Network pharmacology for the identification of phytochemicals in traditional Chinese medicine for COVID-19 that may regulate interleukin-6.

Objective: ´Three formulas and three medicines,' namely, Jinhua Qinggan Granule, Lianhua Qingwen Capsule, Xuebijing Injection, Qingfei Paidu Decoction, HuaShi BaiDu Formula, and XuanFei BaiDu Granule, were proven to be effective for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) treatment. The present study aimed to identify the active chemical constituents of this traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and investigate their mechanisms through interleukin-6 (IL-6) integrating network pharmacological approaches.

Methods: We collected the compounds from all herbal ingredients of the previously mentioned TCM, but those that could down-regulate IL-6 were screened through the network pharmacology approach.

[Effect of Xinling Wan in treatment of stable angina pectoris: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo parallel-controlled, multicenter trial].

To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Xinling Wan on patients with stable angina pectoris, a randomized, double-blinded, placebo parallel-controlled, multicenter clinical trial was conducted. A total of 232 subjects were enrolled and randomly divided into experiment group and placebo group. The experiment group was treated with Xinling Wan (two pills each time, three times daily) for 4 weeks, and the placebo group was treated with placebo.

Association of blood pressure and coronary collateralization in type 2 diabetic and nondiabetic patients with stable angina and chronic total occlusion.

Objective: We investigated whether and to what extent blood pressure (BP) affects coronary collateralization in type 2 diabetic and nondiabetic patients with stable angina and chronic total occlusion.

Methods: Brachial BP was measured using an inflatable cuff manometer in 431 diabetic and 287 nondiabetic patients with stable angina and angiographic total occlusion of at least one major coronary artery. They were classified according to the SBP (<100, 100-119, 120-139, 140-159, 160-179, and ≥180 mmHg), DBP (<60, 60-69, 70-79, 80-89, 90-99, and ≥100 mmHg), and pulse (<40, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79, and ≥80 mmHg) BP ranges.

Impact of losartan and angiotensin II on the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 in rat vascular smooth muscle cells.

The present study aimed to investigate the impact of losartan and angiotensin II (AngII) on the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1), secreted by rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Rat VSMCs were isolated and cultured in different concentrations of AngII and losartan for 24 h and western blot analysis and quantitative polymerase chain reaction were performed to observe the subsequent impact on the gene and protein expression of MMP-9 and TIMP-1. AngII was shown to promote the protein and gene expression of MMP-9 in VSMCs in a concentration-dependent manner.

ERK5 knock down aggravates detrimental effects of hypothermal stimulation on cardiomyocytes via Bim upregulation.

Mechanism of cold induced myocardial injury remained unclear. Our study investigated the role of ERK5/Bim pathway in hypothermal stimulation-induced apoptosis or damage of cardiomyocytes (CMs). Results showed that in CMs which under hypothermal stimulation, ERK5 siRNA promoted expression of Bim protein.

Circulating miR-214 is associated with the severity of coronary artery disease.

Objective: To study whether miR-214 is regulated in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients and whether placental growth factor (PLGF) is a possible target for miR-214 in atherosclerosis.

Methods: Circulating miR-214 was measured by quantitative PCR using RNA isolated from 40 patients with CAD, including 12 with stable angina pectoris, 16 with unstable angina pectoris and 12 with acute myocardial infarction, and 15 controls without CAD. Plasma level of PLGF was measured by ELISA.

Effects of mid-myocardial pacing on transmural dispersion of repolarization and arrhythmogenesis.

Introduction: Epicardial (Epi) activation of the left ventricular (LV) wall increases transmural dispersion of repolarization (TDR), which creates a substrate for the development of ventricular arrhythmia. We hypothesize that pacing from the LV mid-myocardium may decrease the TDR and occurrence of arrhythmias.

Methods And Results: A transmural electrocardiogram and transmembrane action potentials were simultaneously recorded from Epi, mid-myocardial (M), and endocardial (Endo) layers of the arterially perfused canine LV wedge preparations (n= 8).

Vitamin E ameliorates ox-LDL-induced foam cells formation through modulating the activities of oxidative stress-induced NF-κB pathway.

The role of antioxidant supplementation with vitamin E in the prevention of atherosclerosis has been a topic of considerable recent interest. The relevance of vitamin E for macrophage-derived foam cell formation, a hallmark of atherosclerosis, however, has not been unequivocally resolved. Here, we investigated the effect of oxidized LDL (ox-LDL) and vitamin E on lipid accumulation and total cholesterol content in U937 macrophages, reactive oxygen species generation and expression of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway.

Catheter ablation of cardiac fat pads attenuates Bezold-Jarisch reflex in dogs.

Background: Bezold-Jarisch reflex (BJR) plays an important role in the pathophysiology of several cardiovascular disorders. Radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) of the vagal ganglia in cardiac fat pads (FPs) may attenuate BJR. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of RFCA of the cardiac FPs on veratridine-induced BJR in dogs.

Relation of urotensin II levels to lone atrial fibrillation.

Human urotensin II (U-II) is an 11-amino acid peptide that plays an important role in hypertension and coronary artery disease. However, because there is no information on the role of U-II in the development of lone atrial fibrillation (AF), the goal of this study was to clarify the role of U-II in the development of lone AF. The study enrolled 42 patients (42.

AGEs increased migration and inflammatory responses of adventitial fibroblasts via RAGE, MAPK and NF-kappaB pathways.

Objective: Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and vascular adventitial fibroblasts (AFs) are involved in diabetes-related vascular complications. However, the effect of AGEs on AFs remains unclear. The aim of this study was to observe the impact of AGEs on cell migration capacity and associated inflammatory responses of AFs.

[Evaluation on cardio-ankle vascular index derived from ultrasound].

Objective: The cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) could be obtained by measuring pulse wave velocity (PWV) and blood pressure (BP). This method is associated with various technical drawbacks. We evaluated the accuracy and usefulness of CAVI measured by ultrasound via detecting the aortic and ankle flow directly by ultrasonic probe.

[High-concentration palmitic acid inhibits the proliferation of peripheral blood-derived human endothelial progenitor cells in vitro].

Objective: To study the effects of palmitic acid (PA) on the proliferation of peripheral blood-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in vitro.

Methods: The mononuclear cells (MNCs) were isolated from the peripheral blood by Ficoll density-gradient centrifugation. The isolated EPCs were characterized by Di-LDI uptake and FITC-lectin binding assay using laser confocal microscope, and further identified by detection of CD34, CD133 and VEGFR2 expression using flow cytometry.

Vicious cycle composed of gut flora and visceral fat: a novel explanation of the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis.

Microorganisms infection was thought to be associated with atherosclerosis (AS), but the results of trials investigating antibiotic therapy in patients with coronary artery disease were controversial. Recently, a series of studies explored the relationship between gut flora and obesity, which showed that western-style diet (high fat) could induce imbalanced ratio of the Firmicutes versus the Bacteroidetes in the gut of germ-free mice and human beings, and gut flora could promote obesity through several novel pathways, such as inhibition of fasting-induced adipocyte factor. Meanwhile, data from some studies confirm that some link exists between the abdominal obesity and satiety centers (hindbrain and hypothalamus) with neurotransmitters and hormones.

Dysfunction of AQP7 in the periadventitial fat: A novel trigger of atherosclerosis.

Vascular adventitial lesion as a new etiological factor of atherosclerosis (AS) has been confirmed by the results of several different animal models, and some evidence supports adventitial inflammation as the main cause, but the exact mechanism is still elusive. The data from some studies confirm that some link exists between the adventitial inflammation (which also might happen in the periadventitial fat) and atherosclerotic lesions. Aquaporin7 (AQP7) as an aquaglyceroporin, which regulates the permeation of glycerol through the cell membrane and located in the adipose tissue, shows some relationship with obesity.

Double-blind, multicenter, active-controlled, randomized clinical trial to assess the safety and efficacy of orally administered nicorandil in patients with stable angina pectoris in China.

Background: The efficacy and safety of nicorandil were evaluated in Chinese patients with stable angina pectoris (AP) in a double-blind, multicenter, active-controlled, randomized clinical trial.

Methods And Results: After a 2-week washout period, 232 patients with stable AP were randomized to receive either nicorandil (5 mg tid; 115 patients) or isosorbide mononitrate (ISMN: 20 mg bid; 117 patients) for 2 weeks. Exercise capacity, number of weekly anginal attacks, nitroglycerin (NTG) consumption, and safety were evaluated.

[Effects of antidepressant therapy in patients with suspected "angina pectoris" and negative coronary angiogram complicating comorbid depression].

Objective: We observed the therapeutic effectiveness and safety of different antidepressants as well as the correlation between symptomatic improvement of depression and improvement of chest pain in patients with susceptible "angina pectoris" and negative coronary angiogram complicating comorbid depression.

Methods: In this double-blinded randomized study, a total of 123 eligible patients were allocated into three groups: (1) Group F: fluoxetine 20 mg QN (n = 41); (2) Group P: Placebo 1 tablet QN (n = 40); (3) Group F + O: fluoxetine 20 mg + olanzapine 2.5 mg QN for the former 2 weeks and only fluoxetine 20 mg QN for the latter 2 weeks (n = 42).

[Efficacy and safety of olmesartan medoxomil versus losartan potassium in Chinese patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension].

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of olmesartan medoxomil compared with losartan potassium in patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension.

Method: This is a randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, active-controlled, parallel, multi-center study. After a 2-week placebo run-in period, a total of 287 eligible subjects were randomized at 1:1 ratio to receive olmesartan medoxomil 20 mg or losartan potassium 50 mg, once daily for 8 weeks.

[Efficacy and safety of azosemide in patients with edema and ascites].

Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of azosemide in patients with edema and ascites.

Methods: A multicentral, randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial was applied. All 223 patients (cardiac edema 92, hepatogenic edema 63, renal edema 68) were randomized to azoesmide and furosemide group, and all patients were treated for 2 weeks.