Effects of Lycii Fructus and Salviae Miltiorrhizae on the Syndrome of Deficiency with Blood Stasis in RCS(rdy-/-, p-/-) Rats with Retinitis Pigmentosa: An Intervention Study

Objective To investigate the effects of Lycii Fructus(LF,Gou Qi Zi,枸杞子)and Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix Ex Rhizoma(SM,Dan Shen,丹参)on the syndrome of deficiency with blood stasis in the RCS(rdy-/-,p-/-)rats with retinitis pigmentosa(RP).Methods A total of 32 RCS(rdy-/-,p-/-)rats were divided into 4 groups(equal amounts of female and male rats in each group):model group treated with 0.9%normal saline,LF group treated with LF formula granules,SM group treated with SM formula granules,and LF and SM(L·S)group treated with LF and SM formula granules.Eight RCS(rdy+/+,p+/+)rats(4 males and 4 females)were treated with 0.9%normal saline to serve as blank group.The contents of E2,PG,P-Selectin,plasma viscosity,whole blood relative index of the high shear rate and fibrinogen content in plasma,and the content of cAMP and cGMP in retinal homogenate were detected.The retina was evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin staining.Results The contents of E2,PG,P-Selectin,plasma viscosity,whole blood relative index of the high shear rate,and fibrinogen content in the plasma of L·S group significantly differed from those of model group(P<0.01),but were similar to those of blank group.The contents of cAMP and cGMP in the retinal homogenate of L·S group significantly differed from those in model group(P<0.01)but were similar to those in blank group(P>0.05).Conclusions LF and SM can effectively treat retinitis pigmentosa by ameliorating the syndrome of deficiency with blood stasis.

Challenges and strategies in progress of drug delivery system for traditional Chinese medicine Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma(Danshen)

Traditional Chinese medicines(TCMs), with a history of thousands of years, are widely used clinically with effective treatment. However, the drug delivery systems(DDSs) for TCMs remains major challenges due to the characteristics of multi-components including alkaloids, flavones, anthraquinones, glycosides,proteins, volatile oils and other types. Therefore, the novel preparations and technology of modern pharmaceutics is introduced to improve TCM therapeutic effects due to instability and low bioavailability of active ingredients. Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, the radix and rhizomes of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge(Danshen in Chinese), is a well known Chinese herbal medicine for protecting the cardiovascular system, with active ingredients mainly including lipophilic tanshinones and hydrophilic salvianolic acids.In this review, this drug is taken as an example to present challenges and strategies in progress of DDSs for TCMs. This review would also summary the characteristics of active ingredients in it including physicochemical properties and pharmacological effects. The purpose of this review is to provide inspirations and ideas for the DDSs designed from TCMs by summarizing the advances on DDSs for both singleand multi-component from Danshen.

Simultaneous qualitative identification of all medicinal herbs in Zaoren Anshen capsule by thin-layer chromatography

The holistic characterization and quality control of all the medicinal herbs of proprietary Chinese medicines(PCMs)are of great significance to ensure their safety,efficacy,and consistency.Thin-layer chromatography(TLC),a simple and classic approach for qualitatively characterizing and examining quality markers of natural products,has been widely used in the characterization and quality control of traditional Chinese medicines.Zaoren Anshen(ZRAS)capsule,prepared from three medicinal herbs of fried Ziziphi Spinosae Semen,Salvia Miltiorrhiza Radix et Rhizoma,and vinegar-processed Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus,is a famous PCM in China for the treatment of insomnia,amnesia,and dizziness in clinical practice.However,no effective method is available so far for simultaneous identification and examination of all the three medicinal herbs of ZRAS capsule.In the present study,we developed a TLC method via twice-development and visualization by UV light or chromogenic agent,which could be used for simultaneous qualitative identification of all the three medicinal herbs of ZRAS capsule in one plate.Moreover,the sample preparation method was optimized.The developed TLC method was rapid,simple,low-cost,and effective,and thus it could be used for quality control of ZRAS capsule.