The separation of minor compounds, especially those with similar polarities from a complex sample, remains challenging. In the proposed study, an effective method based on medium-pressure liquid chromatography and recycling high-speed counter-current chromatography was developed for the enrichment and separation of three minor components from <i>Dracocephalum tanguticum</i>. The crude extract was directly introduced to medium-pressure liquid chromatography for the enrichment of the three minor components. Based on high-performance liquid chromatography analysis, the total content of these three compounds increased from 0.48% in the crude extract to 85.3% in the medium-pressure liquid chromatography fraction. In addition, high-speed counter-current chromatography was employed to separate the enriched compounds using the solvent system hexane/ethyl acetate/methanol/water (1.18:8.82:1.18:8.82, v/v/v/v). As a result, compound <b>3</b> and a mixture of compounds <b>1</b> and <b>2</b> were obtained. In order to improve the resolution of compounds <b>1</b> and <b>2</b> while saving separation time, a recycling and heart-cut mode was used. Finally, compounds <b>1</b> and <b>2</b> were obtained after five cycles. These compounds were identified as 3-phenylethyl β-d-glucopyranoside (<b>1</b>), tazettoside E (<b>2</b>), and cirsiliol-4′-glucoside (<b>3</b>). Compounds <b>1</b> and <b>2</b> were primarily separated from <i>D. tanguticum</i>. Moreover, the developed method provided a reference for the separation of minor components from the complex sample.
BACKGROUND: With increasingly aged populations worldwide, the quality of life and psychosocial wellbeing of older adults, especially those with chronic disease, become of increasing importance. There are multiple studies on the use of internal Qigong, a popular mind-body exercise commonly practiced by older adults. However, the effectiveness of internal Qigong on quality of life, depressive symptoms, and self-efficacy on older adults remains unclear.OBJECTIVES: To review updated evidence to determine the effectiveness of internal Qigong interventions on quality of life, depressive symptoms, and self-efficacy among community-dwelling older adults with chronic disease.
METHOD: Six databases (PubMed, CENTRAL, CINAHL, Embase, Scopus, CNKI) were systematically searched for studies from January 2008 to December 2018 in English and Chinese. Relevant randomised controlled trials (RCTs) were screened and assessed for risk of bias by two independent reviewers. A meta-analysis on study outcomes of quality of life, depressive symptoms and self-efficacy using the RevMan 5.3 software was performed.
RESULTS: The search retrieved 3439 records. After screening, a total of 13 RCTs with 1340 participants were included in this review. Meta-analysis revealed a significant effect favouring internal Qigong on the quality of life (combined MD = 3.72; 95% CI: 2.27-5.18; p = 0.0001) compared to controls. No significant effects were found for depressive symptoms and self-efficacy. Low heterogeneity among the studies was found for quality of life, whereas high heterogeneity was shown for depressive symptoms and self-efficacy.
CONCLUSION: Internal Qigong appears to have potential benefits on overall quality of life among community-dwelling older adults with chronic disease. The findings of this study suggest potential use of internal Qigong as an adjunct activity for chronic disease management. Future research may enhance the rigour of trials and explore theoretical underpinnings behind Qigong.
While it has been suggested that loving-kindness meditation (LKM) is an effective practice for promoting positive emotions, the empirical evidence in the literature remains unclear. Here, we provide a systematic review of 24 empirical studies (N = 1759) on LKM with self-reported positive emotions. The effect of LKM on positive emotions was estimated with meta-analysis, and the influence of variations across LKM interventions was further explored with subgroup analysis and meta-regression. The meta-analysis showed that (1) medium effect sizes for LKM interventions on daily positive emotions in both wait-list controlled RCTs and non-RCT studies; and (2) small to large effect sizes for the on-going practice of LKM on immediate positive emotions across different comparisons. Further analysis showed that (1) interventions focused on loving-kindness had medium effect size, but interventions focused on compassion showed small effect sizes; (2) the length of interventions and the time spent on meditation did not influence the effect sizes, but the studies without didactic components in interventions had small effect sizes. A few individual studies reported that the nature of positive emotions and individual differences also influenced the results. In sum, LKM practice and interventions are effective in enhancing positive emotions, but more studies are needed to identify the active components of the interventions, to compare different psychological operations, and to explore the applicability in clinical populations.
A typical indicator of sepsis is the development of progressive subcutaneous and body‑cavity edema, which is caused by the breakdown of endothelial barrier function, leading to a marked increase in vascular permeability. Microvascular leakage predisposes to microvascular thrombosis, breakdown of microcirculatory flow and organ failure, which are common events preceding mortality in patients with severe sepsis. Melilotus suaveolens (M. suaveolens) is a Traditional Tibetan Medicine. Previous pharmacological studies have demonstrated that an ethanolic extract of M. suaveolens has powerful anti‑inflammatory activity and leads to an improvement in capillary permeability. However, the mechanisms underlying its pharmacological activity remain elusive. The present study aimed to assess the impact of M. suaveolens extract tablets on pulmonary vascular permeability, and their effect on regulating lung inflammation and the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the lung tissue of rats with sepsis. A cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) sepsis model was established for both the control and treatment groups. ~2 h prior to surgery, 25 mg/kg of M. suaveolens extract tablet was administered to the treatment group. Polymerase chain reaction and western blot analyses were used to assess the expression of nuclear factor (NF)‑κB and VEGF in the lung tissue, and ELISA was applied to detect changes in serum tumor necrosis factor‑α as well as interleukins (IL) ‑1, ‑4, ‑6, and ‑10. The lung permeability, wet/dry weight ratio and lung pathology were determined. The results demonstrated that in the lung tissue of CLP‑rats with sepsis, M. suaveolens extract inhibited the expression of NF‑κB, reduced the inflammatory response and blocked the expression of VEGF, and thus significantly decreased lung microvascular permeability. The effects of M. Suaveolens extract may be of potential use in the treatment of CLP‑mediated lung microvascular permeability.
A typical indicator of sepsis is the development of progressive subcutaneous and body‑cavity edema, which is caused by the breakdown of endothelial barrier function, leading to a marked increase in vascular permeability. Microvascular leakage predisposes to microvascular thrombosis, breakdown of microcirculatory flow and organ failure, which are common events preceding mortality in patients with severe sepsis. Melilotus suaveolens (M. suaveolens) is a Traditional Tibetan Medicine. Previous pharmacological studies have demonstrated that an ethanolic extract of M. suaveolens has powerful anti‑inflammatory activity and leads to an improvement in capillary permeability. However, the mechanisms underlying its pharmacological activity remain elusive. The present study aimed to assess the impact of M. suaveolens extract tablets on pulmonary vascular permeability, and their effect on regulating lung inflammation and the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the lung tissue of rats with sepsis. A cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) sepsis model was established for both the control and treatment groups. ~2 h prior to surgery, 25 mg/kg of M. suaveolens extract tablet was administered to the treatment group. Polymerase chain reaction and western blot analyses were used to assess the expression of nuclear factor (NF)‑κB and VEGF in the lung tissue, and ELISA was applied to detect changes in serum tumor necrosis factor‑α as well as interleukins (IL) ‑1, ‑4, ‑6, and ‑10. The lung permeability, wet/dry weight ratio and lung pathology were determined. The results demonstrated that in the lung tissue of CLP‑rats with sepsis, M. suaveolens extract inhibited the expression of NF‑κB, reduced the inflammatory response and blocked the expression of VEGF, and thus significantly decreased lung microvascular permeability. The effects of M. Suaveolens extract may be of potential use in the treatment of CLP‑mediated lung microvascular permeability.
In the present study, we investigated the effects of a forest bathing on cardiovascular and metabolic parameters. Nineteen middle-aged male subjects were selected after they provided informed consent. These subjects took day trips to a forest park in Agematsu, Nagano Prefecture, and to an urban area of Nagano Prefecture as control in August 2015. On both trips, they walked 2.6 km for 80 min each in the morning and afternoon on Saturdays. Blood and urine were sampled before and after each trip. Cardiovascular and metabolic parameters were measured. Blood pressure and pulse rate were measured during the trips. The Japanese version of the profile of mood states (POMS) test was conducted before, during, and after the trips. Ambient temperature and humidity were monitored during the trips. The forest bathing program significantly reduced pulse rate and significantly increased the score for vigor and decreased the scores for depression, fatigue, anxiety, and confusion. Urinary adrenaline after forest bathing showed a tendency toward decrease. Urinary dopamine after forest bathing was significantly lower than that after urban area walking, suggesting the relaxing effect of the forest bathing. Serum adiponectin after the forest bathing was significantly greater than that after urban area walking.
Objective: Prehypertension is a new category designated by the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure ( JNC7) in 2003. Managing prehypertension with nonpharmacological intervention is possibly beneficial to the prevention of hypertension. In this study, we observed the effect of slow abdominal breathing combined with electromyographic (EMG) biofeedback training on blood pressure (BP) in prehypertensives and assessed the changes of heart rate variability (HRV) in order to find an optional intervention to prevent hypertension and acquire some experimental data to clarify the underlying neural mechanism.Methods: Twenty-two (22) postmenopausal women with prehypertension were randomly assigned to either the experiment group or the control group. The experiment group performed 10 sessions of slow abdominal breathing (six cycles/min) combined with frontal electromyographic (EMG) biofeedback training and daily home practice, while the control group only performed slow abdominal breathing and daily home practice. BP and HRV (including R–R interval and standard deviation of the normal–normal intervals [SDNN]) were measured.
Results: Participants with prehypertension could lower their systolic blood pressure (SBP) 8.4 mm Hg ( p < 0.001) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) 3.9 mm Hg ( p < 0.05) using slow abdominal breathing combined with EMG biofeedback. The slow abdominal breathing also significantly decreased the SBP 4.3 mm Hg ( p < 0.05), while it had no effect on the DBP ( p > 0.05). Repeated-measures analyses showed that the biofeedback group þ abdominal respiratory group (ABþBF) training was more effective in lowering the BP than the slow breathing ( p < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the R–R interval increased significantly during the training in the ABþBF group ( p < 0.05). The SDNN increased remarkably in both groups during the training ( p < 0.05).
Conclusions: Slow abdominal breathing combined with EMG biofeedback is an effective intervention to manage prehypertension. The possible mechanism is that slow abdominal breathing combined with EMG biofeedback could reduce sympathetic activity and meanwhile could enhance vagal activity.
ObjectiveTo quantify the effects of mindfulness-based therapy (MBT) on physical health, psychological health and quality of life (QOL) in patients with breast cancer.
Method
Studies were identified through a systematic search of six electronic databases. Randomized control trials (RCTs) examining the effects of MBT, versus a control group receiving no intervention on physical health, psychological health and QOL in breast cancer patients were included. Two authors independently assessed the methodological quality of included studies using a quality-scoring instrument developed by Jadad et al. and extracted relevant information according to a predesigned extraction form. Data was analysed using the Cochrane Collaboration’s Revman5.1.
Result
Finally, seven studies involving 951 patients were included. While limited in power, the results of meta-analysis indicated a positive effect of MBT in reducing anxiety [SMD −0.31, 95% CI −0.46 to −0.16, P < 0.0001], depression[SMD −1.13, 95% CI −1.85 to −0.41, P = 0.002], fear of recurrence[SMD −0.71, 95% CI −1.05 to −0.38, P < 0.0001], and fatigue[SMD −0.88, 95% CI −1.71 to −0.05, P = 0.04] associated with breast cancer, and improving emotional well-being [SMD 0.39, 95% CI 0.19–0.58, P = 0.0001], physical function[SMD 0.42, 95% CI 0.19–0.65, P = 0.0004], and physical health [SMD 0.31, 95% CI 0.08–0.54, P = 0.009] in these patients. Although the effects on stress, spirituality, pain and sleep were in the expected direction, they were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Moreover, there is limited evidence from a narrative synthesis that MBT can improve QOL of breast cancer patients.
Conclusion
The present data indicate that MBT is a promising adjunctive therapy for patients with breast cancer. Due to some methodological flaws in the literature, further well-designed RCTs with large sample sizes are needed to confirm these preliminary estimates of effectiveness.
ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of short-term forest bathing on human health.
Methods
Twenty healthy male university students participated as subjects and were randomly divided into two groups of 10. One group was sent on a two-night trip to a broad-leaved evergreen forest, and the other was sent to a city area. Serum cytokine levels reflecting inflammatory and stress response, indicators reflecting oxidative stress, the distribution of leukocyte subsets, and plasma endothelin-1 (ET-1) concentrations were measured before and after the experiment to evaluate the positive health effects of forest environments. A profile of mood states (POMS) evaluation was used to assess changes in mood states.
Results
No significant differences in the baseline values of the indicators were observed between the two groups before the experiment. Subjects exposed to the forest environment showed reduced oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory level, as evidenced by decreased malondialdehyde, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor a levels compared with the urban group. Serum cortisol levels were also lower than in the urban group. Notably, the concentration of plasma ET-1 was much lower in subjects exposed to the forest environment. The POMS evaluation showed that after exposure to the forest environment, subjects had lower scores in the negative subscales, and the score for vigor was increased.
Conclusion
Forest bathing is beneficial to human health, perhaps through preventive effects related to several pathological factors.
The purpose of this pilot study is to examine the effects of Tai Chi Quan, a body-mind harmony exercise, on college students' perceptions of their physical and mental health. A three-month intervention of Tai Chi exercise was administered to college students, and multidimensional physical (PHD) and mental (MHD) health scores were assessed using the SF-36v2 health survey questionnaire before and after the intervention. Thirty college students participated in a 1-hour-long Tai Chi exercise intervention twice a week for 3 months. Each practice session included 10 minutes of breathing and stretching exercises followed by 50 minutes of Tai Chi Quan 24-form practice. PHD including physical function (PF), role physical (RP), bodily pain (BP), general health (GH), and MHD including social function (SF), role mental/emotion function (RE), vitality (VT), perceptions of mental health (MH) were assessed. The normalized scores of each variable and the combined PHD or MHD scores before and after the Tai Chi intervention were examined by paired t-test (p<0.05). Physical measures of BP and GH, and mental measures of RE, VT and MH were significantly improved after Tai Chi exercise intervention. When the overall PHD or MHD scores were evaluated, the MHD had increased significantly. In conclusion, Tai Chi exercise had positive effects on the self-assessed physical and mental health of college students. Scores on the mental health dimension appeared to be particularly sensitive to change. Colleges/universities might consider offering Tai Chi as a component of their ongoing physical activity programs available to students.
OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of traditional Tibetan medicine, Fructus Lonicerae microphyllae (FLM) on phagecytosis and cytokines production of murine macrophages.METHOD: The phagecytosis of murine macrophages was analyzed by neutral red phagecytosis assay. The activities of IL-1 and TNF-alpha were measured by biological methods. The mRNA of TNF-alpha and INF-gamma expressed by macrophages was detected by RT-PCR.
RESULT: The phagecytosis of murine macrophages was significantly enhanced by FLM at a concentration from 1 microg x mL(-1) to 100 microg x mL(-1) and the secretions of IL-1, and TNF-alpha from macrophages were markedly induced by FLM. Meanwhile, FLM also increased the expression of TNF-alpha mRNA and INF-gamma mRHA from macrophages in vitro.
CONCLUSION: FLM could promote phagecytosis and cytokines production of murine macrophages.
PURPOSE: Breast cancer is the most common female cancer. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of yoga on lymphedema in breast cancer survivors.DESIGN: Repeated measures before and after the intervention. We enrolled 15 women with breast cancer who had not previously worn elastic clothing to treat lymphedema.
METHODS: The program was led by a certified trainer and consisted of 60-minute sessions, three times a week for 12 weeks. The volumes of the affected and normal limbs were measured. A self-assessed edema score was also recorded.
FINDINGS: Fifteen patients completed the program, none of whom suffered from complications related to exercise. There was no significant edema after exercise. No significant differences were noted in subgroup analysis by age or the affected arm.
CONCLUSIONS: Yoga does not induce lymphedema.
CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Lymphedema is usually treated with uncomfortable elastic clothing, and high-resistance exercise may induce edema. Yoga may be suitable for these patients.
Studies have shown that gelatin is not only a good hemostatic material, but also a food additive with potentially broad use. Yak skin gelatin is a new gelatin resource, but its oral coagulant effects have not been studied. Given the central role of platelets in hemostasis, in this study we examined the pharmacodynamical differences between different molecular Yak skin gelatins on platelet activation. The hemostatic effects of Yak skin gelatins with different molecular weight distributions were evaluated for bleeding time (BT), clotting time (CT), and platelet activity by measuring the contents of P-selectin, platelet membrane glycoprotein Ia/IIa (GP Ia/IIa), platelet membrane glycoprotein IIb/IIIa (GP IIb/IIIa), and platelet membrane glycoprotein IV (GP IV). Intragastric administration of Yak skin gelatin resulted in a significant reduction in CT and BT, and an increase in the contents of P-selectin, GP Ia/IIa, GP IIb/IIIa, and GP IV in all groups in comparison with the control group. The strongest activation of platelets by Yak skin gelatin was observed with size between 0.1 μm and 0.22 μm, and activation may have been in response to improving GP IIb/IIIa and GP IV levels. When measuring the levels of an established indicator of platelet activation, platelet activation-dependent granule membrane protein (CD62P), its promotion was observed for all molecular weight ranges of Yak skin gelatins. In brief, Yak skin gelatin has hemostatic effects, and Yak skin gelatin fractions between 0.1 μm and 0.22 μm are the primary effectors of hemostasis via promoting platelet membrane glycoprotein activities and strengthening platelet function.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the effects of yoga on psychologic function and quality of life (QoL) in women with breast cancer.DESIGN: A systematic search of PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, and the Chinese Digital Journals Full-text Database was carried out. Randomized control trials (RCTs) examining the effects of yoga, versus a control group receiving no intervention, on psychologic functioning and QoL in women with breast cancer were included. Methodological quality of included RCTs was assessed according to the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions 5.0.1, and data were analyzed using the Cochrane Collaboration's Review Manager 5.1.
RESULTS: Six (6) studies involving 382 patients were included. The meta-analysis showed that yoga can improve QoL for women with breast cancer. A statistically significant effect favoring yoga for the outcome of QoL was found (standard mean difference=0.27, 95% confidence interval [0.02, 0.52], p=0.03). Although the effects of yoga on psychologic function outcomes--such as anxiety, depression, distress and sleep--were in the expected direction, these effects were not statistically significant (p>0.05). Fatigue showed no significant difference (p>0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: The present data provided little indication of how effective yoga might be when they were applied by women with breast cancer except for mildly effective in QOL improvement. The findings were based on a small body of evidence in which methodological quality was not high. Further well-designed RCTs with large sample size are needed to clarify the utility of yoga practice for this population.
A systematic review of the literature on the effect of tai chi exercise on blood pressure (BP) was performed. The authors searched Medline, CAB, Alt HealthWatch, BIOSIS previews, Science Citation Index, and EMBASE systems (inception through January 2007); researched Chinese Medical, China Hospital Knowledge, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and China Traditional Chinese Medicine databases (inception to June 2005); and performed hand searches at the medical libraries of Beijing and Nanjing Universities. Clinical studies of tai chi examining BP as an outcome published in English or Chinese were included. Studies reporting only acute exercise effects were excluded. Data were extracted in a standardized manner and 2 independent investigators assessed methodologic quality. Twenty-six studies examining patients with and without cardiovascular conditions met inclusion criteria: 9 randomized controlled trials, 13 nonrandomized studies, and 4 observational studies. Study heterogeneity precluded formal meta-analyses. Twenty-two studies (85%) reported reductions in BP with tai chi (3–32 mm Hg systolic and 2–18 mm Hg diastolic BP reductions). Five randomized controlled trials were of adequate quality (Jadad score ≥3). No adverse effects were reported. Tai chi exercise may reduce BP and serve as a practical, nonpharmacologic adjunct to conventional hypertension management.
<h3>Objective</h3><p>To conduct a systematic review of reports on the physical and psychological effects of Tai Chi on various chronic medical conditions.</p><h3>Data Sources</h3><p>Search of 11 computerized English and Chinese databases.</p><h3>Study Selection</h3><p>Randomized controlled trials, nonrandomized controlled studies, and observational studies published in English or Chinese.</p><h3>Data Extraction</h3><p>Data were extracted for the study objective, population characteristics, study setting, type of Tai Chi intervention, study design, outcome assessment, duration of follow-up, and key results.</p><h3>Data Synthesis</h3><p>There were 9 randomized controlled trials, 23 nonrandomized controlled studies, and 15 observational studies in this review. Benefits were reported in balance and strength, cardiovascular and respiratory function, flexibility, immune system, symptoms of arthritis, muscular strength, and psychological effects.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>Tai Chi appears to have physiological and psychosocial benefits and also appears to be safe and effective in promoting balance control, flexibility, and cardiovascular fitness in older patients with chronic conditions. However, limitations or biases exist in most studies, and it is difficult to draw firm conclusions about the benefits reported. Most indications in which Tai Chi was applied lack a theoretical foundation concerning the mechanism of benefit. Well-designed studies are needed.</p>
Zuotai is a drug containing mercury considered to be the king of Tibetan medicine. The biosafety of Zuotai led people's attention and so far little is known about the toxicity of Zuotai to mast cells. RBL-2H3 cells which used as an alternative model of mast cells were treated with Zuotai, β-HgS and positive drug Compound 48/80 respectively. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to determine the toxicity of drugs to RBL-2H3 cells. The degranulation of RBL-2H3 cells was studied from β-hexosaminidase, histamine, interleukin (IL)-4 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). The result showed that Zuotai can affect the cytotoxicity and degranulation of RBL-2H3 cells and the results can provide reference for the toxicity evaluations of Tibetan medicine Zuotai.
Zuotai is a drug containing mercury considered to be the king of Tibetan medicine. The biosafety of Zuotai led people's attention and so far little is known about the toxicity of Zuotai to mast cells. RBL-2H3 cells which used as an alternative model of mast cells were treated with Zuotai, β-HgS and positive drug Compound 48/80 respectively. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to determine the toxicity of drugs to RBL-2H3 cells. The degranulation of RBL-2H3 cells was studied from β-hexosaminidase, histamine, interleukin (IL)-4 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). The result showed that Zuotai can affect the cytotoxicity and degranulation of RBL-2H3 cells and the results can provide reference for the toxicity evaluations of Tibetan medicine Zuotai.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the condition of cancer-related fatigue (CRF) in breast cancer patients with chemotherapy and to explore the effect of Yoga on it. METHODS: After the completion of Yoga, 100 breast cancer patients with CRF (CFS>0) were selected and were randomly divided into the Yoga group and the control group (n=50). Patients in the control group only received routine cure and care while patients in the Yoga group received extra Yoga exercise, lasting for 4 months. Cancer fatigue scale (CFS) was evaluated in the 2nd, 4th and 6th round of chemotherapy. RESULTS: At the end, 82 cases qualified for the study, 42 cases for the control group and 40 for the Yoga group. The mean score of body fatigue was 12.67+/-3.46. There was no significant difference in CRF between the Yago group and the control group before the Yoga intervention (P>0.05). After the 4th round of chemotherapy, the mean scores of CFS and body fatigue in the Yoga group were significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). After the 6th round of chemotherapy, the mean scores of CFS, body fatigue and cognitive fatigue in the Yoga group were lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). Repeated analysis of variance showed that the difference in the overall fatigue, body fatigue and cognitive fatigue between the Yoga group and the control group was significant (P<0.05); the time influence on the overall fatigue, body fatigue and emotional fatigue was significant difference between the 2 groups (P<0.05); there were interactions between the effect of Yago and time on the overall fatigue, body fatigue and cognitive fatigue (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The body fatigue was more serious in breast cancer patients with chemotherapy. Yoga intervention could significantly reduce body fatigue, cognitive fatigue, thus reduce the overall fatigue in breast cancer patients with chemotherapy.
High efficiency and less solvent consumption are the essential requirements of high-speed countercurrent chromatography (HSCCC), especially for the large-scale preparation. In this study, an efficient HSCCC strategy with consecutive sample injection was successfully developed to rapidly separate and purify rhaponticin and rhapontigenin from the seeds of the Chinese medicinal herb fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.). The effective separation was achieved using n-hexane-ethyl acetate-methanol-water (1:4:2:6, v/v/v/v) as the two-phase solvent system, in which the mobile phase was eluted at an optimized flow rate of 2.2 mL/min and a revolution speed of 850 rpm. After consecutively loading four identical fenugreek samples, each containing 120 mg, HSCCC separation yielded 146.4 mg of rhaponticin and 174.8 mg of rhapontigenin with purities of 98.6 and 99.1%, respectively, as determined by high-performance liquid chromatography at 320 nm. Their chemical structures were identified using UV spectroscopy, (1)H-NMR and (13)C-NMR. The HSCCC method with consecutive sample injection allowed faster separation and produced less solvent waste, suggesting that it is an efficient way to rapidly separate and purify natural products on a large scale.
An efficient preparative procedure for the separation of four antibacterial diterpenes from a Salvia prattii crude diterpenes-rich sample was developed. Firstly, the XION hydrophilic stationary phase was chosen to separate the antibacterial crude diterpenes-rich sample (18.0 g) into three fractions with a recovery of 46.1%. Then, the antibacterial fractions I (200 mg), II (200 mg), and III (150 g) were separated by the Megress C18 preparative column, and compounds tanshinone IIA (80.0 mg), salvinolone (62.0 mg), cryptotanshinone (70.0 mg), and ferruginol (68.0 mg) were produced with purities greater than 98%. The procedure achieved large-scale preparation of the four diterpenes with high purity, and it could act as a reference for the efficient preparation of active diterpenes from other plant extracts.
The separation of high-purity compounds from traditional Tibetan medicines plays an important role in investigating their bioactivity. Nevertheless, it is often quite difficult to isolate compounds with high purity because of the complexity of traditional Tibetan medicines. In this work, an offline two-dimensional reversed-phase preparative method was successfully developed for the separation of high-purity compounds from Oxytropis falcata. Based on the analysis results, an ODS C18 prep column was used for first-dimensional preparation, and 14.8 g of the crude sample was separated into five fractions with a recovery of 74.6%. Then, an XAqua C18 prep column was used to isolate high-purity compounds in the second-dimensional preparation because its separation selectivity is different with the ODS C18 stationary phase. As a result, eight compounds in the crude sample were isolated in more than 98% purity. This is the first report of trans-cinnamic acid (1) and trifolirhizin (2) from Oxytropis falcata. This method has the potential to be an efficient separation method of high-purity compounds from Oxytropis falcata and it shows great promise for the separation of high-purity compounds from complex samples.
The separation of high-purity compounds from traditional Tibetan medicines plays an important role in investigating their bioactivity. Nevertheless, it is often quite difficult to isolate compounds with high purity because of the complexity of traditional Tibetan medicines. In this work, an offline two-dimensional reversed-phase preparative method was successfully developed for the separation of high-purity compounds from Oxytropis falcata. Based on the analysis results, an ODS C18 prep column was used for first-dimensional preparation, and 14.8 g of the crude sample was separated into five fractions with a recovery of 74.6%. Then, an XAqua C18 prep column was used to isolate high-purity compounds in the second-dimensional preparation because its separation selectivity is different with the ODS C18 stationary phase. As a result, eight compounds in the crude sample were isolated in more than 98% purity. This is the first report of trans-cinnamic acid (1) and trifolirhizin (2) from Oxytropis falcata. This method has the potential to be an efficient separation method of high-purity compounds from Oxytropis falcata and it shows great promise for the separation of high-purity compounds from complex samples.
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