Fucus vesiculosus L., known as bladderwrack, belongs to the brown seaweeds, which are widely distributed throughout northern Russia, Atlantic shores of Europe, the Baltic Sea, Greenland, the Azores, the Canary Islands, and shores of the Pacific Ocean. Fucoidan is a major fucose-rich sulfated polysaccharide found in Fucus (F.) vesiculosus. The pharmacokinetic profiling of active compounds is essential for drug development and approval. The aim of the study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of fucoidan in rats after a single-dose oral administration. Fucoidan was isolated from F. vesiculosus. The method of measuring anti-activated factor X (anti-Xa) activity by amidolytic assay was used to analyze the plasma and tissue concentrations of fucoidan. The tissue distribution of fucoidan after intragastric administration to the rats was characterized, and it exhibited considerable heterogeneity. Fucoidan preferentially accumulates in the kidneys (AUC0–t = 10.74 µg·h/g; Cmax = 1.23 µg/g after 5 h), spleen (AUC0–t = 6.89 µg·h/g; Cmax = 0.78 µg/g after 3 h), and liver (AUC0–t = 3.26 µg·h/g; Cmax = 0.53 µg/g after 2 h) and shows a relatively long absorption time and extended circulation in the blood, with a mean residence time (MRT) = 6.79 h. The outcome of this study provides additional scientific data for traditional use of fucoidan-containing plants and offers tangible support for the continued development of new effective pharmaceuticals using fucoidan.

This study was undertaken to evaluate possible antiallergic effects of an extract of pigments from green sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis) shells. Effects were studied on animal models - guinea pig ileum contraction, rabbit eyes allergic conjunctivitis, and rabbit local skin irritation. The extract significantly reduced, in a dose-dependent manner, the histamine-induced contractions of the isolated guinea pig ileum with ID50 =1.2 µg/mL (in equivalents of spinochrome B), had an inhibitory effect on the model of ocular allergic inflammation surpassing the reference drug olopatadine, and did not show any irritating effect in rabbits. The extract predominantly contained polyhydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone which would be responsible for the pharmacological activity. The active compounds of the extract were evaluated in silico with molecular docking. Molecular docking into H1R receptor structures obtained from molecular dynamic simulations showed that all spinochrome derivatives bind to the receptor active site, but spinochrome monomers fit better to it. The results of the present study suggest possibilities for the development of new agents for treating allergic diseases on the base of pigments from sea urchins shells.

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The extraction of Rhodiola rosea rhizomes using natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES) consisting of lactic acid, glucose, fructose, and water was investigated. A two-level Plackett-Burman design with five variables, followed by the steepest ascent method, was undertaken to determine the optimal extraction conditions. Among the five parameters tested, particle size, extraction modulus, and water content were found to have the highest impact on the extrability of phenyletanes and phenylpropanoids. The concentration of active compounds was analyzed by HPLC. The predicted results showed that the extraction yield of the total phenyletanes and phenylpropanoids (25.62 mg/g) could be obtained under the following conditions: extraction time of 154 min, extraction temperature of 22 • C, extraction modulus of 40, molar water content of 5:1:11 (L-lactic acid:fructose:water, mol/mol), and a particle size of rhizomes of 0.5-1 mm. These predicted values were further verified by validation experiments in predicted conditions. The experimental yields of salidroside, tyrosol, rosavin, rosin, cinnamyl alcohol and total markers (sum of phenyletanes and phenylpropanoids in mg/g) were 11.90 ± 0.02, 0.36 ± 0.02, 12.23 ± 0.21, 1.41 ± 0.01, 0.20 ± 0.01, and 26.10 ± 0.27 mg/g, respectively, which corresponded well with the predicted values from the models.

A glycopeptide fraction (GPF) from internal organs of green sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis Müller, Strongylocentrotidae) has been reported to be an effective bronchitis treatment. In this study, we evaluated the pharmacokinetic and tissue distribution of GPF, following single and repeated intranasal (i/n) administration over the course of seven days in rats. The method measuring lactate dehydrogenase as biomarker was used to analyse the plasma and tissue concentrations of GPF. GPF appears in the plasma 15 min after single i/n administration (100 µg/kg) and reaches its maximum at 45 min. The area under the curve (AUC)0–24 and Cmax were similar using both i/n and intravenous administration, while mean residence time (MRT) and T1/2 after i/n administration were significantly higher compared with intravenous (i/v) administration. The absolute bioavailability of GPF after i/n administration was 89%. The values of tissue availability (ft) provided evidence about the highest concentration of GPF in the nose mucosa (ft = 34.9), followed by spleen (ft = 4.1), adrenal glands (ft = 3.8), striated muscle (ft = 1.8), kidneys (ft = 0.5), and liver (ft = 0.3). After repeated dose administration, GPF exhibited significantly higher AUC0–24 and MRT, indicating its accumulation in the plasma.

Dry extracts of the aerial parts of Epimedium koreanum were quantified by HPLC and high performance TLC (HPTLC). A gradient HPLC method was used for the quantification of the prenylflavone glycoside icariin at 270 nm. A direct HPTLC assay was developed for the determination of icariin at 270 nm. The UV detection of both analytical assays were used to examine the purity of icariin peaks and compared with the standards. The assays provide good accuracy, reproducibility, and selectivity for the quantitative analysis of icariin. The icariin contents of five different dry extracts were compared by HPLC and HPTLC densitometry. The quantitative results of both analytical methods did not show any statistically significant differences between them, although a trend to slightly lower mean values could be found for the HPLC method.

Two chromatographic methods, high-performance TLC (HPTLC) and HPLC, were developed and used for separation and quantitative determination of chlorogenic acid in green coffee bean extracts. For HPTLC silica gel Kieselgel 60 F 254 plates with ethyl acetate/dichlormethane/formic acid/acetic acid/water (100:25:10:10:11, v/v/v/v/v) as mobile phase were used. Densitometric determination of chlorogenic acid by HPTLC was performed at 330 nm. A gradient RP HPLC method was carried out at 330 nm. All necessary validation tests for both methods were developed for their comparison. There were no statistically significant differences between HPLC and HPTLC for quantitative determination of chlorogenic acid according to the test of equality of the means.