The protective effect of Yi-Qi-Yang-Yin-Ye, a compound of traditional Chinese herbal medicine in diet-induced obese rats.

The present study was undertaken to determine the effect of Yi-Qi-Yang-Yin-Ye (Y-Q-Y-Y-Y), a compound of Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine, on insulin resistance (IR) in the diet-induced obese rat model induced by intravenous injection with a low dose of streptozotocin and fed a high fat and high caloric diet. Y-Q-Y-Y-Y (2, 4, 8 g/kg) was administered via gavage daily for 4 weeks. The results showed that Y-Q-Y-Y-Y treatment decreased the levels of body weight, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), free fatty acid (FFA), insulin (INS) and fast blood glucose (FBG) and increased the level of high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) in the diet-induced obese rats. Glucose tolerance was improved in the diet-induced obese rats treated with Y-Q-Y-Y-Y as well as GIR (glucose infusion rate) in the hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp experiment compared to the model control rats (p < 0.01). Moreover, treatment with Y-Q-Y-Y-Y up-regulated glycogen contents in both liver and skeletal muscle and increased insulin receptor amounts on the erythrocytes surface as assessed by using (125)I-labeled auto-antibodies against insulin receptors. Taken together, our data suggested that Yi-Qi-Yang-Yin-Ye ameliorates insulin resistance in the diet-induced obese rats.

[Study on antioxidant activity of pigment of Lycium ruthenicum].

OBJECTIVE: To elvaulate the antioxidant activity of the pigment of Lycium ruthenicum. METHOD: The antioxidant activities were measured by the effects of the reducing ability, scavenging DPPH. H2O2-induced hemolysis of mice erythrocyte, serum resistance of reactive oxygen species, content of MDA in liver tissue, and swelling effect of mitochondria in liver tissue. RESULT: The pigment of L. ruthenicum could scaveng DPPH* remarkably with IC50 0.164 mg x mL(-1), inhibitte hemolysis of mice erythrocyte evidently with IC50 0.112 mg x mL(-1). The resistant of reactive oxygen species was enhanced by the tested substances, simultanously. The concentration of MDA of peroxidation of lipid in mice liver could be reduced, and the swelling of mice liver mitochondria alse be restrained. CONCLUSION: The pigment of L. ruthenicum has antioxidant activity in tested concentration.

[Effect of flavonoids from Hippophae rhamniodes residues on blood lipoid metabolism and antioxidative activity in climacteric rats].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of flavonoids from seed residues of Hippophae rhamnoides (FH) on the lipid metabolism and antioxidative activity in climacteric rats. METHOD: Menopausal rats with aging were used in this experiment. The rats were fed with FH by gastrogavage for 13 weeks. The effect of drug on the lipid metabolism and the antioxidative activity were observed after the rats were killed. RESULT: Serum total cholesterol was decreased significantly in rats fed with FH, T-AOC and SOD in serum and liver were significantly higher than those in rats fed with water, and at the same time MDA was lower than that in rats fed with water. CONCLUSION: FH can improve the climacteric rats' lipid metabolism, and enhance the antioxidation in climacteric rats.

[Inhibitory effects of saponins from Tribulus terrestris on alpha-glucosidase in small intestines of rats].

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of saponins from Tribulus terrestris (STT) on small intestinal a-glucosidase and postprandial blood glucose levels in rats. METHOD: The inhibitory effects of STT on a-glucosidase extracted from small intestines in rats were carried out in vitro. The blood glucose levels were measured after 60 min when sucrose (2 g x kg(-1)) or glucose (2 g x kg(-1)) was administered orally with STT (100 mg x kg(-1)). After treated with STT (100 mg x kg(-1)) for 14 d, the activities of a-glucosidase were determined daily, as well as the postprandial blood glucose levels after oraly administered sucrose (2 g x kg(-1)). RESULT: STT at concentrations of 0.1, 1 and 10 mg x mL(-1) reduced significantly the activities of alpha-glucosidase with inhibitory rates of (20.83 +/- 1.66)%, (43.73 +/- 2.39)% and (52.62 +/- 2.69)%, respectively. In facts STT (100 mg x kg(-1)) considerably decreased the blood glucose levels which was 52.61% of that of the control in rats co-administered orally with sucrose (2 g x kg(-1)). However, it showed no such effect on the rats co-administered orally with glucose (2 g x kg(-1)). After orally administered of STT for 14 d, the activity of alpha-glucosidase was significantly reduced (P < 0.05) to (58.17 +/- 3.24)% of that those in control. Meanwhile, The rats were oral administered with sucrose, the increase of postprandial blood glucose levels were (69.50 +/- 4.28)% of that in control 60 min later ( P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: It was through inhibiting the activity of a-glucosidase in small intestines that STT significantly retarded the increase in postprandial blood glucose levels in rats.

[Experimental study of saponins from Tribulus terrestris on renal carcinoma cell line].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of saponins from Tribulus terrestris (STT) on the renal carcinoma cell (786-0) in vitro, and inhibitory mechanisms. METHOD: Effects of SIT on the cytotoxicity, morphological changes of apoptosis, cell cycle and expression of Bcl-2 protein in the 786-0 were tested respectively by MTT method, Wright and acridine orange stain assay, as well as flow cytometry (FCM). RESULT: After the 786-0 was treated by STY, it was shown that: 1) A significant cytotoxic effect was observed by MTT assay; 2) Apoptosis-induced was viewed by Wright and acridine orange stain assay; 3) The distribution of 786-0 on S phase was increased; 4.) The expression of Bcl-2 protein and cyclin D1 was decreased. CONCLUSION: STT can significantly inhibit the growth of 786-0 in vitro, partially, by apoptosis.

[Changes in apoptosis-related genes expression profile in human breast carcinoma cell line Bcap-37 induced by flavonoids from seed residues of Hippophae Rhamnoides L].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Hippophae rhamnoides L. possesses functions of antioxidation and radioprotection. This study was designed to investigate changes in apoptosis-related genes expression profile in human breast carcinoma cell line Bcap-37 induced by flavonoids from seed residues of Hippophae rhamnoides L. (FHR) with cDNA microarray, and to explore possible mechanism of signal transduction on apoptosis. METHODS: Total RNA was extracted from Bcap-37 cells before and after treatment of FHR. Two cDNA probes, labeled by Cy3-dUTP or Cy5-dUTP fluorescent dyes, were synthesized via reverse transcription, and hybridized with a microarray contained 13 824 human 14K cDNA. Differential gene expression profiles of FHR group and control group were analyzed by Genespring software. RESULTS: After treatment of FHR, 305 genes were up-regulated, and 361 were down-regulated; 32 apoptosis-related genes were differentially expressed, and accounted for 0.23% of the total genes in cDNA microarray. Of the 32 apoptosis-related genes, 25 were up-regulated (average Ratio: 3.071), and 7 were down-regulated (average Ratio: 0.418). Bioinformatic analyses showed that the 32 genes, including CTNNB1, TSSC3, IGFBP4, IGFBP6, GADD34, TNFRSF10B, Caspase-9, and PCNA, related with apoptosis of Bcap-37 cells when treated with FHR. CONCLUSION: Apoptosis of Bcap-37 cells induced by FHR relates with various genes through co-regulating of intracellular and extracellular signal transduction pathways.

[Investigation on inhibitory and apoptosis-inducing effects of saponins from Tribulus terrestris on hepatoma cell line BEL-7402].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the inhibitory and apoptosis-inducing effects of saponins from Tribulus terrestris (STT) on liver cancer cell line BEL-7402. METHOD: MTT, SRB, Wright staining, acridine orange staining, flow cytometry, and Immunofluorescence microscopy were used to evaluate the effects of STT on BEL-7402 cell line. RESULT: SMT had potent inhibitory effect on BEL-7402 cell line in a concentration-dependent manner. BEL-7402 cells exibited typical morphological alteration of apoptosis when sub-G1 peak could be seen. The expression of Bcl-2 was decreased in STT treated cells as compared with untreated control cells. CONCLUSION: STT exerts its cytotoxic effect on BEL-7402 cells by inducing apoptosis.

[Study on purification of total flavonoids from seed residue of Hippophae rhamnoides with macroporous resin].

OBJECTIVE: To study the conditions and parameters of purifying total flavonoids from seed residue of H. rhamnoides. METHOD: Absorption capacity of three resins for total flavonoids was compared. With the yield and purity as indexes, the process of absorbing and purifying total flavonoids from seed residue with D101 macroporous resin absorbent was selected by orthogonal design. RESULT: The D101 resin was the best of the three resins and its absorption capacity was determined to be 63.00 mg x g(-1) wet resin. The optimum process condition was 30% ethanol as eluting solvent, wet resin vs crude herbs: 2:1, diameter vs height: 1:10, eluting solvent vs crude herbs: 10:1, absorbing time for 3 h. The yield of total flavonoids from seeds residue of H. rhamnoides by this process was 2.39%, and the purity reached 64.81%. CONCLUSION: The process is simple and convenient and the regeneration of resin is easy. So this method of purification is advisable.