Effect of Liuweibuqi capsule, a Chinese patent medicine, on the JAK1/STAT3 pathway and MMP9/TIMP1 in a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease rat model

OBJECTIVE： To observe effect of Liuweibuqi Capsule, a Traditional Chinese Medicine （TCM）, on the janus kinase （JAK）/signal transducer and activator of transcription （STAT） pathway and matrix metalloproteinases （MMPs） in a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （COPD） rat model with lung deficiency in terms of TCM＇s pattern differentiation. METHODS： Rats were randomly divided into a normal group, model group, Liuweibuqi group, Jinshuibao group, and spleen aminopeptidase group （n= 10）. Aside from the normal group, all rats were ex-posed to smoke plus lipopolysaccharide tracheal instillation to establish the COPD model with lung deficiency. Models were established after 28 days and then the normal and model groups were given normal saline （0.09 g/kg）, Liuweibuqi group was given Liuweibuqi capsule （0.35 g/kg）, Jinshuibao group was given Jinshuibao capsules （0.495 g/kg）, and the spleen group was given spleen aminopeptidase （0.33 mg/kg）, once a day for 30 days. Changes in symptoms, signs, and lung histology were observed. Lung function was measured with a spirometer. Serum cytokines were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and changes in the JAK/STAT pathway, MMP-9, and MMPs inhibitor 1 （TIMP1） were detected by immunohistochemistry, RT-PCR, and western blotting, respectively.RESULTS： Compared with the normal group, lung tissue was damaged, and lung function was reduced in the model control group. Additionally, the levels of interleukin （IL）-1β, y interferon （IFN-γ）, and IL-6 were higher, while IL-4 and IL-10 were lower in the model control group than those in the normal group. The expressions of JAK1, STAT3, ρ-STAT3, and MMP-9 mRNA and protein in lung tissue were higher, and TIMP1 mRNA and protein was lower in the model group compared with the normal group. After treatment, compared with the model group, the expression of inflammatory cytokines was lower in each treatment group, and expressions of JAK/ STAT pathway, MMPs were lower. Compared with the positive control groups, the Jinshuibao and spleen aminopeptidase groups, lung function was better, and JAK1, STAT3, and p-STAT3 protein were lower and TIMP1 was higher in the Liuweibuqi group.CONCLUSION： Liuweibuqi capsules can improve the symptoms of COPD possibly by regulating the expression of the JAK1/STAT3 pathway and MMP9/ TIMP1.

Huoxue Jiedu Huayu recipe(活血解毒化瘀方)alleviates contralateral renal fibrosis in unilateral ureteral obstruction rats by inhibiting the transformation of macrophages to myofibroblast

OBJECTIVE:To investigate the action and underlying mechanisms of Huoxue Jiedu Huayu recipe(活血解毒化瘀方,HJHR)against unilateral ureteral obstruction(UUO)-induced injury in the contralateral kidney.METHODS:Forty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing(200±10)g were used in this study and randomly assigned to 4 groups:a sham group,a UUO group,a UUO+eplerenone(EPL)group,and a UUO+HJHR group.The contralateral kidneys were harvested for further study 180 d after surgery.Histological analysis,immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence were used to study the fibrosis of the contralateral kidneys obtained from UUO rats.Contralateral kidney damagerelated pathway proteins were detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis.RESULTS:HJHR significantly inhibited fibrosis of the contralateral kidney in UUO rats by attenuating the UUOinduced macrophage-to-myofibroblast transition(MMT)in the contralateral kidney.Moreover,HJHR attenuated fibrosis in the contralateral kidney of UUO rats by preventing MMT through the aldosterone/mineralocorticoid receptor/serum/glucocorticoid regulated kinase 1 pathway.CONCLUSIONS:Our findings suggest that HJHR may be a potential treatment for renal interstitial fibrosis of obstructive nephropathy.

Effect of Guizhi Gancao Longgu Muli Tang on sleep disturbances in menopausal women

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of Guizhi Gancao Longgu Muli Tang(GGLMT), a decoction prepared with herbal medicine of Traditional Chinese Medicine, on sleep disturbances in women with menopause.METHODS: Totally 162 participants were recruited for the treatment of sleep difficulty from February,2012 to December, 2014. Decoction of 200 mL was taken by every participant twice daily in half an hour after lunch and dinner during two weeks.Sleep quality was assessed by Pittsburg sleep quali-ty index(PSQI) and menopausal symptoms and quality of life were evaluated by the menopause rating scale(MRS) and the Chinese version of World Health Organization quality of life-BREF at the final fellow-up in the fourth weekend after beginning.RESULTS: The average scores of PSQI had reduced from(13.82 ± 4.97) to(8.14 ± 3.19), 95% CI(- 4.87,- 3.05) after 2-week GGLMT treatment in the fourth week. GGLMT improved symptoms in patients with more severe conditions(MRS ≥ 16).Three adverse drug reaction, mouth ulcer, constipation, and folliculitis, might be related with GGLMT and disappeared after withdrawals of the treatment.CONCLUSION: For menopausal women suffering from chronic sleep disturbances, our findings suggest that two weeks treatment of GGLMT was safe and effective.

Effect of tonifying liver and kidney-essence herbs on expression of Nogo-A and p75^(NTR) in cerebral ischemic stroke rats model

OBJECTIVE： To observe the effect of tonifying liver and kidney-essence herbs on expression of a nerve regeneration inhibitor, Nogo for neuron A （No- go-A）, and its associated signaling molecule, low-af- finity neurotrophin receptor p75 （p75TR）, in rats with cerebral ischemic stroke （CIS）, with the aim of exploring the possible mechanism of tonifying liver and kidney-essence herbs in recovery following in- jury to the central nervous system. METHODS： A cerebral ischemic stroke model in SD rats was established with the suture-occlusion method. Successful model rats were divided into placebo and herb groups at random; sham-operat- ed and control groups were set up simultaneously.Each of these groups was divided into six sub- groups at random. Expression of Nogo-A and p75TR was evaluated with immunofluorescence microsco- py at days 3, and weeks1, 2, 3, 4 and 8 after adminis- tration. RESULTS： Tonifying liver and kidney-essence herbs suppressed the expression of Nogo-A and p75T （P〈0.05 and P〈0.01, respectively）. CONCLUSION： Suppressing the expression of No- go-A and p75NTR is possibly one of the mechanisms underlying the ability of tonifying liver and kid- ney-essence herbs to promote recovery of the in- jured central nervous system.