Aim To investigate the changes of content of L-carnitine (LC ), acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC ) and propionyl-L-carnitine (PLC )in patients with diabetes and its complications.Methods By replicating meth-od of pre-column derivatization HPLC,the contents of plasma LC,ALC,PLC were detercted in normal sub-jects and in patients of diabetes mellitus,diabetic reti-nopathy, diabetic nephropathy, diabetic peripheral neuropathy,diabetic hypertension,diabetic coronary heart disease.Results The concentration of LC in normal subjects and in patients of diabetes mellitus, diabetic retinopathy, diabetic nephropathy, diabetic peripheral neuropathy,diabetic hypertension,diabetic coronary heart disease were (41.01 ±8.05 )μmol · L-1 ,(36.72 ±8.23 )μmol · L-1 ,(33.3 1 ±6.26 )μmol·L-1 ,(33.81 ±5.61 )μmol·L-1 ,(33.57 ± 6.67 )μmol · L-1 , (33.67 ±5.36 )μmol · L-1 , (32.87 ±6.05 )μmol · L-1 respectively.The plasma LC concentration in diabetic group was significantly lower than that of normal control group (P<0.05 ). Moreover,the LC concentration in other groups of dia-betic complications was lower than that in diabetic group, and LC concentration showed no significant difference in various groups of diabetic complications. There was no significant difference in the plasma con-centrations of ALC and PLC of diabetes group and the diabetic complication groups too.Conclusion In Chi-nese normal subjects,patients with diabetes and dia-betic complications,the plasma concentrations of LC in diabetic patients are lower than normal,and plasma concentration of LC in diabetic complications are lower than that in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Objective To observe the meridian tropism of Polygoni Avicularis Herba by tissue distribution of avicularin in rats.Methods Tissue distribution of avicularin in rat following a single iv administration was appointed and observed.HPLC method was established and validated for the determination of avicularin in rat tissues.Results Kidney and bladder were the most important target tissue of avicularin.Conclusion HPLC method is successfully applied to tissues distribution study of avicularin after iv administration to rats,and the results explain Polygoni Avicularis Herba on bladder tropism reasonably.

Marine can be considered as a rather unexplored source of biological material. Production of algal oligosaccharides by using valuable enzymes from marine origin has become an important way to utilize marine resources. As one of algal tool enzymes, the use of alginate lyases has been focused mainly on development and application of alginate oligosaccharides with bioactive function in recent years. In this paper, we reviewed the research of alginate lyases over the past decade in several aspects, including their origin, diversity, substrate specification, mode of action, structure and catalysis mechanism, assay of enzyme activity, enzyme characterization, as well as our own experience on this subject. At the end of the review, the application prospects of alginate lyases are presented.
Alginates ; metabolism ; Glucuronic Acid ; metabolism ; Hexuronic Acids ; metabolism ; Marine Biology ; methods ; Oligosaccharides ; metabolism ; Phaeophyta ; enzymology ; Polysaccharide-Lyases ; classification ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Substrate Specificity

AIM　To investigate the inhibitory effects of D-polymannuronic sulfate (DPS) on the proliferation of rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) induced by basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) or interleukin-1 (IL-1) and its related mechanisms. METHODS　Rat aortic smooth muscle cells pretreated with DPS in concentrations ranging from 0.001 μg*mL-1 up to 100 μg*mL-1 were incubated at 37℃ for 24 h, followed by addition of bFGF (50 ng*mL-1) or IL-1 (50 U*mL-1) for another 24 h. The effects of DPS on the proliferation of VSMC were evaluated by MTT assays. VSMC were pretreated with DPS in concentrations ranging from 0.001 μg*mL-1 up to 1 μg*mL-1, followed by addition of L-NAME (0.1 μg*mL-1) or bFGF (50 ng*mL-1) for 24 h. Supernatant nitric oxide (NO) was determined with NO assay kit, while supernatant angiotensin II (Ang II) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) were measured by radioimmunoassay. RESULTS　DPS exerted antiproliferative effects at concentrations ranging from 0.01 μg*mL-1 to 10 μg*mL-1, and its maximal effect was observed at the concentration of 1 μg*mL-1. Also, the suppressing actions of DPS on the proliferation of VSMC were diminished by increasing the concentrations of bFGF or IL-1. Furthermore, DPS increased NO synthesis and decreased Ang II and ET-1 contents released from VSMC in a concentration-dependent manner. CONCLUSION　DPS afforded the antiproliferative effects on bFGF- or IL-1-treated VSMC and its underlying mechanisms were associated with enhancement of NO synthesis and decrement of Ang II and ET-1 production/release in vitro.

Objective To investigate the influence of sulfated propylene glycol alginate(PSS) and its fractions on the immunoregulation.Methods The immunoregulation activity of PSS and its fractions were investigated by using immunocyte cultivation technique in vitro.The structure activity relationship was analysed on the basis of the structure studies of PSS' fractions.Results The experimental results showed that PSS could improve spleen cell proliferation,enhance macrophage phagocytic function and inhibit T-cell and B-cell proliferation.Conclusion PSS possessed significant immunoregulation effect,whilst the immunocompetence comparison of PSS' fractions proved that the different immunocytes had different requirements for saccharides length.

Quaternary ammonium glucosamine conjugatewas prepared by a two step procedure.First,condensation of glucosamine hydrochloride with chloro acetic chloride in the presence of potassium bicarbonate in aqueous medium at 0℃ provided the N chloroacetyl derivative in 74% yield.Subsequent reaction of this intermediate with pyridine at 40℃ for 3 days gave the pyridinium conjugate in 71% yield.The structures of compounds were confirmed by IR,NMR spectra and element analysis.

Objective To study the preparation and the physicochemical characteristics of glycoprotein from Crassostrea gigas.Methods Oyster collected in Qingdao was taken as the experiment materials,and was extracted with H2O in low temperature.The extracts were purified using Sephacryl s-100 HR gel chromatography and HPLC.Three glycoprotein F22,F33,F42 were finally isolated from the oyster extracts.Results The physicochemical characteristics of glycoprotein were studied.The results showed that the pI value of F22 was 5.5,relative molecular mass of F22 was 34230Da,the protein contents of F22,F33,F42 were 34.1%,19.7% and 12.5%,the saccharide contents of F22,F33,F42 were 35.9%,28.8% and 40%.Conclusion The research result would be used for the study of bioactive component from Crassostrea gigas.

Basic aluminium 6 ? (carboxylmethyl) chitosan was prepared by reacting the solution of 6 ? (carb?xylmethyl) chitosan in water with basic aluminium chloride 〔Al(OH) 2Cl〕. The structure of product was confirmed by IR and atomic absoption spectroscopy.

Concentration and distribution of selenium have been investigated in 12 kinds of seaweeds. It is found by determination that the selenium concentration in Phaeophyta is lower than in Chlorophyta and Rhodophyta. Selenium is predominately associated with amino acids and proteins.

The studies on glycosaminogiycans (GAG) from animals are carrying out extensively in the fields of biology.biochemistry and medicine. The methodology of GAG researches has been developed rapidly at present. The researches of GAG have just begun in China. Synthesizing a large number of references,this paper gives a brief introduction on the methods of extraction isolation and determination for GAG. And the latest methods and developing tendency are summarized as well.