Emodin, a Natural Anthraquinone, Increases Uric Acid Excretion in Rats with Potassium Oxonate-Induced Hyperuricemia.

The treatment of hyperuricemia and gout is mostly based on lowering serum uric acid levels using drugs, such as allopurinol, or increasing urinary excretion of uric acid. However, some patients still experience adverse reactions to allopurinol and turn to Chinese medicine as an alternative. Therefore, it is crucial to design a preclinical study to obtain more convincing data on the treatment of hyperuricemia and gout with Chinese medicine. This study aimed to explore the therapeutic effect of emodin, a Chinese herbal extract, in a rat model of hyperuricemia and gout. In this study, we used 36 Sprague-Dawley rats, which were randomly divided into six groups for experimentation. Hyperuricemia was induced in rats by intraperitoneal injections of potassium oxonate. The efficacy of emodin in reducing serum uric acid levels was demonstrated by comparing the positive control group with groups treated with three different concentrations of emodin. The inflammatory profiles, including interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α levels, were unaffected by emodin treatment. In the experimental results, it was observed that the serum uric acid concentration in the vehicle control group was 1.80 ± 1.14, while the concentrations in the moderate and high concentration emodin groups were 1.18 ± 0.23 and 1.12 ± 0.57, resulting in no significant difference in uric acid concentration between these treatment groups and the control group, indicating that emodin has a therapeutic effect on hyperuricemia. The increase in the fractional excretion of uric acid (FEUA) demonstrated that emodin promoted urinary uric acid excretion without significantly affecting the inflammatory profile. Thus, emodin reduced the serum uric acid concentration to achieve effective treatment of hyperuricemia and gout by increasing urinary excretion. These results were supported by the measured serum uric acid and FEUA levels. Our data have potential implications for the treatment of gout and other types of hyperuricemia in clinical practice.

Injection Site Reactions Before and After Intramuscular Injection Technique Revision: A Postmarketing Analysis of NALDEBAIN® From 2017 to 2022.

BACKGROUND: The NALDEBAIN® has been available since 2017, and high incidence of injection reactions in the phase 3 study has been reported. Since the first year in the market, the injection site reactions were still the majority of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in pharmacovigilance reports. The new intramuscular (IM) instruction and package was introduced in the middle of 2018. In this retrospective study, we analyzed the pharmacovigilance data and published postmarketing studies to investigate the impact of IM injection-related reactions in Taiwan between the period of 2017-2022. METHODS: Individual case safety reports (ICSRs) and ADRs were classified by system organ class and preferred term. The reporting rate of ICSRs was used to evaluate the impact of the new IM instruction and package. RESULTS: A total of 37 ICSRs were identified from pharmacovigilance reports. Among them, 51% of IM injection-related reactions were reported after one single dose of NALDEBAIN administration. The reporting rate of IM injection-related reactions in pharmacovigilance data dropped from 125.00 to 3.56 per ten thousand exposures after IM instruction and package revision in 2018. In addition, the percentage of IM injection-related reactions also reduced in postmarketing studies from 27.5% to 4.5%. There were no serious IM injection-related reactions found in the pharmacovigilance and postmarketing dataset. CONCLUSION: Injection site reactions were common after intramuscularly administered oil-based agents during the first year which is later markedly reduced by changing the length of the needle and injection education.

Multimodal Analgesia With Extended-Release Dinalbuphine Sebacate for Perioperative Management: Expert Opinion and Consensus.

BACKGROUND: The insufficient treatment of postoperative pain is considered a major barrier to enhanced patient recovery following surgery. Opioids remain the standard therapy for postoperative pain; however, the epidemic crisis of opioid abuse in the US has resulted in opioid-sparing multimodal analgesia (MMA) strategies in anesthesia practice. Complete perioperative pain management, particularly after discharge, may be undermined, resulting in chronic postsurgical pain. Thus, anesthesiologists and pain physicians should provide comprehensive MMA guidance for perioperative pain management. METHODS: The Taiwan Pain Society organized a working group, which included experts in the field of anesthesia, pain, and surgery. This group performed an extensive literature search, quality review, and drafted a consensus, which was discussed by experts and edited for feedback. Recommendations covered consent instruction, treatment interventions, intramuscular injection techniques, and prophylaxis for postoperative adverse events. RESULTS: This consensus included (1) a comparison of the pharmacology and pharmacokinetics between nalbuphine and dinalbuphine sebacate, (2) recommendations to help clinicians establish MMA with extended-release dinalbuphine sebacate injection, and (3) management of common adverse events during the perioperative pain period. CONCLUSION: Extended-release dinalbuphine sebacate combined with the MMA strategy can reduce the medical burden and improve the quality of recovery following surgery.

Electroacupuncture at Bilateral ST36 Acupoints: Inducing the Hypoglycemic Effect through Enhancing Insulin Signal Proteins in a Streptozotocin-Induced Rat Model during Isoflurane Anesthesia.

In rats with 2-deoxy-2-(3-(methyl-3-nitrosoureido)-d-glucopyranose streptozotocin- (STZ-) induced insulin-dependent diabetes (IDDM), continuous 15 Hz electrical stimulation at bilateral ST36 acupoints for 30 and 60 minutes has been shown to prevent hyperglycemia. We hypothesized that the mechanism of action in STZ-induced IDDM rats is that electrical stimulation at bilateral ST36 acupoints is effective in improving insulin receptor substrate type 1 (IRS-1) and glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4) protein expressions associated with counteracting both plasma glucose and free fatty acid (FFA) levels during isoflurane anesthesia. In this study, twenty-six healthy male Wistar rats, weighing 250-350 g and aged 8-10 weeks were tested. Rats in the experimental electroacupuncture (EA) group (n = 13) received 15 Hz electrical stimulation at bilateral ST 36 acupoints for 30 and 60 minutes. Rats in the control group (n = 13) were handled but not subjected to the stimulation treatment. In both IDDM and normal Wistar rats, we observed a negative change in plasma glucose levels when rats were given the EA treatment, but a positive change in plasma glucose without EA treatment relative to baseline. Within the IDDM group, a negative change in FFA levels was observed when rats were given the EA treatment, while a positive change in the FFA level was shown without the EA treatment. In the expressed protein signals, we found a significant elevation in both GLUT4 and IRS-1 proteins in the IDDM group treated by EA. Moreover, we found a significant mean difference between GLUT4 and IRS-1 protein expression levels relative to ß-actin. Our findings suggested that EA at bilateral ST36 acupoints could serve as an effective strategy for lowering plasma glucose by decreasing free fatty acid levels and improving the expression of IRS-1 and GLUT4 proteins in a STZ-IDDM rat model during isoflurane anesthesia.

Platelet-Rich Plasma Ameliorates Cyclophosphamide-Induced Acute Interstitial Cystitis/Painful Bladder Syndrome in a Rat Model.

BACKGROUND: Interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome (IC/PBS) could be treated to ameliorate urothelial injury. Here, we investigated the efficacy of intravesical instillation with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and hyaluronic acid for acute IC/PBS. METHODS: The effects of PRP and hyaluronic acid on the proliferation of normal human fibroblast cells (HFCs) were assessed. Additionally, thirty virgin female rats were randomized into five groups: group 1, saline-injected control; group 2, cyclophosphamide (CYP) plus intravesical instillation with normal saline; group 3, CYP plus intravesical instillation with hyaluronic acid (1 mg/mL); group 4, CYP plus intravesical instillation with PRP; and group 5, CYP plus intravesical instillation with PRP plus hyaluronic acid. A cystometry and histological assessments were performed. The expression of cell junction-associated protein zonula occludens-2 (ZO-2) and inflammatory cytokine interleukin 6 (IL-6) was also measured. RESULTS: Low dose PRP increased proliferation in HFCs. The acute IC/PBS rats showed significantly lower voiding interval values. Voiding interval values were significantly higher in the CYP plus intravesical instillation with PRP group than in the CYP-induced acute IC/PBS group. Additionally, the expression of ZO-2 was increased and IL-6 was decreased in the CYP plus intravesical instillation with PRP group compared with the CYP-induced acute IC/PBS group. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that PRP modulate urothelial repair, which ameliorate the increase in urination frequency in rats treated with CYP. Overall, PRP may confer potential benefits by acting as urothelial repair modulators.

Thyroid diseases increased the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus: A nation-wide cohort study.

Thyroid function may alter carbohydrate metabolism via influence of insulin, which may in terms of derangement of thyroid function and insulin function result in the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). We investigated the association of thyroid disorders with T2D by a cohort study of the Taiwan nationwide health insurance database.A sub-dataset of the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) was used in this study. The thyroid disease (both hyper- and hypo-thyroidism) group was chosen from patients older than 18 years and newly diagnosed between 2000 and 2012. The control group consisted of randomly selected patients who never been diagnosed with thyroid disease and 4-fold size frequency matched with the thyroid disease group. The event of this cohort was T2D (ICD-9-CM 250.x1, 250.x2). Primary analysis was performed by comparing the thyroid disease group to the control group and the second analysis was performed by comparing the hyperthyroidism subgroup, hypothyroidism subgroup, and control group.The occurrence of T2D in the thyroid disease group was higher than the control group with hazard ratio (HR) of 1.23 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.16-1.31]. Both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism were significantly higher than control. Significantly higher HR was also seen in female patients, age category of 18 to 39-year-old (y/o) and 40 to 64 y/o subgroups. Higher occurrence of T2D was also seen in thyroid disease patients without comorbidity than in the control group with HR of 1.47 (95% CI = 1.34-1.60). The highest HR was found in the half-year follow-up.There was a relatively high risk of T2D development in patients with thyroid dysfunctions, especially in the period of 0.5 to 1 year after presentation of thyroid dysfunctions. The results suggest performing blood sugar tests in patients with thyroid diseases for early detection and treatment of T2D.

Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Danshen) for Treatment and Prevention of Urolithiasis: A Drosophila Animal Study.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been prescribed for the treatment of stone disease for thousands of years. Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen) was previously shown to have potential for treatment of stone disease in animal and clinical studies. In this study, we further studied the antiurolithiasis effect of Danshen in a fly model. Wild-type male Drosophila melanogaster CS flies were used in this study, with 0.25% ethylene glycol (EG) as a lithogenic agent. 2% potassium citrate (K-citrate) was the positive control agent for prevention (all agents added at the start of experiment) and treatment (drugs added after 2-week addition of lithogenic agent) studies compared with 15, 30, and 60 µg/ml of Danshen extract. In the prevention study, both 2% K-citrate and Danshen (30 and 60 µg/ml) significantly inhibited EG-induced calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystal formation. In the treatment study, only 2% K-citrate and high-dose of Danshen (60 µg/ml) significantly inhibited EG-induced CaOx crystal formation. Survival analysis for EG with Danshen was compared with that for EG with K-citrate. The mean lifespan was significantly reduced by administration of EG, and the results in the Danshen group were similar to those in the control group. In conclusion, Danshen revealed both preventive and treatment effects on CaOx crystal formation in a fly model.

Hyperthyroidism is not a significant risk of benign prostatic hyperplasia: A nationwide population-based study.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common disorder in the aging male population. Despite evidence that thyroid status impacts the prostate, the objective of this study was to examine whether patients with hyperthyroidism were at a greater risk for BPH.This study is a retrospective nationwide population-based cohort study of the Chinese population. Data for this study were retrieved from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD). Overall, 1032 male patients aged 40 years or older with hyperthyroidism diagnosed between 2000 and 2006 were included in the hyperthyroidism group, and 4128 matched controls without hyperthyroidism were included in the non-hyperthyroidism group. Both groups were monitored until the end of 2011. A Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to compute and compare the risk of BPH between study participants with and those without hyperthyroidism.Patients with hyperthyroidism exhibited a greater incidence of BPH (18.51% vs 15.53%) than did the controls. Furthermore, the hazard ratio (HR) of the hyperthyroidism group was 1.24 times that of the control group [95% confidence interval (95% CI 1.05-1.46)] signifying that there is a significant 24% increase in the risk of BPH with the presence of hyperthyroidism. This increased risk of BPH with hyperthyroidism, however, failed to remain significant (adjusted HR = 1.11, 95% CI = 0.94-1.3) after adjusting for covariates of age (adjusted HR = 2.72, 95% CI = 2.32-3.2), diabetes (adjusted HR = 1.4, 95% CI = 1.17-1.68), hypertension (adjusted HR = 1.74, 95% CI = 1.49-2.03), hyperlipidemia (adjusted HR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.03-1.53), neurogenic bladder, cystitis (adjusted HR = 1.23, 95% CI = 0.58-2.59), urethral stricture (adjusted HR = 2.01, 95% CI = 0.28-14.47), urethritis (adjusted HR = 1.52, 95% CI = 0.72-3.21), and urinary tract infection (adjusted HR = 1.77, 95% CI = 1.31-2.39).After adjustment for comorbidities and covariates, hyperthyroidism was not found to be a significant risk factor of BPH in our male study subjects. Further research is warranted to validate our results and elucidate the association of the pathophysiology of these 2 diseases.

Traditional Chinese medicine decreases the obstructive uropathy risk in uterovaginal prolapse: A nationwide population-based study.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a popular treatment for voiding dysfunction in Eastern countries. However, no previous studies have investigated the effects of TCM on preventing obstructive uropathy in uterovaginal prolapse women. We conducted a large-scale nationwide population-based cohort study to investigate the relationship between TCM and obstructive uropathy in uterovaginal prolapse women. This is a retrospective cohort study with the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD). The study population was newly diagnosed uterovaginal prolapse patients between 1997 and 2010 year. Among patients, 762 uterovaginal prolapse patients in this cohort. Significant adjusted HRs of urine retention or hydronephrosis in Cox proportional hazard models were uterovaginal prolapse (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.74, 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 1.43-2.14), age 40 to 64 years (1.51, 1.01-2.27), ≥60 years (3.52, 2.32-5.34), DM (1.52, 1.23-1.89), hypertension (1.38, 1.13-1.7), constipation (1.35, 1.05-1.75), urinary tract calculi (1.54, 1.06-2.23), and TCM users (0.34, 0.28-0.41). The Kaplan-Meier analysis showed a higher incidence rate of urine retention or hydronephrosis in the uterovaginal prolapse cohort compared with that of the without uterovaginal prolapse cohort. The results of this nationwide population-based study support a relationship between TCM and a reduced risk of obstructive uropathy in uterovaginal prolapse women.

Treatment of Urolithiasis with Medicinal Plant Salvia miltiorrhiza: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Danshen), a common medicinal plant in traditional Chinese medicine, has been tested effectively to prevent urolithiasis in animals; nevertheless, the clinical application for urolithiasis remains unclear. We thus investigated the clinical effect of Danshen by analyzing the database from the Taiwan National Institute of Health. The cohort "Danshen-users" was prescribed Chinese herb medicine Danshen after the initial diagnosis of calculus. The control group (non-Danshen-users) was not given Danshen after the initial diagnosis of calculus. The date of first using Danshen after new diagnosis date of calculus was considered as index date. The outcome variables were categorized into two categories: the first category included calculus surgical treatment, including extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy, ureteroscopy, percutaneous nephrostomy with fragmentation, and ureterolithotomy; the second category included any bleeding disorders, including gastrointestinal bleeding, intracranial hemorrhage, and blood transfusions. The incidence of calculus surgical treatment in the Danshen-users was less than that in the non-Danshen-users: 1.071% in 1,000 person-years (200 people followed up for 5 years) and 3.142% in 1,000 person-years, respectively. The adjusted hazard ratio for calculus surgical treatment in the Danshen-users was 0.34 (95% confidence intervals: 0.31-0.38) as compared to the non-Danshen-users. When stratified by sex, the incidence of calculus surgical treatment in Danshen-users was 0.685% in 1,000 person-years and 1.575% in 1,000 person-years for women and men, respectively, which was lower than that in non-Danshen-users. Danshen decreased the ratio of subsequent stone treatment after the first treatment in the study population; there was no increased bleeding risk due to long-term Danshen use.

Rescue patient from tracheal obstruction by dislocated bronchial stent during tracheostomy surgery with readily available tools: A case report.

RATIONALE: Airway stenting is a well-established method that relieves symptoms and maintains airway patency in patients with airway obstruction. Serious complications caused by airway stents such as stent dislocation and airway obstruction during surgery are life-threatening. PATIENT CONCERNS: An 80-year-old man was treated with bronchial stent for left bronchus obstruction caused by metastatic esophageal cancer. During tracheostomy surgery, he suffered from acute tracheal obstruction caused by dislocated bronchial stent. DIAGNOSES: Esophageal cancer, left bronchus obstruction, respiratory failure, tracheal obstruction. INTERVENTIONS: Threading a 5.0-sized endotracheal tube combined with an Eschmann tracheal tube introducer to prop up the collapsed stent. OUTCOMES: The bronchial stent was re-expanded and threaded into right main bronchus and ventilation restored. LESSONS: Patient with airway stent undergoing surgery with airway involved should be performed under the support of a backup physician and equipment that are capable of handling potentially life-threatening complications of airway stent. If not, in the emergent situation of tracheal obstruction due to tracheal/bronchial stent, protruding through the stent with a suitable, small-sized endotracheal tube with Eschmann tracheal tube introducer may be an alternative skill for saving life weighted with possible complications.

Association of congenital anomalies with fracture of spine, trunk, and upper and lower limbs among young people: A population-based matched cohort study in Taiwan.

According to the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory, congenital anomalies are caused by kidney malfunctions, which decreased the bone quality, and may eventually result in bone fractures. This retrospective cohort study investigated the relationship between congenital anomalies and fracture of spine, trunk, and upper and lower limbs in young people. We utilized data from the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan. This study included patients with congenital anomalies (International Classification of Diseases/ICD-9 code: 740-759) and a comparison group of patients without congenital anomalies. Cases evaluated were fracture of spine and trunk (ICD-9 codes: 805-809), fracture of upper limbs (ICD-9 codes: 810-819), and fracture of lower limbs (ICD-9 codes: 820-829). Our study shows that in comparison to the control group, patients with congenital anomalies are 1.11 times more likely to develop fractures. This is the first documented research study that supports the TCM theory that "the Kidney governs the bones, and healthy bones give the body stabilization and prevent fracture."

Red Yeast Rice Protects Circulating Bone Marrow-Derived Proangiogenic Cells against High-Glucose-Induced Senescence and Oxidative Stress: The Role of Heme Oxygenase-1.

The inflammation and oxidative stress of bone marrow-derived proangiogenic cells (PACs), also named endothelial progenitor cells, triggered by hyperglycemia contributes significantly to vascular dysfunction. There is supporting evidence that the consumption of red yeast rice (RYR; Monascus purpureus-fermented rice) reduces the vascular complications of diabetes; however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the effects of RYR extract in PACs, focusing particularly on the role of a potent antioxidative enzyme, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). We found that treatment with RYR extract induced nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor nuclear translocation and HO-1 mRNA and protein levels in PACs. RYR extract inhibited high-glucose-induced (30 mM) PAC senescence and the development of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in a dose-dependent manner. The HO-1 inducer cobalt protoporphyrin IX also decreased high-glucose-induced cell senescence and oxidative stress, whereas the HO-1 enzyme inhibitor zinc protoporphyrin IX and HO-1 small interfering RNA significantly reversed RYR extract-caused inhibition of senescence and reduction of oxidative stress in high-glucose-treated PACs. These results suggest that RYR extract serves as alternative and complementary medicine in the treatment of these diseases, by inducing HO-1, thereby decreasing the vascular complications of diabetes.

Corrigendum to "an emerging translational model to screen potential medicinal plants for nephrolithiasis, an independent risk factor for chronic kidney disease".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2014/972958.].

An emerging translational model to screen potential medicinal plants for nephrolithiasis, an independent risk factor for chronic kidney disease.

Pharmacological therapy for urolithiasis using medicinal plants has been increasingly adopted for the prevention of its recurrence. A Drosophila melanogaster model developed for translational research of urolithiasis was applied to evaluate agents with potential antilithic effects and calcium oxalate (CaOx) formation. Potential antilithic herbs were prepared in a mixture of food in a diluted concentration of 5,000 from the original extract with 0.5% ethylene glycol (EG) as the lithogenic agent. The control group was fed with food only. After 3 weeks, flies (n ≥ 150 for each group) were killed using CO2 narcotization, and the Malpighian tubules were dissected, removed, and processed for polarized light microscopy examination of the crystals. The crystal formation rate in the EG group was 100.0%. In the study, 16 tested herbal drugs reached the crystal formation rate of 0.0%, including Salviae miltiorrhizae, Paeonia lactiflora, and Carthami flos. Scutellaria baicalensis enhanced CaOx crystal formation. Two herbal drugs Commiphora molmol and Natrii sulfas caused the death of all flies. Our rapid screening methods provided evidence that some medicinal plants have potential antilithic effects. These useful medicinal plants can be further studied using other animal or human models to verify their effects.

Effect of Flos carthami Extract and α 1-Adrenergic Antagonists on the Porcine Proximal Ureteral Peristalsis.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been proposed to prevent urolithiasis. In China, Flos carthami (FC, also known as Carthamus tinctorius) (Safflower; Chinese name: Hong Hua/) has been used to treat urological diseases for centuries. We previously performed a screening and confirmed the in vivo antilithic effect of FC extract. Here, ex vivo organ bath experiment was further performed to study the effect of FC extract on the inhibition of phenylepinephrine (PE) (10(-4) and 10(-3) M) ureteral peristalsis of porcine ureters with several α 1-adrenergic antagonists (doxazosin, tamsulosin, and terazosin) as experimental controls. The results showed that doxazosin, tamsulosin, and terazosin dose (approximately 4.5 × 10(-6) - 4.5 × 10(-1) µg/mL) dependently inhibited both 10(-4) and 10(-3) M PE-induced ureteral peristalsis. FC extract achieved 6.2% ± 10.1%, 21.8% ± 6.8%, and 24.0% ± 5.6% inhibitions of 10(-4) M PE-induced peristalsis at doses of 5 × 10(3), 1 × 10(4), and 2 × 10(4) µg/mL, respectively, since FC extract was unable to completely inhibit PE-induced ureteral peristalsis, suggesting the antilithic effect of FC extract is related to mechanisms other than modulation of ureteral peristalsis.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of a Chinese herbal Sophora flower formula in patients with symptomatic haemorrhoids: a preliminary study.

Dried flowers and buds of Sophora japonica (Huaihua) are used in China, Japan and Korea for treating haematemesis and bleeding haemorrhoids. This study compared the clinical safety and efficacy of a Sophora flower formula with a placebo for the conservative treatment of symptomatic haemorrhoids. The study was a prospective, double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial. The clinical effective rate, symptom score and the incidence of important clinical events were used as observation indices to evaluate the effect of the Sophora flower formula. The results showed that after 7 days of treatment, improvement was observed in 87.0% of the patients' major symptoms in the Sophora flower formula group compared with 81.8% of those in the placebo group. After 14 days, 78.2% patients in the Sophora flower formula group were asymptomatic, whereas 40.9% of those in the placebo group exhibited residual symptoms. However, the difference between both groups was not statistically significant. As the bowel habits of the patients improved and as the patients took sitz baths, their symptoms improved drastically, regardless of the use of the Sophora flower formula. These findings indicate that the traditional Chinese Sophora flower formula is clinically safe; however, its effects on haemorrhoids need to be studied in a larger sample size and with different dosages. The present study results may be a potential clinical reference for physicians prescribing medications for patients with symptomatic haemorrhoids.

Effects of commercial citrate-containing juices on urolithiasis in a Drosophila model.

Diet modification plays an important role in nephrolithiasis. Development of an easy, ready-to-use beverage such as a commercial juice drink to use as a preventive treatment for renal calculi formation would be widely welcomed. We previously developed a novel Drosophila model for the study of nephrolithiasis. It provides a new well-established drug discovery platform for this common disease. In our current study, we used the Drosophila model to investigate the preventive effects of various commercial juices as potential treatments for nephrolithiasis. Our results showed that apple, cranberry, orange, and pomegranate juices failed to reduce calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystal formation, whereas our positive control-potassium citrate (K-citrate)-significantly prevented CaOx crystal formation. Unlike the commercial fruit juices that were tested, the administration of K-citrate significantly ameliorated the ethylene glycol (EG)-induced life-span reduction in treated flies. These results indicate that EG-induced CaOx nephrolithiasis in Drosophila can be prevented by K-citrate, but not by commercial citrate-containing juices. However, the inhibitory capability of citrate-containing juices to reduce renal stone formation in humans requires further elucidation.

Role of pigment epithelium-derived factor in stem/progenitor cell-associated neovascularization.

Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) was first identified in retinal pigment epithelium cells. It is an endogenously produced protein that is widely expressed throughout the human body such as in the eyes, liver, heart, and adipose tissue; it exhibits multiple and varied biological activities. PEDF is a multifunctional protein with antiangiogenic, antitumorigenic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antithrombotic, neurotrophic, and neuroprotective properties. More recently, PEDF has been shown to be the most potent inhibitor of stem/progenitor cell-associated neovascularization. Neovascularization is a complex process regulated by a large, interacting network of molecules from stem/progenitor cells. PEDF is also involved in the pathogenesis of angiogenic eye disease, tumor growth, and cardiovascular disease. Novel antiangiogenic agents with tolerable side effects are desired for the treatment of patients with various diseases. Here, we review the value of PEDF as an important endogenous antiangiogenic molecule; we focus on the recently identified role of PEDF as a possible new target molecule to influence stem/progenitor cell-related neovascularization.

Protective effect of Flos carthami extract against ethylene glycol-induced urolithiasis in rats.

Flos carthami (FC), also known as Carthamus tinctorius, is a traditional Chinese herbal plant that has been prescribed since centuries for treating various symptoms related to blood circulation improvement. This study aimed to investigate the effects of FC on calcium oxalate (CaOx) formation in ethylene glycol (EG)-fed rats. A total of 50 male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into the following 6 groups: group 1, as the normal control (n = 5); group 2 received gastric gavages of starch and 0.75% EG (placebo, n = 5) as a stone inducer; group 3 (n = 10) received EG and potassium citrate as positive controls; group 4 (n = 10) received 0.75% EG and 300 mg/day FC; group 5 (n = 10) was treated with EG and 600 mg/day FC; group 6 (n = 10) received with EG and 1,200 mg/day FC. For all experimental animals, 24-h urine and blood samples were analyzed at the beginning and end of the experiment. Kidney tissue was histopathologically examined using a polarized light microscope, and crystal deposits were evaluated by a semi-quantitative scoring method; these scores were significantly lower in the FC groups (600 and 1,200 mg/day) than in the placebo group. Thus, FC administration appeared to inhibit the deposition of CaOx crystal EG-fed rats. We, therefore, consider that FC may be effective for preventing stone disease, albeit with certain side effects, such as a bleeding tendency. Further clinical trials are needed for evaluating its benefits and possible side effects.