Anti-inflammatory sesquiterpene polyol esters from the stem and branch of Tripterygium wilfordii.

The stem and branch extract of Tripterygium wilfordii (Celastraceae) afforded seven new dihydroagarofuran sesquiterpene polyesters [tripterysines A-G (1-7)] and eight known ones (8-15). The chemical structures of these new compounds were established based on combinational analysis of HR-ESI-MS and NMR techniques. The absolute configurations of tripterysines A-C (1-3) and E-G (5-7) were determined by X-ray crystallographic analysis and circular dichroism spectra. All the compounds were screened for their inhibitory effect on inflammation through determining their inhibitory effect on nitric oxide production in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells and the secretion of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6 in LPS-induced BV2 macrophages. Compound 9 exhibited significant inhibitory activity on NO production with an IC50 value of 8.77 µmol·L-1. Moreover, compound 7 showed the strongest inhibitory effect with the secretion of IL-6 at 27.36%.

[Nitric Oxide Emissions from Chinese Upland Cropping Systems and Mitigation Strategies: A Meta-analysis].

Agroecosystems are a significant source of nitric oxide (NO), a potent atmospheric pollutant. It has been well documented that the NO emissions from upland cropping systems and their emission factors are large relative to those from paddy fields. However, a clear understanding of their uncertainty and regulating factors is still lacking. To date, various field experiments have been conducted to investigate NO emissions and mitigation, providing an opportunity for a Meta-analysis. The aims of this study were to 1 investigate the uncertainty and regulating factors of NO emissions and emission factors from maize-winter wheat rotations, non-waterlogging period in rice-winter wheat rotations, vegetable fields, tea plantations, and fruit orchards across China by extracting data from peer-reviewed publications, and 2 quantify the mitigation potential of management practices, such as reducing nitrogen fertilizer input, organic substitution with chemical fertilizers, and application of enhanced-efficiency nitrogen fertilizers or biochar by performing a pairwise Meta-analysis. A total of 49 references (published from 2006 to 2021) were collected. The results showed that annual NO emissions from the maize-winter wheat rotations, tea plantations, and fruit orchards averaged 1.44, 7.45, and 0.92 kg·hm-2, respectively, with significant differences among the three cropping systems (P<0.05). The seasonal NO emissions from the non-waterlogging period in rice-winter wheat rotations and vegetable fields within a single growth period averaged 2.13 kg·hm-2 and 2.09 kg·hm-2, respectively. The NO emissions positively related to nitrogen inputs in the maize-winter wheat rotations, non-waterlogging period in rice-winter wheat rotations, and tea plantations (P<0.01) but not in the vegetable fields and fruit orchards. The emission factors averaged 0.31%, 0.71%, 0.96%, 1.74%, and 0.13% in the maize-winter wheat rotations, non-waterlogging period in rice-winter wheat rotations, vegetable fields, tea plantations, and fruit orchards, respectively, with significant differences among the cropping systems (P<0.01), except between the maize-winter wheat rotations and non-waterlogging period in rice-winter wheat rotations or vegetable fields (P>0.05). Considering the substantial differences in emission factors among the cropping systems, a specific emission factor for each system should be applied when estimating an agricultural NO budget at a regional or national scale. Reducing nitrogen input only mitigated NO emissions (by 36%) at a reducing nitrogen ratio above 25% but did not impact emission factors. An optimal reducing nitrogen ratio has to be further evaluated without crop productivity penalties. Organic substitution in soils with organic carbon content<15 g·kg-1 or pH<7 and application of enhanced-efficiency fertilizers in the maize-winter wheat rotation simultaneously mitigated NO emissions (by -46%- -38%) and emission factors (by -62%- -45%). By contrast, biochar amendment had no significant effects on either NO emissions or emission factors. These findings highlight a possibility of choosing an effective NO mitigation strategy under specific field conditions.

Arginine promotes testicular development in boars through nitric oxide and putrescine.

The present work aimed to explore the influence and underlying mechanisms involving arginine in testicular development in boars. To this end, thirty 30-day-old male Duroc piglets (7.00 ± 0.30 kg) were randomly sorted into two groups, maintained on either a basal diet (CON, n = 15) or a diet supplemented with 0.8% arginine (ARG, n = 15). Blood and testicular samples were collected during the experimental period to analyse amino acid composition and arginine metabolite levels. The results showed that dietary supplementation with arginine increased number of spermatogonia and height of the seminiferous epithelium (p < 0.05). Sperm density, total number and effective number of sperm of the boars in the ARG group increased significantly compared with those in the CON group (p < 0.05). Although arginine supplementation did not affect plasma amino acid levels, testicular arginine levels in 150-day-old boars exhibited a significant increase (p < 0.05). The level of serum nitric oxide (NO) and activity of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) also increased in 150-day-old boars in the ARG group (p < 0.05). Interestingly, dietary supplementation with arginine increased testicular levels of putrescine in 150-day-old boars (p < 0.05). These results indicated that arginine supplementation increased serum NO levels and testicular arginine and putrescine abundance, thereby improving testicular development and semen quality in boars.

Light-induced nitric oxide release in the skin beyond UVA and blue light: Red & near-infrared wavelengths.

Nitric oxide (NO) is omnipresent in the body and synthesized by 3 isoenzymes (nNOS, eNOS and iNOS), all detected in human skin. NO can be stored in a pool of compounds readily converted to NO following skin irradiation by UVR and blue light. This non-enzymatic (without NOS involvement) photolytic reaction mobilizes cutaneous stores of NO derivatives to the bloodstream, lowering blood pressure. However, with the likelihood of skin deleterious effects caused by UVR/blue light, safer wavelengths in the red/near-infrared (NIR) spectrum are becoming potential contenders to release cutaneous NO, possibly via NOS temperature-dependent effects. The use of red/NIR light to mobilize NO stores from the body's largest organ (the skin) is auspicious. This review focuses on UVR, blue, red, and NIR spectra and their capacity to release NO in human skin. PubMed and Google Scholar were used as article databases to find relevant publications related to this particular field.

In vivo toxicity and antioxidant of pressurize hot water Phyllanthus tenellus Roxb. extracts.

BACKGROUND: Phyllanthus tenellus Roxb. has been traditionally used to treat inflammation and liver diseases and its medicinal property may be due to the presence of relatively high levels of hydrosable tannins. Recent report revealed that pressurized hot water extraction of P. tenellus significantly increased the concentration of hydrolysable tannins and its catabolites. Thus, this study was aimed to evaluate the in vivo toxicity and antioxidant capacity of pressurized hot water extraction of P. tenellus on healthy mice. METHODS: Pressurized hot water extraction P. tenellus was carried out and standardized to 7.9% hydrosable tannins. In vitro toxicity of the extract was tested on NIH 3 T3 cell by MTT assay. The cellular antioxidant level was quantified by measuring cellular level of glutathione. Oral sub-chronic toxicity (200, 1000 and 3000 mg/kg body weight) of P. tenellus extract were evaluated on healthy mice. Liver and kidney antioxidant level was quantified by measuring levels of Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Potential (FRAP), superoxide dismutase, glutathione. RESULTS: The P. tenellus extract did not induce cytotoxicity on murine NIH 3 T3 cells up to 200 µg/mL for 48 h. Besides, level of glutathione was higher in the extract treated NIH 3 T3 cells. P. tenellus extract did not cause mortality at all tested concentration. When treated with 1000 mg/kg of the extract, serum liver enzymes (ALP and ALT) and LDH were lower than normal control and mice treated with 200 mg/kg of extract. Moreover, SOD, FRAP and glutathione levels of liver of the mice treated with 200 and 1000 mg/kg of extract were higher than the normal control mice. On the other hand, when treated with 3000 mg/kg of extract, serum liver enzymes (ALP and ALT) and LDH were higher than normal mice without changing the liver SOD and glutathione level, which may contribute to the histological sign of ballooning hepatocyte. CONCLUSION: P. tenellus extract standardized with 7.9% hydrosable tannins and their catabolites increased the antioxidant levels while reducing the nitric oxide levels in both liver and kidney without causing any acute and sub-chronic toxicity in the mice.

Identification and characterization of the chemical components of Iris tectorum Maxim. and evaluation of their nitric oxide inhibitory activity.

RATIONALE: Iris tectorum Maxim. is a traditional medicinal herb that is commonly used to treat inflammatory conditions. The present study investigated the fragmentation patterns of isoflavone glycosides and their qualitative analysis. In addition, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 macrophages were used to evaluate the anti-inflammatory properties of I. tectorum Maxim. samples collected at different time points during the year. METHODS: High-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/QTOF-MS/MS) and HPLC with diode-array detection were employed for qualitative and quantitative analysis. The fragmentation patterns of the isoflavones were observed in negative electrospray ionization mode with collision-induced dissociation (CID). Their anti-inflammatory activity was assessed via nitric oxide (NO) production in LPS-treated RAW264.7 macrophages. RESULTS: A total of 15 chemical components were observed and tentatively identified using HPLC/QTOF-MS/MS. At low collision energy, the relative abundances of the aglycone radical anions Y0 - , [Y0 - H]-• , [Y0 - CH3 ]-• and [Y0 - H- CH2 ]-• were used for the structural characterization of tectoridin and tectorigenin-4'-O-ß-D-glucoside. The radical ions [Y0 - CH3 ]-• and [Y0 - H - 2CH3 ]-• were also employed to differentiate between iristectorin A and iristectorin B based upon their high-energy CID spectra. Levels of 9.02 mg/g of tectoridin and 1.04 mg/g of tectorigenin were found in samples collected in June, which exhibited 69.7% NO inhibitory activity. CONCLUSIONS: The characteristic fragmentation patterns enabled us to reliably identify isoflavone glycosides. The results of the quantitative determination and NO inhibitory activity offer insight into the optimal I. tectorum Maxim. harvesting time.

Identification of Chemopreventive Components from Halophytes Belonging to Aizoaceae and Cactaceae Through LC/MS-Bioassay Guided Approach.

Six halophytes, namely, Aptenia cordifolia var. variegata, Glottiphyllum linguiforme, Carpobrotus edulis, Ferocactus glaucescens, F. pottsii and F. herrerae were investigated for chemopreventive effect. Prioritization of most promising plant for further investigation was carried out through an integrated liquid chromatography-high resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry profiling-bioassay guided approach. NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase-1 (NQO-1) induction in cultured murine hepatoma cells (Hepa-1c1c7) and inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide-activated macrophages (RAW 264.7) were carried out to investigate chemopreventive effect. Bioassay data revealed that F. herrerae, A. cordifolia, C. edulis and F. glaucescens were the most active with 2-, 1.7-, 1.6- and 1.5-folds induction of NQO-1 activity. Only F. glaucescens exhibited >50% inhibition of NO release. LCMS profiling of the F. glaucescens revealed its high content of flavonoids, a known micheal acceptor with possible NQO-1 induction, as proved by quantitative high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. Thus, the extract of F. glaucescens was subjected to chromatographic fractionation leading to the isolation of four compounds including (i) 2S-naringenin, (ii) trans-dihydrokaempferol (aromadendrin), (iii) 2S-naringenin-7-O-ß-d-glucopyranoside and (iv) kaempferol-7-O-ß-d-glucopyranoside (populnin). The current study through an LCMS dereplication along with bio guided approach reported the activity of populnin as NO inhibitor and NQO-1 inducer with promising chemopreventive potential.

Dose-Response Effect of Dietary Nitrate on Muscle Contractility and Blood Pressure in Older Subjects: A Pilot Study.

We have recently demonstrated that dietary nitrate, a source of nitric oxide (NO) via the nitrate → nitrite → NO enterosalivary pathway, can improve muscle contractility in healthy older men and women. Nitrate ingestion has also been shown to reduce blood pressure in some, but not all, studies of older individuals. However, the optimal dose for eliciting these beneficial effects is unknown. A pilot randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study was therefore performed to determine the effects of ingesting 3.3 mL/kg of concentrated beetroot juice containing 0, 200, or 400 µmol/kg of nitrate in 9 healthy older subjects (mean age 70 ± 1 years). Maximal knee extensor power (Pmax) and speed (Vmax) were measured ~2.5 hours after nitrate ingestion using isokinetic dynamometry. Blood pressure was monitored periodically throughout each study. Pmax (in W/kg) was higher (p < .05) after the lower dose (3.9 ± 0.4) compared to the placebo (3.7 ± 0.4) or higher dose (3.7 ± 0.4). Vmax (in rad/s) also tended to be higher (p = .08) after the lower dose (11.9 ± 0.7) compared to the placebo (10.8 ± 0.8) or higher dose (11.2 ± 0.8). Eight out of 9 subjects achieved a higher Pmax and Vmax after the lower versus the higher dose. These dose-related changes in muscle contractility generally paralleled changes in breath NO levels. No significant changes were found in systolic, diastolic, or mean arterial blood pressure. A lower dose of nitrate increases muscle speed and power in healthy older individuals, but these improvements are lost at a higher dose. Blood pressure, on the other hand, is not reduced even with a higher dose.

Biological activities of essential oil extracted from leaves of Atalantia sessiflora Guillauminin Vietnam.

INTRODUCTION: The present study aimed to determine the chemical compositions and bioactivities of the essential oil of Atalantia sessiflora Guillaumin (A. sessiflora), including antibacterial, antimycotic, antitrichomonas, anti-inflammatory and antiviral effects. METHODOLOGY: The essential oil from leaves of A. sessiflora was extracted by hydrodistillation using a Clevenger apparatus. Chemical compositions of oil were identified by GC/MS. Antimicrobial and antitrichomonas activity were determined by the microdilution method; anti-inflammatory and antiviral were determined by the MTT method. RESULTS: The average yield of oil was 0.46 ± 0.01% (v/w, dry leaves). A number of 45 constituents were identified by GC/MS. The essential oil comprised four main components. The oil showed antimicrobial activities against Gram-positive strains as Staphylococcus; Gram-negative bacteria such as Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli; and finally four Candida species. Enterococcus faecalis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were least susceptible to the oil of A. sessiflora, as seen in their MIC and MLC values over 16% (v/v). Activity against Trichomonas vaginalis was also undertaken, showing IC50, IC90 and MLC values of 0.016, 0.03 and 0.06% (v/v) respectively, after 48 hours of incubation. The oil of A. sessiflora displayed activity against the nitric oxide generation with the IC50 of 95.94 ± 6.18 µg/mL. The oil was completely ineffective against tested viruses, ssRNA+, ssRNA-, dsRNA, and dsDNA viruses. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first yet comprehensive scientific report about the chemical compositions and pharmacological properties of the essential oil of A. sessiflora. Further studies should be done to evaluate the safety and toxicity of A. sessiflora oil.

Oil supplementation with a special combination of n-3 and n-6 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids does not protect for exercise induced asthma: a double-blind placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Many patients suffering from exercise-induced asthma (EIA) have normal lung function at rest and show symptoms and a decline in FEV1 when they do sports or during exercise-challenge. It has been described that long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) could exert a protective effect on EIA. METHODS: In this study the protective effect of supplementation with a special combination of n-3 and n-6 LCPUFA (sc-LCPUFA) (total 1.19 g/ day) were investigated in an EIA cold air provocation model. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE: Decrease in FEV1 after exercise challenge and secondary outcome measure: anti-inflammatory effects monitored by exhaled NO (eNO) before and after sc-LCPUFA supplementation versus placebo. RESULTS: Ninety-nine patients with exercise-induced symptoms aged 10 to 45 were screened by a standardized exercise challenge in a cold air chamber at 4 °C. Seventy-three patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria of a FEV1 decrease > 15% and were treated double-blind placebo-controlled for 4 weeks either with sc-LCPUFA or placebo. Thirty-two patients in each group completed the study. Mean FEV1 decrease after cold air exercise challenge and eNO were unchanged after 4 weeks sc-LCPUFA supplementation. CONCLUSION: Supplementation with sc-LCPUFA at a dose of 1.19 g/d did not have any broncho-protective and anti-inflammatory effects on EIA. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical trial registration number: NCT02410096. Registered 7 February 2015 at Clinicaltrial.gov.

L-Arginine alleviates the testosterone reduction in heat-treated mice by upregulating LH secretion, the testicular antioxidant system and expression of steroidogenesis-related genes.

High temperature can reduce testes function, leading to decreased testosterone secretion. Dietary l-arginine (l-Arg) supplementation improves the semen quality and libido of boars. The present study investigated whether l-Arg could enhance the production of testosterone in mice exposed to high ambient temperature. Twenty-four 6-week-old male ICR mice were randomly divided into three groups: a control group, a heat-treated (HT) group and a group subjected to heat treatment plus 2mg kg-1 l-Arg (HT+Arg). l-Arg was administered to mice by oral gavage for 18 consecutive days, after which the HT and HT+Arg groups were placed into an incubator at 40°C for 30min every day for 5 days. Serum testosterone and LH concentrations were significantly increased in the HT+Arg compared with HT group, as was catalase, total superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activity and the expression of steroidogenesis-related genes steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (Star), steroidogenic factor-1 (Sf1), 17ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 3 (Hsd17b3) and 17α-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase (Cyp17a1) in the testes. These results demonstrate that l-Arg can alleviate testosterone reductions in heat-treated mice by upregulating LH secretion, enhancing the antioxidant system and increasing the expression of testosterone synthesis-related genes.

Comparison of characterization, antioxidant and immunological activities of three polysaccharides from Sagittaria sagittifolia L.

To investigate and compare the preliminary structural characteristics and biological activity in vitro of polysaccharides from Sagittaria sagittifolia L. (SSs) by different extration methods, three polysaccharides (SSW, SSU, and SSP) were obtained with hot water, ultrasound-assisted, and subcritical water extraction. Their structural features were elucidated using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), Gas Chromatography (GC), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Infrared Spectroscopy (IR), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Zeta Potential and Congo red methods. Furthermore, the antioxidant activity and immunostimulatory effects were investigated in vitro. Molecular weight and monosaccharide composition analysis exhibited that SSW (2275.0 kDa), SSU (148.7 kDa), and SSP (1984.0 kDa) were heteropolysaccharide with dramatically different monosaccharide species and mole ratios. In addition, SSP exhibited stronger antioxidant activity in vitro and more potent immunomodulatory activity than SSW and SSU. SSP has greater potential to be explored as biologicalagents for use in complementary medicine or functional foods.

Chitosan derivatives co-delivering nitric oxide and methicillin for the effective therapy to the methicillin-resistant S. aureus infection.

We developed a co-delivery system of nitric oxide (NO) and antibiotic for the antibiotic-resistant bacterial infection therapy. The NO could disperse the bacterial biofilms and convert the bacteria into an antibiotic-susceptible planktonic form. Using the chitosan-graft-poly(amidoamine) dendrimer (CS-PAMAM) as the co-delivery system, methicillin (MET) and NO were conjugated successively to form CS-PAMAM-MET/NONOate. The positive CS-PAMAM could efficiently capture the negatively charged bacteria and PAMAM provide abundant reaction points for high payloads of NO and MET. The CS-PAMAM-MET/NONOate displayed effective and combined antibacterial activity to the E. coli and S. aureus. Particularly, for the MET-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), the CS-PAMAM-MET/NONOate displayed the synergistic antibacterial activity. In vivo wound healing assays also confirmed that CS-PAMAM-MET/NONOate could heal the infection formed by MRSA and then accelerate the wound healing effectively. Moreover, CS-PAMAM-MET/NONOate showed no toxicity towards 3T3 cells in vitro and rats in vivo, providing a readily but high-efficient strategy to drug-resistant bacterial infection therapy.

Identification of quality control markers in Suhuang antitussive capsule based on HPLC-PDA fingerprint and anti-inflammatory screening.

Suhuang antitussive capsule (SH), one of traditional Chinese patent medicines, has been widely used for treating cough variant asthma and postinfectious cough in clinic. The objective of this work is to identify the characteristic and active ingredients as the quality control markers for SH based on high performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detector (HPLC-PDA) fingerprint and screening of anti-inflammatory components. Similarity analysis (SA), hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA) were used to evaluate 16 different batches of SH. 13 compounds accounting for 36% of the total components in the fingerprint were identified and semi-quantitatively analyzed, which anti-inflammatory activity was tested with the in vitro assay. The results showed that the established chemical fingerprint could clearly distinguish different batches of SH by SA, HCA, and PCA analysis. Furthermore, four known compounds (chlorogenic acid, schisandrin, angeloylgomisin H and praeruptorin A) were screened out to be the most discriminant variables, which could be applied to quality control of SH by quantitative analysis. The semi-quantitative results showed that six compounds were major components, i.e. arctiin (10.28 ±â€¯3.18 mg/g), ephedrine (9.26 ±â€¯1.58 mg/g), schisandrin (3.09 ±â€¯0.83 mg/g), pseudoephedrine (2.34 ±â€¯1.04 mg/g), schisandrin B (1.48 ±â€¯0.16 mg/g), and 1-caffeoylquinic acid (1.36 ±â€¯0.42 mg/g). The anti-inflammatory results showed that SH extract, praeruptorin A, schisandrin, arctigenin and pseudoephedrine could significantly inhibit inflammatory mediator NO production in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages. These findings indicated that praeruptorin A, schisandrin, arctiin and pseudoephedrine could be proposed as the quality control markers for SH.

Cytotoxic, antimicrobial and nitric oxide inhibitory activities of supercritical carbon dioxide extracted Prunus persica leaves.

Different parts of Prunus persica as fruits, flowers, leaves and kernels have been consumed with dietary and therapeutic purposes traditionally. During fruit production, remarkable amount of leaves which can hold important bioactive groups as phenolics, have been left unutilized. The aim of this study was to investigate cytotoxic, antimicrobial and nitric oxide inhibitory activities of supercritical carbondioxide extracts of Prunus persica leaves. Among studied cell lines, supercritical carbon dioxide extract which was processed at 150 bar, 60 °C, and 6% co-solvent ethanol, exhibited remarkable cytotoxic activity against HeLa, MPanc-96 and MCF-7 cell lines with IC50 values of 12.22 µg/ml, 28.17 µg/ml and 35.51 µg/ml respectively, whereas IC50 value of conventional solvent extract was above 50 µg/ml. Minimum inhibitory concentration values determined for antibacterial and antifungal activities against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium and Candida albicans were found as 62.50 µg/ml. Strong nitric oxide inhibition was achieved with IC50 of 9.30 µg/ml. The promising results revealed that Prunus persica leaves may have remarkable potential as supplement both for drug and food industries. This study is the first report revealing cytotoxic, antimicrobial and nitric oxide inhibitory activity of supercritical carbon dioxide extract of Prunus persica leaves.

Efficacy of lianhuaqingwen granules in the management of chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps.

OBJECTIVES: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a complicated disease with clinical symptoms that are impacted by the absence or presence of nasal polyps (CRSsNP or CRSwNP). Understanding of the different treatments of CRS is very significant in selecting appropriate therapies and preventing exacerbation relevant to this chronic inflammation. This study was aimed to evaluate the effect of Chinese traditional medicine lianhuaqingwen granules on CRSsNP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CRSsNP patients were enrolled and randomized into placebo or lianhuaqingwen (LHQW) granules treatment group (placebo or LHQW group). Their clinical symptoms were scored using Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT)-22. Nitric oxide (NO) from nasal cavity and sinus and nasal resistance were also examined. Then, nasal biopsy samples and nasal lavage fluid (NLF) were obtained from these patients, and histologic characteristics of nasal mucosa and T cell subpopulations patterns in the NLF were evaluated. Finally, inflammatory mediators in the NLF were assessed in both groups. RESULTS: One hundred and forty patients with CRSsNP finished this one-month study. VAS and SNOT-22 scores and nasal resistance were all decreased distinctly after the treatment of LHQW, but not after placebo. However, the nasal NO concentration was increased in LHQW administration group in comparison with placebo group. There were significant differences in above parameters between these two treatments. Histologic changes in nasal mucosa were improved only in LHQW group. CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were all downregulated in the LHQW treatment group, but not in placebo group. Inflammatory mediators from the NLF were decreased in LHQW treatment group compared to placebo group. Furthermore, there were significant changes between these two groups in CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subpopulations and concentrations of inflammatory substances. CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrate that LHQW granules treatment may control the inflammation in nasal mucosa and result in the improvement of CRSsNP. This Chinese medicine might become a promising therapy in the management of this disease.

(-)-Epicatechin administration protects kidneys against modifications induced by short-term l-NAME treatment in rats.

The aim of this work was to evaluate the protective effects of (-)-epicatechin on the kidneys of NO-deprived rats. Male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into three groups: control (C), receiving water and standard diet; l-NAME (L), receiving a solution of N(ω)-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME) (360 mg l-1 in water) as a beverage and standard diet; and l-NAME-(-)-epicatechin (LE), receiving l-NAME solution as a beverage and standard diet supplemented with (-)-epicatechin (4 g kg-1 diet). The L-group showed altered kidney function parameters, evaluated based on plasma urea and creatinine. In parallel, kidney oxidative stress markers, i.e. superoxide anion production, malondialdehyde content, and 3-nitrotyrosine protein adducts, were significantly increased in the L group. In addition, l-NAME treatment induced modifications in kidney NO bioavailability determinants: increased expression of NOX subunits (p47phox, gp91phox, NOXO1, and NOX4) and lowered NOS activity. (-)-Epicatechin administration restored kidney function parameters, oxidative stress markers, expression of p47phox, gp91phox, and NOX4 and NOS activity to control values. These results indicate that (-)-epicatechin can mitigate NO-mediated impairment of kidney function, in part due to its capacity to modulate NOXs, NOSs, and consequently oxidative stress, and NO bioavailability.

Evaluation of the anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of the methanolic extract of Ferula szowitsiana root on PHA-induced inflammation in human lymphocytes.

Inflammation is defined as a defensive response of the body against either the endogenous or exogenous triggers, while this process becomes chronic leading to various disorders such as asthma, cancers, and multiple sclerosis. Recently, pharmacological properties of different constituents of F. szowitsiana have been reported. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects of the methanolic extract of F. szowitsiana root on human isolated lymphocytes. The effects of either F. szowitsiana (10, 40 and 160 µg/ml) or dexamethasone (0.1 mM) were evaluated on the levels of cell proliferation, reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitric oxide (NO) production, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities, and total glutathione content (GSH) as well as the secretion of inflammatory cytokines [interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α] in the presence or absence of phytohemagglutinin (PHA) stimulation (n = 8 for each group). PHA stimulation notably elevated ROS, NO, MDA, IL-6, and TNF-α levels as well as diminished GSH, CAT and SOD levels. In PHA-stimulated, the results also revealed that F. szowitsiana (10-160 µg/ml) significantly decreased MDA, ROS, NO, IL-6 and TNF-α levels as well as increased CAT, SOD and GSH levels. Collectively, F. szowitsiana is able to attenuate the overproduction of inflammatory and oxidative stress markers in the presence of PHA-stimulated T lymphocytes, while to propagate the anti-oxidative defense. Contextually, the plant has promising healing effects in the different inflammatory disorders associated with the interference of the acquired immune system such as multiple sclerosis and asthma.

Fractional exhaled nitric oxide-based asthma management: The feasibility of its implementation into antenatal care in New South Wales, Australia.

BACKGROUND: The use of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO)-based asthma management during pregnancy can significantly reduce asthma exacerbations in non-smoking pregnant women. The feasibility of implementing this strategy into antenatal care has not been explored. AIMS: To examine the feasibility of implementing FeNO-based asthma management into antenatal clinics in New South Wales (NSW) Australia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Semi-structured face-to-face interviews with video elicitation were conducted with healthcare professionals (HCPs) providing antenatal care in one of two hospital-based antenatal clinics in NSW, Australia. The video shown demonstrated the use of the FeNO instrument and other aspects of the management strategy, in antenatal care. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: A total of 20 interviews were conducted with 15 midwives, four obstetricians, and one general practitioner. Two main themes and ten sub-themes arose: Getting a number (sub-themes: engaging, technically easy, objective, predictive, reassuring); and Resourcing (sub-themes: time and timing, systems, staff, education and cost). Comments included: 'It's easy, fast and effective' and 'the main barrier is time'. All HCPs felt capable of facilitating the FeNO-based management strategy, with appropriate education, and were willing to undertake this strategy, saying: '…it would be perfectly acceptable for a midwife or doctor to do it'; also, 'they don't necessarily need to see a physician, it's something that midwives would take on generally…'. CONCLUSION: Participants in this study considered FeNO-based asthma management for pregnant women to be a feasible addition to antenatal care following appropriate provision of resources and education.

Assessing the Respiratory Effects of Air Pollution from Biomass Cookstoves on Pregnant Women in Rural India.

BACKGROUND: In India, biomass fuel is burned in many homes under inefficient conditions, leading to a complex milieu of particulate matter and environmental toxins known as household air pollution (HAP). Pregnant women are particularly vulnerable as they and their fetus may suffer from adverse consequences of HAP. Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) is a noninvasive, underutilized tool that can serve as a surrogate for airway inflammation. We evaluated the prevalence of respiratory illness, using pulmonary questionnaires and FeNO measurements, among pregnant women in rural India who utilize biomass fuel as a source of energy within their home. METHODS: We prospectively studied 60 pregnant women in their 1st and 2nd trimester residing in villages near Nagpur, Central India. We measured FeNO levels in parts per billion (ppb), St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ-C) scores, and the Modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) Dyspnea Scale. We evaluated the difference in the outcome distributions between women using biomass fuels and those using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) using two-tailed t-tests. RESULTS: Sixty-five subjects (32 in Biomass households; 28 in LPG households; 5 unable to complete) were enrolled in the study. Age, education level, and second-hand smoke exposure were comparable between both groups. FeNO levels were higher in the Biomass vs. LPG group (25.4 ppb vs. 8.6 ppb; p-value = 0.001). There was a difference in mean composite SGRQ-C score (27.1 Biomass vs. 10.8 LPG; p-value < 0.001) including three subtotal scores for Symptoms (47.0 Biomass vs. 20.2 LPG; p-value< 0.001), Activity (36.4 Biomass vs. 16.5 LPG; p-value < 0.001) and Impact (15.9 Biomass vs. 5.2 LPG; p-value < 0.001). The mMRC Dyspnea Scale was higher in the Biomass vs. LPG group as well (2.9 vs. 0.5; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Increased FeNO levels and higher dyspnea scores in biomass-fuel-exposed subjects confirm the adverse respiratory effects of this exposure during pregnancy. More so, FeNO may be a useful, noninvasive biomarker of inflammation that can help better understand the physiologic effects of biomass smoke on pregnant women. In the future, larger studies are needed to characterize the utility of FeNO in a population exposed to HAP.