The American journal of Chinese medicine
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In Lung adenocarcinoma (ADC), Qi-Yin deficiency syndrome (QY) is the most common Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome. This study aimed to investigate the diversity and composition of gut microbiota in ADC patients with QY syndrome. 90 stool samples, including 30 healthy individuals (H), 30 ADC patients with QY syndrome, and 30 ADC patients with another syndrome (O) were collected. Then, 16s-RNA sequencing was used to analyze stool samples to clarify the structure of gut microbiota, and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) effect size (LEfSe) was applied to identify biomarkers for ADC with QY syndrome. ⋯ LEfSe identified Prevotella_9 and Streptococcus might be the biomarkers for QY syndrome. A diagnostic model was constructed using those 2 genera with the AUC = 0.801, similar to the AUC based on Metagenomics (0.842). The structure of gut microbiota in ADC patients with QY syndrome was investigated, and a diagnostic model was developed for the diagnosis of QY syndrome in ADC patients, which provides a novel idea for the understanding and diagnosis of TCM syndrome.
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Liver cancer is a gastrointestinal malignant tumor with high lethality. The prognosis of liver cancer remains poor. Compounds derived from natural products have been confirmed to alleviate the progression of various diseases, including cancers. ⋯ Additionally, TLR4 overexpression partially reversed the inhibitory effect of 6-shogaol on the progression of liver cancer cells via Wnt/[Formula: see text]-catenin signaling. Furthermore, the 6-shogaol-induced increase in FOXO3a expression in liver cancer was notably suppressed by TLR4 or Wnt/[Formula: see text]-catenin upregulation. Thus, 6-Shogaol suppresses the progression of liver cancer by mediating Wnt/[Formula: see text]-catenin signaling and is a potential agent for the treatment of liver cancer.
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A well-known medicinal mushroom in the field of traditional Chinese medicine, Cordyceps sinensis, is a rare natural-occurring entomopathogenic fungus, and it typically grows at high altitudes on the plateau of the Himalayan. Previous studies indicated that cordycepin, the main bioactive chemical of Cordyceps sinensis, has very potent anticancer, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. However, its protective effects against atherosclerotic changes in vascular endothelial cells have not been fully elucidated. ⋯ All these detrimental events were markedly blocked by pretreatment with cordycepin. Moreover, cordycepin ameliorated destabilization of mitochondrial permeability, cytosolic calcium rises, and apoptotic features caused by PA. In addition, all these anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptosis effects of cordycepin were found to be inhibited by the PI3K and eNOS inhibitor, suggesting that its anti-atherosclerotic effects may partially be mediated by the PI3K/Akt/eNOS signaling pathway.
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Although ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer) has received extensive attention in the treatment and prevention of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in the past few decades, there are few studies on the complications of T2DM. ⋯ It is worth noting that G-Rh1 not only inhibits the secretion of Nox1 and Nox4 in kidney tissues, but also has an inhibitory effect on inflammatory factors and NF-[Formula: see text]B signaling pathway. Importantly, further in-depth research on molecular mechanisms provides vital evidence that the ameliorative effect of G-Rh1 on DN is related to the inhibition of apoptosis and the AMPK/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. In summary, G-Rh1 may be of great value in improving the treatment of DN although more experimental data is needed.
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Comparative Study
Effects of Berberine on Diabetes and Cognitive Impairment in an Animal Model: The Mechanisms of Action.
Diabetes is a group of metabolic disorders with an increased risk of developing cognitive impairment and dementia. The hippocampus in the forebrain contains an abundance of insulin receptors related to cognitive function and plays an important role in the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative disorders. Berberine from traditional Chinese medicine has been used to treat diabetes and diabetic cognitive impairment, although its related mechanisms are largely unknown. ⋯ The TUNEL assay confirmed that berberine reduced hippocampal neuronal apoptosis supported by TEM. Thus, berberine significantly improved the cognitive function in diabetic rats by changing the peripheral and central insulin resistance. The reduction of neuronal injury, A[Formula: see text] deposition, abnormal phosphorylation of Tau protein, and neuronal apoptosis in the hippocampus were observed as the related mechanisms of action.