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

Resource of traditional Chinese medicine residue is an inevitable choice to form new industries characterized of modem, environmental protection and intensive in the Chinese medicine industry. Based on the analysis of source and the main chemical composition of the herb residue, and for the advantages of membrane science and technology used in the pharmaceutical industry, especially membrane separation technology used in improvement technical reserves of traditional extraction and separation process in the pharmaceutical industry, it is proposed that membrane science and technology is one of the most important choices in technological design of traditional Chinese medicine resource industrialization. Traditional Chinese medicine residue is a very complex material system in composition and character, and scientific and effective "separation" process is the key areas of technology to re-use it. Integrated process can improve the productivity of the target product, enhance the purity of the product in the separation process, and solve many tasks which conventional separation is difficult to achieve. As integrated separation technology has the advantages of simplified process and reduced consumption, which are in line with the trend of the modern pharmaceutical industry, the membrane separation technology can provide a broad platform for integrated process, and membrane separation technology with its integrated technology have broad application prospects in achieving resource and industrialization process of traditional Chinese medicine residue. We discuss the principles, methods and applications practice of effective component resources in herb residue using membrane separation and integrated technology, describe the extraction, separation, concentration and purification application of membrane technology in traditional Chinese medicine residue, and systematically discourse suitability and feasibility of membrane technology in the process of traditional Chinese medicine resource industrialization in this paper.
Biomedical Research ; instrumentation ; methods ; trends ; China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; instrumentation ; methods ; trends ; Membranes, Artificial ; Phytotherapy ; instrumentation ; methods ; trends ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; instrumentation ; methods ; trends

Angelicae Sinensis Radix-Chuanxiong Rhizoma has the effects of nourishing and tonifying blood, activating blood and dissipating blood stasis, regulating menstruation and analgetic, which is commonly used Chinese medicine pair (CMP) in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) clinic. It might be an independent formula, and is also usually used in many gynecological formulae and modern TCM prescriptions. This paper mainly analyzed and summarized the compatibility theory, bio-active constituents, compatibility effects and action mechanism, and clinical applications of the CMP, which can provide a basis for the depth research and development of the CMP.
Animals ; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical ; Drug Interactions ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of acupuncture on tumor and its mechanism.

METHODSLiver cancer, gastric cancer and hypodermic tumor rat models were made by implantation of replicated Walker-256 cell strain. The 3 model rats were respectively divided into two groups at random, a model control group and an electroacupuncture group. The electroacupuncture groups were treated with electroacupuncture (EA) at "Zusanli" (ST 36), "Hegu" (LI 4) and "San-yinjiao" (SP 6), once each day, 15 min one session, for 15 days. The gross tumor volume and the tumor inhibitory rate, and the levels of humoral immunity index, including serum 1gG, IgM, IgA and C3, C4, and the levels of cellular immunity index, including CD4+, CD8+ and CD4+/CD8+ in the peripheral blood in each group were detected.

RESULTSThe gross tumor volumes in the EA groups were significantly smaller than those in the model control group (P<0.01). The contents of IgG, IgM and C3 in the EA groups increased significantly compared with those in the model control group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The contents of IgA and C4 in the EA groups did not significantly change (P>0.05). The content of CD4+ and CD4+/CD8+ in the EA groups are significantly higher than those in the model control group (P<0.05 or P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture at "Zusanli" (ST 36), "Hegu" (LI 4) and "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) can increase immune function and inhibit tumor growth in Walker-256 liver cancer, gastric cancer and hypodermic tumor rats.

Animals ; Carcinoma 256, Walker ; immunology ; pathology ; therapy ; Electroacupuncture ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Objective To explore the dosage and injection method of concanavalin A(Con A) for inducing Wistar rats into the acute hepatic injury model. Methods (1)According to the dosage of Con A, 42 Wistar rats were randomly divided into groups A, B, C, D, E, N, 7 rats in each group. Group N was given tail intravenous injection of normal saline as normal control group. Groups A, B, C, D, E were given intravenous injection of 4, 8, 16, 30, 40 mg/kg of Con A respectively. At the 8th hour after modeling, the levels of alanine transaminase(ALT), aspartate aminotransferase(AST), albumin(ALB), interleukin(IL)-2 , IL-10, interferon (IFN)-γ, and tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-αwere detected. And HE staining was used to observe the pathological feature of hepatic tissue. (2)According to the injection method of Con A, 21 Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control group, intraperitoneal injection group and tail intravenous injection group, 7 rats in each group. The dosage of Con A for the rats in intraperitoneal injection group and tail intravenous injection group was 16 mg/kg. At the 8th hour after modeling, the levels of serum ALT, AST, and ALB were determined. Results The number of abnormal deaths in various dose Con A groups at the end of each experiment was 0 in groups A, B, C, and 2 in group D, and 7 in group E. A small amount of spotty necrosis, inflammatory cell infiltration, and hepatic lobule with almost integrity of structure were found in groups A, B, while obvious bridging-like necrosis was seen in groups C, D. Serum ALT, AST, and ALB levels in intraperitoneal injection group had no statistically significant difference as compared with the normal control group. Conclusion Tail intravenous injection of 16 mg/kg of Con A can be used to induce an acute immunological liver injury rat model successfully.

OBJECTIVETo study whether the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) play a role in differentiation of marrow stroma cells (MSCs) into neuron-like cells induced by Ciwujia injection in vitro.

METHODRats were randomly divided into control group and Ciwujia induced group. Cell morphology was observed with invert microscope; MSCs phenotype, expression of neural marker protein and nucleus translocation of NF-kappaB subunit RelA (p65) after induction were observed by immunofluorescence; Expression of IkappaBalpha in Ciwujia induced group and control group was detected by Western blot.

RESULTThe decreased volume of some MSCs, strengthened three-dimensional structure and shrinkage of cell body with formation of spire or round was observed after induction by Ciwujia for 1 hour. After 5-hour exposure to Ciwujia, changes in the morphology of MSCs were as follows: appearance of more triangular or round shapes cells, retraction of microfilament in MSCs, formation of slender process from pseudopod with reticular structure, exfoliation and necrosis. After 7-day induction, most MSCs became triangular and round shapes, exhibiting a typical neuronal structure. Immunofluorescence method showed that nestin expression displayed intensively positive in Ciwujia group at 1 hour, and still remain positive at 7 day. However, beta-III Tubulin expression was weakly positive at 1 hour and intensive positive at 3 and 5 hour. It was still positive at 7 day. NSE expression was weakly positive at 3 hour and intensive positive at 5 hour and 7 day. GFAP expression was negative. However, in the control group, every expression of marker protein was negative or weakly positive. Expression of p65 was in cytoplasm. Western blot method showed IkappaBalpha protein relative IA was 1.000 before induction. It was 0.4556 +/- 0.1008 after induction in Ciwujia group and decreased significantly than before induction (P < 0.01). It was 0.0296 +/- 0.0099 after induction in control group and decreased significantly than before induction and in Ciwujia group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe data showed that MSCs can induce differentiation into neuron-like cells by Ciwujia, and Ciwujia could inhibit the translocation of NF-kappaB from the cytoplasm to the nucleus, which may be relate to the differentiation of MSCs into neuron-like cells.

Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Eleutherococcus ; chemistry ; Female ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Male ; Neurons ; cytology ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Stromal Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Transcription Factor RelA ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Qubi Recipe (QR) on the expression of superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1alpha in rats with type II collagen-I induced arthritis (CIA), and to explore its therapeutic roles and mechanism.

METHODSTotally 72 male SD rats of SPF grade were recruited. Twelve were randomly selected as the blank control group. The CIA model was established in the rest 60 rats by subcutaneously injecting type II collagen of bovine emulsion from the tail root and induction of incomplete Freund's adjuvant. On day 15 after primary immunization rats were randomly divided into four groups, i.e., the CIA model group, the Tripterygium Glycosides (TG) group (at the daily dose of 9.68 mg/kg body weight), the high dose QR group (at the daily dose of 6.66 g/kg body weight), and the low dose QR group (at the daily dose of 3.33 g/kg body weight), 15 in each group. Corresponding medication was given to rats in all groups by gastrogavage once daily for 4 successive weeks. An equal volume of pure water was given to rats in the blank control group and the CIA model group by gastrogavage, once daily for 4 successive weeks. The swelling degree of the joints was measured. Rats were sacrificed after 4-week treatment. Plasma levels of SOD, MDA, and GSH-Px were measured with colorimetric method. The expression of HIF-1alpha was detected by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS(1) Compared with the CIA model group, the swelling degree of the joints was significantly alleviated in the TG group and the high dose QR group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), and it was obviously milder in the high dose QR group than in the TG group (P < 0.05). (2) Compared with the CIA model group, the activities of GSH-Px could be obviously elevated and activities of MDA lowered in the TG group, the high dose QR group, and the low dose QR group (P < 0.05). Plasma activities of SOD could be obviously elevated in the high dose QR group and the TG group (P < 0.05). (3) Compared with the CIA model group, the expression of HIF-1alpha obviously decreased in the TG group and the high dose QR group (P < 0.05), and it showed a decreasing tendency in the low dose QR group with no statistical difference (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSQR could markedly alleviate the swelling degree of ankle joints in CIA model rats. Its therapeutic efficacy was superior to that of TG. Its mechanism might be achieved through down-regulating expression of HIF-1alpha in the joint, and regulating activities of SOD, MDA and GSH-Px in the plasma.

Animals ; Arthritis, Experimental ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; blood ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; metabolism ; Joints ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; blood ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Superoxide Dismutase ; blood

The metabolic effect of Fo-Shou-San on blood deficiency mice was studied by using metabolomic method. UPLC-QTOF/MS was used to analyze the plasma metabolome in blood deficiency mice. MS data were processed by MarkerLynx software. With multivariate statistical analysis of plasma metabolite profiles, a clear separation among control, blood deficiency model, and Fo-Shou-San groups was achieved. Potential biomarkers were selected according to the parameters of variable importance in the projection (VIP) and identified according to MS information and database retrieval. The metabolic network of blood deficiency was predicted via MetPA database. Twenty-two potential biomarkers were identified and used to explain the thiamine metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, sphingolipid metabolism, glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism, histidine metabolism, nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism, cysteine and methionine metabolism, tryptophan metabolism, starch and sucrose metabolism, tyrosine metabolism and citrate cycle (TCA cycle). Those metabolic pathways were disturbed in blood deficiency mice, but which could be regulated nearly to normal state after Fo-Shou-San administration. In this study, the metabolomics of blood deficiency mice and the action mechanism of nourishing blood effect of Fo-Shou-San were evaluated. The physiological and metabolic state of the organism could be represented comprehensively by using metabolomics. And metabolomics can be used to evaluate the pharmacodynamics and related mechanisms of Chinese medicine and formulae.
Animals ; Arachidonic Acid ; metabolism ; Biomarkers ; blood ; Blood Coagulation Disorders ; blood ; metabolism ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Female ; Metabolic Networks and Pathways ; drug effects ; Metabolome ; Metabolomics ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Plasma ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization ; Sphingolipids ; metabolism ; Thiamine ; metabolism

OBJECTIVESIt is confirmed that most neonatal subependymal cysts (SEC) are closely correlated with intrauterine infection and the short-term prognosis of SEC is not very good. Little information about the long-term prognosis of SEC is available. The purpose of the present study was to explore the short-term and long-term prognosis of neonatal SEC cases via a 6-year follow up.

METHODSSeventy SEC neonates detected by cranial ultrasound between October 1993 and October 1994 were enrolled into SEC group and 70 healthy neonates into control group. Serum antibodies (IgG and IgM) to cytomegalovirus (CMV), toxoplasma and rubella virus and PCR for these pathogens (except for rubella virus) were measured in the two groups. CMV-PCR was also performed for urine specimens. Cranial sonography assessment, physical growth evaluation, Bayley developmental scale or Wyeth developmental scale, brain-stem auditory evoked potential (BAEP) and vision examination were undertaken at 3, 6, 12 months and 6 years in the two groups.

RESULTSThe positive rate of CMV-IgM and blood CMV-PCR in SEC group was significantly higher than those of control group (19.1% vs. 5.7%, 12.9% vs. 2.9%). The positive rate of urine CMV-PCR in SEC group was also significantly higher (40% vs 17.1%). No significant difference could be found in the positive rate of PCR for toxoplasma and rubella-IgM between the two groups. The weight and height of infants with SEC were obviously lower than those in control group during the first year after birth. The parameters of the physical development in SEC infants reached the similar level as controls till 6 years old. However, the index of mental development below 80 was more often seen in infants with SEC comparing to that in control group during the whole six years. There were no abnormal findings either in BAEP or vision examination in the two groups.

CONCLUSIONInfants with SEC may show a transient retardation of physical growth after birth, while their mental developmental retardation might last for longer time. It is suggested that cranial ultrasound examination should be performed in all neonates for the detection of SEC, and a longer follow-up should be done for infants with SEC.

Antibodies ; Brain Diseases ; diagnostic imaging ; virology ; Central Nervous System Cysts ; diagnostic imaging ; virology ; Cysts ; diagnostic imaging ; virology ; Cytomegalovirus ; immunology ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Prognosis ; Prospective Studies ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVETo study the pharmacodynamic interaction of nourishing and tonifying blood effects of the herb pair consisting of Angelica sinensis and Ligusticum chuanxiong by response surface method.

METHODSThe blood deficiency rat model was induced by injecting N-acetylphenylhydrazine and cyclophosphamide. The effects of Angelica sinensis and Ligusticum chuanxiong in different proportions (0:1, 1:5, 2:5, 2:3, 1:1, 3:2, 5:2, 5:1, and 1:0) and at different concentrations on the peripheral blood index and the organ indices were observed. Then all indices were integrated to the total nourishing effect value by comprehensive index method. The interaction was analyzed by response surface method. The model parameters were estimated with nonlinear regression. The three-dimensional response surfaces were constructed with Matlab Software.

RESULTSIn the response surface, most compatibility of Angelica sinensis and Ligusticum chuanxiong showed synergistic action, some showed addition action, and few of them showed obvious antagonist action. The proportion of Angelica sinensis and Ligusticum chuanxiong from 4:1 to 2:1 and the dose of Angelica sinensis and Ligusticum chuanxiong from low to high showed addition action, while the other proportions showed obvious addition action at low dose and synergistic action at high dose.

CONCLUSIONSThe research results could provide scientific evidence for reasonable application of Angelica sinensis and Ligusticum chuanxiong in clinics of Chinese medicine. The quantitative analysis on drug interactions of herbal compatibility by response surface method could provide reference for relative studies.

Angelica sinensis ; chemistry ; Animals ; Drug Interactions ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Female ; Ligusticum ; chemistry ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR