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In this paper, tanshinone-ⅡA (Tan-IIA)/β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) inclusion complexes were prepared by saturated aqueous solution method. Based on the single factor experiment, Box-Benhnken design and response surface method were utilized to optimize the preparation procedures of tanshinone-ⅡA/β-cyclodextrin inclusion complexes. The ratio of β-CD to Tan-ⅡA, experimental temperature and time were defined as independent variables, while the yield of the inclusion complexes, encapsulation efficiency and the generalized "normalized value" were set as the response value. In addition, the inclusion complexes were characterized by infrared spectroscopy (IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The results showed that optimum preparation conditions for Tan-ⅡA/β-CD inclusion complex were as follows: Tan-ⅡA/β-CD ratio of 1:7, the temperature of 48 ℃ and the time of 3 h. Under the optimized conditions, the encapsulation efficiency of Tan-ⅡA/β-CD inclusion complex was 84.75%. The Tan-IIA and β-CD inclusion complex can significantly improve the dissolution of Tan-ⅡA., Competing Interests: The authors of this article and the planning committee members and staff have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose., (Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.)

In order to isolate and purify the reference compounds and improve the quality standard of ethnic medicine of Radix of Cynanchum otophyllum, the ethanol extracts were isolated by column chromatography onsilica gel, C₁₈ reverse-phase silica gel, and semi-preparative HPLC. Twelve compounds were isolated and their structures were elucidated as 2,4-dihydroxy-6-methoxyphenylethanone(1), 4,6-dihydroxy-2-methoxyphenylethanone(2), p-hydroxyacetophenone(3), baishouwubenzophenone(4), 2,4-dihydroxyacetophenone(5), 2,5-dihydroxyacetophenone(6), otophylloside A(7),otophylloside B(8), caudatin-3-O-β-D-cymaropyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-digitoxopyranoside(9),caudatin-3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-oleandropyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-cymaropyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-digitoxopyranoside(10),qingyangshengenin-3-O-β-D-oleandropyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-cymaropyranoside(11),caudatin-3-O-β-D-oleandropyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-cymaropyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-cymaropyranoside(12) on the basis of spectral analysis. Compounds 1 and 2 were isolated from the genus Cynanchum for the first time, and compounds 3-4, 9-12 were obtained from this plant for the first time.These compounds are main active components of Radix of C.otophyllum and can be used as reference substances for the quality control of this ethnic medicine., Competing Interests: The authors of this article and the planning committee members and staff have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose., (Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.)

Arundo donax linn, as a perennial energy crop, has promising application prospect. In the present study, Fourier transform Raman (FT Raman) spectroscopy was applied to determine the structural information of materials, milled wood lignin (MWL), and alkaline lignins (AL, under different treated time) from A. donax stem nondestructively. The results indicated that, extractable compounds in A. donax had negative contribution to the Raman spectra without rising new Raman peaks. FT Raman spectrum of MWL indicated that MWL from A. donax was HGS type lignins. Compared with the spectra of MWL from wood materials, the peak at 1173 cm(-1) was much higher in intensity for the MWL from A. donax stem, which may be assigned to hydroxycinnamic acid by analyzing the standard. With respect to FT Raman spectra of ALs, the relatively highest intensity of 1173 cm(-1) was found in alkaline lignin (AL2), which was treated for 40 min by alkaline. Moreover, the peak of coniferaldehyde/sinapaldehyde (1630 cm(-1)) was lowest in intensity while the band attributed to coniferyl alcohol/sinapyl alcohol (1660 cm(-1)) was almost disappeared in AL2. It could be inferred that AL2 demonstrated a highest content of phenolic acid, which may improve its potential application, such as for antioxidant activity. Furthermore, the results obtained by FT Raman spectra were verified by two dimensional heteronuclear singlequantum coherence nuclear magnetic resonance analyses. Above all, FT Raman spectroscopy provided alternative safe, rapid, accurate, and nondestructive technology for lignin structure determination.

Objective: To investigate the chemical compounds from the ethanol extract with inhibitory effects against aldose reductase from Thunbergia., Method: Guided by anti-aldose reductase assay, compounds from the bioactive fraction (ethyl acetate extract) were separated and purified by various chromatographic methods including silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, and reversed-phase HPLC. Their structures were indentified based on analysis of the spectroscopic data including 1D and 2D NMR data., Result: Eight compounds were obtained and identified as 8-hydroxy-8-methyl-9-methene-cyclopentane [7,11] -1,4, 6-trihydroxy-tetrahydronaphthalene-12-one, named as thunbergia A (1), 3,4-dihydro-4,5,8-trihydroxy-2-(3-methyl-2-butenyl) naphtha[2,3-b] oxiren-1(2H)-one (2), 8-(beta-gluco pyranosyloxy)-3,4-dihydro-2-(3-methyl-2-butenyl)naphtha [2,3-b] oxiren-1(2H)-one (3), galangin (4), quercetin (5), luteolin (6), 5,6,3',4'-tetrahydroxy -3,7-dimethoxy-flavone (7) and upeol (8)., Conclusion: Thunbergia A was a new derivative of tetrahydronaphthalene, and compounds 2 and 3 were separated from the genus Thunbergia for the first time.

Objective: To study effective active constituents of Cayratia japonica,a genuine herbal medicine from Fujian., Method: Such chromatographic methods as Macroporous, Sephadex LH-20, ODS and normal phase silica gel column chromatography were adopted to separate the chemical components of C. japonica., Result: Thirteen compounds were obtained, and their structures were identified by analyzing multiple spectral data as luteolin(1), apigenin(2), triethyl citrate-(3), 3-formylindole(4), esculetin(5), bis(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate(6), calendin(7), ethyl-trans-3,4-dihydr-oxycinnamate(8), luteolin7-O-D-glucoside(9),5-hydroxy-3,4-dimethyl-5-pentyl-2(5H-furanone(10),ethyl-3,4-dihydroxybenzoate(11), eriodictyol(12) and daucosterol(13)., Conclusion: Among them, compounds 3-8 and 10-12 were separated from the plant for the first time.

Objective: To study the flavonoids of Erigeron canadensis., Method: The constituents of EtOH extraction from the whole plant of E. canadensis were isolated and purified by repeated column chromatography. These compounds were identified by their physical and spectral data., Result: Twelve flavonoids were isolated and identified as quercetin-7-O-beta-D-galactopyranoside(1),quercetin(2), luteolin(3), apigenin(4),5,7,4'-trihydroxy-3'-methoxy flavone(5), quercetin-3-alpha-rhamnopyranoside(6), quercetin-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside(7), apigenin-7-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside(8), luteolin-7-O-beta-D-glucuronide methyl ester(9),4'-hydroxy baicalein-7-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside(10),baicalein(11),rutin(12)., Conclusion: Compound 1 was isolated from the Compositae family for the first time. Compound 5 and 9 were firstly isolated from the genus Erigeron. Compound 3,4,7,8 and 11 were isolated from E. canadensis for the first time.

Objective: To study the secondary metabolites from the marine sponge Phakellia fusca epiphytic fungi., Methods: The compounds were isolated by column chromatography over silica gel and purified by Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography and preparative TLC. The structures were elucidated by means of physiochemical properties and spectroscopic analyses., Results: Four compounds were separated and identified as: cyclo-(L-Val-L-Pro) (1), cyclo-(L-Phe-L-Pro) (2), cyclo-(L-Tyr-L-Pro) (3), cyclo-(3-hydroxy-4-methyldecanoyl-Gly-L-Val-D-Leu-L-Ala-L-Phe) (4)., Conclusion: Compounds 1-4 are obtained from the marine sponge Phakellia fusca epiphytic fungi for the first time.

Objective: To study the rubrofusarin glucosides from whole plants of Berchemia polyphylla var. leioclada, and their scavenging activities for 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical., Method: The chemical constituents were isolated and purified via repeated silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography. Their structures were elucidated by spectral analysis and the compounds were tested for their scavenging activities on DPPH radical., Result: Three rubrofusarin glucosides compounds were isolated and identified as rubrofusarin-6-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (1), rubrofusarin-6-O-beta-D-(6'-O-acetyl) glucopyranoside (2), rubrofusarin-6-O-alpha-L-rhamnosyl-(1-6) -O-beta-D-glucopyranside (3). Three isolated compounds showed strong scavenging activities on DPPH radical, the concentration of half elimination ratio( micromol x L(-1)) of VitC and Compounds 1-3 were 18.2, 40.5, 23.3 and 13.6, respectively., Conclusion: Compounds 1-3 were isolated from this plant for the first time and compound 2 was a new compound. They showed significant antioxidant activity, and the scavenging activity of compound 3 was a little stronger than that of VitC.

Objective: To study the chemical constituents of the leaves of Aquilaria sinensis., Method: The compounds were isolated and purified by the methods of solvent extraction and chromatographic technique, and their structures were identified on the basis of the analyses of spectral data., Result: Eleven compounds were obtained and identified as beta-sitosterol (1), hexacosanic acid (2), cryptotanshinone (3), 2alpha-hydroxyursane (4), dihydrotanshinone I (5), tanshinone I (6), tanshinone II(A) (7), 2alpha-hydroxyursolic acid (8), p-hydroxybenzoic acid (9), hydroquinone (10), and daucosterol (11), respectively., Conclusion: All compounds except for compound 9 were isolated from the leaves of A. sinensis for the first time.

Objective: To study on the chemical constituents of Solanum torvum., Method: The aerial parts of S. torvum swartz were extracted with 95% alcohol and the constituents were isolated and purified by chromatographic silica gel and Sephadex LH-20. Their structures were determined by NMR and MS spectral analysis., Result: Six triterpenes were isolated and identified as 3beta-acetyloleanolic acid (1), 3-O-acetyl-11alpha, 12alpha-epoxy-oleanan-28, 13beta-olide (2), oleanolic acid (3), ursolic acid (4), 2alpha-hydroxy-oleanolic acid (5), 2alpha, 3beta-dihydroxyursolic acid (6)., Conclusion: All compounds were obtained from this plant for the first time.

Objective: To investigate the chemical constituents of Heteroplexis nicocephala., Method: The constituents were isolated by using a combination of various chromatographic techniques including column chromatography over silica gel, Pharmadex LH-20, and C-18, as well as reversed-phase HPLC. Structures of the isolates were identified by spectroscopic data analysis. In vitro cytotoxic, neuroprotective, and anti-inflammatory activities were screened by using cell-based models., Result: Seventeen terpenoids were isolated. The structures were identified as two monoterpenoids: (-)-bomyl ferulate(1) and loliolide(2). Seven sesquiterpenoids: 1beta-hydroxy-alpha-cyperone(3) , alpha-rotunol(4), 10alpha-hydroxycadin-4-en-15-al (5), 1-epi-10beta-hydroxycadin-4-en-15-al(6), 10alpha-hydroxyisodauc-3-en-15-al(7), germacrene B(8), and mandassidione(9). Five diterpenoids: 12-epi-bacchotricuneatin A(10), 1-hydroxy-12-epi-bacchotricuneatin A(11), cleroinermin(12), desoxyarticulin(13), and anhydroolearin(14). And three triterpenoids: friedelin (15), ursolic acid(16), and obtusalin(17). In the in vitro assays, 1 showed selective cytotoxic activity against BGC-823, with an IC50 value of 8.00 x 10(-5) mol x L(-1). At a concentration of 1 x 10(-5) mol x L(-1), 12 showed neuroprotective activity against MPP+ induced PC12-syn cell damage, with a relative cell proliferation rate of 104.32% (P < 0.001). 2 exhibited inhibitory activity against the release of beta-glucuronidase from the polymorphous nuclear leukocytes induced by PAF, with an inhibitory rate of 52.7% (P < 0.05) at the same concentration., Conclusion: Compounds 1-17 were obtained from the genus Heteroplexis for the first time. 1 showed selective cytotoxic activity against human gastric cancer cell lines (BGC-823), 12 and 2 showed potent neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory activities, respectively.

Objective: To isolate and identify chemical constituents of Uvaria tonkinensis var. subglabra., Method: The column chromatographic techniques were applied to isolate constituents, and their structures were elucidated by means of spectral data analysis including 1D and 2D NMR, IR and MS techniques., Result: Seven compounds were isolated and identified as subglain C (1), beta-senepoxide (2) , 2, 4-dioxohexahydro-1, 3-diazepin (3), kaempferol-3, 7-di-O-alpha-L-rhamnoside (4), anolobine (5), (-)-lyoniresinol (6) and schizandriside (7)., Conclusion: Compound 1 was the new natural product; compounds 2-7 were isolated for the first time from U. tonkinensis var. subglabra.

Objective: To study the chemical constituents in Huangjuhua (flowers of Chrysanthemum morifolium)., Method: The chemical constituents were isolated by various column chromatographic methods and structurally elucidated by NMR and MS evidences., Result: Eleven compounds were obtained and identified as luteolin (1), quercetin (2), acacetin 7-O-beta-D-(3"-acetyl) -glucopyranoside (3), luteolin 7-O-beta-D-(6"-acetyl)-glucopyranoside (4), hesperetin 7-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (5), acacetin 7-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (6), diosmetin 7-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (7), apigenin 7-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (8), hesperidin (9), linarin (10), and luteolin 7-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (11)., Conclusion: Compounds 4, 5 were isolated from the plant for the first time.

Objective: To determine the changes of the plasma metabolic phenotype in rats with chronic restraint stress (rats with syndrome of liver qi stagnation and spleen deficiency), so as to reveal the biological features of the syndrome of liver qi stagnation and spleen deficiency, and to examine potential application of metabonomic analysis in studies of syndromes in traditional Chinese medicine., Methods: Twenty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: group A, 7 d normal control group; group B, 21 d normal control group; group C, 7 d stress group; and group D, 21 d stress group, with 6 rats in each group. Chronic restraint was used to induce stress in rats. Blood was collected from the cardio-ventricle under anesthesia on the 8th (groups A and C) or 22nd day (groups B and D) and detected by using the Fourier variable superconducting nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer (Varian UnityInova 600 M). Free induction decay signals were transferred into one-dimensional NMR spectrogram via 32 k Fourier transformation. Segmental integral calculus (0.04 ppm per segment) was performed from 4.5-0.5 ppm (Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill, CPMG) or 6.0-0 ppm (longitudinal eddy-delay, LED) as defaulted 1H spectra values by using the VNMR software. Data were saved as text or excel files after normalization and then used for pattern recognition analyses. All the data were analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA) using the SIMCA-P 10.0 software (Umetrics AB, Umea, Sweden)., Results: The PCA analysis of rat plasma (1)H NMR spectra revealed different metabolic spectra between stress and control groups, which were consistent with alterations of in vivo metabolisms in rats under stress stimuli. Compared with the normal control group, rats with repeated stress displayed significant changes in spectral peak shapes of acetate, lactate, tyrosine, low-density lipoprotein, and unknown compounds (3.44 ppm). These altered metabolites can be used as biomarkers of syndrome of liver qi stagnation and spleen deficiency for further studies., Conclusion: The (1)H NMR spectra of metabolites in the rat blood are differentially changed after chronic stress. Specific, characteristic metabolic products can be identified by analyses of metabonomics, which lead to interpretation of biological feature of Chinese medicine syndromes. Therefore, metabonomic analysis is an approach with good development prospects to studies of TCM syndromes.

The existing of intermediate in the process of protein unfolding is necessary for studying the kinetic folding and unfolding pathway of protein. With trypsin as a model protein, the conformational changes of trypsin in the presence of different GuHCl concentrations were investigated by using fluorescence spectra (FR), and compared with the activity recovery of denatured trypsin. It was found that the maximum wavelength of FR of trypsin increases with the concentration of GuHCl increasing, and the maximum wavelength of FR of trypsin reaches the maximum when the concentration of GuHCl is 2 mol x L(-1), and then, the maximum wavelength of FR of trypsin decreases with the concentration of GuHCl increasing. There exists a intermediate state in the presence of low concentration of GuHCl. The conformation of the intermediate is different from the native and unfolding states. The maximum wavelength of FR of the intermediate is the maximum, and fluorescence intensity is the highest, while the bioactivity recovery is the lowest. The reasons for these were studied with the knowledge of the molecular structure.

Coordination bonding driving supramolecular self-assembly of Zn(TPP) with Fe(p-ImEPTPP)Cl was investigated by fluorescence spectra and 1H NMR. The results indicate that an obvious fluorescence quenching observed from Zn(TPP) by addition of Fe (p-ImEPTPP)Cl is due to the coordination of the terminal imidazolyl group of Fe(p-ImEQTPP)Cl to Zn2+ of Zn(TPP). The change of fluorescence spectra of Zn(TPP)/Fe(p-ImEPTPP)Cl system by adding some Lewis bases, such as piperidine, imidazole and pyridine, as well as 1H NMR further supported this coordination.