OBJECTIVETo further investigate the {ptin vitro} effects of an osteoprotective herbal formula "ELP" (Herba Epimedii, Fructus Ligustri Lucidi and Fructus Psoraleae) using seropharmacological approach.

METHODSRats were fed with ELP or its individual component herbs for 2 days. The serum containing the postabsorbed ingredients of the herbal items were collected for cell culture using UMR106 cell, RAW264.7 cell and mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) isolated from the bone marrow of the rats. The effects of the herbal-containing serum on cell toxicity were detected by 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay; bromodeoxyuridine assay was conducted to measure the cell proliferation of UMR106 cell and MSC; cell activity was measured using colorimetric method, and mRNA expression of runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and osteopontin (OPN) of UMR106 and MSC as well as matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9), tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) and cathepsin K of RAW264.7 were analyzed using real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTSELP and its component serum exhibited no cytotoxic effects on the cells. The ELP-containing serum increased the proliferation of UMR106 cell and MSC by 25.7% and 14.4 %, respectively and the alkaline phosphatase activity of MSC was increased by 42.6%. On the contrary, it inhibited the RAW264.7 cell differentiation by 29.2 %. ELP serum upregulated the Runx2 expression of UMR and MSC by 1.18 fold and 1.27 fold, respectively. It also upregulated ALP and OPN expression in MSC by 1.69- and 2.12-fold, respectively. On the other hand, ELP serum down-regulated MMP-9 and cathepsin K expression of RAW264.7 cell by 0.46- and 0.36-fold, respectively.

CONCLUSIONSThe serum of the animals fed with ELP contains active ingredients which are effective in promoting osteogenesis and inhibiting osteoclastogenesis.

Absorption, Physiological ; drug effects ; Animals ; Bone and Bones ; drug effects ; pathology ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Male ; Mice ; Osteoclasts ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Osteogenesis ; drug effects ; Protective Agents ; pharmacology ; RAW 264.7 Cells ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Serum ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of compound bushen recipe (CBR) in improving the survival state of stress and the overall life span in C. elegans by simulating chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) under various stress states.

METHODSThe tolerance and the average survival time of adult larvae against heat stress (35 degrees C), oxidative stress (250 microg/mL juglone), and in vivo Abeta protein toxicity (Abeta(1-42) transgenic mutant CL4176) under the intervention of the high (500 mg/L), middle (250 mg/L), and low (100 mg/L) dose CBR were observed. The effect of CBR on the average live time (at 25 degrees C), movement distance in 20 seconds, the frequency of pharyngeal pump in 30 seconds, and the reproductive capability were assessed.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, the survival time of heat stressed C. elegans could be significantly increased in each CBR group (P < 0.01). The survival time of heat stressed C. elegans could be elongated, the protein toxicity be attenuated, and the live time prolonged in the high and middle dose CBR groups (P < 0.01, P < 0.05).The movement distance and the frequency of pharyngeal pump could also be increased in the high dose CBR group (P < 0.01). There was no statistical difference in the reproductive capability among all groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSCBR could significantly enhance the stress capacity of C. elegans against internal and external environment, and prolong their lifespan. It did not interfere their normal production, and also could improve the quality of life, thus laying a foundation for further mechanism studies and pharmacological researches on CBR in preventing and treating CFS.

Animals ; Caenorhabditis elegans ; drug effects ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic ; drug therapy ; Longevity ; Stress, Physiological

OBJECTIVETo clarify drug properties of components in Euodiae Fructus.

METHODThe rat cold syndrome model was induced by cold water stress method. The content of neurotransmitters sand hormones such as DA, 5-HT, NE, AChE and 17-OHCS in serum of model rats were taken as the indexes to evaluate drug properties of components in Euodiae Fructus.

RESULTEuodiae Fructus and its components could correct or relief the content of energy metabolism and substance metabolism-related neurotransmitters sand hormones in serum of model rats with water-stressed cold syndrome.

CONCLUSIONEuodiae Fructus and its components are proved to show hot property.

Animals ; Cold Temperature ; adverse effects ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Gastric Mucosa ; drug effects ; pathology ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; blood ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Stomach Ulcer ; blood ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Stress, Physiological

Epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have been widely used for non-small-cell lung cancer patients. Its untoward cutaneous effects are largely well known and developed in many patients treated with EGFR TKIs. However trichomegaly of eyelash is rarely reported. Although trichomegaly is not a drug-limiting side effect, it could be troublesome of continuing the treatment because of cosmetic issue or eyeball irritation by long eyelashes. Therefore clinicians are needed to pay attention to this uncommon effect. We herein describe erlotinib induced trichomegaly of eyelashes in a woman with adenocarcinoma of the lung.
Adenocarcinoma ; Cosmetics ; Eyelashes ; Female ; Humans ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Physiological Effects of Drugs ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; Quinazolines ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor ; Erlotinib Hydrochloride

OBJECTIVETo observe the ultrastructure changes of cerebral cortex neuron and endothelial cell in hypoxia preconditioning mice and the effects of Tongxinluo (TXL, Chinese traditional medilihe) on them.

METHODSMice were randomly divided into 4 groups: control group, hypoxia group, hypoxia preconditioning (HP) group and Tongxinluo (TXL) group. The hypoxia preconditioning mice were exposed by repetitive hypoxia for 5 runs. The animal's tolerance time of each hypoxia run was recorded. The ultrastructure change of cerebral neuron and endothelial cell were studied by electron microscope.

RESULTSThe hypoxic tolerance time in HP and TXL groups were significantly increased run by run. Compared with HP group, the tolerance time of TXL group were increased in every run. The ultrastructure of cerebral neuron and endothelial cell in hypoxia group changed obviously, mitochondrion and endoplasmic reticulum destroyed. However they were slighter in HP group than those in hypoxia group. The change in TXL group had no obvious differentce with control group and were slighter than those in HP group.

CONCLUSIONHypoxia preconditioning shows that organism has a strong self-repairing ability. Tongxinluo self-repairing; could increase self-repairing ability and adaptive ability of mice to hypoxia obviously.

Adaptation, Physiological ; Animals ; Cerebral Cortex ; pathology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Endothelial Cells ; ultrastructure ; Hypoxia ; physiopathology ; Hypoxia, Brain ; physiopathology ; Ischemic Preconditioning ; methods ; Male ; Mice ; Neurons ; drug effects ; ultrastructure

Biofilms can evade antibiotics and immune attacks, and become liable to induce drug resistance, and correspondingly cause chronic and recalcitrant infection. traditional Chinese medicine show special advantages in treatment of biofilm infection. The author reviewed the reports concerning the research progress of traditional Chinese medicine in treating biofilms in light of its own research in recent years, and summarized the research progress on traditional Chinese medicine intervening biofilms of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans.
Animals ; Bacterial Infections ; drug therapy ; microbiology ; Bacterial Physiological Phenomena ; drug effects ; Biofilms ; drug effects ; Candida ; drug effects ; physiology ; Candidiasis ; drug therapy ; microbiology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Humans

OBJECTIVEChanges of the internal and external cellular environments can induce calcium homeostasis disorder and unfolded protein aggregation in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). This ER function disorder is called endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS). Severe long-term ERS can trigger the ER apoptosis signaling pathway, resulting in cell apoptosis and organism injury. Recent researches revealed that ERS-induced cell death was involved in the neurocyte retrogradation in the progress of neuron degenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease and so on. Therefore, the protection effect of the traditional Chinese drug-Tiantai No. 1 (1) on the ERS injury of AD was investigated at the molecular gene level in this study with a view to explore the gene pharmacodynamic actions and mechanisms of this drug.

METHODSPrimarily cultured marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) of rats were treated by tunicamycin (TM) in order to induce ERS. RT-PCR, fluorescence immunocytochemistry and Western blot techniques were used to determine the mRNA and protein expression levels of the protective stress protein-ER molecular chaperones GRP78 and GRP94 (which would assist cells to resist cellular stress injury), and to determine the mRNA and protein expression levels of apoptosis promoting molecule Caspase-12 on the membrane of the ER, respectively.

RESULTSProtein expression levels of GRP78 and GRP94 were significantly increased in the TM-induced MSCs, and the mRNA level of Caspase-12 was also remarkably increased in the TM-induced MSCs (P<0.05). All these proved that the ERS model was successfully established by TM in MSC. Meanwhile, the mRNA and protein levels of GRP78 and GRP94 were all significantly increased compared with the model group (P<0.05 or P<0.01) after MSCs were treated with Tiantai No.1 while the mRNA and protein expression levels of Caspase-12 were significantly decreased compared with the model group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). This effect showed a dose dependent manner.

CONCLUSIONTiantai No.1 might attenuate the cell apoptosis induced by ERS injury, and thus protect the neurons against AD.

Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; antagonists & inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Cells, Cultured ; Drug Antagonism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Endoplasmic Reticulum ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Heat-Shock Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Male ; Membrane Glycoproteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; RNA ; analysis ; drug effects ; Rabbits ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Stress, Physiological ; drug effects ; genetics ; Tunicamycin ; antagonists & inhibitors ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of different assemblages formed by components of Shengmai Powder (SMP) on glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in liver of thermal injured rat to find the optimal ratio of assembling for GR regulation.

METHODSWith a orthogonal design adopted, the dosage of each component of SMP, including the total saponins of Ginseng (G), the water extract of lilyturf root (L), and the water extract of schisandra fruit (S), was ranked in three levels, namely, no participating, low dosage (G 7.1 mg, L 17.2 mg, S 9.6 mg), high dosage (G 14.2 mg, L 34.4 mg, S 19.2 mg). The components were assigned by L9(3(4)) orthogonal table and grouped, the best assembling ratio was determined through direct and variance analysis.

RESULTSAfter being acted by the different assemblages, the maximum binding volume of GR in rat's liver cell suspension was 161 +/- 26 fmol/mg protein in group 1, 271 +/- 40 fmol/mg protein in group 2, 166 66 fmol/mg protein in group 3, 222 +/- 45 fmol/mg protein in group 4, 192 +/- 26 fmol/mg protein in group 5, 194 +/- 23 fmol/mg protein in group 6, 166 +/- 15 fmol/mg protein in group 7, 165 +/- 47 fmol/mg protein in group 8 and 211 +/- 79 fmol/mg protein in group 9. The optimal GR level appeared during the dosage of G, L and S was 7.1 mg, 17.2 mg and 19.2 mg, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe best assembling ratio of SMP for regulating GR in the liver of thermal injured rat was G:L:S = 3:3:4.

Animals ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Hot Temperature ; adverse effects ; Liver ; metabolism ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Glucocorticoid ; metabolism ; Stress, Physiological ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of continuous dry-stress and full-water treatments in different periods of spring on the water condition, permeability of plasma membrane and protective enzymes activities in leaves of Ligusticum chuanxiong.

METHODPot cultivation method was applied and physical and biochemical indexes were measured.

RESULTUnder dry-stress treatment the soil relative water content (SRWC) and the relative water content (RWC) in leaves decreased gradually with the days of treatment increased, the content of malondialdephyde (MDA) and permeability of plasma membrane increased significantly. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) increased at first and then decreased while the activity of peroxidase (POD) increased. The influence of full-water treatment to all above indexes was the same trend with that of dry-stress treatment approximately but was not significant.

CONCLUSIONIn this experiment, the suitable soil relative water content for growth of Chuanxiong is about 60%.

Catalase ; metabolism ; Cell Membrane ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Cell Membrane Permeability ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; metabolism ; Lipid Peroxidation ; drug effects ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Peroxidase ; metabolism ; Plant Leaves ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Regression Analysis ; Seasons ; Stress, Physiological ; drug effects ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Water ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Polygala tenuifolia Willd YZ-50 on the mRNA expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BNDF) and its receptor TrkB in rats with chronic stress depression.es.

METHODSNormal male Wistar rats were divided in to control group, model group, desipramine (20 mg/kg) group, and low and high-dose (2.8 and 5.6 g/kg) YZ-50 groups. The total RNA was extracted from the rats with chronic stress depression, and the mRNA expression of BDNF and TrkB was detected by RT-PCR.

RESULTSCompared with the model group, YZ-50 at both low and high doses significantly increased the mRNA expression of BDNF and TrkB in the hippocampus of rats with chronic stress depression, and the effect was more obvious in the high-dose group (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONYZ-50 can up-regulate the expression of BDNF and TrkB mRNA to promote the recovery of the neurons from chronic stress-induced damages and produces anti-depressant effect.

Animals ; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor ; genetics ; metabolism ; Depression ; drug therapy ; etiology ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Male ; Polygala ; chemistry ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Receptor, trkB ; genetics ; metabolism ; Stress, Physiological ; physiology ; Up-Regulation ; drug effects