The action mechanism of Rhizoma Imperatae for pediatric epistaxis management using a network pharmacology approach

Background:Pediatric epistaxis is one of the most common and frequently occurring diseases,while its pathogenesis is complicated and remains to be fully elucidated.Objective:This work aims to explore the therapeutic effect and action mechanism of Rhizoma Imperatae in the treatment of pediatric epistaxis in a network pharmacology approach and to provide a practical reference for treating epistaxis in children.Methods:The active ingredients of Chinese herb Rhizoma Imperatae were obtained from the TCMSP database,and the targets of chemical compounds were subsequently predicted using the Swisstargetprediction database;the disease targets of epistaxis were exported from the Genecards database;the obtained overlapped genes were applied for protein-protein interaction(PPI)analysis,Gene Ontology(GO)anlysis and KEGG analysis.Results:There were 128 targets of Rhizoma Imperatae were predicted,and 500 disease targets were collected,with 19 overlapped targets between the drug and the disease.The five genes matrix metallopeptidase 9(MMP9),EGFR,JUN,PTGS1,and ESR1 had the most connections based on the PPI analysis.The GO analysis indicated that positive regulation of vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and positive regulation of smooth muscle cell proliferation were greatly associated with MMP9,EGFR,and JUN genes in biological processes(BP)and positive regulation of lipid kinase activity and nitric-oxide syntheses activity affected EGFR and ESR1 genes mostly in molecular function(MF).Conclusion:The present research results demonstrated that Rhizoma Imperatae might play a role in alleviating pediatric epistaxis using a network pharmacology technique,hoping to figure out its action mechanism of the drug against the disease.

不同产地白茅根中金属元素的含量测定

[目的]测定不同产地白茅根中金属元素的含量。[方法]采用火焰原子吸收光谱法测定中草药白茅根茎部的Fe、Cu、Zn、Mn、Ca、Mg的含量。[结果]不同地区所产白茅根中不同的金属元素的含量有所不同,如产自河南地区的白茅根中Fe、Mn的含量最高;产自安徽地区的白茅根中Cu、Ca的含量最高;产自山东地区的白茅根中Mg的含量最高;而来自于内蒙地区的白茅根中Zn的含量最高。各金属元素的回收率在92.8%～104.6%之间,RSD在0.9～1.2%之间。[结论]该方法简单、精密度好、回收率高,可用于不同产地白茅根中金属元素的含量测定。

丝茅草根浸提液对三种草坪草的化感作用

针对恶性杂草丝茅草(Imperata koenigii)对冷季型草坪造成严重危害的问题,通过室内生物检测的方法,测定不同浓度丝茅草根浸提液对多年生黑麦草(Lolium perenne)、草地早熟禾(Poa pratensis)和高羊茅(Festuca arundinacea)3种草坪草种子的发芽势、发芽率、发芽指数、苗高、根长、幼苗和根鲜重、干重指标的影响。结果表明,不同浓度浸提液对3种草坪草种子的萌发指数、幼苗生长及生物量结构均有显著的化感效应,高浓度的浸提液显著抑制草坪草的生长与发育,浓度越高抑制作用越大。丝茅草根浸提液对3种草坪草表现出不同的化感作用,由强到弱依次为草地早熟禾、高羊茅、多年生黑麦草。

白茅离体快繁体系的初步研究

以白茅(Imperatacylindrica(Linn.)Beauv.)根状茎为材料进行了离体快繁体系研究。结果表明:采用75%乙醇20s+0.1%HgCl28min+Tween-801～2滴灭菌效果较好;芽诱导适宜的培养基为MS+BA1.00mg/L+NAA0.05mg/L;增殖培养以MS+BA1.50mg/L+NAA0.05mg/L为宜;生根以1/2MS+0.05～0.50mg/LIBA的培养基效果好。

Accumulation of heavy metals in four grasses grown on lead and zinc mine tailings

A field experiment was conducted to compare the growth and metal accumulation of Vetiveria zizanioides, Paspalum notatum, Cynodon dactylon and Imperata cylindraca var. major on the tailings, amended with 10 cm domestic refuse + complex NPK fertilizer(Treatment A), 10 cm domestic refuse(Treatment B) and complex NPK fertilizer(Treatment C) respectively, and without any amendment used as control(Treatment D). The results indicated that V. zizanioides was a typical heavy metal excluder, because the concentrations in shoots of the plants were the lowest among the four plants tested. The most of metal accumulated in V. zizanioides distributed in its root, and transportation of metal in this plant from root to shoot was restricted. Therefore, V. zizanioides was more suitable for phytostabilization of toxic mined lands than P. notatum and C. dactylon, which accumulated a relatively high level of metals in their shoots and roots. It was also found that I. cylindraca var. major accumulated lower amounts of Pb, Zn and Cu than C. dactylon and P. notatum, and could also be considered for phytostalilisaton of tailings. Although the metal(Pb, Zn and Cu) concentrations in shoots and roots of V. zizanioides were the lowest, the total amounts of heavy metals accumulated in shoots of V. zizanioides were the highest among the four tested plants due to the highest dry weight yield of it. The results indicated that V. zizanioides was the best choice among the four species used for phytoremediation(for both phytostabilization and phytoextraction) of metal contaminated soils.

Effect of short-term gavage of ethanolic extract of cogon grass (Imperata cylindrica L) root on the ovarian activity and estrus behavior of female mice

Objective:To assess the effect of short-term gavage of ethanolic extract of Imperata cylindrica L root on the ovarian activity and estrus behavior of female mice.Methods:Eighteen virgin female ddY mice,8 to 10 weeks of age,weighing 22-25 g with regular estrus cycle,were divided into three groups.Group 1 received 0.5%carboxymethylcellulose,whereas Groups 2 and 3 received the ethanolic extract of Imperata cylindrica L root at 90 and 115 mg/kg body weight(b.w.)per day by gavage for 20 days,respectively.All of the groups were checked before 9 a.m.daily for vaginal cytology to determine the estrus phase.On day 21,the mice were sacrificed to collect serum samples to quantify the concentrations of reproductive hormones using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and to determine changes in the reproductive organs based on their reproductive organ weight,histomorphology,and histomorphometry of ovarium and uterus.Results:The reproductive organ weight in the treatment groups was similar compared with that in the control group.The 90 mg/kg b.w.treatment group showed an increase in corpus luteum number when compared with the control group,with few degenerated follicles and diminished oocytes.Moreover,the 115 mg/kg b.w.treatment group showed fewer primordial and primary follicles and an increase in corpus luteum number and a prolonged diestrus phase compared to the control and 90 mg/kg b.w.treatment groups.The histomorphology examination of the uterus showed that the thickness of myometrium and epithelium in the treated animals was similar to the control group.In addition,there was a significant decrease in follicle-stimulating hormone level in the 115 mg/kg b.w.treatment group(P<0.05).Conclusions:Short-term gavage of ethanolic extract of Imperata cylindrica L root reduces the follicle-stimulating hormone serum level and folliculogenesis.

Facile Synthesis of 5-Hydroxy-2-(2-phenylethyl)chromone

5-Hydroxy-2-（2-phenylethyl）chromone（l） was synthesized from 2,6-dihydroxyacetophenone（7） obtained via four-steps resorcinol-reacting with phenylpropionic acid, the procedures involved are Baker-Venkataraman rear-rangement and cyclization which are easy to conduct, the overall yield is 32%.

Molecular Variability and Genetic Structure of IYMV in Burkina Faso

Imperata yellow mottle virus (IYMV, Sobemovirus) was first described in 2008 in the south-western region of Burkina Faso (West Africa). The genetic diversity of IYMV was not documented up to day. In this study, the variability of CP of IYMV was evaluated through the molecular characterization of 38 isolates collected in the western part of Burkina Faso. Comparison of sequences of these new isolates and one IYMV sequence available in GenBank revealed that the average nucleotide diversity was low. The ratio of non-synonymous over synonymous nucleotide substitutions per site was low, indicating a CP diversification under strong purifying selection. Despite of the low nucleotide diversity, phylogenetic analyses revealed segregation of IYMV isolates into six major clades. There was no correlation of phylogenetic grouping of isolates based on geographical location. This is the first study of the genetic diversity of IYMV.

Study on inflammatory factors and curative effect of Rhizoma Imperata on community acquired pneumonia based on TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway

Objective:To investigate the curative effect of Rhizoma Imperata in the treatment of patients with community-acquired pneumonia and its influence on inflammatory factors related to TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway,so as to seek new drugs for the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia.Methods:120 patients with community-acquired pneumonia who were treated in Department of respiratory medicine,the First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical College from November 2019 to September 2020 were collected and randomly divided into control group and experimental group,with 60 patients in each group.The control group was given cefuroxime sodium injection,and the experimental group was given cefuroxime sodium injection+Baimao root decoction.The levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein(CRP)and the level of serum CRP in the two groups before and after treatment were compared Objective To observe the expression of procalcitonin(PCT),IL-6,IL-8,TNF-αand TLR4/NF-κB mRNA levels,and to observe the effect of Radix Imperata Rubra on community-acquired pneumonia.Results:The fever,cough,expectoration subsided time and chest CT inflammation absorption time of the experimental group were shorter than those of the control group,the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05);the total effective rate of the experimental group(96.67%)was higher than that of the control group(85%),the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05);after treatment,the serum CRP,PCT,IL-6,IL-8,TNF-αin the two groups were lower than before,and the experimental group was significantly lower than the control group,the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05),There was statistical significance(P<0.05);after treatment,TLR4/NF-κB mRNA of the two groups were decreased,and the experimental group was significantly lower than the control group,the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusion:In the treatment of cap,Rhizoma Imperata can reduce the levels of CRP,PCT,IL-6,IL-8 and TNF-α.The mechanism is related to inhibiting the activation of TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway,so as to reduce the release of inflammatory factors and improve clinical symptoms.

Phytochemical Screening and Toxicity Assessment of Imperata cylindrica (L.) P. Beauv. (Poaceae) Raw Extracts with Brine Shrimp (Artemia salina) Lethality Assay

Background: Herbal medicinal preparations are used as dietary supplements for disease prevention and as alternative/complementary medicine. The growing interest in herbal medicine raises the question of its safety and efficacy. Numerous recorded cases of intoxication and toxicological studies reveal that medicinal plants can be toxic, which hinders their safe use. Plant intoxications related to a variety of factors include plant organs and many extraction solvents. Little toxicological data on medicinal plants is available. The need to investigate is important for safe use. Imperata cylindrica, a poaceae, is one of the medicinal plants for which few toxicological data are available. Materials & Methods: To expand toxicological data, water, 70% ethanol, and 30% acetone extracts of the leaves and roots, obtained by maceration and reflux methods, were used for phytochemicals molecules qualitative detection and toxicity test by the brine shrimp lethality assay. Results: The qualitative analysis of the different extracts revealed the presence of alkaloids, polyphenolic compounds, saponins, and polyterpenoids. The toxicity endpoint was lethal concentration 50 (LC50). The leaves’ extracts LC50 was between 489.78 μg/mL and 1066.6 μg/mL. As for the root extracts, the LC50 was between 341.98 μg/mL and 1530 μg/mL. Discussion: The different compounds’ presence justifies the use of Imperata cylindrica as a medicinal plant. According to Clarkson classification the root extracts are moderately toxic (LC50: 168.47 μg/mL), and leaf extracts are weakly toxic (LC50: 527.25 μg/mL). The extrapolation made in relation to the Gosselin, Smith, and Hodge scale, allows us to characterize the Imperata cylindrica root and leaf extracts as non-toxic to humans by oral route. Conclusion: This result can be a base for more precise toxicological studies.