Hypoglycemic activities of flowers of Xanthoceras sorbifolia and identification of anti-oxidant components by off-line UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS-free radical scavenging detection / 中草药·英文版

OBJECTIVE@#To identify phytochemical constituents present in the extract of flowers of Xanthoceras sorbifolia and evaluate their anti-oxidant and anti-hyperglycemic capacities.@*METHODS@#The AlCl3 colorimetric method and Prussian Blue assay were used to determine the contents of total flavonoids and total phenolic acids in extraction layers, and the bioactive layers was screened through anti - oxidative activity in vitro. The Waters ACQUITY UPLC system and a Waters ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18 column (2.0 mm × 150 mm, 5 μm) were used to identify the ingredients. And anti-oxidative ingredients were screened by off-line UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS-free radical scavenging. The ameliorative role of it was further evaluated in a high-fat, streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic rat model and the study was carried out on NADPH oxidase (PDB ID: 2CDU) by molecular docking.@*RESULTS@#Combined with the results of activity screening in vitro, the anti - oxidative part was identified as the ethyl acetate layer. A total of 24 chemical constituents were identified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in the ethyl acetate layer and 13 main anti-oxidative active constituents were preliminarily screened out through off-line UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS-free radical scavenging. In vivo experiments showed that flowers of X. sorbifolia could significantly reduce the blood glucose level of diabetic mice and alleviate liver cell damage. Based on the results of docking analysis related to the identified phytocompounds and oxidase which involved in type 2 diabetes, quercetin 3-O-rutinoside, kaempferol-3-O-rhamnoside, isorhamnetin-3-O-glucoside, and isoquercitrin showed a better inhibitory profile.@*CONCLUSION@#The ethyl acetate layer was rich in flavonoids and phenolic acids and had significant anti-oxidant activity, which could prevent hyperglycemia. This observed activity profile suggested X. sorbifolia flowers as a promising new source of tea to develop alternative natural anti-diabetic products with a high safety margin.

Total oxidant capacity, total antioxidant capacity, ischemic modified albumin, microRNA levels, and their relationship with psoriasis area and severity index

Aims: To examine the differences in the levels of microRNA, ischemic modified albumin (IMA), total oxidant capacity (TOC), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of persons with and without psoriasis and, in the case group, the relationship between these parameters and psoriasis area and severity index (PASI). Methods: Blood samples were collected from patients and healthy participants to examine levels of these parameters. Results: The mean serum TOC level was higher in the case group. The mean serum TAC and IMA levels were significantly lower in the case group (P <0.001). It was observed that the mean serum miR-203 and miR-146a levels were increased in psoriasis patients. It was determined that there was only a significant positive weak correlation between miR-203 and PASI (r = 0.232, P = 0.027). Limitations: The small sample size, not controlling serum albumin and not evaluating the effects of the treatment agents used by the patients on oxidative and inflammatory processes. Conclusion: In the case group changes in the mean serum TOC and TAC levels provide evidence that oxidative stress may play a critical role in disease pathogenesis. The increase in the mean serum miR-203 and miR-146a levels suggest the possibility of therapies targeting these microRNAs as a new option

Función antiinflamatoria y antioxidante del ácido ursólico en la pancreatitis aguda inducida por ceruleína en ratas / Anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant role of ursolic acid in cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis in rats

Resumen Antecedentes: El ácido ursólico se encuentra en numerosas plantas y se ha informado que tiene efectos antiproteasas, antioxidantes, antiinflamatorios, antimicrobianos, nefroprotectores, hepatoprotectores y cardioprotectores. Objetivo: Este estudio tuvo como objetivo investigar los efectos del ácido ursólico en la pancreatitis aguda inducida por ceruleína. Material y métodos: Treinta y dos ratas albinas Wistar fueron asignadas aleatoriamente a cuatro grupos iguales: grupo simulado, grupo de pancreatitis aguda, grupo de tratamiento y grupo de ácido ursólico. Resultados: Los niveles de amilasa sérica en los grupos de pancreatitis aguda y de tratamiento fueron significativamente más altos que en los otros grupos (p < 0.05). Además, los niveles séricos de IL-1β, IL-6 y TNF-α fueron significativamente más altos en el grupo de pancreatitis aguda en comparación con el grupo de tratamiento. Aunque la actividad oxidante total del tejido pancreático en ambos grupos fue similar, la capacidad antioxidante total del tejido pancreático en el grupo de tratamiento fue significativamente mayor. Conclusión: Se observó que el ácido ursólico reduce el daño al páncreas y órganos remotos en la pancreatitis aguda, al igual que el estrés oxidativo.

Abstract Background: Ursolic acid (UA) is found in many plants, and has been reported to have anti-protease, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, nephroprotective, hepatoprotective, and cardioprotective effects. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of ursolic acid in cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis (AP). Materials and methods: Thirty-two Wistar albino rats were randomly assigned to 4 equal groups: Sham, acute pancreatitis, treatment, and ursolic acid group. Results: Serum amylase levels in the AP and treatment groups were significantly higher than in the others (p < 0.05). In addition, serum IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α levels were significantly higher in the AP group in comparison with the treatment group. Although pancreatic tissue total oxidant activity in the AP and treatment groups was similar, pancreatic tissue total antioxidant capacity was significantly higher in the treatment group than in the AP group. Conclusions: Damage to the pancreas and remote organs in AP was observed to be reduced by UA. In addition, oxidative stress was observed to be decreased by the effect of UA.

Ação da luz visível na oxidação da melanina e no descolorimento do cabelo / Action of the visible on the melanin oxidation and hair discoloration

O dano capilar causado pelo descolorimento oxidativo é muito intenso, sendo que dois fatores são responsáveis por essa ação: primeiro, a ação direta e danosa do oxidante em diversas estruturas capilares e segundo, o dano oxidativo primário facilita o dano causado por outros agentes físicos (luz, temperatura) e químicos (tensoativos), que comumente tem ação nos cabelos. Desenvolver conceitos e tecnologias que possam tornar o oxidante específico para a melanina e por conseguinte efetuando o descolorimento sem causar danos ao fio é extremamente desejável. Neste trabalho buscaremos entender de que forma a luz visível pode aumentar a ação do oxidante sem danificar o fio colateralmente. O objetivo principal deste trabalho é demonstrar que é possível utilizar a luz visível, que é absorvida pela melanina, para tornar esse pigmento mais suscetível ao agente oxidante e desta forma, permitir que o descolorimento seja realizado com concentrações pequenas de oxidante. Também almejamos desenvolver métodos de análises por microscopia ótica de fluorescência e de reflexão para mensurar o dano nas estruturas dos fios processados com oxidante e na presença ou ausência da luz

The capillary damage caused by oxidative discoloration is very intense, and two factors are responsible for this action: first, the direct and harmful action of the oxidant on several capillary structures and second, the primary oxidative damage facilitates the damage caused by other physical agents (light, temperature) and chemicals (surfactants), which commonly have action on the hair. Developing concepts and technologies that can make the oxidant specific to melanin and therefore discoloring without causing damage to the hair is extremely desirable. In this work we will try to understand how visible light can increase the oxidant's action without damaging the wire collaterally. The main objective of this work is to demonstrate that it is possible to use visible light, which is absorbed by melanin, to make this pigment more susceptible to the oxidizing agent and, thus, to allow the discoloration to be carried out with small concentrations of oxidizer. We also aim to develop methods of analysis by optical fluorescence and reflection microscopy to measure the damage to the structures of the threads processed with oxidizer and in the presence or absence of light

Anti-oxidant and Anti-inflammatory Effects of Ethanol Extract from Polygala sibirica L. var megalopha Fr. on Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated RAW264.7 Cells / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of ethanol extract of Polygala sibirica L. var megalopha Fr. (EEP) on RAW264.7 mouse macrophages.@*METHODS@#RAW264.7 cells were pretreated with 0-200 µg/mL EEP or vehicle for 2 h prior to exposure to 1 µg/mL lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 24 h. Nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin (PGE2) production were determined by Griess reagent and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. The mRNA levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), and IL-6 were determined using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Western blot assay was used to determine the protein expressions of iNOS, COX-2, phosphorylation of extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK1/2), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), inhibitory subunit of nuclear factor Kappa B alpha (Iκ B-α) and p38. Immunofluorescence was used to observe the nuclear expression of nuclear factor-κ B p65 (NF-κ B p65). Additionally, the anti-oxidant potential of EEP was evaluated by reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and the activities of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), hydroxyl (OH), superoxide anion (O2-) radical and nitrite scavenging activity were also measured.@*RESULTS@#The total polyphenol and flavonoid contents of EEP were 23.50±2.16 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 g and 43.78±3.81 mg rutin equivalent/100 g. With EEP treatment (100 and 150 µg/mL), there was a notable decrease in NO and PGE2 production induced by LPS in RAW264.7 cells by downregulation of iNOS and COX-2 mRNA and protein expressions (P<0.01 or P<0.05). Furthermore, with EEP treatment (150 µg/mL), there was a decrease in the mRNA expression levels of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6, as well as in the phosphorylation of ERK, JNK and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK, P<0.01 or P<0.05), by blocking the nuclear translocation of NF-κ B p65 in LPS-stimulated cells. In addition, EEP (100 and 150 µg/mL) led to an increase in the anti-oxidant enzymes activity of SOD and CAT, with a concomitant decrease in ROS production (P<0.01 or P<0.05). EEP also indicated the DPPH, OH, O2- radical and nitrite scavenging activity.@*CONCLUSION@#EEP inhibited inflammatory responses in activated macrophages through blocking MAPK/NF-κ B pathway and protected against oxidative stress.

Research on hypoglycemic activity of Osmanthus fragrans var. thunbergii extract / 药学学报

This study aimed to assess the hypoglycemic activity, and in vitro inhibition of α-glucosidase, inhibition of the advanced glycation end products (AGEs), and total antioxidant capacity were used to clarify its bioactivity. Furthermore, the potential hypoglycemic active chemical constituents in the aqueous extract of Osmanthus fragrans var. thunbergii flower were characterized using high performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-quadruple time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS) method. The result showed that in vitro inhibition of α-glucosidase of the extract (IC50 = 2.11 ± 0.26 mg·mL-1) were similar to acarbose (IC50 = 2.88 ± 0.32 mg·mL-1), and it inhibited the AGEs formation and the total antioxidant capacity in a certain extent. Based on the MS fragmentation pathway analysis of reference chemical acteoside contained in this extract, and related references, 73 constituents were tentatively identified from the aqueous extract of Osmanthus fragrans var. thunbergii flower, including 58 phenylethanoids, 8 caffeoylquinic acids, 1 flavonoid vicenin-2, and 6 common organic chemicals in plant. Furthermore, 8 unknown alkaloids were characterized in this work. Among of these chemicals, 61 phenylethanoids were supposed to be detected for the first time. In conclusion, this work disclosed the potential hypoglycemic active constituents of Osmanthus fragrans var. thunbergii flower.

Functional biomaterials for comprehensive periodontitis therapy

Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease caused by bacterial infection directly, and the dysregulation of host immune-inflammatory response finally destroys periodontal tissues. Current treatment strategies for periodontitis mainly involve mechanical scaling/root planing (SRP), surgical procedures, and systemic or localized delivery of antimicrobial agents. However, SRP or surgical treatment alone has unsatisfactory long-term effects and is easy to relapse. In addition, the existing drugs for local periodontal therapy do not stay in the periodontal pocket long enough and have difficulties in maintaining a steady, effective concentration to obtain a therapeutic effect, and continuous administration always causes drug resistance. Many recent studies have shown that adding bio-functional materials and drug delivery systems upregulates the therapeutic effectiveness of periodontitis. This review focuses on the role of biomaterials in periodontitis treatment and presents an overview of antibacterial therapy, host modulatory therapy, periodontal regeneration, and multifunctional regulation of periodontitis therapy. Biomaterials provide advanced approaches for periodontal therapy, and it is foreseeable that further understanding and applications of biomaterials will promote the development of periodontal therapy.

Honokiol attenuates acetaminophen-induced acute liver injury by inhibiting hepatic CYP1A2 activity and improving liver mitochondrial dysfunction / 中草药·英文版

OBJECTIVE@#Acetaminophen (APAP) overdose is a common cause of liver injury. This study aimed to investigate the protective effect of honokiol (Hon) against APAP-induced hepatotoxicity and its potential mechanism.@*METHODS@#C57BL/6 mice were administrated with Hon (10 and 30 mg/kg) after APAP (300 mg/kg) treatment. On 1.5 h and 5 h after Hon treatment, mice were sacrificed. Serum and liver were collected. And then, liver injury-related indexes, APAP metabolism-related indexes, mitochondrial respiratory chain function-related indexes, and mitochondrial membrane function-related protein expression were evaluated.@*RESULTS@#It was found that Hon significantly decreased serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT)/aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity and glutathione (GSH) depletion, increased hepatic catalase (CAT) and GSH peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities, reduced hepatic MDA and 3-nitrotyrosine contents, inhibited hepatic CYP1A2 activity and APAP protein adducts (APAP-CYS) formation. Meanwhile, oxidative phosphorylation capacity of complex I and electron transfer capacity of complex IV in mitochondrial respiratory chain was increased, whereas the release of H2O2 in the mitochondria was decreased following Hon treatment. Furthermore, Hon markedly down-regulated p-JNK in both cytosol and mitochondria, and obviously inhibited the release of apoptosis inducing factor (AIF) and endonuclease G (EndoG) from mitochondria to cytosol.@*CONCLUSION@#Hon alleviated APAP-induced liver injury through the following pathways: Reducing the production of APAP-CYS by inhibiting CYP1A2 activity; Ameliorating hepatic oxidative stress by increasing the levels of hepatic CAT, GSH-Px and GSH; Improving mitochondrial respiratory chain function by promoting oxidative phosphorylation capacity of complex I and electron transfer capacity of complex IV; Improving the function of mitochondrial membrane by inhibiting p-JNK and its translocation to mitochondria, thereby reducing the release of AIF and EndoG.

Does Antioxidant Superoxide Dismutase levels Decline with Advanced primary Knee Osteoarthritis in Synovial Fluid ? A Pilot Study

Introduction: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a progressive, degenera?ve disease that leads to joint pain, tenderness, s?ffness, locking, effusion, reduced mo?on, swelling, crepitus, and disability. The pain in OA is the most significant clinical feature and impacts func?on, mobility, quality of life, and the reason for medical advice. Methods: Fi?y individuals with primary knee OA in the age range of 45–90 years were chosen at random for the research (N=50). The American College of Rheumatology’s diagnos?c criteria were employed to diagnose osteoarthri?s, and a visual analogue scale was u?lized to score the severity of pain. Knee OA was graded using the Kellgren-Lawrence (K-L) radiographic assessment method. The an?oxidant levels of superoxide dismutase in the synovial fluid were measured by using a spectrophotometric assay. Results: Grades 1, 2, 3, and 4 have SOD ac?vity values of 1.43±0.55, 1.44±0.72, 0.92±0.52, and 0.87 ±0.52 U/ml, respec?vely, in synovial fluid. Synovial fluid SOD ac?vity was higher in grades 1 & 2 of KOA as compared to grades 3 &4 and the difference was sta?s?cally significant (p<0.05). Conclusions: There was a link between K-L grade and synovial an?oxidant ac?vity level. In the late stages of knee osteoarthri?s, the an?oxidant enzyme (SOD) ac?vity was reduced.According to the results of this study, regular an?oxidant supplementa?on to early osteoarthri?s pa?ents may delay disease progression by improving the an?oxidant status of the knee, which neutralises free radicals and thus prevents car?lage damage.

The relationship between thiol-disulfide balance and idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss / Relação entre equilíbrio tiol-dissulfeto e perda auditiva neurossensorial súbita idiopática

Abstract Introduction: Impaired cochlear perfusion is a major etiological factor in idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss. Oxidative stress has been shown to be a risk factor for oxidative damage. Objectives: We investigated the role of oxidative stress in idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss by comparing serum levels of oxidant and antioxidant molecules including thiol/disulfide homeostasis paraoxonase, stimulated thiol/disulfide homeostasis paraoxonase, arylesterase, ceruloplasmin and myeloperoxidase in patients who did and did not recover after treatment. Methods: The amount of dynamic disulfide was calculated by determining half of the difference between the total thiols and native thiols. After the determination of native, total thiol, and disulfide amounts, the disulfide/total thiol percent ratio, native thiol/total thiol ratio and disulfide/native thiol percent ratio were calculated and then compared between the two groups. Additionally, clinical relationship between audiological recovery and native thiol, disulfide, disulfide/native thiol percent ratio, and disulfide/total thiol percent ratio levels was investigated. Blood samples were also analyzed for the assessment of thiol/disulfide homeostasis paraoxonase, stimulated thiol/disulfide homeostasis paraoxonase, arylesterase, ceruloplasmin, and myeloperoxidase levels. Results: A significant difference was found between the two groups with regard to total oxidant status disulfide, disulfide/native thiol percent ratio, disulfide/total thiol percent ratio, and native thiol/total thiol ratio levels (p = 0.001, p = 0.001, p = 0.001, p = 0.003, p = 0.001, p = 0.002, respectively). However, no significant difference was found between the two groups with regard to thiol/disulfide homeostasis paraoxonase, stimulated thiol/disulfide homeostasis paraoxonase, ceruloplasmin, and myeloperoxidase levels (p > 0.05 for all). Conclusion: The results supported the common hypothesis that vascular pathologies are the primary cause of idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss and that other etiological factors ultimately result in vascular pathologies. The oxidant-antioxidant and thiol-disulfide balances were impaired in the idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss group.

Resumo Introdução: A perfusão coclear prejudicada é um fator etiológico importante na perda auditiva neurossensorial súbita idiopática (PANSSI). O estresse oxidativo mostrou ser um fator de risco para danos oxidativos. Objetivos: Investigamos o papel do estresse oxidativo na PANSSI mediante a comparação dos níveis séricos de moléculas oxidantes e antioxidantes, inclusive homeostase de tiol/dissulfeto, paraoxonase, paraoxonase estimulada, arilesterase, ceruloplasmina e mieloperoxidase em pacientes com e sem recuperação após o tratamento. Método: A quantidade de dissulfeto dinâmico foi calculada mediante a determinação de metade da diferença entre os tiois totais e os tiois nativos. Após a determinação das quantidades de tiol nativo, tiol total e dissulfeto, as razões percentuais de dissulfeto/tiol total, tiol nativo/tioltotal e dissulfeto/tiol nativo foram calculadas e depois comparadas entre os dois grupos. Além disso, a relação clínica entre a recuperação audiológica e os níveis de tiol nativo, tiol nativo/tiol total, dissulfeto, dissulfeto/tiol nativo e dissulfeto/tiol total foi investigada. Amostras de sangue também foram analisadas para avaliar os níveis de paraoxonase, paraoxonase estimulada, arilesterase, ceruloplasmina e mieloperoxidase. Resultados: Uma diferença significante foi encontrada entre os dois grupos em relação ao estado oxidante total e aos níveis de dissulfeto, dissulfeto/tiol nativo, dissulfeto/tiol total, tiol nativo/tiol total (p = 0,001, p = 0,001, p = 0,001, p = 0,003, p = 0,001, p = 0,002, respectivamente). Porém, não foi encontrada diferença significante entre os dois grupos em relação aos níveis de paraoxonase, paraoxonase estimulada, ceruloplasmina e mieloperoxidade (p> 0,05 para todos). Conclusão: Os resultados apoiaram a hipótese comum de que as doenças vasculares são a principal causa de PANSSI e que, em última análise, outros fatores etiológicos resultam em doenças vasculares. Os equilíbrios de oxidante-antioxidante e tiol-dissulfeto estavam prejudicados no grupo PANSSI.

Oxidative stress in maternal milk and cord blood in gestational diabetes mellitus: a prospective study

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Reduced antioxidant defenses may reflect a poor protective response against oxidative stress and this may be implicated in progression of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Oxidative stress induced by hyperglycemia plays a major role in micro and macrovascular complications, which imply endothelial dysfunction. OBJECTIVE: Our aim in this study was to investigate the association between GDM and oxidative stress markers measured in plasma, with regard to revealing changes to total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and total oxidant status (TOS) among mothers showing impairments in oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs). DESIGN AND SETTING: Prospective study at a university hospital in Turkey. METHODS: The study group consisted of 50 mothers with GDM, and 59 healthy mothers served as controls. Umbilical cord blood samples were taken from all mothers during delivery and breast milk samples on the fifth day after delivery. TAC, TOS, thiol and disulfide levels were measured. RESULTS: No statistically significant relationship between the blood and milk samples could be found. An analysis on correlations between TAC, TOS and certain parameters revealed that there were negative correlations between TOS and total thiol (r = -0.386; P < 0.001) and between TOS and disulfide (r = -0.388; P < 0.001) in milk in the control group. However, these findings were not observed in the study group. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggested that a compensatory mechanism of oxidative stress was expected to be present in gestational diabetes mellitus and that this might be ameliorated through good glycemic regulation and antioxidant supplementation.

A Review on Pharmacological and Therapeutic Potential of Aloe barbadensis Miller

Aloe vera, a popular succulent perennial medicinal plant with a wide range of phytochemicals that have shown various pharmacological activities including anti-oxidant, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, wound healing promotion and so on. Acemannan, aloe-emodin, aloin, aloesin, and emodin are widely investigated active constituents that show various pharmacological activities. Thus, the purpose of this review is to highlight previous pharmacological studied conducted in vivo, in vitro and human assays over the past decades. As current pharmacological research is focused on anticancer and neurological action, it would be interesting and important to study the main compounds present in Aloe vera for therapeutic purposes.

EFFECT OF SEASONAL VARIATION ON THE PHYTOCHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS OF AEGLE MARMELOS (L.) AND MURRAYA KOENIGII L.SPRENG

Aegle marmelos and Murraya koenigii are commonly occurring plants in Maharashtra belonging to family Rutaceae .Members of Rutaceae are rich in vitamin C content. Murraya koenigii locally known as curry patta and Aegle marmelos locally known as bael/ kawath is edible and used in various food preparations. They are known to have anti-infiammatory, anti-oxidant, anticancer and antimicrobial properties and It was thought necessary to find out if there was any variation in the phytochemical content ie mainly Vit C and antioxidant activity of these two plants especially in the leaves . It was observed that phytochemical content was higher during monsoon season.

Zingerone alleviates cadmium-induced nephrotoxicity in rats via its antioxidant and anti-apoptotic properties

Objectives: Cadmium is an essential industrial metal and acts as an environmental toxicant that is a major cause of kidney diseases. Hence, we aimed to evaluate the possible nephroprotective effects of zingerone (ZGO), a major flavonoid constituent in ginger (Zingiber officinale) dry roots, against cadmium-induced nephrotoxicity in rats. Methods: In this study, Wistar albino rats [ACUC: HU2020/Z/FMS0120-01] were allocated randomly to 4 groups with seven animals in each group. The control group which received physiological saline; cadmium chloride (CdCl2) treatment group which received CdCl2 at a dose of 6.5 mg/kg intraperitoneally (i.p.) for 7 consecutive days; zingerone treatment group which received 25 mg/kg of zingerone orally for 7 consecutive days and CdCl2(6.5 mg/kg; i.p.)+ZGO (25 mg/kg; p.o.) treatment group which received CdCl2 and ZGO for 7 consecutive days. Results: Co-administration of ZGO along with CdCl2 resulted in a significant reduction in creatinine and urea levels of serum. Additionally, ZGO significantly diminished the tissue levels of Cd concentration, lipid peroxidation, and nitric oxide and significantly recovered the enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidant molecules, namely glutathione, total superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione recycling enzymes peroxidase and reductase, in kidney tissue. Furthermore, ZGO treatment prevented the inflammation produced by CdCl2 by restraining the elevation in the level of pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin1beta). Moreover, ZGO improved histopathological alternations in the kidney by preventing apoptosis cascade in kidney tissue by stimulating Bcl-2 and suppressing Bax and caspase-3. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that ZGO has nephroprotective activity in cadmium-induced nephrotoxicity mostly via modulating of oxidant/antioxidant balance, inflammatory response, and apoptosis.

A network pharmacology approach to assess Reno-protective and -curative effects of methanolic extract of Malva neglecta Wallr in gentamicin induced renal toxicity rat model

Abstract The aim of present study was to explore protective and curative effects of Malve neglecta on kidneys. In silco study with network pharmacology was performed to find out potential target organs, genes and cellular cell lines which confirmed kidneys as target organ of phyto-constituents present in Malva neglecta extract. Gentamicin (40 mg/kg, i.p) was given to induce renal toxicity. Prophylactic study was performed with 300-, 600- and 900 mg/kg doses to find out nephro-protective and -curative effects and curative potential was evaluated at 900 mg/kg dose. Renal function biomarkers, blood urea, BUN, serum creatinine and uric acid, and oxidative stress measuring biomarkers, SOD, CAT, GSH and MDA levels in kidney homogenate were quantified at the end of study. Treatment groups showed decrease in blood urea, BUN, serum creatinine and uric acid levels dose dependently and curative group also showed decline in these biomarkers. SOD, CAT, GSH levels were increased and MDA level decreased in treatment groups significantly as compared to toxic control which revealed the role of oxidative stress in renal damage and anti-oxidant power of MN. Data suggested that use of MN along with drugs causing renal toxicity may prove beneficial due to its nephro- protective and curative effects.

Is Serum Antioxidant Status Impaired in Pregnant Women at High Risk for Carrying a Down Syndrome-affected Fetus?

ABSTRACT Objective: To establish the oxidant/antioxidant status in serum samples from pregnant women above the threshold for Down syndrome (DS) risk, according to the quadruple test. Methods: Thirty maternal serum samples that were above the threshold for DS risk (study group) were chosen from pregnant women whose quadruple tests were studied at Ankara University Ibni Sina Hospital Central Laboratory. They were matched with the control group consisting of 30 pregnant women whose DS risk were below threshold. Malondialdehyde level, glutathione peroxidase and non-enzymatic superoxide radical scavenger activities (NSSAs) were analyzed in the study and control groups. Results: It was found that NSSA was significantly decreased in the study group as compared to the control group (p = 0.006). Malondialdehyde levels had a tendency to increase with gestational week in both groups (p = 0.042 in the study group and p < 0.001 in the control group). Conclusion: There is a significant decrease in non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity in pregnant women that were above the threshold for DS risk, as compared to the control group. In the context of these results, dietary antioxidant supplementation might be a useful approach during early gestation, especially around the time of conception, possibly to prevent bearing a DS fetus.

Research Progress on Mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicines in Treating Gout / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Gout is the second largest metabolic disease in China， which can cause joint tissue damage and a variety of chronic diseases， and seriously affect human life and health. The increase in uric acid caused by disorder of purine metabolism or abnormal uric acid excretion is the biochemical basis of its pathogenesis. Western medical treatment mainly uses anti-inflammatory drugs such as colchicine， non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs， and uric acid lowering drugs such as febuxostat and benzbromarone， which have obvious effects， but there are problems such as easy to recurrence after drug withdrawal and more adverse reactions. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has a long history in the treatment of gout， and has the advantages of multi-channel， multi-target， and multi-level symptomatic treatment. It exerts therapeutic effects through lowering uric acid， anti-inflammatory， anti-oxidation， and protecting the kidneys. Its curative effect is obvious and the adverse reaction rate is low. In recent years， there have been many studies on the mechanism of TCM for gout animal models. Based on the review of relevant literature in recent years， this article has systematically sorted out the pathogenesis of gout， the mechanism of TCM for gout and related experimental design. The paper summarized and analyzed the mechanism of TCM in the treatment of gout from the aspects of regulating the level of inflammatory factors， inhibiting oxidation reaction， reducing uric acid and regulating signaling pathway， so as to provide reference for the research and development of drugs for gout.

Study on the Effects of Atractylodes macrocephala Ethanol Extract on Life Span of Caenorhabditis elegans and Its Mechanism / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE： To study the effects of Atractylodes macrocephala ethanol extract （AM） on life span of Caenorhabditis elegans（called N 2 nematode for short ），and to investigate its mechanism based on transcription factor SKN- 1/ nuclear factor E 2 related factor 2（Nrf2）. METHODS ：N2 nematode were divided into blank control group ，positive control group （100 μ mol/L curcumin，similarly hereinafter ），AM low-dose ，medium-dose and high-dose groups （100，200，300 μ g/mL， similarly hereinafter ）. The effects of AM on the life span （by average survival time ）of N 2 nematode under normal condition and oxidant stress condition （40 mmol/L H 2O2）as well as its effects on reproductive capability （by the number of filial generation ）of N2 nematode under normal condition were investigated . 700 μmol/L H2O2 was used to establish neuroblastoma cells N 2a oxidant stress model. Effects of positive control ，low-dose，medium-dose and high-dose of AM on the survival rate of model cells were detected by MTT method. After human embryonic renalepithelial cells 293T were transfected with Nrf 2-ARE plasmid ， the effects of positive control and AM on luciferase activity of Nrf2-ARE were detected by luciferase reporter gene method at low，medium and high dose for 24 h and at medium dose for 12，18 and 24 h. RT-PCR was used to detect the effects ofpositive control ，low-dose，medium-dose and high-dose of AM on the mRNA expression of downstream genes NQO- 1 and HO- 1 of Nrf 2 in N 2a cells as well as mRN A expression of en@hactcm.edu.cn downstream genes GCS- 1，GST-7，GST-10，HSP-60，HSP- 16.2 and SOD- 3 of SKN- 1 in N 2 nematode. RESULTS ：Compared with blank control group ，average survival time of N 2 nematode under normal and oxidant stress condition was significantly prolonged in positive control group and AM groups ；the number of filial generation on the first day （except for AM high-dose group ），the number of filial generation on the second day （except for AM low-dose group ） and the total number of filial generation （except for AM low-dose group ） were increased significantly（P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. The survival rate of N 2a cells in positive control group ，AM medium-dose and high-dose groups were significantly higher than that of model group （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared with blank control group ，Nrf2-ARE luciferase relative activity of 293T cells in positive control group and AM groups as well as Nrf 2-ARE luciferase relative activity of 293T cells in AM medium-dose group after different time of treatment were increased significantly （P＜0.01），in dose-dependent and time-dependent trend. Compared with blank control group ，mRNA relative expression of HO- 1 and NQO- 1（except for positive control group ），GCS-1（except for AM low-dose group ），GST-7（except for positive control group and AM low-dose group ）， GST-10 and HSP- 60（except for AM low-dose group ），HSP-16.2（except for positive control group and AM low-dose group ）and SOD-3 （except for positive control group and AM low-dose group ） were increased significantly （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. CONCLUSIONS：AM can prolong the life span of N 2 nematode under normal and oxidant stress condition and improve the its reproductive capacity ，the mechanism of which may be associated with the activation of SKN- 1/Nrf2 signaling pathway.

Protective effect of fluoxetine against hypoxia induced injury on PC12 cells / 中国药理学通报

Aim To study the protective effect of fluoxetine against hypoxia induced injury on PC12 cells. Methods PC12 cells were randomly divided into control group, hypoxia group, and fluoxetine hydrochloride group. The last two groups were put into a hypoxic culture chamber for 18 hours, the cell state was observed under inverted microscope, and cell viability was detected using CCK-8 assay. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) level was evaluated by DCFH-DA. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), malondialdehyde (MDA) in cell culture supernatant were evaluated by enzyme labeling method. The expression levels of Bcl-2, Bax and caspase-3 were determined by Western blot. Results Compared with normal group, hypoxia caused obvious damage to PC12 cells. Fluoxetine hydrochloride at 10

Interaction between oxidant pollutants and ambient temperature on cardio-cerebrovascular mortality risks in Guangzhou, China / 环境与职业医学

Background The increasing threats of air pollution and extreme weather have been widely recognized in recent years in China, but their individual and joint effects on cardio-cerebrovascular mortality are unclear. Objective This study aims to investigate the individual effects of and potential interactions between oxidant pollutants and ambient temperature on cardio-cerebrovascular mortality risks. Methods We collected daily data on death counts of cardio-cerebrovascular diseases, concentrations of ambient air pollutants, and meteorological parameters in Guangzhou, Chinabetween 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2016. A generalized additive model with a Poisson distribution was conducted to assess the associations of oxidant pollutants and ambient temperature with cardio-cerebrovascular mortality risks. Bivariate response surface models and stratified analyses were further adopted to qualitatively and quantitatively examine the potential interactions between oxidant pollutants and ambient temperature on cardio-cerebrovascular mortality risks. Results During the study period, the daily averages were 60.3 μg·m−3 for ozone (O3), 50.9 μg·m−3 for combined atmospheric oxidant capacity (Ox), 32.5 μg·m−3 for nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and 22.3℃ for ambient temperature. The average daily death counts of coronary and stroke diseases were 20 and 15, respectively. Per 10 μg·m−3 increment in O3, Ox, and NO2 were associated with increased coronary mortality risks (excess risk, ER) of 1.26% (95%CI: 0.79%-1.74%), 1.61% (95%CI: 0.99%-2.23%), and 1.33% (95%CI: 0.59%-2.07%), and with increased stroke mortality risks of 1.56% (95%CI: 1.04%-2.09%), 2.30% (95%CI: 1.60%-3.01%), and 2.93% (95%CI: 2.07%-3.79%) over cumulative lags of 2-5 days, respectively. The exposure-response relationships between ambient temperature and coronary and stroke mortality risks exhibited an inverse "J" shape, with the minimum mortality at temperatures of 25.7℃ for coronary disease and 27.3℃ for stroke. Our results further showed potentially synergic effects of higher temperatures and higher levels of O3 and Ox exposures on coronary mortality risks, and the relative ER due to interactions was 0.103 (95%CI: 0.028-0.178) for O3 and 0.079 (95%CI: 0.004-0.154) for Ox. We didn't find evidence of an interaction between oxidant pollutants and low temperature. Conclusion Short-term exposures to oxidant pollutants are associated with increased cardio-cerebrovascular mortality risks, and the interactive effects of high temperature and oxidant pollutants are synergistic in relation to cardio-cerebrovascular mortality risks.