Electroacupuncture Promotes Functional Recovery after Facial Nerve Injury in Rats by Regulating Autophagy via GDNF and PI3K/mTOR Signaling Pathway.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the mechanism of electroacupuncture (EA) in promoting recovery of the facial function with the involvement of autophagy, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway. METHODS: Seventy-two male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated into the control, sham-operated, facial nerve injury (FNI), EA, EA+3-methyladenine (3-MA), and EA+GDNF antagonist groups using a random number table, with 12 rats in each group. An FNI rat model was established with facial nerve crushing method. EA intervention was conducted at Dicang (ST 4), Jiache (ST 6), Yifeng (SJ 17), and Hegu (LI 4) acupoints for 2 weeks. The Simone's 10-Point Scale was utilized to monitor the recovery of facial function. The histopathological evaluation of facial nerves was performed using hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. The levels of Beclin-1, light chain 3 (LC3), and P62 were detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC), immunofluorescence, and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, respectively. Additionally, IHC was also used to detect the levels of GDNF, Rai, PI3K, and mTOR. RESULTS: The facial functional scores were significantly increased in the EA group than the FNI group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). HE staining showed nerve axons and myelin sheaths, which were destroyed immediately after the injury, were recovered with EA treatment. The expressions of Beclin-1 and LC3 were significantly elevated and the expression of P62 was markedly reduced in FNI rats (P<0.01); however, EA treatment reversed these abnormal changes (P<0.01). Meanwhile, EA stimulation significantly increased the levels of GDNF, Rai, PI3K, and mTOR (P<0.01). After exogenous administration with autophagy inhibitor 3-MA or GDNF antagonist, the repair effect of EA on facial function was attenuated (P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: EA could promote the recovery of facial function and repair the facial nerve damages in a rat model of FNI. EA may exert this neuroreparative effect through mediating the release of GDNF, activating the PI3K/mTOR signaling pathway, and further regulating the autophagy of facial nerves.

Research progress on mechanism of acupuncture in treating functional constipation. / é’ˆåˆºæ²»ç–—åŠŸèƒ½æ€§ä¾¿ç§˜çš„æœºåˆ¶ç ”ç©¶è¿›å±•.

Acupuncture treatment for functional constipation (FC) is characterized by precise efficacy, rapid onset of action in the early stages, long-term stable effects, and overall regulation. This paper reviews recent literatures on acupuncture treatment for FC, indicating that acupuncture acts from multiple perspectives and pathways, including promoting intestinal motility, regulating intestinal microbiota, modulating the brain-gut axis, alleviating intestinal inflammation, and improving rectal hyposensitivity. Future research could delve into the mechanical sensation conduction mechanisms of acupuncture in improving rectal hyposensitivity, identify key intestinal microbiota genera and metabolic characteristics regulated by acupuncture, explore the network relationships among different mechanisms, and clarify the differential mechanisms of various acupuncture treatment protocols to optimize clinical therapy and enhance the clinical efficacy of acupuncture for FC.

Euphzycopins A - D, macrocyclic diterpenoids with potential anti-inflammatory activity from Euphorbia Helioscopia.

Four new diterpenoids (1-4) and four known diterpenoids (5-8) were purified from the whole plant of Euphorbia helioscopia L. Compounds 1 and 2 were jathophanes diterpenoids with a 5/12 polycyclic systems, compound 3 was rhamofolane diterpenoid with a 5/10 bicyclic skeleton and compound 4 was a rare class of euphorbia diterpenes featuring an unusual 5/10 fused ring system. Anti-inflammatory activity tests were conducted on the separated compounds, indicating that compound 4 had significant inhibitory effect on NLRP3 inflammasome with an IC50 value of 7.75 µM. Further, the inhibitory effect of 4 was determined using immunofluorescence assays.

Application and development of nanomaterials in the diagnosis and treatment of esophageal cancer.

Esophageal cancer is a malignant tumor with a high incidence worldwide. Currently, there are a lack of effective early diagnosis and treatment methods for esophageal cancer. However, delivery systems based on nanoparticles (NPs) have shown ideal efficacy in real-time imaging and chemotherapy, radiotherapy, gene therapy, and phototherapy for tumors, which has led to their recent widespread design as novel treatment strategies. Compared to traditional drugs, nanomedicine has unique advantages, including strong targeting ability, high bioavailability, and minimal side effects. This article provides an overview of the application of NPs in the diagnosis and treatment of esophageal cancer and provides a reference for future research.

Acupuncture as an adjunctive therapy for gastric ulcer: A modified Delphi consensus study.

BACKGROUND: Acupuncture is often used as an adjunctive therapy for gastric ulcer (GU). However, there is still a lack of evidence on the appropriate and optimal interventions for acupuncture. This study aimed to optimize the acupuncture treatment of gastric ulcers based on expert consensus for guiding acupuncturists in clinical practice. METHODS: To conduct this study, research evidence was gathered from databases in both Chinese and English. After discussion, preliminary clinical questions were developed. Following three rounds of multidisciplinary clinical expert consultation, the initial consensus questionnaire was formed after testing and modification by team members. A Delphi consensus was ultimately reached to answer the questionnaire and develop guidance for acupuncture treatment. A 9-point Likert-type scale was used to measure the agreement of expert consensus, where a score of 80% between 7 and 9 was defined as "agreement." RESULTS: After two rounds of Delphi voting, a total of 35 items reached an agreement. These items can be roughly divided into 6 domains. According to expert consensus, the application of acupuncture for gastric ulcer should follow a semistandardized approach. Based on the syndrome differentiation, the main acupoints recommended are Zusanli (ST36), Zhongwan (CV12), Neiguan (PC6), and Sanyinjiao (SP6), while the adjunct acupoints include Taichong (LR3), Guanyuan (CV4), Xuehai (SP10), and Taixi (KI3). In the experience of experts, adverse events associated with acupuncture are typically mild and often manifest as subcutaneous hematomas. CONCLUSION: There is a lack of definitive acupuncture guidelines that can effectively determine the optimal therapeutic approach for the treatment of gastric ulcer. This expert consensus provides recommendations for clinical research and practice of acupuncture, with a particular focus on the selection of acupoints. However, further exploration through rigorous studies is necessary due to the limited availability of clinical evidence.

Effects of acupuncture on gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids in patients with functional constipation: a randomized placebo-controlled trial.

Objective: To comprehensively evaluate the effect of acupuncture on gut microbiota, identify specific microbes closely related to the clinical efficacy of acupuncture, and explored the role of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Methods: A randomized placebo-controlled trial was conducted with 80 FC patients and 28 healthy controls (HCs). FC patients randomly received 16 acupuncture (n = 40) or sham acupuncture (n = 40) sessions over 4 weeks; HCs received no treatment. The change in the proportion of patients with mean weekly complete spontaneous bowel movements (CSBMs) was considered as the primary outcome measure. Moreover, the composition and the predictive metabolic function of the gut microbiota from feceal samples were analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing, while feceal SCFAs were identified via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Results: Compared to sham acupuncture, acupuncture significantly increased the proportion of CSBM responders, and improved spontaneous bowel movements (SBMs), straining, stool consistency, and quality of life. Moreover, Sequencing of 16S rRNA genes revealed that acupuncture improved ß-diversity and restored the composition of gut microbiota. Specifically, the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as g_Lactobacillus increased while that of pathogenic bacteria such as g_Pseudomonas decreased after acupuncture, which were significantly correlated with alleviated symptoms. Moreover, ten microbes including g_Coprobacter, g_Lactobacillus, and g_Eubacterium_coprostanoligenes_group might be considered acupuncture-specific microbes, and formed a stable interaction network. Additionally, GC-MS analysis indicated that acupuncture increased the content of butyrate acid in the gut, which was positively correlated with an increase in defecation frequency and a decrease in acupuncture-related pathogens. Finally, acupuncture specific-microbes including g_Coprobacter, g_Lactobacillus, g_Pseudomonas, g_Eubacterium_coprostanoligenes_group, g_Erysipelotrichaceae_UCG.003, g_Prevotellaceae_UCG.001, and g_Rolstonia could accurately predict the clinical efficacy of acupuncture (AUC = 0.918). Conclusion: Acupuncture could effectively improve clinical symptoms in FC patients, and was associated with gut microbiota reshaping and increased butyrate acid levels. Moreover, key microbial genera such as g_Coprobacter and g_Lactobacillus was predictive of acupuncture efficacy in treating FC. Future studies are required to validate the causal relationship between key microbial genera and acupuncture clinical efficacy, and should explore further metabolic pathways for designing personalized treatment strategies. Clinical Trial Registration: http://www.chictr.org.cn, Identifier: ChiCTR2100048831.

Bioactive diterpenoids isolated from the twigs and leaves of Casearia velutina.

Nine previously undescribed clerodane-type diterpenoids (1-9), named caseabalanspenes A-I, along with six know compounds (10-15), were isolated from the twigs and leaves of Casearia velutina. Spectroscopic data (1D and 2D NMR) analysis permitted the definition of their structures and then determination of the molecular formula of the compound by high resolution mass spectrometry (HR-ESI-MS). It is worth noting that compound 7 contains N- heterocycle. Compounds 1-8 were tested the anti-inflammasome activity, and compound 3 exhibited potent activity and decreased LDH level in a dose-dependent manner, with IC50 values of 2.90 µM.

Exploring Lipoic Acid-Mediated Dynamic Bottlebrush Elastomers as a New Platform for the Design of High-Performance Thermally Conductive Materials.

The development of high-performance thermally conductive interface materials is the key to unlocking the serious bottleneck of modern microelectronic technology through enhanced heat dispersion. Existing methods that utilize silicone composites rely either on loading large doses of randomly distributed thermal conductive fillers or on filling prealigned thermal conductive scaffolds with liquid silicone precursors. Both approaches suffer from several limitations in terms of physical traits and processability. We describe an alternative approach in which malleable silicone matrices, based on the dynamic cyclic disulfide nature cross-linker (α-lipoic acid), are readily prepared using ring-opening polymerization. The mechanical properties of the resultant dynamic silicone matrix are readily tunable. Stress-dependent depolymerization of the disulfide network demonstrates the ability to reprocess the silicone elastomer matrix, which allows for the fabrication of highly efficient thermal conductive composites with a 3D interconnecting, thermally conductive network (3D-graphite/MxBy composites) via in situ methods. Applications of the composites as thermal dispersion interface materials are demonstrated by LEDs and CPUs, suggesting great potential in advanced electronics.

Exploring the efficacy of herbal medicinal products as oral therapy for inflammatory bowel disease.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) encompasses a collection of idiopathic diseases characterized by chronic inflammation in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Patients diagnosed with IBD often experience necessitate long-term pharmacological interventions. Among the multitude of administration routes available for treating IBD, oral administration has gained significant popularity owing to its convenience and widespread utilization. In recent years, there has been extensive evaluation of the efficacy of orally administered herbal medicinal products and their extracts as a means of treating IBD. Consequently, substantial evidence has emerged, supporting their effectiveness in IBD treatment. This review aimed to provide a comprehensive summary of recent studies evaluating the effects of herbal medicinal products in the treatment of IBD. We delved into the regulatory role of these products in modulating immunity and maintaining the integrity of the intestinal epithelial barrier. Additionally, we examined their impact on antioxidant activity, anti-inflammatory properties, and the modulation of intestinal flora. By exploring these aspects, we aimed to emphasize the significant advantages associated with the use of oral herbal medicinal products in the treatment of IBD. Of particular note, this review introduced the concept of herbal plant-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (PDENs) as the active ingredient in herbal medicinal products for the treatment of IBD. The inclusion of PDENs offers distinct advantages, including enhanced tissue penetration and improved physical and chemical stability. These unique attributes not only demonstrate the potential of PDENs but also pave the way for the modernization of herbal medicinal products in IBD treatment.

Electroacupuncture Alleviates Functional Constipation in Mice by Activating Enteric Glial Cell Autophagy via PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate autophagy-related mechanisms of electroacupuncture (EA) action in improving gastrointestinal motility in mice with functional constipation (FC). METHODS: According to a random number table, the Kunming mice were divided into the normal control, FC and EA groups in Experiment I. The autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA) was used to observe whether it antagonized the effects of EA in Experiment II. An FC model was established by diphenoxylate gavage. Then the mice were treated with EA stimulation at Tianshu (ST 25) and Shangjuxu (ST 37) acupoints. The first black stool defecation time, the number, weight, and water content of 8-h feces, and intestinal transit rate were used to assess intestinal transit. Colonic tissues underwent histopathological assessment, and the expressions of autophagy markers microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) and Beclin-1 were detected by immunohistochemical staining. The expressions of phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3K)-protein kinase B (AKT)-mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway members were investigated by Western blot and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, respectively. The relationship between enteric glial cells (EGCs) and autophagy was observed by confocal immunofluorescence microscopy, localization analysis, and electron microscopy. RESULTS: EA treatment shortened the first black stool defecation time, increased the number, weight, and water content of 8-h feces, and improved the intestinal transit rate in FC mice (P<0.01). In terms of a putative autophagy mechanism, EA treatment promoted the expressions of LC3 and Beclin-1 proteins in the colonic tissue of FC mice (P<0.05), with glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and LC3 significantly colocalized. Furthermore, EA promoted colonic autophagy in FC mice by inhibiting PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The positive effect of EA on intestinal motility in FC mice was blocked by 3-MA. CONCLUSION: EA treatment can inhibit PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling in the colonic tissues of FC mice, thereby promoting EGCs autophagy to improve intestinal motility.

[Study on the mechanism of electroacupuncture repairing intestinal barrier via regulating mast cell in rats with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on mast cell activation-related substances and intestinal barrier function in diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) model rats, so as to explore its underlying mechanisms. METHODS: Thirty female SD rats were randomly divided into control group, model group and EA group, with 10 rats in each group. IBS-D model was established by chronic unpredictable mild stress combined with senna solution gavage. Rats in the EA group received EA treatment (2 Hz/15 Hz，0.1-1.0 mA) at "Zusanli" (ST36), "Taichong"(LR3) and "Tianshu"(ST25), 20 min per day, for a total of 14 days, with sides alternated daily. Visceral pain threshold was used to evaluate visceral hypersensitivity, diarrhea index was used to evaluate diarrhea degree. After all treatments, the pathological scores of colon were recorded after HE staining, the contents of cholecystokinin (CCK), substance P (SP), tryptase (TPS) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in colon were detected by ELISA, and the expressions of colonic tight junction protein ZO-1 and occludin were detected by Western blot. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the visceral pain threshold, the expression levels of colonic ZO-1 and occludin proteins decreased (P<0.01), while the diarrhea index, the contents of colonic CCK, SP, TPS and ATP were significantly increased (P<0.01) in the model group. After intervention, in comparison with the model group, the visceral pain thre-shold, the protein expression levels of colonic ZO-1 and occludin protein increased (P<0.01), while the diarrhea index, the contents of colonic CCK, SP, TPS and ATP were significantly decreased (P<0.01) in the EA group. CONCLUSION: EA can significantly alleviate the symptoms of visceral hypersensitivity and diarrhea in IBS-D rats. Its mechanism may be related to down-regulating colonic CCK, SP, TPS and ATP, inhibiting mast cell activation and degranulation, and up-regulating colonic barrier tight junction proteins.

Nursing Cooperation Pattern for Patients With Advanced Pancreatic Cancer and Abdominal Pain Undergoing Endoscopic Ultrasound-guided Celiac Plexus Neurolysis.

Context: Patients with pancreatic cancer (PC) at a late stage often suffer from severe abdominal pain due to the invasion of celiac plexus, and the analgesics they receive often have intolerable side effects. Endoscopic, ultrasound-guided, celiac plexus neurolysis (EUS-guided CPN) can have a good therapeutic effect. Objective: The study intended to evaluate the ability of two nursing cooperation patterns to reduce patients' pain, decrease operation times, increase operational efficiency, and increase nurses' satisfaction, for patients with advanced PC and abdominal pain who received EUS-guided CPN. Design: The research team designed a retrospective controlled study. Setting: The study took place at the Shenzhen People's Hospital of the Second Clinical Medical College of Jinan University in Shenzhen, China, and at the Changhai Hospital of the Second Military Medical University in Shanghai, China. Participants: Participants were 40 patients with advanced PC who received EUS-guided CPN at one of the two hospitals between January 2019 and January 2020. Intervention: Twenty participants at Changhai Hospital received the traditional nursing cooperation pattern and became the control group, and 20 participants at the Shenzhen People's Hospital received the new nursing cooperation pattern and became the intervention group. Outcome Measures: The study measured clinical data, nursing measures, diagnostic significance, and key points for the two patterns as well as compared the effects of the new nursing cooperation method to that of traditional nursing. If the measurement data met the requirements for normality, the team used the two independent sample t-test for the intergroup comparisons. If normality wasn't satisfied, the team used medians and interquartile ranges (IQRs) for expression and the rank sum test for the intergroup comparisons. Counting data were expressed using the constituent ratio, and team used the chi-square test for comparisons between groups. P < .05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: The operations were successful, and no complications occurred. No significant difference existed in the pain scores between the control group and the intervention group (P > .05), while a significant difference occurred in the nurses' operation times and satisfaction. Not only were the scores for operation times for the control group (97) and the intervention group (59) significantly different, but also the nurses' satisfaction was significantly higher for the intervention group postintervention, at 83.35 ± 5.25, than for the control group, at 62.25 ± 8.18 (P < .001). Such a new nursing cooperation method could assist in patient's rehabilitation and increase nurses' satisfaction. Conclusions: The new nursing cooperation method for patients with advanced PC and abdominal pain undergoing EUS-guided CPN can reduce operation time and improve nurses' satisfaction.

Effects and pharmacological mechanism of Zhigancao Decoction on electrical and structural remodeling of the atrium of rabbits induced by rapid atrial pacing.

BACKGROUND: Zhigancao decoction (ZD) has a long history in China as a traditional Chinese medicine compound for the treatment of tachyarrhythmias. This study mainly explored the pharmacological mechanism of Zhigancao Decoction in preventing atrial fibrillation by altering the electrical and structural remodeling of the atrial in rabbits. METHODS: In total, 30 male New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into 3 groups (ten rabbits for each). The first group was sham-operated (control group). The second group was intervened by the rapid right atrium pacing (RAP) to induce atrial fibrillation (AF group), while the third group was given ZD gavage and RAP (AF + ZD group). All rabbits were anesthetized before two monophasic action potential (MAP) catheters were sequentially inserted into the right atrium. After 8 h of rapid right atrial pacing, the electrophysiological indexes and the induction rate of atrial fibrillation were observed in the three groups of rabbits, and the left atrial myocardium samples were taken to observe the ultrastructure. Single atrial myocytes were separated by enzymolysis, and the L-type calcium current (ICa-L) of atrial myocytes in different experimental groups was observed by whole-cell patch clamp technique. The fluorescence intensity of Ca2+ in atrial myocytes was observed after Fluo-3/AM fluorescent staining. The main components of ZD were identified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method. RESULTS: Compared with the AF group, the maximum ascent rate (Max dV/dt) and plateau potential were significantly reduced in the ZD group, the action potential duration at 10% and 20% (APD10, APD20) were significantly shortened (P < 0.01), action potential duration at 50%, 70%, and 90% (APD50, APD70, APD90) were significantly prolonged, and atrial effective refractory period (AERP) was significantly prolonged (P < 0.01) in the ZD group. In the ZD group, the ICa-L amplitudes of rabbit atrial myocytes under each clamping voltage were significantly smaller than those in the AF group (P < 0.01) and the control group (P < 0.05). The Ca2+ fluorescence intensity in the rabbit atrial myocytes in the ZD group was significantly weaker than that in the AF group (P < 0.01) and the control group (P < 0.05). Electron microscopy displayed that the control group had neatly arranged atrial tissue myofilaments and intact mitochondria. However, the ultrastructural damage of the AF group was severe compared with that of the ZD group. LC-MS/MS analysis confirmed that ZD contained several antiarrhythmic compounds including ginsenoside, isoliensinine, catalpol, glycyrrhizinate and hesperetin. CONCLUSION: Rapid atrial pacing (RAP) could cause the electrical and structural remodeling of rabbit atrial myocytes. ZD might reverse the atrial electrical remodeling but could have little effect on structural remodeling, which might be the mechanism of ZD treatment on atrial fibrillation.

Comparison of the efficacy of gossypol acetate enantiomers in rats with uterine leiomyoma.

Gossypol acetate (GA), as the product of racemic gossypol and acetic acid conjugated by hydrogen bond, is hydrolyzed into gossypol to exert its effect on treating uterine leiomyoma (UL), which has been listed in China. But hypokalemia and mild changes of liver function limit its clinical application. It had been reported that the biological activities of gossypol optical isomers were different. In this study, we aimed to clarify whether there were differences in the efficacy of gossypol enantiomers and whether a single gossypol optical isomer could alleviate adverse reactions in the treatment of UL. The results indicated that (-)-GA and (+)-GA had significant therapeutic effect on rats with UL. Interestingly, (-)-GA could better significantly ameliorate the pathological structure, inhibit the secretion of estrogen, and downregulate the expression of estrogen receptor-alpha (ER-α) and progesterone receptor (PR) than (+)-GA. Additionally, (-)-GA could better evidently decrease the symptoms of abnormally elevated inflammatory factors caused by UL. In contrast, (-)-GA and (+)-GA had certain effects on potassium ion concentration in serum, liver and kidney function, and the effects of (+)-GA on liver function were more obvious than (-)-GA. These findings will be of great significance to the drug development of gossypol optical isomers.

Synergic effect of the combination of mirror therapy and electrical stimulation for lower extremity motor function recovery in stroke survivors: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the synergic effect of the combination of mirror therapy and electrical stimulation on lower limb motor function recovery in stroke survivors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, CNKI, Wan Fang, CBM were searched from inception to December 2020. Randomized controlled trials that compared the combined therapy with another single therapy were included. A pre-determined data collection form was used to extract data. Two authors independently extracted data and used the Cochrane Handbook criteria to assess the quality of included studies. RESULTS: Six studies, with a total of 437 patients were included. There was an overall positive effect on lower limb motor function recovery, according to Fugl-Meyer Assessment for the Lower Extremity [all: WMD in fixed effects model: 5.63, 95% CI 4.86, 6.39] and Brunnstrom stage [all: WMD in fixed effects model: 0.49, 95% CI 0.32, 0.66]. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the combination of mirror therapy and electrical stimulation for lower extremity motor function recovery in stroke survivors may have a positive effect.

[Effect of origin, tree age, and harvesting time on content of flavonoids and terpene lactones in Ginkgo Folium].

The content of total flavonol glycosides in Ginkgo Folium in the planting bases was determined by high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC).The samples were extracted by reflux with methanol-25% hydrochloric acid.The HPLC conditions were as follows: Agilent ZORBAX SB-C_(18) column(4.6 mm×250 mm, 5 µm), isocratic elution with mobile phase of 0.4% phosphoric acid solution-methanol(45∶55), flow rate of 1 mL·min~(-1), column temperature of 30 ℃, detection wavelength of 360 nm, and injection vo-lume of 10 µL.A method for the determination of terpene lactones in Ginkgo Folium was established based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatograph-triple-quadrupole/linear ion-trap tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-QTRAP-MS/MS).The UPLC conditions were as below: gradient elution with acetonitrile-0.1% formic acid, flow rate of 0.2 mL·min~(-1), column temperature of 30 ℃, sample chamber temperature of 10 ℃, and injection volume of 10 µL.The ESI~+and multiple reaction monitoring(MRM) were adopted for the MS.The above methods were used to determine the content of total flavonol glycosides and terpene lactones in 99 batches of Ginkgo Folium from 6 planting bases, and the results were statistically analyzed.The content of flavonoids and terpene lactones in Ginkgo Folium from different origins, from trees of different ages, harvested at different time, from trees of different genders, and processed with different methods was compared.The results showed that the content of total flavonol glucosides in 99 Ginkgo Folium samples ranged from 0.38% to 2.08%, and the total content of the four terpene lactones was in the range of 0.03%-0.87%.The method established in this study is simple and reliable, which can be used for the quantitative analysis of Ginkgo Folium.The research results lay a basis for the quality control of Ginkgo Folium.

Effects of Xinjiang wild cherry plum (Prunus divaricata Ledeb) anthocyanin-rich extract on the plasma metabolome of atherosclerotic apoE-deficient mice fed a high-fat diet.

It is well-known that many vegetables and fruits have abundant polyphenols, such as anthocyanins, which benefit many cardiovascular diseases due to their anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. To explore the protective effect of anthocyanin on atherosclerosis from a metabolic perspective, alterations in plasma metabolic profiling of apoE-deficient (apoE-/-) mice in response to treatment with anthocyanin extracts derived from Xinjiang wild cherry plum (Prunus divaricata Ledeb) peel was investigated through UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS. The mice were fed with a normal diet or high-fat diet supplementation with or without anthocyanin extracts (ACNE, 75, 150, 250 mg/kg body weight) for 18 weeks, corresponding to control (Con), model (Mod), and treatment group (LD, low dose; MD, medium dose; HD, high dose), respectively, along with a positive control group (posCon, treatment with Atorvastatin, 0.003 mg/kg body weight). The results showed that ACNE could significantly enhance the antioxidant capacity and lower the plasma lipid, but have no evident influence on the body weight of apoE-/- mice. A series of differential metabolites, predominantly related to lipid metabolism, were identified, including docosahexaenoic acid, palmitoyl ethanolamide, stearoylcarnitine, L-palmitoylcarnitine, indoxyl sulfate (IS), 1-palmitoyl-lysophosphatidylcholine, phenylacetylglycine (PAGly), and so on. Among these, both IS and PAGly were host-microbial metabolites. These differential metabolites were mainly enriched in the pathway of glycerophospholipid metabolism and linoleic acid metabolism. Several important enzymes related to glycerophospholipid metabolisms such as LCAT, LPCAT, GPCPD1, PLA2G1B, PPARG, LIPE, PNPLA2, AGPAT1, and ENPP2 were recognized as underlying targets for anti-atherogenic effects of ACNE. These findings suggest that ACNE derived from Xinjiang wild cherry plum exhibits protective effects against atherosclerosis via modulating glycerophospholipid metabolism.

NMR-based metabolomics reveals tissue metabolic responses to tetramethoxy gossypol in cottonseed oil.

BACKGROUND: Cottonseed oil is one of the most widely consumed cooking oils because of its high nutritional benefits and relatively low price. The present study evaluated the effects of tetramethoxy gossypol (TMG), a rarely reported degradation product of free gossypol produced in crudely extracted cottonseed oil, on the metabolic responses of liver, heart, spleen, kidney and lung tissues in rats using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1 H NMR) spectroscopy combined with chemometric and bioinformatics techniques. RESULTS: Endogenous low-molecular-weight metabolites in rat liver, heart, spleen, kidney and lung tissues were profiled by 1 H NMR spectroscopy. The unsupervised principal components analysis and the supervised orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis revealed that the metabolic profiles in liver samples were greatly changed after TMG administration. Twenty significantly changed liver metabolites were screened out and further evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, which were closely related to amino acid, glutathione, energy and lipid metabolism. CONCLUSION: Concerning the potential chronic exposure to TMG in cottonseed oil and other cottonseed products, the cumulative effects of dietary TMG on tissues, especially the liver, should be noted when improving the quality control standard of cottonseed oil. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Polydatin alleviates DSS- and TNBS-induced colitis by suppressing Th17 cell differentiation via directly inhibiting STAT3.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a non-specific chronic intestinal inflammatory disease, often presenting with abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloody stool, anorexia, and body loss. It is difficult to cure completely and a promising treatment is urgently needed. Natural compounds can offer promising chemical agents for treatment of diseases. Polydatin is a natural ingredient extracted from the dried rhizome of Polygonum cuspidatum, which has anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, and dementia protection activities. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic effect of polydatin on IBD and explore its possible mechanism. We found that polydatin could effectively suppress the differentiation of Th17 cells in vitro, but had no effect on the differentiation of Treg cells. Polydatin significantly alleviated colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) and 2, 4, 6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS) in mice, and dramatically decreased the proportion of Th17 cells in spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes. Mechanism investigations revealed that polydatin specifically inhibited signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) phosphorylation by directly binding to STAT3, leading to Th17 cell reduction and thereby alleviating colitis. These findings provide novel insights into the anti-colitis effect of polydatin, which may be a promising drug candidate for the treatment of IBD.

[Research model integrating "both medicinal and adjuvant properties" for essential oils from Chinese medicinal: based on characterization of medicinal properties].

Essential oils(EOs) from Chinese medicinals, which can be used as adjuvants and exert certain therapeutic effect, are directly used in Chinese medicine formulas. Conventional research strategy for EOs from Chinese medicinals is to compare the efficacy of the prescriptions before and after the addition of EOs, and the penetration-enhancing mechanisms of EOs remain unclear. In modern research on EOs from Chinese medicinals, the method for studying chemical penetration enhancers is often used, which fails to reflect the overall efficacy of EOs. This study clarified the property regularity of EOs from Chinese medicinals as transdermal penetration enhancers, and thereby proposed a research model which integrated the medicinal and adjuvant properties of EOs from Chinese medicinals via "component-delivery-effect" characterization route. The core concept is that constituents of EOs from Chinese medicinals and their delivery process play a key role in their external application. This research model is expected to serve as a reference for further research on EOs from Chinese medicinals for transdermal application.