Efficacy and safety of motherwort injection add-on therapy to carboprost tromethamine for prevention of post-partum blood loss: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Stachydrine represses the proliferation and enhances cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of breast cancer cells via PLA2G2A/DCN axis

Considering the therapeutic efficacy of Stachydrine on breast cancer (BC), this study aims to decipher the relevant mechanism. The effects of Stachydrine on BC cell viability, proliferation and apoptosis were firstly investigated. Then, Bioinformatics was applied to sort out the candidate interacting with Stachydrine as well as its expression and downstream target in BC. Relative expressions of genes of interest as well as proliferation- and apoptosis-related factors in BC cells were quantified through quantitative reverse-transcription PCR and western blot as appropriate. As a result, Stachydrine inhibited the proliferation, down-regulated the expressions of proliferating cell nuclear antigen and CyclinD1, enhanced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, and up-regulated the levels of Cleaved caspase-3 and Cleaved caspase-9 in BC cells. Phospholipase A2 Group IIA (PLA2G2A) was predicted as the candidate interacting with Stachydrine and to be lowly expressed in BC. PLA2G2A silencing reversed while PLA2G2A overexpression reinforced the effects of Stachydrine. Decorin (DCN) was the downstream target of PLA2G2A and also lowly expressed in BC. PLA2G2A silencing counteracted yet overexpressed PLA2G2A strengthened the promoting effects of Stachydrine on DCN level. Collectively, Stachydrine inhibits the growth of BC cells to promote cell cycle arrest and apoptosis via PLA2G2A/DCN axis.

A retrospective study of estrogen in the pretreatment for medical management of early pregnancy loss and the inference from intrauterine adhesion

Background

Estrogen has been usually used in clinic for medical pretreatment of early pregnancy loss. There was little reported the effect of estrogen combined with prostaglandin analogs in the medical management of early pregnancy loss. This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of estrogen pretreatment for medical management of early pregnancy loss and explore the confounding factor of intrauterine adhesion (IUA) on the outcome of medical management.

Methods

A total of 226 early pregnancy loss patients who received pretreatment with estradiol valerate and/or mifepristone, followed by carboprost methylate suppositories (study groups), or carboprost methylate suppositories alone (control group) in a regional central institution from March 2020 to February 2021 were retrospectively studied. All patients were evaluated by hysteroscopy 6 h after carboprost methylate suppositories use to assess whether the gestational sac was complete expulsion and assess the morphology of uterine cavity.

Results

The complete expulsion rate was 56.94% in the mifepristone and estradiol valerate-pretreatment group, 20.69% in the estradiol valerate-pretreatment group, 62.5% in the mifepristone-pretreatment group, and 12.5% in the control group. Compared with the control group, pretreatment with estradiol valerate did not increase the complete expulsion rate significantly (P = 0.297), pretreatment with mifepristone increased the complete expulsion rate significantly (P < 0.001). Pretreatment with mifepristone combined with estradiol valerate did not increase the complete expulsion rate significantly comparing with pretreatment with mifepristone (P = 0.222). The data of IUA showed that the complete expulsion rate in patients with IUA was lower than that in those patients without IUA (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Pretreatment with estrogen was not a sensible substitute for mifepristone in the medical management of early pregnancy loss. Mifepristone followed by carboprost methylate suppositories was likelihood of the ideal medical scheme in early pregnancy loss. IUA decreased the complete expulsion rate of medical management, it is cautious about medical management for early pregnancy loss with risk of IUA.

Trial Registration Number: ChiCTR2100046503. Date of registration (retrospectively registered): May 18, 2021. Trial registration website: http://www.chictr.org.cn/.

The Regulatory Effects of Traditional Chinese Medicine on Ferroptosis

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has significantly contributed to protecting human health and promoting the progress of world civilization. A total of 2,711 TCMs are included in the 2020 version of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, which is an integral part of the world’s medical resources. Tu Youyou and her team discovered and purified artemisinin. And their contributions made the values and advantageous effects of TCM more and more recognized by the international community. There has been a lot of studies on TCM to treat diseases through antioxidant mechanisms, the reports on the new mechanisms beyond antioxidants of TCM has also increased year by year. Recently, many TCMs appear to have significant effects in regulating ferroptosis. Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent, non-apoptotic, regulated cell death characterized by intracellular lipid peroxide accumulation and oxidative membrane damage. Recently, accumulating studies have demonstrated that numerous organ injuries and pathophysiological process of many diseases are companied with ferroptosis, such as cancer, neurodegenerative disease, acute renal injury, arteriosclerosis, diabetes, and ischemia-reperfusion injury. This work mainly introduces dozens of TCMs that can regulate ferroptosis and their possible mechanisms and targets.

Total alkaloid fraction of Leonurus japonicus Houtt. Promotes angiogenesis and wound healing through SRC/MEK/ERK signaling pathway

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Leonurus japonicus Houtt., also known as motherwort, is a traditional Chinese medicine that was first identified in Shennong Bencao Jing, the first and essential pharmacy monograph in China. L. japonicus has been regarded as a good gynecological medicine since ancient times. It has been widely used in clinical settings for treatment of gynecological diseases and postnatal rehabilitation with good efficacy and low adverse effects.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The main purpose of this study was to determine the angiogenic and wound healing effects of total alkaloid fraction from L. japonicus Houtt. (TALH) in vivo and in vitro. In addition, the main bioactive components of total alkaloids were to be identified and analyzed in this study.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

First, the UHPLC/Q-TOF-MS method was used to identify and quantify the major components in the TALH extract. The wound healing activity was evaluated in vivo using a rat full-thickness cutaneous wound model. Histological study of wound healing in rat model was performed via immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. Cell proliferation was determined by MTT assay. Wound healing and transwell assays were used for detection of cell migration. The effect on tube formation was determined by tube formation assay in HUVECs. Western blot and RT-PCR were used to detect the expressions of relative proteins and genes respectively. Knock-down of SRC by siRNA was done to verify the crucial role of SRC in promotion of angiogenesis induced by TALH.

RESULTS

Seven characteristic peaks were recognized in the UHPLC/Q-TOF-MS spectrum, while four of the main components were quantified. The wound model in rats showed that treatment of TALH promoted wound healing by stimulating cellular proliferation and collagen deposition. In vitro experiments showed that co-treatment of TALH and VEGF increased cell proliferation, migration and tube formation in HUVECs. Mechanistic studies suggested that the co-treatment increased gene expressions of SRC, MEK1/2 and ERK1/2, as well as the phosphorylation levels of these proteins. Furthermore, the effect of co-treatment was attenuated after SRC knockdown, suggesting that SRC plays an important role in angiogenesis and wound healing induced by TALH and VEGF co-treatment.

CONCLUSION

Our results showed that TALH was one of the main active components of L. japonicus that promoted angiogenesis and wound healing by regulating the SRC/MEK/ERK pathway. Our study provided scientific basis for better clinical application of L. japonicas.

Herbalism for Modern Obstetrics

More pregnant and nursing mothers are using herbal remedies than health care providers realize. Lack of familiarity with herbalism in addition to the sparsity of high-quality research for many complementary and alternative medicines are barriers for the western practitioner to engage a patient about herbal therapies. This review provides historical information and available evidence for Traditional Chinese and Western herbal medicines commonly sought by pregnant and nursing mothers. We will review herbs commonly used for: nausea and vomiting, constipation, gestational diabetes, threatened miscarriage, immune system support, parturition preparation, postpartum depression, postpartum bleeding and pain, wound healing, and lactation support.

A review of pharmacological and pharmacokinetic properties of stachydrine

Stachydrine is extracted from the leaves of Leonurus japonicus Houtt (or Motherwort, "Yi Mu Cao" in Traditional Chinese Medicine) and is the major bioactive ingredient. So far, stachydrine has demonstrated various bioactivities for the treatment of fibrosis, cardiovascular diseases, cancers, uterine diseases, brain injuries, and inflammation. The pharmacological and pharmacokinetic properties of stachydrine up to 2019 have been comprehensively searched and summarized. This review provides an updated summary of recent studies on the pharmacological activities of stachydrine. Many studies have demonstrated that stachydrine has strong anti-fibrotic properties (on various types of fibrosis) by inhibiting ECM deposition and decreasing inflammatory and oxidative stress through multiple molecular mechanisms (including TGF-β, ERS-mediated apoptosis, MMPs/TIMPs, NF-κB, and JAK/STAT). The cardioprotective and vasoprotective activities of stachydrine are related to its inhibition of β-MHC, excessive autophagy, SIRT1, eNOS uncoupling and TF, promotion of SERCA, and angiogenesis. In addition to its anticancer action, regulation of the uterus, neuroprotective effects, etc. the pharmacokinetic properties of stachydrine are also discussed.