The aim of this study was to determine the beneficial effect of glycyrrhizic acid (GA) on type 2 diabetic nephropathy using renal tubular epithelial cell line (NRK-52E). The cells are divided into normal group (NG), high glucose group (HG), and treatment group (HG + GA). The methylthiazoletetrazolium (MTT) assay was used to detect the cell proliferation. Cell cycle analysis was performed using flow cytometry. Model driven architecture (MDA), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were also measured. Electron microscopy and histological were used to detect the changes in cell ultrastructure. The phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), silent information regulator T1 (SIRT1), manganese-superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) were assessed by immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and western blotting. Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to measure Mn-SOD and PPARγ co-activator 1α (PGC-1a) mRNA. We find that high glucose increases NRK-52E cell proliferation and TGF-β1 expression, but decreases expression of AMPK, SIRT1 and Mn-SOD. These effects are significantly attenuated by GA. Our findings suggest that GA has protective effects against high glucose-induced cell proliferation and oxidative stress at least in part by increasing AMPK, SIRT1 and Mn-SOD expression in NRK-52E cells.

Objective. To explore the safety of the essential medicines recorded in China’s list through the comparison of the list of essential medicines of China and the World Health Organization (WHO), as well as the analysis of the basic situation and characteristics of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) on the two essential medicines recorded in China’s and WHO lists in order to provide a reference for the improvement of China’s list. Methods. A retrospective descriptive study was conducted, based on the database in Jiangsu Province ADR Monitoring Center from 2013 to 2015. A total of 266869 cases reports were collected within this period, comparing the differences between the two essential medicines recorded in China’s and WHO lists, considering number of ADRs, type of report, and modes of administration. Compare the differences between the two groups of drugs in the presence of new, severe, and new severe adverse events using chi square test. Results. Comparing the two essential medicines list, they have the same 117 species. When comparing ADRs in the two groups, most are antimicrobial, electrolytes, and acid-base balance drugs, regulate water, and are higher in China. In addition, with respect to the number of ADR types in the two groups, there is statistical significance (p<0.001) (total number is 68603 and 47515, new types are 12601 and 7262, the severe are 2714 and 7566, and the new severe are 820 and 716). Conclusion. Compared to the WHO list of essential drugs, China’s list is still to be improved.

Objectives This study aimed to investigate the availability, price, and affordability of nationally negotiated innovative anticancer medicines in China. Design Retrospective observational study based on data from a nationwide medical database. Data sources/setting Quarterly data about the use of innovative anticancer medicines from 2020 to 2022 were collected from the Chinese Medicine Economic Information Network. This study covered 895 public general hospitals in 30 provincial administrative regions in China. Of the total hospitals, 299 (33.41%) were secondary and 596 (66.59%) were tertiary. Main outcome measures The adjusted WHO and Health Action International methodology was used to calculate the availability and affordability of 33 nationally negotiated innovative anticancer medicines in the investigated hospitals. Price is expressed as the defined daily dose cost. Results On average, the total availability of 33 innovative anticancer medicines increased annually from 2020 to 2022. The median availability of all investigated medicines in tertiary hospitals from 2020 to 2022 was 24.04%, 33.60% and 37.61%, respectively, while the indicators in secondary hospitals were 4.90%, 12.54% and 16.48%, respectively. The adjusted prices of the medicines newly put in Medicare (in March 2021) decreased noticeably, with the decline rate ranging from 39.98% to 82.45% in 2021 compared with those in 2020. Most generic brands were priced much lower than the originator brands. The affordability of anticancer medicines has improved year by year from 2020 to 2022. In comparison, rural residents had lower affordability than urban residents. Conclusions The overall accessibility of 33 nationally negotiated innovative anticancer medicines improved from 2020 to 2022. However, the overall availability of most anticancer medicines in China remained at a low level (less than 50%). Further efforts should be made to sufficiently and equally benefit patients with cancer.

Objective. We investigated the effect of roxadustat on factors associated with renal fibrosis and efficacy. Methods. Sixty patients meeting the inclusion criteria between January 2021 and October 2021 were equally distributed into observation (roxadustat) group and control (Erythropoietin) group. Then, the expression of serum hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF-1α), transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), fibronectin (FN), and collagen Ⅳ (C-IV) was compared at different time points (baseline, 2-week follow-up, and 4-week follow-up). The improvement degree of hemoglobin (Hb) and the change level of iron parameters and hepcidin were also compared between the two groups. Results. In the roxadustat group, the expression of HIF-1α at 2 weeks was significantly higher than the baseline and approached the baseline value at 4 weeks. At 4 weeks, TGF-β1 and FN expression was significantly lower than baseline. In addition, the improvement of Hb in the roxadustat group was significantly higher than that in the control group at 4 weeks, and the change of ferritin, transferrin, and hepcidin indexes from baseline was better than in the control group. Conclusion. After giving roxadustat, it can change the expression of HIF-1α, TGF-β1, and FN. Its efficacy is superior to EPO, which is worthy of clinical application.