OBJECTIVETo identify the Cynomorii Herba and its analogues species using DNA barcoding technique.

METHODTotal genomic DNA extracted from all materials using the DNA extraction kit. The internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) regions were amplified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and purified PCR products were sequenced bi-directionally. Sequence assembly and consensus sequence generation were performed using the CodonCode Aligner 3.7.1. The Kimura 2-Parameter (K2P) distances and GC content were computed using MEGA 5. 0. Species identification analyses were conducted through the species identification system for traditional Chinese medicine and neighbor-joining (NJ) trees.

RESULTThe ITS2 sequence lengths of Cynomorii Herba were 229 bp. The average intra-specific genetic distances of Cynomorii Herba were 0.003. The average inter-specific genetic distances between Cynomorii Herba and its adulterants species were 0.760. The results showed that the minimum inter-specific divergence is larger than the maximum intra-specific divergence. The species identification system for traditional Chinese medicine and NJ trees results indicated that Cynomorii Herba and its adulterants species can be easily identification.

CONCLUSIONThe ITS2 region is an efficient barcode for identification of Cynomorii Herba, which provide a new technique to ensure clinical safety in utilization of traditional Chinese medicine.

Cynomorium ; classification ; genetics ; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ; DNA, Intergenic ; genetics ; DNA, Plant ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVETo evaluate in vivo pharmacokinetics of Ophiopogonis Radix polysaccharide MDG-1 oily suspension injection prepared with different prescriptions in rats, and explore the feasibility of the long-acting drug delivery of MDG-1 Injection by using the oily suspension drug release system.

METHODMDG-1 microparticles were prepared by the anti-solvent precipitation method. Their size and size distribution were characterized. Castor oil with a high viscosity or aluminum stearate were added into soybean oil with a low viscosity, in order to prepare oily media with different viscosities, detect their rheological properties and screen out superior prescriptions for in vivo evaluation.

RESULTThe average size of microparticles was 21.81 microm, and the span between them was 2.63. The in vivo evaluation was conducted for prescriptions of mixed oil (soybean oil/castor oil, 2: 3) and soybean oils gelled by 2% and 4% aluminium stearate. Among them, the prescription of soybean gelled by 4% aluminium stearate could significantly reduce C(max) and prolong the apparent t1/2, with the MDG-1 release time of several days.

CONCLUSIONIt is feasible to achieve the long-acting MDG-1 drug delivery by using oily media with a high viscosity.

Animals ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; Male ; Ophiopogon ; chemistry ; Plant Oils ; chemistry ; Polysaccharides ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Viscosity

Several kinds of column chromatography method were used to investigate the chemical constituents of the leaves of Lophatherum gracile. The structures of the isolated compounds were identified based on their physicochemical properties and spectral data. A new flavone C-glycoside was isolated and its structure was identified as 3'-methoxyl-luteolin 6-C-beta-D-galactopyranosiduronic acid (1 --> 2) -alpha-L-arabinopyranoside (1).
Antiviral Agents ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Flavones ; chemistry ; Glycosides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Hydrolysis ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Poaceae ; chemistry

Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer (P. ginseng) has been used as traditional medicine in Asian countries for more than 2,000 years. P. ginseng contains many active components such as ginsenosides, peptides, essential oil and polysaccharides, among which, P. ginseng polysaccharides were reported to have immunomodulating, anti-cancer, anti-adhesive and antioxidant activities. For better understanding of the structures and biological activities of all the ginseng polysaccharides, here the recent research achievements were reviewed. This review would be helpful for the relevant researchers to get useful information.
Antineoplastic Agents ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Antioxidants ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Immunologic Factors ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Medicine, Traditional ; Panax ; chemistry ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; Polysaccharides ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology

Fifty-eight samples belonging to 7 species of Arisaematis Rhizoma and its adulterants were collected. The ITS2 locus was employed as a DNA barcode and amplified, sequenced and assembled for all of the collected samples. Then, ITS2 sequences have been annotated using HMM-based method. The intra- and inter-specific variations were calculated and NJ tree was constructed using MEGA 6.0 software. The results showed that inter-specific K2P distances were significantly larger than intra-specific distances for all of the three origin species of Arisaematis Rhizoma. Furthermore, three origin species, Arisaema amurense, A. erubescens and A. heterophyllum, can be respectively formed to be a single branch with high bootstrap values. It is concluded that ITS2 can be used to correctly identify Arisaematis Rhizoma from its adulterants and the application of ITS2 in the identification of traditional Chinese medicine has an important prospective.
Arisaema ; classification ; genetics ; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ; methods ; DNA, Plant ; genetics ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer ; genetics ; Drug Contamination ; prevention & control ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; classification ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Quality Control ; Rhizome ; classification ; genetics

In order to construct an integrated DNA barcoding database for identifying Chinese animal medicine, the authors and their cooperators have completed a lot of researches for identifying Chinese animal medicines using DNA barcoding technology. Sequences from GenBank have been analyzed simultaneously. Three different methods, BLAST, barcoding gap and Tree building, have been used to confirm the reliabilities of barcode records in the database. The integrated DNA barcoding database for identifying Chinese animal medicine has been constructed using three different parts: specimen, sequence and literature information. This database contained about 800 animal medicines and the adulterants and closely related species. Unknown specimens can be identified by pasting their sequence record into the window on the ID page of species identification system for traditional Chinese medicine (www. tcmbarcode. cn). The integrated DNA barcoding database for identifying Chinese animal medicine is significantly important for animal species identification, rare and endangered species conservation and sustainable utilization of animal resources.
Animals ; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ; methods ; Databases, Nucleic Acid ; Eukaryota ; classification ; genetics ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of crypotanshinone (CPT) on the proliferation and apoptosis of DU145 prostate cancer cells as well as on the metadherin expression and the downstream PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in the DU145 cells.

METHODSWe treated DU145 prostate cancer cells with different concentrations of CPT for 24, 48, and 72 hours followed by evaluation of the proliferation and apoptosis of the cells by MTT assay and TUNEL, respectively. We determined the expressions of metadherin protein and mRNA in the DU145 cells by Western blot and RT-PCR respectively at different time points after CPT treatment. We also detected the expressions of the proteins metadherin, AKT, p-AKT, and Bcl-2 in the CPT-treated DU145 cells at 48 hours.

RESULTSCPT significantly inhibited the proliferation of the DU145 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner (P < 0.05). After treatment with 10 µmol/L CPT for 24, 48, and 72 hours, the apoptosis rates of the DU145 cells were (29.42 ± 4.51), (55.07 ± 5.67) and (70.84 ± 4.66)%, respectively, significantly higher than (3.1 ± 2.48)% in the control group (P < 0.05). The expression of metadherin was remarkably downregulated at the transcription and translation levels (P < 0.05) and the expressions of the AKT signaling pathway and the Bcl-2 protein were markedly inhibited in the DU145 cells after treated with 10 µmol/L CPT for 48 hours (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONCPT can inhibit the proliferation and induce the apoptosis of DU145 prostate cancer cells, which may be associated with its suppression of the downstream PI3K/AKT signaling pathway by reducing the expression of metadherin in the DU145 cells.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Adhesion Molecules ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Diterpenes, Abietane ; pharmacology ; Down-Regulation ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Humans ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Male ; Neoplasm Proteins ; metabolism ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases ; metabolism ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; Time Factors

Objective To compare the efficacy,toxicitis and side-effects of Casodex and Flutamide in the hormonal therapy of advanced prostate cancer patients.Methods One hundred and thirty-six advanced prostate cancer patients were treated with with hormonal therapy.The patients were divided into 3 groups,of which 52 patients (group A) used LHRHa and Casodex as intermittent hormonal therapy;60 patients(group B) used LHRHa and Flutamide as intermittent hormonal therapy;24 patients(group C) were treated with surgical castration only.The difference of clinical symptoms,serum PSA,disease progression risk,survival rate,toxicitis and side-effects of 3 groups were compared.Results The relief rates of group A and B were 80.8% (42/52)and 81.7% (49/60) respectively,higher than 70.8% (17/24) of group C.The mean serum PSA of group A and B decreased from 133.3 ng/ml(17.9-982.8 ng/ml) to 15.8 ng/ml(0.02-28.9 ng/ml),142.6 ng/ml (20.2-1001.0 ng/ml)to 16.1 ng/ml(0.07-53.8 ng/ml),respectively,both better than that of group C,which decreased from 142.3 ng/ml (27.1-988.0 ng/ml) to 27.6 ng/ml(6.0-62.1 ng/ml).The mean chemical recurrence rates of group A and B were 34.7% (18/52) and 36.7% (22/60),respectively,lower than 58.3% (14/24) of group C.The mean chemical recurrence time of group A and B was 22(5-52)months and 22(6-65)months,respectively,longer than 11(5-54)months of group C.The mortality rates of group A and B were 26.9% (14/52) and 31.7% (19/60),respectively,lower than 66.7%(16/24) of group C.88.5% (46/52)of group A were treated continuously,while group B had 66.7% (40/60).The side-effects rate of group A was lower than group B.Conclusions Both Cadosex and Flutamide are effective for prostate cancer,and decrease the disease progression risk.Casodex is more effective and safer as for the treatment of prostate cancer compared to Flutamide.

BackgroundDiabetic retinopathy (DR) is the result of the cytokine network disorders,the imbalance of angiogenic factor and vascular inhibitory factor is the start factor.ObjectiveTo analyze the levels of CXC chemotatic factors of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients,evaluate the clinical application value of them in different clinical types of DR using receiver operating characteristic (ROC)analysis and to approach the new way of individualized treatment.Methods This was a prospective research.The gold standard was ophthalmolscope and fundus fluorescein angiography.The levels of CXC chemotatic factors and multiplicaiton factors were measured in 96 cases with type 2 diabetes mellitus (66 cases with retinopathy and 30 cases without retinopathy as control).The assessment tasks were performed for these index and courses of DR with ROC curve.Results The expression of age,course of disease has significant difference in different courses of DR ( F =8.507,P =0.001 ; F =28.143,P =0.000).Compared with the control group,the expression of growth-related oncogene-α ( GROα ) ( t =- 2.172,P =0.035,AUC =0.625 ),whole blood viscosity 200 ( t =- 3.724,P =0.001,AUC =0.904 ) and neutrophilic leukocyte (t=-2.562,P =0.013,AUC =0.577 ) has significant difference in the group of mild NPDR.Compared with the control group,the expression of interferon-γ-inducible protein 10 ( IP-10 ) ( t =-3.591,P =0.001,AUC =0.592 ),platelet derivation growth factor-BB ( PDGF-BB ) ( t =- 3.233,P =0.003,AUC =0.735 ),vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) ( t =- 3.617,P =0.001,AUC =0.776 ),C peptide ( t =- 3.366,P =0.002,AUC =0.962 ),leukocyte ( t=-3.201,P =0.003,AUC =0.852) and neutrophilic leukocyte(t =-4.201,P=0.000,AUC =0.852) has significant difference in the group of moderate and severe NPDR.ConclusionsCXC chemotatic factors may act as reactivator in the pathogenesis of DR,GROα and IP-10 may be useful for clinical monitoring of the severity of DR,and evaluating the imbalance state of chemotatic factors maybe a new approach to clinical monitoring and prognosis of DR.

· ATM:To analyze bacterial spectrum and drug sensitivity in conjunctival sac of cataract patients of Kazak.
· METHODS:A total of 538 cases of conjunctival sac secretion in cataract patients of Kazak were collected.The samples were cultured and their sensibilities to antibiotics were tested.
· RESULTS: The bacterial culture was positive in 214 cases.The positive rate was 39.8%. The variety of pathogenic bacteria were mainly made up of gram positive cocci ( 88.3%), and most of them were Staphylococcus epidermidis ( 66.4%), followed by Micrococcus(9.8%).Sex had no effect on conjunctival bacteria rate in the cataract patients of Kazak, while age, place of residence had an effect on camier rate. The camier rate of conjunctival bacteria was significantly higher in people over 60 years old than that in people with age between 40 to 59 years old.And the people from city had a significant lower bacteria positive rate than those from countryside and pastoral. Most of grams were sensitive to Vancomycin, Teicoplanin, Rifampicin, Duly cloth mildew mutual and Amikacin, the tolerance was less than 20%, and they usually had higher tolerance to Penicillin, Erythromycin, Tetracycline and Chloramphenicol (>70%) .
·CONCLUSlON:Gram positivecocci is the most common bacteria in conjunctival sac in cataract patients of Kazak. Staphylococcus epidermidis was most common, followed by Micrococcus.The germ-carrying rate of conjunctival SAC in Kazakh population is associated with the patient’s age and area of residence.The clinical use of antibacterial drugs should be strictly grasp the indications, to reduce the incidence of bacterial resistance.