Early application of citicoline in the treatment of acute stroke: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

This study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of early application of citicoline in the treatment of patients with acute stroke by meta-analysis. Randomized controlled trials published until May 2015 were electronically searched in MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, WHO International Clinical Trial Registration Platform, Clinical Trial.gov, and China Biology Medicine disc. Two reviewers independently screened the articles and extracted the data based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The quality of included articles was evaluated by using Revman5.0, and meta-analysis was performed. The results showed that 1027 articles were obtained in initial retrieval, and finally 7 articles, involving a total of 4039 cases, were included for analysis. The meta-analysis showed that no significant differences were found in the long-term mortality (OR=0.91, 95% CI 0.07 to 1.09, P=0.30), the rate of dependency (OR=1.02, 95% CI 0.87 to 1.24, P=0.85), and the effective rate (OR=0.98, 95% CI 0.84 to 1.14, P=0.82) between citicoline group and control group. The overall rate of adverse events in citicoline group was not significantly different from that in control group (P=0.30). The quality of included articles reached moderate-low level. In conclusion, citicolne cannot reduce long-term mortality and dependence rate in the treatment of acute stroke, and the effective rate of citivoline may be not better than that of controls but with reliable safety.

Early application of citicoline in the treatment of acute stroke: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

This study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of early application of citicoline in the treatment of patients with acute stroke by meta-analysis. Randomized controlled trials published until May 2015 were electronically searched in MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, WHO International Clinical Trial Registration Platform, Clinical Trial.gov, and China Biology Medicine disc. Two reviewers independently screened the articles and extracted the data based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The quality of included articles was evaluated by using Revman5.0, and meta-analysis was performed. The results showed that 1027 articles were obtained in initial retrieval, and finally 7 articles, involving a total of 4039 cases, were included for analysis. The meta-analysis showed that no significant differences were found in the long-term mortality (OR=0.91, 95% CI 0.07 to 1.09, P=0.30), the rate of dependency (OR=1.02, 95% CI 0.87 to 1.24, P=0.85), and the effective rate (OR=0.98, 95% CI 0.84 to 1.14, P=0.82) between citicoline group and control group. The overall rate of adverse events in citicoline group was not significantly different from that in control group (P=0.30). The quality of included articles reached moderate-low level. In conclusion, citicolne cannot reduce long-term mortality and dependence rate in the treatment of acute stroke, and the effective rate of citivoline may be not better than that of controls but with reliable safety.

Icariine stimulates proliferation and differentiation of human osteoblasts by increasing production of bone morphogenetic protein 2 / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Icariine is a flavonoid isolated from a traditional Chinese medicine Epimedium pubescens and is the main active compound of it. Recently, Epimedium pubescens was found to have a therapeutic effect on osteoporosis. But the mechanism is unclear. The aim of the study was to research the effect of Icariine on the proliferation and differentiation of human osteoblasts.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Human osteoblasts were obtained by inducing human marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) directionally and were cultured in the presence of various concentrations of Icariine. 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) test was used to observe the effect of Icariine on cell proliferation. The activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and the amount of calcified nodules were assayed to observe the effect on cell differentiation. The expression of bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) mRNA was detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Icariine (20 microg/ml) increased significantly the proliferation of human osteoblasts. And, Icariine (10 microg/ml and 20 microg/ml) increased the activity of ALP and the amount of calcified nodules of human osteoblasts significantly (P < 0.05). BMP-2 mRNA synthesis was elevated significantly in response to Icariine (20 microg/ml).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Icariine has a direct stimulatory effect on the proliferation and differentiation of cultured human osteoblast cells in vitro, which may be mediated by increasing production of BMP-2 in osteoblasts.</p>

Effects of Epimedium pubescens icariine on proliferation and differentiation of human osteoblasts / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effects of epimedium pubescens icariine on the proliferation and differentiation of human osteoblasts.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Human osteoblasts were obtained by inducting human marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) directionally. MTT was used to observe the proliferation and activity of ALP was assayed to observe the differentiation of the third passage human osteoblasts cultured in vitro. The expression of BMP-2 mRNA was checked by RT-PCR.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Epimedium pubescens icariine at the dose of 20 microg x mL(-1) increased greatly the proliferation and differentiation of human osteoblasts and promoted the expression of BMP-2 mRNA.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Epimedium pubescens icariine enhances significantly the proliferation and differentiation of human osteoblasts, which may be mediated by increasing the expression of BMP-2 mRNA.</p>