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Objective: To investigate the synergistic effect of Naoxintong Capsule (NXTC, 脑心通胶囊) and Guhong Injection (GHI, 谷红注射液) on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. Methods: Forty-eight Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 6 groups: control group, oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) group, nimodipine group (9.375 mg/kg), NXTC group (0.5 g/kg), GHI group (5 mL/kg) and NXTC+GHI group (0.5 g/kg NXTC+5 mL/kg GHI), after the onset of reperfusion and once per day for the following 7 days. Blood was collected 1 h after final administration, and the sera were collected. Cultured primary rat brain microvascular endothelial cells (rBMECs) were subjected to OGD to establish a cell injury model. Untreated rBMECs were used as blank control. The cell counting kit-8 assay was used to assess cell viability using the sera. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels were assessed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Apoptosis was evaluated after Hoechst33342 staining using fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. JC-1 staining was performed to assess changes in mitochondrial membrane potential. Results: Statistical analysis indicated that more than 95% of the cells were rBMECs. Compared with the OGD group, the cellular morphology of the all drug delivery groups improved. In particular, the combined drug group had the most significant effect. Compared with the OGD group, all drug intervention groups induced a decrease in the apoptotic rate of rBMECs, increased the SOD levels, and decreased the MDA levels (all P<0.01). Compared with the mono-therapy groups, the NXTC+GHI group exhibited a significant improvement in the number of apoptotic rBMECs (P<0.01). All drug intervention groups showed different degrees of increase in membrane potential, and the NXTC+GHI group was higher than the NXTC or GHI group (P<0.01). Conclusion: The combinationa application of NXTC and GHI on cerebral I/R injury clearly resulted in protective benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ischemic stroke (IS) is characterized by high morbidity and high mortality. The integration of Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and western medicine has shown promising benefits in relieving symptoms, promoting neurological recovery, and improving the quality of life of patients with IS. In TCM, Qi -deficiency along with blood-stasis (QDBS) syndrome is one of the common types of IS that is treated by invigorating Qi and activating blood circulation. In TCM theory, improving the corresponding degree of prescription–syndrome correlation (PSC) is helpful to improve clinical efficacy. In this study, we intend to use similar prescriptions that invigorate Qi and activate blood circulation: Buyang Huanwu granules (BHG), Naoxintong capsules (NXTC), and Yangyin Tongnao granules (YTG). The goal is to evaluate their level of PSC inpatients with IS with QDBS syndrome and find relevant biomarkers to provide an objective basis for precise treatment of TCM and improve the clinical therapeutic effects. A multicenter, randomized, double-blinded, and placebo-controlled intervention trial will be conducted in IS patients with QDBS syndrome, followed by an add-on of Chinese patent medicine. A total of 160 subjects will be randomly assigned to the BHG, NXTC, YTG, and placebo groups in a 1:2:1:1 allocation ratio. All subjects will undergo 28 days of treatment and then followed for another 180 days. The primary outcome is the changes in the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score after 28 days of medication. The secondary outcomes include the modified Rankin scale score, activity of daily living scale score, and TCM symptom score. Data will be analyzed in accordance with a predefined statistical analysis plan. Ethical approval of this trial has been granted by the Research Ethics Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (ID: 2017-Y-004-02). Written informed consent of patients will be required. This trial is registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR1800015189), and the results will be disseminated to the public through peer-reviewed journals and academic conferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yinhuapinggan granule (YHPG), a modified prescription based on Ma-Huang-Tang (MHT), is used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to treat influenza, cough, and viral pneumonia. In this study, we investigated the antiviral effects of YHPG by means of pre-, post-, and co-treatment, and its underlying mechanisms on regulating the levels of inflammatory-related cytokines, modulating the mRNA expressions of interferon-stimulated genes in influenza virus-infected murine macrophage cells (RAW264.7), and evaluating the protein expressions of key effectors in the Type I IFN and pattern recognition receptor (PRRs) signaling pathways. The results showed that YHPG markedly inhibited influenza virus (IFV) replication in pre-, post- and co-treatment assay, especially in post-treatment assay. Antiviral mechanisms studies revealed that YHPG (500 and 250 μg/mL) significantly up-regulated levels of IFN-β, IFN-stimulated genes (Mx-1, ISG-15 and ISG-56) compared with the IFV control group, while the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were significantly down-regulated. Furthermore, western blot analysis results revealed that the protein expressions of the phosphorylated forms of TBK1, IRF3, ERK1/2, P38 MAPK and NF-κB p65 were significantly down-regulated in RAW264.7 cells with the YHPG (500 and 250 μg/mL) treatment, while the expression of the phosphorylated form of STAT1 was significantly enhanced. Based on these results, YHPG had antiviral effects in IFV-infected RAW264.7 cells, which might be associated with regulation of the inflammatory cytokines production, evaluation of the levels of IFN-stimulated genes, and modulation of the protein expressions of key effectors in the Type I IFN and PRRs signaling pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new C21 steroids, 12β-O-acetyl-20-O-(2-methylbutyryl)-sarcostin and its 3-O-digitoxopyranoside (1-2) were isolated from the roots of Cynanchum otophyllum, together with three known steroids, namely deacetylmetaplexigenin (3), sarcostin (4), and kidjoranin 3-O-β-D-digitoxopyranoside (5). The structures of the new steroids were established by spectroscopic and chemical methods, especially two-dimensional NMR techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ethnopharmacological relevance: Danhong injection (DHI), a Chinese medical product extracted from Radix et Rhizoma Salviae Miltiorrhizae (Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge., Labiatae, Danshen in Chinese) and Flos Carthami (Carthamus tinctorius L., Compositae, Honghua in Chinese), has been reported to have anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative and anti-fibrinolytic properties and is used extensively for the clinical treatment of cardiovascular disease in clinic. This study aimed to investigate the preventive and therapeutic effects of DHI on hyperlipidemia. Materials and methods: Forty-eight adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: normal control (NC), model control (MC) and DHI-treated at doses of 1.0mL/kg and 2.0mL/kg. The effects of DHI on serum triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), glucose, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were evaluated and insulin was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Moreover, the expression of acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1), fatty acid synthase (FAS), carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1 (CPT1), hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGR) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPAR-α) in liver were determined by real-time PCR. Results: Compared with the MC group, rats treated with DHI had significantly reduced TG, TC, LDL-C and arteriosclerosis index (AI). Expression of FAS and HMGR mRNA was significantly reduced, whereas the CPT1 and PPAR-α were significantly increased. Conclusion: DHI treatment was accompanied by significantly increased lipolysis in the liver and decreased fatty acid synthesis. The insights gained from this study will improve both understanding of the mechanisms involved in the effect of DHI on hyperlipidemia and the pharmacological rationale for the use of DHI in diseases caused by lipid metabolic disorders. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Environmental and economic benefits are involved so that non-toxic and high-solubility ethanol is used as a solvent. • Extraction and pharmacology is simultaneously considered in optimization. • The local valleys and sharper ridge surfaces can be obtained by 3D BPNN predicted surfaces as compared with 3D RSM. Dried roots and rhizomes of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge. (Danshen in Chinese) are widely used in Chinese herbal medicine. These components from Danshen have significant anti-oxidation properties owing to high levels of tanshinone IIA (TIIA) and salvianolic acid B (Sal B). To make the best use of this natural resource, response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural network (ANN) were used for the modeling and optimization of ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) of TIIA and Sal B together to determine the antioxidant activity of the extracts obtained from Danshen. In this study, the Box-Behnken design (BBD) was used to improve extraction time (X 1), solvent-to-material ratio (X 2), extraction temperature (X 3), and ethanol concentration (X 4) for the optimal combination of the comprehensive yield of TIIA and Sal B (Y 1) and the antioxidant activity (Y 2). The optimal process parameters were determined to be as follows: extraction time, 73 min; solvent-to-material ratio, 11 mL/g; extraction temperature, 76℃; and ethanol concentration, 80 %. Using these conditions, the predictive optimal combination revealed a comprehensive evaluation value of 16.2281 and an antioxidant activity of 1.1453 mM FeSO 4 /5 g, while the experimental average values for these parameters were determined to be 16.1826 and 1.1415 mM FeSO 4 /5 g, respectively. It was clear that the ANN model had higher accuracy in predictive and optimization capabilities, with higher R2 and lower RMSE, MAE, and relative deviations values, than did RSM. Hence, the ANN model proved to be more effective for the analysis and improvement of the extraction process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]