BACKGROUND: Pharmacological researches demonstrate that Chinese crude drugs of invigorating the kidney contain flavonoids such as prepared rhizome of rehmannia and kudzuvine root, they possess phytoestrogenic effect, among them, isoflavone acts as a regulator of estrogen receptor.OBJECTIVE: To approach the effects of self-planned Bushen Huoxue Fang (BSHXF) on the serum estradiol and estrogen receptor α mRNA expression in pituitary gland in rats with collagen-induced arthritis. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: Randomized grouping controlled animal experiment was performed in the central laboratory of Bethune Intemational Peace Hospital of Chinese PLA between May 2006 and May 2008. MATERIALS: Sixty female and healthy Wistar rats were randomly divided into sham operated group (n=10) and operation group (n=50). Operation group was reproduced collagen-induced arthritis model at 2 weeks following ovariectomy. The rats of arthritic index ≥ 5 were assigned into model group, BSHXF group, methotrexate (MTX) group, and MTX + BSHXF group, each group included 10 rats. The Chinese crude drugs were bought from LERENTANG drugstore in Shijiazhuang, including rhizoma drynariae, safflower, prepared rhizome of rehmannia, Herba Epimedii, danshen root, kudzuvine root and so on. After routine decoction, centrifugalization, rogue and condensing 1.3 kg/L decoction, the solution was sealed up, divided pack and reserved at 4℃.METHODS: Sham operated group and model group were intragastrically administered with normal saline 2 mL per day; BSHXF group with BSHXF decoction 2 mL per day; MTX group with MTX 2.6 mg/kg (2 mL) once a week, and normal saline 2 mL per day at other time points; MTX + BSHXF group with MTX 2.6 mg/kg (2 mL) once a week and BSHXF juice 2 mL per day. Each group was given 6 weeks.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: After blooding by abdominalis aorta, magnetic-split enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was applied to detect the level of serum estradiol. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction detected the expression of estrogen receptor a mRNA in rat pituitary gland.RESULTS: Compared with model group, the expression of estrogen receptor a mRNA in pituitary gland increased in the MTX group, but there was not statistically significant. BSHXF + MTX group showed a significantly increased expression (P < 0.01). The expression of estrogen receptor α mRNA in BSHXF group was higher than MTX group, but lower than BSHXF + MTX group (P < 0.05). No significant difference existed between BSHXF group, BSHXF + MTX group and sham operation group. Compared with sham operation group, there were statistically significant decrease of estradiol in the model group. Compared with model group, the estradiol levels were shown to increase in three treatment groups. Among them, MTX group had slightly slower level with no significant difference (P > 0.05), while BSHXF + MTX group had the most obvious increase, which was close to normal level (P < 0.01). There was a significantly positive correlation between estradiol and the expression of estrogen receptor o mRNA (r=0.483, P < 0.05).CONCLUSION: Serf-planned BSHXF possessing oestrogenic hormonelike role can elevate the level of serum estradiol and upregulate the expression of estrogen receptor a mRNA in pituitary gland.

Objective To investigate the toxicity-reducing and action-enhancing effects of total glucosides of paeony (TGP) on tripterygium glycosides (TG) in treating murine lupus nephritis (LN).Methods Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) murine LN model was established.Modeling mice were randomly divided into three groups:LN group,TG group (in the dose of 30 mg?kg-1?d-1),and TG+TGP group (TG in the dose of 30 mg?kg-1?d-1 and TGP in the dose of 200 mg?kg-1?d-1),6 mice in each group.Another six normal mice served as control.Medication groups received corresponding medicine according to the experimental design,and mice in the normal control group and LN group received the same volume of saline,qd,for 4 weeks.After the treatment,the levels of 24-hour urinary protein excretion (UPE),blood urea nitrogen (BUN),serum creatinine (SCr),serum alanine transferase (ALT) and aspartate transferase (AST),and contents of superoxide dismustase (SOD),malondialdehyde (MDA),and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in liver tissue homogenate were measured.Meanwhile,the pathologic changes of kidneys in each group were detected.Results Compared with LN group,levels of UPE,BUN and SCr in TG group and TG+TGP group were decreased notablely (P

ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical and radiographic efficacy and safety of the combination of recombinant human tumor necrosis factor-αt receptor Ⅱ IgG Fc fusion protein (rhTNFR:Fc) and methotrexate (MTX) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). MethodsThirty patients with highly active RA were treated with rhTNFR:Fc (25 mg subcutaneously twice weekly) and oral MTX (up to 15 mg weekly). Clinical efficacy was assessed using ACR response criteria and the disease activity score in 28 joints (DAS28).Radiographs of the hands and wrists were assessed with the modified Sharp score. Chi-square test, Fisher is exact test and paired t-test were performed. ResultsAt week 52, ACR20, ACR50 and ACR70 responses were achieved by 90％, 87％ and 67％ respectively. At week 52, mean DAS28 was 3.4±1.1 compared to 6.4±0.6 at base-line(P＜0.01), with 23％ patients achieving clinical remission and 17％ patients in low disease activity. Similarly, the HAQ was improved significantly, declining from 1.18±0.56 at base-line to 0.25t±0.34 at week 52 (P＜0.01). No radiographic progression was found in 22 cases. Adverse events were mild in general.ConclusionTreatment with rhTNFR:Fc plus MTX has shown good efficacy throughout 52 study period in reducing disease activity, improving function, and retarding radiographic progression. Combination therapy for 52 weeks can achieve disease remission and no radiographic progression, which are the two goals of therapy for RA.