[Effect of water extracts from duhuo jisheng decoction on expression of chondrocyte G1 phase regulator mRNA].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of water extracts from Duhuo Jisheng decoction on chondrocyte G1 phase. METHODS: Chondrocytes were collected from four-week-old SD rats to establish the chondrocyte in vitro culture system. The third generation of chondrocytes was intervened. MTT method was used to measure the effect of water extracts from different concentrations of Duhuo Jisheng decoction on chondrocyte activity. The expressions of Chondrocyte Cyclin D1, CDK4, CDK6 and P21 mRNA in the blank group and low, middle and high-dose groups (100, 200, 400 mg x L(-1)) were detected by RT-PCR method. RESULT: The MTT assay showed that the chondrocyte activity significantly increased within specific drug concentrations (50-800 mg x L(-1)) (P < 0.01); After the intervention for 24 h, the expressions of CyclinD1, CDK4 and CDK6 mRNA in all dose groups notably increased (P < 0.05), with the maximum expressions at the concentration of 200 mg x L(-1); The expression of P21 mRNA decreased, particularly at the concentration of 200 mg x L(-1) (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Water extracts from Duhuo Jisheng decoction can promote chondrocyte proliferation by effecting the expression of chondrocyte G1 phase regulator mRNA.

[Clinical observation of warm needling therapy for treating knee osteoarthritis of different Chinese medical syndrome types].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the difference in the therapeutic efficacy of warm needling therapy on knee osteoarthritis (KOA) patients of different Chinese medical syndrome types. METHODS: Totally 197 KOA outpatients [including wind-cold-damp retention syndrome (50 cases, 61 knees), yang deficiency cold coagulation syndrome (48 cases, 58 knees), stagnation of blood stasis syndrome (49 cases, 63 knees), and insufficiency of Shen-essence syndrome (50 cases, 66 knees)] were treated with warm needling therapy, 10 days as one therapeutic course, 3 courses in total. The symptom score and changes of clinical efficacy were assessed. The contents of interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in the synovial fluid were determined before and after treatment. RESULTS: The symptom scores and the clinical efficacy were improved in all syndrome groups after treatment (P < 0.05), with the best effects shown in the yang deficiency cold coagulation syndrome (P < 0.05) and the worst effects shown in the stagnation of blood stasis syndrome (P < 0.05). The contents of IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-alpha in the synovial fluid decreased after treatment in all syndrome groups (P < 0.05), with the best effects shown in the yang deficiency cold coagulation syndrome (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Warm needling therapy had favorable therapeutic effects on KOA patients of wind-cold-damp retention syndrome, yang deficiency cold coagulation syndrome, and insufficiency of Shen-essence syndrome, with the best effects shown on KOA patients of yang deficiency cold coagulation syndrome.

Clinical observation on curative effect of dissolving phlegm-stasis on 50 cases of knee osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the curative effect of dissolving phlegm-stasis on knee osteoarthritis. METHODS: The 100 patients with knee osteoarthritis were randomly divided into two groups. The 50 patients in the treatment group orally took Chinese medicine while the other 50 patients in the control groups orally took Votalin and Vitamin C for one week as a course of treatment. At the end of 2-week treatment, analytic comparison was carried in evaluate the curative effect and the changes in total score of symptoms before and after treatment between the two groups. RESULTS: The total score of symptoms after treatment was significantly lower than that before treatment in both groups (P<0.01, P<0.05). The total score after treatment of patients with X-ray grade I and II in the treatment group was more obviously reduced as compared to the control group (P<0.05). The remarkably effective rate after treatment of patients with X-ray grade I and II in the treatment group was also higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The treatment of knee osteoarthritis with dissolving phlegm-stasis can effectively improve the clinical symptoms.

[Effect of electroacupuncture at Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway on inhibiting cartilage degeneration in rats with knee osteoarthritis].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the action mechanism of electroacupuncture (EA) for knee osteoarthritis (KOA) based on Wnt/beta-catenin (Wnt/ß-catenin) signaling pathway. METHODS: Ten rats were randomly selected into a sham-operation group among 50 male 2-month-old SD rats, and the KOA model was established in the remaining 40 rats by modified Hulth method. Four weeks after the model establishment, the rats were randomly divided into a model group, an experimental A group, an experimental B group and an experimental C group, 10 rats in each group. The rats in the sham-operation group and model group did not receive any intervention. The rats in the experimental A group were treated with EA at "Neixiyan" (EX-LE 4) and "Dubi"(ST 35) for 15 min. The rats in the experimental B group were treated with EA at "Neixiyan" (EX-LE 4) and "Dubi"(ST 35) for 30 min. The rats in the experimental C group were treated with EA at non-acupoint for 15 min. EA intervention was given once a day, five times a week, and totally 12-week treatment was given. After 12 weeks, the knee cartilage tissues were stained and the morphological changes were observed under light microscopy; the severity of cartilage degeneration was evaluated by modified Mankin's score; the content of interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) in synovium tissues was detected by ELISA method; the content of Wnt-4, ß-catenin and matrix metalloprotein-13 (MMP-13) in cartilage tissues was detected by Western blot method. RESULTS: Compared with the sham-operation group, in the model group the morphology and structure of cartilage were disordered, the number of cells was significantly reduced, the matrix was decontaminated and tidal line was incomplete; the Mankin's score was significantly increased (P<0.01), the content of IL-1ß in synovium tissues were significantly increased (P<0.01), and the expressions of Wnt-4, ß-catenin and MMP-13 at protein level were significantly increased (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, in the experimental A group and experimental B group the morphology and structure of cartilage were more orderly, the number of cells was increased, the matrix staining was deepened and the tidal line was more complete; Mankin's scores were decreased significantly (P<0.01); the contents of IL-1ß in synovium tissues were decreased significantly (P<0.01), and the expressions of Wnt-4, ß-catenin and MMP-13 at protein level were decreased significantly (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, no improvement was observed in the experimental C group. Compared with the experimental A group, in the experimental C group the morphology and structure of cartilage were disordered, the number of cells was significantly reduced, the matrix was decontaminated and the tidal line was incomplete; Mankin's score was significantly increased (P<0.01), the content of IL-1ß in synovium tissues was significantly increased (P<0.01), and the expressions of Wnt-4, ß-catenin and MMP-13 at protein level were significantly increased (P<0.01). The morphological structure of cartilage in the experimental B group was similar to that in the experimental A group, and there was no significant difference in Mankin's score, IL-1ß content in synovium tissues and the expressions of Wnt-4, ß- catenin and MMP-13 at protein level between the two groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: EA at "Neixiyan" (EX-LE 4) and "Dubi"(ST 35) may reduce the expression of MMP-13 and the production of inflammatory factor IL-1ß through Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway, thus inhibit the degradation of cartilage matrix and the apoptosis of chondrocyte, and improve the morphology and structure of cartilage.

[Research on mechanism of Tougu Xiaotong Granule in preventing and treating knee osteoarthritis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the mechanism of Tougu Xiaotong Granula (TXG) on prevention and treatment of knee osteoarthritis. METHODS: Fifty New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into 6 groups. Except those in the normal control group, all the rabbits were replicated into knee osteoarthritis model using modified Hulth method. They were administered by gastrogavage once every day respectively with 100 ml of normal saline to the rabbits in the normal group and those in the model group, with 10 g of Zhuanggu Guanjie Pill to those in the control group, and 5 g, 10 g and 20 g of TXG to those in the three TXG tested groups (tested group 1, 2 and 3). The levels of interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and metalloproteinase 3 (MMP-3) in joint fluid, the blood content of malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) absorbance as well as the SOD activity in synovia were observed. RESULTS: Overexpressions of IL-1, IL-6, TNF-alpha and MMP-3 in joint fluid, increased blood content of NO and MDA were shown in the 8th and 16th week, and decreased SOD activity in synovia was shown in the 16th week of the experiment in all the model rabbits, as compared to those in the normal group, the difference was significant respectively (P < 0.05 or P<0.01). After 8 weeks of treatment, the levels of IL-1, TNF-alpha, MMP-3, NO and MDA in the control group, tested group 2 and 3 were significantly different to those in the model group respectively (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and significant difference was also shown in the comparisons of those indexes between the control group and the tested group 1 vs the tested group 3 (P < 0.05). As for the level of IL-6, significant difference was shown in comparisons of the model group with the control group, tested group 2 and 3 in the 8th and 16th week of the treatment (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), also in comparison of the tested group 3 with the tested group 1 in the 8th week, and in that of the tested group 2 with the control group and the tested group 1 in the 16th week (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: TXG could effectively postpone the degeneration of cartilage through effectively inhibiting the biological effects of cytokines, MMP-3 and oxygen free radical.

[Experimental study on replicating knee osteoarthritis by modified Hulth's modeling method].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the method of replicating experimental animal model of knee osteoarthritis. METHODS: Knee osteoarthritis was replicated by modified Hulth's modeling method. X-ray photographic and transmission electron microscopic examination, test of the joint synovial fluid of the modeled joint were performed, and serum contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) in blood were measured. RESULTS: (1) In the normal control group, the articular surface is smooth and glossy, with intact cells and cellular membrane. In the model group, the medial space of the knee joint became obvious narrowed with rough and deformed articular surface and osteophytes, as well as the atrophic chondrocytes with pyknotic cell nucleus and broken cellular membrane. (2) Eight weeks and 16 weeks after modeling, in the model group, the contents of interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) in synovial fluid and the levels of serum MDA and NO were obviously raised, and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in synovial membrane was obviously lowered 16 weeks after modeling, showing significant difference when compared with those in the normal control group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Modified Hulth's modeling method in replicating knee osteoarthritis is simple in manipulation with less wound, and the condition of modeled knee joint could be maintained stable to certain degree, which is advantageous to the success of animal model replicating.

Deciphering the underlying mechanisms of Diesun Miaofang in traumatic injury from a systems pharmacology perspective.

Diesun Miaofang (DSMF) is a traditional herbal formula, which has been reported to activate blood, remove stasis, promote qi circulation and relieve pain. DSMF holds a great promise for the treatment of traumatic injury in an integrative and holistic manner. However, its underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated. In the present study, a systems pharmacology model, which integrated cluster ligands, human intestinal absorption and aqueous solution prediction, chemical space mapping, molecular docking and network pharmacology techniques were used. The compounds from DSMF were diverse in the clusters and chemical space. The majority of the compounds exhibited drug-like properties. A total of 59 compounds were identified to interact with 16 potential targets. In the herb-compound-target network, the majority of compounds acted on only one target; however, a small number of compounds acted on a large number of targets, up to a maximum of 12. The comparison of key topological properties in compound-target networks associated with the above efficacy intuitively demonstrated that potential active compounds possessed diverse functions. These results successfully explained the polypharmacological mechanism underlying the efficiency of DSMF for the treatment of traumatic injury as well as provided insight into potential novel therapeutic strategies for traumatic injury from herbal medicine.

In silico search for multi-target therapies for osteoarthritis based on 10 common Huoxue Huayu herbs and potential applications to other diseases.

Huoxue Huayu (HXHY) has been widely used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) as a key therapeutic principle for osteoarthritis (OA), and related herbs have been widely prescribed to treat OA in the clinic. The aims of the present study were to explore a multi-target therapy for OA using 10 common HXHY herbs and to investigate their potential applications for treatment of other diseases. A novel computational simulation approach that integrates chemical structure, ligand clusters, chemical space and drug­likeness evaluations, as well as docking and network analysis, was used to investigate the properties and effects of the herbs. The compounds contained in the studied HXHY herbs were divided into 10 clusters. Comparison of the chemical properties of these compounds to those of other compounds described in the DrugBank database indicated that the properties of the former are more diverse than those of the latter and that most of the HXHY-derived compounds do not violate the 'Lipinski's rule of five'. Docking analysis allowed for the identification of 39 potential bioactive compounds from HXHY herbs and 11 potential targets for these compounds. The identified targets were closely associated with 49 diseases, including neoplasms, musculoskeletal, nervous system and cardiovascular diseases. Ligand­target (L­T) and ligand­target­disease (L­T­D) networks were constructed in order to further elucidate the pharmacological effects of the herbs. Our findings suggest that a number of compounds from HXHY herbs are promising candidates for mult­target therapeutic application in OA and may exert diverse pharmacological effects, affecting additional diseases besides OA.

Understanding the polypharmacological anticancer effects of Xiao Chai Hu Tang via a computational pharmacological model.

Xiao Chai Hu Tang (XCHT), a traditional herbal formula, is widely administered as a cancer treatment. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of its anticancer effects are not fully understood. In the present study, a computational pharmacological model that combined chemical space mapping, molecular docking and network analysis was employed to predict which chemical compounds in XCHT are potential inhibitors of cancer-associated targets, and to establish a compound-target (C-T) network and compound-compound (C-C) association network. The identified compounds from XCHT demonstrated diversity in chemical space. Furthermore, they occupied regions of chemical space that were the same, or close to, those occupied by drug or drug-like compounds that are associated with cancer, according to the Therapeutic Targets Database. The analysis of the molecular docking and the C-T network demonstrated that the potential inhibitors possessed the properties of promiscuous drugs and combination therapies. The C-C network was classified into four clusters and the different clusters contained various multi-compound combinations that acted on different targets. The study indicated that XCHT has a polypharmacological role in treating cancer and the potential inhibitory components of XCHT require further investigation as potential therapeutic strategies for cancer patients.

Network pharmacology-based prediction of the multi-target capabilities of the compounds in Taohong Siwu decoction, and their application in osteoarthritis.

Taohong Siwu decoction (THSWD), a formulation prescribed in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has been widely used in the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA). TCM has the potential to prevent diseases, such as OA, in an integrative and holistic manner. However, the system-level characterization of the drug-target interactions of THSWD has not been elucidated. In the present study, we constructed a novel modeling system, by integrating chemical space, virtual screening and network pharmacology, to investigate the molecular mechanism of action of THSWD. The chemical distribution of the ligand database and the potential compound prediction demonstrated that THSWD, as a natural combinatorial chemical library, comprises abundant drug-like and lead-like compounds that may act as potential inhibitors for a number of important target proteins associated with OA. Moreover, the results of the 'compound-target network' analysis demonstrated that 19 compounds within THSWD were correlated with more than one target, whilst the maximum degree of correlation for the compounds was seven. Furthermore, the 'target-disease network' indicated that THSWD may potentially be effective against 69 diseases. These results may aid in the understanding of the use of THSWD as a multi-target therapy in OA. Moreover, they may be useful in establishing other pharmacological effects that may be brought about by THSWD. The in silico method used in this study has the potential to advance the understanding of the molecular mechanisms of TCM.