Research progress on anti-inflammatory effects of plant-derived cannabinoid type 2 receptor modulators / 中国中药杂志

Excessive and persistent inflammatory responses are a potential pathological condition that can lead to diseases of various systems, including nervous, respiratory, digestive, circulatory, and endocrine systems. Cannabinoid type 2 receptor(CB2R) belongs to the G protein-coupled receptor family and is widely distributed in immune cells, peripheral tissues, and the central nervous system. It plays a role in inflammatory responses under various pathological conditions. The down-regulation of CB2R activity is an important marker of inflammation and and CB2R modulators have been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects. This study explored the relationship between CB2R and inflammatory responses, delved into its regulatory mechanisms in inflammatory diseases, and summarized the research progress on CB2R modulators from plants other than cannabis, including plant extracts and monomeric compounds, in exerting anti-inflammatory effects. The aim is to provide new insights into the prevention and treatment of inflammatory diseases.

Protective Effect and Mechanism of Sodium Ferulate on Cerebral Ischemia-reperfusion Inflammatory Injury in Rats / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective: To investigate the protective effect of sodium ferulate on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats and to explore its possible mechanism.Method: The cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury model was established by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in SD male rats. 36 modeled rats with neurologic damage were randomly divided into 4 groups:model group, low,medium,high-dose sodium ferulate groups (25,50,100 mg·kg-1).Another nine rats were selected as a sham operation group.Neurological function was assessed by neurological scoring system in rats.Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was performed to observe the pathological changes of the rats' brain. The levels of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in serum and brain tissues were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of nucleus and cytoplasm nuclear factor-kappa B p65 (NF-κB p65) in brain tissues.Result: As compared with normal group, neurological deficit score was increased; the neuronal necrosis and inflammatory cell number were present;the serum and brain tissue levels of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 were increased; nucleus/cytoplasm NF-κB p65 protein expression ratio was increased significantly in model group (PPPα, IL-1β and IL-6(PPκB p65 protein(PPConclusion: Sodium ferulate protects the brain against focal cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury, and the mechanism may be related to inhibiting nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 protein to alleviate inflammatory response.

Ginsenoside Rg1 protects against transient focal cerebral ischemic injury and suppresses its systemic metabolic changes in cerabral injury rats

Ginsenoside Rg1 (GR), a major bioactive compound of traditional Chinese medicine, such as Panax ginseng or Radix Notoginseng, has been shown to exert neuroprotective effects against ischemic stroke. However, pharmacokinetic studies have suggested that GR could not be efficiently transported through the blood-brain barrier. The mechanism by which GR attenuates cerebral ischemic injury in vivo remains largely unknown. Therefore, this study explored potential neuro-protective effects of GR through its systemic metabolic regulating mechanism by using mass spectrometry-based metabolomic profiling. Rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) were treated with GR intravenously. Their metabolic profiles in serum were measured by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry on 1 and 3 days after MCAO. GR exhibited a potent neuro-protective effect by significantly decreasing the neurological scores and infarct volume in the MCAO rats. Moreover, 18 differential metabolites were tentatively identified, all of which appeared to correlate well with these disease indices. Our findings suggested that GR carries a therapeutic potential in stroke possibly through a feed-back mechanism by regulating systematic metabolic mediation.

[Survey of intestinal parasitic infections and related knowledge and behavior of residents in Jiaodong area of Shandong Province].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the status of intestinal parasitic infections and the related knowledge and behavior in residents of Jiaodong area of Shandong Province, so as to provide the evidence for making an appropriate preventive and control strategy. METHODS: A total of 18 villages from 6 counties in Jiaodong area were selected as investigation sites according to the stratified sampling method. The feces samples of the permanent residents aged above 3 years were collected and examined by Kato-Katz technique to find the intestinal parasite eggs, and the children under 12 years old were examined by the method of cellophane anal swab to detect the Enterobius vennrmicularis eggs. In addition, 50 households in each survey sites were randomly selected to investigate the basic family situation and the condition of awareness on prevention knowledge and formation of correct behavior of residents by using a structured questionnaire. RESULTS: Totally 6 163 residents involved in the feces examinations, and the total infection rate of intestinal parasites was 6.91%. The infection rates of Trichuris trichiura, Ascaris lumbricoides and hookworm were 6.56%, 0.62% and 0.21%, respectively. The infection rate of E. vermicularis in children under 12 years old was 0.51%. The eggs of Clonorchis sinensis and Taenia solium were not found in this survey. The awareness rate of knowledge about preventing parasitic diseases was 49.54%. The formation rates of washing hands before eating, washing hands after using the toilet, never eating raw fruit and vegetable without washing clean, never working in the field with bare feet, and never drinking unboiled water were 97.78%, 91.95%, 88.81%, 92.42% and 86.48% respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The infection rate of intestinal parasites is low in Jiaodong area, but there is a significant difference among different counties. The awareness rate of knowledge about preventing parasitic diseases is low, but the formation rate of healthy behavior is high. In the future, the health education and the strategy of taking medicine among the key population should be enhanced, and the project of reconstructing safe water supply and lavatory should be advanced.

Study of screening nephroprotective bioactive substances based on triple-color fluorescence probes in Carthami flos / 中国中药杂志

In this study, an approach based on triple-color fluorescence probes was developed for screening potential nephro-protective bioactive substances. Three fluorescent probes (i. e. FDA, MTR and Hoechst 33342) were used to label HK-2 cells injured by doxorubicin hydrochloride, and cellular fluorescence images were subsequently acquired and analyzed by a cellular-fluorescence image microscopy platform. The established method was applied to screening 53 components of Carthami Flos, and three components C17, C18 and C19 were found to exhibit nephroprotective effects against doxorubicin hydrochloride induced injury on HK-2 cells. Eight compounds (i. e. hydroxysafflor yellow A, 6-hydroxykaempferol-3-O-rutinoside-6-O-glucoside, 6-hydroxykaempferol-3,6-di-O-gluco-side or 6-hydroxykaempferol-6, 7-di-O-glucoside, 6-hydroxykaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, 6-hydroxykaempferol-3-O-glucoside or 6-hydroxykaempferol-7-O-glucoside, rutin, isoquercetin, and kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside) in components C17, C18 and C19 were preliminarily identified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Isoquercetin, rutin, kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, and hydroxysafflor yellow A were confirmed by comparing with reference substances, Further study indicated that these four compounds had moderate nephroprotective effects, while isoquercetin showed a significant nephroprotective effect in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that isoquercetin, rutin, kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside and hydroxysafflor yellow A might be the nephroprotective bioactive substances in Carthami Flos.

[Control strategy and practice of soil-transmitted parasitic diseases in Shandong Province].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the sustainable development control strategies on soil-transmitted parasitic diseases appropriate to current epidemic characteristics so as to effectively reduce the epidemic level and harm to people in Shandong Province. METHODS: This project was led by the Shandong Medical Department, governed and instructed by the Shandong Institute of Parasitic Diseases, concretely implemented by the centers for disease control and prevention in counties or cities. All the work was carried out according to the Control Programming of National Key Parasitic Diseases, and with the combination of routine and key control strategies according to the actual situation. RESULTS: The average infection rate of soil-transmitted parasitic diseases in Shandong Province was 18.26% in 2003. During the 2007 to 2009 period, 3,115,194 people from 74 counties in 9 cities received anthelmintic medicine. The numbers receiving health education were 39 866 923 in county, 34,730,663 in city, 3,2000 in province, respectively. The coverage rate of non-hazardous sanitary latrines was 58.05%. In 2009, 6,581 people were surveyed from 7 counties or cities and the infection rate of soil-transmitted parasitic diseases was 7.61%. During three years, 30 provincial training classes were held and 2,130 people attended, 52 municipal classes were held and 3110 people attended, and 403 county classes were held and 12,789 people attended. In the whole province, the infection rate of soil-transmitted parasitic diseases reduced to 7.10% in 2009, with the reduction rate of 61.12%, reaching the national objective. CONCLUSIONS: The comprehensive control model for soil-transmitted parasitic diseases is very successful in Shandong Province.

Synergistic protective effects of salvianolic acids and Panax notoginseng saponins on cardiomyocytes with hypoxia-reoxygenation injury / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the mechanism of protective effects of salvianolic acids and Panax notoginseng saponins and their combination on cardiomyocytes suffered with hypoxia-reoxygenation (HR) injury.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>HR-injured H9c2 cell was employed as cellular model to evaluate cardioprotective effects of salvianolic acids, P. notoginseng saponins and their combination. The viability of cells was determined by MT assay, while the leakage of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was also determined. Apoptosis of cells was monitored by staining with Hoechst 33342 fluorescent, and was further evaluated by flow cytometry. Immunoblot analysis of apoptosis-related proteins Bcl-2, Bax and Caspase-3 was performed. Moreover, content of Na+, K(+)-ATPase, Ca2+, Mg2(+)-ATPase, and ATP were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Salvianolic acids (0.05-0.5 mg x L(-1)) and P. notoginseng saponins (5-50 mg x L(-1)) have synergistic protective effects on cardiomyocytes with hypoxia-reoxygenation injury in a dose-dependent manner. Both salvianolic acids and P. notoginseng saponins can reduce hypoxia and reoxygenation-induced myocardial apoptosis and improve the energy metabolism in cardiomyocytes. Moreover, the combined use of salvianolic acids and P. notoginseng saponins exerts synergistic effects.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Salvianolic acids compatibility with P. notogiriseng saponins can protect cardiomyocytes during hypoxia and reoxygenation injury by inhibiting apoptosis and improving energy metabolism.</p>

[Epidemiological study on taeniasis and cysticercosis in Shandong Province].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate current epidemiological status of Taenia solium infection and cysticercosis in Shandong Province. METHODS: By house to house interview in the field, fecal examination and serological tests, the prevalence data of taeniasis and cysticercosis in human and pig population, and epidemiological factors in relation to the diseases were carried out. RESULTS: The prevalence of Taenia infection and cysticercosis in human population were 0.048% and 0.057% respectively. The sero-positive rate of the specific IgG4 of anti-Cysticercus was 1.91%. The prevalence differed among occupations and from region to region, but there was no significant difference between men and women, city and suburb. Unhealthy eating and unhygienic habits commonly practised among residents, 92.3% of the families have "latrines connected to pigsties". The surrounding sanitation and the disposal of fecal material were poor. The detection rate of porcine cysticercosis was 0.06%, and the positive rate of anti-Cysticercus antibody in pigs was 1.99%. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of taeniasis and cysticercosis is decreasing. However, the endemic area is expanding and the epidemiological factors are still existing. Continued effort is therefore needed for sustain the control programme.