Objective This study aimed to investigate the effects of sleep interruption(SI)cycles on emotional behavior in ICR mice,and to establish a mouse model of comorbid anxiety and depression induced by SI.Methods Seventy-two male ICR mice(4～5 weeks old)were divided randomly into a blank group and a model group.Mice in the model group were subjected to SI stress modeling for 1,2,and 3 weeks,respectively.After modeling,emotional behaviors were evaluated using open-field,elevated plus maze,light-dark box,marble-burying,and forced-swimming tests.Serum corticosterone levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Results Mice in the model group buried significantly more marbles after 1 week of SI stress,compared with the blank group(P＜0.05).After 2 weeks of stress,mice in the model group also showed a significant decrease in the number of crossings in the light-dark box(P＜0.05)and a significant increase in the number of marbles buried(P＜0.01)compared with the control group.After 3 weeks of stress,mice in the model group showed a significant increase in the number of marbles buried(P＜0.05),a significant decrease in the number of crossings in the light-dark box(P＜0.05),and a significant increase in immobility time in the forced-swim test(P＜0.01).Conclusions ICR mice exhibited significant anxiety-related behaviors after 2 weeks of SI modeling and significant anxiety-and depressive-related behavioral changes after 3 weeks.Three weeks of SI stress can be used to establish a model of comorbid anxiety and depression.

Objective To provide a comprehensive review of the modeling method of the empty bottle stimulation(EBS)anxiety model,including commonly used experimental animal strains and genders,animal grouping,modeling procedures,modeling duration,primary behavioral evaluation method,and the underlying pathological mechanisms.This aims to offer a reference for the application of the EBS anxiety model in anxiety disorder research.Methods Searches were conducted in databases such as CNKI and PubMed to collect all literature related to the EBS anxiety model,which were then systematically summarized and organized.Results(1)Male adult SD or Wistar rats are predominantly used as experimental animals;(2)The optimal modeling period is 2 weeks;(3)Behavioral evaluations primarily utilize the open field test,elevated plus maze test,and light-dark box test;(4)Pathological mechanisms involve abnormal neurotransmitter metabolism in brain regions such as the hippocampus,prefrontal cortex,and amygdala.Conclusions The EBS anxiety model exhibits an anxiety-like behavioral phenotype and associated neurobiological mechanisms,validating its utility as an animal model for the study of anxiety disorders.However,further exploration and refinement are required for its standardized construction protocol and the understanding of its mechanistic underpinnings.

Objective To provide a comprehensive review of the modeling method of the empty bottle stimulation(EBS)anxiety model,including commonly used experimental animal strains and genders,animal grouping,modeling procedures,modeling duration,primary behavioral evaluation method,and the underlying pathological mechanisms.This aims to offer a reference for the application of the EBS anxiety model in anxiety disorder research.Methods Searches were conducted in databases such as CNKI and PubMed to collect all literature related to the EBS anxiety model,which were then systematically summarized and organized.Results(1)Male adult SD or Wistar rats are predominantly used as experimental animals;(2)The optimal modeling period is 2 weeks;(3)Behavioral evaluations primarily utilize the open field test,elevated plus maze test,and light-dark box test;(4)Pathological mechanisms involve abnormal neurotransmitter metabolism in brain regions such as the hippocampus,prefrontal cortex,and amygdala.Conclusions The EBS anxiety model exhibits an anxiety-like behavioral phenotype and associated neurobiological mechanisms,validating its utility as an animal model for the study of anxiety disorders.However,further exploration and refinement are required for its standardized construction protocol and the understanding of its mechanistic underpinnings.

Objective This study aimed to investigate the effects of sleep interruption(SI)cycles on emotional behavior in ICR mice,and to establish a mouse model of comorbid anxiety and depression induced by SI.Methods Seventy-two male ICR mice(4～5 weeks old)were divided randomly into a blank group and a model group.Mice in the model group were subjected to SI stress modeling for 1,2,and 3 weeks,respectively.After modeling,emotional behaviors were evaluated using open-field,elevated plus maze,light-dark box,marble-burying,and forced-swimming tests.Serum corticosterone levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Results Mice in the model group buried significantly more marbles after 1 week of SI stress,compared with the blank group(P＜0.05).After 2 weeks of stress,mice in the model group also showed a significant decrease in the number of crossings in the light-dark box(P＜0.05)and a significant increase in the number of marbles buried(P＜0.01)compared with the control group.After 3 weeks of stress,mice in the model group showed a significant increase in the number of marbles buried(P＜0.05),a significant decrease in the number of crossings in the light-dark box(P＜0.05),and a significant increase in immobility time in the forced-swim test(P＜0.01).Conclusions ICR mice exhibited significant anxiety-related behaviors after 2 weeks of SI modeling and significant anxiety-and depressive-related behavioral changes after 3 weeks.Three weeks of SI stress can be used to establish a model of comorbid anxiety and depression.

Objective: To explore the therapeutic effects of ginseng total saponins (GTSs) on cognitive impairments in astronauts caused by prolonged exposure to microgravity environment. Methods: Fifty specific pathogen-free (SPF) male Wistar rats were randomized into control, hindlimb suspension (HLS), Huperzine A (HLS-Hup A 0.1 mg/kg), low-dose GTSs (HLS-GTSs 100 mg/kg), and high-dose GTSs (HLS-GTSs 200 mg/kg) groups, based on the completion time of reward-directed conditioning tasks. Except for rats in the control group, the others were subjected to HLS and treated with drugs (day 20 – 58), received reflex test under the condition of rewarding, and underwent Nissl body staining and Western blot detection on hippocampal. Results: After modeling, rats in HLS group exhibited a reduction in the number of lever presses and an increase in the completion time of the reward-directed operant conditioning task Ⅰ (P < 0.05) when compared with the control group, which were not substantially altered in the HLS-GTSs 100 and 200 mg/kg groups (P > 0.05). In the reward-directed operant conditioning task Ⅱ, the HLS group rats demonstrated a marked decrease in the number of lever presses (P < 0.05) and nose pokes (P < 0.01) when compared with the control group rats; the HLS-GTSs 100 mg/kg showed a significant increase in the number of lever presses and nose pokes (P < 0.05), while the HLS-GTSs 200 mg/kg demonstrated a significant reduction in completion time and an elevation in the number of lever presses (P < 0.05) when compared with the HLS group rats. In visual signal discrimination task, compared with the control group rats, the HLS group rats showed decrease in the indexes of the visual signal discrimination(P < 0.01), while HLS-GTSs 100 and 200 mg/kg groups exhibited manifest increase in it (P < 0.01). In reward extinction experiment, the number of lever presses in HLS rats significantly increased when compared with the control group (P < 0.01); compared with the HLS group, HLS-GTSs 100 and 200 mg/kg groups demonstrated a marked descrease (P < 0.05). The expressions of N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor 1 (NR1) and phosophorylated N-methyl-Daspartic acid receptor 2B (p-NR2B) proteins were markedly decreased in rats in the HLS group (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively), while that of NR2B protein maintained the same (P > 0.05). GTSs increased the expression levels of p-NR2B (P < 0.01). Conclusion GTSs improved the learning and memory ability of complex operations by regulating the NR1/NR2B phosphorylation pathways in rats.

To study the chemical constituents from the bark of Myrica rubra, fourteen compounds were isolated from the methanolic extract using various chromatographic techniques, including silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and preparative HPLC. Their structures were identified on the basis of chemical properties and spectroscopic data, as 3, 5-dimethoxy-4-hydroxymyricanol (1), myricanol (2), myricanone (3), myricanol 11-sulfate (4), myricitrin (5), quercetin (6), quercetin-3-rhamnoside (7), tamarixol (8), uvaol (9), ursolic acid (10), taraxerol (11), myricadiol (12), β-sitosterol (13) and β-daucosterol (14). Among them, compound 1 is a new compound, named as 3, 5-dimethoxy-4-hydroxymyricanol, compounds 8, 9 were isolated from the genus Myrica for the first time.

This study is to report the study of protective effects of myricitrin against oxidative stress-induced apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells and the investigation of the possible mechanisms of action of myricitrin. The model of H2O2-induced apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells was used to determine the protective effects of myricitrin. The levels of LDH, MDA and the activities of SOD, NO were measured using the respective kits. The H2O2-induced apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells was detected using MTT reduction, TUNEL assay, JC-1 and ROS staining. The activation of Caspase-3 was also measured by fluorometry. The expression of apoptosis-related proteins was determined with Western blotting assay. Myricitrin had significant protective effects against H2O2-induced apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The results show that myricitrin could attenuate H2O2-induced decrease in the activities of SOD (P < 0.01). Myricitrin could decrease the levels of LDH, MDA and increase cell viability and the mitochondrial membrane potential (P < 0.01). Myricitrin had protective effects in a dose-dependent manner between 32 micromol x L(-1) to 64 micromol x L(-1). Myricitrin pretreatment could attenuate H2O2-induced increase of p-ERK. Moreover, myricitrin pretreatment could up-regulate the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, down-regulate the expression of the pro-apoptotic protein Bax, and decrease the expression of Caspase-3, 9. In conclusion, myricitrin had significant protective effects against H2O2-induced apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells. Myricitrin can enhance the activities of anti-oxidative enzymes and decrease the production of free radicals. The possible mechanisms of action of myricitrin are due to myricitrin-mediated inhibition of phosphorylation of the apoptosis signaling pathways-related kinase ERK, up-regulation of the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein, and down-regulation of the expression of the pro-apoptotic protein.

Objective To investigate the antitumor effects of total glycoside of Cimicifuga dahurica (TGCD) in vivo and in vitro, and further explore its mechanisms. Methods The anti-tumor activity in vitro was determined by MTT assay and the anti-tumor activity in vivo was evaluated using experimental mouse tumor (S180) model and human tumor (A549) xenografts in nude mice. After treatment, A549 cell apoptosis and morphologic change were evaluated by Annexin V/PI flow cytometry and HE staining. Results Inhibitory concentration 50% (IC50) of TGCD on A549, HepG2, HL60, Eca-109 and MDA-MB231 cells were 20.3, 27.1, 21.2, 23.4 and 32.7 ?g/mL respectively. Administration of TGCD (100 or 200 mg/kg) inhibited S180 solid tumor development in mice, the inhibition rates were 42.8% and 54.6% respectively. Administration of TGCD (100 or 200 mg/kg) inhibited A549 tumor growth with a T/C (mean value of treated group/mean value of control group) value of 58.1% and 52.2% respectively. In addition, increased percentage of apoptotic cells induced by TGCD in human A549 nude mice xenografts and the histopathological changes including cell shrinkage and condensation of chromosomes were observed. Conclusion TGCD has demonstrated antitumor bioactivity both in vitro and in vivo, which may be related to its effects of inducing apoptosis activity.

By means of polyacry1amide gel slab electrophoresis,the peroxide isoenzyme and the so1uble protein ofvarious types of Gastrodia elata in different growing periods were studied. The results revealed that the appar-ent varieties of G. elata are not stable in heredity.