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A typical indicator of sepsis is the development of progressive subcutaneous and body‑cavity edema, which is caused by the breakdown of endothelial barrier function, leading to a marked increase in vascular permeability. Microvascular leakage predisposes to microvascular thrombosis, breakdown of microcirculatory flow and organ failure, which are common events preceding mortality in patients with severe sepsis. Melilotus suaveolens (M. suaveolens) is a Traditional Tibetan Medicine. Previous pharmacological studies have demonstrated that an ethanolic extract of M. suaveolens has powerful anti‑inflammatory activity and leads to an improvement in capillary permeability. However, the mechanisms underlying its pharmacological activity remain elusive. The present study aimed to assess the impact of M. suaveolens extract tablets on pulmonary vascular permeability, and their effect on regulating lung inflammation and the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the lung tissue of rats with sepsis. A cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) sepsis model was established for both the control and treatment groups. ~2 h prior to surgery, 25 mg/kg of M. suaveolens extract tablet was administered to the treatment group. Polymerase chain reaction and western blot analyses were used to assess the expression of nuclear factor (NF)‑κB and VEGF in the lung tissue, and ELISA was applied to detect changes in serum tumor necrosis factor‑α as well as interleukins (IL) ‑1, ‑4, ‑6, and ‑10. The lung permeability, wet/dry weight ratio and lung pathology were determined. The results demonstrated that in the lung tissue of CLP‑rats with sepsis, M. suaveolens extract inhibited the expression of NF‑κB, reduced the inflammatory response and blocked the expression of VEGF, and thus significantly decreased lung microvascular permeability. The effects of M. Suaveolens extract may be of potential use in the treatment of CLP‑mediated lung microvascular permeability.
Tibetan medicine Asteris Flos is the flowers of Aster souliei, A. flaccidus, and A. asteroides, with the function of clearing away heat and toxic matter, relieving cough, and removing phlegm. In order to control the quality of Asteris Flos, the morphological and chemical methods were established for identification of three origins. The morphological features of three species were described and photographed, and the microscopic characteristics of three drug powders were also described in detail and pictured. The results showed that three origins of Asteris Flos could be easily distinguished by their macro- and micro-morphologic features, and a key for distinguishing the three origins was given. Moreover, a TLC method, with apigenin-7-O-β-D-glucurono pyranoside and chlorogenic acid as chemical references, was also established for the identification of three origins. The results showed that the TLC chromatograms of the flowers of A. souliei and A. flaccidus were very similar, but different from that of A. asteroides. The established macroscopic, powder microscopic and TLC methods for identification of three origins of AF were simple, accurate, and reproducible, and also effective and easy to operate.
Ethnopharmacological relevanceFrankincense oil and water extracts (FOE, FWE) have long been used for external treatment of inflammation and pain. The present study was conducted to identify the active ingredients responsible for the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects and to determine the underlying mechanisms.
Materials and methods
The compositions of FOE and FWE were identified and compared by GC–MS. The anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of the two extracts and their possible active ingredients (α-pinene, linalool, and 1-octanol) were evaluated and compared in a xylene-induced ear edema model and a formalin-inflamed hind paw model. Inflammatory infiltrates and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression in hind paw skin were investigated by histological staining.
Results
The contents of α-pinene, linalool, and 1-octanol in FOE were much higher than those in FWE. Mice treated with FOE exhibited greater and faster lessening of swelling and pain than mice treated with FWE. The combination of the three components had more potent pharmacological effects on hind paw inflammation and COX-2 overexpression than the three components used alone.
Conclusions
These findings suggest that topical application of FOE or its active ingredients (including α-pinene, linalool, and 1-octanol) exhibit significantly anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects through inhibiting nociceptive stimulus-induced inflammatory infiltrates and COX-2 overexpression.
Recent studies on chemical constituents of Dali and their pharmacological activities were reviewed. Dali, a Tibetan medicine, consists of two Tibetan plants: Rhododendron anthopogoniodes Maxim. and R. primulaeflorum Bur. et Franch. Dali mainly contains essential oils, flavonoids and triterpenoids. The pharmacological activities of Dali are widely proved in eliminating phlegm, relieve cough and anti-asthmatic activities. As a clinical drug, it is also used for treatment of chronic bronchitis and coronary artery disease.