Gastroprotective Effect of Ethanol Extracts from Bark of Magnolia officinalis on Ethanol-Induced Gastric Mucosal Damage in Rats

Gut-Brain Axis-Based Polygala Tenuifolia and Magnolia Officinalis Improve D-gal-Induced Cognitive Impairment in Mice Through cAMP and NF-κB Signaling Pathways

Purpose

Polygala tenuifolia Willd. (PT) is commonly used to address cognitive impairment (CI), while Magnolia officinalis Rehd. et Wils (MO) is often prescribed for gastrointestinal issues as well as CI. This study seeks to explore the impacts and mechanisms behind the combined therapy of PT and MO (PM) in treating CI, based on the concept of the gut-brain axis.

Methods

The characteristic components of PT, MO, and PM were identified using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem triple quadrupole mass Spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). A mouse model was established by D-gal induction, and the effects of PT, MO, and PM on CI were evaluated through behavioral tests, pathological staining, and Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Subsequently, network pharmacology was used to analyze the potential mechanisms by which PM improves CI, followed by validation through Western blotting (WB), traditional Chinese medicine (TEM), Immunofluorescence (IF), and 16S rRNA.

Results

PT, MO, and PM can each alleviate cognitive decline and neuropathological damage in D-gal mice to varying degrees, reduce the expression of pro-inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IFN-γ, LPS) in serum or hippocampal tissue, and increase SOD and GSH levels. Network pharmacology analysis and molecular experiments confirmed that PM upregulates the expression of tight junction s (TJs), enhances the expression of proteins in the cAMP pathway, and inhibits p-NF-κB-p65 expression. PM reverses D-gal-induced gut microbiota dysbiosis, increases the abundance of SCFA-producing bacteria, and decreases the abundance of LPS-producing bacteria.

Conclusion

PM alleviates CI by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress, protecting the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and intestinal barrier, inhibiting the NF-κB pathway, activating the cAMP pathway, and regulating gut microbiota.

Efficiency and Mechanism Evaluation of Magnolia officinalis Water Extract in Preventing Gastric Ulcer

In this study we aimed at demonstrating the ability of Magnolia officinalis water extract to ameliorate gastric ulcers in in vitro and in vivo experiments. The gastric mucosa epithelial cell line, RGM 1, was pretreated with Magnolia officinalis water extract (0, 0.1, 1, 2, 5, or 10 mg/ml) and cultured in DMEM/F12 medium (pH 7.4) for 2 h and then in DMEM/F12 medium (pH 4.0) for 10 min. Magnolia officinalis water extract protected the cell viability and decreased reactive oxygen species formation by the acidic medium. In the in vivo experiment, Magnolia officinalis water extract (100 mg/kg) was administrated daily for 28 days in ICR mice via oral gavage, and then Shay’s ulcer surgical method was performed to induce gastric ulcers. We analyzed the pH value of stomach acid and the pathological section, inflammation, and cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2) cDNA levels of the stomach. Magnolia officinalis water extract not only enhanced the pH value of stomach acid but also ameliorated the ulcer index and inflammation and increased CB2 expression effectively. These results suggest that Magnolia officinalis water extract might be used to decrease the incidence of gastric ulcer.

Discrimination between raw and ginger juice processed Magnoliae officinalis cortex based on HPLC and Heracles NEO ultra-fast gas phase electronic nose

INTRODUCTION

Magnoliae officinalis cortex (MOC), a traditional Chinese medicine, has been used in treating gastrointestinal diseases since ancient time. According to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, it includes two kinds of decoction pieces, raw and ginger juice processed Magnoliae officinalis cortex (RMOC and GMOC).

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this paper was to study the differences between non-volatile and volatile components in RMOC and GMOC.

METHODS

The non-volatile components were detected by HPLC fingerprinting coupled with content determination (syringin, magnoflorine, honokiol and magnolol). Meanwhile, their odor information was obtained using a Heracles NEO ultra-fast gas phase electronic nose to conduct radar fingerprint analysis, principal component analysis and discriminant factor analysis, and the volatile components were analyzed qualitatively by the Kovats retention index and the AroChemBase database.

RESULTS

The HPLC fingerprints were established and 20 common peaks were found in all chromatograms with similarity values of more than 0.900. The content determination results showed that the contents of syringin and magnoflorine decreased, while the contents of honokiol and magnolol increased in GMOC. By the gas phase electronic nose, the two decoction pieces could be distinguished obviously and 16 possible compounds were identified. Among them, the relative contents of (-)-α-pinene and β-pinene increased, while β-phellandrene and (+)-limonene levels decreased.

CONCLUSION

The results suggested that honokiol, magnolol, (-)-α-pinene and β-pinene might be the main substances which could enhance the harmonizing effect on the stomach. Moreover, this paper could lay a foundation for exploring the processing mechanism of MOC and provide a novel method for the research of other traditional Chinese medicine with strong aroma.