Health Benefits, Food Applications, and Sustainability of Microalgae-Derived N-3 PUFA.

Today's consumers are increasingly aware of the beneficial effects of n-3 PUFA in preventing, delaying, and intervening various diseases, such as coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes, inflammatory and autoimmune disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, depression, and many other ailments. The role of n-3 PUFA on aging and cognitive function is also one of the hot topics in basic research, product development, and clinical applications. For decades, n-3 PUFA, especially EPA and DHA, have been supplied by fish oil and seafood. With the continuous increase of global population, awareness about the health benefits of n-3 PUFA, and socioeconomic improvement worldwide, the supply chain is facing increasing challenges of insufficient production. In this regard, microalgae have been well considered as promising sources of n-3 PUFA oil to mitigate the supply shortages. The use of microalgae to produce n-3 PUFA-rich oils has been explored for over two decades and some species have already been used commercially to produce n-3 PUFA, in particular EPA- and/or DHA-rich oils. In addition to n-3 PUFA, microalgae biomass contains many other high value biomolecules, which can be used in food, dietary supplement, pharmaceutical ingredient, and feedstock. The present review covers the health benefits of n-3 PUFA, EPA, and DHA, with particular attention given to the various approaches attempted in the nutritional interventions using EPA and DHA alone or combined with other nutrients and bioactive compounds towards improved health conditions in people with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. It also covers the applications of microalgae n-3 PUFA in food and dietary supplement sectors and the economic and environmental sustainability of using microalgae as a platform for n-3 PUFA-rich oil production.

[Prediction of formability of flavonoid extract granules by dry granulation based on design space and RBFNN].

In this paper, a flavonoid extract powder properties-process parameters-granule forming rate prediction model was constructed based on design space and radial basis function neural network(RBFNN) to predict the formability of flavonoid extract gra-nules. Box-Behnken experimental design was employed to explore the mathematical relationships between critical process parameters and quality attributes. The design space of critical process parameters was developed, and the accuracy of the design space was verified by Monte Carlo method(MC). Design Expert 10 was used for Box-Behnken design and mixture design. Scutellariae Radix mixed powder was prepared and its powder properties were measured. The mixed powder was then subjected to dry granulation and the granule forming rate was determined. The correlations between powder properties were analyzed by variance influence factor(VIF), and principal component analysis(PCA) was performed for the factors with strong collinearity. In this way, a prediction model of powder properties-process parameters-granule forming rate was established based on RBFNN, the accuracy of which was evaluated with examples. The results showed that the model had a good predictive effect on the granule forming rate, with the average relative error of 1.04%. The predicted value and the measured value had a high degree of fitting, which indicated that model presented a good prediction ability. The prediction model established in this study can provide reference for the establishment of quality control methods for Chinese medicinal preparations with similar physical properties.

Identifying key drivers of harmful algal blooms in a tributary of the Three Gorges Reservoir between different seasons: Causality based on data-driven methods.

Intense harmful algal blooms (HABs) can occur in the backwaters of tributaries supplying large-scale reservoirs. Due to the characteristics of process-based models and difficulties in modelling complex nonlinear processes, traditional models have difficulties disentangling the driving factors of HABs. In this study, we used data-driven methods (i.e., correlation analysis and machine-learning models) to identify the most important drivers of HABs in the Xiangxi River, a tributary of the Three Gorges Reservoir, China (2017-2018), for the dry season (from October to mid-April) and wet season (from April to September). We utilized the maximal information coefficient (MIC) combined with a time lag strategy and prior knowledge to quantitatively identify the driving variables of HABs. An extra trees regression (ETR) model was developed to assess the relative importance of causal variables driving algal blooms for the different periods. The results showed that water temperature was the most important driver for the duration of the study, followed by total nitrogen. Nitrogen had a stronger effect on algal blooms than phosphorus during both the wet and dry seasons. HABs were mainly affected by ammonia nitrogen in the wet season and by other forms of nitrogen in the dry season. In contrast, rather than the water temperature and nutrients, the operation of the Three Gorges Dam (difference between inflow and outflow discharge rate) was the most significant factor for algal blooms during the dry season, but its influence sharply declined during the wet season. This study showed that the key drivers of HABs can differ between seasons and suggests that HAB management should take seasonality into account.

The exposome in practice: an exploratory panel study of biomarkers of air pollutant exposure in Chinese people aged 60-69 years (China BAPE Study).

The exposome overhauls conventional environmental health impact research paradigms and provides a novel methodological framework that comprehensively addresses the complex, highly dynamic interplays of exogenous exposures, endogenous exposures, and modifiable factors in humans. Holistic assessments of the adverse health effects and systematic elucidation of the mechanisms underlying environmental exposures are major scientific challenges with widespread societal implications. However, to date, few studies have comprehensively and simultaneously measured airborne pollutant exposures and explored the associated biomarkers in susceptible healthy elderly subjects, potentially resulting in the suboptimal assessment and management of health risks. To demonstrate the exposome paradigm, we describe the rationale and design of a comprehensive biomarker and biomonitoring panel study to systematically explore the association between individual airborne exposure and adverse health outcomes. We used a combination of personal monitoring for airborne pollutants, extensive human biomonitoring, advanced omics analysis, confounding information, and statistical methods. We established an exploratory panel study of Biomarkers of Air Pollutant Exposure in Chinese people aged 60-69 years (China BAPE), which included 76 healthy residents from a representative community in Jinan City, Shandong Province. During the period between September 2018 and January 2019, we conducted prospective longitudinal monitoring with a 3-day assessment every month. This project: (1) leveraged advanced tools for personal airborne exposure monitoring (external exposures); (2) comprehensively characterized biological samples for exogenous and endogenous compounds (e.g., targeted and untargeted monitoring) and multi-omics scale measurements to explore potential biomarkers and putative toxicity pathways; and (3) systematically evaluated the relationships between personal exposure to air pollutants, and novel biomarkers of exposures and effects using exposome-wide association study approaches. These findings will contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the adverse health impacts of air pollution exposures and identify potential adverse clinical outcomes that can facilitate the development of effective prevention and targeted intervention techniques.

[Research on Bayesian fault diagnosis model of traditional Chinese medicine dry granulation based on failure model and effect analysis (FMEA)].

This paper aims to construct a Bayesian(BN) fault diagnosis model of traditional Chinese medicine dry granulation based on the failure model and effect analysis(FMEA), effectively control risk factors and ensure the quality of granules.Firstly, the risk ana-lysis of dry granulation process was carried out with FMEA, and the selected medium and high risk factors were taken as node variables to establish corresponding BN network with causality.According to the mathematical reasoning method of probability theory, the model was accurately inferred and verified by Netica, and the granule nonconformance was used as the evidence for reversed reasoning to determine the most likely cause of the failure that affected the granule quality.The BN fault diagnosis model of traditional Chinese medicine dry gra-nulation was established based on the medium and high risk factors of process, prescription and equipment screened out by FMEA, such as roller pressure, raw material viscosity, clearance between rollers in the paper.The fault diagnosis of traditional Chinese medicine dry granulation process was then carried out according to the model, and the posterior probability of each node under the premise of nonconforming granule quality was obtained.This method could provide strong support for operators to quickly eliminate faults and make decisions, so as to improve the efficiency and accuracy for fault diagnosis and prediction, with innovation in its application.

[Material properties and tensile strength prediction model of traditional Chinese medicine tablets based on PCA-RBF neural network].

This paper constructs a prediction model of material attribute-tensile strength based on principal component analysis-radial basis neural network( PCA-RBF),in order to predict the formability of traditional Chinese medicine tablets. Firstly,design Expert8. 0 software was used to design the dosage of different types of extracts,the mixture of traditional Chinese medicine with different physical properties was obtained,the powder properties of each extract and the tensile strength of tablets were determined,the correlation of the original input layer data was eliminated by PCA,the new variables unrelated to each other were trained as the input data of RBF neural network,and the tensile strength of the tablets was predicted. The experimental results showed that the PCA-RBF model had a good predictive effect on the tensile strength of the tablet,the minimum relative error was 0. 25%,the maximum relative error was2. 21%,and the average error was 1. 35%,which had a high fitting degree and better network prediction accuracy. This study initially constructed a prediction model of material properties-tensile strength of Chinese herbal tablets based on PCA-RBF,which provided a reference for the establishment of effective quality control methods for traditional Chinese medicine preparations.

Circadian rhythm of cardiac electrophysiology, arrhythmogenesis, and the underlying mechanisms.

Cardiac arrhythmias are a leading cause of cardiovascular death. It has long been accepted that life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias (ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, and sudden cardiac death) are more likely to occur in the morning after waking. It is perhaps less well recognized that there is a circadian rhythm in cardiac pacemaking and other electrophysiological properties of the heart. In addition, there is a circadian rhythm in other arrhythmias, for example, bradyarrhythmias and supraventricular arrhythmias. Two mechanisms may underlie this finding: (1) a central circadian clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus in the hypothalamus may directly affect the electrophysiology of the heart and arrhythmogenesis via various neurohumoral factors, particularly the autonomic nervous system; or (2) a local circadian clock in the heart itself (albeit under the control of the central clock) may drive a circadian rhythm in the expression of ion channels in the heart, which in turn varies arrhythmic substrate. This review summarizes the current understanding of the circadian rhythm in cardiac electrophysiology, arrhythmogenesis, and the underlying molecular mechanisms.

A polysaccharide extract of mulberry leaf ameliorates hepatic glucose metabolism and insulin signaling in rats with type 2 diabetes induced by high fat-diet and streptozotocin.

Mulberry leaf is a traditional medicine used to treat diabetes in the clinic. The aim of this study was to determine the mechanisms by which mulberry leaf polysaccharide (MLPII), improves hepatic glucose metabolism and insulin resistance in rats with type 2 diabetes induced by high fat and streptozotocin (STZ). MLPII was administered for 6 weeks after establishment of type 2 diabetes in Wistar rats. At the end of the experiment, oral glucose tolerance, liver glycogen content, glucose synthase (GS) activity and insulin resistance were determined. Expression patterns of proteins and genes associated with insulin signaling as well as biomarkers of oxidative stress and antioxidant enzyme activities were assayed. Compared with normal control rats, MLPII treatment significantly improved oral glucose tolerance (P < 0.01) and restored the glycogen level (P < 0.01) and GS activity (P < 0.05) in diabetic rats. Insulin resistance was improved in MLPII-treated diabetic rats (P < 0.01). Furthermore, expression levels of insulin receptor substrate 2 (IRS2), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and protein kinase B (PKB/AKT) involved in insulin signaling were significantly increased (P < 0.01), while protein­tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) expression was markedly reduced (P < 0.01). The levels of 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in livers of the MLPII-treated group were significantly reduced (P < 0.01), while activities of the antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), were significantly increased (P < 0.01, P < 0.01, P < 0.01, respectively). The results clearly indicate that MLPII treatment effectively normalizes hepatic glucose metabolism and insulin signaling by inhibiting the expression of PTP1B, activating the PI3K­AKT pathway and mitigating oxidative stress in the livers of rats with type 2 diabetes induced by high fat and STZ.

Purification, characterization and anti-diabetic activity of a polysaccharide from mulberry leaf.

In the present study, a high-purity polysaccharide from mulberry leaf (MLP) was purified and characterized, and its anti-diabetic effects were investigated in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Our results showed that the obtained MLP (purity 99.8%) was determined to be composed of d-arabinose, d-xylose, d-glucose, d-rhamnose and d-mannose with molar ratio of 1:2.13:6.53:1.04:8.73. Oral administration of MLP at 50-200mg/kgbodyweight daily for 5weeks significantly reduced the levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG), glycosylated serum protein (GSP), serum total cholesterol (TC), and serum triglyceride (TG), and increased the body weight, fasting insulin (FINS), C-peptide (C-P), liver glycogen, liver glucokinase, and serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Moreover, MLP promoted marked pancreatic ß-cell regeneration and insulin secretion, and reduced liver fat accumulation in diabetic rats. The treatment effect of MLP on diabetes was similar to the effect of antidiabetic drug glibenclamide. These results clearly indicated that MLP may have a potential for the treatment of hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia in diabetes.

Liuwei Dihuang, a traditional Chinese herbal formula, suppresses chronic inflammation and oxidative stress in obese rats.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative stress, and adipokine-ameliorating effects of Liuwei Dihuang (LWDH), a traditional Chinese herbal formula, in obese rats. METHODS: After 2 weeks of acclimation with free access to regular rodent chow and water, obese-prone-caesarean-derived (OP-CD) rats were fed a modified AIN-93G diet containing 60% energy from fat. Treatment was performed twice daily by gavage feeding with 500, 1 500, or 3 500 mg/kg body weight LWDH suspended in water (n=12 rats per group). Twelve obese-resistant-CD (OR-CD) rats were fed the atherogenic diet and gavaged with water, and served as the normal control. Blood biomarkers of inflammation, oxidative stress and adiponectin were measured post-sacrifice and used to determine the treatment effect of LWDH and assess the suitability of OR/OP-CD rats for studying these parameters. RESULTS: After 9 weeks of treatment, LWDH lowered serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels. Serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels showed a tendency towards reduction, but were not significantly different from the OP-CD control. Liver superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was increased in response to all three doses of LWDH, while the levels of reduced (GSH) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were unchanged. Serum adiponectin levels were increased in response to oral administration of LWDH at the dose of either 500 or 1 500 mg/kg body weight. In addition, comparisons between OR-CD and OP-CD rats revealed differential, and for some biomarkers, conflicting characteristics of high-fat diet-fed OP-CD rats in reference to obese human subjects in terms of inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers and circulating adiponectin levels. CONCLUSION: The results show, for the first time, the anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative stress and adiponectin-ameliorating effects of LWDH in obese rats. The suitability of the OR/OP-CD rat model as a research tool to study inflammation, oxidative stress, and adipokine production requires further investigation.

Apple flavonols and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid-rich fish oil lowers blood C-reactive protein in rats with hypercholesterolemia and acute inflammation.

Both quercetin glycosides and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) are well established for their individual health benefits in ameliorating metabolic disease. However, their combined effects are not well documented. It was hypothesized that the beneficial properties of quercetin glycosides can be enhanced when provided in combination with n-3 PUFA. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of apple flavonols (AF) and fish oil (FO), alone and in combination, on proinflammatory biomarkers and lipid profiles in rats fed a high-fat diet. Sixty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 5 groups (n = 12) and fed a high-fat diet for 4 weeks. One of the 5 groups of rats was used as the high-fat control. The other 4 groups of rats were injected with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (5 mg/kg body weight) intraperitoneally, 5 hours before euthanization. One of these 4 groups was used as the hypercholerolemic and inflammatory control (high-fat with lipopolysaccharide [HFL]), and the other 3 received AF (HFL + 25 mg/kg per day AF), FO (HFL + 1 g/kg per day FO), or the combination (HFL + AF + FO). Compared to the HFL group, the AF, FO, and AF + FO groups showed lower serum concentrations of interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. The AF, FO, and AF + FO also had lowered serum triacylglycerol and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations, but higher HDL-C levels relative to the HFL group. An additive effect was observed on serum CRP in the AF + FO group as compared with the AF or FO groups. The results demonstrated that AF and FO inhibited the production of proinflammatory mediators and showed an improved efficacy to lower serum CRP when administered in combination, and they significantly improved blood lipid profiles in rats with diet-induced hyperlipidemia and LPS-induced acute inflammation.

Berberine decreases cholesterol levels in rats through multiple mechanisms, including inhibition of cholesterol absorption.

OBJECTIVE: The objective was to determine the mechanisms of action of berberine (BBR) on cholesterol homeostasis using in vivo and in vitro models. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed the AIN-93G diet (normal control) or modified AIN-93G diet containing 28% fat, 2% cholesterol and 0.5% cholic acid with treatment of 0 (atherogenic control), 50, 100, and 150 mg/kg·d of BBR, respectively by gavaging in water for 8 weeks. Cholesterol absorption rate was measured with the dual stable isotope ratio method, and plasma lipids were determined using the enzymatic methods. Gene and protein expressions of Acyl-coenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransferase-2 were analyzed in vivo and in vitro. Cholesterol micellarization, uptake and permeability were determined in vitro. RESULTS: Rats on the atherogenic diet showed significantly hypercholesterolemic characteristics compared to normal control rats. Treatment with BBR in rats on the atherogenic diet reduced plasma total cholesterol and nonHDL cholesterol levels by 29%-33% and 31%-41%, respectively, with no significant differences being observed among the three doses. The fractional dietary cholesterol absorption rate was decreased by 40%-51%. Rats fed the atherogenic diet showed lower plasma triacylglycerol levels, and no changes were observed after the BBR treatment. BBR interfered with cholesterol micellarization, decreased cholesterol uptake by Caco-2 cells and permeability through Caco-2 monolayer. BBR also inhibited the gene and protein expressions of acyl-coenzyme A cholesterol acyltransferease-2 in the small intestine and Caco-2 cells. CONCLUSION: BBR lowered blood cholesterol levels at least in part through inhibiting the intestinal absorption and further by interfering with intraluminal cholesterol micellarization and decreasing enterocyte cholesterol uptake and secretion.

Ethanol extract of Liuwei Dihuang reduces weight gain and visceral fat in obese-prone CD rats fed a high-fat diet.

The current study investigated the effect and mechanisms of action of Liuwei Dihuang ethanol extract (LWDH-EE) on obesity and related metabolic phenotypes in male obese-prone CD rats. The rats were fed a high-fat diet and treated with 0 (obese control), 350 (EE350), or 700 (EE700) mg/kg/d of LWDH-EE in water once a day by gavage feeding for 10 weeks. The EE700 decreased body weight after 3 weeks of the treatment and the effect was maintained throughout the remaining study period. The EE700 also significantly reduced visceral fat and improved metabolic phenotypes by lowering the serum total cholesterol (T-C), non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triacylglycerol, free fatty acids (FFA), and leptin levels. The EE350 reduced epididymal fat, serum T-C, and FFA but did not significantly affect other parameters. LWDH-EE dose-dependently increased fat and carbohydrate oxidations, energy expenditure, and the relative efficiency of fat oxidation for energy expenditure. EE350 and EE700 reduced food intake only in week 5 and did not affect the accumulative food intake in every week and the entire treatment period. Taken together, the results suggest that LWDH-EE is a potential therapeutic agent for the prevention of obesity possibly through a primary action of increasing energy metabolism and expenditure, along with a possible effect of decreasing energy intake.

Calcium supplementation increases circulating cholesterol by reducing its catabolism via GPER and TRPC1-dependent pathway in estrogen deficient women.

BACKGROUND: Limited studies have addressed the effects of calcium supplementation (CaS) on serum total cholesterol (TC) in postmenopausal women and the results are inconclusive. Moreover, the potential mechanisms through which CaS regulates cholesterol metabolism in the absence of estrogen are still sealed for the limitation of human being study. METHODS: Cross-sectional survey, animal and in vitro experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of CaS on endogenous cholesterol metabolism in estrogen deficiency and identify its potential mechanisms. Ovariectomized rats were used to mimic estrogen deficiency. In vitro, HepG2 cell line was exposed to estradiol and/or calcium treatment. RESULTS: We demonstrated that CaS significantly increased serum TC and the risk of hypercholesterolemia and myocardial infarction in postmenopausal women. Increased serum TC in estrogen deficiency was caused mainly by decreased cholesterol catabolism rather than increased synthesis. This was mediated by reduced 7α-hydroxylase resulting from increased liver intracellular Ca(2+) concentrations, reduced intracellular basal cAMP and subsequent up-regulation of SREBP-1c and SHP expression. Estrogen had a protective role in preventing CaS-induced TC increase by activating the G-protein coupled estrogen receptor, which mediated the estrogen effect through the transient receptor potential canonical 1 cation channel. CONCLUSIONS: CaS increases endogenous serum TC via decreasing hepatic cholesterol catabolism in estrogen deficiency. G-protein coupled estrogen receptor is shown to be a key target in mediating CaS-induced TC increase. CaS should be monitored for the prevention of serum TC increase during menopause.

Liuwei Dihuang (LWDH), a traditional Chinese medicinal formula, protects against ß-amyloid toxicity in transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans.

Liuwei Dihuang (LWDH), a classic Chinese medicinal formula, has been used to improve or restore declined functions related to aging and geriatric diseases, such as impaired mobility, vision, hearing, cognition and memory. Here, we report on the effect and possible mechanisms of LWDH mediated protection of ß-amyloid (Aß) induced paralysis in Caenorhabditis elegans using ethanol extract (LWDH-EE) and water extract (LWDH-WE). Chemical profiling and quantitative analysis revealed the presence of different levels of bioactive components in these extracts. LWDH-WE was rich in polar components such as monosaccharide dimers and trimers, whereas LWDH-EE was enriched in terms of phenolic compounds such as gallic acid and paeonol. In vitro studies revealed higher DPPH radical scavenging activity for LWDH-EE as compared to that found for LWDH-WE. Neither LWDH-EE nor LWDH-WE were effective in inhibiting aggregation of Aß in vitro. By contrast, LWDH-EE effectively delayed Aß induced paralysis in the transgenic C. elegans (CL4176) model which expresses human Aß1-42. Western blot revealed no treatment induced reduction in Aß accumulation in CL4176 although a significant reduction was observed at an early stage with respect to ß-amyloid deposition in C. elegans strain CL2006 which constitutively expresses human Aß1-42. In addition, LWDH-EE reduced in vivo reactive oxygen species (ROS) in C. elegans (CL4176) that correlated with increased survival of LWDH-EE treated N2 worms under juglone-induced oxidative stress. Analysis with GFP reporter strain TJ375 revealed increased expression of hsp16.2::GFP after thermal stress whereas a minute induction was observed for sod3::GFP. Quantitative gene expression analysis revealed that LWDH-EE repressed the expression of amy1 in CL4176 while up-regulating hsp16.2 induced by elevating temperature. Taken together, these results suggest that LWDH extracts, particularly LWDH-EE, alleviated ß-amyloid induced toxicity, in part, through up-regulation of heat shock protein, antioxidant activity and reduced ROS in C. elegans.

[Screening of pancreatic lipase and alpha-glucosidase inhibitors from Chinese dietary herbs].

The present study was conducted to develop new inhibitors of pancreatic lipase and alpha-glucosidase from Chinese dietary herbs. Sixty-three dietary herbs from 39 taxonomic families were selected and extracted with aqueous ethanol or water. The extracts were then tested with in vitro enzyme assays for their ability to inhibit pancreatic lipase and alpha-glucosidase activities. Orlistat and acarbose were used as two positive controls. The extracts of Nelumbo nucifera, Curcuma longa, Piper longum and Morus alba showed strong pancreatic lipase inhibitory effects with IC50 at (28.00 +/- 5.51), (5.24 +/- 0.51), (14.76 +/- 2.58), (4.78 +/- 0.58), (3.41 +/- 0.67) mg x L(-1), respectively. These extracts also showed potent alpha-glucosidase inhibitory activities with IC50 at (1.98 +/- 0.13), (0. 18 + 0.007), (0.71 +/- 0.08), (0.077 +/- 0.005), (0.089 +/- 0.006) g x L(-1), respectively. The results provide useful information for developing new drugs or natural health products for hyperlipidemia and hypoglycemia from Chinese dietary herbs.

Liuwei dihuang lowers body weight and improves insulin and leptin sensitivity in obese rats.

The present study was aimed at investigating the efficacy and mechanism(s) of action of a Chinese herbal formulation, Liuwei Dihuang (LWDH), as a prospective natural weight-lowering product. Following a 2-week acclimation period, 48 obesity-prone (OP-CD) rats were divided into 4 groups (n = 12 each). One group served as a positive control for obesity (OP), while the other 3 were challenged twice daily by oral gavage with total daily dosages of 500, 1500, or 3500 mg/kg BW LWDH, respectively, for 10 weeks. One group (n = 12) of obesity-resistant (OR-CD) rats served as the normal control group. All rats were fed the same AIN-93G diet modified to contain 60% energy from fat. The highest LWDH dose significantly reduced body weight during the last 4 weeks of treatment. Food intake was reduced beginning in week 2. The high LWDH dose lowered serum triglyceride (TG) and nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) levels and body fat. Both the high and medium doses also lowered serum leptin and insulin levels. Liver function testing revealed no adverse side effects under the current experimental conditions. The results of the present study suggest that LWDH has potential as a preventive or therapeutic natural product against overweight and obesity.

[A systematic review of randomized controlled clinical trials of abdominal acupuncture treatment of cervical spondylosis].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect and methodological quality of clinically randomized controlled studies on abdominal acupuncture therapy for cervical spondylosis and to make out its current situation, validity and applicability. METHODS: Using the PubMed, CNKI (China Academic Journals Full-text Database), VIP (VIP Chinese Science and Technology Periodicals Database) and Wanfang Digital Periodicals Electronic Database covering the period of 1989-2009, we did a literature search on the original articles of abdominal acupuncture treatment of cervical spondylosis and selected those accorded with the standards of randomized controlled studies. Animal studies, surveys, and news articles, and those duplicated, being absent in diagnostic criteria and non-randomized controlled trials were excluded. The papers' quality was analyzed by using the Jadad quality assessment scoring system and the therapeutic effect evaluated by using Review Manage 4.2.7 software. RESULTS: A total of 8 papers containing 909 cervical spondylosis patients and written in Chinese were included. These 8 studies used the effective rate as the primary outcome, 2 of them used the McGill Pain Questionnaire scales at the same time. Meta-analysis showed that the abdominal acupuncture group was better than the control group in visual analogue scale score (P < 0.05). No significant differences were found between abdominal acupuncture and routine acupuncture [OR = 3.29, 95% CI (0.13, 82.99)], EA [OR = 2.09, 95% CI (0.36, 11.95)] and traction therapy [OR = 6.06, 95% CI (3.01, 12.18)] in the total effective rate, pain rating index score [WMD = -2.24, 95% CI (-5.29, 0.81)] and the present pain intensity score [WMD = -0.84, 95% CI (-2.13, 0.44)]. CONCLUSION: At the present, there has been no sufficient evidence to ensure that in the treatment of cervical spondylosis, the abdominal acupuncture therapy is superior to routine acupuncture, EA and traction therapy. Attention should be paid to the randomized controlled study of larger samples and qualified design.

Baicalin prevents the production of hydrogen peroxide and oxidative stress induced by Aß aggregation in SH-SY5Y cells.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common form of neurodegenerative disease. Mounting evidence suggests that metal ions play a key role in the aggregation of amyloid ß peptide (Aß), which acts as a factor or cofactor in the etiopathogenesis of AD. Therefore, inhibition of Aß aggregation emerges as a potential approach for the treatment of AD. We have found that baicalin can interact with copper directly and inhibits Aß1-42 aggregation. In addition, baicalin protects SH-SY5Y cells from oxidative injuries induced by Aß1-42 aggregation through decreasing H(2)O(2) production that is normally formed as a deleterious by-product of beta amyloid aggregation and the formation of plaques. Taken together, these data indicate that baicalin may be a potential agent to inhibit Aß aggregation and thereby delay, mitigate or modify the progression of neurodegenerative diseases such as AD.

Hypoglycemic and insulin-sensitizing effects of berberine in high-fat diet- and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Hypoglycemic effects of berberine (BBR) have been reported in several studies in cell and animal models. However, the mechanisms of action are not fully understood. The present study was therefore aimed at determining the effect and underlying mechanisms of action of BBR on diabetes in a high-fat diet- and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat model. Ninety male Sprague-Dawley rats, 150 to 170 g, were housed individually in cages. Two groups (n = 12 each) were fed the AIN-93G diet (normal control) and the same diet modified to contain 33% fat and 2% cholesterol (high-fat control), respectively. The third group (n = 66) was fed the high-fat diet and injected intraperitoneally 2 weeks later with 35 mg/kg body weight of streptozotocin in citrate buffer (pH 4.5). The rats in both control groups were injected with the vehicle. After 12 days, rats with semifasting (5 hours) blood glucose levels between 14 and 25 mmol/L were divided into 4 groups (n = 12 each) and treated with 0 (diabetic control), 50, 100, and 150 mg/kg/d of BBR for 6 weeks while continuing on the high-fat diet. Hypoglycemic effects of BBR were consistently demonstrated by semifasting and fasting blood glucose levels, and insulin-sensitizing effects were seen during oral glucose tolerance testing. Berberine also reduced food intake while having no effect on body weight in diabetic rats. No effect of BBR was observed on plasma levels of insulin, adipokines (leptin and adiponectin), or inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α and C-reactive protein). Berberine did not affect the state of oxidative stress as assessed by the activity of superoxide dismutase and the concentrations of malondialdehyde and reduced and oxidized glutathione in the liver. These findings demonstrated the hypoglycemic and insulin-sensitizing capabilities of BBR, with the underlying mechanisms awaiting further investigation.