We studied the protective effects of polysaccharides isolated from the root of Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) (Danggui) on gastrointestinal damage induced by ethanol or indomethacin in rats. Oral administration of ethanol provoked a marked hemorrhagic damage in the glandular mucosa, which was accompanied with a significant increase of myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, a marker enzyme for inflammation and neutrophil infiltration. An extract from Angelica, which mainly consisted of polysaccharides (95%) (AP), dose-dependently prevented gastric mucosal damage. This ulcer protective effect could last at least 12 h after administration. Prostaglandin E2 produced a similar anti-lesion effect. AP and prostaglandin E2 also reduced mucosal MPO activity. Indomethacin-induced gastrointestinal damage, another neutrophil-dependent lesion model in the gastrointestinal tract, was also prevented by AP pretreatment. The present findings suggest that polysaccharides from Angelica possess an anti-inflammatory action, perhaps through the inhibitory action on neutrophil infiltration in the gastrointestinal mucosa. AP could potentially be useful to prevent any neutrophil-dependent mucosal injury in the gastrointestinal tract.

Bacteria play a pivotal role in the pathological initiation and progression of pulpitis. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is recognized as a major component of the outer wall of Gram-negative bacteria. Saxagliptin, a potent inhibitor of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4), has been licensed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the protective effects of saxagliptin against LPS-induced intracellular insults in human dental pulp cells (HDPCs). We found that DPP-4 is expressed in HDPCs. Interestingly, the expression of DPP-4 was increased in response to LPS treatment. We also found that saxagliptin ameliorated LPS-induced production of ROS and reduction of glutathione (GSH). Additionally, saxagliptin prevented LPS-induced mitochondrial dysfunction by increasing the levels of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Importantly, saxagliptin ameliorated LPS-induced reduction of cell viability and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release. Our results indicate that saxagliptin significantly inhibited LPS-induced expression and secretions of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a), interleukin (IL)-1b and IL-6 in HDPCs. Mechanistically, we found that saxagliptin inhibited the phosphorylation of p38 and the activation of NF-jB. Our findings suggest that saxagliptin might have a potential therapeutic capacity for the treatment of pulpitis through mitigating inflammatory signalling in dental pulp cells.

Objective This study investigated the inhibitory effect of baicalin on orthodontically induced inflammatory root resorption in rats. Methods Forty-five male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups of 15 rats each. Fifty grams of force was used to establish an orthodontic tooth movement model. Baicalin (40 mg/kg) was locally injected into rats in the baicalin group at 3-day intervals; concurrently, normal saline was injected into rats in the negative control group. On the 21st day after orthodontic treatment, the tooth movement distance and root resorption area ratio were measured. Histomorphology changes were observed by hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemistry. Results There was no significant difference in tooth movement distance between groups. The root resorption area ratio was significantly lower in the baicalin group than in the negative control group. Runx-2 expression was significantly higher in the baicalin group than in the negative control group, while tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α expression was significantly lower in the baicalin group than in the negative control group. Conclusions Baicalin inhibits orthodontically induced inflammatory root resorption by enhancing the expression of Runx-2 and reducing the expression of TNF-α, but does not affect tooth movement distance.

Background: The correlation between extension of the maxillary sinus floor and vertical facial skeletal patterns is important for designing orthodontic treatment plans. We correlated the extension of the maxillary sinus (MS) floor with different facial skeletal malocclusion in adolescent patients aged 10-19 years old using a cone-beam computed tomography. Methods: The relationship between the root tips of upper posterior teeth and the sinus floor was typed and scored (0-4) using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images. Scores of each tooth and each patient were formulated.The cephalometric radiographs were analyzed with Dolphin software to diagnose patients' facial skeletal types into three groups according to Frankfort mandibular plane angle (FMA) as high-angle, average-angle and low-angle groups and ANB angle as Class I, Class II and Class III groups separately. The influences caused by age, sex, and facial skeletal malocclusion on the tooth and patient score were analyzed. Results: In high-angle group, the first molar (FM) score was significantly higher than that in the average-angle and low-angle groups (P = 0.018). Age has a positive effect on the patient score and some of the tooth scores, such as the second premolar (SPM) score, FM score, and the second molar (SM) score, and in the skeletal facial malocclusion. With increasing age, SM score increased along with the Frankfort mandibular plane angle (FMA). No significant difference was found in the distribution of patient and tooth scores by ANB angles. Conclusion: The relationship between the maxillary posterior roots and the sinus floor is correlated with facial skeletal malocclusion in 10- to 19-year-old adolescents. More first molar root tips were inside the sinus in the high-angle group compared with the average-angle and low-angle skeletal patterns. With advancing age, more second molar root tips were more close to contact the sinus floor in the high-angle group. Consideration of the root-sinus position in the posterior maxillary area before establishing an orthodontic treatment plan is recommended.