Gut microbiota contributes to the intestinal and extraintestinal immune homeostasis by balancing Th17/Treg cells.

Gut microbiota is generally considered to play an important role in host health due to its extensive immunomodulatory activities. Th17 and Treg cells are two important CD4+ T cell subsets involved in immune regulation, and their imbalance is closely tied to many immune diseases. Recently, abundant researches have highlighted the importance of gut microbiota in supporting intestinal and extraintestinal immunity through the balance of Th17 and Treg cells.

Preparation techniques, structural features, and bioactivities of Eucommia ulmoides polysaccharides: A review.

Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. (tu-chung), as a famous nature medical and edible plant, has the effect of tonifying liver and kidney, strengthening the function of the muscles and bones, and miscarriage prevention. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that the polysaccharides from Eucommia ulmoides Oliv.

Gut microbiota as a key regulator of intestinal mucosal immunity.

Gut microbiota is a complex microbial community with the ability of maintaining intestinal health. Intestinal homeostasis largely depends on the mucosal immune system to defense external pathogens and promote tissue repair. In recent years, growing evidence revealed the importance of gut microbiota in shaping intestinal mucosal immunity.

Polysaccharides from Spirulina platensis: Extraction methods, structural features and bioactivities diversity.

Spirulina platensis, a well-known blue-green microalga cultivated and consumed in China and United States, is traditionally used as a food supplement and medical ingredient. Increasing evidence has confirmed that the Spirulina platensis polysaccharides (SPPs) are vital and representative pharmacologically active biomacromolecules and exhibit multiple health-promoting activities both in vivo and in vitro, such as those of anti-cancer, anti-oxidant, immunomodulatory, hypolipidemic and hypoglycemic, anti-thrombotic, anti-viral, regulation of the gut microbiota properties and other biological activity. The purpose of this review aims to comprehensively and systematically outline the extraction and purification methods, structural features, biological activities, underlying mechanisms, and toxicities of SPPs to support their potential utilization value in pharmaceuticals fields and functional foods.

Berberis dictyophylla F. inhibits angiogenesis and apoptosis of diabetic retinopathy via suppressing HIF-1α/VEGF/DLL-4/Notch-1 pathway.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Xiao Bopi (XBP, སྐྱེར་བའི་བར་ཤུན།), as a classical Tibetan medicinal plant in China, which derived from the stem bark of Berberis dictyophylla F., has the function of "clearing heat and decreasing mKhris-pa". And it traditionally is utilized to treat the diabetes mellitus and its complications, such as diabetic retinopathy (DR).

Berberine: A Review of its Pharmacokinetics Properties and Therapeutic Potentials in Diverse Vascular Diseases.

Traditional Chinese medicine plays a significant role in the treatment of various diseases and has attracted increasing attention for clinical applications. Vascular diseases affecting vasculature in the heart, cerebrovascular disease, atherosclerosis, and diabetic complications have compromised quality of life for affected individuals and increase the burden on health care services. Berberine, a naturally occurring isoquinoline alkaloid form , is widely used in China as a folk medicine for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Second near-infrared (NIR-II) imaging: a novel diagnostic technique for brain diseases.

Imaging in the second near-infrared II (NIR-II) window, a kind of biomedical imaging technology with characteristics of high sensitivity, high resolution, and real-time imaging, is commonly used in the diagnosis of brain diseases. Compared with the conventional visible light (400-750 nm) and NIR-I (750-900 nm) imaging, the NIR-II has a longer wavelength of 1000-1700 nm. Notably, the superiorities of NIR-II can minimize the light scattering and autofluorescence of biological tissue with the depth of brain tissue penetration up to 7.

Amelioration of diabetic retinopathy in db/db mice by treatment with different proportional three active ingredients from Tibetan medicine Berberis dictyophylla F.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Berberis dictyophylla F., a famous Tibetan medicine, has been used to prevent and treat diabetic retinopathy (DR) for thousands of years in clinic. However, its underlying mechanisms remain unclear.

Targeting P2 receptors in purinergic signaling: a new strategy of active ingredients in traditional Chinese herbals for diseases treatment.

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and its metabolites adenosine diphosphate, adenosine monophosphate, and adenosine in purinergic signaling pathway play important roles in many diseases. Activation of P2 receptors (P2R) channels and subsequent membrane depolarization can induce accumulation of extracellular ATP, and furtherly cause kinds of diseases, such as pain- and immune-related diseases, cardiac dysfunction, and tumorigenesis. Active ingredients of traditional Chinese herbals which exhibit superior pharmacological activities on diversified P2R channels have been considered as an alternative strategy of disease treatment.

Tibetan medicine Duoxuekang ameliorates hypobaric hypoxia-induced brain injury in mice by restoration of cerebrovascular function.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Duoxuekang (DXK, ཁྲག་འཕེལ་བདེ་བྱེད།) is a clinical experience prescription of CuoRu-Cailang, a famous Tibetan medicine master, which has effective advantages in the treatment of hypobaric hypoxia (HH)-induced brain injury. However, its underlying mechanisms remain unclear.

Aim Of The Study: The present study was designed to investigate the effects of DXK on cerebrovascular function of HH-induced brain injury in mice.

Gallic acid: Pharmacological activities and molecular mechanisms involved in inflammation-related diseases.

Gallic acid (GA), also known as 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid, is a natural secondary metabolite and widely isolated from various fruits, plants and nuts. In recent years, GA has received increasing attention for its powerful anti-inflammatory properties. The purpose of this review is to clearly illuminate the pharmacological activities and related molecular mechanisms of GA in inflammatory diseases.

A review of traditional Chinese medicine on treatment of diabetic retinopathy and involved mechanisms.

As a common ocular complication and microangiopathy of type 2 diabetic mellitus, diabetic retinopathy (DR) can lead to vision loss or even blindness in diabetic patients. At present, the treatment methods of DR mainly include laser and anti-VEGF therapies. Nevertheless, the higher cost and obvious side effects seriously disturb the normal life of DR patients.

Potential applications of microfluidics based blood brain barrier (BBB)-on-chips for in vitro drug development.

The human blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a complex multi-dimensional reticular barrier system composed of cerebral microvascular endothelial cells, pericytes, astrocytes and a variety of neurons. The conventional in vitro cell culture model fails to truly present the dynamic hemodynamics of BBB and the interaction between neurons. And it is even more impossible to explore brain-related multi-organ diseases, which brings huge obstacles to explore diseases of the central nervous system and the interaction between brain-related multi-organs, and evaluate drug efficacy.

ameliorates exhaustive exercise-induced fatigue in mice by suppressing mitophagy in skeletal muscle.

The aim of present study was to evaluate the potential effects of oral liquid (RCOL) on exhaustive exercise (EE)-induced fatigue in mice. Male Institute of Cancer Research mice from five treatment groups (n=10 per group) were orally administered with sterilized water for the Control and EE groups and/or RCOL at doses of 1.02, 3.

Sauchinone: a prospective therapeutic agent-mediated EIF4EBP1 down-regulation suppresses proliferation, invasion and migration of lung adenocarcinoma cells.

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the top prevalent histological kind of lung cancer worldwide. Recent evidences have demonstrated that Sauchinone plays an anticancer role in tumor cell invasion and migration. Therefore, we performed this investigation to explain the potential role of Sauchinone in LUAD as well as the potential mechanism involved.

Amelioration of dry eye syndrome in db/db mice with diabetes mellitus by treatment with Tibetan Medicine Formula Jikan Mingmu Drops.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Jikan Mingmu Drops (JMD), a traditional Tibetan medicine containing six herbs, has been used to treat dry eye syndrome (DES) in individuals with diabetes mellitus.

Aim Of Study: However, the activity of JMD ameliorates DES with diabetes mellitus has not been previously examined. The aim of the study is to investigate the molecular mechanism of JMD on db/db mice.

Rhodiola crenulata attenuates apoptosis and mitochondrial energy metabolism disorder in rats with hypobaric hypoxia-induced brain injury by regulating the HIF-1α/microRNA 210/ISCU1/2(COX10) signaling pathway.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Rhodiola crenulata, a traditional Tibetan medicine, has shown promise in the treatment of hypobaric hypoxia (HH)-induced brain injury. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study investigated the protective effects of R.

Establishment and evaluation of a simulated high‑altitude hypoxic brain injury model in SD rats.

This study was conducted to establish a stable hypobaric hypoxia brain injury model. SD rats were randomly separated into control and model groups, and placed outside or inside of a hypobaric chamber, respectively. Subsequent to 24 h anoxic exposure, plasma superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), oxidized glutathione (GSSG) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were measured using commercial biochemical kits.

Amelioration of diabetic nephropathy in db/db mice treated with tibetan medicine formula Siwei Jianghuang Decoction Powder extract.

Siwei Jianghuang Decoction Powder (SWJH) documented originally in the Four Medical Tantras-Blue Glaze exhibited beneficial effects on diabetic nephropathy (DN) via combined synergistically action of multiple formula components including Curcumae longae Rhizoma, Berberidis dictyophyllae Cortex, Phyllanthi Fructus and Tribuli Fructus. This study investigated the effects of SWJH on DN in db/db mice and possible underlying mechanisms. The ten weeks old db/db mice treated with SWJH by intra-gastric administration once a day for 8 weeks.