The anti-hyperuricemic effect of flavonoid extract of saffron by-product and its pharmacokinetics in rats after oral administration.

Only the dried stigma of the saffron, a flower deemed as the most valuable spice globally, is utilized for industrial production. Hence, there exists a growing interest in utilizing saffron floral bio-residues. The anti-hyperuricemic activity of a flavonoid extract from saffron floral bio-residues was assessed in potassium oxonate-induced hyperuricemia mice. In addition, an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry method was established and validated to determine the pharmacokinetics of five main flavonoids and three phase-II metabolites in rat plasma after oral administration of the flavonoid extract for the first time. Compared with pharmacokinetic parameters of kaempferol-3-O-sophoroside, the most abundant flavonoid in the extract, and its aglycone kaempferol, we observed that coexisting compounds significantly reduced the absorption, accelerated the excretion of kaempferol-3-O-sophoroside, while significantly increasing the absorption and prolonging the residence time of kaempferol in the flavonoid extract. These results suggest the promising potential of the flavonoid extract from saffron floral bio-residues as an anti-hyperuricemic agent. Kaempferol was absorbed in plasma at high concentrations owing to the biotransformation of kaempferol glycosides in vivo.

[Effect of granules made by new-medicinal parts of Crocus sativus on hyperuricemia in rats and its mechanism].

To explore the effect of the granules made by new-medicinal parts of Crocus sativus(NMPCS) on hyperuricemia(HUA) in rats, the rat model of HUA was established by intramuscular injection of 3% potassium oxonate and intraperitoneal injection of 4% pyrazinamide. The content of serum uric acid was monitored every week for 3 consecutive weeks. After the experiment, the levels of serum uric acid, urine uric acid, serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen(BUN), and xanthine oxidase(XOD) were determined. The protein and gene expressions of XOD were determined by Western blot method and fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction(qPCR), and the morphological changes in the liver tissue were performed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining. The results showed that as compared with the model group, the levels of serum uric acid in the positive drug group and the low, medium, and high-dose NMPCS groups were lower(P<0.05), the levels of urine uric acid in the high-dose NMPCS group were decreased(P<0.01), and there was no statistical difference in the medium and low-dose NMPCS groups. The levels of BUN in the high and low-dose NMPCS groups were decreased(P<0.05), and the levels of serum creatinine did not change in the administration groups. The positive drug group and the low, medium, and high-dose NMPCS groups significantly reduced the liver damage, with only a few hepatocytes vacuolization and a small number of red blood cells in the central venous area. The nephridial tissue structure was slightly abnormal, with a small number of red blood cell infiltration, and no obvious inflammatory cell infiltration was found in the glomerulus in these groups. No degeneration was found in renal tubular epithelial cells, with mild glomerular and tubular lesions and a small amount of sodium urate deposition and crystallization in the positive drug group and the low, medium, and high-dose NMPCS groups. The relative protein expressions of XOD in the positive drug group and the high dose NMPCS group were decreased(P<0.05), and the relative mRNA expressions of XOD in the positive drug group and the high and low-dose NMPCS groups were decreased as well(P<0.05). The above results show that NMPCS reduces uric acid in rats with HUA by regulating XOD, which provides a certain experimental basis for the development of NMPCS as a new medicine for the treatment of HUA.

The Joint Effect of a Combination of Components From the Fruit of Crataegus pinnatifida Bge. Var. major N.E. Br. and the Root of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge. With Exercises on Swimming in Focal Cerebral Infraction in Rat.

Background: In our previous study, we found that the combination of a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and swimming could prevent atherosclerosis through a synergistic interaction. However, whether the combined application of active components from the fruit of Crataegus pinnatifida Bge. Var. major N.E. Br. and the root of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge. (CPSM) and swimming has been effective in the prevention and treatment of focal cerebral infraction remained unclear. This work aimed to conduct detailed investigation on the joint effects of CPSM extract with swimming on focal cerebral infraction in rats and its underlying mechanisms. Method: A photochemical method of the combination of Rose Bengal (RB) injection and cold-light source irradiation was performed to establish the rat focal cerebral thrombosis model. The pathological changes of the brain were observed by a DCP-7030 laser multifunction machine, and the protein levels of von Willebrand factor (vWF), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) were detected by Western blotting. Blood samples were collected to assay tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA), plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1), endothelin-1 (ET-1), 6-keto-prostaglandin F1α (6-keto-PGF1α), and thromboxane B2 (TXB2). Finally, the gene expression of t-PA, PAI-1, and ICAM-1 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) stimulated by tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) was assayed via real-time (RT) quantitative PCR (qPCR). Results: The joint effects of CPSM extract and swimming demonstrated significant interactions, which including increased blood perfusion, increased serum t-PA and 6-keto-PGF1α, decreased serum PAI-1 and TXB2, decreased protein levels of vWF, VCAM-1 and ICAM-1, and decreased ICAM-1 gene expression. Conclusion: This research demonstrated that the combined therapy of CP and SM extracts with swimming could prevent focal cerebral infraction through interactions on the regulation of vascular endothelial functions and inflammatory factors. It stresses the promising effects of the drugs and shear stress of blood flow in prevention and treatment of thrombosis. The mechanism may be related to regulating the protein expression of vWF, VCAM-1, and ICAM-1, and downregulating the gene expression of ICAM-1.

[Analysis on transcriptionomic characteristics of Naoxintong Capsules in prevention of post-ischemic inflammation based on RNA-Seq technology].

In this research, high-throughput sequencing was used to investigate the mechanism of Naoxintong Capsules(NXTC) in prevention of post-ischemic inflammation. First, microglia BV-2 inflammatory model was induced by 1.0 µg·mL~(-1) LPS to investigate the effect of intestinal absorption solution of NXTC(NXTCIA) at different concentrations(62.5, 31.25, 15.63, 7.81 µg·mL~(-1)) on LPS-induced BV-2 inflammatory factors in microglia. Then, an RNA-Seq high-throughput sequencing method was performed to identify the differentially expressed mRNAs in microglia BV-2 after pre-treatment with NXTC. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis was used to screen the potential biological processes and related signaling pathways of NXTC in inhibiting inflammation. The results showed that four NXTCIA concentrations could significantly inhibit the release of LPS-induced inflammatory mediators in BV-2 in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, high-throughput sequencing results showed that 392 mRNA transcripts were reversed following pre-treatment with NXTC. GO enrichment analysis showed that the transcripts reversed by NXTC were mainly involved in Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, chemokine signaling pathway, and TNF signaling pathway. Taken together, our findings showed that NXTC treatment could provide protective effects against inflammatory response and the mechanism might be related to the regulation of Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, chemokine signaling pathway, and TNF signaling pathway.

Screening active ingredients of rosemary based on spectrum-effect relationships between UPLC fingerprint and vasorelaxant activity using three chemometrics.

Rosmarinus officinalis L., rosemary, is traditionally used to treat headache and improve cardiovascular disease partly due to its vasorelaxant activity, while the vasorelaxant ingredients remain unclear. In this study, chemical spectrum-pharmacological effect relationship (spectrum-effect relationship) was utilized for efficiently discovering the main vasorelaxant ingredients of rosemary. Ten kinds of rosemary extracts were prepared by different extracting solvents and macroporous resin purification, and their chemical components were analyzed by UPLC. At the same time, the vasorelaxant activities of the 10 kinds of rosemary extracts were estimated on isolated rat thoracic aorta, and three chemometrics named partial least squares regression (PLSR), grey correlation analysis (GRA), and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) were applied to construct spectrum-effect relationship between the UPLC fingerprints and vasorelaxant activity of rosemary extracts. As a result, most rosemary extracts showed dose-dependent increase in vasorelaxant activity and five kinds of ingredients, including carnosol, carnosic acid, epirosmanol methyl ether, carnosol isomer, and augustic acid were screened as vasorelaxant ingredients. Further, the vasorelaxant activities of carnosic acid and carnosol were verified. Moreover, the increase of nitric oxide (NO) and the decrease of angiotensin-II (Ang-II) were thought to contribute to the vasorelaxant activity of rosemary.

Anti-thrombosis Effects and Mechanisms by Xueshuantong Capsule Under Different Flow Conditions.

Xueshuantong capsule (XST) is a patented traditional Chinese medicine used for the prevention and treatment of thrombosis. The molecular mechanism of anti-thrombotic effect of XST was investigated through the cross-talk among the platelets/leukocytes, endothelial cells (ECs), and flow shear stress. The Bioflux 1000 system was used to generate two levels of shear stress conditions: 0.1 and 0.9 Pa. Bioflux Metamorph microscopic imaging system was used to analyze the adhesion cell numbers. Protein expressions were detected by western blotting and flow cytometry. The flow-cytometry results showed that under 0.1 Pa flow, XST decreased ADP induced platelets CD62p surface expression in a concentration-dependent manner. Under 0.9 Pa flow, XST at a concentration of 0.15 g⋅L-1 reduced the platelets activation by 29.5%, and aspirin (ASA) showed no inhibitory effects. XST showed similar efficiency on monocytes adhesion both under 0.1 and 0.9 Pa flow conditions, and the inhibition rate was 30.2 and 28.3%, respectively. Under 0.9 Pa flow, the anti-adhesive effects of XST might be associated with the suppression of VE-cadherin and Cx43 in HUVECs. Blood flow not only acts as a drug transporter, but also exerts its effects to influence the pharmacodynamics of XST. Effects of XST on inhibiting platelets activation and suppressing platelets/leukocytes adhesion to injured ECs are not only concentration-dependent, but also shear stress-dependent. The mechanic forces combined with traditional Chinese medicine may be used as a precise treatment for cardiovascular diseases.

Effects and mechanisms of Danshen-Shanzha herb-pair for atherosclerosis treatment using network pharmacology and experimental pharmacology.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The danshen (the root of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge.)-shanzha (the fruit of Crataegus pinnatifida Bge. var. major N.E.Br.) (DS) herb combination is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine with cardiovascular disease (CVD) treatment potential. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, we investigated the anti-atherosclerotic effects and mechanisms of DS by the integration of network pharmacology and polypharmacology. Eight main components were selected for target fishing by PharmMapper. RESULTS: The network pharmacological study indicated that DS may target 41 proteins and 16 pathways associated with inflammation, lipid metabolism and endothelial protection, which indicates that DS probably adjusts these processes as part of its anti-atherosclerotic activities. Furthermore, this hypothesis was verified by polypharmacology using an atherosclerotic model. Histopathological examination showed that DS inhibited pathological changes in the arteries of atherosclerotic rats and reduced the intima-media thickness (IMT). DS significantly reduced the levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) and increased the high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) level in the blood. DS also decreased the concentrations of interleukin (IL)-1ß and IL-18, indicating anti-inflammation activity. In addition, DS increased the serum levels of nitric oxide (NO) and 6-keto-prostaglandin F1α (6-keto-PGF1α) and decreased the serum levels of endothelin (ET) and thromboxane B2 (TXB2), indicating an endothelial protective effect. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, DS has an anti-atherosclerotic ability to lower lipid concentrations and to protect endothelial function, and it also has anti-inflammatory activity.

Main active constituent identification in Guanxinjing capsule, a traditional Chinese medicine, for the treatment of coronary heart disease complicated with depression.

Guanxinjing capsules (GXJCs) are used in traditional Chinese medicine as a common therapy for coronary heart disease (CHD) complicated with depression. In this study, we aimed to identify the main active constituents in GXJCs and to investigate the mechanisms of GXJC action on CHD complicated with depression. The chemical constituent profile of the GXJC was identified by UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap assay, and oral bioavailability was evaluated to screen the GXJC drug-like chemical constituents. A total of 16 GXJC drug-like chemical constituents were identified. Then, putative targets of the GXJC drug-like chemical constituents were predicted using MedChem Studio, with 870 genes found to be the putative targets of these molecules. After that, a GXJC putative target-known CHD/depression therapeutic target network was constructed, and four topological features, including degree, betweenness, closeness and K-coreness, were calculated. According to the topological feature values of the GXJC putative targets, 14 main active constituents were identified because their corresponding putative targets had topological importance in the GXJC putative target-known CHD/depression therapeutic target network, which were defined as the candidate targets of GXJC against CHD complicated with depression. Functionally, these candidate targets were significantly involved in several CHD/depression-related pathways, including repairing pathological vascular changes, reducing platelet aggregation and inflammation, and affecting patient depression. This study identified a list of main active constituents of GXJC acting on CHD complicated with depression using an integrative pharmacology-based approach that combined active chemical constituent identification, drug target prediction and network analysis. This method may offer an efficient way to understand the pharmacological mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions.

Identification of absorbed constituents and evaluation of the pharmacokinetics of main compounds after oral administration of yindanxinnaotong by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS and UPLC-QqQ-MS.

Yindanxinnaotong capsule (YDXNT), a traditional Chinese formula, has been used to treat cardio-cerebrovascular diseases for several decades. Previous research has focused on evaluating the pharmacological properties and main compounds of YDXNT in vitro and in vivo. However, the multiple bioactive compounds in vivo remain poorly understood. In the present research, an integrative strategy using UPLC-Q-TOF-MS combined with UPLC-QqQ-MS was employed to detect the absorbed constituents and investigate the pharmacokinetics of main compounds in the plasma after oral administration of YDXNT. UPLC-Q-TOF-MS was developed to detect the absorbed constituents and their metabolites in the plasma after oral administration in rats. A total of 52 constituents, including 44 prototype compounds and 8 metabolites, were identified or tentatively characterized. Then, nine main compounds (quercetin, isorhamnetin, kaempferol, ginkgolide A, ginkgolide B, ginkgolide C, bilobalide, tanshinone IIA, and salvianolic acid B) were chosen to further investigate the pharmacokinetic behavior of YDXNT using UPLC-QqQ-MS. The concentration of nine main constituents were in the range of 27.85-76.54 ng mL-1. This research provides a systematic approach for rapid qualitative analysis of absorbed constituents and for evaluating the pharmacokinetics of the main ingredients of YDXNT following its oral administration. More importantly, this work provides key information on the identification of bioactive compounds and the clarification of their action mechanisms, as well as on the pharmacological actions of YDXNT.

Joint effect of a combination of components from the fruit of Crataegus pinnatifida Bge. Var. major N.E. Br. and the root of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge. with swimming on atherosclerosis in rats.

Background: It has been recognized that exercise training can attenuate the progression of atherosclerosis (AS). The combined application of components from the fruit of Crataegus pinnatifida Bge. Var. major N.E. Br. (CP) and the root of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge. (SM) has been effective in the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis. The present work aims to investigate the joint effects of extracts from the fruit of CP and the root of SM with swimming on atherosclerosis in rats. Method: To establish a rat atherosclerosis model, a combined method of partial ligation of the left common carotid artery leading to low shear stress and a high-fat diet was employed. Blood samples were collected to detect the blood lipid profile, which included total cholesterol (T-CHO), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (TG) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C); endothelial cytokines such as 6-keto-prostaglandin F1α (PGF1α), endothelin (ET), thromboxane B2 (TXB2), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), and von Willebrand factor (vWF); and inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-10 (IL-10). Finally, the common carotid arteries of the rats were removed to observe pathological changes via oil red O staining, and the gene expression of t-PA, PAI-1, and vWF was assayed via real-time (RT) quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Results: The joint effects of CPSM extract and swimming indicated significant interactions, including (1) decreased serum T-CHO, TG, and LDL-C; (2) decreased IL-6 and increased IL-10; (3) decreased TXB2, PAI-1 and vWF; three-dimensional analysis showed that gene expression of PAI-1 was inhibited, vWF gene expression was downregulated, and COX-1 gene expression was increased; and (4) decreased lipoprotein retention in the carotid artery wall. Conclusion: This research demonstrates that the combined therapy of CP and SM extracts with swimming can improve blood lipid levels and endothelial functions and attenuate the early signs of atherosclerosis in a rat model of atherosclerosis. The regulation of the gene expression of PAI, vWF and COX-1 may be the underlying cause of the effect. Methodologically speaking, three-dimensional surface plots of the joint effects of CPSM extract and swimming on parameters with quadratic fitting yielded a more accurate equation for describing the dose-response relationship in biomechanopharmacology. Such plots are likely worth using in pharmacology to quantify the effects induced by two medicinal factors.

[Protective effect and mechanism of scutellarin ethyl ester on focal cerebral ischemia induced by ligation of middle cerebral artery in rats].

To observe the protective effect of scutellarin ethyl ester on focal cerebral ischemia injury induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats(MCAOR), and explore its mechanism. Totally 84 male SD rats were randomly divided into seven groups： sham-operated group, model group,positive drug group(niomdipine,12 mg•kg⁻¹), Brevisapin tablets group(48 mg•kg⁻¹), and high, middle and low-dose scutellarin ethyl ester groups(100, 50, 25 mg•kg⁻¹). The MCAOR model was prepared by using thread embolism method to observe the neurological function of rats, the area of cerebral infarction was measured with TTC, and the levels of MDA, SOD and NO in serum were detected with semiautomatic biochemistry analyzer.Ox-LDL and TNF-α cell injury models was established by treating HUVECs with 200 mg•L⁻¹ ox-LDL and 100 µg•L⁻¹ TNF-α,and the levels of MDA, SOD, NO, ET, 6-keto-PGF1α,TXB2, IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, ICAM-1 and PECAM-1 in the cell supernatant were determined. The results showed that scutellarin ethyl ester could effectively improve the neurological function of MCAOR rats, and significantly reduce the area of cerebral infarction. Compared with the model group, activities of SOD and NO in serum increased, while content of MDA decreased. In the cell supernatant, activities of SOD, 6-keto-PGF1α and NO increased, content of IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, ICAM-1, PECAM-1, TXB2, ET and MDA decreased, which indicated that scutellarin ethyl ester has a certain protective effect on focal cerebral ischemia injury induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats, and its mechanism may be related to antioxidative stress, improvement of endothelial function and reduction in inflammatory reaction.

[Simultaneous determination of seven bioactive compounds and pharmacokinetics in rat plasma after oral administration of Yindan Xinnaotong Ruanjiaonang by UPLC-MS/MS].

To estabish ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method for simultaneous determination of quercetin(QCT), isorhamnetin(ISR), kaempferol(KMF), ginkgolide A(GA), ginkgolide B(GB), ginkgolide C(GC) and bilobalide(BB) in rat plasma and investigate the pharmacokinetic process of seven compounds after oral administration of Yindan Xinnaotong Ruanjiaonang, The results indicated that all calibrations curves showed good linearity (r≥0.997 1). RSD of intra-day and inter-day precisions were all within 11%. The matrix effects and extraction recovery were in the range of 93.28%-103.6% and 72.43%-95.77% respectively. The peak concentration (Cmax) of QCT, ISR, KMF, GA, GB, GC and BB were (45.02±11.28), (49.90±13.82), (27.85±8.38), (76.31±18.19), (76.54±15.43), (35.35±10.28), (48.70±12.34) µg•L⁻¹, respectively. The peak time (tmax) of seven constituents were (0.33±0.11), (0.50±0.23), (0.33±0.14), (0.75±0.29), (1.0±0.35), (1.5±0.23), (0.75±0.50) h, respectively. UPLC-MS/MS method established in this research was proved to be so rapid and sensitive that it can be applied to the pharmacokinetic study of seven bioactive constituents in Yindan Xinnaotong Ruanjiaonang.

Identification and evaluation of the chemical similarity of Yindan xinnaotong samples by ultra high performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry fingerprinting.

Yindan xinnaotong, a compound preparation used in traditional Chinese medicine, is composed of eight herbs: Ginkgo biloba leaf (yinxingye), Salvia miltiorrhizae (danshen), Herba gynostemmatis (jiaogulan), Erigerontis herba (dengzhanxixin), Allii sativi bulbus (dasuan), Notoginseng radixe rhizoma (sanqi), Crataegi fructus (shanzha), and Borneolum (tianranbingpian). Yindan xinnaotong is primarily used to treat cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. However, to date, no scientific methods have been established to assess the quality of Yindan xinnaotong. Therefore, a combinatorial method was developed based on chemical constituent identification and fingerprint analysis to assess the consistency of Yindan xinnaotong quality. In this study, ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry was used to identify the chemical components of Yindan xinnaotong soft capsules. Approximately 74 components were detected, of which 70, including flavonoids, ginkgolide, phenolic acid, diterpenoid tanshinones, and ginsenoside, were tentatively identified. A fingerprint analysis was also conducted to evaluate the uniformity of the quality of Yindan xinnaotong soft capsules. Ten batches of Yindan xinnaotong soft capsules were analyzed. All of the resulting chromatograms were imported into the "Similarity Evaluation System for Chromatographic Fingerprints of TCM" (Chinese Pharmacopoeia Commission, version 2004A). The similarity scores of common peaks from these samples ranged from 0.903-1.000, indicating that samples from different batches were highly correlated.

[Explore anti-atherosclerotic mechanism of component compatibility of Danshen and Shanzha based on network pharmacology and cell level].

To explore the anti-atherosclerotic mechanism of active component compatibility of Danshen and Shanzha (SC121) based on network pharmacology and in vitro research validation with cell model. On one hand, according to the chemical structures and pharmacological activities of the compounds reported in Danshen and Shanzha, 5 compounds, i.e., salvianolic acid B, tanshinone ⅡA, tanshinol, epicatechin and procyanidin B2 were chosen and used for network pharmacology analysis. Then the TCMSP（http://lsp.nwsuaf.edu.cn/tcmsp.php）was used for finding the network targets for 5 compounds from SC121. The signaling pathway associated with cardiovascular disease was analyzed by KEGG mapping, the biological process associated with cardiovascular disease was analyzed by Uniprot. And, the mechanism of SC121 was predicted by network pharmacology. In vitro cell model was subsequently performed for validation. HUVEC and RAW264.7 cell injuries and foam cell formation were constructed by ox-LDL, and the intervention effects of SC121 were assayed. The result showed that SC121 not only alleviated the damage of HUVEC and RAW264.7, lowered the ROS level, but also decreased the area of foam cell in a dose-dependent manner, which indicated that SC121 could inhibit the damage of endothelial cells and lower the oxidative stress. The experimental data validated the prediction of network pharmacology, and elucidated the mechanism of SC121's effect on AS.

[Rapid identification of chemical composition in safflower with UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap].

The UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometer was used to explore the chemical compositions in safflower. The rapid separation of the compositions was conducted by the UHPLC, following by high resolution full scan and MS2 scan, under the positive and negative ion mode. The chemical formula of compositions were deduced by full scan data in less than 5, then the potential structures were confirmed by the MS2 data. Forty-nine compounds were detected, of which 26 was identified, and 5 compounds was validated by the standard substances.

Yindanxinnaotong, a Chinese compound medicine, synergistically attenuates atherosclerosis progress.

Yindanxinnaotong (YD), a traditional Chinese medicine, has been introduced to clinical medicine for more than a decade, while its pharmacological properties are still not to be well addressed. This report aimed to explore the anti-atherosclerosis properties and underlying mechanisms of YD. We initially performed a computational prediction based on a network pharmacology simulation, which clued YD exerted synergistically anti-atherosclerosis properties by vascular endothelium protection, lipid-lowering, anti-inflammation, and anti-oxidation. These outcomes were then validated in atherosclerosis rats. The experiments provided evidences indicating YD's contribution in this study included, (1) significantly reduced the severity of atherosclerosis, inhibited reconstruction of the artery wall and regulated the lipid profile; (2) enhanced antioxidant power, strengthened the activity of antioxidant enzymes, and decreased malondialdhyde levels; (3) significantly increased the viability of umbilical vein endothelial cells exposed to oxidative stress due to pretreatment with YD; (4) significantly reduced the level of pro-inflammatory cytokines; (5) significantly down-regulated NF-kB/p65 and up-regulated IkB in the YD-treated groups. Overall, these results demonstrated that YD intervention relieves atherosclerosis through regulating lipids, reducing lipid particle deposition in the endothelial layer of artery, enhancing antioxidant power, and repressing inflammation activity by inhibiting the nuclear factor-kappa B signal pathway.

Deciphering the pharmacological mechanism of the Chinese formula huanglian-jie-du decoction in the treatment of ischemic stroke using a systems biology-based strategy.

AIM: Huanglian-jie-du decoction (HLJDD) is an important multiherb remedy in TCM, which is recently demonstrated to be effective to treat ischemic stroke. Here, we aimed to investigate the pharmacological mechanisms of HLJDD in the treatment of ischemic stroke using systems biology approaches. METHODS: Putative targets of HLJDD were predicted using MetaDrug. An interaction network of putative HLJDD targets and known therapeutic targets for the treatment of ischemic stroke was then constructed, and candidate HLJDD targets were identified by calculating topological features, including 'Degree', 'Node-betweenness', 'Closeness', and 'K-coreness'. The binding efficiencies of the candidate HLJDD targets with the corresponding compositive compounds were further validated by a molecular docking simulation. RESULTS: A total of 809 putative targets were obtained for 168 compositive compounds in HLJDD. Additionally, 39 putative targets were common to all four herbs of HLJDD. Next, 49 major nodes were identified as candidate HLJDD targets due to their network topological importance. The enrichment analysis based on the Gene Ontology (GO) annotation system and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway demonstrated that candidate HLJDD targets were more frequently involved in G-protein-coupled receptor signaling pathways, neuroactive ligand-receptor interactions and gap junctions, which all played important roles in the progression of ischemic stroke. Finally, the molecular docking simulation showed that 170 pairs of chemical components and candidate HLJDD targets had strong binding efficiencies. CONCLUSION: This study has developed for the first time a comprehensive systems approach integrating drug target prediction, network analysis and molecular docking simulation to reveal the relationships between the herbs contained in HLJDD and their putative targets and ischemic stroke-related pathways.

Prevention of atherosclerosis by Yindan Xinnaotong capsule combined with swimming in rats.

BACKGROUND: Yindan Xinnaotong capsule has been used for treating cardio-cerebrovascular diseases for several decades in China. Exercise training can protect against the development of atherosclerosis. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the joint effect of YXC and exercise on atherosclerosis in rats. METHODS: A combined method involving low shear stress and a high-fat diet was used to establish the atherosclerosis model in rats. Partial ligation of the left common carotid artery was performed, and then the rats were divided into 9 treatment groups according to a 3 × 3 factorial design with two factors and three levels for each factor, swimming of 0, 0.5, 1 h daily and YXC administration of 0, 1, 2 g/kg p.o. daily. Next the interventions of swimming and YXC were executed for 8 weeks. After that, blood samples were collected to determine blood viscosity, plasma viscosity, haematocrit (HCT), fibrinogen (FIB), blood lipid profile (including total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), triglyceride (TG) and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C)), nitric oxide (NO), 6-keto- prostaglandin (PG) F1α, endothelin (ET) and thromboxane (TX) B2. The common carotid arteries of the rats were harvested to examine pathological changes, wall thickness and circumference, and the expression of SM22αwas assayed via immune-histochemistry. RESULTS: The early pathological changes were observed. The joint effects of YXC and swimming showed significant changes in the examined parameters: (1) decreases in plasma viscosity, blood viscosity and FIB; (2) increases in NO and 6-keto-PGF1α; (3) decreases in ET and TXB2; and (4) decreases in LDL-C and TG. The combination of 2 g/kg YXC and 1 h of swimming led to synergistic decreases in LDL-C and TG. The interactive effect between YXC and swimming was obvious in decreasing wall thickness. Swimming alone was able to up-regulate the expression of SM22α. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, this study indicates that the combination of YXC and swimming may prevent atherosclerosis through a synergistic effect between YXC and swimming in improving blood circulation, hemorheological parameters, blood lipids levels and the vascular endothelium in rats. The vascular remodeling may be contributed to the prevention effects on AS by up-regulating SM22α.

Fructus phyllanthi tannin fraction induces apoptosis and inhibits migration and invasion of human lung squamous carcinoma cells in vitro via MAPK/MMP pathways.

AIM: Fructus phyllanthi tannin fraction (PTF) from the traditional Tibetan medicine Fructus phyllanthi has been found to inhibit lung and liver carcinoma in mice. In this study we investigated the anticancer mechanisms of PTF in human lung squamous carcinoma cells in vitro. METHODS: Human lung squamous carcinoma cell line (NCI-H1703), human large-cell lung cancer cell line (NCI-H460), human lung adenocarcinoma cell line (A549) and human fibrosarcoma cell line (HT1080) were tested. Cell viability was detected with MTT assay. Cell migration and invasion were assessed using a wound healing assay and a transwell chemotaxis chambers assay, respectively. Cell apoptosis was analyzed with flow cytometric analysis. The levels of apoptosis-related and metastasis-related proteins were detected by Western blot and immunofluorescence. RESULTS: PTF dose-dependently inhibited the viability of the 3 human lung cancer cells. The IC50 values of PTF in inhibition of NCI-H1703, NCI-H460, and A549 cells were 33, 203, and 94 mg/L, respectively. PTF (15, 30, and 60 mg/L) dose-dependently induced apoptosis of NCI-H1703 cells. Treatment of NCI-H1703 and HT1080 cells with PTF significantly inhibited cell migration, and reduced the number of invasive cells through Matrigel. Furthermore, PTF dose-dependently down-regulated the expression of phosphor-ERK1/2, MMP-2 and MMP-9, up-regulated the expression of phosphor-JNK, but had no significant effect on the expression of ERK1/2 or JNK. CONCLUSION: PTF induces cell apoptosis and inhibits the migration and invasion of NCI-H1703 cells by decreasing MPPs expression through regulation of the MAPK pathway.

[Study on preventive and therapeutic effects of combined application of yindanxinnaotong soft capsule and exercise on atherosclerotic rats].

To explore the prevention effect of the joint combination of Yindanxinnaotong soft capsule (YDXNT) and exercise (swimming) on atherosclerotic rats. The method of 3 x 3 factorial design, including two factors (YDXNT and swimming) and three levels (0, 1, 2 g x kg(-1) YDXNT; 0, 0.5, 1 h swimming), was mainly adopted. The atherosclerotic rat model was established by ligating their left common carotid arteries and feeding high-fat diet. After 8 weeks, blood samples were collected from their thoracic aorta to determine blood viscosity, plasma viscosity, fibrinogen (FIB), nitric oxide (NO), 6-keto-PGF(1alpha) endothelin (ET) and thromboxane B2 (TXB2). The tissues of left common carotid arteries of the rats were collected to detect the positive expression of SM22alpha and determine the semi-quantitation through the immunohistochemical staining. The result showed that the combination of YDXNT and swimming can significantly decrease the plasma viscosity (F = 3.241, P = 0.017), the high and low shear blood viscosity (F = 6.444, P = 0.001; F = 3.002, P = 0.024) and FIB (F = 4.046, P = 0.005). The increased NO and 6-keto-PGF(1alpha) and the decreased ET and TXB2 indicated a significant interaction (P < 0.05). The swimming showed an obvious main effect in the expression of up-regulated protein SM22alpha (F = 8.088, P = 0.001). The study suggested that the combined administration of YDXNT and swimming could improve the hemorheological parameters of atherosclerotic rats, protect the vascular endothelium, inhibit the vascular remodeling in atherosclerosis and positively prevent the atherosclerosis.