The Extracts of Polygonum cuspidatum Root and Rhizome Block the Entry of SARS-CoV-2 Wild-Type and Omicron Pseudotyped Viruses via Inhibition of the S-Protein and 3CL Protease

COVID-19, resulting from infection by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, caused a contagious pandemic. Even with the current vaccines, there is still an urgent need to develop effective pharmacological treatments against this deadly disease. Here, we show that the water and ethanol extracts of the root and rhizome of Polygonum cuspidatum (Polygoni Cuspidati Rhizoma et Radix), a common Chinese herbal medicine, blocked the entry of wild-type and the omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 pseudotyped virus into fibroblasts or zebrafish larvae, with IC₅₀ values ranging from 0.015 to 0.04 mg/mL. The extracts were shown to inhibit various aspects of the pseudovirus entry, including the interaction between the spike protein (S-protein) and the angiotensin-converting enzyme II (ACE2) receptor, and the 3CL protease activity. Out of the chemical compounds tested in this report, gallic acid, a phytochemical in P. cuspidatum, was shown to have a significant anti-viral effect. Therefore, this might be responsible, at least in part, for the anti-viral efficacy of the herbal extract. Together, our data suggest that the extracts of P. cuspidatum inhibit the entry of wild-type and the omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, and so they could be considered as potent treatments against COVID-19.     

黄连与甘草化学成分的相互作用研究之一——混浊汤剂中沉淀部分的成分研究

以黄连与甘草为配伍组成的复方是一种沉淀性配伍, 它属于仲景古方系列之一。其汤剂呈混浊状, 分别对离心分离后的溶液与沉淀物的成分进行研究。运用高效液相色谱(HPLC)、傅里叶变换红外光谱(FTIR)和飞行时间质谱(TOF-MS)的方法, 对单煎黄连、单煎甘草和混煎黄连与甘草的溶液和沉淀物的结构组成进行研究。文章着重报道沉淀物成分的研究, 同时还将混煎沉淀物和溶液的谱学行为做了比较。结果发现, 在混煎黄连与甘草的沉淀物中, 黄连的有些化学成分被保留下来, 有些成分却被抑制了;而甘草的化学成分基本都消失了;同时在混煎黄连与甘草的沉淀物中还产生了在单煎黄连与单煎甘草中所没有的一些新物质。此结果说明黄连与甘草在混煎后其沉淀物的结构组成发生了变化, 这是由于在此复方中发生了甘草与黄连化学成分的相互作用所致。根据飞行时间质谱的数据, 推测黄连与甘草发生的化学反应可能有加成反应、分解反应和缔合反应等类型。它表明甘草在此复方中起到了极为重要的作用。通过混煎沉淀物与溶液的研究结果比较还表明, 在沉淀物中可能含有比溶液中更多的化学活性成分,它为古方的药用和疗效提供了一定科学依据。     

中药白茅根中金属元素的含量测定

火焰原子吸收光谱法测定中草药白茅根茎部的Fe、Cu、Zn、Mn、Ca、Mg,方法简单、精密度好、回收率在92.0%-104.4%之间,相对标准偏差(RSD)小于1.8%,结果令人满意.     

不同产地珠子参中微量元素含量分析

分析不同产地珠子参中微量元素的含量变化情况。应用电感耦合等离子体-原子发射光谱法（ICP-AES）测定不同产地珠子参中Ca、Cr、Cu、Fe、Ga、Li、Mg、Mn、Ni、Sn、Sr、Ti、Tl、V、Zn、Pb 16种微量元素的含量。结果表明,不同产地珠子参中各微量元素含量有所差异,陕西宁强产珠子参中Ca、Mg、Mn、Zn、Cu等含量高于其他产地。珠子参中微量元素的含量与产地的土壤、水质等有关。     

The Mineral Content of Rhizona cyperi after Microwave-Assisted Digestion and Determination by AAS

ABSTRACT

Rhizoma cyperi (tuberal part of Cyperus rotundus Linn) obtained from 15 different zones of China was studied to determine the contents of 16 trace elements such as 4 minor (Ca, K, Mg, and Na), 9 trace (Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, V, and Zn), and 3 toxic (Ag, Cd, and Pb) elements. The concentration determination of 16 elements was performed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS) after microwave-assisted digestion. A microwave-assisted digestion procedure based on the mixture nitric acid–hydrogen peroxide was evaluated. The method was successfully validated with the good recoveries (97–105%) against CRM GBW07603 (bush twigs and leaves). The calibration curve furnished good linear correlation coefficients (r = 0.9956–0.9999), excellent recoveries (99.35–103.7%), and limits of detection (LOD = 1–50 ng·mL^?1) suitable to determine in Rhizoma cyperi. The results showed that K, Ca, Mg, and Na were the most abundant of the major elements in Rhizoma cyperi with average concentrations of K, 26,221 µg·g^?1; Ca, 1097 µg·g^?1; Mg, 714 µg·g^?1, and Na, 293 µg·g^?1, respectively. K element was determined for the first time in this plant.     

A novel ultra high‐performance liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous determination of xanthones and steroidal saponins in crude and salt‐processed Anemarrhenae Rhizoma aqueous extracts

We established a rapid and sensitive ultra high‐performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous quantification of xanthones and steroidal saponins in rat plasma. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a C₁₈ column with a mobile phase comprising acetonitrile and 0.1% formic acid. The detection was performed by negative electrospray ionization in multiple reaction monitoring mode. The validated method showed good linearity within the tested range (r > 0.9945). The intra‐ and interday precision at high, medium, and low concentrations was less than 7.96%. The bias of accuracies ranged from −1.92 to 9.62%. The extraction recoveries of the compounds ranged from 84.78 to 88.69%, and the matrix effects ranged from 96.76 to 108.59%. This method was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic comparison of crude and salt‐processed Anemarrhenae Rhizoma aqueous extracts after oral administration in rats. The maximum plasma concentration and area under concentration–time curve of timosaponin BIII and timosaponin AIII increased significantly (P < 0.05 or 0.01) and those of timosaponin BII decreased significantly (P < 0.05) after processing. These results could contribute to the clinical application of crude and salt‐processed Anemarrhenae Rhizoma and reveal the processing mechanism.     

Application of liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry for screening and quantitative analysis of C21 steroids in the roots and rhizomes of Cynanchum paniculatum

A liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method is presented for the quantification of C21 steroids in the roots and rhizomes of Cynanchum paniculatum. Eight C21 steroids, including five steroidal aglycones and three steroidal glycosides, were simultaneously analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The extracted ion current chromatograms were extracted from the total ion current chromatogram using characteristic ions produced by target compounds for peak determination. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a C18 reversed-phase column within 60 min, using an acetonitrile/water gradient. For comparision, six C. paniculatum samples from different locations were investigated by the established method, and the results indicated that the different geographical origin significantly influenced the C21 steroid composition. The method was observed to have the necessary sensitivity, selectivity, precision, and accuracy, and to be suitable for quality control of herbal medicines and their preparations.     

Application of 1-Alkyl-3-methylimidazolium-Based Ionic Liquids as Background Electrolytes in Nonaqueous Capillary Electrophoresis for the Analysis of Coptidis Alkaloids

Interest in ionic liquids (ILs) for their potential in analytical chemistry is increasing because they are environmentally benign and are good separation solvents. The aim of the presented investigation was to verify whether ILs would be a suitable background electrolyte (BGE) in nonaqueous capillary electrophoresis (NACE) for organic cations analysis of the closely related analogues. In this study, a novel and very simple NACE method has been established for analyzing seven quaternary alkaloids in Coptis rhizome using 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate-based ionic liquid as BGE. The effects of the alkyl group, imidazolium counterion (anionic part), along with the concentration of IL, are investigated and discussed. Baseline separation, high efficiencies, and symmetrical peaks of the seven alkaloids were obtained. The separation mechanism could be hydrophobic and hydrogen-bonding interactions between the alkaloids and the imidazolium cations. The optimum conditions were 70 mM 1-decyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (1D-3MI-TFB) methanol solution (apparent pH 2.66) and 30 kV applied voltage. The detection was performed at 254 nm. Seven quaternary alkaloids in Coptis rhizome were separated within 14 min. The proposed NACE separation procedure is highly reproducible and can be applied in the qualitative and quantitative analysis of Coptidis alkaloids.     

HPLC determination of ferulic acid in rat plasma after oral administration of Rhizoma Chuanxiong and its compound preparation

An HPLC method is described for determination of ferulic acid in rat plasma. The concentration of ferulic acid in rat plasma was determined after deproteinization with acetonitrile using sulfamethoxazole as internal standard. Chromatographic separations were performed on a C(18) stationary phase with a mobile phase composed of acetonitrile-water (16:84, v/v) with 1% glacial acetic acid. The UV detection wavelength was set at 320 nm. The method was successfully applied to the determination of pharmacokinetic parameters in rat plasma after oral administration of Rhizoma Chuanxiong and and its compound preparation Suanzaoren decoctions. The calibration curve was linear over the range 0.0510-4.08 micro g/mL in rat plasma. Within-day and between-day precisions were less than 4.5% RSD. Mean recovery was determined as 96.9%. The limit of quantitation was 0.0510 micro g/mL. The pharmacokinetic parameters of the two preparations were different significantly (p < 0.05), which may attribute to the effects of other ingredients present in Suanzaoren decoction.     

Analysis of Chuanxiong Rhizoma substrate on production of ligustrazine in endophytic Bacillus subtilis by ultra high performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry

Ligustrazine was the active ingredient of the traditional Chinese medicine Chuanxiong Rhizoma. However, the content of ligustrazine is very low. We proposed a hypothesis that ligustrazine was produced by the mutual effects between endophytic Bacillus subtilis and the Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort. This study aimed to explore whether the endophytic B. subtilis LB5 could make use of Chuanxiong Rhizoma fermentation matrix to produce ligustrazine and clarify the mechanisms of action preliminarily. Ultra high performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry analysis showed the content of ligustrazine in Chuanxiong Rhizoma was below the detection limit (0.1 ng/mL), while B. subtilis LB5 produced ligustrazine at the yield of 1.0268 mg/mL in the Chuanxiong Rhizoma‐ammonium sulfate fermentation medium. In the fermented matrix, the reducing sugar had a significant reduction from 12.034 to 2.424 mg/mL, and rough protein content increased from 2.239 to 4.361 mg/mL. Acetoin, the biosynthetic precursor of ligustrazine, was generated in the Chuanxiong Rhizoma‐Ammonium sulfate (151.2 mg/mL) fermentation medium. This result showed that the endophytic bacteria B. subtilis LB5 metabolized Chuanxiong Rhizoma via secreted protein to consume the sugar in Chuanxiong Rhizoma to produce a considerable amount of ligustrazine. Collectively, our preliminary research suggested that ligustrazine was the interaction product of endophyte, but not the secondary metabolite of Chuanxiong Rhizoma itself.