Selective recovery of rare earth elements and value-added chemicals from the Dicranopteris linearis bio-ore produced by agromining using green fractionation.

The increasing demand for Rare Earth Elements (REEs) and the depletion of mineral resources motivate sustainable strategies for REE recovery from alternative unconventional sources, such as REE hyperaccumulator. The greatest impediment to REE agromining is the difficulty in the separation of REEs and other elements from the harvested biomass (bio-ore). Here, we develop a sulfuric acid assisted ethanol fractionation method for processing D. linearis bio-ore to produce the pure REE compounds and value-added chemicals. The results show that 94.5% of REEs and 87.4% of Ca remained in the solid phase, and most of the impurities (Al, Fe, Mg, and Mn) transferred to the liquid phase. Density functional theory calculations show that the water-cation bonds of REEs and Ca cations were broken more easily than the bonds of the cations of key impurities, causing lower solubility of REEs and Ca compounds. Subsequent separation and purification led to a REE-oxide (REO) product with a purity of 97.1% and a final recovery of 88.9%. In addition, lignin and phenols were obtained during organosolv fractionation coupled with a fast pyrolysis process. This new approach opens up the possibility for simultaneous selective recovery of REEs and to produce value-added chemicals from REE bio-ore refining.

[Visual analysis of exosomes in traditional Chinese medicine research and application status based on CiteSpace knowledge map].

In this study, CiteSpace was used to conduct bibliometric statistics and visualization of the research papers on the exosomes in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) and application status in CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, and Web of Science. The authors, research institutions, and keywords of the relevant papers were analyzed to summarize the research status, hotspots, and development trends of TCM application of exosomes, thereby providing references for future research. A total of 340 Chinese papers and 9 English papers were included. In Chinese papers, GUO Hai-dong is the author with the largest amount of research papers, and his research interest is the mechanism of electroacupuncture in promoting functional recovery after sciatic nerve injury by regulating the release of exosomes. Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine is the research institution with the largest amount of papers, followed by Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine and Hunan University of Chinese Medicine. There was less cooperation among these research institutions, and cooperation between teams and agencies should be strengthened. The overall volume of publications in English was comparatively small, and the connections between the authors were weak. The publishing organizations were mostly distributed in medical schools, hospitals, comprehensive universities, and the cooperation between institutions was scattered. The main keywords in Chinese papers include microRNA, mesenchymal stem cells, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, mechanism of action, and extracellular vesicles. The research of exosomes in TCM is increasing in recent years. The research hotspot is that exosomes can both serve as biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of certain diseases in TCM and drug carriers of Chinese medicine for targeted treatment of diseases. Keyword prominence suggested that exosomes derived from osteoblasts and macrophages in the treatment of diseases might still be a future research trend.

[Acupuncture mediated miR-34c-5p regulates the autophagy of hippocampal neurons in rats with cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of acupuncture on the expression of miR-34c-5p, autophagy-related proteins and apoptosis rate in hippocampus of rats with cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury (CI/RI), so as to explore its mechanism in regulating autophagy in hippocampal neurons in CI/RI rats. METHODS: SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation, model, medication and acupuncture groups, with 20 rats in each group. The rat model of CI/RI was established by occlusion of the middle cerebral artery. In the acupuncture group, "Dazhui" (GV14), "Baihui" (GV20) and "Shuigou" (GV26) were punctured with filiform needles and stimulated manually once every 15 min, for 30 min. The rats of the medication group were intraperito-neally injected with edaravone (5 mg/kg). The treatment was conducted once every 12 h for a total of 7 times. The neurological de-ficit score of all the rats were evaluated according to Garcia's methods, and TTC staining was employed to assess the cerebral ischemic area (percentage of cerebral infarct area, CIA). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to observe the ultrastructural changes of hippocampal neurons. The expression of hippocampal miR-34c-5p was measured by real-time PCR, and the protein expressions of hippocampal LC3B, Beclin1 and p62 were measured by Western blot. The apoptosis rate of ischemic brain tissue was observed by TUNEL staining. RESULTS: Compared with the sham operation group, the neurological deficit score, the expressions of miR-34c-5p, Beclin1, p62 and LC3B-Ⅱ/LC3B-Ⅰ were significantly decreased (P<0.01, P<0.05), and the CIA and the apoptosis rate significantly increased (P<0.01) in the model group. Compared with the model group, the neurological deficit scores, the expressions of miR-34c-5p, Beclin1, p62 and LC3B-Ⅱ/LC3B-Ⅰ were significantly increased (P<0.01, P<0.05), and the CIA and the apoptosis rate significantly decreased (P<0.01) in the medication and acupuncture groups. Compared with the medication group, the expression of miR-34c-5p was significantly increased (P<0.01). The results of electron microscope showed that the neurons in the acupuncture and medication groups were less damaged than those in the model group, the cells showed mild edema, and the structures were relatively complete. Some normal organelles could be seen, and autophagy bodies, autophagy lysosomes and their encapsulated organelles could still be observed. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture can improve the neurological deficit and reduce the area of cerebral infarction in CI/RI rats, which is closely with its effect in promoting hippocampal neuronal autophagy and anti-apoptosis via up-regulating the expression of miR-34c-5p.

Transcutaneous Electrical Acustimulation Improves Constipation by Enhancing Rectal Sensation in Patients With Functional Constipation and Lack of Rectal Sensation.

INTRODUCTION: Reduced rectal sensation is involved in the pathophysiology of constipation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of transcutaneous electrical acustimulation (TEA) at acupuncture point ST36 on constipation and rectal sensation as well as autonomic functions in patients with constipation and reduced rectal sensation. METHODS: In an acute study, anorectal motility and sensation tests were performed in constipation patients (N = 53) who were treated with TEA at ST36 or sham points. In a chronic study, patients (N = 18) underwent 2 weeks of TEA or sham-TEA in a crossover design. RESULTS: Chronic TEA increased spontaneous bowel movements (3.72 vs 2.00 per week with sham-TEA, P < 0.0001) and significantly reduced constipation symptoms and increased quality of life in comparison with sham-TEA (P < 0.05). Acute TEA reduced the sensation threshold in response to rectal distention for the urge of defecation and maximum tolerable volume (P < 0.05, vs baseline); chronic TEA reduced the sensation thresholds for first sensation and desire of defecation, and decreased the threshold volume to an elicit rectal anal inhibitory reflex (P < 0.05). Both acute and chronic TEA increased parasympathetic activity (P < 0.05). DISCUSSION: TEA at ST36 improves chronic constipation by enhancing rectal sensation possibly mediated by the reinforcement of parasympathetic activity in patients with functional constipation and reported lack/absence of rectal sensation.

A "4D" systemic view on meridian essence: Substantial, functional, chronological and cultural attributes / 中西医结合学报

The term Jingluo, translated as meridian or channel, is a core component of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and has played a fundamental role in guiding the clinical practice of acupuncture for thousands of years. However, the essence of the meridian remains elusive and is a source of both confusion and debate for researchers. In this study, a "4D" systemic view on the essence of the meridian, namely substantial, functional, chronological, and cultural dimensions, was proposed based on a review of the ancient medical classics, recent research developments, and results from clinical practice. Previous studies have primarily focused on the substantial dimension of the meridian system, with scant interpretation about its functional domain. Neither systemic data nor evaluations have been adequately documented. Additionally, a limited but increasing number of studies have focused on the chronological and cultural dimensions. More investigations that embody the holistic concept of TCM and integrate the systemic modes and advanced techniques with dominant diseases of TCM need to be performed to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the essence of meridians. The goal of this study is to yield useful information in understanding the essence of meridians and provide a reference and perspective for further research.

[Acupuncture improves cognitive function of vascular dementia rats by regulating PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the mechanism of acupuncture in improving cognitive ability by regulating hippocampal phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway in vascular dementia (VD) rats. METHODS: A total of 80 male SD rats were randomized into sham operation, model, non-acupoint and acupoint groups (n=18 per group). The VD model was established by ligation of the bilateral common carotid arteries. For rats of the acupoint group, "Baihui" (GV20) and bilateral "Zusanli "(ST36) were needled and stimulated by twirling the needles with reinforcing method, and for rats of the non-acupoint group, the bilateral subcostal spots (about 10 mm superior to the iliac cresta) were needled and stimulated by twirling the needles with uniform reinforcing and reducing method. The treatment was conducted once daily, 6 times a week for two weeks, beginning 3 days after successful modeling. Rats of the sham operation group and model group received grasps as those in the acupoint groups. Morris water maze test was used to detect the abilities of learning and spatial memory. The contents of reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the activities of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and acetylcholine transferase (ChAT) in the hippocampus tissue were detected by using ELISA, changes of hippocampal mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) detected using JC-1 fluorescence probe, and the expression levels of hippocampal phosphorylated (p)-PI3K, p-Akt and mTOR proteins measured using Western blot. RESULTS: Compared with the sham operation group, the escape latency, contents of ROS and MDA, and AChE activity were significantly increased (P<0.05), and the spatial memory ability, SOD activity, ChAT activity, MMP, p-PI3K, p-Akt and mTOR expression levels were significantly decreased in the model group (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, carotid artery ligature-induced increase of the escape latency, contents of ROS and MDA, and AChE activity, and decrease of the spatial memory ability, SOD activity, ChAT activity, MMP, p-PI3K, p-Akt and mTOR expression levels were significantly reversed in the acupuncture group (P< 0.05), but not in the non-acupoint group (P>0.05). The therapeutic effects of acupoint needling were obviously superior to those of non-acupoint needling in decreasing the escape latency, contents of ROS and MDA, and AChE activity (P<0.05), and in increasing the spatial memory ability, SOD activity, ChAT activity, MMP, p-PI3K, p-Akt and mTOR expre-ssion levels (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture can improve cognitive function of VD rats, which may be related with its functions in easing oxidative stress and MMP reduction by activating PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway in the hippocampus.

Nardostachys jatamansi， A Medicinal Plant from Qinghai-Tibet Plateau： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Nardostachyos Radix et Rhizoma is the dry root and rhizome of Nardostachys jatamansi （Valerianaceae） with a long medical history and a broad range of application， which is effective in regulating Qi， relieving pain， resolving depression， and enlivening spleen， as well as dispelling dampness and relieving swelling by external application. It can be used for the treatment of abdominal distension， loss of appetite， and vomiting. Besides， it can also relieve toothache and treat dermatophytosis and pyogenic infection by external use. Moreover， it serves as a common medicinal material in ancient Ayurveda and Unani medical systems in India and also as an ingredient in spices， foods， and cosmetics. Modern pharmacological studies have shown that Nardostachyos Radix et Rhizoma possesses multiple pharmacological activities， such as sedation， anti-epilepsy， anti-convulsion， anti-depression， anti-arrhythmia， anti-malaria， anti-inflammation， anti-bacteria， anti-oxidation， and blood sugar metabolism improvement due to its multiple compounds contained， including terpenes， flavonoids， coumarins， and lignans. The main active components are sesquiterpenoids represented by nardosinone. The pharmacological activities， chemical compositions， and clinical applications of Nardostachyos Radix et Rhizoma have been investigated， but the research on resources， distribution， quality control， cultivation status， and applications are rarely reported. As an important genuine medicinal material from the Qinghai-Tibet plateau， Nardostachyos Radix et Rhizoma is obtained mainly from wild N. jatamansi. Accordingly， the conservation and sustainable utilization of N. jatamansi have attracted much attention all around the world. Based on the resource survey， cultivation research， and relevant literature available， the present study reviewed resources， geographical distribution， chemical compositions， pharmacological activities， quality control， cultivation， and applications of N. jatamansi， aiming to provide references for the conservation and development of N. jatamansi.

Content determination and transferring rules of seven components in Angelicae Sinensis Radix and its processed products / 中国中药杂志

A HPLC method was established for simultaneous determination of two organic acids(chlorogenic acid and ferulic acid) and five phthalides(senkyunolide I, senkyunolide H, senkyunolide A, ligustilide, and butylidenephthalide) in Angelicae Sinensis Radix and its processed products to clarify the underlying material transferring rules. The analysis was performed on a Welch Ultimate C_8 column(4.6 mm×250 mm, 5 μm) with acetonitrile(A)-0.085% phosphoric acid water(B) as the mobile phase in a gradient elution mode at the flow rate of 1.1 mL·min~(-1), the column temperature of 25 ℃, the detection wavelength of 280 nm, and the injection volume of 10 μL. Under these conditions, the content of the above-mentioned seven components was analyzed in 15 batches of Angelicae Sinensis Radix and its processed products, and the transfer rate of each compound was calculated. As a result, in the processed products, the average content of chlorogenic acid was slightly decreased and that of ferulic acid was equivalent to the medicinal materials. The content of senkyunolide I, senkyunolide H, senkyunolide A, and butylidenephthalide showed an increasing trend in the processed products as compared with the medicinal materials. The mass fraction of ligustilide in the medicinal materials was above 0.7%(0.94% on average), meeting the requirement of 0.6% in the Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards, but was 0.47% on average in the processed products, which was decreased by 50% approximately. Further investigation showed that the content of ligustilide in freshly made processed products of Angelicae Sinensis Radix did not change significantly compared with that in the medicinal materials, indicating that the loss of ligustilide in the processed products mainly occurred in the storage. Therefore, Angelicae Sinensis Radix is suitable for storing in the form of medicinal materials and the freshly made processed products should be used except for special cases. Additionally, it is recommended to control the content of volatile oils or ligustilide in medicinal materials and processed products of Angelicae Sinensis Radix to ensure its effectiveness in clinical medication.

In Vitro and In Vivo Osteogenesis Induced by Icariin and Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2: A Dynamic Observation.

In the present study, we aimed to compare the effects of icariin (ICA) and bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) on osteoblast proliferation and osteogenesis in bone defects. We found that in vitro ICA or BMP-2 treatment is able to increase osteoblast proliferation, which was detected by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT). Specifically, ICA at a concentration of 30 µg/ml had the strongest ability to promote cell proliferation, which is equivalent with the effect of BMP-2 at a concentration of 50 µg/ml. Furthermore, Western blot and RT-qPCR analyses showed that treatment with ICA (20-30 µg/ml) had similar increase effect with BMP-2 (50 µg/ml) on the protein and mRNA levels of BMP-2, osteoprotegerin (OPG), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) mRNAs. In addition, the animal model of bone defects was successfully prepared. The in vivo data showed that compared with the control group, highest osteogenesis in the ICA or BMP-2 groups was observed at different observational times. Four weeks after surgery, osteogenesis in the BMP-2 group was slightly higher than that in the ICA group, but there was no significant difference between the two groups until the eighth week. ICA promotes osteoblast proliferation by stimulating the expression of BMP-2 and OPG proteins and upregulating the expression of BMP-2, OPG, and ALP mRNAs. ICA at a certain concentration has the same osteogenic effect as BMP-2. ICA or BMP-2 composite nanomaterials can be used as a framework to guide bone regeneration and promote osteogenesis. In addition, the combined use of hematoxylin-eosin and Goldner's trichrome staining techniques contributes to acquiring better bone morphometric information about bone defects.

Protective effects of Amygdalus mongolica on rats with renal fibrosis based on serum metabolomics.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Renal fibrosis (RF) is a common outcome of various progressive chronic kidney diseases (CKDs) and, thus, seriously endangers human health. As the active ingredient of Amygdalus mongolica, amygdalin inhibits RF. Furthermore, our previous studies demonstrated that n-butanol extract (BUT) and petroleum ether extract (PET), which are effective components of A. mongolica, have an anti-renal fibrosis effect. However, their potential mechanisms of action are unclear and need further verification. AIMS OF THE STUDY: The aims of this study were to further investigate the effects and potential mechanisms of A. mongolica extracts in the treatment of RF. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The animals were divided into the control group, RF model group, PET group and BUT group. The RF rat model was established through unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO). Biochemical indicators, including blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (Scr), and hydroxyproline (HYP, a routine marker of fibrosis), and the antioxidant index (including superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA)) were measured to evaluate the anti-RF effects of the extracts of A. mongolica. The histomorphology of renal tissue was observed and scored by HE and Masson staining. A serum metabonomic analysis based on UPLC-Q-TOF/MS was performed to assess the changes in the metabolic profile among the different groups. RESULTS: The results showed that PET and BUT significantly improved tubulointerstitial damage and fibrosis by reducing the levels of Scr, BUN, HYP, and MDA and increasing the level of SOD. Moreover, no significant differences in efficacy were observed between the BUT and PET groups. According to the metabolomics analysis, seventy-four potential biomarkers were identified, and eight crucial biomarkers were further selected. These key biomarkers significantly contributed to RF progression by participating in six metabolic pathways, including pathways involved in arginine and proline metabolism, histidine metabolism, nicotinamide metabolism, pentose and glucuronate interconversion, ascorbate and aldarate metabolism, and amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism. In addition, eight key biomarkers and six crucial biomarkers were restored to levels similar to those observed in controls following the treatment with PET and BUT, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The outcomes of these studies demonstrate the renoprotective effects of A. mongolica extracts in rats with RF and revealed the mechanism underlying these antifibrotic effects on metabolic activity for the first time.

Reducing Hypothalamic Stem Cell Senescence Protects against Aging-Associated Physiological Decline.

Age-dependent loss of hypothalamic neural stem cells (htNSCs) is important for the pathological consequences of aging; however, it is unclear what drives the senescence of htNSCs. Here, we report that a long non-coding RNA, Hnscr, is abundantly expressed in the htNSCs of young mice but decreases markedly in middle-aged mice. We show that depletion of Hnscr is sufficient to drive the senescence of htNSCs and aging-like phenotypes in mice. Mechanistically, Hnscr binds to Y-box protein 1 (YB-1) to prevent its degradation and thus the attenuation of transcription of the senescence marker gene p16INK4A. Through molecular docking, we discovered that a naturally occurring small compound, theaflavin 3-gallate, can mimic the activity of Hnscr. Treatment of middle-aged mice with theaflavin 3-gallate reduced the senescence of htNSCs while improving aging-associated pathology. These results point to a mediator of the aging process and one that can be pharmacologically targeted to improve aging-related outcomes.

Solid acid catalysts produced by sulfonation of petroleum coke: Dominant role of aromatic hydrogen.

Carbon based solid waste materials have been intensively investigated for the preparation of solid acid catalysts through sulfonation, but the acidity varies significantly depending on the material. In this study, the role of aromatic hydrogen in sulfonation with concentrated H2SO4 was investigated using petroleum coke (petcoke), graphite, and biochar as the carbon materials. Through ball milling and calcination, the amount of aromatic hydrogen on the petcoke could be increased or decreased, respectively. After sulfonation at 80 °C with concentrated H2SO4, the produced acidity (i.e., -SO3H groups) increased as the amount of aromatic hydrogen increased from essentially no acidity on graphite to 0.55 mmol/g on biochar and 1.25 mmol/g on petcoke (particle sizes of 45-90 µm) indicating the importance of aromatic hydrogen during sulfonation. Calcination (350 °C for 1 h) of the petcoke before sulfonation decreased the acidity to 0.59 mmol/g, while ball milling (with isopropanol and silica for 24 h) increased the acidity to 3.73 mmol/g. The sulfonated petcoke samples were used as catalysts for the esterification reaction between octanoic acid and methanol at 60 °C and the turnover frequencies were 48-85 h-1. The results give insights on the preparation of solid acid catalysts from carbon materials and highlight the application of petcoke without activation as a feedstock for esterification catalysts.

Xuefu Zhuyu Oral Liquid () Prevents Apoptosis of Ischemic Myocardium Cells in Rats by Regulating SIRT1 and Its Pathway-Related Genes.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the changes of ischemic myocardial cells apoptosis in rats following intervention with Xuefu Zhuyu Oral Liquid (, XFZY), as well as changes of protein expression of silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1) and SIRT1 pathway-related genes. METHODS: H9c2 rat myocardial cells were divided into 6 groups: control group, oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD) group, SIRT1 siRNA group, OGD+SIRT1 siRNA group, OGD+XFZY group, and OGD+SIRT1 siRNA+XFZY group. Quantitative fluorescent polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Western blot were used to detect the concentration variations of SIRT1 and its pathway-related genes and corresponding protein expression after XFZY intervention and SIRT1 transfection. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the mRNA and protein expressions of SIRT1 were decreased obviously, while the mRNA and protein levels of P53, FoxO1, FoxO3, FoxO4 and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-ΚB) were increased in the OGD group, SIRT1 siRNA group, and OGD+SIRT1 siRNA group (P<0.01). Compared with the OGD group and OGD+SIRT1 siRNA group, the treatment of XFZY inhibited the decline in SIRT1 mRNA and protein expressions (P<0.01), and down-regulated the mRNA and protein levels of P53, FoxO1, FoxO3, FoxO4 and NF-ΚB, respectively (P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSION: XFZY could prevent myocardial cells apoptosis probably by increasing the mRNA and protein expressions of SIRT1 and inhibiting the mRNA and protein expressions of P53, NF- K B, FoxO1, FoxO3 and FoxO4.

Berberine: A Traditional Natural Product With Novel Biological Activities.

CONTEXT: Having been used for thousands of years to treat gastrointestinal diseases, the natural isoquinoline alkaloid, berberine, has exhibited a wide spectrum of biochemical and pharmacological effects in studies of recent years. OBJECTIVE: The review intended to examine the many novel bioactivities of berberine, including antidiabetic, anticancer, neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and anti-atherosclerotic actions. DESIGN: The research team searched the MEDLINE database using PubMed, using different keyword combinations, including berberine AND diabetes, berberine AND cancer, berberine AND (neuron OR brain), berberine AND inflammation, and "berberine AND atherosclerosis to find studies evaluating the various effects exerted berberine. CONCLUSION: Berberine is a promising multipotent agent to combat diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and other diseases.

Dendrobium officinale polysaccharides regulate age-related lineage commitment between osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation.

OBJECTIVES: Excessive oxidative stress and diminished antioxidant defences could contribute to age-related tissue damage and various diseases including age-related osteoporosis. Dendrobium officinale polysaccharides (DOPs), a major ingredient from a traditional Chinese medicine, have a great potential of antioxidative activity. In this study, we explore the role of DOP in age-related osteoporosis that remains elusive. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Oxidative stimulation and DOP were used to treat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), whose lineage commitment was measured by adipogenic- and osteoblastic-induced differentiation analysis. The oxidative stress and antioxidant capacity of BMSCs under the treatment of DOP were analysed by the level of MDA, SOD. Related mechanism studies were confirmed by qRT-PCR, Western blotting and siRNA transfection. DOP was orally administrated in aged mice whose phenotype was confirmed by micro-CT, immunofluorescence, immunochemistry and calcein double-labelling analysis. RESULTS: Dendrobium officinale polysaccharide treatment markedly increased osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs, while inhibiting adipogenic differentiation. In vitro, DOP could rescue H2O2-induced switch of BMSCs differentiation fate. However, this effect was abolished in BMSCs when interfered with Nrf2 siRNA. Furthermore, administration of DOP to aged mice significantly increased the bone mass and reduced the marrow adipose tissue (MAT) accompanied with decreased oxidative stress of BMSCs. CONCLUSIONS: Our study reveals that DOP can attenuate bone loss and MAT accumulation through NRF2 antioxidant signalling, which may represent as potential therapeutic agent for age-related osteoporosis.

Antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of various extracts from Engleromyces sinensis fruiting body.

Engleromyces sinensis, as rare macro-ascomycetes and traditional ethnomedicine in the southeast part of China, have been applied in anti-infection, anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor for a long time. In this study, the antioxidant activities of ethyl acetate crude extract (EACE), acetone crude extract (ACE), 95% ethanol crude extract (ECE), methanol crude extract (MCE) and water crude extract (WCE) from E. sinensis fruiting body were investigated using conventional antioxidant assays in vitro for the first time. As results, it was noteworthy that WCE showed the greatest 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazil (DPPH) radicals-scavenging activity and reducing power, with EC50 values of 3.56 and 19.28mg/mL. MCE and EACE exhibited higher hydroxyl radicals-scavenging activity and ferrous ion-chelating activity significantly, with EC50 values of 2.16 and 0.47mg/mL. The total phenolics and total polysaccharides content results revealed that WCE had the highest phenolics and polysaccharides contents with 1.19 mg GAEs/g extracts and 40.07 mg D-glucose/g extracts. The antimicrobial activity of the WCE, ECE, ACE, EACE was assessed in final and two of them, ACE and EACE showed a strong ability to inhibit the microbial growth. The research work demonstrated that E. sinensis fruiting body can present a promising source of antioxidant and antimicrobial agents.

Study on assay strategy of total tritepenoid saponins in traditional Chinese medicines using total saponins from Akebiae Caulis as an example / 中国中药杂志

Due to lack of reference substances,the content of triterpenoid saponins in traditional Chinese medicines is usually characterized by colorimetric determination of total saponins. However,the specificity of colorimetric method is poor,and the determination result is not accurate enough. So,in this paper,the content determination method of total triterpenoid saponins was studied by taking Akebiae Caulis saponins as an example. The contents of three main saponin aglycones,including arjunolic acid,hederagenin and oleanolic acid,were determined by HPLC method. Referring to the content determination method of total flavonol glycosides in Ginkgo biloba leaves in the 2015 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia,the content of Akebiae Caulis saponins was obtained by multiplying the total content of the three above-mentioned aglycones with conversion coefficient. LC-MS/MS analysis results showed that mutongsaponin C and aponin PJIwere the two main triterpene saponins in Akebiae Caulis,and they shared the same molecular formula. So,the average value of the ratios of the molecular weight between mutongsaponin C and the three aglycones was defined as the conversion coefficient.The three aglycones were separated on an ACE Excel 3 C18-AR column( 4. 6 mm×150 mm,3 μm),and methanol-water( containing0. 04% glacial acetic acid and 0. 02% triethylamine) was used as mobile phase with gradient elution. The detection wavelength was set at 210 nm,and the flow rate was 0. 5 m L·min-1. The results showed that there was a good linearity among the ranges of 1. 053-16. 84,0. 200-3. 200 and 1. 515-24. 24 μg for arjunolic acid,hederagenin and oleanolic acid,respectively. Their average recoveries were97. 90%,97. 50% and 100. 5%,with RSD of 2. 0%,2. 9% and 2. 9%,respectively. The results of methodological investigation met the requirements of content determination. The conversion coefficient was 2. 31. This method is simple and reliable,and can be used for the determination of total triterpenoid saponins in Akebiae Caulis. The assay strategy can be used for the determination of total triterpenoid saponins in other traditional Chinese medicines.

Diuretic effect and material basis of Clematidis Armandii Caulis in rats / 中国中药杂志

To search for the active diuretic fractions of Clematidis Armandii Caulis( CAC) and determine its main active chemical components by using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry( LC-MS) and diuretic activity evaluation. CAC 75% ethanol extracts and extracts from different polar solvents were orally administered to saline-loaded rats at different doses. 6 h urinary volume,p H and contents of electrolyte Na+,K+and Cl-were measured. The chemical components of the active fractions were separated and identified by ultra performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-quadrupole time of flight-mass spectrometry( UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS/MS) method. As compared with the control group,the urine volume was increased by 44%( P< 0. 01) and 34%( P < 0. 05) in CAC75% ethanol extract 57. 74 and 28. 8 mg·kg-1 groups respectively; the Na+excretion was increased by 52%( P< 0. 01) and 45%( P<0. 05),respectively; while the Cl-excretion was increased by 101%( P<0. 01) and 85%( P<0. 05),respectively. The urine volume,Na+excretion and Cl-excretion were increased by 50%( P< 0. 01),58%( P< 0. 05),and 65%( P< 0. 05) respectively in petroleum ether extract 70. 98 mg·kg-1 group as compared with the control group. While for the n-butanol extract 194. 18 mg·kg-1 group,the urine volume,Na+and Cl-excretion were increased by 42%( P<0. 01),41%( P<0. 05) and 97%( P<0. 01),respectively. The diuretic activity of other fractions was not obvious. There was no statistical difference in K+excretion in all groups. The results of LC-MS analysis showed that six compounds,including two sterols,one chromogen and three fatty acids,were identified from petroleum ether extract.Fourteen compounds,including six triterpenoid saponins,six lignin glycosides,one sterol glycoside and one phenolic glycoside,were identified from the n-butanol extract. All the results suggested that the ethanol extract of CAC had remarkable diuretic activity and its main effective components included sterol,triterpenoid saponin and lignin glycosides.

Long non-coding RNA, Bmcob, regulates osteoblastic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells.

Disordered osteoblastic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) contributes to bone loss. The underlying mechanisms are complicated and not fully understood. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as an important regulatory factors on bone metabolism. Here, we discovered a novel lncRNA, Bmcob, which modulated osteogenic differentiation of primary mouse BMSCs. Expression levels of Bmcob were significantly upregulated in early-to-mid stages during osteoblast differentiation. Silencing of Bmcob suppressed osteoblastic differentiation of BMSCs in vitro, whereas its overexpression protected BMSCs from oxidative stress induced inhibition on osteogenesis. Subsequently, we discovered that selenoprotein P (Sepp1), which is located next to the Bmcob gene, was partly responsible for the regulatory effects of Bmcob. In addition, a series of selenoproteins were downregulated in BMSCs with Bmcob knockdown. Mechanistically, we found Bmcob was associated with selenocysteine insertion sequence binding protein 2 (SBP2), a critical trans-acting factor for selenoprotein synthesis. Finally, we suggest an explanatory hypothesis that through modulating nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of SBP2, Bmcob regulates a number of selenoproteins expression, including sepp1, and then mediates osteogenesis of BMSCs. Taken together, our results revealed a novel mechanism regulating osteogenesis of BMSCs and may function as a potential target for treating osteoporosis.

Metabolic profile of danshen in rats by HPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap mass spectrometry.

Danshen, the dried root of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Lamiaceae), is one of the traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) most commonly used for the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. However, little is known about the chemical and metabolic profiles of danshen in vitro or in vivo. In particular, more information is needed in relation to the 50% ethanol extracts usually used in danshen formulations such as Fufang Xueshuantong Capsules and Fufang Danshen tablets. High-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a linear ion trap-Orbitrap mass spectrometer (HPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap) provides a sensitive and accurate method for analyzing the composition of samples. This method was used to determine the in vitro and in vivo chemical and metabolic profiles of danshen. Sixty-nine components of danshen extract and 118 components of danshen in rat plasma, urine, feces, and bile were unambiguously or tentatively identified. These results not only revealed the material composition of danshen, but also provided a comprehensive research approach for the identification of multi-constituents in TCMs.