Zhenxin Anshen formula ameliorates atopic der-matitis-like skin dysfunction in mice and regulation of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 and transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 in Neural pathways.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of Zhenxin Anshen formula (, ZXAS) on atopic dermatitis (AD) by transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) and transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) signalling pathway in mice and . METHODS: AD-like lesions were induced by 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (DNCB) to the shaved dorsal skin of BALB/c mice. BALB/c mice were divided into five groups: normal control, model control, cetirizine, low-, medium-, and high-dose of ZXAS. After ZXAS in-tervention, the skin lesions and blood samples were collected for hematoxylin and eosin-stained and measuring the concentrations of inflammatory cytokines. Immun-oglobulin E (IgE), interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-13, and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) were de-tected by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The spinal cords were collected for measuring the expression of gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR), TRPV1, and TRPA1 by using immunohistochemistry, western blotting, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analyses. In addition, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, flow cytometry, ELISA, and Western blotting were conducted for analysis of primary dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons . RESULTS: ZXAS treatment improved DNCB-induced AD-like lesions through reducing dermatitis score, number of scratching and epidermal thickness, accompanied by the de-creased IgE and Th2 inflammatory cytokines. ZXAS also supressed the mRNA and protein expression of GRPR, TRPV1, and TRPA1 in the spinal cord. The medicated sera of ZXAS decreased capsaicin-induced Ca influx and downregulated the expression of TRPV1, TRPA1, and phospholipase C in DRG neurons. CONCLUSIONS: The therapeutic effect of ZXAS on AD may be related to the regulation of TRPV1 and TRPA1 and inhibition of Ca2+ signals in neurons.

The TCM diagnosis and treatment guideline of the wind of four fossae: a Delphi concensus study / 国际中医中药杂志

Objective To evaluate the common traditional Chinese medicine syndrome types, therapies and formulas of the wind of four fossae. This will provide reference for the formulation of the guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of traditional Chinese medicine in the wind of four fossae. Methods Delphi method using questionnaires were developed based on literature about TCM syndromes and treatment of the wind of four fossae. The questionnaire were sent to 25 experts nationwide for 2 rounds. The database of the collected data was established. The mean, full score ratio, rank sum and coefficient of variation were described and by SAS 6.12 statistical software. Results A total of 21 valid questionnaires were recovered in the first round and 23 valid questionnaires in the second round. The active coefficient of the experts was 84% and 92%, respectively. The results showed that syndromes of newborn heat, damp heat retention, spleen deficiency and blood dryness, wind dampness accumulating skin, blood deficiency and wind dryness demonstrated high concensus. The consistency scores' mean of 5 syndromes were 1.67, 1.90, 1.83, 1.71 and 1.90. The sum of degrees of 5 syndromes were 37, 40, 42, 36 and 40. The ratio of full scores of 5 syndromes were 0.81, 0.90, 0.87, 0.71 and 0.90. The coefficient of variations of 5 syndromes were 0.32, 0.16, 0.27, 0.27 and 0.16. The therapy of syndrome of newborn heat was clearing away the heart-fire and inducing diuresis by the sanxin daochi decoction; The therapy of syndrome of damp heat retention was clearing heat and removing dampness by longdan xiegan decoction; The therapy of syndrome of wind dampness accumulating skin was dispelling wind and eliminating dampness by xiaofeng san; The therapy of syndrome of spleen deficiency and blood dryness was enriching blood and moistening dryness by danggui decoction; The therapy of syndrome of blood deficiency and wind dryness was replenishing qi to invigorate the spleen and enriching blood to calm endogenous wind by shenling baizhu power and danggui decoction. Conclusion Questionnaire survey could quantify the opinions of experts, and provide reference for the establishment of guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of traditional Chinese medicine in the wind of four fossae.

Effect of Electro-acupuncture at Scalp-acupoints on Motor Function and Oxidative Stress in Mice with Parkinson's Disease / 广州中医药大学学报

Objective To observe the effect of penetrating electro-acupuncture at scalp-acupoints on the motor function and oxidative stress action of mice with Parkinson's disease (PD).Methods Mouse model of PD was established by 5-day intraperitoneal injection of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP,30 mg/kg),and then PD mice were given electro-acupuncture set at different parameters.The effect of the electroacupuncture on the behavior and expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) of mice were observed to screen out the appropriate treatment parameters.Healthy C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into blank group,model group,positive group (madopar,6.25 mg/kg) and electro-acupuncture group.The mice except for blank group were given intraperitoneal injection of MPTP to induce PD,and then the PD mice of positive group and electroacupuncture group were treated with madopar(6.25 mg/kg) and electro-acupuncture respectively from the 6th day for 7 continuous days.Behavioral test was carried out on the 5~ modeling day and on the Th electro-acupuncture treatment day to evaluate the motor function of the mice.After the mice were killed and their brains were isolated,mitochondrial complex Ⅰ ～Ⅳ activities,reactive oxygen species(ROS) level,malondialdehyde (MDA) content,and total activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the cerebral mitochondria were determined to evaluate the effect of electro-acupuncture at acupoints on anti-oxidative stress of PD mice.Results The motor function of PD mice was improved,the activity of mitochondrial complex Ⅰ was increased,the contents of ROS and MDA in cerebral mitochondria were decreased,and the activity of SOD was increased in the electro-acupuncture group,the differences being significant compared with those of the model group (P ＜ 0.05 or P ＜ 0.01).Conclusion Penetrating electro-acupuncture at scalp-acupoints can increase the anti-oxidative ability of the cerebral mitochondria and improve the motor function of PD mice.

Effects of Wenyang Chubi Decoction on connective tissue growth factor and collagen-I in a mouse model of scleroderma / 中西医结合学报

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of Wenyang Chubi Decoction (WYCBD), a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, on connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and collagen-I (COL-I) in a mouse model of scleroderma. METHODS: Scleroderma was induced in BALB/c mice by daily local injection of bleomycin for three weeks and the mice were randomly divided into untreated, WYCBD-treated and normal saline (NS) treated groups, with another group of BALB/c mice as normal control. WYCBD and NS were given orally for one month respectively. Histopathology in the skin and lungs of the mice were examined. The CTGF and COL-I expressions in the skin or skin lesions were detected by immunohistochemical Elivision assay. RESULTS: The expression levels of CTGF and COL-I in the untreated group were significantly higher than those in the normal control group (P<0.05). Compared with the NS-treated group, the WYCBD-treated group had significant improvement in the skin and lung histopathology and remarkably decreased expression levels of CTGF and COL-I (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Scleroderma mice showed high expressions of CTGF and COL-I in the skin. WYCBD had the effects of decreasing the CTGF and COL-I expressions and improving the skin fibrosis.