Synergistic anti-inflammatory effect of Radix Platycodon in combination with herbs for cleaning-heat and detoxification and its mechanism / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the synergistic anti-inflammatory effect of Radix Platycodon in combination with herbs for cleaning-heat and detoxification and its mechanism for Fel-targeting.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups (8 per group): the sham-operated group, model group, Radix Platycodon group, Flos Lonicera and Fructus Forsythia (LF) group, and Radix Platycodon, Flos Lonicera and Fructus Forsythia combination (PLF) group, using a random number table. A rat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) model was established by passive smoking and intratracheal instillation of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The treatments started from the 15th day of passive smoking for a total duration of 14 days. At the end of the treatment, changes in the following measurements were determined: lung histopathology, inflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) and interleukin IL-1β (IL-1β) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and mRNA expression of endogenous active substance intestinal trefoil factor 3 (TFF3) in the lung tissue.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Light microscopy showed that compared with the sham-operated group, rats in the COPD model group had disrupted alveolar structure, collapsed local alveoli, significantly widened or even fused alveolar septa, and massive infiltration of inflammatory cells in the alveolar wall and interstitium. In addition, significant bronchial epithelium hyperplasia, partially shed epithelia, and marked inflammatory cell infiltration in the bronchial wall and its surrounding tissues were noticed. Electron microscopy showed that rats in the model group had degeneration of alveolar type II epithelial cell; reduction, breakage or even loss of cell surface microvilli; swollen mitochondria with disappearing cristae and vacuole-like structure; and, increased secondary lysosomes in alveolar macrophages. The TNF-α, TGF-β and IL-1β levels and white blood cell (WBC) count in BALF were significantly increased (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05) and TFF3 mRNA expression in the lung tissue was significantly reduced (P < 0.01). After treatment, the pathological morphology of lung injury was less severe in all three treatment groups. In addition, TGF-β and IL-1β and WBC count in BALF were decreased (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05), and TFF3 mRNA expression in the lung tissue was significantly increased in the PLF group (P < 0.01). Compared with the LF group, the IL-1β in BALF was significantly decreased P < 0.05), and TFF3 mRNA expression was significantly increased (P < 0.05) in the PLF group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Radix Platycodon synergizes with herbs for cleaning-heat and detoxification in reducing inflammatory injury in a rat model of COPD. The synergistic anti-inflammatory effect is reflected in the improvement in pathological changes and in the reduction of IL-1β levels in BALF. The mechanism of such synergistic action may be related to its effect on maintaining the TFF3 mRNA expression and Fel-targeting function.</p>

Effect of Danxiongfang and its components on experimental liver injury models induced by CCl4 in mice / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>The study investigates the protective effect on liver of Danxionfang and its components.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Mice are injected with CCl4 to establish liver injured model. ALT, AST, serum albumin, globulin in serum and SOD, MDA in liver and liver histological changes were measured to confirm the ability of protecting liver of Danxiongfang.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The results show Danxiongfang can inhibit obviously the abnormal increase of ALT, AST in serum and MDA in liver, enhance SOD activity in liver, total protein, albumin, globulin in serum, and decrease liver pathological changes, which suggests Danxiongfang can protect injured liver induced by CCl4.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Danxiongfang showed powerful protective effect against liver damage induced by CCl4.</p>

Effects of theanine and houpu extract in 7-day chick social separation-stress procedure / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To examine the abilities of theanine and houpu extracts (HE) to reverse behavioral indexes (separation vocalization, stress-induced analgesia and activity).</p><p><b>METHOD</b>7-day-old chicks received IP injection of theanine and HE 30 min before being tested in the presence of three social companions or in isolation for 3-min observation period. Dependent measures were: a) Chicks were placed into an infrared ray device to calculate their spontaneous activities by a computer program b) record the separation vocalizations for every chick. c) In the experiment of stress-induced analgesia, 50 uL of formalin (0.1%) was injected into the plantar of the animal foot to index stress-induced analgesia (i. e. foot-lift frequency, foot-lift duration and peck frequency).</p><p><b>RESULT</b>In the experiments, isolated chicks exhibited more vocalizations (P < 0.01) and fewer pain-related behaviors than non-isolated chicks (P < 0.01). Theanine (12.5, 25, 50 mg x kg(-1)) and HE (25 mg x kg(-1)) decrease separately the tendency (dB) of the principal frequency (P < 0.05, P < 0.01); The stress induced analgesia can be reversed by theanine in 25, 50 mg x kg(-1). Both of the materials do not affect the spontaneous activities in this chick model without causing sedation.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>These results suggest that theanine and HE in the dosages may be useful in modulating anxiety states. They are seems no synergism in the chick model.</p>

Effect of banxia xiexin decoction and its components on coefficient of variability of slow wave electrogastric rhythm in rats with electrogastric dysrhythmia / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effect of Banxia Xiexin Decoction (BD) and its components in the rats with electrogastric dysrhythmia, explore the mechanism of BD' s "relieving distension and fullness, and dissolving lumps" and study BD' s compatibility regularity.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Rat model of electrogastric dysrhythmia was established, the effects of BD and its components on the coefficient of variability of the model' s slow wave electrogastric rhythm were determined.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the model group, BD and all the components groups had better effects on all the aspects (P <0. 05 ), Among which the group containing herbs with pungent and bitter flavour (Rhizoma Pinelliae, Rhizoma Zingiberis, Radix Scutellariae, Radix Berberidis julianae) was the best.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>BD and all the components have the effects of rectifying electrogastric dysrhythmias in various degrees, and the herbs with pungent and bitter flavour are best. This study provides the experimental foundations for further understanding the mechanism of BD' s treating principle-using bitter drugs for purgation and pungent drugs for dispersion, normalizing the functional activities of qi.</p>

Effects of extract from Cornus officinalis on nitric oxide and NF-kappaB in cortex of cerebral infarction rat model / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the change of nitric oxide (NO) and expression of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) in the cortex of cerebral infarction rat induced by photochemical reaction, and study the effect of extract from Cornus officinalis (whose main ingredient is iridoid glycoside) in the course of disease.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>After rats were fed with experimental drugs for 7 days, the model of cerebral infarction was induced. Spectrophotography and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the change of the content of NO, NOS and the expression of NF-kappaB in the cortex.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Compared with control group, distinct infarction was visible in the model group, and the content of NO, the activity of NOS and the positive cell number of NF-kappaB were increased obviously. Compared with model group, the extract of C. officeinalis decreased the area of infarction, the content of NO, the activity of NOS and the positive cell number of NF-kappaB.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The iridoid glycoside of C. officinalis may have therapeutical effect on cerebral infarction through regulating the content of NO and NF-kappaB.</p>