A high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(HPLC-MS/MS) method was established for simultaneous determination of seven characteristic components from the active fraction of Alpiniae Officinarum Rhizoma in rat plasma, including galangin, kaempferol, kaempferide, pinocembrin, 1,7-diphenyl-4-en-3-heptanone, 5-hydroxy-7-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1-phenyl-3-heptanone(DHPA), and 7-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1-phenyl-4-en-3-heptanone(DPHB). The new developed HPLC-MS/MS method was applied to study the pharmacokinetics of the 7 characteristic components in rats with Helicobacter pylori gastritis. A Waters Sunfire C_(18) column(2.1 mm×150 mm, 3.5 μm) was used. The acetonitrile-aqueous solution(containing 0.1% formic acid) was adopted as the mobile phase for gradient elution. Seven components and internal standard(chlorogenic acid) were separated within 12 min. Mass spectrometric detection was performed in multiple reaction monitoring(MRM) mode using electrospray ionization(ESI) source with fast switching between positive and negative ions. The method was verified by specificity, linearity, precision, accuracy, recovery, matrix effect, and stability and met the requirements of pharmacokinetic study on the 7 components in rat plasma. Pharmacokinetic results showed that the average peak time(T_(max)) of the 7 components was 0.31-2.19 h, their elimination half-life(t_(1/2)) was 5.26-16.65 h, and the average residence time(MRT) was 6.29-31.03 h after the oral administration of the active fraction of Alpiniae Officinarum Rhizoma to rats with H. pylori gastritis. The plasma exposure levels of galangin and DHPA were higher than those of the other components. The concentration-time curves of four detected flavonoids showed obvious double peaks. This study elucidated the pharmacokinetic characteristics of 7 characteristic components from the active fraction of Alpiniae Officinarum Rhizoma in rats with H. pylori gastritis, providing a scientific basis for the identification of the pharmacodynamic substances of Alpiniae Officinarum Rhizoma for treatment of H. pylori gastritis and the clinical application of Alpiniae Officinarum Rhizoma in the prevention and treatment of H. pylori gastritis.
Animals ; Rats ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods* ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Male ; Helicobacter pylori/drug effects* ; Alpinia/chemistry* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Gastritis/metabolism* ; Helicobacter Infections/metabolism* ; Flavonoids/blood* ; Rhizome/chemistry* ; Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

To elucidate the mechanism by which steaming affects the quality of Curcuma kwangsiensis root tubers, methods such as LSCM, RVA, dual-wavelength spectrophotometry, LF-NMR, and LC-MS were employed to qualitatively and quantitatively detect changes in starch gelatinization characteristics, water distribution, and material composition of C. kwangsiensis root tubers under different steaming durations. Based on multivariate statistical analysis, the correlation between differences in gelatinization parameters, water distribution, and terpenoid material composition was investigated. The results indicate that steaming affects both starch gelatinization and water distribution in C. kwangsiensis. During the steaming process, transformations occur between amylose and amylopectin, as well as between semi-bound water and free water. After 60 min of steaming, starch gelatinization and water distribution reached an equilibrium state. The content of amylopectin, the amylose-to-amylopectin ratio, and parameters such as gelatinization temperature, viscosity, breakdown value, and setback value were significantly correlated(P≤0.05). Additionally, the amylose-to-amylopectin ratio was significantly correlated with total free water and total water content(P≤0.05). Steaming induced differences in the material composition of C. kwangsiensis root tubers. Clustering of primary metabolites in the OPLS-DA model was distinct, while secondary metabolites were classified into 9 clusters using the K-means clustering algorithm. Differential terpenoid metabolites such as(-)-α-curcumene were significantly correlated with zerumbone, retinal, and all-trans-retinoic acid(P<0.05). Curcumenol was significantly correlated with isoalantolactone and ursolic acid(P<0.05), while all-trans-retinoic acid was significantly correlated with both zerumbone and retinal(P<0.05). Alpha-tocotrienol exhibited a significant correlation with retinal and all-trans-retinoic acid(P<0.05). Amylose was extremely significantly correlated with(-)-α-curcumene, curcumenol, zerumbone, retinal, all-trans-retinoic acid, and α-tocotrienol(P<0.05). Amylopectin was significantly correlated with zerumbone(P<0.05) and extremely significantly correlated with(-)-α-curcumene, curcumenol, zerumbone, retinal, all-trans-retinoic acid, and 9-cis-retinoic acid(P<0.01). The results provide scientific evidence for elucidating the mechanism of quality formation of steamed C. kwangsiensis root tubers as a medicinal material.
Curcuma/chemistry* ; Starch/chemistry* ; Multivariate Analysis ; Water/chemistry* ; Terpenes/analysis* ; Plant Roots/chemistry* ; Plant Tubers/chemistry* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry*

OBJECTIVES: To elucidate the anti-aging effect of β-sitosterol (BS), an important component in the fruits of Alpinia oxyphylla Miq., in C. elegans and its regulatory effect on ETS-5 gene to modulate ferroptosis. METHODS: C. elegans treated with 10 µg/mL BS were monitored for survival time and changes in body length, motility, and reproductive function. The effect of ETS-5 gene knockdown on survival time of C. elegans was observed, and the changes in fat accumulation and lipid redox homeostasis in the transfected C. elegans were assessed using Oil Red O staining and by detecting MDA levels and the GSH/GSSG ratio. The mRNA expression levels of ferroptosis-related genes (FTN-1, GPX-1 and AAT-9) were detected using qPCR. The effects of BS treatment and ETS-5 knockdown on AAT-9 enzyme activity in C. elegans were examined. The effect of BS on nuclear localization of FEV (the human homolog of ETS-5) was validated in cultured human umbilical venous endothelial cells (HUVECs). RESULTS: Both BS treatment and ETS-5 knockdown significantly prolonged the lifespan, promoted lipid accumulation and reduced lipid peroxidation in C. elegans. ETS-5 knockdown resulted in upregulated expressions of the ferroptosis repressors GPX-1, AAT-9 and FTN-1 and increased the GSH/GSSG ratio in C. elegans. CONCLUSIONS BS inhibits ferroptosis in C. elegans by suppressing the expression of ETS-5 transcription factor and hence the activity of AAT-9 enzyme, a key gene for ferroptosis, which in turn prolongs the lifespan of C. elegans.
Animals ; Caenorhabditis elegans/physiology* ; Ferroptosis/drug effects* ; Alpinia/chemistry* ; Sitosterols/pharmacology* ; Longevity/drug effects* ; Fruit/chemistry* ; Humans

Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was employed to analyze the chemical components in Curcuma longa tuberous roots(HSYJ), C. longa tuberous roots processed with vinegar(CHSYJ), and rat serum after the administration. The active components of HSYJ and CHSYJ absorbed in serum were identified based on the secondary spectrum of database and literature. The targets of primary dysmenorrhea was screened out from database. The protein-protein interaction network analysis, gene ontology(GO) functional annotation, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were performed for the common targets shared by the drug active components in serum and primary dysmenorrhea, and the component-target-pathway network was constructed. AutoDock was used to conduct molecular docking between the core components and targets. A total of 44 chemical components were identified from HSYJ and CHSYJ, including 18 absorbed in serum. On the basis of network pharmacology, we identified 8 core components(including procurcumenol, isobutyl p-hydroxybenzoate, ferulic acid, and zedoarondiol) and 10 core targets \[including interleukin-6(IL-6), estrogen receptor 1(ESR1), and prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2(PTGS2)\]. The core targets were mainly distributed in the heart, liver, uterus, and smooth muscle. The molecular docking results showed that the core components were well bound to the core targets, indicating that HSYJ and CHSYJ may exert therapeutic effect on primary dysmenorrhea via estrogen, ovarian steroidogenesis, tumor necrosis factor(TNF), hypoxia-inducible factor-1(HIF-1), IL-17 and other signaling pathways. This study clarifies the HSYJ and CHSYJ components absorbed in serum, as well as the corresponding mechanism, providing a reference for further elucidating the therapeutic material basis and clinical application of HSYJ and CHSYJ.
Female ; Humans ; Animals ; Rats ; Acetic Acid ; Curcuma ; Dysmenorrhea ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; Cyclooxygenase 2

This study aimed to investigate the impact of ginger juice on chemical profile of Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex(MOC) when they were processed together. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole-orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry(UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS) was used for qualitative analysis of the chemical component of MOC samples before and after being processed with ginger juice. UPLC was performed to observe the content variation of eight main components in processed MOC. A total of 174 compounds were identified or tentatively deduced from processed and unprocessed MOC samples according to MS data obtained in positive and negative ion mode. After MOC was processed with ginger juice, the peak areas of most phenolics increased, while the peak areas of most phenylethanoid glycosides decreased; as for neolignans, oxyneolignans, other lignans and alkaloids, changes in the peak area were variable, and the peak areas of terpenoid-lignans varied little. Additionally, gingerols and diarylheptanoids were only detected in the processed MOC sample. The contents of syringin, magnoloside A, and magnoloside B decreased significantly in the processed MOC sample while no significant difference was observed in the contents of magnoflorine, magnocurarine, honokiol, obovatol, and magnolol. This study comprehensively explored the content variation of chemical components in processed and unprocessed MOC samples derived from different regions and with different tree ages using UPLC and UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS, and summarized the variation characteristics of various compounds. The results provide a data foundation for further research on pharmacodynamic substances of MOC processed with ginger juice.
Ginger ; Trees ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods* ; Alkaloids ; Lignans/analysis*

The weight coefficients of appearance traits, extract yield of standard decoction, and total content of honokiol and magnolol were determined by analytic hierarchy process(AHP), criteria importance though intercrieria correlation(CRITIC), and AHP-CRITIC weighting method, and the comprehensive scores were calculated. The effects of ginger juice dosage, moistening time, proces-sing temperature, and processing time on the quality of Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex(MOC) were investigated, and Box-Behnken design was employed to optimize the process parameters. To reveal the processing mechanism, MOC, ginger juice-processed Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex(GMOC), and water-processed Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex(WMOC) were compared. The results showed that the weight coefficients of the appearance traits, extract yield of standard decoction, and total content of honokiol and magnolol determined by AHP-CRITIC weighting method were 0.134, 0.287, and 0.579, respectively. The optimal processing parameters of GMOC were ginger juice dosage of 8%, moistening time of 120 min, and processing at 100 ℃ for 7 min. The content of syringoside and magnolflorine in MOC decreased after processing, and the content of honokiol and magnolol followed the trend of GMOC>MOC>WMOC, which suggested that the change in clinical efficacy of MOC after processing was associated with the changes of chemical composition. The optimized processing technology is stable and feasible and provides references for the modern production and processing of MOC.
Ginger ; Magnolia/chemistry* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Biphenyl Compounds/chemistry* ; Lignans/chemistry*

OBJECTIVES: To observe the effects of acupoint application with turmeric blistering moxibustion plaster on pain, shoulder range of motion (ROM) and upper limb motor function in the patients with post-stroke hemiplegic shoulder pain (PSHSP). METHODS: Eighty-two patients with PSHSP were randomly divided into an observation group (41 cases, 1 case was eliminated, 4 cases dropped out) and a control group (41 cases, 2 cases were eliminated and 2 cases dropped out). The routine treatment, nursing care and rehabilitation training were performed in the control group. On the basis of the intervention as the control group, in the observation group, the turmeric blistering moxibustion plaster was applied to bilateral ashi points, Jianyu (LI 15), Jianliao (TE 14), Binao (LI 14), Shousanli (LI 10) and Hegu (LI 4), once a day, remained for 6 hours each time. This moxibustion therapy was operated 5 times weekly, one course of treatment consisted of 2 weeks and 2 courses were required. Separately, before treatment and after 2 and 4 weeks of treatment, the score of visual analogue scale (VAS), shoulder ROM and the score of upper limbs in Fugl-Meyer assessment (U-FMA) were observed in the two groups. RESULTS: VAS scores were lower (P<0.05), ROM in shoulder flexion, abduction, internal rotation and external rotation was larger (P<0.05), and U-FMA scores were higher (P<0.05) after 2 and 4 weeks of treatment when compared with those before treatment in the two groups. After 4 weeks of treatment, VAS score decreased (P<0.05), and ROM in shoulder flexion, abduction, internal rotation, external rotation and U-FMA score increased (P<0.05) in comparison with those after 2 weeks of treatment in either group. In the observation group, VAS scores were dropped (P<0.05) after 2 and 4 weeks of treatment respectively, and ROM of shoulder flexion and abduction enlarged after 2 weeks of treatment (P<0.05) when compared with those in the control group. After 4 weeks of treatment, ROM in shoulder flexion, abduction, internal rotation and external rotation in the observation group was larger (P<0.05) and U-FMA score was higher (P<0.05) than those in the control group. CONCLUSIONS Acupoint application with turmeric blistering moxibustion plaster may effectively reduce the degree of shoulder pain and improve the shoulder range of motion and the upper limb motor function in the patients with post-stroke hemiplegic shoulder pain.
Humans ; Shoulder ; Moxibustion ; Shoulder Pain/therapy* ; Acupuncture Points ; Curcuma ; Hemiplegia/therapy* ; Treatment Outcome

Curcuma wenyujin, as one of the eight Daodi-herbs in Zhejiang province, is widely used. It has the effects of eliminating stasis and dissipating mass, moving Qi and activating blood, and clearing heart and relieving depression. Modern studies have shown that it has anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidation, anti-thrombus and liver-protecting effects and mainly contains sesquiterpenoids, monoterpenoids, diterpenoids, and curcumins. This paper reviews the research progress in the chemical constituents and pharmacological effects of C. wenyujin in the last decade, discusses the modern clinical applications combined with the traditional efficacy, and predicts its quality markers(Q-markers) from plant consanguinity, medicinal properties, efficacy, processing and measurability of chemical components based on the theory of Q-markers, so as to provide a reference for the establishment of a scientific quality evaluation system and the research and application of this herb in the future.
Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; Curcuma/chemistry* ; Liver

Derived from Curcuma plants, Curcumae Longae Rhizoma, Curcumae Rhizoma, Wenyujin Rhizoma Concisum, and Curcumae Radix are common blood-activating and stasis-resolving medicinals in clinical practice, which are mainly used to treat amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, chest impediment and heart pain, and rheumatic arthralgia caused by blood stasis block. According to modern research, the typical components in medicinals derived from Curcuma plants, like curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, bisdemethoxycurcumin, curdione, germacrone, curcumol, and β-elemene, have the activities of hemorheology improvement, anti-platelet aggregation, anti-thrombosis, anti-inflammation, anti-tumor, and anti-fibrosis, thereby activating blood and resolving stasis. However, due to the difference in origin, medicinal part, processing, and other aspects, the efficacy and clinical application are different. The efficacy-related substances behind the difference have not yet been systematically studied. Thus, focusing on the efficacy-related substances, this study reviewed the background, efficacy and clinical application, efficacy-related substances, and "prediction-identification-verification" research method of blood-activating and stasis-resolving medicinals derived from Curcuma plants, which is expected to lay a theoretical basis for the future research on the "similarities and differences" of such medicinals based on integrated evidence chain and to guide the scientific and rational application of them in clinical practice.
Curcuma ; Curcumin ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Plant Roots ; Platelet Aggregation ; Rhizome

Aiming to solve the poor compactibility of the alcoholic extract of Zingiberis Rhizoma(ZR), this study explored the feasibility of its physical modification using co-spray drying with a small amount of hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose(HPMC). Based on the univariate analysis, the influence of two independent variables(the HPMC content in the product and the solid content of spray material) on the powder properties and tablet properties of the dried product was investigated by the central composite design. With the tensile strength and disintegration time of the tablets as the evaluation indexes, the optimal prescription was determined as follows: the HPMC content was 15% and the solid content of spray material was 25.6%. The accuracy of the regression model established for predicting tensile strength and disintegration time of tablets was verified, and the results revealed that the measured values were close to the predicted ones with deviations of 0.47% and-8.2%, indicating good prediction and reproducibility of the model. The tensile strength(4.24 MPa) of tablets prepared with the optimal prescription was 3.59 times that(1.18 MPa, far lower than the baseline of 2 MPa for qualified tablets) with the spray-dried powder of the ZR. On the other hand, due to the addition of HPMC, the disintegration time of tablets increased from 7.3 min to 24.6 min. On the whole, this study provided a new strategy to solve the common problem of poor compactibility of raw Chinese medicinal materials, which facilitated the successful preparation of Chinese medicinal tablets with high drug loads.
Ginger ; Plant Extracts ; Reproducibility of Results ; Rhizome ; Spray Drying