Comparison of the efficacy of different frequency electroacupuncture in the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome patients with abdominal obesity. / ä¸åŒé¢‘çŽ‡ç”µé’ˆæ²»ç–—è ¹éƒ¨è‚¥èƒ–åž‹å¤šå›Šåµå·¢ç»¼åˆå¾çš„ç–—æ•ˆæ¯”è¾ƒ.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the effects of 2 Hz continuous wave and 2 Hz/100 Hz dilatational wave setting in electroacupuncture(EA) on ovulation frequency, hormone levels, body fat parameters, quality of life and depression-anxiety level in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients with abdominal obesity. METHODS: PCOS patients with abdominal obesity were randomly divided into low-frequency group (n=29) and dilatational wave group (n=29). Patients in both groups were treated with "Tongtiaodaimai" (regulating Dai Meridian) acupuncture therapy, and EA was applied to bilateral Daimai (GB26), Tianshu (ST25), Shenshu (BL23) and Ciliao (BL32). The low-frequency group received EA using a continuous wave at a frequency of 2 Hz, while the dilatational wave group received dilatational wave at a frequency of 2 Hz/100 Hz. Both groups received treatment for 30 min each time, 3 times per week for 12 consecutive weeks. Ovulation frequency was calculated according to the ovulation cycle. The contents of serum anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) were detected with electrochemiluminescence method. Body weight (BW) and waist circumference (WC) were measured, and body mass index (BMI) and waist-height ratio (WHtR) were calculated. PCOS questionnaire (Chi-PCOSQ), self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and self-rating depression scale (SDS) were evaluated. RESULTS: Compared with before treatment, both the low-frequency group and the dilatational wave group showed an increase in ovulation frequency (P<0.01, P<0.05), and a decrease in BW, BMI, WC, WHtR, and SDS score (P<0.01, P<0.05)；the dilatational wave group showed decreased serum AMH contents (P<0.05) and increased serum SHBG contents (P<0.05), the scores related to acne, fatigue, and dysmenorrhea in the Chi-PCOSQ increased (P<0.01, P<0.05). Compared with the low-frequency group, the dilatational wave group showed a reduction (P<0.05) in WC after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: 2 Hz/100 Hz dilatational wave EA is equally effective as 2 Hz low-frequency EA in improving ovulation frequency. In terms of reducing WC in abdominal obesity type PCOS patients, 2 Hz/100 Hz dilatational wave EA is superior to 2 Hz low-frequency EA. 2 Hz/100 Hz dilatational wave EA can decrease serum AMH, increase serum SHBG, and improve symptoms of acne, fatigue, and dysmenorrhea.

Prdx6-induced inhibition of ferroptosis in epithelial cells contributes to liquiritin-exerted alleviation of colitis.

Inhibition of ferroptosis in intestinal epithelial cells ameliorates clinical symptoms and improves endoscopic presentations in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Licorice is used worldwide in food and medicine fields. Liquiritin, a flavonoid component in licorice, is an effective substance used as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant food that has been shown to improve chemically induced colitis. Herein we evaluated the therapeutic effects of liquiritin on colitis and determined whether liquiritin could affect colitis by modulating ferroptosis in epithelial cells. A colitis model was induced in mice by oral administration with 2.5% DSS dissolved in drinking water. The results showed that liquiritin significantly alleviated symptoms, suppressed intestinal inflammation and restored the epithelial barrier function in the colitis mouse model. Liquiritin supplementation upregulated colonic ferritin expression, increased the storage of cellular iron, reduced the cellular iron level and further inhibited ferroptosis in epithelial cells from the colitis model. Pharmacological stimulation of ferroptosis largely blocked liquiritin-induced alleviation of colitis. Peroxiredoxin-6 (Prdx6) expression was significantly decreased in the DSS group, which was reversed by liquiritin treatment. Genetic or pharmacological silencing of Prdx6 largely reversed liquiritin-induced modulation of the ferritin/iron level and ferroptosis in epithelial cells. Molecular docking results showed that liquiritin could bind to Prdx6 through the hydrogen bond interaction with amino acid residues Thr208, Val206 and Pro203. In conclusion, liquiritin treatment largely alleviated DSS induced colitis by inhibiting ferroptosis in epithelial cells. Liquiritin negatively regulated ferroptosis in epithelial cells in colitis by activating Prdx6, increasing the expression of ferritin and subsequently reducing the cellular iron level.

Therapeutic material basis and underling mechanisms of Shaoyao Decoction-exerted alleviation effects of colitis based on GPX4-regulated ferroptosis in epithelial cells.

BACKGROUND: Shaoyao Decoction (SYD) is a canonical herbal medicine prescription formulated by Liu Wan-Su in AD 1186. SYD has been widely used to treat inflammatory bowel disease by clearing heat and damp, removing stasis toxin in the intestine; however, the precise mechanisms and therapeutic material basis remain largely unclear. In the present study, we measured the effects of SYD on colitis symptom, epithelial barrier function, epithelial ferroptosis, colonic protein and mRNA expression of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) in colitis model, and determined whether SYD restored barrier loss in colitis by modulation of GPX4-regulated ferroptosis pathway. METHODS: Colitis was established by infusion with 1 mL 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) dissolved in ethanol (40% v/v) in rats at a 125 mg/kg dose. Ferroptosis in epithelial cells was determined by flow cytometer. GPX4 promoter-firefly luciferase fusion construct was transfected to Caco-2 cell to determine GPX4 transcription. MS analysis was used to identified ingredients in SYD. RESULTS: Different doses of SYD significantly alleviated colitis, decreased ferroptosis in epithelial cells, knockout of GPX4 significantly reversed SYD-induced alleviation effects on colitis, restoration of epithelial barrier function, and epithelial ferroptosis. Wogonoside, wogonin, palmatine, paeoniflorin and liquiritin were identified as active ingredients of SYD-exerted alleviation effects of colitis based on GPX4 agonistic transcription. CONCLUSION: SYD alleviated chemically induced colitis by activation of GPX4, inhibition of ferroptosis in epithelial cells and further restoration of barrier function. Wogonoside, wogonin, palmatine, paeoniflorin and liquiritin were identified as the key therapeutic material basis of SYD-exerted anti-colitis effects. The findings provide a scientific basis for the therapeutic effect of SYD on colitis.

Natural product therapies in chronic kidney diseases: An update.

Chronic kidney disease is one of the major worldwide public health problems. Traditional Chinese medications have been widely used for chronic kidney disease treatment. As the development of modern phytochemistry technology, natural products have been isolated from traditional Chinese medications, which provide a more precise method for the investigation of traditional Chinese medications. In this article, we selected eight natural products from traditional Chinese medications for chronic kidney disease therapy to summarize the recent advances for the development of new medications.

[Chrysin inhibited epithelial-mesenchymal transition of type â ¡ alveolar epithelial cell by regulating NF-κB/Twist 1 signaling pathway].

This study aimed to assess whether chrysin(ChR) can inhibit epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT) of type Ⅱ alveolar epithelial cell and produce anti-pulmonary fibrosis effect by regulating the NF-κB/Twist 1 signaling pathway. Sixty rats were randomly divided into the control group, the bleomycin(BLC) group, BLC+ChR(50 mg·kg~(-1)) group and BLC+ChR(100 mg·kg~(-1)) group, with 15 rats in each group. The pulmonary fibrosis model was induced by intratracheal injection of BLC(7 500 U·kg~(-1)). Rats were orally administered with different doses of ChR after BLC injection for 28 days. The cells were divided into control group, TGF-ß1 group(5 ng·mL~(-1)), and TGF-ß1+ChR(1, 10, 100 µmol·L~(-1)) groups. The type Ⅱ alveolar epithelial cells were treated with TGF-ß1 for 24 h, and then treated with TGF-ß1 for 48 h in the presence or absence of different doses of ChR(1, 10 and 100 µmol·L~(-1)). The morphological changes and collagen deposition in lung tissues were analyzed by HE staining, Masson staining and immunohistochemistry. The mRNA and protein expression levels of collagen Ⅰ, E-cadherin, zonula occludens-1(ZO-1), vimentin, alpha smooth muscle actin(α-SMA), inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa B alpha(IκBα), nuclear factor-kappa B p65(NF-κB p65), phospho-NF-κB p65(p-p65) and Twist 1 in lung tissues and cells were detected by qPCR and Western blot, respectively. The animal experiment results showed that as compared with the BLC group, after administration of ChR for 28 days, bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats was significantly relieved, collagen Ⅰ expression in lung tissues was significantly reduced(P<0.05 or P<0.01), and EMT of alveolar epithelial cells was obviously inhibited [the expression levels of E-cadherin and ZO-1 were increased and the expression levels of vimentin and α-SMA were decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.01)], concomitantly with significantly reduced IκBα and p65 phosphorylation level in cytoplasm and decreased NF-κB p65 and Twist 1 expression in nucleus(P<0.05 or P<0.01). The cell experiment results showed that different doses of ChR(1, 10 and 100 µmol·L~(-1)) significantly reduced TGF-ß1-induced collagen Ⅰ expression(P<0.05 or P<0.01), significantly inhibited EMT of type Ⅱ alveolar epithelial cells[the expression levels of E-cadherin and ZO-1 were increased and the expression levels of vimentin and α-SMA were decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.01)], and inhibited IκBα and p65 phosphorylation in cytoplasm and down-regulated NF-κB p65 and Twist 1 expression in nucleus induced by TGF-ß1(P<0.05 or P<0.01). The results suggest that ChR can reverse EMT of type Ⅱ alveolar epithelial cell and alleviate pulmonary fibrosis in rats, and its mechanism may be associated with reducing IκBα phosphorylation and inhibiting NF-κB p65 phosphorylation and nuclear transfer, thus down-regulating Twist 1 expression.

Efficacy of Spleen-invigorating Chinese Medicinals in Repairing Intestinal Mucosal Barrier Injury： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

As the first line of defense between the intestinal environment and the outside world， the intestinal mucosal barrier is essential for maintaining the intestinal homeostasis. The intestinal mucosal barrier injury will change the intestinal permeability and allow bacterial translocation and the entry of endotoxins into blood， thus triggering a series of inflammatory responses， followed by the injury of related tissues and the aggravation of primary diseases. The spleen， the acquired foundation， is responsible for maintaining the internal and external balance of the body and resisting external evils. Its physiological function is similar to that of the intestinal mucosal barrier. Spleen deficiency easily leads to intestinal mucosal barrier dysfunction. Therefore， replenishing Qi， invigorating spleen， and restoring the efficacy of spleen and stomach qi in defensing and governing transportation and transformation are the keys to prevent and treat intestinal mucosal barrier injury. In recent years， studies have shown that the spleen-invigorating Chinese medicinals repair the intestinal mucosal injury by promoting the expression of intestinal epithelial tight junction proteins， regulating the intestinal immune function， microbial flora， and metabolites， and supplementing the intestinal nutrition， enabling them to gradually become a research hotspot. After reviewing the relevant articles published in China and abroad， this paper expounded the common syndrome types of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， the changes in intestinal mucosal barrier induced by spleen deficiency， the repairing effects of spleen-invigorating Chinese medicinals on intestinal mucosal barrier injury， in order to provide some clues for the research on the treatment of intestinal mucosal barrier dysfunction-related diseases with spleen-invigorating Chinese medicinals.

Structural characterization of Lanzhou lily (Lilium davidii var. unicolor) polysaccharides and determination of their associated antioxidant activity.

BACKGROUD: The Lanzhou lily (Lilium davidii var. unicolor) is the only Lilium species that is used for both culinary and medicinal purposes in China. Its bulbs contain various bioactive substances, such as polysaccharides, saponins and colchicine. Lanzhou lily polysaccharides are known to have anti-immunity, anti-tumor and anti-oxidation functions. RESULTS: The present study used a Box-Behnken design to optimize the ultrasound-assisted extraction of Lanzhou lily polysaccharides. Compared to other enzymes, trypsin significantly increased the polysaccharide yields, whereas the protein content of polysaccharides extracted with trypsin was the lowest. Monosaccharide mainly includes glucose (> 50%) and mannose (> 10%). 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity, chelating activity, total antioxidant capacity and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity of Lanzhou lily polysaccharides extracted with trypsin were stronger than those extracted without enzymes (control). Structural characteristics of Lanzhou lily polysaccharides extracted with trypsin and extracted without enzymes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. When water extracted polysaccharide and trypsin extracted polysaccharide concentrations were 200 µg mL-1 , Raw264.7 proliferation rates were 101.69% and 159.41%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The Lanzhou lily polysaccharide was identified as α-(1 → 6)-d-glucan. Consequently, the effects of both potential antioxidant and proliferative activity of trypsin are significant. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Safety and effectiveness of a Tai Chi-based cardiac rehabilitation programme for chronic coronary syndrom patients: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Preliminary evidence from clinical observations suggests that Tai Chi exercise may offer potential benefits for patients with chronic coronary syndrom (CCS). However, the advantages for CCS patients to practice Tai Chi exercise as rehabilitation have not been rigorously tested and there is a lack of consensus on its benefits. This study aims to develop an innovative Tai Chi Cardiac Rehabilitation Program (TCCRP) for CCS patients and to assess the efficacy, safety and acceptability of the programme. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We propose to conduct a multicentre randomised controlled clinical trial comprising of 150 participants with CCS. The patients will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio into two groups. The intervention group will participate in a supervised TCCRP held three times a week for 3 months. The control group will receive supervised conventional exercise rehabilitation held three times a week for 3 months. The primary and secondary outcomes will be assessed at baseline, 1 month, 3 months after intervention and after an additional 3-month follow-up period. Primary outcome measures will include a score of 36-Item Short Form Survey and Chinese Perceived Stress Scale. The secondary outcome measures will include body composition, cardiopulmonary exercise test, respiratory muscle function, locomotor skills, echocardiogram, New York Heart Association classification, heart rate recovery time and laboratory examination. Other measures also include Seattle Angina Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 and Berg Balance Scale. All adverse events will be recorded and analysed. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study conforms to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki and relevant ethical guidelines. Ethical approval has been obtained from the Ethics Committee of Chinese People's Libration Army General Hospital (approval number: S2019-060-02). Findings from this study will be published and presented at conferences for widespread dissemination of the results. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03936504.

Hepatoprotective effect of plant polysaccharides from natural resources: A review of the mechanisms and structure-activity relationship.

Liver injury is a common pathological process, which can result in fatty liver, cirrhosis, fibrosis and even cancer. Polysaccharides isolated from plants have been regarded as an important resource of anti-hepatic lesion due to widely distributed in nature and low toxicity. In order to have a better understand of the protective mechanism on liver function, a comprehensive review of research into plant polysaccharides during recent five years was performed. In total, 66 types of polysaccharides from 58 kinds of plant have shown hepatoprotective effect through the pathological process of inflammation, apoptosis and oxidative stress by regulating NF-κB, JAK/STAT, TGF-ß, PI3K/AKT, MAPK, caspase cascade, p53 and Nrf2-Keap1 pathways, lipid metabolism as well as cytochrome P450 enzymes. Moreover, correlations between structure and hepatoprotective activities of plant polysaccharides including primary structure, conformation properties, structural modification and content of uronic acid were also preliminarily explored. This review will provide a comprehensive perspective for better understanding the mechanism and development of polysaccharides against liver injury.

Medical Costs and Health Care Utilization Among Self-Insured Members with Carve-In Versus Carve-Out Pharmacy Benefits.

BACKGROUND: Pharmacy benefit can be purchased as part of an integrated medical and pharmacy health package-a carve-in model-or purchased separately and administered by an external pharmacy benefit manager-a carve-out model. Limited peer-reviewed information is available assessing differences in use and medical costs among carve-in versus carve-out populations. OBJECTIVE: To compare total medical costs per member per year (PMPY) and utilization between commercially self-insured members receiving carve-in to those receiving carve-out pharmacy benefits overall and by 7 chronic condition subgroups. METHODS: This study used deidentified data of members continuously enrolled in Cambia Health Solutions self-insured Blue plans without benefit changes from 2017 through 2018. Cambia covers 1.6 million members in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Utah. The medical cost PMPY comparison was performed using multivariable general linear regression with gamma distribution adjusting for age, gender, state, insured group size, case or disease management enrollment, 7 chronic diseases, risk score (illness severity proxy), and plan paid to total paid ratio (benefit richness proxy). Medical event objectives were assessed using multivariable logistic regression comparing odds of hospitalization and emergency department (ED) visit adjusting for the same covariates. Sensitivity analyses repeated the medical cost PMPY comparison excluding high-cost members, greater than $250,000 annually. Chronic condition subgroup analyses were performed using the same methods separately for members having asthma, coronary artery disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart failure, diabetes mellitus, depression, and rheumatoid arthritis. RESULTS: There were 205,835 carve-in and 125,555 carve-out members meeting study criteria. Average age (SD) was 34.2 years (18.6) and risk score (SD) 1.1 (2.3) for carve-in versus 35.2 years (19.3) and 1.1 (2.4), respectively, for carve-out. Members with carve-in benefits had lower medical costs after adjustment (4%, P < 0.001), translating into an average $148 lower medical cost PMPY ($3,749 carve-out vs. $3,601 carve-in annualized). After adjustment, the carve-in group had an estimated 15% (P < 0.001) lower hospitalization odds and 7% (P < 0.001) lower ED visit odds. Of 7 chronic conditions, significantly lower costs (12%-17% lower), odds of hospitalization (22%-36% lower), and odds of ED visit (16%-20% lower) were found among members with carve-in benefits for 5 conditions (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that integrated, carve-in pharmacy and medical benefits are associated with lower medical costs, fewer hospitalizations, and fewer ED visits. This study focused on associations, and defining causation was not in scope. Possible reasons for these findings include plan access to both medical and pharmacy data and data-informed care management and coordination. Future research should include investigation of integrated data use and its effect across the spectrum of integrated health plan offerings, provider partnerships, and analytic strategies, as well as inclusion of analyzing pharmacy costs to encompass total cost of care. DISCLOSURES: This study received no external funding. The study was jointly conducted by employees of Cambia Health Solutions and Prime Therapeutics, a pharmacy benefit manager servicing Cambia Health Solutions. Smith, Lam, Lockwood, and Pegus are employees of Cambia Health Solutions. Qiu and Gleason are employees of Prime Therapeutics.

Osthole: A Traditional Chinese Medicine for Ocular Anti-Angiogenic Therapy.

PURPOSE: Osthole is an agent isolated from Cnidium monnieri (L.) Cusson and has been used to treat several disorders. Corneal neovascularization is a sight-threatening condition associated with several inflammatory or infectious ocular disorders. In this study, we investigated the anti-angiogenic effects of osthole on corneal neovascularization and the underlying mechanism. METHODS: MTT assay, HE staining, and calcein-AM/propidium iodide staining was conducted to detect the toxicity of osthole in vitro and in vivo. Corneal neovascularization of ICR mice was induced by alkali burn and observed by a slit lamp microscopy on day 7 after alkali injury. EdU assay, Ki67 immunofluorescence assay, Transwell migration assay, and Matrigel assay were conducted to investigate the role of osthole in endothelial angiogenic effects in vitro. Western blots were conducted to investigate the anti-angiogenic mechanism of osthole in corneal neovascularization. RESULTS: Administration of osthole ranging from 0.05 to 25 µM had no detectable cytotoxicity or tissue toxicity in vivo and in vitro. Topical administration of osthole inhibited corneal neovascularization induced by alkali burn. Osthole decreased the proliferation, migration, and tube-formation of endothelial cells induced by VEGF. Osthole inhibited endothelial angiogenic functions through blocking the phosphorylation of ERK1/2, JNK, and p38. CONCLUSION: Our study provides evidence that osthole is a promising drug for the treatment of corneal neovascularization.

Modulation of the Gut Microbiota by Shen-Yan-Fang-Shuai Formula Improves Obesity Induced by High-Fat Diets.

Obesity and related metabolic disorders are associated with intestinal microbiota dysbiosis, disrupted intestinal barrier and chronic inflammation. Shen-Yan-Fang-Shuai formula (SYFSF) is a traditional Chinese herbal formula composed of Astragali Radix, Radix Angelicae Sinensis, Rheum Officinale Baill, and four other herbs. In this study, we identified that SYFSF treatment prevented weight gain, low-grade inflammation and insulin resistance in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice. SYFSF also substantially improved gut barrier function, reduced metabolic endotoxemia, as well as systemic inflammation. Sequencing of 16S rRNA genes obtained from fecal samples demonstrated that SYFSF attenuated HFD-induced gut dysbiosis, seen an decreased Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratios. Microbial richness and diversity were also higher in the SYFSF-treated HFD group. Furthermore, similar therapeutic effects and changes in gut microbiota profile caused by SYFSF could be replicated by fecal microbiota transfer (FMT). Taken together, our study highlights the efficacy of SYFSF in preventing obesity and related metabolic disorders. Its therapeutic effect is associated with the modulation of gut microbiota, as a prebiotic.

Surgical effect and electrophysiological study of patients with hemifacial spasm treated with botulinum toxin or acupuncture before microvascular decompression.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated patients with hemifacial spasm (HFS) who received a botulinum toxin (BT) injection or acupuncture before receiving microvascular decompression (MVD) to determine whether it affects the success rate of surgery. Abnormal Muscle Response (AMR) and Compound Motor Action Potential (CMAP) are commonly used as electrophysiological monitoring methods in surgery, and we will compare the differences between these patients in this regard. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 539 patients with HFS underwent MVD treatment in our department between January 2014 and June 2017. Among them, 83 patients had received BT injection before surgery and were recorded as BT group. Eighty-three patients underwent acupuncture before surgery and were recorded as acupuncture group. Five patients received both BT injection and acupuncture before surgery and were recorded as mixed group. A total of 368 patients who had not received any treatment before surgery were recorded as simple MVD group. We calculated the immediate and long-term remission rates after surgery. AMR and CMAP monitoring were routinely performed during surgery. RESULTS: Immediate remission rate after surgery was 96.4% (80/83) in BT group, 100% (83/83) in acupuncture group, 100% (5/5) in mixed group, and 95.1% (350/368) in simple MVD group, and the immediate remission rate of BT group is significantly higher than that of simple MVD group (p = 0.04). Long-term remission rate: the remission rates of the four groups were 94.0% (78/83), 97.6% (81/83), 100.0% (5/5) and 92.7%(341/368), respectively, and there is no statistical difference between them (p > 0.05). The amplitude of one branch or several branches of CMAP on the affected side was lower than the healthy side in BT or acupuncture treatment patients. CONCLUSIONS: A preoperative BT injection or acupuncture treatment do not reduce the postoperative remission rate of HFS patients treated with MVD, and the amplitude of CMAP on the affected side was lower than the healthy side.

Resistance and clonal selection among Allium sativum L. germplasm resources to Delia antiqua M. and its correlation with allicin content.

BACKGROUND: Garlic is the second largest allium crop after onion and is grown all over the world. The onion maggot (Delia antiqua M.) is a pest that seriously affects the yield and quality of garlic. Cultural controls and insecticides have several potential problems, including pesticide residue and development of resistance. Screening resistant varieties is an ideal alternative method. RESULTS: The resistance of 213 accessions of garlic clones against onion maggot was identified. The results showed that the pest index was between 5.56% and 91.11%, with classification into six groups by cluster analysis: HR (highly resistant), R (resistant), MR (moderately resistant), MS (moderately susceptible), S (susceptible) and HS (highly susceptible). Among these accessions, 9 and 30 were HR and R to onion maggot, respectively. Comparing the resistances of seven pairs of accessions between the original accessions and their progenies showed that single bulb clonal selection could be an effective way to improve allicin content, onion maggot resistance and most morphological traits. The relationship between allicin content and resistance was investigated, and a significant positive relationship was found. Accessions with a high content of allicin have great potential as resistant accessions. CONCLUSION: This study showed significant differences among garlic germplasm in their response to Delia antiqua M. Some accessions were highly resistant and tolerant. Utilization of these accessions will help minimize environmental pollution, preserve agro-ecosystems and biodiversity, and make management processes more economical. Furthermore, these accessions could be used in breeding programs to develop new maggot-resistant onion cultivars. © 2019 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Systematically Characterizing Chemical Profile and Potential Mechanisms of Qingre Lidan Decoction Acting on Cholelithiasis by Integrating UHPLC-QTOF-MS and Network Target Analysis.

Qingre Lidan Decoction (QRLDD), a classic precompounded prescription, is widely used as an effective treatment for cholelithiasis clinically. However, its chemical profile and mechanism have not been characterized and elucidated. In the present study, a rapid, sensitive, and reliable ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry method was established for comprehensively identifying the major constituents in QRLDD. Furthermore, a network pharmacology strategy based on the chemical profile was applied to clarify the synergetic mechanism. A total of 72 compounds containing flavonoids, terpenes, phenolic acid, anthraquinones, phenethylalchohol glycosides, and other miscellaneous compounds were identified, respectively. 410 disease genes, 432 compound targets, and 71 related pathways based on cholelithiasis-related and compound-related targets databases as well as related pathways predicted by the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes database were achieved. Among these pathways and genes, pathway in cancer and MAPK signaling pathway may play an important role in the development of cholelithiasis. EGFR may be a crucial target in the conversion of gallstones to gallbladder carcinoma. Regulation of PRKCB/RAF1/MAP2K1/MAPK1 is associated with cell proliferation and differentiation. Thus, the fingerprint coupled with network pharmacology analysis could contribute to simplifying the complex system and providing directions for further research of QRLDD.

Ischemic or toxic injury: A challenging diagnosis and treatment of drug-induced stenosis of the sigmoid colon.

A 48-year-old woman was admitted with 15-mo history of abdominal pain, diarrhea and hematochezia, and 5-mo history of defecation difficulty. She had been successively admitted to nine hospitals, with an initial diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease with stenotic sigmoid colon. Findings from computed tomography virtual colonoscopy, radiography with meglumine diatrizoate, endoscopic balloon dilatation, metallic stent implantation and later overall colonoscopy, coupled with the newfound knowledge of compound Qingdai pill-taking, led to a subsequent diagnosis of ischemic or toxic bowel disease with sigmoid colon stenosis. The patient was successfully treated by laparoscopic sigmoid colectomy, and postoperative pathological examination revealed ischemic or toxic injury of the sigmoid colon, providing a final diagnosis of drug-induced sigmoid colon stenosis. This case highlights that adequate awareness of drug-induced colon stenosis has a decisive role in avoiding misdiagnosis and mistreatment. The diagnostic and therapeutic experiences learnt from this case suggest that endoscopic balloon expansion and colonic metallic stent implantation as bridge treatments were demonstrated as crucial for the differential diagnosis of benign colonic stenosis. Skillful surgical technique and appropriate perioperative management helped to ensure the safety of our patient in subsequent surgery after long-term use of glucocorticoids.

Optimization of ultrasound-assisted aqueous two-phase system extraction of polyphenolic compounds from Aronia melanocarpa pomace by response surface methodology.

Aronia melanocarpa berries are abundant in polyphenolic compounds. After juice production, the pomace of pressed berries still contains a substantial amount of polyphenolic compounds. For efficient utilization of A. melanocarpa berries and the enhancement of polyphenolic compound yields in Aronia melanocarpa pomace (AMP), total phenolics (TP) and total flavonoids (TF) from AMP were extracted, using ultrasound-assisted aqueous two-phase system (UAE-ATPS) extraction method. First, the influences of ammonium sulfate concentration, ethanol-water ratio, ultrasonic time, and ultrasonic power on TP and TF yields were investigated. On this basis, process variables such as ammonium sulfate concentration (0.30-0.35 g mL-1), ethanol-water ratio (0.6-0.8), ultrasonic time (40-60 min), and ultrasonic power (175-225 W) were further optimized by implementing Box-Benhnken design with response surface methodology. The experimental results showed that optimal extraction conditions of TP from AMP were as follows: ammonium sulfate concentration of 0.324 g mL-1, ethanol-water ratio of 0.69, ultrasonic time of 52 min, and ultrasonic power of 200 W. Meanwhile, ammonium sulfate concentration of 0.320 g mL-1, ethanol-water ratio of 0.71, ultrasonic time of 50 min, and ultrasonic power of 200 W were determined as optimum extraction conditions of TF in AMP. Experimental validation was performed, where TP and TF yields reached 68.15 ± 1.04 and 11.67 ± 0.63 mg g-1, respectively. Close agreement was found between experimental and predicted values. Overall, the present results demonstrated that ultrasound-assisted aqueous two-phase system extraction method was successfully used to extract total phenolics and flavonoids in A. melanocarpa pomace.

Boehmenan, a lignan from the Chinese medicinal plant Clematis armandii, induces apoptosis in lung cancer cells through modulation of EGF-dependent pathways.

BACKGROUND: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is an effective molecular target for cancer treatment. Boehmenan, a lignan from the dried stems of Clematis armandii, exhibited the potent cytotoxic effects against many cancer cell lines in previous studies. However, the effects and underlying mechanism of boehmenan on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains unclear. PURPOSE: The present study was designed to determine the in vitro anti-cancer properties and underlying molecular mechanisms of boehmenan on A549 NSCLC cells. STUDY DESIGN/METHODS: Cellular viability and chemoattractive properties of macrophages were investigated by using MTT and transwell migration assay, respectively. Mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), apoptotic ratio, and cell cycle were measured by flow cytometry. Protein expression was visualized by Western blot using specific antibodies. RESULTS: Boehmenan concentration-dependently suppressed proliferation and induced G1 phase arrest in A549 NSCLC cells, which were accompanied by reduction of migration, colony formation and increase of apoptosis in A549 cells. In addition, boehmenan treatment markedly modulated apoptosis-related protein (p53, p21, cleaved caspase 3, and cleaved PARP) and cyclin D1 expression and induced ΔΨm collapse in a concentration dependent manner. Furthermore, boehmenan concentration-dependently inhibited EGF-induced activation of EGFR and its downstream signaling molecules, including MEK, Akt, ERK1/2, and STAT3. CONCLUSION: Taken together, our results suggested that boehmenan-mediated anti-tumor property was mediated by modulation of mitochondria and EGFR signaling pathway in A549 NSCLC cells.

(7R,8S)-9-acetyl-dehydrodiconiferyl alcohol inhibits inflammation and migration in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages.

BACKGROUND: (7R, 8S)-9-Acetyl-dehydrodiconiferyl alcohol (ADDA), a novel lignan compound isolated from Clematis armandii Franch (Ranunculaceae) stems, has been found to exert potential anti-inflammatory activities in vitro. PURPOSE: To investigate the pharmacological effects and molecular mechanisms of ADDA on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced activation and migration of macrophages. STUDY DESIGN/METHODS: Macrophages were stimulated with LPS in the presence or absence of ADDA. Expression of inflammatory mediators, including cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and nitric oxide (NO) were measured by Western blot and commercial NO detection kit. Cellular viability and chemotactic properties of macrophages were investigated using MTT and transwell migration assays. The activation and expression of mitogen activated protein kinases, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), protein kinase B (Akt), Src, and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) were analyzed by Western blot. RESULTS: Non-toxic concentrations (12.5-50 µM) of ADDA concentration-dependently inhibited expression/release of inflammatory mediators (COX-2, iNOS, and NO), suppressed Akt and c-jun N-terminal kinase 1/2 (JNK) phosphorylation, and NF-κB activation in LPS-stimulated macrophages. In addition, ADDA blocked LPS-mediated macrophage migration and this was associated with inhibition of LPS-induced Src and FAK phosphorylation as well as Src expression in a concentration dependent manner. Notably, the inhibitory effects of ADDA on iNOS, NO, and Src could be mimicked by a Src inhibitor PP2 or an iNOS inhibitor l-NMMA. CONCLUSION: Our results suggested that ADDA attenuated LPS-induced inflammatory responses in macrophages and cell migration, at least in part, through inhibition of NF-κB activation and modulation of iNOS/Src/FAK axis.