Primary processing of traditional Chinese medicinal materials (TCMM) is an important link which closely relates to the quality of products in TCMM. The traditional primary processing method and technology systems were derived from the long-term practices and experiences, which are distinctive, colorful, diverse, and scientific. The method of "sweating" is a critical step for processing the rhizome, root, cortex, and sclerotium and helpful for distributing moisture from inside to outside of TCMM in drying process, regulating and promoting the enzymatic reaction and chemical conversion by enzyme and germs, and starting or accelerating the biotransformation and chemical conversion of primary/secondary metabolites, which could directly affect the quality of TCMM. In this paper, the authors discuss the origins and development, purpose, and significance of "sweating" processing and the mechanisms of enzymatic reaction and chemical conversion of chemical compositions during the primary processing of "sweating". These data may provide the foundation and support for processing in normalization and standardization and formulating the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of primary processing of TCMM.

The harvest time of traditional Chinese medicinal materials (TCMM) is a very essential part for production of TCMM, and affects their quality and yield. The research on the best harvest time of TCMM has been a key problem taken into account more and more with practicing GAP of TCMM. Based on thoughts and methods of resource chemistry, this paper established an evaluated mode to objectively determine the best harvest time of Angelica sinensis through system investigating from different producing areas and harvest times, and characterize the phenology and multi-index components comprehensive criteria. The author firstly proposed the suitable methods of the best harvest time of TCMM, which was a basis of theory and methods of resource chemistry of TCMM, and including the time-space relationships and laws of substances dynamic accumulation. These data could provide the guidance for standardized production and guaranteed quality and yield of TCMM.

Abstract: A new selaginellin derivative named as selaginellin S (1) was isolated from the whole plants of Selaginella pulvinata (Hook. et Grev.) Maxim. (Selaginellaceae), together with a known one (selaginellin M, 2). Compounds 1 and 2 were separated and purified by silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography. Their structures were determined on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis including IR, MS, 1D and 2D NMR experiments, as well as ECD calculations. Compound 1 is a key intermidiant in the biosynthesis pathway of selaginellins. Compound 2 is first reported in this plant.
Biphenyl Compounds ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Cyclohexanones ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Molecular Structure ; Selaginellaceae ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo explore the molecular mechanisms of main active ingredients of Siwu decoction analogous formulae for treating primary dysmenorrhea of gynecology blood stasis syndrome by network pharmacology study, and to investigate the correlations between multi-compounds, multi targets and multi pathways.

METHODMajor active compounds from Siwu decoction analogous formulae, including ligustilide, butylidene phthalide, senkyunolide, ferulic acid, gallic acid, peoniflorin, jioglutin A, catalpol, transanethole, zingiberone, commiphoric acid, eugenol, isorhamnetin-3-O-neohesperidoside, wulingzhic acid, alpha-cyperone, cyperene, costunolide, costic acid, tetrahydropalmatine, protopine, amygdalin, 24-methylene cycloartanol, oleic acid, linoleic acid, 3-p-coumaroylquinic acid, hydroxysafflor yellow A, coptisine, berberine, jatrorrhizine, baicalein, baicalin, wogonin were collected to build component-protein networks based on PharmMapper database. The targets information access was used to construct and visualize components-targets-pathways network model using the kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathway database and Cytoscape software.

RESULT AND CONCLUSIONSerine threonine protein kinases play an important role in the process of cells. They were potential targets in the effect of Siwu decoction analogous formulae. The effect of main active ingredients involved 51 the pathway. Besides the same ones, Shaofu Zhuyu decoction had more effect on lipid metabolism, Xiangfu Siwu decoction on amino acid metabolism pathways, Taohong Siwu decoction on carbohydrate metabolism, while, Qinlian Siwu decoction on ErbB, VEGF signal transduction pathway. Siwu decoction and its derived formulae not only had common targets and pathways, but also had their own emphasis. This reflected the formulae effect mode of multi-ingredients, multi-targets and multi-pathways. It may provide clues to deeper study of molecular mechanism of Siwu decoction analogous formulae action.

Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Dysmenorrhea ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Female ; Gynecology ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; genetics

This study is to analyze and identify the water soluble components of water buffalo horn (Bubali Cornu, WBH), and also establish a method for investigating these components. Shotgun proteomic analysis identified proteins in WBH aqueous extraction: keratin, collagen, desmoglein, etc. Ultrafiltration and LC-MS/MS were used to separate and identify the peptides in WBH aqueous extract, as a result, identified peptides were mainly derived from nonspecific degradation products of keratin and collagen, which including C-terminal peptides and non C-terminal peptides. Hypoxanthine, uridine, guanosine, and adenosine were identified by comparing with the standards. The strategy in present study could be used in analyzing water soluble components of animal horn derived TCM. It provides a reference for investigation of the material basis of animal horn derived TCM.
Animals ; Buffaloes ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Guanosine ; Horns ; chemistry ; Hypoxanthine ; Mass Spectrometry ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Peptides ; Proteomics ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; Uridine

The changes of bioactive constituents were analyzed for Puhuang-Wulingzhi before and after compatibility and the antiplatelet and antithrombin activitives were evaluated in order to elucidate the scientific and reasonable of Puhuang-Wulingzhi compatibility. UPLC-QTOF-MA-Markerlynx, principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least-squares discriminant analysis were used for data analysis and tracking changes of chemical composition during the decocting process. In vitro platelet aggregation induced by ADP, thrombin time(TT) and prothrombin time (PT) were investigated for Puhuang-Wulingzhi before and after compatibility. The results showed that significant differences were found between the mixed decoction and codecoction of Wulingzhi and Puhuang. Five compounds changed obviously were identified as typhaneoside, naringenin, isorhamnetin-3-O-ruinoside, quercetin-3-O-neohesperidoside, kaempferol-3-O-neohesperidoside. The codecoction, comparing with the single decoction, was more significant in antiplatelet aggregation and could prolong thrombin time. In the same crude drug dose, the thrombin time (TT) elongation were greater. These data could provide references for elucidation of bioactive components for this herb pair.
Animals ; Antithrombins ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Blood Platelets ; drug effects ; physiology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Female ; Humans ; Molecular Structure ; Platelet Aggregation ; drug effects ; Rabbits ; Thrombin Time

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

This study is to establish the methods for determination of iridoid glycosides and triterpenic acids in Corni Fructus and provide technical support for the quality control of Corni Fructus. Morroniside, loganin and sweroside were determined by HPLC-UV method with acetonitrile and 0.1% formic acid as the mobile phase, and the detective wavelength was set at 240 nm. Oleanolic acid and ursolic acid were determined by HPLC-ELSD method with methanol-0.5% ammonium acetate (87:13) as the mobile phase. The results showed that the linear ranges of morroniside, loganin and sweroside were 5.335-213.4 mg · L(-1) (r = 0.9999), 5.515-220.6 mg · L(-1) (r = 1.0000), 1.992-79.68 mg · L(-1) (r = 1.0000), respectively. The average recoveries of the above three iridoid glycosides were 98.49%-99.28% with RSDs of recoveries being less than 2%. The linear ranges of oleanolic acid and ursolic acid were 7.74-154.8 mg · L(-1) (r = 0.9964), 10.82-216.4 mg · L(-1) (r = 0.9996), respectively. The average recoveries of the above two triterpenic acids were 98.11%-99.27% with RSDs of recoveries being less than 3%. The method established in this research is simple, rapid and reliable, and can be used for quality control of Corni Fructus. Furthermore, the research provided experimental data for the improvement of present quality standard of Corni Fructus, which has important significance to guarantee its quality and clinical curative effect.
Cornus ; chemistry ; Drug Stability ; Oleanolic Acid ; analysis ; Quality Control ; Triterpenes ; analysis

In recent years, polysaccharides have received much attention because of their high safety and good immunological activity. The study of polysaccharide in vivo process is a key scientific problem that needs to be solved for polysaccharide drug development. Some progress has been made in the field of polysaccharide pharmacokinetics and immunomodulation. However, due to the lack of both chromogenic and light-absorbing groups and the complex molecular structure of polysaccharides, the in vivo processes and immunomodulatory mechanisms of polysaccharides have been slow to be investigated. The effective combination of multiple techniques can break the bottleneck of difficult tracing and unknown immunomodulatory mechanism of polysaccharides in vivo, and promote the development and utilization of polysaccharides. In this paper, we systematically summarize the key techniques in the study of polysaccharide in vivo processes and immunomodulatory mechanisms in order to provide technical references and research ideas for the study of polysaccharide in vivo processes and immunomodulatory mechanisms.

The resources utilization of castoff from Chinese materia medica (CMM) industrialization is a successive process involving economy, environment, social benefits, and other multiple goals. The balance and dynamic evolution characteristics between the economic benefit goals and environment benefit objectives closely relate to the resource models. Based on the thoughts and methods of resources chemistry of CMM, and through analyzing the generation, classification, and characteristics of castoff from CMM industrialization, this article proposed the "three utilization strategies" and "three types of resource modes" of castoff from CMM industrialization. The three utilization strategies are the traditional "non-medicinal parts" with multi-channel utilization (1), castoff recycling and utilizing in pieces processing (2), and in resources deep processing (3) of CMM. The three types of resources modes are extensive low resource mode, conversion efficiency of resources mode, and fine high value resources mode. These strategies and modes would provide the references for promoting the resources utilization of castoff from CMM industrialization and contribute to the realization of a resource-saving and environment-friendly recycling economy development of CMM and natural medicine resources.