Mume Fructus reduces interleukin-1 beta-induced cartilage degradation via MAPK downregulation in rat articular chondrocytes.

Osteoarthritis is the most prevalent type of degenerative arthritis. It is characterized by persistent pain, joint dysfunction, and physical disability. Pain relief and inflammation control are prioritised during osteoarthritis treatment Mume Fructus (Omae), a fumigated product of the Prunus mume fruit, is used as a traditional medicine in several Asian countries. However, its therapeutic mechanism of action and effects on osteoarthritis and articular chondrocytes remain unknown. In this study, we analyzed the anti-osteoarthritis and articular regenerative effects of Mume Fructus extract on rat chondrocytes. Mume Fructus treatment reduced the interleukin-1ß-induced expression of matrix metalloproteinase 3, matrix metalloproteinase 13, and a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin type 1 motifs 5. Additionally, it enhanced collagen type II alpha 1 chain and aggrecan accumulation in rat chondrocytes. Furthermore, Mume Fructus treatment regulated the inflammatory cytokine levels, mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation, and nuclear factor-kappa B activation. Overall, our results demonstrated that Mume Fructus inhibits osteoarthritis progression by inhibiting the nuclear factor-kappa B and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways to reduce the levels of inflammatory cytokines and prevent cartilage degeneration. Therefore, Mume Fructus may be a potential therapeutic option for osteoarthritis.

Comparison of RNA-Seq and microarray in the prediction of protein expression and survival prediction.

Gene expression profiling using RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) and microarray technologies is widely used in cancer research to identify biomarkers for clinical endpoint prediction. We compared the performance of these two methods in predicting protein expression and clinical endpoints using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets of lung cancer, colorectal cancer, renal cancer, breast cancer, endometrial cancer, and ovarian cancer. We calculated the correlation coefficients between gene expression measured by RNA-seq or microarray and protein expression measured by reverse phase protein array (RPPA). In addition, after selecting the top 103 survival-related genes, we compared the random forest survival prediction model performance across test platforms and cancer types. Both RNA-seq and microarray data were retrieved from TCGA dataset. Most genes showed similar correlation coefficients between RNA-seq and microarray, but 16 genes exhibited significant differences between the two methods. The BAX gene was recurrently found in colorectal cancer, renal cancer, and ovarian cancer, and the PIK3CA gene belonged to renal cancer and breast cancer. Furthermore, the survival prediction model using microarray was better than the RNA-seq model in colorectal cancer, renal cancer, and lung cancer, but the RNA-seq model was better in ovarian and endometrial cancer. Our results showed good correlation between mRNA levels and protein measured by RPPA. While RNA-seq and microarray performance were similar, some genes showed differences, and further clinical significance should be evaluated. Additionally, our survival prediction model results were controversial.

Anti-Neuroinflammatory Effect of the Ethanolic Extract of Black Ginseng through TLR4-MyD88-Regulated Inhibition of NF-κB and MAPK Signaling Pathways in LPS-Induced BV2 Microglial Cells.

Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng) contains various ginsenosides as active ingredients, and they show diverse biological activities. Black ginseng is manufactured by repeated steaming and drying of white ginseng, which alters the polarity of ginsenosides and improves biological activities. The aim of the present investigation was to examine the anti-neuroinflammatory effects of the ethanolic extract of black ginseng (BGE) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced BV2 microglial cells. Pre-treatment with BGE inhibited the overproduction of pro-inflammatory mediators including nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in LPS-induced BV2 cells. In addition, BGE reduced the activation of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) MAPK signaling pathways induced by LPS. These anti-neuroinflammatory effects were mediated through the negative regulation of the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (MyD88) signaling pathway. Among the four ginsenosides contained in BGE, ginsenosides Rd and Rg3 inhibited the production of inflammatory mediators. Taken together, this investigation suggests that BGE represents potential anti-neuroinflammatory candidates for the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Effect of patient-related factors on hospitalization service satisfaction and recommendation intention of medical institutions in Korea.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the factors that influence the 'Overall Satisfaction' and 'Intention to Recommend' of medical institutions used using the Korea Medical Service Experience Survey (2019-2021). DATA SOURCES: This study used the data of Medical Service Experience Survey in Korea. The data collected for data analysis were from 2019 to 2021 (Medical service period: 2018.07.01. ~ 2021.06.30). STUDY DESIGN: The 2019 Medical Service Experience Survey was conducted from July 8 to September 20, 2019, and a total of 12,507 people (Medical service period: 2018.07.01. ~ 2019.06.30) were collected. The 2020 survey was conducted from July 13 to October 9, 2020, and a total of 12,133 people (Medical service period: 2019.07.01 ~ 2020.06.30.) were collected. The 2021 survey was conducted from July 19 to September 17, 2021), and a total of 13,547 people were collected (Medical service period: 2020.07.01. ~ 2021.06.30). Overall satisfaction and recommendation intentions for medical institutions consist of a Likert 5-point scale. At this time, the Top-box rating model used in the United States was applied. DATA COLLECTIONS/EXTRACTION METHODS: In this study, only those who used inpatient services (15 years of age or older) were included because they spent a long time in a medical institution and had an intensive experience, and a total of 1,105 subjects were included in the analysis. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Self-rated health and the type of bed influenced overall satisfaction with medical institutions. In addition, the type of economic activity, living area, self-rated health, the type of bed, and the type of nursing service affected the intention to recommend. And it was confirmed that overall satisfaction with medical institutions and intention to recommend them were higher in the 2021 survey than in 2019. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that government policy on resources and systems is important. Through the case of Korea, it was found that the policy of reducing multi-person beds and expansion of integrated nursing service had a significant impact on patients' experience of using medical institutions and improving the quality of care.

Polygonatum sibiricum improves menopause symptoms by regulating hormone receptor balance in an ovariectomized mouse model.

Female menopause is a hormone deficiency phenomenon that causes hot flashes, vaginal dryness, depression, nervous tension, insomnia, obesity, and bone loss. There are various hormone replacement therapy (HRT)-based menopausal treatments, but they are accompanied by side effects such as endometrial cancer and hyperplasia. To confirm the menopausal improvement effect of Polygonatum sibiricum (PS), we prepared an ovariectomized animal model, administered 17ß-estradiol (E2) and PS, and analyzed various menopausal symptoms. PS restored vaginal epithelium thickness, by increasing the expression of estrogen receptors ERα (ESR1) and ERß (ESR2), and increased serotonin concentration by reducing serotonin receptor 1 A (5-HT1A) and glucocorticoid receptor (Gr) expression. In addition, PS suppressed obesity by increasing HDL-C and decreasing LDL-C levels and improved the osteoporosis induced by ovariectomy. In particular, by controlling Hand2, Fgf2, and Faf9 expression through PR, the antiproliferative signal was suppressed in uterine epithelium, thereby reducing the risk of side effects of the administration of E2 alone. These results demonstrate that PS alleviates menopausal symptoms without causing endometrial hyperplasia.

Chemical Profiles and Antiobesity Effect of a Mixture of Astragalus membranaceus and Lithospermum erythrorhizon Extract in High Fat Diet Fed Mice.

The present study aimed to evaluate the antiobesity potential and synergistic effects of ALM16, a mixture of Astragalus membranaceus (AM) and Lithospermum erythrorhizon (LE) extracts, in HFD-induced obese mice. C57BL/6 mice were fed a normal diet (ND), high-fat diet (HFD), HFD + AM, HFD + LE or HFD + ALM16 (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) daily for 5 weeks. Compared to the ND group, HFD-fed mice showed significant increases in body weight, food efficiency ratio, weights of white adipose tissues, adipocytes size, liver weight, and hepatic steatosis grade. However, ALM16 significantly reduced those increases induced by HFD. Moreover, as compared to the HFD group, the ALM16 group significantly ameliorated serum levels of lipid profiles (TG, TC, HDL, and LDL), adipokines (leptin and adiponectin), and liver damage markers (AST and ALT levels). Notably, ALM16 was more effective than AM or LE alone and had a similar or more potent effect than Garcinia cambogia extracts, as a positive control, at the same dose. These results demonstrate that ALM16 synergistically exerts anti-obesity effects based on complementary interactions between each component. Also, metabolic profiling between each extract and the ALM16 was confirmed by UPLC-QTOF/MS, and the difference was confirmed by relative quantification.

Integration of multiplatform metabolomics and multivariate analysis for geographical origin discrimination of Panax ginseng.

As the health food industry grows, the market for ginseng also expands globally. Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer) is cultivated in East Asian countries such as Korea, China, and Japan. The metabolic profile of plants can vary depending on the cultivation environment. As such, in this study, we aimed to compare the differences in the metabolic profiles of P. ginseng cultivated in Korea, China, and Japan, and to construct a library of these metabolite data. Using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF/MS), we profiled 62 types of secondary metabolites, ginsenosides, using optimized analysis conditions to separate peaks with a high-resolution for about 30 min. In addition, we selected ginsenosides showing differences between their origins were selected among the possible origins in the S-line plot of orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), which we quantitatively analyzed using UPLC-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The contents of ginsenosides Ra1, Ra2, Ra3, and Rk1 were high in Korean P. ginseng; the contents of ginsenosides Rb1, Rb2, and Rc were high in Japanese P. ginseng; and the contents of the ginsenoside Ro was high in Chinese P. ginseng. We also analyzed the primary metabolite contents using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF/MS). Japanese P. ginseng showed a high sucrose content and Korean P. ginseng showed high contents of most amino acids and organic acids. In the PLS-DA results of multivariate statistical analysis using the data obtained from each analysis instrument, we observed a clear clustering among the three origins. Although a genetically identical species, the metabolic profile substantially differs depending on the cultivation environment. Because ginsenoside, having many biological activities, showed origin-dependent origins, when P. ginseng is used for medicinal purposes, its content by origin should be considered. After disclosing the profiling results of these metabolites, we expect that they will be used in future ginseng research.

Exploring psychopathological and cognitive factors associated with help-seeking intentions among Korean high school students: A cross-sectional study.

Competitive college admissions and academic pressure have continuously increased the psychopathological burden of Korean high school students. Seeking help is one of the primary means of managing mental health, and more attention is required. This study aimed to explore the psychopathological and cognitive factors related to the help-seeking intentions of Korean high school students. This cross-sectional study was conducted between July and August 2020 using the General Help-Seeking Questionnaire, Symptom Checklist-90-R, and Mental Health Literacy Scale. Four hundred and twenty-one Korean high school students (275 males, 146 females; average age 17.44 years [standard deviation = 0.651]) completed self-report questionnaires. We performed analysis of variance, Spearman's correlation analysis, and stepwise regression analysis to explore the factors related to help-seeking intentions. The final model showed an explanatory power of 23.6% for the overall variance in help-seeking intentions. Somatization (ß = -0.200; P = .001) and hostility (ß = -0.203; P = .001) had a negative effect on help-seeking intentions. Further, knowledge of where to seek information (ß = 0.230; P < .001) and attitudes promoting recognition and help-seeking behavior (ß = 0.095; P = .030) had a positive effect. Students responded to society's negative awareness of mental illness by converting psychopathology into socially acceptable symptoms. Educational support can improve mental health literacy. This study is expected to help improve mental illness awareness and increase adolescents' access to public services.

Rubus occidentalis and Ellagic Acid Affect the Contractility of Penile Corpus Cavernosum Smooth Muscle through the Nitric Oxide-Cyclic Guanosine Monophosphate and Cyclic Adenosine 3',5'-Monophosphate Signaling Pathway.

The present study was designed to evaluate the relaxation effect of Rubus occidentalis (RO) and ellagic acid (EA) on rabbit penile corpus cavernosum smooth muscle (PCCSM). Rabbit PCCSM was treated with ROE or EA after preincubation with nitric oxide synthase (NOS), guanylate cyclase (GC), adenylyl cyclase (AC) or protein kinase A (PKA) blocker. Cyclic nucleotides in the perfusate were analyzed using radioimmunoassay (RIA). Subsequently, perfused PCCSMs were subjected to analysis to evaluate the expression level of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS). The interaction of ROE or EA with phosphodiesterase (PDE) 5 and PDE4 inhibitors, such as udenafil (UDE) and rolipram (ROL), were also evaluated. Both ROE and EA relaxed the PCCSM in a concentration-dependent manner. Coincubation of ROE or EA with NOS, GC, AC, or PKA blocker significantly decreased the ROE- and EA-induced relaxation. Pretreatment of ROE and EA significantly upregulated the cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP), and eNOS levels in the perfused PCCSM. Furthermore, the treatment of ROE and EA markedly increased the UDE- and ROL-induced relaxation of the PCCSM. In conclusion, ROE and EA induced PCCSM relaxation by activating the nitric oxide (NO)-cGMp and cAMp signaling pathways and may have a synergistic action to improve erectile function.

Cervical conization before primary radical hysterectomy has a protective effect on disease recurrence in early cervical cancer: A two-center matched cohort study according to surgical approach.

OBJECTIVE: To ascertain whether cervical conization before radical hysterectomy (RH) has a protective effect on survival outcomes in early cervical cancer, taking into account the surgical approach. METHODS: From cervical cancer cohorts of two institutions, we identified node-negative, margin-negative, parametria-negative, 2009 FIGO stage IB1 cervical cancer patients who received primary Type C RH between July 2006 and June 2020. Patients were divided into conization group (n = 144) and control group (n = 434). We conducted three independent 1:1 propensity score matching processes for histology, lymphovascular space invasion, cervical tumor size, and surgical approach (all patients, those who underwent open surgery, and those who underwent minimally invasive surgery [MIS]). Survival outcomes were compared. RESULTS: Overall, the conization group had less cervical tumor size and received MIS more frequently (P = 0.010) and adjuvant treatment less often (P = 0.002) versus the controls. After matching, the conization group showed significantly better disease-free survival (DFS) versus control (3-year DFS rate, 94.2% vs. 86.3%; P = 0.012), but similar overall survival. Among the open RH matched patients (n = 96), no difference in DFS was observed between the conization and control groups (P = 0.984). In contrast, among the MIS RH matched patients (n = 192), the conization group showed significantly better DFS versus control (3-year DFS rate, 95.7% vs. 82.9%; P = 0.005). In multivariate analysis adjusting for cervical tumor size and adjuvant treatment, conization was identified as an independent favorable prognostic factor for DFS (adjusted HR, 0.318; 95% CI, 0.134-0.754; P = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative cervical conization might reduce the disease recurrence rate in early cervical cancer patients who undergo primary MIS RH.

Neurotherapeutic Potential of Cervus elaphus Sibericus on Axon Regeneration and Growth Cone Reformation after H2O2-Induced Injury in Rat Primary Cortical Neurons.

Cervus elaphus sibericus (CES), commonly known as deer antler, has been used as a medicinal herb because of its various pharmacological activities, including its anti-infective, anti-arthritic, anti-allergic, and anti-oxidative properties. However, the precise mechanisms by which CES functions as a potent anti-oxidative agent remain unknown; particularly, the effects of CES on cortical neurons and its neurobiological mechanism have not been examined. We used primary cortical neurons from the embryonic rat cerebral cortex and hydrogen peroxide to induce oxidative stress and damage in neurons. After post-treatment of CES at three concentrations (10, 50, and 200 µg/mL), the influence of CES on the neurobiological mechanism was assessed by immunocytochemistry, flow cytometry, and real-time PCR. CES effectively prevented neuronal death caused by hydrogen peroxide-induced damage by regulating oxidative signaling. In addition, CES significantly induced the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neurotrophin nerve growth factor, as well as regeneration-associated genes. We also observed newly processing elongated axons after CES treatment under oxidative conditions. In addition, filopodia tips generally do not form a retraction bulb, called swollen endings. Thus, CES shows therapeutic potential for treating neurological diseases by stimulating neuron repair and regeneration.

Noble 3,4-Seco-triterpenoid Glycosides from the Fruits of Acanthopanax sessiliflorus and Their Anti-Neuroinflammatory Effects.

Acanthopanax sessiliflorus (Araliaceae) have been reported to exhibit many pharmacological activities. Our preliminary study suggested that A. sessiliflorus fruits include many bioactive 3,4-seco-triterpenoids. A. sessiliflorus fruits were extracted in aqueous EtOH and fractionated into EtOAc, n-BuOH, and H2O fractions. Repeated column chromatographies for the organic fractions led to the isolation of 3,4-seco-triterpenoid glycosides, including new compounds. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) mass spectrometry (MS) systems were used for quantitation and quantification. BV2 and RAW264.7 cells were induced by LPS, and the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and mediators and their underlying mechanisms were measured by ELISA and Western blotting. NMR, IR, and HR-MS analyses revealed the chemical structures of the nine noble 3,4-seco-triterpenoid glycosides, acanthosessilioside G-O, and two known ones. The amounts of the compounds were 0.01-2.806 mg/g, respectively. Acanthosessilioside K, L, and M were the most effective in inhibiting NO, PGE2, TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6 production and reducing iNOS and COX-2 expression. In addition, it had inhibitory effects on the LPS-induced p38 and ERK MAPK phosphorylation in both BV2 and RAW264.7 cells. Nine noble 3,4-seco-triterpenoid glycosides were isolated from A. sessiliflorus fruits, and acanthosessilioside K, L, and M showed high anti-inflammatory and anti-neuroinflammatory effects.

NMR-Based Metabolomics Approach to Investigate the Effects of Fruits of Acanthopanax sessiliflorus in a High-Fat Diet Induced Mouse Model.

The prevalence of obesity is rapidly increasing and is recognized as a serious health problem. To investigate metabolic changes in an obese model after administration of Acanthopanax sessiliflorus, mice were divided into four groups: normal diet, high-fat diet (HFD), HFD with treatment fenofibrate, and A. sessiliflorus fruit extract. The liver tissue of mice was analyzed using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometry-based metabolomics. In multivariate statistical analyses, the HFD group was discriminated from the normal diet group, and the group fed A. sessiliflorus fruit was discriminated from the HFD group. In biomarker analysis between the HFD group and the group fed A. sessiliflorus fruit, alanine, inosine, formate, pyroglutamate, taurine, and tyrosine, with AUC values of 0.7 or more, were found. The levels of these metabolites were distinguished from the HFD mouse model. Changes in these metabolites were confirmed to act on metabolic pathways related to antioxidant activity.

Camu-Camu Fruit Extract Inhibits Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory Responses by Regulating NFAT and Nrf2 Signaling Pathways in High Glucose-Induced Human Keratinocytes.

Myrciaria dubia (HBK) McVaugh (camu-camu) belongs to the family Myrtaceae. Although camu-camu has received a great deal of attention for its potential pharmacological activities, there is little information on the anti-oxidative stress and anti-inflammatory effects of camu-camu fruit in skin diseases. In the present study, we investigated the preventative effect of 70% ethanol camu-camu fruit extract against high glucose-induced human keratinocytes. High glucose-induced overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was inhibited by camu-camu fruit treatment. In response to ROS reduction, camu-camu fruit modulated the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK)/activator protein-1 (AP-1), nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB), and nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) signaling pathways related to inflammation by downregulating the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Furthermore, camu-camu fruit treatment activated the expression of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and subsequently increased the NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase1 (NQO1) expression to protect keratinocytes against high-glucose-induced oxidative stress. These results indicate that camu-camu fruit is a promising material for preventing oxidative stress and skin inflammation induced by high glucose level.

Metabolic Changes in Serum Metabolome of Beagle Dogs Fed Black Ginseng.

The effects of black ginseng, which has many kinds of biological activities, on dogs was investigated. Serum samples of beagle dogs, which were fed with black ginseng for 8 weeks, were measured using high-resolution magic angle spinning (HR-MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometry. Acquired NMR data from the serum of dogs fed for 0, 4, and 8 weeks were analyzed by metabolic profiling and multivariate statistical analysis. In statistical analysis and biomarker analysis results of metabolite profiles, formate, glutamine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, proline, and valine had variable importance in projection (VIP) scores above 1.0 and excellent area under the curve (AUC) values of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves above 0.9. In the result of multivariate statistical analysis, the score plot showed the discrimination between before and after feeding of black ginseng. These differences in metabolic profiles are considered to be due to the involvement of metabolic processes following black ginseng administration, such as enhancing immunity and energy metabolism. Through metabolomics analysis, we confirmed the biological efficacy of black ginseng in dogs and also confirmed that metabolomics can be applied to the pet health industry.

Serum Metabonomic Research of the Anti-Hypertensive Effects of Ogaja on Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats.

Our previous studies have shown that Ogaja Acanthopanax sessiliflorus has an important role in decreasing blood pressure, but its biochemical change characteristic has not been clarified completely at the metabolic level. Therefore, in this study, a combination method of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy-based metabonomics and multivariate statistical analyses was employed to explore the metabolic changes of serum samples from spontaneously hypertensive rats treated with Ogaja extracts. In the results of multivariate statistical analysis, the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) groups treated with Ogaja were separated from the SHR group. The group of SHR treated with 200 mg/kg Ogaja was clustered with the positive control (captopril) group, and the 400 and 600 mg/kg Ogaja treatment SHR groups were clustered together. Quantified metabolites were statistically analyzed to find the metabolites showing the effects of Ogaja. Succinate and betaine had variable importance in projection (VIP) scores over 2.0. Succinate, which is related to renin release, and betaine, which is related to lowering blood pressure, increased dose-dependently.

LC-MS-Based Lipidomic Analysis of Serum Samples from Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats Treated with an Extract of Acanthopanax sessiliflorus Fruits.

Recently, lipidomics has revealed that many diseases are highly associated with altered lipid metabolism, as in the case of hypertension affecting serum lipid metabolism. In this study, an LC-MS-based lipidomic approach was used to profile serum lipids in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) treated with an extract of Acanthopanax sessiliflorus fruits (ASF), to elucidate the serum lipid metabolism alteration by hypertension and the treatment of a drug or ASF. First, UPLC-QTOF/MS profiled a total of 208 lipids from six pooled samples of normal controls, SHR, SHR + 100 mg/kg of drug, and SHR + ASF 200, 400, or 600 mg/kg. These six groups were differentiated by the PCA and sPLS-DA, and 120 lipid species were identified as differentially regulated lipids (DRLs) by ANOVA (p values < 0.05). Second, UPLC-QqQ/MS was used for the target profiling of 120 DRLs from individual samples of the six groups. Using an ANOVA, 67 lipids (38 TGs, 4 DGs, 17 PCs, 2 PEs, and 6 LPCs) were selected as validated DRLs. The mostly altered lipids, such as TG (62:13), TG (60:13), PC (34:4), PC (36:5), and PC (38:2), were decreased in SHR compared to the normal control, and received little by treatment with ASF. These results demonstrated the correlation between hypertension and serum lipid metabolism. Furthermore, both drug and ASF treatment similarly altered the lipid profiles of SHRs. Finally, we found that DRLs have the potential to help us to interpret the lipid metabolism of hypertension.

Protective Effect of a Mixture of Astragalus membranaceus and Lithospermum erythrorhizon Extract against Hepatic Steatosis in High Fat Diet-Induced Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Mice.

The present study aimed to evaluate the potential synergistic and protective effects of ALM16, a mixture of Astragalus membranaceus (AM) and Lithospermum erythrorhizon (LE) extract in a ratio of 7 : 3, against hepatic steatosis in high fat diet (HFD)-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) mice. Forty-eight mice were randomly divided into eight groups and orally administered daily for 6 weeks with a normal diet (ND) or high fat diet alone (HFD), HFD with AM (HFD + 100 mg/kg AM extract), HFD with LE (HFD + 100 mg/kg LE extract), HFD with ALM16 (HFD + 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg ALM16), or HFD with MT (HFD + 100 mg/kg Milk thistle extract) as a positive control. ALM16 significantly decreased the body and liver weight, serum and hepatic lipid profiles, including triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL), and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL), and serum glucose levels, compared to the HFD group. Moreover, ALM16 significantly ameliorated the HFD-induced increased hepatic injury markers, including aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT)-1. Furthermore, as compared to the mice fed HFD alone, ALM16 increased the levels of phosphorylated AMP-activated protein kinase (p-AMPK) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (p-ACC), thereby upregulating the expression of carnitine palmitoyltransferase (CPT)-1 and downregulating the expression of sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP)-1c and fatty acid synthase (FAS). These results demonstrated that ALM16 markedly inhibited HFD-induced hepatic steatosis in NAFLD mice by modulating AMPK and ACC signaling pathways, and may be more effective than the single extracts of AM or LE.

The Role of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Response in Male Reproductive Physiology and Pathology: A Review.

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, defined as prolonged disturbances in protein folding and accumulation of unfolded proteins in the ER. Perturbation of the ER, such as distribution of oxidative stress, iron imbalance, Ca2+ leakage, protein overload, and hypoxia, can cause ER stress. The cell reacts to ER stress by activating protective pathways, called the unfolded protein response (UPR), which is comprised of cellular mechanisms aimed for maintaining cellular homeostasis or, in case of excessively severe stress, at the initiation of cellular apoptosis. The three UPR signaling pathways from the ER stress sensors are initiated by activating transcription factor 6, inositol requiring enzyme 1, and protein kinase RNA-activated-like ER kinase. A number of physiological and pathological conditions, environmental toxicants and variety of pharmacological agents showed disruption of proper ER functions and thereby cause ER stress in male reproductive organ in rat model. The present review summarizes the existing data concerning the molecular and biological mechanism of ER stress in male reproduction and male infertility. ER stress initiated cell death pathway has been related to several diseases, including hypoxia, heath disease, diabetes, and Parkinson's disease. Although there is not enough evidence to prove the relationship between ER stress and male infertility in human, most studies in this review found that ER stress was correlated with male reproduction and infertility in animal models. The ER stress could be novel signaling pathway of regulating male reproductive cellular apoptosis. Infertility might be a result of disturbing the ER stress response during the process of male reproduction.

The Effect of Schisandra chinensis Baillon on Cross-Talk between Oxidative Stress, Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress, and Mitochondrial Signaling Pathway in Testes of Varicocele-Induced SD Rat.

Schisandra chinensis Baillon (SC) has been utilized for its antioxidants and anti-inflammatory activities in a broad variety of medical applications. However; SC uses for improving fertility in males and related disorders with proper scientific validation remain obscure. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of SC on varicocele (VC)-induced testicular dysfunction and the potential molecular mechanism associated with VC-induced germ cell apoptosis. The male Sprague-Dawley rats were equally divided into four groups consisting of 10 rats in a normal control group (CTR), a control group administered SC 200 mg/kg (SC 200), a varicocele-induced control group (VC), and a varicocele-induced group administered SC 200 mg/kg (VC + SC 200). Rats were administrated 200 mg/kg SC once daily for 28 days after induction of varicocele rats and sham controls. At the end of the treatment period, body and reproductive organ weight, sperm parameters, histopathological damages, proinflammatory cytokines, apoptosis markers, biomarkers of oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) were evaluated. The effects of SC extract on human sperm motility were also analyzed. SC treatment reduces VC-induced testicular dysfunction by significantly increasing testicular weight, sperm count and sperm motility, serum testosterone level, Johnsen score, spermatogenic cell density, testicular superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase level, and steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) level. Furthermore, the effects of SC on malondialdehyde (MDA) level, reactive oxygen species (ROS)/reactive nitrogen species (RNS) level, apoptotic index, serum luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels, Glucose-regulated protein-78 (Grp 78), phosphorylated c-Jun-N-terminal kinase (p-JNK), phosphorylated inositol-requiring transmembrane kinase/endoribonuclease 1α (p-IRE1α), cleaved caspase 3, and Bax:Bcl2 in VC-induced rats were significantly decreased. Treatment with SC extracts also increased sperm motility in human sperm. Our findings suggest that the SC ameliorate testicular dysfunction in VC-induced rats via crosstalk between oxidative stress, ER stress, and mitochondrial-mediated testicular germ cell apoptosis signaling pathways. SC promotes spermatogenesis by upregulating abnormal sex hormones and decreasing proinflammatory cytokines (interleukin-6; TNF-α).