Myelophil ameliorates brain oxidative stress in mice subjected to restraint stress

We evaluated the pharmacological effects of Myelophil, a 30% ethanol extract of a mix of Astragali Radix and Salviae Radix, on oxidative stress-induced brain damage in mice caused by restraint stress. C57BL/6 male mice (eight weeks old) underwent daily oral administration of distilled water, Myelophil (25, 50, or 100 mg/kg), or ascorbic acid (100 mg/kg) 1 h before induction of restraint stress, which involved 3 h of immobilization per day for 21 days. Nitric oxide levels, lipid peroxidation, activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione redox system enzymes), and concentrations of adrenaline, corticosterone, and interferon-γ, were measured in brain tissues and/or sera. Restraint stress-induced increases in nitric oxide levels (serum and brain tissues) and lipid peroxidation (brain tissues) were significantly attenuated by Myelophil treatment. Restraint stress moderately lowered total antioxidant capacity, catalase activity, glutathione content, and the activities of glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione S-transferase; all these responses were reversed by Myelophil. Myelophil significantly attenuated the elevated serum concentrations of adrenaline and corticosterone and restored serum and brain interferon-γ levels. Moreover, Myelophil normalized expression of the genes encoding monoamine oxidase A, catechol-O-methyltransferase, and phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase, which was up-regulated by restraint stress in brain tissues. These results suggest that Myelophil has pharmacological properties protects brain tissues against stress-associated oxidative stress damage, perhaps in part through regulation of stress hormones.     

Effects of lithium therapy on Na+-K+-ATPase activity and lipid peroxidation in bipolar disorder

Objectives

Oxidative stress induced lipid peroxidation along with a reduced Na⁺–K⁺-ATPase activity has been implicated in the pathophysiology of bipolar disorders (BPD). Although, lithium therapy results in significant improvement in the symptoms of the disease, studies regarding its effect on the altered sodium pump activity and lipid peroxidation status have come out with conflicting results. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the status of lipid peroxidation and analyze the role of lithium and Na⁺–K⁺-ATPase activity in its regulation in BPD patients in our region.

Method

We measured RBC membrane Na⁺–K⁺-ATPase activity and serum thiobarbituric acid reacting substances (TBARS) level in 73 BPD patients and serum lithium, in addition, in 48 patients receiving lithium therapy among them.

Results

Na⁺–K⁺-ATPase activity and serum TBARS level were significantly decreased and increased respectively in all BPD patients compared to age and sex matched healthy controls. Same trend was observed in the BPD patients stabilized on lithium therapy compared to the lithium naive ones. Although, the enzyme activity showed a reciprocal relationship with TBARS in all patients of BPD, a significant positive correlation and dependence of the enzyme activity was evident with serum lithium level only in the lithium stabilized BPD group.

Conclusions

BPD patients showed significantly compromised Na⁺–K⁺-ATPase activity and increased lipid peroxidation. Lithium induced improvement in the enzyme activity was associated with significant reduction in lipid peroxidation. Enhancement of the Na⁺–K⁺-ATPase activity by optimum dosage of lithium may be a potential contributing factor for reducing oxidative stress in BPD patients.     

Effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes in diabetic rat heart

OBJECTIVES: The risk for cardiovascular disease is significantly high in diabetes mellitus. Experimental evidence suggests that oxidative stress plays a dominant role in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus. Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), an active component of propolis, has several biological and pharmacological properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, antiviral, and immunomodulatory activities. In light of the antioxidant ability of CAPE, the effects of CAPE on the antioxidative status of cardiac tissue were investigated in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. DESIGN AND METHODS: Twenty-six rats were randomly divided into three groups: group I, control, nondiabetic rats (n = 9); group II, STZ-induced, untreated diabetic rats (n = 7); and group III, STZ-induced, CAPE-treated diabetic rats (n = 10). In groups II and III, diabetes developed 3 days after intraperitoneal (ip) administration of a single 35 mg kg(-1) dose of STZ. Thereafter, while the rats in group II received no treatment, the rats in group III began to receive a 10 mumol kg(-1) ip dose of CAPE per day. After 8 weeks, the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in the cardiac tissues of all groups were analyzed. RESULTS: In untreated diabetic rats, MDA markedly increased in the cardiac tissue compared with the control rats (P < 0.05). However, MDA levels were reduced to the control level by CAPE. The activities of SOD and CAT in the untreated diabetic group and the CAPE-treated diabetic group were higher than those of the control group (P < 0.05). Rats in the CAPE-treated diabetic group had reduced activities of SOD and CAT in comparison with the rats in the untreated diabetic group (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the activity of GSH-Px between the rats in the untreated diabetic group and the control group. However, the activity of GSH-Px was increased in CAPE-treated diabetic rats compared with the control and untreated diabetic rats (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: These results reveal that diabetes mellitus increases oxidative stress in cardiac tissue and CAPE has an ameliorating effect on the oxidative stress via its antioxidant property.     

血清m-AST、TBA检测在酒精性肝病诊断中的应用

目的实验探讨m-AST、TBA等临床化学指标检测与酒精性肝病的关系。方法用HITACHI7600-020生化分析仪对56例酒精性肝病组和53例急性、慢性病毒性肝炎组及50例对照组血清中m-AST、AST、TBA、餐后2hTBA、ALT等临床化学指标进行检测。结果酒精性肝病组的m-AST、TBA、餐后2hTBA、m-AST/AST、2hTBA/TBA水平明显高于对照组(P<0.01)。m-AST/AST、2hTBA/TBA明显高于急性、慢性肝炎组(P<0.01)。而ALT等其它临床化学指标虽然高于对照组,但缺乏疾病组间鉴别的特异性依据。结论m-AST、AST、m-AST/AST、TBA、餐后2hTBA的水平检测在诊断酒精性肝病早期中具有重要的意义。     

亮菌甲素联合头孢唑林钠治疗慢性胆囊炎急性发作的临床研究

目的 探讨亮菌甲素联合注射用头孢唑林钠治疗慢性胆囊炎急性发作的临床疗效。方法 回顾性分析2020年6月—2022年12月在焦作市人民医院治疗的86例慢性胆囊炎急性发作患者临床资料。根据用药种类的不同分为对照组和治疗组，每组各43例。对照组患者静脉滴注注射用头孢唑林钠，2.0 g加入生理盐水100 mL，1次/12 h；在此基础上，治疗组静脉滴注注射用亮菌甲素，5.0 mg加入生理盐水100 mL，1次/24 h。两组患者均经10 d治疗。观察两组患者临床疗效，比较治疗前后两组患者症状改善时间，血清C反应蛋白（CRP）、胆囊收缩素（CCK）、白细胞介素-6（IL-6）、核因子-κB（NF-κB）、肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）、天门冬酸氨基转移酶（AST）、丙氨酸氨基转移酶（ALT）和总胆汁酸（TBA）水平。结果 治疗后，治疗组总有效率（97.96%）明显高于对照组（83.67%，P＜0.05）。治疗后，治疗组右上腹疼痛、恶心呕吐、口苦、腹胀改善时间上均早于对照组（P＜0.05）。治疗后，两组患者血清CRP、CCK、IL-6、NF-κB、TNF-α、AST、ALT和TBA水平均明显下降（P＜0.05），且治疗组这些血清学指标明显低于对照组（P＜0.05）。结论 亮菌甲素联合注射用头孢唑林钠治疗慢性胆囊炎急性发作可促进临床症状改善，降低肝损害，减轻机体炎症反应。