Effects of the Tibetan medicine Byur dMar Nyer lNga Ril Bu on Alzheimer's disease in mice models.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Byur dMar Nyer lNga Ril Bu (BdNlRB) is a classic Tibetan medicine prescription for treating " white vein disease". Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a chronic degenerative disease of the central nervous system, characterized by distinct "white vein disease". In the absence of effective drugs for AD, BdNlRB may be a possible treatment for AD. AIM OF THE STUDY: To verify the therapeutic effect and possible mechanism of the proved Tibetan medicine BdNlRB on Alzheimer's disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 60 APP/PS1 double transgenic AD mice (Mt) and 60 Aß1-40 protein-induced AD mice (Mi) were divided into 3 groups according to the dose of BdNlRB: BdNlRB-100, BdNlRB-200 and BdNlRB-400, with 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg*weight, respectively. The mice were administrated by gavage for 8 weeks. The cognitive ability of mice was detected by Morris Water Maze, the expression of Aß protein, p-tau and microglia was detected by immunofluorescent staining, the protein expression in the hippocampus was detected by proteomics, and the abundance of fecal intestinal flora was detected by 16S RNA. RESULTS: The learning ability and memory ability of Mi mice were significantly improved after BdNlRB administration. The learning ability of Mt mice was significantly improved, while the memory ability was not improved after BdNlRB administration. After the treatment with low and medium doses of BdNlRB, the expression of p-tau decreased significantly (the rate of decrease in BdNlRB-100 and BdNlRB-200 groups was 8.05% and 12.7%, respectively), and the number of microglia increased (39.3% and 31.6%, respectively). BdNlRB significantly affected the protein expression in the hippocampus of Mt mice. 382 proteins in different expression in all three groups mainly involved in amino acid synthesis, fatty acid degradation, glutamine metabolism, synaptic vesicular cycle and oxidative phosphorylation, PPAR signaling pathway and Fc gamma-mediated phagocytosis were activated. Meanwhile, the administration of BdNlRB can regulate the intestinal flora of Mt mice, which reduces the abundance of Muribaculum and uncultured bacteroidales bacterium, and improves the abundance of Ruminococcus-1 and Ruminiclostridium-9. CONCLUSION: The oral administration of BdNlRB significantly improved the cognitive ability of AD mice, and neuroinflammation and intestinal flora regulation were the possible mechanisms.

Glucosamine protects against radiation-induced lung injury via inhibition of epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

Radiotherapy is one of the most important treatments for chest tumours. Although there are plenty of strategies to prevent damage to normal lung tissues, it cannot be avoided with the emergence of radiation-induced lung injury. The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential radioprotective effects of glucosamine, which exerted anti-inflammatory activity in joint inflammation. In this study, we found glucosamine relieved inflammatory response and structural damages in lung tissues after radiation via HE staining. Then, we detected the level of epithelial-mesenchymal transition marker in vitro and in vivo, which we could clearly observe that glucosamine treatment inhibited epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Besides, we found glucosamine could inhibit apoptosis and promote proliferation of normal lung epithelial cells in vitro caused by radiation. In conclusion, our data showed that glucosamine alleviated radiation-induced lung injury via inhibiting epithelial-mesenchymal transition, which indicated glucosamine could be a novel potential radioprotector for radiation-induced lung injury.

A PPO Promoter from Betalain-Producing Red Swiss Chard, Directs Petiole- and Root-Preferential Expression of Foreign Gene in Anthocyanins-Producing Plants.

A 1670 bp 5'-flanking region of the polyphenol oxidase (PPO) gene was isolated from red Swiss chard, a betalain-producing plant. This region, named promoter BvcPPOP, and its 5'-truncated versions were fused with the GUS gene and introduced into Arabidopsis, an anthocyanins-producing plant. GUS histochemical staining and quantitative analysis of transgenic plants at the vegetative and reproductive stages showed that BvcPPOP could direct GUS gene expression in vegetative organs with root- and petiole-preference, but not in reproductive organs including inflorescences shoot, inflorescences leaf, flower, pod and seed. This promoter was regulated by developmental stages in its driving strength, but not in expression pattern. It was also regulated by the abiotic stressors tested, positively by salicylic acid (SA) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) but negatively by abscisic acid (ABA), gibberellin (GA), NaCl and OH(-). Its four 5'-truncated versions varied in the driving strength, but not obviously in expression pattern, and even the shortest version (-225 to +22) retained the root- and petiole- preference. This promoter is, to our knowledge, the first PPO promoter cloned and functionally elucidated from the betalain-producing plant, and thus provides not only a useful tool for expressing gene(s) of agricultural interest in vegetative organs, but also a clue to clarify the function of metabolism-specific PPO in betalain biosynthesis.

[Genotype, environment and their interactions of major bioactive components in 2-year licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) population].

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed at analyzing the effect of genotype (G), environment (E) and their interactions (G x E) on the major bioactive components of 2-year licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) population, in order to provide a theoretical basis for the licorice breeding with high content of bioactive components and quality improvement. METHOD: Four genotype licorice populations were transplanted under four different environments by using complete randomized block design with three replicates, and four major bioactive components, including glycyrrhizin (GL), total saponins (TS), liquiritin (LQ) and total flavonoids (TF) were determined by UV and by HPLC. RESULT: The major bioactive components of licorice were influenced by genotype and environment, and the genotype had more effect on all of the bioactive components. The contents of GL and LQ were codetermined by genotype and environment factors. CONCLUSION: There exist different selective effects on different growth region for quality breeding in cultivated population of licorice.

[Discussion on necessity of introduction of qualitative research into clinical research of traditional Chinese medicine].

Currently, the model of the research evaluation system of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is set up through imitating that of western medicine. The application of quantitative research to TCM does promote the advance of modernization of TCM, which explore the part of TCM that can be measured in quantitative method. However, TCM has a background of profound philosophy and culture. The priority of TCM can not be expressed through quantitative research alone. On the contrary, qualitative research is more suitable to most research area of TCM. In TCM clinical research, the priority of TCM should be fully explored. It is very significant to set up the effectiveness evaluation system of TCM, especially by applying qualitative research to the diagnosis and the evaluation of treatment results and combining quantitative research.