Polysaccharide isolated from Auricularia auricular-judae (Bull.) prevents dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis in mice through modulating the composition of the gut microbiota.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic intestinal disease, which was commonly found in westerners whereas is increasingly prevalent in Asia because of the changing eating habits. In previous research, we found that a water-soluble polysaccharide isolated from Auricularia auricular-judae (Bull.)-a kind of edible mushroom (Aap)-is composed of ß-1,3 glycosidic bonds, which is regarded as therapeutic or protective substance in enteritis. We therefore aimed to find the preventing effect of Aap on IBD. Here, we reported that pre-administration of Aap not only ameliorated weight loss, colon damage, and mucosal inflammation in colitis mice, but also prevented the damage of intestinal barrier by reducing the D-lactic acid and diamine oxidase level in plasma. Through high-throughput sequencing, we found that Aap changed gut microbiota composition. Furthermore, the preventing effect was transmissible via horizontal feces transfer from Aap-treated mice to normal mice. Our results indicated that oral administration of Aap is a promising protective substance of IBD. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Our study proved that Auricularia auricula polysaccharide had substantial preventing effect on DSS-induced colitis in mice. This research might lay the theoretical foundation and technical support for the development of related functional foods. People could also enhance their gut immunity by eating Auricularia auricular in their daily life. Auricularia auricular as a highly nutritious agricultural product showed the broad significance in nutrition and food function.

Functional dynamics of thalamic local field potentials correlate with modulation of neuropathic pain.

Understanding the functional dynamics of neural oscillations in the sensory thalamus is essential for elucidating the perception and modulation of neuropathic pain. Local field potentials were recorded from the sensory thalamus of twelve neuropathic pain patients. Single and combinational neural states were defined by the activity state of a single or paired oscillations. Relationships between the duration or occurrence rate of neural state and pre-operative pain level or pain relief induced by deep brain stimulation were evaluated. Results showed that the occurrence rate of the single neural state of low-beta oscillation was significantly correlated with pain relief. The duration and occurrence rate of combinational neural states of the paired low-beta with delta, theta, alpha, high-beta or low-gamma oscillations were more significantly correlated with pain relief than the single neural states. Moreover, these significant combinational neural states formed a local oscillatory network with low-beta oscillation as a key node. The results also showed correlations between measures of combinational neural states and subjective pain level as well. The duration of combinational neural states of paired alpha with delta or theta oscillations and the occurrence rate of neural states of the paired delta with low-beta or low-gamma oscillations were significantly correlated with pre-operative pain level. In conclusion, this study revealed that the integration of oscillations and the functional dynamics of neural states were differentially involved in modulation and perception of neuropathic pain. The functional dynamics could be biomarkers for developing neural state-dependent deep brain stimulation for neuropathic pain.

Involvement of Interleukin-10 in Analgesia of Electroacupuncture on Incision Pain.

OBJECTIVE: Postincision pain often occurs after surgery and is an emergency to be treated in clinic. Electroacupuncture (EA) is a Chinese traditional treatment widely used to cure acute or chronic pain, but its mechanism is not clear. Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is a powerful anti-inflammatory cytokine that shows neuroprotective effects in inflammation and injury in the CNS. The present study attempts to reveal that IL-10 is crucial for EA analgesia on postincision pain. METHODS: A model of incision pain was established in C57BL/6J mice. The pain threshold was detected by behavioral test, and the expression of IL-10 and its receptor was detected by an immunohistochemical method. C-fiber-evoked field potentials were recorded by in vivo analysis. RESULTS: The mechanical allodynia induced by paw incision was significantly inhibited by pretreatment of EA in mice. Intrathecal injection of IL-10 neutralizing antibody (2 µg/10 µL) but not intraplantar injection (10 µg/10 µL) reversed the analgesia of EA. The upregulations of IL-10 mRNA and protein were induced by EA at 6 h and 1 d after incision, respectively. Spinal long-term potentiation (LTP), a substrate for central sensitization, was also suppressed by EA with IL-10. IL-10 recombinant protein (1 µg/10 µL, i.t.) mimicked the analgesia of EA on mechanical allodynia and inhibition on the spinal LTP. Posttreatment of EA after incision also transitorily relieved the mechanical allodynia, which can be blocked by spinal IL-10 antibody. IL-10 and its receptor, IL-10RA, are predominantly expressed in the superficial spinal astrocytes. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggested that pretreatment of EA effectively prevented postincision pain and IL-10 in spinal astrocytes was critical for the analgesia of EA and central sensitization.

A Comprehensive Method for Quality Evaluation of Houttuyniae Herba by a Single Standard to Determine Multi-components, Fingerprint and HPTLC Method.

A method of quality evaluation by a single standard to determine multi-components (SSDMC), fingerprint and high-performance thin layer-chromatography (HPTLC) was developed for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and validated with dry Houttuyniae Herba (HH). In quantitative analysis, an SSDMC method involving nine components has been established with the desirable linearity (r(2) ≥ 0.9998), precision (RSD < 2.7%), accuracy (97.4 - 103.1%) and ruggedness. Compared with the results obtained using the external standard method (ESM), this alternative SSDMC method was found to have no statistically significant differences. In fingerprint analysis, nine of fourteen peaks were identified. Simultaneously, 15 HH samples from different origins were classified by similarity analysis and hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA). Additionally, the HPTLC method with three flavonoid markers was firstly established. The combination of SSDMC with the fingerprint and HPTLC method has been verified in the quality control of HH both quantitatively and qualitatively, and will provide a new quality evaluation pattern for TCMs.