Plant-based polyphenol rich protein supplementation attenuated skeletal muscle loss and lowered the LDL level via gut microbiota remodeling in Taiwan's community-dwelling elderly.

Sarcopenia, characterized by muscle loss, negatively affects the elderly's physical activity and survival. Enhancing protein and polyphenol intake, possibly through the supplementation of fermented black soybean koji product (BSKP), may alleviate sarcopenia by addressing anabolic deficiencies and gut microbiota dysbiosis because of high contents of polyphenols and protein in BSKP. This study aimed to examine the effects of long-term supplementation with BSKP on mitigating sarcopenia in the elderly and the underlying mechanisms. BSKP was given to 46 participants over 65 years old with early sarcopenia daily for 10 weeks. The participants' physical condition, serum biochemistry, inflammatory cytokines, antioxidant activities, microbiota composition, and metabolites in feces were evaluated both before and after the intervention period. BSKP supplementation significantly increased the appendicular skeletal muscle mass index and decreased the low-density lipoprotein level. BSKP did not significantly alter the levels of inflammatory factors, but significantly increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes. BSKP changed the beta diversity of gut microbiota and enhanced the relative abundance of Ruminococcaceae_UCG_013, Lactobacillus_murinus, Algibacter, Bacillus, Gordonibacter, Porphyromonas, and Prevotella_6. Moreover, BSKP decreased the abundance of Akkermansia and increased the fecal levels of butyric acid. Positive correlations were observed between the relative abundance of BSKP-enriched bacteria and the levels of serum antioxidant enzymes and fecal short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and Gordonibacter correlated negatively with serum low-density lipoprotein. In summary, BSKP attenuated age-related sarcopenia by inducing antioxidant enzymes and SCFAs via gut microbiota regulation. Therefore, BSKP holds potential as a high-quality nutrient source for Taiwan's elderly, especially in conditions such as sarcopenia.

Comparison Clinical Effects of Hypertonic Dextrose and Steroid Injections on Chronic Subacromial Bursitis: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study is to determine and compare the treatment efficacy of subacromial steroid injections and dextrose prolotherapy for chronic subacromial bursitis patients. DESIGN: Fifty-four patients with chronic subacromial bursitis were enrolled in this double-blind randomized controlled trial. Shoulder Pain and Disability Index and visual analog scale were the primary outcomes. RESULTS: The steroid group ( n = 26) exhibited significant visual analog scale score improvements comparing with baseline at weeks 2, 6, and 12; the dextrose prolotherapy group ( n = 28) exhibited visual analog scale score improvements at weeks 6 and 12. The steroid group displayed significant Shoulder Pain and Disability Index score improvements compared with baseline at weeks 2, 6, and 12; the dextrose prolotherapy group exhibited significant score decreases at weeks 2 and 6. Compared with the dextrose prolotherapy group, the steroid group demonstrated significantly greater decreases in visual analog scale scores at weeks 2 and 6; the steroid group showed significantly greater decreases in Shoulder Pain and Disability Index scores at weeks 2, 6, and 12. CONCLUSIONS: Both hypertonic dextrose prolotherapy and steroid injections can provide short-term improvements of pain and disability among chronic subacromial bursitis patients. Moreover, steroid injections showed better effectiveness than hypertonic dextrose prolotherapy in ameliorating pain and improving function.

Ascophyllum nodosum and Fucus vesiculosus Extracts Improved Lipid Metabolism and Inflammation in High-Energy Diet-Induced Hyperlipidemia Rats.

Ascophyllum nodosum and Fucus vesiculosus both contain unique polyphenols called phlorotannins. Phlorotannins reportedly possess various pharmacological activities. A previous study reported that the activity of phlorotannin is strongly correlated with the normalization of metabolic function, and phlorotannins are extremely promising nutrients for use in the treatment of metabolic syndrome. To date, no study has explored the antihyperlipidemic effects of phlorotannins from A. nodosum and F. vesiculosus in animal models. Therefore, in the present study, we investigated the effects of phlorotannins using a rat model of high-energy diet (HED)-induced hyperlipidemia. The results showed that the rats that were fed an HED and treated with phlorotannin-rich extract from A. nodosum and F. vesiculosus had significantly lower serum fasting blood sugar (FBS), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total cholesterol (TC), triacylglyceride (TG) and free fatty acids (FFAs) levels and hepatic TG level and had higher serum insulin, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels and lipase activity in their fat tissues than in the case with the rats that were fed the HED alone. A histopathological analysis revealed that phlorotannin-rich extract could significantly reduce the size of adipocytes around the epididymis. In addition, the rats treated with phlorotannin-rich extract had significantly lowered interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) levels and increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activities than did those in the HED group. These results suggested that the phlorotannin-rich extract stimulated lipid metabolism and may have promoted lipase activity in rats with HED-induced hyperlipidemia. Our results indicated that A. nodosum and F. vesiculosus, marine algae typically used as health foods, have strong antihyperlipidemic effects and may, therefore, be useful for preventing atherosclerosis. These algae may be incorporated into antihyperlipidemia pharmaceuticals and functional foods.

Comparison of Clinical and Ultrasound Imaging Outcomes Between Corticosteroid and Hypertonic Dextrose Injections for Chronic Supraspinatus Tendinopathy.

Background: Both corticosteroids and hypertonic dextrose injections are commonly used for chronic supraspinatus tendinopathy. Purpose: To compare the supraspinatus echogenicity and clinical effects of echo-guided hypertonic dextrose versus corticosteroid injection for treating chronic supraspinatus tendinopathy. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: The authors performed a secondary data analysis of a previous clinical trial including patients who received normal saline versus hypertonic dextrose injection; patients who received corticosteroid injection were recruited between August 2017 and July 2021. Baseline patient data were matched among these 3 groups at a 1:1:1 ratio. At baseline and 2, 6, and 12 weeks after the intervention, the authors compared morphological changes (supraspinatus thickness and echogenicity) and clinical parameters (visual analog scale [VAS] for pain, Shoulder Pain and Disability Index [SPADI], and range of motion [ROM]). Analysis of variance was used to compare mean changes from baseline among the groups. Results: A total of 75 patients (25 in each group) were included. At 2-week follow-up, both the dextrose and the steroid groups exhibited improvement in VAS scores (mean difference [MD] from baseline: -2.0 in dextrose group; -3.3 in steroid group (P < .001)), SPADI scores (MD from baseline: -10.6 in dextrose group; -24.6 in steroid group (P < .001)), and flexion ROM (MD from baseline: 13.6° in dextrose group; 21.1° in steroid group) (P =.001). At 6 weeks after injection, the hypertonic dextrose group exhibited more favorable echogenic improvement in supraspinatus tendon morphology compared with the other 2 groups (P < .001). However, the steroid group showed significantly more improvement in clinical parameters compared with the other 2 groups at both week 6 (MD from baseline: VAS, -3.2; SPADI, -26.6; flexion ROM, 21.5°) and week 12 (MD from baseline: VAS, -2.5; SPADI, -20.4; flexion ROM, 15.2°) (P < .001 for all). Conclusion: Hypertonic dextrose injection improved supraspinatus echogenicity after 6 weeks but provided short-term symptomatic relief in the patients with chronic supraspinatus tendinopathy when compared with corticosteroid or saline injections. Steroid injection exerted a more favorable clinical effect at weeks 6 and 12 but demonstrated a negative effect on the supraspinatus.

Idiopathic Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss: Is Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment the Sooner and Longer, the Better?

(1) Background: We aimed to evaluate hearing benefits from hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy in patients with Idiopathic Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (ISSHL). (2) Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of chart reviews on patients with ISSHL between Jan 2016 and Dec 2021. All patients were referred to receive HBO therapy by the department of Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT). Hearing gain was assessed based on pure-tone audiometry (PTA). Data were analyzed for 102 patients after 1 to 5 therapy sessions, and for 46 patients after 6 to 10 therapy sessions. (3) Results: After 1−5 HBO sessions, patients (N = 102) showed an improvement in 45 (44.1%) of the patients (p < 0.000). Also, improvements were found with patients showing different grades of ISSHL: 11 (26.8%) with slight-moderate, 11 (40.7%) with severe, and 23 (67.6%) with profound ISSHL. Significant treatment effects were found at different affected frequencies, especially the low frequency range. After 6−10 HBO sessions, patients (N = 46) showed similar treatment effects as after 1−5 HBO sessions, but no additional improvement. Moreover, patients who received HBO treatment within 12 days showed improvement effects 6.484 times greater (p < 0.000) compared with those who received treatment after 13 days. (4) Conclusions: The improvement of HBO therapy on ISSHL was significant after 1−5 sessions, with larger improvements for those suffering more serious symptoms. Further adding more HBO treatment sessions to 6−10, no further improvement was found. Patients starting HBO therapy within 12 days of ISSHL showed 6.484 times greater improvements compared with those starting HBO therapy later.

Effectiveness, Compliance, and Safety of Dextrose Prolotherapy for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Meta-Analysis and Metaregression of Randomized Controlled Trials.

OBJECTIVES: This study assessed the effectiveness, compliance, and safety of dextrose prolotherapy for patients with knee osteoarthritis. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library Database, and the Scopus database from their inception to December 31, 2021. METHODS: This study was conducted in accordance with the guidelines recommended by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis. Randomized controlled trials regarding the effectiveness of dextrose prolotherapy in knee osteoarthritis were identified. The included trials were subjected to meta-analysis. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Subgroup and random-effects metaregression analyses were performed to explore any heterogeneity (I2) of treatment effects across studies. RESULTS: A total of 14 trials enrolling 978 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Compared with placebo injection and noninvasive control therapy, dextrose prolotherapy had favorable effects on pain, global function, and quality of life during the overall follow-up. Dextrose prolotherapy yielded greater reductions in pain score over each follow-up duration than did the placebo. Compared with other invasive therapies, dextrose prolotherapy generally achieved comparable effects on pain and functional outcomes for each follow-up duration.Subgroup results indicated that combined intra-articular and extra-articular injection techniques may have stronger effects on pain than a single intra-articular technique. CONCLUSIONS: Dextrose prolotherapy may have dose-dependent and time-dependent effects on pain reduction and function recovery, respectively, in patients with knee osteoarthritis. Due to remarkable heterogeneity and the risk of biases across the included trials, the study results should be cautiously interpreted.

Effect of Hypertonic Dextrose Injection on Pain and Shoulder Disability in Patients with Chronic Supraspinatus Tendinosis: A Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Study.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of hypertonic dextrose injection on pain and disability in patients with chronic supraspinatus tendinosis. The secondary aim was to evaluate its effect on the tendon range of motion (ROM) and morphology. DESIGN: Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial. SETTING: Outpatient clinic. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals (N=57) with symptomatic chronic supraspinatus tendinosis. INTERVENTIONS: Participants were randomly administered ultrasound-guided injections of 20% hypertonic dextrose (study group, n=29) or 5% normal saline (control group, n=28). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome measure was visual analog scale (VAS) scores for pain and Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) scores. Secondary outcomes included the ROM and ultrasound examination findings of the supraspinatus tendon at baseline and at 2, 6, and 12 weeks postintervention. RESULTS: The study group exhibited significant improvements in the VAS (mean difference [MD], -2.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], -2.7 to -1.4; P<.001) and SPADI (MD, -11.6; 95% CI, -16.5 to -6.7; P<.001) scores compared with baseline scores at week 2. However, the effect was not sustained to week 6. Flexion ROM increased at weeks 2 (MD, 14.1; 95% CI, 5.7-22.5; P<.001) and 6 (MD, 8.9; 95% CI, 2.4-15.4; P=.003) compared with baseline. The thickness of the supraspinatus tendon improved at weeks 6 (MD, .50; 95% CI, .26-.74; P<.001) and 12 (MD, .61; 95% CI, .37-.84; P<.001) compared with baseline. The ratio of histograms also improved at weeks 6 (MD, .19; 95% CI, .06-.32; P=.002) and 12 (MD, .26; 95% CI, .10-.41; P<.001) compared with baseline. CONCLUSION: Hypertonic dextrose injection could provide short-term pain and disability relief in patients with chronic supraspinatus tendinosis. Ultrasound imaging at week 6 revealed changed tendon morphology.

Randomized controlled clinical effectiveness of adjunct 660-nm light-emitting diode irradiation during non-surgical periodontal therapy.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The irradiation of 660-nm light-emitting diodes (LEDs) has exhibited potential to accelerate oral wound healing and prevent periodontal breakdown in rodents. This study was to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of 660-nm LEDs during non-surgical periodontal therapy (NSPT). METHODS: Nineteen patients with at least one periodontitis-involved tooth in three quadrants received NSPT, and three protocols of LED light irradiation, including LED light irradiation from initial clinical assessment (T0) until the completion of scaling and root planning (T1) (LED01), LED light irradiation from T1 until re-evaluation (T2) (LED02), and no LED light irradiation (control treatment), were randomly assigned to respective quadrant. Clinical parameters were assessed at T0 and T2, and such biomarkers as IL-1ß and MMP-8 from gingival crevicular fluid were assessed at T0, T1, and T2. RESULTS: At T2, all examined sites exhibited significantly reduced probing pocket depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL), gingival bleeding index, plaque score, and visual analog scale. In the sites with greatest initial PD and CAL, LED01 and LED02 significantly reduced PD and CAL compared with the control treatment. IL-1ß and MMP-8 were reduced in all groups at T1 and T2, and the reduction of MMP-8 was the most notable in LED01. CONCLUSION: LED light irradiation during or after scaling and root planing assisted in the recovery of periodontium and can be used as an adjunct treatment during NSPT, specifically for sites with severe periodontal breakdown.

Hepatoprotective Effect of Cuscuta campestris Yunck. Whole Plant on Carbon Tetrachloride Induced Chronic Liver Injury in Mice.

Cuscuta seeds and whole plant have been used to nourish the liver and kidney. This study was aimed to investigate the hepatoprotective activity of the ethanol extract of Cuscuta campestris Yunck. whole plant (CCEtOH). The hepatoprotective effect of CCEtOH (20, 100 and 500 mg/kg) was evaluated on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced chronic liver injury. Serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, triglyceride and cholesterol were measured and the fibrosis was histologically examined. CCEtOH exhibited a significant inhibition of the increase of serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, triglyceride and cholesterol. Histological analyses showed that fibrosis of liver induced by CCl4 were significantly reduced by CCEtOH. In addition, 20, 100 and 500 mg/kg of the extract decreased the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) and enhanced the activities of anti-oxidative enzymes including superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GRd) in the liver. We demonstrate that the hepatoprotective mechanisms of CCEtOH were likely to be associated to the decrease in MDA level by increasing the activities of antioxidant enzymes such as SOD, GPx and GRd. In addition, our findings provide evidence that C. campestris Yunck. whole plant possesses a hepatoprotective activity to ameliorate chronic liver injury.

The effect of Tai Chi on four chronic conditions-cancer, osteoarthritis, heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a systematic review and meta-analyses.

BACKGROUND: Many middle-aged and older persons have more than one chronic condition. Thus, it is important to synthesise the effectiveness of interventions across several comorbidities. The aim of this systematic review was to summarise current evidence regarding the effectiveness of Tai Chi in individuals with four common chronic conditions-cancer, osteoarthritis (OA), heart failure (HF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). METHODS: 4 databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and SPORTDiscus) were searched for original articles. Two reviewers independently screened the titles and abstracts and then conducted full-text reviews, quality assessment and finally data abstraction. 33 studies met the inclusion criteria. Meta-analyses were performed on disease-specific symptoms, physiological outcomes and physical performance of each chronic condition. Subgroup analyses on disease-specific symptoms were conducted by categorising studies into subsets based on the type of comparison groups. RESULTS: Meta-analyses showed that Tai Chi improved or showed a tendency to improve physical performance outcomes, including 6-min walking distance (6MWD) and knee extensor strength, in most or all four chronic conditions. Tai Chi also improved disease-specific symptoms of pain and stiffness in OA. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrated a favourable effect or tendency of Tai Chi to improve physical performance and showed that this type of exercise could be performed by individuals with different chronic conditions, including COPD, HF and OA.

The effects of surface neuromuscular electrical stimulation on post-stroke dysphagia: a systemic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we intended to evaluate whether swallow treatment with neuromuscular electrical stimulation is superior to that without neuromuscular electrical stimulation, and whether neuromuscular electrical stimulation alone is superior to swallow therapy. METHODS: We searched the PubMed and Scopus databases from their earliest record to 31 December 2014 for randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials that used neuromuscular electrical stimulation to treat post-stroke dysphagia. The Jadad scale was used to assess the quality of the included studies. We extracted the mean differences and standard deviation (SD) between baseline and posttreatment or posttreatment mean and SD for selected outcomes measured in the experimental and control groups for subsequent meta-analyses. RESULTS: Eight studies were identified. For the comparison "swallow treatment with neuromuscular electrical stimulation vs. swallow treatment without neuromuscular electrical stimulation," we found a significant standardized mean difference (SMD) of 1.27 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.51-2.02, P = 0.001) with significant heterogeneity (I(2) = 85%). The meta-analysis for the comparison of neuromuscular electrical stimulation alone and swallow therapy demonstrated a non-significant SMD of 0.25 (95% CI = -0.16-0.65, P = 0.23) without significant heterogeneity (I(2) = 16%). CONCLUSION: Swallow treatment with neuromuscular electrical stimulation seems to be more effective than that without neuromuscular electrical stimulation for post-stroke dysphagia in the short term considering the limited number of studies available. Evidence was insufficient to indicate that neuromuscular electrical stimulation alone was superior to swallow therapy.

The effects of injectable calcium silicate-based composites with the Chinese herb on an osteogenic accelerator in vitro.

We aimed to investigate the physicochemical and biological effects of calcium silicate (CS)-based cements together with the Chinese medicine Xu Duan (XD) after seeding with human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs). Here, we fabricated CS-based substrates with different ratios of XD (0%, 5% and 10%) as bioactive and biodegradable biocomposites, subsequent to examining their respective effectiveness for bone repair. The setting time, the injectability, the mechanical properties measured by diametral tensile strength (DTS), the in vitro degradation determined by changes in the weight loss of the composites, the characteristic formation of bone-like apatite, and cell growth as well as osteogenesis protein and bone mineralization were comprehensively evaluated before and after immersion in simulated body fluid (SBF), respectively. At the end of testing, with regard to physicochemical effects, the CS-based substrate mixed with the 10% XD group showed significantly sound mechanical properties, an applicable setting time and injectability and the formation of a dense bone-like apatite layer. In terms of biological effects, the CS-based substrate with the 10% XD group showed a significant development of osteogenic activities with sound cell proliferation and higher alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, as well as indicating osteogenic differentiation, greater osteocalcin (OC) protein secretion and clearly calcified tissue mineralization. The present drug-release strategy with CS-based cements may pave the way for future alternative bone repair therapy.

The synergistic effects of Chinese herb and injectable calcium silicate/ß-tricalcium phosphate composite on an osteogenic accelerator in vitro.

This study investigates the physicochemical and biological effects of traditional Chinese medicines on the ß-tricalcium phosphate (ß-TCP)/calcium silicate (CS) composites of bone cells using human dental pulp cell. CS is an osteoconductive and bioactive material. For this research we have combined ß-TCP and CS and check its effectiveness, a series of ß-TCP/CS composites with different ratios of Xu Duan (XD) were prepared to make new bioactive and biodegradable biocomposites for bone repair. XD has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for hundreds of years as an antiosteoporosis, tonic and antiaging agent for the therapy of low back pain, traumatic hematoma, threatened abortion and bone fractures. Formation of bone-like apatite, the diametral tensile strength, and weight loss of composites were considered before and after immersion in simulated body fluid (SBF). In addition, we also examined the effects of XD released from ß-TCP/CS composites and in vitro human dental pulp cell (hDPCs) and studied its behavior. The results show the XD-contained paste did not give any demixing when the weight ratio of XD increased to 5-10 % due to the filter-pressing effect during extrusion through the syringe. After immersion in SBF, the microstructure image showed a dense bone-like apatite layer covered on the ß-TCP/CS/XD composites. In vitro cell experiments shows that the XD-rich composites promote human dental pulp cells (hDPCs) proliferation and differentiation. However, when the XD quantity in the composite is more than 5 %, the amount of cells and osteogenesis protein of hDPCs were stimulated by XD released from ß-TCP/CS composites. The combination of XD in degradation of ß-TCP and osteogenesis of CS gives strong reason to believe that these calcium-based composite cements may prove to be promising bone repair materials.

Sorafenib enhances effects of transarterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Combination therapy of sorafenib and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) showed benefits for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This systematic review aims for evaluation of efficacy and safety between sorafenib plus TACE and TACE alone for HCC. METHODS: We systematically searched multi-databases to identify eligible studies. Studies comparing sorafenib combined with TACE and TACE alone for HCC were included. RESULTS: Nine studies with 900 patients (sorafenib + TACE = 446, TACE = 454) were finally included. Sorafenib combined with TACE significantly reduced 6-month mortality [OR 0.24, 95 % confidential interval (CI) 0.09-0.68, P = 0.007] and 1-year mortality (OR 0.35, 95 % CI 0.21-0.56, P < 0.0001), but did not decrease 2-year mortality (OR 0.58, 95 % CI 0.14-2.46, P = 0.46). Although combination therapy tend to reduce 3-month (OR 0.76, 95 % CI 0.52-1.10, P = 0.15) and 6-month progression free rate (OR 0.27, 95 % CI 0.07-1.05, P = 0.06), the changes were not significant. Additionally, objective response ratio (OR 0.39, 95 % CI 0.19-0.78, P = 0.008) and clinical benefit ratio (OR 0.27, 95 % CI 0.15-0.50, P < 0.0001) also favored for combination therapy, which, however, caused higher morbidity, especially hand-foot skin reaction (OR 53.71, 95 % CI 28.86-99.93, P < 0.00001), hematological events (OR 14.8, 95 % CI 6.07-36.07, P < 0.00001), diarrhea (OR 6.62, 95 % CI 3.82-11.45, P < 0.00001), hypertension (OR 5.03, 95 % CI 3.02-8.38, P < 0.00001), rash/desquamation (OR 5.67, 95 % CI 3.58-8.99, P < 0.00001), and fatigue (OR 2.5, 95 % CI 1.09-5.72, P = 0.03). CONCLUSION: Combination of sorafenib and TACE showed survival and clinical benefits in patients with HCC, though enhanced morbidity.

High-performance anion-exchange chromatography coupled with diode array detection for the determination of dencichine in Panax notoginseng and related species.

A high-performance anion-exchange chromatography coupled with diode array detection method was developed for the determination of dencichine in Panax notoginseng and related species. The analysis was performed on an Eprogen Synchropak WAX column (4.6 × 250 mm, 6 µm) with 50 mM NaH2 PO4 aqueous solution isocratic elution. The method was validated in terms of linearity, sensitivity, precision, stability, and accuracy. It was found that the calibration curve for dencichine showed good linearity (R(2) = 0.9999) within the test range. The LOD and LOQ were 0.77 and 3.06 ng, respectively. The RSD for intra- and interday repeatability was 0.2 and 0.5%, respectively. The test solution of dencichine is stable at least for three days at room temperature and for seven days at 4 °C. The mean recovery of dencichine was 102.0%. The established method was successfully applied to determine dencichine in the raw root of P. nogoginseng, P. ginseng, and P. quinquefolium as well as the steamed root of P. notoginseng. Compared with previous reports, this method is sensitive, selective, and accurate, which is helpful to evaluate the quality of P. notoginseng and related species.

Cardioprotective Effects of Quercetin in Cardiomyocyte under Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury.

Quercetin, a polyphenolic compound existing in many vegetables, fruits, has antiinflammatory, antiproliferation, and antioxidant effect on mammalian cells. Quercetin was evaluated for protecting cardiomyocytes from ischemia/reperfusion injury, but its protective mechanism remains unclear in the current study. The cardioprotective effects of quercetin are achieved by reducing the activity of Src kinase, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), caspase 9, Bax, intracellular reactive oxygen species production, and inflammatory factor and inducible MnSOD expression. Fluorescence two-dimensional differential gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) can reveal the differentially expressed proteins of H9C2 cells treated with H2O2 or quercetin. Although 17 identified proteins were altered in H2O2-induced cells, these proteins such as alpha-soluble NSF attachment protein ( α -SNAP), Ena/VASP-like protein (Evl), and isopentenyl-diphosphate delta-isomerase 1 (Idi-1) were reverted by pretreatment with quercetin, which correlates with kinase activation, DNA repair, lipid, and protein metabolism. Quercetin dephosphorylates Src kinase in H2O2-induced H9C2 cells and likely blocks the H2O2-induced inflammatory response through STAT3 kinase modulation. This probably contributes to prevent ischemia/reperfusion injury in cardiomyocytes.

Advanced development in analysis of phytochemicals from medicine and food dual purposes plants used in China.

The concept of "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food" was widely accepted for thousand years. It is now well known that some foods and food components have beneficial physiological and psychological effects. In China, the Ministry of Health of the People's Republic of China announced 87 items of materials, including 81 plants, could be used as both medicine and food. Increasing consumer demand for safety and health benefits, it is of critical importance to have high-quality and comprehensive data on bioactive compounds (phytochemicals) in these materials. In this review, we summarized the advanced development (2006-2010) in analysis of phytochemicals from medicine and food dual purposes plants (MFDPP) used in China.

Dominant-negative effects of episodic ataxia type 2 mutations involve disruption of membrane trafficking of human P/Q-type Ca2+ channels.

Episodic ataxia type 2 (EA2) is an autosomal dominant neurological disorder associated with mutations in the gene encoding pore-forming alpha(1A) subunits of human P/Q-type calcium (Ca(V)2.1) channels. The exact mechanism of how mutant channels cause such clinical EA2 features as cerebellar dysfunctions, however, remains unclear. Our previous functional studies in Xenopus oocytes support the idea that EA2 mutants may exert prominent dominant-negative effects on wild-type Ca(V)2.1 channels. To further pursue the mechanism underlying this dominant-negative effect, we examined the effects of EA2 mutants on the subcellular localization pattern of GFP-tagged wild-type Ca(V)2.1 channels in HEK293T cells. In the presence of EA2 mutants, wild-type channels displayed a significant deficiency in membrane targeting and a concurrent increase in cytoplasm retention. Moreover, the cytoplasmic fraction of wild-type channels co-localized with an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) marker, suggesting that a significant amount of wild-type Ca(V)2.1 channels was trapped in the ER. This EA2 mutant-induced ER retention pattern was reversed by lowering the cell incubation temperature from 37 to 27 degrees C. We also inspected the effects of untagged EA2 mutants on the functional expression of GFP-tagged wild-type Ca(V)2.1 channels in HEK293T cells. Whole-cell current density of wild-type channels was diminished in the presence of EA2 mutants, which was also reversed by 27 degrees C incubation. Finally, biochemical analyses indicated that EA2 mutants did not significantly affect the protein expression level of wild-type channels. Taken together, our data suggest that EA2 mutants induce significant ER retention of their wild-type counterparts, thereby suppressing the functional expression of Ca(V)2.1 channels.