Aim To explore the protective effect of Zishen Huoxue Prescription on OGD/R-induced primary hippocampal neuron damage in rats and the possible mechanism. Methods After the isolated primary hippocampal neurons were identified by immunofluorescence, OGD/R induced neuronal damage, and the changes of autophagic flux at different re-oxygenation time were observed by confocal laser scanning microscopy. After OGD/R-induced primary hippocampal neurons were intervened with serum containing Zishen Huoxue Prescription, cell viability was detected by CCK-8, cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry, autophagosomes were detected by transmission electron microscopy, and autophagy-related protein expressions were detected by Western blot. Results 10% Zishen Huoxue Prescription-containing serum could significantly improve cell viability and reduce the proportion of cell apoptosis, increase the number of autophagosomes in neurons, and up-regulate the expression of autophagy-related protein PINK1, Parkin, and pATG16L1. Conclusions Zishen Huoxue Prescription can effectively resist OGD/R-induced apoptosis of primary hippocampal neurons in rats, and its effect may be related to the regulation of PINK1-Parkin pathway to promote mitophagy.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relation of blood arsenic concentration (BAC) with clinical effect and safety of arsenic-containing Qinghuang Powder (, QHP) in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). METHODS: Totally 163 patients with MDS were orally treated with QHP for 2 courses of treatment, 3 months as 1 course. The BACs of patients were detected by atomic fluorescence spectrophotometry at 1, 3, and 6 months during the treatment, and the effective rate, hematological improvement and safety in patients after treatment with QHP were analyzed. RESULTS: After 2 courses of treatment, the total effective rate was 89.6% (146/163), with 31.3% (51/163) of hematological improvement and 58.3% (95/163) of stable disease. The hemoglobin increased from 73.48 ± 19.30 g/L to 80.39 ± 26.56 g/L (P<0.05), the absolute neutrophil count increased from 0.81 ± 0.48 × 10/L to 1.08 ± 0.62 × 10/L (P<0.05), and no significant changes were observed in platelet counts (P>0.05). Among 46 patients previously depended on blood transfusion, 28.3% (13/46) completely got rid of blood transfusion and 21.7% (10/46) reduced the volume of blood transfusion by more than 50% after treatment. The BACs were significantly increased in patients treated for 1 month with 32.17 ± 18.04 μ g/L (P<0.05), 3 months with 33.56 ± 15.28 μ g/L (P<0.05), and 6 months with 36.78 ± 11.92 μ g/L (P<0.05), respectively, as compared with those before treatment (4.08 ± 2.11 μ g/L). There were no significant differences of BACs among the patients treated for 1, 3 and 6 months (P>0.05). The adverse reactions of digestive tract during the treatment were mild abdominal pain and diarrhea in 14 cases (8.6%), and no patients discontinued the treatment. The BACs of patients with gastrointestinal adverse reactions were significantly lower than those without gastrointestinal adverse reactions (22.39 ± 10.38 vs. 37.89 ± 11.84, μ g/L, P<0.05). The BACs of patients with clinical effect were significantly higher than those failed to treatment (40.41 ± 11.69 vs. 23.84 ± 12.03, μ g/L, P<0.05). CONCLUSION QHP was effective and safe in the treatment of patients with MDS and the effect was associated with BACs of patients.