Mori Cortex extract ameliorates nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and insulin resistance in high-fat-diet/streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetes in rats.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) are highly prevalent diseases and are closely associated, with NAFLD being present in the majority of T2DM patients. In Asian traditional medicine, Mori Cortex is widely used for the treatment of diabetes and hyperlipidemia. However, whether it has a therapeutic effect on T2DM associated with NAFLD is still unknown. The present study showed that the oral treatment with Mori Cortex extract (MCE; 10 g·kg-1·d-1) lowered the blood lipid levels and reversed insulin resistance (IR) in high fat-diet/streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetes in rats. The expression levels of sterol receptor element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) and carbohydrate-responsive element binding protein (ChREBP), which are involved in steatosis in NAFLD rats, were measured in the liver samples. MCE decreased the protein and mRNA expression levels of SREBP-1c and ChREBP. In conclusion, down-regulation of SREBP-1c and ChREBP might contribute to the protective effect of MCE on hepatic injury and IR in the rats with T2DM associated with NAFLD.

Bioactive Benzofuran Derivatives from Cortex Mori Radicis, and Their Neuroprotective and Analgesic Activities Mediated by mGluR1.

Four new benzofuran-type stilbene glycosides and 14 known compounds including 8 benzofuran-type stilbenes and 6 flavonoids were isolated from the traditional Chinese medicine, Cortex Mori Radicis. The new compounds were identified as (9R)-moracin P 3'-O-α-l-arabinopyranoside (1), (9R)-moracin P 9-O-ß-d-glucopyranoside (2), (9R)-moracin P 3'-O-ß-d-glucopyranoside (3), and (9R)-moracin O 10-O-ß-d-glucopyranoside (4) based on the spectroscopic interpretation and chemical analysis. Three benzofuran-type stilbenes, moracin O (5), R (7), and P (8) showed significant neuroprotective activity against glutamate-induced cell death in SK-N-SH cells. In addition, moracin O (5) and P (8) also demonstrated a remarkable inhibition of the acetic acid-induced pain. The molecular docking with metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 (mGluR1) results indicated that these neuroprotective benzofuran-type stilbenes might be the active analgesic components of the genus Morus, and acted by mediating the mGluR1 pathway.

Endoscopic cyanoacrylate injection with or without lauromacrogol for gastric varices: A randomized pilot study.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Current guidelines recommend injection of cyanoacrylate as first-line therapy to prevent gastric variceal rebleeding. The method still poses a risk of ectopic embolism, which possibly correlates with the volume of cyanoacrylate used. In this trial, we evaluated the short-term efficacy and safety of tissue adhesive injection combined with lauromacrogol for treating gastric varices. METHODS: Patients admitted to our hospital for variceal hemorrhage were enrolled and blindly randomized into two treatment groups: lauromacrogol group (lauromacrogol-cyanoacrylate-lauromacrogol) and lipiodol group (lipiodol-cyanoacrylate-lipiodol). Patient follow-up was 6 months. Primary outcome was rebleeds, and secondary outcomes were mortality, gastric varices eradication, and treatment-related adverse events. RESULTS: Between March 6, 2013 and October 16, 2013, 96 patients met the criteria. Two cases were lost to follow-up, and all treated cases were successful. No procedural-related adverse events were observed in either group. Cyanoacrylate volumes used in the lauromacrogol group were significantly less than those of the lipiodol group (0.9 ± 0.5 vs 2.0 ± 1.2 mL, P = 0.000). Eleven patients developed upper gastrointestinal rebleeding, which did not show significant difference between groups. On multivaritate analysis, portal venous thrombosis and fever were potential risk factors of rebleeding. Treatment failure, complications, gastric varices obturation, and survival did not differ between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Tissue adhesives combined with lauromacrogol is a safe therapeutic option for gastric varices, with comparably less cyanoacrylate volume used. Because of the small number of study patients, it cannot be proven to have better efficacy than without lauromacrogol. Multicenter studies with larger patient groups are necessary.

[Impact of serum epidermal growth factor on progressive psoriasis vulgaris and regulation of Chinese herbal medicine for cleaving heat, cooling blood, and detoxicating on it].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of serum epidermal growth factor (EGF) on progressive psoriasis vulgaris and the regulatory effect of Chinese herbal medicine on it. METHODS: Serum level of EGF was measured in 31 patients with progressive psoriasis vulgaris (the tested group) and 17 healthy subjects (the control group) by ELISA. The changes in EGF level and condition of illness were observed before and after patients orally administered Chinese composite recipe for clearing heat, cooling blood and removing toxic substances for 10 weeks, and the severity of illness was assessed by psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) as well. RESULTS: Serum level of EGF in patients was 175.35 +/- 179.86 ng/L before treatment, markedly higher than that in healthy subjects (72.05 +/- 63.01 ng/L), showing significant difference between them (t = - 2.888, P = 0.006); it reduced to 121.67 +/- 94.74 ng/L after treatment, significantly different to that before treatment (t = 2.155, P = 0.04), but still higher than that in the control (t = - 2.146, P = 0.037). Average PASI was 9.65 +/- 5.82 before treatment and 5.74 +/- 4.69 after treatment, displaying a significant reduction (t = 7.740, P < 0.01). Linear regression analysis showed no apparent correlation between serum EGF level and PASI (r = 0.030, P = 0.872; r = 0.050, P = 0.793). CONCLUSION: Serum level of EGF might be an important factor related to the progress of psoriasis. Chinese herbal medicine for clearing heat, cooling blood and removing toxic substances can lessen the severity of psoriasis, its action in reducing serum EGF is possibly one of the mechanisms for these kinds of herbs in treating psoriasis.