Anti-inflammatory effects of the extract of Gnaphalium affine D. Don in vivo and in vitro.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Gnaphalium affine D. Don (GA) has been traditionally used as a medicinal herb in China for the treatment of many ailments including rheumatoid arthritis. However, the anti-arthritic mechanism of GA has still not been demonstrated. This study aims to reveal the anti-inflammatory activity and anti-arthritic mechanism of ethanol extract of G. affine D. Don. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Anti-inflammatory potential of GA was analyzed in vivo in carrageenan induced mice paw edema (acute study). Also, in vivo study was applied in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rats. In vitro experiments for analyzing the anti-inflammatory potential of GA were performed on rat alveolar macrophages cell line (NR8383). Analysis of nitric oxide release in NR8383 cells was done by Griess reaction. RT-PCR and western blotting experiment was performed to analyze the expression of phosphorylated p65 and IκBα/ß-actin in NF-κB pathway. The production of TNF-α, IL-1ß, and COX-2 in NR8383 cells were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The chemical profile of GA was analyzed by HPLC-VWD. RESULTS: GA significantly reduced the paw volume in carrageenan induced rat paw edema rat at different doses (300 and 600 mg/kg), compared with the standard indomethacin treatment. In CIA, GA can obviously ameliorate the inflammatory symptom, including cytokine, histological symptom and paw swelling. In the vitro study, GA was able to reduce the nitric oxide (NO) levels in NR8383 cells that had been stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The level of TNF-α, IL-1ß, and COX-2 was also decreased with GA treatment in NR8383 cells that had been stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Interestingly, GA was found to decrease the level of phosphorylated p65 and IκBα in NR8383 cells. Fifteen compounds were identified by HPLC-VWD with the reference substances and verified by LC-MS. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the experiment scientifically validated its traditional use in inflammatory conditions.

Evaluation of hypoglycemic effects of polyphenols and extracts from Penthorum chinense.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Penthorum chinense Pursh has a long history of use as a health food and folk medicine to alleviate "heat"-associated disorders, promote circulation and diuresis, and to treat liver problems, and to protect the spleen. In this study we provide experimental evidence for the clinical use of Penthorum chinense in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. The aim of the study was to investigate the hypoglycemic effects of extracts and active constituents from Penthorum chinense. MATERIALS AND METHODS: High fat diet and STZ (35mg/kg) induced diabetic rats were administered with Penthorum chinense extract at graded oral doses (150 and 300mg/kg/day, ig.) for 2 weeks. A range of parameters, including blood glucose and lipid, serum insulin, glucose tolerance, were tested to evaluate its anti-hyperglycemic effects. Moreover, oral starch tolerance test (OSTT) was performed to test the level of postprandial glucose after administrating Penthorum chinense extract. In vitro study, the Penthorum chinense extracts and purified Penthorum chinense polyphenols were tested for α-amylase inhibitory activity. The polyphenols were determined by UPLC-Q-TOF mass spectrometry and NMR. RESULTS: The Penthorum chinense extract possessed anti-hyperglycemic activities as shown by the decreased serum levels of glycosylated hemoglobulin A1C (HbA1c), triglyceride(TG), total cholesterol (TC), and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), as well as increased serum levels of high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) and insulin. Penthorum chinense extract also improved the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) to a certain degree. Moreover, the OSTT study showed that in diabetic rats, the extract (600mg/kg) caused a significant hypoglycemic effect with a blood glucose reduction of 42% at 60min. To identify the active constituents, three polyphenols, pinocembrin-7-O-[4″,6″-hexahydroxydiphenoyl]-ß-d-glucose (1), pinocembrin-7-O-[3″-O-galloyl-4″, 6″-hexahydroxydiphenoyl]-ß- d-glucose (2), and thonningianin A (3) were isolated from Penthorum chinense. Compounds 1-3 moderately inhibited α-amylase activity, with IC50 values of 0.14, 0.03, and 0.08µmol/ml, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The folk medicinal plant, Penthorum chinense produced a moderated anti-hyperglycemic effect on STZ-induced diabetic rats and starch induced postprandial hyperglycemic mice.

Polyphenols with anti-proliferative activities from Penthorum chinense Pursh.

Two new polyphenols, penthorumin C (1) and 2,6-dihydroxyacetophenone-4-O- [4',6'-(S)-hexahydroxydiphenoyl]-ß-D-glucose (2), along with four known polyphenolic acids, pinocembrin-7-O-[4",6"-hexahydroxydiphenoyl]-ß-D-glucose(3), pinocembrin-7-O-[3"-O- galloyl- 4",6"-hexahydroxydiphenoyl]-ß-D-glucose (4), thonningianin A (5), and thonningianin B (6) were isolated from Penthourm chinense. All compounds were evaluated for their anti-proliferative activity in HSC-T6 cells, and 2 and 5 showed significant activity, with IC50 values of 12.7 and 19.2 µM, respectively.

[Epidemiological effects of the A (H1N1) influenza vaccine immunization program on students].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the epidemiological effects of vaccine immunization program related to A (H1N1) influenza in the middle school students. METHODS: Non-randomized clinical trial was designed to assess the A (H1N1) influenza vaccine on its efficacy. 14 883 students from 8 middle schools in Zhejiang province were recruited and classified into vaccinated or control groups, based on the status of immunization with A (H1N1) influenza vaccine. All subjects were followed up through one epidemic period (6 months) and the incidence rates of influenza-like illnesses, A (H1N1) influenza, and seasonal influenza in these two groups were compared to evaluate the efficacy of the vaccine. RESULTS: There were 6334 subjects in the vaccinated group and 8549 in the control group. 7441.75 person-years were followed from these two groups. The incidence rate of A (H1N1) influenza in vaccinated group was 1.64‰ per person-year, lower than that of the control group. The rate difference (RD) was -1.64‰ per person-year (95% confidence interval value from -3.04‰ to -0.23‰ per person-year), and the difference was significant (P = 0.010). The incidence rate of influenza-like illnesses in vaccinated group was 21.47‰ per person-year, lower than that of the control group (22.69‰ per person-year) and the difference was not significant (P > 0.05). The incidence rate of B influenza in vaccinated group was 6.63‰ per person-year, higher than that of control group (7.02‰ per person-year) but the difference was not significant (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: This vaccine demonstrated a good epidemiological effect against the A (H1N1) influenza virus infection, observed through a student-immunization program. The cross-protection effect against the influenza-like illnesses and other seasonal influenzas was not noticed in this study.