Effects of Microwave Radiation on Learning and Memory Abilities in Mice and Intervention Study of Pilose Antler Peptide / 中国药学杂志

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of microwave radiation on learning and memory abilities in mice, and to study pilose antler peptide's intervention. METHODS: Fifty mice were divided into five groups randomly, designated as control group, radiation group, pilose antler peptide (25, 50, and 100 mg·kg-1) groups. Learning and memory impairment model in mice was established by microwave radiation of 2 450 MHz average surface power, 10.0 mW·cm-2 for 90 min every day for 28 d.The radiation rats were treated with low-, mid-, and high-dose (25, 50, and 100 mg·kg-1) pilose antler peptide by sc injection for 28 d. The learning and memory ability of mice was determined by avoiding darkness experiment and Y maze experiment.The contents of S100B, tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin-10(IL-10), malondialdehyde (MDA), and nitric oxide(NO) in the brain of mice were determined respectively after the behavioral experiments. RESULTS: Compared with control group, radiation group could shorten the latency of avoiding darkness experiments, increase the numbers of errors both in avoiding darkness experiment and in Y maze experiment. Radiation group could rise the contents of S100B, TNF-α, IL-10, MDA and NO in the brain of mice (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared with radiation group, pilose antler peptide (50, 100 mg·kg-1) groups could lengthen the latency of avoiding darkness experiments, significantly shorten the numbers of errors both in avoiding darkness experiment and in Y maze experiment, and reduce the contents of S100B, TNF-α, MDA and NO, increase the content of IL-10 in the brain of mice (P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Pilose antler peptide could significantly perfect the learning and memory ability of mice exposed to microwave radiation. The mechanism may be related to its anti-oxidative actions by anti-inflammatory action, further lowering neurotoxic effects of NO.

Comparative analysis of volatile oils in the stems and roots of Ephedra sinica via GC-MS-based plant metabolomics / 中国天然药物

With a great difference in therapeutic effects of Mahuang (MH, the stems of Ephedra sinica) and Mahuanggen (MHG, the roots of Ephedra sinica), chemical differences between MH and MHG should be investigated. In the present study, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)-based plant metabolomics was employed to compare volatile oil profiles of MH and MHG. The antioxidant activities of volatile oils from MH and MHG were also compared. 32 differential chemical markers were identified according to the variable importance in the projection (VIP) value of orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) and P value of Mann-Whitney test. Among them, chemical markers of tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) and α-terpineol were quantified. Their contents were much higher in most MH samples compared with MHG. The antioxidant assay demonstrated that MH had significantly higher free radical-scavenging activity than MHG. Although MH and MHG derived from the same medicinal plant, there was much difference in their volatile oil profiles. MH samples had significantly higher content of two reported pharmacologically important chemical markers of TMP and α-terpineol, which may account for their different antioxidant activities.

Effect of flavonoids from Sophora flavescens in aging mice induced by D-galactos / 中国中药杂志

To investigate the effect of flavonoids from Sophora flavescens in aging mice induced by D-galactose and its mechanism. Totally 60 mice were randomly divided into six groups: the control group, the model group, the piracetam group (positive control group) and flavonoids from S. flavescens low, medium and high doses groups. Except for the control group, all of the rest groups were subcutaneously injected with D-galactose (160 mg x kg(-1)) for successively 30 days to establish the sub-acute senescent model. Meanwhile, flavonoids from S. flavescens low, medium and high doses groups were respectively administered with 150, 300 and 600 mg xkg-('1)of flavonoids from S. flavescens for 30 days. The learning and memory abilities of mice were determined by avoiding darkness ex-eriment and jumping stair experiment. The contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) tumor necrosis factor-aα NF-aα the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) monoamine oxidase-B (MAO-B) Na'(+)K'(+)-ATPase and Ca2(+ )-ATPase in the brain of mice were deter-ined respectively after the behavioral experiments. The activity of lactic dehydrogenase ( DH) in blood serum was also determined and analyzed by microscope after HE staining to observe the changes in hippocampal organizational structure. Compared with the model group, flavonoids from S. favescens medium and high doses groups showed significantly increases in the latency of avoiding darkness and jumping stair experiments; flavonoids from S. fllvescens low, medium and high doses groups and the piracetam group showed de-reases in the numbers of errors in avoiding darkness experiment; the flavonoids from S. flavescens high dose group and the piracetam group showed reduction- n the number of errors in jumping stair experiment (P <0 . 5 or P <0 . 1). Flavonoids from S. flavescens me-ium and high doses groups and the piracetam group showed improvements in the activities of SOD, Na'(+)K'(+)ATPase in the brain of mice and declines in the contents of MDA and TNF-aα the activity of MAO-B in the brain of mice, the activity of LDH in blood serum (P <0 . 5 or P <0 . 1). Flavonoids from S. flavescens low, medium and high doses groups and the piracetam group also showed im-rovement in the activity of Ca2(+ )ATPase, with statistical difference from the model group (P <0 . 5 or P <0 . 1). The pathological result showed decreases in the number of cells of hippocampal dentate gyrus area, sparse cell arrangement, incomplete cellular mor-hology, scarce cytoplasm, blurred boundary between nucleus and cytoplasm, nuclei anachromasis, irregular pyknosis and unconspicu-us nucleoli in the model group. Compared with the model group, flavonoids from S. flavescens low, medium and high doses groups and the piracetam group showed improvements in hippocampal organization tissues. Flavonoids from S. favescens can improve the learning and memory ability of senescent mice induced by D-galactose. Its mechanism may be correlated with the enhancement of anti-oxidative actions by lowering TNF-aαcontent, which results in the stability of cell membrane and the reduction in MAO-B activity.

Inhibition of flavonoids from Sophora flavescens on myocardial fibrosis in rats / 中草药

Objective: To explore the inhibitory effect of flavonoids from Sophora flavescens on the myocardial fibrosis induced by isoprenaline (Iso) and its mechanism in rats. Methods: Myocardial fibrosis model in rats was established by sc injection with Iso (5 mg/kg) for 7 d. The model rats were treated with low-, mid-, and high-dose (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg) flavonoids from S. flavescens and captopril (50 mg/kg) respectively by ig for 21 d. Myocardial indexes (heart weight/body weight, HW/BW and left ventricular weight/body weight, LVW/BW) were measured after the experiment was finished. The contents of collagen I, collagen III, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) in myocardium and the level of angiotensin II (AngII) in blood serum were determined by ELISA. The concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) in myocardium was assayed with spectrophotometry. The content of nitric oxide (NO) in myocardium was detected with colorimetry. The pathological changes of myocardium were observed. Results: Compared with the control group, the myocardial indexes and the contents of collagen I, collagen III, TNF-α, MDA in myocardium, and the level of AngII in blood serum were markedly increased, the content of NO in myocardium was decreased in the model group (P<0.05, 0.01). Compared with the model group, the myocardial indexes, the contents of collagen I, collagen III, MDA in myocardium, and the level of AngII in blood serum were markedly reduced, the content of NO in myocardium was increased in mid-and high-dose flavonoids from S. flavescens groups (P<0.05, 0.01). The level of TNF-α in myocardium was reduced in all flavonoids from S. flavescens groups (P<0.05, 0.01). HE staining showed that myocardial tissue had obviously myocardial damage and the formation of fibrosis lesions in the model group; The myocardial tissue had few fibrosis lesions in mid-and high-dose flavonoids from S. flavescens groups. Conclusion: Flavonoids from S. flavescens could inhibit myocardial fibrosis and protect myocardium in rats, and its mechanism may be associated with decreasing AngII level in circulation and myocardium, lowering TNF-α content in myocardium, and inhibiting collagen synthesis by increasing the NO level and anti-oxidation.