Enhancing phosphorus source apportionment in watersheds through species-specific analysis.

Phosphorus (P) is a pivotal element responsible for triggering watershed eutrophication, and accurate source apportionment is a prerequisite for achieving the targeted prevention and control of P pollution. Current research predominantly emphasizes the allocation of total phosphorus (TP) loads from watershed pollution sources, with limited integration of source apportionment considering P species and their specific implications for eutrophication. This article conducts a retrospective analysis of the current state of research on watershed P source apportionment models, providing a comprehensive evaluation of three source apportionment methods, inventory analysis, diffusion models, and receptor models. Furthermore, a quantitative analysis of the impact of P species on watersheds is carried out, followed by the relationship between P species and the P source apportionment being critically clarified within watersheds. The study reveals that the impact of P on watershed eutrophication is highly dependent on P species, rather than absolute concentration of TP. Current research overlooking P species composition of pollution sources may render the acquired results of source apportionment incapable of assessing the impact of P sources on eutrophication accurately. In order to enhance the accuracy of watershed P pollution source apportionment, the following prospectives are recommended: (1) quantifying the P species composition of typical pollution sources; (2) revealing the mechanisms governing the migration and transformation of P species in watersheds; (3) expanding the application of traditional models and introducing novel methods to achieve quantitative source apportionment specifically for P species. Conducting source apportionment of specific species within a watershed contributes to a deeper understanding of P migration and transformation, enhancing the precise of management of P pollution sources and facilitating the targeted recovery of P resources.

Chemical compositions of Souliea vaginata (Maxim) Franch rhizome and their potential therapeutic effects on collagen-induced arthritis in rats.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL REVEVANCE: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a global prevalent chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease and acceptable safety drugs are lack for its treatment. The rhizomes of Souliea vaginata (Maxim) Franch (SV) possess anti-inflammatory functions and are used as substitution of Coptis chinensis Franch. SV is also traditional Chinese medicine and Tibetan medicine for the treatment of conjunctivitis, enteritis and rheumatic. For searching complementary and alternative anti-RA drugs, it is necessary to characterize the potential anti-arthritic activity of SV and underlying mechanism involved. AIM OF THE STUDY: The aim of the study was to test the chemical compositions, evaluate the anti-arthritic effects and underlying mechanisms of SV. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The chemical compositions of SV were analyzed using liquid chromatography-ion trap-time of flight tandem mass spectrometry (LCMS-IT-TOF). From day 11 to day 31, SV (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 g/kg body weight) and Tripterygium glycosidorum (TG, 10 mg/kg body weight) were administered orally to the CIA model rats once a day. Thickness of paw and body weights were measured once every two days from day 1 to day 31. Histopathological changes were measured using hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. Effects of SV on the levels of IL-2, TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-4 and IL-10 in serum of CIA rats were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ and CD4+CD25+ T cells populations were measured using flow cytometric analysis. To evaluate the possible hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity, the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), blood urea (UREA) and creatinine (CREA) in CIA rats were also tested using blood auto analyzer. RESULTS: 34 compounds were identified from SV based on LCMS-IT-TOF, and triterpenoids are major anti-arthritic compositions. SV significantly relieved CIA rats' paw swelling without obvious influence on the body weight growth. SV decreased the serum levels of IL-2, TNF-α and IFN-γ in CIA rat, and increased the serum levels of IL-4 and IL-10. SV significantly increased and decreased the percentages of CD4+ and CD8+, with no significant effects on CD3+ in lymphocytes of CIA model rats. Moreover, SV simultaneously decreased thymus and spleen indexes and no hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity was observed after short-term treatment. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that SV possesses preventive and therapeutic effect on RA by modulating the inflammatory cytokines, T-lymphocyte, thymus and spleen indexes and shows no hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity.

Wrist-ankle acupuncture for the treatment of acute orthopedic pain after surgery: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Wrist-ankle acupuncture (WAA) has been reported in the treatment of acute pain in orthopedic surgery. However, the effects of WAA on acute pain were controversial in the current studies. Therefore, the purpose of this meta-analysis was to critically evaluate the effects of WAA on acute pain in orthopedic surgery. METHODS: Several digital databases were searched from the inception of databases to July 2021, including CNKI, VIP, Wanfang, CBM, Pubmed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase, Medline, and Web of Science Core Collection. The risk of bias was evaluated using the Cochrane collaboration criteria. The primary outcome indicators included pain score, pain killer dosage, analgesia satisfaction, and adverse reaction incidence. All analyses were performed with Review Manager 5.4.1. RESULT: A total of 10 studies with 725 patients with orthopedic surgery (intervention group: 361, control group: 364) were included in this meta-analysis. The results demonstrated that the pain score of the intervention group was lower than the control group, and the difference was statistically significant [MD = - 0.29, 95%CI (- 0.37, - 0.21), P < 0.0001]. Compared with the control group, the patient in the intervention group used smaller amounts of pain killer [MD = - 0.16, 95%CI (- 0.30, - 0.02), P = 0.02]. The satisfaction of patients on pain relief was also higher in the intervention group, and the difference was statistically [OR = 0.25, 95%CI (0.15,0.41), P < 0.0001]. CONCLUSION: WAA has a certain effect on acute pain in orthopedic surgery, and the effect of WAA combined with other therapies is better than that of not using WAA therapy.

Efficacy of vitamin D supplementation on COPD and asthma control: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The role of vitamin D (VD) in the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma remains largely undetermined. In the present meta-analysis, we aimed to comprehensively investigate the efficacy of VD in the treatment of COPD and asthma according to the latest update. Methods: The PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched from their inception to June 2, 2022. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the efficacy of VD with placebo against COPD or asthma were included. Results: A total of 11 RCTs consisting of 1183 COPD patients and 19 RCTs consisting of 2025 asthmatic patients were finally included. As for pulmonary function, FEV1/FVC was not changed significantly, while FEV1% was improved in the VD group. In the asthma subgroup, FEV1% was not changed significantly, while FEV1/FVC was improved in the VD group. For the questionnaire and rating scale, the mMRC (modified Medical Research Council) dyspnoea scale score for COPD and ACT (Asthma Control Test) score for asthma were not significantly changed, while the SGRQ (St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire) score for COPD was improved in the VD group. For inflammation indicators, IL-6 and IL-10 were statistically equivalent between the VD and placebo groups, while IgE, IL-5, and IL-10 (baseline VD deficiency subgroup) were improved in the VD group. The exacerbation, length of hospital stays, and mortality were statistically equivalent between the two groups. Conclusions: VD supplementation improved the indicators of asthma and COPD, especially in pulmonary function, SGRQ scores, IL-5, and IgE. Registration: The protocol could be found at PROSPERO with the registration number of CRD42020218058.

Pain Management of Hallux Valgus Surgery Is Achieved by Cocktail Therapy.

Background: Hallux valgus is a relatively common forefoot disease in clinical practice. The aim of our study was to assess the role of local cocktail drugs and postoperative pain after hallux valgus surgery. Methods: A retrospective case-control study was conducted to analyze 75 moderate to severe hallux valgus patients from June 1, 2018 to December 1, 2019. All patients were divided into cocktail and control groups according to whether the cocktail therapy was used or not after the operation. The anesthesiologist did not provide analgesic treatment other than nerve block anesthesia and intravenous anesthesia, such as analgesic pumps. The operative region of the cocktail group received a mixture of 10 ml of 0.75% ropivacaine, 10 ml of flurbiprofen axetil injection, and 1 ml of compound betamethasone injection, whereas the control group received nothing in the surgical spot. We recorded patients' VAS scores preoperatively and at 6, 24 hours postoperatively; the length of hospital stay and the number of hospitalization expenses; the scores of Kolcaba comfort level; and the scores of Pittsburgh sleep quality. Result: There was no significant difference in age or sex between the two groups. The VAS scores at 6 and 24 hours postoperatively were significantly lower in the cocktail group. The average length of hospital stay was 8.24 days in the control group and 3.73 days in the cocktail group. The average total hospitalization cost of the control group was ¥28285.16, and that of the cocktail group was ¥22366.31. In expenses of total hospitalization costs, the cocktail group was lower than the control group. Kolcaba's comfort various scores and the total score of the cocktail group were higher than the control group. The total score of PSQI and all dimensions in the experimental group were lower than those in the control group. Conclusion: We found a significant difference in the results of postoperative pain management except for age, sex, and hospitalization expenses. After hallux valgus surgery, inject cocktail drugs around the first metatarsophalangeal joint did reduce postoperative pain level. Level of Evidence. Level III, case-control study.

Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium alleviates postmyocardial infarction heart failure by upregulating PPARγ expression.

Heart failure after myocardial infarction (MI) is the leading cause of death worldwide. Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium (CRP) is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine that has been used in the clinic for centuries. In this study, we aimed to investigate the roles of CRP in cardiac remodelling and heart failure after MI, as well as the molecular mechanisms involved. Male C57BL/6 mice aged 8 weeks were subjected to coronary artery ligation to mimic the clinical situation in vivo. Echocardiography was used to assess the systolic function of the mouse heart. Masson trichrome staining and Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) staining were utilised to determine the fibrotic area and cross-sectional area of the mouse heart, respectively. Cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts were isolated from neonatal rats aged 0-3 days in vitro using enzyme digestion. TUNEL staining and EdU staining were performed to evaluate apoptosis and proliferation, respectively. Gene expression changes were analysed by qRT-PCR, and protein expression changes were assessed by Western blotting. Our findings revealed that CRP attenuated cardiac hypertrophy, fibrosis and apoptosis and alleviated heart failure after MI in vivo. Furthermore, CRP mitigated cardiomyocyte apoptosis and fibroblast proliferation and differentiation into myofibroblasts. In addition, the PPARγ inhibitor T0070907 completely abolished the abovementioned beneficial effects of CRP, and the PPARγ activator rosiglitazone failed to further ameliorate cardiac apoptosis and fibrosis in vitro. CRP alleviates cardiac hypertrophy, fibrosis, and apoptosis and can ameliorate heart failure after MI via activation of PPARγ.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Decoctions Improve Longevity Following Diagnosis with Stage IV Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Retrospective Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an ancient form of personalized medicine and may improve morbidity and mortality in patients with esophageal cancer. This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the utility of TCM in the treatment of stage IV esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). METHODS: We collected the medical records of patients with stage IV SCC admitted to Henan Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Linzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine between July 2017 and June 2020. We used univariate and multivariate analyses to determine if the use of TCM improved patient prognosis. Moreover, cluster analysis was used to classify the patients according to TCM syndrome type and identify the most frequently used combinations of remedies. RESULTS: After that 402 patients were included in PSM, of which 196 (48.8%) were treated with traditional Chinese medicine. TCM prolonged the survival time of patients with stage IV esophageal SCC (P=0.084), and was an independently associated with prognosis as demonstrated by Cox multivariate regression analysis [risk ratio (RR) =0.543, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.390-0.755, P<0.001]. Association analysis revealed 75 cases (38.26%) had obstruction of phlegm and qi syndrome, 53 cases (27.04%) had phlegm and blood stasis syndrome, 38 cases (19.39%) had yang-qi deficiency syndrome, and 30 cases (15.31%) had heat retention and fluid consumption syndrome. CONCLUSION: Treatment with TCM derived therapies may increase the survival time of patients with stage IV esophageal SCC. Since these patients were diagnosed with different TCM syndromes, individualized TCM therapy is essential for improving symptoms and survival.

Sodium houttuyfonate enhances the mono-therapy of fluconazole on oropharyngeal candidiasis (OPC) through HIF-1α/IL-17 axis by inhibiting cAMP mediated filamentation in Candida albicans-Candida glabrata dual biofilms.

Candida albicans and Candida glabrata are two common opportunistic fungi that can be co-isolated in oropharyngeal candidiasis (OPC). Hypha is a hallmark of the biofilm formation of C. albicans, indispensable for the attachment of C. glabrata, which is seldom in mycelial morphology. Increasing evidence reveals a hypoxic microenvironment in interior fungal biofilms, reminding of a fact that inflammation is usually accompanied by oxygen deprivation. As a result, it is assumed that the disaggregation of hypha-mediated hypoxia of biofilms might be a solution to alleviate OPC. Based on this hypothesis, sodium houttuyfonate (SH), a well-identified traditional herbal compound with antifungal activity, is used in combination with fluconazole (FLU), a well-informed synthesized antimycotics, to investigate their impact on filamentation in C. albicans and C. glabrata dual biofilms and the underlying mechanism of their combined treatment on OPC. The results show that compared with the single therapy, SH plus FLU can inhibit the hyphal growth in the mixed biofilms in vitro, decrease the fungal burden of oral tissues and internal organs, restore mucosal epithelial integrity and function, and reduce hypoxic microenvironment and inflammation in a mice OPC model. The possible mechanism of the combined therapy of SH plus FLU can be attributed to the regulation of HIF-1α/IL-17A axis through direct abrogation of the dual Candida biofilm formation. This study highlights the role of HIF-1α/IL-17A axis and the promising application of SH as a sensitizer of conventional antifungals in the treatment of OPC.

Sodium houttuyfonate attenuates dextran sulfate sodium associated colitis precolonized with Candida albicans through inducing ß-glucan exposure.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis is a chronic intestinal disease most likely associated with gut dysbiosis. Candida related mycobiota has been demonstrated to play a role in IBD progression. Traditional Chinese herbal medicines (TCHMs) with antifungal activity have a potential in prevention and treatment of fungi-related IBD. Sodium houttuyfonate (SH) is a promising anti-Candida TCHMs. In this study, a dextran sulfate sodium induced colitis model with Candida albicans precolonization is established. SH gavage can significantly decrease the fungal burdens in feces and colon tissues, reduce disease activity index score, elongate colon length, and attenuate colonic damages. Moreover, SH markedly inhibits the levels of anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibodies, ß-glucan, and proinflammatory cytokine (IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α), and increases anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 level in serum and colon tissue. Further experiments demonstrate that SH could induce ß-glucan exposure, priming intestinal macrophages to get rid of colonized C. albicans through the collaboration of Dectin-1 and TLR2/4. With the decreased fungal burden, the protein levels of Dectin-1, TLR2, TLR4, and NF-κBp65 are fallen back, indicating the primed macrophages calm down and the colitis is alleviated. Collectively, these results manifest that SH can attenuate C. albicans associated colitis via ß-glucan exposure, deepening our understanding of TCHMs in the prevention and treatment of fungi associated IBD.

[Therapeutic effect of cinnamaldehyde on ulcerative colitis in mice induced by dextran sulfate sodium with Candida albicans colonization and its effect on dectin-1/TLRs/NF-κB signaling pathway].

To observe the efficacy of cinnamaldehyde on dextran sulfate sodium(DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis(UC) with Can-dida albicans(Ca) colonization and its effect on dectin-1/TLRs/NF-κB signaling pathway in mice. C57 BL/6 mice were randomly divided into normal group, DSS group, DSS+Ca group, cinnamaldehyde group and mesalazine group. Mice in DSS+Ca group were given Ca(1×10~8 CFU per mouse) through intragastrical administration for 4 consecutive days and then distilled water with 3.0% DSS for 7 consecutive days. In cinnamaldehyde group and mesalazine group, in addition to the induction method of the DSS+Ca group, mice were given 75 mg·kg~(-1) cinnamaldehyde and 200 mg·kg~(-1) mesalazine accompanied with 3.0% DSS for 7 consecutive days, respectively. Mice in normal group and DSS group were correspondingly administered with distilled water. The general conditions of the mice were observed daily, the diseased activity index(DAI) score was calculated, and fungal loads of feces were detected by plate method. The mice were sacrificed on day 12, colon length was measured, colon mucosa damage index(CMDI) score was calculated, and histopathological analysis was carried out by HE staining. Anti-saccharomces cerevisiae antibody(ASCA) and ß-1,3-glucan in serum, and TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 in serum and colon tissue were detected by ELISA. The contents of ß-1,3-glucan and macrophage infiltration in colon tissues were examined by immunofluorescence staining. The protein expressions of dectin-1, TLR2, TLR4 and NF-κB were detected by Western blot and immunohistochemistry staining. The results showed that cinnamaldehyde could significantly improve the general conditions of UC mice with Ca colonization, decrease DAI and histopathological scores, reduce intestinal mucosal congestion, erosion and colon shortening, decrease Ca load in mouse feces and tissues, down-regulate the contents of ASCA and ß-1,3-glucan in serum, reduce the contents of TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8 and increase IL-10 in serum and colon tissues, inhibit macrophages infiltration and down-regulate the protein expression of dectin-1, TLR2, TLR4 and NF-κB in colon tissue. These results suggested that cinnamaldehyde had a therapeutic effect on UC mice with Ca colonization, which might be related to the inhibition of Ca proliferation, the regulation of dectin-1/TLRs/NF-κB signaling pathways and the coordination of the balance between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory factors.

Enzymatic mechanism of organic nitrogen conversion and ammonia formation during vegetable waste composting using two amendments.

Elucidating the mechanism of nitrogen conversion during composting is crucial for controlling nutrient loss and improving the quality of compost. To explore the enzymatic mechanism of organic conversion during composting, composting experiments using vegetable waste and chicken manure mixed with wheat straw and corn stalk as two separate treatments: WS and CS, respectively, were conducted in 63 L aerated static pile reactors for 33 d. The changes in the nitrogen fractions and related-enzymes activities were analyzed during different periods. The total nitrogen content increased by 34.3% during WS and decreased by 6.22% during CS after 33d of composting. The ammounium nitrogen content decreased by 79.6% and 51.4% during WS and CS. The nitrate, nitrite, organic, acid-insoluble organic nitrogen contents increased by approximately 52.6-123.9%, 590.9-5875%, 59.1-213.8%, and 764.4-7834.1%, respectively. The amount of total hydrolysable organic nitrogen increased by 18.8% during WS and decreased by 26.7% in CS. Structural equation modeling revealed that the contributions of different types of nitrogen to the formation of NH4+ during WS composting decreased as follows: amine nitrogen (AN) > amino acid nitrogen (AAN) > amino sugar nitrogen (ASN) > hydrolysable unknown nitrogen (HUN), while the corresponding nitrogen contributions during CS decreased as follows: AAN > AN > HUN > ASN. The AN and AAN were most easily converted into NH4+ during WS and CS, respectively, while ASN was synthesized from NH4+ during vegetable waste composting. Using redundancy analysis it was revealed that nitrate reductase (50.1%), nitrite reductase (23.2%) and urease (7.1%) played leading roles in nitrogen transformation. Furthermore, total organic carbon (59.6%) was the main factor that affected enzymes activities.

Antidepressant-like effects of shuyusan in rats exposed to chronic stress: effects on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function.

This study was to investigate antidepressant activities of Shuyusan (a Chinese herb), using a rats model of depression induced by unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS). The administration groups were treated with Shuyusan decoction for 3 weeks and compared with fluoxetine treatment. In order to understand the potential antidepressant-like activities of Shuyusan, tail suspension test (TST) and forced swimming test (FST) were used as behavioral despair study. The level of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRH), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), corticosterone (CORT) and hippocampus glucocorticoid receptor expression were examined. After modeling, there was a significant prolongation of immobility time in administration groups with the TST and FST. High-dose Shuyusan could reduce the immobility time measured with the TST and FST. The immobility time in high-dose herbs group and fluoxetine group was increased significantly compared with the model group. After 3 weeks herbs fed, the serum contents level of CRH, ACTH, and CORT in high-dose herb group was significantly decreased compared to the model group. The result indicated that Shuyusan had antidepressant activity effects on UCMS model rats. The potential antidepressant effect may be related to decreasing glucocorticoid levels activity, regulating the function of HPA axis, and inhibiting glucocorticoid receptor expression in hippocampus.

Involvement of the cerebral monoamine neurotransmitters system in antidepressant-like effects of a chinese herbal decoction, baihe dihuang tang, in mice model.

Baihe Dihuang Tang (BDT) is a renowned Chinese herbal formula which is commonly used for treating patients with mental instability, absentmindedness, insomnia, deficient dysphoria, and other psychological diseases. These major symptoms closely associated with the depressive disorders. BDT was widely popular use for treating emotion-thought disorders for many years in China. In the present study, the antidepressant-like effect of BDT in mice was investigated by using the forced swim test (FST) and the tail suspension test (TST). The underlying mechanism was explored by determining the effect of BDT on the level of cerebral monoamine neurotransmitters. BDT (9 and 18 g/kg, p.o. for 14 days) administration significantly reduced the immobility time in both the FST and the TST without changing locomotion in the open field-test (OFT). Moreover, BDT treatment at the dose of 18 g/kg inhibited reserpine-induced ptosis. Meanwhile, BDT enhanced 5-HT and NA levels in mouse cerebrum as well as decreased the ratio of 5-HT compared to its metabolite, 5-HIAA, (turnover, 5-HIAA/5-HT) after TST. The results demonstrated that the antidepressant-like effect of BDT is mediated, at least partially, via the central monoaminergic neurotransmitter system.

Quantitative analysis of biologically active ingredients of Five Seeds Combo by liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry for quality control of commercial herbal product.

Five Seeds Combo (wu zi yan zong wan) is a traditional Chinese herbal formula composed of fructus Lycii, semen Cuscutae, fructus Rubi, semen Plantaginis, and fructus Schisandrae. This herbal prescription has been developed into herbal products by many pharmaceutical manufacturers for treating age-related symptoms. The present study aims to develop an analytical method for the quality control of this herbal drug. Nine active ingredients including schisantherin A, schisandrin B, schisandrin, schisandrin A, quercitrin, betaine, verbascoside, hyperoside, and kaempferol were selected as the targeted analytes for the analysis. By using liquid chromatogram/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MS), the nine chemical compounds were determined simultaneously from the chromatogram. The parameters for MS were optimized by orthogonal array testing and the best condition of the MS for the determination of the nine marker compounds was found to be 175, 75, and 700 V for fragmentor, skimmer, and voltage of capillary, respectively. The method validation showed that this analytical method had high precision and sensitivity (limit of quantitation was smaller than 10 ng/mL for most of the analytes). The method was found to be able to demonstrate the quality of Five Seeds Combo from different manufacturers.

Protective roles of Cordyceps on lung fibrosis in cellular and rat models.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Cordyceps sinensis is a fungus used in traditional Chinese medicine as a tonic to soothe the lung for the treatment of fatigue and respiratory diseases. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a chronic, irreversible and debilitating lung disease showing fibroblast/myofibroblast expansion and excessive deposition of extracellular matrix in the interstitium leading to breathing difficulty. Our previous observation revealed a partial relief of lung fibrosis in patients suffering from severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). We hypothesize that Cordyceps has beneficial effects on lung fibrosis and the objective of this study is to explore the target(s) of Cordyceps in the relief of lung fibrosis in animal and cell models and to gain insight into its underlying mechanisms. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A rat model of bleomycin (BLM)-induced lung fibrosis and a fibrotic cell model with transforming growth factor beta-1 induction were employed in the studies. RESULTS: Reduction of infiltration of inflammatory cells, deposition of fibroblastic loci and collagen, formation of reactive oxygen species, and production of cytokines, as well as recovery from imbalance of MMP-9/TIMP-1, were observed in fibrotic rats after treatment with Cordyceps in preventive (from the day of BLM administration) and therapeutic (from 14 days after BLM) regimens. In a fibrotic cell model with transforming growth factor beta-1 induction, the human lung epithelial A549 acquired a mesenchymal phenotype and an increase of vimentin expression with a concomitant decrease of E-cadherin. This epithelial-mesenchymal transition could be partially reverted by cordycepin, a major component of Cordyceps. CONCLUSION: The findings provide an insight into the preventive and therapeutic potentials of Cordyceps for the treatment of lung fibrosis.

Long-term treatment with a "Yang-invigorating" Chinese herbal formula, Wu-Zi-Yan-Zong-Wan, reduces mortality and liver oxidative damage in chronic alcohol-intoxicated rats.

Long-term alcohol consumption has been reported to increase oxidative stress in multiple organs and accelerate the aging process. A previous study in our laboratory has shown that Wu-Zi-Yan-Zong-Wan (WZ), a "Yang-invigorating" Chinese herbal formula, protected against ethanol-induced toxicity in HepG2 cells transfected to express human CYP2E1, presumably by enhancing mitochondrial antioxidant status and functional ability. The present study aims to investigate whether WZ extract treatment can afford protection against chronic ethanol-induced oxidative stress (a major risk factor of aging) and mortality in rats. The effect of the extract (1.8 g, 4.5 g, and 9 g raw materials/kg per day) on chronic ethanol hepatotoxicity was investigated in rats receiving steady intragastric infusion of ethanol-containing liquid diet. The results showed that long-term (42 days) herbal co-treatment protected against chronic ethanol-induced mortality and hepatotoxicity and in rats, as evidenced by decreased plasma transaminases activities. The extract also suppressed the pathological development of fatty liver, as assessed by histopathological examination and the ratio of liver weight to body weight. The hepatoprotection afforded by the extract was associated with decreases in the extents of reactive oxygen species production, lipid peroxidation, and oxidative modification of proteins, as well as the reversal of altered mitochondrial reduced glutathione level. The results suggest that the suppressive effect of WZ on chronic ethanol-induced oxidative stress and mortality may be attributed to the antioxidant action, particularly in mitochondria.

Chemical and biological differentiation of Cortex Phellodendri Chinensis and Cortex Phellodendri Amurensis.

The Chinese herbal drug Cortex Phellodendri is derived from two species of PHELLODENDRON, P. CHINENSIS Schneid. and P. AMURENSE Rupr. Traditionally, Cortex Phellodendri Chinensis (CPC) and Cortex Phellodendri Amurensis (CPA) are used interchangeably because they are believed to share the same clinical efficacy. Berberine has been believed to be the active ingredient of the herbs. However, recent studies have shown that the content of berberine is much higher in CPC than in CPA. Interestingly, the majority of researches deal with CPA, the one with lower content of berberine. These observations provoke us to reconsider the active ingredients of Cortex Phellodendri. In this study, two traditional usages (antidiarrheal and antibacterial) of Cortex Phellodendri were compared with the chemical analysis of the two herb species used in its formulation. The results suggest that berberine is one of the active ingredients responsible for the antidiarrheal and antibacterial activities of the herbs, but that other chemical ingredients are also involved in regulating the biological actions of the herbal drug. These chemical ingredients may have the same or the opposite effect as berberine. The effectiveness of the herbs is more likely to correlate to the content of total alkaloids rather than to the content of berberine.

Quality assurance for Chinese herbal formulae: standardization of IBS-20, a 20-herb preparation.

BACKGROUND: The employment of well characterized test samples prepared from authenticated, high quality medicinal plant materials is key to reproducible herbal research. The present study aims to demonstrate a quality assurance program covering the acquisition, botanical validation, chemical standardization and good manufacturing practices (GMP) production of IBS-20, a 20-herb Chinese herbal formula under study as a potential agent for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. METHODS: Purity and contaminant tests for the presence of toxic metals, pesticide residues, mycotoxins and microorganisms were performed. Qualitative chemical fingerprint analysis and quantitation of marker compounds of the herbs, as well as that of the IBS-20 formula was carried out with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Extraction and manufacture of the 20-herb formula were carried out under GMP. Chemical standardization was performed with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis. Stability of the formula was monitored with HPLC in real time. RESULTS: Quality component herbs, purchased from a GMP supplier were botanically and chemically authenticated and quantitative HPLC profiles (fingerprints) of each component herb and of the composite formula were established. An aqueous extract of the mixture of the 20 herbs was prepared and formulated into IBS-20, which was chemically standardized by LC-MS, with 20 chemical compounds serving as reference markers. The stability of the formula was monitored and shown to be stable at room temperature. CONCLUSION: A quality assurance program has been developed for the preparation of a standardized 20-herb formulation for use in the clinical studies for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The procedures developed in the present study will serve as a protocol for other poly-herbal Chinese medicine studies.

Biochemical mechanism of Wu-Zi-Yan-Zong-Wan, a traditional Chinese herbal formula, against alcohol-induced oxidative damage in CYP2E1 cDNA-transfected HepG2 (E47) cells.

AIM OF THE STUDY: Wu-Zi-Yan-Zong-Wan (WZ) is a traditional Chinese herbal formula which is commonly used for treating patients with "Yang deficiency". In the present study, the effect of WZ on ethanol-induced toxicity in CYP2E1 cDNA-transfected HepG2 (E47) cells was investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: WZ extract was obtained by extracting the herbal powder with 50% ethanol (v/v, in water) and the effect of the extract on ethanol-induced toxicity was investigated in cultured cells. RESULTS: The treatment with WZ extract (12.5-200 microg/mL) for 24h dose-dependently protected against ethanol-induced toxicity in E47 cells, as evidenced by the enhanced cell viability and decreased extent of lactate dehydrogeanse leakage. The cytoprotection against ethanol-induced toxicity was associated with decreases in the extents of reactive oxygen species production and lipid peroxidation, as well as increases in mitochondrial reduced glutathione and membrane potential. In addition, WZ extract treatment also suppressed the formation of DNA fragments in ethanol-intoxicated E47 cells. CONCLUSIONS: WZ extract was found to protect against the ethanol-induced toxicity in E47 cells, possibly by virtues of its antioxidant activity.