Objective To explore the effect of a herbalcompound Gehua Jiejue Dizhi Decoction (GJDD) on the liver fat deposition and the expression of PXR, and the mRNA and protein expression of its target genes CYP3A11 and CYP3A25in the liver tissues of mouse models of alcoholic fatty liver.Methods Twenty-nine healthy male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into control group (n=5), model group (n=8), high dose GJDD group (n=8)and low dose GJDD group (n=8).The mouse model of alcoholic fatty liver was prepared according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) method.Then, the mice were treated with the high dose and low dose GJDD for 9 days.Serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (AST) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).Liver fat deposition was detected by oil red O staining.Real-time RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry were performed to examine the expressions of PXR, CYP3A11 and CYP3A25.Results Compared with the model group, the liver fat deposition in the intervention groups was significantly reduced in a dose-dependent manner, with a significant increase of the expression of PXR and CYP3A25 (P < 0.01).The serum ALT level was significantly reduced in the model group (P < 0.01), while the transcriptional levels of CYP3A11 mRNA in the groups were similar (P ≥ 0.05).Conclusions Gehua Jiejue Dizhi Decoction has obvious therapeutic effect on the AFLD in mice, which may be related to the activation of PXR and its target genes CYP3A25.

Objective To construct the rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes(RAFLS)model,and to investigate the effects of usnic acid on the inflammatory pathway of high-mobility group protein B1(HMGB1)/receptor for activated glycation end products(RAGE)and the expression levels of vascular en-dothelial growth factor(VEGF),interleukin(IL)-6 and IL-1β.Methods The patients with RA undergoing joint replacement surgery in the orthopedic department of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Universi-ty of Traditional Chinese Medicine were selected and the synovial tissues were obtained during operation.The cells were divided into the blank control group(fetal calf serum),solvent control group(fetal calf serum+10％hydroxypropyl betacyclodextrin),usnic acid high dose group(usnic acid 50 μg/mL),usnic acid middle dose group(usnic acid 10 μg/mL),usnic acid low dose group(usnic acid 2.5 μg/mL)and hydroxychloroquine group(hydroxychloroquine 50 mmol/L).The cell proliferation after different concentrations of usnic acid treatment was detected by MTT,the HMGB1 and RAGE protein expression in cells of each group was detec-ted by Western blot,and the expression levels of HMGB1,VEGF,IL-6 and IL-1β were detected by ELISA.Re-sults Compared with the blank control group,the proportions of cellular apoptosis in the usnic acid high,middle and low doses groups and hydroxychloroquine group were increased(P＜0.05);the expression levels of HMGB1 and RAGE protein in the usnic acid high,middle and low doses groups and hydroxychloroquine group were significantly decreased(P＜0.05),the expression levels of HMGB1,VEGF,IL-6 and IL-1β were decreased(P＜0.05);compared with the hydroxychloroquine group,the cellular apoptosis proportions of the usnic acid high,middle and low doses groups were decreased(P＜0.05),the HMGB1 protein expression level in the usnic acid low dose group was significantly increased(P＜005),the RAGE protein expression level in the the usnic acid middle amd low doses groups was significantly increased(P＜0.05).Conclusion Usnic acid alleviates the inflammatory reaction of synoviocytes possibly by regulating HMGB1/RAGE inflammatory pathway and VEGF,IL-6 and IL-1β inflammatory factors expression levels.