Author Correction: Directed self-assembly of herbal small molecules into sustained release hydrogels for treating neural inflammation.

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Directed self-assembly of herbal small molecules into sustained release hydrogels for treating neural inflammation.

Self-assembling natural drug hydrogels formed without structural modification and able to act as carriers are of interest for biomedical applications. A lack of knowledge about natural drug gels limits there current application. Here, we report on rhein, a herbal natural product, which is directly self-assembled into hydrogels through noncovalent interactions. This hydrogel shows excellent stability, sustained release and reversible stimuli-responses. The hydrogel consists of a three-dimensional nanofiber network that prevents premature degradation. Moreover, it easily enters cells and binds to toll-like receptor 4. This enables rhein hydrogels to significantly dephosphorylate IκBα, inhibiting the nuclear translocation of p65 at the NFκB signalling pathway in lipopolysaccharide-induced BV2 microglia. Subsequently, rhein hydrogels alleviate neuroinflammation with a long-lasting effect and little cytotoxicity compared to the equivalent free-drug in vitro. This study highlights a direct self-assembly hydrogel from natural small molecule as a promising neuroinflammatory therapy.

Effects of preventive acupuncture and moxibustion on fat accumulation, blood lipid, and uterus e 2 of menopause rats.

Objective. To observe the effect of preventive acupuncture and moxibustion on blood lipid of menopause rats. Methods. Seventy 10-month-old SD rats with estrous cycle disorders were divided into three control groups and four treatment groups (n = 10/group) and another ten 3.5-month-old female SD rats were chosen as young control group. Preventive acupuncture and moxibustion were applied at Guanyuan (CV 4). Body weight growth rate has been recorded. Plasma total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein (LDL), and high density lipoprotein (HDL) levels and uterus E 2 level were measured. Results. Compared to young control group, plasma TC and LDL increased and uterus E 2 reduced significantly in 12-month-old control group. Compared to 12-month-old control group, plasma TC and LDL level and body weight growth rate decreased while HDL level increased remarkably in preventive acupuncture 12-month-old group. Compared to 14-month-old control group, plasma TC level and body weight growth rate decreased remarkably in preventive moxibustion 14-month-old group. Conclusions. Preventive acupuncture and moxibustion can significantly decrease the plasma TG and LDL, increase the plasma HDL, and prevent fat accumulation. Our finding suggests that preventive acupuncture and moxibustion have beneficial effects on blood lipid. Different treatment effects were found between preventive acupuncture and preventive moxibustion.

[Constitution identification and treatment with acupuncture-moxibustion for menopausal women].

According to the theory of constitution and disease prevention of Chinese medicine, kidney deficiency, lack of nourishment of the Thoroughfare Vessel and the Conception Vessel as well as qi sufficiency and blood deficiency are taken as the main features of body constitutions of women during menopausal period. Acupuncture-moxibustion treatment before or in the early stage of menopausal period are discussed initially. Methods of tonifying the kidney and regulate qi and blood are held as the main treating principles. Acupuncture points such as Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Shenshu (BL 23), Guanyuan (CV 4) and Baihui (GV 20) are adopted as the main points. And proper stimulation of needling and moxibustion are applied. Thus, a new way of thinking is provided for disease prevention and health keeping of women during menopausal period in China.

[Comparative study on the analgesic effect of electroacupuncture at "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6), "Hegu" (LI 4) and "Xuehai" (SP 10) in dysmenorrhea rats].

OBJECTIVE: To observe and compare the analgesic effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at "Sanyinjiso" (SP 6), "Hegu" (LI 4) and "Xuehai" (SP 10) in dysmenorrhea rats so as to investigate the functional specificity of acupoint. METHODS: One hundred SD female rats aged three-month-old in the diestrus examined by the vaginal smear screening were randomly divided into a saline group, a model group, a Sanyinjiao (SF 6) group, a Hegu (LI 4) group and a Xuehai (SF 10) group, 20 rats in each group. The rats in the last four groups were given Estradiol Benzoate combined with Oxytocin to prepare the models of dysmenorrhea and in the saline group were given the same dose of saline. Last three groups were treated with electroacupuncture (EA) at Sanyinjiao" (SF 6), "Hegu" (LI 4) and 'Xuehai" (SF 10) respectively. The writhing behaviors of the rats in each group were observed within 20 min performing electroacupuncture from the start of the pain and the waveforms of uterine contraction were recorded. RESULTS: In terms of the writhing behaviors, the writhing latency in the Hegu (LI 4) group was extended significantly (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) and the writhing numbers in the Hegu (LI 4) group were decreased significantly (both P < 0.05) as compared with those in the Sanyinjiao (SF 6) group and in the Xuehai (SF 10) group. In terms of the waveforms of uterine contraction, compared with that in the model group, the amplitude and the activity of uterine contraction in both Sanyinjiao (SF 6) group and Hegu (LI 4) group were decreased significantly (all P < 0.05), and with no significant difference between the Xuehai (SF 10) and the model group (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: For comprehensive assessment of the analgesic effect of electroacupuncture at different acupoints by using the writhing behaviors and the waveforms of uterine contraction, "Hegu" (LI 4) is the best, "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) is the next and "Xuehai" (SP 10) is the third. showing a relatively functional specificity of the acupoint.

[Effects of electroacupuncture of "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) on contents of MDA and beta-EP, and expression of HSP 70 in the uterus in rats with dysmenorrhea].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) of "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) on the uterus in dysmenorrhea rats so as to study its underlying analgesic mechanism. METHODS: A total of 48 SD rats during diestrus were randomized into normal saline (control) group, model group and acupuncture group according to a random number table, with 16 rats in each group. Dysmenorrhea model was established by subcutaneous injection of Estradiol benzoate (0.5 mg/d on the 1st and 10th day, and 0.2 mg/d from day 2 to day 9, once daily for 10 days) and oxytocin (2 U/rat, once on day 10). Malondialdehyde (MDA) and beta-endorphin (beta-EP) contents in the uterus were detected by radioimmunoassay, and the heat shock protein 70 (HSP 70) immunoactivity of the uterus was detected by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: In comparison with the control group, MDA content in the uterus was increased significantly in the model group (P < 0.01), while the beta-EP level and the immunoactivity of HSP 70 immune-reaction (IR) positive products in the uterus decrease significantly (P < 0.01) and moderately, respectively in the model group. In comparison with the model group, uterine MDA content in the EA group was decreased significantly (P < 0.01), while uterine beta-EP level increased considerably (P < 0.01) and HSP 70 expression was upregulated to a certain degree. CONCLUSION: EA of "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) can reduce MDA content and upregulate beta-EP level of the uterus in rats with dysmenorrhea, which may contribute to its analgesic effect in relieving dysmenorrhea by clearing away oxygen free radicals and raising analgesic substance in the uterus.