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[Literature research and discussion on properties of a new oversea-introduced traditional Chinese medicine Malaysian ginseng(Tongkat Ali)]

Ye DN, Wang LY, Fei WT, Lin Q, Yan LY, Yang BR, et al.

Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi, 2024 Sep;49(18):5095-5101.
PMID: 39701690 DOI: 10.19540/j.cnki.cjcmm.20240611.401

Tongkat Ali(Eurycoma longifolia Jack.) is a medicinal plant of Simaroubaceae in Southeast Asia, with centuries of medicinal history. Rich clinical and pharmacological research results have been attained for this plant, which demonstrates diverse and definite effects and high safety, showcasing advantages and broad market prospects to be introduced as a new medicinal plant. Currently, E. longifolia is cultivated in Hainan and Guangdong in China. However, it has not been utilized for the medicinal purpose in China, and the systematic study on its traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) properties remains to be carried out. This paper comprehensively reviews and analyzes the application history, clinical trials, biological activities, chemical composition, and safety of Tongkat Ali and probes into its TCM properties. The results suggest that Tongkat Ali is sweet, bitter, pungent, and plain, with tropism to the kidney, spleen, and liver meridians. Tongkat Ali has the main functions of tonifying kidney and replenishing essence, invigorating spleen and replenishing Qi, and soothing liver and relieving depression. The clinical applications of Tongkat Ali encompass kidney essence deficiency, sex apathy, spleen Qi deficiency, fatigue, liver depression and Qi stagnation. The recommended dosage and usage of this medicine are 2-10 g daily and decoction with water, respectively. This study aims to facilitate the compatible use and product development of Tongkat Ali while providing reference for introducing it as a new TCM resource and studying the TCM properties of ginseng plants abroad.
Pulmonary surfactant mitigates silver nanoparticle toxicity in human alveolar type-I-like epithelial cells

Sweeney S, Leo BF, Chen S, Abraham-Thomas N, Thorley AJ, Gow A, et al.

Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces, 2016 Sep 01;145:167-75.
PMID: 27182651 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2016.04.040

Accompanying increased commercial applications and production of silver nanomaterials is an increased probability of human exposure, with inhalation a key route. Nanomaterials that deposit in the pulmonary alveolar region following inhalation will interact firstly with pulmonary surfactant before they interact with the alveolar epithelium. It is therefore critical to understand the effects of human pulmonary surfactant when evaluating the inhalation toxicity of silver nanoparticles. In this study, we evaluated the toxicity of AgNPs on human alveolar type-I-like epithelial (TT1) cells in the absence and presence of Curosurf(®) (a natural pulmonary surfactant substitute), hypothesising that the pulmonary surfactant would act to modify toxicity. We demonstrated that 20nm citrate-capped AgNPs induce toxicity in human alveolar type I-like epithelial cells and, in agreement with our hypothesis, that pulmonary surfactant acts to mitigate this toxicity, possibly through reducing AgNP dissolution into cytotoxic Ag(+) ions. For example, IL-6 and IL-8 release by TT1 cells significantly increased 10.7- and 35-fold, respectively (P<0.01), 24h after treatment with 25μg/ml AgNPs. In contrast, following pre-incubation of AgNPs with Curosurf(®), this effect was almost completely abolished. We further determined that the mechanism of this toxicity is likely associated with Ag(+) ion release and lysosomal disruption, but not with increased reactive oxygen species generation. This study provides a critical understanding of the toxicity of AgNPs in target human alveolar type-I-like epithelial cells and the role of pulmonary surfactant in mitigating this toxicity. The observations reported have important implications for the manufacture and application of AgNPs, in particular for applications involving use of aerosolised AgNPs.
Comparison of combination therapy of high-dose oral N-acetylcysteine and intravenous sodium bicarbonate hydration with individual therapies in the reduction of Contrast-induced Nephropathy during Cardiac Catheterisation and Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (CONTRAST): A multi-centre, randomised, controlled trial

Chong E, Poh KK, Lu Q, Zhang JJ, Tan N, Hou XM, et al.

Int J Cardiol, 2015 Dec 15;201:237-42.
PMID: 26301645 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2015.07.108

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and sodium bicarbonate (SOB) therapies may prevent contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN). However, the efficacy of using combination over individual therapies was not established, and there was no large randomised study comparing abbreviated SOB therapy with conventional sustained saline pre-hydration with oral NAC.
Fulltext Modulation of Human Macrophage Responses to Mycobacterium tuberculosis by Silver Nanoparticles of Different Size and Surface Modification

Sarkar S, Leo BF, Carranza C, Chen S, Rivas-Santiago C, Porter AE, et al.

PLoS One, 2015;10(11):e0143077.
PMID: 26580078 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0143077

Exposure to silver nanoparticles (AgNP) used in consumer products carries potential health risks including increased susceptibility to infectious pathogens. Systematic assessments of antimicrobial macrophage immune responses in the context of AgNP exposure are important because uptake of AgNP by macrophages may lead to alterations of innate immune cell functions. In this study we examined the effects of exposure to AgNP with different particle sizes (20 and 110 nm diameters) and surface chemistry (citrate or polyvinlypyrrolidone capping) on cellular toxicity and innate immune responses against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) by human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM). Exposures of MDM to AgNP significantly reduced cellular viability, increased IL8 and decreased IL10 mRNA expression. Exposure of M.tb-infected MDM to AgNP suppressed M.tb-induced expression of IL1B, IL10, and TNFA mRNA. Furthermore, M.tb-induced IL-1β, a cytokine critical for host resistance to M.tb, was inhibited by AgNP but not by carbon black particles indicating that the observed immunosuppressive effects of AgNP are particle specific. Suppressive effects of AgNP on the M.tb-induced host immune responses were in part due to AgNP-mediated interferences with the TLR signaling pathways that culminate in the activation of the transcription factor NF-κB. AgNP exposure suppressed M.tb-induced expression of a subset of NF-κB mediated genes (CSF2, CSF3, IFNG, IL1A, IL1B, IL6, IL10, TNFA, NFKB1A). In addition, AgNP exposure increased the expression of HSPA1A mRNA and the corresponding stress-induced Hsp72 protein. Up-regulation of Hsp72 by AgNP can suppress M.tb-induced NF-κB activation and host immune responses. The observed ability of AgNP to modulate infectious pathogen-induced immune responses has important public health implications.
Birth Cohort Consortium of Asia: Current and Future Perspectives

Kishi R, Zhang JJ, Ha EH, Chen PC, Tian Y, Xia Y, et al.

Epidemiology, 2017 10;28 Suppl 1:S19-S34.
PMID: 29028672 DOI: 10.1097/EDE.0000000000000698

BACKGROUND: The environmental health of children is one of the great global health concerns. Exposures in utero and throughout development can have major consequences on later health. However, environmental risks or disease burdens vary from region to region. Birth cohort studies are ideal for investigating different environmental risks.
METHODS: The principal investigators of three birth cohorts in Asia including the Taiwan Birth Panel Study (TBPS), the Mothers and Children's Environmental Health Study (MOCEH), and the Hokkaido Study on Environment and Children' Health (Hokkaido Study) coestablished the Birth Cohort Consortium of Asia (BiCCA) in 2011. Through a series of five PI meetings, the enrolment criteria, aim of the consortium, and a first-phase inventory were confirmed.
RESULTS: To date, 23 birth cohorts have been established in 10 Asian countries, consisting of approximately 70,000 study subjects in the BiCCA. This article provides the study framework, environmental exposure and health outcome assessments, as well as maternal and infant characteristics of the participating cohorts.
CONCLUSIONS: The BiCCA provides a unique and reliable source of birth cohort information in Asian countries. Further scientific cooperation is ongoing to identify specific regional environmental threats and improve the health of children in Asia.