[Visual acupotomy intervention mitigates pain reaction by improving intervertebral disc degeneration and inhibiting apoptosis of nucleus pulposus cells in rabbits with cervical spondylosis].

Objective: To investigate the effect of visual acupotomy intervention on intervertebral disc degeneration, nucleus pulposus cell apoptosis and expression of apoptosis related proteins in rabbits with cervical spondylosis (CS), so as to explore its mechanism underlying improvement of CS.

Methods: A total of 48 male New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into blank control, model, acupotomy and medication (meloxicam) groups, with 12 rabbits in each group. The neck type CS model was established by forcing the rabbit to make a neck flexion for 5 hours in a restrained chamber, once daily for 12 weeks.

Bear bile powder inhibits angiogenesis in vivo and in vitro.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of bear bile powder (BBP) on angiogenesis, and investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms.

Methods: A chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay was used to evaluate the angiogensis in vivo. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were treated with 0, 0.

Clinical study on Kangquan Recipe (康泉方) for benign prostatic hyperplasia patients: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To observe the effectiveness and safety of Kangquan Recipe (康泉方, KQR) for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) patients.

Methods: One hundred and six BPH patients were randomly assigned to the treatment group (53 cases) and the control group (53 cases) according to a random number table. The treatment group was given KQR orally; the control group was given cernilton orally.

Treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia with Croton membranaceus in an experimental animal model.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Croton membranaceus leaf extracts are used in the Bahamas to aromatize tobacco. In Nigeria it is used to improve digestion and in Ghana, the root extract is used for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Despite claims of efficacy no data exists to support this.

[Effect of bear bile powder on STAT3 pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma xenograft].

Objective: To observe the effect of bear bile powder (BBP) on the STAT3 pathway and its downstream target genes of nude mice hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) xenograft, and to explore its mechanism for treating HCC.

Methods: The subcutaneous xenograft model was established using HepG2 cells. When the subcutaneous transplanted tumor was formed, naked mice were randomly divided into two groups, the BBP group and the control group.

[A system review of randomized controlled trials on treating chronic stable angina by rhodiola].

Objective: To systematically assess the efficacy and safety of Rhodiola in treating chronic stable angina pectoris.

Methods: Our group searched the Cochrane library, PubMed, Embase, Chinese biomedical literature database (CBM), VIP database (VIP), Chinese Journal Full-text Database (CNKI) for the literature published in English and Chinese till April 2013. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included on the therapeutic effect of Rhodiola or Rhodiola plus conventional Western medicine in comparison with the conventional Western medicine treatment on stable angina.

Ethanol extract of attenuates hepatic lipid accumulation via AMPK activation in human HepG2 cells.

One of the most common causes of chronic liver disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), is strongly associated with obesity and dysregulated insulin action in the liver. However, there are no pharmacological agents currently established for the treatment of NAFLD. A flowering plant in the Asteraceae family, (CJ), exhibits a variety of pharmacological and antioxidative properties that promote hepatoprotection.

Bear bile powder (熊胆粉) induces apoptosis of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells via mitochondrion-dependent pathway.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of Bear Bile Powder(, BBP) on the growth and apoptosis of HepG2 human hepatocellular carcinoma cells, and investigate the possible molecular mechanisms mediating its anti-cancer activity.

Methods: HepG2 cells were treated with 0.4-1.

Qianliening capsule () inhibits human prostate cell growth via induction of mitochondrion-dependent cell apoptosis.

Objective: To investigate the molecular mechanisms by which Qianliening Capsule (, QC) treats benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Methods: Human prostate stromal cell line WPMY-1 was treated with 0, 1, 3 and 5 mg/mL of QC for 24, 48 and 72 h, respectively, in the presence of 10 ng/mL basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). The viability of WPMY-1 cells was determined by 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay.

Effects of Pien Tze Huang on angiogenesis in vivo and in vitro.

Objective: To investigate the anti-angiogenic effects of Pien Tze Huang in vivo and in vitro.

Methods: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were treated with 0 mg/mL, 0.25 mg/mL, 0.

Toxicity features of high glucose on endothelial cell cycle and protection by Dan Gua-Fang in ECV-304 in high glucose medium.

Objective: To study the toxicity features of high glucose on the endothelial cell cycle and the influence of Dan Gua-Fang, a Chinese herbal compound prescription, on the reproductive cycle of vascular endothelial cells cultivated under a high glucose condition; to reveal the partial mechanisms of Dan Gua-Fang in the prevention and treatment of endothelial injury caused by hyperglycemia in diabetes mellitus (DM); and offer a reference for dealing with the vascular complications of DM patients with long-term high blood glucose.

Methods: Based on the previous 3-(4,5)-dimethylthiahiazo (z-y1)-3-5-diphenytetrazoliumromide (MTT) experiment, under different medium concentrations of glucose and Dangua liquor, the endothelial cells of vein-304 (ECV-304) were divided into 6 groups as follows: standard culture group (Group A, 5.56 mmol/L glucose); 1/300 herb-standard group (Group B); high glucose culture group (Group C, 16.

Xiongshao capsule promotes angiogenesis of HUVEC via enhancing cell proliferation and up-regulating the expression of bFGF and VEGF.

Objective: To evaluate the angiogenic effect of the Xiongshao capsule (XSC) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), and to investigate the possible molecular mechanisms mediating its biological effect.

Methods: Serum pharmacology was applied in this study, in which different doses of XSC were administrated to rats orally and then XSC-containing serum (XSC-S) was collected for the following in vitro experiments. The viability of HUVEC was determined by the 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay.

Pien Tze Huang induced apoptosis in human colon cancer HT-29 cells is associated with regulation of the Bcl-2 family and activation of caspase 3.

Objective: To investigate the cellular effects of Pien Tze Huang (PZH) in the HT-29 human colon carcinoma cell line.

Methods: The viability of HT-29 cells was determined by MTT assay. A fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis with annexin-V/propidium iodide (PI) and JC-1 staining were performed to determine cell apoptosis and the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, respectively.

Anticolchicine cytotoxicity enhanced by Dan Gua-Fang, a Chinese herb prescription in ECV304 in mediums.

Objective: To study the effect of anticolchicine cytotoxicity of Dan Gua-Fang, a Chinesea Chinese), a Chinese herbal compound prescription on endothelial cells of vein (ECV304) cultivated in mediums of different glucose concentrations as well as the proliferation of those cells in the same conditions, in order to reveal the value of Dan Gua-Fang in preventing and treating endothelial damage caused by hyperglycemia in diabetes mellitus.

Methods: The research was designed as three stages. The growing state and morphological changes were observed when ECV304 were cultivated in the culture mediums, which have different glucose concentrations with or without Dan Gua-Fang and at the same time with or without colchicine.

[Effect of total alkaloids of Rubus alceaefolius poiron on gene expressions of CYP2E1 and CYP3A1 in rats with acute liver injury].

Objective: To explore the effects of total alkaloids of Rubus alceaefolius Poiron (RAP) on gene expressions of drug-metabolic enzymes, CYP2E1 and CYP3A1 in liver.

Methods: Sixty SD rats were randomly divided into six groups (10 rats in each), the blank control group, the model control group, the bifendate group and the three RAP treated groups treated respectively with low-, middle- and high-dose of RAP. The model of acute hepatic injury was established with intra-peritoneal injection of carbon tetrachloride.

Effects of Kangquan Recipe on sex steroids and cell proliferation in rats with benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Objective: To investigate the effects of Kangquan Recipe (KQR) on sex steroids and cell proliferation in an experimental benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) model in rats.

Methods: Seventy-two SD rats were randomly divided into six groups: the normal group, the model group, the finasteride group, and the low-, middle-, and high-dose KQR groups, 12 in each group. Except those in the normal group, the rats were injected with testosterone after castration for the establishment of BPH model and then given respectively with normal saline, finasteride, and low-, middle-, and high-dose of KQR for 30 days.

[Candidate targets for research on benign prostatic hyperplasia].

The etiology and pathogenesis of benign prostatic hyperplasia are very complicated, about which a variety of theories have been developed, so it is of utmost importance to decide upon the target of research. Focusing on the pathogenesis of benign prostatic hy-perplasia, the author outlines the candidate targets for the experimental studies of the disease in such approaches as morphology, hormones, growth factors and genes.

[Effect of kangquan recipe on basic fibroblast growth factor of prostate tissue in rats].

Objective: To investigate the effect of Kangquan Recipe (KQR) on basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in prostatic tissue of rats.

Methods: Benign prostatic hyperplasia model rat was established by injecting testosterone after castration. After being administered with KQR by gastrogavage for 30 days, the model rats were killed and their abdominal lobe prostate glands were taken for determining the protein and mRNA expressions of bFGF using immunohistochemical method and RT-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) respectively.

[Effect of Kangquan Recipe on apoptosis regulatory genes bax and bcl-2 mRNA in prostate of rats].

Objective: To investigate the effect of Kangquan Recipe (KQR) on apoptosis regulatory genes bax and bcl-2 mRNA in prostate of rats.

Methods: Benign prostatic hyperplasia model rat was established by injecting testosterone after castration. The model rats were killed and prostate glands were removed for examination after being treated with administration of KQR by gastrogavage for 30 days.