[Network pharmacology of flavonoids in Sophora alopecuroides].

The aim of this paper was to investigate the potential pharmacological effect of flavonoids in Sophora alopecuroides by network pharmacology. This study predicted the potential targets of 11 flavonoids of S. alopecuroides with help of reversed pharmacophore matching target recognition service platform (PharmMapper). The pathway information was acquired from DAVID and KEGG databases. Cytoscape software was used to construct the "ingredient-target-pathway" network of flavonoids active components of S. alopecuroides. The flavonoids active components of S. alopecuroides play anti-inflammatory, blood sugar regulating and other pharmacological effects by regulating 62 targets (such as INSR，KDR，MET) and intervening 44 pathways, such as B cell receptor signaling pathway, insulin signaling pathway, neurotrophin signaling pathway, and T cell receptor signaling pathway. In this study, the mechanism of "muti components-multitargets-multiple pathway" of flavonoids was studied. It reflects the multi-components, multi-targets and multiple pathway features of traditional Chinese medicine. Meanwhile, it provides a scientific basis for the elucidation the mechanism of S. alopecuroides as a medicine, and the development and utilization resources of S. alopecuroides.

[The protective roles of tiangui gengnian soft capsule on brain in aged female rats and its mechanism].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the brain-protective and anti-aging effects and the mechanism of action of Tiangui Gengnian Soft Capsule (TGSC), a Chinese herbal preparation composed of sea buckthorn fatty acids. METHODS: Sixteen-month-old female rats were administered via gastric perfusion with low, medium and high doses (0.72 g/kg, 1.80 g/kg and 4.5 g/kg) of TGSC for 180 days. The 3-month and 22-month old rats were taken as controls. Expression of estrogen receptor beta(ERbeta), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the brain of rats were observed and analyzed using immunohistochemical technique, and changes in the number of neurons and glial cells were counted with Nissl's staining. RESULTS: Immunohistochemistry showed the number of ERbeta- and TH-positive neurons in the hypothalamus was significantly higher (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05), G-CSF-positive astrocyte stain was much weaker (P < 0.01) and the expression of VEGF-positive cerebral vessel was stronger (P < 0.05) in the TGSC treated groups than those in the control. Nissl's staining showed no significant difference in the number of neurons and glial cells among groups. CONCLUSION: TGSC could up-regulate the expressions of ERbeta, TH and VEGF in the brain of aged female rats, modulate the responsibility of astrocyte and its G-CSF expression, suggesting that TGSC may have certain neuro-protective and anti-aging effects.

Bisphenol A exposure induces apoptosis and upregulation of Fas/FasL and caspase-3 expression in the testes of mice.

There are controversies about adverse effects of bisphenol A (BPA), a ubiquitous xenoestrogen, on reproduction and development of male animals. To understand BPA action and assess its risk more completely, we examined the impact of BPA at high doses on the testes of pubertal male Kunming (China) mice. BPA at 0 (control), 160, 480, and 960 mg/kg/day was given by gavage to mice from postnatal days (PND) 31-44, followed by observation of morphology and detection of apoptosis and expressions of Fas/FasL and active caspase-3 on PND 45, 60, and 90 by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick end labeling, immunohistochemistry, and Western blotting. There was no effect of BPA at 160 mg/kg/day, however, at 480 and 960 mg/kg/day there was underdevelopment of testes and disruption of spermatogenesis. There were many apoptotic Leydig and germ cells in the testes with apoptotic indices being significantly increased compared with controls. The expression of Fas and active caspase-3 was localized in the same cell types as apoptosis occurred, and expression levels of Fas, FasL, and active caspase-3 were significantly increased compared with controls. The disturbed spermatogenesis, apoptosis and upregulation of Fas, FasL, and active caspase-3 expression persisted to PND 90. The results suggest that high-dose BPA induces apoptosis of Leydig and germ cells in the mouse testis through the Fas-signaling pathway. Therefore, there is concern about reproductive health for humans occupationally exposed to high levels of BPA.