TaVQ22 Interacts with TaWRKY19-2B to Negatively Regulate Wheat Resistance to Sheath Blight.

Wheat sheath blight caused by the necrotic fungal pathogen Rhizoctonia cerealis is responsible for severe damage to bread wheat. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are vital for stress resistance by plants and their homeostasis plays an important role in wheat resistance to sheath blight. Valine-glutamine (VQ) proteins play important roles in plant growth and development, and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. However, the functional mechanism mediated by wheat VQ protein in response to sheath blight via ROS homeostasis regulation is unclear. In this study, we identified TaVQ22 protein containing the VQ motif and clarified the functional mechanisms involved in the defense of wheat against R. cerealis. TaVQ22 silencing reduced the accumulation of ROS and enhanced the resistance of wheat to R. cerealis. In addition, we showed that TaVQ22 regulated ROS generation by interacting with the WRKY transcription factor TaWRKY19-2B, thereby indicating that TaVQ22 and TaWRKY19-2B formed complexes in the plant cell nucleus. Yeast two-hybrid analysis showed that the VQ motif in TaVQ22 is crucial for the interaction, where it inhibits the transcriptional activation function of TaWRKY19-2B. In summary, TaVQ22 interacts with TaWRKY19-2B to regulate ROS homeostasis and negatively regulate the defense response to R. cerealis infection. This study provides novel insights into the mechanism that allows VQ protein to mediate the immune response in plants.

Integrated Analysis of Transcriptome and Metabolome Profiles in the Longissimus Dorsi Muscle of Buffalo and Cattle.

Buffalo meat is gaining popularity for its nutritional properties, such as its low fat and cholesterol content. However, it is often unsatisfactory to consumers due to its dark color and low tenderness. There is currently limited research on the regulatory mechanisms of buffalo meat quality. Xinglong buffalo are raised in the tropical Hainan region and are undergoing genetic improvement from draught to meat production. For the first time, we evaluated the meat quality traits of Xinglong buffalo using the longissimus dorsi muscle and compared them to Hainan cattle. Furthermore, we utilized a multi-omics approach combining transcriptomics and metabolomics to explore the underlying molecular mechanism regulating meat quality traits. We found that the Xinglong buffalo had significantly higher meat color redness but lower amino acid content and higher shear force compared to Hainan cattle. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) were identified, with them being significantly enriched in nicotinic acid and nicotinamide metabolic and glycine, serine, and threonine metabolic pathways. The correlation analysis revealed that those genes and metabolites (such as: GAMT, GCSH, PNP, L-aspartic acid, NADP+, and glutathione) are significantly associated with meat color, tenderness, and amino acid content, indicating their potential as candidate genes and biological indicators associated with meat quality. This study contributes to the breed genetic improvement and enhancement of buffalo meat quality.

Engineering a Formate Dehydrogenase for NADPH Regeneration.

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) constitute major hydrogen donors for oxidative/reductive bio-transformations. NAD(P)H regeneration systems coupled with formate dehydrogenases (FDHs) represent a dreamful method. However, most of the native FDHs are NAD+ -dependent and suffer from insufficient reactivity compared to other enzymatic tools, such as glucose dehydrogenase. An efficient and competitive NADP+ -utilizing FDH necessitates the availability and robustness of NADPH regeneration systems. Herein, we report the engineering of a new FDH from Candida dubliniensis (CdFDH), which showed no strict NAD+ preference by a structure-guided rational/semi-rational design. A combinatorial mutant CdFDH-M4 (D197Q/Y198R/Q199N/A372S/K371T/▵Q375/K167R/H16L/K159R) exhibited 75-fold intensification of catalytic efficiency (kcat /Km ). Moreover, CdFDH-M4 has been successfully employed in diverse asymmetric oxidative/reductive processes with cofactor total turnover numbers (TTNs) ranging from 135 to 986, making it potentially useful for NADPH-required biocatalytic transformations.

Improving the Enantioselectivity of CHMOBrevi1 for Asymmetric Synthesis of Podophyllotoxin Precursor.

(R)-ß-piperonyl-γ-butyrolactones are key building blocks for the synthesis of podophyllotoxin, which have demonstrated remarkable potential in cancer treatment. Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenases (BVMOs)-mediated asymmetric oxidation is a green approach to produce chiral lactones. While several BVMOs were able to oxidize the corresponding cyclobutanone, most BVMOs gave the (S) enantiomer while Cyclohexanone monooxygenase (CHMO) from Brevibacterium sp. HCU1 gave (R) enantiomer, but with a low enantioselectivity (75 % ee). In this study, we use a strategy called "focused rational iterative site-specific mutagenesis" (FRISM) at residues ranging from 6 Šfrom substrate. The mutations by using a restricted set of rationally chosen amino acids allow the formation of a small mutant library. By generating and screening less than 60 variants, we achieved a high ee of 96.8 %. Coupled with the cofactor regeneration system, 9.3 mM substrate was converted completely in a 100-mL scale reaction. Therefore, our work reveals a promising synthetic method for (R)-ß-piperonyl-γ-butyrolactone with the highest enantioselectivity, and provides a new opportunity for the chem-enzymatic synthesis of podophyllotoxin.

Anti-Tr/DNER antibody-associated cerebellar ataxia: three rare cases report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: To report three cases of autoimmune cerebellar ataxia related to anti-delta/notch-like epidermal growth factor-related receptor (Tr/DNER) antibodies. CASE PRESENTATION: Patients with unknown cerebellar ataxia were screened with autoimmune cerebellar ataxia (ACA)-related antibody panel. The anti-Tr antibody was positive in three female patients in whom the onset ages were 43 years, 35 years and 43 years old. The antibody titres of serum and cerebrospinal fluid were all 1:32. Cerebral ataxia was the most prominent presentation. Mild cerebellar atrophy was found in one of the patients. Immunotherapy was effective in all three patients. CONCLUSION: The Tr antibody is associated with autoimmune ataxia, and it has been suggested that the anti-Tr antibody should be tested in patients with cerebellar ataxia who are negative for routine ACA antibodies. Early immunotherapy may improve patient prognoses.

Pancreatitis, panniculitis, and polyarthritis syndrome complicated with systemic intraosseous fat necrosis.

Pancreatitis, panniculitis and polyarthritis syndrome (PPP syndrome) is a clinical syndrome with cutaneous panniculitis and polyarthritis on the basis of pancreatic diseases, which is quite rare. The occurrence of arthrosis and skin lesions is not completely synchronous with pancreatic diseases, so it is often missed or misdiagnosed due to the lack of obvious abdominal signs, with severe sequelae and high mortality. In this article, we report a case of PPP syndrome with severe rare osseous complications caused by chronic pancreatitis.

Colorimetric High-Throughput Screening Method for Directed Evolution of Prazole Sulfide Monooxygenase.

Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenases (BVMOs) are important biocatalysts for the enzymatic synthesis of chiral sulfoxides, including chiral sulfoxide-type proton pump inhibitors for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. However, native BVMOs are not yet suitable for practical application due to their unsatisfactory activity and thermostability. Although protein engineering approaches can help address these issues, few feasible high-throughput methods are available for the engineering of such enzymes. Herein, a colorimetric detection method to distinguish sulfoxides from sulfides and sulfones was developed for prazole sulfide monooxygenases. Directed evolution enabled by this method has identified a prazole sulfide monooxygenase CbBVMO variant with improved activity and thermostability that catalyzes the asymmetric oxidation of lansoprazole sulfide. A 71.3 % increase in conversion and 6 °C enhancement in the melting point were achieved compared with the wild-type enzyme. This new method is feasible for high-throughput screening of prazole sulfide monooxygenase variants with improved activity, thermostability, and/or substrate specificity.

Reasons and treatment strategy for discontinuation of dapoxetine treatment in premature ejaculation patients in China: A retrospective observational study.

To assess dapoxetine discontinuation rates and the reasons for discontinuation in Chinese men with premature ejaculation (PE). Information on 906 PE outpatients was obtained from the hospital information system (HIS) in 2019. Of these, 150 patients were chosen. We analysed the dapoxetine discontinuation rate and the reasons for discontinuation over a 12-week follow-up period. The mean age of all patients was 33.6 years (range = 18-55), the mean PE duration was 12.36 ± 9.45 months. The 5-item International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) score was 21.51 ± 3.80. A total of 37.3% of all the patients remained on the treatment until the 12th week. The cumulative discontinuation rates at the 4th, 8th and 12th weeks were 12%, 41.3% and 62.7%, respectively. The discontinuation rates for all the patients in weeks 0-4, weeks 4-8 and weeks 8-12 were 19.1%, 46.8% and 34.0%, respectively. After 4 weeks, the discontinuation rates dropped sharply. The reasons for patients' discontinuation were as follows: overexpectation of efficacy (30.9%), relapsing after drug withdrawal (26.6%), high cost (25.5%), side effects (9.6%), fear of drug addiction (4.3%), failure of follow-up (2.1%) and choosing other treatments (1.1%). The dapoxetine treatment discontinuation rate was very high. The main reasons for discontinuation were overexpectation of efficacy and high cost.

Identification of resistance to Fusarium head blight and molecular cytogenetics of interspecific derivatives between wheat and Psathyrostachys huashanica.

Psathyrostachys huashanica is a relative of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) with many disease resistance genes that can be used to improve wheat disease resistance. In order to enrich the germplasm resources available in wheat genetics and breeding, we assessed Fusarium head blight (FHB) resistance in 45 interspecific derivatives between wheat and Psathyrostachys huashanica during two years from 2017-2018. Two interspecific derivatives comprising, H-34-8-2-6-1 and H-24-3-1-5-19-1 were identified as FHB resistant lines. These two lines were examined based on their morphology and cytogenetics, as well as by genomic in situ hybridization (GISH), fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), molecular markers, and 660K genotyping array to determine their genetic construction. The results confirmed H-34-8-2-6-1 as a wheat-P. huashanica 1Ns long arm ditelosomic addition line and H-24-3-1-5-19-1 as a wheat-P. huashanica 2Ns substitution line. Assessments of the agronomic traits showed that H-34-8-2-6 had significantly higher kernel number per spike and self-fertility rate than parent 7182. In addition, compared with 7182, H-24-3-1-5-19-1 had a much lower plant height while the other agronomic traits were relatively similar. The two new lines are valuable germplasm materials for breeding FHB resistance in wheat.

Light field microscopy based on structured light illumination.

In this Letter, we present the modeling, design, and characterization of a light sheet-based structured light illumination (SLI) light field microscopy (LFM) system for fast 3D imaging, where a digital micromirror device is employed to rapidly generate designed sinusoidal patterns in the imaging field. Specifically, we sequentially obtain uniformly illuminated and structured light field images, followed by post-processing with a new, to the best of our knowledge, algorithm that combines the deconvolution and HiLo algorithms. This enables fast volumetric imaging with improved optical cross-sectioning capability at a speed of 50 volumes per second over an imaging field of 250×250×80µm3 in the x, y, and z axis, respectively. Mathematical models have been derived to explain the performance enhancement due to suppressed background noises. To verify the results, imaging experiments on fluorescence beads, fern spore, and Drosophila brain samples, have been performed. The results indicate that the light sheet-based SLI-LFM presents a fast 3D imaging solution with substantially improved optical cross-sectioning capability in comparison with a standard light sheet-based LFM. The new light field imaging method may find important applications in the field of biophotonics.

A Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenase from Cupriavidus basilensis catalyzes asymmetric synthesis of (R)-lansoprazole and other pharmaco-sulfoxides.

Biocatalytic synthesis of pharmaco-chiral sulfoxides has gained interest in recent years for its environmental friendliness. However, only a few natural biocatalysts can be used for the efficient synthesis of pharmaco-sulfoxides, including (R)-lansoprazole, a chiral proton pump inhibitor used to treat gastrointestinal diseases. In this study, the sequence of BoBVMO (Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenase from Bradyrhizobium oligotrophicum) was used as a probe to identify BVMOs via genomic mining for the highly efficient synthesis of (R)-lansoprazole and other pharmaco-sulfoxides. After virtual sequence filtering, target gene cloning, heterologous expression, and activity screening for lansoprazole sulfide (LPS) monooxygenation, seven new BVMOs were identified among more than 10,000 homologous BVMOs. According to the conserved sequence and phylogenetic tree analysis, these discovered enzymes belong to the family of type I BVMOs and the ethionamide monooxygenase subtype. Among them, CbBVMO, Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenase from Cupriavidus basilensis, showed the highest efficiency and excellent enantioselectivity for converting LPS into (R)-lansoprazole. Moreover, CbBVMO showed a wide substrate spectrum toward other bulky prazole-family sulfides. The results indicate that CbBVMO is a potential enzyme for extending the application of BVMOs in pharmaceutical industry. KEY POINTS: • CbBVMO is the most efficient biocatalyst for (R)-lansoprazole biosynthesis. • CbBVMO catalyzes the conversion of various bulky prazole sulfides. • CbBVMO is a promising enzyme for the biosynthesis of pharmaco-sulfoxides.

Safety and efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine, Qiaoshao formula, combined with dapoxetine in the treatment of premature ejaculation: An open-label, real-life, retrospective multicentre study in Chinese men.

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of Chinese medicine, Qiaoshao formula combined with dapoxetine was used for the treatment of premature ejaculation in a real-life setting. Nine hundred and five males diagnosed with premature ejaculation were reviewed in this retrospective cohort study. We divided the patients into two groups: dapoxetine alone and Qiaoshao formula combined with dapoxetine according to actual interventions provided to patients in clinics. The perceived intravaginal ejaculation latency time and the premature ejaculation profile measures markedly improved in both groups. However, in men with severe premature ejaculation (baseline perceived intravaginal ejaculation latency time <1 min) and those with baseline age ≤30 years, the perceived intravaginal ejaculation latency time was slightly but significantly longer with combined therapy than with dapoxetine alone (p < .05). Therefore, combined therapy involving the Qiaoshao formula and dapoxetine proved to safe as well as effective for treating premature ejaculation while prolonging the perceived intravaginal ejaculation latency time, which significantly improved the overall satisfaction of the patient and likely that of the couple.

Effects of LCZ696 (Sacubitril/Valsartan) on Blood Pressure in Patients with Hypertension: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

BACKGROUND: LCZ696 (sacubitril/valsartan), a first-in-class angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor, can significantly reduce blood pressure in patients with heart failure. We performed this meta-analysis to determine the antihypertensive effect of LCZ696 in patients with hypertension. METHODS: Randomized controlled trials were searched in MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, and Clinicaltrials.gov. Twelve studies with a total of 6,064 participants were included. RESULTS: Compared with angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), LCZ696 100 mg caused a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure (SBP) (mean difference [MD] -1.58 mm Hg, 95% confidence interval [CI] -2.09 to -1.07, p < 0.05) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (MD -0.66 mm Hg, 95% CI -0.98 to -0.33, p < 0.05). LCZ696 200 mg caused a significant reduction in SBP (MD -4.94 mm Hg, 95% CI -6.54 to -3.35, p < 0.05), DBP (MD -2.24 mm Hg, 95% CI -2.74 to -1.75, p < 0.05), 24-h ambulatory SBP (24 h ASBP; MD -3.69 mm Hg, 95% CI -4.80 to -2.58, p < 0.05), and 24-h ADBP (MD -1.71 mm Hg, 95% CI -2.13 to -1.28, p < 0.05). LCZ696 400 mg caused a significant reduction in SBP (MD -6.25 mm Hg, 95% CI -7.90 to -4.61, p < 0.05), DBP (MD -2.30 mm Hg, 95% CI -2.80 to -1.80, p < 0.05), 24-h ASBP (MD -4.31 mm Hg, 95% CI -6.56 to -2.07, p < 0.05), and 24 h ADBP (MD -1.69 mm Hg, 95% CI -2.59 to -0.79, p < 0.05). Compared with LCZ696 200 mg, LCZ696 400 mg caused a significant reduction in SBP (MD 1.71 mm Hg, 95% CI 1.15 to 2.27, p < 0.05), DBP (MD 0.90 mm Hg, 95% CI 0.65 to 1.16, p < 0.05), 24-h ASBP (MD 1.50 mm Hg, 95% CI 0.84 to 2.17, p < 0.05), and 24-h ADBP (MD 0.76 mm Hg, 95% CI 0.47 to 1.06, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The blood pressure-lowering effect of LCZ696 is dose-related. This meta-analysis confirms the antihypertensive effects of LCZ696.

Development and Evaluation of Astaxanthin as Nanostructure Lipid Carriers in Topical Delivery.

The study is designed to formulate, optimize, and evaluate astaxanthin (ASTA)-loaded nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) with an aim to improve its stability, water solubility, skin permeability and retention and reduce drug-related side effects. ASTA was extracted from Haematococcus pluvialis. ASTA-NLC was formulated by the technique of melt emulsification-ultrasonic and optimized taking solid:liquid lipid ratio, total lipid:drug ratio, drug concentration, emulsifier types, and amounts as independent variables with particle sizes (PS) and entrapment efficiency (EE) as dependent variables. The optimized formulation (N21) exhibited spherical surfaced stable nanoparticles of 67.4 ± 2.1 nm size and 94.3 ± 0.5% EE. Formulation N21 was then evaluated for its physiological properties, physicochemical properties, drug content, in vitro release and skin penetration, and retention analysis. The ASTA-NLC was found to be nonirritating, homogenous, and with excellent stability and water solubility. In vitro release studies showed the cumulative release rate of NLC was 83.0 ± 3.4% at 48 h. The skin penetration and retention studies indicated that cumulative permeability was 174.10 ± 4.38 µg/cm2 and the retention was 8.00 ± 1.62 µg/cm2 within 24 h. It can be concluded that NLC serves as a promising carrier for site specific targeting with better stability and skin penetration.

[Correlation between gut microbiota and erectile dysfunction: An update].

Gut microbiota is closely related to health and diseases as well as a frontier subject in medical research. Lots of studies have shown a close relationship of gut microbiota with the risk factors for ED, such as stress, anxiety, hormonal disorders, obesity, diabetes mellitus, and thyroid hormones. This review focuses on the correlation between gut microbiota and ED in the aspects of mental psychology, neurotransmitters, vascular endothelium, androgen and thyroid function, hoping to provide a new research direction for the pathogenesis and treatment of ED.

[Jiarong Tablets combined with Testosterone Undecanoate Capsules for late-onset hypogonadism in males: A multicentered clinical trial].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Jiarong Tablets (JRT) combined with Testosterone Undecanoate Capsules (TUC) in the treatment of late-onset hypogonadism (LOH) in males. METHODS: This randomized open multicentered clinical trial included 200 cases of LOH meeting the inclusion, which were equally randomized into a control (aged ï¼»51.09 ± 5.6ï¼½ yr) and a trial group (aged ï¼»50.46 ± 5.2ï¼½ yr) to be treated with oral TUC (40 mg, bid) and TUC+JRT (0.92 g, tid) respectively for 12 successive weeks. We obtained the Aging Males' Symptoms (AMS) and IIEF-5 scores, serum total testosterone (TT) content, red blood cell (RBC) count, hepatic and renal function indexes and glucose and total PSA levels before and after treatment, and compared them between the two groups of patients. RESULTS: Totally, 191 of the LOH patients completed the experiment, 95 in the control and 96 in the trial group. After 12 weeks of treatment, the patients in the trial group, compared with the controls, showed significant improvement in the AMS score (20.6 ± 5.7 vs 31.9 ± 6.1, P < 0.05), IIEF-5 score (20.3 ± 3.1 vs 16.3 ± 3.8, P < 0.05) and serum TT level (ï¼»16.1 ± 3.9ï¼½ vs ï¼»12.7 ± 3.4ï¼½ nmol/L, P < 0.05). There were no significant adverse events or abnormalities in the RBC count, hepatic and renal functions, or glucose and total PSA levels in the two groups of patients before and after medication. CONCLUSIONS: JRT combined with TUC is safe and effective and superior to TUC alone in the treatment of LOH in males.

Method for suppressing the frequency drift of integrated microwave photonic filters.

The significant frequency drift of integrated microwave photonic filters (IMPFs) is caused by relatively independent frequency fluctuations of the optical carrier and the photonic integrated filter, which imposes a rigid limitation on the practical application. In this paper, a novel method is proposed for suppressing the frequency drift of IMPFs. The scheme is implemented by utilizing an on-chip high-Q microring resonator as a frequency monitoring unit to track the instantaneous frequency drifts caused by the optical carrier drift and the temperature fluctuations of the photonic integrated chip. And the same frequency tuning is simultaneously applied on the photonic integrated filter to suppress the frequency drift of IMPFs based on the differential scheme. As a proof of concept, the proposed IMPF scheme is demonstrated on the Si3N4 platform, and the frequency drift is measured to be tens of MHz in one hour. Compared with conventional IMPF schemes, the frequency drift is significantly suppressed by 86.3% without using complex laser frequency stabilization and temperature control systems.

Culprit Lesion Characteristics in Young Patients with Hyperhomocysteinemia.

BACKGROUND The relationships between culprit coronary plaque characteristics and hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) are not fully understood in young patients. In this study we investigated the relationship between culprit atherosclerotic plaque phenotype assessed by optical coherence tomography (OCT) and hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) in young patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS We investigated the OCT imaging and HHcy of 123 lesions in 123 young patients (≤45 years of age). According to OCT images, culprit lesions were classified as thin-cap fiber atheroma (TCFA), thrombus, and other. The 123 patients were grouped as: HHcy group (53 cases, HHcy ≥15.5 µmol/l) and control group (70 cases, HHcy <15.5 µmol/l). RESULTS Compared with the control group, the HHcy group had a higher proportion of OCT-TCFA (p=0.03), OCT-vasa vasorum (p=0.013), and OCT-thrombus (p=0.012), and a larger lipid arc (p=0.002). HHcy (P=0.037) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) (P=0.016) remained independent predictors of TCFAs. HHcy (P=0.026) and smoking (P=0.005) remained independent determinants of thrombus. CONCLUSIONS HHcy and MetS are associated with TCFAs, and HHcy and smoking are associated with thrombus in young patients with coronary artery disease.

[Huanshao Capsules for erectile dysfunction with spleen and kidney deficiency: A multicentered clinical trial].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of Huanshao Capsules (HSC) in the treatment of ED with spleen and kidney deficiency. METHODS: This randomized open multicentered positive drug controlled clinical trial included 248 cases of ED with spleen and kidney deficiency, which were assigned to a trial and a control group of equal number to be treated with HSC at the dose of 3 capsules tid and Wuziyanzong Pills at 6 g bid, respectively, both for 4 weeks. We recorded and compared the IIEF-5 scores, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) symptom scores, and hepatic and renal functions between the two groups of patients before and at 2 and 4 weeks after medication. RESULTS: The clinical observation was completed in 240 of the patients. Based on the IIEF-5 scores of the patients, the total effectiveness rate was significantly higher in the trial than in the control group (76.6% vs 67.8%, P < 0.05). The TCM symptom scores were decreased by ≥95% in 14 cases (11.7%), ≥70% in 97 cases (80.8%) and ≥30% in 9 cases (7.5%) in the trial group as compared with ≥95% in 7 cases (5.8%), ≥70% in 84 cases (70.0%) and ≥30% in 29 cases (24.2%) in the control, with remarkably better improvement in the former than in the latter group (P < 0.05). Before and at 2 and 4 weeks after medication, the IIEF-5 scores were 13.04 ± 4.02, 15.95 ± 3.22 and 20.06 ± 2.17, and the TCM symptom scores were 16.64 ± 5.26, 10.08 ± 4.89 and 3.05 ± 2.18 respectively in the trial group, both significantly improved at 4 weeks in comparison with those in the control (P < 0.05). No abnormality was observed in urine and blood tests or hepatic and renal functions before and after treatment, nor obvious adverse events were found in the two groups of patients during the medication. CONCLUSIONS: Huanshao Capsules can safely and effectively improve the IIEF-5 scores and clinical symptoms of ED patients with spleen and kidney deficiency, and therefore deserve a wide clinical application.

[Qiaoshao Prescription improves premature ejaculation in male rats by increasing the content of 5-hydroxytryptamine].

Objective: To observe the intervention effect of Qiaoshao Prescription (QSP) on premature ejaculation (PE) induced by 8-OH-DPAT in male rats and explore its possible action mechanism. METHODS: Seventy-two male Wistar rats were equally randomized into six groups, blank control, PE model control, low-, medium- and high-dose QSP, and dapoxetine. The PE model was established by injection of 8-OH-DPAT into the subarachnoid space of the lumbosacral spinal cord. Four weeks after modeling, the rats in the blank control and PE model control groups with gavaged with normal saline at 10 ml/kg/d, those in the low-, medium- and high-dose QSP groups with QSP at 5, 10 and 20 g/kg/d respectively once a day, and those in the dapoxetine group with dapoxetine hydrochloride at 300 mg/kg at 3 hours before mating. Forty-five female Wistar rats were injected subcutaneously with 20 µg estradiol benzoate after removal of bilateral ovaries to induce estrous estrus. Two and 4 weeks later, the male rats were mated with the female ones for 30 minutes per time and meanwhile observed for the mating behavior of the males, including mounting latency (ML), intromission latency (IL), ejaculation latency (EL), mounting frequency (MF), intromission frequency (IF), and ejaculation frequency (EF). After the 4th week of mating, the hypothalamus of the animals was isolated and weighed, and the content of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) was measured. RESULTS: Compared with the blank control group, the PE model controls showed significantly decreased content of 5-HT in the hypothalamus(1 257.1 vs 923.4 ng/g, P<0.05), ML (ï¼»11.22 ± 3.60ï¼½ vs ï¼»8.69 ± 2.48ï¼½ s, P<0.05), IL (ï¼»22.33 ± 2.45ï¼½ vs ï¼»12.08±1.39ï¼½ s, P<0.05), MF (ï¼»13.28 ± 3.24ï¼½ vs ï¼»7.53 ± 1.84ï¼½ times, P<0.05), and EL (ï¼»712.35 ± 36.77ï¼½ vs ï¼»502.35 ± 46.72ï¼½ s, P<0.05). In comparison with the PE model controls, the rats of the QSP and dapoxetine groups exhibited remarkably increased content of 5-HT (P<0.05) and prolonged EL (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Qiaoshao Prescription can prolong EL in PE rats, which might be associated with the increased content of 5-HT in the hypothalamus. Further studies, however, are needed on its underlying mechanisms.