Study on the mechanism of Panax notoginseng-Salvia miltiorrhiza herb pair on invigorating blood circulation and eliminating blood stasis by blocking the conversion of arachidonic acid to prostaglandin.

We combined untargeted and targeted metabolomics to explore the mechanism of blood circulation and blood stasis activation in the traditional Chinese herb pair Panax notoginseng-Salvia miltiorrhiza (PS). In this study, the right hind limb of SD rats was struck by a 1 kg weight, causing traumatic blood stasis (TBS) model, then the rats were gavaged with PS (at ratios of 1:0, 0:1, 3:1, 1:1, and 1:3) for 5 consecutive days. At the end of treatment, blood samples were collected for blood rheology and metabolomics analysis, and muscle tissues of injured limbs were used for HE staining and q-PCR analysis. The results showed that different ratios of PS reduced swelling and improved stasis and blood viscosity in the injured limbs of rats, and intervened in metabolism by modulating 11, 11, 17, 15, and 13 differential metabolites, respectively. The PS (3:1) shows the best treatment effect and the most differential metabolites regression. Targeted metabolomics shows that PS (3:1) can increase the content of AA, and reduce the content of PGF2-α by down-regulating the expression of enzymes Ptgs1 and Cbrl12 and up-regulating the expression of enzyme Hpgd. These results suggested that the PS herb pair exerts its blood stasis activating effects by blocking the conversion of arachidonic acid to prostaglandins.

The association between insulin resistance and vascularization of thyroid nodules.

CONTEXT: Insulin resistance (IR) is an important factor for the growth and progression of thyroid nodules, which might be associated with the distribution, construction, and density of nodular vascularization. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to explore the association between IR and the vascularization of thyroid nodules. DESIGN AND SETTING: A cross-sectional, population-based study was conducted in Nanjing, China, from June to November 2011. PARTICIPANTS: Among 10 050 participants aged 40-79 years, 2886 thyroid nodule cases were detected and 2532 cases met eligibility criteria for enrollment in the study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Power Doppler was performed to measure the flow patterns, resistive index (RI), and vascular index (VI) of thyroid nodular vascularization. Fasting insulin, fasting glucose, 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), homeostasis model assessment of IR (HOMA-IR), and body mass index were also tested. RESULTS: HOMA-IR (R = 0.35, P < .001) and HbA1c (R = 0.19, P < .001) were positively correlated with thyroid nodular flow patterns, and the positive correlations were more significant in participants with large nodules (volume ≥ 0.2 mL). Additionally, in participants with large nodules, HOMA-IR and HbA1c were positively correlated with RI (HOMA-IR: ß = .42, SE = .03, R = 0.43, P < .001; HbA1c: ß = .22, SE = .04, R = 0.23, P < .001) and VI (HOMA-IR: ß = .49, SE = 0.05, R = 0.53, P < .001; HbA1c: ß = .34, SE = 0.11, R = 0.37, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: IR and hyperglycemia were positively correlated with the flow patterns, RI, and VI of thyroid nodules, especially in large nodules. The findings suggest a pivotal role of IR in the distribution, construction, and density of thyroid nodular vascularization, which might contribute to the growth and the progression of thyroid nodules.