Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata (Fuzi) represents a significant traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that exhibits both notable pharmacological effects and toxicity. Various processing methods are implemented to reduce the toxicity of raw Fuzi by modifying its toxic and effective components, primarily diterpenoid alkaloids. To comprehensively analyze the chemical variations between different Fuzi products, ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-linear ion trap quadrupole Orbitrap mass spectrometry (UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap MS) was employed to systematically characterize Shengfuzi, Heishunpian and Baifupian. A total of 249 diterpenoid alkaloids present in Shengfuzi were identified, while only 111 and 61 in Heishunpian and Baifupian were detected respectively, indicating substantial differences among these products. An untargeted metabolomics approach combined with multivariate statistical analysis revealed 42 potential chemical markers. Through subsequent validation using 52 batches of commercial Heishunpian and Baifupian samples, 8 robust markers distinguishing these products were identified, including AC1-propanoic acid-3OH, HE-glucoside, HE-hydroxyvaleric acid-2OH, dihydrosphingosine, N-dodecoxycarbonylvaline and three unknown compounds. Additionally, the MS imaging (MSI) technique was utilized to visualize the spatial distribution of chemical constituents in raw Fuzi, revealing how different processing procedures affect the chemical variations between Heishunpian and Baifupian. The distribution patterns of different diterpenoid alkaloid subtypes partially explained the chemical differences among products. This research provides valuable insights into the material basis for future investigations of different Fuzi products.
Diterpenes/chemistry* ; Alkaloids/chemistry* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods* ; Aconitum/chemistry* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Metabolomics ; Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Plant Roots/chemistry* ; Molecular Structure

Aim To explore the safety and efficacy of simple drug-coated balloon(DCB)compared with provi-sional stenting(PS)in the treatment of pseudo-left main(pseudo-LM)bifurcation lesions.Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on 175 patients who underwent coronary angiography for pseudo-LM bifurcation lesions and interven-tional treatment at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2018 to January 2023.According to the treatment strategy,they were divided into drug-eluting stent(DES)group(99 cases)and DCB group(76 cases).Preoperative and immediate postoperative quantitative coronary angiography(QCA)data were recorded,and patients were followed up.The follow-up endpoints included the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events(MACE)and hospi-tal re-admission.Coronary angiography and QCA data during follow-up were also recorded.Results The immediate postoperative minimum lumen diameter and lumen gain in the left main(LM),left anterior descending(LAD),and left circumflex(LCX)arteries of the DCB group were smaller than those of the DES group(P＜0.05),while the degree of re-sidual lumen stenosis immediately after surgery was greater than that of the DES group(P＜0.05).QCA was performed on the coronary angiography results of follow-up patients.The minimum lumen diameter in LM,LAD,and LCX was smaller in the DCB group than in the DES group during follow-up(P＜0.05).The degree of residual lumen stenosis dur-ing follow-up was greater in the DCB group than in the DES group(P＜0.05),but the late lumen loss in LM,LAD,and LCX was smaller in the DCB group than that in the DES group,with statistically significant differences(P＜0.05).There was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative MACE between the two groups during the follow-up period(P＞0.05).Cox regression analysis showed that the choice of interventional treatment(DCB vs.PS)had no significant impact on the risk of MACE(P＞0.05).Conclusion Compared with PS,DCB alone demonstrates relatively satisfac-tory efficacy and safety in the treatment of pseudo-LM bifurcation lesions and can be considered as an alternative treatment strategy for interventional therapy of such lesions.

Aim To explore the safety and efficacy of simple drug-coated balloon(DCB)compared with provi-sional stenting(PS)in the treatment of pseudo-left main(pseudo-LM)bifurcation lesions.Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on 175 patients who underwent coronary angiography for pseudo-LM bifurcation lesions and interven-tional treatment at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2018 to January 2023.According to the treatment strategy,they were divided into drug-eluting stent(DES)group(99 cases)and DCB group(76 cases).Preoperative and immediate postoperative quantitative coronary angiography(QCA)data were recorded,and patients were followed up.The follow-up endpoints included the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events(MACE)and hospi-tal re-admission.Coronary angiography and QCA data during follow-up were also recorded.Results The immediate postoperative minimum lumen diameter and lumen gain in the left main(LM),left anterior descending(LAD),and left circumflex(LCX)arteries of the DCB group were smaller than those of the DES group(P＜0.05),while the degree of re-sidual lumen stenosis immediately after surgery was greater than that of the DES group(P＜0.05).QCA was performed on the coronary angiography results of follow-up patients.The minimum lumen diameter in LM,LAD,and LCX was smaller in the DCB group than in the DES group during follow-up(P＜0.05).The degree of residual lumen stenosis dur-ing follow-up was greater in the DCB group than in the DES group(P＜0.05),but the late lumen loss in LM,LAD,and LCX was smaller in the DCB group than that in the DES group,with statistically significant differences(P＜0.05).There was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative MACE between the two groups during the follow-up period(P＞0.05).Cox regression analysis showed that the choice of interventional treatment(DCB vs.PS)had no significant impact on the risk of MACE(P＞0.05).Conclusion Compared with PS,DCB alone demonstrates relatively satisfac-tory efficacy and safety in the treatment of pseudo-LM bifurcation lesions and can be considered as an alternative treatment strategy for interventional therapy of such lesions.

Evaluating the consistency of herb injectable formulations could improve their product quality and clinical safety, particularly concerning the composition and content levels of trace ingredients. Panax notoginseng Saponins Injection (PNSI), widely used in China for treating acute cardiovascular diseases, contains low-abundance (10%-25%) and trace saponins in addition to its five main constituents (notoginsenoside R₁, ginsenoside Rg₁, ginsenoside Re, ginsenoside Rb₁, and ginsenoside Rd). This study aimed to establish a robust analytical method and assess the variability in trace saponin levels within PNSI from different vendors and formulation types. To achieve this, a liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method employing multiple ions monitoring (MIM) was developed. A "post-column valve switching" strategy was implemented to eliminate highly abundant peaks (NR₁, Rg₁, and Re) at 26 min. A total of 51 saponins in PNSI were quantified or relatively quantified using 18 saponin standards, with digoxin as the internal standard. This study evaluated 119 batches of PNSI from seven vendors, revealing significant variability in trace saponin levels among different vendors and formulation types. These findings highlight the importance of consistent content in low-abundance and trace saponins to ensure product control and clinical safety. Standardization of these ingredients is crucial for maintaining the quality and effectiveness of PNSI in treating acute cardiovascular diseases.
Ginsenosides ; Saponins ; Chemometrics ; Panax notoginseng ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Five new racemic N-acetyldopamine (NADA) trimers, asponchimides A-E (1-5), were isolated from Aspongopus chinensis, a prominent traditional Chinese medicinal insect employed for alleviating pain, treating indigestion, and addressing kidney ailments. Compounds 1-5 were successfully resolved by chiral high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), yielding five pairs of enantiomers: (+)- and (-)-asponchimides A-E (1a/1b-5a/5b). Their structural identities were discerned by extensive spectroscopic analyses, including high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, infrared (IR) spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and their absolute configurations were determined by electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. Compounds 1-5 are pioneering instances of NADA trimers featuring a Δ⁷ double bond. When subjected to a series of bioassays, a majority of the compounds exhibited weak inhibitory activity against nitric oxide (NO) production in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells.
Molecular Structure ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Dopamine ; Nitric Oxide

Achyranthes bidentata Blume is widely used as a traditional Chinese medicine with the effects of nourishing the liver and kidneys and strengthening muscles and bones. In this work, a rapid and simple strategy was developed for characterizing phytoecdysteroids by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with liner ion trap-Orbitrap mass spectrometry using electrospray ionization in the negative mode. As a result, 47 phytoecdysteroids were unambiguously or tentatively characterized. Among them, seven known compounds were identified according to the reference standards along with molecular formula, retention time and fragmentation patterns, while others were mostly potential new compounds. Through targeted isolation, the structures of three new compounds were determined by NMR spectra, which were consistent with LC-MS characterization. The present study provides an efficient method to deeply characterize phytoecdysteroids.
Achyranthes/chemistry* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods* ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Mass Spectrometry ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization/methods*

In this study, a high performance thin-layer chromatography/single quadrupole mass spectrometry QDa (HPTLC-QDa) method for robust authentication of Ganoderma lucidum, a popular and valuable herbal medicine, has been developed. This method is simple and practical, which allows direct generation of characteristic mass spectra from the HPTLC plates automatically with the application of in situ solvent desorption interface. The HPTLC silica gel plates were developed with toluene-ethyl formate-formic acid (5 : 5 : 0.2, V/V) and all bands were transferred to QDa system directly in situ using 80% methanol with 0.1% formic acid as desorption solvent. The acquired HPTLC-QDa spectra showed that luminous yellow band b3, containing ganoderic acid B/G/H and ganodeneric acid B, the major active components of Ganoderma, could be found only in G. lucidum and G. lucidum (Antler-shaped), but not in G. sinense and G. applanatum. Moreover, bands b13 and b14 with m/z 475/477 and m/z 475/491/495, respectively, could be detected in G. lucidum (Antler-shaped), but not in G. lucidum, thus allowing simple and robust authentication of G. lucidum with confused species. This method is proved to be simple, practical and reproducible, which can be extended to analyze other herbal medicines.

OBJECTIVE: Lung-toxin Dispelling Formula No. 1, referred to as Respiratory Detox Shot (RDS), was developed based on a classical prescription of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and the theoretical understanding of herbal properties within TCM. Therapeutic benefits of using RDS for both disease control and prevention, in the effort to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), have been shown. However, the biochemically active constituents of RDS and their mechanisms of action are still unclear. The goal of the present study is to clarify the material foundation and action mechanism of RDS. METHODS: To conduct an analysis of RDS, an integrative analytical platform was constructed, including target prediction, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, and cluster analysis; further, the hub genes involved in the disease-related pathways were identified, and the their corresponding compounds were used for in vitro validation of molecular docking predictions. The presence of these validated compounds was also measured in samples of the RDS formula to quantify the abundance of the biochemically active constituents. In our network pharmacological study, a total of 26 bioinformatic programs and databases were used, and six networks, covering the entire Zang-fu viscera, were constructed to comprehensively analyze the intricate connections among the compounds-targets-disease pathways-meridians of RDS. RESULTS: For all 1071 known chemical constituents of the nine ingredients in RDS, identified from established TCM databases, 157 passed drug-likeness screening and led to 339 predicted targets in the constituent-target network. Forty-two hub genes with core regulatory effects were extracted from the PPI network, and 134 compounds and 29 crucial disease pathways were implicated in the target-constituent-disease network. Twelve disease pathways attributed to the Lung-Large Intestine meridians, with six and five attributed to the Kidney-Urinary Bladder and Stomach-Spleen meridians, respectively. One-hundred and eighteen candidate constituents showed a high binding affinity with SARS-coronavirus-2 3-chymotrypsin-like protease (3CL), as indicated by molecular docking using computational pattern recognition. The in vitro activity of 22 chemical constituents of RDS was validated using the 3CL inhibition assay. Finally, using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry in data-independent analysis mode, the presence of seven out of these 22 constituents was confirmed and validated in an aqueous decoction of RDS, using reference standards in both non-targeted and targeted approaches. CONCLUSION RDS acts primarily in the Lung-Large Intestine, Kidney-Urinary Bladder and Stomach-Spleen meridians, with other Zang-fu viscera strategically covered by all nine ingredients. In the context of TCM meridian theory, the multiple components and targets of RDS contribute to RDS's dual effects of health-strengthening and pathogen-eliminating. This results in general therapeutic effects for early COVID-19 control and prevention.
Antiviral Agents ; chemistry ; therapeutic use ; Betacoronavirus ; chemistry ; enzymology ; Coronavirus Infections ; drug therapy ; prevention & control ; virology ; Cysteine Endopeptidases ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Mass Spectrometry ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Pandemics ; prevention & control ; Pneumonia, Viral ; drug therapy ; prevention & control ; virology ; Protein Interaction Maps ; Viral Nonstructural Proteins ; chemistry

Objective: To explore the clinical value of plasma copeptin level on major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) occurrence in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) during hospitalization.
Methods: Our research included 2 groups:STEMI group, n=80 and Control group, n=80 patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD). All patients were treated in our hospital from 2012-06 to 2014-06. Plasma level of copeptin was detected by ELISA, other relevant examinations were conducted to study the MACE occurrence in STEMI patients.
Results: Plasma copeptin level in STEMI group (523.26 ± 142.69) pg/ml was higher than that in Control group (345.25 ± 89.36) pg/ml, P<0.05. In STEMI group, there were 28/80 (35%) patients suffered from MACE, compared with non-MACE patients, they had increased plasma copeptin, cardiac muscle protein I (cTnI), kinase isoenzyme (CK-MB) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), P<0.05. Multivariate regression analysis indicated that plasma copeptin, cTnI and LVEF were the independent risk factors for MACE occurrence. According to occurred area under the curve, compared with cTnI and CK-MB, plasma copeptin level had the higher predictive value to judge the ROC, positive/negative possibility, sensitivity and speciifcity for MACE occurrence in STEAMI patients, P<0.05.
Conclusion: Plasma copeptin level could effectively predict MACE occurrence in patients with acute STEMI during
hospitalization, it may predict their prognosis at certain point.

AIM:ToinvestigatetheroleofSH2-domain-containingprotein-tyrosinephosphatase-1(SHP-1) lentivirus in atherosclerotic mice .METHODS:ApoE knock-out mice were randomly assigned to 3 groups:control group , GFP transfection group and SHP-1 transfection group .All mice were placed with carotid collars on the right common carotid arteries near its bifurcation , following feeding with high-fat diet for 8 weeks and then transfected with GFP blank vector or SHP-1 lentivirus ( SHP-1-LV) .The fluorescence density of the plaques , body weight , the levels of plasma total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) were determined at 1st, 2nd, and 6th week after lentivirus transfection.Furthermore, the mRNA and protein expression of SHP-1, interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), matrix metalloproteinase ( MMP)-2 and MMP-9 were analyzed by real-time PCR and Western blot .Additionally , pathological analysis of the plaques was also performed by HE and oil red O staining .RESULTS:The fluorescence of the plaques was observed at 1st, 2nd, and 6th week after lentivirus transfection , with a highest density at 2nd week.The body weight and the levels of TC and TG in the mice were not influenced by lentivirus transfection .Moreover, SHP-1-LV transfection significantly upregulated the expression of SHP-1 at mRNA and protein levels, but inhibited the expression of IL-6, TNF-α, MMP-2 and MMP-9.In addition, SHP-1-LV transfection also decreased the plaque size ratio and lipid content in right common carotid arteries . CONCLUSION:SHP-1 overexpression accelerates the regression of atherosclerotic plaque , thus emerging SHP-1 as a tar-get for prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis .