Systematic review and network meta-analysis of different non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

BACKGROUND: Various non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been used for juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). However, the optimal method for JIA has not yet been developed. AIM: To perform a systematic review and network meta-analysis to determine the optimal instructions. METHODS: We searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from PubMed, EMBASE, Google Scholar, CNKI, and Wanfang without restriction for publication date or language at August, 2023. Any RCTs that comparing the effectiveness of NSAIDs with each other or placebo for JIA were included in this network meta-analysis. The surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) analysis was used to rank the treatments. P value less than 0.05 was identified as statistically significant. RESULTS: We included 8 RCTs (1127 patients) comparing 8 different instructions including meloxicam (0.125 qd and 0.250 qd), Celecoxib (3 mg/kg bid and 6 mg/kg bid), piroxicam, Naproxen (5.0 mg/kg/d, 7.5 mg/kg/d and 12.5 mg/kg/d), inuprofen (30-40 mg/kg/d), Aspirin (60-80 mg/kg/d, 75 mg/kg/d, and 55 mg/kg/d), Tolmetin (15 mg/kg/d), Rofecoxib, and placebo. There were no significant differences between any two NSAIDs regarding ACR Pedi 30 response. The SUCRA shows that celecoxib (6 mg/kg bid) ranked first (SUCRA, 88.9%), rofecoxib ranked second (SUCRA, 68.1%), Celecoxib (3 mg/kg bid) ranked third (SUCRA, 51.0%). There were no significant differences between any two NSAIDs regarding adverse events. The SUCRA shows that placebo ranked first (SUCRA, 88.2%), piroxicam ranked second (SUCRA, 60.5%), rofecoxib (0.6 mg/kg qd) ranked third (SUCRA, 56.1%), meloxicam (0.125 mg/kg qd) ranked fourth (SUCRA, 56.1%), and rofecoxib (0.3 mg/kg qd) ranked fifth (SUCRA, 56.1%). CONCLUSION: In summary, celecoxib (6 mg/kg bid) was found to be the most effective NSAID for treating JIA. Rofecoxib, piroxicam, and meloxicam may be safer options, but further research is needed to confirm these findings in larger trials with higher quality studies.

Glabridin Functions as a Quorum Sensing Inhibitor to Inhibit Biofilm Formation and Swarming Motility of Multidrug-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii.

Objective: Acinetobacter baumannii is a hazardous bacterium that causes hospital-acquired nosocomial infections, and the advent of multidrug-resistant A. baumannii (MDR-AB) strains is concerning. Novel antibacterial therapeutic strategies must be developed. The biological effects of glabridin on MDR-AB were investigated in this study. Methods: The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of glabridin against eight clinical MDR-AB strains were determined using the broth microdilution technique. Crystal violet staining was used to assess biofilm development, which has significant contribution to bacterial resistance. Swarming motility was measured according to surface growth zone of MDR-AB on LB agar medium. qRT-PCR was used to evaluate the expression of quorum sensing genes abaI and abaR. Glabridin and routinely used therapeutic antimicrobial agents were tested for synergistic action using the checkerboard method. Results: According to our findings, glabridin suppressed MDR-AB growth at high doses (512-1024 µg/mL). The 1/4 MIC of glabridin significantly decreased MDR-AB biofilm formation by 19.98% (P < 0.05), inhibited MDR-AB motility by 44.27% (P < 0.05), whereas the 1/2 MIC of glabridin dramatically reduced MDR-AB biofilm development by 27.43% (P < 0.01), suppressed MDR-AB motility by 50.64% (P < 0.05). Mechanistically, glabridin substantially downregulated the expression of quorum sensing-related genes abaI and abaR by up to 39.12% (P < 0.001) and 25.19% (P < 0.01), respectively. However, no synergistic effect between glabridin and antibacterial drugs was found. Conclusion: Glabridin might be a quorum sensing inhibitor that inhibits MDR-AB biofilm development and swarming motility.

Alteration of intestinal microbiota is associated with diabetic retinopathy and its severity: Samples collected from southeast coast Chinese.

BACKGROUND: Current approaches for the therapy of diabetic retinopathy (DR), which was one of leading causes of visual impairment, have their limitations. Animal experiments revealed that restructuring of intestinal microbiota can prevent retinopathy. AIM: To explore the relationship between intestinal microbiota and DR among patients in the southeast coast of China, and provide clues for novel ways to prevention and treatment methods of DR. METHODS: The fecal samples of non-diabetics (Group C, n = 15) and diabetics (Group DM, n = 30), including 15 samples with DR (Group DR) and 15 samples without DR (Group D), were analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing. Intestinal microbiota compositions were compared between Group C and Group DM, Group DR and Group D, as well as patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) (Group PDR, n = 8) and patients without PDR (Group NPDR, n = 7). Spearman correlation analyses were performed to explore the associations between intestinal microbiota and clinical indicators. RESULTS: The alpha and beta diversity did not differ significantly between Group DR and Group D as well as Group PDR and Group NPDR. At the family level, Fusobacteriaceae, Desulfovibrionaceae and Pseudomonadaceae were significantly increased in Group DR than in Group D (P < 0.05, respectively). At the genera level, Fusobacterium, Pseudomonas, and Adlercreutzia were increased in Group DR than Group D while Senegalimassilia was decreased (P < 0.05, respectively). Pseudomonas was negatively correlated with NK cell count (r = -0.39, P = 0.03). Further, the abundance of genera Eubacterium (P < 0.01), Peptococcus, Desulfovibrio, Acetanaerobacterium and Negativibacillus (P < 0.05, respectively) were higher in Group PDR compared to Group NPDR, while Pseudomonas, Alloprevotella and Tyzzerella (P < 0.05, respectively) were lower. Acetanaerobacterium and Desulfovibrio were positively correlated with fasting insulin (r = 0.53 and 0.61, respectively, P < 0.05), when Negativibacillus was negatively correlated with B cell count (r = -0.67, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Our findings indicated that the alteration of gut microbiota was associated with DR and its severity among patients in the southeast coast of China, probably by multiple mechanisms such as producing short-chain fatty acids, influencing permeability of blood vessels, affecting levels of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, hypoxia-inducible factor-1, B cell and insulin. Modulating gut microbiota composition might be a novel strategy for prevention of DR, particularly PDR in population above.

New strain of Pediococcus pentosaceus alleviates ethanol-induced liver injury by modulating the gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acid metabolism.

BACKGROUND: Intestinal dysbiosis has been shown to be associated with the pathogenesis of alcoholic liver disease (ALD), which includes changes in the microbiota composition and bacterial overgrowth, but an effective microbe-based therapy is lacking. Pediococcus pentosaceus (P. pentosaceus) CGMCC 7049 is a newly isolated strain of probiotic that has been shown to be resistant to ethanol and bile salts. However, further studies are needed to determine whether P. pentosaceus exerts a protective effect on ALD and to elucidate the potential mechanism. AIM: To evaluate the protective effect of the probiotic P. pentosaceus on ethanol-induced liver injury in mice. METHODS: A new ethanol-resistant strain of P. pentosaceus CGMCC 7049 was isolated from healthy adults in our laboratory. The chronic plus binge model of experimental ALD was established to evaluate the protective effects. Twenty-eight C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into three groups: The control group received a pair-fed control diet and oral gavage with sterile phosphate buffered saline, the EtOH group received a ten-day Lieber-DeCarli diet containing 5% ethanol and oral gavage with phosphate buffered saline, and the P. pentosaceus group received a 5% ethanol Lieber-DeCarli diet but was treated with P. pentosaceus. One dose of isocaloric maltose dextrin or ethanol was administered by oral gavage on day 11, and the mice were sacrificed nine hours later. Blood and tissue samples (liver and gut) were harvested to evaluate gut barrier function and liver injury-related parameters. Fresh cecal contents were collected, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to measure short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentrations, and the microbiota composition was analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. RESULTS: The P. pentosaceus treatment improved ethanol-induced liver injury, with lower alanine aminotransferase, aspartate transaminase and triglyceride levels and decreased neutrophil infiltration. These changes were accompanied by decreased levels of endotoxin and inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-5, tumor necrosis factor-α, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, keratinocyte-derived protein chemokine, macrophage inflammatory protein-1α and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1. Ethanol feeding resulted in intestinal dysbiosis and gut barrier disruption, increased relative abundance of potentially pathogenic Escherichia and Staphylococcus, and the depletion of SCFA-producing bacteria, such as Prevotella, Faecalibacterium, and Clostridium. In contrast, P. pentosaceus administration increased the microbial diversity, restored the relative abundance of Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, Prevotella, Clostridium and Akkermansia and increased propionic acid and butyric acid production by modifying SCFA-producing bacteria. Furthermore, the levels of the tight junction protein ZO-1, mucin proteins (mucin [MUC]-1, MUC-2 and MUC-4) and the antimicrobial peptide Reg3ß were increased after probiotic supplementation. CONCLUSION: Based on these results, the new strain of P. pentosaceus alleviated ethanol-induced liver injury by reversing gut microbiota dysbiosis, regulating intestinal SCFA metabolism, improving intestinal barrier function, and reducing circulating levels of endotoxin and proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Thus, this strain is a potential probiotic treatment for ALD.

Luteolin suppresses colonic smooth muscle motility via inhibiting L-type calcium channel currents in mice.

As a naturally occurring flavone, luteolin has received much attention due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer functions. In the present study, we investigated the effect of luteolin on colonic motility and its mechanism using isometric muscle recording and the whole-cell patch-clamp technique in mice. Luteolin dose-dependently inhibited colonic smooth muscles motility and CMMC significantly. BayK8644, an L-type Ca2+ channel agonist, significantly attenuated the luteolin-induced inhibition. Moreover, the calcium currents recorded in colonic smooth muscle cells were dramatically inhibited by luteolin. However, no significant changes were found in the luteolin-induced inhibitory effect in the presence of TEA, a nonselective K+ channel blocker, glibenclamide, an ATP-dependent K+ channel blocker, and apamin, a small-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channel blocker. Additionally, luteolin did not affect potassium currents. Furthermore, TTX, a Na+ channel blocker, L-NAME, an inhibitor of nitric oxide (NO) synthase, ODQ, an inhibitor of NO-sensitive guanylyl cyclase, and Ani9, a specific ANO1 channels blocker, had no effect on the luteolin-induced suppression. These results suggest that luteolin inhibited colonic smooth muscle motility by inhibiting L-type calcium channels in mice but not through potassium channels, the enteric nervous system (ENS), NO signaling pathways or ANO1 channels of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs).

Efficacy of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG in treatment of acute pediatric diarrhea: A systematic review with meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Diarrhea is a major infectious cause of childhood morbidity and mortality worldwide. In clinical trials, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG ATCC 53013 (LGG) has been used to treat diarrhea. However, recent randomized controlled trials (RCTs) found no evidence of a beneficial effect of LGG treatment. AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of LGG in treating acute diarrhea in children. METHODS: The EMBASE, MEDLINE, PubMed, Web of Science databases, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched up to April 2019 for meta-analyses and RCTs. The Cochrane Review Manager was used to analyze the relevant data. RESULTS: Nineteen RCTs met the inclusion criteria and showed that compared with the control group, LGG administration notably reduced the diarrhea duration [mean difference (MD) -24.02 h, 95% confidence interval (CI) (-36.58, -11.45)]. More effective results were detected at a high dose ≥ 1010 CFU per day [MD -22.56 h, 95%CI (-36.41, -8.72)] vs a lower dose. A similar reduction was found in Asian and European patients [MD -24.42 h, 95%CI (-47.01, -1.82); MD -32.02 h, 95%CI (-49.26, -14.79), respectively]. A reduced duration of diarrhea was confirmed in LGG participants with diarrhea for less than 3 d at enrollment [MD -15.83 h, 95%CI (-20.68, -10.98)]. High-dose LGG effectively reduced the duration of rotavirus-induced diarrhea [MD -31.05 h, 95%CI (-50.31, -11.80)] and the stool number per day [MD -1.08, 95%CI (-1.87, -0.28)]. CONCLUSION: High-dose LGG therapy reduces the duration of diarrhea and the stool number per day. Intervention at the early stage is recommended. Future trials are expected to verify the effectiveness of LGG treatment.

Pretreatment With Bacillus cereus Preserves Against D-Galactosamine-Induced Liver Injury in a Rat Model.

Bacillus cereus (B. cereus) functions as a probiotic in animals, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We aim to evaluate the protective effects and definite mechanism by which orally administered B. cereus prevents D-galactosamine (D-GalN)-induced liver injury in rats. Twenty-one Sprague-Dawley rats were equally assigned into three groups (N = 7 animals per group). B. cereus ATCC11778 (2 × 109 colony-forming units/ml) was administered to the B. cereus group via gavage, and phosphate-buffered saline was administered to the positive control (PC) and negative control (NC) groups for 2 weeks. The PC and B. cereus groups received 1.1 g/kg D-GalN via an intraperitoneal injection to induce liver injury. The blood, terminal ileum, liver, kidney and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs) were collected for histological examinations and to evaluate bacterial translocation. Liver function was also determined. Fecal samples were collected for deep sequencing of the 16S rRNA on an Illumina MiSeq platform. B. cereus significantly attenuated D-GalN-induced liver injury and improved serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and serum cholinesterase levels (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively). B. cereus modulated cytokine secretion, as indicated by the elevated levels of the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) in both the liver and plasma (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively) and the substantially decreased levels of the cytokine IL-13 in the liver (P < 0.05). Pretreatment with B. cereus attenuated anoxygenic bacterial translocation in the veins (P < 0.05) and liver (P < 0.05) and upregulated the expression of the tight junction protein 1. The gut microbiota from the B. cereus group clustered separately from that of the PC group, with an increase in species of the Ruminococcaceae and Peptococcaceae families and a decrease in those of the Parabacteroides, Paraprevotella, and Desulfovibrio families. The potential probiotic B. cereus attenuated liver injury by restoring the gut flora balance and enhancing the intestinal barrier function.

Separation of polyprenols from Ginkgo biloba leaves by a nano silica-based adsorbent containing silver ions.

Polyprenols extracted from Ginkgo biloba leaves is a kinds of unsaturated compound containing double bonds. Traditionally, the separation methods for the polyprenols are lack of selectivity and their separation efficiency are low. We synthesized two kinds of functional nano-silica containing silver ions materials (AgTCM and AgTCN) which have selectivity for unsaturated compounds to separate Ginkgo biloba leaves polyprenols for the first time. AgTCN displays exceptionally high selectivity for polyprenols and high stability under extended heat and light exposure, while silver is virtually immobile during solvent elution. Importantly, the exceptional stability of AgTCN gives rise to much higher polyprenols recovery than conventional silica gel during the chromatographic elution. In addition, we found that the adsorption of polyprenols onto the AgTCN conforms to pseudo-second-order kinetic model and AgTCN has strong affinity with polyprenols by analyzing Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin-Pyzhev, and Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherms. The calculation results of thermodynamic parameters demonstrate that decrease of temperature in favor of increasing the adsorbing capacity of polyprenols onto the AgTCN, and the adsorption process of which is exothermic reaction. Our results pave the way for the novel separation methods of polyprenols from Ginkgo biloba leaves.

Hepatitis B reactivation in patients receiving direct-acting antiviral therapy or interferon-based therapy for hepatitis C: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIM: To assess the incidence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation in patients receiving direct-acting antiviral agent (DAA)-based therapy or interferon (IFN)-based therapy for hepatitis C and the effectiveness of preemptive anti-HBV therapy for preventing HBV reactivation. METHODS: The PubMed, MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched, and 39 studies that reported HBV reactivation in HBV/hepatitis C virus coinfected patients receiving DAA-based therapy or IFN-based therapy were included. The primary outcome was the rate of HBV reactivation. The secondary outcomes included HBV reactivation-related hepatitis and the effectiveness of preemptive anti-HBV treatment with nucleos(t)ide analogues. The pooled effects were assessed using a random effects model. RESULTS: The rate of HBV reactivation was 21.1% in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive patients receiving DAA-based therapy and 11.9% in those receiving IFN-based therapy. The incidence of hepatitis was lower in HBsAg-positive patients with undetectable HBV DNA compared to patients with detectable HBV DNA receiving DAA therapy (RR = 0.20, 95%CI: 0.06-0.64, P = 0.007). The pooled HBV reactivation rate in patients with previous HBV infection was 0.6% for those receiving DAA-based therapy and 0 for those receiving IFN-based therapy, and none of the patients experienced a hepatitis flare related to HBV reactivation. Preemptive anti-HBV treatment significantly reduced the potential risk of HBV reactivation in HBsAg-positive patients undergoing DAA-based therapy (RR = 0.31, 95%CI: 0.1-0.96, P = 0.042). CONCLUSION: The rate of HBV reactivation and hepatitis flare occurrence is higher in HBsAg-positive patients receiving DAA-based therapy than in those receiving IFN-based therapy, but these events occur less frequently in patients with previous HBV infection. Preemptive anti-HBV treatment is effective in preventing HBV reactivation.

Dynamic alterations in the gut microbiota and metabolome during the development of methionine-choline-deficient diet-induced nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

AIM: To investigate changes in gut microbiota and metabolism during nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) development in mice fed a methionine-choline-deficient (MCD) diet. METHODS: Twenty-four male C57BL/6J mice were equally divided into four groups and fed a methionine-choline-sufficient diet for 2 wk (Control 2w group, n = 6) or 4 wk (Control 4w group, n = 6) or the MCD diet for 2 wk (MCD 2w group, n = 6) or 4 wk (MCD 4w group, n = 6). Liver injury, fibrosis, and intestinal barrier function were evaluated after 2 and 4 wk of feeding. The fecal microbiome and metabolome were studied using 16s rRNA deep sequencing and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. RESULTS: The mice fed the MCD diet presented with simple hepatic steatosis and slight intestinal barrier deterioration after 2 wk. After 4 wk of feeding with the MCD diet, however, the mice developed prominent NASH with liver fibrosis, and the intestinal barrier was more impaired. Compared with the control diet, the MCD diet induced gradual gut microbiota dysbiosis, as evidenced by a marked decrease in the abundance of Alistipes and the (Eubacterium) coprostanoligenes group (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, respectively) and a significant increase in Ruminococcaceae UCG 014 abundance (P < 0.05) after 2 wk. At 4 wk, the MCD diet significantly reduced the promising probiotic Bifidobacterium levels and markedly promoted Bacteroides abundance (P < 0.05, and P < 0.01, respectively). The fecal metabolomic profile was also substantially altered by the MCD diet: At 2 wk, arachidic acid, hexadecane, palmitic acid, and tetracosane were selected as potential biomarkers that were significantly different in the corresponding control group, and at 4 wk, cholic acid, cholesterol, arachidic acid, tetracosane, and stearic acid were selected. CONCLUSION: The MCD diet induced persistent alterations in the gut microbiota and metabolome.

Antibacterial, cytotoxic and genotoxic activity of nitrogenated and haloid derivatives of C50-C60 and C70-C120 polyprenol homologs.

BACKGROUND: Polyprenol is an important lipid with many bioactive effects. The study on differences in bioactive effects of polyprenol derivatives having different isoprene units are seldom reported and it is helpful to find out which type of polyprenol derivatives are effective for treating A549/HepG2 cells and E. coli /S. aureus. METHODS: All tested polyprenol derivatives were measured with inhibition halos by Oxford cup assays. MIC values were assessed by the broth dilution method. Time-killing curve studies were conducted in duplicate on separate days. Cytotoxicity study was measured by the MTT assay and genotoxic study was evaluated by comet assay. RESULTS: With regard to antibacterial activity, the sensitivities to the quaternary polyprenyl ammonium salt derivatives GAS and MAS were 31.3 µg/mL and 15.6-31.3 µg/mL, respectively. GAS and MAS exhibited cytotoxic activity toward HepG2 cells (IC50 of 10.1-11.6 µg/mL), which was stronger than that exhibited toward A549 cells (IC50 of 13.8-13.9 µg/mL). The bactericidal activity of MAS was stronger than that of GAS at the same concentration at least 48 h. The DNA damage in A549 and HepG2 cells exposed to all 10, 20 and 40 µg/mL MAS was statistically significant in comparison to the control. Our results indicate a dose-dependent increment in DNA damage in A549 and HepG2 cells exposed to 10, 20 and 40 µg/mL MAS for both the percentage of DNA in the tail and tail moment. CONCLUSION: The quaternary ammonium salt derivatives GAS and MAS exhibited higher antibacterial (E. coli and S. aureus) and cytotoxic activity (A549 and HepG2 cells) than the other derivatives evaluated in this study. The DNA damage in HepG2 cells suggests that MAS induced A549 and HepG2 cells death via apoptotic pathway. Our results provide new evidence supporting the medical use of polyprenol derivatives against bacterial and tumor diseases.

Investigation of mechanisms and molecular epidemiology of linezolid nonsusceptible Enterococcus faecalis isolated from a teaching hospital in China.

The epidemiological and molecular characteristics of eight linezolid nonsusceptible Enterococcus faecalis isolated from a teaching hospital in China (January to July 2014) were investigated. The target site modifications and cfr gene associated with linezolid resistance were not found. Results of the epidemiological investigation indicated that linezolid resistance possibly occurred on several independent occasions and was often not related to linezolid administration.

[Spermatozoal immobilization ability and virulence genes of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from the semen of infertile men].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of Staphylococcus aureus from infertile men on sperm motility and the relationship between virulence genes and the activity of spermatozoal immobilization. METHODS: We collected 60 strains of non-repeated Staphylococcus aureus from the semen of 589 infertile males and analyzed the influence of Staphylococcus aureus on sperm motility using the computer-aided sperm analysis system. We selected the strains that apparently decreased sperm motility and detected their virulence genes by PCR. RESULTS: Sperm motility was significantly decreased in 17 of the 60 strains of Staphylococcus aureus (P < 0.05). The main virulence genes in these strains were hlg (33.3%), scn (23.3%), cna (20%), hlb (20%), and clfA (18.3%), others including icaA, fnbA, tst, seb, hld, eta and sea. The scn gene carriers accounted for 47.1% in the spermatozal immobilization positive group, significantly higher than 14% in the negative group (P < 0.05). No statistically significant differences were found in the percentages of the carriers of the other virulence genes between the two groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Infections of Staphylococcus aureus in male reproductive system can lead to the decrease of sperm motility, which may be associated with the Staphylococcus complement inhibitor encoding gene scn.

In Vivo and In Vitro Toxicity Evaluation of Polyprenols Extracted from Ginkgo biloba L. Leaves.

Polyprenols of Ginkgo biloba L. leaves (GBP) are a new type of lipid with 14-24 isoprenyl units, which in humans have strong bioactivity like the dolichols. A large amount of work showed that GBP had good antibacterial activity and powerful protective effects against acute hepatic injury induced by carbon tetrachloride and alcohol, as well as antitumor activity, but the safety of GBP was not considered. The current study was designed to evaluate the toxicity of these polyprenols. Acute toxicity in mice was observed for 14 days after GBP oral dosing with 5, 7.5, 10, 15 and 21.5 g/kg body weight (b. wt.) Further, an Ames toxicity assessment was carried out by plate incorporation assay on spontaneous revertant colonies of TA97, TA98, TA100 and TA102, with GBP doses designed as 8, 40, 200, 1000 and 5000 µg/dish, and subchronic toxicity was evaluated in rats for 91 days at GBP doses of 500, 1000 and 2000 mg/kg b. wt./day. The weight, food intake, hematological and biochemical indexes, the ratio of viscera/body weight, and histopathological examinations of tissue slices of organs were all investigated. The results showed that no animal behavior and appearance changes and mortality were seen during the observation period with 21.5 g/kg GBP dose in the acute toxicity test. Also, no mutagenicity effects were produced by GBP (mutation rate < 2) on the four standard Salmonella strains (p > 0.05) in the Ames toxicity test. Furthermore, the no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) of GBP was 2000 mg/kg for 91 days feeding of rats in the subchronic toxicity tests. Results also showed the hematological and biochemical indexes as well as histopathological examination changed within a small range, and all clinical observation indexes were normal. No other distinct impacts on cumulative growth of body weight, food intake and food utilization rate were discovered with GBP. No significant difference was discovered for the rats' organ weight and the ratio of viscera to body weight (p > 0.05). Reversible pathological changes in the histopathological examinations of tissue slices of organs were not observed. GBP could therefore be considered as a safe material with minor side effects.

Chemical constituents and structural characterization of polysaccharides from four typical bamboo species leaves.

In order to find bamboo leaves with high contents of bioactive polysaccharides, 32 samples were chosen to analyze their polysaccharide content by GC and sulfuric acid-anthrone colorimetric assays. Purified polysaccharides (BLPS) were separated from the four varieties P. nigra (Lodd.) Munro (PN), P. vivax McClure (PV), Chimonobambusa quadrangularis (Fenzi) Makino (CQ), and P. bambussoides cv. Tanakae (PB) by ultrasound extraction, solution precipitation, ion exchange resin, DEAE-52 and Sephadex G-100 chromatography. BLPS structural characterization was accomplished by HPLC-GPC, Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR) and NaIO4-HIO4 oxidation reactions. The results showed that the total polysaccharides of the bamboo leaves in samples 1-32 ranged between 1.4% and 5.4%, Samples No. 29-No. 32 (PN, PV, CQ, and PB) contained 2-3 fold more polysaccharides than No. 1~No. 28 among the 32 different species, particularly the content of galactose was in a range of 21.5%-34.1% for these four typical bamboo species leaves, which was also more than 2-3 fold higher than in No. 1-No. 28. Sugar analysis indicated that PN-PBLPS-1, PV-PBLPS-1, CQ-PBLPS-1 and PB-PBLPS-1 from the four varieties were homogeneous polysaccharides with molecular weights of 2.04 × 104, 1.15 × 104, 8.75 × 104 and 1.48 × 104 Da, respectively. PB-PBLPS-1 was a mixture of α-galactopyranose and ß-d-glucopyranose linkages with α-(1→6) or ß-(1→6)glycosidic bonds, while PN-PBLPS-1, PV-PBLPS-1, and CQ-PBLPS-1 had α galactopyranose linkages with α-(1→6) glycosidic bonds.

Antiviral activity of a nanoemulsion of polyprenols from ginkgo leaves against influenza A H3N2 and hepatitis B virus in vitro.

UNLABELLED: In order to improve the bioavailability levels of polyprenols (derived from ginkgo leaves (GBP)) in the human body, a GBP nanoemulsion was prepared, and its antiviral activity was evaluated against influenza A H3N2 and hepatitis B virus in vitro. METHODS: A GBP nanoemulsion was prepared by inversed-phase emulsification (IPE). Next, we investigated the antiviral activity of the GBP nanoemulsion on influenza A H3N2 and hepatitis B virus in vitro by the MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenlytetrezolium bromide) method. ELISA and the fluorescent quantitative PCR method were used to measure the content of HBsAg, HBeAg and DNA virus in human samples. RESULTS: The GBP nanoemulsion exhibited uniformity at an average particle size 97 nm with a hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) of 9.5. GBP is non-toxic to normal cells, hepatitis B virus DNA, hepatitis B virus antigen and HepG2215. Furthermore, GBP could reach a 70% virucidal activity and a 74.9% protection rate (*** p < 0.001) on MDCK cells infected with H3N2 virus at a high concentration of 100 µg/mL. GBP had a good inhibition rate on HBsAg (52.11%, ** p < 0.01) at 50 µg/mL and Day 9 of incubation, and a 67.32% inhibition effect on HBeAg at a high concentration of 100 µg/mL and Day 9. GBP had good inhibition on HBV DNA with CT 18.6 and lower copies (** p < 0.01) at a middle concentration of 12.5 to 25 µg/mL. CONCLUSIONS: The GBP nanoemulsion was very stable and non-toxic and had very strong antiviral activity against influenza A H3N2 and hepatitis B virus in vitro. The inhibitory effects and reactive mechanisms were similar to the drug, 3TC; by lengthening the incubation time and increasing the drug concentration, GBP has promising potential as an antiviral drug.

Enzymatic hydrolysis of oleuropein from Olea europea (olive) leaf extract and antioxidant activities.

Oleuropein (OE), the main polyphenol in olive leaf extract, is likely to decompose into hydroxytyrosol (HT) and elenolic acid under the action of light, acid, base, high temperature. In the enzymatic process, the content of OE in olive leaf extract and enzyme are key factors that affect the yield of HT. A selective enzyme was screened from among 10 enzymes with a high OE degradation rate. A single factor (pH, temperature, time, enzyme quantity) optimization process and a Box-Behnken design were studied for the enzymatic hydrolysis of 81.04% OE olive leaf extract. Additionally, enzymatic hydrolysis results with different substrates (38.6% and 81.04% OE) were compared and the DPPH antioxidant properties were also evaluated. The result showed that the performance of hydrolysis treatments was best using hemicellulase as a bio-catalyst, and the high purity of OE in olive extract was beneficial to biotransform OE into HT. The optimal enzymatic conditions for achieving a maximal yield of HT content obtained by the regression were as follows: pH 5, temperature 55 °C and enzyme quantity 55 mg. The experimental result was 11.31% ± 0.15%, and the degradation rate of OE was 98.54%. From the present investigation of the antioxidant activity determined by the DPPH method, the phenol content and radical scavenging effect were both decreased after enzymatic hydrolysis by hemicellulase. However, a high antioxidant activity of the ethyl acetate extract enzymatic hydrolysate (IC50 = 41.82 µg/mL) was demonstated. The results presented in this work suggested that hemicellulase has promising and attractive properties for industrial production of HT, and indicated that HT might be a valuable biological component for use in pharmaceutical products and functional foods.

[Antimicrobial resistance characteristics of and disinfectant-resistant gene distribution in Staphylococcus aureus isolates from male urogenital tract infection].

OBJECTIVE: To study the antibiotic- and disinfectant-resistance features of and disinfectant-resistant gene distribution in Staphylococcus aureus (Sa) isolated from the urogenital tract of male patients with urogenital tract infection (UTI). total of 152 Sa isolates were collected from the urethral discharge specimens from male UTI patients. The minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) of antimicrobial agents and disinfectants commonly used against Sa were tested by standard ager dilution; the methicillin-resistant Sa (MRSA) isolates detected by cefoxitin disk diffusion and mecA gene amplification; Staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) genotyping performed by multiplex PCR; the disinfectants gene qac (quaternary ammonium compound) amplified by PCR; and the clonal relatedness of qacA/B-positive MRSA isolates investigated by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). RESULTS: Out of the 152 Sa isolates, 91 (59.9%) were found to be MRSA. SCCmec genotyping showed SCCmec V to be the main type, accounting for 63.7% (58/91), with 8 (8.8%) isolates of SCCmec I, 2 (2.2%) isolates of SCCmec II, 19 (20.9%) isolates of SCCmec III, and 4 (4. 4%) isolates of SCCmec IV. The Sa isolates exhibited high rates of non-susceptibility to penicillin (95.4%) , erythromycin (72.4% ) , ciprofloxacin (42. 8%), and levofloxacin (44.7%), and a fairly high sensitivity to nitrofurantoin, teicoplanin, linezolid, and vancomycin. The MIC in the Sa isolates was 0. 25 -16 microg/ml for chlorhexidine; MIC50 and MIC90 were 2.0 and 4.0 microg/ml respectively for MRSA strains and both 1.0 microg/ml for MSSA strains. Out of the 152 Sa isolates, 72 (47.4%) harbored the qacA/B gene, 6 (3.9%) the smar (qacC + qacD) gene, 9 (5.9%) the qacE delta 1 gene, and 2 (1.3%) the qacH gene, but no qacG and qacJ genes were detected. PFGE analysis showed that the qacA/B-positive MRSA isolates were distributed CONCLUSION: Clinical Sa isolates exhibited varied degrees of resistance to commonly used antibiotics, and in a polyclonal manner. some showed a robust tolerance to chlorhexidine. The main disinfectant-resistant gene is qacA/B. Antimicrobial agents and disinfectants should be used rationally according to clinicians.

Interferon alpha on expression of hTERT mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Cell division is closely related to telomerase activity (hTERT mRNA). Lower expression of lymphocitic hTERT mRNA may easily cause cell aging, which is not beneficial to maintaining a durable lymphocyte division. To date, there is no study to investigate IFNα therapy on hTERT mRNA expression in PBMCs of patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). We quantitatively detected hTERT mRNA from study subjects and made each hTERT mRNA normalized (NhTERT mRNA). Mean NhTERT mRNA level was lower in either CHB group, but it significantly increased in IFNα-treated group compared with CHB control group, and a longer duration of IFNα therapy could increase the level. Moreover, the mean NhTERT mRNA in subgroup with HBeAg loss was significantly higher than that in subgroup without. NhTERT mRNA was markedly correlated with CD3(+) T lymphocyte count and CD4(+)/CD8(+) ratio. The results showed that IFNα therapy could upregulate the expression of hTERT mRNA in PBMCs.

Hepatoprotective effects of polyprenols from Ginkgo biloba L. leaves on CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity in rats.

The hepatoprotective effects of polyprenols from Ginkgo biloba L. leaves were evaluated against carbon tetrachloride induced hepatic damage in Sprague-Dawley rats. The elevated levels of serum ALT, AST, ALP, ALB, TP, HA, LN, TG, and CHO were restored towards normalization significantly by GBP in a dose dependent manner. The biochemical observations were supplemented with histopathological examination of rat liver sections. Meanwhile, GBP also produced a significant and dose-dependent reversal of CCl(4)-diminished activity of the antioxidant enzymes and reduced CCl(4)-elevated level of MDA. In general, the effects of GBP were not significantly different from those of the standard drug Essentiale.