Mechanism underlying Fanmugua () leaf multicomponent synergistic therapy for anemia: data mining based on hematopoietic network.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the underlying mechanism of Fanmugua (Fructus Caricae) Leaf (CPL) multicomponent synergistic therapy for anemia. METHODS: The components were identified in the literature. Six databases were searched for targets of CPL. Enrichment analysis was used to determine the targets associated with anemia and in bone marrow. Based on the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes database, pathways and targets related to hematopoiesis were obtained. The key targets were obtained by protein-protein interaction analysis. Molecular docking was used to analyze the binding ability of key targets and active components. Bone marrow cells were used as an experimental model to verify the drug efficacy. RESULTS: A total of 139 components and 1868 targets of CPL were retrieved from the literature. By disease enrichment analysis, 543 targets for hemorrhagic anemia, 223 targets for aplastic anemia, and 126 targets for sickle cell anemia were obtained. Target organ enrichment yielded 27, 29, and 20 targets of bone marrow. Based on KEGG pathway enrichment, a total of 47 shared hematopoietic pathways and 42 related targets were found. The key targets were vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), interleukin 10 (IL-10), platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM1), C-C motif chemokine 2 (CCL2), and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM1). The CPL active components included ursolic acid, quercetin, and hesperidin. The expression of VEGFA was significantly increased after CPL treatment. Quercetin and ursolic acid acted on VEGFA. Quercetin and Hesperidin acted on VCAM1. Quercetin acted on IL-10, CCL2, VCAM1, and VEGFA. Cell experiments revealed that CPL could promote the proliferation and migration of bone marrow cells. CONCLUSIONS: CPL has the synergistic efficacy of treating anemia through multiple components, targets, and pathways.

Risk factors for age-related macular degeneration in elderly Chinese population in Shenyang of China / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>The paper aims to evaluate the risk factors for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in elderly Chinese population in Shenyang, a northeast city of China.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A case-control study was conducted to investigate the risk factors for the prevalence of AMD. Ninety three AMD patients diagnosed by a complete ophthalmic examination were recruited as cases from the outpatient departments of two eye hospitals in Shenyang, while 108 normal subjects of similar age and sex were recruited as controls. A questionnaire was administered among both cases and controls.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>AMD patients aged 60 years and older accounted for 75.3%. There were significantly higher educational levels, shorter smoking history, less sunlight exposure and cataract, and higher proportion of antioxidants intake in controls than in AMD patients. The frequency of intake of fruits, legumes, fish and shrimps was significantly higher in controls than in AMD patients. In a binary logistic regression analysis, smoking and cataract were the risk factors for AMD (OR: 4.44, 95% CI: 2.27-8.69; OR: 4.47, 95% CI: 2.26-8.85 respectively). The high educational background was a protective factor for AMD (OR: 0.761, 95% CI: 0.51-0.98).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>A low educational background, smoking and cataract are associated with a higher prevalence of AMD.</p>