[Study on therapeutic mechanism of Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata- Corni Fructus in sequelae of ischemic stroke based on network pharmacology technology]

In ischemic stroke sequela phase, Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata-Corni Fructus drug pair has the effect in protecting damaged neurons, but its mechanism has not been clear. In this study, network pharmacology was used to predict the mechanism of Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata-Corni Fructus in the treatment of ischemic stroke sequela. Through database search and literature retrie-val, 40 active ingredients of Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata and Corni Fructus were obtained, and their targets were obtained through STITCH and TCMSP databases. The targets of ischemic stroke sequela were obtained through OMIM,GAD,TTD and DrugBank databases. By screening the intersections of active ingredients targets and stroke treatment targets, 21 potential targets were obtained. The DAVID database was used for GO enrichment analysis and KEGG pathway analysis of potential targets. GO enrichment analysis showed that Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata-Corni Fructus were mainly involved in regulation of blood pressure, negative regulation of extrinsic apoptotic signaling and positive regulation of angiogenesis. KEGG pathway analysis showed that Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata-Corni Fructus could inhibit inflammatory response and apoptosis signaling pathway by regulating HIF-VEGFA signaling pathway in neural stem cell proliferation, TNF signaling pathway and NF-kappaB signaling pathway. Molecular docking technique was used to verify that Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata-Corni Fructus component has a good binding activity with potential targets. The results showed that in ischemic stroke sequela phase, Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata-Corni Fructus drug pair could play an important role in recovering neural function, promoting the proliferation of neural stem cells, angiogenesis, preventing neural cells apoptosis and regulating inflammatory factors.

Effects of Tianqijiangtang capsule on survival, self-renewal and differentiation of hippocampal neural stem cells of embryonic rats cultured in high glucose medium

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to investigate the effects of Tianqijiangtang capsule on the survival, self-renewal and differentiation of hippocampal neural stem cells (NSCs) of embryonic rats cultured in high glucose medium.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A cell model of diabetic encephalopathy was established. Cell viability was assessed to screen the optimal concentration of glucose for the cell model of diabetic encephalopathy. Then, the effects of Tianqijiangtang capsule on the proliferation and differentiation of NSCs, and the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the culture medium and cells were detected.

RESULTS

High glucose significantly reduced the ability of survival, proliferation and differentiation of NSCs, which was statistically significant, when compared to the control group (P < 0.05 or 0.01). Tianqijiangtang capsule significantly enhanced the survival, proliferation and differentiation of NSCs cultured in high glucose medium, which was statistically significant, when compared with the high glucose group (P < 0.05 or 0.01). The high glucose culture resulted in a significant decrease in VEGF and BDNF levels in culture medium and cells of NSCs. Tianqijiangtang capsule significantly increased the level of VEGF nuclear BDNF in cells and the culture medium, which was significantly higher, when compared to that in the high glucose group (P < 0.05 or 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Tianqijiangtang capsule enhances the level of neurotrophic factor synthesized and secreted by hippocampal NSCs cultured with high glucose through the autocrine and paracrine pathway, promotes the NSC survival, replication and differentiation of new neurons and astrocytes, and reduces the degeneration and necrosis of nerve cells.

Therapy of Dredging the Bowels Enhanced the Neuroprotective Effect of Nourishing Kidney Herbs on Hippocampal Cholinergic System in Alzheimer's Disease Model Rat Induced by Aβ 1-42

BACKGROUND

Therapy of nourishing kidney has been used for treating memory deficits of Alzheimer's disease (AD) for thousands of years based on traditional Chinese medicine. However, we found the therapy of dredging the bowels could alleviate both memory deficits and mental symptoms of AD in clinic.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether the therapy of dredging the bowels could enhance the neuroprotective effect of nourishing kidney herbs for treating AD rats, and to explore the underlying mechanism of the combination of nourishing kidney and dredging the bowels (NKDB) herbs.

METHODS

60 rats were randomly divided into sham-operated group (SOG), model group (MG), nourishing kidney group (NKG), dredging the bowels group (DBG), nourishing kidney and dredging the bowels group (NKDBG), and donepezil hydrochloride group (DHG). The model establishment was performed by injecting Aβ 1-42 into the hippocampal CA1 region. Animals received aqueous solution of Chinese herbal medicine or western medicine while SOG received only distilled water. Ability of learning and memory were assessed by Morris water maze. Acetylcholinesterase(AChE) and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity and positive cells in the hippocampus were detected by the biochemical and immunofluorescent assay.

RESULTS

All rats were in the same baseline. While after model establishment, ability of learning and memory of MG, NKG, DBG, NKDBG, and DHG were significantly impaired compared with SOG. Whereas after treatment, ability of learning and memory of NKG, DBG, NKDBG, and DHG were significantly improved compared with MG. Additionally, AChE activity of NKG, DBG, and NKDBG was significantly decreased, meanwhile ChAT activity showed an increased tendency. The number of AChE-positive cells and ChAT-positive cells of both NKDBG and DHG were significantly decreased and increased respectively, superior to those when compared with NKG and DBG. What's more, there was no significant difference between NKDBG and DHG.

CONCLUSION

Therapy of dredging the bowels could enhance the neuroprotective effect of nourishing kidney herbs by reversing morphological damage of hippocampal cholinergic system. Furthermore, treatment with NKDB herbs could be effectively against AD, providing a practical therapeutic strategy in clinic.

The Role of Chinese Herbs and Acupuncture on the Inflammation Reaction After Cerebral Ischemia

As a complex pathological process, immune inflammatory reaction plays an important role in the injury by cerebral ischemia. Inflammatory mediators can promote each other to coregulate the immune inflammatory reaction. Inflammatory cytokines play a pivotal role in regulating the immune inflammatory reaction process. Chinese herbs and acupuncture can exert a protective effect against neuronal damage by cerebral ischemia by inhibiting the production and expression of inflammatory cytokines and adhesion molecules, effectively blocking the inflammatory reaction and reducing the apoptosis of nerve cells.

Chinese herbs and their active ingredients for activating xue (blood) promote the proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells and mesenchymal stem cells

Some Chinese herbs are anti-thrombolysis, and anti-inflammatory, improves brain RNA content, promotes brain protein synthesis, enhances dopamine function, regulates brain hormones, and improves microcirculation in central nervous system that might improve, repair and rehabilitation from the stroke and brain injury. Specific Chinese herbs and their components, such as Acanthopanax, Angelica, could maintain the survival of neural stem cells, and Rhodiola, Ganoderma spore Polygala, Tetramethylpyrazine, Gardenia, Astragaloside and Ginsenoside Rg1 promoted proliferation of neural stem cells, and Rhodiola, Astragaloside promoted differentiation of neural stem cell into neuron and glia in vivo. Astragalus, Safflower, Musk, Baicalin, Geniposide, Ginkgolide B, Cili polysaccharide, Salidroside, Astragaloside, Antler polypeptides, Ginsenoside Rg1, Panax notoginseng saponins promoted proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells in vitro. Salvia, Astragalus, Ginsenoside Rg1, P. notoginseng saponins, Musk polypeptide, Muscone and Ginkgolide B promoted neural-directed differentiation of MSCs into nerve cells. These findings are encouraging further research into the Chinese herbs for developing drugs in treating patients of stroke and brain injury.

Effects of Panax Notoginseng Saponins on Proliferation and Differentiation of Rat Hippocampal Neural Stem Cells

We aimed to investigate the effects of Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) on proliferation, differentiation and self-renewal of rat hippocampal neural stem cells (NSCs) in vitro. Rat hippocampal NSCs were isolated from post-natal day 1 (P1) rats and cultured in a serum-free medium. The neurospheres were identified by the expressions of nestin, class III β-tublin (Tuj-1) and glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP). The cells were given PNS and subjected to oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD) as an in vitro model of brain ischemia reperfusion. The proliferation of NSCs was determined by MTT colorimetry, nestin/BrdU immunofluorescent double-labeling and RT-PCR. Differentiation of NSCs was assessed by immunofluorescent double-labeling of nestin/BrdU, nestin/vimentin, and nestin/Tuj-1. The primary cells and the first two passages of cells formed certain amount of neurospheres, the cells derived from a single cell clone also formed neurospheres. Nestin, BrdU, GFAP and Tuj-1-positive cells appeared in those neurospheres. Compared to the control group, PNS significantly promoted NSC proliferation and the expression of nestin/BrdU, and also enhanced Tuj-1, vimentin, and nestin mRNA expressions in hippocampal NSCs. PNS significantly increased area density, optical density and numbers of nestin/BrdU, nestin/vimentin, and nestin/Tuj-1 positive cells following OGD. These results indicate that PNS can promote proliferation and differentiation of hippocampus NCSs in vitro after OGD, suggesting its potential benefits on neurogenesis and neuroregeneration in brain ischemic injury.

Influence of Xiexin decoction on gastric emptying and gastrointestinal hormones in rats

AIM: To observe the effect of Banxia (BX), Shengjiang (SJ) and Gancao (GC) Xiexin decoction on the gastric evacuation and secretion of gastrointestinal hormones.

METHODS: Sixty rats were randomly and averagely divided into control group, BX, SJ and GC group. The rats in BX, SJ, and GC group were treated with the decoctions of BX, SJ, and GC respectively [5.67, 7.42, 5.36 g/(kg•d)]. Gastric residue was observed in all the rats with a marker of dextran blue-2000 to determine the capacity of gastric emptying. The levels of gastrointestinal hormones, including vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), substance P (SP), somatostatin (SS), gastrin (GAS), and motilin (MTL), in rat blood were measured by radioimmunoassay.

RESULTS: In comparison with that in the normal controls (99.9% ± 32.2%), gastric residue decreased significantly in BX group (66.1% ± 21.1%, P = 0.014) and increased significantly in SJ group (141.8% ± 21.1%, P = 0.012), while it didn't change notably in GC group. The levels of VIP and SP were markedly lower in BX group than those in the normal controls (348.1 ± 102.5 ng/L vs 445.8 ± 101.9 ng/L, P = 0.032; 47.0 ± 15.2 ng/L vs 63.0 ± 14.7 ng/L, P = 0.011). The levels of SS was markedly higher in BX and SJ group than those in the controls (562.3 ± 149.7, 553.9 ± 98.9 ng/L vs 461.7 ± 77.0 ng/L, P = 0.014 and P = 0.023, respectively). The levels of GAS and MTL were obviously higher in SJ (70.7 ± 11.9 ng/L, P= 0.011; 205.0 ± 22.0 ng/L, P = 0.001) and GC group (79.7 ± 9.3 ng/L, P = 0.001; 205.1 ± 43.1 ng/L, P = 0.014) than those in the controls (56.0 ± 11.5 ng/L; 162.6 ± 19.5 ng/L).

CONCLUSION: Three decoctions have different effects on the gastric motility and secretion of gastrointestinal hormones.

[A review of experimental designs of compound compatibility law of traditional Chinese medicine]

The paper discussed a variety of experimental designs of compound compatibility law of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM): study of whole formula and different ingredients of formula. The latter includes study of single ingredient, study of functional ingredient group, orthogonal design, clustering analysis, homogeneous design, factorial analysis and so on. It was proposed that experimental designs of formula should be based on the theory of TCM, and combined with modern sciences.

Psychiatric morbidity and post-traumatic symptoms among survivors in the early stage following the 1999 earthquake in Taiwan

This study reports the clinical psychiatric presentations and post-traumatic symptoms among 525 survivors at Yu-Chyr District in Nantou County who sought psychiatric service in the first month following the devastating earthquake that struck the central area of Taiwan. All subjects received psychiatric interviews and assessments using the 12-item Chinese Health Questionnaire (CHQ-12) and a checklist for post-traumatic symptoms. The most common psychiatric symptoms reported were insomnia, palpitations, nervousness, and dizziness with headache. Eleven percent of the subjects reported having thought of death or having suicidal ideation. The mean score on the CHQ-12 was 6.43 (S.D.=2.89). The rate of probable psychiatric morbidity as defined by a CHQ-12 score > or =3 was 89.9%. Post-traumatic symptoms were very prevalent, particularly symptoms of re-experiencing the earthquake and hyper-arousal. Factors significantly associated with high psychiatric morbidity were being female, serious destruction of property and house, and personality characteristics of nervousness and obsessiveness. Findings of this study suggest that early psychiatric intervention, including pharmacological treatment for acute stress disorder, is indicated during the early stages following a disastrous earthquake.

[Experimental study on effect of congsheng capsule on expression of brain derived neurotrophic factor and tyrosinkinase mRNA in forebrain of rats after cortical devascularization]

OBJECTIVE

To study the effect and mechanism of Congsheng Capsule (CSC) on brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and tyrosinkinase (trkB) mRNA in forebrain of rats after cortical devascularization.

METHODS

The rat devascularization model was established, and expression of BDNF mRNA and trkB mRNA were determined by hybridization in situ method.

RESULTS

Expression of BDNF mRNA and trkB mRNA reduced obviously in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of devascularization model, especially in hippocampal CA1 subregion. There was trkB mRNA but no BDNF mRNA expression in the macrocyte basal nuclei (MBN). CSC significantly increased the decreased BDNF and trkB mRNA in cortex, hippocampus and MBN compared with placebo group.

CONCLUSION

CSC could salvage the degenerating neurons and maintain their survival after cortical devascularization by increasing the expression of BDNF and trkB mRNA and improving the synthesis of BDNF mRNA and trkB protein.