Preclinical evidence and possible mechanisms of ß-asarone for rats and mice with Alzheimer's disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Currently, there are many different drugs to improve Alzheimer's disease (AD) from different pathways. As a supplement and alternative medicine, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) targets multiple pathways which may be different from classical Western medicine, which may be orchestrated with Western medicine to materialize multiplying efficacy in AD patients. Objective: To investigate the therapeutic effect and assess the available preclinical evidence and possible mechanisms of ß-asarone which was extracted from Acorus gramineus Soland (Araceae, AGS) for AD based on rat and mouse animal models. Methods: PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane Library, BIOSIS Previews, Web of Science, EBSCO, and Google Scholar were searched from inception to 5 May 2022. Rat and mouse experiments assessing the therapeutic effects of ß-asarone for AD were included. Primary outcomes were neuroethology, including escape latency and times of crossing platform. Second outcomes were cell apoptosis, including Bax and Bcl-2. The weighted mean difference (WMD) was generated for continuous variables. The relative outcomes were analyzed with the aid of Get Data Graph Digitizer 2.26 and software STATA version 16.0 MP. Results: For the primary endpoint, compared with the modeling group, ß-asarone significantly decreased the escape latency (WMD = -12.61, 95% CI: -18.66 to -6.57) and increased the times of crossing platform (WMD = 1.50, 95% CI: 0.31-2.70). For the secondary endpoint, ß-asarone remarkably reduced the relative expression of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) (WMD = -2.25, 95% CI: -2.49 to -2.01), decreased the expression of the apoptosis-related protein, associated X protein (Bax) (WMD = -2.40, 95% CI: -3.51 to -1.29), lowered the expression of apoptosis-related protein, B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) (WMD = 0.42, 95% CI: 0.38-0.46), and decreased the signal pathway-related proteins, phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) (WMD = -0.70, 95% CI: -0.93 to -0.47) over the control group. Conclusion: ß-asarone spectacularly improved the learning ability and memory in rats and mice, which might be correlated with its potential neuroprotective effect through multiple signaling pathways.

Therapeutic effect of okra extract on gestational diabetes mellitus rats induced by streptozotocin.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of okra extract on gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) rats and its probable molecular mechanism. METHODS: A total of 30 female SD rats were caged with male rats for pregnancy, 27 pregnant rats were obtained and weighed. The pregnant rats were equally randomized into the control group, GDM group and intervention group. Once the pregnancy was verified, GDM group and intervention group were given 45 mg/kg streptozotocin by peritoneal injection for inducing GDM, control group was given equal volume of citrate buffer. Once the model was established successfully, intervention group was administered orally the solution containing 200 mg/kg/d okra extract, the other groups were given the diet and water only. On the 19th day of pregnancy, the blood samples and fetal rats of all groups were collected, fetal rats weight and placental weight was recorded and the serum glucose, lipids, serum insulin and C-peptide of pregnant rats before the delivery were determined. RESULTS: The pregnant rats weight before the delivery, fetal rats weight and placental weight of GDM group were lower than control group and intervention group (P < 0.05). After the treatment of okra extract, serum glucose and lipids levels of intervention group were both improved significantly (P < 0.05), especially, the FBG, HDL, FINS, serum m insulin and hepatic glycogen levels were equivalent to control group (P > 0.05). Antioxidant enzymes levels of GDM group in liver and pancreas tissues were lower than the other groups, and after treatment of okra extract, antioxidant enzymes levels in liver and pancreas tissues were equivalent to control group (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Okra extract, rich in antioxidant substances, could avoid the excessive consuming of antioxidant enzymes, then, suppresses the oxidative stress and insulin resistance, thereby improving blood glucose level of GDM rats.

Efficacy and prognosis analysis in 188 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia of China / 中华儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the therapeutic effect and the influencing factors of event-free survival (EFS) of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in Xiangya Hospital of Central South University and the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>All the patients adopted chemotherapy according to therapeutic guideline revised by the Subspecialty Group of Hematology, The Society of Pediatrics, Chinese Medical Association for the second-time in 1998 (the Rongcheng ALL-98 Protocol). Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate the survival rates of 188 patients who received therapy with good compliance. The differences of EFS between groups were assessed by Log-rank test. The independent influencing factors on EFS were analyzed by the Cox proportional hazards regression model.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After receiving inductive treatment, 354 of 374 (93.6%) patients demonstrated a complete remission; 188 patients who received complete courses of treatment with good compliance showed (68.1 +/- 5.6)% five-year EFS. Meanwhile, the five-year EFS in standard-risk (SR) group and high-risk (HR) group were (75.2 +/- 6.0)% and (47.6 +/- 11.6)%, respectively. The total relapse rate was 10.6% and the median time to relapse was 13 months. Twenty-nine of 188 patients (15.4%) were dead, and 13 patients (7.0%) died from treatment-related complications. Independent adverse prognostic factors included risk grouping, t (9; 22)/bcr-abl gene and leukocyte count.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The total EFS of childhood ALL patients treated with Rongcheng ALL-98 Protocol in two hospitals was close to 70%. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate risk factors and consider the grouping in more detail to reduce the treatment-related mortality and to increase the compliance of treatment which can ultimately improve the EFS.</p>

Analysis the Factors of Autism Etiopathogenisis in Children / 实用儿科临床杂志

Objective To analyze the relationship between autism children and their familial factors,perinatal period high risk factors,blood lead level.Methods Familial factors,perinatal period high risk factors were investigated by autism risk factors questionnaire on 35 autism children diagnosed by diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorder(DSM-Ⅳ,4th ed) and 35 age and sex-matched healthy children;blood lead level were detected by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry.Results Maternal drug-taken history in pregnancy,neonatal asphyxia,neonatal jaundice and other factors were significantly related to children autism(Pa