Chinese herbal medicines for the treatment of depression: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Objectives: Amidst rising global burden of depression and the associated challenges with conventional antidepressant therapies, there is a growing interest in exploring the efficacy and safety of alternative treatments. This study uses a Bayesian network meta-analysis to rigorously evaluate the therapeutic potential of Chinese herbal medicines in the treatment of depression, focusing on their comparative efficacy and safety against standard pharmacological interventions. Methods: Five databases (PubMed, Wanfang Data, EMBASE, CNKI, and the Cochrane Library) and grey literature were searched from inception to end of July 2023 to identify studies that assessed the efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal medicines in treating depression. The response rate, Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) scores, and rates of adverse events were assessed through both direct and indirect comparisons. Data extraction and risk of bias assessment were meticulously performed. Statistical analysis used Markov chain Monte Carlo methods, with effect size estimates provided as odd ratios and their 95% confidence intervals. Results: A total of 198 RCTs involving 8,923 patients were analyzed, assessing 17 Chinese herbal medicines. Surface Under the Cumulative Ranking results indicated that the top three treatments with the best response rate were possibly Guipiwan, Ease Pill, and Chaihu Jia Longgu Muli Decoction; the top three treatments on the reduction of HAMD scores were Chai Hu Shu Gan San, Xingnao Jieyu Decoction, and Xiaoyao Powder; and the top three treatments with the lowest adverse effects rates were Xiaoyao Powder, Alprazolam, and Xingnao Jieyu Decoction. Interestingly, commonly used synthetic drugs such as Fluoxetine, Escitalopram, Amitriptyline, Sertraline, Flupentixol and Melitracen, and Venlafaxine, not only appeared to be less effective than specific Chinese herbal medicines (Gan Mai Da Zao Decoction, Chaihu Jia Longgu Muli Decoction, Chai Hu Shu Gan San, Danzhi-Xiaoyao-San, and Xingnao Jieyu Decoction), but they were also related to substantially higher risk of adverse events. Conclusion: Our findings elucidate the promising therapeutic potential of Chinese herbal medicines as viable alternatives in the treatment of depression, with certain herbs demonstrating enhanced efficacy and safety profiles. The outcomes of this study advocate for the integration of these alternative modalities into contemporary depression management paradigms. However, it underscores the necessity for larger, methodologically robust trials to further validate and refine these preliminary findings. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD42023452109.

Highly Reactive Graphene Dispersant and Its Effective Reinforcement for Phase Change Coatings.

High efficient dispersant that meanwhile possesses additional functions is highly desirable for the fabrication of graphene-based composite. In this paper, a new reactive dispersant, multi-silanols grafted naphthalenediamine (MSiND), is synthesized, which shows superiority compared with conventional dispersants. It can not only stabilize graphene in water at a high concentration of up to 16 mg mL-1 , but also simultaneously be applicable for ethanol medium, in which the graphene concentration can be as high as 12 mg mL-1 at the weight ratio of 1:1 (MSiND:graphene). The dispersion is compatible with multi-matrixes and affinity to various substrates. In addition, MSiND exhibits excellent reactivity due to the existence of high-density silanol groups. Tough graphene coatings are constructed on glass slides and non-woven fabric simply by direct painting and dip-coating. Moreover, with the assistance of MSiND, graphene-doped phase-change coatings on hydrophobic non-woven fabric (e.g., functional mask) are prepared via the spray method. The composite coatings show enhanced mechanical strength and excellent energy storage performance, exhibiting great potential in heat preservation and thermotherapy.

Statins aggravate insulin resistance through reduced blood glucagon-like peptide-1 levels in a microbiota-dependent manner.

Statins are currently the most common cholesterol-lowering drug, but the underlying mechanism of statin-induced hyperglycemia is unclear. To investigate whether the gut microbiome and its metabolites contribute to statin-associated glucose intolerance, we recruited 30 patients with atorvastatin and 10 controls, followed up for 16 weeks, and found a decreased abundance of the genus Clostridium in feces and altered serum and fecal bile acid profiles among patients with atorvastatin therapy. Animal experiments validated that statin could induce glucose intolerance, and transplantation of Clostridium sp. and supplementation of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) could ameliorate statin-induced glucose intolerance. Furthermore, oral UDCA administration in humans alleviated the glucose intolerance without impairing the lipid-lowering effect. Our study demonstrated that the statin-induced hyperglycemic effect was attributed to the Clostridium sp.-bile acids axis and provided important insights into adjuvant therapy of UDCA to lower the adverse risk of statin therapy.

Traditional Pediatric Massage Enhanced Hippocampal GR, BDNF and IGF-1 Expressions and Exerted an Anti-depressant Effect in an Adolescent Rat Model of CUMS-induced Depression.

This study aimed to investigate the anti-depressant effect of traditional pediatric massage (TPM) in adolescent rats and its possible mechanism. The adolescent depression model in rats was established by using chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). All rats were randomly divided into five groups (seven per group), including the groups of control (CON), CUMS, CUMS with TPM, CUMS with back stroking massage (BSM) and CUMS with fluoxetine (FLX). The tests of sucrose preference, Morris water maze and elevated plus maze were used to evaluate depression-related behaviors. Plasma corticosterone (CORT) level was measured by ELISA. The gene and protein expressions of glucocorticoid receptor (GR), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) were measured by RT-qPCR and IHC respectively. The results showed that CUMS induced depression-related behaviors in the adolescent rats, along with decreased weight gain and reduced hippocampal expressions of GR, IGF-1 and BDNF. TPM could effectively prevent depression-related behaviors in CUMS-exposed adolescent rats, manifested as increasing weight gain, sucrose consumption, ratio of open-arm entry, times of crossing the specific quadrant and shortening escape latency. TPM also decreased CORT level in plasma, together with enhancing expressions of GR, IGF-1 and BDNF in the hippocampus. These results may support the clinical application of TPM to prevent and treat adolescent depression.

Encapsulation of Selenium Nanoparticles and Metformin in Macrophage-Derived Cell Membranes for the Treatment of Spinal Cord Injury.

Spinal cord injury is an impact-induced disabling condition. A series of pathological changes after spinal cord injury (SCI) are usually associated with oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis. These pathological changes eventually lead to paralysis. The short half-life and low bioavailability of many drugs also limit the use of many drugs in SCI. In this study, we designed nanovesicles derived from macrophages encapsulating selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) and metformin (SeNPs-Met-MVs) to be used in the treatment of SCI. These nanovesicles can cross the blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB) and deliver SeNPs and Met to the site of injury to exert anti-inflammatory and reactive oxygen species scavenging effects. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images showed that the SeNPs-Met-MVs particle size was approximately 125 ± 5 nm. Drug release assays showed that Met exhibited sustained release after encapsulation by the macrophage cell membrane. The cumulative release was approximately 80% over 36 h. In vitro cellular experiments and in vivo animal experiments demonstrated that SeNPs-Met-MVs decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities, and reduced the expression of inflammatory (TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6) and apoptotic (cleaved caspase-3) cytokines in spinal cord tissue after SCI. In addition, motor function in mice was significantly improved after SeNPs-Met-MVs treatment. Therefore, SeNPs-Met-MVs have a promising future in the treatment of SCI.

Manganese-doped albumin-gelatin composite nanogel loaded with berberine applied to the treatment of gouty arthritis in rats via a SPARC-dependent mechanism.

In this study, manganese-doped albumin-gelatin composite nanogels (MAGN) were prepared and used to load berberine (Ber) for the treatment of gouty arthritis (GA). The nanodrug delivery system (Ber-MAGN) can target inflammatory joints due to the intrinsic high affinity of albumin for SPARC, which is overexpressed at the inflammatory site of GA. Characterization of the pharmaceutical properties in vitro showed that Ber-MAGN had good dispersion, and the particle size was 121 ± 10.7 nm. The sustained release effect significantly improved the bioavailability of berberine. In vitro and in vivo experimental results showed that Ber-MAGN has better therapeutic effects in relieving oxidative stress and suppressing inflammation. Therefore, Ber-MAGN, as a potential pharmaceutical preparation for GA, provides a new reference for the clinical treatment plan of GA.

Selective, rapid extraction of uranium from aqueous solution by porous chitosan-phosphorylated chitosan-amidoxime macroporous resin composite and differential charge calculation.

Herein, a new porous chitosan-phosphorylated chitosan-amidoxime macroporous resin composite (PCAR) was designed and synthesized for the rapid and selective extraction of uranium resources from aqueous solution. This study showed that PCAR exhibited excellent adsorption toward uranium in a pH range of 5-9. The dynamic adsorption process aligned with the quasi-second-order kinetic model and corresponded to the chemical adsorption process. The maximum adsorption capacity was 561.28 mg·g-1 at pH 6 and 308 K. Mechanism analysis showed that the synergistic effect of the amidoxime group (-(NH2)C=N-OH), PO, and -NH2 on the PCAR surface improved the uranium adsorption performance. The differential charge density indicated that the amidoxime and phosphate groups provide lone-pair electrons for the adsorption of UO22+ and their synergistic effect improves the UO22+ adsorption performance of PCAR. The uranium distribution coefficients of PCAR and CAR are 4.6 and 2.4 times those of vanadium, respectively. These results indicate that phosphorylation can ameliorate the disadvantage of competitive vanadium adsorption of the amidoxime adsorbent. In addition, PCAR exhibits good reusability and stable adsorption capacity after five adsorption-desorption cycles. Hence, PCAR has excellent potential for uranium extraction from aqueous solution.

Endemic medicinal plant distribution correlated with stable climate, precipitation, and cultural diversity.

Medicinal plants provide crucial ecosystem services, especially in developing countries such as China, which harbors diverse endemic medicinal plant species with substantial cultural and economic value. Accordingly, understanding the patterns and drivers of medicinal plant distribution is critical. However, few studies have investigated the patterns and drivers of endemic medicinal plants distribution in China. Here, we linked endemic medicinal plants distribution with possible explanatory variables, i.e., paleoclimate change, contemporary climate, altitudinal range and ethnic minority human population size at the prefecture city level in China. Our results show that endemic medicinal plants are concentrated in southern China, especially in southwestern China. Notably, both endemic medicinal plant species richness and the ratio of endemic medicinal plant species richness are negatively associated with glacial-interglacial anomaly in temperature, and positively associated with contemporary precipitation and altitudinal range. In addition, we found that endemic medicinal plant species richness is positively associated with ethnic minority population sizes as well as its ratio to the overall population size. These findings suggest that the distribution of endemic medicinal plants is determined by multiple drivers. Furthermore, our findings stress that dramatic future climate changes and massive anthropogenic activities in southern China pose great challenges to the conservation of China's endemic medicinal plants.

Phosphorylation improved the competitive U/V adsorption on chitosan-based adsorbent containing amidoxime for rapid uranium extraction from seawater.

A novel chitosan-based porous composite adsorbent with multifunctional groups, such as phosphoric acid, amidoxime, and quaternary ammonium groups, was prepared to improve the adsorption rate and competitive uranium­vanadium adsorption of amidoxime group adsorbents. The maximum uranium adsorption capacity of PACNC was 962.226 mg g-1 at 308 K and pH = 7. The maximum adsorption rate constant of PACNC for uranium was 2.83E-2 g mg-1 min-1, which is 2.38 times that of ACNC (1.19E-2 g mg-1 min-1). Moreover, the adsorption equilibrium time was shortened from 300 (ACNC) to 50 (PACNC) min. In simulated and real seawater, the Kd and adsorption capacity of PACNC for uranium were approximately 8 and 6.62 times those for vanadium, respectively. These results suggest that phosphorylation significantly improved the competitive adsorption of uranium­vanadium and uranium adsorption rate. PACNC also exhibited good recycling performance and maintained stable adsorption capacity after five cycles. DFT calculations were used to analyze and calculate the possible co-complex structure of PACNC and uranium. The binding structure of phosphate and amidoxime is the most stable, and its synergistic effect effectively improves the competitive adsorption of uranium-vanadium of amidoxime. All the results demonstrated that PACNC has substantial application potential for uranium extraction from seawater.

Phenylpropanoids from Sparganium stoloniferum and their antiplatelet aggregation activities.

Four new ferulic acid sucrose esters, ß-D-(1-O-acetyl-6-O-trans-feruloyl)fructofuranosyl-a-D-2',6'-O-diacetylglucopyranoside (1), ß-D-(1-O-acetyl-6-O-trans-feruloyl)fructofuranosyl-a-D-2',4'-O-diacetylglucopyranoside (2), ß-D-(6-O-trans-feruloyl)fructofuranosyl-a-D-2',4',6'-O-triacetylglucopyranoside (3), ß-D-(1-O-acetyl-6-O-trans-feruloyl)fructofuranosyl-a-D-4',6'-O-diacetylglucopyranoside (4), together with four known phenylpropanoids (5-8) were isolated from the rhizome of Sparganium stoloniferum (Graebn.) Buch.-Ham. ex Juz. Their structures were elucidated by chemical evidence and spectral analysis. Compounds 1-8 exhibited obvious inhibitory effects on ADP-induced platelet aggregation.

Efficient and selective capture of uranium by polyethyleneimine-modified chitosan composite microspheres from radioactive nuclear waste.

Uranium extraction from radioactive nuclear waste is vital for sustainable energy supply and ecological security. Herein, a polyethyleneimine-chitosan composite microspheres n-PEI/ECH-CTS (n = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5) were synthetized for efficient and selective uranium adsorption. The prepared chitosan microspheres with uniform size, uniform dispersion and good mechanical strength combine cost-effectiveness and environmental benefits. The 0.4-PEI/ECH-CTS exhibits the highest adsorption capacity of 380.65 mg g-1 within only 4 h due to high nitrogen content of 6.57 mol kg-1. The DFT calculations confirms that the optimal coordination mode of UO22+ and 0.4-PEI/ECH-CTS is one UO22+ chelated with two -NH2 from two adsorption units, respectively. Adsorption efficiency of U(VI) from simulated nuclear wastewater achieves to 100%, and the Kd value is up to 1.1 × 104 mL g-1, which is 1.7 × 104-6.1 × 104 times that of coexisting ions. The CU(VI) reduces in simulated wastewater from 10.98 mg L-1 to 1 µg L-1, which is well below the US Environmental Protection Agency uranium limits for drinking water (30 µg L-1). Besides, 0.4-PEI/ECH-CTS still maintains above 95% adsorption efficiency after seven cycles. In short, the 0.4-PEI/ECH-CTS microspheres integrate high performance, practicality and cost-effectiveness, which has great advantages in practical industrial applications.

Parent-Performed Infant Massage for Improving Parental Mental State Within 18 Months Postpartum: A Systematic Review.

The aim of the current review was to assess whether parent-performed infant massage (PPIM) could effectively improve the mental state of parents during the postpartum period. Several international electronic databases were thoroughly searched for relevant articles. Included studies observed the influence of PPIM on the mental state of parents of healthy full-term infants within 18 months postpartum or medically stable preterm infants during hospitalization after birth. Nine studies were included, which observed one or more aspects of parental mental state, including depression, anxiety, parental stress, or general mood state. Characteristics of participants, massage protocols, and outcome measures were heterogenous; hence, results regarding the influence of PPIM on parental mental state were inconsistent. Upon further investigation, 10-minute, home-based PPIM for at least 4 weeks is advisable for maternal depression within 5 months postpartum. Moreover, PPIM in a neonatal intensive care unit is advisable for improving the general mood of mothers of preterm infants. Additional methodologically rigorous studies are needed to provide stronger evidence. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 61(4), 52-59.].

Multicomponent Characterization of the Flower Bud of Panax notoginseng and Its Metabolites in Rat Plasma by Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography/Ion Mobility Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry.

The flower bud of Panax notoginseng (PNF) consumed as a tonic shows potential in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. To identify the contained multi-components and, in particular, to clarify which components can be absorbed and what metabolites are transformed, unveiling the effective substances of PNF is of vital significance. A unique ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography/ion mobility quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC/IM-QTOF-MS) profiling approach and efficient data processing by the UNIFITM bioinformatics platform were employed to comprehensively identify the multi-components of PNF and the related metabolites in the plasma of rats after oral administration (at a dose of 3.6 g/kg). Two MS2 data acquisition modes operating in the negative electrospray ionization mode, involving high-definition MSE (HDMSE) and data-dependent acquisition (DDA), were utilized aimed to extend the coverage and simultaneously ensure the quality of the MS2 spectra. As a result, 219 components from PNF were identified or tentatively characterized, and 40 thereof could be absorbed. Moreover, 11 metabolites were characterized from the rat plasma. The metabolic pathways mainly included the phase I (deglycosylation and oxidation). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report that systematically studies the in vivo metabolites of PNF, which can assist in better understanding its tonifying effects and benefit its further development.

Effect of cyasterone on intestinal flora in a BRAFV600E-mutant mouse model of colorectal cancer.

BRAF V600E-mutated colorectal cancer (CRC) is very aggressive and responds poorly to standard treatment. In this study, BRAFV600E-mutant mice with CRC were treated with intragastric cyasterone, a compound commonly used in traditional Chinese herbal medicine, for 21 days. Microbial DNA was extracted from mouse intestinal contents for 16S ribosomal RNA gene amplicon sequencing and analyzed. Our results indicated that cyasterone enhanced the diversity of the gut microbiota. The abundance of beneficial bacteria, such as Prevotellaceae, Muribaculaceae, and Ruminococcaceae was significantly higher in cyasterone-treated mice than controls. The abundance of Erysipelotrichaceae, a family of bacteria that promotes inflammation in the gut, was significantly positively correlated with tumor weight. Cyasterone is a potential inhibitor of BRAFV600E-mutant CRC via its effects on intestinal flora.

[Effects of acupotomy on partial movement gait and serum tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1ß in patients with knee osteoarthritis].

OBJECTIVE: To explore effects of acupotomy on pain, function, gait and serum inflammatory factors in patients with knee osteoarthritis(KOA). METHODS: From December 2017 to June 2019, 110 patients with KOA were collected and divided into acupotomy group(56 cases) and western medicine group(54 cases) by using random number table method. In acupotomy group, there were 16 males and 40 females, aged from 46 to 74 years old with an average of (62.98±6.68) years old, the course of disease ranged from 1 to 240 months with an average of 24.5(15.25, 33.00) months;were treated with acupotomy on the pain points around knee joint once a week for 3 weeks. In western medicine group, there were 18 males and 36 females, aged from 47 to 73 years old with an average of (64.19±5.98 ) years old;the course of disease ranged from 1 to 220 months with an average of 25.00(13.75, 33.00) months;were took celecoxib capsule orally, 200 mg once a day for 3 weeks. Oxford Knee Score(OKS) was performed before treatment, 3 weeks and 3 months after treatment. Gait kinematics analysis and serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) and interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) were measured before and after treatment for 3 weeks. RESULTS: All patients were followed up from 6 to 24 months with an average of(15.03±4.55) months. OKS between two groups decreased significantly at 3 weeks and 3 months after treatment(P<0.001). Functional scores and overall scores in acupotomology group were significantly decreased at 3 months compared with 3 weeks after treatment(P<0.001). OKS of acupotomy group were significantly lower than those of western medicine group at 3 weeks and 3 months after treatment(P<0.05). Gait speed, frequency and length between two groups were significantly improved at 3 weeks after treatment(P<0.05). At 3 weeks after treatment, gait freguency of acupotomy group was significantly improved compared with western medicine group(P<0.05). TNF-α and IL-1ß were significantly lower in both groups at 3 weeks after treatment than before treatment(P<0.05). At 3 weeks after treatment, level of IL-1 ß was lower in western medicine group than in acupotomy group(P<0.05), and difference in TNF-α level was not statistically significant(P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupotomology of pain points could significantly improve pain, function, gait, and decreased serum inflammatory factors at early to mid stage of KOA patients, in particular, it is superior to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in terms of knee function recovery and cadence improvement.

A G-quadruplex/hemin structure-undamaged method to inhibit peroxidase-mimic DNAzyme activity for biosensing development.

Damaging the structure of the G-quadruplex (G4) to prevent the formation of the G4/hemin complex is presently the only available method to inhibit the activity of the peroxidase-mimic DNAzyme. In this study, a unique intramolecular inhibitory effect of the adjacent base-pair (InE(N:N)), by installing a rationally adjacent base-pair of the G4 core sequence, is proposed for the inhibition of the DNAzyme activity, which eliminates the need to damage the entire G4 structure. Various base pairs show different abilities to inhibit DNAzyme activity. The adjacent adenine: thymine pair possesses the best inhibitory efficiency (17 times). Through detailed investigations of the InE(N:N), it was revealed that the adjacent adenine: thymine pair downregulated the formation of compound I in the catalytic process, thus inhibiting the G4 DNAzyme activity. The mechanism of inhibition indicated that the carbonyl group on the hexatomic ring of the complementary base played an important role. To further reflect the advantages of the proposed strategy, two InE(N:N)-based biosensors were developed for DNA analysis and Uracil-DNA glycosylase (UDG) detection. Compared with existing DNAzyme-based methods, the application of InE(N: N) facilitates the real-time assay and simplifies the design difficulty. Therefore, InE(N:N) provides new insights into the regulation of the DNAzyme activity and offers an efficient approach for the future application of DNAzyme.

Increased Hippocampal Glucocorticoid Receptor Expression and Reduced Anxiety-Like Behavior Following Tuina in a Rat Model With Allergic Airway Inflammation.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the influence mechanism of Tuina on anxiety-like behavior in immature rats with allergic airway inflammation (AAI). METHODS: A total of 27 Sprague-Dawley male rats (aged ∼5 weeks) were divided randomly into control, AAI, and AAI with Tuina groups (9 rats per group). The anxiety-like behavior was assessed by an open field test and elevated plus-maze test. Allergic airway inflammation was assessed based on the pathological score of the lung, plasma ovalbumin-specific immunoglobulin E, interleukin 4, interleukin 5, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels. Glucocorticoid receptor (GR) messenger RNA and protein expression in the hippocampus and lung were detected by polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry, respectively. Meanwhile, corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) messenger RNA in the hypothalamus, the plasma levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone and corticosterone were also determined respectively by polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) function. RESULTS: The AAI group had obvious anxiety-like behavior and hyperactive HPA axis, along with decreased GR expression in the hippocampus and lung. Following Tuina, AAI and the anxiety-like behavior were efficiently reduced, and the hyperactivity of HPA axis was efficiently inhibited, along with enhanced GR expression in the hippocampus and lung. CONCLUSION: Glucocorticoid receptor expression in the hippocampus and lung was enhanced, and anxiety-like behavior was reduced following Tuina in rats with AAI.

The positive effect of mother-performed infant massage on infantile eczema and maternal mental state: A randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To observe the influence of MPIM on infantile eczema, quality of life, growth and maternal mental state. Methods: This trial was a randomized controlled study. Sixty-six full-term infants with eczema were randomly divided into eczema control group (EC group, n = 33) and eczema with MPIM group (EM group, n = 33), along with healthy full-term infants in the healthy control group (HC group, n = 31). The mothers in the EC group received the instruction of routine care, while the mothers in the EM group applied massage on the infants plus receiving the same instruction of the routine care. HC group received none of any specific intervention. Data were collected in the three groups at the baseline and at the end of 2- and 5-month intervention. Before and at the end of 2-month intervention, the following indexes were investigated in infants including the growth indexes, eczema area severity index (EASI), infantile dermatitis quality of life index (IDQOL). And the scores of self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and self-rating depression scale (SDS) were investigated in mothers at the same timepoints. At the end of 5-month intervention, the infants' growth and relapse condition of eczema were observed. Results: Overall, 31 cases in HC group, 31 in EC group and 32 in EM group were included for data analysis. There were no significant differences in the indexes of infantile growth among the three groups (all P >0.05). The scores of EASI and IDQOL significantly lowered (both P < 0.001) in EC group following the instruction of routine care, along with reduced maternal scores of SAS and SDS (both P < 0.05). Compared with the EC group, the EM group showed significantly lower scores of EASI and IDQOL (both P < 0.001) and lower relapse rate (P < 0.01) in infants with eczema, along with significantly lower scores of SAS and SDS in mothers (both P < 0.01). Moreover, none of obvious adverse reaction was reported following MPIM, to which most of the mothers could adhere. Conclusion: MPIM could effectively promote the remission of infantile eczema and reduce its relapse, along with relieving maternal anxiety and depression mood. Clinical trial registration: Identifier: ChiCTR2200066246.

The Causal Role of Magnesium Deficiency in the Neuroinflammation, Pain Hypersensitivity and Memory/Emotional Deficits in Ovariectomized and Aged Female Mice.

PURPOSE: Postmenopausal women often suffer from chronic pain, memory decline and mood depression. The mechanisms underlying the neuronal disorders are not fully understood, and effective treatment is still lacking. METHODS: Oral administration of magnesium-L-threonate was tested to treat the neuronal disorders in ovariectomized and aged female mice. The pain hypersensitivity, memory function and depression-like behaviors were measured with a set of behavioral tests. Western blots, immunochemistry and in situ hybridization were used to assess molecular changes. RESULTS: Chronic oral administration of magnesium-L-threonate substantially prevented or reversed the chronic pain and memory/emotional deficits in both ovariectomized and aged female mice. We found that phospho-p65, an active form of nuclear factor-kappaB, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1 beta were significantly upregulated in the neurons of dorsal root ganglion, spinal dorsal horn and hippocampus in ovariectomized and aged mice. The microglia and astrocytes were activated in spinal dorsal horn and hippocampus. Calcitonin gene-related peptide, a marker for peptidergic C-fibers, was upregulated in dorsal horn, which is associated with potentiation of C-fiber-mediated synaptic transmission in the model mice. In parallel with neuroinflammation and synaptic potentiation, free Mg2+ levels in plasma, cerebrospinal fluid and in dorsal root ganglion neurons were significantly reduced. Oral magnesium-L-threonate normalized the neuroinflammation, synaptic potentiation and Mg2+ deficiency, but did not affect the estrogen decline in ovariectomized and aged mice. Furthermore, in cultured dorsal root ganglion neurons, estrogen at physiological concentration elevated intracellular Mg2+, and downregulated phospho-p65, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1 beta exclusively in the presence of extracellular Mg2+. CONCLUSION: Estrogen decline in menopause may cause neuroinflammation by reducing intracellular Mg2+ in neurons, leading to chronic pain, memory/emotional deficits. Supplement Mg2+ by oral magnesium-L-threonate may be a novel approach for treating menopause-related neuronal disorders.

Dioscorea deltoidea Leaf Extract (DDLE) Attenuates Cisplatin-Induced Ovarian Injury via Regulation of Oxidative Stress.

The present study investigated Dioscorea deltoidea leaf extract (DDLE) for treatment of cisplatin-induced ovarian injury in rat model. DDLE treatment of the cisplatin-induced ovarian injury rats suppressed Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) release and promoted the estrogen E2 level in serum samples. Development of follicles was increased while as damage to ovarian cortex on day 14, 28, and 42 was inhibited in cisplatin-induced ovarian injury rats on treatment with DDLE. In cisplatin-induced ovarian injury rat model oxidative stress showed a significant increase because of reduction in the level of antioxidant enzyme activity. However, DDLE treatment led to a prominent increase in activity of antioxidant enzyme compared to the control group. Moreover, DDLE treatment regulated the expression of Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 protein in cisplatin-induced ovarian injury rats. In conclusion, DDLE treatment prevents cisplatin-induced ovarian injury through inhibition of malondialdehyde (MDA) level and upregulation of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity.