OBJECTIVE: To optimize the formative excipients for cough remedy granules. METHODS: Effects of different excipients on the formation, moisture absorption and relative critical humidity of cough remedy granules were examined, and the optimal excipients as well as formula were selected by adoption of the comprehensive scoring method. RESULTS: The optimal excipient for preparation of cough remedy granules was lactose, and the best formula comprised of 4 doses of spraying powder and 6 doses of lactose mixture. CONCLUSIONS: The cough remedy granules thus prepared is ideal: good in granularity, easy to dissolve and not liable to moisture absorption.

Objective: To study the antixiodant activity of sweet-potato anthocyanin (SPAC) and its inhibiting effect on growth of cancer S180. Method: The scavenging capacity of ??O2 and?OH and the inhibitory effect of MDA were determined in vitro.The SOD activity of serum and skin, the effect on S180 growth, serum GSH-Px activity and MDA were tested in mice. Results: SPAC had antioxidant activity in vitro, with elimination rate of O2?? and?OH 30.63% and 20.57% higher than the same concerntration of VC respectively. Activity of SOD in the serum and skin of mice were raised 27.30% and 13.50% respectively after giving SPAC. The growth rate of cancer S180 in the mice was inhibited, and the highest inhibitory rate was 43.12%. The activity of serum GSH-Px, SOD of the mice was raised as compared to control, but MDA declined . Conclusion: SPAC is a perfect natural pigment with inhibitory effect on growth of cancer S180 probably through its antioxidant activity.

Objective:To screen the differentially expressed miRNAs in umbilical cord tissue of children with nonsyndromic cleft lip and/or cleft palate( NSCL/P) using miRNA microarray and comprehensive bioinformatics analysis for the prediction of related the bio-logical process and signaling pathways. Methods:Umbilical cord tissues of 4 cases of healthy newborns' and 4 lip or palate tissues of 4 cases with NSCL/P without other disease aged younger than 2 years were collected. The differentially expressed miRNAs were screened by miRNA microarray. Targets of dysrugulated miRNAs were predicted by TARGETSCAN-VERT, MIRDB and RNA22-HSA. All the gene sets were analyzed by gene ontology and pathway enrichment. Results: MiRNA microarray demonstrated that 254 miRNAs were dysregulated(181 miRNAs were up-regulated and 73 downregulated,P <0. 05). The dysregulated miRNAs targets contained 5029 genes. The dysregulated miRNAs targets were enriched in anatomical structure development,cell adhesion,cell proliferation,cell motili-ty and other biological processes. The dysregulated miRNAs targets were enriched in Wnt, mTOR, cGMP-PKG, TGFβ, PI3K-Akt and other signaling pathways. Conclusion:The target genes set of miRNAs are enriched in multiple biological processes and signaling path-ways related to NSCL/P, which indicate that genetic and environmental factors may influence the development process of NSCL/P.

Objective To evaluate the effect of berberine on the expression of cell cycle-related miRNA and its target gene in human melanoma A375 cells.Methods In vitro cultured A375 cells were classified into several groups to be treated with berberine at different concentrations of 0 (blank control group),20,40,60,80,and 100 μmol/L,respectively,for 48 hours.qRT-PCR was performed to determine the mRNA expression of miRNA-582-5p and its target gene cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1),miRNA-188-5p and its target gene CDK2,Cyclin D1 and Cyclin A.Western blot analysis was conducted to measure the protein expression of cell cycle-related proteins CDK1,CDK2,Cyclin D1 and Cyclin A.Results qRT-PCR showed that compared with the blank control group,the 20 and 40 μmol/L berberine groups had a similar expression of miRNA-582-5p (both P ＞ 0.05),but the 60 and 80 μmol/L berberine groups had a significantly up-regulated expression of miRNA-582-5p (both P ＜ 0.05).Compared with the blank control group,all the 5 berberine groups had a significantly increased expression of miRNA-188-5p (F =22.600,P =0.002).However,the mRNA expression of CDK2,CDK1,Cyclin A and Cyclin D1 gradually decreased along with the increase of berberine concentrations (F =51.976,248.510,626.671 and 312.740,respectively,all P ＜ 0.001).Western blot analysis revealed that berberine decreased the protein expression of CDK1,CDK2,Cyclin D1 and Cyclin A (F =138.124,110.966,278.772 and 140.167,all P ＜ 0.001).Conclusion Berberine can decrease the expression of cell cycle-related proteins CDK1,CDK2,Cyclin D1 and Cyclin A,likely by decreasing their mRNA expression and increasing the expression of miRNA-582-5p and miRNA-188-5p,and then block the cell cycle progression of A375 cells and inhibit the growth of tumor.