Chemical profiling of Sanjin tablets and exploration of their effective substances and mechanism in the treatment of urinary tract infections

Diverse rare ginsenosides derived from ginsenoside Re in aqueous methanol solution via heterogeneous catalysis and identified by HPLC-MS

Rare ginsenosides, known for their significant pharmacological effects, are found in only trace amounts in natural ginseng, making it necessary to produce them through transformation processes. In this study, ginsenoside Re was chemically transformed into 30 rare ginsenosides using a novel heterogeneous catalyst HSiW@MeSi in aqueous methanol solution. The HSiW@MeSi catalyst was synthesized by the incorporation of silicotungstic acid (H4SiW12O40, HSiW) into a mesoporous silica (MeSi) carrier. The resulting rare ginsenosides, which included six pairs of isomers, three sets of four isomers and one set of six isomers, were separated and identified using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with multistage tandem mass spectrometry through characteristic neutral loss, product ions, and chromatographic retention times. The transformation pathways involved deglycosylation, epimerization, elimination, addition, and cyclization reactions. Water and methanol molecules competitively participated in the reaction, forming 8 hydroxylated and 14 methoxylated products at the C-20(21) or C-24(25) position, respectively. Notably, the HSiW@MeSi catalyst could be recycled and maintained an 83.3 ± 0.3% transformation rate after three cycles. This study represents the successful chemical transformation to produce protopanaxatriol-type rare ginsenosides featuring methoxyl groups at either the C-20(21) or C-24(25) positions. It highlights the potential of heteropolyacid-based heterogeneous transformation strategies in the generation of structurally diverse rare ginsenosides and demonstrates the expanded utility of HPLC-MS in the structural identification of these compounds.

Study on the therapeutic mechanism of HJ granules in a rat model of urinary tract infection caused by Escherichia coli

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are globally prevalent infectious diseases, predominantly caused by uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC). The misuse of antibiotics has led to the emergence of several drug-resistant strains. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has its own advantages in the treatment of UTIs. HJ granules is a herbal formula used for the treatment of UTIs. However, its mechanism of action is not clear.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic efficacy and mechanism of action of HJ granules in a rat model of UTI caused by Escherichia coli (E coli) CFT073.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

SD rats were selected to establish a rat UTI model by injecting UPEC strain CFT073 into the bladder using the transurethral placement method. HJ granules were administered to rats after modelling and the efficacy of HJ granule was investigated by measuring urinary decanalogue, inflammatory factors in bladder tissue and pathological changes in the bladder after 3d of administration. Expression of sonic hedgehog (SHH), NOD-like receptor thermoprotein domain 3 (NLRP3), apoptosis-associated speck-like protein (ASC) and activation of cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-1 (caspase-1) were detected by western blotting and immunofluorescence staining in rat bladder tissue. NLRP3, ASC and caspase-1, a cysteine-containing aspartic protein, were expressed and activated.

RESULTS

The results showed that infection of rats with UPEC resulted in increased pH and erythrocytes in bladder irrigation fluid; increased expression of IL-1β, IL-6 and SHH and decreased expression of IL-10 in bladder tissue; and significant upregulation of the expression of both SHH and NLRP3 inflammasom and significant activation of NLRP3 inflammasom. HJ granules significantly increased the concentration of IL-10 in the bladder, inhibited the expression of SHH and NLRP3 inflammasom in bladder tissue, and suppressed the activation of NLRP3 inflammasom, thereby reducing inflammatory lesions in bladder tissue.

CONCLUSION

HJ granules may improve bladder injury and treat UTIs by inhibiting the expression and activation of NLRP3 inflammasom.