A new dihydroflavone and a new polyacetylene glucoside from Bidens parviflora.

A new dihydroflavone, 2(S)-isookanin-4'-methoxy-8-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside (1), and a new polyacetylene glucoside, (10S)-tridecane-2E-ene-4,6,8-triyne-1-ol-10-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside (2), along with seven known compounds (3-9), were isolated from the herb of Bidens parviflora Willd. The structures of all the extracted compounds were elucidated by HR-ESI-MS, 1 D and 2 D NMR spectra, as well as circular dichroism (CD).

Vildagliptin, a DPP4 inhibitor, alleviates diabetes-associated cognitive deficits by decreasing the levels of apoptosis-related proteins in the rat hippocampus.

Cognitive impairment is a prevalent but underestimated complication of diabetes, which can cause spatial memory and learning deficits. In the present study, a streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic rat model was employed to investigate the effects of vildagliptin, a new oral hypoglycemic agent that acts by inhibiting dipeptidyl peptidase-4, on diabetes-associated cognitive impairments, as well as the molecular mechanisms involved. The present findings demonstrated that vildagliptin treatment prevented memory impairment and decreased the apoptosis of hippocampal neurons. It also attenuated the abnormal expression of caspase-3, B cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2 associated X protein in the diabetic model. Vildagliptin treatment also reversed diabetes-induced decreases in phosphorylated (p)-protein kinase B (Akt) and p-glycogen synthase kinase 3ß (GSK3ß), brain-derived neurotrophic factor and nerve growth factor expression levels. The results indicated that the administration of vildagliptin exerts a protective effect against cognitive deficits by decreasing the expression of apoptosis-related proteins in the hippocampus and that this protective effect was mediated via the Akt/GSK3ß signaling pathway.

Effect of Guiqiyiyuan ointment on bystander effect in rat models of 12C6+ beam radiation damage / 解放军医学杂志

Objective To investigate the bystander effect injury to lung-heart-liver-spleen caused by 12C6+ beam radiation,and explore the prevention and treatment effect of Guiqiyiyuan ointment on the injury and its mechanism.Methods Ninety healthy male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups:NC group (normal control,normal saline 2ml/kg,n=30),SR group (simple radiation,8Gy,2ml/kg,n=30),GO group (Guiqiyiyuan ointment 11.83g/kg,radiation,8Gy,n=30).All the rats received intragastric administration for 7 days.The right side of the lung was modeled by 12C6+ beam radiation.After modeling,the rats were killed at 48h.The heart,liver and spleen were taken.The malonaldehyde (MDA),glutathione (GSH),glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px),superoxide dismutase (SOD) contents were measured by colorimetry,DNA methylation rate was assayed by ELISA,and the expressions of Dnmt1,Dnmt3a and Dnmt3b were detected by immunohistochemistry.Results Compared with NC group,the contents of SOD,GSH and GSH-Px decreased (P＜0.01),MDA increased (P＜0.01),the level of DNA methylation decreased (P＜0.01),and the expressions of Dnmt1,Dnmt3a and Dnmt3b increased in SR group (P＜0.01).Compared with SR group,the contents of SOD,GSH and GSH-Px increased (P＜0.01),MDA decreased (P＜0.01),the level of DNA methylation increased (P＜0.01),and the expressions of Dnmt1,Dnmt3a and Dnmt3b decreased in GO group (P＜0.01).Dnmtl,Dnmt3a and Dnmt3b proteins were expressed in the cytoplasm of myocardial cells,hepatocytes and peripheral B cells of the white pulp in spleen,in all the groups.The color of NC group was light brown-brown,showing a weak positive expression.The color of SR group was brown-brown,showing a strong positive expression.The color of GO group was light brown-tan,showing a moderate positive expression.Conclusion The Guiqiyiyuan ointment can reduce the bystander effect caused by the 12C6+ beam radiation,and its mechanism is related to improving the oxidative stress reaction and the level of DNA methylation.

9p21 polymorphisms increase the risk of peripheral artery disease in the Han Chinese population.

OBJECTIVE: A case-control study to investigate the association of the 9p21 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs10757274 and rs10757278 (known to be associated with coronary artery disease [CAD] risk) with peripheral arterial disease (PAD), in a Han Chinese population. METHODS: The rs10757274 and rs10757278 genotypes of patients with PAD, and age- and sex-matched control subjects, were determined. Multivariate unconditional logistic regression analyses were performed, with adjustments for age, sex, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, diabetes and smoking status. RESULTS: The study included 420 patients with PAD and 418 control subjects. Variant forms of both SNPs were associated with increased risk of PAD in the total study population, when excluding patients with CAD or stroke (additive genetic model). The GG haplotype increased the risk of PAD, but this association did not remain significant after further sensitivity analysis. Both SNPs were associated with PAD risk in patients aged <65 years, but not in those aged ≥ 65 years (additive model). CONCLUSIONS: 9p21 is associated with PAD. When stratified according to age, 9p21 increases PAD risk in individuals aged <65 years, but not in those aged ≥ 65 years.