Horsfielenigans A and B, Two Rearranged Lignans with Anti-Inflammatory Effects from Horsfieldia kingii.

Seven lignans were isolated from 70 % aqueous acetone extracts of the twigs and leaves of Horsfieldia kingii. Among these, new compounds 1-3 were identified by spectroscopic techniques, with horsfielenigans A and B (1 and 2) being particularly noteworthy for their rare ß-benzylnaphthalene skeleton, where compound 1 contains an oxabicyclo[3,2,1]octane moiety. In vitro evaluation of bioactivity against nitric oxide (NO) production in LPS-activated RAW264.7 macrophages revealed inhibitory effects by 1 (IC50 =7.3 µM) and 2 (IC50 =9.7 µM).

Exposure to aristolochic acid I is associated with poor prognosis of liver cancer patients.

The aristolochic acids (AAs), derived from Aristolochia and Asarum species used widely in herbal medicines, are closely associated with liver cancer. The major AA derivatives are aristolochic acid I (AAI) and II (AAII), which can bind DNA covalently to form AA-DNA adducts after metabolic activation in vivo. Among all these AA-DNA adducts, 7-(deoxyadenosine-N6-yl) aristolactam I (dA-AL-I) is the most abundant and persistent DNA lesion in patients. However, the direct evidence indicating AA exposure in human liver cancer is still missing. Here, we analyzed dA-AL-I adduct, the direct biomarker of AAI exposure, by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UPLC-TQ/MS) in 209 liver cancer patients. Also, DNA samples from mice treated with/without AAI were used as positive and negative controls. dA-AL-I adduct was present in 110 of 209 (52.6%) patients, indicating that these patients were exposed to AAI prior to their clinical investigations and also had a worse prognosis. The relative high AA exposure rate and worse prognosis in our cohort of patients emphasize the significance to increase public awareness to avoid the use of herbal medicine containing AAs or their derivatives.

Selenium Attenuates Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity Through Nrf2-NLRP3 Pathway.

Selenium (Se), an essential nutrient for humans, has been reported to possess cardioprotective effect. However, the protective effects of Se against doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiotoxicity and the underlying mechanism are rarely reported. In this study, we sought to explore whether Se protected against DOX-induced cardiotoxicity by inhibiting Nrf2-NLRP3 pathway. We found that Se treatment effectively alleviated DOX-induced myocardial dysfunctions, decreasing plasma markers associated with myocardial injury. Moreover, Se treatment significantly inhibited DOX-induced oxidative damages and pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in heart tissues. Furthermore, Se treatment markedly promoted the expression of Nrf2 and prevented the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome. Importantly, suppression of Nrf2 abolished the cardioprotective effects of Se and diminished the inhibition of Se on NLRP3 inflammasome. Collectively, our study demonstrated that Se might protect against DOX-induced cardiotoxicity via regulating Nrf2-NLRP3 pathway. Se supplementation may be a potential therapeutic strategy to protect against DOX-induced cardiac injury.

Mechanism of Hanchuan Zupa Granules in the treatment of Influenza A virus based on network pharmacology and molecular docking / 国际中医中药杂志

Objective:To explore the ingredients, targets, and mechanisms of Hanchuan Zupa Granules in the treatiment of Influenza A virus.Methods:By using Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database Analysis Platform (TCMSP), GeneCards, Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM), Pharmacogenomics Knowledgebase (PharmGkb), Therapeutic target database (TTD) and DrugBank database to obtain relevant components and targets of Hanchuan Zupa Granules in the treatment of Influenza A virus; R software was used for the obtain of Hanchuan Zupa Granules -Influenza A virus intersection targets; Cytoscape software was applied for the construction of "Hanchuan Zupa Granules-component-target" network; Protein-protein interaction network (PPI) and topological analysis were constructed by STRING database and Cytoscape software. Intersection targets for gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis were conducted by R software; Auto Dock Tools were used for molecular docking.Results:All together 111 potential active ingredients, with corresponding 131 targetswere identified from Hanchuan Zupa Granules in the treatment of Influenza A virus. Quercetin, apigenin, luteolin, kaempferol, wogonin, etc. are included as core ingredients. STAT3, MAPK1, MAPK3, AKT1, JUN, etc. are included as core targets. Intersection targets were mainly enriched in 178 signal pathways such as IL-17 signal pathway, influenza A signal pathway, TNF signal pathway, etc; Molecular docking showed that core component had a good affinity with the target.Conclusion:Hanchuan Zupa Granules could play the role of anti-Influenza A virus with multi-component-multi-target-multi-pathway,characteristics, and this syudy provide a basis for future experimental research on its mechanism.

Identification of chemical constituents in Zhachong Shisanwei Pills by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS / 中国中药杂志

Zhachong Shisanwei Pills, composed of 13 Chinese medicinal materials, are used for treating the diseases such as hemiplegia, pain of muscles and bones, rheumatism, and joint pain. The chemical composition and pharmacodynamics of Zhachong Shisanwei Pills have not been reported. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole-time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) was employed to quickly identify the chemical components of Zhachong Shisanwei Pills, which was performed with Shim-pack GIST C_(18) column(4.6 mm×150 mm, 5 μm). The gradient elution was conducted with methanol-0.05% acetic acid as the mobile phase. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry(ESI-MS) was carried out in both positive and negative ion modes. The compounds were identidied based on accurate relative molecular weight, fragment ion species, and the MS data of reference substances and in literature. In conclusion, a total of 98 compounds were identified, including 19 organic acids, 36 flavonoids, 13 volatile oils, 8 tannins, 5 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones, 5 amino acids, 3 sesquiterpenoids, 3 alkaloids, and 2 other compounds. This study characte-rized the chemical components of Zhachong Shisanwei Pills rapidly for the first time, laying a foundation for further research on the pharmacodynamic material basis and quality evaluation.

Mindfulness-based online intervention on mental health and quality of life among COVID-19 patients in China: an intervention design.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 can lead to increased psychological symptoms such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety among patients with COVID-19. Based on the previous mindfulness-based interventions proved to be effective, this protocol reports a design of a randomized controlled trial aiming to explore the efficacy and possible mechanism of a mindful living with challenge (MLWC) intervention developed for COVID-19 survivors in alleviating their psychological problems caused by both the disease and the pandemic. METHODS: In April 2021, more than 1600 eligible participants from Hubei Province of China will be assigned 1:1 to an online MLWC intervention group or a waitlist control group. All participants will be asked to complete online questionnaires at baseline, post-program, and 3-month follow-up. The differences of mental health status (e.g. PTSD) and physical symptoms including fatigue and sleeplessness between the COVID-19 survivors who receiving the online MLWC intervention and the control group will be assessed. In addition, the possible mediators and moderators of the link between the MLWC intervention and target outcomes will be evaluated by related verified scales, such as the Five Facets Mindfulness Questionnaire. Data will be analyzed based on an intention-to-treat approach, and SPSS software will be used to perform statistical analysis. DISCUSSION: The efficacy and potential mechanism of MLWC intervention in improving the quality of life and psychological status of COVID-19 survivors in China are expected to be reported. Findings from this study will shed light on a novel and feasible model in improving the psychological well-being of people during such public health emergencies. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR), ChiCTR2000037524; Registered on August 29, 2020, http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=60034 .

[Meta-analysis and systematic review of efficacy and safety of Lianhua Qingwen in adjuvant treatment of adult pneumonia].

To systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Lianhua Qingwen in the treatment of adult pneumonia. The randomized controlled trial of Lianhua Qingwen combined with conventional Western medicine in the treatment of pneumonia were retrieved from PubMed, EMbase, Wanfang database, VIP database, and CNKI from the establishment of database to March 2020. Two researchers independently conducted literature screening and data extraction, and the third researcher was in charge of arbitration in case of any disagreement. Outcome indicators included total clinical effective rate, symptom improvement time, and incidence of adverse events. R 3.6.1 was used for Meta-analysis, and RevMan 5.3 was used for quality evaluation. Twenty-two studies were included, with a total of 2 007 patients, including 1 017 patients in the experimental group and 990 patients in the control group. The results showed that the total clinical effective rate of the experimental group was higher than that of the control group(RR=1.11, 95%CI[1.08, 1.15], P<0.001), and the antifebrile time(MD=-1.81, 95%CI[-2.42,-1.21], P<0.001), cough duration(MD=-2.32, 95%CI[-2.89,-1.76], P<0.001), rale duration(MD=-2.19, 95%CI[-2.74,-1.63], P<0.001), imaging recovery time(MD=-2.17, 95%CI[-2.76,-1.58], P<0.001) and post-treatment CRP(MD=-4.07, 95%CI[-6.39,-1.75], P<0.001] were all significantly lower than those of the control group. However, it did not proved that the experimental group was safer than the control group(RR=0.84, 95%CI[0.57, 1.24], P=0.382). The results confirmed that Lianhua Qingwen combined with conventional Western medicine in the treatment of pneumonia could improve the clinical treatment efficiency, shorten the time of fever, cough, rale disappearance and imaging recovery, improve CRP index and accelerate the recovery of pneumonia patients. However, the literatures included in this study had a low quality, and the conclusions still need to be further confirmed by more high-quality, multi-center, rigorously designed randomized controlled trial.

Selenium Supplementation Protects Against Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Heart Injury via Sting Pathway in Mice.

Sepsis-induced myocardial dysfunctions are associated with high morbidity and mortality. Selenium, an essential trace element, has been reported to exert anti-inflammation, anti-oxidative stress, and anti-apoptosis. However, the protective effects of selenium on LPS-induced heart injury are still poorly illustrated. Therefore, in the present study, we sought to explore the effects of selenium pretreatment on LPS-induced myocardial injury in mice. We firstly found that selenium pretreatment significantly improved markers of myocardial injury and alleviated LPS-induced myocardial dysfunctions. Moreover, selenium supplementation reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines expression, decreased oxidative stress, and inhibited myocardial apoptosis. In addition, selenium supplementation inactivated the Sting pathway. In conclusion, our study suggests that selenium exerts protective effects on LPS-induced myocardial injury, and the underlying molecular mechanism may be related to the inactivation of Sting pathway, implying a potential therapy for sepsis-induced myocardial dysfunctions.

Investigation of the metabolites of five major constituents from Berberis amurensis in normal and pseudo germ-free rats / 中国天然药物

Berberis amurensis (Berberidaceae) is a traditional Chinese medicine, which is often used to treat hypertension, inflammation, dysentery and enteritis. It contains alkaloids, mainly including berberine, berbamine, magnoflorine, jatrorrhizine and palmatine. Berberis amurensis extracts (BAEs) is often orally taken. Oral herbs might be metabolized by intestinal bacteria in the small intestine. However, the interaction between the herb and the gut microbiota is still unknown. In the current study, UPLC/Q-TOF-MS/MS combined with Metabolitepilot and Peakview software was used to identify the metabolites of BAEs in anti-biotic cocktail induced pseudo germ-free rats and normal rats. As a result, a total of 46 metabolites in normal rats were detected and its main metabolic pathways include demethylation, dehydrogenation, methylation, hydroxylation, sulfation and glucuronidation. Only 29 metabolites existed in pseudo germ-free rats. Dehydrogenated metabolites (M29, M30, M34 and M36), methylated metabolites (M33, M41 and M46) and other metabolites were not detected in pseudo germ-free rats. The result implied that the intestinal bacteria have an influence on the metabolism of BAEs. Furthermore, this investigation might contribute to the understanding of the metabolism of BAEs, and further promote its clinical application.

Prescription rules for prescriptions containing Corydalis Rhizoma-Toosendan Fructus drug pair based on TCM inheritance support platform / 中草药

Objective: To explore the combination rule of Corydalis Rhizoma-Toosendan Fructus drug pair through the research in "Pharmaceutical Standard of the Ministry of Health of the People's Republic of China-Traditional Chinese Medicine Formulation", so as to provide theoretical basis for clinical application and new product development of this pair. Methods: The prescriptions containing Corydalis Rhizoma-Toosendan Fructus were collected from Pharmaceutical Standard of Ministry of Public Health of the People's Republic of China-TCM Formulation and input into TCM inheritance support platform software (V2.5) to establish the database. The frequency of attending diseases, compatibility medicinal materials, and meridian of drug were analyzed statistically. The core combination of medicinal materials in the prescriptions containing Corydalis Rhizoma-Toosendan Fructus were analyzed statistically with association rule Apriori algorithm (support degrees were 10%, 20%, 30%, confidence was 0.90). Meridian of drug with higher compatibility frequency were selected and analyzed in respect of prescription rules. Results: A total of 51 prescriptions containing Corydalis Rhizoma-Toosendan Fructus were screened, eight kinds of attending diseases (frequency≥2), such as stomachache, hypochondriac pain, leukorrhagia, dysmenorrhea, pelvic inflammation, menstrual disorder, etc. Nine kinds of attending syndrome (frequency≥2) were included such as liver-stomach disharmony, syndrome of qi stagnation and blood stasis, syndrome of liver depression and qi stagnation, syndrome of liver depression and blood deficiency, syndrome of blood-heat in uterus, etc. There were 17 commonly used compatibility medicinal materials (frequency≥5), including Paeoniae Radix Alba, Aucklandiae Radix, Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, Cyperi Rhizoma etc. There were 20 commonly used medicinal materials combinations (frequency≥6), including Corydalis Rhizoma-Paeoniae Radix Alba-Toosendan Fructus, Corydalis Rhizoma-Aucklandiae Radix-Toosendan Fructus, Corydalis Rhizoma-Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma-Toosendan Fructus, Corydalis Rhizoma-Cyperi Rhizoma-Toosendan Fructus. Meridian of drug with higher compatibility frequency was distributed to liver, spleen and stomach channel tropism. There were five kinds of core medicinal materials commonly acted on the liver meridian with Corydalis Rhizoma-Toosendan Fructus, including Aucklandiae Radix, Paeoniae Radix Alba, Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium, Amomi Fructus, and Aquilariae Lignum Resinatum. There were commonly used core medicinal materials combinations (frequency≥7), including Corydalis Rhizoma-Aucklandiae Radix-Toosendan Fructus, Corydalis Rhizoma-Paeoniae Radix Alba-Toosendan Fructus, Corydalis Rhizoma-Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium-Toosendan Fructus, Corydalis Rhizoma-Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium-Paeoniae Radix Alba-Aucklandiae Radix-Toosendan Fructus. There were three kinds of core medicinal materials commonly acted on the spleen meridian and the stomach meridian with Corydalis Rhizoma-Toosendan Fructus, including Aquilariae Lignum Resinatum, Aucklandiae Radix and Amomi Fructus. There were commonly used core medicinal materials combinations (frequency≥4), including Corydalis Rhizoma-Aquilariae Lignum Resinatum-Toosendan Fructus, Corydalis Rhizoma-Aucklandiae Radix-Toosendan Fructus, Corydalis Rhizoma-Amomi Fructus-Toosendan Fructus. Conclusions: Herbal medicines used frequently in prescriptions containing Corydalis Rhizoma-Toosendan Fructus can regulate qi flowing for relieving pain. The medicine using is relatively concentrated, and the composition is clear. In addition, Prescription rules of three kinds of meridian prescriptions were chosen to make comparative analysis, and the compatibility features of the prescriptions containing Corydalis Rhizoma-Toosendan Fructus was reflected in different meridian of drug and the composing principles. This study also can provide theoretical basis for treating different diseases with same method and the better application of Corydalis Rhizoma-Toosendan Fructus in clinical practice.

Research progress in Terminalia chebula and its predictive analysis on Q-marker / 中草药

Terminalia chebula is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, which distributed in Yunnan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Tibet and etc. T. chebula is widely used in the clinical medicine of Chinese medicine and it plays a significant role in the Mongolian medicine and the Tibetan medicine. The chemical composition of T. chebula is rich and diverse, including phenolic acids, tannins, triterpenoids, aliphatics, flavonoids, volatile oils, amino acids, trace elements, carbohydrates and so on. Modern pharmacological studies have shown that T. chebula extract has many pharmacological activities, such as anti-oxidation, anti-cancer, anti-tumor, detoxification, antibacterial, strong heart, anti-inflammation, immunomodulation, anti-microbial, and promoting bronchial smooth muscle contraction. From the aspects of textual research, chemical composition characteristics, pharmacological action and so on, this paper expounds the research progress of T. chebula. According to the core concept of Q-marker, we predicted and analyzed the quality markers of T. chebula from the aspects of chemical composition characteristics, traditional efficacy, medicinal properties, pharmacokinetics, new clinical use and measurable composition. It provides reference for the quality evaluation of T. chebula.

Application of zebrafish model in multimodal identification of active constituents of traditional Chinese medicine / 中国中药杂志

Suitable animal models with high throughput are required to investigate the integrating and regulating effects of active constituents of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM). The zebrafish model has become an ideal research model for the diseases of various human systems due to its unique features, such as small body size, strong reproductive capacity, in vitro development, and high homology with human beings, and has been increasingly studied and applied in the field of TCM pharmacological effects. Here we reviewed recent published papers of zebrafish-based multimodal studies, focusing on the pharmacological effects of TCM. The applications of zebrafish model in studies of human diseases were systematically summarized, including angiogenesis, inflammation, neurobehavior changes, heart injury, osteoporosis, hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, and tumors. The advantages and major findings of zebrafish models in multimodal TCM studies were discussed. In addition, we anticipated the use of immunohistochemistry, fluorescent probes and transgenic fish lines to dynamically observe and quantitatively analyze the endogenous changes of target organs or cells in the zebrafish model, so as to realize the multimodal identification of active compositions of TCM, and further explore the mechanism of active compositions of TCM by considering the detected expression levels of biomarkers.

Application of affinity chromatography and its mathematical model in study of active components of traditional Chinese medicine / 中国中药杂志

Affinity chromatography is characterized by its high specificity,high recovery rate and sensitivity,and it has been widely used in the selection of active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine,separation and enrichment of low molecular weight sugars and protein peptides,research on mechanism of action and discovery of targets.This paper reviewed the application of affinity chromatography and its adsorption isotherm model,kinetic model and adsorption thermodynamic mechanism in the field of traditional Chinese medicine.This summarizes and provides thinking for comprehensive applications of affinity chromatography theory in the field of active ingredient screening,purification and medicine interaction.

Comparative study on content of heavy metals in Chrysanthemum indicum and soil in different areas / 中国中药杂志

ICP-MS was used to determine the contents of five heavy metals such as lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), arsenic (As) and copper (Cu) in Chrysanthemum indicum and soil samples. Pearson correlation and path analysis were used to analyze the effects of latitude and longitude and altitude on the content of heavy metal elements in Ch. indicum. To explore the relationship between geographical location of heavy metal content in Ch. indicum and the content of heavy metal elements in soil. The results showed that the Ch. indicum had high enrichment of Cd and had a synergistic effect on the absorption of five heavy metal elements. Elevation directly affected the accumulation of Pb and Cd in Ch. indicum and was a positive effect. The direct positive effect of latitude acts on the accumulation of Hg and Cu in Ch. indicum. The effect of longitude on the Cd content was the negative effect of longitude. The geographical location had different effects on the accumulation of heavy metal elements in Ch. indicum. There was a certain interaction between direct and indirect effects. Ch. indicum had different absorption and enrichment characteristics for different heavy metal species. When controlling the heavy metal content and medicinal material quality of Ch. indicum, we must fully consider the influence of geographical location on the quality of medicinal materials, select suitable geographic regions to carry out acquisitions, and choose a good ecological environment. Regional establishment of Chinese herbal medicine planting bases, or adopting certain agricultural measures to reduce the absorption of heavy metal elements in Ch. indicum herbs, while conducting research on chemical composition, strengthening the research on the effective forms of heavy metals, and paying attention to the safety of medicinal herbs.

Ischemic or toxic injury: A challenging diagnosis and treatment of drug-induced stenosis of the sigmoid colon.

A 48-year-old woman was admitted with 15-mo history of abdominal pain, diarrhea and hematochezia, and 5-mo history of defecation difficulty. She had been successively admitted to nine hospitals, with an initial diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease with stenotic sigmoid colon. Findings from computed tomography virtual colonoscopy, radiography with meglumine diatrizoate, endoscopic balloon dilatation, metallic stent implantation and later overall colonoscopy, coupled with the newfound knowledge of compound Qingdai pill-taking, led to a subsequent diagnosis of ischemic or toxic bowel disease with sigmoid colon stenosis. The patient was successfully treated by laparoscopic sigmoid colectomy, and postoperative pathological examination revealed ischemic or toxic injury of the sigmoid colon, providing a final diagnosis of drug-induced sigmoid colon stenosis. This case highlights that adequate awareness of drug-induced colon stenosis has a decisive role in avoiding misdiagnosis and mistreatment. The diagnostic and therapeutic experiences learnt from this case suggest that endoscopic balloon expansion and colonic metallic stent implantation as bridge treatments were demonstrated as crucial for the differential diagnosis of benign colonic stenosis. Skillful surgical technique and appropriate perioperative management helped to ensure the safety of our patient in subsequent surgery after long-term use of glucocorticoids.

Curcumin as therapeutics for the treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma by activating SIRT1.

SIRT1 is one of seven mammalian homologs of Sir2 that catalyzes NAD(+)-dependent protein deacetylation. The aim of the present study is to explore the effect of SIRT1 small molecule activator on the anticancer activity and the underlying mechanism. We examined the anticancer activity of a novel oral agent, curcumin, which is the principal active ingredient of the traditional Chinese herb Curcuma Longa. Treatment of FaDu and Cal27 cells with curcumin inhibited growth and induced apoptosis. Mechanistic studies showed that anticancer activity of curcumin is associated with decrease in migration of HNSCC and associated angiogenesis through activating of intrinsic apoptotic pathway (caspase-9) and extrinsic apoptotic pathway (caspase-8). Our data demonstrating that anticancer activity of curcumin is linked to the activation of the ATM/CHK2 pathway and the inhibition of nuclear factor-κB. Finally, increasing SIRT1 through small molecule activator curcumin has shown beneficial effects in xenograft mouse model, indicating that SIRT1 may represent an attractive therapeutic target. Our studies provide the preclinical rationale for novel therapeutics targeting SIRT1 in HNSCC.

Developmental toxicity and neurotoxicity of two matrine-type alkaloids, matrine and sophocarpine, in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos/larvae.

Matrine and sophocarpine are two major matrine-type alkaloids included in the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) Kushen (the root of Sophora flavescens Ait.). They have been widely used clinically in China, however with few reports concerning their potential toxicities. This study investigated the developmental toxicity and neurotoxicity of matrine and sophocarpine on zebrafish embryos/larvae from 0 to 96/120h post fertilization (hpf). Both drugs displayed teratogenic and lethal effects with the EC50 and LC50 values at 145 and 240mg/L for matrine and 87.1 and 166mg/L for sophocarpine, respectively. Exposure of matrine and sophocarpine significantly altered spontaneous movement and inhibited swimming performance at concentrations below those causing lethality and malformations, indicating a neurotoxic potential of both drugs. The results are in agreement with most mammalian studies and clinical observations.

Application and research of acupuncture in military / 中国针灸

Acupuncture has remarkable effects of pain relieving and functional restoration on injuries of soft tissue and joint due to military training. As more and more attention has been attached to the impact of psychological states and biorhythm disorder on the fighting ability of military staff, acupuncture has found its place in treating chronic fatigue, combat stress reaction, traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder as well as regulating circadian rhythms. The therapeutic effect of acupuncture in military training-related physical damage and psychological trauma has already been proved by numerous clinical practices and researches. It is held that using acupuncture as an alternative could not only save medical resources, but also enhance the fighting ability of the army. However, the current clinical studies is facing the problem of limited sample size. Therefore, randomized controlled trials in large scale and multiple centers should be further carried out toward military staff, so as to provide more speaking evidences to the prevention and treatment of physical and psychological diseases.

Inhibition of the tubular epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in vivo and in vitro by the Uremic Clearance Granule ().

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of the Uremic Clearance Granule (UCG, ), a Chinese patent medicine, on tubular epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in a unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) model in vivo and transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß1 induced EMT of HK-2 cells in vitro. METHODS: In vivo study, 50 Sprague Dawley rats were divided into three groups: a sham operation group (n=10), a UUO group (n=20), and a UUO with UCG treatment group (n=20). The UCG was given at a dose of 4.5 g/kg body weight per day by gavage after surgery. In vitro study, HK-2 cells were cultured in 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS), 10% healthy rat serum, 10% FBS and TGF-ß1 (10 ng/mL), 10% healthy rat serum and TGF-ß1, or 10% rat serum containing the uremic clearance granule and TGF-ß1. The expression of the epithelial marker E-cadherin and the mesenchymal markers vimentin and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in kidney tissues and HK-2 cells were investigated by Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence staining. RESULTS: The rats of the UUO group showed obvious tubulointerstitial fibrosis, compared with the sham operation group rats. Tubulointerstitial fibrosis score was reduced by 17.5%±1.1% at day 7 and by 20.0%±1.2% at day 14 in the UCG-treated group, compared with the UUO group. The UCG could maintained expression of E-cadherin and suppressed expression of vimentin and α-SMA in kidney tissues of UUO rats at days 7 and 14, as determined by Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence staining. Rat serum containing the UCG partially inhibited TGF-ß1-induced fibroblast phenotype of HK-2 cells and maintained the epithelial morphology of HK-2 cells in vitro. This occurred partially through a reduction of vimentin expression and an increase of E-cadherin expression. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the UCG prevents tubular EMT and may be a promising agent for treating tubulointerstitial fibrosis.