Application of an ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method to the pharmacokinetics study of paeoniflorin-6'-O-benzene sulfonate and its active paeoniflorin metabolite in rat plasma

OBJECTIVE To establish a rapid,simple,precise and sensitive ultra performance liquid chromatography(UPLC) method for determination of paeoniflorin-6'-O-benzene sulfonate(acylated derivative of Pae,CP-25) and its primary metabolite(Pae,M1) in rat plasma,and to investigate the effects of gender,food and disease status on the pharmacokinetics after oral administration in rats.METHODS Plasma samples and calibrators were extracted with methanol after addition of the internal standard solution.After evaporation of the methanol layer,the residue was reconstituted in mobile phase,and a 2 μL of the sample was injected into a Waters ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18(2.1 mm × 50 mm,1.7 μm) column for separation at a flow rate of 0.5 mL·min^(-1) at 40℃.The mobile phase was composed of 0.1% formic acid in water and methanol(68∶32,V/V).RESULTS The developed UPLC-MS/MS method was linear in the concentration range of 2-800 mg·L^(-1).Validation of the method proved that the method′s precision,selectivity and stability were all within the acceptable limits.Pharmacokinetics study showed that CP-25 could have more extensive distribution in females than that in males but no differences in M1.Food intake could also increase the extent of absorption and decrease the rate of clearance of CP-25 and M1 after oral administration in rats.The disease status would decrease the absorption of CP-25 in rats.Comparing single-and multiple-dosing in adjuvant arthritis(AA) model,absorption of CP-25 and M1 was improved with increasing dosage.CONCLUSION The developed UPLC-MS/MS method is sensitive,specific and was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetics of CP-25 and M1 in rats.And a significant gender,food intake and disease status differences for CP-25 and M1 were observed in this study.

Effect of 6＇-acetylpaeoniflorin on dinitrochlorobenzene induced allergic contact dermatitis in BALB/c mice

Aim The present study aimed to investigate anti-inflammatory activity of 6-AP on murine model of aller- gic contact dermatitis （ACD）. Methods 6＇-acetylpaeoniflorin （6-AP） was synthesized from paeoniflorin （Pae） via acetylation and the structure was characterized by 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR and EI-MS. ACD model was established by repeated application of dinitrochlorobenzene （DNCB） to induce skin immune inflammation. The mice were oral- ly administered 6-AP （35, 70, 140 mg. kg-1 ·d^-l）, Pae （70 rag. kg-1·d^-1） and prednisone （Pre, 5 rag. kg^- 1· d^-1 ） from day 1 to day 7 after Cutaneous inflammation was evaluated by ear swelling and histological exami- nation. Splenocyte proliferation was assayed by the 3-（4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl）-2, 5-diphenyl-2H tetrazolium bromide assay. The cytokine production in the splenocytes was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results Topical application of DNCB to the skin provoked obvious swelling and inflammatory cell infiltration. 6- AP significantly inhibited ear swelling, decreased inflammatory cell infiltration and epidermal keratinization. Ad- dtionally, 6-AP obviously alleviated the hyperplasia of red pulp and germinal center （GC） appearance, decreased spleen index, decreased spleen index, and inhibited splenocyte proliferation in ACD model, compared to that of Pae. Further, the study indicated that 6-AP treatment could increase IL-10 level, while reduce IL-17 level in splenocytes simultaneously. The correlation analysis displayed significantly positive correlations between IL-17 level and the severity of skin inflammation, while negative correlations between IL-10 level and skin inflammation. Con- clusion 6-AP has a significantly higher anti-inflammatory effect than Pae, and it may be a useful treatment for ACD.

Absorption characteristic of Paeoniflorin-6＇O-benzene sulfonate in an situ single-pass intestinal perfusion model

Aim Paeoniflorin-6＇O-benzene sulfonate （CP-25） was synthesized to improve oral absorption. This study was performed to investigate absorptive behavior and mechanism of CP-25 in intestine. Methods The effects of drug concentration, intestinal segments, gender as well as ATP binding cassette （ABC） transporter inhibitors on absorption of CP-25 were studied in a situ single-pass intestinal perfusion rat model. Meanwhile, Paeoniflorin （Pae） was tested and served as control group. The concentration of tested drugs was measured by HPLC. Results The results showed intestinal absorption of CP-25 was neither segmental dependent changes nor gender difference. Transepithelial transportation would not change with increasing concentrations of CP-25, which suggest a passive transport was the main pattern of CP-25. Additionally, absorption of CP-25 was much better than that of Pae in small intestine. When compared with Pae, CP-25 gave a 1.82-fold permeability rate. Finally, the results indicated Pae was substrate of P-glycoprotein （P-gp） , but was not the substrate of breast cancer resistance protein and muhi- drug resistance associated protein 2. Among the used ABC inhibitors, the absorption rate of Pae could only be in- creased by？ P-gp inhibitor Verapamil and GF120918, while CP-25 had no remarkable alteration. Conclusion CP-25 has better absorptive features than that of Pae, which may be attributed to its lipophicity enhancement and be unaffected by P-gp efflux.

Paeoniflorin inhibits human gastric carcinoma cell proliferation through up-regulation of microRNA-124 and suppression of PI3K/Akt and STAT3 signaling

AIM: To examine the potential anti-tumor activity of paeoniflorin in the human gastric carcinoma cell line MGC-803.METHODS: Cell viability and cytotoxic effects in MGC-803 cells were analyzed using a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide and lactate dehydrogenase assay, respectively. Cell apoptosis of MGC-803 cells was measured using flow cytometry,DAPI staining assay and caspase-3 activity assay.Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) was used to measure the expression of microRNA-124(miR-124) in response to paeoniflorin.The expression of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K),protein kinase B(Akt), phospho-Akt(p-Akt) and phospho-signal transducer and activator of transcription3(p-STAT3) were also measured by quantitative RTPCR and Western blot analysis in normal, miR-124 and anti-miR-124 over-expressing MGC-803 cells, treated with paeoniflorin.RESULTS: Paeoniflorin was found to inhibit MGC-803 cell viability in a dose-dependent manner. Paeoniflorin treatment was associated with the induction of apoptosis and caspase-3 activity in MGC-803 cells. Paeoniflorin treatment significantly increased miR-124 levels and inhibited the expression of PI3 K, Akt, p-Akt and p-STAT3 in MGC-803 cells. Interestingly, the over-expression of miR-124 inhibits PI3K/Akt and phospho-STAT3 expressions in MGC-803 cells. PI3 K agonist(IGF-1, 1μg/10 μL) or over-expression of STAT3 reversed the effect of paeoniflorin on the proliferation of MGC-803 cells. Over-expression of anti-miR-124 in MGC-803 cells reversed paeoniflorin-induced up-regulation.CONCLUSION: In summary, the in vitro data suggest that paeoniflorin is a potential novel therapeutic agent against gastric carcinoma, which inhibits cell viability and induces apoptosis through the up-regulation of miR-124 and suppression of PI3K/Akt and STAT3 signaling.

Intranasal delivery of paeoniflorin nanocrystals for brain targeting

Paeoniflorin(PA) is an anti-Parkinson Chinese medicine with inferior bioavailability and difficulty in delivery to the brain. This research is to develop an efficacious PA nanocrystal formulation(PA-NCs) that is suitable for intranasal administration to treat Parkinson’s disease(PD). PA-NCs were fabricated through an antisolvent precipitation method using TPGS as the stabilizer. The rod-shaped PA-NCs had particle size of 139.6 ± 1.3 nm and zeta potential of-23.2 ± 0.529 mV. A molecular dynamics simulation indicated that van der Waals forces are the primary drivers of interactions between PA and TPGS. In the ex vivo nasal mucosa permeation assay, the cumulative drug release at 24 h was 87.14% ± 5.34%,which was significantly higher than that of free PA. PA-NCs exhibited substantially improved cellular uptake as well as permeability on Calu-3 cells as compared to PA alone. FRET imaging analysis demonstrated that intact NCs could be internalized into Calu-3 cells.Moreover, PA-NCs conferred desirable protective effect against MPP+-induced SH-SY5Y cellular damage. Pharmacokinetic studies revealed a higher PA concentration in the brain following intranasal delivery of PA-NCs. In summary, the intranasal administration of PANCs is a promising treatment strategy for PD.

Influence of puerarin,paeoniflorin,and menthol on structure and barrier function of tight junctions in MDCK and MDCK-MDR1 Cells

Objective:In this study,the influence of puerarin,paeoniflorin,and menthol on the structure and barrier function of tight junctions(TJs)in MadineDarby canine kidney epithelial(MDCK)and MDCK-multi-drug resistance 1(MDR1)cells was evaluated to determine the mechanisms by which the drugs cross the bloodebrain barrier(BBB).Method:Cells were treated with puerarin,paeoniflorin,and menthol followed by immunohistochemical staining with occludin,claudin-1,and F-actin.The cells were then observed using laser-scanning confocal microscopy.Average optical density(AOD)of the immunofluorescence images of the proteins were analyzed using ImageJ software while Transepithelial electrical resistance(TEER)was measured using an epithelial voltohmmeter.Results:Confocal microscopy revealed that puerarin-and paeoniflorin-treated tight junction proteins were conspicuous while menthol suppressed their expression.Correspondingly,AOD values of cells treated with puerarin or paeoniflorin,or both showed no difference compared to the control group(P>.05)while the menthol group value was downregulated.In 3 h,TEER of cells not treated with menthol were similar to the control group,while treatment with menthol significantly decreased TEER value(P<.05).In addition,application of menthol decreased TEER in MDCK cells earlier than in MDCK-MDR1 cells.Conclusion:Menthol but not puerarin and paeoniflorin may enhance paracellular transport and improve drug penetration of the BBB by disrupting the structure and,thereby,weakening the barrier function of TJs.

Advance in Pre-Clinical Pharmacokinetics of Paeoniflorin, a Major Monoterpene Glucoside from the Root of <i>Paeonia lactiflora</i>

Paeoniflorin (PF) is one of the main bioactive components of total glucosides of paeony (TGP) extracted from the root of Paeonia lactiflora Pall. TGP exhibit various biological activities such as improvement in memory, hepatoprotection, antimutagenic properties and platelet aggregation inhibition. The aim of this paper is to review the pharmacokinetics (PK) of PF as a pure compound and in single or multiple herb(s) of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescriptions. The distribution of PF or PF in TCM fitted one or two compartmental model after oral administration or intravenous injection, respectively. However, PF has a low bioavailability (BA) in rabbit (7.24%) and rat (3.24%) after oral administration. The PK profiles and BA of PF were remarkably improved when co-administered with sinomenine or glycyrrhizin acid. The PK profiles and BA of PF in Radix Paeonia Rubra (RP-R) and Jing-zhi guan-xin were improved, but in co-administration of RP-R with Radix Angelicae Sinensis, the BA was significantly reduced. PK profiles and BA of PF in Shan yao gan-cao tang or Danggui-Shaoyao-San was either remarkably improved or not. However, neither the PK profiles nor the BA of PF in Radix paeonia alba, Huangqin-tang Si ni san or Tang-Min-Ling-Wan was improved. Metabolism in the liver did not play any role in the low oral BA of PF. The low BA was thus attributed to poor permeation due to low lipophilicity, P-glycoprotein mediated efflux, intestinal bacteria and hydrolytic degradation in the intestine by the intestinal brush border lactase phlorizin hydrolase (LPH) and certain esterases. These findings show the in vivo course of PF and provide information on the maximum biological actions of PF that may help traditional Chinese herbal medicinal practitioners.

Simultaneous LC-MS/MS Determination of Danshensu and Paeoniflorin for Permeability Studies in Caco-2 Intestinal Absorption Model

A high sensitive method based on liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry（LC-MS/MS） was developed and validated for the study of permeability of danshensu（DS） and paeoniflorin（PF） in Caco-2 intestinal absorption model. The DS and PF were extracted from cell culture by vacuum-lyophilizing and then separated on a Zorbax Stable Bond C18 column with 0.1% acetic acid aqueous solution and methanol as mobile phase. Detection was carried out by negative electrospray ionization（ESI ） with selected reaction monitoring（SRM） mode. The apparent permeability coefficients（Papp） of DS and PF in Caco-2 cell medium were calculated and the effects of verapamil on the coefficients Papp of the two test compounds were also illustrated. The permeability of PF was much better than that of DS when the two compounds were administrated individually. Co-administration of DS and PF led to the decrease of the transport from apical side to basolateral side for both the compounds. However, the transport in the contrary direction were accelerated. It was also observed that verapamil could accelerate the transport of the test compounds from apical side to basolateral side. However, the absorption-enhanced effect of verapamil was attenuated when DS and PF were co-administrated. These observations suggest that both passive diffusion and active efflux involved in P-gp would effect the passage of DS and PF across Caco-2 cell monolayer. At the same time, the co-administration of DS and PF to an alteration of transport behavior, which suggests that the interaction must be taken into account when ‘n-in-one＇ samples were used in Caco-2 intestinal model.

Protective Effect of Paeoniflorin against Optic Nerve Crush

In order to evaluate the efficacy of traditional paeonia extract paeoniflorin against optic nerve crush, 16 Brown Norway rats were divided into two groups at random, with 8 rats in each group. In paeoniaflorin-treated group, 2 mg paeoniaflorin （total volum： 1 mL） was injected into rat＇s peritoneum one time a day for a period of 8 days. Rats in untreated group were given a single dose of vehicle. The optic nerve was crushed by a special forceps for 30 s in the left eye and a sham procedure was performed in the right eye on the 2nd day after the first injection. The retrograde fluorogold labeling of ganglion cells was conducted 5 days after optic nerve crush. The whole retina was flat-mounted thereafter. The ganglion cells that survived the crush were counted under fluorescent microscope by using an automatic counting software. As compared with the contralateral eye, the survival rate of ganglion cells in the left eye increased from 40.22% to 64.53% with a significant difference found between them （t=2.55, P=0.023）. The results suggested that the paeonia extract paeoniflorin possessed a protective effect against optic nerve crush.

Adsorption equilibria of paeoniflorin and albiflorin on cyano-silica column from supercritical carbon dioxide/ethanol

Adsorption equilibria of paeoniflorin and albiflorin on a cyano-silica column(CN column) from the solution of supercritical carbon dioxide(scCO2) modified with ethanol were studied. The adsorption capacity at 308.15 K,313.15 K, 318.15 K and 323.15 K under pressures corresponding to carbon dioxide/ethanol densities from0.347 g·cm^-3 to 0.662 g·cm^-3 were determined using the elution by characteristic point method(ECP). The effects of temperature and pressure on the solute loading were investigated. The results showed that the lower the temperature, the higher the adsorption capacity. With the decrease of density of scCO2, the adsorption capacity strengthens. The maximum adsorption capacity of paeoniflorin(albiflorin) on the CN column was15.24 mg·ml^-1(31.14 mg·ml^-1) in the range of 0–1.84 mg·ml^-1(0–1.67 mg·ml^-1) of paeoniflorin(albiflorin)standard solution. The adsorption capacity of albiflorin was twice as much as that of paeoniflorin under the same conditions. Adsorption data of paeoniflorin and albiflorin could be well described by the Langmuir model and Freundlich model. Compared with the two model fitting results, the adsorption of paeoniflorin and albiflorin belonged to the monolayer adsorption under conditions of 308.15–323.15 K and 10–17 MPa.

Paeoniflorin reduces cardiotoxicity of aconitine in H9c2 cells

OBJECTIVE Aconitine(ACO)as the main active component in Aconitum carmichaelii debeaux(family Ranunlaceae),has highly toxicity in heart and the mechanisms are not clear yet.Paeoniflorin(PF),the main chemical ingredient in Herbaceous peony,can protect heart hurt by antioxidant,vasodilator effect and other effects.In this study,we focused on investigating the mechanism of PF reducing the cardiotoxicity of ACO.METHODS We chose H9c2 cells as experimental subject.MTT,Western blotting and real-time PCR were used to measure cell proliferation,apoptosis,ion channels and oxidative stress.RESULTS Cell proliferation in ACO+PF group was significantly increased compared with ACO group;the ratio with Bcl-2 and Bax and the level of p53 were upregulated by PF,while the level of caspase-3 was lightly reduced.The expression of SCN5A mRNA significantly was increased in ACO+PF group,while the expres⁃sion of RyR2 and Cx43 mRNA was dropped.Compared with ACO group,extracellular LDH and intracellular MDA were highly decreased,while intracellular SOD was regulated.CONCLUSION Cardiotoxicity of ACO in H9c2 cells was signifi⁃cantly decreased by PF.

Paeoniflorin protects HUVECs against AOPP-induced oxidative injury by blocking ROS-HIF-1α/VEGF pathway

Advanced oxidation protein products （AOPPs）, as a novel indicator of oxidative stress, are thought to be involved in aging-related diseases. The excessive AOPPs were served as independent risk factor for coronary artery disease （CAD）, atherosclerosis and carotid intima media thickness, which mainly through hypoxia inducible factor- l OL （HIF-Iot） and vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF） pathway. Paeoniflorin, a monoterpene glycoside, ex- erts well protective effect in vascular as its good antioxidant property. However, there is no research that has reported whether Paeoniflorin has the protective effect on oxidative damage induced by AOPPs in HUVECs, and also it is little known about this underlying mechanism. The protective effect of Paeoniflorin on oxidative damage induced by AOPPs was investigated in HUVECs. The cell viability was assessed by MTT colorimetric assay. The fluorescence intensity of 2＇, 7＇-dichlorofluorescein-diacetate （DCFH-DA） staining was detected for intracellular reactive oxygen species （ROS） production. And mitochondrial membrane potential （MMP） was measured byflow cytometry and confocal mi- croscopy staining with Mito Tracker Deep Red/ MitoTracker Green. The intracellular adenosine triphosphate （ATP） was measured by ATP Determination Kit. Nox2, Nox4, HIF-lα, VEGF and NF-KB p65 protein expressions were detected by western blot. The results showed that AOPPs significantly decreased MMP and ATP in a dose-de- pendent manner. Furthermore, AOPPs increased HW-1α, VEGF protein expression, and also partly increased NF-KB p65 expression may through increase of ROS production by up-regulations of Nox2, Nox4 and RAGE expression in HUVECs. These effects were remarkably reversed by pre-treatment of Paeoniflorin, which indicated that Paeoniflorin inhibited Nox2/Nox4 expression, restored ATP depletion and mitochondria dysfunction via ROS suppression, and down-regulated HIF-lα/VEGF possibly via ROS-NF-KB axis. In conclusion, these results suggesting that Paeoniorin had a protective effect against AOPP-induced oxidative damage in HUVECs and that HIF-lα/VEGF might be inter- vention site in this process.

A comparison of pharmacokinetic interaction of paeoniflorin, albiflorin and total peony glucosides

Aim Paeoniflorin （PF） and albiflorin （AF） are the main components of total peony glucosides （TPG）, which has been widely used as the valuable monoterpene glycosides in Paeouia lactiflora Pall and have many biological activities such as anti-inflammatory, anti-hypertension and antioxidation effects. In this study, the pharmacokinetic interaction and possible interaction mechanism among Pie and A1e and TGP were conducted and in- vestigated. A sensitive and specific ultra high-performance liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry method （UPLC-MS） was successfully developed and validated for simultaneous quantification of Pie and AF in rat plasma after intragastric administration and the comparative study of pharmacokinetics for PF and A1e in different combinations. The combinations of Pie （ 80 mg· kg^- 1 ）, Ale （ 14 mg ·kg^- 1 ）, co-administration of Pie （ 80 mg · kg^-1） and Ale （14 mg· kg^-1）, TPG （Pie 80 rag. kg^-1） and TPG （Alel4 mg.·1kg^-1） were orally administrated to rats respectively. Chromatographic separation was performed on a ZORBAX Eclipse plus Cls column using 0.2% formic acid-methanol （79：21, V/V） as mobile phase. The calibration curves were linear in ranges of 0.5 - 1000 μg · L^-1. The results indicated that the main pharmacokinetic parameters including AUC, MRT and tl/2 between the single ingredient （ Pie and Ale） and TPG had significant difference （ P 〈 0.05 or P 〈 0.01 ）. The different phar- macokinetics data implied that the multiple active components of TPG resulting some potential drug-drug interac- tions, which may promote the absorption and decease the elimination of Pie and Ale. Our results could be helpful for further investigation of the interaction mechanism of Pie and Ale.

Paeoniflorin inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in LO2 cells by regulating RhoA/NLRP3 pathway

Background:Inflammation is an essential component of liver diseases.Paeoniflorin(PF),a monoterpenoid component derived from peony root(Paeonia lactiflora Pall.),has anti-inflammatory,immunoregulatory,and hepatoprotective activities.However,whether PF affects liver inflammation and its underlying mechanisms is unclear.In this study,we investigated the effects of PF on lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced inflammation in LO2 cells and the underlying molecular mechanism.Methods:LPS was used to induce inflammation.After PF pretreatment for 2 h,the cells were treated with PF and LPS.Cell counting kit-8 was used to measure cell viability.Tumor necrosis factor-a(TNF-a)and interleukin(IL)-6 were tested by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Western blot was used to evaluate TNF-a,Ras homolog family member A(RhoA),NOD-,LRR-and pyrin domain-containing protein 3(NLRP3),apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD(ASC),caspase-1,and IL-1b proteins expression.Results:In LPS-induced LO2 cells,PF reduced TNF-a and IL-6 inflammatory cytokine production in a dose-dependent manner.LPS-induced TNF-a expression was also suppressed by PF.In addition,PF significantly inhibited LPS-induced RhoA activation(P=.0014).Finally,PF suppressed LPS-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation by downregulating NLRP3,ASC,caspase-1,and IL-1b expression.Conclusion:These findings suggest that PF alleviates inflammation induced by LPS and further suggest the anti-inflammatory effect of PF may follow via reduced RhoA and NLRP3 inflammasome activity.

Paeoniflorin reduces the spinal cord injury in rats through TLR4 inflammatory pathway and Nrf2 oxidative stress pathway: the experimental study

Objective:To study the effect of paeoniflorin on TLR4 inflammatory pathway and Nrf2 oxidative stress pathway in rat model with spinal cord injury.Methods:Male SD rats were selected and divided into sham group, spinal cord injury group and paeoniflorin group, spinal cord injury rat models were established and then given 30 mg/kg paeoniflorin for 14 d of intervention in a row, and then serum and spinal cord specimens were collected to determine the expression of cell apoptosis genes, TLR4 pathway genes and Nrf-2 pathway genes. Results:Spinal cord caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9, TLR4, MyD88, NF-kB, AP-1, Nrf-2 and ARE mRNA expression as well as serum IL-6, TNF-α and IL-12 contents of spinal cord injury group were significantly higher than those of sham group while spinal cord HO-1, SOD and GSH-PX contents were significantly lower than those of sham group;spinal cord caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9, TLR4, MyD88, NF-kB and AP-1 mRNA expression as well as serum IL-6, TNF-α and IL-12 contents of paeoniflorin group were significantly lower than those of spinal cord injury group while spinal cord Nrf-2 and ARE mRNA expression as well as HO-1, SOD and GSH-PX contents were significantly higher than those of spinal cord injury group.Conclusion:Paeoniflorin can inhibit the TLR4 inflammatory pathway and enhance the Nrf2 anti-oxidative stress pathway to reduce the spinal cord injury and inhibit cell apoptosis in rats.

Enhancement of exposure and reduction of elimination for paeoniflorin or albiflorin via co-administration with total peony glucosides and hypoxic pharmacokinetics comparison

OBJECTIVE Paeoniflorin(PF) and albiflorin(AF) are the major active components of total peony glucosides(TPG) from Paeonia lactiflora Pal,which have many biological activities such as anti-inflammatory,antioxidation and anti-hypertension effects.The drug-drug pharmacokinetic interaction among PF,AF and TPG,the pharmacokinetic comparisons of AF between hypoxia and normoxia,the transport of AF cross the blood-brain barrier cell model and the transport of AF/PF/TPG cross Caco-2 cell model were investigated.METHODS A highly sensitive and rapid UPLC-MS method with multiplereaction monitoring(MRM) scanning via electrospray ionization(ESI) source operating both in the positive and negative ionization mode was successfully developed and validated for simultaneous quantitation of PF and AF in rat plasma after an oral administration of PF,AF and TPG.RESULTS The validated and developed UPLC-MS/MS method was successfully applied to simultaneously determine the AF and PF concentration in rat plasma and investigate pharmacokinetic interactions after a single intragastrical ad.ministration of PF,AF,co-administration of PF with AF and TPG,respectively.The elimination of both PF co-administered with AF and PF in TPG were slower than those for PF alone and the distribution in the tissues was wider.The combination of PF with AF or TPG could significantly increase the values of the AUC,MRT and t1/2 of the drug PF,and reduce the values of CL of PF.From a comparison of the main pharmacokinetic parameters among AF alone,AF combined with PF and AF in TPG,the values of the MRT and t1/2 of AF in TPG were greater than that of AF alone,and there were statistically signifi.cant differences in these parameters(P<0.05,P<0.01).It was also noticed that AUC and Cmax of PF in hypoxia rats were significantly decreased compared with that of normaxia rats,suggesting that there was a decreased exposure of PF in rats under hypoxia.The multiple active components in TPG may lead to DDIs between some P-gp substrates.CONCLUSION The clinical performance of total peony glucosides would be better than that of single constitute.The outcomes of the study are expected to serve as a basis for development of clinical guidelines on total peony glucosides usage.

Pharmacological effects of Paeoniflorin and Albiflorin on IL-3, GM-CSF, IL-6 and TNF-α in the rats of syndrome of stagnation of liver qi and blood deficiency

目的：观察芍药苷（PF）、芍药内酯苷（AF）对血虚肝郁证候模型大鼠外周血细胞、脏器指数、造血细胞因子的影响,探讨白芍养血柔肝功效的物质基础及作用机制.方法：将SD雄性大鼠,根据体质量随机分组,每组12只.除空白组外,其余均采用放射线辐照结合慢性束缚应激复制血虚肝郁证候模型.观察大鼠体质量、脏器指数,并监测外周全血中白细胞（WBC）、红细胞（RBC）、血红蛋白（HGB）的数量,分离血清用放射免疫法（RIA）检测大鼠白细胞介素-3（IL-3）、粒细胞-巨噬细胞集落刺激因子（GM-CSF）、白细胞介素-6（IL-6）、肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）的含量.结果：与模型组比较,PF30mg·kg^-1组和AF30mg·kg^-1组体质量、脾脏指数、白细胞数量明显增加（P〈0.05、P〈0.01）.RIA结果显示,PF30mg·kg^-1组和AF30mg·kg^-1组均可增加该组IL-3含量（P〈0.05、P〈0.05）和减少该组TNF-α含量（P〈0.05、P〈0.05）.结论：芍药苷、芍药内酯苷通对骨髓造血系统和免疫系统的调节作用,发挥对血虚肝郁大鼠的补血作用,提示二者均为白芍养血柔肝功效的主要有效成分.

Paeoniflorin,the Main Monomer Component of Paeonia lactiflora,Exhibits Anti-inflammatory Properties in Osteoarthritis Synovial Inflammation

Objective:To explore the mechanism of paeoniflorin(PF)on osteoarthritis(OA)synovial inflammation from network pharmacology to experimental pharmacology.Methods:Targets of OA were constructed by detecting the database of network database platforms(Therapeutic Target database,Drug Bank and Gene Cards),and the targets of PF were constructed by Pub Chem and Herbal Ingredients'Targets database.Gene Ontology(GO)and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)analysis of these co-targeted genes were conducted via Database for Annotation,Visualization,and Integrated Discovery(DAVID)database,and protein-protein interaction(PPI)networks were conducted via the search tool for the retrieval of interacting genes(STRING)database.Cell counting kit-8(CCK-8)assay was performed to assess the potential toxicity of PF on human OA fibroblast-like synoviocytes(FLS),quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction(q PCR),enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)and Western blot were used to verify the potential mechanism of PF in synovial inflammation.Results:Twenty-six co-targeted genes were identified.GO enrichment results showed that these co-targeted genes were most likely localized in the cytoplasm,and the biological processes mainly involved'cellular response to hypoxia''lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-mediated signaling pathway'and'positive regulation of gene expression'.KEGG pathway analysis indicated that these co-targeted genes may function through pathways associated with'hypoxia-inducible factor-1(HIF-1)signaling pathway'and'tumornecrosis factor(TNF)signaling pathway'.The PPI network showed that the top 3 hub genes were TP53,TNF,and CASP3.Molecular docking results showed that PF was well docking with TNF.CCK-8 showed no potential toxicity of 10,20 and 50μmol/L PF on human OA FLS.And PF significantly decreased the expression levels of interleukin-1β,interleukin-6,TNF-αmatrix metalloproteinase 13(MMP13),and a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs 5(ADAMTS5)and TNF-αin LPS-induced OA FLS.Conclusion:PF exhibited potent anti-inflammatory effect in OA synovial inflammation.

Tetramethylpyrazine and paeoniflorin combination(TMP-PF)inhibits angiogenesis in atherosclerosis via miR-126/VEGF/VEGFR2 signaling pathway

Angiogenesis in atherosclerosis(AS)promotes plaque destabilization.miR-126 has a significant role in angiogenesis.Tetramethylpyrazine(TMP)and paeoniflorin(PF)have anti-atherosclerotic effects.However,the miR-126-related mechanisms of TMP and PF combination(TMP-PF)on angiogenesis in AS have not been understood.To explore the mechanism of TMP-PF on angiogenesis in AS targeting miR-126.Human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVECs)were assigned into the control,model,TMP-PF,TMP-PF+miR-126 inhibitor,and simvastatin groups.HUVECs were transfected with miR-126 inhibitor or negative control,incubated with oxidized low-density lipoprotein(ox-LDL)to establish AS model,and then treated with TMP-PF or simvastatin.Cell proliferation,migration,and tube formation assays are conducted,and the expression of angiogenesis-related factors were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)and Western blotting.The expression level of miR-126 was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction(PCR).0x-LDL promoted HUVECs proliferation,migration,and tube formation,downregulated miR-126 expression,and increased the expression of VEGF,VEGFR2,bFGF,and FGFR1.TMP-PF inhibited proliferation,migration,and tube formation,upregulated miR-126 expression and decreased the expression of VEGF,VEGFR2,bFGF,and FGFR1 in ox-LDL-induced HUVECs.However,the effects of TMP-PF on angiogenesis and the expression of miR-126,VEGF,VEGFR2,and FGFR1 were abolished by miR-126 inhibitor.TMP-PF suppressed angiogenesis in AS by regulating miR-126/VEGF/VEGFR2 pathway,which might elucidate the underlying mechanism of TMP-PF in alleviating AS.

Paeoniflorin alleviates depression by inhibiting the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome via promoting mitochondrial autophagy

Depression ranks among the most common neuropsychiatric disorders globally.Current studies examining the roles of inflammation and mitochondrial autophagy in the antidepressant efficacy of paeoniflorin(PF)are sparse.This study aimed to elucidate PF’s antidepressant mechanism by promoting autophagy and inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation using chronic unpredictable mild stimulation(CUMS)-induced C57BL/6 mouse models in vivo and corticosterone(CORT)-induced HT22 cell models in vitro.Results demonstrated that PF enhanced the viability of HT22 cells following CORT exposure,restored mitochondrial membrane poten-tial(MMP),reduced reactive oxygen species accumulation,increased LC3 fluorescence intensity,and suppressed inflammatory cy-tokine secretion and inflammation activation.Additionally,PF ameliorated depressive behaviors induced by CUMS and improved damage in hippocampal neurons.It also reduced the expression of NLRP3,ASC,Caspase-1,IL-1β,and the assembly of the NLRP3 in-flammasome.Moreover,PF upregulated the expression of autophagy-related proteins in the hippocampus,facilitating the clearance of damaged mitochondria and enhancing autophagy.The role of autophagy in PF’s antidepressant effects was further confirmed through the use of the autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine(3-MA),which reduced the efficacy of PF.In conclusion,PF effectively improved depressive behaviors in CUMS-induced mice and reduced NLRP3-mediated inflammation both in vivo and in vitro,likely via the in-duction of autophagy.