Trigonelline Inhibits Inflammation and Protects β Cells to Prevent Fetal Growth Restriction during Pregnancy in a Mouse Model of Diabetes.

Background: As an active component from traditional Chinese medicine, trigonelline has a protective effect on diabetes. This study evaluated the protective effects of trigonelline on diabetic mice during pregnancy.

Methods: Diabetes was induced in female mice by intraperitoneal injection for continuous 5-day of 40 mg/kg/day streptozotocin.

Effects of rhynchophylline on GluN1 and GluN2B expressions in primary cultured hippocampal neurons.

N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor subunits GluN1 and GluN2B in hippocampal neurons play key roles in anxiety. Our previous studies show that rhynchophylline, an active component of the Uncaria species, down-regulates GluN2B expression in the hippocampal CA1 area of amphetamine-induced rat. The effects of rhynchophylline on expressions of GluN1 and GluN2B in primary hippocampal neurons in neonatal rats in vitro were investigated.

Individual and combined effects of rhynchophylline and ketamine on proliferation, NMDAR1 and GluA2/3 protein expression in PC12 cells.

Rhynchophylline is an active component of the Uncaria species, which is a member of the Rubiaceae family. Our studies show that the downregulation of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor subunit GluN2B expression in the nucleus accumbens, amygdala, medial prefrontal cortex, and hippocampal CA1 area by rhynchophylline is beneficial for the treatment of psychological dependence on amphetamines. The individual and combined effects of rhynchophylline and ketamine on proliferation and GluN1 and GluA2/3 protein expression in PC12 cells were investigated.

Protection of trigonelline on experimental diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

The mechanisms leading to diabetic peripheral neuropathy are complex and there is no effective drug to treat it. As an active component of several traditional Chinese medicines, trigonelline has beneficial effects on diabetes with hyperlipidemia. The protective effects and the mechanism of trigonelline on diabetic peripheral neuropathy were evaluated in streptozotocin- and high-carbohydrate/high-fat diet-induced diabetic rats.

Protective effect of total flavonoids of seabuckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) in simulated high-altitude polycythemia in rats.

Seabuckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) has been used to treat high altitude diseases. The effects of five-week treatment with total flavonoids of seabuckthorn (35, 70, 140 mg/kg, ig) on cobalt chloride (5.

Omentin: linking metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease.

Omentin is an adipokine preferentially produced by visceral adipose tissue with insulin-sensitizing effects. Its expression is reduced in obesity, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Omentin is also positively related with adiponectin, high-density lipoprotein levels and negatively related with body mass index, waist circumference, insulin resistance, triglyceride and leptin levels.

Hypoglycemic and Hypolipidemic Effects of Ethanolic Extract of Mirabilis jalapa L. Root on Normal and Diabetic Mice.

The present study investigated the insulin sensitivity, hypoglycemic, and hypolipidemic activities of ethanolic extract of Mirabilis jalapa L. root (EEM) in normal and diabetic mice. After induction of diabetes with streptozotocin, both normal and diabetic mice were singly or repeatedly for 28 days administrated with EEM at doses of 2, 4, 8 g/kg, respectively.

Isorhynchophylline: A plant alkaloid with therapeutic potential for cardiovascular and central nervous system diseases.

Uncaria species (Gouteng in Chinese) have been used as a plant medicine to treat ailments of cardiovascular and central nervous systems. As the main alkaloid constituent of Uncaria species, isorhynchophylline has drawn extensive attention toward antihypertensive and neuroprotective activities in recent years. Isorhynchophylline mainly acts on cardiovascular and central nervous systems diseases including hypertension, brachycardia, arrhythmia, and sedation, vascular dementia, and amnesia.

Resveratrol protects against hyperglycemia-induced oxidative damage to mitochondria by activating SIRT1 in rat mesangial cells.

Oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction are involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Resveratrol has potent protective effects on diabetes and diabetic complications including diabetic nephropathy. We aimed to investigate the protective effects of resveratrol on mitochondria and the underlying mechanisms by using an in vitro model of hyperglycemia.

Protective effect of berberine on antioxidant enzymes and positive transcription elongation factor b expression in diabetic rat liver.

The protective effect of berberine against antioxidant, antilipid peroxidation in serum and liver tissue, and positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb) expression in liver tissue of type 2 diabetic rats was investigated. Overnight fasted rats were intraperitoneally injected 35 mg/kg streptozotocin. Diabetic rats were admitted after 2 weeks and given a high-carbohydrate/high-fat diet to induce hyperlipidemias.

Orexigenic effect of cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) after injection into hypothalamic nuclei in streptozotocin-diabetic rats.

1. The aim of the present study was to investigate the orexigenic effect of cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) peptide on feeding regulation following its injection into discrete nuclei of the hypothalamus. 2.

Effect of rhynchophylline on central neurotransmitter levels in amphetamine-induced conditioned place preference rat brain.

The effects of rhynchophylline on expression of amphetamine reward using a conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm and central neurotransmitter levels in rat brain was investigated. Rats were injected with amphetamine (2 mg/kg, per day for 4 consecutive days) and treated with rhynchophylline (60 mg/kg, per day for the later 3 days). Control rats were administered with rhynchophylline (60 mg/kg) instead of amphetamine to evaluate whether rhynchophylline by itself produced CPP.

Rhynchophylline down-regulates NR2B expression in cortex and hippocampal CA1 area of amphetamine-induced conditioned place preference rat.

N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor 2B subunit (NR2B) has an important role in the development of conditioned place preference (CPP) and psychostimulant abuse. Rhynchophylline is presently used to treat central nervous systems diseases and has a non-competitive antagonistic effect on NMDA receptors. In this study, amphetamine was administered in rats (2 mg/kg, s.

Chronic effects of berberine on blood, liver glucolipid metabolism and liver PPARs expression in diabetic hyperlipidemic rats.

Berberine is one of the main alkaloids of Rhizoma coptidis which has been used as a folk medicine to treat diabetes mellitus for more than 1400 years in China. To investigate the chronic effect of berberine on diabetic hyperlipidemic rats, fasted rats were intraperitoneally injected 35 mg/kg streptozotocin. Diabetic rats were admitted after 2 weeks and given a high-carbohydrate/high-fat diet to induce hyperlipidemia.

Effect of berberine on PPARalpha/delta/gamma expression in type 2 diabetic rat retinae.

Retinopathy is a major cause of morbidity in diabetes and remains the primary cause of new blindness. Therefore, it is necessary to find new drug to treat diabetic retinopathy. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) rats were induced by injection (ip) with streptozotocin (STZ) 35 mg x kg(-1) and fed with a high-carbohydrate/high-fat diet 2 weeks later.

[Effects of Caulis Sinomenii and sinomenine on morphine-induced place preference and brain histamine level in mice].

Objective: To evaluate the effects of Caulis Sinomenii and sinomenine on conditioned place preference (CPP) induced by morphine and brain histamine level in mice.

Methods: Sixty mice were randomized into 6 equal groups and morphine (Mor) was injected subcutaneously (9 mg/kg) for 6 consecutive days to induce CPP using a shuttle box. Since the 4th day of training, the mice in 5 of the groups were treated for 3 consecutive days with Caulis Sinomenii (10 g/kg), sinomenine (60 mg/kg), diphenhydramine (30 mg/kg), CP48/80 (5 mg/kg) and L-histidine (750 mg/kg) in addition to morphine (9 mg/kg) treatment, respectively, leaving the other group with exclusive morphine treatment.