The effect of modified Qiyuan paste on mice with low immunity and sleep deprivation by regulating GABA nerve and immune system.

BACKGROUND: Low immunity and sleep disorders are prevalent suboptimal health conditions in contemporary populations, which render them susceptible to the infiltration of pathogenic factors. LJC, which has a long history in traditional Chinese medicine for nourishing the Yin and blood and calming the mind, is obtained by modifying Qiyuan paste. Dendrobium officinale Kimura et Migo has been shown to improve the immune function in sleep-deprived mice. In this study, based on the traditional Chinese medicine theory, LJC was prepared by adding D. officinale Kimura et Migo to Qiyuan paste decoction. METHODS: Indicators of Yin deficiency syndrome, such as back temperature and grip strength, were measured in each group of mice; furthermore, behavioral tests and pentobarbital sodium-induced sleep tests were performed. An automatic biochemical analyzer, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit, and other methods were used to determine routine blood parameters, serum immunoglobulin (IgG, IgA, and IgM), cont (C3, C4), acid phosphatase (ACP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels in the spleen, serum hemolysin, and delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) levels. In addition, serum levels of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate (Glu) were detected using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Hematoxylin-eosin staining and Nissl staining were used to assess the histological alterations in the hypothalamus tissue. Western blot and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the expressions of the GABA pathway proteins GABRA1, GAD, GAT1, and GABAT1 and those of CD4+ and CD8+ proteins in the thymus and spleen tissues. RESULTS: The findings indicated that LJC prolonged the sleep duration, improved the pathological changes in the hippocampus, effectively upregulated the GABA content in the serum of mice, downregulated the Glu content and Glu/GABA ratio, enhanced the expressions of GABRA1, GAT1, and GAD, and decreased the expression of GABAT1 to assuage sleep disorders. Importantly, LJC alleviated the damage to the thymus and spleen tissues in the model mice and enhanced the activities of ACP and LDH in the spleen of the immunocompromised mice. Moreover, serum hemolysin levels and serum IgG, IgA, and IgM levels increased after LJC administration, which manifested as increased CD4+ content, decreased CD8+ content, and enhanced DTH response. In addition, LJC significantly increased the levels of complement C3 and C4, increased the number of white blood cells and lymphocytes, and decreased the percentage of neutrophils in the blood. CONCLUSIONS: LJC can lead to improvements in immunocompromised mice models with insufficient sleep. The underlying mechanism may involve regulation of the GABA/Glu content and the expression levels of GABA metabolism pathway-related proteins in the brain of mice, enhancing their specific and nonspecific immune functions.

The effects of Atractylodes macrocephala extract BZEP self-microemulsion based on gut-liver axis HDL/LPS signaling pathway to ameliorate metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease in rats.

OBJECTIVES: To elucidate the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of Atractylodes macrocephala extract crystallize (BZEP) and BZEP self-microemulsion (BZEPWR) on metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) induced by "high sugar, high fat, and excessive alcohol consumption" based on the gut-liver axis HDL/LPS signaling pathway. METHODS: In this study, BZEP and BZEPWR were obtained via isolation, purification, and microemulsification. Furthermore, an anthropomorphic MAFLD rat model of "high sugar, high fat, and excessive alcohol consumption" was established. The therapeutic effects of BZEPWR and BZEP on the model rats were evaluated in terms of liver function, lipid metabolism (especially HDL-C), serum antioxidant indexes, and liver and intestinal pathophysiology. To determine the lipoproteins in the serum sample, the amplitudes of a plurality of NMR spectra were derived via deconvolution of the composite methyl signal envelope to yield HDL-C subclass concentrations. The changes in intestinal flora were detected via 16 S rRNA gene sequencing. In addition, the gut-liver axis HDL/LPS signaling pathway was validated using immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and western blot. RESULTS: The findings established that BZEPWR and BZEP improved animal signs, serum levels of liver enzymes (ALT and AST), lipid metabolism (TC, TG, HDL-C, and LDL-C), and antioxidant indexes (GSH, SOD, and ROS). In addition, pathological damage to the liver, colon, and ileum was ameliorated, and the intestinal barrier function of the model rats was restored. At the genus level, BZEPWR and BZEP exerted positive effects on beneficial bacteria, such as Lactobacillus and norank_f__Muribaculaceae, and inhibitory effects on harmful bacteria, such as unclassified_f__Lachnospiraceae and Blautia. Twenty HDL-C subspecies were detected, and their levels were differentially increased in both BZEPWR and BZEP groups, with BZEPWR exhibiting a stronger elevating effect on specific HDL-C subspecies. Also, the gut-liver axis HDL/LPS signaling pathway was studied, which indicated that BZEPWR and BZEP significantly increased the expressions of ABCA1, LXR, occludin, and claudin-1 proteins in the gut and serum levels of HDL-C. Concomitantly, the levels of LPS in the serum and TLR4, Myd88, and NF-κB proteins in the liver were decreased. CONCLUSION: BZEPWR and BZEP exert restorative and reversal effects on the pathophysiological damage to the gut-liver axis in MAFLD rats, and the therapeutic mechanism may be related to the regulation of the intestinal flora and the HDL/LPS signaling pathway.

Dendrobium officinale flowers' topical extracts improve skin oxidative stress and aging.

BACKGROUND: Dendrobium officinale flowers (DOF) have the effects of antiaging and nourishing yin, but it lacks pharmacological research on skin aging. OBJECTIVE: Confirming the role of DOF in delaying skin aging based on the "in vitro animal-human" model. METHODS: In this experiment, three kinds of free radical scavenging experiments in vitro, D-galactose-induced aging mouse model, and human antiaging efficacy test were used to test whether DOF can improve skin aging through anti-oxidation. RESULTS: In vitro experiment shows that DOF has certain scavenging effect on 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical, hydroxyl free radical, and superoxide free radical, and its IC50 is 0.2090 µg/mL, 15.020, and 1.217 mg/mL respectively. DOF can enhance the activities of T-AOC, SOD, CAT, and GSH Px in the serum of aging mice, increase the content of GSH, and reduce the content of MDA when administered with DOF of 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 g/kg for 6 weeks. In addition, it can enhance the activity of SOD in the skin of aging mice, increase the content of Hyp, and decrease the content of MDA, activated Keap1/Nrf2 pathway in the skin of aging mice. Applying DOF with a concentration of 0.2 g/mL on the face for 8 weeks can significantly improve the skin water score and elasticity value, reduce facial wrinkles, pores, acne, and UV spots, and improve the facial brown spots and roughness. CONCLUSION: DOF can significantly improve skin aging caused by oxidative stress, and its mechanism may be related to scavenging free radicals in the body and improving skin quality.

Effects of Macroporous Resin Extract of Dendrobium officinale Leaves in Rats with Hyperuricemia Induced by Fructose and Potassium Oxonate.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: Fructose, as a ubiquitous monosaccharide, can promote ATP consumption and elevate circulating Uric Acid (UA) levels. Our previous studies have confirmed that the macroporous resin extract of Dendrobium officinale leaves (DoMRE) could reduce the UA level of rats with hyperuricemia induced by a high-purine diet. This study aimed to investigate whether DoMRE had a UA-lowering effect on rats with hyperuricemia caused by fructose combined with potassium oxonate, so as to further clarify the UA-lowering effect of DoMRE, and to explore the UAlowering effect of DoMRE on both UA production and excretion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Rats with hyperuricemia induced by fructose and potassium oxonate were administered with DoMRE and vehicle control, respectively, to compare the effects of the drugs. At the end of the experiment, the Serum Uric Acid (SUA) and Creatinine (Cr) levels were measured using an automatic biochemical analyzer, the activities of xanthine oxidase (XOD) were measured using an assay kit, and the protein expressions of Urate Transporter 1 (URAT1), glucose transporter 9 (GLUT9), and ATP-Binding Cassette Superfamily G member 2 (ABCG2) were assessed using immune-histochemical and western blot analyses. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was used to assess the histological changes in the kidney, liver, and intestine. RESULTS: Fructose and potassium induced hyperuricemia in rats. Meanwhile, the activities of XOD were markedly augmented, the expression of URAT1 and GLUT9 was promoted, and the expression of ABCG2 was reduced, which were conducive to the elevation of UA. However, exposure to DoMRE reversed these fructose- and potassium oxonate-induced negative alternations in rats. The activities of XOD were recovered to the normal level, reducing UA formation; the expressions of URAT1, ABCG2, and GLUT9 returned to the normal level, resulting in an increase in renal urate excretion. CONCLUSION: DoMRE reduces UA levels in rats with hyperuricemia induced by fructose combined with potassium oxonate by inhibiting XOD activity and regulating the expression of ABCG2, URAT1, and GLUT9. DoMRE is a potential therapeutic agent for treating hyperuricemia through inhibiting UA formation and promoting UA excretion.

Impacts of heavy metals and medicinal crops on ecological systems, environmental pollution, cultivation, and production processes in China.

Heavy metals are widely distributed in the environment due to the natural processes and anthropogenic human activities. Their migration into no contaminated areas contributing towards pollution of the ecosystems e.g. soils, plants, water and air. It is recognized that heavy metals due to their toxicity, long persistence in nature can accumulate in the trophic chain and cause organism dysfunction. Although the popularity of herbal medicine is rapidly increasing all over the world heavy metal toxicity has a great impact and importance on herbal plants and consequently affects the quality of herbal raw materials, herbal extracts, the safety and marketability of drugs. Effective control of heavy metal content in herbal plants using in pharmaceutical and food industries has become indispensable. Therefore, this review describes various important factors such as ecological and environmental pollution, cultivation and harvest of herbal plants and manufacturing processes which effects on the quality of herbal plants and then on Chinese herbal medicines which influence human health. This review also proposes possible management strategies to recover environmental sustainability and medication safety. About 276 published studies (1988-2021) are reviewed in this paper.