OBJECTIVETo investigate the feasibility of swelling hydrogel instead of polyethylene oxide as swelling polymer in push-layer of push-pull osmotically controlled-release tablets.

METHODThe swelling patterns of tablets made of pure polymers were studied by immerging the tablets into purified water and testing their size at different time points. The push-pull osmotic-pump tablets were prepared and their release patterns in vitro were studied and compared by their similar factor (f2).

RESULTTablets with different swelling materials all showed satisfying release pattern in vitro and their release ratio at 12 h were all above 80%.

CONCLUSIONWith its release rate and cumulative release percentage at 12 h, the mixture of HPMC K15M and CMCNa in ratio of 1:1 is the best choice instead of polyethylene oxide as swelling polymer in push-layer.

Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; Drug Carriers ; chemistry ; Osmosis ; Polymers ; chemistry ; Tablets ; Water ; chemistry

To seek the optimum experiment methods of animal immunization with HCV gene and to explore the effect on antibody responses in mice immunized by pCD-HCV1 recombinant in different administration, recombinant pCD-HCV1 was constructed by technique of molecular biology and was injected into muscles of Balb/c of mice with different times, routes and dosage of inoculations as well as different treatment. The results showed that the serum antibody level reached 0.183±0.06,0.428±0.05,0.707±0.08 and 0.773±0.07(OD410 value) respectively after recombinant pCD-HCV1(100μg/mouse) were injected into mice once, twice, three times and four times. The antibody level of mice (n＝12) with four times inoculation was the highest; pCD-HCV1 was perfused into stomach orally in mice or were into mice by i.p, s.c and i.m(100μg/mouse, three times) in different routes (n＝6), and the antibody levels were 0.138±0.05, 0.178±0.07, 0.233±0.08 and 0.691±0.05 respectively; after the mice (n＝8) were inoculated with the pCD-HCV1 of different dosage(10μg, 50μg and 100μg) the antibody levels of three groups were 0.11±0.09, 0.33±0.04, and 0.700±0.07, and the results showed a significant difference (P＜0.01); Mice was injected with procaine (100μl, 0.4mg) by i.m or s.c. Then pCD-HCV1 was injected into mice and antibody levels were higher than that of mice immunized directly with recombinant pCD-HCV1 of same dosage. The results may provide a reference data deserved for screening the optimum immunization method of development HCV-DNA-based vaccine in mice model.

Objective:To explore the material basis and mechanism of Linggui Zhugan Decoction in treating hypertension and obesity by means of network pharmacology and molecular docking technique.Methods:The TCMSP was retrieved and the main active components and action targets of Linggui Zhugan Decoction were screened. The GeneCards, OMIM, TTD, DisGeNET and DrugBank databases were used to screen disease-related targets of hypertension and obesity. The Cytoscape 3.9.0 was used to draw Chinese materia medica-composition-intersection target-disease network diagram. The STRING 11.5 database was used to draw PPI network. The cytoNCA plug-in was used to screen core active components and targets. The bioenrichment analysis of GO and KEGG was carried out in the R4.1.2, and the Chinese materia medica-intersection target-path diagram was drawn, and the core active components and core targets were docked in PyMOL and AutoDockTools 1.5.7.Results:A total of 102 potentially active components and 62 intersection targets were obtained, and 8 active components and 7 core targets were screened. Enrichment analysis showed that the key targets were mainly enriched through the signaling pathways of fluid shear stress and atherosclerosis, lipid and atherosclerosis, and AGE-RAGE, which were involved in biological processes such as the response to nutritional levels and the regulation of small molecule metabolism. Molecular docking showed that there were 37 groups with addinity < -7 kcal/mol.Conclusion:The main active components of Linggui Zhugan Decoction are quercetin, kaempferol and naringenin, which may play a role in fluid shear stress and atherosclerosis pathway, lipid and atherosclerosis pathway and AGE-RAGE signal pathway through AKT1, EGFR, IL1B and other targets.

Objective To evaluate the impact and clinical significance of NOD-like receptor pyrin domain-containing protein 3(NLRP3)in the activation of lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced BV2 microglia cells.Methods shRNA plasmids were devised for BV2 microglia transfection,and the most effective transfection segment was identified via RT-PCR and Western blot assays.NLRP3 expression in the cell line was detected by Western blotting,while light microscopy was used to observe morpho-logical alterations in BV2 cells transfected with NLRP3-shRNA.Furthermore,enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to quantify levels of inflammatory cytokines IL-18,IL-1β,TNF-α and NO in cell supernatants.Immunofluorescence staining was used to observe the expression and localization of microglial activation markers iNOS,Arg-1,Iba1,and NLRP3.Results NLRP3 was highly expressed in LPS-induced BV2 cells.The Western blot result showed that the mRNA expression level was the lowest and transfection was the least effective in NLRP3-mus-727 group.Microscopic examination revealed a round or short spindle-shaped morphology in BV2 cells transfected with shNLRP3,which was akin to resting state cells in the blank control group.ELISA showed that pro-inflammatory mediators IL-18,IL-1β,TNF-α and NO levels were decreased in BV2 cells trans-fected with shNLRP3(all P＜0.05).Immunofluorescence staining indicated a relative decrease in iNOS and Iba1 expression,with an upregulation of Arg-1 in BV2 cells transfected with shNLRP3.Conclusion NLRP3 is highly expressed in LPS-induced BV2 cells.Inhibition of NLRP3 expression can suppress the inflammatory response of BV2 cells induced by LPS,promoting their polarization towards the M2 phenotype.