AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and the safety of betamethasone neomycin ointment in treatment of patients with subacute eczema. METHODS: The clinical trial was performed on patients with limited, subacute eczema by a randomized double blind method. Hydrocortisone neomycin ointment was chosen as controls. RESULTS: There were 45 patients involved in this study, including 23 patients in betamethasone neomycin ointment group and 22 patients in hydrocortisone neomycin ointment group. The total integra decrease of betamethasone neomycin ointment group [ 12.26 ? 2.42 to 5.61 ? 2.23 ( d 7 ), 2.83 ? 2.06 ( d 14 )] was better than that of hydrocortisone neomycin ointment group [ 13.18 ? 2.28 to 9.18 ? 3.72 ( d 7 ), 6.82 ? 3.46 ( d 14 )] on the 7th and 14th day after the treatment (P

AIM: To explore the influence of Huqi San on the Hedgehog signaling pathway in rats with prehe-patocarcinoma.METHODS: The model of prehepatocarcinoma in the rats was established by a modified solt-farber method.The rats were intragastric administrated with Huqi San solution for 3 d after subtotal hepatectomy.Four weeks after administration of the Huqi San solution, the hepatic damage was observed by histopathological analysis.The protein expression of glutathione S-transferase-π (GST-π), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), OV6, albumin (ALB) and glioma-associated oncogene homolog 2 (Gli2) was detected by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence staining.The expression of Sonic hedgehog (Shh), Smoothened (Smo), Gli2, cyclin D and cyclin E at mRNA and protein levels in the rats was determined by RT-qPCR and Western blot, respectively.The serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) were assayed using diagnostic kits.RESULTS: Compared with model group, Huqi San decreased the serum levels of ALT, AST and GGT, and alleviated the pathological changes in prehepatocarcinoma rats.Huqi San inhibited the protein expression of GST-π and AFP (P<0.05) in the prehepatocarcinoma rats.Huqi San also promoted the protein expression of OV6 and ALB (P<0.05).Furthermore, Huqi San activated Hedgehog signaling pathway and its downstream targeting molecules such as Shh, Smo, Gli2, cyclin D and cyclin E.In addition, the results in vitro showed that Huqi San may activate Hedgehog signaling pathway and promoted oval cell proliferation.CONCLUSION: Huqi San not only promotes hepatic progenitor cell proliferation, but also induces hepatic progenitor cell differentiation and inhibits prehepatocarcinoma in the rats probably via activating Hedgehog signaling pathway.