A new elemane-type sesquiterpenoid glycoside from Curcuma phaeocaulis / 药学学报

To study the chemical constituents and their biological activities in the rhizomes of Curcuma phaeocaulis, silica gel column chromatography, reverse medium pressure liquid chromatography, preparative thin layer chromatography, and semi-preparative high performance liquid chromatography were used for isolation and purification and modern spectroscopic methods were used to determine the structure of the isolated compound. Moreover, the effect of the compound on the proliferation of HUVECs was determined by the MTT assay. A new elemane-type sesquiterpenoid glycoside was isolated from the n-butanol soluble fraction of 95% ethanolic extract of the rhizomes of Curcuma phaeocaulis. Its structure was identified as (1Z)-2-hydroxy-curzerenone 2-O-β-D-glucoside. It showed no inhibitory effect on the proliferation of HUVECs.

Roles and mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine and its active ingredients in treating epilepsy / 中国中药杂志

At present,Western medicine is widely used in the treatment of epilepsy.However,about 30%-40% of epileptic patients are resistant to them and are affected by the side effects of these drugs.Traditional Chinese medicine is effective in treating epileptic seizures and relieving complications caused by Western medicine.However,the active ingredients and mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine remain unclear.This article reviews and summarizes the advances and mechanisms in treating epilepsy,such as Chinese medicine monomer,the extracts of single Chinese medicine and Chinese medicine compound.Chinese medicine monomers,including gastrodin,asarone,rhynchophylline,ligustrazine,tanshinone ⅡA,curcumin,etc.,have antiepileptic effects via regulating excitatory neurotransmitters and receptors,the expression of inflammatory factors,sodium/potassium ion channels and the expression of apoptotic protein,therefore protecting neurons.The extracts of single Chinese herbal including the extracts of Gastrodiae Rhizoma,Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma,Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma,Ganoderma,Scutellariae Radix and Ginkgo Folium,etc.,have antiepileptic effects related to the inhibition of γ-aminobutyric acid receptor,upregulation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase signaling pathway and reduction of glutamate-induced excitotoxicity and oxidative stress response.Furthermore,these extracts can regulate ion channels and reduce oxidative damage of neurons.Chinese medicine compounds including Dianxian Qing Granules,Danxing Ningxian Granules,Huoxue Dingxian formulae,etc.,can improve the therapeutic effect on epilepsy through simultaneously regulating excitatory transmitters,apoptosis factors and cytokines.

Effects of p38MAPK inhibitor on the occurrence of acute GVHD and intestine damage after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in mice / 中华血液学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effects of p38MAPK inhibitor SB203580 (SB) on the occurrence of acute GVHD and intestine damage after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) in mice.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty BALB/c mice, as recipients, were randomized to control group, irradiation group, model group and intervention group. C57BL/6 mice, as donors, were raised to prepare the bone marrow cells (BMCs) and spleen cells (SCs), which were injected into irradiated recipients mice by tail vein. Except control group, other groups accepted 7.5Gy total body irradiation. Model group and intervention group were infused with BMCs 5×10⁶ and SCs 5×10⁵ by less than 4 h after irradiation. SB was injected into intervention group by intraperitoneally, but only DMSO for model group. The general status and survival rate of each group were evaluated. The expression of p-p38MAPK, Fas and FasL in intestine were determined by RT-PCR, Western blot and immunohistochemistry (IHC).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The weight changes of intervention group (13.00±0.50)% was significantly lighter than that of model group (25.00±0.75)% (P<0.05). The clinical score of acute GVHD in the intervention group (3.33±0.82) was significantly lower than that of model group (6.33±1.36) (P<0.05). The expression levels of p-p38MAPK, Fas and FasL in small intestine of intervention group (1.43±0.02, 0.81±0.03, 0.97±0.03) were lower than those of model group (1.76±0.05, 1.52±0.04, 1.48±0.04).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>SB inhibited the activation of p38MAPK and Fas/ FasL signal pathway and alleviated the apoptosis of small intestine. And SB could relieve small intestine damages induced by allogeneic T lymphocytes.</p>

Effect of recipient mouse age on occurrence of graft-versus-host disease following allogenic bone marrow transplantation / 中国实验血液学杂志

This study was aimed to explore the influence of recipient age on the occurrence of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) in mice. 8 - 10 weeks aged C57BL/6 (H-2K(b)) mice were selected as donors, 18 - 20 weeks aged and 8 - 10 weeks aged BALB/c (H-2K(d)) mice were served as recipients. 18 - 20 weeks and 8 - 10 weeks aged mice were all randomly divided into three groups: normal control group (without any treatment); irradiation alone group [administered a total body irradiation (TBI) without bone marrow transplantation] and model group [infused with bone marrow mononuclear cells 5 × 10(6) and splenocytes 5 × 10(5) from donor C57BL/6 (H-2K(b)) mice through caudal vein no more than 4 h after TBI]. The general state and survival rate of all mice were observed everyday. The factors (the chimerism in peripheral blood, T lymphocyte and their subsets, the percentage of Th1 cells) of mice in model groups were measured by flow cytometry on day 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 after TBI, the leukocytes in peripheral blood were also calculated by direct microscopic counting. The histological examinations of liver, intestine and skin were done by hematoxylin and eosin staining on day 5, 15, and 25 after TBI. All above data were compared between model groups. The results indicated that murine model with aGVHD was established in two model groups. Compared with 8 - 10 weeks aged mice, the 18 - 20 weeks aged mice showed higher survival rate and lower clinical scores (P < 0.05); the reconstitution time of leukocyte and chimerism in peripheral blood were delayed (P < 0.05); The ratio of CD8(+)T lymphocytes and Th1 cells in peripheral blood were lower (P < 0.05); the histological changes of liver, intestine and skin were little. It is concluded that 18 - 20 weeks aged recipient mice exhibited a lower incidence of aGVHD than 8 - 10 weeks aged recipient mice.