This paper was aimed to study the protective effects and related mechanisms of Zhen-Gan Xi-Feng (ZGXF) decoction containing serum on 6-OHDA-induced oxidative stress in PC12 cells.The ZGXF decoction containing rat serum with low-,medium-,and high-dose (8,16,or 32 g.kg-1) or blank serum was used to preprocess PC12 cells for 1 h,and cultured together with 100 μM 6-OHDA for 24 h.And then,cells were collected.The fluorescent probe 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCFH-DA) and fluorescence microplate reader were used to detect the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS).Real-time quantitative PCR was used to analyze the mRNA expressions of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2),Nfe2l2,heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1),glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLc),and GCL modulatory subunit (GCLm).The luciferase report gene system was used to detect the antioxidant response element (ARE) activation.The results showed that ZGXF decoction-containing serum inhibited the 6-OHDA-induced oxidative stress,upregulated the Nfe2l2,HO-1 and GCLc mRNA expressions in cells processed with 6-OHDA.However,it has no significant effect on GCLm mRNA expression.It was concluded that ZGXF decoction-containing serum had protective effects on 6-OHDA-induced oxidative stress in PC 12 cells.Its mechanism may be correlated with the upregulation on Nfe2l2 mRNA expression,which activated ARE and further induced its downstream gene of phase Ⅱ detoxifying enzyme,as well as the HO-1 and GCLc mRNA expressions of antioxidant enzyme gene.

The aim of this study was to explore the effects of ZGXF decoction on amphetamine-induced rotation in PD rats with syndrome of liver-yang hyperactivity,and its mechanism involved.Rats received 6-OHDA administration via intra-substantia nigra injection and were intragastrically treated by Fu Zi decoction to establish the PD model with the syndrome of liver-yang hyperactivity.Three doses of ZGXF decoction or selegiline were given by a 28-day intragastric administration.The rats were tested for amphetamine-induced rotation asymmetry.In addition,real-time PCR were adopted to analyze the expressions of Nfe212 and Hmox1 mRNAs,while western blot to analyze the expression of Keap1 protein.As a result,it was found that ZGXF decoction dose-dependently attenuated amphetamine-induced rotation,up-regulated the expressions of Nfe212 and Hmox-1 mRNAs,and down-regulated the expression of Keap1 protein in the substantia nigra in PD rats with syndrome of liver-yang hyperactivity.It was suggested that anti-PD effects of ZGXF decoction be attributed to the up-regulation of Nfe212 and Hmox-1 mRNAs and the down-regulation of Keap1 protein,being associated with oxidative stress,in the substantia nigra of PD rats with syndrome of liver-yang hyperactivity.

AIM: To investigate the effects of simvastation on homocysteine-induced endothelial dysfunction and inflammatory response and the underlying mechanisms of such effects. METHODS: MTT assay was used to detect cell viability, and DCFH-DA assay was used to examine the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Furthermore, Western blotting was performed to detect protein expression and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) was used to detect NF-?B DNA binding activity. RESULTS: Homocysteine (0.1-1 mmol/L) decreased the human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) viability and increased the levels of ROS. Western blotting and ELISA showed that homocysteine significantly increased the expression of TNF-?, IL-6, MCP-1 and ICAM-1. However, pretreatment with simvastation (1-20 ?mol/L) reversed the decreased cell viability and markedly suppressed an increase in the ROS level and the expression of TNF-?, IL-6, MCP-1 and ICAM-1 induced by homocysteine. Homocysteine induced p38 phosphorylation and such phosphorylation was also inhibited by simvastation and antioxidant NAC. EMSA and Western blotting showed that homocysteine induced NF-?B activation due to the increased phosphorylation of the inhibitory protein (I?B?) as well as the degradation of I?B?, while simvastation pretreatment almost completely blocked the NF-?B activation as well as the phosphorylation and degradation of I?B?. CONCLUSION: Simvastation inhibits homocysteine-induced endothelial dysfunction and inflammatory response through interfering with ROS-p38-NF-?B pathway.

Objective To research the reality of ELISA testing results with negative anti-HBc and positive antiHBe.Methods CMIA was carried out to retest antiHBc and antiHBe of 105 samples which were initially tested to have negative antiHBc and positive antiHBe.Results Among the 105 samples retested by CMIA,there were three different results,positive antiH-Bc with positive antiHBe,negative antiHBc with negative antiHBe and positive antiHBc with negative antiHBe,whose pro-portions were 72.38%,21.91% and 5.71% respectively;the fasle negative rates of antiHBc were 78.10% in total and 93.33%,96.15% and 47.37% in 3 subgroup with S/CO 1.00~ 1.20,1.20~2.00 and 2.00~ 3.00,respectively;the true positive rates of antiHBe were 72.38% in total and 42.86%,88.14% and 56.25% in 3 subgroups with S/CO 0.00~0.10, 0.10~0.80 and 0.80 ~ 1.00,respectively.Conclusion HBV-M results with negative antiHBc and positive antiHBe by ELISA could give suggestive value and not reflect true information about antiHBc and antiHBe with three alternatives which would be obtained through retesting by a second assay.

OBJECTIVE： To investigate the effects of chelidonine on proliferation， collagen synthesis and TGF-β1 receptor of activated hepatic stellate cells CFSC-8B. METHODS： CFSC-8B cells in logarithmic phase were collected and then divided into normal control group， model group， solvent group （ethanol）， positive control group （1 μg/mL colchicine ethanol solution）， chelidonine low， medium and high concentration groups （2.1， 4.2， 8.4 μg/mL chelidonine ethanol solution）. Except for normal control group， other groups were activated with 20 μg/L TGF-β1 for 24 h； the latter 5 groups were intervened with relevant medicine for 24 h. Cell proliferation of activated cells was assayed by CCK-8 assay. Hydroxyprolin （Hyp） content was assayed by enzyme digestion； the levels of typeⅠ collagen （Col-Ⅰ） and type Ⅲ collagen （Col-Ⅲ） were assayed by ELISA； the expressions of TβR-Ⅰ and TβR-Ⅱ protein were assessed by Western blot； mRNA expressions of α-SMA， TβR-Ⅰ and TβR-Ⅱ in hepatic stellate cells were assessed by RT-PCR. RESULTS： Compared with normal control group， cell proliferation rate， Hyp content， the levels of Col-Ⅰ and Col-Ⅲ， the protein expressions of TβR-Ⅰ and TβR-Ⅱ as well as mRNA expressions of α-SMA， TβR-Ⅰ and TβR-Ⅱ were increased significantly （P＜0.05）. Compared with model group， there were no significant difference in above indexes of hepatic stellate cells in solvent group （P＞0.05）； there were no significant difference in the proliferation rate of hepatic stellate cells in chelidonine low concentration group （P＞0.05）， above indexes of hepatic stellate cells were decreased significantly in positive control group and chelidonine high concentration group （P＜0.05）. The decrease of Hyp and Col-Ⅲ levels were not significant in chelidonine medium concentration， but other above indexes were decreased significantly （P＜0.05）. Compared with chelidonine medium concentration group， the rate of cell proliferation， Col-Ⅰ level， protein and mRNA expressions of TβR-Ⅰ and TβR-Ⅱ were decreased significantly in chelidonine high concentration group （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS： Chelido- nine can inhibit the proliferation， collagen synthesis as well as the protein and mRNA expressions of TβR-Ⅰand TβR-Ⅱ in activated CFSC-8B cells.

Perilla frutescens, an annual herb of the Labiatae family, has been cultivated in China for more than 2000 years. P. frutescens is the one of the first medicinal and edible plant published by the Ministry of Health. Its leaves, stems and seeds can be used as medicine and edible food. Because of the abundant nutrients and bioactive components in this plant, P. frutescens has been studied extensively in medicine, food, health care and chemical fields with great prospects for development. This paper reviews the cultivation history, chemical compositions and pharmacological activities of P. frutescens, which provides a reference for the development and utilization of P. frutescens resources.

Medicinal plants are a valuable source of essential medicines and herbal products for healthcare and disease therapy. Compared with chemical synthesis and extraction, the biosynthesis of natural products is a very promising alternative for the successful conservation of medicinal plants, and its rapid development will greatly facilitate the conservation and sustainable utilization of medicinal plants. Here, we summarize the advances in strategies and methods concerning the biosynthesis and production of natural products of medicinal plants. The strategies and methods mainly include genetic engineering, plant cell culture engineering, metabolic engineering, and synthetic biology based on multiple "OMICS" technologies, with paradigms for the biosynthesis of terpenoids and alkaloids. We also highlight the biosynthetic approaches and discuss progress in the production of some valuable natural products, exemplifying compounds such as vindoline (alkaloid), artemisinin and paclitaxel (terpenoids), to illustrate the power of biotechnology in medicinal plants.