Vitamin E for the Prevention of Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy: A meta-Analysis.

Background: Vitamin E has been increasingly used to prevent chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) in recent years. However, it is still unclear whether vitamin E can effectively prevent CIPN. Methods: We searched all clinical studies in the Embase, Cochrane Library, Clinicaltrials.gov, and PubMed databases from inception to December 2020. We performed a meta-analysis of 9 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with 486 patients that compared the vitamin E group with the control group. Outcomes of the study were incidence of all-grade CIPN, incidence of severe CIPN, and the total neuropathy scores (TNS). Random effect models were used to make the meta-analysis results more cautious. Results: Notably, vitamin E significantly reduced the incidence of all-grade CIPN (overall risk ratio (RR) = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.36, 0.85, I2 = 77.3%, p = 0.007), and TNS (overall standard mean difference (SMD) = -0.64, 95% CI: -1.03, -0.25, I2 = 42.7%, p = 0.001). However, the results of the subgroup analysis, which included only double-blind RCTs, suggested that vitamin E did not significantly reduce the incidence of all-grade CIPN (overall RR = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.07, 4.06, I2 = 77.5%, p = 0.531). Moreover, there was no significant difference in the incidence of severe CIPN between these two arms (p = 0.440). Conclusion: The results of our meta-analysis suggests that vitamin E has a beneficial effect on the incidence and symptoms of CIPN. However, routine prophylactic use of vitamin E is still not recommended. Moreover, more high-quality double-blind RCTs are needed to further validate the effects of vitamin E in prevention of CIPN.

OLFR734 Mediates Glucose Metabolism as a Receptor of Asprosin.

Asprosin is a fasting-induced hormone that promotes glucose production in the liver and stimulates appetite in the hypothalamus by activating the cAMP signaling pathway via an unknown G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR). However, the bona fide receptor of Asprosin is unclear. Here, we have identified that the olfactory receptor OLFR734 acts as a receptor of Asprosin to modulate hepatic glucose production. Olfr734 knockout mice show a blunted response to Asprosin, including attenuated cAMP levels and hepatic glucose production, and improved insulin sensitivity. As Olfr734 deficiency dramatically attenuates both fasting and high-fat-diet-induced glucose production, our results demonstrate a critical role of OLFR734 as a receptor of Asprosin to maintain glucose homeostasis during fasting and in obesity.

[Hypouricemic effect of ethanol extracts from Dioscoreae Nipponicae Rhizoma].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of ethanol extracts from Dioscoreae Nipponicae Rhizoma on hyperuricemic mice. METHODS: The hyperuricemia was induced by gavage of hypoxanthine and subcutaneous injection of potassium oxonate (model A) or subcutaneous injection of uric acid (model B) in ICR male mice. The mice in ethanol extracts groups were administrated with Dioscoreae Nipponicae Rhizoma ethanol extracts 5.4 g/kg by gavage, the positive control groups were given with 10 mg/ml allopurinol or 5 mg/ml benzbromarone by gavage, respectively. The plasma uric acid levels were measured by using HPLC. RESULTS: The plasma uric acid levels of model group, control group and ethanol extract group in model A mice were (40.03±27.24), (4.08±1.47) and (18.10±8.87) g/mL (compared with model group, P <0.05), respectively. The plasma uric acid levels of model group, control group and ethanol extract group in model B mice were (18.57±3.83), (4.29±2.36) and (15.36±2.71) g/mL (compared with model group, P <0.05), respectively. CONCLUSION: The ethanol extracts from Dioscoreae Nipponicae Rhizoma have certain hypouricemic effect in hyperuricemic mice induced by hypoxanthine and potassium oxonate or by uric acid.

[Protective effect of Jiangbaiweiyan tablet on ethanol-induced gastric mucosa injury in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Jiangbaiweiyan tablet, a Chinese medicine compound composed of Alpinta Officinarum, Cyperus Rotundus, Bulbus Lilii and Rlindera Strychnifolia, on ethanol-induced gastric mucosa injury in rats. METHODS: Acute gastric ulcer was induced in rats with absolute ethyl alcohol. The ulcer index was used to evaluate the extent of the gastric mucosa injury. RESULTS: The ulcer indexes of the model group, the mid-dose (1.08 g x kg(-1) x d-(-1)1) and high-dose (2.16 g x kg(-1) x d-(-1)) of Jiangbaiweiyan tablet groups were 141.58±47.43, 24.83±23.04 and 2.12±2.58, respectively (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Jiangbaiweiyan tablet has protective effects on ethanol-induced gastric mucosa injury in rats, which may be related to anti-oxidation and enhancing tissue regeneration capacity.

Predicting blood-brain barrier penetration from molecular weight and number of polar atoms.

A simple three-descriptor model to predict blood-brain barrier is derived from a training set of 78 compounds: logBB=-9.880 x 10(-6)M(W)(2)+7.339 x 10(-3)M(W)-0.2268n(pol)-0.1143 (n=78, r(2)=0.74), where logBB is the logarithm of the ratio of the steady-state concentration of the compound in the brain to concentration in the blood, M(W) is the molecular weight, n(pol) is the number of polar atoms (oxygen, nitrogen, and attached hydrogen), n is the number of compounds, and r is the correlation coefficient. The model is validated through use of leave-one-out procedure and an external test set (25 compounds). The model is suitable for the rapid prediction of the blood-brain barrier penetration of drug candidates because of its predictive ability and simplicity.