The medicinal herbs derived from genus Senecio have been commonly used in Chinese medicine and triggered attention in recent decades for that they contain the hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Therefore the botanical pharmacognostic study to authenticate those herbs based on their macroscopic and microscopic characteristics is important for the assurance of safety when they are applied as raw material for extracts or for finished products. In this paper, 13 taxa (11 species and 2 varieties) of Senecio plants were collected and their macroscopic and microscopic characteristics were observed and described by digital microscopic illustration. The results showed that the distribution of collenchyma in the cortex, the level of development for pericycle, the location of the phloem, and the ratio of pith in transverse sections of the stems, and the morphology of the leaf epidermal cells, the stomatal types and the non-glandular hairs in leaf surface view were found to be the main microscopic characteristics for authentication of different Senecio species. The herbs derived from genus Senecio can be distinguished from each other on the basis of their macroscopic and microscopic characteristics, and those observation can be used for the identification of commercial crude drugs from Senecio plants.

Rhubarb is a traditional Chinese medicines which possess laxative, lipid-lowering, and weight-loss activities, but the active compounds of lipid-lowering and underlying molecular mechanisms are not yet clear. This study aims to explore the effects of chrysophanol on the mRNA expressions of sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBPs) and lipid metabolism in human liver carcinoma Huh-7 cells, which is one of the active compounds obtained from Rhubarb. A reporter gene assay was used to test the transcription of SREBP. The intracellular triglyceride and total cholesterol contents were measured by using commercially available test kits. The SREBPs target genes expressions were measured by Quantitative Real-Time PCR. Cell viability was evaluated by Cell Counting Kit-8. As the results shown, chrysophanol (40 μmol · L(-1), 16 h) could notably inhibited human SRE promoter activity in a dose-dependent manner and decrease intracellular cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Furthermore, the mRNA expressions of SREBPs target genes were significantly downregulated by chrysophanol treatment. However there are no significant differences on cell viability when compared with the control group. These results suggested that chrysophanol might improve lipid metabolism through suppressing the mRNA expressions of SREBPs target genes to attenuate intracellular lipid accumulation.

Senecio cannabifolius var integrilifolius (Compositae), locally known as "Fanhuncao" in China, is a folk herb used for the treatment of pneumonia, virus influenza and bronchitis. To investigate the chemical constituents of this herb, water extract of the aerial parts was subjected to various chromatography on normal/reversed phase silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 column. Eleven compounds were obtained and identified on the basis of their physicochemical properties and spectroscopic analysis as senecine (1), p-hydroxy-benzeneacetic acid (2), protocatechuic acid (3), 2,5-dihydroxy-benzeneacetic acid (4), 3,4-dihydroxy-benzeneacetic acid (5), vanillic acid (6), caffic acid (7), succinic acid (8), 2-furoic acid (9), 1,2,4,5-tetrahydro-jacaranone (10), and 4-(pyrrolidin-2-one)-phenylacetic acid (11). Compound 1 was structurally identified to be a new compound;the other compounds were isolated from this plant for the first time.

Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge) hairy roots were obtained by infecting Danshen leaves with Agrobacterium rhizogenes 9402. Besides rosmarinic acid (RA) and salvianolic acid B (SAB), the hairy root could also produce salvianolic acid K (SAK), salvianolic acid L, ethyl salvianolic acid B (ESAB), methyl salvianolic acid B (MSAB), and a compound with a molecular weight of 538 (compound 538) identified by using LC-MS. Effects of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and yeast elicitor (YE) on the accumulation of these compounds had been investigated. MeJA increased the accumulation of SAB, RA, SAK, and compound 538 from 4.21%, 2.48%, 0.29%, and 0.01% of dry weight to 7.11%, 3.38%, 0.68%, and 0.04%, respectively. YE stimulated the biosynthesis of RA from 2.83% to 5.71%, but depressed the synthesis of SAB, SAK and compound 538. It was indicated in all the results that these Danshen hairy roots could be used as alternative resources to produce salvianolic acids. Analysis of the content variation of these compounds after elicitation suggested that SAK and compound 538 might be the intermediates in the biosynthesis from RA to SAB in Danshen hairy roots.

In order to meet the requirements of ultrasound bone density measurement, we proposed a software solution to improve the accuracy and speed of measurement of bone mineral density of the ultrasound bone densitometer. We used a high-speed USB interface chip FT232H, along with a high-speed AD converter chip to calculate speed of sound (SOS), broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA ) and other bone density parameters in the PC software. This solution improved the accuracy of the measurement data, reduced the measurement time and increased the quality of the displayed image. It is well concluded that the new software can greatly improve the accuracy and transmission speed of bone density measurement data through a high-speed USB interface and a software data processing technology.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Bone Density ; Software ; Sound ; Ultrasonics

The qualitative and quantitative methods for the quality evaluation of Alpiniae Katsumadai Semen were established. Alpinetin, pinocembrin, cardamonin and alnustone in the sample were identified by TLC. The contents of them were determined by HPLC. The separation was performed on a Ultimate XB-C18 column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) at 30 degrees C using a gradient elution consisting of mobile phase A (water) and mobile phase B (MeOH). The detection wavelength was 300 nm. The TLC method was suitable for the identification of alpinetin, pinocembrin, cardamonin and alnustone. The linear ranges of the four reference compounds were 25.5-509 (r = 0.9999), 24.9-498 (r = 0.9999), 26.1-521 (r = 0.9999), 50.2-1003 ng (r = 0.9999), respectively. The average recoveries (n=9) of the four components were 97.95%, 97.36%, 97.50%, 98.02%, RSD < 1.9%. Nine samples were analyzed by the established methods. The results indicate that, the methods are simple, accurate, sensitive and reliable for quality evaluation of Alpiniae Katsumadai Semen.
Alpinia ; chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Reproducibility of Results

Metabolic profile of bile acids was used to evaluate hepatotoxicity of mice caused by ethanol extraction of Dioscorea bulbifera L. (ethanol extraction, ET) and diosbulbin B (DB), separately. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) was applied to determine the contents of all kinds of endogenous bile acids including free bile acids, taurine conjugates and glycine conjugates. Obvious liver injuries could be observed in mice after administrated with ET and DB. Based on the analysis using principle components analysis (PCA), toxic groups could be distinguished from their control groups, which suggested that the variance of the contents of bile acids could evaluate hepatotoxicity caused by ET and DB. Meanwhile, ET and DB toxic groups were classified in the same trends comparing to control groups in the loading plot, and difference between the two toxic groups could also be observed. DB proved to be one of the toxic components in Dioscorea bulbifera L. Bile acids of tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA), taurochenodeoxycholic acid (TCDCA), taurocholic acid (TCA), taurodeoxycholic acid (TDCA), cholic acid (CA) and others proved to be important corresponds to ET and DB induced liver injury according to analysis of partial least square-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and the statistical analysis showed that there were significant differences between the control groups and toxic groups (P < 0.01). Furthermore, good correlation could be revealed between the foregoing bile acids and ALT, AST. It indicated that taurine conjugated bile acids as TUDCA, TCDCA, TCA and TDCA along with CA could be considered as sensitive biomarkers of ET and DB induced liver injury. This work can provide the base for the further research on the evaluation and mechanism of hepatotoxicity caused by Dioscorea bulbifera L.

AIM　Bio-active constituents were expected to be obtained from Dendrobium fimbriatum Hook. METHODS　It was extracted with 95% alcohol, distributed by petrol, isolated via column chromatography on silica gel and purified by crystallization. RESULTS　Nine compounds were isolated from the stems of Dendrobium fimbriatum Hook., On the basis of spectral analyses, six compounds of them were identified as chrysophanol(3), n-dotriacodtanoic acid(5), defuscin(6), n-triacontyl cis-p-coumarate(7), β-sitosterol(8) and chrysotobibenzyl(9). CONCLUSION　Chrysophanol(3) was firstly isolated from Genus dendrobium and chrysotobibenzyl(9) was found from this species for the first time.

OBJECTIVETo develop an HPLC method for fingerprint study of both Senecio scandens and S. scandens.

METHODFingerprints of the two Senecio herbs were compared. And the concentrations of main peaks in them were semi-quantified as chlorogenic acid or hyperoside. Chromatography was performed on a Shiseido Capcell Pak MG II C18 (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) column using a gradient elution of acetonitrile-water containing 0.2% acetic acid. And detection wavelength was 360 nm.

RESULTSignificant difference was found in the fingerprint of the two herbs. Eleven peaks were picked out for the evaluation of S. scandens and S. scandens, respectively. They were identified to be either organic acid compounds or flavones by HPLC-UV and LC-ESI-MS analysis. And semi-quantification of them showed the concentrations of organic acid compounds and flavones in S. scandens were 2.29- and 15.56- folds of those in S. scandens, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe developed HPLC method is suitable for the fingerprint study for both of S. scandens and S. scandens. It is robust and producible enough to be used for the quality evaluation on S. scandens.

Chlorogenic Acid ; analysis ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Quercetin ; analogs & derivatives ; analysis ; Senecio ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo study the anti-platelet effect and influence of Radix Paeoniae Rubra and Radix Paeoniae Alba on rat's endogenous metabolites by animal experiment and UPLC-MS based metabolomic method.

METHODAfter administration of 80% ethanol extracts of Radix Paeoniae Rubra and Radix Paeoniae Alba for 6 d, the serum samples were analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography- mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) and partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) to find out the potential biomarker.

RESULTBoth of the extracts of Radix Paeoniae Rubra and Radix Paeoniae Alba have good effects of inhibition on platelet coacervation, and the effect of Radix Paeoniae Alba is better than that of Radix Paeoniae Rubra. Malic acid, alpha-acetone dicarboxylic acid, leukotrieneA4 (LTA4), prostaglandinE2 (PGE2) and prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF2alpha) are proved to be significant expressed biomarkers.

CONCLUSIONMetabolomics is helpful for the further research of the mechanism of anti-platelet action of Radix Paeoniae Rubra and Radix Paeoniae Alba.

Animals ; Chromatography, Liquid ; methods ; Least-Squares Analysis ; Male ; Mass Spectrometry ; methods ; Metabolomics ; Paeonia ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley