OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of ethanol extracts of Panax notoginseng on the tumor and the liver metastasis in experimental mice grafted with B16 melanoma. METHODS: B16 melanoma was transplanted in the spleen of C57BL/6 mice. The effects of different doses of ethanol extracts of Panax notoginseng on the inhibition rate of spleen tumors and the liver metastasis were observed respectively. RESULTS: The high-, medium-, and low-doses of the extracts and the interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) can improve the quality of life of the experimental mice. The weights of spleen tumor were lower in the low- and medium-dose extracts-treated groups and the IFN-alpha-treated group than that in the normal saline (NS)-treated group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The liver metastasis was less in the low- and medium-dose extracts-treated groups and the IFN-alpha-treated group than that in the NS-treated group (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The ethanol extracts of Panax notoginseng can improve the quality of life of the experimental mice and inhibit the growth of tumor and the liver metastasis.

BACKGROUND: Spinocerebel ar ataxia is a common neurodegenerative disease characterized by slowly progressive movement incoordination of the limbs. It responds badly to common medication. OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical effect of autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and al ogeneic umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells tranfusion in the treatment of spinocerebel ar ataxia. METHODS: A total of 27 spinocerebel ar ataxia patients treated with mesenchymal stem cells treatment were included for comprehensive statistical analysis. Among these patients, six patients received autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells lumbar puncture treatment and 21 patients received al ogeneic umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells lumbar puncture treatment combined with intravenous infusion. The neurologic function of the patients in the two groups was evaluated with International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale before and after treatment. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: There was no obvious adverse effect in the 27 spinocerebel ar ataxia patients during, before or after mesenchymal stem cells treatment. The effect of autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in six patents was not significant; for the other 21 patients treated with al ogeneic umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells transfusion, the subjective symptoms of the patients were improved, and the International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale scores were decreased significantly at 3 months after treatment when compared with those before treatment (P < 0.05). The results suggest that umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells treatment is safe and able to ameliorate the clinical symptoms and improve life quality of spinocerebel ar ataxia patients to some extent.

Background: Anal fissure is one of the most common anal-rectum diseases, and approximately 10 percent patients with chronic anal fissure ultimately receive surgery. Relieving postoperative pain and protecting functions of the sphincter are central issues for coloproctologists. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of anoplasty in the treatment of chronic anal fissures. Design, setting, participants and interventions: In this prospective, multicenter, randomized controlled trial, 120 adult patients with chronic anal fissure were referred from Department of Coloproctology of Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The patients were enrolled from January 2009 to April 2010 and randomly divided into study (mucosa advancement flap anoplasty, abbreviated as anoplasty) group and control (fissurectomy) group. The two groups were assessed separately, and the main outcome measures were observed for 2 weeks, with a short-term follow-up for 6 weeks. Main outcome measures: Degree of pain, haemorrhage and anal canal pressure were observed and recorded preoperatively, and on the third day, the fourteenth day and the sixth week postoperatively. The wound healing time was also recorded. Surgical complications of the two groups were recorded and compared on the third day and the sixth week postoperatively. The curative effects associated with the surgery were analyzed on the fourteenth day and the sixth week after surgery and the therapeutic results were evaluated. Results: Three patients were dropped out due to the early discharge from hospital and losing connection (1 in study group and 2 in control group). Overall the surgery showed that the anoplasty group had better results than the fissurectomy group in the curative effect on the sixth week after operation (P<0.05). Time of wound healing in the anoplasty group was (17.22±4.41) d and was better than (21.24±7.44) d of the fissurectomy group (P<0.05). Concerning the relief of wound pain, the anoplasty group achieved better results than the fissurectomy group at the third day, the fourteenth day and the sixth week after operation (P<0.05). Anoplasty reduced bleeding and had better efficacy than the fissurectomy at the third day and the fourteenth day after operation (P<0.05), however, there was no statistical difference at the sixth week after operation (P>0.05). There were no significant differences in relieving the anal canal pressure (P>0.05) and the surgical complications (dysuria, edema of anal margin, fever, infection, anal incontinence and anal deformation) between the two groups (P>0.05). None of the patients suffered postoperative complications by the sixth week after operation. Furthermore, there was no recurrence in either of the two groups at six weeks after operation. Conclusion: The results indicate that anoplasty for chronic anal fissures has advantages such as better therapeutic effects, less postoperative pain, a shorter healing time and no incidence of anal incontinence.