Berberine Enhances Intestinal Mucosal Barrier Function by Promoting Vitamin D Receptor Activity.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate if berberine can act on vitamin D receptors (VDR) and thereby regulate the expression of tight junction proteins (TJPs) in irritable bowel syndrame-diarrhea-predominant (IBS-D) rats. METHODS: The newborn rats were induced into IBS-D rat model via neonatal maternal separation combined with acetic acid chemical stimulation. After modeling, the model was evaluated and rats were divided into the control group and berberine treatment groups (0.85, 1.7 and 3.4 mg/kg, once a day for 2 weeks). The distal colon was obtained and colonic epithelial cells (CECs) were isolated and cultured after IBS-D model evaluation. The vitamin D receptor response element (VDRE) reporter gene was determined in the CECs of IBS-D rats to analyze the effect of berberine on the VDRE promoter. VDR overexpression or silencing technology was used to analyze whether VDR plays a role in promoting intestinal barrier repair, and to determine which region of VDR plays a role in berberine-regulated intestinal TJPs. RESULTS: The IBS-D rat model was successfully constructed and the symptoms were improved by berberine in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.05). The activity of VDRE promoter was also effectively promoted by berberine (P<0.05). Berberine increased the expression of TJPs in IBS-D CECs (P<0.05). VDR expression was significantly increased after transfection of different domains of VDR when compared to normal control and basic plasmid groups (all P<0.05). RT-qPCR and Western blot results showed that compared with the blank group, expressions of occludin and zonula occludens-1 were significantly higher in VDR containing groups (all P<0.05). Berberine plus pCMV-Myc-VDR-N group exerted the highest expression levels of occludin and zonula occludens-1 (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Berberine enhances intestinal mucosal barrier function of IBS-D rats by promoting VDR activity, and the main site of action is the N-terminal region of VDR.

Yangzheng Sanjie decoction regulates proliferation and apoptosis of gastric cancer cells by enhancing let-7a expression.

AIM: To explore the let-7a-mediated anti-cancer effect of Yangzheng Sanjie decoction (YZSJD) in gastric cancer (GC) cells. METHODS: YZSJD-containing serum (YCS) was prepared using traditional Chinese medicine serum pharmacology methods. After YCS treatment, cell proliferation and apoptosis were assessed by cell counting kit-8 assay and flow cytometry, respectively, and miRNA expression profiles were determined using qPCR arrays. Let-7a expression was examined by in situ hybridization in GC tissues and by qPCR in GC cells. c-Myc protein expression was detected by immunohistochemistry in GC tissues, and by Western blot in cell lines. RESULTS: YZSJD significantly inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis in AGS and HS-746T GC cells. After treatment with YCS, the miRNA expression profiles were altered and the reduced let-7a levels in both cell lines were up-regulated, accompanied by a decrease in c-Myc expression. Moreover, decreased let-7a expression and increased c-Myc expression were observed during the progression of gastric mucosa cancerization. CONCLUSION: YZSJD inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis of GC cells by restoring the aberrant expression of let-7a and c-Myc.

Traditional Chinese medicine versus western medicine as used in China in the management of rheumatoid arthritis: a randomized, single-blind, 24-week study.

This study is designed to compare the efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with western medicine (WM) in the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This is a 24-week, randomized, multicenter, single-blind study comparing TCM with WM (as used in China) carried out between June 2002 and December 2004 in nine research centers in China, involving 489 patients. Patients were randomized to receive TCM (n = 247), MTX and SSZ (n = 242). MTX was started at a dose of 5 mg to a final dose of 7.5-15 mg weekly. The maintenance dose was 2.5-7.5 mg weekly. The starting dose of SSZ was 0.25 g bid, increasing by 0.25 g a day once a week to a final dose of 0.5-1 g qid. The maintenance dose was 0.5 g tid to qid. Primary end point was the proportion of patients with response according to the American College of Rheumatology 20 % improvement criteria (ACR20) at weeks 24. At 24 weeks, ACR20 responses were 53.0 % in TCM group and 66.5 % in WM group, (P < 0.001) at 24 weeks. ACR 50 responses were 31.6 % of TCM group and 42.6 % in WM group, (P = 0.01). ACR70 responses were 12.6 % in TCM group and 17.4 % in WM group, (P = 0.14). Side effects were observed more frequently in WM group. In this study, ACR20, ACR50 responses at 24 weeks were significantly better in the WM treated group, by intention to treat (ITT) and per protocol analysis. The ACR 70 response showed no significant difference between the two groups. TCM, while effective in treating RA, appears to be less effective than WM in controlling symptoms, but TCM is associated with fewer side effects.

[Effect of Chinese herbs on expression of aquaporin 3,4 gene in gastric mucosa of patients with Pi-Wei Damp-Heat syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between Pi-Wei Damp-Heat Syndrome (PWDHS) with expression of aquaporin (AQP) 3,4 gene in gastric mucosa and the effects of Qingre Huashi Recipe (QHR) on the expression. METHODS: Sixty-eight patients with chronic superficial gastritis were differentiated into Pi-Wei Damp-Heat Syndrome group (PWDHS, n = 53, 19 cases with predominant Dampness, 14 cases with predominant Heat, 20 cases with Dampness equal to Heat) and Pi deficiency Syndrome group (PDS, n = 15). The PWDHS were treated with QHR. The expression of AQP 3,4 gene in the two groups were determined by fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (FQ-PCR). RESULTS: Expression of AQP 3 gene in PWDHS was higher than that in PDS and the healthy group, but the difference showed no statistical significance. Expression of AQP 4 gene in PWDHS was obvious higher than that in PDS and the healthy group (P <0.05 or P <0.01), but the difference of AQP 4 gene expression between PDS and the healthy group was insignificant. Comparison among various sub-types of PWDHS showed that the AQP 4 gene expression in the predominant dampness > dampness equal to heat> predominant heat. AQP 3,4 gene expression in PWDHS was significantly decreased after QHR treatment, especially in the cases with predominant dampness syndrome (P <0.01), approaching that in the healthy group and PDS. CONCLUSION: Abnormal expression of AQP 3,4 gene may be one of the possible mechanisms of PWDHS pathogenesis, Chinese herbs could influence AQP 3,4 gene expression to play a key role in treatment.