ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE To investigate the improvement effects of glycyrrhizin （GL） on Helicobacter pylori （HP）-associated gastritis in rats and its mechanism. METHODS HP-associated gastritis rat model was induced by inoculating with 1×109 cfu/mL HP. The model rats were randomly divided into model group， positive control group （HP standard quadruple group）， GL low-dose， medium-dose and high-dose groups （5， 20， 50 mg/kg）， with 12 rats in each group. Another 12 healthy rats were selected as normal control group. Except the normal control group and model group were given constant volume of normal saline intragastrically， the other groups were given corresponding drugs intragastrically， once a day， for 30 consecutive days. After administration， rats received 13C urea breath test， and delta-over-baseline （DOB） was recorded； the pathological and cellular morphological changes of gastric mucosa in rats were observed， and pathological scoring was performed； the levels of interleukin-8 （IL-8）， IL-1β， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， reactive oxygen species （ROS） and malondialdehyde （MDA） were detected in gastric mucosa of rats； mRNA expressions of high mobility group box-1 protein （HMGB1） and nuclear factor-κ-B （NF-κB）， relative expressions of nitric oxide synthases （iNOS） and HMGB1， the phosphorylation level of NF- κBp65 were also detected in rats. RESULTS Compared with normal control group， the DOB value， histopathological score of gastric mucosa， the levels of IL-8， IL-1β， TNF-α， ROS and MDA， relative expressions of HMGB1 and NF- κB mRNA， relative expressions of iNOS and HMGB1 protein and the phosphorylation level of NF-κB p65 were all increased significantly in model group （P＜0.05）； the epithelial cells of gastric mucosa in rats were incomplete in structure and decreased in the number， with an increase in cell fragments and vacuoles， and significant cell pyknosis. Compared with model group， the changes of the above indexes in GL groups and positive control group were significantly reversed （P＜0.05）； the changes in the above indicators in the GL high-dose group were more significant than GL low-dose and medium-dose groups （P＜0.05）； the pathological changes of gastric mucosal cells in rats had all improved. CONCLUSIONS GL may inhibit inflammation and oxidative stress by inhibiting the activation of HMGB1/NF-κB pathway， thus relieving HP-induced gastric mucosal injury.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE To study the inhibitory effect and mechanism of total flavonoids from Melicope pteleifolia （TF-MPL） on transplanted tumor of colorectal cancer in nude mice. METHODS The transplanted tumor model of colorectal cancer was induced by injecting 0.2 mL colorectal cancer cell LoVo subcutaneously via the right armpit of nude mice. After successful modeling， nude mice were randomly divided into model group， 5-fluorouracil group （positive control， 10 mg/kg）， TF-MPL high- dose and low-dose groups （25， 12.5 mg/kg）； a normal group （normal saline containing 0.3% carboxymethyl cellulose sodium） without modeling was additionally set up， with 6 mice in each group. Each group was intraperitoneally injected with the corresponding drug solution/solvent for 21 consecutive days. The inhibitory rate of the transplanted tumor， liver and spleen index， and the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） and interleukin-6 （IL-6） in serum were detected after the last medication； the morphological changes of tumor tissue were observed； immunohistochemical staining was used to detect protein expressions of Toll- like receptor 4 （TLR4） and nuclear factor-κB subunit p65 （NF-κB p65） in tumor tissue of nude mice. Western blot assay was used to detect protein expressions of TLR4， myeloid differentiation factor 88 （MyD88）， TNF receptor-associated factor 6 （TRAF6）， interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase 1 （IRAK-1）， NF-κB p65 and caspase-3 in tumor tissue of nude mice. RESULTS Compared with the model group， TF-MPL high-dose group showed a significant decrease in tumor weight （inhibitory rate of 36.91%）， liver and spleen index， serum levels of TNF-α and IL-6 and protein expressions of TLR4， MyD88， TRAF6，IRAK-1 and NF- κB p65 （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）； the expression of caspase-3 protein was increased significantly （P＜0.05）， and more tumor cell shrinkage and deformation， nuclear pyknosis and fragmentation were observed. CONCLUSIONS TF-MPL can significantly inhibit the growth of transplanted tumor of colorectal cancer in nude mice， the mechanism of which may be associated with reducing inflammatory response， inhibiting TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway， and promoting apoptosis in colorectal cancer cells.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect and mechanism of anwulignan on improving hepatic fibrosis in rats. METHODS Fifty SD rats were randomly divided into the normal group， model group， colchicine tablet group （0.1 mg/kg）， and anwulignan high-dose and low-dose groups （2.8 and 0.7 mg/kg）， with 10 rats in each group. Except for the normal group， all groups of rats were intraperitoneally injected with 50% CCl4 olive oil mixed solution to replicate the rat model of liver fibrosis. At the end of the modeling， rats in each group were given the corresponding drugs or distilled water intragastrically from the 9th week， once a day， for 4 weeks consecutively. During the experimental period， the general condition of the rats was observed； the liver index was calculated； the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase （ALT）， aspartate aminotransferase （AST）， superoxide dismutase （SOD） and malondialdehyde （MDA） were detected by colorimetric assay； the pathomorphology of the liver tissues and liver fibrosis were observed by HE staining and Masson staining； Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt） pathway and apoptosis-related proteins in liver tissues. RESULTS Compared with the normal group， the dietary amount of rats in the model group decreased， with sparse and disheveled fur， slow response， and a slower rate of weight growth or weight loss； the liver index was significantly increased （P＜0.01）； the serum levels of ALT， AST and MDA were significantly increased， and the SOD level was significantly decreased （P＜0.01）； HE and Masson staining showed that a large amount of fibrous proliferation was present in the liver tissues of the rats， and the collagen volume fraction was significantly increased （P＜0.01）； the protein expressions of PI3K， Akt， phosphorylated Akt and B-cell lymphoma （Bcl-2） were down-regulated significantly， while the protein expression of Bcl-2-associated X protein was increased significantly （P＜0.01）. Compared with the model group， the above indexes of the anwulignan high-dose and low-dose groups and the colchicine tablets group were all reversed significantly. CONCLUSIONS Anwulignan may reduce oxidative stress and inhibit hepatocyte apoptosis by activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway， and play the role of anti-hepatic fibrosis.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE：To study the mechanism of improvement effects of Fupi rougan granule （FRG）on hepatic fibrosis model rats. METHODS ：The rats were randomly divided into blank group ，model group ，Colchicine tablet group （chemical positive control ，0.2 mg/kg），Fuzheng huayu capsule group （TCM positive control ，0.415 g/kg），FRG low-dose ，medium-dose and high-dose groups （20，40，80 g/kg），with 10 rats in each group ，except for 11 rats in blank group and model group （one rat was used to judge whether the modeling was successful ）. Except for blank group ，other groups were given intraperitoneal injection of 50％ CCl4 olive oil solution and intragastric administration of 30％ ethanol to induce hepatic fibrosis model. After modeling ， administration groups were given relevant medicine intragastrically ；blank group and model group were given constant volume of normal saline intragastrically ，once a day ，for consecutive 4 weeks. After last administration ，morphology changes of liver tissue in rats were observed. The serum levels of HA ，LN，PCⅢ and Col Ⅳ in rats were detected ，and protein expression of Beclin- 1 and LC3-Ⅱin liver tissue were also determined. mRNA and protein expression of Akt ，AMPK，mTOR，p70S6K were detected in liver tissues of rats. RESULTS ：Compared with blank group ，the structure of hepatic lobules in the model group was disordered ，the proliferation of fibrous tissue was obvious ，and some pseudolobules were formed ；the serum levels of HA ，LN，PCⅢ and Col Ⅳ， the protein expression of Beclin- 1 and LC 3-Ⅱ in liver tissue as well as mRNA and protein expression of Akt ，AMPK，mTOR and p70S6K were increased significantly （P＜0.01）. Compared with model group ，the liver injury of rats in FRG groups was significantly relieved ，and the levels of the above indexes in serum and liver tissue （except for LN and PC Ⅲ in FRG low-dose group） were significantly reduced （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. CONCLUSIONS ：FRG can improve hepatic fibrosis in rats ，the mechanism of which may be associated with down-regulating the expression of autophagy associated protein and Akt/AMPK/mTOR/ p70S6K signaling pathway related protein.