Effects of noni on cellular viability and osteogenic differentiation of gingiva-derived stem cells demonstrated by RNA sequencing and quantitative PCR.

Noni fruit (Morinda citrifolia) has been widely used in traditional medicine across tropical and subtropical regions, and is now being paid more attention in Western medicine. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of noni extract on the change in the cellular morphology, maintenance of cellular viability and enhancement of osteogenic differentiation of stem cells. Stem cells obtained from gingiva were cultured where noni extracts existed at concentrations ranging from 10-200 ng/ml. Evaluations of cell morphology and cellular viability were performed. Alkaline phosphatase activity assays were performed to assess the osteogenic differentiation. Alizarin Red S staining was performed to evaluate the calcium deposits in the culture, with the addition of noni extract. Global gene expression was analyzed via next-generation mRNA sequencing. Gene ontology and pathway analyses were performed to determine the associated mechanisms. Validation procedures were performed via quantitative (q)PCR analysis. The addition of noni at concentrations ranging from 10-200 ng/ml did not produce significant morphological changes. There were significantly higher values of cellular viability, with the highest value at 100 ng/ml compared with the control (P<0.05). Furthermore, significantly higher values of alkaline phosphatase activity was noted in the 10 and 100 ng/ml groups compared with the 0 ng/ml group on day 7 (P<0.05). Alizarin Red S staining revealed calcium deposits in each group. In addition, the highest value for Alizarin Red S staining was observed at 100 ng/ml compared with the unloaded control (P<0.05). qPCR analysis demonstrated that the mRNA expression levels of RUNX2, BSP, OCN and COL1A1 increased following treatment with noni. Taken together, the results of the present study suggest that noni extract has enhancing effects on gingiva-derived mesenchymal stem cells, by enhancing cellular viability and osteogenic differentiation.

Potential Benefits of Acupuncture and Herbs for Obesity-Related Chronic Inflammation by Adipokines.

The adipose tissue is an organ that stores energy in the form of fats. It also has been known as an endocrine playing an integral role in metabolic homeostasis by secreting various adipokines. In obesity, the adipokine components and secretion patterns are altered toward proinflammation with weight gain, causing low chronic inflammation, which is closely linked to various metabolic diseases. Acupuncture and herbs are used for the management of obesity and its comorbidities, and it has been observed that these therapies affect the amount of expression and concentration of adipokines with improved metabolic phenotypes in both animal and human metabolic diseases. In this review, we discuss the role of adipokines and summarize beneficial effects of the treatments such as electroacupuncture, pharmacopuncture, catgut embedding acupuncture, and single and multiple medicinal herbs on obesity and its relations to adipokine composition. It will provide a new insight for applying adipokines as surrogate markers in complementary and alternative medicine practice.

Effect of Music Therapy as Intervention on Peripheral Neuropathic Pain and Anxiety of Gynecologic Cancer Patients Undergoing Paclitaxel Chemotherapy.

PURPOSE: This study was to investigate the effect of music therapy as intervention on peripheral neuropathic pain and anxiety of gynecologic cancer patients who were undergoing paclitaxel chemotherapy. METHODS: Hospitalized 62 patients were assigned to an experimental group (n=30) and a control group (n=33) in this quasi-experimental study. The experimental group participated in music therapy that includes listening, singing and song writing during 1 hour. The peripheral neuropathic pain, anxiety and depression were examined as pre-intervention evaluation by using pain scale, anxiety scale (20 questions) and depression scale (20 questions) in both groups. There were no further treatments for the control group while the experimental group involved in music therapy. The peripheral neuropathic pain and anxiety were evaluated in both groups as post-intervention evaluation. RESULTS: Outcomes were verified through hypothesis testing. The level of peripheral neuropathic pain and anxiety in the experimental group was decreased, compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: According to the study, music therapy is a beneficial intervention that reduces peripheral neuropathic pain and anxiety in gynecologic cancer patients. These findings are encouraging and suggest that music therapy can be applied as an effective intervention for minimizing chemotherapy related symptoms.