OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of Qingda Granule (QDG) in ameliorating hypertension-induced cardiac damage and investigate the underlying mechanisms involved. METHODS: Twenty spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) were used to develope a hypertension-induced cardiac damage model. Another 10 Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were used as normotension group. Rats were administrated intragastrically QDG [0.9 g/(kg•d)] or an equivalent volume of pure water for 8 weeks. Blood pressure, histopathological changes, cardiac function, levels of oxidative stress and inflammatory response markers were measured. Furthermore, to gain insights into the potential mechanisms underlying the protective effects of QDG against hypertension-induced cardiac injury, a network pharmacology study was conducted. Predicted results were validated by Western blot, radioimmunoassay immunohistochemistry and quantitative polymerase chain reaction, respectively. RESULTS: The administration of QDG resulted in a significant decrease in blood pressure levels in SHRs (P<0.01). Histological examinations, including hematoxylin-eosin staining and Masson trichrome staining revealed that QDG effectively attenuated hypertension-induced cardiac damage. Furthermore, echocardiography demonstrated that QDG improved hypertension-associated cardiac dysfunction. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and colorimetric method indicated that QDG significantly reduced oxidative stress and inflammatory response levels in both myocardial tissue and serum (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Both network pharmacology and experimental investigations confirmed that QDG exerted its beneficial effects in decreasing hypertension-induced cardiac damage by regulating the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)/angiotensin II (Ang II)/Ang II receptor type 1 axis and ACE/Ang II/Ang II receptor type 2 axis.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Hypertension/pathology* ; Renin-Angiotensin System/drug effects* ; Rats, Inbred SHR ; Oxidative Stress/drug effects* ; Male ; Rats, Inbred WKY ; Blood Pressure/drug effects* ; Myocardium/pathology* ; Rats ; Inflammation/pathology*

Since the implementation of drug registration in China, the classification of Chinese medicine has greatly met the needs of public health and effectively guided the transformation, inheritance, and innovation of research achievements on traditional Chinese medicine(TCM). In the past 30 years, the development of new Chinese medicine has followed the registration transformation model of " one prescription for single drug". This model refers to the R&D and registration system of modern drugs, and approximates to the " law-abiding" medication method in TCM clinic, while it rarely reflects the sequential therapy of syndrome differentiation and comprehensive treatment with multiple measures. In 2017, Opinions on Deepening the Reform of Review and Approval System and Encouraging the Innovation of Drugs and Medical Devices released by the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council pointed out that it is necessary to " establish and improve the registration and technical evaluation system in line with the characteristics of Chinese medicine, and handle the relationship between the traditional advantages of Chinese medicine and the requirements of modern drug research". Therefore, based on the development law and characteristics of TCM, clinical thinking should be highlighted in the current technical requirements and registration system of research and development of Chinese medicine. Based on the current situation of registration supervision of Chinese medicine and the modern drug research in China, the present study analyzed limitations and deficiency of " one prescription for single drug" in the research and development of Chinese medicine. Additionally, a new type of " series prescriptions" was proposed, which was consistent with clinical thinking and clinical reality. This study is expected to contribute to the independent innovation and high-quality development of the TCM industry.
China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Prescriptions ; Public Health

Objective: To explore the effect and molecular mechanism of SPHK1 in the invasion and metastasis process of non-small-cell lung cancer cells (A549). Methods: Recombinant retrovirus was used to mediate the production of A549/vector, A549/SPHK1, A549/scramble, and A549/SPHKl/RNAi that stably expressed or silenced SPHK1. The invasion and migration capacities of A549 cells overexpressing or silencing SPHK1 were determined using Transwell invasion assay and scratch wound repair experiment. The protein and mRNA expression levels of E-cadherin, fibronectin, vimentin in A549/vector, A549/SPHK1, A549/scramble, A549/SPHK1/RNAi were detected with Western blot (WB) and quantitative PCR (QPCR) methods, respectively. Results: Transwell invasion assay and scratch wound repair experiments showed that over-expression of SPHK1 obviously enhanced the invasion and migration capacities of A549 cells. WB and QPCR detection results showed that, the expression of E-cadherin (a molecular marker of epithelial cells) and fibronectin, vimentin (molecular markers of mesenchymal cells) in A549 cells was upregulated after overexpression of SPHK1; while SPHK1 silencing significantly reduced the invasion and metastasis capacities of A549 cells, upregulated the expression of molecular marker of epithelial cells, and downregulated the expression of molecular marker of mesenchymal cells. Conclusions: SPHK1 promotes epithelial mesenchymal transition of non-small-cell lung cancer cells and affects the invasion and metastasis capacities of these cells.

A total of 16 Taenia multiceps isolates collected from naturally infected sheep or goats in Gansu Province, China were characterized by sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene. The complete cox1 gene was amplified for individual T. multiceps isolates by PCR, ligated to pMD18T vector, and sequenced. Sequence analysis indicated that out of 16 T. multiceps isolates 10 unique cox1 gene sequences of 1,623 bp were obtained with sequence variation of 0.12-0.68%. The results showed that the cox1 gene sequences were highly conserved among the examined T. multiceps isolates. However, they were quite different from those of the other Taenia species. Phylogenetic analysis based on complete cox1 gene sequences revealed that T. multiceps isolates were composed of 3 genotypes and distinguished from the other Taenia species.
Animals ; China ; Cluster Analysis ; Cysticercosis/parasitology/veterinary ; DNA, Helminth/chemistry/genetics/isolation & purification ; DNA, Mitochondrial/chemistry/genetics/isolation & purification ; Electron Transport Complex IV/*genetics ; *Genetic Variation ; Goat Diseases/parasitology ; Goats ; Phylogeny ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Protein Subunits/genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Sheep ; Sheep Diseases/parasitology ; Taenia/*classification/genetics/*isolation & purification