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Oxidative stress and oxidative stress mediated β-cell injury are the initial factors of diabetes pathogenesis. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that JiuHuangLian (JHL, Rhizoma Coptidis steamed with rice wine) is an effective agent on diabetes treatment. In present study, we evaluated the antioxidant and lightening β-cell injury of JHL in streptozotocin and a high-glucose/high-fat diet-induced diabetic rats. After 30 days treatment with JHL, glucose tolerance and insulin tolerance of diabetic rats were improved significantly. JHL also could decrease fasting blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin levels, increase insulin level and insulin sensitivity index. Moreover, lipid metabolism disorder also adjusted, which manifested as decreased total cholesterol, total glyceride and free fatty acid levels. Meanwhile, a significant increase in superoxide dismutase activity and glutathione content were observed in JHL treated rats, oxidative stress markers such as reactive oxygen species, malondialdehyde and nitric oxide also were decreased by JHL treatment. Furthermore, low expression of caspase-3 were shown in pancreatic immunohistochemistry of JHL treated rats, which exhibited anti-apoptosis effect of β-cell. The histological evidence suggests that JHL effectively rescues the islet atrophied from oxidative stress-mediated β-cell damage. These findings demonstrate the β-cell functional protective nature of JHL by attenuating oxidative stress and inhibiting β-cell damage., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Context:Pterocephalus hookeri(C. B. Clarke) Hock., a traditional Tibetan herbal medicine rich in glycosides, has been used to treat several diseases including rheumatoid arthritis. Objective:To evaluate the anti-arthritic activity of total glycosides fromP. hookeri, and its possible mechanisms of action. Materials and methods:Anti-arthritic activity of total glycosides fromP. hookeri(oral administration for 30 days at 14–56 mg/kg) was evaluated using paw swelling, arthritis scores and histopathological measurement in adjuvant-induced arthritis (AA) Sprague-Dawley rats. The NF-κB p65 expression in synovial tissues, and serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) levels was measured in AA rats, respectively. Further assessment of anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of these glycosides were carried out using inflammation and hyperalgesia models induced by xylene, carrageenan, agar and acetic acid, respectively. Results:Total glycosides (56 mg/kg) decreased the paw swelling (38.0%,p < 0.01), arthritis scores (25.3%,p < 0.01) and synovial inflammation in AA rats. The glycosides significantly (p < 0.05–0.01) attenuated the inflammation induced by xylene, carrageenan, acetic acid and agar, increased the pain threshold in acetic acid-induced writhing in mice and mechanical stimuli-induced hyperalgia in AA rats. The glycosides (14, 28, 56 mg/kg) also suppressed the NF-κB p65 expression (33.1–78.2%,p < 0.05–0.01), reduced MDA (21.3–35.9%,p < 0.01) and NO (20.3–32.4%,p < 0.05–0.01) levels, respectively, enhanced the SOD activity (7.8%,p < 0.05) at 56 mg/kg in AA rats. Discussion and conclusion:Our findings confirmed the anti-arthritic property of the total glycosides fromP. hookeri, which may be attributed to its inhibition on NF-κB signalling and oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]