Anti-type I allergic mechanisms of mao-bushi-saishin-to in mice

Identification of Active Compounds of Mahuang Fuzi Xixin Decoction and Their Mechanisms of Action by LC-MS/MS and Network Pharmacology

The decoction is an important dosage form of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) administration. The Mahuang Fuzi Xixin decoction (MFXD) is widely used to treat allergic rhinitis (AR) in China. However, its active compounds and therapeutic mechanisms are unclear. The aim of this study was to establish an integrative method to identify the bioactive compounds and reveal the mechanisms of action of MFXD. LC-MS/MS was used to identify the compounds in MFXD, followed by screening for oral bioavailability. TCMSP, BindingDB, STRING, DAVID, and KEGG databases and algorithms were used to gather information. Cytoscape was used to visualize the networks. Twenty-four bioactive compounds were identified, and thirty-seven predicted targets of these compounds were associated with AR. DAVID analysis suggested that these compounds exert their therapeutic effects by modulating the Fc epsilon RI, B-cell receptor, Toll-like receptor, TNF, NF-κB, and T-cell receptor signaling pathways. The PI3K/AKT and cAMP signaling pathways were also implicated. Ten of the identified compounds, quercetin, pseudoephedrine, ephedrine, β-asarone, methylephedrine, α-linolenic acid, cathine, ferulic acid, nardosinone, and higenamine, seemed to account for most of the beneficial effects of MFXD in AR. This study showed that LC-MS/MS followed by network pharmacology analysis is useful to elucidate the complex mechanisms of action of TCM formulas.

Linking endotypes to omics profiles in difficult-to-control asthma using the diagnostic Chinese medicine syndrome differentiation algorithm

Objective: Patients with difficult-to-control asthma have difficulty breathing almost all of the time, even leading to life-threatening asthma attacks. However, only few diagnostic markers for this disease have been identified. We aimed to take advantage of unique Chinese medicine theories for phenotypic classification and to explore molecular signatures in difficult-to-control asthma. Methods: The Chinese medicine syndrome differentiation algorithm (CMSDA) is a syndrome-scoring classification method based on the Chinese medicine overall observation theory. Patients with difficult-to-control asthma were classified into Cold- and Hot-pattern groups according to the CMSDA. DNA methylation and metabolomic profiles were obtained using Infinium Human Methylation 450 BeadChip and gas chromatography-mass spectrometer. Subsequently, an integrated bioinformatics analysis was performed to compare those two patterns and identify Cold/Hot-associated candidates, followed by functional validation studies. Results: A total of 20 patients with difficult-to-control asthma were enrolled in the study. Ten were grouped as Cold and 10 as Hot according to the CMSDA. We identified distinct whole-genome DNA methylation and metabolomic profiles between Cold- and Hot-pattern groups. ALDH3A1 gene exhibited variations in the DNA methylation probe cg10791966, while two metabolic pathways were associated with those two patterns. Conclusions: Our study introduced a novel diagnostic classification approach, the CMSDA, for difficult-to-control asthma. This is an alternative way to categorize diverse syndromes and link endotypes with omics profiles of this disease. ALDH3A1 might be a potential biomarker for precision diagnosis of difficult-to-control asthma.

Network pharmacology-based prediction of the active ingredients and potential targets of Mahuang Fuzi Xixin decoction for application to allergic rhinitis

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Certain herbal formulae from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) are effective for treating and preventing diseases in clinical practice. Mahuang fuzi Xixin Decoction (MFXD) is a TCM that is used to treat allergic rhinitis (AR); however, the active ingredients and potential targets of its action against AR remain unclear. Therefore, further investigation is required.

METHODS

A network pharmacology approach comprising drug-likeness evaluation, oral bioavailability prediction, multiple drug target prediction, and network analysis has been used in this study.

RESULTS

The comprehensive systematic approach was successfully to indentify 41 bioactive ingredients in MFXD, while 37 potential targets hit by these ingredients related to AR. Moreover, wherein four predicted ingredients possess anti-inflammatory effects were found by this technique.

CONCLUSIONS

Our works successfully predict the active ingredients and potential targets of MFXD for application to allergic rhinitis and helps to illustrate mechanism of action on a systematic level. This study not only provides new insights into the chemical basis and pharmacology of MFXD but also demonstrates a feasible method for discovering potential drugs from herbal medicine.

Xiaoqinglong granules as add-on therapy for asthma: latent class analysis of symptom predictors of response

Xiaoqinglong granules (XQLG) has been shown to be an effective therapy in asthma animal models. We reviewed the literature and conducted this study to assess the impact of XQLG as an add-on therapy to treatment with fluticasone/salmeterol (seretide) in adult patients with mild-to-moderate, persistent asthma. A total of 178 patients were randomly assigned to receive XQLG and seretide or seretide plus placebo for 90 days. Asthma control was assessed by asthma control test (ACT), symptoms scores, FEV(1), and PEF. Baseline patient-reported Chinese medicine (CM)-specific symptoms were analyzed to determine whether the symptoms may be possible indicators of treatment response by conducting latent class analysis (LCA). There was no statistically significant difference in ACT score between two groups. In the subset of 70 patients with symptoms defined by CM criteria, XQLG add-on therapy was found to significantly increase the levels of asthma control according to global initiative for asthma (GINA) guidelines (P = 0.0329). There was no significant difference in another subset of 100 patients with relatively low levels of the above-mentioned symptoms (P = 0.1291). Results of LCA suggest that patients with the six typical symptoms defined in CM may benefit from XQLG.

Ephedrae herba in Mao-Bushi-Saishin-To inhibits IgE-mediated histamine release and increases cAMP content in RBL-2H3 cells

Acute effect of Mao-Bushi-Saishin-To (Ma-Huang-Fu-Zi-Xi-Xin-Tang in Chinese: MBS) on histamine release was investigated. The IgE-mediated anaphylaxic response in Wistar rats was significantly suppressed by MBS and Mao. However, Saishin and Bushi had no or little effect on the antigen-mediated anaphylaxic reaction. Mao as well as MBS but not Saishin nor Bushi inhibited IgE-mediated histamine release from rat basophilic leukemia (RBL-2H3) cells. Consistently, MBS and Mao but not Bushi nor Saishin increased cAMP levels in RBL-2H3 cells. However, ephedrine, methylephedrine, and pseudoephedrine, the main components in Mao, did not affect histamine release. From these results, increase of cAMP levels may account for the inhibitory effect of Mao on histamine release. Furthermore, these inhibitory actions of MBS were mainly due to Mao with an ingredient(s) different from ephedrines.

Inhibitory Effect of Mao-Bushi-Saishin-to on Prostaglandin E2 Synthesis in C6 Rat Glioma Cells

Effect of Mao-Bushi-Saishin-to (Ma-Huang-Fu-Zi-Xi-Xin-Tang: MBS) on prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) production was investigated using C6 rat glioma cells. Mao or Saishin inhibited histamine-induced PGE(2) production while MBS slightly decreased and Bushi increased it. MBS and Mao inhibited and Bushi enhanced A23187-induced PGE(2) production while Saishin had no effect. Concomitantly, Mao inhibted, but Bushi fascilitated, histamine- and A23187-induced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2. Treatment of MBS, Mao and also Saishin increased cAMP content. From these results, MBS inhibit PGE(2) production in C6 cells, mainly due to Mao but also due to Saishin at least in part, and the counteraction of Bushi. The former effect is mediated by formation of cAMP and resulting inhibition of ERK1/2-phosphorylation.

Possible involvement of suppression of Th2 differentiation in the anti-allergic effect of Sho-seiryu-to in mice

The clinical effectiveness of the Kampo medicine Sho-seiryu-to (SST) has recently been demonstrated in a double-blind randomized study of allergic asthma and rhinitis. We investigated the effect of SST on a type 1 allergic model in mice. Ovalbumin (OVA)-induced sneezing and the total and OVA-specific IgE levels were significantly suppressed with SST at 1.0 g/kg, but that of OVA-specific IgG(2a) was not. In the splenocytes isolated from SST-administered mice, OVA-induced interleukin (IL)-4 production decreased while interferon (IFN)-gamma production was not. The co-culture experiments using purified CD4(+)T cells and antigen-presenting cells (APCs) suggested that SST influenced both cell types. Flow-cytometric analysis showed that SST suppressed the number of IL-4 producing CD4(+)T cells but not the number of IFN-gamma producing CD4(+)T cells. The CD86(+) major histocompatibility complex class II(+) (MHC II)(+) cells and CD28(+)CD4(+)T cells were decreased by SST treatment, while CD80(+)MHC II(+) cells, CD40(+)MHC II(+) cells and CD154(+)CD4(+)T cells showed no change. These data suggested that SST may suppress IL-4 production in CD4(+)T cells via influencing CD28-CD86 interaction. In addition to the previously reported inhibitory activity on histamine release, suppression of Th2 differentiation at the stage of APC-CD4(+)T cell interaction may be involved in the anti-allergic effects of SST.