Further Study of Influence of Panax notoginseng on Intestinal Absorption Characteristics of Triptolide and Tripterine in Rats with Tripterygium wilfordii

Homoharringtonine: updated insights into its efficacy in hematological malignancies, diverse cancers and other biomedical applications

HHT has emerged as a notable compound in the realm of cancer treatment, particularly for hematological malignancies. Its multifaceted pharmacological properties extend beyond traditional applications, warranting an extensive review of its mechanisms and efficacy. This review aims to synthesize comprehensive insights into the efficacy of HHT in treating hematological malignancies, diverse cancers, and other biomedical applications. It focuses on elucidating the molecular mechanisms, therapeutic potential, and broader applications of HHT. A comprehensive search for peer-reviewed papers was conducted across various academic databases, including ScienceDirect, Web of Science, Scopus, American Chemical Society, Google Scholar, PubMed/MedLine, and Wiley. The review highlights HHT's diverse mechanisms of action, ranging from its role in leukemia treatment to its emerging applications in managing other cancers and various biomedical conditions. It underscores HHT's influence on cellular processes, its efficacy in clinical settings, and its potential to alter pathological pathways. HHT demonstrates significant promise in treating various hematological malignancies and cancers, offering a multifaceted approach to disease management. Its ability to impact various physiological pathways opens new avenues for therapeutic applications. This review provides a consolidated foundation for future research and clinical applications of HHT in diverse medical fields.

The safety of Chinese medicine: A systematic review of endogenous substances and exogenous residues

BACKGROUND

Safety and toxicity have become major challenges in the internationalization of Chinese medicine. Inspite of its wide application, security problems of Chinese medicine still occur from time to time, raising widespread concerns about its safety. Most of the studies either only partially discussed the intrinsic toxicities or extrinsic harmful residues in Chinese medicine, or briefly described detoxification and attenuation methods. It is necessary to systematically discuss Chinese medicine's extrinsic and intrinsic toxic components and corresponding toxicity detoxification or detection methods as a whole.

PURPOSE

This review comprehensively summarizes various toxic components in Chinese medicine from intrinsic and extrinsic. Then the corresponding methods for detoxification or detection of toxicity are highlighted. It is expected to provide a reference for safeguards for developing and using Chinese medicine.

METHODS

A literature search was conducted in the databases, including PubMed, Web of Science,Wan-fang database, and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). Keywords used were safety, toxicity, intrinsic toxicities, extrinsic harmful residues, alkaloids, terpene and macrolides, saponins, toxic proteins, toxic crystals, minerals, heavy metals, pesticides, mycotoxins, sulfur dioxide, detoxification, detection, processing (Paozhi), compatibility (Peiwu), Chinese medicine, etc., and combinations of these keywords. All selected articles were from 2006 to 2022, and each was assessed critically for our exclusion criteria. Studies describe the classification of toxic components of Chinese medicine, the toxic effects and mechanisms of Chinese medicine, and the corresponding methods for detoxification or detection of toxicity.

RESULTS

The toxic components of Chinese medicines can be classified as intrinsic toxicities and extrinsic harmful residues. Firstly, we summarized the intrinsic toxicities of Chinese medicine, the adverse effects and toxicity mechanisms caused by these components. Next, we focused on the detoxification or attenuation methods for intrinsic toxicities of Chinese medicine. The other main part discussed the latest progress in analytical strategies for exogenous hazardous substances, including heavy metals, pesticides, and mycotoxins. Beyond reviewing mainstream instrumental methods, we also introduced the emerging biochip, biosensor and immuno-based techniques.

CONCLUSION

In this review, we provide an overall assessment of the recent progress in endogenous toxins and exogenous hazardous substances concerning Chinese medicine, which is expected to render deeper insights into the safety of Chinese medicine.

The Absorption Characteristics of Nonvolatile Components in a Water Extraction From Amomi fructus as Determined by In Situ Single-Pass Intestinal Perfusion and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography

BACKGROUND

Amomi fructus is a famous traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that can exert beneficial effects during the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases and is used widely in China and other countries in Southeast Asia. However, the nonvolatile active ingredients that are present in the water extractions from A. fructus used to treat gastrointestinal diseases have yet to be elucidated. The goal of this study was to identify the nonvolatile active ingredients of A. fructus.

METHODS

We used an in situ single-pass intestinal perfusion (SPIP) model to identify the active ingredients of A. fructus that play significant roles in gastrointestinal absorption. In addition, we developed a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method to identify key fractions in intestinal outflow perfusate.

RESULTS

Nineteen components were identified in a water extraction from A. fructus; these exhibited different absorption capabilities in different intestinal segments. Of these, six components were determined by the newly developed HPLC method: catechin, vanillic acid, epicatechin, polydatin, isoquercitrin, and quercitrin.

CONCLUSIONS

The current study aimed to identify the active ingredients present in water extractions prepared from A. fructus in a single-intestinal perfusate from rats. Our findings provide an experimental basis to explain the pharmacodynamic actions of A. fructus.