1.Mechanisms of Dihuang Yinzi in Treating Advanced Parkinson's Disease Based on Gut Microbiota-SCFAs-inflammation Axis
Renzhi MA ; Yasi LIN ; Tingyue JIANG ; Hongmei ZHU ; Jiayuan LI ; Yu WANG ; Ge ZHANG ; Wenxin FAN ; Jinli SHI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(7):11-21
ObjectiveTo observe the effects of Dihuang Yinzi (DY) on motor dysfunction in rats with advanced Parkinson's disease (PD) and to investigate the mechanisms by which DY improves advanced PD symptoms through the "gut microbiota-short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs)-inflammation-neuroprotection pathway". MethodsAn advanced PD rat model was induced by rotenone. Rats were divided into a normal group, model group, positive drug group (levodopa, 50 mg·kg-1), and DY low-, medium-, and high-dose groups (5.2, 10.4, 20.8 g·kg-1). After 7 days of administration, motor function was evaluated using the open-field, pole-climbing, and inclined plate tests. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to observe pathological changes in the substantia nigra and colon, and immunohistochemistry was performed to detect α-Synuclein (α-Syn) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) expression in the substantia nigra. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure levels of dopamine (DA), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), Levodopa, homovanillic acid (HVA), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β). Western blot analysis was used to detect the expression of zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and occludin. Gut microbiota diversity was analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing, and gas chromatography (GC) was used to determine the content of SCFAs in colonic contents. ResultsCompared with the normal group, the model group showed significantly decreased movement speed and distance in the open-field test, prolonged pole-climbing time, and reduced retention angle on the inclined plate (P<0.01), accompanied by increased α-Syn expression (P<0.01) and decreased TH expression (P<0.01) in the brain. Compared with the model group, all DY dose groups improved motor dysfunction in advanced PD rats to varying degrees (P<0.05, P<0.01) and alleviated pathological damage in the brain and colon. High-dose DY significantly reduced α-Syn aggregation in the substantia nigra (P<0.01) and increased TH expression (P<0.01). ELISA and Western blot results showed that, compared with the normal group, the model group exhibited decreased levels of DA, 5-HT, DOPAC, Levodopa, and HVA in the striatum (P<0.01), increased levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β in the colon and striatum (P<0.01), and significantly reduced expression of ZO-1 (P<0.05) and occludin in the colon (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, all DY dose groups increased the levels of DA, 5-HT, DOPAC, Levodopa, and HVA in the striatum to varying degrees (P<0.05, P<0.01). In the high-dose DY group, the levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β in the colon and striatum were reduced (P<0.01), while the expression of ZO-1 (P<0.05) and occludin in the intestine was increased. The 16S rRNA sequencing results indicated that the relative abundances of Actinobacteriota, Enterobacteriaceae, and Erysipelotrichaceae were increased in the model group, whereas the relative abundances of Bacteroidota, class Clostridia, Lachnospiraceae, and Akkermansia muciniphila were decreased. These changes were effectively reversed after high-dose DY intervention. GC analysis showed that the content of SCFAs in the colonic contents of rats in the model group was decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01), while after high-dose DY intervention, the levels of acetate, propionate, isobutyrate, and butyrate were significantly increased (P<0.05, P<0.01). ConclusionDY may exert therapeutic effects in advanced PD by regulating the gut microbiota-SCFAs-inflammation pathway.
2.Fluorescence Suppression Method of Raman Spectroscopy and Its Application in Skin and Cosmetics Analysis
Yun-Xia CHEN ; Jia-Rong WANG ; Jian-Yu ZHU ; Shi-Wen LIN ; Ya-Nan LIU ; Xiao-Yue MA ; Guang-Cheng XI ; Juan LIU
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(7):1914-1926
Owing to its inherent advantages—such as being non-destructive, rapid, highly molecule-specific, and minimally interfered with by moisture—Raman spectroscopy has been widely adopted in the fields of skin barrier function assessment, monitoring the transdermal penetration of active cosmetic ingredients, and the identification and quality control of cosmetic products. Despite these strengths, the practical application of this technique faces a significant bottleneck: the strong fluorescence background generated by endogenous skin components and exogenous cosmetic additives. Endogenous skin substances, such as structural proteins (e.g., collagen and elastin), metabolic coenzymes (e.g., nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide), and pigments (e.g., melanin), together with exogenous cosmetic constituents like organic colorants, chemical sunscreens, and fragrances, often possess strong absorption and emission characteristics. When excited by lasers, these components produce a fluorescence background that can be 106 to 108 times stronger than the Raman scattering signals, effectively masking the inherently weak vibrational fingerprint information. In recent years, driven by the rapid development of optoelectronic hardware and artificial intelligence algorithms, fluorescence suppression strategies have evolved from isolated, single-method approaches into comprehensive, multi-level synergistic systems. These systems are categorized into three distinct tiers: sample preparation, signal acquisition, and data processing. At the sample preparation level, techniques such as photobleaching and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) are employed to eliminate or bypass the generation of fluorescence at the source. At the signal acquisition level, instrumental improvements—including the use of long-wavelength near-infrared excitation (typically 785 nm or 1 064 nm), confocal spatial filtering, and shifted excitation Raman difference spectroscopy (SERDS)— are utilized to physically isolate Raman signals from the fluorescence background. Furthermore, at the data processing level, numerical baseline correction methods such as polynomial fitting, penalized least squares (e.g., airPLS, arPLS), wavelet transform, and derivative algorithms are increasingly integrated into the analytical pipeline to extract Raman spectral features from mixed signals without increasing hardware costs or acquisition time. This review provides a systematic categorization and critical evaluation of these fluorescence suppression methods, detailing their underlying principles, technical advantages, and inherent limitations in diverse experimental setups. By focusing on critical application scenarios—including skin barrier assessment, percutaneous absorption monitoring, the routine quality control of cosmetics, and the emerging field of portable on-site detection—this paper explores the current state of technique selection and optimization. Finally, the article discusses future development trends, emphasizing the necessity of constructing adaptive, tiered suppression strategies, developing intelligent and automated data processing algorithms, and promoting the integration of portable, multi-modal diagnostic devices. The objective of this review is to provide a comprehensive technical reference to facilitate the transition of Raman spectroscopy from a specialized laboratory tool into a routine, robust analytical platform for advancements in skin science and cosmetic research.
3.A Personalized Brain-computer Interface Paradigm and Decoding Method for The Objective Evaluation of Auditory Frequency Difference Limen
Sheng-Ye LI ; Xiao-Lin XIAO ; Shi-Hang YU ; Bei-Bei ZHANG ; Xing-Wei AN ; Min-Peng XU ; Dong MING
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(7):1927-1941
ObjectiveThe frequency difference limen (FDL) serves as a fundamental metric utilized for effectively quantifying the precise perceptual capabilities of the central auditory system. However, traditional measurement methods rely heavily on the active behavioral responses of subjects and are consequently highly susceptible to the negative influence of confounding subjective factors. Furthermore, existing research paradigms frequently employ uniform stimulus configurations that overlook critical individual perceptual differences. Based on brain-computer interface (BCI) technology, this comprehensive study aims to establish an objective and quantitative evaluation method for auditory frequency discrimination by systematically analyzing and decoding the specific neural responses elicited at the exact threshold state. MethodsWe designed a personalized rapid serial auditory presentation (RSAP) paradigm customized based on each individual’s precise FDL. A cohort of eleven healthy participants was recruited to evaluate the paradigm using pure-tone sequences at a baseline frequency of 4 000 Hz. This experimental paradigm simulates a realistic auditory perception environment through the continuous presentation of acoustic stimuli, thereby allowing for an in-depth investigation into the specific neural representations evoked by weak frequency deviations at the threshold state. Given that auditory stimulus-evoked response features exhibit complex and differentiated spatiotemporal distribution patterns across multiple frequency domains, this study further deeply integrates the cross-scale feature interaction module with the dynamic spatiotemporal attention allocation strategy, innovatively proposing the Multi-Scale Spatial-Temporal Dual Attention Network (MS-STAMNet). Specifically, the network constructs parallel processing branches with multiple receptive fields and introduces a dynamic adaptive weighting strategy to precisely localize core neural activity signals, further deeply integrating multi-scale information through cross-branch feature information interaction to achieve robust single-trial decoding of weak auditory evoked responses. ResultsThe comprehensive electrophysiological data analysis demonstrated that subtle auditory frequency deviation stimuli presented at the threshold level successfully elicited pronounced N2 and P3 event-related potential features, reflecting pre-attentive mismatch detection and subsequent cognitive evaluation, which were prominently distributed over the frontal, central, and temporal regions of the scalp. In the complex time-frequency domain, the extracted neural response characteristics exhibited distinct, statistically significant event-related synchronization within both the low-frequency δ and θ frequency bands, which was simultaneously accompanied by a widespread, prominent event-related desynchronization within the higher α band. A comparative analysis of model performance demonstrated that MS-STAMNet achieved an average unweighted average recall (UAR) of (69.67±6.12)% and area under the curve (AUC) of 0.761 8±0.07, significantly outperforming the established baseline models such as EEGNet and PLNet. Furthermore, a distinct dissociation phenomenon was verified between neural decoding and behavioral performance through regression analysis (R2=0.016, P=0.709), indicating that this model can effectively capture the implicit features of subtle frequency deviations, even when they fail to trigger explicit conscious responses. Additionally, attention weight visualization analysis further reveals the highly accurate focus of the network on key features concentrated over the bilateral temporal and fronto-parietal regions. ConclusionThis study systematically and comprehensively uncovers the multi-dimensional spatiotemporal evolutionary patterns of complex neural responses processing subtle acoustic variations under long-sequence threshold auditory stimulation. Concurrently, it verifies the efficacy and robustness of the proposed MS-STAMNet architecture in accurately deciphering weak, single-trial electroencephalogram signals amidst complex background noise. Ultimately, these neurophysiological and algorithmic findings lay a solid theoretical and methodological foundation for the objective and quantitative evaluation of individual auditory cognitive capabilities in clinical applications, transcending the fundamental limitations of traditional behavioral paradigms and providing robust technical support for future auditory research and related clinical assessments.
4.Effects of drought stress training on polysaccharide accumulation and drought resistance of Codonopsis pilosula.
Lu-Lu WANG ; Xiao-Lin WANG ; Zhe-Yu LIU ; Li-Zhen WANG ; Jia-Tong SHI ; Jiao-Jiao JI ; Jian-Ping GAO ; Yun-E BAI
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(3):672-681
In order to clarify the effects of drought stress training on the quality and drought resistance of Codonopsis pilosula, this study used PEG to simulate drought stress and employed potting with water control for the drought stress training of C. pilosula plants. The polysaccharide content, secondary metabolites, antioxidant system, and photosynthetic pigment system of C. pilosula after drought stress training were analyzed. The results showed that the content of fructans in the root of C. pilosula increased after two rounds of drought stress treatment, and it was significantly higher than that of the control group. The accumulation of fructans in the root of C. pilosula showed an upward trend during the rehydration treatment. The content of lobetyolin and tangshenoside Ⅰ increased after drought stress treatment compared with that of the control group. The rehydration treatment caused first increasing and then decreasing in the content of lobetyolin, while it had no significant effect on the tangshenoside Ⅰcontent. The content of photosynthetic pigments decreased after drought stress treatment, and it gradually increased during the first round of rehydration and the second round of rehydration. Moreover, the increase was faster in the second round of rehydration than in the first round of rehydration. The content of the peroxidation product malondialdehyde(MDA) and the activities of superoxide dismutase(SOD), peroxidase(POD), and catalase(CAT) increased after drought stress treatment compared with those of the control group, and they showed a tendency of decreasing during rehydration. Moreover, the decrease was faster in the second round of rehydration than in the first round of rehydration. When the plants of C. pilosula after drought stress training were again subjected to severe drought stress, the wilting rate decreased significantly, and the biomass increases significantly. This study showed that the drought stress training could promote the accumulation of polysaccharides and secondary metabolites in the root of C. pilosula. When encountering drought stress again, C. pilosula plants could quickly regulate the antioxidant system and delay the decomposition of chlorophyll to respond to drought stress. The findings provide a theoretical basis for the ecological cultivation of C. pilosula in arid and semi-arid areas.
Codonopsis/growth & development*
;
Droughts
;
Polysaccharides/metabolism*
;
Stress, Physiological
;
Water/metabolism*
;
Antioxidants/metabolism*
;
Photosynthesis
;
Drought Resistance
5.Effects of Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata on striatal neuronal apoptosis in ADHD rats via Bcl-2/Bax/caspase-3 pathway.
Jing WANG ; Kang-Lin ZHU ; Xin-Qiang NI ; Wen-Hua CAI ; Yu-Ting YANG ; Jia-Qi ZHANG ; Chong ZHOU ; Mei-Jun SHI
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(3):750-757
This study investigated the effects of Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata on striatal neuronal apoptosis in rats with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD) based on the B-cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2)/Bcl-2-associated X protein(Bax)/caspase-3 signaling pathway. Twenty-four 3-week-old male spontaneously hypertensive rats(SHR) were randomly divided into a model group, a methylphenidate group(2 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), and a Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata group(2.4 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)). Age-matched male Wistar Kyoto(WKY) rats were used as the normal control group, with 8 rats in each group. The rats were administered by gavage for 28 days. Body weight and food intake were recorded for each group. The open field test and elevated plus maze test were used to assess hyperactivity and impulsive behaviors. Nissl staining was used to detect changes in striatal neurons and Nissl bodies. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling(TUNEL) fluorescence staining was used to detect striatal cell apoptosis. Western blot was employed to detect the expression levels of Bcl-2, Bax, and caspase-3 proteins in the striatum. The results showed that compared with the model group, Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata significantly reduced the total movement distance, average movement speed, and central area residence time in the open field test, and significantly reduced the ratio of open arm entries, open arm stay time, and head dipping in the elevated plus maze test. Furthermore, it increased the number of Nissl bodies in striatal neurons, significantly downregulated the apoptosis index, significantly increased Bcl-2 protein expression and the Bcl-2/Bax ratio, and reduced Bax and caspase-3 protein expression. In conclusion, Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata can reduce hyperactivity and impulsive behaviors in ADHD rats. Its mechanism may be related to the regulation of the Bcl-2/Bax/caspase-3 signaling pathway in the striatum, enhancing the anti-apoptotic capacity of striatal neurons.
Animals
;
Male
;
Apoptosis/drug effects*
;
Rats
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage*
;
Caspase 3/genetics*
;
Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/genetics*
;
bcl-2-Associated X Protein/genetics*
;
Rehmannia/chemistry*
;
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/physiopathology*
;
Signal Transduction/drug effects*
;
Neurons/cytology*
;
Rats, Inbred SHR
;
Rats, Inbred WKY
;
Humans
;
Corpus Striatum/cytology*
;
Plant Extracts
6.Phase changes and quantity-quality transfer of raw material, calcined decoction pieces, and standard decoction of Ostreae Concha (Ostrea rivularis).
Hong-Yi ZHANG ; Jing-Wei ZHOU ; Jia-Wen LIU ; Wen-Bo FEI ; Shi-Ru HUANG ; Yu-Mei CHEN ; Chong-Yang LI ; Fei-Fei LI ; Qiao-Ling MA ; Fu WANG ; Yuan HU ; You-Ping LIU ; Shi-Lin CHEN ; Lin CHEN ; Hong-Ping CHEN
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(5):1209-1223
The phase changes and quantity-quality transfer of 17 batches of Ostreae Concha(Ostrea rivularis) during the raw material-calcined decoction pieces-standard decoction process were analyzed. The content of calcium carbonate(CaCO_3), the main component, was determined by chemical titration, and the extract yield and transfer rate were calculated. The CaCO_3 content in the raw material, calcined decoction pieces, and standard decoction was 94.39%-98.80%, 95.03%-99.22%, and 84.58%-90.47%, respectively. The process of raw material to calcined decoction pieces showed the yield range of 96.85% to 98.55% and the CaCO_3 transfer rate range of 96.92% to 99.27%. The process of calcined decoction pieces to standard decoction showed the extract yield range of 2.86% to 5.48% and the CaCO_3 transfer rate range of 2.59% to 5.13%. The results of X-ray fluorescence(XRF) assay showed that the raw material, calcined decoction pieces, and standard decoction mainly contained Ca, Na, Mg, Si, Br, Cl, Al, Fe, Cr, Mn, and K. The chemometric results showed an increase in the relative content of Cr, Fe, and Si from raw material to calcined decoction pieces and an increase in the relative content of Mg, Al, Br, K, Cl, and Na from calcined decoction pieces to standard decoction. X-ray diffraction(XRD) was employed to establish XRD characteristic patterns of the raw material, calcined decoction pieces, and standard decoction. The XRD results showed that the main phase of all three was calcite, and no transformation of crystalline form or generation of new phase was observed. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR) was employed to establish the FTIR characteristic spectra of the raw material, calcined decoction pieces, and standard decoction. The FTIR results showed that the raw material had internal vibrations of O-H, C-H, C=O, C-O, and CO■ groups. Due to the loss of organic matter components after calcination, no information about the vibrations of C-H, C=O, and C-O groups was observed in the spectra of calcined decoction pieces and standard decoction. In summary, this study elucidated the quantity-quality transfer and phase changes in the raw material-calcined decoction pieces-standard decoction process by determining the CaCO_3 content, calculating the extract yield and transfer rate, and comparing the element changes, FTIR characteristic spectra, and XRD characteristic pattern. The results were reasonable and reliable, laying a foundation for the subsequent process research and quality control of the formula granules of calcined Ostreae Concha(O. rivularis Gould), and providing ideas and methods for the quality control of the whole process of raw material-decoction pieces-standard decoction-formula granules of Ostreae Concha and other testacean traditional Chinese medicine.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/isolation & purification*
;
Calcium Carbonate/analysis*
;
Quality Control
7.Processing technology of calcined Magnetitum based on concept of QbD and its XRD characteristic spectra.
De-Wen ZENG ; Jing-Wei ZHOU ; Tian-Xing HE ; Yu-Mei CHEN ; Huan-Huan XU ; Jian FENG ; Yue YANG ; Xin CHEN ; Jia-Liang ZOU ; Lin CHEN ; Hong-Ping CHEN ; Shi-Lin CHEN ; Yuan HU ; You-Ping LIU
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(9):2391-2403
Guided by the concept of quality by design(QbD), this study optimizes the calcination and quenching process of calcined Magnetitum and establishes the XRD characteristic spectra of calcined Magnetitum, providing a scientific basis for the formulation of quality standards. Based on the processing methods and quality requirements of Magnetitum in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, the critical process parameters(CPPs) identified were calcination temperature, calcination time, particle size, laying thickness, and the number of vinegar quenching cycles. The critical quality attributes(CQAs) included Fe mass fraction, Fe~(2+) dissolution, and surface color. The weight coefficients were determined by combining Analytic Hierarchy Process(AHP) and the criteria importance though intercrieria correlation(CRITIC) method, and the calcination process was optimized using orthogonal experimentation. Surface color was selected as a CQA, and based on the principle of color value, the surface color of calcined Magnetitum was objectively quantified. The vinegar quenching process was then optimized to determine the best processing conditions. X-ray diffraction(XRD) was used to establish the characteristic spectra of calcined Magnetitum, and methods such as similarity evaluation, cluster analysis, and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) were used to evaluate the quality of the spectra. The optimized calcined Magnetitum preparation process was found to be calcination at 750 ℃ for 1 h, with a laying thickness of 4 cm, a particle size of 0.4-0.8 cm, and one vinegar quenching cycle(Magnetitum-vinegar ratio 10∶3), which was stable and feasible. The XRD characteristic spectra analysis method, featuring 9 common peaks as fingerprint information, was established. The average correlation coefficient ranged from 0.839 5-0.988 1, and the average angle cosine ranged from 0.914 4 to 0.995 6, indicating good similarity. Cluster analysis results showed that Magnetitum and calcined Magnetitum could be grouped together, with similar compositions. OPLS-DA discriminant analysis identified three key characteristic peaks, with Fe_2O_3 being the distinguishing component between the two. The final optimized processing method is stable and feasible, and the XRD characteristic spectra of calcined Magnetitum was initially established, providing a reference for subsequent quality control and the formulation of quality standards for calcined Magnetitum.
X-Ray Diffraction/methods*
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry*
;
Quality Control
;
Particle Size
8.Tanreqing Capsules protect lung and gut of mice infected with influenza virus via "lung-gut axis".
Nai-Fan DUAN ; Yuan-Yuan YU ; Yu-Rong HE ; Feng CHEN ; Lin-Qiong ZHOU ; Ya-Lan LI ; Shi-Qi SUN ; Yan XUE ; Xing ZHANG ; Gui-Hua XU ; Yue-Juan ZHENG ; Wei ZHANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(8):2270-2281
This study aims to explore the mechanism of lung and gut protection by Tanreqing Capsules on the mice infected with influenza virus based on "the lung-gut axis". A total of 110 C57BL/6J mice were randomized into control group, model group, oseltamivir group, and low-and high-dose Tanreqing Capsules groups. Ten mice in each group underwent body weight protection experiments, and the remaining 12 mice underwent experiments for mechanism exploration. Mice were infected with influenza virus A/Puerto Rico/08/1934(PR8) via nasal inhalation for the modeling. The lung tissue was collected on day 3 after gavage, and the lung tissue, colon tissue, and feces were collected on day 7 after gavage for subsequent testing. The results showed that Tanreqing Capsules alleviated the body weight reduction and increased the survival rate caused by PR8 infection. Compared with model group, Tanreqing Capsules can alleviate the lung injury by reducing the lung index, alleviating inflammation and edema in the lung tissue, down-regulating viral gene expression at the late stage of infection, reducing the percentage of neutrophils, and increasing the percentage of T cells. Tanreqing Capsules relieved the gut injury by restoring the colon length, increasing intestinal lumen mucin secretion, alleviating intestinal inflammation, and reducing goblet cell destruction. The gut microbiota analysis showed that Tanreqing Capsules increased species diversity compared with model group. At the phylum level, Tanreqing Capsules significantly increased the abundance of Firmicutes and Actinobacteria, while reducing the abundance of Bacteroidota and Proteobacteria to maintain gut microbiota balance. At the genus level, Tanreqing Capsules significantly increased the abundance of unclassified_f_Lachnospiraceae while reducing the abundance of Bacteroides, Eubacterium, and Phocaeicola to maintain gut microbiota balance. In conclusion, Tanreqing Capsules can alleviate mouse lung and gut injury caused by influenza virus infection and restore the balance of gut microbiota. Treating influenza from the lung and gut can provide new ideas for clinical practice.
Animals
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage*
;
Mice
;
Lung/metabolism*
;
Mice, Inbred C57BL
;
Capsules
;
Orthomyxoviridae Infections/virology*
;
Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects*
;
Male
;
Humans
;
Female
;
Influenza A virus/physiology*
;
Influenza, Human/virology*
9.Research progress on pentacyclic triterpenoids in medicinal Ilex species and their pharmacological activities.
Yu-Ling LIU ; Yi-Ran WU ; Bao-Lin WANG ; Xiao-Wei SU ; Qiu-Juan CHEN ; Yi RAO ; Shi-Lin YANG ; Li-Ni HUO ; Hong-Wei GAO
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(12):3252-3266
Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) capable of clearing heat and removing toxin is most commonly used in clinical practice and has the effect of removing fire-heat and toxin. Studies have shown that most of the Ilex plants have the effect of clearing heat and removing toxin, among which the varieties of I. cornuta, I. pubescens, I. rotunda, I. latifolia, and I. chinensis are most widely used. These plants generally contain triterpenoids and their glycosides, alkaloids, flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, and other chemical components, especially pentacyclic triterpenoids. According to their skeletons, pentacyclic triterpenoids can be divided into the oleanane type, the ursane type, the lupinane type, etc. Among them, ursane-type components are the most abundant, and 136 species have been found so far. These components have been proved to have pharmacological effects such as anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, hypolipidemic, anti-thrombosis, cardiomyocyte-protective, antibacterial, and hepatoprotective effects. Therefore, this paper systematically reviews the domestic and foreign literature on Ilex plants with a focus on the research progress on pentacyclic triterpenoids and their pharmacological activities, aiming to provide reference for the development of TCM resources with the effect of clearing heat and removing toxin.
Ilex/chemistry*
;
Plants, Medicinal/chemistry*
;
Pentacyclic Triterpenes/pharmacology*
;
Medicine, Chinese Traditional
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology*
;
Humans
;
Animals
10.Effects of combined use of active ingredients in Buyang Huanwu Decoction on oxygen-glucose deprivation/reglucose-reoxygenation-induced inflammation and oxidative stress of BV2 cells.
Tian-Qing XIA ; Ying CHEN ; Jian-Lin HUA ; Qin SU ; Cun-Yan DAN ; Meng-Wei RONG ; Shi-Ning GE ; Hong GUO ; Bao-Guo XIAO ; Jie-Zhong YU ; Cun-Gen MA ; Li-Juan SONG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(14):3835-3846
This study aims to explore the effects and action mechanisms of the active ingredients in Buyang Huanwu Decoction(BYHWD), namely tetramethylpyrazine(TMP) and hydroxy-safflor yellow A(HSYA), on oxygen-glucose deprivation/reglucose-reoxygenation(OGD/R)-induced inflammation and oxidative stress of microglia(MG). Network pharmacology was used to screen the effective monomer ingredients of BYHWD and determine the safe concentration range for each component. Inflammation and oxidative stress models were established to further screen the best ingredient combination and optimal concentration ratio with the most effective anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. OGD/R BV2 cell models were constructed, and BV2 cells in the logarithmic growth phase were divided into a normal group, a model group, an HSYA group, a TMP group, and an HSYA + TMP group. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was used to detect the levels of inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1β(IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), and interleukin-6(IL-6). Oxidative stress markers, including superoxide dismutase(SOD), nitric oxide(NO), and malondialdehyde(MDA), were also measured. Western blot was used to analyze the protein expression of both inflammation-related pathway [Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)/nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB)] and oxidative stress-related pathway [nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1(HO-1)]. Immunofluorescence was used to assess the expression of proteins such as inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS) and arginase-1(Arg-1). The most effective ingredients for anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects in BYHWD were TMP and HSYA. Compared to the normal group, the model group showed significantly increased levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, NO, and MDA, along with significantly higher protein expression of NF-κB, TLR4, Nrf2, and HO-1 and significantly lower SOD levels. The differences between the two groups were statistically significant. Compared to the model group, both the HSYA group and the TMP group showed significantly reduced levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, NO, and MDA, lower expression of NF-κB and TLR4 proteins, higher levels of SOD, and significantly increased protein expression of Nrf2 and HO-1. Additionally, the expression of the M1-type MG marker iNOS was significantly reduced, while the expression of the M2-type MG marker Arg-1 was significantly increased. The results of the HSYA group and the TMP group had statistically significant differences from those of the model group. Compared to the HSYA group and the TMP group, the HSYA + TMP group showed further significant reductions in IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, NO, and MDA levels, along with significant reductions in NF-κB and TLR4 protein expression, an increase in SOD levels, and elevated Nrf2 and HO-1 protein expression. Additionally, the expression of the M1-type MG marker iNOS was reduced, while the M2-type MG marker Arg-1 expression increased significantly in the HSYA + TMP group compared to the TMP or HSYA group. The differences in the results were statistically significant between the HSYA + TMP group and the TMP or HSYA group. The findings indicated that the combined use of HSYA and TMP, the active ingredients of BYHWD, can effectively inhibit OGD/R-induced inflammation and oxidative stress of MG, showing superior effects compared to the individual use of either component.
Oxidative Stress/drug effects*
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology*
;
Animals
;
Mice
;
Glucose/metabolism*
;
Cell Line
;
Inflammation/genetics*
;
Oxygen/metabolism*
;
Pyrazines/pharmacology*
;
Microglia/metabolism*
;
NF-E2-Related Factor 2/immunology*
;
NF-kappa B/immunology*
;
Toll-Like Receptor 4/immunology*
;
Anti-Inflammatory Agents/pharmacology*
;
Humans

Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail