[Piperine regulates glucose metabolism disorder in HepG2 cells of insulin resistance models via targeting upstream target of AMPK signaling pathway].

To investigate the effect of piperine on the disorder of glucose metabolism in the cell model with insulin resistance (IR) and explore the molecules mechanism on intervening the upstream target of AMPK signaling pathway. The insulin resistance models in HepG2 cells were established by fat emulsion stimulation. Then glucose consumption in culture supernatant was detected by GOD-POD method. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was used to measure the levels of leptin(LEP) and adiponectin(APN) in culture supernatant; Real-time quantitative PCR was used to assess the mRNA expression of APN and LEP; and the protein expression levels of LepR, AdipoR1, AdipoR2 and the activation of AMPK signaling pathway were detected by Western blot analysis. The results showed that piperine, rosiglitazone and AMPK agonist AICAR could significantly elevate the glucose consumption in insulin resistance cell models, enhance the level of APN, promote APN mRNA transcripts and increase the protein expression of Adipo receptor. Meanwhile,AMPKα mRNA and р-AMPKα protein expressions were also increased in piperine treated cells, but both LEP mRNA expression and LepR protein expressions were decreased in piperine treated group. The results indicated that piperine could significantly ameliorate the glucose metabolism disorder in insulin resistance cell models through regulating upstream molecules (APN and LEP) of AMPK signaling pathway, and thus activate the AMPK signaling pathway.

In vitro cytotoxicity and in vivo acute and chronic toxicity of Xanthii Fructus and its processed product.

Xanthii Fructus (XF), the fruit of Xanthium sibiricum Patr., was used in the treatment of rhinitis and related nasal disease. Adverse effects of Xanthii Fructus are frequently reported these years. In the paper, in vitro renal cytotoxicity and in vivo acute and chronic toxicity researches of Xanthii Fructus (XF) and its processed product (processed Xanthii Fructus (PXF)) were carried out. Water extraction of XF displayed no cell membrane damage effects even in the highest concentration (100 µg/mL); however, it might affect the function of renal cell mitochondria. Acute toxicities were observed only in high and middle dosage groups. Fortunately, the single dose administration of XF or PXF was safe even at the highest daily dosage. Twelve-week chronic toxicity assays were performed in SD rats with low, middle, and high dosage. Notable changes in body weight and blood cell and BUN and Scr changes sporadically occurred in middle and high groups after the 9th week. Serum HA and HPCIII values were sustained increasing from the 4th week to the 8th week in Group V male rats, which indicated that the renal fibrosis risks still existed although no fibrosis was found in the pathological examination of the liver and kidney.

[Advances in studies of renal adverse reactions of Leonurus heterophyllus].

Motherwort (Herb of Leonurus heterophyllus) was a traditional Chinese medicine used for the treatment of various kinds of gynaecological diseases, which was considered as non-toxic medicine since ancient times. However, adverse effects such as kidney damage, uterus damage, allergy and diarrhea were frequently reported recently. This paper reviews the possible target site, toxic dosage, chemical substance and other related factors of these kidney damage caused by motherwort from both the clinic and animal experiment view.

[Active oxygen species of Co-V-O catalysts in propane oxidative dehydrogenation analyzed by FTIR and XPS spectra].

A series of Co-V-O (meta-CoV2O6, pyro-Co2 V2 O7, and ortho-Co3 V2 O8) catalysts were prepared by microwave oxalate co-precipitation method and characterized by (XRD), TEM, BET, FTIR, XPS, H2-TPR and conductivity measurement. The catalytic characters of the catalysts for propane oxidative dehydrogenation were investigated. The FTIR spectra of catalysts were obtained in the range of 400-1 100 cm(-1) and their major bands were assigned. The peak separation fitting of O(1s) XPS spectra was carried out and the quantity of oxygen species was calculated. The results of XRD characterization showed that pure meta-CoV2O6, pyro-Co2 V2O7, and ortho-Co3 V2O8 with nice structure were obtained. The TEM images demonstrated that the catalysts showed uniform particle with the mean particle size of 20-30 nm. The diagram of the relationship between electrical conductivity and oxygen partial pressure of Co3V2O8 and Co2 V2O7 showed dsigma/dPo2 > 0, which implied that these were p-type semiconductor, and CoV2O6 reverse showed dsigma/dPo2 < 0, which implied n-type semiconductor. 48.12%, 47.82% and 35.24% of C3 H6 selectivities were obtained for p-type semiconductor Co3 V2O8, CO2 V2O7 and n-type CoV2O6 catalysts respectively at 10% C3H6 conversion, and the results showed that p-type semiconductor catalysts Co3 V2O8 and Co2 V2O7 showed higher activity than n-type catalyst CoV2O6. The results of FTIR, XPS, H2-TPR and conductivity measurement indicated that transferring between non-stoichiometric and lattice oxygen that easily happened in Co3 V2O8 and Co2 V2O7 catalysts might promote the oxidation-reduction reaction between different valence vanadium species, and promoted the oxygen vacancy formation. Furthermore, the forming of Co-O-V bridge bond that was easy to shift between Co and V increased the mobile oxygen species of O2-, O2(2-) and O- and made the redox reaction among different valence V be realized. It is concluded that high catalytic properties of p-type semiconductor Co3 V2O8 and Co2 V2O7 can be attributed to the abundant oxygen species O- that existed in these catalysts.