoma lyophilized powder solution (650 mg/kg), and the control group and aging group were given an equivalent volume of ultrapure water by gastric gavage, once a day, six times a week, for 10 weeks. The level of heart TERT mRNA was detected by PCR; the expression of heart p53 was observed by immunohistochemical staining; the morphology of heart tissue was observed by HE staining. TCMSP and SwissTargetPrediciton databases were used to retrieve the active components and targets of Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma- Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma- Chuanxiong Rhizoma medicinal pair; TTD, OMIM, Gene, HAGR, DisGeNET and other data platforms were used to screen the targets of heart aging; after the drug and disease targets were intersected, the active components of them were collected; STRING database, Cytoscape 3.8.0 software, etc. were used to make PPI of the intersection targets, and screen out the key targets; FunRich was used to perform enrichment analysis of cellular components, molecular functions, biological processes, and biological signal pathways for key targets; Schr?dinger Maestro software was used to do the molecular docking of the screened active components and key targets, and docking results were visualized via PyMOL 2.1 software. Results:Experiment results showed that Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma- Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma- Chuanxiong Rhizoma could significantly ameliorate the damage of aging heart tissues, elevate TERT mRNA level, while significantly reducing the positive expression of p53. A total of 32 active components from the medicinal pair were screened, corresponding to 637 target genes. There were 263 targets for heart aging, and 67 intersection targets of drug active component targets and heart aging targets. 31 key targets were obtained after screening. Enrichment analysis showed that molecular functions were related to transcription factor activity and protein-tyrosine kinase activity. Biological processes involved signal transduction and cell communication. Signaling pathways mainly involved PDGFR-beta, PI3K-Akt, S1P1, Glypican, TRAIL, and Glypican 1. The molecular docking results showed that kaempferol, suchilactone, and ginsenoside Rg5_qt in the medicinal pair had a strong binding ability to p53. Conclusion:Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma- Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma- Chuanxiong Rhizoma may achieve the effect of delaying heart aging by inhibiting p53 expression, providing a foundation for further research on mechanism of invigorating qi and activating blood circulation drugs to delay heart aging.

Chuanxiong Rhizoma extracts prevent cholestatic liver injury by targeting H3K9ac-mediated and cholangiocyte-derived secretory protein PAI-1 and FN / 中国天然药物

Chuanxiong Rhizoma (CX, the dried rhizome of Ligusticum wallichii Franch.), a well-known traditional Chinese medicine, is clinically used for treating cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and hepatobiliary diseases. Cholestatic liver damage is one of the chronic liver diseases with limited effective therapeutic strategies. Currently, little is known about the mechanism links between CX-induced anti-cholestatic action and intercellular communication between cholangiocytes and hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). The study aimed to evaluate the hepatoprotective activity of different CX extracts including the aqueous, alkaloid, phenolic acid and phthalide extracts of CX (CXAE, CXAL, CXPA and CXPHL) and investigate the intercellular communication-related mechanisms by which the most effective extracts work on cholestatic liver injury. The active compounds of different CX extracts were identified by UPLC-MS/MS. A cholestatic liver injury mouse model induced by bile duct ligation (BDL), and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-treated human intrahepatic biliary epithelial cholangiocytes (HIBECs) and HSC cell line (LX-2 cells) were used for in vivo and in vitro studies. Histological and other biological techniques were also applied. The results indicated that CXAE, CXAL and CXPHL significantly reduced ductular reaction (DR) and improved liver fibrosis in the BDL mice. Meanwhile, both CXAE and CXPHL suppressed DR in injured HIBECs and reduced collagen contraction force and the expression of fibrosis biomarkers in LX-2 cells treated with TGF-β. CXPHL suppressed the transcription and transfer of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and fibronectin (FN) from the 'DR-like' cholangiocytes to activated HSCs. Mechanistically, the inhibition of PAI-1 and FN by CXPHL was attributed to the untight combination of the acetyltransferase KAT2A and SMAD3, followdd by the suppression of histone 3 lysine 9 acetylation (H3K9ac)-mediated transcription in cholangiocytes. In conclusion, CXPHL exerts stronger anti-cholestatic activity in vivo and in vitro than other CX extracts, and its protective effect on the intracellular communication between cholangiocytes and HSCs is achieved by reducing KAT2A/H3K9ac-mediated transcription and release of PAI-1 and FN.

Herbal Textual Research on Chuanxiong Rhizoma in Famous Classical Formulas / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Based on various ancient documents such as materia medica， prescription books， classics and history， combined with relevant research materials in modern times， this paper made a textual research on the name， origin， geoherbalism， harvesting time， processing methods of Chuanxiong Rhizoma， which provides a basis for the development of famous classical formulas containing this herb. According to the textual research， the original name of Chuanxiong is Xiongqiong （芎䓖）， which was first recorded in Shennong Bencaojing ， there are many aliases and trade names in the past dynasties. Since the Song dynasty， doctors all take Xiongqiong produced in Sichuan as the best medicine， so they take Chuanxiong as the rectification of name. In the early stage， the origin of Chuanxiong Rhizoma was relatively complicated， and the main origin was Ligusticum chuanxiong， which was a cultivated and domesticated species of Ligusticum. However， wild related plants of Ligusticum are still used as medicine. After the Ming dynasty， new cultivated varieties appeared in various places， such as Jiangxi L. sinense cv. Fuxiong， which gradually turned to self-production and self-marketing after the Republic of China. After several changes in the authentic producing area of Chuanxiong Rhizoma， Tianshui in Gansu province was highly praised in the Tang dynasty， and Dujiangyan in Sichuan province was the best place in the Song dynasty and later dynasties. Chuanxiong Rhizoma has been widely used in the past dynasties as raw products， and it has also been processed with excipients. For example， wine-processed products can enhance the effect of promoting blood circulation， promoting Qi circulation and relieving pain. There are other processing methods such as stir-frying and vinegar processing. Chuanxiong Rhizoma in the famous classical formulas can be selected according to this research conclusion.

Effect of Three Microbial Fertilizers on Growth，Yield，Quality and Cadmium Accumulation of Chuanxiong Rhizoma / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the effects of three kinds of microbial fertilizers on the growth， yield， quality， and cadmium （Cd） accumulation of Chuanxiong Rhizoma （CX）. MethodTaking CX seeds as materials， field experiments were carried out in the main producing areas， Pengzhou and Meishan. The samples were collected during the harvesting period， and the agronomic characters and yield were determined. The contents of extract， volatile oil， and ferulic acid were analyzed by the collection method of Chinese Pharmacopoeia （2020 edition）. The content of Cd was determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry （ICP-MS）. Data were processed by difference significance analysis， correlation analysis and cluster analysis. ResultThree kinds of microbial fertilizers with appropriate concentrations could promote the growth of CX. In terms of yield and quality， the treatment of Jinwuzong （1.50 ton/hm2， 1 ton=1 000 kg， the same below） and Cuijingyuan （1.5 L·hm-2） could increase the yield of medicinal materials by 0.92%-46.34%， while Cuijingyuan （1.8 L·hm-2） and Shenchu （15， 30 kg·hm-2） could increase the water-soluble extract of CX by 0.06%-18.79%， of which Cuijingyuan （1.8 L·hm-2） was significantly increased （P<0.01）. The alcohol-soluble extract of CX treated with Jinwuzong （0.75， 1.50， 2.25 ton/hm2）， Shenchu （15， 45 kg·hm-2）， and Cuijingyuan （1.2 L·hm-2） decreased significantly by 3.51%-22.94% （P<0.01）. The content of ferulic acid in CX treated with Jinwuzong （1.50 ton/hm2） and Shenchu （30 kg·hm-2） decreased by 2.14%-30.56%. Three kinds of microbial fertilizers had little effect on the content of volatile oil in CX. In the aspect of Cd enrichment， the concentration of Cd in rhizosphere soil of CX was increased by 11.33%-76.36% （P<0.01） after the treatment of Jinwuzong （0.75， 1.50， 2.25 ton/hm2）， Shenchu （15， 30， 45 kg·hm-2） and Cuijingyuan （1.2 L·hm-2）. However， the Cd enrichment coefficient of CX reduced by 2.58%-48.38%， the Cd content and Cd accumulation of CX decreased respectively by 9.54%-25.96% and 9.34%-18.88% via Jinwuzong （0.75 ton/hm2） and Cuijingyuan （1.8 L·hm-2）. ConclusionThree kinds of microbial fertilizers have a certain positive effect on the growth， substance accumulation， and reduction of Cd content in medicinal parts of CX， and the changes of each index are affected by the producing area and treatment method. Based on the comprehensive analysis of various indicators， Jinwuzong （0.75， 1.50 ton/hm2） can better adapt to the rhizosphere soil micro-ecological environment of CX， it can effectively reduce the content of Cd on the premise of guaranteeing the yield and quality of CX.

Mechanism Analysis of Strengthening Anti-cerebral Ischemia Injury of Chuanxiong Rhizoma Processed with Wine Based on UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS and Integrated Network Pharmacology / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo analyze the differential components in water extract of Chuanxiong Rhizoma before and after processing with wine， and to explore the molecular mechanism of Chuanxiong Rhizoma processed with wine in enhancing anti-cerebral ischemia injury. MethodUltra high performance liquid chromatography tandem quadrupole orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry （UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS） was used to qualitatively analyze the main chemical components in water extract of Chuanxiong Rhizoma based on the spectral information of compound， comparison of reference substance and references. The chemical pattern recognition method was used to screen the differential components of Chuanxiong Rhizoma before and after processing. Based on these differential components， the potential targets of differential components were predicted by online databases， and the related targets of cerebral ischemia were searched. Cytoscape 3.6.0 was used to establish the network diagram of differential components-action targets-diseases of Chuanxiong Rhizoma processed with wine. The protein-protein interaction （PPI） network of intersection targets was constructed by STRING 11.5. The potential targets of differential components against cerebral ischemia were analyzed by Gene Ontology （GO） and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） enrichment analysis through DAVID 6.8. At the same time， the chemical compounds with high relative content and increased peak area after wine processing were docked with their corresponding targets to verify the mechanism of enhanced effect after wine processing. ResultA total of 71 chemical components were identified from Chuanxiong Rhizoma， 34 differential components and 603 potential targets were screened out. At the same time， a total of 769 disease targets and 60 intersection targets were obtained. Seven key targets were identified through PPI network analysis， including JUN， signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 （STAT3）， mitogen-activated protein kinase 3 （MAPK3）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， vascular endothelial growth factor A （VEGFA）， Caspase-3 （CASP3） and mtrix metalloproteinase 9 （MMP9）. Tumor necrosis factor （TNF） signaling pathway was the main differential signaling pathway. The results of molecular docking showed that differential components （senkyunolide K， senkyunolide F， 3-n-butylphthalide， Z，Z′-6，8′，7，3′-diligustilide， ferulic acid and Z-ligustilide） and corresponding targets had good binding activities. ConclusionThe synergistic mechanism of Chuanxiong Rhizoma processed with wine may be related to the enhanced inhibitory effect of inflammatory reaction.

Effects of different field processing methods on volatile components of Chuanxiong Rhizoma: an exploration based on headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry / 中国中药杂志

The volatile oil of Chuanxiong Rhizoma(CX) is known as an effective fraction. In order to seek a suitable method for processing CX and its decoction pieces, this study selected 16 volatile components as indices to investigate how different processing methods such as washing/without washing, sun-drying, baking, oven-drying and far-infrared drying at different temperatures affected the quality of CX and its decoction pieces(fresh CX was partially dried, cut into pieces, and then dried) by headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS), cluster analysis, principal component analysis and comprehensive weighted scoring. The results showed that the rapid washing before processing did not deteriorate the volatile components of CX. Considering the practical condition of production area, oven-drying was believed to be more suitable than sun-drying, baking, and far-infrared drying. The CX decoction pieces with a thickness of 0.3-0.4 cm were recommended to be oven-dried at 50 ℃. The integrated processing(partial drying, cutting into pieces, and drying) did not cause a significant loss of volatile components. For the fresh CX, the oven-drying at 60 ℃ is preferred. The temperature should not exceed 60 ℃, and drying below 60 ℃ will prolong the processing time, which will produce an unfavorable effect on volatile components. This study has provided the scientific evidence for field processing of CX, which is conducive to realizing the normalization and standardization of CX processing in the production area and stabilizing the quality of CX and its decoction pieces.

Effect of Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma， Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma， and Chuanxiong Rhizoma Extract on Mitochondrial Oxidative Stress in Hydrogen Peroxide-induced Endothelial Cell Aging / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To observe the effect of Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma， Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma， and Chuanxiong Rhizoma extract （GNC） on mitochondrial oxidative stress in hydrogen peroxide （H₂O₂）-induced aging of human umbilical vein endothelial cells （HUVECs）， and explore the therapeutic mechanism of GNC on aging HUVECs. Method:The HUVECs were classified into the control group （control）， H₂O₂ model group （H₂O₂）， H₂O₂ + DMSO group （DMSO， 1 mL·L^-1）， resveratrol group （Resv， 8 μmol·L^-1）， and low- （200 mg·L^-1）， medium- （300 mg·L^-1）， and high-dose （400 mg·L^-1） GNC （GNC-L， GNC-M， and GNC-H） groups. Except control group and H₂O₂ group， the other groups were intervened with corresponding agents. Subsequently， 300 μmol·L^-1 H₂O₂ was given to other groups except the control group for 4 h to induce aging， and then the cells were cultured in normal media for 24 h. The aging degree， cell cycle， and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species （mtROS） level were determined by SA-<italic>β</italic>-galactosidase （SA-<italic>β</italic>-Gal） staining， flow cytometry， and MitoSox red fluorescence staining， respectively. JC-10 was used as a fluorescent probe to detect the changes in mitochondrial membrane potential， and Western blot was performed to detect the expression of manganese superoxide dismutase （MnSOD） and p-p66 proteins. Result:The SA-<italic>β</italic>-gal staining results showed that H₂O₂ group had increased blue-stained cells compared with other groups （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. Compared with those in the control group， the ratio of G₀/G₁ phase cells significantly increased （<italic>P</italic><0.05） and that of G₂/M phase cells decreased （<italic>P</italic><0.05） in the H₂O₂ group. Compared with those in the H₂O₂ group， the proportion of G₀/G₁ cells decreased （<italic>P</italic><0.05） while that of G₂/M cells increased （<italic>P</italic><0.05） in GNC-H groups and Resv group. The fluorescence staining for determining mitochondrial ROS level showed that the H₂O₂ group had weakened fluorescence intensity than the control， GNC-H， and GNC-M groups （<italic>P</italic><0.05）. The mitochondrial membrane potential fluorescence intensity of the H₂O₂ group was weaker than that of the control， GNC-H， GNC-M， and GNC-L groups （<italic>P</italic><0.01）， as well as the Resv group （<italic>P</italic><0.05）. Western blot showed that the protein level of MnSOD was significantly lower in the H₂O₂ group than in the control， GNS-H， and GNS-M groups （<italic>P</italic><0.05）， whereas the protein level of p-p66 showed an opposite trend （<italic>P</italic><0.01）， indicating that the medication can alleviate the intracellular mitochondrial oxidative stress. Conclusion:GNC can delay the H₂O₂-induced aging of vascular endothelial cells. The GNC intervention significantly regulated the mitochondrial ROS， mitochondrial membrane potential， and related proteins MnSOD and p-p66 to alleviate oxidative stress. Chinese medicinal materials may delay the aging of vascular endothelial cells by inhibiting mitochondrial oxidative stress.

Protective Effect of Angelicae Sinensis Radix-Chuanxiong Rhizoma Medicated Serum Against H2O2-induced Oxidative Damage of PC12 Cells Based on Nrf2/ARE Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

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 H₂O₂. Method:Oxidative damage of PC12 cells was induced by H₂O₂<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 E₂-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^-1 H₂O₂ 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 H₂O₂ 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.

Effect of Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma-Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma-Chuanxiong Rhizoma Extract on HUVECs Senescence Mediated by Endothelial Microparticles / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To investigate the effect of Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma-Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma-Chuanxiong Rhizoma extract on endothelial microparticles （EMPs）-induced vascular endothelial cell senescence， and explore the possible mechanism. Method:Human umbilical vein endothelial cells （HUVECs） were used as the research objects， and the aged model was established with 10-12 passages of replicative senescence cells. The experimental cells were divided into young group （2-4 passage cells）， aged group （10-12 passage cells）， only EMPs intervention group （extract EMPs produced by aged cells to intervene young cells） and low dose， middle dose and high dose drug intervention groups （200， 300， 400 mg·L^-1）. Senescence related <italic>β</italic>-galactosidase （SA-<italic>β</italic>-gal） staining and cell cycle propidium iodide （PI） staining were used to determine cell senescence. Cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assay was used to screen the drug concentration. EMPs were extracted by two-step centrifugation， EMPs labeled with phycoerythrin （PE） anti-human CD31 antibody or fluorescein isothiocyanate （FITC） annexin V were detected by flow cytometry， intracellular reactive oxygen species （ROS） were detected by 2'，7'- dichlorofluorescein diacetate （DCFDA） staining. Result:After treatment with the drug， SA-<italic>β</italic>-gal activity of the aged cells significantly decreased （<italic>P</italic><0.01）， the S phase arrest was restored （<italic>P</italic><0.01）， and the number of CD31⁺ EMPs and annexin V⁺ EMPs secreted by aged cells decreased （<italic>P</italic><0.05）. Compared with the young group， only EMPs intervention group could induce increased SA-<italic>β</italic>-gal activity and S phase arrest in young cells （<italic>P</italic><0.05，<italic>P</italic><0.01）. However， after intervention of EMPs and the drug， EMPs-mediated increase of SA-<italic>β</italic>-gal activity was significantly inhibited and S phase arrest was restored （<italic>P</italic><0.05）. The increase of intracellular ROS induced by EMPs was also significantly inhibited by the drug （<italic>P</italic><0.05，<italic>P</italic><0.01）. Conclusion:Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma-Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma-Chuanxiong Rhizoma extract can delay the senescence of vascular endothelial cells by influencing EMPs， and the mechanism may be related to the inhibition of increased intracellular ROS induced by EMPs.

Effect Analysis of Artemisiae Annuae Herba and Chuanxiong Rhizoma in Treatment of Cerebral Malaria Based on Network Pharmacology / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To explore the reasonable combination of Artemisiae Annuae Herba and Chuanxiong Rhizoma in treatment of cerebral malaria and investigate its mechanism based on network pharmacology. Method:The traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacology database and analysis platform （TCMSP） and SymMap were used to obtain all the chemical components of Artemisiae Annuae Herba and Chuanxiong Rhizoma and the action targets were screened to construct a component target protein-protein interaction （PPI） network. Target genes related to cerebral malaria were collected with use of GeneCards and DisGeNET databases. Common targets were screened by overlapping drug targets and disease targets， and protein-protein interaction network analysis was performed to get key targets. Gene ontology （GO） functional enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） pathway enrichment analysis were carried out to get main signaling pathways. Furthermore， the classical experimental cerebral malaria mouse model was used to detect survival curve， protozoanemia level， survival rate， experimental cerebral malaria （ECM） coma and behavior scores. RayBio^® cytokine antibody array was used to detect the expression level of cytokines in tissues and experiment was conducted for verification. Result:After combination of Artemisiae Annuae Herba and Chuanxiong Rhizoma， 23 active ingredients， 179 drug targets， and a total of 100 common targets of the drug and disease were obtained. GO functional analysis identified 59 items （<italic>P</italic><0.05）， involving cytokine activity， growth factor activity， immune response， etc. KEGG pathway analysis revealed 51 related signaling pathways. The experimental results showed that the combined use of Artemisiae Annuae Herba and Chuanxiong Rhizoma could significantly improve the clinical signs of ECM mice， such as survival state， coma and behavioral scores. In the detection of expression levels of related cytokines in mice， the expression levels of <italic>γ-</italic>interferon （IFN-<italic>γ）</italic>， interleukin-10 （IL-10）， IL-4， and IL-1<italic>β</italic> in the compatible drug combination drug were significantly higher than those in the model group （<italic>P</italic><0.05）， which was consistent with the overlapping core targets predicted by network pharmacology. Conclusion:Based on the network pharmacology analysis and<italic> in vivo</italic> experiment verification， this study confirmed the synergistic effect of the combination of Artemisiae Annuae Herba and Chuanxiong Rhizoma in the treatment of cerebral malaria， providing clear direction for further mechanism research， and a new possibility for the clinical intervention of cerebral malaria.

Study on the optimization of the preparation technic and pharmacological activity of Chuanxiong Rhizoma / 国际中医中药杂志

Objective:To optimize the preparation technic of Chuanxiong Rhizoma with vacuum steam method, and to investigate the anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity of Chuanxiong Rhizoma decoction pieces with Central Composite Design-Response Surface Method. Methods:Taking the content of ferulic acid as the evaluation index and the moistening temperature, moistening time and vacuum time as the observation indexes, the moistening technic of Chuanxiong Rhizoma was optimized by Response Surface Method, and selected the optimized plan. The anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of Chuanxiong Rhizoma were investigated by auricle swelling induced by xylene and writhing induced by glacial acetic acid. Results:The optimum vacuum moistening technic was that the softening temperature was 80 ℃, the softening time was 50 min and the vacuum time was 45 min. The content of ferulic acid in Chuanxiong Rhizoma produced by this technic is highand could decreased the times of wrinkle reaction induced by acetic acid in mice, prolonged the latent period, and obviously or partially inhibitied the ear swelling degree induced byxylene in rats. Conclusions:The Response Surface Method technic of Chuanxiong Rhizoma is easy to operate with high accuracy. The vacuum steam treatment was more obvious than traditional technology group. It provides reference for the subsequent production of Chuanxiong Rhizoma decoction pieces and have the certain value for its promotion and application.

Study on pharmacological effect of Chuanxiong Rhizoma on vascular neuropathic headache / 中国药理学与毒理学杂志

Chuanxiong Rhizoma is the dry rhizome of Ligusticum chuanxiong in the umbelliferae family. Chuanxiong Rhizoma pungent, warm, go to liver, gallbladder and pericardium. Effective in promoting blood circulation, promoting Qi, dispelling wind and relieving pain, it could treat chest pain, tingling pain in chest and flank, lump, irregular menstruation, amenorrhea, symptomatic abdominal pain, headache and rheumatic pain. Neurovascular headache is a primary disease caused by dysregulation of intracranial vascular movement and nerve function. It has the characteristics of long course, intermittent recurrent attacks, lingering and difficult to heal. Attacks are often accompanied by many plant nervous sys?tem symptoms, such as rapid breathing, accelerated heart rate, vomiting, and gastrointestinal dysfunction. Vascular nerve headache is a common clinical disease, frequently bidity. Studies have shown that Chuanxiong Rhizoma has good pharmacological effects in the treatment of vascular neuropathic headache.① The action of Qi and blood circula?tion: vascular and neurovascular headache is caused by the evil of external wind and cold and damp heat, which leads to the disconnection of the veins, the disorder of Qi and blood, the obstruction of Qi and blood channels, the loss of brain collateral, and finally causes migraine. Modern Chinese medicine points out that"wind, blood stasis, deficiency, phlegm"are the key factors of the disease. Chuanxiong Rhizoma is the medicine of Qi in the blood. It is pungent and warm. It is good at activating blood and promoting Qi, dispelling wind, relieving pain and dispelling cold, so as to achieve the effect of treating vascular headaches. ② Improve brain circulation: angioneurotic headache is caused by dysfunction of the central nervous system related to the regulation of vascular movement, which causes vasospasm or extreme vasodi?lation, and the decrease of intracranial blood flow causes cerebral ischemia and hypoxia. Sodium ferulate is a chemical component in Chuanxiong Rhizoma. It has a relatively good inhibitory effect on platelet aggregation and the release of 5-HT from platelets. It can ensure the normal contraction of intracranial and extracranial blood vessels, improve the patient's brain circulation and nerve function, so as to achieve the effect of treating angioneurotic headaches.③Sedative and analgesic effect:the volatile oil and water decoction of Chuanxiong Rhizoma have sedative and analgesic effects, and the water decoction can counteract the excitatory effect of caffeine. Studies have shown that the ATP activa?tion current of rat dorsal root ganglion neurons can be inhibited by ligustrazine in a non-competitive way, which also indi?cates that Chuanxiong Rhizoma has a good analgesic effect. In this study, the effects of Chuanxiong Rhizoma on angoneeurotic headache were reviewed, and the pharmacological effects of Chuanxiong Rhizoma were further elucidated, providing basis for clinical application and new drug development of Chuanxiong Rhizoma in the treatment of angoneeu?rotic headache.

Mechanisms exploration of Angelicae Sinensis Radix and Ligusticum Chuanxiong Rhizoma herb-pair for liver fibrosis prevention based on network pharmacology and experimental pharmacologylogy / 中国天然药物

Angelicae Sinensis Radix (Danggui) and Ligusticum Chuanxiong Rhizoma (Chuan Xiong) herb-pair (DC) have been frequently used in Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescriptions for hundreds of years to prevent vascular diseases and alleviate pain. However, the mechanism of DC herb-pair in the prevention of liver fibrosis development was still unclear. In the present study, the effects and mechanisms of DC herb-pair on liver fibrosis were examined using network pharmacology and mouse fibrotic model. Based on the network pharmacological analysis of 13 bioactive ingredients found in DC, a total of 46 targets and 71 pathways related to anti-fibrosis effects were obtained, which was associated with mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal pathway, hepatic inflammation and fibrotic response. Furthermore, this hypothesis was verified using carbon tetrachloride (CCl

Effect of Chuanxiong Rhizoma on the absorption and clearance of four coumarins in Angelicae Dahuricae Radix / 药学学报

To study the changes in the pharmacokinetic behavior of four coumarins (bergapten, oxypeucedanin, imperatorin and isoimperatorin) in rats before and after combinating Angelicae Dahuricae Radix with Chuanxiong Rhizoma. The plasma concentrations of the drugs were determined by ultra performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detection (UPLC-FLD) for dose response and time dependent curves. The pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated by DAS 3.2.8, and SPSS 20.0 was used to analyze the differences of main pharmacokinetic parameters between the two groups. The result showed: comparing with Angelicae Dahuricae Radix group, the area under drug time curve (AUC0-24 h) of bergapten, oxypeucedanin and imperatorin increased by 177.2%, 97.14% and 54.43% respectively, AUC0-∞ increased by 282.3%, 104.2%, and 75.40% respectively, and clearance rate (CLZ/F) decreased by 68.26%, 51.08% and 43.98% respectively; the peak drug concentration (Cmax) of four coumarins was significantly increased; the distribution volume (VZ/F) of bergapten was significantly decreased. These data indicated that Chuanxiong Rhizoma can promote the absorption of coumarins in Angelicae Dahuricae Radix, slow down the elimination of coumarins, and increase their bioavailability in vivo. The animal experiment scheme in this study has been approved by the Experimental Animal Ethics Committee of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (approval number: BUCM-4-2020083105-3072).

Mechanism of Chuanxiong Rhizoma-Paeoniae Radix Rubra drug pair on intervention of cerebral ischemia based on network pharmacology-molecular docking / 中国中药杂志

Cerebral ischemia is one of the most common diseases in China, and the drug pair of Chuanxiong Rhizoma and Paeoniae Radix Rubra can intervene in cerebral ischemia to reduce the inflammatory response of cerebral ischemia and apoptosis. To reveal the intervention mechanism of Chuanxiong Rhizoma-Paeoniae Radix Rubra drug pair on cerebral ischemia systematically, computer network pharmacology technology was used in this paper to predict the target and signaling pathway of the drug pair on the intervention of cerebral ischemia, and then the molecular docking technology was used to further analyze the mechanism of the intervention. The target results were then verified by the rat cerebral ischemia model. The target network results showed that the active compounds of Chuanxiong Rhizoma-Paeoniae Radix Rubra for cerebral ischemic disease contained 30 compounds, 38 targets and 9 pathways. The main compounds included phenolic acids in Chuanxiong Rhizoma and monoterpene glycosides in Paeoniae Radix Rubra. The key targets involved mitogen-activated protein kinase 1(MAPK1), steroid receptor coactivator(SRC), epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR), mitogen-activated protein kinase 14(MAPK14), caspase-3(CASP3), caspase-7(CASP7), estrogen receptor 1(ESR1), and mitogen-activated protein kinase 8(MAPK8), etc. The target gene functions were biased towards protein kinase activity, protein autophosphorylation, peptidyl-serine phosphorylation and protein serine/threonine kinase activity, etc. The important KEGG pathways involved Ras signaling pathway, ErbB signaling pathway and VEGF signaling pathway. Molecular docking results showed that catechin, oxypaeoniflorin, albiflorin, paeoniflorin and benzoylpaeoniflorin had strong binding ability with MAPK1, SRC, EGFR, MAPK14 and CASP7. MCAO rat experimental results showed that Chuanxiong Rhizoma-Paeoniae Radix Rubra significantly improved the cerebral ischemia injury and interstitial edema, and significantly reduced the activation of caspase-7 and the phosphorylation of ERK1/2. The Chuanxiong Rhizoma-Paeoniae Radix Rubra drug pair alleviated cerebral ischemia injury through a network model of multi-phenotype intervention by promoting cell proliferation and differentiation, reducing inflammatory factor expression, protecting nerve cells from death and figh-ting against neuronal cell apoptosis, with its action signaling pathway most related to Ras signaling pathway, ErbB signaling pathway and VEGF signaling pathway. This study provides the basis for clinical intervention of Chuanxiong Rhizoma-Paeoniae Radix Rubra drug pair on cerebral ischemia, and also provides ideas for the modernization of drug pairs.