I-Tiao-Gung extract through its active component daidzin improves cyclophosphamide-induced bladder dysfunction in rat model.

AIMS: We explored the therapeutic potential of intragastric administration traditional Chinese medicine Glycine tomentella Hayata (I-Tiao-Gung, ITG) extract and its active component Daidzin on cyclophosphamide (CYP)-induced cystitis and bladder hyperactivity in rats. METHODS: Female Wistar rats were divided into control, CYP (200 mg/kg), CYP + ITG (1.17 g/kg/day), CYP + Daidzin (12.5 mg/kg/day), and 1 week of ITG preconditioning with CYP (ITG + CYP) groups. We determined the trans cystometrogram associated with external urethral sphincter electromyogram, and the expression of M2 and M3 muscarinic and P2 × 2 and P2 × 3 purinergic receptors by Western blot in these animals. RESULTS: ITG extract contains 1.07% of Daidzin and 0.77% of Daidzein by high-performance liquid chromatography. Daidzin was more efficient than Daidzein in scavenging H2 O2 activity by a chemiluminescence analyzer. CYP induced higher frequency, shorter intercontraction interval, lower maximal voiding pressure, lower threshold pressure, and Phase-2 emptying contraction with a depressed external urethral sphincter electromyogram activity, and hemorrhagic cystitis in the bladders. The altered parameters by CYP were significantly improved in CYP + ITG, CYP + Daidzin, and ITG + CYP groups. The P2 × 2 and P2 × 3 expressions were significantly upregulated in CYP group, but were depressed in CYP + ITG, CYP + Daidzin, and ITG + CYP groups. The M2 expression was not significantly different among these five groups. The M3 expression was significantly upregulated in CYP group, but was significantly depressed in CYP + ITG, CYP + Daidzin, and ITG + CYP groups. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that ITG extract through its active component Daidzin effectively improved CYP-induced cystitis by the action of restoring Phase 2 activity and inhibiting the expressions of P2 × 2, P2 × 3, and M3 receptors.

Ba-Wei-Di-Huang-Wan through its active ingredient loganin counteracts substance P-enhanced NF-κB/ICAM-1 signaling in rats with bladder hyperactivity.

Overt bladder afferent activation may exacerbate endogenous substance P (SP) release to induce intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1)-mediated inflammation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production leading to hyperactive bladder. Ba-Wei-Die-Huang-Wan (BWDHW), a traditional Chinese medicine, has been used to treat lower urinary tract symptoms in patients by undefined mechanisms. We explored the possible mechanisms and the active components of BWDHW on exogenous SP-induced bladder hyperactivity. BWDHW contained six major components: loganin, paeoniflorin, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, cinnamic acid, cinnamaldehyde, and paeonol by high-performance liquid chromatography. In urethane-anesthetized female Wistar rats, we evaluated transcystometrogram, pelvic afferent nerve activity by electrophysiologic recording techniques, ICAM-1 expression by Western blot and immunohistochemistry, ROS amount by an ultrasensitive chemiluminescence method and possible ROS sources from the different leukocytes by specific stains in SP-treated bladder. BWDHW and its major component loganin dose-dependently inhibited H2 O2 and HOCl activity in vitro. Intragastrical BWDHW (250 mg/kg) and loganin (5 mg/kg) twice daily for 2 weeks did not affect the baseline micturition parameters. Intra-arterial SP (20 µg/rat) through neurokinin-1 receptor activation increased voiding frequency (shortened intercontraction intervals), pelvic afferent nerve activity, bladder NF-κB/ICAM-1 expression, bladder ROS amount, neutrophils adhesion to venous endothelium, CD68 (monocyte/macrophage), and mast cell infiltration in the inflamed bladder. BWDHW and loganin pretreatment significantly depressed SP-enhanced pelvic afferent nerve activity, bladder NF-κB/ICAM-1 expression, leukocyte infiltration, and ROS amount, and subsequently improved bladder hyperactivity. In conclusion, our results suggest that BWDHW and its active component loganin improves bladder hyperactivity via inhibiting SP/neurokinin-1 receptor signaling and depressing NF-κB/ICAM-1 mediated oxidative injury and inflammation. Neurourol. Urodynam. 35:771-779, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Therapeutic potential of traditional chinese medicine on inflammatory diseases.

Increased oxidative stress induces inflammation to several tissues/organs leading to cell death and long-term injury. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and autophagic regulatory functions has been widely used as preventive or therapeutic strategy in modern medicine. Oxidative stress and inflammation have been widely reported to contribute to cigarette smoke-induced lung inflammation, hepatotoxicity, or sympathetic activation-induced liver inflammation, lipopolysaccharide-induced renal inflammation, and substance P-mediated neurogenic hyperactive bladder based on clinical findings. In this review, we introduce several evidences for TCM treatment including Monascus adlay (MA) produced by inoculating adlay (Cois lachrymal-jobi L. var. ma-yuen Stapf) with Monascus purpureus on lung injury, Amla (Emblica officinalis Gaertn. of Euphorbiaceae family) on hepatotoxin-induced liver inflammation, Virgate Wormwood Decoction (Yin Chén Hao tang) and its active component genipin on sympathetic activation-induced liver inflammation, and green tea extract and its active components, catechins, or a modified TCM formula Five Stranguries Powder (Wǔ Lén Sǎn) plus Crataegi Fructus (Shan Zha) on hyperactive bladder. The pathophysiologic and molecular mechanisms of TCM on ameliorating inflammatory diseases are discussed in the review.

Dietary Monascus adlay supplements facilitate suppression of cigarette smoke-induced pulmonary endoplasmic reticulum stress, autophagy, apoptosis and emphysema-related PLGF in the rat.

Cigarette smoke (CS) exposure may cause oxidative stress in the lung, leading to cell death and long-term injury. Monascus adlay (MA) with antioxidant components produced by inoculating adlay (Cois lachrymal-jobi L. var. ma-yuen Stapf) with Monascus purpureus may protect lung against CS-induced lung injuries in rats. MA and lovastatin had higher antioxidant activities than either M. purpureus or adlay. CS exposure caused significant lung damage, as evidenced by higher levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), neutrophil infiltration, dityrosine and 4-HNE, as well as lower levels of Mn-superoxide dismutase and catalase expression. Lung tissues with CS exposure had higher levels of ER stress, apoptosis, autophagy and emphysema-related placenta growth factor (PlGF) expressions. All CS-induced injuries were significantly suppressed by MA supplements. MA would be a beneficial nutritional therapy to ameliorate CS-induced lung injury via preserving antioxidant defense mechanisms, decreasing oxidative stress and inhibiting ER stress, autophagy, apoptosis and emphysema-related risk factor.