Adult ; Aged ; Cerebrovascular Circulation ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Hemorheology ; Humans ; Male ; Microcirculation ; drug effects ; Middle Aged ; Migraine Disorders ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Nails ; blood supply ; Phytotherapy

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of Danggui Yinzi (DY) on delayed allergy in model mice with qi-blood deficiency syndrome (QBDS).

METHODSQBDS model was established in 48 Kuming mice of SPF grade by using reserpine and acetophenone hydrazine. Forty of them were then randomly divided into the model group, the loratadine group, the high dose DY group, the middle dose DY group, and the low dose DY group, 8 in each group. Another 8 in line with the same standard were recruited as a blank group. Mice in high, middle, and low dose DY groups were administered with DY concentrated solution at 60, 30, 15 g/kg by gastrogavage. Mice in the loratadine group were administered with loratadine solution at 1.66 mg/kg by gastrogavage. Equal volume of normal saline was administered to mice in the model group and the blank group by gastrogavage. All medication was given once per day for 1 successive week. Except those in the blank group, the rest mice were evenly smeared with 1% DNCB solution on the abdomen. Five days after skin allergy, 1% DNCB solution was smeared to right ear of all mice to stimulate allergic reaction. Mice in the blank group were smeared in the same way without allergenic reaction. The auricle swelling and the inhibition ratio were determined at 24 h after attack. Blood was collected from orbit and serum IgE level detected using double-antibody sandwich ELISA.

RESULTSCompared with the blank group, auricle swelling obviously increased and serum IgE level was obviously elevated in the model group (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, auricle swelling obviously decreased and serum IgE level was obviously reduced in the 3 dose DY groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Meanwhile, the auricle swelling degree was superior in high and middle dose DY groups to that in the loratadine group (P < 0.05). The inhibition ratio of auricle swelling was sequenced from high to low as 67.3% in the high dose DY group, 56.0% in the middle dose DY group, 48.1% in the low dose DY group, 47.3% in the loratadine group.

CONCLUSIONSDY could inhibit auricle swelling and lower serum IgE level. It also could inhibit delayed allergic reaction in model mice with QBDS to some extent.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Edema ; drug therapy ; Hypersensitivity, Delayed ; drug therapy ; Immunoglobulin E ; blood ; Loratadine ; pharmacology ; Mice ; Qi ; Random Allocation

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effect of progesterone against high intraocular pressure-induced ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury.

METHODSTwenty-four SD rats were randomly divided into normal control, IR model, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) solvent treatment group, and progesterone treatment group. In the latter 3 groups, retinal IR injury was induced by intraocular injection of saline. In the progesterone group, intraperitoneal injections of 4 mg/kg progesterone were administered 30 min before and 2 h after ischemia, and an equivalent volume of DMSO was used in the DMSO group. The content of malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were measured by spectrophotometer after the treatment, and the pathological changes of the retina were observed by transmission electron microscope and light microscope.

RESULTSSix hours after reperfusion, the content of MDA in the model group was significantly higher than that in the normal control group (P<0.01), but lower than that in progesterone treatment group (P<0.01); reverse changes in SOD activity was observed. In the model group, the inner nuclear layer and nerve fiber layer became thinner with obvious cellular pathologies including nuclear condensation, mitochondria vacuolization and endocytoplasmic reticulum swelling. Progesterone treatment markedly alleviated these pathologies in the inner nuclear layer and nerve fiber layer of the retina.

CONCLUSIONProgesterone offers protection of the retina against IR injury in SD rats by increasing SOD activity and decreasing MDA content in the retina.

Animals ; Dimethyl Sulfoxide ; Female ; Ischemia ; etiology ; pathology ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Ocular Hypertension ; complications ; Progesterone ; pharmacology ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Retina ; metabolism ; Retinal Vessels ; physiopathology ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate a new method for the analysis of IR fingerprint spectra of Radix Glycyrrhizae.

METHODTwo indexes, common peak ratio and variation peak ratio, are used to compare the IR spectra of various Radix Glycyrrhizae samples, and the values are calculated by means of sequent analysis.

RESULT AND CONCLUSIONThe dual-index sequence method provides a good approach to discriminate Radix Glycyrrhizae samples of different species and geographical origins.

China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Ecosystem ; Glycyrrhiza ; chemistry ; classification ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared ; methods

Microbial oil, as raw material for biodiesel, can be produced by Trichosporon cutaneum B3 using cassava starch hydrolysate. Batch cultures demonstrated that there was little inhibitory effect with the concentration of cassava starch hydrolysate up to 90 g/L. The favorable initial pH, C/N molar ratio, nitrogen source and its concentration were 6.0, 116, yeast extract and 3.0 g/L, respectively. Under the optimized conditions, dry biomass reached 15.2 g/L and lipid content reached 40.9% after culture for 144 h in flask. Batch cultures in a 2 L stirred-tank fermenter were run for 44 h and resulted in dry biomass, lipid content and lipid yield of 28.7 g/L, 42.8% and 12.27 g/L, respectively. The chemical compositions of biodiesel prepared from lipids of T cutaneum B3 mainly included palmitic acid methyl ester, stearic acid methyl ester, oleic acid methyl ester and linoleic acid methyl ester etc., and its main physicochemical properties were in compliance with relevant national diesel standards. Therefore, the biodiesel prepared from lipids of T cutaneum B3 can serve as a potential fossil fuel alternatives.
Biofuels ; Culture Techniques ; methods ; Fermentation ; Industrial Microbiology ; methods ; Lipids ; biosynthesis ; Manihot ; metabolism ; Starch ; metabolism ; Trichosporon ; growth & development ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate dissolution properties among different components with various polarities and to distinguish these groups from each other.

METHODUltraviolet fingerprint spectra (UV FPS) of the components from Baishao (Radix Paeoiae Alba) and Gancao (Radix Glycyrrhizae) with various proportions, extracted with chloroform, ethanol and water successively, were obtained. The analysis was performed on the absolute and relative absorptions of peaks in UV FPS.

RESULTDissolutions in different rates and in synergy among chemical components were observed, by which different components can be distinguished.

CONCLUSIONDissolution kinetics and processes of the various chemical components from medicinal herbs are of great difference.

Chloroform ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Ethanol ; Glycyrrhiza ; chemistry ; Paeonia ; chemistry ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Reproducibility of Results ; Solubility ; Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet ; methods ; Water

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of adult cardiomyocytes in the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into cardiomyocytes. METHODS: Rat MSCs were isolated by a Percoll's gradient solution and cultured in low-glucose Dulbecco' s modified Eagle' s medium (DMEM). After 2 passages, cell-surface antigen CD34, CD71 and CD90 for rat MSCs were determined by flow cytometry, and these MSCs were transfected with pEGFP-N3 by Lipofectamine2000. Then those MSCs labeled with GFP, were cultured in contacted, nocontacted and conditioned with adult rat myocardiocytes. Immunofluorescence staining against alpha-actin, desmin, and troponin-T were performed after 1 week. RESULTS: Immunofluorescence staining was positive against alpha-actin, desmin, and troponin-T on MSCs in contacted culture group. In contrast, no alpha-actin, desmin, and troponin-T expression on MSCs were observed in the noncontacted culture group and the conditioned culture group. CONCLUSION Direct cell-to-cell contact between MSCs and adult cardiomyocytes may induce differentiation of MSCs into cardiomyocytes.
Animals ; Antigens, CD34 ; analysis ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; Cell Communication ; Cell Differentiation ; physiology ; Cell Separation ; Cells, Cultured ; Coculture Techniques ; Female ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stem Cells ; cytology ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; cytology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Thy-1 Antigens ; analysis

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of Kv1.3 and Kir2.1 during human monocyte-derived macrophages differentiation into foam cells and their function in foam cells formation. METHODS: The human macrophage-derived foam cells were obtained by incubating macrophages with ox-LDL (30 mg/L) for 60 h. The expression of Kv1.3 and Kir2.1 channels were examined by immunocytochemistry, RT-PCR and Western blot. Effects of channel blockers (rMargatoxin and BaCl2) on the cellular cholesterol metabolism were studied by measuring the cellular contents of total cholesterol (TC), free cholesterol (FC), and cholesterol ester (CE) in the presence or absence of the channel blockers. RESULTS: After incubating macrophages with 30 mg/L ox-LDL for 60 h, the cellular contents of TC, FC and CE were markedly increased and the ratio of CE/TC was raised from (14.4+/-6.8)% to (57.9+/-3.5)% (P<0.05), which indicated that the cells had differentiated into foam cells. The expression of Kv1.3 and Kir2.1 channels appeared no obvious difference when differentiating into foam cells (P>0.05); After being blocked specifically (rMargatoxin: 0.1, 10 nmol/L; BaC(12): 75, 125 micromol/L), the cellular contents of TC and CE were markedly reduced without exception and the ratios of CE/TC were all less than 50% (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Both Kv1.3 and Kir2.1 channels play a critical role in differentiation of macrophages into foam cells and blockage of corresponding potassium channels would prevent the formation of the foam cells.
Barium Compounds ; pharmacology ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Chlorides ; pharmacology ; Cholesterol Esters ; metabolism ; Foam Cells ; cytology ; Humans ; Kv1.3 Potassium Channel ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Macrophages ; cytology ; Monocytes ; cytology ; Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Scorpion Venoms ; pharmacology

Benzodiazepines(BDZs)are used in clinics for anxiolysis,anticonvulsants,sedative hypnosis,and muscle relaxation.They have high consumptions worldwide because of their easy availability and potential addiction.They are often used for suicide or criminal practices such as abduction and drug-facilitated sexual assault.The pharmacological effects of using small doses of BDZs and their detections from complex biological matrices are challenging.Efficient pretreatment methods followed by accurate and sensitive detections are necessary.Herein,pretreatment methods for the extraction,enrichment,and preconcentration of BDZs as well as the strategies for their screening,identification,and quantitation developed in the past five years have been reviewed.Moreover,recent advances in various methods are summarized.Characteristics and advantages of each method are encompassed.Future directions of the pretreatment and detection methods for BDZs are also reviewed.

Objective Detected in non-transformed bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) and identified as one of the key channels in modulating macrophage proliferation, activation and apoptosis, Kir2.1 channel is also characterized to play a crucial role in cell differentiation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression of Kir2.1 channel mRNA and protein during human monocyte-derived macrophage differentiation into foam cells. Methods Human peripheral blood monocytes were isolated from healthy male volunteers by density gradient centrifugation and then by adherence method. The macrophages identified as a homogeneous population of adherent cells were obtained after 5 days of culture. Expression of Kir2.1 channel during human macrophage differentiation into foam cells was investigated by RT-PCR, Western blotting and immunocytochemistry, respectively. Results After incubation of the macrophages with 30 mg/L OxLDL at 37℃ for 60 h, the cells were obviously enlarged in size and numerous red lipid granules observed under optical microscope. The cellular contents of the total cholesterol (TC), free cholesterol (FC) and cholesterol ester (CE) were markedly increased from 54.79±28.304 mg/g, 47.968±26.787 mg/g and 6.822±3.437 mg/g to 229.775±57.453 mg/g, 96.241±24.003 mg/g and 133.535±36.292mg/g, respectively; the CE/TC ratio rose from (14.437±6.781)% to (57.946±3.507) % (n=7, P＜0.05), suggesting the phenotype of foam cells. However, there was no significant difference in the relative expression of Kir2.1 channel mRNA between the macrophages and foam cells [(59.074±10.566)% vs (46.98±12.527)%, n=5, P＞0.05], nor was there significant difference in the relative expression of Kir2.1 channel protein between them [(60.527±18.621)% vs (50.243±11.583)%, n=6, P＞0.05].Conclusion Incubation of human monocyte-derived macrophages with 30 mg/L OxLDL for 60 h induces the differentiation of the cells into foam cells, but the expression of Kir2.1 channel does not change obviously.