Effects of herbal mixture extracts on obesity in rats fed a high-fat diet.

The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the effects of three herbal mixture extracts on obesity induced by high-fat diet (HFD) in rats. The prescriptions-Pericarpium citri reticulatae and Fructus crataegi-were used as matrix components and mixed with Ampelopsis grossedentata, Salvia miltiorrhiza, and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) to form T1, T2, and T3 complexes, respectively. Results revealed that HFD feeding significantly increased body weight gain, fat deposition, plasma lipid profiles, hepatic lipid accumulation, and hepatic vacuoles formation, but decreased plasma levels of adiponectin in rats. Only the T1 complex showed the tendency, although not significantly so, for decreased HFD-induced body weight gain. T1 and T3 complexes significantly reduced HFD-induced fat deposition, and plasma levels of triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Only the T1 complex significantly increased HFD-reduced adiponectin levels in plasma, but decreased HFD-increased triglyceride content in liver tissues. All complexes effectively inhibited HFD-induced vacuoles formation. The content of dihydromyricetin, salvianolic acid B, and EGCG in T1, T2, and T3 complexes was 18.25 ± 0.07%, 22.20 ± 0.10%, and 18.86 ± 0.04%, respectively. In summary, we demonstrated that herbal mixture extracts, especially T1 complex, exhibit antiobesity activity in HFD-fed rats.

Gastroprotective potential against indomethacin and safety assessment of the homology of medicine and food formula cuttlebone complex.

Cuttlebone complex (CBC), a homology of medicine and food formula, is comprised of five herbal medicines (Endoconcha Sepiae, Radix Paeoniae Rubra, fresh ginger, Fructus Amomi, and Radix Glycyrrhizae) and two food ingredients (Zingiber zerumbet and chitosan). Herein, the gastroprotective potential against indomethacin and a safety assessment of CBC were investigated. In a gastroprotective model, CBC effectively decreased the indomethacin-increased gastric ulcerous lesions, and increased the indomethacin-decreased prostaglandin E2 levels in the gastric mucosa. In genotoxicity tests, CBC treatment did not increase the numbers of revertant colonies in five Salmonella typhimurium strains and chromosome aberrations in Chinese hamster ovary CHO-K1 cells, with or without S9 metabolic activation. The oral supplementation of CBC did not increase micronucleus formation in the peripheral blood of mice. In a subacute toxicity study, the body weight and blood biochemical parameters observed in CBC-treated rats were normal. In conclusion, CBC was considered as a non-toxic formula and could be used to remedy indomethacin-induced gastric damage.

An unusual appearance of renal epithelioid angiomyolipoma.

Epithelioid angiomyolipoma is a recently described rare variant of renal angiomyolipoma. It can occur in patients with or without tuberous sclerosis. We report the imaging findings of a case of epithelioid angiomyolipoma that showed the presence of fatty tissue undifferentiated from the typical angiomyolipoma at the beginning. After partial nephrectomy, tumour recurrence occurred two years later, presenting as completely solid tumours with no adipose tissue, and with invasion into the psoas muscle and left adrenal gland. Differentiation of this tumour from renal cell carcinoma is difficult. Both the radiologist and surgeon should be aware of the existence of this tumour and its potentially malignant behaviour.

Two new glycosides from Leonurus japonicus.

Two new glycosides, 1,6-di-O-syringoyl-ß-D-glucopyranose (1) and quercetin 3-O-[(3-O-syringoyl-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl)-(1→6)-ß-D-glucopyranoside] (2), along with seven known compounds were isolated from the MeOH extract of Leonurus japonicus. The structures of these compounds were elucidated by spectral analysis.

Five new homoisoflavonoids from the tuber of Ophiopogon japonicus.

Five new homoisoflavonoids, ophiopogonanone C (1), ophiopogonanone D (2), ophiopogonone C (3), ophiopogonanone E (4) and ophiopogonanone F (5), and six known compounds were isolated from an ethanol extract of the tubers of Ophiopogon japonicus (Thunb) Ker-Gawl. Spectroscopic analyses were used to elucidate the structures of these compounds.