Tangbikang Granules Modulates AMPK/NF-κB Pathway to Alleviate Sciatic Nerve Inflammation in Diabetic Rats / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the effect of Tangbikang granules （TBK） on sciatic nerve inflammation in diabetic rats through modulation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase （AMPK）/nuclear factor （NF）-κB pathway. MethodSD rats were fed with high-fat and high-sugar diet for 8 weeks and then treated with streptozotocin （STZ， ip） at 35 mg·kg-1 for modeling. Then the rats were randomized into diabetes group， low-dose （0.625 g·kg-1）， medium-dose （1.25 g·kg-1）， and high-dose （2.5 g·kg-1） TBK groups， and lipoic acid group （0.026 8 g·kg-1） according to body weight and blood glucose level， and a normal group was designed. After modeling， administration began and lasted 12 weeks. The body mass， blood glucose level， and thermal withdrawal latency （TWL） of the rats were detected before treatment and at the 4th， 8th， and 12th week of administration. At the 12th week， the sciatic nerve was collected for hematoxylin-eosin （HE） and Luxol fast blue （LFB） staining， and the structural changes of sciatic nerve were observed under scanning electron microscope. The levels of interleukin-1β （IL-1β） and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） in sciatic nerve were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）， and the levels of AMPK， phosphorylated （p）-AMPK， and NF-κB proteins in the sciatic nerve were measured by Western blot. ResultThe blood glucose concentration and TWL in the model group were higher than those in the normal group at each time point （P<0.01）. The levels of IL-1β， TNF-α， and NF-κB protein in sciatic nerve in the model group were higher than those in the normal group （P<0.01）， and the p-AMPK/AMPK ratio was smaller than that in the normal group （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， TBK of the three doses lowered the TWL （P<0.05， P<0.01） and the levels of IL-1β， TNF-α， and NF-κB protein in sciatic nerve of rats （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and high-dose and medium-dose TBK raised p-AMPK/AMPK （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The sciatic nerve fibers were orderly and compact with alleviation of demyelination in rats treated with TBK compared with those in the model group. ConclusionTBK improves the function of sciatic nerve and alleviates neuroinflammation in diabetic rats. The mechanism is the likelihood that it up-regulates the expression of AMPK in the AMPK/NF-κB pathway and inhibits the expression of downstream NF-κB， thereby alleviating the neuroinflammation caused by high levels of inflammatory factors such as IL-1β and TNF-α due to NF-κB activation.

Molecular Mechanism of Tangbikang Granules Against Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy： Based on Network Pharmacology and Experimental Verification / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism of Tangbikang granules （TBK） against diabetic peripheral neuropathy （DPN） based on network pharmacology and in-vivo experiment. MethodThe active components in medicinals of TBK and their target genes were searched from Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform （TCMSP）. The active components of the medicinals which are not included in TCMSP were searched from previous research. After the analysis of drug-likeness by SwissADME， the target genes of them were predicted with SwissTargetPrediction. DPN-related target genes were retrieved from GeneCards. The common targets of the disease and the prescription were the hub genes of TBK against DPN， which were uploaded to Metascape for Gene Ontology （GO） term enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） pathway enrichment analysis. High-sugar and high-fat diet and low-dose streptozotocin （STZ， ip） were employed to induce diabetes in rats， and then the model rats were respectively treated with low-dose （0.625 g·kg-1）， medium-dose （1.25 g·kg-1）， and high-dose （2.5 g·kg-1） TBK for 12 weeks. Sensory nerve conduction velocity （SNCV） was evaluated. After hematoxylin and eosin （HE） staining， the sciatic nerve was observed under light microscope to examine the nerve damage. Real-time PCR was performed to detect the gene expression of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase （AMPK） pathway-related targets in rat sciatic nerve， and Western blot to measure the protein expression of AMPK and phosphorylated （p）-AMPK in rat sciatic nerve. ResultThe main active components of TBK， such as quercetin， kaempferol， β-sitosterol， leech pteridine A， stigmasterol， and baicalein were screened out， mainly acting on interleukin-6 （IL-6）， tumor necrosis factor （TNF）， protein kinase B （Akt）， JUN， and HSP90AA1 and signaling pathways such as AMPK， nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB）， and Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription （JAK/STAT）. Molecular docking results showed that β-sitosterol and stigmasterol had high binding affinity with IL-6， TNF， JUN， and HSP90AA1. As for the animal experiment， compared with the normal group， model group had low SNCV of sciatic nerve （P<0.01）， disordered and loose myelinated nerve fibers with axonotmesis and demyelinization， low mRNA expression of AMPKα， AMPKβ， peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α （PGC-1α）， Sirtuin 3 （SirT3）， mitochondrial transcription factor A （TFAM）， and low p-AMPK/AMPK ratio in sciatic nerve （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， TBK of the three doses raised the SNCV （P<0.01）， restored nerve morphology and nerve compactness， and increased the mRNA expression of AMPKα， AMPKβ， PGC-1α， SirT3， and TFAM （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The ratio of p-AMPK/AMPK in the high-dose and medium-dose TBK groups was higher than that in the model group （P<0.01）， while the protein expression in the low-dose TBK group was insignificantly different from that in the model group. ConclusionTBK exerts therapeutic effect on DPN through multiple pathways and targets. The mechanism is that it activates and regulates AMPK/PGC-1α/SirT3 signaling， which lays a basis for further study of TBK in the treatment of DPN.

Significance of high expression of C5orf46 in gastric cancer and potential intervention of tarditional Chinese medicine based on bioinformatics, molecular docking, and cell experiments / 中国中药杂志

This study aims to investigate the expression, prognosis, and clinical significance of C5orf46 in gastric cancer and to study the interaction between the active components of C5orf46 and tarditional Chinese medicine. The ggplot2 package was utilized for differential expression analysis of C5orf46 in gastric cancer tissues and normal tissues. The survival package was used for survival analysis, univariate regression analysis, and multivariate regression analysis. Nomogram analysis was used to assess the connection between C5orf46 expression in gastric cancer and overall survival. The abundance of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes was calculated by GSVA package. Coremine database, Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform(TCMSP) database, and PubChem database were used to search the potential components corresponding to C5orf46 gene and tarditional Chinese medicine. Molecular docking was performed to explore the binding affinity of potential components to C5orf46. Cell experiments were performed to explore the expression of C5orf46 gene in cells of the blank group, model group, and drug administration groups. As compared with normal tissues, C5orf46 expression was higher in gastric cancer tissues, which had more significant predictive effects in the early stages(T2, N0, and M0). The more advanced the tumor node metastasis(TNM) stage, the higher the C5orf46 expression and the lower the probability of survival of patients with gastric cancer. The expression of C5orf46 positively correlated with the helper T cells1 in gastric cancer and the macrophage infiltration level in gastric cancer, and negatively correlated with B cells, central memory T cells, helper T cells 17, and follicular helper T cells. Seven potential components of C5orf46 were obtained, and three active components were obtained after the screening, which matched five tarditional Chinese medicines, namely, Sojae Semen Nigrum, Jujubae Fructus, Trichosanthis Fructus, Silybi Fructus, and Bambusae Concretio Silicea. Molecular docking revealed that sialic acid and adeno-sine monophosphate(AMP) had a good binding ability to C5orf46. The results of real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR) and Western blot showed that, as compared with the model group, the mRNA and protein expression levels of C5orf46 were significantly lower in the drug administration groups. The lowest expression level was found at the concentration of 40 μmol·L~(-1). The results of this study provide ideas for the clinical development of traditional Chinese medicine compounds for the treatment of gastric cancer as well as other cancers.

Blaps rynchopetera affects proliferation, migration, and invasion of non-small cell lung cancer: a study based on network pharmacology and in vivo and in vitro experiments / 中国中药杂志

Network pharmacology, molecular docking, and in vivo and in vitro experiments were employed to study the molecular mechanism of Blaps rynchopetera Fairmaire in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC). The components of B. rynchopetera were collected by literature review, and the active components were screened out through the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform(TCMSP). PharmMapper was used to obtain the targets of the active components. The targets of NSCLC were obtained from DrugBank, GeneCards, OMIM, TTD, and PharmGKB. The Venn diagram was drawn to identify the common targets shared by the active components of B. rynchopetera and NSCLC. The "drug component-target" network and protein-protein interaction(PPI) network were constructed by Cytoscape, and the key targets were screened by Centiscape. Gene Ontology(GO) annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) enrichment of the above key targets were performed by DAVID. AutoDock and PyMOL were used for the molecular docking between the key targets and corresponding active components. A total of 31 active components, 72 potential targets, and 11 key targets of B. rynchopetera against NSCLC were obtained. The active components of B. rynchopetera had good binding activity with key targets. Further, the serum containing B. rynchopetera was prepared and used to culture human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells. The CCK-8 assay was employed to determine the inhibition rates on the growth of A549 cells in blank control group and those exposed to different concentrations of B. rynchopetera-containing serum, cisplatin, and drug combination(B. rynchopetera-containing serum+cisplatin) for different time periods. The cell migration and invasion of A549 cells were detected by cell scratch assay and Transwell assay, respectively. Western blot was employed to determine the expression levels of B-cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2), Bcl-2-associated X(Bax), caspase-3, cell division cycle 42(CDC42), proto-oncogene tyrosine-protein kinase SRC, and vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) in A549 cells. C57BL/6 mice were inoculated with Lewis cells and randomly assigned into a model control group, a B. rynchopetera group, a cisplatin group, and a drug combination(B. rynchopetera+cisplatin) group, with 12 mice per group. The body weight and the long diameter(a) and short diameter(b) of the tumor were monitored every other day during treatment, and the tumor volume(mm~3) was calculated as 0.52ab~2. After 14 days of continuous medication, the mice were sacrificed for the collection of tumor, spleen, and thymus, and the tumor inhibition rate and immune organ indexes were calculated. The tissue morphology of tumors was observed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining, and the positive expression of Bax, Bcl-2, caspase-3, CDC42, SRC, and VEGF in the tumor tissue was detected by immunohistochemistry. The results indicated that B. rynchopetera and the drug combination regulated the expression levels of Bax, Bcl-2, caspase-3, CDC42, SRC, and VEGF to inhibit the proliferation, migration, and invasion of A549 cells and Lewis cells, thus playing a role in the treatment of NSCLC via multiple ways.

Chrysin alleviates cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury by inhibiting ferroptosis in rats / 中国中药杂志

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether chrysin reduces cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury(CIRI) by inhi-biting ferroptosis in rats. Male SD rats were randomly divided into a sham group, a model group, high-, medium-, and low-dose chrysin groups(200, 100, and 50 mg·kg~(-1)), and a positive drug group(Ginaton, 21.6 mg·kg~(-1)). The CIRI model was induced in rats by transient middle cerebral artery occlusion(tMCAO). The indexes were evaluated and the samples were taken 24 h after the operation. The neurological deficit score was used to detect neurological function. The 2,3,5-triphenyl tetrazolium chloride(TTC) staining was used to detect the cerebral infarction area. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining and Nissl staining were used to observe the morphological structure of brain tissues. Prussian blue staining was used to observe the iron accumulation in the brain. Total iron, lipid pero-xide, and malondialdehyde in serum and brain tissues were detected by biochemical reagents. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR), immunohistochemistry, and Western blot were used to detect mRNA and protein expression of solute carrier fa-mily 7 member 11(SLC7A11), transferrin receptor 1(TFR1), glutathione peroxidase 4(GPX4), acyl-CoA synthetase long chain family member 4(ACSL4), and prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2(PTGS2) in brain tissues. Compared with the model group, the groups with drug intervention showed restored neurological function, decreased cerebral infarction rate, and alleviated pathological changes. The low-dose chrysin group was selected as the optimal dosing group. Compared with the model group, the chrysin groups showed reduced content of total iron, lipid peroxide, and malondialdehyde in brain tissues and serum, increased mRNA and protein expression levels of SLC7A11 and GPX4, and decreased mRNA and protein expression levels of TFR1, PTGS2, and ACSL4. Chrysin may regulate iron metabolism via regulating the related targets of ferroptosis and inhibit neuronal ferroptosis induced by CIRI.

Mechanical, optical, and physicochemical properties of HPMC-based doxazosin mesylate orodispersible films

Abstract In this study, orodispersible films formed from hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) E6 (2, 2.5, and 3%) and plasticizers ((glycerin (Gly), propylene glycol (PP), or polyethylene glycol (PEG)), containing doxazosin mesylate, were prepared by the solvent casting method and characterized. Design of experiments (DoE) was used as a statistical tool to facilitate the interpretation of the experimental data and allow the identification of optimal levels of factors for maximum formulation performance. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) curves and X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) diffractograms showed doxazosin mesylate amorphization, probably due to complexation with the polymer (HPMC E6), and the glass transition temperature of the polymer was reduced by adding a plasticizer. Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy results showed that the chemical structure of doxazosin mesylate was preserved when introduced into the polymer matrix, and the plasticizers, glycerin and PEG, affected the polymer matrix with high intensity. The addition of plasticizers increased the elongation at break and adhesiveness (Gly > PEG > PP), confirming the greater plasticizer effect of Gly observed in DSC and FTIR studies. Greater transparency was observed for the orodispersible films prepared using PP. The addition of citric acid as a pH modifier was fundamental for the release of doxazosin mesylate, and the desirability formulation had a release profile similar to that of the reference product

Mechanism of Modified Zhenwutang in Delaying Progression of Chronic Renal Failure Based on Network Pharmacology， Molecular Docking， and Experimental Verification / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo preliminarily predict the active ingredients， targets， and signaling pathways of modified Zhenwutang in the treatment of chronic renal failure （CRF） based on network pharmacology and explore its potential mechanism for delaying disease progression through molecular docking and animal experiments. MethodThe effective ingredients and targets of modified Zhenwutang were obtained from the HERB database. The targets related to CRF were obtained from the GeneCards. The intersection target genes were obtained using Venny 2.1 software and a protein-protein interaction （PPI） network was constructed using the STRING. The core targets for treating CRF with modified Zhenwutang were screened using Cytoscape 3.9.1 software. The intersection genes were analyzed using Metascape database for gene ontology （GO） analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） enrichment analysis. Molecular docking validation was performed using AutoDockTools 1.5.6 software for the key targets and active ingredients. An experimental CRF model was established in rats by administering adenine via gavage for 12 weeks， followed by intervention with modified Zhenwutang and benazepril hydrochloride for four weeks. After treatment， the rats were euthanized， and immunohistochemistry （IHC）， immunofluorescence （IF）， real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）， and western blot were performed to detect the expression levels of prolyl hydroxylase domain-containing proteins 1 （PHD1）， prolyl hydroxylase domain-containing proteins 2 （PHD2）， hypoxia-inducible factor-1α （HIF-1α）， and α-smooth muscle actin （α-SMA） in the renal tissues of the rats. ResultA total of 426 drug target genes of modified Zhenwutang were obtained from the HERB database. A total of 2 698 target genes related to CRF were obtained from the GeneCards database. There were 154 intersection genes between the drug and the disease. Eight core targets were identified， including albumin （ALB）， protein kinase B1 （Akt1）， tumor necrosis factor （TNF）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， insulin （INS）， vascular endothelial growth factor A （VEGFA）， tumor protein p53 （TP53）， and interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， which might be closely related to the treatment of CRF with modified Zhenwutang. KEGG enrichment analysis predicted that the main mechanism of modified Zhenwutang in treating CRF involved lipid and atherosclerosis， HIF-1 signaling pathway， cell apoptosis， and nuclear factor kappa B （NF-κB） signaling pathway. Molecular docking results showed that the ingredients of modified Zhenwutang had stable binding activity with the core targets ALB， Akt1， TNF， IL-6， INS， VEGFA， TP53， and IL-1β， which may regulate inflammation and cell apoptosis by affecting the target proteins. The animal model validation results demonstrated that modified Zhenwutang could reduce the expression levels of HIF-1α and α-SMA in the renal tissues of CRF rats， increase the expression levels of PHD1 and PHD2， alleviate renal tissue hypoxia injury， reduce myofibroblast formation， and slow down the progression of CRF in rats. ConclusionModified Zhenwutang may improve renal tissue hypoxia， inhibit cell transdifferentiation， cell apoptosis/necroptosis， and inflammation by affecting the expression of target proteins such as ALB， Akt1， TNF， IL-6， INS， VEGFA， TP53， and IL-1β， as well as regulating the HIF-1 signaling pathway， thus delaying the progression of CRF.

Effect of Mankuining Formula on NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD Pyroptosis Pathway and Gut Microbiota in DSS-induced Ulcerative Colitis Mice / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the regulatory effect of Mankuining Formula （MKNF） on the gut microbiota and the NOD-like receptor （NLR）P3/Caspase-1/gasdermin D （GSDMD） pyroptosis pathway-mediated inflammation in dextran sulfate sodium （DSS）-induced ulcerative colitis （UC） mice. MethodSixty SPF C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into a blank group， a model group， a MKNF group （20 g·kg-1）， and a mesalazine group （0.266 g·kg-1）， with 15 mice in each group. The UC model was induced in mice by freely drinking a 3% DSS solution for 7 days. After 12 hours of modeling， the treatment groups received daily oral administration， while the other groups received an equal volume of normal saline by gavage. Daily body weight and disease activity index （DAI） were recorded. On the 8th day， mice were euthanized after anesthesia， and the colon and feces were collected. The colon length was measured， and histopathological changes were observed after hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining. Tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， and interleukin-18 （IL-18） levels in the colon were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The differences in gut microbiota among the groups were analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing technology. The protein content of NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD in colon tissues was detected by Western blot. ResultCompared with the blank group， mice in the model group showed increased DAI （P<0.01）， shortened colon length （P<0.01）， severe colon mucosal damage， elevated levels of TNF-α， IL-1β， and IL-18 （P<0.01）， increased protein content of NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD in colon tissues （P<0.01）， altered gut microbiota structure with decreased abundance of Actinobacteria， Bacteroidetes， and Proteobacteria， and increased abundance of Firmicutes at the phylum level. At the genus level， there was a decrease in Lactobacillus， Alloprevotella， and Yersinia， and an increase in Bacteroides， Bacillus， and Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136. Compared with the model group， the MKNF group and the mesalazine group showed a significant reduction in DAI after the 3rd day （P<0.01）， a significant increase in colon length （P<0.01）， alleviated colon inflammation and mucosal structural damage， and decreased TNF-α， IL-1β， and IL-18 levels in the colon （P<0.01）， reduced protein content of NLRP3/caspase-1/GSDMD in colon tissue （P<0.05， P<0.01），an increase in the abundance of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes， and a decrease in Firmicutes at the phylum level. ConclusionMKNF can alleviate UC-induced colonic inflammation， reduce colon damage， and improve dysbiosis of the gut microbiota by inhibiting the classical pyroptosis pathway.

Ethical Analysis of the Medical Science Experiments Targeting Humans / 中国医学伦理学

With the continuous progress of medical technology, some violations of ethical principles often occur in science experimental research targeting humans. Taking the type of human experimental research as the starting point, through ethical analysis and evaluation of different types of human experimental research, this paper concluded that in human experimental research, it was necessary to adhere to humanitarian principles of human experimental research, fully respect the research participants’ right to informed consent, select research participants fairly, fully protect the research participants’ rights and interests, and supervise the whole research process. So as to better regulate the behavior of medical researchers in human experimental research and protect the rights and interests of research participants.

The effect of high dose hyperbaric ozone autologous blood therapy(HOT) on oxygenation index and inflammatory factor level in ARDS dogs / 中国输血杂志

【Objective】 To investigate the effects of high-dose hyperbaric trioxygen autologous blood therapy (HOT) on oxygenation index (PaO2/FiO2) and serum inflammatory factors in dogs with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). 【Methods】 Twelve healthy adult beagles were randomly divided into 3 groups (n=4). The blank group was injected with normal saline intravenously. The ARDS model was established by intravenous injection of oleic acid (0.12 mL/kg) in the ARDS group and ARDS+ HOT group. The mark of a successful model is that the oxygen and index (PaO2/FiO2) <300 mmHg. In the ARDS+ HOT group, after the ARDS model was established, 16 G indwelling needle was used to puncture the left femoral vein and connect the line of the HOT device. Venous blood (50 mL/ dog) was collected from the femoral vein under negative pressure to the blood storage bottle (100 mL blood storage bottle), and then the blood collection was stopped and the gas injection switch of the HOT device was turned on. Inject 50 mL of 20ng/dL trioxygen gas into the blood storage bottle. After gas injection, turn the blood storage bottle upside down three times to fully trioxidize the blood and then inject it back into the dog. Repeat this treatment for 10 cycles. PaO2 and PaO2/FiO2 were detected before treatment and at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 h after treatment. The serum was retained after treatment, and the expressions of inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-8) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) were detected by ELISA. The animals were euthanized, and the gross lung morphology of the dogs was observed at autopsy. The dorsal segment of the left lower lobe of the lung was taken for pathological section HE staining, and the morphological changes of the lung tissue were observed under the microscope. 【Results】 After 5 hours of treatment, the PaO2/FiO2 of blank group was 481.85±35.31, and that of ARDS group was 183.67±20.18, which was significantly lower than that of blank group (P<0.01). The ARDS HOT group was 271.90±21.35, which was significantly higher than the ARDS group (P<0.01). The inflammatory factor IL-6 was (206.49±38.85) pg/mL in the blank group, and (293.12±30.38) pg/mL in the ARDS group, which was significantly higher than that in the blank group (P<0.01). There was a significant difference between the ARDS HOT group and ARDS group (221.56±46.69) pg/mL (P<0.01). The results of inflammatory factor IL-8 detection showed that the IL-8 in ARDS group was increased compared with the blank group (P<0.01); and the IL-8 in ARDS HOT group was decreased compared with ARDS group (P<0.01). Myeloperoxidase MPO test results showed that the blank group was (505.58±73.94) pg/mL, and the ARDS group was (605.69±108.88) pg/mL, which was significantly higher than the blank group (P<0.05). The ARDS HOT group was (476.52±103.85) pg/mL, which was significantly lower than the ARDS group (P<0.05). Microscopic examination of lung pathology showed that the lung tissue injury in ARDS HOT group was significantly reduced compared with ARDS group. 【Conclusion】 HOT can reduce the inflammation and injury of lung in ARDS model dogs through significantly increasing the PaO2/FiO2, down-regulating the expression of MPO, then inhibiting the activity of neutrophils and reducing the levels of IL-6 and IL-8.

Effect of Huanglian Ejiaotang on 5-Hydroxytryptamine System and Gut Microbiota in Sleep-deprived Rats / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism of Huanglian Ejiaotang in intervening in insomnia based on 5-hydroxytryptamine （5-HT） system and gut microbiota. MethodFifty-five SPF-grade SD rats were randomly divided into normal group， model group， low-， medium-， and high-dose Huanglian Ejiaotang groups （1.925， 3.85， and 7.7 g·kg-1）， and Estazolam group （0.1 mg·kg-1）. Except for those in the normal group， the rats in the other five groups were subjected to sleep deprivation on a narrow platform for 12 hours daily for 21 consecutive days. After 14 days of drug intervention， the sleep， exploratory behavior， and depressive-like behavior of the rats were assessed using the pentobarbital sodium sleep synergistic test， the open field test， and the sugar preference test， respectively. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to detect the levels of 5-HT， 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid （5-HIAA）， tryptophan hydroxylase （TPH）， and monoamine oxidase-A （MAO-A）. Real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to measure the mRNA expression of the 5-HT1A receptor （5-HT1AR） and 5-HT2A receptor （5-HT2AR）. Differences in gut microbiota among the groups were assessed using 16S rRNA sequencing， and the correlation between the 5-HT system and microbiota was revealed using redundancy analysis. ResultCompared with the normal group， the model group showed a prolonged sleep latency （P<0.05）， reduced sleep maintenance （P<0.01）， decreased central area activity time in the open field （P<0.01）， and reduced sugar preference rate （P<0.05）. Moreover， the model group also showed decreased levels of 5-HT， 5-HIAA， TPH， and MAO-A （P<0.01）， decreased 5-HIAA/5-HT ratio （P<0.01）， downregulated mRNA expression of 5-HT1AR （P<0.01）， and upregulated mRNA expression of 5-HT2AR （P<0.05）. The proportion of Firmicutes decreased， while that of Bacteroidetes increased， leading to a decreased Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes （F/B） ratio （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the high-dose Huanglian Ejiaotang group exhibited a shortened sleep latency （P<0.01）， and increased sleep maintenance （P<0.01）. The low-dose Huanglian Ejiaotang group showed increased central area activity time （P<0.01） and an increased sugar preference rate （P<0.05）. The high-dose Huanglian Ejiaotang group exhibited increased levels of 5-HT， 5-HIAA， TPH， and MAO-A （P<0.01）， increased 5-HIAA/5-HT ratio （P<0.05）， upregulated mRNA expression of 5-HT1AR （P<0.01）， and downregulated mRNA expression of 5-HT2AR （P<0.05）. The low-dose Huanglian Ejiaotang group displayed an increased proportion of Firmicutes and a decreased proportion of Bacteroidetes， resulting in an increased F/B ratio. At the phylum level， 5-HT， 5-HIAA， and MAO-A were positively correlated with Firmicutes and negatively correlated with Bacteroidetes. At the genus level， 5-HT， 5-HIAA， TPH， and MAO-A were negatively correlated with Prevotella and Lactobacillus and positively correlated with Blautia and Bacteroides. ConclusionHuanglian Ejiaotang can improve sleep deprivation-induced insomnia and depressive-like behavior by regulating the activity of the 5-HT system and the composition of gut microbiota.

Collagen peptides against chronological skin aging: mechanisms of action and related clinical studies / 中华皮肤科杂志

In recent years, collagen peptides (CP) have become a research hotspot in delaying chronological skin aging. Animal experiments have shown that CP can repair chronologically aged animal skin by promoting collagen synthesis, inhibiting collagen degradation, and increasing antioxidant enzyme activity. Cell experiments showed that CP can promote proliferation of fibroblasts and synthesis of collagen and elastin by stimulating nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway and transforming growth factor-β/drosophila mothers against decapentaplegic signaling pathway. Clinical studies have demonstrated that long-term oral supplement with CP or CP in combination with other antioxidant active substances can increase the skin moisture content and reduce transepidermal water loss, improve skin wrinkles and elasticity, as well as improve the skin collagen fiber structure, dermal and epidermal quality and the overall condition of facial skin. This review summarizes recent studies on mechanisms underlying chronological skin aging and mechanisms of action of CP in repairing chronologically aged skin, in order to provide a theoretical basis for further clinical research into and application of CP in repairing chronologically aged skin.

An empirical analysis of homicides in Mexico through Machine Learning and statistical design of experiments

Homicide is one of the most important mortality causes that has reduced the Mexican life expectancy. That is why the aim of this work is to identify some sociodemographic and economic factors that can help explain homicides in Mexico and measure their impact, assuming the current conditions prevail. To do that, several Machine Learning (ML) methods were evaluated. The C5.0 model is best suited for the data at hand. After fine-tuning the algorithm, we used the estimated model to identify the main factors that explain homicides. Among these factors, eleven were selected that can be influenced by direct changes in domestic public policy, laws and/or regulations. These were used as input in a two-level fractional factorial Statistical Design of Experiments (DOE) to estimate their main effects and possible interactions. Although several of these factors had statistically significant effects on homicide rate, the one that had the biggest and direct impact from a practical perspective, was the Rule of Law Index (RLI). In fact, if we assumed that all states had the median RLI of 0.37, implementing domestic policies and procedures to move them all to the best RLI level could significantly reduce homicide rates.

El homicidio es una de las principales causas de muerte que ha reducido la esperanza de vida de los mexicanos. El objetivo de este trabajo es identificar algunos factores sociodemográficos y económicos que puedan ayudar a explicar homicidios en México y medir su impacto, suponiendo que las condiciones actuales permanecen. Para lograrlo, comparamos diferentes métodos de Aprendizaje de Máquina (AM). Para tal fin, se encuentra que el modelo C5.0 es el más adecuado. Después de hacer una calibración final del modelo, lo utilizamos para determinar los veinticinco principales factores que explican el fenómeno de homicidios. Se seleccionan 11 factores que se consideran pueden ser influenciados directamente por cambios en políticas públicas, leyes y/o regulaciones. Estos predictores fueron utilizados como entrada en un diseño de experimentos factorial fraccionado con dos niveles para estimar los principales efectos principales e interacciones posibles. A pesar de que varios de estos factores tuvieron impactos estadísticamente significativos, el que mostró tener el mayor impacto directo desde una perspectiva práctica fue el Índice de Estado de Derecho (IED). De hecho, asumiendo que todos los estados tuvieran el valor de IED de 0.37, correspondiente a la mediana en todo el país, si se implementaran políticas y procedimientos para ubicar a todos los estados al nivel del mejor estado en términos de IED, se lograría una reducción altamente significativa en la incidencia de homicidios en México.

Ferramenta in silico para desenvolvimento de métodos cromatográficos - aplicação em misturas de filtros solares / In silico tool for development of chromatographic methods - application in mixtures of sunscreensPalavras-chave em inglês

Planejamento de Experimentos (DoE) permite obter e explorar conhecimentos sobre inúmeros sistemas, facilitando a coleta de informações com reduzido número de experimentos. No entanto, DoE é restrito ao delineamento do desenho experimental. Para superar essa limitação e permitir uma previsão precisa dos tempos de retenção para uma seleção de filtros UV orgânicos sob diversas condições, usamos a Relação Quantitativa entre Estrutura e Retenção combinada com o método de Monte Carlo para desenvolver uma plataforma in silico capaz de prever o perfil cromatográfico de filtros UV orgânicos. Sete analitos foram usados para estabelecer o modelo de predição: benzofenona-3, avobenzona, ethilhexil triazona, octil dimetil PABA, metoxicinamato de octila, tinosorb® S e octocrileno. Os valores residuais obtidos no modelo de análise de regressão múltipla mostraram distribuição normal, homocedasticidade e independência. Os coeficientes de determinação (R2) e predição (R2 pred) foram de 99,82% e 99,71%, respectivamente. A plataforma in silico apresentou grande potencial para predição do perfil cromatográfico de filtros UV orgânicos, da coeluição de analitos, de seus parâmetros cromatográficos, além de permitir, sem experimentação, uma visão geral do comportamento de retenção de compostos sob diversas condições cromatográficas

Design of Experiments (DoE) allows obtaining and explorer knowledge about innumerous systems, facilitating the information collection with reduced number of experiments. However, DoE is restricted to the limited range which experimental design was delineated. In order to overcome this limitation and enable accurate prediction of retention times for a selection of organic UV filters under various conditions, we used the Quantitative Structure-Retention Relationships tool combined with Monte Carlo method to develop an in silico platform capable of predicting chromatographic profile of organic UV filters. Seven analytes were used to established to prediction model: benzophenone-3, butyl methoxydibenzoilmethane, ethylhexyl triazone, ethylhexyl dimetyl PABA, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, bisethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine and octocrylene. Residual values obtained from multiple regression analysis model showed normal distribution, homoscedasticity, and independence. Determination (R2) and prediction (R2 pred) coefficients were found to be 99,82% and 99,71%, respectively. In silico platform presented great potential for predicting chromatographic profile of organic UV filters, analytes coelution, chromatographic parameters and allowing, without experimentation, an overview of retention behavior of compounds under various chromatographic conditions

Mechanism of Modified Shengjiangsan in Treatment of IgA Nephropathy Based on Network Pharmacology， Molecular Docking， and Experimental Verification / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo preliminarily predict the active components， targets， and signaling pathways of modified Shengjiangsan in the treatment of immunoglobulin A nephropathy （IgAN） based on network pharmacology， and to explore its underlying mechanism through molecular docking and experimental verification on animals. MethodThe active ingredients and related targets of modified Shengjiangsan were obtained from Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform（TCMSP）， UniProt， SwissTargetPrediction， and literature review. IgAN-related targets were obtained from GeneCards and Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man （OMIM）. Cytoscape 3.9.0 was used to construct the regulation network of the related targets of Shengjiangsan and IgAN， and the protein-protein interaction （PPI） network was plotted by STRING. The common genes were analyzed for gene ontology （GO） functional annotation and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes（KEGG） pathway enrichment by Metascape. Key targets and main active ingredients were selected for molecular docking by AutoDockTools 1.5.6. The experimental model of IgAN was induced by bovine serum albumin（BSA， ig） combined with lipopolysaccharide （LPS， iv） and the complex of CCl4 and castor oil （sc） in rats. The model rats were treated with modified Shengjiangsan and benazepril hydrochloride for four weeks. The rats were sacrificed after drug administration. The levels of transforming growth factor-β1 （TGF-β1） and interleukin-6 （IL-6） in the serum and kidney tissues were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay（ELISA）， immunohistochemistry， Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）， and Western blot. ResultA total of 105 active ingredients were obtained according to oral bioavailability（OB）， drug-likeness（DL）， and literature screening. There were 124 common genes and 59 core targets. Neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase 1 （NTRK1）， cullin-3 （CUL3）， tumor protein 53 （TP53）， epidermal growth factor receptor （EGFR）， exportin 1 （XPO1）， and other targets might be closely related to IgAN. As predicted by KEGG enrichment analysis， the treatment of IgAN with modified Shengjiangsan mainly involved the phosphoinositide 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt） signaling pathway， nuclear transcription factor-kappa B （NF-κB） signaling pathway， and cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction signaling pathway. As revealed by molecular docking， the main active ingredients in modified Shengjiangsan showed stable binding activities with NTRK1， CUL3， TP53， EGFR， and XPO1 in the core targets， indicating that it presumedly regulated inflammatory responses by affecting NTRK1， CUL3， TP53， EGFR， and XPO1 target proteins. The results of experimental verification on animals showed that the expression levels of cytokines TGF-β1 and IL-6 in the serum and kidney tissues of IgAN rats were significantly decreased by modified Shengjiangsan， suggesting that Shengjiangsan might inhibit excessive fibrosis， and inflammatory and immune responses by regulating signaling pathways such as cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction， PI3K/Akt， and NF-κB. ConclusionModified Shengjiangsan may treat IgAN through multiple targets and pathways. Its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of excessive fibrosis， and inflammatory and immune responses by affecting the expression of NTRK1， CUL3， TP53， EGFR， and XPO1 and the regulation of the cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction， PI3K/Akt， NF-κB， and other signaling pathways.

Molecular Mechanism of Erxian Decoction in Treatment of Anxiety Disorder Based on Network Pharmacology and Experimental Verification / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo predict the potential molecular mechanism of Erxian decoction in the treatment of anxiety disorder based on network pharmacology， and to verify the efficacy and mechanism using the animal model of maternal separation combined with restraint stress. MethodActive components and related targets of Erxian decoction were obtained by traditional Chinese medicine system pharmacology database and analysis platform （TCMSP） and SwissTargetPrediction. The targets related to anxiety disorder were screened out through GeneCards， therapeutic target database （TTD）， online mendelian inheritance in man database （OMIM）， and DrugBank， and the drug-disease intersection targets were obtained by taking intersections with the drug targets. The protein-protein interaction （PPI） network was constructed by the STRING database， and the core targets were screened out based on topological parameter analysis. Gene Ontology （GO） enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） pathway enrichment analysis were carried out for the intersection targets through the Metascape platform. Maternal separation combined with restraint stress was used to induce the mouse model of anxiety disorder. From the end of lactation on the 21st postnatal day （PD21） to the completion of restraint stress on the 97th postnatal day （PD97）， the mice were fed with Erxian decoction mixed with diet. The anxiety state of mice was evaluated by open field test and elevated O-maze test. The content of plasma corticosterone （CORT） in mice was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The expression levels of protein kinase B （Akt1）， mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR）， brain-derived neurotrophic factor （BDNF）， postsynaptic density-95 （PSD95）， and synaptophysin in the hippocampus of mice were detected by Western blot and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）. ResultNinty-seven active components and 227 action targets of Erxian decoction were obtained. There were 3 863 targets related to anxiety disorder， with 161 drug-disease intersection targets. Among these intersection targets， core targets such as Akt1， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， tumor necrosis factor （TNF）， and mTOR were presumedly closely related to anxiety disorder. The results of KEGG pathway analysis showed that Erxian decoction mainly treated anxiety disorder through phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K）/Akt， mitogen-activated protein kinase （MAPK）， and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction signaling pathways. The results of animal experiments showed that compared with the model group， the Erxian decoction group significantly increased the time of mice spent in the central zone and central crossing times and time spent in the opened arm and opened arm crossing times， with significantly increased expression levels of p-Akt1， p-mTOR， BDNF， PSD95， and synaptophysin （Syp）. ConclusionErxian decoction has the multi-target and multi-pathway characteristics in the treatment of anxiety disorder， and its mechanism may be related to the improvement of synaptic plasticity and neuroinflammation by affecting Akt1， IL-1β， IL-6， TNF， mTOR， and other core targets and modulating PI3K/Akt， MAPK， as well as neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction signal pathways.

Molecular Mechanism of Erxian Decoction in Treatment of Anxiety Disorder Based on Network Pharmacology and Experimental Verification / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo predict the potential molecular mechanism of Erxian decoction in the treatment of anxiety disorder based on network pharmacology， and to verify the efficacy and mechanism using the animal model of maternal separation combined with restraint stress. MethodActive components and related targets of Erxian decoction were obtained by traditional Chinese medicine system pharmacology database and analysis platform （TCMSP） and SwissTargetPrediction. The targets related to anxiety disorder were screened out through GeneCards， therapeutic target database （TTD）， online mendelian inheritance in man database （OMIM）， and DrugBank， and the drug-disease intersection targets were obtained by taking intersections with the drug targets. The protein-protein interaction （PPI） network was constructed by the STRING database， and the core targets were screened out based on topological parameter analysis. Gene Ontology （GO） enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） pathway enrichment analysis were carried out for the intersection targets through the Metascape platform. Maternal separation combined with restraint stress was used to induce the mouse model of anxiety disorder. From the end of lactation on the 21st postnatal day （PD21） to the completion of restraint stress on the 97th postnatal day （PD97）， the mice were fed with Erxian decoction mixed with diet. The anxiety state of mice was evaluated by open field test and elevated O-maze test. The content of plasma corticosterone （CORT） in mice was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The expression levels of protein kinase B （Akt1）， mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR）， brain-derived neurotrophic factor （BDNF）， postsynaptic density-95 （PSD95）， and synaptophysin in the hippocampus of mice were detected by Western blot and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）. ResultNinty-seven active components and 227 action targets of Erxian decoction were obtained. There were 3 863 targets related to anxiety disorder， with 161 drug-disease intersection targets. Among these intersection targets， core targets such as Akt1， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， tumor necrosis factor （TNF）， and mTOR were presumedly closely related to anxiety disorder. The results of KEGG pathway analysis showed that Erxian decoction mainly treated anxiety disorder through phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K）/Akt， mitogen-activated protein kinase （MAPK）， and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction signaling pathways. The results of animal experiments showed that compared with the model group， the Erxian decoction group significantly increased the time of mice spent in the central zone and central crossing times and time spent in the opened arm and opened arm crossing times， with significantly increased expression levels of p-Akt1， p-mTOR， BDNF， PSD95， and synaptophysin （Syp）. ConclusionErxian decoction has the multi-target and multi-pathway characteristics in the treatment of anxiety disorder， and its mechanism may be related to the improvement of synaptic plasticity and neuroinflammation by affecting Akt1， IL-1β， IL-6， TNF， mTOR， and other core targets and modulating PI3K/Akt， MAPK， as well as neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction signal pathways.

Optimization of extraction technology of volatile oil from Blumea balsamifera and analysis on its compositions / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To opti mize the supercritical CO 2 extraction technology of volatile oil from Blumea balsamifera ，and compare the components of the volatile oil from B. balsamifera obtained by supercritical CO 2 extraction and steam distillation. METHODS The volatile oil of B. balsamifera was extracted by supercritical CO 2 extraction. Using extraction rate of volatile oil as index，extraction temperature ，extraction pressure and extraction time as factors ，based on single-factor experiment ，orthogonal experiment was used to optimize the supercritical CO 2 extraction technology. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to identify the components of volatile oil from B. balsamifera . Peak area normalization was used to calculate the relative contents of each component. Taking the volatile oil obtained by steam distillation as a reference ，the extraction rates ，components and contents of volatile oil by the two methods were compared. RESULTS The optimal supercritical CO 2 extraction technology of volatile oil from B. balsamifera included extraction pressure of 30 MPa，extraction temperature of 50 ℃ and extracting for 50 min. After 3 times of validation tests ，average extraction rate of volatile oil was 4.64％（RSD＝0.54％，n＝3）. Thirty-nine components such as tritriacontane，stigmasterol，squalene were identified in the volatile oil of B. balsamifera obtained by supercritical CO 2 extraction； and 51 components such as triacontane ，ledol，humulene epoxide Ⅰ were identified by steam distillation. The extraction rate of volatile oil from B. balsamifera obtained by 2 methods were 4.64％ and 0.99％. A total of 26 common components were obtained ， such as xanthoxylin ，L-borneol，β-caryophyllene. Except for xanthoxyline （34.829％ by supercritical CO 2 extraction，30.676％ by steam distillation method ）and phytol （2.401％ by supercritical CO 2 extraction，1.273％ by steam distillation ），the relative contents of the components of volatile oil obtained by supercritical CO 2 extraction were lower than those of steam distillation. CONCLUSIONS The optimal supercritical CO 2 extraction technology is stable and feasible ；the components and contents of volatile oil obtained by two methods varies greatly ，and main compounds are aldehydes and ketones ，alkenes，alcohols and other components.

Innovation ability-driven optimization of the experimental teaching of human anatomy and animal physiology / 生物工程学报

Innovation and entrepreneurship training through higher education sector is an important way to foster innovative talents and enhance their social adaptation abilities. We reformed and optimized the experimental teaching of human anatomy and animal physiology with the aim to promote the integration of students' theory learning with practice, to promote students' ability to apply anatomical and physiological knowledge to medicine, pharmacy, and life practice. Last but not least, students' innovative consciousness of applying scientific research to serve the society could also be enhanced. These practices would enhance the practical ability of the students through integrating the innovation education and professional education.

Preliminary study on polymerized human cord hemoglobin increasing the chemosensitivity of subcutaneous xenografts of breast cancer in nude mice / 中国输血杂志

【Objective】 To investigate the effect of polymerized human cord hemoglobin (PolyCHb) on the chemosensitivity of human breast cancer MCF-7 cell subcutaneous xenografts in nude mice and its mechanism. 【Methods】 The MCF-7 cells in exponential growth phase were collected and made into suspension cells at a density of 5×107 cells/mL.Subsequently, the cells were inoculated subcutaneously in the right limb of 18 BALB/c-nu nude mice with 0.2 mL cells per mouse to establish subcutaneous xenograft.When the tumor volume reached about 100 mm3, they were randomly divided into chemotherapy group: doxorubicin 5 mg·kg-1, once/week; chemotherapy + PolyCHb group: in addition to doxorubicin (chemotherapy group), PolyCHb 600 mg·kg-1, 3 times/week; the control group: normal saline 90 mg·kg-1, once/week; all were injected through tail vein continuously for 4 weeks.From the day of injection (d 0), the tumor volume of each group of nude mice was measured every 3 days, and the tumor growth curves were drawn accordingly.After 38 days, the tumor growth observation was completed.The tumor was removed and weighed to calculate the tumor inhibition rate.HE staining, immunohistochemistry and TUNEL method were used to observe the pathological changes of tumor tissue, detect the expression of HIF-1α, and detect tumor cell apoptosis respectively.The content of reactive oxygen species (ROS) of each group was determined by fluorescence staining. 【Results】 The tumor volume (mm3) of chemotherapy + PolyCHb group, chemotherapy group and the control group at day 38 were 196.35±103.45 vs 316.29±62.88 vs 519.42±177.33 (P<0.05), and the tumor inhibition rate (%) of chemotherapy + PolyCHb treatment group and chemotherapy group was 62.20 vs 39.11, respectively.HE staining and TUNEL detection showed that cell necrosis and apoptosis in the growth area of tumor tissue increased in chemotherapy + PolyCHb group.Immunohistochemistry and fluorescence staining showed that HIF-1α expression in chemotherapy + PolyCHb group decreased and reactive oxygen species (ROS) content increased. 【Conclusion】 PolyCHb increases the chemosensitivity of subcutaneous xenograft in nude mice with breast cancer, and its mechanism may be related to the increase of ROS in tumor tissue and the promotion of tumor cell apoptosis.