Visual analysis of research on traditional Chinese medicine treatment of Alzheimer's disease in recent ten years / 中国中药杂志

This study employed bibliometrics tools to review the studies of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) treatment of Alzheimer's disease(AD) in recent ten years, aiming to explore the research status, hotspots, and future trends in this field at home and abroad. The relevant literature published from January 1, 2012 to August 15, 2022 was retrieved from Web of Science and CNKI. CiteSpace 6.1R2 and VOSviewer 1.6.15 were used for the visual analysis of authors, countries, institutions, keywords, journals, etc. A total of 2 254 Chinese articles and 545 English articles were included. The annual number of articles published showed a rising trend with fluctuations. The country with the largest number of relevant articles published and the largest centrality was China. SUN Guo-jie and WANG Qi were the authors publishing the most Chinese articles and English articles, respectively. Hubei University of Chinese Medicine and Beijing University of Chinese Medicine published the most articles in Chinese and English, respectively. Journal of Ethnopharmacology and Neuroscience Letters published the articles with the highest cited frequency and the highest centrality. According to the keywords, the research on TCM treatment of AD mainly focused on the mechanism of action and treatment methods. Metabolomics, intestinal flora, oxidative stress, tau hyperphosphorylation, β-amyloid(Aβ), inflammatory cytokines, and autophagy were the focuses of the research on mechanism of action. Acupuncture, clinical effect, kidney deficiency and phlegm stasis, and dredging governor vessel to revitalize mind were the hotspots of clinical research. This research field is still in the stage of exploration and development. Exchanges and cooperation among institutions should be encouraged to carry out more high-quality basic research on TCM treatment of AD, obtain high-level evidence, and clarify the pathogenesis and prescription mechanism.

Memory-improving Substances Basis and Mechanism of Polygalae Radix, Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma and Its Couplet Medicines / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Polygalae Radix and Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma were first recorded in Shennong's Herbal Classic. Both of them can "improve people's memory". Long-term administration can make body light and macrobian. They have often been used as couplet medicines and the core combination of nootropic and memory improvement prescriptions. At present, traditional Chinese medicine clinicians believes that the principle of Polygalae Radix and Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma in improving memory or intelligence is to supplement the deficiency, remove phlegm and unblock nine orifices, with sufficient evidences for the traditional theory. However, its material basis and mechanism for improving memory have not been fully elucidated. In this paper, we searched the literatures about pharmacological and pharmacodynamics mechanism of Polygalae Radix,Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma and their chemical components on nervous system in recent ten years from Pubmed database and CNKI. The main material basis for improving memory of Polygalae Radix-saponins, oligosaccharides and alone, the main material basis for improving memory of Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma-α-asarone,β-asarone and eugenol, the changes of the quality and quantity of the active substances after combination, and the mechanism of improving memory of the single drugs and their couplet medicines, such as scavenging free radicals, regulating cholinergic system, clearing β-amyloid protein(Aβ), decreasing the level of phosphorylation of Tau protein, improving the rate of apoptosis and regulating synaptic plasticity, were systematically collected, analyzed and summarized. In view of the current research situation, this paper points out the possible shortcomings, with the aim to further explore the mechanism of Polygalae Radix combined with Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma with the mechanism of "1+1>2".

Advances in immunotherapy of Alzheimer's disease with traditional Chinese medicine / 药学学报

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a type of common neurodegenerative disease. The main clinical symptom of the disease is progressive cognitive dysfunction, which has no effective therapy yet. With the in-depth immunology study in the central nervous system, studies in different fields such as preclinical phase, genetics and bioinformatics have shown that immune dysfunction contribute to the pathogenesis of AD, including the beginning, maintenance and deterioration stage in AD. China has a wealth of natural medicine resources and clinical experiences. A large number of natural drugs and effective components both can regulate the immune function and ameliorate the symptoms in AD. This review summarizes the researches of ameliorating the symptoms in AD through immunization regulation in recent years with an aim to provide new ideas and clues in the study of new anti-AD drugs using natural medicines.

Mechanism of PC12 cell differentiation induced by total salvianolic acid / 中国药理学与毒理学杂志

OBJECTIVE To study the differentiation of PC12 cells induced by total salvianolic acid (Tsa) and the mechanism. METHODS MTT assay was used to detect the effect of Tsa 0.01, 0.1 and 1.0 μg·L-1on proliferation of PC12 cells and on the cells damaged by oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD).The number of projections of PC12 cells was statistically analyzed.Western blotting was applied to detect the levels of microtubule-associated protein2 (MAP-2), extracellular signal-regulated kinase1/2 (ERK1/2), phosphorylated ERK1/2(p-ERK1/2), mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase1/2(MEK1/2) and p-MEK1/2 proteins.MEK inhibitor U0126 was examined for its effect on expressions of p-ERK1/2 and ERK1/2 protein in PC12 cells induced by Tsa 1.0 μg·L-1.RESULTS Compared with normal control group, Tsa 1.0 μg·L-1could promote PC12 cell proliferation, and the survival rate was increased by 90%, but the survival rate of PC12 cells was not affected by Tsa 0.01 or 0.1 μg·L-1. Compared with OGD injured group,PC12 cells injured by OGD could be repaired by Tsa 0.1 or 1.0 μg·L-1,and the survival rate was increased to (47.7±1.8)% and (63.2±13.0)%, respectively (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with normal control group,Tsa 0.01,0.1 and 1.0 μg·L-1could promote the growth of PC12 cell projections (P<0.01). Western blotting results showed that Tsa could promote the expressions of MAP-2, p-ERK1/2 and p-MEK1/2 proteins, and this effect could be blocked by U0126 inhibitor (P<0.01). CONCLUSION Tsa can induce the proliferation and differentiation of PC12 cells, the mechanism of which is possibly the activation of p-MEK and p-ERK1/2.

Simultaneous determination of four constituents in Liujing Toutong Tablets by HPLC / 中成药

AIM To establish an HPLC method for the simultaneous content determination of four constituents in Liujing Toutong Tablets (Angelicae dahuricae Radix,Magnoliae Flos,Ligustici Rhizoma et Radix,etc.).METHODS The analysis of 30％ ethanol extract of this drug was performed on a 35 ℃ thermostatic Waters C18 column (4.6 mm × 250 mm,5 μm),with the mobile phase comprising of methanol-4％ acetic acid flowing at 1.0 mL/min in a gradient elution manner,and the detection wavelength was set at 320 nm.RESULTS Puerarin,ferulic acid,imperatorin and isoimperatorin showed good linear relationships within the ranges of 60.6-303 μg/mL (r=0.999 9),1.59-7.95 μg/mL (r =0.999 9),1.57-7.85 μg/mL (r =0.999 9) and 0.752 5-3.762 5 μg/mL (r =0.999 7),whose average recoveries (RSDs) were 97.75％ (1.7％),97.68％ (2.3％),97.94％ (1.0％) and 98.29％ (1.6％),respectively.CONCLUSION This stable and reliable method can be used for the quality control of Liujing Toutong Tablets.

Identification of novel KIT gene mutations in two Chinese families with piebaldism / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To screen for potential mutations of KIT gene for two Chinese families affected with piebaldism in order to facilitate genetic counseling and assisted reproduction.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Peripheral blood samples were collected from 2 patients of family 1 and the proband and 3 unaffected members of family 2 for the extraction of DNA and RNA. PCR-sequencing and reverse transcription PCR-sequencing were used to screen KIT mutations.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All of the patients from family 1 were found to carry heterozygous IVS12+2-+7delinsACATCTTTA, a splicing mutation undocumented in the human gene mutation data base (HGMD) database. This mutation has resulted in c.1765-1779del in cDNA and p.Gly592Ala/del:E12, which has led to skipping of exon 12 and no expression of cDNA. The proband from family 2 has carried a heterozygous c.2401A>C mutation in KIT gene. The same mutation was not found in unaffected members.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>We have attained definite diagnosis for both families, which has facilitated genetic counseling and assisted reproduction for our patients and their family members.</p>

Comparison of the action of isolichenin and methanol extract of saffron on long-term potentiation in hippocampal dentate gyrus in vivo / 药学学报

Long-term potentiation (LTP) is thought as a generative mechanism underlying learning and memory via storing information in central nervous system. Electro-neurophysiological assay for LTP is generally used in screening the drugs that can facilitate learning and memory. By using in vivo LTP technique, isolichenin was found to facilitate LTP induction by a tetanic stimulation (20 pulses/100 Hz) in dentate gyrus. This tetanic stimulation by itself, however, cannot induce LTP. Previous study showed the reagent being able to facilitate LTP-induction, like methanol extract of saffron (MES), usually can antagonize the inhibiting effect of 30% ethanol on LTP induction (30 pulses/60 Hz). Isolichenin may also fall into such kind of drugs. Interestingly, comparatively study showed that isolichenin failed to antagonize the inhibiting effect of 30% ethanol on LTP induction (30 pulses/60 Hz). This result indicates a different unknown mechanism existing in the effect of isolichenin on LTP or memory formation.