Research progress of multi-source information fusion technology in quality evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine / 药学学报

The quality evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine is one of the key issues related to the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine. The quality evaluation technology system of traditional Chinese medicine mainly includes traditional evaluation (traits, microscopic and physicochemical identification), chemical evaluation and biological evaluation. Due to the complex composition of traditional Chinese medicine, the single detection method in the above evaluation technology system usually cannot obtain sufficient quality information. The multi-source information fusion strategy can organically integrate data from multiple analysis and detection technologies to obtain more comprehensive information of samples and improve the quality evaluation effect. At present, multi-source information fusion strategy has been widely used in the fields of military, industrial and food, and it is still in its infancy in the field of quality evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine. This research introduces the definition, structure, method (algorithm) and fusion level of multi-source information fusion, summarizes its research progress in the origin traceability, variety identification and pharmaceutical analysis of traditional Chinese medicine, and sorts out the specific methods of data fusion in each literature. Finally, we summarized, prospected and discussed the application, development and existing problems of information fusion technology and its application in the quality evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine, in order to provide reference for broadening the application of this technology in the field of traditional Chinese medicine.

Chinese medicine dispensing granules: history, status quo, and development prospect in "post-pilot era" / 中国中药杂志

Chinese medicine dispensing granules, the result of the efforts to transform Chinese medicinal decoction pieces in China, features portability and ease of storage. Thus, it is destined to be an indispensible dosage form in the modernization drive of Chinese medicine. The Announcement on Ending the Pilot Project of Chinese Medicine Dispensing Granules was released in February 2021 and relevant regulations went into force in November 2021, which marks the a new journey for the development of Chinese medicine dispensing granules and the beginning of the "post-pilot era". However, it faces the challenges in quality and standard. This study reviewed the history of Chinese medicine dispensing granules, analyzed the technical progress, market, and main problems in development, and proposed suggestions and prospects for its development in the "post-pilot era", which is expected to serve as a reference for its industry development and rational use.

Analysis on Feasibility of Electronic Nose Technology for Identification of Fritillariae Cirrhosae Bulbus from Authenticity and Specifications / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To establish a new fast and accurate method for identifying the authenticity and specifications of Fritillariae Cirrhosae Bulbus based on electronic nose technology， and to discuss the feasibility of this technology in the identification of decoction pieces. Method:Fritillariae Cirrhosae Bulbus was used as the research object， 80 batches of samples to be tested were collected， and the olfactory sensory data of the electronic nose were taken as independent variables （<italic>X</italic>）， the results of the method contained in the 2020 edition of <italic>Chinese Pharmacopoeia</italic> were taken as the focus， and the traditional empirical identification results were used as benchmarking information （<italic>Y</italic>）. Four chemometric methods， including discriminant analysis （DA）， least square support vector machine （LS-SVM）， principal component analysis-DA （PCA-DA） and partial least squares-DA （PLS-DA）， were used to establish the identification model ［<italic>Y</italic>=<italic>F</italic>（<italic>X</italic>）］ of authenticity and commodity specifications of Fritillariae Cirrhosae Bulbus， respectively. Wherein， the identification accuracy and time-consuming was taken as indicators to discuss the results. Result:After cross-verification by leave-one-out method， the correct rates of the above four models were 93.75%， 91.25%， 95.00% and 95.00%， respectively， and the PCA-DA and PLS-DA identification models were the best in terms of authenticity identification. In specification identification， the correct rates of these four models were 86.67%， 88.00%， 89.33% and 68.00%， respectively， and the PCA-DA identification model was the best. The electronic nose had a high accuracy in the identification of authenticity and specification model， and the time consuming was relatively short. Conclusion:Electronic nose technology can identify Fritillariae Cirrhosae Bulbus accurately and quickly， and has significant advantages in terms of timeliness and correct judgment rate.

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

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

A rapid identification of authenticity and specifications of Chinese medicine Fritillariae Cirrhosae Bulbus based on E-eye technology / 中国中药杂志

The quality of traditional Chinese medicine tablets is correlated with clinical efficacy and drug safety, and plays a great role in promoting the development of traditional Chinese medicine. However, the existing traditional artificial identification and modern instrument detection in terms of accuracy and timeliness have both advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, how to quickly and accurately identify the quality of traditional Chinese medicine tablets has become a high-profile issue. The purpose of this paper is to explore the feasibility of the application of electronic eye technology in the study of rapid identification of traditional Chinese medicine quality. A total of 80 batches of samples were collected and tested by Fritillariae Cirrhosae Bulbus for traditional empirical identification(M_1) and modern pharmacopeia(M_2). The optical data was collected from electronic eyes, and the chemical metrology was used to establish suitable discrimination models(M_3). Four authenticity and commodity specification models, namely identification analysis(DA), minimum bidirectional support vector machine(LS-SVM), partial minimum two-multiplier analysis(PLS-DA), main component analysis identification analysis(PCA-DA), were established, respectively. The accuracies of the authenticity identification models were 82.5%, 90.0%, 96.2% and 93.8%, while the accuracies of the commodity specification identification models were 89.3%, 96.0%, 90.7% and 97.3%, respectively. The models were well judged, the authenticity identification was based on the final identification model of PLS-DA, and the commodity specification was based on the final identification model of PCA-DA. There was no significant difference between its accuracy and M_1, and the time of determination was much shorter than M_2(P<0.01). Therefore, electronic-eye technology could be used for the rapid identification of the quality of Fritillariae Cirrhosae Bulbus.

Change laws of water absorption in Chinese herbal pieces and prediction model of relative density for Chinese medicine decoction / 中国中药杂志

This study aims to explore the change laws of water absorption in Chinese herbal pieces and establish the prediction model of relative density for Chinese medicine compound decoction. Firstly, fitted equations of water absorption and decocting time was established by observing the change laws of water absorption in 36 kinds of Chinese herbal pieces in 12 groups(according to the drug-parts) with decocting time. The r value of the mineral group and other type group was 0.691 2 and 0.663 3, respectively. The r value of the remaining 10 groups was 0.802 2-0.925 4. All P values were less than 0.05(n=21). The formula of the amount of water added was optimized by combining the fitted equations with determined water absorption, and the liquid yield could be controlled in a range of 100%±10%. Secondly, it was determined that the liquid density tester could be used for the rapid determination of relative density of Chinese medicine decoction after methodological study and comparison with the pycnometer method. The linear regression equation between the corrected relative density(y) and extraction ratio(%, x) was built by measuring and analyzing the related parameters such as liquid yield, relative density and extraction ratio in 46 kinds of Chinese herbal pieces. The established equation was y=0.041 3x+1.003 7, r=0.930 9(P <0.01, n=46), with linear range of 1.94%-65.75%. Based on this, the prototype model for predicting relative density of Chinese medicine decoction was established, and the relative densities of 8 Chinese medicine decoctions were within the prediction interval of this model in verification. This study lays a foundation for database construction of Chinese medicine decoction, implementation of personalized decocting mode and rapid quality control of Chinese medicine decoction.

Study on superposition law of drug bitterness based on tongue taste evaluation and electronic tongue evaluation / 中国中药杂志

Traditional Chinese medicine( TCM) decoction contains complex bitterness. In this paper,the simple mixing of TCM monomer bitter substances is used as the entry point to study the law of bitterness superposition. With berberine hydrochloride( alkaloids),geniposide( terpenoids),and arbutin( glycosides) as mother liquor,sophoridine( alkaloids),gentiopicroside( terpenoids),and puerarin( glycosides) as additive substances,these different additive substances were mixed with different mother liquor according to concentration gradients to form different liquid mixtures. The bitterness of the additive solution and the mixtures was evaluated by traditional human taste panel method( THTPM) and electronic tongue; the bitterness-concentration fitting model of the additive solution and the liquid mixtures was established by Weibull and logarithmic curves. By comparing and analyzing the bitterness-concentration model and the bitterness difference( ΔI_0/ΔI_e) of the additive solution and the mixture,the influence of mother liquor on the bitterness of the mixture was investigated. The results showed that both the additive solution bitterness model and the liquid mixture bitterness model were consistent with the Weibull model and the logarithmic model( THTPM: R~2≥0. 887 0,P<0. 01; electronic tongue test:R~2≥0. 753 2,P<0. 05). The fitting degree of the Weibull model was generally higher than that of the logarithmic model; the bitterness difference( ΔI_0) was monotonously decreasing; the fitting equation of tongue bitterness and electronic tongue bitterness: R~2≥0. 874 2,P<0. 01. In this article,through the superposition of different kinds of TCM bitter substances,THTPM and electronic tongue test was combined. It was found that the bitterness after superposition was still in Weibull or logarithmic relationship with the concentration of additive substances; THTPM showed that the effect of bitter mother liquor on the bitterness of the mixture decreased with the increase of the concentration of the additive; the bitterness of the electronic tongue was obviously related to the bitterness of THTPM. However,further verification is needed later by optimizing the concentration gradient and expanding the sample size.

Masking Efficiency and Regularity of Bitterness Suppressants to Berberine Hydrochloride Based on Tongue Taste and Electronic Tongue Taste / 中国药学杂志

OBJECTIVE: To explore the masking efficiency and regularity of bitterness suppressants (BS) to a representative bitterness substance berberine hydrochloride (BBR). METHODS: Some quantitative evaluation methods of BS efficiency were established based on relevant literature and our previous research. Efficiency of respectively added into eight kinds of BS such as acesulfame, on bitter degree 3 BBR solution (0.05 mg•mL-1) were evaluated using the established methods. Bitterness masking regularity of BS on BBR solution were explained by respectively establishing the relationships between tongue tasted bitter decreased value (ΔI), electronic tongue tasted bitter decreased value (ΔIe) with BS concentration (ρ). RESULTS: ①Five tongue taste bitter masking efficiency (calibrated masking rate, bitterness revised standard half effect index and so on), two electronic tongue bitter masking efficiency(first taste reduce and aftertaste reduce) were established. ②Seven kinds of bitterness suppressants efficacy indicators can be used to compare the bitterness suppressants efficacy of BS to BBR solution, and the maximum bitterness reduction of 8 kinds of BS to BBR solution is above 1.8. ③ΔI-ρ Weibull regularity models of eight BS and nine ΔIe-ρ models of six BS were brlilt.HP-β-CD, glycine and crystalline fructose had good response to two sensor, stevioside, soluble soybean polysaccharide and acesulfame had a good response to one sensor and xanthan gum and aspartame had no response to any sensor. CONCLUSION: Seven evaluation indexes and methods are built based on human tongue and electronic tongue taste method. Max standard capability index of BS is suitable for the development of bitterness suppressants in taste method and two indicators of electronic tongue are also can be used as indicative indicators. Masking regularity of BS to BBR solution is exposed which could provide reference for the development and application of more BS.

Evaluation on taste-masking effect of Andrographis Herba by electronic tongue / 中草药

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of taste-masking by electronic (E)-tongue and provide a reference for the drug taste-masking study. Methods: Andrographis Herba was used as the carrier of bitter Chinese materia medica (CMM), sodium acetate (NaAc), sodium cyclamate (SC), adenosine-5′-monophosphatedisodiumalt (AMP), and 2, 4-dihydroxyhenzoic acid (DA) as the taste-masking agents. The data obtained by the E-tongue were analyzed through principal component analysis (PCA), and Euclidean distance in the data space of different dimensions was calculated. Regarding the distance of bitterness (D) as the evaluation index, then whether the data analyzed by the E-tongue and volunteers were the same or were not investigated. Results: The evaluation results of the taste-masking agents by E-tongue were similar to the taste by volunteers except NaAc, suggesting that some conditions should be required to evaluate the effect of CMM taste-masking. Conclusion: This study shows that E-tongue could be used for evaluating the effect of CMM taste-masking under certain conditions. To evaluate the gustation information by E-tongue, we should use the professional knowledge of pharmacy, chemical and other related disciplines to analyze and improve this evaluation method and model gradually.