Model-informed drug development (MIDD) in the development of pediatric drugs is drawing more and more attention due to the insufficiency of subjects, lack of research on ontogeny, and the limitation of ethic. The core of MIDD used for dose selection includes the population pharmacokinetic (PopPK) model and physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model, as well as model-based simulation and prediction. PBPK model has the advantage of predicting the optimal pediatric dose before the clinical trials and has the ability of extrapolation from adult model to pediatric model. PopPK model characterizes the pediatric PK feature based on the analysis of clinical data and can be used to explore the significant covariates, which is a power tool for individualized medicine in children. With their own advantages and disadvantages, PBPK and PopPK model should be jointly used in the pediatric drug development to refine the dose regimen for children at different ages. In this study, the pediatric drug development of rivaroxaban was taken as an example to introduce the combined application of PBPK model and PopPK model in the design and validation of pediatric dose regimen in Phase Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ trials, which may provide reference to MIDD in other pediatric drug development.

A new [7, 10∶1, 5]-patchoulane-type sesquiterpenoid was isolated and purified by silica gel column chromatography, medium pressure liquid chromatography, and semi-preparative high performance liquid chromatography. Based on IR, HR-ESI-MS, NMR, and X-single crystal diffraction data analyses, compound 1 was determined to be (-)-(3S, 4R, 5R, 7R, 10R)-[7, 10∶1, 5]patchoul-1(2)-en-3, 4-diol. It showed an inhibitory effect on LPS-induced NO production in RAW264.7 cells.

Nine compounds were isolated from the leaves of Chimonanthus nitens Oliv. by silica gel, ODS, Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography and semi-preparative HPLC. They were identified as chimnitensene B (1), 1α-hydroxyisodauc-4-en-15-al (2), trans-4, 5-dihydroxycorocalane (3), trefoliol B (4), oplopanone (5), oplodiol (6), 3-(3'-hydroxybutyl)-2, 4, 4-trimethylcyclohexa-2, 5-dienone (7), 9(S)-4-oxo-7, 8-dihydro-β-ionol (8), and saniculamoid D (9) respectively, by MS, NMR and single crystal diffraction. Among them, compound 1 is a new guaiane-sesquiterpenoid, and compounds 2-9 were isolated from this plant for the first time.

We identified molecular mechanisms by which Isatidis Radix might prevent or mitigate influenza and corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) based on chemical composition and network pharmacology. High performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPLC-Q-TOF-MS) was used to analyze the components of Isatidis Radix. Seventy compounds were identified, of which 33 prototype compounds entered the blood. Network pharmacological analysis of 41 potential active components demonstrated that Isatidis Radix can regulate protein kinase B1 (AKT1), serum albumin (ALB), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), tyrosine-protein kinase SRC (SRC), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM1) and other key genes, which have preventive effects on influenza and COVID-19 through hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), influenza A, Toll-like receptor (TLR), phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase-protein kinase B (PI3K-AKT), COVID-19 and other signaling pathways. This study identifies mechanisms by which Isatidis Radix might act against influenza and COVID-19 that are related to the inflammatory response, immunomodulation and viral defense, and provides a basis for subsequent clinical research. All animal experiments were approved by the Ethics Committee of Shenyang Pharmaceutical University (SYPU-IACUC-S2020-12.23-201).

The UHPLC-LTQ-orbitrap-MS metabolomics technique was used to determine the effect of deapio-platycodin D (DPD) on endogenous metabolites in lung tissues of mice with ammonia-induced cough, and to identify the metabolic regulatory pathways of DPD in its antitussive and expectorant activities. This work was approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine (Approval No. JZLLSC-20190235). Metabolites were identified by UHPLC-LTQ-orbitrap-MS method and the metabolic pathways related to differentially-expressed metabolites were analyzed by the MetaboAnalyst platform. DPD significantly prolonged (P < 0.05) cough latency, reduced the number of coughs, and significantly increased (P < 0.05) phenol red excretion in ammonia-induced cough mice. Twenty-five metabolites related to cough and 38 metabolites related to sputum excretion were identified by UHPLC-LTQ-orbitrap-MS. Changes in the metabolism of linoleic acid, arachidonic acid, glycerophospholipid, alanine, aspartic acid and glutamic acid, pentose and glucuronate interconversions, and lysine degradation were evident with DPD treatment of ammonia-induced cough mice. Changes in the metabolism of linoleic acid, taurine and hypotaurine, glycerophospholipid, purines and pyrimidines, arachidonic acid and the biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids after DPD treatment were related to phenol red excretion. Linoleic acid metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism and glycerophospholipid metabolism are common regulatory pathways by which DPD appears to exert its antitussive and expectorant activity. These metabolic pathways are closely related to anti-inflammatory pathways, immune function regulation, neurotransmitter release, cell signal transduction, energy metabolism and apoptosis. This study clarifies the antitussive and expectorant activity and mechanism of DPD.

Bitter almonds (Semen Armeniacae Amarum) are prone to oil deterioration during storage, so they often require mashing prior to clinical use. To confirm the medical value of bitter almonds "being mashed when used" and to determine the optimal storage conditions for bitter almonds, UPLC-MS/MS was used to perform a comparative study of the chemical composition of bitter almonds in different storage states (mashed and unmashed), storage times (0, 2 and 4 weeks), and storage temperatures (25 ℃ and 4 ℃). A total of 58 substances were identified in bitter almond extracts through literature review, this group's previous work, and a Compound Discoverer software search. Statistically significant differences were found in the chemical composition and content of bitter almonds in different storage states, storage times, and storage temperatures. The results show that the chemical composition of bitter almonds stored unmashed was more stable than that of bitter almonds stored mashed; the chemical composition of bitter almonds stored at 4 ℃ was more stable than that of bitter almonds stored at 25 ℃; and the shorter the storage time, the less the chemical composition changed. Amygdalin, the main medicinal component of bitter almonds, showed statistically significant differences in content under the above three storage conditions, which can be used as a potential quality marker for bitter almonds.

The enteric-hepatic axis plays an important role in the occurrence, progression and regression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Obeticholic acid (OCA) is a farnesoid X receptor agonist. In this study, C57BL/6 mice were fed with methionine and choline deficient (MCD) diet for 8 weeks with OCA (6.5 mg·kg^-1·d^-1) administration by gavage at the same time. The effects of OCA on serum lipid and bile acid metabolomics and ileal gut microbiota (GM) of MCD mice were studied by UPLC-MS and 16S rDNA sequencing. The results were as follows: (1) OCA decreased the activities of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase in serum and the contents of triglyceride (TG) and malondialdehyde in liver, alleviated the accumulation of liver fat and inflammation of MCD mice. OCA down-regulated the contents of 2 eicosanoids (12, 13-EPOME, 9, 10-EPOME) and 4 free fatty acids (FFA16∶1, FFA18∶1, FFA16∶2, FFA18∶3) and TG (16∶1_16∶1_18∶2) in serum, and up-regulated the content of 1 eicosanoid thromboxanes B3. KEGG differential metabolite pathway analysis showed that fatty acid biosynthesis might be the main way that OCA ameliorated lipid metabolism disorder of MCD mice. OCA reduced the relative abundance of Christensenellaceae and Lachnospiraceae_UCG-006 in the GM of MCD mice; OCA decreased the serum levels of 23-deoxycholic acid, porcine deoxycholic acid, 3-deoxycholic acid, glycine deoxycholic acid, glycine cholic acid, taurine deoxycholic acid, taurocholic acid and taurine. These results suggest that the alleviating effect of OCA on NAFLD of MCD mice may be related to its above-mentioned regulation of the metabolism of the free fatty acids, oxidized lipids, 12α-hydroxylated bile acids and the abundance of GM. The animal experiments were approved by the Experimental Animal Ethics Committee of Hubei University (No. 20220036).

Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC/Q-TOF-MS) was applied to rapidly identify the phospholipids in human plasma and explore the mass spectrometric fragmentation pattern. An acquity UHPLC^TM BEH C18 column (50 mm × 2.1 mm, 1.7 μm) was utilized and eluted with a gradient system; the mobile phase consisted of 10 mmol·L^-1 ammonium formate aqueous solution-0.1% formic acid aqueous solution (A) and acetonitrile-isopropanol (1∶1) organic solution (B) containing 10 mmol·L^-1 ammonium formate-0.1% formic acid. The flow rate was 0.3 mL·min^-1 and the column temperature was set at 50 ℃. An electrospray ionization (ESI) source was used to collect mass spectra in positive and negative ion mode. Based on the precise relative molecular weight and elemental composition calculated by Masslynx 4.1 software, comparison with references, and secondary mass spectrometry fragment ions and lipid databases, a total of 82 plasma lipids were identified, including 14 lysophosphatidylcholines (LysoPCs), 39 phosphatidylcholines (PCs), 17 sphingomyelins (SMs), 7 ceramides (Cers), 4 phosphatidylethanolamines (PEs), and 1 phosphatidylinositol (PI). A simple, efficient, fast and stable analytical method was established in this study for the qualitative analysis of phospholipids in human plasma, and the fragmentation regularity of the main phospholipids was determined. This work provides a good foundation for further metabolomics studies of plasma phospholipids. This study was approved by the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University Clinical Research and Application Institutional Review Board Approval (No. 2020-hs-07).

We developed an in-vitro bioassay for determining the bioactivity of human insulin by homogeneous time-resolved fluorescence immunoassay. CHO-INSR B1284 transgenic cells were used as target cells. Key assay parameters, including the cell density, the range of working concentrations, and the stimulation time were optimized. The specificity, relative accuracy, intermediate precision, linearity, and range of the method were validated, as well as the passage stability of the CHO-INSR B1284 cell line. The national standard of recombinant human insulin was used as the benchmark to evaluate the relative potency of insulin analogues and drugs. The drugs and the reference human insulin showed a dose-response relationship, R² > 0.995, which conforms to the four-parameter equation: y = (A - D) / [1 + (x/C)^B] + D. Specificity of the method was good. The geometric mean, relative bias, and geometric coefficient of variation (GCV, %) of the five concentrations (n = 8, 64%, 80%, 100%, 125% and 156%) met the requirements of the General Rules of Chinese Pharmacopoeia, 2020 edition, Volume IV (9401). In summary, a bioassay for determining the in vitro bioactivity of human insulin based on a homogeneous time-resolved fluorescence technique was established; the method was simple, time-saving, accurate and precise, and could be used for the evaluation of biological activity and quality.

Alangium chinense is a commonly used medicinal plant of Alangiaceae Alangium, one of the characteristic Miao medicines in Guizhou. The genus is strongly differentiated and has complex morphological variation, with significant differences in active ingredients and potency among herbs. In this paper, we sequenced the chloroplast genomes of Alangium chinense subsp. Pauciflorum, Alangium chinense subsp. Strigosum and Alangium kurzii Craib using Illumina high-throughput sequencing technology. The genomes of Alangium chinense subsp. Pauciflorum, Alangium chinense subsp. Strigosum and Alangium kurzii Craib chloroplasts were sequenced, their assembly annotation and structural characterization were completed, and the genomes of the congeners Alangium chinense and Alangium alpinum were downloaded from NCBI for comparative analysis. Finally, the phylogenetic tree was constructed by selecting published species with close affinity to Alangium chinense family from NCBI. The results were as follows: Alangium chinense subsp. Pauciflorum, Alangium chinense subsp. Strigosum and Alangium kurzii Craib chloroplast genomes were 156 670, 156 672 and 156 871 bp in length, with a typical four-segment structure, all containing one long single copy region (LSC), one short single copy region (SSC) and two inverted repeat regions (IRa and IRb). All of them were annotated to 133 genes, including 88 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes and 8 rRNA genes. Three types of long repeat sequences and SSR loci, forward repeats, palindrome repeats and reverse repeats, were found in all chloroplast genomes. Comparative genomic analysis showed that there was diversity in the boundary transition regions of the five species, no rearrangements or inversions were found in the chloroplast genome, and there were significant differences in the coding regions of ndhA, ycf1, rpl16, ycf2, and petD genes, which provided new loci for molecular identification of Patagonia. In the phylogenetic analysis, Alangium kurzii var. kurzii clustered as a single species, and Alangium chinense subsp. Pauciflorum and Alangium chinense subsp. Strigosum clustered as a single species, with a support rate of 93 and close affinity, indicating that the phylogenetic tree can be used for the species identification. This paper can provide a basis for the taxonomic identification of Alangium, ensure the safety of clinical use of anise herbs and regulate the market of Alangium chinense herbs.