Rapid Determination of 30 Polyphenols in Tongmai Formula, a Combination of Puerariae Lobatae Radix, Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, and Chuanxiong Rhizoma, via Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

Tongmai formula (TMF) is a herbal preparation composed of three traditional Chinese medicinal materials: Puerariae Lobatae Radix (Gegen), Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Danshen) and Chuanxiong Rhizoma (Chuanxiong). It has been used to treat cardiovascular diseases for decades. To develop a reliable and convenient analytical method for a comprehensive determination of polyphenols in TMF and the ascertainment of their chemical correlations with its herbal components, a method combining high-performance liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) was developed and validated for rapid determination of 30 polyphenols in TMF and its three herbal components.

Metabolism of 20(S)-Ginsenoside Rg₂ by Rat Liver Microsomes: Bioactivation to SIRT1-Activating Metabolites.

20(S)-Ginsenoside Rg₂ (1) has recently become a hot research topic due to its potent bioactivities and abundance in natural sources such as the roots, rhizomes and stems-leaves of Panax ginseng. However, due to the lack of studies on systematic metabolic profiles, the prospects for new drug development of 1 are still difficult to predict, which has become a huge obstacle for its safe clinical use. To solve this problem, investigation of the metabolic profiles of 1 in rat liver microsomes was first carried out.

Liquid Chromatography with Tandem Mass Spectrometry: A Sensitive Method for the Determination of Dehydrodiisoeugenol in Rat Cerebral Nuclei.

A new liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method is developed for the quantification of dehydrodiisoeugenol (DDIE) in rat cerebral nuclei after single intravenous administration. DDIE and daidzein (internal standard) were separated on a Diamonsil™ ODS C18 column with methanol-water containing 0.1% formic acid (81:19, v/v) as a mobile phase.

The Blood-Brain Barrier Permeability of Lignans and Malabaricones from the Seeds of Myristica fragrans in the MDCK-pHaMDR Cell Monolayer Model.

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability of twelve lignans and three phenolic malabaricones from the seeds of Myristica fragrans (nutmeg) were studied with the MDCK-pHaMDR cell monolayer model. The samples were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography and the apparent permeability coefficients (Papp) were calculated. Among the fifteen test compounds, benzonfuran-type, dibenzylbutane-type and arylnaphthalene-type lignans showed poor to moderate permeabilities with Papp values at 10(-8)-10(-6) cm/s; those of 8-O-4'-neolignan and tetrahydrofuran-lignan were at 10(-6)-10(-5) cm/s, meaning that their permeabilities are moderate to high; the permeabilities of malabaricones were poor as their Papp values were at 10(-8)-10(-7) cm/s.

[Study on material base of corydalis rhizoma].

Corydalis Rhizoma, the dried tuber of Corydalis yanhusuo (Papaveraceae) distributed traditionally mainly in south-eastern and now cultivated in northwestern and other district in China, is one of the commonly used and well-known traditional Chinese medicine. It has been widely used to treat spastic pain, abdominal pain, pain due to injury, and promote blood circulation. Its main chemical constituents were alkaloids, which were divided into the two types of protoberberines and aporphines.

[Chemical constituents from roots and rhizomes of Panax ginseng cultivated in Jilin province].

The chemical constituents of the roots and rhizomes of Panax ginseng were systematically investigated by various column chromatographic methods including Amberlite XAD-4 macroporous adsorptive resins and silica gel as well as high-performance liquid chromatography, and their chemical structures were identified by physico-chemical properties and spectral analyses. Twenty-eight compounds were isolated from the 70% ethanolic-aqueous extract and identified as koryoginsenoside R1 (1), ginsenoside Rg1 (2), ginsenoside Rf (3), notoginsenoside R2 (4), ginsenoside Rg2 (5), notoginsenoside Fe (6), ginsenjilinol (7), ginsenoside Re5 (8), noto-ginsenoside N (9), notoginsenoside R1 (10), ginsenoside Re2 (11), ginsenoside Re1 (12), ginsenoside Re (13), ginsenoside Rs2 (14), ginsenoside Ro methyl ester (15), ginsenoside Rd (16), ginsenoside Re3 (17), ginsenoside Re4 (18), 20-gluco-ginsenoside Rf (19), ginsenoside Ro (20), ginsenoside Rc (21), quinquenoside-R1 (22), ginsenoside Ra2 (23), ginsenoside Rb1 (24), ginsenoside Ra1 (25), ginsenoside Ra3 (26), ginsenoside Rb2 (27), and notoginsenoside R4 (28). All isolated compounds are 20 (S) -protopanaxadiol or protopanaxatriol type triterpenoid saponins.

Limonoid constituents of Euodia rutaecarpa var. bodinieri and their inhibition on NO production in lipopolysaccharide-activated RAW264.7 macrophages.

A new limonoid compound, named evorubodinin (1), was isolated from the dried and nearly ripe fruits of Euodia rutaecarpa (Juss.) Benth. var.

Ginsenjilinol, a new protopanaxatriol-type saponin with inhibitory activity on LPS-activated NO production in macrophage RAW 264.7 cells from the roots and rhizomes of Panax ginseng.

One new dammarane triterpene saponin named ginsenjilinol (1) was isolated from the roots and rhizomes of Panax ginseng C.A. Mey.

Intestinal bacterial transformation - a nonnegligible part of Chinese medicine research.

Intestinal bacteria play an essential part in the metabolism of the constituents of herbal drugs, and a lot of investigations have been done to unveil their functions and mechanisms in modification of these constituents and their effect. This review provides a progressive description of intestinal bacterial transformation with respect to properties, reactions, correlation with the effect of herbal drugs, research interests, and methodology. In addition, the problems encountered during the investigation are addressed and perspectives are proposed.

[Biotransformation by human intestinal flora and absorption-transportation characteristic in a model of Caco-2 cell monolayer of d-corydaline and tetrahydropalmatine].

Objective: To study the biotransformation by human intestinal flora, and the absorption and transportation characteristic in a model of human colon adenocarcinoma cell lines (Caco-2 cell) monolayer of d-corydaline (CDL) and tetrahydropalmatine (THP).

Method: CDL or THP was incubated with crude enzymes of human intestinal flora under the anaerobic environment and 37 degrees C conditions to transform CDL or THP. Caco-2 cell monolayer was used as an intestinal epithelial cell model for determination of the permeability of CDL or THP from apical side (AP side) to basolateral side (BL side) or from BL side to AP side.

[Flavonoid glycosides from dried and nearly ripe fruits of Evodia rutaecarpa].

Objective: To study the chemical constituents from the dried and nearly ripe fruits of Evodia (Euodia) rutaecarpa.

Method: The compounds were separated and purified by solvent and chromatographic methods. Their structures were identified by spectroscopic techniques.

[A new natural product from root of Angelica dahurica cv. Qibaizhi].

Objective: To study the chemical constituents of the root of Angelica dahurica cv. Qibaizhi.

Method: The compounds were isolated and purified by the methods of solvent extraction and chromatographic technique, and their structures were identified on the basis of the analyses of spectral data.

Biotransformation products of phellopterin by rat liver microsomes and the inhibition on NO production in LPS-activated RAW264.7 cells.

Four new coumarins (2',3'-dihydroxyphellopterin, E-5-methoxytrichoclin acetate, Z-5-methoxytrichoclin acetate, and E-5-methoxytrichoclin) and three known coumarins (byakangelicol, byakangelicin, and Z-5-methoxytrichoclin) were produced by liver microsomes from rats pre-treated with sodium phenobarbital. The chemical structures were elucidated on the basis of their spectroscopic data. The inhibitory activities of nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide-activated macrophage-like cell line RAW264.

Aquisiflavoside, a new nitric oxide production inhibitor from the leaves of Aquilaria sinensis.

A new flavonoid glycoside, named aquisiflavoside, was isolated from the leaves of Aquilaria sinensis (Lour.) Gilg, and its structure was elucidated by spectroscopic analyses. Aquisiflavoside was evaluated for the inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) production induced by lipopolysaccharide in macrophage cell line RAW 264.

Biotransformation of prim-O-glucosylcimifugin by human intestinal flora and its inhibition on NO production and DPPH free radical.

prim-O-Glucosylcimifugin (PGCN), a highest content chromone in the roots of Saposhnikovia divaricata, was incubated with human intestinal flora (HIF), and two biotransformation products were obtained from the incubated solution by chromatographic methods. The chemical structures of the two biotransformation products were elucidated as cimifugin (CN) and 5-O-methylvisamminol (MVL), respectively, on the basis of NMR and MS data. The biotransformation product CN was formed through a deglucosylation of PGCN by β-glucosidase secreted from the HIF, and then the hydroxymethyl group of CN was reduced to lead to occurrence of MVL.

[Reserch progresses in effect of traditional Chinese medicines on cytochrome P450 activities from 2000--2011].

The interaction between drugs is mainly guided by cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzyme system. CYP participates in the physical biotransformation of a majority of endobiotic and xenobiotic molecules, especially drugs. It is quite crucial and urgent to investigate drugs effect on CYP before clinical application to ensure the clinical safety and pharmacy validity.

New triterpenoids from the stems and leaves of Panax ginseng.

Three new dammarane-type triterpene saponins ginsenosides Rh(18) (1), Rh(19) (3) and Rh(20) (4), along with two new triterpene sapogenins 12β,23(R)-epoxydammara-24-ene-3β,6α,20(S)-triol (2) and dammara-(20E)22,25-diene-3β,6α,12β,24S-tetrol (5) were isolated from the stems and leaves of Panax ginseng C. A. Mey.

[GC-MS analysis of essential oil from root of Angelica dahurica cv. Qibaizhi].

Objective: Essential oil from root of Angelica dahurica cv. Qibaizhi were studied.

Method: Essential oil was extracted by water-steam distillation and analyzed by GC-MS.

Three new isoflavone glycosides from Tongmai granules.

Three new isoflavone glycosides, 3'-methoxydaidzein-7,4'-di-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (1), biochanin A-8-C-β-d-apiofuranosyl-(1 → 6)-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (2), daidzein-7-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (3), and a new natural isoflavone glycoside, daidzein-7-O-α-d-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (4) were isolated along with 18 known isoflavones from the EtOAc and n-BuOH fractions of the aqueous extraction of Tongmai granules. All the isoflavones were obtained and determined for the first time from Tongmai granules. The structures of these compounds were elucidated by spectral methods.

Intestinal permeability of the constituents from the roots of Saposhnikovia divaricata in the human Caco-2 cell monolayer model.

The bidirectional intestinal permeability of the active constituents from the roots of Saposhnikovia divaricata, including four coumarins, anomalin (1), 5-methoxy-7-(3,3-dimethylallyloxy)coumarin (2), decursin (3), and decursinol angelate (4), as well as four chromones, cimifugin (5), prim-O-glucosylcimifugin (6), 3'- O-angeloylhamaudol (7), and sec-O-glucosylhamaudol (8), was studied by using the Caco-2 cell monolayer. These compounds were assayed by HPLC, and their transport parameters, including apparent permeability coefficients (P(app)), were then calculated. The bidirectional P(app) values of the compounds were compared with those of the markers, propranolol and atenolol.

[Sapodivarin, a new coumarin from roots of Saposhnikovia divaricata].

Objective: To study the chemical constituents in the dried roots of Saposhnikovia divaricata (Turcz.) Schischk.

Method: The chemical constituents were isolated by various column chromatographic methods and structurally elucidated by IR, UV, MS and NMR evidences.

[Chemical constituents of roots of Saposhnikovia divaricata].

Objective: To study the chemical constituents in the dried roots of Saposhnikovia divaricata.

Method: The chemical constituents were isolated by various column chromatographic methods and structurally elucidated by IR, UV, MS and NMR evidences.

Result: Eighteen compounds were obtained and identified as 3'-O-angeloylhamaudol (1), isobergapten (2), imperatorin (3), pentacosane acid (4), anomalin (5), decursin (6), 5-methoxy-7-(3,3-dimethylallyl- oxy)coumarin (7), decursinol angelate (8), xanthotoxin (9), bergapten (10), tectochrysin (11), scopoletin (12), hamaudol (13), ledebouriellol (14), cimifugin (15), sec-O-glucosylhamaudol (16), 4'-O-beta-D-glucosyl-5-O-methylvisamminol (17), and prim-O-glucosylcimifugin (18).