Does Cimicifuga racemosa have the effects like estrogen on the sublingual gland in ovariectomized rats?

BACKGROUND: Cimicifuga racemosa is one of the herbs used for the treatment of climacteric syndrome, and it has been cited as an alternative therapy to estrogen. Apart from hectic fevers, dyspareunia and so on, dry mouth also increase significantly after menopause. It has not yet been reported whether C. racemosa has any impact on the sublingual gland, which may relate to dry mouth. In an attempt to determine this, we have compared the effects of estrogen and C. racemosa on the sublingual gland of ovariectomized rats. RESULTS: HE staining showed that the acinar cell area had contracted and that the intercellular spaces were broadened in the OVX (ovariectomized rats) group, while treatment with estradiol (E2) and iCR (isopropanolic extract of C. racemosa) improved these lesions. Transmission electron microscopy showed that rough endoplasmic reticulum expansion in mucous and serous acinar epithelial cells and apoptotic cells was more commonly seen in the OVX group than in the SHAM (sham-operated rats) group. Mitochondria and plasma membrane infolding lesions in the striated ducts were also observed. These lesions were alleviated by both treatments. It is of note that, in the OVX + iCR group, the volume of mitochondria in the striated duct was larger than in other groups. Immunohistochemical staining showed that the ratio of caspase-3 positive cells was significantly increased in the acinar cells of the OVX group compared with the SHAM group (p < 0.05); and the MA (mean absorbance) of caspase-3 in the striated ducts also increased (p < 0.05). Estradiol decreased the ratio of caspase-3 positive cells and the MA of caspase-3 in striated ducts significantly (p < 0.05). ICR also reduced the ratio of caspase-3 positive cells and the MA in the striated ducts (p < 0.05), but the reduction of the MA in striated ducts was inferior to that of the OVX + E2 group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Both estradiol and iCR can inhibit subcellular structural damage, and down-regulate the expression of caspase-3 caused by ovariectomy, but their effects were not identical, suggesting that both drugs confer a protective effect on the sublingual gland of ovariectomized rats, but that the specific location and mechanism of action producing these effects were different.

The lymphatic drainage systems in the brain: a novel target for ischemic stroke?

Recent studies have proposed three lymphatic drainage systems in the brain, that is, the glymphatic system, the intramural periarterial drainage pathway, and meningeal lymphatic vessels, whose roles in various neurological diseases have been widely explored. The glymphatic system is a fluid drainage and waste clearance pathway that utilizes perivascular space and aquaporin-4 protein located in the astrocyte endfeet to provide a space for exchange of cerebrospinal fluid and interstitial fluid. The intramural periarterial drainage pathway drives the flow of interstitial fluid through the capillary basement membrane and the arterial tunica media. Meningeal lymphatic vessels within the dura mater are involved in the removal of cerebral macromolecules and immune responses. After ischemic stroke, impairment of these systems could lead to cerebral edema, accumulation of toxic factors, and activation of neuroinflammation, while restoration of their normal functions can improve neurological outcomes. In this review, we summarize the basic concepts of these drainage systems, including drainage routes, physiological functions, regulatory mechanisms, and detection technologies. We also focus on the roles of lymphatic drainage systems in brain injury after ischemic stroke, as well as recent advances in therapeutic strategies targeting these drainage systems. These findings provide information for potential novel strategies for treatment of stroke.

Qian-Zheng-San promotes regeneration after sciatic nerve crush injury in rats.

Qian-Zheng-San, a traditional Chinese prescription consisting of Typhonii Rhizoma, Bombyx Batryticatus, Scorpio, has been found to play an active therapeutic role in central nervous system diseases. However, it is unclear whether Qian-Zheng-San has therapeutic value for peripheral nerve injury. Therefore, we used Sprague-Dawley rats to investigate this. A sciatic nerve crush injury model was induced by clamping the right sciatic nerve. Subsequently, rats in the treatment group were administered 2 mL Qian-Zheng-San (1.75 g/mL) daily as systemic therapy for 1, 2, 4, or 8 weeks. Rats in the control group were not administered Qian-Zheng-San. Rats in sham group did not undergo surgery and systemic therapy. Footprint analysis was used to assess nerve motor function. Electrophysiological experiments were used to detect nerve conduction function. Immunofluorescence staining was used to assess axon counts and morphological analysis. Immunohistochemical staining was used to observe myelin regeneration of the sciatic nerve and the number of motoneurons in the anterior horn of the spinal cord. At 2 and 4 weeks postoperatively, the sciatic nerve function index, nerve conduction velocity, the number of distant regenerated axons and the axon diameter of the sciatic nerve increased in the Qian-Zheng-San treatment group compared with the control group. At 2 weeks postoperatively, nerve fiber diameter, myelin thickness, and the number of motor neurons in the lumbar spinal cord anterior horn increased in the Qian-Zheng-San treatment group compared with the control group. These results indicate that Qian-Zheng-San has a positive effect on peripheral nerve regeneration.

Pifithrin-alpha reduces cerebral vasospasm by attenuating apoptosis of endothelial cells in a subarachnoid haemorrhage model of rat.

BACKGROUND: The mechanism of cerebral vasospasm following subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) is not understood. Here, we hypothesized that apoptosis of endothelial cells induced by p53 and its target gene em dash p53 upregulated modulator of apoptosis (PUMA) played an important role in development of cerebral vasospasm. We also observed the effects of a p53 inhibitor, pifithrin-alpha (PFT-alpha), on reducing the expression of p53 and PUMA, consequently decreasing the apoptosis of endothelial cells and alleviating cerebral vasospasm. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 300-350 g were randomly divided into five groups: a control group (sham surgery), a SAH group, a SAH+dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) group, a SAH + PFT-alpha (0.2 mg/kg) group and a SAH + PFT-alpha (2.0 mg/kg) group. PFT-alpha was injected intraperitoneally immediately after SAH. Rats were sacrificed 24 hours after SAH. Western blot and immunohistochemical staining were used to detect the levels of p53, PUMA and caspase-3 protein. In addition, mortality and neurological scores were assessed for each group. Statistical significance was assured by analysis of variance performed in one way ANOVA followed by the Tukey test. The neurological and mortality scores were analyzed by Dunn's method and Fisher exact test, respectively. RESULTS: After SAH, Western blot and immunohistochemical staining showed the levels of p53, PUMA and caspase-3 in the endothelial cells and the numbers of TdT mediated dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL) positive endothelial cells were all significantly increased in the basilar arteries (P<0.05), but significantly reduced by PFT-alpha (P<0.05). These changes were accompanied by increasing diameters and declining wall thickness of basilar arteries (P<0.05), as well as reduced mortality and neurological deficits of the rats (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: PFT-alpha could protect cerebral vessels from development of vasospasm and improve neurological outcome as well as reduce the mortality via suppressing apoptosis induced by p53 in the endothelial cells of cerebral vessels.

Chitin biological absorbable catheters bridging sural nerve grafts transplanted into sciatic nerve defects promote nerve regeneration.

AIMS: To investigate the efficacy of chitin biological absorbable catheters in a rat model of autologous nerve transplantation. METHODS: A segment of sciatic nerve was removed to produce a sciatic nerve defect, and the sural nerve was cut from the ipsilateral leg and used as a graft to bridge the defect, with or without use of a chitin biological absorbable catheter surrounding the graft. The number and morphology of regenerating myelinated fibers, nerve conduction velocity, nerve function index, triceps surae muscle morphology, and sensory function were evaluated at 9 and 12 months after surgery. RESULTS: All of the above parameters were improved in rats in which the nerve graft was bridged with chitin biological absorbable catheters compared with rats without catheters. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that use of chitin biological absorbable catheters to surround sural nerve grafts bridging sciatic nerve defects promotes recovery of structural, motor, and sensory function and improves muscle fiber morphology.

Huge giant cell tumor of the sacrum: A case report.

The current report describes the case of a 29-year-old female with a sacral giant cell tumor (GCT) during pregnancy. Originally, the patient presented with severe pain in the lumbosacral region, radiating posterolaterally from the lumbar spine into the bilateral thigh and subsequently, into the bilateral crus posterolaterally. Plain X-rays, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging showed osteolytic destruction of the sacrococcygeal bones and a huge soft-tissue mass with features of a chordoma. The patient underwent a partial en bloc sacrectomy (partial S1 and completely below) and curettage for tumors located at the sacroiliac joint and underlying left ilium, with bilateral internal iliac arteries ligated to control intraoperative hemorrhage. The patient's bilateral S2 nerve roots were killed. The diagnosis of conventional GCT was determined based on the histopathological examination of the resected specimen. Urinary and bowel functions were recovered by exercising.

Expression of NF-κB and osteopontin of synovial fluid of patients with knee osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the significance of osteopontin and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) expression in patients with knee osteoarthritis. METHODS: RT-PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were used to measure the Osteopontin (OPN) and NF-κB concentration of knee joint synovial fluid of patients with knee osteoarthritis and trauma fractures, and analyze the relationship between the expressiones of them. RESULTS: OPN and NF-κB expression at the mRNA and protein levels of patients with knee osteoarthritis were significantly higher than the control group. the result showed statistical significance (P<0.05). There was a positive correlation between the OPN levels in synovial fluid of patients with knee osteoarthritis and NF-κB expression levels (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The high expression of OPN and NF-κB are closely related to occurrence and development of knee osteoarthritis.

Does Cimicifuga racemosa have the effects like estrogen on the sublingual gland in ovariectomized rats?

BACKGROUND: Cimicifuga racemosa is one of the herbs used for the treatment of climacteric syndrome, and it has been cited as an alternative therapy to estrogen. Apart from hectic fevers, dyspareunia and so on, dry mouth also increase significantly after menopause. It has not yet been reported whether C. racemosa has any impact on the sublingual gland, which may relate to dry mouth. In an attempt to determine this, we have compared the effects of estrogen and C. racemosa on the sublingual gland of ovariectomized rats. RESULTS: HE staining showed that the acinar cell area had contracted and that the intercellular spaces were broadened in the OVX (ovariectomized rats) group, while treatment with estradiol (E2) and iCR (isopropanolic extract of C. racemosa) improved these lesions. Transmission electron microscopy showed that rough endoplasmic reticulum expansion in mucous and serous acinar epithelial cells and apoptotic cells was more commonly seen in the OVX group than in the SHAM (sham-operated rats) group. Mitochondria and plasma membrane infolding lesions in the striated ducts were also observed. These lesions were alleviated by both treatments. It is of note that, in the OVX + iCR group, the volume of mitochondria in the striated duct was larger than in other groups. Immunohistochemical staining showed that the ratio of caspase-3 positive cells was significantly increased in the acinar cells of the OVX group compared with the SHAM group (p < 0.05); and the MA (mean absorbance) of caspase-3 in the striated ducts also increased (p < 0.05). Estradiol decreased the ratio of caspase-3 positive cells and the MA of caspase-3 in striated ducts significantly (p < 0.05). ICR also reduced the ratio of caspase-3 positive cells and the MA in the striated ducts (p < 0.05), but the reduction of the MA in striated ducts was inferior to that of the OVX + E2 group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Both estradiol and iCR can inhibit subcellular structural damage, and down-regulate the expression of caspase-3 caused by ovariectomy, but their effects were not identical, suggesting that both drugs confer a protective effect on the sublingual gland of ovariectomized rats, but that the specific location and mechanism of action producing these effects were different.