Optimization of ethanol extraction process for Yihuang powder by orthogonal experiment combined with AHP and GA-BP neural network / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To optimize ethanol extraction process of Yihuang powder. METHODS An orthogonal experiment was designed by reflux extraction with ethanol volume fraction， liquid-to-material ratio， and extraction time as investigation factors. The parameters used were the contents of hesperidin， nobiletin， tangeretin， gallic acid， chebulagic acid， chebulinic acid， liquiritin， glycyrrhizin， eugenol， and the paste-forming rate. The analytic hierarchy process （AHP） was used to calculate the comprehensive score. The optimal ethanol extraction process parameters of Yihuang powder were determined by verifying the results predicted by orthogonal experiment and genetic algorithm （GA）-back propagation neural network （BP neural network）. RESULTS The optimal ethanol extraction process parameters， as optimized by orthogonal experiment， were as follows: ethanol volume fraction of 60%， liquid-solid ratio of 14∶1 （mL/g)， extraction time of 90 min， and extraction for 2 times. The comprehensive score obtained by verification was 79.19. Meanwhile， the optimal ethanol extraction process parameters， optimized by GA-BP neural network， were ethanol volume fraction of 65%， liquid-solid ratio of 14∶1 （mL/g )， extraction time of 60 min， and extraction for 2 times. The comprehensive score obtained by verification was 85.30， higher than the results obtained from orthogonal experiment. CONCLUSIONS The optimization method of orthogonal experiment combined with GA-BP neural network is superior to the traditional orthogonal experiment optimization method. The optimized ethanol extraction process of Yihuang powder is stable and reliable.

Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Chemical Constituents in Liu Junzitang by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS and UPLC / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo establish a qualitative and quantitative analysis method for chemical constituents in Liu Junzitang（LJZT）， and to clarify its material basis. MethodThe chemical constituents in LJZT were analyzed by ultra performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry（UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS）， and the resulting compounds were identified by using databases， such as MassBank， PubChem， ChemSpider， Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analytical Platform（TCMSP）， and by combining with relevant literature. UPLC was used to establish a quantitative method for analysis of 9 compounds in LJZT， including liquiritin， hesperidin， lobetyolin， liquiritigenin， glycyrrhizic acid， nobiletin， tangeretin， atractylenolide Ⅱ and Ⅰ. ResultBy combining the relevant literature， database and MS information， a total of 79 compounds were identified from LJZT， including 31 flavonoids， 15 terpenoids， 14 nitrogen-containing compounds， 6 phenylpropanoids， 6 organic acids and 7 other compounds. The established quantitative analytical method for the nine representative components showed good linearity within their respective linear ranges， and the precision， stability， reproducibility and recovery were in accordance with the requirements. The quantitative results showed that the contents of liquiritin， hesperidin， lobetyolin， liquiritigenin， glycyrrhizic acid， nobiletin， tangeretin， atractylenolide Ⅱ and Ⅰ in LJZT were 0.376 5， 2.602 1， 0.082 6， 0.128 1， 1.778 6， 0.015 7， 0.006 7， 0.030 4， 0.003 2 mg·g-1， respectively. ConclusionThe established method can quickly， sensitively and accurately analyze the chemical constituents in LJZT， clarify that the material basis of LJZT is mainly flavonoids， terpenoids and nitrogen-containing compounds， and simultaneously determine the contents of the 9 components， which can lay a foundation for the research on quality control， mechanism and clinical application of LJZT.

Ancient Literature Analysis and Modern Clinical Application of Famous Classical Formula Huagaisan / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo sort out the historical evolution， prescription evolution and modern clinical application of Huagaisan. MethodHuagaisan and its synonym Huagaitang are used as keywords to search the databases of Traditional Chinese Medicine Think Tank， Chinese Medical Dictionary， Airusheng Chinese Medical Database and China National Knowledge Infrastructure（CNKI）. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria， we obtained the information of ancient books and modern clinical research literature related to Huagaisan， and systematically reviewed and analyzed the historical origin， prescription composition， preparation method， dosage， efficacy， medicinal material origin， processing method and modern clinical application of Huagaisan. ResultA total of 198 pieces of ancient book information were included， involving 93 ancient Chinese medicine books. Huagaisan was composed of fried Perillae Fructus， red Poria， fried Mori Cortex， Citri Eoxcarpium Rubrum， stir-fried Armeniacae Semen Amarum， Ephedrae Herba and fried Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma， which had the efficacy of promoting the lungs and relieving epidemiological symptoms， expelling phlegm and relieving cough， and treating cough with wind-cold bundled epidemiological symptoms and stagnation of phlegm and Qi. The preparation method was suggested as boiling powder， crushing the seven herbs into coarse particles， the dosage of each drug was fried Perillae Fructus of 1.27 g， red Poria of 1.27 g， fried Mori Cortex of 1.27 g， Citri Eoxcarpium Rubrum of 1.27 g， stir-fried Armeniacae Semen Amarum of 1.27 g， Ephedrae Herba of 1.27 g and fried Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma of 0.64 g， taking 8.26 g when decocting， adding 300 mL of water， decocting to 210 mL， removing the dregs， and taking it warmly after meals. Twenty-one clinical research papers were included to analyze the modern clinical application of Huagaisan， which was mainly used in the treatment of respiratory diseases such as pneumonia， asthma， bronchitis and so on. ConclusionThis paper has verified and summarized the key information of the famous classical formula Huagaisan， which can provide a detailed reference basis for the development and clinical application of its compound preparation.

Network pharmacology-based study on mechanism of Zhi-Huang-Zhi-Tong powder in rheumatoid arthritis treatment / 中国药理学通报

Aim To discover the potential active compounds and possible mechanisms in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment with Zhi-Huang-Zhi-Tong powder (ZHZTP) by using network pharmacology and in vitro study. Methods The active ingredient targets and disease targets of Zhihuang Zhitong Powder were searched and screened by database; they intersected to get a common target; and the "drug-component-target" relationship network diagram was constructed for GO and KEGG enrichment analysis of the overlapping genes; then the core components were docked with the core targets. Finally, based on the inflammation model of HUVECs in vitro, the efficacy and mechanism of Zhihuang Zhitong powder were verified by MTT method, plate scratch test and Western blot. Results Active compounds involved in RA treatment were screened in the present study, and the top two were ursolic acid and emodin, all playing crucial roles in RA treatment with ZHZTP. Additionally, the key target was AKTA, TNF and IL-6. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that ZHZTP regulated BP, MF and CC, and also focused on regulating AKTA, TNF and IL-6 signaling pathway. Molecular docking showed that interactions between key active compounds and key targets were stable. In vitro ZHZTP significantly inhibited cell viability and migration of TNF-a-stimulated HUVECs, and the involved mechanism may be associated with PI3K/AKT/m-TOR signaling. Conclusions The present study reveals that the potential active compounds of ZHZTP are ursolic acid and emodin, and moreover, the involved mechanisms of ZHZTP for RA treatment are associated with PI3 K/AKT/m-TOR signaling.

Correlation Between Expression of HIF-1α and Prognosis of Arsenic-containing Chinese Herbal Compound in Treatment of Myelodysplastic Syndrome / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveMyelodysplastic syndromes （MDS） is a group of clonal hematopoietic stem cell disorders，and this study aims to investigate the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α（HIF-1α） in the bone marrow cells of patients with MDS and its correlation with the clinical features of MDS，the therapeutic efficacy of arsenic-containing Chineseherbal compound，and the survival prognosis. MethodAccording to the inclusion and exclusion criteria，27 MDS patients treated with arsenic-containing Chinese herbal compound in the Department of Hematology，Xiyuan Hospital，China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences from January 2022 to September 2022 were included，and their bone marrow samples were collected by myelotomy. HIF-1α expression level in bone marrow cells was detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction （PCR） to analyze its correlation with clinical features，and logistic and Cox regression was used to analyze the risk factors affecting the efficacy and prognostic survival of MDS patients. ResultThe HIF-1α mRNA expression level was lower in bone marrow cells of MDS patients than in healthy subjects. HIF-1α was positively correlated with the degree of myelodysplasia（r=0.384，P<0.05） and bone marrow granulocytic system%（G%）（r=0.560，P<0.01）. Logistic regression showed that HIF-1α was a risk factor for the prognosis in the follow-up of the efficacy of treatment（P<0.05）and Cox regression showed that HIF-1α was an independent factor affecting the survival prognosis of MDS patients ［odds ratio（OR）=398.968，95% confidence interval（CI）（1.281，116 858.743），P<0.05］. ConclusionThe level of HIF-1α expression in bone marrow cells of MDS patients was closely related to the degree of clinical myelodysplasia and G%，and HIF-1α was a risk factor for the efficacy for and survival prognosis of MDS patients.

Wenxiao Powder Alleviates Depression by Promoting Neurogenesis via BDNF/TrkB/ERK/CREB Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo decipher the mechanism of Wenxiao powder in alleviating corticosterone-induced depression-like behaviors in mice. MethodMale ICR mice were randomized into normal， model， paroxetine （20 mg·kg-1）， and low- and high-dose （3.27， 6.54 g·kg-1， respectively） Wenxiao powder groups. The mice in normal and model groups received equal volume of saline. Other groups except the normal group were injected with corticosterone subcutaneously 0.5 h after gavage to induce depression. Mice were tested for depression-like behaviors after drug administration. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was performed to measure the corticosterone content in the serum. Nissl staining was performed to observe the damage of hippocampal neurons. Immunofluorescence staining was employed to observe the expression of double cortin （DCX） in the dentate gyrus （DG） of the hippocampus. Western blot was employed to determine the expression of proteins in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor （BDNF）/tyrosine kinase receptor B （TrkB）/extracellular signal-regulated kinase （ERK）/cAMP-response element-binding protein （CREB） pathway in the hippocampus. ResultCompared with the normal group， the model group showed decreased sucrose preference rate， increased immobility time in the tail suspension test （P<0.01）， and reduced residence time in the central area of the open field and the total movement distance （P<0.05， P<0.01）. In addition， the modeling elevated the corticosterone level in the serum （P<0.01）， decreased the volume and intensified the nuclear staining of hippocampal neurons in the DG area， reduced the expression of DCX in the DG area， and down-regulated the protein levels of BDNF， phosphorylated （p）-TrkB， p-ERK， and p-CREB in the hippocampus （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， low-dose Wenxiao powder improved the mouse behavivors in the sucrose preference， open field， and tail suspension tests （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and high-dose Wenxiao powder improved the behaviors in the sucrose preference and open field tests （P<0.05， P<0.01）. In addition， Wenxiao powder lowered the serum corticosterone level （P<0.01） and recovered the structure and morphology of neurons with obvious nuclei and presence of Nissl bodies in the DG area of the hippocampus. Moreover， Wenxiao powder at both doses promoted the expression of DCX in the DG area， and high-dose Wenxiao powder up-regulated the protein levels of BDNF， p-TrkB， p-ERK， and p-CREB in the hippocampus （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionWenxiao powder can alleviate corticosterone-induced depression-like behaviors and promote neurogenesis in mice possibly by activating the BDNF/TrkB/ERK/CREB signaling pathway.

Visualization of nasal powder distribution using biomimetic human nasal cavity model

Nasal drug delivery efficiency is highly dependent on the position in which the drug is deposited in the nasal cavity. However, no reliable method is currently available to assess its impact on delivery performance. In this study, a biomimetic nasal model based on three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction and three-dimensional printing (3DP) technology was developed for visualizing the deposition of drug powders in the nasal cavity. The results showed significant differences in cavity area and volume and powder distribution in the anterior part of the biomimetic nasal model of Chinese males and females. The nasal cavity model was modified with dimethicone and validated to be suitable for the deposition test. The experimental device produced the most satisfactory results with five spray times. Furthermore, particle sizes and spray angles were found to significantly affect the experimental device's performance and alter drug distribution, respectively. Additionally, mometasone furoate (MF) nasal spray (NS) distribution patterns were investigated in a goat nasal cavity model and three male goat noses, confirming the in vitro and in vivo correlation. In conclusion, the developed human nasal structure biomimetic device has the potential to be a valuable tool for assessing nasal drug delivery system deposition and distribution.

Uso de inhaladores para la enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica en un grupo de pacientes colombianos

Introducción: En Colombia son escasos los datos sobre el uso de los inhaladores en pacientes con EPOC. Objetivo: Describir la técnica de uso de inhaladores de dosis medida y polvo seco en pacientes de un hospital colombiano. Materiales y métodos: Estudio descriptivo en pacientes mayores de 40 años con EPOC atendidos en un hospital en La Virginia, Risaralda, Colombia, entre el 1 de septiembre de 2019 al 31 de enero de 2020. La unidad de análisis fueron los pacientes. Se incluyeron variables sociodemográficas, clínicas y lista de chequeo para uso de inhaladores. Se aplicaron frecuencias y proporciones para variables discretas, estadísticas de tendencia central y dispersión para variables continuas. Resultados: Se incluyeron 104 pacientes con edad media de 73,6 ± 10,1 años; 57 eran mujeres (54,8 %). Además, 48 pacientes estaban clasificados como GOLD-D (46,2 %). Igualmente, 89 pacientes manifestaron haber recibido educación sobre el uso de broncodilatadores (85,6 %). Los más frecuentes fueron los inhaladores de dosis medida (DM) en 95 casos (91,3 %), seguido de los de polvo seco unidosis (7,7 %). Así mismo, 37 pacientes que usaron DM sin inhalocámara (35,6 %) no cumplieron los pasos de la lista de chequeo. En el sistema multidosis, el más realizado fue cerrar de manera adecuada el inhalador y el menos ejecutado, expulsar el aire lentamente evitando hacerlo cerca del inhalador (n = 6; 5,7 %). Discusión: Se lograron describir las características de la técnica de uso de los inhaladores en pacientes con EPOC. A pesar de que ningún paciente logró utilizar el inhalador de forma "perfecta", la mayoría han recibido educación por parte de los profesionales de la salud. Conclusión: Un alto porcentaje de pacientes usa inadecuadamente los dispositivos para suministrar los broncodilatadores. Esto puede impactar negativamente en el control de la enfermedad.

Introduction: In Colombia, there is limited data on the use of inhalers in patients with COPD. Objective: The objective was to describe the technique of using metered-dose inhalers and dry powder in patients in a Colombian hospital. Methods: Observational, descriptive study of patients over 40 years of age with COPD, treated in a hospital in La Virginia, Risaralda, Colombia, between September 1st, 2019 and January 31st, 2020. The unit of analysis were patients in consultation. Sociodemographic and clinical variables, and a checklist for use of inhalers were included. Frequencies and proportions were applied for discrete variables, statistics of central tendency and dispersion for continuous variables. Results: A total of 104 patients with an average age of 73.6 ± 10.1 years were included; 57 were women (54.8%). In addition, 48 patients were classified as GOLD-D (46.2%). Similarly, 89 patients reported having received education on the use of bronchodilators (85.6%). The most common were metered-dose (MD) inhalers in 95 cases (91.3%), followed by single-dose dry powder inhalers in eight patients (7.7%). Likewise, 37 patients who used DM without inhalochamber (35.6%) did not comply with the steps of the checklist. In the multidose system, the most performed was to properly close the inhaler and the least performed was to expel the air slowly, avoiding doing so near the inhaler (n=6; 5.7%). Discussion: The characteristics of the technique of using inhalers in patients with COPD were described. Although no patient was able to use the inhaler "perfectly", most have received education from health professionals. Conclusion: A high percentage of patients misuse the devices to deliver bronchodilators. This can negatively impact the control of the disease.

Red neural artificial para predecir factores de riesgo asociados a complicaciones postoperatorias secundarias al tratamiento del neumotórax / Artificial neural network to predict risk factors associated with postoperative complications secondary to pneumothorax treatment

Introducción. Debido a la ausencia de modelos predictivos estadísticamente significativos enfocados a las complicaciones postoperatorias en el manejo quirúrgico del neumotórax, desarrollamos un modelo, utilizando redes neurales, que identifica las variables independientes y su importancia para reducir la incidencia de complicaciones. Métodos. Se realizó un estudio retrospectivo en un centro asistencial, donde se incluyeron 106 pacientes que requirieron manejo quirúrgico de neumotórax. Todos fueron operados por el mismo cirujano. Se desarrolló una red neural artificial para manejo de datos con muestras limitadas; se optimizaron los datos y cada algoritmo fue evaluado de forma independiente y mediante validación cruzada, para obtener el menor error posible y la mayor precisión con el menor tiempo de respuesta. Resultados. Las variables de mayor importancia según su peso en el sistema de decisión de la red neural (área bajo la curva 0,991) fueron el abordaje por toracoscopia video asistida (OR 1,131), el uso de pleurodesis con talco (OR 0,994) y el uso de autosuturas (OR 0,792; p<0,05). Discusión. En nuestro estudio, los principales predictores independientes asociados a mayor riesgo de complicaciones fueron el neumotórax de etiología secundaria y el neumotórax recurrente. Adicionalmente, confirmamos que las variables asociadas a reducción de riesgo de complicaciones postoperatorias tuvieron significancia estadística. Conclusión. Identificamos la toracoscopia video asistida, el uso de autosuturas y la pleurodesis con talco como posibles variables asociadas a menor riesgo de complicaciones. Se plantea la posibilidad de desarrollar una herramienta que facilite y apoye la toma de decisiones, por lo cual es necesaria la validación externa en estudios prospectivos

Introduction. Due to the absence of statistically significant predictive models focused on postoperative complications in the surgical management of pneumothorax, we developed a model using neural networks that identify the independent variables and their importance in reducing the incidence of postoperative complications. Methods. A retrospective single-center study was carried out, where 106 patients who required surgical management of pneumothorax were included. All patients were operated by the same surgeon. An artificial neural network was developed to manage data with limited samples. The data is optimized and each algorithm is evaluated independently and through cross-validation to obtain the lowest possible error and the highest precision with the shortest response time. Results. The most important variables according to their weight in the decision system of the neural network (AUC 0.991) were the approach via video-assisted thoracoscopy (OR 1.131), use of pleurodesis with powder talcum (OR 0.994) and use of autosutures (OR 0.792, p<0.05). Discussion. In our study, the main independent predictors associated with a higher risk of complications are pneumothorax of secondary etiology and recurrent pneumothorax. Additionally, we confirm that the variables associated with a reduction in the risk of postoperative complications have statistical significance. Conclusion. We identify video-assisted thoracoscopy, use of autosuture and powder talcum pleurodesis as possible variables associated with a lower risk of complications and raise the possibility of developing a tool that facilitates and supports decision-making, for which external validation in prospective studies is necessary

Comparative Pharmacognostic and Powder Microscopic Studies of the Bark of Four Ficus Species (Nalpamaram)

Nalpamaram is widely used in traditional Ayurvedic system for the treatment of several ailments. It is very effective for the treatment of skin diseases like pigmentation, wrinkles and dark circles. This has a brown texture and a unique aroma. Nalpamaram is a mixture of four plant species of the family Moraceae - Ficus religiosa (Asvattha), Ficus benghalensis (Nyagrodha), Ficus racemosa (Udumbara) and Ficus microcarpa (Plaksah). The barks of the species are usually interchanged or adulterated with other species of Ficus because of the limited knowledge in identification and differentiation. Therefore, a detailed comparative pharmacognostic evaluation of the four species has been carried out with the aim to establish the diagnostic keys of these important drugs based on the pharmacognostic and powder macroscopic profiles. Pharmacognostic study of all these shows differences in values. Total ash is low in F. racemosa and high in F. benghalensis Acid insoluble ash is low in F. benghalensis and high in F. racemosa. Water soluble extractive is low in F. benghalensis and high in F. racemosa. Alcohol soluble extractive is low in F. benghalensis and high in F. racemosa. Unique identification features like stone cells and prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate were found in the powder of all four species. The information from the present study provide data which is useful for the development of suitable monograph, determining the quality and purity of a crude drug and laying down Pharmacopoeia standards for Nalpamaram.

Optimization of the extraction technology for the raw drugs of Sanse powder gel paste / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To optimize the extraction technology for the raw drugs of Sanse powder gel paste. METHODS SD rats were divided into blank group， model group， traditional technology group， water extraction group and ethanol extraction group， with 5 rats in each group. Anterior cruciate ligament transection was used to construct knee osteoarthritis model， and the pharmacodynamic effects of different extraction methods on arthritic rats were investigated. Analgesic experiments were conducted using cold and hot pain thresholds and pain mediators calcitonin gene-related peptide （CGRP）， cyclooxygenase-2 （COX-2）， substance P （SP）， and prostaglandin E2 （PGE2） contents as indicators. HE staining was performed on the synovial membrane of rats to observe the degree of synovial cell proliferation， inflammatory infiltration and vascular invasion， and anti-inflammatory experiments were conducted using protein and mRNA expressions of interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） and IL-6 as indicators. The analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects were compared among those groups. In the orthogonal test， ethanol dosage， extraction time and extraction times were used as evaluation factors， and the contents of casticin， strychnine and toxiferine were taken as evaluation indicators； comprehensive score was calculated. The validation experiments were carried out after optimizing the extraction technology of the raw drugs of Sanse powder gel paste. RESULTS Compared with the model group， the cold and heat pain thresholds of drug administration groups （except for the traditional technology group） were all increased significantly （P＜0.05）， while the contents of pain （No.Y2021rc02） mediators CGRP， COX-2， SP and PGE2 were all decreased significantly （P＜0.05）. HE staining showed that inflammatory cell infiltration， fibrosis and collagen deposition were 炎。E-mail：liuzixiu3221@126.com decreased in the administration groups； a small amount of capillary proliferation could be found； the protein and mRNA expressions of inflammatory factors such as IL-1β， IL-6 and TNF-α were decreased significantly in synovial tissue of rats in administration groups （P＜0.05）. Compared with the traditional technology group， most indicators of the ethanol extraction group were significantly reduced （P＜0.05）， and only heat pain threshold and mRNA expression of IL-6 in rats were decreased significantly in the water extraction group （P＜0.05）. The optimal extraction technology of the raw drugs of Sanse powder gel paste included suitable dose of Sanse powder， 8-fold 55% ethanol， heating reflux extraction for 90 minutes， extracting twice. The results of 3 times of verification experiments showed that the average contents of casticin， strychnine and toxiferine were 0.007%， 0.092%， and 0.214%， respectively； RSD were all less than 5%. CONCLUSIONS The optimized extraction technology for the raw drugs of Sanse powder gel paste is stable and feasible， which can improve the efficacy of the preparation.

Identification of mixed medicinal powder of Epimedii Folium with different origins based on pyrosequencing technology / 药学学报

There are many multi-original medicinal materials in Chinese Pharmacopoeia, and the mixed use of medicinal materials from different sources is common, which has certain influence on the stability of clinical medication. In this study, pyrosequencing technology was used to screen species-specific single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) from commonly used DNA barcode sequences, and a rapid and accurate molecular identification method for original species in mixed medicinal powder of Epimedii Folium was established. Multiple sequence alignment analysis showed that the 176th (C/T) mutation and the 196th (A/G) mutation of ITS, the 123rd (C/G) mutation of matK and the 892nd (A/C) mutation of rbcL could be used as the unique SNPs of E. sagittatum, E. koreanum, E. brevicornu and E. pubescens, respectively. In this study, the applicability of pyrosequencing and Sanger sequencing methods in the sequencing of mixture samples was investigated from the perspective of sensitivity and stability. Pyrosequencing method has higher detection sensitivity than Sanger sequencing method for low content samples in the mixed samples. Stability analysis showed that pyrosequencing technology could still obtain effective sequencing results for the amplified products of template DNA after 45 min of 95 ℃ high temperature water bath, while the critical point of Sanger sequencing method was 30 min. In this study, a new identification technology of Epimedii Folium mixed powder primordial species based on pyrosequencing and specific SNP was developed, which can quickly and accurately identify the mixed use of Epimedii Folium with high sensitivity and stability, and can also support the identification of different primordial species and mixed powder primordial herbs, which is conducive to ensuring the consistency and stability of clinical medication.

Recovery and Visualisation of Methamphetamine-Contaminated Fingermarks from Non-Porous Surfaces

@#Introduction: Fingermarks left at a crime scene can indicate the presence of an individual and his/her involvement in the crime. Fingermarks, usually invisible, can appear on any surface and may be contaminated by any exogenous substances, including drug substance. Recovery of fingermarks contaminated by drug substance is crucial to link an individual with the drug-related crimes. Hence, this study was aimed to investigate the recovery and visualisation of methamphetamine-contaminated fingermarks from various non-porous surface materials. Methods: In this study, fingermarks were deposited on 11 types of surface materials varied by the presence of methamphetamine contamination, immediacy of deposition, and their concentration levels. Each fingermark was then developed using white and black fingerprint powders, graded, and compared based on the different settings. Results: Application of fingerprint powder was good in developing fingermarks; however, its suitability depends on the nature of the surface materials. Black fingerprint powder produced better visualisation where the fingermarks on all the 11 surface materials tested in this study were successfully recovered compared to white fingerprint powders. Methamphetamine-contaminated fingermarks could still be recovered using the fingerprint powder dusting method, but the fingermark grade was reduced due to the presence of exogenous substance. Conclusion: To conclude, the recovery and visualisation of methamphetamine-contaminated fingermarks on non-porous surfaces were successfully carried out through the application of fingerprint powder. A more severe contamination might lead to lower fingermark grade showing lesser ridge details.

Classification optimization of traditional Chinese medicine materials based on additive physical properties of powder / 中国中药杂志

According to the method of predicting the physical properties of oily powder based on the additive physical properties of Chinese medicinal powder, Dioscoreae Rhizoma and calcined Ostreae Concha with high sieve rate and good fluidity were mixed and crushed with Persicae Semen, Platycladi Semen, Raphani Semen, Ziziphi Spinosae Semen, and other typical oily materials with high fatty oil content in proportion to obtain 23 mixed powders. Fifteen physical properties such as bulk density, water absorption, and maximum torque force were measured, and the physical properties of typical oily powders were predicted. When the mixing and grinding ratio was in the range of 5∶1-1∶1, the r value in the correlation equation between the weighted average score of the mixed powder and the powder proportion ranged from 0.801 to 0.986, and the linearity was good, indicating that the method of predicting the physical properties of oily powder based on the additive physical properties of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)powder was feasible. The results of cluster analysis showed that the classification boundaries of the five kinds of TCM materials were clear, and the similarity of the physical fingerprints of powdery and oily materials decreased from 80.6% to 37.2%, which solved the problem of fuzzy classification boundaries of powdery and oily materials due to the lack of representativeness of oily material model drugs. The classification of TCM materials was optimized, laying a foundation for optimizing the prediction model of the prescription of personalized water-paste pills.

Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma Powder Treats Dyslipidemia via PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma powder in treating dyslipidemia by regulating the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt） signaling pathway. MethodSixty patients with dyslipidemia （syndrome of combined phlegm and stasis） treated in the Third Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine from May 2021 to June 2022 were selected in this study and randomized into two groups according to the randomized， double-blind control principle. The control group was treated with Xuezhikang capsules + Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma powder placebo and the observation group with Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma powder + Xuezhikang capsules placebo for 6 weeks. The clinical efficacy， traditional Chinese Medicine （TCM） syndrome scores， and liver and kidney function indicators were evaluated at weeks 0， 3， and 6. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was employed to determine the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF）， kinase insert domain receptor （KDR）， epidermal growth factor （EGF）， and epidermal growth factor receptor （EGFR） in the peripheral serum. Quantitative Real-time PCR was employed to measure the mRNA levels of KDR， EGFR， PI3K， and Akt in the mononuclear cells of the peripheral blood. ResultThe observation group （83.33%） showed the total effective rate comparable to that of the control group （89.66%） and no adverse reactions. Compared with before treatment， the patients in the observation group showed decreased TCM syndrome score and serum levels total cholesterol （TC）， triglyceride （TG）， and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C） and after being treated for 3 and 6 weeks （P<0.05）， the level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C） showed an upward trend, but the difference was not statistically significant. After treatment， the two groups showed no significant differences. Compared with that before treatment, the mRNA expression of PI3K, Akt and EGFR in peripheral blood mononuclear cell and the expression of EGF, VEGF and KDR in serum of the observation group showed a downward trend with time, in which the mRNA expression of PI3K, Akt, VEGF and KDR decreased more significantly (P<0.05)，The expression levels of KDR mRNA and serum EGFR show a trend of first increasing and then decreasing.Compared with the control group after treatment, there was no statistically significant difference in mRNA expression of PI3K, Akt, EGFR, and KDR, as well as serum levels of EGF, EGFR, VEGF, and KDR between the two groups of patients at the same time point. ConclusionNotoginseng Radix et Rhizoma powder is safe and effective in correcting dyslipidemia. It may inhibit the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway by down-regulating the expression of VEGF/KDR to lower the blood lipid level.

Analysis of Quality Value Transmitting of Volatile Oil in Bran-processed Atractylodes lancea and Its Standard Decoction with Different Physicochemical Forms / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo study the differences in volatile oil content of bran-processed Atractylodes lancea and its standard decoction concentrate and freeze-dried powder， as well as the differences in the types and contents of chemical components in volatile oil， and to clarify the quality value transmitting. MethodTen batches of A. lancea rhizoma were collected and prepared into raw products and bran-processed products of A. lancea， standard decoction concentrate and freeze-dried powder of bran-processed A. lancea in order to extract the volatile oil， and the transfer rate of volatile oil in each sample was calculated. Quantitative analysis of the main chemical components（β-eudesmol， atractylon， atractylodin） in each volatile oil was performed by gas chromatography（GC） on the HP-5 quartz capillary column（0.32 mm×30 m， 0.25 μm） with a flame ionization detector（FID）， a split ratio of 10∶1 and a temperature program（initial temperature at 80 ℃， hold for 1 min， rise to 150 ℃ at 10 ℃·min-1， hold for 10 min， rise to 155 ℃ at 0.5 ℃·min-1， hold for 5 min， rise to 240 ℃ at 8.5 ℃·min-1， hold for 8 min）. Cluster analysis and principal component analysis（PCA） were used to explore the overall differences in types and contents of chemical components between the standard decoction concentrate and freeze-dried powder. ResultThe transfer rates of volatile oil in the bran-processed products， standard decoction concentrate and freeze-dried powder were 70.51%， 1.57% and 40.90%， respectively. The average transfer rates of β-eudesmol， atractylon and atractylodin in the volatile oil of bran-processed A. lancea were 58.45%， 48.49% and 55.64%， respectively. In the standard decoction concentrate， only β-eudesmol and atractylodin were detected， and their average transfer rates were 0.22% and 0.10%， respectively. And only β-eudesmol was detected in the freeze-dried powder with the average transfer rate of 8.37%. The results of cluster analysis and PCA showed that there are obvious differences in the types and contents of chemical components between the standard decoction concentrate and freeze-dried powder. ConclusionThe quality value transmitting between bran-processed A. lancea and its standard decoction concentrate and freeze-dried powder is stable， and if the freeze-dried powder is selected as the reference material of dispensing granules， appropriate amount of volatile oil should be added back to make it consistent with the quality of the standard decoction concentrate.

Comparing Arsenic-Containing Qinghuang Powder and Low-Intensity Chemotherapy in Elderly Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To compare the clinical effect of arsenic-containing Qinghuang Powder (QHP) and low-intensity chemotherapy (LIC) in treatment of elderly acute myeloid leukemia (eAML) patients.@*METHODS@#Clinical data of 80 eAML patients treated at Xiyuan Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences from January 2015 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The treatment scheme was designed by real world study according to patients' preference, and patients were divided into a QHP group (35 cases) and a LIC group (45 cases). The median overall survival (mOS), 1-, 2-, and 3-year OS rates, and incidence of adverse events were compared between the two groups.@*RESULTS@#The mOS of 80 patients was 11 months, and the 1-, 2-, and 3-year OS rates were 45.51%, 17.96%, and 11.05%, respectively. The QHP and LIC groups demonstrated no significant difference in mOS (12 months vs. 10 months), 1- (48.57% vs. 39.65%), 2- (11.43% vs. 20.04%), and 3-year OS rates (5.71% vs. 13.27%, all P>0.05). Moreover, the related factors of mOS demonstrated no significant difference in patients with age>75 years (11 months vs. 8 months), secondary AML (11 months vs. 8 months), poor genetic prognosis (9 months vs. 7 months), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status score ⩾ 3 (10 months vs. 7 months) and hematopoietic stem cell transplant comorbidity index ⩾ 4 (11 months vs. 7 months) between the QHP and LIC groups (all P>0.05). However, the incidence of myelosuppression was significantly lower in the QHP group than that in the LIC group (28.57% vs. 73.33%, P<0.01).@*CONCLUSIONS@#QHP and LIC had similar survival rates in eAML patients, but QHP had a lower myelosuppression incidence. Hence, QHP can be an alternative for eAML patients who do not tolerate LIC.

Determination and difference analysis of bile acid active constituents of artificial bezoar in Babao jingfeng powder from different manufacturers / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To establish the method for determination of bile acid active constituents （cholic acid， hyodeoxycholic acid and sodium taurocholate） in Babao jingfeng powder， and to compare the differences of 3 constituents in Babao jingfeng powder from different manufacturers. METHODS UPLC-MS method was adopted to determine the contents of cholic acid， hyodeoxycholic acid and sodium taurocholate in 9 batches of Babao jingfeng powder from 3 manufacturers. The separation was performed on a Phenomenex Luna® C18 column with mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile-water （gradient elution） at a flow rate of 0.5 mL/min. The column temperature was 40 ℃ and the sample size was 2 μL. MS system was operated in a negative ion single quadrupole mode， and the m/z of cholic acid， hyodeoxycholic acid and sodium taurocholate were 407.2， 392.2 and 514.2， respectively. With the contents of three components as the index， cluster analysis and principle component analysis were performed on 9 batches of samples. RESULTS The linear ranges of cholic acid， hyodeoxycholic acid and sodium taurocholate were 5.48- 548.40， 5.38-538.40， 4.74-474.05 ng/mL， respectively （r≥ 0.999 3）. RSDs of precision， repeatability and stability tests（24 h） were all lower than or equal to 3.7% （n＝6）， and the average recoveries were 103.3%， 103.3% and 101.6% with RSDs of 3.3%， 3.4%， 4.2% （n＝6）， respectively. The contentsof cholic acid ranged 0.702-1.711 mg/g， those of deoxycholic acid ranged 0.599-2.049 mg/g， and those of sodium taurocholate ranged 0.664-1.752 mg/g in 9 batches of samples. The average content of 3 components in samples from manufacturer A was high， and the difference between batches was the smallest； the average content of 3 components from manufacturer C was the lowest， and the difference between batches was large. Cluster analysis could basically distinguish samples from different manufacturers； cluster analysis was conducted by using the comprehensive score of principal components as an indicator， the results of which were basically consistent with those of cluster analysis for content. CONCLUSIONS The method is established successfully for the content determination of the 3 bile acid active constituents of artificial bezoar in Babao jingfeng powder. The contents of 3 components in Babao jingfeng powder from 3 manufacturers are significantly different.

Screening and optimization of the formulation of human recombinant neutrophil inhibitory factor and hirulog hybrid for injection / 中国生物制品学杂志

@#Objective To screen and optimize the formulation and technology of human recombinant neutrophil inhibitory factor and hirulog hybrid(TNHH)for injection,and investigate its stability.Methods Based on the results of the single factor experiment,with the pH range,mannitol dosage and povidone K30 dosage as independent variables,and the content of high molecular protein as response value,the response surface design(CCF)test was used to analyze the effects of the respective variables and their interaction on the content of high molecular protein in TNHH for injection to screen out the optimal formulation. In order to facilitate the operation,the optimal formulation was adjusted to prepare three batches of samples in pilot scale,which were placed at 40 ℃,75% relative humidity(RH)for 2,4 weeks and 2 ～ 8 ℃ for 3,6 months,respectively. The samples were taken and the appearance,pH,purity of reversed phase-high performance liquid chromatography(RP-HPLC)and purity of size exclusion chromatography-high performance liquid chromatography(SECHPLC)were detected to verify the stability of this formulation and process.Results The optimal formulation was pH 4. 982 6,mannitol 7. 986 4% and povidone K30 1. 902 7%,which was finally adjusted to pH 5. 0,mannitol 8. 0% and povidone K302. 0%. The TNHH preparation for injection prepared by the optimized prescription and process were stable in quality and met the clinical medication requirements.Conclusion The optimum formulation of TNHH preparation for injection is reasonable in the process and suitable for industrial production.

Effects of compound protein powder on nitrogen metabolism and physiological and biochemical indexes in rats / 公共卫生与预防医学

Objective To explore the nutritional efficacy of compound protein powder formulations from different sources. Methods Three groups of compound protein powder formulations were obtained through scientific blending using soy protein, whey protein and yeast protein as raw materials. The effects of the compound protein powders on nitrogen metabolism, serum biochemical indicators, and pathological changes of liver tissue and epididymal fat in rats were evaluated. Results Compared with the control (casein), the net protein utilization, biological evaluation, and protein efficacy ratio of the compound protein powders in rats were significantly improved, and the changes in these indicators in the formula with the highest whey protein content were most significant among all three formulas. The compound protein powders effectively increased the levels of albumin and globulin, while decreased the content of total cholesterol, indicating beneficial effects on improving immunity and controlling lipid metabolism, with the formula group 2 being the most effective among all three groups. The pathological examination showed that the three groups of protein powder did not have adverse effects on liver tissue and epididymal fat. Conclusion The present study demonstrates that the compound protein powder formulation has nutritional value, which suggests a potential of the application of the compound protein powder formulation in the elderly, and people with special nutritional needs, such as sports people.