Bisabolane sesquiterpenes from Clausena sanki with their potential anti-inflammatory activities.

The investigation on the stems and leaves of Clausena sanki led to the isolation of a previously undescribed bisabolane sesquiterpene, clausemargic A (1), together with six known analogues (2-7). The structure of 1 was elucidated by extensive spectroscopic methods and the known compounds were identified by comparisons with data reported in the literature. All known compounds (2-7) were isolated from C. sanki for the first time. All isolated compounds were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory activities via examining the inhibitory activity on nitric oxide (NO) production induced by lipopolysaccharide in mouse macrophage RAW 264.7 cells in vitro. Compounds 1-7 showed significant inhibitory activities with IC50 values comparable to that of hydrocortisone.

A new indole alkaloid with anti-inflammatory activity from Nauclea officinalis.

A new indole alkaloid, 17-O-methyl-19-(Z)-naucline (1), together with seven known alkaloids (2-8), were isolated from the stems and leaves of Nauclea officinalis. The structure of 1 was elucidated by extensive spectroscopic methods and the known compounds were identified by comparisons their data with those reported in the literature. 17-O-methyl-19-(Z)-naucline (1) showed significant inhibitory activity on nitric oxide production induced by lipopolysaccharide in mouse macrophage RAW 264.7 cells in vitro with an IC50 value of 3.6 µM.

A new monoterpenoid indole alkaloid from Ochrosia elliptica.

A new monoterpenoid indole alkaloid, 10-methoxyakuammidine (1), together with four known alkaloids (2-5), were isolated from the stems and leaves of Ochrosia elliptica. The structure of 1 was elucidated by extensive spectroscopic methods and the known compounds were identified by comparisons with data reported in the literature. New compound 1 was evaluated for its cytotoxicities against five human cancer cell lines: HL-60, SMMC-7721, A-549, MCF-7 and SW480 in vitro. 1 exhibited inhibitory effects with IC50 values comparable to those of cisplatin.

[Effect of salvianolic acid A on anesthetized canine experimental myocardial infarction].

Salvianolic acid A (SAA), one of the major active water-soluble salvianolic acids of traditional Chinese medicine Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, has been reported to be effective on anti-myocardial ischemia, anti-oxidation and anti-thrombus. This study aimed to investigate appropriate administration route on dogs with acute myocardial ischemia(AMI). Twenty-four dogs were randomized into four groups (n=6), model, oral administration of SAA (8 mg•kg⁻¹), intravenous administration of SAA (4 mg•kg⁻¹), intravenous administration of Herbesser(0.5 mg•kg⁻¹) as positive drug group. AMI model was established by ligating left anterior descending coronary arteries(LAD) of dogs. Changes of ST segment were determined by epicardial electrocardiogram(ECG), coronary blood flow (CBF) and myocardial oxygen consumption were measured by ultrasonic Doppler flow meter, serum creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were observed by fully automatic biochemical analyser. Myocardial infarct size was assessed by nitro blue tetrazolium (NBT) staining. Both oral and intravenous administration of SAA reduced the myocardial infarct area/left ventricle area significantly [(16.73±6.52)% and (13.19±2.38)%, compared with (24.35±4.89)% in model group, P<0.01). Oral administration of SAA improved the ECG performance of Σ-ST from 30-190 min after ischemia (P<0.05-0.01), while intravenous SAA had a rapid onset (10-190 min after ischemia, P<0.05-0.01). Compared with model group, oral and intravenous SAA both decreased serum CK and LDH significantly (P<0.05-0.01), while the difference of intravenous administration is more significant. SAA protects myocardium in canine experimental myocardial infarction models. Intravenous administration of SAA alleviates myocardial infarction with greater significance than oral route.

[Effect of formula of removing both phlegm and blood stasis in improving cardiac function of Chinese mini-swine with coronary heart disease of phlegm-stasis cementation syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate that the effect of formula of removing both phlegm and blood stasis in improving cardiac function of Chinese mini-swine with coronary heart disease of phlegm-stasis cementation syndrome. METHOD: Totally 36 Chinese mini-swine were randomly divided to six groups: the normal control group, the model group, the Danlou tablet group, and Tanyu Tonzhi Fang(TYTZ) groups with doses of 2. 0, 1. 0 and 0. 5 g kg-1, with six in each group. Except for the normal control group, all of other groups were fed with high-fat diet for 2 weeks. Interventional balloons are adopted to injure their left anterior descending artery endothelium. After the operation, they were fed with high-fat diet for 8 weeks to prepare the coronary heart disease model of phlegm-stasis cementation syndrome. After the operation, they were administered with drugs for 8 weeks. The changes in the myocardial ischemia were observed. The changes in the cardiac function and structure were detected by cardiac ultrasound and noninvasive hemodynamic method. RESULT: Compared with the normal control group, the model group showed significant increase in myocardial ischemia and SVR and obvious decrease in CO, SV and LCW in noninvasive hemodynamic parameters (P <0.05 or P <0.01). The ultrasonic cardiogram indicated notable decrease in IVSd, LVPWs, EF and FS, and remarkable increase in LVIDs (P<0. 05 orP<0.01). Compared with the model group, TYTZ could reduce the myocardial ischemia, strengthen cardiac function, and improve the abnormal cardiac structure and function induced by ischemia (P <0. 05 or P <0. 01). CONCLUSION: TYTZ shows a significant effect in improving cardiac function of Chinese mini-swine with coronary heart disease of phlegm-stasis cementation syndrome. The clinical cardiac function detection method could be adopted to correctly evaluate the changes in the post-myocardial ischemia cardiac function, and narrow the gap between clinical application and basic experimental studies.

Long-term effect of stent coating with zedoary essential components on neointimal formation in the porcine coronary artery.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of the zedoary essential component-eluting stent (ZES) on a porcine coronary neointimal formation. METHODS: ZES, sirolimus-eluting stents (SES), and bare metal stents (BMS) were randomly implanted in three different major epicardial vessels in 36 balloon-injured pigs. Coronary angiography, optical coherence tomography, and histomorphological analysis were used to determine antihyperplasia effects. RESULTS: ZES and SES had a significantly larger lumen diameter and area, and reduced diameter and area of stenosis in arteries at 30 and 90 days compared with arteries implanted with BMS (P<0.01). Histomorphometric analysis showed moderate inflammatory responses, such as infiltration of mononuclear cells, lymphocytes, and multinucleated giant cells in some arteries with SES compared with ZES (P<0.05). Injury scores were not different among the three groups at 30 and 90 days. The endothelialization score in the SES group was 2.69 ± 0.42 at 30 days and 2.83 ± 0.39 at 90 days compared with the ZES and BMS groups (both were 3.00 ± 0.00 at either 30 or 90 days, P<0.05). Well developed endothelium was observed in the ZES group, while incomplete endothelium and inflammatory cells were observed with stent struts partly naked at the vessel lumen in the SES group. CONCLUSION: The ZES inhibits neointimal hyperplasia with good endothelia coverage in the porcine balloon injury coronary model.

Effects of oral Lactobacillus plantarum on hepatocyte tight junction structure and function in rats with obstructive jaundice.

Surgery and infection are prominent risk factors for the development of obstructive cholestasis which in turn is associated with failure of the liver barrier. We studied the effects of oral Lactobacillus plantarum (LP) supplementation on endotoxemia, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and tight junctions of hepatocytes in an experimental model of obstructive jaundice. Fifty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups of 10 each: group I, sham-operated; group II, ligation and division of the common bile duct (BDL); group III, BLD followed by oral LP treatment; group IV, BDL followed by internal biliary drainage (IBD); group V, BDL followed by IBD and oral LP treatment. Hepatocyte apoptosis, plasma reduced glutathione (GSH) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) levels, and portal blood endotoxin levels were measured and changes in tight junction-associated proteins occludin, claudin-1, claudin-4, and ZO-1 were observed. Compared to the sham-operated group I, significant increases in endotoxemia, apoptosis, and GSSG were observed in group II and significant decreases were observed in group V. Tight junctions were destroyed in group II animals but were not in animals treated with oral LP (groups III and V). An increase in occludin, claudin-1, claudin-4, and ZO-1 mRNA and protein levels were detected in livers in LP-treated animals (group V) compared with group II levels. Oral LP treatment of rats with obstructive jaundice assisted in the return of active hepatic barrier function. These results may lead to treatments to prevent the deleterious effects of obstructive jaundice.