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Bidirectional regulation is one of the key function of acupuncture. The stimulator, mediator and receptor are the basis while the specificity of acupoints and the multi-target regulation of receptors receiving stimulation signals are the essential link of the bidirectional regulation of acupuncture. The possible mechanisms of bidirectional regulation of acupuncture are discussed in 4 aspects, i.e. homeostasis mechanism, stress reaction, central adaptive regulation and autonomic nerve regulation. Knowing the limitations of bidirectional regulation and exploring suitable researchmethods are proposed to be the key points in future researches.
Subject(s)
Acupuncture , Acupuncture Points , Acupuncture TherapyABSTRACT
Objective: To investigate the protective effects of the combination of Xuesaitong (XST) and aspirin on cerebral ischemia and reperfusion injury (CIRI) in rats, and further explore the underlying mechanisms. Methods: A total of 150 male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into five groups with 30 rats in each group: sham group, middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R) model group, XST group, aspirin group, and XST + aspirin group. Rats were pretreated with XST, aspirin, or XST + aspirin for 7 d. One hour after the last administration, a model of CIRI was induced by MCAO/R. Neurological deficits were assessed using Longa's five-point scale. Cerebral edema was detected by the measurement of brain water content. The volume of cerebral infarction was determined by 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), as well as levels of malonaldehyde (MDA) were detected by commercial kits. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to determine the levels of interleukin-1 (IL-1β), interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1), and kynurenine in serum, cerebral cortex, and hippocampus of MCAO/R rats. The protein expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), I-kappa B alpha (IκBα), and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB)/p65 in the cortex were analyzed by western blotting. Results: Treatment of XST, aspirin, and XST + aspirin significantly alleviated the neurological deficits, cerebral edema, and cerebral infarct volume induced by MCAO/R. Treatment of XST, aspirin, and XST + aspirin also reduced MDA, IL-1β IL-6,TNF-α MCP-1, and kynurenine levels, and increased SOD, CAT, GSH-Px, IL-4, and IL-10 levels in serum, cerebral cortex, and hippocampus of MCAO/R rats. Furthermore, treatment of XST, aspirin, and XST + aspirin decreased the expression of nuclear NF-κB/p65 and increased the expression of IκBα nuclear Nrf2, and HO-1. Importantly, the combination of XST and aspirin enhanced the protective effects of XST or aspirin treatment alone on CIRI in rats. Conclusion: The combination of XST and aspirin significantly inhibited oxidative stress and inflammation in serum, cerebral cortex, and hippocampus of MCAO/R rats. The combination of XST and aspirin exerted more protective effects than XST or aspirin treatment alone. The combination of XST and aspirin might provide the synergistic therapeutic effects on CIRI, and deserve further clinical investigation.
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Objective To investigate the risk factors for early neurological deterioration (END) in patients with acute middle cerebral artery infarction.Methods From January 2009 to December 2012,81 patients with acute middle cerebral artery infarction completed cerebral angiography admitted to the Department of Neurology,Nanjing General Hospital of Nanjing Military Command were enrolled retrospectively.END was defined as that the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score increased ≥2 or the motor score increased ≥ 1 with in 72 h after admission compared with the baseline score on admission.All the patients were divided into either an END group (26 cases) or a non-END group (55 cases) according to whether the occurrence of END.Univariate factor analysis was used to analyze the differences of the clinical data between the two groups.The grade standard of collateral circulation was assessment with the collateral circulation assessment system of the American Society of Interventional and Therapeutic Neuroradiology/Sociey of Interventional Radiology.Multivariable Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the risk factors for END after acute middle cerebral artery infarction.Results Compared with the patients in the non-END group,the proportions of age 60 years (65.4％ [17/26] vs.36.4％ [20/55];x2 =5.992,P =0.014),high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level ≥4.0 mg/L (76.9％ [20/26] vs.45.5％ [25/55];x2 =7.080,P =0.008) and diabetes (38.5％ [10/26] vs.16.4％ [9/55],x2 =4.802,P =0.028) in the END group were increased significantly,while the collateral circulation grade was decreased significantly (Z =-3.253,P ＜ 0.01).Multivariable Logistic regression analysis showed that the age ≥60 years (OR,3.412,95 ％ CI 1.075-10.824;P =0.037),high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level ≥ 4.0 mg/L (OR,3.812,95％ CI 1.141-12.740;P =0.030),and collateral circulation grade (OR,2.165,95％ CI 1.241-5.514;P =0.009) were the independent risk factor for END in acute middle cerebral artery infarction.Conclusion The decreased collateral circulation level,age ≥ 60 years and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein≥4.0 mg/L were the independent risk factors for occurring END in acute middle cerebral artery infarction.
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Bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs) were cultured with high glucose (33 mmol/L), 4 mg/L green tea polyphenols (GTPs) or 4 mg/L GTPs co-treatment with high glucose for 24 h in the presence or absence of Bafilomycin-A1 (BAF). We observed that high glucose increased the accumulation of LC3-II. Treatment with BAF did not further increase the accumulation of LC3-II. Results also showed an increased level of p62 and decreased Beclin-1. However, GTPs showed inversed trends of those proteins. Furthermore, GTPs co-treatment with high glucose decreased the level of LC3-II and a much higher accumulation of LC3-II was observed in the presence of BAF in comparison with high glucose alone. Results also showed a decreased p62 and increased Beclin-1. The results demonstrated that GTPs alleviated autophagy inhibition induced by high glucose, which may be involved in the endothelial protective effects of green tea against hyperglycemia.
Subject(s)
Animals , Cattle , Autophagy , Cells, Cultured , Endothelial Cells , Metabolism , Gene Expression Regulation , Glucose , Toxicity , Macrolides , Pharmacology , Polyphenols , Chemistry , Pharmacology , Tea , ChemistryABSTRACT
Coronary artery heart disease (CHD) is one of the common cardiovascular diseases in clinical. The morbidity and mortality of CHD recently continue increasing in our country, which has aroused wide attention. Many studies confirm that traditional Chinese medicine has better therapeutic effect on CHD. Guanxin Danshen formula, widely used in the treatment of CHD, consists of Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma and volatile oil from Dalbergiae Odoriferae Lignum, and has the efficacy in promoting blood circulation to resolve stasis, regulating the circulation of Qi and alleviating pain. This review summarized the pharmacologic effects and mechanism of Guanxin Danshen formula and its effective components in the treatment of CHD to provide reference for its fundamental research and clinical application.
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Epigenetic is a hotspot of post-genomic era research, and epigenetic modification is a mechanism in the study of cardiovascular disease. Myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) is one of the problems in the cardiovascular disease, and many experimental interventions are reported in the protection of the ischemic myocardium in experimental animals. However, with the exception of early reperfusion, none has been translated into clinical practice. There is an advantage of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the regulation of epigenetic modification, and pathogenesis of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury. This review article is prepared to cover the research progress in the treatment of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury by TCM with a focus on epigenetic regulation. The epigenetic regulation is documented in TCM theory through a systematic review of the protecting drugs in the MIRI development guidelines.