Gastrodin(GAS) and p-hydroxybenzyl alcohol(HBA) are extracts of dried tubers of Gastrodia elata, which is the material basis for its efficacy and belongs to phenolic compounds. Modern pharmacology studies have shown that they have significant effects on central nervous system diseases, such as insomnia, convulsions, depression, ischemic stroke, anxiety, and cognitive impairment, and these diseases are closely related to neurotransmitters and cytokines. This paper described various mechanisms of GAS and HBA monomer components on the central nervous system. They alleviate hippocampal neuronal toxicity mainly by regulating a variety of neurotransmitters, such as acetylcholine, glutamic acid(GLU), γ-aminobutyric acid(GABA), serotonin(5-HT), dopamine(DA), norepinephrine(NE), 5-indoleacetic acid(5-HIAA), high vanillic acid(HVA) and dihydroxyphenylacetic acid(DOPAC), pro-inflammatory cell growth factors, such as IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α and relevant receptor functions, and exert neuropharmacological effects by effectively increasing mRNA expressions of brain neurotrophic factors, such as BDNF and GDNF, and further inhibiting the apoptosis of damaged neurons. This paper summarized various mechanisms on the central nervous system, which provides a scientific basis for the further research of the neuropharmacological mechanism of GAS and HBA and the development of new drugs and functional food.
Benzyl Alcohols/pharmacology* ; Central Nervous System/drug effects* ; Gastrodia/chemistry* ; Glucosides/pharmacology* ; Humans ; Plant Extracts/pharmacology*

OBJECTIVE: To explore the role of mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) in mediating the protective effect of gastrodin against oxidative stress damage in H9c2 cardiac myocytes. METHODS: H9c2 cardiac myocytes were treated with HO, gastrodin, gastrodin+HO, cyclosporin A (CsA), or CsA+gas+HO group. MTT assay was used to detect the survival ratio of H9c2 cells, and flow cytometry with Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining was used to analyze the early apoptosis rate after the treatments. The concentration of ATP and level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the cells were detected using commercial kits. The mitochondrial membrane potential of the cells was detected with laser confocal microscopy. The expression of cytochrome C was detected with Western blotting, and the activity of caspase-3 was also assessed in the cells. RESULTS: Gastrodin pretreatment could prevent oxidative stress-induced reduction of mitochondrial membrane potential, and this effect was inhibited by the application of CsA. Gastrodin significantly lowered the levels of ROS and apoptosis-related factors in HO-exposed cells, and such effects were reversed by CsA. CsA significantly antagonized the protective effect of gastrodin against apoptosis in HO-exposed cells. CONCLUSIONS Gastrodin prevents oxidative stress-induced injury in H9c2 cells by inhibiting mPTP opening to reduce the cell apoptosis.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; analysis ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Benzyl Alcohols ; antagonists & inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Caspase 3 ; analysis ; Cell Line ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Cyclosporine ; pharmacology ; Cytochromes c ; analysis ; Glucosides ; antagonists & inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; antagonists & inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial ; drug effects ; Mitochondrial Membrane Transport Proteins ; physiology ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of gastrodin on isolated thoracic aorta rings of rats and to investigate the potential mechanism.

METHODSA perfusion model of isolated thoracic aorta rings of rats was applied. The effect of cumulative gastrodin (5, 50, 100,150, 200, and 250 μmol/L) on endothelium-intact aorta rings was investigated. The same procedure was applied to observe the effect of gastrodin on endothelium-intact/denuded aorta rings pre-contracted with 10(-6) mol/L phenylephrine hydrochloride (PE). The aorta rings incubated by 200 mmol/L gastrodin in the Ca(2+)-free (K-H) solution was contracted by using PE. The effect of 200 mmol/L gastrodin on endothelium-denuded aorta rings pre-contracted with 60 mmol/L KCl was also observed.

RESULTSCompared with the denuded gastrodin group, the intact gastrodin group could significantly relax the PE-contracted aorta rings (P<0.01). In Ca(2+)-free (K-H) solution KHS, the PE-induced contraction rate of aorta rings pre-incubated by gastrodin was 6.5%±0.7%, which was significantly less than the control group (11.8%±0.9%,P<0.01). However, after 3 mmol/L CaCl2 was added, the Ca(2+)-induced contraction in the gastrodin group (51.7%±2.4%) was similar to that in the control group (49.8%±2.8%). The contractile rate of rings in the KCl-contracted gastrodin group (96.3%±0.6%) was not significantly different from that in the control group (96.8%±1.2%).

CONCLUSIONSGastrodin has the effect of vasorelaxation on isolated thoracic aorta rings of rats. The mechanism of the vasorelaxation of gastrodin may mainly work through the inhibition of inositol 1, 4, 5-trisphosphosphate receptor on the sarcoplasmic reticulum of the arterial smooth muscle, which leads to the reduction of the Ca(2+) released from the sarcoplasmic reticulum.

Animals ; Aorta, Thoracic ; drug effects ; physiology ; Benzyl Alcohols ; pharmacology ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Endothelium, Vascular ; physiology ; Female ; Glucosides ; pharmacology ; In Vitro Techniques ; Male ; Phenylephrine ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Vasodilation ; drug effects

This study is to screen the Chinese herbal compounds which could inhibit the production of Abeta and investigate the underlying mechanism. Ten types of compounds which have potential value in the treatment of AD were selected as initial screening trial. The cell models which used could overexpress Abeta and beta-secretases or Abeta and gamma-secretases. Extracellular Abeta was determined by ELISA after the cell models treated with different concentrations of compounds (0.5-100 micromol x L(-1)), separately. Then the compounds were selected which could inhibit extracellular Abeta and their best concentration ranges were decided, too. Furthermore, the cell viability and apoptosis rate, the level of intracellular Abeta, beta and gamma-secretases were determined after the cell models treated with different concentrations of selected compounds. The results showed that 4 of the 10 compounds could reduce the level of extracellular Abeta; they were cryptotanshinone, astragalosides, gastrodin and paeoniflorin, and their best concentration ranges were 0.5-5.0, 0.5-5.0, 5.0-50, 1.0-25 micromol x L(-1), respectively. Further study indicated that the 4 selected compounds were nontoxic to the cellular models and lowering intracellular Abeta were more effective compared with extracellular; of which astragalosides and gastrodin showed dose-dependent inhibition to the activities of beta and gamma-secretases, with the maximum inhibiting rates of 78.2% and 80.3%, respectively. In conclusion, cryptotanshinone, astragalosides, gastrodin and paeoniflorin could inhibit the expression and secretion of Abeta, and the underlying inhibiting mechanism of astragalosides and gastrodin were related with the reduction of the beta and gamma-secretase activities, respectively.
Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases ; metabolism ; Amyloid beta-Peptides ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Apoptosis ; Benzyl Alcohols ; pharmacology ; Cell Line ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Glucosides ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Monoterpenes ; pharmacology ; Phenanthrenes ; pharmacology ; Saponins ; pharmacology

The paper aims to study the pharmacokinetic parameters of gastrodin in rats effected by compound compatibilitiy and different doses of Tiangou Jiangya capsule. The extracts from Gastrodiae Rhizoma( equivalent to gastrodin 16.82 mg x kg(-1) and Tiangou jiangya capsule (equivalent to gastrodin 8.410, 16.82, 33.64 mg x kg(-1)) were oral administrated to rats respectively. The plasma were taken at various time points and treated with acetonitrile to measure the contents of gastrodin by HPLC method. The mean plasma concentration-time data were analyzed by 3P97 pharmacokinetic software and the pharmacokinetic parameters between groups were treated by SPSS 16.0. The results showed that gastrodin in rat was fitted to one-compartment model, Cmax and AUC of Tiangou Jiangya capsule were in direct proportion to oral administration, and t1/2Ka had nothing to do with doses, which indicated that gastrodin was fitted first-order rate transfter process in vivo. Morever, comparison with the Gastrodiae Rhizoma extract, isodose gastrodin in Tiangou Jiangya capsule showed a significant decrease for Cmax, Ke and increase for t1/2Ke, V/Fc, this indicated that compound compatibility can delay the absorbtion of gastrodin, prolong the resident time and promote the distribution in vivo, but its bioavailability is not significantly effected.
Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Benzyl Alcohols ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology ; Blood Pressure ; drug effects ; Female ; Flavonoids ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Furans ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Gastrodia ; chemistry ; Glucosides ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology ; Lignans ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Software

BACKGROUNDGastrodin, as one of the major components extracted from the Chinese herb Gastrodia elata Bl., has many biologic effects, one of which is anti-apoptosis. Apoptosis is considered to be one of the pathogenetic mechanisms in steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH). Therefore, we performed this study to investigate whether gastrodin has the potential to prevent steroid-induced ONFH.

METHODSAll 18 male adult Wistar rats were divided equally into three groups: the steroid group, the gastrodin+steroid group, and the control group. Osteonecrosis was induced by low-dose lipopolysaccharide and subsequent high-dose methylprednisolone. Histomorphometric method was used to determine the incidence of osteonecrosis. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) assay was performed to detect apoptotic index of osteocytes and osteoblasts. Real-time PCR and Western blotting were performed to detect mRNA and protein expression of Bax, Bcl-2, and Caspase-3. Fisher's exact probability test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Turkey's post hoc test were used to examine significant differences between groups.

RESULTSThe incidence of osteonecrosis in the gastrodin+steroid group (16.7%) was significantly lower than that in the steroid group (83.3%). According to TUNEL assay, the apoptotic indices in the steroid group, the gastrodin+steroid group, and the control group were 91.1%, 27.1%, and 5.4%, respectively, and the differences were significant between groups. Compared with the control group and the gastrodin+steroid group, the mRNA and protein expression levels of Bax and Caspase-3 were significantly higher in the steroid group, but the Bcl-2 mRNA and protein expression levels were significantly lower.

CONCLUSIONGastrodin could prevent steroid-induced ONFH by anti-apoptosis.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Benzyl Alcohols ; therapeutic use ; Femur Head Necrosis ; drug therapy ; prevention & control ; Glucosides ; therapeutic use ; Lipopolysaccharides ; pharmacology ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Steroids ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo study in situ intestinal absorption kinetics of baicalin contained in Tiangou Jiangya capsules, and the effect of different intestinal segments, pH value, drug concentration and P-gp inhibitor on the absorption.

METHODThe in situ intestinal perfusion test was adopted, and HPLC method was used to determine the content of baicalin in samples at different time points. Ultra-violet (UV) spectrophotometry was used to determine the content of phenol red in samples at different time points.

RESULTWhen pH value was at 5. 0, 6. 5, 7. 4, the absorption of baicalin was not impacted. P-gp inhibitor verapamil could enhance the absorption of baicalin. When the quality concentration of the test solution ranged between 5-20 g L -1 , the linearity of the absorption amount of baicalin increased. The absorption kinetic equation of baicalin was Y = -0. 073 7X +0. 118 7 (r = 0. 994 8) , K. 0. 073 7 h -1 , t1/2 9. 40 h.

CONCLUSIONBaicalin is mainly absorbed in colon. The absorption of baicalin shows the first-order kinetics process, with the absorption mechanism of passive diffusion. Baicalin is a substrate for P-gp.

ATP-Binding Cassette, Sub-Family B, Member 1 ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Animals ; Benzyl Alcohols ; chemistry ; standards ; Female ; Flavonoids ; chemistry ; metabolism ; standards ; Furans ; chemistry ; standards ; Glucosides ; chemistry ; standards ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Intestinal Absorption ; drug effects ; Kinetics ; Lignans ; chemistry ; standards ; Male ; Quality Control ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Verapamil ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of gastrodin in relaxing isolated thoracic aorta rings in rats and discuss its possible mechanism.

METHODIsotonic tension of isolated thoracic aortic rings in rats with norepineprine (NE) and KCl was recorded to observe the vasodilatory effect of gastrodin and the influence of various drugs on it.

RESULTGastrodin had the effect in relaxing thoracic aortas with or without endothelium, and there was no significant difference. NG-nitro-L-argininemethylester (L-NAME, 1 x 10(-4) mol x L(-1)), methylene blue (MB, 1 x 10(-5) mol x L(-1)), indomethacin (INDO, 1 x 10(-5) mol x L(-1)) had no effect on the vasodilation action of gastrodin on thoracic aortas precontracted by NE. 4-aminopyrimide (4-AP, 1 x 10(-4) mol x L(-1)), tetrathylamonium (TEA, 1 x 10(-3) mol x L(-1)), BaCl2 (1 x 10(-4) mol x L(-1)) and glibenclamide (Gli, 1 x 10(-5) mol x L(-1)) could inhibit gastrodin's effect in relaxing thoracic aorta rings. In the absence of Ca2+, pre-incubated gastrodin showed a notable inhibitory effect in relaxing NE contraction.

CONCLUSIONGastrodin shows a dose-dependent and endothelium-independent effect in relaxing rat isolated thoracic aorta rings. The mechanism is related to K+ channel, inhibition of release of Ca+ stored in endoplasmic reticulum of vascular smooth muscle cells and inflow of external calcium Ca2+.

Animals ; Aorta, Thoracic ; drug effects ; physiology ; Benzyl Alcohols ; pharmacology ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Endothelium, Vascular ; physiology ; Glucosides ; pharmacology ; In Vitro Techniques ; Male ; Norepinephrine ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Vasodilation ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of Tiangou Jiangya capsule on blood pressure of spontaneous hypertensive rats.

METHODThe 13-14 week SPF rats were selected and randomly divided into model groups, the low, middle, high dose of Tiangou Jiangya capsule groups, positive control group administrated with captopril. Drugs were intragastric administrated once per day, lasting four weeks. The blood pressure, heart rate, heart ventricle indexes, urinary volume and the level of PRA,angiotensing II (Ang II), aldosterone (ALD) of rats were observed.

RESULTThe low, middle, high dose of Tiangou Jiangya capsule can remarkably reduce the systolic pressure, diastolic pressure and mean arterial pressure of spontaneous hypertensive rats (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The low, middle dose can reduce the heart rate of rats (P < 0.01). The low dose can effectively inhibit the left ventricle indexes (P < 0.05). The Tiangou Jiangya capsule has no markedly effects on the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) activity and urinary output of rats.

CONCLUSIONThe results indicate that the Tiangou Jiangya capsule has evident effect of lowering blood pressure of rats, which is related to reducing heart rate, heart ventricle indexes, and has no effect on the RAAS and diuresis.

Animals ; Antihypertensive Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Benzyl Alcohols ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Blood Pressure ; drug effects ; Disease Models, Animal ; Diuresis ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Furans ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Glucosides ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Heart Rate ; drug effects ; Hypertension ; drug therapy ; Lignans ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred SHR ; Renin-Angiotensin System ; drug effects ; Ventricular Function, Left ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Tiangou Jiangya capsule on isolated rabbit aortic strips, and to discuss its antihypertensive mechanism.

METHODThe isolated rabbit aortic strips were placed in perfusion baths, and induced to contract by norepinephrine (NE), KCl and CaCl2 respectively, then Tiangou Jiangya capsule extraction was added to observe its effect on the contraction. The effect on intracellular Ca2+ dependent contraction and extracellular Ca2+ dependent contraction induced by NE were also studied.

RESULTThe Tiangou Jiangya capsule (1, 3, 5 g x L(-1)) can reduce the largest contract reaction of aortic strips induced by NE or CaCl2 (P < 0.01). It can reduce both intracellular Ca2+ dependent contraction and extracellular Ca2+ dependent contraction induced by NE (P < 0.01), and the effect on extracellular Ca2+ dependent contraction is more significant. But the Tiangou Jiangya capsule has no significant effect on KCl induced contraction.

CONCLUSIONTiangou Jiangya capsule can regulate intracellular Ca2+ concentration and help to relax the vascular smooth muscle. The mechanism could be regulating the receptor-operated Ca2+ channel. The effect on extracellular Ca2+ dependent contraction is more obvious than on intracellular Ca2+ dependent contraction induced by NE.

Animals ; Antihypertensive Agents ; pharmacology ; Aorta ; drug effects ; Benzyl Alcohols ; pharmacology ; Blood Pressure ; drug effects ; Calcium Chloride ; pharmacology ; Diuresis ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Furans ; pharmacology ; Glucosides ; pharmacology ; In Vitro Techniques ; Lignans ; pharmacology ; Male ; Muscle Contraction ; drug effects ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; drug effects ; Norepinephrine ; pharmacology ; Potassium Chloride ; pharmacology ; Rabbits ; Renin-Angiotensin System ; drug effects ; Ventricular Function, Left ; drug effects