Background. Phellodendri Cortex (PC) or Huang Bai. According to the scientific database of China Plant Species and Chinese pharmacopeia 2015 edition, PC has two main species which are Phellodendron amurense Rupr (PAR) or “Guan Huang bai” in Chinese and Phellodendron chinense Schneid (PCS) or “Chuan Huang bai” in Chinese. The crude drugs of PAR and PCS are also called Phellodendri amurensis cortex (PAC) and Phellodendri chinense cortex (PCC), respectively. The medicinal part of the plant is the dried trunk bark. PC has comprehensive therapeutic effects which include anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anticancer, hypotensive, antiarrhythmic, antioxidant, and antipyretic agents. The exact ingredients in PC and its species are not fully summarised. Aim of the Study. This study was designed to review and evaluate the pharmacological actions of compounds and to explore the pharmacokinetic knowledge of PC and its species and to also identify the chemical compound(s) with a potential therapeutic effect on atopic dermatitis. Methods. “Huang Bai” and its English, botanical, and pharmaceutical names were used as keywords to perform database search in Encyclopaedia of traditional Chinese Medicines, PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science, and China Network Knowledge Infrastructure. The data selection criteria included all the studies that were related to the phytochemical, pharmacological, and pharmacokinetic perspectives of PC and its species or their active constituents. More importantly, the voucher number has been provided to ensure the genuine bark of PC used as the medicinal part in the studies. Results. 140 compounds were summarized from PC and its species: specifically, 18 compounds from PCC, 44 compounds from PCS, 34 compounds from PAC, and 84 compounds from PAR. Obacunone and obaculactone are probably responsible for antiatopic dermatitis effect. PC and its species possess a broad spectrum of pharmacological actions including anti-inflammatory effect, antibacterial effect, antiviral effect, antitumor effect, antigout effect, antiulcer effect, neuroprotective effect, and antiatopic dermatitis effect. PC could widely distribute in plasma, liver, spleen, kidney, and brain. Berberine may be responsible for the toxic effect on the susceptible users with hemolytic disease or in the peripartum and neonatal period. Conclusions. The compounds of the crude bark of PC and its subspecies have showcased a wide range of pharmacological effects. Pharmacological efficacies of PC are supported by its diverse class of alkaloid, limonoid, phenolic acid, quinic acid, lignan, and flavonoid. Obacunone and obaculactone could be the bioactive compounds for atopic dermatitis management. PC and its subspecies are generally safe to use but extra care is required for certain conditions and group of people.

Cnidium monnieri (L.) Cusson (CMC) is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine that has been widely grown and used in Asia. It is also known as “She chuang zi” in China (Chinese: 蛇床子), “Jashoshi” in Japan, “Sasangia” in Korea, and “Xa sang tu” in Vietnam. This study aimed to provide an up-to-date review of its phytochemistry, ethnopharmacology, pharmacokinetics, and toxicology. All available information on CMC was collected from the Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicines, PubMed, EMBASE, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Web of Science, and China Network Knowledge Infrastructure. The updated chemical structures of the compounds are those ones without chemical ID numbers or references from the previous review. A total of 429 chemical constituents have been elucidated and 56 chemical structures have been firstly identified in CMC with traceable evidence. They can be categorized as coumarins, volatile constituents, liposoluble compounds, chromones, monoterpenoid glucosides, terpenoids, glycosides, glucides, and other compounds. CMC has demonstrated impressive potential for the management of various diseases in extensive preclinical research. Since most of the studies are overly concentrated on osthole, more research is needed to investigate other chemical constituents.

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Background: Osteoporosis is a metabolic osteopathy characterized by abnormal bone mass and microstructure that has become a public health problem worldwide. Cuscutae semen (CS) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that has a positive effect on the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. However, the mechanism of CS is unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to reveal the possible molecular mechanism involved in the effects of CS on osteoporosis based on a network pharmacology approach. Material/Methods: The inactive and active ingredients of CS were identified by searching the pharmacology analysis platform of the Chinese medicine system (TCMSP), and the targets of osteoporosis were screened in the relevant databases, such as GeneCards, PubMed, and the Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD). The network of "medicine-ingredients-disease-targets (M-I-D-T)" was established by means of network pharmacology, and the key targets and core pathways were determined by R analysis. Molecular docking methods were used to evaluate the binding activity between the target and the active ingredients of CS. Results: Eleven active ingredients were identified in CS, and 175 potential targets of the active ingredients were also identified from the TCMSP. Moreover, we revealed 22 539 targets related to osteoporosis in the 3 well-established databases, and we determined the intersection of the disease targets and the potential targets of the active ingredients; 107 common targets were identified and used in further analysis. Additionally, biological processes and signaling pathways involved in target action, such as fluid shear stress, atherosclerosis, cancer pathways, and the TNF signaling pathway, were determined. Finally, we chose the top 5 common targets, CCND1, EGFR, IL6, MAPK8, and VEGFA, for molecular docking with the 11 active ingredients of CS. Conclusions: This study suggested that CS has multiple ingredients and multiple targets relevant to the treatment of osteoporosis. We determined that the active ingredient, sesamin, may be the most crucial ingredient of CS for the treatment of osteoporosis. Additionally, the network pharmacology method provided a novel research approach to analyze the function of complex ingredients.