Anti-fibrotic Effects and Mechanism of Shengmai Injection () on Human Hepatic Stellate Cells LX-2.

Objective: To investigate the effects of Shengmai Injection (, SMI) on the proliferation, apoptosis and N-myc downstream-regulated gene 2 (NDRG2, a tumour suppressor gene) expression in varying densities of human hepatic stellate cells LX-2.

Methods: LX-2 cells were cultured in vitro. Then, cells were plated in 96-well plates at an approximate density of 2.

Anti-fibrotic effects of Salvia miltiorrhiza and Ligustrazine Injection on LX-2 cells involved with increased N-myc downstream-regulated gene 2 expression.

Objective: To investigate the effects of Salvia miltiorrhiza and Ligustrazine Injection (SML) on proliferation and apoptosis of human hepatic stellate cell LX-2 and the expression of N-myc downstreamregulated gene 2 (NDRG2, a tumor suppressor gene).

Methods: HSCs from the LX-2 cell line were cultured in vitro. The proliferative state of different initial LX-2 cell numbers was measured using a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol- 2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) colorimetric assay.

As2O3 induces apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells through a ROS-mediated mitochondrial pathway and activation of caspases.

Arsenic trioxide (As2O3) has been shown to induce apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. However, the molecular mechanism of As2O3-induced apoptosis in the hepatocellular carcinoma cells remains poorly understood. Here, we investigated the impact of As2O3 exposure on the human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2 and examined the underlying mechanism of cell death.

The influence of astragalus polysaccharide and β-elemene on LX-2 cell growth, apoptosis and activation.

Background: Activated hepatic stellate cells are the main source of excessive collagen deposition in liver fibrosis. Here we report the inhibitory effects of the combinational treatment of two natural products, astragalus polysaccharide (APS) and β-elemene (ELE) on the activation of human liver hepatic stellate cell line LX-2 cells.

Methods: Cultured LX-2 cells were treated with different concentrations of APS or ELE for 24 or 48 hours.

Inhibition potential of glimepiride (gli) towards important UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) isoforms in human liver.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the inhibitory potential of glimepiride towards important UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) isoforms in human liver, which play a key role in the elimination of drugs. The recombinant UGT enzymes were used as enzyme source, and a nonspecific substrate 4-methylumbelliferone (4-MU) was utilized as substrate. The results showed that 100 microM of glimepiride inhibited UGT1A1, UGT1A3, UGT1A6, UGT1A9, UGT2B7 and UGT2B15 by 54.

Unbalanced MMP/TIMP-1 expression during the development of experimental pulmonary fibrosis with acute paraquat poisoning.

Paraquat (PQ)-induced pulmonary toxicity is known to result in pulmonary edema, infiltration of inflammatory cells and damage to the alveolar epithelium, which may progress to severe fibrosis. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their physiological inhibitors, tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases (TIMPs), which degrade and remodel the excess extracellular matrix, are believed to play an important role in the development of fibrotic tissue. In this study, we examined the sequential expression of MMP-2, MMP-9 and TIMP-1 in a rat model of pulmonary fibrosis induced by PQ.

[Effect and mechanism of emodin for regulating aquaporin-2 expression in cultured NRK cells].

Objective: To investigate the effect and mechanism of emodin for regulating aquapoin-2 (AQP2) in NRK cells cultured in vitro.

Methods: Experiments on NRK cells cultured with alpha-DMEM medium in vitro were conducted in two steps. (1) Cells were randomly divided into 4 groups: the control group, and the three emodin treated groups treated with different dosages of emodin (5, 10 and 20 mg/L) respectively.

[Effects of genistein on colon cancer cells in vitro and in vivo and its mechanism of action].

Objective: To study the effects of genistein on the proliferation, apoptosis induction and expression of related gene proteins of human colon cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, and its mechanisms of action.

Methods: MTT colorimetric assay was used to detect the effects of genistein on the proliferation of human colon adenocarcinoma SW480 cells. Light and transmission electron microscopy were used to study the histological and ultrastructural changes.

[Influence of moxibustion of baihui (GV 20) on hemodynamics of common carotid artery in healthy subjects].

Objective: To observe the effect of moxibustion of Baihui (GV 20) on the hemodynamics of internal carotid artery in health subjects so as to study its underlying mechanism of moxibustion in the treatment cerebrovascular disorders.

Methods: Thirty healthy male volunteer students between 20 and 22 years in age were enrolled into this study. Qm (mean blood flow), Vm) (mean velocity of blood flow), Vmax (maximal velocity of blood flow), Vmin (minimal velocity of blood flow), Wv (pulse wave velocity), Zcv (characteristic impedance), Rv (peripheral resistance), DR (dynamic resistance), CP (critical pressure) and DP (difference of pressure) of the right and left common carotid arteries were measured before and after moxibustion of GV20 (5-10 min each time, once daily, 5 times altogether) by using CBA CV-300 Cerebrovascular Hemodynamics Detector.

[Protection effect of Salvia miltiorrhiza on model of acute lung injury in rats].

Objective: To investigate the effect of SM on aquaporin-1 (AQP1) expression in rats with acute lung injury (ALI), and study protection against ALI.

Methods: 48 SD rats were randomly divided into normal group, ALI 7-day group, ALI 8-hour group, SM prevention group, SM 7-day treatment group, and SM 8-hour treatment group. At 8 hours and 7 days after treatment, lung wet-to-dry weight ratio, lung pathology, electron microscope, AQP1 immunohistochemistry, and AQP1 Western blot were performed.