Study on the antiulcer effects of Veronicastrum axillare on gastric ulcer in rats induced by ethanol based on tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and endothelin-1(ET-1)

Objective:To assess whether Veronicastrum axillare(V.axillare)can ameliorate ethanol-induced gastric mucosal lesions in rats,reduce the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines,suppress apoptosis and improve local microcirculation disturbances.Methods:Totally 48 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into six groups,eight rats in each group.Rats in the normal group and the model group were administered with 0.9%normal saline respectively.Rats in the positive group and ranitidine group were administered with 0.18%ranitidine suspension by intragastric administration respectively.Those in the high dose V.axillare group,the medium dose V.axillare group and the low dose V.axillare group were administrated with V.axillare at the daily dose of 2.8 g/kg,1.4 g/kg and 0.7 g/kg by intragastric administration.Gastric mucosal lesions were produced by intragastric administration of absolute ethanol.Water extract of V.axillare was successively injected for 14 d and last day was injected 1 h before ethanol administration.Gastric mucosal ulcer index and ulcer inhibitory rate were counted by improved Guth methods.The tissue sections were made for pathological histology analysis.Also,we measured the concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and endothelin-1(ET-1)in gastric mucosal,as an index of the pro-inflammatory cytokines,apoptosis and local microcirculation.Besides,the mRNA contents of TNF-αand ET-1 were measured to verify effects on gene expression by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR.Results:Water extract of V.axillare significantly ameliorated the gastric mucosal lesions induced by ethanol administration(P<0.01).Pro-inflammatory cytokines,TNF-a and ET-1 were increased after ethanol administration and significantly reduced by water extract of V.axillare.The expressions of TNF-αand ET-1 mRNA were also be inhibited by water extract of V.axillare.Conclusion:Current evidences show water extract of V.axillare is effective for defending against ethanol-induced gastric mucosal lesions,significantly inhibiting the production of proinflammatory cytokines and the expressions of TNF-αand ET-1 mRNA,which may be useful for inhibiting apoptosis and improving local microcirculation.

Preliminary study on antifertility activity of Enicostemma axillare leaves and Urena lobata root used in Indian traditional folk medicine

Objective:To evaluate the possible antifertility activity of Enicostemma axillare(E.axillare) leaves and Urena lobata(U.lobata) root in adult male Wistar albino rats.Methods:Six groups of rats were treated with ethanolic(70%v/v) extracts of E.axillare(375 and 750 mg/kg body weight) and U.lobata root(300 and 600 mg/kg body weight) once daily for 55 days.Control groups received the distilled water and vehicle.All the treated rats had corresponding recovery groups.At the end of each treatment periods,animals were killed and organ weights,sperm characteristics,testicular and epididymal biochemicals as well as testicular enzymes were assessed.Results:The E. axillare and U.lobata at tested doses did not decrease body weight,whereas the weight of testes, epididymides and seminal vesicles were significantly(P【0.01) reduced.Significantly(P【0.01) more reductions in the sperm motility,viability and counts,epididymal and testicular protein contents were noted in the rats treated with higher dose of both the plants.Both the plants at the higher dose caused a marked increase(P【0.01) in sperm morphological abnormalities,testicular cholesterol and ascorbic acid contents were remarkably increased(P【0.01),while,the activities of testicular glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase(G-6-PDH) andΔ~5-3β-hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase(Δ~5-3β-HSD) were significantly reduced(P【0.01).However,reversal of these changes occurred after 55 days of treatment withdrawal.Conclusions:This study suggests that the ? axillare leaves and U.lobata root reversibly inhibited spermatogenesis and steroidogenesis indicating reversible antifertility activity which could partially support the traditional of these plants as male contraceptives.

腹水草对人胃上皮细胞GES-1的保护作用及其对PKA、CREB、AQP1的调控研究

[目的]研究腹水草(Veronicastrum axillare,V.axillare)含药血清对乙醇损伤的人胃上皮细胞(gastric epithelial cells-1,GES-1)的保护作用及其对环腺苷酸依赖性激酶(protein kinase A,PKA)、环磷腺苷效应元件结合蛋白(c AMP-response element binding protein,CREB)、水通道蛋白1(aquaporin 1,AQP1)表达水平的调控作用。[方法]20只雄性SD大鼠随机分为5组(n=4),连续灌胃给药14d,制备正常组(生理盐水20 m L·kg-1)、雷尼替丁组(0.027g·kg-1)以及V.axillare低、中、高剂量组(0.7、1.4、2.8 g·kg-1)含药血清。MTT法检测体外培养的GES-1细胞的活性,研究V.axillare含药血清及PKA抑制剂H-89(25μmol·m L-1)预处理对5%乙醇诱导GES-1细胞活力的影响。荧光定量RT-PCR检测PKA、CREB及AQP1 m RNA的表达水平,Western blot检测AQP1蛋白表达水平。[结果]模型组和H-89组GES-1细胞活性低于正常组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.01);乙醇造模处理显著上调PKA、CREB及下调AQP1的表达水平,差异有统计学意义(P<0.01);H-89处理显著抑制PKA和CREB m RNA表达水平(P<0.01);加入各剂量V.axillare含药血清不能显著改善H-89对PKA、CREB和AQP1 m RNA表达水平的抑制作用。V.axillare中、高剂量含药血清细胞活性高于模型组,PKA、CREB m RNA表达水平低于模型组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.01),而V.axillare中、低剂量含药血清AQP1表达水平高于模型组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.01)。[结论]V.axillare含药血清显著减轻乙醇对GES-1细胞的损伤,对GES-1细胞具有保护作用,其保护机制与下调PKA、CREB及上调AQP1的表达有关。

Chemical Screening of <i>Urochloa humidicola</i>: Methods for Characterizing Secondary Metabolites and Allelopathic Activity on Forage Legumes

The aim of this study was to identify the main classes of secondary metabolites present in the root and shoot crude extracts and fractions from the forage grass Urochloa humidicola (Rendle) Morrone & Zuloaga and to evaluate the allelopathic effect of these metabolites on forage legumes for intercropping. Phytochemical prospecting analyses, 1H NMR and capillary electrophoresis were performed on extracts of U. humidicola. Allelopathic activity was evaluated in germination of Stylosanthes, Macrotyloma axillare and Lactuca sativa L. (standard) in the presence of crude extracts, isolated saponins, flavonoids and trans-cinnamic acid. The metabolite classes present in the extracts could be determined by the combined use of the tested analytical techniques, but their use alone was usually not sufficient to chemically characterize the species. Capillary electrophoresis was effective in detecting phenolic compounds. Macrotyloma axillare was tolerant to crude extracts of U. humidicola. Saponins and trans-cinnamic acid, but not the flavonoids, reduced germination of the target plants.