Use of nano-enabled approaches to advance acupuncture therapy for disease management.

Acupuncture is an ancient form of therapy, which has long been part of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM); however, its use has spread globally, to the point where it is currently practiced worldwide. Although metal needles continue to be used most commonly, through multidisciplinary research, novel technologies, including nanotechnology, have allowed acupuncture to evolve to the point of achieving greater efficiency and more sophisticated functions in clinical practice. We summarized recent advancements in the literature using nano-enabled strategies to create novel needles that enhance and expand their therapeutic effects and found that nanotechnology may help provide new evidence to verify acupuncture theory, improve the features of acupuncture needles and their clinical effects by combining with drug delivery, and even enable new therapeutic methods when combined with acupuncture needles. The use of nano-technology with acupuncture delivery looks very promising for potential clinical applications. We also envisage that with nanotechnology, innovations in acupuncture needles could generate a multi-functional toolbox for use in both diagnostic and therapeutic medicine. Such new types of acupuncture needles could be used at acupoints and data collected to guide the planning of clinical trials may be more consistent with acupuncture theory and traditional clinical applications of this therapeutic modality.

Perspective of Calcium Imaging Technology Applied to Acupuncture Research.

Acupuncture, a therapeutic treatment defined as the insertion of needles into the body at specific points (ie, acupoints), has growing in popularity world-wide to treat various diseases effectively, especially acute and chronic pain. In parallel, interest in the physiological mechanisms underlying acupuncture analgesia, particularly the neural mechanisms have been increasing. Over the past decades, our understanding of how the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system process signals induced by acupuncture has developed rapidly by using electrophysiological methods. However, with the development of neuroscience, electrophysiology is being challenged by calcium imaging in view field, neuron population and visualization in vivo. Owing to the outstanding spatial resolution, the novel imaging approaches provide opportunities to enrich our knowledge about the neurophysiological mechanisms of acupuncture analgesia at subcellular, cellular, and circuit levels in combination with new labeling, genetic and circuit tracing techniques. Therefore, this review will introduce the principle and the method of calcium imaging applied to acupuncture research. We will also review the current findings in pain research using calcium imaging from in vitro to in vivo experiments and discuss the potential methodological considerations in studying acupuncture analgesia.

Endophytic fungi of Lycium barbarum: isolation, determination, bioactivity and separation of compounds.

Lycium barbarum is widely distributed in China and used as a traditional Chinese medicine herb to treat dizziness, abdominal pain, dry cough, headache and fatigue. Several studies have examined the endophytes of L. barbarum from northwest China; however, few have focused on that from eastern China. The objective of this study was to isolate and determine the endophytic fungi of L. barbarum from Shandong province, as well as to obtain and identify active secondary metabolites from the endophytes. In this study, 17 endophytic fungi were isolated from L. barbarum and denoted as GQ-1 to GQ-17, respectively. These fungi were further classified into ten genera based on the morphological and ITS identification. The crude extracts of these fungi were obtained by using liquid fermentation and EtOAc extraction, and their antibacterial, cytotoxic, and antioxidant activities were evaluated. The results showed that GQ-6 and GQ-16 exhibited high inhibitory activity; GQ-6 and GQ-9 showed high cytotoxic activity and GQ-5 exhibited high scavenging capability for DPPH free radicals. Additionally, Cladosporium sp. GQ-6 was used to investigate the secondary metabolites. The crude extracts were purified by using column chromatography, reverse column, and liquid chromatography, and four monomeric compounds were identified, including two known compounds (α-acetylorcinol (1) and cladosporester B (2)) and two new compounds (cladosporacid F (3) and cladosporester D (4)). The anti-fungal and antibacterial activities of these compounds were confirmed, but no cytotoxic activity was observed. In conclusion, endophytic fungi of L. barbarum from eastern China can serve as a potential source of active natural products with antibacterial and antioxidant properties.

Yunpi Tongbian Fang alleviates slow transit constipation induced by loperamide by regulating intestinal microbiota and short-chain fatty acids in rats.

Slow transit constipation (STC) is a prevalent chronic colonic dysfunction disease that significantly impairs the quality of life for affected individuals. Yunpi Tongbian Fang (YPTBF), a traditional Chinese medicine compound, has demonstrated promising clinical efficacy; however, its underlying mechanism remains elusive. In order to assess the laxative properties of YPTBF, which encompasses the influence on gut microbiota, gut metabolites, gut neurotransmitters, and colon histology, an oral administration of YPTBF was conducted for a duration of two consecutive weeks on STC rats induced by loperamide hydrochloride. The results showed that YPTBF improved the symptoms of STC, alleviated the decrease in total fecal volume and fecal water content caused by loperamide-induced constipation, restored intestinal transport function, and HE staining showed the recovery of pathological damage to the colon mucosa. In addition, YPTBF increased the concentrations of 5-HT and ACHE, while reducing the concentrations of VIP and NO. YPTBF adjusted the diversity and abundance of gut microbiota in STC rats, enabling the recovery of beneficial bacteria and promoting the production of acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid. We found that YPTBF can improve constipation in STC rats, possibly by regulating the intestinal microbiota structure and improving SCFAs metabolism.

Effective Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis Using a Nano-Enabled Drug Acupuncture Technology in Mice.

A nano-enabled drug delivery acupuncture technology (nd-Acu) is developed that is based on traditional acupuncture needles where the stainless-steel surface is designed to deliver various payload molecules. To create the nd-Acu platform, an electrochemistry procedure is used to attach methyl salicylate-modified cyclodextrin in which the sugar rings allow the encapsulation of structurally defined single or multiple payload molecules via an inclusion complexation process. Drug loading and release profile are first studied using fluorescent dyes abiotically and at intact animal level. nd-Acu allows more efficient dye loading and time-dependent release compared to pristine needles without cyclodextrin modification. Subsequently, a proof-of-principle efficacy study is conducted using the platform to load a local anesthetic, lidocaine, for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) in mice. It is demonstrated that lidocaine-laden nd-Acu can effectively alleviate pain, reduce inflammation, and slow down KOA development biochemically and histologically. Hypothesis-driven and proteomic approaches are utilized to investigate the working mechanisms of lidocaine nd-Acu, indicating that the therapeutic outcome is attributed to the in vivo modulation of the HMGB1/TLR4 signaling pathway. The study also obtained preliminary evidence suggesting the involvement of mitochondria as well as small GTPase such as cdc42 during the treatment by lidocaine nd-Acu.

Application of third-generation sequencing to herbal genomics.

There is a long history of traditional medicine use. However, little genetic information is available for the plants used in traditional medicine, which limits the exploitation of these natural resources. Third-generation sequencing (TGS) techniques have made it possible to gather invaluable genetic information and develop herbal genomics. In this review, we introduce two main TGS techniques, PacBio SMRT technology and Oxford Nanopore technology, and compare the two techniques against Illumina, the predominant next-generation sequencing technique. In addition, we summarize the nuclear and organelle genome assemblies of commonly used medicinal plants, choose several examples from genomics, transcriptomics, and molecular identification studies to dissect the specific processes and summarize the advantages and disadvantages of the two TGS techniques when applied to medicinal organisms. Finally, we describe how we expect that TGS techniques will be widely utilized to assemble telomere-to-telomere (T2T) genomes and in epigenomics research involving medicinal plants.

Droplet digital PCR for the identification of plant-derived adulterants in highly processed products.

BACKGROUND: The high sensitivity of droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) contributes to its excellent performance in animal and microorganism identification, but the utilization of ddPCR is limited in plant adulterant identification of highly processed products for which effective methods are lacking. PURPOSE: This study investigated the feasibility of ddPCR in the identification of plant adulterants in Chinese patent medicine (CPM) as groundwork to develop ddPCR assays for other highly processed goods. METHODS: The original plant, processed and highly processed products of Mutong (Akebiae Caulis) and its two adulterants were used to analyze the specificity, sensitivity, and practical performance of the developed singleplex and triplex ddPCR assays. RESULTS: The results revealed that the limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) for the selective ddPCR assays developed to identify Mutong and its adulterants were 0.00002 ng/µl and 0.00016 ng/µl, respectively, and that the regression equations representing the relationships between DNA concentration and target copy number all exhibited good linearity. Furthermore, the common adulterant of Mutong in three samples of Longdan Xiegan pills was successfully identified through ddPCR assays and confirmed by Sanger sequencing. CONCLUSION: This work comprehensively revealed the great ability of ddPCR technology in detecting plant adulterants in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), providing a method for the quality control of highly processed plant products with complex components for commonly used goods.

Taurine Alleviates Cadmium-Induced Toxicity via Genetically Specific Strategies in Two Strains of Gibel Carp (Carassius gibelio).

Our previous studies in gibel carp (Carassius gibelio) have shown that cadmium (Cd) exposure elicits deleterious effects depending on the genetic background, and thus we hypothesized that mitigation via nutritional intervention may vary between strains. Therefore, two gibel carp strains (the A and F strains) were fed diets supplemented with 0% or 1% taurine for 8 weeks prior to 96 h Cd exposure, and the responses of antioxidant pathways, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, autophagy, and apoptosis were investigated. The results showed that taurine supplementation had no effect on the growth performance of gibel carp. After Cd exposure, histological damage to mitochondria and ER, induction of oxidative stress and antioxidant responses, occurrence of ER stress, and apoptotic signals were observed in the livers. Upon the diet effects, taurine supplementation alleviated the ER-stress-induced autophagy and apoptosis after Cd exposure and stimulated antioxidant pathways. Regarding the difference between strains, taurine played a protective role in alleviating Cd toxicity through the antioxidant response, ER stress, and autophagy in the F strain, whereas such effects were achieved by the attenuation of apoptosis in the A strain. Taken together, our results demonstrate the potential use of taurine in the mitigation of heavy metal toxicity in aquatic organisms.

TaqMan Probe-Based Quantitative Real-Time PCR to Detect Panax notoginseng in Traditional Chinese Patent Medicines.

Background: There has been global concern about the safety and accuracy of traditional Chinese patent medicines (TCPMs). Panax notoginseng, also known as sanqi, is an important constituent of TCPMs. However, identifying the species contained in TCPMs is challenging due to the presence of multiple ingredients and the use of various preparation processes. Objective: To detect P. notoginseng in TCPMs. Methods: A TaqMan probe-based qPCR assay was constructed and validated with DNA extracted from P. notoginseng and adulterants. In total, 75 samples derived from 25 batches of TCPMs were tested using the constructed qPCR method. Results: A TaqMan probe-based qPCR assay targeting P. notoginseng was established. The constructed qPCR assay could specifically discriminate P. notoginseng from Panax ginseng, Panax quinquefolium and Curcuma aromatica Salisb. cv. Wenyujin. The sensitivity study showed that the detectable DNA template concentration of P. notoginseng for this qPCR assay was 0.001 ng/µl. All 75 samples from TCPMs were confirmed to contain P. notoginseng by the qPCR assay. Conclusions: The qPCR method can accurately identify P. notoginseng in TCPMs and is promising as a powerful tool for quality control and market regulation.

Vitamin C Attenuates Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Apoptosis Induced by Acute Hypoxia through the Nrf2/Keap1 Signaling Pathway in Gibel Carp (Carassius gibelio).

Previous studies have found that vitamin C (VC) has protective effects in fish. However, the efficacy of VC on hypoxia-induced liver injury in fish remains unknown. Therefore, to investigate the protective mechanism of VC on liver injury after acute hypoxic stimulation in fish, gibel carp were fed a diet containing VC for eight weeks, then were subjected to acute hypoxia stimulation. The specific growth rate of fish was increased by the supplementation of VC. Plasma stress markers (glucose, lactic acid, and cortisol) were decreased by the VC supplementation. Moreover, the levels of the inflammatory cytokines (tnf-α, il-2, il-6, and il-12) were increased by enhancing the Nrf2/Keap1 signaling pathway. Upregulation of the antioxidant enzymes activity (CAT, SOD, and GPx); T-AOC; and anti-inflammatory factors (il-4 and tgf-ß) highlighted the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of VC. The results showed that VC reduced the apoptotic index of the fish hypothalamus. The expression of GRP78 protein in the liver and endoplasmic reticulum stress and apoptosis induced by hypoxia were inhibited by VC. Taken together, the results indicate that VC can attenuate oxidative damage, inflammation, and acute hypoxia induced apoptosis in gibel carp via the Nrf2/Keap1 signaling pathway. The results identify a new defense strategy of gibel carp in response to hypoxic conditions.

Applying latent tree analysis to classify Traditional Chinese Medicine syndromes (Zheng) in patients with psoriasis vulgari.

OBJECTIVE: To treat patients with psoriasis vulgaris using Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), one must stratify patients into subtypes (known as TCM syndromes or Zheng) and apply appropriate TCM treatments to different subtypes. However, no unified symptom-based classification scheme of subtypes (Zheng) exists for psoriasis vulgaris. The present paper aims to classify patients with psoriasis vulgaris into different subtypes via the analysis of clinical TCM symptom and sign data. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was carried out in Beijing from 2005-2008, collecting clinical TCM symptom and sign data from 2764 patients with psoriasis vulgaris. Roughly 108 symptoms and signs were initially analyzed using latent tree analysis, with a selection of the resulting latent variables then used as features to cluster patients into subtypes. RESULTS: The initial latent tree analysis yielded a model with 43 latent variables. The second phase of the analysis divided patients into three subtype groups with clear TCM Zheng connotations: 'blood deficiency and wind dryness'; 'blood heat'; and 'blood stasis'. CONCLUSIONS: Via two-phase analysis of clinic symptom and sign data, three different Zheng subtypes were identified for psoriasis vulgaris. Statistical characteristics of the three subtypes are presented. This constitutes an evidence-based solution to the syndromedifferentiation problem that exists with psoriasis vulgaris.

Simiao Wan and its ingredients alleviate type 2 diabetes mellitus via IRS1/AKT2/FOXO1/GLUT2 signaling.

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a metabolic disease. Simiao Wan (SMW) is a commonly used clinical drug for hyperuricemia treatment. SMW has been confirmed to improve insulin resistance and is expected to be a novel hypoglycemic agent. However, the hypoglycemic bioactive ingredients and mechanisms of action of SMW are unclear. Objective: To explore the hypoglycemic effects and reveal the mechanisms of SMW and bioactive ingredients (SMW-BI). Study design and methods: The hypoglycemic effects of SMW and SMW-BI were verified in a mouse model of T2DM induced by streptozotocin (STZ) and a high-fat and high-sugar diet (HFSD). Network pharmacology was used to predict the mechanisms of SMW and SMW-BI. Histological analysis and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) verified network pharmacology results. RT-qPCR results were further verified by immunofluorescence (IFC) and molecular docking. The correlation between proteins and biochemical indicators was analyzed by Spearman's correlation. Results: Chlorogenic acid, phellodendrine, magnoflorine, jateorhizine, palmatine, berberine, and atractydin were identified as SMW-BI. After 8 weeks of treatment, SMW and SMW-BI decreased the levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG), total cholesterol (TC), triacylglycerols (TG) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), increased the level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), alleviated weight loss, and increased serum insulin levels in T2DM mice. In addition, SMW and SMW-BI improved hepatocyte morphology in T2DM mice, decreased the number of adipocytes, and increased liver glycogen. Network pharmacological analysis indicated that SMW and SMW-BI may exert hypoglycemic by regulating insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1)/RAC-beta serine/threonine-protein kinase (AKT2)/forkhead box protein O1 (FOXO1)/glucose transporter type 2 (GLUT2) signaling. Moreover, correlation analysis showed that SMW and SMW-BI were associated with activation of IRS1, AKT2, and GLUT2, and inhibiting FOXO1. RT-qPCR revealed that SMW and SMW-BI could increase levels of IRS1, AKT2, and GLUT2 in the livers of T2DM mice and lower the level of FOXO1. Furthermore, immunofluorescence analysis showed that FOXO1 expression in the livers of T2DM mice decreased after oral administration of SMW and SMW-BI. Furthermore, molecular docking showed that SMW-BI could bind directly to IRS1 and AKT2. Conclusion: SMW and SMW-BI are potential hypoglycemic drugs that alleviate T2DM by regulating IRS1/AKT2/FOXO1 signaling. Our study provides a research idea for screening the bioactive ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

[Roles of nociceptors in acupoint sensitization: recent advances].

Hyperalgesia and functional plasticity are the important components of acupoint sensitization. Reveal of the neuromechanism of acupoint sensitization may play a positive role in promoting the development of acupuncturology in the world. The nociceptors, including Aδ and C subtypes distributing in the acupoint region and target organs, are responsible for the transmission of signals of peripheral noxious stimuli and acupuncture-liking stimulation to the dorsal horns of the spinal cord and supraspinal levels. A previous study reveals that the C type nociceptors are involved in the acupoint sensitization. Recent studies indicate that there exists a subtype of mechanical responsiveness in the C type receptors, named "silent nociceptor" which is awa-kened when diseases occur, being very similar to the dynamic sensitization characteristics of acupoints. Hence, we, in the present review, make a discussion about the role of C-type silent nociceptor in the hyperalgesia and functional plasticity of the sensitized acupoint according to previous studies and recent advances, so as to provide more ideas and opportunities for the investigation on the scientific characteristics of acupoints.

Phosphorus recovery via the formation of hydroxyapatite crystals at various nitrogen loading rate in an anammox-based UAFB.

A strategy that integrates the anammox and hydroxyapatite crystallization in an up-flow anaerobic fixed-bed reactor (UAFB) was investigated to simultaneously remove nitrogen and recover phosphorus. During the 430 days of operation, 73.1 ±â€¯6.6% of influent phosphorus was removed with an efficient nitrogen removal efficiency of 87.8 ±â€¯1.7%. After long-term operation, numerous acicular and micron-sized crystals were observed on the matured biofilm, of which the phosphorus content was around 10.21% (wt%) and hydroxyapatite was the main form of crystals through SEM-EDS, FT-IR and XRD analysis. The variation of substrates along the axial length of UAFB showed that phosphate removal was positively correlated with anammox and pH. Moreover, three anammox bacteria including Candidatus Brocadia (19.73%), Candidatus Jettenia (0.49%) and Candidatus Kuenenia (0.85%) were detected at the bottom of UAFB, while Candidatus Jettenia (4.67%) was dominant at the top. Hence, the anammox-based biofilm system could be alternative for the recovery of phosphorus from nutrient-rich wastewater.

Formulation and consideration of World Health Organization international classification of traditional medicine.

In the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), the World Health Organization included traditional medicine disorders and patterns originated from ancient Chinese medicine that are commonly used in China, Japan, Korea and elsewhere around the world. For the first time, a chapter on traditional medicine was incorporated, which has completely changed the status quo on the lack of information on traditional medicine and health statistics in the ICD. In this study, we systematically analyzed the background, structure, content and characteristics of the Traditional Medicine chapter, with focus on its positive effects on promoting the development and utilization of Traditional Chinese Medicine worldwide.

Dietary Scenedesmus ovalternus improves disease resistance of overwintering gibel carp (Carassius gibelio) by alleviating toll-like receptor signaling activation.

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary Scenedesmus ovalternus on the growth and disease resistance of gibel carp (Carassius gibelio) during overwintering. Gibel carp (initial body weight: 90.39 ± 0.33 g) were fed with diets containing 0% or 4% Scenedesmus ovalternus (DS0 and DS4) for 4 weeks during the early overwintering period, and then all fish were left unfed during the late overwintering period. A bacterial challenge test using Aeromonas hydrophila was subsequently conducted. The 4% Scenedesmus ovalternus diet had no effect on the growth of gibel carp (P > 0.05), but did improve the survival rate after the challenge (P ≤ 0.05). In the DS0 group, the bacterial challenge decreased the contents of complement 3 (C3), immunoglobulin M (IgM), interleukin 2 (IL2) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) in fish (P < 0.05); in the DS4 group, the challenge increased total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity but decreased IL2 and TNFα contents (P < 0.05). The activities of MPO and contents of C3, IgM and TNFα were higher in the DS4 group than that fed the DS0 diet after bacterial challenge (P < 0.05). Compared to pre challenge, the expression levels of toll like receptor 2 (TLR2), toll like receptor 3 (TLR3), toll like receptor 4 (TLR4), myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), Toll/IL-1 receptor domain-containing adaptor protein (TIRAP), TIR-domain-containing adapter-inducing interferon ß (TRIF), nuclear factor of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in B-cells inhibitor α (IκBα), transforming growth factor ß (TGFß), interleukin 1ß (IL1ß), tumor necrosis factor α1 (TNFα1) and interleukin 10 (IL10) in the head kidney of gibel carp were induced after challenge (P < 0.05). Gibel carp fed the DS4 diet showed lower expression of TGFß in head kidney before the challenge and lower expression of TLR2, TLR3, TLR4, TIRAP, TRIF, IκBα, TNFα1, IL10 and TGFß after the challenge than that fed the DS0 diet (P < 0.05). Overall, Scenedesmus ovalternus supplement enhanced the resistances of gibel carp against A. hydrophila after overwintering via the TLR signaling pathway.

[Dynamic scalp acupuncture combined with PNF therapy for upper limb motor impairment in ischemic stroke spastic hemiplegia].

OBJECTIVE: On the basic therapy, to assess the clinical effects of dynamic scalp acupuncture, scalp acupuncture combined with proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) therapy and simple PNF therapy for upper limb motor impairment in ischemic post-stroke spastic hemiplegia. METHODS: A total of 90 cases were randomly assigned into a PNF group, a dynamic scalp acupuncture group and a scalp acupuncture group, 30 cases in each group. Basic therapy and PNF therapy were applied in the three groups. PNF therapy was used during scalp acupuncture in the dynamic scalp acupuncture group. PNF therapy was applied after scalp acupuncture in the scalp acupuncture group. The points were the upper 1/5 and middle 2/5 of Dingnieqianxiexian (MS 6) and Dingniehouxiexian (MS 7) at the lesion side, the hemiparalysis contralateral side. The treatment was given for 6 months, once a day and 1 month as a course. The modified Ashworth scale (MAS), the Fugl-Meyer motor assessment (FMA) and Barthel index (BI) were observed before treatment and 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after treatment. RESULTS: The MAS 1 month, 3 months and 6 months after treatment were improved compared with those before treatment in the three groups ( all P<0.05), and the MAS results in the dynamic scalp acupuncture group were better than those in the PNF and scalp acupuncture group (all P<0.05). The FMA and BI scores 1 month, 3 months and 6 months after treatment were higher than those before treatment (all P<0.05). The FMA Scores in the 3 time points and after treatment in the dynamic scalp acupuncture group were higher than those in the other two groups (all P<0.05). CONCLUSION: PNF therapy during scalp acupuncture can relieve the spasmodic condition of patients with upper limb motor impairment in ischemic post-stroke spasmodic hemiplegia, and improve the limb function and life activity, which is better than PNF therapy after scalp acupuncture and simple PNF therapy.

Calycosin directly improves perivascular adipose tissue dysfunction by upregulating the adiponectin/AMPK/eNOS pathway in obese mice.

Perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) loses its anti-contractile activity in obesity. Calycosin, the major bioactive isoflavonoid, was shown to protect endothelial function. However, effects of calycosin on PVAT function in obesity remain unclear. We aimed to investigate the effects of calycosin on the anti-contractile activity of PVAT in obese mice and its potential mechanisms. Obesity in mice was induced with a high-fat diet, with or without calycosin treatment. Thoracic aorta responses to phenylephrine were determined. AMP protein kinase (AMPK) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) levels were analyzed by western blotting. Adiponectin, TNF-α levels and superoxide production were measured in the PVAT. Calycosin treatment significantly increased the anti-contractile response of PVAT, which was impaired in obese mice. This beneficial effect of calycosin was eliminated by treatments of blocking adiponectin, AMPK or eNOS. Similar results were observed for calycosin treatment ex vivo. Treatment of obese mice with calycosin significantly increased adiponectin levels, activated AMPK and eNOS phosphorylation and reduced superoxide production and TNF-α levels in PVAT. Our results indicated that calycosin restored PVAT induced anti-contractile activity and affected PVAT function through the adiponectin/AMPK/eNOS pathway in obese mice.

Laser stimulating ST36 with optical fiber induce blood component changes in mice: a Raman spectroscopy study.

ST36 is a commonly-used acupoint in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for treatment of inflammations, pains and gastrointestinal disturbs. For decades, the low power laser acupuncture has been widely applied as an alternative therapy to traditional metal needle acupuncture and achieved relatively fine therapeutic effect for ST36-related symptoms with reduction of uncomfortableness and infection risks. However its disadvantages of low penetrativity and lack of manipulation skills limit its potential performance. An optical fiber laser acupuncture introduced by the previous study combines traditional needling acupuncture and the laser stimulation together, making a stronger therapeutic effect and showing a potential value in clinical application. To evaluate its acupunctural effect on blood, mice are taken as experimental model and Raman spectroscopic technique is used to analysis the changes of blood components after stimulating on ST36. The results show that both the traditional needling acupuncture and optical fiber acupuncture could lead to some spectral changes of blood in mice. This study explores the optical fiber acupuncture's effect on blood in mice using Raman spectroscopy technique for mechanism of acupuncture therapy.

Antipyretic Effect of Herba Ephedrae-Ramulus Cinnamomi Herb Pair on Yeast-Induced Pyrexia Rats: A Metabolomics Study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the antipyretic mechanism of Herba Ephedrae (Eph)-Ramulus Cinnamomi (RC) herb pair on yeast-induced pyrexia in rats. METHODS: Totally 30 qualified male SD rats were randomly assigned to the normal control (NC) group, the pyrexia model (model) group, the Eph, RC and Eph-RC treatment groups by a random digital table, 6 rats in each group. Each rat received a 20% aqueous suspension of yeast (10 mL/kg) except the NC group. The 3 treatment groups were administered 8.1, 5.4 and 13.5 g/kg Eph, RC and Eph-RC respectively at 5 and 12 h after yeast injection, the NC group and the model groups were administered equal volume of distilled water. Rectal temperatures were measured at 0, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 18, 24 and 30 h and urine was collected prior to yeast injection and at 6, 10, 18, 24, 30, and 36 h after yeast injection. Then urine metabolomic profiling by gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, coupled with multivariate statistical analysis and pattern recognition techniques were used to explore the antipyretic effects of Eph-RC. Partial least squares discriminate analysis was used to analyze the metabolomics dataset including classification and regression in metabolomics plot profiling. RESULTS: Compared with the NC group, rectal temperatures were significantly higher in the model group (P<0.01), while 3 treatment groups decreased significantly compared with the model group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Rectal temperatures of Eph-RC-treated rats started to go down at 6 h, and markedly decreased at 8, 12, 15, 18 and 24 h (P<0.05 or P<0.01), while those of the Eph and RC groups had decreased firstly at 8 h and were markedly lower at 12 h (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Seventeen potential biomarkers related to pyrexia were confirmed and identified, including pyruvic acid, L-phenylalanine, L-tyrosine, phenylacetic acid, hippuric acid, succinic acid, citrate and so on. Eight potential alterations of metabolic pathways including phenylalanine metabolism, citrate cycle, tryptophan metabolism, biosynthesis of valine, leucine and isoleucine, were identified in relation to the antipyretic effects of Eph-RC using MetPA software. CONCLUSION: The antipyretic effect of Eph-RC herb pair on yeast-induced pyrexia in rats involved correction of perturbed amino acid, fatty acid, and carbohydrate metabolism according to the metabolic pathway analysis with MetPA.