Objective To explore the changes of rennin-angiotensin system in rats with focal brain ischemia-reperfusion injury and the effects of intervention and neuroprotective mechanisms with Irbsartan. Methods The male SD rats were randomly assigned to sham operated group, ischemia-reperfusion (IR) group and Irbsartan pretreatment group. The focal IR model was made by suture occlusion of right middle cerebral artery (MCAO). At 24 h and 72 h following onset of MCAO with reperfusion,the neurologic impairment function scores and the infarction volume were evaluated, the mRNA expression of angiotensinⅡ type 1 receptor (AT1R) and angiotensinⅡ type 2 receptor(AT2R)were detected by RT-PCR, and AngⅡ levels and Renin activity were examined by radioimmuno-assay. Results (1) Pretreatment with Irbsartan could significantly improve neurological outcome and reduced infarction size. (2) In bilateral cerebral cortex, hypothalamus, brain stem and peripheral blood leucocyte, the mRNA expressions of the AT1R and AT2R were significantly increased after either 24 h or 72 h of MCAO with reperfusion (all P

Objective To study the effect of Irbesartan on the level of serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein(hs-CRP) in the patients with acute cerebral infarction(ACI).Methods 60 patients with ACI were randomly assigned to Irbesartan therapy group(n=30) treated with Irbesartan 150 mg/d combined Aspirin 100 mg/d and conventional therapy group(n=30) treated with Aspirin 100 mg/d.Both groups were treated for 14 consecutive days and the other measures of symptomatic therapy were same.And another 30 patients without cerebrovascular diseases were selected as control group.The levels of serum hs-CRP were measured and the scores of neurological deficit(NDS) were evaluated before and after treatment.Results(1) Before treatment the levels of serum hs-CRP of ACI patients in both therapy groups were significantly higher than that in control group(all P

Tianxiong has been used as a Chinese medicinal in China for thousands of years, and the earliest record can be traced back to the Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica. It is effective in dispersing wind, dissipating cold, and replenishing fire to streng-then yang. To clarify the origin of Tianxiong, the present herbalogical study reviewed the ancient and modern literature from the origin, processing, and clinical efficacy. Before the Tang Dynasty, although the description of Tianxiong was quite superficial, an apparent difference between Tianxiong and Fuzi was recognized. In the Tang and Song Dynasties, Tianxiong and Fuzi were mistakenly recognized to be prepared from a same plant since their raw materials came from artificial cultivation. Medical literature in the Ming and Qing Dynasties mostly followed the previous records, with the origin of Tianxiong remaining controversial. There were three mainstream views about the origin of Tianxiong according the ancient medical books. First, Tianxiong was a kind of Aconiti Radix(Chuanwu) without attachment of Fuzi. Second, Tianxiong was the large Fuzi. Third, Tianxiong derived from Aconiti Kusnezoffii Radix(Caowu) about 10 cm in length. By contrast, Fuzi in a large size was simply regarded as Tianxiong in modern times. The processing methods were diversified in the ancient times, and the fire-processing was continuously applied. With the deepening of the research on the efficacy and detoxification mechanism, more methods were discovered, such as processing with ginger juice, child's urine and alcohol. As for modern times, the processing of Tianxiong has not been nearly passed down. The characteristic processing of Tianxiong only handed down in Sichuan province and Lingnan area, which can be discriminated by the last step. The efficacies of Tianxiong can be directly understood from its literal name, including dispersing wind, dissipating cold, and replenishing fire to assist yang. Nowadays, Tianxiong is mostly used to strengthen yang.
Aconitum ; Child ; China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Humans ; Materia Medica ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Plant Extracts