Effects of red cabbage extract rich in anthocyanins on rumen fermentation, rumen bacterial community, nutrient digestion, and plasma indices in beef bulls.

Dietary anthocyanins (ATH) have probiotic and antioxidant functions in humans. They may also have beneficial impacts on rumen microorganisms and subsequently nutrient digestion in cattle. The experiment aimed to study the effects of dietary red cabbage extract (RCE) rich in ATH on rumen fermentation, rumen bacterial community, and nutrient digestibility in beef bulls. Eight Simmental beef bulls and two RCE levels (0 and 120 g/d) were allocated in a replicated 2 × 2 crossover design. Each experimental period included 15 days for adaptation and subsequent 5 days for sampling. The results showed that dietary addition of RCE increased the ruminal concentration of total volatile fatty acids and the molar proportion of propionate, decreased the acetate to propionate ratio, and tended to decrease the molar proportion of acetate, but it did not affect the ruminal pH and the concentrations of ammonia N, microbial CP, monophenols, polyphenols, and total phenolics. ATH was undetectable in the ruminal fluid of beef bulls in both groups. RCE did not affect the alpha diversity of rumen bacterial community, and the relative abundances of major rumen bacteria at the phylum level, but it increased the relative abundances of Ruminobacter and Anaerovibrio and tended to increase the relative abundances of Oribacterium and Monoglobus at the genus level. RCE tended to increase the plasma concentrations of globulin and total protein, but it did not affect the plasma albumin, urea, triglyceride, glucose, and antioxidant activities. Dietary addition of RCE did not affect the apparent nutrient digestibility. In conclusion, the ATH in RCE was highly hydrolysable in rumen fluid. Dietary addition of RCE increased the ruminal concentration of total volatile fatty acids, decreased the acetate to propionate ratio, and slightly modified the rumen bacterial community, but it did not affect the nutrient digestibility and the plasma antioxidants in beef bulls.

Effects of graded levels of phytase supplementation on growth performance, serum biochemistry, tibia mineralization, and nutrient utilization in Pekin ducks.

A total of 560 one-day-old Pekin ducks were randomly allocated to 7 treatments with 8 replicate cages of 10 ducks per cage. The treatments included a corn-rice bran-soybean meal-based diet with recommended nonphytate phosphorus (NPP) (0.40% for 1-14 D/0.35% for 15-35 D, positive control; PC), NPP-deficient diet (0.22% for 1-14 D/0.18% for 15-35 D, negative control; NC), and NC diets supplemented with different levels of phytase (500, 2,500, 5,000, 7,500, 10,000 FTU/kg). Compared with the PC diet, feeding the NC diet significantly decreased (P < 0.05) the bird growth performance, serum total protein, and albumin concentration as well as tibia bone mineralization and strength and increased (P < 0.05) serum calcium (Ca), urea content, and alkaline phosphatase activity throughout the experimental period. Phytase supplementation to NC diets at 5,000 to 10,000 FTU/kg restored (P < 0.05) growth performance, serum biochemical parameters, and tibia traits when compared with the levels of the PC. Moreover, the addition of phytase linearly increased (P < 0.05) dietary protein, Ca, and phosphorus (P) utilization as well as nitrogen output, and excreta iron, copper, manganese, and zinc concentration quadratically increased (P < 0.05) as well as P output. In conclusion, phytase at ≥5,000 FTU/kg was effective in ameliorating the negative effects of NC diets and reducing trace mineral supplementation in diet of Pekin ducks.

[Evidence and decision of the choice of delivery way in washed microbiota transplantation].

Washed microbiota transplantation (WMT) is a new concept and technique of fecal microbiota transplantation. The delivery routes of WMT include oral capsule, nasogastric tube, nasojejunal tube, gastroscopy, colonic transendoscopic enteral tubing, and anal enema. The research results among different indications or different designs based on the same indication are quite different, partially because of the influence of WMT delivery route. In the process of clinical research design and clinical practice, there are four aspects that affect the decision-making of WMT delivery route: safety, efficacy, cost-effectiveness, and patients' willingness. This article focuses on how to integrate the four aspects mentioned above in the decision-making process of choosing proper delivery of WMT for the final goal of mutual satisfaction between doctors and patients.

Burning mouth syndrome: a systematic review of treatments.

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a chronic oral pain syndrome that primarily affects peri- and postmenopausal women. It is characterized by oral mucosal burning and may be associated with dysgeusia, paresthesia, dysesthesia, and xerostomia. The etiology of the disease process is unknown, but is thought to be neuropathic in origin. The goal of this systematic review was to assess the efficacy of the various treatments for BMS. Literature searches were conducted through PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases, which identified 22 randomized controlled trials. Eight studies examined alpha-lipoic acid (ALA), three clonazepam, three psychotherapy, and two capsaicin, which all showed modest evidence of potentially decreasing pain/burning. Gabapentin was seen in one study to work alone and synergistically with ALA. Other treatments included vitamins, benzydamine hydrochloride, bupivacaine, Catuama, olive oil, trazodone, urea, and Hypericum perforatum. Of these other treatments, Catuama and bupivacaine were the only ones with significant positive results in symptom improvement. ALA, topical clonazepam, gabapentin, and psychotherapy may provide modest relief of pain in BMS. Gabapentin may also boost the effect of ALA. Capsaicin is limited by its side effects. Catuama showed potential for benefit. Future studies with standardized methodology and outcomes containing more patients are needed.

Efficacy and Therapeutic Potential of Curcumin Against Sepsis-Induced Chronic Lung Injury in Male Albino Rats.

The present study investigates curcumin effect against sepsis-induced chronic lung injury (CLI) of male albino rats. Rats were grouped into four groups such rats undergoing a sham cecal ligature puncture (CLP), rats undergoing CLP, rats undergoing CLP and treated with saline and rats undergoing CLP and treated with curcumin (100 mg/kg bwt). After 45 days of treatment, bronchoalveolar fluid (BALF), blood and lung tissues were collected from the each animal. The total protein content, wet and dry (W/D) weight of lung tissues and some inflammatory cells in the BALF were measured. Histopathological analysis was carried out to investigate the alteration of the cellular architecture of lung tissues. Lipid peroxidation malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) levels were determined. Cytokines such as interleukin-8 (IL-8), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a) and macrophage inhibitory factor (MIF) were measured in the BALF. Curcumin administration significantly reduced CLP-induced inflammation and pulmonary edema. Curcumin treatment is significantly reduced MPO activity, and inflammatory cell accumulation in the BALF and also protein level, MDA, SOD, and W/D ratio were significantly reduced in the lung tissues. Also, curcumin reduced the expression of IL-A, TNF-a and MIF levels in the lung tissues. Histopathological study revealed the significant reduction of CLP-induced CLI in the curcumin-treated male albino rats. Taking all these data together, it is concluded that curcumin can act as a suitable therapeutic agent against CLP-induced CLI of male albino rats.

Cloning of pig parotid secretory protein gene upstream promoter and the establishment of a transgenic mouse model expressing bacterial phytase for agricultural phosphorus pollution control.

This study examined the feasibility of using the promoter of the pig parotid secretory protein (PSP) gene for expression of the phytase transgene in mouse models. The pig parotid secretory protein gene is specifically expressed at high levels in the salivary glands. The 10-kb upstream promoter region of the gene necessary for tissue-specific expression has been identified. We have constructed phytase transgenes composed of the appA phytase gene from Escherichia coli driven by the upstream promoter region of the pig PSP gene with a 3' tail of either bovine growth hormone or the pig PSP gene polyadenylation signal. Transgenic mouse models with the construct showed that the upstream region of the pig PSP gene is sufficient for directing the expression of phytase transgenes in the saliva. Expression of salivary phytase reduced fecal phytate by 8.5 and 12.5% in 2 transgenic mouse lines, respectively. These results suggest that the expression of phytase in salivary glands of monogastric animals offers a promising biological approach to relieve the requirement for dietary phosphate supplements and to reduce phosphorus pollution from animal agriculture.

Inhibition of nicotine-DNA adduct formation in mice by six dietary constituents.

Nicotine [3-(1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinyl)-pyridine] is a major alkaloid in tobacco products and has proven to be a potential genotoxic compound. Many natural dietary products can suppress the DNA adduction, and hence act as inhibitors of cancer. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effects of curcumin, garlic squeeze, grapeseed extract, tea polyphenols, vitamin C, and vitamin E on nicotine-DNA adduction in vivo using an ultrasensitive method of accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). The results demonstrated that all the dietary constituents induced marked dose-dependent decrease in nicotine-DNA adducts as compared with the control. The reduction rate reached about 50% for all agents, except garlic squeeze (40%), even at its highest dose level. Amongst the six agents, grapeseed extract exhibited the strongest inhibition to the DNA adduct formation. Therefore, we may arrive at a point that these dietary constituents are beneficial to prevent the harmful adduct formation, and thus to block the potential carcinogenesis induced by nicotine.

Current studies on anti-endotoxic chemical components of traditional Chinese medicine in China.

Endotoxin (ET) was found to have wide bioactivities and ET antagonists have become the pop research topic in life science. The chemical components of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) were the substance basis of its pharmacology. This review demonstrated the study state of about 18 chemical components from TCM, eg, organic acids of Radix Isatidis, anisodamine, matrine, tetramethypyrazine, colchicine, and glycine, etc, which showed anti-endotoxin effects through different routes. But now the most of them were limited to the laboratory. In the future, the trends of development should not only enlarge the range of research, but also strengthen the clinical study.

[Studies on morphology and histology of medicinal part of Corydalis yanhusuo].

OBJECTIVE: To Study the morphology, microstructure and morphosis of medicinal part of Corydalis yanhusuo, and provide a basis for the knowledge of the type of modified stem of Corydalis yanhusuo and the identification of crude drug. METHOD: Sample collection, culture observation and microsectile observation. RESULT: Morphological and histological characters and morphogenetic and developmental regulation of medicinal part of Corydalis yanhusuo are described with pictures. CONCLUSION: The medicinal part of Corydalis yanhusuo is bulb, and the conception that the medicinal part of Corydalis yanhusuo is tuber is wrong.

[Effect of zuogui wan on the contents of hypothalamic monoaminic transmitters and body weight in rats treated with monosodium glutamate neonatally].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the interrelationship between the traditional Chinese medicine the Kidney-Yin Deficiency Syndrome and the metabolism of hypothalamic monoaminic neurotransmitters after the lesion of arcuate nucleus (ARC). METHODS: Rats were injected with monosodium glutamate (MSG, at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 days after born. 4 mg/g body weight, s.c.) during the neonatal period, then the contents of hypothalamic monoaminic transmitters were determined with HPLC and the changes of increase of body weight were observed. RESULTS: Decreases in levels of norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA) associated with its metabolite, 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl acetic acid (DOPAC) were observed, while vanillylmandelic acid (VMA), metabolite of NE, serotonin (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA) were unchanged. Furthermore, adult rats with neonatal MSG treatment also demonstrated growth retardation, obesity but lower body weight, and shorter length of naso-anal. Zuogui Wan, classical drugs of nourishing and recuperating the Kidney-Yin, relieved the disorder of the metabolism of hypothalamic monoaminic transmitter in MSG-rats. CONCLUSION: The metabolic disorders of the central monoaminic transmitters may be related with the Deficiency of the Kidney-Yin.

[Effect of herbal prostatitis decoction on experimental prostatitis in rats].

Herbal prostatitis decoction is a great effective prescription to treat chronic prostatitis in promoting the blood circulation and relieving the stasis. The authors had succeeded in making rats experimental fibrous proliferation type prostatitis models by using xiaozhiling injection method. Rats were divided into two groups: the decoction-given group (DG) and the water-given group (WG). Microscopically, both inflammatory cell infiltration and fibroblast proliferation of interstitial tissue in the DG were slight than the WG (P less than 0.025, P less than 0.05). Transmission electron microscopic observations showed both the secretary particles and metal-granule-like substances (including Zn) of the gland cells in the DG were obviously increased. The lysosomes in the cytoplasm were increased also. The results performed a certain experimental basis for the functional mechanism of the herbal prostatitis decoction treatment.

The use of isolated rat hepatocyte in prescreening of hepatotoxicants: observation on toxic effects of 14 compounds.

Fourteen compounds, differing in structure, mechanism of action, and primary target organs, were tested for cytotoxic responses in isolated hepatocyte suspensions prepared by a nonperfusion method from male Sprague-Dawley rats. The trypan blue exclusion test, measurement of enzyme activities in supernatants, and enzyme histochemistry were taken as indexes of cytotoxicity. All 14 compounds inhibited enzyme activities in hepatocytes. However, the activities of GOT and LDH in supernatants increased after exposure to the three haloalkanes, but decreased after exposure to the other chemicals (Na2CrO4, etc.). The number of dyed cells increased after exposure to six haloalkanes and the order of their relative toxicities in vitro was roughly in concordance with that of their in vivo hepatoxicities. These results indicate that isolated hepatocytes are useful for prescreening of potential hepatotoxicants; the so-called "enzyme leakage" should be replaced by "enzyme in supernatant" to reflect toxicities of different kinds of compounds; enzyme histochemistry is also a sensitive index in toxicological tests with isolated rat hepatocytes.

Establishment of a radioimmunoassay of somatostatin in human plasma and in rat hypothalamus.

Synthetic cyclic somatostatin-14 (SRIF-14) was conjugated with carbodiimide onto hemocyanin to immunize rabbits, and anti-sera with high titers (1:5,000-100,000) and good sensitivity and specificity were obtained. 125I-Tyr1-SRIF was made and purified on CM-52 cation exchange column. The immunoreactive specific activity (SP.AC.) of the tracer was around 1013 mCi/mg, which was much higher than the commercial products and other reports. The sensitivity of the assay was around 16 pg/ml, and the detectable range 20-2000 pg/ml. Human plasma was freshly prepared in the presence of aprotinin. Rat hypothalamus was homogenized and extracted with HC1 followed by heating at 95 degrees C then centrifuged, and the supernatant assayed. The standard curves of the acetate buffer (ph 5.2), plasma doses, plasma recovery doses, hypothalamic extract doses, and hypothalamic extract recovery doses were all in good parallelism with each other. The recovery of SRIF from human plasma and from rat hypothalamus were 98.8 +/- 6.3% and 86.9 +/- 6.8%, respectively. The specificity of the antisera were very high, and they only cross-react with H2-SRIF and Tyr1-SRIF at 15% and 170%, respectively, of the immunoreactivity to cyclic SRIF-14. The Scatchard plot of the binding data showed a straight line with a Kd of 3.52 X 10(-12)M and binding capacity of 4.06 X 10(-10)M. The intra- and inter-assay coefficient of variation were 4.5% and 12%, respectively. When the synthetic cyclic SRIF (Stilamin) was infused intravenously into normal volunteers, there were reproducible plasma time-dose curves of SRIF-LI (SRIF Like Immunoreactivity), which revealed its plasma half life around 1.5 minutes, and metabolic clearance rate about 50 ml/kg/min.