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Osteoporosis is characterized by low bone mass, bone microarchitecture disruption, and collagen loss, leading to increased fracture risk. In the current study, collagen peptides were extracted from milkfish scales (MS) to develop potential therapeutic candidates for osteoporosis. MS was used to synthesize a crude extract of fish scales (FS), collagen liquid (COL), and hydroxyapatite powder (HA). COL samples were further categorized according to the peptide size of total COL (0.1 mg/mL), COL < 1 kDa (0.1 mg/mL), COL: 1–10 kDa (0.1 mg/mL), and COL > 10 kDa (0.1 mg/mL) to determine it. Semi‐quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (sqRT‐PCR) and immunofluorescence labeling were used to assess the expression levels of specific mRNA and proteins in vitro. For in vivo studies, mice ovariectomy (OVX)‐induced postmenopausal osteoporosis were developed, while the sham surgery (Sham) group was treated as a control. Collagen peptides (CP) from MS inhibited osteoclast differentiation in RAW264.7 cells following an insult with nuclear factor kappa‐B ligand (RANKL). CP also enhanced osteoblast proliferation in MG‐63 cells, possibly through downregulating NFATc1 and TRAP mRNA expression and upregulating ALP and OPG mRNA levels. Furthermore, COL1 kDa also inhibited bone density loss in osteoporotic mice. Taken together, CP may reduce RANKL‐induced osteoclast activity while promoting osteoblast synthesis, and therefore may act as a potential therapeutic agent for the prevention and control of osteoporosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Xiao-Yao-San (XYS) is a Chinese medicinal formula for treating anxiety and depression. This study aims to evaluate the use of a room-temperature super-extraction system (RTSES) to extract the major active components of XYS and enhance their psycho-pharmacological effects. Methods The neuroprotective roles of XYS/RTSES against reserpine-derived neurotoxicity were evaluated using a glial cell injury system (in vitro) and a depression-like C57BL/6 J mouse model (in vivo). The anxiolytic-behavioural effects were measured by the elevated plus-maze (EPM) test and the antidepressant effects were evaluated by the forced swimming test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST). Glucose tolerance and insulin resistance were assayed by ELISA. The expression of 5-HT1A receptors in the prefrontal cortex was examined by western blotting. Results XYS/RTSES (300 μg/mL) diminished reserpine-induced glial cell death more effectively than either XYS (300 μg/mL) or fluoxetine (30 μM) at 24 h (P = 0.0481 and P = 0.054, respectively). Oral administration of XYS/RTSES (500 mg/kg/day) for 4 consecutive weeks significantly elevated the ratios of entries (open arms/closed arms; P = 0.0177) and shuttle activity (P = 0.00149) on the EPM test, and reduced the immobility time by 90% on the TST (P = 0.00000538) and FST (P = 0.0000053839). XYS/RTSES also improved the regulation of blood glucose (P = 0.0305) and increased the insulin sensitivity (P = 0.0093). The Western blot results indicated that the activation of cerebral 5-HT1A receptors may be involved in the mechanisms of XYS/RTSES actions. Conclusion The RTSES could provide a novel method for extracting effective anxiolytic- and antidepressant-like substances. XYS/RTSES improved the regulation of blood glucose and increased the insulin sensitivity in reserpine-induced anxiety and depression. Neuroprotection of glial cells and activation of cerebral 5-HT1A receptors were also involved.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is currently ranked among leading causes of death worldwide in which type 2 DM is reaching an epidemic proportion. Hypoglycemic medications for type 2 DM have either proven inadequate or posed adverse effects; therefore, the Chinese herbal products are under investigation as an alternative treatment. In this study, a novel combination of fruiting body and mycelia powder of herbal Cordyceps militaris number 1 (CmNo1) was administered to evaluate their potential hypoglycemic effects in high-fat diet- (HFD-) induced type 2 DM in C57BL/6J mice. Body weight, fasting blood glucose (FBG), oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), and blood biochemistry indexes were measured. Results indicated that CmNo1 lowered the blood glucose level by increasing insulin sensitivity, while no change in body weight was observed. Increased protein expression of IRS-1, pIRS-1, AKT, pAKT, and GLUT-4 in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue was found indicating restoration of insulin signaling. Additionally, PPAR-γ expression in adipose tissue restored the triglyceride and cholesterol levels. Finally, our results suggest that CmNo1 possesses strong hypoglycemic, anticholesterolemic, and antihypertriglyceridemic actions and is more economical alternate for DM treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new cucurbitane-type triterpenes, 25-methoxycucurbita-5,23( E)-diene-3β,19-diol ( 1) and 7β-ethoxy-3β-hydroxy-25-methoxycucurbita-5,23( E)-dien-19-al ( 2), together with three known cucurbitane-type triterpenes, 3β,7β,25-trihydroxycucurbita-5,23( E)-dien-19-al ( 3), (23 E)-3β-hydroxy-7β,25-dimethoxycucurbita-5,23-dien-19-al ( 4), and 3β-hydroxy-25-methoxycucurbita-6,23( E)-dien-19,5β-olide ( 5), were isolated from the fruit pulp of Momordica charantia. The structures of two new compounds were elucidated on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR, MS, IR, optical rotation. Among these isolates, compounds 1, 2, and 5 showed slight cytotoxic activity against the SK-Hep 1 cell line with IC50 values of 33.1, 24.3, and 38.7 μM, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gold particles have been used in complementary medicine for decades, and many beneficial effects have been reported. Our present study sought to evaluate the therapeutic effects of nanogold in carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-injured liver of rats. Male SD rats were subjected to liver injury induction by CCl₄, then the rats were fed with zero to high dose (0, 1, 5 or 10 ppm) of nanogold water every day for 4 weeks. Biochemical analyses on liver functions were then performed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of nanogold. Our results revealed that gold nanoparticles lowered serum aspartate aminotransaminase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase and exerted serum total protein-recovering effects, which might be partially associated with the elevation of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 level. In addition, serum triglyceride level fell after continuous ingestion of nanogold. Finally, the experimental animals recovered body weight after 4 weeks of nanogold ingestion. This is the first report indicating inflammation alleviating effects of nanogold on hepatic injury.

Diabetes mellitus is the most common chronic disease in the world, and a wide range of drugs, including Chinese herbs, have been evaluated for the treatment of associated metabolic disorders. This study investigated the potential hypoglycemic and renoprotective effects of an extract from the solid-state fermented mycelium of Cordyceps sinensis (CS). We employed the KK/HIJ diabetic mouse model, in which the mice were provided with a high-fat diet for 8 weeks to induce hyperglycemia, followed by the administration of CS or rosiglitazone for 4 consecutive weeks. Several parameters were evaluated, including changes in body weight, plasma lipid profiles, oral glucose tolerance tests, insulin tolerance tests, and plasma insulin concentrations. Our results show that the CS extract significantly elevated HDL/LDL ratios at 4 weeks and decreased body weight gain at 8 weeks. Interestingly, CS treatment did not lead to obvious improvements in hyperglycemia or resistance to insulin, while in vitro MTT assays indicated that CS protects pancreatic beta cells against the toxic effects of STZ. CS also enhanced renal NKA activity and reduced the accumulation of mesangial matrix and collagen deposition. In conclusion, CS extract can potentially preserve β-cell function and offer renoprotection, which may afford a promising therapy for DM.

It has been reported that medicinal mushrooms might induce different types of immune responses. Anthodia camphorata (A. camphorata) has attracted much attention for its therapeutic effects in treating hepatoma. We tested this anti-tumor effects using immunomodulation of macrophages and extracts of A. camphorata. We evaluated the anti-proliferation effects of various extracts of A. camphorata from fruiting bodies (AC-FB), mycelium of solid-state cultures (AC-SS), liquid-state cultures (AC-LS) and polyaccharide extracts from liquid-state cultures (AC-PS), and extracts of A. camphorata stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage cell-conditioned mediums (MC-CMs). We measured cell proliferation and, did migration assays by cell cycle analysis and by observing apoptosis-related proteins (AKT, PARP-1, and NF-κB) and the mRNA expression of cytokines (TNF-α and IL-1β) of macrophages in human hepatoma cell lines. Our results revealed that two of the extracts (AC-FB and AC-SS) had better anti-proliferation effects, implying an immunomodulatory role the macrophages might play. This outcome is consistent with findings that AC-FB and AC-SS increase mRNA expression of TNF-α and the corresponding expression of apoptosis-related proteins on activation of MC-CMs, while A. camphorata polysaccharides induce macrophage-derived anti-tumor activities in human hepatoma cells via IL-1β and Akt activation. These results indicate that anti-tumor effects exerted by modulation of macrophage activation of A. camphorate may be influenced by the other constituents which (contained little or no polysaccharide) of A. camphorata.