Effects of astragaloside Ⅳ on inflammatory response and percentage of peripheral blood Th17 cells in mice with ulcerative colitis / 中国中药杂志

This study aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of astragaloside Ⅳ in mice with ulcerative colitis(UC) and its effect on the percentage of peripheral blood T helper(Th17) cells. Following the establishment of UC mouse model with 2% sodium dextran sulfate(DSS), mice in the positive control group and low-and high-dose astragaloside Ⅳ groups were treated with corresponding drugs by gavage. Disease activity index(DAI) was calculated, and serum interleukin-17(IL-17), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), and transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β) levels were assayed by ELISA. The pathological changes in colon tissue were observed by HE staining, and Th17/regulatory T cells(Treg) ratio in the peripheral blood was determined by flow cytometry. Western blot was conducted for detecting the relative protein expression levels of forkhead box protein P3(Foxp3) and retinoic acid-related orphan nuclear receptor γT(ROR-γt). The findings demonstrated that in normal mice, the colonic structure was intact. The goblet cells were not reduced and the glands were neatly arranged, with no mucosal erosion, bleeding, or positive cell infiltration. In the model group, the colonic mucosal structure was seriously damaged, manifested as disordered arrangement or missing of glands, vascular dilatation, congestion, and massive inflammatory cell infiltration. The pathological injury of colon tissue was alleviated to varying degrees in drug treatment groups. Compared with the normal group, the model group exhibited elevated percentage of Th17 cells, increased IL-17 and TNF-α content, up-regulated relative ROR-γt protein expression, lowered TGF-β, reduced percentage of Treg cells, and down-regulated relative Foxp3 protein expression. The comparison with the model group showed that DAI score, pathological score, percentage of Th17 cells, IL-17 and TNF-α content, and relative ROR-γt protein expression in the positive control group, low-dose astragaloside Ⅳ group, and high-dose astragaloside Ⅳ group were decreased, while TGF-β content, percentage of Treg cells, and relative Foxp3 protein expression were increased. The DAI score, pathological score, percentage of Th17 cells, IL-17 and TNF-α content, and relative ROR-γt protein expression in the low-dose astragaloside Ⅳ group were higher than those in the positive control group, whereas the content of TGF-β, percentage of Treg cells, and relative Foxp3 protein expression were lower. DAI score, pathological score, percentage of Th17 cells, IL-17 and TNF-α content, relative ROR-γt protein expression in the high-dose astragaloside Ⅳ group declined in contrast to those in the low-dose astragaloside Ⅳ group, while the TGF-β content, percentage of Treg cells, and relative Foxp3 protein expression rose. There was no significant difference between the positive control group and the high-dose astragaloside Ⅳ group. Astragaloside Ⅳ is able to inhibit inflammatory response and diminish the percentage of Th17 cells in mice with UC.

Correlation between Signs of Living Body in Abdominal and Pelvic Cavities and Syndrome Typing of Chinese Medicine in Colorectal Cancer Patients / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the correlation between signs of living body in abdominal and pelvic cavities and syndrome typing of Chinese medicine (CM) in colorectal cancer patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Totally 112 colorectal cancer patients undergoing open abdominal surgery or laporoscopic surgery were syndrome typed as five types, i.e., inner-accumulation of damp and heat, blockage of stasis and toxin, Pi-Shen yang deficiency, blood-qi deficiency, Gan-Shen yin deficiency. Signs of living body in abdominal and pelvic cavities were collected. The correlation between signs of living body in abdominal and pelvic cavities and syndrome typing of CM were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Red colorectal canals or mass were dominated in colorectal cancer patients with inner-accumulation of damp and heat syndrome. Dark purple colorectal canals or mass were dominated in colorectal cancer patients with blockage of stasis and toxin syndrome. Reddish colorectal canals or mass were dominated in colorectal cancer patients with blood-qi deficiency syndrome. Pale colorectal canals or mass were dominated in colorectal cancer patients with Pi-Shen yang deficiency syndrome. Whitish or red-white stripes were dominated in colorectal cancer patients with Gan-Shen yin deficiency syndrome. Dropsy colorectal canal was associated with Pi-Shen yang deficiency syndrome. Intracavitary effusion was often seen in colorectal cancer patients with inner-accumulation of damp and heat syndrome. The effusion was yellowish in less amount. Intracavitary adhesion was often seen in colorectal cancer patients with blockage of stasis and toxin syndrome. There was no correlation between the maximum diameter of mass or each syndrome type of CM.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>There existed correlation between signs of living body in abdominal and pelvic cavities and syndrome typing of CM, which could be taken as one of references for syndrome typing of colorectal cancer patients.</p>