A new methylene bisflavan-3-ol from the branches and leaves of Potentilla fruticosa.

Dasiphora fruticosa L. (Rosaceae), also known as Potentilla fruticosa L. (syn.), is a hardy deciduous shrub widely distributed in the north temperate regions of the world. Three methylene bisflavan-3-ols (1-3), together with a procyanidin dimer, (-)-afzelechin-(4α→8)-(-)-afzelechin (4) were isolated for the first time from the branches and leaves of the titled plant, in addition to 11 known compounds (5-15). Their structures were elucidated by means of extensive spectroscopic analysis and by comparison with data reported in the literatures. Methylene 6,8-bis(7-O-glucosyl) catechin (1) was determined to be a new dimeric flavan-3-ol glycoside through a methylene linkage between C-8 and C-8 of two units. At a concentration of 128 µg/mL, the known compounds 9 - 13 exhibited antibacterial activities on Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus, Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Compound 12 also showed certain glucose uptake stimulating activity.

[Effect of electroacupuncture on renal fibrosis in spontaneously hypertension rats and its related mechanisms].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on blood pressure, renal fibrosis and expression of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1), plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1), and alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in spontaneous hypertension rats (SHR), so as to explore its mechanisms underlying improving hypertensive renal damage. METHODS: Forty male SHR (15 weeks in age) were randomly divided into 5 groups: model, medication (Losartan), Shenshu, Geshu, and Shenshu＋Geshu groups(n=8 rats in each group), and the same age-old male 8 Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats were used as the normal control group. Rats of the medication group were treated by gavage of Losartan potassium solution (3 mg/mL, 30 mg·kg-1·d-1, once a day for 12 weeks), and those of the 3 EA groups treated by EA stimulation of bilateral "Shenshu" (BL23), "Geshu"(BL17) or both BL23 and BL17 (2 Hz/100 Hz, 1 mA, 15 min each time, once every other day for 12 weeks). The systolic blood pressure of the tail artery was measured before, and 4, 8 and 12 weeks after the intervention. The expression of TIMP-1, PAI-1 and α-SMA proteins of the right kidney tissue was measured by immunohistochemistry. Histopathological changes of the right renal tissue were observed under light microscope after H.E. stain. RESULTS: The blood pressure was significantly higher in the mo-del group than those in the normal control group (P<0.01), and considerably decreased at the 4th , 8th, and 12th week of the interventions in the medication and 3 EA groups (P<0.01). The expression levels of renal TIMP-1, PAI-1 and α-SMA proteins were notably higher in the model group than those in the normal control group and considerably decreased at the 12th week of the interventions in the medication and 3 EA groups than in the model group (P<0.01). H.E. staining of the renal tissue showed disordered arrangement of the renal cells, congestion and dilation of capillaries with thickened vascular wall, renal tubule atrophy and lumen stenosis with some necrosis of renal tubules, protein tubule and cell tubules, increase of some glomerular mesangial matrix and hyperplasia of fibrous tissue in the model group, which was re-latively milder in the medication and 3 EA groups. CONCLUSION: EA of BL23 and BL17 can reduce the blood pressure in SHR, which may be related to its function in down-regulating expression of TIMP-1, PAI-1 and α-SMA proteins.

[Effect of Mild Moxibustion with Different Terms at Different Acupoints on Renal Functions and Renal Pathological Changes in Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis Rats].

OBJECTIVE: To observe changes of urinary microprotein, and serum creatinine, urea nitrogen and uric acid levels in focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) rats treated by mild moxibustion, so as to explore the mechanism of moxibustion underlying improvement of FSGS. METHODS: SD rats were randomized into normal control (normal), sham operation (sham), model, medication (Losartan), moxibustion-Shenshu (BL 23) and moxibustion-Geshu (BL 17) groups. The latter two moxibustion groups were further divided into 10 min, 20 min and 30 min subgroups (n=6 in each group/subgroups). The FSGS model was established by unilateral nephrectomy combined with injection of Losartan into the tail vein twice. Mild moxibustion was applied to bilateral BL 17 and BL 23 for 10, 20 and 30 min, respectively, once every other day, for 12 weeks. The contents of urinary microglobulin α 1, micro-albumin, transferring and IgG were assayed using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and serum creatinine, urea nitrogen and uric acid contents (indexes of renal function) determined using an automatic biochemical analyzer. The pathological changes of the kidney tissue was observed by using a microscope after periodic acid schiff (PAS) staining. RESULTS: No significant differences were found between the normal control and sham groups in the levels of all the urinary and serum indexes (P>0.05) and pathological changes of the renal tissues. Compared with the normal control group, the contents of urinary microglobulin α 1, micro-albumin, transferrin and IgG, and serum creatinine, urea nitrogen and uric acid were significantly increased in the model group (P<0.01). Following medication and moxibustion, the contents of the aforementioned 7 indexes in the Losartan group, and urinary microglobulin α 1, micro-albumin, transferrin and IgG, and serum creatinine levels in the moxibustion BL 23-20 min and 30 min groups, and the micro-albumin and transferrin contents in the BL-17 10 min group and IgG level in the BL-23 10 min group, the serum creatinine and urea nitrogen levels at the 3 time-points of both moxibustion BL 23 and BL 17 groups, and serum uric acid in the moxibustion BL 23 30 min, and BL17 20 and 30 min groups were all considerably down-regulated (P<0.05, P<0.01). The therapeutic effects of moxibustion 30 min were notably better than moxibustion 10 min in reducing urinary microglobulin α 1, micro-albumin, transferring and IgG levels (P<0.05, P<0.01). Results of PAS staining showed that the injury of the renal tissue as the endothelial and mesangial cellular proliferation, collagen proteinosis, interstitial fibrosis, etc were relatively milder in the Losartan and moxibustion 20 and 30 min groups. CONCLUSIONS: Mild moxibustion may reduce proteinuria, and improve the kidney function and pathological changes in FSGS rats, and longer duration of moxibustion is better in achieving therapeutic effect.