In vitro evaluation of the composition and acaricidal efficacy of Urtica fissa leaf ethyl acetate extract against Sarcoptes scabiei mites.

In veterinary medicine, natural products provide an alternative to chemical agents for mite management. In the present study, the acaricidal efficacy of Urtica fissa leaf ethyl acetate extract against Sarcoptes scabiei mites was examined. The chemical composition of the extract was determined using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis. The ethyl acetate extract was found to be extremely toxic to mites at a concentration of 100 mg/ml (m/v), killing all S. scabiei within two hours. The median lethal time (LT50) values for ethyl acetate extract concentrations of 25, 50, and 100 mg/ml against S. scabiei were 1.706, 1.204, and 0.750 h, respectively. The median lethal dosage (LC50) for S. scabiei was 19.14 mg/ml at two hours. The chemical composition of the ethyl acetate extract was evaluated using LC-MS, showing that the major components were schaftoside (8.259%), carnosol (6.736%), prostaglandin A2 (5.94%), 13(S)-HpOTrE (4.624%), nandrolone (4.264%), 1H-indole-3-carboxaldehyde (4.138%), 9-oxoODE (3.206%), and stearidonic acid (2.891%). In conclusion, these findings indicate that Urtica fissa contains promising new acaricidal compounds capable of successfully controlling animal mites.

Natural Products as Mite Control Agents in Animals: A Review.

Mites have been a persistent infectious disease affecting both humans and animals since ancient times. In veterinary clinics, the primary approach for treating and managing mite infestations has long been the use of chemical acaricides. However, the widespread use of these chemicals has resulted in significant problems, including drug resistance, drug residues, and environmental pollution, limiting their effectiveness. To address these challenges, researchers have shifted their focus towards natural products that have shown promise both in the laboratory and real-world settings against mite infestations. Natural products have a wide variety of chemical structures and biological activities, including acaricidal properties. This article offers a comprehensive review of the acaricidal capabilities and mechanisms of action of natural products like plant extracts, natural compounds, algae, and microbial metabolites against common animal mites.

Clinical Features and Rules of Chinese Herbal Medicine in Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy Patients.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the clinical features of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) and employ data mining technology to explore the rules of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) therapy. METHODS: The clinical data of 216 patients with DPN and qi-yin deficiency syndrome were obtained, and the clinical features of the patients were assessed by cluster analysis. Relevant information was entered into the clinical diagnosis and treatment collection system, and data mining techniques were used to analyse the drug frequency, core CHM, CHM pair, and so on. RESULTS: In this study, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and homocysteine (HCY) were closely related to the pathogenesis of DPN. Overall, 162 patients had typical DPN syndrome characteristics, and we analysed 216 prescriptions, including 182 CHM. The frequencies of prescription of Astragalus membranaceus, Ligusticum wallichii, Poria cocos, and Radix Rehmanniae were greater than 45%. A Bayesian network analysis diagram showed that the 9 most common core CHM included Astragalus membranaceus, Ligusticum wallichii, Poria cocos, atractylodes rhizome, and Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge. According to the association rules of CHM, Radix Ophiopogon is used for Codonopsis pilosula; Astragalus membranaceus and atractylodes rhizome for Rehmannia are also frequently used. Astragalus membranaceus and Cinnamomi Ramulus or Ligusticum wallichii and Moutan bark were highly related to a decreased Michigan Diabetic Neuropathy Score. CONCLUSION: HbA1c and HCY are related risk factors for DPN. Numbness is a typical syndrome characteristic. Astragalus membranaceus is a monarch CHM and is used most frequently.

The Chinese Herbal Formula Shenzhu Tiaopi Granule Results in Metabolic Improvement in Type 2 Diabetic Rats by Modulating the Gut Microbiota.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to investigate the implication of the Chinese herbal formula (CHF) Shenzhu tiaopi Granule (STG) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and discuss the mechanisms by which STG regulates the gut microbiota. METHOD: Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats and age-matched Wistar (W) rats were acclimatized for 1 week. The GK rats were randomly divided into 3 groups and orally gavaged with saline (model group, M), acarbose (acarbose group, A), and STG (granule of CHF group, G; the component of this formula includes Codonopsis pilosula, Rhizoma Atractylodis, Pinellia, Poria cocos, Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae, Coptis chinensis Franch, and Pueraria). The W rats were orally gavaged with saline (control group, C). The observation time was 8 weeks. The weight, fasting blood glucose (FBG) level, and blood lipid levels were tested. The 16S rRNA genes in the V3-V4 region were sequenced, and the structure of the gut microbiota was analysed. RESULTS: Compared to C, M displayed significant differences in blood glucose, gut microbiota, etc. (P<0.05; P<0.01). Compared to M, A and G showed a similar reduction in the FBG gain and a shift in the structure of the gut microbiota (P<0.05; P<0.01). Compared with A, G exhibited a significant decrease in weight, FBG level, and total cholesterol (P<0.05). The gut microbiota, Bacteroidetes, the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, Allobaculum, and Desulfovibrionaceae were significantly decreased in response to the STG treatment, while Lactobacillus was significantly enriched (P<0.05; P<0.01). The community composition also differed at the phylum and genus levels based on the linear discriminant analysis effect size and heat map. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the composition of the gut microbiota was significantly changed in the diabetic GK rats compared with that in the normal W rats. STG treatment can improve glucose and lipid levels and modulate the gut microbiota in T2DM rats.

Effect of Danzhijiangtang capsule on monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 mRNA expression in newly diagnosed diabetes subclinical vascular lesions.

AIM: To investigate the effect of Danzhijiangtang capsule (DJC) on monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) mRNA expression in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) subclinical vascular lesions. METHODS: Sixty-two patients with newly diagnosed T2DM subclinical vascular lesions were randomly divided into a control group and treatment group of 31 cases each. Oral antidiabetic therapy with routine western medicine was conducted in both groups, and the treatment group was additionally treated with DJCs. The treatment course for both groups was 12 wk. Before and after treatment, the total efficiency and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome score were calculated. The fasting plasma glucose (FPG), 2-h plasma glucose (2hPG), fasting insulin (FINS), insulin resistance index (IRI), hemoglobin (Hb)A1c, blood lipids, and hemorheology indices were determined. In addition, the levels of vascular endothelial growth factors including thrombomodulin (TM), von Willebrand factor (vWF), P-selectin and MCP-1 mRNA were determined. RESULTS: After 12 wk of treatment, the TCM syndrome score was significantly decreased compared to before treatment in both groups. After treatment, FPG, 2hPG, HbA1c, FINS, IRI, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, whole blood low shear specific viscosity, plasma specific viscosity, TM, vWF, P-selectin and MCP-1 mRNA were significantly improved compared to before treatment in both groups. After treatment, the total efficiency and TCM syndrome score in the treatment group were better than in the control group. FINS, IRI, whole blood high shear specific viscosity, plasma specific viscosity, TM, vWF, P-selectin and MCP-1 mRNA level in the treatment group were significantly reduced after treatment compared with control group. CONCLUSION: DJCs are efficacious in supplementing qi, nourishing yin and invigorating blood circulation, and upregulate MCP-1 mRNA expression in patients with T2DM subclinical vascular lesions.