The chemic al composition of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is the material base for its prevention and treatment of disease. Characterization, analysis and isolation of chemical constituents, important fields of modern research on TCM, however, are still a great challenge due to the complexity. In recent years, considerable progress has been made in these fields with the application of new chromatographic packing materials and methods, analysis technologies represented by LC-MS and the associated databases and softwares. Here, the advancement of methods and strategies used in the research on the chemical constituents of TCM is briefly reviewed.

Objective:To study performed of develop a mice model of allergic diseases induced by crude extractings from populus pollen.Methods: A total of 60 BALB/c mice were divided randomly into there groups:normal control group,Albumin Egg(OVA) group and populus pollen model group with 20 in each.Mices were repeatedly sensitized by intraperitoneal injections of OVA or crude populus pollen extract every 5 d for four doses.Five days after the last sensitization,mices were repeatedly challenged by once daily antigen from 21-25 d.The changes of inflammatory cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF) were stained with hematoxylin and eosin(HE) to evaluate the degree of allergic inflammation.PAS staining was used to observe the secretion of airway mucus;The changes of the nasal mucosas and lungs of mice were stained with HE to evaluate the degree of allergic inflammation.And the average optical density of IL-4 and IFN-γ positive cells in lung tissue was measured by immunohistochemistry.The total IgE in the serum was also measured by enzyme-linked immunoassay(ELISA).Results: Compared with the mice in normal control group,those in OVA group and model group developed obvious allergic inflammation in the nasal mucosas and lungs,and increased airway mucus secretion.The number of inflammatory cells including eosinophil and neutrophils markedly increased in BALF smear.The average optical density of IL-4 positive cells in lung tissue was all increased in OVA group and model group compared with those in normal control group,and the average optical density of IFN-γ in lung tissue was on the contrary.The total IgE in the serum were all increased in OVA group and model group compared with those in normal control group,and the IFN-γ in the serum was significantly reduced in OVA group and model group compared with those in normal control group.Conclusion: Taken together,crude populus pollen extract can successfully induce a mice model of allergic diseases.This model is a useful tool in studying the mechanisms of allergic disease.

Objective To study the difference of expression of proteins in pancreatic cancer and adjacent fissue.Methods Proteomes of eight pairs of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma tissue samples and adjacent tissue samples were obtained by high resolution two-dimensional gel electrophoresis(2-DE).Comprehensive analyses of proteins were focused on total protein spots exhibiting statistical alternations between the two groups.Protein identification was done by peptide mass fingerprinting with tandem mass spectrometry(MS/MS).In addition,Western blotting and immunohistochemistry were performed to verify the expression of certain candidate protein.Results A total of 28 protein spot-features were found to be significantly increased and 17 significantly decreased in tumor tissues.Thirty of these protein spots were identified,which included enzymes,antioxidant proteins,signal transduction proteins,calcium-binding protein,structural proteins,chaperones and others.Western blotting and IHC further validated up-regulated expressions of one candidate protein(annexin II)in tumor tissues.Conclusions The analysis of proteomics with 2-DE on human tissue is a useful method for discovering valuable cancer marker candidates.These differential expressed proteins may serve as biomarkers for early detection and therapeutic targets to pancreatic cancer.

In this paper, the changes of volatile oil and non-volatile ingredients in Cortex Magnolia Officinalis before and after primary processing were determined by an HPLC and a GC-MS method. The method is based on quantitative determination of three index ingredients, beta-eudesmol, honokiol and magnolol, and on qualitative fingerprinting analysis using HPLC and GC. Big differences were observed between processed and unprocessed samples according to their chromatographic fingerprinting data calculated by statistic software. Compared with unprocessed samples, the contents of honokiol and magnolol in processed samples increased, whereas the contents of beta-eudesmol and magnoloside A in processed samples decreased. Magnoloside A was isolated from this plant for the first time.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Magnolia ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods

Objective To investigate the role of SDH2 gene in the environmental adaptability of Candida albicans. Methods Wild-type C. albicans strain SC5314, SDH2 gene knockout mutant sdh2Δ/Δ and reintegrated strain sdh2Δ/SDH2 were used as experimental objects. Spot assay was conducted to assess the sensitivity of the WT C. albicans strain SC5314, SDH2 gene knockout mutant sdh2Δ/Δ and reintegrated strain sdh2Δ/SDH2 to external stress stimulants and antifungal drugs. The effect of SDH2 gene deletion on drug efflux ability of C. albicans was determined by rhodamine 6G efflux assay. Results After SDH2 gene deletion, C. albicans showed slight tolerance to cell wall stress stimulants caffeine, oxidative stress stimulators diamide and menadione. Notably, the sensitivity of SDH2 gene knockout mutant sdh2Δ/Δ to azole antifungal drugs was significantly increased. The drug efflux capacity of C. albicans was decreased due to the deletion of SDH2 gene. Conclusion SDH2 gene deletion lead to changes in environmental adaptability of C. albicans, including changes in response to external environmental stress and increased sensitivity to azole antifungal drugs. The development of fungal-specific inhibitor targeting SDH2 gene may lead to the discovery of new antifungal drugs which have synergistic effect with azole drugs.

Objective To identify lipid metabolism genes in cerebral infarction;To explore the intervention effect of Huoxue Rongluo Prescription.Methods Multi-chip combined differential analysis(GSE61616,GSE30655)was used to identify lipid metabolism genes in cerebral infarction in combination with Reactome database,and the expression differences of lipid metabolism genes in cerebral infarction were identified and verified in GSE97537 chip;Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation of 51 cerebral infarction samples in GSE61616,GSE30655,GSE97537,GSE137595,GSE22255,GSE163614,and GSE78731 datasets;PPI,GO and KEGG analysis of lipid metabolism genes in cerebral infarction were performed through STRING database and R clusterProfiler package.SD rats were made to the model of cerebral infarction,and was administered with Huoxue Rongluo Prescription extract 11.7 g/kg by intragastric administration for 7 days.The symptoms of neurological deficit,the changes of Nissl bodies and the mRNA expressions of PLA2G4A,SPHK1,and PTGES key genes in lipid metabolism in cerebral infarction were observed.Results TSPO,CYP1B1,PLIN2,CH25H,PLA2G4A,ANGPTL4,PTGS1,SPHK1,and PTGES were identified as lipid metabolism genes in cerebral infarction,and were significantly highly expressed and positively correlated in cerebral infarction.Among them,PTGS1,PLA2G4A,and SPHK1 interacted with each other,which were the key genes of lipid metabolism in cerebral infarction;the lipid metabolism gene in cerebral infarction mainly exerted molecular functions such as oxidoreductase activity,iron ion binding,heme binding,etc.,mediating arachidonic acid metabolism,phospholipase D signaling pathway,VEGF signaling pathway,involved in regulation of lipid metabolism process,fatty acid metabolism process,fatty acid derivative metabolism process.The symptoms of neurological deficit in the model rats with cerebral infarction were severe(P<0.001),and Huoxue Rongluo Prescription could effectively improve the neurological deficit of model rats(P<0.001).The Nissl staining indicated that the neuronal structure was abnormal and the number was significantly reduced after cerebral infarction(P<0.001).Huoxue Rongluo Prescription could increase the number of neurons(P<0.001)and repair the neuronal structure.RT-qPCR showed that the key genes of lipid metabolism in cerebral infarction were significantly higher in cerebral infarction(P<0.001),corroborated with the bioinformatics results,and Huoxue Rongluo Prescription could reduce the expression of key lipid metabolism genes of PTGS1,PLA2G4A,and SPHK1(P<0.001,P<0.01,P<0.05).Conclusion Huoxue Rongluo Prescription can down-regulate the expressions of PTGS1,PLA2G4A,SPHK1,exert molecular functions such as oxidoreductase activity,iron ion binding,heme binding,and mediate arachidonic acid metabolism,phospholipase D signaling pathway,and VEGF signaling pathway.It participates in the process of lipid metabolism regulation,fatty acid metabolism,and fatty acid derivative metabolism,increases the number of Nissl bodies,improves the symptoms of neurological deficits,and exerts neuroprotective effects.

Objective To investigate the comorbidity of hepatic cystic echinococcosis with HBV/HCV infection, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma, and to lay a foundation for further research on the influence of hepatic cystic echinococcosis on HBV/HCV infection, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for the data of 401 patients with hepatic cystic echinococcosis who were admitted to The First Affiliated Hospital of Shihezi University from 2003 to 2019, and the state of comorbidity of hepatic cystic echinococcosis with HBV/HCV infection, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma was clarified. The patients with hepatic cystic echinococcosis and chronic HBV/HCV infection were selected as comorbidity group, and the patients with HBV/HCV infection alone were matched as control group. The chi-square test and the Fisher's exact test were used to analyze the state of viral infection and the disease composition of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Results Of all 401 patients, 38(9.5%) were included in the comorbidity group and 2(0.5%) had liver cirrhosis after HBV/HCV infection, while no patient had hepatocellular carcinoma after HBV/HCV infection. Among the patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection in the comorbidity group, non-active HBsAg carriers accounted for 81%, HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients accounted for 9.5%, and HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B patients accounted for 9.5%; among the patients with hepatitis B virus infection in the control group, non-active HBsAg carriers accounted for 43%, HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients accounted for 33%, and HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B patients accounted for 19%, with a significant difference between the two groups ( P =0.033). There was a significant difference in the HBV RNA clearance rate of the patients with HCV infection between the comorbidity group and the control group ( χ 2 =4.447, P =0.035). In the comorbidity group, the patients with liver cirrhosis accounted for 5.2% and there were no patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, while in the control group, the patients with liver cirrhosis accounted for 18.4% and those with hepatocellular carcinoma accounted for 5.2%; the comorbidity group had significantly lower proportions than the control group ( P =0.048). Conclusion The proportion of liver cirrhosis patients with hepatic cystic echinococcosis and HBV/HCV infection is lower than that of liver cirrhosis patients with viral hepatitis alone, and there are no cases of hepatocellular carcinoma after HBV/HCV infection. Further multicenter studies are needed to investigate the influence of hepatic cystic echinococcosis on chronic HBV/HCV infection, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma.