Comparison of plasma and pulmonary availability of chlorogenic acid, forsythiaside A and baicalin after intratracheal and intravenous administration of Shuang-Huang-Lian injection

The effects of the Sanhuanglianqiao mixture on Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection in Penaeus vannamei

The Sanhuanglianqiao mixture (SHLQ) was prepared from a certain proportion of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, Forsythia suspensa, and Rheum palmatum L and obtained by water extraction and alcohol precipitation. This study explored the effects of SHLQ on Penaeus vannamei and its protective role against Vibrio parahaemolyticus (V. parahaemolyticus) infection. The results indicated that the main active components of SHLQ, namely baicalin, phillyrin, and emodin, had concentrations of 7.34 mg/mL, 4.01 mg/mL, and 32.95 μg/mL, respectively. SHLQ significantly enhanced shrimp growth performance and digestive enzyme activities. Mechanistically, SHLQ augmented innate immunity by upregulating immune-related genes and boosting antioxidant defenses in hepatopancreas and hemolymph. Concurrently, SHLQ reshaped gut microbiota diversity, suppressing pathogenic Vibrionaceae while enriching beneficial taxa, thereby reinforcing metabolic and immune functions. Critically, SHLQ alleviated V. parahaemolyticus-induced intestinal/hepatopancreatic damage, increased hemolymph cell viability, and reduced apoptosis caused by the virulence factor rPirB. These synergistic effects-combining immunomodulation, microbiota regulation, and tissue protection-collectively improved shrimp survival rates. Our findings highlight SHLQ as a promising multi-target agent against V. parahaemolyticus infection in aquaculture.

Preparation of betaine injection and its therapeutic effect in pulmonary arterial hypertension

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a life-threatening disease characterised by elevated pulmonary pressure, right ventricular failure (RVF) and ultimately death. Aggressive treatment of RVF is considered an important therapeutic strategy to treat PAH. Previous studies have indicated that betaine may be may a promising therapeutic approach for PAH-induced RVF. Therefore, in this study, betaine solution for injection was prepared and characterised using various techniques. The therapeutic efficacy of three different methods of administration (intragastric, nebulised inhalation and intravenous injection) were comprehensively evaluated in terms of pharmacokinetics, tissue distribution and pharmacodynamics. The pharmacokinetic results demonstrated that betaine injection administered via nebulised inhalation significantly prolonged betaine's half-life and increased its internal circulation time compared to the intragastric and intravenous routes. Biodistribution experiments verified that the betaine formulation accumulated in the lung tissue when administered via inhalation. The results of the pharmacodynamic analysis further confirmed that right ventricular systolic pressure, mean pulmonary artery pressure and right ventricular hypertrophy index increased in the model group and that inhaled betaine suppressed these pathological changes to a level comparable to those observed in the control group. Taken together, these results indicate that betaine administered by inhalation is a promising strategy for the treatment of PAH-induced RVF.

Identification and quantification of nine compounds in Fangwen Jiuwei decoction by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

Fangwen Jiuwei Decoction is a traditional Chinese medicine preparation for the treatment of pneumonia developed by Shenzhen Bao'an Chinese Medicine Hospital, which shows remarkable clinical responses. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of the main active compounds are crucial for the quality control of traditional Chinese medicine prescription in clinical application. In this study, we identified nine active compounds essential for the pharmacological effects of Fangwen Jiuwei Decoction based on the analysis of the Network Pharmacology and relevant literature. Moreover, these compounds can interact with several crucial drug targets in pneumonia based on molecular docking. We applied high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was established these nine active ingredients' qualitative and quantitative detections. The possible cleavage pathways of nine active components were determined based on secondary ions mass spectrometry. The results of high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry were further validated, which show a satisfactory correlation coefficient (r > 0.99), recovery rate (≥93.31%), repeatability rate (≤5.62%), stability (≤7.95%), intra-day precision (≤6.68%), and inter-day precision (≤9.78%). The limit of detection was as low as 0.01 ng/ml. In this study, we established a high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method to qualitatively and quantitatively analyze the chemical components in the Fangwen Jiuwei Decoction extract.

Rapid detection and quality evaluation of Shuang-Huang-Lian injection by ATR-IR and NIR spectroscopy combined with chemometrics

Quality evaluation and consistency evaluation of drugs are the keys to ensure the therapeutic effect and safety of drugs. In this study, attenuated total refraction infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy and near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy combined with chemometrics were used for rapid detection and quality evaluation of active components of Shuang-Huang-Lian injection (SHLI), a traditional Chinese medicine preparation commonly used in China. Taking the chromatographic detection results as a reference, the partial least squares (PLS) model based on ATR-IR and NIR data was constructed by removing the bands with serious noise interference and low signal frequency band. The results showed that the PLS model achieved satisfactory results for the prediction of the three active components (chlorogenic acid, baicalin and phillyrin) in SHLI, indicating that the two spectral techniques combined with the PLS regression method could be successfully used for rapid quantitative analysis of the three active ingredients in SHLI. Relatively, the PLS model based on the ATR-IR spectrum has higher R² and smaller RMSE than it based on the NIR spectrum. Furthermore, based on the rapid quantitative analysis of the three active ingredients in SHLI, the quality of 140 SHLI samples from seven manufacturers was evaluated by TOPSIS (technique for order preference by similarity to the ideal solution) analysis, and the consistency of different batches of SHLI products from the same manufacturer was evaluated. The results showed that there were differences in the quality of SHLI produced by different manufacturers, and the quality of different batches of SHLI produced by the same manufacturer was not completely consistent. In conclusion, ATR-IR and NIR spectroscopy combined with chemometrics can be used for accurate and rapid quantitative analysis and quality evaluation of SHLI. This study provides a good idea for the rapid quantitative analysis and quality evaluation of drugs or food based on spectroscopic technology and chemometrics.

Pharmacokinetics of baicalin and oroxyloside in plasma and different tissues of rats after transnasal aerosol inhalation and intravenous injection of Tanreqing

To avoid adverse drug reactions associated with injection, off-label nebulization of Tanreqing (TRQ) injection is often used in China to treat respiratory diseases. However, the aerodynamic properties and lung availability of TRQ aerosols remain largely uninvestigated. This study aimed to investigate the size distribution of TRQ aerosols and to compare the pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of two compounds from TRQ (baicalin and oroxyloside) after transnasal aerosol inhalation and intravenous administration. Furthermore, this study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of TRQ against lipopolysaccharide-induced lung inflammation. The Dv(50) and transmission of TRQ aerosols were 2.512 μm and 74.867%, respectively. The Cmax of baicalin and oroxyloside in rat plasma after inhalation was lower than that after intravenous injection. After inhalation, the area under the curve (AUC) of baicalin and oroxyloside in tissues (lung, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and trachea) was 7.9–115.3 and 9.5–16.0 times that observed after intravenous administration, respectively. Baicalin and oroxyloside maintained high concentrations 4 h after inhalation, but only 1 h after intravenous injection. The mean lung-to-plasma concentration ratios of baicalin and oroxyloside were 287.6 and 49.9 times higher than with intravenous administration. Inhaled TRQ achieved the same effect against lipopolysaccharide-induced lung inflammation in mice at doses of only 1/16–1/8 of those administered intravenously. The results indicate that TRQ inhalation is a promising alternative to intravenous injections for the treatment of respiratory infection.

Oral Administration of East Asian Herbal Medicine for Inflammatory Skin Lesions in Plaque Psoriasis: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and Exploration of Core Herbal Materials

Psoriasis is an inflammatory autoimmune skin disease with various clinical manifestations. The aim of this review was to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of oral administration of East Asian herbal medicine (EAHM) for inflammatory skin lesions in psoriasis and to explore core herbal materials for drug discovery. A comprehensive search was conducted in 10 electronic databases for randomized controlled trials from their inception until 29 July 2021. Statistical analysis was performed in R version 4.1.2 and R studio. When heterogeneity in studies was detected, the cause was identified through sensitivity analysis, meta-regression, and subgroup analysis. Methodological quality was independently assessed using the revised tool for risk of bias in randomized trials. A total of 56 trials with 4966 psoriasis patients met the selection criteria. Meta-analysis favored EAHM monotherapy on Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) 70 (RR: 1.2845; 95% CI: 1.906 to 1.3858, p < 0.0001), PASI 60 (RR: 1.1923; 95% CI: 1.1134 to 1.2769, p < 0.0001), continuous PASI score (MD: −2.3386, 95% CI: −3.3068 to −1.3704, p < 0.0001), IL-17, IL-23, TNF-α, and Dermatology Life Quality Index. Patients treated with EAHM monotherapy had significantly reduced adverse events incidence rate. In addition, based on additional examination of the herb data included in this meta-analysis, 16 core materials were identified. They are utilized in close proximity to one another, and all have anti-inflammatory properties. The findings in this study support that oral EAHM monotherapy may be beneficial for inflammatory skin lesions in psoriasis. Meanwhile, the identified core materials are expected to be utilized as useful drug candidate hypotheses through follow-up studies on individual pharmacological activities and synergistic effects.

Characterisation of Particle Size and Viability of SARS-CoV-2 Aerosols from a Range of Nebuliser Types Using a Novel Sampling Technique

Little is understood about the impact of nebulisation on the viability of SARS-CoV-2. In this study, a range of nebulisers with differing methods of aerosol generation were evaluated to determine SARS-CoV-2 viability following aerosolization. The aerosol particle size distribution was assessed using an aerosol particle sizer (APS) and SARS-CoV-2 viability was determined after collection into liquid media using All-Glass Impingers (AGI). Viable particles of SARS-CoV-2 were further characterised using the Collison 6-jet nebuliser in conjunction with novel sample techniques in an Andersen size-fractioning sampler to predict lung deposition profiles. Results demonstrate that all the tested nebulisers can generate stable, polydisperse aerosols (Geometric standard deviation (GSD) circa 1.8) in the respirable range (1.2 to 2.2 µm). Viable fractions (VF, units PFU/particle, the virus viability as a function of total particles produced) were circa 5 × 10^-3. VF and spray factors were not significantly affected by relative humidity, within this system where aerosols were in the spray tube an extremely short time. The novel Andersen sample collection methods successfully captured viable virus particles across all sizes; with most particle sizes below 3.3 µm. Particle sizes, in MMAD (Mass Median Aerodynamic Diameters), were calculated from linear regression of log₁₀-log₁₀ transformed cumulative PFU data, and calculated MMADs accorded well with APS measurements and did not differ across collection method types. These data will be vital in informing animal aerosol challenge models, and infection prevention and control policies.

A comprehensive review of pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic in animals: exploration of interaction with antibiotics of Shuang-Huang-Lian preparations

As a traditional Chinese medicine, Shuang-Huang-Lian (SHL) has been widely used for treating infectious diseases of the respiratory tract such as encephalitis, pneumonia and asthma. During the past few decades, considerable research has focused on the pharmacological action, pharmacokinetic interaction with antibiotics and clinical applications of SHL. A huge and more recent body of pharmacokinetic study supports the combination of SHL and antibiotics has different effects such as antagonism and synergism. SHL has been one of the best-selling traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) products. However, there is no system review of SHL preparations, ranging from protection against respiratory tract infections to interaction with antibiotics. Since their important significance in clinical therapy, the pharmacodynamic, pharmacokinetic, and interactions with antibiotics of SHL were reviewed and discussed. In addition, this review attempts to explore the possible potential mechanism of SHL preparations in prevention and treatment of COVID-19. We are concerned about what is known of the effects of SHL against virus, bacterium, and its interactions with antibiotics, providing a new strategy for expanding the clinical research and medication of SHL preparations.