Psoralen and isopsoralen improve lipid metabolism disorder via inhibition of NF-κB activation in LO2 cells / 中国中药杂志

The aim of this paper was to investigate the mechanism and effect of psoralen and isopsoralen in the treatment of lipid accumulation in LO2 cells. Human LO2 cells nonalcoholic fatty liver models were established by using palmitic acid( PA). Then psoralen and isopsoralen were administered for intervention. Intracellular triglyceride( TG) and total cholesterol( TC) content,the cell supernatant alanine aminotransferase( ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase( AST) levels were determined by enzyme method. Cell supernatant proinflammatory cytokines( IL-6,TNF-α) and chemokines( IL-8,MCP-1) were determined by ELISA method. Western blot method was conducted to detect the protein expression of intracellular nuclear factor( NF-κB) p65 phosphorylation( p-p65),nonphosphorylated protein( p65),and transforming factor TGF-β1. Result showed that as compared with the model group,intracellular TG and TC levels,the cell supernatant ALT and AST levels,proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines were decreased( P < 0. 01,P <0. 05); the p-p65/p65 ratio and TGF-β1 protein expression were also significantly decreased( P< 0. 01,P< 0. 05) in psoralen intervention group. As compared with the model cells,intracellular TG content had no significant changes,but all the other indexes were reduced( P<0. 01,P<0. 05) in the cells of isopsoralen intervention group. Psoralen exhibited better effect than isopsoralen( P< 0. 01,P<0. 05). It is concluded that psoralen could improve the adipogenesis of LO2 cells induced by PA; both psoralen and isopsoralen are effective in ameliorating LO2 cells injury induced by PA,reducing inflammation via inhibiting the activation of NF-κB and down-regulating the expression of TGF-β1.

Effect of Psoralea corylifolia in treating fatty liver disease in juvenal mouse by inhibiting hepatic NF-κB activation / 中国中药杂志

To investigate the mechanism and effect of Psoralea corylifolia(PC) in the treatment of NAFLD in juvenal mice. The NAFLD model in juvenal mice was established by feeding high-fat diet. Then PC herbal granules (at low and high dose) were administered for 5 weeks. Blood glucose (FBG, PG-1 h/2 h), blood lipid (TC, TG, HDL-C, LDL-C), fasting insulin, liver function (ALT, AST) were examined. HOMA-IR was calculated. Hepatic histological changes were observed. The content of TG, inflammatory factor (TNF-α, IL-8) and protein expressions of CD44, NF-κB p65, p-NF-κB p65 in hepatic tissues were determined. The ratio of p-NF-κB p65 to NF-κB p65 (p-p65/p65) was calculated. The result showed that compared with the model group, both PC treatment groups showed reduction in hepatic steatosis, inflammatory cell infiltration and fibroplasia in portal area. HOMA-IR, ALT, AST, FBG, PG-2 h, TC, TG, LDL-C concentrations and hepatic TG content were also significantly decreased, with the reduction of TNF-α, IL-8 contents, CD44 expression and p-p65/p65 ratio in hepatic tissues (P<0.01). High-dose PC group had a better effect than low-dose group (P<0.01, P<0.05). In conclusion, PC is effective in treating hepatic injury, glucolipid metabolism disturbances and fibrosis in juvenal NAFLD mice. The mechanism may be related to inhibition of inflammation and down-regulation of the activation of hepatic NF-κB.

Research progress of Chinese herbs inhibiting NADPH oxidase / 中国中药杂志

Oxidative damage mediated by the abnormal activation of NADPH oxidase and the resulting excessive ROS generation is the pathogenesis for various diseases. Chinese herbs can play a role in the antioxidant treatment by inhibiting NADPH oxidase, which is meaningful for the treatment of pathological conditions such as injury of tissues, blood vessels and nerves, atherosclerosis, ischemia reperfusion, hypertension and hyperglycemia. In this paper, different forms of Chinese herbs including monomers, compounds and Chinese patent medicines with the inhibitory effect against NADPH oxidase would be reviewed, in order to explain and generalize their possible functions and the target mechanism for inhibition.

Protective effect of emodin pretreatment in young rats with intrahepatic cholestasis / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the protective effect of emodin in young rats with intrahepatic cholestasis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 120 young Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control, model, and high-, medium-, and low-dose emodin groups, with 24 rats in each group. The rats in the control and model groups were given sodium carboxymethyl cellulose solution by gavage, while the other groups were given different doses of emodin solution by gavage. On the 5th day of experiment, alpha-naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT, 50 mg/kg) was applied by gavage to establish the model of intrahepatic cholestasis in all groups except the control group. At 24, 48, and 72 hours after gavage, 8 rats in each group were sacrificed. Colorimetry was used to measure the serum levels of total bilirubin (TBIL), direct bilirubin (DBIL), total bile acid (TBA), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in each group, and hematoxylin-eosin staining was applied to observe the morphological changes of the liver under a light microscope at different time points.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the control group, the model group had significantly increased serum levels of TBIL, DBIL, TBA, ALP, GGT, ALT, and AST at the 24-hour, 48-hour, and 72-hour time points (P<0.01). In the model group, the serum levels of TBIL, DBIL, TBA, ALT, and AST showed varying degrees of increase at 48 hours after establishment of model, compared with the values at 24 and 72 hours (P<0.05). At 24, 48, and 72 hours, the high-, medium-, and low-dose emodin groups had varying degrees of reductions in the serum levels of TBIL and TBA compared with the model group (P<0.05); the high- and low-dose emodin groups had significantly increased serum levels of TBA compared with the medium-dose emodin group (P<0.05). The model group had the most severe pathological changes at 48 hours. Compared with the model group, the high-, medium-, and low-dose emodin groups showed certain improvement in pathological changes of the liver at each time point, and the medium-dose emodin group had better improvement compared with the high- and low-dose emodin groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Emodin can effectively improve ANIT-induced intrahepatic cholestasis in young rats, and medium-dose emodin shows the best effect.</p>