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Ethnopharmacological relevance Puerariae Lobatae Radix (PLR) and Puerariae Thomsonii Radix (PTR) are traditional Chinese medicines used for the treatment of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. These two herbs are used interchangeably in clinical practice, even though they possess significantly different chemical profiles. In the case of Pueraria species, the misidentification is related to the multiple Chinese common names in clinical practice and variable pharmaceutical Latin names in different versions of the Pharmacopoeia of the People׳s Republic of China. In addition, there is lack of evidence demonstrating how the differences in the chemical profile would impact on the pharmacological activity of the two herbs. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the microscopic, phytochemical profiles and anti-diabetic activity of PLR and PTR so that the two species can be differentiated. Materials and methods The microscopic characteristics of the PLR and PTR were observed and measured by an optical microscope. The major compounds were quantified by ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) colorimetric assay. The free radical scavenging capacity was assessed by 2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) antioxidant assays. Anti-diabetic activity was determined by the inhibition of porcine pancreatic α-amylase and rat intestinal α-glucosidase activities. Results Microscopic results illustrated that the size of xylem vessels (PLR: 0.1390±0.0184 mm; PTR: 0.0471±0.0109 mm), number of fibre per bundle (PLR: 32.6800±2.8780; PTR: 16.5900±0.9982) and the size of fibre (PLR: 0.0075±0.0003 mm 2 ; PTR: 0.0025±0.0002 mm 2 ) in PLR were significantly greater than that in PTR ( p <0.01). PLR possessed a significantly lower total starch content (PLR: 0.5288±1.2559 mg starch/g DM; PTR: 76.7954±2.9905 mg starch/g DM) and total dietary fibre content (PLR: 4.2886±0.3466 g/100 g DM; PTR: 12.4148±0.4541 g/100 g DM) as compared to PTR. Isoflavonoids including puerarin, daidzin, genistin and daidzein were the major chemical constituents in both species. However, the average content of puerarin in PLR was found to be eleven times greater than that in PTR. Furthermore, the TFC, DPPH free radical scavenging capacity, anti-α-amylase and anti-α-glucosidase in the PLR extracts were 4.42, 4.91, 3.10 and 4.22 times greater than in the PTR extracts. Conclusions This study provides a comprehensive investigation on the two medicinal valuable Pueraria species and allows differences to be ascertained. This information can be used to update monographs which will help practitioners and dispensers differentiate the herbs. Further study on the interchangeable use of PLR and PTR in clinical practice is urgently warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ethnophamacological relevance: Valeriana amurensis, a perennial medicinal herb, has been widely used as anxiolytic, antidepressant, antispasmodic, and sedative in traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs). Moreover, it has been used to treat dementia in Mongolia preparations. In our previous study, we reported that AD-effective fraction of Valeriana amurensis (AD-EFV) has protective effect on Aβ-induced toxicity in PC12 cells. Up to now, however, the therapeutic effect of Valeriana amurensis on Alzheimer disease (AD) has not been explored. This study was designed to determine whether the AD-EFV could improve the Amyloid-beta (Aβ)-induced cognitive deficit and to explore the mechanism of AD-EFV improves cognitive deficit in intact animals. Materials and methods: The constituents of AD-EFV were isolated with silica gel, octadecyl silica gel (ODS) column chromatography (CC) and preparative HPLC. The structures of compounds were determined by detailed NMR and ESI–MS data analyses. AD mice model was established by injecting Aβ1-42 (1μL, 200μmol) into the bilateral ventricle. Cognitive performance was evaluated by the Morris water maze (MWM) test. The level of cerebral acetylcholine (ACh), the activities of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) were investigated using Enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) kits. Brain sections were processed and neuronal apoptosis in hippocampus were evaluated by Hematoxylin and Eosin (HE), Nissl, and Tunel stainings. The analyses of p-ERK/ERK and Bcl-2/Bax protein expression by western blot assay were used to explore the anti-neuronal apoptosis mechanism of AD-EFV. Results: Seventeen compounds (15 lignans and two iridoids) were isolated from AD-EFV. A significant improvement in cognitive function was observed in administrated AD-EFV AD model mice. AD-EFV increased the ACh level by enhancing the ChAT activity but has no effect on AChE activity in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus in mice. Moreover, the histological injury in hippocampus CA1 induced by Aβ1-42 was inhibited following administration of the AD-EFV. As well as the expression ratios of Bcl-2 to Bax and p-ERK to ERK were increased significantly in the mice which were administrated AD-EFV. Conclusion: These findings suggest that AD-EFV could ameliorate Aβ induced cognitive dysfunction through two underlying mechanisms: AD-EFV enhances the cerebral cholinergic function by increasing the secretion of ACh and enhancing the ChAT activity, and AD-EFV protects the brain neurons from Aβ induced apoptosis via activating the p-ERK and Bcl-2 signaling and suppressing the Bax pathways. Besides, the main constituents of AD-EFV are lignans which might be responsible for the AD-activity of Valeriana amurensis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Ethnopharmacological relevance: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by the sustained higher nervous disorders of the activities and functions of the brain. Due to its heavy burden on society and the patients' families, it is urgent to review the treatments for AD to provide basic data for further research and new drug development. Among these treatments, Chinese Material Medica (CMM) has been traditionally clinical used in China to treat AD for a long time with obvious efficacy. With the further research reports of CMM, new therapeutic materials may be recovered from troves of CMM. However, So far, little or no review work has been reported to conclude anti-AD drugs from CMM in literature. Therefore, a systematic introduction of CMM anti-AD research progress is of great importance and necessity. This paper strives to systematically describe the progress of CMM in the treatment of AD, and lays a basis data for anti-AD drug development from CMM, and provides the essential theoretical support for the further development and utilization of CMM resources through a more comprehensive research of the variety of databases regarding CMM anti-AD effects reports. Material and methods: Literature survey was performed via electronic search (SciFinder®, Pubmed®, Google Scholar and Web of Science) on papers and patents and by systematic research in ethnopharmacological literature at various university libraries. Results: This review mainly introduces the current research on the Chinese Material Medica (CMM) theoretical research on Alzheimer's disease (AD), anti-AD active constituent of CMM, anti-AD effects on AD models, anti-AD mechanism of CMM, and anti-AD effect of CMM formula. Conclusion: Scholars around the world have made studies on the anti-AD molecular mechanism of CMM from different pathways, and have made substantial progress. The progress not only enriched the anti-AD theory of CMM, but also provided clinical practical significance and development prospects in using CMM to treat AD. Western pure drugs cannot replace the advantages of CMM in the anti-AD aspect. Therefore, in the near future, the development of CMM anti-AD drugs with a more clearly role and practical data will be a major trend in the field of AD drug development, and it will promote the use of CMM. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Ethnopharmacological relevance: While there is an increasing number of toxicity report cases and toxicological studies on Chinese herbal medicines, the guidelines for toxicity evaluation and scheduling of Chinese herbal medicines are lacking. Aim: The aim of this study was to review the current literature on potentially toxic Chinese herbal medicines, and to develop a scheduling platform which will inform an evidence-based regulatory framework for these medicines in the community. Materials and methods: The Australian and Chinese regulations were used as a starting point to compile a list of potentially toxic herbs. Systematic literature searches of botanical and pharmaceutical Latin name, English and Chinese names and suspected toxic chemicals were conducted on Medline, PubMed and Chinese CNKI databases. Results: Seventy-four Chinese herbal medicines were identified and five of them were selected for detailed study. Preclinical and clinical data were summarised at six levels. Based on the evaluation criteria, which included risk–benefit analysis, severity of toxic effects and clinical and preclinical data, four regulatory classes were proposed: Prohibited for medicinal usage, which are those with high toxicity and can lead to injury or death, e.g., aristolochia; Restricted for medicinal usage, e.g., aconite, asarum, and ephedra; Required warning label, e.g., coltsfoot; and Over-the-counter herbs for those herbs with a safe toxicity profile. Conclusion: Chinese herbal medicines should be scheduled based on a set of evaluation criteria, to ensure their safe use and to satisfy the need for access to the herbs. The current Chinese and Australian regulation of Chinese herbal medicines should be updated to restrict the access of some potentially toxic herbs to Chinese medicine practitioners who are qualified through registration. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Ethnopharmacological relevance: Though inflammatory response is beneficial to body damage repair, if it is out of control, it can produce adverse effects on the body. Although purely western anti-inflammatory drugs, orthodox medicines, can control inflammation occurrence and development, it is not enough. The clinical efficacy of anti-inflammation therapies is unsatisfactory, thus the search for new anti-inflammation continues. Chinese Material Medica (CMM) remains a promising source of new therapeutic agents. CMM and herbal formulae from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), unorthodox medicines, play an improtant anti-inflammatory role in multi-targets, multi-levels, and multi-ways in treating inflammation diseases in a long history in China, based on their multi-active ingredient characteristics. Due to these reasons, recently, CMM has been commercialized as an anti-inflammation agent which has become increasingly popular in the world health drug markets. Major research contributions in ethnopharmacology have generated vast amount of data associated with CMM in anti-inflammtion aspect. Therefore, a systematic introduction of CMM anti-inflammatory research progress is of great importance and necessity. Aim of the study: This paper strives to describe the progress of CMM in the treatment of inflammatory diseases from different aspects, and provide the essential theoretical support and scientific evidence for the further development and utilization of CMM resources as a potential anti-inflammation drug through a variety of databases. Material and methods: Literature survey was performed via electronic search (SciFinder®, Pubmed®, Google Scholar and Web of Science) on papers and patents and by systematic research in ethnopharmacological literature at various university libraries. Results: This review mainly introduced the current research on the anti-inflammatory active ingredient, anti-inflammatory effects of CMM, their mechanism, anti-inflammatory drug development of CMM, and toxicological information. Conclusion: CMM is used clinically to treat inflammation symptoms in TCM, and its effect is mediated by multiple targets through multiple active ingredients. Although scholars around the world have made studies on the anti-inflammatory studies of CMM from different pathways and aspects and have made substantial progress, further studies are warranted to delineate the inflammation actions in more cogency models, establish the toxicological profiles and quality standards, assess the potentials of CMM in clinical applications, and make more convenient preparations easy to administrate for patients. Development of the clinically anti-inflammatory drugs are also warranted. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]