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Abstract: Quercetin''s protective effects on the glomerulosclerosis of diabetic nephropathy (DN) in rat mesangial cells were investigated. The cell cycles, type IV collagen and laminin, TGF-β1 mRNA, Smad 2/3 and Smad 7, and activities of cell antioxidases were measured. Compared with the high glucose group, quercetin may decrease the cell percentages of G0/G1 phase, Smad 2/3 expression, laminin and type IV collagen, and TGF-β1 mRNA level significantly. The antioxidant capacity, the cell percentages of S phase and Smad 7 expression was significantly increased by quercetin. These results suggest that quercetin is a protective agent against glomerulosclerosis in DN. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Ethnopharmacological relevance: To assess the ability of traditional Chinese medicine Polygonatum sibiricum polysaccharide to prevent bone loss in the ovariectomized rat. Materials and methods: PSP was administered intragastrically to the rats. After 35 days, the total body bone mineral density (BMD) was assessed in all of the rats. All sections were processed for immunohistochemistry and hematoxylin-eosin staining (H.E.). Results: BMD was lower in the ovariectomized group (OVX, 0.163g/cm2), the group that received a moderate dose of PSP on OVX animals (OVX+MP, 0.163g/cm2) and the group that received a low dose of PSP on OVX animals (OVX+LP, 0.162g/cm2) than in the sham-operated group (SHAM, 0.180g/cm2), the OVX+E2 group (OVX+E2, 0.176g/cm2) and the group that received a high dose of PSP on OVX animals (OVX+HP, 0.174g/cm2) (P <0.05). Clear arrangements of bone trabeculae were observed in the OVX+E2 and OVX+HP. The expression of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in the OVX, OVX+MP and OVX+LP was down regulated compared to the SHAM, OVX+E2 and OVX+HP (P <0.05). The rats in the OVX+E2 and OVX+HP had lower levels of bone Gla protein (BGP), bone alkaline phosphatase (BALP), tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) and tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α) expression than the rats in the OVX, OVX+MP and OVX+LP (P <0.05). Conclusion: This experiment demonstrates that the administration of PSP to ovariectomized rats reverses bone loss and prevents osteoporosis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Phlomis umbrosa Turcz has been used as the traditional medicine for thousands of years in China. In this paper, the acetic acid-induced writhing test, the hot plate test, the carrageenan-induced paw edema test, the xylene-induced ear swelling test, and the acetic acid-induced Evans blue leakage and leukocyte infiltration test were used to investigate the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of the aqueous extract of this plant (25, 50 and 100mg/kg i.p.). Good dose-dependent effects were obtained in most of these tests, except in the hot plate test and the acetic acid-induced Evans blue leakage test. TLC and HPLC analyses showed iridoid glucosides were the main compositions of this extract. These findings suggested that the aqueous extract of P. umbrosa has significant antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Whether rehabilitation outcome can be maintained after discharged from GDH has not been thoroughly investigated. This study was conducted to examine the rehabilitation outcome and its predictors 6 months after discharged from GDH. We studied 418 patients attended a GDH in Hong Kong. All of them had post-6-month assessment. Cognitive status was assessed with Cantonese version of mini-mental state examination (C-MMSE). Functional independence measure (FIM) upon GDH admission (FIM-adm), discharge (FIM-dis) and 6 months after discharge (FIM-p6m) were measured. FIM gain was FIM-dis−FIM-adm while FIM efficiency was FIM gain divided by number of GDH visits. Of the study pool, 164 (39.2%) showed a drop of FIM-p6m. There was a significant drop of FIM-p6m as compared with FIM-dis (p <0.001). However, the FIM-p6m remained significantly higher than FIM-adm (p <0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that FIM-dis was a negative predictor (p <0.001) while Parkinsonism was a positive predictor for drop of FIM-p6m (p =0.008). A proportion of functional gain can still be maintained 6 months after discharged from GDH. More studies are needed to look for strategies in maintaining functional gain in GDH discharged patients, especially those with Parkinsonism. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Aim of the study: To compare the anxiolytic activities and flavonoid compositions of the two populations of the species Passiflora edulis, Passiflora edulis ‘edulis’ with purple fruit and Passiflora edulis ‘flavicarpa’ with yellow fruit. Materials and methods: Four samples for each population of Passiflora edulis were collected from different districts of China. Swiss albino mice were used as experimental animals in elevated plus-maze (EPM) test to assay the anxiolytic effects of ethanol extracts of the samples. The conventional parameters and ethological items of the behavior of the mice were recorded and analyzed. Flavonoid compositions of the samples were analyzed by RP-HPLC monitored with diode array detection and the chromatograms were compared. Results: The ethanol extracts of the samples of Passiflora edulis ‘flavicarpa’ displayed anxiolytic activity at 400mg/kg, while those of Passiflora edulis ‘edulis’ exhibited sedative effect at 400mg/kg. The chromatograms of the samples belonging to similar population of Passiflora edulis were identical, but those belonging to different population were distinct from each other. The series of peaks between 16 and 24min in the chromatograms of Passiflora edulis ‘flavicarpa’ did not appear in those of Passiflora edulis ‘edulis’, either did the peaks between 54 and 90min in chromatograms of Passiflora edulis ‘edulis’ not appear in those of Passiflora edulis ‘flavicarpa’. The six major flavonoid compounds isolated from the leaves of Passiflora edulis ‘flavicarpa’, lucenin-2, vicenin-2, isoorientin, isovitexin, luteolin-6-C-chinovoside, and luteolin-6-C-fucoside, had not been detected in Passiflora edulis ‘edulis’. Conclusions: Passiflora edulis ‘flavicarpa’ is extremely different from Passiflora edulis ‘edulis’ and they should be distinguished when pharmacological studies are performed on them. The aerial part of Passiflora edulis ‘flavicarpa’ is possible to be utilized as the resource of Passionflower Extract. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

To investigate the effect of Acorus gramineus (AG), a supposed ‘delivering servant’ according to traditional Chinese medicine principles governing multi-herb formula preparation and formulation, on facilitating the uptake of ginsenosides Rg1, Re and Rb1 to the brain after oral administration of Kai-Xin-San (KXS) preparations. Materials and methods: Ginseng extracts or KXS with or without AG were administered to rats for pharmacokinetic study and mice for behaviour tests at a dose of 3g ginseng per kg. The concentrations of ginsenosides in plasma and brain were determined by an LC–MS/MS method, whilst the effects of preparations on spatial learning were evaluated using the Morris water maze test. Results: KXS in the presence of AG tended to significantly reverse the learning impairment induced by scopolamine. The presence of AG in the KXS formula led to increases in the initial absorption rate and extent of Rg1 and Re in terms of Cmax1 and AUC0–3h compared to KXS without AG. Although KXS were found to increase the bioavailabilities and brain concentrations of ginsenosides relative to ginseng extract, the brain-to-plasma AUC0–12h ratios appeared not to be affected. Conclusions: The results suggested that the presence of AG in the KXS formula promoted the initial absorption of ginsenosides Rg1 and Re in the gastrointestinal tract, but unlikely affected the brain-to-plasma AUC ratios. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]