Huani Li
Xi'an Jiaotong University
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Featured researches published by Huani Li.
Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology | 2013
Weifeng Li; Huimin Huang; Xiaofeng Niu; Ting Fan; Qingli Mu; Huani Li
Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to gastric ulcer and the present work was aimed to examine the protective effect of tetrahydrocoptisine (THC) in the model of ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in mice. Fasted mice treated with ethanol 75% (0.5ml/100g) were pre-treated with THC (10 or 20mg/kg, ip), cimetidine (100mg/kg, ip) or saline in different experimental sets for a period of 3days, and animals were euthanized 4h after ethanol ingestion. Gross and microscopic lesions, immunological and biochemical parameters were taken into consideration. The results showed that ethanol induced gastric damage, improving nitric oxide (NO) level, increased pro-inflammatory cytokine (TNF-α and IL-6) levels and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, as well as the expression of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) in the ethanol group. Pretreatment of THC at doses of 10 and 20mg/kg bodyweight significantly attenuated the gastric lesions as compared to the ethanol group. These results suggest that the gastroprotective activity of THC is attributed to reducing NO production and adjusting the pro-inflammatory cytokine, inhibited neutrophil accumulation and NF-κB expression.
International Immunopharmacology | 2015
Xiaofeng Niu; Yu Wang; Weifeng Li; Qingli Mu; Huani Li; Huan Yao; Hailin Zhang
Acute lung injury (ALI) is a life-threatening disease characterized by serious lung inflammation and increased capillary permeability, which presents a high mortality worldwide. Isofraxidin (IF), a Coumarin compound isolated from the natural medicinal plants such as Sarcandra glabra and Acanthopanax senticosus, has been reported to have definite anti-bacterial, anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. However, the effects of IF against lipopolysaccharide-induced ALI have not been clarified. The aim of the present study is to explore the protective effects and potential mechanism of IF against LPS-induced ALI in mice. In this study, We found that pretreatment with IF significantly lowered LPS-induced mortality and lung wet-to-dry weight (W/D) ratio and reduced the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). We also found that total cells, neutrophils and macrophages in BALF, MPO activity in lung tissues were markedly decreased. Besides, IF obviously inhibited lung histopathological changes and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) protein expression. These results suggest that IF has a protective effect against LPS-induced ALI, and the protective effect of IF seems to result from the inhibition of COX-2 protein expression in the lung, which regulates the production of PGE2.
Journal of Ethnopharmacology | 2014
Xiaofeng Niu; Yongmei Li; Weifeng Li; Hua Hu; Huan Yao; Huani Li; Qingli Mu
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Caragana tangutica KOM has been used to treat arthritis, wounds, fever and other disease conditions in traditional Chinese medicine (TMC). To support the application of the plant in traditional Chinese medicine by investigating the anti-inflammatory effects of the ethyl acetate extract of Caragana tangutica. MATERIALS AND METHODS The anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated by animal models including xylene-induced ear edema in mice, carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats, acetic acid induced writhing in mice and LPS-induced acute lung injury (ALI). The anti-inflammatory mechanism was evaluated by detecting prostaglandin E2 and immunohistochemistry expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) using an EIA assay kit and immunohistochemistry, respectively. RESULTS The results showed that the xylene-induced ear edema in mice was significantly reduced by the ethyl acetate extract at dosages of 100, 200 and 400mg/kg, and the carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats was monitored to be reduced by the ethyl acetate extract 3h after carrageenan injection. The ethyl acetate extract was also found to reduce the inflammation pain of acetic acid-induced writhing model in a dose-dependent manner and cause reduction of the ALI in mice through the inhibition of the release of PGE2 and the LPS-induced COX-2 expression in the lung. CONCLUSION Our study demonstrates that the ethyl acetate extract of the plant can help to reduce inflammations by inhibiting the expression of COX-2.
European Journal of Pharmacology | 2014
Xiaofeng Niu; Qingli Mu; Weifeng Li; Huan Yao; Huani Li; Huimin Huang
Esculentic acid (EA), a pentacyclic triterpenoids compound extracted from the Chinese herb Phytolacca esculenta, has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, edema, hepatitis and bronchitis disease. The present study aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of EA in vivo and in vitro and the effect of EA on cyclooxygenase (COX) protein expression. To gain insight into the anti-inflammatory effect of EA both in vivo and in vitro and its effect on COX-2 expression, we used animal inflammatory models and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced mouse peritoneal macrophages to examine the anti-inflammatory action of EA. Our findings demonstrated that EA possessed potent anti-inflammatory activity both in vivo and in vitro, while the anti-inflammation action in vitro may be attributed to the inhibition of the level of TNF-α and IL-6 pro-inflammatory cytokines and PGE2 inflammatory mediator in macrophages. Meanwhile, the production of PGE2 was possibly associated with COX-2 protein expression which was similar to that of NSAIDS. The study extends our understanding of the anti-inflammatory effect of EA both in vivo and in vitro and provides clarification of the molecular mechanisms underlying the effect of EA on PGE2 production, extending a novel aspect to the pharmacological activity of EA.
International Immunopharmacology | 2014
Xiaofeng Niu; Huan Yao; Weifeng Li; Qingli Mu; Huani Li; Hua Hu; Yongmei Li; Huimin Huang
The whole plant of Sedum lineare Thunb has been used as traditional folk medicines for the treatment of sore throat, persistent hepatitis, jaundice and dysentery. δ-Amyrone (13(18)-Oleanen-3-one), a pentacyclic triterpene compound from S. lineare Thunb, was found to possess a potent anti-inflammatory effect in different inflammation model animals. Pretreatment with δ-Amyrone (i.p.) inhibited the ear edema in xylene-induced mouse ear edema. δ-Amyrone also decreased the level of nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and leukocyte numbers in acetic acid-induced peritonitis in vivo. To clarify the possible mechanism of δ-Amyrone, we investigated the effect of δ-Amyrone in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced peritoneal macrophages. The data indicated that δ-Amyrone notably inhibited IL-6, TNF-α and NO production. In addition, the result showed that δ-Amyrone may control the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) regulation and not the cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) at protein levels. These results suggest that δ-Amyrone is a bioactive agent which possesses anti-inflammatory effects, which may be relevant to the regulation of COX-2.
International Immunopharmacology | 2014
Weifeng Li; Huani Li; Qingli Mu; Hailin Zhang; Huan Yao; Jiaoshe Li; Xiaofeng Niu
The quaternary ammonium salt, sanguinarine (SG) was reported to possess widespread anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory effects in experimental animals and it has been used to treat many inflammatory diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect and the possible mechanisms underlying the anti-inflammatory activity of SG. Experimentally-induced mice ES model and LPS-induced peritoneal macrophages were used to examine the anti-inflammatory function of SG. In this study, SG pretreatment significantly increased the survival rate of mice from 25% to 58%, 75% and 91% respectively. The production of PGE2 in BALF, the lung MPO activity and the (W/D) weight ratios were also markedly reduced. In addition, immunohistochemical analysis showed that the expression of COX-2 was significantly suppressed in vivo. We also evaluated the effect of SG in LPS-induced peritoneal macrophages to clarify the possible mechanism. The data indicated that SG greatly inhibited the production of PGE2, and it also decreased COX-2 protein expression, without affecting COX-1 expression, in LPS-stimulated peritoneal macrophages. Taken all together, SG potently protected against LPS-induced ES, and our results suggest that the possible mechanism may be relevant to COX-2 regulation.
Immunobiology | 2015
Weifeng Li; Huan Yao; Xiaofeng Niu; Yu Wang; Hailin Zhang; Huani Li; Qingli Mu
The purpose of this study is to examine the protective effect of δ-amyrone on ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in mice. The mice intragastric administration 75% (0.5 mL/100g) ethanol was pretreated with δ-amyrone (4 and 8 mg/kg) and cimetidine (100 mg/kg) or vehicles in different experimental groups for a continuous three-day, and animals were euthanized 3h after ethanol ingestion. The gastric lesions were significantly attenuated by δ-amyrone (4 and 8 mg/kg) as compared to the ulcer control group. Pre-treatment with δ-amyrone prevented the myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, production of nitric oxide (NO) in serum, expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) p65 protein expression. Analysis of cytokines in gastric tissue and serum of ethanol-induced mice showed the levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were decreased by δ-amyrone in response to NF-κB p65. These results suggested that δ-amyrone exerts its protective effect on experimental gastric ulcer by inhibiting NF-κB signaling pathways, which subsequently reduces overproduction of the inducible enzymes iNOS and suppresses the release of the inflammatory factors TNF-α, IL-6 and NO. Thus, δ-amyrone shows promise as a therapeutic agent in experimental gastric ulcer.
Journal of Surgical Research | 2014
Xiaofeng Niu; Hua Hu; Weifeng Li; Yongmei Li; Huimin Huang; Qingli Mu; Huan Yao; Huani Li
BACKGROUND Corydalis denticulato-bracteata Fedde is used as a traditional herbal medicine for the treatment of pneumonia. However, there is no scientific evidence, which validate the use of total alkaloids of denticulato-bracteata Fedde in the literature. MATERIALS AND METHODS Male Kunming mice were randomly divided into seven groups (n = 12, each): control group, total alkaloids alone (200 mg/kg, intragastric gavage), LPS group, and three different doses (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg, intragastric gavage) for total alkaloids-treated groups, Dexamethasone (5 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) group. Corresponding drugs or vehicles were given 24 and 1 h before lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration (5 mg/kg, intraperitoneally). The severity of pulmonary injury was evaluated 6 h after LPS challenge. RESULTS As revealed by survival study, pretreatment with total alkaloids significantly reduced LPS-induced death. We also found that total alkaloids pretreatment markedly decreased the lung wet-to-dry weight ratios and significantly attenuated histopathologic changes. Moreover, total alkaloids decreased the production of the tumor necrosis factor α and nitric oxide in the serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Total alkaloids pretreatment also reduced LPS-induced inducible nitric oxide synthase and p65 nuclear factor kappa B protein expression in the lung. CONCLUSIONS This study indicates that total alkaloids may have a protective effect against LPS-induced acute lung injury. This protective effect of total alkaloids seems to result from inhibition of nuclear factor kappa B activation, which causes the reduction of inflammatory markers such as tumor necrosis factor α and inducible nitric oxide synthase.
Chemico-Biological Interactions | 2015
Xiaofeng Niu; Huan Yao; Weifeng Li; Qingli Mu; Huani Li; Yu Wang; Hailin Zhang
δ-Amyrone (13(18)-Oleanen-3-one), which is an active constituent extracted and separated from Sedum lineare Thunb., has been found to possess a potent anti-inflammatory effect in different inflammation model animals. But its effects on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced endotoxic shock have not been previous explored. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of δ-Amyrone on LPS-induced inflammatory cytokines and the protective effect on endotoxic shock mice. Experimental animals received δ-amyrone (4 and 8 mg/kg, i.p.) and dexamethasone (DEX) (5 mg/kg, i.p.) at 24 and 1 h before LPS injection. δ-Amyrone treatment significantly decreased mortality rate, tissues myeloperoxodase (MPO) activity, p65 NF-κB protein expression when compared with the LPS groups. The levels of tumor nectosis factor-alphagene (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) both in serum and lung, liver, kidney tissues, as well as the accumulation of nitric oxide (NO) in serum were decreased by δ-amyrone in response to p65 nuclear factors-kappa B (NF-κB). These results suggest that the protective activity of δ-amyrone on LPS-induced endotoxic shock is attributed to reducing NO production and mediating the pro-inflammatory cytokines, inhibited NF-κB expression.
International Immunopharmacology | 2014
Xiaofeng Niu; Qingli Mu; Weifeng Li; Huan Yao; Huani Li; Yongmei Li; Hua Hu; Huimin Huang
Esculentic acid (EA), a triterpene compound extracted from the root of Phytolacca esculenta (the Chinese name Shang Lu), has been widely used to therapy a variety of inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, edema, hepatitis and bronchitis. The present study was designed to investigate the protective effects of EA against LPS-induced endotoxic shock by the intraperitoneal injection of EA (1, 5 and 10 mg/kg) prior to LPS stimulation (1 mg/kg, i.p.). We examined the effects of EA on the survival rate of mice, inflammatory cytokine and pro-inflammatory mediator production, histopathological changes and protein expression of COX-2 in tissue sections from lung, liver and kidney. The results indicate that EA not only increases the survival rate of mice, but decreases the levels of TNF-α, IL-6, NO and PGE2 in serum or tissues, histopathological changes and COX-2 protein expression also. Furthermore, EA also increases the levels of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 in serum. Overall, these data suggest that the protective effects of EA against LPS-induced endotoxic shock may be mediated, at least in part, by regulation the release of inflammatory cytokines and mediators, and protein expression of COX-2 in mice.