Paeoniflorin improves regional cerebral blood flow and suppresses inflammatory factors in the hippocampus of rats with vascular dementia.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the delayed neuroprotection induced by paeoniflorin (PF), the principal component of Paeoniae radix prescribed in Chinese medicine, and its underlying mechanisms in rats subjected to vascular dementia (VD). METHODS: A rat model of VD was induced by bilateral common carotid arteries occlusion (BCCAO). Low-dose or high-dose PF (20 or 40 mg/kg once per day) was administrated for 28 days after VD. The behavioral analysis of rat was measured by water morris. Regional cerebral blood volume (rCBV), regional cerebral blood flflow (rCBF) and mean transit time (MTT) were measured in the bilateral hippocampus by perfusion-weighted imaging (PWI). The levels of interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) were measured by commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Protein levels were evaluated by western blot analysis. mRNA levels were evaluated by real time-polymerase chain reaction. Western blotting was used to estimate p65 translocation. RESULTS: The behavioral analysis showed that PF could decrease the escape latency time (P<0.05), and increase the residence time of the original platform quadrant and the across platform frequency in water maze in VD rats (P<0.05). Likewise, PF remarkably promoted the rCBV (P<0.05), rCBF and decreased per minute MTT (P<0.05) in hippocampus of VD rats. Furthermore, PF decreased the release of IL-1ß, IL-6 and TNF-α as well as inhibited the mRNA expression of IL-1ß, IL-6 and TNF-α in the hippocampus of VD rats (P<0.05 or P<0.01). PF also could decrease the protein expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 in the hippocampus of VD rats (P<0.05 or P<0.01). In addition, PF signifificantly inhibited the nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) pathway in the hippocampus of VD rats. CONCLUSIONS: PF signifificantly attenuates cognitive impairment, improves hippocampus perfusion and inhibits inflflammatory response in VD rats. In addition, the anti-inflflammatory effects of PF might be due to inhibiting the NF-κB pathway. PF may be a potential clinical application in improving VD.

[Effect of Sijunzi decoction on the proliferation of side population cells of human gastric cancer cell line].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the proliferation changes of the side population of gastric cancer cell line SGC-7901 cells (SP), the non-side population (NSP) cells, and unsorted cells (Total) after intervened by Sijunzi Decoction (SD) containing serum. METHODS: Sixteen pure bred New Zealand rabbits were equally divided into the normal control group, the low dose SD group (at the daily dose of 7 mL/kg), the middle dose SD group (at the daily dose of 14 mL/kg), and the high dose SD group (at the daily dose of 28 mL/kg) according to the random digit table. Rabbits' serum was extracted after equal volume of corresponding medication was given by gastrogavage twice daily for 2 consecutive weeks. The drug serum was identified using high performance liquid chromatography. SP cells of SGC-7901 were detected using flow cytometry, SP and NSP cells were screened. The proliferation curve of SP, NSP, and Total cells were detected with CCK-8 assay. Changes of their proliferation were also observed. RESULTS: Ginsenoside Rg1, an effective ingredient in SD was detected in prepared drug serum. The proliferation of SGC-7901 SP cells was significantly higher than that of NSP cells and Total cells (P < 0.05). Drug serum on gastric cancer cell line SGC-7901 SP, NSP, and Total cells could inhibit their proliferation, but its inhibition on SP cells' proliferation was significantly lower than on NSP and Total cells (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: SD could significantly inhibit the proliferation of gastric cancer cell line SGC-7901 SP, NSP, and Total cells. But there exist obvious difference in the inhibition among the three groups.