Acute and 90-day toxicological safety assessment of Shang-Ke-Huang-Shui lotion in New Zealand White rabbits

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Shang-Ke-Huang-Shui lotion (SKHS), an experiential formula based on the theory of traditional Chinese medicine as a hospital preparation, combines Coptidis Rhizoma, Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex, Gardeniae Fructus, Arnebiae Radix, Menthae Haplocalycis Herba and Alumen. While it has acquired positive effects on the treatment of soft tissue injuries, there is no systematic safety assessment in recent studies.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The study aimed to investigate the acute and long-term toxicity in New Zealand White rabbits using topical administration of SKHS.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In the acute toxicity study, rabbits were given topical administration of SKHS extract (2.775 g crude drug/mL) 3 times daily in normal and broken skin. In the long-term toxicity study, rabbits underwent topical administration of SKHS extract (1.390, 0.694, 0.139 g crude drug/mL) 1 time per day in normal and broken skin for 90 days. Their general behavior, body weight, food intake, biochemical and hematologic parameters, organ coefficients, and pathological morphology were analyzed.

RESULTS

Mild skin irritation was observed in rabbits with normal or broken skin following acute exposure to the high dose of SKHS. Evidence of toxicity was not observed in the rabbits exposed to SKHS for an extended period. Although some parameters have been significant changes, they cannot be considered treatment-related because they have remained within normal limits.

CONCLUSION

Topical administration of SKHS could be considered relatively safe and did not reveal any severe toxicity or side effects in this study.

Targeting TRPV1 and TRPA1: A feasible strategy for natural herbal medicines to combat postoperative ileus

Under physiological or pathological conditions, transient receptor potential (TRP) channel vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) and TRP ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) possess the ability to detect a vast array of stimuli and execute diverse functions. Interestingly, increasing works have reported that activation of TRPV1 and TRPA1 could also be beneficial for ameliorating postoperative ileus (POI). Increasing research has revealed that the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is rich in TRPV1/TRPA1, which can be stimulated by capsaicin, allicin and other compounds. This activation stimulates a variety of neurotransmitters, leading to increased intestinal motility and providing protective effects against GI injury. POI is the most common emergent complication following abdominal and pelvic surgery, and is characterized by postoperative bowel dysfunction, pain, and inflammatory responses. It is noteworthy that natural herbs are gradually gaining recognition as a potential therapeutic option for POI due to the lack of effective pharmacological interventions. Therefore, the focus of this paper is on the TRPV1/TRPA1 channel, and an analysis and summary of the processes and mechanism by which natural herbs activate TRPV1/TRPA1 to enhance GI motility and relieve pain are provided, which will lay the foundation for the development of natural herb treatments for this disease.

Inhibition on XBP1s-driven lipogenesis by Qushi Huayu Decoction contributes to amelioration of hepatic steatosis induced by fructose

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Qushi Huayu Decoction (QHD) is a traditional Chinese medicine formula consisting of five herbs, which has been used for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) treatment in clinic for decades in China and validated in several NAFLD animal models. The hepatic de novo lipogenesis (DNL) is enhanced greatly to contribute to steatosis in NAFLD. The spliced form of X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1s) initiates DNL independently of sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP) and carbohydrate-responsive element-binding protein (ChREBP).

AIM OF THE STUDY

To disclose the mechanism of inhibition on hepatic DNL by QHD and the responsible compounds.

METHODS

The effects of QHD on hepatic DNL were evaluated in mice induced by high-fructose diet (HFru). The effects of the serum-absorbed compounds of QHD on XBP1s were evaluated in HepG2 cells induced by tunicamycin. Hepatic histology, triglyceride (TG) and nonesterified fatty acids were observed. Hepatic apolipoprotein B100 and very low-density lipoprotein were measured to reflect lipid out-transport. The mRNA expression of XBP1s and its target genes were detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction. The protein expression of TG synthetases and DNL enzymes, and inositol requirement enzyme 1 alpha (IRE1α), phosphorylated IRE1α and XBP1s were detected in liver tissue and HepG2 cells by western-blot. The binding activity of SREBP1, protein expression of ChREBP and XBP1s were detected in the nuclear extracts of liver tissue.

RESULTS

Dynamical observing suggested feeding with HFru for 2 weeks was sufficient to induce hepatic lipogenesis and XBP1s. QHD ameliorated liver steatosis without enhancing out-transport of lipids, accompanied with more inhibitory effects on DNL enzymes than TG synthetases. QHD inhibits the nuclear XBP1s without affecting ChREBP and SREBP1. In QHD, chlorogenic acid, geniposide and polydatin inhibit lipogenesis initiated by XPB1s.

CONCLUSION

QHD probably decreases hepatic DNL by inhibiting XBP1s independent of SREBP1 and ChREBP. Chlorogenic acid, geniposide and polydatin are the potential responsible compounds.

Comparative effectiveness of phlegm-heat clearing Chinese medicine injections for AECOPD: A systematic review and network meta-analysis

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Qingkailing (QKL), Reduning (RDN), Xiyanping (XYP), Tanreqing (TRQ) and Yuxingcao (YXC) injections are all phlegm-heat clearing Chinese medicine (CM) injections composed of the extract from traditional CM materials. Evidence from clinical studies and animal experiments indicates that the above CM injections are effective supplementary therapy for acute exacerbation chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD), and clinicians are faced with a difficult choice on the optimal phlegm-heat clearing CM injection for AECOPD.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of five commonly used phlegm-heat clearing CM injections for COPD.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A pairwise and network meta-analyses were performed to assess the effectiveness of QKL, RDN, TRQ, XYP and YXC on AECOPD. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were identified by searching English and Chinese databases. The primary outcome was lung function (forced expiration volume [FEV1] and forced vital capacity [FVC]), blood gas analysis index was secondary outcome measure. Winbugs and Stata 15.0 software were used for data analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 57 RCTs were included. The pairwise analyses showed that each of the injections combined with routine treatment were superior to routine treatment alone [FEV1: QKL, MD 0.20, 95% CI (0.06, 0.35); RDN, MD 0.24, 95% CI (0.08, 0.40); TRQ, MD 0.24, 95% CI (0.19, 0.29); XYP, MD 0.26, 95% CI (0.20, 0.32); YXC MD 0.73, 95% CI (0.06, 1.41)]. The network meta-analysis provided the following rank of lung function improvement: FEV1: YXC > TRQ > XYP > RDN > QKL; FVC: YXC > TRQ > QKL > RDN > XYP. RDN and YXC ranked highest in blood gas analysis index. RDN was the highest ranked injection for effectiveness, followed by QKL, TRQ, XYP, then YXC. Most of the injections appeared safe, with severe adverse events rarely reported.

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that YXC and TRQ are the most effective therapies in treating AECOPD patients. RDN and YXC are more effective in the alleviation of clinical symptoms. Given that the safety of YXC is controversial, TRQ and RDN may be preferable as phlegm-heat clearing CM injections in the adjuvant treatment of AECOPD.

Nose to brain drug delivery - A promising strategy for active components from herbal medicine for treating cerebral ischemia reperfusion

Cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury (CIRI), one of the major causes of death from stroke in the world, not only causes tremendous damage to human health, but also brings heavy economic burden to society. Current available treatments for CIRI, including mechanical therapies and drug therapies, are often accompanied by significant side-effects. Therefore, it is necessary to discovery new strategies for treating CIRI. Many studies have confirmed that the herbal medicine has the advantages of abundant resources, good curative effect and little side effects, which can be used as potential drug for treatment of CIRI through multiple targets. It's known that oral administration commonly has low bioavailability, and injection administration is inconvenient and unsafe. Many drugs can't delivery to brain through routine pathways due to the blood-brain-barrier (BBB). Interestingly, increasing evidences have suggested the nasal administration is a potential direct route to transport drug into brain avoiding the BBB and has the characteristics of high bioavailability for treating brain diseases. Therefore, intranasal administration can be treated as an alternative way to treat brain diseases. In the present review, effective methods to treat CIRI by using active ingredients derived from herbal medicine through nose to brain drug delivery (NBDD) are updated and discussed, and some related pharmacological mechanisms have also been emphasized. Our present study would be beneficial for the further drug development of natural agents from herbal medicines via NBDD.

In vitro bioactivity approach of unripe genipap (Genipa americana L., Rubiaceae) fruit extract and its solid lipid microparticle

Growing awareness in favor of innovative and healthier alternatives is creating a noticeable shift from synthetic colorants to natural additives. And, such a swing in the consumer market is growing slowly but noticeably. In this context, genipap (Genipa americana L.) fruit represents an emerging source of blue colorants in Latin America with extensive application possibilities. This is despite the fact that there are few studies concerning its toxicity predictive factors. In this early-stage study we propose to investigate safety issues around genipap extract (IBBP); we also attempt to identify fingerprint profiling of both IBBP extract and solid lipid microparticles containing IBBP extract (SLM-IBBP) using in vitro assays. The main compounds identified were genipin, and genipin 1-β-gentiobioside. Results indicated that IBBP extract, at 25 µg/mL, was able to promote DNA damage in CHO-K1 cells, suggesting a genotoxic effect. On the other hand, the SLM-IBBP inhibited almost all cancer cell lines with GI₅₀ ranging from 0.25 μg/mL to 43.5 μg/mL. Also, IBBP-SLM seems to exert a desirable apoptosis induction (at 25 µg/mL dosage). The next steps for our work, therefore, will focus on other nanoparticle formulation approaches, in particular with the use of natural Brazilian starch. An evaluation of the metabolism and distribution of microparticles, and their safety for food and pharmaceutical purposes, are also required.

Aqueous extract from You-Gui-Yin ameliorates cognitive impairment of chronic renal failure mice through targeting hippocampal CaMKIIα/CREB/BDNF and EPO/EPOR pathways

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

You-Gui-Yin (YGY) is a traditional Chinese recipe used for reinforcing kidney essence which is recorded in Jingyue Quanshu written by Zhang Jingyue in Ming dynasty. According to traditional Chinese medicine theory, kidney essence is associated with brain and without sufficient kidney essence, cognitive impairment may occur.

AIM OF THE STUDY

In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of YGY extract on cognitive impairment of chronic renal failure (CRF) mice and explore the mechanisms involved.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Aqueous extract of YGY was prepared from crude drugs and was quality controlled by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). CRF was induced by 0.2% adenine in mice and CRF mice were intragastrically administered with 1.5 g kg^-1, 3.0 g kg^-1, and 6.0 g kg^-1 of YGY extract. Mice were identified with CRF by determining several biochemical and physiological indexes, including creatinine clearance rate, serum creatinine, serum urea nitrogen, serum Ca, serum P, serum Mg, body weight and body temperature. Morris water maze and novel object recognition tests were conducted for evaluation of cognitive function. In addition, changes of CaMKIIα/CREB/BDNF and EPO/EPOR pathways in hippocampus were examined by detecting the protein expressions of CaMKIIα, p-CaMKIIα (Thr286), CREB1, p-CREB1 (Ser133), BDNF, EPO, EPOR, p-EPOR (Tyr485), STAT5, and AKT1 using western blotting assays. Also, the primary EPO-producing cells in brain (i.e. astrocytes) and EPO expression regulator HIF-2α were checked by fluorescence microscopy and western blotting assay, respectively.

RESULTS

Nine components in YGY extract were figured out and monitored with their contents by HPLC for the quality control of YGY extract. Biochemical and physiological measurements validated the success of induction of CRF in mice, and YGY extract significantly retarded the CRF progression and ameliorated the CRF-induced cognitive impairment. The behavioral tests showed that compared with normal control mice, CRF mice had impaired cognitive function. However, treatment of YGY extract significantly ameliorated the cognitive impairment of CRF mice. Additionally, decreased expressions of hippocampal CaMKIIα, p-CaMKIIα (Thr286), CREB1, p-CREB1 (Ser133), and BDNF were observed in the hippocampus of CRF mice, but YGY extract significantly restored these protein expressions. Moreover, hippocampal EPO, EPOR, p-EPOR (Tyr485), STAT5, AKT1, and HIF-2α, as well as the number of astrocytes in CA1 zone of hippocampus were also decreased in CRF mice, while YGY extract prominently promoted the expressions of these proteins and increased the number of astrocytes.

CONCLUSIONS

All the data in this study suggested that YGY extract ameliorated the cognitive impairment of CRF mice, and this amelioration was related to up-regulating the CaMKIIα/CREB/BDNF and EPO/EPOR pathways.

Gut microbiota, a new frontier to understand traditional Chinese medicines

As an important component of complementary and alternative medicines, traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) are gaining more and more attentions around the world because of the powerful therapeutic effects and less side effects. However, there are still some doubts about TCM because of the questionable TCM theories and unclear biological active compounds. In recent years, gut microbiota has emerged as an important frontier to understand the development and progress of diseases. Together with this trend, an increasing number of studies have indicated that drug molecules can interact with gut microbiota after oral administration. In this context, more and more studies pertaining to TCM have paid attention to gut microbiota and have yield rich information for understanding TCM. After oral administration, TCM can interact with gut microbiota: (1) TCM can modulate the composition of gut microbiota; (2) TCM can modulate the metabolism of gut microbiota; (3) gut microbiota can transform TCM compounds. During the interactions, two types of metabolites can be produced: gut microbiota metabolites (of food and host origin) and gut microbiota transformed TCM compounds. In this review, we summarized the interactions between TCM and gut microbiota, and the pharmacological effects and features of metabolites produced during interactions between TCM and gut microbiota. Then, focusing on gut microbiota and metabolites, we summarized the aspects in which gut microbiota has facilitated our understanding of TCM. At the end of this review, the outlooks for further research of TCM and gut microbiota were also discussed.

Gastroprotective effects of Hwanglyeonhaedok-tang against Helicobacter pylori-induced gastric cell injury

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Helicobacter pylori, which is found in the stomachs of approximately half of the world's population, has been associated with the development of chronic gastritis and gastric cancer. Hwanglyeonhaedok-tang (HHT) is a popular traditional medicine for the therapies of gastric ulcers and gastritis.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The emerging resistance of H. pylori to antibiotics arouses requirement on alternative nonantibiotic-based therapies. In the present study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory activity and anti-microbial activity of HHT against H. pylori in vitro and in an H. pylori-infected mouse model.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

H. pylori were treated with various concentrations of HHT and then incubated with human gastric carcinoma AGS cells. For the in vivo study, mice were orally infected with H. pylori three times over the course of 1 week, and then subjected to daily administration of HHT (120 or 600 mg/kg) for 4 weeks or standard triple therapy for 1 week. At the scheduled termination of the experiment, all mice were killed and their stomachs were collected for histological examination, quantitative real-time PCR, and Western blot analysis.

RESULTS

Our in vitro studies showed that HHT treatment inhibited the adhesion of H. pylori to AGS cells and suppressed the H. pylori-induced increases of inflammatory regulators, such as interleukin (IL)-8, cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). In the mouse model, HHT treatment significantly reduced H. pylori colonization, inflammation, and the levels of IL-1β, IL-6, C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 1 (CXCL1), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), COX-2, and iNOS in gastric mucosa. Further investigation showed that HHT treatment reduced the H. pylori-induced phosphorylations of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2), c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase (JNK), and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings collectively suggest that HHT has anti-inflammatory activity and antibacterial activity against H. pylori and could be an alternative to antibiotics for preventing H. pylori infection.

Geniposide attenuates inflammatory response by suppressing P2Y14 receptor and downstream ERK1/2 signaling pathway in oxygen and glucose deprivation-induced brain microvascular endothelial cells

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Fructus gardenia is widely used for treatment of stroke and infectious diseases in Chinese medicine. Geniposide is the key bioactive compound related to the pharmacodynamic actions of gardenia on ischemic stroke. The molecular mechanism by which geniposide improves the ischemic brain injury was observed in the study.

AIM OF THE STUDY

Recent studies showed that geniposide had protective activities against the inflammatory response in ischemic stroke. However, the molecular mechanism of geniposide anti-inflammatory role has not yet been fully elucidated. In this study, we investigated the effect of geniposide on the expression of P2Y14 receptor and downstream signaling pathway in brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An in vitro model of cerebral ischemia in BMECs was established by oxygen-glucose-deprivation (OGD). To further confirm the specific effect of geniposide on P2Y14 receptor and downstream signaling pathways, we set up a UDP-glucose (an agonist of the P2Y14 receptor) stimulated model. After administration of geniposide, the expression of P2Y14 receptor, phosphorylation of RAF-1, mitogen activated protein kinase kinase1/2 (MEK1/2), extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), level of interleukin-8 (IL-8), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1) in BMECs were determined.

RESULTS

The mRNA and protein expression of P2Y14 in the rat BMECs were up-regulated in OGD-induced injury. After administration of Geniposide, the expression of P2Y14 receptor was significantly down-regulated, the phosphorylation of RAF-1, MEK1/2, ERK1/2 were suppressed. Similar data were obtained in UDP-glc stimulated model. We also observed that geniposide markedly declined the production of IL-8, IL-1β and MCP-1 in OGD-induced BMECs.

CONCLUSION

Geniposide exerted anti-inflammatory effects by interfering with the expression of P2Y14 receptor, which subsequently inhibits the downstream ERK1/2 signaling pathways and the release of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-8, MCP-1, IL-1β. Therefore, this study provides the evidence for gardenia's clinical application in cerebral ischemia.

Induced cortical neurogenesis after focal cerebral ischemia--Three active components from Huang-Lian-Jie-Du Decoction

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Huang-Lian-Jie-Du-Decoction (HLJDD) is a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) clinical prescription noted for its neuroprotective effects. The total alkaloids, flavonoids, and iridoids are the main active components of HLJDD. In the present study we explored the possible effects of the total alkaloids, flavonoids, and iridoids from HLJDD on behavioral recovery and cortical neurogenesis after stroke.

METHODS

The stroke model was induced by permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMACO). The total alkaloids (44 mg/kg), flavonoids (50 mg/kg), and iridoids (80 mg/kg) from HLJDD were orally administered for 2h after stroke and daily thereafter. Neurological function was assessed and then rats were sacrificed 7 days after pMACO. Following repeated intraperitoneal injections of the cell proliferation - specific marker 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) after stroke induction, precursor cell proliferation and differentiation was monitored by immunofluorescent staining. The levels of relevant proteins were determined by western blotting and the mRNA expressions were assessed by quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).

RESULTS

Total alkaloids, flavonoids and iridoids from HLJDD showed improved functional outcome after brain ischemia. The total alkaloids and iridoids increased number of BrdU-positive cells and enhanced neuronal differentiation in the cortex. Alkaloids-enhanced neurogenesis might be associated with increased VEGF, Ang-1, and Ang-2 protein expression. And the neuroproliferative effect of alkaloids was partially correlated with increased phosphorylation of AKT, and GSK-3β. Flavonoids treatment was found to promote differentiation of cortical precursor cells into neuronal but not glial cells, which may be at least attributable to the regulation of AKT, GSK-3β mRNA and Ang-1 protein levels.

CONCLUSIONS

Total alkaloids, iridoids and flavonoids from HLJDD promoted functional recovery likely via enhancing cortical neurogenesis and thus have potential as a treatment for ischemic brain injury.

Synergistic effects of rhubarb-gardenia herb pair in cholestatic rats at pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic levels

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Herb pair serves as the basic building block of a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula. The rhubarb-gardenia herb pair (RGHP), composed of rhubarb and gardenia, has meaningful clinical effects to cure cholestasis diseases. This study was designed to confirm the expected synergistic effects of RGHP at pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic levels.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into control, model and drug-treated groups. After intragastrically administrated with α-naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT) to induce cholestasis, rats were treated with rhubarb, gardenia or RGHP. For pharmacodynamic study, biochemical and histopathological tests were performed to assess the hepatoprotective effects. While for pharmacokinetic study, a LC-MS method was developed for determination of five main chemical markers, namely genipin, rhein, aloe emodin, emodin and chrysophanol in rat plasma.

RESULTS

The biochemical and histopathological tests suggested that RGHP exerted enhanced hepatoprotective effects against the ANIT-induced cholestasis compared with single herbs. The pharmacokinetic study indicated RGHP could significantly elevate systemic exposure level and prolong retention time of five markers in comparison with rhubarb or gardenia alone.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study demonstrated the synergistic effects of RGHP in ANIT-induced cholestatic rats at pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic levels, and has significant enlightenments for the rational use of the related TCM formulas containing RGHP.

UPLC-MS/MS determination and gender-related pharmacokinetic study of five active ingredients in rat plasma after oral administration of Eucommia cortex extract

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Eucommiae cortex (EC), the bark of Eucommia ulmoides Oliv., has been traditionally used to treat many diseases in China for more than 2000 years. The pharmacological effects are primarily attributed to the presence of lignans, iridoids and phenolics, which are main active ingredients in EC.

AIM OF THE STUDY

First, to investigate the active ingredients that can be absorbed into the rat plasma according to which ingredients exhibit significant correlation of drug concentration-time curve. Second, to establish an efficient ultra-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method for simultaneous determination of ingredients absorbed in rat plasma. Finally, to investigate gender effect on the pharmacokinetics of the ingredients absorbed in male and female rats plasma after oral administration with EC extract.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

18 ingredients from EC were detected by UPLC-MS/MS, 9 out of 18 ingredients were absorbed into rat plasma. And 5 ingredients exhibit significant correlation of drug concentration-time curve. They were pinoresinol di-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (PDG), geniposide (GE), geniposidic acid (GA), aucubin (AN) and chlorogenic acid (CA). The analytes were extracted from rat plasma via a simple protein precipitation procedure and osalmid was used as the internal standard. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a Waters ACQUITY HSS T3 column (2.1mm×100mm, 1.8μm) using a gradient elution program with acetonitrile and 0.1% formic acid water as the mobile phase, with a flow rate of 0.3mLmin(-1). The detection was performed on a triple-quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer by multiple reactions monitoring (MRM) mode in a positive ion mode via electrospray ionization (ESI). The transition monitored were /z 683.00[M+H](+)→235.10 for PDG, / z 389.00[M+H](+)→208.80 for GE, m/z 375.00[M+H](+)→194.79 for GA, m/z 364.00[M+NH4](+)→148.81 for AN, m/z 355.10[M+H](+)→162.84 for CA and m/z 230.03[M+H](+)→120.77 for internal standard.

RESULTS

The developed method showed good linearity over a wide concentration range, the lower limits of quantification and higher accuracy and precision for determination of the 5 analytes. Then the method was applied to study the pharmacokinetics in rats, and the results indicated that there were significant differences in pharmacokinetic parameters of the analytes between the male and female rats, and absorptions of these analytes in male group were all significantly higher than those in female group.

CONCLUSION

This study established an efficient, sensitive and selective UPLC-MS/MS method for simultaneous determination of the five ingredients in rat plasma, and it could be successfully applied to the comparative pharmacokinetic studies in male and female rats after oral administration with EC extract.

Influence of borneol and muscone on geniposide transport through MDCK and MDCK-MDR1 cells as blood-brain barrier in vitro model

The objective of this study was (1) to characterize geniposide transport through MDCK and MDCK-MDR1 cell lines to confirm its transport mechanism and (2) to evaluate the effect of borneol and muscone as enhancers of geniposide transport in the BBB models so as to explore the enhancement mechanism. Transport studies of geniposide were performed in both directions, from apical to basolateral and from basolateral to apical sides. Drug concentrations were analyzed by HPLC. Geniposide showed relatively poor absorption in MDCK and MDCK-MDR1 cells, apparent permeability coefficients ranging from 0.323×10(-6) to 0.422×10(-6) cm/s. The in vitro experiments showed that geniposide transport in both directions was not concentration dependent and saturable, indicating purely passive diffusion. The efflux ratio of geniposide was less than 2 in the two cell models, which suggested that geniposide was not P-gp substrates. Geniposide transport in both directions significantly increased when co-administrated with increasing concentrations of borneol and muscone. Actin staining results indicated that borneol and muscone increased geniposide transport in the BBB models may attribute to disassembly effect on tight junction integrity.