Objective To observe the effects of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 on the expressions of transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1), fibronectin(FN),and vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) in rats with diabetic nephropathy(DN), and to elucidate the protective mechanism played by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. Methods DN models were estabolished by injecting streptozotoein ( STZ ) into male SD rats, which were divided into TGF-β1 overexpression group, TGF-β1 overexpression plus vitamin D3 group, TGF-β1 low-expression group, TGF-β1 low-expression plus vitamin D3 group, TGF-β1 normal-expression group, and TGF-β1 normal-expression plus vitamin D3 group. After 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 treatment for 37 days, renal function and blood biochemical parameters were evaluated. The morphology and fibrosis of kidney tissues were observed. The expressions of TGF-β1, FN, and VEGF in kidney cortex were measured by immunohistochemistry, realtime PCR, and Western blotting. Results The levels of cholesterol, triglyceride, creatinine,plasma glucose, HbA1C , and 24 h urinary protein were lower in vitamin D3treated groups than those in corresponding control groups(P<0. 05). The degree of renal fibrosis was raised with the increased level of TGF-β1. Vitamin D3 treatment decreased the fibrosis in diabetic kidney. There were significant differences in the mRNA and protein expressions of TGF-β1 in three control groups(P<0. 05). With the increased levels of TGF-β1, the expressions of FN and VEGF were increased. The expressions of TGF-β1, FN, and VEGF were lowered by vitamin D3compared with the corresponding control groups(P<0. 05). Conclusion 1,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D3 may protect the renal tissure in diabetic rats via inhibiting the expressions of TGF-β1, FN, and VEGF in the kidney.

The pancreatic enzyme-II type collagenase digestion method was adopted for primary culture of osteoblasts, inoculation and passage. They were identified by alkaline phosphatase dye-liquor. N-butanol extract fractions from different processed products of Cibotium barometz were prepared. The above osteoblasts were jointly cultured with protocatechuic acid, protocatechuic aldehyde, kojic acid and the mixed control liquid of the above three substances, and their proliferation was detected by CCK-8. Various n-butanol extract fractions from different processed products of C. barometz showed a significant proliferative effect on osteoblasts in the order of the wined > the heated > the salted > the sand-heated and wined system > the alcohol-processed > the steamed > the crude. The q test showed no significant difference among sand-heated, alcohol-processed and steamed C. barometz, no significant difference between heated and salted C. barometz. Various control substances also showed a certain proliferative effect on osteoblasts in the order of the mixed control > protocatechuic aldehyde > protocatechuic acid > kojic acid. The q test showed no significant difference between protocatechuic aldehyde and protocatechuic acid. All of n-butanol extract fractions from different processed products of C. barometz showed a significant effect on osteoblast proliferation, of which wined C. barometz showed the best effect. All of phenolic compounds such as protocatechuic aldehyde, protocatechuic acid and kojic acid showed a significant proliferative effect on osteoblasts.
Animals ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Drug Compounding ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Osteoblasts ; cytology ; drug effects ; Pteridophyta ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

In this study, OVA-induced asthma mice was taken as the model, and orally administered with different concentration of ethanol extracts of crude and processed Stemona tuberosa, in order to determine the cytokine level released from Th1 and Th2 in splenocytes. RT-PCR was carried out to determine the genetic expression of T-bet/GATA-3 in lung, and compare the differentiation between ethanol extracts of crude and processed S. tuberosa in therapeutic effect on asthma in mice. According to the results, compared with the crude samples, processed samples significantly increased the levels of inflammatory factor INF-gamma (P < 0.05) and decreased IL-5 (P < 0.05) in splenocytes. According to the RT-PCR results, the administration of processed samples could increase the ratio of T-bet/GATA-3 (P < 0.05). The experiment showed that ethanol extracts of both crude and processed S. tuberosa could treat asthma by regulating Th1/Th2 ratio, but processed samples showed more notable effect. This indicated that crude and processed S. tuberosa had significant pharmacological difference. Therefore, it was more rational to apply processed S. tuberosa in clinical treatment of asthma and chronic cough, which layed a foundation for further revealing the processing mechanism of S. tuberosa.
Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Asthma ; drug therapy ; immunology ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; GATA3 Transcription Factor ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Stemonaceae ; chemistry ; T-Box Domain Proteins ; metabolism ; Th1 Cells ; drug effects ; secretion ; Th2 Cells ; drug effects ; secretion

In this study, efforts were made to screen out the drug concentration of Sijunzi decoction (red ginseng) for in vitro intervention of H9c2 cardiomyocytes, select high, medium and low groups for subsequent experiments, establish the H2O2-induced myocardial cell apoptosis to investigate the protective effect of Sijunzi decoction (white/red ginseng), provide reference ginseng ingredients in Sijunzi decoction used to treat ischemic heart disease and reflect its curative effect, and observe its impacts on SOD, MAD, LDH and other indexes to preliminarily define the action mechanism. According to the results, red ginseng in Sijunzi decoction showed a better protective effect on H2O2-induced myocardial cell injury than that of white ginseng. Both of them could enhance SOD activity and reduce MDA production and LDH release, so as to significantly reduce the amount of apoptotic myocardial cells and play protective role.
Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Line ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; toxicity ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; cytology ; drug effects ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Panax ; chemistry ; Protective Agents ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo compare components in volatile oils of nutmeg and prepared nutmeg.

METHODVolatile oil from nutmeg and prepared nutmeg were extracted by vapor distillation. The chemical components in two kinds of volatile oils were determined and indentified by GC-MS.

RESULTThe change in quantity and quality of components in volatile oils were observed after processing. 13 new components occurred and 4 components disappeared in volatile oils after processing. The contents of methyleugenol and methylisoeugenol that are active ingredients were increased. The contents of myristicin and safrol that are toxic ingredients in volatile oils were decreased.

CONCLUSIONThe processing method of nutmeg by soaking with water and roasting with bran is scientific.

Anisoles ; analysis ; Benzyl Compounds ; analysis ; Dioxolanes ; analysis ; Eugenol ; analogs & derivatives ; analysis ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Hot Temperature ; Myristica fragrans ; chemistry ; Oils, Volatile ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Pyrogallol ; analogs & derivatives ; analysis ; Safrole ; analysis ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods

OBJECTIVEImproving the traditional fermentation technology by some unidentified strains into the modern pure inoculation fermentation technology. For selecting better fermentation strains, the quality of various Shenqu fermentated with different pure inoculation be compared.

METHODIsolating the strains from self-fermented Shenqu, then with other 2 certain strains, to conduct the pure inoculation fermentation. Then compare the quality of them according to the difference in the chemical composition, activity of enzyme and the impact to the digestive function in mice of the finished Shenqu.

RESULTSFour strains were isolated. One of them, a mucor genus of mold is better than others.

CONCLUSIONModern pure inoculation fermentation can ensure the quality and the medication safety of Shenqu. New fermentation technology is feasible.

Animals ; Bacillus subtilis ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Female ; Fermentation ; physiology ; Food Microbiology ; Male ; Mice ; Random Allocation ; Stomach ; drug effects ; metabolism

This study compared the decoction's HPLC figures of the different processed rhizomes of Cibotium barometz including the raw, the sand-baked, the wined, the steamed and the salted, on the basis of which, with the sand-baked Drynaria fortunei decoction as the positive control group, comparingall groups' decoction, concentration of which was 104.2 g x L(-1), for 4 weeks, by their effects (s-TRAP and total scores of OPG, Ca, P, IL-6, TNF-alpha and IL-1) on retinoic acid induced male rats osteoporosis. The experiment results showed the sand-baked and the wined were better than the steamed, the salted and the raw;in the processing methods' selection, the sand-baked was a better heating method than the steamed and the rice wine was the better excipient than the salt. It provided a reference to explain the processing principle of rhizomes of C. barometz and work mechanism of anti-osteoporosis.
Animals ; Biomarkers ; blood ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drug Compounding ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Osteoporosis ; blood ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; Pteridophyta ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rhizome ; chemistry ; Tretinoin ; adverse effects

Objective To investigate the variation of middle cerebral arteries of rats in depression model by using 3D-TOF sequence on 3.0T MR.Methods Forty SD rats were randomly divided into control group and depressive group with 20 in each.Compared with control group,depressive group were handled according to the demand of rat depression model.Rats were scanned by 3.0T MR on 0th,4th,6th,8th week respectively.Using Mimics software,the variation of middle cerebral arteries were described and analysed.Results Compared with the control group,the middle cerebral arteries of depressive group rats changed along with the increase of time.On the 4th week,the diameter of the middle cerebral arteries of rats decreased significantly (the diameter of left middle cerebral arteries:control group (0.31 ±0.05) mm,depressive group (0.28±0.04) mm,t=2.76,P＜0.05 ; the diameter of right middle cerebral arteries:control group (0.30 ± 0.05) mm,depressive group (0.27± 0.03) mm,t =2.61,P＜ 0.05).On the 6th week,the length of the middle cerebral arteries of rats decreased significantly (the length of left middle cerebral arteries:control group (5.6± 0.77) mm,depressive group (4.9 ± 0.73) mm,t =2.84,P＜ 0.05 ; the length of right middle cerebral arteries:control group(5.5±0.76) mm,depressive group(4.8±0.72) mm,t=3.11,P ＜0.05).On the 8th week,the diameter and length of the middle cerebral arteries of rats decreased more significantly (the diameter of left middle cerebral arteries:control group (0.31 ±0.05) mm,depressive group (0.22±0.02) mm,t =5.50,P＜ 0.01 ; the diameter of right middle cerebral arteries:control group (0.30 ± 0.04) mm,depressive group (0.21 ±0.02) mm,t=5.57,P＜0.01 ; the length of left middle cerebral arteries:control group (5.6±0.78) mm,depressive group (4.3±0.70)mm,t=5.49,P＜0.01 ;the length of right middle cerebral arteries:control group (5.5 ± 0.79) mm,depressive group (4.2±0.71)mm,t=5.45,P＜0.01).Conclusion The variation of middle cerebral arteries of depressive rats reveals the relationship between brain vessels and depression in a certain extent.

Objective This study was conducted to measure the mandibular incisive canal (MIC) by cone beam computed tomography(CBCT)and to assess 3?dimensional structure, course and adjacent structure of the MIC , in order to ensure safe region for surgery of the mandibular interforaminal area. Methods A total of the CBCT images from 83 patients were studied and measured. The detection rates of MIC were calculated The diameter of the MIC and the distances from MIC to the labial and lingual cortices and the inferior border of the mandible and tooth tips were measured at canines and lateral incisors. Results MIC was found in 67.8%of the patients. In the position of canine, the diameter of MIC, the mean distance of the MIC to the tips of the teeth, to the buccal border of the mandible , to the lingual border of the mandible and the inferior border of the mandible were (1.3±0.4), (8.9±2.9), (4.3±0.9), (5.2±1.1) and (8.6± 1.5) mm, respectively. In the position of the incisor, the distance of MIC, the mean distance of the MIC to the tips of the teeth, to the buccal border of the mandible , to the lingual border of the mandible and the inferior border of the mandible were (1.0 ± 0.3), (13.3 ± 4.0), (4.2 ± 0.9), (5.9 ± 0.9) and (8.9 ± 1.8) mm, respectively. Conclusion CBCT clearly show three dimensional structure, course and adjacent structure of the MIC. Preoperative CBCT can provide vital information for surgery of the mandibular interforaminal area.

Untargeted metabolomics analysis of rhubarb and stewed rhubarb samples shows that the determined samples clearly clustered in to two groups, indicating that the processing procedures caused changes in the composition and/or content of components in rhubarb. Ten components were identified by UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS and references, which intensity declined in rhubarb after processing. Targeted metabolomics analysis of rhubarb and stewed rhubarb samples indicated that aloe-emodin, rhein, emodin and physcion were detected with lower intensity in stewed rhubarb samples than in rhubarb samples. Metabolomics analysis of rhubarb and stewed rhubarb indicated the various components of rhubarb changed after processing.
Anthraquinones ; analysis ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Emodin ; analogs & derivatives ; analysis ; Food Handling ; methods ; Food Preservation ; methods ; Metabolomics ; methods ; Multivariate Analysis ; Principal Component Analysis ; Rheum ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry