Herbal Textual Research on Olibanum in Famous Classical Formulas / 中国实验方剂学杂志

By consulting the ancient and moderm literature， this paper makes a textual research on the name， origin， quality evaluation， harvesting and processing of Olibanum， so as to provide a basis for the development of the famous classical formulas containing this medicinal material. According to the herbal textual research， the results showed that Olibanum was first described as a medicinal material by the name of Xunluxiang in Mingyi Bielu（《名医别录》）， until Ruxiang had been used as the correct name since Bencao Shiyi（《本草拾遗》） in Tang dynasty. The main origin was Boswellia carterii from Burseraceae family. The mainly producing areas in ancient description were ancient India and Arabia， while the modern producing areas are Somalia， Ethiopia and the southern Arabian Peninsula. The medicinal part of Olibanum in ancient and modern times is the resin exuded from the bark， which has been mainly harvested in spring and summer. It is concluded that the better Olibanum has light yellow， granular， translucent， no impurities such as sand and bark， sticky powder and aromatic smell. There were many processing methods in ancient times， including cleansing（water flying， removing impurities）， grinding（wine grinding， rush grinding）， frying（stir-frying， rush frying， wine frying）， degreasing， vinegar processing， decoction. In modern times， the main processing methods are simplified to cleansing， stir-frying and vinegar processing. Nowadays， the commonly used specifications include raw， fried and vinegar-processed products. Among the three specifications， raw products is the Olibanum after cleansing， fried products is a kind of Olibanum processed by frying method， vinegar-processed products is the processed products of pure frankincense mixed with vinegar. Based on the research results， it is recommended to select the resin exuded from the bark of B. carterii for the famous classical formulas such as Juanbitang containing Olibanum， processing method should be carried out in accordance with the processing requirements of the formulas， otherwise used the raw products if the formulas without clear processing requirements.

Effect of date palm cultivars on chemical and phytochemical properties of date vinegars

@#Introduction: Phoenix dactylifera, commonly known as date or date palm, is a flowering plant species in the palm family Arecaceae, cultivated for its edible sweet fruit called dates. Dates are high in dietary fibre and antioxidant compounds, known for preventing cancer and cardiovascular diseases. This research studied the chemical properties, antioxidant activities, and total phenolic content of fermented date vinegars from Phoenix dactylifera L. fruits, which had three cultivars - Barhi, Siam S1, and KL1. Methods: The first step was making date wines by using Saccharomyces cerevisiae (0.75% v/v of date juice content) to produce alcohol; the second step was making date vinegars by using Acetobacter pasteurianus (10% v/v of inoculum). Thereafter, the wines and vinegars were analysed for their chemical properties [high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)], antioxidant activities [2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay], and total phenolic content (folin ciocalteu method). Results: Results showed that the highest alcohol content was 9.35% (v/v) in Siam S1 wine. The highest acetic acid was 7% (v/v) in Siam S1 vinegar. From the phytochemical analysis of vinegars, the highest antioxidant activity was found to be 24.96 mg/mL in Siam S1 vinegar, while the highest total phenolic content was found to be 208.35 mg GAE/L in KL1 vinegar. Conclusion: This novel research showed that the Siam S1 date had the highest acetic acid and antioxidant activity in vinegar. Thus, this cultivar could be processed to make new, healthy products that can further lead to income generation for the people in Thailand.

Effect of processing with vinegar on efficacy of Curcuma longa in treatment of dysmenorrhea in rats with syndrome of liver depression and Qi stagnation / 中国中药杂志

This study compared the effects of Curcuma longa before and after processing with vinegar on the rat model of dysmenorrhea with the syndrome of liver depression and Qi stagnation to reveal the mechanism of vinegar processing in improving the role of C. longa in soothing liver and relieving pain. The rat model of dysmenorrhea with the syndrome of liver depression and Qi stagnation was established according to the Preparation of the Animal Model of Dysmenorrhea(Draft) and the chronic unpredictable stress me-thod. The changes in the body weight, organ indexes, writhing latency, writhing score, and serum levels of six liver function indicators, sex hormones, pain factors, and blood rheological indicators were measured to evaluate the efficacy of C. longa processed with vinegar or not in treating dysmenorrhea in the rats with syndrome of liver depression and qi stagnation. Compared with the model group, the C. longa group(processed with vinegar or not) showed slow weight loss, increase in writhing latency, and decrease in writhing response(P<0.05). The inhibition rates on writhing in raw C. longa, vinegar-processed C. longa, and positive groups were 33.780%, 64.611%, and 62.466%, respectively. The significantly higher inhibition rate of the vinegar processing group indicated that vinegar-processed C. longa demonstrated more significant therapeutic effect. The vinegar-processed C. longa group showed lower levels of alanine aminotransferase(ALT), alkaline phosphatase(ALP), aspartate aminotransferase(AST), direct bilirubin(DBIL), and total bilirubin(TBIL) and higher level of albumin(ALB)(P<0.05), which indicated that vinegar processing enhanced the therapeutic effect of C. longa on liver injury. The serum levels of estradiol(E_2) and oxytocin(OT) were lower in the vinegar-processed C. longa group(P<0.05), indicating that the vinegar-processed C. longa could regulate the sex hormone levels, reduce the activity of uterine smooth muscle and contraction of uterus, and alleviate the symptoms of dysmenorrhea in rats. Moreover, the vinegar-processed C. longa group showed lower interleukin-6(IL-6) and arginine vasopressin(AVP) levels and higher beta-endorphin(β-EP) level(P<0.05), which indicated that vinegar-processed C. longa regulated the levels of pain factors to exert the pain-relieving effect. Drug intervention decreased the whole blood viscosity low-cut, medium-cut and high-cut values, plasma viscosity, whole blood reduction viscosity low-cut and high-cut values, erythrocyte cumulative pressure, and equation K value of erythrocyte sedimentation rate(P<0.05), and the vinegar-processed C. longa group outperformed other groups. This result indicated that vinegar processing enhanced the function of C. longa in improving the local blood rheology. C. longa processed with vinegar can enter the liver to relieve the da-mage to the heart, liver, kidney, and uterus, repair the liver function, and recover the sex hormone levels and immune function by regulating the levels of sex hormones and pain factors and improving the blood rheology. It activates the pain-relieving mechanism to relieve the pain, protect the liver, and fight inflammation, which is consistent with the theory that vinegar processing facilitates C. longa entering the liver to sooth liver and relieve pain.

Optimization of parameters for stir-frying of Kansui Radix with vinegar based on conversion of toxic components / 中国中药杂志

This study aims to optimize the parameters for stir-frying of Kansui Radix with vinegar based on the conversion of representative toxic diterpenes, which is expected to serve as a reference for the standardized production of Kansui Radix stir-fried with vinegar. To be specific, the toxic components [3-O-(2'E,4'Z-decadienoyl)-20-O-acetylingenol(3-O-EZ), kansuiphorin C(KPC)] in Kansui Radix and the products(ingenol, 20-deoxyingenol) after the stir-frying with vinegar were selected. The toxicity to intestine and water-draining activity were evaluated with NCM460(normal human colon mucosal epithelial cell line) and HT-29(a human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line). An HPLC method was then developed to assess the conversion of toxic components. On this basis, temperature, time, and amount of vinegar for the processing of Kansui Radix were optimized with the Box-Behnken design and the content of ingenol and 20-deoxyingenol as evaluation index. The results showed that after the stir-frying of Kansui Radix with vinegar, 3-O-EZ and KPC were first converted to monoester 3-O-(2'E,4'Z-decadienoyl)ingenol(3-EZ) and 5-O-benzoyl-20-deoxyingenol(5-O-Ben) and finally to almost non-toxic ingenol and 20-deoxyingenol, respectively. Meanwhile, the water-draining activity was retained. Six compounds had a good linear relationship with the peak area in the corresponding concentration ranges(R~2≥0.999 8), and the average recovery fell in the range of 98.20%-102.3%(RSD≤2.4%). The content of representative diterpenes and intermediate products was 14.78%-24.67% lower in the Kansui Radix stir-fried with vinegar than in the Kansui Radix, while the content of the conversed products was 14.37%-71.37% higher. Among the process parameters, temperature had significant influence on the total content of products, followed by time. The optimal parameters were 210 ℃, 15 min, and 30% vinegar. The relative error between the experimental results and the predicted values was 1.68%, indicating that the process was stable and reproducible. The strategy of screening optimal parameters for stir-frying of Kansui Radix with vinegar based on the transformation of toxic components can help improve the production stability, reduce the toxicity, and ensure the efficacy of Kansui Radix stir-fried with vinegar, which can serve as a reference for the process optimization of similar toxic Chinese medicinals.

Integration of plasma metabolomics and spectrum-effect correlation for profiling the mechanism and pharmacodynamic substances on attenuating hepatic fibrosis of Bupleuri Radix and Paeoniae Radix Alba before and after vinegar-processing and compatibility / 药学学报

Plasma metabolomics based on UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS technique was developed for profiling the mechanism on attenuating hepatic fibrosis of Bupleuri Radix (BR) and Paeoniae Radix Alba (PRA) before and after vinegar-processing and compatibility, and to screen potential pharmacodynamic substances by spectrum-effect correlation method in this study. Firstly, SD rats with CCl4-induced hepatic fibrosis were used as an in vivo model. The blood and tissue samples were collected for the analyses of pharmacodynamic indexes and plasma metabolomics after six weeks’ administration of BR, vinegar-processed BR (VPBR), PRA, vinegar-processed PRA (VPPRA), BR-PRA herb-pair, and VPBR-VPPRA herb-pair. The experiment was approved by the experimental animal ethics committee from Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine (No.202103A002). The results of pharmacodynamics indicated that the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT, P < 0.01), aspartate aminotransferase (AST, P < 0.01), and hydroxyproline (HYP, P < 0.01) were decreased significantly, while the level of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px, P < 0.05) was increased obviously after administration of all treatment groups. Next, UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS was performed to characterize the endogenous metabolites. A total of 20 differential endogenous metabolites related to the pathogenesis of hepatic fibrosis were identified in positive and negative ion modes, mainly involving five metabolic pathways of retinol metabolism, glycerol phospholipid metabolism, glyceride metabolism, fatty acid biosynthesis, and arachidonic acid metabolism. Meanwhile, a concept named correction rate was introduced to evaluate the back-regulation effects of all treatment groups on differential metabolites, and 10 differential metabolites were corrected by all treatment groups. The correction effects of the vinegar-processed herb groups were better than those of the crude ones, and the correction effects of the herb-pair groups were better than those of the single ones. Interestingly, the best correction effect was found in the VPBR-VPPRA herb-pair group, which further verified the efficacy improvement through vinegar-processing and compatibility. Partial least square method and VIP analysis combined with spectrum-effect correlation were applied for screening pharmacodynamic markers, and 38 ingredients with higher correlation with four classical pharmacodynamic indexes (ALT, AST, HYP, and GSH-Px) were identified as pharmacodynamic markers of the anti-hepatic fibrosis effects of BR and PRA before and after vinegar-processing and compatibility. The results of the investigation could not only lay a foundation for clarifying the pharmacodynamic materials and mechanism of vinegar-processing and compatibility of BR and PRA in the treatment of hepatic fibrosis as well as provide a theoretical basis for demonstrating the scientific connotation of processing and compatibility, but also provide a reference for further drug design and development of BR and PRA in clinic.

Optimal processing technology of Zhangbang vinegar-processed Olibanum with multi-indicator-response surface methodology and anticoagulant effect evaluation / 中国中药杂志

This study first optimized the processing technology for Zhangbang vinegar-processed Olibanum and investigated its in vitro anticoagulant activity. A multi-index-response surface methodology was used, with yield, powder yield, and the relative percentage of the content of six non-volatile components [11-keto-boswellic acid(KBA), 3-acetyl-11-keto-boswellic acid(AKBA), β-elemonic acid, α-boswellic acid(α-BA), β-boswellic acid(β-BA), and α-acetyl-boswellic acid(α-BA)] and three volatile components(octyl acetate, incensole, and incensole acetate) as evaluation indicators. Analytical hierarchy process(AHP) combined with coefficient of variation method was used to calculate the weight of each indicator and calculate the comprehensive score(OD). Furthermore, response surface methodology was used to investigate the effects of frying temperature(A), burning time(B), rice vinegar dosage(C), and steaming time(D) on the processing technology of vinegar-processed Olibanum. Vinegar-steamed Olibanum was prepared according to the optimal processing technology for in vitro anticoagulant experiments. The results showed that the weights of octyl acetate, incensole, incensole acetate, KBA, AKBA, β-elemonic acid, α-BA, β-BA, α-ABA, yield, and powder yield were 0.358 2, 0.104 5, 0.146 4, 0.032 9, 0.123 7, 0.044 4, 0.022 1, 0.042 2, 0.110 1, 0.012 2, and 0.0032, respectively. The optimal processing technology for Zhangbang vinegar-processed Olibanum was as follows. Olibanum(50 g) with a particle size of 1-5 mm was continuously stir-fried at a low heat of 150-180 ℃ until in a gel-like state, ignited for burning for 15 s, sprayed with 7.5 g of rice vinegar(15%), and steamed for 3 min without fire. Subsequently, the cover was removed, and the product was continuously stir-fried at 150-180 ℃ until in a soft lump shape, removed, cooled, and crushed. The results of the in vitro anticoagulant experiments showed that compared with the blank group, both Olibanum and vinegar-processed Olibanum significantly prolonged the activated partial thromboplastin time(APTT), thrombin time(TT), and prothrombin time(PT) of rat platelet-poor plasma(PPP), and the effect of vinegar-processed Olibanum was significantly better than that of Olibanum(P<0.05). The optimized processing technology for Zhangbang vinegar-processed Olibanum is stable, feasible, and beneficial for the further development and utilization of Olibanum slices. At the same time, using the content of volatile and non-volatile components, yield, and powder yield as indicators, and verifying through pharmacological experiments, the obtained results are more reasonable and credible, and have positive guiding significance for the clinical application of characteristic processed Olibanum products.

Discrimination of different processing degrees and quantitative study of processing end point of vinegar-processing Cyperi Rhizoma pieces based on electronic sensory technology / 中国中药杂志

In this study, CM-5 spectrophotometer and Heracles NEO ultra-fast gas-phase electronic nose were used to analyze the changes in color and odor of vinegar-processed Cyperi Rhizoma(VPCR) pieces. Various analysis methods such as DFA and partial least squares discriminant analysis(PLS-DA) were combined to identify different processing degrees and quantify the end point of processing. The results showed that with the increase in vinegar processing, the brightness parameter L~* of VPCR pieces decreased gradua-lly, while the red-green value a~* and yellow-blue value b~* initially increased and reached their maximum at 8 min of processing, followed by a gradual decrease. A discriminant model based on the color parameters L~*, a~*, and b~* was established(with a discrimination accuracy of 98.5%), which effectively differentiated different degrees of VPCR pieces. Using the electronic nose, 26 odor components were identified from VPCR samples at different degrees of vinegar processing. DFA and PLS-DA models were established for different degrees of VPCR pieces. The results showed that the 8-min processed samples were significantly distinct from other samples. Based on variable importance in projection(VIP) value greater than 1, 10 odor components, including 3-methylfuran, 2-methylbuty-raldehyde, 2-methylpropionic acid, furfural, and α-pinene, were selected as odor markers for differentiating the degrees of vinegar processing in VPCR. By combining the changes in color and the characteristic odor components, the optimal processing time for VPCR was determined to be 8 min. This study provided a scientific basis for the standardization of vinegar processing techniques for VPCR and the improvement of its quality standards and also offered new methods and ideas for the rapid identification and quality control of the end point of processing for other traditional Chinese medicine.

Exploring Synergistic Mechanism of Vinegar-processed Olibanum in Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis Based on Bile Acid-regulated "Gut-liver" Crosstalk / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the synergistic mechanism of vinegar-processed Olibanum on ulcerative colitis（UC） via the bile acids regulating "gut-liver" crosstalk. MethodRats were randomly divided into normal group， model group， Olibanum group and vinegar-processed Olibanum group. UC model of rats was induced by intracolonic instillation of 2，4，6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid（TNBS）. Ultra high performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole-mass spectrometry（UPLC-QQQ-MS） was used to perform the qualitative analysis of 30 bile acids in the colon of rats. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR） and Western blot were used to detect changes in the expression of farnesoid X receptor（FXR）， fibroblast growth factor 15（FGF15） and FGF receptor 4（FGFR4） in "gut-liver" crosstalk at mRNA and protein levels. And with the help of HcoEpiC cell model intervened by conjugated bile acids， simulating the UC state， and according to the different modes of intervention， they were divided into the blank group， conjugated bile acid group， Olibanum group， vinegar-processed Olibanum group and 3-O-acetyl-9，11-dehydro-β-boswellic acid（ADHBA） group. The effect of Olibanum before and after processing with vinegar and the main differential component ADHBA on the mRNA expression of FXR and FGF19 were explored by Real-time PCR. ResultCompared with the normal group， the levels of conjugated bile acids in the model group increased significantly（P<0.01）， and the mRNA and protein expressions of "gut-liver" crosstalk factors FXR， FGF15 and FGFR4 decreased significantly（P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the content of conjugated bile acids in the Olibanum group and vinegar-processed Olibanum group was significantly decreased（P<0.01）， the mRNA and protein expressions of FXR， FGF15 and FGFR4 were significantly elevated（P<0.05， P<0.01）， and vinegar-processed Olibanum exhibited superior effects than Olibanum. In cellular experiments， a significant decrease in mRNA expression of FXR and FGF19 was observed in the conjugated bile acid group when compared with the blank group（P<0.01）. Compared with the conjugated bile acid group， the mRNA expressions of FXR and FGF19 were significantly higher in the Olibanum， vinegar-processed Olibanum and ADHBA groups（P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the effect of vinegar-processed Olibanum was more favorable. ConclusionVinegar-processed Olibanum may enhance the ameliorating effect on UC by enhancing the down-regulation of conjugated bile acids in the colon and the up-regulation of FXR-FGF15/19-FGFR4 "gut-liver" crosstalk pathway， and ADHBA may be the main material basis for the synergy.

Material basis and mechanism of Curcuma longa tuberous roots with and without vinegar processing in treating primary dysmenorrhea / 中国中药杂志

Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was employed to analyze the chemical components in Curcuma longa tuberous roots(HSYJ), C. longa tuberous roots processed with vinegar(CHSYJ), and rat serum after the administration. The active components of HSYJ and CHSYJ absorbed in serum were identified based on the secondary spectrum of database and literature. The targets of primary dysmenorrhea was screened out from database. The protein-protein interaction network analysis, gene ontology(GO) functional annotation, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were performed for the common targets shared by the drug active components in serum and primary dysmenorrhea, and the component-target-pathway network was constructed. AutoDock was used to conduct molecular docking between the core components and targets. A total of 44 chemical components were identified from HSYJ and CHSYJ, including 18 absorbed in serum. On the basis of network pharmacology, we identified 8 core components(including procurcumenol, isobutyl p-hydroxybenzoate, ferulic acid, and zedoarondiol) and 10 core targets \[including interleukin-6(IL-6), estrogen receptor 1(ESR1), and prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2(PTGS2)\]. The core targets were mainly distributed in the heart, liver, uterus, and smooth muscle. The molecular docking results showed that the core components were well bound to the core targets, indicating that HSYJ and CHSYJ may exert therapeutic effect on primary dysmenorrhea via estrogen, ovarian steroidogenesis, tumor necrosis factor(TNF), hypoxia-inducible factor-1(HIF-1), IL-17 and other signaling pathways. This study clarifies the HSYJ and CHSYJ components absorbed in serum, as well as the corresponding mechanism, providing a reference for further elucidating the therapeutic material basis and clinical application of HSYJ and CHSYJ.

Effect of Kansui Radix stir-fried with vinegar on fecal metabolomics in Walker-256 rats with ascites / 中国中药杂志

Utilizing metabolomics technology, this study explored the change of fecal endogenous metabolites in Walker-256 rats with malignant ascites after the administration with Kansui Radix(KR) stir-fried with vinegar(VKR), sought the potential biomarkers in feces which were related to the treatment of malignant ascites by VKR and revealed the biological mechanism of water-expelling effect of VKR. Ultra-fast liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UFLC-Q-TOF-MS) was employed to detect the feces of rats in all groups. Principle component analysis(PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis(PLS-DA) were conducted to achieve pattern recognition. Combining t-test and variable importance in the projection(VIP) enabled the screening of potential biomarkers for the malignant ascites. Metabolic pathway analysis was accomplished with MetaboAnalyst. Correlation analysis was finally conducted integrating the sequencing data of gut microbiota to elucidate the mechanism underlying the water-expelling effect of VKR. The results showed that both KR and VKR could restore the abnormal metabolism of model rats to some extent, with VKR being inferior to KR in the regulation. Eleven potential biomarkers were identified to be correlated with the malignant ascites and five metabolic pathways were then enriched. Four kinds of gut microbiota were significantly related to the potential biomarkers. The water-expelling effect of VKR may be associated with the regulation of phenylalanine metabolism, biosynthesis of phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan, tryptophan metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, and glycosylphosphatidylinositol(GPI)-anchor biosynthesis. This study can provide a scientific basis for comprehensive understandings of the interaction between gut microbiota and host which has relation to the water-expelling effect of VKR and guide the reasonable clinical application of VKR.

Chemical ingredient groups B and C in Kansui Radix stir-fried with vinegar affect diversity of gut microbiota in rat model of malignant ascites induced by Walker-256 cells / 中国中药杂志

This study aims to explore the effects of chemical ingredient groups B and C in Kansui Radix stir-fried with vinegar on the diversity of gut microbiota in the rat model of malignant ascites, identify the key differential microbial taxa, and reveal the biological mechanism of water-expelling effect of the two chemical ingredient groups. The rat model of malignant ascites induced by Walker-256 cells was established, and phenolphthalein was used as the positive drug. The rats were orally administrated with corresponding agents for consecutive 7 days. On day 6, fresh feces samples were collected from the rats, and 16 S rDNA high-throughput sequencing and GC-MS were employed to determine the composition of gut microbiota and the content of short-chain fatty acids, respectively. On day 7, serum and intestinal tissue samples were collected for the determination of related indicators. Compared with the control group, the model group showed decreased feces volume and urine volume(P<0.01), increased volume of ascites and levels of Na~+, K~+, and Cl~- in urine(P<0.01), down-regulated mRNA and protein levels of intestinal AQP8(P<0.01), lowered abundance of beneficial Lactobacillus(P<0.01) while risen abundance of potential pathogenic Lachnospiraceae and Anaeroplasma(P<0.01), and reduced content of short-chain fatty acids(P<0.01). Compared with the model group, administration with chemical ingredient groups B and C alleviated all the above indicators(P<0.01). In conclusion, chemical ingredient groups B and C in Kansui Radix stir-fried with vinegar could alleviate the disordered gut microbiota in rats with malignant ascites to expel water through increasing the abundance of beneficial Lactobacillus and reducing the abundance of harmful Lachnospiraceae and Anaeroplasma. This study can provide a reference for the reasonable clinical application of Kansui Radix stir-fried with vinegar.

Vinegar-processed Euphorbiae Pekinensis Radix improves intestinal flora disorder and reduces colon toxicity / 中国中药杂志

The present study investigated the effect of Euphorbiae Pekinensis Radix(EPR) on intestinal flora structure before and after vinegar processing and explored the detoxification mechanism of vinegar-processed EPR. In this study, the extraction efficiency of casbane diterpenes from EPR with different solvents was investigated, and the optimal solvent was selected to enrich these components. After 14 days of intragastric administration of total diterpene extract of EPR and vinegar-processed EPR, 16 S rDNA sequencing technology was used to detect the structural changes of intestinal flora. The flora related to the intestinal toxicity of EPR was screened out based on the results of intestinal pathological damage by correlation analysis. The results showed that Soxhlet extraction with chloroform as extraction solvent could enrich Casbane diterpenes in EPR. As revealed by 16 S rDNA sequencing results, EPR could significantly change the structure of intestinal flora, which could be reversed by vinegar-processing EPR. Some intestinal flora candidates might be related to detoxification of vinegar processing. The correlation analysis of intestinal flora candidates and indexes related to intestinal mucosal injury showed that compared with EPR, vinegar-processed EPR could down-regulate the abundance of some pathogenic bacteria such as Mucispirillum, Bilophila, and Ruminiclostridium, and up-regulated some probiotics such as Enterorhabdus, Ruminococcaceae_UCG-014, Barnesiella, and Candidatus. The intestinal toxicity caused by EPR may be related to the disturbance of intestinal flora, and vinegar-processed EPR can improve intestinal flora disorder by up-regulating the abundance of probiotics and down-regulating the abundance of pathogenic bacteria to remodel the intestinal mucosal barrier and reduce toxicity.

Changes of volatile components and their content determination of Olibanum after processing / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To analyze the changes of volatile co mponents in Olibanum and its processed products ，and to determine the contents of 4 components as octyl acetate. METHODS The volatile oil of Olibanum ，fried Olibanum and Olibanum stir-baked with vinegar were extracted. The components of volatile components were identified by GC-MS. The structure identification and data analysis of the chemical components with similarity ≥80％ were performed by using Xcalibur 4.0 software and NIST 2.0 mass spectrum database. The peak area normalization method was used to calculate the relative content of each component. GC method was adopted to simultaneously determine and compare the contents of limonene ，octyl acetate ，linalool and n-octanol in volatile components of Olibanum and its processed products. RESULTS Thirteen components were identified from volatile components of Olibanum ，fried Olibanum and Olibanum stir-baked with vinegar ，mainly including alcohols ，olefins and esters；among them ，relative contents of octyl acetate in Olibanum ，fried Olibanum and Olibanum stir-baked with vinegar were higher，which were 23.86％ ，37.80％ and 53.86％ respectively. The linear ranges of limonene ，octyl acetate ，linalool and n-octanol were 0.006 6-0.066 4，0.179 2 -1.792 0，0.003 7-0.037 0 and 0.032 8-0.328 0（r＞0.999 5）respectively；RSDs of precision，repeatability and stability （24 h）tests were all less than 2％；average recoveries were 98.56％，100.02％，99.13％ and 98.66％，respectively（RSD≤2.16，n＝6）. Average contents of 4 components in Olibanum were 0.15％，16.27％，0.36％ and 2.26％，while those of fried Olibanum were 0.85％，17.58％，0.66％ and 3.47％，respectively；those of Olibanum stir-baked with vinegar were 0.50％，19.75％，0.58％ and 3.34％，respectively. Compared with Olibanum ，average contents of octyl acetate ， linalool，n-octanol and limonene in volatile components of fried Olibanum and Olibanum stir-baked with vinegar were increased significantly（P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared with fried Olibanum ，average contents of limonene ，linalool and n-octanol were decreased significantly ，while those of octyl acetate were increased significantly （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. CONCLUSIONS After fried and stir-baked with vinegar ，the volatile components in Olibanum are similar ，but the relative contents are different ，and the contents of octyl acetate and other components are increased.

Herbal Textual Research on Myrrha in Famous Classical Formulas / 中国实验方剂学杂志

In order to provide the basis for the development of famous classical formulas containing Myrrha， the name， origin， quality evaluation， harvest and processing of Myrrha were systematically researched by consulting the ancient herbal and medical books， combining with the modern related literature. According to textual research， the results showed that Commiphora myrrha was the main base in ancient times， which was produced in Somalia， Ethiopia and northern Kenya. In addition， raw and fried products of Myrrha were the commonly used specifications in ancient herbal medicine， which are still used today. Nowadays， Myrrha， fried Myrrha and vinegar-processed Myrrha were the commonly used specifications. Among the three specifications， Myrrha is the raw products after cleaning， fried Myrrha is a kind of processed products， which has relevant records in ancient materia medica and is still used today. Vinegar-processed Myrrha is a new processing specification in modern times. Based on the research results， it is suggested that Myrrha in Shentong Zhuyutang should be the purified raw Myrrha in accordance with the 2020 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia.

Study on quality standard for vinegar-steamed Corydalis rhizoma / 药学实践杂志

Objective To set up the quality standards for vinegar-steamed Corydalis rhizome, which can be used for the quality control of production, supervision, circulation and application of the steam processed Corydalis rhizoma with vinegar. Methods The moisture content, total ash, ethanol extract content and active ingredients of the steam processed Corydalis rhizoma with vinegar were determined according to the related assay method in Part IV of Chinese Pharmacopeia 2015. Results According to the guidelines from the traditional Chinese medicine quality standards and related testing methods, the moisture content of steam processed Corydalis rhizoma with vinegar should be less than 15.0%, the total ash content less than 4.0%, the ethanol extract content more than 11.0%, and the representative component of tetrahydropalmatine more than 0.05%. Conclusion The established process with this study for the quality standard of vinegar-steamed Corydalis rhizoma was conformed to the state requirements for traditional Chinese medicine. It can be used as a reference for the quality standard of vinegar-steamed Corydalis rhizoma.

Chemical Characterization and Antiradical Properties of Pyroligneous Acid from a Preserved Bamboo, Guadua angustifolia Kunth

Abstract Pyroligneous acid (PA) was obtained by condensation of the vapors produced in the thermal decomposition of culms residues from Guadua angustifolia Kunth (G. angustifolia) cultivated in Colombia, with and without previous preservation treatment with borax salts. Chemical characterization by GC-MS showed that PA extracts has high content of phenolic compounds. Mequinol, isocreosol, 4-ethylphenol, 4-ethyl-2-methoxyphenol, 3,5-dimethoxy-4-hydroxytoluene and 2,6-dimethoxyphenol were the most abundant substances, identified. The total phenolic content (TPC) and DPPH free radical scavenging activity, were investigated. TPC showed a concentration of 1.959 mg GA g-1±0.010 and 3.844 mg GA g-1±0.027 to PAC and PAS samples. These samples also exhibited high DPPH activity of 70.975%±0.921 and, 16.667%±0.298, respectively. The chemical composition, TPC and DPPH results indicate that the PA extracts obtained from G. angustifolia may be used as a raw material in the food industry as natural preservative, in medicine as alternative to antibiotics and in agriculture as insect repellent and foliar fertilizer.

Historical evolution and research advance in processing adjuvant--vinegar / 中国中药杂志

Processing of Chinese medicinals with vinegar is one of the characteristic processing techniques. Vinegar is vital for the quality of vinegar-processed decoction pieces. However, there have been no specified standards for adjuvants. Through consulting relevant literature and monographs, we comprehensively reviewed the historical evolution of processing with vinegar in records, selection and application of vinegar, and summarized the relevant standards and current status of vinegar as an adjuvant in China. According to the records in literature, vinegar is effective in activating blood, moving qi, dispersing blood stasis, removing toxin, promoting appetite, and nourishing the liver. Traditionally, rice vinegar is chosen in processing. Nowadays, the vinegar made from rice under solid-state fermentation should be chosen. At present, only food standards can be taken for reference for vinegar in the processing. Integrative and specific inspection indicators are lacking, so the standards for adjuvants need to be improved urgently. In addition, the inadequacy in quality control and management is also a major problem to be solved. Through literature research, we reviewed the historical evolution and research advance in vinegar to provide a reference for the standardization and further research of vinegar used in the Chinese medicinal processing.

Establishment of Characteristic Pattern of Vinegar-processed Schisandra chinensis Formula Granules and Content Determination of 5 Components / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE：To establ ish characteristic pattern of vinegar-processed product of Schisandra chinensis formula granules from different habitats ，and to determine the contents of 5 components. METHODS ：HPLC method was adopted. The determination was performed on Agilent ZORBAX SB-C 18 column with mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile-water （gradient elution）at the flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. The column temperature was set at 30 ℃，and detection wavelength was set at 220 nm. The sample size was 10 µL. Using schisandrin as reference ，HPLC characteristic pattern of 19 batches of vinegar-processed S. chinensis formula granules was drawn. The similarity evaluation was performed with Similarity Evaluation System of TCM Chromatographic Fingerprints （2012 edition），and common peaks were confirmed. The contents of schisandrin ，schisandrol， angeloylgomisin H ，schizandrin and deoxyschizandrin were determined by same method. RESULTS ：There were 8 common peaks in 19 batches of vinegar-processed S. chinensis formula granules ，and the similarities were all above 0.996；five of them were identified as schisandrin ，schisandrol，angeloylgomisin H ，schizandrin and deoxyschizandrin ，respectively. The linear range of schisandrin，schisandrol，angeloylgomisin H ，schizandrin and deoxyschizandrin were 0.030-0.380，0.016-0.195，0.009-0.115， 0.006-0.078 and 0.011-0.138 μg（r＞0.999），respectively. RSDs of precision ，stability（24 h）and reproducibility tests were all lower than 2％. Average recoveries were 99.84％，99.54％，99.28％，100.03％，100.27％（RSD＜1.4％，n＝9）. Average contents of five components in 19 batches of samples were in the range of 0.15％-0.36％，0.02％-0.16％，0.02％-0.06％，0.02％-0.08％ and 0.08％-0.17％，respectively；among them ，total contents of five components in sample S 18 and S 19 from Hebei province were relatively high ，while those were relatively low in sample S 16 and S 17（RSD＝42％）；RSD of total content in other samples （S1-S15）was 12％，and was lower than that of Hebei province ；total content of five components were higher in sample from Jilin province. CONCLUSIONS ： Established characteristic pattern and method for the content determination are specific and reproducible，and can be used for the quality evaluation of vinegar-processed S. chinensis formula granules. The total content fluctuation of vinegar-processed product of S. chinensis formula granules from Liaoning ，Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces is lower than that in Hebei province ，and the quality of vinegar-processed Δ 基金项目：国家中药标准化项目（No.ZYB2H-Y-GD-13） ＊主管中药师 ，硕士 。研究方向 ：中药质量标准 。E-mail： S. chinensis formula granules from Jilin province is the best. lzz332@126.com

Comparison of Apple Cider Vinegar and Metformin Combination with Metformin Alone in Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetic Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective: This study aims to compare the effect of metformin monotherapy with the combination therapy of metformin and apple cider vinegar on the parameters of Body Mass Index and glycemic control of recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. Methods: A total of 126 patients were enrolled in this open-label randomized controlled trial, divided into two parallel arms: Group I (Metformin 750 mg alone per day) and Group II (Metformin 750 mg+Apple Cider Vinegar 2 tablespoons per day) and assessed for weight, Body Mass Index, Fasting Blood Sugar and Hemoglobin A1c after which the post-treatment values of the aforementioned parameters were compared between the two groups. Informed consent from all patients and ethical approval from the institutional ethics board was obtained. A p-value of <0.05 was considered significant. Results: All the parameters underwent a significant reduction in the pre and post intra group comparison of each group (p-value<0.001). Moreover, a significant difference was found in the post-treatment comparisons of the Fasting Blood Sugar (p-value<0.001) and HbA1c (p-value=0.04) in between the two groups. However, no significant difference was obtained in the post-treatment comparisons of weight and Body Mass Index in between the two groups. Conclusion: Apple Cider Vinegar in combination with Metformin appears to be more effective in improving glycemic control versus Metformin monotherapy.

Vinegar of andean berries (Vaccinium meridionale SW): antioxidant and antiproliferative activity in colon cancer cells SW480 / Vinagre de bayas andinas (Vaccinium meridionale SW): actividad antioxidante y antiproliferativa en células de cáncer de colón SW480

Background:Vaccinium meridionale produces fruits with a high content of anthocyanins and polyphenols with great antioxidant capacity. Objective: produce vinegar from V. meridionale alcoholic beverages and to determine the content of bioactive antioxidant compounds, antioxidant capacity, and cytotoxic activity on colorectal cancer cells. Methods: Wine and vinegar samples were obtained by fermentation of V. meridionale berries juice, using three extractive processes: mechanical maceration (MAC), preheating to 80°C (CAL) and a combination of both (MIX). During acetic fermentation, titratable acidity and acetic acid content were evaluated. Fermentation progress was recorded and compared by measuring the antioxidant potential by DPPH, FRAP, and ORAC. Polyphenols, anthocyanins and hydroxycinnamic acids were quantified. Finally, the antiproliferative activity of vinegar was evaluated in SW480 colon cancer cells. Results: In acetic fermentation, yield and productivity were independent of extraction, indicating that they do not affect the biotransformation of alcohol into vinegar. The alcoholic beverages showed the highest antioxidant activity; after acetic fermentation, a decrease in antioxidant potential was observed in all three extractive processes evaluated. The different vinegar obtained by CAL and MIX, showed the highest values of antioxidant activity, polyphenols, and anthocyanins. The inhibition of the antiproliferative activity of vinegar was dose-dependent and showed an IC50 of 536 µg/mL. Conclusions: The vinegar prepared from V. meridionale berries presented an outstanding antioxidant and antiproliferative activity. The reason is the contents of bioactive compounds and their antioxidant power, which may contribute to chemoprevention in secondary cancer prevention.

Antecedentes: Vaccinium meridionale produce frutos con alto contenido en antocianinas y polifenoles con elevada capacidad antioxidante. Objetivo: Producir vinagre a partir de bebidas alcohólicas de V. meridionale y determinar el contenido de compuestos bioactivos antioxidantes, capacidad antioxidante y actividad citotóxica sobre células de cáncer colorrectal. Métodos: Muestras de Vino y vinagre fueron obtenidas mediante fermentación del jugo de V. meridionale, usando tres procesos extractivos: maceración mecánica (MAC), precalentamiento a 80 °C (CAL) y una combinación de ambos (MIX). En la fermentación acética fueron evaluadas la acidez titulable y el contenido de ácido acético. Se registró y comparó la evolución de la fermentación midiendo el potencial antioxidante por DPPH, FRAP y ORAC. Se cuantificaron los polifenoles, antocianinas y ácidos hidroxicinámicos. Finalmente, la actividad antiproliferativa del vinagre fue evaluada en células de cáncer de colon SW480. Resultados: En la fermentación acética, el rendimiento y la productividad fueron independientes de la extracción indicando que no afectan la biotransformación del alcohol en vinagre. Las bebidas alcohólicas mostraron la mayor actividad antioxidante, después de la fermentación acética se observó una disminución del potencial antioxidante en los tres procesos extractivos evaluados. Los vinagres obtenidos por CAL y MIX, presentaron los mayores valores de actividad antioxidante, polifenoles y antocianinas. La inhibición de la actividad antiproliferativa del vinagre fue dosis dependiente y mostró un IC50 de 536 µg/mL. Conclusiones: El vinagre preparado a partir de bayas de V. meridionale presentó una excelente actividad antioxidante y antiproliferativa debido al contenido de compuestos bioactivos y poder antioxidante que puede contribuir a la quimioprevención en la prevención secundaria del cáncer.