Effects of resveratrol on the proliferation, apoptosis and telomerase ability of human A431 epidermoid carcinoma cells.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of resveratrol on cell apoptosis, ability of telomerase and the human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) protein expression in human A431 epidermoid carcinoma cells. A431 cells were treated with different concentrations of resveratrol, and the cell appearance was then observed under a microscope. In addition, the cell proliferation was examined using an MTT assay, and the ability of telomerase was detected using telomeric repeat amplification protocol-polymerase chain reaction-ELISA. Resveratrol significantly inhibited the ability of telomerase and decreased the expression of hTERT protein in a concentration-dependent manner. In conclusion, resveratrol is capable of downregulating the expression of hTERT protein and inhibits the ability of telomerase of A431, which is an important mechanism of action of resveratrol with regard to inhibition of A431 cell proliferation.

Enhanced Protective Effect of the Combination of Uncaria and Semen Raphani on Vascular Endothelium in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats.

Endothelial dysfunction and low-grade inflammation are closely associated with hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases. The combination of Uncaria (U) and Semen Raphani (R) is common in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of hypertension and heart diseases. We aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of the combination of Uncaria and Semen Raphani on spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs), and valsartan was used as a positive control. In the present study, all extracts decreased systolic pressure, diastolic pressure, and mean arterial pressure. U alone showed antihypertensive efficacy and effectively decreased CECs count, while R alone showed efficacy in relieving inflammatory level. The combination of U and R showed enhanced effectiveness at lowering activated CECs and improving endothelial integrity of thoracic aorta and mesenteric artery and normalized the level of plasma biomarkers of endothelial damage. The combination of U and R decreased the mRNA level of VCAM-1, Sel-L, TFPI, and Sel-P, while it elevated mRNA expression of FGF-1 and THBD of the thoracic aorta, which may be, at least in part, involved in the mechanism of protective effect on hypertensive endothelial injury.

[Analysis on composition principles of prescriptions for stranguria in dictionary of traditional Chinese medicine prescription].

By using traditional Chinese medicine inheritance support system to analyze the dominant experience and recessive principles of the prescriptions for stranguria in the dictionary of traditional Chinese medicine prescription (DCMP), we aim to define the medication pattern and rule and to acquire new prescriptions. In dominant experience analysis, we were able to find 22 drugs used over 50 times, including drugs of clearing heat, diuresis and relieving stranguria which are the most used and drugs of clearing heat, cooling blood, benefiting Qi and nourishing Yin. In addition, drugs of activating Qi and Xue, eliminating phlegm and removing toxic are often used, including 34 herb pairs and 5 combinations of three-taste drugs are used more than 35 times. These results fully reflect the composition principles and compatibility characteristic of prescriptions for treating stranguria in DCMP. Thirteen new prescriptions by way of recessive principle excavating were acquired. These new prescriptions might be suitable to clinical treatments of variable syndromes. This article provides an useful clue to research and produce new drugs.

[Effect of substrate temperature on structure and photoluminescence of ZnMgO films].

ZnMgO films were deposited on quartz glass substrates by the ultrasonic spray pyrolysis at different substrate temperatures (450-550 degrees C). The structural, surface morphological and optical properties of the samples were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The results demonstrate that the substrate temperature has important effect on structural and optical characteristics. All the films have hexagonal wurtzite polycrystalline structures and the c-axis preferential orientation has an optimum temperature of 530 degrees C. The sample prepared at this temperature owns uniform grain size, smooth surface morphology and better crystalline quality. The width of deep-level emission decreases and the near band edge (NBE) ultraviolet emission peak appears with the increase in temperature by the PL spectrum. When the temperature arrives to 530 degrees C, a distinct NBE emission peak can be observed at 374. 5 nm, while the deep level emission is almost undetectable.

[Effects of rhynchophylla alkaloids on vascular adventitial fibroblast apoptosis and proliferation in the thoracic aorta of spontaneously hypertensive rats].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of rhynchophylline, isorhynchophylline, and rhynchophylla alkaloids on the vascular adventitial fibroblasts (VAF) apoptosis and proliferation in thoracic aorta of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), and on the Bcl-2, Bax, c-Fos, c-Myc, laminin (LN), and fibronectin (FN). METHODS: Forty 8-week old male SHR were randomly divided into five groups, i. e., the model group, the captopril group (17.5 mg/kg), the isorhynchophylline group (5.0 mg/kg), the rhynchophylline group (5.0 mg/kg), and the rhynchophylla alkaloids group (50.0 mg/kg), 8 in each group. In addition, eight 8-week old male Wistar rats were selected as the normal group. Equal volume of normal saline was given to rats in the normal group and the model group by gastrogavage. Rats in the rest groups were perfused with isovolumic medication solution (10 mL/kg), six days per week for eight successive weeks. The dosage of drugs was adjusted according to the change of body weight. The VAF apoptosis rate of the thoracic aorta was measured by Annexin V-FITC combined with PI dyeing and flow cytometry. The protein expressions of thoracic aortic Bcl-2, Bax, c-Myc, c-Fos, FN, and LN were detected by immunohistochemical assay. The adventitial transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) mRNA expression in the thoracic aorta was detected by in situ hybridization method. RESULTS: Compared with the model group, the tail arterial systolic pressure decreased, the VAF apoptosis and the protein expression of Bax increased, Bcl-2, c-Fos, FN, LN, and TGF-beta1 mRNA all decreased in the thoracic aorta of SHR in each treatment group after 4-and 8-week of intervention. Rhynchophylline, isorhynchophylline, and rhynchophylla alkaloids could inhibit the protein expression of c-Myc with statistical difference (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with the captopril group, there was no statistical difference in decreasing the tail arterial systolic pressure, the protein expression of c-Fos and the mRNA expression of TGF-beta1 among the rhynchophylline group, the isorhynchophylline group, and the rhynchophylla alkaloids group (P>0.05). There was statistical difference in increased VAF apoptosis and decreased protein expressions of Bcl-2, c-Myc, and LN (P<0.05, P<0.01). There was statistical difference in increased protein expression of Bax between the rhynchophylline group and the isorhynchophylline group (P<0.05, P<0.01). There was statistical difference in decreased protein expression of FN in the isorhynchophylline group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference among the rhynchophylline group, the isorhynchophylline group, or the rhynchophylla alkaloids group (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Rhynchophylline, isorhynchophylline, and rhynchophylla alkaloids might promote the VAF apoptosis in the thoracic aorta of SHR by regulating the protein expressions of Bcl-2 and Bax. They might inhibit the VAF proliferation by restraining protein expressions of c-Fos, c-Myc, and TGF-beta1 mRNA. They also might improve the thoracic aorta wall reconstruction and decrease the tail arterial systolic pressure by down-regulating the protein expressions of FN and LN, and attenuating the deposition of extracellular matrix.