Relationship between Tissue Distributions of Modified Wuzi Yanzong Prescription () in Rats and Meridian Tropism Theory / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the relationship between tissue distributions of modified Wuzi Yanzong prescription (, MWP) in rats and meridian tropism theory.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A high-performance liquid chromatography with Fourier transform-mass spectrometry (HPLC-FT) method was used to identify the metabolites of MWP in different tissues of rats after continued oral administration of MWP for 7 days. The relationship between MWP and meridian tropism theory was studied according to the tissue distributions of the metabolites of MWP in rats and the relevant literature.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Nineteen metabolites, mainly flavanoid compounds, were detected in the different rat tissues and classified to each herb in MWP. Further, it was able to establish that the tissue distributions of the metabolites of MWP were consistent with the descriptions of meridian tropism of MWP available in literature, this result might be useful in clarifying the mechanism of MWP on meridian tropism. In the long run, these data might provide scientific evidence of the meridian tropism theory to further promote the reasonable, effective utilization, and modernization of Chinese medicine.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The tissue distributions of MWP in vivo were consistent with the descriptions of meridian tropism of MWP.</p>

Study of effect of Humifuse Euphorbia Herb on alleviating insulin resistance in type 2 diabetic model KK-Ay mice / 中国中药杂志

[To explore the effect of Humifuse Euphorbia Herb ( HEH) on alleviating insulin resistance in type 2 diabetic KK-Ay mice. Totally 40 KK-Ay mice fed with high-fat diet were divided into four groups: the metformin group, the model group, the HEH low-dose group and the HEH high-dose group, and orally administrated with metformin hydrochloride (250 mg x kg(-1)), distilled water, humifuse euphorbia herb 1 g x kg(-1) and 2 g x kg(-1). Besides, C57BL/6J mice with ordinary feed were taken as the normal control group and orally administrated with equal distilled water. The oral administration for the five groups lasted for eight weeks. Before and after the experiment, weight, fasting glucose and insulin tolerance were determined. The morphological changes in pancreas were observed through hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining on pancreatic tissue sections. The serum insulin, TNF-α, IL-6, adiponectin (ADPN) and leptin (LEP) were detected by ELISA. The results showed that HEH could reduce weight and fasting glucose in KK-Ay mice, alleviate hyperinsulinemia, reduce blood glucose-time AUC, increase 30-min blood glucose decline rate, relieve insulin resistance, significantly ameliorate the pathomorphological changes in pancreas in each group, decrease serum TNF-α, IL-6 and leptin levels in KK-Ay mice and rise serum ADPN level. This study proved that humifuse euphorbia herb can ameliorate the insulin resistance in KK-Ay mice, and its mechanism may be related to the effect on inflammatory factors and adipocytokines.

A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study of Pu'er tea extract on the regulation of metabolic syndrome / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the regulative efficacy of Pu'er tea () extract on metabolic syndrome.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Ninety patients with metabolic syndrome were randomly divided into two groups, the intervention group administered with Pu'er tea extract, and the placebo group with placebo capsules. After 3 months' treatment, body mass index, waist hip ratio, blood lipids, blood sugar, immune and inflammatory index, and oxidation index of the patients with metabolic syndrome were tested and analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the intervention group, the body mass index, waist-hip ratio, fasting and 2 h postprandial blood glucose, serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, low density lipoprotein and apolipoprotein B-100 all decreased in the patients with metabolic syndrome, and also the high-density lipoprotein level increased and apolipoprotein A-1 showed the tendency to increase. Serum C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-6 were decreased in the intervention group. Interleukin-10 level was increased, MDA was decreased and superoxide dismutase was increased. Compared with before treatment and the placebo group, there were significant differences (P<0.05, P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Pu'er tea demonstrated excellent potential in improving central obesity, adjusting blood lipid, lowering blood sugar, regulating immunity and resisting oxidation. It can adjust the metabolic syndrome of different clinical phenotypes to different degrees, and is ideally fit for early prevention of metabolic syndrome.</p>

Study on anti-tumor effect of dry and fresh Gekko swinhonis freeze-dried powders on mice sarcoma S180 and acute toxicity testing of two powders / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the anti-tumor activity of dry Gekko swinhonis freeze-dried powder (DGFP) and fresh G. swinhonis freeze-dried powder (FGFP) on mice sarcoma S180 and acute toxicity testing of the two powders.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Mice xenotransplant model of sarcoma S180 was established. Eighty mice were randomly divided into 8 groups. Control group were orally administrated by saline, another intraperitoneally injected with 5-Fu, the other six groups were orally administrated by DGFP and FGFP, each at three different doses (low, moderate and high). Rate of restraining tumor, index of thymus and spleen were calculated after 10 days' treatment. Acute toxicity testing tried to figure out LDs and LD, of DGFP and FGFP.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The restraining tumor rates of DGFP and FGFP each at three doses were 31.4%, 50.8%, 37.7% and 14.8%, 19.1%, 54.7%. DGFP and FGFP elevated the thymic weight and thymic index of the mice to different extent. There were no significant differences among the eight groups in their spleen weight and spleen index. Acute toxicity testing did not figure out LD50 of DGFP and FGFP. In LD0 test, the administrating dosages of DGFP and FGFP given to the mice were both more than 2000 times than those given to patients on clinic. The result showed nothing abnormal in DGFP group. Compared with the DGFP and control group there was only a significant body weight decrease (P < 0.01) in the FGFP group in the first three days. However, on the fifth day and the seventh day there was no significant difference.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>DGFP and FGFP have conspicuous anti-tumor effects in vivo. The mechanism may be related to the elevated cellular immune function. Acute toxicity testing reveals that DGFP and FGFP are quite safe for conventional oral use on clinic.</p>

Effect of modified wuzi yanzong granule on patients with mild cognitive impairment from oxidative damage aspect / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effects of modified Wuzi Yanzong Granule (WYG) on memory function and the activity of serum superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, leukocyte mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) deletion rate and beta-amyloid protein(1-28) (A beta(1-28)) in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-six patients with MCI were selected based on the internationally recognized Petersen's criteria, and equally and randomly assigned to two groups. The treated group was treated with WYG and the control group was treated with placebo for 3 months. In addition, 20 healthy subjects were included in the study as the normal control group. Changes of memory function, SOD activity, MDA content, leukocyte mtDNA deletion rate and A beta(1-28) content were observed before and after treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the normal control group, the memory quotient and SOD activity in patients with MCI decreased significantly (P < 0.01), while MDA, A beta(1-28) levels and the leukocyte mtDNA deletion rate increased significantly (P < 0.01). After treatment, levels of memory quotient and serum SOD activity increased while the serum MDA level, leukocyte mtDNA deletion rate and A beta(1-28) level decreased in the treated group compared with those before treatment (P<0.01, P<0.05). Meanwhile, leukocyte mtDNA deletion rate and A beta(1-28) content in the treated group were all lower than those in the control group (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>WYG could improve memory function in patients with MCI and the therapeutic mechanism is possibly related to the increased activity of anti-oxidase, the improved free radical metabolism and the alleviation of leukocyte mtDNA oxidation damage. WYG shows clinical significance in delaying the progression of MCI.</p>

Effects of modified Wuzi Yanzong Granule on memory ability and volume of hippocampus measured by MRI in patients with mild cognitive impairment / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effect of modified Wuzi Yanzong Granule (WYG) on memory ability and volume of hippocampus measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>According to the international accepted diagnostic criteria, 36 MCI patients were selected and randomly assigned to two groups equally, the treated group treated with WYG and the control group with placebo, with a course of 3 months for both groups. Besides, 20 healthy subjects were selected as the normal group. The changes of memory ability were observed and the volume of hippocampus was detected by MRI before and after treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Memory quotient (MQ) was significantly lower in MCI patients than in healthy subjects (P < 0.01), after treatment it increased in the treated group as compared with that before treatment (P < 0.01), and the increment was higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05); the volume of hippocampus, total or that of either side, as well as the increment of the total volume of hippocampus in the treated group were all higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>WYG could improve memory ability in MCI patients and could prevent and treat the hippocampal atrophy to certain degree.</p>

Clinical study on treatment of mild cognitive impairment by modified wuzi yanzong granule / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the clinical efficacy and safety of modified Wuzi Yanzong Granule (MWYG) in treating mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and to explore its mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty-four MCI patients were selected referring to the international recognized Peterson's criteria and randomly divided into two groups, the treated group treated with MWYG and the control group treated with Ginkgo leaf extraction, with the course of 3 months for both groups. Changes of memorial quotient (MQ), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) deletion rate and acetylcholinesterase (AchE) before and after treatment were observed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After treatment, levels of MQ, serum SOD activity increased and serum MDA content, mtDNA deletion rate and AchE decreased in both groups (P < 0.01), but the difference between the two groups was insignificant. No adverse reaction was found in two groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Both MWYG and Ginkgo leaf capsule can effectively improve the memorial function of patients with MCI, the therapeutic mechanism is possibly related with the actions in reducing AchE activity, improving free radical metabolism, and alleviating mitochondrial DNA oxidation damage.</p>

Effect of wuzi yanzong Pill on mitochondrial DNA deletion and respiratory chain enzyme complex activity in peripheral leukocyte of aged male with kidney deficiency syndrome / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of Wuzi Yanzong Pill (WZYZP) on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) deletion and respiratory chain enzyme complex (RCZC) in peripheral blood leukocyte of aged male with Kidney Deficiency Syndrome (KDS).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Single-blinded study was conducted in 38 aged male with KDS, who were randomly divided into 2 groups treated with WZYZP and placebo respectively for 3 months. Levels of mtDNA deletion and RCZC were determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and enzyme kinetics technique respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>WZYZP could reduce the mtDNA deletion and raise the activity of mitochondrial RCZC I, IV in peripheral blood leukocyte of aged male with KDS (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>WZYZP has protective effect on mtDNA from oxidative damage in leukocyte of aged male with KDS.</p>