Hyperbaric Oxygen and Ginkgo Biloba Extract Ameliorate Cognitive and Memory Impairment via Nuclear Factor Kappa-B Pathway in Rat Model of Alzheimer's Disease / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) and Ginkgo biloba extract (e.g., EGB 761) were shown to ameliorate cognitive and memory impairment in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the exact mechanism remains elusive. The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible mechanisms of HBO and EGB 761 via the function of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) pathway.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>AD rats were induced by injecting β-amyloid 25-35 into the hippocampus. All animals were divided into six groups: Normal, sham, AD model, HBO (2 atmosphere absolute; 60 min/d), EGB 761 (20 mg·kg-1·d-1 ), and HBO/EGB 761 groups. Morris water maze tests were used to assess cognitive, and memory capacities of rats; TdT-mediated dUTP Nick-End Labeling staining and Western blotting were used to analyze apoptosis and NF-κB pathway-related proteins in hippocampus tissues.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Morris water maze tests revealed that EGB 761 and HBO significantly improved the cognitive and memory ability of AD rats. In addition, the protective effect of combinational therapy (HBO/EGB 761) was superior to either HBO or EGB 761 alone. In line, reduced apoptosis with NF-κB pathway activation was observed in hippocampus neurons treated by HBO and EGB 761.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Our results suggested that HBO and EGB 761 improve cognitive and memory capacity in a rat model of AD. The protective effects are associated with the reduced apoptosis with NF-κB pathway activation in hippocampus neurons.</p>

Preparation and quality assessment of high-purity ginseng total saponins by ion exchange resin combined with macroporous adsorption resin separation / 中国天然药物

AIM@#To prepare high-purity ginseng total saponins from a water decoction of Chinese ginseng root.@*METHOD@#Total saponins were efficiently purified by dynamic anion-cation exchange following the removal of hydrophilic impurities by macroporous resin D101. For quality control, ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography with a charged aerosol detector (CAD) was applied to quantify marker components. The total saponin content was estimated by a colorimetric method using a vanillin-vitriol system and CAD response.@*RESULTS@#D201, which consisted of a cross-linked polystyrene matrix and -N(+)(CH3)3 functional groups, was the best of the four anion exchange resins tested. However, no significant difference in cation exchange ability was observed between D001 (strong acid) and D113 (weak acid), although they have different functional groups and matrices. After purification in combination with D101, D201, and D113, the estimated contents of total saponins were 107% and 90% according to the colorimetric method and CAD response, respectively. The total amount of representative ginsenosides Re, Rd, Rg1, and compound K was approximately 22% based on ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-CAD quantitative analysis.@*CONCLUSION@#These findings suggest that an ion exchange resin, combined with macroporous adsorption resin separation, is a promising and feasible purification procedure for neutral natural polar components.

Determination of total ginsenosides in ginseng extracts using charged aerosol detection with post-column compensation of the gradient / 中国天然药物

AIM@#Variation in structure-related components in plant products prompted the trend to establish methods, using multiple or total analog analysis, for their effective quality control. However, the general use of routine quality control is restricted by the limited availability of reference substances. Using an easily available single marker as a reference standard to determine multiple or total analogs should be a practical option.@*METHOD@#In this study, the Ultra-HPLC method was used for the baseline separation of the main components in ginseng extracts. Using a plant chemical component database, ginsenosides in ginseng extracts were identified by Ultra-HPLC-MS analysis. The charged aerosol detection (CAD) system with post-column compensation of the gradient generates a similar response for identical amounts of different analytes, and thus, the content of each ginsenoside in ginseng extracts was determined by comparing the analyte peak area with the reference standard (determination of total analogs by single marker, DTSM). The total ginsenoside content was determined by the summation of reference standard and other ginsenoside components.@*RESULTS@#The results showed that DTSM approaches were available for the determination of total ginsenosides in a high purity ginseng extract because of the removal of impurities. In contrast, DTSM approaches might be suitable for determination of multiple ginsenosides without interference from impurities in the crude ginseng extract.@*CONCLUSION@#Future practical studies similar to the present study should be conducted to verify that DTSM approaches based on CAD with post-column inverse gradient for uniform response are ideal for the quality control of plant products.

Hippocampal cAMP response element binding protein and antidepressant treatments / 生理学报

With the deepening research on pathogenesis of depression, the focus has diverted from the mechanism of regulating monoamines to the basic pathophysiology of depression and the long-term mechanism of antidepressant treatments. cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) in the brain, especially in the hippocampi, as a converging agent of many intracellular signaling transduction pathways is getting increasing attention. To better understand the basic pathophysiology of depression and the long-term mechanism of antidepressant treatments, it is significant to make clear the correlation between hippocampal CREB and antidepressant treatments. This review mainly refers to the formation of CREB and its distribution in hippocampi, the upstream signaling transduction pathways of hippocampal CREB and antidepressant treatments, and the possible antidepressant mechanisms by regulating hippocampal CREB.

Effects of fungal elicitor on inophyllums production in suspension cultured cells of Calophyllum inophyllum L / 药学学报

<p><b>AIM</b>To investigate the effects of fungal elicitors on inophyllums production in suspension cultured cell of Calophyllum inophyllum Linn.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The pathogen of leaf spot disease of C. inophyllum L. was isolated and prepared as fungal elicitor. The fungal elicitor was added to the medium with different concentrations and culture period. Their effects on biomass and inophyllums content of the suspension of cultured cells were studied.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The optimum effects of S-I fungal elicitor concentrations on inophyllums content was 60 mg GE x L(-1). Adding the fungi elicitor into the cell suspension culture system at stationary phase (being cultured for 18 days) resulted in a highest inophyllum content of 59.174 mg x L(-1) at the 3rd day with 27% higher than control. Fungal elicitor treatment promoted the inophyllums accumulation in medium.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Adding the Stagonospora curtisii (Berk.) Sacc. to the medium was effective approaches to enhance inophyllums yield in the suspension of C. inophyllum L culture cell.</p>