Pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of Danshen in isoproterenol-induced acute myocardial ischemic injury combined with Honghua

Integrated metabolomics and network pharmacology study on the mechanism of herbal pair of danggui-kushen for treating ischemia heart disease

DangGui-KuShen (DK) is a well-known classic traditional Chinese medicine recipe that improves blood circulation, eliminates moisture, and detoxifies, and is frequently used in the treatment of cardiovascular problems. Some protective effects of DK on cardiovascular disease have previously been identified, but its precise mechanism remains unknown. The goal of this study is to combine metabolomics and network pharmacology to investigate DK's protective mechanism in Ischemic Heart Disease(IHD) rat models. A combination of metabolomics and network pharmacology based on UPLC-Q-TOF/MS technology was used in this study to verify the effect of DK on IHD through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, HE staining, and electrocardiogram, and it was determined that DK improves the synergistic mechanism of IHD. In total, 22 serum differential metabolites and 26 urine differential metabolites were discovered, with the majority of them involved in phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan biosynthesis, glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism, arginine and proline metabolism, aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, purine metabolism, and other metabolic pathways. Furthermore, using network pharmacology, a composite target pathway network of DangGui and KuShen for treating IHD was created, which is primarily associated to the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling pathway, P53 signaling, and HIF-1 signaling pathways. The combined research indicated that the NF-B signaling pathway and the HIF-1 signaling pathway are critical in DK treatment of IHD. This study clearly confirms and expands on current knowledge of the synergistic effects of DG and KS in IHD.

Investigating the Mechanistic of Danhong Injection in Brain Damage Caused by Cardiac I/R Injury via Bioinformatics, Computer Simulation, and Experimental Validation

OBJECTIVE

Cardiac ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury has negative effects on the brain and can even lead to the occurrence of ischemic stroke. Clinical evidence shows that Danhong injection (DHI) protects the heart and brain following ischemic events. This study investigated the mechanisms and key active compounds underlying the therapeutic effect of DHI against brain damage induced by cardiac I/R injury.

METHODS

The gene expression omnibus database provided GSE66360 and GSE22255 data sets. The R programming language was used to identify the common differentially expressed genes (cDEGs). Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis were performed, and protein-protein interaction network was constructed. Active compounds of DHI were collected from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology database. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations were performed. The MMPBSA method was used to calculate the binding-free energy. The pkCSM server and DruLiTo software were used for Absorption, Distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) analysis and drug-likeness analysis. Finally, in vitro experiments were conducted to validate the results.

RESULTS

A total of 27 cDEGs had been identified. The PPI and enrichment results indicated that TNF-α was considered to be the core target. A total of 80 active compounds were retrieved. The molecular docking results indicated that tanshinone I (TSI), tanshinone IIA (TSIIA), and hydroxyl safflower yellow A (HSYA) were selected as core active compounds. Molecular dynamics verification revealed that the conformations were relatively stable without significant fluctuations. MMPBSA analysis revealed that the binding energies of TSI, TSIIA, and HSYA with TNF-α were -36.01, -21.71, and -14.80 kcal/mol, respectively. LEU57 residue of TNF-α has the highest contribution. TSI and TSIIA passed both the ADMET analysis and drug-likeness screening, whereas HSYA did not. Experimental verification confirmed that DHI and TSIIA reduced the expression of TNF-α, NLRP3, and IL-1β in the injured H9C2 and rat brain microvascular endothelial cells.

CONCLUSION

TNF-α can be considered to be a key target for BD-CI/R. TSIIA in DHI exerts a significant inhibitory effect on the inflammatory damage of BD-CI/R, providing new insights for future drug development.

Jiawei Kongsheng Zhenzhong Pill: marker compounds, absorption into the serum (rat), and Q-markers identified by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS

Background: The Jiawei Kongsheng Zhenzhong pill (JKZP), a Chinese herbal prescription comprised of eight Chinese crude drugs, has been historically employed to treat neurological and psychological disorders. Nevertheless, the ambiguous material basis severely hindered its progress and application. Purpose: The current study aimed to establish a rapid analytical method for identifying the chemical components of the JKZP aqueous extract and the components absorbed into the rat serum to investigate the quality markers (Q-markers) responsible for the neuroprotective effects of JKZP. Methods: The qualitative detection of the chemical components, prototype components, and metabolites of the aqueous extracts of JKZP, as well as the serum samples of rats that were administered the drug, was performed using the ultra-performance liquid chromatography- quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) technology. This analysis combined information from literature reports and database comparisons. Moreover, the study was conducted to anticipate the potential Q-markers for the neuroprotective effects of JKZP based on the "five principles" of Q-marker determination. Results: A total of 67 compounds and 111 serum components (comprising 33 prototypes and 78 metabolites) were detected and identified. Combining the principles of quality transmission and traceability, compound compatibility environment, component specificity, effectiveness, and measurability, the study predicted that five key compounds, namely, senkyunolide H, danshensu, echinacoside, loganin, and 3,6'-disinapoyl sucrose, may serve as potential pharmacological bases for the neuroprotective effects of JKZP. Conclusion: To summarize, the UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS technique can be employed to rapidly and accurately identify compounds in JKZP. Five active compounds have been predicted to be the Q-markers for the neuroprotective effects of JKZP. This discovery serves as a reference for improving quality, advancing further research and development, and utilizing Chinese herbal prescriptions.

Elucidating the chemical interaction effects of herb pair Danshen-Chuanxiong and its anti-ischemic stroke activities evaluation

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Danshen) and Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort. (Chuanxiong) is the core herb pair in traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) formulae for treating ischemic stroke. However, the synergistic effect of Danshen-Chuanxiong against anti-ischemic stroke and its compatibility mechanism remains unclear.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study aimed to uncover the compatibility mechanism of Danshen-Chuanxiong against ischemic stroke through chemical profiling, pharmacodynamics evaluation, network pharmacology and experimental validation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) combined with quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (QTOF-MS) and UHPLC connected with tandem triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (QQQ-MS) were utilized to conduct the chemical interaction analysis. Then the synergistic effects of Danshen-Chuanxiong against ischemic stroke were comprehensively evaluated by the middle cerebral artery occlusion reperfusion (MCAO/R) mice model, zebrafish ischemic stroke model and glutamic acid-induced PC12 cells injury model. Afterwards, network pharmacology and molecular docking were applied to dissect the significant active compounds and potential mechanisms. Finally, the key target proteins were experimentally validated by Western blot.

RESULTS

83 compounds were characterized in Danshen-Chuanxiong by UHPLC-QTOF-MS analysis, and 4 compounds were tentatively identified for the first time. The quantification results (24 accurately identified compounds) in 13 proportions of Danshen-Chuanxiong revealed that Danshen significantly increased the dissolution of most phthalides (from Chuanxiong), while Chuanxiong facilitated the dissolution of most phenolic acids (from Danshen) in solution. The anti-ischemic stroke effects of Danshen-Chuanxiong were significantly better than Danshen or Chuanxiong in attenuating infarct size, reducing brain edema and neurological scores in MCAO/R mice. Also, compared with single herbs, this herb pair exerted better effects of suppressing the incidence of cerebral thrombosis in zebrafish, and increasing the cell viability of glutamic acid-induced PC12 cells. In network pharmacology, 7 effective compounds (rosmarinic acid, chlorogenic acid, salvianolic acid B, (Z)-ligustilide, ferulic acid, caffeic acid, tanshinone IIA) and 5 hub targets (AKT, TNF-α, IL-1β, CASP3 and BCL2) as well as 4 key pathways were predicted. Western blot results showed that Danshen-Chuanxiong exert therapeutic effects mainly through decreasing the protein expressions of TNF-α, IL-1β and Cleaved-CASP3, elevating the levels of p-AKT and BCL2.

CONCLUSIONS

This work provided an integration strategy for uncovering the synergistic effects and compatibility mechanism of Danshen-Chuanxiong herb pair for treating ischemic stroke, and laid foundation for the further development and utilization of this herb pair.

Metagenomic sequencing revealed the regulative effect of Danshen and Honghua herb pair on the gut microbiota in rats with myocardial ischemia injury

In recent years, more and more evidence has shown that the disorder of gut microbiota (GM) is closely correlated with myocardial ischemia (MI). Even though the Danshen and Honghua herb pair (DHHP) is widely used in treating cardiovascular disease in China and exhibits obvious clinical efficacy on MI, the anti-MI mechanism of DHHP remains and needs to be explored in depth. Thus, in this study, we investigated whether the amelioration effect and molecular mechanism of DHHP on MI were related to regulating GM through pharmacodynamics evaluation and metagenomic sequencing. Histopathological testing results showed that DHHP treatment could alleviate the pathological changes of myocardial tissue in the acute MI (AMI) rats induced by isoproterenol (ISO), especially structural disorder, irregular distribution, and enlargement of the myocardial space. These pathological changes were all alleviated to some extent by DHHP treatment. Biochemical analysis results suggested that compared with the control group, the serum levels of AST, CTn-I, CK-MB, and TNF-α in model group rats were notably decreased, and the CAT and SOD levels in serum were markedly increased. These abnormal trends were significantly reversed by DHHP treatment. Furthermore, metagenomic sequencing analysis results indicated that DHHP could improve disorders in the composition and function of GM in AMI rats, mainly reflected in increasing diversity and richness, and obviously enhancing the abundance of Bacteroides fluxus, B. uniformis, B. stercoris, Roseburia hominis, Schaedlerella arabinosiphila, and R. intestinalis, and reducing the abundance of Enterococcus avium and E. canintestini, which were associated with purine metabolism, tyrosine metabolism, cyanoamino acid metabolism, and glutathione metabolism. In conclusion, DHHP may attenuate ISO-induced MI by regulating the structure, composition, and function of GM, thus contributing to further our understanding of the anti-MI mechanisms of DHHP and providing new therapeutic ideas and diagnostic targets for the clinical studies of MI.

Comparative pharmacokinetics of four bioactive components in normal and chronic heart failure rats after oral administration of Qiangxin Lishui Prescription by microdialysis combined with ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography

Qiangxin Lishui Prescription (QLP) has been clinically applied for treating heart failure with remarkable curative effects. A multi-component pharmacokinetic research is very necessary for determining active substances in it. This study aims to profile the traits and differences in the pharmacokinetics of salvianolic acid B, astragaloside IV, calycosin-7-O-β-D-glucoside and kaempferol in QLP between normal and chronic heart failure (CHF) rats by microdialysis combined with ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). Sensitive, selective, and online microdialysis combined with the UHPLC-MS/MS method was successfully established and applied to study the pharmacokinetics of QLP. The pathological condition of CHF could lead to the enhancement of systematic exposure and reduction of the metabolic rate of four bioactive components for better bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy. The pharmacokinetic results will provide data support for the clinical application of QLP.

Curdione Relieved Isoproterenol-Induced Myocardial Damage through Inhibiting Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis

Isoproterenol (ISO) is widely used to treat bronchial asthma, cardiogenic or septic shock, complete atrioventricular block, and cardiac arrest. However, it can also cause myocardial damage owing to infarct-like necrosis. Curdione, an extract of the Chinese herb Rhizoma Curcumae, has a variety of pharmacological activities, including cardioprotective effects. In this study, we investigated the protective effects of curdione and its underlying mechanisms in an ISO-induced myocardial injury model. Our results showed that curdione attenuated ISO-induced H9c2 cell proliferation inhibition and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) release. Curdione ameliorated morphological damage and reduced the ISO-induced elevation of serum creatine kinase-MB isoenzyme (CK-MB) and LDH. Furthermore, curdione inhibited ISO-induced cell apoptosis, modulated the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax proteins, repealed the accumulation of ISO-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS), prevented mitochondrial dysfunction, and activated the Nrf2/SOD1/HO-1 signaling pathway. The above results show that curdione exerts a protective effect against ISO-induced myocardial damage by inhibiting apoptosis and oxidative stress, suggesting that curdione is a potential therapeutic strategy to prevent ISO-induced myocardial damage.

Preventive effects of the Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch and Cornus officinalis Sieb herb couple on chronic kidney disease rats via modulating the intestinal microbiota and enhancing the intestinal barrier

CKD is a clinical syndrome with slow development and gradual deterioration of renal function. At present, modern medicine still lacks an ideal treatment method for this disease, while TCM has accumulated rich clinical experience in the treatment of CKD, which can effectively improve renal function and delay renal failure, and has unique advantages. RC is widely used in clinical practice to treat CKD, especially the “Kidney-Yin” deficiency syndrome. However, the compatibility mechanisms responsible for its effects in experimental studies, including preclinical and clinical research studies, are still not fully understood. Adenine-induced CKD rats were used to investigate the preventive effect of RC on CKD rats. Based on the high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing results from Illumina, we discussed the intestinal flora abundance in rats in different treatment groups. According to a PCA and a PCoA based on a distance matrix, there was a clear separation of gut microbiome profiles between normal rats and model rats in terms of beta diversity. The abundance of Firmicutes in CKD rats was relatively increased, while that of Bacteroidetes was decreased. It is clear that the plot for the RC group was closer to that of the normal group, suggesting that the RC group had higher similarities among bacterial members with N rats. Ussing chamber, Western blot, and PCR assays were used to investigate the effects of RC on intestinal barrier function and its molecular mechanism in model animals. The results indicated that the protein expressions of ZO-1, claudin-1, and occludin-1 were decreased significantly in chronic kidney disease rats with the induction of adenine. With the treatment of RG, CO, and RC, the intestinal barrier was repaired due to the upregulated expressions of the aforementioned proteins in CKD rats. Based on our findings, RC appears to strengthen the intestinal barrier and modulate gut microbiota in adenine-induced CKD rats. This project revealed the compatibility mechanism of RC in regulating the intestinal microecology and barrier function to intervene in CKD and provided the basis and ideas for the clinical application of RC and the development of innovative drugs for CKD.

A Comprehensive Review of Rosmarinic Acid: From Phytochemistry to Pharmacology and Its New Insight

Polyphenolic acids are the widely occurring natural products in almost each herbal plant, among which rosmarinic acid (RA, C18H16O8) is well-known, and is present in over 160 species belonging to many families, especially the Lamiaceae. Aside from this herbal ingredient, dozens of its natural derivatives have also been isolated and characterized from many natural plants. In recent years, with the increasing focus on the natural products as alternative treatments, a large number of pharmacological studies have been carried out to demonstrate the various biological activities of RA such as anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation, anti-diabetes, anti-virus, anti-tumor, neuroprotection, hepatoprotection, etc. In addition, investigations concerning its biosynthesis, extraction, analysis, clinical applications, and pharmacokinetics have also been performed. Although many achievements have been made in various research aspects, there still exist some problems or issues to be answered, especially its toxicity and bioavailability. Thus, we hope that in the case of natural products, the present review can not only provide a comprehensive understanding on RA covering its miscellaneous research fields, but also highlight some of the present issues and future perspectives worth investigating later, in order to help us utilize this polyphenolic acid more efficiently, widely, and safely.

Study of the therapeutic effects of Painong powder on ulcerative colitis and the role of Platycodonis Radix in the prescription based on pharmacodynamic, pharmacokinetic, and tissue distribution analyses

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Herbal formulas have unique efficacy and are of great significance to the theory and practice of Chinese medicine and are therefore gaining increasing attention in research. Painong powder (PNS), composed of Aurantii fructus immaturus (Zhishi in Chinese, ZS), Paeoniae Radix Alba (Baishao in Chinese, BS), and Platycodonis Radix (Jiegeng in Chinese, JG), has remarkable effects on the detoxification and discharge of pus. JG is traditionally used to treat pulmonary carbuncles and is considered a 'medicinal guide'. According to the composition theory of prescriptions, JG is an 'assistant and guide' medicine. The role of JG as an adjuvant has gained increasing attention.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The study was designed to prove the efficacy of PNS in ulcerative colitis (UC) and to study the role of JG in PNS via pharmacodynamic, pharmacokinetic, and tissue distribution analyses.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

For the pharmacodynamic study, the UC rat model was induced using 5% trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS). The results of the macroscopic characterization, histological analysis, and cytokine levels, including those of tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), were integrated to evaluate the treatment of UC with PNS. In addition, an LC-MS/MS method was established and validated to analyze the blood pharmacokinetic parameters and tissue distribution of naringin and paeoniflorin.

RESULTS

After the administration of high-dose PNS, the UC rats showed amelioration of macroscopic damage at the lesion site. The cytokine levels in the plasma, colon, and lung tissues were also decreased. The pharmacokinetic parameters showed that compared with UC rats administered with PNS-JG, those administered with PNS showed an increase in the AUC, MRT, and Tmax of naringin and paeoniflorin, and a decrease in their clearance rate. Furthermore, naringin and paeoniflorin had higher concentrations in the colon and lung tissues in the normal and model groups administered with PNS than in those administered with PNS-JG.

CONCLUSIONS

PNS was shown to have marked therapeutic efficacy against TNBS-induced UC in rats. The effect of JG in PNS was reflected by the differences in the pharmacokinetic parameters and tissue distribution of the active components, providing valuable information for the clinical application of PNS in the treatment of UC. However, knowledge about how JG works as an adjuvant medicine in PNS is still lacking.

Cardioprotective effects of alantolactone on isoproterenol-induced cardiac injury and cobalt chloride-induced cardiomyocyte injury

OBJECTIVES

Alantolactone (AL) is a compound extracted from the roots of Inula Racemosa that has shown beneficial effects in cardiovascular disease. However, the cardioprotective mechanism of AL against hypoxic/ischemic (H/I) injury is still unclear. This research aimed to determine AL's ability to protect the heart against isoproterenol (ISO)-induced MI injury in vivo and cobalt chloride (CoCl2) induced H/I injury in vitro.

METHODS

Electrocardiography (ECG), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK), and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) assays in addition to histological analysis of the myocardium were used to investigate the effects of AL in vivo. Influences of AL on L-type Ca2+ current (ICa-L) in isolated rat myocytes were observed by the patch-clamp technique. Furthermore, cell viability, apoptosis, oxidative stress injury, mitochondrial membrane potential, and intracellular Ca2+ concentration were examined in vitro.

RESULTS

The results indicated that AL treatment ameliorated the morphological and ECG changes associated with MI, and decreased levels of LDH, CK, and cTnI. Furthermore, pretreatment with AL elevated antioxidant enzyme activity and suppressed ROS production. AL prevented H/I-induced apoptosis, mitochondria damage, and calcium overload while reducing ICa-L in a concentration and time dependent fashion. The 50% inhibiting concentration (IC50) and maximal inhibitory effect (Emax) of AL were 17.29 μmol/L and 57.73 ± 1.05%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

AL attenuated MI-related injury by reducing oxidative stress, apoptosis, calcium overload, and mitochondria damage. These cardioprotective effects may be related to the direct inhibition of ICa-L.

The synergic renoprotective effect of Rehmanniae Radix Preparata and Corni Fructus on adenine-induced chronic kidney disease rats based on integrated plasma metabolomics and network pharmacology approach

AIMS

Rehmanniae Radix Preparata (RR) and Corni Fructus (CF) are commonly used together for the treatment of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the clinical practices for thousands of years. However, little information on their synergy mechanism is available.

MAIN METHODS

In this study, an integrated approach combining ultra performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF/MS)-based metabonomics and network pharmacology was adopted to elucidate the cooperation mechanism of RR and CF on the amelioration of CKD. Furthermore, the targets from network pharmacology and metabolism pathways were jointly analyzed. Finally, the activities of key metabolic enzymes were experimentally validated by ELISA.

KEY FINDINGS

Metabolic profiling indicated that the metabolic disturbance in plasma was markedly alleviated after treatment. Nine putative biomarkers mainly involving in phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis and tyrosine metabolism were identified. Moreover, the compound-target-pathway network of RR and CF for CKD treatment was constructed by network pharmacology, which was related to tyrosine metabolism and arginine and proline metabolism. The results were partly consistent with the findings of plasma metabolomics.

SIGNIFICANCE

In conclusion, this study solidly supported and enhanced current understanding of the synergy effects of RR and CF on CKD. Meanwhile, it also confirmed the feasibility of combining metabolomics and network pharmacology to identify active components and elucidate the pharmacological effects of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs).

Rapid determination of rosmarinic acid and its two bioactive metabolites in the plasma of rats by LC-MS/MS and application to a pharmacokinetics study

Rosmarinic acid (RA), an ester compound of caffeic acid (CA) and 3,4-dihydroxyphenyllacic acid, is widely distributed in the herbs of the Lamiaceae family and has shown a wide spectrum of pharmacological properties. CA and FA (ferulic acid) are two bioactive metabolites in vivo after oral administration of RA; however, a rapid and robust analytical approach that can enable the quantitative assay of RA and two bioactive metabolites is still lacking. A liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry method was established that was capable of the quantitative determination of RA, CA and FA by negative-mode multiple reaction monitoring within 7 min using a Zorbax SB-C18 column and an isocratic elution. This assay method was validated as linear over the investigated ranges with correlation coefficients (r) > 0.9950. The intra- and inter-day precision was <10.65%, and the accuracies (relative error, %) <-6.41%. The validated approach was applied to a pharmacokinetics study of RA and its two metabolites in rats after oral and intravenous administration. RA was rapidly metabolized in both administration modes, whilst the metabolites CA and FA were only detectable by oral administration. The absolute availability of RA was calculated to be 4.13%.

Isoproterenol Increases Left Atrial Fibrosis and Susceptibility to Atrial Fibrillation by Inducing Atrial Ischemic Infarction in Rats

Left atrial (LA) fibrosis is a major arrhythmogenic substrate for atrial fibrillation (AF). The purpose of this study was to assess whether isoproterenol (ISO) induces LA fibrosis and increases susceptibility to AF, exploring the underlying mechanisms. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subcutaneously injected ISO once per day for 2 days. Five weeks after injection, the ISO group had higher susceptibility AF and prolonged AF duration compared with the control group. ISO decreased LA conduction velocity (CV) and increased LA conduction heterogeneity. ISO increased fibrosise areas and the protein levels of collagen types I and III in the left atrium. Antifibrosis drug pirfenidone decreased AF occurrence and reduced LA fibrosis in ISO treated rats. ISO injection induced atrial ischemia infarction by increasing heart rate and decreasing diastolic and systolic blood pressures. These findings demonstrated that ISO increases susceptibility to AF by increasing LA fibrosis and LA conduction abnormalities 5 weeks after injection. ISO injection induces atrial ischemic injury is the main cause of fibrosis. Rats with ISO-induced LA fibrosis may be used in further AF research.