AIM To study the chemical constituents from Asteris Radix et Rhizoma and their anti-inflammatory activities.METHODS The extract from Asteris Radix et Rhizoma was isolated and purified by column chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography,then the structures of obtained compounds were identified by physicochemical properties and spectral data.Their anti-inflammatory activities were evaluated by RAW264.7 model.RESULTS Thirteen compounds were isolated and identified as(Z)-9,10,11-trihydroxy-12-octadecenoic acid(1),tianshic acid(2),6,6-dimethyl-2-methlenebicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-O-(6-O-apiofuranosyl)-β-D-glucopyranoside(3),ent-16β,17-dihydroxy-kauran-19-oic acid(4),ent-17-hydroxy-19-kauranoic acid(5),7β,17-dihydroxy-16α-ent-kauran-19-oic acid 19-O-β-D-glucopyranoside ester(6),paniculoside Ⅳ(7),thomimarine A(8),cyclo-(S-Pro-R-Leu)(9),4,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid 1-methyl ether(10),methyl 3,5-di-O-caffeoyl quinate(11),5-acetyl-3β-hydroxy-2β-(1-hydroxyisopropyl)-2,3-dihydrobenzofurane(12),4-ally-2,6-dimethoxyphenyl glucoside(13).Compounds 1 and 3-12 had inhibition on the release of NO in RAW264.7 cells,and 4-6,8,10-12 were better than the positive control.CONCLUSION Compounds 1,6,8-9 are isolated from Compositae family for the first time,and 2-5,7,10 and 11-13 are first isolated from this plant.Compounds 1,3-12 have anti-inflammatory activities.

AIM To study the chemical constituents from Asteris Radix et Rhizoma and their anti-inflammatory activities.METHODS The extract from Asteris Radix et Rhizoma was isolated and purified by column chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography,then the structures of obtained compounds were identified by physicochemical properties and spectral data.Their anti-inflammatory activities were evaluated by RAW264.7 model.RESULTS Thirteen compounds were isolated and identified as(Z)-9,10,11-trihydroxy-12-octadecenoic acid(1),tianshic acid(2),6,6-dimethyl-2-methlenebicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-O-(6-O-apiofuranosyl)-β-D-glucopyranoside(3),ent-16β,17-dihydroxy-kauran-19-oic acid(4),ent-17-hydroxy-19-kauranoic acid(5),7β,17-dihydroxy-16α-ent-kauran-19-oic acid 19-O-β-D-glucopyranoside ester(6),paniculoside Ⅳ(7),thomimarine A(8),cyclo-(S-Pro-R-Leu)(9),4,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid 1-methyl ether(10),methyl 3,5-di-O-caffeoyl quinate(11),5-acetyl-3β-hydroxy-2β-(1-hydroxyisopropyl)-2,3-dihydrobenzofurane(12),4-ally-2,6-dimethoxyphenyl glucoside(13).Compounds 1 and 3-12 had inhibition on the release of NO in RAW264.7 cells,and 4-6,8,10-12 were better than the positive control.CONCLUSION Compounds 1,6,8-9 are isolated from Compositae family for the first time,and 2-5,7,10 and 11-13 are first isolated from this plant.Compounds 1,3-12 have anti-inflammatory activities.

The adulteration and counterfeiting of herbal ingredients in medicinal and food homology (MFH) have a serious impact on the quality of herbal materials, thereby endangering human health. Compared to pharmaceutical drugs, health products derived from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) are more easily accessible and closely integrated into consumers' daily life. However, the authentication of the authenticity of TCM ingredients in MFH has not received sufficient attention. The lack of clear standards emphasizes the necessity of conducting systematic research in this area. This study utilized DNA barcoding technology, combining ITS2, psbA-trnH, matK as universal barcode sequences, and DX, HH, JYH as specific barcode sequences, to identify the authenticity of commercial medicinal and food homology scented herbal teas. The aim was to investigate the authenticity of scented herbal tea products circulating in the market. The research results revealed that among 180 scented herbal tea samples, DNA barcodes were successfully obtained from 164 samples, while the remaining samples either lacked the target components or suffered severe DNA degradation, resulting in failed amplification. Combined with morphological identification studies, it was found that out of the 180 samples, 141 were authentic, accounting for 78.33% of the total samples, while 31 samples showed adulteration and 8 samples lacked the target components, accounting for 21.67% of the total samples. Additionally, water testing revealed that 5 samples of Carthamus tinctorius herbal tea exhibited the phenomenon of weight adulteration. This study exposed the presence of adulteration and weight adulteration in scented herbal tea products, highlighting the need for regulatory authorities to expedite the establishment of quality standards in scented herbal tea industry. These findings provide valuable insights for the rapid development of the scented herbal tea industry.

Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics of prostatic abscesses (PA)primarily presenting as urinary retention in the elderly patients and the therapeutic effect of TURP.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the case records of four elderly patients with PA who presented primarily with urinary retention and were admitted to our hospital between July 2020 and August 2022. The median age of the four patients was 68.0 (62.0, 77.0) years, all of whom were admitted to the hospital due to progressive difficulty of urination and inability to urinate. All four patients exhibited chills and high fever, with three cases presenting prior to admission and one case post-admission. One patient developed secondary sepsis, and 2 patients experienced perineal pain. Two patients had a history of diabetes, and 2 had a history of hypertension. The rectal digital examination of these four patients revealed prostate enlargement, with 2 cases of tenderness and one case of fluctuation sensation on the prostate. Blood and urine bacterial cultures were carried out in 4 patients, of which 3 patients were positive of blood culture with 2 cases of Escherichia coli and one case of Klebsiella pneumoniae, 2 patients were positive of the urine culture with one case of Escherichia coli and one case of Klebsiella pneumoniae, and one patient was negative of blood and urine culture.Serum C-reactive protein (CRP)and procalcitonin (PCT) increased in these 4 patients, with 118-190 mg/L and 1.39-13.45 ng/ml respectively. One of the 4 patients had elevated serum PSA levels, with a value of 16.95 ng/L, while the remaining 3 patients had normal serum PSA levels. The median international prostate symptom score (IPSS) score before surgery was 31.5(28.7, 34.3) points for these 4 patients, and the median quality of life (QOL) score was 5.0(4.2, 5.8) points. The transabdominal ultrasound examination of these 4 patients showed that the prostate was enlarged and the echo of the prostate was uneven, and the hypoechoic area in the prostate was found in 2 cases. On plain CT scan of the prostate in these cases, the prostate was enlarged, and there was an area of uneven reduction in density. MRI plain scan of the prostate in 2 cases showed abscess in the peripheral zone of the prostate. Among the 4 cases of PA, 3 cases were diagnosed before operation. The size of abscess was 1.7-5.8 cm, including one case of multiple abscess. Another case of PA was found during TURP for benign prostatic hyperplasia. Four patients were undergoing TURP after antibiotic treatment. During the operation, the pus cavity was found at the prostatic capsule, and the pus cavity wall at the urethral side was removed to make the pus cavity fully open. Three-chamber F20 Foley catheter was placed in the urethra eventually.Results:The operation was successfully completed in these 4 patients, and the operation time was 30 to 90 minutes. Postoperative pathology reported benign prostatic hyperplasia with acute/chronic inflammatory cell infiltration. One patient developed fever on the day after operation, with the highest temperature of 38.6 ℃, and improved after pharmaceutical treatment. Urinary catheter was retained for 5 days postoperatively. Five days after surgery, the urinary catheter was removed and all 4 patients had unobstructed urination. One patient experienced transient urinary incontinence caused by urinary tract infection, which improved after 2 weeks of treatment with increased water intake and oral antibiotics. One month after the operation, the abscess cavity of all patients was completely disappeared and urination was smooth. One-month postoperative follow-up revealed complete resolution of abscess cavities in all patients by prostate CT. The median postoperative IPSS was 13.5(8.5, 17.0)( P=0.0286), and the median QOL score was 1.0(0.3, 1.8)( P=0.0284), both showing statistically significant differences compared to preoperative values. Over the follow-up period ranging from 19 to 44 months, no abscess recurrence was noted in the 4 cases, and retrograde ejaculation was noted in 2 cases. Complications such as urethral stricture, urinary incontinence, and urinary retention did not occur. One patient developed epididymitis and orchitis 6 weeks post-surgery, which improved following 2 weeks of conservative treatment. Conclusions:The symptoms of elderly PA patients primarily presenting as urinary retention were severe. TURP can relieve the symptoms of lower urinary tract obstruction while draining the pus cavity, and the therapeutic effect is satisfactory.

Objective:To compare the aortic remodeling of the Fabulous stent system and standard thoracic aortic endovascular repair (TEVAR) on distal aorta type B aortic dissection (TBAD). Methods:The prospective data collected between Dec 2017 and Oct 2019 from 134 patients with type B aortic dissection (TBAD) who underwent treatment with the "Fabulous" stent system, and retrospective data from 159 TBAD patients receiving standard TEVAR from corresponding multicenter. By using propensity score matching analysis, we compared the prognosis and aortic remodeling outcomes in patients undergoing Fabulous and standard TEVAR treatments during a 1-year postoperative follow-up.Results:In this study, 62 patients in Fabulous group and 62 patients in standard TEVAR were included.There were no significant statistical differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups. In terms of aortic remodeling in bare stent region, Fabulous group had better change trends of diameter of true lumen [10.6 (4.4, 14.5) mm vs. 4.7 (0.9, 10.7) mm, P=0.001] and false lumen [-24.2 (-30.5, -4.9) mm vs. 0.7 (-11.8, 2.3) mm, P<0.001] than those in the standard TEVAR group. The rate of complete false lumen thrombosis was also higher in the Fabulous group (62.9% vs. 37.1%, P=0.042). Conclusion:The Fabulous stent system, when compared to standard TEVAR surgery, demonstrates good aortic remodeling outcomes in the distal aorta.

Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics of prostatic abscesses (PA)primarily presenting as urinary retention in the elderly patients and the therapeutic effect of TURP.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the case records of four elderly patients with PA who presented primarily with urinary retention and were admitted to our hospital between July 2020 and August 2022. The median age of the four patients was 68.0 (62.0, 77.0) years, all of whom were admitted to the hospital due to progressive difficulty of urination and inability to urinate. All four patients exhibited chills and high fever, with three cases presenting prior to admission and one case post-admission. One patient developed secondary sepsis, and 2 patients experienced perineal pain. Two patients had a history of diabetes, and 2 had a history of hypertension. The rectal digital examination of these four patients revealed prostate enlargement, with 2 cases of tenderness and one case of fluctuation sensation on the prostate. Blood and urine bacterial cultures were carried out in 4 patients, of which 3 patients were positive of blood culture with 2 cases of Escherichia coli and one case of Klebsiella pneumoniae, 2 patients were positive of the urine culture with one case of Escherichia coli and one case of Klebsiella pneumoniae, and one patient was negative of blood and urine culture.Serum C-reactive protein (CRP)and procalcitonin (PCT) increased in these 4 patients, with 118-190 mg/L and 1.39-13.45 ng/ml respectively. One of the 4 patients had elevated serum PSA levels, with a value of 16.95 ng/L, while the remaining 3 patients had normal serum PSA levels. The median international prostate symptom score (IPSS) score before surgery was 31.5(28.7, 34.3) points for these 4 patients, and the median quality of life (QOL) score was 5.0(4.2, 5.8) points. The transabdominal ultrasound examination of these 4 patients showed that the prostate was enlarged and the echo of the prostate was uneven, and the hypoechoic area in the prostate was found in 2 cases. On plain CT scan of the prostate in these cases, the prostate was enlarged, and there was an area of uneven reduction in density. MRI plain scan of the prostate in 2 cases showed abscess in the peripheral zone of the prostate. Among the 4 cases of PA, 3 cases were diagnosed before operation. The size of abscess was 1.7-5.8 cm, including one case of multiple abscess. Another case of PA was found during TURP for benign prostatic hyperplasia. Four patients were undergoing TURP after antibiotic treatment. During the operation, the pus cavity was found at the prostatic capsule, and the pus cavity wall at the urethral side was removed to make the pus cavity fully open. Three-chamber F20 Foley catheter was placed in the urethra eventually.Results:The operation was successfully completed in these 4 patients, and the operation time was 30 to 90 minutes. Postoperative pathology reported benign prostatic hyperplasia with acute/chronic inflammatory cell infiltration. One patient developed fever on the day after operation, with the highest temperature of 38.6 ℃, and improved after pharmaceutical treatment. Urinary catheter was retained for 5 days postoperatively. Five days after surgery, the urinary catheter was removed and all 4 patients had unobstructed urination. One patient experienced transient urinary incontinence caused by urinary tract infection, which improved after 2 weeks of treatment with increased water intake and oral antibiotics. One month after the operation, the abscess cavity of all patients was completely disappeared and urination was smooth. One-month postoperative follow-up revealed complete resolution of abscess cavities in all patients by prostate CT. The median postoperative IPSS was 13.5(8.5, 17.0)( P=0.0286), and the median QOL score was 1.0(0.3, 1.8)( P=0.0284), both showing statistically significant differences compared to preoperative values. Over the follow-up period ranging from 19 to 44 months, no abscess recurrence was noted in the 4 cases, and retrograde ejaculation was noted in 2 cases. Complications such as urethral stricture, urinary incontinence, and urinary retention did not occur. One patient developed epididymitis and orchitis 6 weeks post-surgery, which improved following 2 weeks of conservative treatment. Conclusions:The symptoms of elderly PA patients primarily presenting as urinary retention were severe. TURP can relieve the symptoms of lower urinary tract obstruction while draining the pus cavity, and the therapeutic effect is satisfactory.

This study compared the changes in chemical components during the processing of different types of Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata(ALRP) in "Jianchang" faction, i.e., dried ginger-steamed ALRP pieces(Yin-FP), sand-fried ALRP pieces(Yang-FP), and rice swill water-bleached ALRP pieces(DFP), and provided a scientific basis for the mechanism in toxicity reduction and efficacy enhancement from a compositional perspective. Samples were collected during the processing of the three types of ALRP pieces, yielding raw ALRP pieces, water-bleached Yin-FP, ginger juice-moistened Yin-FP, steamed Yin-FP, water-bleached Yang-FP, sand-fried Yang-FP, water-bleached DFP, rice swill water-bleached DFP, and roasted DFP. Aconitine, mesaconitine, hypaconitine, benzoylaconine, benzoylmesaconine, benzoylhypaconine, aconine, mesaconine, hypaconine, salsolinol, fuziline, and higenamine in the extracts were determined by UPLC-MS/MS, and then content analysis and cluster heatmap analysis were performed on 11 sets of samples. During the processing of the three types of ALRP pieces, bleaching significantly reduced the content of 12 alkaloids; steaming, stir-frying, and roasting significantly reduced the content of diester-type alkaloids(aconitine, mesaconitine, and hypaconitine) and significantly increased the content of monoester-type alkaloids(benzoylaconine, benzoylmesaconine, and benzoylhypaconine) and aminoalcohol-type alkaloids(aconine, mesaconine, and hypaconine). During the processing of Yin-FP, the diester-type alkaloids continuously decreased, while the monoester-type and aminoalcohol-type alkaloids showed an initial decrease followed by an increase. During the processing of Yin-FP, Yang-FP, and DFP, the diester-type alkaloids continuously decreased, while the monoester-type and aminoalcohol-type alkaloids showed an initial decrease followed by an increase. Steamed Yin-FP showed a higher increase in content than fried Yang-FP and roasted DFP. Comprehensive analysis of content differences in toxic and therapeutic components in three ALRP pieces suggests that the distinctive processing methods in "Jianchang" faction can indeed achieve detoxification and efficacy enhancement on ALRP. This study provides references for understanding the mechanisms of action of the three processing methods.
Aconitine/analysis* ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; Zingiber officinale ; Oryza ; Sand ; Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods* ; Alkaloids/analysis* ; Steam

Humans ; Endovascular Aneurysm Repair ; Stents ; Blood Vessel Prosthesis ; Aortic Dissection/surgery* ; Endovascular Procedures ; Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic/surgery* ; Treatment Outcome ; Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation ; Retrospective Studies

Recent studies have shown that the occurrence and development of common liver diseases, including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, cirrhosis, and liver cancer, are related to liver aging(LA). Therefore, to explore the effect and mechanism of Dahuang Zhechong Pills(DHZCP), a traditional classic prescription in improving LA with multiple targets, the present study randomly divided 24 rats into a normal group, a model group, a DHZCP group, and a vitamin E(VE) group, with six rats in each group. The LA model was induced by continuous intraperitoneal injection of D-galactose(D-gal) in rats. For the LA model rats, the general situation was evaluated by aging phenotype and body weight(BW). LA was assessed by the pathological characteristics of hepatocyte senescence, hepatic function indexes, the staining characteristics of phosphorylated histone family 2A variant(γ-H2AX), and the expression levels of cell cycle arrest proteins(P21, P53, P16) and senescence-associated secretory phenotype(SASP) in the liver. The activation of the reactive oxygen species(ROS)-mediated phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase(PI3K)/protein kinase B(Akt)/forkhead box protein O4(FoxO4) signaling pathway was estimated by hepatic ROS expression feature and the protein expression levels of the key signaling molecules in the PI3K/Akt/FoxO4 signaling pathway. The results showed that after the treatment with DHZCP or VE for 12 weeks, for the DHZCP and VE groups, the characterized aging phenotype, BW, pathological characteristics of hepatocyte senescence, hepatic function indexes, relative expression of ROS in the liver, protein expression levels of key signaling molecules including p-PI3K, p-Akt, and FoxO4 in the liver, staining characteristics of γ-H2AX, and the protein expression levels of P16, P21, P53, interleukin-6(IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) in the liver were improved, and the effects of DHZCP and VE were similar. Based on the D-gal-induced LA model in rats, this study demonstrates that DHZCP can ameliorate LA with multiple targets in vivo, and its effects and mechanism are related to regulating the activation of the ROS-mediated PI3K/Akt/FoxO4 signaling pathway in the liver. These findings are expected to provide new pharmacological evidence for the treatment of DHZCP in aging-related liver diseases.
Animals ; Rats ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/genetics* ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/genetics* ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/genetics* ; Signal Transduction ; Liver ; Aging ; Cell Cycle Proteins ; Interleukin-6

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of amygdalin on liver fibrosis in a liver fibrosis mouse model, and the underlying mechanisms were partly dissected in vivo and in vitro. METHODS: Thirty-two male mice were randomly divided into 4 groups, including control, model, low- and high-dose amygdalin-treated groups, 8 mice in each group. Except the control group, mice in the other groups were injected intraperitoneally with 10% carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-olive oil solution 3 times a week for 6 weeks to induce liver fibrosis. At the first 3 weeks, amygdalin (1.35 and 2.7 mg/kg body weight) were administered by gavage once a day. Mice in the control group received equal quantities of subcutaneous olive oil and intragastric water from the fourth week. At the end of 6 weeks, liver tissue samples were harvested to detect the content of hydroxyproline (Hyp). Hematoxylin and eosin and Sirius red staining were used to observe the inflammation and fibrosis of liver tissue. The expressions of collagen I (Col-I), alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), CD31 and transforming growth factor β (TGF-β)/Smad signaling pathway were observed by immunohistochemistry, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot, respectively. The activation models of hepatic stellate cells, JS-1 and LX-2 cells induced by TGF-β1 were used in vitro with or without different concentrations of amygdalin (0.1, 1, 10 µmol/L). LSECs. The effect of different concentrations of amygdalin on the expressions of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) dedifferentiation markers CD31 and CD44 were observed. RESULTS: High-dose of amygdalin significantly reduced the Hyp content and percentage of collagen positive area, and decreased the mRNA and protein expressions of Col-I, α-SMA, CD31 and p-Smad2/3 in liver tissues of mice compared to the model group (P<0.01). Amygdalin down-regulated the expressions of Col-I and α-SMA in JS-1 and LX-2 cells, and TGFβ R1, TGFβ R2 and p-Smad2/3 in LX-2 cells compared to the model group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Moreover, 1 and 10 µmol/L amygdalin inhibited the mRNA and protein expressions of CD31 in LSECs and increased CD44 expression compared to the model group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Amygdalin can dramatically alleviate liver fibrosis induced by CCl₄ in mice and inhibit TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway, consequently suppressing HSCs activation and LSECs dedifferentiation to improve angiogenesis.
Rats ; Male ; Mice ; Animals ; Transforming Growth Factor beta/metabolism* ; Amygdalin/therapeutic use* ; Endothelial Cells/metabolism* ; Olive Oil/therapeutic use* ; Rats, Wistar ; Smad Proteins/metabolism* ; Liver Cirrhosis/metabolism* ; Liver ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction ; Collagen Type I/metabolism* ; Carbon Tetrachloride ; Hepatic Stellate Cells