Gualou xiebai decoction ameliorates cardiorenal syndrome type II by regulation of PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signalling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Cardiorenal syndromes type II (CRS2) is a multi-organ ailment that manifests as a combination of cardiac and renal dysfunction, resulting in chronic kidney disease due to chronic cardiac insufficiency. It affects at least 26 million people worldwide, and its prevalence is increasing. Gualou Xiebai Decoction (GXD), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with a rich history of application in the management of coronary artery disease, has been explored for its potential therapeutic benefits in CRS2. Nevertheless, the mechanism by which GXD alleviates CRS2 remains obscure, necessitating further investigation. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the effects of the ethanolic extract of GXD on CRS2 and to elucidate the underlying mechanism in a rat model of myocardial infarction, offering a potential target for clinical treatment for CRS2. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A rat model of CRS2 was induced by surgical myocardial infarction and treated with GXD for 10 weeks. Cardiac function was assessed using echocardiography, while serum and urine biochemistry were analyzed to evaluate potential cardiac and renal damage. Furthermore, tissue samples were obtained for histological, protein, and genetic investigations. In addition, network pharmacology analysis and molecular docking were utilized to predict the primary active compounds, potential therapeutic targets, and interventional pathways through which GXD could potentially exert its effects on CRS2. Subsequently, these predictions were confirmed in vivo and vitro through various analyses. RESULTS: The current investigation employed echocardiography to exhibit the apparent cardiac remodeling following the induction of myocardial infarction. Damage to the heart and kidneys of CRS2 rats was effectively ameliorated by administration of GXD. The outcomes derived from the analyses of HE and Masson staining indicated that the pathological damage to the heart and kidney tissues of rats in the GXD groups was considerably alleviated. Using network pharmacology analysis, AKT1, IL-6, and TNF-α were identified as plausible therapeutic targets for the treatment of CRS with GXD. Subsequent functional and pathway enrichment analysis of the underlying targets disclosed that the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway may be involved in the mechanism of GXD in the treatment of CRS2. Immunohistochemical, western blot, RT-PCR and immunofluorescence staining were employed to demonstrate that GXD can regulate the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway in the CRS2 rat model. Ultimately, administration of the PI3K/AKT agonist 740Y-P counteracted the effect of diosmetin, which was one of the potential active components of GXD analysed by compound-target-disease network, on p-PI3K and p-AKT in vitro. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study suggest that GXD improves cardiac and renal function in CRS2 rats and that the underlying mechanism involves inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB pathway.

Protective effects of Salvianolic acid B on rat ferroptosis in myocardial infarction through upregulating the Nrf2 signaling pathway.

Accumulating evidence has highlighted the role of ferroptosis, a novel type of programmed cell death involved in the pathological process of myocardial infarction (MI). However, the underlying mechanism of ferroptosis in mediating MI is complicated that needs to be further investigated. Salvianolic acid B (Sal B) extracted from the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) herb Salvia miltiorrhiza possesses pharmacological function against MI, which provides us with a new direction to explore the effect of Sal B on ferroptosis after myocardial ischemic injury. In the present study, iron accumulation and expression levels of ferroptosis-related proteins in MI rats altered in a time-dependent manner. Importantly, treatment of ferroptosis inhibitors ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1) or deferoxamine (DFO) reversed typical changes of ferroptosis, including iron overload, lipid peroxide accumulation, mitochondrial damage, and specific expression levels of ferroptosis-related proteins, thereby alleviating myocardial injury in rats. Similar results were observed in Sal B-treated MI rats in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, NFE2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) was strongly activated by the treatment of Sal B. In vivo knockdown of Nrf2 in MI rats enhanced ferroptosis and damaged the protective effect of Sal B on MI. Furthermore, Sal B administration was unable to significantly reverse expression levels of target genes of Nrf2 that were associated with iron homeostasis and oxidative stress (e.g., HO-1, xCT, Gpx4, Fth1, and Fpn1) in MI rats after knockdown of Nrf2. Taken together, Sal B contributed to protecting MI by inhibiting ferroptosis via activating the Nrf2 signaling pathway.

Licochalcone B induces DNA damage, cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and enhances TRAIL sensitivity in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly fatal disease recognized as a growing global health crisis. Traditional Chinese herbal medicines have been used to treat patients with cancer for many years in China. This study investigated the effects of licochalcone B (LCB), a flavonoid compound isolated from the root of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch., on cell proliferation, DNA damage and TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)-mediated apoptosis in HCC cells. Our results showed that LCB inhibited cell proliferation and induced DNA damage, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Treatment with LCB significantly inhibited the Akt/mTOR pathway and activated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. Moreover, combined treatment with LCB and TRAIL yielded evident enhancements in the viability reduction and apoptosis. LCB upregulated death receptor 4 (DR4) and death receptor 5 (DR5) protein in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. The knockdown of DR5 significantly suppressed TRAIL-induced cleavage of PARP, which was enhanced by LCB. Treatment with an extracellular-regulated kinase (ERK) inhibitor (PD98059) or c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitor (SP600125) markedly reduced the LCB-induced upregulation of DR5 expression and attenuated LCB-mediated TRAIL sensitization. In summary, LCB exhibits cytotoxic activity through modulation of the Akt/mTOR, ER stress and MAPK pathways in HCC cells and effectively enhances TRAIL sensitivity through the upregulation of DR5 expression in ERK- and JNK-dependent manner. Combination therapy with LCB and TRAIL may be an alternative treatment strategy for HCC.

5-min mindfulness audio induction alleviates psychological distress and sleep disorders in patients with COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Mindfulness meditation is beneficial to mitigate the negative effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the general population, but no study examined such meditation in the COVID-19 patients themselves. AIM: To explore the short-term efficacy of mindfulness meditation in alleviating psychological distress and sleep disorders in patients with COVID-19. METHODS: This prospective study enrolled patients with mild COVID-19 treated at Wuhan Fangcang Hospital in February 2020. The patients were voluntarily divided into either a mindfulness or a conventional intervention group. The patients were evaluated before/after the intervention using the Short Inventory of Mindfulness Capability (SMI-C), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). RESULTS: Seventy-five participants were enrolled in this study, with 43 and 32 in the mindfulness and conventional groups, respectively. Before the intervention, there were no differences in SMI-C, HADS, or PSQI scores between the two groups. After the 2-wk intervention, the mindfulness level (from 30.16 ± 5.58 to 35.23 ± 5.95, P < 0.001) and sleep quality (from 12.85 ± 3.06 to 9.44 ± 3.86, P < 0.001) were significantly increased in the mindfulness group. There were no differences in the conventional group. After the intervention, the mindfulness level (35.23 ± 5.95 vs 31.17 ± 6.50, P = 0.006) and sleep quality (9.44 ± 3.86 vs 11.87 ± 4.06, P = 0.011) were significantly higher in the mindfulness group than in the conventional group. Depression decreased in the mindfulness group (from 14.15 ± 3.21 to 12.50 ± 4.01, P = 0.038), but there was no difference between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Short-term mindfulness meditation can increase the mindfulness level, improve the sleep quality, and decrease the depression of patients with COVID-19.

Status of cadmium accumulation in agricultural soils across China (1975-2016): From temporal and spatial variations to risk assessment.

Based on 1186 published studies, the first national-scale assessment of cadmium (Cd) contamination in agricultural soils across China was conducted. Cd concentrations, temporal and spatial variations, and ecological and health risks resulted from Cd exposure were analyzed. A small part of sampling sites with Cd concentration surpass the screening value and the control value (GB15618-2018), respectively. Soil Cd concentrations in South China were higher than other regions. Ecological risks resulting from Cd contamination were low. Soil Cd concentrations accumulated gradually from 1981 to 2016. Cd mainly came from anthropogenic activities, such as mining, smelting, sewage irrigation, and fertilization. Linear correlations were observed between application amounts of fertilizers and Cd concentrations in soil, indicating that the application of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and compound fertilizers is an important contributor of Cd in soils. This study details the overall Cd contamination status of agricultural soils in China, thus can provide insights for policymakers regarding contamination prevention measures.

Contrasting effects of nitrogen and phosphorus additions on soil nitrous oxide fluxes and enzyme activities in an alpine wetland of the Tibetan Plateau.

Alpine wetlands are important ecosystems, but an increased availability of soil nutrients may affect their soil nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes and key enzyme activities. We undertook a 3-year experiment of observing nitrogen (N) and/or phosphorus (P) addition to alpine wetland soils of the Tibetan Plateau, China, with measurements made of soil extracellular enzyme activities and soil N2O fluxes. Our study showed that soil N2O flux was significantly increased by 72% and 102% following N and N+P additions, respectively. N addition significantly increased acid phosphatase (AP) and ß-1, 4-N-acetyl-glucosaminidase (NAG) activities by 32% and 26%, respectively. P addition alone exerted a neutral effect on soil AP activities, while increasing NAG activities. We inferred that microbes produce enzymes based on 'resource allocation theory', but that a series of constitutive enzymes or the treatment duration interfere with this response. Our findings suggest that N addition increases N- and P-cycling enzyme activities and soil N2O flux, whereas P addition exerts a neutral effect on P-cycling enzyme activities and N2O flux after 3 years of nutrient applications to an alpine wetland.

Neuropsychological features in post-stroke cognitive impairment with no dementia patients with different Traditional Chinese Medicine syndromes.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate neuropsychological features of post-stroke cognitive impairment with no dementia (PSCIND) patients with different Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) syndromes. METHODS: We recruited 50 patients with PSCIND between April 2012 and March 2013. Patients were divided into different groups according to TCM classifications. Patients were assessed using neuropsychological tests, including cognitive screening (mini-mental state examination), memory testing (auditory verbal learning test), executive/attention [shape trails test, stroop color-word test (SCWT), reading the mind in the eyes test, the digit ordering test-A (DOT-A), and symbol digit modalities test], language (action naming test, Boston naming test, famous face test, similarity test, and verbal fluency test), and visuospatial functioning [complex figure test (CFT)]. RESULTS: We found no significant differences between patients with and without a diagnosis of turbid phlegm blocking the upper orifices on neuropsychological test performance. Patients diagnosed with upper hyperactivity of liver Yang syndrome scored significantly lower on the SCWT-C executive test and the CFT-delayed recall memory test. Patients with excess syndrome scored significantly lower on the SCWT-C executive test, and significantly higher on the DOT-A executive test. CONCLUSION: Neuropsychological characteristics differ between PSCIND patients with different TCM classifications.

Risk factors and clinical features in ischemic stroke patients with different tongue conditions.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the risk factors and clinical features in ischemic stroke patients with different tongue conditions. METHODS: A total of 168 successive acute ischemic stroke inpatients (within 7 days of stroke onset) were recruited. Patients were assigned to groups according to tongue color (pink, pale, red, purple), tongue coating (no coating, thin coating, thick coating) and sublingual vessel (normal, abnormal). Risk factors and clinical features including National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), modified Rankin Scale (mRS) and Barthel Index (BI), clinical classification, laboratory data and pulmonary infection complications were compared. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in risk factors and clinical features among groups with different tongue colors. The incidence of smoking (4.5%) was lower in the no coating group compared with the thin (30.0%) and thick (39.3%) coating groups (P<0.017). NIHSS (19.05±10.68) in the no coating group was higher than the thin (6.40±6.18) and thick (7.41±7.05) coating groups (P<0.017), BI (20.91±29.99) was lower than the thin (67.61±28.78) and thick (63.02±33.54) coating groups (P<0.017), and the percentage of mRS >3 (90.9%) was higher than the thin (42.2%) and thick (42.9%) coating groups (P<0.017). The percentage of partial anterior circulation infarction patients in the no coating group was higher than the thin coating group (77.3% vs. 42.2%), and the percentage of lacunar infarction patients was lower than the thin coating group (4.5% vs. 37.8%, P<0.017). NIHSS in the abnormal sublingual vessel group was lower than the normal group (5.28±4.38 vs. 10.57±9.58, P=0.000), and BI was higher than the normal group (67.61±29.29 vs. 54.64±36.23, P=0.015). CONCLUSION: Tongue conditions of acute stroke patients were relevant to clinical features.

[Some Discussions on the Combination of Disease Identification and Syndrome Typing].

The combination of disease identification and syndrome typing is a conceptual combi- nation of modern medicine and Chinese medicine. Authors reviewed related domestic literatures in recent 10 years, and preliminarily explored combination of disease identification and syndrome typing from its formation and its application in diagnosis, treatment, therapeutic efficacy evaluation. Authors also looked into its future.

[Influence of continuous cropping years on yield and active compounds in Salvia miltiorrhiza f. alba].

Biological characteristic of Salvia miltiorrhiza f. alba in field was studied. HPLC method was used to determine the lipophilic constituents (dihydrotanshinone, cryptotanshinone, tanshinone, tanshinone II (A) and miltione) and hydrophilic constituents (salvianolic acid, rosemarinic acid). The results showed that the fresh weight of S. miltiorrhiza f. alba which cropped for 2 years was decreased by 80.47%, while dry weight decreased by 79.42%. The normal diameter of the root was 0.3-0.5 cm, however, the diameter was 0.2-0.4 cm after 2 years, it was said that the decrease of the root diameter was the main reason for the decrease of the yield. The average contents of dihydrotanshinone, cryptotanshinone, tanshinone, tanshinone II (A), miltione, salvianolic acid and rosemarinic acid were decreased by 35.26%, 32.26%, 19.35%, 3.39%, 64.40%, 66.93% in plant which continuously cropped for 2 years, respectively. The yield and active constituents were mostly effected in the plant of S. miltiorrhiza f. alba, which continuously cropped for 2 years.

[Traditional Chinese medicine in treatment of Parkinson's disease].

Parkinson's disease is a commonly encountered central nervous retrograde affection in elder persons. According to the theories of traditional Chinese medicine, Parkinson's disease is characterized by deficiency in the Ben (root) and excess in the Biao (branch). The Ben (root) is insufficiency of liver and kidney and deficiency of qi and blood; and the Biao (branch) is wind, fire, phlegm and stasis. Good therapeutic effects have been obtained by treatment based on syndrome differentiation, treatment with specific prescriptions and acupuncture. The further study on literatures, standardized criterion of symptoms differentiation and therapeutic effect determination as well as the screening and further research on the effective prescriptions and herbs should be paid more attention, meanwhile, the integration of herbs and acupuncture will be conducive to raise the therapeutic effect.