Clematis florida
var.
Plena
(
C. florida
) holds significant potential as a topical treatment for immune-mediated polyarthritis (IMPA); however, its active fractions and mechanisms of action remain poorly understood. Given the chemical complexity of herbal remedies, this study adopted a bioactivity- and mechanism-driven approach, focusing on the effects of polarity-based fractions rather than isolated compounds.
C. florida
was extracted with 70% ethanol and sequentially partitioned into petroleum ether (PE), ethyl acetate (EA),
n
-butanol (BU), and water (WA) fractions. Phytochemical analysis was conducted to determine the distribution of saponins and flavonoids. Anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities were evaluated using xylene-induced ear edema and acetic acid-induced writhing models, respectively. Therapeutic efficacy was assessed in a rat model of adjuvant-induced arthritis via topical application. Joint tissues were analyzed using H&E and Safranin O–Fast Green staining, immunohistochemistry, and Western blotting to investigate histological changes and signaling pathways (ERK and NF-κB).
Phytochemical analysis revealed that the extract is rich in saponins and flavonoids, which exhibit distinct distribution patterns across fractions of varying polarity. All fractions exhibited anti-inflammatory effects in the ear edema model and analgesic activity in the writhing test. In the arthritis model, topical application of the EA, BU, and WA fractions significantly attenuated paw swelling and reduced serum levels of TNF-α, COX-2, rheumatoid factor, and IL-6. Histological staining confirmed partial protection against joint destruction. Mechanistic studies revealed that these fractions enhanced ERK phosphorylation and suppressed NF-κB activation in joint tissues.
The EA, BU, and WA fractions of
C. florida
possess significant topical therapeutic potential against IMPA. The anti-arthritic effects are likely associated with the modulation of ERK and NF-κB signaling pathways. This study elucidates the pharmacodynamic basis of
C. florida
fractions, positioning them as promising candidates for the development of topical treatments for animal joint disorders.
Ting Lei, Jiabing Zheng, Jie Han et al.· Frontiers in Veterinary Scie...· 0 citations
Background Essential hypertension (HTN) is an established risk factor for cerebral small vessel disease and cognitive decline. Although conventional diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) has identified white matter (WM) abnormalities in HTN, these metrics are often confounded by extracellular free-water (FW) contamination and cannot distinguish tissue microstructural abnormalities from extracellular fluid shifts. This study applied a free-water elimination (FWE) model in combination with the diffusion tensor imaging analysis along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS) index to investigate tissue-specific microstructural alterations, extracellular fluid shifts, and glymphatic function in both WM and cortical gray matter (GM). Methods Single-shell diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data were acquired from 30 patients with HTN and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs). Tissue-specific DTI metrics, including free-water-corrected fractional anisotropy (FAt) and free-water-corrected mean diffusivity (MDt), as well as FW fractional volume maps, were derived. The DTI-ALPS index was calculated to assess glymphatic clearance. Tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) and gray matter-based spatial statistics (GBSS) were used to evaluate between-group differences. Results The HTN group showed no statistically significant difference in the DTI-ALPS index compared with the HC group (p > 0.05). However, alongside conventional diffusion abnormalities, patients with HTN exhibited widespread reductions in FAt and increases in MDt across both WM and GM skeletons. In addition, HTN patients showed a localized reduction in FW fractional volume, predominantly in the corpus callosum. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was negatively correlated with conventional FA in white matter, and with both FA and FAt in cortical GM across extensive regions. No significant correlations were found with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores. Conclusions These cross-sectional findings suggest that, in HTN, tissue-specific diffusion abnormalities and localized fluid shifts are detectable even in the absence of statistically significant group differences in the DTI-ALPS index. This divergence indicates that FWE metrics may serve as sensitive neuroimaging indicators for evaluating hypertensive brain involvement.
Taipeng Zeng, Xiaoyang Wang, Wen-Hui Xu et al.· Frontiers in Medicine· 0 citations