The American journal of Chinese medicine
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Alpinia officinarum rhizome has been used as a traditional herbal remedy to treat inflammatory and internal diseases. Based on the previously observed inhibitory effect of A. officinarum rhizome in an arthritis model, we evaluated whether a water extract of A. officinarum rhizome (WEAO) would enhance in vitro osteoblast mineralization using calvarial osteoblast precursor cells or would inhibit in vitro osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption using bone marrow derived macrophages. In osteoblasts, WEAO enhanced the mRNA levels of transcription factor (runt-related transcription factor 2, smad1, smad5, and junB) and marker (bone morphogenetic protein-2, collagen type 1alpha1, and osteocalcin) genes related to osteoblast mineralization, consistent with increased alizarin red S staining intensity. ⋯ WEAO also suppressed the resorbing activity of mature osteoclasts by altering actin ring formation. Therefore, the results of this study demonstrate that WEAO stimulates osteoblast mineralization and inhibits osteoclast differentiation. Thus, WEAO may be a promising herbal candidate to treat or prevent pathological bone diseases by regulating the balance between osteoclast and osteoblast activity.
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Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) is an herbal medicine prescribed worldwide that is prepared from Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer (Araliaceae). ⋯ G-Rc also attenuated the increased levels of luciferase activity by IRF-3 and AP-1 but not NF-[Formula: see text]B. In support of this phenomenon, G-Rc reduced TBK1, IRF-3, and ATF2 phosphorylation in the joint and liver tissues of mice with hepatitis. Therefore, our results strongly suggest that G-Rc may be a major component of KRG with useful anti-inflammatory properties due to its suppression of IRF-3 and AP-1 pathways.
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Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common neurodegenerative disorder associated with dementia, not only severely decreases the quality of life for its victims, but also brings a heavy economic burden to the family and society. Unfortunately, few chemical drugs designed for clinical applications have reached the expected preventive or therapeutic effect so far, and combined with their significant side-effects, there is therefore an urgent need for new strategies to be developed for AD treatment. Traditional Chinese Medicine has accumulated many experiences in the treatment of dementia during thousands of years of practice; modern pharmacological studies have confirmed the therapeutic effects of many active components derived from Chinese herbal medicines (CHM). ⋯ Curcumin can act on A[Formula: see text] and tau too. Due to the advantages of multi-target effects and fewer side effects, Chinese medicine is more appropriate for long-term use. In this present review, the pharmacological effects of commonly used active components derived from Chinese herbal medicines in the treatment of AD are discussed.
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Autophagy exists in vascular endothelial cells, but the relationship between autophagy and blood vessel dysfunction in hypertension remains elusive. This study aimed to investigate role of autophagy in vascular endothelial dysfunction in prehypertension and hypertension and the underlying mechanisms involved. Furthermore, we sought to determine if and how tetrahydroxystilbene glucoside (TSG), a resveratrol analogue and active ingredient of Polygonum multiflorum Thunb used for its cardiovascular protective properties in traditional Chinese medicine, influences vascular endothelial function. ⋯ Moreover, TSG significantly activated Akt-mTOR signaling in HUVECs and reduced the autophagic levels in vitro, which were almost completely blocked by rapamycin. In summary, mesenteric endothelial dysfunction in prehypertensive SHRs was at least partly attributable to excessive autophagy in vascular tissues. TSG partly restored microvascular endothelial dysfunction through activating the Akt/mTOR pathway, which consequently suppressed autophagy, indicating that TSG could be potentially applied to protect vascular function against subclinical changes in prehypertension.
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Baicalein is an active flavonoid extracted from the root of Scutellaria baicalensis that has anticancer and anti-inflammatory properties; its effects on osteoblastic and angiogenic potential are controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of baicalein on odontoblastic differentiation and angiogenesis and the underlying mechanism in human dental pulp cells (HDPCs). Baicalein (1-10[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]M) had no cytotoxic effects and promoted alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, mineralization assayed by Alizarin Red-S staining, and the mRNA expression of marker genes, in a concentration-dependent manner. ⋯ The odontogenic and angiogenic effects of baicalein were abolished by the BMP antagonist noggin and the Wnt/[Formula: see text]-catenin receptor antagonist DKK-1. These results demonstrate that baicalein promoted odontoblastic differentiation and angiogenesis of HDPCs by activating the BMP and Wnt/[Formula: see text]-catenin signal pathways. Our findings suggest that baicalein may contribute to dental pulp repair and regenerative endodontics.