Essential oils with anti-breast cancer activities from Aralia chinensis L. (roots, stems, and leaves) via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses and molecular docking.

Aralia chinensis L. is a traditional Miao ethnic medicine known for its pain and inflammation relief and its ability to dispel wind and dampness. This study aimed to assess its antitumour activity and identify the chemical constituents of A. chinensis essential oils. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to analyse the volatile oil composition, which identified 35, 35, and 24 constituents in essential oils from roots, stems, and leaves, respectively. Network pharmacology predicted the possible key targets of common components in breast-cancer treatment, which revealed AKT1, SRC, EGFR, STAT3, and MAPK3 as high-priority targets with high active-constituent affinity. CCK-8 assay confirmed the inhibitory effect of the essential oils on MCF-7 breast-cancer cells, with oils from Aralia rhizomes, stems, and leaves inhibiting cell viability by 77%, 64%, and 62%, respectively. The active components of Aralia essential oils show promise for breast-cancer treatment by targeting AKT1, SRC, EGFR, and other key factors.

Effection of aralia total saponins to the apoptosis and antioxidant renal tissue of diabetic mice / 国际中医中药杂志

Objective To study the effect of aralia total saponins on renal function of type 2 diabetic mice, and its effect on the Bax and Bcl-2 protein in renal tissues, in order to provide some references for the development of aralia total saponins. Methods The mice were divided into the normal group, model group, positive control group, low, medium and high dose aralia total saponins group by random number method. Except the normal group, the others were received with high-fat diet for one month+one-time large dose of streptozotocin (STZ) to induce type 2 diabetic model, and then the mice in the normal group and the model group were intragastrically administered with the same volume of normal saline, and the mice in the positive control group was given 1 mg/kg of benazepril solution, and the low, medium and high dose groups were given 30, 60, 120 mg/kg aralia total saponins. The body weight of 1 ml/kg mice was intragastrically administered once a day. After treatment for 6 weeks they were sacrificed, and the serum insulin, and SOD and MDA levels were measured, the urine creatinine (Cr), urea nitrogen (UN), and uric acid (UA) levels were also measured. The immunohistochemistry and Western blot were used to detect the Bax and Bcl-2 protein expression in kidney tissues. Results Compared with the model group, the blood glucose and insulin resistance index in the low, medium and high doses aralia total saponins group were significantly decreased (P<0.05); the levels of urine UN, Cr and UA significantly decreased (P<0.05); The serum SOD level increased and the MDA level significantly decreased (P<0.05). The average gray value of Bcl-2 increased (92.26 ± 11.36, 107.17 ± 9.26, 132.65 ± 8.45 vs. 56.42 ± 16.24) in kidney tissue. The average gray value of Bax (152.62 ± 9.86, 124.48 ± 10.36, 92.29 ± 10.10 vs. 171.38 ± 15.18) significantly decreased ( P<0.05); Bax protein (0.81 ± 0.06, 0.75 ± 0.07, 0.52 ± 0.09 vs. 2.02 ± 0.09) significantly decreased, but Bcl-2 protein (0.92 ± 0.08, 0.94 ± 0.12, 1.27 ± 0.07 vs. 0.30 ± 0.09) significantly increased (P<0.05). Conclusions The aralia total saponins can reduce blood sugar levels, meanwhile improve renal function in type 2 diabetic mice. The mechanism may be may be that aralia total saponins could improve the antioxidant capacity and inhibition of renal cell apoptosis.

Study on the affection of TLR of aralia in renal tissue of diabetic mice / 国际中医中药杂志

Objective To investigate the protective effect of aralia total saponins on renal injury induced by streptozotocin (STZ) in type 2 diabetic mice, meanwhile to explore its protective mechanism. Methods Fifty male Kunming mice were randomly divided into the normal group, the model group and the aralia total saponins low, middle and high does groups. All the rats were given high fat diet 8 weeks and then received STZ 45 mg/kg to built type 2 diabetic mice model, except the noraml group. After the models establishment,the aralia total saponins low, middle and high does groups were given the aralia total saponins 30, 60, 120 mg/kg treatment, andthe normal group and the model group were given the equal normal saline, once each day. After 4th and 8th week administration, the urinary protein levels of 24 h in each group were detected. After the last treatment, all the mice were sacrificed to detected the changes of blood glucose, insulin and inflammatory related factors. Immunohistochemistry, Western blotting and real-time quantitative PCR were used to observe the expression of TLR2 and TLR2 in the kidney tissue. Results Compared with the model group, the low, middle and high does groups in 24-hour proteinuria, blood glucose, insulin resistance index decreased (P<0.05), the insulin increased(P<0.05). The serum TNF-α (16.66 ± 0.20 ng/L, 14.49 ± 0.27 ng/L, 13.52 ± 0.22 ng/L vs.20.33 ± 0.56 ng/L),IL-1β(0.46 ± 0.04 ng/L,0.44 ± 0.04 ng/L,0.37 ± 0.04 ng/L vs.0.55 ± 0.05 ng/L),NF-κB (28.71 ± 6.14 ng/L, 26.26 ± 5.48 ng/L, 25.69 ± 5.61 ng/L vs. 36.55 ± 8.90 ng/L) significantly decreased (P<0.05).The kidney TLR2 mRNA(1.92 ± 0.18,1.46 ± 0.23,1.28 ± 0.21 vs.2.69 ± 0.22),TLR4 mRNA(2.20 ± 0.19,2.08 ± 0.27,1.57 ± 0.22 vs.2.78 ± 0.23),TLR2 porteins(0.82 ± 0.11,0.52 ± 0.06,0.44 ± 0.07 vs.0.77 ± 0.13),TLR4 proteins(0.52 ± 0.04,0.42 ± 0.09,0.26 ± 0.06 vs.0.86 ± 0.12)significantly decreased(P<0.05). Conclusions The aralia total saponins can significantly reduce the blood glucose, insulin resistance index and 24-hour urinary protein in type 2 diabetic nephropathy of mice, increase the insulin, and analyzing its mechanism may be total saponins can inhibit the expression of TLR2 and TLR4 protein in the kidney, and further reduce the inflammatory response.

A new saponin from stem of Aralia chinensis / 中草药

Objective: To study the chemical constituents from the stem of Aralia chinensis. Methods: The constituents were isolated and purified by ODS chromatography repeatedly, and the structure was identified by spectral analysis. Results: A new saponin was isolated from the stem of A. chinensis. And its structure was identified as 3-O-{[β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)]-[β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→6)-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)]-β-D-glucopyranosyl}-oleanolic acid 28-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl ester (1). Conclusion: Compound 1 is a new saponin named as congmujingnoside A.

Six New Triterpene Derivatives from Aralia chinensis Var. dasyphylloides.

Aralia chinensis var. dasyphylloides is widely distributed in China and used as a traditional herbal medicine for the treatment of digestive and immune system diseases. The present study aimed to search for novel oleanolic-type triterpenoids in low-polarity fractions. Six new triterpene derivatives (1-6), together with two known compounds were isolated from the barks of A. chinensis var. dasyphylloides. Their structures were elucidated by 1D- and 2D-NMR spectroscopic analysis and chemical methods. They were identified as 3-oxo-oleana-11,13(18)-dien-28,30-dioic acid (1), 30-hydroxy-3-oxo-oleana-11,13(18)-dien-28-oic acid (2), 3ß-hydroxy-oleana-11,13(18)-dien-28-oic acid-28-O-ß-d-glucopyranoside (3), 3ß,30-dihydroxy-oleana-11,13(18)-dien-28-oic acid-28-O-ß-d-glucopyranoside (4), 3ß-hydroxy-oleana-11,13(18)-dien-28-oic acid-3-O-ß-d-xylopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-ß-d-glucopyranoside (5), 3ß,29-dihydroxy-oleana-9(11),12-dien-28-oic acid-28-O-ß-d-glucopyranoside (6), namely, araliachinolic acids I and II and araliachinosides I-IV. The cytotoxicity of the isolated compounds was tested against HepG2, A549, SGC7901, and MCF7 cell lines, but no apparent activity was observed at a concentration of 50 µM.

Determination of Oleanolic Acid in She Medicine Radix of Aralia Chinensis L. by HPLC / 中国药师

Objective:To establish an HPLC method for the determination of oleanolic acid in She medicine radix of Aralia chinen-sis L. . Methods:The HPLC analysis was performed on a Waters XBridge-C18 (250 mm × 4. 6 mm, 5 μm) column. The mobile phase was methanol-0. 1 mol·L-1 ammonium acetate solution (83∶17) and the flow rate was 1. 0 ml·min-1 . The detection wavelength was 210 nm, the column temperature was 20 ℃, and the injection volume was 10 μl. Results:Oleanolic acid in radix of Aralia chinensis L. had a good separation from the other components, a good linearity was obtained within the range of 72. 52-725. 2 μg·ml-1 ( r=1. 000 0), and the average recovery was 98. 05%(RSD=1. 89%, n=6). Conclusion:The method is simple, accurate, reproducible and applicable in the assay of oleanolic acid in radix of Aralia chinensis L. .

Optimization technique in purification of araloside A from Aralia chinensis with macroporous resin / 中草药

Objective: To explore the optimal separation of the araloside A from Aralia chinensis by selecting appropriate macroporous resins and to systematically study the factors which affect the separation. Methods: Static and dynamic adsoption-desorption methods were adopted and evaluated for separating efficiency by measuring the concentration of araloside A in A. chinensis with HPLC. Results: Macroporous resin AB-8 had the best separating efficiency when the content in A. chinensis liquid was 0.1 g/mL equivalent to raw material. The volume of drug is 6 BV (resin bed volume) with the adsorption-power 2.5 BV/h and the volume of 50% ethanol as eluant 4 BV with desorption-power 2 BV/h. After the treatment of AB-8 resin, the purity of araloside A could reach 30% and total araloside to 80%. Conclusion: This method is simple and feasible with good effect of separation, which can meet the industrial requirements.