Zhong xi yi jie he xue bao = Journal of Chinese integrative medicine最新文献

Objective: To study the analgesic effects of naringenin on chronic constriction injury (CCI) model of neuropathic pain.

Methods: After inducing of neuropathic pain by CCI, treatment with 25 and 50 mg/kg of naringenin and 10 mg/kg of pregabalin was given. Rats were evaluated for behavioral tests using Hargreaves apparatus for thermal hyperalgesia, pin prick test for tactile mechanical hyperalgesia and cold water-induced allodynia on days 0, 3, 5, 7, 14 and 21. At the end of study, oxidative stress parameters were measured.

Results: Naringenin showed ameliorating action against CCI-induced neuropathic pain in all the tested models. Also, naringenin attenuated the elevated levels of lipid peroxidation and nitric oxide, and restored the level of reduced glutathione.

Conclusion: The results of the present investigation suggest that naringenin exhibits analgesic effect in sciatic nerve injury model.

Objective: Acupuncture is widely used in clinics to suppress chronic visceral pain in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS); however, the exact neurobiological mechanisms for its therapeutic effects need further exploration. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible involvement of spinal neurons in the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) in relieving chronic visceral hyperalgesia in a rat model of IBS.

Methods: Colon mechanical irritation was applied to male neonatal Sprague-Dawley rats to establish the IBS model. Behavioral test of the abdominal withdraw reflex (AWR) response to colorectal distention stimuli was conducted to judge the degree of colorectal sensitivity. EA at acupoints Zusanli (ST36) and Shangjuxu (ST37) was applied bilaterally in a total of four times every other day, while sham-EA at similar acupoints was done by inserting needles without electrical stimulation. Immunohistochemical methods were used to display the expression of proto-oncogene protein c-fos in the spinal dorsal horn.

Results: It was found that AWR scores were significantly increased in the IBS model rats (P<0.01), accompanied with significant increase in the expression of c-fos protein in the superficial laminae (SDH, laminae I and II) and nucleus proprius (NP, laminae III and IV), the neck of the dorsal horn (NECK, laminae V and VI) at lumbosacral (L6-S2) spinal level, and in NECK at thoracolumbar (T13-L2) spinal level, when compared with normal rats (P<0.05). After EA treatment, AWR scores and the expression of c-fos protein in SDH, NP and NECK at similar spinal levels were significantly decreased in the IBS model rats (P<0.05). No such effects on either AWR scores or the expression of c-fos protein were observed in IBS model rats after sham-EA treatment.

Conclusion: The abnormally high neuronal excitability in the spinal dorsal horn may be an important reason underlying the visceral hyperalgesia in IBS model rats. EA treatment can relieve the chronic visceral hyperalgesia in IBS rats by suppressing the abnormal neuronal excitability in the spinal dorsal horn.

Objective: To observe the protective effect of echinacoside on mitochondrial fragmentation, mitophagy and cell apoptosis in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell line exposed to 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP(+)).

Methods: The MPP(+) -treated SH-SY5Y cells were divided into control and drug groups. The cell apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry analysis. The alterations in mitochondrial morphology were observed, and the changes in mitochondrial membrane potential and mitophagy were measured.

Results: MPP(+) induced severe mitochondrial fragmentation in SH-SY5Y cells. Mitochondrial membrane potential was significantly reduced (P<0.05), which further led to mitophagy and cell apoptosis in SH-SY5Y cells treated with MPP(+) (P<0.05); mitochondrial depolarization, mitophagy and cell apoptosis in echinacoside-treated groups were significantly suppressed (P<0.05), but mitochondrial fragmentation was not affected (P>0.05).

Conclusion: MPP(+) can cause severe damage to mitochondrial morphology and the function in SH-SY5Y cells, and echinacoside selectively reverse mitochondrial function and cell apoptosis, yet there is no effect on mitochondrial morphology.

Multifactor designs that are able to examine the interactions include factorial design, factorial design with a block factor, repeated measurement design; orthogonal design, split-block design, etc. Among all the above design types that are able to examine the interactions, the factorial design is the most commonly used. It is also called the full-factor experimental design, which means that the levels of all the experimental factors involved in the research are completely combined, and k independent repeated experiments are conducted under each experimental condition. The factorial design with a block factor can also examine the influence of a block factor formed by one or more important non experimental factors based on the factorial design. This article introduces the factorial design and the factorial design with a block factor by examples.

Objective: To study the possible mechanism of Sisheng Decoction on spleen deficiency syndrome via the observation of general conditions, immunity and anti-stress function in Dahuang (Radix et Rhizoma Rhei Palmati)-induced mice model.

Methods: Mice were randomized and grouped based on the body weight. The establishment of model and the treatment were done simultaneously. Except the mice in normal group, the decoction and the Dahuang powder were separately given in the morning and the afternoon for 14 d. The general condition of the mice, the rectal temperature, the time of burden swimming, the indexes of thymus and spleen and the interleukin-2 (IL-2) concentration in the serum were observed.

Results: The group treated with Sisheng Decoction showed better performance than that of the model group, including less stool, strong appetite and fast growth; the medium- and high-dose Sisheng Decoction increased the rectal temperature of mice. There was no statistical difference in the thymus and spleen indexes between the groups treated by Sisheng Decoction and the normal group (P>0.05). The thymus index in groups treated by sisheng Decoction was significantly elevated as compared with the model group (P<0.05). The medium- and high-dose Sisheng Decoction significantly improved the concentration of IL-2 and prolonged the time of burden swimming, as compared to the model group (P<0.05).

Conclusion: The medium- and high-dose Sisheng Decoction is good at invigorating spleen and replenishing qi. One of the possible mechanisms may be related with the improvement of the immunity and anti-stress function of the body.

Objective: To explore the experience of the process of Tai Chi exercise.

Methods: The study was conducted in a local park in Beijing of China where varying numbers of community members gathered to practice Tai Chi every day. Volunteers meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria were recruited after signed an informed consent form. In-depth interview and the participatory observation were used to know of the real feeling of practicing Tai Chi. The qualitative data obtained from the interviews were analyzed by using Colaizzi seven-step method to find the subjects.

Results: Six volunteers having a long-time Tai Chi exercise were recruited in this qualitative study, and their real experience was summarized in the physiological level, psychological level, social level and cultural level. In the physiological level, Tai Chi improves the health and exercise of Tai Chi assists the elderly to develop good living habits. In the psychological level, Tai Chi practice guides the person to inner peace, relieves tension, improves depressive mood state, and makes the elderly regain self worth. In the social level Tai Chi is a good form of community practice. In the cultural level, Tai Chi roots in yin and yang culture and integrates internal and external exercises.

Conclusion: Tai Chi is good for body and mind health and the community of practice is very important for practitioners. Tai Chi gains popularity for its benefits to health and psychological adjustments, and its cultural connotation.

Objective: To investigate the possible anticonvulsant effect of different extracts of Eugenia caryophyllata (clove) on pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizures in mice.

Methods: The animals were divided into saline, 50, 100, 250 and 500 mg/kg of aqueous extract, 50, 100, 250 and 500 mg/kg of ethanolic extract, and 50, 100, 250 and 500 mg/kg of chloroformic extract of clove groups. The extracts or saline were injected 60 min before each PTZ injection. Latency to the first minimal clonic seizure (MCS) and generalized tonic-clonic seizure (GTCS) and the percent of mortality were recorded.

Results: Aqueous extract of clove at doses of 50, 100, 250 and 500 mg/kg significantly extended the MCS and GTCS latency (P<0.05). The MCS latency in mice treated with 50, 100 and 250 mg/kg of the ethanolic extract was significantly increased (P<0.05). The GTCS latency in mice treated with 50, 100, 250 and 500 mg/kg of ethanolic extract was significantly higher than that of the saline-treated group (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in MCS and GTCS latency between mice treated with different chloroformic extract of clove or saline.

Conclusion: The aqueous and ethanolic extracts of clove could inhibit the PTZ-induced convulsion, and this plant has the potential to be used as a new therapeutic agent for control of seizures. The exact mechanisms and the active compounds that are responsible for the anticonvulsive effect need to be clarified in future studies.

Objective: To assess the tissue reaction of the lingual mucosa in hamsters submitted to daily, alternating, topical applications of 9,10-dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene (DMBA) and a commercial brand of an ethanol propolis extract (EPE).

Methods: A total of 60 hamsters were divided into three groups with two experimental periods (13 and 20 weeks). The lateral edge of the tongue was submitted to daily, alternating, topical applications of 0.5% DMBA and 30% EPE (EPE group, n=20), 0.5% of DMBA and aqueous propolis extract (APE group, n=20) and 0.5% of DMBA and saline solution (DMBA group, n=20). The occurrence of clinical and histological alterations was analyzed, along with the measurement of the area and volume of the clinical alterations, the determination of structural and cytological alterations of the squamous epithelial tissue with atypias and the measurement of the histological area of squamous cell carcinomas.

Results: There were no significant differences among groups regarding any of the variables analyzed in the two evaluation periods. At week 13, a single squamous cell carcinoma occurred in the EPE group. At week 20, the greatest occurrence of squamous cell carcinoma was also in the EPE group.

Conclusion: The mechanism of EPE (30% alcohol content) affecting the onset of tissue reaction and the promotion of carcinogenesis has not been clarified yet.