缬草油对2型糖尿病大鼠肾脏的保护作用及其机制探讨

目的 观察缬草油对2型糖尿病大鼠肾脏的保护作用并探讨其机制。方法 将实验动物分为正常对照组、糖尿病组、缬草油组及厄贝沙坦组。检测各组喂养4周、5周、11周、17周的血糖、血胰岛素、血甘油三酯(TG)、血胆固醇(TC)水平；喂养11周、17周的血肌酐(Scr)、血尿素氮(BUN)、尿白蛋白排泄率(UAE)、肾组织中丙二醛(MDA)含量、铜锌超氧化物歧化酶(Cu-Zn SOD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)、谷胱甘肽过氧化酶(GSH-Px)及蛋白激酶C(PKC)活性，同时留取肾脏作HE染色行病理检查。结果 与糖尿病组相比，缬草油组血TG、TC、Scr、BUN、UAE、肾脏MDA含量、肾细胞膜PKC均明显下降，而肾脏抗氧化酶活性，包括Cu-Zn SOD、CAT、GSH-PX，则明显上升。病理检查发现缬草油组较糖尿病组肾小球体积稍缩小，系膜增生明显减轻。治疗后缬草油组与厄贝沙坦组相比，Scr、BUN、UAE的下降及肾脏病理改变的改善无明显差异。结论 缬草油可以明显改善2型糖尿病大鼠的肾脏损害，减少蛋白尿，延缓肾功能损害的进展。其作用与其降低血脂、抗氧化、抑制肾皮质内PKC的激活有关。     

缬草的性状与显微鉴别研究

目的:研究缬草的性状及显微鉴别特征。为进一步制定缬草的质量标准及开发利用提供科学依据。方法:利用性状与显微鉴别的方法对其进行药材性状的组织构造及粉末的鉴别。结果:制订和建立了缬草的性状鉴别与显微鉴别的标准。结论:本文章建立的鉴别指标可有效控制缬草的药用质量。     

Effect of valerian on human sleep

The effect of an aqueous extract of valerian root on sleep was studied in two groups of healthy, young subjects. One group (N=10) slept at home, the other (N=8) in the sleep laboratory. Sleep was evaluated on the basis of questionnaires, self-rating scales and night-time motor activity. In addition, polygraphic sleep recordings and spectral analysis of the sleep EEG was performed in the laboratory group. Under home conditions, both doses of valerian extract (450 and 900 mg) reduced perceived sleep latency and wake time after sleep onset. Night-time motor activity was enhanced in the middle third of the night and reduced in the last third. The data suggest a dose-dependent effect. In the sleep laboratory, where only the higher dose of valerian was tested, no significant differences from placebo were obtained. However, the direction of the changes in the subjective and objective measures of sleep latency and wake time after sleep onset, as well as in night-time motor activity, corresponded to that observed under home conditions. There was no evidence for a change in sleep stages and EEG spectra. The results indicate that the aqueous valerian extract exerts a mild hypnotic action.     

缬草油对高胆固醇血症大鼠肾小管上皮细胞巢蛋白表达的影响

目的：探讨缬草油对高胆固醇血症大鼠肾小管上皮细胞巢蛋白表达的影响。方法：大鼠随机分为正常组、高脂组、缬草油（25mg·kg-1.d-1）组和辛伐他汀（5mg·kg-1.d-1）组,用含4%胆固醇和1%胆酸钠的高脂饲料饲喂大鼠建立高脂模型。观察8、12、16周时各组大鼠血脂、尿蛋白、血肌酐和肾小管间质病理改变,免疫组化法检测肾小管上皮细胞巢蛋白和α-平滑肌肌动蛋白（α-SMA）表达。结果：随时间延长,高脂大鼠肾小管上皮细胞逐渐出现巢蛋白和α-SMA表达。巢蛋白表达与总胆固醇、低密度脂蛋白、24h尿蛋白、血肌酐正相关（r=0.963、0.830、0.944、0.706,P〈0.01）,与肾小管间质损伤指数正相关（r=0.974,P〈0.01）,与α-SMA呈正相关（r=0.804,P〈0.01）。缬草油能显著降低大鼠血总胆固醇、低密度脂蛋白、24h尿蛋白和血肌酐,下调肾小管上皮细胞巢蛋白和α-SMA表达（P〈0.01）。在巢蛋白表达减少同时,肾小管间质损伤和纤维化明显改善,其改善作用较辛伐他汀更明显（P〈0.05）。结论：缬草油可能通过降脂、下调肾小管上皮细胞巢蛋白表达减轻高胆固醇血症大鼠肾间质纤维化。     

缬草对慢性应激导致的抑郁大鼠血清皮质酮和海马caspase-3阳性细胞数量的影响

目的探讨缬草对慢性应激导致的抑郁大鼠体重、行为、血清皮质醇和海马Caspase-3阳性细胞数量的影响。方法50只大鼠被分为正常对照组、未用药模型组、阴性对照模型组、阳性对照模型组和缬草治疗组,每组各10只。除正常对照组外,给予其余4组大鼠为期4周的慢性应激,以建立抑郁症模型。在整个实验期间,每周检测所有大鼠体重、自来水摄取量、1%糖水摄取量。除未用药模型组正常饲养外,其余4组大鼠在模型建立后分别灌服羧甲基纤维素钠、氟西汀以及缬草,灌药周期均为3周。灌药结束后,每组随机选取5只大鼠,采用放射免疫法检测其血清皮质酮水平;每组另5只大鼠用于caspase-3阳性细胞的计数。结果经过4周慢性应激后,与正常对照组大鼠相比,抑郁模型组大鼠的体重以及1%糖水摄取量明显降低。灌服缬草3周后,能使抑郁模型组大鼠的体重、1%糖水摄取量增加并恢复到正常对照组水平。缬草治疗组血清皮质酮水平明显降低,并恢复至正常对照组大鼠水平,同时使抑郁大鼠海马caspase-3阳性细胞总数减少到正常对照组大鼠水平。结论缬草能使抑郁大鼠恢复体重及正常行为,能降低抑郁大鼠血清皮质酮水平,并具有减少大脑海马caspase-3阳性细胞的作用。     

缬草对小鼠活动的影响

目的：研究不同剂量缬草的镇静催眠作用,确定缬草镇静催眠活性并分析其有效作用剂量。方法：观察不同剂量对小鼠自主活动的影响以及直接镇静催眠作用。结果：缬草能显著增加小鼠睡眠率,减少小鼠的自主活动次数。结论：缬草具有良好的镇静催眠作用。     

缬草油对2型糖尿病大鼠肾脏内氧化应激的影响

目的：观察缬草油对2型糖尿病大鼠肾脏内氧化应激(OS)的影响。方法：将实验动物分为正常对照组、糖尿病组、缬草油治疗组。检测各组喂养4周、5周及成模6周、12周的血糖、血胰岛素，成模6周、12周肾组织中丙二醛(MDA)含量、铜，锌-超氧化物歧化酶(Cu，Zn-SOD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)、谷光甘肽过氧化酶(GSH—Px)活性，同时观察肾功能、尿蛋白和肾脏形态。结果：与糖尿病组相比，缬草油治疗组肾脏MDA含量明显下降，而肾脏抗氧化酶活性(Cu，Zn-SOD、CAT、GSH—PX)则显著上升，肾功能和肾脏形态均明显改善，尿蛋白下降。作相关性分析发现肾功能、尿蛋白与肾脏MDA含量成正相关，与抗氧化酶活性成负相关。结论：氧化应激在2型糖尿病肾脏损害过程中发生了重要作用；缬草油通过抑制氧化应激达到了其对该模型大鼠肾脏的保护作用。     

Could Valerian Have Been the First Anticonvulsant?

PURPOSE: To assess the available evidence for the belief that valerian, highly recommended in the past for treating epilepsy, possessed real anticonvulsant effectiveness. METHODS: Review of available literature. RESULTS: In 1592, Fabio Colonna, in his botanical classic Phytobasanos, reported that taking powdered valerian root cured his own epilepsy. Subsequent reports of valerian's anticonvulsant effectiveness appeared. By the late 18th and early 19th centuries, it was often regarded as the best available treatment for the disorder. Valerian preparations yield isovaleric acid, a substance analogous to valproic acid and likely to possess anticonvulsant properties, as isovaleramide does. In favorable circumstances, high valerian doses can be calculated to have sometimes provided potentially effective amounts of anticonvulsant substance for epilepsy patients. CONCLUSIONS: Valerian probably did possess the potential for an anticonvulsant effect, but the uncertain chemical composition and content of valerian preparations, and their odor and taste, made it unlikely that they could ever prove satisfactory in widespread use.     

Valerian/lemon balm use for sleep disorders during menopause

The onset of Menopause in women is frequently associated with sleep disruption with hot flushes intensifying problems. Thus the use of supplementary drugs to ameliorate these symptoms is of significance.ObjectivesThe purpose of this research was to determine whether valerian/lemon balm could assist by enhancing sleep patterns in this client group.Methods100 women aged 50–60 years who complained of sleep disorders were studied. Subjects were selected randomly in a sampling method utilizing two groups of 50 people (intervention group with valerian/lemon balm and placebo group). The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was administered pre and post-intervention.ResultsA significant difference was observed with reduced levels of sleep disorders amongst the experimental group when compared to the placebo group.ConclusionValerian/lemon balm may assist in reducing symptoms of sleep disorder during the menopause.