Ginsenoside Rb1 inhibit apoptosis in rat model of Alzheimer's disease induced by Aβ.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and lacks disease-altering treatments. Ginsenoside Rb1 (GsRb1), the key active compounds of ginsenoside found in ginseng. The present study aimed to determine whether GsRb1 could prevent cognitive deficit and take neuroprotective effects in Aβ-induced rat model through apoptotic signaling pathway.

Multifaceted effects of astragaloside IV on promotion of random pattern skin flap survival in rats.

Random pattern skin flap transplantation is frequently applied in plastic and reconstructive surgery, but the distal part of skin flaps often suffers necrosis due to ischemia. Astragaloside IV (AS-IV), a natural saponin purified from Astragalus membranaceus, may have beneficial functions for flap survival. In this study, rats were divided into a control group and an AS-IV treatment group, and underwent surgery using a modified "McFarlane flap" model.

A Meta-Analysis of Folic Acid in Combination with Anti-Hypertension Drugs in Patients with Hypertension and Hyperhomocysteinemia.

Folic acid is generally used to lower homocysteine concentrations and prevent stroke and cardiovascular disease (CVD) at present. However, the efficacy of therapies that lower homocysteine concentrations in reducing the risk of CVD and stroke remains controversial. Our objective was to do a meta-analysis of relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate the efficacy of folic acid supplementation among patients with hypertension and Hyperhomocysteinemia (HT/HHcy).

miR-320 inhibited ovarian cancer oncogenicity via targeting TWIST1 expression.

Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecological cancer in most countries. Increasing studies have demonstrated that dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) can contribute to cancer progression. In this study, we showed that miR-320 was underexpressed in ovarian cancer samples compared to their non-tumor tissues.

Steroidogenesis in Leydig cells: effects of aging and environmental factors.

Serum testosterone (TS) levels decrease with aging in both humans and rodents. Using the rat as a model system, it was found that age-related reductions in serum TS were not due to loss of Leydig cells, but rather to the reduced ability of the Leydig cells to produce TS in response to luteinizing hormone (LH). Detailed analyses of the steroidogenic pathway have suggested that two defects along the pathway, LH-stimulated cAMP production and cholesterol transport to and into the mitochondria, are of particular importance in age-related reductions in TS production.

Insights into the Development of the Adult Leydig Cell Lineage from Stem Leydig Cells.

Adult Leydig cells (ALCs) are the steroidogenic cells in the testes that produce testosterone. ALCs develop postnatally from a pool of stem cells, referred to as stem Leydig cells (SLCs). SLCs are spindle-shaped cells that lack steroidogenic cell markers, including luteinizing hormone (LH) receptor and 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase.

Shexiang Baoxin Pills for Coronary Heart Disease in Animal Models: Preclinical Evidence and Promoting Angiogenesis Mechanism.

Shexiang Baoxin Pill (SBP) originated from a classical TCM Fufang Suhexiang Pill for chest pain with dyspnea in the Southern Song Dynasty (1107-110 AD). Here, we aimed to evaluate preclinical evidence and possible mechanism of SBP for experimental coronary heart disease (CHD). Studies of SBP in animal models with CHD were identified from 6 databases until April 2016.

Interactome analysis of gene expression profiles of cervical cancer reveals dysregulated mitotic gene clusters.

Cervical cancer is the second most common malignancy in women worldwide. HPV infections are the leading cause of cervical cancer. Although progress has been made in understanding cervical cancer, knowledge of oncogenic gene clusters that participate in squamous-cell mitosis is still lacking.