l-Tetrahydropalmatine, an active component of Corydalis yanhusuo W.T. Wang, protects against myocardial ischaemia-reperfusion injury in rats

Metabolomics and transcriptomics reveal the mechanism of alkaloid synthesis in Corydalis yanhusuo bulbs

Corydalis yanhusuo W.T. Wang is a traditional herb. Benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs) are the main pharmacological active ingredients that play an important role in sedation, relieving pain, promoting blood circulation, and inhibiting cancer cells. However, there are few studies on the biosynthetic pathway of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids in Corydalis yanhusuo, especially on some specific components, such as tetrahydropalmatine. We carried out widely targeted metabolome and transcriptomic analyses to construct the biosynthetic pathway of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids and identified candidate genes. In this study, 702 metabolites were detected, including 216 alkaloids. Protoberberine-type and aporphine-type alkaloids are the main chemical components in C. yanhusuo bulbs. Key genes for benzylisoquinoline alkaloids biosynthesis, including 6-OMT, CNMT, NMCH, BBE, SOMT1, CFS, SPS, STOX, MSH, TNMT and P6H, were successfully identified. There was no significant difference in the content of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids and the expression level of genes between the two suborgans (mother-bulb and son-bulb). The expression levels of BIA genes in the expansion stage (MB-A and SB-A) were significantly higher than those in the maturity stage (MB-C and SB-C), and the content of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids was consistent with the pattern of gene regulation. Five complete single genes were likely to encode the functional enzyme of CoOMT, which participated in tetrahydropalmatine biosynthesis in C. yanhusuo bulbs. These studies provide a strong theoretical basis for the subsequent development of metabolic engineering of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (especially tetrahydropalmatine) of C. yanhusuo.

Tetrahydropalmatine promotes random skin flap survival in rats via the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Flap necrosis is the most common complication after flap transplantation, but its prevention remains challenging. Tetrahydropalmatine (THP) is the main bioactive component of the traditional Chinese medicine Corydalis yanhusuo, with effects that include the activation of blood circulation, the promotion of qi, and pain relief. Although THP is widely used to treat various pain conditions, its impact on flap survival is unknown.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To explore the effect and mechanism of THP on skin flap survival.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this study, we established a modified McFarlane flap model, and the flap survival rate was calculated after 7 days of THP treatment. Angiogenesis and blood perfusion were evaluated using lead oxide/gelatin angiography and laser Doppler, respectively. Flap tissue obtained from zone II was evaluated histopathologically, by hematoxylin and eosin staining, and in assays for malondialdehyde content and superoxide dismutase activity. Immunofluorescence was performed to detect interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α, Bcl-2, Bax, caspase-3, caspase-9, SQSTM1/P62, Beclin-1, and LC3 expression, and Western blot to assess PI3K/AKT signaling pathway activation and Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression. The role played by the autophagy pathway in flap necrosis was examined using rapamycin, a specific inhibitor of mTOR.

RESULTS

Experimentally, THP improved the survival rate of skin flaps, promoted angiogenesis, and improved blood perfusion. THP administration reduced the inflammatory response, oxidative stress, and apoptosis in addition to inhibiting autophagy via the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Rapamycin partially reversed these effects.

CONCLUSION

THP promotes skin flap survival via the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Network Pharmacology and Experimental Validation to Explore Mechanism of Tetrahydropalmatine on Acute Myocardial Ischemia

OBJECTIVE

To explore the potential molecular mechanism of tetrahydropalmatine (THP) on acute myocardial ischemia (AMI).

METHODS

First, the target genes of THP and AMI were collected from SymMap Database, Traditional Chinese Medicine Database and Analysis Platform, and Swiss Target Prediction, respectively. Then, the overlapping target genes between THP and AMI were evaluated for Grene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis and protein-protein interaction network analysis. The binding affinity between the protein and THP was assessed by molecular docking. Finally, the protective effects of THP on AMI model and oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) model of H9C2 cardiomyocyte were explored and the expression levels of target genes were detected by RT-qPCR in vivo and in vitro.

RESULTS

MMP9, PPARG, PTGS2, SLC6A4, ESR1, JAK2, GSK3B, NOS2 and AR were recognized as hub genes. The KEGG enrichment analysis results revealed that the potential target genes of THP were involved in the regulation of PPAR and hormone pathways. THP improved the cardiac function, as well as alleviated myocardial cell damage. Furthermore, THP significantly decreased the RNA expression levels of MMP9, PTGS2, SLC6A4, GSK3B and ESR1 (P<0.05, P<0.01) after AMI. In vitro, THP significantly increased H9C2 cardiomyocyte viability (P<0.05, P<0.01) and inhibited the RNA expression levels of PPARG, ESR1 and AR (P<0.05, P<0.01) in OGD model.

CONCLUSIONS

THP could improve cardiac function and alleviate myocardial injury in AMI. The underlying mechanism may be inhibition of inflammation, the improvement of energy metabolism and the regulation of hormones.

Integrating Full-Length and Second-Generation Transcriptomics to Reveal Differentially Expressed Genes Associated with the Development of Corydalis yanhusuo Tuber

Corydalis yanhusuo is a medicinal herb in China that has been widely used to treat various kinds of pain. The tuber is the main organ of C. yanhusuo used for medicinal purposes, but changes in related genes during the development of the tuber have rarely been reported. To identify the differentially expressed genes during tuber development, C. yanhusuo full-length transcriptomic sequencing was performed using single-molecule real-time technology, and tubers at three development stages were selected for comparative transcriptome analysis. A total of 90,496 full-length non-chimeric transcripts were obtained, and 19,341 transcripts were annotated in at least one public database. A total of 9221 differentially expressed genes were identified during the swelling process of C. yanhusuo tuber. A Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis revealed that differentially expressed genes associated with a "starch and sucrose metabolism pathway", "phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway", "isoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis pathway", "zeatin biosynthesis pathway", and "brassinosteroid biosynthesis pathway" were predominantly enriched. In addition, the genes involved in cell wall metabolism were potentially associated with tuber swelling. These processes regulated and were involved in C. yanhusuo tuber development. The results provide a foundation for further research on tuber formation in medicinal plants.

Potential traditional Chinese medicines with anti-inflammation in the prevention of heart failure following myocardial infarction

Inflammation plays an important role in the development of heart failure (HF) after myocardial infarction (MI). Suppression of post-infarction inflammatory cascade has become a new strategy to delay or block the progression of HF. At present, there are no approved anti-inflammatory drugs used to prevent HF following MI. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used clinically for cardiovascular disease for a long time. Here, we summarized the recent progress about some TCM which could both improve cardiac function and inhibit inflammation in patients or experimental models with MI or HF, in order to provide evidence for their potential application in reducing the onset of HF following MI. Among them, single Chinese medicinal herbs (eg. Astragalus and Salvia miltiorrhiza) and Chinese herbal formulas (eg. Gualou Xiebai Decoction and Sini Tang) are discussed separately. The main targets for their anti-inflammation effect are mainly involved the TLR4/NF-κB signaling, as well as pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6 or TNF-α. It is worthy of further evaluating their potential, experimentally or clinically, in the prevention or delay of HF following MI.

Screening of the most efficacious lactic acid bacteria strain for myocardial infarction recovery and verification and exploration of its functions and mechanisms

Screening efficient strains by cell platform is cost-effective, but to date, no screening experiments have been performed for targeted lactic acid bacteria with hypoxic/reoxygenation (H/R)-treated cardiomyocytes, and their effects on the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase b (Akt)/endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) pathway in myocardial infarction (MI) are unclear. Here we activated 102 strains of lactic acid bacteria and inoculated them into MRS medium for fermentation. The fermentation supernatants of the lactic acid bacteria were incubated with an H/R model of H9C2 cells. We found that Bifidobacterium longum ZL0210 had the greatest potential for inhibiting the apoptosis of H/R-induced H9C2 cells. Furthermore, it significantly increased the expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) in H9C2 cardiomyocytes, as well as the Bcl-2/Bax protein ratio, protecting damaged myocardial cells via an anti-apoptotic pathway. Intragastric administration of B. longum ZL0210 to mice for one week before and after establishment of an MI model drastically attenuated the myocardial cell hypertrophy and fibrosis of the MI mice. Meanwhile, B. longum ZL0210 significantly reduced the secretion of myocardial enzymes, increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes, and inhibited lipid-oxidative malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. Moreover, it upregulated the expression of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) protein and the phosphorylation levels of PI3K, Akt, and eNOS, resulting in increased NO contents. In summary, we screened 102 strains of lactic acid bacteria with a cell platform and determined that B. longum ZL0210 was a favorable candidate for protecting the myocardium. We are the first to reveal the protective effects of B. longum ZL0210 for MI via activation of the PI3K/Akt/eNOS pathway through TRAIL.

Uncovering the Effect and Mechanism of Rhizoma Corydalis on Myocardial Infarction Through an Integrated Network Pharmacology Approach and Experimental Verification

Background: Myocardial infarction (MI), characterized by reduced blood flow to the heart, is a coronary artery disorder with the highest morbidity and mortality among cardiovascular diseases. Consequently, there is an urgent need to identify effective drugs to treat MI. Rhizoma Corydalis (RC) is the dry tuber of Corydalis yanhusuo W.T. Wang, and is extensively applied in treating MI clinically in China. Its underlying pharmacological mechanism remains unknown. This study aims to clarify the molecular mechanism of RC on MI by utilizing network pharmacology and experimental verification.

Methods: Based on network pharmacology, the potential targets of the RC ingredients and MI-related targets were collected from the databases. Furthermore, core targets of RC on MI were identified by the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and analyzed with Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis. Molecular docking was used to validate the binding affinity between the core targets and the bioactive components. Oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) was performed on H9c2 cells to mimic MI in vitro. A Cell Counting Kit-8 assay was used to assess the cardioprotective effect of the active ingredient against OGD. Western blot analysis and RT-qPCR were used to measure the cell apoptosis and inflammation level of H9c2 cells.

Results: The network pharmacology obtained 60 bioactive components of RC, 431 potential targets, and 1131 MI-related targets. In total, 126 core targets were screened according to topological analysis. KEGG results showed that RC was closely related to the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Protein kinase B (PKB, also called Akt) signaling pathway. The experimental validation data showed that tetrahydropalmatine (THP) pretreatment preserved cell viability after OGD exposure. THP suppressed cardiomyocyte apoptosis and inflammation induced by OGD, while LY294002 blocked the inhibition effect of THP on OGD-induced H9c2 cell injury. Moreover, the molecular docking results indicated that THP had the strongest binding affinity with Akt over berberine, coptisine, palmatine, and quercetin.

Conclusion: THP, the active ingredient of RC, can suppress OGD-induced H9c2 cell injury by activating the PI3K/Akt pathway, which in turn provides a scientific basis for a novel strategy for MI therapy and RC application.

Nutraceutical Interventions for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Animal Models: A Focus on the Hypothalamic–Pituitary–Adrenal Axis

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) occurs after exposure to traumatic events and is characterized by overwhelming fear and anxiety. Disturbances in the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis are involved in the pathogenesis of mood disorders, including anxiety, PTSD, and major depressive disorders. Studies have demonstrated the relationship between the HPA axis response and stress vulnerability, indicating that the HPA axis regulates the immune system, fear memory, and neurotransmission. The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), sertraline and paroxetine, are the only drugs that have been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of PTSD. However, SSRIs require long treatment times and are associated with lower response and remission rates; therefore, additional pharmacological interventions are required. Complementary and alternative medicine therapies ameliorate HPA axis disturbances through regulation of gut dysbiosis, insomnia, chronic stress, and depression. We have described the cellular and molecular mechanisms through which the HPA axis is involved in PTSD pathogenesis and have evaluated the potential of herbal medicines for PTSD treatment. Herbal medicines could comprise a good therapeutic strategy for HPA axis regulation and can simultaneously improve PTSD-related symptoms. Finally, herbal medicines may lead to novel biologically driven approaches for the treatment and prevention of PTSD.

Clinical Patterns of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Ischemic Heart Disease Treatment: A Population-Based Cohort Study

Background and objectives: Traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) are widely prescribed to relieve ischemic heart disease (IHD); however, no cohort studies have been conducted on the use of TCMs for patients with IHD. The aim of the study was to analyze TCM prescription patterns for patients with IHD. Materials and Methods: The retrospective population-based study employed a randomly sampled cohort of 4317 subjects who visited TCM clinics. Data were obtained from the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) of Taiwan for the period covering 2000 to 2017. Data analysis focused on the top ten most commonly prescribed formulae and single TCMs. We also examined the most common two- and three-drug combinations of TCM in single prescriptions. Demographic characteristics included age and sex distributions. Analysis was performed on 22,441 prescriptions. Results: The majority of TCM patients were male (53.6%) and over 50 years of age (65.1%). Zhi-Gan-Cao-Tang (24.76%) was the most frequently prescribed formulae, and Danshen (28.89%) was the most frequently prescribed single TCM for the treatment of IHD. The most common two- and three-drug TCM combinations were Xue-Fu-Zhu-Yu-Tang and Danshen” (7.51%) and “Zhi-Gan-Cao-Tang, Yang-Xin-Tang, and Gua-Lou-Xie-Bai-Ban-Xia-Tang” (2.79%). Conclusions: Our results suggest that most of the frequently prescribed TCMs for IHD were Qi toning agents that deal with cardiovascular disease through the promotion of blood circulation. The widespread use of these drugs warrants large-scale, randomized clinical trials to investigate their effectiveness and safety.

Analgesic Alkaloids Derived From Traditional Chinese Medicine in Pain Management

Chronic pain is one of the most prevalent health problems. The establishment of chronic pain is complex. Current medication for chronic pain mainly dependent on anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants and opioidergic drugs. However, they have limited therapeutic efficacy, and some even with severe side effects. We turned our interest into alkaloids separated from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), that usually act on multiple drug targets. In this article, we introduced the best-studied analgesic alkaloids derived from TCM, including tetrahydropalmatine, aloperine, oxysophocarpine, matrine, sinomenine, ligustrazine, evodiamine, brucine, tetrandrine, Stopholidine, and lappaconitine, focusing on their mechanisms and potential clinical applications. To better describe the mechanism of these alkaloids, we adopted the concept of drug-cloud (dCloud) theory. dCloud illustrated the full therapeutic spectrum of multitarget analgesics with two dimensions, which are “direct efficacy”, including inhibition of ion channels, activating γ-Aminobutyric Acid/opioid receptors, to suppress pain signal directly; and “background efficacy”, including reducing neuronal inflammation/oxidative stress, inhibition of glial cell activation, restoring the balance between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission, to cure the root causes of chronic pain. Empirical evidence showed drug combination is beneficial to 30–50% chronic pain patients. To promote the discovery of effective analgesic combinations, we introduced an ancient Chinese therapeutic regimen that combines herbal drugs with “Jun”, “Chen”, “Zuo”, and “Shi” properties. In dCloud, “Jun” drug acts directly on the major symptom of the disease; “Chen” drug generates major background effects; “Zuo” drug has salutary and supportive functions; and “Shi” drug facilitates drug delivery to the targeted tissue. Subsequently, using this concept, we interpreted the therapeutic effect of established analgesic compositions containing TCM derived analgesic alkaloids, which may contribute to the establishment of an alternative drug discovery model.

A Comprehensive Review on the Chemical Properties, Plant Sources, Pharmacological Activities, Pharmacokinetic and Toxicological Characteristics of Tetrahydropalmatine

Tetrahydropalmatine (THP), a tetrahydroproberine isoquinoline alkaloid, is widely present in some botanical drugs, such as Stephania epigaea H.S. Lo (Menispermaceae; Radix stephaniae epigaeae), Corydalis yanhusuo (Y.H.Chou & Chun C.Hsu) W.T. Wang ex Z.Y. Su and C.Y. Wu (Papaveraceae; Corydalis rhizoma), and Phellodendron chinense C.K.Schneid (Berberidaceae; Phellodendri chinensis cortex). THP has attracted considerable attention because of its diverse pharmacological activities. In this review, the chemical properties, plant sources, pharmacological activities, pharmacokinetic and toxicological characteristics of THP were systematically summarized for the first time. The results indicated that THP mainly existed in Papaveraceae and Menispermaceae families. Its pharmacological activities include anti-addiction, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, neuroprotective, and antitumor effects. Pharmacokinetic studies showed that THP was inadequately absorbed in the intestine and had rapid clearance and low bioavailability in vivo, as well as self-microemulsifying drug delivery systems, which could increase the absorption level and absorption rate of THP and improve its bioavailability. In addition, THP may have potential cardiac and neurological toxicity, but toxicity studies of THP are limited, especially its long-duration and acute toxicity tests. In summary, THP, as a natural alkaloid, has application prospects and potential development value, which is promising to be a novel drug for the treatment of pain, inflammation, and other related diseases. Further research on its potential target, molecular mechanism, toxicity, and oral utilization should need to be strengthened in the future.

Investigating the Pharmacological Mechanisms of SheXiang XinTongNing Against Coronary Heart Disease Based on Network Pharmacology and Experimental Evaluation

SheXiang XinTongNing (XTN), which is composed of six traditional Chinese herbs, is a commercially available Chinese patent medicine that has been widely used as the treatment of coronary heart disease (CHD). Its mechanisms against coronary heart disease, however, remain largely unknown. This study aimed to investigate the pharmacological mechanisms of XTN against CHD via network pharmacology and experimental evaluation. In this study, GO enrichment and KEGG pathway enrichment were firstly performed for acquiring the potentially active constituents of XTN, the candidate targets related to coronary heart disease, the drug-components-targets network as well as the protein-protein interaction network and further predicting the mechanisms of XTN against coronary heart disease. Subsequently, a series of in vitro experiments, specifically MTT assay, flow cytometry and Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis, and a succession of in vivo experiments, including Tunel staining and immunohistochemical staining were conducted for further verification. Results showed that Bcl-2, IGF1, CASP3 were the key candidate targets which significantly associated with multiple pathways, namely PI3K-Akt signaling pathway and MAPK signaling pathway. It indicated that the potential mechanism of XTN against CHD may be predominantly associated with cell apoptosis. The in vitro experimental results showed that XTN treatment remarkably decreased the apoptotic rate and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio of H9c2 cells. Histological results confirmed that XTN not only effectively alleviated oxidative damage caused by myocardial ischemia but inhibited cell apoptosis. Given the above, through the combined utilization of virtual screening and experimental verification, the findings suggest that XTN makes a significant contribution in protecting the heart from oxidative stress via regulating apoptosis pathways, which lays the foundations and offers an innovative idea for future research.

Neuroprotective Effect for Cerebral Ischemia by Natural Products: A Review

Natural products have a significant role in the prevention of disease and boosting of health in humans and animals. Stroke is a disease with high prevalence and incidence, the pathogenesis is a complex cascade reaction. In recent years, it’s reported that a vast number of natural products have demonstrated beneficial effects on stroke worldwide. Natural products have been discovered to modulate activities with multiple targets and signaling pathways to exert neuroprotection via direct or indirect effects on enzymes, such as kinases, regulatory receptors, and proteins. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the established pharmacological effects and multiple target mechanisms of natural products for cerebral ischemic injury in vitro and in vivo preclinical models, and their potential neuro-therapeutic applications. In addition, the biological activity of natural products is closely related to their structure, and the structure-activity relationship of most natural products in neuroprotection is lacking, which should be further explored in future. Overall, we stress on natural products for their role in neuroprotection, and this wide band of pharmacological or biological activities has made them suitable candidates for the treatment of stroke.

Efficacy of Alkaloids in Alleviating Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Rats: A Meta-Analysis of Animal Studies

Background

Animal models are well established for studying the effects of alkaloids in preventing myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury. However, few studies have investigated the therapeutic effects of alkaloids in humans. This meta-analysis and systematic review assessed the efficacy of alkaloids in attenuating infarct size in rats with myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Methods

An integrated literature search including the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases was performed to identify studies that evaluated the therapeutic effects of alkaloids on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats. The main outcome was infarct size, and SYRCLE's risk of bias tool was used to assess the quality of the studies.

Results

22 studies were brought into the meta-analysis. Compared with the effects of vehicle, alkaloids significantly reduced infarct size (standardized mean difference (SMD) = -0.45; 95% confidence interval (CI) = -0.64 to - 0.26). In subgroup analyses, isoquinoline alkaloids (SMD = -0.43; 95%CI = -0.70 to - 0.16) significantly reduced infarct size versus the control.

Conclusion

Isoquinoline alkaloids can potentially alleviate myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury. This meta-analysis and systematic review supply a reference for research programs aiming to develop alkaloid-based clinical drugs. This trial is registered with CRD42019135489.

PPARγ/NF-κB and TGF-β1/Smad pathway are involved in the anti-fibrotic effects of levo-tetrahydropalmatine on liver fibrosis

Liver fibrosis is a necessary stage in the development of chronic liver diseases to liver cirrhosis. This study aims to investigate the anti‐fibrotic effects of levo‐tetrahydropalmatine (L‐THP) on hepatic fibrosis in mice and cell models and its underlying mechanisms. Two mouse hepatic fibrosis models were generated in male C57 mice by intraperitoneal injection of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) for 2 months and bile duct ligation (BDL) for 14 days. Levo‐tetrahydropalmatine was administered orally at doses of 20 and 40 mg/kg. An activated LX2 cell model induced by TGF‐β1 was also generated. The results showed that levo‐tetrahydropalmatine alleviated liver fibrosis by inhibiting the formation of extracellular matrix (ECM) and regulating the balance between TIMP1 and MMP2 in the two mice liver fibrosis models and cell model. Levo‐tetrahydropalmatine inhibited activation and autophagy of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) by modulating PPARγ/NF‐κB and TGF‐β1/Smad pathway in vivo and in vitro. In conclusion, levo‐tetrahydropalmatine attenuated liver fibrosis by inhibiting ECM deposition and HSCs autophagy via modulation of PPARγ/NF‐κB and TGF‐β1/Smad pathway.

Integration of full-length transcriptomics and targeted metabolomics to identify benzylisoquinoline alkaloid biosynthetic genes in Corydalis yanhusuo

Corydalis yanhusuo W.T. Wang is a classic herb that is frequently used in traditional Chinese medicine and is efficacious in promoting blood circulation, enhancing energy, and relieving pain. Benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs) are the main bioactive ingredients in Corydalis yanhusuo. However, few studies have investigated the BIA biosynthetic pathway in C. yanhusuo, and the biosynthetic pathway of species-specific chemicals such as tetrahydropalmatine remains unclear. We performed full-length transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses to identify candidate genes that might be involved in BIA biosynthesis and identified a total of 101 full-length transcripts and 19 metabolites involved in the BIA biosynthetic pathway. Moreover, the contents of 19 representative BIAs in C. yanhusuo were quantified by classical targeted metabolomic approaches. Their accumulation in the tuber was consistent with the expression patterns of identified BIA biosynthetic genes in tubers and leaves, which reinforces the validity and reliability of the analyses. Full-length genes with similar expression or enrichment patterns were identified, and a complete BIA biosynthesis pathway in C. yanhusuo was constructed according to these findings. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a total of ten enzymes that may possess columbamine-O-methyltransferase activity, which is the final step for tetrahydropalmatine synthesis. Our results span the whole BIA biosynthetic pathway in C. yanhusuo. Our full-length transcriptomic data will enable further molecular cloning of enzymes and activity validation studies.

UPLC-DAD Assisted Phytochemical Quantitation Reveals a Sex, Ploidy and Ecogeography Specificity in the Expression Levels of Selected Secondary Metabolites in Medicinal Tinospora cordifolia: Implications for Elites' Identification Program

BACKGROUND

Medicinal phytochemistry involving UPLC-DAD in an exhaustive analysis involving quantification of eight commercially important phytochemicals viz. syringin, cordifolioside A, magnoflorine, tinocordiside, palmatine, 20β-hydroxyecdysone, L-tetrahydropalmatine and berberine has been done in 143 accessions from eight states and the union territories of Delhi and Jammu & Kashmir of India representing three different ploidy levels viz. diploid (2x), triploid (3x) and synthetic tetraploid (4x). The study was done to assess the effect of sex, ploidy level and ecogeography on the expression level of secondary metabolites in stems of dioecious, medicinally important shrub Tinospora cordifolia.

METHODS

Two different UPLC-DAD methods were used for the quantification of eight selected phytochemicals from the alcoholic stem extracts of T. cordifolia accessions. The Waters Acquity UPLC system hyphenated to the QTOF micromass system, equipped with PDA and ESI-Q-TOF detectors was utilized for the quantitative analysis, Mass Lynx v 4.0 software was used for data analysis.

RESULTS

Significant quantitative changes were observed in the analysed secondary metabolites among different accessions of T. cordifolia. The triploid (3x) cytotypes revealed higher amounts of seven out of eight analysed secondary metabolites than diploids and only 20β-hydroxyecdysone was observed to be present in significantly higher amount in diploid cytotypes. Further, at the tetraploid level, novel induced colchiploid (synthetic 4x) genotypes revealed increase in the yield of all of the analysed eight phytochemicals than their respective diploid counterparts. The quantity of active principles in tetraploid cytotypes were also higher than the average triploid levels at multiple locations in five out of eight tested phytochemicals, indicating the influence of ploidy on expression levels of secondary metabolites in T. cordifolia. Additionally, at each of the three ploidy levels (2x, 3x and synthetic 4x), a significant sex specificity could be observed in the expression levels of active principles, with female sex outperforming the male in the content of some phytochemicals, while others getting overexpressed in the male sex. The manifestation of diverse ecogeographies on secondary metabolism was observed in the form of identification of high yielding accessions from the states of Madhya Pradesh, Delhi and Himachal Pradesh and the Union territory of Jammu & Kashmir. Two triploid female accessions that contained approximately two- to eight fold higher amounts of five out of the eight analysed phytochemicals have been identified as superior elites from the wild from the states of Delhi and Madhya Pradesh.

CONCLUSION

The paper shows the first observations of ploidy specificity along with subtle sex and ecogeography influence on the expression levels of secondary metabolome in T. cordifolia.

Advances in phytochemical and modern pharmacological research of Rhizoma Corydalis

ABSRACTContext: Rhizoma Corydalis (RC) is the dried tubers of Corydalis yanhusuo (Y. H. Chou and Chun C. Hsu) W. T. Wang ex Z. Y. Su and C. Y. Wu (Papaveraceae). Traditionally, RC is used to alleviate pain such as headache, abdominal pain, and epigastric pain. Modern medicine shows that it has analgesic, anti-arrhythmia, and other effects.Objective: We provided an overview of the phytochemical and pharmacological properties of RC as a foundation for its clinical application and further research and development of new drugs.Methods: We collected data of various phytochemical and pharmacological effects of RC from 1982 to 2019. To correlate with existing scientific evidence, we used Google Scholar and the journal databases Scopus, PubMed, and CNKI. 'Rhizoma Corydalis', 'phytochemistry', and 'pharmacological effects' were used as key words.Results: Currently, more than 100 chemical components have been isolated and identified from RC, among which alkaloid is the pimary active component of RC. Based on prior research, RC has antinociceptive, sedative, anti-epileptic, antidepressive and anti-anxiety, acetylcholinesterase inhibitory effect, drug abstinence, anti-arrhythmic, antimyocardial infarction, dilated coronary artery, cerebral ischaemia reperfusion (I/R) injury protection, antihypertensive, antithrombotic, antigastrointestinal ulcer, liver protection, antimicrobial, anti-inflammation, antiviral, and anticancer effects.Conclusions: RC is reported to be effective in treating a variety of diseases. Current pharmacological studies on RC mainly focus on the nervous, circulatory, digestive, and endocrine systems, as well as drug withdrawal. Although experimental data support the beneficial effects of this drug, its physiological activity remains a concern. Nonetheless, this review provides a foundation for future research.

Quality Evaluation of Corydalis yanhusuo by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Fingerprinting Coupled with Multicomponent Quantitative Analysis

Corydalis Rhizoma is the tuber of Corydalis yanhusuo W. T. Wang, which has been long used in traditional Chinese medicine. Herein, the quality of C. yanhusuo samples collected from 23 regions of three provinces in China is evaluated through high-performance liquid chromatography fingerprinting coupled with similarity, hierarchical clustering, and principal component analyses. Sample similarities are evaluated according to the State Food and Drug Administration requirements by selection of 18 characteristic chromatographic fingerprint peaks and are found to vary between 0.455 and 0.999. Moreover, common patterns of a typical local variety of C. yanhusuo sourced in the Panan County are established. The obtained results show that the combination of quantitative analysis and chromatographic fingerprint analysis can be readily utilized for quality control purposes, offering a comprehensive strategy for quality evaluation of C. yanhusuo and related products.

Identification and Selection of Reference Genes for Quantitative Transcript Analysis in Corydalis yanhusuo

Corydalis yanhusuo is a medicinal plant frequently used in traditional Chinese medicine, which has effective medical effects in many aspects. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) has been one of the most widely used methods in biosynthesis research due to its high sensitivity and quantitative properties in gene expression analysis. To obtain accurate normalization, reference genes are often selected in advance; however, no reference genes are available in C. yanhusuo. Herein, 12 reference gene candidates, named cyclophilin 2 (CYP2), elongation factor 1-α (EF1-α), protein phosphatase 2 (PP2A), SAND protein family (SAND), polypyrimidine tract-binding protein (PTBP), TIP41-like protein (TIP41), lyceraldehyde-3-phosphate hydrogenase (GAPDH), ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme 9 (UBC9), cyclophilin 1 (CYP1), tubulin beta (TUBA), thioredoxin (YLS8), and polyubiquitin 10 (UBQ10), were selected for stability analysis. After being treated with hormone, UV, salt, metal, oxidative, drought, cold (4 °C), and hot stresses (40 °C), the qRT-PCR data of the selected genes was analyzed with NormFinder, geNorm, and BestKeeper. The result indicated that GAPDH, SNAD, and PP2A were the top three most stable reference genes under most treatments. This study selected and validated reliable reference genes in C. yanhusuo under various environmental conditions, which can provide great help for future research on gene expression normalization in C. yanhusuo.

l-tetrahydropalmatine suppresses osteoclastogenesis in vivo and in vitro via blocking RANK-TRAF6 interactions and inhibiting NF-κB and MAPK pathways

Bone homeostasis is delicately orchestrated by osteoblasts and osteoclasts. Various pathological bone loss situations result from the overactivated osteoclastogenesis. Receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL)-activated NF-κB and MAPK pathways is vital for osteoclastogenesis. Here, we for the first time explored the effects of l-tetrahydropalmatine (l-THP), an active alkaloid derived from corydalis, on the formation and function of osteoclasts in vitro and in vivo. In RAW264.7 cells and bone marrow monocytes cells (BMMCs), l-THP inhibited osteoclastic differentiation at the early stage, down-regulated transcription level of osteoclastogenesis-related genes and impaired osteoclasts functions. Mechanically, Western blot showed that l-THP inhibited the phosphorylation of P50, P65, IκB, ERK, JNK and P38, and the electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) revealed that DNA binding activity of NF-κB was suppressed, ultimately inhibiting the expression of nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFATc1). Besides, Co-immunoprecipitation indicated that l-THP blocked the interactions of RANK and TNF receptor associated factor 6 (TRAF6) at an upstream site. In vivo, l-THP significantly inhibited ovariectomy-induced bone loss and osteoclastogenesis in mice. Collectively, our study demonstrated that l-THP suppressed osteoclastogenesis by blocking RANK-TRAF6 interactions and inhibiting NF-κB and MAPK pathways. l-THP is a promising agent for treating osteoclastogenesis-related diseases such as post-menopausal osteoporosis.

Endothelial-Dependent and Independent Vascular Relaxation Effect of Tetrahydropalmatine on Rat Aorta

Tetrahydropalmatine (THP) is an active natural alkaloid isolated from Corydalis yanhusuo W.T. Wang which has been widely used for treating pain and cardiovascular disease in traditional Chinese medicine. Previous studies suggested THP have various pharmacological effects in neural and cardio tissue while the vascular reactivity of THP was not fully established. The present study found that THP relaxed rat aorta which contracted by phenylephrine (Phe), KCl, and U46619. The vascular relaxation effect of THP was partially attenuated by PI3K inhibitor wortmannin, Akt inhibitor IV, endothelial nitric oxide synthetase (eNOS) inhibitor L-NAME, guanylate cyclase inhibitors and the mechanical removal of endothelium. Also, the eNOS substrate L-arginine reversed the inhibition effect of L-NAME on THP-induced vascular relaxation. THP also induced intracellular NO production in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. However, Pre-incubation with β-adrenergic receptor blocker propranolol, angiotensin II receptor 1 (AT1) inhibitor losartan, angiotensin II receptor 2 (AT1) inhibitor PD123319 or angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor enalapril enhanced the vascular relaxation effect of THP. THP did not affect the angiotensin II induced vascular contraction. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2) inhibitor indomethacin did not affect the vascular relaxation effect of THP. Furthermore, pre-treatment THP attenuated KCl and Phe induced rat aorta contraction in standard Krebs solution. In Ca²⁺ free Krebs solution, THP inhibited the Ca²⁺ induced vascular contraction under KCl or Phe stress and reduced KCl stressed Ca²⁺ influx in rat vascular smooth muscle cells. THP also inhibited intracellular Ca²⁺ release induced vascular contraction by blocking Ryr or IP3 receptors. In addition, the voltage-dependent K⁺ channel (Kv) blocker 4-aminopyridine, ATP-sensitive K⁺ channel (KATP) blocker glibenclamide and inward rectifying K⁺ channel blocker BaCl₂ attenuated THP induced vascular relaxation regardless of the Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ channel (KCa) blocker tetraethylammonium. Thus, we could conclude that THP relaxed rat aorta in an endothelium-dependent and independent manner. The underlying mechanism of THP relaxing rat aorta involved PI3K/Akt/eNOS/NO/cGMP signaling path-way, Ca²⁺ channels and K⁺ channels rather than COX2, β-adrenergic receptor and renin-angiotensin system (RAS). These findings indicated that THP might be a potent treatment of diseases with vascular dysfunction like hypertension.

Protective effects of levo-tetrahydropalmatine on hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury are mediated by inhibition of the ERK/NF-κB pathway

BACKGROUND

Hepatic ischemia/reperfusion (IR) injury is a common medical phenomenon that occurs during a number of clinical conditions, such as liver transplantation, severe injuries, and shock. In our study, we determined the protective functions of levo-tetrahydropalmatine (L-THP) on hepatic IR injury in mice by inhibiting the ERK/NF-κB signaling pathway.

METHOD

BALB/c mice were randomly divided into six groups as follows: normal control (NC); sham; L-THP (40 mg/kg); IR; L-THP (20 mg/kg) + IR; and L-THP (40 mg/kg) + IR. Liver tissues and sera were collected at three time points after reperfusion (2, 8, and 24 h). The liver enzyme, inflammatory factor, and other protein levels in the serum and liver tissues were detected.

RESULTS

L-THP pretreatment alleviated hepatocyte injury caused by IR and reduced the production of proinflammatory cytokines, such as IL-6 and TNF-α. Furthermore, L-THP could inhibit the ERK/NF-κB signaling pathway to attenuate hepatocyte apoptosis and autophagy. And the protective effect of L-THP is positively correlated with its dose.

CONCLUSION

L-THP protects the liver from IR injury by inhibiting the release of inflammatory factors and alleviating liver cell apoptosis and autophagy. The protective functions of L-THP may be partly based on the downregulation of the ERK/NF-κB pathway.

A LC-MS/MS method for simultaneous determination of seven alkaloids in rat plasma after oral administration of Phellodendri chinensis cortex extract and its application to a pharmacokinetic study

A sensitive and rapid liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry method has been developed for simultaneous determination of berberine (I), jateorhizine (II), palmatine (III), tetrahydropalmatine (IV), phellodendrine (V), protopine (VI) and columbamine (VII) in rat plasma after oral administration of Phellodendri chinensis cortex extraction. The plasmas were extracted by liquid-liquid extraction. The tandem mass spectrometric detection was performed in the multiple reaction monitoring mode in the positive ionization. The intra- and interday precisions and accuracies were in range from -12.18 to 13.21%. Mean absolute recoveries of all analytes and internal standard were between 78.6 and 98.9%. The seven alkaloids were proven to be stable during sample storage and analysis procedures. The established method was validated and successfully applied to pharmacokinetics study in rat plasma after oral administration of Phellodendri chinensis cortex extract. The t_1/2 of palmatine, columbamine, pellodendrine, berberine, tetrahydropalmaine, jatrorrhizine, and protopine were 5.16, 5.96, 7.18, 19.84, 6.28, 7.08, 6.90 h, respectively. The seven compounds could be rapidly absorbed into blood (time for maximal concentration, 1.80-1.93 h). This study could establish a foundation for further research of Phellodendri chinensis cortex and might provide more useful information to guide the clinical usage.

The Protective Effects of Levo-Tetrahydropalmatine on ConA-Induced Liver Injury Are via TRAF6/JNK Signaling

Aims

Levo-tetrahydropalmatine (L-THP) is an active ingredient of Corydalis yanhusuo W. T. Wang, which has many bioactive properties. Herein, we investigated the protective effects of L-THP on concanavalin A- (ConA-) induced hepatitis in mice and explored its possible mechanisms of these effects.

Main Methods

Balb/c mice were intravenously injected with 25 mg/kg ConA to generate a model of acute autoimmune hepatitis, and L-THP (20 or 40 mg/kg) was administered orally once daily for 5 d before the ConA injection. The liver enzyme levels, proinflammatory cytokine levels, and other marker protein levels were determined 2, 8, and 24 h after ConA injection.

Results

L-THP could decrease serum liver enzymes and pathological damage by reducing the release of inflammatory factors like IL-6 and TNF-α. The results of Western Blot and PCR indicated that L-THP could ameliorate liver cell apoptosis and autophagy. L-THP could suppress T lymphocyte proliferation and the production of TNF-α and IL-6 induced by ConA in a dose-dependent manner in vitro. Additionally, the protective functions of L-THP depended on downregulating TRAF6/JNK signaling. Conclusion. The present study indicated that L-THP attenuated acute liver injury in ConA-induced autoimmune hepatitis by inhibiting apoptosis and autophagy via the TRAF6/JNK pathway.

Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Simultaneous Determination and Pharmacokinetic Study of Fourteen Alkaloid Components in Dog Plasma after Oral Administration of Corydalis bungeana Turcz Extract

A rapid and sensitive Ultra high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method was developed for the simultaneous determination of fourteen alkaloids in beagle dog plasma after a single oral dose of the Corydalis bungeana Turcz (C. bungeana) extract selected bifendate as the internal standard (IS). The plasma samples were preprocessed by liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) with aether before separation on an Agilent SB-C₁₈ column (1.8 µm, 150 × 2.1 mm) using a gradient elution program. The mobile phase consists of 0.2% acetic acid and acetonitrile at the flow rate of 0.3 mL/min. In the positive ion mode, the analytes were detected by multiple reaction monitoring (MRM). The results indicated that calibration curves for fourteen analytes have good linearity (R² = 0.9904). The lower limits of quantification (LLOQ) of fourteen alkaloids and IS were all over 4.87 ng/mL and the matrix effects ranged from 94.08% to 102.76%. The mean extraction recoveries of Quality control samples at low (LQC), medium (MQC) and high (HQC) and IS were all more than 78.03%. The intra- and inter-day precision (R.S.D.%) also met the criterion, at the same time the deviation of assay accuracies (R.E) ranged from −13.70% to 14.40%. The T_max values of fourteen alkaloids were no more than 1 h. The range of C_max was from 74.16 ± 8.71 to 2256 ± 255.9 ng/mL. The assay was validated in the light of the regulatory bioanalytical guidelines and proved acceptable, which was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study of these compounds in beagle dogs after oral administration of Corydalis bungeana Turcz extract.

Protective effect of N-acetylcysteine activated carbon release microcapsule on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats

With the development of science and technology, and development of artery bypass, methods such as cardiopulmonary cerebral resuscitation have been practiced in recent years. Despite this, some methods fail to promote or recover the function of tissues and organs, and in some cases, may aggravate dysfunction and structural damage to tissues. The latter is typical of ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury. Lipid peroxidation mediated by free radicals is an important process of myocardial IR injury. Myocardial IR has been demonstrated to induce the formation of large numbers of free radicals in rats, which promotes the peroxidation of lipids within unsaturated fatty acids in the myocardial cell membrane. Markers of lipid peroxidation include malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase and lactic dehydrogenase. Recent studies have demonstrated that N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is able to dilate blood vessels, prevent oxidative damage, improve immunity, inhibit apoptosis and the inflammatory response and promote glutathione synthesis in cells. NAC also improves the systolic function of myocardial cells and cardiac function, prevents myocardial apoptosis, protects ventricular remodeling and vascular remodeling, reduces opiomelanocortin levels in the serum and increases the content of nitric oxide in the serum, thus improving vascular endothelial function. Therefore, NAC has potent pharmacological activity; however, the relatively fast metabolism of NAC, along with its large clinical dose and low bioavailability, limit its applications. The present study combined NAC with medicinal activated carbons, and prepared N-acetylcysteine activated carbon sustained-release microcapsules (ACNACs) to overcome the limitations of NAC. It was demonstrated that ACNACs exerted greater effective protective effects than NAC alone on myocardial IR injury in rats.

The inhibitory effects of levo-tetrahydropalmatine on rat Kv1.5 channels expressed in HEK293 cells

Levo-tetrahydropalmatine (l-THP) exerts various pharmacological effects on neural and cardiac tissues and K⁺ channel can be one of its multiple targets. The rapidly activating Kv1.5 channel is expressed in a variety of tissues including atrial cells and hippocampal neurons, and has an essential role in tuning the action potential and excitability in those cells. The aim of current study is to explore whether there are the possible effects of l-THP on Kv1.5 channels expressed in HEK293 cells. Superfusion of l-THP led to a dose-dependent blockage of Kv1.5 currents with an IC₅₀ value of 53.2μM. This blocking effect was substantially attenuated in mutant H452G rather than R476V and R476Y, suggesting a specific binding site in the outer mouth region. In addition, the properties of Kv1.5 channel kinetics were markedly altered by l-THP. Treatment with l-THP resulted in a potential left shift of the inactivation curve, with the half-maximum inactivation potential (V_1/2) of 4.5mV in control and -12.8mV in 50μM l-THP. Our data reveal that l-THP can exert an inhibitory effect on the delayed rectifier Kv1.5 channels expressed in HEK293 cells. These lines of evidence provided an insight to understand the possible effects exerted by l-THP on relative tissues.

The Role of Visceral Hypersensitivity in Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Pharmacological Targets and Novel Treatments

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is the most common disorder referred to gastroenterologists and is characterized by altered bowel habits, abdominal pain, and bloating. Visceral hypersensitivity (VH) is a multifactorial process that may occur within the peripheral or central nervous systems and plays a principal role in the etiology of IBS symptoms. The pharmacological studies on selective drugs based on targeting specific ligands can provide novel therapies for modulation of persistent visceral hyperalgesia. The current paper reviews the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying therapeutic targeting for providing future drugs to protect or treat visceroperception and pain sensitization in IBS patients. There are a wide range of mediators and receptors participating in visceral pain perception amongst which substances targeting afferent receptors are attractive sources of novel drugs. Novel therapeutic targets for the management of VH include compounds which alter gut-brain pathways and local neuroimmune pathways. Molecular mediators and receptors participating in pain perception and visceroperception include histamine-1 receptors, serotonin (5-hydrodytryptamine) receptors, transient receptor potential vanilloid type I, tachykinins ligands, opioid receptors, voltage-gated channels, tyrosine receptor kinase receptors, protease-activated receptors, adrenergic system ligands, cannabinoid receptors, sex hormones, and glutamate receptors which are discussed in the current review. Moreover, several plant-derived natural compounds with potential to alleviate VH in IBS have been highlighted. VH has an important role in the pathology and severity of complications in IBS. Therefore, managing VH can remarkably modulate the symptoms of IBS. More preclinical and clinical investigations are needed to provide efficacious and targeted medicines for the management of VH.

Seabuckthorn Pulp Oil Protects against Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Rats through Activation of Akt/eNOS

Seabuckthorn (SBT) pulp oil obtained from the fruits of seabuckthorn [Hippophae rhamnoides L. (Elaeagnaceae)] has been used traditionally for its medicinal and nutritional properties. However, its role in ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury of myocardium in rats has not been elucidated so far. The present study reports the cardioprotective effect of SBT pulp oil in IR-induced model of myocardial infarction in rats and underlying mechanism mediating activation of Akt/eNOS signaling pathway. Male albino Wistar rats were orally administered SBT pulp oil (5, 10, and 20 ml/kg/day) or saline for 30 days. On the day 31, ischemia was induced by one-stage ligation of left anterior descending coronary artery for 45 min followed by reperfusion for 60 min. SBT pulp oil pretreatment at the dose of 20 ml/kg observed to stabilize cardiac function and myocardial antioxidants such as glutathione, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and inhibited lipid peroxidation evidenced by reduced malondialdehyde levels as compared to IR-control group. SBT pulp oil also improved hemodynamic and contractile function and decreased tumor necrosis factor and activities of myocyte injury marker enzymes; lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase-MB. Additionally, a remarkable rise in expression of pAkt-eNOS, Bcl-2 and decline in expression of IKKβ/NF-κB and Bax was observed in the myocardium. The histopathological and ultrastructural salvage of cardiomyocytes further supports the cardioprotective effect of SBT pulp oil. Based on findings, it can be concluded that SBT pulp oil protects against myocardial IR injury mediating favorable modulation of Akt-eNOS and IKKβ/NF-κB expression.

Cardiomyocyte GTP Cyclohydrolase 1 Protects the Heart Against Diabetic Cardiomyopathy

Diabetic cardiomyopathy increases the risk of heart failure and death. At present, there are no effective approaches to preventing its development in the clinic. Here we report that reduction of cardiac GTP cyclohydrolase 1 (GCH1) degradation by genetic and pharmacological approaches protects the heart against diabetic cardiomyopathy. Diabetic cardiomyopathy was induced in C57BL/6 wild-type mice and transgenic mice with cardiomyocyte-specific overexpression of GCH1 with streptozotocin, and control animals were given citrate buffer. We found that diabetes-induced degradation of cardiac GCH1 proteins contributed to adverse cardiac remodeling and dysfunction in C57BL/6 mice, concomitant with decreases in tetrahydrobiopterin, dimeric and phosphorylated neuronal nitric oxide synthase, sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) handling proteins, intracellular [Ca(2+)]i, and sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) content and increases in phosphorylated p-38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and superoxide production. Interestingly, GCH-1 overexpression abrogated these detrimental effects of diabetes. Furthermore, we found that MG 132, an inhibitor for 26S proteasome, preserved cardiac GCH1 proteins and ameliorated cardiac remodeling and dysfunction during diabetes. This study deepens our understanding of impaired cardiac function in diabetes, identifies GCH1 as a modulator of cardiac remodeling and function, and reveals a new therapeutic target for diabetic cardiomyopathy.

Identification and developmental expression profiling of putative alkaloid biosynthetic genes in Corydalis yanhusuo bulbs

Alkaloids in bulbs of Corydalis (C.) yanhusuo are the major pharmacologically active compounds in treatment of blood vessel diseases, tumors and various pains. However, due to the absence of gene sequences in C. yanhusuo, the genes involved in alkaloid biosynthesis and their expression during bulb development remain unknown. We therefore established the first transcriptome database of C. yanhusuo via Illumina mRNA-Sequencing of a RNA composite sample collected at Bulb initiation (Day 0), early enlargement (Day 10) and maturation (Day 30). 25,013,630 clean 90 bp paired-end reads were de novo assembled into 47,081 unigenes with an average length of 489 bp, among which 30,868 unigenes (65.56%) were annotated in four protein databases. Of 526 putative unigenes involved in biosynthesis o f various alkaloids, 187 were identified as the candidate genes involved in the biosynthesis of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs), the only alkaloid type reported in C. yanhusuo untill now. BIAs biosynthetic genes were highly upregulated in the overall pathway during bulb development. Identification of alkaloid biosynthetic genes in C. yanhusuo provide insights on pathways and molecular regulation of alkaloid biosynthesis, to initiate metabolic engineering in order to improve the yield of interesting alkaloids and to identify potentially new alkaloids predicted from the transcriptomic information.

Recent progress on the traditional Chinese medicines that regulate the blood

In traditional Chinese medicine, the herbs that regulate blood play a vital role. Here, nine herbs including Typhae Pollen, Notoginseng Root, Common Bletilla Tuber, India Madder Root and Rhizome, Chinese Arborvitae Twig, Lignum Dalbergiae Oderiferae, Chuanxiong Rhizoma, Corydalis Tuber, and Motherwort Herb were selected and reviewed for their recent studies on anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular effects. Besides, the analytical methods developed to qualify or quantify the active compounds of the herbs are also summarized.

Levo-Tetrahydropalmatine Attenuates Bone Cancer Pain by Inhibiting Microglial Cells Activation

Objective. The present study is to investigate the analgesic roles of L-THP in rats with bone cancer pain caused by tumor cell implantation (TCI). Methods. Thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia were measured at different time points before and after operation. L-THP (20, 40, and 60 mg/kg) were administrated intragastrically at early phase of postoperation (before pain appearance) and later phase of postoperation (after pain appearance), respectively. The concentrations of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-18 in spinal cord were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Western blot was used to test the activation of astrocytes and microglial cells in spinal cord after TCI treatment. Results. TCI treatment induced significant thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia. Administration of L-THP at high doses significantly prevented and/or reversed bone cancer-related pain behaviors. Besides, TCI-induced activation of microglial cells and the increased levels of TNF-α and IL-18 were inhibited by L-THP administration. However, L-THP failed to affect TCI-induced astrocytes activation and IL-1β increase. Conclusion. This study suggests the possible clinical utility of L-THP in the treatment of bone cancer pain. The analgesic effects of L-THP on bone cancer pain maybe underlying the inhibition of microglial cells activation and proinflammatory cytokines increase.

Levo-tetrahydropalmatine attenuates mouse blood-brain barrier injury induced by focal cerebral ischemia and reperfusion: Involvement of Src kinase

The restoration of blood flow following thrombolytic therapy causes ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury leading to blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption and subsequent brain edema in patients of ischemic stroke. Levo-tetrahydropalmatine (l-THP) occurs in Corydalis genus and some other plants. However, whether l-THP exerts protective role on BBB disrpution following cerebral I/R remains unclear. Male C57BL/6N mice (23 to 28 g) were subjected to 90 min middle cerebral artery occlusion, followed by reperfusion for 24 h. l-THP (10, 20, 40 mg/kg) was administrated by gavage 60 min before ischemia. We found I/R evoked Evans blue extravasation, albumin leakage, brain water content increase, cerebral blood flow decrease, cerebral infarction and neurological deficits, all of which were attenuated by l-THP treatment. Meanwhile, l-THP inhibited tight junction (TJ) proteins down-expression, Src kinase phosphorylation, matrix metalloproteinases-2/9 (MMP-2/9) and caveolin-1 activation. In addition, surface plasmon resonance revealed binding of l-THP to Src kinase with high affinity. Then we found Src kinase inhibitor PP2 could attenuate Evans blue dye extravasation and inhibit the caveolin-1, MMP-9 activation, occludin down-expression after I/R, respectively. In conclusion, l-THP attenuated BBB injury and brain edema, which were correlated with inhibiting the Src kinase phosphorylation.

L-tetrahydropalamatine inhibits tumor necrosis factor-α-induced monocyte-endothelial cell adhesion through downregulation of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 involving suppression of nuclear factor-κ B signaling pathway

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether I-tetrahydropalmatine (I-THP), an alkaloid mainly present in Corydalis family, could ameliorate early vascular inflammatory responses in atherosclerotic processes.

METHODS

Fluorescently labeled monocytes were co-incubated with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), which were pretreated with I-THP and then simulated with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in absence of I-THP to determine if I-THP could reduce thecytokine-induced adhesion of monocytes to HUVECs. Then I-THP were further studied the underlying mechanisms through observing the transcriptional and translational level of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor (NF)-κ B in HUVECs.

RESULTS

L-THP could block TNF-α-induced adhesion of monocytes to HUVECs and could significantly inhibited the expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 on cell surface by 31% and 36% at 30 μ mol/L. L-THP pretreatment could also markedly reduce transcriptional and translational level of VCAM-1 as well as mildly reduce the total protein and mRNA expression levels of ICAM-1. Furthermore, I-THP attenuated TNF-α-stimulated NF-κ B nuclear translocation.

CONCLUSION

These results provide evidences supporting that I-THP could be a promising compound in the prevention and treatment of the early vascular inflammatory reaction in atherosclerosis by inhibiting monocyte adhesion to vascular endothelial cell through downregulating ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 in vascular endothelial cell based on suppressing NF-κ B.

Antihypertensive and vasorelaxant effects of Rhizoma corydalis and its active component tetrahydropalmatine via NO/cGMP pathway and calcium channel blockade in isolated rat thoracic aorta

The vasorelaxant effects of RC and THPviathe NO/cGMP pathway and calcium channel blockade in isolated rat thoracic aorta are explored.

Influence of vinegar and wine processing on the alkaloid content and composition of the traditional Chinese medicine Corydalis Rhizoma (Yanhusuo)

Corydalis Rhizoma is the dried tuber of Corydalis yanhusuo W.T. Wang which is used in traditional Chinese medicine for pain relief and blood activation. Before being used in the clinics, C. yanhusuo is traditionally processed through dry-frying or frying with vinegar, wine or salt. In this study, eleven alkaloids from Corydalis Rhizoma, namely protopine (1), α-allocryptopine (2), tetrahydrocolumbamine (3), coptisine (4), palmatine (5), berberine (6), dehydrocorydaline (7), D,L-tetrahydropalmatine (8), tetrahydroberberine (9), corydaline (10) and tetrahydrocoptisine (11) were simultaneously quantified using a newly developed high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) method. The influence of vinegar and wine processing on the content of the main alkaloids of Corydalis Rhizoma was investigated. For this purpose, two common formulations with clinical application, namely the water decoction of Corydalis Rhizoma and its formula Jin Ling Zi San (combination of Corydalis Rhizoma and Toosendan Fructus) were studied. In the two water decoctions, wine and vinegar processing increased the amount of tertiary alkaloids. The differences were more pronounced for Jin Ling Zi San, in which case the content of all tertiary alkaloids (compounds 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 11) was increased by wine processing.

L-tetrahydropalmatine ameliorates development of anxiety and depression-related symptoms induced by single prolonged stress in rats

Abnormal adaptation of the stress-response system following traumatic stress can lead to alterations in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis that may contribute to the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The present study used several behavioral tests to investigate the anxiolytic-like and antidepressant activity of L-tetrahydropalmatine (L-THP) in an experimental rat model of anxiety and depression induced by single prolonged stress (SPS), an animal model of PTSD. Male rats were treated intraperitoneally (i.p.) with vehicle or varied doses of THP 30 min prior to SPS for 8 consecutive days. Daily THP (50 mg/kg) administration significantly increased the number and duration of open arm visits in the elevated plus maze (EPM) test, reduced the anxiety index, increased the risk assessment, and increased the number of head dips over the borders of the open arms after SPS. THP was also associated with increased time spent at the center of the open field, reduced grooming behaviors in the EPM test, and reduced time spent immobile in the forced swimming test (FST). It also blocked the decrease in neuropeptide Y (NPY) and the increase in corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) expression in the hypothalamus. This is the first study to determine that THP exerts pronounced anxiolytic-like and antidepressant effects on the development of the behavioral and biochemical symptoms associated with PTSD, indicating its prophylactic potential. Thus, THP reversed several behavioral impairments triggered by the traumatic stress of SPS and is a potential non-invasive therapeutic intervention for PTSD.

Shenyuan, an extract of American Ginseng and Corydalis Tuber formula, attenuates cardiomyocyte apoptosis via inhibition of endoplasmic reticulum stress and oxidative stress in a porcine model of acute myocardial infarction

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The decoction of American Ginseng and Corydalis Tuber has been widely used for treatment of cardiovascular diseases due to their anti-ischemic and anti-arrhythmic effects. The aim of this study is to evaluate the anti-apoptotic effect of Shenyuan, which is composed of the bioactive components extracted from the mixture of American Ginseng and Corydalis Tuber, and to explore potential mechanisms involved in the regulation of apoptosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A porcine model of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) was established by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery. Thirty-eight pigs were randomized into six groups: Group S, sham (n=6); Group C, AMI controls (n=8); Group L, AMI+low-dose Shenyuan (240 mg/kg·d, n=6); Group M, AMI+moderate-dose Shenyuan (320 mg/kg·d, n=6); Group H, AMI+high-dose Shenyuan (400 mg/kg·d, n=6); Group B, AMI+Metoprolol Tartrate (1 mg/kg·d, n=6). The treatment of Shenyuan or Metoprolol started one week before AMI and continued for another two weeks after AMI.

RESULTS

Treatment with all doses of Shenyuan as well as Metoprolol produced a significant decrease of apoptotic index (P < 0.05), which was confirmed by TUNEL staining method. This anti-apoptotic effect was accompanied by less release of cardiac enzymes and limit of infarct size. In Group H, levels of MDA, 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α, GRP78/bip, calregulin, CHOP/GADD153, Bax, caspase-3, cleaved caspase-3 and activity of caspase-3 were reduced, while GSH, SOD, Bcl-2 and the Bcl-2/Bax ratio were significantly increased (P < 0.05). In groups M and L, some results did not show statistical difference. There was no statistical difference in cardiac function between treatment groups and Group C.

CONCLUSION

Shenyuan treatment significantly inhibited ERS and oxidative stress, balanced the Bcl-2/Bax ratio, suppressed activation of caspase-3, and finally exerted an anti-apoptotic effect in pigs with a large anterior wall AMI. This was accompanied by less release of cardiac enzymes and limit of infarct size. Shenyuan treatment inhibited apoptosis and may have a therapeutic role in improving the natural process of AMI.