Perilla frutescens is a widely used medicinal and edible plant with a rich chemical composition throughout its whole plant. The Chinese Pharmacopoeia categorizes P. frutescens leaves(Perillae Folium), seeds(Perillae Fructus), and stems(Perillae Caulis) as three distinct medicinal parts due to the differences in types and content of active components. Over 350 different bioactive compounds have been reported so far, including volatile oils, flavonoids, phenolic acids, triterpenes, sterols, and fatty acids. Due to the complexity of its chemical composition, P. frutescens exhibits diverse pharmacological effects, including antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, antidepressant, and antitumor activities. While scholars have conducted a substantial amount of research on different parts of P. frutescens, including analysis of their chemical components and pharmacological mechanisms of action, there has yet to be a systematic comparison and summary of chemical components, pharmacological effects, and mechanisms of action. Therefore, this study overviewed the chemical composition and structures of Perillae Folium, Perillae Fructus, and Perillae Caulis, and summarized the pharmacological effects and mechanisms of P. frutescens to provide a reference for better development and utilization of this valuable plant.
Perilla frutescens/chemistry* ; Plant Extracts/pharmacology* ; Seeds/chemistry* ; Fruit/chemistry* ; Oils, Volatile/analysis* ; Plant Leaves/chemistry*

Brucea javanica oil emulsion (BJOE) has been used to treat tumor in China for more than 40 years. However, its components and effectiveness in the treatment of acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) and its mechanism of anti-cancer activity remain unknown. In the current study, high-performance liquid chromatography-evaporative light scattering detector (HPLC-ELSD) was used to analyze the components of BJOE. Then, the anti-leukemia effects of BJOE were examined both in vitro and in vivo using ALL Jurkat cells and the p388 mouse leukemia transplant model, respectively. The primary ALL leukemia cells were also used to confirm the anti-leukemia effects of BJOE. The apoptotic-related results indicated that BJOE induced apoptosis in Jurkat cells and were suggestive of intrinsic apoptotic induction. Moreover, BJOE inhibited Akt (protein kinase B) activation and upregulated its downstream targets p53 and FoxO1 (forkhead box gene, group O-1) to initiate apoptosis. The activation of GSK3β was also involved. Our findings demonstrate that BJOE has anti-leukemia effects on ALL cells and can induce apoptosis in Jurkat cells through the phosphoinositide3-kinase (PI3K) /Akt signaling pathway.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Brucea/chemistry* ; Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 ; Humans ; Jurkat Cells ; Mice ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/genetics* ; Plant Oils/pharmacology* ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma/drug therapy* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/genetics* ; Seeds/chemistry* ; Signal Transduction

To investigate the effect of resolution components, such as Açaí oil, alcohol extract and water extract, on the temperature tendency animal behavior and intrinsic biochemical indexes, such ascyclic nucleotides and metabolic level, in mice with deficiency-heat and deficiency-cold syndrome, in order to study the characteristics of the cold and heat properties of each resolution component of Açaí and the material basis of cooling. KM mice were randomly divided into 12 groups, namely blank group, deficiency-heat model group, deficiency-heat+Açaí group, deficiency-heat+Açaí oil group, deficiency-heat+Açaí alcohol extract group, deficiency-heat+Açaí water extract group, deficiency-cold model group, deficiency-cold+Cinnamomi Cortex group, deficiency-cold+Açaí group, deficiency-cold+Açaí oil group, deficiency-cold+Açaí alcohol extract group, deficiency-cold+Açaí water extract group. The mice in deficiency-heat group were given thyroid tablet solution(160 mg·kg~(-1)), the mice in deficiency-cold group were given hydrocortisone solution(25 mg·kg~(-1)) through gastric perfusion every afternoon for 14 days, and each administration group was given the corresponding drug. The temperature tendency, cyclic nucleotides and metabolic level of animals were measured after the experiment. The Açaí alcohol extract was consistent with the Açaí powder, with a regulatory effect on the deficiency-heat model mice; Açaí oil and its water extract were consistent with Cinnamomi Cortex, with a regulatory effect on the deficiency-cold model mice. In this study, based on the parable theory of traditional Chinese medicine's properties and tastes, property of alcohol extract of Açaí was cool, while the property of oil and water extract were warm, the alcohol extract of Açaí was the material basis of Açaí cold medicine by the methods of homogeneous comparison and heterogeneous disproval.
Animals ; Ethanol ; Euterpe/chemistry* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Mice ; Plant Extracts/pharmacology* ; Plant Oils/pharmacology* ; Random Allocation ; Temperature ; Water

In this study, solid dispersion technology was used to develop volatile oil from Acorus tatarinowii self-nanoemulsion dropping pills(VOA-SNEDDS-DP) and its protective effect on acute myocardial ischemia injury was evaluated. Taking exterior quality, weight variation and the resolving time as comprehendsive evaluation indexes, the preparation process and formulation of the dropping pills were optimized by orthogonal design, and the dissolution rate in vitro of the optimized VOA-SNEDDS-DP was investigated. The rat model of acute myocardial ischemia was induced by intraperitoneal injection of isoproterenol hydrochloride and the serum levels of superoxide dismutase(SOD), malondialdehyde(MDA), creatine kinase(CK) and pathological changes of myocardial tissue were determined to evaluate therapeutic effect of the dropping pills on acute myocardial ischemia. The results showed that the optimal formulation and preparation process of VOA-SNEDDS-DP were as follows: PEG6000-PEG8000 was 1∶1, proportion of VOA-SNEDDS and matrix was l∶2.5, the temperature of drug fluids was 75 ℃, drop rate was 35 drops/min, drop distance was 5 cm, the condensing agent temperature was 2-10 ℃. The content of β-asarone in the dropping pills was 42.46 mg·g~(-1). The accumulated dissolution rate of the dropping pills reached 93.85% in 10 min. The results of pharmacodynamic experiments showed that VOA-SNEDDS-DP could significantly increase the SOD content(P<0.05), reduce the levels of MDA and CK(P<0.05) in serum, and effectively improve the pathological morphology of myocardial tissue. These results revealed that the preparation of VOA-SNEDDS-DP by solid dispersion technology was stable and feasible, and VOA-SNEDDS-DP had protective effect on acute myocardial ischemia injury.
Acorus ; chemistry ; Animals ; Creatine Kinase ; blood ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Malondialdehyde ; blood ; Myocardial Ischemia ; drug therapy ; Oils, Volatile ; pharmacology ; Plant Oils ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Superoxide Dismutase ; blood

Pistacia lentiscus,which belongs to foreign medicine resources,is widely distributed in the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern area. The essential oils are a mixture of several volatile compounds mainly monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes obtained from different parts of P. lentiscus by hydrodistillation. The variability of chemical composition,biological activities and content of essential oil is strongly affected by extraction technology,environmental and sex factors. It is indicated that essential oils of P. lentiscus have kinds of biological activities such as antibacterial,anticancer,anti-atherogenesis,antioxidant,anti-inflammatory and insecticidal activities.Many scholars hold the opinion that combination of different components with synergistic and/or additive actions should account for their biological activities. Due to its diverse efficacy and special taste,the essential oil of P. lentiscus has been extensively used in medicine,food and cosmetics industries. A mini review of chemical constituents and biological activities of essential oil of P. lentiscus in the past20 years is made here to provide valuable reference for the construction of " the Belt and Road".
Monoterpenes ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Oils, Volatile ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Pistacia ; chemistry ; Plant Oils ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Sesquiterpenes ; chemistry ; pharmacology

To investigate the effects of essential oil from three kinds of pungent herbs,namely Menthae Haplocalycis Herba,Atractylodis Rhizoma and Cnidii Fructus,on the transdermal absorption in vitro of alkaloids from Sophorae Flavescentis Radix. The modified vertical Franz diffusion cell was used to conduct a transdermal experiment in vitro with the isolated abdominal skin of the SD rats as the transdermal absorption barrier. The effects of such three kinds of pungent essential oil on percutaneous absorption of alkaloids from Sophorae Flavescentis Radix were investigated by determining the content of 6 alkaloids( oxymatrine,oxysophocarpine,N-methylcytisine,sophoridine,matrine,and sophocarpidine) in the transdermal acceptor with ultra-performance liquid chromatography-triple quadruple mass spectrometry( UPLC-TQ-MS) technique simultaneously. With enhancement ratio( ER) as the index,their effects on promoting penetration was as follows: 1% Atractylodis Rhizoma oil > 1% Cnidii Fructus oil > 3% Azone ≈ 3% Atractylodis Rhizoma oil > 5%Atractylodis Rhizoma oil > 3% Cnidii Fructus oil ≈ 5% Cnidii Fructus oil > 3% Menthae Haplocalycis Herba oil > 5% Menthae Haplocalycis Herba oil > 1% Menthae Haplocalycis Herba oil > Blank. The results showed that these three kinds of pungent essential oil could be used as enhancers for alkaloids of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix,providing scientific guidance for improving percutaneous absorption of alkaloids from Sophorae Flavescentis Radix.
Alkaloids ; metabolism ; Animals ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; metabolism ; Oils, Volatile ; pharmacology ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Skin Absorption ; Sophora ; chemistry

Danshen, the dried root or rhizome of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge., is a traditional and folk medicine in Asian countries, especially in China and Japan. In this review, we summarized the recent researches of Danshen in traditional uses and preparations, chemical constituents, pharmacological activities and side effects. A total of 201 compounds from Danshen have been reported, including lipophilic diterpenoids, water-soluble phenolic acids, and other constituents, which have showed various pharmacological activities, such as anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation, anti-tumor, anti-atherogenesis, and anti-diabetes. This article intends to provide novel insight information for further development of Danshen, which could be of great value to its improvement of utilization.
Diterpenes ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Hydroxybenzoates ; chemistry ; Molecular Structure ; Oils, Volatile ; chemistry ; Phytochemicals ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; chemistry

Agarwood is a traditional and precious medicinal material and natural spice in China and other southeast Asian countries.As the head of all spices,agarwood has many pharmacological activities such as analgesia,antidiarrheal,anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects. Due to its high price and scarce resources,there were just a few previous studies on it,mainly focusing on the chemical compositions of the agarwood essential oil and solvent extract mixture. The components of agarwood oils obtained by supercritical extraction and steam distillation were analyzed by using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer( GC-MS),and then the agarwood oils compositions and contents were compared between the traditional extraction method and the recently emerging supercritical extraction method. Antioxidant experiments of scavenging DPPH,ABTS,hydroxyl radical,total reducing power and MIC experiments of five kinds of tester strains such as staphylococcus aureus were combined to illustrate the differences between these two kinds of agarwood oils in terms of antioxidant and bacteriostatic activities. The results showed that the main components of agarwood oil were sesquiterpenoids( 68. 68%) in steam distillation extraction method,but sesquiterpenoids( 23. 78%) and chromones( 29. 42%) in supercritical extraction method. Fourteen common components included benzyl acetone,α-santalol,γ-eudesmol,agarospirol and guaiol etc. The antioxidant activity and inhibitory MIC of agarwood oils in supercritical extraction method were better than those in steam distillation method,and the inhibitory effect of agarwood oil on the growth of bacillus subtilis was found for the first time.
Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology* ; Antioxidants/pharmacology* ; China ; Distillation/methods* ; Oils, Volatile/pharmacology* ; Plant Oils/pharmacology* ; Steam ; Thymelaeaceae/chemistry* ; Wood/chemistry*

To investigate the effect of Brucea javanica oil emulsion on proliferation, migration and autophagy of non-small cell lung cancer A549 cells.
 Methods: First, A549 cells were divided into a control group and a low, medium or high dose of Brucea javanica oil emulsion groups (0, 2.5, 5.0 or 10.0 mg/mL); then, the cells were divided into a 3-MA+Brucea javanica oil emulsion group and a Brucea javanica oil emulsion group in the presence or absence of 3-methyl adenine (3-MA). Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and clone formation assay were used to detect cell proliferation, while the wound scratch and Transwell assay were used to measure cell migration. Cell immunofluorescence and Western blot were used to analyze autophagy.
 Results: Compared with the control group, the numbers of cell proliferation and colony-formation, the relative cell migration rate and numbers of trans-membrane cells were reduced in a dose-dependent manner in the Brucea javanica oil emulsion groups (all P<0.05). Meanwhile, compared with the control group, the aggregation of microtubule associated protein 1 light chain3 (LC3) green fluorescence and the LC3-II/LC3-I ratios were increased, while p62 level was decreased (all P<0.05) in the high dose group. Compared with the Brucea javanica oil emulsion group (5.0 mg/mL), the cell proliferation, numbers of cell clone formation, cell migration rate and numbers of Transwell transmembrane cells were increased in the 3-MA+Brucea javanica oil emulsion group (all P<0.05).
 Conclusion: Brucea javanica oil emulsion can promote the autophagy of non-small cell lung cancer A549 cells and inhibit the cell proliferation and migration.
A549 Cells ; Autophagy ; drug effects ; Brucea ; chemistry ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; Cell Movement ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; Plant Oils ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVEThis study was conducted to determine the histopathological and biochemical effects of Thymus algeriensis essential oil (TEO) on hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced oxidative stress in liver and kidney tissues of rats.

METHODSRats were treated in six groups and were exposed for 2 weeks to low (LD; 100 μmol/L) and high doses (HD; 1 mmol/L) of H2O2 in the presence or absence of TEO (180 mg/kg). Liver and kidney atrophy was measured by using biochemical and histopathological assays.

RESULTSOur study demonstrated that H2O2 induced liver and kidney atrophy, as evidenced by the significant elevation of serum aminotransferase, urea, and creatinine levels compared with those in the control rats. Urea levels were estimated by evaluating the activity of serum urease that hydrolyzes urea into CO2 and ammonia. However, TEO treatment significantly alleviated oxidative stress in the H2O2-induced liver and kidney toxicity model by reducing the levels of malondialdehyde concomitantly with marked elevations in superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione S-transferase, as well as decrease in glutathione activity.

CONCLUSIONOur data demonstrated that TEO protected against H2O2 toxicity by decreasing oxidant levels and DNA damage, as well as increasing antioxidant levels, indicating that TEO has a spectrum of antioxidant and DNA-protective properties.

Animals ; Antioxidants ; pharmacology ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; metabolism ; toxicity ; Kidney ; drug effects ; physiology ; Lipid Metabolism ; drug effects ; Liver ; drug effects ; physiology ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Oils, Volatile ; pharmacology ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Regeneration ; drug effects ; Thymus Plant ; chemistry