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
The aim of this paper was to observe the effect of Di’ao Xinxuekang Capsules (DXXK) on TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway in atherosclerotic rats, and to explore its anti-atherosclerotic mechanism. Sixty SD rats were randomly divided into the normal group, model group, atorvastatin group (4.0 mg·kg
−1), and DXXK groups (100, 30, and 10 mg·kg
−1), with 10 rats in each group. The atherosclerosis (AS) model was induced by high fat diet plus vitamin D
2. Experimental drugs were administered intragastrically once daily for eight weeks starting from the 9th week. Biochemical analyzers were used to detect levels of triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in blood lipid. The levels of serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-
α, interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1
β were detected by ELISA. Pathological changes of aortic tissues were observed after Sudan Ⅳ and HE staining. The mRNA and protein expression levels of TLR4, MyD88 and NF-κB p65 in aortic tissues were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot, respectively. Compared with the model group, TC, TG, and LDL-C levels in serum were significantly decreased, while HDL-C content was significantly increased. The levels of TNF-
α, IL-6, and IL-1
β in serum were significantly decreased in atorvastatin group and high- and middle-dose DXXK groups. Aortic lesions in atorvastatin group and DXXK groups were significantly improved, and the mRNA and protein expression levels of TLR4, MyD88, and NF-κB p65 in the aorta were decreased. DXXK has a preventive and therapeutic effect against AS in rats, which might be related to its inhibition of inflammatory reaction by regulating TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signal transduction, thereby inhibiting the progression of AS.
To establish the UPLC fingerprint of Zhongyi Angong Niuhuang Pills, in order to evaluate its quality by chemical pattern recognition. The method was developed on a column of Poroshell 120 EC-C
18, with methanol–0.1% formic acid solution as the mobile phase for gradient elution at a flow rate of 0.4 mL·min
−1. The column temperature was 30 °C, and the detection wavelength was 254 nm. The similarity of 24 batches of Angong Niuhuang Pills was compared by using “Similarity Evaluation System for Chromatographic Fingerprint of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Version 2004A)”. Hierachical cluster analysis, principal components analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis were conducted by using SIMCA 13.0 software to investigate different components among these products. The UPLC characteristic fingerprint was established in this study. And 17 common peaks were identified based on standard reference and UPLC-MS. The similarity values of 24 batches samples were all above 0.980, which could be classified into three categories for pattern recognition. Baicalin, berberine, jatrorrhizine, wogonin and wogonoside were identified as the main markers that caused differences among various batches. The method is simple, rapid, accurate and reproducible, and can provide a scientific basis for improving the quality standard of Zhongyi Angong Niuhuang Pills.
A method was established for simultaneous determination of 21 bioactive constituents including flavanols, isoflavones, flavonols, dihydroflavones, dihydroflavonols, chalcones, pterocarpan, anthocyanidins and phenolic acids in Spatholobi Caulis by ultra fast liquid chromatography tandem triple quadrupole linear ion trap mass spectrometry (UFLC-QTRAP-MS/MS). Then, it was employed to analyze and evaluate the dynamic accumulation of multiple bioactive constituents in Spatholobi Caulis. The chromatographic separation was performed on a XBridge
® C
18 (4.6 mm × 100 mm, 3.5 μm) at 30 °C with gradient elution of 0.3% formic acid aqueous solution–methanol, flow rate of 0.8 mL·min
−1, and multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. A comprehensive evaluation of the multiple bioactive constituents was carried out by gray relational analysis (GRA). The 21 target constituents showed good linearity (
r > 0.999 0) in the range of the tested concentration. The average recoveries of the 21 constituents were from 97.46% to 103.6% with relative standard deviations less than 5.0%. There were differences in the content of 21 constituents in Spatholobi Caulis at different harvest periods. Spatholobi Caulis had high quality from early November to early December, which was consistent with the local traditional harvest period. This study reveals the rule of the dynamic accumulation of 21 constituents in Spatholobi Caulis and provides basic information for the suitable harvest time. At the same time, it provides a new method reference for the comprehensive evaluation of the internal quality of Spatholobi Caulis.
The aim of this paper was to investigate the key targets and mechanisms of “Epimedii Folium–Paeoniae Radix Alba” in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation (LDH) by means of network pharmacology. The currently recognized databases and analysis softwares in China and abroad were used to construct the network from drugs and diseases. The chemical components of Epimedii Folium and Paeoniae Radix Alba were collected by using the databases such as TCMSP, while their active components were determined and the action targets were predicted according to threshold screening and literature reports. The genes for LDH were collected using GeneCards, OMIM, and DisGeNET databases. The drug targets were mapped to disease targets for protein–protein interaction (PPI) network analysis of key targets. GO function enrichment analysis and KEGG signaling pathway enrichment analysis were performed. Finally, 23 active components of Epimedium Folium and 13 active components of Paeoniae Radix Alba were determined, and a total of 624 drug targets were obtained. After standardization, 214 drug targets were obtained. In addition, 306, 2, and 5 related targets of LDH were collected from GeneCards, OMIM, and DisGeNET databases, respectively, and a total of 293 disease targets were obtained after deduplication. After the mapping of drug targets and disease targets, 44 common targets were obtained. PPI network analysis showed that IL-6, TNF, AKT1, MAPK1, and VEGFA might be the core targets for the treatment of LDH. GO enrichment analysis identified 56 items (
P < 0.05), among which biological processes (BPs) included immune response, apoptosis, etc; cell components (CCs) included extracellular space, extracellular region, etc; molecular functions (MFs) included cytokine activity, metallopeptidase activity, etc. Through KEGG pathway enrichment analysis, 91 signaling pathways related to inflammation, metabolism, and senescence were identified, mainly including IL-17 signaling pathway and TNF signaling pathway. “Epimedii Folium–Paeoniae Radix Alba” acted on multiple pathways and multiple targets for the treatment of LDH. In this study, we preliminarily explored the key targets and the involved biological processes and signaling pathways. It was found that it might exert the therapeutic effect by affecting inflammation and immune regulation, which laid the foundation for further molecular biological verification in the future.
This study investigated the suitability of organic membrane for salvianolic acid in the ultrafiltration process of Danshen Dizhuye. UPLC was used to analyze the migration of nine phenolic active ingredients in Danshen Dizhuye during the ultrafiltration of PES hollow fiber membrane and PS hollow fiber membrane. The structural composition of multi-components was analyzed by three different batches of Danshen Dizhuye before and after ultrafiltration of the two membranes. The results showed that 9 phenolic active ingredients in Danshen Dizhuye did not change significantly after ultrafiltration through PES membrane. However, after ultrafiltration through PS membrane, the contents of sodium danshensu, protocatechualdehyde, caffeic acid, 3-hydroxy-4-methoxycinnamic acid and rosmarinic acid in Danshen Dizhuye did not change significantly, while salvianolic acid D, salvianolic acid B and lithospermic acid decreased by about 20%, and the content of salvianolic acid A decreased significantly. The final content in equilibrium was only about 20% of the original solution. Therefore, an in-depth study on the migration particularity of salvianolic acid A in ultrafiltration membrane was the focus. The results showed that the loss of salvianolic acid A was caused by both membranes during ultrafiltration, and salvianolic acid A was lost more in PS membrane. When the membrane was washed and regenerated, it was found that salvianolic acid A was detected in the ethanol washing solution, but not in the washing liquid, indicating that the loss of salvianolic acid A during the ultrafiltration was mainly adsorptive action. The results suggested that the migration of phenolic active ingredients in Danshen Dizhuye during the membrane ultrafiltration process did not completely follow the molecular weight passing rule of the membrane pore size. At the same time, it may be affected by the factors, such as the structure of the membrane material, and the interaction between the membrane structure and the structure of components, and exhibit different migration behaviors during the ultrafiltration of the membrane.
Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI) is a novel technique for in-situ distribution of various substances in tissue without labeling. This technique is increasingly applied to the study of medicinal plants owing to its high spatial resolution and its potential of in-situ analysis in small molecules. In this study, the structural information and their fragmentation patterns of the imidazole alkaloids (1,3-dibenzyl-4,5-dimethylimidazolium chloride and 1,3-dibenzyl-2,4,5-trimethylimidazolium chloride) and benzylglucosinolate in the medicinal plant Maca (
Lepdium meyeni) root were analyzed by ultra-high-performance liquid phase combined with LTQ-Orbitrap mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HR-MS). The localization of these active ingredients in the cross-sections of Maca root was performed by MALDI-MSI. These results demonstrated that the two types of imidazole alkaloids had a similar distribution pattern. They were located more in the cortex and the periderm than those in the medulla of a lateral root, while the localization of benzylglucosinolate was concentrated in the center of the root rather than in the cortex and the periderm. The precise spatial distribution of various secondary metabolites in tissue provides an important scientific basis for the accumulation of medicinal plant active ingredients in tissues. In addition, this imaging method is a promising technique for the rapid evaluation and identification of the active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine in plant tissues, as well as assisting the research on the processing of medicinal plants.
A sensitive and specific ultra-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method was developed for the analysis of rutaecarpine (Ru), evodiamine (Ev), rutaevine (Rv), limonin (Li), ginsendside Rb
1 (Rb
1), and ginsendside Re (Re) in the plasma and brain tissues of nitroglycerin-induced migraine rats. Male healthy Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were orally given multiple dose of optimized (OS) and un-optimized Wuzhuyu Decoction (UNOS), and their blood and brainstem samples were collected at different time points after injection of nitroglycerin (10 mg·kg
−1) into the frontal region. The drug concentrations of the six analytes in plasma and brainstem were determined by UPLC-MS/MS method. Subsequently, the main pharmacokinetic parameters of plasma were calculated using Phoenix WinNolin 5.2.1 software. The methodological test showed that all of the analytes in both plasma and brainstem homogenate exhibited a good linearity within the concentration range (
r > 0.994 7). The intra-day and inter-day accuracy, precision, matrix effect, and stability of the investigated ingredients met the requirements for biopharmaceutical analysis. The developed method was successfully applied in pharmacokinetic studies on above-mentioned ingredients in rat plasma and brainstem. The plasma pharmacokinetic parameters of active ingredients in OS and UNOS groups were compared, and it was found that Rb
1 had higher
t1/2,
Tmax,
Cmax, AUC
0-24 h and AUC
0-∞ in OS group. Meanwhile, Ev had higher
t1/2 and
Tmax but lower
Cmax, AUC
0-24 h and AUC
0-∞; Ru had higher
t1/2 but lower
Cmax, AUC
0-24 h and AUC
0-∞ in OS group. The brain tissue distribution of each ingredient was compared between the two groups, and the ingredients with higher content in OS, such as Ru at 30 min and 2 h after administration, Ev at 30 min, Rb
1 at 30 min and Rb
1 at 2 h after administration, had lower brain tissue distribution than those in UNOS group, while the ingredients with higher content in UNOS, such as Rv at 30 min, 2 h and 12 h after administration, had higher brain tissue distribution than those in OS group.
To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of berberine in the treatment of dyslipidemia. In this review, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, Chongqing Weipu Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals (VIP), Chinese BioMedical Literature Database (CBM), PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMbase, and Medline (OVID) were retrieved from their inception to January, 2019 in any language. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with berberine with or without lipid-lowering drugs (LLDs) vs. placebo, blank or LLDs as the control were collected. Data extraction and quality assessment were conducted according to the Cochrane Handbook. Then RevMan 5.3 software was used for Meta-analysis. A total of 25 trials were included, covering 3 042 cases, including 1 552 cases in the intervention group and 1 490 cases in the control group. The clinical heterogeneity of the included trials was relatively high, and the methodological quality of most trials was generally low, with bias possibly present in random sequence generation, allocation concealment, blind method and result data. The intervention measures were divided into different subgroups for analysis. Meta-analysis suggested that berberine alone or its combination with LLDs could reduce the TC, TG, and LDL-C levels and increased the HDL-C levels, and the differences were statistically significant as compared with those in the control group. As compared with control group, there was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of adverse events. No severe adverse effects were reported in all trials. Berberine exhibited good efficacy and safety in the treatment of dyslipidemia. Due to the quality limitations of the included trials, the above conclusions need to be further verified by high-quality, large sample size and multi-center clinical trials.
This study was to investigate the chemical constituents from the whole plant
Corydalis edulis. The chemical constituents were separated and purified by macroporous resin D101, silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, ODS, and semi-preparative HPLC. Their structures were determined based on the physicochemical properties and spectroscopic data. Four compounds were isolated from the dichloromethane and water extracts of the whole plant
C.
edulis, and identified as 6′-
β-D-xylosylicariside B2 (
1), (3
S,5
R,6
S,7
E)-5,6-epoxy-3-hydroxy-7- megastigmen-9-one (
2), loliolide (
3), and 5,5′-dimethoxybiphenyl-2,2′-diol (
4), respectively. Compound
1 was a new compound, and its absolute configuration was established by electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculation. Compound
4 was obtained from the plants of Papaveraceae family for the first time. Compounds
2 and
3 were isolated from the plant in genus
Corydalis for the first time.
It was reported that dihydroartemisinin could reduce the expression of phosphorylated adhesion kinase and matrix metalloproteinase-2, inhibit the growth, migration and invasion of ovarian cancer cells, and promote the formation of Treg cells through TGF-beta/Smad signaling pathway, playing an immunosuppressive role. Dihydroartemisinin could also inhibit the growth of lung cancer cells by inhibiting the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor KDR. However, there are few studies on dihydroartemisinin in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. In order to preliminarily explore the effect of dihydroartemisinin on invasion and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells, CCK-8 method and crystal violet staining were used to detect the effect of dihydroartemisinin on the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma cell 7402 and highly metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma cell MHCC97H. Such effects were studied by cell wound-healing and Transwell. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and its downstream signaling pathways in the cells treated with dihydroartemisinin for 48 h. The results showed that dihydroartemisinin could inhibit the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma cells 7402 and MHCC97H at 25 μmol·L
−1. Compared with control group, the number of cell clones was significantly reduced, and the ability of cell migration and invasion was weakened. Western blot results showed that compared with control group, the dihydroartemisinin group could down-regulate the protein expression of EGFR and its downstream signaling pathways p-AKT, p-ERK, N-cadherin, Snail and Slug, and up-regulate the expression of E-cadherin protein, thus affecting the migration, invasion and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells 7402 and MHCC97H.
