液相色谱法测定中药材中的富马酸单甲酯与富马酸二甲酯

建立了同时测定中药材中富马酸单甲酯(MMF)和富马酸二甲酯(DMF)的高效液相色谱方法。样品经乙酸乙酯提取、氨基复合石墨碳固相萃取柱净化后,C18柱分离,二极管阵列检测器检测。在0.025~5.0 μg/mL浓度范围内,色谱峰面积与分析物浓度呈良好线性关系,MMF和DMF的检出限(S/N=3)分别为0.015、0.020 mg/kg,定量下限(S/N=10)分别为0.05、0.06 mg/kg。当加标浓度水平为0.1、0.2、0.5 mg/kg时,MMF和DMF的回收率为78.9%~97.3%,相对标准偏差(RSD,n=6)为1.7%~6.0%。方法灵敏、可靠,能够满足中药材中MMF和DMF残留检测的要求。     

论卤盐养生（10）

卤盐（包括食盐）是中国矿物药的重要组成部分。从文化价值、临床应用和情志调摄3个方面诠释了卤盐的养生学意义,并全面、详细地阐述了食盐对中国古代文化的四大贡献、6种盐类的现代临床应用价值以及盐湖旅游的6项要素;列举了160多个盐湖卤水的主要化学成分、矿化度或微量元素;摘录了论述卤盐主治功用的古今文献。本文分期刊出。     

医学专业大学化学实验SPOC式翻转课堂教学实践

为了提升医学专业的大学化学实验课翻转课堂的教学效果,将SPOC在线学习活动与翻转课堂的过程设计结合,从课程目标与内容设计、教学策略设计、学习活动设计与教学评价设计等4个部分搭建了教学模式结构框架。在具体教学实验项目中,细化了知识传授、内化、拓展3个阶段的教学活动程序。该模式打破了实验课时间空间的壁垒,教学设计上突出了化学与医药学关联的情境创设,学习活动丰富有序,可操作性强。结果表明,采用SPOC式翻转课堂教学有利于激发学生的参与热情,促进思维能力的发展、动手操作能力的提高,对教学效果的提升作用显著。     

Real‐Time NMR Spectroscopy for Studying Metabolism

Current metabolomics approaches utilize cellular metabolite extracts, are destructive, and require high cell numbers. We introduce here an approach that enables the monitoring of cellular metabolism at lower cell numbers by observing the consumption/production of different metabolites over several kinetic data points of up to 48 hours. Our approach does not influence cellular viability, as we optimized the cellular matrix in comparison to other materials used in a variety of in‐cell NMR spectroscopy experiments. We are able to monitor real‐time metabolism of primary patient cells, which are extremely sensitive to external stress. Measurements are set up in an interleaved manner with short acquisition times (approximately 7 minutes per sample), which allows the monitoring of up to 15 patient samples simultaneously. Further, we implemented our approach for performing tracer‐based assays. Our approach will be important not only in the metabolomics fields, but also in individualized diagnostics.     

Wound healing improvement by curcumin‐loaded electrospun nanofibers and BFP‐MSCs as a bioactive dressing

Wound healing, one of the most complex processes of the body involving the cooperation of several important biomolecules and pathways, is one of the major therapeutic and economic issues in regenerative medicine. The present study aimed to introduce a novel electrospun curcumin (Cur)‐incorporated chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol/carbopol/polycaprolactone nanofibrous composite for concurrent delivery of the buccal fat pad‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (BFP‐MSCs) and Cur to a full‐thickness wound on the mouse model. Scaffolds were characterized structurally using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), fluorescence microscopy imaging and Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy, and toxicity of the scaffolds was also evaluated after BFP‐MSC seeding by SEM imaging and 3‐(4,5 dimethyiazol‐2‐1)‐2‐5‐diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Then, its influence on the wound‐healing process was investigated as a wound dressing for a full‐thickness skin defect in mouse model. Results demonstrated that the designed composite scaffolds have the capability for cell seeding and support their growth and proliferation. Macroscopic and histopathological characteristics were evaluated at the end of the 7 and 14 days after surgery, and their results showed that our designed scaffold groups accelerated the wound‐healing process compared with the control group. Among those, scaffold/Cur, scaffold/Cur/BFP‐MSC and scaffold/BFP‐MSC groups demonstrated more wound repair efficacy. These results indicated that the combined grafts can be used to improve the wound‐healing process, and therefore, the electrospun nanofibers presented in this study, Cur and BFP‐MSC together, were demonstrated to have promising potential for wound‐dressing applications.     

Characterization,mechanical, and antibacterial properties of nanofibers derived from olive leaf,fumitory, and terebinth extracts

In this study, nanofiber structures were obtained with convenient polymers (PVA [polyvinyl alcohol] and PCL [poly ^o-caprolactone]) derived from the herbal extracts of olive leaves, fumitory, and terebinth plants. Optimum nanofiber structures were identified by measuring viscosity and conductivity values and performing morphological analysis, characterization, and mechanical tests of the prepared solutions. The potential use for wound healing at the most efficient level was determined as a result of antibacterial analysis of the structures obtained. APT (PVA/terebinth) and BFO (PCL/fumitory) nanofibers had the thinnest diameter range and the highest strength values. In terms of the determination of antibacterial effects, nanofiber structures of all 3 plant species proved to be effective against bacteria. The greatest effect was observed against Escherichia coli in the nanofiber structure containing olive leaves, with a zone diameter of 32 mm. In addition, APT and BFO nanofibers had the highest values of thinness and strength. In these 2 samples, using BFO against Staphylococcus aureus and APT against Candida albicans increased their areas of activity. In the literature review, no study was available about obtaining nanofibers, especially from fumitory and terebinth plants. This study aimed to increase knowledge on obtaining nanofiber structures, including various polymers derived from olive leaves, fumitory, and terebinth plants.     

From a Medicinal Mushroom Blend a Direct Anticancer Effect on Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: A Preclinical Study on Lung Metastases

Bioactive metabolites isolated from medicinal mushrooms (MM) used as supportive treatment in conventional oncology have recently gained interest. Acting as anticancer agents, they interfere with tumor cells and microenvironment (TME), disturbing cancer development/progression. Nonetheless, their action mechanisms still need to be elucidated. Recently, using a 4T1 triple-negative mouse BC model, we demonstrated that supplementation with Micotherapy U-Care, a MM blend, produced a striking reduction of lung metastases density/number, paralleled by decreased inflammation and oxidative stress both in TME and metastases, together with QoL amelioration. We hypothesized that these effects could be due to either a direct anticancer effect and/or to a secondary/indirect impact of Micotherapy U-Care on systemic inflammation/immunomodulation. To address this question, we presently focused on apoptosis/proliferation, investigating specific molecules, i.e., PARP1, p53, BAX, Bcl2, and PCNA, whose critical role in BC is well recognized. We revealed that Micotherapy U-Care is effective to influence balance between cell death and proliferation, which appeared strictly interconnected and inversely related (p53/Bax vs. Bcl2/PARP1/PCNA expression trends). MM blend displayed a direct effect, with different efficacy extent on cancer cells and TME, forcing tumor cells to apoptosis. Yet again, this study supports the potential of MM extracts, as adjuvant supplement in the TNBC management.     

Chemical profiling and marker characterization of Huangqin decoction prepared with three types of peony root by liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Clarification of the quality and biological effect equivalence of traditional Chinese medicines containing multi‐origin species is essential to improve their current quality standards, and also is the core problem to clarify the origins of single herbs with multi‐species in Chinese formulas that will guarantee their clinical application. Huangqin decoction is the typical one of multi‐origin formulas frequently used in traditional Chinese medicine and Kampo medicine. An ultra high performance liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization–tandem mass spectrometry was developed for chemical profiling and marker quantification of Huangqin decoction prepared with two different original types of peony root, white and red peony root. Forty‐seven main peaks in chemical profiling of Huangqin decoction prepared with white and red peony root were identified: nine were from peony root, 20 from baical skullcap root, 17 from licorice root, and one from jujubae fruit. The markers characteristics of the respective types of peony root in Huangqin decoction differ from that in single herbs, especially in terms of monoterpenoids and hydrolysable tannins. Subsequently, 17 representative markers in Huangqin decoction prepared with three types of peony root and their chemical characteristics and content distribution were carried out.     

Comparison of the active components of Aster tataricus from different regions and related processed products by ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry

We investigated crude Aster tataricus, vinegar‐processed Aster tataricus, honey‐processed Aster tataricus, and steamed Aster tataricus as a case study and developed a comprehensive strategy integrating quantitative analysis and chemical pattern recognition methods for the evaluation and differentiation of Aster tataricus from different regions, as well as related processed products. In the study, 15 batches of raw Aster tataricus collected from seven provinces were analyzed. A sensitive and rapid ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry method for simultaneous determination of 15 compounds was established to evaluate the quality of raw and processed Aster tataricus. Furthermore, multivariate statistical techniques were applied to compare the differences among Aster tataricus samples. As a result, the herbs collected from seven provinces were divided into two categories, and chlorogenic acid was the most important component distinguishing between the regions. Moreover, all of the raw and processed samples were classified by partial least squares discriminant analysis based on the 15 analyzed compounds. Results showed that raw Aster tataricus, vinegar‐processed Aster tataricus, honey‐processed Aster tataricus, and steamed Aster tataricus were clustered in four different areas. Shionone, chlorogenic acid and kaempferol were the significant constituents differentiating the raw and differently processed Aster tataricus samples.     

Untargeted metabolomic study on the insomnia effect of Suan‐Zao‐Ren decoction in the rat serum and brain using ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry combined with data processing analysis

Insomnia is a common clinical disease that can seriously damage the normal lives of sufferers. Suan‐Zao‐Ren decoction has been used to treat insomnia for a long time. However, the underlying molecular mechanism of Suan‐Zao‐Ren decoction is still not clear. In this study, the nontargeted metabolomics based on high‐resolution mass spectrometry and multiple statistical approaches were initially used to investigate the changes of potential serum and brain biomarkers and metabolic pathways in the insomnia model rat. Principal component analysis‐discriminate analysis indicated that the Suan‐Zao‐Ren decoction treatment improved the metabolic phenotype insomnia. Moreover, the heatmap analysis identified the most important biomarkers involved in insomnia. According to the pathway analysis, phenylalanine metabolism, tryptophan metabolism, and so on were recognized as the most affected metabolic pathways associated with insomnia disease. These findings provided a comprehensive understanding of the regulative effects of Suan‐Zao‐Ren decoction on the host metabolic phenotype of the insomnia rats. Our work demonstrated that the metabolomics approach is a promising tool that could help us to conduct the exploration of the therapeutic effects and mechanism of traditional Chinese medicines.