OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of Modified Rhizoma Alismatis decoction on the expression of aquaporin 8 (AQP8) in liver tissue of hyperlipemia model rats, and to investigate the mechanism of preventing and treating hyperlipemia.METHODS: Total of 60 rats were randomly divided into blank control group (distilled water), model group, positive control group (simvastatin 1. 89 mg/kg) and modified Rhizoma Alismatis decoction high-dose, medium-dose and low-dose groups (29. 56, 14. 78, 7. 39 g/kg, calculated by crude drug), with 10 rats in each group. Those groups were given high-fat diet to induce hyperlipemia model and given relevant medicine intragastrically once a day for consecutive 5 weeks except that blank control group was given normal diet. After administration, the serum contents of TG, TC, HDL-C and LDL-C in rats were detected, and the pathomorphology changes of liver tissue were observed; the mRNA and protein expression of AQP8 in liver tissue were detected. RESULTS: Compared blank control group, the serum contents of TG, TC and LDL-C in model group were increased significantly (P<0. 05 or P<0. 01),while the serum content of HDL-C was decreased significantly (P<0. 01); pathological changes were found in liver tissue, such as irregular cell arrangement and hepatic sinusoidal hyperemia and edema; mRNA and protein expression of AQP8 in liver tissue were increased significantly (P<0. 01). Compared with model group, above indexes of treatment groups were improved significantly (P<0. 05 or P<0. 01); the structure of liver tissue tended to be normal and the fatty degeneration was obviously alleviated. CONCLUSIONS: Modified Rhizoma Alismatis decoction can regulate the mRNA and protein expression of AQP8 in liver tissue so as to play the effects on the prevention and treatment of hyperlipidemia.

Objective:To explore the effect of Plantaginis semen on the expressions of AQP4 gene and protein in small intestine of diarrhea rats. Methods:Sixty Sprague-Dawley male rats were randomly divided into normal control group, model control group, hydrochlorothiazide group, and low-, medium-, and high-dose Plantaginis semen groups. Intragastric administration of Senna (20 ml/kg) was implemented in the morning for 5 groups except the normal group. The rats in the low-, medium-, and high-dose Plantaginis semen groups were intragastrically administered with 0.95, 1.9, 3.8 g/kg Plantaginis semen formula granule solution, while the rats in hydrochlorothiazide group were given hydrochlorothiazide suspension 9 mg/kg by gavage according to 1 ml/100 g body weight for 14 days. The loose stool rate, average ranking of loose stool, and diarrhea index were compared according to the fecal traits and stool times after 14 days of treatment, and the small intesine tissue were collected. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining to observe the pathological morphological changes in small intestine, and Quantiative Real-time PCR and Western blot were applied to detect the gene and protein expressions of AQP4. Results:Compared with the model group, the loose stool rate (50.89% ± 6.17%, 41.14% ± 4.48%, 36.37% ± 4.81 % vs. 67.45% ± 7.35%), the average ranking of loose stool (2.16 ± 0.34, 1.73 ± 0.28, 1.52 ± 0.25 vs. 2.63 ± 0.29), and the diarrhea index (1.10 ± 0.19, 0.71 ± 0.11, 0.57 ± 0.12 vs. 1.77 ± 0.24) of rats in each group of Plantaginis semen significantly decreased ( P<0.05); the degree of intestinal mucosal injury, hyperemia and neutrophil infiltration were alleviated; the expressions of AQP4 mRNA (0.48 ± 0.10, 0.69 ± 0.12, 0.97 ± 0.15 vs. 0.21 ± 0.03), and the protein of AQP4 (0.59 ± 0.08, 0.64 ± 0.09, 0.78 ± 0.11 vs. 0.32 ± 0.05) in the small intestine tissue of Plantaginis semen groups significantly increased ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Plantaginis semen has antidiarrheal effect, and its mechanism is related to up-regulation the gene and protein expressions of AQP4, addition of water absorption and promotion of water and fluid metabolism.