Quality Assessment of Psoralea fructus by HPLC Fingerprint Coupled with Multi-components Analysis.

Psoralea Fructus, the dried and ripe fruit of Psoralea corylifolia L., have been used as traditional medicine. There is substantial evidence that multiple constituents are responsible for the beneficial effects of this medicine. To effectively control the quality of this herbal medicine, HPLC fingerprint analysis was performed on a SinoChrom ODS-BP column with mobile phase of a gradient prepared from H2O and CH3CN, which the conditions used for gradient elution were: 0-10 min, 5-45% CH3CN; 10-45 min, 45-70% CH3CN; 45-50 min, 70-100% CH3CN; 50-60 min, 100-100% CH3CN, and the flow rate was 1.0 ml/min. It was obtained on the basis of the chromatographic data from 28 batches of samples, which contained 26 common peaks and 13 peaks were identified by the electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry as psoralen, isopsoralen, isobavachin, neobavaisoflavone, bavachin, corylin, broussochalcone B, psoralidin, isobavachalcone, bavachinin, corylifol A, bavachalcone and backuchiol. The contents of these 13 compounds were also simultaneously examined. By using principal component analysis, 28 batches of samples collected from 6 producing locations with different collecting time were evaluated and differentiated. In summary, the data as described in this study offer valuable information for quality control and proper use of Psoralea Fructus.

Cytotoxicities of alkaloids from processed and unprocessed seeds of Strychnos nux-vomica.

AIM: To examine the cytotoxicities of 6 crude Strychnos alkaloid fractions from the seeds of Strychnos nux-vomica unprocessed or processed with various traditional processing methods and 13 pure Strychnos alkaloids from the fractions. METHODS: Using cell culture, their inhibitory effects on Vero cell growth-inhibition assay, and host cell DNA synthesis by [3H]thymidine ([3H]TdR) uptake assay. RESULTS: The IC50 of processed seeds were 155% and 212% of unprocessed ones in cell growth-inhibition assay and in [3H]TdR uptake assay, respectively. The IC50 of 13 compounds were 0.45-0.80 mmol.L-1 and 0.50-12 mmol.L-1, respectively. The processing method with sand bath exhibited a wide safety margin compared with other traditional processing methods or no processing. The isomers of Strychnos alkaloids and their N-oxides showed much lower cytotoxicities among these alkaloids. Isobrucine N-oxide showed the lowest cytotoxicity. The contents of isomers and N-oxides of Strychnos alkaloids were the highest in the sand processing. CONCLUSION: Processing of nux vomica plays a critical role in its toxicity.

[Single channel analysis of aconitine blockade of calcium channels in rat myocardiocytes].

Ventricular myocardiocytes from neonatal Wistar rats were isolated and cultured. Aconitine, Ca2+ channel blocker verapamil or Ca2+ channel activator BAY K8644 were added to the bath solution separately. Using the cell-attached configuration of the patch clamp technique, the single channel activities of L type Ca2+ channel were recorded before and after addition of all three drugs. The results showed the blocking effect of aconitine (50 micrograms.ml-1) on L type Ca2+ channels. Its mechanism may be relevant to the decrease in both open state probability and the mean open time of Ca2+ channel. The difference was statistically significant compared with control group (P < 0.01). The amplitude of Ba2+ currents, which flow through open L type Ca2+ channel was unchanged.

[Determination of alkaloids and comparison of the acute toxicity of differently processed products of the seeds of Strychnos nux-vomica L].

This paper deals with the extraction, determination and identification of the alkaloids in differently processed products of the seeds of Strychnos nux-vomica. The relationship between processing methods and toxicitys is discussed according to the comparison of acute toxicity.

[The effect of Pinellia processed by ginger juice on gastric and intestinal function of animals].

The experimental research has shown that neither pinellia processed by ginger juice and alum nor pinellia boiled by ginger juice have any marked influence on the secretion of PGE2 in rat gastric juice, or on the activity of gastric proteinase in rats. Both the processed products of pinellia can obviously inhibit the gastric and intestinal motility in mice. Raw pinellia can strongly inhibit the secretion of PGE2, gastric acidity and gastric proteinase in rats, but acts not so heavily on their gastric secretion and appears rather harmful to the gastric mucosa in rats. Raw pinellia can also obviously accelerate the gastric and intestinal motility in rats.

[Effect of processing on the alkaloids in Strychnos nux-vomica L].

The contents of strychnine, brucine, isostrychnine and isobrucine in different processed products of Strychnos nux-vomica were determined by TLC-densitometry. The relationship of the contents of strychnos alkaloids with processing methods was studied.

[Experimental comparison of the toxicity of radix Aconity Kusnezoffii and processed radix Aconity Kusnezoffii by different methods].

This paper deals with the effects of Radix Aconity Kusnezoffii and Radix Aconity Kusnezoffii processed by a new method of moistening and steaming, and by pharmacopoeial routine on acute toxicity, cardiac rhythm and respiration. The result shows that the Radix Aconity Kusnezoffii processed by new method No 1., which applies moistening in water for 48h and then heating with high pressure steam (68.65kPa, 115 degrees C) for 2h, has the advantages of lower toxicity, and lesser inhibitory effect on cardiac rhythm and respiration.

[Haemorrheological effects of different processed products of radix Aconiti Kusnezoffii on animal model with syndrome of "accumulation of cold and blood stasis"].

The effects of Radix Aconiti Kusnezoffii processed by moistening in combination with steaming method and by pharmacopoeial method as well as of the crude drug on haemorrheological nature and the plasma fibronogen content and platelet aggregation rate in the rat model with syndrome of "accumulation of cold and blood stasis" were studied, the result shows that the product processed by moistening in combination with steaming works best.

[The effect of stimulation and toxicity of rhizoma Pinelliae processed by ginger juice on animals].

Rhizoma Pinelliae boiled with ginger juice has less stimulation and toxicity on animals, which is similar to Rhizoma Pinelliae processed by alum solution. The effect of Rhizoma Pinelliae that has been immersed in ginger juice is not as good as that of the ginger-boiled. It was also observed that the stimulation of raw Rhizoma Pinelliae on mice could be reduced when the mice was given fresh or boiled ginger juice. The Rhizoma Pinelliae processed by ginger juice and alum has very little toxicity on mice.

[Effect of processing on the extraction of alkaloids from Strychnos].

Results of experiments showed that the contents of strychnine and brucine were about the same in decoction of Strychnos nux-vomica and S. pierriana, but the contents of vomicine, strychnine N-oxide and brucine N-oxide were greater in the former than in the latter. The contents of strychnine and brucine were greater under scalding with hot sand than deep-frying with sesame oil.

Processing of nux vomica. II. Changes in alkaloid composition of the seeds of Strychnos nux-vomica on traditional drug-processing.

In the course of our study on the drug-processing of the seeds of Strychnos nux-vomica L. (Loganiaceae), the alkaloid composition of the heat-treated seeds of S. nux-vomica was compared to that of the untreated seeds. On heat treatment, the contents of the major alkaloids such as strychnine and brucine declined significantly with increases in the amounts of isostrychnine, isobrucine, strychnine N-oxide and brucine N-oxide. The cleavage of an ether linkage and the occurrence of N-oxidation were demonstrated by heat treatment of authentic strychnine and brucine.