OBJECTIVETo optimize the vinegar processing technique of Euphorbia pekinensis.

METHODThe test was designed by using orthogonal table L9 (3(4)). The factors were vinegar amount, proportion of vinegar and water and duration and degree of heating. An aggregative weighted method was used to optimize processing technology of E. pekinensis with content of euphol, extract of ethanol, extract of water and appearance and section were used as evaluative indicators.

RESULTThe optimal processing of E. pekinensis was identified as adding the mixture of 30 g vinegar and 270 g water to 100 g herbs, mixing evenly and softening, cooking until exhaustion under slow fire, taking out and drying to degree 6-7, and then cutting into thick slices.

CONCLUSIONThe study defines parameters of the processing technique of E. pekinensis. The quality of E. pekinensis is stable and controllable under the technical conditions.

Acetic Acid ; chemistry ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Euphorbia ; chemistry

To look for the toxicity fraction of Euphorbia pekinensis and discuss the vinegar processing mechanism. The level of intestinal edema, water content of intestine and stool, IC50 values of IEC-6 were applied to evaluate the toxicity of different fractions. RT-PCR was employed for detecting AQP1, AQP3 mRNA expression. The petroleum ether (PE) fraction and ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction could significant cause intestinal edema in mice, increase the water content of duodenum, colon and stool, inhibited the mRNA expression of AQP1 and increased the mRNA level of AQP3 in colon, and the petroleum ether (PE) fraction was more poisonous. After the petroleum ether (PE) fraction was processed with vinegar, the level of intestinal edema, water content of duodenum, colon, stool and inhibition ratio of cells line were reduced. And we compared the composition change after vinegar processing, finding that the conpekinensis.
Acetic Acid ; chemistry ; Animals ; Cell Line ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Euphorbia ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Molecular Structure

OBJECTIVETo study the mechanism of the reducing mechanism of hepatotoxicity induced by ethyl acetate fractions of Kansui Radix stir-baked with vinegar in mice.

METHODMice with normal ICR were orally administered with ethyl acetate fractions of Kansui Radix and Kansui Radix stir-baked with vinegar. Their blood and liver homogenate were collected to detect the level of AST, ALT, LDH, SOD, activities of Na(+) -K(+) -ATPase and Ca(2+) -Mg(2+) -ATPase, GSH and MDA. Liver tissues were collected for HE staining and morphological observation under light microscope.

RESULTAccording to the results of pathological sections, compared with the control group, all of Kansui groups showed a significant increase in the hepatic tissues injury (P < 0.01). Compared with Kansui groups, all of vinegar-baked groups showed a significant decrease in the hepatic tissues injury (P < 0.01). Compared with the control group, all of Kansui groups showed a significant increase in ALT, AST and LDH (P < 0.05, P < 0.001) in serum and hepatic tissues, and significantly decrease in the activity of SOD (P < 0.001) and the content of GSH. They also showed a significant increase in MDA (P < 0.001) and a significant decrease in the level of Na(+) -K(+) -ATPase and Ca(2+) -Mg(2+) -ATPase (P < 0.01) in hepatic tissues, with a certain dose-effect relationship. Compared with all of Kansui groups, all of vinegar-baked groups showed a significant decrease in ALT, AST and LDH (P < 0.05, P < 0.001), and a notable increase in SOD (P < 0.001) and GSH in serum and hepatic tissues. They also showed a remarkable decrease in MDA (P < 0.001), and a significant increase in the level of Na(+) -K(+) -ATPase and Ca(2+) - Mg(2+) -ATPase (P < 0.01) in hepatic tissues, with a certain dose-effect relationship.

CONCLUSIONBeing stir-baked with vinegar can significantly reduce the hepatotoxicity of Kansui Radix. Its mechanism may be related to the reduction of the effect of Kansui Radix on the permeability of hepatic tissues cell membranes and the oxidative injury.

Acetic Acid ; Animals ; Cell Membrane Permeability ; drug effects ; Euphorbia ; toxicity ; Liver ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Mice ; Oxidation-Reduction ; Plant Extracts ; toxicity

OBJECTIVETo extract and separate toxic components from Phytolaccae Radix, and to comare the changes in toxicity of Phytolaccae Radix before and after being processed with vinegar.

METHODThe mucous membrane irritation response, mouse peritoneal inflammation model and in vitro macrophages release NO model were applied to compared the changes in inflammatory toxicity of toxic components from Phytolaccae Radix before and after being processed with vinegar.

RESULTToxic components of Phytolacca Radix had significant inflammatory toxicity, which could cause conjunctival edema in rabbits, and increase of PGE2 and macrophages release NO content in peritoneal exudate in mice. After being processed with vinegar, they showed reduced irritation, which resulted in decrease of PGE2 and macrophages release NO content in peritoneal exudate in mice.

CONCLUSIONAfter being processed with vinegar, the toxicity of toxic components from Phytolacca Radix decreased obviously.

Acetic Acid ; chemistry ; Animals ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; toxicity ; Eye ; drug effects ; immunology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Phytolacca ; chemistry ; Rabbits

OBJECTIVETo study and compare the changes of toxicity of Euphorbia pekinensis, E. kansui and E. ebracteolata before and after being prepared by vinegar.

METHODSmall intestinal accentuation of mice and peritoneal macrophage NO release experiments were assessed to investigate the changes of toxicity of the three Chinese Medicines of Euphorbia before and after being prepared.

RESULTE. pekinensis, E. kansui and E. ebracteolata and vinegar can obviously promot small intestinal accentuation and peritoneal macrophage NO release with the intensity of toxicity in the order of E. kansui > E. pekinensis > E. ebracteolata. After being prepared with vinegar, the toxicity of the three medicines decreased obviously compared to crude one.

CONCLUSIONE. pekinensis, E. kansui and E. ebracteolata can induce inflammation and accelerate enterokinesis. After being prepared with vinegar, the irritation on Euphorbia decreased obviously.

Acetic Acid ; chemistry ; Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; toxicity ; Euphorbia ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Female ; Intestine, Small ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Macrophages, Peritoneal ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Nitric Oxide ; analysis ; metabolism ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Toxicity Tests

OBJECTIVETo test whether the raphides in Tian Nanxing (Pinellia pedatisecta Schott) caused irritation.

METHODScan Electron Microscope and Microscope Oberservation; Animal experimental study.

RESULTThrough the comparision of unprocessed Tian Nanxing to processed ones which included 36 h, 72 h, 120 h processed samples, the great modifications in the structure of raphides, especially for the ones with barbs in the processed samples was observed with time course study. A further animal experimental study went to show that the rate of change for raphides with barbs existed a dose-reponse relationship to irritation.

CONCLUSIONInvestigations of the causes of these reactions showed that raphides of calcium oxalate are, at least in part, responsible for the Tian Nanxing's irritation.

Acetic Acid ; Alum Compounds ; Animals ; Calcium Oxalate ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; toxicity ; Conjunctival Diseases ; chemically induced ; Crystallization ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Edema ; chemically induced ; Hot Temperature ; Pinellia ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rabbits ; Rhizome ; chemistry ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods

OBJECTIVETo compare the toxicity on normal liver cells LO2 before and after Kansui Radix stir-baked with vinegar, and make a preliminary study on the mechanism of detoxication of Kansui Radix stir-baked with vinegar.

METHODThe MTT method was adopted to detect the cell activity, with normal liver cells LO2 as the study object. The morphology of cells were observed, and the level or content of AST, ALT, LDH, SOD, Na+-K+-ATPase, Ca2+-Mg2+ -ATPase, GSH and MDA were determined in cell culture supernatant and splitting supernatant.

RESULTCompared with the control group, Kansui can obviously inhibit the cell activity (P < 0.01) and morphology, and increase the levels of ALT, AST, and LDH (P < 0.01) in the supernatant fluid of cell incubation, and decrease the level of SOD and the content of GSH (P < 0.01). Besides, it significantly increased the content of MDA (P < 0.01) and significantly decreased the level of Na+-K+-ATPase and Ca2+-Mg2+ -ATPase (P < 0.01) in the supernatant fluid of cell dissociation. Compared with Kansui group of various doses, Kansui Radix stir-baked with vinegar can significantly decrease the cell proliferation inhibition and the trend of morphological variation, and obviously decrease the levels of ALT, AST, and LDH (P < 0.01) in the supernatant fluid of cell incubation, and significantly increase the level of SOD and the content of GSH (P < 0.01), and significantly decrease the content of MDA (P < 0.01). Additionally, it significantly increased the level of Na+-K+-ATPase and Ca2+-Mg2+ ATPase (P < 0.01) in the supernatant fluid of cell dissociation, and showed a certain dose-effect relationship.

CONCLUSIONStir-baking with rice vinegar can release the hepatotoxicity of Kansui Radix. Its possible mechanism was that Kansui Radix stir-baked with vinegar can decrease the influence of Kansui Radix on the permeability of liver cells LO2 membrane and oxidative damage, in order to provide basis for further exploration of the detoxication mechanism of Kansui Radix stir-baked with vinegar.

Acetic Acid ; chemistry ; Cell Line ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Euphorbia ; chemistry ; Humans ; Liver ; cytology ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the scientific theory on detoxification (attenuation) of Stellera chamaejasme (ScL) by processing and the impact on drug effect of ScL before and after being processed with vinegar.

METHODThe difference in ingredients of ScL before and after being processed vinegar was compared by using PHLC-MS technique. A subcutaneously transplanted tumor model of H22 hepatoma was established to compare the lethal effect and weight change between tumor-loaded mice and normal mice. After consecutive oral administration in tumor-loaded mice, the impacts on tumors and immune organs were compared before and after being processed with vinegar. Luciferase Report Gene was employed to investigate the target genes TGF-beta, AP1 and NF-kappaB.

RESULTThe LD50 (median fatal dose) of extract Zp1102 exhibited higher than that of the processed one Zp1103, that is 9. 89 g x kg(-1) vs. 16.85 g x kg(-1). According to the test, Zp1102 showed more effective anti-tumor activities in vivo than that of Zp1103 in a same dosage, with the tumor inhibitory rate 36.24% (P < 0.01) at the dosage of2 g x kg(-1) and 34.40% (P < 0.05) at the dosage of 1 g x kg(-1). At the dosage of 1 g x kg(-1), Zp1102 showed a tumor inhibitory rate of 34.52% (P < 0.05), much higher from 21.55% in Zp1103. Both Zp1102 and Zp1103 had basically no impact on the report gene NF-kappaB, besides that Zp1102 up-regulated the report gene after increase in NF-kappaB concentration and down-regulated TGF-beta, but Zp1103 can only up-regulate NF-kappaB expression without any impact on TGF-beta.

CONCLUSIONProcessed ScL extracts show less toxic than unprocessed extracts and slight reduction in anti-tumor activity, which may be related to the regulation of transforming growth factor TGF-beta.

Acetic Acid ; chemistry ; Animals ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Lethal Dose 50 ; Male ; Mice ; NF-kappa B ; physiology ; Neoplasms, Experimental ; drug therapy ; Phytotherapy ; Thymelaeaceae ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo compare the toxicity of Euphorbia pekinensis before and after being processed by vinegar on normal liver cells LO2, and discuss its possible mechanism.

METHODLO2 cells were cultured in vitro, and processed with different concentrations of crude and vinegar-processed E. pekinensis. MTT assay was used to measure the inhibitory effect of LO2 cell; Hoechst 33258 staining was used to observe the morphological changes in apoptosis cell; Annexin V-FITC flow cytometry was used to analyze the apoptotic rate of LO2 cell; PI staining flow cytometry was used to analyze its impact on cell cycle. The level or content of ALT, AST, LDH, SOD, MDA and GSH were observed as well.

RESULTCompared with the negative control group, crude E. pekinensis at all concentrations could obviously inhibit LO2 cell proliferation, induce LO2 cell apoptosis and cause cell arrest in S phase, with significant differences (P <0.05). E. pekinensis could significantly increase the levels of ALT, AST and LDH (P <0.05) in the supernatant of cell culture fluid, significantly decrease the level of SOD and the content of GSH (P <0.05) , and significantly increase the content of MDA (P <0.05). Compared with the crude E. pekinensis group, E. pekinensis after being vinegar-processed can significantly reduce cell apoptotic rate, cell cycle arrest, activities of ALT, AST, LDH in the supernatant of cell culture fluid (P <0.05) , and remarkably increase the level of SOD and the content of GSH, but reduce the content of MDA in the supernatant of cell culture fluid.

CONCLUSIONVinegar-processed E. pekinensis can release the cytotoxicity of LO2 cell. Its mechanism may be related to the decrease in the oxidative damage of LO2 cells, thereby reducing the cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.

Acetic Acid ; chemistry ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Cycle Checkpoints ; drug effects ; Cell Line ; Cell Membrane ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Euphorbia ; chemistry ; Humans ; Liver ; cytology ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects

Euphorbia kansui (EK) is a toxic herbal drug, and often used after vinegar-processing to reduce its toxicity. In present study, a 1H-NMR based metabonomic approach was used to evaluate the detoxification effect of vinegar-processed EK. The water extracts of EK and VEK were administered orally to male SD rats at doses of 9 g x kg(-1) x d(-1) for 1 week, respectively, and one more week observation was further conducted. The control group was orally given with saline. Histopathological studies of liver samples on the 8th and 15th day were conducted, and the metabolites of rat urine and liver were analysed by 1H-NMR. Histopathological studies of liver samples from EK and VEK treated rats showed no negative impacts. In metabonomic analyses of urines, changes of metabolites indicated liver damages, kidney lesions and imbalance of gut microbes in the second week. VEK-treated rats showed a quite lower toxicity compared with EK-treated ones. The present study revealed that the metabonomic approach might be helpful for the evaluation of toxicity of EK and detoxic effect of VEK.
Acetic Acid ; chemistry ; Animals ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; toxicity ; Euphorbia ; chemistry ; Inactivation, Metabolic ; Liver ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Male ; Metabolomics ; methods ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Urinalysis