XY99-5038 promotes long-term survival of cultured retinal neurons
Authors: Delia Wolf
Wei Cao
Feng Li
Gerald Wolf
Jun Wang
Xin Yan
Marian Zaharia
Hua Shen
Garrick D Lee
Yuhay T Fong
Journal: International Journal of Neuroscience (2002)
Discipline: NEUROSCIENCE & BEHAVIOR
Keywords: XY99-5038; Traditional Chinese Medicine; retinal cell death; neuronal survival; bFGF
Affiliations: Institute of Chongqing Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chongqing, Sichuang, P.R. of China.

Abstract:  We have previously reported that XY99-5038, a preparation from a specific formula of Traditional Chinese Medicine, could effectively inhibit hydrogen peroxide-induced retinal cell death. In the present study, we investigated the possibility of XY99-5038 to prolong neuronal survival in a long-term retinal neuronal culture. Basic fibroblast survival factor (bFGF), a potent neurotrophic factor, was employed as comparable agent. Retinas of 0-2 days old Sprague-Dawley rats were isolated and dissociated. The cells were maintained in tissue culture for up to 9 weeks in a synthetic serum-free media. XY99-5038 (100 ng/ml) or a vehicle was added to culture every 3-4 days, starting at the first week of culturing. The number of cells were counted and compared for each time point and treatment. Cell viability was also determined by MTT assay, whereas apoptotic cell death was evaluated by the TUNEL assay. XY99-5038 treatment significantly reduced cell loss, increased cell viability, and inhibited apoptosis in this long-term retinal neuronal culture. Our data also show that the protective effect of XY99-5038 is more potent than that of bFGF. Our data suggest that XY99-5038 could be beneficial to the prolongation of neuron survival. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 This paper goes into great depth about the first author s brilliance:  *XY995038 is one product in the XY-S series of Yan Xin Life Science Technology (YXLST) research products. It is abstracted from a nontoxic pure plant formula; it includes dozens of nontoxic plant ingredients that are beneficial to life. XY995038 has been undergoing research and study for ten years (Yan et al., 2000; Fong, 1997; Hang et al., 1997; Wang et al., 1997). YXLST is named after Prof. Yan Xin (Yan is the family name), who is a chief physician in China and a World renowned Traditional Chinese Medicine specialist and scientist (Yan et al., 1999). He has held senior positions such as guest professor, adjunct professor, research professor, visiting professor, advising professor, research scientist etc. in leading high education and research institutions in China and the West (Yan et al., 1999). Within his research projects during 1992 to 1998, with reference to Yuhay Fongu2019s original ancestral recipe, and based on the principles of nutrition and life science, Prof. Yan applied integrated preparation and special treatment to produce u201cYan Xin Qigong Nutritional Powderu201d (Fong, 1997; Hang et al., 1997; Wang et al., 1997). Based on that, according to the principles of traditional Chinese medicine and the progress in modern life science research, Prof. Yan conducted further integration, filtering and selection, and finalized the ingredients of XY995038. XY995038 is specially processed by Yan Xin Life Science technologyu2122, a technological achievement of Yan Xin Qigong u00ae that received state certification for u201cOptimization of Industrial Antibiotics Production Strainsu201d on April 20, 1990 in China (Yan et al., 1999). XY995038 is produced by American Biology Science Research Institute using modern bioengineering technologies and special refining methods for nutritional preparation. In the ten-year-long research, it has achieved not only ideal results in the laboratories but also good results in certain clinical studies (Fong, 1997; Hang et al., 1997; Wang et al., 1997; Yan et al., 2000; 2001).* [ Hang et al 1997 is absent from the References, but may be a misprint for  Zhang et al 1997 , or vice versa]. However, there is no information about the first author s commercial product  XY995038 used for neuroprotection, other than that it was  prepared from several purely natural and nontoxic plants . Thus the experiment described here is **not replicable** by other researchers, and its value is questionable. I am glad that it is not prepared from **unnatural** plants. That never ends well. ,