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Correct identification of the substance basis of Pseudostellariae Radix (PR) odor is important not only for the quality control of the products, but also for the safety of the consumers. PR is often described with a special smell, such as strange, moldy or earthy. Electronic nose-based technology coupled with headspace solid phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) was used to investigate the volatile components in PR from 47 germplasms cultivated in traditional fields. A total of 48 common compounds were identified based on HS- SPME-GC-MS technology, and 25 of them with aroma characteristics were found based on Alpha soft 13.4. The 1-Octen-3-ol, geosim, (E)-2-nonenal and 1- methylnaphthalene as contributing marker compounds of the 'specific smell' of PR were identified. The odor recognition mode, with demonstrated excellent accuracy in recognition abilities, enabled the correct identification of commercial samples including complex mixtures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The polysaccharide extract from Isatidis Radix exhibits potent antiinflammatory and antiviral activities, but the mechanism of Isatidis Radix polysaccharide (IRP) remains obscure. Herein, we reported that IRP blocked the activation of nod‐like receptor pyrin domain‐containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, leading to the inhibiting of caspase‐1 cleavage and IL‐1β secretion. Mechanistically, IRP did not inhibit NLRP3 inflammasome through suppressing mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) production. However, IRP can significantly suppress the oligomerization of apoptosis‐associated speck‐like protein (ASC) and subsequently block the formation of inflammasome. Next, we evaluate the role of IRP in monosodium urate (MSU)‐induced gout in vivo which is a NLRP3‐associated disease. We also observed that oral administration of IRP can reduce the increased ankle thickness and the secretion of IL‐1β, IL‐18, IL‐6, TNF‐α and MPO of the mouse ankle joints caused by MSU crystals. Furthermore, flow cytometry analysis highlighted a significant modulation of T helper 17 cells (Th17)/regulatory T cells (Treg) following IRP treatment in MSU induced gout. Overall, our findings suggest that IRP has comprehensive and potent antiinflammatory effects and provide a reasonable therapeutic strategy in preventing inflammasome‐associated diseases, such as inflammatory gouty arthritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: T-2 toxin is regarded as an important etiological factor of Kashin-Beck disease, and supplementation of selenium–salt partly prevents Kashin-Beck disease. The present study investigated the effects of T-2 toxin on the degradation of type II collagen in human chondrocytes in vitro. Human chondrocytes were isolated and cultured on bone matrix gelatin to form an artificial cartilage model in vitro with or without T-2 toxin and selenium. Immunohistochemistry analyses showed that T-2 toxin decreased type II collagen staining and selenium appeared to prevent the decrease in type II collagen induced by T-2 toxin in engineered cartilage. Then, Western blot and RT-PCR analyses showed that an increase in MMP-13 and MMP-1 expressions, and a decrease in the expression of the general endoproteinase inhibitor (α2M) were induced by T-2 toxin. Gelatin reverse zymography showed that TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 levels were decreased in a dose-dependent manner after exposure of T-2 toxin. Selenium had a protective role by increasing the level of type II collagen protein through down-regulation of MMP-13 protein and mRNA expression and up-regulation of TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 expressions. These data suggest T-2 toxin induces cartilage matrix degradation by the up-regulation of MMP-13 and TIMP-1, and down-regulation of TIMP-2 and α2M expressions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: To evaluate the effect of demineralized cancellous bone (DCB) seeded with allogeneic chondrocytes for repairing articular osteochondral defects in rabbits., Methods: Articular chondrocytes were isolated from a 1-month-old male New Zealand rabbit for primary culture. The passage 1 chondrocytes were seeded onto prepared rabbit DCB scaffold to construct tissue-engineered cartilage and cultured in vitro for 2 weeks. Full-thickness articular osteochondral defects (3 mm both in diameter and depth) were created on both sides of the femoral medial condyles in 30 New Zealand white rabbits (age 4- 5 months). In 20 of the rabbits, the defects were filled with the tissue-engineered cartilage on the right side (group A) and with DCB only on the left side (group B); the remaining 10 rabbits did not receive any implantation in the defects to serve as the control (group C). At 1, 3, and 6 months after the implantation, tissue samples were collected from the defects for macroscopic observation and histological examination with Toluidine blue (TB) and collagen type Ⅱ staining. The effect of defect repair using the tissue-engineered cartilage was assessed at 6 months based on the histological scores., Results: The prepared DCB had a spongy 3D structure with open and interconnected micropores of various sizes and showed good plasticity and mechanical strength. DCB began to degrade within 1 month after implantation and was totally absorbed at 3 months. At 6 months after implantation, the defects filled with the chondrocyte-seeded DCB were repaired mainly by hyaline-like cartilage tissues, which were well integrated to the adjacent cartilage without clear boundaries and difficult to recognize. The chondrocytes were located in the lacunate and arranged in vertical columns in the deep repaired tissue, where matrix proteoglycans and collagen type Ⅱ were distributed homogeneously close to the normal cartilage. The subchondral bone plate was reconstructed completely. The defects implanted with DCB only were filled with fibrocartilage tissue, as compared with fibrous tissue in the control defects. The histological scores in group A were significantly superior to those in group B and C ( P < 0.05), but the scores for subchondral bone plate reconstruction were comparable between groups A and B at 6 months., Conclusions: DCB is a good scaffold material for preparing tissue-engineered cartilage, and chondrocyte- seeded DCB can repair articular osteochondral defects by inducing the generation of hayline-like cartilage.

Objective: To study the chemical constituents from Centipeda minima., Method: The compounds were separated and purified by silica gel, reserved phase silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 gel column chromatography. Their structures were identified on the basis physicochemical property and spectral analysis., Result: Four chemical constituents were separated from ethyl acetate extracts and five chemical constituents were separated from n-butanol extracts of C. minima and identified as (2R,3R)-(+)-7,4'-di-O-methyldihydrokaempferol (1), iristectorin A (2), 4',5,8-trihydroxy-7-methoxyisoflavone (3), 3-trimethoxyquercetin (4), 3-O-caffeoyl-alpha-glueopyranose (5), 3-O-caffeoyl-beta-glucopyranose (6), quercetin (7), epipinoresinol (8) and hispidulin (9)., Conclusion: Compounds 1-3, 5-6, 8 and 9 are separated from this genus for the first time.