[Identification of chemical components and network pharmacology of Huanglian Decoction based on UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS technology].

The chemical components of Huanglian Decoction were identified by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight-tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) technology. The gradient elution was conducted in Agilent ZORBAX Extend-C_(18) column(2.1 mm×100 mm, 1.8 µm) with the mobile phase of 0.1% formic acid aqueous solution(A)-acetonitrile(B) at a flow rate of 0.3 mL·min~(-1) and the column temperature of 35 ℃. The MS adopted the positive and negative ion mode of electrospray ionization(ESI), and the MS data were collected under the scanning range of m/z 100-1 500. Through high-resolution MS data analysis, combined with literature comparison and confirmation of reference substances, this paper identified 134 chemical components in Huanglian Decoction, including 12 alkaloids, 23 flavonoids, 22 terpenes and saponins, 12 phenols, 7 coumarins, 12 amino acids, 23 organic acids, and 23 other compounds, and the medicinal sources of the compounds were ascribed. Based on the previous studies, 7 components were selected as the index components. Combined with the network pharmacology research and analysis me-thods, the protein and protein interaction(PPI) network information of the intersection targets was obtained through the STRING 11.0 database, and 20 core targets of efficacy were screened out. In this study, UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS technology was successfully used to comprehensively analyze and identify the chemical components of Huanglian Decoction, and the core targets of its efficacy were discussed in combination with network pharmacology, which laid the foundation for clarifying the material basis and quality control of Huanglian Decoction.

Hyperxylones A and B, two polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols with a benzoyl substituted bicyclo[3.2.1]octane core from Hypericum beanii.

Two new polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols (PPAPs) possessing a rare benzoyl substituted bicyclo[3.2.1]octane core, hyperxylones A (1) and B (2), along with three new dearomatized isoprenylated acylphloroglucinols (DIAPs), hyperxylones C - E (3-5), were isolated from the roots of Hypericum beanii. The structures of 1-5 were determined by high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy (HRESIMS) and 1D/2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic analyses, gauge-independent atomic orbital (GIAO) NMR calculations, and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. Compounds 1 and 2 were biomimetically semi-synthesized starting from 5 and 4, respectively, enabling the correct stereochemical assignment of 5 and 4. Moreover, compounds 1 and 2 showed anti-nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) activity by inhibiting lipid deposition in L02 cells; compounds 3 and 5 exhibited nitric oxide (NO) inhibitory activity in lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 cells.

FtNAC31, a Tartary buckwheat NAC transcription factor, enhances salt and drought tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis.

Tartary buckwheat [Fagopyrum tataricum (L.) Gaertn.] is a pseudocereal with strongly abiotic resistance. NACs, one of the largest plant-specific transcription factors (TFs), are involved in various stress responses. However, the characteristics and regulatory mechanisms of NAC TFs remain unclarified clearly in Tartary buckwheat (TB). In this study, it validated that salt, drought, and abscisic acid (ABA) stress significantly up-regulated the expression of NAC TF gene FtNAC31. Its coding protein has a C-terminal transactivated domain and localized in the nucleus, suggesting that FtNAC31 might play a transcriptional activation role in TB. Notably, overexpression of FtNAC31 lowered the seed germination rate upon ABA treatment and enhanced the tolerance to salt and drought stress in transgenetic Arabidopsis. Furthermore, under various stresses, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) in FtNAC31 overexpressed lines exhibited a sharp increase trend. Meanwhile, the expression levels of several stress-associated genes including RD29A, RD29B, RD22, DREB2B, NCED3, and POD1, were dramatically upregulated in lines overexpressing FtNAC31. Altogether, overproduction of FtNAC31 could enhance the resistance to salt and drought stresses in transgenic Arabidopsis, which most likely functioned in an ABA-dependent way.

Two new dammarane-type triterpenoids from the green walnut husks of Juglans mandshurica Maxim.

Two new dammarane-type triterpenoids, dammar-3α,12(R),20(S)-triol-12,32(R);20,32-diepoxy-25-methy-25-en-tridecacyclic ether (1) and (23E)-12ß,20(R),25(S),26-tetrahydroxydammar-23-en-3-one (2) were isolated from the green walnut husks of Juglans mandshurica Maxim together with six known compounds. Their structures were elucidated through extensive spectroscopic analyses and by comparison with the literature, and the cytotoxic activities of these compounds were evaluated.

Crosstalk between YY1 and lncRNAs in cancer: A review.

Transcription factor YY1 is an important regulator of many pathways in tumor cell growth, prognosis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, invasion, and resistance to chemotherapy. These effects lead to upregulation of YY1 associated with poor outcomes in many tumors. Growing research evidence suggests that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in the regulatory network of YY1. YY1 can regulate lncRNA, and serve as the regulatory molecule of YY1, and lncRNA and YY1 even form a feedback loop. In this review, we summarize the relevant mechanisms of the interaction between YY1 and noncoding RNAs during tumor progression, which will provide a possible theoretical basis for the clinical treatment of tumors.

[Guanxin Zhitong Capsules attenuate human endothelial cell damage induced by palmitic acid via MAPK signaling pathway].

The present study observed the effect of Guanxin Zhitong Capsules(GXZT) on the lipotoxicity of vascular endothelial cells and investigated the mechanism of GXZT in atherosclerosis treatment. The lipotoxicity model in human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVECs) was induced by palmitic acid(PA) stimulation. These cells were divided into a normal control group(NC, 15% normal serum), a model group(PA, 0.6 mmol·L~(-1) PA+15% normal serum), a high-dose GXZT group(GXZT-H, 0.6 mmol·L~(-1) PA+15% GXZT-medicated serum), a medium-dose GXZT group(GXZT-M, 0.6 mmol·L~(-1) PA+10% GXZT-medicated serum+5% normal serum) and a low-dose GXZT group(GXZT-L, 0.6 mmol·L~(-1) PA+5% GXZT-medicated serum+10% normal serum). HUVECs were detected for cell viability by cell counting kit-8(CCK-8) assay, apoptosis by flow cytometry, mitochondrial membrane potential(MMP) by JC-1 labeled laser scanning confocal microscopy, and total and phosphorylated proteins of p38, ERK1/2, and JNK1/2 in the mitogen-activated protein kinases(MAPK) signaling pathway by Western blot. The phosphorylated level was calcula-ted. Compared with the NC group, the PA group showed decreased cell viability and MMP(P<0.01, P<0.01), elevated apoptosis(P<0.01), and up-regulated phosphorylated levels of p38, ERK1/2, and JNK1/2(P<0.01, P<0.01, P<0.01). Compared with the PA group, the GXZT-H, GXZT-M, and GXZT-L groups showed increased cell viability and MMP(P<0.01, P<0.01, P<0.01), reduced apoptosis(P<0.01), and down-regulated protein expression and phosphorylated levels of p38, ERK1/2 and JNK1/2 in the MAPK signaling pathway(P<0.01, P<0.01, P<0.01). In conclusion, the results suggest that GXZT functions via blocking MAPK signaling pathway to relieve the damage of HUVECs induced by PA.

High crystalline magnetic covalent organic framework with three-dimensional grapevine structure for ultrasensitive extraction of nitro-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in food and environmental samples.

Developing and establishing an efficient pre-treatment approach for the precise extraction of nitrated-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (N-PAHs) from real-life samples is critical for ensuring their safety. In this study, a novel crystalline magnetic covalent organic framework with a grapevine structure not a single core-shell, Fe3O4@TAPT-DMTA-COF, was fabricated via chemical bonding. Unchanging the reticulated structure and high crystallinity of TAPT-DMTA-COF, the combination made this material possess not only simple operation via magnetic decantation but also remarkable chemical stability. Fe3O4@TAPT-DMTA-COF had a large surface area (1578.45 m2/g), and rich electronegative triazine-groups, which makes it become a superior magnetic enrichment material for trace N-PAHs. For N-PAHs analysis, low limits of detection (LODs) (1.43-17.24 ng/L), excellent relative standard deviations (RSDs ≤ 11.52%), and wide linearity (10-5000 ng/L) were obtained. Real-life applications based on this composite have been successfully explored by capturing the N-PAHs emitted from food and environmental samples.

[Changes in chemical compositions of Chrysanthemi Flos after frying and protective effects on CCl_4-induced acute liver injury in mice].

To reveal the processing mechanism of Chrysanthemi Flos from the changes of chemical compositions after frying and its effect on the efficacy of liver protection. Ultra performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight-mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) and ultra high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) were used for the qualitative and quantitative researches of chemical compositions before and after Chrysanthemi Flos frying. Progenesis QI and SPSS software were used for principal component analysis(PCA), partial least squares discriminant analysis(PLS-DA), variable importance projection(VIP) analysis and t-test to identify the compositions with significant changes. Pharmacodynamics experiment was used to investigate the protective effect of crude and fried Chrysanthemi Flos on CCl_4-induced acute liver injury in mice. According to mass spectrometry data, there were 28 chemical compositions in crude and fried Chrysanthemi Flos, mainly including flavonoids and organic acids. 13 compositions such as luteolin, apigenin and luteolin glycoside were increased significantly after frying, while 7 compositions such as chlorogenic acid, luteolin-7-O-glucuronide and apigenin-7-O-glucuronide were decreased significantly after frying. Through principal component analysis, crude and fried Chrysanthemi Flos products were divided into two categories, indicating that there were internal differences in quality. The results of liver injury protection experiment in mice showed that the AST, ALT and MDA contents were significantly decreased and SOD level was increased in mice with liver injury in both the high and medium dose groups. Histopathological examination showed that crude and fried Chrysanthemi Flos can protect the liver by reducing inflammatory cell infiltration, reducing steatosis, and repairing damaged liver cells. The results of this study showed that the chemical compositions had obvious changes after frying, and both crude and fried Chrysanthemis Flos had protective effects on CCl_4-induced acute liver injury in mice. In addition, in the range of high, medium and low doses, the liver protection effect of crude and fried Chrysanthemi Flos increased with the increase of dose. The experiment results provided reference for the mechanism of fried Chrysanthemi Flos and clinical selection of processed products.

[Identification of chemical constituents in Huangdi Anxiao Capsules by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS~E combined with UNIFI software].

In order to clarify the main chemical constituents of Huangdi Anxiao Capsules, an ultra-high performance liquid coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS~E) combined with Waters UNIFI software were successfully used to rapidly identify the chemical constituents in Huangdi Anxiao Capsules. The mass spectrometry data of chemical constituents from Huangdi Anxiao Capsules were collected by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS~E, and their structures were identified by the results of UNIFI software according to relative retention time of reference standards, MS feature fragments and literature data of each compound. A total of 100 compounds in Huangdi Anxiao Capsules were identified, including 25 compounds from Pueraria Lobate Radix, 22 compounds from Coptis Rhizoma, 6 compounds from Ophiopogonis Radix, 14 compounds from Eriobotryae Folium, 22 compounds from Rehmanniae Radix, and 15 compounds from Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma. Among them, 3 compounds were common components. These 100 compounds included flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins and organic acids. This study systematically analyzed the chemical composition of Huangdi Anxiao Capsules, so as to provide evidences for defining the chemical material basis of Huangdi Anxiao Capsules.

Efficiency and mechanism of sorption of low concentration uranium in water by powdery aerobic activated sludge.

In this study, powdery aerobic activated sludge (PAAS) was first prepared, and the removal rate, sorption capacity and mechanism of sorption uranium on PAAS was investigated. Before and after sorption, the surface morphology and structure of PAAS were characterized systematically using the Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR), the X-ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS), and the scanning electron microscope (SEM-EDX). In this work, the sorption mechanism and efficiency of uranium on the PAAS was study with static batch and ion exchange experiments, meanwhile, some influencing factors such as solution pH, contact temperature, adsorbent dose of PAAS and different initial uranium concentrations were studied. The batch sorption experiments illustrated that pH had a little effect in the process of sorption uranium on PAAS and it has a good removal capacity in a wide pH range (pH = 3-8). When the pH of solution was 7, the removal efficiency of about 93% for uranium when the initial concentration of uranium was 10 mg/L and the concentration of PAAS was 1  g/L. The XPS demonstrated that there are some active functional groups for instance carboxyl (-COOH), Hydroxyl (-OH), Amino (-NH2) and so on in the PAAS, and that all can combine with uranium. After sorption, there is an obviously U signal (marked in green) in the PAAS by charactering with the FE-SEM. In addition, kinetic parameters were fitted by the first-order kinetic (R2 = 0.9738) model and the second-order kinetic model (R2 = 0.9998), the pseudo-secondary kinetic model was better to illustrate the sorption process, so the chemical action was dominant, and existed physical sorption. The sorption isotherms date of PAAS was well-fitted to the Langmuir model (R2 = 0.9688). In the experiment of ion exchange, the concentration of Na+ in the solution hardly changed, the release of the other three ions was K+

F-box protein-32 down-regulates small-conductance calcium-activated potassium channel 2 in diabetic mouse atria.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is an independent risk factor for atrial fibrillation, but the underlying ionic mechanism for this association remains unclear. We recently reported that expression of the small-conductance calcium-activated potassium channel 2 (SK2, encoded by KCCN2) in atria from diabetic mice is significantly down-regulated, resulting in reduced SK currents in atrial myocytes from these mice. We also reported that the level of SK2 mRNA expression is not reduced in DM atria but that the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), a major mechanism of intracellular protein degradation, is activated in vascular smooth muscle cells in DM. This suggests a possible role of the UPS in reduced SK currents. To test this possibility, we examined the role of the UPS in atrial SK2 down-regulation in DM. We found that a muscle-specific E3 ligase, F-box protein 32 (FBXO-32, also called atrogin-1), was significantly up-regulated in diabetic mouse atria. Enhanced FBXO-32 expression in atrial cells significantly reduced SK2 protein expression, and siRNA-mediated FBXO-32 knockdown increased SK2 protein expression. Furthermore, co-transfection of SK2 with FBXO-32 complementary DNA in HEK293 cells significantly reduced SK2 expression, whereas co-transfection with atrogin-1ΔF complementary DNA (a nonfunctional FBXO-32 variant in which the F-box domain is deleted) did not have any effects on SK2. These results indicate that FBXO-32 contributes to SK2 down-regulation and that the F-box domain is essential for FBXO-32 function. In conclusion, DM-induced SK2 channel down-regulation appears to be due to an FBXO-32-dependent increase in UPS-mediated SK2 protein degradation.

Efficiency and mechanism of adsorption of low concentration uranium in water by extracellular polymeric substances.

Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) of uranium adsorbent was first extracted from the aerobic activated sludge of municipal wastewater treatment plant as raw material. The structure and surface morphology of EPS was characterized by FTIR, SEM-EDX, 3D-EEM, and XPS. The 3D-EEM spectra of EPS revealed that there are Tryptophan-like protein and Humus which can adsorb uranium in the EPS. The results of XPS indicated that the EPS surface contained active functional groups (COOH,CONH2,-H2PO4,OH,NH2 and so on) which all react with uranium, and the C, N, O elements play an important role in the reaction. The static batch test was used to study the adsorption behavior of uranium on the EPS, and the effects of pH, dosage of EPS and initial concentration of the solution on the removal of uranium by EPS were investigated. The adsorption isotherm, thermodynamics and kinetic models were used to match the mechanism of the interaction between EPS and uranium. Batch adsorption experiments revealed that the pH value had a great influence on the adsorption effect of EPS, and the optimal solution pH for uranium adsorption was around 6.0 with the removal efficiency of uranium was about 93% in the condition of neutral. Freundlich (R2 ≈ 0.997) and Langmuir (R2 ≈ 0.9931) models can get a good fitting effect, indicating that the adsorption of uranium by EPS had both monolayer adsorption and multilayer adsorption. EPS and uranium were combined disorderly and ion exchange mechanism could be involved. In this study, the active groups on the surface of EPS were also involved in the chemisorption process of uranium adsorption. The maximum adsorption capacity of EPS by Langmuir fitting was 333.3 mg/g. We conclude EPS is a potential adsorbent for radionuclide treatment.

The Effect of Acupuncture on the Quality of Life in Patients With Migraine: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Acupuncture is frequently used as an efficient method to prevent and treat migraines. However, its effect on the quality of life remains controversial. Methods: Seven databases, such as PubMed and Cochrane Library were searched to retrieve reference lists of eligible trials and related reviews. Randomized controlled trials that were published in Chinese and English were included. Results: Acupuncture resulted in lower Visual Analog Scale scores than the medication group at 1 month after treatment (MD -1.22, 95%CI -1.57 to -0.87; low quality) and 1-3 months after treatment (MD -1.81, 95%CI -3.42 to -0.20; low quality). Compared with sham acupuncture, acupuncture resulted in lower Visual Analog Scale scores at 1 month after treatment (MD -1.56, 95%CI -2.21 to -0.92; low quality). Conclusion: Acupuncture exhibits certain efficacy both in the treatment and prevention of migraines, which is superior to no treatment, sham acupuncture and medication. Further, acupuncture enhanced the quality of life more than did medication.

UHPLC-MS/MS method for the simultaneous quantitation of five anthraquinones and gallic acid in rat plasma after oral administration of prepared rhubarb decoction and its application to a pharmacokinetic study in normal and acute blood stasis rats.

Prepared rhubarb, as one of the main processed products of rhubarb, has a good effect on promoting blood circulation. In this paper we describe a rapid, sensitive, and selective ultra-fast liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry method for simultaneous quantification of five anthraquinones (rhein, aloe-emodin, chrysophanol, emodin, and physcion) and gallic acid in plasma. Chromatographic separation was performed on an Extend C18 column at the temperature of 30°C using a mobile phase that consisted of 0.1% aqueous formic acid and acetonitrile. Satisfactory linearity, precision, accuracy, extraction recovery, and matrix effect have been achieved. Then, the validated method was successfully applied to a comparative pharmacokinetic study. The results might be helpful for guiding clinical application of prepared rhubarb in the future.

Identification of antioxidant activity of two new aromatic ring butyrolactone derivatives from Dictamnus dasycarpus Turcz.

The present study carried out a phytochemical investigation on the root barks of Dictamnus dasycarpus Turcz, leading to the isolation and characterization of two new aromatic ring butyrolactone derivatives, dasycarpusphenol acid A (1) and dasycarpusphenol acid B (2). Their structures were elucidated by using spectroscopic techniques and HR-FAB-MS. Compounds 1 and 2 exhibited antioxidant activity, with their IC50 values being 28.95 and 41.76 mg·mL-1, respectively.

Effective treatment of polydatin weakens the symptoms of collagen-induced arthritis in mice through its anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects and the activation of MMP-9.

Polydatin is a natural extract used in traditional Chinese medicine, which leads to a marked improvement in the microcirculation perfusion and enhances the animal myocardial contraction force. The present study aimed to determine whether an effective treatment of polydatin ameliorates the symptoms of collagen­induced arthritis (CIA), and also to explore the potential mechanism. Male DBA/1J mice were induced into CIA model mice. The administration of polydatin effectively suppressed CIA in mice. The serum levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), tumor necrosis factor­α (TNF­α) and interleukin 1ß (IL­1ß) were effectively increased following the induction of CIA in the model mice compared with the control group. The elevated serum levels of MDA, SOD, TNF­α and IL­1ß were markedly suppressed by the effective treatment of polydatin in CIA mice, compared with the CIA model group. However, an increase in the level of matrix metalloproteinase­9 (MMP­9) was markedly induced in the CIA mice compared with the control group. As compared with the CIA group, the expression of MMP­9 was substantially reduced by the effective treatment of polydatin. Taken together, the effective treatment of polydatin ameliorated the symptoms of CIA through an exertion of its antioxidative and anti­inflammatory effects, and also via activation of the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in mice.

Evaluation of the Influence of Sulfur-Fumigated Paeoniae Radix Alba on the Quality of Si Wu Tang by Chromatographic and Chemometric Analysis.

An accurate and reliable method of high-performance liquid chromatographic fingerprint combining with multi-ingredient determination was developed and validated to evaluate the influence of sulfur-fumigated Paeoniae Radix Alba on the quality and chemical constituents of Si Wu Tang. Multivariate data analysis including hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis, which integrated with high-performance liquid chromatographic fingerprint and multi-ingredient determination, was employed to evaluate Si Wu Tang in a more objective and scientific way. Interestingly, in this paper, a total of 37 and 36 peaks were marked as common peaks in ten batches of Si Wu Tang containing sun-dried Paeoniae Radix Alba and ten batches of Si Wu Tang containing sulfur-fumigated Paeoniae Radix Alba, respectively, which indicated the changed fingerprint profile of Si Wu Tang when containing sulfur-fumigated herb. Furthermore, the results of simultaneous determination for multiple ingredients showed that the contents of albiflorin and paeoniflorin decreased significantly (P < 0.01) and the contents of gallic acid and Z-ligustilide decreased to some extent at the same time when Si Wu Tang contained sulfur-fumigated Paeoniae Radix Alba. Therefore, sulfur-fumigation processing may have great influence on the quality of Chinese herbal prescription.

Chemical profiling of Qixue Shuangbu Tincture by ultra-performance liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization quadrupole-time-of-flight high-definition mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF/MS).

The present study was designed to develop and validate a sensitive and reliable ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF/MS) method to separate and identify the chemical constituents of Qixue Shuangbu Tincture (QXSBT), a classic traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription. Under the optimized UPLC and QTOF/MS conditions, 56 components in QXSBT, including chalcones, triterpenoids, protopanaxatriol, flavones and flavanones were identified and tentatively characterized within a running time of 42 min. The components were identified by comparing the retention times, accurate mass, and mass spectrometric fragmentation characteristic ions, and matching empirical molecular formula with that of the published compounds. In conclusion, the established UPLC-QTOF/MS method was reliable for a rapid identification of complicated components in the TCM prescriptions.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of nitric oxide (NO)-hydrogen sulfide (H2S) releasing derivatives of (S)-3-n-butylphthalide as potential antiplatelet agents.

In the present study, a series of novel nitric oxide-hydrogen sulfide releasing derivatives of (S)-3-n-butylphthalide ((S)-NBP) were designed, synthesized, and evaluated as potential antiplatelet agents. Compound NOSH-NBP-5 displayed the strongest activity in inhibiting the arachidonic acid (AA)- and adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-induced platelet aggregation in vitro, with 3.8- and 7.0-fold more effectiveness than (S)-NBP, respectively. Furthermore, NOSH-NBP-5 could release moderate levels of NO and H2S, which would be beneficial in improving cardiovascular and cerebral circulation. Moreover, NOSH-NBP-5 could release (S)-NBP when incubated with rat brain homogenate. In conclusion, these findings may provide new insights into the development of novel antiplatelet agents for the treatment of thrombosis-related ischemic stroke.

[Effects of umbilical cord mononuclear cells transplantation combined with hyperbaric oxygen therapy on hypoxic-ischemic brain damage in neonatal rats].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of umbilical cord monoculcear cells (UCBMC) transplantation combined with hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy on the long-term behaviors and histology in neonatal rats after hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD). METHODS: Seven-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to four groups: normal control (CON), HIBD, UCBMC and UCBMC+HBO. HIBD was induced according to the Rice-Vannucci method. The rats in the UCBMC+HBO group were treated with HBO 3 hours after HIBD, followed by UCBMC transplantation 24 hours after HIBD. IL-1ß and TNF-α protein levels were examined by Western blot analysis in the 4 groups. T-maze test and radial arm maze test were used to detect the long-term learning memory capability. Nissl staining was used to examine the histological changes of the hippocampal CA1 region. RESULTS: Twenty-four hours after transplantation, IL-1ß and TNF-α protein levels in the UCBMC+HBO group were significantly reduced compared with the HIBD (P<0.01) and UCBMC groups (P<0.05). The study and memory capabilities were impaired, and the number of the pyramidal cells in the hippocampal CA1 region was reduced in the HIBD group. The study and memory capabilities were greatly improved and the number of pyramidal cells increased significantly in the UCBMC+HBO group compared with the UCBMC and HIBD groups (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: UCBMC transplantation combined with HBO therapy could reduce the expression of IL-1ß and TNF-α protein, improve long-term behaviors and alleviate brain damages in the hypoxic ischemic neonatal rats.