Exploring traditional Chinese medicine as a potential treatment for sarcopenia: A network pharmacology and data mining analysis of drug selection and efficacy.

Sarcopenia, as an increasingly pressing clinical issue, can be ameliorated through employment of traditional Chinese medicines. However, the current lack of specific pharmacological interventions for Sarcopenia necessitates further exploration of novel possibilities in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of this condition, utilizing advanced methodologies such as web pharmacology and data mining. Screening the essential targets of Sarcopenia, conducting matching between target and active molecules, as well as active molecules and herbs. Employing data mining techniques to analyze the screening outcomes, and molecular docking to compare the binding activities of active molecules with target proteins. The approach of using herbs for the treatment of Sarcopenia involves 13 targets, with 414 active compounds and 367 types of herbs. Data mining reveals that the herbs used in treating Sarcopenia are primarily characterized by their bitter taste, exerting their effects through dispelling dampness and promoting blood circulation. Moreover, 2 new formulas are postulated. Furthermore, molecular docking analysis indicates that the main active components of the herbs can be observed to tightly bind with the targets. Through network pharmacology and molecular docking, our findings reveal that herbs contain 15 key active components and 5 key targets, which correspond to 7 major herbs and 2 new formulas. Academically, these findings hold significant reference value for the development of novel drugs targeting Sarcopenia.

Effect of palm stearin on the physicochemical characterization and capsaicinoid digestion of Sichuan hotpot oil.

Beef tallow (BT) is the common hotpot oil used in Sichuan hotpot, increasing its characteristic flavors and making it taste better. However, the cholesterol content in BT is high, which may induce cardiovascular diseases. In this study, the effect of palm stearin (PS) on Sichuan hotpot oil was evaluated. The PS: BT blends showed similar physicochemical properties to BT from the results of sensory evaluation, pulsed NMR, DSC, and polar light micrograph (PLM). Furthermore, since spiciness is the essential characteristic of Sichuan hotpot, the digestive properties of capsaicinoids in hotpot oil were used as an evaluation index. The results showed that the digestive properties of capsaicinoids in hotpot oil containing PS were consistent with those without PS. In conclusion, PS can be partially used to replace BT, which can broaden the types of oil used for hotpot and help develop a new hotpot oil.

[Effect of electro-acupuncture combined with olfactory ensheathing cell transplantation on spinal cord injury axonal regeneration and direction].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the impact and mechanism of electro-acupuncture (EA) on olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) transplantation of spinal cord injury (SCI) axonal regeneration. METHODS: In the experiment, 72 adult Sprague Dawley male rats weighted (220±20) g underwent contusion and transection method to cause the T9 model of spinal cord injury, were randomly divided into four groups involving model group, EA group,OECs group,and EA+OECs group. 5% fluorescein gold (FG) solution of 0.5 µl was injected into rats' spinal cord at 4 weeks and 8 weeks after SCI, a series of tests were performed including fluorescein gold(FG) retrograde tagging, BBB scores. RESULTS: (1)The BBB scores level among four groups had no differences from the 1st day to the 1st week after the SCI (P>0.05). From the 3rd week after the SCI, the BBB scores level in EA+ OECs group were obviously higher than that of other groups (P<0.05). (2)The result of the fluorescein gold (FG) retrograde tagging showed at 4 weeks and 8 weeks after treatment FG positive nerve fibers were observed in SCI region. In EA+OECs group the number of FG positive nerve fibers was more than other three groups, and the fibers were more regularly arranged than other three groups. CONCLUSION: The combination of electro-acupuncture and OECs transplantation can recover the pathway of nerve conduction and promote nerve fibers regeneration and hind limb function recovery for SCI rat, and can guide the trend of the axonal regeneration.

[Effects of Larix gmelini aqueous extracts on seed germination and seedling growth of Juglans mandshurica].

In this study, Juglans mandshurica seeds were drenched in different concentrations (12.5, 25, 50 and 100 g x kg(-1)) aqueous extracts from adult Larix gmelini root, bark, branch and leaf for one week, and cultured in greenhouse in mid-April, 2004. The germination rate and germination index were calculated 18 days later, and the seedling's height and collar diameter were measured on August 1st. The results suggested that 25 g x kg(-1) root and 12.5 g x kg(-1) bark and branch aqueous extracts of L. gmelini could significantly increase the seed germination rate and germination index of J. mandshurica (P < 0.05), and 12.5 g x kg(-1) root and bark aqueous extracts could significantly increase the seedling height and collar diameter (P < 0.05). High concentrations of L. gmelini leaf aqueous extract could significantly promote the seed germination and seedling growth of J. mandshurica, but the promotion effect decreased gradually with decreasing concentration of leaf aqueous extract. The promotion of L. gmelini aqueous extracts to J. mandshurica seed germination and seedling growth might be related to the allelopathy between these two tree species.