Systems pharmacology-based investigation of Sanwei Ganjiang Prescription: related mechanisms in liver injury.

Liver injury remains a significant global health problem and has a variety of causes, including oxidative stress (OS), inflammation, and apoptosis of liver cells. There is currently no curative therapy for this disorder. Sanwei Ganjiang Prescription (SWGJP), derived from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has shown its effectiveness in long-term liver damage therapy, although the underlying molecular mechanisms are still not fully understood. To explore the underlining mechanisms of action for SWGJP in liver injury from a holistic view, in the present study, a systems pharmacology approach was developed, which involved drug target identification and multilevel data integration analysis. Using a comprehensive systems approach, we identified 43 candidate compounds in SWGJP and 408 corresponding potential targets. We further deciphered the mechanisms of SWGJP in treating liver injury, including compound-target network analysis, target-function network analysis, and integrated pathways analysis. We deduced that SWGJP may protect hepatocytes through several functional modules involved in liver injury integrated-pathway, such as Nrf2-dependent anti-oxidative stress module. Notably, systems pharmacology provides an alternative way to investigate the complex action mode of TCM.

[Pattern Recognition Analysis for Quality Control of Jia Ga Song Tang by GC-MS].

OBJECTIVE: To establish a scientific method for identitication and evaluation of the Tibetan prescription Jia Ga Song Tang. METHODS: Volatile oil was extracted by water steam distillation and analyzed by GC-MS. Principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) were applied to the samples for chemical fingerprint pattern recognition research. RESULTS: 16 samples according to hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA) were divided into two classes, and results from two recognition analysis methods had good consistency. CONCLUSION: GC-MS-pattern recognition method was a kind of scientific, accurate and effective method for the quality evaluation of Jia Ga Song Tang.

Diterpenoid alkaloids and flavonoids from Delphinium trichophorum.

Five hetisane-type C20-diterpenoid alkaloids, trichodelphinines A-E, one delnudine-type C20-diterpenoid alkaloid, trichodelphinine F and three known flavonoids, quercetin, quercetin 3-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside, and quercetin 3-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside-7-O-α-L-arabinopyranoside, were isolated from whole plants of Delphinium trichophorum Franch. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis, including HSQC, HMBC, (1)H-(1)H COSY, NOESY and X-ray crystallographic analysis, and from chemical evidence. The cytotoxic activities of the diterpenoid alkaloids were evaluated using the MTT method, and the IC50 values of their cytotoxicity against A549 cancer cells ranged from 12.03 to 52.79 µM.

[Analysis of chemical constituents of volatile components from Jia Ga Song Tang by GC-MS].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the chemical components of volatile components from Jia Ga Song Tang. METHODS: The volatile oils were extracted by water steam distillation. The chemical components of essential oil were analyzed by GC-MS and quantitatively determined by a normalization method. RESULTS: 103 components were separated and 87 components were identified in the volatile oil of Zingiberis Rhizoma. 58 components were separated and 38 components were identified in the volatile oil of Myristicae Semen. 49 components were separated and 38 components were identified in the volatile oil of Amomi Rotundus Fructus. 89 components were separated and 63 components were identified in the volatile oil of Jia Ga Song Tang. CONCLUSION: Eucalyptol, ß-phellandrene and other terpenes were the main compounds in the volatile oil of Jia Ga Song Tang. Changes in the kinds and content of volatile components can provide evidences for scientific and rational compatibility for Jia Ga Song Tang.

Two new abietane diterpenoids from the caulis and leaves of Callicarpa kochiana.

Previous studies revealed that diterpenoids from Callicarpa genus were mainly of clerodane-type and phyllocladane-type, and abietane-type diterpenoids were seldom reported. In this paper, we reported two new abietane diterpenoids, kochianic acid A (1) and kochianic acid B (2), together with two known abietane-type diterpenoids, pedunculatic acid B (3) and 7α, 15-dihydroxydehydroabietic acid (4), which were all isolated from Callicarpa kochiana. The structures of the new compounds 1 and 2 were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis, including HSQC, HMBC, (1)H-(1)H COSY, ROESY and finally confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction.

New sphingolipid psychotramide A-D from the stem of Psychotria sp.

Chemical study of the Psychotria sp. led to the isolation of a new type of ceramide named psychotramide (1). HR-FAB-MS analysis revealed that psychotramide consists of four new sphingolipids. Their structures were determined on the basis of the spectroscopic data and chemical methods to be psychotramide A (1-a), psychotramide B (1-b), psychotramide C (1-c) and psychotramide D (1-d).

New triterpene saponins from the root of Ilex pubescens.

Two new triterpene glycosides named ilexpublesnin A (1) and ilexpublesnin B (2) were isolated from the root of Ilex pubescens. Their structures were determined as 3-O-(ß-D-xylopyranosyl)-28-O-(ß-D-glucopyranosyl)-3ß, 19α-dihydroxyurs-23-oxo-12-en-28-oic acid (1) and 28-O-(ß-D-xylopyranosyl-(2→1)-ß-D-glucopyranosyl)-3ß, 19α-dihydroxyurs-23-oxo-12-en-28-oic acid (2) on the basis of chemical and spectroscopic methods.

Gerardianin A, a new abietane diterpenoid from Isodon lophanthoides var. gerardianus.

A new abietane diterpenoid, gerardianin A (1), along with a known compound 6,7-dehydroroyleanone (2), has been isolated from the aerial parts of Isodon lophanthoides var. gerardianus [Bentham] H. Hara. The structure of 1 was determined on the basis of spectroscopic methods and X-ray single-crystal diffraction analysis.