Calcium ion is involved in many processes of cellular living activities. It is critically important for maintaining normal functions of human body. The review will discuss intracellular calcium regulation, distribution changes of calcium in ischemic cerebravascular and cardiovascular diseases, and intracellular intervention of calcium by specific drugs.

Aim To investigate the effect of simvastatin on the FKN expression in human umbilical vascular endothelial cells(HUVEC)up-regulated by interleukine-18(IL-18),and the effect on adhesion of FKN to monocyte THP-1.Methods FKN expression in HUVEC was determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and the adhesion was checked by in vitro Flow chamber.Results Incubation of HUVECs with IL-18 upregulated FKN mRNA expression(P

Objective: To discover the connection between migraine and Tianmashouwu Tablet (TMT) in endothelial cell perspective. Methods: Serum containing TMT was added to rat's cerebral capilary endothelial cell's culture to observe the changes of NO and ET, and effect on express of ETmRNA and iNOSmRNA. Results: Levels of iNOSmRNA, rCMECs and ETmRNA were all downregulated, and contents of both NO and ET were decreased. Conclusions: TMT is effective in protection against rCMECs induced apoptosis, and has a therapeutic effect on migraine.

Identification of the native habitat of Chinese medicine decoction pieces plays an important role in the use of Chinese Heber medicine. However, the traditional method always based on subjective description, lack of quantitative information. In this study, nanomechanical analysis of Ophiopogonis Radix, Polygonati Odorati Rhizoma and Curcumae Aromaticae Radix coming from different districts was carried out by using the force-distance curve of atomic force microscopy (AFM), including stiffness (represented by the slope of the force curve) and adhesion work (calculated via the adhesion area of the retrace line in force-distance curve). The results showed that the Ophiopogonis Radix from Sichuan province (slope 0.03 +/- 0.001) was significantly stiffer but less sticky [adhesion work 393.98 +/- 49.21 x 10(-10)) J] in comparison with that from Hubei province [slope 0.018 +/- 0.001, adhesion work (985.67 +/- 91.61) x 10(-10) J]; the Polygonati Odorati Rhizoma Hunan province was stiffer (slope 0.03 +/- 0.002) and stickier [adhesion work (413.67 +/- 92.58) x10(-10) J] than that from Dongbei province [slope 0.019 +/- 0.002, adhesion work (27.37 +/- 11.05) x 10(-10) J]; the Curcumae Aromaticae Radix from Sichuan province was also stiffer (slope 0.019 +/- 0.0017) but less stickier [adhesion work (1179.79 +/- 225.05) x 10(-10) J] than that from Hubei province [slope 0.013 +/- 0.0006, adhesion work (2831.27 +/- 93.71) x 10(-10)]. It is indicated that changes in mechanical properties of Chinese medicine decoction pieces correlate well with their origin. This method may provide quantitative information for the identification of the native habitat of Chinese medicine decoction pieces.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Ecosystem ; Medicine, East Asian Traditional ; methods ; Microscopy, Atomic Force ; methods

Ischemic stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. In Han dynasty， HUA Tuo proposed the original preventive medicine idea that "with good blood circulation， the disease cannot be born"， which opened a broad space for the cross-research of blood-related mechanical factors and pharmacology. In the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke， mechanical factors comprehensively affect the function and crosstalk of platelets and endothelial cells. In recent years， as the well-known effects on thrombosis and stroke， more attention has been paid to hemodynamic factors as the participants involved in pathological mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets of ischemic stroke. The mechanical force ion channel Piezo1 widely exists on the surface of many types of cells. Besides being regulated by chemical and endogenous substances， Piezo1 responds to different mechanical conditions， regulates the opening and closing of channels， and activates different downstream signaling pathways. Piezo1 is now regarded as an important connection between mechanical and biochemical signals. A variety of Chinese medicine can affect the activity of Piezo1 protein， which may prevent and treat thrombotic diseases such as ischemic stroke through Piezo1 protein. In this paper， the effects of Piezo1 protein on the physiological and pathological functions of endothelial cells and platelet under different mechanical conditions and the role of Piezo1 in the process of thrombosis were reviewed， as well as the effects of Chinese medicine， chemical medicine， and endogenous substances targeting Piezo1 channel. These could provide new ideas for further exploring the mechanisms of Chinese medicines in activating blood circulation， developing new drugs， and deepening biomechanical-pharmacology research.

ObjectiveBased on the inhibitory activity of phosphodiesterase （PDE）， a method for determining the anti-inflammatory activity of Qingjin Huatantang was established to supplement and improve the quality control system of this famous classical formula. MethodHigh performance liquid chromatography （HPLC） was used to determine the activity of PDE， and the dose-effect relationship of inhibiting PDE activity of Qingjin Huatantang was investigated. The mobile phase consisted of methanol-0.5% acetic acid aqueous solution （5∶95）， and the detection wavelength was 254 nm. By measuring the PDE inhibition rate of multiple batches of Qingjin Huatantang water extract lyophilized powder， biological activity was marked with the activity of the neutralizing enzyme in the international unit U. ResultWhen the concentration of reaction substrate （cyclic adenosine monophosphate） was 50 μmol·L^-1 and the reaction time was 60 min， the enzymatic reaction was stable with 4 U·mL^-1 of PDE. In this reaction system， when the concentration of Qingjin Huatantang water extract lyophilized powder was 0.11-3.0 g·L^-1， the inhibitory effect of PDE showed a concentration-dependent relationship. It was determined that the concentration of Qingjin Huatantang water extract lyophilized powder to be tested was 1 g·L^-1， which showed a significant and stable inhibitory effect on PDE， and the inhibitory rate was >45%， that is， 1 mg of Qingjin Huatantang water extract lyophilized powder could neutralize the activity of 1.8 U PDE at least. ConclusionThis study establishes a biological activity evaluation method of Qingjin Huatantang based on the inhibitory activity of PDE， and the anti-inflammatory activity of Qingjin Huatantang is characterized by international unit U of PDE activity， which can provide a new method for the determination of biological activity of traditional Chinese medicine compounds.

ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanisms of Panax notoginseng saponins （PNS） in inhibiting high shear-induced platelet aggregation and thrombosis via the Piezo1-mediated calcium signaling pathway. MethodBioflux1000z was used for the microfluidic assay， where platelets were stimulated with physiological shear rate （500 s^-1）， pathological shear rate （12 000 s^-1）， or Piezo1 agonist Yoda1 under the physiological shear rate （500 s^-1）. The shear-induced platelet calcium influx and the binding of platelet with von Willebrand factor （vWF） were measured by flow cytometry. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was employed to measure the vWF release from platelets. The microfluidic channels were used to determine the vWF-mediated platelet aggregation and integrin αⅡbβ3 activation. A mouse model of arterial thrombosis induced by high shear stress combined with endothelial injury was established. The ultrasonic Doppler flow meter was used to monitor the cyclic flow reduction （CFR） caused by the repeated formation and shedding of thrombi， and flow cytometry was employed to examine platelet-vWF binding， on the basis of which the effect of PNS on high shear-induced arterial thrombosis was evaluated. ResultThe microfluidic assay showed that PNS decreased the high shear rate （12 000 s^-1） or Yoda1-induced calcium influx， platelet-vWF binding， vWF-mediated platelet-fibrinogen binding， and vWF release from platelet alpha-granules in a dose-dependent manner. In the mouse model of high shear-induced thrombosis， PNS markedly reduced the CFR and occlusion time of the common carotid artery and inhibited platelet-vWF binding. ConclusionPNS can mitigate pathological shear-induced platelet aggregation and arterial thrombosis via influencing Piezo1/GPIbα-vWF signaling.

Malaria is an ancient infectious disease that threatens millions of lives globally even today. The discovery of artemisinin, inspired by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has brought in a paradigm shift and been recognized as the "best hope for the treatment of malaria" by World Health Organization. With its high potency and low toxicity, the wide use of artemisinin effectively treats the otherwise drug-resistant parasites and helps many countries, including China, to eventually eradicate malaria. Here, we will first review the initial discovery of artemisinin, an extraordinary journey that was in stark contrast with many drugs in western medicine. We will then discuss how artemisinin and its derivatives could be repurposed to treat cancer, inflammation, immunoregulation-related diseases, and COVID-19. Finally, we will discuss the implications of the "artemisinin story" and how that can better guide the development of TCM today. We believe that artemisinin is just a starting point and TCM will play an even bigger role in healthcare in the 21st century.
Artemisinins/therapeutic use* ; COVID-19/drug therapy* ; Drug Repositioning ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Neoplasms/drug therapy*