Quercetin improves the protection of hydroxysafflor yellow a against cerebral ischemic injury by modulating of blood-brain barrier and src-p-gp-mmp-9 signalling.

Protection of the structural and functional integrity of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is crucial for treating ischemic stroke (IS). Hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) and quercetin (Quer), two main active components in the edible and medicinal plant L., have been reported to exhibit neuroprotective effects.

NAMPT‑NAD is involved in the senescence‑delaying effects of saffron in aging mice.

As the proportion of the elderly population grows rapidly, the senescence-delaying effects of Traditional Chinese Medicine is being investigated. The aim of the present study was to investigate the senescence-delaying effects of saffron in naturally aging mice. The active ingredients in an aqueous saffron extract were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

Age at first birth is associated with the likelihood of frailty in middle-aged and older women: A population-based analysis from NHANES 1999-2018.

Objectives: This study examined whether age at first birth (AFB) is associated with the prevalence of frailty in middle-aged and older women.

Methods: The study included 10,828 women (age ≥ 45 years) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (1999-2018) in the United States. AFB data were collected using a standardized reproductive health questionnaire.

Association between the cumulative dose of glucocorticoids before the development of pneumonia and death in patients receiving long-term glucocorticoids: a secondary analysis based on a Chinese cohort study.

Background: The present study aimed to evaluate the association between the cumulative dose of glucocorticoids (GCs) and case fatality in hospitalized patients who developed pneumonia while receiving glucocorticoid therapy.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 625 patients receiving long-term GC treatment who were hospitalized with pneumonia (322 male and 303 female). Data were obtained from the Dryad Digital Repository and were used to perform secondary analysis.

Potential Therapeutic Effects of NAMPT-Mediated NAD Biosynthesis in Depression In Vivo.

This study aimed to investigate the potential therapeutic effects of nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT)-mediated adenine dinucleotide (NAD) biosynthesis in depression models in vivo. mice were used to evaluate the role of NAMPT in depression. NAMPT and NAD levels in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) were measured, and depression-associated behavior, cognitive function, and social interaction were evaluated.

Identification of N- and C-3-Modified Laudanosoline Derivatives as Novel Influenza PA Endonuclease Inhibitors.

Influenza PA inhibitors are of particular importance in current efforts to develop a new generation of antiviral drugs due to the growing emergence of highly pathogenic influenza viruses and the resistance to existing antiviral inhibitors. Herein, we design and synthesize a set of 1,3-cis--substituted-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline derivatives to enhance their potency by further exploiting the pockets 3 and 4 in the PA endonuclease based on the hit d,l-laudanosoline. Particularly, the lead compound exhibited potent and broad anti-influenza virus effects with EC values ranging from 0.

Pterostilbene effectively inhibits influenza A virus infection by promoting the type I interferon production.

With the prevalence of novel strains and drug-resistant influenza viruses, there is an urgent need to develop effective and low-toxicity anti-influenza therapeutics. Regulation of the type I interferon antiviral response is considered an attractive therapeutic strategy for viral infection. Pterostilbene, a 3,5-dimethoxy analog of resveratrol, is known for its remarkable pharmacological activity.

Crocin ameliorates depressive-like behaviors induced by chronic restraint stress via the NAMPT-NAD-SIRT1 pathway in mice.

Aim: To investigate the effects of crocin on depression induced by chronic restraint stress (CRS) in mice.

Methods: Depression model was established induced by CRS. All mice were divided into 4 groups randomly: normal group, model group, sertraline group and crocin group.

Anti-Epileptic Effect of Crocin on Experimental Temporal Lobe Epilepsy in Mice.

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is a common kind of refractory epilepsy. More than 30% TLE patients were multi-drug resistant. Some patients may even develop into status epilepticus (SE) because of failing to control seizures.

Essential Oil-Rich Chinese Formula Luofushan-Baicao Oil Inhibits the Infection of Influenza A Virus through the Regulation of NF-B P65 and IRF3 Activation.

Background: Luofushan-Baicao Oil (LBO) is an essential oil-rich traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula that is commonly used to treat cold, cough, headache, sore throat, swelling, and pain. However, the anti-influenza activities of LBO and the underlying mechanism remain to be investigated.

Methods: The anti-influenza activity of LBO was tested with methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) and plaque assays.

Accuracy of Self-Reported Hypertension, Diabetes, and Hyperlipidemia among Adults of Liwan, Guangzhou, China.

Background: We aimed to determine the accuracy of self-reported diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia in Chinese adults and examine factors that affect the accuracy of self-reports.

Methods: This representative cross-sectional survey was conducted in Liwan District, Guangzhou City, Southeast China. Self-reported data were collected using a structured questionnaire.

Inducible Guanylate-Binding Protein 7 Facilitates Influenza A Virus Replication by Suppressing Innate Immunity via NF-κB and JAK-STAT Signaling Pathways.

Guanylate-binding protein 7 (GBP7) belongs to the GBP family, which plays key roles in mediating innate immune responses to intracellular pathogens. Thus far, GBP7 has been reported to be a critical cellular factor against bacterial infection. However, the relationship between GBP7 and influenza A virus (IAV) replication is unknown.

Structure-aided optimization of 3-O-β-chacotriosyl epiursolic acid derivatives as novel H5N1 virus entry inhibitors.

It is urgent to develop new antiviral agents due to the continuous emergence of drug-resistant strains of influenza virus. Our earlier studies have identified that certain pentacyclic triterpene saponins with 3-O-β-chacotriosyl residue are novel H5N1 virus entry inhibitors. In the present study, a series of C-28 modified 3-O-β-chacotriosyl epiursolic acid derivatives via conjugation with different kinds of sides were synthesized, of which anti-H5N1 activities in A549 cells were evaluated in vitro.

SNW1 interacts with IKKγ to positively regulate antiviral innate immune responses against influenza A virus infection.

The Ski-interacting protein (SNW1) acts as a transcriptional co-regulator associated with mRNA splicing and transcription, cell cycle progression, acute and chronic inflammatory responses, however, its role involved in host antiviral innate immune responses remains to be explored. Here, for the first time, we demonstrated that SNW1 positively regulates the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and interferon (IFN) responses induced by influenza A virus (IAV) infection, and further inhibits virus replication by performing SNW1 depletion or overexpression approaches. Furthermore, we showed that reduced interferon beta (IFN-β) expression caused by interfering SNW1 impairs the activation of JAK-STAT pathway in response to IAV or poly I:C.

Kinase inhibitor roscovitine as a PB2 cap-binding inhibitor against influenza a virus replication.

In this study, we examined the impact of roscovitine, a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor (CDKI) that has entered phase I and II clinical trials, on influenza A viruses (IAVs) and its antiviral mechanism. The results illustrated that roscovitine inhibited multiple subtypes of influenza strains dose-dependently, including A/WSN/1933(H1N1), A/Aichi/2/68 (H3N2) and A/FM1/47 (H1N1) with IC value of 3.35 ± 0.

Neuroprotective effects of saffron on the late cerebral ischemia injury through inhibiting astrogliosis and glial scar formation in rats.

This study is to explore the neuroprotective effects and involved glial scar of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) on the late cerebral ischemia in rats. Focal cerebral ischemia was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in Sprague Dawley rats that were randomly divided into sham group, MCAO group, edaravone group (as a positive control) and saffron groups (saffron extract 30, 100, 300 mg/kg).

Synthesis and SARs of dopamine derivatives as potential inhibitors of influenza virus PA endonuclease.

Currently, influenza PA endonuclease has become an attractive target for development of new drugs to treat influenza infections. Herein we report the discovery of new PA endonuclease inhibitors derived from a chelating agent dopamine moiety. A series of dopamine amide derivatives and their conformationally constrained 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline-6,7-diol-based analogs were elaborated and assayed against influenza virus A/WSN/33 (H1N1).

PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway regulates behaviors in adolescent female rats following with neonatal maternal deprivation and chronic mild stress.

The early-life aversive experiences are associated with the increased risk for adolescent neuropsychiatric disorders and neuroinflammation. So, we used neonatal maternal deprivation (NMD) and chronic mild stress (CMS) to build adolescent depression model and investigate the role of microglia activation, PI3K/Akt/NF-κB pathway in female rats. Pups in NMD group were separated from mothers for 3 h each day from postnatal day (PND) 2 to PND 21 and rats in CMS group were subjected to one mild stressor each day from PND 22 to PND 42.

Icariin and mesenchymal stem cells synergistically promote angiogenesis and neurogenesis after cerebral ischemia via PI3K and ERK1/2 pathways.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are one promising candidate for regenerative therapy of ischaemic stroke through transdifferetiation and paracrine actions. Icariin (ICA) has shown great potential in improving cell activity and VEGF, BDNF secretion in vitro. Whether they will synergistically improve therapy effect on cerebral ischemia is unknown.

Huanglian-Jie-Du-Tang Extract Ameliorates Depression-Like Behaviors through BDNF-TrkB-CREB Pathway in Rats with Chronic Unpredictable Stress.

Neuroinflammation is considered as one of the common pathogeneses of depression. Huanglian-Jie-Du-Tang (HJDT) is a traditional Chinese herbal formula. The present study investigates the antidepressant-like effect of HJDT and its possible mechanism in rats.

[Effects of crocin on hippocampus rapid kindling epilepsy in mice].

To investigate the effect of crocin on the progression and generalized seizure of temporal lobe epilepsy in mice. Hippocampus rapid kindling model was established in C57BL/6J mice. The effects of crocin on seizure stage, afterdischarge duration (ADD), number of stimulation in each stage and final state, the incidence of generalized seizure (GS), average seizure stage and ADD were observed.

Flavonoids from Radix Tetrastigmae improve LPS-induced acute lung injury via the TLR4/MD-2-mediated pathway.

Total flavonoids isolated from Radix Tetrastigmae (RTFs) possess immunomodulatory activity, particularly on inflammation. In mice with lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‑induced acute lung injury (ALI), treatment with RTFs at 40, 80 and 160 mg/kg significantly reduced leukocyte infiltration, improved histopathological changes in lung tissues and decreased the LPS‑induced production of several inflammatory mediators in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), which included the chemotatic factors, granulocyte colony‑stimulating factor, monocyte inflammatory protein‑1α and B‑lymphocyte colony inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin (IL)‑1β, IL‑6, IL‑12p40 and tumor necrosis factor‑α, in a dose‑dependent manner. In addition, the expression of the Toll‑like receptor 4 (TLR4)/myeloid differentiation factor‑2 (MD‑2) compound, the phosphorylation of p38 mitogen‑activated protein kinase (p38MAPK), c‑Jun N‑terminal kinase (JNK) and nuclear transcription factor‑κB (NF‑κB), in addition to the DNA binding activity of NF‑κB p65 in lung tissues, were all attenuated following RTF treatment.

Flavonoids from Radix Tetrastigmae inhibit TLR4/MD-2 mediated JNK and NF-κB pathway with anti-inflammatory properties.

Radix Tetrastigmae (RT) has immunomodulatory activity, particularly on inflammation and the flavonoids from RT (RTFs) are one of the main components. In this study, we detected the anti-inflammation potential of RTFs in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells and tried to uncover the underlying mechanism.

[Screening of Active Fractions from Huanglian Jiedu Decoction against Primary Neuron Injury after Oxygen-Glucose Deprivation].

Objective: To observe the protective effect of active fractions of Huanglian Jiedu Decoction (HJD) on primary cortical neuron injury after oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD)/reperfusion (R) injury. Methods Using macroporous resin method, HJDFE30, HJDFE50, HJDFE75, and HJDFE95 with 30%, 50%, 75%, and 95% alcohol were respectively prepared. Then the content of active components in different HJD fractions was determined with reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC).

Distinct pro-apoptotic properties of Zhejiang saffron against human lung cancer via a caspase-8-9-3 cascade.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Here we investigated the antitumor effect and mechanism of Zhejiang (Huzhou and Jiande) saffron against lung cancer cell lines, A549 and H446. Using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), the contents of crocin I and II were determined.