Dry powder inhalers (DPIs) have received considerable attention because of their propellant-free composition and stability. DPIs include the DPI devices and inhalation powders. The purpose of this review is to address the development of the DPIs, including the mechanisms of absorption, the products, the devices, the preparation technology, and the characteristics.
Administration, Topical ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Dry Powder Inhalers ; Lung ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods

To study the preventive effect of sophocarpine (Soc) on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice, in order to analyze the influence of Soc on toll like receptor 4 (TLR4)/mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and janus tyrosine kinase 2 signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (JAK2/STAT3) signal pathways in mice intestinal tissues. The mice was given 2.5% DSS for 6 days to induce the acute colitis model. The Soc-treated group was intraperitoneally injected with sophocarpine 30 mg · kg(-1) · d(-1) since the day before the experiment to the end. The disease activity index (DAI) was assessed everyday, and the colonic morphology and histological damage were observed with HE staining. The mRNA expressions of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were detected by real-time RT-PCR. The changes in key protein kinase p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK), c-Jun NH2-terminal protein kinase1/2 (JNK1/2), extracellular signal-regulated kinase1/2 (ERK1/2), JAK2, STAT3 in TLR4/MAPKs and JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathways were detected by western blot. The result showed that the model group showed statistical significance in body weight, DAI, colon length and histopathological changes compared with the normal group (P <0.05); however, the Soc-treated group showed significant improvements in the above indexes compared with the model group (P <0.05). TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 in the model group was significantly higher than that in the normal group (P <0.05), but lowered in the Soc-treated group to varying degrees (P <0.05). In the normal group, the expressions of TLR4 and the phosphorylation of P38, JNK1/2, JAK2, STAT3 were at low levels; in the model group, the phosphorylation of P38, JNK1/2, JAK2, STAT3 increased; the Soc-treated group showed a decrease in TLR4 expression compared with the model group, with notable declines in the phosphorylation of TLR4, P38, JNK1/2, JAK2, STAT3. These findings indicate that Soc can inhibit TLR4/MAPKs, K2/STAT3 signaling pathway activation, reduce the expression of proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 and relieve inflammatory reactions, so as to effectively prevent experimental colitis.
Alkaloids ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; Colitis ; drug therapy ; immunology ; pathology ; Cytokines ; genetics ; Janus Kinase 2 ; antagonists & inhibitors ; physiology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Phosphorylation ; STAT3 Transcription Factor ; antagonists & inhibitors ; physiology ; Toll-Like Receptor 4 ; antagonists & inhibitors ; physiology

AIMTo determine the protective effect of recombinant human interleukin-2 (rhIL-2) in inhalant form on experimental respiratory tract infection with Klebsiella pneumoniae in mice.

METHODSMice were infected with the method of nasal intubation drip. During infection, mice were given rhIL-2 by sc injection and the method of nasal intubation drip. There were normal group, vehicle group, model group, rhIL-2 groups and gentamicin group. In the end, the pathological changes in the lung were observed. The survival time and the mortality within a week of each group were recorded. The total protein content, the albumin content, the activity of alkaline phosphatase and the activity of lactic dehydrogenase of broncho-alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were dertermined and compared.

RESULTSSymptoms of Klebsiella pneumoniae were remarkably relieved because of rhIL-2 administration. The total protein content, the albumin content, the activity of alkaline phosphatase and the activity of lactic dehydrogenase of BALF were less than those in the vehicle group and the model group.

CONCLUSIONInhalation of rhIL-2 can alleviate the pathological changes in the lung after infection. At the same dose, it could be seen that the effect of rhIL-2 in inhalant form was better than that of the injection.

Administration, Inhalation ; Animals ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; chemistry ; Female ; Interleukin-2 ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Klebsiella Infections ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Klebsiella pneumoniae ; Lung ; pathology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Recombinant Proteins ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVEStudy the characteristics of absorption and separation of traditional Chinese medicine compound prescription using macroporous resin.

METHODStudy the techniquecs and characteristics of absorption and separation of a sample by macroporous resin, which is composed of coptis root, rhubarb and common anemarrhena rhizome, containing alkaloid, anthraquinone and saponin.

RESULTIt is proved by qualitative and quantitative researches studies that after absorbed and separated by optimized technics process, most prime effective components or section fractions in traditional Chinese medicine compound prescription can be reserved maintained.

CONCLUSIONIf the techniquecs of separation is properly designed, the same kind of macropore resin can absorbd and separate various effective components or section in traditional Chinese medicine compound prescription which have with different chemical structures efficiently.

Alkaloids ; isolation & purification ; Anemarrhena ; chemistry ; Anthraquinones ; isolation & purification ; Coptis ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Resins, Synthetic ; Rheum ; chemistry ; Saponins ; isolation & purification ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods

OBJECTIVETo develop a UPLC method for the simultaneous determination of liquiritin, narirutin, hesperidin, ammonium glycyrrhetate, honokiol and magnolol in Huoxiang Zhengqi oral liquid.

METHODA Zorbax Eclipse C18 column was used with the mobile phase of acetonitrile and 0. 05% phosphate acid by gradient elution at the detection wavelength of 220 nm. The flow rate was 0.42 mL x min(-1) and the column temperature was 30 degrees C.

RESULTThe calibration curves were linear in the ranges of 0.001 7-0.034, 0.003 4-0.068, 0.006 4-0.128, 0.012 8-0.256, 0.003 2-0.064, 0.006 4-0.128 microg, respectively. The average recoveries were 103.3%, 98.39%, 98.29%, 102.1%, 98.45%, 102.2% with RSDs of 2.1%,1.0%, 0.50%, 2.3%, 0.9%, 2.0%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe UPLC method was simple, rapid and accurate, it could be used for quality control of Huoxiang Zhengqi oral liquid.

Administration, Oral ; Biphenyl Compounds ; chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Disaccharides ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Flavanones ; chemistry ; Glucosides ; chemistry ; Hesperidin ; chemistry ; Lignans ; chemistry ; Pharmaceutical Solutions ; chemistry

AIMTo determine insulin and its related substances in insulin powder for inhalation by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography method.

METHODSThe initial mobile phase was solution A (0.1% trifluoroacetic acid-acetonitril 70:30) and changed to solution B (0.1% trifluoroacetic acid-acetonitril 60:40) in 30 minutes. The flow rate was 2.0 mL.min-1, the column temperature was 30 degrees C, the wave length was 280 nm, the injected volume was 20 microL.

RESULTSInsulin was well separated from other peaks induced in different conditions. There was good linear relationship between the amount of insulin and its peak area, the RSD was 1.1%, the insulin solution for determination was stable in 12 hours, and the quantity detected was near the added.

CONCLUSIONThe method is simple and accurate to detect insulin and its related substances in insulin and its preparations.

Administration, Inhalation ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Insulin ; administration & dosage ; analysis ; Powders ; analysis

Adenovirus vectors are one of the most promising gene transfer systems. They are of great value for gene therapy because these vectors achieve temporal high-level transgene expression and high gene transfer efficiency. To meet increasing needs of adenovirus vectors for gene therapy programs, parallel development of efficient, scalable and reproducible production processes is required. Perfusion cultivation of 293 cells is one of the most commonly used methods to produce adenovirus vectors and it is suitable for industrialized production specially. Experimental studies had been carried out to produce recombinant adenovirus containing the green fluorescent protein gene (Ad-GFP) by perfusion cultivation of HEK-293 N3S cells in a 5L stirring bioreactors. Perfusion rate was 1-2 volume/day. To infect the 293 N3S cells with Ad-GFP at the density of (2-4) x 10(6) cells/ ml. The time of collecting cells was 48 hours post infection. After three rounds of freeze/thaw and centrifugation, the crude viral lysates were stored at--80 degrees C until use. Then to get the Ad-GFP products by 2 x CsCl-gradient purification. The purity of the products was determined by the A260/A280 ratio and a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assay. The infective titer was determined by a TCID50 assay. The culture term was 10-12 days. The infectious titer, the number of virus particle and the ratio of infectious titer to virus particle for the product were 1.0 x 10(11) IU/mL, 1.68 x 10(12) VP/mL and 6.0% IU/VP respectively. The A260/A280 ratio was 1.33, and the purity determined by HPLC was 99.2%. The cell specific productivity was around 1000 IU/cell. By perfusion cultivation of 293 N3S cells in a 5L stirring bioreactors, we established the production process for Ad-GFP, which paves a way to produce other recombinant adenovirus for gene therapy.
Adenoviridae ; genetics ; growth & development ; isolation & purification ; Bioreactors ; microbiology ; Cell Line ; Gene Transfer Techniques ; Genetic Vectors ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; genetics ; Humans ; Kidney ; cytology ; virology ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Recombination, Genetic ; Virus Cultivation ; instrumentation ; methods

Adult ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Embolization, Therapeutic ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal ; Esophageal and Gastric Varices ; etiology ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension, Portal ; complications ; Ligation ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of Zhikuofang, a TCM prescription, and Ofloxacin on the inflammation and cytostatics of the airway model of bronchiectasis.

METHODThe airway model of bronchiectasis (AMB) was set up and infused with Ps. Aeruginosa. A comparison between the effects of Zhikuofang and Of loxacin on the AMB was made.

RESULTZhikuofang is better than Ofloxacin in following aspects: lowering the density of inflammation cells in blood, decreasing the volume of tracheal secretion and inhibiting the cytostatics (IL-8 and TNF-alpha) of the trachea tissue, but Ofloxacin is more effective in diminishing the amount of bacteria in trachea flushing liquor. There was no marked difference between them in their histopathy effects on the trachea.

CONCLUSIONZhikuofang probably plays antiphlogistic and bacteriostatic effects by inhibiting the IL-8 and TNF-alpha, resisting secretion, decreasing the inflammation cells and resisting inflammation of trachea.

Animals ; Anti-Infective Agents ; pharmacology ; Bronchiectasis ; metabolism ; microbiology ; Bronchitis ; metabolism ; microbiology ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Female ; Interleukin-8 ; metabolism ; Male ; Ofloxacin ; pharmacology ; Phytotherapy ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Pseudomonas Infections ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

Objective To discuss the optimal clinical diagnosis and treatment of ectopic ACTH syndrome with occult tumors. Methods Clinical features, imaging examinations and treatment of 17 patients with ectopic ACTH syndrome were described and compared. Results All patients illustrated the typical clinical features of Cushing’s syndrome. They had hypokalemic alkalosis, elevated serum cortisol and plasma ACTH levels. In the high-dose dexamethasone suppression tests, most patients failed to suppress serum cortisol and 24-hour urinary cortisol. CT and MRI are useful imaging modalities to localize the ACTH-secreting tumor in patients with ectopic ACTH syndrome. The patients with overt ACTH-secreting tumors had surgical curative resection soon after diagnosis. Among patients with occult ACTH-secreting tumors, three underwent subtotal bilateral adrenalectomy, two underwent right adrenalectomy, four received inhibitor of steroidogenesis aminoglutethimide. Their hypercortisolism was controlled. Conclusion Surgical curative resection is the optimal treatment of ectopic ACTH syndrome with overt ACTH-secreting tumor. Bilateral adrenalectomy, right adrenal ectomy or chemotherapy to control hypercortisolism is an available treatment of ectopic ACTH syndrome with occult ACTH-secreting tumors.