Reevaluating elevated HDL cholesterol levels in healthy older persons as a risk factor for various disease states.

This article reviews the role of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in the elderly population, questioning the established view that advocates the ubiquitous health benefits of HDL cholesterol. High levels of HDL-C have been found to be associated with an increased risk of debilitating fractures, dementia, and cardiovascular disease, predominantly affecting older men, through the use of large population-based studies such as the ASPREE trial and the UK Biobank. Possible mechanisms are closely linked to cholesterol crystallization and altered HDL particle function. These findings call for a refinement of the understanding of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), which implies adjustments to clinical guidelines and risk assessment strategies in older populations.

Protective efficacy of Shenge San on mitochondria in H9c2 cardiomyocytes.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ-coactivator-1α/nuclear respiratory factor 1 (PGC-1α/NRF1) activity can protect mitochondrial function in the setting of cardiac hypertrophy and improve cardiomyocyte energy metabolism. METHODS: Cardiac hypertrophy was modeled in H9c2 cells treated with isoproterenol (ISO) to assess the effects of Shenge San (, SGS) on cell viability and mitochondrial membrane potential. We assessed mitochondrial complex mRNA levels and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation factor mRNA and protein levels. RESULTS: Compared with the 100 µM ISO group, cell size was significantly decreased in the 0.3 mg/mL SGS and 20 µM ZLN005 (PGC-1α activator) groups ( < 0.01). Compared with the SGS (0.3) +ISO group, we observed lower phosphorylated adenosine monophosphate-activated kinase (AMPK) protein levels in the ISO and ZLN005+SGS+ISO groups ( < 0.01). Compared with the compound C group, SGS significantly increased PGC-1α expression in ISO-induced cardiac hypertrophy cells ( < 0.01), and this was inhibited by compound C pretreatment ( < 0.05). Compared with the ISO group, the mitochondrial red-green fluorescence ratio increased in the 0.3 mg/mL SGS group ( < 0.05). mRNA levels of cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) in the ISO and compound C groups were lower than those in control group ( 0.01), and the mRNA levels of CO1 and ATP8 were significantly lower in the ISO and compound C groups versus control ( 0.01). Compared with the SGS (0.3) +ISO group, ATP synthetase subunit 8 (ATP8) mRNA was significantly decreased in the ISO group ( < 0.01) and compound C+SGS+ISO group ( < 0.05). Compared with the SGS (0.3) +ISO group, NRF1 mRNA levels were significantly decreased ( < 0.05) in the ISO and compound C+SGS+ISO groups. CONCLUSIONS: SGS can attenuate ISO-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, restore the decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential, and upregulate PGC-1α/NRF1 levels. Notably, these effects can be blocked by AMPK inhibitor-compound C.

Identification and verification of key taste components in wampee using widely targeted metabolomics.

Due to the lack of comprehensive evaluation of all metabolites in wampee, the metabolic reasons for taste differences are unclear. Here, two local varieties YF1 (sweet taste) and YF2 (sweet-sour taste), were selected for quality analysis, followed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) based widely targeted metabolomic analysis. YF1 and YF2 were clearly separated by principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis, and 449 metabolites were different between the cultivars, including 29 carbohydrates and 29 organic acids. Among them, d-galactose, d-mannose, and d-fructose 6-phosphate contributed mainly to the sweet taste of the YF1 wampee. l-citramalic acid, 2-hydroxyglutaric acid, and 3-methylmalic acid were the dominant organic acids in YF2 wampee, and therefore, contributed primarily to the sweet-sour taste. The differential metabolites were significantly enriched in the "ascorbate and aldarate metabolism" and "C5-branched dibasic acid metabolism" pathways. Ascorbate played a crucial role in the regulation of sugars and organic acids through those pathways. In addition, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) based quantitative verification exhibited the same specific cultivar variations.

Research progress of traditional Chinese medicine for the H-hype hypertension / 国际中医中药杂志

Hypertension with high serum Homocysteine (Hcy) significantly increases the incidence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events, which is defined as H-Type Hypertension by Chinese scholars. Plenty of researches have confirmed that high prevalence of H-Type Hypertension in Chinese population is now the big public problem in China. Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM)treatment shows the advantages in integral regulation, less side effect, and anti-Hcy effect in hypertension. This paper discussed the prevalence, TCM syndrome and TCM treatment progress in H-Type Hypertension to provide some ideas and references for the intervention of H-Type Hypertension by TCM.

Study on the Lipid-lowering Effect and Potential Mechanism of the Couplet Medicines of Flastem Milkvetch Seed and Tribulus Terrestris on Hyperlipidemia Rats / 世界科学技术-中医药现代化

Objective: To explore the lipid-lowering effect and potential mechanism of the couplet medicines of Flastem Milkvetch Seed and Tribulus terrestris on hyperlipidemia rats. Methods: Forty-eight Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 6 groups, normal control group, high-fat model group, simvastatin group, Tribulus terrestris group, Flastem Milkvetch Seed group, and couplet medicines of Flastem Milkvetch Seed and Tribulus terrestris group, with 8 rats in each group. The normal control group was fed with basal diet, and the other groups were fed with high-fat diet to establish a hyperlipidemia rat model. At the same time, different group rats were treated with different drug respectively. 6 weeks later, the body weight and visceral index of the rats were measured. Levels of serum cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were detected by automatic biochemical analyzer. The mRNA and protein expression of HMG coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR), cholesterol 7-alpha hydroxy-lase (CYP7A1) and low density lipoprotein receptor (LDL-R) were detected by RT-PCR and western blot. Results: Compared with model group, the serum levels of TC, TG, and LDL-C were significantly decreased in all Chinese medicine groups, and the serum level of HDL-C was significantly increased in Flastem Milkvetch Seed group and couplet medicines of Flastem Milkvetch Seed and Tribulus terrestris group. Moreover, the mRNA and protein expression of HMGCR, CYP7A1, and LDL-R in rat liver also significantly increased in all Chinese medicine treatment groups. And couplet medicines of Flastem Milkvetch Seed and Tribulus terrestris group shows more significantly effect. Conclusion: Couplet medicines of Flastem Milkvetch Seed and Tribulus terrestris significantly regulate the serum lipid levels on hyperlipidemia rat model, and its mechanism may be related to the regulating expressions of HMGCR, CYP7A1, LDL-R gene.

Application of Zebrafish Model in TCM Screening in Cardiovascular Diseases and Mechanism Research / 中国中医药信息杂志

Zebrafish is one of the important model vertebrates in the study of life science at present. It has similar physiological and biochemical characteristics to mammals, and has the advantages of high efficiency, rapidness and largescale. TCM has complex active ingredients and various targets, so the application of zebrafish model in TCM research is increasingly wide. This article reviewed the application status of zebrafish model in TCM screening cardiovascular diseases and mechanism research from the aspects of angiogenesis, myocardial injury, hyperlipidemia, and cardiovascular toxicity.

Effects of Shenge Powder on heart function in rats with heart failure by coarctation of abdominal aorta / 中成药

AIM To investigate the effects of Shenge Powder (Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma,Gecko) on heart function in rats with heart failure by coarctation of abdominal aorta and its mechanism of action.METHODS The heart failure rats were fed with Shenge Powder [1.89 g/(kg · d)] or bisoprolol [1 mg/(kg · d)] for twelve weeks.The pathological morphology,hemodynamics,cardiographic index and effect on protein expression of PGC-1 α in sham operation group,model group,Shenge Powder group and Bisoprolol group were observed.RESULTS Compared with the model group,Shenge Powder increased ejection fraction (EF) (P ＜ 0.05),decreased left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) (P ＜ 0.01),improved maximal rate of left ventricular pressure development (dp/dtmax) and maximal rate of left ventricular pressure decay (dp/dtmin) (P ＜ 0.01),reduced myocardial tissue lesions and myocardial fibrosis.There was no significant difference in PGC-1α protein expression between the Shenge Powder group and the model group.CONCLUSION Shenge Powder can improve left ventricular function in rats with heart failure,and reduce the pathological changes of myocardium tissue.

Effects of Shenge Powder on heart function in rats with heart failure by coarctation of abdominal aorta / 中成药

AIM To investigate the effects of Shenge Powder (Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma,Gecko) on heart function in rats with heart failure by coarctation of abdominal aorta and its mechanism of action.METHODS The heart failure rats were fed with Shenge Powder [1.89 g/(kg · d)] or bisoprolol [1 mg/(kg · d)] for twelve weeks.The pathological morphology,hemodynamics,cardiographic index and effect on protein expression of PGC-1 α in sham operation group,model group,Shenge Powder group and Bisoprolol group were observed.RESULTS Compared with the model group,Shenge Powder increased ejection fraction (EF) (P ＜ 0.05),decreased left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) (P ＜ 0.01),improved maximal rate of left ventricular pressure development (dp/dtmax) and maximal rate of left ventricular pressure decay (dp/dtmin) (P ＜ 0.01),reduced myocardial tissue lesions and myocardial fibrosis.There was no significant difference in PGC-1α protein expression between the Shenge Powder group and the model group.CONCLUSION Shenge Powder can improve left ventricular function in rats with heart failure,and reduce the pathological changes of myocardium tissue.

Learning from Neijing to Explore the TCM Name and Pathogensis of Hypertension / 浙江中医药大学学报

[Objective]Discussion on TCM name and pathogenesis of hypertension. [Method]To further explore and analyze the TCM name, location as wel as pathogenssis of hypertension after learning“Neijing”. [Result]Hypertension corresponding TCM diseases should be the veins bulge from“Neijing”. The location of the disease is heart,while it relates to internal organs. The main pathogenesis is that heart commanding blood abnormality. [Conclusion ]The traditional classical dialectical mode from the liver treatment of hypertension should be changed,the clinical treatment of hypertension is due to the heart according to the theory of pathogenesis which the heart commands blood vessels.Seeking the key reason is important to differential treatment of hypertension.

Effects of Naoxinduotai capsule on markers of prothrombotic state in patients with essential hypertension / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of Naoxinduotai capsule on the markers of prothrombotic state as plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), von Willebrand factor (vWF) and alpha-granular membrane protein (CD62p) in essential hypertension patients of yang hyperactivity and blood stagnation.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The 62 essential hypertension patients of yang hyperactivity and blood stagnation were divided into Naoxinduotai capsule + perindopril group (treatment group, 30 subjects) and Perindopril group (control group, 32 subjects). Clinical symptoms, blood pressure and the blood plasma PAI-1, vWF, CD62p of the patients were observed. The blood plasma PAI-1, vWF and CD62p were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA).</p><p><b>RESULT</b>After 8 weeks treatment, in treatment group the clinical symptoms became better, and there was a significant difference with control group (P < 0.05). Blood pressure was significantly degraded, but there was not a significant difference with control group. The blood plasma PAI-1, vWF, CD62p level was degraded ,and there were significant differences with control group in all the three makers (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Naoxinduotai capsule can treat the essential hypertension patients of Yang hyperactivity and blood stagnation, and it has conspicuous advantages in improving the clinical symptoms and the makers of prothrombotic state.</p>

[Analysis of human metapneumovirus genotype in Hunan, China and its attachment protein G sequence character].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the genotypes of human metapneumovirus (hMPV) and the genetic character of hMPV attachment protein G sequence in Hunan, China. METHODS: 232 nasopharyngeal aspirates (NPA) samples from hospitalized children with acute respiratory infections were collected from Hunan, China in 2005. HMPV was detected. The full length of G glycoprotein genes were amplified and sequenced. Bioinformatics soft-wares were employed to analyze the sequences. RESULTS: 17/232 (7.3%) were showed hMPV positive. And co-infection rate with other viruses is 35%. The diagnoses of these hMPV positive cases are pneumonia, bronchiolitis and bronchopneumonia. Phylogenetic analysis for G genes from 13 hMPVs revealed the existence of four major subgroups: A1, A2, B1, B2 in Hunan, China in 2005. There are four types of sequence lengths of hMPV G glycoprotein, which are 711, 675, 660, 696nt. It is different in potential N-linked glycosylation sites and number of cysteine residues among these hMPVs of Hunan, China and Beijing, China. Also it is different from those in Japan and North America. CONCLUSION: The investigation of hMPV from Hunan, China in 2005 revealed the high speed of genetic variation and the marked character of geographic epidemic differences.

Effects of Huoxue Qianyang Formula on expressions of proto-oncogenes c-fos and c-myc in spontaneous hypertensive rats with ventricular hypertrophy / 中西医结合学报

OBJECTIVE: To explore the possible mechanism of Huoxue Qianyang Formula (HXQYF), a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, in reversing the left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) of spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHRs) by analyzing the expressions of mRNAs and proteins of proto-oncogenes c-fos and c-myc in left ventricular muscle. METHODS: The experimental study was carried out in SHRs, the sex- and age-matched Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats were served as normal control (n=5, normal saline 10 ml/kg daily). Twenty-five SHRs were randomly divided into five groups: untreated group (n=5, normal saline 10 ml/kg daily), high-dose HXQYF-treated group (n=5, 0.84 g/ml HXQYF, 10 ml/kg daily), medium-dose HXQYF-treated group (n=5, 0.42 g/ml HXQYF, 10 ml/kg daily), low-dose HXQYF-treated group (n=5, 0.21 g/ml HXQYF, 10 ml/kg daily) and cilazapril-treated group (n=5, 1 mg/ml cilazapril, 10 ml/kg daily). The drugs were intragastrically administered once daily for 14 weeks. The expressions of mRNAs and proteins of proto-oncogenes c-fos and c-myc in left ventricular muscle were detected separately by in situ hybridization histochemical method and immunohistochemical method. RESULTS: Compared with the normal control group, the expressions of mRNAs and proteins of proto-oncogenes c-fos and c-myc in left ventricular muscle were significantly increased in untreated group (P<0.01). After treatment, the expressions of c-fos and c-myc mRNAs in left ventricular muscle in HXQYF-treated groups were significantly down-regulated as compared with those of the untreated group (P<0.05). The expressions of c-myc protein were also significantly decreased in high- and medium-dose HXQYF-treated groups as compared with the untreated group (P<0.05), but it had no significant effects in protein expression of c-fos in the three HXQYF-treated groups. CONCLUSION: HXQYF can inhibit the expression of c-myc in ventricular hypertrophy tissue, which may be the mechanism in treating LVH of hypertension.

Study on knowledge discovery in traditional Chinese medical case records / 中西医结合学报

Traditional Chinese medical case records in the previous dynasties are vital to the development of traditional Chinese medical theory, but the tremendous amount of data are far beyond a person's ability for comprehension. According to information science, traditional Chinese medical case record data are complicated and intricate experiential data. New technology and methods are needed to solve this difficulty. Knowledge discovery technology plays an important role in analyzing data and uncovering important data patterns, and it will be a useful method in processing such data. This paper briefly presents the methods of knowledge discovery in traditional Chinese medical case record study, and puts forward some necessary academic methods.

Study of Huoxue Qianyang granules in revising the left ventricular hypertrophy of spontaneous hypertension rats / 中西医结合学报

OBJECTIVE: To study the mechanism of Huoxue Qianyang Granule (HXQYG), a traditional Chinese compound medicine, in revising the left ventricular hypertrophy of hypertension. METHODS: Spontaneous hypertension rats (SHR) were randomly divided into seven groups: untreated group, Songling Xuemaikang (SLXMK)-treated group, captopril-treated group, high-, medium- and low-dose HXQYG-treated groups, and normal control group. The systolic blood pressure (SBP) and left ventricular mass index (LVMI) were measured. The content of angiotensin II (Ang II) in left ventricular tissue was determined by radioimmunoassay. The expressions of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) protein and mRNA in left ventricular tissue were analyzed separately by immunohistochemical method and RT-PCR. RESULTS: (1) SBP and LVMI were higher in the untreated group than those in the normal control group, and they were lower in the high- and medium-dose HXQYG-treated groups than those in the untreated group, but higher than those in the captopril-treated group, and without significant difference as compared to those in the SLXMK-treated group. (2) The content of Ang II and expressions of ACE protein and mRNA in the left ventricular tissue in the untreated group were higher than those in the normal control group, and they were lower in the HXQYG-treated groups than those in the untreated group, but higher than those in the captopril-treated group, and without significant difference as compared to those in the SLXMK-treated group. CONCLUSION: HXQYG can reverse the left ventricular hypertrophy of SHR, which may be due to decreasing the amount of Ang II and expressions of ACE protein and mRNA in the left ventricular tissue.

Clinical Study on Cerebral Vascular Disorders ( Blood Stasis Type) Treated with Active Component of Fruc-tus Tribuli / 中医杂志

Tablet 912 - II. active ingredients from Fructus Tribuli, was applied for treating 40 cases of cerebral vascular disorders. After a course of 3 months, it was found that the tablet markedly improved the clincal symptoms, lowered the blood viscosity, regulated platelet functions, ameliorated the microcirculation, increased the cerebral blood flow. When compared with Carlan tablet, the action of improving clinical manifestations was basically the same, while for that of correlated clinical indices, 912-II is better than the latter tablet.