Mechanism underlying the action of Duanteng-Yimu Tang in regulating Treg/Th17 imbalance and anti-rheumatoid arthritis.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic immune disease characterised by synovitis and cartilage destruction. Currently, many patients experience poor remission after new antirheumatic drug treatments. Duanteng-Yimu Tang (DTYMT), a traditional Chinese medicine, is effective in the treatment of RA. In this research, we designed to investigate the anti-RA effects of DTYMT and explore its potential mechanisms. Methods: Network pharmacology was adopted to explore the main pathways of DTYMT in patients with RA. Collagen-induced arthritis models of male DBA/1 mice were established, and their histopathological changes were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining and micro-CT. qRT-PCR was performed to detect the expression of Foxp3 and RORγt in the serum and synovial tissue and IL-17, IL-1ß, TNF-α, and IL-10 mRNA in vivo. The proliferation and invasion of synovial cells were analyzed using Cell Counting Kit-8 and transwell assays, respectively. The ratio of T helper 17 (Th17) to regulatory T (Treg) cells was analyzed by flow cytometry. Results: Network pharmacology analysis revealed that Th17 cell differentiation may be the key pathway of DTYMT in RA. DTYMT ameliorated joint damage, inhibited RORγt expression, and increased Foxp3 expression in CIA mice. DTYMT significantly decreased IL-1ß, IL-17, and TNF-α mRNA levels, and increased IL-10 mRNA levels in IL-6-induced cells. Additionally, DTYMT inhibited Th17 cell differentiation and promoted Treg cell production, thus improving the Treg/Th17 imbalance. DTYMT also inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of RA fibroblast-like synovial cells. Conclusions: These results indicate that DTYMT could regulate the Treg/Th17 cell balance, which is a possible mechanism of DTYMT in treating RA.

Efficacy and safety of Kangfuxin liquid combined with aminosalicylic acid for the treatment of ulcerative colitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: To systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Kangfuxin liquid (KFXL) combined with aminosalicylic acid (ASA) in treating ulcerative colitis (UC). METHODS: The PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, CBM, Wan fang, the Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP), and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases were systematically searched for randomized controlled trials of KFXL combined with ASA for UC from the inception dates to March 3, 2017. Two researchers independently screened the literature, extracted data, and evaluated the methodological quality according to the inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager software (RevMan, Version 5.3, Copenhagen: The Nordic Cochrane Centre, The Cochrane Collaboration, 2014), and the risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration Tool. RESULTS: A total of 39 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 3204 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Compared with ASA alone, KFXL combined with ASA significantly improved the clinical effectiveness rate [RR = 1.19, 95% CI: (1.16, 1.23), P < .00001], reduced the relapse rate [RR = 0.26, 95% CI: (0.18, 0.38), P < .00001], reduced the inflammation factor levels of TNF-a, IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, and C-reactive protein, reduced the coagulation index of fibrinogen, increased the coagulation index of prothrombin time, and mean platelet volume, and reduced the clinical symptoms of abdominal pain, diarrhoea, pus and bloody stool, and tenesmus. However, KFXL combined with ASA did not increase the adverse event incidence [RR = 0.74, 95% CI (0.42, 1.32), P = .31], and no severe adverse events were reported. CONCLUSION: KFXL combined with ASA has good therapeutic effect for UC and might be a safe approach in managing UC. More high-quality, multicenter randomized, double-blind trials with a large sample size are required to generate a high level of clinical evidence.

[Effect of changji'an capsule on mRNA expressions of NPY and ACTH contents in brain-gut axis of IBS-D model rats].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of Changji'an Capsule (CA) on mRNA expressions of neuropeptide Y (NPY) in the hypothalamus and colon and serum levels of adreno-cortico-tropic hormone (ACTH) in rats of diarrhea predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) model rats. METHODS: Totally 48 SD rats were randomly divided into six groups, i.e., the normal control group, the model group, the Pinaverium Bromide group (PB, 0.018 g/kg), the high dose CA group (2.812 g/kg), the medium dose CA group (1.406 g/kg), and the low dose CA group (0.703 g/kg), 8 in each group. The IBS-D rat model was established by using separation of breast milk + stimulation of acetic acid + constraint of four limbs. Normal saline was given to rats in the normal control group and the model group. All medication lasted for 14 successive days by gastrogavage. The serum content of ACTH was detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expressions of NPY mRNA in the colon and the hypothalamus were detected using real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR. RESULTS: Compared with the normal control group, the serum ACTH content significantly increased (P < 0.01), the NPY mRNA expression in the colon and the hypothalamus obviously decreased (P < 0.01) in the model control group. Compared with the model group, the serum ACTH obviously decreased in the high dose CA group, the medium dose CA group, and the PB group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). The NPY mRNA expression in the colon and the hypothalamus were obviously up-regulated in the high dose CA group, the medium dose CA group, the low dose CA group, and the PB group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: CA could modulate the abnormity of brain-gut axis of IBS-D rats possibly by up-regulating NPY mRNA expressions in the hypothalamus and the colon and down-regulating the ACTH content in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.

[Study on preparation and determination of Liaojin plastics].

OBJECTIVE: To establish the optimum preparation and determination method of Liaojin plastics through screening different factors. METHODS: The Orthogonal Test was applied to optimize the best preparation technology, and the content of peoniflorin in Liaojin plastics was determined by HPLC. RESULTS: The best matrix proportion of plastics was PVA-124 : alcohol : acetone : distilled water = 1 : 4 : 2 : 10; The average recovery of plastics was 98.56%, RSD was 1.66% (n = 9), and the average content of six samples was 0.6817 mg/g, RSD was 1.44%. CONCLUSION: The good quality plastics can be produced through this process. HPLC determination method is simple, reliable and can be used in the quality control of Liaojin plastics.