Phenylpropanoid Metabolism Pathway in Plants / 中国生物化学与分子生物学报

It is well established that plants as sessile organisms, are constantly threatened by various biotic and abiotic stresses in the living environment. So, during the long evolutionary process, sessile plants have to integrate a wide variety of environmental cues into their developmental programme to prioritize adaptive morphogenesis and metabolic pathways precise control. Previous studies have shown that the phenylpropane metabolic pathway is one of the important secondary metabolic pathways in plants, and the metabolites via phenylpropane metabolism, such as lignin, sporopollen, anthocyanin and organic acids, play an important role in the regulation of plant adaptive growth. In medicinal plants, the phenylpropane metabolic pathway is closely related to the synthesis of many medicinal active ingredients. Almost all natural medicinal molecules containing phenylpropane skeleton are synthesized directly or indirectly through this metabolic pathway, for example flavonoids, terpenoids, phenols, etc. In addition, some secondary metabolites biosynthesized through phenylpropane metabolic pathway can be secreted from the plant root system into the peripheral soil to affect plant growth and ability of abiotic and biotic stress resist, by changing the microbial ecology of plant root system. Meanwhile, this phenylpropane-mediated plant-microbe interaction can also affect the genuine characters of the medicinal plants. In this paper, we summarize the latest research progress of plant phenylpropane metabolic pathway, especially the physiological functions and expression regulation mechanism of the products of phenylpropane metabolic pathway are introduced. We aim to provide guidance for further understanding of the potential relationship between the quality of medicinal plants and plant phenylpropane metabolic pathway, in the end to direct excellent Chinese herbal medicine breeding, then to further promote the vigorous development of Chinese medicine in China.

Study on intestinal absorption features of berberine hydrochloride phospholipid solid dispersions by rat single-pass perfusion model / 中草药

Objective: To compare intestinal absorption features of berberine hydrochloride phospholipid solid dispersions (BBH-PSD) by rat single-pass perfusion model, and to explore the mechanism of berberine bioavailability increasing mechanism by phospholipid solid dispersion technology. Methods: The single-pass perfusion model was established in rats, the concentration of berberine in intestinal perfusion was determined by HPLC, and phospholipid solid dispersion technology promoting intestinal absorption of berberine was investigated. Results: Compared with berberine, BBH-PSD could promote much more absorption of berberine in various intestinal segments, especially in jejunum, and the mechanism was related to improving permeability and strengthen simple diffusion of berberine. The Ka and Papp values of BBH and BBH-PSD in jejunum were obviously higher than BBH (P < 0.05); When the volumetic flow rate of BBH-PSD was 0.2, 0.4, and 0.8 mL/min, Ka and Papp were both higher than BBH (P < 0.05); The increasing mass concentration was not obvious to intestinal absorption of BBH, while the increasing mass concentration of BBH-PSD obviously increased the intestinal absorption of BBH (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Intestinal absorption characteristics of berberine phospholipid solid dispersion is beneficial to improve berberine oral bioavailability, and it can provide a scientific basis for the development of new dosage forms of berberine hydrochloride.

Effect of jieze no. 1 gel on vaginal levels of lactobacillus, glycogen and lactoferrin in mice / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the effect of Jieze No. 1 Gel (JZ1) on the inner environment of vagina through observing its influences on vaginal levels of lactobacillus, glycogen and lactoferrin in mice.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred female Kunming mice were randomized into 5 groups, the blank control (BC) group, the blank gel (BG) group, and the three JZ1 treated groups. They were treated via vagina with saline, matrix gel, high (2 mg/microL), middle (1 mg/microL) and low (0.5 mg/microL) dose JZ1 respectively in volume of 20 microL, 72 h after being subcutaneously injected with physiological estradiol benzoate (E2) 2 microg. The 24 h and 72 h living lactobacillus in vaginal lavage fluid cultures were counted, the content of glycogen and the expression of lactoferrin in vaginal tissue were measured.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>No significant difference was found between the BC group and the three JZ1 treated groups in terms of lactobacillus-CFU, glycogen content and lactoferrin expression, and these indices detected at 24 h were not different to those detected at 72 h in the groups treated with various doses of JZ1 respectively (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Once application of JZ1 shows no effect on levels of lactobacillus, glycogen, and lactoferrin expression in the vagina of mice.</p>

Effect of Jieze No.1 on cervicitis caused by ureaplasma urealyticum and on ureaplasma urealyticum in vitro / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the clinical therapeutic effect of Jieze No. 1 ( I ) on cervicitis caused by ureaplasma urealyticum and its inhibitory effect on ureaplasma urealyticum (Uu) in vitro.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 393 patients suffering from cervicitis induced by ureaplasma urealyticum without other complications were randomly assigned to 3 groups, the combined treatment group: 140 patients treated with Chinese herbs Jieze No.1 by vaginal lavage, 30 min each time, once a day for 10 consecutive days and oral administration of Azithromycin, 1.0 g once every 72 h for three times; Jieze group: 115 patients were treated with Jieze No.1 alone by vaginal lavage, 30 min each time, once a day for 10 consecutive days; and the Azithromycin group: 138 patients were treated with oral administration of Azithromycin, 1.0 g once in 72 h for three times. All the patients were treated for 1 therapeutic course and condom were used for contraception during the treatment course. The Uu patients were examined again after 21 days of treatment. The therapeutic effect on cervicitis was observed. The experimental study of Jieze No. 1 on the Uu strain separated from the secretion of the urogenital tract was also observed. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of the Uu were investigated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The total effective rate of the combined group was 85.3%, showing a significant difference compared with the Jieze group (67.8%) and the Azithromycin group (60.3%, both P<0.01). There was no statistical significance between the latter two groups (P>0.05). The clearing rate of Uu in the combined group was 78.4%, that of the Jieze group was 60.9% and the Azithromycin group was 47.9%. The combined group also showed a significant difference in comparison with the other two groups (all P<0.01). Especially for the drug-resistant strain, the clearing rate of Uu reached 48.1% in the combined group, 42.1% in the Jieze group, and 16.1% in the Azithromycin group, respectively. The clearing rate of Uu for the drug-resistant strain in the former two groups had significant differences in comparison with the latter (P<0.01, P<0.05), while there was no significant difference between the former two (P>0.05). The range of MIC and MBC of Jieze No. 1 to the drug-resistant strain of Uu was 15.62-250.00 mg/mL. To the non-drug-resistant MIC and MBC strain, it was 15.62-125.00 mg/mL. For the drug-resistant strain, MIC(50) was < or = 31.25 mg/mL, MBC(50) was < or = 62.50 mg/mL, MIC(90) was < or = 125.00 mg/mL and MBC(90) was 250.00 mg/mL. For the non-drug-resistant strain, MIC(50) was < or = 31.25 mg/mL, MBC50 was< or = 62.50 mg/mL, MIC(90) was< or = 62.50 mg/mL and MBC(90) was < or = 125.00 mg/mL.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Jieze No.1 combined with Azithromycin can effectively treat cervicitis caused by Uu. The laboratory study confirms that Jieze No. 1 has an inhibitory effect on ureaplasma urealyticum strain. It has a remarkably effective therapeutic effects on drug-resistant strains, which is worthy of further research.</p>