1.Effect of Borneol on Pharmacodynamics,Pharmacokinetics and Brain Tissue Distribution of Main Active Ingredients of Jiaotaiwan in Depression Model Rats
Meishuang YU ; Guoliang DAI ; Huaxi HANG ; Yu YE ; Yiran WANG ; Xuewen SHAO ; Wenzheng JU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(24):18-27
ObjectiveTo investigate the pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics and brain distribution of seven main components of Jiaotaiwan alone and Jiaotaiwan combined with borneol in lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced depression rats. MethodRats were randomly divided into the control group, model group, fluoxetine group(10 mg·kg-1), Jiaotaiwan group(1.5 g·kg-1) and combination group(1.5 g·kg-1 of Jiaotaiwan+0.05 g·kg-1 of borneol), with 8 rats in each group. Except for the control group, the depression model was established by intraperitoneal injection of LPS for 7 consecutive days, and each group was given the corresponding drugs or the same volume of pure water by gavage for 14 consecutive days. The behavioral indicators and levels of serum inflammatory factors[interleukin-1β(IL-1β), IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)] of rats in each group were compared. The morphological changes of hippocampal neurons were observed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE) and Nissl staining. After the behavioral tests of sucrose preference, open field and forced swimming were completed, blood samples were collected from Jiaotaiwan group and combination group at the set time points after gavage, the contents of seven components in plasma were determined by ultra performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-QqQ-MS/MS), and the pharmacokinetic parameters of each component were analyzed by DAS 3.2.2. Brains were rapidly removed on ice after blood collection was completed, and UPLC-QqQ-MS/MS was used to compare the content changes of the 7 components in brain tissue. ResultCompared with the control group, rats in the model group showed decreased sucrose preference rate and total distance of open field, prolonged swimming immobility time, and increased expression of inflammatory factors in serum(P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the sucrose preference rate and total distance of open field were increased, and the swimming immobility time was shortened in the rats of each administration group, and the expression of inflammatory factors in serum was decreased in rats from Jiaotaiwan group and combination group(P<0.05, P<0.01). The results of HE and Nissl staining showed that Jiaotaiwan group and combination group had a certain protective effect on hippocampal neurons. The pharmacokinetic results showed that compared with Jiaotaiwan group, the area under the curve(AUC0-t, AUC0-∞), peak concentration(Cmax) and the average steady-state plasma concentration(Cav) of berberine and epiberberine in the combination group were increased(P<0.05, P<0.01), AUC0-t, AUC0-∞, mean residence time(MRT0-∞) and Cav of coptisine were significantly increased(P<0.05, P<0.01), Cmax of jatrorrhizine increased significantly(P<0.05), but the pharmacokinetic changes of the seven alkaloids were consistent. The results of brain tissue distribution showed that compared with Jiaotaiwan group, the contents of jatrorrhizine, epiberberine, coptisine, palmatine and berberine in the brain tissue of combination group were increased(P<0.05, P<0.01), the content of magnoflorine increased and that of berberrubine decreased, but the difference was not statistically significant. ConclusionJiaotaiwan alone or combined with borneol can improve the depression-like behavior of rats, reduce the levels of serum inflammatory factors, improve the pathological damage of hippocampus, and have antidepressant effect. Compared with Jiaotaiwan alone, the combination of Jiaotaiwan and borneol can increase the exposure of multiple active components of Jiaotaiwan in the plasma and brain tissue of rats, improve its bioavailability, promote its absorption, and improve the brain targeting of the drug, which is more conducive to the antidepressant effect of Jiaotaiwan.
2.Effects of borneol on pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of Corydalis saxicola total alkaloids in depression model rats
Yu YE ; Guoliang DAI ; Huaxi HANG ; Meishuang YU ; Yiran WANG ; Xuewen SHAO ; Wenzheng JU
China Pharmacy 2025;36(1):30-36
OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of borneol on pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic effects of Corydalis saxicola total alkaloids in depression model rats. METHODS Thirty male SD rats were divided into blank control group, negative control group, positive control group (fluoxetine 10 mg/kg, i.g.), single drug group (C. saxicola total alkaloids 210 mg/kg, i.g.) and combined drug group (C. saxicola total alkaloids 210 mg/kg+borneol 50 mg/kg, i.g.) according to the random number table method, with 6 rats in each group. By lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induction modeling, except blank control group (no model and no administration) received intraperitoneal injection of the same amount of normal saline, the rats in the other groups were intraperitoneally injected with LPS once a day to establish a rat model of depression. After 1 week of modeling, each administration group was given relevant drug intragastrically according to the corresponding dose, and blank control group and negative control group (without drug treatment) were administered intragastrically with an equal volume of solvent to dissolve the drug; continued modeling while administering the drug. After two weeks of continuous administration, the effects of C. saxicola total alkaloids versus the combination of C. saxicola total alkaloids and borneol on the behavior of depressed rats were tested by behavioral experiments; the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β and interleukin-6 in rats were determined; the histopathological changes of the hippocampus of rats were observed. Blood sample was collected from the orbit at different time points after administration on the 15th day, and the upper plasma was obtained. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry was established for the simultaneous determination of dehydrocarvedine, tetrahydropalmatine, coptisine, palmatine, jatrorrhizine, berberine, berberrubine and epiberberine in rat plasma. The average plasma concentration-time curve was depicted, the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated, and the pharmacokinetic parameters were analyzed by DAS 3.2.2 software. RESULTS Compared with blank control group, the negative control group had a decrease in body mass and sugar water preference rate, a decrease in the total distance of open field, a prolonged swimming immobility time, and a increased in the expression of inflammatory factors in serum (P<0.05); compared with negative control group, the single drug group and the combined drug group increased the preference rate of sugar water, increased the total distance of open field, shortened the time of swimming immobility, and decreased the expression of inflammatory factors in serum (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the above indicators between the single drug group and the combined drug group in rats (P>0.05). Pharmacokinetic results showed that compared with single drug group, AUC0-t of coptisine, AUC0-t, AUC0-∞, tmax and cmax of jatrorrhizine, AUC0-t, AUC0-∞, t1/2 and cmax of berberrubine, and AUC0-t of epiberberine, cmax of dehydrocarvedine, cmax of palmatine were significantly increased in combined drug group, but there was no significant difference, indicating that borneol didn’t have a significant effect on the efficacy of Corydalis saxicola nigra at this dose. CONCLUSIONS Both C. saxicola total alkaloids alone and in combination with borneol can improve depression-like behavior in depression model rats, reduce serum inflammatory cytokine levels, and protect hippocampal neurons. Compared with the use of Corydalis saxicola base alone, the combination with borneol do not show significant pharmacodynamic differences, bu can improve the absorption of coptisine, jatrorrhizine in model rats.
3.Pharmacokinetics of Total Alkaloids of Corydalis saxicola in Depression Model Rats
Huaxi HANG ; Meishuang YU ; Yu YE ; Qian HUANG ; Yiran WANG ; Xuewen SHAO ; Peiyao CHEN ; Yang CAO ; Guoliang DAI ; Wenzheng JU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(14):175-183
ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of total alkaloids of Corydalis saxicola on a rat model of lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced depression, as well as the pharmacokinetic characteristics of 8 of its major components. MethodTwenty-four male SD rats were randomly divided into normal group, model group, fluoxetine group(10 mg·kg-1) and total alkaloids of C. saxicola group(210 mg·kg-1), with 6 rats in each group. In addition to the normal group, the rats were injected intraperitoneally with LPS to establish the inflammation model of depression, and the drug administration was started 1 week after modeling, and the administration groups were gavaged according to the corresponding dose, and the normal and model groups were intragastric administration with equal volume of distilled water, and the administration was performed along with the modeling. After two weeks of continuous administration, the effect of total alkaloids of C. saxicola on the behavior of depressed rats were tested by sucrose preference, forced swimming and open field experiments, the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin(IL)-1β and IL-6 in serum of rats were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA), the histopathological changes of rat hippocampus were observed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining. After the last administration, blood was collected from orbit according to the set time, and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-QqQ-MS) was established to simultaneously detect the concentrations of dehydrocavidine, tetrahydropalmatine, coptisine, palmatine, jatrorrhizine, berberine, berberrubine and epiberberine in plasma, and drug-time curves were drawn. The pharmacokinetic parameters were analyzed by DAS 2.0 software. ResultCompared with the normal group, the model group exhibited a decrease in sucrose preference rate, total distance traveled in the open field, as well as an increase in swimming immobility time and serum inflammatory factor expression(P<0.01). In contrast, compared with the model group, rats in each administration group showed an increase in sucrose preference rate and total distance traveled in the open field, a decrease in swimming immobility time, and a reduction in serum inflammatory factor expression(P<0.05, P<0.01). Additionally, HE staining results revealed that neurons in the hippocampus of rats from the model group were characterized by loss, disorganization and residual vacuoles, whereas those from the total alkaloids of C.saxicola group displayed an increase in number with orderly arrangement and clear cytoplasm. Pharmacokinetic results showed that the time to peak(tmax) and half-life(t1/2) of the 8 active ingredients were 0.19-2.06 h and 3.71-8.70 h after continuous administration of total alkaloids of C. saxicola. Among them, the area under the curve(AUC0-∞) of tetrahydropalmatine was the highest and the t1/2 was the shortest, and the AUC0-∞ of coptisine, palmatine, jatrorrhizine, berberine, berberrubine and epiberberine were low. The curves of dehydrocavidine, coptisine, palmatine, berberine and epiberberine showed obvious double peak phenomenon. ConclusionTotal alkaloids of C. saxicola can improve the depression-like behavior of rats, inhibit the expression of inflammatory factors in serum, improve the pathological injury of hippocampus, and has the antidepressant effect. Meanwhile, the effective site is absorbed quickly and eliminated slowly in the depressed model rats, and the efficacy is maintained for a long time.