China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica, the 1st in the field of TCM, is supervised by China Association for Science and Technology and sponsored by Institute of Chinese Pharmaceutical Association. The journal is China's earliest comprehensive core journal of traditional Chinese medicine, and always maintains the circulation top in the professional areas. The journal publishes the latest research and progress of traditional Chinese medicine and takes a leading position in numbers of articles published, downloads and citations among all journals in this discipline.
Its scope covers new achievements, technologies, methods, experiences and concepts resulting from the research on Chinese materia medica pursuant to Chinese medical and pharmaceutical theories, traditional experiences, and modern science and technology, including medicinal resources and identification, cultivation, processing, preparation, chemistry, pharmacology, theory of Chinese pharmacy and clinical practice, bencaological study.
The journal is included in CA, JST and CSCD.
Honorary Editor-in-Chief Xiao Peigen Editor-in-Chief Wang Yongyan
Associate Editors Zhang Boli, Hu Zhibi, Yao Xinsheng, Li Lianda, Li Dapeng, Yang Baofeng, Zhou Chaofan, Huang Luqi, Chen Shilin, Li He.
Executive Editorial Board Cai Shaoqing, Chen Shilin
To compare the effects of raw Curcumae Rhizoma/vinegar-processed Curcumae Rhizomaon immune hepatic fibrosis, proliferation of HSC-T6, and expressions of α-SMA and Procollagen I. The immunological liver fibrosis model was prepared through intraperitoneal injection with 0.5 mL porcine serum in each rat, twice a week, for 14 weeks. The expression levels of serum ALT, AST, PC-III, IV-C, LN, HA and HYP, MDA in liver tissues were observed after administration of Curcumae Rhizoma/vinegar-processed Curcumae Rhizoma (0.95, 1.90 g·kg−1). The pathological changes in liver tissues were observed by HE staining. Masson staining and Sirius red staining were used to observe the expression of collagen in rat liver. HSC-T6 was cultured, and the proliferation of HSC-T6 was determined by MTT assay at different concentrations in 12, 24, 36, 48 h. The expressions of α-SMA and Procollagen I were detected by Real-time PCR. The results showed that the expression levels of serum ALT, AST, PC-III, IV-C, LN and HA in raw Curcumae Rhizoma/vinegar-processed Curcumae Rhizoma groups (0.95, 1.90 g·kg−1) were significantly lower than model group. In terms of effect, vinegar-processed Curcumae Rhizoma group was superior to Curcumae Rhizoma group. The Curcumae Rhizoma/vinegar-processed Curcumae Rhizoma containing serum could inhibit the proliferation of HSC-T6 in a dose-effect and time-effect manner. The expression levels of α-SMA and Procollagen I in HSC-T6 were decreased after 24 h, especially in the 20% vinegar-processed Curcumae Rhizoma containing serum group (P < 0.01). Both the Curcumae Rhizoma/vinegar-processed Curcumae Rhizoma could reduce immune hepatic fibrosis to varying extent. Their anti-hepatic fibrosis mechanism may be correlated with the inhibition of the proliferation of HSC-T6, and reduction of the formation of ECM and promotion of its degradation.
To systematically review the adjuvant effects of Zhenyuan capsule on improving the cardiac function of patients with chronic heart failure. The databases including Pub Med, EMbase, the Cochrane Library, CBM, CNKI, VIP and Wanfang Data were searched electronically from inception to October 2016 to collect randomized controlled trials (RCTs) about Zhenyuan capsule for adjuvant treatment of chronic heart failure. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of included studies. Then, meta-analysis was performed by using Rev Man 5.3 software. A total of 14 RCTs involving 1 204 patients were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that the Zhenyuan capsule group had significantly better effectiveness in cardiac function (RR = 1.27, 95% CI 1.20 to 1.35, P < 0.000 01), stroke volume (WMD = 7.62, 95% CI 6.39 to 8.84, P < 0.000 01), scores of HAMA (WMD = −4.16, 95% CI −5.59 to −2.72, P < 0.000 01), psychological effect of HAMA (RR = 1.47, 95% CI 1.15 to 1.89, P = 0.002), and traditional Chinese medical syndrome (RR = 1.46, 95% CI 1.25 to 1.72, P < 0.000 01) than those of the control group, with statistically significant differences. Current evidence showed that Zhenyuan capsule combined with routine treatment could improve the cardiac function and quality of life of patients with chronic heart failure, and with high safety. Due to the limited quantity and quality of the included studies, the above conclusion still needs to be verified by carrying out more high-quality RCTs.
Effects of water temperature, stocking density and feeding cycle on growth, feeding and survival of Hirudo nipponica were studied. Six temperature gradients were set: 18, 22, 26, 30, 34 and 38 °C, five stocking density gradients were set: 30, 60, 120, 180 and 240 individuals per liter, four feeding cycle gradients were set: 2, 5, 10 and 20 d, respectively. The results showed that there existed a significant regression relationship between water temperature and specific growth rate: y = −0.016 5x2 + 0.836 9x − 6.847 5 (R2 = 0.990 8) (P < 0.05). The regression analysis indicated that specific growth rate reached the maximum (3.76) at 25.36 °C. When water temperature was beyond 30 °C, the survival rate significantly decreased as water temperature increased (P < 0.05). The specific growth rate and survival rate decreased as stocking density increased. A linear relationship existed between the feeding cycle and the specific growth rate: y = −0.094 1x + 3.832 9 (R2 = 0.992 7). From this study, it can be concluded that the optimal water temperature and stocking density for the growth of H. nipponica is 22–26 °C and 30–120 individuals per liter, respectively.
The study is aimed to characterize the tissue expression of 10 key ginsenoside biosynthetic genes using bioinformatics method and real-time quantitative PCR. Heatmap and cluster analysis of 10 ginsenoside biosynthetic genes were performed in four-year-old Jilin ginseng. Using real-time quantitative PCR, the expression correlation of 10 key genes involved in ginsenoside biosynthesis was analyzed in different organs of four-year-old Jilin ginseng including, tissue culture seedling and adventitious root. Pearson correlation was used to analyze the relation between those 10 key genes involved in ginsenoside biosynthesis. The results showed that β-AS and CYP716A52v2 were expressed highly in root of Jilin ginseng and ginseng culture seedling, which was consistent with Ro distribution. In addition, CYP716A53v2 and CYP716A47 which involved in dammarane type ginsenoside biosynthesis were positively correlated, which revealed that the difference of ginsenoside distribution was caused by transport system.
To study the pharmacokinetics–pharmacodynamics correlation of protocatechuic aldehyde and hydroxysafflor yellow A alone or their combination use in rats with hyperlipidemia, in this study, the hyperlipidemia model was established by intravenous injection of protocatechuic aldehyde (20 mg·kg−1) and hydroxysafflor yellow A (12 mg·kg−1). An HPLC-DAD method was applied to determine the plasma concentration of protocatechuic aldehyde and hydroxysafflor yellow A at different time points and to draw the drug effect–time plot. Meanwhile, the contents of the platelet activating factors (PAF) and plasma a granule membrane protein (GMP-140) were determined at different time points to draw the time-effect plot. DAS 3.2.6 software was then used to process the data, to analyze their correlation, and to compare the difference of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of protocatechuic aldehyde and hydroxysafflor yellow A in hyperlipidemia rats after single use or their combined application, so as to evaluate the effects of protocatechuic aldehyde and hydroxysafflor yellow A on hyperlipidemia rats. According to the result, the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics processes of protocatechuic aldehyde and hydroxysafflor yellow A in hyperlipidemia rats after single use or their combination were consistent to the three-compartment model. In the model group, the plasma PAF and GMP-140 were significantly increased, and the in vivo contents of PAF and GMP-140 were decreased in a certain period after the treatment. The effects of protocatechuic aldehyde and hydroxysafflor yellow A against the pharmacodynamic action may be associated with their level in vivo, and their plasma concentration was positively related to the PAF and GMP-140 contents. The pharmacodynamic indices were better after the combined use of protocatechuic aldehyde and hydroxysafflor yellow A, with certain influence to each other in hyperlipidemia rats. At the same time, the results also reflected the rationality of protocatechuic aldehyde and hydroxysafflor yellow A combined application.
The gut microbiota dysbiosis is one of the risk factors in the progression from the advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) to uremia, characterized by the reduction of probiotics and the increase of opportunistic pathogens including urease-related microbes, endotoxin-related microbes and toxin-related microbes, which can produce uremic toxins. According to the core point of “the gut-kidney axis” theory and “the chronic kidney disease-colonic axis” concept, the gut microbiota dysbiosis aggravates renal damage by accumulating uremic toxins and inducing the systemic micro-inflammation. The preliminary clinical trials and animal experiments show that the probiotics biologicals from Lactobacillus acidophilus or Bifidobacterium, and the prebiotics including inulin and galactooligosaccharides, as well as lubiprostone and activated carbon adsorbents can be used for improving the dysfunction of CKD patients with the gut microbiota dysbiosis via reducing uremic toxins and inhibiting the systemic micro-inflammation. But not only that, it is reported that, to some extent, a number of the single Chinese herbal medicines (CHM), the CHM prescriptions and the CHM extracts (emodin, etc.) with oral or enema administration can also regulate the gut microbiota dysbiosis, protect the intestinal epithelial barrier, reduce uremic toxins accumulation and delay CKD progression. Thereinto, Dahuang Gancao Decoction (the concentrated granule TJ-84), a classical CHM prescription of rhubarb, can ameliorate uremic toxins accumulation in the animal models with renal failure probably through targeting the gut-kidney axis triggered from gut microbiota, but not targeting the kidney. Based on these results, the interventional studies targeting the gut microbiota-related pathological factors such as tight junction proteins, helper T cells and regulatory T cells in the intestinal tract of the advanced CKD patients will become one of the key development directions in the future.
In this paper, a design space approach was applied to optimize the dropping process of Ginkgo biloba dropping pills. Firstly, potential critical process parameters and potential process critical quality attributes were determined through literature research and pre-experiments. Secondly, experiments were carried out according to Box-Behnken design. Then the critical process parameters and critical quality attributes were determined based on the experimental results. Thirdly, second-order polynomial models were used to describe the quantitative relationships between critical process parameters and critical quality attributes. Finally, a probability-based design space was calculated and verified. The verification results showed that efficient production of Ginkgo biloba dropping pills could be guaranteed by operating within the design space parameters. The recommended operation ranges for the critical dropping process parameters of Ginkgo biloba dropping pills were as follows: dropping distance of 5.5–6.7 cm, and dropping speed of 59–60 drops per minute, providing a reference for industrial production of Ginkgo biloba dropping pills.
Traditional authentication method is hard to identify herb’s authenticity of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula granules because they have lost all their morphological characteristics. In this study, a new allele-specific PCR method was established for identifying the authentication of Jinyinhua formula granule (made from Lonicerae Japonicae Flos) based on an SNP site in trnL-trnF fragment. Genomic DNA was successfully extracted from Lonicerae Japonicae Flos and its formula granules by using an improved spin column method and then PCR was performed with the designed primer. Approximately 110 bp specific bands was obtained only in the authentic Lonicerae Japonicae Flos and its formula granules, while no bands were found in fake adulterants. In addition, the PCR product sequence was proved from Lonicerae Japonicae Flos trnL-trnF sequence by using BLAST method. Therefore, DNA molecular authentication method could make up the limitations of character identification method and microscopic identification, and quickly identify herb’s authenticity of TCM formula granules, with enormous potential for market supervision and quality control.
A new
δ-oleanane-type triterpenoid glycoside, 3-O-(3-O-sulfo)-
β-D-glucopyranosiduronic acid 3
β-hydroxy-13 (18)-oleanen-28-oic acid 28-
β-D-glucopyranosyl ester (1), along with ten known triterpenoid glycosides, rotundinoside A (2), oblonganoside M (3), 3-O-
β-D-glucopyranosyl- (1 → 2)-α-L-arabinopyranosyl 3
β, 19α-dihydroxy-20α-urs-12-en-28-oic acid 28-
O-
β-D-glucopyranosyl ester (4), ilexsaponin B2 (5), ilexside Ⅱ (6), rotundinoside B (7), ilekudinoside B (8), ilexpublesnin E (9), ilekudinoside D (10) and ilexpernoside D (11), was isolated from the 75% ethanol extract of the roots of
Ilex asprella by various chromatographic separation. Their structures were identified on the basis of MS, NMR spectroscopic analysis and chemical methods. In addition, 2–11 were isolated from
I.asprella for the first time.