[Comparison of the clinical effects between Dihuang Decoction and alendronate sodium in the treatment of primary osteoporosis].

OBJECTIVE: To study and compare the clinical effects of Rehmannia Decoction and alendronate sodium for the treatment of primary osteoporosis. METHODS: From January 2016 to December 2017, 72 patients with primary osteoporosis who took Dihuang Decoction(DHD) orally and alendronate regularly for more than one year were randomly divided into 2 groups:experimental group and control group. The experimental group consisted of 14 males and 22 females, with an average age of(63.97±3.70) years old. The patients in the experimental group took Chinese medicine DHD, one dose each time, one time in the morning and one time in the evening, twice a week. The control group consisted of 16 males and 20 females with an average age of(63.36±3.07) years old. Patients in the control group were given alendronate 70 mg orally once a week. The basic treatment for osteoporosis remained unchanged in both groups(600 mg of calcium carbonate D3 and 0.5 µg of calcitriol capsules were taken daily). Bone mineral density (BMD) of femoral neck and lumbar vertebrae was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry before and after treatment for one year. The levels of serum collagen type I C-terminal peptide (beta-CTX) and serum osteoclast (SOST) were measured before and after treatment for two groups. RESULTS: The age, bone mineral density, SOST and beta-CTX baseline values between the two groups before and after anti-osteoporosis treatment were compared. The difference was not statistically significant(P>0.05). Compared with the two groups, the BMD of femoral neck and lumbar vertebrae were increased after 1 year of anti-osteoporosis treatment. The differences were statistically significant (P<0.001). The value of serum beta-CTX was significantly lower than before. The t values were 52.002 and 50.071 respectively. The value of serum SOST was increased than that before treatment. The t values were -29.242 and -30.807 respectively. The differences were statistically significant (P<0.001). BMD of the femoral neck and lumbar spine was compared between the two groups after treatment. The P values were 0.294 and 0.478 respectively. The difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). The serum beta-CTX values were compared between the two groups after treatment. The P value was 0.908. The serum SOST values were compared between the two groups after treatment. The P value was 0.888. The difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, traditional Chinese medicine DHD is used to treat osteoporosis. It is found that DHD and alendronate have a good effect. The DHD can be used as a choice of Chinese medicine in the treatment of primary osteoporosis.

Chemical constituents from the tubers of Scirpus yagara and their anti-inflammatory activities.

A new natural compound, dehydrophyllodulcin (1) was isolated from the tubers of Scirpus yagara, together with 11 known compounds. Among them, compounds 2, 5-8, and 10-12 were isolated from this plant for the first time. (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, and 2D NMR data of compound 1 are first reported in this article, though it was synthesized in 1996. The structures of all compounds were determined by comprehensive analyses of their spectroscopic data and compared with literature information. Moreover, the anti-inflammatory effects of compounds 1, 3, 4, 6, and 9 against inflammatory cytokines production in Lipopolysaccharide - or Pam3csk4-stimulated macrophage RAW264.7 cells were evaluated by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. And these compounds significantly inhibited the tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6 productions in RAW264.7 cells, with IC50 values less than 20 µM.

Simultaneous HPLC Quantitative Analysis of Nine Bioactive Constituents in Scirpus Yagara Ohwi. (Cyperaceae).

The tuber of Scirpus yagara Ohwi. (Cyperaceae) has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Several chemical constituents isolated from it possess a variety of physiologically activities such as anti-inflammatory, antitumor and antioxidant. A simultaneous high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis was developed and validated for the determination of nine active components in tubers and aerial parts of S. yagara. The analysis was performed on a YMC-Pack ODS-A column (4.6 × 250 mm, 5 µm, 30 nm) with a multilinear gradient mobile phase of water-formic acid (100 : 0.2, v/v) and methanol. The established HPLC method was validated in terms of linearity, sensitivity, precision, accuracy, recovery and stability. All analyzed components were detected in the whole tested samples, and the contents of most components in the aerial parts were even higher than those in the tubers. Moreover, the best harvest period was discovered to be November, which is different from the traditional. The method developed was successfully applied for simultaneous qualitative and quantitative analysis of nine active components in S. yagara.

Protective effects of Sparstolonin B, a selective TLR2 and TLR4 antagonist, on mouse endotoxin shock.

Sepsis is characterized by an overwhelming systemic inflammation and multiple organ injury. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) 2 and 4 mediate these inflammatory responses. Sparstolonin B (SsnB), isolated from Chinese herb Scirpus yagara, is a new selective TLR2/4 antagonist. Herein, we report that SsnB inhibited the expression of various inflammatory mediators such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, and chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL-2) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)- or Pam3csk4-stimulated macrophages. Moreover, in LPS-stimulated macrophages, the downregulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPAR-γ) was reversed by SsnB dose-dependently; and SsnB had synergistic inhibitory effects with rosiglitazone, a PPAR-γ agonist, on TNF-α and IL-6 expression in LPS-stimulated macrophages. The effects of SsnB were further evaluated in a mouse endotoxin shock model. When intraperitoneal injected in mice 2 days before or 1-2h after LPS challenge, SsnB attenuated the body temperature reduction and decreased the mortality. SsnB pre-treatment significantly suppressed LPS-induced increase of TNF-α and IL-6 in serum, lungs and livers, and substantially attenuated lung dysfunction in mice. In vivo toxicity test showed that at doses as high as 500 mg/kg, SsnB did not cause death of mice. These results suggest that SsnB protects mice against endotoxin shock by inhibiting production of multiple cytokines and lung dysfunction. In conclusion, our findings indicate that SsnB may be used in the prevention and treatment of endotoxin shock.