Effect of azithromycin combined with ambroxol in children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia.

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to investigate the clinical efficacy of azithromycin combined with ambroxol in children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP). METHODS: The clinical data of 103 children with MPP treated in Fuyang District Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Hangzhou from December 2020 to August 2021 were selected and retrospectively analyzed, and these children were divided into a control group (n=51, azithromycin treatment) and a study group (n=52, azithromycin plus ambroxol treatment) according to the different treatment methods. The immunoglobulin level, pulmonary function score, treatment efficacy, serum cytokine level, disappearance time of signs and symptoms, and myocardial enzyme indices were observed and compared between the two groups. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to screen the factors affecting the prognosis of MPP patients. RESULTS: After treatment, the study group showed significantly lower levels of immunoglobulin E, immunoglobulin G, immunoglobulin M and immunoglobulin A; higher pulmonary function scores, and lower levels of interleukin-6, human interferon-gamma, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-4 compared with the control group (all P < 0.05). The total incidence of adverse reactions such as nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and vomiting was 15.38% in the study group, which was slightly lower than that in the control group (17.65%), exhibiting no significant difference (P > 0.05). The disappearance time of cough and lung rales, time required to restore to a normal body temperature, and hospital stay in the study group were shorter than those in the control group (P < 0.05). After treatment, aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, and creatine kinase isoenzyme in the study group were lower than those in the control group (all P < 0.05). The course of disease before admission, C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), anemia, albumin < 30 g/L, drug initiation time, pulmonary consolidation, and complications involving multiple systems were the main factors affecting the efficacy of azithromycin combined with ambroxol in the treatment of MPP. CONCLUSION: Azithromycin combined with ambroxol can effectively improve the immunoglobulin level and lung function, reduce the level of inflammatory factors, improve the therapeutic effect, shorten the recovery process, and reduce the degree of myocardial damage, which is effective in the treatment of MPP and is worth promoting.

Scrophulariae Radix-Atractylodes sinensis pair and metformin inhibit inflammation by modulating gut microbiota of high-fat diet/streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rats.

Introduction: Type 2 mellitus (T2DM), a chronic metabolic disorder, causes severe impairment of patients' quality of life and has attracted global attention. Many studies have suggested the importance of the gut microbiota in the occurrence of T2DM. The Scrophulariae Radix and Atractylodes sinensis (XC) pair, recommended in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), have been used for treating diabetes for many years. However, research on the role of the XC pair in modulating gut microbial communities is lacking, but it is important to elucidate the underlying mechanism. Methods: In this study, we detected bacterial communities by high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Results: The results showed that XC + MET reduced postprandial hyperglycemia and inflammatory response in diabetic rats more effectively than metformin (MET) alone. The XC + MET treatment reshaped the intestinal microbial composition of diabetic rats. XC can help MET regulate carbohydrate, amino acid, and lipid metabolism, particularly the insulin signaling pathway. Discussion: This research would help elucidate potential mechanisms and the treatment methods.

[Identification of Carthamus tinctorius NAC gene family and analysis of drought stress response].

The NAC(NAM/ATAF/CUC) transcription factors are members of the largest transcriptional gene family in plants and play an essential role in the response of plants to drought stress. To identify the number and function of the NAC gene family in Carthamus tinctorius, the present study adopted bioinformatics methods to identify NAC gene family members based on the whole genome data of C. tinctorius, and analyzed their physicochemical properties, chromosomal location, phylogenetic relationship, gene structure, conserved domain, and conserved motif. Meanwhile, the real-time fluorescence-based quantitative RT-PCR(qRT-PCR) was used to analyze the transcription level of four NAC genes under drought stress in different time. The results showed that C. tinctorius contained 87 NAC genes unevenly distributed on 11 chromosomes, while no NAC gene was found on chromosome 12. The encoded proteins were 103-974 amino acids and the number of CDS ranged from 3 to 9. According to the phylogenetic relationships, 87 NAC genes were clustered into17 subfamilies. The analysis of conserved domains and motifs revealed that most of the genes contained five conserved subdomains, A-E and motif2 was the most conserved among NAC genes. The expression pattern analysis showed that the transcription levels of four NAC genes related to drought resistance were all up-regulated after drought stress treatment for different time, suggesting that these four NAC genes may be related to drought resistance of C. tinctorius. This study is expected to provide a theoretical basis for further functional analysis of NAC transcription factors in C. tinctorius and references for the cultivation of drought-tolerant C. tinctorius varieties.

Efficacy and safety of trans-sub-Tenon's retrobulbar anesthesia for pars plana vitrectomy: a randomized trial.

AIM: To compare the efficacy and safety of trans-sub-Tenon's ciliary nerve block anesthesia and transcutaneous retrobulbar anesthesia in patients undergoing pars plana vitrectomy (PPV). METHODS: A prospective, randomized, double-blinded clinical trial was conducted at Zhongda Hospital, Affiliated with Southeast University, from February 2021 to October 2021. Patients undergoing PPV were randomly allocated into two groups: the trans-sub-Tenon's anesthesia group (ST group) and the retrobulbar anesthesia group (RB group) in the ratio of 1:1. The ST group received 2 ml ropivacaine through the Tenon capsule to the retrobulbar space, while the RB group received 2 ml ropivacaine via transcutaneous retrobulbar injection. Visual analog score (VAS) was used to evaluate pain during the whole process, including during anesthesia implementation, intraoperatively and on the first day after the operation. Movement evaluation (Brahma scores) and anesthesia-related complications were also noted. RESULTS: Finally, a total of 120 patients were included in the study (60 in the ST group and 60 in the RB group). There were no significant differences in baseline patient characteristics or surgical features between the two groups. The VAS pain scores for anesthesia implementation were 0.52 ± 0.47 in the ST group and 1.83 ± 0.87 in the RB group (P < 0.001). The VAS scores during the operation were 0.53 ± 0.49 in the ST group and 1.48 ± 1.02 in the RB group (P < 0.001) and those on the first day after the operation were 0.37 ± 0.38 in the ST group and 0.81 ± 0.80 in the RB group (P = 0.002). No patients required supplemental intravenous anesthesia intraoperatively. The Brahma movement scores were 0.70 ± 1.64 in the ST group (scores ranging from 0 to 8) and 2.38 ± 3.15 in the RB group (ranging from 0 to 12) (P = 0.001). Forty-two patients in each group received laser photocoagulation during surgery. Fifteen patients (36%) in the ST group could not see the flashes of the laser, compared to 8 patients (19%) in the RB group (P = 0.087). No serious sight-threatening or life-threatening complications related to anesthesia were observed in either group. CONCLUSIONS: For PPV, trans-sub-Tenon's ciliary nerve block anesthesia was more effective in controlling pain than transcutaneous retrobulbar anesthesia during the whole surgery process, including during anesthesia implementation, intraoperatively and on the first day after the operation. Additionally, it could achieve better effect of akinesia and was relatively safe. Trans-sub-Tenon's anesthesia could be considered an alternative form of local anesthesia during vitreoretinal procedures. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study protocol has been registered at ChiCTR.org.cn on February 2021 under the number ChiCTR2100043109 .

Complete chloroplast genome sequence of Chrysosplenium nudicaule (Saxifragaceae).

Chrysosplenium nudicaule Bunge, Tibetan name 'Yajima,' growing in the highlands of China is a perennial herb belonging to the genus Chrysosplenium Saxifragaceae. As a traditional Chinese medicine, it has been used to treat digestive diseases for hundreds of years. The complete chloroplast genome of Chrysosplenium nudicaule is 152,775 bp in length and comprises two inverted repeats (IR, 25,962 bp), a large single-copy region (LSC, 83,533 bp), and a small single-copy region (SSC, 17,318 bp). It harbors 112 genes, including 78 protein-coding genes, four ribosomal RNA genes, and 30 transfer RNA genes. In addition, the rpl32 gene was deleted. The GC content of the whole chloroplast genome is 37.54%. This chloroplast genome resource will be useful for study on the evolution and genetic diversity of C. nudicaule in the future.

[Anti-inflammatory mechanism of Crepis crocea based on NF-κB signaling pathway and ~1H-NMR metabonomics].

Based on ~1H-NMR metabonomics technique and Western blot assay, the anti-inflammatory mechanism of Crepis crocea was discussed. In this study, male SD rats were treated with water extract(2.5 g·kg~(-1)) and dexamethasone acetate(6.25×10~(-4) g·kg~(-1)) for one week, and the inflammation model was induced by lipopolysaccharide(LPS). Then the counts of inflammatory cells white blood ceel(WBC), eosinophil(EO), lymphocyte(LY), basophils(BA) and neutrophils(NE) in whole blood of rats were observed. The levels of serum inflammatory factors tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin-1ß(IL-1ß), IL-6 and the expression of nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB) signaling pathway p65 and p-IκBα proteins in lung tissues were detected, and the change rules of serum endogenous metabolites were analyzed by ~1H-NMR metabonomics technique. The levels of TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6 and NF-κB signaling pathway p65 and p-IκBα proteins were combined with ~1H-NMR metabonomics to study the anti-inflammatory mechanism of C. crocea. The results showed that the water extract of C. crocea significantly decreased the number of WBC, NE, EO, increased the number of BA and LY, decreased the levels of TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6 and the expression of p65 and p-IκBα protein in NF-κB signaling pathway, and effectively alleviated the inflammatory symptoms. In the correlation analysis of differential metabolites regulated of C. crocea, four significant metabolites were obtained, including glycine, creatine, methionine and succinic acid. The anti-inflammatory mechanism of C. crocea may be related to the decrease of TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6 levels and the protein expression of NF-κB signaling pathway, as well as the regulation of glycine, creatine, methionine and succinic acid metabolism.

Amino acids signatures of distance-related surgical margins of oral squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Histological assessment of resected margins has some drawbacks. We therefore aimed to identify a panel of metabolic markers for evaluating the surgical margins of oral squamous cell carcinoma during surgery. METHODS: A total of 28 case of OSCC samples were enrolled in the study. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry based untargeted metabolic analysis was employed to acquire the metabolic perturbation of the distance-related surgical margins in the development group. The acquired MS data were then subjected to univariate and multivariate analysis by MetaboAnalyst. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometerbased targeted metabolomics for quantitative analysis of the validation group was performed to verify the results of the development group. Another 60 OSCC patients with dysplastic surgical margins were used to further validate the results of the development group by immunohistochemical examination of key enzyme expression, and correlate them with clinicopathological parameters and clinical outcomes. FINDINGS: We finally identified 4 amino acids as negative margin markers, and 6 amino acids as dysplastic margin markers. IHC analysis showed that asparagine synthetase positive expression in dysplastic surgical margins and its higher expression was correlated with tumor recurrence and local relapse-free survival. INTERPRETATIONS: We developed a panel of metabolic molecular markers to supplement the evaluation of negative and dysplastic margins. FUND: This study was supported by Nanjing Municipal Key Medical Laboratory Constructional Project Funding (Since 2012); Center of Nanjing Clinical Medicine Tumor (Since 2014). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Effect of Xueniao Capsule on Escherichia coli-Induced Acute Pyelonephritis Rats by 1H NMR-Based Metabolomic Approach.

Xueniao capsule, one of the famous traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulas, has been proved to be effective for treating acute pyelonephritis (APN) in the clinic. However, the probable mechanisms are still unclear. This study was aimed at investigating the therapeutic effect and action mechanism of Xueniao capsule on acute pyelonephritis rats. Chemical analysis of Xueniao capsule and four different extracts was conducted by HPLC and GC-MS. 21 compounds were identified in the Xueniao capsule, and obvious chemical difference was also revealed among the different extracts by chemical analysis. Metabolomics, combined with bacteriological examination, traditional histopathology, and biochemical parameters, was used to evaluate the effects of Xueniao capsule and four different extracts. After treatment with Xueniao capsule, the bacterial count of urine was decreased and the renal lesions of APN rats were ameliorated by histopathology inspection. Levels of Scr and Ucr, IL-1α, IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-10, CXCL-2, and MCP-1 were decreased significantly, and the reserving effect of Xueniao capsule was superior to the different extracts and norfloxacin. 16 endogenous metabolites related to APN model were revealed, and 12 of them could be reversed by the Xueniao capsule. 1H NMR metabolomic results demonstrated that the formula of Xueniao capsule played the best therapeutic role on APN through regulating energy metabolism and alterations of osmotic pressure. The effect of Xueniao capsule on the APN was the synergistic actions of multiple components, which need to be further investigated in future studies.

[Analysis of chemical components of Huanbei Zhike Prescription based on UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS technology].

To characterize the chemical constituents of Huanbei Zhike Prescription by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-time of flight mass spectrometry( UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS). A Thermo Syncronls C18 column( 2. 1 mm×100 mm,1. 7 µm) was used with methanol( A)-0. 1% formic acid solution( B) as the mobile phase for gradient elution. The injection volume was 2 µL; the column temperature was 40 ℃; the flow rate was 0. 3 m L·min-1; and electrospray ionization( ESI) source was used to collect data in positive and negative ion modes. The ion scanning range was m/z 50-1 200,with capillary voltage of 3 000 V,ion source temperature of100 ℃,atomization gas flow rate of 50 L·h-1,desolvent gas flow rate of 800 L·h-1,desolvent temperature of 400 ℃,cone hole voltage of 40 V,with argon as the collision gas and the collision energy was 20-35 V. The excimer ion peak information was analyzed by Waters UNIFI data processing software. The molecular formula with error within 1×10-5 was compared with the data in database to identify the compounds. The secondary fragment ion information of the target compound was selected,and then compared with the retention time and fragmentation patterns provided by the database and the existing literature to further confirm the compositions and structures of the compounds. A total of 68 main compounds in Huanbei Zhike Prescription were identified,including 38 flavonoids,10 organic acids,6 terpenoids and 10 nitrogen-containing compounds,of which 12 compounds were verified by the control substances. This method is rapid and accurate,which provides a new strategy for the qualitative analysis of the chemical constituents of Huanbei Zhike Prescription,and lays a foundation for the further study and quality control of the compound pharmacodynamic substance.

A near infrared light-triggered human serum albumin drug delivery system with coordination bonding of indocyanine green and cisplatin for targeting photochemistry therapy against oral squamous cell cancer.

To ensure site-specific drug delivery/release in tumor cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and reduce the systemic toxicity of chemotherapy, a novel drug delivery system called human serum albumin-indocyanine green-cisplatin nanoparticles (HSA-ICG-DDP NPs) was developed in our study. We characterized this system in vitro and in vivo and showed synergistic effects with photodynamic therapy (PDT), photothermal therapy (PTT) and chemotherapy; thereby it can significantly improve therapeutic efficacy compared with cancer monotherapy. High expression of secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) in oral squamous cell cancer (OSCC) and CAFs was also confirmed in our study. Our study also found that the cellular uptake of HSA-ICG-DDP NPs in tumor cells and CAFs can be enhanced by SPARC-mediated endocytosis. Cisplatin (DDP) release from the NPs in the tumor site can be precisely triggered by the cleavage of the coordination bond of ICG-DDP via a near infrared (NIR)-induced photothermal effect of ICG. Treatment with HSA-ICG-DDP NPs induced generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cytotoxicity in SPARC-highly expressed tumor and CAFs. On in vivo treatment, HSA-ICG-DDP NPs were accumulated within the tumor tissue, where they exhibited stronger antitumor effects, compared to treatment with ICG, HSA-ICG and DDP. Therefore, this novel NIR-triggered drug release system displays potential for the improvement of OSCC treatment through its synergistic effects of PTT/PDT and chemotherapy.

MCEE: a data preprocessing approach for metabolic confounding effect elimination.

It is well recognized that physiological and environmental factors such as race, age, gender, and diurnal cycles often have a definite influence on metabolic results that statistically manifests as confounding variables. Currently, removal or controlling of confounding effects relies heavily on experimental design. There are no available data processing techniques focusing on the compensation of their effects. We therefore proposed a new method, Metabolic confounding effect elimination (MCEE), to remove the influence of specified confounding factors and make the data more accurate. The method consists of three steps: metabolites grouping, confounder-related metabolites selection, and metabolites modification. Its effectiveness and advantages were evaluated comprehensively by several simulated models and real datasets, and were compared with two typical methods, the principal component analysis (PCA)- and the direct orthogonal signal correction (DOSC)-based methods. MCEE is simple, effective, and safe, and is independent of sample number, association degree, and missing value. Hence, it may serve as a good complement to existing metabolomics data preprocessing methods and aid in better understanding the metabolic and biological status of interest. Graphical Abstract Algorithm flow and demo performance of MCEE.

Poly-pharmacokinetic Study of a Multicomponent Herbal Medicine in Healthy Chinese Volunteers.

The advent of mass spectrometry-based analytical technologies coupled with multivariate statistical methods offer tremendous new opportunities for understanding the pharmacokinetics (PKs) of multicomponent herbal medicines (HMs). We recently proposed a poly-PK strategy to characterize the concentration-time profile and the metabolic response profile of multicomponent HMs using an integrated phytochemical and metabolomics approach. Here, we provided the first example of the poly-PK strategy, in which we simultaneously characterized the PK as well as the metabolic response profiles of a Chinese HM, Huangqi decoction (HQD, consisting of Radix Astragali and Radix Glycyrrhizae), in healthy Chinese volunteers. Using the poly-PK approach, we identified 56 HQD-derived compounds and 292 biotransformed HQD metabolites in human plasma. Additionally, we acquired the concentration-time profiles of these plasma HQD metabolites and correlated them with a plasma metabolomics profile consisting of 166 human endogenous metabolites that were significantly altered in response to HQD intervention.

[Modern research and application of Longgu].

Longgu is the fossil of ancient mammals which was used as a common kind of mineral medicine. Longgu is always used to treat neurological diseases. Currently, the quality standard of Longgu is incomplete. Moreover, because of the non-renewable nature of the resource and the increase of national protection of fossils, the clinical application of Longgu is facing a series of problems. As the discovery of the ingredient and the development of forging technology researchers launched to search the substitutes of Longgu. The article summarizes the usage and the study of Longgu, in order that we can discuss the modern usage and substitutability of Longgu.

[Effects of nitrogen and phosphorus addition on leaf thermal tolerance in different provenances of Quercus variabilis]. / æ°®ç£·æ·»åŠ å¯¹æ “çš®æ Žä¸åŒåœ°ç†ç§æºå¹¼è‹—æ¸©åº¦è€æ€§çš„å½±å“.

To explore potential effects of soil nutrient on leaf thermal tolerance across geographical origins, five provenance, i.e., Chengbu of Hunan (CB), Zigui of Hubei (ZG), Neixiang of Henan (NX), Lincheng of Heibei (LC) and Pinggu of Beijing (PG), seedlings of Quercus variabilis were cultivated under nitrogen and phosphorus addition. Leaf thermal tolerance parameters (cold, heat and span), nutrient concentrations (nitrogen and phosphorus), nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and phosphorus use efficiency (PUE), as well as non-structural carbohydrate (soluble sugar and starch) concentrations were analyzed. The results were shown as follows: Nutrient absorption and utilization efficiency varied between oak origins with no obvious geographical trends. PG had higher nutrient use efficiency (NUE and PUE), whereas NX had lower PUE under all treatments. CB had the highest PUE under phosphorus addition. Compared with the control, nutrient addition increased the cold tolerance of PG and LC, and to some extent, increased the heat tolerance of the three middle provenances (ZG, NX, LC). However, the thermal span was opposite to the cold tolerance, as nutrient addition decreased the thermal span of PG and LC but increased that of NX. The leaf cold tolerance had significantly positive correlation with soluble sugar concentration, while the heat tolerance negatively and positively correlated with leaf phosphorus and ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus, respectively. No significant correlation was found between leaf thermal span and leaf chemical substances. To sum up, nutrient use efficiency varying in provenances might be contributed by the original habitats and consequently presented with some local adaptation characteristics, which complicated the response of thermal tolerance to nutrient addition.

Tryptophan Predicts the Risk for Future Type 2 Diabetes.

Recently, 5 amino acids were identified and verified as important metabolites highly associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D) development. This report aims to assess the association of tryptophan with the development of T2D and to evaluate its performance with existing amino acid markers. A total of 213 participants selected from a ten-year longitudinal Shanghai Diabetes Study (SHDS) were examined in two ways: 1) 51 subjects who developed diabetes and 162 individuals who remained metabolically healthy in 10 years; 2) the same 51 future diabetes and 23 strictly matched ones selected from the 162 healthy individuals. Baseline fasting serum tryptophan concentrations were quantitatively measured using ultra-performance liquid chromatography triple quadruple mass spectrometry. First, serum tryptophan level was found significantly higher in future T2D and was positively and independently associated with diabetes onset risk. Patients with higher tryptophan level tended to present higher degree of insulin resistance and secretion, triglyceride and blood pressure. Second, the prediction potential of tryptophan is non-inferior to the 5 existing amino acids. The predictive performance of the combined score improved after taking tryptophan into account. Our findings unveiled the potential of tryptophan as a new marker associated with diabetes risk in Chinese populations. The addition of tryptophan provided complementary value to the existing amino acid predictors.

Defense pattern of Chinese cork oak across latitudinal gradients: influences of ontogeny, herbivory, climate and soil nutrients.

Knowledge of latitudinal patterns in plant defense and herbivory is crucial for understanding the mechanisms that govern ecosystem functioning and for predicting their responses to climate change. Using a widely distributed species in East Asia, Quercus variabilis, we aim to reveal defense patterns of trees with respect to ontogeny along latitudinal gradients. Six leaf chemical (total phenolics and total condensed tannin concentrations) and physical (cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin and dry mass concentration) defensive traits as well as leaf herbivory (% leaf area loss) were investigated in natural Chinese cork oak (Q. variabilis) forests across two ontogenetic stages (juvenile and mature trees) along a ~14°-latitudinal gradient. Our results showed that juveniles had higher herbivory values and a higher concentration of leaf chemical defense substances compared with mature trees across the latitudinal gradient. In addition, chemical defense and herbivory in both ontogenetic stages decreased with increasing latitude, which supports the latitudinal herbivory-defense hypothesis and optimal defense theory. The identified trade-offs between chemical and physical defense were primarily determined by environmental variation associated with the latitudinal gradient, with the climatic factors (annual precipitation, minimum temperature of the coldest month) largely contributing to the latitudinal defense pattern in both juvenile and mature oak trees.

[Anti-inflammatory active fraction screening and mechanism of unripe Forsythiae Fructus based on ¹H-NMR metabolomics].

To screen the anti-inflammatory active fraction of unripe Forsythiae Fructus, and elucidate the action mechanism, water decoction, ethyl acetate portion, n-butanol portion and residue water extracts of unripe Forsythiae Fructus were administered into rats for continuously 15 days. The acute lung injury inflammatory model was established to observe the section structure of lung tissues. Levels of IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1ß and IL-10 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were determined by ELISA kits, and changes in endogenous metabolites in serum were analyzed based on 1H-NMR metabolomics. The results showed that ethyl acetate portion of unripe Forsythiae Fructus had a better anti-inflammatory activity against acute lung injury, and could suppress the release of inflammatory factors of IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1ß, significantly reduce contents of creatine, ß-OH-butyrate, succinate, lysine, valine, isoleucine and glutamine, and elevate the content of GPC in serum. Ethyl acetate portion was proved to be the main fraction of anti-inflammatory activity from the perspective of endogenous metabolites in serum, and played an anti-inflammatory role by regulating creatine metabolism, choline metabolism, branched-chain amino acid metabolism and TCA cycles. This study could lay a foundation for studying pharmacodynamic material basis of unripe Forsythiae Fructus.

Cardioprotective effects of traditional Chinese medicine Guanmaitong on acute myocardial infarction.

Guanmaitong (GMT) is a traditional Chinese herbal compound that has been used for the treatment of coronary heart disease (CHD) and other cardiovascular diseases. However, the efficacy of GMT in treating cardiovascular diseases remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate the protective mechanisms and identify the targeted proteins and signaling networks associated with the physiological activity of GMT in a rat model of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated into five groups: Control group (sham-operated), the model group, and small, medium, and large dosage GMT groups. The rat model of AMI was established via ligation of the coronary artery. The results indicate that GMT was able to reduce myocardial infarction size and improve the activities of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) and interleukin-1. Furthermore, the reduced apoptotic index of the GMT-treated cardiocytes (P<0.05 vs. model group) was in accordance with the downregulated expression of Bax and the upregulated expression of Bcl-2. In conclusion, GMT may exert a protective potential against myocardial infarction injury by inhibiting apoptosis and inflammation of cardiomyocytes, and may offer a promising adjunct treatment for CHD.

[Chemical constituents from Crepis crocea].

Thirteen compounds were isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction of Crepis crocea by column chromatographies on silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and semi-preparative HPLC. The structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral analysis as tectorone I (1), 8ß- (2-methyl- 2-hydroxy-3-oxobutanoyloxy) -glucozaluzanin C (2), tectoroside (3), luteolin-7-O-glucoside (4), cosmosiin (5), esculetin (6), 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (7), trans-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (8), Caffeic acid (9), methyl p-hydroxyphenyllactate (10), ethylp- hydroxyphenyllactate (11), cis-3,4-dihydroxy-ß-ionion (12). All the compounds, except for compounds 4 and 9, were isolated from this plant for the first time, and tectorone I (1) is a new natural product.