The anti-inflammatory effect of Pien Tze Huang in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease that may progress to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), hepatic tissue fibrosis, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. In this study, we investigated the effects of Pien Tze Huang (PTH), a well-known traditional Chinese herbal formula with liver protective effect, in methionine-choline deficient diet (MCD)- and high-fat diet (HFD)-induced NASH mouse models. Our results showed that PTH could exert hepatoprotective effects by improving liver weight and steatosis and reducing the fibrosis and serum levels of alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) in both animal models. The effects of PTH was accompanied with the reduction of infiltrated macrophages, the inhibition of the expression of cytokines, and the induction of adiponectin expression. Mechanistically, we found that PTH could inhibit the activation of proinflammatory transcription factor nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) by preventing the degradation of inhibitor of κBα (IκBα). These results demonstrate that PTH can improve NAFLD largely due to its suppression of the NF-κB inflammatory pathway.

Zinc phthalocyanine-soybean phospholipid complex based drug carrier for switchable photoacoustic/fluorescence image, multiphase photothermal/photodynamic treatment and synergetic therapy.

For the purpose of precision theranostic of tumor, multifunctional drug delivery systems are always receiving great attentions. Here, we developed a zinc phthalocyanine-soybean phospholipid (ZnPc-SPC) complex based drug delivery system with doxorubicin (Dox) as loading cargo to achieve additional chemotherapy while the carrier itself could serve as multifunctional and switchable theranostic agent. In the early phase, the ZnPc-SPC complex assembled to nanostructure displaying photothermal therapy (PTT) and photoacoustic (PA) properties while in the late phase, the prepared NPs dis-assembled into ZnPc-SPC complex again performing photodynamic therapy (PDT) and low-background fluorescence (FL) image. With the decoration of folate receptors α (FRα) targeted MTX, Dox-loaded, MTX-decorated self-assembled ZnPc-SPC complex NPs (DZSM) was formed. In vitro and in vivo evaluations both indicated that DZSM presented high selectivity for FRα over-expressed tumor cells, excellent switchable PA/FL image, significant multiphase PTT/PDT effect, as well as great synergetic therapy potential, leading to notable inhibition of tumor growth.