Neuroprotective Effect of Fructus broussonetiae on APP/PS1 Mice via Upregulation of AKT/β-Catenin Signaling / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the mechanisms underlying the protective effect of Chinese herbal medicine Fructus broussonetiae (FB) in both mouse and cell models of Alzheimer's disease (AD).@*METHODS@#APP/PS1 mice treated with FB for 2 months and vehicle-treated controls were run through the Morris water maze and object recognition test to evaluate learning and memory capacity. RNA-Seq, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence staining were also conducted to evaluate the effects of FB treatment on various signaling pathways altered in APP/PS1 mice. To further explore the mechanisms underlying FB's protective effect, PC-12 cells were treated with Aβ@*RESULTS@#FB-treated mice showed improved learning and memory capacity on both the Morris water maze and object recognition tests. RNA-seq of hippocampal tissue from APP/PS1 mice showed that FB had effects on multiple signaling pathways, specifically decreasing cell apoptotic signaling and increasing AKT and β-catenin signaling. Similarly, FB up-regulated both AKT and β-catenin signaling in PC-12 cells pre-treated with Aβ@*CONCLUSIONS@#FB exerted neuroprotective effects on hippocampal cells of APP/PS1 mice, as well as improved cell viability in an in vitro model of AD. The protective actions of FB occurred via the upregulation of AKT/β-catenin signaling.

Studies on plantlet regeneration from the mature leaves of Dioscorea zingiberensis / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To establish a protocol of rapid clonal propagation of Dioscorea zingiberensis using mature leaves as explants.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Out the optimal hormone combinations for callus induction, adventitious bud initiation, adventitious bud multiplication and rooting were found out by using MS medium with the macroelements at half strength as basal medium and studying the effects of BA, NAA and IBA on the processes.</p><p><b>RESULT AND CONCLUSION</b>More than 80% of leaf explants formed callus when they were cultured on the media containing 1.0 - 5.0 mg x L(-1) BA and 1.0 - 2.0 mg x L(-1) NAA for 60 days; more than 60% of calli initiated adventitious buds within 50 days after they were transferred to the media containing 2.0 - 5.0 mg x L(-1) BA and 0.2 - 0.5 mg L(-1) NAA; all the adventitious buds rooted well after they were planted on the medium with 2.0 mg x L(-1) IBA for 20 days; the regenerated plantlets grew vigorously after they were transplanted and the survival rate was up to 80%.</p>