OBJECTIVE: To investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of Radix Panacis quinguefolii root extract (RPQE) and its therapeutic effects on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). METHODS: The 72-hour post-fertilization zebrafish was used to generate the local and systematic inflammation models through tail-amputation and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induction (100 µ g/mL), respectively. The Tg(zlyz:EGFP) zebrafish was induced with 75 µ g/mL 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) for establishing the IBD model. The tail-amputated, LPS-, and TNBS-induced models were subjected to RPQE (ethanol fraction, 10-20 µ g/mL) administration for 12 and 24 h, respectively. Anti-inflammatory activity of RPQE was evaluated by detecting migration and aggregation of leukocytes and expression of inflammation-related genes. Meanwhile, TNBS-induced fish were immersed in 0.2% (W/V) calcein for 1.5 h and RPQE for 12 h before photographing to analyze the intestinal efflux efficiency (IEE). Moreover, the expression of inflammation-related genes in these fish was detected by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Subject to RPQE administration, the migration and aggregation of leukocytes were significantly alleviated in 3 zebrafish models (P<0.01). Herein, RPQE ameliorated TNBS-induced IBD with respect to a significantly reduced number of leukocytes, improved IEE, and inhibited gene expression of pro-inflammatory factors (P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSION RPQE exhibited therapeutic effects on IBD by inhibiting inflammation.
Animals ; Zebrafish ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Disease Models, Animal ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/metabolism* ; Inflammation/drug therapy* ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents/therapeutic use* ; Trinitrobenzenesulfonic Acid/adverse effects* ; Colitis/drug therapy*

Humans ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/adverse effects* ; Aspirin/therapeutic use* ; Respiration Disorders ; Respiratory Tract Diseases

Although a variety of regimens are available for the treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD), severe adverse reactions and unpopular costs often limit their usage. In contrast, certain inexpensive, naturally-occurring ingredients are proven effective for AD with fewer side effects. The beneficial effects of these ingredients can be attributed to inhibition of cytokine and chemokine expression, IgE production, inflammatory cell infiltration, histamine release, and/or the enhancement of epidermal permeability barrier function. Since herbal medicines are widely available, inexpensive and generally safe, they could be valuable alternatives for the treatment of AD, particularly for those patients who are not suitable for the utilization of immune modulators. In this review, we summarize the therapeutic benefits of natural ingredients for the treatment of AD and the mechanisms of their actions.
Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Biological Products ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Permeability ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUNDSmoking and body mass index (BMI) are the key risk factors for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Adiponectin with both anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory properties is a vital modulator of inflammatory processes, which is expressed in epithelial cells in the airway in COPD-emphysema. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of adiponectin on tobacco smoke-induced emphysema in rats, which were fed different diets.

METHODSSeventy-six adult (6-8 weeks old) male Sprague-Dawley rats (average weight 220 ± 20 g) were exposed to smoke or smoke-free room atmosphere and fed different diets (regular, high-fat, or low-fat diets) for 6 months. The rats were randomly divided into six groups. They are nonsmoke-exposed regular diet (n = 10), nonsmoke-exposed high-fat diet (n = 14), nonsmoke-exposed low-fat diet (n = 14), smoke-exposed regular diet (n = 10), smoke-exposed high-fat diet (n = 14), and smoke-exposed low-fat diet groups (n = 14). A full 2 3 factorial design was used to evaluate the effect of independent variables on smoke exposure and different rearing methods. Serum adiponectin and inflammatory cytokines were measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTSSerum adiponectin levels in rats fed low-fat and regular diets exposed to smoke exposure were remarkably higher than that of rats exposed to room air while serum adiponectin levels of fat-rich diet rats exposed to tobacco smoke were lower than that of rats exposed to room air. Compared with regular diet or low-fat diet group, serum adiponectin levels in high-fat diet rats exposed to tobacco smoke were lower (t = 6.932, 11.026; all P < 0.001). BMI was inversely correlated with serum adiponectin levels (r = -0.751, P = 0.012). Serum interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and 4-hydroxy 2-nonenal (HNE) levels in rats exposed to low-fat or fat-rich diets were remarkably higher than that of rats exposed to normal diets (IL-6, t = 4.196, 3.480; P < 0.01, P = 0.001; TNF-α, t = 4.286, 3.521; P < 0.01, P = 0.001; 4-HNE, t = 4.298, 4.316; all P < 0.001). In nonhigh-fat diet rats exposed to tobacco smoke, serum adiponectin levels correlated positively with serum IL-6, TNF-α, and 4-HNE, bronchoalveolar lavage cell count, and mean linear intercept. In contrast, in high-fat diet rats, serum adiponectin levels correlated inversely with these parameters.

CONCLUSIONSIn smoke-induced emphysema and fat-rich diet rat model, serum adiponectin level was decreased, and the anti-inflammatory effect was attenuated. By contrast, nonhigh-fat diet elevated serum adiponectin and enhanced the role of pro-inflammatory.

Adiponectin ; blood ; Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; therapeutic use ; Diet, High-Fat ; adverse effects ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; Male ; Pulmonary Emphysema ; blood ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Smoke ; adverse effects ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood

Helicobacter pylori can cause variety of upper gastrointestinal disorders such as peptic ulcer, mucosa associated lymphoid tissue (MALT)-lymphoma, and gastric cancer. The prevalence of H. pylori infection has significantly decreased in Korea since 1998 owing to active eradication of H. pylori. Along with its decrease, the prevalence of peptic ulcer has also decreased. However, the mean age of gastric ulcer increased and this is considered to be due to increase in NSAID prescription. Gastric cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths in Korea and Japan, and IARC/WHO has classified H. pylori as class one carcinogen of gastric cancer. Despite the decreasing prevalence of H. pylori infection, the total number of gastric cancer in Korea has continuously increased from 2006 to 2011. Nevertheless, the 5 year survival rate of gastric cancer patients significantly increased from 42.8% in 1993 to 67% in 2010. This increase in survival rate seems to be mainly due to early detection of gastric cancer and endoscopic mucosal dissection treatment. Based on these findings, the prevalence of peptic ulcer is expected to decrease even more with H. pylori eradication therapy and NSAID will become the main cause of peptic ulcer. Although the prevalence of gastric cancer has not changed along with decreased the prevalence of H. pylori, gastric cancer is expected to decrease in the long run with the help of eradication therapy and endoscopic treatment of precancerous lesions.
Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/adverse effects ; Gastrointestinal Diseases/complications/*epidemiology ; Helicobacter Infections/complications/drug therapy/epidemiology ; Humans ; Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone/epidemiology ; Peptic Ulcer/epidemiology/etiology ; Prevalence ; Stomach Neoplasms/etiology/mortality/pathology

The aims of this study were to assess the risk of tuberculosis (TB) and the status of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in Korean patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) receiving tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha blockers. We reviewed medical records of 525 Korean IBD patients (365 TNF-alpha blocker naive and 160 TNF-alpha blocker exposed) between January 2001 and December 2013. The crude incidence of TB was significantly higher in IBD patients receiving TNF-alpha blockers compared to TNF-alpha-blocker-naive patients (3.1% vs. 0.3%, P=0.011). The mean incidence of TB per 1,000 patient-years was 1.84 for the overall IBD population, 4.89 for TNF-alpha blocker users, and 0.45 for TNF-alpha-blocker-naive patients. The adjusted risk ratio of TB in IBD patients receiving TNF-alpha blocker was 11.7 (95% confidence interval, 1.36-101.3). Pulmonary TB was prevalent in patients treated with TNF-alpha blockers (80.0%, 4/5). LTBI was diagnosed in 17 (10.6%) patients, and none of the 17 LTBI patients experienced reactivation of TB during treatment with TNF-alpha blockers. Treatment with TNF-alpha blockers significantly increased the risk of TB in IBD patients in Korea. De novo pulmonary TB infection was more prevalent than reactivation of LTBI, suggesting an urgent need for specific recommendations regarding TB monitoring during TNF-alpha blocker therapy.
6-Mercaptopurine/adverse effects/analogs & derivatives/therapeutic use ; Adult ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Antibodies, Monoclonal/adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Cohort Studies ; Colitis, Ulcerative/*drug therapy ; Crohn Disease/*drug therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Latent Tuberculosis/chemically induced/diagnosis/*epidemiology ; Male ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis/isolation & purification ; Republic of Korea ; Retrospective Studies ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/chemically induced/diagnosis/*epidemiology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/*antagonists & inhibitors

The aims of this study were to assess the risk of tuberculosis (TB) and the status of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in Korean patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) receiving tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha blockers. We reviewed medical records of 525 Korean IBD patients (365 TNF-alpha blocker naive and 160 TNF-alpha blocker exposed) between January 2001 and December 2013. The crude incidence of TB was significantly higher in IBD patients receiving TNF-alpha blockers compared to TNF-alpha-blocker-naive patients (3.1% vs. 0.3%, P=0.011). The mean incidence of TB per 1,000 patient-years was 1.84 for the overall IBD population, 4.89 for TNF-alpha blocker users, and 0.45 for TNF-alpha-blocker-naive patients. The adjusted risk ratio of TB in IBD patients receiving TNF-alpha blocker was 11.7 (95% confidence interval, 1.36-101.3). Pulmonary TB was prevalent in patients treated with TNF-alpha blockers (80.0%, 4/5). LTBI was diagnosed in 17 (10.6%) patients, and none of the 17 LTBI patients experienced reactivation of TB during treatment with TNF-alpha blockers. Treatment with TNF-alpha blockers significantly increased the risk of TB in IBD patients in Korea. De novo pulmonary TB infection was more prevalent than reactivation of LTBI, suggesting an urgent need for specific recommendations regarding TB monitoring during TNF-alpha blocker therapy.
6-Mercaptopurine/adverse effects/analogs & derivatives/therapeutic use ; Adult ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Antibodies, Monoclonal/adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Cohort Studies ; Colitis, Ulcerative/*drug therapy ; Crohn Disease/*drug therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Latent Tuberculosis/chemically induced/diagnosis/*epidemiology ; Male ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis/isolation & purification ; Republic of Korea ; Retrospective Studies ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/chemically induced/diagnosis/*epidemiology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/*antagonists & inhibitors

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical efficiency of selective cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor compared to traditional nonselective NSAIDs for the prevention of heterotopic ossification (HO) after total hip arthroplasty (THA).

METHODSBy searching Medline, Embase, CENTRAL (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) and Science Citation Index et al, only randomised controlled studies of selective COX-2 inhibitors VS nonselective COX-1 and COX-2 inhibitors for the prevention of HO after THA were included. The quality assessment of included studies was evaluated according to the standard of the Cochrane Collaboration, and the data were analysised by statistic software Stata 10.0. The HO incidence of both groups in different degrees was compared.

RESULTSFour eligible randomised controlled trials of totally 808 patients were included. Meta-analysis results showed that no statistically significant difference was found in overall incidence of HO (RR = 1.08, 95% CI: 0.71-1.64,P = 0.73), incidence of moderate severe HO (Brooker II and III) (RR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.48-1.42, P = 0.49) and any grade of Brooker classification between two groups. In all included studies, 16 patients receiving nonselective COX inhibitor (4.4%) discontinued treatment because of gastrointestinal toxicity,whereas 10 patients in the selective COX-2 inhibitor group (2.7%) discontinued for gastrointestinal side effects.

CONCLUSIONThe selective COX-2 inhibitors are as equally effective as nonselective NSAIDs for the prevention of HO after THA. Considering the side effects of nonselective NSAIDs, selective COX-2 inhibitors were recommend for the prevention of HO after THA.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip ; adverse effects ; Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Ossification, Heterotopic ; prevention & control ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

The new generation cyclooxygenase (COX-2) inhibitor could reduce the gastrointestinal side effect of NSAID drugs, but eventually increase the cardiovascular risk, because its selective inhibition of COX-2 induces the imbalance between PGI2 and TXA2 and the reduction of vasodilatory NO. Under pathological conditions, active oxygen species (O2-*2, etc) were used to induce endo- thelial dysfunction, activate NF-κB to induce expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and TNF-α, increase ET-1, TXA2 with vasoconstrictor effect, reduce PGI2 and NO with vasodilatory effect, generate further oxidative damage together with NO, and reduce the bioavailability of NO. NO-NSAIDs and NO-Coxibs drugs raised the level of NO by introducing NO-donor (ONO2). NSAIDs drugs enhanced the anti-inflammatory activity of COX-2 and reduced gastrointestinal side effects by inhibiting selectively COX-2. If antioxidant structures with active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicines were introduced to improve the antioxidant activity of NSAIDs, they could scavenge the active oxygen species to protect the normal function of vascular endothelia and enhance the bioavailability of NO, which is conducive to enhance the cardiovascular safety of cyclooxygenase (COX-2) inhibitor.
Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; therapeutic use ; Biomarkers, Pharmacological ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; immunology ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; immunology ; Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; NF-kappa B ; immunology ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; immunology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; immunology

Adult ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; therapeutic use ; Dexamethasone ; therapeutic use ; Facial Nerve Diseases ; surgery ; Female ; Hemifacial Spasm ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Microvascular Decompression Surgery ; adverse effects ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting ; prevention & control