Highly oxygenated germacrane-type sesquiterpenoids from the whole plant of Salvia cavaleriei H.Lév. and their biological activities.

The entire plant Salvia cavaleriei H.Lév. (Lamiaceae) is used as a traditional Chinese herbal medicine. Its leaves are edible, and the flowers can be soaked in water to make a health-care tea. In an effort to find natural bioactive chemical components, twelve undescribed germacrane-type sesquiterpenoids, salcavalins A-L, were isolated from the whole plant of S. cavaleriei and were identified as analogs. This is the first study to isolate highly oxygenated germacrane-type sesquiterpenoids from this plant. The structures of these undescribed compounds were elucidated by various spectroscopic methods, and their absolute configurations were confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis with Cu Kα radiation and electronic circular dichroism calculations. The biological activity of these undescribed compounds on the production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha in lipopolysaccharide induced NR8383 cells was evaluated, and salcavalins I and K showed anti-inflammatory activity to some extent. Salcavalins A-C, F and L were found to be neuroprotective with antiparkinsonic potential in a nematode (Caenorhabditis elegans) model. In addition, salcavalins F and I displayed marked phytotoxic activity against radish seeds at a low concentration of 50 ppm. Our findings provide scientific justification to show that bioactive sesquiterpenoids from the edible herb have anti-inflammatory in vitro, neuroprotective and phytotoxic activities.

[Effect of Coixenolide on Foxp3+ CD4+ CD25+ Regulatory T Cells in Collagen-induced Arthritis Mice].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of coixenolide on Foxp3+ CD4+ CD25+ regulatory T cells (Treg) in collagen induced arthritis (CIA) mice, and to explore its possible mechanism for treating rheumatiol arthritis. METHODS: Five mice were recruited as a normal control group from 25 mice, and the rest 20 were used in CIA modeling. After successful modeling they were randomly divided in the model control group and the coixenolide group, 10 in each group. Coixenolide injection at 25 mL/kg was intraperitoneally injected to mice in the coixenolide group, while normal saline at 25 mL/kg was intraperitoneally injected to mice in the normal control group and the model control group. The injection lasted for 21 days. Scoring for CIA was performed after injection and arthritis index was calculated. The peripheral blood Foxp3+ CD4+ CD25+ Treg ratio was determined by flow cytometry (FCM). RESULTS: Compared with the normal control group, the arthritis index obviously increased in the model control group (P < 0.01). The arthritis index obviously decreased more in the coixenolide group than in the model control group (P < 0.01). Foxp3+ CD4+ CD25+ Treg levels obviously decreased more in the model control group than in the normal control group (P < 0.01 ). Foxp3+ CD4+ CD25+ Treg levels obviously increased more in the coixenolide control group than in the model control group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Coixenolide could up-regulate Foxp3+ CD4+ CD25+ Treg ratios in CIA mice, which might play certain immunoregulation roles in the incidence of CIA.

NADPH oxidase-dependent formation of reactive oxygen species contributes to transforming growth factor ß1-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in rat peritoneal mesothelial cells, and the role of astragalus intervention.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidasedependent formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the transforming growth factor ß1 (TGF-ß1)-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in rat peritoneal mesothelial cells (RPMCs), and the effect of Astragalus injection (AGI) intervention. METHODS: Primary RPMCs were cultured to the second generation in vitro. After synchronization for 24 h, the cells were randomly assigned to the following groups: control (Group A), AGI (2 g/mL; Group B), TGF-ß1 (10 ng/mL; Group C), TGF-ß1 (10 ng/mL) + AGI (2 g/mL; Group D; pretreated for 1 h with AGI before TGF-ß1 stimulation). Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot analysis were employed to evaluate the mRNA and protein expression of the NADPH oxidase subunit p67phox, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and E-cadherin. The dichlorofluorescein-sensitive cellular ROS levels were measured by a fluorometric assay and confocal microscopy. RESULTS: TGF-ß1 significantly induced NADPH oxidase subunit p67phox mRNA and protein expression in RPMCs, as well as inducing the production of intracellular ROS. AGI inhibited this TGF-ß1-induced up-regulation by 39.3% and 47.8%, respectively (P<0.05), as well as inhibiting the TGF-ß1-induced ROS generation by 56.3% (P<0.05). TGF-ß1 also induced α-SMA mRNA and protein expression, and down-regulated E-cadherin mRNA and protein expression (P<0.05). This effect was suppressed by AGI (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: NADPH oxidase-dependent formation of ROS may mediate the TGF-ß1-dependent EMT in RPMCs. AGI could inhibit this process, providing a theoretical basis for AGI in the prevention of peritoneal fibrosis.

Systemic lupus erythematosus complicated with femoral head ischemic necrosis treated by Chinese medicine therapy for activating blood and dredging collaterals method.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect and mechanism of Chinese medicine therapy for activating blood and dredging collaterals (ABDC) on treating systemic lupus erythematosus complicated with avascular necrosis of the femoral head (SLE-ANFH). METHODS: Thirty-four patients (51 joints) with SLE-ANFH were assigned by a random number table to two groups: 22 patients (32 joints) in the treatment group and 12 patients (19 joints) in the control group. All received Western medical conventional treatment for anti-inflammation and immunosuppression, but an additional Chinese medicine decoction prescribed based on ABDC principle was administered to patients in the treatment group. The observation on the patients' condition and therapeutic effect lasted for 3 years. RESULTS: The patients' conditions in the two groups, as assessed by Association for Research Circulation Osseous (ARCO) staging, were similar before treatment. After treatment, comparison between groups showed significant difference (P<0.05), and the raised Harris functional scores in the treatment group were higher than that in the control group (P<0.01). The post-treatment symptom improving rate in the treated group was 72.73%, which was higher than that in the control group (50.00%, P<0.05). Moreover, the former was superior in improving hematologic and hemorrheologic parameters in terms of prolonging activated partial thromboplastin time, lowering whole blood middle/low shear viscosity, and plasma viscosity (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Two patients in the control group but none in the treatment group received hip joint replacement operation during the observation period. CONCLUSIONS: Chinese medicine ABDC therapy could effectively alleviate clinical symptoms and improve joint function of patients with SLE-ANFH. The mechanism may be related to its effects on improving high coagulation manner and trend for getting embolism.

Regulatory effect of Langchuang serial recipes on T-lymphocyte subsets Th and Tc in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVE: To study the principle of clearing Fei (), cooling blood, and detoxification as well as nourishing yin and moisening Fei (abbr. as CCD-NM) in regulating the levels of peripheral T-lymphocyte subsets Th and Tc cells to explore its mechanism for lowering the incidence of infection in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS: Sixty SLE patients without complicated infection were assigned to the treatment group and the control group, 30 in each group. The control group was treated with Western medicine alone, while the treatment group was treated with the same program of Western medicine, but additionally administered with either Langchuang No.1 (I) or 2 (II), serial concerted Chinese recipes, applied respectively in patients in the active stage or in the resting stage. The total time of treatment for both groups was 1 year. Further, a healthy control group was set up with 20 healthy subjects. The expressions of Th1, Th2, and Tc1 and Tc2 cells in peripheral blood were detected and compared with those in the healthy control group. RESULTS: (1) As compared with the healthy control group, ratios of Th1/Th2 and Tc1/Tc2 in SLE patients, whether complicated with infection or not, were significantly lower (P<0.05 or P<0.01). (2) Comparison between patients with complications and those uncomplicated with infection showed that the two ratios and Th1 expression were lower and Tc2 was higher in the former than those in the latter (all P<0.05). (3) Ratios of Th1/Th2 and Tc1/Tc2 increased after treatment in patients of both the treatment group and the control group (P<0.05 and P<0.01), but the changes in the treatment group were more significant (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The principle of CCD-NM could regulate the Th and Tc subsets toward equilibrium in SLE patients, which might be one of the mechanisms of action for alleviating complicated infection.

[Clinical research on effect of TCM treatment beginning with Fei in treating systemic lupus erythematosus for reducing incidence of complicated infection].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of TCM treatment beginning with Fei in reducing the incidence of complicated infection and the antibiotic utilization rate in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS: One hundred and ten SLE patients were randomly assigned to 2 groups equally, the control group treated with the conventional Western medicinal treatment and the treated group treated with the same conventional treatment and SLE I formula (in active stage) or SLE II formula (in silent period) additionally. RESULTS: After 3-month and 6-month treatment, the total effective rate was 83.64% , 87.27% in the treated group, and 78.18%, 81.82% in the control group respectively, showing insignificant difference between the two groups. It lowered in both groups after 1-year treatment, however, which in the treated group (78.18%) was higher than that in the control group (60.00%, P < 0.05). But the difference became insignificant again after 2-year treatment, it being 87.27% in the treated group and 72.73% in the control group. The incidence of complicated infection and antibiotic utilization rate in the 2-year treatment was 23.6%, 55.0% respectively in the treated group, markedly lower than those (50.9% and 100%) in the control group respectively (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: TCM treatment beginning with Fei could decrease the incidence of complicated infection and the antibiotic utilization rate in SLE patients.