8­Gingerol regulates colorectal cancer cell proliferation and migration through the EGFR/STAT/ERK pathway.

8­Gingerol, which is extracted from ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe), has been shown to possess antioxidant and anti­inflammatory properties. However, the antitumor effect of 8­gingerol has not been fully elucidated. The aim of the present study was to investigate the therapeutic potential of 8­gingerol against colorectal cancer (CRC). The results demonstrated that 8­gingerol significantly inhibited cell proliferation in CRC cell models. Treatment of CRC cells with 8­gingerol resulted in dose­dependent decreases in migration and invasion. The inhibitory effect of 8­gingerol on CRC cell growth was attributed to cell cycle arrest and increased apoptosis. Moreover, to the best of our knowledge, the present study was the first to demonstrate that 8­gingerol acted as an inhibitor of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling. 8­Gingerol inhibited CRC cell proliferation and migration by targeting the EGFR/signal transducer and activator of transcription/extracellular signal­regulated kinase pathway, and the effects of 8­gingerol depended on the expression of EGFR. Moreover, 8­gingerol reduced the effective dosage of 5­fluorouracil and, thereby, the toxicity of drug combination therapy. These data suggest that 8­gingerol may be a promising candidate for the development of novel anticancer agents against CRC.

Thymol inhibits bladder cancer cell proliferation via inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.

Thymol is a phenolic compound with various pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-tumor effects. However, the effect of thymol on bladder cancer cell growth is still elusive. The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy of thymol in bladder cancer cells and its underlying mechanism. Thymol inhibited bladder cancer cell proliferation in a dose and time-dependent manner. We also observed cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase after the treatment of thymol. Moreover, thymol could induce apoptosis in bladder cancer cells via the intrinsic pathway along with caspase-3/9 activation, release of cytochrome c and down-regulation of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins. The activation of JNK and p38 was also critical for thymol-induced apoptosis since it was abrogated by the treatment of JNK inhibitor (SP600125), and p38 inhibitor (SB203580) but not ERK inhibitor (SCH772984). Furthermore, the generation of ROS (reactive oxygen species) was detected after the treatment of thymol. ROS scavenger NAC (N-acetyl cysteine) could block the thymol-triggered apoptosis and activation of MAPKs. These findings offer a novel therapeutic approach for bladder cancer.

[Mechanism of weightlessness osteoporosis and preventive and therapeutic effect of traditional Chinese medicine].

Weightlessness environment can lead to the muscle atrophy and body fluid distribution upward,which can cause the bone calcium metabolism disorder and always accompanied by the loss of bone microstructure and increased rate of bone fracture. Under microgravity,the astronauts are much easier to decrease the Ca2+ ion in bone, which can cause serious osteoporosis. However the bone lost is not equilibrium, it is especially serious in the mechanism loading bone and the recovery process is more difficult. These are very different from the osteoporosis in older people and postmenopausal osteoporosis. It is necessary to find an optimal method to due with it. In traditional Chinese medicine theory,the kidney stores "Jing" and dominates the bone, thus a lot of bone related diseases can be treated through the kidney. A lot of clinical practices have also proved that the Chinese herbs used under the guidance of basic Chinese medicine theory are always good at the treatment of common osteoporosis. In simulated weightlessness experiment, people found that the kidney nourishment drugs do can prevent the decrease of BMD. So in this article we want to review the causes of weightlessness and the potentials applications of tradition Chinese medicine in the treatment of weightlessness osteoporosis.

[Comparison of effects of Wujia Bugu decoction) and alendronate sodium on protection the bone loss of hindlimb unloaded rats].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of Wujia Bugu decoction and Alendronate sodium on protecting bone and muscle loss of hindlimb unloaded rats lasting three weeks. METHODS: March to May, 2009, 40 male Wistar rats with age of 6-week, were randomized divided to four groups (10 rats in each group): hindlimb unloaded group treated with Chinese medicine (HUC), hindlimb unloaded group treated with alendronate sodium (HUA), control group (CON), as well as hindlimb unloaded group (HU). During the experiment, rats of HUC was given Wujia Bugu decoction (including the Ciwujia, Shudihuang, Huainiuxi, Muli, etc. with the concentration of 0.704 g/ml) 10 ml/kg weight once a day, HUA was given quantitative alendronate sodium slice dissolve suspension (0.9 mg/ml) once a week. CON and HU were given double-distilled water. The experiment lasted 4 weeks,from the second to the forth week, rats in HU, HUC, HUA were hindlimb unloaded. All rats were sacrificed at the fourth weekend, the content of Ca, P and the activation of ALP in serum, Bone mineral density (BMD) of humerus and femurs, Biomechanical property of tibia and humerus, as well as the weight index of biceps and sural muscles were measured. RESULTS: Compared with CON, serum Ca of HU was significantly increased (P < 0.05), BMD, mechanical properties, muscle index of hindlimb were significantly reduce (P < 0.01), the serum Ca of HUA significantly increased (P < 0.05). Serum ALP of HUC was significantly higher than other three groups (P < 0.01). Compared with HU, femoral BMD of HUC and HUA significantly increased, tibial maximum load, maximum deflection and elastic load had increased tendency; calf muscle atrophy of HUC and HUA was alleviate 50% and 12.5% respectively (P > 0.05), humeral BMD had no significant difference, while the maximum deflection (P < 0.01) and elastic deflection (P < 0.05) in humerus of HUA were significantly lower. CONCLUSION: Herbal prescription and alendronate sodium can effectively protect the bone and muscle loss of hindlimb unloaded rats, improve its mechanical structure. Herbal prescription has advantages of relieving mechanical properties change. The effects of Wujia Bugu decoction and alendronate sodium are similar in treating space weightlessness bone loss.

[Effect of a Chinese herbal prescription on collagen I in rat's femur under simulated weightlessness].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of a Chinese herbal prescription on collagen I in rat's femur under simulated weightlessness. METHODS: Thirty Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: blank control group (10 rats), tail suspension group (TS, 10 rats), TS with Chinese medicine group (10 rats). Rats in TS with Chinese medicine group took a Chinese herbal prescription (contains Radix Rehmanniae Praeparata, Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae, Radix Astragali, Radix Angelicae Sinensis, Concha Ostreae prepared by acetic acid)by oral administration. After 1 week adaption and 3 weeks tail suspending, rat's left femur was colleced, and collagen I in femur neck was detected by immunohistochemical method. RESULTS: Counts and integral optical density (IOD) of collagen I coloration decreased significantly in TS group (P < 0.001), but no significant change in TS with Chinese medicine group (P > 0.05), as compared with control group. CONCLUSION: Generation of collagen I become weaken under simulated weightlessness, while the Chinese herbal prescription is effective to prevent the change, thus biochemistry environment of bone calcium deposition may be improved by this Chinese herbal prescription under simulated weightlessness.

[Effect of wujia bugu recipe on intestinal calcium absorption in rats under simulated weightlessness manner].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the intervention effect of Wujia Bugu Recipe (WBR, consisting of Radix Rehmanniae Praeparata, Radix Achyranthis bidentate, Radix Astragali, Radix Angelicae sinensis, acetolytic substance of Concha Ostreae) on the intestinal absorption of exogenous calcium in rats under simulated Weightlessness manner. METHODS: Twenty-one male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups, the blank group, the model group, and the tested group treated with WBR via gastric perfusion. Simulated weightlessness manner was formed by tail suspending after rats' entry into an one-week adaptation stage. And a definite dose of 41Ca tracer was given to each rat by gastric administration on the 11th day of the weightless stage. Their 72 h feces were collected for measuring ratio of 41Ca/40Ca by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS), the total calcium in feces was determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES), the 41Ca feces content (FC) and intestinal absorption amount (AA), and then the calcium intestinal absorption ratio (AR) were analyzed and calculated. RESULTS: 41Ca/40Ca ratio and 41Ca FC were higher, 41Ca AA and AR were lower in the model group than those in the blank group, the differences between groups were significant (P <0.01); while in the tested group, the differences of all above-mentioned indices with those in the blank group were insignificant, although the 41Ca/40Ca ratio showed somewhat increased, yet the increment was less than that in the model group (P <0.05). CONCLUSION: Simulated weightlessness could lead to decrease of intestinal calcium absorption, which could be improved to some extent by Chinese herbal medicine.

[Effects on rats' bone mineral density and bone biomechanics by suspensory simulated weightlessness and removing suspension].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects on rats' bone mineral density and bone biomechanics by suspensory simulated weightlessness and removing suspension. METHODS: Twenty Wistar rats were divided into two groups randomly as control group and model group. Suspend the model group rats for 14 days, then remove suspension and continue to feed for another 14 days. Feed control group rats for 28 days. Detect the bone mineral density (BMD) in vivo of cranial bone, second thoracic vertebra, fourth lumbar vertebra, pelvis, right radioulna and right femoral bone of each group at the 14th day. At the 28th day,execute all the rats and take out of right femoral bone and fourth lumbar vertebra for detecting BMD and the intensity of biomechanics. RESULTS: At the 14th day in experiment, being compared with control group,the BMD of femoral bone, pelvis and lumbar vertebra in model group decreased significantly (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P < 0.01) and the change of BMD of cranial bone, thoracic vertebra and radioulna in model group was not remarkable (P > 0.05). At the 28th day in experiment, the BMD of femoral bone and lumbar vertebra, the maximal load of femoral bone decreased significantly in model group as compared with control group (P < 0.01, P < 0.001, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: BMD in vive body showed that suspensory simulated weightlessness for 14 days could cause disorder of bone metabolism and remarkable mineral loss of weight bearing bone, even BMD and biomechanical intensity of weight bearing bone decrease obviously when removing suspension for 14 days. The results suggest that the disorder of bone metabolism could not be recovered in short time.

[Effect of Chinese herb medicine compound on bone loss in rats under 3 weeks simulated weightlessness: preliminary study].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Chinese herb medicine compound on bone lose in rats under 3 weeks simulated weightlessness, and to observe the synergistic action of other ingredients in the compound on calcium. METHODS: Thirty male Wistar rats were divided into 3 groups: control group, tail-suspend group, tail-suspend and medicine group which took Chinese herb medicine compound (contains Radix Rehmanniae Praeparata, Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae, Radix Astragali, Radix Angelicae Sinensis, Concha Ostreae prepared by acetic acid) by gastric administration. After 3 weeks simulated weightlessness, serum calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), bone mineral density (BMD) and content (BMC), bone mechanical properties (MEC) were observed. RESULTS: At the end of the experiment, serum Ca and P increased significantly (P<0.01), BMD and BMC of posterior body decreased significantly (P< 0.01) in tail suspend rats, compared with in the control group. In rats of tail suspended and medicine group, the increase degree of serum Ca and P were smaller, BMD and BMC of posterior body increased significantly (P<0.01 or 0.05), and MEC also tend to increase. CONCLUSION: Bone mass of posterior body lose significantly, with mechanical property significantly decrease in rats after 3 weeks simulated weightlessness. Chinese herb medicine compound is effective to prevent the change of bone. Simple calcium supplement can not prevent simulated weightlessness induced bone loss, therefore other ingredients in the compound may perform synergistic action to calcium (Concha Ostreae prepared by acetic acid).

[Effects of Chinese compound prescription on bone metabolism of weightlessness rats simulated by suspension].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of Chinese medicine compound on bone metabolism of weightlessness rats simulated by tail suspension. METHOD: Fifty Wistar rats were divided into 5 groups randomly: control group, model group, and low does, medium dose and high does treated group. The experiment period lasted 21 days. After the Chinese compound prescription and distilled water were orally given to treated groups, and control and model group for 7 days, respectively, the tail suspension experiment was performed for treated and model group, meanwhile administration of Chinese compound prescription and distilled water still lasted until the end of the experiment. Blood serum was collected for determination of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), bone gla protein (BGP), tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), femoral bone HOP. The changes of bone mineral density (BMD) of femoral bone and lumbar vertebra were observe. RESULT: Compared with control group, the ALP level of model group was markedly decreased (P < 0.05), no change of BGP, TRAP was not observed, the BMD of femoral bone and lumbar vertebra were decreased remarkably (P < 0.05), Compared with model group, the change of ALP level of treated groups was not significant for all treated groups, the BGP level and BMD for medium dose group were increased (P < 0.05), the TRAP level for medium dose and high does groups was decreased (P < 0.05) CONCLUSION: The Chinese compound prescription can improve the bone formation and prevent bone loss via inhibiting bone absorption and improving ossify, bone mineral deposition and mineralization as well as increasing BMD, which leads to prevention and treatment of bone loss.

[Effects of Qilan Tangzhining capsule on glucose and lipid metabolism in rats with diabetes mellitus and hyperlipemia].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of Qilan Tangzhining capsule on glucose and lipid metabolism in diabetes mellitus and hyperlipemia. METHOD: Rats were fed with high sugar and fat food for 2 months, then 2% streptozocin (STZ, 30 mg kg(-1)) was injected intraperitoneally to induce hyperglycemia and hyperlipemia. After the model rats were administrated drugs, the blood glucose, the serum lipids, and the histopathology of the liver and pancreas were observed. RESULT: Qilan Tangzhining capsule could decrease the FBG and the serum TC, TG, LDL-C, increase HDL-C, and improve the histopathologic injury of the liver and pancreas. CONCLUSION: Qilan Tangzhining capsule can not only adjust the blood glucose and lipid, but also improve the histopathology injury of the liver and pancreas.

[Effects of Guanyu capsule on the behavior and cerebral cortex monoamine neurotransmitters in depressive model of olfactory bulb damage rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the behavioral changes and the levels of monoamine neurotransmitters in the anterior cortex in the olfactory bulb damage rats after being treated with Guanyu capsules (GYC). METHOD: Open-field test and step-down passive avoidance test were used to observe the behavior in model rats. HPLC-ECD was used to analyze the influences of GYC on the levels of monoamine neurotransmitters. RESULT: In the model rats, there was a characteristic hyperactivity in the Open-field and learning deficits in step-down passive avoidance (P < 0.01). The contents of 5-HT reduced, and the rate of DOPAC/DA increased significantly (P < 0.01). GYC 1.2, 0.6 g x kg(-1) could correct behavioral changes increase the contents of 5-HT, and decrease DOPAC/DA level (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: GYC can correct behavioral changes in rats model of olfactory bulb damage, and regulating 5-HT and DA metabolism in cortex is one of the antidepressive mechanisms of GYC.