OBJECTIVE: To investigate the molecular mechanism of Huanglian Jiedu Decoction (HLJDD), a traditional Chinese compound herbal medicine, in treating type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) by observing its effects on glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) protein expression and translocation in adipose and skeletal muscle tissues of rats with T2DM. METHODS: T2DM was induced in rats by intravenous injection of a small dose of streptozotocin (STZ, 30 mg/kg) plus high fat and high caloric laboratory chow. Then animals were divided into untreated group, aspirin-treated group and HLJDD-treated group. Normal rats fed with common chow were designated as normal control group. Ten weeks later, the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed in all animals, and the changes of murine body weight, fasting blood glucose (FBG), fasting serum insulin (FINS) and the expression of GLUT4 protein in skeletal muscle and adipose tissues before and after insulin treatment were routinely determined. RESULTS: Compared with the untreated group, the result of OGTT of HLJDD-treated group was improved. The levels of the body weight and FBG were decreased, while the GLUT4 protein expression and translocation were elevated obviously. CONCLUSION: It is suggested by the present results that the therapeutic effects of HLJDD on T2DM might be related to its ability of increasing GLUT4 protein expression and translocation in adipose and skeletal muscle tissues of T2DM rats.

The human gut harbours a certain quantity and variety of microbes called intestinal flora, which is in a state of balance under normal circumstances, and dysbacteriosis occurs when the balance of the intestinal flora is dis-turbed by the host and the changes of the external environment.Circadian clock is the biological regulation system to adapt to natural circadian rhythm, including central clock and peripheral clock.Circadian clock disturbance, particularly rotating shift-workers with irregular light-night schedules, is associated with an increased risk of immune-related diseases.The de-velopment of these diseases is closely related to intestinal dysbacteriosis.Therefore, the correlation between intestinal dys-bacteriosis and circadian clock disturbance has attracted much attention.This review aims to explore the pathophysiological basis of the development in some immune-related diseases based on the latest scientific findings about the relationship be-tween intestinal microbial flora and circadian clock.

Objective To observe the effect of Bushen Yiqi Hexue Recipe(Recipe to reinforce kidney,replenish qi and harmonize blood)on the endometrial gland apoptosis in blastocyst implantation dysfunctional mice.Methods The mice models of blastocyst implantation dysfunction were made and divided into control,model and treated groups with 30 in each.Pregnancy rate,number of implantation blastocysts,the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA),bax,bcl-2 and activated Caspase-3 were observed.Results Compared with the control group,pregnancy rate and mean implanted blastocysts in the model group were remarkably reduced.Compared with the model group,pregnancy rate and mean implanted blastocysts in the treated group were significantly improved(P

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of Huanglian Jiedu Decoction (HLJDD), a traditional Chinese compound herbal medicine, on p85 mRNA and protein expressions of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI-3K) in target tissues (skeletal muscular and adipose tissues) in rats with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and to investigate the molecular mechanism of HLJDD in treating T2DM. METHODS: The male Wistar rats were injected with streptozotocin (STZ) 30 mg/kg through tail vein, and fed with high-fat and high-caloric diets to induce T2DM. Then the rats were randomly divided into untreated group, aspirin-treated group and HLJDD group, and treated correspondingly. Meanwhile, a group of normal animals without any treatment was set up for normal control group. Ten weeks later, serum fasting blood glucose (FBG), serum fasting insulin (FINS) and oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) were routinely determined. The expressions of PI-3K p85 mRNA and protein in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue were determined with RT-PCR and Western blotting before and after insulin treatment. RESULTS: Compared with the untreated group, the FBG and OGTT levels in T2DM rats treated with HLJDD decreased significantly (P<0.05). The FINS in HLJDD group was lower than that in the normal control group (P<0.05), but was not significantly different from that in the untreated group. The PI-3K p85 mRNA and protein expressions in HLJDD group obviously increased, as compared with those in the untreated group. CONCLUSION: The effect of HLJDD in treating T2DM was probably associated with its improvement of PI-3K p85 mRNA and protein expressions in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue of the T2DM rats.

Spermicidal effect of Jieze No. 1 (JZ1) in combination with nonoxynol-9 (N-9) was examined in vitro. The minimum spermicidal concentration of JZ1 decoction, N-9 and their mixture solution in 20 s and 3 min were examined by improved spermicidal test of Sander-cramer in vitro. The percentages of progressively moving spermatozoa, moving spermatozoa and viable spermatozoa were also observed 20 s, 3 min and 30 min after the addition of the liquid medicine. Our results showed that sperms did not recover their activities in a revival test when the minimum spermicidal concentration of either JZ1 decoction, or N-9, or the mixed solution of the two agents, was used. N-9 (JZ1 in the mixed group) showed significant differences in the percentages of progressively moving spermatozoa, moving spermatozoa, and visible spermatozoa in 20 s, 3 min, and 30 min, when compared with N-9 alone (P < 0.01). We are led to conclude that JZ1 decoction can improve N-9 spermicidal action in vitro, and when used in combination with N-9, it has synergic effect.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/*pharmacology ; Nonoxynol/*pharmacology ; Semen/drug effects ; Spermatocidal Agents/*pharmacology ; Spermatozoa/*drug effects

In order to explore the effects of Panax notoginoside (PNS) on the expression of transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) and Smad-7 in renal tissues of diabetes, a rat model of diabetic nephropathy was set up by intravenous injection of streptozotocin (STZ). Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal group, diabetic control group, group treated by PNS at low-dosage (PL), group treated by PNS at high-dosage (PH) and group treated by catopril (C), respectively. Fasting blood glucose (FBG), renal index, endogenous creatinine clearance rate (C(Cr)) and urinary albumin (UAlb) in 24 h were examined after 6 weeks. Meanwhile, the expressions of TGF-β1 and Smad7 in renal tissues were immunohistochemically dectected. At the end of the sixth week, FBG, renal index, C(cr), UAlb were all elevated significantly in control group (P<0.01). The expression of TGF-β1 protein was increased while Smad7 protein decreased in renal tissue (P<0.01). However, the treatment with PNS reversed the aforementioned changes in renal tissues of diabetic rats. These results indicate that PNS possess a protective effect on the kidney of diabetic rats and it might protect kidney by inhibiting the expression of TGF-β1 protein and enhancing the expression of Smad7 protein.

BACKGROUND: Hyperuricemia (HUA), serving as a component of metabolic syndromes (MS), has a major regulatory role in inflammatory responses. However, the correlation between G-308A tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and MS is still controversial.OBJECTIVE: To study the correlation among G-308A TNF-α genotype distribution, TNF-α mRNA expression and C-reactive protein (CRP) in patients with HUA.DESrGN: Patients with HUA were selected as the subjects, while normal peoplewere taken as the controls.SETTING: Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology.PARTICIPANTS: Subjects were selected from 5 003 people, including 188 patients with HUA and 51 healthy people.Patients with HUA included 40 patients with simple HUA, 42 patients with HUA and dyslipidemia, 80 patients with HUA and dyslipidemia and hypertension, and 26 patients with gout (administration of allopurinol was stopped at one week before the experiment).METHODS: TNF-α gene promoter G-308A genotype was determined by using PCR application followed by Nco/digestion.TNF-α mRNA expression was studied by RT-PCR with semi-quantitative analysis. Antibody sandwich method and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were adopted to determine the CRP concentration. And the serum uric acid was measured by uricase method, while the insulin resistance index (IRI) was evaluated with homeostasis model.MArN OUTCOME MEASURES: ① Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium test of genotypic frequency. ② Changes in distribution of G-308A TNF-α genotypes and TNF-α mRNA expression in patients with HUA. ③ Changes in TNF-α mRNA expression and other parameters in G-308A TNF-α AA+GA and GG groups. ④ Multiple stepwise regression analysis.RESULTS: A total of 188 patients and 51 normal people were involved in the analysis of results. ① G-308A TNF-α genotypes distribution in 239 enrolled subjects accorded with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. ② AA+GA was compared with GG due to lower frequency of AA in population. The results revealed the HUA with dyslipidemia and hypertension group displayed a greater prevalence in G-308A TNF-α AA+GA genotype (30%) than that in the control group (12%) (P ＜ 0.05),while there were no significant differences among other groups. ③ TNF-α mRNA expression and CRP concentration were the highest in the gout group, and HUA accompanied by dyslipidemia and hypertension group listed the second,and then was the HUA and dyslipidemia group, while simple HUA group listed the last, all of which were higher than those in the normal control group (P ＜ 0.05-0.01). TNF-α mRNA expression in HUA accompanied by dyslipidemia and hypertension group, gout group was higher than that in the normal control group (P ＜ 0.05-0.01). The WHR, SBP, DBP,serum uric acid, triglycerides, TNF-α mRNA expression and CRP concentration in AA+GA group were remarkably higher than those in the GG group (P ＜ 0.05-0.01). ④ After adjustment of age, gender, systolic pressure, diastolic pressure,fasting blood glucose, and multiple variable linear stepwise regression showed that triglycerides, uric acid, TNF-α 308 A carrier were related with quantityof TNF-α mRNA expression. Meanwhile, the uric acid concentration, WHR and the quantity expression of TNF-α were significantly in positive association with CRP concentration.CONCLUSTON:The genotype of TNF-α 308 A carriers is associated with TNF-α expression and plasma CRP levels in HUA patients.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of Yitieling Paste (YTLP). METHODS: YTLP and aspirin (as a control drug) were introduced to treat the edematous ears of mice induced by xylene and swollen toes of mice induced by carrageenin, and to relieve the pain in mice induced by heat and acetic acid. The swelling degree, pain threshold and body distortions were measured. RESULTS: The repression rates of the ear edema in groups of YTLP of high and low dosages and the aspirin group were 67.92%, 52.52% and 58.28%, respectively. The repression rate of the toe swelling in YTLP high dosage group was higher than that of the aspirin group, which was higher than that of the YTLP low dosage group. The results of analgesic effect of the three YTLP-treated groups showed that with the increase of dosage, the pain thresholds were higher and higher, and the body distortions were lower and lower. The pain thresholds of high and medium dosage YTLP groups were near to the aspirin group. CONCLUSION: YTLP possesses a strong anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect.

Objective:To study on effect of Jiantai Liquid on progesterone receptor(PR)in the uterus at the nidation stage in the mouse with disturbance of blastocyst nidation.Methods:The gestational mice were randomly divided into a normal group,a model group and a Chinese drug group.Mifepristone was used for inducing disturbance of blastocyst nidation in the mice,which were interfered with Jiantai Liquid.At the eighth week of pregnancy,the mice were killed and morphological changes of the endometrium were observed,and PR expression in the uterus was detected with immunohistochemical method and PR and PRmRNA expressions were detected with Western blot and PT-PCR methods.Results:The endometrium showed maldevelopment in the model group and normal development in the Chinese drug group,similar to the normal group;the gland,the PR expression range and intensity of PR expression in the interstitial substance in the Chinese drug group increased as compared with the model group(P0.05);expressions of PR protein and gene in the Chinese drug group were significantly higher than those in the model group(P0.05).Conclusion:Jiantai Liquid can promote development of the endometrium and improves blastocyst nidation via regulating expressions of PR and PRmRNA in the uterus in the mice with disturbance of blastocyst nidation.

The clinical effects of acupuncture on idiopathic male infertility in sperm parameter and on therapeutic results in assisted reproductive technology were investigated. 22 patients failed in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) with idiopathic male infertility were treated with acupuncture twice weekly for 8 weeks, followed by ICSI treatment again. The sperm concentration, motility, morphology, fertilization rates and embryo quality were observed. Quick sperm motility after acupuncture (18.3% +/- 9.6%) was significantly improved as compared with that before treatment (11.0% +/- 7.5%, P < 0.01). The normal sperm ratio was increased after acupuncture (21.1% +/- 10.4% vs 16.2% +/- 8.2%, P < 0.05). The fertilization rates after acupuncture (66.2%) were obviously higher than that before treatment (40.2%, P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in sperm concentration and general sperm motility between before and after acupuncture. The embryo quality after acupuncture was improved, but the difference between them was not significant (P > 0.05). Acupuncture can improve sperm quality and fertilization rates in assisted reproductive technology.
*Acupuncture Therapy ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Infertility, Male/*therapy ; Semen ; *Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic ; *Sperm Motility ; Spermatozoa/physiology