title: NaoXinTong Inhibits the Development of Diabetic Retinopathy in db/db Mice.
abstract: Buchang NaoXinTong capsule (NXT) is a Chinese Materia Medica standardized product extracted from 16 Chinese traditional medical herbs and widely used for treatment of patients with cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases in China. Formation of microaneurysms plays an important role in the development of diabetic retinopathy. In this study, we investigated if  NXT can protect diabetic mice against the development of diabetic retinopathy. The db/db mice (~6 weeks old), a diabetic animal model, were divided into two groups and fed normal chow or plus NXT for 14 weeks. During the treatment, fasting blood glucose levels were monthly determined. After treatment, retinas were collected to determine retinal thickness, accumulation of carbohydrate macromolecules, and caspase-3 (CAS-3) expression. Our results demonstrate that administration of NXT decreased fasting blood glucose levels. Associated with the decreased glucose levels, NXT blocked the diabetes-induced shrink of multiple layers, such as photoreceptor layer and outer nuclear/plexiform layers, in the retina. NXT also inhibited the diabetes-induced expression of CAS-3 protein and mRNA, MMP-2/9 and TNFα mRNA, accumulation of carbohydrate macromolecules, and formation of acellular capillaries in the retina. Taken together, our study shows that NXT can inhibit the development of diabetic retinopathy and suggests a new potential application of NXT in clinic.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300071, China ; College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300071, China.
authors.forename: Mengyang
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300071, China ; College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300071, China.
authors.forename: Quan
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300071, China ; College of Medicine, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300071, China ; Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300071, China.
authors.forename: Yuanli
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300071, China ; College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300071, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoxiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Buchang Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., 50 Gaoxin Road, Xi'an 712000, China.
authors.forename: Buchang
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Buchang Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., 50 Gaoxin Road, Xi'an 712000, China.
authors.forename: Lifu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.affiliation: Tianjin State Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 312 Anshan West Road, Tianjin 300193, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300071, China ; College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300071, China ; Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300071, China.
authors.forename: Jihong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300071, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoju
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300071, China ; College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300071, China ; Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300071, China.
authors.forename: Yajun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Duan
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