Processing Enhances Coix Seed Prolamins Structure and Releases Functional Peptides after Digestion: In Silico and In Vitro Studies.

Dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) is a key target for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. It is possible that peptides that precisely regulate DPP-IV could be released from coix seed prolamins (CSP), but whether this happens has not yet been investigated. We performed the in silico digestion of CSP and predicted the bioactivity, absorption, transport, toxicity, and allergenicity of the resulting peptides.

Structural Elucidation and Immunostimulatory Activities of Quinoa Non-starch Polysaccharide Before and After Deproteinization.

Non-starch polysaccharides derived from natural resources play a significant role in the field of food science and human health due to their extensive distribution in nature and less toxicity. In this order, the immunostimulatory activity of a non-starch polysaccharide (CQNP) from was examined before and after deproteination in murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells.

Zeaxanthin Induces Apoptosis via ROS-Regulated MAPK and AKT Signaling Pathway in Human Gastric Cancer Cells.

Background: Zeaxanthin, a carotenoid commonly found in plants, has a variety of biological functions including anti-cancer activity.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the potential mechanisms of zeaxanthin in human gastric cancer cells.

Methods: CCK-8 assay was used to examine the cytotoxic effect of zeaxanthin on human gastric cancer cells.

Extraction, structural elucidation and immunostimulating properties of water-soluble polysaccharides from wheat bran.

A water-soluble polysaccharide was extracted from wheat bran (WBP) and investigate their structural characteristics and immunostimulatory activities. The chemical composition of WBP and purified fraction (WBP-F) mainly consists of neutral sugars (91.2 ± 1.

Two novel 1,4‑naphthoquinone derivatives induce human gastric cancer cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest by regulating reactive oxygen species‑mediated MAPK/Akt/STAT3 signaling pathways.

1,4‑Naphthoquinone derivatives have superior anticancer effects, but their use has been severely limited in clinical practice due to adverse side effects. To reduce the side effects and extend the anticancer effects of 1,4‑naphthoquinone derivatives, 2‑(butane‑1‑sulfinyl)‑1,4‑naphthoquinone (BQ) and 2‑(octane‑1‑sulfinyl)‑1,4‑naphthoquinone (OQ) were synthesized, and their anticancer activities were investigated. The anti‑proliferation effects, determined by MTT assays, showed that BQ and OQ significantly inhibited the viability of gastric cancer cells and had no significant cytotoxic effect on normal cell lines.

New naphthalene derivatives induce human lung cancer A549 cell apoptosis via ROS-mediated MAPKs, Akt, and STAT3 signaling pathways.

1,4-Naphthoquinone compounds are a class of organic compounds derived from naphthalene. They exert a wide variety of biological effects, but when used as anticancer drugs, have varying levels of side effects. In the present study, in order to reduce toxicity and improve the antitumor activity, we synthesized two novel 1,4-naphthoquinone derivatives, 2-(butane-1-sulfinyl)-1,4-naphthoquinone (BSQ) and 2-(octane-1-sulfinyl)-1,4-naphthoquinone (OSQ).

The design of 1,4-naphthoquinone derivatives and mechanisms underlying apoptosis induction through ROS-dependent MAPK/Akt/STAT3 pathways in human lung cancer cells.

The natural compound 1,4-naphthoquinone has potent anti-tumor activity. However, the clinical application of 1,4-naphthoquinone and its derivatives has been limited by their side effects. In this study, we attempted to reduce the toxicity of 1,4-naphthoquinone by synthesizing two derivatives: 2,3-dihydro-2,3-epoxy-2-propylsulfonyl-5,8-dimethoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (EPDMNQ) and 2,3-dihydro-2,3-epoxy-2-nonylsulfonyl-5,8-dimethoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (ENDMNQ).

Scutellarin ameliorates nonalcoholic fatty liver disease through the PPARγ/PGC-1α-Nrf2 pathway.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterised by excessive accumulation of hepatic lipids and oxidative injury of hepatocytes. Scutellarin is a flavonoid glycoside having antioxidative stress activity. Our current study aims to investigate the molecular mechanism of scutellarin ameliorating NAFLD.

The osteogenesis-promoting effects of alpha-lipoic acid against glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis through the NOX4, NF-kappaB, JNK and PI3K/AKT pathways.

Recently, accumulating evidence has indicated that glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP) is closely related to oxidative stress and apoptosis. Alpha-lipoic acid (LA), a naturally endogenous anti-oxidant, possesses anti-oxidative and anti-apoptosis activities, implicating LA as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of GIOP. In this study, the osteogenesis-promoting effects of LA against GIOP were investigated and the mechanisms were further probed.

Afatinib Decreases P-Glycoprotein Expression to Promote Adriamycin Toxicity of A549T Cells.

We investigated the reversal effect of afatinib (AFT) on activity of adriamycin (ADR) in A549T cells and clarified the related molecular mechanisms. A549T cells overexpressing P-glycoprotein (P-gp) were resistant to anticancer drug ADR. AFT significantly increased the antitumor activity of ADR in A549T cells.

Efficacy of single-stage and two-stage Fowler-Stephens laparoscopic orchidopexy in the treatment of intraabdominal high testis.

Background/objective: To compare the curative effect of single-stage and two-stage Fowler-Stephens (F-S) laparoscopic orchidopexy for intraabdominal high testis and explore the appropriate surgical approach.

Methods: We performed a prospective analysis of the clinical data of 28 patients who underwent F-S laparoscopic orchidopexy for intraabdominal high testis in our department from May 2012 to April 2015, including 15 cases of the single-stage F-S operation and 13 cases of the two-stage F-S operation. By comparing the two groups preoperative and postoperative (6 months) clinical data of testicular position, testicular volume, and sex hormone levels [testosterone (T), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and estradiol (E)], we analyzed the difference in efficacy between the two procedures.

Alisol B 23-acetate protects against non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in mice via farnesoid X receptor activation.

Alisol B 23-acetate (AB23A) is a natural triterpenoid isolated from the traditional Chinese medicine rhizoma alismatis, which exhibits a number of pharmacological activities, including anti-hepatitis virus, anti-cancer and antibacterial effects. In this study we examined whether AB23A protected against non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in mice, and the mechanisms underlying the protective effects. NASH was induced in mice fed a methionine and choline-deficient (MCD) diet for 4 weeks.

Alisol B 23-acetate protects against ANIT-induced hepatotoxity and cholestasis, due to FXR-mediated regulation of transporters and enzymes involved in bile acid homeostasis.

Intrahepatic cholestasis is a clinical syndrome with systemic and intrahepatic accumulation of excessive toxic bile acids that ultimately cause hepatobiliary injury. Appropriate regulation of bile acids in hepatocytes is critically important for protection against liver injury. In the present study, we characterized the protective effect of alisol B 23-acetate (AB23A), a natural triterpenoid, on alpha-naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT)-induced liver injury and intrahepatic cholestasis in mice and further elucidated the mechanisms in vivo and in vitro.

Alpha-Lipoic Acid Promotes Osteoblastic Formation in H2O2 -Treated MC3T3-E1 Cells and Prevents Bone Loss in Ovariectomized Rats.

Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA), a naturally occurring compound and dietary supplement, has been established as a potent antioxidant that is a strong scavenger of free radicals. Recently, accumulating evidences has indicated the relationship between oxidative stress and osteoporosis (OP). Some studies have investigated the possible beneficial effects of ALA on OP both in vivo and in vitro; however, the precise mechanism(s) underlying the bone-protective action of ALA remains unclear.

Bioactive metabolites of Schisanlactone E transformed by Cunninghamella blakesleana AS 3.970.

Schisanlactone E (SE) is a major triterpene obtained from the plants of genus Kadsura. The aim of this research was to investigate the transformed metabolites of SE by fungi and evaluate the bioactivities of these products. After screening 10 strains of filamentous fungi, Cunninghamella blakesleana AS 3.

Pharmacokinetics of phosphocreatine and its active metabolite creatine in the mouse plasma and myocardium.

Background: The pharmacokinetic (PK) studies of phosphocreatine (PCr) and its active metabolite creatine (Cr) are considerably lacking. This study is to comparatively investigate the PK profiles of PCr and Cr in mice plasma and myocardium as well as the ATP level.

Methods: After iv administration of equimolar PCr and preformed Cr to healthy and Pit-induced myocardial ischemic mice, plasma and myocardium samples were analyzed for exogenous PCr, Cr and related ATP concentrations using a specific ion-pair reversed-phase HPLC-UV assay.

[Correlation of hepatitis B virus X antigen expression with liver cell apoptosis].

Objective: To study the roles of hepatitis B virus (HBV) X antigen (HBxAg) in development of HBV-related liver diseases and carcinogenesis.

Methods: Liver tissues were collected from patients with HBV infection (HBV carriers, n = 14; chronic hepatitis B (CHB), n = 24), HBV-related liver cirrhosis (LC, n = 20), or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC, n = 20). Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of HBxAg and the host apoptosis-related genes Fas and Fas ligand (Fas-L).

Two new ent-kaurane diterpenoids from Pteris semipinnata.

In this study, two new compounds and six known compounds were isolated from the aerial parts of Pteris semipinnata. The chemical structures of these two new compounds were elucidated as 6β,11α-dihydroxy-15-oxo-ent-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid (1) and 7α,11α-dihydroxy-15-oxo-ent-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid (2) by the extensive spectral methods including 2D NMR and HR-MS techniques.

Rockall score in predicting outcomes of elderly patients with acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

Aim: To validate the clinical Rockall score in predicting outcomes (rebleeding, surgery and mortality) in elderly patients with acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (AUGIB).

Methods: A retrospective analysis was undertaken in 341 patients admitted to the emergency room and Intensive Care Unit of Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University with non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding. The Rockall scores were calculated, and the association between clinical Rockall scores and patient outcomes (rebleeding, surgery and mortality) was assessed.

Microbial biotransformation of kurarinone by Cunninghamella echinulata AS 3.3400.

In this paper, microbial transformation of kurarinone (1) by Cunninghamella echinulata AS 3.3400 was investigated and four transformed products were isolated and identified as 6″-hydroxykurarinone (2), 4″,5″,8″-trihydroxynorkurarinone (3), norkurarinone (4), and kurarinone-7-O-β-glucoside (5), respectively. Among them, 3 and 5 are new compounds, and the rare glycosylation in microbial transformation was observed.

[Integrated pharmacokinetic study of multiple effective components of tea polyphenols and its correlation with anti-free radical pharmacodynamics in rats].

LC-MS/MS method was used to simultaneously determine anti-oxidative active catechins EGCG, ECG, EGC and EC in plasma of rats treated with tea polyphenols (TP). The integrated plasma concentration (C') of TP was calculated by means of self-defined weighing coefficient based on percent AUC of individual components, thereby assessing integrated pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters of TP via log C'-T curve. The anti-free radical effects of TP were estimated using inhibitory rate of drug-containing serum collected at different times from rats against in vitro lipid peroxidation of mouse liver homogenate.

Microbial transformation of Norkurarinone by Cunninghamella blakesleana AS 3.970.

In this paper, microbial transformation of norkurarinone (1) by Cunninghamella blakesleana AS 3.970 was investigated and seven transformed products were isolated and characterized as kurarinone (2), 4″,5″-dihydroxykurarinone (3), 6″-hydroxyl-2'-methoxyl-norkurarinone 7-O-β-d-glucoside (4), 6″-hydroxyl-norkurarinone 4'-O-β-d-glucoside (5), 4″,5″-dihydroxynorkurarinone (6), 7-methoxyl-norkurarinone (7), and 7-methoxyl-4″,5″-dihydroxynorkurarinone (8), respectively. Among them, 3-5 are new compounds, and the glycosylation reaction in microbial transformation process was reported rarely.