AIM: To compare difference and similarity of transdermal therapeutics between traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) and Western Medicine, to investigate the merit and shortage of the trans-meridional-point therapeutics in TCM, and to find out the problems urgent to be resolved so as to expand external remedy of TCM.METHODS: A part of literatures of TCM about transdermal therapeutics were reviewed, and PubMed database and relevant articles in Chinese medical journals were retrieved to analyze the relevant information RESULTS: The trans-meridional-point therapeutics of TCM had a long his tory, with rich experience and definite effect. The key of it was the amplification and integrative effect produced during the process of absorption of drugs through meridional point. The research of transdermal therapeutics combined with transdermal therapeutic system(TTS) had been in a starting stage, but it was limited in the research of a disease and a prescription, being of shortage in evidence of effective mechanism and morphology. Now one of the hot points in effective mechanism of TTS was to resolve rate-limiting process for medicine transportation through the corneal layer so as to promote entering of enough medicine into the body.CONCLUSION: It is urgent to solve the essence of the morphological basis of acupoint structure, establish experimental animal mode of transdermal therapeutics, and popularize clinical application on the basis of a great deal of medicinal experiments on animals so as to bring new ideas for transdermal remedy of Chinese drug.

Objective; To investigate the expression and distribution of IL-6 in periodontal tissues and the change of the alveolar bone of rats during orthodontic tooth movement, and to study the effects of orthodontic force on the periodontal tissue remodeling. Methods: SO gram orthodontic force was loaded on the left first maxillary molars of 25 rats in experimental group. Immunohistochem-istry and histomorphometric analysis were performed to measure the expression of IL-6 and the loss of alveolar bone at 0, 1, 3, 5, 7 " and 10 days after the application of orthodontic force. Results; The expression of IL-6 was observed to reach maximum level on day 3 and to decline thereafter in experimental group. No obvious alveolar bone loss was detected in the mesial side of the first molars. Conclusion; Although orthodontic force can evoke the local inflammatory response of periodontal tissue and the expression of pro-inflammation cytokines such as IL-6, it can not cause severe periodontal destruction and alveolar bone loss.

OBJECTIVETo explore the characteristic of hypoxia-induced immune injury, its mechanisms and the intervention measure.

METHODSThe change of immune organ index, T lymphocyte subsets of peripheral blood and immune organ in mice during hypoxia were detected. Lymphocyte apoptosis of immune organ, pathology of lung and kidney in mice were observed. Then by way of prophylaxis we studied the effect of Chinese Traditional Medicine on hypoxia-induced immune injury in mice.

RESULTS(1) Exposure to hypoxia at 8 000 m simulated altitude for 8 h resulted in marked decrease in CD4+ CD8+ thymocytes and marked increase in CD4+ CD8-, CD4- CD8+ thymocytes (P < 0.01). After 3 days of hypoxia, the mice had a much lower percentage of CD4+ T-cell (P < 0.05). The ratio of CD4+/CD8+ decreased significantly and aforesaid changes of thymocyte were further enlarged. Also mice had a pronounced increase in rates of late apoptosis or necrosis of spleen lymphocyte and thymocyte (P < 0.05). After 6 days of hypoxia, index of spleen was significantly increased (P < 0.05), index of thymus was significantly decreased (P < 0.05) and CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ lymphocyte percentage of spleen were significantly decreased (P < 0.01). Also late apoptosis or necrosis lymphocytes of spleen and thymus were further increased (P < 0.01), viable cell rates of spleen lymphocyte and thymocytes were markedly decreased (P < 0.01), early apoptosis rates of spleen lymphocyte were markedly increased (P < 0.01). There was no significant change in the percentage of CD8+ lymphocyte in peripheral blood during the whole hypoxia period. (2) New Compound Codonopsis Pilosula (NCCP), Xiang Qi Polysaccharide (XQP) and NCCP + XQP could significantly increase the number of peripheral blood CD3+, CD4+ and spleen CD4+, but had no significant influence on the number of spleen CD8+. XQP and XQP+ NCCP could significantly decrease the number of CD4+ CD8+ (P < 0.01), increase that of CD4+ CD8- (P < 0.01), and had no significant influence on CD4- CD8+ in thymus. However, NCCP didn't influence the component of thymocytes.

CONCLUSIONAfter hypoxia at 8 000 m simulated altitude decrease of lymphocyte of periphery in mice may be related with increase of apoptosis and necrosis of lymphocyte, and with increase of distribution of lymphocyte to lung in early period of exposure. NCCP and XQP have hopeful prospect in intervention study of hypoxia-induced immune injury.

Altitude ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Flow Cytometry ; Hypoxia ; immunology ; pathology ; prevention & control ; Lung ; cytology ; Lymphocyte Count ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Spleen ; cytology ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets ; cytology ; drug effects ; Thymus Gland ; cytology