1.Comparison of toxicity of Dichroa alkali salt in zebrafish larvae via intravenous administration and aqueous solution exposure
Xiaozhen HU ; Lina MA ; Changhui ZHENG ; Yuanyuan GUO ; Zuguang YE ; Junling CAO
Chinese Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology 2024;38(8):595-603
OBJECTIVE To study the differences in toxicity between intravenous(iv)administration and aqueous solution exposure of Dichroa alkali salt(DAS)in zebrafish.METHODS ① Well-devel-oped zebrafish larvae of 2 d post fertilization(2 dpf)were randomly divided into the normal control(no treatment),solvent control(saline,iv),and DAS groups(0.125,0.25,0.50,1.00 and 2.00 mg·kg-1,iv)before being observed for 3 consecutive days after administration.A heart rate of 0 was determined as death of zebrafish,and the mortality rate,maximum non-lethal dose(MNLD),and 10 percent lethal dose(LD10)were calculated.The incidence of venous sinus congestion,pericardial edema,slowing heart rate and blood flow of zebrafish in the 0.50 and 2.00 mg·kg-1 groups were observed and calculated by somatoscopic microscopy at 4 h after drug administration.Zebrafish larvae were iv given DAS at doses of 0.041,0.136,0.412,and 0.452 mg·kg-1 while the malformation phenotypes of zebrafish larvae development were observed under a stereomicroscope for 3 consecutive days,including pericardial edema,abnormal heart rate,slow blood flow,loss of circulation,eye abnormalities,brain malforma-tions,jaw abnormalities,loss/degeneration of the liver,delayed yolk sac absorption,intestinal abnormal-ities,abnormal body coloration,body edema,curvature of the trunk/tail/nodal cord and muscle degener-ation before the incidence was calculated.②Zebrafish larvae were randomly divided into a normal control group and DAS aqueous solution exposure groups at concentrations of 2.5,5.0,10.0,25.0,50.0,75.0,and 100.0 mg·L-1,observed for 3 d until the mortality rate,LD10,and MNLD were calculated.Zebrafish were exposed to DAS aqueous solutions at concentrations of 0.32,1.06,3.20,and 11.00 mg·L-1,and the malformation phenotypes of zebrafish larvae development were observed under a stereomicro-scope for 3 consecutive days to calculate the incidence.RESULTS ① The MNLD and LD10 of DAS iv administered to zebrafish larvae were 0.412 and 0.452 mg·kg-1,respectively.Compared with the solvent control group,4 h after DAS iv administration,the incidence of sinus congestion,slow heart rate and pericardial edema in the 0.50 and 2.00 mg·kg-1 groups significantly increased(P<0.05,P<0.01),so was the incidence of slow blood flow in the 2.00 mg·kg-1 group(P<0.01).The rate of delayed yolk sac absorption was significantly increased in the 0.041,0.136,0.412,and 0.452 mg·kg-1 groups(P<0.05,P<0.01),so was the mortality rate in the 0.452 mg·kg-1 group(P<0.05),with pericardial edema observed in the dead zebrafish.② The MNLD and LD10 of DAS aqueous solution exposure for zebrafish larvae were 3.20 and 11.00 mg·L-1,respectively.Compared with the normal control group,the incidence of decreased heart rate and slow blood flow was significantly increased in the 3.20 and 11.00 mg·L-1 groups(P<0.01),so was the incidence of significantly darkened intestines in the 1.06,3.20,and 11.00 mg·L-1 groups(P<0.01).The incidence of delayed yolk sac absorption was significantly increased in the 0.32,1.06,3.20,and 11.00 mg·L-1 groups(P<0.05,P<0.01),so was the incidence of trunk curvature and lower jaw malformation in the 11.00 mg·L-1 group(P<0.01).CONCLUSION The toxic phenotypes of DAS are different between iv administration and aqueous solution exposure in zebrafish larvae.DAS aqueous solution exposure can not only lead to slow heart rate,slow blood rheology,delayed yolk sac absorption and intestinal blackening,but also induce neurodevelopmental toxicity.However,iv adminis-tration can effectively ward off significant gastrointestinal damage and neurodevelopmental toxicity.
2.Study on Mechanism of Xiaojin Pills in Treatment of Breast Cancer Based on Network Pharmacology and Experimental Verification
Delian NIU ; Dongyin LIAN ; Qin HU ; Lihua SUN ; Ying CHEN ; Hongping HOU ; Guangping ZHANG ; Jianrong LI ; Zuguang YE ; Bo PENG
Chinese Journal of Information on Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;31(2):41-49
Objective To explore the molecular mechanism of Xiaojin Pills in the treatment of breast cancer using an integrated network pharmacology and experimental verification.Methods The chemical components and potential targets of Xiaojin Pills were obtained from TCMSP,TCM-ID,ETCM and SwissTargetPrediction databases.Breast cancer related targets were collected from GeneCards,OMIM and KEGG databases.The overlapped targets were imported into STRING database to analysis a protein-protein interaction(PPI).The key targets of PPI networks were screened based on node topology parameter values through Cytoscape 3.8.0.DAVID database was used to analyze the GO and KEGG pathway enrichment to build drug-chemical components-key targets-signaling pathway network.The breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and SK-BR-3 were used to study the effects of Xiaojin Pills extract on cell apoptosis,migration and invasion,and to verify the key pathway obtained by enrichment analysis.Results Totally 181 chemical components in Xiaojin Pills were obtained,including quercetin,myricetin,pinocembrin and β-sitosterol.615 potential targets were identified for the anti-breast cancer effects of Xiaojin Pills.After overlapping,170 key targets against breast cancer were identified based on the topological analysis,which included SRC,ERK1/2,AKT1,EGFR,etc.KEGG analysis enriched pathways including pathways in cancer,MAPK signaling pathway,endocrine resistance,PI3K-AKT signaling pathway,EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance,apoptosis,and HIF-1 signaling pathway,which may play important roles in the therapeutic effects of Xiaojin Pills against breast cancer.GO enrichment was involved in protein phosphorylation,inflammatory response,negative regulation of apoptosis,and positive regulation of ERK1 and ERK2 cascades.Cell experiments showed that Xiaojin Pills further induced mitochondria-dependent apoptosis by inhibiting the activation of MAPK and PI3K-AKT pathways.At the same time,the expressions of ZO-1 and β-catenin increased,and the epithelial-mesenchymal transformation process was reversed to inhibit the metastasis of breast cancer cells.Conclusion The key targets and signaling pathways of Xiaojin Pills in the treatment of breast cancer are studied through network pharmacology combined with in vitro experiments,which provided a basis for further study of its pharmacodynamic material basis,mechanism of action and clinical application.
3.Study on the effects and mechanism of Guiling Gao on the activity state of rats with damp-heat syndrome
Ling SONG ; Han LI ; Yunhang GAO ; Tengfei CHEN ; Hongping HOU ; Bo PENG ; Guangping ZHANG ; Zuguang YE
International Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2023;45(1):47-53
Objective:To investigate the effects of Guiling Gao on body temperature, gastrointestinal motility, gastrointestinal hormones, Th1/Th2 cytokines and water metabolism in rats with damp-heat syndrome.Methods:Totally 60 SD rats were randomly divided into control group, model group, mosapride group, Guiling Gao low dose group (3.4 g/kg), medium dose group (6.8 g/kg) and high dose group (13.6 g/kg) according to random number table method, with 10 rats in each group. Except for the blank group, the other groups adopted the method of "environmental factors + fat and sweet diet + biological factors" to prepare the rat model of damp heat syndrome of febrile diseases. After modeling, they were administered by gavage for 7 days. During the experiment, the general state, body weight and body temperature were observed, the gastric residue rate of rats was calculated by weighing method, the intestinal propulsion rate of rats was calculated by charcoal propulsion method, and the levels of serum motilin (MTL), gastrin (GAS), somatostatin (SS), substance P (SP),IL-4 and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) were detected by ELISA, and the changes of aquaporin 3 (AQP3) mRNA transcription level were detected by real-time PCR.Results:Compared with the model group, the weight of rats in Guiling Gao high dose group increased after experiment of 22 days ( P<0.05), and body temperature of rats in Guiling Gao medium and high dose group decreased in 19-20 day ( P<0.01); and the gastric emptying rate and the small intestine propulsion rate of small intestine in Guiling Gao medium and high dose group increased significantly ( P<0.01 or P<0.05); the serum MTL, GAS and SP levels increased ( P<0.01 or P<0.05), and SS decreased ( P<0.01 or P<0.05) in the Guiling Gao medium and high dose groups; The levels of IL-4, IFN-γ and IFN-γ/IL-4 ratio decreased ( P<0.01); The expression of AQP3 mRNA (1.16 ± 0.25 vs. 0.23 ± 0.01) in the Guiling Gao high dose group was up-regulated ( P<0.01). Conclusions:Guiling Gao can effectively improve the activity state of damp-heat syndrome model rats caused by complex factors. This mechanism may be related to enhancing gastrointestinal movement, increasing gastrointestinal hormone secretion, restoring the dynamic balance of immune system Th1/Th2 and promoting the transport of water from intestinal cavity.
4.Detoxification Mechanism of Combined Chebulae Fructus, Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma and Prepared Aconiti Kusnezoffii Radix Cocta in Regulating Cardiac Metabolic Enzyme CYP2J3
Han LI ; Ling SONG ; Yunhang GAO ; Tengfei CHEN ; Hongping HOU ; Bo PENG ; Zuguang YE ; Guangping ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2023;29(17):88-95
ObjectiveTo investigate the detoxification mechanism of Chebulae Fructus, Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma and Prepared Aconiti Kusnezoffii Radix Cocta, and their effective components ellagic acid, liquiritin and aconitine based on cardiac cytochrome P450 (CYP450) system. MethodIn in vivo experiments, rats were randomly divided into control group, prepared Aconiti Kusnezoffii Radix Cocta group (0.25 g·kg-1), Chebulae Fructus group (0.252 g·kg-1), Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma group (0.25 g·kg-1) and combination group (0.25 g·kg-1 Chebulae Fructus+0.25 g·kg-1 Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma+0.25 g·kg-1 prepared Aconiti Kusnezoffii Radix Cocta, with prepared Aconiti Kusnezoffii Radix Cocta as standard). After 8 days of administration, creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in rats were detected to observe the pathological changes of heart tissue. Real-time PCR and Western blot were performed to detect the mRNA and protein expressions of CYP2J3, respectively. In in vitro experiments, control group, aconitine group, ellagic acid group, liquiritin group and combination group (aconitine+ellagic acid+liquiritin) were set, and their effects on cell number, DNA content, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were detected by high content analysis. The changes in the mRNA and protein expressions of CYP2J3 were also observed. ResultIn vivo experiments, compared with the control group, the prepared Aconiti Kusnezoffii Radix Cocta group had increased CK and LDH in serum (P<0.05, P<0.01), while the combination group had decreased activities of CK and LDH. Additionally, pathological staining results showed that Chebulae Fructus and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma reduced the cardiac toxicity caused by prepared Aconiti Kusnezoffii Radix Cocta. Real-time PCR found that compared with the control group, prepared Aconiti Kusnezoffii Radix Cocta down-regulated the mRNA level of CYP2J3 (P<0.05), while up-regulated that expression when used in combination with Chebulae Fructus and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (P<0.01). The protein and mRNA translation levels were basically consistent. In vitro experiments, high content analysis revealed that there was a decrease in the cell number, DNA content and MMP fluorescence value of the aconitine group (P<0.01) and the combination group (P<0.05, P<0.01), and the fluorescence value of the combination group was higher than that of the aconitine group. Moreover, aconitine down-regulated the mRNA level of CYP2J3 (P<0.05), but the down-regulating ability of aconitine was reversed in the combination group (P<0.05). ConclusionThe detoxification mechanism of combined Chebulae Fructus, Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma and prepared Aconiti Kusnezoffii Radix Cocta is mainly that the combination of ellagic acid, liquiritin and aconitine can up-regulate the expression of CYP2J3, and promote the metabolism of arachidonic acid (AA) to produce epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs), thus reducing the cardiac toxicity, and this effect may start from the transcriptional link.
5.Experience of one-stage repair of the wounds after excision of soft tissue malignant tumor in lower limb by deep inferior epigastric perforator flap in 11 cases
Guanghao LIN ; Zhiwu CHEN ; Linhai CHEN ; Yibing WU ; Zhaohui YE ; Zuguang HUA ; Peng WEI
Chinese Journal of Microsurgery 2019;42(4):330-334
To investigate the clinical efficacy of one-stage repairing the wounds after excision of soft tissue malignant tumor in lower limb with deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flaps. Methods From Au-gust, 2016 to July, 2018, 11 patients(8 males and 3 females; aged 35-76 years) with the soft tissue defects in the low-er limb underwent immediate reconstructive operations with DIEP flap after their tumor resection. The defects ranged in area from 11 cm×7 cm to 25 cm×10 cm after extended resection, including 5 cases of bone exposure. The DIEP flap area ranged from 11 cm×8 cm to 26 cm×18 cm.Among them, 9 cases were treated with free transplantation and 2 cases with pedicle transplantation.The donor sites were closed directly. The patients’ limb function, tumor recurrence and the healing of surgical incision had been followed-up. Results Eleven flaps survived and the donor sites healed directly. One flap had skin pigmentation due to postoperative vascular crisis, and the other flaps had satisfied texture and appearance. All patients were followed-up from 6 to 30 months. The lower limb movement was normal. All the donor sites had a good healing with no pain and abdominal complications. No tumor recurrence was observed during the followed-up period. Conclusion DIEP flap have many advantages, such as large cutting area, which is suitable for large-area wound repair after extended excision of soft tissue malignant tumor in lower limb. At the same time, the perforator vessel is constant and the caliber are thick, also the donor area is concealed and can be sutured directly.This kind of the technique for reconstruction of lower limb soft tissue defects after malignant tumor resection is well acceptable.
6. The design and clinical applications of the scalp O-Z flap
Yangjian WANG ; Xuehong ZHENG ; Zuguang HUA ; Zhaohui YE ; Tiantian REN ; Qinghua SONG ; Peng WEI
Chinese Journal of Plastic Surgery 2018;34(12):1033-1037
Objective:
To investigate the effect of O-Z flap for the reconstruction of round-or elliptical-shaped defects following the scalp tumor removal.
Methods:
The resection of the scalp tumor resulted in a round or elliptical-shaped defect. Intraoperative frozen section identified pathological diagnosis, while also ensured margin being tumor-free. Based on the size and location of the defect, the mobility of the surrounding scalp and hair distribution, two local flaps were designed in opposite directions on each side of the defect. The two flaps were rotated to close the defect in an O-Z fashion.
Results:
From April 2016 to November 2017, 6 patients underwent defect reconstruction using the scalp O-Z flap. The etiologies included basal cell carcinoma (
7.QSAR Study on Toxicity of Chemical Components of Chinese Materia Medica and Acute Toxicity of Rats
Lei LEI ; Xinzhou WANG ; Li ZHANG ; Ce YANG ; Li KANG ; Yongliang ZHU ; Xiangping QIAN ; Zuguang YE
Chinese Journal of Information on Traditional Chinese Medicine 2016;(1):43-46
Objective To study computer toxicity prediction technology and predict the acute toxicity of Chinese materia medica; To provide a new way and method for safety evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine. Methods First, Mold2 software (version 2.0.0) was used to calculate molecular descriptors of 7409 chemical components. After preliminary screening of molecular descriptors, quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models were built up with Random Forest (RF) for screening the optimum prediction model. From the 83 kinds of toxic Chinese materia medica in Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2010 edition), acute toxicity of 60 kinds of Chinese materia medica reported from monomer structure (1692 chemical components) were under prediction.Results Totally 7409 pieces of data were obtained. When the descriptors were 52, RF modeling accuracy and Kappa were the highest, 0.712 and 0.436 respectively. Compound clusters were divided into 3 types according to optimum molecule descriptors (52). The accuracy and Kappa of the optimum model for the first type of compounds were 0.666 and 0.476 respectively; the accuracy and Kappa of the optimum model for the second type of compounds were 0.804 and 0.381 respectively; the accuracy and Kappa of the optimum model for the third type of compounds were 0.709 and 0.373 respectively. It was predicted that 60 kinds of Chinese materia medica containing 0 violent toxic compound, 2 high toxic compounds, 172 medium toxic compounds and 1518 low toxic compound.Conclusion QSAR model for prediction study on acute toxicity of chemical components of Chinese mareria medica can provide references combination medication and experimental studies.
8.QSAR Study on Rat Cardiotoxicity of Chemical Component of Chinese Herbs
Lei LEI ; Xinzhou WANG ; Li ZHANG ; Li KANG ; Ce YANG ; Yongliang ZHU ; Zuguang YE ; Xiangping QIAN
World Science and Technology-Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2015;(9):1833-1837
In order to provide a new way and method for safety evaluation of Chinese materia medica (CMM) and also to provide a reference for conventional animal experiments, computer toxicity prediction technique and method were established to predict the cardiotoxicity of CMM. Mold2 software (version 2.0.0) was used to calculate molecular descriptors of 1034 chemical components. Then, the random forest (RF) method and the support vector machine (SVM) method were used to screen the descriptors. After that, boosting trees method, SVM, regularized discriminant analysis method and RF method were used to build up prediction model, respectively. Finally, the cardiotoxicity of chemical components was predicted by the quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) model with the best accuracy and Kappa value. The results showed that by comparing the accuracy and Kappa value of prediction model, it was found that the RF model was the optimal algorithm model with 86.3%accuracy and the Kappa value of 0. 725. Through the prediction research on chemical components of Chinese herbs with toxicity recorded in the Pharmacopoeia of People’s Republic of China (version2010),suchasEvodia rutaecarpa,North bean root,Murraya incense,some meaningful results had been received. It was concluded that QSAR model on prediction research of chemical components of Chinese herbs provided important references for further experimental studies and clinical researches.
9.Research Review on Mechanisms of Antimalarial Action of Artemisinin and Its Derivatives
Chinese Journal of Information on Traditional Chinese Medicine 2014;(9):5-9
Studies on mechanisms of antimalarial action of artemisinin and its derivatives had been reviewed after artemisinin as an antimalarial drug was developed in 1972. The research work, which was mainly done by Chinese scholars, was introduced in the paper, and comprised 4 aspects:histopathology on the ultrastructure by electro-microscopy, the metabolism including the pigment clumping of the malarial parasite by biochemical pharmacology, and oxidation and Fe iron’s effect that were discussed in details based on studies from both domestic and international labs.
10.Tissue distribution of PEGylated puerarin in acute myocardial ischemia mode rats.
Chunfang XIA ; Zuguang YE ; Xiangning ZHOU ; Tiantian TANG ; Lingjun WEN ; Xinyi LIU
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 2014;49(10):1413-7
The aim of this study is to explore the tissue distribution of PEGylated puerarin in acute myocardial ischemia model rats. Healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into two groups (30 each). Both were given PEGylated puerarin at a dose of 488 mg x kg(-1). After 5 min of medication, one group was normal rats, another group with acute myocardial ischemia was established by peritoneal injection of 50 mg x kg(-1) isoprenaline. After administration, the animals were executed at 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 min, then heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney were extracted. The content of puerarin in organ tissue was determined by HPLC. The results showed that the AUC of tissue distribution of PEGylated puerarin in normal rats was liver > kidney > heart ≈ spleen > lung > brain. While the AUC of tissue distribution of PEGylated puerarin in acute myocardial ischemia model rats was liver ≈ heart > kidney > lung ≈ spleen > brain. AUC(heart) of PEGylated puerarin in acute myocardial ischemia model rats was 1.7 times than that of the normal rats, and there was significant difference (P < 0.05). Thus, PEGylated puerarin had a good heart-targeting property in early myocardial infarction area, drugs could accumulate in the ischemic myocardium. It provided important information for further study and clinic use of PEGylated puerarin.

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