Effect of polysaccharides from seeds of Vaccaria segetalis in alleviating urinary tract infection induced bladder injury by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome / 中国中药杂志

To study the mechanism of polysaccharides from seeds of Vaccaria segetalis( PSV) in the treatment of bacterial cystitis through the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway. The rat model of urinary tract infection was used and treated with PSV,and the urine and bladders were collected. The level of interleukin-10( IL-10) in rat urine was detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay( ELISA). Western blot and immunofluorescence staining were used to detect the expressions of sonic hedgehog( SHH) and NLRP3 inflammasome [NOD-like receptor thermoprotein domain 3( NLRP3),apoptosis associated speck like protein( ASC) and pro-caspase-1]. The expression of Toll-like receptor pathway was detected by RT-PCR. The death of 5637 cells induced by uropathogenic Escherichia coli( UPEC) and lactate dehydrogenase( LDH) release were evaluated using live/dead staining. The results showed that in the rat bladder,the expressions of SHH,NLRP3 inflammasomes and Toll-like receptors were significantly up-regulated,and NLRP3 inflammasomes were significantly activated by UPEC infection. The administration with PSV could significantly increase the concentration of IL-10 in urine,inhibit the expressions of SHH,NLRP3 inflammasomes and Toll-like receptors in bladder,and inhibit the activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes. A large number of 5637 cells were dead after UPEC infection and caused LDH production. PSV could significantly inhibit the death of 5637 cells and the release of LDH. In conclusion,PSV could inhibit the expression and activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes by inhibiting the Toll-like receptor pathway,thereby mitigating the bladder injury.

Effects of Auricular Acupressure on Obesity in Women with Abdominal Obesity

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of auricular acupressure on reducing obesity in adult women with abdominal obesity. METHODS: The study design was a non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design. Participants were 58 women, aged 20 years or older, assigned to the experimental group (n=30) or control group (n=28). Auricular acupressure using vaccaria seeds was administered to the experimental group. The sessions continued for 8 weeks. Outcome measures included body weight, abdominal circumference, and body mass index, body fat mass, body fat percentage, triglyceride, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, and serum glucose. RESULTS: Women in the experimental group showed significant decreases in body weight (t=6.19, p <.001), abdominal circumference (t=4.01, p <.001), and body mass index (t=2.58, p =.006) after 8 weeks compared with those in the control group. CONCLUSION: Results show that auricular acupressure using vaccaria seeds was effective in decreasing body weight, abdominal circumference, body mass index, and triglyceride levels in adult women with abdominal obesity.

Determination of vaccarin in Vaccariae Semen by HPLC / 中国中药杂志

To establish a HPLC method for the determination of vaccarin in Vaccariae Semen. Analysis was carried out on an Alltima-C18 column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) eluted with methanol -0.3% phosphoric acid as mobile phase in gradient elution. The flow rate was 1.0 mL x min(-1) and detected wavelength was set at 280 nm. The peak areas and injection ammounts of vaccarin showed a good linear relationship in the range of 0.102-1.539 microg, R2 = 0.9997. The average recovery was 100.4%, RSD was 0.81%. The results of the assay of 10 samples showed that the contents of vaccarin varied in the range of 0.46%-0.57%. The method is simple, accurate, reproducible and specific. It can be used for the quality control of Vaccariae Semen.

Antibacterial activity of metanolic extract of 12 herbal species on 6 bacterial strains using cylinder-plate method

Resistance to antibacterial agents and sensivity reaction to such chemical compounds are the main reasons for investigators to develop new antibiotics from herbal sources. Antimicrobial effects of Metanolic extract of 12 herbal species Pistacia atlantica, Amygdalus scoparia, Cuscuta epthymum, Ephedra procera, Salsola boryosm, Sameraria armena, Scabiosa olivier, Scorzonera tortuosissima, Lepyrodielis holosteoidea, Vaccaria pyramidata, Sonchus oleraceam and Silene conoidema on 6 bacterial strains Staphylococcus aureas, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Echerichia colt, Kelebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas aeroginos and Bacillus subtilis were, separately, studied using Cylinder-plate method. In this laboratory study, methanolic extracts of herbal strains were prepared by maceration and after concentrating the extracts were dried. Then the concentrations of 50, 25, 12.5, 6.25 and 3.125 mg/ml of the extracts were prepared using 1:1 solution of DMSO/methanol. The standard bacteria with certain concentration [0.5 MacFarland] were inoculated on to the Muller-Hinton agar medium. Prepared extracts were dropped into cylinders and 18-24 hours after incubation and penetration of extract into the culture medium, the antibacterial effects and growth inhibitory zone [mm] were measure and values were expressed as [Mean +/- SEM]. The least and the most amount of effective concentration were 3.125 mg/ml and 50 mg/ml, respectively. The most inhibitory diameter belonged to methanolic extract of Amygdalus scoparia on Staphylococcus epidermidis which was equal to 19 +/- 0.3mm. Metanolic extracts of herbal species of Pistacia atlantica, Amygdalus scoparia and Ephedra procera had the most antibacterial effects compared to gentamicin as positive control. Regarding the side effects of the synthetic drugs and also benefits of such herbal extracts, extracts of these herbs as antibacterial agents after further investigations seems to be useful

Qualitative and quantitative studies on qianliebeixi capsules / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To establish a method of quality control on qianliebeixi capsules.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>To clarify semen vaccarine by TLC, to determinate the contents of quertin and kaempferol in prepations, by HPLC. Chromatographic conditions: C18 column with METH-0.2%H3PO4(47:53) as mobile phase; the temperature of column was 40 degrees C, and quercetin was detected at 370 nm with flowing rate 1 ml/min.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The spots of semen vaccarine were clear in TLC, no interference in negative contrast. The average recovery rate of quertin was 98.9% and the RSD was 2.2%; the average recovery rate in kaempferol was 100.4% and the RSD was 1.7%.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The resolution of spots were perfect in TLC, the spots were easy to distinguish, The method is simple, rapid as well as reproducible and can control the quality of qianliebeixi capsules effectively.</p>