Study On Identification And Pharmacological Evaluation Of Biologically Active Constituents In Radix Astragali And Anemarrhenae

A rapid and sensitive high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with mass-spectrometry technique had been developed for identification of the constituents of in rat urine after oral administration of Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge. var. mongholicus (Bge.) Hsiao extract. The dose of 10 mL/kg of Astragalus membranaceus extract was used for rats'oral administration.0-24 h urine was purified using a C18 solid-phase extraction cartridge, and then detected by an on-line MS detector. A total of 12 characteristic HPLC peaks were detected in urine. Twelve of them including one dipeptide, one saponin, six flavones and four of their metabolites were tentatively elucidated as daidzein (1), genistein (2), quercetin (3), calycosin (4), L-asparamide-D-phenylalanine (5), Astragaloside-â…£(6), formononetin (7), 4,2',4'-trihydroxychalcone (8), calycosin-7-O-glucuronide (9), sulfation conjugate of daidzein (10), sulfonated conjugate of kaempferol (11) and 3,7-O-dimethylquercetin (12). Identification and structural elucidation of these compounds were performed by comparing their MSn spectra data with those reported.Solid phase extraction (SPE) and liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry technologies were used to study the constituents absorbed into rat urine and their metabolites after oral administration of Rhizoma Anemarrhenae decoction. A total of 11 compounds including two xanthones, three of their metabolites and six steroidal saponins in rat urine sample were identified. They were neomangiferin (1), glucuronide and monomethyl conjugate of mangiferin (2), mangiferin (3), monomethyl conjugate of mangiferin (4), dimethyl conjugate of mangiferin (5), timosaponin N or timosaponin E1 (6), timosaponin Bâ…¡(7), timosaponin Bâ…¢(8) anemarrhenasaponinâ… or anemarrhenasaponinâ…¡(9), timosaponin Aâ…¡(10) and timosaponin Aâ…¢(11). The results would efficaciously narrow the potentially active compounds range in Rhizoma Anemarrhenae decoction, and pave a helpful way for the follow-up action mechanism research.To study the effect of the Astragalus mongholicus extract on renal fibrisis in SD rats with unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO), SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups:sham-operation, UUO group, Astragalus mongholicus group and losartan group. The histological changes of renal interstitial tissues were observed after the treatment of Astragalus mongholicus extract. Serum creatinine was decreased and expression of CTGF in kidney was inhibited in the Astragalus mongholicus group. These results showed Astragalus mongholicus extract can improve renal tubulionterstitial damage and ameliorate renal interstitial fibrosis induced by UUO in rats.The anti-diabetic effects of xanthones and steroidal saponins in Rhizoma Anemarrhenae extract were evalutated. ZM-GT lowered the level of blood glucose and blood urea nitrogen of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. ZM-GT also stimulated insulin releasing and increased the level of serum insulin. ZM-GT,ZM-BII and ZM-MGG could inhibit a-glucosidase in vitro. ZM-MGG had the strongest inhibitory activity against a-glucosidase.