Chemical constituents from the aerial parts of Rubia cordifolia L. with their NO inhibitory activity.

A new naphthoquinone derivative (1) together with twenty-three known compounds (2-24), were isolated from the aerial parts of Rubia cordifolia L. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of NMR and HR-ESIMS data. Compounds 1-13 were assessed for their inhibitory effects on NO production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. Compounds 2-6 exhibited significant inhibitory activities with IC50 values of 21.37, 13.81, 24.56, 20.32, and 30.08 µmol·L-1, respectively.

Modified Bushen Yiqi Formula mitigates pulmonary inflammation and airway remodeling by inhibiting neutrophils chemotaxis and IL17 signaling pathway in rats with COPD.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major global health concern characterized by pulmonary inflammation and airway remodeling. Traditional Chinese medicine, such as Modified Jiawei Bushen Yiqi Formula (MBYF), has been used as a complementary therapy for COPD in China. AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate the therapeutic potential of MBYF in a rat model of COPD induced by cigarette smoke (CS) exposure and explore the underlying mechanism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The COPD rat model was established through 24 weeks of CS exposure, with MBYF administration starting in the 9th week. Pulmonary function, histological analysis, inflammatory cell count and molecular assays were employed to assess the effects of MBYF on airway remodeling, pulmonary inflammation, neutrophils chemotaxis and the IL17 signaling pathway. RESULTS: MBYF treatment effectively delayed airway remodeling, as evidenced by improved pulmonary function parameters. Histological examination and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid analysis revealed that MBYF mitigated CS-induced pulmonary inflammation by reducing inflammatory cell infiltration. Pharmacological network analysis suggested that MBYF may act through the IL17 signaling pathway to regulate inflammatory responses. RNA-sequencing and molecular assays indicated that MBYF inhibited neutrophils chemotaxis through downregulating the CXCL1/CXCL5/CXCL8-CXCR2 axis, and suppressed IL17A, IL17F and its downstream cytokines, including IL6, TNFα, IL1ß, and COX2. Furthermore, MBYF inhibited the activation of NF-κB and MAPKs in the IL17 signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: MBYF exhibits potential as an adjunct or alternative treatment for COPD, effectively mitigating CS-induced pulmonary inflammation and airway remodeling through the inhibition of neutrophil chemotaxis and IL17 signaling pathway.

[Acupoints compatibility rules of acupuncture for depression disease based on data mining technology].

Based on data mining technology, the acupoints compatibility rules of acupuncture for depression diseases were explored. The randomized controlled trial (RCT) articles regarding acupuncture for depression diseases published from establishment of database to September 2nd, 2022 were searched in CNKI database, Wangfang database, VIP database, SinoMed database, PubMed, EMbase, Web of Science and Cochrane Library. The use frequency of acupoints, meridian tropism, selection of special acupoints and acupoint association rules for five common depression diseases, including primary depression, post-stroke depression, menopausal syndrome, psychoneurosis and anxiety disorder, were analyzed by Python programming language. Cytoscape software was used to analyze the acupoint association and the disease-acupoint co-occurrence network. As a result, totally 387 articles were included, and 319 acupoints prescriptions for the above five common depression diseases were extracted, involving 159 acupoints. The use frequency of acupoints was 2 574 times in total. The frequently-used acupoints were Baihui (GV 20), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Taichong (LR 3), Neiguan (PC 6), Shenmen (HT 7), Yintang (GV 24+), Zusanli (ST 36), Hegu (LI 4), Sishencong (EX-HN 1) and Taixi (KI 3), etc. The frequently involved meridians were the governor vessel, foot-taiyang bladder meridian, foot-taiyin spleen meridian, and foot-jueyin liver meridian. The frequency of the special acupoints from high to low was crossing points, five-shu points, yuan-primary points, back-shu points, luo-connecting points, and eight confluent points, etc, which were often used in combination with "Baihui (GV 20)-Yintang (GV 24+)" (the highest degree of association). At the same time, the analysis of the co-occurrence network of depression diseases and acupoints showed that the core acupoints group of acupuncture for depression diseases were Baihui (GV 20), Taichong (LR 3), Shenmen (HT 7), Zusanli (ST 36), Neiguan (PC 6) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6). In conclusion, acupuncture treatment for depression diseases has gradually formed a rule of acupoint compatibility, with special acupoint as the main body and "unblocking the governor vessel, and regulating the spirit and qi " as the main therapeutic principle.

Icariside II potentiates the anti-PD-1 antitumor effect by reducing chemotactic infiltration of myeloid-derived suppressor cells into the tumor microenvironment via ROS-mediated inactivation of the SRC/ERK/STAT3 signaling pathways.

BACKGROUND: Immune checkpoint blockade agents, such as anti-PD-1 antibodies, show promising antitumor efficacy but only a limited response in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Icariside II (IS), a metabolite of Herba Epimedii, is a COX-2 and EGFR inhibitor that can enhance the anti-PD-1 effect. This study aimed to evaluate the antitumor effect of IS in combination with anti-PD-1 and explore the underlying mechanism. METHODS: Tumor growth was assessed in Lewis Lung Cancer (LLC) tumor-bearing mice in seven groups (control, IS 20 mg/kg, IS 40 mg/kg, anti-PD-1, IS 20 mg/kg+anti-PD-1, IS 40 mg/kg+anti-PD-1, ERK inhibitor+anti-PD-1). Tumor-infiltrating immune cells were measured by flow cytometry. The mechanisms were explored by tumor RNA-seq and validated in LLC cells through molecular biological experiments using qRT‒PCR, ELISA, and western blotting. RESULTS: Animal experiments showed that IS in combination with anti-PD-1 further inhibited tumor growth and remarkably reduced the infiltration of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) into the tumor compared with anti-PD-1 monotherapy. RNA-seq and in vitro experiments showed that IS suppressed the chemotactic migration of MDSCs by downregulating the expression of CXC chemokine ligands 2 (CXCL2) and CXCL3. Moreover, IS promoted reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and inhibited the activation of SRC/ERK/STAT3 in LLC cells, which are upstream signaling pathways of these chemokines. CONCLUSION: IS potentiates the anti-PD-1 anti-tumor effect by reducing chemotactic infiltration of the myeloid-derived suppressor cell into the tumor microenvironment, via ROS-mediated inactivation of SRC/ERK/STAT3 signaling pathways.

Efficacy and safety of modified Bushen Yiqi formulas (MBYF) as an add-on to formoterol and budesonide in the management of COPD: study protocol for a multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, randomized clinical trial: FB-MBYF Trial.

BACKGROUND: Inhaled glucocorticoid corticosteroid (ICS), long-acting ß2-adrenoceptor agonist (LABA), and other drugs have limited therapeutic effects on COPD with significant individual differences. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)-modified Bushen Yiqi formula (MBYF) demonstrates advantages in COPD management in China. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of MBYF as an add-on to budesonide/formoterol in COPD patients and confirm the related genes affecting the therapeutic effect in the treatment of COPD. METHODS: In this multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study, eligible patients with COPD will randomly receive a 360-day placebo or MBYF as an adjuvant to budesonide/formoterol in a 1:1 ratio and be followed up with every 2 months. The primary outcomes will be the frequency, times, and severity of acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD), COPD assessment test (CAT) score, and pulmonary function tests (PFTs). The secondary outcomes will include the modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnoea scale, 6-min walking test (6MWT), BODE index, quantitative scores of syndromes classified in TCM, inflammation indices, and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenaline (HPA) axis function. We will also test the genotype to determine the relationship between drugs and efficacy. All the data will be recorded in case report forms (CRFs) and analysed by SPSS V.20.0. DISCUSSION: A randomized clinical trial design to evaluate the efficacy and safety of MBYF in COPD is described. The results will provide evidence for the combination therapy of modern medicine and TCM medicine, and individual therapy for COPD. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ID:  ChiCTR1900026124 , Prospective registration.

Icaritin inhibited cigarette smoke extract-induced CD8+ T cell chemotaxis enhancement by targeting the CXCL10/CXCR3 axis and TGF-ß/Smad2 signaling.

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a disabling/fatal disease characterized by progressive pulmonary function decline, and there are currently few drugs that can effectively reverse the decline in lung function; therefore, it is necessary to find novel drug targets. CD8+ T cells might be a new therapeutic target for alleviating lung tissue destruction and improving pulmonary function in COPD. The CXCL10/CXCR3 axis is a pivotal chemotactic axis involved in the abnormal infiltration of CD8+ T cells into the lung tissue of COPD; thus, inhibition of this axis might be a potential method to suppress CD8+ T cell-mediated lung tissue destruction in COPD. However, few drugs have been reported to target CD8+ T cells and the CXCL10/CXCR3 axis. Icaritin (ICT), one of the major components of Epimedii Folium, has been reported to have antioxidative effects in a COPD model in vitro. Whether ICT also has effects on CD8+ T cells and the CXCL10/CXCR3 axis in COPD has never been investigated. PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the effects of ICT on CD8+ T cell chemotaxis and the CXCL10/CXCR3 axis in interferon (IFN)-γ + cigarette smoke extract (CSE)-stimulated THP-1-derived macrophages, which simulated the pulmonary microenvironment of COPD, and then to determine the mechanisms. METHODS: The effects of ICT on the expression and secretion of CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXCL11 in THP-1-derived macrophages were measured by qRT-PCR and ELISA, and the effects of the supernatant of THP-1-derived macrophages treated with or without ICT on CD8+ T cell chemotaxis were also evaluated. Subsequently, the effects of ICT on the apoptosis and proliferation of CD8+ T cells were also assessed by EdU-488 assays and Annexin V/PI staining, respectively. Moreover, the mechanisms by which ICT inhibits the CXCL10/CXCR3 axis were investigated by RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis. RESULTS: The present study showed that ICT (5 µM) significantly suppressed the expression and secretion of CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXCL11 in THP-1-derived macrophages after stimulation with IFN-γ + CSE and indirectly inhibited CD8+ T cell chemotaxis by reducing the secretion of the above chemokines. In addition, this study found that ICT had no significant effect on the proliferation of CD8+ T cells, and neither led to apoptosis. The results of the RNA-seq analysis illustrated that the transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß signaling pathway was significantly downregulated after ICT intervention, and subsequent qRT-PCR and western blotting showed that ICT could significantly downregulate the TGF-ß-Smad2 signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS: ICT reduced CD8+ T cell chemotaxis by inhibiting the CXCL10/CXCR3 axis, and these effects might be achieved by suppressing the TGF-ß-Smad2 signaling pathway.

Multiple in vitro biological effects of phenolic compounds from Terminalia chebula var. tomentella.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Terminalia chebula (TC), a well-known Indian Ayurvedic medicine introduced into China in the Sui and Tang Dynasties, has been recorded and used medicinally as Fructus Chebulae, together with its variety tomentella (TCT) in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. They have been also used commonly for the treatment of diabetes mellitus by Tibetan medicine. AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate the main bioactive and therapeutic principles in the fruits of TCT, based on the extensive evaluation of their anti-inflammatory and hypoglycemic activities. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The TCT fresh fruits were analyzed by HPLC and separated further by column chromatography and preparative HPLC. The isolated compounds were identified by extensive spectroscopic analyses, including 1D/2D NMR, MS, UV, IR and ECD. Anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated by inhibition of NO production in RAW264.7 cells. The specific iNOS (PDB ID: 3E7G) structure was prepared by Discovery Studio 4.0, and the molecular docking simulation was performed on GOLD (version 5.2.2). Hypoglycemic activity was measured using the substrate solution of 4-nitrophenyl-α-d-glucopyranoside enzyme and buffer solution. RESULTS: The HPLC analysis method of polyphenols in the fruits of TCT was established, and 13 main chromatographic peaks were identified, including six hydrolyzable tannins (2, 4-7, 10-11), three simple phenols (12-14), and one oleanane pentacyclic triterpene, arjungenin. Extensive chromatographic separation of TCT fresh fruits yielded 14 compounds, including one new natural hydrolyzable tannin, 2,3-(S)-HHDP-6-O-galloyl-d-glucose (1). The known compounds were identified as 10 hydrolyzable tannins (2-11) and three simple phenols (12-14). Compounds 10 (IC50 = 36.43 ± 0.21 µM), 11 (IC50 = 42.28 ± 0.09 µM) displayed stronger NO inhibitory activity than the positive control L-NMMA (IC50 = 42.34 ± 0.66 µM), while 2, 4, and 9 showed moderate inhibitory activity against NO production. Further molecular docking simulation of specific iNOS on 10 and 11, as well as five previously isolated lignans 15-19 showed that there were no obvious rules between docking results and the in vitro NO inhibitory activity for hydrolyzable tannins (10 and 11), while the mechanism of anti-inflammatory activity for lignans was related to the substitution of conjugated aldehyde groups. Moreover, most of the hydrolyzable tannins (1-2, 4-5, 9-11) and simple phenol (12) displayed stronger inhibitory effects on α-glucosidase than the positive control, quercetin (IC50 = 6.118 ± 0.071 µM), with IC50 values ranging from 0.079 to 16.494 µM. Among these bioactive isolates, the hydrolyzable tannins 2, 4-5, and 9-11, and simple phenol 12 are major chemical components in TCT fruit. CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that lignans and hydrolyzed tannins are the main active ingredients of TCT fruits, responsible for the traditional treatment of sore throat and cough. Moreover, hydrolyzed tannins and simple phenolic compounds with potential hypoglycemic activity are closely related to the ethno-pharmacological uses of TCT fruits on diabetes in Tibetan medicine.

Model-Based Reasoning of Clinical Diagnosis in Integrative Medicine: Real-World Methodological Study of Electronic Medical Records and Natural Language Processing Methods.

BACKGROUND: Integrative medicine is a form of medicine that combines practices and treatments from alternative medicine with conventional medicine. The diagnosis in integrative medicine involves the clinical diagnosis based on modern medicine and syndrome pattern diagnosis. Electronic medical records (EMRs) are the systematized collection of patients health information stored in a digital format that can be shared across different health care settings. Although syndrome and sign information or relative information can be extracted from the EMR and content texts can be mapped to computability vectors using natural language processing techniques, application of artificial intelligence techniques to support physicians in medical practices remains a major challenge. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate model-based reasoning (MBR) algorithms for the clinical diagnosis in integrative medicine based on EMRs and natural language processing. We also estimated the associations among the factors of sample size, number of syndrome pattern type, and diagnosis in modern medicine using the MBR algorithms. METHODS: A total of 14,075 medical records of clinical cases were extracted from the EMRs as the development data set, and an external test data set consisting of 1000 medical records of clinical cases was extracted from independent EMRs. MBR methods based on word embedding, machine learning, and deep learning algorithms were developed for the automatic diagnosis of syndrome pattern in integrative medicine. MBR algorithms combining rule-based reasoning (RBR) were also developed. A standard evaluation metrics consisting of accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score was used for the performance estimation of the methods. The association analyses were conducted on the sample size, number of syndrome pattern type, and diagnosis of lung diseases with the best algorithms. RESULTS: The Word2Vec convolutional neural network (CNN) MBR algorithms showed high performance (accuracy of 0.9586 in the test data set) in the syndrome pattern diagnosis of lung diseases. The Word2Vec CNN MBR combined with RBR also showed high performance (accuracy of 0.9229 in the test data set). The diagnosis of lung diseases could enhance the performance of the Word2Vec CNN MBR algorithms. Each group sample size and syndrome pattern type affected the performance of these algorithms. CONCLUSIONS: The MBR methods based on Word2Vec and CNN showed high performance in the syndrome pattern diagnosis of lung diseases in integrative medicine. The parameters of each group's sample size, syndrome pattern type, and diagnosis of lung diseases were associated with the performance of the methods. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03274908; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03274908.

Efficacy and safety of Jia Wei Bushen Yiqi formulas as an adjunct therapy to systemic glucocorticoids on acute exacerbation of COPD: study protocol for a randomized, double-blinded, multi-center, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Systemic glucocorticoids are effective for the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbation but have serious adverse effects. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) can bring additional benefits to these patients but has few adverse effects. The present study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Jia Wei Bushen Yiqi (JWBY) formulas in patients who suffer from COPD exacerbations and to investigate whether the short-term (5-days) systemic glucocorticoid therapy is non-inferior to the long-term (9-day) regime. METHODS: In this multi-center, randomized, double-blinded trial, eligible inpatients with COPD exacerbation are randomly assigned to four groups (A, B, C, and D). Group A will receive placebo plus 5-day prednisone, group B will receive placebo plus 9-day prednisone, group C will receive JWBY formulas plus 5-day prednisone, and group D will receive JWBY formulas plus 9-day prednisone. The primary outcomes are the time interval to the patient's next exacerbation during a 180-day following up and the COPD assessment test (CAT) during treatment. Secondary outcomes include lung function, TCM syndrome assessment, laboratory tests, and safety. The changes of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenaline axis (HPA axis) and inflammatory cytokine will be measured as well. DISCUSSION: By demonstrating the advantages of utilizing TCM and an appropriate duration of systemic glucocorticoids, this effectiveness comparison trial will provide new references to physicians on how to improve the management of COPD exacerbation. The results of HPA axis and inflammation cytokine measurements will shed light on the molecular mechanisms and entail further mechanism studies. TRIAL REGISTRATION: www.chictr.org.cn ChiCTR1900023364. Registered on 24 May 2019.

Aromatic constituents from Ganoderma lucidum and their neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory activities.

Five new aromatic compounds, designed as lucidumins A-D (1-4) and lucidimine E (9), along with seven known aromatic compounds (5-8, 10-12) were isolated from Ganoderma lucidum. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic method. Bioactive evaluation showed that compounds 2-4 and 6-10 displayed remarkable neuroprotective activities against corticosterone-induced PC12 cell damage, with the cell viability ranging from 69.99% to 126.00%; and compounds 1-4, 9 and 10 exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activities against LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW264.7 macrophages, with IC50 values ranging from 4.68 to 15.49 µM. In particular, compound 10 showed remarkable neuroprotection with EC50 value of 2.49 ±â€¯0.12 µM, and potent anti-inflammation with IC50 value of 4.68 ±â€¯0.09 µM.

Nondigestible carbohydrates, butyrate, and butyrate-producing bacteria.

Nondigestible carbohydrates (NDCs) are fermentation substrates in the colon after escaping digestion in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Among NDCs, resistant starch is not hydrolyzed by pancreatic amylases but can be degraded by enzymes produced by large intestinal bacteria, including clostridia, bacteroides, and bifidobacteria. Nonstarch polysaccharides, such as pectin, guar gum, alginate, arabinoxylan, and inulin fructans, and nondigestible oligosaccharides and their derivatives, can also be fermented by beneficial bacteria in the large intestine. Butyrate is one of the most important metabolites produced through gastrointestinal microbial fermentation and functions as a major energy source for colonocytes by directly affecting the growth and differentiation of colonocytes. Moreover, butyrate has various physiological effects, including enhancement of intestinal barrier function and mucosal immunity. In this review, several representative NDCs are introduced, and their chemical components, structures, and physiological functions, including promotion of the proliferation of butyrate-producing bacteria and enhancement of butyrate production, are discussed. We also describe the strategies for achieving directional accumulation of colonic butyrate based on endogenous generation mechanisms.

[Effects of detritus removal on soil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus stoichiometry and related factors in a temperate deciduous forest in the Maoershan Mountain, China.] / æ¤ç‰©æ®‹ä½“åŽ»é™¤å¯¹å¸½å„¿å±±æ¸©å¸¦è½å¶æž—åœŸå£¤ç¢³ã€æ°®ã€ç£·åŒ–å­¦è®¡é‡ç‰¹å¾åŠå ¶ç›¸å ³å› å­çš„å½±å“.

A detritus-removal experiment was conducted in a temperate deciduous broad-leaved forest in 2007 at the Maoershan Ecological Station in Northeast China, including two treatments: Litterfall removal (NL), root removal (NR). Soil water content, bulk density and the concentrations of soil C, N and P were measured in 2016. The results showed that the C concentration at the surface soil layer (0-10 cm) was reduced by 15.6% and 10.7% for the NL and NR treatments, respectively, while the weighted-mean soil C concentration in 0-30 cm depth was reduced by 7.9% and 4.6%, respectively. The N concentration of the surface layer in the NL treatment decreased by 10.2%, whereas the surface-soil P concentration in the NR treatment increased by 6.6%, resulting in reduced C:P and N:P for both treatments. The standardized major axis regressions showed that the regression slopes between the C, N and P at each layer of 0-30 cm soil depth differed significantly among the treatments. The intercepts of the regressions between soil C concentration and bulk density or soil water content had significant differences among the treatments. The results suggested that detritus-removal caused a coordinated variation in soil C, N and P stoichiometry and physical properties. Therefore, we recommend taking the effect on soil ecological stoichiometry into account in future detritus-removal experiments.

Scutellaria baicalensis Attenuates Airway Remodeling via PI3K/Akt/NF-κB Pathway in Cigarette Smoke Mediated-COPD Rats Model.

Background. Scutellaria baicalensis (SB) is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine for chronic inflammatory diseases. This study aims to investigate the effects of the early intervention with SB on airway remodeling in a well-established rat model of COPD induced by cigarette smoking. Methods. COPD model in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were established by exposing them to smoke for 6 days/week, for 12 weeks, 24 weeks, or 36 weeks. Meanwhile, rats were randomly divided into normal control group, model group, Budesonide (BUD) group, and the SB (low, middle, and high) dose groups with 8 rats in each group and 3 stages (12 weeks, 24 weeks, and 36 weeks). After treatment, the pulmonary function was evaluated by BUXCO system and the morphology changes of the lungs were observed with HE and Masson staining. The serum IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10 and TNF-α, TGF-beta (TGF-ß1), MMP-2, MMP-9, and TIMP-1 levels in BALF were detected by ELISA-kit assay. The protein expression levels of AKT and NF-κB (p65) were determined by western blot (WB). Results. The oral of SB significantly improved pulmonary function (PF) and ameliorated the pathological damage and attenuated inflammatory cytokines infiltration into the lungs. Meanwhile, the levels of TGF-ß, MMP-2, MMP-9, and TIMP-1 were partially significantly decreased. The levels of PI3K/AKT/NF-κB pathway were also markedly suppressed by SB. Conclusions. SB could significantly improve the condition of airway remodeling by inhibiting airway inflammation and partially quenching TGF-ß and MMPs via PI3K/AKT/NF-κB pathway.

Aberrant intrinsic functional connectivity in thalamo-cortical networks in major depressive disorder.

OBJECTIVE: Growing evidence has implicated dysfunction of the thalamus and its projection cortical targets in depression. However, the anatomical specificity of thalamo-cortical connectivity in major depressive disorder (MDD) remains unknown due to the regional heterogeneity of the thalamus and limited methods to examine this. METHODS: Resting-state fMRI was collected on 70 MDD patients and 70 healthy controls. The thalamus was parcellated based on connectivity with six predefined cortical regions of interest (ROIs). The segmented thalamic nuclei were used as seeds to map connectivity with the rest of the whole brain. The cortical-to-thalamus connectivity values and thalamus-based connectivity maps were compared between groups. RESULTS: The cortical ROIs demonstrated correlations with spatially distinct zones within the thalamus. We found a trend toward reduced parietal ROI-to-thalamus connectivity in MDD. Importantly, MDD patients demonstrated reduced connectivity between prefrontal and parietal thalamus ROIs and bilateral middle frontal gyrus (MFG) and the right posterior default mode network (DMN) and between the prefrontal and motor thalamus ROIs and lateral temporal regions. Conversely, increased connectivity emerged between the motor thalamus ROI and right MFG and right medial frontal gyrus/anterior cingulate; between motor/somatosensory thalamus ROIs and right posterior DMN; between prefrontal/somatosensory thalamus ROIs and cerebellum; and between the parietal thalamus ROI and left insula. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to examine the anatomical specificity of thalamo-cortical connectivity disturbances in MDD. Subjects with MDD demonstrated altered thalamo-cortical connectivity characterized by a complex pattern of region-dependent hypo- or hyperconnectivity. We therefore speculate that selectively modulating the connectivity of thalamo-cortical circuitry may be a potential novel therapeutic mechanism for MDD.

Stilbenes with anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic activity from the rhizomes of Bletilla ochracea Schltr.

Four new dihydrophenanthrenofuran, bleochranols A-D (1-4), along with 21 known compounds including phenanthrenes (5-14) and bibenzyls (15-25) were isolated and elucidated from the rhizomes of Bletilla ochracea. Combination of 1D/2D NMR techniques and the Electronic Circular Dichroism (ECD) spectroscopy based on the empirical helicity rules, chemical structure of those isolates were determined. All the compounds were evaluated for cytotoxicity against HL-60, SMMC-7721, A-549, MCF-7 and SW480 human cancer cell lines by MTS assay and anti-inflammatory activity by nitric oxide (NO) production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Among the 25 tested compounds, bleochranol A (1) showed remarkable cytotoxic activity against HL-60, A-549, and MCF-7 with IC50 values of 0.24 ±â€¯0.03, 3.51 ±â€¯0.09 and 3.30 ±â€¯0.99 µM respectively. The anti-inflammatory assay showed that compound 12 exhibited most potential activity against NO production in RAW 264.7 macrophages with IC50 2.86 ±â€¯0.17 µM. The results indicated that the main chemical constituents of B. ochracea were phenanthrene and bibenzyl and similar to that of B. striata.

A Real-World Evidence Study for Distribution of Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome and Its Elements on Respiratory Disease.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the distribution and characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome and its elements on respiratory diseases (RDs) based on real-world data (RWD). METHODS: A real-world study was performed to explore the relationships among TCM syndrome and RDs based on electronic medical information. A total of 26,074 medical records with complete data were available for data analysis. Factor analyses were used to reduce dimensions of TCM syndrome elements and detect common factors. Additionally, cluster analyses were employed to assess combinations of TCM syndrome elements. Finally, association rule analyses were performed to investigate the structures of TCM syndrome elements to estimate the patterns of TCM syndrome. RESULTS: A total of 27 TCM syndromes were extracted from RWD in this work. There were four TCM syndromes with >5.0% frequency based on the distribution frequency. The top five pathogenesis TCM syndrome elements were Tan, Huo, Feng, Qi_Xu, and Han. Factor analysis, cluster analysis, and association rule analysis demonstrated that Tan, Huo, Feng, Qi_Xu, Shen, and Fei were the core TCM syndrome elements. CONCLUSION: Four common Shi TCM syndromes on RDs were identified: Tan_Re_Yong_Fei, Tan_Zhuo_Zu_Fei, Feng_Re_Fan_Fei, and Feng_Han_Xi_Fei; two core common Xu TCM syndromes (Fei_Shen_Qi_Xu and Fei_Yin_Xu) and two core common Mix TCM syndromes (Fei_Pi_Qi_Xu-Tan_Shi_Yun_Fei and Fei_Shen_Qi_Xu-Tan_Yu_Zu_Fei) were also determined. The core TCM syndrome elements of Tan, Huo, Feng, Qi_Xu, Shen, and Fei were identified in this work.

Prevention of pulmonary fibrosis with salvianolic acid a by inducing fibroblast cell cycle arrest and promoting apoptosis.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge) is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), often in combination with other herbs, to treat a diversity of ailments. More recent studies have focused on its possible roles in the treatment of respiratory diseases (pneumonia and pulmonary fibrosis) and found that it has pharmacological activity that protects pulmonary morphology and function. However, the mechanism underlying this activity has not yet been clarified. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The purpose of this study was to investigate the anti-pulmonary fibrosis effects exerted by salvianolic acid A (SAA), the ingredient responsible for the pharmacological activity of Danshen, and the underlying mechanisms. Bleomycin (BLM)-induced rat pulmonary fibrosis was used to evaluate the antifibrotic role of SAA, and fibroblast cells were used to study the mechanism involved. RESULTS: BLM-treated rats exhibited increased alveolar wall thickness and collagen deposition in lung tissues, but these pathologies were greatly attenuated by daily administration of SAA. We also found that SAA significantly inhibited the proliferation, adhesion and migration of fibroblasts in vitro. This was partly due to a strong induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis upon SAA treatment. Consistent with these phenotypes, we observed decreased expression of the cell cycle-related proteins cyclin D1, cyclin E1, and cyclin B1, and increased expression of p53 and p21 in SAA-treated cells. In addition, the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein decreased in a dose-dependent manner, while cleaved caspase-3 protein increased upon SAA treatment. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the alleviation of rat pulmonary fibrosis by SAA is due to the inhibition of fibroblast proliferation and induction of apoptosis, which occurs mainly through p53-dependent growth arrest and apoptosis. We suggest that SAA should be considered as a potential novel therapeutic agent for the treatment of fibrotic lung diseases.

Study on the anti-cerebral ischemia effect of borneol and its mechanism.

BACKGROUND: Borneol is the processed item from resin of Dryobalanops aromatica Gaertn. f. It can enhance the activity of antioxidant enzymes in brain tissue and reduce inflammatory response by improving the energy metabolism of ischemic brain regions, and thereby reduces brain tissue damage. The objective of this paper was to study the anti-cerebral ischemia effect of borneol and its mechanism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The anti-cerebral ischemia effect of borneol was studied by ligation of bilateral common carotid arteries (CCA), and vagus nerves in mice and the acute cerebral ischemia-reperfusion experiment in rats. RESULTS: Compared with the blank and solvent control groups, the borneol low-; medium-; and high-dose groups can significantly prolong the gasping time of mice after decapitation, and extend the survival time of mice after ligation of bilateral CCA, and vagus nerves. CONCLUSION: Compared with the Xueshuantong injection group, the prolongation of survival time of mice after ligation of bilateral CCA, and vagus nerves was more apparent in the high-dose borneol experimental group; each experimental group can significantly reduce the number of leukocyte infiltration, the number of ICAM-1-positive vessels, as well as the number of TNF-α-positive cells. CONCLUSION: Borneol has an anti-cerebral ischemia effect.

[Rapid discriminating hogwash oil and edible vegetable oil using near infrared optical fiber spectrometer technique].

In the present study, a new method using near infrared spectroscopy combined with optical fiber sensing technology was applied to the analysis of hogwash oil in blended oil. The 50 samples were a blend of frying oil and "nine three" soybean oil according to a certain volume ratio. The near infrared transmission spectroscopies were collected and the quantitative analysis model of frying oil was established by partial least squares (PLS) and BP artificial neural network The coefficients of determina- tion of calibration sets were 0.908 and 0.934 respectively. The coefficients of determination of validation sets were 0.961 and 0.952, the root mean square error of calibrations (RMSEC) was 0.184 and 0.136, and the root mean square error of predictions (RMSEP) was all 0.111 6. They conform to the model application requirement. At the same time, frying oil and qualified edible oil were identified with the principal component analysis (PCA), and the accurate rate was 100%. The experiment proved that near infrared spectral technology not only can quickly and accurately identify hogwash oil, but also can quantitatively detect hog- wash oil. This method has a wide application prospect in the detection of oil.

[Pharmacognostical study of Cyperus rotundus growing in Wen-River area].

OBJECTIVE: To study the macroscopic, microscopic identification and chemical components of Cyperus rotundus growing in Wen-River area. METHODS: The features of different parts of Cyperus rotundus were described by material morphology and microscopic identification, the chemical components of aerial part and rhizome of Cyperus rotundus were studied by chemical experiment and GC-MS analysis. RESULTS: Summarized the transverse section structure of rhizome, stem and leaf of Cyperus rotundus, the chemical components of aerial part and the components and relative content of volatile oil in rhizome were determined. CONCLUSION: This study provides reference for the drug identification and the daodi medicinal material exploitation of Cyperus rotundus.