Protective Effect and Mechanism of Ginkgolide B on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Cell Model / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To investigate the effect of ginkgolide B （GB） on the activation of c-Jun aminoterminal kinase（JNK） signaling pathway and apoptosis in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis cell model. Method:NSC34 cells were infected by slow virus containing expression superoxide dismutase1（SOD1）WT and hSOD1G93A and empty plasmid， and screened with a certain concentration of puromycin， so as to observe the transfection efficiency of slow virus and cell morphology under inverted fluorescence microscope. Western blot method was used to verify whether infected cells were over-expressing SOD1 target proteins. The hSOD1G93A-NSC34 cell lines were established and given GB. Cell cultures were divided into normal group， model group and different concentrations of ginkgolide B groups （25， 50， 75， 100 mg∙L-1）. After 48 h， methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium （MTT） was used to detect cell survival rates， and select the best drug concentration. Subsequent experimental groups were divided into normal group， model group， 75 mg∙L-1 GB group， SP600125 group， and 75 mg∙L-1 GB + SP600125 group. Flow cytometry was used to detect the apoptosis of each group of cells. Western blot was used to detect the expressions of phosphorylation（p）-JNK， c-Jun， p-c-Jun， and cysteine aspartic acid protease -3（Caspase-3） proteins. Result:Compared with normal NSC34 cells， hSOD1G93A-NSC34 cell body became round， the synapses decreased and shortened， but the cell morphology of hSODWT-NSC34 cell and empty plasmid group did not change significantly. Western blot showed that hSOD1G93A-NSC34， hSOD1WT-NSC3 intracellular SOD1 protein levels increased significantly （P<0.01）， and the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis cell model was established. Compared with the normal group， the cell activity in the model group was significantly reduced （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the cell activity increased at different concentrations of GB， especially when the drug concentration was 75 mg∙L-1 （P<0.01）. In subsequent experiments， compared with the normal group， the apoptosis， and expressions of p-JNK， p-c-Jun， and cleaved Caspase-3 proteins in the model group increased significantly （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the apoptosis and p-JNK， p-c-Jun， released Caspase-3 protein expressions of 75 mg∙L-1 GB group， SP600125 group， 75 mg∙L-1 GB + SP600125 group decreased significantly （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Conclusion:GB has a protective effect on the cell model of atrophy lateral sclerosis， which may be realized by JNK signal pathway.

Tongjingling improves sperm DNA integrity and reduces oxidative stress in the testis of experimental varicocele rats / 中华男科学杂志

Objective@#To explore the protective effect of Tongjingling (TJL) against sperm DNA damage and oxidative stress in the rat model of experimental varicocele (EVC).@*METHODS@#We randomly divided 75 Wistar male rats into five groups of equal number: sham operation, EVC model, high-dose TJL, mid-dose TJL, and low-dose TJL. The EVC model was established in the rats by partial ligation of the left renal vein, followed by 8 weeks of medication from the 4th week after modeling. Then we observed the general status of the rats, detected the sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) in the epididymis by sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA), and measured the content of hydroperoxide (H2O2) and the activities of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the testis by colorimetry.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the sham operation group, the EVC models showed significantly increased sperm DFI in the epididymis (P <0.01) and elevated level of H2O2 and activities of CAT and SOD in the testis (P <0.01). In comparison with the EVC models, the rats of the TJL groups exhibited remarkably reduced sperm DFI and H2O2 content, but increased activities of SOD and CAT.@*CONCLUSIONS@#TJL can improve sperm DNA integrity by increasing the activities of SOD and CAT and reducing the H2O2 level and hence oxidative stress in the testis tissue.

Correlation between Fractional Anisotropy and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, and Effect of Inte- grative Medical Treatment on ALS / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore whether fractional anisotropy (FA) value could be taken as a quantitative indicator for tracing and reexamining amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and to analyze the correlation between FA value and integrative medical treatment.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Totally 18 ALS patients were recruited in this study. All patients received diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) using 3. OT (Propeller HD) MRI twice. Six regions of interest (ROI) were selected to measure FA values. Survival analyses were performed in 11 cases of end point events.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) Three ROI (cerebral peduncle, posterior limb of internal capsule, and corona radiata) all indicated that FA value was the highest in patients with mild health status scale of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS/HSS). (2) There was statistical difference in the means of FA values in cerebral peduncle, posterior limb of internal capsule, and corona radiata of 18 cases between initial examination and reexamination (P < 0.01). (3) Kaplan-Meier survival curve showed the survival rate of ALS patients decreased as time went by, with the median survival time of 48 months.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>FA value was inversely proportional to the severity of ALS, the more severe, the lower FA values. FA value was an objective indicator for assessing the severity of ALS. ALS is an incurable disease till now. Integrative medical treatment might become one direction for ALS patients.</p>

Considerations on intervention goal and efficacy evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of neurological diseases / 中国结合医学杂志

In the last several years, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has made much progress in the treatment of neurological diseases. The living space of TCM in neurological diseases lies in refractory diseases, aging and chronic diseases caused by multiple factors as well as sub-health state and chronic fatigue state. The effect model of TCM mainly consists of whole effect, self-organization, self-stable model, holographic effect and butterfly effect. The effective point of TCM in neurological diseases lies mainly in end-points and health-related events. Moreover, TCM has advantages in the evaluation of symptoms, syndrome and quality of life (QOL). Some key indexes should be included when evaluating the efficacy of TCM in neurological diseases. Meanwhile, the advantages of TCM such as end-points, health-related events and QOL should be highlighted. Multi-subject researching methods could be adopted to make a comprehensive evaluation of subjective and objective indexes. The clinical evidence on the TCM efficacy evaluation may come from RCTs, and other types of designs can also be considered.

Thinking and challenge induced by the hypothesis of breaking stagnant and eliminating blood stasis in Treating acute cerebral hemorrhage by rF VII a / 中国中西医结合杂志

Definite therapeutic effect has obtained by TCM in treating acute cerebral hemorrhage (ACH) according the TCM theory of "blood circulating outside the vessels is the stasis" using breaking stagnant and eliminating blood stasis (Poxue Zhuyu) method, but no material involving the natural development of stoke in superacue stage (0 - 4 hrs after onset of the disease) being presented so far. It has been proved by randomized, double-blinded multi-centeric clinical trials that recombinant activated factor VII (rF VII a) could decreased the morbidity and disability of patients suffered from ACH, suggesting that use hemostasis treatment in ACH during superacu stage should be stressed, and the drugs for Poxue Zhuyu should be used cautiously in the period of 0 - 4 hrs after onset. The hemorrhagic disorder could be eliminated by using drugs for Poxue Zhuyu and other medicines in rational combination.