PMID: 

J Adv Pharm Technol Res. 2019 Jul-Sep;10(3):107-111. PMID: 31334091

Abstract Title: 

Effect of hibiscus sabdariffa on blood pressure in patients with stage 1 hypertension.

Abstract: 

Using different drug regimens has been proved to have effective effects on lowering blood pressure, but the adverse effects of long-term usage such medications is evident. According to recent trend in suing herbal and traditional medicines, researchers have been focused on evaluating the effect of different herbals on managing hypertension. The aim of the present study is the evaluation of the antihypertensive effect one of these herbs, sour tea (), on stage one hypertension. Patients with stage one hypertension who were diagnosed by a cardiologist has been included in the present clinical trial after giving informed consent. The patients were divided into two groups. The control and case group received the same lifestyle and dietary advices for controlling blood pressure. The case group received two standard cup of sour tea every morning for 1 month. The blood pressure of both groups was documented at baseline and at the end of the study and the results were analyzed using SPSS software. A total of 46 patients participated in this study and there was no significant difference in terms of age and body mass index between groups. There was a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure in both groups, but the mean reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure was significantly higher in the case group (= 0.004 and

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PMID: 

FASEB J. 2019 Aug 19:fj201900425RR. Epub 2019 Aug 19. PMID: 31425655

Abstract Title: 

The gut microbiota modulator berberine ameliorates collagen-induced arthritis in rats by facilitating the generation of butyrate and adjusting the intestinal hypoxia and nitrate supply.

Abstract: 

The commensal microbiota is one of the environmental triggers of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Recent studies have identified the characteristics of the gut microbiota in patients with RA. However, it is still unclear how the microbiota can be modulated to slow down disease progression. In the present study, berberine, a modulator of gut microbiota with substantial anti-RA effect, was chosen to explore the mechanisms by which the microbiota modulators ameliorate RA. The results showed that oral administration of berberine alleviated collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in rats in a gut microbiota-dependent manner. Berberine down-regulated the diversity and richness of the gut bacteria, reduced the abundance of, and elevated the abundance of butyrate-producing bacteria in CIA rats as determined by the 16S rRNA gene sequence, which might function through limiting the generation of nitrate and stabilizing the physiologic hypoxia in the intestine. Moreover, berberine treatment significantly increased the intestinal butyrate level and promoted the expression and activity of butyryl-CoA:acetate-CoA transferase (BUT). The coadministration of a BUT inhibitor largely diminished the adjustment of intestinal environment and the antiarthritic effect of berberine. In conclusion, modulators of the gut microbiota might serve as therapeutic agents for RA by inducing the butyrate generation through promoting the expression and activity of BUT.-Yue, M., Tao, Y., Fang, Y., Lian, X., Zhang, Q., Xia, Y., Wei, Z., Dai, Y. The gut microbiota modulator berberine ameliorates collagen-induced arthritis in rats by facilitating the generation of butyrate and adjusting the intestinal hypoxia and nitrate supply.

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PMID: 

Sci Rep. 2019 Aug 15 ;9(1):11934. Epub 2019 Aug 15. PMID: 31417110

Abstract Title: 

Berberine improved experimental chronic colitis by regulating interferon-γ- and IL-17A-producing lamina propria CD4T cells through AMPK activation.

Abstract: 

The herbal medicine berberine (BBR) has been recently shown to be an AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) productive activator with various properties that induce anti-inflammatory responses. We investigated the effects of BBR on the mechanisms of mucosal CD4T cell activation in vitro and on the inflammatory responses in T cell transfer mouse models of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We examined the favorable effects of BBR in vitro, using lamina propria (LP) CD4T cells in T cell transfer IBD models in which SCID mice had been injected with CD4CD45RBT cells. BBR suppressed the frequency of IFN-γ- and Il-17A-producing LP CD4T cells. This effect was found to be regulated by AMPK activation possibly induced by oxidative phosphorylation inhibition. We then examined the effects of BBR on the same IBD models in vivo. BBR-fed mice showed AMPK activation in the LPCD4T cells and an improvement of colitis. Our study newly showed that the BBR-induced AMPK activation of mucosal CD4T cells resulted in an improvement of IBD and underscored the importance of AMPK activity in colonic inflammation.

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PMID: 

Cent Nerv Syst Agents Med Chem. 2019 Aug 20. Epub 2019 Aug 20. PMID: 31429696

Abstract Title: 

Berberine: A plant derived alkaloid with therapeutic potential to combat Alzheimer's disease.

Abstract: 

Berberine (A protoberberine isoquinoline alkaloid) has shown promising pharmacological activities, including analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antidiabetic, anti-hyperlipidemic, cardioprotective, memory enhancement, antidepressant, antioxidant, anti-nociceptive, antimicrobial, anti-HIV and cholesterol-lowering effects. It is used in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorder. It has strong evidence to serve as potent phytoconstituent in the treatment of various neurodegenerative disorders such as AD. It limits the extracellular amyloid plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles. It also has lipid-glucose lowering ability, hence can be used as a protective agent in atherosclerosis and AD. However, more detailed investigations along with safety assessment of berberine are warranted to clarify its role in limiting various risk factors and AD-related pathologies. This review highlights the pharmacological basis to control oxidative stress, neuroinflammation and protective effect of berberine in AD, which will benefit to the biological scientists in understanding and exploring the new vistas of berberine in combating Alzheimer's disease.

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PMID: 

Mol Med Rep. 2019 Aug 6. Epub 2019 Aug 6. PMID: 31432116

Abstract Title: 

Berberine ameliorates CCl4‑induced liver injury in rats through regulation of the Nrf2‑Keap1‑ARE and p53 signaling pathways.

Abstract: 

Berberine (BBR) is an isoquinoline alkaloid, reported to have multiple pharmacological functions. However, its effects against CCl4‑induced oxidative damage remain poorly studied. Therefore, the present study investigated the protective action of BBR, and its antioxidant mechanisms, against CCl4‑induced liver injury in rats. A total of 48 rats were randomly arranged into six groups: Control; model; positive control (PC); BBR low‑dose (BL); BBR middle‑dose (BM); and BBR high‑dose (BH). The BL, BM and BH animals received BBR (5, 10 and 15 mg/kg by weight, respectively) orally for 7 consecutive days. Rats in the PC group were given silymarin (150 mg/kg), and the control and model groups were administered distilledwater orally. At the end of the experiment, blood samples and livers were collected. To measure the liver biochemical indices, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and the expression levels of related genes and protein, the following methods were used: An automatic biochemical analyzer; flowcytometry; spectrophotometry; reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR; western blotting; and hematoxylin and eosin staining. The results revealed that BBR significantly decreased the serum levels of alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase and alkaline phosphatase, and increased those of glutathione and superoxide dismutase, but decreased malondialdehyde activity in hepatic tissue, and significantly decreased the reactive oxygen species level in hepatocytes. In hepatic tissue, the expressions of nuclear factor erythroid 2‑related factor 2 (Nrf2), kelch‑like ECH‑associated protein 1(Keap-1), NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1 (NQO-1), heme oxygenase 1 (HO‑1), Bcl‑2 and Bcl‑xL mRNA, and HO‑1 protein were elevated, and the expression of p53 mRNA was decreased, particularly in the BH group (15 mg/kg). In conclusion, BBR exerts a protective action against CCl4‑induced acute liver injury in rats via effectively regulating the expression of Nrf2‑Keap1‑antioxidant responsive element‑related genes and proteins, and inhibiting p53 pathway‑mediated hepatocyte apoptosis.

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PMID: 

Nutrients. 2019 Aug 2 ;11(8). Epub 2019 Aug 2. PMID: 31382476

Abstract Title: 

The Associations of Fruit and Vegetable Intake with Lung Cancer Risk in Participants with Different Smoking Status: A Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies.

Abstract: 

The results of epidemiological studies on the relationship between fruit and vegetable intake and lung cancer risk were inconsistent among participants with different smoking status. The purpose of this study was to investigate these relationships in participants with different smoking status with prospective cohort studies. A systematic literature retrieval was conducted using PubMed and Scopus databases up to June 2019. The summary relative risks (RRs) and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by random-effects model. The nonlinear dose-response analysis was carried out with restricted cubic spline regression model. Publication bias was estimated using Begg's test. Nine independent prospective studies were included for data synthesis. Dietary consumption of fruit was negatively correlated with lung cancer risk among current smokers and former smokers, and the summery RRs were 0.86 (95% CI: 0.78, 0.94) and 0.91 (95% CI: 0.84, 0.99), respectively. Consumption of vegetable was significantly associated with reduced risk of lung cancer for current smokers (summary RR = 87%; 95% CI: 0.78, 0.94), but not for former smokers and never for smokers. Dose-response analysis suggested that risk of lung cancer was reduced by 5% (95% CI: 0.93, 0.97) in current smokers, and reduced by 4% (95% CI: 0.93, 0.98) in former smokers with an increase of 100 grams of fruit intake per day, respectively. Besides, dose-response analysis indicated a 3% reduction in lung cancer risk in current smokers for 100 gram per day increase of vegetable intake (95% CI: 0.96, 1.00). The findings of this study provide strong evidence that higher fruit consumption is negatively associated with the risk of lung cancer among current smokers and former smokers, while vegetable intake is significantly correlated with reducing the risk of lung cancer in current smokers. These findings might have considerable public health significance for the prevention of lung cancer through dietary interventions.

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PMID: 

Mol Med Rep. 2019 Aug 9. Epub 2019 Aug 9. PMID: 31432129

Abstract Title: 

Ameliorating effect of Citrus aurantium extracts and nobiletin on β‑amyloid (1‑42)‑induced memory impairment in mice.

Abstract: 

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the neuroprotective effect of Citrus aurantium extract (CAE) and nobiletin against amyloid β 1‑42 (Aβ 1‑42)‑induced spatial learning and memory impairment in mice. After injecting Aβ 1‑42 (5 µl/2.5 min, intracerebroventricular injection), amnesic mice were orally administered CAE and nobiletin for 28 days. Memory, spatial and cognitive ability were measured using passive avoidance and a Morris water maze task. Acetylcholinesterase (AchE) activity was investigated in the hippocampus and cortex using commercial kits and the analysis of Bax, Bcl‑2, and cleaved caspase‑3 protein expression by western blot assayswas used to confirm the anti‑apoptotic mechanism of CAE and nobiletin. The present study confirmed impairments in learning and memory in the Aβ‑induced neurodegenerative mice with increased AchE activity in the brain. However, the daily administration of CAE and nobiletin reduced the spatial learning deficits and increased the AchE activity in the cortex and hippocampus. Furthermore, CAE and nobiletin significantly downregulated the Bax and cleaved caspase‑3 protein expression and upregulated the Bcl‑2 and Bcl‑2/Bax expression in the cortex and hippocampus of Aβ‑treated mice. These results suggest that CAE and nobiletin exert a neuroprotective effect by regulating anti‑apoptotic mechanisms, including reduced AchE activity in the cortex and hippocampus of the cognitive deficit mouse model.

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PMID: 

Sci Rep. 2019 Aug 14 ;9(1):11814. Epub 2019 Aug 14. PMID: 31413350

Abstract Title: 

Suppression of gut dysbiosis by Bifidobacterium longum alleviates cognitive decline in 5XFAD transgenic and aged mice.

Abstract: 

To understand the role of commensal gut bacteria on the progression of cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease via the microbiota-gut-brain axis, we isolated anti-inflammatory Bifidobacterium longum (NK46) from human gut microbiota, which potently inhibited gut microbiota endotoxin production and suppressed NF-κB activation in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV-2 cells, and examined whether NK46 could simultaneously alleviate gut dysbiosis and cognitive decline in male 5xFAD-transgenic (5XFAD-Tg, 6 months-old) and aged (18 months-old) mice. Oral administration of NK46 (1 × 10CFU/mouse/day for 1 and 2 months in aged and Tg mice, respectively) shifted gut microbiota composition, particularly Proteobacteria, reduced fecal and blood LPS levels, suppressed NF-κB activation and TNF-α expression, and increased tight junction protein expression in the colon of 5XFAD-Tg and aged mice. NK46 treatment also alleviated cognitive decline in 5XFAD-Tg and aged mice. Furthermore, NK46 treatment suppressed amyloid-β, β/γ-secretases, and caspase-3 expression andamyloid-β accumulation in the hippocampus of 5XFAD-Tg mice. NK46 treatment also reduced Iba1, LPS/CD11b, and caspase-3/NeuNcell populations and suppressed NF-κB activation in the hippocampus of 5XFAD-Tg and aged mice, while BDNF expression was increased. These findings suggest that the suppression of gut dysbiosis and LPS production by NK46 can mitigate cognitive decline through the regulation of microbiota LPS-mediated NF-κB activation.

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PMID: 

Mol Nutr Food Res. 2019 Aug 21:e1900603. Epub 2019 Aug 21. PMID: 31433910

Abstract Title: 

Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium Improved Physiological Function and Cognitive Ability in Aged Mice by the Regulation of Gut Microbiota.

Abstract: 

SCOPE: Age-related degeneration is associated with imbalances of gut microbiota and its related immune system, thereby gut microbiota dysbiosis is considered to be a key target to improve senescence. The potential roles of probiotics on physiological function and cognitive ability in aged mice were investigated in this study.METHODS AND RESULTS: Lactobacillus casei LC122 or Bifidobacterium longum BL986, were orally administrated for 12 weeks, and the anti-aging effects, as well as the composition and function of gut microbiota were investigated in aged mice. Probiotics supplementation ameliorated hepatic lipid accumulation, enhanced muscle strength and function, attenuated oxidative stress and inflammation in peripheral tissues and improved gut barrier function. These results were associated with improved learning and memory ability as assessed by behavioral tests and up-regulation of neurodegenerative and neurotrophic factors expressions in hippocampus. Moreover, the diversity and composition of gut microbiota were altered in aged mice, and both probiotics treatment displayed distinguished features of gut microbiota. Comparisons of two probiotic strains revealed significant differences in the taxa at family and genus level, leading to the functional profile change of the microbial community.CONCLUSION: Lactobacillus casei LC122 and Bifidobacterium longum BL986 might be used as novel and promising anti-aging agent in human. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

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PMID: 

Mucosal Immunol. 2019 Aug 21. Epub 2019 Aug 21. PMID: 31434991

Abstract Title: 

Antibiotic-induced dysbiosis of gut microbiota impairs corneal development in postnatal mice by affecting CCR2 negative macrophage distribution.

Abstract: 

Antibiotics are extremely useful, but they can cause adverse impacts on host bodies. We found that antibiotic treatment altered the composition of the gut microbiota and the gene expression profile in the corneal tissues of postnatal mice and decreased the corneal size and thickness, the angiogenesis of limbal blood vessels, and the neurogenesis of corneal nerve fibers. The reconstitution of the gut microbiota with fecal transplants in antibiotic-treated mice largely reversed these impairments in corneal development. Furthermore, C-C chemokine receptor type 2 negative (CCR2) macrophages were confirmed to participate in corneal development, and their distribution in the cornea was regulated by the gut microbiota. We propose that the CCR2macrophage population is a crucial mediator through which gut microbiota affect corneal development in postnatal mice. In addition, probiotics were shown to have the potential effect of restoring corneal development in antibiotic-treated mice. Abx-induced gut dysbiosis has significant, long-term effects on the development of the cornea, and reversal of these suppressive effects takes a long time.