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Journal of Ethnopharmacology Jan 2024Coptis chinensis Franch. polysaccharide (CCP) and berberine (BBR) are the primary active components of Coptis chinensis Franch. BBR is clinically used for the treatment...
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE
Coptis chinensis Franch. polysaccharide (CCP) and berberine (BBR) are the primary active components of Coptis chinensis Franch. BBR is clinically used for the treatment of intestinal infections and gastroenteritis. CCP was also reported to be effective for the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC). However, whether CCP combined with BBR shows a synergistic effect on the treatment of UC has not been elucidated yet.
AIM OF THE STUDY
This study aspired to investigate the therapeutic effect and the possible mechanisms of the combination of CCP with BBR on chronic UC.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
By periodic administration of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) to C57BL/6J mice, chronic UC model mice were induced. CCP (15 mg/kg), BBR (50 mg/kg), and CCP.BBR (a combination of 15 mg/kg CCP and 50 mg/kg BBR) were orally administered to the model mice for 10 days. Changes of body weight, disease activity index, colon length, organ index, histopathological damage, expression of cytokines, and intestinal tight junction proteins were determined to evaluate the therapeutic effects. 16S rDNA sequencing, targeted short-chain fatty acid metabolomics, qPCR, and western blotting were performed to elucidate the potential mechanism.
RESULTS
Both CCP and BBR alleviated UC via improving colon pathological damage, inhibiting the inflammatory response, and regulating the expression of intestinal tight junction proteins. The combination of CCP with BBR showed a more substantial therapeutic effect via increasing the relative abundance of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) producing bacteria, thereby increasing the contents of SCFAs in vivo and activating AhR/IL-22 pathway.
CONCLUSION
The combination of CCP and BBR showed a synergistic effect on the therapy of chronic UC and the mechanism was associated with regulating gut microbiota and activating AhR/IL-22 pathway.
Topics: Animals; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Colitis, Ulcerative; Berberine; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Coptis chinensis; Polysaccharides; Interleukin-22
PubMed: 37595814
DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.117050 -
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) Dec 2023(1) Background: Cigarette smoking, risky alcohol consumption, and marijuana smoking are the most common behaviors related to legal and illicit drug use worldwide,...
Cigarette Smoking, Risky Alcohol Consumption, and Marijuana Smoking among University Students in Germany: Identification of Potential Sociodemographic and Study-Related Risk Groups and Predictors of Consumption.
(1) Background: Cigarette smoking, risky alcohol consumption, and marijuana smoking are the most common behaviors related to legal and illicit drug use worldwide, including among university students. To plan effective evidence-based programs to prevent the risky consumption of these substances among university students, the present study aimed to identify potential sociodemographic and study-related risk groups and predictors of consumption. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional online health survey with approximately 270 health-related items was conducted among students at the University of Mainz, Germany. Cigarette smoking, risky alcohol consumption (AUDIT-C score: female ≥ 4, male ≥ 5), and marijuana smoking were chosen as dependent variables. Of the 270 health-related items, 56 were chosen as independent variables and collated into five groups (sociodemographic, psychological, study-related psychosocial, general psychosocial and health behavior). The prevalence of cigarette smoking, risky alcohol consumption, and marijuana smoking was assessed using established and validated instruments. Pearson's chi-square test was used to analyze the differences in prevalence between the sociodemographic and study-related groups, and binary logistic regression was used for analyses with stepwise inclusion of the five variable groups. (3) Results: Of the 3991 university students who entered the analyses, 14.9% reported smoking cigarettes, 38.6% reported risky alcohol consumption, and 10.9% reported smoking marijuana. The prevalence of these differed between genders, fields of study, and aspired degree level, among other factors. Binary logistic regression analyses revealed nine significant predictors ( ≤ 0.05) of cigarette smoking (Nagelkerke R = 0.314), 18 significant predictors of risky alcohol consumption (Nagelkerke R = 0.270), and 16 significant predictors of marijuana smoking (Nagelkerke R = 0.239). (4) Conclusions: This study showed cigarette smoking, risky alcohol consumption, and marijuana smoking among university students in Germany to be associated with multiple factors, especially health behaviors. Furthermore, each of the substances was highly associated with each of the two other substances we examined. Other variable groups, such as psychological or psychosocial variables, seemed to play a rather minor role. Therefore, our recommendation for future prevention programs is that substance use among university students should be addressed as a whole, not just in terms of specific substances.
PubMed: 38132073
DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11243182 -
Addictive Behaviors Sep 2024The present systematic review aims to identify electronic interventions for addressing substance use and understand their effectiveness in primary care settings. A... (Review)
Review
The present systematic review aims to identify electronic interventions for addressing substance use and understand their effectiveness in primary care settings. A systematic search was carried out in the Web of Science, PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Cochrane Library. The search included the keywords "electronic intervention", "substance use", "primary care" and synonyms. To determine the quality and recommendation of the analyzed interventions, the efficacy results reported by the studies were considered, as well as the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) assessment and the GRADE Evidence Assessment. Twenty-one electronic interventions in Primary Care were identified: internet, mobile or tablet applications, text messages, emails, automated telephone calls, or electronic self-reports. These interventions had diverse components, incorporating theories that have proven effective in face-to-face interventions as their theoretical frameworks. Some of them were complementary to in-person treatment, while others replaced it. Six interventions (28.5 %) displayed high quality: HealthCall, AB-CASI, Quit Genius, eCHECKUP-TOGO, CBI, and TES. Another nine interventions (42.8 %) were found to have moderate-high quality: Alcohol y Salud, IVR-BI, Program of Wallace et al., Let's Talk About Smoking, SMSalud, ESCAPE, AAC-ASPIRE, iQuit, and Programa VIH. One intervention (4.7 %) had moderate-low quality: Vive sin tabaco ¡Decídete! The remaining five interventions (23.8 %) were found to have very low quality: Connection to health, cSBI, Teen Well Check, the program of Helzer et al. (2008), and Down your drink. The programs with the highest recommendation for addressing alcohol-related issues are HealthCall and AB-CASI; for tobacco use, it is Quit Genius; for cannabis use, it is eCHECKUP-TOGO; for addressing both legal and illegal substances, it is CBI and TES. Finally, for specific illicit drug use, the only recommended program is CBI. This last intervention, CBI, is of the highest quality and, therefore, can be considered a model intervention for dissemination in the primary care setting.
Topics: Humans; Primary Health Care; Substance-Related Disorders; Text Messaging; Telemedicine; Internet; Mobile Applications; Electronic Mail
PubMed: 38821009
DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2024.108073 -
International Journal of Environmental... Nov 2023Excessive alcohol consumption carries a significant health, social and economic burden. Screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment (SBIRT) is one approach...
Alcohol Prevention in Urgent and Emergency Care (APUEC): Development and Evaluation of Workforce Digital Training on Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral for Treatment.
Excessive alcohol consumption carries a significant health, social and economic burden. Screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment (SBIRT) is one approach to identifying patients with excessive alcohol consumption and providing interventions to help them reduce their drinking. However, healthcare workers in urgent and emergency care settings do not routinely integrate SBIRT into clinical practice and raise a lack of training as a barrier to SBIRT delivery. Therefore, "Alcohol Prevention in Urgent and Emergency Care" (APUEC) training was developed, delivered, and evaluated. APUEC is a brief, stand-alone, multimedia, interactive digital training package for healthcare workers. The aim of APUEC is to increase positive attitudes, knowledge, confidence and skills related to SBIRT through the provision of (a) education on the impact of alcohol and the role of urgent and emergency care in alcohol prevention, and (b) practical guidance on patient assessment, delivery of brief advice and making referral decisions. Development involved collaborative-participatory design approaches and a rigorous six-step ASPIRE methodology (involving = 28 contributors). APUEC was delivered to healthcare workers who completed an online survey ( = 18) and then participated in individual qualitative interviews ( = 15). Analysis of data was aligned with Levels 1-3 of the Kirkpatrick Model of Training Evaluation. Survey data showed that all participants (100%) found the training useful and would recommend it to others. Insights from the qualitative data showed that APUEC digital training increases healthcare workers' perceived knowledge, confidence and skills related to alcohol prevention in urgent and emergency care settings. Participants viewed APUEC to be engaging and relevant to urgent and emergency care workers. This digital training was perceived to be useful for workforce skills development and supporting the implementation of SBIRT in clinical practice. While the impact of APUEC on clinician behaviour and patient outcomes is yet to be tested, APUEC digital training could easily be embedded within education and continuing professional development programmes for healthcare workers and healthcare trainees of any discipline. Ultimately, this may facilitate the integration of SBIRT into routine care and contribute to population health improvement.
Topics: Humans; Crisis Intervention; Alcoholism; Health Personnel; Emergency Medical Services; Referral and Consultation; Mass Screening; Substance-Related Disorders
PubMed: 37998259
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20227028 -
Frontiers in Allergy 2024Anaphylaxis is a potentially life-threatening multi-system allergic reaction to a biological trigger resulting in the release of potent inflammatory mediators from mast... (Review)
Review
Anaphylaxis is a potentially life-threatening multi-system allergic reaction to a biological trigger resulting in the release of potent inflammatory mediators from mast cells and basophils and causing symptoms in at least two organ systems that generally include skin, lungs, heart, or gastrointestinal tract in any combination. One exception is profound hypotension as an isolated symptom. There are two types of triggers of anaphylaxis: immunologic and non-Immunologic. Immunologic anaphylaxis is initiated when a foreign antigen directly binds to IgE expressed on mast cells or basophils and induces the release of histamine and other inflammatory substances resulting in vasodilation, vascular leakage, decreased peripheral vascular resistance, and heart muscle depression. If left untreated, death by shock (profound hypotension) or asphyxiation (airway obstruction) can occur. The non-immunologic pathway, on the other hand, can be initiated in many ways. A foreign substance can directly bind to receptors of mast cells and basophils leading to degranulation. There can be immune complex activation of the classical complement cascade with the release of anaphylatoxins C3a and C5a with subsequent recruitment of mast cells and basophils. Finally, hyperosmolar contrast agents can cause blood cell lysis, enzyme release, and complement activation, resulting in anaphylactoid (anaphylactic-like) symptoms. In this report we emphasize the recruitment of the bradykinin-forming cascade in mast cell dependent anaphylactic reactions as a potential mediator of severe hypotension, or airway compromise (asthma, laryngeal edema). We also consider airway obstruction due to inhibition of angiotensin converting enzyme with a diminished rate of endogenous bradykinin metabolism, leading not only to laryngeal edema, but massive tongue swelling with aspiration of secretions.
PubMed: 38332896
DOI: 10.3389/falgy.2024.1302605 -
Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy =... Dec 2023Epidemiology shows that the incidence of diabetes mellitus (DM) is increasing year by year globally. Proper interventions are highly aspired for diabetics to improve the... (Review)
Review
Epidemiology shows that the incidence of diabetes mellitus (DM) is increasing year by year globally. Proper interventions are highly aspired for diabetics to improve the quality of life and prevent development of chronic complications. Trace elements, also known as microelements, are chemical substances that are present in our body in minute amounts. They are necessitated by the body for growth, development and functional metabolism. For the past few years, trace element nanoparticles have aroused considerable interest as a burgeoning form of nanomedicines in antidiabetic applications. These microelement-based nanomedicines can regulate glucose metabolism in several ways, showing great potential for diabetes management. Starting from the pathophysiology of diabetes, the state-of-the-art of diabetes treatment, the physiological roles of trace elements, various emerging trace element nanoparticles specific for diabetes were comprehensively reviewed in this work. Our findings disclose that trace element nanoparticles can fight against diabetes by lowering blood glucose, promoting insulin secretion, alleviating glucose intolerance, improving insulin sensitivity, ameliorating lipid profile, anti-inflammation and anti-oxidant stress, and other mechanisms. In conclusion, trace element nanoparticles can be applied as nanomedicines or dietary modifiers for effective intervention for diabetes.
Topics: Humans; Trace Elements; Nanomedicine; Quality of Life; Diabetes Mellitus; Hypoglycemic Agents; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2
PubMed: 37820567
DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115684 -
Cureus Sep 2023Left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC) is a rare congenital condition defined by the presence of prominent trabeculations in the myocardial layer of the left ventricle....
Left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC) is a rare congenital condition defined by the presence of prominent trabeculations in the myocardial layer of the left ventricle. The clinical presentation is varied as some patients are asymptomatic and others have symptoms of decompensated heart failure, arrhythmias, or thromboembolism. We present the case of a 42-year-old female with a past medical history of asthma and substance use disorder who presented to the Emergency Department following a syncopal event. The patient had used heroin intranasally, following which she became unresponsive for several minutes. Her husband witnessed the event and initiated chest compressions. When examined by emergency medical services (EMS), she had a palpable pulse and was given naloxone. The patient underwent further evaluation and was admitted for the treatment of aspiration pneumonia. Throughout her hospital stay, she complained of chest pain with musculoskeletal characteristics, likely secondary to chest compressions. However, due to the persistence of pain, she had further cardiac evaluation done. Her electrocardiography (EKG) revealed a normal sinus rhythm with no acute ischemic changes. Her echocardiography revealed left ventricular apical trabeculations with normal systolic and diastolic function, in line with the diagnosis of LVNC. Upon discharge, she was extensively counseled to abstain from substance use and to follow up with cardiology for a cardiac event monitor. Given her initial syncopal event and high-risk substance use behavior, she would benefit from close follow-up for the presence of arrhythmias.
PubMed: 37849596
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.45366 -
Forensic Science, Medicine, and... Jul 2023Self-stabbing and self-cutting represents an uncommon method of suicide. We present a case of a 30-year-old man who was found dead in the forest. The body was naked and...
Self-stabbing and self-cutting represents an uncommon method of suicide. We present a case of a 30-year-old man who was found dead in the forest. The body was naked and showed multiple cut and stab wounds on different parts of the body (face, neck, chest, abdomen, and extremities). A single-edged kitchen knife was found approximately 20 m from the body. Parts of both ears, the fifth toe of the right foot, and the scrotum were cut off. At the autopsy, two of the severed body parts-the toe and the part of the left ear-were found in the stomach. The cause of death was asphyxiation due to blood aspiration resulting from a cut throat injury. A police investigation uncovered a history of substance abuse and two previous suicidal attempts using a knife. Upon complex analysis of all the evidence, the manner of death was ruled a suicide, which was preceded by actions of major self-mutilation and self-cannibalism, both considered rare behavioral patterns.
PubMed: 37450169
DOI: 10.1007/s12024-023-00674-7 -
Environmental Science & Technology May 2024Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have received increased attention due to their environmental prevalence and threat to public health. Trifluoroacetic acid...
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have received increased attention due to their environmental prevalence and threat to public health. Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) is an ultrashort-chain PFAS and the simplest perfluorocarboxylic acid (PFCA). While the US EPA does not currently regulate TFA, its chemical similarity to other PFCAs and its simple molecular structure make it a suitable model compound for studying the transformation of PFAS. We show that hydrothermal processing in compressed liquid water transforms TFA at relatively mild conditions (T = 150-250 °C, < 30 MPa), initially yielding gaseous products, such as CHF and CO, that naturally aspirate from the solution. Alkali amendment (., NaOH) promotes the mineralization of CHF, yielding dissolved fluoride, formate, and carbonate species as final products. Fluorine and carbon balances are closed using Raman spectroscopy and fluoride ion selective electrode measurements for experiments performed at alkaline conditions, where gas yields are negligible. Qualitative FTIR gas analysis allows for establishing the transformation pathways; however, the F-balance could not be quantitatively closed for experiments without NaOH amendment. The kinetics of TFA transformation under hydrothermal conditions are measured, showing little to no dependency on NaOH concentration, indicating that the thermal decarboxylation is a rate-limiting step. A proposed TFA transformation mechanism motivates additional work to generalize the hydrothermal reaction pathways to other PFCAs.
Topics: Trifluoroacetic Acid; Water; Halogenation
PubMed: 38661729
DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c09404