Objective To investigate the effects of early physiotherapy in combination with atorvastatin on the levels of serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neurological function in patients with acute ischemic stroke.Methods Fifty patients with acute ischemic stroke were randomly divided into either an atorvastatin group (monotherapy group,n =25) or a early physiotherapy + atorvastatin group (combination treatment group,n =25).All patients received the prescribed drugs according to the diagnosis and treatment guidelines for ischemic stroke.The monotherapy group added atorvastatin calcium (20 mg,1 tablet every night orally).On the basis of the monotherapy group,the combination treatment group also conducted early physical therapy.At 2 and 6 weeks before and after treatment,a double-antboody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the serum BDNF levels.The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) was used to evaluate the degree of neurological deficit.Barthel index (BI) was used to evaluate the activities of daily living.The modified Rankin scale (mRS) was used to assess the degree of disability.Results There was no significant difference in demographics and baseline data between the monotherapy group and the combination treatment group.The scores of NIHSS,BI,and mRS in both groups after treatment were significantly better than those before treatment (all P ＜ 0.001).There were no difference in the scores of NIHSS,BI and mRS at 2 weeks before and after treatment,but at 6 weeks after treatment,the scores of NIHSS (2.40 ± 1.38 vs.3.36 ± 1.73; P =0.035) and mRS (1.40 ± 0.87 vs.1.96 ±0.94; P =0.047) of the combination treatment group were significantly lower than those of the monotherapy group,and the BI scores (92.60 ±7.50 vs.85.20 ± 11.68; P=0.011) were significantly higher than those of the monotherapy group.After treatment,the serum BDNF levels were increased significantly in both groups.There were significant differences among all the time points (all P＜0.001).At 2 weeks after treatment,the serum BDNF levels (3.07 ±0.93 ng/ml vs.2.45 ±0.76 ng/ml; t =2.559,P =0.014) and at 6 weeks after treatment,those (2.90 ± 0.93 ng/ml vs.2.31 ± 0.77 ng/ml; t =2.433,P =0.019) in the combination treatment group were significantly higher than those in the monotherapy group.Spearman correlation analysis showed that the serum BDNF levels were significantly negatively correlated with the scores of NIHSS (r =-0.738,P ＜ 0.001) and mRS (r =-0.654,P ＜ 0.001),but they were significantly positively correlated with the BI scores (r =0.716,P ＜ 0.001).No serious adverse reaction occurred in both groups.Conclusions Early physiotherapy in combination with atorvastatin for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke can more effectively promote the recovery of neurological function,and its mechanism may be associated with the increased serum BDNF levels.

ObjectiveTo explore the protective effect of Xielitang on ulcerative colitis （UC） mice induced by dextran sodium sulfate （DSS） and its possible mechanism. MethodSixty C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into normal group， model group， sulfasalazine group and and low-， medium-， and high-dose Xielitang groups. Free drinking DSS solution to build the chronic UC model mice. Except for normal group， other groups were given 1.5% DSS for 3 cycles of drinking （days 1-7， days 22-28 and days 43-49） and distilled water for the rest of the time （days 8-21， days 29-42 and days 50-63）. After the first cycle， corresponding drugs were given for 42 days. The changes of general condition， body weight and disease activity index （DAI） score of mice were daily recorded during the experiment. At the end of the treatment， serum and colon tissue samples were collected， colon length was measured， intestinal weight index and colonic mucosal injury （CMDI） score were calculated. The pathological status of colon tissue was observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining. The levels of interleukin-6 （IL-6）， interleukin-10 （IL-10） and tumour necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The gene and protein expressions of Toll like receptor 4 （TLR4）， nuclear transcription factor-κB （NF-κB） and hypoxia inducible factor-1α （HIF-1α） in colon tissue was detected by Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） and Western blot. ResultCompared with the normal group， the body weight， colon length and IL-10 content in the model group were significantly decreased （P<0.01）， DAI score， intestinal weight index， CMDI score， IL-6 and TNF-α contents， and mRNA and protein expression levels of TLR4， NF-κB and HIF-1α in the model group were significantly increased （P<0.01）. Moreover， the structure of colonic mucosa was destroyed and inflammatory cells infiltrated in the model group. Compared with model group， body weight， colon length and IL-10 content in each dose group of Xielitang were significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， DAI score， intestinal weight index and CMDI score， IL-6 and TNF-α contents， mRNA and protein expression levels of TLR4， NF-κB and HIF-1α were notably decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The pathological injury of colon was obviously alleviated. ConclusionXielitang can significantly improve the inflammatory response of UC mice induced by DSS， and its mechanism may be related to the regulation of TLR4/NF-κB/HIF-1α signaling pathway.

ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism of Broussonetiae Fructus （BF） in preventing and treating drug-induced liver injury （DILI） induced by acetaminophen （APAP） through the endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway. MethodSixty C57BL/6N mice were randomly divided into normal group， model group， silybin group （3.4 g·kg^-1）， and high-， medium- and low-dose BF groups （3.0， 1.5， 0.75 g·kg^-1）， with 10 mice in each group. The DILI model was induced by intragastric administration of APAP at 800 mg·kg^-1， and drugs were administered simultaneously for 10 consecutive days. The serum contents or activities of alanine aminotransferase （ALT）， aspartate aminotransferase （AST）， total bilirubin （TBIL）， and direct bilirubin （DBIL） were measured. Hematoxylin-eosin（HE） staining was performed to observe the pathological changes in liver tissues. The morphological changes in liver mitochondria were observed by transmission electron microscopy. The activities or content of superoxide dismutase （SOD）， malondialdehyde （MDA）， total antioxidant capacity （T-AOC）， glutathione （GSH）， glutathione disulfide （GSSG）， glutathione peroxidase （GSH-Px）， and adenosine triphosphate （ATP） in the serum and liver tissues were detected by the colorimetric method. The expression of reactive oxygen species （ROS） in liver tissues was detected by immunofluorescence. The gene expression of glucose-regulated protein 78 （GRP78）， CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein homologous protein （CHOP）， and c-Jun N-terminal kinase （JNK） in liver tissues was detected by Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （PCR）. ResultCompared with the normal group， the model group showed increased serum activities or content of ALT， AST， TBIL， and DBIL （P<0.01）， increased MDA and GSSG contents （P<0.01）， decreased contents or activities of SOD， T-AOC， GSH， GSH-Px， and ATP （P<0.01）， swollen hepatocytes with inflammatory infiltration and lamellar necrosis， swollen and broken mitochondria of hepatocytes， and increased mRNA expression of GRP78， CHOP， and JNK （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the groups with drug intervention showed decreased serum content or activities of ALT， AST， TBIL， and DBIL （P<0.05， P<0.01）， reduced MDA and GSSG contents（P<0.05， P<0.01）， and increased contents or activities of SOD， T-AOC， GSH， GSH-Px， and ATP （P<0.05， P<0.01）， improved swollen hepatocytes， inflammatory infiltration， and lamellar necrosis， recovered bilayer membrane structure in mitochondria of hepatocytes， and decreased mRNA expression of GRP78， CHOP， and JNK （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionBF has preventive and therapeutic effects on APAP-induced DILI mice， and the mechanism may be related to the reduction of endoplasmic reticulum stress and oxidative stress level in vivo.