Lonicera flos and Cnicus japonicus extracts improved egg quality partly by modulating antioxidant status, inflammatory-related cytokines and shell matrix protein expression of oviduct in laying hens.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of Lonicera flos and Cnicus japonicus extracts (LCE) on the laying performance, egg quality, morphology, antioxidant status, inflammatory-related cytokines, and shell matrix protein expression of oviduct in laying hens. A total of 1,728 Roman Pink laying hens aged 73-wk-old were randomly assigned into 4 groups (18 replicates/group, 24 layers/replicate) fed basal diets supplemented with 0, 300, 500, and 1,000 mg of LCE per kg of diet, respectively. The trial lasted for 11 wk, including 2-wk adjustment period and 9-wk testing period. The results indicated that laying hens fed diets supplemented with LCE linearly increased egg weight, yolk color and shell thickness at wk 78 and albumen height, Haugh unit and shell thickness at wk 83 (P < 0.05). At wk 78, LCE groups linearly affected the hydrogen peroxide content in magnum (P < 0.05) and 300 mg/kg LCE groups had the highest catalase activity in isthmus (P < 0.05). At wk 83, LCE groups linearly reduced (P < 0.05) hydrogen peroxide content in the magnum and isthmus and malondialdehyde content in the uterus whereas increased catalase activity in isthmus (P < 0.05). Furthermore, LCE levels quadratically affected glutathione peroxidase activity in isthmus at wk 83 (P < 0.05). At wk 78, the mRNA expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase and interferon-γ in isthmus and ovalbumin and ovocleidin-116 in uterus had linear effects in response to LCE levels (P < 0.05) and 1,000 mg/kg LCE group had the lowest mRNA expression of interleukin-6 in magnum (P < 0.05). At wk 83, LCE supplementation linearly decreased the mRNA expression of interleukin-1ß, interferon-γ and tumor necrosis factor-α in magnum and tumor necrosis factor-α and inducible nitric oxide synthase in uterus (P < 0.05). It is concluded that LCE improved egg quality partly by modulating antioxidant status, inflammatory-related cytokines and shell matrix protein expression of oviduct in laying hens.

[Effect of xianzhen tablet on Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase, Ca(2+)-Mg(2+)-ATPase, of red blood cell membrane in patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of Xianzhen tablet in treating non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). METHODS: Seventy-two cases of NIDDM patients with deficiency of both Qi and Yin, deficiency of the Kidney and blood stasis were selected, and the effects of treatment on Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase, Ca(2+)-Mg(2+)-ATPase, whole blood viscosity, blood sugar and clinical symptoms were observed. RESULTS: After treatment, the treated group showed increased activities that were statistically significant of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase and Ca(2+)-Mg(2+)-ATPase (P < 0.01, P < 0.02). The whole blood viscosity and symptoms showed improvement to an extent and the total effective rate of blood sugar lowering were as follows: fasting blood glucose (FBG) 77.8%, 2hr. postprandial plasma blood glucose (2hr. postprandial PBG)69.4%. Whereas, the placebo group showed no marked improvement in either whole blood viscosity or symptoms and the total effective rate of blood sugar lowering were FBG 41.7%, 2hr. postprandial PBG 38.9%. CONCLUSION: Xianzhen tablet is effective in improving the activities of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase and Ca(2+)-Mg(2+)-ATPase, as well as the whole blood viscosity, blood sugar lowering and in improving clinical symptoms, it could treat effectively NIDDM patients with deficiency of both Qi and Yin, deficiency of the Kidney and blood stasis.

[Study on relationship of lipid peroxide in coronary heart disease with and without diabetes].

Activity of erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (RBC-SOD), levels of serum malondialdehyde (MDA), plasma 6-keto-prostaglandin F 1 alpha (6-keto-PGF 1 alpha) and thromboxane B2(TXB2) were measured in 30 healthy subjects and 57 coronary heart desease (CHD) patients inoluding 21 cases complicated with diabetes and 36 without. Their characteristics of Syndrome Differentiation and typing were observed. The results showed that the activity of RBC-SOD, 6-keto-PGF 1 alpha in CHD patients were significantly lower than those in the healthy subjects, but the levels of TXB2, MDA were significantly higher. The levels of TXB2 in CHD patients with diabetes were significantly higher than tose without, but the activity of RBC-SOD were significantly lower. There were remarkably positive correlations between the levels of serum MDA and that of blood sugar, TXB2, TG and BMI in CHD patients with diabetes. There were remarkably negative correlations between the levels of serum MDA and plasma 6-keto-PGF 1 alpha. The results suggested that the metabolic abnormality of lipoperoxides was more serious in CHD patients with diabetes than without. The main Syndrome of CHD with diabetes was Qi-Yin Deficiency with Blood Stasis, while that of without diabetes was Qi Deficiency with Blood Stasis.

[Clinical and experimental study on effect of jin-qi-jiang-tang-pian on qi-yin deficiency and hyperactivity of diabetes mellitus].

The purpose of this study was to verify the effect of Jin-Qi-Jiang-Tang-Pian (JQJTP) on fasting blood glucose (FBG), postcibal blood glucose (PBG), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), acetylcholine esterase (AchE), insulin, RBC-superoxide dismutase (RBC-SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA). Efficacy was observed in 40 cases of diabetes mellitus, 20 cases administered with Yu-Quan Pian (YQP) were taken as control. Each group took drugs for two months. After treatment with Jin-Pi-Jiang-Tang-Pian, FBG, PBG, AchE were apparently dropped and RBC-SOD increased, as compared with patients of the YQP group (P < 0.05-0.01), and major symptoms of diabetes were improved. In experimental study, model rats suffering from diabetes induced by alloxan were observed, the rats' blood sugar level above 11.1 mmol/L were chosen for observation. These rats were divided into JQJTP group, YQP group and control group. It was found that JQJTP was able to lower blood sugar, TG and MDA (P < 0.05-0.001) significantly, with a increase of the SOD/MDA, as compared with those of patients of the control groups.

[Effect of jiang-zhi zhong-yao-pian on total cholesterol, triglyceride, TXB2, 6-keto-PGF1 alpha in hyperlipemic patients].

The purpose of this study was to verify the effect of a Chinese herbal medicine Jiang-Zhi Zhong-Yao-Pian to reduce serum lipoid. Efficacy was observed in 30 cases of hyperlipemia; 20 cases administered with evening primose oil capsules were taken as controls. Each group took drugs for two or three months. The results were as follows: After treatment as compared with before treatment, the serum levels of TC, TG and TXB2 dropped from 264.28 +/- 70.52 mg%, 393.52 +/- 250.42 mg% and 110.75 +/- 43.52 pg/ml to 225.60 +/- 50.93 mg%, 264.97 +/- 252.81 mg% and 88.82 +/- 46.50 pg/ml respectively (P less than 0.001, less than 0.01, less than 0.05). However, in the group taking evening primrose oil capsules, TC, TG and TXB2 in comparing with the pre-treatment levels were changed from 251.33 +/- 58.24 mg%, 316.35 +/- 104.93 mg% and 131.53 +/- 49.77 pg/ml to 244.30 +/- 43.28 mg%, 272.10 +/- 92.52 mg% and 115.33 +/- 47.49 pg/ml respectively (P greater than 0.05, less than 0.05, greater than 0.05). This medicine had no side-effect. The results showed that the herbal formula might be useful to reduce serum TC, TG and TXB2.

[Determination of blood flow of the lower leg in patients with diabetes mellitus and the effects of treatment with the principle of vitalizing blood and solubilizing thrombus].

This paper reports the determination of blood flow of the lower leg in 50 cases of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) using an XLJ-2 Bipolar Rheoencephalometry Impedance Rheogram. In patients with leg pain (but without obvious vascular pathological changes, 85 legs) the blood flow was decreased. In male patients the blood flow of the left leg (9 legs) was 3.28 +/- 0.47 ml/100ml.tissue.min (mean +/- S), while that in the right leg (11 legs) was 3.88 +/- 0.80; in females, the blood flow of the left leg (32 legs) was 2.72 +/- 0.8; while that in the right leg (33 legs) was 2.94 +/- 0.66. These figures were significantly (P less than 0.01-0.001) lower than those obtained from normals. In diabetic feet (15 painful legs) the decrease of blood flow of the lower leg was more apparent: it averaged 1.87 +/- 0.79 for the left leg (7 legs) and 2.66 +/- 0.87 for the right leg (5 legs) in male patients. The values were significantly different when compared with those of normals (P less than 0.001) or with those of the diabetic patients with leg pain (P less than 0.05). These results demonstrated that determination of the blood flow of the lower leg of diabetic patients might aid in early discovery of the abnormal changes of blood supply to the lower legs in diabetes mellitus and judge the degree of ischemia. Of the 50 cases of diabetics 32 were Qi-Yin deficiency with blood stasis while the remaining 18 cases were deficiency of both Yin and Yang with blood stasis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Effects of Chinese medicinal herbs on hemorheology in diabetics.

There was a statistically significant increase in whole blood viscosity, plasma viscosity, erythrocyte filterability index and hematocrit in diabetics with "Qi Yin deficiency and blood stasis" syndrome. After treatment with "Yi Qi Yang Yin Hou Xue" prescription there was a statistically significant improvement in hemorheological properties and a slight decrease in fasting blood glucose.