OBJECTIVETo explore the material basis of Caulis sinomenii (CS) in treating osteoarthritis (OA), and to give a pharmacodynamic illustration for the multi-targeting therapeutics of CS.

METHODSThe computational methods, consisting of molecular docking and biological network were carried out to search the database targeting twelve important OA related enzymes: ASAMTS4, ASAMTS5, MMP-1, MMP-3, MMP-13, MMP-8, MMP-2, COX-2, COX-1, IL-1beta, TNF-alpha, iNOS, and map the ligand-target interaction networks about molecules from CS and DrugBank. After that, an aggregate analysis was performed to analyze the mechanisms of compositions in CS.

RESULTSTotally 14 had good interaction in all molecules in database with two or more than two of the OA correlated enzymes, and 6 molecules had interaction with four or more enzymes. Moreover, both herb ligand-target interaction network and drug ligand-target interaction network were similar in the interaction profiles and network features, which revealed multi-drugs effects in CS.

CONCLUSIONSThere were a lot of multi-target molecules in CS, providing pharmacodynamic illustrations for the multi-target therapeutics of Chinese medicine. Meanwhile, they supplied certain reference and inspiration for finding out new drugs for OA therapy.

Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Osteoarthritis ; drug therapy ; Phytotherapy ; Sinomenium

OBJECTIVETo prepare polylactic acid microspheres containing total alkaloid extracts of Caulis sinomenii and study their release characteristics in vitro.

METHODPolylactic acid microspheres containing total alkaloid extracts of C. sinomenii were prepared by O/W emulsification solvent-evaporation process. The microspheres were characterized in terms of morphology, encapsulation efficiency, and particle size distribution. The effect of different conditions on release property of microspheres was studied.

RESULTThe formed microspheres were spherical with smooth surfaces. The encapsulation efficiency and rate of drug loading were (83.4 +/- 5.63)% and (8.7-0.35)%, respectively. The distribution of particle size was uniform and the average size was (21.5 +/- 1.22) microm. In vitro release study revealed that the 32-hour accumulative release percentage reached 80%.

CONCLUSIONPolylactic acid microspheres containing total alkaloid extracts of C. sinomenii were prepared successfully. Microspheres with good sustained-release characteristics can be produced by controlling different process parameters.

Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Lactic Acid ; chemistry ; Microspheres ; Polyesters ; Polymers ; chemistry ; Sinomenium ; chemistry

OBJECTIVE: To decipher the possible mechanisms of Sinomenium Acutum (SA) in treating diseases by a bioinformatics method. METHODS: SA ingredients were searched according to Chinese Pharmacopoeia, Chinese Medicine Dictionary and Traditional Chinese Medicines Database (TCMD). Active compounds and target proteins of SA were acquired through the Pubchem platform. Pathway, network and function analyses of SA were performed with ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA), a bioinformatics analysis platform. Disease, biofunction-target networks were established with Cytoscape. RESULTS: Eighteen ingredients from SA were obtained. Seven active ingredients with 31 active target proteins were acquired according to PubChem Bioassay test. By IPA analysis, 277 canonical pathways belonging to 17 function categories were collected, 23 kinds of diseases, 21 categories bio-functions were obtained. Based on P value, calculated by IPA, the top 5 significant pathway of SA targets include phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase/Akt (PI3K/Akt) signaling, prostate cancer signaling, macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) regulation of innate immunity, Guanosine-binding protein coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling, and ataxia telangiectasia mutated protein (ATM) signaling. Disease and bio-function network analysis indicated that mitogen activated protein kinase 1 (MAPK1), MAPK3, p65 nuclear factor κB (RELA), nuclear factor of κB inhibitor alpha (NFκBIA), interleukin 1β(IL-1β), prostaglandin G/H synthase 2 (PTGS2) and tumor protein 53 (TP53) were the critical targets in various diseases treated by SA. CONCLUSION In the different view of target, pathway, disease and bio-function, inflammation was found to be a central theme in many chronic conditions. SA could be used not only as an anti-inflammatory agent, but also for the treatment of cancers, neurological diseases, psychological disorders and metabolic diseases.
Computational Biology ; methods ; Disease ; Humans ; Molecular Targeted Therapy ; Proteins ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; Sinomenium ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo establish an HPLC method for the determination of entrapment efficiency of sinomenine liposomes.

METHODThe liposomes and dissociated drugs were separated by sephadex filtration, mini-column centrifugation and dialysis. The methodology study and the optimization of determining condition were carried out at the same time.

RESULTSephadex filtration could effectively separate the sinomenine liposomes from dissociated sinomenine. The column recovery was 98.8%, the average entrapment efficiency of three tests was64.9%, RSD 2.67%.

CONCLUSIONThe method was simple, exact, and had a good reappearance. It can be used to examine the entrapment efficiency of sinomenine liposomes.

Dextrans ; Drug Carriers ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Filtration ; methods ; Liposomes ; Morphinans ; administration & dosage ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Sinomenium ; chemistry ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods

AIMTo determine in vitro the rat plasma protein binding rate by using microdialysis method.

METHODSThe binding rate was determined by using microdialysis probe as sampling tools and zero-net flux method as calibrating method. The regression equation was made by the difference of concentrations between the dialysis sample and the perfusate. The x-intercept of regression equation was the free drug concentration (Cf). The plasma protein binding rate was calculated by using the following equation: f = ( C0 - Cf)/C0.

RESULTThe binding rate was kept relatively stable in the studied concentration range.

CONCLUSIONIt is feasible that the plasma protein binding rate can be determined by using microdialysis method.

Animals ; Blood Proteins ; metabolism ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Male ; Microdialysis ; methods ; Morphinans ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Protein Binding ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Regression Analysis ; Sinomenium ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo prepare Sinomenine hydrochloride-loaded bovine serum albumin microspheres (SM-BSA-MS).

METHODSM-BSA-MS was prepared by spray drying technique. The morphology, drug-loading and release in vitro of SM-BSA-MS was studied.

RESULTThe diameters of SM-BSA-MS were in the range of 1-3 m. The drug loading of microspheres, formulated with different drug/albumin ratios as 1, 2, 1:1, 2:1, were 31.6%, 47.7% and 67.9% , respectively. And the drug entrapment efficiencies of different drug/albumin ratios were higher than 94%. The results of in vitro release experiments showed that the drug loaded microspheres have the properties of sustained-release compared with the Sinomenine hydrochloride injection. Different release characteristics could be obtained by adjusting the prescription composition and the thermal denaturation condition.

CONCLUSIONSpray drying technique is a simple and feasible method for preparing SM-BSA-MS. The drug loaded microspheres had high drug-loading and sustained-release effect.

Delayed-Action Preparations ; chemistry ; Drug Carriers ; Drug Compounding ; methods ; Microspheres ; Morphinans ; chemistry ; Particle Size ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Serum Albumin, Bovine ; chemistry ; Sinomenium ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo discuss the anti-inflammatory mechanism of sinomenine on inflammatory media in joint of adjuvant arthritis rats.

METHODRats were randomly divided into the normal group and the model group, the prednisone group, the small, medium, large of sinomenine group (30, 60, 120 mg x kg(-1)). Except for the rats in the normal group, animals were modeled to adjuvant arthritiswith freund's complete adjuvant. The arthritis index (AI) and the swelling degree of paws were recorded, and the activity of IL-1, TNF and the levels of NO, PGE2 in joint fluids of secondary arthritis were determined.

RESULTCompared with the normal group, the activity of IL-1, TNF and the levels of NO, PGE2 in joint fluids of secondary arthritis were increased significantly in the model group (P < 0.05). Compared with the model group, it was shown to exert a dramatic inhibitory effect on secondary reaction of freund's adjuvant arthritis of rats, and the activity of IL-1, TNF and the levels of NO, PGE2 in joint fluids of secondary arthritis were significantly decreased in the sinomenine group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSinomenine has a remarkable treatment effect on RA. It is via NO to inhibit the activity of cytokines and decrease the level of inflammation mediators, which may be one of its curing RA mechanism.

Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; therapeutic use ; Arthritis, Experimental ; drug therapy ; Dinoprostone ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Interleukin-1 ; metabolism ; Male ; Morphinans ; therapeutic use ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Phytotherapy ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Sinomenium ; chemistry ; Synovial Fluid ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effects of Caulis Sinomenii and sinomenine on conditioned place preference (CPP) induced by morphine and brain histamine level in mice.

METHODSSixty mice were randomized into 6 equal groups and morphine (Mor) was injected subcutaneously (9 mg/kg) for 6 consecutive days to induce CPP using a shuttle box. Since the 4th day of training, the mice in 5 of the groups were treated for 3 consecutive days with Caulis Sinomenii (10 g/kg), sinomenine (60 mg/kg), diphenhydramine (30 mg/kg), CP48/80 (5 mg/kg) and L-histidine (750 mg/kg) in addition to morphine (9 mg/kg) treatment, respectively, leaving the other group with exclusive morphine treatment. Another 10 mice received saline injection to serve as saline control group. The content of histamine (HA) in the mouse brain was measured by fluorospectrophotometry.

RESULTSIn morphine group, the mice showed significantly extended stay in morphine-paired compartment whose HA content in the brain was markedly increased (P<0.01). Treatment with Caulis Sinomenii and sinomenine resulted in significantly reduced time of stay in morphine-paired compartment and brain HA level (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONCPP induced by morphine in mice is associated with increased HA level in the brain. Caulis Sinomenii and sinomenine can suppress the acquisition of place preference induced by morphine and modulate HA level in the central nervous system in morphine-dependent mice.

Animals ; Arginine ; pharmacology ; Brain ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Conditioning, Operant ; drug effects ; physiology ; Diphenhydramine ; pharmacology ; Histamine ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Morphinans ; pharmacology ; Morphine ; toxicity ; Morphine Dependence ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Motor Activity ; drug effects ; Random Allocation ; Sinomenium ; chemistry

To further understand sinomenine, this paper has introduced the abstract technology, assaying, pharmaceutical chemistry, pharmacological action, pharmacotoxicology, pharmacokinetics and clinical application of sinomenine based on the important and significant contents of reference which have been consulted in the past ten years. Sinomenine is a kind of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs with very effective and little side effect and expected it as a good new drug withdrawal medicine in the future.
Animals ; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents ; pharmacology ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; pharmacology ; Antirheumatic Agents ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Morphinans ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology ; toxicity ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Sinomenium ; chemistry ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods

AIMTo provide basic data for the synthesis of new sinomenine derivatives.

METHODSThe C ring in sinomenine was modified.

RESULTSSeven compounds were prepared and screened for anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities. Compounds 2 and 5 showed better activities.

CONCLUSIONModification of the C ring in sinomenine should be worthy to be studied further.

Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; chemical synthesis ; pharmacology ; Edema ; pathology ; Mice ; Molecular Conformation ; Molecular Structure ; Morphinans ; chemical synthesis ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Pain Measurement ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rats ; Sinomenium ; chemistry