Absence of NF-κB subunit p50 ameliorates cold immobilization stress-induced gastric ulcers.

Stress ulcers are a common complication in critically ill patients, but the underlying mechanism is little known. This study characterized the function of the p50 subunit of NF-κB in an experimental model of cold immobilization stress-induced gastric ulcers. Stress-induced gastric mucosal inflammation and gastric injury were examined in wild-type and NF-κB p50-deficient mice. When subjected to cold immobilization stress, NF-κB was rapidly activated in the gastric mucosa in WT mice whereas the majority of κB DNA-binding activity was abrogated from p50(-/-) mice. Deficiency of p50 ameliorated stress-induced expression of TNF-α, MIP-2, and ICAM-1, resulting in reduced mucosal accumulation of neutrophils and gastric injury. These data indicated a critical role for the p50 in the gastric mucosal inflammatory response to cold restraint stress.

[Effects of allicin on changes of hemorheology in focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of allicin on the changes of hemorheology in focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats. METHOD: Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was used to make focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion model by intravascular nylon filament occlusion. The protective effects of allicin at different doses were evaluated by investigating neurological function score, infarction volume and water content of brain. The changes of blood rheology were detected. RESULT: Compared with model group, allicin (15, 25 mg x kg(-1)) increased the neurological function score and decreased the water content and infarction volume of brain in rats. Allicin (15, 25 mg x kg(-1)) inhibited the increasing of the blood viscosity, high shear rate reduced viscosity, high shear relative reduced viscosity and low shear relative reduced viscosity. CONCLUSION: Allicin has protective effects on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injuries. The mechanism may be related to inhibit the increasing of hemorheology.

[Regulative effect of Opuntia powder on blood lipids in rats and its mechanism].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the regulative effect of opuntia powder on blood lipids in wistar rats and to explore its mechanism. METHOD: Forty normal rats were divided into four groups:control group (fed with basal feed), opuntia high, middle and low dosage groups (fed with basal feed and opuntia powder of high, middle and low dosage. The influence of opuntia powder on serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), arteriosclerosis index (AI), serum malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) were observed. (2) All of the hyperlipemia wistar rats for experiments were divided into four groups: model control group and other three groups (high, middle, low dosage groups respectively). Three weeks later, samples of blood were taken for survey of levels of TC, TG HDL-C, LDL-C, AI, MDA, SOD. RESULT: After opuntia powder treatment,the level of TC in nomal wistar rats was decreased. However, there was no significant difference comparing with control group (P > 0.05). The serum MAD level in the low, middle and high dosage groups were all obviously decreased, which were significantly lower than that in the control group. The SOD activities were all higher than that in the control group. The level of TC, LDL-C, AI (P < 0.01), TG (P < 0.05) were lower significantly in hyperlipemia wistar rats after treated by opuntia powder of high, middle and low dosage. The down-regulation of blood lipids was related with the dosage of opuntia powder. CONCLUSION: The opuntia powder may regulate the level of blood lipids in normal and hyperlipemia wistar rats. The effect is more obviously in hyperlipemia rats than that in normal rats.