Fermented rape pollen powder can alleviate benign prostatic hyperplasia in rats by reducing hormone content and changing gut microbiota.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) can cause urethral compression, bladder stone formation, and renal function damage, which may endanger the life of patients. Therefore, we aimed to develop plant-based preparations for BPH treatment with no side effects. In this study, the Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 322Hp, Lactobacillus acidophilus 322Ha, and Limosilactobacillus reuteri 322Hr were used to ferment rape pollen. The fermented rape pollen was subsequently converted into fermented rape pollen powder (FRPP) through vacuum freeze-drying technology. After fermenting and drying, the bioactive substances and antioxidant capacity of FRPP were significantly higher than those of unfermented rapeseed pollen, and FRPP had a longer storage duration, which can be stored for over one year. To investigate the therapeutic effect of FRPP on BPH, a BPH rat model was established by hypodermic injection of testosterone propionate. The BPH rats were treated differently, with the model group receiving normal saline, the positive control group receiving finasteride, and the low, medium, and high dose FRPP group receiving FRPP at doses of 0.14 g/kg/d, 0.28 g/kg/d, and 0.56 g/kg/d, respectively. The results indicate that medium dose FRPP reduced the levels of hormone such as testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, and oestradiol in rats with BPH by about 32%, thus bringing the prostate tissue of BPH rats closer to normal. More importantly, medium dose FRPP treatment had a significant effect on the composition of gut microbiota in rats with BPH, increasing the levels of beneficial genera (such as Coprococcus and Jeotgalicoccus), and decreasing the levels of harmful pathogens (such as Turicibacter and Clostridiaceae_Clostridium) in the gut. This study showed that medium dose FRPP reduced the hormone level and regulated the unbalanced gut microbiota in BPH rats, thereby alleviating BPH.

[Analysis of mental state of allergic rhinitis patients in Chengdu city by symptom check list 90 (SCL-90) scale].

Objective: To analyse the mental state of patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) in Chengdu. Methods: One thousand five hundred and thirty-six AR patients from Sichuan Provincial Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sichuan People's Hospital, Sichuan Second Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine were selected from July 2013 to January 2018. Eight hundred and twenty-seven patients were screened into study group by inclusion and exclusion standards. The symptom check list 90 (SCL-90) was used to group and score the mental state of these patients according to nine classification criteria: gender, BMI, age, marital status, monthly salary, disease duration, living environment, education level and working environment. Then, the scores were compared within groups. Inter-group comparison was made between the study group and the Chinese norm, and the positive factors for psychological disorders were extracted. Four symptoms in the study group, i.e. nasal itching, sneezing, clear discharge and nasal congestion, were scored on the visual analogue scale (VAS). SPSS 19.0 software was used to carry out statistical analysis. Partial correlation analysis was performed between the positive factors and the symptom scores by multiple regression statistical method. Results: The total score of SCL-90 in the study group was 2.64±0.25, which was accorded with mild to moderate mental health impairment. There were 124 (15.0%) without mental health damage, 176 (21.3%) with mild damage, 474 (57.3%) with mild to moderate damage, 41 (5.0%) with moderate to severe damage and 12 (1.4%) with severe damage. The in-group comparison showed that the top three categories of different items were the living environment, gender and working environment. The scores of somatization, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, psychosis, other (sleep, diet) and total average score of urban residents were higher than that of country residents (3.29±0.61 vs 2.65±0.50, 2.81±0.77 vs 2.05±0.38, 3.10±0.19 vs 2.49±0.67, 3.40±0.84 vs 2.49±0.70, 3.04±0.64 vs 2.33±0.51, 3.02±0.55 vs 2.40±0.77, 3.40±0.41 vs 2.52±0.77, 2.91±0.11 vs 2.29±0.40, Z value was 4.88, 5.25, 4.57, 5.91, 5.09, 4.63, 5.55, -4.55, respectively, all P<0.05). Women scored higher than man for somatization, interpersonal sensitivity, depression and others (2.66±0.51 vs 2.00±0.45, 3.37±0.47 vs 2.63±0.51, 3.44±0.57 vs 2.85±0.52, 3.47±0.36 vs 2.76±0.45, Z value was -5.10, -5.51, -4.86, -5.28, respectively, all P<0.05). The scores of somatization, interpersonal sensitivity, psychosis and other (sleep, diet) were higher in the indoor group than those in the outdoor group (3.49±0.64 vs 2.78±0.46, 3.33±0.30 vs 2.56±0.68, 3.28±0.60 vs 2.67±0.31, 3.50±0.85 vs 2.85±0.37, Z value was 5.31, 5.79, 4.89, 5.00, respectively, all P<0.05). The outdoor group scored higher on obsessive-compulsive symptoms, anxiety and hostility (3.44±0.40 vs 2.83±0.35, 3.40±0.50 vs 2.57±0.93, 3.34±0.88 vs 2.69±0.56, Z value was 4.96, 6.22, 5.08, respectively, all P<0.05). The inter-group comparison found that depression, anxiety, psychosis and other (sleep, diet) could be partially correlated with VAS scores as 4 positive factors. The results of partial correlation analysis showed that depression was positively correlated with sneezing and nasal runny discharge, anxiety was positively correlated with nasal itching and nasal obstruction, psychosis was positively correlated with nasal itching and sneezing, and other (sleep, diet) was positively correlated with nasal runny discharge and nasal obstruction. Conclusion: AR patients have mild to moderate mental health impairments, which are correlated with AR symptoms.

[Studies on chemical constituents of Phyllanthus urinaria L].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the chemical constituents of Phyllanthus urinaria. METHOD: Various chromatographic techniques were employed for isolation and purification of the constituents. The structures were elucidated by chemical and spectral analyses. RESULT AND CONCLUSION: Fourteen compounds were isolated and seven of them were identified as corilagin(I), rutin(II), brevifolincarboxylic acid(VI), isostrictiniin(IX), geraniin (X), gallic acid(XI) and ellagic acid (XII). Compound VI was found from P. urinaria for the first time and compound IX was found from genus Phyllanthus for the first time.

[Isolation and identification of a noval polyphenolic compound from Phyllanthus urinaria L].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the chemical constituents of Phyllanthus urinaria. METHOD: Various chromatographic techniques were employed for isolation and purification. The structures were elucidated by spectral analyses. RESULT AND CONCLUSION: A novel polyphenolic compound was isolated and named phyllanthusin F.

[Experimental studies on inhibitory effects of radix Peucedani on hypoxic pulmonary hypertension in rats].

Light microscopic and morphometric methods along with the measurement of right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) and right ventricle hypertrophy index (RBHI) were performed by the authors in studying the inhibitory effects of Radix Peucedani (RP) on structural remodeling of intraacinar pulmonary arteries (IAPA) and pulmonary hypertension (PHT) in hypoxic rats. The results showed that, RP could not only antagonize IAPA contraction caused by hypoxia and lower the resistance of pulmonary circulation, inhibit the cell proliferation and hypertrophy of adventitial cells of pulmonary artery, but also reverse the change in structure and function of pulmonary artery. It suggests that RA plays a key role in inhibiting hypoxic structural remodeling of IAPA and pulmonary hypertension.

[Study on decocting conditions for Pueraria lobata Ohui in qiweibaizhu bage].

Taking the puerarin content---the chief constituent of Pueraria lobata---as the index in the mixed decoction of Pueraria lobata etc, we have adopted the method of orthogon al experiment to explore the best decocting conditions for Pueraria lobata. The results show that a better way to decoct Pueraria lobata is to cut the root into slices of 0.4-0.7 cm, and water 12-15 times the weight of the root and decoct for 30 minutes. It makes no big difference whether the root is soaked or not.