1.Establishment of rat model of impact spinal cord injury and pathological observations
Rong HU ; Yongping YANG ; Hui YANG ; Guocai WU ; Jiangkai LIN ; Hua FENG ; Xiuwu BIAN ; Yunqing LI ; Xiaoguang LI
Chinese Journal of Trauma 2008;24(4):279-283
Objective To establish rat model of impact spinal cord injury, observe the pathological changes of the model and assess its stability, reproducibility and consistency. Methods Moderate and severe spinal cord injury (SCI) models were established by using modified weight drop device. The pathological and functional changes after SCI were observed by means of BBB scoring, electrophysiology,immunohistochemistry and electronic microscopy so as to estimate the reproducibility of rat models and their consistency with severity of SCI. Results Locomotion and nerve impulse transduction along the spinal cord measured by motorial and sensory evoked potentials recovered gradually over time after SCI.However, the recovery rate of moderate SCI group was better than that of severe SCI group. Histological and immunohistochemical experiments showed that the glial scar as well as cavity were formed after SCI.Whereas, compared with moderate SCI group, the injury of severe SCI group was severer, with less spared tissue. Electronic microscopic observation displayed that hemorrhage, edema, neutrophilic granulocytic infiltration and chromatin margination of glia arose at day 1 after SCI. Vacuolization of mitochondria, degeneration of axon with edema could be seen at 2 weeks after injury. Degeneration of myelin and deposition of collagen fibril emerged at 8 weeks postinjury. Conclusions The rat models of impact SCI established in this study can distinguish the graded injury, and significantly correlate with the behavioral,electrophysiological and pathological outcomes, which indicates that the models possess good stability, reproducibility and consistency. Glial scar with cavity marked by GFAP or Vimentin is the pathological hallmark after SCI, and thereby GFAP or Vimentin can be used as a marker for demarcate the border of glial scar.
2.Analysis of Chemical Constitutions of Volatile Oil in Opisthopappus taihangensis by GC-MS Combined with Retention Index
Shujuan XUE ; Jiangkai YANG ; Suiqing CHEN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2022;28(15):120-128
ObjectiveTo study the composition of volatile oil in Opisthopappus taihangensis (Taihangju), and provide a reference for comprehensive development of this medicine. MethodTaking Chrysanthemum morifolium (Xiaobaiju), C. morifolium (Xiaohuangju) and C. indicum (Yejuhua) as control, the qualitative and quantitative analysis of volatile oil in Taihangju and three control varieties were completed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) combined with retention index method. The GC conditions were as following:programmed temperature (initial temperature at 60 ℃, kept for 2 min; up to 120 ℃ with the heating rate of 5 ℃·min-1, still kept for 2 min; up to 180 ℃ with the heating rate of 2 ℃·min-1, kept for 3 min; and then up to 240 ℃ with the heating rate of 8 ℃·min-1, kept for 5 min; finally up to 280 ℃ with the heating rate of 10 ℃·min-1, kept it for 5 min and finished), high-purity helium as the carrier gas, the split ratio of 50∶1. MS conditions were as follows:electron impact ion source (EI), ion source temperature of 230 ℃, electron collision energy of 70 eV and scanning range of m/z 30-445. Principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) were used to obtain the characteristic components between Taihangju and the three control varieties. ResultA total of 86, 96, 112 and 109 compounds including 73 common components were identified in Taihangju, Xiaobaiju, Xiaohuangju and Yejuhua, respectively. The contents of volatile components in Taihangju were significantly different from that of the control varieties. In which, the relative contents of α-thujone, eucalyptol and terpinen-4-ol were high in Taihangju, and eucalyptol, camphor and α-terpinyl acetate were the main compositions in the control varieties. In addition, 11 compounds were screened as characteristic components to distinguish Taihangju and the three control varieties by PCA and OPLS-DA, including main differential components of chamazulene and δ-cadinene. ConclusionThe main components of volatile oil in Taihangju includes alcohols, terpenes, ketones and esters with high medicinal value. The accuracy of qualitative analysis of volatile oil is improved by GC-MS combined with retention index method, which provides scientific reference for development and utilization of Taihangju.
3.Active Components of Chinese Medicine Against Liver Fibrosis Based on PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway: A Review
Xing YANG ; Zhen WANG ; Shudi LI ; Jiangkai LIU ; Suling LI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2023;29(13):230-240
Hepatic fibrosis is a pathological reparative response of the liver to chronic injury and a crucial step in the progression of chronic liver disease, characterized mainly by the activation of hepatic stellate cells and diffuse deposition of extracellular matrix. Currently, there is no ideal specific drug for the treatment of liver fibrosis in clinical practice. In recent years, with the development and progress of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the treatment of liver fibrosis, TCM has been widely recognized for its significant therapeutic effect and fewer adverse reactions. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway is an important pathway that affects the formation and development of liver fibrosis. It mainly plays a role in liver fibrosis by inhibiting the activation and proliferation of hepatic stellate cells, promoting their apoptosis, reducing oxidative stress in liver cells, decreasing the deposition of extracellular matrix, and enhancing liver cell autophagy. This article summarized the mechanisms by which Chinese medicinal monomers regulated the PI3K/Akt pathway to exert their effects on liver fibrosis and their synergistic effects with other signaling pathways, providing a theoretical basis and references for the development of new drugs for the treatment of liver fibrosis with TCM.
4.Current research status of traditional Chinese medicine in the prevention and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma by regulating the JAK/STAT signaling pathway
Xing YANG ; Shudi LI ; Jiangkai LIU ; Zhen WANG ; Suling LI
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2023;39(11):2718-2729
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the common malignant tumors of the digestive tract and seriously threatens the life of patients due to a high incidence rate, a high degree of malignancy, strong invasion and metastasis, and poor prognosis. At present, the main methods for the prevention and treatment of HCC include drugs, surgery, and interventional treatment, but all of these methods have certain adverse reactions and side effects. As an important intracellular signal transduction pathway in the human body, the JAK/STAT signaling pathway mainly exerts an anti-HCC effect by regulating cell invasion, metastasis, proliferation, growth, apoptosis, autophagy, angiogenesis, inflammation/immune response, iron metabolism, and drug resistance. Therefore, targeting the JAK/STAT signaling pathway plays an important role in the prevention and treatment of the development and progression of HCC. Traditional Chinese medicine has attracted wide attention due to its advantages of multiple targets, pathways, components, and levels in the treatment of HCC, and many cell or animal experiments on traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of HCC have shown that the JAK/STAT signaling pathway is an important target for the prevention and treatment of HCC, with the effects of improving liver function, reducing HCC recurrence, and improving immunity. Based on this, this article analyzes the mechanism of action of the JAK/STAT signaling pathway in HCC, as well as the intervention effect of traditional Chinese medicine monomers, traditional Chinese medicine extracts, and traditional Chinese medicine compounds on the JAK/STAT signaling pathway, in order to provide theoretical basis and reference for the prevention and treatment of HCC and the research and development of new traditional Chinese medicine drugs.