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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an emergent infectious pneumonia caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which is highly contagious and pathogenic. COVID-19 has rapidly swept across the world since it was first discovered in December 2019 and has drawn significant attention worldwide. During the early stages of the outbreak in China, traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) were involved in the whole treatment process. As an indispensable part of TCM, Chinese patent medicines (CPMs) played an irreplaceable role in the prevention and treatment of this epidemic. Their use has achieved remarkable therapeutic efficacy during the period of medical observation and clinical treatment of mild, moderate, severe, and critical cases and during convalescence. In order to better propagate and make full use of the benefits of TCM in the treatment of COVID-19, this review will summarize the potential target of SARS-CoV-2 as well as the theoretical basis and clinical efficacy of recommended 22 CPMs by the National Health Commission and the Administration of TCM and local provinces or cities in the treatment of COVID-19. Additionally, the study will further analyze the drug composition, potential active ingredients, potential targets, regulated signaling pathways, and possible mechanisms for COVID-19 through anti-inflammatory and immunoregulation, antiviral, improve lung injury, antipyretic and organ protection to provide meaningful information about the clinical application of CPMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insulin resistance (IR) is considered as one of the principal pathways of type 2 diabetes mellitus pathogenesis and is associated with a series of abnormal signaling pathways. Tangzhiqing (TZQ) herbal formula is a well-known antidiabetic traditional Chinese medicine and has been used to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus and prediabetes for many years in China. We selected 13 natural products as representative compounds of the main active components in TZQ to investigate the interaction of these natural products with key signal proteins associated with IR using two different docking calculations. Salvianolic acids A and C (phenolic acids from Salvia miltiorrhiza), rutin (a flavonoid from Morus alba), paeoniflorin (a saponin from Paeonia lactiflora), and quercitrin (a flavonoid from Crataegus pinnatifida) showed great docking abilities towards multiple target proteins. These results have contributed to a clearer understanding regarding the regulation mechanism of TZQ on IR and have provided direction for further pharmacological studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Naoxintong capsule (NXT), a prescribed Chinese medicine, has been used clinically for more than 20 years and is widely received by patients. We determined five probe drugs, namely, omeprazole (CYP2C19), midazolam (CYP3A4), phenacetin (CYP1A2), tolbutamide (CYP2C9), and dextromethorphan (CYP2D6) to study the potential influences of NXT on the activities of CYP enzymes and assessed the pharmacokinetics effect of NXT on metoprolol tartrate in rat plasma. The study showed that AUC(0–24) and AUC(0–∞) of midazolam (CYP3A4) in NXT coadministration group (283.7 ± 65.2 h·ng·mL−1 and 292.0 ± 75.1 h·ng·mL−1 in group B; 295.7 ± 62.7 h·ng·mL−1 and 299.5 ± 60.0 h·ng·mL−1 in group C) were significantly decreased as compared to another group (416.8 ± 82.3 h·ng·mL−1 and 424.9 ± 77.9 h·ng·mL−1 in group A), while that of dextromethorphan (CYP2D6) showed an opposite tendency (540.7 ± 119.7 h·ng·mL−1 and 595.3 ± 122.2 h·ng·mL−1 in group A, 760.6 ± 184.9 h·ng·mL−1 and 788.7 ± 211.0 h·ng·mL−1 in group B, and 734.3 ± 118.5 h·ng·mL−1 and 757.2 ± 105.4 h·ng·mL−1 in group C). Moreover, NXT preadministration can enhance the metabolism of metoprolol tartrate and reduce the metabolism of O-demethylmetoprolol. The results indicated that NXT had potential effects in inducing CYP3A4 and inhibiting CYP2D6 in the metabolism of metoprolol tartrate. It suggests that patients who coadministered NXT and metoprolol tartrate should be advised of potential herb-drug interactions (HDIs) to reduce therapeutic failure or accelerated toxicity of conventional drug treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ardisia japonica is a well-known traditional Chinese medicinal herb used as a diuretic, for treating cough and for stopping uterine bleeding. A simple, sensitive, and reliable LC-MS/MS method was developed to determine six active compounds in rat plasma and this method was further applied to the pharmacokinetic study of these compounds after oral administration of Ardisia japonica extract. Acetonitrile was used to precipitate the protein in the plasma samples. Using acetonitrile and formic acid aqueous solution (0.05%) as the mobile phase, the separation of the six compounds and internal standards was achieved at a flow rate of 300μL min-1 on an Eclipse plus C18 column at an elution time of 16 min. A tandem mass spectrometer having an electrospray ionization (ESI) source was used in the detection of the analytes and internal standards using multiple reactions monitoring (MRM) in the negative ionization mode. The LLOQ was 2, 2, 4, 2, 1, and 0.4 ng mL-1 for gallic acid, bergenin, epicatechin, epicatechin gallate, isoquercitrin, and quercetin-3-rhamnoside, respectively. The validated method was applied to the pharmacokinetic study of gallic acid, bergenin, and quercetin-3-rhamnoside in rat plasma after oral administration of A. japonica extract to rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; traditional Chinese medicines; Chinese patent medicines; review EN COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 traditional Chinese medicines Chinese patent medicines review 1 1 1 10/29/21 20211025 NES 211025 Incorrect Affiliation In the published article, there was an error in affiliation "6". COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, traditional Chinese medicines, review, Chinese patent medicines Instead of "Shenzhen Hospital Futian of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China", it should be "Shenzhen Hospital Futian of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, China". [Extracted from the article]

The combination of Aconitum carmichaelii Debx (Chuanwu, CW) and Pinellia ternata (Thunb.) Breit (Banxia, BX) forms an herbal pair within the eighteen incompatible medicaments (EIM), indicating that BX and CW are incompatible. However, the scientific understanding of this incompatibility mechanism, especially the corresponding drug–drug interaction (DDI), remains complex and unclear. This study aims to explain the DDI and potential incompatibility mechanism between CW and BX based on pharmacokinetics and cocktail approach. Ultraperformance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry methods were established for pharmacokinetics and cocktail studies. To explore the DDI between BX and CW, in the pharmacokinetics study, 10 compounds were determined in rat plasma after administering CW and BX–CW herbal pair extracts. In the cocktail assay, the pharmacokinetic parameters of five probe substrates were utilized to assess the influence of BX on cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoenzyme (dapsone for CYP3A4, phenacetin for CYP1A2, dextromethorphan for CYP2D6, tolbutamide for CYP2C9, and omeprazole for CYP2C19). Finally, the DDI and incompatibility mechanism of CW and BX were integrated to explain the rationality of EIM theory. BX not only enhances the absorption of aconitine and benzoylaconine but also accelerates the metabolism of mesaconitine, benzoylmesaconine, songorine, and fuziline. Moreover, BX affects the activity of CYP enzymes, which regulate the metabolism of toxic compounds. BX altered the activity of CYP enzymes, consequently affecting the metabolism of toxic compounds from CW. This incompatibility mechanism may be related to the increased absorption of these toxic compounds in vivo. [Display omitted] • The effects of Banxia on the pharmacokinetics of Chuanwu were studied. • Banxia altered the activities of Cytochrome P450 enzymes. • The incompatibility mechanism of Chuanwu and Banxia was investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to find potential agents for treating cancer disease in naturally occurring compounds, we conducted a systematic phytochemical investigation on the endemic species of Garcinia nujiangensis. Three new biphenyl derivatives (1–3) and one new polycyclic polyprenylated benzophenone (4), together with four known benzophenone analogues (5 – 8), have been isolated from the CH 2 Cl 2 extract of the twigs and leaves of G. nujiangensis. Their structures were determined by detailed spectroscopic analyses and comparison with structurally related known analogues. Experimental and calculated ECD method was used to determine the absolute configuration of 1 and 4. Moreover, compounds 5 – 7 were isolated for the first time from this species. The cytotoxicities of the new compounds were evaluated using HL-60, HepG2, and A549 human cancer cell lines. Compound 4 showed more significant antiproliferative effects against HepG2 cells with an IC 50 value of 11.38 ± 0.79 μM than that of three biphenyl derivatives. The morphological features of apoptosis were evaluated in 4 -treated HepG2 cells. Compound 4 effectively prevented the cell cycle progression of HepG2 cells in G 2 phase. Additionally, western blot analysis indicated that treatment of 4 on HepG2 cells led to decreased expression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 and pro-Caspase-3, and increased protein expression of both pro-apoptotic Bax and cleaved PARP with reference to β -actin. Overall, our results suggested that the active polycyclic polyprenylated benzophenone derivatives in the twigs and leaves of G. nujiangensis can be used as a valuable source of bioactive compounds for the pharmaceutical industry. [Display omitted] • Three new biphenyl derivatives and one new benzophenone were isolated from the twigs and leaves of G. nujiangensis. • Experimental and calculated ECD method was used to determine the absolute configuration of 1 and 4. • 4 showed more significant antiproliferative effects against HepG2 cells with an IC 50 value of 11.38 ± 0.79 μM. • 4 effectively prevented the cell cycle progression of HepG2 cells in G 2 phase. • Western blot analysis showed that 4 mediated apoptosis of HepG2 cells by both extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coptis chinensis Franch (CCF), also known as Huang Lian in China, is a traditional Chinese medicine that commonly used for more than 2000 years. Clinically, CCF often used as anti-inflammatory, immune regulation and other effects. It has been reported that the decoction containing CCF can be used for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Aim of the study : This research aims to investigate the effect of CCF on inhibition of BPH development in vivo and in vitro , and further identify the active compound (s) and the possible mechanism involved in BPH-related bladder dysfunction. Oestrodial/testosterone-induced BPH rat model was established as the in vivo model. The prostate index (PI) was calculated, the pathogenesis was analyzed and the micturition parameters were determined in the shamed-operated, BPH model and BPH + CCF groups after 4-week administration. The tension in detrusor strips was then assessed upon KCl or ACh stimulation with or without incubation of CCF or active compounds. To further investigate the signaling involved, rat detrusor cells were cultured as the in vitro models, the instantaneous calcium influx was measured and the ROCK-1 expression was detected. Increased PI value and the aggravated prostatic pathology were observed with voiding dysfunction in BPH rats, which were significantly blocked by oral CCF taken. ACh or KCl-induced contractile responses in detrusor strips were significantly inhibited and the micturition parameters were improved when incubation with CCF or its active compounds such as berberine. Both CCF and berberine suppressed the cellular calcium influx and ROCK-1 expression upon ACh stimulation, demonstrating that berberine was one of the active compounds that contributed to CCF-improved micturition symptoms and function. Taken together, our findings give evidence that CCF and its active compound berberine inhibited BPH and bladder dysfunction via Ca2+ and ROCK signaling, supporting their clinical use for BPH and BPH-related LUTS treatment. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]