Identification of Chinese medicine sea snake based on cytochrome B (Cytb) / 中国中药杂志

The identification of species primordium has been one of the hot issues in the identification of traditional Chinese medicine. Sea snake is one of the most valuable Chinese medicinal materials in China. In order to understand the origin and varieties of sea snake in the market, we studied the molecular identification of 46 sea snakes by cytochrome B(Cytb). After comparison and manual correction, the sequence length was 582 bp, and the content of A+T(58.9%) was higher than that of G+C(41.1%). There exist 197 variable sites and 179 parsimony-informative sites of the sequence. There are 44 kinds of sequence alignment with consistency equal to 100%, and 2 kinds equal to 96%. A total of 408 Cytb effective sequences were downloaded from GenBank database, with a total of 68 species. Phylogenetic tree of a total of 454 sea snake sequences with the samples in this study were constructed by neighbor-joining trees and Bayesian inference method, respectively, which can identify 42 samples of medicinal materials, while 4 samples can not be identified because of their low node support. The results showed that the species of the sea snake medicine were at least from 2 genera and 5 species, namely, Aipysurus eydouxii, Hydrophis curtus, H. caerulescen, H. curtus, H. ornatus and H. spiralis. This study suggested that the original species of commercial sea snake are very complex and can provide insight into the identification of sea snakes.

Observation on therapeutic effect of " acupuncture" on premature ovarian insufficiency of kidney deficiency / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the clinical efficacy of " acupuncture" and oral estradiol and dydrogesterone tablets (femoston) on premature ovarian insufficiency of kidney deficiency.@*METHODS@#A total of 50 patients with premature ovarian insufficiency of kidney deficiency were randomized into an observation group and a control group, 25 cases in each one.In the observation group, " acupuncture" was applied at Baihui (GV 20), Zhongwan (CV 12), Guanyuan (CV 4), Qihai (CV 6), Zhongji (CV 3), Yaoyangguan (GV 3), Yaoshu (GV 2), Mingmen (GV 4), etc. once every 2 days, 1 month as a course. In the control group, femoston was prescribed for oral administration, one tablet per time, once a day, 1 month as a course. Both of the two groups were given consecutive treatment for 3 courses. Before and after treatment, the clinical symptoms, menstrual improvement as well as the changes of estradiol (E), luteotrophic hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in serum were observed in the two groups.@*RESULTS@#After treatment, the clinical symptoms and menstrual conditions were improved (<0.01), the levels of FSH and LH were significantly reduced (<0.01), and the levels of E were significantly increased in the two groups (<0.01). There were no significant difference in menstrual improvement rate and menstrual improvement time between the observation group and the control group (<0.05), the recurrence rate of menopause and clinical symptom score improvement in the observation group were superior to the control group (<0.05). In the observation group, the level of E in serum was lower and the levels of FSH and LH in serum were significantly lower than those in the control group (<0.05, <0.01). In the observation group, the rate of adverse reaction was 4.0% (1/25), which was lower than 36.0% (9/25) in the control group (<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#" acupuncture" has better therapeutic effect for premature ovarian insufficiency of kidney deficiency. It is superior to femoston in improving clinical symptoms and recurrence rate of menopause as well as reducing the levels of FSH and LH.

Visualization Analysis on Diagnostic Criteria Research of Qi-yin Deficiency Based on Knowledge Mapping Function of CiteSpace / 世界科学技术-中医药现代化

Objective: To analyze the status and existing problems of the diagnostic criteria of qi and yin deficiencysyndrome by applying the knowledge mapping method. Methods: In the China Knowledge Network Database (CNKI), wesearched the relevant journal articles on the diagnostic criteria of qi and yin deficiency syndrome, exported andtransformed the literature data, and used CiteSpace software to draw co-occurrence map of authors, institutions and keywords of research on the diagnosis criteria of qi and yin deficiency syndrome for analysis.Results:A total of 378research papers were included, and the main researchers and teams represented by Li Jiansheng were found.The research institute was mainly the Institute of Geriatrics of Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.Diabetes was the most concerned research direction in this field.Conclusion:Although the research on the diagnostic criteria of qi and yin deficiency syndrome is currently facing great difficulties, the research institutions in this field have cooperat extensively.The wisdom collision brought by such cooperation foundation will provide solutions to these problems, an the output of excellent results was expected.Based on diabetes, IGA nephropathy, coronary heart disease, and clinic research as the method, the relevant research is the main direction, which will be the main trend of the research on t diagnostic criteria of qi and yin deficiency syndrome.

Effects of Shenshuaikang Enema Liquid on the Wnt/β-catenin pathway for inhibiting the hypoxia reoxygenation injury in HK-2 cells / 中成药

AIM To investigate the protective effect of serum containing Shenshuaikang Enema Liquid (Rhei Radix et Rhizoma,Salviae miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma,Carthami Flos,Astragali Radix) on HK-2 cells injured by hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) and its effect on Wnt/β-catenin pathway.MEHTODS Six New Zealand white rabbits randomly divided into control group,Shenshuaikang high dose group and PBS group (n =2) were treated accordingly for serum collection after 3 days' enema.The HK-2 cells injured by hypoxia/reoxygenation were then administered with serum of rabbits from the control group,PBS group,Shenshuaikang groups (high dose,middle dose and low dose groups due to the differently diluted concentrations) respectively.The H/R damage was determined by ROS fluorescence probe,the cellular damage/apoptosis were analyzed by CFSE/PI method and flow cytometry combined with Annexin V-FITC/PI,and the investigation on effects of drugs on expression of Wnt4 mRNA and β-catenin mRNA were accomplished by fluorescence quantitative PCR.RESULTS The fluorescence intensity of intracellular ROS expression was significantly increased after modeling.CFSE/PI double staining showed that the variant Shenshuaikang dose groups displayed obvious proportional mortality superiority to either the control group or PBS group,and the high dose group achieved the lowest mortality.Annexin V-FITC/PI and flow cytometry showed that,at 12 h,compared with the control group (45.6 ± 2.2)％ and PBS group (41.6 ±0.7) ％,Shenshuaikang groups [low dose group (14.8 ± 0.3) ％,middle dose group (10.3 ± 0.6) ％,high dose group (12.9 ± 0.9)％] obviously inhibited apoptosis/death.Shenshuaikang Enema Liquid medicated serum demonstrated its significant effect on the increase of the Wnt4 mRNA expression and a dual-directional regulation on the expression of β-caterin mRNA by quantitative PCR (P ＜ 0.05).CONCLUSION Inhibition of the apoptosis/death of HK-2 cells with hypoxia/reoxygenation injury due to the serum containing Shenshuaikang Enema Liquid suggests the agent's influence on the activation of Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

Holotransferrin enhances selective anticancer activity of artemisinin against human hepatocellular carcinoma cells / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

Artemisinin, also termed qinghaosu, is extracted from the traditional Chinese medicine artemesia annua L. (the blue-green herb) in the early 1970s, which has been confirmed for effectively treating malaria. Additionally, emerging data prove that artemisinin exhibits anti-cancer effects against many types of cancers such as leukemia, melanoma, etc. Artemisinin becomes cytotoxic in the presence of ferrous iron. Since iron influx is high in cancer cells, artemisinin and its analogs selectively kill cancer cells with increased intracellular iron concentrations. This study is aimed to investigate the selective inhibitory effects of artemisinin on SMMC-7721 cells in vitro and determine the effect of holotransferrin, which increases the concentration of ferrous iron in cancer cells, combined with artemisinin on the anticancer activity. MTT assay was used for assessing the proliferation of SMMC-7721 cells treated with artemisinin. The induction of apoptosis and inhibition of colony formation in SMMC-7721 cells treated with artemisinin were determined by TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) and colony formation assay, respectively. The results showed that artemisinin at various concentrations significantly inhibited growth, colony formation and cell viability of SMMC-7721 cells (P<0.05), likely due to induction of apoptosis of SMMC-7721 cells. Of interest, it was found that incubation of artemisinin combined with holotransferrin sensitized the growth inhibitory effect of artemisinin on SMMC-7721 cells (P<0.01). Our data suggest that treatment with artemisinin leads to inhibition of viability and proliferation, and apoptosis of SMMC-7721 cells. Furthermore, we observed that holotransferrin significantly enhanced the anti-cancer activity of artemisinin. This study may provide a potential therapeutic choice for liver cancer.

DS147 improves pregnancy in mice with embryo implantation dysfunction induced by controlled ovarian stimulation / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

The study examined the effect of DS147, the bioactive component of the traditional herbal recipe Bangdeyun, on pregnancy in mice with embryo implantation dysfunction induced by controlled ovarian stimulation (COS), and the underlying mechanisms. Female mice were superovulated by intraperitoneal injection of 7.5 IU of pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) followed by an additional injection of 7.5 IU hCG 48 h later to establish embryo implantation dysfunction (EID) model. Pregnant mice were randomly divided into normal control group, COS group and DS147-treated groups. The pregnancy rate and the average implantation site were obtained on pregnancy day 8 (PD8). The side effect of 200 mg/kg of DS147 on naturally pregnant mice was also observed. Further, the uterine and ovarian tissue samples were collected on PD5 for measuring their weights, observing the development of the endometrium and ovary, and detecting the endometrial expression of MMP-2, TIMP-2, CD34 and angiogenin (ANG). The female mice treated with DS147 at doses of 100 to 800 mg/kg showed a higher pregnancy rate than those in COS group, and the highest pregnancy rate of 83.3% occurred in the 200 mg/kg DS147-treated group. Moreover, no obvious side effect was found in mice treated with 200 mg/kg DS147 on PD8 and PD16. The ovarian and uterine weights, and the expression levels of MMP-2, ANG and CD34 were significantly increased in DS147-treated groups when compared with COS group. The TIMP-2 expression level was much lower in DS147-treated mice than in COS mice and the ratio of MMP-2/TIMP-2 was much higher in DS147-treated group than in COS group, and even higher than normal control group. In all, these findings suggest that DS147 may improve pregnancy in mice with COS-induced EID by promoting matrix degradation and angiogenesis, and improving the development of corpus luteum and endometrial decidualization around the implantation window.

Induction of UGT1A1 expression by praeruptorin A and praeruptorin C through hCAR pathway / 药学学报

This study is purposed to investigate the effects of praeruptorin A (PA) and praeruptorin C (PC) on UGT1A1 in HepG2 cells through hCAR pathway. PA and PC were incubated with HepG2 cells for 24 h and 48 h, mRNA and protein expressions of UGT1A1 were determined by real-time PCR and Western blotting assays. Additionally, effects of PA and PC on UGT1A1 mRNA and protein expressions were also measured after transient transfection of a specific CAR siRNA for 72 h in HepG2 cells. UGT1A1 mRNA and protein expression levels were significantly increased by PA and PC after incubation for 48 h. Moreover, the mRNA and protein up-regulations of UGT1A1 were attenuated by transient transfection of a specific CAR siRNA, suggesting the induction was mediated by CAR. The results suggest that PA and PC can significantly up-regulate UGT1A1 expression partially via the CAR-mediated pathway.

Holotransferrin enhances selective anticancer activity of artemisinin against human hepatocellular carcinoma cells / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

Artemisinin, also termed qinghaosu, is extracted from the traditional Chinese medicine artemesia annua L. (the blue-green herb) in the early 1970s, which has been confirmed for effectively treating malaria. Additionally, emerging data prove that artemisinin exhibits anti-cancer effects against many types of cancers such as leukemia, melanoma, etc. Artemisinin becomes cytotoxic in the presence of ferrous iron. Since iron influx is high in cancer cells, artemisinin and its analogs selectively kill cancer cells with increased intracellular iron concentrations. This study is aimed to investigate the selective inhibitory effects of artemisinin on SMMC-7721 cells in vitro and determine the effect of holotransferrin, which increases the concentration of ferrous iron in cancer cells, combined with artemisinin on the anticancer activity. MTT assay was used for assessing the proliferation of SMMC-7721 cells treated with artemisinin. The induction of apoptosis and inhibition of colony formation in SMMC-7721 cells treated with artemisinin were determined by TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) and colony formation assay, respectively. The results showed that artemisinin at various concentrations significantly inhibited growth, colony formation and cell viability of SMMC-7721 cells (P<0.05), likely due to induction of apoptosis of SMMC-7721 cells. Of interest, it was found that incubation of artemisinin combined with holotransferrin sensitized the growth inhibitory effect of artemisinin on SMMC-7721 cells (P<0.01). Our data suggest that treatment with artemisinin leads to inhibition of viability and proliferation, and apoptosis of SMMC-7721 cells. Furthermore, we observed that holotransferrin significantly enhanced the anti-cancer activity of artemisinin. This study may provide a potential therapeutic choice for liver cancer.