Effects of Ethyl Acetate Extract of Phyllanthus reticulatus Leaves on Autophagy-related Proteins Beclin-1,ATG5 and LC3 in Nude Mice Xenograft Model of HCC

[Objectives]To explore the effects of ethyl acetate extract of Phyllanthus reticulatus leaves on autophagy-related proteins Beclin-1,ATG5 and LC3 by immunohistochemistry,and to preliminarily explore their effects on autophagy.[Methods]BEL-7404 Hepatocellular Carcinoma(HCC)nude mice model was established,and blank group(same volume of pure water),positive control group(20 mg/kg fluorouracil),high dose drug group(600 mg/kg),and medium dose drug group(300 mg/kg),and low dose drug group(150 mg/kg)were set up.After 2 weeks of intragastric administration,the nude mice were sacrificed,and the tumor tissues were taken out,processed by immunohistochemistry,and then made into paraffin sections.Photos were taken under an optical microscope(10×40),and evaluation and analysis were performed with the aid of the Image-Pro Plus 6.0 image analysis software.Differences were calculated using SPSS 20.0 software.The effects of drugs on autophagy-related proteins LC3,Beclin-1 and ATG5 were observed.[Results]Compared with the blank group,the medium and high dose groups of ethyl acetate extract of P.reticulatus leaves had the effect of promoting the increase of autophagy-related proteins LC3,Beclin-1 and ATG5(P<0.05).However,there was no significant difference between the low dose group of ethyl acetate extract of P.reticulatus leaves and the blank group(P>0.05).[Conclusions]The ethyl acetate extract of P.reticulatus leaves has a promoting effect on autophagy-related proteins LC3,Beclin-1,and ATG5.

Analysis on the Construction Path of Database of Zhuang and Yao Medicine Information Resources

In order to realize the sharing,exchange,protection and rational utilization of Zhuang and Yao medicine resources,the problems encountered in the development of Zhuang and Yao medicine industry can be solved by using modern information technology in accordance with the present situation of Zhuang and Yao medicine resources in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and the actual needs of the development of ethnic medicine.This paper expounds the significance of constructing the database of Zhuang and Yao medicine information resources from three aspects:the inheritance and development of Zhuang and Yao medicine,the sustainable development of Zhuang and Yao medicine industry and the information service system.On this basis,the principle and framework of constructing Zhuang and Yao medicine information resource database are put forward.

Pharmacological Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Course Reform of Experimental Teaching under the Background of Courses on the Ideological and Political Dimension

Pharmacology of traditional Chinese medicine is a bridge course linking traditional medicine and modern medicine.In the past,the teaching often focused on the cultivation of basic theories and skills,but did not integrate into the systematic design of ideological and political education.According to the characteristics of the course,this paper combines professional courses with ideological and political education from the aspects of teaching objectives,teaching contents,teaching methods,teaching resources and professional teachers’quality,so as to enhance students’recognition of Chinese excellent culture.

Vesicular drug delivery systems for oral absorption enhancement

Oral administration is the most acceptable route of drug delivery at this stage due to its convenience,safety,and non-invasiveness.However,drugs given orally are exposed to a complex gastrointestinal environment,causing a tremendous challenge for their successful absorption into the circulation.Over the past decades,researchers have developed various novel pharmaceutical technologies to improve oral absorption,among which the vesicular drug delivery system(like liposomes,niosomes and transfersomes)has received extensive attention.Encouragingly,there have been several investigations confirming the improved effect of vesicular drug delivery systems on oral drug absorption.Nevertheless,the clinical translation of oral vesicular drug delivery systems has been less impressive than implied by the positive results,and few vesicular formulations for oral use have been marketed yet.Against this background,this article provides an overview of the current applications and challenges associated with the vesicular delivery systems available for oral drug delivery,specifically liposomes,niosomes,transfersomes,chitosomes and bilosomes.The composition,formation mechanism,drug delivery advantages and application cases of these carriers in oral drug delivery are summarized.The possible mechanisms by which vesicular carriers enhance oral drug absorption are analyzed in terms of the in vivo process of oral drugs.Further,the challenges that oral vesicular carriers now face,such as safety,undefined in vivo fate,and scale-up production,are summarized,while possible strategies to deal with them are indicated.By reviewing the aforementioned,it can facilitate a more comprehensive knowledge of vesicular systems that can be used for oral drug delivery,providing a theoretical basis and reference for the design of oral formulations.

Remodeling the blood–brain barrier microenvironment by natural products for brain tumor therapy

Brain tumor incidence shows an upward trend in recent years; brain tumors account for 5% of adult tumors, while in children, this figure has increased to 70%. Moreover, 20%–30% of malignant tumors will eventually metastasize into the brain. Both benign and malignant tumors can cause an increase in intracranial pressure and brain tissue compression, leading to central nervous system(CNS) damage which endangers the patients' lives. Despite the many approaches to treating brain tumors and the progress that has been made, only modest gains in survival time of brain tumor patients have been achieved. At present, chemotherapy is the treatment of choice for many cancers, but the special structure of the blood–brain barrier(BBB) limits most chemotherapeutic agents from passing through the BBB and penetrating into tumors in the brain. The BBB microenvironment contains numerous cell types, including endothelial cells, astrocytes, peripheral cells and microglia, and extracellular matrix(ECM). Many chemical components of natural products are reported to regulate the BBB microenvironment near brain tumors and assist in their treatment. This review focuses on the composition and function of the BBB microenvironment under both physiological and pathological conditions, and the current research progress in regulating the BBB microenvironment by natural products to promote the treatment of brain tumors.