1.Understanding the Anti-Inflammatory Pathway of the Ethyl Acetate Extract Obtained from Trollius chinensis Bge.using LC-MS and Network Pharmacology
Qiao CHEN ; Peng ZHANG ; Shiqi HAN ; Zhaohua SHI ; Xianxiang TIAN ; JunJie HU
World Science and Technology-Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;27(2):404-419
Objective To explore the anti-inflammatory properties of the ethyl acetate extract(ETCB)derived from Trollius chinensis Bge.using in vitro RAW264.7 cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharide and an in vivo mouse auricle model induced by xylene.Utilizing UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS(LC-MS)and network pharmacology,the components of ETCB were analyzed,and its anti-inflammatory mechanisms were preliminarily explored.Methods The anti-inflammatory activity of various solvent extracts of Trollius chinensis Bge.was assessed through the Griess assay.The impact of ETCB on the production of TNF-α and IL-6 in RAW264.7 cells induced by lipopolysaccharide was evaluated using ELISA.Real-time qPCR was conducted to determine the effect of ETCB on the expression levels of inflammatory factors such as TNF-α,IL-6,and iNOS in cells.The anti-inflammatory efficacy was further validated in a xylene-induced ear inflammation mouse model by measuring ear swelling and tissue levels of IL-6 and TNF-α.The composition of ETCB was analyzed using LC-MS.Network pharmacology was employed to screen for effective components,targets,and pathways involved in the anti-inflammatory effects of Trollius chinensis Bge.,followed by molecular docking verification between core components and targets.Results ETCB demonstrated the most potent inhibitory effect on NO production in RAW264.7 cells stimulated by lipopolysaccharide,indicating its primary role in the anti-inflammatory activity of Trollius chinensis Bge..ETCB significantly reduced TNF-α and IL-6 levels in inflammatory cells(P<0.01)and inhibited the mRNA expression of TNF-α,IL-6,and iNOS.In the xylene-induced mouse ear inflammation model,ETCB effectively alleviated ear swelling and decreased tissue levels of TNF-α and IL-6.LC-MS analysis identified 30 chemical components in ETCB,including 21 flavonoids,7 organic acids,1 polysaccharide,and 1 anthocyanin.Network pharmacology prediction and screening revealed TNF,Akt1,PTGS2,EGFR,SRC,and MMP9 as core targets,with hydroxyquercetin,lignin from fragrant leaves,zeaxanthin from willows,plantain,thistle,and sophora flavins as key anti-inflammatory active ingredients.The molecular docking analysis revealed positive interactions,characterized by favorable binding energy,between the active components and key targets.Conclusion ETCB demonstrates strong anti-inflammatory properties both inside and outside the body,functioning through various targets and pathways.This establishes a basis for deeper understanding of the anti-inflammatory mechanism of Trollius chinensis Bge.
2.Understanding the Anti-Inflammatory Pathway of the Ethyl Acetate Extract Obtained from Trollius chinensis Bge.using LC-MS and Network Pharmacology
Qiao CHEN ; Peng ZHANG ; Shiqi HAN ; Zhaohua SHI ; Xianxiang TIAN ; JunJie HU
World Science and Technology-Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;27(2):404-419
Objective To explore the anti-inflammatory properties of the ethyl acetate extract(ETCB)derived from Trollius chinensis Bge.using in vitro RAW264.7 cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharide and an in vivo mouse auricle model induced by xylene.Utilizing UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS(LC-MS)and network pharmacology,the components of ETCB were analyzed,and its anti-inflammatory mechanisms were preliminarily explored.Methods The anti-inflammatory activity of various solvent extracts of Trollius chinensis Bge.was assessed through the Griess assay.The impact of ETCB on the production of TNF-α and IL-6 in RAW264.7 cells induced by lipopolysaccharide was evaluated using ELISA.Real-time qPCR was conducted to determine the effect of ETCB on the expression levels of inflammatory factors such as TNF-α,IL-6,and iNOS in cells.The anti-inflammatory efficacy was further validated in a xylene-induced ear inflammation mouse model by measuring ear swelling and tissue levels of IL-6 and TNF-α.The composition of ETCB was analyzed using LC-MS.Network pharmacology was employed to screen for effective components,targets,and pathways involved in the anti-inflammatory effects of Trollius chinensis Bge.,followed by molecular docking verification between core components and targets.Results ETCB demonstrated the most potent inhibitory effect on NO production in RAW264.7 cells stimulated by lipopolysaccharide,indicating its primary role in the anti-inflammatory activity of Trollius chinensis Bge..ETCB significantly reduced TNF-α and IL-6 levels in inflammatory cells(P<0.01)and inhibited the mRNA expression of TNF-α,IL-6,and iNOS.In the xylene-induced mouse ear inflammation model,ETCB effectively alleviated ear swelling and decreased tissue levels of TNF-α and IL-6.LC-MS analysis identified 30 chemical components in ETCB,including 21 flavonoids,7 organic acids,1 polysaccharide,and 1 anthocyanin.Network pharmacology prediction and screening revealed TNF,Akt1,PTGS2,EGFR,SRC,and MMP9 as core targets,with hydroxyquercetin,lignin from fragrant leaves,zeaxanthin from willows,plantain,thistle,and sophora flavins as key anti-inflammatory active ingredients.The molecular docking analysis revealed positive interactions,characterized by favorable binding energy,between the active components and key targets.Conclusion ETCB demonstrates strong anti-inflammatory properties both inside and outside the body,functioning through various targets and pathways.This establishes a basis for deeper understanding of the anti-inflammatory mechanism of Trollius chinensis Bge.
3.Mechanism of action of Wuzi Yanzong pill in the treatment of oligoasthenozoospermia in rats determined via serum metabolomics
Zhenru Shen ; Zhaohua Zhang ; Kejin Tong ; Chunrui Wang ; Shuaiqiang Wang ; Ping Zhao ; Meng Gu ; Jingjing Hu ; Yibo Tang ; Zhenquan Liu
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medical Sciences 2024;11(2):180-190
Objective:
To investigate the mechanism of action of Wuzi Yanzong pill (WYP) in rats with oligoasthenozoospermia (OAZ) via metabolomics and to provide a possible basis for improving this WYP-based treatment.
Methods:
A rat model of OAZ was established by treating male Sprague–Dawley rats with glucosides from Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. F. Seventy-two rats were randomly divided into six groups: control, L-carnitine (positive control), model, and low-, medium-, and high-dose WYP groups. Rats in the experimental groups were treated with WYP for 4 weeks. At the end of the treatment period, sperm cell quality (density, motility, and viability) was assessed using a semen analysis system, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) was assessed using flow cytometry, and testicular injury was assessed using hematoxylin and eosin staining to validate the therapeutic effect of WYP in OAZ. Further, serum metabolomics-based analysis was performed using high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to identify differential metabolic pathways and possible mechanisms of action of WYP in OAZ treatment.
Results:
A rat model of OAZ was considered successfully-established after comparing the quality of spermatozoa in the model group to that in the control group. WYP-M and WYP-H treatments significantly improved sperm cell density, motility, and viability compared with those in the model group (all P < .05). Compared with the model group, both WYP-M and WYP-H treatments increased MMP values (P = .006 and P = .021 respectively), while there was no significant difference in the L-carnitine group. L-carnitine and WYP administration reversed damage to the testes to varying degrees compared with that in the model group. Further, 44 differential metabolites and four metabolic pathways, especially autophagy pathway, related to OAZ were identified via metabolomics.
Conclusions
WYP improves sperm cell quality and MMP in OAZ primarily via autophagy regulation. These findings can be employed to improve the efficacy of WYP in humans.
4.Patent Analysis of Galla Chinensis Based on Incopat Patent Database
Chenyu WANG ; Chiqing CHEN ; Jie XIANG ; Zhiwei CHEN ; Lei XU ; Junjie HU ; Lichun YE ; Zhaohua SHI
World Science and Technology-Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;26(6):1505-1514
Wubeizi(Galla Chinensis)is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine in modern clinical practice,which is widely used to treat hemorrhoids,bleeding,mouth ulcers and other diseases.Based on the incopat patent database,the global Galla Chinensis sub-patent search in the past 20 years was conducted,and a total of 8123 related patents were retrieved;Using the basic chart analysis method,the pattern analysis of Galla Chinensis sub-patents was carried out from the aspects of application trend,patent value,technical field,legal status,etc.The analysis results show that the development of Galla Chinensis is in the rapid development stage,Galla Chinensis has in-depth research in the treatment of hemorrhoids,oral ulcers,bleeding,Chinese herbal medicine,Chinese patent medicine and cosmetics are the hot spot of research and development at present,China and South Korea are the main distribution countries of Galla Chinensis patents.The number of Chinese Galla Chinensis patents is large,but the patent quality,value and patent level of the world have a certain gap.In view of the current development trend of Galla Chinensis,there is still a large amount of patent application space in this field.Chinese Galla Chinensis patent applicants can combine their own advantages,development trend and short board to formulate scientific development strategy,thus improving the core competitiveness of Galla Chinensis industry fundamentally.
5.Evaluation of Habitat Suitability of Prunella vulgaris L.Based on MaxEnt Model and ArcGIS
Ru PEI ; Zhaohua SHI ; Lei XU ; Junjie HU ; Hengjian XIA ; Shengjun WANG ; Chenyu WANG ; Lichun YE
Chinese Journal of Information on Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;31(11):1-6
Objective To screen the main environmental factors affecting the growth of Prunella vulgaris L.based on MaxEnt model and ArcGIS;To predict its potential suitable habitats in China;To provide reference for the artificial cultivation of Prunella vulgaris L.Methods Totally 346 pieces of sample point data of Prunella vulgaris L.were collected.Combined with data of 38 ecological factors,the main environmental factors affecting the distribution of Prunella vulgaris L.were screened using MaxEnt model.ArcGIS software was used to evaluate the habitat suitability of Prunella vulgaris L.and analyze the distribution of suitable areas for Prunella vulgaris L.worldwide and in China.Results The main ecological factors affecting the distribution of Prunella vulgaris L.were upper(0-30 cm)soil gravel volume percentage,soil effective water content,upper(0-30 cm)soil exchangeable sodium salt,specific soil types related to agricultural use in soil units and upper(0-30 cm)soil sand content.The highly suitable areas of Prunella vulgaris L.were mainly in Yunnan,Heilongjiang,eastern Inner Mongolia and central Sichuan.Conclusion The predicted results can provide a reference for the introduction of cultivation and sustainable resource utilization of Prunella vulgaris L.
6.Patent Analysis of Artemsia Argyi Based on Incopat Patent Database
Lichun YE ; Chenyu WANG ; Qin YUAN ; Junjie HU ; Guohua ZHENG ; Benda XIAO ; Xinan LIAO ; Zhaohua SHI
World Science and Technology-Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2023;25(6):1881-1894
Artemsia argyi Levl.et Vant is a commonly used Chinese herbal medicine and moxibustion raw material plant,so far has more than two thousand years of medicinal history,as one of the most commonly used Chinese medicinal materials.The incopat patent database was used to search the worldwide patent data of the last 20 years,and a total of 25279 argyi related patents were retrieved.The pattern of argyi patents was analyzed from the perspectives of global application trend,main technical fields,national economy composition,applicant ranking,patent value and other aspects by means of graph combination.The analysis shows that the innovation and development of argyi is in the stage of rapid development;The medical,Chinese patent medicine,cosmetics and physiotherapy of argyi are the hot research and development of current technology;There are a large number of patents related to argyi in the world,but they are mainly distributed in China and South Korea.Among them,the number of patents related to argyi in China reaches 20381,far higher than that in other countries,but the number of high-value patents is not very large,and the value and quality of patents are still insufficient compared with other countries.From the perspective of the current development trend of argyi,with the deepening of clinical application recognition and scientific research of argyi,there is a large patent space in the field of argyi.Patent applicants can formulate corresponding patent application strategies according to the global development opportunities,technological development status and existing weaknesses.
7.Preparation of Oligomeric Hyaluronic Acid Modified Ellagic Acid-Loaded Liposomes and Study on in vitro Transdermal Effect and Whitening Activity
Xiaojing YANG ; Chiqing CHEN ; Kaiyuan MIAO ; Junjie HU ; Guohua ZHENG ; Xinyan CHEN ; Zhaohua SHI
World Science and Technology-Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2023;25(12):3856-3865
Objective To construct oligomeric hyaluronic acid(5 KDa)-modified ellagic acid-loaded liposomes(EA-HA-L)to improve the aqueous solubility,in vitro transdermal effect and whitening activity of ellagic acid.Methods Oligomeric hyaluronic acid-modified cholesterol(HA-Chol)was prepared by esterification reaction and structurally characterized by FTIR and 1H NMR;Oligomeric hyaluronic acid-modified ellagic acid-loaded liposomes were prepared by film dispersion-ultrasound method,and the prescribing process was optimized by Box-Behnken design-response surface method,and the particle sizes,the polydispersity index(PDI),zeta potential and encapsulation rate of liposomes under the optimal prescribing process were determined;the difference in solubility between EA-HA-L and free EA was evaluated;in vitro transdermal effect of liposomes were investigated using rat abdominal skin;inhibitory effect on tyrosinase and intracellular tyrosinase in mouse melanoma cells(B16-F10)was surveyed via dopa oxidation method.Results HA-Chol was synthesized and characterized;the optimized prescription process was mass ratio of 10:1 for soy phospholipids to HA-Chol,lipid-drug ratio of 40:1,hydration temperature of 30℃,hydration time of 60 min,ultrasound intensity of 35%,ultrasound time of 21 min,and the particle size of EA-HA-L produced under the optimized prescription process was(140.30±1.30)nm,PDI was(0.29±0.01),the encapsulation rate of ellagic acid was 91.16%±3.06%,and the zeta potential was(-5.67±0.09)mV;after EA was encapsulated by liposomes,the solubility of EA in water increased by about 40-fold;the cumulative transdermal amount of EA-HA-L was 46.98±2.17 μg·cm-2 in 24 h,and the intradermal retention was 66.15±0.61 μg·cm-2,which was 1.72 times higher than that of free EA(P<0.0001)and 1.23 times higher than plain liposome(EA-L)(P<0.01);and the tyrosinase inhibitory activity of EA-HA-L was higher than that of both free EA and EA-L in the EA concentration range of 50-400 μg·mL-1.Conclusion Oligomeric hyaluronic acid-modified ellagic acid-loaded liposomes with small particle size and high encapsulation rate were successfully prepared.EA-HA-L significantly improved the water solubility of EA and possessed better transdermal effect and stronger whitening activity than free EA and EA-L.
8.Exploration and application of a novel attempt to recruit participants in clinical trials of vaccines under the emergency
Hudachuan JIANG ; Zhao WANG ; Lei WANG ; Wenjuan WANG ; Hu WANG ; Peng DENG ; Siyue JIA ; Zhaohua LIU ; Fengcai ZHU
Chinese Journal of Preventive Medicine 2020;54(9):963-967
Objective:To evaluate and share the novel method for recruiting participants in clinical trials of vaccines in emergency situations.Methods:To publish recruitment notice in local areas of Wuhan through websites and medium, and guide interested persons to log in to the“Clinical Trials of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Reservation and Health Declaration System”to appoint and register their health information. The "Health Declaration System" provides each volunteer evaluation and risk levels to preliminarily exclude those who do not meet the inclusion criteria. Researchers review the qualified volunteers by telephone, organize them to go to the vaccination site, and finally conduct a strict medical screening to determine the final subjects.Results:A total of 4 819 people and 5 132 people registered in the Phase Ⅰ and Phase Ⅱ recruitment system respectively, with men 2 912 (60.43%) and 2 887 (56.25%) more than women 1 907 (39.57%) and 2 245 (43.75%), mostly in the 20-39 age group, with 3 211 (66.63%) and 3 966 (77.28%). All 13 districts in Wuhan have interested residents to participate clinical research.The initial qualified rate of the Phase Ⅱ recruitment system was higher than that of Phase Ⅰ, with men 2 047 (70.28%) and 2 135(73.95%), higher than women 1 083 (56.80%) and 1 472 (65.57%); 440 and 689 people were reviewed by telephone in Phase Ⅰ and Phase Ⅱ respectively, and the number of verified volunteers was about 440 (35.00%) and 689 (67.20%); Of the 201 603 people who arrived at the vaccination site, 12 and 26 of them were positive for the SARS-CoV-2 antibody with an antibody positive rate of 6.00% and 4.31% respectively.Conclusion:The novel method for recruiting subjects in this clinical study is efficient and reliable, and the recruitment situation of Phase Ⅰ had set a good example for Phase Ⅱ but the medium-and long-term compliance of subjects and the separation of willingness and behaviors still need to be further studied.
9.Exploration and application of a novel attempt to recruit participants in clinical trials of vaccines under the emergency
Hudachuan JIANG ; Zhao WANG ; Lei WANG ; Wenjuan WANG ; Hu WANG ; Peng DENG ; Siyue JIA ; Zhaohua LIU ; Fengcai ZHU
Chinese Journal of Preventive Medicine 2020;54(9):963-967
Objective:To evaluate and share the novel method for recruiting participants in clinical trials of vaccines in emergency situations.Methods:To publish recruitment notice in local areas of Wuhan through websites and medium, and guide interested persons to log in to the“Clinical Trials of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Reservation and Health Declaration System”to appoint and register their health information. The "Health Declaration System" provides each volunteer evaluation and risk levels to preliminarily exclude those who do not meet the inclusion criteria. Researchers review the qualified volunteers by telephone, organize them to go to the vaccination site, and finally conduct a strict medical screening to determine the final subjects.Results:A total of 4 819 people and 5 132 people registered in the Phase Ⅰ and Phase Ⅱ recruitment system respectively, with men 2 912 (60.43%) and 2 887 (56.25%) more than women 1 907 (39.57%) and 2 245 (43.75%), mostly in the 20-39 age group, with 3 211 (66.63%) and 3 966 (77.28%). All 13 districts in Wuhan have interested residents to participate clinical research.The initial qualified rate of the Phase Ⅱ recruitment system was higher than that of Phase Ⅰ, with men 2 047 (70.28%) and 2 135(73.95%), higher than women 1 083 (56.80%) and 1 472 (65.57%); 440 and 689 people were reviewed by telephone in Phase Ⅰ and Phase Ⅱ respectively, and the number of verified volunteers was about 440 (35.00%) and 689 (67.20%); Of the 201 603 people who arrived at the vaccination site, 12 and 26 of them were positive for the SARS-CoV-2 antibody with an antibody positive rate of 6.00% and 4.31% respectively.Conclusion:The novel method for recruiting subjects in this clinical study is efficient and reliable, and the recruitment situation of Phase Ⅰ had set a good example for Phase Ⅱ but the medium-and long-term compliance of subjects and the separation of willingness and behaviors still need to be further studied.
10.IC4R-2.0:Rice Genome Reannotation Using Massive RNA-seq Data
Sang JIAN ; Zou DONG ; Wang ZHENNAN ; Wang FAN ; Zhang YUANSHENG ; Xia LIN ; Li ZHAOHUA ; Ma LINA ; Li MENGWEI ; Xu BINGXIANG ; Liu XIAONAN ; Wu SHUANGYANG ; Liu LIN ; Niu GUANGYI ; Li MAN ; Luo YINGFENG ; Hu SONGNIAN ; Hao LILI ; Zhang ZHANG
Genomics, Proteomics & Bioinformatics 2020;18(2):161-172
Genome reannotation aims for complete and accurate characterization of gene models and thus is of critical significance for in-depth exploration of gene function. Although the availability of massive RNA-seq data provides great opportunities for gene model refinement, few efforts have been made to adopt these precious data in rice genome reannotation. Here we reannotate the rice (Oryza sativa L. ssp. japonica) genome based on integration of large-scale RNA-seq data and release a new annotation system IC4R-2.0. In general, IC4R-2.0 significantly improves the completeness of gene structure, identifies a number of novel genes, and integrates a variety of functional annota-tions. Furthermore, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs) are system-atically characterized in the rice genome. Performance evaluation shows that compared to previous annotation systems, IC4R-2.0 achieves higher integrity and quality, primarily attributable to mas-sive RNA-seq data applied in genome annotation. Consequently, we incorporate the improvedannotations into the Information Commons for Rice (IC4R), a database integrating multiple omics data of rice, and accordingly update IC4R by providing more user-friendly web interfaces and implementing a series of practical online tools. Together, the updated IC4R, which is equipped with the improved annotations, bears great promise for comparative and functional genomic studies in rice and other monocotyledonous species. The IC4R-2.0 annotation system and related resources are freely accessible at http://ic4r.org/.


Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail