Characterization of the complete chloroplast genome of Salix maizhokunggarensis (Salicaceae).

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Salix maizhokunggarensis, a native shrub willow species in the south of China, has been characterized using Illumina pair-end sequencing. The plastome is 155,093 bp in length, with one large single copy region of 83,956 bp, one small single copy region of 16,221 bp, and two inverted repeat (IR) regions of 27,458 bp. It contains 116 genes, including 79 protein-coding genes, 8 ribosomal RNA, and 36 transfer RNA. Phylogenetic tree shows that this species is a sister species to S. suchowensis. The plastome of Salix can provide significant insight for elucidating the phylogenetic relationship of taxa within Salicaceae.

MOXIBUSTION HAS A POSITIVE EFFECT ON PULMONARY FIBROSIS: AN ALTERNATIVE APPROACH.

BACKGROUND: An increasing number of people suffered idiopathic fibrosis (IPF) and the current treatment was far from clinical satisfaction. Moxibustion, another effective and safe unconventional therapy, had been introduced to treat this refractory disease. The study aimed to investigate the effect of moxibustion on a bleomycin A5-induced pulmonary fibrosis model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sprague-dawley (SD) rats were randomly allocated to the blank group, model group, moxibustion group, and prednisone group, for which they received no treatment, modeling, moxibustion treatment and prednisone treatment. After four-week treatment, the rats were euthanized for Hematoxylin and Eosin (H.E.) staining, and TGF-ß1 and IFN-γ protein and mRNA detection in lungs. RESULTS: In the model group, TGF-ß1 was significantly increased and IFN-γ was significantly decreased at both protein and mRNA levels in comparison to the blank group. In the moxibustion and prednisone group, however, TGF-ß1 was decreased and IFN-γ was increased at both protein and mRNA levels in comparison to the model groups. Compared with prednisone, moxibustion showed comparable effect in lowing TGF-ß1 (P>0.05) and better effect in up-regulating IFN-γ (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: The study concludes moxibustion protected pulmonary fibrosis by downregulating TGF-ß1 and upregulating IFN-γ cytokines at both mRNA and protein levels, and the effect was comparable to prednisone. Moxibustion could be used as a therapeutic alternative treatment for pulmonary fibrosis.

[Effects of moxibustion at Feishu (BL 13) and Gaohuang (BL 43) on expression of TGF-beta1 in the bleomycin -induced pulmonary fibrosis].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the mechanism of moxibustion arresting the pulmonary fibrosis and provide experimental basis for prevention and treatment of pulmonary fibrosis with acupuncture and moxibustion. METHODS: One hundred and forty SD rats were randomly assigned to 4 groups: a blank group, a model group, a moxibustion group and a prednisone group, 35 rats in each group. The 3 groups expect the blank group were injected with bleomycin via trachea to induce experimental pulmonary fibrosis model, and 7 days after modeling, they were treated with moxibustion at bilateral Feishu (BL 13) and Gaohuang (BL 43), 3 cones each point, once each day, 10 days constituting one therapeutic course with an interval of one day between courses. After 3 courses, all rats were killed and expressions of TGF-beta1mRNA were detected with PCR method. RESULTS: The content of TGF-beta1mRNA in the pulmonary tissue in the moxibustion group and the prednisone group was significantly lower than the model group (P < 0.01), and there was no significant difference between the moxibustion group and the prednisone group (P > 0. 05). CONCLUSION: Both moxibustion at Feishu (BL 13) and Gaohuang (BL 43), and prednisone treatment can significantly suppress the expression of TGF-beta1mRNA in the pulmonary tissue in the rat of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis.