Identification and expression analysis of flavonoid O-methyltransferases gene family in Artemisia argyi / 药学学报

italic>Artemisia argyi (A. argyi) is a Chinese herbal medicine in China. The main active components are volatile oils, flavonoids, and other compounds, which have various pharmacological activities. Methoxylated flavonoids are the main active ingredients in A. argyi. Flavonoid O-methyltransferase (FOMT) is a key enzyme in the O-methylation of flavonoids. In order to further understand the function and characteristics of FOMT proteins, this paper carried out the whole genome mining and identification of FOMT genes in A. argyi and performed phylogenetic, chromosomal localization, gene sequence characterization, subcellular localization prediction, protein structure, gene structure analysis, and expression pattern analysis. The results showed that a total of 83 FOMT genes were identified in the genome of A. argyi. The phylogenetic tree shows that FOMT genes are divided into two subgroups, CCoAOMT (caffeoyl CoA O-methyltransferase) subfamily (32 genes) and COMT (caffeic acid O-methyltransferase) subfamily (51 genes). Gene sequence analysis showed that the number of amino acids encoded by FOMT was 70-734 aa, the molecular weight was 25 296.55-34 241.3 Da, and the isoelectric point was 4.51-9.99. Compared with 32 members of the CCoAOMT subfamily, nearly 1/3 of the 51 members of the COMT subfamily were hydrophobic proteins and 2/3 were hydrophilic proteins. Subcellular localization prediction showed that more than 80% of CCoAOMT subfamily members were located in the cytoplasm, and 96% of COMT subfamily members were located in the chloroplast. COMT subfamily members have more motifs than CCoAOMT subfamily members. The N-terminal motifs of COMT subfamily proteins are relatively variable, while the C-terminal motifs are relatively conserved. Expression pattern analysis showed that CCoAOMT subfamily members were mainly expressed in roots, while COMT members were mainly expressed in leaves. Some FOMTs showed the tissue expression specificity by real-time quantitative PCR analysis, especially in leaves. In this study, we identified and analyzed the FOMT gene family in A. argyi, and provided a theoretical basis for further research on the function of FOMTs and the biosynthesis of methylated flavonoids in A. argyi.

Analysis and evaluation of volatile oil content in leaves of different Artemisia argyi germplasm resources / 中国中药杂志

Volatile oil is the main effective component and an important quality indicator of Artemisia argyi leaves. In this study, 100 germplasm resources of A. argyi were collected from all the related habitats in China. The total volatile oils in A. argyi leaves were extracted by steam distillation and the content was determined by GC-MS. The result demonstrated that the content of total volatile oils was in the range of 0.53%-2.55%, with the average of 1.43%. A total of 39 chemical constituents were identified from the volatile oils, including 13 shared by the 100 germplasm resources. Clustering analysis of the 39 constituents showed that the 100 A. argyi samples were categorized into groups Ⅰ(9), Ⅱ(2), Ⅲ(66) and Ⅳ(23), and group Ⅲ had the most volatile medicinal components, with the highest content. Five principal components(PCs) were extracted from 13 shared constituents, which explained 73.454% of the total variance. PC1, PC2, and PC3 mainly reflected the pharmacological activity of volatile oils and the rest two the aroma information. The volatile oils identified in this study lay a foundation for variety breeding of and rational utilization of volatile oils in A. argyi leaves.

Research progress of the effect of Salvia miltiorrhiza on VEGF/VEGFR in angiogenesis / 国际中医中药杂志

The signal transduction pathway of VEGF combing with vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) is not only key pathway to regulate angiogenesis, but also the focus of basic research and important target of clinical treatment. Salvia miltiorrhiza extract and its main compound salvianolic acid B also have two-way regulative effect on VEGF/VEGFR signal pathway in different diseases. Tanshinone Ⅰ , tanshinone Ⅱ A and cryptotanshinone could inhibit the angiogenesis throughthis pathway, and sodium tanshinone ⅡA sulfonate could promote the angiogenesis through this pathway.

Diversity of Artemisia argyi germplasm resources based on agronomic and leaf phenotypic traits / 中国中药杂志

In this study, in order to evaluate the phenotypic diversity of Artemisia argyi germplasm resources and improve its efficiency of cultivation and breeding, 100 accessions of A. argyi germplasm resources from 58 regions in China were collected, 20 agronomic traits and leaf phenotypic traits were observed and described. The data were used for phenotypic diversity analysis, correlation analysis, principal component analysis and cluster analysis. The result showed that the genetic diversity index of 20 traits ranged from 0.82 to 4.37, among which the largest was the base depth and the smallest was the leaf width; the coefficient of variation of the 12 quantitative traits ranged from 10.55% to 41.47%. the highest coefficient of variation was the height of dead leaves, and the smallest was the content of chlorophyll, except for the angle of branches, all the quantitative characters tended to be normal distribution. The correlation analysis showed that 28 pairs of traits had significant correlation(P<0.01), and 13 pairs had significant correlation(P<0.05). According to principal component analysis, 20 traits were simplified into 9 principal components, and the cumulative contribution rate was 73.414%, nine traits including plant height, dead leaves heigh, stem diameter, symmetry of leave base, stipule, leaf tip shape, depth of the first pair of lobes, depth of the second pair of lobes and leaf yield were selected as key indexes for evaluating agronomic traits and leaf phenotypic traits of A.argyi germplasm resources. With cluster analysis, 100 accessions of A.argyi were classified into 3 groups, the groupⅠincluded the dwarf plants with thick stem and large leaf, the groupⅡincluded high plants with wide leaf and high yield, the group Ⅲ included dwarf plants with thin stem and flat bottom shape of leaf, which could provide the basis for cultivation identification and variety breeding of A.argyi germplasm resources.

Morphological comparison of glandular and non-glandular trichomes between Artemisia stolonifera and A. argyi / 中国中药杂志

The basic features of glandular and non-glandular trichomes on leaves of Artemisia argyi( germplasms from Qichun,Ningbo,Tangyin,and Anguo,respectively) and related species A. stolonifera were observed by scanning electron microscopy( SEM)and compared. There were significant differences in trichome characteristics of leaves at all parts of A. argyi and A. stolonifera,which were closely related to the difference in chemical components. The length of non-glandular trichomes and size of glandular trichomes on middle leaves were the stablest. A. argyi and A. stolonifera can be distinguished by the density of glandular trichome. Additionally,the four germplasms of A. argyi can be discriminated via the density and curvature of non-glandular trichome. The density of non-glandular trichomes was the highest in A. stolonifera. For A. argyi,the germplasm from Qichun had the highest density of non-glandular trichomes on the abaxial surfaces of upper leaves and that from Ningbo had the largest non-glandular trichome curvature. With regard to the germplasm from Anguo,the T-shaped non-glandular trichomes of long stalks on the adaxial surfaces of the middle leaves were lodging-susceptible,and those with slender heads were wave-like. Statistics results of A. argyi and A. stolonifera are as follows: largest glandular trichomes on the adaxial and abaxial surfaces and highest glandular trichome density on the abaxial surfaces of the lower leaves in A. argyi germplasm from Ningbo,highest density of non-glandular trichomes on the abaxial surfaces of upper leaves in A. stolonifera,and highest density of glandular trichomes and non-glandular trichomes on the adaxial surfaces of the upper leaves in A. argyi germplasm from Qichun. According to the observation result under fluorescence microscope( FM),flavonoids were closely related to the size and density of non-glandular trichomes and size of glandular trichomes. The fluorescence intensity was the strongest and fluorescence area was the largest for flavonoids in A. argyi germplasms from Qichun and Tangyin,while the fluorescence for flavonoids was the weakest in A. stolonifera. It was the first time to observe and analyze the trichome ultrastructure of A. argyi leaves at different positions by SEM and FM. This study clarifies the differences between A. stolonifera and four famous A. argyi germplasms,which provides new evidence for the microscopic identification of A. argyi and its related species and serves as a reference for the study of the relationship of A. argyi structure with its components and functions.

[Comparison of chemical components between Artemisia stolonifera and Artemisia argyi using UPLC-Q-TOF-MS].

The chemical component information of samples was analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS). The leaves and flosses of Artemisia argyi and A. stolonifera from different places, were distinguished by principal component analysis(PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA). Then, compounds with significant differences(P<0.01) in abundance were screened out according to their VIP values and t-test. Eighteen components in all samples have been filtered and identified, including flavonoids and chlorogenic acids, the content of the 12 of which were measured by UPLC-UV, which are different in presence and content. Hispidulin in A. argyi is not detected in A. stolonifera. Schaftaside, isochlorogenic acid B, and isochlorogenic acid C are differential compounds of A. argyi and A. stolonifera leaves. Isochlorogenic acid A, isochlorogenic acid C and jaceosidin are differential compounds of A. argyi and A. stolonifera floss. There are significant differences in the contents of jaceosidin and schaftoside in the four famous A. argyi. In addition, the content of isochlorogenic acid A in wild A. stolonifera is higher than that in cultivated A. stolonifera. The results of the study successfully clarified the differences between A. stolonifera and A. argyi, and provided theoretical and data references for the further development and utilization of A. stolonifera.

[Textual research on traditional Chinese medicine Jiuniucao].

Jiuniucao in Qizhou, known as "Qiai", was precious and expensive in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. But the authentic plant of Jiuniucao is not mentioned in the Ben Cao Tu Jing and other medical books in the Song, Ming and Qing Dynasties. In history, mugwort leaf originates from many species of plants, Jiuniucao may be one of it. So this paper is to identify the original plant of Jiuniucao and clarify the historical origin of Jiuniucao and mugwort leaf. The textual research and geographical origin analysis of Jiuniucao in ancient literature was conducted. Then field investigation and sampling of Jiuniucao in Qizhou was proceeded, combing with feature comparison of Jiuniucao and Artemisia specimen in the Herbarium of Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The study concluded that A. stolonifera is the authentic Jiuniucao for medical use. Jiuniucao was also an important original plant of mugwort leaf and it is worth further development and utilization.

Analysis of medication regularity and pharmacodynamic characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine treatment in 444 severe cases of COVID-19 / 中国中药杂志

The coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19) is developing rapidly and posing great threat to public health. There is no effective intervention for the severe patients, and their prognosis is poor. It is worth noting that in the fight against COVID-19, China has always put equal emphasis on both Chinese and Western medicine. Traditional Chinese medicine has played an important role in the whole process. It is of great significance to discuss the rules and characteristics of the prescription of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of COVID-19. In this study, information was collected from 444 severe COVID-19 patients who were admitted to a hospital designated to treat patients with severe COVID-19 in Wuhan before March 20, 2020. We collected traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions for patients with severe COVID-19, referred to Chinese Pharmacopoeia to standardize the names of traditional Chinese medicine, and extract the property, flavor and channel tropism of traditional Chinese medicines to analyze the rules of the prescriptions. IBM SPSS Modeler 18.0 software was used to conduct correlation analysis of traditional Chinese medicine. Effective traditional Chinese medicines against COVID-19 was identified by the TCMATCOV platform. In the end, 1 532 effective prescriptions were included. Among them, the high-frequency drugs are Poria, Astragali Radix, Pogostemonis Herba, Armeniacae Semen Amarum, Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma, Pinelliae Rhizoma, Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex, Ephedrae Herba, Cinna-momi Ramulus. Most of the drugs have the following functions: resolving dampness, replenishing deficiency, resolving phlegm, cough, and asthma. The core combinations are Pogostemonis Herba-Poria, Astragali Radix-Pogostemonis Herba-Poria, Amomi Fructus-Poria, Amomi Fructus-Pogostemonis Herba, Amomi Fructus-Astragali Radix. The majority of the medicines are with cold and warm properties, and the proportions are 41.03% and 38.46%, respectively. The medicinal flavors are mainly concentrated in sweet and bitter, and the proportions are 34.71% and 30.58%, respectively. The meridian of the drug is more into the lung, stomach and spleen, with lung accounting for 22.87%. From the analysis of high-frequency drugs to the core combinations, one can see that the main treatment principle for severe COVID-19 is to remove internal and external dampness, protect the spleen and stomach, remove evil energy, and support righteousness. TCMATCOV platform was used to calculate the network disturbances of the high-frequency drugs. It was found that the traditional Chinese medicine with a high disturbance score accounted for a high proportion of the classic anti-COVID-19 prescriptions used by clinicians. Among them, the drugs with top scores are Ephedrae Herba, Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium, Eupatorii Herba, Platycodonis Radix, Cinnamomi Ramulus, Astragali Radix, Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex, Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma, Pogostemonis Herba, Scutellariae Radix. After a further exploration of the action targets, it was showed that disease-specific factor TNF was the target of the above ten drugs, and traditional Chinese medicine can exert anti-inflammatory and immune-modulating effects.

Chinese herbal medicine reduces mortality in patients with severe and critical Coronavirus disease 2019: a retrospective cohort study / 医学前沿

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) in patients with severe/critical coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In this retrospective study, data were collected from 662 patients with severe/critical COVID-19 who were admitted to a designated hospital to treat patients with severe COVID-19 in Wuhan before March 20, 2020. All patients were divided into an exposed group (CHM users) and a control group (non-users). After propensity score matching in a 1:1 ratio, 156 CHM users were matched by propensity score to 156 non-users. No significant differences in seven baseline clinical variables were found between the two groups of patients. All-cause mortality was reported in 13 CHM users who died and 36 non-users who died. After multivariate adjustment, the mortality risk of CHM users was reduced by 82.2% (odds ratio 0.178, 95% CI 0.076-0.418; P < 0.001) compared with the non-users. Secondly, age (odds ratio 1.053, 95% CI 1.023-1.084; P < 0.001) and the proportion of severe/critical patients (odds ratio 0.063, 95% CI 0.028-0.143; P < 0.001) were the risk factors of mortality. These results show that the use of CHM may reduce the mortality of patients with severe/critical COVID-19.

Therapeutic effects on infertility of ovulation failure in the patients with kidney deficiency treated with abdominal acupuncture and periodic therapy of Chinese herbal medicine / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the effects of abdominal acupuncture and the periodic therapy of Chinese herbal medicine on follicular development and endometrial receptivity in the patients with infertility induced by ovulation failure and differentiated as kidney deficiency in TCM.@*METHODS@#A total of 84 patients with infertility induced by ovulation failure and differentiated as kidney deficiency were randomized into a combined therapy group (27 cases), an abdominal acupuncture group (27 cases) and a western medication group (30 cases). In the combined therapy group, abdominal acupuncture and the periodic treatment of Chinese herbal medicine was provided. In the abdominal acupuncture group, the simple abdominal acupuncture therapy was used. In the western medication group, clomiphene citrate (CC) and human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) prescribed. The treatment for one menstrual cycle was taken as one session and 3 sessions of treatment were required except the pregnancy. The folicle development, endometrial thickness and morphology, menstrual condition and TCM symptom score were observed before and after treatment in the three groups, and the clinical efficacy was evaluated.@*RESULTS@#After treatment, the ovulation was recovered to different degrees in the three groups. The ovulation rate was 59.3% (16/27) in the combined therapy group, 55.6% (15/27) in the abdominal acupuncture group and 53.3% (16/30) in the western medication group. The difference was not significant in comparison among the three groups (>0.05). After treatment, the endometrial thickness in the periovulatory period was increased as compared with the thickness before treatment in the combined therapy group and the abdominal acupuncture group (both <0.05). After treatment, the endometrial thickness in the combined therapy group was higher than the western medication group (<0.05). In comparison before and after treatment, the difference in the endometrial morphology was significant in the combined therapy group and the abdominal acupuncture group (both <0.05). In comparison between the combined therapy group and the western medication group, the difference in the endometrial morphology was significant after treatment (<0.05). After treatment, the menstrual condition and TCM symptom score in the combined therapy group and the abdominal acupuncture group were all improved as compared with those before treatment (all <0.05). The score of menstrual condition in the combined therapy group was higher than the western medication group (<0.05) and TCM symptom score in the combined therapy group and abdominal acupuncture group was higher than the western medication group after treatment (all <0.05). The total effective rate was 88.9% (24/27) in the combined therapy group and was 92.6% (25/29) in the abdominal acupuncture group, which was higher than 56.7% (17/30) in the western medication group (<0.01). There was no adverse reaction in the combined therapy group and the abdominal acupuncture group.@*CONCLUSION@#Abdominal acupuncture combined with the periodic therapy of Chinese herbal medicine improve the menstrual condition and relieve the clinical symptoms of infertility induced by ovulation failure of kidney deficiency in the patients and the therapeutic effects are better than the medication with CC + HCG. This combined therapy improves the ovulation rate and the endometrial receptivity at periovulatory stage to increase the pregnancy rate. There is no adverse reaction discovered in clinical practice.

Observations on the Immediate Therapeutic Effect of Medicated Thread Moxibustion on Cervical Spondylosis / 上海针灸杂志

Objective To investigate the immediate therapeutic effect of medicated thread moxibustion on cervical spondylosis.Methods Seventy patients with cervical spondylosis meeting the inclusion criteria were randomly allocated to treatment and control groups by using random number table method, 35 cases each. The treatment group received medicated thread moxibustion and the control group, percutaneous superficial needling. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score and the Clinical Assessment Scale for Cervical Spondylosis (CASCS) score were recorded in the two groups before treatment and at 30 min and 24 hrs after treatment. The clinical therapeutic effects were compared between the two groups. Results The VAS and the CASCS scores decreased significantly in the two groups at 30 min and 24 hrs after treatment compared with before treatment (P<0.05,P<0.01). There was no significantly statistical difference in comparing the VAS score between the two groups after the treatment (P>0.05). The CASCS score was lower in the treatment group than in the control group at 30 min after treatment (P<0.01) and lower in the control group than in the treatment group at 24 hrs after treatment (P<0.05). At 30 min after treatment, the clinical therapeutic effect in the treatment group was superior to that in the control group (P<0.01); at 24 hrs after the treatment, the clinical therapeutic effect in the control group was superior to that in the treatment group (P<0.05).Conclusions Medicated thread moxibustion has a definite immediate therapeutic effect on cervical spondylosis.

Observations on the Immediate Therapeutic Effect of Medicated Thread Moxibustion on Cervical Spondylosis / 上海针灸杂志

Objective To investigate the immediate therapeutic effect of medicated thread moxibustion on cervical spondylosis.Methods Seventy patients with cervical spondylosis meeting the inclusion criteria were randomly allocated to treatment and control groups by using random number table method, 35 cases each. The treatment group received medicated thread moxibustion and the control group, percutaneous superficial needling. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score and the Clinical Assessment Scale for Cervical Spondylosis (CASCS) score were recorded in the two groups before treatment and at 30 min and 24 hrs after treatment. The clinical therapeutic effects were compared between the two groups. Results The VAS and the CASCS scores decreased significantly in the two groups at 30 min and 24 hrs after treatment compared with before treatment (P<0.05,P<0.01). There was no significantly statistical difference in comparing the VAS score between the two groups after the treatment (P>0.05). The CASCS score was lower in the treatment group than in the control group at 30 min after treatment (P<0.01) and lower in the control group than in the treatment group at 24 hrs after treatment (P<0.05). At 30 min after treatment, the clinical therapeutic effect in the treatment group was superior to that in the control group (P<0.01); at 24 hrs after the treatment, the clinical therapeutic effect in the control group was superior to that in the treatment group (P<0.05).Conclusions Medicated thread moxibustion has a definite immediate therapeutic effect on cervical spondylosis.

Clinical Evaluation of Color Doppler Ultrasound in Selecting the Optimal Treatment Modality for Infantile Hemangioma / 中国医学科学杂志(英文版)

Objective We investigated the efficacy and safety of 1064 nm Nd: YAG laser, intense pulsed light (IPL), and lauromacrogol injection in the treatment of hemangioma, in order to evaluate the value of color Doppler ultrasound guidance in choosing the optimal treatment modality. Methods Infantile patients who were clinical diagnosed as hemangiomas were randomly divided into group A, who had color Doppler ultrasound examinations before the treatment, and group B who had the treatment without ultrasound evaluation. Patients in the group A were assigned into subgroups according to the depth of lesion by sonography: group A-1 for those who had a lesion depth <1.2 mm, and took intense pulsed light therapy; group A-2 for those who had a lesion depth ≥1.2mm and < 3 mm, and took long pulse 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser therapy; group A-3 for those who had a lesion depth ≥3mm and <5 mm, and were treated by IPL combined with long pulse 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser treatment; Group A-4 for those who had a lesion depth ≥5 mm, and took lauromacrogol injection therapy. Patients in the group B took long pulse 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser treatment without preoperative ultrasound evaluation. The efficacy and adverse reactions of the treatments between the groups were evaluated and compared statistically.Results Totally 113 patients with 128 skin lesions were enrolled in this study, 85 in the group A (mean age 6.8±7.9 months) and 28 in the group B (mean age 6.9±9.9 months). The mean depth of hemangioma was 3.3±1.1 mm in the group A, ranging from 0.5-7.8 mm, with 0.8±0.4 mm, 2.2±0.4 mm, 4.2±0.6 mm and 6.2±0.7 mm in group A1, A2, A3 and A4, respectively. The cure rates and effective rates in the group A were significantly higher than those in the group B (cure rates: 64.5% vs 56.3%, U=3.378, P=0.045; effective rates: 89.5% vs 78.1%, U=4.163, P=0.041). The adverse effect rates of the group A (vesicle 20.0%, pigmentation 46.9%, scarring 17.7%) were lower than those of the group B (vesicle 21.9%, pigmentation 60.4%, scarring 25.0%). Incidences of pigmentation and scarring were statistically significantly different (U=3.884, P=0.034, and U=4.016, P=0.032 respectively) between the two groups.Conclusion With the guidance of color Doppler ultrasound, the efficacy and safety of long pulse 1064 nmNd:YAG laser, intense pulsed light, and lauromacrogol injection in the treatment of infantile hemangioma have better outcomes compared to laser treatment alone without preoperative ultrasound examination.

Analysis of varieties and standards of Composite medicinal plants used in Dai medicine / 中国中药杂志

The study aims to analyze the varieties and standards of compositae medicinal plants used in Dai medicine. The results showed that there were 78 species (including varieties) compositae plants recorded in literatures, which belongs to 63 medicinal materials varieties. And 47 original plants (60.25%) were recorded in Chinese medicinal material standards. In those standards and literatures of Dai medicine, there are great differences in translated Chinese names, original plants, medicinal parts, and efficacy of medicinal plants. Therefore, the variety systematization and the quality standards of Dai medicine should be strengthened.

Clinical Study on Moxibustion for Perimenopausal Syndrome / 上海针灸杂志

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of moxibustion in treating perimenopausal syndrome (PMS).Method Totally 108 PMS patients of yang deficiency or yin deficiency constitution were randomized into a treatment group of 56 cases and a control group of 52 cases. The treatment group was intervened by moxibustion, while the control group was by medication. The modified Kupperman Index (KI), Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA), Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90), and Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) were observed before and after treatment for comparison.Result The KI score, HAMA score, SCL-90 total score, and SDS score were significantly changed in both groups after intervention (P<0.01,P<0.05). After treatment, the KI score, HAMA score, SCL-90 total score, and SDS score in the treatment group were significantly different from that in the control group (P<0.01,P<0.05).Conclusion Moxibustion is effective in treating PMS, and it can improve the anxiety and depression symptoms of the patients.

Effect of Combination Therapy of Tetramethylpyrazine with Methotrexate on Inflammatory Reac- tions and Hemorheology in Collagen-induced Arthritis Rats / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effect of combination therapy of tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) with methotrexate (MTX) on collagen induced arthritis (CIA) rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Totally 55 male SD rats were stratified by body weight. Nine of them were randomly recruited as the normal control group. The rest 46 were immunized with type II bovine collagen (C II) for establishing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) model. Forty successfully modeled rats were randomly divided into 4 groups according to swollen toe degree, i.e., the CIA group, the TMP group, the MTX group, and the TMP plus MTX group, 10 in each group. Rats in the MTX group were administered with MTX (1. 2 mg/kg) , once per week for 4 continuous weeks. Those in the TMP group were administered with 40 mg/kg TMP, once per day for 10 continuous days, and then discontinued for 7 successive days, and continued for another 10 successive days. Rats in the TMP plus MTX group were administered with a mixture of equal dose MTX and TMP, and when MTX was discontinue, TMP was administered according to the way in the TMP group. Equal volume of saline solution was given to rats in the normal control group and the CIA group. Clinical parameters including ankle width (mediolateral diameter) and hindpaw swelling were measured at day 0, 4, 11, 18, and 26 after treatment. Rats were sacrificed 28 days after treatment, their knee joints and ankle joints were collected for pathological analyses. Serum levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-17A were detected by ELISA. Changes of fibrinogen (FIB) and platelet aggregation rate (PAg) were detected.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the normal control group, the ankle width and hindpaw swelling increased significantly (P < 0.01), contents of FIB and PAg increased obviously (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), serum levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-17 increased remarkably (P <0. 01) in the CIA group. Obvious cell proliferation, inflammatory cell infiltration, hyperemia and edema of synovial tissues could be seen. Pannus formed and immerged in cartilages, resulting in necrosis. Compared with the model group, changes of ankle width and hindpaw swelling were all alleviated in each medicated group (P <0. 05, P <0. 01). Of them, the effect was superior in the MTX group to that of the TMP group and the MTX plus TMP group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Contents of FIB, serum levels of IL-1β and IL-6 decreased significantly in the MTX group (P < 0.05). Contents of FIB, serum levels of IL-1β and IL-6 decreased significantly in the TMP group and the MTX plus TMP group (P < 0.05). Besides, serum levels of FIB and IL-6 were obviously lower in the MTX plus TMP group than in the TMP group and the MTX group (P < 0.01). Levels of PAg and IL-17A were more significantly lowered in the TMP group than in the MTX plus TMP group and the MTX group. Pathological changes could be alleviated in each medicated group, with the optimal effect obtained in the MTX plus TMP group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Combination of TMP with MTX could significantly ameliorate inflammatory reactions and FIB contents of CIA rats.</p>

Protective effect of the Baicalin against DNA damage induced by ultraviolet B irradiation to mouse epidermis.

PURPOSE: To investigate whether topical application of Baicalin affords protecting Balb/C mice epidermis from ultraviolet (UV)B-induced DNA damage and its underlying mechanisms. METHODS: A DNA damage model of UVB irradiation-induced mice epidermis was established. The immunohistochemical staining, Southwestern dot-blotting were used for cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) detection; Western blotting was used for p53 detection; reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect the mRNA level of Bcl-2 and Bax; terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) was used to detect apoptotic cells. RESULTS: Topical application of Baicalin on Balb/C mice skin significantly decreased the amount of epidermal CPDs 1, 24 and 48 h after 180 mJ/cm(2) of UVB irradiation as compared with untreated mice. UVB-induced apoptosis was less pronounced in Baicalin-treated mice epidermis, which was accompanied by less p53 accumulation and higher Bcl-2/Bax ratio compared with that of untreated mice. CONCLUSION: Taken together, these results suggest that topical Baicalin application mitigates DNA photo-damage. Baicalin is therefore a promising protective substance against UVB radiation.