Effects of active components of Red Paeonia and Rhizoma chuanxiong on angiogenesis in atherosclerosis plaque in rabbits

Objective： To investigate the effects and mechanism of the active components of Red Paeonia and Fthizoma chuanxiong （Xiongshao Capsule, 芎芍胶囊, XSC） on angiogenesis in atherosclerosis plaque in rabbits. Metbods： Fifty New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into the normal group, the model group, and the three medicated groups treated respectively with Simvastatin （2.5 mg/kg per day）, low-dose （0.24 g/kg per day） and high-dose （0.48 g/kg per day） XSC, 10 in each group. Rabbits in the normal group were fed with regular diet. To those in the other four groups, high fat diet was given, and a balloon angioplasty was performed two weeks later to establish abdominal aortic atherosclerosis model. Then, the model rabbits were fed continuously with high fat diet, and to those in the medicated groups, the testing drugs were added in the forage correspondingly for 6 successive weeks. Levels of blood lipids were measured at the end of the experiment. Meantime, serum levels of high sensitivity C-reactive protein （hsCRP） and tumor necrosis factor α （TNF-α） were detected with enzyme-linked immunoassay; the plaque area （PA）, cross-sectional vascular area （CVA） and correcting plaque area （PNCVA） were determined quantitatively using imaging software; and the protein expression of vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF） and factor Ⅷ related antigen （FⅧRAg） in plaque was detected using immunohistochemical method. Results： As compared with the model group, the content of total cholesterol （TC） in the three medicated groups, and contents of triglyceride （TG） and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C） in the Simvastatin group were lower to various extents （P〈0.05, P〈0.01）. The serum level of hsCRP in all modeled rabbits was higher than that in the normal group, but in the three treated groups it was significantly lower than that in the model group （P〈0.05, P〈0.01）. Expressions of VEGF and FⅧRAg, as well as PNCVA in the three medicated groups were significantly lower than those in the model control group （P〈0.05, P〈0.01）. Conclusion： The active components of Red Paeonia and Rhizoma chuanxiong have definite effects in delaying the genesis and development of atherosclerosis, its mechanism might be related with the inhibition on angiogenesis in plaque, and also with its actions of lipo-metabolism regulation and anti-inflammation.     

Antimicrobial activity of the methanolic extract and compounds from the stem bark of Drypetes tessmanniana

<正>Objective:To evaluate the antimicrobial activity of the methanol extract from the stem bark of Drypetes tessmanniana,fractions(DTB1-5)as well as compounds[friedelin(2),3,7-dioxofriedelane(3), 3,15-dioxofriedelane(4),3β-O-(E)-3,5-dihydroxycinnamoyl-11-oxo-olean-12-ene(6),and 3β,6α-dihydroxylup- 20(29)-ene(7).Methods:Agar disc diffusion was used to determine the sensitivity of the above samples,whilst the microdilution method was used for the determination of the minimal inhibitory concentration(MIC)and the minimal microbicidal concentrations(MMC).Results:The diffusion test showed that the crude extract was able to prevent the growth of all tested organisms.All other samples showed selective activity.The inhibitory effect of the fraction DTB2 was noted on 63.7%,that of DTB1 and DBT3 on 54.6%,whilst DTB4 and DTB5 were active on 9.1%of the 11 tested organisms.The tested compounds prevented the growth of 81.8%of the tested microbial species for compounds 3 and 4,36.7%for compound 6,and 18.2%for compound 7.The results of the MIC determinations indicated perceptible values for DTB and compound 4 on 81.8%of the tested organisms. For other samples,MICs were detected on 0-63.7%.The lowest MIC value(78.12μg/mL)for the crude extract and fractions(DTB2)was observed on M.audouinii.The corresponding value for isolated compounds(156.25μg/ mL)was noted with compounds 3 on S.faecalis and 4 on M.audouinii.The results of the MMC determination suggested that the microbicidal effect of most of the tested samples on the studied microorganisms could be expected.Conclusion:The methanol extract from the stem bark of Drypetes.tessmanniana(Euphorbiaceae)as well as some of the isolated compounds might be potential sources of new antimicrobial drugs.     

Population characteristics of IrishHelicobacter pylori isolates: a tRNA-associated locus

Background  

A strain-variable transfer RNA-associated-locus (trl) was present in 50% of IrishHelicobacter pylori (H. pylori), isolates and did not correlate with the origin of the isolates.     

Potential synergistic and multitarget effect of herbal pair Chuanxiong Rhizome-Paeonia Albifora Pall on osteoarthritis disease: A computational pharmacology approach

Objective:To study the polypharmacological mechanism of herbal pair Chuanxiong Rhizome-Paeonia Albifora Pall(HP CXR-PAP) on the treatment for osteoarthritis(OA).Methods:Chemical space was used to discuss the similarities and differences between the molecule sets of HP CXR-PAP and drugs.Docking protocol was used to study the interaction between HP CXR-PAP and OA target enzymes.The similarities and differences of HP CXR-PAP and drugs in target spaces were elucidated by network features.Results:The plots between the molecule sets of HP CXR-PAP and drugs in chemical space had the majority in the same region, and compounds from HP CXR-PAP covered a much larger additional region of space than drug molecules, which denoted the diverse structural properties in the molecule set of HP CXR-PAP.The molecules in HP CXR-PAP had the properties of promiscuous drugs and combination drug,and both HP CXR-PAP ligand-target interaction network and drug ligand-target interaction network were similar in the interaction profiles and network features,which revealed the effects of multicomponent and multitarget.Conclusion:The clue of potential synergism was obtained in curing OA disease by Chinese medicine,which revealed the advantages of Chinese medicine for targeting osteoarthritis disease.     

Protective effect of total alkaloids of Sophora alopecuroides on dextran sulfate sodium-induced chronic colitis

Objective  

To investigate the effect of total alkaloids of Sophora alopecuroides (TASA) on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice.     

Proliferation-inhibiting and apoptosis-inducing effects of ursolic acid and oleanolic acid on multi-drug resistance cancer cells in vitro

Objective  

To investigate the proliferation-inhibiting and apoptosis-inducing effects of ursolic acid (UA) and oleanolic acid (OA) on multi-drug resistance (MDR) cancer cells in vitro.     

Six-year follow-up afterHelicobacter pylori eradication in peptic ulcer disease

Background  

The longterm outlook afterHelicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication in peptic ulcer disease is unclear.     

In vivo and in vitro antiviral effects of berberine on influenza virus

Objective  

To explore the potential effects of berberine on influenza virus infection both in vitro and in vivo.     

Protective effects and mechanism of Panax Notoginseng saponins on oxidative stress-induced damage and apoptosis of rabbit bone marrow stromal cells

Objective: To investigate the effects and possible mechanism of Panax Notoginseng saponins (PNS) on oxidative stress-induced damage and apoptosis in bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs).Methods: BMSCs were isolated and cultured from 2-month-old New Zealand rabbits by the density gradient centrifugation combined with adherent method.The third passage cells were used for subsequent experiments.Oxidative stress was induced in cultured BMSCs by H2O2 (0.1 mmol/L).BMSCs were pretreated with 25-200 μg/mL PNS for 4 h before H2O2 treatment.Proliferation of BMSCs was observed using MTT assay.Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity,as an index of early osteoblastic differentiation,was determined with an ALP assay kit.Flow cytometry was used to observe the apoptosis of BMSCs by staining with annexinV-FITC/ propidium iodide.Oxidative stress level was examined by reactive oxygen species (ROS) assay.The protein expressions of Bax,Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 in BMSCs were analyzed by Western blotting.Results: PNS had different concentrationdependent effects on proliferation and osteoblast differentiation of BMSCs induced by H2O2.A PNS concentration of 100 μg/mL was determined as the optimal effective concentration.PNS markedly attenuated H2O2-induced apoptosis rate from 41.91% to 14.67% (P0.01).PNS significantly decreased ROS level induced by H2O2 (P0.01).Furthermore,pretreatment with PNS significantly reversed H2O2-induced inhibition of Bcl-2 expression and augmentation of Bax and Caspase-3 expression (P0.01).Conclusion: PNS had a protective effect on oxidative stress-induced damage and apoptosis in cultured rabbit BMSCs through scavenging ROS and regulating the Bcl-2/Bax pathway.     

Oxysophoridine suppresses the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma in mice: In Vivo and cDNA microarray studies

Objective:To observe the in vivo effects of oxysophoridine on hepatocellular carcinoma in mice and to study the related mechanisms.Methods:C57BL mice were inoculated with mouse hepatoma H22 cells subcutaneously,then divided into 5 groups(14 per group),and treated with oxysophoridine(50,100,or 150 mg/kg) or cisplatin(4 mg/kg) for 10 days.Inhibitory rate of tumor,body weight gain,and influence indices on internal organs(liver,spleen and thymus) were evaluated.The differentially expressed genes between the oxysophoridine-treated group,and the control group were analyzed using cDNA microarray and quantitative real-time PCR(qRT-PCR) experiments.Results:Compared with the tumor weight of the control group(2.75±0.66 g),oxysophoridine significantly suppressed hepatocellular carcinoma growth in mice(P<0.01),with 0.82±0.36 g,0.57±0.22 g,and 1.22±0.67 g for the tumor weight in the low,moderate,and high dose treatment group, respectively.The moderate dose led to the highest inhibitory rate,79.3%.Observation of body weight gain and influence on three organs showed that compared with cisplatin,oxysophoridine produced fewer side effects in vivo.cDNA microarray and qRT-PCR showed that the most significant differentially expressed genes in the tumor samples of oxysophoridine-treated mice were mostly involved in regulating apoptosis,with the Tnfrsf11b (osteoprotegerin) gene being the most significantly affected.Conclusion:Oxysophoridine was a promising compound for developing drugs against hepatocellular carcinoma,and its anti-hepatoma effect was probably related to osteoprotegerin activation.     

Antiviral effects of aqueous extract from Spatholobus suberectus Dunn. against coxsackievirus B3 in mice

Objective  

To investigate the antiviral effects of the aqueous extract of Spatholobus suberectus Dunn. (A.E.), a Chinese medicinal herb, against coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3).     

A novel sequence-based <Emphasis Type="Italic">coa</Emphasis> genotyping method to discriminate nosocomial methicillin-resistant <Emphasis Type="Italic">Staphylococcus aureus</Emphasis> isolates

Aim  

To evaluate a novel sequence-based coa typing method in classification for nosocomial methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.     

Occurrence ofBurkholderia cepacia in the hospital environment

Aim  

To determine the prevalence ofBurkholderia cepacia from the environment in a regional adult cystic fibrosis (CF) care centre.     

Correlation between Fc γ R III a and aortic atherosclerotic plaque destabilization in ApoE knockout mice and intervention effects of effective components of Chuanxiong Rhizome and Red Peony Root

Objective  

To explore the correlation between Fc γ RIII A (CD16A) and aortic atherosclerotic plaque destabilization in apoE knockout (apoE KO) mice and the intervention effects of effective components of Chuanxiong Rhizome and Red Peony Root.     

A fatal case of Pasteurella multocida epiglottitis

Introduction  

Pasteurella multocida, a Gram-negative bacillus, is rarely associated with acute respiratory infections.     

Experimental study on the suppression of sodium nitroprussiate-induced chondrocyte apoptosis by Tougu Xiaotong Capsule (透骨消痛胶囊)-containing serum

Objective  

To study the mechanism of action of Tougu Xiaotong Capsule (透骨消痛胶囊, TGXTC) ex vivo in suppressing chondrocyte (CD) apoptosis induced by sodium nitroprussiate (SNP).     

Effect of Chlorophytum Borivilianum Santapau and Fernandes on sexual dysfunction in hyperglycemic male rats

Objective:To investigate the effects of Chlorophytum borivilianum(CB) on sexual dysfunction, loss of body weight,and lack of libido in hyperglycemic rats induced with streptozotocin or alloxan.Methods: Wistar strain male albino rats were divided into five groups of six animals each:the control group(2% polyvinylpyrollidone solution),the streptozotocin control group(50 mg/kg),the alloxan control group(100 mg/kg), the streptozotocin + CB treated group(200 mg/kg),and the alloxan + CB treated group(200 mg/kg...     

Drug susceptibility and clonality of methicillin-resistant <Emphasis Type="Italic">Staphylococcus epidermidis</Emphasis> in hospitalized patients with hematological malignancies

Purpose  

To evaluate the clonal relatedness and drug susceptibility of Streptococcus epidermidis isolated from hematological patients.     

Imperatorin Is Responsible for the Vasodilatation Activity of Angelica Dahurica var. Formosana Regulated by Nitric Oxide in an Endothelium-Dependent Manner

Objective:To demonstrate the vasodilatation activity of the coumarin-containing Angelica dahurica var.formosana and to further analyze active components in the herb extracts.Methods:(1) The vasodilatation effects induced by different extracts(cyclohexane,ethyl acetate,acetone,methanol,95%ethanol and water) of Angelica dahurica var.formosana on mouse thoracic aorta pre-contracted with phenylephrine were investigated. (2) The amount of imperatorin and isoimperatorin in each extract was measured by high-per...