Effects of fast-twisting long-retaining acupuncture therapy on apoptosis and expression of related proteins in vestibular nucleus in rats with vertigo induced by posterior circulation ischemia / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the effects of fast-twisting long-retaining (FTLR) acupuncture therapy on apoptosis of vestibular nucleus and expression of Caspase-3, Bcl-2 and Bax in rats with vertigo induced by posterior circulation ischemia.@*METHODS@#A total of 70 healthy SD rats were randomly divided into a sham operation group, a model group, a medication group, a regular acupuncture group and a FTLR acupuncture group, 14 rats in each group. The rats in the model group, medication group, regular acupuncture group and FTLR acupuncture group were intervented with surgical ligation of the right common carotid artery (CCA) and the right subclavian artery (SCA) to establish the model of vertigo induced by posterior circulation ischemia; in the sham operation group, the right CCA and the right SCA were separated without ligation. The rats in the medication group were treated with gavage of flunarizine hydrochloride suspension (10 mL/kg). "Baihui" (GV 20), "Shuaigu" (GB 8) and "Fengchi" (GB 20) were selected in the two acupuncture groups. The rats in the regular acupuncture group were treated with routine acupuncture and the needles were retained for 30 min, while the rats in the FTLR acupuncture group were treated with quick twist (200-300 times/min) for 1 min and the needles were retained for 60 min. The rats in the sham operation group and the model group received no intervention. All the intervention was provided once a day for 10 days. The decline rate of local blood flow in vestibular nucleus was observed; the apoptosis of vestibular nucleus was observed by TUNEL method; the expression of Caspase-3, Bcl-2 and Bax proteins were detected by immunohistochemistry.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the sham operation group, the decline rate of local blood flow in the right vestibular nucleus was significantly increased in the model group (<0.01), and the apoptosis index (AI) of vestibular nucleus was significantly increased (<0.01). Compared with the model group, the decline rates of local blood flow in the right vestibular nucleus in the two acupuncture groups and medication group were significantly reduced (<0.01), and the AIs of vestibular nucleus cells were significantly reduced (<0.01). The decline rate of local blood flow in the right vestibular nucleus in the FTLR acupuncture group was lower than those in the medication group and the regular acupuncture group (<0.01, <0.05), and the AI of vestibular nucleus was lower than those in the regular acupuncture group and the medication group (<0.05). Compared with the sham operation group, the expression of Bcl-2 in the vestibular nucleus was significantly decreased in the model group (<0.01), and the expressions of Bax and Caspase-3 were significantly increased (<0.01). Compared with the model group, the expressions of Bcl-2 in the vestibular nucleus were significantly increased in the two acupuncture groups and medication group (<0.01), and the expressions of Bax and Caspase-3 were significantly reduced (<0.01). The expression of Bcl-2 in the vestibular nucleus in the FTLR acupuncture group was higher than those in the regular acupuncture group and the medication group (<0.05), and the expressions of Bax and Caspase-3 were lower than those in the regular acupuncture group and the medication group (<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#The FTLR acupuncture therapy could effectively inhibit the apoptosis of vestibular nucleus in rats with vertigo induced by posterior circulation ischemia, and its mechanism may be related to improving the blood supply of vestibular nucleus and regulating the expressions of Caspase-3, Bcl-2 and Bax proteins.

Research progress on the correlation between TLR4 signalling pathways and the renal interstitial fibrosis / 医学研究生学报

Renal fibrosis is considered an aberrant form of injury⁃ or stress⁃induced wound healing accompanied by excessive ECM deposition. Inflammation plays an important role in renal interstitial fibrosis. TLR4 signalling pathway Up⁃regulation can promote inflammatory factors, chemokines secretion and modualte macrophage polarization. In this paper, we review the recent advances in TLR4 signalling pathway and its role in renal fibrosis, and TLR4 signalling pathway targeted therapy in renal fibrosis so as to provide referrence for related research in the future.

Treatment of Level 2 Hypertension by Diagnosis and Treatment Program of Integrative Medicine: a Multi-centre, Randomized Controlled Trial / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the therapeutic effect of diagnosis and treatment program of integrative medicine (IM) on level 2 hypertension in the young and middle-aged patients and their ambulatory blood pressure.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A randomized, placebo parallel and controlled, multi-center clinical trial was performed. Totally 199 young and middle-aged level 2 hypertension patients were randomly assigned to the treatment group (99 cases) and the control group (100 cases). All received combined hypotensive treatment program by taking Nifedipine Sustained Release Tablet and Hydrochlorothiazide as basic drugs. Patients in the treatment group additionally took Western medicine (WM) combined Jiangyabao serial drugs (0.31 g per tablet, 2 tablets each time, twice daily), while those in the control group additionally took WM combined simulative agents of Jiangyabao serial drugs (0.31 g per tablet, 2 tablets each time, twice daily). The treatment course was 8 weeks for all, and 24-week follow-ups performed. 24 h ambulatory blood pressure and casual blood pressure, and their efficacies were compared between the two groups, and safety assessed as well.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with before treatment in the same group, daytime and night casual blood pressure, as well as 24 h ambulatory blood pressure were all obviously improved in the two groups (P < 0.01). Average diastolic and systolic blood pressures at night decreased more in the treatment group than in the control group with statistical difference (P < 0.05). There was no statistical difference in total efficacies of daytime casual blood pressure or ambulatory blood pressure (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Jiangyabao serial drugs combined WM in treating young and middle-aged level 2 hypertension patients showed obvious effect in improving night blood pressure, especially for night diastolic blood pressure.</p>

Ginsenoside Rb1, a panoxadiol saponin against oxidative damage and renal interstitial fibrosis in rats with unilateral ureteral obstruction / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the possible protective effect and mechanism of ginsenoside Rb1 against oxidative damage and renal interstitial fibrosis on rats with unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In total, 80 male rats were randomly divided into 4 groups, 20 in each group: the sham operated group (SOR), UUO group, UUO with ginsenoside Rb1 treatment group (treated with intraperitoneal injection of 50 mg/ kg daily) and UUO with Losartan treatment group (as the positive control, treated with 20 mg/kg by gastrogavage per day). The rats were randomly sacrificed on day 3, 7 and 14 after surgery, respectively. The histopathologic changes of renal interstitial tissues were observed with Masson staining. The mRNA of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1), collagen I and fibronectin were reversed transcribed and quantified by Real-time PCR. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to quantitatively detect TGF-beta 1 and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) levels. P47phox protein expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the UUO model, the obstructed kidney showed typical features of progressive renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis, and the levels of TGF-beta1, collagen I and fibronectin increased (P<0.05). As compared with the UUO group, ginsennoside Rb1 significantly inhibited the interstitial fibrosis including tubular injury and collagen deposition, and decreased the levels of TGF-beta1 (P<0.05). Ginsenoside Rb1 also inhibited the heme oxygenase (HO-1) and 8-OHdG, two markers of oxidative stress (P<0.05). Moreover, ginsenoside Rb1 suppressed the expression of p47phox, a subunit of nicotinamide adeninedinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Ginsenoside Rb1 can obviously inhibit renal interstitial fibrosis in rats with UUO, its mechanism possibly via against the oxidative damage and suppressing TGF-beta1 expression.</p>

Meridian three-combined therapy for treatment of ordinary psoriasis: a multi-center randomized controlled study / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the meridian three-combined therapy for treatment of ordinary psoriasis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A multi-central, randomized and positive drug controlled trial was adopted, and 233 cases were divided into an observation group of 116 cases and a control group of 117 cases. The observation group was treated with thread embedding at points, blood-letting puncture on the back of ear and auricular point pressing (i.e. meridian three-combined therapy). For thread embedding, 3-4 local points such ear points as Fei (CO14), Gan (CO12), Pizhixia (AT4), Shenmen (TF4) , cephalic and symmetric points of severe parts of the limb skin were selected according to the skin lesion position, and the treatment was given once each two weeks. For ear point tapping and pressing, 3-5 points were selected in each session. And the control group was treated with oral administration of Di yin Tablets, 5 tablets each time, twice each day. After treatment of 6 weeks, the clinical therapeutic effects, the score of skin lesion area, the scores for skin lesion severity and safety were compared in the two groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The markedly effective rate was 57.8 % in the observation group and 51.3% in the control group with no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05); after treatment the scores for both the skin lesion area and the skin lesion severity were significantly decreased in the two groups compared with those before treatment (P<0.01), and with a significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). And the incidence rate of the adverse reaction in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The meridian three-combined therapy is effective and safe for treatment of ordinary psoriasis.</p>

Influence of ginsenoside Rg1, a panaxatriol saponin from Panax notoginseng, on renal fibrosis in rats with unilateral ureteral obstruction / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

Total saponins of Panax notoginseng (PNS) have been shown to ameliorate renal interstitial fibrosis. Ginsenoside Rg1, a panaxatriol saponin, is one of the major active molecules from PNS. The present study was undertaken to investigate the effect of ginsenoside Rg1 on renal fibrosis in rats with unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO). The rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: sham-operation (n=15), UUO (n=15) and UUO with ginsenoside Rg1 treatment (n=15, 50 mg per kg body weight, intraperitoneally (i.p.) injected). The rats were sacrificed on Days 7 and 14 after the surgery. Histological examination demonstrated that ginsenoside Rg1 significantly inhibited interstitial fibrosis including tubular injury as well as collagen deposition. alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) and E-cadherin are two markers of tubular epithelial-myofibroblast transition (TEMT). Interestingly, ginsenoside Rg1 notably decreased alpha-SMA expression and simultaneously enhanced E-cadherin expression. The messenger RNA (mRNA) of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1), a key mediator to regulate TEMT, in the obstructed kidney increased dramatically, but was found to decrease significantly after administration of ginsenoside Rg1. Further study showed that ginsenoside Rg1 considerably decreased the levels of both active TGF-beta1 and phosphorylated Smad2 (pSmad2). Moreover, ginsenoside Rg1 substantially suppressed the expression of thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1), a cytokine which can promote the transcription of TGF-beta1 mRNA and the activation of latent TGF-beta1. These results suggest that ginsenoside Rg1 inhibits renal interstitial fibrosis in rats with UUO. The mechanism might be partly related to the blocking of TEMT via suppressing the expression of TSP-1.

Ginsenoside R(g1) inhibit transdifferentiation in rat renal tubular epethelial cells induced by TGF-beta1 / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of ginsenoside R(g1) on the transdifferentiation of rat renal tubular epethelial cells induced by transforming growth factor-beta1, (TGF-beta1).</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Cultured normal rat renal tubular epethelial cells (NRK-52E) were divided into control group, TGF-beta1-induced group and treated with ginsenoside R(g1) at different concentration (10, 20, 40 mg x L(-1)) group. The morphology of tubular epithelial-myofibroblast transdifferentiation induced by TGF-beta1 was observed through light microscope. alpha-SMA and E-cadherin protein expression were assessed by immunohistochemistry and western blot analyses. alpha-SMA, collagen I and and fibronectin gene expression were assessed by real-time quantitative chain reaction. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to quantitatively detect collagen I and fibronectin in the supernatant.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>10 mg x L(-1) TGF-beta1 could induce the transdifferentiation of tubular epithelial myofibroblast, showing fibroblast-like in morphology, with significantly enhanced expression of alpha-SMA, depressed expression of E-cadherin and increased secretion of fibronectin and collagen I (P < 0.05). Compared to TGF-beta1-induced group, ginsenoside R(g1) partly abrogated the alpha-SMA expression and E-cadherin depression triggered by TGF-beta1 in tubular epithelial cells in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05). Meanhile, ginsenoside R(g1) blocked morphologic transformation of tubular epithelial cells and decreased levels of collagen I and fibronectin (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Ginsenoside R(g1) could inhibit TGF-beta1 induced the tubular epithelial-myofibroblast transdifferentiation and decreased levels of collagen I and fibronectin in NRK52E.</p>

Effect of total saponins of Panax notoginseng on transdifferentiation of rats' tubular epithelial cell induced by IL-1alpha / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study whether total saponins of Panax notoginseng (PNS) can prevent renal interstitial fibrosis occurrence through blocking the IL-1alpha induced tubular epithelial cell and decrease the secretion of extracellular matrix (ECM).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Normal rats' tubular epithelial cells NRK52E were cultured in vitro, their morphological changes were observed by inverted phase contrast microscope and scanning electron microscope. Flow cytometry technique and immuno-histochemical method was used to detect the expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA), and ELISA was used to quantitatively detect the fibronectin (FN) in the supernatant</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>IL-1alpha could induce the transdifferentiation of tubular epithelial myofibroblast, showing hypertrophy of cells elongated and fusiform-shaped, with significantly enhanced expression of alpha-SMA and increased secretion of FN (P<0.05). After adding PNS of different concentrations, the morphology of cells restored close to normal tubular epithelial cells, with the increase of alpha-SMA expression and FN secretion significantly inhibited (P<0.05) in dose-dependent manner (P<0.05). But addition of different dosages of PNS alone showed no effect on tubular cells.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>IL-1alpha could induce the transdifferentiation of tubular epithelial myofibroblast, promote the deposition of ECM component FN. PNS could inhibit IL-1alpha induced the transdifferentiation of NRK52E and secretion of ECM, therefore, PNS could be taken as a new drug for prevention and treatment of renal interstitial fibrosis and terminal stage of renal diseases.</p>

Sexual dysfunction in patients with chronic renal failure / 中华男科学杂志

Sexual dysfunction is a highly prevalent problem among patients with chronic renal failure, which affects patients in the quality of life. However, it has not received enough attention. The genesis of sexual dysfunction is multifactorial, including physiological, psychological and organic factors. This review summarized the incidence, main manifestation, evaluation, risk factors and treatments associated with sexual dysfunction in patient of the chronic renal failure.

Studies on sexual dysfunction in male patients with chronic renal insufficiency / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVES</b>To investigate the prevalence, main manifestation and related factors of sexual dysfunction in male patients with chronic renal insufficiency (CRI).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A cross-section study was conducted by six hospitals in Sichuan Province. The prevalence and severity of sexual dysfunction were assessed by SCASF microsoft among patients with chronic renal disease. Logistic regression was used to examine and test the association between sexual dysfunction and other medical conditions.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The prevalence of sexual dysfunction was wider in patients with CRI than in those without. The main manifestations in male patients were decreased libido, erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation. Stratified analysis in uremia showed that the prevalence and severity of sexual dysfunction were similar between patients on haemodialysis(HD) and those on peritoneal dialysis(PD). The patients receiving no replacement treatment suffered more decreased libido and performance anxiety than dialyzed patients (HD and PD) and transplantation patients(Tx). The patients receiving no replacement treatment and dialysis suffered more erectile dysfunction than Tx men. A multivariable analysis demonstrated that the duration, creatinine clearance(Ccr), parathyroid hormone (PTH), albumin(Alb) were not associated with sexual dysfunction. The use of beta-blocker, anemia and depression were risky factors for decreased libido, and increasing age was a risky factor for erectile dysfunction. The use of angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitor(ACEI)/angiotention receptor antagonist (ARB) and recombinant human erythropoietin(r-HuEpo) were protective factors for erectile dysfunction.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The main manifestations of sexual dysfunction in male patients with CRI are decreased libido, erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation. The replacement therapy, especially transplantation, can decrease the prevalence or severity of sexual dysfunction. The genesis of sexual dysfunction is multifactorial, including age, physiological factors, psychological factors and medical conditions.</p>

Effect of Panax notoginseng saponins on human kidney fibroblast / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) on cell proliferation, type I collagen secretion and integrin beta 1 expression in human kidney fibroblast (KFB).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>KFB were cultured and stimulated by PNS in vitro. The cell proliferation, type I collagen secretion and integrin beta 1 expression in KFB were measured by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT), enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA) and flowcytometry respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Within its optimal concentration range and effective time range, PNS could obviously inhibit the proliferation, type I collagen secretion and integrin beta 1 expression (all P < 0.05) in human KFB.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>PNS would possibly be an effective drug for renal interstitial fibrosis prevention and treatment.</p>