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Ionizing radiation (IR)‐induced intestinal injury is usually accompanied by high lethality. Intestinal stem cells (ISCs) are critical and responsible for the regeneration of the damaged intestine. Astragalus polysaccharide (APS), one of the main active ingredients of Astragalus membranaceus (AM), has a variety of biological functions. This study was aimed to investigate the potential effects of APS on IR‐induced intestine injury via promoting the regeneration of ISCs. We have established models of IR‐induced intestinal injury and our results showed that APS played great radioprotective effects on the intestine. APS improved the survival rate of irradiated mice, reversed the radiation damage of intestinal tissue, increased the survival rate of intestinal crypts, the number of ISCs and the expression of intestinal tight junction‐related proteins after IR. Moreover, APS promoted the cell viability while inhibited the apoptosis of MODE‐K. Through organoid experiments, we found that APS promoted the regeneration of ISCs. Remarkably, the results of network pharmacology, RNA sequencing and RT‐PCR assays showed that APS significantly upregulated the HIF‐1 signalling pathway, and HIF‐1 inhibitor destroyed the radioprotection of APS. Our findings suggested that APS promotes the regeneration of ISCs through HIF‐1 signalling pathway, and it may be an effective radioprotective agent for IR‐induced intestinal injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryptotanshinone (CPT), a major biological active ingredient extracted from root of Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen), has shown several pharmacological activities. However, the effect of CPT on radiation‐induced lung fibrosis (RILF) is unknown. In this study, we explored the protective effects of CPT on RILF from gut‐lung axis angle, specifically focusing on the bile acid (BA)‐gut microbiota axis. We found that CPT could inhibit the process of epithelial mesenchymal transformation (EMT) and suppress inflammation to reduce the deposition of extracellular matrix in lung fibrosis in mice induced by radiation. In addition, 16S rDNA gene sequencing and BAs‐targeted metabolomics analysis demonstrated that CPT could improve the dysbiosis of gut microbiota and BA metabolites in RILF mice. CPT significantly enriched the proportion of the beneficial genera Enterorhabdus and Akkermansia, and depleted that of Erysipelatoclostridium, which were correlated with increased intestinal levels of several farnesoid X receptor (FXR) natural agonists, such as deoxycholic acid and lithocholic acid, activating the FXR pathway. Taken together, these results suggested that CPT can regulate radiation‐induced disruption of gut microbiota and BAs metabolism of mice, and reduce the radiation‐induced lung inflammation and fibrosis. Thus, CPT may be a promising drug candidate for treating RILF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cistanche tubulosa (CT), a well‐known traditional Chinese medicine, has always been processed with rice wine for the treatment of kidney‐yang deficiency syndrome (KYDS) since time immemorial. To explore the effect of processing on the efficacy and metabolites of CT in vivo, a comprehensive method using ultra‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry was established for the analysis of the altered endogenous metabolites in response to the intervention of the raw and processed CT in KYDS model and the metabolites of the absorbed compounds in rats after gastric perfusion. It was shown that CT could improve KYDS, and the effect of the processed product was more significant. A total of 47 differential metabolites were identified in urine. Pathway analysis proved that purine metabolism; alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism; and citrate cycle were the main pathways. Furthermore, 53 prototypes and 48 metabolites have been detected in rats. This was the first systematic research focus on the metabolites of raw and processed CT in vivo, which could provide a scientific basis for explaining the increasing efficiency of the processed CT. Moreover, it provides a valuable strategy for analyzing the chemical components and metabolites of other TCM prescriptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

XiaoJin Capsule (XJC) is a classic Traditional Chinese Medicine formula for clinical treatment of thyroid nodules, mammary gland hyperplasia and breast cancer. For the specification and rational application of XJC in the future, an accurate and specific LC–MS/MS method was developed and validated for quantitative determination of five components in rat plasma after oral administration of XJC. The collected plasma samples were extracted by protein precipitation with methanol–acetonitrile (1:3, v/v) mixture solvent and separated on a C18 column using a gradient elution system. Mass spectrometry was performed on a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer, and samples were detected in positive ionization and multiple reactions monitoring mode. The method was properly validated in terms of linearity, precision, accuracy, recovery, matrix effect and stability. All calibration curves showed good linearity (r2 > 0.9910) over their concentration ranges. The intra‐ and inter‐day precisions (RSD) were within 11.0%, and the LLOQ was 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 7.5 and 7.5 ng/ml for aconine, songorine, neoline, 3‐acetyl‐11‐keto‐β‐boswellic acid and 11‐keto‐β‐boswellic acid, respectively. Extraction recovery, matrix effect and stability were satisfactory in rat plasma. This established method was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetics study of five compounds after oral administration of XJC to normal and mammary gland hyperplasia model rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Merrilliadione ( 1), a new diterpene with a unique isopropyl (13→11)- abeo-9,11- seco-abietane skeleton, and two new abietane diterpenoids ( 2 and 3) were isolated from Illicium merrillianum. This is the first report of an isopropyl (13→11)- abeo-9,11- seco abietane diterpenoid. The structures of 1- 3 were established by comprehensive spectroscopic analysis, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, and quantum chemical computation of electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functional group interconversion is of great significance in organic synthesis. However, aerobic cleavage of C=N bonds to access carbonyl compounds still suffered from some limitations such as harsh reaction conditions, stoichiometric oxidants, poor substrate scope and use of toxic reagents. Herein, we report a catalyst-free and photo-induced aerobic cleavage of C=N bonds to afford diverse carbonyl compounds using oxygen from air as green oxidant. This mild methodology permits N-tosylhydrazones converted into the corresponding carbonyl compounds including ketones, amides, aldehydes and carboxylic acids, showing broad functional group tolerance and compatibility. Moreover, the gram-scale reaction and post-modification of complicated molecules proved the applicability and efficiency of this strategy. Finally, a plausible mechanism was proposed based on spectroscopic investigations and detailed mechanistic studies., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Shexiang Baoxin Pill (SBP) has an excellent therapeutic effect on atherosclerosis (AS), but the combinational mechanisms of SBP against AS remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the combinational mechanisms of SBP against AS by comprehensive network pharmacology and fecal metabolomic analysis. Bufonis venenum , one of the adjuvant medicines in SBP, is an animal medicine with a narrow therapeutic window. Considering animal protection, we evaluated the anti-AS effect of SBP without BV (SBP-BV) using ApoE -/- mouse models, culture cells, and metabolomic methods. Our data suggested that SBP showed remarkable anti-atherosclerotic effects through multiple targets and multiple pathways, while each component in SBP played different roles in their synergistic effect. Notably, SBP-BV showed comparable effects with SBP in the treatment of AS. Both SBP and SBP-BV could reduce cholesterol uptake in RAW264.7 cells and prevent the occurrence and development of AS in WD-induced ApoE -/- mice by attenuating the atherosclerotic plaque area, and reducing inflammatory cytokines and cholesterol levels in vivo . Our finding might provide new insights into the research and development of new anti-atherosclerosis drugs.