Effects of Zishui Qinggan Decoction on the hippocampal protein expressions of ERK,GSK3β,CREB and BDNF in a mouse model of depression induced by chronic restraint stress / 中成药

AIM To explore the effects of Zishui Qinggan Decoction on the mouse model of depression induced by chronic restraint stress(CRS)via ERK/GSK3β/CREB/BDNF signaling pathway.METHODS Except for those of the blank group,the mice of other groups were induced into depression models by CRS,and divided into the model group,the fluoxetine hydrochloride group(10 mg/kg)and the low,medium and high dose Zishui Qinggan Decoction groups(8.835,17.670 and 35.340 g/kg)for the corresponding drug intervention and simultanous CRS treatment.The mice had their sugar water preference experiment and behavior experiment on the 7th and 14th day after administration;the observation of the hippocampal morphological changes by HE staining,the detection of the superoxide dismutase(SOD)activity and malondialdehyde(MDA)level in serum by kits,the detection of levels of serum 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT),tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and interleukin-1β(IL-1β)by ELISA,the detection of the hippocampal mRNA expressions of BDNF,TNF-α and IL-1β by RT-qPCR method,and the detection of the hippocampal protein expressions of ERK1/2,p-ERK1/2,GSK3β,p-GSK3β,CREB and BDNF by Western blot method 14 days after administration.RESULTS Compared with the model group,after 14 days of administration,both fluoxetine hydrochloride group and medium-dose Zishui Qinggan Decoction group displayed increased preference rate of sugar water(P<0.01),shortened immobility time of tail suspension and forced swimming(P<0.01),improved hippocampal damage of nerve cells,decreased levels of serum MDA,TNF-α and IL-1β(P<0.05,P<0.01),increased SOD activity and 5-HT level(P<0.05,P<0.01),decreased hippocampal mRNA expressions of TNF-α and IL-1β(P<0.01),and decreased expressions of BDNF mRNA and p-ERK1/2,p-GSK3β,CREB and BDNF proteins(P<0.05,P<0.01).CONCLUSION Zishui Qinggan Decoction can improve the depression-like behaviors in mice exposed to CRS,and its mechanism may be related to the regulation of hippocampal ERK/GSK3β/CREB/BDNF signaling pathway.

Effect and mechanism of Qifu Yin regulation of JAK2/STAT3 pathway to improve type 2 diabetic cognitive impairment / 中国药理学通报

Objective To explore the regulatory effeet of Qifu Yin ( QFY) on JAK2/STAT3 pathway in rats with type 2 diabetic cognitive impairment.Methods A small dose of STZ combined with high-fat and high- sugar feed was used to build the model.After success, they were divided into model group, QFY low-dose, high-dose group, and metformin group.After four weeks of intervention, fasting blood glucose ( FBG ) was measured; Morris water maze was used to detect spatial learning and memory ability in rats; Nissl staining and immunofluorescence staining were respectively used to detect the degree of brain injury and the expression of lba-1 , a marker of microglia .EL1SA was used to detect the expression of TNF-cx, IL6, ILK) and BDNF.Western blot was employed to detect the expression of JAK2/STAT3 pathway.Results Compared with the control group, the model group showed significant increase in blood glucose, decreased spatial learning and memory capacity, severely damaged hipp-ocampal neurons, increased activated microglia, significantly higher levels of TNF-cx, 1L6, p-JAK2/JAK2 and p-STAT3/STAT3, and signif icantly lower levels of ILK) and BDNF.Compared with the model group, QFY group effectively reduced FBG, inhibited the con-tinuous rise of FBG, improved learning and memory a- bility, improved hippocampal neuronal damage, reduced activated microglia, reduced TNF-cx, 1L6, p- JAK2/JAK2 and p-STAT3/STAT3 levels, and increased ILK) and BDNF levels.Conclusion QFY has been shown to improve type 2 diabetic cognitive impairment , and the mechanism may be related to the inhibition of blood glucose rise and regulation of the JAK2/STAT3 pathway, thereby inhibiting microglia activation.

Protection of Huidouba, a Tibetan medicine on renal injury in STZ-induced type Ⅱ diabetic mice / 中成药

AIM To study the efficacy of different extractions of Huidouba,a Tibetan medicine to mice with type Ⅱ diabetic kidney disease (DKD).METHODS The type Ⅱ DKD mice models induced by the injection of streptozotocin (STZ) on base of high glucose and high fat diet subsequently treated with different extractions of Huidouba were studied to investigate the protective effects of Huidouba on renal injury.The mice were given high dose (200 mg/kg) and low dose (100 mg/kg) of Huidouba ethanol extract,Huidouba water extract and Huidouba polysaccharide respectively for 8 weeks.Their serum creatinine (SCr),blood urea nitrogen (BUN),urine protein (mg/24 h),glycosylated serum protein (Gsp) and advanced glycation end products (AGEs),their histological changes of renal pathology were detected and analyzed.Meanwhile their protein levels of fibronectin (FN),intercellular adhesion factor (ICAM-1) and transforming growth factor (TGF-β1) were identified by Western blot.RESULTS The different extractions of Huidouba,demonstrating a portfolio of capacity in decreasing levels of serum glucose and AGEs,inhibiting the expression of target protein,alleviating the glomerular basement membrane thickening,improving mesangial matrix,renal tubular and epithelial cells degeneration and other pathological conditions,improved the renal function of DKD mice.CONCLUSION The three extractions of Huidouba highlight the renal improvements in type Ⅱ DKD mice.

Qifu-Yin attenuates AGEs-induced Alzheimer-like pathophysiological changes through the RAGE/NF-κB pathway / 中国天然药物

Qifu-Yin (QFY), a widely used formula of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) derived from "Jingyue Quanshu", is one of the most commonly used TCM prescriptions for the clinical treatment of Alzheimer disease. The role of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and its receptor RAGE have attracted increasing attention as the pivotal role of Aβ has been questioned. The present study was designed to test the neuroprotective effects of QFY, and the possible mechanism in AGE-induced Alzheimer model rats. After injection of AGE in the CA3 area of the hippocampus, QFY (8.6, 4.3, and 2.15 g·kg(-1)), and a positive control drug donepezil (2 mg·kg(-1)) were administrated through gastric intubation to rats once daily for thirty consecutive days. Another positive control group was the AGE + anti-RAGE group, which was simultaneously injected with anti-RAGE antibody before AGE treatment. The control group, sham-operated group, as well as the AGE + anti-RAGE group received saline at the same dosage. The Morris water maze test and the step-down passive avoidance test were conducted to evaluate the cognitive function of the rats. The expression of RAGE and NF-κB were assayed by immunohistochemical staining. The levels of Aβ, TNF-α, and IL-1β in the hippocampus were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results showed that QFY could significantly attenuate the memory impairment induced by AGE, decrease the expressions of RAGE and NF-κB, and reduce the levels of Aβ, TNF-α, and IL-1β in the hippocampus in a dose-dependent manner. Also, the blockage of RAGE could significantly reduce the impairments caused by AGEs. In conclusion, QFY could attenuate AGEs-induced, Alzheimer-like pathophysiological changes. These neuroprotective effects might be related to the RAGE/NF-κB pathway and its anti-inflammatory activity.

Tectorigenin inhibits the inflammation of LPS-induced acute lung injury in mice / 中国天然药物

AIM@#In a previous study, the anti-inflammatory effects of tectorigenin were disclosed. In this study, the anti-inflammatory effects of tectorigenin on acute lung injury using a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) mouse model were investigated@*METHOD@#The cell-count in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was measured. The animal lung edema degree was evaluated by the wet/dry weight (W/D) ratio. The superoxidase dismutase (SOD) activity and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity was assayed using SOD and MPO kits, respectively. The levels of inflammatory mediators, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), IL-1β, and IL-6 were assayed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Pathological changes of lung tissues were observed through HE staining. The inflammatory signal pathway related protein nuclear factor NF-κB p65 mRNA expression was measured by real-time PCR, and the protein level of NF-κB p65 was measured using Western blotting analysis.@*RESULTS@#The data showed that treatment with the tectorigenin markedly attenuated the inflammatory cell numbers in the BALF, decreased nuclear factor NF-κB p65 mRNA level and protein level in the lungs, and improved SOD activity and inhibited MPO activity. Histological studies showed that tectorigenin substantially inhibited LPS-induced neutrophils in lung tissue compared with the model group.@*CONCLUSION@#The results indicated that tectorigenin had a protective effect on LPS-induced ALI in mice.