Jujuba Fructus (JF), also known as jujube or Chinese date, is the fruit of Ziziphus
jujuba (Mill.), and which is considered as one of five valuable fruits in China. JF
serves as daily food, as well as being prescribed as a tonic medicine for blood
nourishment and sedative effect. Interesting, the usage of jujube is not only restricted
as single herb, which very often included in multi-herbal decoctions. The make-up of
a multi-herbal decoction is believed to improve the efficacy of single herb and
enhance the pharmaceutical value via the herbal compatibility. Here, three
jujube-containing herbal decoctions written from different dynasties, i.e. G̲uiz̲hi T̲ang
(GZT; ~200 AD), N̲eibud̲angguijianzhong T̲ang (NDT; 652 AD) and Z̲ao̲ T̲ang (ZOT;
1078~1085 AD), were chosen for study an...[
Read more ]
Jujuba Fructus (JF), also known as jujube or Chinese date, is the fruit of Ziziphus
jujuba (Mill.), and which is considered as one of five valuable fruits in China. JF
serves as daily food, as well as being prescribed as a tonic medicine for blood
nourishment and sedative effect. Interesting, the usage of jujube is not only restricted
as single herb, which very often included in multi-herbal decoctions. The make-up of
a multi-herbal decoction is believed to improve the efficacy of single herb and
enhance the pharmaceutical value via the herbal compatibility. Here, three
jujube-containing herbal decoctions written from different dynasties, i.e. G̲uiz̲hi T̲ang
(GZT; ~200 AD), N̲eibud̲angguijianzhong T̲ang (NDT; 652 AD) and Z̲ao̲ T̲ang (ZOT;
1078~1085 AD), were chosen for study and comparison. These jujube-containing
herbal decoctions share common herbal compatibility, i.e. G̲lycyrrhizae R̲adix et
R̲hizoma P̲raeparata cum M̲elle (GRRPM), Z̲ingiberis R̲hizoma R̲ecens (ZRR) and JF.
ZOT comprised of GRRPM, ZRR and JF, while GZT and NDT differed by the addition
of C̲innamomi C̲ortex (CC) / C̲innamomi R̲amulus (CR), P̲aeoniae A̲lba R̲adix (PAR)
and Angelicae Sinensis Radix (ASR). Clinically, these herbal decoctions possessed
similar pharmacological functions, implying that this herbal compatibility might be
important in disease healing. Here, we aimed to disclose the underlying rationale for herbal compatibility within a herbal mixture by comparing the chemical constitutions
and biological performances of three herbal decoctions.
The chemical profiles of three jujube-containing herbal extracts were revealed.
Cyclic AMP, cGMP, rutin, calycosin, formononetin, glycyrrhizic acid, liquiritin,
6-gingerol, cinnamic acid, paeoniflorin, ferulic acid and Z-ligustilide in
jujube-containing decoctions were determined. Three jujube-containing herbal
decoctions showed similar chemical profiles; however, the amount of the major
chemicals showed great variations. Meanwhile, the solubility of some chemicals
within these herbal decoctions were enhanced, implying that the herbal decoctions
increased the extraction efficacy of certain chemicals.
In erythropoietic function, jujube-containing herbal extracts demonstrated higher
erythropoietic functions, as compared to JF extract alone. The application of three
jujube-containing herbal decoctions in cultured Hep 3B cells induced the expression
of erythropoietin via the activation of HRE-mediated signaling pathway. ZOT exhibited
the strongest erythropoietic function, giving the highest induction by ~200% of
increase for HRE-mediated transcriptional activity. Meanwhile, jujube-containing
herbal decoctions promoted the gene expression of heme iron recycling enzymes in
cultured RAW 264.7 macrophage cells, giving the highest induction of heme
oxygenase 1 (HO-1) and ferroportin (FPN) at ~28 and ~200 folds of increase by ZOT,
respectively. The current results denoted the erythropoietic functions of
jujube-containing herbal decoctions.
In neuroprotective function, jujube-containing herbal extract showed more robust
neuroprotective effects, as compared to JF extract. The application of
jujube-containing herbal extracts protected cultured PC12 cells against tBHP-induced
cytotoxicity by increasing the expression of anti-oxidant genes and enzymes, giving the highest induction of ARE-transcriptional activity at ~25 folds of increase by ZOT.
Meanwhile, jujube-containing herbal decoctions also promoted the neurite outgrowth
by increasing the neurofilament (NF) expressions. The highest induction was
achieved by ZOT, giving ~200% of increase for NF68, ~150% for NF160 and 50% for
NF200. In addition, the jujube-containing herbal decoctions promoted the
neurotrophic factor productions in dose-dependent manner in cultured astrocytes.
The highest induction of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) was achieved by
GZT at ~350% of increase, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) by ZOT
at 30 folds of increase, and nerve growth factor by ZOT at 50 folds of increase. These
studies denoted the neuroprotective functions of jujube-containing herbal decoctions.
The roles of 12 bio-active chemicals within herbal decoction were revealed.
Twelve bio-active chemicals demonstrated erythropoietic and neuroprotective activity
in a dose-dependent manner. However, these activities were attenuated at
concentration equivalent to that found within jujube-containing herbal extracts,
implying that herbal compatibility within decoction extracts brought along with
synergistic effect, enhancing the pharmaceutical value.
All in all, our current studies have shown several pharmacological activities of
jujube-containing herbal extracts: (i) chemical parameters for the standardization; (ii)
erythropoietic function; (iii) neuroprotective function; and (iv) herbal compatibility
rationale of herbal decoction extracts. All these findings suggested the potential roles
of jujube-containing herbal extracts as health supplements or therapeutic treatments
for blood deficiency or neurological disease. JF, as an assistant herb in herbal
compatibility, it brought along with synergistic effect contributed to the enhancement
of pharmaceutical value of herbal decoctions, making herbal decoctions served better
functions compared with single herbal extract.
Post a Comment