Network Biological Modeling:A Novel Approach to Interpret the Traditional Chinese Medicine Theory of Exterior-Interior Correlation Between the Lung and Large Intestine

Objective To study the common pathogenesis of pneumonia and colitis using modern biological network analysis tools,and to explore the theory that the lung and large intestine are exteriorly and interiorly related.Methods The relevant target genes(hereinafter,“targets”)of pneumonia and colitis were separately queried on the GeneCards database.The main targets of the two diseases were then screened out according to their correlation scores and intersected to obtain those common to the two diseases.Metascape was used to analyze the main and common targets identified,and the Database for Annotation,Visualization and Integrated Discovery(DAVID)was used to enrich and analyze the common targets.Cytoscape 3.7.2 software was used to build the network diagram.Results In total,54 targets,such as TNF,IL-10,IL-6,IL-2,IL-4,TLR4,TLR2,CXCL8,IL-17A and IFNG,etc.,are common to pneumonia and colitis,which are mainly enriched in these processes such as cytokine–cytokine receptor interaction,the Tcell receptor signaling pathway,the Toll-like receptor signaling pathway and the Jak-STAT signaling pathway.The Metascape modular analysis identified 11 modules for pneumonia,six modules for colitis,and two modules for the common targets.Conclusions Pneumonia and colitis have the same pathogenic targets and mechanisms of action and finally interact with each other through inflammatory reactions and immune responses.This provides a probable molecular mechanism that explains the theory that the lung and large intestine are exteriorly and interiorly related.

Study on GC-MS fingerprint of petroleum ether fraction of Shenqi Jiangtang Granules

Objective To establish gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS)fingerprint method for the petroleum ether fraction of Shenqi Jiangtang Granules(SQJTG)and evaluate the product quality.Methods The GC-MS fingerprint of petroleum ether fraction of SQJTG was established by GC-MS,and the chemical components corresponding to the fingerprint peaks were structurally identified on NIST2014.The batch consistency of SQJTG products was evaluated based on the chemical composition of petroleum ether parts by using fingerprint similarity evaluation and Principal components analysis(PCA)technology.At the same time,Hotelling's T2 and DMODX statistics are used to set the control range for the quality of different batches of products.Results Twenty-two components were identified from the petroleum ether part of SQJTG,accounting for 60.94%of the total components separated.The similarity of fingerprints of petroleum ether parts of 24 batches of SQJTG was greater than 0.95.The PCA of 24 batches of samples were all under the control limits of Hotellin’s T2 and DMODX statistics,indicating that the petroleum ether parts of different batches of SQJTG were consistent.Conclusion The developed GC-MS fingerprint method can be used to evaluate the quality of SQJTG.

新型噁唑烷酮类抗生素体内药代动力学-药效学研究

目的:建立小鼠PK/PD模型,评价新型噁唑烷酮类抗菌药MRX-I体内的药代动力学、药效学(PK/PD)特征,考察体内药物浓度与治疗效果随时间变化的关系,将在研抗菌药物MRX-I的临床前动物试验结果与其临床适应症衔接起来。方法:通过免疫低下小鼠腿部感染模型开展MRX-I的体内PK/PD的研究,根据PK/PD结果用非线性回归方法分析得到最佳PK/PD参数,同时用S型最大效应模型评估该药对受试菌的静息剂量。结果:在免疫低下小鼠的腿部感染模型中,MRX-I对受试金黄色葡萄球菌的MIC值为1~2μg/m L,单剂量口服给予20mg/kg和80mg/kg,Cmax分别为16.2μg/m L和46.0μg/m L,AUC24h分别为30.8μg*h/m L和121.0μg*h/m L,多剂量多次给药试验表明PK/PD参数的相关性分别为%T>MIC R2=62.9%,AUC24h/MIC R2=91.1%和Cmax/MIC R2=86.0%。8株金黄色葡萄球菌受试菌(含4株MSSA、4株MRSA)的静息剂量为22.0~140.0mg/kg/24h[均值(77.0±39.7)mg/kg/24h]。结论:AUC24h/MIC为MRX-I的最佳PK/PD参数,与Linezolid表现一致。MRX-I对革兰氏阳性菌导致的局部感染具有良好的抗菌活性。

The inhibitory activities of Urtica fissa to BPH

In the present study, the BPH inhibitory activities of Urtica fissa were systematically investigated. Firstly, inhibitory activities of 5α reductase of the alcoholic extracts from different parts(root, stem, leaf, flower and fruit) were evaluated. The results indicated that the root possessed the most significant action. Subsequently, U. fissa root(UFR) was subjected to further pharmacological evaluation using the benign prostate hyperplasia(BPH) model rats induced by testosterone propionate. The results revealed that UFR could significantly decrease the prostate index, alter the hyperplasia tissue morphology, suppress the prostatic growth factors of VEGF, EGF, bF GF and KGF, decrease the inflammation factor levels of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6, improve the activities of GSH-Px, CAT and SOD and decrease the MDA level in the prostate of the model rats. Moreover, UFR also significantly suppressed the hormone levels of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone. These results indicated that the possible BPH inhibitory mechanisms of UFR were growth factor suppression, hormone level modulation, anti-inflammation, and anti-oxidative stress.

The naturally occurring secolignans

Naturally occurring secolignans have drawn the considerable attention because of their novel structures and diverse biological activities.In recent years,various natural secolignans with extensive bioactivities have been reported in the literatures.In the present review,we summarized all the available information regarding the biosynthesis,distributions,separation methods,chemical structures,spectral characteristics,and biological activities of natural secolignans,and provided some valuable new insights for the further study.

Comparative authentication of crude drugs from subgenus Asarum species in China based on microscopic features

According to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia,the Chinese medicinal material(Asari Radix et Rhizoma)Xixin is derived from the species Asarum heterotropoides var.mandshuricum,A.sieboldii,and A.sieboldii var.seoulense.However,many species of the genus Asarum are labeled as"Xixin","Tu-Xixin",or"Nan-Xixin"for sale in producing areas.To distinguish Chinese Asarum species and to ensure their safety and efficacy,we examined the microscopic characteristics of subg.Asarum plants in China(including subg.Asarum plants in the classification system of Flora Reipublicae Popularis Sinicae and the later published Asarum yunnanense)using a hand microtome and a microscopic digital imaging system based on our previous research.Microscopic features of the blades,petioles,and roots of A.yunnanense were investigated for the first time.Moreover,we compared nine species and one variety of the subg.Asarum(i.e.,A.yunnanense,A.caudigerellum,A.himalaicum,A.pulchellum,A.debile,A.caulescens,A.renicordatum,A.caudigerum,A.caudigerum var.cardiophyllum and A.geophilum)in China based on microscopic characteristics of the blades.Several parameters,such as morphological characteristics and distribution of hairs on both upper and lower leaf epidermises;morphological characteristics of hair cells;anticlinal walls of lower epidermal cells;size relationship between outer periclinal walls and cavity outlines of oil cells on lower leaf epidermis;presence or absence of the irregular cells containing red to brown substances among mesophyll cells;and the diameter of the largest vessels in midribs of the blades,were used for discrimination among species.To the best of our knowledge,we provided the first identification key for the 10 taxa based on blade microscopic characteristics that could be used to distinguish these taxa.Based on the key,23 commercial samples collected from seven provinces of China were authenticated as whole dried herbs of A.himalaicum,A.caudigerellum,A.caudigerum,A.pulchellum and A.caulescens.These findings indicated that microscopic approach and related techniques were convenient and feasible and could be used for the authentication of crude drugs from Chinese subg.Asarum species.