Bergenin, the main active ingredient of Bergenia purpurascens, attenuates Th17 cell differentiation by downregulating fatty acid synthesis.

Bergenin is the main active ingredient of Bergenia purpurascens, a medicinal plant which has long been used to treat a variety of Th17 cell-related diseases in China, such as allergic airway inflammation and colitis. This study aimed to uncover the underlying mechanisms by which bergenin impedes Th17 cell response in view of cellular metabolism. In vitro, bergenin treatment reduced the frequency of Th17 cells generated from naïve CD4 T cells of mice.

Metabonomic analysis of hypophosphatemic laying fatigue syndrome in laying hens.

Laying fatigue syndrome (LFS) is a common disease in poultry, which is characterized by low egg laying rate, increased broken and soft shell egg rate and osteoporosis, and even death of poultry. Insufficient phosphorus content in feed is one of the major causes of LFS. In this study, a total of 22-week-old Roman white shell hens were randomly divided into two groups, including control (group C) and low dietary phosphorus (group P) groups.

Effects of low dietary phosphorus on tibia quality and metabolism in caged laying hens.

Osteoporosis is a common bone metabolic disease in caged laying hens. This disease affects animal welfare and economic costs. In this study, a model of osteoporosis induced by low dietary phosphorus was established.

[Ixeris sonchifolia induced vasoconstriction effect and its mechanism in rat thoracic aorta].

Objective: To investigate the vasoconstriction effect of Ixeris sonchifolia in rat thoracic aortic rings and the underlying mechanisms.

Method: I. sonchifolia 10-160 g x L(-1) was cumulatively added into organ bath to observe the isometric tension of thoracic aortic rings with intact endothelium or denuded endothelium in basal tension, preconstricted by phenylephrine (PE) or potassium chloride (KCl), and thoracic aortic rings with intact endothelium preincubated frist with captopril, phosphoramidon and indomethacin, respectively, then preconstricted by PE and KCl.