Inflammatory and Nutritional Biomarkers in Patients With Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Undergoing Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between pretreatment inflammatory and nutritional biomarkers in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy (nCRT). SAMPLE & SETTING: 213 patients with newly diagnosed stage II-III ESCC who received nCRT at an academic hospital in Taiwan. METHODS & VARIABLES: Electronic health record data were used. Records on inflammatory and nutritional biomarkers and clinical outcomes were extracted. Logistic regression analysis was used to predict treatment-related adverse events, Cox regression was used for survival outcomes, and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to determine optimal cutoff values. RESULTS: There was a significant association between low prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and nCRT toxicities and survival. Advanced cancer stage, high platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, and occurrence of pneumonia/infection were linked to survival outcomes. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: PNI shows promise in predicting prognosis, helps identify high-risk patients, and enables nurses to apply tailored interventions.

Gualou xiebai decoction ameliorates cardiorenal syndrome type II by regulation of PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signalling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Cardiorenal syndromes type II (CRS2) is a multi-organ ailment that manifests as a combination of cardiac and renal dysfunction, resulting in chronic kidney disease due to chronic cardiac insufficiency. It affects at least 26 million people worldwide, and its prevalence is increasing. Gualou Xiebai Decoction (GXD), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with a rich history of application in the management of coronary artery disease, has been explored for its potential therapeutic benefits in CRS2. Nevertheless, the mechanism by which GXD alleviates CRS2 remains obscure, necessitating further investigation. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the effects of the ethanolic extract of GXD on CRS2 and to elucidate the underlying mechanism in a rat model of myocardial infarction, offering a potential target for clinical treatment for CRS2. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A rat model of CRS2 was induced by surgical myocardial infarction and treated with GXD for 10 weeks. Cardiac function was assessed using echocardiography, while serum and urine biochemistry were analyzed to evaluate potential cardiac and renal damage. Furthermore, tissue samples were obtained for histological, protein, and genetic investigations. In addition, network pharmacology analysis and molecular docking were utilized to predict the primary active compounds, potential therapeutic targets, and interventional pathways through which GXD could potentially exert its effects on CRS2. Subsequently, these predictions were confirmed in vivo and vitro through various analyses. RESULTS: The current investigation employed echocardiography to exhibit the apparent cardiac remodeling following the induction of myocardial infarction. Damage to the heart and kidneys of CRS2 rats was effectively ameliorated by administration of GXD. The outcomes derived from the analyses of HE and Masson staining indicated that the pathological damage to the heart and kidney tissues of rats in the GXD groups was considerably alleviated. Using network pharmacology analysis, AKT1, IL-6, and TNF-α were identified as plausible therapeutic targets for the treatment of CRS with GXD. Subsequent functional and pathway enrichment analysis of the underlying targets disclosed that the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway may be involved in the mechanism of GXD in the treatment of CRS2. Immunohistochemical, western blot, RT-PCR and immunofluorescence staining were employed to demonstrate that GXD can regulate the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway in the CRS2 rat model. Ultimately, administration of the PI3K/AKT agonist 740Y-P counteracted the effect of diosmetin, which was one of the potential active components of GXD analysed by compound-target-disease network, on p-PI3K and p-AKT in vitro. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study suggest that GXD improves cardiac and renal function in CRS2 rats and that the underlying mechanism involves inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB pathway.

Effects of conservation tillage on soil enzyme activities of global cultivated land: A meta-analysis.

The negative impacts of conventional agriculture and the imperative to adopt conservation tillage garnered significant attention. However, the effects of conservation tillage on soil enzyme activities still lack comprehensive cognition. Here, we collected 14,308 pairwise observations from 369 publications worldwide to systematically evaluate the effects of different conservation tillage practices (reduced tillage (T), reduced tillage with straw return (TS), reduced tillage with straw mulch return (TSO), no-tillage (NT), no-tillage with straw return (NTS), and no-tillage with straw mulch return (NTSO)) on the activities of 35 enzymes in soil. The results showed that: (1) the effect of conservation tillage on soil enzyme activity varied by enzyme type, except for peroxidase (-12.34%), which showed an overall significant positive effect (10.28-89.76%); (2) the NTS and TS demonstrated strong potential to improve soil enzyme activities by increasing a wide variety of soil enzyme activities (12-15) and efficacy (9.76-75.56%) than other conservation tillage (8.60-68.68%); (3) in addition, the effect of conservation tillage on soil enzyme activity was regulated by soil depth, crop type, years of conservation tillage, climate (mean annual precipitation and temperature), and soil physicochemical properties (e.g., pH, bulk density, electrical conductivity, organic matter, ammonium nitrogen, total phosphorus, available phosphorus, total potassium, available potassium, etc.). Overall, our quantitative analysis clearly suggests that conservation tillage is an effective measure for improving soil enzyme activity on global croplands, where combination of reduced tillage or no-till with straw return are considered to have great potential and promise. The results contribute to better comprehend the effects of conservation tillage on soil activity and provide a valuable insight for agricultural management.

Genus Gelsemium and its Endophytic Fungi - Comprehensive Review of their Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, and Toxicology.

BACKGROUND: The use of ethnic medicinal plants has revitalized wide popularity in Africa, Asia, and most of the world because of the energy consumption barriers increase of synthetic drugs. Gelsemium is a traditional genus of plants with famous cultural and medicinal significance in Southeast Asia and North America. Three species are reported from the genus Gelsemium, including Gelsemium elegans (Gardn. & Camp.) Benth., Gelsemium sempervirens (L.) J.St.-Hil., and Gelsemium rankinii Small. Among them, G. elegans is well known for its toxicity and is used as a traditional remedy for skin problems, neuralgia, fractures, and cancer. The first record of the toxic medicine G. elegans is the Chinese herbal medicine classically known as Shen-Nong Ben-Cao Jing. In the legend, the Shennong emperor was poisoned by G. elegans, hence, it is also wellknown as Duan Chang Cao in China. In addition, G. sempervirens tincture is also used in the treatment of inflammation of the spinalcolumn, and diminishes blood to the cerebrospinal centers. INTRODUCTION: This review aims to provide up-to-date information on Gelsemium and its endophytic fungi on their traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology. Mechanism studies regarding the detoxification profile of Gelsemium are also reviewed. METHODS: For this updated review, the literature survey and search were performed on the scientific databases PubMed, ScienceDirect, Wiley, China CNKI, Web of Science, SciFinder, and Google Scholar using the relevant keywords. RESULTS: The plants of the genus Gelsemium are all reported as rich sources of monoterpene indole alkaloids. Previous phytochemical studies published more than 200 alkaloids from Gelsemium and its endophytic fungi, which have attracted considerable attention from pharmaceutists and phytochemists due to their diverse and complex structures. The bioactivities of Gelsemium phytoconstituents studied using various chemical methods are summarized and described herein. Considering the huge influence of Gelsemium regarding its traditional applications, the activities of isolated compounds were focused on the anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antianxiety, immunostimulatory, and immunosuppressive properties, which provide evidence supporting the ethnopharmacological effectiveness of the genus Gelsemium. Unlike all previous reviews of genus Gelsemium, to the best of our knowledge, the recently reported natural products from its endophytic fungi are first time summarized in this review. CONCLUSION: It is clearly suggested from the literature information that the structures and biological activities of Gelsemium have a wide range of attraction from folk to the community of scholars. However, as a highly toxic genus, the work on the detoxification mechanism and toxicology of Gelsemium is urgently needed before entering clinical research. It is noteworthy that the discussion about the relationship between structural and biological activities are a valuable topic of expectation, while the structural modification for active or toxic components may shed light on toxicological breakthrough. Besides the compounds from the plants of genus Gelsemium, the recently reported natural products from its endophytic fungi may provide a supplement for its ethnomedicinal uses and ethnological validity.

Isolation and characterization of dihydropyran-ring containing meroterpenoids from Ganoderma lucidum and their inhibitory activity against renal fibrosis-related protein expression.

The Ganoderma lucidum mushroom, which has been used as a traditional medicine in China for more than 2000 years, is a source of many interesting natural product. In this study, the five undescribed minor meroterpenoids baoslingzhines F-J (1-5), containing a dihydropyran moiety, were isolated as racemic mixtures from the fruiting bodies of G. lucidum. These substances were structurally and stereochemically characterized by using spectroscopic and computational methods. Chiral HPLC was employed to separate the (+)- and (-)-antipodes. A survey of the activities against kidney fibrosis showed that both enantiomers of baoslingzhines F-J inhibit expression of renal fibrosis-related proteins, including fibronectin, collagen I and ɑ-SMA in TGF-ß1-induced rat kidney proximal tubular cells.

Specific Immunotherapy and Follow-up Management of Respiratory Allergic Diseases in Children.

Objective: To analyze specific immunotherapy and follow-up management for respiratory allergic diseases in children. Methods: A total of 100 children with allergic bronchial asthma admitted to our hospital from November 2020 to October 2021 were selected. Based on different treatment schemes, they were divided into two groups: the routine treatment group and the immunotherapy group, with 50 cases in each group. The routine treatment group received standard care, while the immunotherapy group underwent specific immunotherapy. Assessment parameters included asthma symptom control score, pulmonary function, immune function, levels of inflammatory factors, clinical efficacy, and adverse reactions. Results: After treatment and during follow-up, the immunotherapy group showed significantly lower scores for daytime and nighttime symptoms compared to the routine treatment group (P < .05). The immunotherapy group also exhibited higher FEV1/FVC and PEF% values compared to the routine therapy group after treatment and at follow-up (P < .05). Furthermore, the immunotherapy group showed higher levels of CD3+, CD4+, and CD4+/CD8+ and lower levels of CD8+ compared to the routine therapy group (P < .05). Additionally, the immunotherapy group demonstrated lower levels of IL-4 and IL-12 compared to the routine therapy group after treatment and during follow-up (P < .05). The total effective rate of the immunotherapy group was higher than that of the routine therapy group (P < .05). The incidence of adverse reactions in the immunotherapy group was similar to that in the routine therapy group (P > .05). Conclusions: Specific immunotherapy is a significantly effective approach to managing children's allergic bronchial asthma. It effectively controls asthma symptoms, improves lung function and immune response, and reduces inflammatory factors. It showed superior clinical efficacy and minimal adverse reactions; specific immunotherapy, therefore, is a safe and beneficial treatment option that warrants further promotion and application.

Structural Elucidation and Cytotoxic Activity of New Monoterpenoid Indoles from Gelsemium elegans.

Two new monoterpenoid indole alkaloids, gelselegandines F (1) and G (2), were isolated from the aerial parts of Gelsemium elegans. Their structures were elucidated by means of spectroscopic techniques and quantum chemical calculations. The ECD calculations were conducted at the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level and NMR calculations were carried out using the Gauge-Including Atomic Orbitals (GIAO) method. Structurally, the two new compounds possessed rare, cage-like, monoterpenoid indole skeletons. All isolated compounds and the total alkaloids extract were tested for cytotoxicity against four different tumor cell lines. The total alkaloids extract of G. elegans exhibited significant antitumor activity with IC50 values ranging from 32.63 to 82.24 ug/mL. In order to discover anticancer leads from the active extraction, both new indole compounds (1-2) were then screened for cytotoxicity. Interestingly, compound 2 showed moderate cytotoxicity against K562 leukemia cells with an IC50 value of 57.02 uM.

Chemical Constituents of the Branches and Leaves of Picrasma chinensis P.Y. Chen and Tyrosinase Inhibiting Activity.

One new alkaloid, picrasine A, two new quassinoids, picralactones A-B, together with eleven known compounds were isolated from Picrasma chinensis P.Y. Chen. The structures of these compounds were determined using 1D and 2D NMR, HR-ESI-MS, and IR spectroscopic data, and by comparison with published data. Some compounds were tested for tyrosinase inhibiting activity, however, none of them exhibited strong inhibitory effects.

COX-2 and iNOS inhibitory epimeric meroterpenoids from Ganoderma cochlear and structure revision of cochlearol Q.

Four novel epimeric meroterpenoids, ganadone A (1), 3',10'-di-epi-ganadone A (2), 10'-epi-ganadone A (3), and 3'-epi-ganadone A (4) as well as another pairs of epimers, ganadone B (5) and 10'-epi-ganadone B (6), with a same basic skeleton compound ganadone C (7), together with two lactonized meroterpenoids, ganadones D and E (8 and 9) were isolated from the fruiting bodies of Ganoderma cochlear. Compounds 1-7 were constructed with fascinating adjacent 6',7'-bifuran ring system. Fortunately, we have revised our previously reported structure cochlearol Q, which was proposed pyrano[6',7'-b]pyran ring system into 6',7'-bifuran motif. All the isolates were characterized by analysis of HRESIMS, NMR spectroscopy and 1 was supported by X-ray crystallography analysis. The absolute stereochemistry of 1-9 were assigned by quantum chemical calculations. Biological evaluation of 1-9 showed that 5, 6, and 9 have significant anti-inflammatory potentials.

Caseatardies A-K, eleven undescribed clerodane diterpenoids isolated from Casearia tardieuae and their anti-inflammatory activity.

A phytochemical investigation to obtain bioactive substances as lead compounds or agents for anti-inflammatory led to the obtainment of eleven previously undescribed clerodane diterpenoids, named caseatardies A-K (1-11), and four known clerodane diterpenoids (12-15) from the twigs and leaves of Casearia tardieuae. The structural elucidation of these clerodane diterpenoids was based on 1D and 2D-NMR spectroscopy (COSY, HSQC, HMBC and ROESY) as well as high resolution mass spectrometry (HR-ESI-MS). The relative configurations were defined by ROESY correlations. The anti-inflammatory activity of all the isolated compounds was screened and compound 15 decreased LDH level in a dose-dependent manner, showing IC50 value of 2.89 µM.

Spiroganodermaines A-G from Ganoderma species and their activities against insulin resistance and renal fibrosis.

Ganoderma mushrooms are a renowned Chinese medicine and functional food used worldwide. Seven undescribed spiro Ganoderma meroterpenoids spiroganodermaines A-G were isolated from Ganoderma species. Their structures were characterized by using spectroscopic, computational and X-ray diffraction methods. Biological studies showed that (+)-spiroganodermaine G significantly activates glucose uptake and IRS1 phosphorylation in insulin resistance C2C12 cells. Furthermore, (-)-spiroganodermaine G inhibits the expressions of fibronectin and α-SMA in TGF-ß1 induced NRK-52E cells. These findings demonstrate the potential of Ganoderma meroterpenoids as medicines and dietary supplements.

Meroterpenoids with a large conjugated system from Ganoderma lucidum and their inhibitory activities against renal fibrosis.

Baoslingzhines A-E (1-5), five new meroterpenoids were isolated from the fruiting bodies of Ganoderma lucidum. The structures including their absolute configurations were characterized by using spectroscopic and computational methods. Compound 1 is a novel trinormeroterpenoid featuring the presence of an unusual dihydronaphthalene representing an unprecedented meroterpenoid skeleton. Compounds 2-4 are mononormeroterpenoids characteristic of a large conjugated system. Among them, racemic 3 and 4 were separated by HPLC on chiral phase. Biological evaluation toward kidney fibrosis found that compounds 2 and (+)-3 could inhibit the expression of fibronectin and collagen I dose dependently in TGF-ß1-induced rat kidney proximal tubular cells (NRK-52e). Additionally, (+)-3 could also down regulate ɑ-SMA in a concentration dependent manner. Further investigation showed that 2 could inhibit Smad2 phosphorylation.

Bioactive polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols from Hypericum scabrum.

Eighteen polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols were isolated from the whole plant of Hypericum scabrum Linn., including six new compounds (1-6). Their structures were elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic analyses. The evaluation of their cytotoxic activities was carried out against SMMC-7721 and MGC-803 cell lines. We found that most tested compounds exhibited moderate cytotoxic activities against SMMC-7721 cell line except for 11 and 12, while compounds 1, 5-7, 13 and 16 also showed cytotoxic activities on MGC-803 cells. Besides, Bacillus subtilis, MRSA and MDPRA were also used to test inhibitory activity of these compounds. Our results showed that only compounds 12 and 13 presented weak inhibitory activity against Bacillus subtilis, while compounds 7, 13 and 14 also inhibited MRSA weakly.

Preliminary Study on the In Vitro Antitumor Effects of Nidus Vespae on Gastric Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the in vitro antitumor effects of Nidus Vespae on gastric cancer and its ability to promote immune function. METHODS: Cell viability was detected by the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. Cell cycle distribution and apoptosis were detected using flow cytometry. The THP-1 human monocytic cell line was used as a source of monocytic effector cells for analyzing proliferation and dendritic cell (DC) induction. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect cytokine production, and multicolor flow cytometry was used to study the phenotype and functionality of THP-1 DCs. RESULTS: A high concentration (>10 mg/mL) of Nidus Vespae decoction (NVD) inhibited SGC-7901 gastric cancer cell growth by inducing G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. However, a low concentration (≤10 mg/mL) of NVD significantly increased the proliferative ability of THP-1 in serum-containing medium and caused an increase in dendritic protrusions with the typical morphology of DCs compared to the negative control in serum-free medium. The THP-1 DCs had significantly increased expression of cluster of differentiation 11c (CD11c), CD40, CD80, CD83, and CD86, as well as secretion of tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Furthermore, the supernatant of THP-1 DCs significantly inhibited the proliferation of gastric cancer cells by inducing apoptosis and G1/S cell cycle arrest. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that NVD not only directly inhibits the growth of gastric cancer cells but also exerts indirect antitumor effects by enhancing immune function. These results provide an important theoretical basis for the clinical application of Nidus Vespae in gastric cancer treatment.

[Effect of C21 steroidal glycoside of Cynanchum auriculatum on liver and kidney fibrosis through TLR4 pathway].

The liver and kidney fibrosis model was established by thioacetamide(TAA) and unilateral ureteral obstruction(UUO) in SD rats. The rats were randomly divided into three groups: model group, low and high-dose groups of C21 steroidal glycosides of Cynanchum auriculatum. Another blank control group was set. Four weeks later, serum was taken to detect the biochemical indexes of liver and kidney function. Urine protein and urine creatinine were detected by kits. Liver and kidney tissue samples were stained with HE and Masson staining, and hydroxyproline content was detected. Western blot was used to detect expressions of fibrotic proteins, inflammatory factors and TLR4 signaling pathways, so as to observe the preventive and therapeutic effects of C21 steroidal glycosides from C. auriculatum on hepatic and renal fibrosis and explore its molecular mechanism. Four weeks later, serum biochemical results showed that liver and kidney functions were seriously damaged, and pathological sections showed that inflammatory cell infiltration, decrease of parenchymal cells, and increase of interstitial fibrosis in liver and kidney tissues. The results showed that low and high doses(150, 300 mg·kg~(-1)) of C21 steroidal glycosides could significantly reduce the collagen deposition and the pathological changes of liver and kidney fibrosis compared with the model group. At the same time, we found that the expression levels of TLR4 and MyD88 signaling pathway proteins were significantly increased in the liver and kidney tissues of the model group, and a large number of NF-κB signaling pathway proteins migrated into the nucleus. On the contrary, the expression levels of TLR4, MyD88 signaling pathway proteins and the nuclear migration of NF-κB were significantly inhibited in the low and high dose groups of C21 steroidal glycosides from C. auriculatum. Therefore, it was speculated that the mechanism of C21 steroidal glycoside for preventive and therapeutic effect on hepatic and renal fibrosis was related to inhibit TLR4/MYD88/NF-κB inflammatory pathway, thus preventing hepatic and renal fibrosis.

Barium enema findings in total colonic aganglionosis: a single-center, retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative diagnosis of total colonic aganglionosis is important for the rational choice of treatment. The present study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of radiographic signs on preoperative barium enema in patients with total colonic aganglionosis. METHODS: Forty-four patients [41 (3-659) days] with total colonic aganglionosis, including 17 neonatal patients, who received preoperative barium enema at Beijing Children's Hospital, from January 2007 to December 2019 were included. All radiographs were retrospectively restudied by 2 pediatric radiologists to ascertain radiographic signs including rectosigmoid index, transition zone, irregular contraction, gas-filled small bowel, microcolon, question-mark-shaped colon and ileocecal valve reflux. Kappa test was performed to assess the accuracy and consistency of the radiographic signs. RESULTS: The 2 radiologists showed slight agreement for gas-filled small bowel, microcolon and rectosigmoid index, fair agreement for transition zone and irregular contraction, and moderate agreement for question-mark-shaped colon and ileocecal valve reflux (Kappa values, 0.043, 0.075, 0.103, 0.244, 0.397, 0.458 and 0.545, respectively). In neonatal patients, the 2 radiologists showed moderate agreement for ileocecal valve reflux and substantial agreement for question-mark-shaped colon (Kappa values, 0.469 and 0.667, respectively). In non-neonatal patients, the 2 radiologists showed substantial agreement for ileocecal valve reflux (Kappa value, 0.628). In 36 patients with total colonic aganglionosis extending to the ileum, the accuracies of question-mark-shaped colon, ileocecal valve reflux and the combination of both were 47%, 53%, and 75%, respectively, in one radiologist and 53%, 50% and 72%, respectively, in the other radiologist. CONCLUSIONS: Ileocecal valve reflux is a relatively reliable radiographic sign for diagnosing total colonic aganglionosis and could improve the diagnostic accuracy upon combination with question-mark-shaped colon.

Isoforskolin and Cucurbitacin IIa promote the expression of anti-inflammatory regulatory factor SIGIRR in human macrophages stimulated with Borrelia burgdorferi basic membrane protein A.

Certain natural products, derived from medicinal plants, exhibit anti-inflammatory properties, but the mechanism of action of many remains unclear. Borrelia burgdorferi spirochetes are responsible for causing Lyme arthritis through activation of the Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling pathway. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms by which Isoforskolin (ISOF) and Cucurbitacin IIa (CuIIa), compounds derived from Chinese herbs, can exert anti-inflammatory effects by modulating single immunoglobulin interleukin-1 receptor-related receptor (SIGIRR; also known as Toll/interleukin-1 receptor 8, TIR8) and thereby inhibiting B. burgdorferi basic membrane protein A (BmpA)-induced TLR signaling in human macrophages, specifically the THP-1 human monocytic cell line. After THP-1 cells were exposed in vitro to: i) recombinant (r)BmpA, ii) rBmpA and ISOF or iii) rBmpA and CuIIa, Cytotoxicity assay (Cell Counting Kit-8, CCK-8) are used to measure the effects of ISOF and CuIIa on cell viability. Meanwhile, real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting were used to quantify SIGIRR mRNA and protein levels, respectively, at 6, 12, 24 and 48 h time points post-stimulation. In addition, proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) was determined by ELISA analysis. Our study showed that rBmpA stimulation of THP-1 cells resulted in a drop in SIGIRR levels in THP-1 cells. More importantly, SIGIRR levels increased significantly in rBmpA-stimulated THP-1 cells following ISOF or CuIIa administration, and the results of ELISA analysis suggested that ISOF or CuIIa reduced the secretion of the proinflammatory cytokine TNF-α. In conclusion, These results reveal new possibilities for the treatment of Lyme arthritis.

A comparative pharmacogenomic analysis of three classic TCM prescriptions for coronary heart disease based on molecular network modeling.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has evolved over several thousands of years, which has been shown to be efficacious in the treatment of ischemic heart disease. Three classical TCM prescriptions, namely Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction, Zhishi Xiebai Guizhi Decoction, and Gualou Xiebai Banxia Decoction, have been extensively used in the treatment of coronary heart disease (CHD). Based on molecular network modeling, we performed a comparative pharmacogenomic analysis to systematically determine the drug-targeting spectrum of the three prescriptions at molecular level. Wide-area target molecules of CHD were covered, which was a common feature of the three decoctions, demonstrating their therapeutic functions. Meanwhile, collective signaling involved metabolic/pro-metabolic pathways, driving and transferring pathways, neuropsychiatric pathways, and exocrine or endocrine pathways. These organized pharmacological disturbance was mainly focused on almost all stages of CHD intervention, such as anti-atherosclerosis, lipid metabolism, inflammation, vascular wall function, foam cells formation, platelets aggregation, thrombosis, arrhythmia, and ischemia-reperfusion injury. In addition, heterogeneity analysis of the global pharmacological molecular spectrum revealed that signaling crosstalk, cascade convergence, and key targets were tendentious among the three decoctions. After all, it is unadvisable to rank the findings on targeting advantages of the three decoctions. Comparative pharmacological evidence may provide an appropriate decoction scheme for individualized intervention of CHD.

Acupuncture on treating asthma: A protocol for systematic review and meta analysis.

BACKGROUND: Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases in the world, with approximately 300 million asthma patients worldwide. The mortality rate of asthma is 1.6 to 36.7 / 100,000 people, and China has become one of the countries with the highest asthma death rate in the world. Asthma is a chronic allergic airway inflammatory disease. Patients with this disease may have symptoms such as cough, wheezing, and difficulty breathing. For many years, Western medicine has mainly used anti-inflammatory, anti-bronchial spasm, asthma, cough and oxygen to treat this disease, but the effect is not good. Clinical studies in recent years have found that the use of acupuncture in the treatment of bronchial asthma has a good clinical application prospect. This study was conducted to study the effect of using acupuncture to treat asthma. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will search for PubMed, Cochrane Library, AMED, EMbase, WorldSciNet; Nature, Science online and China Journal Full-text Database (CNKI), China Biomedical Literature CD-ROM Database (CBM), and related randomized controlled trials included in the China Resources Database. The time is limited from the construction of the library to November 2019. We will use the criteria provided by Cochrane 5.1.0 for quality assessment and risk assessment of the included studies, and use the Revman 5.3 and Stata13.0 software for meta-analysis of the effectiveness, recurrence rate, and symptom scores of asthma. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This systematic review will evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for asthma. Because all of the data used in this systematic review and meta-analysis has been published, this review does not require ethical approval. Furthermore, all data will be analyzed anonymously during the review process Trial.

[Effects of total C-21 steroidal glucosides from Cynanchum auriculatum on oxidative stress pathway in mice with liver injury].

The study aimed to investigate the mechanism of hepatoprotective effect of C-21 steroidal glucosides from Cynanchum auriculatum( Baishouwu) on oxidative stress in mice with liver injury. Mice were randomly divided into normal group,model group,positive control group,Baishouwu high group and Baishouwu low group. The liver injury model was induced by intraperitoneal injection of CCl4 peanut oil solution. All mice were sacrificed to collect blood and liver specimens. The activities of serum levels of ALT and AST were detected. The content of MDA and the activity of SOD in liver homogenate were examined by colorimetry method. Tissues were stained with hematoxylin-eosin for histological examination. The hepatic protein expressions of NF-κB p65,p-IκBα,i NOS and COX-2 were detected by Western blot. The mRNA expressions of TNF-α and IL-6 were determined by RT-PCR. It was found that treatment with C-21 steroidal glucosides from Baishouwu successfully attenuated liver injury induced by CCl4,as shown by decreased levels of serum biochemical indicators( AST,ALT)( P<0. 01). Administration of total C-21 steroidal glucosides enhanced the activity of SOD( P<0. 01) and decreased the content of MDA( P<0. 01) in liver homogenate. Microscopic features suggested that treatment with C-21 steroidal glucosides from Baishouwu was effective in inhibiting CCl4-induced hepatocyte edema and degeneration. Further studies showed that NF-κB p65 overexpression induced by CCl4 was decreased by C-21 steroidal glucosides,leading to the markedly down-regulated protein expression levels of p-IκBα,i NOS and COX-2,as well as the depression of TNF-α and IL-6 mRNA expressions. In conclusion,total C-21 steroidal glucosides from Baishouwu exhibited potent effect on oxidative stress pathway in mice with liver injury induced by CCl4,with enhanced activity of SOD,decreased content of MDA,and down-regulated levels of NF-κB p65,p-IκBα,i NOS and COX-2.