Protective effects of ginseng total saponins on reward-directed operant conditioning in hindlimb suspension rats / 数字中医药（英文）

Objective@#To explore the therapeutic effects of ginseng total saponins (GTSs) on cognitive impairments in astronauts caused by prolonged exposure to microgravity environment.@*Methods@#Fifty specific pathogen-free (SPF) male Wistar rats were randomized into control, hindlimb suspension (HLS), Huperzine A (HLS-Hup A 0.1 mg/kg), low-dose GTSs (HLS-GTSs 100 mg/kg), and high-dose GTSs (HLS-GTSs 200 mg/kg) groups, based on the completion time of reward-directed conditioning tasks. Except for rats in the control group, the others were subjected to HLS and treated with drugs (day 20 – 58), received reflex test under the condition of rewarding, and underwent Nissl body staining and Western blot detection on hippocampal.@*Results@#After modeling, rats in HLS group exhibited a reduction in the number of lever presses and an increase in the completion time of the reward-directed operant conditioning task Ⅰ (P < 0.05) when compared with the control group, which were not substantially altered in the HLS-GTSs 100 and 200 mg/kg groups (P > 0.05). In the reward-directed operant conditioning task Ⅱ, the HLS group rats demonstrated a marked decrease in the number of lever presses (P < 0.05) and nose pokes (P < 0.01) when compared with the control group rats; the HLS-GTSs 100 mg/kg showed a significant increase in the number of lever presses and nose pokes (P < 0.05), while the HLS-GTSs 200 mg/kg demonstrated a significant reduction in completion time and an elevation in the number of lever presses (P < 0.05) when compared with the HLS group rats. In visual signal discrimination task, compared with the control group rats, the HLS group rats showed decrease in the indexes of the visual signal discrimination(P < 0.01), while HLS-GTSs 100 and 200 mg/kg groups exhibited manifest increase in it (P < 0.01). In reward extinction experiment, the number of lever presses in HLS rats significantly increased when compared with the control group (P < 0.01); compared with the HLS group, HLS-GTSs 100 and 200 mg/kg groups demonstrated a marked descrease (P < 0.05). The expressions of N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor 1 (NR1) and phosophorylated N-methyl-Daspartic acid receptor 2B (p-NR2B) proteins were markedly decreased in rats in the HLS group (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively), while that of NR2B protein maintained the same (P > 0.05). GTSs increased the expression levels of p-NR2B (P < 0.01).@*Conclusion@#GTSs improved the learning and memory ability of complex operations by regulating the NR1/NR2B phosphorylation pathways in rats.

The therapeutic mechanism of Shenyuan Gan in lipopolysaccharide-induced neuroinflammation in BV2 microglial cells / 数字中医药（英文）

@#Objective To study the therapeutic effects of Shenyuan Gan (参远苷, SYG) on the inflammatory response in BV2 microglial cells induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Methods The cytotoxicity of SYG to BV2 microglial cells was evaluated using a Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, and the effect of SYG concentrations on LPS-induced BV2 microglial cells was studied. The morphological changes were observed using an optical microscope. The nitric oxide (NO) concentration in cell culture supernatant was determined using Griess reagent. The expression of cytokines and inflammatory mediators were also measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Western blot analysis was used to determine the levels of inducible NO synthase (iNOS), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) p65, alpha inhibitor of NF-κB (IκB-α), phosphorylation-IκB-α (p-IκB-α), NOD-like receptor 3 (NLRP3), and caspase-1 expression. Moreover, the expression of iNOS, NLRP3, and ionized calcium binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba1) was also observed using immunofluorescent staining. Results SYG had a low cytotoxic effect on BV2 microglial cells and could significantly decr-ease LPS-induced morphological changes of BV2 microglial cells (P < 0.05). ELISA results showed that SYG significantly inhibited the LPS-induced increase in interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 in BV2 microglia cells (P < 0.05), and Western blot analysis showed that the phosphorylation levels of iNOS, NF-κB p65, and IκB-α as well as NLRP3 and caspase-1 expression were also significantly decreased, and IκB-α expression was increased after SYG treatment (P < 0.05, compared with the LPS-treated group). The immunofluorescence results were consistent with the Western blot results, and Iba1 staining indicated that the cell morphology tended to be resting. These results indicate that SYG has a certain inhibitory effect on LPS-induced inflammation in BV2 microglial cells. Conclusion SYG can inhibit LPS-induced release of inflammatory factors in BV2 microglial cells by affecting the phosphorylation levels of NF-κB p65 and IκB-α. SYG is a valuable candidate for treating neuroinflammation-related diseases.

Advance in the mechanism of protective effects of SGLT2 inhibitor on diabetic kidney disease / 复旦学报（医学版）

Diabetic kidney disease DKD) is one of the major causes for end-stage renal disease (ESRD),which has been the focus of both clinical and basic research.Sodium-glucose cotransport 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are a new type of anti-diabetic drugs,which also showed reno-proteetive effects.The potential mechanisms include decreasing plasma glucose,improving glomerular hyperfiltration,reducing oxidative stress,alleviating tubulointerstitial injury,suppressing inflammation and fibrosis,decreasing the level of uric acid,and etc.This review focuses on the advance in the mechanism of protective effects of SGLT2 inhibitor on DKD.

Comparative study on curative effects of stroke treated with acupuncture by NIRS / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the intracephalic imaging differences of stroke treated with combined therapy of scalp and body acupuncture and body acupuncture only, in order to apply the image basis for the differences of clinical curative effects.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty cases of stroke were randomized into a body acupuncture group (group A) and a scalp and body acupuncture group (group B), ten cases in each group respectively. In group A, body acupuncture was applied simply, and different acupoints were selected according to the symptoms: Shousanli (LI 10), Jianliao (TE 14), Huantiao (GB 30) and Jiaji (EX-B 2) etc. were selected for hemiplegia, Fengchi (GB 20), Xiaguan (ST 7) and Quanliao (SI 18) etc. were for facial paralysis, Fengfu (GV 16) and Lianquan (CV 23) etc. were for aphasia. In group B, combined therapy were applied, the body acupoints selection was same as above; for scalp acupoints, corresponding motor area, sensory area and foot motor sensory area were selected. Instant changes of local cerebral blood flow before and after treatment were examined and evaluated by NIRS and the curative effects of both groups were evaluated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The total therapeutic effective rate was 90.0% (9/10) and the basically cured rate was 30.0% (3/10) in group A; and 100.0% (10/10) and 50.0% (5/10) respectively in group B, indicating that the clinical curative effect in group B was superior to that in group A at 20, 30 min of acupuncture treatment (P < 0.05). Both imaging results showed that blood flows of prefrontal cortex in both groups were increased with varying degrees after treatment (P < 0.05, P < 0.01); the cerebral blood flow in group B was much more improved than that in group A at 20, 30 min of acupuncture treatment (all P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Acupuncture can significantly increase blood flow and oxygen saturation in brain cortex, and the effect with combined therapy of scalp and body acupuncture is superior to that with body acupuncture.</p>

Effects of electric-moxibustion on brain mantle accessed with near-infrared imaging / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the influence of electric-moxibustion at Baihui (GV 20) or Shenque (CV 8) on the cerebral blood flow.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty healthy volunteer were treated by electric-moxibustion at Baihui (GV 20) or Shenque (CV 8) with multi-functional electric-moxibustion instrument. The changes of the forehead cortex blood flow during moxibustion were detected by dynamic continuous spectrum near-infrared imaging.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There were significant differences as the forehead cortex blood flow after electric-moxibustion at Baihui (GV 20) for 20 and 30 minutes compared with their initial data (P < 0.05, P < 0.01); and as the forehead cortex blood flow after electric-moxibustion at Shenque (CV 8) for 10, 20 and 30 minutes compared with their initial data (P<0. 05, P<0. 01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Electric-moxibustion at both Baihui (GV 20) and Shenque (CV 8) can improve the volume of brain cortex blood flow and electric-moxibustion at Shenque (CV 8) has rapid effect.</p>

Study on original meaning and application of "Gen, Liu, Zhu, Ru" / 中国针灸

To probe into the original meaning and clinical application of "Gen, Liu, Zhu, Ru" in Miraculous Pivot * Genjie, based on Huangdi's Internal Classic and other opinions of annotation experts of successive dynasties, deeply analyze and study. The results indicate that two characteristics of "Gen, Liu, Zhu, Ru": similar to Maikou (the position to feel pulse in ancient Chinese medical classics); closely related to blood collaterals. It is suggested that "Gen, Liu, Zhu, Ru" can be used to diagnose disorder of meridians, and to treat the excess syndrome of meridians and collaterals with reducing method, including bleeding method.

Clinical observation on needle-sticking method for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis of wind-cold-damp retention type / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe clinical therapeutic effect of needle-sticking method on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) of wind-cold-damp retention type.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fifty cases of such disease were divided into 2 groups in order of visiting. The treatment group (n = 30) were treated with needle-sticking method, and the control group (n = 20) with routine filiform needle therapy for 2 therapeutic courses. Total cumulative scores, numbers of both the pressure-pain joint and the swollen-distention joint, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), rheumatoid factor (RF), C reaction protein (CRP) before and after treatment were investigated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Both the needle-sticking method and the filiform needle therapy had an apparent therapeutic effect on RA of wind-cold-damp retention type, and the therapeutic effect for the clinical indexes in the treatment group was better than the control group, with a very significant difference in improvement of RF, the number of pressure-pain joints and the total cumulative scores as the treatment group compared with the control group (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Needle-sticking method has definite therapeutic effect on RA of wind-cold-damp retention type with obvious superiority.</p>