The protective role of ginsenoside Rg3 in heart diseases and mental disorders.

Ginsenoside Rg3, a compound derived from Panax ginseng C. A. Mey., is increasingly recognized for its wide range of pharmacological effects. Under the worldwide healthcare challenges posed by heart diseases, Rg3 stands out as a key subject in modern research on Chinese herbal medicine, offering a novel approach to therapy. Mental illnesses are significant contributors to global disease mortality, and there is a well-established correlation between cardiac and psychiatric conditions. This connection is primarily due to dysfunctions in the sympathetic-adrenomedullary system (SAM), the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, inflammation, oxidative stress, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor impairment. This review provides an in-depth analysis of Rg3's therapeutic benefits and its pharmacological actions in treating cardiac and mental health disorders respectively. Highlighting its potential for the management of these conditions, Rg3 emerges as a promising, multifunctional therapeutic agent.

Effect of Chemical Refining on the Reduction of ß-Carboline Content in Sesame Seed Oil.

ß-carbolines (harman and norharman) are potentially mutagenic and have been reported in some vegetable oils. Sesame seed oil is obtained from roasted sesame seeds. During sesame oil processing, roasting is the key procedure to aroma enhancement, in which ß-carbolines are produced. Pressed sesame seed oils cover most market share, while leaching solvents are used to extract oils from the pressed sesame cake to improve the utilization of the raw materials. ß-carbolines are nonpolar heterocyclic aromatic amines with good solubility in leaching solvents (n-hexane); therefore, the ß-carbolines in sesame cake migrated to the leaching sesame seed oil. The refining procedures are indispensable for leaching sesame seed oil, in which some small molecules can be reduced. Thus, the critical aim is to evaluate the changes in ß-carboline content during the refining of leaching sesame seed oil and the key process steps for the removal of ß-carbolines. In this work, the levels of ß-carbolines (harman and norharman) in sesame seed oil during chemical refining processes (degumming, deacidification, bleaching and deodorization) have been determined using solid phase extraction and high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The results indicated that in the entire refining process, the levels of total ß-carbolines greatly decreased, and the adsorption decolorization was the most effective process in reducing ß-carbolines, which might be related to the adsorbent used in the decolorization process. In addition, the effects of adsorbent type, adsorbent dosage and blended adsorbent on ß-carbolines in sesame seed oil during the decolorization process were investigated. It was concluded that oil refining can not only improve the quality of sesame seed oil, but also reduce most of the harmful ß-carbolines.

Training in psychosomatic medicine and psychotherapy for medical doctors in China: A field report.

Background: The high prevalence rates of mental disorders in China contrast a comparatively low care capacity from qualified trained medical doctors in the mental health field. The main objective of our cooperation project was to develop and implement advanced postgraduate training for medical doctors for their acquisition of knowledge, skills, and attitudes in the field of psychosomatic medicine and psychotherapy in China. Methods: Monitoring and evaluation as part of the advanced training in Beijing were conducted following the Kirkpatrick training approach using four levels of evaluation: reaction, learning, behavior and results. We performed a continuous course evaluation, assessed the respective learning goal attainment, conducted a pre-post evaluation of reasons and goals for participation in the training, and measured the treatment effects on the patient side. Results: The implementation of training standards in the field of psychosomatic medicine and psychotherapy for medical doctors and the transfer of didactic knowledge and skills for Chinese lecturers were achieved. A total of 142 mainly medical doctors attended the 2-year training. Ten medical doctors were trained as future teachers. All learning goals were reached. The content and didactics of the curriculum were rated with an overall grade of 1.23 (1 = very good to 5 = very bad). The highest rated elements were patient life interviews, orientation on clinical practice and communication skills training. The achievement of learning objectives for each block (depression, anxiety disorders, somatic symptom disorder, coping with physical diseases) was rated between 1 and 2 (1 = very well achieved to 5 = not achieved) for all items from participants' perspectives. On the patient side (n = 415), emotional distress decreased and quality of life and the doctor-patient alliance improved significantly. Discussion: Advanced training in psychosomatic medicine and psychotherapy was successfully implemented. The results of the evaluation show high participant satisfaction and the successful achievement of all learning objectives. A more detailed and extensive evaluation of the data, such as an analysis of the development of the participants as psychotherapists, is in preparation. The continuation of the training under Chinese guidance is guaranteed.

Preparation, structural characterization, and bioactivities of polysaccharides from Psidium guajava: A review.

Psidium guajava L. is one of the most pivotal members belong to the Myrtaceae family, and it is an important tropical fruit with highly nutritional, healthy, and pharmacological values prevailing in worldwide for decades. The polysaccharides of P. guajava (PGPs) are served as one of the most active constituents, which possess a variety of biofunctionalities including anti-inflammatory, antidiarrheic, antihypertension, and antidiabetic properties. Hence, a systematic review aimed to comprehensively summarize the recent research advances of PGPs is necessary for facilitating their better understanding. The present review discussed current research progress on the PGPs, including extraction and purification methods, structural features, biological activities, and potential pharmacological mechanism. In addition, this review may also provide some valuable insights for further development and potential value in affording functionally useful agents in food industry or therapeutically effective medicine in the fields of P. guajava polysaccharides.

The enhancement effect of low-dose dietary lipopolysaccharide on the growth and immunity of Litopenaeus vannamei, and transcriptome analysis.

In this study, the effects of dietary lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on Litopenaeus vannamei were investigated to determine whether LPS could play a role as a potential immunostimulant in shrimp. L. vannamei with an initial body weight of 0.30 ± 0.02 g were fed a diet containing LPS at doses of 0, 0.2, 1, 5, 25 or 125 mg kg-1 for eight weeks (groups LPS0, LPS0.2, LPS1, LPS5, LPS25 and LPS125, respectively). After eight weeks of feeding, the growth performance, immunity and transcriptome response of L. vannamei were analysed. Only dietary LPS at 0.2 and 1 mg kg-1 resulted in a significant increase in the growth of L. vannamei (P < 0.05). According to the weight gain rate (WGR) and specific growth rate (SGR), the optimum dietary LPS level was 2.462 and 2.455 mg kg-1, respectively. When compared with the control group, the survival rate (SR) of L. vannamei in the LPS0.2 group was significantly increased after white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) infection and the SR of L. vannamei in the LPS1 group was significantly increased after Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection (both P < 0.05). Compared with the LPS0 group, immune enzyme activity in the serum of L. vannamei could be significantly increased and the content of maleic dialdehyde (MDA) significantly decreased by dietary LPS. Transcriptome analysis of the haemocytes of L. vannamei identified 399 up-regulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 5000 down-regulated DEGs in the LPS0.2 compared to the control group. Most of the DEGs were significantly enriched in the following pathways: phosphatidylinositol signalling, Wnt signalling, Jak-STAT signalling and inositol phosphate metabolism. In conclusion, this study revealed that diets supplemented with low-dose LPS had positive effects on the growth and immunity of L. vannamei.

New insight into fate and transport of organic compounds from pollution sources to aquatic environment using non-targeted screening: A wastewater treatment plant case study.

A variety of chemicals discharged into the aquatic environment by the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), which is a potential source of hazard to the ecological environment and human health. This study established a novel analytical method for all compounds using non-targeted screening to comprehensively explore the fate and transport of organic compounds from WWTP to aquatic environment. 3967 and 3636 features were detected in WWTP samples and river samples, respectively. Multi-level classification was applied to all identified compounds, and results showed that aliphatics were dominant in both abundance and response, accounting for an average of 35.49 % and 74.10 %, respectively. A total of 88 Emerging Contaminants (ECs), including 22 endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), 12 pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), 12 pesticides, 10 volatile organic compounds (VOCs), 5 persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and 27 chemicals with other uses, were identified from all compounds, and their traceability analysis was performed. Furthermore, the contribution rate of organic compounds from WWTP effluent to river was calculated to be 33.60 % by the analysis of source-sink relationship. An in-depth and comprehensive exploration of the fate and transport of all organic compounds will help to provide guidelines for the treatment technologies and achieve the traceability of pollutants.

Perceived professional development of Chinese psychotherapy trainees: a pilot study.

For more than 30 years counselling and psychotherapy services in China have progressed rapidly. Currently, various Chinese universities, hospitals, official mental health centres, and private mental health service organizations provide psychotherapy training programs. However, little is known about Chinese psychotherapy trainees and their development. This pilot study investigated the characteristics and perceived professional development of 20 Chinese trainees during and after an advanced training program for psychosomatic medicine and psychotherapy, which is a collaboration project between Peking Union Medical College Hospital and the Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy from the University Medical Center Freiburg in Germany. Trainees completed questionnaires from the SPRISTAD (Society for Psychotherapy Research Interest Section on Therapist Training and Development) study at the beginning (T1), at the end (T2), and one year after finishing the program (T3). Seventeen of the twenty participants were clinicians. Trainees reported a prominent rise of Currently Experienced Growth throughout the training period, which nearly dropped to the baseline level after the training, although Retrospective Career Development showed a trend of an overall increase. Both 'experience in therapy with patients' and 'participation in courses or seminars' were the most important positively perceived sources of influence on trainees' development. This implies the importance of continuous psychotherapy training for the development of therapists during their career. Future research with a larger sample size should also assess trainees' development from the viewpoint of trainers, supervisors, and patients.

Effects of replacing fish meal with cottonseed protein concentrate on the growth, immune responses, digestive ability and intestinal microbial flora in Litopenaeus vannamei.

The effects of cottonseed protein concentrate (CPC) in place of fishmeal on the growth performance, immune response, digestive ability and intestinal microbiota of Litopenaeus vannamei were investigated in this study. L. vannamei (initial body weight: 0.42 ± 0.01g) was fed for 8 weeks by four isonitrogenous and isolipid feeds with CPC replacing fishmeal (FM) at 0% (control), 15% (CPC15), 30% (CPC30) and 45% (CPC45), respectively. At the end of the study, the final body weight (FBW), weight gain rate (WGR), specific growth rate (SGR) and protein efficiency ratio (PER) of L. vannamei in CPC15 and CPC30 groups were significantly increased, while the feed conversion ratio (FCR) of L. vannamei in the CPC30 group was significantly reduced when compared with the FM group (P < 0.05). After Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection, the cumulative mortality of L. vannamei in CPC15 within 24 hpi was significantly lower than that of the control group (P < 0.05). When compared with the control group, the activities and expression of the immunity-related enzymes in the hepatopancreas had almost the same obvious change trend in the CPC-containing groups, which indicated that the replacement for fishmeal by CPC led to significant immune response in L. vannamei. Besides, significant up-regulation of the digestive enzyme activities were observed in the CPC-containing groups. Analysis of intestinal microbiota showed that significant difference in alpha diversity existed between the CPC-containing groups and the control group. The relative abundances of several top 10 dominated species at the phylum and genus levels were significantly changed in the CPC-containing groups compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Functional prediction of the microbiota indicated that the pathway of protein digestion and absorption was significantly more abundant while the pathways of nitrotoluene degradation, aminobenzoate degradation, atrazine degradation, dioxin degradation and xylene degradation were significantly less abundant in the CPC-containing groups than the FM group (P < 0.05). In summary, optimal dietary CPC replacement of FM could improve the growth, immunity, digestive capacity and the diversities of the intestinal microbial flora of L. vannamei. However, parts of the functions of the intestinal microbial flora were decline.

Degradation of ß-Carbolines Harman and Norharman in Edible Oils during Heating.

The ß-carbolines, mainly including harman and norharman, are a group of naturally occurring, plant-derived alkaloids, and are also considered as nonpolar heterocyclic aromatic amines. Sesame seed oils contain a high level of ß-carbolines (harman and norharman). In China, sesame seed oil blends are one of the most popular types of vegetable oils blends, which can be used as cooking oils or frying oils. Thus, it is meaningful to investigate the degradation of ß-carbolines (harman and norharman) in sesame seed oil blends as frying oils during heating. In this work, the loss of harman and norharman in different types of sesame seed oil blends have been investigated. The results showed that the degradation of harman and norharman were dependent both on the type of oil blends, heating temperature and time. Harman and norharman were more degraded during heating (150 °C, 180 °C) in oleic acid-rich oil blends compared to polyunsaturated acid-rich oil blends. Mechanistic investigation suggested that the reduction in harman and norharman in oil blends during heating was mainly due to the oxidative degradation reaction between ß-carbolines and lipid oxidation products. Therefore, the contents of ß-carbolines (harman and norharman) in sesame seed oil blends when used as frying oils and heated can be decreased with prolonged cooking time.

Metabolomics and physiological analysis of the effect of calcium supplements on reducing bone loss in ovariectomized rats by increasing estradiol levels.

BACKGROUND: Data from the 2010-2012 Chinese National Nutrition and Health Survey showed that the vast majority of postmenopausal women in China had dual deficiencies in calcium and estrogen. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to clarify whether calcium supplementation alleviated bone loss caused by calcium restriction combined with estrogen deficiency in rats. METHODS: Forty-eight female rats aged 9 weeks were assigned to 4 groups and fed a low-calcium diet: sham-operated (SHAM-LC), ovariectomized (OVX-LC), and ovariectomized rats treated with 750 mg/kg (OVX-LC-M) or 2800 mg/kg CaCO3 (OVX-LC-H). CaCO3 or distilled water was administered orally for 13 weeks. Bone mineral density (BMD) and histomorphometry of the femur, serum biochemical parameters, and serum metabolites were analyzed. RESULTS: The OVX-LC rats showed a significant increase in body weight and serum levels of lipid markers, a significant decrease in serum estradiol, calcium, phosphorus, and 25(OH)D levels, and deterioration of the femur. At 750 mg/kg and 2800 mg/kg, CaCO3 reduced the deterioration of trabecular bone and increased the trabecular area percentage (Tb.Ar %) and BMD of the femur. Serum estradiol levels increased in a dose-dependent manner after CaCO3 supplementation (p < 0.01). The administration of 2800 mg/kg CaCO3 decreased serum triglyceride and high-density lipoprotein levels (p < 0.05) and decreased the levels of the bone turnover markers osteocalcin, N-telopeptide of type I collagen and ß-crosslaps. The results of the metabolomics analysis showed that the glycerophospholipid metabolism pathway was closely related to calcium supplementation, and more DG (44:6 n3), LysoPC (22:2) and PE (P-34:3) and less Cer (d43:0) and PE-NMe2 (46:3) were produced. CONCLUSIONS: The results clearly indicated that calcium supplementation was beneficial for decreasing bone loss in OVX-LC rats. The present study is the first to show that calcium supplementation increased the estradiol content in OVX-LC rats, and the effect of calcium on bone loss may be partially attributed to the increase in the estrogen level that subsequently induced the changes in metabolite levels, eventually increasing the bone mineral density to a relatively higher level to reduce bone deterioration.

[Effects of calcium on the structure of intestinal microbiota in ovariectomized rats].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of calcium content on bone mineral density and intestinal microbiota in ovariectomized rats. METHODS: A total of 30 Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups, namely the sham operation group, the model group and the calcium carbonate supplement group. Postmenopausal osteoporosis rats were established by ovariectomy(OVX). After the first week of modeling, each group was intragastric separately. The calcium carbonate solution was given to the calcium carbonate supplement group, and the same amount of sterile water was given to the other two groups. The animals were executed at the end of the 12 weeks. Left femur was taken and bone mineral density(BMD) was detected by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The total DNA of fecal samples was aseptically extracted and the Illumina Miseq platform was to carry out high-throughput sequencing. RESULTS: Compared with the sham operation group, the body mass increment of rats in the model group was significantly increased, the level of BMD was significantly reduced(P<0. 05), the intestinal microbiota diversity was not significantly changed, the Firmicutes abundance was decreased, and the Bacteroidetes abundance was increased. Compared with the model group, the body mass increment of rats in the calcium carbonate supplementation group was significantly reduced and BMD was significantly increased(P<0. 05). There was no significant change in the intestinal microbiota diversity, Firmicutes were increased, and Bacteroidetes were decreased. CONCLUSION: Calcium supplementation can improve bone mineral density and inhibit the increase of body mass during the experiment period, and its mechanism may be related to regulating the structure of intestinal microbiota.

Intra-articular magnesium to alleviate postoperative pain after arthroscopic knee surgery: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of intra-articular (IA) magnesium (Mg) for postoperative pain relief after arthroscopic knee surgery. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Embase, Medline, Cochrane library, and Web of Science to identify randomized controlled trials that compared postoperative pain outcomes with or without IA Mg after knee arthroscopy. The primary outcomes were pain intensity at rest and with movement at different postoperative time points and cumulative opioid consumption within 24 h after surgery. Secondary outcomes included the time to first analgesic request and side effects. RESULTS: In total, 11 studies involving 677 participants met the eligibility criteria. Pain scores at rest and with movement 2, 4, 12, and 24 h after surgery were significantly lower, doses of supplementary opioid consumption were smaller, and the time to first analgesic requirement was longer in the IA Mg group compared with the control group. No significant difference was detected regarding adverse reactions between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Intra-articular magnesium is an effective and safe coadjuvant treatment for relieving postoperative pain intensity after arthroscopic knee surgery. Protocol registration at PROSPERO: CRD42020156403.

Treatment of particle/gas partitioning using level III fugacity models in a six-compartment system.

In this paper, two level III fugacity models are developed and applied using an environmental system containing six compartments, including air, aerosols, soil, water, suspended particulate matters (SPMs), and sediments, as a "unit world". The first model, assumes equilibrium between air and aerosols and between water and SPMs. These assumptions lead to a four-fugacity model. The second model removes these two assumptions leading to a six-fugacity model. The two models, compared using four PBDE congeners, BDE-28, -99, -153, and -209, with a steady flux of gaseous congeners entering the air, lead to the following conclusions. 1. When the octanol-air partition coefficient (KOA) is less than 1011.4, the two models produce similar results; when KOA > 1011.4, and especially when KOA > 1012.5, the model results diverge significantly. 2. Chemicals are in an imposed equilibrium in the four-fugacity model, but in a steady state and not necessary an equilibrium in the six-fugacity model, between air and aerosols. 3. The results from the six-fugacity model indicate an internally consistent system with chemicals in steady state in all six compartments, whereas the four-fugacity model presents an internally inconsistent system where chemicals are in equilibrium but not a steady state between air and aerosols. 4. Chemicals are mass balanced in air and aerosols predicted by the six-fugacity model but not by the four-fugacity model. If the mass balance in air and aerosols is achieved in the four-fugacity model, the condition of equilibrium between air and aerosols will be no longer valid.

Low-Se Diet Can Affect Sperm Quality and Testicular Glutathione Peroxidase-4 activity in Rats.

This study aimed to observe the influence of selenium (Se) deficiency on sperm quality and selenoprotein expression in rats. Four-week male Wista rats were randomly divided into three groups: Se-A, Se-L, and Se-D (respectively for Se- adequate, low, and deficient group). After 9 weeks, the rats were sacrificed by anesthesia, with the cauda epididymidis quickly fetched for sperm count, motility, and deformity. Meanwhile the blood, liver, brain, heart, and testis were collected for Se and biochemical analysis. It was found that the rats in Se-D had poor growth, while the Se concentrations in blood, liver, and heart for Se-D decreased significantly, compared with Se-A and Se-L (p < 0.01). But no significant difference was observed in testis and brain and also no statistical significance for sperm count. The sperm motility for Se-A (63.07%) was significantly higher than Se-L (53.91%) and Se-D (54.15%). Deformities were observed in both Se-L and Se-D. Both glutathione peroxidases (GPxs) and selenoprotein-P (SEPP1) levels in plasma and tissues of Se-D were significantly lower than those of Se-A and Se-L (p < 0.01). The SEPP1 levels in heart and brain of Se-L were lower than Se-A (p < 0.01). There was no statistical difference for GPx1 between Se-A and Se-L. The GPx4 level in testis of Se-L was lower than Se-A (p < 0.05). However, the SEPP1 in plasma, liver, testis, and the GPx3 level in plasma of Se-L were higher than those of Se-A (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01). Our results show that dietary Se deficiency could reduce GPx4 and SEPP1 expression in testis, which further influence sperm motility and may cause sperm deformity. Selenoprotein expression in some tissues of Se-L was higher than that of Se-A, but sperm quality and GPx4 expression in testis were not improved for Se-L. Low active pseudoselenoproteins might be synthesized in low-Se condition. The underlying mechanism needs to be further investigated.

TMC120 displayed potent cytotoxic effect on human cervical carcinoma through enhancing the polymerization of microtubules.

OBJECTIVE: In the post-HAART era, the incidence of some AIDS-defining cancers declined markedly likely reflecting HAART-related improvements in immunity, whereas incidence of some cancers such as cervical cancer has not been affected. Therefore, it is valuable to find whether antiretroviral drugs or prophylactic microbicides could treat or prevent these cancers, especially the cervical cancer. DESIGN: We screened the anti-HIV drugs, approved or in phase III clinical trials, to identify a potential anticancer drug candidate. METHODS: We chose cervical HeLa and SiHa cancer cells and focused on studying the antitumor effects in vitro and in vivo. Cell proliferation was measured by MTT assay, the cytotoxic effect was obtained through apoptosis as evidenced by Annexin V flow cytometry assay because of the arresting of cancer cells in G2/M phase of cell cycle. Nude mice xenograft model was performed to detect the antitumor effect in vivo. RESULTS: TMC120 was identified as a potential anticancer drug candidate. TMC120 displayed potent cytotoxic effect on various human cancer cells, including cervical carcinoma cell line HeLa and SiHa. Further mechanism study showed that TMC120 enhanced the polymerization of microtubules, which was followed by mitotic arrest, as well as abnormal mitotic spindles. TMC120 also substantially retarded the growth rate of the tumor in vivo. CONCLUSION: TMC120 is a potential chemoprophylactic and therapeutic agent for cervical cancers in a manner similar to paclitaxel, and could be suitable for helping healthy women to prevent HIV infection and cervical cancer.

Identification and characterization of a laccase from Litopenaeus vannamei involved in anti-bacterial host defense.

Phenoloxidases (POs) are a family of enzymes including tyrosinases, catecholases and laccases, which play an important role in immune defences of various invertebrates. Whether or not laccase exists in shrimp and its function is still poorly understood. In this study, a laccase (LvLac) was cloned and identified from Litopenaeus vannamei for the first time. The full length of LvLac is 3406 bp, including a 2034 bp open reading frame (ORF) coding for a putative protein of 677 amino acids with a signal peptide of 33 aa. LvLac contains three Cu-oxidase domains with copper binding centers formed by 10 histidines, one cysteine and one methionine, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that LvLac was close to insects laccase 1 family. LvLac expression was most abundant in heart and the crude LvLac protein could catalyze the oxidation of hydroquinone. Real-time PCR showed that LvLac expression was responsive to Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Micrococcus lysodeikticus and white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) infection. Knockdown of LvLac enhanced the sensitivity of shrimps to V. parahaemolyticus and M. lysodeikticus challenge, suggesting that LvLac may play a positive role against bacterial pathogens.

Parthenolide attenuates cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury via Akt/GSK-3ß pathway in PC12 cells.

Parthenolide (PN), a sesquiterpene lactone isolated from the herbal medicine feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium), was reported to possess neuroprotective activity. However, the neuroprotective effect of PN against cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury remains unclear. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to explore the neuroprotective effects of PN against oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD)-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells and the underlying mechanisms. Our results demonstrated that PN ameliorated OGD/R-evoked neuronal injury and oxidative stress in PC12 cells. In addition, PN notably decreased HIF-1α expression, as well as inhibited apoptosis in PC12 cells after OGD/R. Furthermore, PN pretreatment significantly enhanced the phosphorylation of Akt and GSK-3ß in PC12 cells exposed to OGD/R. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that PN exhibits a neuroprotective effect against OGD/R through activation of the Akt/GSK-3ß signaling pathway. Our findings suggest that PN has the potential to serve as a novel therapeutic agent for cerebral I/R injury.

A strategy for the evaluation of an analytical approach for selected pesticide residues in complex agricultural product matrices-A case study of leek.

In order to choose a sensitive, selective, simple, rapid, cost-effective and reliable analytical method for a given complex sample, a strategy was proposed for the evaluation of an analytical approach to determining multi-pesticide residue in complex agricultural product matrices, using leek as an example. In this work, the matrix effect of most of pesticides were in the range of -50% to -90%. A simple thin layer chromatography (TLC) was used to evaluate the effect of cleanup. The results agree well with that of matrix effect described above. More than 91% of the investigated compounds achieved recoveries were in the range of 70-120%. The limits of detection and limits of quantification were in the range of 0.1-3.5ng/g and 0.4-11.5ng/g, respectively. The strategy can be used to analyze multi-pesticide residue or related chemicals in diverse agricultural product matrices to provide technical guidance in choosing an analytical approach.

Antidiabetic Effect of Salvianolic Acid A on Diabetic Animal Models via AMPK Activation and Mitochondrial Regulation.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Diabetes mellitus (DM) characterized by hyperglycemia contributes to macrovascular and microvascular complications. Salvianolic acid A (SalA) is a polyphenolic compound isolated from the root of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, which is a traditional Chinese medicine widely used to treat cardiovascular diseases. However, little is known about its antidiabetic effect. Our study aimed to investigate the in vivo and in vitro antidiabetic effect of SalA and the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: Alloxan-induced type 1 diabetic mice and high-fat diet (HFD) and low-dose streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type 2 diabetic rats received SalA treatment. Blood glucose, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), 24-h food and water intake were monitored. In vitro, glucose consumption and uptake were measured in HepG2 cells and L6 myotubes. Mitochondrial function was detected in hepatic and skeletal muscle mitochondria. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and Akt were analyzed by western blot. RESULTS: In both type 1 and type 2 diabetic animals, SalA lowered fasting blood glucose (FBG) and fed blood glucose in dose-dependent manner, as well as reduced 24-h food and water intake. In vitro, SalA caused dose-dependent increase in glucose consumption and enhanced glucose uptake. SalA significantly increased ATP production from 10 min to 12 h in HepG2 cells and L6 myotubes. Interestingly, SalA decreased mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) in HepG2 cells. Furthermore, SalA improved hepatic and skeletal muscle mitochondrial function, increased ATP production, and concurrently decreased MMP. In particularly, SalA activated AMPK phosphorylation through Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase ß (CaMKKß)/AMPK signaling pathway, independent of liver kinase 1 (LKB1)/AMPK pathway. However, SalA didn't show any effect on insulin secretagogue and activation of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: SalA exhibits the antidiabetic effects in diabetic animal models through improving mitochondrial function, increasing ATP production, and decreasing MMP via CaMKKß/AMPK signaling pathway.

Salvianolic Acid a prevents the pathological progression of hepatic fibrosis in high-fat diet-fed and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Type 2 diabetes patients have an increased risk of developing hepatic fibrosis. Salvianolic acid A (SalA) has been reported to be a strong polyphenolic anti-oxidant and free radical scavenger. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of SalA on the pathological progression of hepatic fibrosis in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats and to clarify the underlying mechanisms. Type 2 diabetic animal model with hepatic fibrosis was developed by a high-sucrose, HFD and low-dose STZ injection (i.p.). Diabetic rats were randomly divided into SalA group (0.3 mg/kg/day) and diabetic control groups fed with a HFD. After administration for four months, SalA reversed the hyperlipidemia and reduced hepatic triglyceride (TG). Hematoxylin-Eosin (HE) and Picro acid-Sirius red staining results indicated that SalA significantly alleviated the lesions of hepatic steatosis and fibrosis, with the reduction of type I and III collagens. The expression of α-smooth-muscle-actin (α-SMA) and transforming growth factor ß1 (TGF-ß1) in the liver were markedly down-regulated by SalA treatment. TUNEL staining showed that SalA reduced apoptosis in hepatocytes. In addition, SalA improved hepatic mitochondrial respiratory function in diabetic rats. Taken together, these findings demonstrated that SalA could prevent the pathological progression of hepatic fibrosis in HFD-fed and STZ-induced diabetic rats. The underlying mechanisms may be involved in reducing oxidative stress, suppressing α-SMA and TGF-ß1 expression, as well as exerting anti-apoptotic and mitochondria-protective effects.