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OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate physicians' familiarity and awareness of four diabetes guidelines and their practice of the recommendations outlined in these guidelines. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. SETTING: An online questionnaire survey was conducted among physicians affiliated with the Specialist Committee for Primary Diabetes Care of China Association of Chinese Medicine, using the snowball sampling method to ensure a broader representation of physicians. PARTICIPANTS: 1150 physicians from 192 cities across 30 provinces in China provided complete data. RESULTS: Tertiary care hospital physicians (TCPs) exhibited the highest familiarity with the Guideline for the Prevention and Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in China (91.3%), followed by the National Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Diabetes in Primary Care (76.8%), the Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes (72.2%) and the Guidelines for Prevention and Treatment of Diabetes in Chinese Medicine (63.8%). Primary care practitioners (PCPs) exhibited familiarity with these four guidelines at about 50% or less. Self-reported reference to modern diabetes guidelines by physicians is more frequent than traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) diabetes guidelines, with rates at 73.2% and 33.8%, respectively. Approximately 90% of physicians provided instructions on self-monitoring of blood glucose to their patients with diabetes. Less than one-third of physicians referred patients to a specialised nutritionist. In terms of health education management, TCPs reported having a diabetes health management team at the rate of 75.7%, followed by secondary care hospital physicians at 57.0% and PCPs at 27.5%. Furthermore, approximately 40% of physicians did not fully grasp hypoglycaemia characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: Familiarity and awareness of the screening guidelines varied among physicians in different hospital settings. Importantly, significant discrepancies were observed between physicians' awareness and their self-reported reference to modern medicine guidelines and TCM guidelines. It is essential to consistently provide education and training on diabetes management for all physicians, particularly PCPs.
Subject(s)
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 , Physicians, Primary Care , Physicians , Humans , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/prevention & control , Cross-Sectional Studies , Surveys and Questionnaires , Self Report , China , Practice Patterns, Physicians'ABSTRACT
COVID-19, referred to as new coronary pneumonia, is an acute infectious disease caused by a new type of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. To evaluate the effect of integrated Chinese medicine and Western medicine in patients with COVID-19 from overseas. Data were collected from 178 COVID-19 patients overseas at First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University from April 1, 2021 to July 31, 2021. These patients received therapy of integrated Chinese medicine and western medicine. Demographic data and clinical characteristics were extracted and analyzed. In addition, the prescription which induced less length of PCR positive days and hospitalization days than the median value was obtained. The top 4 frequently used Chinese medicine and virus-related genes were analyzed by network pharmacology and bioinformatics analysis. According to the chest computed tomography (CT) measurement, abnormal lung findings were observed in 145 subjects. The median length of positive PCR/hospitalization days was 7/7 days for asymptomatic subjects, 14/24 days for mild subjects, 10/15 days for moderate subjects, and 14/20 days for severe subjects. The most frequently used Chinese medicine were Scutellaria baicalensis (Huangqin), Glycyrrhiza uralensis (Gancao), Bupleurum chinense (Chaihu), and Pinellia ternata (Banxia). The putative active ingredients were baicalin, stigmasterol, sigmoidin-B, cubebin, and troxerutin. ACE, SARS-CoV-2 3CL, SARS-CoV-2 Spike, SARS-CoV-2 ORF7a, and caspase-6 showed good binding properties to active ingredients. In conclusion, the clinical results showed that integrated Chinese medicine and Western medicine are effective in treating COVID-19 patients from overseas. Based on the clinical outcomes, the putative ingredients from Chinese medicine and the potential targets of SARS-CoV-2 were provided, which could provide a reference for the clinical application of Chinese medicine in treating COVID-19 worldwide.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Humans , SARS-CoV-2 , Retrospective Studies , Medicine, Chinese Traditional , HospitalizationABSTRACT
ShenqiJiangtang Granule is composed of Panax ginseng, Astragali Radix and other valuable Chinese herbal medicines and extract, which has the effect of replenishing qi and nourishing yin, nourishing spleen and kidney, and it is also widely used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and complications. After more than 20 years of clinical application, abundant research data have been accumulated. In order to accurately locate the clinical position and promote the rational use of drugs, a project was established by the Chinese Society of Traditional Chinese Medicine and experts organized by the Diabetes Branch to compile this consensus. This consensus defines the application of ShenqiJiangtang Granule in the clinical treatment of prediabetes, type 2 diabetes and its complications. It is suitable for clinicians at all levels of hospitals and grass-roots medical and health institutions across the country (traditional Chinese medicine, Western medicine, integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine).
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Objective:To explore the clinical value of ultrasound-guided obturator nerve block combined with general anesthesia in transurethral resection of bladder tumors(TURBT)for the elderly.Methods:A total of 84 elderly bladder tumor patients were randomly selected from those admitted to our hospital from November 2017 to August 2019, and were divided into the observation group(n=43)and the control group(n=41)according to whether obturator nerve block was performed.Patients in the observation group were given general anesthesia combined with ultrasound-guided obturator nerve block, and those in the control group were given general anesthesia alone.The surgical conditions, postoperative complications, and rates of adverse reactions were compared between the two groups.Results:Patients in the observation group had a significantly shorter duration of operation, shorter indwelling urinary catheter use, fewer days stayed in hospital and less intraoperative blood loss, compared with the control group(all P<0.05). Besides, the incidence of obturator nerve injury in the observation group was also significantly lower than in the control group(4.65% vs.19.51%, χ2=4.420, P=0.036). There were 2 cases of bladder hemorrhage and 1 case of bladder perforation in the control group, but no case of bladder hemorrhage or bladder perforation occurred in the observation group.A total of 2 cases of tachycardia, 2 cases of nausea and vomiting, and 1 case of hypotension were seen in the control group; and 3 cases of tachycardia, 1 case of nausea and vomiting, and 2 cases of hypotension occurred in the observation group.The total incidence of adverse reactions was similar between the two groups(12.16% vs.13.95%, χ2=0.057, P=0.811). Conclusions:The use of ultrasound-guided obturator nerve block combined with general anesthesia in TURBT surgery can effectively enhance the inhibitive effect on obturator nerve reflex, and reduce the risk of obturator nerve injury during surgery.Therefore, it can ensure smooth operation of the surgery and has a very positive effect on promoting successful postoperative rehabilitation.
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Objective To investigate the efficacy of perioperative management in elderly hemorrhoids patients undergoing procedure for prolapse and hemorrhoids(PPH).Methods A total of 128 elderly patients treated with PPH in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University from February 2018 to January 2019 were enrolled and randomly divided into the routine group(n=64)and the intervention group(n=64).The routine group underwent routine postoperative management,and the intervention group received intervention postoperative management as add-on to routine postoperative management.Clinical efficacy was compared between the two groups.Results The frequency of constipation and hematoehezia was less and the hospitalization days were shorter in the intervention group than in the routine group(0.8 ± 0.6 times/d vs.1.2 ± 0.4 times/d,1.3 ± 0.8 times/d vs.2.0± 1.0 times/d,4.9± 1.1 days vs.7.4± 1.3 days,t =4.438,4.372 and 11.744 respectively,all P =0.000).The scores of visual analog scale(VAS) and geriatric depression scale (GDS) had no significant difference between the intervention and routine groups (5.0 ± 1.6 scores vs.5.2 ± 1.3 scores for VAS;22.2± 2.9 scores vs.22.5 ± 2.6 scores for GDS,t =0.776 and 0.616,P =0.220 and 0.269)before intervention,and had significant difference between the intervention and routine groups[2.7 ± 0.7 scores vs.3.2 ± 1.1 scores for VAS;17.2 ± 1.8 scores vs.19.0 ± 2.2 scores for GDS(t =3.068 and 5.066,P=0.001 and 0.000)]after intervention.The scores of quality of life,including physiological function,emotional function,social function,mental health and health status,were higher in the intervention group than in the routine group (all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions Intervention perioperative management is effective in elderly hemorrhoids patients undergoing procedure for prolapse and hemorrhoids,It can not only effectively improve clinical symptoms and shorten treatment time,but also alleviate pain and improve prognosis and quality of life.
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Objective To investigate the effect of Dexmedetomidine on postoperative impairment of cognitive function in elderly patients undergoing thoracoscopic surgery under wireless analgesia.Methods Eighty elderly patients undergoing thoracoscopic surgery in our hospital from May 2017 to April 2018 were randomly divided into the S group(n=40)receiving Sufentanil under wireless analgesia,and the DS group receiving Dexmedetomidine as add-on to the therapy for S group.The mini-mental state examination(MMSE) score,postoperative pain degree,and serum levels of interleukin(IL)-1,IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α,as well as adverse reactions were compared between the two groups,preoperatively and postoperatively.Results MMSE score was higher in the DS group than in the S group at 1 and 3 days after operation[(26.85±1.20)vs.(26.33±1.33),(26.65± 1.16)vs.(26.00± 1.29),t =1.795 and 2.370,P =0.038 and 0.010].Pain visual analog scale(VAS)score was lower in the DS group than in the S group at 6 and 12 hours after operation[(4.32±0.64)vs.(4.65±0.77),(4.01±0.45)vs.(4.23±0.59),t=2.138 and 1.875,P=0.018 and 0.032,respectively].At 1 and 3 days after operation,IL-1,IL-6 and TNF-α levels were higher in SD group than in S group (P ＜ 0.05).But,at 5 and 7 days after operation,there was no significant difference in the expression levels of IL-1,IL-6 and TNF between the two groups (P ＞0.05).The incidence of nausea was lower in DS group than in S group(2.5％ vs.15.0％,x2 =3.914,P=0.048),while the incidence of bradycardia was higher in the DS group than in the S group(17.5％ vs.2.5 ％,x2 =5.000,P =0.025).Conclusions Dexmedetomidine not only effectively alleviates the postoperative pain and improves cognitive function in elderly patients undergoing thoracoscopic management under wireless analgesia,but also reduces postoperative inflammatory levels.
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Curcumin is a wellknown phenolic substance and has many pharmacological effects associated with metabolism. However, the exact molecular mechanisms underlying this process have yet to be determined. The Notch pathway is a signal transduction pathway involved in energy metabolism. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of curcumin administration on glucoselipid metabolism in rats subjected to a high fat diet, and investigate changes in Notch1 signaling. SpragueDawley rats (n=40) were randomly divided into four groups (10 rats/group): Control diet group, high fat diet group, high fat diet plus curcumin low dose group and high fat diet plus curcumin high dose group. Following 8 weeks of treatment with curcumin (100 mg/kg in the low dose group and 200 mg/kg in the high dose group), serum metabolic markers and hepatic gene expression patterns were investigated. No differences in body weight following 8 weeks of curcumin administration (P>0.05) were observed; however, curcumin treatment did reduce visceral fat levels (periepididymal and perirenal), and decreased cholesterol, triglyceride and lowdensity lipoprotein levels in serum compared with the high fat diet rats that did not receive curcumin (P<0.05, P<0.01). An oral glucose tolerance test and an intraperitoneal insulin tolerance test revealed that insulin resistance was reduced (P<0.05 or P<0.01) and tissue section analysis revealed that hepatosteatosis was attenuated following treatment with curcumin. Furthermore, the protein expression of Notch1 and its downstream target Hes1 were suppressed. These effects were also in parallel with an upregulation of fatty acid oxidationassociated gene expression, including peroxisome proliferatoractivated receptor (PPAR)α, carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 and PPARγ (P<0.05). In addition, curcumin administration led to a downregulation in the expression of lipogenic genes, including sterol regulatory elementbinding protein, fatty acid synthase and acetylCoA carboxylase (P<0.05). The expression of inflammationassociated genes, including nuclear factorκB, tumor necrosis factorα and prostaglandinendoperoxide synthase 2 were also suppressed. The results of the present study suggest that the hepatic Notch1 pathway can be suppressed via curcumin treatment, which may ameliorate fatty liver and insulin resistance in rats subjected to a high fat diet.
Subject(s)
Curcumin/pharmacology , Receptor, Notch1/metabolism , Signal Transduction/drug effects , Animals , Blood Glucose , Body Weight/drug effects , Disease Models, Animal , Fatty Liver/metabolism , Fatty Liver/pathology , Insulin Resistance , Intra-Abdominal Fat/drug effects , Lipid Metabolism/drug effects , Liver/drug effects , Liver/metabolism , Liver/pathology , Male , Models, Biological , Organ Size/drug effects , RatsABSTRACT
Nineteen secolignans (1-19), including five new ones (1-5), were isolated from the whole plant of Peperomia dindygulensis. Their structures including stereochemistry were determined by spectroscopic methods, in particular NMR and electronic CD (ECD) analysis. All the isolates were evaluated for their inhibitory activities against IFN-γ/STAT1 as well as IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway by the method of Luciferase assay. Six 2-methene type secolignans (1, 2, 6-9) exhibited significant inhibitory activities against JAK-STAT pathways with the IC50 values both lower than 10µM.
Subject(s)
Lignans/pharmacology , Peperomia/chemistry , Signal Transduction/drug effects , Hep G2 Cells , Humans , Interleukin-6/metabolism , Molecular Structure , STAT1 Transcription Factor/metabolism , STAT3 Transcription Factor/metabolismABSTRACT
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a reactive mental disorder that occurs after an individual was exposed to a traumatic event,and the core of the treatment is the extinction of conditioned fear memory caused by stress.Fear memory is an incentive mechanism based on external stimuli that occupy a central position in the defense system.Traditional memory concept convinced that the original memory traces were in an unstable state when the memory was activated.This process is called memory reconsolidation.The research has proved the existence of the fear memory reconsolidation,but the specific mechanism of reconsolidation has not been clarified.The animal studies show that many brain sites and molecular mechanisms are involved in the process of fear memory reconsolidation.Understanding the underlying mechanisms of fear memory reconsolidation is conducive to the treatment of specific phobias and PTSD.This review summarized the brain structure and molecular mechanism of conditioned fear memory reconsolidation,providing a new direction for the in-depth study of conditioned fear memory reconsolidation and PTSD.
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Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a reactive mental disorder that occurs after an individual was exposed to a traumatic event,and the core of the treatment is the extinction of conditioned fear memory caused by stress.Fear memory is an incentive mechanism based on external stimuli that occupy a central position in the defense system.Traditional memory concept convinced that the original memory traces were in an unstable state when the memory was activated.This process is called memory reconsolidation.The research has proved the existence of the fear memory reconsolidation,but the specific mechanism of reconsolidation has not been clarified.The animal studies show that many brain sites and molecular mechanisms are involved in the process of fear memory reconsolidation.Understanding the underlying mechanisms of fear memory reconsolidation is conducive to the treatment of specific phobias and PTSD.This review summarized the brain structure and molecular mechanism of conditioned fear memory reconsolidation,providing a new direction for the in-depth study of conditioned fear memory reconsolidation and PTSD.
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<p><b>Objective</b>To investigate the relationship of oxidative stress with DNA integrity and semen parameters in infertile men with varicocele (VC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>This prospective study included 98 infertile males with VC. According to the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the semen, we divided the patients into a high ROS group (n=44) and a low ROS group (n=54), determined the sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI), motility and morphology, and analyzed their correlation with ROS in the two groups of patients.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the patients of the low ROS group, those of the high ROS group showed a significantly higher DFI (27.38±8.10 vs 34.49±6.05, P=0.039) and a higher concentration of seminal leukocytes (［0.65±0.15］×10⁶/ml vs ［0.86±0.41］×10⁶/ml, P=0.022), but lower sperm motility (［36.16±22.83］% vs ［18.22±25.21］%, P=0.017), percentage of progressively motile sperm (［23.34±11.53］% vs ［16.34±9.22］%, P=0.041), sperm curvilinear velocity (［27.03±6.21］ vs ［20.62±4.38］ μm/s, P=0.013), and sperm linearity (［29.75±8.24］% vs ［18.30±7.93］%, P=0.024). Spearman correlation analysis indicated that the ROS level was correlated positively with the concentration of seminal leukocytes (r=0.41, P<0.01) and DFI (r=0.21, P=0.006), but negatively with sperm curvilinear velocity (r=－0.24, P=0.017), linearity (r=－0.24, P=0.021), motility (r=－0.31, P=0.002), and the percentage of progressively motile sperm (r=－0.41, P=0.012). Additionally, the sperm DFI manifested a significant negative correlation with sperm motility (r=－0.29, P<0.01) and the percentage of progressively motile sperm (r=－0.34, P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The level of seminal ROS is positively correlated with the sperm DFI in infertile men with varicocele, and both the ROS level and DNA integrity are associated with semen parameters.</p>
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , DNA Fragmentation , Infertility, Male , Oxidative Stress , Prospective Studies , Reactive Oxygen Species , Metabolism , Semen , Sperm Motility , Spermatozoa , Pathology , VaricoceleABSTRACT
A high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole tandem time-of-flight mass (HPLC-QTOF-MS) and ultraviolet spectrometry (HPLC-UV) was established for simultaneous qualitative and quantitative analysis of the major chemical constituents in Caulis Trachelospermi, respectively. The analysis was performed on an Agilent Zorbax Eclipse Plus C18 column (4.6 mm×150 mm, 5 µm) using a binary gradient system of water and methanol, with ultraviolet absorption at 230 nm. Based on high-resolution ESI-MS/MS fragmentation behaviors of the reference standards, the characteristic cleavage patterns of lignano-9, 9'-lactones and lignano-8'-hydroxy-9, 9'-lactones were obtained. The results demonstrated that the characteristic fragmentation patterns are valuable for identifying and differentiating lignano-9,9'-lactones and lignano-8'-hydroxy-9,9'-lactones. As such, a total of 25 compounds in Caulis Trachelospermi were unambiguously or tentatively identified via comparisons with reference standards or literature. In addition, 14 dibenzylbutyrolatone lignans were simultaneously quantified in Caulis Trachelospermi by HPLC-UV method. The method is suitable for the qualitative and quantitative analyses of dibenzylbutyrolatone lignans in Caulis Trachelospermi.
Subject(s)
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry , Lignans/chemistry , Plant Extracts/chemistry , Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods , Lactones/chemistry , Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods , Reference Standards , Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet/methods , Tandem Mass Spectrometry/methodsABSTRACT
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Xiaobuxin-Tang (XBXT), a traditional Chinese herbal decoction, has been used for the treatment of depressive disorders from ancient clinic. The aim of the study was to explore the involvement of inflammation or inflammatory markers in the antidepressant-like effects of XBXT-2. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Depression-like behavior was induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 0.2mg/kg, i.p) in tail suspension test (TST) and forced swimming test (FST) in mice. The effects of the total flavonoids (XBXT-2) extracted from XBXT (25, 50, and 100mg/kg, p.o.) and duloxetine (DLX, 10mg/kg, p.o.) on the immobility time in TST and FST were determined 24h after LPS pretreatment. The locomotor activity was also determined to eliminate the false-positive activity. Additionally, in order to further evaluate the effect of XBXT-2 on inflammation, the levels of brain proinflammatory cytokines including IL-1ß and TNF-α were assessed by ELISA. RESULTS: The pretreatment with LPS significantly increased the immobility time in TST and FST in mice, as well as the brain levels of IL-1ß and TNF-α. XBXT-2 (25, 50, and 100mg/kg, p.o.) administration decreased the duration of immobility in TST and FST, and normalized the cytokines levels. The positive control DLX (10mg/kg, p.o.) exerted similar effects. Meanwhile, neither LPS pretreatment nor drugs treatment had any effect on mouse locomotor activity. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that inflammation and inflammatory cytokines may be involved in the antidepressant-like effects of XBXT-2.
Subject(s)
Anti-Inflammatory Agents/therapeutic use , Antidepressive Agents/therapeutic use , Depression/drug therapy , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use , Flavonoids/therapeutic use , Animals , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/pharmacology , Antidepressive Agents/pharmacology , Behavior, Animal/drug effects , Brain/drug effects , Brain/metabolism , Depression/chemically induced , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology , Flavonoids/pharmacology , Hindlimb Suspension , Interleukin-1beta/metabolism , Lipopolysaccharides , Male , Mice, Inbred ICR , Motor Activity/drug effects , Swimming , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolismABSTRACT
Initial investigation for new active herbal extract with inhibiting activity on JAK/STAT signaling pathway revealed that the extract of Caulis Trachelospermi, which was separated by 80% alcohol extraction and subsequent HP-20 macroporous resin column chromatography, was founded to strongly inhibit IFN-γ-induced STAT1-responsive luciferase activity (IFN-γ/STAT1) with IC50 value of 2.43 µg/mL as well as inhibiting IL-6-induced STAT3-responsive luciferase activity (IL-6/STAT3) with IC50 value of 1.38 µg/mL. Subsequent study on its active components led to the isolation and identification of two new dibenzylbutyrolactone lignans named 4-demethyltraxillaside (1) and nortrachelogenin 4-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside (2), together with six known compounds. The lignan compounds 1-4 together with other lignan compounds isolated in previous study were tested the activities on IFN-γ/STAT1 and IL-6/STAT3 pathways. The following result showed that the main components trachelogenin and arctigenin had corresponding activities on IFN-γ/STAT1 pathway with IC50 values of 3.14 µM and 9.46 µM as well as trachelogenin, arctigenin and matairesinol strongly inhibiting IL-6/STAT3 pathway with IC50 values of 3.63 µM, 6.47 µM and 2.92 µM, respectively.
Subject(s)
Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Signal Transduction/drug effects , Tracheophyta/chemistry , Cell Line, Tumor , Humans , Inhibitory Concentration 50 , Interferon-gamma/metabolism , Interleukin-6/metabolism , Molecular Structure , Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular , Plant Extracts/chemistry , STAT1 Transcription Factor/metabolism , STAT3 Transcription Factor/metabolismABSTRACT
Angelica polymorpha Maxim. is a plant of the Angelica genus (Umbelliferae). The root and stem of this plant is a folk medicine known to have the actions of relieving rheumatism and cold and subsiding swelling and pains. To investigate the chemical constituents in the root of A. polymorpha Maxim., seven compounds were isolated from an 80% ethanol extract by column chromatography. Their structures were elucidated according to the spectroscopic analysis. Compound 1 is a new sesquiterpene, named as bisabolactone. Its absolute configuration was determined by 1D NOESY and CD analysis. The others were identified as 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (2), hycandinic acid ester 1 (3), ferulic acid (4), isooxypeucedanin (5), noreugenin (6) and cimifugin (7). Compound 2 and 3 were isolated from this genus for the first time and compound 4 was isolated from this plant for the first time.
Subject(s)
Angelica/chemistry , Plants, Medicinal/chemistry , Sesquiterpenes/isolation & purification , Chromones/chemistry , Chromones/isolation & purification , Coumaric Acids/chemistry , Coumaric Acids/isolation & purification , Coumarins/chemistry , Coumarins/isolation & purification , Furaldehyde/analogs & derivatives , Furaldehyde/chemistry , Furaldehyde/isolation & purification , Molecular Structure , Plant Roots/chemistry , Quinic Acid/analogs & derivatives , Quinic Acid/chemistry , Quinic Acid/isolation & purification , Sesquiterpenes/chemistryABSTRACT
Angelica polymorpha Maxim. is a plant of the Angelica genus (Umbelliferae). The root and stem of this plant is a folk medicine known to have the actions of relieving rheumatism and cold and subsiding swelling and pains. To investigate the chemical constituents in the root of A. polymorpha Maxim., seven compounds were isolated from an 80% ethanol extract by column chromatography. Their structures were elucidated according to the spectroscopic analysis. Compound 1 is a new sesquiterpene, named as bisabolactone. Its absolute configuration was determined by 1D NOESY and CD analysis. The others were identified as 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (2), hycandinic acid ester 1 (3), ferulic acid (4), isooxypeucedanin (5), noreugenin (6) and cimifugin (7). Compound 2 and 3 were isolated from this genus for the first time and compound 4 was isolated from this plant for the first time.
Subject(s)
Angelica , Chemistry , Chromones , Chemistry , Coumaric Acids , Chemistry , Coumarins , Chemistry , Furaldehyde , Chemistry , Molecular Structure , Plant Roots , Chemistry , Plants, Medicinal , Chemistry , Quinic Acid , Chemistry , Sesquiterpenes , ChemistryABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the therapeutic effects of Ping-tang Recipe (, PTR) on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced insulin resistance and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: Forty male SD rats were included in the study. Ten rats were fed on normal diet as normal control, and thirty rats were fed on HFD for 8 weeks to induce obesity, followed with low dose (0.42 g/kg) or high dose (0.84 g/kg) of PTR or vehicle for 8 weeks with 10 animals for each group. Glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity were evaluated by oral glucose tolerance test and insulin tolerance test. Hepatic steatosis was measured by immunohistochemistry. Liver lipid metabolic genes were analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, while AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) expression was examined by Western blot. RESULTS: Rats fed on HFD developed abdominal obesity, insulin resistance and NAFLD. PTR treatment reduced visceral fat (peri-epididymal and peri-renal) accumulation, improved glucose metabolism, and attenuated hepatic steatosis. The expressions of the key lipolytic regulating genes, including peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor γ co-activator 1α (PGC-1α), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PRAR-γ) and α (PRAR-α), were up-regulated (P<0.05 or P<0.01), while the expressions of lipogenic genes such as sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c), fatty acid synthase (FAS) and liver fatty acid-binding protein (L-FABP) were down-regulated (P<0.05 or P<0.01). In addition, PTR activated AMPK and promoted acetyl-CoA carboxylase phosphorylation in the liver. CONCLUSIONS: PTR improves insulin resistance and reverse hepatic steatosis in the rat model of HFD-induced obesity through promotion of lipolysis and reduction of lipogenesis, which involves the AMPK signaling pathway, thus representing a new therapeutic intervention for obesity related insulin resistance and NAFLD.
Subject(s)
Diet, High-Fat , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use , Fatty Liver/complications , Fatty Liver/prevention & control , Insulin Resistance , Obesity/complications , AMP-Activated Protein Kinases/metabolism , Animals , Body Weight/drug effects , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology , Fatty Liver/blood , Gene Expression Regulation/drug effects , Glucose/metabolism , Glucose Tolerance Test , Intra-Abdominal Fat/drug effects , Intra-Abdominal Fat/pathology , Lipogenesis/drug effects , Lipolysis/drug effects , Liver/drug effects , Liver/enzymology , Liver/pathology , Male , Obesity/blood , RNA, Messenger/genetics , RNA, Messenger/metabolism , Rats , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Triglycerides/metabolismABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the therapeutic effects of Ping-tang Recipe (, PTR) on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced insulin resistance and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty male SD rats were included in the study. Ten rats were fed on normal diet as normal control, and thirty rats were fed on HFD for 8 weeks to induce obesity, followed with low dose (0.42 g/kg) or high dose (0.84 g/kg) of PTR or vehicle for 8 weeks with 10 animals for each group. Glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity were evaluated by oral glucose tolerance test and insulin tolerance test. Hepatic steatosis was measured by immunohistochemistry. Liver lipid metabolic genes were analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, while AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) expression was examined by Western blot.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Rats fed on HFD developed abdominal obesity, insulin resistance and NAFLD. PTR treatment reduced visceral fat (peri-epididymal and peri-renal) accumulation, improved glucose metabolism, and attenuated hepatic steatosis. The expressions of the key lipolytic regulating genes, including peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor γ co-activator 1α (PGC-1α), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PRAR-γ) and α (PRAR-α), were up-regulated (P<0.05 or P<0.01), while the expressions of lipogenic genes such as sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c), fatty acid synthase (FAS) and liver fatty acid-binding protein (L-FABP) were down-regulated (P<0.05 or P<0.01). In addition, PTR activated AMPK and promoted acetyl-CoA carboxylase phosphorylation in the liver.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>PTR improves insulin resistance and reverse hepatic steatosis in the rat model of HFD-induced obesity through promotion of lipolysis and reduction of lipogenesis, which involves the AMPK signaling pathway, thus representing a new therapeutic intervention for obesity related insulin resistance and NAFLD.</p>
Subject(s)
Animals , Male , Rats , AMP-Activated Protein Kinases , Metabolism , Body Weight , Diet, High-Fat , Drugs, Chinese Herbal , Pharmacology , Therapeutic Uses , Fatty Liver , Blood , Gene Expression Regulation , Glucose , Metabolism , Glucose Tolerance Test , Insulin Resistance , Intra-Abdominal Fat , Pathology , Lipogenesis , Lipolysis , Liver , Pathology , Obesity , Blood , RNA, Messenger , Genetics , Metabolism , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Triglycerides , MetabolismABSTRACT
Our previous studies have demonstrated that the total flavonoids (XBXT-2) isolated from the extract of Xiaobuxin-Tang (XBXT), a traditional Chinese herbal decoction, ameliorated behavioral alterations and hippocampal dysfunctions in chronically stressed rats. Studies over the last decades have suggested that the hyperactivity of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is one of the most consistent findings in stress-related depression. Herein, we used the same chronic mild stress model of rats as before to further investigate the effect of XBXT-2 on the hyperactivity of HPA axis, including the stress hormones levels and glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) expression. Our ELISA results showed that chronic administration of XBXT-2 (25, 50 mg kg(-1), p.o., 28 days, the effective doses for behavioral responses) significantly decreased serum corticosterone level and its upstream stress hormone adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) level in chronically stressed rats. Furthermore, western blotting result demonstrated XBXT-2 treatment ameliorated stress-induced decrease of GRs expression in hippocampus, an important target involved in the hyperactivity of HPA axis. These results were similar to that of classic antidepressant imipramine treatment (10 mg kg(-1), p.o.). In conclusion, the modulation of HPA axis produced by XBXT-2, including the inhibition of stress hormones levels and up-regulation of hippocampal GRs expression, may be an important mechanism underlying its antidepressant-like effect in chronically stressed rats.
ABSTRACT
Xiaobuxin-Tang (XBXT), a traditional Chinese herbal decoction, has been used for the treatment of depressive disorders for centuries in China. Our previous studies have demonstrated that the total flavonoids (XBXT-2) isolated from the extract of XBXT reversed behavioral alterations and serotonergic dysfunctions in chronically stressed rats. Recently, accumulating studies have suggested the behavioral effects of chronic antidepressants treatment might be mediated by the stimulation of hippocampal neurogenesis. In present study, we explored the effect of XBXT-2 on hippocampal neurogenesis and neurotrophic signal pathway in chronically stressed rats. Our immunohistochemistry results showed that concomitant administration of XBXT-2 (25, 50 mg/kg, p.o., 28 days, the effective doses for behavioral responses) significantly increased hippocampal neurogenesis in chronically stressed rats. Four weeks after BrdU injection, result in double immunofluorescence labeling showed that some of the newly generated cells in hippocampus co-expressed with NSE or GFAP, markers for neurons or astrocytes, respectively. Furthermore, XBXT-2 treatment reserved stress-induced decrease of hippocampal BDNF and pCREB (Ser133) expression, two important factors which were closely related to hippocampal neurogenesis. As a positive control drug, imipramine (10 mg/kg, p.o.) exerted same effects. In conclusion, the increase of neurogenesis, as well as expression of BDNF and pCREB in hippocampus may be one of the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the antidepressant action of XBXT-2.
