In this study, in vitro cytotoxicity of carboxymethyl chitosan-rhein conjugate(CR conjugate)and paclitaxel-loaded carboxymethyl chitosan-rhein polymeric micelles(PTX/CR PMs)was evaluated by MTT method in MCF-7 cells. The results showed that CR conjugate displayed good security; PTX/CR PMs in 24 h showed better antitumor activity than Taxol® . Environment-responsive fluorescent probe P4 was used to determine the cellular uptake of PTX/CR PMs in MCF-7 cells. The results also showed that P4 and PTX co-loaded carboxymethyl chitosan-rhein polymeric micelles ［(P4+PTX)/CR PMs］ could be taken up by MCF-7 cells. There was no difference between(P4+PTX)/CR PMs group and(P4+PTX)/CR PMs with verapamil group, suggesting that CR PMs could protect fluorescent probe and/or drugs in their cores avoiding efflux by P-glycoprotein. These results will contribute to in vivo study of CR conjugate and PTX/CR PMs in the future.

Paclitaxel(PTX), an effective anti-tumor drugs, is water-insoluble. And Cremophor as a solubilizer in its commercial formulation, Taxol® , often causes side-effects which limit its antitumor effect. We designed and synthesized PEGylated carboxymethyl chitosan-rhein(CRmP)conjugate, and further prepared PTX-loaded CRmP polymeric micelles(PTX/CRmP). CRmP conjugate was characterized by fourier transform infrared spectrum(FT-IR)and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy(1H NMR). The particle size and surface morphology of PTX/CRmP were characterized by dynamic laser particle size analyzer(DLS)and atomic force microscope(AFM), respectively. The cytotoxicity of CRmP conjugate and PTX/CRmP against MCF-7 cells were evaluated by MTT assay. The results showed that CRmP conjugates displayed very low cytotoxicity and that PTX/CRmP exhibited better in vitro anti-tumor activity than Taxol® at the same drug concentration after a long-term administration.

Talents are the main force for the development of traditional Chinese medicine（TCM）， and the construction of TCM talents and the reformation of talent evaluation system are essential to promote the inheritance and innovation of TCM. At present， we are still exploring and developing in the fields of the formulation， implementation and evaluation indicators of TCM talent evaluation system. However， there are shortcomings and difficulties. For instance， insufficient stratification in the evaluation， excessive emphasis on the quantity of achievements， neglecting the quality of the achievements and the actual contribution， imperfect assessment indicators， and the weak characteristics of TCM. Therefore， national ministries and commissions have jointly issued a document requesting to break the four only and set a new standard， in order to promote the construction of a scientific and technological talent evaluation system oriented by innovation value， ability and contribution. For the evaluation of TCM clinical talents， China Association for Science and Technology commissioned China Association of Chinese Medicine to build the China Clinical Cases Library of TCM（CCCL-TCM）， which aims at collecting the most authoritative and representative TCM clinical cases and exploring the advantages of applying clinical cases as masterpiece of achievement in TCM clinical talents evaluation. CCCL-TCM can promote the construction of a talent evaluation system that is more in line with the development characteristics of TCM industry， and to carry out relevant pilot in TCM colleges and institutions across the country in order to promote the reformation of TCM talent evaluation system.