Dietary restriction reduces blood lipids and ameliorates liver function of mice with hyperlipidemia.

Dietary restriction (DR) can delay senescence, prolong lifespan of mammals and improve their learning-memory activity. The purpose of the study was to explore the effects of DR on hypolipidemic action and liver function of mice with hyperlipidemia. To investigate these effects, hyperlipidemia mouse models were established with high-fat diet (HFD) (34% of energy), then randomly divided into HFD group, DR30% group and DR50% group. Mice in DR30% and DR50% group were respectively supplied with HFD as much as about 70% and 50% of the consumption of HFD in the mice of HFD group. Rats in control group were fed routinely. After DR for 5 weeks, the average body weight, liver weight, liver index, serum lipids and glucose levels in both DR groups decreased significantly as compared with the HFD group (P<0.05 or P<0.01), so did alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels and the ratio of LDL-C/HDL-C in the DR50% group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Histopathology examination of liver tissues further proved ameliorative effect of DR on liver function. Western blotting showed that DR significantly increased the expression of silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog 1 (SIRT1) in liver and adipose, while notably decreased the expression of peroxisome proliferators-activated receptors-gamma (PPARγ) in adipose (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The increase of SIRT1 and decrease of PPARγ may be a mechanism by which DR reduces blood lipids and ameliorates liver function.

[Essential oil from Artemisia lavandulaefolia induces apoptosis and necrosis of HeLa cells].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of Artemisia lavandulaefolia essential oil on apoptosis and necrosis of HeLa cells. METHODS: Cell viability was assayed using MTT method. The morphological and structure alterations in HeLa cells were observed by microscopy. Furthermore, cell apoptosis was measured by DNA Ladder and flow cytometry. DNA damage was measured by comet assay, and the protein expression was examined by Western blot analysis. RESULTS: MTT assay displayed essential oil from Artemisia lavandulaefolia could inhibit the proliferation of HeLa cells in a dose-dependent manner. After treated with essential oil of Artemisia lavadulaefolia for 24 h, HeLa cells in 100 and 200 microg/mL experiment groups exhibited the typical morphology changes of undergoing apoptosis, such as cell shrinkage and nucleus chromatin condensed. However, the cells in the 400 microg/mL group showed the necrotic morphology changes including cytomembrane rupture and cytoplasm spillover. In addition, DNA Ladder could be demonstrated by DNA electrophoresis in each experiment group. Apoptosis peak was also evident in flow cytometry in each experiment group. After treating the HeLa cells with essential oil of Artemisia lavadulaefolia for 6 h, comet tail was detected by comet assay. Moreover, western blotting analysis showed that caspase-3 was activated and the cleavage of PARP was inactivated. CONCLUSION: Essential oil from Artemisia lavadulaefolia can inhibit the proliferation of HeLa cells in vitro. Low concentration of essential oil from Artemisia lavadulaefolia can induce apoptosis, whereas high concentration of the compounds result in necrosis of HeLa cells. And,the mechanism may be related to the caspase-3-mediated-PARP apoptotic signal pathway.

[Effects of the extract from bergamot and boxthorn on the delay of skin aging and hair growth in mice].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of the extract from bergamot and boxthorn on the skin and the hair growth in mice. METHOD: The skin on the back of mice was shaved topically and smeared with bergamot and boxthorn extract for 42 days. Then the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) and collagen in the mice were measured. The growth of hair was also observed. RESULT: Compared with control group, the extract from bergamot and boxthorn obviously increased the activity of superoxide dismutase (P < 0.05) and the content of collagen (P < 0.001), and decreased the content of malondialdehyde (P < 0.05) in the skin of mice. It also significantly promoted the growth of hair (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The extract from bergamot and boxthorn plays an active role in skin and the promotion of hair growth.