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Ostericum citriodorum is a plant with a native range in China used in herbal medicine for treating angina pectoris. In this study, we investigated the vasodilatory effects of isodillapiolglycol (IDG), which is one of the main ingredients isolated from O. citriodorum ethyl acetate extract, in Sprague–Dawley rat aortic rings, and measured intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]in) using a molecular fluo-3/AM probe. The results show that IDG dose-dependently relaxed endothelium-intact or -denuded aortic rings pre-contracted with noradrenaline (NE) or potassium chloride (KCl), and inhibited CaCl2-induced contraction in high K+ depolarized aortic rings. Tetraethyl ammonium chloride (a Ca2+-activated K+ channel blocker) or verapamil (an L-type Ca2+ channel blocker) significantly reduced the relaxation of IDG in aortic rings pre-contracted with NE. In vascular smooth muscle cells, IDG inhibited the increase in [Ca2+]in stimulated by KCl in Krebs solution; likewise, IDG also attenuated the increase in [Ca2+]in induced by NE or subsequent supplementation of CaCl2. These findings demonstrate that IDG relaxes aortic rings in an endothelium-independent manner by reducing [Ca2+]in, likely through inhibition of the receptor-gated Ca2+ channel and the voltage-dependent Ca2+ channel, and through opening of the Ca2+-activated K+ channel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Crescentic glomerulonephritis (CrGN) represents a severe form of glomerular injury that results in high rates of renal failure. This study aimed to investigate the influence of potential clinical and pathological factors on renal outcomes of CrGN; and the relationship between 3-month and 5-year follow-up as well., Methods: The cohort enrolled patients diagnosed of biopsy proven CrGN with acute kidney injury(AKI) from January 1, 2010, to January 1, 2018 in Shanghai Changzheng Hospital and followed up for 5 years., Results: A total of 56 patients were included, among whom 11 patients (19.6%) had type I, 12 (21.4%) had type II, and 33 (58.9%) had type III CrGN. Patients with type II CrGN tended to have a lower crescent score, less renal tubular damage, and lower serum creatinine than the other two types. Three-month cumulative renal survival rates of types I, II, and III CrGN were 45.5%, 66.7%, and 48.5%, respectively. Five-year cumulative renal survival rates of types I, II, and III CrGN were 27.2%, 83.3%, and 36.4%, respectively. The Kappa Consistency Test between 3-month and 5-year outcomes was 0.573(P < 0.001). Cox regression model showed that in-hospital dialysis was an indicative renal survival factor in 3 months (HR 15.670, 95% CI 2.987-82.210, P = 0.001). It also showed that the crescent score had an unfavorable effect for renal survival in 5 years (HR 1.750 95% CI 1.018-3.009, P = 0.043)., Conclusions: Clinical manifestations and outcomes varied by different CrGN types. Three-month outcomes could partially reflect the 5-year outcomes. Severity of crescents was an independent risk factor for renal survival in CrGN., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)