[Evidence mapping of Chinese patent medicines in treatment of premature ventricular contractions].

This study employed evidence mapping to systematically sort out the clinical studies about the treatment of premature ventricular contractions with Chinese patent medicines and to reveal the distribution of evidence in this field. The articles about the treatment of premature ventricular contractions with Chinese patent medicines were searched against PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang, and VIP with the time interval from January 2016 to December 2022. Evidence was analyzed and presented by charts and graphs combined with text. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 164 papers were included, including 147 interventional studies, 4 observational studies, and 13 systematic reviews. A total of 27 Chinese patent medicines were involved, in which Shensong Yangxin Capsules and Wenxin Granules had high frequency. There were off-label uses in clinical practice. In recent years, the number of articles published in this field showed a decreasing trend. Eight types of outcome indicators were used in interventional studies. Ambulatory electrocardiography, clinical response rate, safety, and echocardiography had high frequency, while the rate of ß-blocker decompensation, major cardiovascular events, and pharmaceutical economic indicators were rarely reported. The evaluation was one-sided. The low quality of the included articles reduced the reliability of the findings. In the future, the clinical use of medicines should be standardized, and the quality of clinical studies should be improved. Comprehensive clinical evaluation should be carried out to provide a sound scientific basis for the treatment of premature ventricular contractions with Chinese patent medicines.

Monitoring grey water footprint and associated environmental controls in agricultural watershed.

The grey water footprint (GWF) is an advanced index linking pollution load and water resources. However, the existing agriculture-related GWF was developed based on hydrological processes, which limits its role in watershed water pollution level (WPL) measurements. The main scope of this study is to calculate GWF and WPL based on runoff, total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) observations in the Hujiashan Watershed of China's Yangtze River Basin. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was utilized to explore the impact pathways of environmental features on GWF and WPL. On this basis, propose measures for the management of this agricultural watershed. The results showed that the TN concentration had a V-shaped trend in 2008-2015, while the TP gradually decreased. The GWF calculations for the TN and TP were compatible with the temporal trends for the concentrations, which were higher in the wet season (0.45 m3/m2 for TN, 0.10 m3/m2 for TP) than in the dry season (0.11 m3/m2 for TN, 0.02 m3/m2 for TP) and increased from upstream to downstream. The WPLs of TN exceeded 2.0 in the midstream and downstream areas, whereas those for TP were inconspicuous. According to PLS-SEM, the GWF is primarily influenced by topographical variables and hydrological features, whereas the WPL is mainly controlled by hydrological features and landscape composition. Fertilizer reduction and efficiency measures should be implemented on farmland and appropriately reducing farming activities on slopes to relieve the GWF and WPL in the watershed.

IiAGL6 participates in the regulation of stamen development and pollen formation in Isatis indigotica.

The AGL6 (AGMOUSE LIKE 6) gene is a member of the SEP subfamily and functions as an E-class floral homeotic gene in the development of floral organs. In this study, we cloned IiAGL6, the orthologous gene of AGL6 in Isatis indigotica. The constitutive expression of IiAGL6 in Arabidopsis thaliana resulted in a late-flowering phenotype and the development of curly leaves during the vegetative growth period. Abnormal changes in floral organ development were observed during the reproductive stage. In woad plants, suppression of IiAGL6 using TRV-VIGS (tobacco rattle virus-mediated virus-induced gene silencing) decreased the number of stamens and led to the formation of aberrant anthers. Similar changes in stamen development were also observed in miRNA-AGL6 transgenic Arabidopsis plants. Yeast two-hybrid and BiFC tests showed that IiAGL6 can interact with other MADS-box proteins in woad; thus, playing a key role in defining the identities of floral organs, particularly during stamen formation. These findings might provide novel insights and help investigate the biological roles of MADS transcription factors in I. indigotica.

Tunable rheological properties of high internal phase emulsions stabilized by phosphorylated walnut protein/pectin complexes: The effects of pH conditions, mass ratios, and concentrations.

The current study reported high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) stabilized by phosphorylated walnut protein/pectin complexes (PWPI/Pec) and elucidated how their rheological properties were modulated by pH conditions, mass ratios, and concentrations of the complexes. At pH 3.0, the HIPEs stabilized by PWPI/Pec exhibited smaller oil droplet sizes, as well as higher storage modulus (G') and flow stress, in comparison to those stabilized by the complexes formed at pH 4.0-6.0. These observations can be directly linked to pH-dependent changes in particle size, surface hydrophobicity, and wettability of the PWPI/Pec complexes. Rheological analysis revealed that all generated HIPEs displayed weak strain overshoot behavior, irrespective of pH conditions. Notably, HIPEs stabilized by PWPI/Pec at mass ratios of 2:1 and 4:1 showed enlarged oil droplet sizes, lower G' and flow stress but higher flow strain with unaffected loss factor compared to those stabilized by PWPI/Pec 1:1. However, reducing the concentration of PWPI/Pec led to a simultaneous decrease in G', flow stress, and flow strain, along with a significant increase in the loss factor of the HIPEs. Furthermore, the HIPEs formed with 1% PWPI/Pec 1:1 at pH 3.0 demonstrated excellent stability against heat treatment and long-term storage. These results provide valuable insights into the modulation of rheological characteristics of HIPEs and offer guidance for the application of walnut protein-based stabilizers in HIPE systems.

The effect of epigallocatechin gallate on laying performance, egg quality, immune status, antioxidant capacity, and hepatic metabolome of laying ducks reared in high temperature condition.

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is a main component in green tea extract, which possesses multiple bioactivities. The present research studied the effects of EGCG on the laying performance, egg quality, immune status, antioxidant capacity, and hepatic metabolome of Linwu laying ducks reared under high temperature. A total of 180 42-w-old healthy Linwu laying ducks were allocated into control or EGCG-treated groups. Each treatment had 6 replicates with 15 ducks in each replicate. Diets for the two groups were basal diets supplemented with 0 or 300 mg/kg EGCG, respectively. All ducks were raised in the high temperature condition (35 ± 2 °C for 6 h from 10:00 to 16:00, and 28 ± 2 °C for the other 18 h from 16:00 to 10:00 the next day) for 21 days. Results showed that EGCG increased the egg production rate (p = 0.014) and enhanced the immunocompetence by improving serum levels of immunoglobulin A (p = 0.008) and immunoglobulin G (p = 0.006). EGCG also fortified the antioxidant capacity by activating superoxide dismutase (p = 0.012), catalase (p = 0.009), and glutathione peroxidase (p = 0.021), and increasing the level of heat-shock protein 70 (p = 0.003) in laying ducks' liver. At the same time, hepatic metabolomics result suggested that EGCG increased the concentration of several key metabolites, such as spermidine (p = 0.031), tetramethylenediamine (p = 0.009), hyoscyamine (p = 0.026), ß-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (p = 0.038), and pantothenic acid (p = 0.010), which were involved in the metabolic pathways of glutathione metabolism, arginine and proline metabolism, ß-alanine metabolism, and tropane, piperidine, and pyridine alkaloid biosynthesis. In conclusion, 300 mg/kg dietary EGCG showed protection effects on the laying ducks reared in high temperature by improving the immune and antioxidant capacities, which contributed to the increase of laying performance of ducks. The potential mechanism could be that EGCG modulate the synthesis of key metabolites and associated metabolic pathways.

Lupus Recipe inhibits cGVHD-induced lupus nephritis in mice and promote renal LC3-associated autophagy.

Lupus nephritis (LN) is one of the most severe manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The chronic graft versus host disease (cGVHD) mouse model is a well-established model of SLE. LC3-associated autophagy plays a critical role in extracellular particle clearance, including pathogens and apoptotic cells. Lupus Recipe (LR) is a Chinese herbal compound that has been proven to be effective in treating SLE. In the study, we investigated the protective effects of LR or LR combined with prednisone on cGVHD mouse model and LC3-associated autophagy in the kidney. The mice were subjected to six groups. The LR treatment group received LR at the dosage of 1.15 and 2.3 g/kg/day, respectively. The corticosteroid treatment group received prednisone at a dosage of 5 mg/kg/day. The combination treatment group received LR at a dosage of 2.3 g/kg/day, and prednisone at 2.5 mg/kg/day. LR treatment reduced proteinuria and serum triglyceride levels, as well as spleen weight. LR also alleviated pathologic damage and immunoglobulin G deposition in the kidney. LR combined with a low dose of prednisone significantly improved kidney function and decreased serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, and spleen weight. In addition, combination treatment relieved kidney injury more effectively than LR alone. Western blot revealed that LR treatment or LR combined with prednisone increased the LC3-associated autophagy protein of Rubicon and Nox2, as well as LC3I levels in the kidney tissues. In conclusion, LR inhibited the manifestation of cGVHD-induced LN, which may attribute to the increased levels of LC3-associated autophagy.

Research progress of traditional Chinese medicine as sensitizer in reversing chemoresistance of colorectal cancer.

In recent years, the incidences and mortalities from colorectal cancer (CRC) have been increasing; therefore, there is an urgent need to discover newer drugs that enhance drug sensitivity and reverse drug tolerance in CRC treatment. With this view, the current study focuses on understanding the mechanism of CRC chemoresistance to the drug as well as exploring the potential of different traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in restoring the sensitivity of CRC to chemotherapeutic drugs. Moreover, the mechanism involved in restoring sensitivity, such as by acting on the target of traditional chemical drugs, assisting drug activation, increasing intracellular accumulation of anticancer drugs, improving tumor microenvironment, relieving immunosuppression, and erasing reversible modification like methylation, have been thoroughly discussed. Furthermore, the effect of TCM along with anticancer drugs in reducing toxicity, increasing efficiency, mediating new ways of cell death, and effectively blocking the drug resistance mechanism has been studied. We aimed to explore the potential of TCM as a sensitizer of anti-CRC drugs for the development of a new natural, less-toxic, and highly effective sensitizer to CRC chemoresistance.

Effects of rosemary extract supplementation in feed on growth performance, meat quality, serum biochemistry, antioxidant capacity, and immune function of meat ducks.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of diets supplemented with different levels of rosemary extract (RE) on the growth performance, meat quality, serum biochemistry, antioxidative capacity, and immunological capacity of Cherry Valley meat ducks. A total of 525 healthy Cherry Valley female meat ducks at 1 d of age were selected for this study. Ducks were randomly divided into 5 treatments with 7 replicates per treatment, and each replicate had 15 ducks. All replicates were randomly assigned to treatments. The study was designed as a dose response experiment. Treatment 1 (CON) was fed with the basal diet, and Treatment 2 to 5 (RE250, RE500, RE750, RE1000) were fed with the basal diet supplemented with 250, 500, 750, and 1,000 g/t RE, respectively. The whole experiment lasted 42 days with early stage (1-21 d) and late stage (22-42 d). Results showed that during 22 to 42 d, ducks that were fed over 500 g/t RE had significantly lower feed gain ratio than the ones in CON (P = 0.006). In addition, ducks in RE750 had significantly lower L* and a* in leg muscle compared with the ones in CON (P < 0.05). Besides, ducks that were fed between 250 and 750 g/t RE had significantly lower total protein level in serum compared with the ones in CON (P = 0.005). Ducks in RE250 and RE750 had significantly lower albumin, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in serum compared with the ones in CON and RE1000 (P < 0.05), and significant quadratic relationships were noticed between albumin, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and dietary RE level (P < 0.05). Moreover, ducks that were fed between 500 and 750 g/t RE had significantly higher levels of interleukin-2 in serum compared to the ones in CON and RE1000 (P = 0.003). Ducks in RE250 and RE750 had significantly higher levels of immunoglobulin G in serum compared to the ones in CON and RE1000 (P < 0.001). Ducks that were fed over 500 g/t RE had significantly higher levels of immunoglobulin A in serum compared to the ones in CON (P = 0.001). Finally, ducks that were fed between 500 and 750 g/t RE had significantly higher serum levels of glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and total antioxidant capacity (P < 0.05) compared to the ones in CON. Ducks that were fed over 250 g/t RE had significantly lower serum level of malondialdehyde compared to the ones in CON (P = 0.020). Collectively, dietary supplementation of RE improved the growth performance and meat qualities of meat ducks during 22 to 42 d, which were possibly associated with the antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects of RE. Based on the serum antioxidative and immunological parameters, we suggested that 500 to 750 g/t was the optimal supplementation rate for RE in diets for meat ducks aged 22 to 42 d.

Antimicrobial activities and mechanisms of extract and components of herbs in East Asia.

Antibacterial drugs face increasing challenges due to drug resistance and adverse reactions, which has created a pressing need for the discovery and development of novel antibacterial drugs. Herbs have played an important role in the treatment of infectious diseases. This review aims to summarize, analyze and evaluate the antibacterial activities and mechanisms of components from popular herbs in East Asia. In this review, we have searched and summarized the scientific papers published during the past twenty-year period from electronic databases such as PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science. These herbs and their components, including alkaloids, flavonoids, essential oils, terpenes, organic acids, coumarins and lignans, display potential antimicrobial effects. Herbal medicine formulas (HMFs) usually show stronger antibacterial activity than single herbs. Herbs and HMFs bring forth antibacterial activities by damaging cell membranes and walls, inhibiting nucleic acid and protein synthesis, and increasing intracellular osmotic pressure. These herbs and their components can be developed as potential and promising novel antibacterial herbal products.

Psychological Processes of Postpartum Mothers with Newborns Admitted to the Intensive Care Unit.

PURPOSE: This research aims to explore the psychological processes of postpartum mothers during the admission of their newborns to the intensive care unit. It is hoped that the findings from this study will serve as a reference for clinical medical staff in providing individual and holistic patient care. METHODS: Using grounded theory methodology, we collected data through semistructured, one-to-one in-depth interviews. When data saturation occurred, 12 participants were involved through the constant comparative analysis process. RESULTS: The psychological processes consisted of a core category and three main categories. The core category was "worrying about the baby and striving to fulfill maternal responsibilities." The three main categories were as follows: "impact on the maternal role," "recognition of the maternal identity," and "exhibition of maternal role." The entire process may be affected by intrinsic and extrinsic factors, such as breast milk supply, timing of skin-to-skin contact, seriousness of the newborn's health conditions, the support system, and the style of postpartum confinement care. CONCLUSION: It is recommended that the neonatal intensive care unit should adopt family-centered care, taking an initiative to empathize and care for the mother, assisting skin-to-skin contact for the mother and baby as soon as possible, maintaining established breastfeeding, providing the correct concept of postpartum care, and encouraging participation in support groups. These activities can reduce the impact of the situation on the maternal role and improve maternal identity recognition.

A multiparametric activity profiling platform for neuron disease phenotyping and drug screening.

Patient stem cell-derived models enable imaging of complex disease phenotypes and the development of scalable drug discovery platforms. Current preclinical methods for assessing cellular activity do not, however, capture the full intricacies of disease-induced disturbances and instead typically focus on a single parameter, which impairs both the understanding of disease and the discovery of effective therapeutics. Here, we describe a cloud-based image processing and analysis platform that captures the intricate activity profile revealed by GCaMP fluorescence recordings of intracellular calcium changes and enables the discovery of molecules that correct 153 parameters that define the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis motor neuron disease phenotype. In a high-throughput screen, we identified compounds that revert the multiparametric disease profile to that found in healthy cells, a novel and robust measure of therapeutic potential quite distinct from unidimensional screening. This platform can guide the development of therapeutics that counteract the multifaceted pathological features of diseased cellular activity.

[Clinical observation on treatment of functional dyspepsia by injection of vitamin B1 into Zusanli (ST36) and Hegu (LI4)].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect and safety of injection of vitamin B1 into Zusanli (ST36) and Hegu (LI4) in the treatment of functional dyspepsia (FD). METHODS: A total of 100 FD patients were equally divided into medication group and acupoint injection group (n=50/group) according to a random number table. Patients in the medication group were ordered to take mosapride citrate tablets (5 mg) orally 30 min before each of the three meals, while those in the acupoint injection group received injection of vitamin B1 into ST36 and LI4, once every other day, three times a week. One week later, the clinical symptom scores, total effective rates, serum gastrin (GAS) and plasma motilin (MTL) contents, and gastric emptying rates between the two groups were compared, followed by the observation of adverse reactions. Two weeks' follow-up survey was conducted after the end of treatment, and the clinical symptom scores and total effective rates of the two groups were further compared. RESULTS: Compared with the data before treatment in the same one group, the clinical symptom scores and serum GAS contents of post-treatment as well as the follow-up symptom scores were all significantly decreased (P<0.05，P<0.01), while the plasma MTL levels and gastric emptying rates were obviously increased in both groups (P<0.01). Comparison between the two groups showed that the clinical symptom score, serum GAS content after the treatment and follow-up symptom score were considerably lower (P<0.01), but the total effective rate, plasma MTL, gastric emptying rate after the treatment and total effective rate of follow-up notably higher in the acupoint injection group than those in the medication group (P<0.01,P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Injection of vitamin B1 into ST36 and LI4 is effective in improving symptoms of PD patients, which may be related to its functions in regulating the levels of GAS and MTL in blood, and facilitating gastrointestinal motility.

A pharmacokinetics-pharmacodynamics study of single-dose total glucosides of paeony capsule on reducing serum total bile acid in hepatic injury rats.

CONTEXT: Total Glucosides of Paeony (TGP) capsule possesses various hepatoprotective activities. No study is available concerning TGP's concentration-effect relationship on hepatoprotection. OBJECTIVE: To establish a pharmacokinetics-pharmacodynamics (PK-PD) modelling on TGP capsule's hepatoprotection after a single oral administration in hepatic injury rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five groups (n = 6): control, model (hepatic injury), treated-H (2.82 g/kg), treated-M (1.41 g/kg), and treated-L (0.705 g/kg) groups. All treated groups rats were intragastrically administered a single dose. An LC-MS/MS method was applied to determine paeoniflorin (Pae) and albiflorin (Alb) in rat serum. The effects of single-dose TGP on serum alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST) and total bile acid (TBA) were evaluated in hepatic injury rats. RESULTS: Single dose (2.82, 1.41, or 0.705 g/kg) TGP capsule could real-time down-regulate serum TBA but not ALT and AST in hepatic injury rats within 20 h. An inhibitory effect Sigmoid Emax of PK-PD modelling was established using Pae and Alb as PK markers and serum TBA as effect index. Pharmacodynamic parameters were calculated. For treated-H, treated-M and treated-L group, respectively, E0 were 158.1, 226.9 and 245.4 µmol/L for Pae, 146.1, 92.9 and 138.4 µmol/L for Alb, Emax were 53.0, 66.0, and 97.1 µmol/L for Pae, 117.4, 249.7 and 60.0 µmol/L for Alb, and EC50 were 9.3, 5.2 and 2.7 µg/mL for Pae, 2.3, 0.8, and 0.8 µg/mL for Alb. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Serum TBA is a sensitive effect index for TGP's single dose PK-PD modelling, and it is potential for further multi-dose studies of TGP' effect on hepatic injury. The study provides valuable information for TGP's mechanistic research and rational clinical application.

Evaluation of serum antioxidative status, immune status and intestinal condition of Linwu duck challenged by lipopolysaccharide with various dosages and replications.

The present study investigated the dosage and replication effects of lipopolysaccharide challenges on the serum oxidative and immune status, and the intestinal morphology and permeability of Linwu ducks at the growing stage. A total of 500 54-day-old Linwu ducks were randomly assigned into 10 treatments, which included a factorial arrangement of 2 levels of LPS challenge replications (1 and 2 times) × 5 levels of lipopolysaccharide challenging dosages (0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.8 mg/kg). Each treatment consisted of 5 cages and 10 ducks per cage. The results showed significant replication effects of LPS on the body weight gain of ducks, that 2 replicates of LPS challenges significantly decreased the body weight gain than one challenge (P = 0.036). Regarding to the serum oxidative and immune status, dosage effects of lipopolysaccharide were found on the serum levels of superoxide dismutase (P = 0.034) and immunoglobulin A (P = 0.007), that 0.4 mg/kg lipopolysaccharides significantly increased the levels of these 2 parameters. Additionally, replication effects were found in the serum levels of interlukin 1ß, that 2 replicates of LPS challenges significantly increased the interlukin 1ß levels comparing to one challenge (P = 0.010). Regarding to the intestinal conditions, dosage effects of lipopolysaccharides were found on the ratio of villus height and crypt depth (P = 0.005) in duodenum, and the wall thickness of duodenum (P = 0.010) and jejunum (P = 0.001), that lipopolysaccharides at 0.1, 0.2, and 0.8 mg/kg significantly deteriorated the intestinal morphologies, especially in the duodenum and jejunum. Moreover, the dosage effects of lipopolysaccharides and the interactions of dosages and replications significantly influenced the permeabilities of the intestinal segments (P < 0.05). It appeared that 2 replicates of lipopolysaccharides at the dosage at 0.4 mg/kg could trigger oxidative and immunological stress, and damage the intestinal morphology and permeability of Linwu ducks at the growing stage.

Nanoscale metal-organic frameworks for tumor phototherapy.

Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) are constructed from metal ions/cluster nodes and functional organic ligands through coordination bonds. Owing to the advantages of diverse synthetic methods, easy modification after synthesis, large adsorption capacity for heavy metals, and short equilibrium time, considerable attention has recently been paid to MOFs for tumor phototherapy. Through rational tuning of metal ions and ligands, MOFs present abundant properties for various applications. Light-triggered phototherapy, including photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT), is an emerging cancer treatment approach. Nanosized MOFs can be applied as phototherapeutic agents to accomplish phototherapy with excellent phototherapeutic efficacy. This review outlines the latest advances in the field of phototherapy with various metal ion-based MOFs.

Berberine-photodynamic therapy sensitizes melanoma cells to cisplatin-induced apoptosis through ROS-mediated P38 MAPK pathways.

The clinical use of cisplatin are limited due to its drug resistance. Thus, it is urgent to find effective combination therapy that sensitizes tumor cells to this drug. The combined chemo-photodynamic therapy could increase anti-tumor efficacy while also reduce the side effects of cisplatin. Berberine is an isoquinoline alkaloid, which has been reported to show high photosensitizing activity. In this study, we have examined the effect of a combination of cisplatin and berberine-PDT in cisplatin-resistant melanoma cells. The cytotoxic effects of berberine-PDT alone or in combination with cisplatin were tested by MTT assays. We then examined the subcellular localization of berberine with confocal fluorescence microscopy. The percentage of apoptotic cells, the mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation assessed using flow cytometry analysis. Western blotting used in this study to determine the expression levels of MAPK signaling pathways and apoptosis-related proteins. Experimental data revealed that the mode of cell death is the caspase-dependent mitochondrial apoptotic pathways. Excessive accumulation of ROS played a key role in this process, which is confirmed by alleviation of cytotoxicity upon pretreatment with NAC. Furthermore, we found that the combined treatment activated MAPK signaling pathway. The inhibition of p38 MAPK by pretreating with SB203580 block the combined treatment-induced apoptotic cell death. In conclusion, berberine-PDT could be used as a chemo-sensitizer by promoting cell death through activation of a ROS/p38/caspase cascade.

Electroacupuncture Reduces Oocyte Number and Maintains Vascular Barrier Against Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome by Regulating CD200.

Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is a common complication caused by ovulatory stimulation therapy, which manifests as an increase in ovarian volume, an increase in the number of oocytes retrieved, and increased vascular permeability throughout the body and especially in ovarian tissue. In our previous study, we found that electroacupuncture (EA) could prevent the progression of OHSS, by mainly affecting ovary. However, the specific molecules and the mechanism of this process were still unknown. In order to explore the underlying mechanism, OHSS rat model was established and EA treatment was performed, which was followed by proteomic analysis of ovaries. Results showed a significant increase in the expression level of CD200 in the ovaries of OHSS group treated with EA than those of OHSS group. Clinical data showed that the level of CD200 in follicular fluid was negatively correlated with the number of oocytes retrieved and serum E2 level. Further in vitro experiments showed a concentration-dependent role of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in reducing CD200 and CD200R levels, and increasing inflammatory cytokine levels in cultured KGN cells. In human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), the vascular barrier function was improved by CM (cultural medium from KGN cell) which treated with CD200Fc (CD200R agonist). Meanwhile, the results of in vivo experiments indicated that EA reduced the number of ovarian corpora lutea, decreased inflammatory response, and improved the vascular barrier function by increasing the expression of CD200 and CD200R in rat ovaries. These findings suggest that EA treatment may reduce oocyte number and maintain vascular barrier against OHSS through ovarian anti-inflammatory response mediated by CD200. Therefore, this study is the first to identify CD200 as a main of EA in the ovary and elucidate the possible mechanism of EA on preventing and treating OHSS, which provide a scientific basis for CD200 as an effector and indicator in EA treatment.

Polyphenol-Enriched Extracts from Trapa acornis Husks Inhibit Her2-Positive SK-BR-3 Breast Cancer Cell Proliferation and In Vivo Tumor Angiogenesis.

The study aimed to investigate the antitumor effects of Trapa acornis husks (TAH) extract on SK-BR-3 cells of Her2-positive breast cancer. The bioactive compounds of TAH extracts were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively by Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-MS)/high-performance liquid chromatographic system (HPLC). The effects of TAH extracts on cell proliferation, cell cycle, and apoptosis of SK-BR-3 cells were determined by CCK-8 and flow cytometry. Besides, the In Vivo antitumor effect of TAH extracts was detected. UPLC-MS/HPLC showed that the main bioactive compounds of TAH were gallic acid and galloylglucose derivatives. TAH extracts significantly inhibited the proliferation of SK-BR-3 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner (P < 0.01). With the increase of TAH extracts concentration, cells in G2/M stage were increased and cell apoptosis was significantly increased. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that TAH extracts can significantly reduce the positive expression rate of Ki67 and Factor VIII index in tumor tissues. The mRNA expression levels of VEGF, MMP2, MMP9, and uPA were reduced after TAH extracts intervention (P < 0.01). TAH extracts also decreased the protein expression of p-Her2, p-ERK1/2, VEGF, MMP2, MMP9, and uPA (P < 0.01). In conclusion, polyphenol-enriched extracts from TAH might inhibit breast cancer cell proliferation and In Vivo tumor angiogenesis.

Jingui Shenqi Pills Regulate Bone-Fat Balance in Murine Ovariectomy-Induced Osteoporosis with Kidney Yang Deficiency.

Jingui Shenqi Pills (JGSQP) have been a staple of traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years, used primarily as a treatment for kidney yang deficiency (KYD). In vitro analyses of JGSQP revealed strong induction of osteogenic differentiation and inhibition of adipogenic differentiation in bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem/stromal cells. However, the mechanisms by which JGSQP regulate the bone-fat balance in murine ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis with KYD have not been reported. Materials and Methods. Two-month-old female C57BL/6 mice were divided randomly into three groups: those receiving a sham operation (Sham); those undergoing bilateral ovariectomy and selection of KYD syndrome (Model); and those subjected to both bilateral ovariectomy and KYD syndrome selection for 8 weeks, followed by JGSQP treatment for 4 weeks (JGSQP). In the Sham and Model groups, mice were given the same dose of distilled water orally for 4 weeks. Animals from all three groups were euthanised at the 12th week. Vertebral microarchitecture and histomorphology were examined by micro-CT and H&E staining, respectively. In addition, we examined the mRNA expression of Akt, Wnt10b, Osterix (Osx), Fndc5, PPARγ, and Fabp4, as well as the protein of AKT, phosphorylation-AKT (p-AKT), BMP2, COL1A1, and FNDC5. Results. JGSQP treatment improved bone microarchitecture and mitigated histomorphological damage relative to the Model group. The osteoblast number (Ob.N/BS) and area (Ob.S/BS) were increased, whereas adipocyte number (adipocyte/tissue area) and area (adipocyte area/tissue area) were decreased in the JGSQP group. JGSQP treatment reduced the mRNA expression of Akt and adipogenesis-related genes (Fndc5, PPARγ, and Fabp4) while promoting osteogenesis-related genes (Wnt10b and Osx) mRNA expression. Additionally, the expression of p-AKT, BMP2, and COL1A1 proteins was increased and FNDC5 protein expression was decreased after JGSQP treatment. Conclusions. JGSQP treatment reversed murine ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis with KYD by controlling bone-fat balance via AKT pathway.

Lignans from Schisandra chinensis ameliorate alcohol and CCl4-induced long-term liver injury and reduce hepatocellular degeneration via blocking ETBR.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Chemical hepatotoxicity, especially alcoholic liver injury (ALI), commonly occurs in young and middle-aged people who drink heavily. ALI is extremely harmful and can induce severe disease states, such as hepatitis, liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, or liver cancer, which are similar to CCl4-induced liver disease states in animals. In recent studies, the pathological changes of hepatocytes and the hepatic stellate cell have shown a significant connection between endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and the development of liver pathology in patients. However, the detailed pathological mechanism needs to be further studied. Schisandra chinensis, (S. chinensis), a fruit-bearing vine used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), has been used to treat chronic or acute diseases, including liver disease. S. chinensis-derived lignans (SCDLs) in particular have been shown to alleviate liver pathological changes. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study sought to elucidate the mechanisms underlying SCDL-mediated hepatoprotection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We first used in silico target prediction and computational simulation methods to identify putative lignan-binding targets relative to the hepatoprotective effect. A gene microarray analysis was performed to identify differently expressed genes that might have significance in the disease pathological process. We then used histological analyses in a mice hepatotoxicity model to test the effectiveness of SCDLs in vivo, and a hepatocellular toxicity model to analyze the candidate-compound-mediated hepatoprotection and expression states of the key targets in vitro. RESULTS: The in silico analysis results indicated that endothelin receptor B (ETBR/EDNRB) is likely a significant node during the liver pathological change process and a promising key target for the SCDL compound schisantherin D on the hepatoprotective effect; experimental studies showed that schisantherin D alleviated the EtOH- and ET-1-induced HL-7702 cell (belongs to liver parenchymal cell lines) injury ratio, decreased the expression of ETBR, and inhibited ECMs and ET-1 secretion in LX-2 cells (one form of hepatic stellate cells). SCDLs ameliorated EtOH- and CCl4-induced fibrosis formation in mice liver tissue. Liver tissue western blots of SCDL-treated mice showed downregulated α-SMA, ETBR, PLCß, CHOP, Bax, and the apoptotic factors of cleaved-caspase 12, cleaved-caspase 9, and cleaved-caspase 3 hinted at an anti-apoptosis and hepatoprotective effect. The SCDL treatment also elevated serum glutathione (GSH) and reduced the serum-transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1) level. CONCLUSION: The findings indicated that SCDLs prevent hepatotoxicity via their anti-fibrotic, anti-oxidant, and anti-apoptosis properties. ETBR may be the key factor in promoting chemical hepatotoxicity.