Arrest at metaphase of meiosis I in starfish oocytes in the ovary is maintained by high CO2 and low O2 concentrations in extracellular fluid.

During the spawning process in starfish, oocytes are arrested at metaphase of meiosis I (MI) within the ovary, and reinitiate meiosis only after they have been released into the seawater. However, this arrest does not occur if the ovary is removed from the animal. As the pH of the coelomic fluid is buffered by CO2/H(+)/HCO3(-), we investigated the involvement of gas concentrations in MI arrest.

Keishibukuryogan reduces renal injury in the early stage of renal failure in the remnant kidney model.

The effects of keishibukuryogan on the early stage of progressive renal failure were examined in rats subjected to 5/6 nephrectomy. Keishibukuryogan, one of the traditional herbal formulations, was given orally at a dose of 1% (w/w) and 3% (w/w) in chow. Administration of keishibukuryogan was started at 1 week after 5/6 nephrectomy and was continued for 4 weeks.

Keishibukuryogan ameliorates glucose intolerance and hyperlipidemia in Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats.

Keishibukuryogan, one of the traditional herbal formulations, is used clinically to improve blood circulation. In this study, we examined the effects of keishibukuryogan on glucose and lipids metabolism in Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats, an animal model of type 2 diabetes. Forty-five-week-old male OLETF rats were divided into three groups: diabetic control rats given a standard chow; diabetic rats given keishibukuryogan (3%, w/w in chow); diabetic rats given pioglitazone (0.

Effects of keishibukuryogan on vascular function in adjuvant-induced arthritis rats.

It is known that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) accelerates atherosclerosis. Further, the soluble form of vascular adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) is known as a predictive marker of atherosclerosis in RA patients. We reported that keishibukuryogan, one of the Kampo formulas, improved articular symptoms and decreased soluble VCAM-1 in patients with RA.

Cinnamaldehyde induces endothelium-dependent and -independent vasorelaxant action on isolated rat aorta.

The vasorelaxant effect of cinnamaldehyde, one of the major oil components in Cinnamomi Cortex, was studied using isolated rat aorta. Cinnamaldehyde at final concentrations of 1 microM to 1 mM showed dose-dependent relaxation of the rat aorta contracted by treatment with prostaglandin F2alpha, norepinephrine or KCl. In addition, cinnamaldehyde relaxed prostaglandin F2alpha-precontracted aortic rings with endothelium and without endothelium, with the latter being significantly less sensitive than the former.

Protective effects of keishibukuryogan on the kidney of spontaneously diabetic WBN/Kob rats.

Keishibukuryogan, one of the traditional herbal formulations, is used clinically to improve blood circulation. It consists of the following five crude drugs: Cinnamomi Cortex, Poria, Moutan Cortex, Persicae Semen and Paeoniae Radix. In this study, the effects of keishibukuryogan against renal damage in spontaneously diabetic WBN/Kob rats were examined.

Astaxanthin ameliorates features of metabolic syndrome in SHR/NDmcr-cp.

Glucose and lipid metabolic parameters play crucial roles in metabolic syndrome and its major feature of insulin resistance. This study was designed to investigate whether dietary astaxanthin oil (ASX-O) has potential effects on metabolic syndrome features in an SHR/NDmcr-cp (cp/cp) rat model. Oral administration of ASX (50 mg/kg/day) for 22 weeks induced a significant reduction in arterial blood pressure in SHRcp.

Keishibukuryogan (gui-zhi-fu-ling-wan), a Kampo formula, decreases disease activity and soluble vascular adhesion molecule-1 in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

An increasing death rate due to cardiovascular disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been reported. Keishibukuryogan (KBG) is a traditional Chinese/Japanese (Kampo) formula that has been administered to patients with blood stagnation, e.g.

Attenuating effects of wen-pi-tang treatment in rats with diabetic nephropathy.

Wen-pi-tang is a Chinese prescription used traditionally as a medicine to treat moderate renal failure. In this study, we used rats subjected to subtotal nephrectomy and streptozotocin injection to examine the effects of wen-pi-tang on diabetic nephropathy. Wen-pi-tang was administered at a dose of 50, 100 or 200 mg/kg body weight/day for 15 weeks.

Activity of wen-pi-tang, and purified constituents of rhei rhizoma and glycyrrhizae radix against glucose-mediated protein damage.

Wen-Pi-Tang, an Oriental medical prescription composed of Rhei Rhizoma, Ginseng Radix, Aconiti Tuber, Zingiberis Rhizoma and Glycyrrhizae Radix, is used clinically as a medicine to treat renal failure. This study was conducted to examine the inhibitory activity of the five crude drug components of Wen-Pi-Tang and several pure compounds isolated from Rhei Rhizoma and Glycyrrhizae Radix against the protein glycation reaction. Rhei Rhizoma exerted the most potent activity, Zingiberis Rhizoma and Glycyrrhizae Radix showed relatively moderate activity, whereas Aconiti Tuber and Ginseng Radix showed weak activity.

Attenuation of renal ischemia-reperfusion injury by proanthocyanidin-rich extract from grape seeds.

The effects of proanthocyanidin-rich extract in rats subjected to renal ischemia-reperfusion were examined. Proanthocyanidin-rich extract, which is prepared from grape seeds (Vitis vinifera L.), was given orally at doses of 5 and 10 mg/kg body weight/d for 20 consecutive days prior to ischemia-reperfusion.

Protective effects of gamma-aminobutyric acid in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes.

The effects of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in rats with experimental diabetes mellitus were examined. Diabetes mellitus was induced in adult male Wistar rats by streptozotocin (STZ) injection. Oral administration of GABA (100 or 200 mg/kg body weight/d) for 10 d to the diabetic rats resulted in a significant decrease in their serum glucose level.

Long-term treatment with Hachimi-jio-gan attenuates kidney damage in spontaneously diabetic WBN/Kob rats.

Diabetes mellitus is now the most common cause of end-stage renal failure. In this study, the effects of Hachimi-jio-gan on diabetic kidney damage in spontaneously diabetic WBN/Kob rats were examined. Oral administration of Hachimi-jio-gan to WBN/Kob rats for 25 weeks significantly suppressed urinary protein excretion.

Green tea polyphenols and dietary fibre protect against kidney damage in rats with diabetic nephropathy.

In this study we examined the effect of green tea polyphenols (GTP) and partially hydrolysed guar gum (PHGG) as dietary fibre on diabetic nephropathy, using rats that had been subjected to subtotal nephrectomy and injection of streptozotocin. The subtotally nephrectomized rats were subjected to resection of three-quarters of the kidney. Rats with diabetic nephropathy were divided into four groups: untreated controls, and animals that received GTP (100 mg kg-1 body weight day-1), PHGG (100 mg kg-1 body weight day-1) and GTP plus PHGG (50 mg kg-1 body weight day-1 plus 50 mg kg-1 body weight day-1).

Expression patterns of plasma proteins in spontaneously diabetic rats after oral administration of a Kampo medicine, Hachimi-jio-gan, using SELDI ProteinChip platform.

We investigated the changes (increase or decrease in peak intensity) in the expression of plasma proteins in spontaneously diabetic WBN/Kob rats that were with complicated diabetic nephropathy, to determine multiple biomarkers in the plasma of diabetic rats. The present study using surface enhanced laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF-MS) demonstrated that six peaks at mass/charge ratios (m/z) of 4678, 4732, 4808, 9058, 9323, and 9465, among approximately 80 peaks per spectrum in the 2000-10000 Da mass range, had increased peak intensities with the development or progression of diabetic nephropathy in plasma of spontaneously diabetic WBN/Kob rats as compared with those of normal Wistar rats. Administration of the Kampo medicine Hachimi-jio-gan was effective at reducing the expression of diabetic nephropathy but not at reducing blood glucose levels.

Oren-gedoku-to and Keishi-bukuryo-gan-ryo inhibit the progression of atherosclerosis in diet-induced hypercholesterolemic rabbits.

In this study, we examined whether the Kampo formulas Oren-gedoku-to (OGT, Huanglian-jie-du-tang in Chinese) and Keishi-bukuryo-gan-ryo (KBG, Gui-zhi-fu-ling-wan in Chinese) could prevent the progression of atherosclerosis in cholesterol-fed rabbit, an animal model for hypercholesterolemia in vivo. Twenty-four male Japanese white rabbits (2 kg body weight) were divided into four groups. The control group was fed standard rabbit chow containing 1% cholesterol, the OGT group was fed standard rabbit chow containing 1% cholesterol and 1% OGT, the KBG group was fed standard rabbit chow containing 1% cholesterol and 1% KBG, and the vitamin E group was fed standard rabbit chow containing 1% cholesterol and vitamin E (450 mg/1000 g).

Effects of Choto-san and hooks and stems of Uncaria sinensis on antioxidant enzyme activities in the gerbil brain after transient forebrain ischemia.

Previously, we revealed that oral administrations of Choto-san, a Kampo formula, and the hooks and stems of Uncaria sinensis Haviland (Rubiaceae), a medicinal plant comprising Choto-san, enhanced superoxide anion and hydroxyl radical scavenging activities in the hippocampus, and prevented delayed neuronal death of pyramidal cells in the hippocampal CA1 region in a transient forebrain ischemia gerbil model. In the present study, for the purpose of clarifying whether the endogenous antioxidant enzymes contribute to these mechanisms, we investigated the effects of Choto-san extract (CSE) and Uncaria sinensis extract (USE) on superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities in the brain by using the same experimental model. 1.

Protective effect of gamma-aminobutyric acid against glycerol-induced acute renal failure in rats.

To investigate the effect of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) on acute renal failure, we used a rat model of acute tubular necrosis induced by glycerol. After deprivation of water for 6h, the rats received an injection of 50% glycerol into the muscle of the rear limb at 10 ml/kg body weight. GABA was then administered orally to the rats (100 or 500 mg/kg body weight/day) once every 12h for 3 days.

A study on the effects to diabetic nephropathy of Hachimi-jio-gan in rats.

To investigate the effects of Hachimi-jio-gan on diabetic nephropathy, we employed an animal model, rats subjected to sub-total nephrectomy followed by streptozotocin injection, and administered Hachimi-jio-gan orally at a dose of 50, 100 or 200 mg/kg body weight/day for 15 weeks. The administration of Hachimi-jio-gan reduced dose-dependently the elevated blood glucose and urinary protein excretion levels in rats with diabetic nephropathy over the experimental period, whereas it increased creatinine clearance significantly, suggesting that Hachimi-jio-gan would prevent or delay the progression of diabetic nephropathy. In addition, the serum glycosylated protein and urea nitrogen levels were markedly elevated in rats with diabetic nephropathy compared with normal rats, and were significantly reduced by the administration of Hachimi-jio-gan, whereas Hachimi-jio-gan reversed the decrease in the serum albumin level.

Inhibitory effects of Luobuma tea and its components against glucose-mediated protein damage.

Luobuma tea, prepared from the leaves of Apocynum venetum L., is a popular beverage in China. In this study, the activity of Luobuma leaf extract and its components against the formation of advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs), which are largely involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic vascular complications, was examined using the in vitro glycation reaction.

Activity of (-)-epigallocatechin 3-O-gallate against oxidative stress in rats with adenine-induced renal failure.

Methylguanidine (MG) is widely recognized as a strong uremic toxin. The hydroxyl radical (*OH) specifically plays an important role in the pathway of MG production from creatinine (Cr). In this study, we investigated whether oral administration of (-)-epigallocatechin 3-O-gallate (EGCg) suppresses MG production in rats with chronic renal failure after intraperitoneal Cr injection.

Influence of green tea polyphenol in rats with arginine-induced renal failure.

To determine whether green tea polyphenol ameliorates the pathological conditions induced by excessive dietary arginine, green tea polyphenol was administered to rats at a daily dose of 50 or 100 mg/kg body weight for 30 days with a 2% w/w arginine diet. In arginine-fed control rats, urinary and/or serum levels of guanidino compounds, nitric oxide (NO), urea, protein, and glucose increased significantly, while the renal activities of the oxygen species-scavenging enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase decreased, compared with casein-fed rats. However, rats given green tea polyphenol showed significant and dose-dependent decreases in serum levels of creatinine (Cr) and urea nitrogen and urinary excretion of Cr, and they exerted a slight reduction of nitrite plus nitrate, indicating that green tea polyphenol reduced the production of uremic toxins and NO.

Therapeutic usefulness of Keishi-bukuryo-gan for diabetic nephropathy.

Keishi-bukuryo-gan is a traditional herbal medicine, which is used clinically as a vascular system disorder-eliminating drug. In this study, its effect on the progression of diabetic nephropathy in experimental rats was investigated. The diabetic nephropathy model used in this study shows functional and morphological changes of the kidney resembling those seen in patients with diabetic nephropathy.

Antioxidative activity of green tea polyphenol in cholesterol-fed rats.

This study investigated the effects of green tea polyphenol on the serum antioxidative activity and cholesterol levels of cholesterol-fed rats and compared them with those of probucol, an antioxidant hypocholesterolemic agent. To evaluate the antioxidative activity, the susceptibility to oxidative modification of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) isolated from the serum of cholesterol-fed rats was measured, as was the serum antioxidative activity using the spontaneous autoxidation system of brain homogenate. Administration of green tea polyphenol effectively inhibited LDL oxidation and elevated serum antioxidative activity to the same degree as probucol.