AIM: To establish the method for quality control of Quzhi Capsules(Radix et Rhizoma Rhei, Semen Cassiae, Herba Artemisiae Scopariae, Rhizoma Atractylodis, etc.). METHODS: Herba Artemisiae and Rhizoma Atractylodis in this medicine were identified by TLC. The content of chrysophanol was determined by HPLC on ODS column. The mobile phase was composed of methanol 0.5% phosphoric acid(85∶15,v∶v) and detection wavelength was at 254nm. RESULTS: The spots on TLC plates were clear without interference in the blank reference. The linearity of HPLC was good( r =0.9999), and the average recovery was 101.00%, RSD =1.3%. CONCLUSION: This method is simple, sensitive and accurate, and available for control of Quzhi Capsules.

In order to clinically differentiate the pulmonary hypertention stage and the heart failure stage in infants with pneumonia, RPEP/RVET and RPEP/T were used as an objective standard for observing the clinical manifestations of these two stages. Many different clinical features were found which would help the physician to select a suitable time to use vasodilator drugs.

Our observation was done with conjunctival microcirculation, pulmona-ry rheography and renal rheography in 20 cases with acute glomerulonephri-tis. High resistance of pulmonary rheography was observed and ischemicchanges were found in renal rheography when spasm of the conjunctivalarterioles appeared in 20 cases. 58. 7% of 29 patients were abnormal duringradiorenographic examination. Most cases showed damage to both kidneys,indicating the kidney disfunctioning caus ed by renal circulatory disorderswhen patients were suffering from nephritis. Changes seen in conjunctival microcirculation, rheography and radio-renography were consistently abnormal at the acute stage. At the convalesc-ent stage, however, improvement to different degrees was gained. Therefore,these laboratory studies can be used as index for the selection of vasodila-tor drugs and for the justification of the prognosis of the disease.

Objective To study the effects of ligustrazine(LTZ) on the preeclampyic umbilical serum induced-expression of precollagen I,III in cultured human umbilical artery smooth muscle cell(HUSMC). Methods The cultured HUSMC was treated with LTZ for 30 min, and then incubated with medium containing 20% serum either from women with preeclampsia or normal pregnant women for 48h. The cell activity was determined by MTT, the cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytomerty, and RT-PCR analysis was used to dectect the expression of precollagen I,III. Results The cell proliferation, percentage of S and G2/M phases, and expression of precollagen I obviously increased in HUSMC incubated with preeclampsia umbilical serum compared with normal pregnant women one(P

Objective To study the effect of protein kinase C-nuclear factor-kappa B (PKC-NF-?B) signal transduction pathway on the umbilical sera-induced human umbilical artery smooth muscle cell (HUASMC) proliferation and the expression of precollagen Ⅰ, and Ⅲ mRNA in preeclamptic women. Methods HUASMC from normal pregnancy were cultured and generated. After 30 minutes of incubation with or without Polymyxin B (PMB), the umbilical serum from the preeclamptic women was added. Two hours later, the expression of Ⅰ-?B and NF-?B were detected by Western blot. After 48 h, the activity of HUASMC was evaluated by MTT, the cell cycle by flow cytomerty and the expression of precollagenⅠ,ⅢⅢ and bcl-3 mRNA by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR). Results Ⅰ-?B level (0.3765?0.0321) and the percentage of G_0+G_1 phase cells (62.53?2.85)% in preeclamptic group were significantly lower than those in control group [(0.7857? 0.0296),(78.66?3.25)%, P

Objective To explore the relative factors on delayed encephalopathy after acute carbon monoxide poisoning(DEACMP)and the signifiance of P 300 for judging the severity and prognosis of DEACMP.Methods Thirteen aspects such as contact time with carbon monoxide (CO)?coma time et al were analysed between 44 patients with DEACMP (DEACMP group)and 42 patients with acute CO poisoning but without DEACMP (ACMP group). P 300 s were studied in the patients with P 300 as compared with the patients had just caught acute CO poisoning (DEACMP group).and 44 normal controls (NC group).Results There was extremely significant difference in contact time with CO,coma lasting time,treatment time with hyperbaric oxygen,age,complication ( P

Localization of 3', 5'-cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase activity in thyroid follicular cells and endothelium was examined by cytochemical methods for electron microscopy. In thyroid follicular cells reaction product deposition associated with 3', 5'-cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase activity was localized at the plasma membrane. In these cells, the enzyme activity appeared mostly localized on the apical and lateral plasma membrane, and also appeared on the outer surface of nuclear envelope, endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus. However, when cAMP and snake venom were omitted simultaneously, no enzyme activity was observed. 3', 5'-cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase activity also appeared on the luminal surface of endothelium of small blood vessels.

Objective To establish a method for the determination of indigo content in Qingxin Sushitie by HPLC. Methods At 30℃, HPLC was performed to determine indigo on ODS column(4.6?250 mm), the mobile phase was composed of methanol-acetonitrile-0.1mol/L ammonium acetate(60: 4: 36), flow rate was 1.0 mL/min; injection volume was 20 ?L and detection wavelength at 280 nm. Results The linearity of indigo was good within 0.44～6.60 ?g/mL (r=0.9991), the average recovery was 103.6% and RSD=1.11%. Conclusion This method is simple, sensitive and accurate, and can be used for quality control of Qingxin Sushitie.

[Objective] To assess the role of imbalance between regulatory T (Treg) cells and T helper 17 (Th17) cells in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD).[Methods] Peripheral blood was obtained from 41 patients with AD and 38 age- and sex-matched healthy controls.Flow cytometry was performed to determine the percentage of Treg cells (CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T cells) and Thl7 cells (CD4+ILl7+ T cells),real-time quantitative reverse transcription (RT)-PCR to detect the mRNA expressions of Foxp3 and RORγt,which are the specific transcription factors of Treg and Th17 cells respectively.Serum concentrations of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β,IL-17 and IL-23 were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).Data were statistically assessed by independent-samples t test and Pearson correlation analysis.[Results] The patients with AD showed an obvious decrease in Treg cell percentage,transcription factor Foxp3 mRNA level and Treg/Th17 ratio (2.01％ ± 0.57％ vs.5.04％ ± 1.44％,t =12.47,P＜ 0.01; 0.65 ± 0.19 vs.1.71 ± 0.69,t=9.47,P＜0.01; 1.26 ± 0.61 vs.14.53 ± 5.77,t =14.11,P ＜ 0.01),but a significant increase in peripheral Th17 cell percentage and transcription factor RORγt mRNA level (1.77％ ± 0.55％ vs.0.39％ ± 0.15％,t =14.82,P ＜0.01; 5.97 ± 1.45 vs.1.49 ± 0.57,t =17.78,P ＜ 0.01 ) compared with the healthy controls.Further comparison revealed that Treg/Th17 ratio was significantly lower in patients with acute AD than in those with subacute AD (0.88 ± 0.04 vs.1.29 ± 0.11,t =4.02,P ＜ 0.01 ) and those with chronic AD (2.05 ± 0.24,t =4.83,P ＜ 0.01 ),statistically different between patients with subacute AD and chronic AD (t =2.89,P ＜ 0.05).There was no significant difference in the serum concentration of TGF-β between patients with AD and healthy controls ((15.28 ± 2.34) μg/L vs.(16.56 ± 3.27) μg/L,t =1.96,P＞ 0.05).A significant increase was observed in the serum levels of IL-17 and IL-23 in patients with AD compared with those in the healthy controls( (33.24 ± 7.06)ng/L vs.(11.68 ± 2.67) ng/L,t =17.96,P＜ 0.01; (56.35 ± 12.16) ng/L vs.(18.43 ± 3.90) ng/L,t =18.36,P＜ 0.01).In patients with moderate and severe AD,SCORing atopic dermatitis (SCORAD) index was negatively correlated with the percentage of Treg ceils (r =-0.40,P＜ 0.05 ),but positively correlated with that of Th17 cells (r =0.42,P ＜ 0.05 ).[Conclusion]s There exists a change in Treg/Th 17 ratio,mRN A expressions of RORγt and Foxp3,and serum levels of relevant cytokines in patients with AD,which may lead to immune imbalance and subsequently contribute to the development of AD.

Objective To obtain the optimal extraction process of Prunella vulgaris L.Methods With the dependent variables of ethanol concentration,reflux time and solvent fold,and dependent variable of the amount of baicalin,Central Composite Design/Response Surface Method was applied to optimize the reflux extraction process.Predictions were carried out by comparing the observed and predicted values.Results The optimum conditions of extraction process were 45% ethanol,2 hours for reflux,4 fold sovent.Regression coefficients of binomial fitting complex model was 0.9759.Bias between observed values and predicted values was-3.86%.Conclusion The optimum model is simple,precise and highly predictive.