Gavage Strategy for Decoction Formula of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Osteosarcoma Model Mice

Summary

The protocol provides a detailed standardization process of decoction formula and gavage technique with Yiqi Jiedu decoction in the osteosarcoma mouse model as an example. It describes animal protection and improves reliability of research data, providing effective strategies for investigating therapeutic efficacy and molecular mechanisms of decoction formulas in vivo.

Abstract

Decoction formula is the most commonly used dosage form in traditional Chinese medicine and applied in clinical practice for thousands of years by trans-oral administration, which is characterized by quick effect, easy absorption, and individualized treatment based on the specific syndromes of patients. The quality of the decoction formula is directly responsible for the clinical efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine; therefore, the standardization process of the decoction formula is important to avoid differences in decoction quality caused by subjective factors. Meanwhile, due to the limitations of performing clinical experiments, small animals bearing human diseases, such as mice, are often used in medical research to explore the therapeutic efficacy and comprehensive mechanisms of different interventions, including the decoction formula for traditional Chinese medicine. Consequently, as an important trans-oral administration method, the skilled gavage technique is particularly important to avoid potential esophagus damage and drug spillage, which will ensure an equal amount of medicine being administered to each model animal, leading to accurate experimental results. Furthermore, the standardized method of decoction formula preparation and skilled gavage strategy are necessary to protect animal welfare and minimize the number of animals used. Here, we reported a detailed standardization process of the decoction formula and gavage technique with Yiqi Jiedu decoction in osteosarcoma mouse model as an example. The efficacy was evaluated by the tumor volume. This protocol will maximize animal protection and improve the reliability of research data, therefore providing effective strategies for future investigating therapeutic efficacy and molecular mechanisms of decoction formula for traditional Chinese medicine in vivo.

Introduction

Decoction formula is the most commonly used dosage form of the traditional Chinese medicine and the liquid medicinal drugs^1,2. The decoction formula of traditional Chinese medicine is processed by decocting the herbs in water after being soaked, followed by filtering to discard the dregs.

Because the decoction formula can be individualized based on clinical necessities, especially in line with the characteristics of evidence-based treatment in traditional Chinese medicine, this dosage form via trans-oral administration has been applied in clinical practice for thousands of ....

Protocol

This protocol describes the detailed gavage technique in osteosarcoma model mice by using the Yiqi Jiedu decoction as a sample. Four-week-old, male athymic mice (BALB/c nude) were used in this experiment and kept in the SPF-grade breeding room of Laboratory Animal Center in Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. All animal experiments were approved by the Animal Management and Committee of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, complied with the Code of Ethics for Laboratory Animals (Animal Et.......

Discussion

The clinical efficacy of the prescribed herbs in traditional Chinese medicine is largely associated with the administered dose and dosage form; therefore, the establishment of a standardized decoction strategy and a skilled administration process are necessary in clinical practice, as well as in improving the reliability of experimental results.

In this study, we first provided a detailed strategy for the standardized decoction of Chinese herbs used in clinical practice of traditional Chinese .......

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
143B cell line	ATCC	CRL-8303	osteosarcoma cell line
Anesthesia machine	Shenzhen RWD Life Technology Co.,Ltd	R500IP	The Equipment of Anesthesia mice
Automatic cell counter	Shanghai Simo Biological Technology Co., Ltd	IC1000	Counting cells
BALB/c athymic mice	Shanghai SLAC Laboratory Animal Co, Ltd.	Male	Animal
Barbed skullcap herb	Shanghai Yanghetang Traditional Chinese Medicine Tablet Co., Ltd.	20230606	Decoction-ready medicines
Basement Membrane Matrix	Shanghai Uning BioscienceTechnology Co., Ltd	356234, BD, Matrigel	re-suspende cells
Centrifuge tube (15 mL)	Shanghai YueNian Biotechnology Co., Ltd	430790, Corning	Centrifuge the cells
Elbow gavage needle (12-gauge/ 55 mm)	RWD Life Science Co., Ltd.	C21014-12	Component of gastric perfusion device
Gauze	Haishi Hainuo Group Co., Ltd.	LC45	Decoction filter
Ginseng	Shanghai Wanshicheng Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.	20220704-2	Decoction-ready medicines
Hedyotis diffusa	Shanghai Yanghetang Traditional Chinese Medicine Tablet Co., Ltd.	2023071107	Decoction-ready medicines
isoflurane	Shenzhen RWD Life Technology Co., Ltd	VETEASY	Anesthesia mice
Micro-volume syringe	Shanghai high pigeon industry and trade Co., Ltd	0-50 μL	Inject precise cells into the tibia
Phosphate-buffered saline	Beyotime Biotechnology	ST447	wash the human osteosarcoma cells
Rubber bands	Shanghai Hengfei Biotechnology Co., Ltd.	XPJ	Fixing gauze on the measuring cup
Syringe (1 mL )	Shanghai Mishawa Medical Industry Co., Ltd.	SBM0040	Component of gastric perfusion device
Trypsin (0.25%)	Shanghai YueNian Biotechnology Co., Ltd	25200056, Gibco	trypsin treatment of cells