Determination of 10 mycotoxins in Hippophae Fructus medicinal and edible products by ultra-performance liquid chromatography- tandem mass spectrometry / 中国中药杂志

An analytical method for 10 mycotoxins in Hippophae Fructus medicinal and edible products was established in this study, and the contamination of their mycotoxins was analyzed. First of all, the mixed reference solution of ten mycotoxins such as aflatoxin, ochratoxin, zearalenone, and dexoynivalenol was selected as the control, and the Hippophae Fructus medicinal and edible products were prepared. Secondly, based on the ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS/MS) technology, 10 mycotoxins in Hippophae Fructus medicinal and edible products were quantitatively investigated and their content was determined. Finally, the contamination of mycotoxins was analyzed and evaluated. The optimal analysis conditions were determined, and the methodological inspection results showed that the 10 mycotoxins established a good linear relationship(r>0.99). The method had good repeatability, test sample specificity, stability, and instrument precision. The average recovery rates of 10 mycotoxins in Hippophae Fructus medicinal products, edible solids, and edible liquids were 90.31%-109.4%, 87.86%-107.8%, and 85.61%-109.1%, respectively. Relative standard deviation(RSD) values were 0.22%-10%, 0.75%-13%, and 0.84%-8.5%, repsectively. Based on UPLC-MS/MS technology, the simultaneous determination method for the limits of 10 mycotoxins established in this study has fast detection speed, less matrix interference, high sensitivity, and accurate results, which is suitable for the limit examination of 10 mycoto-xins in Hippophae Fructus medicinal and edible products.

Ursolic acid in / 临床肝胆病杂志

Objective To investigate the inhibitory effect of ursolic acid in Hippophae rhamnoides L. on hepatocyte apoptosis in rats with alcoholic liver disease based on the mitochondria-cytochrome c pathway. Methods A total of 50 specific pathogen-free male Wistar rats were divided into normal control group, alcohol model group, and low-, middle-, and high-dose ursolic acid groups using a random number table, with 10 rats in each group. The rats in the normal control group were given normal saline by gavage once a day for 8 weeks; the rats in the alcohol model group were given alcohol at increasing concentrations by gavage for 8 consecutive weeks; the rats in the low-, middle-, and high-dose ursolic acid groups were given ursolic acid at a dose of 50, 100, and 150 mg/kg, respectively, followed by an equal volume of alcohol as the model group 1 hour later. Serum liver function parameters were measured for each group; HE staining was used to observe liver histopathology; an electron microscope was used to observe hepatocyte ultrastructure; the TUNEL method was used to measure hepatocyte apoptosis; Western Blotting was used to measure the protein expression levels of cytochrome c and activated caspase-3 in hepatocyte mitochondria and cytoplasm. A one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison of continuous data between multiple groups, and the least significant difference t -test was used for further comparison between two groups. Results Compared with the alcohol model group, the middle- and high-dose ursolic acid groups had significant reductions in the serum level of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and cholinesterase (all P < 0.05). The rats in the alcohol model group had disordered arrangement of hepatic cords with marked hepatocyte edema and fatty degeneration, while those in the middle- and high- dose ursolic acid groups had basically normal arrangement of hepatic cords and a significant improvement in hepatocyte fatty degeneration, as well as a significant increase in the number of hepatocyte mitochondria and a significant improvement in morphology. Compared with the alcohol model group, the middle- and high-dose ursolic acid groups had significantly lower hepatocyte apoptosis rate and protein expression levels of cytochrome c and caspase-3 in cytoplasm (all P < 0.05). Conclusion Ursolic acid in Hippophae rhamnoides L. can improve the liver function and histomorphology of rats with alcoholic liver disease, possibly by inhibiting the release of cytochrome c in hepatocyte mitochondria, the activation of caspase-3, and the apoptosis of hepatocytes via the mitochondria-cytochrome c pathway.

Influence and mechanism of Xindakang on cardiac functions of isolated frog heart / 中国药理学与毒理学杂志

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of flavonoids from Xindakang (Hippophae Fructus flavone) on myo?cardial systolic and diastolic functions of isolated frog hearts and explore the possible mechanism, and provide experi?mental basis for improving the effect and efficacy of Xindakang on cardiac function. METHODS The isolated frog heart perfusion specimens were prepared by Yagi's method, and the effects of different concentrations of Xindakang on myo?cardial contractility (0.0125, 0.025, 0.05, 0.1 and 0.2 g·L-1), heart rate and cardiac output of isolated frog heart were stud?ied. Acetylcholine, atropine and epinephrine were administered successively to analyze the effects of Xindakang on car?diac systolic function of isolated frogs under the action of different drugs, and compared with propranolol. The effect of extracellular calcium ion concentration on the action of Xindakang was studied by using low calcium concentration, high cal?cium concentration and normal Ren's solution. To study the effect and possible mechanism of Xindakang on cardiac systolic function of frog. RESULTS The concentration of Xindakang in the range of 0.0125-0.1 g·L-1 could weaken the contractility of isolated frog heart and increase the concentration of Xindakang. The inhibitory effect of Xindakang on con?tractility of isolated frog heart was enhanced, and showed obvious dose-effect relationship. Cardiac output was signifi?cantly decreased by Xindakang (P<0.01), slow heart rate (P<0.05); M receptor blocker atropine could not antagonize the contractile effect of Xindakang, and Xindakang could not completely antagonize the contractile effect of adrenalin. Xindakang could inhibit the isolated frog heart in low calcium concentration, high calcium concentration and normal Ren's solution, and increased with the increase of extracellular calcium concentration (P<0.01). CONCLUSION Xinda?kang has inhibitory effect on isolated frog heart, which may be achieved by blocking the calcium channel on myocardial cell membrane and reducing the calcium concentration in myocardial cells.

Identify potential treatments of COVID-19 from Tibetan medicine Hippophae Fructus using a network pharmacological approach / 中国药理学与毒理学杂志

OBJECTIVE Since the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in December 2019, the search for a potential treatment for COVID-19 has been a constant focus. Therefore, we identified potential treatments for COVID-19 from Hippophae Fructus, a Tibetan medicine that may act on COVID-19, using a network pharmacology approach. METHODS We collected the chemical constituents and corresponding targets of Hippophae Fructus from traditional Chinese medicine system pharmacology (TCMSP). COVID-19 related genes were predicted in pubmed-Gene, OMIM and GeneCards databases. Then, protein-protein interactions (PPIs) of key genes were analyzed by STRING database. Compound-target-diseases network was constructed using Cytoscape software. The potential pathways were deter?mined by Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses. Additionally, molecular docking was used to verify the binding effect between the active component and the target. RESULTS A total of 33 components and 192 corresponding targets in Hippophae Fructus were found. 50 genes were obtained from the intersection of component targets and disease targets. These genes include IL-6, TNF, MAPK8 and PTGS2, which regu?late several pathways associated with COVID-19, involving Hepatitis B, Influenza A, TNF signaling pathway and Tuber?culosis. More importantly, high-node compounds such as quercetin and beta-sitosterol can well bind to key targets. CONCLUSION Some components in Hippophae Fructus can act on COVID-19 related genes and regulate multiple pathways. Perhaps Hippophae Fructus has the effect in treating COVID-19.