Sesquiterpenoids from Ixeris sonchifolia and their neuroprotective activities.

The phytochemical investigation of the methanol extract of Ixeris sonchifolia led to the isolation and identification of nine analogs, including one new guaiane-type sesquiterpenoid, named ixerinoid A (1). The structure of 1 was determined by extensive analysis of the 1 D and 2 D nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic data, as well as quantum chemical calculations. Additionally, all the isolates were tested for their neuroprotective activity using the oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion-induced SH-SY5Y cell injury model. Compounds 3, 5, 6, 8, and 9 displayed remarkable protective effects at concentrations of 1, 5, and 10 µM, respectively.

Characteristics of asymptomatic patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection in Jinan, China.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2) is continuously and rapidly circulating at present. Asymptomatic patients have been proven to be contagious and thus pose a significant infection control challenge. Here we describe the characteristics of asymptomatic patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection in Jinan, Shandong province, China. A total of 47 patients with confirmed COVID-19 were recruited. Among them, 11 patients were categorized as asymptomatic cases. We found that the asymptomatic patients in Jinan were relatively young and were mainly clustered cases. The laboratory indicators and lung lesion on chest CT were mild. No special factors were found accounting for the presence or absence of symptoms. The presence of asymptomatic patients increased the difficulty of screening. It is necessary to strengthen the identification of such patients in the future.

Renoprotective Effect of Yiqi Yangyin Huayu Tongluo Formula against Diabetic Nephropathy in Diabetic Rats.

Diabetic nephropathy is developed in 20-40% of patients with diabetes mellitus, and patients with diabetic nephropathy require dialysis and renal transplantation. Traditional Chinese medicine has been widely used in treating patients with diabetic nephropathy in China. However, the detailed mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine remain unclear. Yiqi Yangyin Huayu Tongluo formula (ZY formula) is a traditional Chinese medicinal formula. Here, we demonstrated kidney protective effect of ZY formula on the rats with diabetic nephropathy. The therapeutic effect of ZY formula on the diabetic nephropathy was almost the same as that of Irbesartan, which proved to have excellent curative effects on diabetic nephropathy. We also demonstrated the mechanism of ZY formula effect on the diabetic nephropathy. First, we validated that the activation of ROS-JNK signaling pathway in diabetic rats could be reduced by ZY. Furthermore, collagen I expression could be downregulated by ZY formula treatment. Meanwhile, cell apoptosis in the kidney of diabetic rats could be alleviated by ZY formula.

[Study on differentially expressed proteins of effect of kudiezi injection on cerebral cortexin rats with cerebral ischemic stroke and heat toxin syndrome].

This study is to investigate the modulation of Kudiezi (KDZ) injection on differential protein expression in cerebral cortex of rats with cerebral ischemic stroke and heat toxin syndrome established by intraperitoneal injection of carrageenan and middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) methods. According to random number table rats were divided into three groups: drug group, model group and sham group. The tripheye tetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining and HE staining were used to observe brain tissue injury of rats. After therapeutic intervention with above drug for seventy-two hours, the level of differential protein expression was analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE). The results show that there are differential protein expressions between cerebral ischemic stroke and heat toxin syndrome rats and sham rats. Furthermore, as a Chinese medicine injection with effect of clearing heat, resolving toxin and dredging collaterals, KDZ injection can decrease alleviate morphological changes of cerebral ischemia, regulate the levels of some differential proteins expression.

Correlation between postoperative weight loss and diabetes mellitus remission: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This meta-analysis was conducted to determine the effect of percent excess weight loss (%EWL) after bariatric surgery on diabetes remission. METHODS: The Cochrane Library, PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, and CINAHL were searched. All reports on %EWL involving humans and published in English between 1 January 1992 and 1 September 2013 were included in the analysis. RESULTS: Eight studies involving 1,247 patients who underwent bariatric surgery were selected. %EWL was positively associated with remission rate (WMD = 11.15, 95 % CI: 6.73-15.56, p < 0.01) in the Caucasian population. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with extensive weight loss were more likely to achieve T2DM remission after bariatric surgery. Further randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with uniform remission criterion should be performed to provide more reliable evidence.

[Efficacy observation of treating early and midterm chronic renal failure patients by qi supplementing, collateral dredging, detoxifying, and turbidity descending recipe combined with basic methods of Western medicine].

OBJECTIVE: To observe therapeutic efficacy of treating early and midterm chronic renal failure (CRF) patients by qi supplementing, collateral dredging, detoxifying, and turbidity descending recipe (QSCDDTDR) combined with basic methods of Western medicine (WM). METHODS: Totally 160 early and midterm CRF patients were recruited from Hebei Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hebei Medical University from January 2007 to December 2011. They were randomly assigned to the treatment group and the control group, 80 in each group. On the basis of basic treatment of WM, QSCDDTDR was given to patients in the treatment group, while niaoduqing granule (NDQG) was given to those in the control group. After 12 months of treatment, the therapeutic efficacy, Chinese medicine (CM) symptom scores, serum creatinine (SCr), blood urine nitrogen (BUN), 24 h urine protein quantitation, hemoglobin (Hb), and the occurrence of end-point events were observed. RESULTS: The total effective rate in the treatment group was 77.6% (28/76), obviously higher than that in the control group [(58.1%, 43/74), P < 0.05]. After treatment the CM syndrome scores obviously decreased in the treatment group (18.3 +/- 5.3), obviously lower than before treatment (26.0 +/- 4.4) and the control group (22.4 +/- 4.9) (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The levels of SCr, BUN, and 24 h urine protein quantitation were (169.1 +/- 22.6) micromol/L, (10.4 +/- 2.0) mmol/L, (861.4 +/- 232.7) mg/24 h, respectively, in the treatment group after treatment, which were lower than before treatment [(204.1 +/- 27.7) micromol/L, (13.2 +/- 3.2) mmol/L, (1 287.5 +/- 442.3) mg/24 h, P < 0.01). The aforesaid indices were also improved in the control group after treatment (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The decrease in SCr, BUN, and 24 h urine protein quantitation after treatment was more obviously in the treatment group than in the control group [(185.8 +/- 23.9) micromol/L, (11.2 +/- 2.5) mmol/L, (1014.5 +/- 301.7) mg/24 h; P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The incidence rate of the end-point events was 10.53% (8/76) in the treatment group and 13.51% (10/74) in the control group, but with no statistical difference. CONCLUSION: QSCDDTDR combined with basic methods of WM showed better therapeutic efficacy in improving the renal function and reducing the level of urinary protein of the early and midterm CRF patients.

Relationship between urinary nephrin and urinary albumin changes in diabetic rats and effects of yiqiyangyinhuayutongluo recipe.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the dynamic changes of urinary nephrin, and the relationship between it and urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER) in a diabetic rat model, as well the effects of yiqiyangyinhuayutongluo recipe. METHODS: Diabetic model was induced by high fat diet combined with low-dose Streptozotocin (STZ) in rats. Normal group (NG), model group (MG), and yiqiyangyinhuayutongluo recipe treated group (YHTG) were set. Gastrointestinal Yiqiyangyi-nhuayutongluo recipe was administered once daily for 32 w. At the end of the 2nd w (2 w), 8 w, 16 w, and 32 w, fasting blood glucose (FBG), UAER and 24h urinary nephrin (U-nephrin) were detected. RESULTS: Compared with NG, FBG in MG increased notably (P < 0.05). Compared with MG, FBG of YHTG (P < 0.05) since 16 w. U-nephrin and UAER in MG increased significantly from 2 w, peaked at 16 w, lessened in different degree at 32 w, but were still higher than NG. The correlation analysis showed that there was a significant positive correlation between U-nephrin and UAER at different time, the correlation coefficient as r > 0.9, and P < 0.05. Compared with MG, U-nephrin and UAER in YHTG decreased markedly (P < 0.05) except for U-nephrin at 8 w. CONCLUSIONS: U-nephrin and UAER in diabetic rat model have a positive linear correlation. Yiqiyangyinhuayutongluo recipe can reduce UAER markedly, and preventing the lose of nephrin in urine maybe one of the mechanisms.

[Clinical observation of treating early diabetic nephropathy by qi supplementing, yin nourishing, blood stasis dispersing, collateral dredging recipe].

OBJECTIVE: To observe therapeutic effects of qi supplementing, yin nourishing, blood stasis dispersing, collateral dredging recipe (QYBCR) on early diabetic nephropathy (DN). METHODS: Seventy-eight early DN patients were randomly assigned to the treatment group (39 cases, treated by QYBCR) and the control group (39 cases, treated by irbesartan). The changes of the therapeutic efficacy, Chinese medicine syndrome scores, urine albumin excretion rate (UAER), serum creatinine (SCr), blood urine nitrogen (BUN), fasting blood glucose (FBG), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and the occurrence of end-point events were observed after one-year treatment. RESULTS: The total effective rate in treatment group was 83.8% (31/37 cases), which was obviously higher than that in control group (60.5%, 23/38 cases) (P < 0.05). After treatment the Chinese medicine syndrome scores were reduced significantly in the treatment group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and showed significant difference when compared with those in the control group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Levels of UAER, SCr, BUN, FBG, TC, and TG were (65. 78 +/- 9.67) microg/min, (93.20 +/- 12.99) micromol/L, (5.69 +/- 1.21) mmol/L, (6.14 +/- 1.47) mmol/L, (4. 85 +/- 0. 83) mmol/L, (1.46 +/- 0.81) mmol/L after treatment in treatment group. All of them decreased more significantly than before treatment [(161.03 +/- 20.01) microg/min, (101.11 +/- 14.33) micromol/L, (6.54 +/- 1.12) mmol/L, (9.27 +/- 2.32) mmol/L, (6. 19 +/- 2.13) mmol/L, (2. 70 +/- 1.86) mmol/L] (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The aforesaid indices were also improved in the control group after treatment (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The reduction of TC and TG after treatment in the treatment group was more significant [(5.58 +/- 1.57) mmol/L, (1.99 +/- 1.22) mmol/L] (P < 0.05). Besides, the incidence rate of end-point events (5.4%, 2/37) (1 year after the development of clinical DN) of the treatment group was slightly lower than that of the control group (10.5%, 4/38), but with no statistical difference. CONCLUSION: QYBCR combined with Western medicine-based treatment showed better therapeutic efficacy on early DN.

Excessive ATP hydrolysis in ischemic myocardium by mitochondrial F1F0-ATPase: effect of selective pharmacological inhibition of mitochondrial ATPase hydrolase activity.

Mitochondrial F(1)F(0)-ATPase normally synthesizes ATP in the heart, but under ischemic conditions this enzyme paradoxically causes ATP hydrolysis. Nonselective inhibitors of this enzyme (aurovertin, oligomycin) inhibit ATP synthesis in normal tissue but also inhibit ATP hydrolysis in ischemic myocardium. We characterized the profile of aurovertin and oligomycin in ischemic and nonischemic rat myocardium and compared this with the profile of BMS-199264, which only inhibits F(1)F(0)-ATP hydrolase activity. In isolated rat hearts, aurovertin (1-10 microM) and oligomycin (10 microM), at concentrations inhibiting ATPase activity, reduced ATP concentration and contractile function in the nonischemic heart but significantly reduced the rate of ATP depletion during ischemia. They also inhibited recovery of reperfusion ATP and contractile function, consistent with nonselective F(1)F(0)-ATPase inhibitory activity, which suggests that upon reperfusion, the hydrolase activity switches back to ATP synthesis. BMS-199264 inhibits F(1)F(0) hydrolase activity in submitochondrial particles with no effect on ATP synthase activity. BMS-199264 (1-10 microM) conserved ATP in rat hearts during ischemia while having no effect on preischemic contractile function or ATP concentration. Reperfusion ATP levels were replenished faster and necrosis was reduced by BMS-199264. ATP hydrolase activity ex vivo was selectively inhibited by BMS-199264. Therefore, excessive ATP hydrolysis by F(1)F(0)-ATPase contributes to the decline in cardiac energy reserve during ischemia and selective inhibition of ATP hydrolase activity can protect ischemic myocardium.