Tongbian decoction inhibits cell autophagy via PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway to treat constipation rats.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Tongbian Decoction (TBD) is a traditional Chinese botanical drug preparation which has been reported to improve constipation in patients. Due to the lack of a well-understood action mechanism of TBD, we examined the effects of TBD in cell autophagy via phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian aimed of rapamycin (PI3K/Akt/mTOR) signaling pathway associated with constipation.

Aim Of This Study: To determine the mechanism which underlined the effects of TBD for activating PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway to inhibit the autophagy in rat.

The impact of visceral obesity on chronic constipation, inflammation, immune function and cognitive function in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Objective: Obesity has gained attention among patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The impact of visceral obesity on chronic constipation, inflammation, immune function and cognition after diagnosis of IBD is still unknown.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of 150 IBD patients.

rs324015 Gene Polymorphism Increases Ulcerative Colitis Risk: A Case-Control Study.

Introduction: Phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6) in the colonic epithelium is elevated in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients, and its inhibition prevents IL-13-associated apoptosis and barrier disruption. Recently, the rs324015 polymorphism was reported to be related to genetic susceptibility to UC.

Methods: We examined rs324015 using the PCR-RFLP method in 268 UC cases and 357 controls.