Cardiomyopathy, Dilated ; etiology ; genetics ; Humans

Adult Stem Cells ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; cytology

Eight phenolic compounds were isolated from Rhododendron phaeochrysum var. agglutinatum and their sructures were identified as phaeochrysin (1), (2R)-4-(3',4'-dihydroxyphenyl) -2-butanol (2), (-) -rhododendrol (3), rhododendrin (4), (+) -isolariciresinol (5), (-) -lyoniresinol (6), lyoniresinol-9'-O-β-D-xylopyranoside (7), and dihydrodehydrodiconiferyl-3a-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (8). Compound 1 is new, and compounds 2, 5-8 were isolated from this plant for the first time.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Mass Spectrometry ; Molecular Structure ; Phenols ; chemistry ; Rhododendron ; chemistry

ObjectiveIn order to investigate anti-ageing mechanisms of the notoginsenoside Rg1,we used Aβ_(1-42) and D-galactose to establish aging rat model. Methods Ninety rats were divided into three groups at random: sham group, model group, treatment group. Aging rat models were established by injecting peritoneally D-galactose (100 mg/kg) to the rats for 56 days and after 35 days aggregated Aβ_(1-42)(μg) was injected to the right lateral ventricle of rats. Meantime, rats were treated by intragastric administration the notoginsenoside Rg1. Then spatial memory of experimental rats was examined with the Morris water maze(MWM). The thiol antioxidants including glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities were examined by colorimetric method. The concentration of the pro-caspase-3 and Bcl-2 were examined by the immunohistochemistry and Western blotting method. Results In aging model rats escape latercies were significantly prolonged (P<0.05), while decreases were seen in the time of staying the third quadrants of platform, the number of crossing over a platform, the concentration of the GR, GSH-Px, and pro-caspase-3 as compared with the sham group(P<0.05). After treatment of the notoginsenoside Rg1, the aging model rats exhibited significant increases in the time of staying the third quadrants of platform, the number of crossing over a platform, the concentration of the GR, GSH-Px, and pro-caspase-3(P<0.05), while a decrease was observed in escape latercies as compared to control group(P<0.05). Moreover there was no significant difference in the expression of the Bcl-2(P>0.05). Conclusion The results from our study indicate that the notoginsenoside Rg1 could improve the oriented learning and memory capacity and prevent the neurodegeneration of central nervous systems in aging model rats by up-regulating the expression of the thiol antioxidants(including GR and GSH-Px) and resisting the cleavage of the pro-caspase-3.

Syndrome and formulae (or prescription) are two key issues in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and the premise research for material basis of TCM. However, vagueness of syndromes and complexity of formulae greatly limited the evaluation to syndromes and effective substance basis of prescription. Therefore, how to solve the evaluation of syndromes, confirming the efficacy material basis in prescription are the current hot issues of international concern. To solve these problems, establishing chinmedomics by integrated serum pharmacochemistry of TCM with metabolomics technology, that is a unique method of TCM research, made outstanding contributions in solving international concerns such as the effectiveness and security aspects of TCM. On the basis of the biological characterization of syndrome, the metabolic profiling of animal models of TCM syndrome, and related metabolic fingerprints as well as metabolic biomarkers were established to evaluate the overall effects of TCM formulae and corresponding relationship of syndrome-formulae. The active constituents were screened using the plotting of correlation between (endogenous) marker metabolites and (exogenous) serum constituents (PCMS), and is ongoing verification by further biological experiments. Correlation analysis between the ingredients in the body after oral formulae and endogenous markers in vivo can be used to clarify the active ingredients and synergistic properties. This method was successfully applied for rapid discovery of potentially bioactive components and metabolites from TCM, and through a series of studies on the chinmedomics, it proved that the established method could help to explore the effective substance for further research of TCM. As a new research approach, Chinmedomics is the best method to fit the holistic concept of TCM, and it can not only interpret the essence of syndrome but also elucidate the scientific connotation of Chinese medical formulae.
Animals ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Drug Prescriptions ; Drug Therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; pharmacokinetics ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

Objective To explore the activition and polarization of microglia in the epileptic rats induced by lithium chloride-pilocarpine. Methods One hundred male SD rats were randomly divided into five groups: control group and different time points model groups including 1d,3d,7d and 14d. Epilepsy models were established by lithium chloride-pilocarpine intraperitoneal injection. The control group was given the same dosage of normal saline. The morphology change was detected by immunofluorescence,and the expressions of iNOS and Arg-1 were determined by IHC at respective time points. Results Compared the model groups with control group,microglia was activated,synapsis was shorten,volume got bigger,most of them seemed as amoebocyte,the expression of iNOS increased and Arg-1 decreased,especially at 3d.ConclusionThe results from this study indicated that microglia was activated and polarized in epileptic rats induced by pilocarpine.

Objective To evaluate the biophysical properties of insulin-producing cells labeled and unlabeled with superparamagnctic iron oxide nanoparticals and poly-L-lysine(SPIO-PLL)in vitro,and then monitor cellular imaging with 1.5 T MR.Methods BMSCs were isolated from tibia and femur of 6～8 weeks normal Spragne-Dawley rats,purified on the basis of their ability to adhere to the matrix,and expanded through their self-renewal.Two-step strategy was adopted with BMSCs induced into insulin-producing cells, After that,the cells were incubated with SPIO-PLL.Prussian blue stain was employed for identifying intracellular irons.Radioimmunology assay was used to measure the insulin secretion by the labeled and unlabeled cells,and later on underwent MR imaging with T_1WI、T_2WI、T_2*WI sequences,Results lntracytoplasmic nanoparticales were stained with Prussian blue possessing insulin-producing cells labeled with SPIO-PLL.The amount of insulin secreted by the labeled and unlabeled ceils had no statistical significant difference.The signal intensity of labeled cells decreased significantly on T_2*WI,as well as the stronger proportional variations for signal intensity.Conclusion Insulin-producing cells can be labelled effectively with SPIO-PLL and be imaged by 1.5 T MRI.(J Intervent Radiol,2007,16:104-108)

Objective To evaluate the role of early cleavage embryo in combination with embryo growth rate and morphology scoring in embryo selection in in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) cycles. Methods Six hundred and ten IVF/ICSI cycles were randomly assigned to group A(269 cycles) and group B(341 cycles). In group A, transferred embryos were chosen according to embryo growth rate and morphology scoring by 72 h(D3) after fertilization, while early cleavage embryo was added to the selecting system in group B. The pregnancy rate and implantation rate were compared between two groups, and the clinic outcomes were compared between transfers with early cleavage embryos and without early cleavage embryos in group B. Results The pregnancy rate and implantation rate in group B were significantly higher than those in group A (P < 0.05). Transfers with early cleavage embryos also achieved much higher pregnancy rate and implantation rate in group B (P < 0.01). Conclusion Compared with embryo growth rate and morphology scoring, early cleavage embryo in combination with embryo growth rate and morphology scoring can improve the clinical outcomes in IVF/ICSI cycles.

Objective To study the changes of serum interleukin(IL)-4,IL-12 and correlation with cellular immunity in children with asthma of different stages.Methods Fifty asthmatic children were randomly selected, including 30 cases in attack stage (group A) and 20 cases in remission stage (group R). At the same time, 22 healthy children were studied as normal controls (group N).The levels of IL-12 and IL-4 ,T cells subgroups and erythrocyte immunity were detected.Results 1.Serum IL-12 levels were (24.44? 13.26 ),(42.30?12.65),(44.68?28.28) ng/L in group A, R and N,respectively. There was significant difference in three groups (F=8.92 P

OBJECTIVETo preliminarily investigate the influence of hypoxia on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), and the effect of Ginkgo biloba extract 50 (GBE50) on it.

METHODSFlow cytometry, TUNEL, RT-PCR, Western blot, etc. were applied, to study the effect of hypoxia and GBE50 on endothelial cells.

RESULTSAfter being interfered by hypoxia for 24 h, the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in HUVECs and the apoptotic rate either in the early or in the late stage significantly increased, and accompanied with the increased levels of endothelin-1 mRNA (ET-1) and endothelial oxide synthase (eNOS) protein. However, when HUVECs were pretreated with GBE50 (25 [microg/ml) 4 h before hypoxia, the apoptotic rate in the early or late stage and expression of ET-1 mRNA significantly decreased (P < 0.05), and the heightened ROS level and eNOS expression partially decreased (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONHypoxia can induce endothelial dysfunction, which could be partially or significantly reversed by GBE50, it shows a certain protective effect on hypoxia induced endothelial dysfunction.

Blotting, Western ; Cell Hypoxia ; Cells, Cultured ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Endothelial Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Endothelin-1 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Endothelium, Vascular ; drug effects ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Free Radical Scavengers ; pharmacology ; Ginkgo biloba ; chemistry ; Humans ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction