Objective To study the conditions of callus induction with the roots of Aquilaria sinensis as explants. Methods Two sources of roots of Aquiliaria sinensis were selected as the explants. The effects of sterilization methods and the combination of different concentrations of phytohormones on callus induction were evaluated. Results When Aquiliaria sinensis root seedling was sterilized in 0.01mg/mL HgCl2 solution for 3 minutes, the sterilized effect was the best. The optimal callus induction medium was MS+0.1 mg/L 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) +0.1 mg/L 6-benzylaminopurine (6-BA). Aseptic Aquiliaria sinensis root seedling cultivated in callus induction medium containing MS+1.0 mg/L naphthalene acetic acid ( NAA) +0.8 mg/L 6-BA achieved the highest callus induction rate. Conclusion Callus can be induced from two sources of Aquilaria sinensis roots. The induction rate of callus is lower when the explant root seedling is cultivated using 2,4-D alone as inducer, and is increased when used together with 6-BA.

A RP-HPLC method was developed to evaluate the quality of Picrasmae Ramulus et Folium by simultaneous determination of five constituents including 1-hydroxymethyl-beta-carboline (1), 1-methoxicabony-beta-carboline (2), 4-methoxy-5-hydroxy-canthin-6-one (3), 4, 5-dimethoxy-canthin-6-one (4) and maackiain (5) in Picrasmae Ramulus et Folium. The samples were separated on a Kromasil RP-C18 (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) column eluted with acetonitrile and 0.1% phosphoric acid as mobile phases in gradient mode. The detection wavelength was set at 254 nm. The calibration curves and linearity of the above five standards were determined as (1) Y = 6 525.6X + 37.25 (0.009-1.780 microg, r = 0.996 8), (2) Y = 3 662.3X + 41.55 (0.005-0.920 microg, r = 0.999 5), (3) Y = 3763.1X + 146.87 (0.015-3.060 microg, r = 0.999 0), (4) Y = 2 174.1X + 21.52 (0.003-0.620 microg, r = 0.999 5), and (5) Y = 276.25X + 7.65 (0.010-1.960 microg, r = 0.998 9), respectively. The method is simple and repeatable, and can be used for the quality assessment of Picrasmae Ramulus et Folium.
Alkaloids ; analysis ; Calibration ; Carbolines ; analysis ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Chromatography, Reverse-Phase ; methods ; Flavonoids ; analysis ; Indole Alkaloids ; analysis ; Picrasma ; chemistry ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Plant Stems ; chemistry ; Pterocarpans ; analysis ; Reproducibility of Results

Objective To screen for genomic copy number variants(CNVs)in six neonates with Pierre Robin sequence(PRS)by Affymetrix 2.7 M chip to identify possible loci related to PRS.Methods Six neonates with PRS admitted into the Department of Neonatology,Children's Hospital of Fudan University from June 2009 to May 2010 were enrolled in this study.CNVs were detected by Cytogenetic Whole Genome 2.7 M array.Rare CNVs with potential clinical significance that deletion segments' size ＞50 kb and duplication segments' size ＞200 kb were selected based on the analysis of Chromosome Analysis Suite(ChAS)software,false positive CNVs and segments of normal population were excluded.The identified CNVs were compared with those in relative published literatures.Results(1)Among 6 PRS patients,two patients had facial deformation,two had congenital heart defects,one had congenital dysplasia of the laryngeal cartilage and one had choroidal space occupying lesion.(2)Seven rare CNVs whose size from 51-11 956 kb were identified in four neonates,including a 739 kb duplication on lp26.23-p36.22,a 6273 kb deletion on lq43-44,a 51 kb and a 55 kb deletions on 14q32.31,a 1022 kb duplication on 14q11.1-11.2,a 11 956 kb duplication on 20p13 and a 105 kb deletion on 4q23.3.(3)Published literatures showed that deletions of 1q43-44 and 14q32.31 might relate to micro/retrognathia and abnormal palate.Region of chromosome 1q43-q44 contained AKT3 and heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein U(hnRNPU)genes,and the haploinsufficiency of AKT3 and hnRNPU genes might cause developmental human microcephaly and agenesis of the corpus callosum,speech delay and seizures respectively.Region of chromosome 14q32.31 contained some C/D small nucleolar RNA,and the human imprinted 14q32 domain shared common genomic features with the imprinted 15q11-q13 loci.Conclusions This study established a method to discover whole genome CNVs in identifying novel submicroscopic deletions and duplications.Reviewing of published literatures suggested that deletions of chromosome 1q43-q44 and 14q32.31 might cause Pierre Robin sequence.

Projects which supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) in discipline of pharmacology of Chinese medicine between 2010 to 2013 financial years were reviewed. Based on these research items, new features and problems were summarized in this field.
China ; Foundations ; economics ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; economics ; Natural Science Disciplines ; economics ; Research ; economics

The paper reviewed the funding situation of Chinese materia medica quality evaluation projects in Medical Science Department, National Natural Science Foundation of China in recent five years. The research progress and achievements of some funded projects were summarized from the perspectives of research approach, new technique and innovation of Chinese materia medica quality evaluation. The types of projects funded and supportive organizations were analyzed, and the problems of the applications have been also summarized so as to provide the reference for the subsequent applicants.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effect of extracts from Cichorium endivia (CEE) in H2O2-induced HepG2 cell oxidative stress injury, and explore the antioxidant mechanism of CEE in HepG2 cells.

METHODThe viability of H2O2-induced HepG2 cells and the intracellular ROS level were measured by MTT assay and DCFH-DA fluorescence staining assay. The antioxidant-response element (ARE)-Luciferase activity was tested in HepG2 cells stably transected by ARE reporter gene. The fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR was adopted to determine the mRNA expressions of genes containing ARE sequence in HepG2 cells.

RESULTThe cell viability reduced, while the ROS level increased after HepG2 cells were treated by H2O2. Different concentrations of CEE could be added to significantly improve the above results. After HepG2 cells transected by ARE reporter gene were treated with different concentrations of CEE, the intracellular ARE activity could increase in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, the mRNA expressions of regulatory genesGCLC, GCLM and HMOX-1 containing ARE sequence in HepG2 cells were up-regulated in a concentration-dependent manner by CEE.

CONCLUSIONCEE inhibited the H2O2-injured HepG2 cells by reducing the ROS level. CEE's antioxidant mechanism for HepG2 cells may be closely related to the antioxidant defense system associated with its effect of activating Nrf2-ARE pathway in HepG2 cells.

Antioxidants ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Asteraceae ; chemistry ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Hep G2 Cells ; Humans ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; pharmacology ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Response Elements ; genetics

The study is to develop an HPLC method for simultaneous determination of rhamnazin (1), rhamnocitrin (2), rhamnetin (3), rhamnazin-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (4), rhamnazin-3-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (5), rhamnazin-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (6), and rhamnocitrin-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (7) in Nervilia fordii. The separation was performed on a Kromasil C18 column (250 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 microm) with 0.4% phosphoric acid-acetonitrile as the mobile phase in a gradient elution at a flow rate of 1.0 mL x min(-1). The detect wavelength was set at 256 nm, and the column temperature was set at 40 degrees C. There were good linear relationships between the logarithm values of concentrations and those of the peak areas of seven flavonoids (1-7) in the range of 0.55-70.00 microg x mL(-1) (r = 0.9997), 0.86-110.00 microg x mL(-1) (r = 0.9997), 0.39-50.00 microg x mL(-1) (r = 0.999 7), 0.55-70.00 microg x mL(-1) (r = 0.999 5), 1.33-170.00 microg x mL(-1) (r = 0.9998), 1.33-170.00 microg x mL(-1) (r = 0.9998), 0.16-20.00 microg x mL(-1) (r = 0.9995), respectively. The recoveries of the seven flavonoids were between 97.19%-99.45%, the relative standard deviations (RSDs) were between 0.91%-2.69%. The established method is rapid, accurate with high repeatability, which could provide scientific evidence for the quality control of Nervilia fordii.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Flavonoids ; analysis ; Kaempferols ; analysis ; Orchidaceae ; chemistry ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Quercetin ; analogs & derivatives ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo study the protective effects of Isodon lophanthoides var. gerardianus (ILVG) aqueous extract on the acute hepatic injury induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in rats.

METHODSixty rats were allocated into control group, model group, low, middle and high dosage group and Bifendate group randomly. At the test group, rats received either ILVG aqueous extract (15, 7.5, 3.75 g x kg(-1)) or Bifendate (45 mg x kg(-1)) by gastric perfusion daily for 10 consecutive days. In 1st, 4th, 7th and 10th days, 10% CCl4 (2 mL x kg(-1)) was given to rats by intraperitoneal (ip) injection. The rats were killed 24 h after the last adminiction with drug, the levels of ALT, AST, ALP and total bilirubin in serum were analyzed, the body weight, liver weight, spleen weight and thymus weight of each rat were measured, and the hepatic tissue pathology was observed.

RESULTILVG could decrease the ALT, AST, ALP and T-Bil in serum, restrain the enlargement of liver and the shrinkage of thymus, and reduce the necrosis in pathological observation.

CONCLUSIONILVG aqueous extract possesses the effects of protecting on the acute hepatic injury induced by CCl4 in rats.

Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Alkaline Phosphatase ; blood ; Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; blood ; Bilirubin ; blood ; Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury ; blood ; etiology ; pathology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Female ; Isodon ; chemistry ; Liver ; pathology ; Male ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Protective Agents ; pharmacology ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

A new triterpenoid saponin and fourteen known triterpenoids were isolated from the methanol extract of the stems and leaves of Callicarpa integerrima Champ, which is used in Chinese folk medicine for stopping bleeding, expelling the wind, dissipating stagnation, and treating scrofula, by using various chromatographies, such as silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and RP-C18 column chromatography. Their structures were identified as a new compound 2alpha, 3beta, 19alpha, 23-tetrahydroxy-olean-12-en-28-oic acid-28-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 --> 4)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (1), together with fourteen known compounds: oleanolic acid (2), 3-acetyl oleanolic acid (3), 3beta-O-acetyl ursolic acid (4), 2alpha-hydroxy-ursolic acid (5), 2alpha, 3beta, 19alpha, 23-tetrahydroxy-urs-12-en-28-oic acid (6), alpha-amyrin-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (7), pomolic acid (8), betulinic acid (9), ursolic acid (10), 2alpha, 3beta, 19alpha, 23-tetrahydroxy-olean-12-en-28-oic acid (arjungenin) (11), 2alpha-hydroxy-oleanolic acid (12), hederagenin (13), 2alpha, 19alpha-dihydroxy-ursolic acid (14) and pruvuloside A (15), by the spectroscopic techniques of NMR, HMBC, IR and MS, separately. All these compounds were obtained from this plant for the first time, and compounds 3, 4 and 15 were isolated from genus Callicarpa L. for the first time.
Callicarpa ; chemistry ; Molecular Conformation ; Molecular Structure ; Oleanolic Acid ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Plant Stems ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Saponins ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Triterpenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of maxillary sinus elevation with gene-enhanced tissue engineering bone in dogs.

METHODSbone marrow stromal cells (BMSC) derived from dog marrow were cultured, and transduced with the adenovirus carrying bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) gene (AdBMP-2), the adenovirus carrying green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene (AdGFP) in vitro. The bone formation ability of gene modified BMSC with scaffold was examined in nude mice and in elevated maxillary sinus of dog. Student's t-test was used for statistical analysis with SPSS 11.0 software package.

RESULTSGene transfection efficiency reached up to (83.95 ± 2.43)% as demonstrated by GFP expression. Ectopic bone formation was detected in nude mice. As for maxillary sinus floor elevation in a dog model, new bone formation area in the AdBMP-2 gene transduced BMSC with Bio-Oss group was significantly higher than in BMSC with Bio-Oss group at 120 d (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSAdBMP-2 gene transduced BMSC can stimulate ectopic bone formation in nude mice, and promote bone formation and maturation in the dog maxillary sinus.

Adenoviridae ; genetics ; Animals ; Bone Matrix ; transplantation ; Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Bone Transplantation ; methods ; Cells, Cultured ; Dogs ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Minerals ; Osteogenesis ; Recombinant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Sinus Floor Augmentation ; methods ; Tissue Engineering ; methods ; Transfection