Objective To investigate the correlations of extracellular matrix and hepatic ultramicrostructural changes with clinical manifestations in patients with mild chronic hepatitis B (CHB).Methods Patients with chronic HBV infections were enrolled and were divided into mild CHB group (n=66) and HBV carrier group (n=10).Serum samples were collected from patients, and serum HBV markers, HBV DNA load and liver fibrosis indexes were measured.All subjects received liver biopsy, and the tissue samples were observed by light microscope and electron microscope.T test and χ2 test were performed for measurement data and enumeration data, respectively.Spearman test was used for ranked data.Results The differences on ALT and AST levels between mild CHB group and HBV carrier group were significant (t=12.42, 7.06, P＜0.05), but there was no significant difference on HBV DNA load between two groups (t=0.24, P ＞ 0.05).Serum liver fibrosis indexes (hyaluronic acid, type Ⅲ collagen,type Ⅳ collagen and laminin protein) in mild CHB group were not significantly higher than those in HBV carrier group (t=0.45, 0.95, 0.76 and 1.21, P ＞0.05).In mild CHB group, there were 33 patients with ≥G2 and ≥S2, but in HBV carrier group were only 2 patients (χ2=4.17, P ＜ 0.05).Seventeen patients in mild CHB group were with S3-4, while that was not observed in HBV carrier group (χ2=4.75, P ＜0.05).In mild CHB group, hepatic ultramicrostrutural changes on fat storing cell, collagen protein and portal area were correlated with fibrosis grades, and the correlation coefficients were 0.351, 0.675 and 0.301, respectively (P=0.004, 0.000 and 0.014).Conclusion Electron microscope is of higher sensitivity than light microscope in observing hepatic ultramicrostructural changes, which is effective in evaluating the severity of mild CHB.

To investigate the anticancer effects of ring C in 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid (GA), a series of GA derivatives featured with 9(11)-ene moiety in ring C were designed and synthesized. The structures were confirmed by IR, LC-MS and 1H NMR. Their inhibitory effects towards human prostate cancer PC-3 and leukemia HL-60 cell lines were determined. Most of the derivatives displayed stronger antiproliferative activities than GA. Particularly, compound 14 showed promising anticancer activity with the GI50 values of 4.48 µmol · L(-1) and 1.2 µmol · L(-1) against PC-3 and HL-60 cells respectively, which is worth further study.

OBJECTIVE To establish the correlation evaluation and quality evaluation method of HPLC fingerprint grade of color sorting Lonicerae Japonicae Flos, and provide technical basis for the grade standard of color sorting Lonicerae Japonicae Flos. METHODS The chromatographic column was SVEA C18(250 mm×4.6 mm, 5 μm); mobile phase was acetonitrile(A)- 0.2% formic acid aqueous solution(B); gradient elution; injection volume was 10 μL; detection wave length was 245 nm; volume flow rate was 0.5 mL·min-1; column temperature was 38 ℃. The common peak determination and similarity evaluation of HPLC chromatogram data were carried out by using the Similarity Evaluation System of Traditional Chinese Medicine Chromatographic Fingerprints(Version 2012); the color sorting grade evaluation was carried out by CA, PCA and PLS-DA. The first part of Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2020 Edition was used to measure the quality control indicators, and the data were analyzed comprehensively. RESULTS A total of 28 common peaks were identified in the fingerprints, and 7 components were identified. The similarity of 24 batches of color sorting grade samples was 0.936-0.968. CA and PCA divided 28 batches of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos samples into 4 categories, which were basically consistent with the classification of color sorting, and PLS-DA achieved a discrimination result that was very consistent with the classification of color sorting. The color sorting grade was negatively correlated with the diameter, flowering rate, damage rate, and luteolin content of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos. The color sorting grade was positively correlated with chlorogenic acid, 3,5-di-O-caffeoyl quinic acid and 4,5-di-O-caffeoyl quinic acid. There was a clear correlation between the color sorting of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos and established fingerprint overall. There were differences in the quality of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos in the color sorting grade. Based on the sensory indicators of diameter, flowering rate, and damage rate, the content, diameter, flowering rate, and damage rate of luteolin showed a trend from high to low, ranging from third grade>second grade>first grade>special grade. The content of three phenolic acids showed a trend from high to low, ranging from special grade>first grade>second grade>third grade. Among the special grade, the content of three phenolic acids was the highest. CONCLUSION Combining the content of luteolin and phenolic acids as evaluation and control indicators for color selection grade is feasible and scientific, which can achieve intelligent color sorting grade production of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos grade.