Objective To evaluate the value of furosemide in magnetic resonance urography(MRU) with low field magnet.Methods The routine MRU and MRU after administration of intravein of furosemide were performed with heavily T_2 weighted fast spin echo pulse sequence in 32 cases with urethral diseases.Then three-dimensional(3D) reconstruction for post procedure processing with a maximum-intensity projection(MIP)algorithm was done.Results On routine MRU,there were no image of collecting systems of kidney in 5 cases,and poor images of parenchyma and collecting systems of kidney in 18 cases after using furosemide before MRU,MRU provided high resolution images of parenchyma and collecting systems of kidney in all cases,and images were much clear,the localized diagnosis was accurate.Conclusion MRU using furosemide before scanning can display the parenchyma and collecting systems of kidney distinctively,so furosemide can be regarded as a routine method used before MRU with low field magnet.

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of different solvent extractions of Mori Ramulus on platelet aggregation, vascular tension, and nitrite production from macrophages stimulated by lipopolysaccharides and interferon-gamma.

METHODThe components of Mori Ramulus were extracted by EtoAc, n-BuOH and chloroform respectively. Platelet aggregation was induced by ADP, arachidonic acid and collagen in vitro; nitrite production of activated macrophages was measured by Griess assay, and the vasodilatory effects of three extractions were investigated by isometric tension changes of aortic rings.

RESULTChloroform extraction concentration-dependently inhibited platelet aggregation by arachidonic acid, and reduced vascular tension of PE preconstricted aorta rings with or without endothelium. On the other hand, extractions of EtoAc and n-BuOH demonstrated dose-dependent inhibition on macrophage NO production stimulated by LPS/IFN-gamma.

CONCLUSIONPharmacological activities of Mori Ramulus depend on solvent specific components. Chloroform extraction of Mori Ramulus may benefit cardiovascular diseases through its properties of anti-platelet aggregation and vasodilatation. The inhibition of macrophage activity by EtoAc and n-BuOH extractions suggested an anti-inflammation effect of the compound.

Animals ; Aorta ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Cell Line ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; In Vitro Techniques ; Macrophages ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Morus ; chemistry ; Nitrites ; metabolism ; Platelet Aggregation ; drug effects ; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Vasodilation ; drug effects ; Vasodilator Agents ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology