OBJECTIVETo systematically review the efficacy and safety of sodium ferulate (SF) for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy.

METHODSBy computerized retrieving the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CNKI, VIP, CBM (theses, conference and internet materials), as well as data from internet materials regarding randomized controlled clinical trials of sodium ferulate for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy were collected completely. Data were strictly extracted using the simple evaluation method recommended in Cochrane Handbook and Meta-analysis was performed using Revman 5.0 software.

RESULTSFourteen randomized controlled trials involving 906 patients met the inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis showed that as compared with the control group, the effects in SF group were superior in terms of reducing urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER) at early stage [WMD = 16.08, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 11.01 to 21.15] and clinical stage (WMD = 82.66, 95% CI: 66.95 to 98.37), urinary endothelin/endothelin-1 (ET/ET-1, WMD = 10.78, 95% CI: 8.18 to 13.39), levels of serum creatinine (SCr, WMD = 6.42, 95% CI: 1.83 to 11.01), blood urea nitrogen (BUN, SMD = 1.45, 95% CI: 0.19 to 2.71) and total cholesterol (TC, WMD = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.56 to 1.21, as well as in increasing high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C, WMD = 0.17, 95% CI: 0.09 to 0.26), showing significant difference between groups. However, the effects of SF were insignificantly different to those of control in reducing fasting blood glucose (FBG, WMD = 0.17, 95% CI: -0.03 to 0.37) and triglyceride (TG, SMD = -0.13, 95% CI -0.49 to 0.23).

CONCLUSIONSAt present the evidences show that SF is superior to the conventional treatment in reducing UAER, ET, SCr, BUN, TC and increasing HDL-C, but there is no evidence to show that SF is superior in reducing FBG and TG. However, the evidence is not strong enough due to the low quality of included literature. More large-scale, multi-center, randomized trials are needed to confirm the efficacy and safety of SF in treating diabetic nephropathy.

Coumaric Acids ; therapeutic use ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Phytotherapy

Arteriosclerosis ; drug therapy ; Coumaric Acids ; therapeutic use ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Flavonoids ; Humans ; Phenols ; therapeutic use ; Phytotherapy ; Polymers ; therapeutic use ; Polyphenols ; Pyrazines ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical application value of sodium ferulate for intracerebral hemorrhage in early stage.

METHODSixty patients with cerebral hemorrhage in basal ganglia onset within 24 h were randomly divided into two groups. The two groups showed no evident differences in age, hematoma volume and edema volume, computerized tomography number, and Chinese Stroke Scale. Both groups were given basic treatment with dehydrating, cytidine diphosphocholine, controlling blood pressure, blood sugar and complicating diseases, while the observation group added the treatment of sodium ferulate intravenous drip after 24 h. The hematoma volume, edema volume, and computerized tomographynumber were examined in the 1st day and 14th day, Chinese Stroke Scale in the 1st day, 14th day and 28th day, and the level of serum endothelin in the 1, 3, 5, 7, 14th day.

RESULTAfter treatment, edema volume and computerized tomography number in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Patients' recovery of neural function were markedly improved in the observation group better than that in the control group (P < 0.05), and also the therapeutic effectiveness (P < 0.05). The serum endothelin level of the 60 patients showed higher significantly than the healthy group in 24 h after hemorrhage (P < 0.01). The control group kept higher in 14 days (P < 0.05), while the observation group showed declined significantly in the 3rd day and close to the healthy group, and lower than the healthy group in the 14th day (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONWith the basic medical therapy, applying sodium ferulate can effectually improve the resolution of the haematoma, reduce the peripheral edema, and enhance the recovery of neural function for the patients with intracerebral hemorrhage in early stag. The therapeutic effectiveness of adding sodium ferulate in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage in early stage is better than that of the basic medical therapy in most of the fields as the above. No evident effect on secondary hemorrhage, or harmful impact on heart, liver and kidney function was found.

Aged ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; therapeutic use ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Coumaric Acids ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

The aim of the present research was to study the transdermal absorbability of ferulic acid and imperatorin in Zhitong cataplasm. Using methanol to extract the effective components, HPLC was established to determine drug content in Zhitong cataplasm. The excised abdominal skin of nude rats was used as the permeation model Utilizing the modified Franz diffusion cell, the suitable receiving solution was elected. The contents of ferulic acid and imperatorin in Zhitong cataplasm were 455.10, 371.66 microg x g(-1), respectively. Taken 20% ethanol- PBS (pH 8) as receiving solution, ferulic acid and imperatorin could be detected maximize, with the steady-state infiltration rates of 1.29, 0.15 microg x h(-1) x cm(-2), respectively. After 24 h, their penetration quantities were 30.03, 3.31 microg x cm(-2), with the penetration rates of 41.45%, 5.60%, respectively. The residual quantities of ferulic acid and imperatorin in skin were 0.69, 2.60 microg x cm(-2), with the retention rates of 0.95%, 4.40%, respectively. The in vitro transdermal behavior of ferulic acid in Zhitong cataplasm was close to a zero-order process, with the stratum corneum playing a rate-limiting role; whereas the percutaneous behavior of imperatorin was closer to Higuchi model, where diffusion played an important role in drugs permeation.
Analgesics ; chemistry ; metabolism ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; Coumaric Acids ; metabolism ; therapeutic use ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; metabolism ; therapeutic use ; Furocoumarins ; metabolism ; therapeutic use ; Kinetics ; Pain ; drug therapy ; Rats ; Skin Absorption

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of sodium ferulate (SF) on diabetic nephropathy (DN).

METHODSForty-eight DN patients of early stage and 54 DN patients of clinical stage were randomly divided into two groups, the conventional treatment group and the SF treatment group. Indexes, including urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER), serum endothelin (ET), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (Scr) and fasting blood glucose (FBG) were observed.

RESULTSThe levels of UAER, BUN and ET were decreased in all DN patients, either early stage or clinical stage, after treated with SF for 4 weeks (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), but changed insignificantly in those treated with conventional treatment.

CONCLUSIONSF can decrease the levels of UAER and BUN in DN patients, the mechanism may relate with the decreasing of ET production and antagonizing to the binding of ET with its receptors.

Adult ; Aged ; Coumaric Acids ; therapeutic use ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; drug therapy ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; drug therapy ; Endothelin Receptor Antagonists ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of sodium ferulate on the hemodynamics of hepatic cirrhosis patients.

METHODSEighty-two hepatic cirrhosis patients were randomly assigned to two groups, the 27 patients in the control group were treated by conventional liver protecting therapy, and the 55 patients in the treated group were treated with sodium ferulate besides the conventional therapy. The therapeutic course for both groups was two weeks. The following indexes were measured before treatment and two weeks after treatment respectively: inner diameter of portal vein (PV), inner diameter of splenic vein (SPV), maximum portal vein flow rate (PVX), maximum splenic vein flow rate (SPVX), portal vein blood flow (QPV) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) concentration. The adverse effect was observed meanwhile.

RESULTSIn the treated group after treatment, levels of PV, SPV and ET-1 decreased (P < 0.01), PVX and SPVX increased significantly (P < 0.01), but QPV was unchanged; while no significant change of all the indexes was found in the control group (P > 0.05). Further analysis showed that in the treated group, PV, SPV and ET-1 decreased significantly in patients of Child grade A and B (P <0. 01), but QPV changed insignificantly (P > 0.05, and all indexes were unchanged in patients of Child grade C (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSodium ferulate can effectively lower the pressure of portal vein in hepatic cirrhosis patients without any influence on the blood flow of portal vein, the effect is more significant on patients of Child grade A and B.

Adult ; Aged ; Coumaric Acids ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Hemodynamics ; drug effects ; Humans ; Hypertension, Portal ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Liver Cirrhosis ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects and mechanisms of sodium ferutate (SF) in treating diabetic nephropathy (DN).

METHODSEighty patients of diabetes mellitus type 2 with DN were randomly divided into two groups, 40 cases in each group. The routine group treated with conventional treatment including dietary therapy and hypodermic injection of insulin, and the SF group treated with intravenous dripping of SF 300 mg/d additionally besides the conventional therapy, the therapeutic course for both groups was 4 weeks. And 40 healthy volunteers were allocated in a group for normal control. Before and after therapy, levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG), hemoglobin A1c(HbA1c), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C), serum creatinine (SCr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), mean arterial pressure (MAP), urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER), serum collagen type IV (CIV) and endothelin (ET) were detected.

RESULTSAfter 4 weeks of treatment, FBG and HbA1c reduced obviously in both groups with insignificant difference in comparison of them (P > 0.05). Before treatment, TG, TC, MAP, SCr, BUN, UAER, CIV and ET were markedly higher in DN patients than those in the health control (P < 0.05), these criteria decreased significantly in the SF group (P < 0.05) but insignificantly in the routine group (P > 0.05) after treatment, showing difference between the two groups (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSodium ferulate could ameliorate lipid metabolic disorder, reduce blood pressure, lower UAER and CIV level, and improve renal function in DN patients, the mechanism might be through decreasing ET production and inhibiting the combining of ET with its receptor.

Adult ; Coumaric Acids ; isolation & purification ; therapeutic use ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; drug therapy ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; drug therapy ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Endothelin-1 ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Insulin ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy

OBJECTIVETo investigate the mechanism of Modified Xiaoyao Powder (MXP) on electrogastrogram (EGG) and pharmacokinetic characteristics of ferulic acid (FA) in patients with functional dyspepsia (FD) of Gan-qi stagnation with Pi-deficiency syndrome type (FD-GP).

METHODSThe study was conducted following method of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics synchronous determination. The 20 patients with FD-GP and 21 healthy volunteers enrolled were orally administrated with MXP to observe the changes in symptom scores, EGG and pharmacokinetic characteristics of FA in patients using gastrointestinal analyzer and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) before and after treatment.

RESULTSAfter treatment, the symptom scores of patients significantly decreased (P < 0.01). EGG showed that the average amplitude of peak and dominant frequency, etc. at the monitoring points, including gastric body, lesser curvature and the near gastric antrum part of greater curvature, etc. were lower than the normal range, the changes were especially obvious and would be worsened after meals (P < 0.01). After treatment by MXP, all the above indexes were improved either before or after meals. The pharmacokinetic parameters of FA in patients of FD-GP before treatment were lower than those in the healthy control group (P < 0.05) and they were insignificant different by MXP comparing with those in the healthy control group.

CONCLUSIONMXP is effective not only in improving clinical symptoms and EGG, but also on pharmacokinetic parameters of FD-GP patients.

Adult ; Coumaric Acids ; pharmacokinetics ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; therapeutic use ; Dyspepsia ; drug therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Myoelectric Complex, Migrating ; Phytotherapy ; Yang Deficiency ; drug therapy

OBJECTIVETo study the effect and mechanism of sodium ferulate (SF) in preventing and treating ozone (O3) induced lung oxidative injury in mice.

METHODSLung oxidative injury model mice were established by making them inhale O3. The activity of anti-oxidase and membranous microviscosity in epithelial cells in the lung of mice were determined, and the ultrastructural change of lung tissues was observed with electromicroscopy.

RESULTSActivities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were reduced, while membranous lipo-microviscosity significantly increased in the pulmonary epithelial cells of model mice, revealing ultrastructural change. These abnormal changes were reversed by SF treatment, which was manifested as the significantly raised activities of SOD and GSH-Px after treatment with high and moderate doses of SF, showing a significant difference compared with those in the model group (P<0.01). Membranous lipo-microviscosity basically approached that in the control group (P>0.05); electron microscopic examination showed a basically normal morphological structure of pulmonary epithelial cells, with the change in lung injury significantly milder than that in the model group.

CONCLUSIONO3 could induce oxidative injury of lungs in mice, and SF could enhance the anti-oxidation capacity of mice and scavenge the oxygen free radicals so as to alleviate the injury.

Animals ; Coumaric Acids ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; metabolism ; Lung ; drug effects ; ultrastructure ; Lung Diseases ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; prevention & control ; Male ; Membrane Lipids ; metabolism ; Mice ; Ozone ; adverse effects ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Viscosity ; drug effects

Diabetic nephropathy is the most serious complication in diabetes mellitus. It is known that oxidative stress and inflammation play a central role in the development of diabetic nephropathy. In this study, we investigated that ferulic acid (FA) known as anti-oxidative agent could effect on diabetic nephropathy by anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory mechanism. We examined the effects of FA in obese diabetic Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats and non-diabetic control Long-Evans Tokushima Otsuka (LETO) rats. We treated FA to experimental rats from 26 to 45 weeks of age. We evaluated ACR, MDA and MCP-1 in 24 h urine and examined renal histopathology and morphologic change in extracted kidneys from rats. Also, we evaluated the ROS production and MCP-1 levels in cultured podocyte after FA treatment. In the FA-treated OLETF rats, blood glucose was significantly decreased and serum adiponectin levels were increased. Urinary ACR was significantly reduced in FA-treated OLETF rats compared with diabetic OLETF rats. In renal histopathology, FA-treated OLETF rats showed decreased glomerular basement membrane thickness, glomerular volume, and mesangial matrix expansion. FA treatment decreased oxidative stress markers and MCP-1 levels in 24 h urine of rats and supernatants of cultured podocyte. In conclusion, it was suggested that FA have protective and therapeutic effects on diabetic nephropathy by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation.
Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/*therapeutic use ; Antioxidants/*therapeutic use ; Cells, Cultured ; Chemokine CCL2/genetics/urine ; Collagen/analysis ; Coumaric Acids/*therapeutic use ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/*complications ; Diabetic Nephropathies/*complications/*drug therapy/pathology ; Gene Expression/drug effects ; Kidney/drug effects/pathology ; Malondialdehyde/urine ; Podocytes/drug effects/metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred OLETF ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1/analysis