Search

Abstract Background To investigate the feasibility of Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging (DKI) in assessing renal interstitial fibrosis induced by hyperuricemia. Methods A hyperuricemia rat model was established, and the rats were randomly split into the hyperuricemia (HUA), allopurinol (AP), and AP + empagliflozin (AP + EM) groups (n = 19 per group). Also, the normal rats were selected as controls (CON, n = 19). DKI was performed before treatment (baseline) and on days 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 days after treatment. The DKI indicators, including mean kurtosis (MK), fractional anisotropy (FA), and mean diffusivity (MD) of the cortex (CO), outer stripe of the outer medulla (OS), and inner stripe of the outer medulla (IS) were acquired. Additionally, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, Masson trichrome staining, and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) immunostaining were used to reveal renal histopathological changes at baseline, 1, 5, and 9 days after treatment. Results The HUA, AP, and AP + EM group MKOS and MKIS values gradually increased during this study. The HUA group exhibited the highest MK value in outer medulla. Except for the CON group, all the groups showed a decreasing trend in the FA and MD values of outer medulla. The HUA group exhibited the lowest FA and MD values. The MKOS and MKIS values were positively correlated with Masson’s trichrome staining results (r = 0.687, P

Liver injury induced by alcohol is a serious global health problem. Several tea-like plants are widely used as beverages, which are drunk like tea. In this study, the hepatoprotective effects of eight tea-like plant extracts with the intake of 200 mg/kg.bw/day were investigated and compared using a C57BL/6J mouse model of acute alcohol exposure, including sweet tea, vine tea, Rabdosia serra kudo, broadleaf holly leaf, mulberry leaf, bamboo leaf, Camellia nitidissima, and Akebia trifoliata peels. The results showed that the eight tea-like plants had hepatoprotective effects to different degrees against acute alcohol exposure via enhancing the activities of alcoholic metabolism enzymes, ameliorating oxidative stress and inflammation in the liver, as well as regulating gut microbiota. In particular, sweet tea, bamboo leaf, mulberry leaf, and Camellia nitidissima increased the activities of alcohol dehydrogenase or aldehyde dehydrogenase. Among these tea-like plants, sweet tea and Camellia nitidissima had the greatest hepatoprotective effects, and their bioactive compounds were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Chlorogenic acid, rutin, and ellagic acid were identified in sweet tea, and epicatechin, rutin, and ellagic acid were identified in Camellia nitidissima, which could contribute to their hepatoprotective action. These tea-like plants could be drunk or developed into functional food against alcoholic liver injury, especially sweet tea and Camellia nitidissima. In the future, the effects of sweet tea and Camellia nitidissima on chronic alcoholic liver diseases should be further investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To validate the feasibility of intravoxel incoherent motion imaging (IVIM) for monitoring renal injury and uric acid-lowering efficacy in a rat model of hyperuricaemia. Methods A total of 92 rats were analysed and categorized into 4 groups: control (CON), hyperuricaemia (HUA), allopurinol intervention (ALL), and combined intervention (COM). Eight rats were randomly selected from each group and underwent IVIM scanning on days 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9. Quantitative magnetic resonance values (D , D *, and f values) measured from the different renal anatomical regions. Quantitative histopathological analysis was performed to assess renal tubular injury using neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), and renal fibrosis using alpha-smooth-muscle-actin (α-SMA). Pearson's correlation analysis was used to determine the correlation between IVIM-derived parameters and the expression of NGAL and α-SMA. Results The D values of the HUA, ALL, and COM groups generally showed a downward trend over time, and this fluctuation was most significant in the HUA group. The D values showed significant intergroup differences at each point, whereas only a few discrepancies were found in the D * and f values. In addition, the renal D value was negatively correlated with the positive staining rates for NGAL and α-SMA (P  <  .05), except for the lack of correlation between D os and α-SMA (P  >  .05). Conclusion IVIM could be a noninvasive and potential assessment modality for the evaluation of renal injury induced by hyperuricaemia and its prognostic efficacy. Advances in knowledge IVIM could be a surrogate manner in monitoring renal damage induced by hyperuricaemia and its treatment evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer is a severe public health problem. Resveratrol is a famous natural compound that has various bioactivities, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic and antiaging activities. Especially, resveratrol could prevent and treat various cancers, such as oral, thyroid, breast, lung, liver, pancreatic, gastric, colorectal, bladder, prostate and ovarian cancers. The underlying mechanisms have been widely studied, such as inhibiting cell proliferation, suppressing metastasis, inducing apoptosis, stimulating autophagy, modulating immune system, attenuating inflammation, regulating gut microbiota and enhancing effects of other anticancer drugs. In this review, we summarize effects and mechanisms of resveratrol on different cancers. This paper is helpful to develop resveratrol, crude extract containing resveratrol, or foods containing resveratrol into functional food, dietary supplements or auxiliary agents for prevention and management of cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dietary intake of caffeine has significantly increased in recent years, and beneficial and harmful effects of caffeine have been extensively studied. This paper reviews antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of caffeine as well as its protective effects on cardiovascular diseases, obesity, diabetes mellitus, cancers, and neurodegenerative and liver diseases. In addition, we summarize the side effects of long-term or excessive caffeine consumption on sleep, migraine, intraocular pressure, pregnant women, children, and adolescents. The health benefits of caffeine depend on the amount of caffeine intake and the physical condition of consumers. Moderate intake of caffeine helps to prevent and modulate several diseases. However, the long-term or over-consumption of caffeine can lead to addiction, insomnia, migraine, and other side effects. In addition, children, adolescents, pregnant women, and people who are sensitive to caffeine should be recommended to restrict/reduce their intake to avoid potential adverse effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases have attracted global attention with an overwhelming burden on families and society. Tea contains many bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols and theanine, which could contribute to the neuroprotective effects of tea. The possible mechanisms of action include regulating signaling pathways and gut microbiota; inhibiting abnormal protein aggregation; normalizing the hyperactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis; as well as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of tea for Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and depression. In this narrative revie w, the effects of tea on these diseases were summarized, and special attention was paid to the mechanisms of action. Abbreviations: AChE, acetylcholinesterase; ACTH, adrenocorticotropin; AKT, serine-threonine protein kinase; BChE, butyrylcholinesterase; BDNF, brain-derived neurotrophic factor; CI, confidence interval; COX-2, cyclooxygenase-2; CRH, corticotrophin-releasing hormone; CREB, cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element-binding protein; EC, epicatechin; ECG, epicatechin-3-gallate; EGC, epigallocatechin; EGCG, epigallocatechin gallate; ERK, extracellular signal-regulated kinase; GABA, gamma-aminobutyric acid; GSK-3β, glycogen synthase kinase-3β; HPA, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal; HR, hazard ratio; IL, interleukin; MAOB, monoamine oxidase B; MPTP, 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine; NFκB, nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells; Nrf2, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2; NOS, nitric oxide species; OR, odds ratio; PGC-1α; peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1α; PI3K, phosphoinositide 3-kinase; PKC, protein kinase C; ROS, reactive oxygen species; RR, risk ratio; TLR4, Toll-like receptor 4; TNF-α; umor necrosis factor alpha; 6-OHDA, 6-hydroxydopamine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]