Integrated 'omics analysis for the gut microbiota response to moxibustion in a rat model of chronic fatigue syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the efficacy of moxibustion in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and explore the effects on gut microbiota and metabolic profiles. METHODS: Forty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to control group (Con), CFS model group (Mod, established by multiple chronic stress for 35 d), MoxA group (CFS model with moxibustion Shenque (CV8) and Guanyuan (CV4), 10 min/d, 28 d) and MoxB group (CFS model with moxibustion Zusanli (ST36), 10 min/d, 28 d). Open-field test (OFT) and Morris-water-maze test (MWMT) were determined for assessment the CFS model and the therapeutic effects of moxibustion.16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis based gut microbiota integrated untargeted liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometer (LC-MS) based fecal metabolomics were executed, as well as Spearman correlation analysis, was utilized to uncover the functional relevance between the potential metabolites and gut microbiota. RESULTS: The results of our behavioral tests showed that moxibustion improved the performance of CFS rats in the OFT and the MWMT. Microbiome profiling analysis revealed that the gut microbiomes of CFS rats were less diverse with altered composition, including increases in pro-inflammatory species (such as Proteobacteria) and decreases in anti-inflammatory species (such as Bacteroides, Lactobacillus, Ruminococcus, and Prevotella). Moxibustion partially normalized these changes in the gut microbiota. Furthermore, CFS was associated with metabolic disorders, which were effectively ameliorated by moxibustion. This was demonstrated by the normalization of 33 microbiota-related metabolites, including mannose (P = 0.001), aspartic acid (P = 0.009), alanine (P = 0.007), serine (P = 0.000), threonine (P = 0.027), methionine (P = 0.023), 5-hydroxytryptamine (P = 0.008), alpha-linolenic acid (P = 0.003), eicosapentaenoic acid (P = 0.006), hypoxanthine (P = 0.000), vitamin B6 (P = 0.000), cholic acid (P = 0.013), and taurocholate (P = 0.002). Correlation analysis showed a significant association between the perturbed fecal microbiota and metabolite levels, with a notable negative relationship between LCA and Bacteroides. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we demonstrated that moxibustion has an antifatigue-like effect. The results from the 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metabolomics analysis suggest that the therapeutic effects of moxibustion on CFS are related to the regulation of gut microorganisms and their metabolites. The increase in Bacteroides and decrease in LCA may be key targets for the moxibustion treatment of CFS.

Peptide photowrapping of gold-silica nanocomposites for constructing MMP-responsive drug capsules for chemo-photothermal therapy.

A multifunctional undecapeptide, YYDPLGLADYY, was designed and synthesized for the photowrapping of silica-coated gold nanorods. The obtained nanocapsules, bearing a well-defined core-shell structure, were able to encapsulate a therapeutic drug, respond to an MMP-upregulated tumor microenvironment, and achieve NIR-triggered anticancer chemo-photothermal therapy with favorable efficacy.

Acupoints compatibility rules of acupuncture for depression disease based on data mining technology / 中国针灸

Based on data mining technology, the acupoints compatibility rules of acupuncture for depression diseases were explored. The randomized controlled trial (RCT) articles regarding acupuncture for depression diseases published from establishment of database to September 2nd, 2022 were searched in CNKI database, Wangfang database, VIP database, SinoMed database, PubMed, EMbase, Web of Science and Cochrane Library. The use frequency of acupoints, meridian tropism, selection of special acupoints and acupoint association rules for five common depression diseases, including primary depression, post-stroke depression, menopausal syndrome, psychoneurosis and anxiety disorder, were analyzed by Python programming language. Cytoscape software was used to analyze the acupoint association and the disease-acupoint co-occurrence network. As a result, totally 387 articles were included, and 319 acupoints prescriptions for the above five common depression diseases were extracted, involving 159 acupoints. The use frequency of acupoints was 2 574 times in total. The frequently-used acupoints were Baihui (GV 20), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Taichong (LR 3), Neiguan (PC 6), Shenmen (HT 7), Yintang (GV 24+), Zusanli (ST 36), Hegu (LI 4), Sishencong (EX-HN 1) and Taixi (KI 3), etc. The frequently involved meridians were the governor vessel, foot-taiyang bladder meridian, foot-taiyin spleen meridian, and foot-jueyin liver meridian. The frequency of the special acupoints from high to low was crossing points, five-shu points, yuan-primary points, back-shu points, luo-connecting points, and eight confluent points, etc, which were often used in combination with "Baihui (GV 20)-Yintang (GV 24+)" (the highest degree of association). At the same time, the analysis of the co-occurrence network of depression diseases and acupoints showed that the core acupoints group of acupuncture for depression diseases were Baihui (GV 20), Taichong (LR 3), Shenmen (HT 7), Zusanli (ST 36), Neiguan (PC 6) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6). In conclusion, acupuncture treatment for depression diseases has gradually formed a rule of acupoint compatibility, with special acupoint as the main body and "unblocking the governor vessel, and regulating the spirit and qi " as the main therapeutic principle.

Reflection on the Current Situation of Inheritance, Protection and Development of Folk Traditional Chinese Medicine in Shaanxi Province / 中国医学伦理学

In recent years, the State has intensified efforts to develop folk Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Shaanxi Province is a large province with rich TCM resources. However, the certificate holding rate of folk TCM in Shaanxi is low, the inheritance of medical skills is not optimistic; the core skills of folk TCM are lack of protection; the traditional folk diagnosis and treatment technology is lack of corresponding standards, and the clinical promotion is difficult, which makes the advantages of folk TCM not fully play. It was suggested that strengthen the assessment of Shaanxi Province’s real expertise, take measures to promote the inheritance, enhance the intellectual property protection of folk TCM in the province, intensify the research and formulation of local folk TCM screening and evaluation standards, and vigorously promote the clinical application of folk TCM in the province, so as to promote the inheritance, protection and development of folk TCM in Shaanxi Province.

[Protective effect of ginsenoside Rg_1 aganist diabetic retinopathy by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome in type 2 diabetic mice].

Ginsenoside Rg_1, one of the main active components of precious traditional Chinese medicine Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma, has the anti-oxidative stress, anti-inflammation, anti-aging, neuroprotection, and other pharmacological effects. Diabetic retinopathy(DR), the most common complication of diabetes, is also the main cause of impaired vision and blindness in the middle-aged and the elderly. The latest research shows that ginsenoside Rg_1 can protect patients against DR, but the protection and the mechanism are rarely studied. This study mainly explored the protective effect of ginsenoside Rg_1 against DR in type 2 diabetic mice and the mechanism. High fat diet(HFD) and streptozotocin(STZ) were used to induce type 2 diabetes in mice, and hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining was employed to observe pathological changes in the retina of mice. The immunohistochemistry was applied to study the localization and expression of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptors 3(NLRP3) and vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) in retina, and Western blot was used to detect the expression of nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB), p-NF-κB, NLRP3, caspase-1, interleukin-1ß(IL-1ß), transient receptor potential channel protein 6(TRPC6), nuclear factor of activated T-cell 2(NFAT2), and VEGF in retina. The results showed that ginsenoside Rg_1 significantly alleviated the pathological injury of retina in type 2 diabetic mice. Immunohistochemistry results demonstrated that ginsenoside Rg_1 significantly decreased the expression of NLRP3 and VEGF in retinal ganglion cells, middle plexiform layer, and outer plexiform layer in type 2 diabetic mice. According to the Western blot results, ginsenoside Rg_1 significantly lowered the expression of p-NF-κB, NLRP3, caspase-1, IL-1ß, TRPC6, NFAT2, and VEGF in retina of type 2 diabetic mice. These findings suggest that ginsenoside Rg_1 can significantly alleviate DR in type 2 diabetic mice, which may be related to inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome and VEGF. This study provides experimental evidence for the clinical application of ginsenoside Rg_1 in the treatment of DR.

Effects of acupuncture and rehabilitation therapy on lower limb motor function after stroke: an fNIRS study / 中国康复理论与实践

Objective To investigate the efficacy of acupuncture and rehabilitation therapy on lower limb motor function, and to explore a cortical mechanism using functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Methods From December, 2020 to July, 2021, 24 stroke patients with lower limb motor dysfunction in our hospital were randomly divided into rehabilitation group (n = 12) and acupuncture-rehabilitation group (n = 12), and received routine rehabilitation training and acupuncture-rehabilitation intervention for four weeks, respectively. The control group included ten healthy subjects matched the patients. Before and after intervention, the lower limb motor function of the patients was assessed with Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Lower Extremities (FMA-LE), and all the subjects accepted fNIRS examination. The functional intensity and lateralization index (LI) of supplementary motor area (SMA), premotor cortex (PMC) and sensory motor cortex (SMC) were calculated based on oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO2). Results There was no significant difference in FMA-LE score between the rehabilitation group and the acupuncture-rehabilitation group before the intervention (P > 0.05). After four weeks of intervention, FMA-LE scores improved in both groups (t > 3.770, P 0.05). After intervention, the average functional connection increased in both groups (t > 2.178, P < 0.05), and the functional connection of the affected PMC of acupuncture-rehabilitation group increased (P < 0.05). The LI in SMC increased in the acupuncture-rehabilitation group (P < 0.05). There was a significant positive correlation between the change of functional connection of the affected PMC and the change of FMA-LE scores in the acupuncture-rehabilitation group (r = 0.579, P < 0.05). Conclusion Acupuncture with rehabilitation therapy can significantly improve the lower limb motor function and asymmetrical activation of SMC in stroke patients. The recovery of lower limb motor function may be related to the enhanced activation of affected PMC.

Effect of Suanzaoren Decoction on molecular levels of bile acids in serum, liver, and ileum of insomnia mice / 中国中药杂志

To explore the mechanism of Suanzaoren Decoction in the treatment of insomnia from endogenous bile acid regulation, the present study investigated the hepatoprotective effect of Suanzaoren Decoction and the molecular changes of bile acids in the serum, liver, and ileum of insomnia model mice and Suanzaoren Decoction treated mice. The insomnia model in mice was established by the sleep deprivation method. After Suanzaoren Decoction(48.96 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)) intervention by gavage for 7 days, the related indicators, such as water consumption, food intake, body weight, aspartate aminotransferase(AST), alanine transaminase(ALT), and total bile acid(TBA) were detected, and the pathological changes of the liver and ileum were observed. The molecular levels and distribution of 23 bile acids in the serum, liver, and ileum were analyzed by UPLC-MS/MS combined with principal component analysis(PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis(PLS-DA). The results showed that Suanzaoren Decoction could improve the decreased water consumption and food intake, weight loss, and increased AST and ALT in the model group, and effectively reverse the injury and inflammation in the liver and ileum. The bile acids in the liver of the insomnia model mice were in the stage of decompensation, and the bile acids in the serum, liver, and ileum of the mice decreased or increased. Suanzaoren Decoction could regulate the anomaly of some bile acids back to normal. Seven bile acids including glycoursodeoxycholic acid(GUDCA), glycodesoxycholic acid(GDCA), tauro-α-MCA(T-α-MCA), α-MCA, taurodeoxycholate(TDCA), T-β-MCA, and LCA were screened out as the main discriminant components by PLS-DA. It is concluded that Suanzaoren Decoction possesses the hepatoprotective effect and bile acids could serve as the biochemical indicators to evaluate the drug efficacy in the treatment of abnormal liver functions caused by insomnia. The mechanism of Suanzao-ren Decoction in soothing the liver, resolving depression, tranquilizing the mind, and improving sleep may be related to the molecular regulation of bile acid signals.

Protective effect of ginsenoside Rg_1 aganist diabetic retinopathy by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome in type 2 diabetic mice / 中国中药杂志

Ginsenoside Rg_1, one of the main active components of precious traditional Chinese medicine Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma, has the anti-oxidative stress, anti-inflammation, anti-aging, neuroprotection, and other pharmacological effects. Diabetic retinopathy(DR), the most common complication of diabetes, is also the main cause of impaired vision and blindness in the middle-aged and the elderly. The latest research shows that ginsenoside Rg_1 can protect patients against DR, but the protection and the mechanism are rarely studied. This study mainly explored the protective effect of ginsenoside Rg_1 against DR in type 2 diabetic mice and the mechanism. High fat diet(HFD) and streptozotocin(STZ) were used to induce type 2 diabetes in mice, and hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining was employed to observe pathological changes in the retina of mice. The immunohistochemistry was applied to study the localization and expression of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptors 3(NLRP3) and vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) in retina, and Western blot was used to detect the expression of nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB), p-NF-κB, NLRP3, caspase-1, interleukin-1β(IL-1β), transient receptor potential channel protein 6(TRPC6), nuclear factor of activated T-cell 2(NFAT2), and VEGF in retina. The results showed that ginsenoside Rg_1 significantly alleviated the pathological injury of retina in type 2 diabetic mice. Immunohistochemistry results demonstrated that ginsenoside Rg_1 significantly decreased the expression of NLRP3 and VEGF in retinal ganglion cells, middle plexiform layer, and outer plexiform layer in type 2 diabetic mice. According to the Western blot results, ginsenoside Rg_1 significantly lowered the expression of p-NF-κB, NLRP3, caspase-1, IL-1β, TRPC6, NFAT2, and VEGF in retina of type 2 diabetic mice. These findings suggest that ginsenoside Rg_1 can significantly alleviate DR in type 2 diabetic mice, which may be related to inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome and VEGF. This study provides experimental evidence for the clinical application of ginsenoside Rg_1 in the treatment of DR.

The prospects of DNA damage repair variants guiding platinum compounds in the treatment of triple negative breast cancer / 中华肿瘤杂志

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is prone to recurrence and metastasis, which is the subtype of poorest prognosis. Chemotherapy is the main treatment, although there is lack of effective adjuvant chemotherapy regimens. The unsatisfactory efficacy of chemotherapy has been a bottleneck in improving the outcome of TNBC. Platinum compounds act directly on DNA to kill tumor cells, and they have a stronger killing effect on tumor cells carrying DNA damage repair (DDR) defects, which is an important entry point to improve the efficacy of TNBC. Biomarkers for predicting the efficacy of platinum drugs in TNBC treatment have always been a hot topic. The DDR pathway contains a large number of related genes, and recent studies have shown that deficiencies in the DDR pathway may be associated with the efficacy of platinum drugs, which is expected to be a biomarker for predicting the efficacy of platinum drugs in breast cancer treatment.

Chemical constituents from Hypericum curvisepalum / 中国中药杂志

This study explored the chemical constituents of the aerial part of Hypericum curvisepalum. Sixteen compounds were isolated from the 95% ethanol extract of H. curvisepalum with various chromatographic techniques, including a new prenylated phenyl polyketide, mysorenone D(1). Other compounds were mysorenone-A(2), mysorenone-C(3), mysorenone-B(4), peplidiforone A(5), 4-methoxy-3-(2-methylbut-3-en-2-yl)-6-phenyl-2H-pyran-2-one(6), hyperenone-A(7), 4-(3,3-dimethylallyl)oxy-6-phenyl-α-pyrone(8), peplidiforone B(9), elegaphenone(10), hypercohin A(11), hyperisampsin G(12), spathulenol(13), quercetin(14), β-sitosterol(15), and β-amyrin(16).

Effect of Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma， Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma， and Chuanxiong Rhizoma Extract on Mitochondrial Oxidative Stress in Hydrogen Peroxide-induced Endothelial Cell Aging / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To observe the effect of Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma， Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma， and Chuanxiong Rhizoma extract （GNC） on mitochondrial oxidative stress in hydrogen peroxide （H₂O₂）-induced aging of human umbilical vein endothelial cells （HUVECs）， and explore the therapeutic mechanism of GNC on aging HUVECs. Method:The HUVECs were classified into the control group （control）， H₂O₂ model group （H₂O₂）， H₂O₂ + DMSO group （DMSO， 1 mL·L^-1）， resveratrol group （Resv， 8 μmol·L^-1）， and low- （200 mg·L^-1）， medium- （300 mg·L^-1）， and high-dose （400 mg·L^-1） GNC （GNC-L， GNC-M， and GNC-H） groups. Except control group and H₂O₂ group， the other groups were intervened with corresponding agents. Subsequently， 300 μmol·L^-1 H₂O₂ was given to other groups except the control group for 4 h to induce aging， and then the cells were cultured in normal media for 24 h. The aging degree， cell cycle， and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species （mtROS） level were determined by SA-<italic>β</italic>-galactosidase （SA-<italic>β</italic>-Gal） staining， flow cytometry， and MitoSox red fluorescence staining， respectively. JC-10 was used as a fluorescent probe to detect the changes in mitochondrial membrane potential， and Western blot was performed to detect the expression of manganese superoxide dismutase （MnSOD） and p-p66 proteins. Result:The SA-<italic>β</italic>-gal staining results showed that H₂O₂ group had increased blue-stained cells compared with other groups （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. Compared with those in the control group， the ratio of G₀/G₁ phase cells significantly increased （<italic>P</italic><0.05） and that of G₂/M phase cells decreased （<italic>P</italic><0.05） in the H₂O₂ group. Compared with those in the H₂O₂ group， the proportion of G₀/G₁ cells decreased （<italic>P</italic><0.05） while that of G₂/M cells increased （<italic>P</italic><0.05） in GNC-H groups and Resv group. The fluorescence staining for determining mitochondrial ROS level showed that the H₂O₂ group had weakened fluorescence intensity than the control， GNC-H， and GNC-M groups （<italic>P</italic><0.05）. The mitochondrial membrane potential fluorescence intensity of the H₂O₂ group was weaker than that of the control， GNC-H， GNC-M， and GNC-L groups （<italic>P</italic><0.01）， as well as the Resv group （<italic>P</italic><0.05）. Western blot showed that the protein level of MnSOD was significantly lower in the H₂O₂ group than in the control， GNS-H， and GNS-M groups （<italic>P</italic><0.05）， whereas the protein level of p-p66 showed an opposite trend （<italic>P</italic><0.01）， indicating that the medication can alleviate the intracellular mitochondrial oxidative stress. Conclusion:GNC can delay the H₂O₂-induced aging of vascular endothelial cells. The GNC intervention significantly regulated the mitochondrial ROS， mitochondrial membrane potential， and related proteins MnSOD and p-p66 to alleviate oxidative stress. Chinese medicinal materials may delay the aging of vascular endothelial cells by inhibiting mitochondrial oxidative stress.

Effect of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress on Tumorigenesis and Development and Intervention of Traditional Chinese Medicine： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Endoplasmic reticulum （ER） is an important organelle responsible for protein， steroid， lipid and carbohydrate synthesis and calcium-dependent signal transduction in eukaryotic cells. ER homeostasis is essential for normal cell function. ER homeostasis imbalance can induce ER stress （ERS）， which participates in the occurrence and development of diseases of the digestive system， respiratory system， circulatory system， nervous system， reproductive system， and endocrine system， and affects body health. Among various diseases， cancers seriously endanger people′s health due to its high mortality rate， disability rate， and recurrence rate. Due to the survival characteristics of unlimited proliferation， tumor cells are often exposed to various internal and external stimuli such as hypoxia， ischemia， excessive proliferation， and starvation， which destroy intracellular protein balance and induce ERS to some extent for survival. ERS plays a major role in various tumors and has dual functions in the survival of tumor cells： promoting the survival of tumor cells by activating a series of adaptive responses， while inducing ERS-related apoptosis pathways， so as to promote tumor cell death and inhibit tumor growth and invasion. As multiple functions of ERS in tumors are reported， many scholars have tried to intervene in the progress of tumors from the perspective of ERS. The therapeutic effect of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） on tumors has been widely recognized. TCM can participate in the regulation of tumors from many aspects， including ERS， chemoradiotherapy resistance， gastrointestinal adverse reactions caused by chemotherapy， postoperative recurrence and metastasis. Since there are few reports on the antitumor effect of TCM from the perspective of ERS， this paper expounds the influence of ERS on tumorigenesis and development and the progress of TCM intervention in tumor through ERS， in order to provide a new direction for tumor treatment.

Review on Mechanism of Multi-target Intervention of Traditional Chinese Medicine on Metabolic Syndrome / 中国实验方剂学杂志

The pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome （MS） includes insulin resistance （IR）， central obesity， chronic low-grade inflammation， oxidative stress， endoplasmic reticulum stress， elevated free fatty acid levels， intestinal flora imbalance， renin angiotensin system abnormality， and autophagy activity deficiency， etc. Most researchers believe that IR plays a central role in the pathogenesis of MS， and abdominal obesity is an important initial factor of MS. According to the incidence and clinical characteristics， MS is classified as "obesity" "pidan" " abdominal fullness " and other diseases. It is said that the pathogenesis of MS is related to the deficiency of spleen and kidney， the formation of phlegm， turbidity， blood stasis and other pathological products， which damage the body's functions of qi， blood， yin and yang. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has unique advantages in treating MS based on the holistic view and syndrome differentiation concept. It has multi-level， multi-target and multi-channel treatment characteristics. It can intervene insulin signal transduction， regulate adipocyte factor secretion level， relieve oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum stress response， regulate intestinal flora and renin angiotensin system， reduce free fatty acid level and regulation Autophagy and other ways to improve chronic low-grade inflammation and IR status， and then comprehensive prevention and treatment of MS and its complications. However， the following problems still exist：lack of high-quality randomized controlled clinical research and large sample real-world research， clinical unified diagnosis and treatment standard has not yet formed， lack of genetic animal model in basic research， relatively single signal pathway and target of experimental research， and difficulty in timely formation of clinical transformation of scientific research achievements. Therefore， we should make full use of modern scientific and technological means to carry out systematic and standardized multicenter， large sample， high-quality randomized controlled trials or real-world research， we should prepare perfect animal models， focus on the crosstalk relationship between multiple related cell signaling pathways， and actively explore the potential relationship between signaling pathways and prescription compatibility， so as to actively promote basic scientific research achievements Clinical practice may be the key research direction in the prevention and treatment of MS in TCM.

Study on bile acid metabolism of sleep-deprived mice regulated by Jiaotai Pills based on LC-MS / 中国中药杂志

To investigate the changes of bile acid(BA) levels in mice with sleep deprivation and the regulatory effect of Jiaotai Pills(JTP) on bile acid metabolism, this study established an ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS/MS) method for simultaneous determination of 23 BAs in mice. A total of 24 ICR mice were randomized into normal group, model group, and JTP group. Mice in the model group and JTP group were deprived of sleep at 20 h·d~(-1) by sleep deprivation apparatus for 8 consecutive days. Mice in the JTP group were given(ig, qd) JTP 3.3 g·kg~(-1) and those in the normal group and model group received(ig) the same volume of purified water. UPLC conditions are as follows: Waters ACQUITY UPLC BEH C_(18) column(2.1 mm×100 mm, 1.7 μm), gradient elution with the mobile phase of 0.1% formic acid in water-methanol. MS conditions are as below: negative-ion electrospray ionization, multiple reaction monitoring(MRM). Thereby, the content of 23 BAs in serum, liver, and ileum was determined and methodological investigation of the method was performed. The results showed that 23 BAs could be accurately determined within 15 min and the correlation coefficients were all higher than 0.99. The precision, accuracy, specificity, reproducibility, matrix effect, and recovery of BAs all met the requirement. The levels of BAs were significantly increased in the serum, liver, and ileum of sleep-deprived mice, but JTP can significantly reduce the levels. The UPLC-MS/MS method is simple, rapid, and accurate, which can be used for the determination of 23 BAs in biological samples, and JTP can adjust the elevated BA levels of sleep-deprived mice.

Mechanism of extract of Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma, Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma and Chuanxiong Rhizoma on SIRT1 autophagy pathway of endothelial cell senescence induced by hydrogen peroxide / 中国中药杂志

This study aims to explore the effect of extract of Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma, Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma, and Chuanxiong Rhizoma(hereinafter referred to as GNS) on the SIRT1-autophagy pathway of endothelial cell senescence induced by hydrogen peroxide(H_2O_2). To be specific, vascular endothelial cells were classified into the blank control group(control), model group(model), model + DMSO group(DMSO), resveratrol group(RESV), and GNS low-dose(GNS-L), medium-dose(GNS-M), and high-dose(GNS-H) groups. They were treated with H_2O_2 for senescence induction except the control. After intervention of cells in each group with corresponding drugs for 24 h, cell growth status was observed under an inverted microscope, and the formation of autophagosome under the transmission electron microscope. In addition, the changes of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3β(LC3 B) were detected by immunofluorescence staining. The autophagy flux was tracked with the autophagy double-labeled adenovirus(mRFP-GFP-LC3) fusion protein. Dansylcadaverine(MDC) staining was employed to determine the autophagic vesicles, and Western blot the expression of sirtuin 1(SIRT1), ubiquitin-binding protein p62, and LC3Ⅱ. After H_2O_2 induction, cells demonstrated slow growth, decreased adhesion ability, raised number of SA-β-gal-stained blue ones, a certain number of autophagosomes with bilayer membrane and secondary lysosomes in the cytoplasm, and slight rise of autophagy flux level. Compared with the model group, GNS groups showed improved morphology, moderate adhesion ability, complete and smooth membrane, decreased SA-β-gal-stained blue cells, many autophagosomes, autophagic vesicles, and secondary lysosomes in the cytoplasm, increased autophagolysosomes, autophagy flux level, and fluorescence intensity of LC3 B and MDC, up-regulated expression of SIRT1 and LC3Ⅱ, and down-regulated expression of p62, suggesting the improvement of autophagy level. GNS can delay the senescence of vascular endothelial cells. After the intervention, the autophagy flux and related proteins SIRT1, LC3Ⅱand p62 changed significantly, and the autophagy level increased significantly. However, EX527 weakened the effect of Chinese medicine in delaying vascular senescence. GNS may delay the senescence of vascular endothelial cells through the SIRT1 autophagy pathway.

Comparison of anti-inflammatory effects of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos and Lonicerae Flos based on network pharmacology / 中草药·英文版

Objective: In Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) history, Lonicerae Japonicae Flos and Lonicerae Flos were used clinically as one drug, but now they are admitted as two herbal medicines in Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2010 edition). This study used network pharmacology to investigate whether the two can be used interchangeably for the treatment of inflammatory diseases in TCM clinical practice. Methods: Lonicerae Japonicae Flos and Lonicerae Flos were compared in the inflammation mechanism including core targets, Gene Ontology (GO), pathway and principle chemical components by the method of network pharmacology. Results: Lonicerae Japonicae Flos and Lonicerae Flos shared in six targets accounting for 66.7% of the entire core targets and more than half of the GO terms and pathways are similar. Organic acids are dominent compounds responsible for anti-inflammatory effects. Three of the compounds that bind to core targets including luteolin, quercetin and kaempferol, are shared in both herbs. Conclusion: Due to high similarity between Lonicerae Japonicae Flos and Lonicerae Flos, we believe that they can be used interchangeably for the inflammation in clinical treatment.

[Research progress on anti-alcoholic gastric injury active components and mechanisms of Chinese herbal medicine].

Alcohol is considered to be one of the main causes for gastric injury, and alcoholic gastric injury has been becoming one of the global health problems, which seriously affects the quality of human life. Many studies suggest that the active components extracted from Chinese herbal medicine can effectively reduce the degree of alcohol-induced gastric injury. The active components and its mechanism of anti-alcoholic gastric injury of Chinese herbal medicine reported in recent five years were preliminarily summarized according to the classification of terpenoids, flavonoids, polyphenols, polysaccharides, volatile oils, phenylpropanoids and alkaloids in this paper. The terpenoids could improve oxidative stress and inflammatory response by regulating relevant signaling pathways. The flavonoids are mainly related to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The polyphenols mainly regulate the level of relevant factors involved in inflammatory pathway, oxidative stress and apoptosis pathway. The polysaccharides could enhance the ability of gastric mucosal defense factor by inhibiting oxidative stress injury and inflammatory response. Phenylpropanoids could enhance the gastric mucosal defense factor. The volatile oils mainly inhibit H~+/K~+-ATPase activity or inflammatory reaction. Alkaloids are closely related to the inhibition of inflammatory response and the improvement of antioxidant system. This paper aims to provide reference for further research and development of Chinese herbal medicine against alcoholic gastric injury.

Effects of keto acid supplements on Chinese patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis: a prospective, randomized, controlled, single-center clinical study.

BACKGROUND: The effects of keto acid (KA) supplements on Chinese patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) are unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of KA supplementation on nutritional status, inflammatory markers, and bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA) parameters in a cohort of Chinese patients with MHD without malnutrition. METHODS: This was a prospective, randomized, controlled, single-center clinical study conducted in 2011 till 2014. Twenty-nine patients with MHD were randomly assigned to a control (n = 14) or a KA (n = 15) group. The control group maintained a dietary protein intake of 0.9 g/kg/day. The KA group received additional KA supplement (0.1 g/kg/day). BIA was used to determine the lean tissue mass, adipose tissue mass, and body cell mass. The patients' nutritional status, dialysis adequacy, and biochemical parameters were assessed at the ends of the third and sixth months with t test or Wilcoxon rank-sum test. RESULTS: The daily total energy intake for both groups was about 28 kcal/kg/day. After 6 months, the Kt/V (where K is the dialyzer clearance of urea, t is the dialysis time, and V is the volume of the distribution of urea) was 1.33 ±â€Š0.25 in KA group, and 1.34 ±â€Š0.25 in the control group. The median triceps skin-fold thickness in KA group was 12.00 and 9.00 mm in the control group. In addition, the median hand-grip strength in KA group was 21.10 and 25.65 kg in the control group. There were no significant differences between the groups with respect to the anthropometry parameters, dialysis adequacy, serum calcium and phosphorus levels, inflammatory markers, and amino-acid profiles, or in relation to the parameters determined by BIA. Both groups achieved dialysis adequacy and maintained nutritional status during the study. CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort of Chinese patients with MHD, the patients in the control group whose dietary protein intake was 0.9 g/kg/day and total energy intake was 28 kcal/kg/day, maintained well nutritional status during study period. The KA supplement (0.1 g/kg/day) did not improve the essential amino acid/non-essential amino acid ratio, nor did it change the patients' mineral metabolism, inflammatory parameters, or body compositions.

Research Progress of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Yiqi Huoxue Huatan in Treatment of Atherosclerosis / 中国实验方剂学杂志

The application of clinical medication and basic research progress of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） for Yiqi Huoxue Huatan in the treatment of atherosclerosis （AS） were summarized. According to the different pathogenic sites of AS， the clinical research progress of TCM for Yiqi Huoxue Huatan in the treatment of AS and the commonly used TCM for the treatment of AS were summarized. Astragali Radix， Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix， Quinquefolium Panax， Cocos Wolf Poria， Atractylodis Rhizoma， Rosea Rhodiola， which were Yiqi herbs， were mostly used for the treatment of AS. Wallichii Ligusticum， Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix， Notoginseng Radix， Paeoniae Rubra Radix， Paeoniae Alba Radix， Angelicae Sinensis Radix， Semen Persicae， Tinctorius Carthamus， Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix， tea root， which were Huoxue herbs， were mostly used for the treatment of AS. Huatan herbs， including Kirilowii Maxim Trichosanthes， Pinelliae Rhizama， Acorus Tatarinowii Schott， Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium， Cum Bile Arisaema， Silicea Bambusae Concretio， Aurantii Immaturus Fructus， Bamboo Juice， were commonly used for the treatment of AS. According to the findings， TCM for Yiqi Huoxue was mostly combined with insect medicine and rattan medicine for the treatment of carotid atherosclerosis， combined with TCM for promoting Qi， relieving pain， dissipating blood stasis and reducing phlegm for the treatment of coronary heart disease， and combined with TCM for relaxing tendons and activating collaterals， resolving phlegm to benefit orifices， and invigorating spleen to remove dampness combined for the treatment of lower extremity sclerosis. In addition， the medication time， drug combination and improvement indexes were summarized. In basic studies， the experimental progress of this kind of medicine for the treatment of AS were summed up in the aspect of reducing inflammatory reaction， improving the abnormal lipid metabolism and improving the damage of inner membrane. At present， it was found that tanshinone， total saponins of stem and leaf of Panax Quinquefolium， extract of Trichosanthis Pericarpium. Qishen Yiqi dropping pill， Huxinkang tablet， Danlou tablet， Buyang Huanwutang combined with Gualou Xiebaitang， Huazhuo Tongmai powder were the main drugs for basic research， and the animal model， model characteristics and the mechanism of action were summarized. In order to provide a reference for the rational application of TCM for Yiqi Huoxue Huatan in the treatment of AS， the application law， the mechanism and characteristics of action and the future research directions of TCM for Yiqi Huoxue Huatan were summarized and reviewed.

Effect of Huanglian Wendantang in Treatment of Metabolic Syndrome / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a pathological condition characterized by central obesity, insulin resistance, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. With the increase of poor dietary habits and lifestyles in modern society, especially the poor living habits of sedentariness and less movement, the prevalence of MS has increased year by year. According to relevant data, the number of MS patients worldwide will reach about 2.568 billion by 2040, which will seriously endanger human life and health. Huanglian Wendantang, as a famous traditional Chinese medicine prescription for clearing away heat and drying dampness, regulating Qi and resolving phlegm, and benefiting the stomach and gall, has been proved to have significant pharmacological effects in lowering blood fat, reducing blood sugar and resisting inflammation by modern pharmacological studies, and widely used in the treatment of metabolic diseases, cardiovascular diseases and other systemic diseases. In recent years, a large number of studies have proved that Huanglian Wendantang has a significant effect on MS. In terms of clinical efficacy, it could significantly improve the pathological state of obesity, dyslipidemia, abnormal glucose metabolism and hypertension in MS patients. Meanwhile, it could also interfere with the inflammatory state, prethrombotic state, abnormal vascular regulation and other potential risk factors in the body, with a high safety and fewer side effects. In terms of experimental study, it could enhance the insulin sensitivity, and improve the insulin resistance of MS animal models and cell models through interventions in insulin signal transduction, inflammatory response, and antioxidant stress. By retrieving PubMed, CNKI, Weipu, Wanfang and other databases, the author summarized the study reports of Huanglian Wendantang on MS in recent years in three aspects: theoretical study, clinical efficacy study and experimental mechanism study, in the expectation of provide some scientific references for in-depth study of the mechanism of Huanglian Wendantang in treating MS and the development and clinical promotion of the prescription.