ABSTRACT
Regeneration of over 10 mm long peripheral nerve defects remains a challenge due to the failure of regeneration by prolonged axotomy and denervation occurring in long-term recovery. Recent studies reveal that conductive conduits and electrical stimulation accelerate the regeneration of long nerve defects. In this study, an electroceutical platform combining a fully biodegradable conductive nerve conduit and a wireless electrical stimulator is proposed to maximize the therapeutic effect on nerve regeneration. Fully biodegradable nerve conduit fabricated using molybdenum (Mo) microparticles and polycaprolactone (PCL) can eliminate the unwanted effects of non-degradable implants, which occupy nerve paths and need to be removed through surgery increasing the risk of complications. The electrical and mechanical properties of Mo/PCL conduits are optimized by controlling the amounts of Mo and tetraglycol lubricant. The dissolution behavior and electrical conductivity of biodegradable nerve conduits in the biomimetic solutions are also evaluated. In in vivo experiments, the integrated strategy of a conductive Mo/PCL conduit with controlled therapeutic electrical stimulation shows accelerated axon regeneration for long sciatic nerve defects in rats compared to the use of the Mo/PCL conduit without stimulation and has a significant therapeutic effect based on the results obtained from the functional recovery test.
Subject(s)
Axons , Nerve Regeneration , Rats , Animals , Nerve Regeneration/physiology , Prostheses and Implants , Sciatic Nerve/physiology , Electric ConductivityABSTRACT
Humulus japonicus is an annual plant belonging to the Cannabacea family, and it has been traditionally used to treat pulmonary tuberculosis, dysentery, chronic colitis, and hypertension. We investigated the active components against Parkinson's disease from H. japonicus fraction (HJF) using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with quadruple-time-of-flight mass spectroscopy (qTOF-MS) and NMR. Fourteen compounds were isolated from HJF, including one new compound, using HPLC-qTOF-MS and NMR. The major compounds of HJF were luteolin-7-O-glucoside and apigenin-7-O-glucoside, and there was approximately 12.57- and 9.68-folds increase in the contents of these flavonoids compared to those of the 70% EtOH extract. Apigenin and luteolin exhibited the strongest inhibitory effects on monoamine oxidase (MAO) B enzyme activity. In animal studies, limb-use behavior was significantly reduced by unilateral 6-OHDA lesion and ipsilateral rotations. These results indicated that oral administration of 300 mg/kg HJF resulted in the improvement of motor asymmetry and motor impairment in unilateral 6-OHDA-lesioned mice. HJF, including active components leads to an improvement of motor behavior in a Parkinson's disease mouse model.
Subject(s)
Humulus/chemistry , Motor Activity/drug effects , Parkinson Disease, Secondary/drug therapy , Plant Extracts/chemistry , Administration, Oral , Animals , Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid , Disease Models, Animal , Flavones/administration & dosage , Flavones/chemistry , Gene Expression Regulation/drug effects , Glucosides/administration & dosage , Glucosides/chemistry , Humans , Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy , Mice , Monoamine Oxidase/genetics , Motor Activity/genetics , Oxidopamine/toxicity , Parkinson Disease, Secondary/chemically induced , Parkinson Disease, Secondary/genetics , Parkinson Disease, Secondary/pathology , Plant Extracts/administration & dosage , Tandem Mass SpectrometryABSTRACT
Melicope ptelefolia has been traditionally used to treat rheumatism and fever. The present study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of 3,5diCßDglucopyranosyl phloroacetophenone (ßGP), a main component of M. ptelefolia, on rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A model of collageninduced arthritis (CIA) was established in mice using the RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cell line and mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs). The clinical scores of arthritis, swelling, histopathological findings, and microcomputed tomography in CIA mouse paws were assessed. The levels of antitype II collagen antibody and cytokines were determined in the plasma and cell culture supernatant, respectively. Protein and gene expression levels were analyzed by western blot and reverse transcriptionquantitative polymerase chain reaction analyses. ßGP significantly decreased the gross arthritic scores of CIA mice and joint swelling, and decreased articular inflammation, cartilage degradation and bone erosion. However, ßGP did not exert any effect on antitype II collagen immunoglobulin G plasma levels or inflammatory cytokine expression in macrophages. ßGP significantly suppressed the expression of interleukin6 and leukemia inhibitory factor and decreased the phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, and expression of receptor activator of nuclear factorκB ligand in tumor necrosis factorαstimulated MEFs and in CIA mouse paws. Osteoclastrelated gene expression was significantly reduced in CIA mouse paws. Taken together, ßGP suppressed the development of RA by regulating the activation of synovial fibroblasts.
Subject(s)
Acetophenones/therapeutic use , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/therapeutic use , Arthritis, Experimental/drug therapy , Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy , Fibroblasts/drug effects , Glucosides/therapeutic use , Acetophenones/chemistry , Animals , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/chemistry , Arthritis, Experimental/pathology , Arthritis, Rheumatoid/pathology , Cytokines/analysis , Fibroblasts/pathology , Glucosides/chemistry , Male , Mice , Osteoclasts/drug effects , Osteoclasts/pathology , RAW 264.7 Cells , Rutaceae/chemistry , X-Ray MicrotomographyABSTRACT
Food adulteration is a serious issue that requires verification and strict management due to healthcare, morality, and social value problems. In the context of fat, food manufacturers blend lard with vegetable oils or animal fats for convenience and gaining economic benefits. Thus, we herein report the classification of 4 animal fats, e.g., beef tallow, pork lard, chicken fat, duck oil, using Raman spectroscopy combined with simple calculation of intensity ratios of Raman signal at vibrational modes corresponding to unsaturated fatty acids and total fatty acids. Various calculated values of the species were compared to find a feature that is able to classify each fats using Raman peak ratio. As a result, we suggested "Oil gauge (OG)" as a standard feature for classification of the fats in Raman analysis field. Furthermore, a quantification of the lard in other fat was accomplished with good linear correlation using the OG values.