AIM To investigate the renal protective effects of Shiwei Ruxiang Powder on gouty nephritis in rats based on mitophagy.METHODS Rats were randomly divided into the blank group,the model group,the low-dose,medium-dose,and high-dose Shiwei Ruxiang Powder groups(200,400,800 mg/kg)and allopurinol group(10 mg/kg).The rat model of gouty nephropathy was established by gavage of potassium oxyzinate(750 mg/kg)and uric acid(300 mg/kg).The rats had their levels of UA,SCr,BUN,XOD,SOD,MDA,ROS measured by automatic biochemical analyzer,ELISA and chemical fluorescence method;their renal pathological changes observed by HE staining;their apoptosis of renal tissue cells observed by TUNEL staining;and their mRNA and protein expressions of IL-1β,TNF-α,Bax,Bcl-2,caspase-3,caspase-9,PINK1,Parkin and LC3-Ⅱ detected by RT-qPCR and Western blot.RESULTS Compared with the model group,Shiwei Ruxiang Powder groups displayed dose-dependently decreased serum levels of UA,BUN and SCr,renal deposition of urate crystal and apoptosis(P<0.05);decreased renal levels of ROS and inflammatory factors IL-1β and TNF-α(P<0.05);and increased renal expressions of mitochondrial autophagy-related proteins PINK1,Parkin and LC3-Ⅱ(P<0.01).CONCLUSION Shiwei Ruxiang Powder may relieve gouty kidney injury in rats by reducing the uric acid level,the renal oxidative stress and inflammatory response,and activating mitophagy pathway as well.

OBJECTIVE: This study tests the efficacy of Bletilla striata polysaccharide (BSP), carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC), baicalin (BA) and silver titanate (ST) in a wound dressings to fight infection, promote healing and provide superior biocompatibility. METHODS: The antibacterial activity of BA and ST was evaluated in vitro using the inhibition zone method. BA/ST/BSP/CMC porous sponge dressings were prepared and characterized. The biocompatibility of BA/ST/BSP/CMC was assessed using the cell counting kit-8 assay. The therapeutic effect of BA/ST/BSP/CMC was further investigated using the dorsal skin burn model in Sprague-Dawley rats. RESULTS: The wound dressing had good antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus through BA and ST, while the combination of BSP and CMC played an important role in promoting wound healing. The BA/ST/BSP/CMC porous sponge dressings were prepared using a freeze-drying method with the concentrations of BA and ST at 20 and 0.83 mg/mL, respectively, and the optimal ratio of 5% BSP to 4% CMC was 1:3. The average porosity, water absorption and air permeability of BA/ST/BSP/CMC porous sponge dressings were measured to be 90.43%, 746.1% and 66.60%, respectively. After treatment for 3 and 7 days, the healing rates of the BA/ST/BSP/CMC group and BA/BSP/CMC group were significantly higher than those of the normal saline (NS) group and silver sulfadiazine (SSD) group (P < 0.05). Interleukin-1β expression in the BA/ST/BSP/CMC group at 1 and 3 days was significantly lower than that in the other three groups (P < 0.05). After being treated for 3 days, vascular endothelial growth factor expression in the BA/BSP/CMC group and BA/ST/BSP/CMC group was significantly higher than that in the NS group and SSD group (P < 0.05). Inspection of histological sections showed that the BA/ST/BSP/CMC group and BA/BSP/CMC group began to develop scabbing and peeling of damaged skin after 3 days of treatment, indicating accelerated healing relative to the NS group and SSD group. CONCLUSION The optimized concentration of BA/ST/BSP/CMC dressing was as follows: 6 mg BSP, 14.4 mg CMC, 0.5 mg ST and 12 mg BA. The BA/ST/BSP/CMC dressing, containing antibacterial constituents, was non-cytotoxic and effective in accelerating the healing of burn wounds, making it a promising candidate for wound healing. Please cite this article as: Gong YR, Zhang C, Xiang X, Wang ZB, Wang YQ, Su YH, Zhang HQ. Baicalin, silver titanate, Bletilla striata polysaccharide and carboxymethyl chitosan in a porous sponge dressing for burn wound healing. J Integr Med. 2023; 21(5): 487-495.
Rats ; Animals ; Chitosan/pharmacology* ; Silver/pharmacology* ; Porosity ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/pharmacology* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Wound Healing ; Polysaccharides/pharmacology* ; Bandages ; Burns/drug therapy* ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology* ; Silver Sulfadiazine/pharmacology*

Humans ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Neurilemmoma/surgery* ; Thyroid Neoplasms/surgery* ; Trachea/surgery* ; Tracheal Neoplasms/surgery*

The relationship between chronic psychological stress and tumorigenesis has been well defined in epidemiological studies; however, the underlying mechanism remains underexplored. In this study, we discovered that impaired macrophage phagocytosis contributed to the psychological stress-evoked tumor susceptibility, and the stress hormone glucocorticoid (GC) was identified as a principal detrimental factor. Mechanistically, GC disturbed the balance of the "eat me" signal receptor (low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein-1, LRP1) and the "don't eat me" signal receptor (signal regulatory protein alpha, SIRPα). Further analysis revealed that GC led to a direct, glucocorticoid receptor (GR)-dependent trans-repression of LRP1 expression, and the repressed LRP1, in turn, resulted in the elevated gene level of SIRPα by down-regulating miRNA-4695-3p. These data collectively demonstrate that stress induces the imbalance of the LRP1/SIRPα axis and entails the disturbance of tumor cell clearance by macrophages. Our findings provide the mechanistic insight into psychological stress-evoked tumor susceptibility and indicate that the balance of LRP1/SIRPα axis may serve as a potential therapeutic strategy for tumor treatment.

Objective:Through the preparation of Alzheimer's disease （AD） rat model， the effect of Yuanzhisan on the expression of Ghrelin was observed， and the possible mechanisms in preventing and treating AD were discussed. Method:A total of 120 SD rats were randomly divided into sham-operated group， model group， donepezil group（1.02 mg·kg^-1）， and high， medium and low-dose Yuanzhisan groups （12，6，3 g·kg^-1）， with 20 rats in each group， including half male and half female. The rats in sham-operated group were injected with normal saline （NS）， and the rats in other groups were injected with β-amyloid 1-40 （Aβ_1-40） in hippocampus to induce the AD rat model. During the 10-week continuous gavage， the food intake of rats in each group was observed and recorded. After the end of gavage， learning and memory abilities of rats were tested by Morris water maze. The whole brain and the gastric body and antrum were collected， the pathologic changes in the CA1 area of hippocampus was assessed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining， and the expression of Ghrelin was detected by immunohistochemistry. Result:Compared with the sham-operated group， the escape latency time of model group rats increased （P<0.01），while times across platform， retention time in effective area and movement distance decreased （P<0.01）. The disorder of neurons， the decrease of the neuronal number， and the pyknosis of nucleus were observed in hippocampal CA1 area. The food intake of male and female rats decreased significantly （P<0.05，P<0.01）. The expression of Ghrelin in hippocampal CA1 area and gastric mucosa decreased significantly （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the escape latency time of rats in each treatment group was significantly shortened （P<0.05，P<0.01），whereas times across platform， retention time in effective area and movement distance increased （P<0.05，P<0.01）. The pathologic change was improved markedly， and the daily food intake of rats in high and medium-dose Yuanzhisan groups increased significantly （P<0.05，P<0.01）. The protein expression of Ghrelin in hippocampal CA1 area and gastric mucosa increased significantly in each Yuanzhisan group （P<0.05，P<0.01）. Conclusion:Yuanzhisan can effectively improve the learning and memory abilities of AD rats and increase the daily intake， which may be related to its up-regulation of Ghrelin content in hippocampal CA1 area and gastric mucosa.