Scientific basis of acupuncture on mesenchymal stem cells for treating ischemic stroke / 中国针灸

The scientific basis of acupuncture on mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for treating ischemic stroke (IS) is discussed. MSCs transplantation has great potential for the treatment of tissue damage caused by early stage inflammatory cascade reactions of IS, but its actual transformation is limited by various factors. How to improve the homing efficiency of MSCs is the primary issue to enhance its efficacy. As such, the possible mechanisms of acupuncture and MSCs transplantation in inhibiting inflammatory cascade reactions induced by IS are explored by reviewing literature, and a hypothesis that acupuncture could promote the secretion of stromal cell-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α) from ischemic foci to regulate SDF-1α/CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) axis, thereby improving the homing efficiency of MSCs transplantation, exerting its neuroprotective function, and improving the bed transformation ability, is proposed.

Effects of electroacupuncture on NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD axis and neurological function in rats with cerebral ischemic reperfusion / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the neuroprotective effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at "Quchi" (LI 11) and "Zusanli" (ST 36) in the rats with cerebral ischemic reperfusion and the potential mechanism of microglia pyroptosis.@*METHODS@#Sixty SD rats were randomly divided into a sham-operation group, a model group and an EA group, with 20 rats in each group. The Zea Longa method was employed to establish the rat model of the middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion (MACO/R) in the left brain. In the EA group, since the 2nd day of modeling, EA was given at "Quchi" (LI 11) and "Zusanli" (ST 36) of right side with disperse-dense wave, 4 Hz/20 Hz in frequency and 0.2 mA in current intensity, 30 min each time, once a day for lasting 7 consecutive days. The reduction rate of cerebral blood flow was measured with laser Doppler flowmetry during operation. The neurological function of rats was observed using Zea Longa neurobehavioral score. The cerebral infarction volume was detected by TTC staining method. The microglia positive expression in the ischemic side of the cortex was detected with the immunofluorescence method. Under transmission electron microscope, the ultrastructure of cell in the ischemic cortex was observed. The mRNA expression levels of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3), apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain (ASC), cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-1 (Caspase-1) and gasdermin D (GSDMD) in the ischemic cortex were detected using real-time PCR.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the sham-operation group, in the model group, the reduction rate of cerebral blood flow was increased during operation (P<0.001); Zea Longa neurobehavional score and the percentage of cerebral infarction volume were increased (P<0.001), the numbers of M1-type microglia marked by CD68+ and M2-type microglia marked by TMEM119+ were elevated in the ischemic cortex (P<0.001), the mRNA expression of NLRP3, ASC, Caspase-1 and GSDMD was increased (P<0.001, P<0.01); the cytomembrane structure was destroyed, with more cell membrane pores formed in the ischemic cortex. Compared with the model group, after intervention, Zea Longa neurobehavioral score and the percentage of cerebral infarction volume were reduced (P<0.05), the number of M1-type microglia marked by CD68+ was reduced (P<0.05) and the number of M2-type microglia marked by TMEM119+ was increased (P<0.05); and the mRNA expression of NLRP3, ASC, Caspase-1 and GSDMD was decreased (P<0.01, P<0.05) in the EA group. Even though the cytomembrane structure was incomplete, there were less membrane pores presented in the ischemic cortex in the EA group after intervention.@*CONCLUSION@#The intervention with EA attenuates the neurological dysfunction and reduces the volume of cerebral infarction in the rats with cerebral ischemic reperfusion. The underlying mechanism is related to the inhibition of microglia pyroptosis through modulating NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD axis.

Analysis of outpatient choice and its influencing factors of hypertensive patients with medical insurance in Beijing / 中华医院管理杂志

Objective:To investigate the current status and influencing factors of outpatient institution choice for hypertensive patients with basic medical insurance in Beijing, for reference to promote the implementation of the hierarchical medical system and guiding hypertensive patients to seek healthcare in primary care.Methods:Based on data of hypertensive outpatients from the basic medical insurance database of Beijing from April 2019 to January 2020, we analyzed major demographic characteristics of hypertensive patients, the selection of outpatient institutions and its influencing factors. The chi square test was used for comparison between groups, and the multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze influencing factors.Results:2.842 1 million outpatients with hypertension were enrolled. 39.03% of them chose primary healthcare institutions, 5.16% chose secondary healthcare institutions, and 17.34% chose tertiary healthcare institutions, while the rest 38.47% chose two or more types of healthcare institutions. Gender, age, type of medical insurance, place of residence, utilization of Chinese herbal drugs, utilization of Chinese patent drugs, polypharmacy, needs of outpatient tests and examinations were the influencing factors for their selection of primary healthcare institutions for hypertensive outpatients under Beijing basic medical insurance.Conclusions:At present, the primary institutions have become the first choice for the majority of hypertensive patients with medical insurance in Beijing, but there are still many influencing factors on their choice of institutions. In the future, we should optimize the allocation of medical resources, promote the reform of medical insurance payment methods, strengthen the construction of primary medical institutions, expand the coverage of contracted services of family doctors, and reasonably guide the patients to seek healthcare in primary healthcare institutions.

Identification of Armeniacae Semen Amarum and Persicae Semen from different origins based on near infrared hyperspectral imaging technology / 中国中药杂志

In order to establish a rapid and non-destructive evaluation method for the identification of Armeniacae Semen Amarum and Persicae Semen from different origins, the spectral information of Armeniacae Semen Amarum and Persicae Semen in the range of 898-1 751 nm was collected based on hyperspectral imaging technology. Armeniacae Semen Amarum and Persicae Semen from different origins were collected as research objects, and a total of 720 Armeniacae Semen Amarum samples and 600 Persicae Semen samples were used for authenticity discrimination. The region of interest(ROI) and the average reflection spectrum in the ROI were obtained, followed by comparing five pre-processing methods. Then, partial least squares discriminant analysis(PLS-DA), support vector machine(SVM), and random forest(RF) method were established for classification models, which were evaluated by the confusion matrix of prediction results and receiver operating characteristic curve(ROC). The results showed that in the three sample sets, the se-cond derivative pre-processing method and PLS-DA were the best model combinations. The classification accuracy of the test set under the 5-fold cross-va-lidation was 93.27%, 96.19%, and 100.0%, respectively. It was consistent with the confusion matrix of the predicted results. The area under the ROC curve obtained the highest values of 0.992 3, 0.999 6, and 1.000, respectively. The study revealed that the near-infrared hyperspectral imaging technology could accurately identify the medicinal materials of Armeniacae Semen Amarum and Persicae Semen from different origins and distinguish the authentication of these two varieties.

Fusion of spectrum and image features to identify Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma from different origins based on hyperspectral imaging technology / 中国中药杂志

To identify Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma from different geographical origins, spectrum and image features were extracted from visible and near-infrared(VNIR, 435-1 042 nm) and short-wave infrared(SWIR, 898-1 751 nm) ranges based on hyperspectral imaging technology. The spectral features of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma samples were extracted from hyperspectral data and denoised by a variety of pre-processing methods. The classification models were established by using Partial Least Squares Discriminate Analysis(PLS-DA), Support Vector Classification(SVC) and Random Forest(RF). Meanwhile, Gray-Level Co-occurrence matrix(GLCM) was employed to extract textural variables. The spectrum and image data were implemented from three dimensions, including VNIR and SWIR fusion, spectrum and image fusion, and comprehensive data fusion. The results indicated that the spectrum in SWIR range performed better classification accuracy than VNIR range. Compared with other four pre-processing methods, the second derivative method based on Savitzky-Golay(SG) smoothing exhibited the best performance, and the classification accuracy of PLS-DA and SVC models were 93.40% and 94.11%, separately. In addition, the PLS-DA model was superior to SVC and RF models in terms of classification accuracy and model generalization capability, which were evaluated by confusion matrix and receiver operating characteristic curve(ROC). Comprehensive data fusion on SPA bands achieved a classification accuracy of 94.82% with only 28 bands. As a result, this approach not only greatly improved the classification efficiency but also maintained its accuracy. The hyperspectral imaging system, a non-invasively, intuitively and quickly identify technology, could effectively distinguish Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma samples from different origins.

"'s five-needle method" as the main treatment for allergic rhinitis and asthma syndrome: a multi-center randomized controlled trial / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To compare the clinical effect differences between "'s five-needle method" and routine acupoint selection on allergic rhinitis and asthma syndrome.@*METHODS@#A total of 210 patients with allergic rhinitis and asthma syndrome were randomly divided into an observation group (105 cases, 4 cases dropped off) and a control group (105 cases, 4 cases dropped off). The patients in the observation group were treated with "'s five-needling method", and the acupoints of Feishu (BL 13), Dazhui (GV 14), Fengmen (BL 12), Yintang (GV 29), Shangyingxiang (EX-HN 8) and Hegu (LI 4), etc. were selected; the patients in the control group was treated with routine acupuncture, and the acupoints of Feishu (BL 13), Zhongfu (LU 1), Taiyuan (LU 9), Dingchuan (EX-B 1), Danzhong (CV 17), Yintang (GV 29), Fengmen (BL 12) and Zusanli (ST 36), etc. were selected. The treatment in the two groups was given once a day, 6 times a week, for 4 weeks. The score of symptoms and signs was observed before and after treatment as well as 1 month, 2 months and 3 months after treatment. The forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), peak expiratory flow (PEF) and eosinophils in peripheral blood were measured before and after treatment in the two groups. After treatment, the clinical therapeutic effect was compared between the two groups.@*RESULTS@#The total effective rate was 98.0% (99/101) in the observation group, which was superior to 94.1% (95/101) in the control group (0.05), and the total score of symptoms and signs in the third month of follow-up in the control group was significantly increased (<0.05). After treatment, FEV1 and PEF in the two groups were increased (<0.01), eosinophil count in peripheral blood was decreased (<0.01), and the improvement in the observation group was greater than that in the control group (<0.01, <0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#"'s five-needle method" can improve the clinical symptoms and pulmonary function, reduce the count of eosinophils in peripheral blood in patients with allergic rhinitis and asthma syndrome, and the curative effect is better than routine acupuncture.

"Multi-component-multi-target-multi-pathway" mechanism of Kuihua Hugan Tablets based on network pharmacology / 中国中药杂志

To predict the targets of active ingredients of Kuihua Hugan Tablets by network pharmacology, and explore the "multi-component-multi-target-multi-pathway" hepatoprotective mechanism of action. First, through traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacology(TCMSP) and TCM Database@Taiwan Database, main active ingredients of Kuihua Hugan Tablets were screened out based on oral bioavailability(OB), drug-likeness(DL) and effective half-lives(HL). The targets of active ingredients of Kuihua Hugan Tablets were predicted based on the PharmMapper method. Then, the prediction was conducted by screening the target genes associated with chronic hepatitis and early cirrhosis through CooLGeN and GeneCards databases. Target gene functions and signal pathways were analyzed by bioinformatics annotation database Metascape. Cytoscape software was used to construct the Kuihua Hugan Tablets ingredient-target and ingredient-target-pathway network. String database combined with Cytoscape software was used to construct the networks of component-target and component-target-pathway. STRING database was combined with Cytoscape software to draw protein-protein interaction(PPI) network and conduct network topology analysis. Finally, Systems Dock Web Site software was applied in verifying the molecular docking between active ingredients and potential protein targets. A total of 26 compounds and 509 potential targets were screened out from Kuihua Hugan Tablets in the experiment. The results of PPI network analysis indicated that albumin(ALB), insulin-like growth factor 1(IGF1), matrix metalloproteinase-9(MMP9), matrix metalloproteinase-2(MMP2), non-receptor tyrosine kinase proto-oncogene(SRC), estrogen receptor 1(ESR1) and cancer-signal transduction-inflammation-drugs metabolism-related biological processes and metabolic pathways were closely associated with the active ingredients in Kuihua Hugan Tablets. The effects of Kuihua Hugan Tablets in alleviating chronic hepatitis and early cirrhosis indicated the multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway characteristics of traditional Chinese medicines, providing new ideas for further research and development of Kuihua Hugan Tablets.

Effect of saponins extracted from Panax japonicas on inhibiting myocardial fibrosis by TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling pathway in aging rats / 中国中药杂志

To investigate the amelioration effect of saponins extracted from Panax japonicas (SPJ) on myocardial fibrosis in natural aging rats and its mechanisms, male SD rats aged 18 months were randomly divided into 3 groups (aging model group, low-dose SPJ group and high-dose SPJ group), with 10 rats in each group. SPJ groups were given SPJ at different doses (10, 60 mg·kg⁻¹·d⁻¹) consecutively for 6 months, meanwhile, aging model group was treated with the equal volume of saline for 6 months until 24 months old. Another 10 rats aged 6 month were used as young control group. The changes of myocardial morphological were observed by haematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. Masson staining was used to observe the changes of collagen deposition in rat hearts. RT-PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of myofibroblast marker α-SMA, collagen-related protein COL1α2, COL3α1 and matrix metalloproteinase MMP2, MMP9. Western blot was used to test the changes of the protein expressions of TGF-β1, p-Smad3, IL-1β and TNF-α in heart tissues. SPJ can effectively improve the arrangement of myocardial fibers, decrease inflammatory infiltration and reduce collagen deposition in aging rats. SPJ can effectively down-regulate the mRNA expression levels of COL1α2, COL3α1, α-SMA, MMP9, MMP2 and inhibit the protein expressions of TGF-β1, p-Smad3, TNF-α, IL-1β in the natural aging heart tissues. SPJ can effectively alleviate myocardial fibrosis in natural aging rats, and its mechanisms was related to the inhibition of the protein expressions of TGF-β1, p-Smad3 and the reduction of myocardial inflammation in rat hearts.

Effect and mechanism of balance acupuncture for blood glucose,hypertension and hyperlipidemia of type 2 diabetes mellitus patient / 医疗卫生装备

Objective To observe the effects of balance acupuncture at hypoglycemic point on type 2 diabetes mellitus.Methods Three-week balance acupuncture on hypoglycemic point was executed for 60 cases of confirmed type 2 diabetes mellitus patients,the changes of blood glucose,urine glucose,systolic pressure,diastolic pressure,blood fat,body weight and clinical symptoms were recorded,and statistical analysis was carried out with CHISS software.Results Balance acupuncture on hypoglycemic point decreased significantly the blood glucose,blood pressure,blood fat and etc of the patients (P＜0.001),the clinical symptoms were improved obviously after acupuncture such as thirst,bulimia and dieresis (P＜0.001),and there was statistical difference between the body weights before and after acupuncture (P＜0.05).Conclusion Balance acupuncture contributes to improving the blood glucose,blood pressure and blood fat of type 2 diabetes mellitus and relieves the clinical symptoms,whose mechanism,involving in the idea of brain science,is to fulfill acupuncture through central control.

Oral Testosterone Undecanoate Capsules combined with Qilin Pills for late-onset hypogonadism in males / 中华男科学杂志

Objective@#To investigate the clinical effects of oral Testosterone Undecanoate Capsules (TUC) combined with Qilin Pills (QLP) on late-onset hypogonadism (LOH) in men.@*METHODS@#Sixty-three LOH patients meeting the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into a control group (aged ［48.4 ± 6.2］ yr, n = 32) and an experimental group (aged ［47.2 ± 5.6］ yr, n = 31) to be treated with oral TUC (80 mg, qd) and TUC + QLP (6g, tid), respectively, both for 3 months. Comparisons were made between the two groups of patients in the IIEF-5 scores, total testosterone (TT) levels, and scores in the Aging Males' Symptoms (AMS) scale before and after treatment.@*RESULTS@#After treatment, the patients of the experimental group, as compared with the controls, showed a significantly increased IIEF-5 score (21.7 ± 5.8 vs 15.9 ± 4.7, P <0.05) and TT level (［16.7 ± 2.2］ vs ［13.1 ± 2.8］ nmol/L, P <0.05), but a decreased AMS score (20.7 ± 5.7 vs 31.3±6.5, P <0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#TUC combined with Qilin Pills has a better effect and a lower rate of adverse reactions than TUC used alone in the treatment of late-onset hypogonadism in males.

Docking-based virtual screening of MEK1 inhibitors from Chinese herbs / 中国中药杂志

The hyperphosphorylation of MEK1(mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1) is one of the causesfor melanoma. It is important to discover a potential medicine for melanoma through virtual screening of chemical composition of Chinese material medica on MEK1. In this study, a docking pocket model and Flex Search model were built by using a MEK1 crystal structure, the similarity between connector conformation and gametophyte conformation in the crystal structure was 0.784.There was a linear relationship between total score and pIC₅₀on MEK1 inhibitors, with R²=0.937, which further indicated the reliability of the virtual screening model.The search library of traditional Chinese medicine database on the Lipinski's rule was docked with the pocket model, and then 50 compounds with a totalscore of more than 7.0 were obtained by the Flex model. In this paper, top 10 active ingredients in screening results showed atotal score of more than that of positive medicines. It is expected to further research the inhibition of MEK1 and melanoma.

Asian Consensus Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal tumors originating in the gastrointestinal tract. With the introduction of molecular-targeted therapy for GISTs which has yielded remarkable outcomes, these tumors have become a model of multidisciplinary oncological treatment. Although Western clinical guidelines are available for GISTs, such as those published by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) and the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO), the clinical situations in Asian countries are different from those in Western countries in terms of diagnostic methods, surgical approach, and availability of new targeted agents. Accordingly, we have reviewed current versions of several GIST guidelines published by Asian countries (Japan, Korea, China, and Taiwan) and the NCCN and ESMO and discussed the areas of dissensus. We here present the first version of the Asian GIST consensus guidelines that were prepared through a series of meetings involving multidisciplinary experts in the four countries. These guidelines provide an optimal approach to the diagnosis and management of GIST patients in Asian countries.

Determination of six alkaloids in six types of Coptidis Rhizoma pieces by RP-HPLC and spectrum-effect relationships with anti-diabetes pharmacodynamics data / 中国中药杂志

To establish a method for determining the contents of six alkaloids (jatrorrhizine hydrochloride, columbamine hydrochloride, epiberberine hydrochloride, coptisine hydrochloride, palmatine hydrochloride, berberine hydrochloride) in six types of Coptidis Rhizoma pieces (crude pieces, ginger juice stir-fried pieces, vinegar stir-fried pieces, wine steamed pieces, wine stir-fried pieces, evodiae juice stir-fried pieces) by RP-HPLC, and explore the relationship with the curative effect of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and pharmacodynamics results. The chromatographic column was Welch XtimateTM C₁₈ (4.6 mm×250 mm, 5 μm), with 0.1% triethylamine solution (adjust pH at 10 with ammonium bicarbonate and ammonia) as mobile phase A and acetonitrile as mobile phase B for gradient elution (0-15 min, 10%-25%B; 15-25 min, 25%-30%B; 25-40 min, 30%-45%B) at a rate of 1.0 mL•min⁻¹. The column temperature was set at 30 ℃, and the wavelength was set at 270 nm. The six alkaloids showed a good linear relationship within the range of 0.85-16.96 mg•L⁻¹ (r=0.999 7), 1.25-24.96 mg•L⁻¹ (r=0.999 9), 2.05-40.96 mg•L⁻¹ (r=0.999 9), 3.65-72.96 mg•L⁻¹ (r=0.999 9), 2.88-57.60 mg•L⁻¹ (r=0.999 8), and 13.25-264.96 mg•L⁻¹ (r=0.999 6) respectively. The average recoveries (n=9) of the six alkaloids were 102.4% (RSD 1.2%), 101.8% (RSD 1.3%), 100.3% (RSD 1.8%), 100.7%(RSD 1.8%), 101.2% (RSD 1.5%) and 97.90% (RSD 2.0%) respectively, and their average contents were 3.55, 4.49, 9.12, 19.17, 15.69, 62.56 mg•g⁻¹, respectively. This determination method was accurate and repeatable, which could be used for the content determination in six types of Coptidis Rhizoma pieces. Data analysis on contents determination and preliminary pharmacodynamics results was conducted by using principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA). The analysis results showed that three types of Coptidis Rhizoma pieces (wine steamed pieces, wine stir-fried pieces, and evodiae juice stir-fried pieces) had significant differences with crude pieces, and the wine steamed Coptidis Rhizoma pieces showed most difference with crude pieces especially, mainly related to triglyceride (TG) and fasting blood glucose levels (FBG) in serum. In addition, columbamine hydrochloride was most affected among the six alkaloids. Those three types of Coptidis Rhizoma pieces (wine steamed pieces, wine stir-fried pieces, and evodiae juice stir-fried pieces), had more advantages for "anti-diabetes" in TCM clinical application, especially in the treatment of diabetic hyperlipidemia.

Correlation between serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate level and bone mineral density in aged women / 中华内分泌代谢杂志

Objective To investigate the relationship between the serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate ( DHEAS) level and bone mineral density ( BMD) in aged women. Methods Two hundred and seven elderly women aged 60-84 years were enrolled in the study. Acquisition histories, including age, body mass index, and blood pressure were recorded. Serum steroid hormones ( DHEAS, testosterone, estradiol, and cortisol) and bone metabolic markers:β-C-terminal telopeptide of type Ⅰ collagen (β-CTx ) , osteocalcin, and total procollagen type Ⅰ N propeptide ( TPINP) were determined. The BMD was also determined. The enrolled subjects were divided into 3 groups according to T values(T>-1. 0 s、-2. 5 s

Exploration on new role of ancient perilous but key acupoint of renying (ST 9) / 中国针灸

The specific functions, stimulating methods and ranges of clinical application of Renying (ST 9) are explored. Because Renying (ST 9) is located in the neck which is a dangerous area, it is perilous if the acupoint is stimulated, so it is mostly forbidden in the past dynasties. In recent years, the main stimulating methods for Renying (ST 9) include acupuncture and press. The keys of acupuncture are to apply correct technique of needle insertion and control the depth and direction of needle. The keys of press are focused on strength and time of press. Renying (ST 9) is effective for vertigo, palpitation, asthma, hemiplegia, aphasia, hysteria, acute attack of pain, hyperplasia of mammary, continuous hiccup, disorder of throat and so on. As long as the acupoint location is accurate, manipulation is careful and stimulating method is correct, not only the safety could be guaranteed, but also the function can be well-played in clinical application.

Rapid screening and quality evaluation for the harmful substance 5-hydroxymethyl furfural in commercially available traditional Chinese medicine injection using LC-MS/MS method / 药学学报

To screen the harmful substance 5-hydroxymethyl furfural content in commercially available traditional Chinese medicine injection which are commonly used, and to preliminarily evaluate the quality of these injections, 5-hydroxymethyl furfural was taken as an index. The contents of 5-hydroxymethyl furfural in 56 samples which consist of 23 kinds of traditional Chinese medicine injections and glucose injection were determined using LC-MS/MS, and 5-hydroxymethyl furfural was detected in 52 of these samples. The minimal content was 0.0038 microg x L(-1) and the maximum content was 1420 microg x mL(-1). The contents of 5-hydroxymethyl furfural were significantly different in traditional Chinese medicine injection which came from different kinds, manufacturers or batches. The results showed the quality difference of commercially available traditional Chinese medicine injection is significant taking 5-hydroxymethyl furfural content as assessment index. More attention should be paid to the safety of 5-hydroxymethyl furfural in traditional Chinese medicine injection, and unified limitation standard should be set to improve medication safety of traditional Chinese medicine injection.

Study on inhibitory effect of lycium pigment on lipopolysaccharide-induced uveitis in rats and its mechanism / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the inhibitory effect of lycium pigment on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced uveitis in rats and its mechanism.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The rat uveitis model was established by 30-day oral administration of lycium pigment (50, 100, 200 mg x kg(-1)) and footpad injection of LPS. Ocular tissues were collected for a histopathological inspection. The protein, nitric oxide and ADMA in aqueous humor, level of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in retina, activities of serum total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX), and content of malondialdehyde (MDA) were determined by using Western blot, ELISA and biochemical methods.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>According to the pathological study, lycium pigment (50, 100, 200 mg x kg(-1)) could notably reduce the inflammatory cell infiltration around corpus ciliare matrix of uveitis rats, and the concentration of protein and nitric oxide, and increased ADMA in aqueous humor. Lycium pigment (100, 200 mg x kg(-1)) could significantly inhibit the expression of iNOS in ocular tissues. In addition, lycium pigment (100, 200 mg x kg(-1)) also decrease the activities of serum T-AOC, SOD, GSH-PX, and the content of lipid peroxide MDA.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Lycium pigment has the inhibitory effect on LPS-induced uveitis in rats. Its mechanism is related to the regulation of nitric oxide/ADMA pathway and the improvement of oxidation resistance.</p>

Synergistic anti-inflammatory effect of Radix Platycodon in combination with herbs for cleaning-heat and detoxification and its mechanism / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the synergistic anti-inflammatory effect of Radix Platycodon in combination with herbs for cleaning-heat and detoxification and its mechanism for Fel-targeting.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups (8 per group): the sham-operated group, model group, Radix Platycodon group, Flos Lonicera and Fructus Forsythia (LF) group, and Radix Platycodon, Flos Lonicera and Fructus Forsythia combination (PLF) group, using a random number table. A rat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) model was established by passive smoking and intratracheal instillation of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The treatments started from the 15th day of passive smoking for a total duration of 14 days. At the end of the treatment, changes in the following measurements were determined: lung histopathology, inflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) and interleukin IL-1β (IL-1β) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and mRNA expression of endogenous active substance intestinal trefoil factor 3 (TFF3) in the lung tissue.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Light microscopy showed that compared with the sham-operated group, rats in the COPD model group had disrupted alveolar structure, collapsed local alveoli, significantly widened or even fused alveolar septa, and massive infiltration of inflammatory cells in the alveolar wall and interstitium. In addition, significant bronchial epithelium hyperplasia, partially shed epithelia, and marked inflammatory cell infiltration in the bronchial wall and its surrounding tissues were noticed. Electron microscopy showed that rats in the model group had degeneration of alveolar type II epithelial cell; reduction, breakage or even loss of cell surface microvilli; swollen mitochondria with disappearing cristae and vacuole-like structure; and, increased secondary lysosomes in alveolar macrophages. The TNF-α, TGF-β and IL-1β levels and white blood cell (WBC) count in BALF were significantly increased (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05) and TFF3 mRNA expression in the lung tissue was significantly reduced (P < 0.01). After treatment, the pathological morphology of lung injury was less severe in all three treatment groups. In addition, TGF-β and IL-1β and WBC count in BALF were decreased (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05), and TFF3 mRNA expression in the lung tissue was significantly increased in the PLF group (P < 0.01). Compared with the LF group, the IL-1β in BALF was significantly decreased P < 0.05), and TFF3 mRNA expression was significantly increased (P < 0.05) in the PLF group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Radix Platycodon synergizes with herbs for cleaning-heat and detoxification in reducing inflammatory injury in a rat model of COPD. The synergistic anti-inflammatory effect is reflected in the improvement in pathological changes and in the reduction of IL-1β levels in BALF. The mechanism of such synergistic action may be related to its effect on maintaining the TFF3 mRNA expression and Fel-targeting function.</p>

Identification of quantitative trait Loci for lipid metabolism in rice seeds.

Plant seed oil is important for human dietary consumption and industrial application. The oil trait is controlled by quantitative trait loci (QTLs), but no QTLs for fatty acid composition are known in rice, the monocot model plant. QTL analysis was performed using F(2) and F(2:3) progeny from a cross of an indica variety and a japonica variety. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis revealed significant differences between parental lines in fatty acid composition of brown rice oil, and 29 associated QTLs in F(2) and/or F(2:3) populations were identified throughout the rice genome, except chromosomes 9 and 10. Eight QTLs were repeatedly identified in both populations across different environments. Five loci pleiotropically controlled different traits, contributing to complex interactions of oil with fatty acids and between fatty acids. Nine rice orthologs of Arabidopsis genes encoding key enzymes in lipid metabolism co-localized with 11 mapped QTLs. A strong QTL for oleic (18:1) and linoleic (18:2) acid were associated with a rice ortholog of a gene encoding acyl-CoA:diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT), and another for palmitic acid (16:0) mapped similarly to the acyl-ACP thioesterase (FatB) gene ortholog. Our approach rapidly and efficiently identified candidate genes for mapped QTLs controlling fatty acid composition and oil concentration, providing information for improving rice grain quality by marker assisted selection.

Clinical observation on simple obesity treated by acupuncture / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of simple obesity treated by acupuncture.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>By randomized single-blind clinical trial, one hundred and eighteen cases of simple obesity were divided into an acupuncture group (76 cases) and a placebo-acupuncture control group (42 cases), additionally, health control group (30 cases) was included. In acupuncture group and placebo-acupuncture control group, all the patients received a restricted diet; Zhongwan (CV 12) and Zhongji (CV 3) etc. at abdomen and Liangqiu (ST 34) and Zusanli (ST 36) etc. at limbs were selected; body mass index (BMI), Serum Total Cholesterol, triglyceride (TG), Glucose, Creatinine, urea nitrogen (BUN), Uric Acid and adverse reactions scores were observed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After treatment the BMI in acupuncture grown was lower than that in placebo-acupuncture control group (P < 0.01). In metabolism indices, the serum Total Cholesterol and Glucose after treatment were reduced obviously than those before treatment in acupuncture group (all P < 0.01), and there was no significant differences in other metabolism indices (all P > 0.05) in two groups. After treatment, in adverse reactions scores, the hunger sensation scores in acupuncture group was reduced than that in placebo-acupuncture control group (P < 0.05), and there was no significant differences in other indices (all P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>BMI of simple obesity was reduced by acupuncture, and the Serum Total Cholesterol and Glucose were reduced accordingly. The adverse reac tions such as weakness, nervosa and diarrhea, etc. doesn't appear after acupuncture treatment. Acupuncture therapy is one of the safe and effective methods for simple obesity.</p>