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Urtica L. has been long used for gout in traditional Tibetan medicine and is closely related to the effect of reducing uric acid. This study aimed to investigate the effect of Urtica hyperborea Jacq. ex Wedd. (UW) on lowering uric acid and its mechanism by using HK2 cells and hyperuricemia mouse model. Petroleum ether extract (UWP), ethyl acetate extract (UWE), n-butanol extract (UWB), and alcohol-soluble extract (UWA) from UW were prepared, and HK2 cells were treated with various parts extracts to observe the expression of uric acid transporter at 25, 50, and 100 μg/mL for 24 h. Moreover, hyperuricemia mice were administered orally various parts extracts at 0.78 and 2.34 g/kg (crude drug dose converted by extraction rate) to observe the change of hepatic XOD, serum ADA, renal function, and uric acid transporter. In vitro experiments showed that UWA can remarkably elevate OAT1 expression and decrease URAT1 expression in HK2 cells. In vivo experiments showed that UWP, UWE, UWB, and UWA showed remarkable activity in reducing uric acid, rendering a substantial decline in the SUA level in hyperuricemia mice. Compared with the hyperuricemia and allopurinol groups, UWB and UWA had significant protective effects on renal injury. At the same time, UWA can significantly reduce the activity of XOD and ADA, reduce the expression of URAT1, and increase the expression of OAT1. These results indicated that UWA had an outstanding uric acid lowering effect and did not affect renal function. This may be related to increased uric acid excretion and decreased uric acid production, mediated by renal OAT1, URAT1, liver XOD, and serum ADA. UWA may be a potential drug against hyperuricemia.

Aim To study the chemical constituents of Syringa pinnatifolia Hemsl. and their antibacterial and antifungal activities. Methods The CHCl 3 -soluble fraction was separated by chromatography, and the structures of the new compounds were elucidated by spectral experiments. Antimicrobial activity of the compounds was evaluated against various bacteria and fungi. Results Two new sesquiterpenes, guai-9-en-4β-ol ( 1 ) and 14, 15-dinorguai-1, 11-dien-9, 10-dione ( 2 ) were isolated from the stem of Syringa pinnatifolia Hemsl. var. alashanensis . Compound 1 is more active against Bacillus coagulas , while being less active against Proteus vulgaris . Compound 2 shows good activity against Escherichia coli , and is less active against Staphylococcus aureus . Conclusions Compounds 1 and 2 are new compounds, and when evaluated against various bacteria showed good results.

Two new lignans, syripinnalignans A and B (1 and 2), together with two known lignans, were isolated from the stem of Syringa pinnatifolia Hemsl. Var. alashanensis. The structures of 1 and 2 were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, including extensive 1D and 2D NMR techniques.

The investigation of EtOAc-soluble fraction from the aerial parts of Artemisia frigida has led to the isolation of two new sesquiterpene lactone glycosides, named as artemofriginoside A and artemofriginoside B. Their structures were characterized as 3β-(β-d-glucopyranosyloxy)-8β-(p-hydroxyphenylacetyloxy)-4(15),10(14),11(13)-guaiatrien-1α,5β,6β,7αH-12,6-olide (1) and β-(β-d-glucopyranosyloxy)-8β-(2-hydroxy-3-methylbutanoyloxy)-4(15),10(14),11(13)-guaiatrien-1α,5β,6β,7αH-12,6-olide (2), on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR spectral analysis.

An investigation of the n-BuOH-soluble fraction from the aerial parts of Artemisia frigida has led to the isolation of two new flavonoid glycosides, named friginoside A and friginoside B. Their structures were characterized as 5,7-dihydroxy-3',4',5'-trimethoxy flavone 7-O-β-d-glucuronide (1) and 5,7-dihydroxy-3',4',5'-trimethoxyflavone 7-O-β-d-glucuronyl-(1 → 2)O-β-d-glucuronide (2) on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR spectral analysis.

Two new compounds, namely 5-methyl-4,2′,3′,5′-tetrahydroxy-4′-methoxy-2-aldehyde biphenyl (1) and 1,8-dioxo-1,8-dihydropyrano[3,4-c]pyran-3,6-dicarboxyl acid, diethyl ester (2), were isolated from the 95% ethanol extract of the roots of Paeonia lactiflora Pall. The structures of 1 and 2 were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, including UV, IR, HR-ESI-MS and extensive 1D and 2D NMR techniques.

AIM: There is still no accepted conclusion regarding the clinical features and related risk factors of patients with fatty liver. The large-scale clinical studies have not carried out yet in Guangzhou area. The aim of the present study was to investigate the clinical features and related risk factors of patients with fatty liver in Guangzhou area. METHODS: A total of 413 cases with fatty liver were enrolled in the study from January 1998 to May 2002. Retrospective case-control study was used to evaluate the clinical features and related risk factors of fatty liver with logistic regression. RESULTS: Obesity (OR: 21.204), alcohol abuse (OR: 18.601), type 2 diabetes mellitus (OR: 4.461), serum triglyceride (TG) (OR: 3.916), serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (OR: 1.840) and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (OR: 1.535) were positively correlated to the formation of the fatty liver. The levels of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) increased mildly in the patients with fatty liver and were often less than 2-fold of the normal limit. The higher abnormalities of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels (42.9%) with AST/ALT more than 2(17.9%) were found in patients with alcoholic fatty liver (AFL) than those with nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) (16.9% and 5.0% respectively). The elevation of serum TG, cholesterol (CHOL), LDL-C was more common in patients with NAFL than with AFL. CONCLUSION: Obesity, alcohol abuse, type 2 diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidemia may be independent risk factors of fatty liver. The mildly abnormal hepatic functions can be found in patients with fatty liver. More obvious damages of liver function with AST/ALT usually more than 2 were noted in patients with AFL.