Chemical composition, antioxidative and antimicrobial activities of essential oil of wild Artemisia annua from Ningxia, China.

Artemisia annua is an essential aromatic medicinal plant endemic to China. Here, essential oil was extracted from wild A. annua from Ningxia, China. GC-MS analysis showed that A. annua essential oil was dominated by artemisia ketone, a characteristic compound accounting for 31.26%, followed by eucalyptol (14.89%), camphor (8.69%), myrcene (8.25%) and α-pinene (6.65%). The overall antioxidative potential represented by DPPH and ATBS free radical scavenging rates was weak. The essential oil exhibited good bactericidal activities against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus and fungicidal activities against Trichophyton rubrum and Epidermophyton floccosum. The minimum inhibitory and microbicidal concentrations were 0.02 mg/mL and 5.12 mg/mL for both bacteria, 0.315% and 2.5% for E. floccosum, and 0.625% and 5% for T. rubrum. The results suggest that A. annua essential oil may be an antimicrobial adjuvant to be applied in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.

Dispelling Dampness, Relieving Turbidity and Dredging Collaterals Decoction, Attenuates Potassium Oxonate-Induced Hyperuricemia in Rat Models.

Purpose: Dispelling dampness, relieving turbidity and dredging collaterals decoction (DED), is a traditional Chinese medicine used in the treatment of hyperuricemia. We aimed to explore the effect and mechanism of DED in the treatment of hyperuricemia. Methods: The effects of DED (9.48, 4.74, and 2.37 g/kg/d) on potassium oxonate (750 mg/kg/d)-induced hyperuricemia in rats were evaluated by serum uric acid (UA), creatinine (CRE), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and renal pathological changes. Network pharmacology was used to identify the effective components and targets of DED, and the key targets and signaling pathways for its effects on hyperuricemia were screened. Molecular docking was used to predict the action of DED. H&E, immunohistochemistry, WB, and PCR were used to validate the network pharmacology results. Results: DED can effectively alleviate hyperuricemia, inhibit UA, CRE, BUN, and xanthine oxidase (XOD) activity, and reduce renal inflammatory cell infiltration and glomerular atrophy. The experiment identified 27 potential targets of DED for hyperuricemia, involving 9 components: wogonin, stigmasterol 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside, 3ß-acetoxyatractylone, beta-sitosterol, stigmasterol, diosgenin, naringenin, astilbin, and quercetin. DED can relieve hyperuricemia mainly by inhibiting RAGE, HMGB1, IL17R, and phospho-TAK1, and by regulating the AGE-RAGE and IL-17 signaling pathways. Conclusion: DED can alleviate hyperuricemia by inhibiting XOD activity and suppressing renal cell apoptosis and inflammation via the AGE-RAGE signaling pathway and IL-17 signaling pathway. This study provides a theoretical basis for the clinical application of DED.

Chemical profiling and investigation of molecular mechanisms underlying anti-hepatocellular carcinoma activity of extracts from Polygonum perfoliatum L.

Polygonum perfoliatum L. is an herbal medicine that has been extensively used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat various health conditions ranging from ancient internal to surgical and gynecological diseases. Numerous studies suggest that P. perfoliatum extract elicits significant anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral effects. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanisms of its anti-liver cancer effects remain poorly understood. Our study suggests that P. perfoliatum stem extract (PPLA) has a favorable safety profile and exhibits a significant anti-liver cancer effect both in vitro and in vivo. We identified that PPLA activates the cGMP-PKG signaling pathway, and key regulatory genes including ADRA1B, PLCB2, PRKG2, CALML4, and GLO1 involved in this activation. Moreover, PPLA modulates the expression of genes responsible for the cell cycle. Additionally, we identified four constituents of PPLA, namely taxifolin, myricetin, eriodictyol, and pinocembrin, that plausibly act via the cGMP-PKG signaling pathway. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments confirmed that PPLA, along with its constituting compounds taxifolin, myricetin, and eriodictyol, exhibit potent anti-cancer activities and hold the promise of being developed into therapeutic agents.

Inhalation of Cananga odorata essential oil relieves anxiety behaviors in autism-like rats via regulation of serotonin and dopamine metabolism.

OBJECTIVE: Anxiety is one of the most common symptoms associated with autistic spectrum disorder. The essential oil of Cananga odorata (Lam.) Hook. f. & Thomson, usually known as ylang-ylang oil (YYO), is often used in aromatherapy as a mood-regulating agent, sedative, or hypotensive agent. In the present study, the effects and mechanisms of YYO in alleviating anxiety, social and cognitive behaviors in autism-like rats were investigated. METHODS: The prenatal valproic acid (VPA) model was used to induce autism-like behaviors in offspring rats. The effectiveness of prenatal sodium valproate treatment (600 mg/kg) on offspring was shown by postnatal growth observation, and negative geotaxis, olfactory discrimination and Morris water maze (MWM) tests. Then three treatment groups were formed with varying exposure to atomized YYO to explore the effects of YYO on the anxiety, social and cognitive behaviors of the autistic-like offspring through the elevated plus-maze test, three-chamber social test, and MWM test. Finally, the monoamine neurotransmitters, including serotonin, dopamine and their metabolites, in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (PFC) of the rats were measured using a high-performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS: Offspring of VPA exposure rats showed autism-like behaviors. In the VPA offspring, medium-dose YYO exposure significantly elevated the time and entries into the open arms in the elevated plus-maze test, while low-dose YYO exposure significantly enhanced the social interaction time with the stranger rat in session 1 of the three-chamber social test. VPA offspring treated with YYO exposure used less time to reach the platform in the navigation test of the MWM test. YYO exposure significantly elevated the metabolism of serotonin and dopamine in the PFC of VPA offspring. CONCLUSION: YYO exposure showed the effects in alleviating anxiety and improving cognitive and social abilities in the offspring of VPA exposure rats. The role of YYO was related to the regulation of the metabolism of serotonin and dopamine. Please cite this article as: Zhang N, Wang ST, Yao L. Inhalation of Cananga odorata essential oil relieves anxiety behaviors in autism-like rats via regulation of serotonin and dopamine metabolism. J Integr Med. 2023; 21(2): 205-214.

Lavender essential oil fractions alleviate sleep disorders induced by the combination of anxiety and caffeine in mice.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.) essential oil is renowned for its use in the treatment of insomnia and mental disorder diseases in folk medicine. Previous pharmacological studies have also shown that lavender essential oil displays sedative and hypnotic activities. However, the active ingredients and mechanism of lavender essential oil for sleep-improving effect remain unclear. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study investigates whether inhalation of different fractions of lavender essential oil can attenuate the sleep disturbances induced by combined anxiety and caffeine and explores the underlying mechanisms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Molecular distillation was applied to separate lavender essential oil into fractions containing different chemical components, and GC-MS was used to analyze the volatile compounds of lavender essential oil and its fractions. The elevated plus maze test, pentobarbital-induced sleep test, and neurotransmitters enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were conducted to evaluate the anxiolytic and hypnotic effects of lavender essential oil and its fractions on mice suffering from sleep disorders. RESULTS: The results of behavioral tests indicated that lavender essential oil and its fractions (3%, v/v) exerted an ameliorating effect on sleep disturbances induced by anxiety and caffeine. The light fraction and heavy fractions exhibited complementary chemical composition, with the former enriched in linalool and trans-ß-ocimene and the latter in linalyl acetate, lavandulyl acetate, trans-caryophyllene, etc. The light fraction contributed more to sleep maintenance, and the heavy fraction performed better at sleep initiation. The neurobiological parameters elucidated that the mechanism of lavender essential oil for sleep-improving was multifaceted, related to the GABAergic system, cholinergic system, histaminergic system, and monoamines in the limbic system. The heavy fraction shared a similar mechanism with the lavender essential oil, while the light fraction did not actively participate in the cholinergic system, histaminergic system, and dopaminergic system. CONCLUSION: Taken together, our results demonstrated that different fractions of lavender essential oil played different roles in ameliorating sleep disorders, and this may be credited to their compositional differences and the complicated interactions with the central nervous system. The results are informative for future investigations on the molecular level mechanisms and provide guidance for appropriate applications of lavender essential oil.

Massage of Bladder Meridian Relieved Anxiety Induced by Chronic Stress in Rats.

The aim of this paper was to explore the mechanism of bladder meridian massage (BMM) on anxiety in rats with chronic stress. Chronic stress induced rats to establish rat anxiety model. The sugar water preference (SPF), tail suspension time (TST), and forced swimming time (FST) of rats were measured. The levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), and inflammatory cytokines in serum and hippocampus of rats were detected. Brain neurotransmitters (dopamine (DA), 5- hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), and norepinephrine (NE)) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. Immunohistochemistry and western blotting were used to detect autophagy protein expression in hippocampus of rats. BMM significantly increased SPF, decreased TST and FST, increased SOD level in serum and hippocampus, and decreased MDA level and cytokine level. BMM reversed the changes of neurotransmitters. At the same time, BMM significantly decreased autophagy protein expression in hippocampus of rats. The above results show that BMM significantly relieve anxiety induced by chronic stress in rats.

Odor perception of aromatherapy essential oils with different chemical types: Influence of gender and two cultural characteristics.

Olfactory perception, and especially affective responses of odors, is highly flexible, but some mechanisms involved in this flexibility remain to be elucidated. This study investigated the odor perceptions of several essential oils used in aromatherapy with emotion regulation functions among college students. The influences of people's characteristics including gender, hometown region, and fragrance usage habit on odor perception were further discussed. Odor perception of nine essential oils, which can be divided into the ester-alcohol type (e.g., lavender oil) and terpene type (e.g., lemon oil) were evaluated under three odor concentrations. The results indicated that chemical type, but not concentration, significantly influenced the odor perception and there was no interaction between the two factors in this study. The arousal and emotional perception scores of odors with terpene-type oil were significantly higher than odors with ester-alcohol type. In terms of people's characteristics, participants from the southern Yangtze river gave a higher familiarity rating to almost all of these odors. The habits of fragrance usage also significantly influenced some of the odors' subjective intensity and emotional perception ratings. However, there were no significant gender differences in most of the odor perceptions. In addition, familiarity and pleasantness were positively correlated, and emotional perception and subjective intensity also showed a weak correlation. These results suggested that users' cultural characteristics could be considered to be important factors that affect the essential oil's odor perception in aromatherapy.

KXS Balances the Tryptophan Metabolism in Mild to Moderate Depressed Patients and Chronic Restraint Stress Induced Depressive Rats.

Purpose: Tryptophan metabolism is involved in the etiology and exacerbation of depressive disorders. Kai-Xin-San (KXS), a traditional Chinese medicine formula, has been widely used to treat depression and modulate serotonin simultaneously, but how it regulates depressive-like behavior by shifting the balance of the tryptophan-serotonin metabolism and kynurenine pathway remains vague. Patients and Methods: Ten participants with mild to moderate depression treated with KXS (KXS preparation) were analyzed in this study. Depression rating scale score and the concentration of serum tryptophan, 5-hydroxytryptophan and kynurenine was measured at baseline and the endpoint of KXS treatment. To explore the specific regulatory mechanism of KXS in tryptophan metabolism, the chronic restraint stress (CRS) was used to induce depressive-like syndrome in rats and the hippocampus level of tryptophan, 5-hydroxytryptophan, kynurenine with downstream metabolites (kynurenic acid, quinolinic acid) and key enzymes (indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase, kynurenine 3-monooxygenase, kynurenine aminotransferase) were analyzed by liquid chromatography-electros pray ionization tandem mass spectrometry, high performance liquid chromatography and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay respectively. Results: KXS significantly decreased depression rating scale scores and increased the serum tryptophan and kynurenine concentration in depressive patients compared to baseline. Also, it alleviated the depressive behavior in CRS rats obviously. Comparing with CRS group, KXS increased tryptophan, 5-hydroxytryptophan, kynurenine level in rat hippocampus. Furthermore, in kynurenine pathway, KXS decreased the expression of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase, increased kynurenic acid by upregulating the expression of kynurenine aminotransferase while decreased quinolinic acid level in hippocampus, which suggested that KXS more favored improving serotonin pathway, and neuroprotective kynurenic acid branch in the tryptophan metabolism. Conclusion: This is the first tryptophan metabolomic study of patients with depression undergoing KXS treatment. Combining these clinical results with CRS induced rat model studies, it verified that KXS achieves an excellent antidepressant effect and balances tryptophan-kynurenine metabolic pathways by regulating some key metabolic products and enzymes.

Therapeutic prospects of ceRNAs in COVID-19.

Since the end of 2019, COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 has spread worldwide, and the understanding of the new coronavirus is in a preliminary stage. Currently, immunotherapy, cell therapy, antiviral therapy, and Chinese herbal medicine have been applied in the clinical treatment of the new coronavirus; however, more efficient and safe drugs to control the progress of the new coronavirus are needed. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), microRNAs (miRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs) may provide new therapeutic targets for novel coronavirus treatments. The first aim of this paper is to review research progress on COVID-19 in the respiratory, immune, digestive, circulatory, urinary, reproductive, and nervous systems. The second aim is to review the body systems and potential therapeutic targets of lncRNAs, miRNAs, and circRNAs in patients with COVID-19. The current research on competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) (lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA and circRNA-miRNA-mRNA) in SARS-CoV-2 is summarized. Finally, we predict the possible therapeutic targets of four lncRNAs, MALAT1, NEAT1, TUG1, and GAS5, in COVID-19. Importantly, the role of PTEN gene in the ceRNA network predicted by lncRNA MALAT1 and lncRNA TUG1 may help in the discovery and clinical treatment of effective drugs for COVID-19.

Smilax glabra Roxb.: A Review of Its Traditional Usages, Phytochemical Constituents, Pharmacological Properties, and Clinical Applications.

Smilax glabra Roxb. (SGB) is a medicinal plant widely distributed in 17 countries worldwide. It is the primary raw material of the world-famous and best-selling functional food and beneficial tea. SGB was first recorded in Ben Cao Jing Ji Zhu of the Southern and Northern Dynasties (420-589 AD) and was reported for nutritional and medicinal properties for thousands of years. This review searched PubMed, Web of Science, and other databases for relevant literature on SGB species until April 2022. It aims to provide more integrated thinking, detailed awareness, and better knowledge of SGB. More than 200 chemical components have been discovered, including flavonoids, phenolic, phenolic acids, stilbenes, organic acids, phenylpropanoids, and others. Previous studies have demonstrated that SGB and its active ingredients show a wide range of pharmacological effects, including anti-infective, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, cardiovascular protection, etc. However, many studies on the biological activity of this plant were mainly based on crude extracts and active ingredients, and there is a lack of clinical studies and toxicity studies to support the development of drug design, development, and therapy. In summary, this review will provide specific and valuable suggestions and guidelines for further research and application of this plant in the medicinal field.

Clinical efficacy analysis of 110 cases of childhood vitiligo with non-surgical combined therapy.

BACKGROUND: Vitiligo has a negative effect on children's physical and psychological health. Few studies have examined long-term treatment efficacy for childhood vitiligo. Therefore, we evaluated the long-term effectiveness of non-surgical combination therapy in pediatric patients with vitiligo and analyzed factors that affect its efficacy. METHODS: Pediatric patients (⩽12 years) with vitiligo who were treated with topical corticosteroids/topical calcineurin inhibitors and phototherapy for 12 months were retrospectively studied. Short-term systemic corticosteroids were administered according to individual clinical conditions. All lesions were photographed to assess repigmentation at 3-month intervals. Clinical data, the treatment effectiveness, and factors affecting the therapeutic effect were analyzed. RESULTS: Overall, 110 children (51 [53.6%] girls; mean [SD] age, 7.1 ± 3.0 years; 104 [94.5%] with activity status) were treated for a mean period of 23.13 ± 14.03 months (range, 5-86 months). The overall >50% repigmentation rate was 64.5%. A longer duration of treatment was associated with a higher repigmentation rate (X2 trend = 36.229, P < .001). The vitiligo disease activity score at the first visit was positively correlated with the overall repigmentation rate (rs = 0.301, P = .001). CONCLUSIONS: Treatment lasting longer than 1 year is recommended in children with vitiligo. The best repigmentation effect can be achieved by combination therapy in the rapid progression stage.

[Form and valence of arsenic in dry and fresh Cordyceps breeding products based on HPLC-ICP-MS and its risk assessment].

A comparative study was conducted for the first time on the form and valence of arsenic in the dry and fresh Cordyceps breeding products to clarify the specific morphology and valence of arsenic in Cordyceps breeding products and its safety. Arsenic betai-ne(AsB), arsenite(AsⅢ), dimethyl arsenic(DMA), arsenocholine(AsC), monomethyl arsenic(MMA), and arsenate(AsⅤ) in the dry and fresh samples were investigated using a bionic extraction method combined with HPLC-ICP-MS. The HPLC separation was performed on a DioncxIonPac~(TM) AS7 anion exchange column with a mobile phase of 100 mmol·L~(-1) ammonium carbonate-water for gradient elution at room temperature and the flow rate of 0.8 mL·min~(-1). HPLC was coupled with ICP-MS for the determination. The arsenic content was characterized in combination with chemometrics. The health safety risk of inorganic arsenic in the samples was assessed using the margin of exposure(MOE). The results of methodological validation showed that the six arsenic compounds showed good linearity(R~2>0.999) from 10 to 500 ng·mL~(-1), with precision RSDs of 1.8%-3.0%, recoveries(n=6) of 84.15%-98.28%, reproducibility RSDs of 6.4%-7.7%, and sample stability RSDs of 8.3%-14% within 10 h. Trace AsⅢ and AsⅤ were detected in 30 batches of dry and fresh Cordyceps breeding products, while arsenic compounds in other forms and valence were not detected. In the dry products, AsⅢ was 0.019-0.040 mg·kg~(-1) and AsV was 0.024-0.061 mg·kg~(-1), while in the fresh products, AsⅢ was 0.002 3-0.006 1 mg·kg~(-1) and AsⅤ was 0.008-0.016 mg·kg~(-1). The risk assessment results showed that the MOE of inorganic arsenic was much higher than 1 in both dry and fresh products, and the potential health safety risk of inorganic arsenic was low. The HPLC-ICP-MS method established in this study was efficient, rapid, accurate, and stable for the determination of six arsenic compounds in Cordyceps breeding products. The results of this study provide a basis for the safety and quality control of Cordyceps breeding products.

Diagnostic Value of Echocardiography Combined with Serum h-FABP and cTnI in Myocardial Infarction and Its Evaluation Value in Left Ventricular Function.

Objective: To explore the value of color Doppler echocardiography (CDE) combined with serum heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (h-FABP) and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) in the diagnosis of myocardial infarction and its evaluation value in left ventricular function. Methods: A total of 44 patients with myocardial infarction who were treated in Cangzhou Central Hospital from October 2018 to February 2020 were included in the observation group, and 45 healthy subjects were included in the control group. The serum h-FABP and cTnI levels of the two groups were compared and analyzed. The coincidence rate of echocardiography plus serum h-FABP and cTnI for single diagnosis and combined diagnosis was analyzed. The left ventricular function indexes of patients with myocardial infarction in different cardiac function grades were compared, including left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD), left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVESD), left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV), left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV), stroke volume (SV), cardiac index (CI), and the ratio of peak velocity blood flow from left ventricular relaxation in early diastole to peak velocity flow in late diastole (E/A). The value of echocardiography combined with serum h-FABP and cTnI in the left ventricular function in patients with myocardial infarction was analyzed. Results: The levels of serum h-FABP and cTnI in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). CDE plus serum h-FABP and cTnI was associated with significantly higher sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy in diagnosing myocardial infarction versus single detection (P < 0.05). The LVEDV, SV, and CI parameters were similar in patients with different cardiac function grades (P > 0.05). Compared with cardiac function grades I and II, the level of LVEF in patients with myocardial infarction in grades III and IV of cardiac function decreased, while the levels of LVEDD, LVESD, LVESV, and E/A increased (P < 0.05). The levels of serum h-FABP and cTnI in patients with myocardial infarction increased with the increase of cardiac function grades (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Patients with myocardial infarction show high levels of h-FABP and cTnI, and CDE plus the detection of serum h-FABP and cTnI levels can significantly improve the detection accuracy and effectively evaluate the left ventricular function of patients with myocardial infarction, with a certain predictive value for cardiac function grading in myocardial infarction.

Huoxue Qianyang Qutan Recipe Protects against Early Renal Damage Induced by Obesity-Related Hypertension via the SIRT1/NF-κB/IL-6 Pathway: Integrating Network Pharmacology and Experimental Validation-Based Strategy.

Obesity is recognized as not only a major contributing factor to cardiovascular diseases but also an independent risk factor for end-stage renal disease. Previous studies have found that Huoxue Qianyang Qutan Recipe (HQQR) could reduce urinary microalbumin in patients with obesity-related hypertension (OBH). However, the renal protective activity of HQQR in OBH and its molecular targets involved remains ambiguous. In this work, we investigate the mechanism of HQQR against OBH-induced early renal damage using integrating network pharmacology and experimental validation-based strategy. First, via network pharmacology, IL-6 is identified as one of the key targets of HQQR against early renal damage in hypertension, and inhibition of inflammation is a crucial process. Second, in in vivo experiments, HQQR can lower blood pressure, lose weight, and restore metabolic abnormalities in OBH rats, which could be associated with the effects on protecting early renal damage. Finally, in the mechanism, HQQR increases SIRT1 mRNA and protein expression consistent with reduction of NF-κB acetylation and suppressed the p65-mediated inflammatory signaling pathway. As a result, HQQR robustly inhibits OBH-induced renal inflammation by reducing IL-6 mRNA and protein levels in the renal tissue and the release of IL-6 in serum of OBH rats. This study aims to provide a multimethod (network pharmacology-animal experiment) and multilevel (component-target-pathway) strategy for the prevention and treatment of OBH-induced target organ damage by traditional Chinese medicine.

Glucose-sensing glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor neurons in the dorsomedial hypothalamus regulate glucose metabolism.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) regulates energy homeostasis via activation of the GLP-1 receptors (GLP-1Rs) in the central nervous system. However, the mechanism by which the central GLP-1 signal controls blood glucose levels, especially in different nutrient states, remains unclear. Here, we defined a population of glucose-sensing GLP-1R neurons in the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus (DMH), by which endogenous GLP-1 decreases glucose levels via the cross-talk between the hypothalamus and pancreas. Specifically, we illustrated the sufficiency and necessity of DMHGLP-1R in glucose regulation. The activation of the DMHGLP-1R neurons is mediated by a cAMP-PKA-dependent inhibition of a delayed rectifier potassium current. We also dissected a descending control of DMHGLP-1R -dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve (DMV)-pancreas activity that can regulate glucose levels by increasing insulin release. Thus, our results illustrate how central GLP-1 action in the DMH can induce a nutrient state-dependent reduction in blood glucose level.

Essential Oils of Gardenia jasminoides J. Ellis and Gardenia jasminoides f. longicarpa Z.W. Xie & M. Okada Flowers: Chemical Characterization and Assessment of Anti-Inflammatory Effects in Alveolar Macrophage.

Alveolar macrophage is the predominant cell type in the lung and is thought to be the major target for anti-inflammatory therapy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Aromatherapy using natural essential oils with anti-inflammatory effects for inhalable administration is a potential complementary and alternative therapy for COPD treatment. The Gardenia jasminoides flower is famous for its fragrance in East Asia and is used for treating colds and lung problems in folk medicine. Therefore, in the present study, flower essential oils from two main medicinal gardenia varieties (G. jasminoides J. Ellis and G. jasminoides f. longicarpa Z.W. Xie & M. Okada) were extracted by hydro-distillation, and their chemical components were analyzed by GC-MS. The anti-inflammatory effects of the two essential oils and their main ingredients were further studied on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced models in murine alveolar macrophages (MH-S). The results indicated that the chemical constituents of the two gardenia varieties were quite different. Alcohol accounted for 53.8% of the G. jasminoides essential oil, followed by terpenes (16.01%). Terpenes accounted for 34.32% of the G. jasminoides f. longicarpa essential oil, followed by alcohols (19.6%) and esters (13.85%). Both the two gardenia essential oils inhibited the LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) release and reduced the production of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in the MH-S cells. Linalool and α-farnesene dose-dependently reduced the NO release in the MH-S cells. Linalool and α-farnesene did not affect the PGE2 production but regulated the expression of TNF- α. In addition to linalool and α-farnesene, other components in the gardenia flower essential oils appeared to be able to act as anti-inflammatory agents and influence the PGE2 pathway.

The Effect of Copaiba Oil Odor on Anxiety Relief in Adults under Mental Workload: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Aromatherapy has been proved to be effective in alleviating anxiety in practices and research. Recently, copaiba oil (CPO) is popular in the market and is recommended for anxiety relief in aromatherapy practice. However, relevant scientific research is still lacking. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was designed to evaluate the anxiety-relieving effect of CPO inhalation in 22 adults. Jojoba oil was used as the control treatment. N-back and mental arithmetic tasks were used as stress stimulation. CPO or control intervention was carried out after the n-back training phase. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), EEG activities, physiological indexes including heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), blood oxygen saturation, and salivary cortisol were assessed in different phases of the experimental process. Results: There was no significant difference in the change of HR and BP between the CPO and control groups before odor intervention. The S-AI scores of the CPO treated participants decreased after the n-back and mental arithmetic tests and were significantly lower than those of the participants who received control treatments. The HR and salivary cortisol of participants who received CPO intervention significantly decreased during the n-back and mental arithmetic tests. Furthermore, a remarkable decrease of beta wave activity was observed in the left midfrontal region (F3) when the participant received the CPO intervention. Conclusion: The study's findings supported that the CPO odor showed beneficial effects on alleviating anxiety based on several indicators in subjective, physiological, and EEG measurements.

Modified Yuejuwan Inhibited Cholesterol Accumulation and Inflammation in THP-1 Macrophage-Derived Foam Cells by Inhibiting the Activity of the TRIM37/TRAF2/NF-κB Pathway.

Background: This study aimed to explore the function of modified Yuejuwan (MYJ) on THP-1 macrophage-derived foam cells. Methods: First, human THP-cells were obtained, and then, grouping was made to the following: control group, foaming group, foaming group +0.2 mg/mL Jiawei Yueju pill, foaming group +0.5 mg/mL Jiawei Yueju pill, and foaming group +1 mg/mL Jiawei Yueju pill. An Oil Red O staining assay was used to examine the uptake of oxidatively modified low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL). The secretion of interleukin (IL)-1ß and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α were determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot were used to quantify genes and proteins expression levels. Results: Our results indicated that MYJ inhibited the accumulation of total cholesterol (TC), free cholesterol (FC), and cholesteryl ester (CE) in foam cells. Moreover, the secretion of IL-1ß and TNF-α also downregulated in foam cells after treatment of MYJ. Furthermore, we found that tripartite motif-containing 37 (TRIM37) was significantly upregulated in foam cells. Knockdown of TRIM37 promoted cholesterol efflux and presented an anti-inflammation effect in foam cells. Furthermore, TRIM37 positively mediated the translocation of NF-κB to nuclear. It negatively regulated its ubiquitination in foam cells after interacting with TRAF2. Importantly, MYJ profoundly suppressed the function of TRIM37 in foam cells and functioned as a TRIM37 inhibitor. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that MYJ might alleviate oxLDL-induced foam cell formation by inhibiting the TRIM37/TRAF2/NF-κB pathway activity. MYJ was a potential agent in preventing atherosclerosis and indicated its potential signaling pathway in foam cells.

[Series of group standards of Technical Specifications for Revision of Safety Information in Marketed Chinese Patent Medicine Instructions].

Drug instructions,the statutory and technical documents recording effectiveness and safety information,are an important basis for guiding doctors,pharmacists,and patients to use drugs rationally,and their scientificity,standardization,and accuracy directly affect the medication safety of the public. The sections of adverse drug events,contraindications,precautions,warnings,and application for specific populations in drug instructions directly express safety information and measures for rational use of drugs. In the drug life cycle,marketing authorization holders( MAHs) need to update safety information in the instructions promptly to ensure the safety and effectiveness of clinical drug medication. At present,revising instructions is an important measure to control drug risks. In the drug life cycle,in order to standardize the revision of safety information in the instructions by MAHs and eliminate inexact terms such as " unclear",the Technical Specifications for Revision of Safety Information in Marketed Chinese Patent Medicine Instructions,a series of group standards,have been established under the guidance of Standardization Department,China Association of Chinese Medicine. Therefore,on the basis of the existing rules and regulations,the standardized technical procedures for revising instructions came into being to help clinical safe and rational medication of drugs,and implement the strategy of " Healthy China".

[Interpretation of Technical Specifications for Revision of Safety Information in Marketed Chinese Patent Medicine Instructions].

Technical Specifications for Revision of Safety Information in Marketed Chinese Patent Medicine Instructions,a series of group standards,were proposed by Professor ZHANG Bing from Research Center for Pharmacovigilance and Rational Use of Traditional Chinese Medicine,and underwent centralized management by Chinese Association of Chinese Medicine. They were officially released on July 23 and implemented on July 31,2021. The series of group standards consist of six sections,including general principles,adverse drug events,contraindications,precautions,application for special populations,and warnings. The section of general principles is comprised of holistic and programmatic expressions,which explain the general technical requirements for revising the marketed Chinese patent medicine instructions. The other five sections focus on information collection,screening,transformation,and illustration of specific items,forming a standardized revision technical process. This series of standards is the result of multiple rounds of research and the suggestions of more than 200 experts in different professional fields of " medicine-pharmacy-management-law-enterprise" have been gathered therein to reach a consensus. With the purposes of establishing standardized technical specifications for the revision of safety information in the marketed Chinese patent medicine instructions,guiding marketing authorization holders in revising the instructions,filling the gaps in the research of Chinese patent medicine instructions,promoting the deve-lopment of pharmaceutical care and academic research,and encouraging the rational and safe medication of Chinese patent medicine,the series of group standards is of great significance.