Neuroprotective Effects of Tetrahydrocurcumin against Glutamate-Induced Oxidative Stress in Hippocampal HT22 Cells.

In the central nervous system, glutamate is a major excitable neurotransmitter responsible for many cellular functions. However, excessive levels of glutamate induce neuronal cell death via oxidative stress during acute brain injuries as well as chronic neurodegenerative diseases. The present study was conducted to examine the effect of tetrahydrocurcumin (THC), a major secondary metabolite of curcumin, and its possible mechanism against glutamate-induced cell death.

Betaine inhibits vascularization via suppression of Akt in the retinas of streptozotocin-induced hyperglycemic rats.

Diabetic retinopathy is a severe microvascular complication amongst patients with diabetes, and is the primary cause of visual loss through neovascularization. Betaine is one of the components of Fructus Lycii. In the present study, the effects of betaine on the expression levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α in association with the Akt pathway were investigated in the retinas of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats using western blot and immunohistochemical analyses.

Effects and safety of gyejibongnyeong-hwan on dysmenorrhea caused by blood stagnation: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective. This study was a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, and controlled trial with two parallel arms: the GJBNH group and the placebo group. This trial recruited 100 women aging 18 to 35 years with primary dysmenorrhea caused by blood stagnation.

Effect of acupuncture on 6-hydroxydopamine-induced nigrostratal dopaminergic neuronal cell death in rats.

In this study, we investigated the effect of acupuncture at the Zusanli acupoint (ST36) on the nigrostriatal dopaminergic neuronal cell death in the rats with Parkinson's disease. Two weeks after unilateral injection of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) into the striatum, an apomorphine-induced rotational behavior test showed significant rotational asymmetry in the rats with Parkinson's disease. Immunostaining for tyrosine hydroxylase demonstrated a dopaminergic neuronal loss in the substantia nigra and dopaminergic fiber loss in the striatum.