Residue levels, processing factors and risk assessment of pesticides in ginger from market to table.

Ginger is consumed as a spice and medicine globally. However, pesticide residues in ginger and their residue changes during processing remain poorly understood. Our results demonstrate that clothianidin, carbendazim and imidacloprid were the top detected pesticides in 152 ginger samples with detection rates of 17.11-27.63%, and these pesticides had higher average residues of 44.07-97.63 µg/kg. Although most samples contained low levels of pesticides, 66.45% of the samples were detected with pesticides, and 38.82% were contaminated with 2-5 pesticides. Peeling, washing, boiling and pickling removed different amounts of pesticides from ginger (processing factor range: 0.06-1.56, most <1). By contrast, pesticide residues were concentrated by stir-frying and drying (0.50-6.45, most >1). Pesticide residues were influenced by pesticide physico-chemical parameters involving molecular weight, melting point, degradation point and octanol-water partition coefficient by different ginger processing methods. Chronic and acute dietary risk assessments suggest that dietary exposure to pesticides from ginger consumption was within acceptable levels for the general population. This study sheds light on pesticide residues in ginger from market to processing and is of theoretical and practical value for ensuring ginger quality and safety.

Corrigendum to "Berberine Reduces Renal Cell Pyroptosis in Golden Hamsters with Diabetic Nephropathy through the Nrf2-NLRP3-Caspase-1-GSDMD Pathway".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2021/5545193.].

Mechanisms of Kidney Cell Pyroptosis in Chronic Kidney Disease and the Effects of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major public health issue that is highly prevalent worldwide. Pyroptosis is an important pathological mechanism underlying kidney cell damage in CKD and is associated with the classic caspase-1-mediated pathway and nonclassic caspase-4/5/11-mediated pathway. The NLRP3-caspase-1-GSDMD signaling pathway is the key mechanism of kidney cell pyroptosis in CKD, and noncoding RNAs such as lncRNAs and miRNAs are important regulators of kidney cell pyroptosis in CKD. In addition, the NLRP1/AIM2-caspase-1-GSDMD and caspase-3-GSDME signaling pathways have also been shown to mediate kidney cell pyroptosis. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and extracts can interfere with the occurrence and development of kidney cell pyroptosis in CKD by inhibiting the NLRP3 signaling pathway and oxidative stress, activating Nrf-2 signaling, protecting mitochondrial integrity, regulating AMPK signaling, and regulating TXNIP/NLRP3 axis, which have become increasingly prominent. It is critical to explore the effects of TCM on kidney cell pyroptosis in CKD and its mechanisms to identify targets and develop new and effective drugs.

Berberine Reduces Renal Cell Pyroptosis in Golden Hamsters with Diabetic Nephropathy through the Nrf2-NLRP3-Caspase-1-GSDMD Pathway.

Objective: To observe the effect of berberine (BBR) on kidney cell pyroptosis in golden hamsters with diabetic nephropathy (DN) and to explore the molecular mechanism of its renal protection. Methods: Fifty clean-grade male golden hamsters were randomly divided into a control group (10) and a model building group (40). The DN model was established by high-sugar and high-fat feeding and injection of a small amount of STZ. After successful establishment of the model, they were randomly divided into a model group, western medicine group, and berberine high- and low-dose groups. The western medicine group was given irbesartan 13.5 mg/kg, and the berberine high- and low-dose groups were given BBR 200 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg, respectively, for 8 consecutive weeks. An automatic biochemical analyser was used to measure blood glucose, blood lipids, kidney function, MDA, and other indicators; radioimmunoassay was used to assess serum insulin; enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to quantify IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-18, TNF-α; HE, PAS, and Masson staining were used to observe kidney pathological tissue morphology; western blot and real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR were used to assess protein and mRNA expression of molecules, such as Nrf2, NLRP3, Caspase-1, and GSDMD; and TUNEL staining was used to detect DNA damage. SPSS statistical software was used for the data analysis. Results: The kidney tissues of golden hamsters in the control group were normal; Nrf2 was highly expressed, serum MDA level was low, NLRP3 expression in kidney tissue was not obvious, Caspase-1 and GSDMD were weakly expressed, and only a few TUNEL-positive cells were observed. Compared with the control group, the golden hamsters in the model group had obvious renal pathological damage; blood glucose, blood lipids, renal function-related indexes, insulin, and inflammatory factors IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-18, and TNF-α were increased (P < 0.05); NLRP3, Caspase-1, and GSDMD expression was increased; Nrf2 expression was decreased; MDA level was increased (P < 0.05); and the number of TUNEL-positive cells was increased. Compared with the model group, the pathological morphology of the kidney tissue of golden hamsters in the three treatment groups was significantly improved; blood glucose, blood lipids, renal function, and the expression of inflammatory factors IL-1ß and IL-6 were reduced (P < 0.05); NLRP3, Caspase-1, GSDMD, and other molecular proteins and mRNA expression were decreased; Nrf2 expression was increased; MDA level was decreased (P < 0.05); and the number of TUNEL-positive cells was decreased. Conclusion: DN golden hamster kidney NLRP3-Caspase-1-GSDMD signalling was enhanced. BBR can reduce oxidative stress damage by regulating antioxidative Nrf2 and then regulating NLRP3-Caspase-1-GSDMD signalling to inhibit pyroptosis, antagonizing DN inflammation-induced damage.

[Binding characteristics of plasma protein in active parts of Daidai lipid-lowering flavonoid extract].

To study the binding capacity of active ingredients of Daidai lipid-lowering flavonoid extract and plasma protein,investigate the ways to improve the traditional formula for calculating protein binding rates based on ultrafiltration,and increase the stability and reliability of the experimental results. UPLC-MS/MS was used to establish a quantitative analysis method for simultaneous determination of active ingredients( neohesperidin and narngin) in ultrafiltrate. The protein binding rates were calculated by the traditional ultrafiltration formula. The correction factors( F) were introduced later,and the binding rates calculated with the correction factors were compared with those without the correction factors. The binding capacity of the extract and plasma protein was evaluated. The quantitative analysis method established by UPLC-MS/MS had a good specificity. The standard curve and linear range,method accuracy,precision and lower limit of quantitation all met the requirements. The method met the requirement for quantitative detection of the active ingredients in ultrafiltrate after the rat plasma was filtrated in the ultrafiltration tube. Under the experimental conditions,the binding rates of both active ingredients( neohesperidin and narngin) were higher than 90%. The active ingredients and rat plasma protein were bound in a concentration-dependent manner,with statistically significant differences( P<0. 01). There was no statistically significant difference between the protein binding abilities of the two active ingredients with rat plasma protein. Therefore,the active ingredients of Daidai lipid-lowering flavonoid extract had a relatively strong binding strength with rat plasma protein,and they were bound in a concentration-dependent manner. Additionally,when calculating protein binding rates by the traditional ultrafiltration formula,the correction factors could be introduced to effectively reflect the errors of multiple ingredient groups in traditional Chinese medicine extracts.This correction method could provide a reference thinking and practical reference for the improvement of the determination method of the traditional Chinese medicine plasma protein binding ability based on ultrafiltration.

[Metabolic characteristics of active parts of lipid-lowering flavonoid extract of Daidai in liver and intestinal microsomes of rats].

The paper studies and compares the metabolic difference of active ingredients of lipid-lowering flavonoid extract of Daidai in rat livers and intestinal microsomes,in order to explore the phase Ⅰ metabolism characteristics of active ingredients in livers and intestines. UPLC-MS/MS was used to establish a quantitative analysis method for active ingredients,neohesperidin and narngin,in a phase Ⅰ metabolism incubation system of liver and intestinal microsomes. Differential centrifugation was used to make liver and intestinal microsomes of rats. A phase Ⅰ metabolism incubation system was established,and the concentrations of the residual at different incubation time points were analyzed. Graphs were plotted to calculate the metabolic elimination half-life of the main active parts,with the natural logarithm residual percentage values ln( X) at different time points as the y axis,and time t as the x axis. The metabolism characteristics of the active ingredients were compared. The established UPLC-MS/MS quantitative analysis method has a good specialization,standard curve and linear range,accuracy and precision,with a satisfactory lower quantitative limit. The method allows quantitative detection of the active ingredients in a phase Ⅰ metabolism incubation system of liver and intestinal microsomes of rats. In the rats liver microsomes incubation system,the metabolic elimination half-life of neohesperidin and narngin were( 2. 20 ± 0. 28) h and( 1. 97±0. 28) h respectively. The elimination half-life of neohesperidin was larger than that of narngin,but with no statistically significant difference. In the rats intestinal microsomes incubation system,the metabolic elimination half-lives of neohesperidin and narngin were( 3. 68±0. 54) h and( 2. 26±0. 13) h respectively. The elimination half-life of neohesperidin was larger than that of narngin,with statistically significant differences( P<0. 05). The elimination half-lives of the active ingredients in liver microsomes were smaller than those in intestinal microsomes. The experiment results showed that the active ingredients of lipid-lowering flavonoid extract of Daidai had different elimination half-lives in phase Ⅰ rats liver and intestinal microsomes incubation system. This implied that they had different metabolic characteristics in rats liver and intestine,and liver may be the main metabolism site of the active ingredients. The phaseⅠ metabolism of narngin was stronger than that of neohesperidin. The differences between their metabolic characteristics may be related to the binding sites of B-ring hydroxyl in flavonoid glycosides and the number of methoxyl group. The results provided an important experimental basis for further development and clinical application of lipid-lowering flavonoid extract preparation of Daidai.

Effect of Corticosteroid on Renal Water and Sodium Excretion in Symptomatic Heart Failure: Prednisone for Renal Function Improvement Evaluation Study.

BACKGROUND: Recent evidence indicates that prednisone can potentiate renal responsiveness to diuretics in heart failure (HF). However, the optimal dose of prednisone is not known. METHOD: Thirty-eight patients with symptomatic HF were randomized to receive standard HF care alone (n = 10) or with low-dose (15 mg/d, n = 8), medium-dose (30 mg/d, n = 10), or high-dose prednisone (60 mg/d, n = 10), for 10 days. During this time, we recorded the 24-hour urinary output and the 24-hour urinary sodium excretion, at baseline, on day 5 and day 10. We also monitored the change in the concentration of serum creatinine, angiotensin II, aldosterone, high-sensitive C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin 1ß, and interleukin 6. RESULTS: Low-dose prednisone significantly enhanced urine output. However, the effects of medium- and high-dose prednisone on urine output were less obvious. As for renal sodium excretion, high-dose prednisone induced a more potent natriuresis than low-dose prednisone. Despite the potent diuresis and natriuresis induced by prednisone, serum creatinine, angiotensin II, and aldosterone levels were not elevated. These favorable effects were not associated with an inflammatory suppression by glucocorticoids. CONCLUSIONS: Only low-dose prednisone significantly enhanced urine output. However, high-dose prednisone induced a more potent renal sodium excretion than low-dose prednisone.