Therapeutic effects of Huayu Jiedu formula on endometriosis via downregulating GATA 6 expression.

Background: Endometriosis (EMs) is a common chronic inflammatory disease which is characterized by multiple clinical symptoms and high recurrence rate due to the absence of effective therapies. Huayu Jiedu Formula (HYJDF), is a traditional Chinese medicine prescription with five major herbs. It has been used as traditional medicine to treat EMs for more than twenty years and exerted a good therapeutic effect. However, the underlying mechanism is unclear. Here we aim to observe the effects of HYJDF on EMs and investigate the therapeutic mechanism. Methods: The extract components of HYJDF were identified and quantified by an UHPLC-QE-MS method. Network pharmacology was used to obtain the core targets of HYJDF for the treatment of EMs and the specific biologic processes involved. A total of 68 EMs cases were randomly divided into control (gestrinone) and observation (HYJDF) groups. The overall effectiveness, pain scores, cyst-size changes, serum CA125 levels, quality-of-life scores, safety, and adverse events were evaluated before and after treatment. For the mechanism research, DNA methylation-chip analysis was performed to determine the differential genes. EMs mice models and human ectopic stromal cells (ESCs) were treated with HYJDF and its pharmaceutical serum, respectively. The ectopic foci was measured via H&E staining while the expressions of the target genes were verified by real-time PCR and Western blot analysis. The inflammatory cytokine levels in the peritoneal fluid of mice were detected by ELISA. The proliferative potential of cells was analyzed by MTS whereas the apoptosis and cell cycle were determined through flow analysis. Results: The total number of components detected in positive and negative ion modes was 839 and 597, respectively. Network pharmacology suggested that HYJDF treated EMs through DNA methylation. We found that HYJDF and gestrinone exerted good therapeutic effect with no obvious difference, but the HYJDF treatment group had fewer side effects. GATA 6, which was hypomethylated and abundant in endometriotic cells, potently induced inflammatory response. This finding indicated the important role of GATA 6 in EMs development. Moreover, HYJDF ameliorated inflammatory response (i.e., reduced the levels of IL-1ß and PGE2 in peritoneal fluid), suppressed ESCs proliferation, and increased cell apoptosis by down-regulating GATA 6 expression. Conclusion: We demonstrated that HYJDF has anti-inflammation activity and increased cell apoptosis through the reduction of GATA 6 expression in ectopic tissues, which showed good therapeutic effect without any obvious side effects. These findings suggest that HYJDF may be a new and efficient traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of EMs.

Correlation between long non-coding RNA MAFG-AS1 and cancer prognosis: a meta-analysis.

Background: MAF transcription factor G antisense RNA 1 (MAFG-AS1), a novel long non-coding RNA discovered recently, was proved to be useful in predicting malignancy prognosis. Nevertheless, its association with cancer prognosis has been inconsistent. Therefore, this meta-analysis aimed to explore the clinicopathological and prognostic significance of MAFG-AS1 in diverse carcinomas. Methods: Studies focused on MAFG-AS1 expression as a prognostic role in cancers were thoroughly searched in six electronic databases. The value of MAFG-AS1 in malignancies was assessed by hazard ratios (HRs) or odds ratios (ORs). Additionally, the GEPIA database was utilized to further strengthen our conclusion. Results: A total of 15 studies involving 1187 cases and nine types of cancers were recruited into this meta-analysis. High MAFG-AS1 expression was significantly related to advanced tumor stage (OR = 0.52, 95%CI [0.39, 0.69], P < 0.00001), earlier lymph node metastasis (OR = 3.62, 95%CI [2.19, 5.99], P < 0.00001), worse tumor differentiation (OR = 0.64, 95%CI [0.43, 0.95], P = 0.03), and poor overall survival (HR = 1.94, 95%CI [1.72, 2.19], P < 0.00001). No significant heterogeneity and publication bias was detected across studies. Meanwhile, MAFG-AS1 was significantly elevated in ten kinds of cancers based on the validation of the GEPIA database. Conclusion: The results of this meta-analysis indicated that high MAFG-AS1 expression is dramatically correlated with unfavorable prognosis in cancers. MAFG-AS1 may be served as a promising biomarker for malignancies.

Clinical evidence of growth hormone for infertile women with diminished ovarian reserve undergoing IVF: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To appraise the current randomized clinical trials (RCTs) for evidence of the association of growth hormone (GH) with improved outcomes in infertile women with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF). Methods: Relevant RCTs published in Chinese or English were identified through a comprehensive search of nine databases from the period of database inception to April 20, 2023. We included trials investigating adjuvant GH during ovarian stimulation and reported the subsequent outcomes. The group with adjuvant GH treatment and the group without adjuvant GH treatment were set up as the trial and control groups, respectively. The quality of RCTs was measured according to the Cochrane Collaboration Handbook. Results: Of the 579 studies initially identified, 10 RCTs comprising 852 infertile women with DOR were included. The GH dose of individual trials ranged between 3 and 5 IU/day. Overall, we judged the trials to be at high risk of bias in the blinding domain. Pooled results showed that GH was associated with an increased clinical pregnancy rate (RR = 1.63, 95%CI [1.31, 2.03], p < 0.0001) and a greater number of oocytes retrieved (MD = 0.91, 95%CI [0.47, 1.35], p < 0.0001). Favorable associations were also observed when ovarian stimulation was combined with GH therapy for improving the optimal embryos rate (RR = 1.84, 95%CI [1.30, 2.59], p = 0.0005) and the number of optimal embryos (MD = 0.28, 95%CI [0.08, 0.48], p = 0.005) along with reducing the cycle cancellation rate (RR = 0.46, 95%CI [0.24, 0.89], p = 0.02). Moreover, GH resulted in an increase in the fertilization rate (RR = 1.33, 95%CI [1.18, 1.50], p < 0.00001) and the embryo implantation rate (RR = 1.56, 95%CI [1.21, 2.01], p = 0.0006). In addition, there was a significant enhancement in estradiol levels (SMD = 1.18, 95%CI [0.46, 1.91], p = 0.001) and endometrial thickness (MD = 0.75, 95%CI [0.41, 1.09], p < 0.0001) on the day of hCG. With regard to the total number of days and total dose of gonadotrophins used, GH treatment was correlated with shorter days (MD = -0.26, 95%CI [-0.46, -0.06], p = 0.01) and lower dose (MD = -460.97, 95%CI [-617.20, -304.73], p < 0.00001) of gonadotrophins applied during ovarian stimulation. Furthermore, GH in conjunction with the GnRH antagonist protocol was more conducive to improving the number of oocytes retrieved when compared with the GnRH agonist protocol (p < 0.0001). Moreover, a notable association was also seen in IVF combined with GH more than or equal to 4.5 IU/day to increase the number of optimal embryos and estradiol levels on the day of hCG (p < 0.05). Conclusion: For infertile women with DOR undergoing IVF, adjuvant treatment with GH during ovarian stimulation protocols showed better clinical outcomes, shorter days and lower dosages of gonadotrophin required. Furthermore, well-designed RCTs are needed to verify our results in the future. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk PROSPERO (CRD42023421739).

Clinical efficacy of acupuncture for diminished ovarian reserve: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of acupuncture for the treatment of diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) based on the existing randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Methods: Nine databases from their inception to December 6th, 2022, were comprehensively searched to retrieve RCTs related to the clinical efficacy of acupuncture for the treatment of DOR. The outcomes of interest were sex hormones level and antral follicle count (AFC). Risk of Bias (RoB) was adopted to assess the quality of the included trials. Results: A total of 13 RCTs involving 787 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The review of available evidence revealed acupuncture produced a significant efficacy in decreasing follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels (SMD = -1.07, 95%CI [-1.79, -0.36], p = 0.003), FSH/LH ratio (MD = -0.31, 95%CI [-0.54, -0.09], p = 0.006) and increasing anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels (SMD = 0.25, 95%CI [-0.00, 0.49], p = 0.05), along with AFC (MD = 1.87, 95%CI [0.96, 2.79], p < 0.0001) compared to controls. Compared with electro-acupuncture treatment, manual acupuncture was superior in reducing FSH levels, FSH/LH ratio, and increasing AMH levels and AFC (p < 0.05). A notable association was also seen when acupuncture was combined with traditional Chinese medicine therapy for improving FSH levels, FSH/LH ratio, and AFC (p < 0.05). Besides, a high dose of acupuncture (≥10 acupoints) was more conducive to ameliorating FSH levels, FSH/LH ratio, and AFC (p < 0.05) than a low dose of acupuncture (<10 acupoints). Substantial heterogeneity existed among studies. Conclusion: Acupuncture may have significant clinical potential for patients with DOR in terms of improving sex hormones level and increasing AFC, although the evidence is drawn with high heterogeneity. This finding suggests that more rigorous trials conducted in diverse regions worldwide are necessary to identify the efficacy of acupuncture for patients diagnosed with DOR. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk, identifier CRD42023402336.

Prognostic significance of long noncoding RNA TTN-AS1 in various malignancies.

BACKGROUND: Increasing evidence has demonstrated that high TTN-AS1 expression is highly related to poor prognosis in diverse human cancers. However, the findings concerning the prognostic value of TTN-AS1 were inconsistent, as these conclusions were usually drawn with relatively small sample sizes. Hence, this meta-analysis proposes to investigate the prognostic significance of TTN-AS1 in multiple malignancies systematically. METHODS: Web of Science, Springer, Embase, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Scopus databases were comprehensively searched to retrieve studies related to the TTN-AS1 expression with the prognosis of malignancies. The significance of the TTN-AS1 in cancers was estimated by hazard ratios (HRs) or odds ratios (ORs). Additionally, the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) analysis tool was used to strengthen our results further. RESULTS: Twenty studies involving 17 different cancers and 1330 patients were recruited into this meta-analysis. The research revealed that high TTN-AS1 expression was remarkably associated with unfavorable overall survival (OS) (HR = 2.07, 95%CI [1.78, 2.41], p < .00001) when compared with low TTN-AS1 expression in malignancies. Additionally, elevated TTN-AS1 expression significantly contributed to lymph node metastasis (OR = 4.09, 95%CI [3.08, 5.44], p < .0001), larger tumor size (OR = 2.42, 95%CI [1.56, 3.77], p < .0001), worse tumor differentiation (OR = 0.36, 95%CI [0.22, 0.59], p < .0001) and more advanced tumor stage (OR = 0.29, 95%CI [0.22, 0.38], p < .0001) with low or no heterogeneity existing. Moreover, high TTN-AS1 expression  was connected with worse disease-free survival in five different cancers based on the GEPIA online database. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this meta-analysis support that high TTN-AS1 expression significantly correlates with worse prognosis in various cancers. Therefore, TTN-AS1 may be considered as a novel biomarker for malignancies.

Pelvic Lymph Node Lymphangiomyomatosis Found During Surgery for Gynecological Fallopian Tube Cancer: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Background: Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a rare low-grade metastatic tumor with an unknown origin that spreads through lymphatic vessels. It is characterized by the proliferation of smooth muscle-like or epithelioid tumor cells in the lung and axial lymphatic system. Extrapulmonary LAM is a localized disease with a low incidence rate, and the location of the related lesions is atypical. It is difficult to diagnose. The LAM of pelvic lymph nodes is hidden. It is usually found through gynecological oncology surgery. Case presentation: We report a 57-year-old postmenopausal woman with a pelvic mass and vaginal bleeding as the main symptoms. The patient had no history of pulmonary LAM, tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), or renal angiomyolipoma and had not used exogenous hormones. We performed a total hysterectomy, bilateral adnexectomy, greater omentum resection, and pelvic lymphadenectomy under laparoscopy. The postoperative pathology confirmed high-grade serous carcinoma of the left fallopian tube, and four lymph nodes were found in the pelvic lymph nodes, suggesting lymphangiomyomatosis. Immunohistochemical results also showed that these cells could express markers of smooth muscle cells and melanoma cells. The patient was treated with chemotherapy after the operation. Chest CT did not suggest lung LAM during the postoperative follow-up, and there was no tumor recurrence. Conclusion: The diagnosis of this disease is challenging. At the same time, due to insufficient clinical samples, it is still unknown whether there is a potential relationship between pelvic and peritoneal lymph node LAM found in the surgical staging of gynecological tumors and lung LAM and/or TSC. There is no evidence that pelvic and peritoneal lymph node LAM will increase the risk of pulmonary LAM. Therefore, additional clinical data are required to analyze and summarize the relationship between pelvic and peritoneal lymph node LAM, pulmonary LAM, and the source of LAM. We present a case of pelvic lymph node LAM and propose a hypothesis that the pathogenesis of endometriosis can be used for reference in the study of this disease.

Simultaneous bilateral fallopian tubal pregnancy of a laparoscopic definite spontaneous unilateral ovulation: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Bilateral simultaneous fallopian tubal pregnancy is one of the rarest forms of ectopic pregnancy. Due to the lack of unique features and clinical presentation to distinguish bilateral from unilateral ectopic pregnancy, challenges the diagnosis. CASE REPORT: A 27-year-old Asian woman presented with pelvic pain and vaginal bleeding. Pelvic transvaginal ultrasound showed fluid in Douglas Pouch and posterior fornix puncture revealed unclotted blood. Laparoscopic examination unveiled bilateral ectopic pregnancy with two corpus luteum visible in the right ovary, suggesting a double spontaneous unilateral ovulation. Bilateral fallopian tube fenestration and embryo extraction were performed to preserve fertility. CONCLUSION: Diagnosis of bilateral tubal pregnancy is difficult during preoperative ultrasound examination and careful examination during laparoscopic inspection of the whole pelvic cavity to avoid missed diagnosis.

Neuroprotective effects of Tiaogeng decoction against H2O2-induced oxidative injury and apoptosis in PC12 cells via Nrf2 and JNK signaling pathways.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Tiaogeng decoction (TGD), a mixture of 10 traditional Chinese herbs, has been used clinically for over 30 years in treating menopause-related symptoms such as cognitive changes, mood disorders, vasomotor symptoms, and sleep disorders. These central nervous system symptoms are closely associated with declined ovarian function, which dramatically increases the risk of neurodegenerative disease. Previous studies revealed that TGD may have anti-oxidative and anti-apoptotic properties, potentially preventing neurodegenerative conditions; however, the underlying pharmacological mechanism remains unclear. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed to examine whether TGD could activate the Nrf2 and C-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathways to effectively reduce oxidative injury and apoptosis in PC12 cells and elucidate the mechanism by which this medicine may prevent neurodegenerative disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PC12 cells were exposed to different concentrations of TGD (125, 250, 500 µg/mL) and H2O2 (150 µM). 17ß-estradiol (0.05 µg/mL) was used as the positive control. A cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and a lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay were used to detect cell viability and cytotoxicity, while Hoechst and flow cytometry were performed to evaluate apoptosis levels. Mitochondrial function was assessed by measuring mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and superoxide dismutase (SOD), and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were used to measure oxidative stress (OS). Western blot analysis was used to identify the levels of Nrf2, phospho-JNK (p-JNK), phospho-mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 7 (p-MKK7), Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), Caspase3 (Casp3), Caspase9 (Casp9), Bax, and Bcl-2 proteins. Moreover, JNK agonist anisomycin and Nrf2 inhibitor ML385 were used to validate pathways. RESULTS: TGD pretreatment significantly alleviated H2O2-induced cytotoxicity, apoptosis, MMP, and OS levels. H2O2 stimulated the activation of Nrf2 and JNK signaling pathways, but TGD increased the extent of Nrf2 antioxidant activation, decreased the activation of JNK, and eventually reversed the H2O2-induced protein expression of p-MKK7, Keap1, HO-1, Cleaved Caspase3 (CL-Casp3), Cleaved Caspase9 (CL-Casp9), Bax, and Bcl-2. CONCLUSIONS: This study's findings suggest that TGD may attenuate oxidative injury and apoptosis via the Nrf2 and JNK signaling pathways, making it a potential therapeutic candidate for neurodegenerative diseases.

A Network Pharmacology Approach to Estimate Potential Targets of the Active Ingredients of Epimedium for Alleviating Mild Cognitive Impairment and Treating Alzheimer's Disease.

BACKGROUND: The present study made use of a network pharmacological approach to evaluate the mechanisms and potential targets of the active ingredients of Epimedium for alleviating mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and treating Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHODS: The active ingredients of Epimedium were acquired from the Traditional Chinese Medicine System Pharmacology database, and potential targets were predicted using the TCMSP target module, SwissTargetPrediction, and PharmMapper database. Target proteins correlating with MCI and AD were downloaded from the GeneCards, DisGeNet, and OMIM databases. The common targets of Epimedium, MCI, and AD were identified using the Jvenn online tool, and a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed using the String database and Cytoscape. Finally, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis of the common targets was performed using DAVID, and molecular docking between active ingredients and target genes was modeled using AutoDock Vina. RESULTS: A total of 20 active ingredients were analyzed, and 337 compound-related targets were identified for Epimedium. Out of 236 proteins associated with MCI and AD, 54 overlapped with the targets of Epimedium. The top 30 interacting proteins in this set were ranked by topological analysis. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis suggested that the common targets participated in diverse biological processes and pathways, including cell proliferation and apoptosis, inflammatory response, signal transduction, and protein phosphorylation through cancer pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, HIF-1 signaling pathway, sphingolipid signaling pathway, FoxO signaling pathway, and TNF signaling pathway. Molecular docking analysis suggested that the 20 active ingredients could bind to the top 5 protein targets. CONCLUSIONS: The present study provides theoretical evidence for in-depth analysis of the mechanisms and molecular targets by which Epimedium protects against MCI, AD, and other neurodegenerative diseases and lays the foundation for pragmatic clinical applications and potential new drug development.

Tiao Geng decoction inhibits tributyltin chloride-induced GT1-7 neuronal apoptosis through ASK1/MKK7/JNK signaling pathway.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Tiao Geng (TG) decoction is a Chinese herbal medicine extract that has been utilized for the treatment of menopausal symptoms for a history of over 30 years. In our previous study, we suggest that TG decoction possibly exerts an anti-apoptotic effect on hypothalamic neurons of ovariectomized rats via the ASK1/MKK7/JNK pathway. Tributyltin chloride (TBTC) causes oxidative damage and induces apoptosis of primary hypothalamic neurons in rats. AIM OF THE STUDY: The present work aimed to explore the inhibition of TG decoction on TBTC-induced GT1-7 cell apoptosis and its possible molecular mechanism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The GT1-7 cell line was exposed to TG decoction at diverse doses (31.25, 62.5, 125 µg/mL) for 24 h and later with TBTC (1 mg/L) for 1 h, with 17ß-E2 (100 nM) treatment being the positive control. Then, CCK8 assay was conducted to evaluate cell viability, while flow cytometric analysis was conducted to examine the apoptosis level. Related pathways and differentially expressed proteins were identified by tandem mass tag (TMT)-based quantitative phosphoproteomics. qRT-PCR was carried out to examine mRNA levels of Bax and B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2). Western blotting was performed to detect the levels of Bax, Bcl-2, c-Jun, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), Caspase-3 (Casp3), Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 7 (MKK7), and apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) . Finally, cells were pretreated with SP600125, an inhibitor of JNK, later the expression of JNK and Casp3 was measured. RESULTS: Application of TG decoction mitigated the GT1-7 cell apoptosis and injury caused by TBTC; besides, it inhibited the activation of the ASK1/MKK7/JNK pathway. Moreover, Bcl-2/Bax ratio became higher, and the MKK7, ASK1, Casp3 and c-Jun levels were inhibited. Besides, TG decoction combined with SP600125 (the JNK inhibitor) more significantly inhibited GT1-7 cell apoptosis caused by TBTC. CONCLUSION: As discovered from the experiment in this study, TG decoction has a neuroprotective effect, which is achieved through inhibiting the ASK1/MKK7/JNK signal transduction pathway to reduce GT1-7 cell apoptosis.

Tiao Geng decoction for treating menopausal syndrome exhibits anti-aging effects likely via suppressing ASK1/MKK7/JNK mediated apoptosis in ovariectomized rats.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: TG-decoction (Tiao Geng decoction) is the extract of a Chinese herb mixture that has been used for treating menopausal symptoms for over 30 years. We have previously reported anti-aging and anti-oxidative effects of the TG-decoction on hypothalamic neurons in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. AIM OF THE STUDY: The present study further investigates the effects of TG-decoction on the prevention of aging-related ultrastructural changes in menopausal hypothalamic neurons and the likely molecular mechanism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 120 four-month-old female SPF Sprague Dawley rats were divided into six groups. Five groups were ovariectomized (OVX) and one group served as a sham control. Three OVX groups received TG-decoction at three different doses. The remaining two OVX groups served as positive and negative controls by receiving estradiol valerate and saline solution. The sham group received saline. After one month, aging-related ultrastructural alterations in hypothalamic neurons were evaluated using transmission electron microscopy. Nissl staining was used to assess the pathomorphological changes of the hypothalamic neurons. Cell apoptosis was evaluated by TUNEL. Expression of Bcl-2 family genes was studied using qRT-PCR. Expression of the apoptosis-related proteins ASK1, MKK7, JNK, c-Jun, Bax, Casp3 and Bcl-2 was studied using western blotting. RESULTS: Ovariectomy of female rats led to visible damage and aging-like alterations in the mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum as well as large deposits of lipofuscin in hypothalamic tissue. TG-decoction treatment prevented this visible damage and lipofuscin deposition, increased the number of nerve cells and normally-shaped Nissl bodies, and reduced the number of TUNEL-positive cells. Expression of Bcl-2 gene was increased, while Bax gene reduced. Expression of the proteins ASK1, MKK7, JNK, c-Jun, Bax and Casp3 was reduced, while that of Bcl-2 was increased. CONCLUSION: TG-decoction reduces aging-related ultrastructural changes in hypothalamic neurons, likely by suppressing ASK1/MKK7/JNK-mediated apoptosis in neuronal mitochondria or nuclei.

Paeoniflorin inhibits tributyltin chloride-induced apoptosis in hypothalamic neurons via inhibition of MKK4-JNK signaling pathway.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Paeoniflorin (PF) exerts a significant protective effect against neurotoxicity and mitochondrial damage in neurons. However, the mechanisms underlying PF-mediated rescue remain elusive. Therefore, we endeavored to further research the molecular mechanisms underlying PF-mediated inhibition of tributyltin chloride (TBTC)-induced apoptosis of neurons. AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate the influence and possible mechanism of action of PF in TBTC-induced neurodegenerative disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: First, primary hypothalamic neurons were treated with tributyltin chloride (150 µg/L) and PF (25, 50, and 100 µM). 17ß-estradiol (1 nM) was used as a positive control. Subsequently, CCK-8 assay was performed. The level of apoptosis was examined by flow cytometry and the function of mitochondria was reflected by MMP levels. The mRNA expression levels of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), together with Bax, were examined using qRT-PCR. The protein levels of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 4 (MKK4), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), Bcl-2, Bax, and Caspase-3 were examined using western blotting. Finally, pretreatment with JNK agonist, anisomycin, was done to observe the change in expressions of MKK4 and JNK. RESULTS: Paeoniflorin treatment reduced TBTC-induced damage and neuron loss in a dose-dependent manner. Decrease in mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) as well as JNK levels were reversed by treatment with paeoniflorin via inhibition of JNK activation. Furthermore, ratio of levels of Bcl-2/Bax increased while the activation of caspase-3 was suppressed. In addition, pretreatment with JNK agonist, anisomycin effectively suppressed TBTC-induced cytotoxicity in hypothalamic neuron. CONCLUSIONS: PF can potentially be used to prevent and/or treat neurodegenerative diseases and neural injury by inhibiting MKK4-JNK signaling pathway.

Chinese herb mix Tiáo-Geng-Tang possesses antiaging and antioxidative effects and upregulates expression of estrogen receptors alpha and beta in ovariectomized rats.

BACKGROUND: Herb mixtures are widely used as an alternative to hormonal therapy in China for treatment of the menopausal syndrome. However, composition of these herb mixtures are complex and their working mechanism is often unknown. This study investigated the effect of Tiáo-Geng-Tang (TG-decoction), a Chinese herbal mixture extract, in balancing female hormones, regulating expression of estrogen receptors (ERs), and preventing aging-related tissue damage. METHODS: Ovariectomized 5-month-old female rats were used to model menopause and treated with either TG-decoction or conjugated estrogen for 8 weeks. Estradiol (E2), luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) were measured in serum and in the hypothalamus. Hypothalamic expression of estrogen receptor (ER) alpha and beta were studied by real-time PCR and western blotting. Total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), oxidation indicator superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and tissue damage parameter malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured using standard assays. Aging-related ultrastructural alterations in mitochondria were studied in all animals by transmission electron microscopy. RESULTS: TG-decoction-treatment elevated E2 and lowered FSH in serum of ovariectomized rats. The potency and efficacy of TG-decoction on the hypothalamus was generally weaker than that of conjugated estrogens. However, TG-decoction was superior in upregulating expression of ERα and ß. TG-decoction increased hypothalamic SOD and T-AOC levels and decreased MDAlevels and mitochondrial damage in hypothalamic neurons. CONCLUSIONS: TG-decoction balances female hormones similarly to conjugated estrogens but less effectively. However, it is superior in up regulating ERα and ß and exhibits antioxidative antiaging activities. Whilst it shares similar effects with estrogen, TG-decoction also seems to have distinctive and more complex functions and activities.