Effect of borneol, moschus, storax, and acorus tatarinowii on expression levels of four amino acid neurotransmitters in the rat corpus striatum

The present study collected cerebrospinal fluid samples from the corpus striatum in rats treated with borneol, moschus, storax, and acorus tatarinowii using brain microdialysis technology. Levels of excitatory neurotransmitters aspartic acid and glutamate, as well as inhibitory neurotransmitters glycine and ^-aminobutyric acid, were measured in samples using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, phosphate gradient elution, and fluorescence detection. Results showed that concentrations of all four amino acid neurotransmitters significantly increased in the corpus striatum following treatment with borneol or moschus, but effects due to borneol were more significant than moschus. Acorus tatarinowii treatment increased ^-aminobutyric acid expression, but decreased glutamate concentrations. Storax increased aspartic acid concentrations and decreased glycine expression. Results demonstrated that borneol and moschus exhibited significant effects on con amino acid neurotransmitter expression; storax exhibited excitatory effects and acorus tatarinowii resulted in inhibitory effects.

In Vitro Antifungal Activity of the Extract and Compound from Acorus tatarinowii Against Seven Plant Pathogenic Fungi

Acorus tatarinowii Schott is a traditional Chinese medicine plant and has multiple bioactivities in medicine and pesticide field. In this study, the antifungal compound 1,2-dimethoxy-4（2-propenyl） benzene was isolated from A. tatarinowii Schott by activity-directed isolation method, and the inhibitory activity of the extract and 1,2-dimethoxy-4（2-propenyl） benzene against seven plant pathogenic fungi was evaluated. The results showed that the extract and 1,2-dimethoxy-4（2- propenyl） benzene had high inhibitory activity against hyphal growth of Thielaviopsis paradoxa （de Seynes） V. Hohnel, Pestalotia mangiferae P. Henn., Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum （E. F. Smith） Syn. et Hans., Alternaria alternate Tanaka, Colletotrichum musae （Berk et Curt） V. Arx, Sphaceloma fawcettii Jenk., and Mycosphaerella sentina （Fr.） Schroter. The EC50 values of extract were 1.6162, 1.6811, 1.1253, 3.5771, 1.7024, 2.2284, and 2.2221 g L^-1, respectively, and the EC50 values of 1,2-dimethoxy-4（2-propenyl） benzene were 0.1021, 0.0997, 0.0805, 0.1742, 0.1503, 0.1853, and 0.1924 g L^-1, respectively. 1,2-Dimethoxy-4（2-propenyl） benzene also inhibited spores germination of T. paradoxa （de Seynes） V. Hohnel and F. oxysporum f. sp. niveum （E. F. Smith） Syn. et Hans., with the inhibitory rates of 98.81 and 100% at a concentration of 0.4 g L^-1 after 8 h, respectively. 1,2-Dimethoxy-4（2-propenyl） benzene is a potential botanical antifungal agent for controling of plant fungal diseases.

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis on compounds in volatile oils extracted from Yuan Zhi(Radix Polygalae) and Shi Chang Pu(Acorus Tatarinowii) by supercritical CO_2

OBJECTIVE:To analyze the constituents of volatile oils extracted from Yuan Zhi(Radix Polygalae),Shi Chang Pu(Acorus Tatarinowii),and a mixture of the two herbs.METHODS:The volatile oils were extracted using supercritical fluid extraction(SFE) with CO 2,and the constituents of the volatile oil extracts were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS).The relative content of each component was calculated using peak area normalization.RESULTS:The optimized SFE conditions were 45 MPa at 35℃ for 2 h.Twenty-four compounds were identified in the extract from the Yuan Zhi(Radix Polygalae) and Shi Chang Pu(Acorus Tatarinowii) mixture,and six of these had relative contents >1.These compounds were 1,2-dimethoxy-4-(2-propenyl)-benzene;1,2,3-trimethoxy-5-(2-propenyl)-benzene;β-asarone;(Z,Z) 9,12-octadecadienoic acid;(Z) 6-octadecenoic acid;and ethyl oleate.Combination of the herbs increased the number of pharmacologically active substances in the extract and decreased the number of compounds with one benzene ring compared with the extracts from the individual herbs.CONCLUSION:These results indicate there is a synergistic relationship among the compounds in these herbs.

Two pairs of chlorine-containing phenylpropanoid enantiomers from Acorus tatarinowii

Two pairs of chlorine-containing phenylpropanoid enantiomers（1a/1b and 2a/2b） were isolated from the rhizomes of Acorus tatarinowii. Interestingly, these optical isomers（1a/1b and 2a/2b） were co-existed in the same plant, which were characterized as the first halogen-containing natural products from the genus Acorus. Their structures and absolute configurations were elucidated by a combination of spectroscopic analysis and a single-crystal X-ray diffraction, assisted by a modified Mosher＇s method. The phenylpropanoid isomers（1a/1b and 2a/2b） were evaluated for their antioxidant activities using DPPH assay and cytotoxic activities against five human cancer cell lines.

Neuroprotective mechanism of Kai Xin San: upregulation of hippocampal insulin-degrading enzyme protein expression and acceleration of amyloid-beta degradation

Kai Xin San is a Chinese herbal formula composed of Radix Ginseng, Poria, Radix Polygalae and Acorus Tatarinowii Rhizome. It has been used in China for many years for treating amnesia. Kai Xin San ameliorates amyloid-β （Aβ） induced cognitive dysfunction and is neuroprotective in vivo, but its precise mechanism remains unclear. Expression of insulin-degrading enzyme （IDE）, which degrades Aβ, is strongly correlated with cognitive function. Here, we injected rats with exogenous Aβ42 （200 μM, 5 μL） into the hippocampus and subsequently administered Kai Xin San （0.54 or 1.08 g/kg/d） intragastrically for 21 consecutive days. Hematoxylin eosin and Nissl staining revealed that Kai Xin San protected neurons against Aβ-induced damage. Furthermore, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, western blot and polymerase chain reaction results showed that Kai Xin San decreased Aβ42 protein levels and increased expression of IDE protein, but not mRNA, in the hippocampus. Our findings reveal that Kai Xin San facilitates hippocampal Aβ degradation and increases IDE expression, which leads, at least in part, to the alleviation of hippocampal neuron injury in rats.

Inhibition of P2X_7 Receptor by Extracts of Chinese Medicine

Objective： To investigate the influence of Acorus gramineus （Soland）, a crude extract, SCP01, and a purified component, SCP02, and of Rosmarinus officinalis L., X0728 on human mast cells （HMC-1 Cell Line）. Methods： Current-voltage of P2X7 receptors on human mast cell membrane activated by ATP was recorded by the whole-cell patch clamp technique. Results： The current at -100 mV mediated by P2X7 was inhibited by （27.6 ± 2.0） % in the presence of 40 μg/mL SCP01 and by （29.5 ± 2.2） % in the presence of 40 μg/mL SCP02, which was identified as α-asarone. 42 μg/mL of the commercially available α-asarone inhibited the P2X7-mediated current by （52.2 ± 2.0） %. In contrast to SCP01 and SCP02, 40 μg/mL X0728 provoked stimulation of the current by （28.6 ± 2.8） %. All effects were voltage- independent. Conclusion： The inhibition of P2X7 by α-asarone will inhibit intracellular calcium increase and this may account for the inhibition of reported excitotoxic cell death. The pharmacological function of P2X7 stimulation by X0728 needs further investigation.