Red yeast rice prevents atherosclerosis through regulating inflammatory signaling pathways.

Objective: To observe the effects of red yeast rice (RYR) on blood lipid levels, aortic atherosclerosis (AS), and plaque stability in apolipoprotein E gene knockout (ApoE-/-) mice.

Methods: Twenty-four ApoE-/- mice were fed with a high-fat diet starting from 6 weeks of age. Mice were randomized into three groups (n = 8 in each group): model group (ApoE-/- group), RYR group (ApoE-/- + RYR group), and simvastatin group (ApoE-/- + simvastatin group).

IL-24 Induces Apoptosis via Upregulation of RNA-Activated Protein Kinase and Enhances Temozolomide-Induced Apoptosis in Glioma Cells.

Human interleukin-24 (IL-24) has been found recently to play a tumor-suppressor role in a variety of tumors, including gliomas. However, the exact mechanism of glioma tumor suppression by IL-24 remains unclear. We collected by surgery 30 gliomas at different grades and evaluated IL-24 and double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase (PKR) expression using fluorescence quantitative real-time PCR and immunohistochemical techniques.

[Clinical study on treatment of carotid atherosclerosis with extraction of polygoni cuspidati rhizoma et radix and crataegi fructus: a randomized controlled trial].

Objective: To observe the effect of detoxifying and blood circulation activating Chinese herb extraction of polygonum cuspidatum and hawthorn on carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), plaque integral and plaque stability related serum indexes of patients with carotid atherosclerosis.

Method: Sixty and four cases of carotid artery atherosclerosis patients were assigned randomly to 2 groups: detoxifying and blood circulation activating treatment group (treatment group, 32 cases) and control group (32 cases). Patients in treatment group were treated with capsules of extraction of polygonum cuspidatum and hawthorn, 1 pill po, bid (dosage of administration: polygonum cuspidatum extraction 5.

The progress of the research on cardio-vascular effects and acting mechanism of polydatin.

Rhizoma Polygoni Cuspidati, a Chinese herbal drug, has actions of dispelling dampness, alleviating jaundice, clearing heat, subsiding toxin, activating blood, and removing stasis. Polydatin (PD), one of its chief active ingredients, has been proved by modern pharmacological studies to possess extensive cardiovascular pharmacological activity, showing marked effects on protecting cardio-myocyte, dilating blood vessel, antagonizing platelet aggregation, thrombosis, and atherosclerosis. The progress of the research on cardiovascular pharmacological actions and the acting mechanism of PD was reviewed in this paper.

Mechanism of thalidomide to enhance cytotoxicity of temozolomide in U251-MG glioma cells in vitro.

Background: Glioma is the most common primary brain tumor with poor prognosis. Temozolomide has been used with thalidomide to treat gliomas. We investigated the synergistic mechanism of these two drugs in vitro.

[Effect of maixinkang capsule on Ca2+ and mitochondrial membrane potential in liver cells of ApoE(-/-) mice].

Objective: To observe the effect of Maixinkang Capsule (MXK) on Ca2t concentration and mitochondrial membrane potential in liver cells of ApoE(-/-) mice.

Methods: Liver cells from ApoE(-/-) mice were separated using collagenase digestive method. After the primary cells were cultured for 8 days in vitro, the concentration of 10% MXK contained rat's serum was added into the culture fluid.

[Effect of xinmaitong on wild-type p53 gene expression in rabbits with carotid endothelial injury].

Objective: To explore the mechanism of prevention and treatment of post-PTCA restenosis with Xinmaitong (XMT).

Methods: Rabbit carotid endothelial injury model was established using Fishman air drying method. Effect of XMT on model rabbits wild-type p53 gene expression was observed by tissue in situ hybridization.

[Clinical and experimental study on jiangzhi tiaoya granule in treating essential hypertension and protecting function of vascular endothelium].

Objective: To observe the therapeutic effect of Jiangzhi Tiaoya Granule (JZTYG) in treating essential hypertension and its protection on function of vascular endothelial cells (VEC).

Methods: Fifty-nine patients of essential hypertension divided into two groups were treated with JZTYG (the treated group) and Jinjia Yixintong (the control group) respectively. The changes of symptoms, signs, blood pressure, heart rate were observed and the levels of endothelin (ET), calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP) content were determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA).