Objective To investigate the effect of ketamine anesthesia in early pregnancy on expression of hippyragranin (HGN) mRNA in hippocampus in offsprings of rats.Methods One hundred and twenty pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats at 5-7 days of gestation,aged 7 weeks,weighing 270-300 g,were randomly divided into 4 groups (n =30 each):2 h anesthesia with ketamine group (group K1),4 h anesthesia with ketamine group (group K2),8 h anesthesia with ketamine group (group K3) and control group (group C).Ketamine 20 mg/kg was injected via the caudal vein,followed by continuous intravenous infusion at 130 mg· kg-1 · h-1 after loss of righting reflex,and the infusion lasted for 2,4 and 8 h in groups K1-K3,respectively.The equal volume of normal saline was given instead of ketamine in group C.The learning ability and memory of the offsprings were tested by Morris water maze test on postnatal day 30.The offsprings were sacrificed on 2nd day after the end of Morris water maze test,their brains were removed and hippocampi were isolated for determination of the expression of HGN mRNA by RT-PCR.Results Compared with group C,the escape latency was significantly prolonged,the frequency of crossing the original platform was decreased,the time of staying at the original platform quadrant was shortened,and the expression of HGN mRNA was up-regulated in groups K1-K3 (P ＜ 0.05).There was no significant difference in the escape latency,frequency of crossing the original platform and time of staying at the original platform quadrant among groups K1-K3 (P ＞ 0.05).The expression of HGN mRNA was significantly higher in group K3 that in group K1 (P ＜ 0.05).There was no significant difference in the expression of HGN mRNA between group K2 and group K3 (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion The mechanism by which ketamine anesthesia in the early pregnancy induces impairment of learning ability and memory of the offsprings is related to up-regulation of HGN mRNA expression in hippocampus in offsprings of rats.

Objective To evaluate the effects of prolonged anesthesia with propofol during the early pregnancy on cognitive function of offspring rats.Methods One hundred and twenty female Sprague-Dawley rats at 5-7 days of gestation,weighing 280-320 g,were randomly divided into 4 groups (n =30 each) using a random number table:control group (group C),and propofol 2,4 and 8 h groups (P2,P4,P8 groups).In P2,P4,P8 groups,after propofol 20 mg/kg was injected intravenously,propofol was infused at 20 mg· kg-1 · h-1 for 2,4 and 8 h,respectively.In group C,normal saline 2 ml/kg was infused intravenously.At 30,31,32,33,34,35 and 36 days after birth,Morris Water maze was performed to evaluate the learning and memory abilities of offspring rats.At the end of Morris water maze test,the hippocampus of offspring rats was removed for microscopic examination of pathological changes with light and electron microscope.Results Compared with group C,the escape latencywas significantly prolonged,the frequency of crossing the original platform was decreased,and the time of staying at the original platform quadrant was shortened in p4 and P8 groups,and no significant changes were found in the indices mentioned above in group P2.The pathological changes of hippocampi were not found in C and P2 groups,while the pathological changes were obvious in P4 and P8 groups.Conclusion Prolonged anesthesia with propofol during the early pregnancy can induce cognitive dysfunction of offspring rats and the mechanism is related to the damage to hippocampal tissues.

Objective To observe the effect of erythropoietin(EPO)in rats with delayed encephalopathy after acute carbon monoxide poisoning (DEACMP). Methods A total of 90 male adult SD rats were randomly divided into three groups:blank control group(BC group),air control group(AC group)and DEACMP group. Time points(1,3,7,14,21 and 28 days after acute carbon monoxide poisoning)were set for measuring the changes. Pure CO were injected into the abdominal cavity of the rats from DEACMP group for several times to estab-lish DEACMP model. Rats in AC group were injected with equal volume of air by the same way. BC group were without any treatment. Morris water maze test was used to measure the cognitive behavior. The apoptosis of pyrami-dal neurons at hippocampus was measured by TUNEL. The expression of erythropoietin(EPO)in hippocampus was measured by immunohistochemistry. Results The average escaped latency of rats in DEACMP group increased after poisoning compared with rats in other two groups(P<0.05). The apoptosis of pyramidal neurons in hippocam-pus increased from day 1 after the CO poisoning. It reached the peak at day 7 and it still had a high expression at day 28. The apoptotic index in DEACMP group increased significantly compare with that of BC group and AC group (P < 0.05). The expression of EPO in hippocampus was found increased from day 1 after the CO poisoning and reached the peak at day 3. It began to reduce at day 7. The expression in DEACMP group was higher than those of other two groups (P < 0.05). Conclusions It may be one of the causes of the DEACMP that the expression of EPO decreased in the middle and late stage after CO poisoning and its anti-apoptosis was decreased.

OBJECTIVETo analyze the potential risks of fungal contaminants on Panax notoginseng and Amomum tsaoko.

METHODThe primary investigation was conducted in the P. notoginseng and A. tsaoko major production areas in Yunnan. Samples of P. notoginseng and A. tsaoko were collected from drugstores and markets in 3 cities of Yunnan. Dilution-plate method was applied for the isolation of fungi, the obtained species were identified according to morphological and molecular approaches.

RESULTPaecilomyces lilacinus and Penicillium citrinum were dominant on samples of Panax notoginseng. P. lilacinus and Aspergillus flavus were dominant on samples of Amomum tsaoko.

CONCLUSIONIn Yunnan province, the major fungal contaminants on P. notoginseng are P. lilacinus and P. citrinum and the major fungal contaminants on A. tsaoko are P. lilacinus and Aspergillus flavus. There exists a potential contamination risk of citrinin on P. notoginseng and aflatoxin on A. tsaoko.

Amomum ; microbiology ; China ; Drug Contamination ; prevention & control ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Mitosporic Fungi ; isolation & purification ; physiology ; Panax notoginseng ; microbiology ; Risk