Objective: To study the relationship between alkaloids contents in Chinese traditional drug Yimu Cao (the dried aerial parts of Leonurus artemisia) and its growing environment. Methods: Samples of the drug and the soi...Objective: To study the relationship between alkaloids contents in Chinese traditional drug Yimu Cao (the dried aerial parts of Leonurus artemisia) and its growing environment. Methods: Samples of the drug and the soil at the growing site collected from 5 selected regions. Reference materials were checked and on-the-spot observations were carried out to investigate the growth environment. RP-HPLC was performed to determine the alkaloid contents in the drug. Results: Different regions had different environmental conditions, including climate, soil, vegetation, and so on. No matter barren or fertile the soil at the growing site was, the herb of L. artemisia could grow well, but the contents of alkaloid in the drug varied greatly. The drugs produced in 2 northern regions, where the soil is alkaline, had higher content of alkaloid (about 0.4%) than that produced in southern regions (0.1l%-0.2%), where the soil is acid. Conclusion: The contents of organic matters, effective phosphorus, quick-acting potassium, and the pH value of the growing site soil were the factors correlating with alkaloid contents in the drug, among which the pH value of soil was an important positively correlating factor. The alkaline soils in North benefit the accumulation of alkaloids more than the acid soils in South. The other probable elements affecting the alkaloid contents in Yimu Cao were climate and genetic factors.展开更多
The endangered medicinal herb, Changium smyrnioides can only be found in deciduous forest gaps within the middle to northern subtropical broad-leaved evergreen forest zone of China. The considerable plasticity of its ...The endangered medicinal herb, Changium smyrnioides can only be found in deciduous forest gaps within the middle to northern subtropical broad-leaved evergreen forest zone of China. The considerable plasticity of its shoot and root structure helps it to capture light more effectively in winter and early spring, and to adapt to the soil moisture conditions in its narrow habitat. Another medicinal plant, Anthriscus sylvestris, is of similar economic importance but commonly distributed widely. In contrast to C. smyrnioides, it has low structural plasticity. It is also specialized to adapt to the moist and sunny environment, where habitat, such as the banks of creeks and rivers, is abundant.展开更多
AIM： To improve the absorption and bioavailability of baicalin using a nanocrystal （or nanosuspension） drug delivery system. METHODS： A tandem, ultrasonic-homogenization-fluid bed drying technology was applied to ...AIM： To improve the absorption and bioavailability of baicalin using a nanocrystal （or nanosuspension） drug delivery system. METHODS： A tandem, ultrasonic-homogenization-fluid bed drying technology was applied to prepare baicalin-nanocrystal dried powders, and the physicochemical properties of baicalin-nanocrystals were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, photon correlation spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, physical stability, and solubility experiments. Furthermore, in situ intestine single-pass perfusion experiments and pharmacokinetics in rats were performed to make a comparison between the microcrystals of baicalin and pure baicalin in their absorption properties and bioavailability in vivo. RESULTS： The mean particle size of baicalin-nanocrystals was 236 nm, with a polydispersity index of 0.173, and a zeta potential value of-34.8 mV, which provided a guarantee for the stability of the reconstituted nanosuspension. X-Ray diffraction results indicated that the crystallinity of baicalin was decreased through the ultrasonic-homogenization process. Physical stability experiments showed that the prepared baicalin-nanocrystals were sufficiently stable. It was shown that the solubility of baicalin in the form of nanocrystals, at 495 ug·mL-1, was much higher than the baicalin-microcrystals and the physical mixture （135 and 86.4 ug·mL- 1, respectively）. In situ intestine perfusion experiments demonstrated a clear advantage in the dissolution and absorption characteristics for baicalin-nanocrystals compared to the other formulations. In addition, after oral administration to rats, the particle size decrease from the micron to nanometer range exhibited much higher in vivo bioavailability （with the AUC（0-t） value of 206.96 ± 21.23 and 127.95 ± 14.41 mg·L-1·h-1, respectively）. CONCLUSION： The nanocrystal drug delivery system using an ultrasonic-homogenization-fluid bed drying process is able to improve the absorption and in vivo bioavailability of baicalin, compared with pure baicalin coarse powder and micronized baicalin.展开更多
文摘Objective: To study the relationship between alkaloids contents in Chinese traditional drug Yimu Cao (the dried aerial parts of Leonurus artemisia) and its growing environment. Methods: Samples of the drug and the soil at the growing site collected from 5 selected regions. Reference materials were checked and on-the-spot observations were carried out to investigate the growth environment. RP-HPLC was performed to determine the alkaloid contents in the drug. Results: Different regions had different environmental conditions, including climate, soil, vegetation, and so on. No matter barren or fertile the soil at the growing site was, the herb of L. artemisia could grow well, but the contents of alkaloid in the drug varied greatly. The drugs produced in 2 northern regions, where the soil is alkaline, had higher content of alkaloid (about 0.4%) than that produced in southern regions (0.1l%-0.2%), where the soil is acid. Conclusion: The contents of organic matters, effective phosphorus, quick-acting potassium, and the pH value of the growing site soil were the factors correlating with alkaloid contents in the drug, among which the pH value of soil was an important positively correlating factor. The alkaline soils in North benefit the accumulation of alkaloids more than the acid soils in South. The other probable elements affecting the alkaloid contents in Yimu Cao were climate and genetic factors.
文摘The endangered medicinal herb, Changium smyrnioides can only be found in deciduous forest gaps within the middle to northern subtropical broad-leaved evergreen forest zone of China. The considerable plasticity of its shoot and root structure helps it to capture light more effectively in winter and early spring, and to adapt to the soil moisture conditions in its narrow habitat. Another medicinal plant, Anthriscus sylvestris, is of similar economic importance but commonly distributed widely. In contrast to C. smyrnioides, it has low structural plasticity. It is also specialized to adapt to the moist and sunny environment, where habitat, such as the banks of creeks and rivers, is abundant.
基金supported by the Scientific Research Foundation for the Returned Overseas Chinese Scholars,State Education Ministry(Nos.20101561,NCET-11-0114)the Beijing Natural Science Foundation(No.7122176)
文摘AIM： To improve the absorption and bioavailability of baicalin using a nanocrystal （or nanosuspension） drug delivery system. METHODS： A tandem, ultrasonic-homogenization-fluid bed drying technology was applied to prepare baicalin-nanocrystal dried powders, and the physicochemical properties of baicalin-nanocrystals were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, photon correlation spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, physical stability, and solubility experiments. Furthermore, in situ intestine single-pass perfusion experiments and pharmacokinetics in rats were performed to make a comparison between the microcrystals of baicalin and pure baicalin in their absorption properties and bioavailability in vivo. RESULTS： The mean particle size of baicalin-nanocrystals was 236 nm, with a polydispersity index of 0.173, and a zeta potential value of-34.8 mV, which provided a guarantee for the stability of the reconstituted nanosuspension. X-Ray diffraction results indicated that the crystallinity of baicalin was decreased through the ultrasonic-homogenization process. Physical stability experiments showed that the prepared baicalin-nanocrystals were sufficiently stable. It was shown that the solubility of baicalin in the form of nanocrystals, at 495 ug·mL-1, was much higher than the baicalin-microcrystals and the physical mixture （135 and 86.4 ug·mL- 1, respectively）. In situ intestine perfusion experiments demonstrated a clear advantage in the dissolution and absorption characteristics for baicalin-nanocrystals compared to the other formulations. In addition, after oral administration to rats, the particle size decrease from the micron to nanometer range exhibited much higher in vivo bioavailability （with the AUC（0-t） value of 206.96 ± 21.23 and 127.95 ± 14.41 mg·L-1·h-1, respectively）. CONCLUSION： The nanocrystal drug delivery system using an ultrasonic-homogenization-fluid bed drying process is able to improve the absorption and in vivo bioavailability of baicalin, compared with pure baicalin coarse powder and micronized baicalin.
