Picroside II protects cardiomyocytes from hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced apoptosis by activating the PI3K/Akt and CREB pathways.

Picroside II, an iridoid glucoside found in the root of Picrorhiza scrophulariiflora Pennell (Scrophulariaceae), has been demonstrated to reduce apoptosis in neuronal cells and other cell types. However, whether picroside II has a protective effect against cardiomyocyte apoptosis is poorly understood. In the present study, we investigated the cardioprotective role of picroside II and the underlying mechanisms in hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis.

[Effect of budesonide on the heme oxygenase-1 expression in lung tissues of rats with asthma].

Objective: To study the expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) gene and protein and the effect of budesonide (BUD) on the HO-1 expression in lung tissues in rats with asthma.

Methods: Fifty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: normal control, asthma model, dexamethasone (DXM)-, hemin (HO-1 challenger)-or BUD-treated asthma. The asthma model was prepared by ovalbumin sensitization and challenge.