ABSTRACT
This study aimed to explore the characteristic role of Puerariae Lobatae Radix(PLR) in Gegen Decoction for the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea(PD). Estrogen(E_2) was combined with oxytocin to establish a mouse model of PD. The mice were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group, a Gegen Decoction group, a PLR-free Gegen Decoction group, a PLR group, and a positive drug group(ibuprofen). Writhing response times and writhing incubation of mice in each group were tested by behavio-ral assessment, and the serum levels of prostaglandin F_(2α)(PGF_(2α)), prostaglandin E_2(PGE_2), E_2, and progesterone(PROG) were detected by ELISA kits. Western blot method was adopted to detect cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2) and estrogen receptor alpha(ER_α) expression levels in uterine tissues. Doppler ultrasound was employed to detect changes in uterine artery blood flow in mice, including peak systolic blood flow velocity(maximum velocity), end-diastolic velocity(minimum velocity), peak systolic blood flow velocity/end-diastolic velocity(S/D), pulsatility index(PI), and resistive index(RI). Histopathological changes in the uterus were detected by HE staining. Based on the oxytocin-induced isolated uterine contraction model, the effects of Gegen Decoction, PLR-free Gegen Decoction, and PLR on the amplitude, frequency, and activity of isolated uterine contraction were compared to investigate the role of PLR in Gegen Decoction for the treatment of PD. The results showed that compared with the Gegen Decoction group, the PLR-free Gegen Decoction improved the indicators of PD except for E_2 content, ER_α expression, and uterine artery blood flow. PLR could significantly down-regulate the serum content of E_2 and the protein expression of uterine ER_α, and improve the uterine artery blood flow. The data suggested that PLR, as the sovereign drug of Gegen Decoction, might function in Gegen Decoction for the treatment of PD by mediating E_(2 )and improving the uterine artery blood flow.
Subject(s)
Animals , Humans , Mice , Drugs, Chinese Herbal , Dysmenorrhea/drug therapy , Plant Roots , Pueraria , UterusABSTRACT
In recent years, TCM treatment for malignant tumors has gotten more and more attention. This article mainly introduced the theoretical basis of the warming-settling method for the treatment of malignant tumors, and confirms the effectiveness of it through the observation of the improvement of clinical symptoms patients combined with medical cases. It showed the effectiveness of warming-settling method for the treatment of malignant tumors, and provided references for TCM treatment of malignant tumors.
ABSTRACT
In order to explore the anti-aging effect of baicalein, female Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism was used to study the effects of baicalein on natural aging model and aging models induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and paraquat. The bioinformatics approach was used to predict the possible target for the anti-aging activity of baicalein, and the target pathways were identified. The oxidative stress pathway was a focus in experiment. Baicalein at concentrations of 0.04 mg·mL-1 and 0.2 mg·mL-1 extended the mean and maximum lifespans in the natural aging model, and effectively reduced the damages of oxidative stress by H2O2 and paraquat. 31 senescence-related targets together with the oxidative stress pathway were modulated by baicalein. The experiments revealed that baicalein might delay aging process through attenuation of the oxidative stress response by decreasing the reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) in Drosophila melanogaster.
ABSTRACT
As a model organism, Drosophila melanogaster has the characteristics of short life cycle, high fecundity and high gene conservation. At present, Drosophila melanogaster has been widely used in the studies of pharmacology and pathogenesis, including aging, neurodegenerative disease, insomnia, tumor and other fields, which show potential values in accelerating the speed of drug screening and target discovery. In this paper, the advantages of Drosophila as a model organism, the applications and limitations of Drosophila in pharmacological studies were reviewed.
ABSTRACT
Objective To explore the influence of high fat diet on learning and memory,as well as the alteration of the number of neurons and morphology of dendritic spines in rat hippocampi.Methods 24 male adult SD rats were randomly assigned to high fat diet group or control group.The rats were fed with high-fat diet or standaM laboratory rodent chow diet for 12 weeks.Learning and memory were tested by Morris water maze and object recognition tests, and mood and motor ability were tested by open field tests.Golgi staining detected dendritic spine density of hippocampal neurons, and Nissl staining was used to observe the number of hippocampal neurons and pathological changes.Results High-fat diet induced rat spatial learning deficits, which was demonstrated by the prolonged escape latency ((38.50±9.70) s, (20.08±7.35) s, (19.96± 10.56) s, (22.75± 12.51) s, (14.56±4.82) s) compared with the control ((33.61±12.41) s, (14.25±7.89) s, (15.06±7.59) s, (5.53±2.81) s, (4.7± 1.58) s).The spatial memory deficits demonstrated that the latency reaching platform ((30.46± 21.43) s) was prolonged compared with control ((5.18± 1.33)s).The working memory was impaired, which was demonstrated by the prolonged escape latency compared with control group (P＜ 0.05).Discrimination index lowered than control group ((0.67±0.12) vs (0.81±0.08)), and the difference was significant (P=0.038), but no anxiety behaviors were observed(P=0.461).The neuron number of hippocampal neurons and dendritic spine density were significantly lowered than those in the control group((209.73±24.29) vs (262.2±18.94), (17.9±2.84) vs (21.93±2.56) ,respectively) (P＜0.05).Conclusion Intake of high-fat diet can impair learning and memory in rats, as well as decrease the number of neurons and the density of dendritic spines in the hippocampus.