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Abstract: Ethnopharmacological relevance: Chinese traditional medicine Rhizoma drynariae (Gusuibu) is widely used for clinically treating osteoporosis and bone non-union. Naringin and its active metabolite naringenin are the main active ingredients of Rhizoma drynariae total flavonoids. Aim of the study: The purpose of this paper is to confirm estrogenic and anti-estrogenic activity of naringin and naringenin, and provide the basic data to further study for the dose–effect relationship and the mechanism for Rhizoma drynariae in treatment of osteoporosis and other estrogen deficiency-related diseases. Materials and methods: Naringin was extracted from Rhizoma drynariae. Naringin and its metabolin naringenin were tested estrogenic and anti-estrogenic activities through the experiment of cell proliferation and uterus weight gain in mice. Their estrogen-receptor binding abilities were tested by yeast two-hybrid experiment and nuclear receptor cofactor assays (RCAS) experiment, and their possible binding sites for ERβ were performed by computer aided molecular docking technology. Results: Naringin and naringenin showed significant effects on the proliferation of estrogen-sensitive ER(+) MCF-7 cells in the absence of estrogen. Induction increased proliferation as the drug concentration, and the strongest proliferation appeared at a concentration of 8.6×10−5 M. When estradiol (10−10 M) and the different concentrations of naringin or naringenin were treated at the same time, naringin and naringenin could result in antagonistic effects on estradiol-induced MCF-7 cell proliferation, but they did not significantly affect proliferation of estrogen-insensitive ER(−) MDA-MB-231 cells. Naringin and naringenin exhibited higher binding capacity to estrogen receptor β (ERβ) than estrogen receptor α (ERα) in yeast two-hybrid experiments and nuclear receptor cofactor assays (RCAS) experiment. Docking simulation between naringin/naringenin and ERβ were performed, and the corresponding binding free energies of naringin–receptor and naringenin–receptor docked complexes were −7.95 and −10.45kcal/mol. Hydrogen bonds were found between naringin and the amino acid residues Lys304 and His308. The oxygen atom (O11) of naringenin formed hydrogen bond to Arg346, and there may be hydrophobic space interactions between phenyl group (C13–C18) of naringenin and the amino acid residues Leu298, Met336, Met340, Phe356, Ile376 and Leu380. Conclusions: Naringin and naringenin revealed a double directional adjusting function of estrogenic and anti-estrogenic activities. Both of them showed estrogenic agonist activity at low concentration or lack of endogenous estrogen. On the other hand, they also acted as estrogenic antagonists at high concentrations or too much endogenous estrogen. They produced estrogenic and anti-estrogenic effects primarily through selectively binding with ERβ, which could prevent and treat osteoporosis with the mechanism of estrogenic receptor agitation. This paper confirmed the estrogenic and anti-estrogenic activity of naringin and naringenin, and further studies were still essential to study their dose–effect relationship and the anti-osteoporosis mechanism for Rhizoma drynariae in the treatment of osteoporosis and other estrogen deficiency-related diseases. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The fruits of Schisandra chinensis have been used for the treatment of insomnia in oriental countries for more than thousands of years. However, the pharmacological properties and the mechanism of sedative and hypnotic effects have not yet been studied. Gomisin N is one of the major bioactive constituents from the fruits of Schisandra chinensis, and in this paper we reported a detailed study on the effects and mechanisms of Gomisin N on its sedative and hypnotic activity for the first time. These results implied that Gomisin N possessed weak sedative effects on locomotion activity in normal mice, and produced a dose-dependent(5–45mg/kg, i.p.) increase in sleep duration in pentobarbital-treated mice, thus, itself did not induce sleep at higher dose which was used in this experiment (45mg/kg, i.p.). It also can reverse the rodent models of insomnia induced by p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA) and caffeine, which could exhibit a synergistic effect with 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) as well; furthermore, the hypnotic effects of Gomisin N were inhibited by flumazenil (a specific GABAA-BZD receptor antagonist). Altogether, these results indicated that Gomisin N produced beneficial sedative and hypnotic bioactivity, which might be mediated by the modification of the serotonergic and GABAergic system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Ethnopharmacological relevance: The lateral root of Aconitum has been popularly used in traditional Chinese medicine (TMC) known as Fuzi which is beneficial for the treatment of various diseases, such as rheumatism, painful joints, syncope and bronchial asthma. However, it has a potential carditoxicity with a relatively narrow margin of safety. Aim of the study: This paper was designed to explore the mechanisms of Fuzi's toxicity and find out potential tissue-specific biomarkers of toxic effects. Material and methods: A myocardial lipidomics based on ultraperformance lipid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC/Q-TOF MS) was developed to compare three cardiac lipid extraction methods and investigate the changes of lipids in mice heart of three different dosage groups. In addition, we concurrently inspected the biochemical parameters in plasma, observed the histology of the heart and recorded the electrocardiogram (ECG). Results: The cardiotoxicity of Fuzi was dose-dependent, and the high-dose group obviously manifested the heart damage in histology and a certain degree of arrhythmia. Significant changes of 14 lipid metabolites which primarily involved in phospholipid metabolism, sphingolipid metabolism, saturated fatty acid oxidation and unsaturated fatty acid peroxidation were identified and considered as the potential biomarkers of Fuzi toxicity. Conclusion: The lipidomics approach is helpful to search potential tissue-specific biomarkers and understand the underlying mechanisms of Fuzi toxicity on the heart. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Background: Paeonia lactiflora root (baishao in Chinese) is a commonly used herb in TCM. Research has shown baishao to have positive pharmacological actions, including, particularly, anti-inflammatory properties. In this paper we studied the influence of baishao extract on cAMP-phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity and related anti-inflammatory action to identify new pharmacologic action for its clinically widespread use. Methods: PDE activity was calculated by cAMP change examined with HPLC, respiratory burst of neutrophils was detected with method of cytochrome C reduction, elastase release was indicated with the substrate reduction, rat arthritis model was caused by complete Freund''s adjuvant, mouse capillary permeability model was made by acetic acid, and chemical constituents of baishao extract was identified by HPLC, mass spectroscopy and NMR spectrum. Results: Baishao extract had significant inhibition on cAMP-PDE activity (p <0.01), had dose dependent restraint on neutrophils respiratory burst (p <0.001), had inhibition at low concentration and promotion at high concentration on elastase release (p <0.05), and had obvious restraint on local inflammation of animal model (p <0.01). Analysis of HPLC, mass spectroscopy and NMR spectrum showed baishao extract mainly had five components (identified as gallic acid, paeoniflorin sulfonate, albiflorin, paeoniflorin and benzoic acid), among which gallic acid had the largest inhibition on cAMP-PDE activity. Conclusion: The anti-inflammatory effects of baishao may be mediated, at least in part, through its gallic acid content, and this effect may be regulated in part by an inhibition on cAMP-PDE. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Tripterygium Glycosides (TG) is effective in the treatment of patients with a variety of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, especially rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in clinical. Wilforlide A (T1) serves as a quality control standard of TG that be listed in Drug Standard of Ministry of Public Health of the People''s Republic of China. The pharmacologic actions of T1 remain to be unidentified. In this paper, we studied the anti-inflammatory and immune suppressive effect of T1, and compared it with Triptolide (TP), which believed to be the major active component of TG. Carrageenan-induced rat pedal swelling, tampon-induced rat granulation, and mice ear inhibition rate of swelling trail results show that high-dose T1 has obvious anti-inflammatory effect. Colorimetric detection contents of hemolysin, carbon elimination from plasma of mice, mice delayed hypersensitivity immune, and organ index were measured. The results show that T1 has no significant immune suppressive activity, and there has a significant difference with TP and TG. Therefore, we think the content of TP also should be controlled as a supplement standard in order to ensure safe and effective medication. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]