[Effect of polymethoxylated flavonoids on glucose and lipid metabolism in rat model of obesity induced by a high-fat diet].

This study established a rat model of obesity by using a high-fat diet(HFD) to explore the effect of polymethoxylated flavonoids on glucose and lipid metabolism in the model rats and decipher the role and mechanism of polymethoxylated flavonoids in mitigating obesity. Thirty normal SD rats were selected and randomized into normal, model, ezetimibe(0.1 mg·kg~(-1)), and polymethoxylated flavonoids(62.5 mg·kg~(-1) and 125 mg·kg~(-1)) groups based on the body weight. Except the normal group receiving a conventional diet, the other groups received a HFD. Rats were administrated with corresponding doses of drugs by gavage. During the administration period, the body weight of each group of rats was regularly weighed, and the serum lipid and glucose levels were measured by a fully automated biochemical analyzer. Islet homeostasis and serum levels of obesity factors were measured by ELISA. The 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing was employed to study the gut microbiota. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was employed to observe the histomorphology of white fat, brown fat, and pancreas. After the wet weights of white fat and brown fat were measured, the organ index was calculated. Immunohistochemistry and Western blot were employed to determine the protein levels. The results showed that polymethoxylated flavonoids reduced the body weight and Lee's index and improved blood lipid levels of the model rats. Polymethoxylated flavonoids reduced blood glucose and insulin secretion, increased insulin responsiveness, and alleviated insulin resistance. In addition, polymethoxylated flavonoids regulated the serum levels of obesity factors and reduced the weights and indexes of white fat and brown fat, the diameter of white adipocytes, and the number of fat vacuoles in brown fat and pancreatic islet cells. The intervention with polymethoxylated flavonoids increased the diversity of gut microbiota in the model rats, increasing the beneficial bacteria associated with glucose and lipid metabolism and reduced the harmful bacteria at the genus level. In addition, polymethoxylated flavonoids up-regulated the protein levels of glucose transporter 4(GLUT4), phosphorylated AMP-activated protein kinase(p-AMPK), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1α(PGC-1α), and uncoupling protein 1(UCP1). In summary, polymethoxylated flavonoids may increase the body utilization of glucose and lipids by regulating the homeostasis of insulin, the serum levels of obesity factors, the diversity of gut microbiota, and the expression of mitochondrial metabolism-related proteins in brown adipocytes, thereby mitigating obesity in rats.

[Effect of Dendrobium officinale superfine powder on stomach Yin deficiency model mice induced by "spicy overeating"].

Dendrobium officinale is a traditional Chinese medicine for nourishing Yin and benefiting stomach. Its superfine powder has many advantages, such as good dissolution, high utilization rate, strong integrity and easy to use. However, the researches on effect of D. officinale superfine powder on stomach Yin deficiency model are still not sufficient. In this experiment, we explored the effect of D. officinale superfine powder in mice model with stomach Yin deficiency caused by "spicy overeating", and provided certain reference value for its application in gastrointestinal diseases. Male ICR mice were randomly divided into normal group, model group, Yiweitang group, omeprazole group, and D. officinale superfine powder high, medium and low dose groups. The mixture of wine and pepper liquid was given by gavage administration for 30 d, and the corresponding drug was given for 60 d while the model was conti-nued. The body weight, food intake, water intake, fecal moisture content and particle number, foot temperature of mice were measured. The levels of serum gastrin(Gas), motilin(MTL) and somatostatin(SS) were measured by ELISA. Gastric histomorpho-logy was observed by HE staining. The expression levels of nuclear factor kappa B(NF-κB) and cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2) were determined by immunohistochemistry. The expression levels of B-cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2) and Bcl-2 associated X protein(Bax) in gastric tissues were detected by Western blot. The results showed that D. officinale superfine powder could increase the food intake, water intake, fecal moisture content and particle number, reduce the foot temperature, improve the pathological changes of gastric mucosa, reduce the expression of NF-κB, COX-2 protein in gastric tissues, and increase the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2. D. officinale superfine powder can "nourish Yin and benefit the stomach", improve the syndrome of stomach Yin deficiency, such as "hunger but not want to eat, dry mouth but not want to drink, hand and feet hot, constipation", and reduce the damage of gastric mucosa. The mechanism may be related to regulating the secretion of gastrointestinal hormones, inhibiting the inflammation of gastric tissues and promoting the apoptosis of abnormal cells in gastric tissues.

[Improvement effect and mechanism of ethanol extract from Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium on triglyceride in hyperlipidemia model rat].

The aim of this paper was to study the improvement effect of ethanol extract from Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium(CRP) on triglyceride of hyperlipidemia model rats, and to explore the possible mechanism. SD rats were randomly divided into normal group, model group, positive control group, and high, medium and low-dose CRP ethanol extract groups, with 10 rats in each group. During the experiment, except for the normal group that was fed with distilled water and ordinary feed, rats in the other groups were given different concentrations of alcohol and fed with high-sugar and fat diets. All rats were given free diets. While being modeled, each group was administered with 0.01 mL·g~(-1) by gavage once a day for six weeks. Blood samples were collected after two weeks, four weeks and six weeks of drug treatment. After the completion of the experiment, blood, liver and adipose tissue were collected. Triglyceride(TG), alanine aminotransferase(ALT), aspartate aminotransferase(AST), alkaline phosphatase(ALP) in serum, TG in liver tissue and TG in fecal were detected. Free fatty acid(FFA) and triglyceride-related hydrolase, such as adipose tiglyceride lipase(ATGL), lipoprotein lipase(LPL), hepatic lipase(HL), hormone-sensitive triglyceride lipase(HSL) were detected by ELISA. The mRNA expressions of peroxisome proliferators-activated receptors(PPARγ), sterol regulatory element binding protein 1 c(SREBP-1 c) and farnesoid X receptor(FXR) were determined by RT-PCR. Compared with the model group, each administration group could reduce TG levels in serum and liver to varying degrees, reduce serum ALT, AST, ALP activities, significantly reduce free fatty acid content in serum, significantly increase triglyceride metabolism-related enzymes, including fat ATGL, LPL and liver HL content, and significantly reduced the content of fat HSL. According to the study of transcriptional regulation genes relating to triglyceride metabolism, extract from CRP could significantly increase the mRNA expressions of PPARγ and FXR. In conclusion, ethanol extract from CRP could ob-viously reduce the TG level of hyperlipidemia model rats, and might reduce plasma TG content by increasing PPARγ-LPL/ATGL and FXR-HL triglyceride hydrolysis pathways.

Item selection in the development of quality of life scale for nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: At present, the quality of life (QOL) of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients is assessed with the QOL scales for cancer patients or head and neck cancer patients (QLQ-C30, QLQ-H&N35, and so on), and SF-36 scale, but they are not specific scales for NPC patients. The specific scale for NPC patients (Scale of Quality of Life for Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, SQOL-NPC) has not been updated. This study was to develop a QOL scale (Quality of Life for Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, QOL-NPC) for NPC patients in China. METHODS: The pilot scale was formed according to the definition of QOL from WHO and based on interviews with some experts and patients. The data were collected from 433 NPC patients treated in Cancer Center of Sun Yat-sen University from January to February, 2007. The items were preliminarily screened, evaluated, and modified, then selected by the methods of coefficient of variation, correlation analysis, factor analysis, and reliability analysis (the internal consistency Cronbach's coefficients). RESULTS: QOL-NPC was developed and evaluated. The scale included 30 items in four domains: physical function (PH), psychological function (PS), social function (SF), and side effect (SE). CONCLUSION: The QOL-NPC scale might be an effective scale for NPC patients because it is consistent with the WHO definition and connotation of QOL, and contains common issues of NPC patients as well.