The depressive-like behaviors of chronic unpredictable mild stress-treated mice ameliorated by Tibetan medicine Zuotai : involvement in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis pathway Jing Zhao,1,2 Cuiying Niu,1–3 Jianv Wang,1,3 Hongxia Yang,1,2 Yuzhi Du,1,2 Lixin Wei,1,2 Cen Li1,2 1Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation Key Laboratory of Tibetan Medicine in Qinghai Province, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, 2Key Laboratory of Tibetan Medicine Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, Qinghai, 3University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People’s Republic of China Background: Zuotai, a famous Tibetan medicinal mixture containing metacinnabar, is traditionally used for the purpose of tranquilizing minds and soothing nerves. However, it still lacks substantial experimental data for it to be approved for use.Aim: This study was designed to assess the effects of Zuotai on depressive-like symptoms in a chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) mouse model, and to explore its potential mechanism, particularly the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis pathway.Materials and methods: First, Kunming mice were exposed to the CUMS procedure and simultaneously administered Zuotai or imipramine (positive control) by gavage continuously for 6 weeks. Then, depressive-like behaviors of mice in each group were tested with the sucrose preference test, forced swimming test, tail suspension test, and open field test. Meanwhile, the three key neuroendocrine hormones (corticotropin releasing hormone, adrenocorticotropic hormone and corticosterone) in HPA axis pathway, and the level of the emotion-related monoamine neurotransmitters (5-hydroxytryptamine and norepinephrine) were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Furthermore, total mercury in the hypothalamus and hippocampus were determined using an automatic, direct mercury analyzer.Results: Zuotai or imipramine significantly increased the body weight and the sucrose preference ratio in sucrose preference test, and dramatically improved motor activity in forced swimming test, tail suspension test, and open field test in CUMS mice. Zuotai or imipramine remarkably decreased levels of corticotropin-releasing hormone, adrenocorticotropic hormone, and corticosterone in the HPA axis, and increased levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine and norepinephrine in the serum in CUMS mice. However, a small amount of mercury was deposited in the hypothalamus and hippocampus in Zuotai-treated mice, which may pose a potential risk to the central nervous system.Conclusion: Zuotai has a strong ability to ameliorate depressive-like behaviors in CUMS-treated mice through inhibition of the HPA axis and upregulation of monoamine neurotransmitters. These findings provide new insight into the pharmacological effect of Zuotai on depression. Keywords: Tibetan medicine, Zuotai, HgS, depression, chronic unpredictable mild stress, CUMS, HPA axis
Background: Zuotai, a famous Tibetan medicinal mixture containing metacinnabar, is traditionally used for the purpose of tranquilizing minds and soothing nerves. However, it still lacks substantial experimental data for it to be approved for use. Aim: This study was designed to assess the effects of Zuotai on depressive-like symptoms in a chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) mouse model, and to explore its potential mechanism, particularly the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis pathway. Materials and methods: First, Kunming mice were exposed to the CUMS procedure and simultaneously administered Zuotai or imipramine (positive control) by gavage continuously for 6 weeks. Then, depressive-like behaviors of mice in each group were tested with the sucrose preference test, forced swimming test, tail suspension test, and open field test. Meanwhile, the three key neuroendocrine hormones (corticotropin releasing hormone, adrenocorticotropic hormone and corticosterone) in HPA axis pathway, and the level of the emotion-related monoamine neurotransmitters (5-hydroxytryptamine and norepinephrine) were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Furthermore, total mercury in the hypothalamus and hippocampus were determined using an automatic, direct mercury analyzer. Results: Zuotai or imipramine significantly increased the body weight and the sucrose preference ratio in sucrose preference test, and dramatically improved motor activity in forced swimming test, tail suspension test, and open field test in CUMS mice. Zuotai or imipramine remarkably decreased levels of corticotropin-releasing hormone, adrenocorticotropic hormone, and corticosterone in the HPA axis, and increased levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine and norepinephrine in the serum in CUMS mice. However, a small amount of mercury was deposited in the hypothalamus and hippocampus in Zuotai-treated mice, which may pose a potential risk to the central nervous system. Conclusion: Zuotai has a strong ability to ameliorate depressive-like behaviors in CUMS-treated mice through inhibition of the HPA axis and upregulation of monoamine neurotransmitters. These findings provide new insight into the pharmacological effect of Zuotai on depression.
Molecular targeted cancer therapy is a promising strategy to overcome the lack of specificity of anticancer drug. While the binding of c(RGDfK) (cyclic Arginine-Glycine-Aspartic acid-Phenylalanine-Lysine) to αvβ3 over-expressed on tumor cell has been validated, the underlying interaction remains poorly understood. In this work, docking calculation was applied to investigate the interactions between c(RGDfK)/c(RGDfK)-PEG and αvβ3. The calculated results indicated that c(RGDfK) interacted with αvβ3 mainly by electrostatic interaction, stabilization interaction, and hydrophobic interaction. Conjugation of PEG chain to the c(RGDfK) weakened the binding affinity of c(RGDfK) to αvβ3. Accordingly, docetaxel(DTX)-loaded target micelles (c(RGDfK)-PEG-PLA/PEG-PLA/DTX) were designed, characterized and evaluated using HeLa cells. In vitro release studies demonstrated both target and non-target micelles displayed almost the same profiles, which best fit in Ritger-Peppas model. Cellular uptake and MTT studies revealed that the target micelles with the presence of c(RGDfK) were more efficiently taken up by HeLa cells and significantly improved the cytotoxicity compared to that of non-target micelles. Cell inhibition rate of target micelles was improved by 20% after 24h. Our findings suggest that target micelles may be a potential anticancer drug delivery system in the treatment of integrin αvβ3 over-expressed on tumor cell.
OBJECTIVE: To establish a method for determination of 10 ingredients such as gentiopicroside, sweroside, and mangiferin in India swertia, and settle the index components and their limits.METHOD: By Welch materials AQ-C18 column, determination was conducted by the gradient elution with methanol and 0.4% formic acid as mobile phase, with column temperature 30 degrees C, flow rate at 1.0 mL x min(-1), and 254 nm as the detection wavelength.
RESULT: The linear relatives of 10 ingredients were good. The method showed the high precision and good reproducibility, and recovery rates were between 97% and 103%. The ingredients of market com-modities varied greatly.
CONCLUSION: This method is simple, sensitive, reproducible, and applicable to the determination of the main ingredients in India Swertia. Sweroside and mango glycosides were suggested as the index components for determination in Jia Di (Swertia chirayita), and their content limits are not less than 0.1%, 0.3%, respectively.
This study is aimed to establish a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for simultaneous determination of skimmin, scopolin and umbelliferone in Saussurea hieracioides. Samples were analyzed on a Wondasil C18-WR column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) with methanol (A) and water containing 0.1% phosphate (B) as mobile phases for gradient elution at a flow rate of 1.0 mL x min(-1). The detection wavelength and column temperature were set at 325 nm and 35 degrees C, respectively, and the sample size was 10 microL. The results showed that skimmin, scopolin and umbelliferone were simultaneously achieved within 40 min under the above conditions. A good linearity was observed in the range of 0.18-5.6 microg (r = 1.000 0), 0.060-1.8 microg (r = 0.999 9), 0.032-0.97 microg (r = 0.999 8) for skimmin, scopolin and umbelliferone, respectively, with the average recoveries of 99.16% (RSD = 0.41%), 100.3% (RSD = 0.79%), 102.2% (RSD = 0.87%). The method is simple, accurate and reproducible and can be used for the quality control of S. hieracioides.
In this work, we have developed an efficient method for the rapid extraction and separation of triterpene acids from 37 different varieties of raspberry via ultrasound-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (UA-DLLME). The triterpene acids were then determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection using benzimidazo-[2,1-b]quinazolin-12(6H)-one-5-ethyl-p-toluenesulfonate (BQETS) as the labeling agent. Five triterpene acids, including asiatic acid (AA), maslinic acid (MA), corosolic acid (CA), oleanolic acid (OA) and betulinic acid (BA), were extracted by UA-DLLME using chloroform and acetone as the extracting and dispersing solvents, respectively. After extraction and nitrogen flushing, the extracts were simultaneously characterized by HPLC based on pre-column derivatization using BQETS, a new labeling agent synthesized in our laboratory. Several key parameters affecting the extraction efficiency and derivatization yields were investigated and optimized by response surface methodology (RSM) combined with Box-Behnken design (BBD). The method was further validated for linearity (correlation coefficient <i>R</i> <sup>2</sup> > 0.9979), precision (RSD = 0.23-2.45 %), and recovery (RSD = 90-106.5 %). The limits of detection (LODs) and the limits of quantification (LOQs) were determined to be within the range of 1.83-7.69 µg/L and 6.06-25.47 µg/L, respectively. This is the first report of the use of BQETS as a pre-column derivatization agent for the determination of triterpene acids in real samples. The proposed method has been applied to the determination of five triterpene acids in 37 different raspberry varieties with significantly increased sensitivity compared to other methods. The results obtained indicate that the contents of triterpene acids vary significantly across different raspberry varieties.
A novel and interesting pre-column derivatisation method was developed for the analysis of triterpenic acids by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection. Each triterpenic acid produced two HPLC peaks with similar peak areas after derivatising with chiral 1-(9H-carbazol-9-yl) propan-2-yl-methanesulfonate (CPMS), while the fatty acid derivative of CPMS had only one peak. This phenomenon greatly increased the confidence in analyte confirmation. Compound with only one peak or two peaks differing greatly in their peak areas could be excluded from the target compound list. CPMS was compared with five other derivatising reagents, four of which produced only one peak for one triterpenic acid, to study the possible mechanism. Analytes with different behaviours were also studied to better interpret the mechanism. The proposed method also showed the merits of high sensitivity and less sample consumption. It was successfully applied to the analysis of triterpenic acids in fruit peels and flesh. There is no prior report on the two peak phenomenon of triterpenic acids. The information provided in this study will be helpful for those who are also engaged in derivatisation study.
PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Ephedragerardiana (Ephedraceae), occurring in the Himalayan ranges, is an important plant species used in Tibetan medicine. Due to the lack of molecular markers to characterize genetic diversity, knowledge for conservation and uses of E. gerardiana resources is limited; we therefore developed microsatellite markers for use in this species.METHODS AND RESULTS: Using Illumina MiSeq sequencing technology, we developed 29 polymorphic microsatellite loci suitable for E. gerardiana, of which 15 loci also showed polymorphisms in two related Ephedra species, E. saxatilis and E. monosperma. The average number of effective alleles per locus ranged from two to six. The observed and expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.23 to 0.83 and 0.44 to 0.86, respectively, in E. gerardiana populations.
CONCLUSIONS: The developed 29 microsatellite markers are effective for the study of genetic structure and genetic diversity of E. gerardiana, and 15 of these markers are suitable for related Ephedra species.
PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Ephedragerardiana (Ephedraceae), occurring in the Himalayan ranges, is an important plant species used in Tibetan medicine. Due to the lack of molecular markers to characterize genetic diversity, knowledge for conservation and uses of E. gerardiana resources is limited; we therefore developed microsatellite markers for use in this species. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using Illumina MiSeq sequencing technology, we developed 29 polymorphic microsatellite loci suitable for E. gerardiana, of which 15 loci also showed polymorphisms in two related Ephedra species, E. saxatilis and E. monosperma. The average number of effective alleles per locus ranged from two to six. The observed and expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.23 to 0.83 and 0.44 to 0.86, respectively, in E. gerardiana populations. CONCLUSIONS: The developed 29 microsatellite markers are effective for the study of genetic structure and genetic diversity of E. gerardiana, and 15 of these markers are suitable for related Ephedra species.
Dexamethasone is a glucocorticoid analog, which is reported to induce insulin resistance and to exacerbate diabetic symptoms. In this study, we investigated the association between mitochondrial dysfunction and the pathophysiology of dexamethasone-induced insulin resistance. An insulin resistance model in 3T3-L1 adipocyte was established by 48-h treatment of 1 μM dexamethasone, followed with the detection of mitochondrial function. Results showed that dexamethasone impaired insulin-induced glucose uptake and caused mitochondrial dysfunction. Abnormality in mitochondrial function was supported by decreased intracellular ATP and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), increased intracellular and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mtDNA damage. Mitochondrial dynamic changes and biogenesis were suggested by decreased Drp1, increased Mfn2, and decreased PGC-1, NRF1, and TFam, respectively. The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number exhibited no change while the mitochondrial mass increased. In agreement, studies in isolated mitochondria from mouse liver also showed dexamethasone-induced reduction of mitochondrial respiratory function, as suggested by decreased mitochondrial respiration controlling rate (RCR), lower MMP, declined ATP synthesis, opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP), damage of mtDNA, and the accumulation of ROS. In summary, our study suggests that mitochondrial dysfunction occurs along with dexamethasone-induced insulin resistance in 3T3 L1 adipocytes and might be a potential mechanism of dexamethasone-induced insulin resistance.
BACKGROUND & AIMS: In patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and excessive belching, most belches are supragastric, and can induce reflux episodes and worsen GERD. Supragastric belching (SGB) might be reduced with diaphragmatic breathing exercises. We investigated whether diaphragmatic breathing therapy is effective in reducing belching and proton pump inhibitor (PPI)-refractory gastroesophageal reflux symptoms.METHODS: We performed a prospective study of 36 consecutive patients with GERD refractory to PPI therapy and a belching visual analogue scale (VAS) score of 6 or more, seen at a gastroenterology clinic at a tertiary hospital in Singapore from April 2015 through October 2016. Patients underwent high-resolution manometry and 24-hour pH-impedance studies while they were off PPIs. Fifteen patients were placed on a standardized diaphragmatic breathing exercise protocol (treatment group) and completed questionnaires at baseline, after diaphragmatic breathing therapy, and 4 months after the therapy ended. Twenty-one patients were placed on a waitlist (control subjects), completed the same questionnaires with an additional questionnaire after their waitlist period, and eventually received diaphragmatic breathing therapy. The primary outcome was reduction in belching VAS by 50% or more after treatment. Secondary outcomes included GERD symptoms (evaluated using the reflux disease questionnaire) and quality of life (QoL) scores, determined from the Reflux-Qual Short Form and EuroQoL-VAS.
RESULTS: Nine of the 15 patients in the treatment group (60%) and none of the 21 control subjects achieved the primary outcome (P < .001). In the treatment group, the mean belching VAS score decreased from 7.1 – 1.5 at baseline to 3.5 – 2.0 after diaphragmatic breathing therapy; in the control group, the mean VAS score was 7.6 – 1.1 at baseline and 7.4 – 1.3 after the waitlist period. Eighty percent of patients in the treatment group significantly reduced belching frequency compared with 19% in control subjects (P [ .001). Treatment significantly reduced symptoms of GERD (the mean reflux disease questionnaire score decreased by 12.2 in the treatment group and 3.1 in the control group; P [ .01). The treatment significantly increased QoL scores (the mean Reflux-Qual Short Form score increased by 15.4 in the treatment group and 5.2 in the control group; P [ .04) and mean EuroQoL-VAS scores (15.7 increase in treatment group and 2.4 decrease in the control group). These changes were sustained at 4 months after treatment. In the end, 20 of the 36 patients who received diaphragmatic breathing therapy (55.6%), all with excessive SGB, achieved the primary outcome.
CONCLUSIONS:
OBJECTIVE: To establish the HPLC fingerprint for Halenia elliptica herbs, a traditional Tibetan medicine, in order to study constituents contained in H. elliptica from different habitats and compare their differences.METHOD: HPLC analysis was made on a Welchrom-C18 (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) with water and acetonitrile as mobile phase. The wavelength was detected as 265 nm, the flow rate was 1.0 mL x min(-1), and the column temperature was 40 degrees C. The software for chromatographic fingerprint was applied to analyze the similarity. And principal component analysis was conducted.
RESULT: Twelve common chromatographic peaks were identified by fingerprint, showing a low similarity in constituent and variety. The significant difference in the proportion between xanthones and aglycones in each batch of herbs indicated no notable correlation between constituent characteristics and geographic locations of habitats.
CONCLUSION: The method is so simple, exclusive, stable and highly repeatable that it can provide reference for identification and quality assessment of H. elliptica herbs.
Health-related online social networks are starting to play a role in many people's daily lives by enabling them to monitor their diet and motivating them to change their lifestyles. These social networks provide different motivation mechanisms. However, little research has been done on the effectiveness of these motivation mechanisms. This research analyzes data collected from a digital health community to examine what mechanisms can help motivate people. The results suggest that there is a high level of correlation between users' exercise activities and their participation in these digital health communities. This research benefits the digital health communities by providing insights into the design of motivation mechanisms.
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Dioscorea zingiberensis C. H. Wright (D. zingiberensis), Dioscoreaceae, is used extensively in traditional Chinese medicines. The aim of the current review paper is to give a comprehensive overview of the traditional usage and phytochemistry of the plant. Clinical studies performed and products prepared from the plant and active principles will be mentioned. In addition a review of the taxonomy of the genus Dioscorea is given.MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic search on literature has been performed in databases like Google Scholar, Science Direct, Scifinder, Web of Science, and in Chinese databases (China Knowledge Resource Integrated, i.e., CNKI and Wanfang) including Ph.D. and M.Sc. dissertations. These from the period 1983-2016 have been searched.
RESULTS: D. zingiberensis is an endemic plant in China widely distributed in some provinces, especially Hubei and Shaanxi. The rhizomes are the medicinal part in Dun-Ye-Guan-Xin-Ning tablets and are used for isolation of diosgenin. Steroidal saponins are believed to be the active principles. More than 70 compounds have been identified. Several of these have been tested in preclinical assays and clinical trials. A wide spectrum of biological effects including cardiovascular, anti-thrombosis, hyperlipidemia, neuroprotection, anti-inflammatory, and anthelmintic effect has been verified.
CONCLUSIONS: Because of the promising results from the investigations on the plant material of D. zingiberensis, further in depth analyses ought to be performed to evaluate its potential as either a traditional drug or a source of bioactive principle. The presently performed studies do not explain mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics (ADME properties), or toxicity. All of these topics need more elaborate investigations.
A methanol extract of everlasting flowers of <i>Helichrysum arenarium</i> L. Moench (Asteraceae) was found to inhibit the increase in blood glucose elevation in sucrose-loaded mice at 500 mg/kg p.o. The methanol extract also inhibited the enzymatic activity against dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV, IC<sub>50</sub> = 41.2 μg/ml), but did not show intestinal <i>α</i>-glucosidase inhibitory activities. From the extract, three new dimeric dihydrochalcone glycosides, arenariumosides V-VII (<i>2</i>-<i>4</i>), were isolated, and the stereostructures were elucidated based on their spectroscopic properties and chemical evidence. Of the constituents, several flavonoid constituents, including <i>2</i>-<i>4</i>, were isolated, and these isolated constituents were investigated for their DPP-IV inhibitory effects. Among them, chalconaringenin 2′-<i>O</i>-<i>β</i>-D-glucopyranoside (<i>16</i>, IC<sub>50</sub> = 23.1 μM) and aureusidin 6-<i>O</i>-<i>β</i>-D-glucopyranoside (<i>35</i>, 24.3 μM) showed relatively strong inhibitory activities.
<br>Display Omitted<br>• Coupling reaction of haloquinolines with sulfonyl chlorides in water. • Excellent regioselectivity and scale-up synthesis. • Base-, extra activator- and organic solvent-free conditions. • In situ generated zinc bis-sulphinate as sulfone reagent and activator.<br>A simple and efficient method has been developed for construction of sulfonylated quinolines via coupling of haloquinolines and sulfonyl chlorides in water. The present methodology provides an attractive approach to various sulfonylated quinolines in moderate to good yields with favorable functional group tolerance, which has the advantages of operation simplicity, readily available starting materials, excellent regioselectivity, scale-up synthesis, and organic solvent-free conditions.
Agroforestry system, as the most promising substitute plantation approach, has been widely regarded as a prominent strategy for mitigating the conflicts between rapid growing population and limited arable land resources. This paper aims to screen the optimal planting pattern for <i>Gentiana rigescens</i> base on the content of gentiopicroside, providing the scientific basis for sustainable supply and application of this plant. Generally, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is effective to integrally monitor and reflect the whole constituents of natural materials. FTIR combined with chemometrics was used for distinguishing the <i>G. rigescens</i> from different compound planting models in this research. The result of partial least square discriminant analysis implied that planting year of <i>G. rigescens</i> had a greater impact on the content of gentiopicroside than that of <i>Camellia sinensis</i>. The gentiopicroside content in 1.5- or 2-year-old <i>G. rigescens</i> was higher. Wavelet denoising was effective for the classification. Samples which had higher contents of gentiopicroside were clustered together relatively, while those with lower contents of gentiopicroside were classified into the other large category. Our investigation revealed that <i>G. rigescens</i> can be successfully cultivated with <i>C. sinensis</i>, which met the requirement of the gentiopicroside content recommended by Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China. That 2-year-old <i>G. rigescens</i> grown with 12-year-old <i>C. sinensis</i> was the optimal compound planting pattern, according this study. The present study provided the optimal compound planting pattern of <i>G. rigescens</i>, which is helpful for improving land-use efficiency and economic returns.
The article discusses hypoxic pathophysiology and high-altitude medicine as of December 2012, with a focus on the traditional Tibetan medicine Duoxuekang and its potential prevention of high-altitude polycythemia (HAPC) induced by hypoxia. Topics include the oxygen-carrying capacity of human blood, reduction of red blood cell and hemoglobin counts, and serum erythropoietin (EPO). Additional information is presented on high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the underlying mechanism of reduced myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats using the traditional Tibetan medicine Sanweitanxiang powder (SWTX).METHODS: Rats were randomly divided into six groups (n = 10) as follows: (a) propranolol dinitrate control group, given propranolol dinitrate 0.02 g/kg for 10 days before I/R, (b) SWTX with a high dose group, given SWTX 1.5 g/kg for 10 days before I/R, (c) SWTX with a medium dose group, given SWTX 1.25 g/kg for 10 days before I/R, (d) sham group (Sham), in which the rat heart was exposed by pericardiotomy but without I/R, (e) SWTX with a low dose group, given SWTX 1.0 g/kg for 10 days before I/R, and (f) I/R injury group. Rats were intragastrically pretreated with propranolol dinitrate or SWTX. After that, the operation to cause ischemia and reperfusion was conducted. The histopathologic changes of rat hearts were observed by hematoxylin and eosin staining and transmission electron microscopy. Ca2+ homeostasis protein expression was determined by western blot.
RESULTS: After SWTX pretreatment, the development of ultrastructural pathological changes from IR injury was attenuated. A decrease in the expression of B-cell lymphoma 2 associated X protein, and an increase in the expression of B-cell lymphoma 2 were observed. An increased activation of extracellular signal regulated kinases were found. Compared with the sham group, the expression of sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium-ATPase, phospholamban, and calsequestrin were all up-regulated after pretreatment with SWTX.
CONCLUSION: The protective mechanism of SWTX pretreatment on myocardial I/R injury might be related to its effect on maintaining the balance of calcium homeostasis in rat heart.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the underlying mechanism of reduced myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats using the traditional Tibetan medicine Sanweitanxiang powder (SWTX). METHODS: Rats were randomly divided into six groups (n = 10) as follows: (a) propranolol dinitrate control group, given propranolol dinitrate 0.02 g/kg for 10 days before I/R, (b) SWTX with a high dose group, given SWTX 1.5 g/kg for 10 days before I/R, (c) SWTX with a medium dose group, given SWTX 1.25 g/kg for 10 days before I/R, (d) sham group (Sham), in which the rat heart was exposed by pericardiotomy but without I/R, (e) SWTX with a low dose group, given SWTX 1.0 g/kg for 10 days before I/R, and (f) I/R injury group. Rats were intragastrically pretreated with propranolol dinitrate or SWTX. After that, the operation to cause ischemia and reperfusion was conducted. The histopathologic changes of rat hearts were observed by hematoxylin and eosin staining and transmission electron microscopy. Ca2+ homeostasis protein expression was determined by western blot. RESULTS: After SWTX pretreatment, the development of ultrastructural pathological changes from IR injury was attenuated. A decrease in the expression of B-cell lymphoma 2 associated X protein, and an increase in the expression of B-cell lymphoma 2 were observed. An increased activation of extracellular signal regulated kinases were found. Compared with the sham group, the expression of sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium-ATPase, phospholamban, and calsequestrin were all up-regulated after pretreatment with SWTX. CONCLUSION: The protective mechanism of SWTX pretreatment on myocardial I/R injury might be related to its effect on maintaining the balance of calcium homeostasis in rat heart.
BackgroundMeditation has been increasingly evaluated as an important complementary therapeutic tool for the treatment of depression. The present study employed resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) to examine the effect of body–mind relaxation meditation induction (BMRMI) on the brain activity of depressed patients and to investigate possible mechanisms of action for this complex intervention.
Method
21 major depressive disorder patients (MDDs) and 24 age and gender-matched healthy controls (HCs) received rs-fMRI scans at baseline and after listening to a selection of audio designed to induce body–mind relaxation meditation. The rs-fMRI data were analyzed using Matlab toolbox to obtain the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) of the BOLD signal for the whole brain. A mixed-design repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed on the whole brain to find which brain regions were affected by the BMRMI. An additional functional connectivity analysis was used to identify any atypical connection patterns after the BMRMI.
Results
After the BMRMI experience, both the MDDs and HCs showed decreased ALFF values in the bilateral frontal pole (BA10). Additionally, increased functional connectivity from the right dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) to the left dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) and the left lateral orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) was identified only in the MDDs after the BMRMI.
Limitation
In order to exclude the impact of other events on the participants׳ brain activity, the Hamilton Rating Scales for Depression (HDRS) was not measured after the body–mind relaxation induction.
Conclusion
Our findings support the hypothesis that body–mind relaxation meditation induction may regulate the activities of the prefrontal cortex and thus may have the potential to help patients construct reappraisal strategies that can modulate the brain activity in multiple emotion-processing systems.
BackgroundMeditation has been increasingly evaluated as an important complementary therapeutic tool for the treatment of depression. The present study employed resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) to examine the effect of body–mind relaxation meditation induction (BMRMI) on the brain activity of depressed patients and to investigate possible mechanisms of action for this complex intervention.
Method
21 major depressive disorder patients (MDDs) and 24 age and gender-matched healthy controls (HCs) received rs-fMRI scans at baseline and after listening to a selection of audio designed to induce body–mind relaxation meditation. The rs-fMRI data were analyzed using Matlab toolbox to obtain the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) of the BOLD signal for the whole brain. A mixed-design repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed on the whole brain to find which brain regions were affected by the BMRMI. An additional functional connectivity analysis was used to identify any atypical connection patterns after the BMRMI.
Results
After the BMRMI experience, both the MDDs and HCs showed decreased ALFF values in the bilateral frontal pole (BA10). Additionally, increased functional connectivity from the right dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) to the left dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) and the left lateral orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) was identified only in the MDDs after the BMRMI.
Limitation
In order to exclude the impact of other events on the participants׳ brain activity, the Hamilton Rating Scales for Depression (HDRS) was not measured after the body–mind relaxation induction.
Conclusion
Our findings support the hypothesis that body–mind relaxation meditation induction may regulate the activities of the prefrontal cortex and thus may have the potential to help patients construct reappraisal strategies that can modulate the brain activity in multiple emotion-processing systems.
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