To study the effect of co-administration of Jujuboside A and B (Ju A+B) on sleep, healthy KM mice were given different doses of Ju A+B with a behavioral evaluation of sleep state. Serum levels of key neurotransmitters (5HT, DA, and NE) were measured. The hypothalamus of KM mice was analyzed for differential protein expression using TMT quantitative proteomics, and differential expression protein (DEP) bioinformatics analysis was used to explore potential mechanisms. The result shows that Ju A+B affects sleep by expressing the protein in the hypothalamus. Compared with the control group, the test group showed 10 up-regulated and 139 down-regulated DEPs. The key DEPs were found at the tight junction. Western blot showed reliable alteration of the key DEPs in proteomics. The result of interaction network analysis attributed the potential of Jujuboside to the changes in blood-brain barrier, which provided basic and theoretical data for the efficacy evaluation and mechanism of Jujuboside.

Saussurea involucrata (S. involucrata) had been reported to have anti-hepatoma function. However, the mechanism is complex and unclear. To evaluate the anti-hepatoma mechanism of S. involucrata comprehensively and make a theoretical basis for the mechanical verification of later research, we carried out this work. In this study, the total phenolic acids from S. involucrata determined by a cell suspension culture (ESPI) was mainly composed of 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid, according to the LC-MS analysis. BALB/c nude female mice were injected with HepG2 cells to establish an animal model of liver tumor before being divided into a control group, a low-dose group, a middle-dose group, a high-dose group, and a DDP group. Subsequently, EPSI was used as the intervention drug for mice. Biochemical indicators and differences in protein expression determined by TMT quantitative proteomics were used to resolve the mechanism after the low- (100 mg/kg), middle- (200 mg/kg), and high-dose (400 mg/kg) interventions for 24 days. The results showed that EPSI can not only limit the growth of HepG2 cells in vitro, but also can inhibit liver tumors significantly with no toxicity at high doses in vivo. Proteomics analysis revealed that the upregulated differentially expressed proteins (DE proteins) in the high-dose group were over three times that in the control group. ESPI affected the pathways significantly associated with the protein metabolic process, metabolic process, catalytic activity, hydrolase activity, proteolysis, endopeptidase activity, serine-type endopeptidase activity, etc. The treatment group showed significant differences in the pathways associated with the renin-angiotensin system, hematopoietic cell lineage, etc. In conclusion, ESPI has a significant anti-hepatoma effect and the potential mechanism was revealed.