Vascular retinopathy is a pathological change in the retina caused by ocular or systemic vascular diseases that can lead to blurred vision and the risk of blindness. Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBPs) are extracted from the fruit of traditional Chinese medicine, L. barbarum. They have strong biological activities, including immune regulation, antioxidation, and neuroprotection, and have been shown to improve vision in numerous studies. At present, there is no systematic literature review of LBPs on vascular retinal prevention and treatment. We review the structural characterization and extraction methods of LBPs, focus on the mechanism and pharmacokinetics of LBPs in improving vascular retinopathy, and discuss the future clinical application and lack of work. LBPs are involved in the regulation of VEGF, Rho/ROCK, PI3K/Akt/mTOR, Nrf2/HO-1, AGEs/RAGE signaling pathways, which can alleviate the occurrence and development of vascular retinal diseases in an inflammatory response, oxidative stress, apoptosis, autophagy, and neuroprotection. LBPs are mainly absorbed by the small intestine and stomach and excreted through urine and feces. Their low bioavailability in vivo has led to the development of novel dosage forms, including multicompartment delivery systems and scaffolds. Data from the literature confirm the medicinal potential of LBPs as a new direction for the prevention and complementary treatment of vascular retinopathy.
The main feature of insomnia is difficulty in starting or maintaining sleep. 5-HT1A receptor and 5-HT2A receptor are two subtypes of the classic central 5-HT neurotransmitter closely related to sleep and wakefulness. To observe the effects of Evodia rutaecarpa acupoint sticking therapy on the mRNA expressions of 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A in the hypothalamus, brainstem, and hippocampus of insomnia rats induced by para-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA). Ten rats were randomly selected as the normal group, and 80 PCPA insomnia model rats were randomly divided into eight groups, including a model group, a positive control group (diazepam group), a low-dose E. rutaecarpa acupoint sticking therapy group (Yongquan acupoint group and Shenque acupoint group; the same applied below), a middle-dose E. rutaecarpa acupoint sticking therapy group, and a high-dose E. rutaecarpa acupoint sticking therapy group. The normal group and the model group did not receive treatment. The positive control group was given diazepam through intragastric administration, and the three-dose E. rutaecarpa acupoint sticking therapy groups were divided into the Yongquan acupoint group and the Shenque acupoint group. After seven days of administration, the rat hypothalamus, brainstem, and hippocampus tissues were taken, and a real-time polymerase chain
HIGHLIGHTS• E. rutaecarpa acupoint sticking therapy can improve insomnia.• Significantly upregulated 5-HT1A mRNA expression and downregulated 5-HT2A mRNA expression.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a severe inflammatory autoimmune disease characterized by the failed spontaneous resolution of inflammation. The induction of immune regulation and resolution of inflammatory pathways are effective in alleviating inflammation in RA. As the oldest medical system in the world, traditional Tibetan medicine (TTM) has a long history of preventing and treating RA. This review provides a comprehensive overview of medicinal plants with anti-RA activity in the TTM system, using classic books of Tibetan medicine, modern research literature, and drug standards. A total of 27 species have been found to be effective in treating RA, including Tinospora sinensis (Lour.) Merr., Terminalia chehula Retz., P. hookeri (C. B. Clarke) Hock.), and Aconitum pendulum Busch. Alkaloids, flavonoids, polyphenols, and terpenoids have turned out to be the major bioactive components for RA treatment. The inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokine expression by mediating the NF-κB, MAPK, and JAK/STAT pathways is the core mechanism in RA treatment. In conclusion, this review provides key information and research perspectives for further research on the anti-RA effects of TTM.
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