Current Issue : July - September Volume : 2016 Issue Number : 3 Articles : 4 Articles
Background: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) herbal formulae provide valuable therapeutic strategies. However,\nthe active ingredients and mechanisms of action remain unclear for most of these formulae. Therefore, the\nidentification of complex mechanisms is a major challenge in TCM research.\nMethods: This study used a network pharmacology approach to clarify the anti-inflammatory and cough\nsuppressing mechanisms of the Chinese medicinal preparation Eriobotrya japonica ââ?¬â?? Fritillaria usuriensis dropping\npills (Chuanbei Pipa dropping pills, CBPP). The chemical constituents of CBPP were identified by high-quality ultraperformance\nliquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/Q-TOF-MS), and antiinflammatory\ningredients were selected and analyzed using the PharmMapper and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes\nand Genomes (KEGG) bioinformatics websites to predict the target proteins and related pathways, respectively.\nThen, an RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis was carried out to investigate the different expression of genes in the\nlung tissue of rats with chronic bronchitis.\nResults: Six main constituents affected 19 predicted pathways, including ursolic acid and oleanolic acid from\nEriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) Lindl. (Eri), peiminine from Fritillaria usuriens is Maxim. (Fri), platy codigenin and\npolygalacic acid from Platycodon grandiflorum (Jacq.) A. DC. (Pla) and guanosine from Pinellia ternata (Thunb.)\nMakino. (Pin). Expression of 34 genes was significantly decreased after CBPP treatment, affecting four therapeutic\nfunctions: immunoregulation, anti-inflammation, collagen formation and muscle contraction.\nConclusion: The active components acted on the mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, transforming\ngrowth factor (TGF)-beta pathway, focal adhesion, tight junctions and the action cytoskeleton to exert antiinflammatory\neffects, resolve phlegm, and relieve cough. This novel approach of global chemomics-integrated\nsystems biology represents an effective and accurate strategy for the study of TCM with multiple components and\nmultiple target mechanisms....
Introduction. HyStem-C is a commercially available injectable hydrogel composed of polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA),\nhyaluronan (HA), and gelatin (Gn). These components can be mechanically tuned to enhance cell viability and spreading. Methods.\nThe concentration of PEGDA with an added disulfide bond (PEGSSDA) was varied from 0.5 to 8.0% (w/v) to determine the\noptimal concentration for injectable clinical application.We evaluated the cell viability of human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs)\nembedded in 2% (w/v) PEGSSDA-HA-Gn hydrogels. Volume ratios of HA:Gn from 100 : 0 to 25 : 75 were varied to encourage\nhDPSC spreading. Fibronectin (Fn) was added to our model to determine the effect of extracellular matrix protein concentration\non hDPSC behavior. Results. Our preliminary data suggests that the hydrogel gelation time decreased as the PEGSSDA cross-linker\nconcentration increased. The PEGSSDA-HA-Gn was biocompatible with hDPSCs, and increased ratios of HA:Gn enhanced cell\nviability for 14 days. Additionally, cell proliferation with added fibronectin increased significantly over time at concentrations of\n1.0 and 10.0 ...
Background: Rhei Rhizoma has been widely used as a traditional herbal medicine to treat various\ninflammatory diseases. The present study was conducted to evaluate its anti-inflammatory activity against\nexperimental reflux-induced esophagitis (RE) in SD rats.\nMethods: Rhei Rhizoma was administered at 125 or 250 mg/kg body weight per day for 7 days prior to the\ninduction of reflux esophagitis, and its effect was compared with RE control and normal rats.\nResults: Rhei Rhizoma administration markedly ameliorated mucosal damage on histological evaluation. The\nelevated reactive oxygen species in the esophageal tissue of RE control rats decreased with the\nadministration of Rhei Rhizoma. RE control rats exhibited the down-regulation of antioxidant-related proteins,\nsuch as nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression levels, in\nthe presence of esophagitis; however, the levels with Rhei Rhizoma treatment were significantly higher than\nthose in RE control rats. Moreover, RE control rats exhibited the up-regulation of protein expressions related\nto oxidative stress in the presence of esophagitis, but Rhei Rhizoma administration significantly reduced the\nexpression of inflammatory proteins through mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-related signaling\npathways. The protein expressions of inflammatory mediators and cytokines by nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-�ºB)\nactivation were modulated through blocking the phosphorylation of inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa B (I�ºB)�±.\nConclusion: Our findings support the therapeutic evidence for Rhei Rhizoma ameliorating the development\nof esophagitis via regulating inflammation through the activation of the antioxidant pathway....
Background: Ayurveda has its historical roots in India, but has also been internationalised, partly via migration and\npartly through an increased interest in alternative medicine in the West, where studies point toward increased use.\nHowever, there is to date scarce knowledge about the use and experiences of ayurveda in Sweden.\nMethods: We have conducted a case study of a center for ayurvedic healthcare in Sweden. We have collected\ninformation on client background data from the center�s documentation, and compiled data from all clients who\nvisited the centre for ayurvedic consultation during spring 2014. In total, 55 individuals were included in the study,\nand 18 of them were chosen for individual semi-structured interviews, to gain a deeper understanding of their\nmotives for seeking, and experiences of ayurvedic health care. The material was analysed and compiled through a\nmix of qualitative and quantitative methods.\nResults: Among the 55 clients, 91 % were female the mean age was 47 years, and 64 % gave a specific illness as a\nreason for seeking ayurveda. The most common illnesses were respiratory, musculoskeletal, circulatory, tumor, and\ncutaneous illnesses. The qualitative results showed that ayurveda was being used in combination with other\nmethods, including various diets, other alternative medicine methods and conventional medicine. Some\nparticipants recounted having sought ayurveda as a complement to conventional medicine, or in cases when\nconventional medicine had been experienced as insufficient in terms of diagnosis or treatment. However, some\nparticipants experienced it as difficult to follow the ayurvedic life-style advice in the midst of their everyday life.\nMany participants reported positive experiences of pulse diagnostics, which was the main diagnostic method used\nin ayurvedic consultation. Some reported concrete, physical improvement of their symptoms.\nConclusions: This study points towards important aspects of participant experience of ayurveda, that may be\nsubject to further research. The positive effects experienced by some clients should be studied more systematically\nin order to discern whether they are specific or non-specific. In addition, interesting knowledge may be gained\nthrough further study of the reported positive experiences of pulse diagnosis....
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