Progresses on mechanisms of pharmacological and toxicological effects of cinnabar / 中国中药杂志

Cinnabar has been an important traditional Chinese medicine as a sedative and soporific agent for more than 2000 years. It is a naturally occurring mercuric sulfide and containing more than 96% mercuric sulfide (HgS). There are about 10% -30% Chinese patent medicines containing cinnabar according to the Pharmacopoeia of China (2005). It's hard to deny that cinnabar has therapeutic effect in clinic practice. However, cinnabar's extraordinary high containing mercury makes people hesitate to use. Furthermore, the abuse of cinnabar, which caused intoxication cases, has been reported occasionally. The safety and toxicity of cinnabar has been debated for centuries. The exact mechanism of cinnabar is still largely unknown. The present review focused on researches about cinnabar's mechanisms of pharmacological and toxicological effects since 2000.

Raman spectroscopic analysis of cinnabar as a traditional Chinese medicine / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To develop a new quality control method for cinnabar, in order to ensure the safety application of cinnabar.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Three inorganic mercury compounds (HgS, HgO, and HgCl2) and cinnabar samples were analyzed by laser Raman spectroscopy. The cinnabar samples were identified by comparing the Raman band in the Raman spectrum with pure HgS.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Different Raman bands were observed among three inorganic mercury compounds. The Raman spectroscopic results indicated that cinnabar samples showed the same Raman band as pure HgS, consisting with the HgS contents by XRF analysis.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The Raman spectroscopic method is simple, rapid, and reliable. It can be applied as an alternative quality control method for cinnabar.</p>

Establishment of Caco-2 cell monolayer model and standard operation procedure for assessing intestinal absorption of chemical components of traditional Chinese medicine / 中西医结合学报

OBJECTIVE: To establish Caco-2 (a human colon adenocarcinoma cell line) cell monolayer model and the standard operation procedure for studying and assessing intestinal absorption of chemical components of traditional Chinese medicine. METHODS: Caco-2 cell monolayer model was established and evaluated by morphology feature using scanning electron microscope, inverted microscope and transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) assay. Additionally, the model was further tested for the activity of alkaline phosphatase and the apparent permeability (Papp) of standard compounds, i.e. propranolol and atenolol, which were the control substances for high and poor transcellular transport marker, respectively. RESULTS: The integrality of cell monolayer, cell differentiation (reflected by expression of alkaline phosphatase and cell monolayer morphology), and the Papp value of standard compounds in the established Caco-2 cell model were satisfactory. All parameters tested were in good agreement with those reported in the literature. CONCLUSION: The established Caco-2 cell model can be used to study the intestinal absorption of orally administrated chemical components of traditional Chinese medicine and their absorption mechanism.