ABSTRACT
Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy and safety of modified Xiao Chengqitang combined with acupoint catgut implantation in treating diet-induced obesity （DIO） syndrome of stomach heat dampness obstruction. Method:One hundred and seventy-two patients were randomly divided into control group（84 cases） and observation group（88 cases）. Both groups of patients received diet and exercise lifestyle adjustments， and acupoint catgut implantation was performed， 10 days for 1 time， 5 days intervals and then catgut implantation again， for a total of 6 times. Patients in observation group took modified Xiao Chengqitang granular powder， 10 g/time， with lukewarm boiled water in morning and evening. Patients in control group took modified Xiao Chengqitang granular powder simulant， 10 g/time， with lukewarm boiled water， 2 times/day. The treatment courses continued 4 months in two groups. Then the body mass index （BMI）， fat percentage （F%）， obesity， waist to hip ratio （WHR） were measured before and after treatment. Color Doppler ultrasonography was used to measure abdominal fat thickness， prehepatic fat thickness （AHF）， perirenal fat thickness （PRF）， and visceral fat index （UVI）. Fasting blood glucose （FBG）， triglyceride （TG）， total cholesterol （TC）， high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol （HDL-C）， low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol （LDL-C）， fasting insulin （FINS）， leptin （LP）， and adiponectin （APN） were detected before and after treatment， and the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance （HOMA-IR） index was calculated. In addition， safety evaluation was also conducted. Result:The BMI， F%， obesity degree and WHR in observation group were all lower than those in control group （<italic>P</italic><0.05 or <italic>P</italic><0.01）. Subcutaneous fat thickness， AHF， PRF and UVI in observation group were lower than those in control group （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. The TG， TC， LDL-C and FINS levels in observation group were lower than those in control group （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. The LP and HOMA-IR were also lower than those in control group （<italic>P</italic><0.01）， while the APN was higher than that in control group （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. The total effective rate in clinical application was （71/80） 88.75% in the observation group， higher than （57/75） 76.00% in the control group （<italic>χ</italic><sup>2</sup>=4.374，<italic> P</italic><0.05）. Conclusion:Modified Xiao Chengqitang combined with acupoint catgut implantation in treating DIO syndrome of stomach heat dampness obstruction can adjust LP， APN and other factors， improve energy metabolism such as sugar and fat， and effectively control obesity with high safety， so it is worthy of clinical use.
ABSTRACT
<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Increased levels of plasma lipopolysaccharide (LPS) have been found in obesity and diabetes patients. This study was to investigate the effect of LPS on pancreatic beta-cell viability and the involvement of caspase 3 in NIT-1 cell line.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Mouse insulinoma NIT-1 cells were treated with LPS for the indicated time and dose. Cell viability was measured by cell counting kit-8 reagent. Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), caspase 3 and cleaved caspase 3 were detected by Western blotting. Insulin was determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>LPS promoted NIT-1 cell proliferation at 1 µg/ml, peaked at 72 hours of incubation. A reduction in cleavage of caspase 3 was observed upon LPS treatment. Bay11-7082, a specific inhibitor of nuclear factor (NF)-κB, blunted LPS-induced inhibition of caspase 3 cleavage. Reduction in chronic insulin secretion was observed after treatment with LPS at 1 µg/ml for 48 and 72 hours, not for 24 hours. TLR4 protein was upregulated when NIT-1 cells were treated with LPS at 1 µg/ml for 24 hours.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>LPS promotes early NIT-1 cell proliferation in association with NF-κB-mediated inhibition of caspase 3 cleavage. LPS exerts a time-dependent inhibitory effect on chronic insulin secretion from NIT-1 cells.</p>