Efficacy and safety of the Chaixiong Qiwei granule for tension-type headache: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Tension-type headache (TTH) is the most prevalent headache disorder worldwide. Although current treatments for TTH are beneficial, they are not without adverse effects. Chaixiong Qiwei granule (CXQW) is an experienced prescription medicine for TTH management. This study will evaluate the efficacy and safety of CXQW for the treatment of TTH. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This study will be a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. A total of 148 eligible participants will be divided into the intervention (CXQW treatment) and control (placebo treatment) groups. The primary outcome will be the reduction in the number of headache days (headache-days reduction) within 9-12 weeks after randomisation, while secondary outcomes will include the number of headache days, headache intensity, responder rate, drug consumption for acute treatment, quality of life and symptoms related to traditional Chinese medicine use based on a symptom-observation table. This protocol describes the design of the randomised controlled trial. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study design was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Human Research at Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences (No. 2020XLA030-2). TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ChiCTR2100042514.

Correlation and predictive value of platelet biological indicators and recurrence of large-artery atherosclerosis type of ischemic stroke.

Large-artery atherosclerosis type of ischemic stroke happens when a blood clot forms in a major artery that carries blood to the brain. This causes a blockage and a decrease in blood flow to the brain tissue making up approximately 15-20% of all cases. This type of stroke is more prevalent in older adults and those with risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, and a family history of stroke. To investigate the correlation and predictive value of platelet-related biological indicators with recurrence of large-artery atherosclerosis type of ischemic stroke (LAA-IS)2. The patients were divided into a relapse group (R, n = 40) and non-relapse group (NR, n = 45). Platelet-related biological indicators were collected from both groups to analyze their correlation with neurological impairment score (NIHSS score). Risk factors were analyzed using binary logistic regression and a survival curve (ROC) was drawn to evaluate the predictive effect of clinical platelet-related biological indicators on LAA-IS recurrence. This study confirmed that PAg-ADP, PAg-COL, and FIB are closely related to the formation of LAA-IS due to carotid atherosclerosis, and the combined PAg-ADP, PAg-COL, and FIB index levels are the most promising for assessing the prognostic development of recurrence in patients with LAA-IS. Combined monitoring of platelet aggregation rate and FIB index is of important evaluation value in judging the recurrence prognosis of LAA-IS patients.

NRF1 Regulates the Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition of Breast Cancer by Modulating ROS Homeostasis.

Introduction: Nuclear respiratory factor 1 (NRF1) is an important regulator involved in mitochondrial biogenesis and energy metabolism. However, the specific mechanism of NRF1 in anoikis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) remains unclear. Methods: We examined the effect of NRF1 on mitochondria and identified the specific mechanism through transcriptome sequencing, and explored the relationships among NRF1, anoikis, and EMT. Results: We found that upregulated NRF1 expression led to increased mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and ATP generation. Simultaneously, a significant amount of ROS is generated during OXPHOS. Alternatively, NRF1 upregulates the expression of ROS-scavenging enzymes, allowing tumor cells to maintain low ROS levels and promoting anoikis resistance and EMT. We also found that exogenous ROS was maintained at a low level by NRF1 in breast cancer cells. Conclusion: our study provides mechanistic insight into the function of NRF1 in breast cancer, indicating that NRF1 may serve as a therapeutic target for breast cancer treatment.

The molecular mechanisms of ferroptosis and its role in glioma progression and treatment.

Ferroptosis is one of the programmed modes of cell death that has attracted widespread attention recently and is capable of influencing the developmental course and prognosis of many tumors. Glioma is one of the most common primary tumors of the central nervous system, but effective treatment options are very limited. Ferroptosis plays a critical role in the glioma progression, affecting tumor cell proliferation, angiogenesis, tumor necrosis, and shaping the immune-resistant tumor microenvironment. Inducing ferroptosis has emerged as an attractive strategy for glioma. In this paper, we review ferroptosis-related researches on glioma progression and treatment.

Effects of ischemia-hypoperfusion on neuro-vascular units in dual transgenic mice with Alzheimer's disease.

INTRODUCTION: The study aimed to investigate the effects of ischemia on neuro-vascular units in transgenic mice, and to investigate the role of ischemia-hypoperfusion in the model of dual transgenic mice with dementia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this study, the ischemic model was generated by operating a bilateral common carotid artery micro-embolism. Mice were divided into four groups, including group 1: C57BL sham surgery group (control), group 2: C57BL ischemic group, group 3: amyloid precursor protein/presenilin-1 (APP/PS1) group, and group 4: APP/PS1 ischemic group. Each group comprised 20 mice. Spatial behavior and memory ability of mice were detected by Morris water maze and jumping platform test. Mouse hippocampus was observed by HE staining and Congo red staining. Ultrastructure of each group of neuro-cyclic units was observed by electron microscopy. Various biochemical indicators were detected by ELISA. Western blot detected the amount of protein expression. qRT-PCR identified mRNA expression. RESULTS: The results indicated that learning and memory functions of C57 ischemic mice were lower than those of control group. Positive expression area of APP in APP/PS1 ischemic group was higher than in APP/PS1 group. In APP/PS1 group and APP/PS1 ischemic group, the content of Ab was significantly higher than in C57 ischemic group. Electron microscopic observation revealed that there were more mitochondrial vacuoles in hippocampal neurons of APP/PS1 mice, and the structure was relatively intact. Mitochondrial vacuoles in hippocampus increased significantly, and vascular wall proliferated in APP/PS1 ischemic group. Compared with C57 control group, the content of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) increased significantly in C57 ischemic group. CONCLUSIONS: Ischemia deteriorates the learning and memory function of transgenic mice, aggravates the damage of neuro-vascular units, and impairs the blood-brain barrier transport of Ab, leading to an increase in the concentration of Ab cerebrospinal fluid, and further deterioration of neuro-vascular units. At the same time, ischemia is an effective stimulating factor in the release of VEGF.

A systematic review and meta-analysis for the primary prevention of high risk of stroke by Nao-an capsules.

BACKGROUND: To date, Nao-an capsules are the only Chinese patent medicine primarily prescribed for the primary prevention of stroke. PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Nao-an capsules in the primary prevention of stroke in high-risk patients. STUDY DESIGN: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. METHODS: We searched 7 electronic databases and 2 registries from inception to January 13, 2022 for relevant randomized controlled trials. Two independent investigators selected trials, collected data, and judged the risk of bias. We performed a meta-analysis using the Review Manager software. RESULTS: Nine randomized controlled trials involving 14 744 patients at high risk of stroke were included. Nao-an capsules reduced the risk of first stroke compared with no intervention (risk ratio [RR] = 0.49, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 0.29 to 0.82, p = 0.006) or aspirin (RR50 mg qd = 0.47, 95 % CI 0.25 to 0.91, p = 0.03; RR100 mg qd = 0.46, 95 % CI 0.22 to 0.99, p = 0.05), without increased bleeding risks. The certainty of evidence was evaluated as moderate to very low. CONCLUSION: In addition to controlling specific risk factors, Nao-an capsules might provide additional preventive effects on first stroke with an acceptable safety profile for populations at high risk of stroke. However, as current evidence is too weak, a firm recommendation depends on further confirmation from more studies with more rigorous methodology.

Registration of intervention trials of Traditional Chinese Medicine for four neurological diseases on Chinese Clinical Trial Registry and ClinicalTrials.gov: a narrative review.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the current status of clinical trial registration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for the treatment of neurological diseases. METHODS: Interventional clinical trials of TCM treatment for ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, vascular cognitive impairment, tension-type headache before September 22, 2020 on the platform of Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR), and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched. Two researchers independently selected the literature and extracted data. RESULTS: A total of 180 interventional clinical trials were included for analysis. Out of 180 trials, 127 were from ChiCTR and 53 from ClinicalTrials.gov. The countries primary sponsoring the included trials were China (176, 97.8%), and the common categories of primary sponsors were hospital (131, 72.8%). Among the study design, the largest proportion of allocation was randomized (172, 95.6%), interventional model assignment was parallel (163, 90.6%), masking was double blind 49 (27.2%), and the sample size was ≤ 400 (144, 80.0%). The trials were most carried out at a single center (102, 56.7%). Among the included studies, 112 (62.2%) registered on ChiCTR attached the ethical approval documents. In terms of trial stages, 50 (27.7%) studies were in phase IV. The mostly used intervention was Chinese herbal medicines (99, 55%), acupuncture (68, 37.8%) was the second. By searching the registration number on China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database and PubMed, 38 (21.1%) registered trials were published, including 25 protocol studies and 14 research results with one (NCT02275949) published both the protocol and the results. CONCLUSIONS: Irregular and inadequate reporting, untimely update and publication, insufficient information on traditional medicine unique characteristics, and lack of international collaborations are the problems existing in the interventional clinical registration trials of traditional medicine treatment on neurological diseases. More efforts need to be made from the above aspects to standardize and improve the registration of traditional medicine trials.

[Overview of systematic reviews of acupuncture for vascular cognitive impairment].

OBJECTIVE: To overview the methodological quality, report quality and evidence quality of the systematic review (SR) of acupuncture for vascular cognitive impairment ( VCI ). METHODS: The SRs regarding acupuncture for VCI were searched in PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMbase, CNKI, SinoMed, Wanfang and VIP databases. The retrieval period was from the establishment of the database to September 24, 2020. The report quality, methodological quality and evidence quality of the included SRs were evaluated by PRISMA statement, the AMSTAR 2 tool and the GRADE system. RESULTS: A total of 22 SRs were included, including 102 outcome indexes. The methodological quality was generally low, with low scores on items 2, 5, 7, 10, 14, 15 and 16. The report quality was good, with scores ranging from 19 points to 24.5 points. The problems of report quality were mainly reflected in the aspects of structural abstract, program and registration, other analysis and funding sources. The level of outcome indexes of SRs was mostly low or very low, and the main leading factor was limitation, followed by inconsistency and inaccuracy. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture for VCI is supported by low quality evidence of evidence-based medicine, but the methodological quality and evidence body quality of relevant SRs are poor, and the standardization is needed to be improved.

Research landscape of exosomes in platelets from 2000 to 2022: A bibliometric analysis.

Background: Blood-derived exosomes are involved in developing multiple pathological processes, with platelets being the most well-known source. Related studies have become an area of research with significant value and potential. However, no bibliometric studies in this field have yet been identified. We aimed to analyze the hotspots and academic trends of platelet exosome research through bibliometric visualization to actively grasp the research base in this field and track its developmental orientation. Methods: From 2000 to 2022, we screened all relevant publications on platelet exosome-related research from the Web of Science database, generated knowledge maps using VOSviewer and CiteSpace software, and analyzed research trends in the field. Results: A total of 722 articles were screened for inclusion based on the search strategy. The number of articles on exosome studies in platelets has expanded vastly. The USA and the People's Republic of China contributed substantially among 69 countries or regions. Amsterdam University and Semmelweis University are the research institutions with the most publications. The most studied and co-cited journals were the International Journal of Molecular Sciences and the Journal of Extracellular Vesicles. We identified 4,598 authors, with Nieuwland Rienk having the highest number of articles and Bruno Stefania having the most cited publications. Keywords of great interest include "thrombosis," "anti-inflammatory," "anti-apoptosis," "angiogenesis," "microparticles," "miRNAs," "stem cells," and "biomarkers," which are key research areas for future development. Conclusion: We used bibliometric and visualization methods to identify hotspots and trends in platelet exosome research. Platelet exosome research is widely expanding. Future research will most likely focus on "thrombosis," "anti-inflammatory," "anti-apoptosis," "angiogenesis," "microparticles," "miRNAs," "stem cells," and "biomarkers."

Alterations of Erythrocytic Phosphorylated Alpha-Synuclein in Different Subtypes and Stages of Parkinson's Disease.

Serine 129-phosphorylated alpha-synuclein (pS-α-syn) is a major form of α-syn relevant to the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD), which has been recently detected in red blood cells (RBCs). However, alterations of RBC-derived pS-α-syn (pS-α-syn-RBC) in different subtypes and stages of PD remains to be investigated. In the present study, by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to measure pS-α-syn-RBC, we demonstrated significantly higher levels of pS-α-syn-RBC in PD patients than in healthy controls. pS-α-syn-RBC separated the patients well from the controls, with a sensitivity of 93.39% (95% CI: 90.17-95.81%), a specificity of 93.11% (95% CI: 89.85-95.58%), and an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.96. Considering motor subtypes, the levels of pS-α-syn-RBC were significantly higher in late-onset than young-onset PD (p = 0.013) and in those with postural instability and gait difficulty than with tremor-dominant (TD) phenotype (p = 0.029). In addition, the levels of pS-α-syn-RBC were also different in non-motor subtypes, which were significantly lower in patients with cognitive impairment (p = 0.012) and olfactory loss (p = 0.004) than in those without such symptoms. Moreover, the levels of pS-α-syn-RBC in PD patients were positively correlated with disease duration and Hoehn & Yahr stages (H&Y) (p for trend =0.02 and <0.001) as well as UPDRS III (R 2 = 0.031, p = 0.0042) and MoCA scores (R 2 = 0.048, p = 0.0004). The results obtained suggest that pS-α-syn-RBC can be used as a potential biomarker for not only separating PD patients from healthy controls but also predicting the subtypes and stages of PD.

EGb in the Treatment for Patients with VCI: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb) is widely used to treat impairments in memory, cognition, activities of daily living, inflammation, edema, stroke, Alzheimer's dementia, and aging. AIM: We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of EGb in treating vascular cognitive impairment (VCI). METHODS: The systematic review was performed using the latest guidelines. We searched for EGb-related trials up to March 1, 2021, in four Chinese databases, three English databases, and clinical trial registry platforms. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included if the study enrolled participants with VCI. Two reviewers independently extracted the data and critically appraised the study quality. Heterogeneity was quantified with I 2. Both sensitivity and subgroup analyses were used to identify the sources of heterogeneity. Publication bias was assessed with funnel plots. We used the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach to rate the evidence quality. Outcomes included assessments using the Activities of Daily Living (ADL), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Hasegawa Dementia Scale (HDS), Barthel Index (BI), Functional Activity Questionnaire (FAQ), and adverse events. RESULTS: In this study, a total of 2019 patients in 23 RCTs were included. EGb appeared to be more effective than control conditions as assessed by the results of cognitive function evaluation, including MMSE (MDMMSE,EGb vs.blank = 3.04, 95% CI: 0.10-5.98; MDMMSE,EGb vs.drugs for VCI = 2.70, 95% CI: 1.39-4.01; MDMMSE,EGb+drugs for VCI vs.blank = 5.90, 95% CI: 4.21-7.59; and MDMMSE,EGb+drugs for VCI vs.drugs for VCI = 3.14, 95% CI: 2.14-4.15), MoCA (MDMoCA,EGb vs.blank = 5.30, 95% CI: 2.15-8.46; MDMoCA,EGb+drugs for VCI vs.blank = 2.66, 95% CI: 1.82-3.50; and MDMoCA,EGb+drugs for VCI vs.drugs for VCI = 2.56, 95% CI: 1.85-3.27), HDS (MDHDS,EGb vs.blank = 6.50; 95% CI: 4.86-8.14; MDHDS,EGb+drugs for VCI vs.drugs for VCI = 3.60, 95% CI: 2.50-4.70), ADL (MDADL,EGb vs.blank = 7.20, 95% CI: 3.28-11.12; MDADL,EGb+drugs for VCI vs.blank = 10.00, 95% CI: 7.51-12.49; and MDADL,EGb+drugs for VCI vs.drugs for VCI = 9.20, 95% CI: 7.26-11.14), BI (MDBI,EGb+drugs for VCI vs.drugs for VCI = 5.71, 95% CI: 2.99-8.43; MDFAQ,EGb vs.drugs for VCI = -1.43, 95% CI: -2.78 to 0.08), and FAQ (MDFAQ,EGb+drugs for VCI vs.drugs for VCI = -2.17, 95% CI: -4.13 to 0.21). Evidence of certainty ranged from medium certainty to very low certainty. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis showed that EGb may be an effective and safe treatment in improving MMSE, MOCA, ADL, and BI for VCI patients within three months of diagnosis. However, given the quality of the included RCTs, more preregistered trials are needed that explicitly examine the efficacy of EGb. This systematic review has been registered on PROSPERO, with the registration number CRD42021232967.

[Investigation of benzo(a)pyrene contamination in edible vegetable oil sold in Henan Province from 2017 to 2019].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the contamination of benzo(a)pyrene in edible vegetable oil from Henan Province. METHODS: A total of 1190 edible vegetable oil samples from Henan Province were collected. The concentration of benzo(a)pyrene was examined by high performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS: The concentration of benzo(a)pyrene in prepackaged edible vegetable oils was <0. 3-63. 5 µg/kg with an average of 1. 5 µg/kg. The detection rate of benzo(a)pyrene in samples was 80. 0%, and the over standard rate was 0. 6%. In terms of subclasses of vegetable oil, the sesame seed oil samples were most seriously contaminated with benzo(a)pyrene. The risk of the benzo(a)pyrene contamination of sesame seed oil produced by aqueous extraction method was higher than that by mechanical pressed method. The risk of benzo(a)pyrene contamination in sesame seed oil and rapeseed oil increased as the decrease of quality grade. CONCLUSION: The result suggested that the sesame seed oil produced by aqueous extraction method had high risk in benzo(a)pyrene contamination in Henan Province.

Phosphorylated Alpha-Synuclein in Red Blood Cells as a Potential Diagnostic Biomarker for Multiple System Atrophy: A Pilot Study.

Diagnosis of multiple system atrophy (MSA) remains a challenge, due to the complexity and overlapping of its symptoms with other Parkinsonian disorders. The critical role of alpha-synuclein (α-syn) in the pathogenesis of MSA makes it an ideal biomarker for the diagnosis of MSA. Although α-syn alterations in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood plasma have been extensively assessed for the utility in diagnosing MSA, inconsistent results have been obtained, presumably due to the contamination by hemolysis and other confounding factors. In this study, levels of serine 129-phosphorylated α-syn (pS-α-syn), a major pathologic form of α-syn, in red blood cells (RBCs), were measured using ELISA in a Chinese cohort consisting of 107 MSA patients and 220 healthy controls. A significant increase in the levels of pS-α-syn in RBCs (pS-α-syn-RBC) was observed in MSA patients than in healthy controls (14.02 ± 4.02 ng/mg versus 11.89 ± 3.57 ng/mg; p < 0.0001). Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) indicated that pS-α-syn-RBC discriminated the patients well from the controls with a sensitivity of 80.37% (95% confidence interval (CI): 71.58%-87.42%), a specificity of 88.64% (95% CI: 83.68%-92.51%), and an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.91 (95% CI: 0.87-0.94). The levels of pS-α-syn-RBC were negatively correlated with RBD-HK scores and differed between MSA-P and MSA-C subtypes (13.27 ± 1.91 versus 12.19 ± 3.04; p=0.025). The difference between subtypes was seen at Hoehn and Yahr stages 3 and 4, and the age at onset (AAO) between 60 and 69 years (p=0.016). The results suggest that pS-α-syn-RBC is increased in MSA patients and can be used as a potential diagnostic biomarker for MSA.

Chinese Medicine for Alzheimer's Disease: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effificacy of oral Chinese medicine (CM) in comparison with donepezil, a cholinesterase inhibitor (ChEI), for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHODS: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have been searched, and the effect of CM compared with donepezil in AD has been investigated. An electronic search of MEDLINE, Excerpta Medica Database (EMBASE), Cochrane Library, Chinese Biological Medicine Database (CBMdisc), and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) to identify articles in English and Chinese from the inception of the database until October 18, 2015. A modifified Jadad score (7-points) to judge the methodological quality of studies, comprehensive meta-analysis was performed with Cochrane Collaboration Revman 5.3. Dichotomous data were analyzed by relative risk (RR) with a 95% confifidence interval (CI), while continuous variables were analyzed by using mean differences (MD) with 95% CI for effect size. RESULTS: Six studies involving 596 AD patients through Jadad assessment with low bias were included in the meta-analysis. No signifificant difference was observed in cognitive improvement and daily abilities of patients using the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) (MD: 0.69, 95% CI:-0.17 to 1.56) and Activities of Daily Living (ADL) scale (MD: 0.94, 95% CI:-1.54 to 3.43). There were no signifificant differences in status of illness or MD for mild-moderate AD patients at 24 weeks (MD: 0.62, 95% CI:-2.99 to 4.23) and 48 weeks (MD:-0.73, 95% CI:-5.02 to 3.56). Severe AD patients were also assessed at 24 weeks (MD: 3.13, 95% CI:-6.92 to 13.18) and 48 weeks (MD: 4.23, 95% CI:-6.38 to 14.84). Furthermore, compared with donepezil, Xin (Heart)-regulating CM and Shen (Kidney)-tonifying groups were observed (MD:-1.50, 95% CI:-3.08 to 0.08; MD:-1.92, 95% CI:-3.50 to-0.33; respectively). CM had fewer side effects in AD patients. CONCLUSION: Compared with donepezil, oral CM showed no signifificant difference in effectiveness in AD patients, and more evidence is needed to verify the fifindings.

Mitochondrial factor and cell cytokines associate with TCM syndrome scale in vascular dementia patients.

Mitochondrial factor and cell cytokines play important roles in the incidence of vascular dementia (VD), but their correlations with inflammatory and mitochondrial factors and the role of both in the kidney essence deficiency pattern and phlegm turbidity blocking orifice pattern are not clear. This study was aimed at studying the correlations between the serum mitochondrial factor and cell cytokines with TCM Syndrome Scale in vascular dementia. According to the inclusion criteria we collected 108 vascular dementia patients which were divided into the kidney essence deficiency pattern and phlegm turbidity blocking orifice pattern based on the TCM Syndrome Scale. We measured serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-18 (IL-18) concentration using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and serum malondialdelyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) was quantified according to instructions of kits from the 108 patients (45 in kidney essence deficiency pattern, 63 in phlegm turbidity blocking orifice pattern). The scale scores were assessed using TCM Syndrome Scale, MMSE, Hachinski, Barthel, BBS, CDR. There was a significant difference on the scores of CDR and the factors of the memory, judgment, social affairs, personal care, family and hobbies among the two groups, The means of kidney essence deficiency group was higher than that of phlegm turbidity blocking orifice pattern group. IL-18 and SOD in the phlegm turbidity blocking orifice group was higher than those in the kidney essence deficiency pattern; IL-6 in phlegm turbidity blocking orifice pattern group was lower than that in the kidney essence deficiency pattern. By logistic regression analysis, we demonstrated that high concentration of IL-6, TNF-α, and MDA were associated with increased TCM syndrome scores in two groups, while IL-6, IL-18, TNF-α, SOD were associated with decreased MMSE, Barthel. Our study support the notion that IL-6 plays a more important role in the integral of kidney essence deficiency pattern, IL-18 is a more important factor in phlegm turbidity blocking orifice pattern. The results can be used as the theoretical basis of traditional Chinese Medicine prescription and pharmacological research in future, through decrease in IL-6 lever and increase in SOD in integral kidney essence deficiency pattern, and IL-18 as the main anti inflammation index in phlegm turbidity blocking orifice pattern.

An analysis of the changes on intermediate products during the thermal processing of black garlic.

The thermal processing of black garlic was simulated. Fresh garlic was incubated at 55°C with 80% humidity and sampled every 5 or 10days. The changes in relevant products were as follows: the fructan content was decreased by 84.79%, and the fructose content was increased by 508.11%. The contents of Maillard reaction intermediate products were first increased and then decreased. The colour of garlic gradually became dark and the pH decreased from 6.13 to 4.00. By analyzing these changes, the mechanism of black garlic formation and the changes on the Maillard reaction were revealed. The sweetness of black garlic resulted mainly from the fructose that was produced, and the black colour was largely due to the Maillard reaction between fructose/glucose and amino acids. An understanding of this process is useful to explain the formation mechanism of black garlic and could lead to better control of the quality of black garlic.

The Comparison of the Contents of Sugar, Amadori, and Heyns Compounds in Fresh and Black Garlic.

Black garlic is produced through thermal processing and is used as a healthy food throughout the world. Compared with fresh garlic, there are obvious changes in the color, taste, and biological functions of black garlic. To analyze and explain these changes, the contents of water-soluble sugars, fructan, and the key intermediate compounds (Heyns and Amadori) of the Maillard reaction in fresh raw garlic and black garlic were investigated, which were important to control and to evaluate the quality of black garlic. The results showed that the fructan contents in the black garlics were decreased by more than 84.6% compared with the fresh raw garlics, which translated into changes in the fructose and glucose contents. The water-soluble sugar content was drastically increased by values ranging from 187.79% to 790.96%. Therefore, the taste of the black garlic became very sweet. The sucrose content in black garlic was almost equivalent to fresh garlic. The Amadori and Heyns compounds were analyzed by HPLC-MS/MS in multiple reaction monitoring mode using the different characteristic fragment ions of Heyns and Amadori compounds. The total content of the 3 main Amadori and 3 Heyns compounds in black garlic ranged from 762.53 to 280.56 µg/g, which was 40 to 100-fold higher than the values in fresh raw garlic. This result was significant proof that the Maillard reaction in black garlic mainly utilized fructose and glucose, with some amino acids.

Effects of cysteamine on MPTP-induced dopaminergic neurodegeneration in mice.

Cysteamine is a degradation product of the amino acid cysteine and a reduced form of cystamine. Cysteamine exhibits strong antioxidant activity and has been implicated in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders such as Huntington's disease. In the present study, we investigated whether cysteamine confers protection against 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine(MPTP)-induced toxicity in the dopaminergic neurons in a mouse model for Parkinson's disease (PD). The loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons and reduction in striatal DA concentrations induced by MPTP was ameliorated to a significant extent by pretreatment with low (20mg/kg/day), but not high (75mg/kg/day), dose of cysteamine 4days prior to and subsequently along with the MPTP treatment. Consistently, the increased production of pro-oxidants, such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA), was significantly suppressed by low dose of cysteamine. Conversely, the reduction in GSH level caused by MPTP exposure was significantly attenuated by pretreatment of cysteamine. In addition, the inhibited secretion of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) by neurons derived from substantia nigra pars compact (SNpc) of MPTP-treated mice was significantly restored by cysteamine administration. Our results demonstrate that cysteamine at low dose confers potent neuroprotection against MPTP-induced toxicity of dopaminergic neurons, and may become a potential therapeutic strategy for PD.