Objective To study the effects of the soil factors on the yield and quality of Angelica dahurica originated from Sichuan Province.Methods The yield and contents of imperatorin,isoimperatorin,and other 11 different inorganic elements of A. dahurica,gathered from 15 different habitats of Suining in Sichuan Province were determined.And the basic soil nutrients and other 11 different mineral elements of the soil were analyzed.The effects of the soil factors on the yield and quality were analyzed through correlation analysis.Results The weight,length,circumference,and the contents of imperatorin and isoimperator in the roots of A.dahurica from different habitats were different.And the basic soil nutrients and other 11 different mineral elements of soil were different.The positive correlation between root length of A.dahurica,and soil available P content,root circumference of A.dahurica,and soil organic matter content,root weight of A.dahurica,and soil available P and K contents were all significant.The soil total nitrogen content had negatively significant correlation with the content of isoimperatorin.The correlation among the imperatorin,isoimperator contents of A.dahurica,and 11 other soil inorganic elements was not significant.Conclusion The soil factors have effects on the yield and quality of A.dahurica to some degree.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common chronic liver diseases. However, due to its complex pathogenesis, there are no officially approved drugs for NAFLD treatment currently. Therefore, it is extremely urgent to find safe and effective anti-NAFLD drugs. Nowadays, lipid-lowering drugs are the main option for NAFLD therapy, but the clinical efficacy of chemical drugs is also very limited, as well as the frequent side effects or adverse reactions. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has attracted more and more attention in the treatment of NAFLD due to its unique advantages through multiple targets and pathways with few side effects. In recent years, numerous studies have demonstrated that the imbalance of gut microbiota plays an important role in the occurrence and development of NAFLD. This review systematically summarizes the experimental and clinical evidences of TCM active compounds and TCM prescription involved in the regulation of intestinal flora in the treatment of NAFLD in recent years, so as to provide a reference for further exploring the pathogenesis of NAFLD and exploring TCM treatment methods.

Streptozotocin-induced diabetic model was prepared in Wistar rats and the blood glucose levels were controlled at 3 levels of＜10,10-14 mmol/L or＞16.7 mmol/L by insulin,and changes of glucose transporter(GLUT)1 and 3 protein expressions of brain were observed in control rats and diabetic rats with different blood glucose levels by immunohistochemistry.The results showed that chronic hyperglycemia could decrease the protein expressions of GLUT 1 and GLUT3.

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) family may play important roles in inflammatory bowel disease. This study examined the expression of TLR2, TLR4 and TLR9 in the colonic tissues of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and explored their roles in the pathogenesis of UC. Colonic biopsies were taken from the colon of 30 patients with mild or moderate UC (at active phase) and 10 healthy controls during colonoscopy. TLR2, TLR4 and TLR9 protein expression levels were immunohistochemically detected. The mRNA expression levels of TLR2, TLR4 and TLR9 were assessed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The disease activity index (DAI), colonoscopic and histologic grades and fecal microbial flora were determined. Histological examination showed that the intestinal mucous membrane of UC patients underwent acute inflammation changes. Immunohistochemistry exhibited that the expression levels of TLR2, TLR4 and TLR9 in colon epithelia and inflammatory cells were higher in UC patients than in control group (P<0.01). The mRNA expression levels of TLR2, TLR4 and TLR9 were increased in UC patients but were not detected in the normal controls. Expression levels of TLR2, TLR4 and TLR9 were positively correlated, and bore close correlation with DAI, colonoscopic and histologic grades and fecal microbial flora. An important mechanism of UC might be that abnormal activation of mucosal immunity by intestinal dysbacteriosis caused dysregulation of TLRS that mediates innate immunity.

OBJECTIVETo study the absorption and transformation of N, P, K and plant growth as well as the accumulation of active ingredients in Angelica dahurica var. formosana from Sichuan province and provide basis for rational fertilization.

METHODSamples were collected in different growth phrases, and correlative morphological indexes, the contents and accumulations of N, P, K and active ingredients were determined.

RESULTThe vegetative growth period of A. dahurica var. formosana sowed in autumn could be preliminarily divided into three phases: seedling period, aerial-part peak growth period and root peak growth period. With the development, the plant height and aerial part dry weight increased at the earlier stage, and then decreased. But the root length, root diameter, and root dry weight increased. The absorptive capacity of N, P and K varied among different developing stages. In general, the absorptive capacity of N and K was the higher than that of P. The order of total nutrition accumulation was N > P > K, the accumulation of N, P and K in aerial part decreased gradually during the growth period, while the accumulation of N, P and K in root increased gradually. The concentration of imperatorin and isoimperatorin showed decreasing-increasing-decreasing-increasing trend, while the accumulation of them increased gradually. And the correlation analysis results showed that the accumulation of P and K in aerial part had positive correlation with the concentration of imperatorin in root, the accumulation of N, P and K in root had positive correlation with the concentration of isoimperatorin in root.

CONCLUSIONFrom late April, A. dahurica var. formosana from Sichuan province entered root peak growth period and the accumulation of N, P, K, imperatorin and isoimperatorin in root increased rapidly. So the balanced application of fertilizer should be considered.

Angelica ; chemistry ; growth & development ; metabolism ; China ; Fertilizers ; analysis ; Nitrogen ; analysis ; metabolism ; Phosphorus ; analysis ; metabolism ; Potassium ; analysis ; metabolism

Objective To explore the application of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of prostatic cancer. Methods Diffusion-weighted echo-planar imaging (EPI) sequences were performed in 46 patients, including 21 cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), 9 cases of chronic prostatitis and 16 cases of prostate cancer. DWI were obtained with a b-factor of 800 s/mm2. According to the pathological results obtained by ultrasound guided biopsy, the peripheral zone of prostate was divided into six parts by orientations and they were divided into noncancerous, hyperplasia, prostatitis and cancerous groups. The ADC value of each region was measured and analyzed with one-way ANOVA and ROC analysis. Results Acceptable images for ADC measurement were obtained in all cases.The mean ADC values of prostatic peripheral zone, prostatic central gland, inflammatory area and cancerous area were (2.20±0. 29)×10-3 mm2/s, (1.66±0.14)×10-3 mm2/s, (1.95±0.34)×10-3 mm2/s and ( 1.24 ± 0.32) × 10-3 mm2/s, respectively. There were statistically significant differences in ADC values between the inter-groups (P＜0. 01 ). With ROC cut point setting to 1.49 ×10-3 mm2/s, the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity for prostate cancer were 86. 8% and 94. 0%, the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0. 945±0. 010. Conclusions ADC value might be useful to evaluate prostate cancer. DWI has an important clinical application value in the diagnosis and differentiation of prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVETo provide theoretical basis for artificial cross breeding of Angelica dahurica from Sichuan and Hebei Province, the characteristics of stigma receptivity and the viability and life-span of pollen were studied.

METHODThe viability and life-span of pollen were evaluated by TTC (2, 3, 5-triphenyl tetrazlium chloride) test, and the stigma receptivity was estimated by benzidine-H2O2 method.

RESULTThe pollen viability of A. dahurica from Sichuan and Hebei provinces was increased gradually since the bud stage, but those levels had since subsided after the pollen release from craze antheral. There was a little difference in the pollen viability of A. dahurica from Sichuan at different branches. While the order of the pollen viability of A. dahurica from Hebei was main stem < first-order branching < second-order branching. At room temperature, the pollen viability of both decreased during time of anthers dehiscing but also above 50% after 5 days. Compared with 4 degrees C and room temperature, conservation at - 20 degrees C could extend life of the pollen. The stigma had receptivity in 4th day and reached the highest level in the 6th day after blooming.

CONCLUSIONThe optimum artificial pollination times of A. dahurica was 6 days after blooming and choose the pollen in the peak stage of anthers dehiscing.

Angelica ; physiology ; Flowers ; physiology ; Pollen ; physiology

OBJECTIVEThe effect of the different fertilizing levels on yields and main active components of Pinellia ternata from Sichuan was studied under the cultivated condition, in order to provide theoretical basis for the standardized cultivation.

METHODUsing one of the wild populations of P. ternate from Sichuan as tested material, the experiment was performed with orthogonal designing methods L25 (5(3)). During growth and development period, agronomic traits such as number of sprouting, inflorescence and bulblets were counted. After harvesting, main chemical compositions, growth and proliferation rates were determined.

RESULTIn different fertilizing levels, the P. ternata from Sichuan showed the same growth rhythm, though there were significant difference (P < 0.05) among the average emergence rate,whereas extremely significant difference (P < 0.01) were detected among the average ratio of bolting, the average bulbils, individual growth rate, individual proliferation rate, beta-sitosterol and alkaloid content under different fertilizing levels. Nitrogenous fertilizer that affected the content of alkaloids and beta-sitosterol were extremely significant (P < 0.01), whereas phosphate and potassium fertilizer had no significant effect. The effect of fertilizer factor and inter effects on beta-sitosterol showed no significant effect, but have influence on other indexes.

CONCLUSIONThe optimum fertilizer composition was 315 kg x hm(-2) of nitrogen, 225 kg x hm(-2) of P2O5 and 270 kg x hm(-2) of K2O.

Alkaloids ; analysis ; Fertilizers ; Nitrogen Compounds ; analysis ; Phosphates ; analysis ; Phosphorus Compounds ; analysis ; Pinellia ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Potassium Compounds ; analysis ; Sitosterols ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo study the optimum conditions of simulated drought stress, and screen the indexes of drought resistance and comprehensively assess the drought resistance of the Angelica dahurica resources during seedling stage.

METHODInvestigations were carried out on the changes of height, root length, root-shoot ration, contents of soluble sugar, proline and malondialdehyde under polyethylene glycol (PEG-6000)-simulated drought stress. A comprehensive evaluation on the drought resistance of different (varietal) species of A. dahurica during seedling stage was applied by using the method of subordinate function. And the drought resistance indexes were selected out by applying the method of grey correlative degree analysis.

RESULTDrought stress of 9 days with 20% PEG was the optimum condition for the simulation of drought stress. The results showed that the drought resistant capability decreased in the order as follows, A. dahurica from Sichuan province, A. dahurica from Henan province, A. dahurica from Hebei province and A. dahurica from Zhejiang province. And the order of correlative degree of drought resistance and indexes was: soluble sugar > root length > proline > root-shoot ration > total content of chlorophyll > chlorophyll b > chlorophyll a > height > malondialdehyde.

CONCLUSIONOsmotic adjustment substance and the indexes related to the root have more influence on the drought resistance of A. dahurica during seedling stage. A. dahurica from Sichuan province shows the highest drought resistance during seedling stage.

Angelica ; chemistry ; drug effects ; physiology ; Droughts ; Plant Extracts ; analysis ; Polyethylene Glycols ; pharmacology ; Seedlings ; chemistry ; drug effects ; physiology ; Stress, Physiological ; drug effects

The clinical application of orbital magnetic resonance (MR) T2-mapping imaging in detecting the disease activity of Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO),and the predictive values of therapy response to intravenous glucocorticoid (ivGC) were investigated.Approved by the local institutional review board (IRB),106 consecutive patients with GO were included in this prospective study.All subjects were divided into two groups according to the patients' clinical activity score (CAS):the CAS positive group (CAS ≥3) or the CAS negative group (CAS ＜3).T2 relaxation time of extraocular muscles (T2RT;ms) and the areas of four extra-ocular muscles (AEOMs;mm2) were measured by 3D T2-mapping MR sequence before and after methylprednisolone treatment,so as the CAS and some ophthalmic examinations including visual acuity,intra-ocular pressure,eyeball movement,diplopia and proptosis.In addition,24 healthy volunteers were recruited as the control group.The mean T2RT and AEOMs in CAS positive group were higher than those in CAS negative group.Both CAS positive and negative groups had significantly higher mean T2RT and AEOMs than the control group (P＜0.01).There was a positive correlation between T2RT and AEOMs values in GO patients,both of them had a positive correlation with CAS and the ophthalmic examinations.It was concluded that to evaluate the activity of GO,CAS was mostly related to inflammation symptoms of ocular surface,more than that,T2RT and AEOMs were also related to abnormal findings of the ophthalmic examinations including high ocular pressure,impaired eyeball movement,diplopia and proptosis.T2RT and AEOMs can reflex the inflammation state of ocular muscles better.CAS combined with 3D T2-mapping MR imaging could improve the sensitivity of detection of active GO so as the prediction and evaluation of the response to methylprednisolone treatment.