OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical efficacy of compound periploca liquid (CPL) in treating condyloma acuminatum (CA), and to explore its mechanisms at molecular level.

METHODSEighty-one patients with CA were randomly divided into three groups, 30 patients in Group A were treated with CPL, 21 in Group B were treated with periploca syrup and 30 in Group C were treated with Youtuoxin (YXG). The clinical efficacy and adverse reaction occurred in the three groups was evaluated respectively. Besides, change of human papilloma virus (HPV) DNA in two patients with CA was determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in vitro after being treated with CPL and periploca, the monarchic drug of CPL.

RESULTSThe cure rate obtained in group A, B, and C was 56.67%, 42.86% and 63.33% respectively, the total effective rate in them was 83.33%, 71.43% and 86.67% respectively, the difference of therapeutic efficacy was insignificant among the three groups. But the adverse reaction occurrence in them (6.67%, 4.76% and 86.67%) was significantly different (P < 0.01). The recurrent rate in them was 14.29%, 12.5% and 47.1% respectively. PCR showed negative expression of HPV in the two samples of CA of same concentration after the verrucous homogenate suspension being treated with CPL or periploca syrup of different concentration, while it was positive after the suspension was treated with the group of normal saline without any drug.

CONCLUSIONThe therapeutic efficacies of CPL, periploca syrup and Youtuoxin are not significantly different, but the former two have advantages of less adverse effects and lower recurrent rate. And they are possibly having germicidal action on HPV-DNA in CA tissue in vitro.

Administration, Topical ; Adult ; Condylomata Acuminata ; drug therapy ; DNA, Viral ; analysis ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Genital Diseases, Female ; drug therapy ; virology ; Genital Diseases, Male ; drug therapy ; virology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Papillomaviridae ; drug effects ; Papillomavirus Infections ; drug therapy ; Periploca ; chemistry ; Phytotherapy ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical efficacy of narrow band ultraviolet bin (NB-UVB) combined with Yuyin Recipe (YYR) in treating psoriasis vulgaris (PV).

METHODSOne hundred and nineteen patients with PV were randomly assigned to 2 groups by envelop method, the 62 patients in the treated group were treated with NB-UVB and YYR bathing, and the 57 in the control group were treated with NB-UVB alone. The course of treatment for both groups was 8 weeks. PASI scoring was performed before treatment and at the 2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th week of treatment respectively, and the treatment effect was evaluated depending on the decreasing rate of PASI score. The accumulated dose and side-effect of NB-UVB applied was observed.

RESULTSThe PASI scores in the treated group measured at various time points after treatment were significantly different to that of baseline (P < 0.05). The cure rate in the treated group and the control group was 69.35% and 24.56% while the total effective rate in them 96.77% and 71.93%, respectively, showing significant difference between the two groups (chi2 = 27.755, P <0.01). The difference of PASI decreasing rate between groups showed statistical significant from the 4th week (P <0.01). The total dose of NB-UVB applied in the treated group (9.95 +/- 4.76) was less than that in the control group (12.77 +/- 5.05) with the difference of statistical significance (t = 3.141, P <0.01). The adverse reaction occurrence in them was 4.84% (3/62) and 31.58% (18/57) respectively, also showing significant difference (chi2 = 119, P <0.01). CCONCLUSION: The combined use of TCM medicated bath with NB-UVB can enhance the curative effect, reduce the accumulated dosage and lessen the adverse reactions of ultraviolet radiation.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Psoriasis ; drug therapy ; radiotherapy ; Ultraviolet Rays ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of ClpE on the protein expression profiles of Streptococcus pneumoniae.

METHODSclpE-deficient Streptococcus pneumoniae strain was constructed by long flanking homology-polymerase chain reaction (LFH-PCR) and identified by PCR and sequencing. The total bacterial proteins were analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and imaging analysis, and the differentially expressed protein spots were excised by dot-gel digestion with trypsin. Peptide mass fingerprinting (PMF) was obtained by analysis of the fragment length by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). The PMF was analyzed using software to identify the proteins.

RESULTSThe number of matched protein spots of the two gels was 61%. By sequence database searching, 4 out of the 17 differential protein spots were identified, namely hypoxanthine-guanine, pyrrolidone-carboxylate peptidase1, formate-tetrahydrofolate ligase, and bifunctional protein pyrR.

CONCLUSIONclpE gene-deficient Streptococcus pneumoniae expresses fewer kinds of proteins at also lower levels than the wild-type bacteria, suggesting that ClpE allows the bacteria to adapt to different host environments by inducing the expression of special proteins.

Adenosine Triphosphatases ; deficiency ; genetics ; Bacterial Proteins ; genetics ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Heat-Shock Proteins ; deficiency ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization ; Streptococcus pneumoniae ; genetics ; growth & development ; physiology

In order to study the important factors involved in cationic liposome-mediated gene transfer, Lipofectamine 2000 or DOTAP was evaluated using three types of cells (Hep-2, MCF-7 and SW-480) in vitro transfection efficiencies. Different properties of the two reagents were analyzed and compared by DNA arrearage assay and MTT assay. Both Lipofectamine 2000 and DOTAP had strong capability to combine with DNA; Lipofectamine 2000 can get higher transfection efficiency of the three cells by using GFP as report gene, meanwhile, DOTAP can also get higher transfection efficiency against Hep-2 cell. However, DOTAP showed lower transfection efficiency against MCF-7 and SW-480 cell. On the other hand, the cytotoxicity assay showed that over 85% cell viability of MCF-7 cell could be achieved both by Lipofectamine 2000 and DOTAP under the optimal transfection condition. Relatively speaking, Lipofectamine 2000 has very high transfection efficiency in a broad range of cell lines, but because of the special selectivity of cell type on liposome, DOTAP also has a broad application prospect.
Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; DNA ; genetics ; Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Gene Transfer Techniques ; Genes, Reporter ; Genetic Vectors ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; metabolism ; Humans ; Lipids ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Quaternary Ammonium Compounds ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo analyze CYP17A1 gene mutations in a child patient with 17 alpha-hydroxylase/17, 20-lyase deficiency (17OHD), and to review characteristics of CYP17A1 gene mutations in Chinese patients with 17OHD.

METHODSClinical data were collected. PCR and DNA sequencing were performed to detect mutations in the patient.

RESULTSThe patient has presented classical features of 17OHD including hypertension, hypokalemia, decreased sex hormones and plasma cortisol, and elevated blood adrenocorticotrophic hormone. A compound heterozygous mutation c.987C>A and c.985del was detected in the CYP17A1 gene, which resulted in two premature stop codons at positions 328 and 417.

CONCLUSIONA compound mutation, c.987C>A and c.985del, has been identified in a patient with 17OHD. Among CYP17A1 gene mutations identified in Chinese patients, missence mutations have been most common, and exons 5 and 8 have been the mutation hotspots.

Adolescent ; Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital ; enzymology ; genetics ; Base Sequence ; Female ; Humans ; Lyases ; deficiency ; genetics ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mutation ; Steroid 17-alpha-Hydroxylase ; genetics

Soybean mosaic virus (SMV) is a critical pathogen that reduces the soybean yield and seed quality worldwide, and SMV has a restricted natural host range. In this study, we used sequence-independent amplification (SIA) methods to identify the viruses that may cause the Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz disease. Results revealed that there is SMV in diseased Atractylodes macrocephala leaves, and we named this isolate as SMV-Am. To further characterize the genomic structural and phylogenetic relationships of SMV-Am, genomic dsRNA was extracted, and the genomic sequence was amplified by RT-PCR and RACE. The results of bioinformatics analysis showed that the genomic RNA of SMV-Am is 9587 nucleotides in length, which conforms to the typical characteristics of Potyvirus. According to the sequence alignment of complete nucleotide sequences, SMV-Am showed the highest level of nucleotide homology and amino acid sequences to SMV-Liaoning, 96. 57% and 98. 86%, respectively. In addition, phylogenetic analysis based on the nucleotide sequences of other SMV isolates of SMV-Am revealed that SMV-Am was most closely related to SMV-Liaoning. Then, the SMV-Am protein was further analyzed by I-TASSER and PyMOL software, revealing that the key amino acid mutations led to the structural changes of P1, HC-Pro, P3, 6K2, NIa-pro and NIb proteins, with P1 the most obvious. Finally, recombination has been detected at the position of 6560-8950 nucleotides, the main parent is the isolate SMV-XFQ012 (accession number KP710875. 1), and the secondary parent is isolate SMV-pCB301-SC15 (accession number MH919386. 1). This study is the first report of SMV in Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz, and these results are expected to provide a scientific basis for the prevention and control of SMV infection on Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz.

OBJECTIVETo determine the pyrolysis characteristics of calcined and processed calamine, qualitatively and quantitatively compare the contents of related elements, morphology and functional groups of the pyrolysis products dried at different heating temperatures and explore the critical temperature and the optimal drying temperature for the process of calamine with Huanglian Decoction (HLD, ) and San Huang Decoction (SHD, ).

METHODSPyrolysis products were prepared by programmable and constantly heating the calcined and processed calamine to or at different heating temperatures. Thermogravimetry (TG) was used to test their pyrolysis characteristics. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopeenergy dispersive spectrometer were used to determine their morphology, functional groups and element contents. Page model was used to investigate the constant drying kinetics of processed calamine.

RESULTSThe adding of HLD or SHD to calcined calamine (CC) can slow its weight loss in drying pyrolysis process. The temperature ranges where HLD and SHD can affect its weight loss were 65-150 °C and 74-180 °C, respectively. The drying temperature was optimized as 90 °C. The drying kinetic for the processed calamine fits Page model shows good linearity.

CONCLUSIONSConclusions: The critical temperature and the optimal drying temperature where HLD and SHD can affect the weight loss rate in the process of calamine were explored using the theories and methods of both biophysical chemistry and processing of Chinese materia medica. This work provides a good example for the study of the process of other Chinese medicines using modern analytical techniques.

This Meta-analysis was designed to evaluate the effects of Bailing Capsules on microinflammation and nutritional status of maintenance hemodialysis patients, and to determine its efficacy and safety. The randomized controlled trials concerning the intervention of microinflammation and nutritional status in maintenance hemodialysis patients with Bailing Capsules were searched from Chinese and English databases including CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, PubMed, EMbase, and Cochrane Library. A total of 16 articles were obtained, involving 1 095 cases. As revealed by Meta-analysis,(1)Bailing Capsules lowered the levels of serum high sensitivity C-reactive protein(SMD=-0.92, 95%CI[-1.05,-0.80], P<0.000 01), interleukin-6(SMD=-1.49, 95%CI[-1.96,-1.02], P<0.000 01), and tumor necrosis factor-α(SMD=-1.48, 95%CI[-1.68,-1.28], P<0.000 01) in patients with maintenance hemodialysis, thus alleviating microinflammation.(2)Bailing Capsules elevated the levels of serum hemoglobin(SMD=1.37, 95%CI[1.21, 1.54], P<0.000 01), albumin(SMD=0.78, 95%CI[0.57, 0.98], P<0.000 01), and triglyceride(SMD=0.29, 95%CI[0.07, 0.50], P=0.01) in patients with hemodialysis to improve their nutritional status.(3)Bailing Capsules reduced the incidence of cardiovascular events(RR=0.45, 95%CI[0.34, 0.59], P<0.000 01).(4)A total of six patients presented with mild gastrointestinal discomfort after receiving Bailing Capsules, and no serious adverse reactions were observed. The sequential analysis showed that the sample size of this Meta-analysis had reached the expected value. Meanwhile, the grade of evidence quality suggested that the outcome indicators were mainly low or extremely low in quality. In conclusion, Bailing Capsules might have potential advantages in alleviating microinflammation, improving nutritional status, and reducing the incidence of cardiovascular events. However, in view of the low quality and evidence of the included literature, high-quality clinical trials are needed to further confirm the efficacy and safety of Bailing Capsules.
Capsules ; Cardiovascular Diseases/drug therapy* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Humans ; Nutritional Status ; Renal Dialysis/adverse effects*

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a global health problem that causes major illnesses and disabilities worldwide. Epidemiologic studies have demonstrated that the prevalence of AR has increased progressively over the last few decades in more developed countries and currently affects up to 40% of the population worldwide. Likewise, a rising trend of AR has also been observed over the last 2–3 decades in developing countries including China, with the prevalence of AR varying widely in these countries. A survey of self-reported AR over a 6-year period in the general Chinese adult population reported that the standardized prevalence of adult AR increased from 11.1% in 2005 to 17.6% in 2011. An increasing number of original articles and imporclinical trials on the epidemiology, pathophysiologic mechanisms, diagnosis, management and comorbidities of AR in Chinese subjects have been published in international peer-reviewed journals over the past 2 decades, and substantially added to our understanding of this disease as a global problem. Although guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of AR in Chinese subjects have also been published, they have not been translated into English and therefore not generally accessible for reference to non-Chinese speaking international medical communities. Moreover, methods for the diagnosis and treatment of AR in China have not been standardized entirely and some patients are still treated according to regional preferences. Thus, the present guidelines have been developed by the Chinese Society of Allergy to be accessible to both national and international medical communities involved in the management of AR patients. These guidelines have been prepared in line with existing international guidelines to provide evidence-based recommendations for the diagnosis and management of AR in China.
Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; China ; Comorbidity ; Developed Countries ; Developing Countries ; Diagnosis* ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Epidemiology ; Global Health ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity* ; Prevalence ; Rhinitis, Allergic*

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the mechanisms of 4 effective components from a Chinese medicine formula, namely Qingre Huoxue Jiedu Formula (QHJ heat- and toxin-clearing and blood-activating formula), in the treatment of nerve growth factor (NGF)-induced psoriasis. METHODS: Keratinocyte proliferation and T cell proliferation models were developed using NGF. An NGF solution (NGF+DMEM, 100 ng/mL) was added to all induced groups and treated groups and were cultured for 24 h, while a solution with NTRK1 antagonist (K252a+DEME, 300 nmol/L) was added and cultured for 1 h. The models were used to evaluate the effects of the treatment with each of the 4 components of QHJ, namely shikonin, paeonol, astilbin and ursolic acid. Cell apoptosis and proliferation were measured by flow cytometry analysis and CCK8 assay, respectively. The mRNA expression levels of Bax, Bcl-xl, and NGF receptor (NGFR) were assessed by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot analysis, respectively. RESULTS: (1) All QHJ-treated groups showed significantly increased cell apoptosis and inhibition of cell proliferation compared with the NGF-induced groups (P<0.05). In addition, treatment with QHJ plus NTRK1 significantly enhanced cell apoptosis and inhibition of cell proliferation compared with cells treated with QHJ only (P<0.05), particularly in cells treated with ursolic acid. (2) QHJ-treated groups showed higher protein expression levels of Bax, Bcl-xl compared with other groups (P<0.05). Additionally, treatment with QHJ plus NTRK1 significantly increased the protein expression levels of Bax, Bcl-xl and NGFR compared with those treated with QHJ only (all P<0.05), especially in those treated with shikonin. CONCLUSION The action mechanism of QHJ on psoriasis might be through enhancing cell apoptosis and inhibition of cell proliferation, and upregulating the expression level of Bax, Bcl-xl and NGFR.
Apoptosis ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Humans ; Nerve Growth Factor/metabolism* ; Psoriasis/drug therapy*