Effects of Tibetan medicine Longdan zhike tablet on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease through MAPK pathway.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Longdan zhike tablet (LDZK) is a Tibetan medicine formula commonly used in the highland region of Tibet, China, to ameliorate respiratory diseases, such as acute bronchitis and asthma. In Chinese traditional medicine, some herbal formulas with anti-inflammatory properties targeting the respiratory system are clinically adopted as supplementary therapies for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, the specific anti-COPD effects of LDZK remain to be evaluated. AIM OF THE STUDY: The aim of this study is to identify the principal bioactive compounds in LDZK, and elucidate the effects and mechanisms of the LDZK on COPD. METHODS: High-resolution mass spectrometry was utilized for a comprehensive characterization of the chemical composition of LDZK. The therapeutic effects of LDZK were assessed on the LPS-papain-induced COPD mouse model, and LPS-induced activation model of A549 cells. The safety of LDZK was evaluated by orally administering a single dose of 30 g/kg to rats and monitoring physiological and biochemical indicators after a 14-day period. Network pharmacology and Western blot analysis were employed for mechanism prediction of LDZK. RESULTS: A comprehensive analysis identified a total of 45 compounds as the major constituents of LDZK. Oral administration of LDZK resulted in notable ameliorative effects in respiratory function, accompanied by reduced inflammatory cell counts and cytokine levels in the lungs of COPD mice. Acute toxicity tests demonstrated a favorable safety profile at a dose equivalent to 292 times the clinically prescribed dose. In vitro studies revealed that LDZK exhibited protective effects on A549 cells by mitigating LPS-induced cellular damage, reducing the release of NO, and downregulating the expression of iNOS, COX2, IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α. Network pharmacology and Western blot analysis indicated that LDZK primarily modulated the MAPK signaling pathway and inhibited the phosphorylation of p38/ERK/JNK. CONCLUSIONS: LDZK exerts significant therapeutic effects on COPD through the regulation of the MAPK pathway, suggesting its potential as a promising adjunctive therapy for the treatment of chronic inflammation in COPD.

[Effect of electroacupuncture at "Fenglong" (ST 40) on rats with hyperlipidemia and its mechanism].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the mechanism of electroacupuncture(EA) at "Fenglong" (ST 40) in hyperlipidemia (HLP) rats. METHODS: Forty health SD rats were randomly divided into a normal control group (group A), a high fat forage feed group (group B) and a high fat forage feed treatment group (group C), a high fat forage + normal forage feed group (group D) and a high fat forage + normal forage feed treatment group (group E), eight rats in each group. EA was applied at "Fenglong" (ST 40) for the rats in group C and group E, once daily. After treatment of 30 days, blood lipid levels of rats, including total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in plasma were tested. Real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western Blotting were applied to detect the gene expression changes of the contents of ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha), liver X receptor alpha (LXR-alpha) and retinoid X receptor alpha (RXR-alpha) in liver tissue of rats. RESULTS: Compared with group A, the contents of TC, LDL-C were significantly elevated in group B and group D (all P < 0.01); compared with group B, above indices were significantly decreased in group D (all P < 0.01). After the treatment of EA at "Fenglong"(ST 40), the contents of TC, LDL-C were significantly decreased (all P < 0.01), and the contents of TG, HDL-C did not change obviously (all P > 0.05). Compared with group A, the mRNA and protein contents of ABCA1, PPARalpha, LXR-alpha and RXR-alpha were decreased obviously in group B and group D (all P < 0.01). But compared with group B, the above indices were decreased in the group D. There were signficantly increasing in the protein content of ABCA1, PPARalpha, RXR-alpha and LXR-alpha mRNA after the treatment of EA (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: EA at "Fenglong" (ST 40) has some therapeutic effect on decrease the content of TC, LDL-C in rats of hyperlipemia and improve the gene expression of ABCA1, PPARalpha, LXR-alpha and RXR-alpha mRNA so as to promote reverse cholesterol transport.