Gender differences in antidepressant effect of raw Rehmanniae Radix / 中国中药杂志

For the first time, this study evaluated the gender differences and mechanisms of the antidepressant effects of raw Rehmanniae Radix(RRR) based on the classic depression model with traditional Chinese medicine syndrome of Yin deficiency and internal heat. The depression model with Yin deficiency and internal heat was established by the widely recognized and applied method of thyroxine induction of the classic depression model with Yin deficiency and internal heat(chronic unpredictable mild stress). Male and female mice were simultaneously treated with RRR. The study analyzed indicators of nourishing Yin and clearing heat, conventional antidepressant efficacy test indicators, and important biomolecules reflecting the pathogenesis and prevention and treatment mechanisms of depression, and conducted a correlation analysis of antidepressant efficacy, Yin-nourishing and heat-clearing efficacy, and biological mechanism in different genders, thereby comprehensively assessing the antidepressant effects of RRR on depression of Yin deficiency and internal heat, as well as its gender differences and mechanisms. RRR exhibited antidepressant effects in both male and female mouse models, and its antidepressant efficacy showed gender differences, with a superior effect observed in females. Moreover, the effects of RRR on enhancing or improving hippocampal neuronal pathology, nucleus-positive areas, postsynaptic dense area protein 95, and synaptophysin protein expression were more significant in females than in males. In addition, RRR significantly reversed the abnormal upregulation of nuclear factor(NF)-κB/cyclooxygenase 2(COX2)/NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3(NLRP3) pathway proteins in the hippocampus of both male and female mouse models. The antidepressant effects of RRR were more pronounced in depression female mice with Yin deficiency and internal heat syndrome, possibly due to the improvement of neuronal damage and enhancement of neuroplasticity. The antidepressant mechanisms of RRR for depression with Yin deficiency and internal heat syndrome may be associated with the downregulation of the NF-κB/COX2/NLRP3 pathway to reduce neuronal damage and enhance neuroplasticity.

Epidemiological characteristics of acupuncturists who are sensitive to stimulation of moxa smoke: a face-to-face sectional survey based on 733 participants / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the epidemiologic characteristics of acupuncturists who are sensitive to stimulation of moxa smoke, which could provide further direction for safety protection of exerting moxibustion and to further verify the feasibility of internet survey.@*METHODS@#A self-made questionnaire regarding body response to moxa smoke was established, which was used to conduct a face-to-face survey among acupuncturists who had performed long-term moxibustion. The Logistic regression model was used to analyze the factors affecting the stimulation response of acupuncturists and the epidemiological characteristics of acupuncturists was obtained.@*RESULTS@#A total of 733 valid data was obtained. The multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the history of chronic respiratory disease was the main risk factor of stimulus response including cough, phlegm in the throat, asthma, dyspnea, shortness of breath and nasal dryness after exposure to moxa smoke (<0.05, <0.01). The risk of stimulus response such as cough, tearing and nasal dryness was higher in women than in men (<0.05, <0.01). The risk of dry eyes and eyes pain in smokers was higher than those in non-smokers (<0.05). The risk of shortness of breath in those who were exposed to second-hand smoke was higher than those who were not exposed to second-hand smoke (<0.05). The analysis of index trend line showed that the results of internet survey were similar to those of face-to-face survey.@*CONCLUSION@#The stimulus response of acupuncturist after long-term exposure to moxa smoke is related to the history of chronic respiratory disease, being female, smoking or exposure of second-hand smoke, therefore more attention should be paid to those populations. In addition, the internet survey can be used for the epidemiological investigation of safety of moxa smoke.

Overall Evaluation on Mutual Detoxication Mechanism of Tripterygii Radix et Rhizoma and Lysimachiae Herba by Correlation Analysis of “Chemical Composition Spectrum-attenuation Spectrum-biological Information Spectrum” / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective: To overall evaluate the mutual detoxication mechanism of Tripterygii Radix et Rhizoma(LGT) compatible with Lysimachiae Herba(JQC) in tumor-bearing state.Method: Twelve differentially characteristic components before and after compatibility were used as chemical composition spectrum,six indicators including serum alanine aminotransferase(ALT),aspartate aminotransferase(AST),creatinine(Cr) and urea nitrogen(BUN),malondialdehyde(MDA) levels in the liver and kidney tissues were used as attenuation spectrum,and twelve biological indicators including glutathione(GSH),glutathione-S-transferase(GST),glutathione peroxidase(GPx),superoxide dismutase(SOD),catalase(CAT) and interleukin(IL)-10 in the liver and kidney were used as the biological information spectrum.Mutual detoxication mechanisms of LGT compatible with JQC in tumor-bearing state were overall evaluated by principal component analysis(PCA),and the contribution of chemical components and biological indicators to mutual detoxication was further evaluated by gray correlation analysis(GCA) of "chemical composition spectrum-attenuation spectrum-biological information spectrum".Result: Compared with the model group,the attenuation spectrum scores Z values of S180(Z1 value) and H22(Z3 value) increased significantly after LGT being used alone(PZ1 value and Z3 value caused by LGT when the ratio of LGT and JQC was 4:1,2:1,1:1,1:2 and 1:4(PZ values(Z1 value and Z3 value) of LGT-JQC in the mass ratios including 4:1,1:1,1:2 and 1:4 was significantly higher than that in the ratio of 2:1(PZ values of the bioinformatics scores in the S180(Z2 value) and H22(Z4 value) tumor-bearing state,these two values were significantly increased after compatibility with JQC.The chemical components contributing the most to the attenuating effect of S180 and H22 in tumor-bearing state were 3# and 10#,respectively.The most important biological indicators were kidney GPx and renal GSH.Conclusion: LGT combined with JQC in the mass ratio of 4:1-1:4 can attenuate LGT-induced subacute toxicity in S180 and H22 tumor-bearing state,and the best ratio of such effect is 2:1.The attenuating effect reflects the thought of "there is no reason why there is no meteorology".The mechanism of attenuating action involves antioxidative damage and anti-inflammatory reaction of the liver and kidney,especially the renal GPx(S180) and renal GSH(H22) as the greatest contribution to the detoxication mechanism.