Components of Goutengsan in Rat Plasma by Microdialysis Sampling and Its Protection on Aβ1–42-Induced PC12 Cells Injury

Hindawi Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine Volume 2017, Article ID 7593027, 12 pages https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/7593027 Research Article Components of Goutengsan in Rat Plasma by Microdialysis Sampling and Its Protection on A𝛽1–42-Induced PC12 Cells Injury Hou-Cai Huang,1,2 Chun-Fei Wang,1,2,3 Jun-Fei Gu,1,2,4 Juan Chen,1,2,4 Xue-Feng Hou,1,2,3 Rong-Ling Zhong,1,2 Zhi Xia,1,2 Di Zhao,1,2,5 Nan Yang,1,2,4 Jing Wang,1,2 Xiao-Bin Tan,1,2 Xiao-Bin Jia,1,2 Liu-Qing Di,4 Zi-Bo Dong,1,2,4,6 and Liang Feng1,2,4 1 Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Shi Zi Street No. 100, Hongshan Road, Jiangsu, Nanjing 210028, China 2 Key Laboratory of New Drug Delivery System of Chinese Materia Medica, Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Chinese Medicine, Shi Zi Street No. 100, Hongshan Road, Jiangsu, Nanjing 210028, China 3 School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China 4 School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China 5 School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China 6 Jumpcan Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Taixing 225400, China Correspondence should be addressed to Liang Feng; Received 1 December 2015; Revised 20 February 2016; Accepted 12 May 2016; Published 2 March 2017 Academic Editor: Helmut Hugel Copyright © 2017 Hou-Cai Huang et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Goutengsan, a Chinese herbal formula, potential protection on Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has been less reported. In current study, we investigated the protection of Goutengsan on A𝛽1–42 -induced pheochromocytoma-derived cells (PC12). Furthermore, the components from Goutengsan in rat plasma were identified by microdialysis (MD) for in vivo sampling. Meanwhile, the protection of components identified was also verified. At last, we found that Goutengsan has a potential protective effect on A𝛽1–42 -induced PC12 cells via reducing cells damage and increasing cells vitality as well as six components (pachymic acid, liquiritin, rhynchophylline, isorhynchophylline, corynoxeine, and isocorynoxeine) which may be effective components. This study helps to understand the treatment of Goutengsan for AD and would facilitate the clinical and further studies for this formula. 1. Introduction Alzheimer’s disease (AD), also known as senile dementia, was a neurodegenerative disease and influenced a population of approximately 26 million worldwide with the number growing twice in 20 years [1]. The production and accumulation of amyloid 𝛽 (A𝛽) were proved to be the central pathogenesis of AD, particularly soluble A𝛽 oligomers which had been characterized by the progressive decline of cognitive function and behavioral derangement [2, 3]. Nowadays, the mainstream medication for AD is typically acetylcholine esterase inhibitor (AchEI), but symptomatic improvement is limited [4]. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used for preventing and treating cognitive decline and the anti-AD agents have been made to develop from TCM for a long time [5–8]. Goutengsan, a Chinese herbal formula, consists of 11 medicinal herbs including Gouteng, Chenpi, Maidong, Banxia, Fuling, Renshen, Fangfeng, Juhua, Shengjiang, Gancao, and Shigao (Table 1). It has remarkable functions on chronic headache and hypertension [9]. Studies have suggested that Goutengsan has a function on AD and its antidementia effect was due to antihypertensive, free radical scavenging, and antiexcitotoxic effects, which were attributed to phenolic compounds and indole alkaloids [9–11]. Our early exploratory research also indicated that Goutengsan had a protective effect on AlCl3 -induced AD rats via improving brain index [10], and Goutengsan also had obvious protective 2 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine Table 1: Description of Goutengsan. Chinese name Latin name Plant part Processing Genus Batch number Gou teng Chenpi Maidong Banxia Fuling Renshen Fangfeng Juhua Shengjiang Gancao Shigao Uncaria rhynchophylla (Miq.) Miq. ex Havil. Citrus reticulata Blanco Ophiopogon japonicus Pinellia ternata (Thunb.) Breit. Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf Panax ginseng C. A. Mey. Saposhnikovia divaricata (Turcz.) Schischk Dendranthema morifolium (Ramat.) Tzvel. Zingiber officinale Roscoe Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. Gypsum Stem Pericarp Earthnut Earthnut Sclerotium Earthnut Rhizome Inflorescence Earthnut Rhizome — Dried Dried Dried Lime and liquorice Dried Dried Dried Dried Dried Dried Grinded Uncaria Citrus Ophiopogon Pinellia Wolfiporia Panax Saposhnikovia Chrysanthemum Zingiber Glycyrrhiza — 20140415 20150502 20140116 20150321 20130705 20150317 20150219 20150526 20140211 20150321 20150219 effect on glutamic-acid-induced and H2 O2 -induced PC12 cells injury [12]. Therefore, the protection of Goutengsan on AD treatment is worthy of further study. Microdialysis (MD), a well-established technique for the sampling of the extracellular space, has the merits of sampling for continuous and simultaneous monitoring of changes in the local biochemical environment [13, 14]. This technique uses a catheter consisting of the perfusate, the surrounding medium, and substances, surrounded by a semipermeable membrane, which is perfused by fluid and inserted into a region of interest [15]. In recent years, MD has been proposed for the applications of pharmacological and pharmacokinetic studies. Thus, in this study, we investigated the protection of Goutengsan on A𝛽1–42 -induced pheochromocytoma-derived cells (PC12). Furthermore, the components from Goutengsan in rat plasma were identified by MD for in vivo sampling. Meanwhile, the protection of components identified was also verified. purchased from Nanjing KeyGen Biotech Co., Ltd. (Nanjing, China). Nimodipine was provided by Bayer healthcare Co., Ltd. (Leverkusen, Germany). 2.2. Preparation of Goutengsan. Goutengsan consists of 11 medicinal herbs (Table 1) identified by Dr. Xiao-Bin Tan from Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Chinese Medicine (Nanjing, China) which were purchased from Anhui Huqiao Chinese Medicine Technology Co., Ltd. (Tongling, China). The remaining voucher specimens were deposited at the Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Chinese Medicine. Gouteng, Chenpi, Maidong, Banxia, and Fuling, 300 g for each; Renshen, Fangfeng, and Juhua, 200 g for each; Shengjiang and Gancao, 100 g for each; and 500 g Shigao were extracted together by refluxing with boiling water. They were boiled with 24 L water twice with 1.5 h for each time. Finally, all extract fractions were pooled and concentrated to 350 mL by rotary evaporator. The concentrated solution was stored at 4∘ C until use. 2. Material and Methods 2.1. Chemicals and Reagents. Ringer’s solution, containing 12 (...truncated)