Serum Levels Of Inflammatory Factors Research Articles

The mechanism of oxymatrine on atopic dermatitis in mice based on SOCS1/JAK-STAT3 pathway.

Based on the suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1)/Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) pathway, the mechanism of oxymatrine in the treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD) was preliminarily explored in this study. C57BL/6 mice were induced to establish AD model by smearing carbotriol (MC903) on their back. The AD mice were randomly divided into model group, oxymatrine groups with three dosages (25, 50 and 100mg/kg), (n = 10). Oxymatrine groups were intragastric administered once daily for 14days. The same volume of saline was given in the normal control group and model group once daily for 14days. Subsequently, HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of skin tissue, ELISA was used to detect the levels of serum inflammatory factors including interleukin-4, 6 and 17 (IL-4, IL-6, and IL-17), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and immunoglobulin E (IgE). Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 and CD3 in skin tissue, and Western blotting was used to detect the proteins in suppressor of cytokine signaling 1/JAK-STAT3 pathway. Compared with the normal control group, the pathological damage of mice in the model group, such as skin hyperplasia, edema, congestion and inflammatory infiltration, aggravated increased significantly. And the expression of serum inflammatory factors, CD3 positive expression and JAK-STAT3 pathway protein in the model group were increased (p < .05), and the expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 protein (p < .05) was decreased. Compared with the model group, the above pathological damage of the mice was reduced, and the serum inflammatory factors, JAK-STAT3 pathway protein, and CD3 positive expression were decreased as a dose-dependant manner (p < .05), and the expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 protein was increased as a dose-dependent manner (p < .05). Oxymatrine can improve the skin inflammation symptoms of AD mice by up regulating the expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling 1, inhibiting the activation of JAK-STAT3 pathway and blocking the activation of T lymphocytes.

Polysaccharide from Flammulina velutipes residues protects mice from Pb poisoning by activating Akt/GSK3β/Nrf-2/HO-1 signaling pathway and modulating gut microbiota

Lead (Pb) can cause damages to the brain, liver, kidney, endocrine and other systems. Flammulina velutipes residues polysaccharide (FVRP) has been reported to exhibit anti-heavy metal toxicity on yeast, but its regulating mechanism is unclear. Therefore, the protective effect and the underlying mechanism of FVRP on Pb-intoxicated mice were investigated. The results showed that FVRP could reduce liver and kidney function indexes, serum inflammatory factor levels, and increase antioxidant enzyme activity of Pb-poisoned mice. FVRP also exhibited a protective effect on histopathological damages in organs of Pb-intoxicated mice. Furthermore, FVRP attenuated Pb-induced kidney injury by inhibiting apoptosis via activating the Akt/GSK3β/Nrf-2/HO-1 signaling pathway. In addition, based on 16 s rRNA and ITS-2 sequencing data, FVRP regulated the imbalance of gut microbiota to alleviate the damage of Pb-poisoned mice by increasing the abundance of beneficial microbiota (Lachnospiraceae, Lactobacillaceae, Saccharomyces and Mycosphaerella) and decreasing the abundance of harmful microbiota (Muribaculaceae and Pleosporaceae). In conclusion, FVRP inhibited kidney injury in Pb-poisoned mice by inhibiting apoptosis via activating Akt/GSK3β/Nrf-2/HO-1 signaling pathway, and regulating gut fungi and gut bacteria. This study not only revealed the role of gut fungi in Pb-toxicity, but also laid a theoretical foundation for FVRP as a natural drug against Pb-toxicity.

The Therapeutic Efficacy of Lianhua Qingwen Granule Combined with Peramivir Sodium Chloride Injection in Treating Influenza and Serum Inflammatory Factors

To examine the therapeutic efficacy of Lianhua Qingwen granule combined with peramivir sodium chloride injection in treating influenza and level changes of serum inflammatory factors. The clinical data of 100 influenza sufferers enrolled in our infirmary from January 2018 to January 2020 retrospectively analyzed and they were randomized in the contrast group (n=50) and the experience group (n=50). The former was provided with peramivir sodium chloride injection, while the latter was medicated with Lianhua Qingwen granule after peramivir sodium chloride injection. The clinical efficacy, serum inflammatory factor, C-reactive protein, interleukin-6 level and procalcitonin level of both groups of sufferers were compared. The overall response rate of the injected group was 80 %, lower compared with 96 % of the injected and medicated group (p<0.05). The antipyretic time and sore throat disappearance time, cough disappearance time and general ache disappearance duration in the medicated group were remarkably shorter than those without Lianhua Qingwen powder (p<0.05). The differences in interleukin-6, C-reactive protein and procalcitonin levels before treatment between both groups were not statistically remarkable (p>0.05) and the levels of interleukin-6, C-reactive protein and procalcitonin of both groups of sufferers decreased after treatment. The levels of interleukin-6, C-reactive protein and procalcitonin of patients got injection and took medicine were remarkably lower than those who had no granule (p<0.05). Lianhua Qingwen granule combined with peramivir sodium chloride injection shows a remarkable potency in the treatment of influenza. It can shorten the treatment time and reduce the level of serum inflammatory factors. It is worthy of clinical promotion and application.

Intravitreal Injection of Conbercept Combined with Minimally Invasive Photocoagulation and Phacoemulsification Intraocular Lens Implantation in the Treatment of Neovascular Glaucoma Complicated with Cataract.

Neovascular glaucoma (NVG) is a complex refractory glaucoma with a high rate of blindness. Compaq is an anti-VEGF agent that has been used in clinical NVG therapy. This study aims to investigate the effect of intravitreal injection of conbercept combined with minimally invasive photocoagulation and phacoemulsification intraocular lens implantation in the treatment of NVG complicated with cataracts. A total of 84 patients with NVG complicated with cataracts who were admitted to our hospital from September 2019 to September 2021 were selected. According to the random number table method, they were divided into the study group and the control group, with 42 cases in each. The control group underwent minimally invasive photocoagulation combined with phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation. The study group was given an intravitreal injection of conbercept first, followed by minimally invasive photocoagulation combined with phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation 3 to 7 days after the injection. The intraocular pressure and visual acuity of the two groups before surgery, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after the operation were compared. The levels of serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were compared between the two groups before the operation and 1 week after the operation. The incidence of postoperative complications in the two groups was statistically compared. At 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after the operation, the intraocular pressure of the study group was lower than that of the control group, and the visual acuity was better than that of the control group (P < 0.05); one week after the operation, the serum levels of VEGF and IL-6 in the study group were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05); there was no significant difference in the incidence of complications between the two groups (P > 0.05). Intravitreal injection of conbercept combined with minimally invasive photocoagulation and phacoemulsification intraocular lens implantation in the treatment of NVG complicated with cataract can improve the levels of serum inflammatory factors and vasoactive substances, effectively reduce intraocular pressure, and improve visual acuity.

Effects of three types of fresh Rehmannia glutinosa improve lipopolysaccharide-induced acute kidney injury in sepsis through the estrogen receptor pathway.

To explore the effects and mechanism of three types of fresh Rehmannia glutinosa, namely Beijing No. 3 (BJ3H), Huaizhong No. 1 (HZ1H), and Taisheng (TS) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute kidney injury in the sepsis (S-AKI) mice model through the estrogen receptor pathway. BALB/c mice were randomly divided into control (CON), model (LPS), astragalus injection (ASI), BJ3H, HZ1H, TS water extract groups, the estrogen receptor antagonist ICI182,780 groups were added to each group. The antagonist groups received an intraperitoneal injection of ICI 0.5 hr before administration and an intraperitoneal injection of LPS 3 days after administration. The kidney pathology, function, inflammatory factors, immune cells, levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), apoptosis, and the protein expression levels of TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway in the mice kidneys were detected. ASI, BJ3H, HZ1H, and TS improved LPS-induced renal pathology in S-AKI mice, reduced the kidney and serum levels of inflammatory factors, positive rates of macrophages and neutrophils, levels of ROS and apoptosis, and the relative expression levels of TLR4, MyD88, NF-κB p-p65/NF-κB p65, and NLRP3 proteins in the kidney. In addition, they increased the positive rate of dendritic cells (DCs) in the mice kidneys. The overall effect of HZ1H was superior to that of ASI, BJ3H, and TS. However, after adding ICI, the regulatory effects of drugs were inhibited. The three types of fresh R. glutinosa may completely or partially affect the TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway through the estrogen receptor pathway to exert a protective effect on S-AKI.

Investigating the Hypolipidemic Mechanism of Anthocyanins Combined with Allicin in Rats Using Network Pharmacology

Objectives: Using network pharmacology methods, investigate the potential lipid-lowering mechanism of the combination of anthocyanins and allicin in hyperlipidemic rats. Methods: Apply databases such as Pubchem, SwissTargetPrediction, TCMSP, DrugBank and BATMAN-TCM to predict potential targets for anthocyanins and allicin. Additionally, targets connected to hyperlipidemia were found in multiple databases (GeneCards, OMIM, Drugbank, and TTD). Upload the discovered drug-disease intersection targets into the database of STRING in order to construct a common target protein-protein interactions network (PPI). To find important targets, a PPI network analysis was built using Cytoscape 3.9.1. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO) enriched and analyzed these common drug-disease targets. In order to further confirm the key targets of anthocyanins combined with allicin in hyperlipidemia, animal experiments were conducted. Results: There are 63 potential targets for the combined effect of anthocyanins and allicin on hyperlipidemia. The PPI topology analysis results found that TNF, IL-6, AKT1, PTGS2, GSK3B, EGFR, etc. are the main key targets. The main pathways included PI3K-Akt, JAK-STAT, Fluid shear stress and atherosclerosis, HIF-1and MAPK signaling pathway. The animal experiments results revealed that anthocyanins combined with allicin can improve blood lipid levels in hyperlipidemic rats and decrease the serum levels of inflammatory factors. Conclusion: Anthocyanins combined with allicin can intervene in hyperlipidemia through a variety of targets and pathways. This research offers a theoretical reference for the investigation of the pathogenesis of hyperlipidemia and the production of functional foods.

The curative effect of fallopian tube interventional recanalization and ethiodode oil

Objective: To analyze the efficacy of fallopian tube interventional recanalization and ethiodized oil in treating fallopian tube obstruction. Methods: 84 patients were selected from August 2020 to August 2021. Patients were randomly divided into control group and observation group, with 42 patients in each group. The control group was treated by conventional uterine laparoscopic combined surgery, and the observation group adopted the method of tubal interventional recanalization combined with ethiodized oil. To compare the treatment effect of the two groups, the serum inflammatory factor levels before and after the treatment, and the postoperative recovery. Results: In terms of treatment effect, the total response rate was 95.24% higher than 71.43% in the control group, and P &lt;0.05. In terms of serum inflammatory factor levels, there was no significant difference between the two groups before treatment, with P&gt; 0.05; and IL-6 (64.02±12.52)ng/L, TNF-α (21.03±2.20) ng/L, respectively, lower than the control group (72.35±16.39) ng/L, (28.35±2.34)ng/L,P&lt;0.05. In terms of postoperative recovery, the observation group had a postoperative pain score (2.02±0.41) Break up and get out of bed activity time (16.31±2.82) h, length of stay (2.31±0.82) d, lower than the control group (4.56±1.42) component, (24.42±5.47)h, (4.42±0.47) d, P&lt;0.05. Conclusion: In the treatment of fallopian tube obstruction, the treatment method of fallopian tube interventional recanalization combined with ethylene iodized oil can improve the overall treatment efficiency, reduce the inflammation, improve the postoperative recovery, and the curative effect is more ideal.

Clinical Efficacy of Huangkui Capsule Plus Methylprednisolone for Immunoglobulin A Nephropathy and Its Effect on Renal Function and Serum Inflammatory Factors.

To assess the clinical efficacy of Huangkui capsule plus methylprednisolone for immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy and its effect on renal function and serum inflammatory factors. A total of 80 patients with IgA nephropathy admitted to our hospital from April 2019 to December 2021 were recruited and assigned (1 : 1) to receive either conventional drugs + methylprednisolone tablets (observation group) or conventional drugs + methylprednisolone tablets + Huangkui capsules (experimental group), with 40 patients in each group. Outcome measures included clinical efficacy, renal function indices, serum inflammatory factor levels, and adverse events. The experimental group showed a significantly higher clinical efficacy versus the observation group (P < 0.05). Patients in the experimental group had significantly lower serum creatinine, serum urea nitrogen, fibrinogen, and 24 h urine protein levels than those in the observation group after treatment (P < 0.05). After treatment, the experimental group showed lower levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) than the observation group (P < 0.05). The differences in the adverse events between the two groups did not come up to the statistical standard (P > 0.05). Huangkui capsule + methylprednisolone provides a feasible therapeutic option for IgA nephropathy by considerably boosting patients' renal function, successfully lowering the inflammatory response, and producing a good safety profile.

Hcp1-loaded staphylococcal membrane vesicle vaccine protects against acute melioidosis.

Burkholderia pseudomallei is the causal agent of melioidosis, a deadly tropical infectious disease that lacks a vaccine. On the basis of the attenuated Staphylococcus aureus RN4220-Δagr (RN), we engineered the RN4220-Δagr/pdhB-hcp1 strain (RN-Hcp1) to generate B. pseudomallei hemolysin-coregulated protein 1 (Hcp1)-loaded membrane vesicles (hcp1MVs). The immunization of BALB/c mice with hcp1MVs mixed with adjuvant by a three-dose regimen increased the serum specific IgG production. The serum levels of inflammatory factors, including TNF-α and IL-6, in hcp1MV-vaccinated mice were comparable with those in PBS-challenged mice. The partial adjuvant effect of staphylococcal MVs was observed with the elevation of specific antibody titer in hcp1MV-vaccinated mice relative to those that received the recombinant Hcp1 protein (rHcp1) or MVs derived from RN strain (ΔagrMVs). The hcp1MVs/adjuvant vaccine protected 70% of mice from lethal B. pseudomallei challenge. Immunization with hcp1MVs only protected 60% of mice, whereas vaccination with rHcp1 or ΔagrMVs conferred no protection. Moreover, mice that received hcp1MVs/adjuvant and hcp1MVs immunization had low serum TNF-α and IL-6 levels and no inflammatory infiltration in comparison with other groups. In addition, all surviving mice in hcp1MVs/adjuvant and hcp1MVs groups exhibited no culturable bacteria in their lungs, livers, and spleens five days postinfection. Overall, our data highlighted a new strategy for developing B. pseudomallei vaccine and showed that Hcp1-incorporated staphylococcal MV is a promising candidate for the prevention of acute melioidosis.

Sodium formononetin-3'-sulphonate alleviates cerebral ischemia–reperfusion injury in rats via suppressing endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated apoptosis

Sodium formononetin-3'-sulphonate (Sul-F) may alleviate I/R injury in vivo with uncertain mechanism. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-mediated apoptosis participates in the process of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. Our aim is to figure out the effect of Sul-F on cerebral I/R injury and to verify whether it works through suppressing ER stress-mediated apoptosis. The cerebral lesions of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model in SD rats were aggravated after 24h of reperfusion, including impaired neurological function, increased infarct volume, intensified inflammatory response and poor cell morphology. After intervention, the edaravone (EDA, 3mg/kg) group and Sul-F high-dose (Sul-F-H, 80mg/kg) group significantly alleviated I/R injury via decreasing neurological score, infarct volume and the serum levels of inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6), as well as alleviating pathological injury. Furthermore, the ER stress level and apoptosis rate were elevated in the ischemic penumbra of MCAO group, and were significantly blocked by EDA and Sul-F-H. In addition, EDA and Sul-F-H significantly down-regulated the ER stress related PERK/eIF2α/ATF4 and IRE1 signal pathways, which led to reduced cell apoptosis rate compared with the MCAO group. Furthermore, there was no difference between the EDA and Sul-F-H group in terms of therapeutic effect on cerebral I/R injury, indicating a therapeutic potential of Sul-F for ischemic stroke. Sul-F-H can significantly protects against cerebral I/R injury through inhibiting ER stress-mediated apoptosis in the ischemic penumbra, which might be a novel therapeutic target for ischemic stroke.

Oral Administration of Branched-Chain Amino Acids Attenuates Atherosclerosis by Inhibiting the Inflammatory Response and Regulating the Gut Microbiota in ApoE-Deficient Mice

Atherosclerosis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease that serves as a common pathogenic underpinning for various cardiovascular diseases. Although high circulating branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) levels may represent a risk factor for AS, it is unclear whether dietary BCAA supplementation causes elevated levels of circulating BCAAs and hence influences AS, and the related mechanisms are not well understood. Here, ApoE-deficient mice (ApoE-/-) were fed a diet supplemented with or without BCAAs to investigate the effects of BCAAs on AS and determine potential related mechanisms. In this study, compared with the high-fat diet (HFD), high-fat diet supplemented with BCAAs (HFB) reduced the atherosclerotic lesion area and caused a significant decrease in serum cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. BCAA supplementation suppressed the systemic inflammatory response by reducing macrophage infiltration; lowering serum levels of inflammatory factors, including monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6); and suppressing inflammatory related signaling pathways. Furthermore, BCAA supplementation altered the gut bacterial beta diversity and composition, especially reducing harmful bacteria and increasing probiotic bacteria, along with increasing bile acid (BA) excretion. In addition, the levels of total BAs, primary BAs, 12α-hydroxylated bile acids (12α-OH BAs) and non-12α-hydroxylated bile acids (non-12α-OH BAs) in cecal and colonic contents were increased in the HFB group of mice compared with the HFD group. Overall, these data indicate that dietary BCAA supplementation can attenuate atherosclerosis induced by HFD in ApoE-/- mice through improved dyslipidemia and inflammation, mechanisms involving the intestinal microbiota, and promotion of BA excretion.

Modified Cangfu Daotan decoction ameliorates polycystic ovary syndrome with insulin resistance via NF-κB/LCN-2 signaling pathway in inflammatory microenvironment.

This study explored the possible connection between the insulin resistance-targeting protein adipokine lipocalin-2 (LCN-2) and NF-κB signaling pathway in the inflammatory microenvironment in PCOS-IR model rats to determine the pharmacological mechanism of modified Cangfu Daotan decoction (MCDD) intervention for PCOS-IR. We used a high-fat diet (42 days) combined with letrozole (1 mg/kg/day, 42 days) to establish a PCOS-IR rat model. From the third week after modeling, the rats were given continuous administration of MCDD (high dose with 31.68 g/kg, medium dose with 15.84 g/kg, and low dose with 7.92 g/kg) for 28 days. Serum, ovarian tissue, liver, and adipose tissue were collected after the last gavage. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, Masson staining, qRT-PCR, and Western blot experiments were performed to detect various indicators. Our results showed that MCDD could reduce body weight and abdominal fat weight; restore normal estrous cycle and ovarian function; alleviate fatty liver; regulate HOMA-IR and OGTT index; reduce serum inflammatory factor levels, LCN-2 level, and gene expression; and regulate the insulin signal transduction and NF-κB pathways in PCOS-IR rats. Thus, MCDD may play a role in improving ovarian function in PCOS-IR rats by downregulating NF-κB/LCN-2 proteins and upregulating the gene expression of Insr/Irs-1/Glut4 in the insulin signaling pathway in the inflammatory environment.

Anti-rheumatoid arthritis effects of Xanthii Fructus by affecting the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway based on TMT-labeled quantitative proteomics.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by chronic symmetrical multiple arthritis. Current traditional counter-therapies are expensive and have side effects. Xanthii Fructus has effects in expelling wind and cold, draining the nasal orifice, and removing wind and dampness. However, its mechanism of action against rheumatoid arthritis is unknown. In this paper, the mechanism of the anti- rheumatoid arthritis effect of Xanthii Fructus is studied by proteomics. The experimental results show that it could significantly reduce serum inflammatory factor levels, alleviate joint edema, improve vasodilation and congestion, and significantly reduce the number of inflammatory cells. Proteomics results show that the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway is the key pathway for Xanthii Fructus to treat rheumatoid arthritis. In this study, we obtained a new understanding of the mechanism of Xanthii Fructus in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, which provided a theoretical basis for its prevention and treatment and laid the foundation for further research.

Effects of azithromycin on serum inflammatory factors and T lymphocyte subsets in patients with gynecological mycoplasma infection.

To investigate the effect of azithromycin on the levels of serum inflammatory factors and T lymphocyte subsets in patients with gynecological mycoplasma infection. Records of 250 patients with gynecological mycoplasma infection, treated in our hospital from May 2020 to June 2021, were retrospectively divided into two groups based on the received treatment. Patient (n=120) that were treated with levofloxacin tablets comprised the control group, and patients (n=130) treated with levofloxacin tablets (250mg) and azithromycin tablets comprised the observation group. Changes of serum inflammatory factors and T lymphocyte subsets in the two groups after two weeks of treatment with corresponding drugs were analyzed retrospectively. After the treatment, the levels of C-reactive protein(CRP), interleukin-6(IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor α Tumor necrosis factor α TNF- α in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). Levels of CD3+, CD4+ and CD4+/CD8+ in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). The total clinical efficacy in the observation group was 93.08%, significantly higher than 80.00% in the control group, and the total incidence of adverse drug reactions was 6.15%, significantly lower than 14.17% in the control group (P<0.05). Azithromycin used in clinical treatment of patients with gynecological mycoplasma infection can effectively improve anti-inflammatory and immune response, improve the clinical efficacy of the treatment and reduce adverse reactions.

Effect of Fastigial Nucleus Stimulation on Serum Inflammatory Factors in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease

Objective: To observe the effect of Fastigial Nucleus Stimulation (FNS) on serum inflammatory factors in patients with coronary heart disease. Methods: 144 patients with coronary heart disease were randomly divided into the experimental group (n = 72) and the control group (n = 72). The control group received conventional medication for coronary heart disease. The experimental group was given the cerebellar nucleus electrical stimulation on the basis of routine medication. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Tumor Necrosis Factor α (TNF-α), Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) were measured before and after treatment in both groups. Results: There were no significant differences in serum hs-CRP, TNF-α, IL-6 and Lp-PLA2 between the two groups before treatment (p &gt; 0.05). After treatment, serum hs-CRP, TNF-α, IL-6 and Lp-PLA2 were significantly lower in the two groups than before treatment (p &lt; 0.01). The levels of serum hs-CRP, TNF- α , IL-6 and Lp-PLA2 in the experimental group were significantly lower than those in the control group (p &lt; 0.05). Conclusion: FNS can effectively reduce the level of serum inflammatory factors in patients with coronary heart disease. (Clinical Trial Registration: URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT04121715).

Traditional Chinese Medicine Rhodiola Sachalinensis Borissova from Baekdu Mountain (RsBBM) for Rheumatoid Arthritis: Therapeutic Effect and Underlying Molecular Mechanisms.

The lack of effective rheumatoid arthritis (RA) therapies is a persistent challenge worldwide, prompting researchers to urgently evaluate traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) as potential clinical RA treatments. The present investigation was conducted to evaluate the therapeutic effects and potential molecular mechanisms of the active components isolated from TCM Rhodiola sachalinensis Borissova from Baekdu Mountain (RsBBM) using an experimental adjuvant arthritis model induced by injection of rats with Freund’s complete adjuvant. After induction of the adjuvant arthritis rat model, the extract-treated and untreated groups of arthritic rats were evaluated for RsBBM therapeutic effects based on comparisons of ankle circumferences and ELISA-determined blood serum inflammatory factor levels (TNF-α, IL-1β, and PGE2). In addition, the joint health of rats was evaluated via microscopic examination of hematoxylin-eosin-stained synovial tissues. Furthermore, to explore whether NF-κB and RANK/RANKL/OPG signaling pathways participated in observed therapeutic effects from a molecular mechanistic viewpoint, mRNA and protein levels related to the expression of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB), osteoprotegerin (OPG), and receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β ligand (RANKL) were analyzed via quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot analysis, respectively. Treatment of arthritic rats with the extract of RsBBM was shown to reduce ankle swelling, reduce blood serum levels of inflammatory factors, and alleviate arthritis-associated synovial inflammation and joint damage. Moreover, an RsBBM 50% ethanol extract treatment inhibited bone destruction by up-regulating OPG-related mRNA and protein expression and down-regulating RANKL-related mRNA and protein expression, while also reducing inflammation by the down-regulating of the NF-κB pathway activity. The results clearly demonstrated that the extract of RsBBM alleviated adjuvant arthritis-associated joint damage by altering activities of inflammation-associated NF-κB and the RANK/RANKL/OPG signaling pathways. Due to its beneficial effects for alleviating adjuvant arthritis, this RsBBM 50% ethanol extract should be further evaluated as a promising new therapeutic TCM treatment for RA.

Shen-Ling-Bai-Zhu-San Enhances the Antipneumonia Effect of Cefixime in Children by Ameliorating Gut Microflora, Inflammation, and Immune Response.

Objective Shen-Ling-Bai-Zhu-San (SLBZS) is used for treating gastrointestinal disorders. However, the role of SLBZS in treating pneumonia in children is still unclear. Methods In this study, children (≥2 and <9 years) with pneumonia were treated with 0.1 g cefixime (cefixime group) or 0.1 g cefixime + 9 g SLBZS (SLBZS + cefixime). The drugs were administered twice daily for 10 days. The therapeutic effects of the two groups were compared. The white blood cell (WBC), neutrophil, and lymphocyte counts; neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR); serum inflammatory factor levels; and gut microflora were assessed. Results The clinical efficacy of SLBZS + cefixime treatment of pneumonia in children was higher than that of cefixime alone (93.3% vs. 86.7%). Both cefixime and SLBZS + cefixime treatments decreased the area of pulmonary inflammatory lesions, reduced white blood cell and neutrophil counts, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, inflammation, and increased lymphocyte count in children with pneumonia compared with those before treatment. Moreover, SLBZS enhanced the anti-inflammation and immunity-enhancing effects of cefixime in children with pneumonia. SLBZS + cefixime treatment decreased Enterobacter, Enterococcus, Bacteroides, and Fusobacterium counts and increased Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus counts. Compared with the cefixime treatment group, the count of the six bacterial strains in the SLBZS + cefixime treatment group was closer to the normal level. Conclusion SLBZS enhanced the antipneumonia effect of cefixime in children with pneumonia by ameliorating gut microflora, inflammation, and immune response.

Short-term efficacy, safety and survival of laparoscopic radical resection for colorectal cancer patients with bowel obstruction.

To investigate the short-term efficacy of laparoscopic radical resection for colorectal cancer with bowel obstruction and the effects of the surgery on inflammatory factors for improving the clinical treatment of the condition. The data of colorectal cancer patients presenting bowel obstruction (n=167) treated at our hospital from January 2019 to December 2020 were assessed. The patients were divided into a laparoscopic radical resection of colorectal cancer group (LRRCC, n=90) and open surgery group (OP, n=77). Before treatment and on the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 15th day after treatment, their serum levels of pain factors, neuropeptide Y, prostaglandin E2 and nerve growth factor were measured by a serum biochemistry analyzer, their levels of inflammatory factors including C-reactive protein, interleukin 6 (IL-6), IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor-α by ELISA, and their amount of CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subsets were measure by flow cytometry. Anorectal motility was assessed before and 4 and 8 weeks after treatment. Survival rates were assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method. On the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 15th day after treatment, compared with the OP group, the LRRCC group had lower levels of serum pain factors, inflammatory factors and CD8+T lymphocytes, while their numbers of CD3+ and CD4+ T lymphocytes subsets were significantly increased. Further, the LRRCC group had fewer complications and significantly higher survival rates, demonstrating better efficacy than the OP group. Laparoscopic radical resection was effective and achieved superior outcomes than open surgery in treating colorectal cancer patients with bowel obstruction.

Effects of Aerosol Inhalation Combined with Intravenous Drip of Polymyxin B on Bacterial Clearance, Symptoms Improvement, and Serum Infection Indexes in Patients with Pneumonia Induced by Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacteria.

In recent years, the incidence of pneumonia caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria (G−) has increased year by year. Polymyxin B has a good clinical effect in the treatment of MDR, but there is controversy about the administration route of this drug. In this study, we retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 84 cases of MDR Gram-negative bacterial pneumonia, and aimed to explore the effects of aerosol inhalation combined with intravenous polymyxin B infusion on the bacterial clearance, symptom improvement, and serum infection indexes of MDR patients on the patients with Gram-negative (G−) bacterial pneumonia. The results show that aerosol inhalation combined with intravenous drip of polymyxin B can improve bacterial clearance rate, reduce levels of serum inflammatory factors, and improve clinical symptoms in patients with pneumonia induced by MDR G-bacteria.

Clinical Effect of the Guizhi Shaoyao Zhimu Decoction in the Treatment of Hyperuricemia.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a medical system with a distinctive theoretical framework and extensive experience in identification and treatment acquired by the Chinese people in long-term medical practice and life practice. It is a complete, integrated, and complex knowledge system in epistemology. This study is aimed at exploring the clinical effectiveness of TCM called the Guizhi Shaoyao Zhimu Decoction in the treatment of hyperuricemia. A total of 100 patients with hyperuricemia at the Medical College of the Second Clinical College, Shandong, China, from January 2019 to January 2022 are selected as the research subjects and divided into group A and group B according to the random table method, with 50 cases in each group. Group A is treated with oral allopurinol tablets, 100 mg, 2 times a day, and group B is treated with the modified Guizhi Shaoyao Zhimu Decoction based on group A. For observation, serum uric acid (SUA) levels, urinary uric acid (UUA) levels, levels of serum inflammatory response factors (IL-6, CRP, and TNF-α), vascular endothelial function indexes (serum malondialdehyde (MDA) content, nitric oxide (NO) content), an acute attack of gout, and the incidence of adverse reactions are measured. Results show that after 2 w and 4 w of treatment, the levels of blood uric acid in each group gradually decreased compared with those before treatment, and group B is lower than group A (P < 0.05). After treatment, the vascular endothelial function indexes and inflammatory factor levels in each group are significantly improved compared with those before treatment, and the indexes in group B are better than those in group A. There is no significant difference in the incidence of related adverse reactions and acute attack of gout (P > 0.05). This shows that the TCM Guizhi Shaoyao Zhimu Decoction has a significant curative effect in the treatment of patients with hyperuricemia, which is worthy of clinical reference application.