Nobiletin Inhibits Hypoxia-Induced Placental Damage via Modulating P53 Signaling Pathway.

In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of Nobiletin (NOB) on the placenta of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats that had undergone reduced uterine perfusion pressure (RUPP) surgery and to evaluate the safety of NOB intervention during pregnancy. The results showed that NOB alleviated placental hypoxia, attenuated placental cell apoptosis, and inhibited placental damage in RUPP rats. No side effect of NOB intervention during pregnancy was observed. BeWo cell lines with P53 knockdown were then constructed using lentiviral transfection, and the P53 signaling pathway was found to be essential for NOB to reduce hypoxia-induced apoptosis of the BeWo cell lines. In summary, NOB attenuated hypoxia-induced placental damage by regulating the P53 signaling pathway, and those findings may contribute some insights into the role of NOB in placental development and the prevention of placental-related diseases.

Ginseng (Panax ginseng Meyer) Oligopeptides Protect Against Binge Drinking-Induced Liver Damage through Inhibiting Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in Rats.

Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer (ginseng) is an edible and traditional medicinal herb, which is reported to have a wide range of biological activity and pharmaceutical properties. There were more studies on ginsenoside and polysaccharides, but fewer on ginseng oligopeptides (GOPs), which are small molecule oligopeptides extracted from ginseng. The present study was designed to investigate the effects and underlying mechanism of ginseng oligopeptide (GOPs) on binge drinking-induced alcohol damage in rats. Sprague Dawley rats were randomly assigned to six groups (n = 10), rats in normal control group and alcohol model group was administered distilled water; rats in four GOPs intervention groups (at a dose of 0.0625, 0.125, 0.25, 0.5 g/kg of body weight, respectively) were administered GOPs once a day for 30 days. Experiment rats were intragastrically administered ethanol at a one-time dose of 7 g/kg of body weight after 30 days. The liver injury was measured through traditional liver enzymes, inflammatory cytokines, expression of oxidative stress markers, and histopathological examination. We found that the GOPs treatment could significantly improve serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase, plasma lipopolysaccharide, and inflammatory cytokine levels, as well as the oxidative stress markers that were altered by alcohol. Moreover, GOPs treatment inhibited the protein expression of toll-like receptor 4, and repressed the inhibitor kappa Bα and nuclear factor-κB p65 in the liver. These findings suggested that GOPs have a significant protective effect on binge drinking-induced liver injury, and the mechanism possibly mediated by the partial inhibition of lipopolysaccharide-toll-like receptor 4-nuclear factor-κB p65 signaling in the liver.

[Influence of exogenous 5'-nucleotides on acute alcohol intoxication in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate effects of exogenous 5'-nucleotides on acute alcohol intoxication in SD rats. METHODS: In our study, 24 male SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups which included a control group treated with normal saline and three experimental groups treated with low, medium and high doses of exogenous 5'-nucleotides (0.2, 0.8, 3.2 g/kg body weight). All the rats were gavaged with 50% ethanol 30 minutes after treatment. Then rotarod test and open field test were taken to assess rats' neurobehavior changes; Tail blood samples were collected to test blood ethanol concentration; Then all the rats were anesthetized and killed to collect blood and liver samples. Contents of serum alanine amino transferase, aspartate amino transferase, triglyceride, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, total protein and albumin were tested; Their serum superoxide dismutase activity, malondialdehyde content and liver alcohol dehydrogenase activity were measured. RESULTS: Compared with the controls, high dose nucleotides treated rats had lower serum ethanol concentration [(0.56±0.18 g/L)vs.(1.11±0.44 g/L), P<0.05]. However, exogenous 5'-nucleotides had no impact on neurobehavior and serum biochemical indicators; No difference was found in liver alcohol dehydrogenase activity, serum superoxide dismutase activity and malondialdehyde content were also found no different between the groups. CONCLUSION: Exogenous 5'-nucleotides have no protective properties for acute alcohol intoxication in rats.