Artesunate restores mitochondrial fusion-fission dynamics and alleviates neuronal injury in Alzheimer's disease models.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains a leading cause of dementia and no therapy that reverses underlying neurodegeneration is available. Recent studies suggest the protective role of artemisinin, an antimalarial drug, in neurological disorders. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic potential of artesunate, a water-soluble derivative of artemisinin, on amyloid-beta (Aβ)-treated challenged microglial BV-2, neuronal N2a cells, and the amyloid precursor protein/presenilin (APP/PS1) mice model.

Bilobalide alleviates neuroinflammation and promotes autophagy in Alzheimer's disease by upregulating lincRNA-p21.

EGb 761 has some protective effects on AD and can improve the cognitive functions of AD mice. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are unknown. Here, we investigated the function of bilobalide, the effective component of EGb 761, in neuroinflammation and autophagy during AD.

Two novel chiral tetranucleate copper-based complexes: crystal structures, nanoparticles, and inhibiting angiogenesis and the growth of human breast cancer by regulating the VEGF/VEGFR2 signal pathway in vitro.

The single crystals of two novel copper(ii)-based complexes containing l-methioninol-derived Schiff bases were obtained and characterized. The nanoparticles of these complexes were prepared and their cellular uptake was measured in MDA-MB-231 cells and HUVECs. It was found that these complexes could remarkably induce apoptosis, inhibit proliferation, suppress migration and metastasis, and inhibit angiogenesis and the growth of triple-negative breast cancer derived from MDA-MB-231 cells in vitro.

Anti-cancer activities of metal-based complexes by regulating the VEGF/VEGFR2 signaling pathway and apoptosis-related factors Bcl-2, Bax, and caspase-9 to inhibit angiogenesis and induce apoptosis.

Three novel single crystals of the metal-based complexes Cu-1, Cu-2, and Co-1 were obtained and characterized. Compared with Cu-2 and Co-1, Cu-1 showed remarkable activities of anti-cervical cancer, anti-cisplatin-resistant non-small cell lung cancer and anti-angiogenesis by downregulating the expressions of important proteins in the VEGF/VEGFR2 signaling pathway to inhibit angiogenesis and cancer cell proliferation, induce apoptosis, and suppress migration and metastasis. Moreover, Cu-1 dramatically inhibited the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 and up-regulated the expressions of the proapoptotic proteins caspase-9 and Bax to induce the apoptosis of tumor cells, simultaneously decreasing the density of endothelial cells to inhibit tumor angiogenesis in cisplatin-resistant tumors.

Association between gene of gastrointestinal tumors, the expression of P-glycoprotein and resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs.

The aim of the present study was to examine and discuss the association between multidrug resistance 1 gene () of gastrointestinal tumors, the expression of P-glycoprotein and resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs. In this study, 126 cases of patients with gastrointestinal tumors admitted to hospital from February 2013 to February 2015 were selected. The expression levels of gene were obsreved in the control population and patients before and after treatment by fluoresecent quantitative PCR.

Combination of temsirolimus and adriamycin exhibits an enhanced antitumor effect in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Objective: The oncogenic PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway is frequently activated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study is to investigate the anti-HCC effect of combination of temsirolimus, an mTOR inhibitor, and adriamycin, a routinely used drug for treating HCC.

Methods And Materials: Proliferation of HCC cells exposure to temsirolimus, adriamycin, and their combination was determined using MTT assay in vitro as well as in a nude mice model in vivo.

[Effect of acupuncture at "Zusanli" (ST 36 and "Taichong" (LR 3) on gastrointestinal hormone levels in rats with diarrhea type irritable bowel syndrome].

Objective: To observe the effect of acupuncture of "Zusanli" (ST 36) and "Taichong" (LR 3) on gastrointestinal hormone levels in diarrhea type irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) rats so as to provide experimental evidence for acupuncture treatment of IBS-D.

Methods: Forty-eight Wistar rats were randomly divided into control, model, acupuncture and medication groups, with 12 rats in each group. IBS-D model was established by chronic mild restraining stress combined with isolated raising and intragastric administration of Folium Sennae (10 mL/kg).

[Efficacy observation on osteoarthritis of the knee treated with the ultrastructural acupotomy therapy at the counter-Ashi points].

Objective: To compare the difference in the efficacy on osteoarthritis of the knee between the ultrastructural acupotomy therapy at the counter-Ashi points and the conventional acupuncture-moxibustion therapy.

Methods: Sixty cases were randomly devided into an ultrastructural acupotomy therapy group (group A) and a conventional acupuncture-moxibustion group (group B), 30 cases in each one. In the group A, the ultrastructural acupotomy therapy was applied to the counter-Ashi points in which pain was alleviated or disappeared on pressure.