Efficacy of Acupuncture Combined with Local Anesthesia in Ischemic Stroke Patients with Carotid Artery Stenting: A Prospective Randomized Trial / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the efficacy of electro-acupuncture (EA) or transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) on perioperative cerebral blood flow (CBF) and neurological function in ischemic stroke (IS) patients undergoing carotid artery stenting (CAS).@*METHODS@#In total, 124 consecutive IS patients were randomly allocated to the EA, TEAS, and sham groups (groups A, T, and S; 41, 42, and 41 cases, respectively) by software-derived random-number sequence. Groups A and T received EA and TEAS, respectively, at the Shuigou (GV 26) and Baihui (GV 20), Hegu (LI4) and Waiguan (TE 5) acupoints. Group S received sham EA. The stimulation was started from 30 min before surgery until the end of the operation. The primary outcome was the CBF at 30 min after surgery, which was measured by transcranial Doppler sonography. The secondary outcomes included hyperperfusion incidence and neurological function. National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and General Evaluation Scale (GES) scores were recorded at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months postoperatively.@*RESULTS@#Mean CBF velocity at 30 min after surgery in groups A and T was much lower than that in Group S (P < 0.05); the incidence of hyperperfusion in Groups A and T was also lower than that in group S (P <0.05). Acupuncture was an independent factor associated with reduced incidence of hyperperfusion (OR=0.042; 95% CI: 0.002-0.785; =0.034). NIHSS and GES scores improved significantly at 1 week postoperatively in Groups A and T than in Group S (P < 0.05). Relative to Group S, groups A and T exhibited significantly lower incidences of moderate pain, as well as higher incidences of satisfaction with anesthesia, at 1 day postoperatively (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#EA or TEAS administered in combination with local anesthesia during CAS can inhibit transient increases in CBF, reduce the incidence of postoperative hyperperfusion, and improve neurological function. (Registration No. ChiCTR-IOR-15007447).

YGS40, an active fraction of Yi-Gan San, reduces hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells / 中国天然药物

In our previous study, we have elucidated the chemical profile of YGS40, a fraction of Yi-Gan San (YGS), used for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Oxidative stress-induced apoptosis is implicated in neurodegenerative disorders such as AD. The aim of the present study was to explore the protective effects of YGS40 against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells and the underlying mechanisms. PC12 cells were exposed to 100 μmol·L(-1) of H2O2 for 12 h with or without YGS40 pretreatment. Cytotoxicity was determined by MTT (3, (4, 5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl) 2, 5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assays; apoptosis was detected by Annexin V/propidium iodide coupled staining and by determining caspase-3 activity and Bax and Bcl-2 protein levels. Mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) was assessed by the retention of rhodamine123; and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured using commercially available enzymatic kits. Pretreatment with YGS40 significantly prevented H2O2-induced cytotoxicity and protected the cells against H2O2-triggered apoptosis characterized by externalization of membrane phosphatidylserine and caspase-3 activation and the increased ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 in PC12 cells. Further studies showed that YGS40 suppressed H2O2-induced MMP loss, increased SOD activity, and decreased MDA level. These findings suggest that YGS40 may be beneficial for the prevention and treatment of oxidative stress-mediated disorders.

Triterpenoid saponins from Patrinia scabra.

AIM: To study the chemical constituents and bioactivity of the roots of Patrinia scabra Bunge. METHODS: The chemical constituents were isolated using various chromatographic methods, and the structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral analysis and chemical methods. In addition, cytotoxic activities toward HepG2 cells were tested by the MTT method. RESULTS: A new triterpenoid saponin, 3-O-(4'-isovaleryl)-O-ß-D-xylose-12,30-dihydroxy-oleanane-28,13-lactone-22-O- ß-D-glucoside (1), along with two known triterpenoid saponins, acanthopanax saponin CP3 (2) and foetoside C (3), were isolated. CONCLUSION: The aglycone of compound 1 was a new skeleton derivative of oleanolic acid. Compound 2 showed strong cytotoxicity to HePG2 cells (IC50 1.49 µmol·L(-1)).

Progress of berberine for treatment of type 2 diabetes / 中国中药杂志

Berberine is the major component of Coptidis Rhizoma and it has been used as anti-infection, anti-inflammation drug for gastrointestinal diseases. In recent years, evidence showed that it could regulate glucose and lipid metabolism. Moreover, its activity had been tested by clinical trials and animal researches. The mechanisms of berberine in diabetes include: improving the function of beta-cell; prompting insulin secretion and islets regeneration, lowing lipid level, regulating glucose and lipid metabolic by influence transcriptional factors expression such as PPARgamma, C/EBPalpha, SREBP-1c, LXR, having the activities of anti-oxidation and inhibiting reductase to repress oxidative stress state and regulate metabolic signal pathway. Although numbers of data supported that berberine could improving insulin resistance by clinical trials and animal studies, the large scale, multicenter clinical trials are needed to evaluate the effects of berberine for diabetes and its complications in the time of evidence-based medicine.

Triterpenoid saponins from Patrinia scabra / 中国天然药物

AIM@#To study the chemical constituents and bioactivity of the roots of Patrinia scabra Bunge.@*METHODS@#The chemical constituents were isolated using various chromatographic methods, and the structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral analysis and chemical methods. In addition, cytotoxic activities toward HepG2 cells were tested by the MTT method.@*RESULTS@#A new triterpenoid saponin, 3-O-(4'-isovaleryl)-O-β-D-xylose-12,30-dihydroxy-oleanane-28,13-lactone-22-O- β-D-glucoside (1), along with two known triterpenoid saponins, acanthopanax saponin CP3 (2) and foetoside C (3), were isolated.@*CONCLUSION@#The aglycone of compound 1 was a new skeleton derivative of oleanolic acid. Compound 2 showed strong cytotoxicity to HePG2 cells (IC50 1.49 μmol·L(-1)).

Synthesis and cytotoxic activity of 3, 4, 11-trihydroxyl modified derivatives of bergenin / 中国天然药物

To synthesize a series of 3-, 4-, and/or 11-trihydroxy modified bergenin derivatives and evaluated their cytotoxic activity in vitro. The phenolic hydroxyl groups of bergenin were protected by benzyl groups with benzyl bromide. Treatment of dibenzyl bergenin with the corresponding acid in the presence of EDC·HCl and DMAP in CH2Cl2, followed by hydrogenation over Pd/C catalysts, afforded derivatives of bergenin esters. All of the target compounds were identified by IR, MS, and (1)H NMR. Twenty-six novel and three known derivatives of bergenin esters were synthesized. Their cytotoxicity values were evaluated by the MTT assay on the inhibition of DU-145 and BGC-823 cells in vitro. Several triply-substituted (3a, 4a, 5a, 6a, 7a) and doubly-substituted (8b, 9b) bergenin derivatives exhibited higher cytotoxic activity than bergenin. The result showed that the size of substituents and the lipophilicity of the bergenin esters displayed an important role on their cytotoxic activity.

Chemical study on aerial parts of Ligusticum chuanxiong / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the chemical constituents of the aerial parts of Liusticum chuanxiong.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The chemical components were isolated by silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography. Structures were elucidated on the basis of physico-chemical properities and spectral data.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Eight chemical constituents were isolated, and identified as protocatechuic acid (1), caffeic acid (2), scopoletin (3), apigenin (4), quercetin (5), cosmosiin (6), kaempferol-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosid (7) and glucose (8).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Compounds 1-8 were obtained from the aerial parts of the plant for the first time, compounds 3-8 were obtained from the plant for the first time.</p>

Effect of scalp acupuncture on glucose metabolism in brain of patients with depression / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effect of scalp acupuncture (SA) on the glucose metabolism in different regions of brain in patients with depression by positron emission computed tomography (PET).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twelve depressive patients were treated by scalp acupuncture on middle line of vertex (MS5), middle line of forehead (MS1) and bilateral lateral line 1 of forehead (MS2), once a day for six days per week, and received PET detection on different region of brain before and after 6 weeks acupuncture treatment. Semiquantitative analysis was used to compare the average values of radioactive count gotten from various brain regions before and after treatment, which could reflect the condition of glucose metabolism at the brain region detected.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>SA could increase the glucose metabolism at bilateral frontal lobes, bilateral parietal lobes, right occipital lobe, right caudate nucleus, right cingulated gyrus and left cerebellum and decrease that at right temporal lobe and bilateral thalamus.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>SA on MS5, MS1 and MS2 in depressive patients could influence the glucose metabolism in various brain regions. It primarily illustrated that the mechanism of SA in treating depression is related with its regulation on cortex-limbic circuitry dysfunction and increase the glucose metabolism in various brain regions.</p>