The American journal of Chinese medicine
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Roles of Autophagy in Ischemic Heart Diseases and the Modulatory Effects of Chinese Herbal Medicine.
Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved degradation process which eliminates dysfunctional proteins and cytoplasmic components to maintain homeostasis for cell survival. Increasing evidence has demonstrated the modulatory role of autophagy in ischemic heart diseases (IHDs). Traditionally, this process has been recognized as having protective functions, such as inhibiting atherosclerosis progression and reducing cell death during the ischemic phase. ⋯ Hence modulation of autophagy to increase cardiomyocyte survival and improve cardiac function is meaningful for the treatment of IHD. Chinese herbal medicine, including extractive compounds and patented drugs, has shown its potential role in treating IHD by addressing autophagy-related mechanisms. This review summarizes the updated knowledge on the molecular basis and modulatory role of autophagy in IHD and the recent progress of Chinese herbal medicine in its treatment.
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Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a common cause of chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease, which can be triggered by oxidative stress. In this study, we investigated the renoprotective effect of the ethyl acetate extract of Salvia miltiorrhiza (EASM) on DN and examined the underlying molecular mechanism. We observed that EASM treatment attenuated metabolic abnormalities associated with hyperglycemic conditions in the experimental DN model. ⋯ To mimic the hyperglycemic conditions in DN patients, we used high glucose (25[Formula: see text]mmol/L) media to stimulate mouse mesangial cells (MMCs), and EASM inhibited high glucose-induced reactive oxygen species. We also observed that EASM enhanced the expression of nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), which mediated the anti-oxidant response, and its downstream gene heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1 (NQO1) with concomitant decrease of expression of kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (keap1) both in vitro and in vivo. Taken together, these results suggest that EASM alleviates the progression of DN and this might be associated with activation of Nrf2.
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This study evaluated the effects of Angelica sinensis extract [Dang Gui (DG)] administered before 60[Formula: see text]min of middle cerebral artery occlusion followed by 3[Formula: see text]d of reperfusion and investigated the involvement of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1[Formula: see text] signaling in the cortical ischemic penumbra. DG was intraperitoneally administered at a dose of 0.25[Formula: see text]g/kg (DG-0.25g), 0.5[Formula: see text]g/kg (DG-0.5g), or 1[Formula: see text]g/kg (DG-1g) 30[Formula: see text]min before the onset of cerebral ischemia. Our study results revealed that DG-0.5g and DG-1g pretreatment effectively attenuated cerebral infarct and improved neurological deficits. ⋯ Pretreatment with SB203580, a p38 MAPK inhibitor, dramatically abrogated the upregulating effects of DG-1g on p-p38 MAPK/p38 MAPK, p-CREB/CREB, and p-Bad/Bad ratios and HIF-1[Formula: see text], VEGF-A, and vWF expression and the downregulating effects of DG-1g on GFAP, cytochrome c, cleaved caspase-3, and cerebral infarction. DG-0.5g and DG-1g pretreatment provided neuroprotective effects against astrocyte-mediated cerebral infarction by activating angiogenic and anti-apoptotic signaling. Moreover, the angiogenic and anti-apoptotic effects of DG pretreatment can be attributed to the activation of p38 MAPK/HIF-1[Formula: see text]/VEGF-A/vWF signaling and p38 MAPK/HIF-1[Formula: see text]/VEGF-A/p-Bad-related regulation of cytochrome c/caspase-3 signaling, respectively, in the cortical ischemic penumbra 3[Formula: see text]d after reperfusion.
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Review Meta Analysis
Traditional Chinese Medications for Knee Osteoarthritis Pain: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
Traditional Chinese medication (TCM) has analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). We conducted the first systematic review of the best quantitative and qualitative evidence currently available in order to evaluate the effectiveness of TCM in relieving pain in knee OA. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using three English and four Chinese biomedical databases from their inception through March 1, 2015. ⋯ This evidence suggests that TCM is safe and effective for improving pain, function, and wellness in treatments of knee OA. However, there is inherent clinical heterogeneity (diverse TCM formulations, controls, and treatment regimens) among the included trials. Despite these limitations, the potential analgesic effects of TCM warrant further methodologically rigorous research to determine the clinical implications of TCM on pain management in knee OA.
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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.