Safflower Yellow regulates microglial polarization and inhibits inflammatory response in LPS-stimulated Bv2 cells.

Activated microglia, especially polarized M1 cells, produce pro-inflammatory cytokines and free radicals, thereby contributing directly to neuroinflammation and various brain disorders. Given that excessive or chronic neuroinflammation within the central nervous system (CNS) exacerbates neuronal damage, molecules that modulate neuroinflammation are candidates as neuroprotective agents. In this study, we provide evidence that Safflor yellow (SY), the main active component in the traditional Chinese medicine safflower, modulates inflammatory responses by acting directly on BV2 microglia. LPS stimulated BV2 cells to upregulate expression of TLR4-Myd88 and MAPK-NF-κB signaling pathways and to release IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α, and COX-2. However, SY treatment inhibited expression of TLR4-Myd88 and p-38/p-JNK-NF-κB, downregulated expression of iNOS, CD16/32, and IL-12, and upregulated CD206 and IL-10. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that SY exerts an anti-inflammatory effect on BV2 microglia, possibly through TLR-4/p-38/p-JNK/NF-κB signaling pathways and the conversion of microglia from inflammatory M1 to an anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype.

[Effects of hormone treatment, light and temperatures on sprouting characteristics of Bupleurum chinense].

Seeds of Bupleurum chinense cultivar, Zhongchai No. 1, were sowed in plastic pots which used the arable layer soil as the nursery bed and putted in the artificial climate incubator at various temperatures (15, 20, 25, 15-25 degrees C) and light (8,12 h) to germinate, respectively. The lower constant temperature (15 degrees ) and the higher constant temperature (25 "C) were not conducive to the sprouting characteristics of B. chinese. While they were able to enhance root activity to some extent; The seeding growth of B. chinese was significantly better in the variable temperature than correspondence in the constant temperature, significantly. The emergence speed, emergence index, vigor index and root activity of Bupleurum were improved under the 12 h of light-time, but the germination rate was not improved. The sprouting of Bupleurum's seeds could be improved to some extent by soaking with hormone, such as gibberellin, cytokinin, salicylic acid. Gibberellin promoted seeds' sprouting and seedings's root activity of Bupleurum, while salicylic acid increased the root activity of seeding. There is a significant influence of light, temperatures and hormone treatment on the germination of Zhongchai No. 1 seeds, and all three are remarkably interacted; It is beneficial to promote seed germination by the temperature (20 + 5) degrees C, lighting (8 h) and gibberellin concentration (10 x 10(-6)).

[Evaluation of Bupleuri Radix resources in Qingchuan based on DTOPSIS and grey related degree].

In order to select high quality and suitable Bupleuri Radix varieties in Qingchuan, and establish a new comprehensive method to evaluation the quality of Bupleuri Radix, 12 characters of 14 samples were evaluated by DTOPSIS and grey related degree. The results showed that varieties No. 8 and No. 10 had high quality. DTOPSIS and grey related degree gave the uniformity result, and the biggest difference of value of Ci in DTOPSIS method was 46. 33% , but the biggest difference of the weighting correlation number( r (i)) in grey related degree was only 13.10%. The DTOPSIS combined with grey related degree can evaluate the quality of Bupleuri Radix comprehensively and objectively.

[Effect of combined application of zinc, boron and molybdenum on yield and saikosaponin a, saikosaponin d contents of Bupleurum chinense].

This research use "3414" fertilizer effect experiments to handle zinc, boron and molybdenum trace element fertilizer, determined the dry matter accumulation and content of saikosaponion a and d, to investigate the different ratio of zinc, boron and molybdenum on yield and saikosaponin a, saikosaponin d contents of Bupleurum chinense. Found The suitable ratio of zinc, boron and molybdenum play an active role on dry matter accumulation and distribution, the treatment Zn2B2Mo3 is the best one to promote the dry matter accumulation and transfer to the underground part; in a certain range, only use zinc or molybdenum can promote the yield of B. chinense, the yield of treatment Zn2B2Mo1 is the highest one. According to the results of regression analysis: in accordance with Zn 48.45 g x hm(-2), B 355.05 g x hm(-2), Mo 86.40 g x hm(-2), can obtain the yield with 3313.05 kg x hm(-2); the treatment Zn2BMo2 is most effective to promote the total saikosaponin a and d accumulated, according to the results of regression analysis: in accordance with Zn 36.15 g x hm(-2), B 343.05 g x hm(-2), Mo 106.35 g x hm(-2), the content of total saikosaponin a and d can reach 1.23%. This research first discovered the suitable ratio of zinc, boron and molybdenum can promote the yield and saikosaponin a, saikosaponin d contents on B. chinense.

[Comprehensive yield and quality comparison of Bupleurum chinense' s seeds of different harvesting time from Qingchuan County with Topsis approach].

In order to investigate the comprehensive quality differences of the seeds harvested in different growing time, and offer theoretical guide for the optimization of seeds' production technology, we analyzed the apparent size, 1 000-grain weight, water absorbency, germination indexes, postharvest embryo rate change, relatively contents of coumarins and the yield of single plant of its seeds of different harvesting time, and compared their comprehensive quality by Topsis analysis. The results showed that there existed obvious differences in yield and quality between seeds of 3 harvesting times. While the harvesting time postponed, the yield of single plant raised, and the shrunken seeds rate decreased, the quality of seedlings increased, while the contents of coumarins showed a steady increase, and the germination rate decreased. The comprehensive quality of the seeds harvested in the black ripe time rank the first place, followed by the brown ripe time and the yellow ripe time. As the harvesting time delays, the seeds' comprehensive quality increases, therefore, we could put off the seeds' harvesting time properly for the high efficient seed production.

The therapeutic potential of Rho kinase inhibitor fasudil derivative FaD-1 in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

Although therapeutic potential of fasudil in EAE is promising, action mechanism and clinical limitations are still not fully understood and resolved. In this study, we observed the therapeutic potential of a novel Rho kinase (ROCK) inhibitor FaD-1, a fasudil derivative, and explored possible mechanism in MOG35-55-induced EAE. Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) was induced by myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG35-55) immunization. The pathology of spinal cord was measured by immunohistochemistry and neurological impairment was evaluated using clinical scores. FaD-1, as a novel ROCK inhibitor, inhibited the expression of ROCK II that is mainly expressed in the CNS. We show here that FaD-1 ameliorates the neurological defects and the severity of MOG-induced EAE in mice, accompanied by the protection of demyelination and the inhibition of neuroinflammation in spinal cord of EAE. In addition, FaD-1 dampened TLR2 and TLR4 signaling as well as Th1 (IFN-γ) and Th17 (IL-17) responses in spinal cord of EAE. FaD-1 also prevented the expression of iNOS and production of inflammatory cytokine IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α which are specific markers for M1 inflammatory microglia/macrophages. This study highlights the therapeutic potential of FaD-1 as a ROCK inhibitor for the treatment of human autoimmune diseases with both inflammatory and autoimmune components.

The prevalence and associated factors of functional constipation among primary and middle school students in Shaanxi Province / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To understand the prevalence and associated factors of functional constipation(FC) among primary and middle school students in Shaanxi Province, in order to provide a basis for preventing FC in students.@*Methods@#A stratified cluster random sampling method was used to conduct a questionnaire survey on 9 133 primary and middle school students aged 10-18 in eight primary and secondary schools in Shaanxi Province from March to September,2017. Chi square test and multivariate Logistic regression were used to analyze the associated factors of FC among primary and middle school students in Shaanxi Province.@*Results@#There were a total of 364 students meeting the FC Rome IV diagnostic criteria, with a prevalence rate of 3.99%. Among them, there were 155 male students with a prevalence rate of 3.43%, and 209 female students with a prevalence rate of 4.53%. Univariate analysis showed that gender, breastfeeding, separation from parents, long term school meals, types of staple foods, breakfast frequency, cold foods eating frequency, spicy foods eating frequency, fried food eating frequency, pickled food eating frequency, desserts eating frequency, vegetables eating frequency were related to FC, and the differences were statistically significant ( χ 2=7.30,18.75, 20.89,35.54,22.43,16.05,21.31,13.97,10.33,23.96,16.25,17.74, P <0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that female, non breastfeeding, separation from parents, long term school meals, low consumption of staple food/staple food dominated by rice, and never eating vegetables were positively correlated with FC( OR =1.37,1.96,1.52,2.07,1.76,1.58,2.31, P < 0.05 ).@*Conclusions@#The prevalence of functional constipation is higher in primary and middle school students. Attention should be paid to factors related to students dietary habits and food classification to prevent the occurrence of FC in primary and middle school students.