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Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been considered, for many years, an important source of medicine to treat different diseases. As a type of TCM, Illicium simonsii Maxim (ISM) is used as an anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and anti-virus. Besides, ISM is also used in the treatment of cancer. In order to evaluate the anti-hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) activity, petroleum ether extract was prepared from part of the fruit of ISM. First, the compounds of the petroleum ether fraction of Illicium simonsii Maxim (PEIM) were identified using LC-MS/MS analysis. Next, the cell viability and morphological changes were evaluated by MTT assay and Hoechst staining. In addition, the effect of PEIM on the levels of inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) was determined using the ELISA kit. Furthermore, apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry, and gene expression and the regulation of signaling pathways were investigated, respectively, by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and western blot. Results showed that a total of 64 compounds were identified in the PEIM. Additionally, the PEIM had anti-HCC activity against HepG2 cells, in which the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) was 55.03 μg·mL−1. As well, the PEIM was able to modulate the expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, while we also found that it induced HepG2 cell apoptosis through the activation of P53 mRNA and caspase-3 mRNA. Finally, the PEIM possibly downregulated the expression of TLR4, MyD88, p-NF-κBp65, TNF-α, IL-1β, INOS, IL-6, JAK2, STAT3, CyclinD1, CDK4, MDM2, and Bcl-2, and upregulated the expression of P53, P21, Bax, Cytochrome-C, Caspase-9, and Caspase-3 in HepG2 cells. These findings may confirm that the PEIM has possible anti-HCC effects. However, additional studies are required to fully understand the mechanisms of action of the PEIM and the signaling pathways involved in its effects. Moreover, the anti-HCC activity of the PEIM should be studied in vivo, and signaling pathways involved in its effects should be explored to develop the anti-HCC drug. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate the pollution characteristics of major heavy metals in PM2.5 in urban areas of Haikou City, and to assess their potential health risks to humans. Methods From 2021 to 2022, samples of atmospheric PM2.5 were monthly collected from the typical urban areas of Haikou, and the concentrations of nine heavy metal elements including arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), vanadium (V), and zinc (Zn) were measured using the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The health risk assessment of these heavy metals was conducted using a health risk model. Results The average mass concentration of PM2.5 in Haikou was (20.506±13.054) µg/m³, with a range of 4.000 to 64.000 µg/m³ during the year 2021 and 2022. The PM2.5 concentrations showed significant seasonal variations: highest in winter, followed by autumn and spring, and lowest in summer. The total concentration of the nine heavy metal elements ranged from 0.030 to 138.000 ng/m³, with Zn, Mn, and Pb having the highest concentrations, particularly notable during the autumn and winter seasons. Enrichment factor (EF) analysis indicated moderate enrichment (10-5 to 3.068x10-1), with the HQ values ordered as follows: Mn > Cd > Cr > As > Pb > V > Zn > Cu > Ni. The total non-carcinogenic hazard index (HI) ranged from 0.171 to 0.361. The inhalation incremental lifetime carcinogenic risk values (ILCR) for the four elements Cr, As, Cd, and Ni ranged from 2.911x10-7 to 1.558x10-5, with ILCR decreasing in that order. The total carcinogenic risk index (TR) varied between 1.502x10-5 and 3.169x10-5, with risk intensities for HI and TR in the order: children > adult males > adult females. Conclusions The average PM2.5 concentration in the Haikou urban area is lower than the 24-hour average concentration limit of Grade I (35 µg/m³) in the "Environmental Air Quality Standard" (GB 3095-2012), but still higher than the control standard recommended by the WHO in 2021 (15 µg/m³). The non-carcinogenic health risks of the nine heavy metal elements detected in PM2.5 are not significant, but Cr and As have potential carcinogenic risks, with children being more vulnerable than other populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Shenfu injection (SFI) promotes tissue microcirculation and oxygen metabolism. We aimed to assess its effects on intestinal epithelial damage in septic rats.Methods: Fifty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham operation (Sham), sepsis (cecal ligation and puncture [CLP]), and SFI (low-dose, middle-dose, high-dose) groups (n = 10). For Sham animals, the abdominal cavity was opened and closed. For other groups, severe sepsis was induced by CLP. After surgery, saline (Sham and CLP rats) and SFI (treatment groups) were administered intraperitoneally. Samples were collected 12 hours after injection. Serum tumor necrosis factor α, diamineoxidase, and d-lactate levels and ileal mucosal damage and ultrastructural change, as well as protein and messenger RNA expression of tight junction markers, including Claudin-3 and zonula occludens protein-1 in ileal mucosa's epithelial cells, were assessed. All animal experiments were carried out under aseptic conditions.Results: Compared with Sham animals, serum tumor necrosis factor α, DAO, and d-lactic acid levels in CLP animals were significantly higher; the ileal mucosal damage was more severe; and the expression levels of tight junction markers were significantly decreased. These indexes were significantly improved in SFI groups, in a concentration-dependent manner, compared with CLP rats. Sham animals displayed orderly arranged ileal mucosal villi, continuous tight junctions between epithelial cells, intact organelles, and microvilli. Compared with CLP animals (with obvious damage in these structures), an overt improvement was observed in SFI groups, especially in the high-dose SFI group, with tight junctions clearly visible between epithelial cells.Conclusions: Shenfu injection significantly alleviates intestinal epithelial damage in septic rats, in a dose-dependent manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To remove the toxicity of 10-Pterostilbene methylamine hydrochloride derivatives (PMDS ． HCl) and develop novel anti-inflammatory agents, twenty-five Pterostilbene-urea derivatives (PUDs, Q1-Q25) derived from PMDs were designed, synthesized, characterized by spectroscopic techniques and their anti-inflammatory activity in vitro were evaluated. Results exhibited that compounds (Q1-Q25) were low toxic or non-toxic toward RAW264.7 and L02 cell lines at 20 μM/L. Eight bioactive agents (Q4-Q10, Q20) displayed obvious inhibition ability against LPS-induced NO release, with IC50(NO) values ranged from 9.96 to 33.89 μM/L. Meanwhile, they were potential COX-2 inhibitors with IC50(COX-2) values ranging from 39.42 to 179.84 nM/L. A roughly positive correlation were observed between the inhibitory abilities on LPS-induced NO release and those on COX-2. Q7 , Q10and Q20 manifested stronger COX-2 inhibitory abilities than Celecoxib . The strongest anti-inflammatory agent, Q20 (IC50 (NO) = 9.96 μM/L, IC50(COX-2) = 39.42 nM/L) effectively inhibited the secretion of pro-inflammatory factors such as IL-1β (IC50 = 12.30 μM/L) and TNF-α (IC50 = 9.07 μM/L) in a dose-dependent manner. Western Blot analysis indicated that at low micromolar concentrations, Q20 obviously down-regulated the expression of COX-2, iNOS as well as TLR4 protein, and suppressed the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome and NF-κB signal pathway., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Background: Caulis Spatholobi is one of the necessary Chinese herbal medicines for hematologists in the treatment of malignant tumors, but its potential targets and molecular mechanisms need further exploration., Objective: This study aimed to predict the relevant targets of the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) with Caulis Spatholobi by applying the network pharmacology method, and in vitro cell experiments were conducted to verify the mechanism of Caulis Spatholobi in the treatment of CML., Methods: TCMSP, ETCM, Genecards, and GisGeNET databases were used to obtain relevant targets of Caulis Spatholobi in the treatment of CML. Go and KEGG analyses were performed using the David database. Using Cytoscape 3.7.2, the "active compounds-targets-pathways" network was constructed. Further validation was carried out by pharmacological experiments in vitro. The proliferation and apoptosis of K562 cells were observed by the MTT method and Hoechst 33242 fluorescence staining method. The predicted targets and their related signal pathways were verified by western blotting., Results: In this study, 18 active compounds and 43 potential targets were obtained. The results of the MTT method showed that compared with the normal control group, 62.5-500 μg/mL alcohol extract of Caulis Spatholobi had an obvious inhibitory effect on K562 and the IC 50 value was less than 100 μg/mL. The Hoechst 33242 fluorescence staining method showed that the alcohol extract of Caulis Spatholobi could promote apoptosis. The results of western blotting showed that compared with the normal control group, the expressions of Bax and Caspase-3 proteins in the 62.5 and 125 μg/mL alcohol extract of Caulis Spatholobi groups were significantly up-regulated (p < 0.05). The expression of Bcl-2 in the 125 μg/mL alcohol extract of the Caulis Spatholobi group was significantly down-regulated (p < 0.01), and the expression of Bcl-2 in the 62.5 and 31.25 μg/mL alcohol extract of Caulis Spatholobi groups was also significantly down-regulated (p < 0.05). It showed that the ethanol extract of Caulis Spatholobus could promote apoptosis by up-regulating the expression of Bax and caspase-3 and down-regulating the expression of the Bcl-2 protein., Conclusion: The treatment of Caulis Spatholobi for CML has the characteristics of multi-targets and multi-pathways. The results of in vitro pharmacological experiments demonstrated that its mechanism of action might be based on the expression of key target proteins, such as Caspase-3, Bcl-2, and Bax, thereby inhibiting cell proliferation and promoting cell apoptosis, which provides a scientific basis for the treatment of CML., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

There needs to be more information concerning the effect of different milling methods on the physicochemical properties of whole-grain mung bean flour. Therefore, the physicochemical properties of whole grain mung bean flour were analyzed using universal grinders (UGMB), ball mills (BMMB), and vibration mills (VMMB). The results showed that the particle size of the sample after ultrafine grinding treatment was significantly reduced to 21.34 μm (BMMB) and 26.55 μm (VMMB), and the specific surface area was increased. The particle distribution was uniform to a greater extent, and the color was white after treatment. Moreover, the water holding capacity (WHC), oil holding capacity (OHC), and swelling power (SP) increased, and the bulk density and solubility (S) decreased. The Rapid Viscosity Analyzer (RVA) indicated that the final viscosity of the sample after ultrafine grinding was high. Furthermore, rheological tests demonstrated that the consistency coefficient K, shear resistance, and viscosity were decreased. The results of functional experiments showed that the treated samples (BMMB and VMMB) increased their capacity for cation exchange by 0.59 and 8.28%, respectively, bile acid salt adsorption capacity increased from 25.56 to 27.27 mg/g and 26.38 mg/g, and nitrite adsorption capacity increased from 0.58 to 1.17 mg/g and 1.12 mg/g., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Yu, Wu, Li, Wang, Zhang and Wang.)

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of preoperative visits on patients' psychology, physiology, and behavior during the perioperative period of eye surgery under local anesthesia, with the aim of enhancing patients' cooperation with the surgery and improving their degree of satisfaction., Methods: A total of 240 patients scheduled to undergo eye surgery between August and October 2013 were randomly divided into an observation (n = 120) and a control (n = 120) group. Patients in the observation group attended preoperative visits with nurses and received conventional nursing care. The control group received only conventional nursing., Results: The Zung self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) scores were significantly lower in patients from the observation group than in the control group (P<0.05). Surgeons operating on the observation group were more satisfied with their patients' cooperation with the surgery than were surgeons operating on the controls (P < 0.01). Patients in the observation group had a significantly higher degree of satisfaction in terms of work efficiency in the operating room (P < 0.01)., Conclusion: Preoperative visits by patients scheduled to undergo eye surgery can effectively mitigate preoperative anxiety in those patients, build up a positive attitude toward the upcoming surgery, instruct the patients to coordinate with the surgery, enhance surgical safety, and improve the patients' degree of satisfaction regarding the nursing care in the operating room.