Background: Safflower extract (SE) improves depression in mice by inhibiting the TLR4-NLRP3 inflammatory signaling pathway.Methods: Chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) was used to establish a mouse model of depression.A total of 60 adult male ICR mice were randomly divided into 6 groups: control group, depression group (CUMS only), SE (10 mg/kg) + depression group (CUMS+SE, 10 mg/kg), SE (30 mg/kg) + depression group (CUMS+SE, 30 mg/kg), Cli-095 + depression group (CUMS+Cli-95), and fluoxetine hydrochloride (FLU) + depression group (CUMS+FLU). We assessed the depressive behaviors of these mice using the sucrose preference test (SPT), the open field test (OFT), the forced swim test (FST), and the tail suspension test (TST). We measured the expression levels of SOD, MDA, GSH-Px, 5-HT, NE, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 using ELISA kits. Western blot was used to determine the relative expression levels of TLR4, p38, NF-κB, NLRP3, and caspase-1.Results: SE significantly improved the results of the SPT, OFT, FST, and TST. SE also increased the expression levels of 5-HT and NE in the prefrontal cortex while decreased the expression levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 compared with CUMS. SE (10 or 30 mg/kg) or FLU (10 mg/kg) significantly inhibited the expression of TLR4 and p-p38 induced by CUMS. SE significantly inhibited the expression of p-NF-κB in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus induced by CUMS. The decrease of NLRP3 and caspase-1 were obviously reversed after administration of SE (10 or 30 mg/kg) or FLU (10 mg/kg). Conclusions:The results showed that SE has potential antidepressant effects in CUMS mice, and its underlying mechanism may be related to its effects on inflammation and the TLR4-NF-κB-NLRP3 signaling pathway in the brain.

Clin Invest Med 2010; 33 (4): E254-E260. AbstractPurpose: Post-surgial adhesion formation can result in significant morbidity and mortality. N,O-carboxymethyl chitosan (N,O-CMC) has been previously shown to be effective in the prevention of postsurgical adhesion formation. In this study, we evaluated the ability of O-carboxymethyl chitosan (O-CMC), another chitosan derivative generated by carboxymethylation of chitosan's oxygen centers, to reduce postsurgical adhesion development. Methods: Twenty male Sprague-Dawley rats (250 ± 20 g) were divided into two equal groups: O-CMC group and saline (control) group. All rats underwent a midline laparotomy and the cecum was abraded to cause petechial hemorrhages. Following peritoneal injections of either saline or O-CMC, the incisions were closed. Seven days after surgery, the animals were killed and adhesion formation was scored. Tissue samples from the adhesions were examined histochemically. Adhesion formation is a very common complication of surgery. Several studies have documented that 68-100% of patients undergoing laparotomies have postsurgical adhesions. 1,2 The formation of adhesions, probably resulting from mechanical damage, ischemia, and infection by microorganisms, 1-3 can increase the morbidity and mortality following surgery. [4][5][6] There are two major strategies for adhesion prevention or reduction: improvement of surgical technique and application of adjuvants. 7 Modifications in technique alone will decrease but not prevent adhesion formation; thus, adjuvant therapy is essential. 7 Among ORIGINAL RESEARCH

BACKGROUND Decreased ovarian reserve function is an ovarian hypofunction disease that occurs in women before 40 years of age, leading to a decline in fertility and perimenopausal symptoms, such as irregular menstruation, amenorrhea, infertility, decreased libido, and autonomic nervous dysfunction. Fenmatong (FMT) is a compound mixture of estradiol tablets and estradiol didroxyprogesterone tablets, which can improve ovarian reserve function by supplementation of exogenous estrogen. However, this treatment has also been shown to cause breast pain, gastrointestinal discomfort, irregular vaginal bleeding, and changes in sexual desire. In severe cases, FMT can promote the development of breast cancer, endometrial cancer, and venous embolic disease. AIM To observe the effects of Kuntai capsules and FMT on endocrine indexes and uterine artery blood circulation in patients with decreased ovarian reserve function. METHODS Patients (130) with decreased ovarian reserve function, who were treated in our hospital from May 2018 to May 2020, were divided into two groups: The FMT group, in which patients were treated with FMT, and the observation group, in which patients were treated with Kuntai capsules. Chinese medicine symptom scores, uterine artery blood flow parameters, ovarian ultrasound test indexes, pictorial blood loss assessment chart (PBAC) scores, and hormone levels were recorded, and total effective rates were calculated for both groups. RESULTS The total effective rate in the observation group was higher than that in the FMT group ( P < 0.05).After treatment, primary symptoms, including low menstrual volume, delayed menstruation, red color and thick consistency of menses, dizziness, palpitation, weakness at the waist and knee, insomnia and excessive dreaming, irritability, and dryness and astringency of the pudendal canal in the observation group decreased, and scores for primary and secondary symptoms in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the FMT group ( P < 0.05).The systolic peak flow rate (PSV), end-diastolic flow rate (EDV), ovarian diameter, sinus follicle count, and resistance index (RI) of the uterine arteries in the observation group and FMT group increased after treatment. Notably, the PSV, EDV, ovarian diameter, and antral follicle count in the observation group were higher than those in the FMT group, whereas the RI in the observation group was lower than that in the FMT group ( P < 0.05).The PBAC scores in the observation and FMT groups increased after treatment, with that in the observation group becoming significantly higher than that in the FMT group ( P < 0.05). After treatment, estradiol (E2) and anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) levels increased, whereas follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels decreased in the observation group and FMT group; E2 and AMH levels beca...