Effect of different cooking methods on saponin content and hematopoietic effects of Panax notoginseng-steamed chicken on mice.

Panax notoginseng-steamed chicken (PNSC) is a medicinal food with ethnic characteristics developed by the Miao ethnic group in the southeast of Yunnan Province, China. PNSC has been eaten for hundreds of years, and its tonic effect has been widely recognized by the people. However, its cooking conditions and scientific connotation of its effect of toning blood and supplementing deficiency are also lack of in-depth analysis. To optimize the cooking conditions of Panax notoginseng-steamed chicken (PNSC) and to explore its anemia-improving effects. The ratio of P. notoginseng (PN) to chicken and the steaming time were systematically altered, and the PNSC cooking conditions was optimized with the response surface method. By establishing animal models of postpartum blood-deficiency anemia, acute hemorrhagic anemia and myelosuppressive anemia, the blood replenishing effect of PNSC was explored, and the blood replenishing mechanism of PNSC on myelosuppressive anemia was revealed by immunoblotting analyses and histopathological sectioning. The optimal processing conditions included a ratio of chicken to P. notoginseng of 100:5 and a steaming time of 5.5 h. The amounts of P. notoginseng polysaccharides (PNPS), total protein and blood-enriching P. notoginseng saponins were 44.3 mg/g, 2.48% and 2.04%, respectively. Freeze-dried powder of P. notoginseng steamed chicken soup (FPSC) was found to promote the recovery of routine blood factors and organ indexes in the three models of anemia and to activate the JAK2-STAT5 signaling pathway, induce phosphorylation of JAK2 and STAT5 and normalize the secretion of hematopoietic regulators EPO, IL-3, and TNF-α. FPSC improves the symptoms of anemia in mice, and it plays a role in tonifying blood by activating the JAK2-STAT5 signaling pathway and altering the expression of hematopoiesis-related factors.

Chen Z ，Chen X ，Guo L ，Cui X ，Qu Y ，Yang X ，Liu Y ，Wang C ，Yang Y ... -  《-》

Steamed Panax notoginseng attenuates renal anemia in an adenine-induced mouse model of chronic kidney disease.

Panax notoginseng (PN) (Burk.) F. H. Chen is a medicinal herb used to treat blood disorders since ancient times, of which the steamed form exhibits the anti-anemia effect and acts with a "blood-tonifying" function according to the traditional use. However, its pharmacological effect and mechanism on alleviating renal anemia (RA) are still unclear. The study aims to investigate the effect of steamed Panax notoginseng (SPN) to attenuate RA and its underlying mechanism based on the model of adenine-induced RA mice. Seventy mice were randomly divided into seven groups of ten: the control group, model group, the erythropoietin (EPO) group, the Fufang E'jiao Jiang (FEJ) group, the high-dose steamed PN (H-SPN) group, the middle-dose steamed PN (M-SPN) group, and the low-dose steamed PN (L-SPN) group. The adenine induction RA model was applied to assess the "blood enriching" function of SPN. The blood routine indexes, erythrocyte fragility, pathologic morphology of kidney tissue and the expression levels of related cytokines and proteins in the mice were detected after 3-week administration with SPN and positive drugs. Our study provided evidences that SPN could ameliorate RA. Compared with the control group, SPN could attenuate RA by significantly increasing the numbers of peripheral blood cells (p < 0.01), improving the erythrocyte fragility (p < 0.01), and restoring the expression of EPO mRNA in the kidneys and EPO receptor mRNA in bone marrow nucleated cells. The expression of TGF-β1 mRNA was declined and the expression of HGF mRNA was significantly increased in a dose-dependent way after the treatment of SPN. Additionally, the expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-2/Bax ratio in the kidneys were significantly increased. In contrast, there was a highly significant decrease in the expression of Bax (p < 0.01), following SPN treatment. SPN could alleviate RA by promoting the overall hematopoiesis and inhibiting the progress of renal injury in mice.

Gao M ，Zhang Z ，Zhang Y ，Li M ，Che X ，Cui X ，Wang M ，Xiong Y ... -  《-》

Analyzing Active Constituents and Optimal Steaming Conditions Related to the Hematopoietic Effect of Steamed Panax notoginseng by Network Pharmacology Coupled with Response Surface Methodology.

During hundreds of years of medication, it is believed that the steamed Panax notoginseng (SPN) can enrich and regulate the blood, replenish the body, and improve the health. The aim of this study was to optimize the steaming conditions of SPN which are related to the hematopoietic effect. In the study, network pharmacology and pharmacological experiments were used to predict and verify the potential hematopoietic active ingredients of SPN. Three variables including the steaming time (2-10 h), steaming temperature (90-130°C), and different producing areas of PN were investigated by using single-factor analysis. Box-Behnken design response surface methodology (BBD-RSM) was performed to explore the optimized steaming conditions which are responsible for the hematopoietic effect of SPN. Furthermore, the hematopoietic effect of the optimized SPN was evaluated. Results demonstrated that ginsenoside Rd, Rh1, Rh4, Rk3, and 20(S)-Rg3 can significantly increase blood routine parameters and expressions of hematopoietic factors in anemia mice. The total contents of the five ginsenosides were selected as evaluation indexes of the response surface method. We found that the PN from Wenshan steamed at 120°C for 5 h could significantly increase the levels of blood routine parameters and hematopoietic factor expression compared with the model group. The study not only provides data support for the determination of hematinic effect-related markers for SPN but also gives a scientific reference for the processing of SPN which has a better hematopoietic effect. The underlying mechanisms require further research.

Zhou S ，Jiang N ，Zhang M ，Xiao X ，Liu Z ，Xu X ，Gao Q ，Lv W ... -  《-》

[Study on blood enrichment mechanism of steamed notoginseng based on metabolomics method].

Zhang Y ，Fei QQ ，Wang J ，Zhu FX ，Chen Y ，Tang DQ ，Chen B ... -  《-》

Comparison of the components of fresh Panax notoginseng processed by different methods and their anti-anemia effects on cyclophosphamide-treated mice.

The traditional Chinese herb Panax notoginseng (PN) tonifies blood, and its main active ingredient is saponin. PN is processed by different methods, resulting in different compositions and effects. To investigate changes in the microstructure and composition of fresh PN processed by different techniques and the anti-anemia effects on tumor-bearing BALB/c mice after chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide (CTX). Fresh PN was processed by hot-air drying (raw PN, RPN), steamed at 120 °C for 5 h (steamed PN, SPN), or fried at 130 °C, 160 °C, or 200 °C for 8 min (fried PN, FPN1, FPN2, or FPN3, respectively); then, the microstructures were compared with 3D optical microscopy, quasi-targeted metabolites were detected by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC‒MS/MS), and saponins were detected by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). An anemic mouse model was established by subcutaneous H22 cell injection and treatment with CTX. The antianemia effects of PN after processing via three methods were investigated by measuring peripheral blood parameters, performing HE staining and measuring cell proliferation via immunofluorescence. 3D optical profiling revealed that the surface roughness of the SPN and FPN was greater than that of the other materials. Quasi-targeted metabolomics revealed that SPN and FPN had more differentially abundant metabolites whose abundance increased, while SPN had greater amounts of terpenoids and flavones. Analysis of the composition and content of the targeted saponins revealed that the contents of rare saponins (ginsenoside Rh1, 20(S)-Rg3, 20(R)-Rg3, Rh4, Rk3, Rg5) were greater in the SPN. In animal experiments, the RBC, WBC, HGB and HCT levels in peripheral blood were increased by SPN and FPN. HE staining and immunofluorescence showed that H-SPN and M-FPN promoted bone marrow and spleen cell proliferation. The microstructure and components of fresh PN differed after processing via different methods. SPN and FPN ameliorated CTX-induced anemia in mice, but the effects of PN processed by these two methods did not differ.

Xu C ，Fang Q ，Cui H ，Lin Y ，Dai C ，Li X ，Tu P ，Cui X ... -  《-》