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BackgroundThis is a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) for a current episode of major depressive disorder.
Methods
Both English (PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases) and Chinese (WanFang and CNKI) databases were systematically and independently searched. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) and risk ratio (RR) ± their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) based on the random effects model were calculated.
Results
A total of 11 RCTs with 12 treatment arms (n = 764; MBIs = 363; and control group = 401) were identified and analyzed. Compared to the control group, MDD subjects receiving MBIs showed significant reduction in depressive symptoms (n =722; SMD: −0.59, 95% CI: −1.01 to −0.17, I2 = 85%, p = 0.006) at post-MBIs assessment, but the significance disappeared by the end of posttreatment follow-up. Subgroup analyses revealed that positive benefits of MBIs was associated with studies that had treatment as usual (TAU) control group, Chinese participants, open label design, no gender predominance, subjects younger than 44.4 years, and Jadad score ≥ 3, other illness phase and MBIs as augmentation group.
Conclusion
This meta-analysis found that MBIs was associated with reduction of depression severity immediately after MBIs but not at follow up endpoint. Further, the positive effects of MBIs were mainly driven by outlying studies. Higher quality of RCTs with larger samples and longer study duration are needed to confirm the findings.
BackgroundThis is a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) for a current episode of major depressive disorder.
Methods
Both English (PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases) and Chinese (WanFang and CNKI) databases were systematically and independently searched. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) and risk ratio (RR) ± their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) based on the random effects model were calculated.
Results
A total of 11 RCTs with 12 treatment arms (n = 764; MBIs = 363; and control group = 401) were identified and analyzed. Compared to the control group, MDD subjects receiving MBIs showed significant reduction in depressive symptoms (n =722; SMD: −0.59, 95% CI: −1.01 to −0.17, I2 = 85%, p = 0.006) at post-MBIs assessment, but the significance disappeared by the end of posttreatment follow-up. Subgroup analyses revealed that positive benefits of MBIs was associated with studies that had treatment as usual (TAU) control group, Chinese participants, open label design, no gender predominance, subjects younger than 44.4 years, and Jadad score ≥ 3, other illness phase and MBIs as augmentation group.
Conclusion
This meta-analysis found that MBIs was associated with reduction of depression severity immediately after MBIs but not at follow up endpoint. Further, the positive effects of MBIs were mainly driven by outlying studies. Higher quality of RCTs with larger samples and longer study duration are needed to confirm the findings.
Studies examining mindfulness in relation to personality traits have been mainly conducted in non-clinical samples and resulted in mixed findings. The present cross-sectional study examined which mindfulness facets are most strongly associated with Big Five personality domains and facets implicated in the onset and possible relapse/recurrence of recurrent depression. Using data from the MOMENT study, we included 278 adult persons with recurrent depression in remission (SCID-I), who had completed baseline measurements of mindfulness (FFMQ) and personality (NEO PI-R). Using exploratory factor analysis, we observed that the mindfulness facets of acting with awareness, non-judging and non-reactivity loaded positively and the neuroticism facets loaded negatively on the first factor (called self-regulation) and that the mindfulness facets of observing and describing and the openness to experience facets loaded positively on the second factor (called self-awareness) of the identified five-factor solution. Lower-level facet analyses taking the multidimensional nature of mindfulness and personality traits into account clearly show that mindful self-regulation skills are associated with neuroticism, which is a known risk factor for relapse/recurrence of depression in persons with recurrent depression. Future longitudinal studies are needed to assess whether these mindful self-regulation skills may constitute a protective factor in the relationship of neuroticism with depression.
Mindfulness as a clinical strategy for helping manage physical and psychological symptoms is gathering an impressive evidence base. It is also being embraced widely for personal and professional development. As a therapeutic intervention for nurses working across a spectrum of settings, it helps expand practice, and integrating mindfulness in nursing undergraduate and graduate curricula is imminent. In the present study, we outline the development and measurement of mindfulness as a personality trait and therapeutic intervention, and advocate the use of a questionnaire alternative to expensive and impractical laboratory measures. The aims of the present study were to examine and compare the use and reliability of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) in samples of nursing students from South Africa, China, and the Philippines, and compare the findings in the nursing student samples to other student and non-student samples. Three samples of students of nursing from China (n = 193), the Philippines (n = 243), and South Africa (n = 131) completed the 31-item FFMQ. The internal consistency was acceptable, and the correlations were significant among all facets and the total score. Although the total mean scores between the three samples were not significantly different, there were significant and interesting differences in the facet scores, and these are discussed in the light of likely cultural influences, and comparative data from other samples of students and clinical populations. The instrument shows promise for future use in educational research as a tool for curriculum change, for personal and professional development of nurses, and as a clinical tool for determining mindfulness changes over time.
<bold>Background: </bold>Tong Luo Hua Shi (TLHS) is a new formulation of the traditional Tibetan medicine Wu-wei-gan-lu that has been used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) for hundreds of years in China. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TLHS in patients with RA.<bold>Methods: </bold>This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-finding study performed in patients with active RA from five medical centers. Patients received three doses (4.8, 3.6, or 2.4 g/day po) of TLHS or placebo (tid po) for 8 weeks. Blood sampling, physical examination, and assessment of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 20 % improvement (ACR20) criteria were performed before and every 2 weeks after starting treatment. The primary endpoint was the ACR20. The secondary endpoints included safety.<bold>Results: </bold>A total of 240 participants were screened and 236 patients were randomized (n = 59/group); 20 dropped out. After 8 weeks, ACR20 improvements in the TLHS 4.8 g and 3.6 g groups were significantly higher than in the placebo group (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively). ACR50 improvement in the TLHS 4.8 g group was significantly higher compared with the placebo group (P < 0.01). Symptoms of RA were significantly relieved in the TLHS groups. In the TLHS groups, insomnia (n = 1), gastroenteric reactions (n = 2), arrhythmia (n = 1), and minor hepatic lesion (n = 1) were reported; in the placebo group, hepatic dysfunction (n = 1) was reported (P = 0.878).<bold>Conclusions: </bold>TLHS improved the symptoms of patients with RA according to the ACR20. Moreover, TLHS was safe.<bold>Trial Registration: </bold>Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR-TRC-12003871 . Registered on 1 January 2012. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
BACKGROUND: Tong Luo Hua Shi (TLHS) is a new formulation of the traditional Tibetan medicine Wu-wei-gan-lu that has been used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) for hundreds of years in China. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TLHS in patients with RA. METHODS: This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-finding study performed in patients with active RA from five medical centers. Patients received three doses (4.8, 3.6, or 2.4 g/day po) of TLHS or placebo (tid po) for 8 weeks. Blood sampling, physical examination, and assessment of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 20 % improvement (ACR20) criteria were performed before and every 2 weeks after starting treatment. The primary endpoint was the ACR20. The secondary endpoints included safety. RESULTS: A total of 240 participants were screened and 236 patients were randomized (n = 59/group); 20 dropped out. After 8 weeks, ACR20 improvements in the TLHS 4.8 g and 3.6 g groups were significantly higher than in the placebo group (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively). ACR50 improvement in the TLHS 4.8 g group was significantly higher compared with the placebo group (P < 0.01). Symptoms of RA were significantly relieved in the TLHS groups. In the TLHS groups, insomnia (n = 1), gastroenteric reactions (n = 2), arrhythmia (n = 1), and minor hepatic lesion (n = 1) were reported; in the placebo group, hepatic dysfunction (n = 1) was reported (P = 0.878). CONCLUSIONS: TLHS improved the symptoms of patients with RA according to the ACR20. Moreover, TLHS was safe. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR-TRC-12003871 . Registered on 1 January 2012.
<br>Display Omitted<br>• A new coupled method of stable isotope-labeling derivatization with UA-DLLME was reported. • Simultaneous determination of multiple neurotransmitters with UHPLC-MS/MS. • Heavy labeled d3-MASC standards were used as the internal standards for quantification. • The method was sensitive, accurate and low matrix effect. • Application for neurotransmitters dynamic changes in rats brain microdialysates.<br>In this work, for the first time, a new hyphenated technique of stable isotope-labeling derivatization-ultrasound-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction has been developed for the simultaneous determination of monoamine neurotransmitters (MANTs) and their biosynthesis precursors and metabolites. The developed method was based on ultra high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry detection using multiple-reaction monitoring mode. A pair of mass spectrometry sensitizing reagents, d0-10-methyl-acridone-2-sulfonyl chloride and d3-10-methyl-acridone-2-sulfonyl chloride, as stable isotope probes was utilized to facilely label neurotransmitters, respectively. The heavy labeled MANTs standards were prepared and used as internal standards for quantification to minimize the matrix effects in mass spectrometry analysis. Low toxic bromobenzene (extractant) and acetonitrile (dispersant) were utilized in microextraction procedure. Under the optimized conditions, good linearity was observed with the limits of detection (S/N > 3) and limits of quantification (S/N > 10) in the range of 0.002-0.010 and 0.015-0.040 nmol/L, respectively. Meanwhile, it also brought acceptable precision (4.2-8.8%, peak area RSDs %) and accuracy (recovery, 96.9-104.1%) results. This method was successfully applied to the simultaneous determination of monoamine neurotransmitters and their biosynthesis precursors and metabolites in rat brain microdialysates of Parkinson's disease and normal rats. This provided a new method for the neurotransmitters related studies in the future.
<b>OBJECTIVES: </b> To better understand the occurrence of Crohn's disease in mainland China and to give an updated overview of the current status of the disease.<br><b>METHODS: </b> We previously performed a computer-based literature search using 50 years of records from the Chinese Database of Biology and Medicine (1979 to 2002), combined with a manual year-by-year search of the literature from 1950 to 1978. Using a similar method, descriptive epidemiological data of the last 5 years (2003 to September 2007) were collected, pooled with our previous data and re-analyzed.<br><b>RESULTS: </b> In total, 3618 cases of Crohn's disease since 1950 have been reported from 29 provinces and cities in mainland China, comprising 2112 male and 1506 female patients, with a male predominance of 1.40:1. More than 75 percent of the patients were aged from 20 to 50 years old, with a mean age of 36.9 ± 4.4 (1- 84) years. The extrapolated disease incidence and prevalence rates are 0.848/10⁵ and 2.29/10⁵ person/year, respectively.<br><b>CONCLUSION: </b> The incidence and prevalence rates of Crohn's disease have been increasing rapidly, and the disease is no longer uncommon in China, but these rates are still lower than those in developed countries and other Asian countries. An underestimation may occur because patients who were misdiagnosed or did not seek medical advice could not be included in the study. A future population-based survey is warranted.
In order to efficiently control the quality of the Tibetan medicine Gentianae Szechenyii Flos, the quality standard was established in this study. The tests of water content, total ash and ethanol-soluble extractives of the crude drugs were carried out based on the methods recorded in appendix of Chinese Pharmacopeia (2010 edition, volume 1). The TLC method was established by using reference drug and gentiournoside A as reference substance, and a mixture of ethyl acetate-methanol-water-formic acid (7: 1.5: 1: 0.2) as the developing solvent system on silica gel G TLC plate. The content of gentiournoside A was assayed by HPLC on a Ultimate XB-C18 (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 μm) column, using methanol-water (0.02% phosphoric acid) (52:48) as the mobile phase at a flow rate of 1.0 mL x min(-1). The column temperature is 25 degrees C and the detection wavelength is at 240 nm. As a result, gentiournoside A and the other constituents were separated and presented the same fluorescence light comparing with the reference substance on TLC detected under the UV light(366 nm). The methodology validation for the assay of gentiournoside A showed that it was in a good linear correlation in the range of 10.01-400.32 mg x L(-1) with the regression equation of Y = 1 539.5X - 33.339 (r = 0.999 7), and the average recovery was 99.68% (RSD 1.92%). The mass fractions of gentiournoside A, water content, ethanol-soluble extractives of 19 batches samples were varied in the ranges of 14.48-31.51 mg x g(-1), 11.25% -12.74% and 24.21% - 31.60%, respectively, and total ash was 4.64% - 6.12% detected from 10 batches samples. The recommended standards of quantitative indexes are that the mass fractions of gentiournoside A and extractives are not less than 15.0 mg x g(-1) (1.5%) and 21.0%, respectively; the water and total ash are not more than 13.0% and 6.0%, respectively.
Gentianae Urnulae Herba, dried whole herb of Gentiana urnula,is a commonly used Tibetan medicine. However, only the character identification is used as quality control standard officially at present. As a part of project for the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2015 edition), the quality standard of this species was established in this study. The tests of water content, total ash, acid-insoluble ash and ethanol-soluble extractives of the crude drugs were carried out following the methods recorded in appendix of Chinese Pharmacopeia (2010 edition, volume 1). The TLC identification method was established by using gentiournoside A as reference substance, and a mixture of ethyl acetate-methanol-water-formic acid(7:1. 5:1: 0. 2) as the developing solvent system on silica gel G TLC plate. The content of gentiournoside A was assayed by HPLC on an Agilent Zorbax SB-C18 (4.6 mm x 250 mm,5 μm) column, using acetonitrile-water (0.1% phosphoric acid) (26:74) as the mobile phase at a flow rate of 1.0 mL x min(-1). The column temperature is at 30 degrees C and the detection wavelength is at 240 nm. As a result, gentiournoside A and the other constituents were separated and presented the same fluorescence light comparing with the reference substance on TLC detected under the UV light(366 nm). The methodology validation for the assay of gentiournoside A showed that it was in a good linear correlation in the range of 0.009 95-0.398 g x L(-1) with the regression equation of Y = 1 467.1X +41.407(r = 0.999 9), and the average recovery was 98. 3% (RSD 2.2%). The mass fractions of gentiournoside A, water content, ethanol-soluble extractives of 15 batches samples were varied in the ranges of 0.175% -1.83%, 8.60% - 9.93% and 29.2% - 35.2%, respectively. Total ash and acid-insoluble ash were 10.2% - 17.2% and 5.26% - 10.8% detected from 10 batches samples. The recommended standards of quantitative indexes are that the mass fractions of gentiournoside A and extractives are not less than 0.80% and 26.0%, respectively; the water, total ash and acid-insoluble ash are not more than 12.0%, 15.0% and 8.0%, respectively.
In this work, a hyphenated technique of dual ultrasound-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction combined with microwave-assisted derivatization followed by ultra high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry has been developed for the determination of phytosterols in functional foods and medicinal herbs. Multiple reaction monitoring mode was used for the tandem mass spectrometry detection. A mass spectrometry sensitive reagent, 4'-carboxy-substituted rosamine, has been used as the derivatization reagent for five phytosterols, and internal standard diosgenin was used for the first time. Parameters for the dual microextraction, microwave-assisted derivatization, and ultra high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry were all optimized in detail. Satisfactory linearity, recovery, repeatability, accuracy and precision, absence of matrix effect, extremely low limits of detection (0.005-0.015 ng/mL) and limits of quantification (0.030-0.10 ng/mL) were achieved. The proposed method was compared with previously reported methods. It showed better sensitivity, selectivity, and accuracy. The matrix effect was also significantly reduced. The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of five phytosterols in vegetable oil (sunflower oil, olive oil, corn oil, peanut oil), milk and orange juice (soymilk, peanut milk, orange juice), and medicinal herbs (Ginseng, Ganoderma lucidum, Cordyceps, Polygonum multiflorum) for the quality control of functional foods and medicinal herbs.
Introduction: <i>Oxytropis racemosa</i> Turcz is an important minority medicine that is used mainly to improve children's indigestion, especially in inner Mongolia and Tibet. Previous studies indicated that the characteristic constituents of this plant are acylated flavonoids.<br>Objective: Rapidly identify the characteristic chemical constituents of <i>O. racemosa</i> by high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection-electrospray ionisation/multi-stage mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS<i><sup>n</sup></i>) and suggest a useful method to control the quality of this medicinal plant.<br>Methods: In the HPLC fingerprint, 32 flavonoids were tentatively identified by a detailed analysis of their mass spectra, UV spectra and retention times. Furthermore, 13 flavonoids were confirmed by comparison with previously isolated compounds obtained from <i>O. racemosa</i>.<br>Results: In total, 32 flavonoids, including 13 flavonoids with 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaric acid (HMG) moieties and four flavonoids with 3-malonyl moieties, were identified in the extract of <i>O. racemosa</i>. Among the compounds identified, 10 were characterised as new compounds for their particular acylated sugar moieties.<br>Conclusions: The method described is effective for obtaining a comprehensive phytochemical profile of plants containing unstable acylated flavonoids. The method is also useful for constructing the chromatographic fingerprint of the minority medicine -<i>O. racemosa</i> Turcz for quality control. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Erigeron multiradiatus (Lindl.) Benth is a traditional Tibetan medicine herb long used to treat various diseases related to inflammation. Our previous phytochemical studies on E. multiradiatus resulted in the isolation of scutellarin, which is a known flavone glucuronide with comprehensive pharmacological actions. In present study, we investigated the inhibition action of scutellarin on high glucose-induced vascular inflammation in human endothelial cells (ECV304 cells). Consistent with previous reports, exposure of ECV304 cells to high glucose for 24 h caused an increase of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), and promoted cell adhesion between monocyte and ECV304 cells. However, pretreatment with scutellarin (0.1 and 1 microM) reversed these effects in a concentration-dependent manner. Scutellarin was able to inhibit the activation of NF-kappaB induced by high glucose in ECV304 cells. Furthermore, although oral administration of scutellarin (10 and 50 mg/kg) did not produce significant antihyperglycemic action, it lowered the serum MCP-1 levels significantly in alloxan-induced diabetic mice. Therefore, our results suggest that scutellarin has anti-inflammation effect that may afford some protection against hyperglycemia-induced vascular inflammatory both in vitro and in vivo.
Recent researches shows that amino acids (AA) are not only cell signaling molecules but are also regulators of gene expression and the protein phosphorylation cascade. More precise analysis of AA composition is reckoned to be one of the most important applications in the biomedical and pharmaceutical fields. In this paper, we develop a sample, sensitive and mild method using 2-[2-(7H-dibenzo[a,g]carbazol-7-yl)-ethoxy]ethyl chloroformate (DBCEC) as A labeling reagent for AA determination by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection (FLD) and identification with mass spectroscopy. The maximum excitation and emission wavelengths for DBCEC-AA derivatives were 300 and 395 nm, respectively. This method, in conjunction with a gradient elution, offered a baseline resolution of 20 AA on a reversed-phase Hypersil BDS C<sub>18</sub> column. LC separation for the derivatized AA showed good reproducibility, and all AA were found to give excellent linear responses with correlation coefficients > 0.9993. The calculated detection limits with a 25.0 fmol injection of each AA (at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3:1) ranged from 2.62 to 22.6 fmol. This method was applied to determine the AA composition in <i>Saussurea involucrate</i> and <i>Artemisia capillaris</i> Thunb. Meanwhile, this method exhibits a powerful potential for trace analysis of AA from biomedicine, foodstuff and other complex samples. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Simultaneous detection of oleanolic acid and ursolic acid in rat blood by in vivo microdialysis can provide important pharmacokinetics information. Microwave-assisted derivatization coupled with magnetic dispersive solid phase extraction was established for the determination of oleanolic acid and ursolic acid by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. 2'-Carbonyl-piperazine rhodamine B was first designed and synthesized as the derivatization reagent, which was easily adsorbed onto the surface of Fe3O4/graphene oxide. Simultaneous derivatization and extraction of oleanolic acid and ursolic acid were performed on Fe3O4/graphene oxide. The permanent positive charge of the derivatization reagent significantly improved the ionization efficiencies. The limits of detection were 0.025 and 0.020 ng/mL for oleanolic acid and ursolic acid, respectively. The validated method was shown to be promising for sensitive, accurate, and simultaneous determination of oleanolic acid and ursolic acid. It was used for their pharmacokinetics study in rat blood after oral administration of Arctiumlappa L. root extract.
Four common traditional tibetan medicine prescription preparations "Anzhijinghuasan, Dangzuo, Renqingchangjue and Rannasangpei" in tibetan areas were selected as study objects in the present study. The purpose was to try to establish a kind of wet digestion and flow injection-hydride generation-atomic absorption spectrometry (FI-HAAS) associated analysis method for the content determinations of lead and arsenic in traditional tibetan medicine under optimized digestion and measurement conditions and determine their contents accurately. Under these optimum operating conditions, experimental results were as follows. The detection limits for lead and arsenic were 0.067 and 0.012 µg · mL(-1) respectively. The quantification limits for lead and arsenic were 0.22 and 0.041 µg · mL(-1) respectively. The linear ranges for lead and arsenic were 25-1,600 ng · mL(-1) (r = 0.9995) and 12.5-800 ng · mL(-1) (r = 0.9994) respectively. The degrees of precision(RSD) for lead and arsenic were 2.0% and 3.2% respectively. The recovery rates for lead and arsenic were 98.00%-99.98% and 96.67%-99.87% respectively. The content determination results of lead and arsenic in four traditional tibetan medicine prescription preparations were as fol- lows. The contents of lead and arsenic in Anzhijinghuasan are 0.63-0.67 µg · g(-1) and 0.32-0.33 µg · g(-1) in Anzhijinghua- san, 42.92-43.36 µg · g(-1) and 24.67-25.87 µg · g(-1) in Dangzuo, 1,611. 39-1,631.36 µg · g(-1) and 926.76-956.52 µg- g(-1) in Renqing Changjue, and 1,102.28-1,119.127 µg-g(-1) and 509.96-516.87 µg · g(-1) in Rannasangpei, respectively. This study established a method for content determination of lead and arsenic in traditional tibetan medicine, and determined the content levels of lead and arsenic in four tibetan medicine-prescription preparations accurately. In addition, these results also provide the basis for the safe and effective use of those medicines in clinic.
High price and difficult to get of reference substance have become obstacles to HPLC assay of ethnic medicine. A new method based on quantitative reference herb (QRH) was proposed. Specific chromatograms in fruits of Capsicum frutescens were employed to determine peak positions, and HPLC quantitative reference herb was prepared from fruits of C. frutescens. The content of capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin in the quantitative control herb was determined by HPLC. Eleven batches of fruits of C. frutescens were analyzed with quantitative reference herb and reference substance respectively. The results showed no difference. The present method is feasible for quality control of ethnic medicines and quantitative reference herb is suitable to replace reference substances in assay.; Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.
Zuotai (gTso thal) is a typical representative of Tibetan medicines containing heavy metals, but there is still lack of modem safety evaluation data so far. In this study, acute toxicity test, sub-acute toxicity test, one-time administration mercury distribution experiment, long-term mercury accumulative toxicity experiment and preliminary study on clinical safety of Compound Dangzuo were conducted in the hope of obtain the medicinal safety data of Zuotai. In the acute toxicity test, half of KM mice given the lethal dose of Zuotai were not died or poisoned, and LD50 was not found. The maximum tolerated dose of Zuotai was 80 g x kg(-1). In the subacute toxicity test, Zuotai could reduce ALT, AST, Crea levels in serums under low dose (13.34 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) and medium dose (53.36 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)), with significant difference under low dose, and increase the levels of ALT, AST, MDA, Crea in serums under high dose (2 000 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)); besides, the levels of BUN and GSH in serums reduced with the increase in dose of Zuotai, indicating a significant dose-effect relationship. In the one-time administration distribution experiment, the content of mercury in rat kidney, liver and lung increased after the one-time administration with Zuotai, with a significant dose-dependent relationship in kidney. In the long-term mercury accumulative toxicity experiment, KM mice were administered with equivalent doses of Zuotai for 4.5 months and then stopped drug administration for 1.5 months. Since the 2.5th month, they showed significant mercury accumulation in kidney, which gradually reduced after drug withdrawal, without significant change in mercury content in liver, spleen and brain and ALT, AST, TBIL, BUN and Crea in serum. At the 4.5th month after drug administration, KM mice showed slight structural changes in kidney, liver and spleen tissues, and gradually recovered to normal after drug withdrawal. Besides, no significant difference in weight gain was found between the Zuotai group and the control group. According to the findings of the clinical safety study of Dangzuo, after subjects administered Dangzuo under clinical dose for one month, their serum biochemical indicators, blood routine indicators and urine routine indicators showed no significant adverse change. This study proved that traditional Tibetan medicine Zuotai was slightly toxic, with a better safety in clinical combined administration and no adverse effects on bodies under the clinical dose and clinical medication cycle. However, long-term high-dose administration of Zuotai may have a certain effect on kidney.;
Qumazi is a commonly used Tibetan medicine. With a long history, it can be found in the Four Medical Tantras written by gYu-thog rNying-ma Yon-tan mGon-po since the 8th century AD. Qumazi grows in mudflats and fields, including species growing in highlands, lowlands, mountains and farmlands. According to records in Crystal Beads Materia Medica, it features green sword-shaped leaves, thin stems with red veins, inserted panicles, white chicken-like flowers and copper needle row-like roots. However, there are many inconsistent morphological descriptions for Qumazi plants in many Chinese versions of Tibetan medicine books. In this article, after studying ancient and modern Tibetan medicine books, consulting experts and conducting surveys, the authors confirmed that Qumazi belongs to Rheum of Polygonaceae, including Rheum nobile Hook. f. et. Thoms, R. globulosum Gage, R. alexandrae Hook. f. et. Thoms, R. pumilum Maxim and R. delavayi Franch. In some regions, Qumazi is substituted by R. spiciforme Royle and R. przewalskyi Losinsk. After the Chinese version of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Drug Illustrations was published in 1972, Qumazi has been miswritten as P. sibiricum Laxm in many Chinese versions of Tibetan medicine books, perhaps because P. sibiricum Laxm has many similar features with Qumazi as described in Crystal Beads Materia Medica and then is mistranslated from Tibetan to Chinese versions. According to records, Qumazi can reduce edema and is mainly applied to treat the minamata disease in clinic.
Alzheimer disease (Alzheimer Disease, AD) is one of the most common type in senile dementia. Its main pathological features were that a large number of senile plaques gathered in brain extracellular and tangles fibrosis appeared in nerve cells. Currently, the pathogenesis of AD is still uncertain, and scale investigation and combined brain CT, MRI data were analyzed mainly for clinical diagnosis. Mitigation and improvement of the nervous system activity to interfere with the subsequent behavior of the patients are the main methods for treatment. In clinical no drug can really prevent and cure AD. From the view point of Tibetan medicine studies, Tibetan medicine RNSP has effect on improving memory and repairing the neurons in the brain. In this study, we combined the characteristics of AD pathology, pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment methods to explore the feasibility of Tibetan medicine RNSP for the treatment of AD to provide new ideas for the diagnosis and treatment of AD.
Zuotai is composed mainly of β-HgS, while cinnabar mainly contains α-HgS. Both forms of HgS are used in traditional medicines and their safety is of concern. This study aimed to compare the hepatotoxicity potential of Zuotai and α-HgS with mercury chloride (HgCl2) and methylmercury (MeHg) in mice. Mice were orally administrated with Zuotai (30 mg/kg), α-HgS (HgS, 30 mg/kg), HgCl2 (33.6 mg/kg), or CH3HgCl (3.1 mg/kg) for 7 days, and liver injury and gene expressions related to toxicity, inflammation and Nrf2 were examined. Animal body weights were decreased by HgCl2 and to a less extent by MeHg. HgCl2 and MeHg produced spotted hepatocyte swelling and inflammation, while such lesions are mild in Zuotai and HgS-treated mice. Liver Hg contents reached 45-70 ng/mg in HgCl2 and MeHg groups; but only 1-2 ng/mg in Zuotai and HgS groups. HgCl2 and MeHg increased the expression of liver injury biomarker genes metallothionein-1 (MT-1) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1); the inflammation biomarkers early growth response gene (Egr1), glutathione S-transferase (Gst-mu), chemokine (mKC) and microphage inflammatory protein (MIP-2), while these changes were insignificant in Zuotai and HgS groups. However, all mercury compounds were able to increase the Nrf2 pathway genesNAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (Nqo1) and Glutamate-cysteine ligase, catalytic subunit (Gclc). In conclusion, the Tibetan medicine Zuotai and HgS are less hepatotoxic than HgCl2 and MeHg, and differ from HgCl2 and MeHg in hepatic Hg accumulation and toxicological responses.
Oxidative stress has been suggested to play a causative role in the development of obesity-induced insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Given the antioxidant potency of previously reported xanthones isolated from <i>Swertia mussotii</i>. These natural products were further evaluated against other targets in diabetes, aldose reductase and α-glucosidase, in order to identify novel multitarget-directed antidiabetic agents. Among the 14 xanthones screened, 1,3,7,8-tetrahydroxyxanthone (<b>6</b>), 1,3,5,8-tetrahydroxyxanthone (<b>7</b>), and 2,3,6,8-tetrahydroxyxanthone-7C-(β-D-glucoside) (<b>12</b>) were confirmed as good antioxidants and α-glucosidase inhibitors. Xanthone <b>7</b> was also confirmed as a potent inhibitor of aldose reductase (ALR2). Xanthone <b>7</b> was the most active α-glucosidase and ALR2 inhibitor, with IC<sub>50</sub> values of 5.2±0.3 μM and 88.6±1.6 nM, respectively, while compound <b>12</b> was shown to be the most active antioxidant. Given the overall profile, xanthone <b>7</b> is considered to be the most promising multitarget antidiabetic agent, and may have potential for the treatment of both diabetes and diabetic complications.<br><b>Nature′s medicine cabinet:</b> Xanthones isolated from <i>Swertia mussotii</i> were evaluated as multitarget antidiabetic agents. 1,3,5,8-Tetrahydroxylxanthone was identified as a good antioxidant, and also exhibited potent inhibition of α-glucosidase and aldose reductase, proven targets in the treatment of diabetes.
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