[Application of Chinese medicine quality constant in grades evaluation of Moutan Cortex].

There are more and more literature reports about the application of Chinese medicine quality constant in the grading evaluation of Chinese medicine decoction pieces. Chinese medicine quality constant has particularly prominent advantages in comprehensive quantification,so it has become a new method and mode for grading Chinese medicine decoction pieces,highly recognized by the academic circle. In order to determine the effect of Chinese medicine quality constant,a method of grades evaluation for Moutan cortex was established in this paper. 15 batches of samples were collected from Chinese herbal slices enterprises to determine the external morphological indexes and inner quality indexes,calculate the Chinese medicine quality constant of Moutan cortex,and divide them into different grades. The results revealed that the range of the relative quality constant of these samples was from 0. 016 to 0. 060,with percentage quality constant from 27. 4 to 100. 0. If these samples were divided into three grades: the quality constant of the first grade should be ≥0. 048 or the percentage quality constant ≥80. 0; the quality constant of the second grade should be <0. 048 but ≥0. 030 or percentage quality constant <80. 0 and ≥50. 0; the quality constant of the third grade should be <0. 030 or the percentage quality constant <50. 0. This research indicated that Chinese quality constant can objectively divide grades of Moutan cortex decoction pieces,providing reference for formulating grades standards. It was also verified from the results that traditional quality evaluation of Moutan cortex was consistent with quality constant,and the connotation of percentage quality constant was elaborated as well. At the same time,it is suggested to establish a third-party Chinese medicine slices rating agency as soon as possible,which is to unify the terminology and provide rating services for the market.

[Grade evaluation of Gardeniae Fructus based on quality constant method].

Grade evaluation method of quality constant is a kind of grading method for Chinese medicinal materials and decoction pieces,combining the external morphological index and internal content index. This method was used in this paper for grade evaluation of Gardeniae Fructus. By measuring the morphological and content indexes of 14 batches of Gardeniae Fructus,a method for calculating the quality constant of fruits was established,and the grade evaluation criteria were formed. At the same time,the NO inhibition effect of different grades of Gardeniae Fructus samples on RAW264. 7 cells induced by LPS was determined to investigate the relationship between the quality grade and pharmacodynamics of decoction pieces. The results showed that the quality constants of Gardeniae Fructus decoction piece samples ranged from 1. 46 to 4. 42. If the percentage quality constant ≥80% was classified into first-class,50%-80%as second-class and the rest as third-class,the quality constant was ≥3. 54 for first-class,2. 21-3. 54 for second-class and <2. 21 for third-class Gardeniae Fructus decoction pieces. The pharmacodynamic results showed that the pharmacodynamic intensity was positively correlated with the grade,which also proved the rationality of the grade evaluation method of quality constant.

[Research on grades evaluation of Glycyrrizae Radix et Rhizoma Praeparata Cum Melle based on Chinese medicine quality constant].

Grade of Chinese medicine slices is the most clear and most direct way to characterize the quality of Chinese medicine slices,also the basis of realizing " good quality and good prices",and it can guarantee the industry health development. Therefore,grade evaluation of Chinese medicine slices( GECMS) is highly valued and has grown rapidly in the industry. In recent years,due to the comprehensive and measureable features,the Chinese medicine quality constant evaluation method has been gradually recognized and applied.The paper is to establish a method of grades evaluation of Glycyrrizae Radix et Rhizoma Praeparata Cum Melle( GRRPCM) based on the Chinese medicine quality constant. 20 batches of samples were collected from Chinese herbal slices enterprises and 14 batches of qualified samples were selected to determine their external morphological indexes and inner quality indexes,then their Chinese medicine quality constants were calculated and the grades were determined. The results revealed that the relative quality constant of these samples ranged from 0. 70 to 14. 08,with a percentage quality constant from 4. 95 to 100. 00. If these samples were divided into three grades: the relative quality constant shall be ≥11. 27 or percentage quality constant ≥80. 03 for the first grade; the relative quality constant shall be <11. 27 but ≥7. 04,or percentage quality constant <80. 03 and ≥49. 99 for the second grade; while for the third grade,the relative quality constant shall be <7. 04 or the percentage quality constant <49. 99. This research indicates that Chinese quality constant can be used to objectively grade the herbal slices,providing reference for grades standard development of complex processing slices. In addition,the connotation of GECMS that has evaluate the mass discrepancy is discussed for expanding application.

[Quality evaluation of Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex based on combinative method of fingerprint,quantitative analysis of multicomponents and chemometrics].

This study aims to establish a combinative method based on fingerprint,assay of multi-component and chemometrics for quality evaluation of Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex. Twenty batches of samples were determined by UPLC and a common mode of fingerprint was established. The similarities between fingerprints of 20 batches of samples were over 0. 90 and the common mode were evaluated. Eight components were identified as syringing, magnocurarine, magnoflorine, magnoloside B, magnoloside A, honokiol,magnolol,and piperitylmagnolol by comparison with reference substances and their content in samples were simultaneously determined.Based on the results,the fingerprint had good consistency between the same origin and minor diversity between the different sources.Piperitylmagnolol and peak 13 could be used as a distinction with the different sources. According to content of 8 components,Fisher discriminant analysis model was established and different source sample was classified pursuant to the discriminant fraction. It is indicated that simultaneous quantification of multi components coupled with chemometrics analysis could be a well-acceptable strategy to identify and evaluate the quality of Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex.

[Discussion and research progress in standard decoction of medicinal slices].

Standard decoction of medicinal slices has gradually acquired the height of researcher,government and enterprise for approval. And much consensus are increasingly reached. But there are lots of problem needing further discussing.This article summaries the published literature about standard decoction of medicinal slices in recent 3 years. And clarifies the origin of standard decoction of medicinal slices,explain the definition. The study status of standard decoction was reviewed and further analyzed in detail. And then the application fields of standard decoction of medicinal slices are listed. Combined with the research examples of groups,the problem in the study of standard decoction of medicinal slices was discussed. And relevant suggestions are put forward. All this is expected to provide reference in standard decoction research,the quality criterion o of formula granule and study of classical traditional Chinese medicine( TCM) excellent prescriptions.

[New qualities control strategy of Scutellaria baicalensis by isothermal titration calorimetry].

It has been focused on that there will be precipitates when decoction of Scutellariat Radix mixed with Coptidis Rhizoma. Precipitation was derived from interaction between acidic and basic compounds. This study was based on the interaction between active ingredients after compatibility, strived to explore whether it was feasible to judge the qualities of different Scutellariat Radix by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), build a new method established to characterize the qualities of traditional Chinese medicine by taking a series of active ingredients as index. We selected Scutellariat Radix (including three batches of different Scutellariat Radix bought from market and immature Scutellariat Radix which usually was used as adulterant) in different batches as the samples. First, we used ITC to determine the binding heat of the reactions between berberine and the decoctions of different Scutellariat Radix. The test showed that the binding heat of berberine titrated Scutellariat Radix was Scutellariat Radix A (－317.20 µJ), Scutellariat Radix B (－292.83 µJ), Scutellariat Radix C (－208.95 µJ) and immature Scutellariat Radix (－21.53 µJ), respectively. We chose deionized water titrated by berberine (2.51 µJ) as control. The heat change of berberine titrated immature Scutellariat Radix was much less than berberine titrated Scutellariat Radix. Then we determined the absorbance of different decoctions of Scutellariat Radix by UV Spectrophotometry on the maximum absorption wavelength, and the result is： Scutellariat Radix A (0.372), Scutellariat Radix B (0.333), Scutellariat Radix C (0.272), immature Scutellariat Radix (0.124). The absorbance of immature Scutellariat Radix was also less than Scutellariat Radix. The result of ITC assay was corresponded to UV spectrophotometry test. In conclusion, ITC could be used to characterize the quality of Scutellariat Radix. The new method to characterize the qualities of traditional Chinese medicine by taking a kind of active ingredients as index building by ITC was simple, scientific and feasible.

[Chemical constituents from seeds of Brassica campestris].

Fourteen compounds were isolated by column chromatography from the ethyl acetate extract of the seeds of Brassica campestris. Their structures were elucidated by physicochemical properties and spectroscopic data analysis. The isolated compounds were respectively identified as (5Z,7E)-4, 4-dimethyl-5-acetyl-5, 7-nonadienoic acid (1), indole-3-carboxaldehyde (2), blumenol A (3), vinylsyringol (4), sinapinic acid (5), sinapic acid ethyl ester (6), protocatechuic acid (7), crinosterol (8), campesterol (9), 7-oxo-stigmasterol (10), kaempferol (11), 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (12), syringic acid (13) and daucosterol (14). Compound 1 was a new compound and the other compounds were isolated from this plant for the first time except for compounds 4, 5 and 13.

Improved quality control method for prescriptions of Polygonum capitatum through simultaneous determination of nine major constituents by HPLC coupled with triple quadruple mass spectrometry.

As a traditional Miao-nationality medicinal plant, Polygonum capitatum has been used in clinical practice for several thousand years. Its prescriptions, including three dosage forms: granules, capsule and tablet are known by the brand name Relinqing® and have played an indispensable role in the treatment of urinary system infection, pyelonephritis and kidney stones. However, no study about the comprehensive quality evaluation of Relinqing® has been reported. In the present paper, a method for the simultaneous determination of nine major compounds in three dosage forms of Relinqing® using HPLC coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (HPLC-QQQ MS) was established to comprehensively evaluate their quality. The nine compounds, including four phenolic acids, four flavonoids and a lignin, were analyzed with acceptable linear regression relationship (r², 0.9923-0.9992), precision (RSD, 1.25%-2.78%), repeatability (RSD, 2.05%%-3.47%), stability (RSD, 1.84%-3.72%) and recovery (93.60%-108.54%, RSD ≤ 3.67%). The present study fills the gap in the multivariate quality control of Relinqing® and provides a valuable reference for quality standards and dosage reforming of this traditional Chinese medicine.

Application of a rapid and efficient quantitative analysis method for traditional Chinese medicines: the case study of quality assessment of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge.

A reference extractive, containing multiple active known compounds, has been considered to be an alternative to individual reference standards. However, in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (ChP) the great majority of reference extractives have been primarily used for qualitative identification by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and few studies on the applicability of reference extractives for quantitative analysis have been presented. Using Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge as an example in this paper, we first present a preliminary discussion on the feasibility and applicability of reference extractives for the quantitative analysis of TCMs. The reference extractive of S. miltiorrhiza Bunge, comprised of three pharmacological marker compounds, namely cryptotanshinone, tanshinone I and tanshinone IIA, was prepared from purchased Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge by extraction with acetone under reflux, followed by silica gel column chromatography with stepwise elution with petroleum ether-ethyl acetate (25:1, v/v, 4.5 BV) to remove the non-target components and chloroform-methanol (10:1, v/v; 3 BV) to yield a crude reference extractive solution. After concentration, the solution was further purified by preparative reversed-phase HPLC on a C18 column with isocratic elution with 77% methanol aqueous solution to yield the total reference extractive of S. miltiorrhiza Bunge. Thereafter, the reference extractive was applied to the quality assessment of S. miltiorrhiza Bunge using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with diode array detection (DAD). The validation of the method, including linearity, sensitivity, repeatability, stability and recovery testing, indicated that this method was valid, reliable and sensitive, with good reproducibility. The developed method was successfully applied to quantify seven batches of samples collected from different regions in China and the results were also similar to those obtained using reference standards, with relative standard deviation (RSD) <3%. Preparation of a reference extractive of S. miltiorrhiza Bunge was significantly less expensive and time consuming than preparation of a corresponding reference standard. Quantitative analysis using a reference extractive was shown to be simple, low-cost, time-saving and practical, with high sensitivity and good stability; and is, therefore, a strong alternative to the use of reference standards.

[Chemical constituents from leaves of Nelumbo nucifera].

To study the chemical constituents, twenty-seven compounds were isolated from the 70% ethanol extract from leaves of Nelumbo nucifera by modern chromatographic techniques. Their structures were identified as 10-octacosanol (1), beta-sitosterol (2), 1-undecanol (3), 1-eicosanol (4), daucosterol (5), 6'-hydroxy-4,4'-dimethoxychalcone (6), 3,7,8-trimethoxy-1-hydroxy-xanthone (7), rhamnetin-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (8), chrysoeriol-7-O-beta-D-glucoside (9), quercetin-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (10), quercetin-3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl (11), hyperoside (12), quercetin-3-O-rutinoside (13), astragalin (14), isorhamnetin-3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1--> 6)-[alpha-D-lyxopyranosyl-(1 --> 2) -beta-D-glucopyranoside] (15), isorhamnetin-3-O-alpha-D-lyxopyranosyl-(1 --> 2) -beta-D-glucopyranoside (16), isorhamnetin-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (17), isorhamnetin-3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 --> 6)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (18), quercetin (19), kaempferol (20), dehydronuciferine (21), roemerine (22), stigmast-7-en-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (23), stigmast-7-en-3beta-ol (24), and benzene-1,2-diol (25) on the basis of spectral data analysis. Compounds 1, 6, 7, 8, 24 and 25 were isolated from this plant for the first time, and compounds 15-18 were isolated from the leaves for the first time. Compounds 6, 8, 10, 11, 13 and 15 showed inhibitory activities against beta amyloid (1-42) by A-beta aggregation method with inhibition rates of (63.99 +/- 24.29)%, (79.61 +/- 4.49)%, (49.96 +/- 12.61)%, (101.19 +/- 8.19)%, (88.41+/-6.76)% and (72.48 +/- 8.97)%, respectively.