A critical courier role of volatile oils from Dalbergia odorifera for cardiac protection in vivo by QiShenYiQi

Abstract

Component-based Chinese medicine (CCM) is derived from traditional Chinese medicine but produced with modern pharmaceutical standard and clearer clinical indications. However, it still faces challenges of defining individual component contribution in the complex formula. Using QiShenYiQi (QSYQ) as a model CCM, we investigated the role of Dalbergia odorifera (DO), an herbal component, in preventing myocardial damage. We showed that in vitro, QSYQ exerted considerable protective activities on cardiomyocytes from H2O2-induced mitochondrial dysfunction with or without DO. However, in isolated rat hearts, myocardial protection by QSYQ was significantly weakened without DO. In everted gut sac model, DO significantly enhanced absorption of the major QSYQ ingredients in different regions of rat intestine. Finally, in in vivo mouse model of doxorubicin (DOX)-induced myocardial damage, only QSYQ, but not QiShenYiQi without DO (QSYQ-DO), exerted a full protection. Taken together, our results showed that instead of directly contributing to the myocardial protection, Dalbergia odorifera facilitates the major active ingredients absorption and increases their efficacy, eventually enhancing the in vivo potency of QSYQ. These findings may shed new lights on our understanding of the prescription compatibility theory, as well as the impacts of “courier herbs” in component-based Chinese medicine.

Analysis of Flavonoids in Dalbergia odorifera by Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Tandem Mass Spectrometry

“…In Korea, this heartwood is also used for treatment of blood stagnation, ischemia, swelling, necrosis, and rheumatic pain [3]. In addition, D. odorifera is commonly used as a component of commercial drug mixtures for cardiovascular treatment, including Guan-Xin-Er-Hao decoction [4], Qi-Shen-Yi-Qi decoction [5], Xinning tablets [2], and Tongxinluo capsules [6]. Also known Molecules 2020, 25, 389; doi:10.3390/molecules25020389 www.mdpi.com/journal/molecules as fragrant rosewood (Huanghuali in Chinese), D. odorifera is a valuable wood product for manufacture of furniture, artifacts, and musical instruments [7].…”

Potential Targets and Mechanisms of Dalbergia odorifera on Treating Lung Adenocarcinoma Explored by Network Pharmacology

“…Another major compound (volatile oil) was shown to owe cardiac-protection effects 31 and affected the metabolome of chronic myocardial ischemic pigs, including energy, glucose and fatty acid metabolism when combined with Salvia miltiorrhiza 32 . Besides, the volatile oil of DO increased the absorbance of major ingredients in QSYQ 33 . Recently, latifolin, as a newly extracted flavonoid, was shown to protect against myocardial infarction and oxidative stress-induced senescence 34,35 36 .…”

Galectin-3 Mediated Inflammatory Response Contributes to Neurological Recovery by QiShenYiQi in Subacute Stroke Model

“…F. H. Chen (Sanqi), and Dalbergia odorifera T. Chen (Jiangxiang), is a typical component-based Chinese medicine that was approved by the State Food and Drug Administration of China in 2003 for treatment of angina pectoris of coronary heart disease origin with Qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome ( Cao et al, 2017 ), and secondary prevention of myocardial infarction ( Shang et al, 2013 ). Recently, the major active ingredients in QSYQ, such as astragaloside IV, calycosin, calycosin-7-O-β-D-glycoside, formononetin, salvianolic acid A, salvianolic acid B, tanshinone IIA, notoginsenoside R1, ginsenoside Rg1, and ginsenoside Rb1( Yu et al, 2017 ; Zhang et al, 2018 ), have been reported to have therapeutic potential in acute and subacute phases of ischemic stroke via various functional mechanisms, especially immune-inflammatory response related mechanism ( Han et al, 2017b ; Zhang et al, 2020 ). Furthermore, we have found the protective action of QSYQ against acute ischemic stroke via regulating neuroinflammatory network mobilization in a mouse model of cerebral ischemia and reperfusion ( Wang et al, 2020 ).…”