Objective To evaluate the effect of Tangshenkang Mixture (TM) on preventing diabetic nephropathy (DN). Methods SD rat model of diabetes was established by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ). Contents of blood sugar,urine sugar and urine albumin in rats were measured. The pathological changes of unilateral kidney were also observed under microscope by HE and PAS staining. Glomerulus dimensions,capillary vessel dimensions and PAS-positive matter area were measured with Pathological Picture Analyzing System. Results ①Obvious albuminuria,enlargement of glomerulus and capillary vessel,increase of PAS-positive matter area were found in model group. ②Urinary protein content in TM group was significantly lower than that in model group and western medicine group(P

Statistical analysis of TCM syndrome differentiation and clinical symptoms were made in 163 cases of diseases of digestive tract. It was found that the patients of abnormal defection or tendecy of abnormal defecation with the hyperactive liver - Qi attacking the spleen, stagnation of liver-Qi due to hypofunction of the spleen, loose stool due to deficiency of the spleen, constipation due to Qi-deficiency, constipation due to Qi - staganation syndromes accounted for 60%- 100%. Elecrtic examination of colon on the body surface and analysis of frequancy spectrum found that hyperelectroactivity of low - frequency and high - frequency segment of colon and contractive complex myoelectric hyperactivity in the patients of the hyperactive liver - Qi attacking the spleen; hyperelectroactivity of high - frequency segment of the ascending and descending colon and contractive complex myoelectric hyperactivity and decrease of electric activity of high - frequency segment of the sigmoid colon in the patients of loose stool due to hypofunction of the spleen: obvious decrease of electric activiy of low - frequency and high-frequency of the colon and contractive complex myoelectric hyperactivity in the patients of constipation due to deficiency of Qi or Qi - stagnation, but electric activity of the high -frequency segment of the colon and contractive complex myoelectric activity after meal in the patients of constipation due to Qi -stagnation was stronger than that in the patients of constipation due to Qi - deficiency. Electric frequency spectrum of colon can indirectly reflect changes of colon dynamics of different syndromes, and it can partially expain the changes of stool and the mechanism of relative symptoms.

In 51 patients with gastrointestinal diseases,diseases,abdondnal X-lay Photos at lying POSition weretaken 6.5 hours after barium ined and 12 healthy volunteers served as coneal. The longitudinal axis,the transverse diameter,the number and the height of colonic bags in the colonic X-ray photes at fillingand evacuating Phases were counted.Chronic colitis was mainly manifested as loose stool, alternation ofconstipation and diarrhea,dyschesia or abdominal pain whenever desire to defecate. The colonic X-rayphotos showed that the diameter and the number of colonic bag in chronic colitis were reduced and the evacuation of barium became accelerated.These colonic X-ray images can explain the pathophysiologicmechasm of the above manifestations and may serve as a kinetic index providing evidence for the clinicaldiagnosis and treatment of the disease.

0.05 ),and the gastric evacuation rate in SDS group was lower than Group C(P

Objective: To establish a hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) induced injury model of pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAECs) and explore the molecular mechanisms of oxidative stress on the structure and function of PAECs in this model. Methods: Human PAECs were treated with H₂O₂ at different concentrations (25, 50, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1 600, 3 200, 6 400 μmol/L) for 4 and 24 h, respectively. The PAECs survival curve was obtained according to the cell viability measured by CCK-8 assay. The cell apoptosis of PAECs was detected by flow cytometry. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and mitochondrial activity were measured using small molecule fluorescent probes. Proteins were extracted and the phosphorylation levels of signal molecules in PAECs were detected by Western blot assays. Results: (1) The effect of H₂O₂ at various concentrations on cell viability of PAECs: cell viability of PAECs decreased in proportion to increasing concentration of H₂O₂ after incubation for 4 h. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) of PAECs exposed to H₂O₂ for 4 and 24 h were 397.00 and 488.77 μmol/L, respectively. (2) The effect of H₂O₂ on cell apoptosis of PAECs: After H₂O₂ incubation for 4 h, proportions of PAECs at late-apoptosis ((22.58±3.69) %) and necrotic stage( (11.86±4.27)%) were significantly higher than those of control PAECs at late-apoptosis stage( (3.41±1.44)%, P<0.01) and at necrotic stage ((1.94±1.15) % , P<0.05). The survival rate of PAECs post H₂O₂ was dramatically lower than that of control PAECs ((7.98±3.21)% vs. (48.89±8.08)%, P<0.01). However, there is no statistical difference between both groups regarding to the early apoptosis. (3) The effect of H₂O₂ on mitochondrial activity and ROS production of PAECs: the mitochondrial activity and ROS generation of PAECs treated by H₂O₂ were significantly increased compared to those in control PAECs (P<0.01). (4) The effect of H₂O₂ on signaling molecules in PAECs: there was a significant increase in phosphorylation level of Akt in PAECs incubated with H₂O₂ for 30 minutes compared to that in control PAECs (P<0.01), while there was no significant difference in levels of Akt between H₂O₂ treated PAECs and control PAECs. Phosphorylation level of JNK as well as p38 were also significantly upregulated in H₂O₂ treated PAECs (P<0.01). Conclusion H₂O₂ at the concentration of 400 μmol/L could induce human PAECs injuries via the regulation of Akt and MAPK signaling pathways.

ObjectiveTo study the changes of mitochondrial function of ovarian granulosa cells in women of different ages and the effect of Erzhi-Tiangui prescription on in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer （IVF-ET） outcomes for elderly women， so as to verify the connotation of the "Seven-Seven" theory in the Huangdi's Internal Classic （《黄帝内经》）. MethodA total of 150 infertility patients undergoing IVF-ET at the Reproductive and Genetic Center of Integrative Medicine， Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine were recruited and assigned into "hree-Seven/Four-Seven （30 cases）， Five-Seven （60 cases）， and Six-Seven （60 cases） groups according to the "Seven-Seven" theory. The Five-Seven and Six-Seven groups were further assigned into control and Chinese medicine subgroups using the random number plus envelope method， and the Chinese medicine group was administrated with Erzhi Tiangui prescription from the start day of controlled ovulation stimulation cycle to the trigger day. The IVF outcome was observed， and Western blot was employed to determine the levels of mitofusin 1 （MFN1）， mitofusin 2 （MFN2）， and dynamin-related protein 1 （Drp1） in the ovarian granulosa cells. ResultCompared with the Three-Seven/Four-Seven group， the control subgroups of the Five-Seven and Six-Seven groups showed decreased retrieved oocytes， two pronuclear （2PN） embryos， available embryos， high-quality embryos， clinical pregnancy rate， and live birth rate （P<0.05）. Moreover， the control subgroup of the Six-Seven group showed decreased fresh embryo transfer rate（P<0.05）. Compared with the control subgroup of the Five-Seven group， that of the Six-Seven group showed reduced retrieved oocytes， 2PN embryos， available embryos， high-quality embryos， and clinical pregnancy rate （P<0.05）. The Chinese medicine subgroup had more retrieved oocytes， 2PN oocytes， and available embryos than the control subgroup in the Five-Seven groups （P<0.05）. The Chinese medicine subgroup had more retrieved oocytes， than the control subgroup in the Six-Seven groups （P<0.05）. The control subgroup of the Six-Seven group showed lower expression levels of Mfn1 and Mfn2 and higher level of Drp1 than the control subgroup of the Five-Seven group （P<0.05）， which indicated that the levels of Mfn1 and Mfn2 in ovarian granulosa cells were down-regulated while the expression of Drp1 was up-regulated with aging （P<0.05）. The Chinese medicine subgroup had higher Mfn2 level and lower Drp1 level than the control subgroup in the Five-Seven group （P<0.05）， and the Chinese medicine subgroup had higher Mfn1 and Mfn2 levels and lower Drp1 level than then control subgroup in the Six-Seven group （P<0.05）. ConclusionsThe prognosis of IVF in women after "Five-Seven" became worse with aging， and the mitochondria in ovarian granulosa cells showed decreased fusion ability and increased fission， which verified the connotation of the "Seven-Seven" theory from the mitochondrial function. Erzhi Tiangui prescription can regulate the mitochondrial function of ovarian granulosa cells in elderly women， up-regulate the expression levels of Mfn1 and Mfn2 to promote mitochondrial fusion， and down-regulate the expression of Drp1 to reduce mitochondrial fission， thus alleviating the ovarian hypofunction caused by aging， improve the development potential of oocytes， and improve the IVF outcomes of elderly women. However， this prescription has limited efficacy for the elderly women in the age range of "Six-Seven".

Age-related ovarian hypofunction includes a decrease in follicle quantity and quality as well as alterations in the ovarian microenvironment，the mechanisms of which are mainly related to mitochondrial dysfunction，free radical and antioxidant systems，telomere and telomerase alterations，and apoptosis，and is one of the major factors contributing to infertility in advanced maternal age （AMA）. Despite the tremendous progress in assisted reproductive technology in recent decades，few breakthroughs have been made in alleviating age-related ovarian hypofunction and improving reproductive outcomes for AMA. In recent years，there has been an increasing number of studies on the multi-level and multi-targeted mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） to improve age-related ovarian hypofunction by modulating mitochondrial homeostasis，alleviating oxidative stress，and inhibiting apoptosis，while more high-quality randomized controlled trials have demonstrated the clinical efficacy of TCM in assisted reproductive technology. Given this，this article presented a systematic review of recent research and randomized controlled trials on the mechanism of Chinese medicine active ingredients，single Chinese medicine， and Chinese medicine compounds in delaying age-related ovarian hypofunction，to clarify the current status and shortcomings of the research. This paper provides medication management of TCM for effectively alleviating age-related ovarian hypofunction and improving reproductive outcomes for AMA.