Simultaneous determination of five bioactive components of XiaoJin Capsule in normal and mammary gland hyperplasia rat plasma using LC-MS/MS and its application to a pharmacokinetic study

Pharmacokinetic study of multicomponent in Hong-Hua-Xiao-Yao tablet

Hong-Hua-Xiao-Yao tablet (HHXYT) is attracting attention increasingly because of its use in treatment of mammary gland hyperplasia (MGH) and menopausal syndrome. However, its pharmacokinetics remains unclear. This study developed a sensitive and rapid method for simultaneous determination of 10 compounds of HHXYT in rat plasma by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and to compare the pharmacokinetics of these compounds in MGH rats and sham operated rats. The linearity, accuracy, precision, stability and matrix effect were within acceptable ranges. This established method was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetics study of 10 compounds in sham operated and MGH rats. According to the results, the bioavailability of glycyrrhetinic acid was highest in MGH rats and sham operated rats. The mean residence times of glycyrrhetinic acid and glycyrrhetinic acid 3-O-glucuronide were higher than those of the other compounds while the mean residence time and half-life of liquiritin, isoliquiritin and paeoniflorin were lower. Some pharmacokinetic parameters of ormononetin, liquiritigenin, isoliquiritigenin, liquiritin, isoliquiritin, paeoniflorin, protocatechuic acid and senkyunolide I were significantly different between MGH rats and sham operated rats. This study elucidated the dynamic changes of multiple components in rats after oral administration of HHXYT systematically and comprehensively, which provided guidance for clinical application.

Development of an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous determination of crassicauline A, fuziline, karacoline, and songorine in rat plasma and application in their pharmacokinetics

In this paper, an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method was developed for quantifying the levels of crassicauline A, fuziline, karacoline, and songorine in rat plasma. After processing the rat plasma, the proteins in the plasma were separated by extracting the analytes with acetonitrile-methanol (9:1, v/v). The chromatographic column used was the UPLC HSS T3 column, and the mobile phase (methanol-water with 0.1% formic acid) under a gradient elution profile was used to separate the four compounds, with elution times for each analyte being less than 5 min. Electrospray ionization in positive-ion mode and operating in multiple reaction monitoring mode was used for quantitative analysis. Crassicauline A, fuziline, karacoline, and songorine were administered to 48 rats (n = 6 per group) orally (5 mg/kg) and intravenously (0.5 mg/kg). The standard curves demonstrated excellent linearity in the range of 1-2500 ng/mL, wherein all r values were greater than 0.99. The UPLC-MS/MS method for the determination of crassicauline A, fuziline, karacoline, and songorine in rat plasma was successfully applied in determining their pharmacokinetics parameters, from which their oral bioavailabilities were calculated to be 18.7%, 4.3%, 6.0%, and 8.4%, respectively.

Advances and Challenges in the Analysis of Boswellic Acids by Separation Methods

Boswellia resin is an exudate from the cut bark of Boswellia trees. The main constituents of pharmacological interest are boswellic acids (pentacyclic triterpenoids), namely α-boswellic acid, β-boswellic acid, 3-O-acetyl-α-boswellic acid, 3-O-acetyl-β-boswellic acid, 11-keto-β-boswellic acid, and 3-O-acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid. Nowadays, dietary supplements with Boswellia serrata extract are used in the treatment of inflammatory joint diseases. Additionally, the constituents of Boswellia resin have shown potential for the treatment of other chronic inflammatory diseases and various types of cancer. Separation methods including ultra/high-performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography, thin layer chromatography, supercritical fluid chromatography, and capillary electrochromatography coupled with UV or MS detection have been used for the determination of boswellic acids in various matrices (mostly plant material and biological samples). This review aims to provide a comprehensive summary of these separation methods, offering a critical discussion of their strengths and limitations in the analysis of boswellic acids. The knowledge of various separation methods plays a pivotal role in the quality control of herbal dietary supplements and the monitoring of the metabolism and pharmacokinetics of their constituents. The approaches based on metabolomics and network pharmacology represent new ways of fingerprinting secondary metabolites in Boswellia resin increasing the comprehensiveness of the output of these methods resulting in safer dietary supplements.

Kuijieling decoction regulates the Treg/Th17 cell balance in ulcerative colitis through the RA/RARα signaling pathway

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an idiopathic intestinal disease characterized by chronic inflammation with unknown etiology. Kuijieling decoction is a traditional Chinese Medicine with unique therapeutic efficacy for UC.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To validate the effects of Kuijieling decoction on vitamin A metabolism and retinoic acid (RA) production, along with evaluation of its immunomodulatory activity, and further clarify the upstream mechanisms underlying Treg/Th17 regulation that contribute to therapeutic effects against UC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Network pharmacology and molecular docking analyses were employed to predict the potential anti-UC targets of Kuijieling and associated pathways. A rat model of UC was generated by treatment with trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) to induce inflammation. T lymphocytes were induced to differentiate into Th17 via combined stimulation with the cytokines TGF-β1, IL-6 and IL-23. Expression levels of RA/RARα-related factors (RARα, CRABPII, Smad3, IL-6R and IL-23R) and Treg/Th17 cell-related factors (Foxp3, RORγt) were measured via western blot (WB), quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR), and immunohistochemistry analyses. Components of the vitamin A metabolic pathway (vitamin A, retinol, retinoic acid) and Treg/Th17 cell-related cytokines (IL-10, IL-17, IL-21) were evaluated using ELISA. Flow cytometry was performed to determine the percentages of Treg and Th17 cells.

RESULTS

The action targets of Kuijieling were significantly associated with T cell activation, Th17 cell differentiation and the immune response. IL-2, IL-6, STAT3 and RARα displayed strong binding affinities with the main components of Kuijieling, suggesting an important role in its therapeutic efficacy. Kuijieling promoted vitamin A metabolism and RA/RARα signaling in UC rats and T lymphocytes. Moreover, Kuijieling effectively regulated the Treg/Th17 cell balance in UC rats and T lymphocytes and relieved inflammation. The protective effect of Kuijieling was weakened after inhibition of the RA/RARα signaling pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

Kuijieling promotes vitamin A metabolism and RA synthesis, enhances interactions between RA, intracellular binding protein CRABPII and nuclear receptor RARα, and upregulates Smad3 and Foxp3, thus promoting Treg differentiation. Simultaneously, Kuijieling inhibited expression of IL-6R and IL-23R genes and production of RORγt, leading to suppression of Th17 differentiation, and ultimately, reduction of the Th17/Treg cell ratio.

Revealing the Preventable Effects of Fu-Zheng-Qu-Xie Decoction against Recurrence and Metastasis of Postoperative Early-Stage Lung Adenocarcinoma Based on Network Pharmacology Coupled with Metabolomics Analysis

Fu-Zheng-Qu-Xie (FZQX) decoction is a traditional Chinese herbal prescription for the treatment of lung cancer and exerts proapoptotic and immunomodulatory effects. It has been clinically suggested to be effective in improving the survival of postoperative early-stage lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), but the mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we used network pharmacology coupled with metabolomics approaches to explore the pharmacological action and effective mechanism of FZQX against the recurrence and metastasis of postoperative early-stage LUAD. Network pharmacology analysis showed that FZQX could prevent the recurrence and metastasis of postoperative early-stage LUAD by regulating a series of targets involving vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2, estrogen receptor 1, sarcoma gene, epidermal growth factor receptor, and protein kinase B and by influencing the Ras, PI3K-Akt, and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways. In liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis, 11 differentially expressed metabolites, including PA(12:0/18:4(6Z,9Z,12Z,15Z)), PC(16:0/0:0)[U], LysoPC(18:1(11Z)), and LysoPC(18:0), were discovered in the FZQX-treated group compared to those in the model group before treatment or normal group. They were enriched in cancer metabolism-related signaling pathways such as central carbon metabolism in cancer, choline metabolism, and glycerol phospholipid metabolism. Collectively, our results suggest that the multicomponent and multitarget interaction network of FZQX inhibits the recurrence and metastasis of postoperative early-stage LUAD by activating the receptor signal transduction pathway to inhibit proliferation, induce cell apoptosis, inhibit aerobic glycolysis, and reprogram tumor lipid metabolism.