Effectiveness guidance document (EGD) for Chinese medicine trials: a consensus document.

Background: There is a need for more Comparative Effectiveness Research (CER) on Chinese medicine (CM) to inform clinical and policy decision-making. This document aims to provide consensus advice for the design of CER trials on CM for researchers. It broadly aims to ensure more adequate design and optimal use of resources in generating evidence for CM to inform stakeholder decision-making.

Neonatal maternal separation elevates thalamic corticotrophin releasing factor type 1 receptor expression response to colonic distension in rat.

Objectives: Early life psychological stress is an essential factor contributing to the development of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), with corticotrophin releasing factor (CRF) having been implicated in this common gastrointestinal disorder. The aim of our study is to examine the effect of neonatal maternal separation (NMS), an early life stress model, on the brain CRF expression following visceral pain induced by colorectal distension (CRD) stimuli in male rats.

Methods: Male neonatal Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to 3-hr daily maternal separation on postnatal day 2-21, with unseparated normal (N) rats serving as controls.

3,3',4,5,5'-Pentahydroxy-trans-stilbene, a resveratrol derivative, induces apoptosis in colorectal carcinoma cells via oxidative stress.

Resveratrol exhibits anti-tumor properties against different types of cancer. In this study, several polyhydroxylated resveratrol derivatives were prepared with the aim of discovering new leading compounds with clinical potential for human colon cancer chemotherapy. Among these compounds, 3,3',4,5,5'-pentahydroxy-trans-stilbene (PHS) displayed the most potent cytotoxicity and triggered apoptosis in HT-29 cells as evidenced by increased poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage, elevated levels of cytoplasmic nucleosomes and DNA fragmentation.

Macroautophagy and ERK phosphorylation counteract the antiproliferative effect of proteasome inhibitor in gastric cancer cells.

The ubiquitin-proteasome system and macroautophagy are two complementary pathways for protein degradation. Emerging evidence suggests that proteasome inhibition might be a promising approach for the treatment of cancer. In this study, we show that proteasome inhibitor MG-132 suppressed gastric cancer cell proliferation and induced macroautophagy.

2,3',4,4',5'-Pentamethoxy-trans-stilbene, a resveratrol derivative, is a potent inducer of apoptosis in colon cancer cells via targeting microtubules.

Resveratrol, a naturally occurring polyphenolic antioxidant, is a compound holding promise for cancer chemoprevention. Previous studies suggest that 2,3',4,5'-tetramethoxy-trans-stilbene (TMS) and 3,4,4',5,-tetramethoxy-trans-stilbene (MR-4), both of which are derivatives of resveratrol, are potent apoptosis-inducing agents with clinical potential. In this study, we chemically synthesized 2,3',4,4',5'-pentamethoxy-trans-stilbene (PMS), the hybrid molecule of TMS and MR-4, and determined its effects on colon cancer growth.

Desoxyrhaponticin (3,5-dihydroxy-4'-methoxystilbene 3-O-beta-D-glucoside) inhibits glucose uptake in the intestine and kidney: In vitro and in vivo studies.

Rhubarb extracts have been reported to improve oral glucose tolerance in diabetic animals. In the present study we have investigated the antidiabetic actions of desoxyrhaponticin, a major stilbene in rhubarb, as a glucose uptake inhibitor. Desoxyrhaponticin was demonstrated to inhibit glucose uptake in rabbit intestinal membrane vesicles as well as in rat everted gut sleeves, with IC50 values of 148.

Inhibition of intestinal and renal Na+-glucose cotransporter by naringenin.

Reduction in glucose uptake constitutes a possible means of controlling diabetic hyperglycemia. Using purified intestinal brush border membrane vesicles and everted intestinal sleeves, we have demonstrated that naringenin, a flavonoid present in citrus fruits and juices, significantly inhibited glucose uptake in the intestine. In addition, naringenin also elicited inhibitory actions towards glucose uptake in renal brush border membrane vesicles.

Saralasin, a nonspecific angiotensin II receptor antagonist, attenuates oxidative stress and tissue injury in cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis.

Introduction: Free radical-mediated pancreatic injury is believed to play a key role in the pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis. Most of these studies have focused on the effects of antioxidant enzymes and free radical scavengers on improving the pancreatic injury. Recent findings showed that cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis was associated with an upregulation of a local pancreatic renin-angiotensin system in the pancreas.

Differential effects of saralasin and ramiprilat, the inhibitors of renin-angiotensin system, on cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis.

Acute pancreatitis is an inflammatory disease characterized by pancreatic tissue edema, acinar cell necrosis, hemorrhage and inflammation of the damaged gland. It is believed that acinar cell injury is initiated by the activation of digestive zymogens inside the acinar cells, leading finally to the autodigestion of the pancreas. Previous study in our laboratory demonstrated that cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis was associated with an up-regulation of local renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in rat pancreas.

Jolkinolide B induces neuroendocrine differentiation of human prostate LNCaP cancer cell line.

Euphorbia fischeriana is a Chinese herbal medicine which has been reported to possess chemotherapeutic effects, yet the underlying mechanism is unclear. In order to understand its possible anti-tumor property, we have isolated a number of chemical compounds from the roots of this plant [Phytochemistry 52 (1999) 117] and studied their in vitro effects by using human prostate LNCaP cancer cell line. Among the six compounds tested, jolkinolide B exhibited the most potent anti-proliferative activity (IC(50)=12.

beta-Carboline alkaloids from hypodematium squamuloso-pilosum.

A new beta-carboline alkaloid, 1-acetyl-8-hydroxy-beta-carboline, was isolated from the fern, Hypodematium squamuloso-pilosum, along with a known compound, 1-acetyl-beta-carboline. Their structures were elucidated from spectral evidence. This is the first report of this type of alkaloid being found in ferns.