A review of the taxonomy, ethnobotany, chemistry and pharmacology of Sutherlandia frutescens (Fabaceae)

Sutherlandia frutescens (tribe Galegeae, Fabaceae), a popular plant in traditional medicine, is indigenous to South Africa, Lesotho, southern Namibia and southeastern Botswana. It is chemically, genetically and geographically extremely variable and has been divided into three subspecies and several regional forms. A second species, Sutherlandia tomentosa, is localized along the Cape coast. Sutherlandia is sometimes treated as part of the genus Lessertia. There are numerous vernacular names and a wide diversity of uses, including poor appetite, indigestion, stomach complaints, dysentery, colds, influenza, kidney conditions, fever, diabetes, internal cancers, uterine troubles, liver conditions, backache, rheumatoid arthritis, urinary tract infections, stress and anxiety, dropsy and heart failure. Notable is the use as a bitter tonic ("blood purifier"), anti-stress medication ('musa-pelo) and, at least since 1895, specifically as a cancer tonic (both as treatment and as prophylaxis). Externally it is applied to haemorrhoids, inflamed wounds and eye infections. Recent in vitro and in vivo studies have shown antiproliferative, anti-HIV, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antibacterial, anti-stress, anticonvulsant and antithrombotic activities. Aqueous extracts often differ in activity from organic solvent extracts. The presence of high levels of free amino acids, non-protein amino acids such as canavanine and GABA, the cyclitol pinitol, flavonols and triterpenes (including SU1, a cycloartane-type triterpene saponin) provide plausible hypotheses on how these compounds, individually or collectively, may be responsible for the reputed efficacy in a wide range of ailments. Results of animal studies, as well as a phase I clinical study, have shown no indications of toxicity. Sufficient preclinical data are now available to justify controlled clinical studies.     

Bioassay-guided isolation of anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive principles from a folk remedy, Rhododendron ponticum L. leaves

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Rhododendron ponticum L. (Ericaceae) is used for the treatment of inflammatory diseases and to alleviate rheumatic pain and against toothache in Turkish traditional medicine.     

Astragaloside IV attenuates lipolysis and improves insulin resistance induced by TNFalpha in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

Increased circulating free fatty acid (FFA) concentrations have been demonstrated to potentially link obesity, insulin resistance and cardiovascular diseases. Astragaloside IV (AS-IV) is a saponin which is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of AS-IV on the lipolysis and insulin resistance induced by tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) in cultured 3T3-L1 adipocytes. TNFalpha promotes lipolysis in mammal adipocytes via the mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) family resulting in reduced expression/function of perilipin. Application of AS-IV inhibited TNFalpha-induced accelerated lipolysis in a dose-dependent manner, which was compatible with suppressed phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and reversed the downregulation of perilipin. Moreover, TNFalpha induced downregulation of key enzymes in lipogenesis, including LPL, FAS and GPAT, were also attenuated by AS-IV. Further studies showed that AS-IV improved TNFalpha-induced insulin resistance in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. This study provides the first direct evidence of the antilipolytic action of AS-IV in adipocytes, which may allow this agent to decrease the circulating FFA levels, thus increase insulin sensitivity and treat cardiovascular diseases.     

Dietary red chilli (Capsicum frutescens L.) is insulinotropic rather than hypoglycemic in type 2 diabetes model of rats

The present study was conducted to clarify whether a low or a high, but tolerable, dietary dose of red chilli (RC) can ameliorate the diabetes related complications in a high-fat (HF) diet-fed streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type 2 diabetes model of rats. Five-week-old male Sprague Dawley rats were fed a HF diet for 2 weeks then randomly divided into four groups namely: normal control (NC), diabetic control (DBC), red chilli low (RCL, 0.5%) and red chilli high (RCH, 2.0%) groups. Diabetes was induced by an intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of STZ (40 mg/kg BW) in all groups except the NC group. After 4 weeks feeding of experimental diets, the fasting blood glucose concentrations in both RC fed groups were not significantly different. The serum insulin concentration was significantly (p < 0.05) increased in the RCH group compared with the DBC and RCL groups. Blood HbA1c, liver weight, liver glycogen and serum lipids were not influenced by the feeding of RC-containing diets. The data of this study suggest that 2% dietary RC is insulinotropic rather than hypoglycemic at least in this experimental condition.     

通络生骨胶囊加微创内固定术治疗非创伤性股骨头缺血性坏死患者的护理

对185例口服中药通络生骨胶囊加微创植骨支撑内固定术治疗围塌陷期非创伤性股骨头缺血性坏死患者进行护理,认为术前做好各项检查及心理护理,术后注意观察病情变化,保持术肢体位正确,加强基础护理,预防并发症,正确指导患者服用中药及功能锻炼,并做好出院指导工作,对患者恢复髋关节功能起重要作用。     

Rhodiola rosea polysaccharides promote the proliferation of bone marrow haematopoietic progenitor cells and stromal cells in mice with aplastic anaemia

ContextThe effects of Rhodiola rosea L. (Crassulaceae) polysaccharides (RRPs) on haematopoiesis are poorly understood.ObjectiveTo determine the effects of RRPs on haematopoiesis in mice with aplastic anaemia.Materials and methodsAplastic anaemia was induced in Kunming mice by ⁶⁰Coγ (2.0 Gy) irradiation and cyclophosphamide administration (50 mg/kg/day for 3 consecutive days; intraperitoneal injection). The in vivo effects of RRPs (10, 20, and 40 mg/kg; intraperitoneal injection) on haematopoiesis were analyzed using peripheral blood tests, histopathological examination of haematopoietic tissues, culture of haematopoietic progenitors and bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs), and Western blotting of Fas and Fas ligand (FasL). The in vitro effects of RRPs on bone-marrow haematopoietic progenitors and BMSCs were also evaluated.ResultsCompared to anaemic controls, high-dose RRPs (40 mg/kg) significantly increased red blood cells (8.21 ± 0.57835 versus 6.13 ± 1.34623 × 10¹²/L), white blood cells (5.11 ± 1.6141 versus l.54 ± 1.1539 × 10⁹/L), and BMSCs (10.33 ± 1.5542 versus 5.87 ± 3.1567 × 10¹²/L) in mice with aplastic anaemia (all p < 0.01). High-dose RRPs significantly increased the formation of colony-forming unit-granulocyte macrophage (CFU-GM), burst-forming unit-erythroid (BFU-E), and colony-forming unit-erythroid (CFU-E; p < 0.01). Fas and FasL protein expression in BMSCs decreased after RRPs administration. Especially at the high dose, RRPs (150 μg/mL) significantly promoted in vitro CFUs-E, BFUs-E, and CFUs-GM formation. RRPs (150–300 μg/mL) also promoted BMSC proliferation.Discussion and conclusionsRRPs helped to promote haematopoietic recovery in mice with aplastic anaemia, facilitating haematopoietic tissue recovery. This study indicated some mechanisms of the haematopoietic regulatory effects of RRPs. Our findings provide a laboratory basis for clinical research on RRPs.     

基于网络药理学和分子对接探讨参芪五味子胶囊治疗焦虑症的机制

[目的] 通过网络药理学和分子对接技术探讨参芪五味子胶囊治疗焦虑症的作用机制。[方法] 利用中药系统药理学数据库与分析平台（TCMSP）预测和筛选参芪五味子胶囊的主要生物活性成分及其靶点,与GeneCards、OMIM、DisGeNET、TTD数据库检索筛选出的焦虑症疾病靶点交集整合;借助String平台绘制蛋白质相互作用（PPI）网络,并开展基因本体（GO）注释功能与京都基因与基因组百科全书（KEGG）通路富集分析;依托Cytoscape软件绘制“药物-成分-靶点”以及“成分-靶点-通路”的网络关系图;采用Autodock分子对接技术将关键靶点与参芪五味子胶囊中关键活性成分进行验证。[结果] 获得成分靶点238个,疾病靶点919个,交集靶点62个,通过CytoNCA插件筛选出19个核心靶点;GO分析表明,主要涉及信号转导、基因表达正调控、同种蛋白结合、细胞外配体门控离子通道活性、苯二氮卓类受体活性等;KEGG分析表明,主要富集通路涵盖AGE-RAGE信号通路、神经活性配体-受体相互作用通路、流体剪切应力和动脉粥样硬化通路等;分子对接显示,36组关键靶点与活性成分组合结合能均小于-20.92 kJ/mol,证明结合良好。[结论] 参芪五味子胶囊可通过多成分-多靶点-多通路发挥治疗焦虑症的作用,为后续探究参芪五味子胶囊治疗焦虑症提供研究思路。     

Abnormal neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus of adult mice lacking 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 (1,25-(OH)2 D3)

In this study, we employed 1α-hydroxylase knockout (1α-(OH)ase(-/-) ) mice to investigate the influence of 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D(3) (1,25-(OH)(2) D(3) ) deficiency on the adult neurogenesis in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG). The numbers of both 24-hr-old BrdU(+) cells and proliferating cell nuclear antigen positive cells in 8-week-old 1α-(OH)ase(-/-) mice increased approximately twofold compared with wild-type littermates. In contrast, the numbers of 7- and 28-day-old BrdU(+) cells in 1α-(OH)ase(-/-) mice decreased by 50% compared with wild-type mice, while the proportion of BrdU(+) /NeuN(+) cells in BrdU(+) population showed no difference between 1α-(OH)ase(-/-) and wild-type mice. Apoptotic cells in the subgranular zone (SGZ) of DG markedly increased in 1α-(OH)ase(-/-) mice. Replenishment of 1,25-(OH)(2) D(3) , but not correction of serum calcium and phosphorus levels, completely prevented changes in the neurogenesis in 1α-(OH)ase(-/-) mice. The absence of 1,25-(OH)(2) D(3) led to an increase in the expression of L-type voltage-gated calcium channel (L-VGCC) and a decrease in the nerve growth factor (NGF) mRNA level. Treatment with the L-VGCC inhibitor nifedipine blocked the increased cell proliferations by 1,25-(OH)(2) D(3) deficiency. Administration of NGF significantly attenuated the loss of newborn neurons in 1α-(OH)ase(-/-) mice.     

瑞香狼香水提物小鼠药物血清诱导K562细胞凋亡

目的从细胞凋亡角度探讨瑞香狼毒(SCL)抗肿瘤作用机理.方法用SCL小鼠药物血清处理培养的人白血病K562细胞,MTT比色法观察对细胞生长的抑制作用,荧光显微镜观察凋亡细胞的形态变化,流式细胞仪观察DNA改变.结果SCL(5～20)g*kg-1小鼠药物血清显著抑制K562细胞增殖,明显诱导K562细胞凋亡的形态学改变和DNA变化.凋亡细胞率与小鼠服用SCL水提物的剂量呈正相关.结论SCL水提物可诱导肿瘤细胞凋亡.     

HPLC法测定新疆圆柏叶中槲皮素的含量

目的　建立HPLC测定新疆圆柏叶中槲皮素的方法。方法　采用岛津HRC -ODS柱 (2 5 0mm× 4 6mm) ,流动相为乙腈- 0 .4 %磷酸 (4 5∶5 5 ) ,流速为 1.0ml/min ,检测波长为 2 5 4nm。结果　该方法回收率为 99.5 % ,RSD =0 .8% ,线性关系为A =874 5 .33X +82 4 .9(r=0 .9999) ,槲皮素的平均含量为 1.0 4 %。结论　本测定方法为新疆圆柏叶的质量评价提供了可靠依据