Optimization of extraction process of Shenqi Qiangxin Tablets based on pharmacodynamic test and analytic hierarchy process / 中草药

Objective: To optimize the extraction technology of Shenqi Qiangxin Tablets (SQT). Methods: With the improvement of heart lesion of pharmacological model of isoproterenol induced heart failure in rats as the index, pharmacological efficacy test was used to screen extracting conditions of the technology. The extraction technology was optimized by analytic hierarchy process combined with principal component analysis, single factor and orthogonal tests using each content of solid matter, ginsenosides Rg1, Re as indexes. And the verification test was carried out by using solid mass and icariin content as indexes. Results: Pharmacological efficacy test showed that technology 4 was superior. The optimal extraction condition of technology 4 was as follow: five medicinal materials including red ginseng and astragalus were reflux extracted three times with 50% ethanol, 11 fold for the first time, 10 fold for the second and three times, 2.5 h for each extraction; Epimedium and the other two medicinal materials were decocted three times with water, 19 fold for the first time, 16 fold for the second and third times, 1.5 h for each decction. The verification test showed that the average yield of ethanol extracted solids was 19.78%, and the average extraction rate of ginsenoside Rg1 and Re was 77.52%; The average value of water extracted solids was 16.58%, and the average extraction rate of epimedium was 90.98% (RSD < 2.0%, n = 3). Conclusion: The optimized extraction technology was stable and feasible.

Chemical constituents of Epimedium brevicornu / 中草药

Objective: To study the chemical constituents of Epimedium brevicornu. Methods: Compounds were repeatedly separated and purified with D101 macroporous resin column chromatography, silica gel column chromatography, Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography and preparative liquid chromatography. Their structures were identified by physico-chemical methods and spectral methods. Results: Six xompunds were identified as 5-hydroxy-2-prenylphenol-1-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (1), kaempferol-3-O- rhamnopranosyl-(1→2)-rhamnopyranoside (2), 3-O-α-L-rhamnosyl-7-O-β-D-glucosyl kaempferol (3), sagittasine C (4), kaempferol-3- O-[α-L-rhamnopyra-nosyl-(1→6)-β-D-galactopyranoside]-7-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (5), 3,7-di-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl quercetin (6), Kaempferol-3,7-O-α-L-dirhamnoside (7), hamnocitrin-3-O-β-neohesperidoside (8), kaempferol-3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside-7- O-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1→2)-β-D-glucopyranoside] (9), hexandraside E (10), and rouhuoside (11). Conclusion: Compounds 1 and 5 are isolated from this plant for the first time. Compounds 2-4 and 6 are isolated from plants of this genus for the first time.

Improvement of kidney yang syndrome by icariin through regulating hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate whether Epimedium brevicornu Maxim (EB) and icariin could exert their protective effects on hydrocortisone induced (HCI) rats by regulating the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and endocrine system and the possible mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Male 10-week-old Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were allotted to 6 groups (A-F) with 12 each, group A was injected normal saline (NS) 3 mL/kg day intraperitoneally, group A and B were given NS 6 mL/kg day by gastrogavage, group B-F were injected hydrocortisone 15 mg/kg intraperitoneally, group C and D were given EB 8 or 5 g/(kg day) by gastrogavage, group E and F were given icariin 25 or 50 mg/(kg day) by gastrogavage. Gene expressions of hypothalamus corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) and pituitary proopiomelanocortin (POMC) were detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and protein of pituitary POMC by Western-blot.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The serum T4, testosterone, cortisol and POMC mRNA expression were increased after treatment with EB or icariin in HCI rats, the serum CRH and the hypothalamus CRH mRNA expression released from hypothalamus corticotropin decreased compared with group B (P<0.05).The treatment with only icariin increased serum adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) compared with group B (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>EB and icariin might be therapeutically beneficial in the treatment of HCI rats through attuning the HPA axis and endocrine system which was involved in the release of CRH in hypothalamic, and the production of POMC-derived peptide ACTH in anterior pituitary, the secretion of corticosteroids in adrenal cortex.</p>