Aim To investigate the anti-acute lung injury(ALI)effect of Sterculiae Lychnophorae Semen(SLS)and its mechanism.Methods The main ac-tive components of SLS and their core targets and path-ways of action against ALI were obtained by network pharmacology methods.Subsequently,molecular doc-king technology and in vitro cellular experiments were applied for validation.Results A total of 19 core tar-gets were obtained,including HSP90AA1,CASP3,TNF,MAPK8 and MAPK14.The mechanisms may in-volve signaling pathways such as cancer,PI3K/Akt and MAPK.Molecular docking confirmed that the key targets of SLS formed a better binding activity with the relevant active ingredients.The in vitro results showed that SLS was able to protect the PM2.5-contaminated BEAS-2B cells,inhibit their NO,IL-1β and TNF-αlevels,and reduce the expression of p-p38 MAPK and p-JNK proteins.Conclusions The study successfully predicts the active ingredients,targets and signaling pathways of SLS against ALI,and in vitro experiments demonstrate that SLS might protect BEAS-2B cells from PM2.5 stimulus-induced inflammation and apoptosis by inhibiting the over-activation of p38 MAPK and JNK signaling pathways.

Aim To investigate the anti-acute lung injury(ALI)effect of Sterculiae Lychnophorae Semen(SLS)and its mechanism.Methods The main ac-tive components of SLS and their core targets and path-ways of action against ALI were obtained by network pharmacology methods.Subsequently,molecular doc-king technology and in vitro cellular experiments were applied for validation.Results A total of 19 core tar-gets were obtained,including HSP90AA1,CASP3,TNF,MAPK8 and MAPK14.The mechanisms may in-volve signaling pathways such as cancer,PI3K/Akt and MAPK.Molecular docking confirmed that the key targets of SLS formed a better binding activity with the relevant active ingredients.The in vitro results showed that SLS was able to protect the PM2.5-contaminated BEAS-2B cells,inhibit their NO,IL-1β and TNF-αlevels,and reduce the expression of p-p38 MAPK and p-JNK proteins.Conclusions The study successfully predicts the active ingredients,targets and signaling pathways of SLS against ALI,and in vitro experiments demonstrate that SLS might protect BEAS-2B cells from PM2.5 stimulus-induced inflammation and apoptosis by inhibiting the over-activation of p38 MAPK and JNK signaling pathways.

OBJECTIVETo isolate and identify active neuraminidase constituents of Polygonum cuspidatum against influenza A (H1N1) influenza virus.

METHODOn the basis of the bioassay-guided fractionation,such chromatographic methods as silica gel, sephadex LH-20 and HPLC were adopted to isolate active constituents of extracts from Polygonum cuspidatum, and their molecular structures were identifiied on the basis of their spectral data such as NMR and MS and physico-chemical properties.

RESULTSeven compounds were isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of P. cuspidatum and identified as 2-methoxystypandrone (1), emodin (2), resveratrol (3), polydatin (4), emodin-8-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (5), (E)-3, 5, 12-trihydroxystilbene-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside-2'-(3", 4", 5"-trihydroxybenzoate) (6) and catechin-3-O-gallate (7), respectively. Among them, the NA test showed that compounds 3, 6 and 7 had inhibitory effect against NAs activity, with IC50 values of 129.8, 44.8 and 21.3 micromol x L(-1), respectively. Moreover, the further CPE test showed compounds 6 and 7 had significant inhibitory effect against H1N influenza virus (EC50 = 5.9, 0.9 micromol x L(-1), respectively), with very low cytotoxicity to the host cells, their therapeutic selective index(SI) in MDCK cells ranged from 56 to 269.

CONCLUSIONThe neuraminidase inhibitors against H1N1 anti-influenza virus isolated from extracts of P. cuspidatum on the basis of the bioassay-guided fractionation are significant in specifying their therapeutic material basis and drug R&D against influenza.

Cell Line ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Enzyme Inhibitors ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Fallopia japonica ; chemistry ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype ; drug effects ; enzymology ; Influenza, Human ; virology ; Molecular Structure ; Neuraminidase ; antagonists & inhibitors

Objective To explore the self-face recognition and its relationship to empathy in patients with schizophrenia.Methods Sixty-two schizophrenic patients and fifty -four healthy subjects were assessed with the self-face recognition task (SFRT) and the interpersonal reactivity index-C (IRI-C).Results The SFRT reaction time in the patients group( (2188 ± 1138) ms) was significantly longer than that in the control group( ( 1152 ± 326) ms) (P ＜ 0.01 ) ;the accuracy in the patients group ( (80 ± 16) ％ ) was significantly lower than that in the control group ( (88 ± 6) ％ ) (P ＜ 0.01 ).The IRI-C total scores,the subscores in perspective taking,the subscores in fantasy and empathic concern of IRI-C were significantly lower in the patients group(respectively(44.82 ± 10.50),(8.98 ± 3.56),( 11.87 ± 4.38 ),( 14.73 ± 4.00) ) than those in the control group ( respectively (49.85 ± 10.28),( 10.78 ± 3.86),( 14.98 ± 6.12),( 17.39 ± 4.56) ) ; the subscore in personal distress of IRI-C in the patients group(9.37 ± 5.12) was significantly higher than those in the control group(6.52 ± 3.89) ( P＜ 0.01 ).There was significant positive correlation between the accuracy for self-face recognition in SFRT and the subscore in fantasy of IRI-C ( r =0.322,P ＜ 0.05 ),the reaction time of SFRT had significantly positive correlation with the subscore in personal distress.Conclusion Schizophren patients have general impairments of self-face recognition and empathic abilities,and the self-face recognition is related to the empathic abilities.

To study in vitro anti-influenza viral activities of Chinese traditional patent medicines for influenza prevention and treatment, neuraminidase (NA) activity assay was used to examine NA inhibitory activity of 33 Chinese traditional patent medicines through fluorimetric assay, and influenza virus induced cytopathic effect (CPE) inhibition assay was used to verify their anti-influenza viral activities in vitro. The assay results showed that most liquid preparations displayed relatively high NA inhibitory activities, such as Shuanghuanglian oral liquid, Qingkailing oral liquid, Qingre Jiedu oral liquid, and Reduning injection. Among liquid preparations, Shuanghuanglian oral liquid not only displayed the highest NA inhibitory effect, but also exhibited obvious in vitro anti-viral activity in CPE experiment. Among solid preparations, Shuanghuanglian powder for injection showed the highest activity on NA inhibition, and Fufang Yuxingcao tablet showed relatively strong anti-influenza viral activity in CPE cells. From the results, it can be concluded that most Chinese traditional patent medicines possessed NA inhibitory activity, but only a few of them displayed significant in vitro anti-influenza viral activities. These results will provide important information for the isolation of active constituents, and for the clinical uses of Chinese traditional patent medicines for influenza treatment and prevention.

To study in vitro anti-influenza viral activities of Chinese traditional patent medicines for influenza prevention and treatment, neuraminidase (NA) activity assay was used to examine NA inhibitory activity of 33 Chinese traditional patent medicines through fluorimetric assay, and influenza virus induced cytopathic effect (CPE) inhibition assay was used to verify their anti-influenza viral activities in vitro. The assay results showed that most liquid preparations displayed relatively high NA inhibitory activities, such as Shuanghuanglian oral liquid, Qingkailing oral liquid, Qingre Jiedu oral liquid, and Reduning injection. Among liquid preparations, Shuanghuanglian oral liquid not only displayed the highest NA inhibitory effect, but also exhibited obvious in vitro anti-viral activity in CPE experiment. Among solid preparations, Shuanghuanglian powder for injection showed the highest activity on NA inhibition, and Fufang Yuxingcao tablet showed relatively strong anti-influenza viral activity in CPE cells. From the results, it can be concluded that most Chinese traditional patent medicines possessed NA inhibitory activity, but only a few of them displayed significant in vitro anti-influenza viral activities. These results will provide important information for the isolation of active constituents, and for the clinical uses of Chinese traditional patent medicines for influenza treatment and prevention.
Animals ; Antiviral Agents ; pharmacology ; Cell Line ; Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral ; drug effects ; Dogs ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype ; drug effects ; enzymology ; Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype ; drug effects ; enzymology ; Influenza B virus ; drug effects ; enzymology ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Neuraminidase ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry