OBJECTIVE Tostudythehepatotoxicityofveratrinehydrochloride(VH)anditsmecha-nismoninductionofapoptosisinvitro.METHODS HepG2cellswereexposedtoVH0.1-0.6g·L-1 for 24 h,cell viability was examined by CCK-8 assay,and the morphologic changes in HepG2 cells were quantified.After the treatment with VH 0.1 -0.5 g·L-1 for 24 h,cell membrane injury was examined by detecting the release rate of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH).The effect on reactive oxygen species (ROS),mitochondrial membrane potential and apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry.The mRNA expression of p53,Bax,cytochrome c,caspase 9,caspase 3 was evaluated by real-time PCR. RESULTS HepG2cellviabilitywassignificantlyreducedfollowingexposuretoVH0.1-0.5g·L-1. The IC50 value was 0.4 g·L-1 .The 95%confidence limit was 0.2558-0.6965 g·L-1 .The LDH release rate,ROS and apoptosis rate of HepG2 cells were significantly increased after exposure to VH 0.1 -0.5 g·L-1 for 24 h (P<0.05,P<0.01 ),and the mitochondrial membrane potential markedly declined (P<0.05,P<0.01 ).The expression of p53,Bax,cytochrome c,caspase 9 and caspase 3 was increased(P<0.05,P<0.01).CONCLUSION VHhascytotoxicpotential.Damagetocell me mbrane and mitochondria and initiation of apoptosis-related genes of caspase 9 and caspase 3 mRNA expression may be the mechanis m of apoptosis.

Aim To investigate the induction effect of ginsenoside Rc, Re, Rf and Rg1 on CYP1A1, and further validate the role of aryl hydrocarbon receptor in CYP1A1 expression. Methods Dual luciferase re-porter gene system was performed. Four kinds of gin-senoside were screened for aryl hydrocarbon receptor activation by reporter assays, and TCDD as the positive control. Further with different concentrations of ginsen-oside Rc, Re, Rf and Rg1 treated on LS174T cells, RNA and total protein were extracted to detect the reg-ulating effect of ginsenosides on CYP1 A1 mRNA and protein expression with Real-time PCR and Western blot technology respectively. Results Reporter gene screening showed that the ginsenoside Rc, Re, Rf and Rg1 could activate AhR and had potential effects on the induction of CYP1A1 enzyme. Meanwhile, dose-de-pendent induction of the gene expression were observed in response to ginsenoside Rc, Re, Rf and Rg1 and the levels of CYP1 A1 protein expression were increased by ginsenoside Rc, Re, Rf and Rg1 in varying de-grees. Conclusion Ginsenoside Rc, Re, Rf and Rg1 can up-regulate the gene and protein expression of CYP1 A1 possibly via the AhR-mediated CYP1 A1 path-way.

Aim With metabolomics method, to study Shen-Mai decoction’ s function on protecting the myo-cardial injured rats caused by doxorubicin for probing into the functioning mechanism of Shen-Mai decoction’ s medical effect. Methods By means of UPLC-TOF-MS, the metabolites of urine of the rats treated by Shen-Mai decoction were analyzed. Then, the differ-ences between each group of the metabolites were sought with PLS-DA ( the partial least square discrimi-nant analysis ) and OPLS-DA ( the orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis ) . VIP ( variable importance in projection ) and t test were used to screen out potential biomarkers. Results Fourteen endogenous metabolites such as succinyladenosine, a-denosine 2′, 3′-cyclic phosphate, S-( 3-methylbu-tanoyl )-dihydrolipoamide-E, cis-4-hydroxycyclohexy-lacetic acid, phenylbutyrylglutamine, 3-butyn-1-al, 3-hydroxytetradecanedioic acid, dihydrolipoamide and pyruvic acid, etc. were characterized. Conclusions The results indicate that Shen-Mai decoction can pro-tect the body from myocardial injury by regulating pu-rine metabolism, some acid metabolism, fat metabo-lism and energy metabolism, etc. The study expounds the functioning mechanism for Shen-Mai decoction ’ s medical effect in the body and provides theoretical grounds for the rationality of the two medical herbs ’ compatibility and their combination in clinical treat-ment of diseases.

Aim To study the effect of emodin in Po-lygonum multiflorum on the expression of CYP450 isoenzymes in L02 hepatocytes and explore its mecha-nism of cytotoxicity. Methods L02 cells were treated with different concentrations of emodin. Cell viability was examined by MTS assay kit, and cell membrane injury was examined by detecting the release rate of lactate dehydrogenase( LDH) . The expression of cyto-chrome P450 mRNA was detected by real time PCR. Results The result of MTS assay showed that L02 cells viability was significantly reduced following expo-sure to emodin in a concentration and time dependent manner. The LDH release rate of L02 cells significant-ly increased after exposure to emodin for 48 h com-pared with the control group. On the mRNA level, compared with the control group,emodin had inductive effects on mRNA of each CYP450 enzyme, while had significant inductive effects on mRNA of CYP1 A1 and CYP1 B1 in a concentration and time dependent man-ner. Conclusion Emodin in Polygonum multiflorum may generate significant liver injury in L02 cells and has inductive effects on CYP450 enzyme activity.

Aim To investigate the influence of Shen-mai injection ( SMI ) on the expression of cytochrome P450(CYP450) system in rat′s hearts. Methods Rat hearts were prepared after a fourteen-day continuous administration of SMI. The expression of several CYP genes, ANP, BNP and EPHX2 were measured by qPCR. Results SMI induced the increase in the ex-pression of other CYP genes except CYP2 B1、CYP4 A3 and CYP4 F6;HSI caused an induction of CYP2 E1 , CYP4A3,CYP4F1 and EHPX2 as compared with the control. In addition, there was a significant induction of ANP, BNP and EHPX2 and a significant inhibition of CYP2B1 and CYP2C11 after treated with MDI. Conclusion Although there is no significant change in the gene expression of CYP2 B1 after the treatment with SMI, but there is a general trend of induction, and MDI shows a significant inhibition of CYP2 B1 , therefore HSI has greater effect on CYP 2 B 1 than MDI . SMI causes a significant induction of CYP2 E1 , CYP4F1 and EHPX2 , similarly there is an induction of CYP2E1,CYP4F1 and EHPX2 by HSI and MDI, indi-cating that Hongshen and Maidong are both involved in the induction. MDI has a greater inductive effect than HSI on ANP and BNP. SMI is widely used for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases due to its regula-tion of CYP2J3、ANP and BNP mRNA expression.

Aim To study the induction effect of Ginkgolide B on CYP3A4,and further verify the role of pregnane X receptor in CYP3 A4 induction expres-sion. Methods With different concentrations of Ginkgolide B treatment on LS174T cells,the CYP3A4 mRNA expression was detected by Q-PCR assay,fur-ther PXR-CYP3 A4 stable translation HepG2 cell lines were used to test the effect of Ginkgolide B on activity of PXR by reporter gene screening assay.CYP3A4 protein expression was detected by Western blot.PXR was knocked down with transfected with siRNA, CYP3 A4 mRNA and protein were detected in the con-dition of PXR low expression.Results The results revealed that the level of CYP 3 A 4 gene and protein expression were significantly increased by Ginkgolide B,and there was no induction effect on PXR.Reporter gene screening showed that Ginkgolide B could en-hance the transcriptional activity of PXR in a concen-tration-dependent manner.Under conditions of low ex-pression of PXR ,Ginkgolide B could also increase ex-pression of CYP3A4,but the induction folds were low-er than those of normal PXR group.Conclusion Ginkgolide B can signicantly up-regulate CYP3 A4 ex-pression via the PXR-CYP3 A4 pathway,and it has no effects on PXR gene expression.

Aim To study whether Ophiopogonin D has an effect inhibitory on myocardial hypertrophy induced by AngiotensinⅡand its possible mechanism. Methods Rat myocardial cell line H9 c2 were cultured in vitro. The effect of Ophiopogonin D on cell vitality was tested by;H9 c2 cells were treated with AngⅡ 1μmol ·L-1 after 24h to induce the cardiac hypertrophy,then it was co-treated with different concentrations of Ophio-pogonin D were added for 24h. After above,the total protein content was detected by BCA method;Quantita-tive real-time PCR ( qRT-PCR ) technique was used to examine the expression of marker genes BNP and β-MHC mRNA ,which representing the function of hear-ing; Western blot was used method to detect the ex-pression of autophagy protein LC3 B and high-through-put screening technology was emptoyed to verify it. In addi-tion, the changes of mitochondrial membrane po-tential in H9c2 myocardial cell were also examined. Results The cell viability results showed that H9 c-2 cells exposed to different concentrations of AngⅡ had no significant effect on vitality compared with the con-trol group after 24 h,but high concentrations of Ophio-pogonin D ( 50 ~100μmol · L-1 ) could obviously in-hibit the cell activity. Ot-her experimental results showed that myocardial cells treated with AngⅡ for 24h could cause myocardial hypertrophy,which appar-ently displayed the growth level of specific hypertrophic gene mRNA expression and the marked increase of the total protein expression. As hypertrophy was activated by AngⅡ, cells autophagy would be significantly en-hanced at the same time, more-over, the mitochondrial membrane potential would be reduced. But the effects of Ophiopogonin D could significantly reverse those pathological changes. Conclusion All above experi-mental results indicate that Ophiopogonin D can in-hibitmyocardial hypertrophy induced by AngⅡand pos-sibly plays a critical role in cardiovascular protection.

OBJECTIVE To study the mitochondrial toxicity effect of Radix Aconiti Lateralis Praepa?rata(Fuzi)on H9c2 cardiomyocytes. METHODS H9c2 cells were exposed to Fuzi decoction 6.25, 12.5,25,50 and 100 g·L-1 for 24 h. Fluorescence staining and CCK-8 assay were used to detect cell viability. H9c2 cells were exposed to Fuzi decoction 6.25,12.5 and 25 g · L-1 for 24 h,while the effect on mitochondrial membrane potential and reactive oxygen species(ROS)was detected by flow cytometry. The fluorescence molecular probe and laser scanning confocal microscope were used to observe the effect on Ca2+ in cells,Ca2+ and superoxide in mitochondria. The effect on ATP concentration in cells was detected via firefly luciferin and the expression of Pgc-1α,Bcl-2 and Bax mRNA evaluated by real-time PCR,while the expression of Pgc-1α protein was measured by Western blotting. RESULTS H9c2 cell viability was significantly inhibited by Fuzi decoction 12.5-100 g · L-1(P<0.05,P<0.01). The IC50 value was 47.4669 g · L-1,while the 95%confidence limit was 32.5997-69.1145 g · L-1. After treatment with Fuzi decoction 25 g · L-1 ,the fluorescence intensity of ROS in the normal control group increased from 204±67 to 454±78(P<0.05),that of mitochondrial superoxide increased from 5.4±1.8 to 26.8±8.5 (P<0.01),mitochondrial membrane potential decreased from 1.7±0.5 to 0.8±0.4(P<0.05),the fluores?cence intensity of intracellular Ca2+increased from 7.8±0.8 to 22.1±0.5(P<0.05)while that of mitochon?drial Ca2+decreased from 38.0±4.3 to 9.2±1.6(P<0.01),and intracellular ATP concentration decreased from (10.6 ± 0.4)μmol · g-1 to (5.3 ± 1.1)μmol · g-1 protein (P<0.05). qPCR and Western blotting test results showed that compared with the normal control group ,Pgc-1αand Bcl-2 mRNA relative expression level in Fuzi decoction 25 g·L-1 group was decreased from 1.00±0.10 and 1.00±0.10 to 0.09±0.06(P<0.01)and 0.43±0.06(P<0.01),respectively, while the relative expression of Bax mRNA was increased from 1.00 ± 0.03 to 1.17 ± 0.06 (P<0.05),and the expression of Pgc-1α protein was decreased from 0.906±0.034 to 0.541±0.003(P<0.01). CONCLUSION Fuzi has some mitochondrial toxicity to cardiomy?opathy. This effect arises from the combined action of different mechanisms. Mitochondrial toxicity of myocytes may account for the cardiac toxicity of Fuzi.

Aim To study the influence of Si-Wu De-coction (SWD ) and its active components on cyto-chrome P450 activity and mRNA expression in rats in order to provide an experimental basis for compatibility of SWD.Methods SWD and its active components were intragastrically administrated for seven days,the doses of SWD was 10 g · kg -1 · d -1 ,the doses of fructose,ferulic acid,ligustrazine,peoniflorin were 0.334,0.002,0.011 and 0.022 g·kg -1 ·d -1 ,re-spectively.After administration for seven days,rats were executed,and liver microsomes were prepared. The effects of SWD and its active components on cyto-chrome P450 in rats were investigated by hybrid probe and liver microsomes incubation method.The level of mRNA expression in liver was detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction using specific target primers for CYP450 genes.The level of protein expression of CYP2B1 was detected by Western blot. Results Compared with the control group,fructose significantly decreased the activity of CYP1A2, CYP2B6,CYP2C9,CYP2D6;ferulic acid significantly decreased the activity of CYP2C9,CYP2B6;ligus-trazine significantly decreased the activity of CYP1A2, CYP2C9,CYP2B6;peoniflorin significantly decreased the activity of CYP2D6,CYP2B6;fructose,ferulic acid,peoniflorin inhibited the mRNA expression of CYP2B1;fructose,ferulic acid,ligustrazine and peon-iflorin also inhibit the protein expression of CYP2B1. Conclusion Fructose,ferulic acid,peoniflorin inhib-it the activity of CYP2B1,decrease the expression lev-els of mRNA and protein of CYP2B1.

Aim To study the effect of ginsenoside F1 on the enzyme activity and expression of gene of CYP3 A4 through activation of pregnane X receptor ( PXR ) . Methods With different concentrations of ginsenoside F1 treated on LS174T cells, the expression of CYP3A4 mRNA was determined by Q-PCR, and the enzyme activity was measured by P450-GloTM CYP3A4 assay according to the manufacturer′s instructions, fur-ther PXR-CYP3 A4 stable translation HepG2 cell lines were used to test ginsenoside F1 activates PXR by re-porter gene screening assay. Results The results re-vealed that the levels of CYP3 A4 gene and protein ex-pression were significantly increased by ginsenoside F1 in a concentration-dependent manner. At the same time, reporter gene screening showed that ginsenoside F1 could also enhance the transcriptional activity of PXR. Conclusion Ginsenoside F1 can significantly up-regulate the gene expression and enzyme activity of CYP3A4 via the PXR-CYP3A4 pathway.