Effect of Suanzaoren Tang on Learning， Memory and Expression of Proteins Related to Hippocampal Synaptic Plasticity in PCPA-induced Insomnia Rat Model / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo observe the effects of Suanzaoren Tang on the behavior， growth-associated protein-43 （GAP-43）， postsynaptic density protein-95 （PSD-95）， and synaptophysin Ⅰ （SynⅠ） of insomniac rats induced by p-chlorophenylalanine （PCPA）， and to investigate the mechanism of Suanzaoren Tang in improving the behavior of the insomniac rats. MethodSeventy-two SD rats were randomly assigned into 6 groups （12 rats in each group）： control group （normal saline）， PCPA （0.35 g·kg-1·d-1） group， estazolam （2.7×10-4 g·kg-1·d-1） group， and low-， medium-， and high-dose （3.25， 7.5， 15 g·kg-1·d-1， respectively） Suanzaoren Tang groups. The rat model of insomnia was established by intraperitoneal injection of PCPA and then the rats were administrated with corresponding drugs for 7 continuous days. The Morris water maze and Y-maze were used to test the learning and memory functions， and the open field to test anxiety. Histopathological changes in the hippocampus were observed via hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining. The mRNA and protein levels of GAP-43， PSD-95， and SynⅠ in hippocampus were determined by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR)， Western blot， and immunohistochemistry （IHC）. ResultCompared with the control group， the PCPA group showcased long escape latency， shortened time in the quadrants， and decreased times of crossing the platform in Morris water maze， decreased alternation correct rate was significantly Y-maze， and increased distance， mean velocity， and time in center of the open field test （P<0.01）. Furthermore， the PCPA-treated rats showed obvious pathological damage in the hippocampus and down-regulated mRNA and protein levels of GAP-43， PSD-95， and SynⅠ in hippocampus （P<0.01）. Compared with the PCPA group， the treatments with estazolam and different doses of Suanzaoren Tang improved the rat performance in Morris water maze， Y-maze， and open field test （P<0.05， P<0.01）， alleviated the hippocampal damage， and up-regulated the mRNA and protein levels of GAP-43， PSD-95， and SynⅠ （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionSuanzaoren Tang may alleviate the learning and memory disorders and anxiety in PCPA-induced insomnia rat model by up-regulating the mRNA and protein levels of hippocampal synaptic plasticity-associated proteins GAP-43， PSD-95， and SynⅠ.

Effect of Gegen Qinliantang on Structure of Intestinal Flora in Dysbacterial Diarrhea Rats Based on 16S rRNA Sequencing / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To study the effect of Gegen Qinliantang （GQT） on the structure of intestinal flora in dysbacterial diarrhea rats by 16S rRNA sequencing. Method:Sixty healthy SD rats were randomly and equally divided into a control group， a model group， high-， medium-， and low-dose GQT groups， and a Bifidobiogen group. The rat model was induced in the five groups except the control group by administration of mixed antibiotics （178.6 mg·kg^-1 cefradine and 31.25 mg·kg^-1gentamicin sulfate） according to the dose. Drug intervention was carried out in each group （7.02， 3.51， and 1.755 g·kg^-1 GQT for the high-， medium-， and low-dose GQT groups， 0.125 g·kg^-1 bifidobacterium capsules for the Bifidobiogen group， and sterile distilled water for the control and model groups） with a volume of 10 mL·kg^-1 for seven days. Colon contents of rats were obtained under anesthesia. The extracted fecal DNA underwent 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing and the results were analyzed. Result:GQT was proved capable of adjusting the species number and Alpha and Beta diversity， improving the biological richness and diversity of the flora， and positively regulating three differential phyla （Firmicutes， Proteobacteria， and Bacteroidetes） and 14 differential genera （<italic>Bacteroides</italic>，<italic> Parabacteroides</italic>，<italic> Blautia</italic>， etc.） in rat model of dysbacterial diarrhea. Conclusion:The present study confirmed the regulatory effect of GQT on intestinal flora of dysbacterial diarrhea rats， and revealed the physiological and pathological mechanism between intestinal flora and dysbacterial diarrhea.

Effects of cyclosporin A on expression of FasL and Fas in the contralateral testis after the unilateral testis injured in KM mouse / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVES</b>To investigate the effects of Cyclosporin A (CsA) on spermatogenesis and expression of FasL and Fas in the contralateral testis after the unilateral testis was injured.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>60 mice were randomly divided equally into groups A (control), B (the unilateral testis was injured by glacial acetic acid), C (excision of ipsilateral testis at 6 hours after the unilateral testis was injured by glacial acetic acid) and D (CsA within 6 hours after the unilateral testis was injured by glacial acetic acid). Sperm density and sperm motility were evaluated after 4 weeks. Expression of FasL and Fas was performed by immunohistochemistry (SP method). The positive cells with SP staining in seminiferous tubules were calculated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Sperm density and sperm motility in group D were significantly increased compared with group B(P < 0.05). Expression of FasL and Fas in group D decreased significantly compared with group B (24.3 +/- 7.0 vs 37.8 +/- 5.8 and 17.8 +/- 4.3 vs 32.4 +/- 3.6, P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>CsA decreased expression of Fas and FasL and maintained spermatogenesis in the contralateral testis after the unilateral testis was injured by glacial acetic acid.</p>