ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Aconitum tanguticum has been widely used as a remedy for infectious diseases in traditional Tibetan medicine in China. The total alkaloids of Aconitum tanguticum (TAA) are the main active components of Aconitum tanguticum and have been demonstrated to be effective in suppressing inflammation. Our aim was to investigate the protective effects of TAA on acute lung injury (ALI) induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in rats.MATERIALS AND METHODS: TAA was extracted in 95% ethanol and purified in chloroform. After vacuum drying, the TAA powder was dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into six groups. Rats were given dexamethasone (DXM, 4 mg/kg) or TAA (60 mg/kg, 30 mg/kg) before LPS injection. The PaO2and PaO2/FiO2 values, lung wet/dry (W/D) weight ratio and histological changes in lung tissue were measured. The cell counts, protein concentration, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in lung tissue were determined at 6, 12 or 24 h after LPS treatment. In addition, the NF-κ B activation in lung tissue was analyzed by western blot.
RESULTS: In ALI rats, TAA significantly reduced the lung W/D ratio and increased the value of PaO2 or PaO2/FiO2 at 6, 12 or 24 h after LPS challenge. TAA also reduced the total protein concentration and the number of total cells, neutrophils or lymphocytes in BALF. In addition, TAA decreased MPO activity in the lung and attenuated histological changes in the lung. Furthermore, TAA inhibited the concentration of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β in BALF at 6, 12 or 24 h after LPS treatment. Further study demonstrated that TAA significantly inhibited NF-κ B activation in lung tissue.
CONCLUSIONS: The current study proved that TAA exhibited a potent protective effect on LPS-induced ALI in rats through its anti-inflammatory activity.
Abstract Ethnopharmacological relevance Tibetan medicine has been practiced for 3800 years. Anzhijinhua San (AZJHS), which is a traditional Tibetan medicine, has been effective in the treatment of indigestion, anorexia and cold diarrhea. However, the effects of AZJHS on allergic diarrhea have not been reported. Aim of the study The aim of the present study was to elucidate the effect of AZJHS on experimental ovalbumin-induced diarrhea and elucidate its possible mechanism. Materials and methods Female BALB/c mice were sensitized by intraperitoneal injection with 50 μg ovalbumin (OVA) and 1 mg alum in saline twice during a 2-week period. From day 28, mice were orally challenged with OVA (50 mg) every other day for a total of ten times. AZJHS (46.8 and 468.0 mg/kg) was orally administered every other day from day 0–46. Food allergy symptoms were evaluated. OVA- specific IgE, 5-HT and its metabolites in serum were determined. Immunohistochemical and histopathology were performed in gastrointestinal tract tissues. 5-HT-related gene expression was assayed in the colon. Results Severe symptoms of allergic diarrhea were observed in the model group (diarrhea, anaphylactic response, and rectal temperature). AZJHS (46.8 and 468.0 mg/kg) significantly reduced mouse diarrhea and significantly prevented the increases in OVA-specific IgE levels (P < 0.05), which challenge with OVA. AZJHS (46.8 and 468.0 mg/kg) significantly prevented the increases in 5-HT-positive cells. The nuclei of EC cells in the AZJHS (46.8 and 468.0 mg/kg) group increased in size and the secretory granules were fewer in number compared with those in the model group. AZJHS (46.8 and 468.0 mg/kg) significantly increased the relative fold changes of 5-HTP and 5-HT compared with the model group. The mRNA expression of the serotonin transporter (Sert) and serotonin receptor 3A (Htr3a) was significantly decreased after the 10th challenge with OVA, and AZJHS (46.8 and 468.0 mg/kg) significantly increased these levels. Conclusions We demonstrated that the administration of AZJHS attenuated OVA-induced diarrhea by regulating the serotonin pathway. These results indicated that AZJHS may be a potential candidate as an anti-allergic diarrhea agent. Graphical abstract fx1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
A sensitive and inexpensive method involving ultrasound-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (UA-DLLME) and pre-column derivatization followed by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD) was developed for the analysis of glycyrrhetinic acid. In this work, glycyrrhetinic acid could be obtained by hydrolyzing glycyrrhizic acid to remove glucuronic acid and subsequently extracted by UA-DLLME using chloroform and acetone as the extraction and disperser solvents, respectively. The sample extraction was firstly concentrated to dry under nitrogen and then rapidly derivatized with 2-(12-oxobenzo[b]acridin-5(12H)-yl)-ethyl-4-toluenesulfonate (BAETS) after the UA-DLLME. The prime parameters influencing the UA-DLLME and derivatization procedure were optimized using response surface methodology. Under the optimum conditions, the proposed method has a better linearity in a wider range of 6-300 ng mL<sup>−1</sup> and a high square of correlation coefficient (<i>R</i> <sup>2</sup>) at 0.9994. Limit of detection and limit of quantification were found to be 1.7 ng mL<sup>−1</sup> and 5.8 ng mL<sup>−1</sup>, respectively. The proposed method was applied to the analysis of glycyrrhetinic acid in liquorice, liquorice apricot and sugar plum samples. For the analysis of the spiked samples, the spiked recoveries were in the range of 90.4-103.0 % with RSD less than 5.18 %. All results demonstrated that the UA-DLLME-HPLC-FLD (ultrasound-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction-high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection) was a sensitive, accurate, efficient analytical method for the determination of glycyrrhetinic acid.
Resilience is the ability to adapt successfully in the face of stress and adversity. Stressful life events, trauma, and chronic adversity can have a substantial impact on brain function and structure, and can result in the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and other psychiatric disorders. However, most individuals do not develop such illnesses after experiencing stressful life events, and are thus thought to be resilient. Resilience as successful adaptation relies on effective responses to environmental challenges and ultimate resistance to the deleterious effects of stress, therefore a greater understanding of the factors that promote such effects is of great relevance. This review focuses on recent findings regarding genetic, epigenetic, developmental, psychosocial, and neurochemical factors that are considered essential contributors to the development of resilience. Neural circuits and pathways involved in mediating resilience are also discussed. The growing understanding of resilience factors will hopefully lead to the development of new pharmacological and psychological interventions for enhancing resilience and mitigating the untoward consequences.
Vital Breath of the Dao is a fully illustrated guide to the historical background, practical application, underlying principles and techniques of Qigong, a way of physical and spiritual cultivation, and a way of life. Chinese Shamanic Tiger Qigong is a uniquely potent practice designed to bolster health and deepen spiritual connection to universal energy. Lineage holder Master Zhongxian Wu uses story-telling and a wealth of practical examples to introduce this powerful 24-movement Qigong form, which combines the traditions of ancient shamanism, Confucianism, Daoism, classical Chinese medicine, and the martial arts. An excellent introduction for Qigong beginners, the book will also be of interest to experienced practitioners, students of classical Chinese Medicine and anyone interested in Classical Chinese culture and anthropology.
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