Extraction, purification, structural modification, activities and application of polysaccharides from different parts of mulberry.

The mulberry plant is a member of the Moraceae family and belongs to the Morus genus. Its entire body is a treasure, with mulberries, mulberry leaves, and mulberry branches all suitable for medicinal use. The main active ingredient in mulberries is mulberry polysaccharide. Studies have shown that polysaccharides from different parts of mulberry exhibit antioxidant, antidiabetic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and blood pressure-lowering properties. There are more studies on the biological activities, extraction methods, and structural characterization of polysaccharides from different parts of mulberry. However, the structural characterization of mulberry polysaccharides is mostly confined to the types and proportions of monosaccharides and the molecular weights of polysaccharides, and there are fewer systematic studies on polysaccharides from different parts of mulberry. In order to better understand the bioactive structure of mulberry polysaccharides, this article discusses the recent research progress in the extraction, separation, purification, bioactivity, structural modification, and application of polysaccharides from different parts of mulberry (mulberry leaves, mulberry fruits, and mulberry branches). It also delves into the pharmacological mechanisms of action of mulberry polysaccharides to provide a theoretical basis for further research on mulberry polysaccharides with a view to their deeper application in the fields of feed and nutraceuticals.

Mindfulness and impulsive behavior: exploring the mediating roles of self-reflection and coping effectiveness among high-level athletes in Central China.

Introduction: In the highly competitive field of sports, impulsive behavior by athletes not only threatens personal and team harmony but also poses significant risks to their careers and public image. Despite these behaviors often becoming the focus of public attention, their underlying causes and prevention strategies remain relatively unknown. This study delves deep into the impact of mindfulness on athletes' impulsive behavior, revealing the mediating roles of self-reflection and coping effectiveness. Methods: Using a combination of snowball and convenience sampling, a sample of 403 athletes from high-level sports teams in the Central China region participated in a questionnaire survey. The data were analyzed using Amos v.23 software. Results: The findings indicate a positive correlation between mindfulness and coping effectiveness (standardized coefficient = 0.336, p < 0.001), as well as between self-reflection and coping effectiveness (standardized coefficient = 0.406, p < 0.001). There is a negative correlation between coping effectiveness and impulsive behavior (standardized coefficient = -0.476, p < 0.001). The positive impact of mindfulness on impulsive behavior (standardized coefficient = -0.371, p < 0.01) is mediated by self-reflection and coping effectiveness. The explanatory power of this study is R2 = 0.35. Discussion: Mindfulness reduces impulsive behavior by enhancing self-reflection capabilities and improving coping effectiveness. Based on these substantive research results, to mitigate impulsive behavior in athletes, it is recommended that the National Sports Administration and coaches actively implement mindfulness training. Additionally, targeted psychological intervention strategies should be developed to enhance athletes' mental health levels and optimize their sports performance.

Association of Mindfulness with Perfectionism, Exercise Self-Efficacy, and Competitive State Anxiety in Injured Athletes Returning to Sports.

Injured athletes often face performance challenges upon returning to the field, influenced by external factors and negative emotions. This study investigates how mindfulness is associated with perfectionism, exercise self-efficacy, and competitive state anxiety in athletes recovering from injuries. Using snowball sampling and convenience sampling methods with a cross-sectional dataset of 359 participants from southern China (collected between October and November 2022), we employed structural equation modelling to analyse the relationship between mindfulness and competitive state anxiety in returning athletes. The results reveal that mindfulness interventions enhance exercise self-efficacy, boost task-related confidence, reshape perfectionism towards a positive outlook, and decrease competitive state anxiety. This study establishes positive correlations between perfectionism and competitive state anxiety, and a negative correlation between exercise self-efficacy and competitive state anxiety. Moreover, exercise self-efficacy and perfectionism partially mediate mindfulness's positive impact on competitive state anxiety. In conclusion, this research highlights mindfulness's potential to alleviate perfectionism and competitive state anxiety while enhancing exercise self-efficacy among athletes on the road to recovery.

Association of mindfulness on state-trait anxiety in choking-susceptible athletes: mediating roles of resilience and perceived stress.

Introduction: It is a well-documented psychological phenomenon for athletes to experience abnormal performance on the field, often called choking. Negative emotions such as perceived stress and state-trait anxiety have been linked to this phenomenon. In an effort to delve into the intricate relationship between mindfulness and state-trait anxiety among athletes susceptible to choking, this study was conducted in Central China during the period from October to November 2022. Methods: The sample selection process employed a combination of cluster sampling and random sampling, resulting in a total of 377 viable samples encompassing choking-susceptible athletes who frequently grapple with state-trait anxiety and demonstrate performance deviations. The data analysis was executed utilizing AMOS v.26. Results: The results indicate a negative association between mindfulness and perceived stress (standardized coefficient = -0.224, p < 0.001), resilience and perceived stress (standardized coefficient = -0.237, p < 0.001), as well as perceived stress and state-trait anxiety (standardized coefficient = 0.510, p < 0.001). The positive impact of mindfulness on state-trait anxiety is mediated by resilience and perceived stress (standardized indirect effect = 0.237, p < 0.001). The explanatory power of this study is R2 = 0.35. Discussion: Drawing from these substantial findings, a key recommendation is to implement mindfulness training programs for athletes prone to choking. This proactive measure, facilitated by sports departments, clubs, and coaches, could potentially alleviate state-trait anxiety, enhancing athletes' mental well-being and optimizing their performance outcomes during competitions.

Effects of Mindfulness on Obligatory Exercise During the Return of Injured Athletes to Sports: The Mediating Roles of Self-Criticism and Competitive State Anxiety.

Purpose: Despite the Advances in sports training methods and medicine, they have not reduced the recurrence rate of athletes' injuries significantly, and obligatory exercise may be an important reason for their re-injury. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of mindfulness on obligatory exercise behavior, self-criticism, and competitive state anxiety in athletes recovering from injury, and explain their interactions. Patients and Methods: The study adopted the snowball and convenience sampling methods. From November to December 2022, a total of 265 high-level sports players in South China were selected, and ultimately, 208 valid data samples were obtained. Maximum likelihood estimation was used to analyze the data and test the hypotheses proposed using 5000 bootstrap samples to test the mediating effects of the structural equation model. Results: The results demonstrated that there were positive correlations between self-criticism and obligatory exercise (standardized coefficients = 0.38, p < 0.001), as well as competitive state anxiety and self-criticism (standardized coefficients = 0.45, p < 0.001). Mindfulness and obligatory exercise were correlated negatively (standardized coefficients = -0.31, p < 0.001), but there was no significant relation between competitive state anxiety and obligatory exercise (standardized coefficients = 0.05, p > 0.01). Self-criticism and competitive state anxiety mediated mindfulness's positive effects on obligatory exercise in part (standardized indirect effect = -0.16, p < 0.01), and this explanatory power was higher than in any previous study (R2 = 0.37). Conclusion: The irrational beliefs in Activating events-Beliefs-Consequence (ABC) theory play an important role in explaining athletes' obligatory exercise, and mindfulness has a positive effect on reducing obligatory exercise behavior.

Mindfulness and Regulatory Emotional Self-Efficacy of Injured Athletes Returning to Sports: The Mediating Role of Competitive State Anxiety and Athlete Burnout.

Usually, both external environmental factors and internal psychological factors affect the self-efficacy of athletes returning to sports after an injury. Based upon COR theory, this study investigated mindfulness interventions' effects on competitive state anxiety and burnout in injured athletes who are returning to sports. The study was conducted in South China from March to April 2022. The snowball and convenience sampling methods were used to select high-level sports teams' injured athletes returning to sports, and a questionnaire survey was administered, from which 433 valid samples were obtained. Amos v. 26 was used to analyze the data. The results showed that mindfulness has a significant negative effect on competitive state anxiety and burnout, such that after strengthening the mindfulness intervention, athletes' competitive state anxiety and burnout decreased and regulatory emotional self-efficacy increased. Further, this study indicated that athletes are prone to negative emotions after injury, and among athletes who returned to sports after injury, those with mindfulness interventions reported lower levels of competitive state anxiety and burnout. Hence, the study demonstrated that mindfulness can improve regulatory emotional self-efficacy in injured athletes who are returning to sports by reducing competitive state anxiety and burnout.

Study on the cultivation of seedlings using buds of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.).

Background: Potato, a vegetable crop grown worldwide, has many uses, a short growth period, a large market demand and high economic benefits. The loss of potato seediness due to traditional potato growing methods is becoming increasingly evident, and research on new ways of growing potatoes is particularly important. Bud planting technology has the advantages of more reproduction, faster growth, and simplified maintenance of crop plants under cultivation. Methods: In this study, a bud planting method was adopted for the cultivation of potato seedlings. Specifically, we assessed different types of treatments for the production of high-quality buds and seedlings of potato. A total of four disease-free potato varieties (Fujin, Youjin, Zhongshu 4, and Feiwuruita) were selected, potato buds with three different lengths (3 cm, 5 cm, and 7 cm) were considered the T1, T2, and T3 treatments, and terminal buds, middle buds, and tail buds were used as the T4, T5, and T6 treatments. A nutrient pot experiment was performed following a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates and a natural control (CK) treatment. Cultivation was performed with the common horticultural practices of weeding and hoeing applied as needed. The photosynthetic indices, physiological indices, growth indices and quality of potato seedlings and quality of potato buds were measured at two-week intervals, and yield indices were measured when the final crop was harvested 14 weeks after planting. Results and Conclusions: Cultivation of seedlings from potato buds of different lengths increased the reproduction coefficient and reduced the number of seed potatoes needed for cultivation. All morphological, physiological, and yield indices showed positive trends. A potato bud length of 7 cm was optimal for raising seedlings. Moreover, buds located at the terminal of the potato yielded seedlings with the best quality. In conclusion, we recommend that our proven bud planting technique be adopted at the commercial level, which could support good crop production with maximum yield.

Consumption of miRNA-Mediated Insect-Resistant Transgenic Rice Pollen Does Not Harm Apis mellifera Adults.

RNAi-based insect-resistant genetically engineered (IRGE) crops represent a promising approach for pest management by suppressing gene expressions or translation. A developed microRNA-mediated IRGE rice line expressing endogenous Chilo suppressalis Csu-novel-260 shows significant resistance to target pests. The nontarget insect Apis mellifera is an important pollinator used as a surrogate species for the ecological risk assessment of IRGE plants. To simulate a worst-case scenario, the full-length C. suppressalis and A. mellifera disembodied (dib) cDNAs were cloned. The dib 3'-untranslated regions shared 58.06% nucleotide sequence similarity between C. suppressalis and A. mellifera. No potential Csu-novel-260 binding site in Amdib was detected through the bioinformatics analysis. A dietary RNAi toxicity assay of the impacts of ingested Csu-novel-260 on A. mellifera adults showed that the survival rates of RNAi-treated A. mellifera did not significantly differ from those in the blank control (CK) and negative control (NC) treatments. The Csu-novel-260 uptake by A. mellifera peaked at 8 days postfeeding and then gradually decreased. The Amdib expression was not affected by the RNAi assay days or treatments. These results suggest that A. mellifera adults are not susceptible to high doses of Csu-novel-260 in the dietary RNAi assay and that the impact of miRNA-mediated IRGE plants on A. mellifera is negligible.

Network pharmacology strategy for revealing the pharmacological mechanism of pharmacokinetic target components of San-Ye-Tang-Zhi-Qing formula for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: San-Ye-Tang-Zhi-Qing formula (SYTZQ) is an effective prescription for the treatment of pre-diabetes disorders of glycolipid metabolism in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). It consists of five Chinese herbs including Mori Folium, Nelumbinis Folium, Crataegi Folium, Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma and Paeoniae Radix Rubra. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study was aimed to reveal the pharmacological mechanism of pharmacokinetic target components of SYTZQ for the treatment of T2DM. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A rapid, precise and sensitive ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method was developed to quantify simultaneously nuciferin, vitexin-4″-O-glucoside, vitexin-2″-O-rhamnoside, paeoniflorin and rosmarinic acid in rat plasma after oral administration of SYTZQ. The network pharmacology was used to analyze the effect of the compounds absorbed into the blood of SYTZQ on T2DM. The effects of paeoniflorin, nuciferine and rosmarinic acid on adipogenic differentiation were validated in vitro experiments. RESULTS: The separation was performed on an ACQUITY UHPLC HSS T3 column (2.1 mm × 100 mm, 1.7 µm) using acetonitrile and 0.1% (v/v) formic acid in water as the mobile phase in gradient elution. The calibration curves of five analytes showed good linearity (r ≥ 0.9991) with the lower limits of quantification (LLOQ) between 0.3 and 5.0 ng/mL. The recoveries and matrix effects of five analytes ranged from 81.1% to 113%. The RSDs of inter-day and intra-day precision were all within 13.7%. The validated method was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetic study of five ingredients after oral administration of SYTZQ to rat. 39 major targets and 22 candidate pathways of five compounds absorbed into the blood of rats after administration of SYTZQ were identified and successfully constructed a compound-target-disease-pathway network. It was confirmed that paeniforin, nuciferine and rosmarinic acid could decrease the adipogenicity differentiation in vitro experiments. CONCLUSIONS: The pharmacokinetic parameters indicated that the five components (nuciferin, vitexin-4″-O-glucoside, vitexin-2″-O-rhamnoside, paeoniflorin and rosmarinic acid) were absorbed and eliminated quickly in vivo. These five absorbed components were associated with 22 pathways, including insulin resistance, regulation of lipolysis in adipocytes, PI3k/AKT-, TNF-, cAMP- and cGMP-PKG-signaling pathway. Paeoniflorin, nuciferine and rosmarinic acid have the effect of inhibiting adipocyte differentiation. This study could provide more reference for quality control, and provide a firm basis for evaluating the clinical efficiency of SYTZQ.

Efficacy and Safety of Chinese Herbal Medicine for Primary Intracerebral Hemorrhage: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Background: Primary intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is the most harmful subtype of stroke, but there have yet been no specific proven therapies. Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) has been used for ICH for more than a thousand years; however, currently it is still lacking of available evidence. The objective of this study is to assess the current available evidence of CHM for acute ICH according to randomized controlled trials. Methods: Eight databases were searched from the year of their respective inception to November 2017. Only the studies that assessed at least four domains with "yes" according to the Cochrane risk of bias tool were selected for analysis. All the data were analyzed by using Review Manager 5.3 software. P < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: Forty-five studies with 4,517 individuals were identified. CHM paratherapy can improve dependency, neurological function deficit, volume of hematoma, clinical effective rate, and volume of perihematomal edema compared with CHM alone or placebo (all P < 0.05). By contrast, it was not significant for improving the mortality rate of ICH patients (P > 0.05). In addition, adverse events were reported in 16 studies, whereas 29 studies did not mention it. The frequency of adverse events was 70/972 in the trial group and 48/944 in the control group. Conclusion: The present study provided supportive evidence of CHM for improving dependency of ICH and showed generally safety; however, there is still lack of evidence for improving mortality rate, and it opens for further study.

Ionic liquid vortex-simplified matrix solid-phase dispersion for the simultaneous determination of terpenoids, crocins, quinic acid derivatives and flavonoids in Gardeniae fructus by UHPLC.

A novel ionic-liquid-based vortex-simplified matrix solid-phase dispersion method using 2,6-dimethyl-ß-cyclodextrin was established by ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled with a photodiode array detector. 2,6-Dimethyl-ß-cyclodextrin was first used as a promising adsorbent in this proposed method for simultaneous determination of eight compounds in Gardeniae fructus. These compounds are terpenoids (geniposidic acid, genipin-1-ß-D-gentiobioside, geniposide, 8-o-acetyl shanzhiside methyl ester), crocins (crocin-I, crocin-II), quinic acid derivatives (chlorogenic acid), and flavonoids (isoquercitrin), respectively. Several parameters were investigated in the adsorption and desorption processes to obtain the optimal conditions, including 2,6-dimethyl-ß-cyclodextrin as sorbent, 0.5 mL 100 mM 1-dodecyl-3-methylimidazolium hydrogen sulfate as the extraction solvent, 2:1 of sample/sorbent ratio, grinding for 2 min and vortexing for 60 s. The recoveries of the eight compounds ranged from 96.6 to 100% (<3.50%). The limits of detection and quantification were in the range of 0.02-0.30 and 0.06-1.25  µg/mL, respectively. Meanwhile, a good linearity was attained with r values (>0.9997). The established method showed higher extraction efficiency and less reagent consumption than traditional matrix solid phase dispersion and ultrasonic-assisted extraction. Hence, it could be applied for sample preparation and analysis of natural products.

MnO2-loaded microorganism-derived carbon for U(VI) adsorption from aqueous solution.

A low-cost industrial microorganism, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, was employed as a precursor to synthesize carbon/MnO2 composites (MMCs) via an oxidation-reduction reaction and one-step carbonization method for U(VI) adsorption. Scanning electron microscopy and nitrogen adsorption measurement indicated that the microorganism's carbonization could form surface porous structure and increase the specific surface area. Batch experiments showed that the maximum U(VI) adsorption capacity of MMCs reached 207 mg g-1 at [U(VI)]initial = 25 mg L-1 and pHinitial = 4.5. The obtained thermodynamic and kinetic parameters suggested that the process is endothermic, spontaneous, and chemisorption. FTIR and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy demonstrated that the surface hydroxyl groups of composites might be the reactive adsorption sites for U(VI). Additionally, 0.5 mol L-1 HNO3 solution could desorb ~ 95% uranium from U(VI)-loaded MMCs, and materials exhibited good regenerated availability. This study suggests that MMCs can be a potential adsorbent for U(VI) preconcentration and removal from radioactive wastewater.

Effect of fermented Cordyceps sinensis on doxorubicin­induced cardiotoxicity in rats.

Cordyceps sinensis (CS) is a prominent medicinal herb in traditional Chinese medicine, and fermented CS is frequently used as a substitute for natural CS. Doxorubicin (DOX), an antitumor drug used in chemotherapy, is limited by its poor cardiotoxicity. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the protective effect of fermented CS against DOX­induced cardiotoxicity and the potential underlying mechanisms. Male Sprague­Dawley rats (180­200 g) were randomly assigned to seven different treatment groups: Normal control, DOX control, DOX+captopril (0.05 g/kg), 0.75, 1.5 and 3 g/kg DOX+CS, and the CS (1.5 g/kg) control. Histopathological changes, cardiac energy metabolism, cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling and the associated mRNA expression of AMP­activated protein kinase (AMPK) were then evaluated. Fermented CS decreased the left ventricular weight index, heart weight index and mortality; however, it increased diastolic blood pressure and mean arterial pressure. In addition, it shortened the duration of the QRS complex and Sα­T segment, decreased serum creatine kinase (CK) and aspartate aminotransferase activity, inhibited histopathological changes and reduced brain natriuretic peptide content. Treatment with fermented CS also increased the activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, reduced malondialdehyde content, increased the mitochondrial activities of Na+K+­adenosine 5'­triphosphate (ATP) ase, Ca2+Mg2+­ATPase and CK, and increased the creatine phosphate/ATP ratio and AMP/ATP ratio. Furthermore, it decreased the ATP/adenosine 5'­diphosphate (ADP) ratio, upregulated AMPKα2 expression, reduced the activity of serum phosphodiesterases (PDEs) and increased myocardial cAMP content. The results of the present study demonstrated that fermented CS attenuated DOX­induced cardiotoxicity by inhibiting myocardial hypertrophy and myocardial damage, ameliorating systolic function and the antioxidant enzyme system, improving cardiac energy metabolism, depressing the activities of PDEs, and by upregulating the cAMP and AMPK signaling pathways. Thus, fermented CS may be a candidate for the prevention of DOX­induced cardiotoxicity, cardiac energy impairment and against a number of cardiac diseases.

Simultaneous determination and qualitative analysis of six types of components in Naoxintong capsule by miniaturized matrix solid-phase dispersion extraction coupled with ultra high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection and quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

A simple and effective sample preparation process based on miniaturized matrix solid-phase dispersion was developed for simultaneous determination of phenolic acids (gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid, 3,5-dicaffeoylqunic acid, 1,5-dicaffeoylqunic acid, rosmarinic acid, lithospermic acid, and salvianolic acid B), flavonoids (kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, calycosin, and formononetin), lactones (ligustilide and butyllidephthalide), monoterpenoids (paeoniflorin), phenanthraquinones (cryptotanshinone), and furans (5-hydroxymethylfurfural) in Naoxintong capsule by ultra high-performance liquid chromatography. The optimized condition was that 25 mg Naoxintong powder was blended homogeneously with 100 mg Florisil PR for 4 min. One milliliter of methanol/water (75:25, v/v) acidified by 0.05% formic acid was selected to elute all components. It was found that the recoveries of the six types of components ranged from 61.36 to 96.94%. The proposed miniaturized matrix solid-phase dispersion coupled with ultra high-performance liquid chromatography was successfully applied to simultaneous determination of the six types of components in Naoxintong capsules. The results demonstrated that the proposed miniaturized matrix solid-phase dispersion coupled with ultra high-performance liquid chromatography could be used as an environmentally friendly tool for the extraction and determination of multiple bioactive components in natural products.

Effect of Atractylodes macrocephala rhizoma on isoproterenol­induced ventricular remodeling in rats.

Myocardial infarction (MI) is the primary cause of ventricular remodeling (VR). The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of Atractylodis macrocephalae rhizoma (AMR) on VR induced by isoproterenol (ISO) in rats. Male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into the normal control, ISO­induced and AMR groups. Rats in the ISO­induced and AMR groups were subcutaneously injected with 85 mg/kg/day ISO for two consecutive days. Compared with the ISO­induced group, AMR normalized the levels of hemodynamic parameters, markedly attenuated myocardial pathological damage, decreased the level of N­terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide, and inhibited cardiac hypertrophy and myocardial fibrosis. In addition, AMR inhibited oxidative stress and activation of the rennin­angiotensin­aldosterone system (RAAS) when compared with the ISO­induced group. The results of the present study suggest that AMR may reverse VR via its antioxidative effect and inhibition of RAAS activation.

Functionalized hydrothermal carbon derived from waste pomelo peel as solid-phase extractant for the removal of uranyl from aqueous solution.

To develop a high-performance solid-phase extractant for the separation of uranyl f, pomelo peel, a kind of waste biomass, has been employed as carbon source to prepare carbonaceous matrix through low-temperature hydrothermal carbonization (200 °C, 24 h). After being oxidized by Hummers method, the prepared hydrothermal carbon matrix was functionalized with carboxyl and phenolic hydroxyl groups (1.75 mmol g-1). The relevant characterizations and batch studies had demonstrated that the obtained carbon material possessed excellent affinity toward uranyl (436.4 mg g-1) and the sorption process was a spontaneous, endothermic and rapid chemisorption. The selective sorption of U(VI) from the simulated nuclear effluent demonstrated that the sorbent displayed a desirable selectivity (56.14% at pH = 4.5) for the U(VI) ions over the other 11 competitive cations from the simulated industrial nuclear effluent. The proposed synthetic strategy in the present work had turned out to be effective and practical, which provides a novel approach to prepare functional materials for the recovery and separation of uranyl or other heavy metals from aqueous environment.

An activity-integrated strategy of the identification, screening and determination of potential neuraminidase inhibitors from Radix Scutellariae.

Small molecules isolated from herbal medicines (HMs) were identified as the potential neuraminidase inhibitors which are effective in influenza prevention and treatment. Unfortunately, current available screen methods of small molecules isolated from HMs are inefficient and insensitive. Here a novel Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with diode-array detectors and auto-fraction collector / time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-DAD-FC/Q-TOF-MS) screening method with high efficiency was developed and validated to separate, collect, enrich, identify and quantify potential neuraminidase inhibitors from Radix Scutellariae. The results showed that 26 components with neuraminidase inhibitory activity were identified from Radix Scutellariae extracts. It was also found that the influence of origins on the quality of RS was more than that of cultivated time on the basis of the concentration of the effective components. These results brought novel insights into quality evaluation of Radix Scutellariae. It was demonstrated that new activity-integrated strategy was a suitable technique for the identification, screening and determination of potential neuraminidase inhibitors in herbal medicine and will provide novel potential strategies in other drug screening from herbal medicine.

Chinese herbal medicine adjunct therapy in patients with acute relapse of multiple sclerosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Many patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) resort to complementary and alternative medicine, which is used in 33%-80% of MS patients in the developed country. The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) as an adjunct therapy of patients with acute relapse of MS. METHODS: Six databases were searched for randomized-controlled trial of CHM for acute relapse of MS. The risk of bias was assessed by using the twelve criteria recommended by the Cochrane Back Review Group. The primary outcome measures of interest are the Expanded Disability Status Score, annual relapse frequency, annual relapse rate, and annual relapse interval. The secondary outcome measures are the clinical efficacy rate and adverse events. The selection criteria of high-frequency herbs for MS are those with cumulative frequency over 50%. We analyzed the data using Review Manager (version 5.3). RESULTS: A total of 1100 participants were included in the 20 studies from 2004 to 2015. The number of risk of bias which met the criteria varied from 5/12 to 7/12. The top 5 most frequently used herbs are ordinally Radix Angelicae Sinensis, Radix Glycyrrhizae, Radix Paeoniae Rubra, Radix Rehmanniae Preparata, and Bombyx Batryticatus. The meta-analysis showed a significant effect of CHM for improving Expanded Disability Status Score (P<0.01), annual relapse frequency (P<0.01) and the total clinical efficacy rate (P<0.01) compared with western conventional treatment. In analysis of annual relapse rate and annual relapse interval, there was a significant difference between CHMs and western conventional treatment (P<0.01). Adverse effects were monitored in 6 studies, and were well tolerated in all MS patients. CONCLUSIONS: The available evidence from present study supported but limited to recommend the routine use of CHM adjuvant therapy for MS because of the poor methodological quality and clinical heterogeneity. However, we identified an area that is worthy of further study. Furthermore, we selected high frequent use of CHMs as a promising candidate for further clinical application and MS trials. Further rigorous randomized-controlled trials are needed.

Efficacy and safety of suanzaoren decoction for chronic insomnia disorder in adults: study protocol for randomised, double-blind, double-dummy, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Insomnia disorder is defined as a combination of dissatisfaction with sleep quantity or quality and a significant negative impact on daytime functioning. Chronic insomnia disorder refers to clinical symptoms of persistent insomnia at least three nights a week for at least 3 months. Prevalence estimates of insomnia disorder range from 12% to 20% in the adult population, with approximately 50% having a chronic course. The potential side effects of hypnotic medications hinder their clinical application. Thus, traditional Chinese medicine is considered as an alternative option for treating insomnia. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of suanzaoren decoction (SZRD), a classic Chinese herbal prescription, for adult chronic insomnia disorder. METHODS/ANALYSIS: This is a randomised, double-blind, double-dummy, placebo-controlled clinical trial. A total of 150 patients with chronic insomnia disorder are randomised, allocated in a ratio of 1:1:1 to three groups: intervention group, control group and placebo group. The intervention group receives SZRD granule plus zolpidem tartrate (ZT) placebo; the control group receives ZT tablet plus SZRD granule placebo; and the placebo group receives ZT placebo and SZRD granule placebo. The patients receive medicine or placebo for 5 weeks and are followed up at 20 weeks. The primary outcome measures are polysomnography and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Secondary outcome measures are the Insomnia Severity Index, sleep diary and safety assessment. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline and after treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ChiCTR-IOR-16009198. pre-results.

Astragaloside IV for Experimental Focal Cerebral Ischemia: Preclinical Evidence and Possible Mechanisms.

Astragaloside IV (AST-IV) is a principal component of Radix Astragali seu Hedysari (Huangqi) and exerts potential neuroprotection in experimental ischemic stroke. Here, we systematically assessed the effectiveness and possible mechanisms of AST-IV for experimental acute ischemic stroke. An electronic search in eight databases was conducted from inception to March 2016. The study quality score was evaluated using the CAMARADES. Rev Man 5.0 software was used for data analyses. Thirteen studies with 244 animals were identified. The study quality score of included studies ranged from 3/10 to 8/10. Eleven studies showed significant effects of AST-IV for ameliorating the neurological function score (P < 0.05); seven studies for reducing the infarct volume (P < 0.05); and three or two studies for reducing the brain water content and Evans blue leakage (P < 0.05), respectively, compared with the control. The mechanisms of AST-IV for ischemic stroke are multiple such as antioxidative/nitration stress reaction, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptosis. In conclusion, the findings of present study indicated that AST-IV could improve neurological deficits and infarct volume and reduce the blood-brain barrier permeability in experimental cerebral ischemia despite some methodological flaws. Thus, AST-IV exerted a possible neuroprotective effect during the cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury largely through its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptosis properties.