Ganoderic acid A protects lens epithelial cells from UVB irradiation and delays lens opacity.

A contributory role of oxidative stress and protection by antioxidant nutrients have been suspected in cataract formation. Ganoderic acid A (GAA), an effective lanostane triterpene, is widely reported as an antioxidant. The aim of this study is to investigate the potential effects of GAA on cataract formation. After lens epithelial cells (LECs) were exposed to UVB radiation for different periods, cell viability, apoptosis-related protein levels, malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were monitored. We found that cell viability, the Bcl-2/Bax ratio and SOD activity were increased, while Cleaved caspase-3 levels and MDA activity were decreased compared with those in UVB-impaired LECs after GAA treated. Furthermore, GAA activated PI3K/AKT in UVB-impaired LECs and effectively delayed the occurrence of lens opacity in vitro. In conclusion, these findings demonstrated that GAA exhibited protective functions in SRA01/04 cells and rat lenses against UVB-evoked impairment through elevating cell viability and antioxidant activity, inhibiting cell apoptosis, activating the PI3K/AKT pathway and delaying lens opacity.

[Succession of Phytoplankton Assemblages and Its Influencing Factors in Tangpu Reservoir, Zhejiang Province].

In order to explore the spatial-temporal dynamics of phytoplankton assemblages and its influencing factors in Tangpu Reservoir, phytoplankton and environmental variables were monthly monitored in 2011. The results showed that a total of 115 species of phytoplankton were identified, which belonged to 7 phyla and 62 genera. Phytoplankton abundance varied monthly with the maximum value (20.88×106 cells·L-1) in April and minimum (0.59×106 cells·L-1) in June. Variation partitioning of species data matrix showed that the variation of phytoplankton communities among months (account for 72.3%) was much larger than that among sampling sites (account for 2.5%), which indicated that phytoplankton communities had a high temporal but low spatial heterogeneity. Dominant species showed a marked seasonal succession pattern: diatom and blue-green algae species in spring, blue-green algae and green algae species in summer, diatom and cryptomonads species in autumn and winter. Result of multivariate analysis (RDA) indicated that HRT was the key factor affecting the shift between hydrological disturbance sensitive and tolerant species, and the formation of spring algal bloom; SiO2, WT and N:P were the key factors affecting the shift from diatom and cryptomonads species to blue-green algae and green algae species.

Chronic curcumin treatment normalizes depression-like behaviors in mice with mononeuropathy: involvement of supraspinal serotonergic system and GABAA receptor.

RATIONALE: Comorbid depression is commonly observed in individuals who suffer from neuropathic pain, which necessitates improved treatment. Curcumin, a phenolic compound derived from Curcuma longa, possesses both antinociceptive and antidepressant-like activities in animal studies, suggesting its possible usefulness in treating this comorbidity. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the effect of curcumin on depressive-like behaviors in mice with mononeuropathy, and explored the mechanism(s). METHODS: Chronic constriction injury (CCI) was produced by loosely ligating the sciatic nerves in mice. The nociceptive behaviors were examined using Hargreaves test, and the depressive-like behaviors were determined by forced swim test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST). RESULTS: After CCI injury, the neuropathic mice developed nociceptive and depressive-like behaviors, as shown by thermal hyperalgesia in Hargreaves test and protracted immobility time in FST and TST. Chronic treatment of neuropathic mice with curcumin (45 mg/kg, p.o., twice per day for 3 weeks) corrected their exacerbated nociceptive and depressive-like behaviors, which was abolished by chemical depletion of brain serotonin rather than noradrenaline. The paralleled antinociceptive and antidepressant-like actions of curcumin seem to be pharmacologically segregated, since intrathecal and intracerebroventricular injection of methysergide, a nonselective 5-HT receptor antagonist, separately counteracted the two actions of curcumin. Further, this antidepression was abrogated by repeated co-treatment with 5-HT1A receptor antagonist WAY-100635 and greatly attenuated by acute co-treatment with GABAA receptor antagonist bicuculline. CONCLUSION: Curcumin can normalize the depressive-like behaviors of neuropathic mice, which may be independent of the concurrent analgesic action and possibly mediated via the supraspinal serotonergic system and downstream GABAA receptor.

[Experimental studies on hypoglycemic effects of total flavonoid from Toona sinensis].

OBJECTIVE: To study hypoglycemic effects of total flavonoid from Toona sinensis (TSTF) on diabetic mice model. METHODS: To confect alloxan 0.02 g/ml with NS and injected alloxan into abdominal cavity to induce diabetic model, and all rats were fed bid with glucose for 2 consecutive days, then the blood glucose was detected by glucose oxidizes, when hypoglycemic point >11.00 mmol/L the rats were successful model made. 100 model rats were divided into 5 groups as contrast groups (distilled water), model control control groups, hight doses group (0.12 g/kg) and low doses group (0.6 g/kg) of TSTF, positive control groups of phenformin (0.10 g/kg); In addition to set 20 natural rats (distilled water), and all groups were fed qd for 15 consecutive days, and then the blood glucose were detected by glucose oxidizes in the sixteenth day. RESULTS: The blood glucose levels of the diabetic rats in TSTF groups significantly decreased. CONCLUSION: TSTF can significantly decrease the blood glucose levels of diabetic mice induced by alloxan.