1.Oridonin restores hepatic lipid homeostasis in an LXRα-ATGL/EPT1 axis-dependent manner
Yulian CHEN ; Huanguo JIANG ; Zhikun ZHAN ; Jindi LU ; Tanwei GU ; Ping YU ; Weimin LIANG ; Xi ZHANG ; Shilong ZHONG ; Lan TANG
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis 2023;13(11):1281-1295
Hepatosteatosis is characterized by abnormal accumulation of triglycerides(TG),leading to prolonged and chronic inflammatory infiltration.To date,there is still a lack of effective and economical therapies for hepatosteatosis.Oridonin(ORI)is a major bioactive component extracted from the traditional Chinese medicinal herb Rabdosia rubescens.In this paper,we showed that ORI exerted significant protective ef-fects against hepatic steatosis,inflammation and fibrosis,which was dependent on LXRα signaling.It is reported that LXRα regulated lipid homeostasis between triglyceride(TG)and phosphatidylethanol-amine(PE)by promoting ATCL and EPT1 expression.Therefore,we implemented the lipidomic strategy and luciferase reporter assay to verify that ORI contributed to the homeostasis of lipids via the regulation of the ATGL gene associated with TG hydrolysis and the EPT1 gene related to PE synthesis in a LXRα-dependent manner,and the results showed the TG reduction and PE elevation.In detail,hepatic TG overload and lipotoxicity were reversed after ORI treatment by modulating the ATCL and EPT1 genes,respectively.Taken together,the data provide mechanistic insights to explain the bioactivity of ORI in attenuating TG accumulation and cytotoxicity and introduce exciting opportunities for developing novel natural activators of the LXRα-ATGL/EPT1 axis for pharmacologically treating hepatosteatosis and metabolic disorders.
2.Herbal Textual Research on Bletillae Rhizoma in Famous Classical Formulas
Dan ZHAO ; Tao ZHOU ; Chaolei LUO ; Dewei GAN ; Lingling LIU ; Chuanzhi KANG ; Zhikun WU ; Xu LI ; Yan FU ; Guoqiong CAO ; Yongping ZHANG ; Chenghong XIAO ; Zhilai ZHAN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(4):77-88
In order to provide basic information for the utilization and development of famous classical formulas containing Bletillae Rhizoma, this article systematically analyzes the historical evolution of the name, origin, harvesting and processing of Bletillae Rhizoma by reviewing the ancient materia medica, prescription books, medical books and modern literature. The research results showed that Baiji(白及) was the main name, some scholars took Baiji(白芨) as its main name, and there were many other names such as Baiji(白给), Baigen(白根), Baiji(白苙). The mainstream source of Bletillae Rhizoma was the tubers of Bletilla striata, and drying, large, white, solid, root-free and skin removed completely were the good quality standards. With the promotion of wild to cultivated medicinal materials, there were certain differences between their traits, and the quality evaluation indexes should be adjusted accordingly. The origin of records in the past dynasties was widely distributed, with Guizhou and Sichuan having high production and good quality in modern times. The harvesting period is mostly in spring and autumn, and harvested in autumn was better. The processing and processing technology is relatively simple, and it was used fresh or powdered in past dynasties, while it is mainly sliced for raw use in modern times. Based on the results, it is suggested that the tubers of Bletilla striata of Orchidaceae should be used in the famous classical formulas, and it should be uniformly written as Baiji(白及). And if the original formula indicates the requirement of processing, it should be operated according to the requirement, if the requirement of processing is not indicated, it can be used in raw form as medicine.