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Background. Dragon’s blood is a natural medicine with hemostatic and blood-activating effects and is used to promote wound healing. Dracorhodin perchlorate (DP) is a stable form of dracarhod and is used as a substitute for cochinchinenin. DP promotes the proliferation of rat fibroblasts and promotes wound healing in rats. Methods. DP ointment (0.2 mg/mL) was applied to the skin wounds of nondiabetic and diabetic rats, and the skin of the wound was collected. Wound healing rate, H&E staining, Masson staining, TLR4 pathway, related inflammatory factors, nitric oxide synthase, and so forth were detected. Results. DP treatment alleviated the prolonged inflammatory cell infiltration time and the increase in the TLR4 pathway and inflammatory factors caused by diabetes. DP also promoted wound healing by increasing eNOS protein expression and NO content in the later stage of wound healing. Conclusion. DP promotes wound healing in diabetic rats by regulating the TLR4 pathway and related inflammatory factors. Therefore, adjuvant treatment of DP can be developed for diabetic wound healing.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common chronic liver diseases and is a nutritional metabolic disease. Artemisia capillaris (AC) is the above-ground dried part of Artemisia capillaris Thunb. or Artemisia scoparia Waldst. et Kit., a natural medicinal plant with pharmacological effects of heat-clearing and biliary-promoting. In order to evaluate the therapeutic effect of Artemisia capillaris on NAFLD and obesity, experiments were conducted using aqueous extracts of Artemisia capillaris (WAC) to intervene in NAFLD models in vivo and in vitro. In vivo experiments were performed using HFD-fed (high fat diet) C57BL/6 mice to induce NAFLD model, and in vitro experiments were performed using oleic acid to induce HepG2 cells to construct NAFLD cell model. H.E. staining and oil red O staining of liver tissue were used to observe hepatocytes. Blood biochemistry analyzer was used to detect serum lipid levels in mice. The drug targets and mechanism of action of AC to improve NAFLD were investigated by western blotting, qRT-PCR and immunofluorescence. The results showed that C57BL/6 mice fed HFD continuously for 16 weeks met the criteria for NAFLD in terms of lipid index and hepatocyte fat accumulation. WAC was able to reverse the elevation of serum lipid levels induced by high-fat diet in mice. WAC promoted the phosphorylation levels of PI3K/AKT and AMPK in liver and HepG2 cells of NAFLD mice, inhibited SREBP-1c expression, reduced TG and lipogenesis, and decreased lipid accumulation. In summary, WAC extract activates PI3K/AKT pathway, reduces SREBP-1c protein expression by promoting AMPK phosphorylation, and decreases fatty acid synthesis and TG content in hepatocytes. AC can be used as a potential health herb to improve NAFLD and obesity.

Bazhen is a classic prescription used for the prevention of qi and blood deficiency. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with modified Bazhen powder (MBP) on sows during lactation. Forty pure-bred Yorkshire sows on day 100 of gestation were randomly fed a standard diet supplemented with 20 g MBP per sow per day (MBP group) or without (control group) during -14 to 7 days relative to parturition. Results showed that the serum levels of interleukin 2 (IL-2), immunoglobulin A (IgA), and IgG were higher, whereas IL-10 level was lower in sows fed with MBP diet than in controls on day 7 postpartum. A significantly elevated proportion of serum CD4+ T cells and a slight increase in the ratio of CD4+ to CD8+ T cells in the MBP group were also observed. Furthermore, MBP supplementation improved gastrointestinal function of postpartum sows, evidenced by increased levels of motilin, gastrin, and nitric oxide. Ultra high-performance liquid chromatography combined with a quadrupole time of flight and tandem mass spectrometer identified a total of 21 absorbed milk components. 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing data revealed that the microbiota diversity of the colostrum and transitional milk in the MBP group was increased. At the genus level, relative abundances of Enterococcus and Anaerostipes were significantly lower in the MBP group on day 0 of lactation. Metabolomic analysis showed that 38 metabolites were upregulated, and 41 metabolites were downregulated in the transitional milk; 31 metabolites were upregulated and 8 metabolites were downregulated in the colostrum in response to MBP. Metabolic pathways, protein digestion and absorption, and biosynthesis of amino acids were enriched in the colostrum and transitional milk. Our findings provide new insights into the beneficial effects of MBP, highlighted by the changes to the microbiota and metabolomic profile of breast milk from sows fed with an MBP-supplemented diet. Thus, MBP should be considered as a potential dietary supplement for lactating sows in pork production.

Background: Aristolochic acid I (AA-I) can damage the structure and function of kidney, but there are few prevention strategies at present. In this study, we investigated the protective effects and mechanism of Rehmannia glutinosa extract-catalpol (CAT) on renal injury caused by AA-I. Methods: In vitro, NRK-52E cells were administered with AA-I (40 μM) or/and CAT (10 μM, 5 μM) for 24 h. In vivo, C57BL/6NJ male mice were administered with AA-I (10 mg/kg) or/and CAT (100 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg) for 28 d. Clinical symptoms, histopathology, Elisa, quantitative RT-PCR, Westernblot, immunocytochemistry, immunofluorescence and flow cytometry were used to evaluate the protective effect of CAT on renal injury. Results: In the model group, the body weight and renal function of mice decreased significantly, and the pathological damage of renal tissue was obvious. Compared with the model group, CAT can significantly improve the kidney structure and function. Activate NF-E2-related-factor-2 (Nrf2) signal pathway, increase antioxidant enzyme activity and decrease ROS and MDA levels. CAT can also inhibit the nuclear-factor-kappa-B (NF-κB) signaling pathway and reduce the expression of Cyt-c, TNF-α and pro-IL-1β. In addition, CAT can reduce Ca2+ concentration, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and mitochondrial damage, thus reducing mitochondrial pathway apoptosis and cell apoptosis rate. And both Nrf2 and NF-κB are the main targets of CAT in alleviating AA-I-induced renal injury. Conclusion: CAT can attenuate the damage of renal structure and function through Nrf2/NF-κB pathways. CAT can inhibit inflammation and oxidative stress, further reducing the mitochondrial pathway apoptosis and endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway apoptosis.