In order to clarify the characteristic components of Berberidis Cortex,the preparative liquid chromatography and spectral analysis methods were used to separate and identify the unknown components in the water extract of Berberidis Cortex. Two compounds were isolated and identified as bufotenidine and ferulic acid 4-O-β-D-glucopyranoside. They were both isolated for the first time from Berberidis Cortex and Berberis. In addition,an HPLC method was successfully established for simultaneously determination of six compounds in Berberidis Cortex,and chemometric methods were used to study the chemical differences among three main species of Berberidis Cortex. The results suggested that jatrorrhizine and bufotenidine are the main difference compounds among the three species.Compared with B. kansuensis and B. diaphana,B. vernae contains significantly more jatrorrhizine(P<0. 01),and the content of bufotenidine in B. vernae was significantly higher than that in B. kansuensis(P<0. 05). Considering these results,further research is necessary to reveal the pharmacological activities of bufotenidine and the pharmacodynamic differences between the three species. The results could provide a reference for quality control,the basic research on effective substances,and development of Berberidis Cortex.
Berberine ; analogs & derivatives ; analysis ; Berberis ; chemistry ; classification ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Phytochemicals ; analysis ; Plant Extracts ; analysis

To elucidate the absorption and metabolism of alkaloids in Berberis kansuensis in vivo, a high performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry(HPLC-QqQ-MS) method was developed to qualitatively and quantitatively analyze the absorption components in rat serum in multiple-reaction monitoring mode. The mobile phase consisted of 0.1% formic acid and acetonitrile with a gradient elution mode. In addition, to investigate the effects of gut microbiota on five absorbed components of B. kansuensis in rat serum, diabetic rat and pseudo germ-free diabetic rat models were established, and partial least squares discriminant analysis and One-way ANOVA were used to study the content differences of five components among different groups. In this study, a HPLC-QqQ-MS method for quantitative analysis of five components in rat serum after oral administration of B. kansuensis was established for the first time. It was found that there were differences in the five constituents in rat serum between different groups. By comparing the normal group with the diabetic model group, we found that the absorption and metabolism capacities of berberine and magnoflorine were different under the health and pathological conditions. It was also found that the serum levels of berberine, magnoflorine and jatrorrhizine in pseudo germ-free diabetic rats were significantly lower than those in diabetic rats, indicating that gut microbiota plays an important role in the metabolism of alkaloids of B. kansuensis in vivo. These results provide a good reference for clarifying the active ingredients of B. kansuensis in the treatment of diabetes.
Alkaloids/pharmacokinetics* ; Animals ; Berberis/chemistry* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental/blood* ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Mass Spectrometry ; Phytochemicals/pharmacokinetics* ; Rats

OBJECTIVETo achieve a primary pharmacological screening contained in the aqueous extract of Berberis vulgaris (B. vulgaris) and to examine the hypoglycaemic effect and biochemical parameters of aqueous and saponins extract on groups of rats rendered diabetic by injection of streptozotocin.

METHODSThe phytochemical tests to detect the presence of different compounds were based on the visual observation of color change or formation of precipitate after the addition of specific reagents. Diabetes was induced in rats by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of streptozotocin (STZ) at a dose of 65 mg/kg bw. The fasting blood glucose levels were estimated by glucose oxidase-peroxidase reactive strips (Dextrostix, Bayer Diagnostics). Blood samples were taken by cutting the tip of the tail. Serum cholesterol and serum triglycerides were estimated by enzymatic DHBS colorimetric method.

RESULTSAdministration of 62.5 and 25.0 mg/kg of saponins and aqueous extract respectively in normal rats group shows a significant hypoglycemic activity (32.33% and 40.17% respectively) during the first week. However, diabetic group treated with saponin extract produced a maximum fall of 73.1% and 76.03% at day 1 and day 21 compared to the diabetics control. Also, blood glucose levels of the diabetic rats treated with aqueous extract showed decrease of 78.79% on the first day and the effect remains roughly constant during 3 week. Both extracts also declined significantly biochemical parameters (20.77%-49.00%). The control in the loss of body weight was observed in treated diabetic rats as compared to diabetic controls.

CONCLUSIONSThese results demonstrated significant antidiabetic effects and showed that serum cholesterol and serum triglycerides levels were decreased, significantly, consequently this plant might be of value in diabetes treatment.

Animals ; Berberis ; chemistry ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; drug therapy ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Plant Extracts ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Rats, Wistar

Establishment of bioassay methods is the technical issues to be faced with in the bioassay of Chinese materia medica. Taking the bioassay of Coptis chinensis Franch. as an example, the establishment process and application of the bioassay methods (including bio-potency and bio-activity fingerprint) were explained from the aspects of methodology, principle of selection, experimental design, method confirmation and data analysis. The common technologies were extracted and formed with the above aspects, so as to provide technical support for constructing pattern and method of the quality control for Chinese materia medica based on the dao-di herbs and bioassay.
Berberine ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Berberis ; chemistry ; Biological Assay ; methods ; Cluster Analysis ; Coptis ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; standards ; Escherichia coli ; drug effects ; Materia Medica ; standards ; Phellodendron ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quality Control

OBJECTIVEIn order to assess Berberis, a simple and effective high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method was established.

METHODBy applying HPLC with gradiation elution, this method was developed for determination of four kinds of alkaloids including berbamine, Jatrorrhizine, berberine and palmatine in methanolic extracts from root bark, root, stem bark and stem of Berberis.

RESULTThe alkaloids berbamine, jatrorrhizine, berberine and palmatine shown good linear correlations in the range of 0.028-4.74 microg (r = 0.9998); 0.012-2.0 microg (r = 0.9996); 0.026-0.52 microg (r = 0.9999); 0.015-2.56 microg (r = 0.9998), respectively. The correlation coefficients of the calibration curve for the analytes exceeded 0.9998.

CONCLUSIONThe optimized HPLC method was applied to analyze various samples, and the results shown that the content of alkaloids were obvious difference in Berberis from different area, different species and different parts.

Alkaloids ; analysis ; Benzylisoquinolines ; analysis ; Berberine ; analogs & derivatives ; analysis ; Berberine Alkaloids ; analysis ; Berberis ; chemistry ; classification ; China ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Ecosystem ; Plant Bark ; chemistry ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plant Stems ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; classification ; Species Specificity

The fruit of Lycium ruthenicum is a common folk medicine in China. Now it is popular for its antioxidative effect and other medical functions. The adulterants of the herb confuse consumers. In order to identify a new adulterant of L. ruthenicum, a research was performed based on NCBI Nucleotide Database ITS Sequence, combined analysis of the origin and morphology of the adulterant to traceable varieties. Total genomic DNA was isolated from the materials, and nuclear DNA ITS sequences were amplified and sequenced; DNA fragments were collated and matched by using ContingExpress. Similarity identification of BLAST analysis was performed. Besides, the distribution of plant origin and morphology were considered to further identification and verification. Families and genera were identified by molecular identification method. The adulterant was identified as plant belonging to Berberis. Origin analysis narrowed the range of sample identification. Seven different kinds of plants in Berberis were potential sources of the sample. Adulterants variety was traced by morphological analysis. The united molecular identification-origin-morphology research proves to be a preceding way to medical herbs traceability with time-saving and economic advantages and the results showed the new adulterant of L. ruthenicum was B. kaschgarica. The main differences between B. kaschgarica and L. ruthenicum are as follows: in terms of the traits, the surface of B. kaschgarica is smooth and crispy, and that of L. ruthenicum is shrinkage, solid and hard. In microscopic characteristics, epicarp cells of B. aschgarica thickening like a string of beads, stone cells as the rectangle, and the stone cell walls of L. ruthenicum is wavy, obvious grain layer. In molecular sequences, the length of ITS sequence of B. kaschgarica is 606 bp, L. ruthenicum is 654 bp, the similarity of the two sequences is 53.32%.
Berberis ; classification ; cytology ; genetics ; China ; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ; methods ; DNA, Plant ; chemistry ; genetics ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer ; chemistry ; genetics ; Drug Contamination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; standards ; Lycium ; classification ; cytology ; genetics ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Phylogeny ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Species Specificity

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether the methanol extract of Berberis amurensis Rupr. (BAR) augments penile erection using in vitro and in vivo experiments.

METHODSThe ex vivo study used corpus cavernosum strips prepared from adult male New Zealand White rabbits. In in vivo studies for intracavernous pressure (ICP), blood pressure, mean arterial pressure (MAP), and increase of peak ICP were continuously monitored during electrical stimulation of Sprague-Dawley rats.

RESULTSPreconstricted with phenylephrine (PE) in isolated endotheliumintact rabbit corus cavernosum, BAR relaxed penile smooth muscle in a dose-dependent manner, which was inhibited by pretreatment with NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, and H-[1,2,4]-oxadiazole-[4,3-α]-quinoxalin-1-one, a soluble guanylyl cclase inhibitor. BAR significantly relaxed penile smooth muscles dose-dependently in ex vivo, and this was inhibited by pretreatment with L-NAME H-[1,2,4]-oxadiazole-[4,3-α]-quinoxalin-1-one. BAR-induced relaxation was significantly attenuated by pretreatment with tetraethylammonium (TEA, P<0.01), a nonselective K channel blocker, 4-aminopyridine (4-AP, P<0.01), a voltage-dependent K channel blocker, and charybdotoxin (P<0.01), a large and intermediate conductance Ca sensitive-K channel blocker, respectively. BAR induced an increase in peak ICP, ICP/MAP ratio and area under the curve dose dependently.

CONCLUSIONBAR augments penile erection via the nitric oxide/cyclic guanosine monophosphate system and Ca sensitive-K (BK and IK) channels in the corpus cavernosum.

Animals ; Area Under Curve ; Berberis ; chemistry ; Blood Pressure ; drug effects ; Cyclic GMP ; metabolism ; Epoprostenol ; pharmacology ; In Vitro Techniques ; Indomethacin ; pharmacology ; Male ; Models, Biological ; Muscle Relaxation ; drug effects ; Muscle, Smooth ; drug effects ; physiology ; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester ; pharmacology ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Penile Erection ; drug effects ; Phenylephrine ; pharmacology ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Potassium Channel Blockers ; pharmacology ; Potassium Channels ; metabolism ; Pressure ; Rabbits