Loranthus parasiticus (L.) Merr. Loranthaceae (Vietnamese name is Tang ky sinh) was a traditional medicinal herb for treatment of back pain, hypertension, lack of sleep, etc. The chemical analysis confirmed the Loranthus parasiticus (L.) Merr. extract contained flavonoids, adjuvant heart glycosides, antraglycosids, tannin pyrocatechics and organic acids. Total flavonoid content was 0.57%. The pharmacological experiments in mice, dogs, isolated ears and isolated ileum of rabbits have revealed that the Loranthus parasiticus (L.) Merr. extract had antihypertensive, sedative and vasodilator effects. In addition, Loranthus parasiticus (L.) Merr. decrease ileum's mobility of rabbits and had a low acute toxicity
Loranthaceae ; Medicine, Traditional ; chemistry

To build up an identification method on cardiac glycosides in Taxillus chinensis and its Nerium indicum host, and evaluate the influence on medicine quality from host to T. chinensis, ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-time-of-flight tandem mass-mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS)was applied. The samples of T. chinensis(harvested from N. indicum)and its N. indicum host were collected in field. The samples of T. chinensis(harvested from Morus alba)and its M. alba host was taken as control substance. All samples were extracted by ultrasonic extraction in 70% ethanol. Chromatographic separation was performed on an ACQUITY UPLC HSS T3 C_(18)(2.1 mm×100 mm,1.8 μm)column at 40 ℃. Gradient elution was applied, and the mobile phase was consisted of 0.1% formic acid water and acetonitrile. The 0.5 μL of sample solution was injected and the flow rate of the mobile phase was kept at 0.6 mL·min~(-1) in each run. It was done to identify cardiac glycosides and explore the chemical composition correlation in T. chinensis and its N. indicum host by analyzing positive and negative ion mode mass spectrometry data, elemental composition, cardiac glycoside reference substance and searching related literatures. A total of 29 cardiac glycosides were identified, 28 of it belonged to N. indicum host, 5 belonged to T. chinensis(harvested from N. indicum host), none of cardiac glycoside was identified in T. chinensis(harvested from M. alba host). The result could provide a reference in evaluating the influence in T. chinensis medicine quality from host. It was rapid, accurate, and comprehensive to identify cardiac glycosides in T. chinensis and its N. indicum host by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS.
Cardiac Glycosides ; analysis ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Loranthaceae ; chemistry ; Nerium ; chemistry ; Phytochemicals ; analysis ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry

OBJECTIVETo observe the in vitro anticancer effect of Nispex, the total flavonoids extract from Scurrula parasitic L.

METHODSThe cell proliferation inhibitory effects of Nispex on various kinds of tumor cells or non-tumor cells in human and rats were detected with MTT assay and colony forming assay respectively, the cell apoptosis induced by Nispex was detected by AO/EB fluorescence staining, TUNEL assay and AnnexinV-FITC/PI flow cytometry.

RESULTSNispex could significantly inhibit human cancer cell proliferation and induce human cancer cell apoptosis, especially to the proliferative cell group, but its inhibition on human non-tumor cell was insignificant, and showed no effect on murine cancer cells in the tested scope.

CONCLUSIONNispex is a nature plant extract which shows good selectivity for killing human cancer cell.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Flavonoids ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Loranthaceae ; chemistry ; Neoplasms ; pathology ; Rats ; Species Specificity ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

OBJECTIVETo compare the anticancer effects of flavonoids extracts of Scurrula parasitica from different host trees in vitro.

METHOD80% ethanol extracts of S. parasitica parasitizing on Nernium indicum, Morus alba, Opsmanthus fragrans, and Sapindus mulorossi were purified by polyamides column chromatography, and the eluates of 30%, 50%, 70% and 90% ethanol were mixed as flavonoids extracts. Human acute myeloid leukemia cell line HL-60 was used to evaluate the cytotoxicity induced by flavonoids extracts of S. parasitica L with MTT assay. Apoptosis was detected by AO/EB fluorescence staining and DNA fragmentation analysis, apoptosis rates and cell cycle distribution were detected by flow cytometry analysis.

RESULTExtract of S. parasitica parasitizing on N. indicum (NISPEX) was the most sensitive to HL-60 cells of the 4 different host trees, the IC50 value being 0.60 mg x L(-1); and extract of S. parasitica parasitizing on M. alba took the second place, the IC50 value, being 2.49 mg x L(-1); extract of S. parasitica parasitizing on O. fragrans had no effectiveness as high as 50 mg x L(-1) concentration. NISPEX induced HL-60 cell apoptosis and inhibited the cell proliferation in dose and time-dependent manner. Cell cycles were arrested at G0-G1 phase after treated with NISPEX.

CONCLUSIONAnticancer effects of S. parasitica correlated with the host trees. Flavonoids extracts of S. parasitica parasitizing on N. indicum exhibited comparatively better anticancer activity in vitro among the host trees studied. NISPEX is found to be a good candidate for anticancer.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; DNA Fragmentation ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Flavonoids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Flow Cytometry ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans ; Leukemia ; drug therapy ; Loranthaceae ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo explore the mechanism of Jiantai liquid on the endometrium development of embryo implantation dysfunction mice.

METHODThe model of embryo implantation dysfunction mice was induced by mifepristone and treated by Jiantai liquid. All animals were sacrificed on day 8 of pregnancy. Estradiol and progesterone concentrations in serum and endometrium tissue homogenates were measured by radioimmunoassay method, the endometial expressions of estrogen receptor (ER)and progesterone receptor (PR)assessed by immunohistochemical SP method.

RESULTThere were no significantly differences in the estradiol and progesterone concentrations in serum and uterus tissue homogenates among three groups( P > 0.05). Absorbency and area rate of ER, PR in model group' s gland and stroma were higher than those in model group(P < 0.05), which was similar with the control group( P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONJiantai liquid increase the implantation rate and improve the endometrial development by increasing the expressions of ER, PR in endometrium of embryo implantation dysfunction

Animals ; Astragalus membranaceus ; chemistry ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Embryo Implantation, Delayed ; drug effects ; Endometrium ; metabolism ; Female ; Loranthaceae ; chemistry ; Male ; Mice ; Mifepristone ; antagonists & inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Receptors, Estrogen ; metabolism ; Receptors, Progesterone ; metabolism ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; chemistry

To study the anti-tumor activity of Scurrula parasitica polysaccharides (SP). Water extraction and ethanol precipitation were used to isolate SP from S. parasitica leaf. S180, K562 and HL-60 cell lines proliferation inhibition by SP were detected by MTT assay. The expressions of Ki-67, Cyclin D1, Bax and Bcl-2 protein in the sarcoma S180 tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry technique to approach the anti-tumor mechanism of SP+ SP could not inhibit cancer cell proliferation. SP ip could inhibit the growth of sarcoma S180 in mice, 100 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1). SP ip was the optimal dose on inhibiting S180 growth, with the tumor inhibition rate of 54%. The expression of Ki-67, Cyclin D1, Bax and Bcl-2 protein in the sarcoma S180 tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry technique to approach the anti-tumor mechanism of SP. The result showed that SP could down-regulate the expression of Ki-67, CyclinD1 and Bcl-2 protein, and up-regulate the expression of Bax protein. It indicted that inhibiting cancer cell proliferation and promoting cancer cell apoptosis in vivo maybe one of the anti-cancer mechanisms of SP.
Animals ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cyclin D1 ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; therapeutic use ; Female ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; K562 Cells ; Loranthaceae ; chemistry ; Male ; Mice ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Polysaccharides ; therapeutic use ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Sarcoma 180 ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; metabolism