Profile and activity of phenolic antioxidants in chrysanthemum (Huangshan Gongju) as affected by simulated digestions.

The phenolics are the main bioactive substances of Huangshan Gongju, a famous chrysanthemum of China, but their digestive characteristics are still unknown. To explore the digestive properties of Huangshan Gongju phenolics, the flower was extracted and subjected to simulated digestions, and their phenolic profile and activity were analyzed. The results indicated that the total phenolics content and antioxidant activity of the extract varied with the simulated digestion steps, and they generally decreased in the oral and small intestine digestions but increased in the gastric digestion, and high correlations were detected between the total phenolics content and antioxidant activity (0.873 < r < 0.979, p < .01). The change of phenolic profile during the simulated digestions was similar to that of total phenolics content, and six individual phenolics were identified and quantified, and three of them, including chlorogenic acid, apigenin-7-O-rutinoside, and apigenin-7-O-6″-acetylglucoside showed higher recovery (>64.29%), implying they may be the main functional phenolics of Huangshan Gongju. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: This study proved that most phenolics in Huangshan Gongju were relatively stable during digestion. The finding may guarantee the application of Huangshan Gongju in the field of functional foods.

Solvent effect on phenolics and antioxidant activity of Huangshan Gongju (Dendranthema morifolium (Ramat) Tzvel. cv. Gongju) extract.

Huangshan Gongju was extracted with organic solvents (ethanol, methanol and acetone) of different concentrations (0-90%), and the extracts' phenolic content and antioxidant activity, as well as the correlations between them were examined. With the increasing concentration of organic solvent, the total phenolic compound (TPC) increased continuously and met its maximum at 70% acetone, whereas the total flavonoid compound (TFC) and most individual phenolics met their maximums at 70% ethanol. Similar changes occurred to the antioxidant activity, including DPPH and ABTS scavenging activities, and their maximums were respectively found at 50% acetone and 70% ethanol. The antioxidant activity correlated strongly with TPC/TFC (r > 0.954, p < 0.01) and individual phenolics (r > 0.886, p < 0.05), and the strongest correlations between them were mainly given by luteolin-7-O-glucoside (r > 0.975, p < 0.001). These results suggested that high content organic solvent (50-70%) was beneficial to obtain Huangshan Gongju extracts of higher phenolic content and antioxidant activity, and 70% ethanol may be the promising solvent. Besides, phenolics were found to be the main antioxidants of Huangshan Gongju extracts, and flavonoids especially luteolin-7-O-glucoside may play more important roles in the antioxidant activity.

[Exploring the clinical characters of Shugan Jieyu capsule through text mining].

In this paper,the potential climate factors affecting the Pairs polyphylla var. yunnanensis distribution in China at rational scales were selected from related literatures, using the sampling point geographic information from of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis, combine the maximum entropy model (MaxEnt) with spatial analyst function of ArcGIS software, to study the climate suitability of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis cultivating region in China and the leading climate factors. The results showed that, average rainfall in August, average rainfall in October, coefficient of variation of seasonal precipitation, the average temperature of the dry season, isothermal characteristic, average temperature in July were the leading climate factors affecting the potential distribution of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis cultivating region in China, with their cumulative contribution rate reached 97.2% of all candidate climate factors. Existence probability of the region to be predicted of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis through the constructed model, the climate unsuitable region, low, medium and high region of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis in China were clarified and the threshold of climatic factors were gave and clarified the climate characteristics of the cultivating region in each climatic suitability division. The results of research can provide reference for production layout and introduction of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis.

Methylene blue protects astrocytes against glucose oxygen deprivation by improving cellular respiration.

Astrocytes outnumber neurons and serve many metabolic and trophic functions in the mammalian brain. Preserving astrocytes is critical for normal brain function as well as for protecting the brain against various insults. Our previous studies have indicated that methylene blue (MB) functions as an alternative electron carrier and enhances brain metabolism. In addition, MB has been shown to be protective against neurodegeneration and brain injury. In the current study, we investigated the protective role of MB in astrocytes. Cell viability assays showed that MB treatment significantly protected primary astrocytes from oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) & reoxygenation induced cell death. We also studied the effect of MB on cellular oxygen and glucose metabolism in primary astrocytes following OGD-reoxygenation injury. MB treatment significantly increased cellular oxygen consumption, glucose uptake and ATP production in primary astrocytes. In conclusion our study demonstrated that MB protects astrocytes against OGD-reoxygenation injury by improving astrocyte cellular respiration.

Berberine improves pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy and dysfunction through enhanced autophagy.

Cardiac hypertrophy is a maladaptive change in response to pressure overload, and is also an important risk for developing heart failure. Berberine is known to have cardioprotective effects in patients with hypertension and in animal models of cardiac hypertrophy. In the current study, we observed that transverse aortic contraction (TAC) surgery induced a marked increase in heart size, the ratio of heart weight to body weight, cardiomyocyte apoptosis, myocardial fibrosis, and hypertrophic marker brain natriuretic peptide, all of which were effectively suppressed by berberine administration. In addition, berberine enhanced autophagy in hypertrophic hearts, which was accompanied by a decrease in heart size, cardiac apoptosis, and the attenuation of cardiac dysfunction. Furthermore, use of autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA) blocked berberine-induced autophagy level, and abrogated the protection of berberine against heart hypertrophy, cardiac dysfunction, and apoptosis. Berberine ameliorated TAC-induced endoplasmic reticulum stress, which was also abolished by 3-MA. Moreover, berberine significantly inhibited the upstream signaling of autophagy, such as the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2), and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation. We conclude that berberine could attenuate left ventricular remodeling and cardiomyocyte apoptosis through an autophagy-dependent mechanism in a rat model of cardiac hypertrophy, which is, at least in part, associated with enhanced autophagy through inhibition of mTOR, p38 and ERK1/2 MAPK signaling pathways.

Adjuvant hepatic chemotherapy after resection of solitary hepatocellular carcinoma associated with hepatitis B virus cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND: Although resection is the major treatment for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the high intrahepatic recurrence remains a cardinal cause of death. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy on the survival and recurrence of HCC patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) cirrhosis after resection. METHODS: Twenty-eight patients who had undergone placement of a hepatic arterial pump at the time of liver wedge resection for HCC from 1998 through 2004 were reviewed retrospectively. These patients aged 23-71 years had HBV cirrhosis (Child-Pugh class A or B). They were given floxuridine (FUDR)(250 mg), doxorubicin (10 mg) and mitomycin C (4 mg) alternatively every 2 or 3 days through arterial pumps for 8 cycles each year in the first two years after resection. Meanwhile, traditional Chinese herbal medicine was prescribed to the patients. When the leukocyte count was as low as 3X10(9)/L or asparate aminotransferase (AST) level was significantly increased, the regimen of chemotherapy was delayed for the normalization of leukocyte count and AST level (below 80 U/L). RESULTS: Of the 28 patients, 23 received 8 or 16 cycles of the set regimen of chemotherapy. These patients are alive with no evidence of recurrence. Among them, 5, 7, and 11 patients are alive beyond 5 years, 3 years, and 1 year respectively. In the remaining 5 patients, 3 who had had a HCC 10 cm or more in diameter showed tumor recurrence within 1 year, in whom, 8 cycles of chemotherapy were not completed because of their low leukocyte count (<3 x 10(9)/L) and poor liver function. One patient who had received 8 cycles of chemotherapy demonstrated recurrence at 16 months after resection. One patient who had received 16 cycles of chemotherapy had intrahepatic recurrence at 58 months after surgery. No recurrence was observed in 17 patients who had received 16 cycles of chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: Adjuvant hepatic arterial chemotherapy may be feasible to improve the survival of patients after resection of solitary HCC associated with HBV cirrhosis.