PMID: 

Front Pharmacol. 2020 ;11:185. Epub 2020 Mar 3. PMID: 32194416

Abstract Title: 

Berberine Inhibits Nod-Like Receptor Family Pyrin Domain Containing 3 Inflammasome Activation and Pyroptosis in Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitisthe ROS/TXNIP Axis.

Abstract: 

Berberine (BBR), an isoquinoline alkaloid originating from herbal plants, has been deemed beneficial for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Increasing evidence has demonstrated that Nod-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation and the subsequent pyroptosis contribute to the progression of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). However, whether BBR impacts NLRP3 inflammasome activation and pyroptosis in NASH and the potential mechanism remains unclear. In the current study, we found that BBR significantly decreased lipid accumulation, ameliorated reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxides, Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) expression, and phosphorylation of Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) p65 bothandIn particular, BBR significantly inhibited NLRP3 expression, caspase-1 activity, and the pyroptosis executor, GSDMD-N, expression. In addition, BBR displayed similar inhibitory effects on NLRP3 inflammasome and pyroptosis with a decrease in ROS levels and TXNIP expression as N-acetyl-cysteine, a ROS scavenger, did. Whereas, the inhibitory effect of BBR on ROS, TXNIP expression, NLRP3 inflammasome activation and pyroptosis could be reversed by HOin AML12 cells. This study demonstrates that BBR's inhibitory effect on NLRP3 inflammasome activation and pyroptosis may be mediated by ROS/TXNIP axisfor the first time. Our findings suggest BBR is a potential candidate for the treatment of NASH.

read more

PMID: 

Inflammation. 2020 Mar 20. Epub 2020 Mar 20. PMID: 32198725

Abstract Title: 

Electroacupuncture Relieves Pain and Attenuates Inflammation Progression Through Inducing IL-10 Production in CFA-Induced Mice.

Abstract: 

The therapeutic effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on inflammatory pain has been well recognized clinically, but the mechanism is unclear. Interleukin-10 (IL-10), which is produced by regulatory T (Treg) cell, is a key anti-inflammatory cytokine for relieving inflammatory pain. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate whether EA could inhibit CFA-induced pain and attenuate inflammation progression by regulating the activation of immunocyte and inducing the expression of IL-10. In this study, mice were treated with EA (2/100 Hz, 2 mA) for five consecutive days after 1 day of CFA injection. The behavioral tests were measured and analyzed after the daily EA treatment; then, hind paw, spinal cord, and spleen tissues were prepared for assessment. The results showed that EA treatment significantly increased the mechanical threshold and thermal latency after CFA injection and boosted the expression of IL-10 in paw and spinal cord tissues. EA treatment promoted Treg cells; suppressed macrophage and neutrophils cells; reduced the expression of IL-1β, NLRP3, and TNF-α; and ultimately relieved inflammatory pain. The findings suggested that the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect of EA treatment could be partially associated with suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines mediated by induction of IL-10.

read more

PMID: 

Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2020 Mar 25 ;45(3):209-14. PMID: 32202712

Abstract Title: 

[Effect of acupuncture on neurological function, cerebral infarction volume, thrombolysis time window and cerebral cell apoptosis signaling pathway in cerebral infarction rats].

Abstract: 

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of acupuncture (Acupunct) on cerebral infarction volume and expression of poly ADP ribose polymerase 1 (PARP1), apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) and endonuclease G (Endo-G) in the cerebral cortex tissue at different time-points after cerebral ischemia (CI) in acute cerebral infarction rats, so as to explore its underlying mechanisms in prolonging time window of thrombolysis.METHODS: Forty-eight SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation, model, intravenous thrombolysis (IVT)-4.5 h, IVT-6 h, IVT-9 h, Acupunct＋IVT-4.5 h, Acupunct ＋IVT-6 h, Acupunct＋IVT-9 h groups (＝6 in each group). The CI model was established by using modified autologous thromboembolism via the right common carotid artery. Two hours after modeling, rats of the Acupunct groups received Acupunct stimulation of"Shuigou"(GV26) and bilateral"Neiguan"(PC6) for 30 min. Thrombolysis was conducted by injection of recombinant human tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA, 10 mg/kg) via caudal vein. The neurological deficit was assessed with reference to Bederson's methods. 2，3，5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining was used to assess the cerebral infarction volume, and the expression of cerebral PARP1, AIF and Endo-G proteins detected by Western blot.RESULTS: Compared with the sham operation group, the neurological score and percentage of cerebral infarction volume, expression levels of PARP1, AIF and Endo-G proteins were significantly increased in the model group (

read more

PMID: 

Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2020 Mar 25 ;45(3):243-50. PMID: 32202718

Abstract Title: 

[Clinical effect of acupuncture combined with traditional Chinese medicine in treatment of oligozoospermia/asthenozoospermia: a meta-analysis].

Abstract: 

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical effect of acupuncture combined with Chinese medicine in the treatment of oligozoospermia/asthenozoospermia.METHODS: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture combined with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the treatment of oligozoospermia/asthenozoospermia published up to February 15, 2019 were searched from databases of CNKI, CBM, Wanfang Data, VIP, PubMed, Embase, and The Cochrane Library. Two reviewers independently performed quality assessment and data extraction of the studies, and RevMan5.3 was used to perform the meta-analysis.RESULTS: A total of 13 articles with 12 RCTs were included, with a total of 1 183 patients. The meta-analysis showed that acupuncture combined with TCM achieved a significantly higher pregnancy rate than TCM alone in the treatment of oligozoospermia/asthenozoospermia(risk ratio []＝1.46, 95% confidence interval []: 1.13－1.90，＝0.004). The patients treated with acupuncture combined with TCM had a significantly higher effective rate than those treated with TCM alone (＝1.17, 95%：1.10－1.24,

read more

PMID: 

Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2020 Mar 25 ;45(3):251-4. PMID: 32202719

Abstract Title: 

[Research and thinking of acupuncture on promoting white adipose tissue browning].

Abstract: 

Acupuncture has become an effective approach in clinic for treating obesity, but its mechanism has not been clarified yet. A large number of researches have been conducted on the obesity mechanism in the aspects of neurophysiological regulation, feeding center regulation and peripheral digestion and absorption regulation at home and abroad. But, regarding the main storage site of excess energy, i．e. the remodeling and functional regulation of white adipose tissue (WAT), is still a new field in research. In the paper, focusing on the new filed of weight loss, in view of the promotion of WAT browning through the re-gulation of UCP1 and PPARγ signal pathway with acupuncture, the potential peripheral mechanism of acupuncture was explored on weight loss.

read more

PMID: 

Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2020 Mar 25 ;45(3):255-9. PMID: 32202720

Abstract Title: 

[Progress of the mechanism research of acupuncture in treatment of diet-induced obesity].

Abstract: 

The literature of experimental research on diet-induced obesity treated with acupuncture was retrieved. The aspects of epigenetics, neuroendocrine system, intestinal flora, inflammatory response, oxidative stress and substance metabolism of the mechanism of acupuncture in the treatment of diet-induced obesity were summarized. It is suggested that the potential mechanism of acupuncture in the treatment of diet-induced obesity should be discussed in the aspects of the interaction of Toll-like receptors on obesity-intestinal flora-immune function, the improvement of insulin resistance, epigenetics and antioxidant stress.

read more

The current coronavirus disease, Covid-19, has been called a once-in-a-century pandemic. But it may also be a once-in-a-century evidence fiasco

I apologize for the sarcasm of this report’s title in advance, but I’m truly disturbed by the discrepancy between the fear and panic incited by governmental health authorities, and their mainstream media colluders, and the reality of the death rates reported by the once, most authorative health organization in the United States, and perhaps the world: The Centers for Disease Prevention and Control. 

After all, these numbers are not simply academic calculations. They will, and already have, affected hundreds of millions of people — many of whom are at home, jobless, afraid, and now praying for a reprieve from the most feared virus of their time. 

read more

PMID: 

Gastroenterol Nurs. 2001 Mar-Apr;24(2):95-7. PMID: 11847735

Abstract Title: 

Milk thistle and the treatment of hepatitis.

Abstract: 

Gastroenterology nurses and associates will find it helpful to be informed about milk thistle (silybum marianum), a popular, safe and promising herb used by patients with liver disease. Silymarin is a derivative from the milk thistle plant with few side effects that has been safely used for centuries to treat liver ailments. Since the 1970s, there has been a reemergence of the marketing and use of silymarin. Research results of some small studies suggest silymarin has hepatoprotective, antiinflammatory, and regenerative properties producing a beneficial effect for some types of hepatitis. It is unclear, however, whether silymarin might interfere with the effect of interferon or ribavirin. A well-designed, placebo-controlled study of a larger population is needed. It is certainly encouraging that a large collaborative study is currently underway for milk thistle therapy in hepatitis C. This study is funded by NCCAM, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). Research updates are available online at http://www.nccam.nih.gov and through the NCCAM Clearinghouse at 1-888-644-6226.

read more

PMID: 

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2020 ;2020:8321732. Epub 2020 Feb 18. PMID: 32148553

Abstract Title: 

Antiliver Fibrosis Screening of Active Ingredients fromL. Seeds via GC-TOF-MS and UHPLC-MS/MS.

Abstract: 

Although several studies have been performed onL.(celery) seeds, their antiliver fibrosis effects remain to be unexplored. Firstly, we detected the effects of celery seeds extracted with different concentrations of aqueous ethanol on the proliferation of HSC-LX2 cells. Then, we detected the effects of fractions of the optimal effect extract on the proliferation and apoptosis of HSC-LX2 cells. Finally, the compounds of petroleum ether (PP), ethyl acetate (PE), n-butyl alcohol (PB), and water fractions (PW) of the optimal effect extract were determined by GC-TOF-MS and UHPLC-MS/MS, to confirm the potentially antifibrotic compounds combined with pharmacodynamic experiment of monomer compounds. The results revealed that 60% ethanol extract of celery seeds (60-extract) exhibited remarkable inhibition effect on the proliferation of HSC-LX2 cells compared with 95% ethanol and aqueous extract. Besides, it validated that the inhibition rates of PP, PE, PB, and PW on the proliferation of HSC-LX2 cells were 75.14%, 73.52%, 54.09%, and 43.36%, and their percentage of apoptotic cells were 37.5%, 4.3%, 0.7%, and 0.1% at high doses, respectively. Additionally, it was manifested that apigenin, aesculetin, and butylphthalide have major contribution to the overall compounds of celery seeds, and the inhibition effects on the cell proliferation clearly elevated with increase in their contents. In essence, apigenin, aesculetin, and butylphthalide may hopefully become the natural products of antiliver fibrosis, which laid a foundation for the subsequent development of celery seeds as antiliver fibrosis drugs.

read more