Chemical reaction mechanism of decoction of traditional Chinese medicines: a review / 中国中药杂志

Complicated chemical reactions occur in the decoction of traditional Chinese medicines(TCMs) which features complex components, influencing the safety, efficacy, and quality controllability of TCMs. Therefore, it is particularly important to clarify the chemical reaction mechanism of TCMs in the decoction. This study summarized eight typical chemical reactions in the decoction of TCMs, such as substitution reaction, redox reaction, isomerization/stereoselective reaction, complexation, and supramolecular reaction. With the "toxicity attenuation and efficiency enhancement" of aconitines and other examples, this study reviewed the reactions in decoction of TCMs, which was expected to clarify the variation mechanisms of key chemical components in this process and to help guide medicine preparation and safe and rational use of medicine in clinical settings. The current main research methods for chemical reaction mechanisms of decoction of TCMs were also summed up and compared. The novel real-time analysis device of decoction system for TCMs was found to be efficient and simple without the pre-treatment of samples. This device provides a promising solution, which has great potential in quantity evaluation and control of TCMs. Moreover, it is expected to become a foundational and exemplary research tool, which can advance the research in this field.

Effects of cryptotanshinone on airway inflammation models in asthmatic mice through tweak/fnl4 and tgf-pl/smads signaling pathways / 中国药理学通报

Aim To explore the therapeutic effect of cryptotanshinone(CTS) on airway remodeling model of asthmatic mice, and the relationship between its mechanism and the TWEAK/Fn14 and TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathway. Methods Forty female BALB/c mice were used for our study, eight mice as a group, and were assigned into five groups, namely, control group, OVA model group, CTS treatment group (20, 40 mg·kg-1), and Dex positive control group (1 mg·kg-1). HE and PAS staining were used to observe lung histopathological changes in mice; Diff-Quick staining was employed to count the types of cells; ELISA was used to detect the contents of proinflammatory cytokines in BALF; Western blot was applied to analyze the contents of TWEAK, Fn14, TGF-β1, Smad2/3, Smad4 in lung tissues; immunohistochemical method was used to detect the expression levels of TWEAK and TGF-β1 in lung tissues. Results CTS reduced the exudation of inflammatory cells and proliferation of goblet cells; CTS inhibited the generation of EOS, NEU, LYM and the total cells; CTS could reduce the level of proinflammatory cytokines of airway inflammation; the results of Western blot showed that CTS inhibited the protein expression of TWEAK, Fn14, TGF-β1, Smad2/3 and Smad4; immunohistochemical results indicated that CTS increased the expression of TWEAK and TGF-β1 in lung tissues. Conclusions CTS has therapeutic effect on the OVA-induced airway inflammation mouse model through TWEAK/Fn14 and TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathways.

Sesamin suppresses mast cell activation through inhibition of PKCα/NF-κB signaling pathway / 中国免疫学杂志

Objective:To investigate the effect of sesamin on mast cell activation and its inflammatory mediator release,as well as its possible mechanisms of action.Methods:HCM-1 cells were activation by stimulation with 10 μg/ml anti-DNP IgE for 6 h and challenge with 100 ng/ml DNP-HAS for 10 min.Sesamin was administration at the concentration of 25,50 and 100 μg/L prior to DNP-HAS challenge,subsequently the effect of sesamin on mast cell degranulation was investigated by light microscope,and histamine release and expression of cytokines such as TNF-α IL-6,IL-1β,IL-8 of mast cells after sesamin treatment were investigated by ELISA.Western blot was used to determine the effect of sesamin on FcεRI downstream signaling including Lyn,Syk and PKCα activation,and IκBα phosphorylation and NF-κB activation.Results:DNP-HAS significantly increased mast cell degranulation,histamine release and those cytokines expression,enhanced Lyn,Syk,PKCα,IκBα phosphorylation and NF-κB activation(P<0.05). Sesamin(50,100 μg/L) significantly decreased mast cell degranulation,histamine release and cytokines expression (TNF-α,IL-4,IL-1β,and IL-8),reduced activity of Lyn,Syk,kinases and PKCα and IκBα phosphorylation,and inhibited NF-κB activation(P<0.05).Conclusion: Sesamin suppresses mast cell activation and inflammatory mediators release through inhibition of PKCα/NF-κB signaling pathway.