Natural product-based antiviral candidates have received significant attention. However, there is a lack of sufficient research in the field of antivirals to effectively combat patterns of drug resistance. Baicalein and its glucuronide derivative baicalin are two main components extracted from Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi. They have proven to be effective against a broad range of viruses by directly killing virus particles, protecting infected cells, and targeting viral antigens on their surface, among other mechanisms. As natural products, they both possess the advantage of lower toxicity, enhanced therapeutic efficacy, and even antagonistic effects against drug-resistant viral strains. Baicalein and baicalin exhibit promising potential as potent pharmacophore scaffolds, demonstrating their antiviral properties. However, to date, no review on the antiviral effects of baicalein and baicalin has been published. This review summarizes the recent research progress on antiviral effects of baicalein and baicalin against various types of viruses both in vitro and in vivo with a focus on the dosages and underlying mechanisms. The aim is to provide a basis for the rational development and utilization of baicalein and baicalin, as well as to promote antiviral drug research. Please cite this article as: Liu XY, Xie W, Zhou HY, Zhang HQ, Jin YS. A comprehensive overview on antiviral effects of baicalein and its glucuronide derivative baicalin. J Integr Med. 2024; 22(6): 621-636.
Flavanones/chemistry* ; Flavonoids/chemistry* ; Antiviral Agents/chemistry* ; Humans ; Scutellaria baicalensis/chemistry* ; Animals ; Glucuronides/chemistry*

Dead heart is an important trait of pith-decayed Scutellariae Radix. The purpose of this study was to clarify the scientific connotation of the dead heart using multi-omics. Metabolomics and transcriptomics combined with multivariate statistical analysis such as principal component analysis(PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis(PLS-DA) were used to systematically compare the differences in chemical composition and gene expression among phloem, outer xylem and near-dead xylem of pith-decayed Scutella-riae Radix. The results revealed significant differences in the contents of flavonoid glycosides and aglycones among the three parts. Compared with phloem and outer xylem, near-dead xylem had markedly lowered content of flavonoid glycosides(including baicalin, norwogonin-7-O-β-D-glucuronide, oroxylin A-7-O-β-D-glucuronide, and wogonoside) while markedly increased content of aglycones(including 3,5,7,2',6'-pentahydroxy dihydroflavone, baicalin, wogonin, and oroxylin A). The differentially expressed genes were mainly concentrated in KEGG pathways such as phenylpropanoid metabolism, flavonoid biosynthesis, ABC transporter, and plant MAPK signal transduction pathway. This study systematically elucidated the material basis of the dead heart of pith-decayed Scutellariae Radix with multiple growing years. Specifically, the content of flavonoid aglycones was significantly increased in the near-dead xylem, and the gene expression of metabolic pathways such as flavonoid glycoside hydrolysis, interxylary cork development and programmed apoptosis was significantly up-regulated. This study provided a theoretical basis for guiding the high-quality production of pith-decayed Scutellariae Radix.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Scutellaria baicalensis/chemistry* ; Glucuronides ; Multiomics ; Flavonoids/chemistry*

This study aims to investigate metabolic activities of psoralidin in human liver microsomes( HLM) and intestinal microsomes( HIM),and to identify cytochrome P450 enzymes( CYPs) and UDP-glucuronosyl transferases( UGTs) involved in psoralidin metabolism as well as species differences in the in vitro metabolism of psoralen. First,after incubation serial of psoralidin solutions with nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate( NADPH) or uridine 5'-diphosphate-glucuronic acid( UDPGA)-supplemented HLM or HIM,two oxidic products( M1 and M2) and two conjugated glucuronides( G1 and G2) were produced in HLM-mediated incubation system,while only M1 and G1 were detected in HIM-supplemented system. The CLintfor M1 in HLM and HIM were 104. 3,and57. 6 μL·min~(-1)·mg~(-1),respectively,while those for G1 were 543. 3,and 75. 9 μL·min~(-1)·mg~(-1),respectively. Furthermore,reaction phenotyping was performed to identify the main contributors to psoralidin metabolism after incubation of psoralidin with NADPH-supplemented twelve CYP isozymes( or UDPGA-supplemented twelve UGT enzymes),respectively. The results showed that CYP1 A1( 39. 5 μL·min~(-1)·mg~(-1)),CYP2 C8( 88. 0 μL·min~(-1)·mg~(-1)),CYP2 C19( 166. 7 μL·min~(-1)·mg~(-1)),and CYP2 D6( 9. 1 μL·min~(-1)·mg~(-1)) were identified as the main CYP isoforms for M1,whereas CYP2 C19( 42. 0 μL·min~(-1)·mg~(-1)) participated more in producing M2. In addition,UGT1 A1( 1 184. 4 μL·min~(-1)·mg~(-1)),UGT1 A7( 922. 8 μL·min~(-1)·mg~(-1)),UGT1 A8( 133. 0 μL·min~(-1)·mg~(-1)),UGT1 A9( 348. 6 μL·min~(-1)·mg~(-1)) and UGT2 B7( 118. 7 μL·min~(-1)·mg~(-1)) played important roles in the generation of G1,while UGT1 A9( 111. 3 μL·min~(-1)·mg~(-1)) was regarded as the key UGT isozyme for G2. Moreover,different concentrations of psoralidin were incubated with monkey liver microsomes( MkLM),rat liver microsomes( RLM),mice liver microsomes( MLM),dog liver microsomes( DLM) and mini-pig liver microsomes( MpLM),respectively. The obtained CLintwere used to evaluate the species differences.Phase Ⅰ metabolism and glucuronidation of psoralidinby liver microsomes showed significant species differences. In general,psoralidin underwent efficient hepatic and intestinal metabolisms. CYP1 A1,CYP2 C8,CYP2 C19,CYP2 D6 and UGT1 A1,UGT1 A7,UGT1 A8,UGT1 A9,UGT2 B7 were identified as the main contributors responsible for phase Ⅰ metabolism and glucuronidation,respectively. Rat and mini-pig were considered as the appropriate model animals to investigate phase Ⅰ metabolism and glucuronidation,respectively.
Animals ; Benzofurans ; Coumarins ; Dogs ; Glucuronides ; Glucuronosyltransferase/metabolism* ; Kinetics ; Mice ; Microsomes, Liver/metabolism* ; Phenotype ; Rats ; Species Specificity ; Swine ; Swine, Miniature/metabolism*

To define the composition of relevant substances in Breviscapine for Injection, in order to improve the quality control of impurity, and ensure the clinical safety. The analysis and structural identification of relevant substances in different specifications and batches of Breviscapine for Injection powders were carried out by HPLC and UPLC-QTOF-MS. Three primary relevant substances, namely 5,6,7,3',4'-pentahydroxyflavone-7-O-glucuronide(3), 3,5,6,7,4'-pentahydroxyflavone-3-O-glucuronide(4) and scutellarein(10), as well as three minor impurities, namely 6-hydroxyapigenin-6-O-glucosyl-7-O-glucuronide(1), methoxylscutellarin(6) and apigenin-7-O-glucuronide(7) were structurally identified by matching retention time, UV spectra, and mass spectra with authentic compounds and MS fragmentation rules. The main relevant substances(3) and(4) were separated and purified by semi-preparative HPLC, and their structures were further confirmed by NMR data. The study defined relevant substances of Breviscapine for Injection, and provided reference for improving the quality control level of single impurity in breviscapine preparation.
Apigenin/analysis* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/standards* ; Flavonoids/chemistry* ; Glucuronides/analysis* ; Injections ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Mass Spectrometry ; Quality Control

To develop a HPLC method for determination of the concentration of scutellarin and scutellarin ethyl ester and their pharmacokinetics were also compared. 104 mg kg-1of scutellarin or 114. 5 mg kg-1 scutellarin ethyl ester were given at single dose by oral gavarge. Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein. Plasma concentration was measured by HPLC. The pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated with Winnonlin program. The plasma concentration-time profile of scutellarin and scutellarin ethyl ester were both fitted with non-compartment model and both were double peaks. The main pharmacokinetic parameters of scutellarin and scutellarin ethyl ester were as follows: Tmax Cmax and AUC0-t for scutellarin were (6 +/- 1.26) h, (321.55 +/-48.31) microg L-1 and (2 974 +/-753) h micro.g L-1; for scutellarin ethyl ester, Tmax, Cmax and AUC0-t were 0.5 h, (1 550.82 +/-219.75) +/- microg L- and (6 407 +/- 399) h microg L-1. The speed ingested into the blood of scutellarin ethyl ester was faster than scutellarin, and the bioavailability of scutellarin ethyl ester was two times higher than scutellarin.
Animals ; Apigenin ; pharmacokinetics ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Flavones ; pharmacokinetics ; Glucuronates ; pharmacokinetics ; Glucuronides ; pharmacokinetics ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

In order to study the excretion of genistein (GEN) capsule, an estrogen drugs, in human, 30 healthy volunteers were selected and orally administered 50, 100, and 300 mg genistein in an parallel study. Genistein were determined in urine by LC-MS/MS and glucuronidated genistein (GENG) were indirectly determined with enzymatic hydrolysis in urine by LC-MS/MS, and the pharmacokinetic parameters were analyzed by DAS software (ver 2.0). The result showed that the concentrations of genistein in human urine were less than 1% of the GENG, and the cumulative excretion of GEN in 48 h were 0.037, 0.134, and 0.142 mg, separately, and the urinary excretion percentage were only 0.07%, 0.13%, and 0.05%, separately. But the cumulative excretion of GENG in 48 h was 5.3, 13.8, and 15.4 mg, separately, and the urinary excretion percentage were 10.6%, 13.8%, and 5.1%, separately, and the max urinary excretive rate was 0.4, 1.0, and 1.4 mg x h(-1), separately (tmax were 6 h). Studies showed that part of drug excreted through kidney in a form of GENG in human, and the cumulative urinary excretion and the maximum excretion rate of GENG showed a proportional increase conditioned with the dose in the range of 50-100 mg, but showed non-linear increase feature in 300 mg.
Administration, Oral ; Adult ; Anticarcinogenic Agents ; administration & dosage ; pharmacokinetics ; urine ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Female ; Genistein ; administration & dosage ; pharmacokinetics ; urine ; Glucuronides ; urine ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Male ; Phytoestrogens ; administration & dosage ; pharmacokinetics ; urine ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; Young Adult

Chlorogenic acid (5-CQA) is one of the major components in some Chinese herbal injections. However, the metabolism of 5-CQA in rats after intravenous injection has not been determined. An ultra-high performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/Q-TOF MS) method was applied to identify the metabolites in bile, urine, feces and plasma after a single intravenous administration of 10 mg x kg(-1) 5-CQA to rats. Using MSE and mass defect filter techniques, a total of 35 metabolites were detected in bile, urine, feces and plasma. The predominant metabolites in bile were glutathione conjugates of O-methyl-5-CQA, accounting for approximately 80% of the metabolites excreted in bile. The major components in urine were parent drug, O-methyl-5-CQA, hydrolyzed metabolites and glucuronide conjugates. The major components in feces were O-methyl-5-CQA and its cysteine conjugates. The major component in plasma was the parent drug. The urinary and fecal excretion pathways were equally important to 5-CQA in rats. These results demonstrate that 5-CQA undergoes extensively metabolism in rats and are highly reactive to nucleophiles such as GSH. This finding indicates that attention should be paid on the injections containing 5-CQA, which may covalently bind to proteins, leading to allergenic drug reactions.
Animals ; Bile ; metabolism ; Biotransformation ; Chlorogenic Acid ; administration & dosage ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; urine ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Cysteine ; metabolism ; Feces ; chemistry ; Glucuronides ; metabolism ; Glutathione ; metabolism ; Injections, Intravenous ; Male ; Protein Binding ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization ; methods

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents of Exochorda racemosa.

METHODCompounds were isolated and purified by silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, MCI gel and RP-18 column chromatography, and their structures were determined by spectroscopic analysis.

RESULTTwenty compounds were isolated and identified as N-p-coumaroyl-N'-caffeoylputrescine (1), sutherlandin trans-p-coumarate (2), apigenin 7-O-methylglucuronide (3), astragalin (4), nicotiflorin (5), kaempferol 3-neohesperidoside (6), rutin (7), apigenin (8), luteolin (9), linalool-1-oic acid (10), betulalbuside A (11), ursolic acid (12) , corosolic acid (13), gynuramide II (14), beta-sitosterol (15), daucosterol (16), uridine (17), adenosine (18), syringin (19), and trans4-hydroxycinnamic acid (20), respectively.

CONCLUSIONAll compounds were obtained from this plant for the first time, moreover, 1 was reported as a new natural product, and 2 is a naturally rare cyanogenic glycoside.

Apigenin ; chemistry ; Flavonoids ; chemistry ; Glucosides ; chemistry ; Glucuronides ; chemistry ; Kaempferols ; chemistry ; Luteolin ; chemistry ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Phenols ; chemistry ; Phenylpropionates ; chemistry ; Rosaceae ; chemistry ; Sitosterols ; chemistry ; Triterpenes ; chemistry

The metabolic transformation of the drugs containing carboxylic acid groups can lead to the formation of acyl glucuronide metabolites through catalysis by glucuronosyltransferase, and produce pro-acyl glucuronide intermediate metabolites with electronic activity. Then, protein or DNA adducts appeared after a series of non-enzyme or enzyme reactions. These adducts would change the protein activity and potentially lead to idiosyncratic and genotoxicity. In this paper, we discussed the chemical activity, drug-induced mechanisms, distribution and toxicity resulting from this metabolic activation for these drugs, and stated the status and prospects of research in this field.
Biological Transport, Active ; Biotransformation ; Carboxylic Acids ; metabolism ; toxicity ; DNA Damage ; drug effects ; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions ; Glucuronides ; metabolism ; toxicity ; Glucuronosyltransferase ; metabolism ; Hepatocytes ; metabolism ; Humans ; Pharmaceutical Preparations ; metabolism

To analyze and identify the constituents in rat plasma after oral administration of the active fraction of Corydalis yanhusuo, a LC-MS/MS method was established. The constituents absorbed into blood, their original crude drugs and their metabolites were identified either by comparing the retention time and mass spectrometry data with that of reference compounds or by mass spectrometry analysis and retrieving the reference literatures. Nine species are the original form in Corydalis yanhusuo, moreover, some metabolites in blood identified as glucuronide were found. The constituents absorbed into blood and the possible metabolites which demonstrate to originate from the active fraction of Corydalis yanhusuo are responsible for the observed efficacy. Its serum pharmacochemistry should be subjected to complete investigation so as to illuminate the pharmacology and active mechanism of the active fraction of Corydalis yanhusuo.
Administration, Oral ; Alkaloids ; administration & dosage ; blood ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Animals ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Corydalis ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Glucuronides ; blood ; Male ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry