AIM: To improve the absorption of thymopeptides (TH) by preparing sodium deoxycholate/phospholipid-mixed nanomicelles (SDC/PL-MMs). METHODS: TH-SDC/PL-MMs were prepared by a film dispersion method, and then evaluated using photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS), zeta potential measurement, as well as their physical stability after storage for several days. Furthermore, in situ intestinal single-pass perfusion experiments and pharmacodynamics in immunodeficient mice were performed to make a comparison with TH powders and the control drug in absorption properties. RESULTS: A narrow size distribution of nanomicelles, with a mean particle size of (149 ± 8.32) nm and a zeta potential of (-31.05 ± 2.52) mV, was obtained. The in situ intestine perfusion experiments demonstrated a significant advantage in absorption characteristics for TH compared to the other formulations, and oral administration of TH-SDC/PL-MMs potentiated an equivalent effect with i.h. TH in pharmacodynamic studies in immunodeficient mice. CONCLUSIONS TH-SDC/PL-MMs prepared by a film dispersion method are able to improve the absorption of TH. SDC/PL-MMs might be a good approach for the more effective delivery of drugs like TH.
Animals ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; Deoxycholic Acid ; chemistry ; Drug Carriers ; chemistry ; Drug Stability ; Mice ; Micelles ; Particle Size ; Peptides ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; Phospholipids ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Thymus Gland ; chemistry

To compare the effects of polysaccharide nucleic acid fraction of bacillus calmette guerin (BCG-PSN) and thymopeptides on T-lymphocytes of normal and immunosuppressed mice, CD4+ and CD8+ T-lymphocyte subsets of single nucleic cell in thymus, spleen and peripheral blood were detected successively by flow cytometry after application of BCG-PSN and thymopeptides. Meanwhile, CD4+/CD8+ ratio was also calculated. The results showed that both BCG-PSN and thymopeptides could decrease the proportion of CD4+ CD8+ T-lymphocyte subsets in the thymus, at the same time increase CD4+ T-lymphocyte, CD8+ T-lymphocyte proportion in the three tissues. The fluctuation in amplitude was greater in thymopeptides group than that in BCG-PSN group. It is concluded that acting location of thymopeptides is in thymus, its stimulating action is stronger than that of BCG-PSN, while BCG-PSN not only accelerates the differentiation in thymus, but also has some direct stimulation to peripheral CD4+ T-lymphocytes, and can maintain CD4+/CD8+ ratio within normal range. So, BCG-PSN is safer.
Adjuvants, Immunologic/*pharmacology ; Immunocompromised Host ; Mycobacterium bovis/*chemistry ; Nucleic Acids/pharmacology ; Peptide Fragments/*pharmacology ; Polysaccharides, Bacterial/*pharmacology ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets/*drug effects ; Thymus Gland/chemistry

AIMTo study the sodium nitrite induced DNA mutation by convolution spectrometry (CS).

METHODSThe spectra of sodium nitrite-induced mutative calf thymus DNA was compared with ego criteria based on Spectra of the primary DNA within the wavelength range from 200 to 340 nm. Distilled water served as blank and normal saline served as negative control. Any difference was quantitatively expressed by differential value (delta) of convolution spectra. Near-infrared spectroscopy was employed as the reference method.

RESULTSThe differential value was positively correlated with the increasing time and concentration of sodium nitrite. delta values increased to 1.37%, 2.41% and 5.44% respectively within 2-hour's reaction between calf thymus DNA and 0.5, 0.05 and 0.005 microgram.mL-1 sodium nitrite, while on the contrary, changes could be hardly observed on the corresponding UV absorption spectra. The results were also confirmed by their corresponding near-infrared spectra.

CONCLUSIONThe delta values can be used to represent the compound's strength of mutagenesis. Every convolution procedure takes less than one minute, so CS provides a fast, simple and inexpensive alternative method to determine chemical or medicinal DNA mutation.

Animals ; Cattle ; DNA ; chemistry ; drug effects ; In Vitro Techniques ; Mutation ; drug effects ; Sodium Nitrite ; pharmacology ; Spectrum Analysis ; methods ; Thymus Gland ; chemistry ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo study the inhibiting effect of medicinal fungi Phellinus igniarius extracts on S180 tumor and the immunoregulation effect on the S180-induced tumor mice.

METHODS180 mice were orally given 100, 200, 400 mg x kg(-1) dosage of P. igniarius extracts, then the inhibition grow effect, spleen index, and thyme index were measured.

RESULTMedicinal fungi P. igniarius extracts can increase the spleen index and thyme index and the inhibiting tumor rate was 31.88%, 46.25%, 53.13%, respectively. Also, medicinal fungi P. igniarius extracts can prolong life in mice.

CONCLUSIONThe medicinal fungi P. igniarius extracts show obviously anti-tumor effect and immunoregulation effect.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Mice ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Polyporaceae ; chemistry ; Polysaccharides ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Sarcoma 180 ; pathology ; Spleen ; pathology ; Thymus Gland ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the change of pathologic morphology in superheat mice.

METHODThe superheat was used in the experinent. The pathologic morphology of thymus gland, spleen, liver and lung was observed by light microscope.

RESULTThe histiocytes of thymus gland, spleen, liver and lung presented no changes in lesion, congestion and morphology.

CONCLUSIONThe Sanxian Xinli capsule have function of protecting the superheat mouse viscera.

Agrimonia ; chemistry ; Animals ; Capsules ; Curculigo ; chemistry ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Epimedium ; chemistry ; Heat Stress Disorders ; pathology ; Liver ; pathology ; Lung ; pathology ; Male ; Mice ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Protective Agents ; pharmacology ; Random Allocation ; Spleen ; pathology ; Thymus Gland ; pathology

To compare the effects of polysaccharide nucleic acid fraction of bacillus calmette guerin (BCG-PSN) and thymopeptides on T-lymphocytes of normal and immunosuppressed mice, CD4+ and CD8+ T-lymphocyte subsets of single nucleic cell in thymus, spleen and peripheral blood were detected successively by flow cytometry after application of BCG-PSN and thymopeptides. Meanwhile, CD4+/CD8+ ratio was also calculated. The results showed that both BCG-PSN and thymopeptides could decrease the proportion of CD4+ CD8+ T-lymphocyte subsets in the thymus, at the same time increase CD4+ T-lymphocyte, CD8+ T-lymphocyte proportion in the three tissues. The fluctuation in amplitude was greater in thymopeptides group than that in BCG-PSN group. It is concluded that acting location of thymopeptides is in thymus, its stimulating action is stronger than that of BCG-PSN, while BCG-PSN not only accelerates the differentiation in thymus, but also has some direct stimulation to peripheral CD4+ T-lymphocytes, and can maintain CD4+/CD8+ ratio within normal range. So, BCG-PSN is safer.
Adjuvants, Immunologic ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Female ; Immunocompromised Host ; Male ; Mice ; Mycobacterium bovis ; chemistry ; Nucleic Acids ; pharmacology ; Peptide Fragments ; pharmacology ; Polysaccharides, Bacterial ; pharmacology ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets ; drug effects ; Thymus Gland ; chemistry

The objective of this study was to explore the immunomodulatory effects of betulinic acid (BA) extracted from the bark of white birch on mice. Female mice were orally administered BA for 14 days in doses of 0, 0.25, 0.5, and 1 mg/kg body weight. We found that BA significantly enhanced the thymus and spleen indices, and stimulated lymphocyte proliferation induced by Concanavalin A and lipopolysaccharide as shown by MTT assay. Flow cytometry revealed that BA increased the percentage of CD4+ cells in thymus as well as the percentage of CD19+ and the ratios of CD4+/CD8+ in spleen. BA increased the number of plaque-forming cell and macrophage phagocytic activity as indicated by a neutral red dye uptake assay, and the peritoneal macrophages levels of TNF-alpha were also increased. In contrast, serum levels of IgG and IgM and serum concentrations of IL-2 and IL-6 were significantly decreased in BA-treated mice compared to the control as assayed by haemagglutination tests and ELISA, respectively. Taken together, these results suggest that BA enhances mouse cellular immunity, humoral immunity, and activity of macrophages. Thus, BA is a potential immune stimulator and may strengthen the immune response of its host.
Adaptive Immunity/*drug effects ; Animals ; Betula/*chemistry ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects ; Cytokines/blood ; Female ; Immunity, Innate/*drug effects ; Immunologic Factors/*pharmacology ; Macrophages/drug effects ; Mice ; Phagocytosis/drug effects ; Random Allocation ; Spleen/cytology ; Thymus Gland/cytology ; Triterpenes/*pharmacology

Blood deficiency model of mice was copied by subcutaneous injection with 200, 100 and 100 mg x kg(-1) (0.01 mL x g(-1)) acetyl phenylhydrazine (APH) at the frist, fourth, and seventh days. Mice in each group were perfused with different extracted parts of Angelica sinensis (drug dosage was 2.4 g x kg(-1)) at the tenth day, once a day for 10 days. Then compare the influence of different extracted parts of Angelica sinensis to RBC, Hb, PLT and thymus, spleen and weight changes of blood deficiency mice. The peak areas of each common peak from HPLC fingerprint were associated with the date of replenishing blood pharmacodynamics efficacy by using gray relation statistic, which was used to research the chromatogram-pharmacodynamics relationship. The results showed that the part of DSC has the better effect in replenishing blood. The contribution degree of the DSC to replenishing blood of each component were determined by correlation size, and ferulic acid made the largest contribution, but contribution of other components should not be ignored. In this paper, we research the relationship of the HPLC fingerprint and spectrum activity relationship, determine the material basis of the DSC for replenishing blood, and provide effective way to represent the spectral correlation effect.
Angelica sinensis ; chemistry ; Animals ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; pharmacokinetics ; Erythrocytes ; cytology ; drug effects ; Female ; Hematologic Diseases ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Mice ; Spleen ; drug effects ; Thymus Gland ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo study the antitumor activity of Huanglian Jiedu decoction (HLJDT).

METHODAntitumor activities were tested in mice with experimental tumor H22 in vivo, and the thymus index, spleen index and tumor inhibitory rate were evaluated. The effects on cancer cells from human were investigated in vitro using serum pharmacological approach. Swille, SPC-A-1, SGC-7901 and MCF-7 cancer cells were incubated in culture media containing serum from mice medicated with HLJDT. The inhibitory effects of HLJDT serum were observed by MTT assay.

RESULTHLJDT showed significant antitumor activities on H22 in mice. All of the HLJDT serum in different dosage groups could highly inhibit the proliferation of 4 cancer cell lines from human.

CONCLUSIONThe HLJDT can significantly inhibit the tumor H22 in mice in a dose-dependent manner, the drug serum has obvious anticancer effects against Swille, SPC-A-1, SGC-7901 and MCF-7.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Female ; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental ; pathology ; Mice ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Thymus Gland ; pathology

AIMTo isolate a complex polysaccharide (AMP-B) from Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz and study its phtsico-chemical properties and hypoglycemic activity.

METHODSThe root of Atractylodes macrocephala K. was extracted with water and precipitated with ethanol, dialyzed against water and freeze-dried to get the crude polysaccharides (AMP). A complex polysaccharide (AMP-B) was isolated and purified on DEAE-cellulose column. The model of diabetes rats was established with alloxan injection through the tail vein. Male rats were divided into 5 groups: the normal group, the control group, and three AMP-B-fed groups. Measuring the blood glucose, water and food consumption, thymus and pancreas index, and studying cut sections of pancreas tissues.

RESULTSAMP-B is a complex-polysaccharide, elemental analysis of AMP-B shown C 32.84%, H 5.68%, and N 1.79%. The neutral polysaccharide content of AMP-B was 50.3%, uronic acid was 40.4%, and protein was 11.5%. Monosaccharide composition of AMP-B was determined by GC, AMP-B composed of Glc, Gal, Man, Ara and Rha in a molar ratio of 3.0:2.5:1.3:3.5:1.0. AMP-B was found to reduce blood glucose level in alloxan-diabetic rats markedly at doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg.kg-1 by ig, but no effect in normal rat. AMP-B was found to decrease the consumption of water and food, recover pancreas damage of diabetic rats obviously, inhibited the atrophy of thymus and pancreas of the diabetic rats induced by alloxan.

CONCLUSIONAMP-B showed significant hypoglycemic effect on the experimental hyperglycemias rats induced by alloxan.

Animals ; Asteraceae ; chemistry ; Blood Glucose ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; blood ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Organ Size ; drug effects ; Pancreas ; pathology ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Polysaccharides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Thymus Gland ; drug effects ; pathology