Ferulic acid (FA) was loaded into liposomes via calcium acetate gradient with (80.2 +/- 5.2)% entrapment efficiency. The average sizes of blank liposome and FA liposome were about 155 nm and 154 nm, respectively. The zeta potential of blank liposome and FA liposome were (13.14 +/- 1.67) mV and (4.12 +/- 0.05) mV, respectively. Unilamellar vesicles were present in freeze-fracture electron microscopy. In the pharmacodynamic studies, the protective effect of liposomal ferulic acid on tBHP-challenged U937 cells was measured with the morphology of cell injury, mitochondrial transmembrane potential alternation and cell viability assay used as index. The results of MTT assay, microscopy indicated that FA liposomes exhibited greater antioxidant activity than FA solution on U937 cell.
Antioxidants ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Cholesterol ; chemistry ; Coumaric Acids ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Drug Carriers ; Humans ; Liposomes ; chemistry ; Membrane Potentials ; drug effects ; Mitochondria ; physiology ; Particle Size ; U937 Cells

pH and temperature sensitive biodegradable block copolymers are some macromolecules connected by biodegradable materials and pH sensitive monomers according to a certain sequence, or biodegradable polyesters polymerized themselves. On the basis of pertinent documents, the development of pH and temperature sensitive biodegradable block copolymers was introduced, involving their mechanism of action and potential application. PH and temperature sensitive biodegradable block copolymers could control the drug release rate freely, avoiding burst effect. Besides, the biocompatibility of these biodegradable materials is also excellent. So the use of pH and temperature sensitive biodegradable block copolymers as biodegradable drug delivery devices has attracted considerable interest in the intelligent drug delivery system.
Biocompatible Materials ; chemistry ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Lactates ; chemistry ; Lactic Acid ; chemistry ; Polyesters ; chemistry ; Polyethylene Glycols ; chemistry ; Polyglactin 910 ; chemistry ; Polyglycolic Acid ; chemistry ; Polymers ; chemistry ; Temperature

We reported a case of multiple type II endoleaks detected by duplex ultrasound after endovascular abdominal aneurysm repair. The patient was undergoing warfarin therapy. Duplex ultrasound was applied as the sole surveillance method during follow-up and provided the concerned information for reintervention. The endoleaks were successfully repaired by coil embolization of the collaterals from the internal iliac artery feeding the fourth lumbar artery.
Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal ; diagnostic imaging ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex ; methods

OBJECTIVETo prepare the long-circulating nanoliposomes of curcumin.

METHODThe long-circulating nanoliposomes were prepared by ethanol infusion and the encapsulation efficiency was determindated by the mini-column centrifugation. The effect of some factors on the encapsulation efficiency, such as the buffer solutions, the weight ratio of curcumin to SPC, the weight ratio of SPC to Chol, the pH of buffer solution and the iron strength of water phase, was investigated respectively. Then the formulation was optimized by orthogonal design.

RESULTThe encapsulation efficiency of the curcumin liposomes was (88.27 +/- 2.16)%, and the average diameter of the liposomes was (136 +/- 18) nm. There was no change on encapsulation efficency within 30 d.

CONCLUSIONThe preparation of curcumin liposomes was easy and practicable and the pharmaceutical characterization showed that the curcumin liposomes are stable.

Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; Curcumin ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Drug Prescriptions ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Liposomes ; blood ; chemistry ; Molecular Weight ; Nanostructures ; analysis ; Particle Size ; Sodium Chloride ; chemistry

Objective: To investigate the growth inhibition and apoptosis induction effect of vitamin E succinate (VES) on human colon cancer cells and to analyze the modulation of apoptosis-mediator Fas expression in this process. Methods: Human colon cancer cell line LS174T was treated with VES for 12 h, 24 h and 48 h at the concentrations of 5 mg/L, 10 mg/L and 20mg/L. 1-(4,5-dimethylthiazo-2-yl)-3,5-diphenylformazan (MTT) assay was employed to detect the inhibitory effect of VES on the growth of colon cancer cells. Flow cytometry was then used to analyze the cell cycle of the colon cancer cells after being treated with VES and the apoptotic rate was calculated at the same time. To find out whether the Fas protein expression was modulated in this process, Western blotting assay and flow cytometry were used to detect the Fas protein level in whole cell lystates and on cell surface. Results: VES exhibited a significant inhibitory effect on the growth of human colon cancer cells in a doseand time-dependent manner. After being treated with VES at 5 mg/L, 10 mg/L and 20 mg/L for 48 h, the apoptotic rate of LS174T cells rose from 0.90% to 15.9%, 46.7% and 64.5%, respectively. Fas neutralizing antibody can significantly block VES-induced apoptosis. After the administration of VES, total Fas protein in whole-cell extracts increased in a dose-dependent manner. The flow cytometry showed that the mean fluorescence intensity rose from 5.43 to 9.88, 13.21 and 18.0 after being treated with VES. Conclusion: VES can induce significant growth inhibition and apoptosis in human colon cancer cells. The modulation of Fas expression is one of the mechanisms involved in this process and may be related to the upregulation of Fas molecule on the cancer cell surface.

BACKGROUNDIntravascular ultrasound (IVUS) examination can provide useful information during endovascular stent graft repair. However, its actual clinical utility in thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for type B aortic dissection (type B-AD) remains unclear, especially in complicated aortic dissection. We evaluated the effect of IVUS as a complementary tool during TEVAR.

METHODSFrom September 2011 to April 2012, we conducted a prospective cohort study of 47 consecutive patients with "complicated" type B-AD diagnosed. We divided the patients into two groups: IVUS-assisted TEVAR group and TEVAR using angiography alone group. The general procedure of TEVAR was performed. We evaluated the perioperative and follow-up events. Patient demographics, comorbidities, preoperative images, dissection morphology, details of operative strategy, intraoperative events, and postoperative course were recorded.

RESULTSA total of 47 patients receiving TEVAR were enrolled. Among them (females, 8.51%; mean age, 57.38 ± 13.02 years), 13 cases (27.66%) were selected in the IVUS-assisted TEVAR group, and 34 were selected in the TEVAR group. All patients were symptomatic. The average diameter values of IVUS measurements in the landing zone were greater than those estimated by computed tomography angiography (31.82 ± 4.21 mm vs. 30.64 ± 4.13 mm, P < 0.001). The technique success rate was 100%. Among the postoperative outcomes, statistical differences were only observed between the IVUS-assisted TEVAR group and TEVAR group for total operative time and the amount of contrast used (P = 0.013 and P < 0.001, respectively). The follow-up ranged from 15 to 36 months for the IVUS-assisted TEVAR group and from 10 to 35 months for the TEVAR group (P = 0.646). The primary endpoints were no statistical difference in the two groups.

CONCLUSIONSIntraoperative IVUS-assisted TEVAR is clinically feasible and safe. For the endovascular repair of "complicated" type B-AD, IVUS may be helpful for understanding dissection morphology and decrease the operative time and the amount of contrast used.

Adult ; Aged ; Aneurysm, Dissecting ; surgery ; Aorta, Thoracic ; surgery ; Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Stents

The dialysis method was employed to prepare blank and doxorubicin (DOX) loaded micelles formed by temperature- and pH- sensitive polyhistidine-co-polyDL-lactide-co-glycolide-co-polyethyleneglycol-co-polyDL-lactide-co-glycolide-co-polyhistidine (PHis-b-PLGA-b-PEG-b-PLGA-b-PHis). The critical micelle concentrations (CMC) of the copolymers were measured with Pyrene Fluorescent Probe Technique. The temperature- and pH- sensitive properties of the blank micelles solution were investigated by optical transmittance measurement. The morphology and diameter of DOX micelles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The entrapment rate and drug-loading rate were determined with dialysis method. The in vitro release study was further performed to examine the temperature- and pH-responsive drug release behavior from DOX-loaded micelles. The results indicated that the CMC, entrapment efficiency and drug-loaded amount of the micelles were 7.5 x 10(-3) g x L(-1), 85.2 +/- 3.1% and 10.4 +/- 4.5%, respectively. The DOX micelle was globular-shaped with a mean diameter of 91.1 +/- 15.8 nm. The transmittance of micelle solution consistently increased with the increasing temperature or decreasing pH. In comparison to the drug release profile at physiological conditions (37 degrees C, pH 7.4), the DOX-loaded micelles showed faster drug release rate at higher temperature (41 degrees C), lower pH (pH 7.0, pH 6.5, pH 5.0) or higher temperature and lower pH (41 degrees C, pH 5.0). This indicated that the micelles showed a temperature and pH-triggered drug release pattern. Base on the above results, it can be concluded that PHis-b-PLGA-b-PEG-b-PLGA-b-PHis block copolymer micelles which respond to temperature and pH stimuli are promising smart carriers for anti-tumor drugs with the advantages of temperature- and pH- triggered drug release.
Antibiotics, Antineoplastic ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Doxorubicin ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Drug Carriers ; Drug Compounding ; Histidine ; chemistry ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Micelles ; Particle Size ; Polyethylene Glycols ; chemistry ; Polyglactin 910 ; chemistry ; Polymers ; chemistry ; Temperature

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the open surgery as well as the endovascular treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) in octogenarians.

METHODSTwenty AAA cases aging from 80 to 90 in the past six years were reviewed. Open surgery on 12 patients and endovascular repair on the other 8 ones were performed.

RESULTSDuring peri-operation, there were 2 mortality from the surgical group among all 20 cases. The endovascular group underwent significantly better operational procedure and complication situation than the surgical one. Eighteen cases were followed up for 3-69 months (average months) except for 2 patients of surgical group. Both group suffered 2 late mortality. The accumulated survival rate were 6/10 in the surgical group and 6/8 in the endovascular group, respectively.

CONCLUSIONSurgical treatment in applicable for octogenarians with AAA. The endovascular repair was preferable to suitable cases.

Aged, 80 and over ; Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal ; mortality ; surgery ; Blood Vessel Prosthesis ; Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation ; methods ; mortality ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Stents ; Survival Rate ; Treatment Outcome ; Vascular Surgical Procedures ; methods ; mortality

OBJECTIVETo explore the phytoestrogenic effects of ten kinds of Chinese medicine including flos carthami, radix cyathulae, radix salviae miltiorrhizae, fructus ligustri lucidi, fructus lycii, radix clycyrrhizae, herba cistanches, herba epimedii, fructus psoraleae and semen cuscutae.

METHOD240 female Kunming mice weighting 9 - 12 g were randomly divided into two main groups A and B. A group was divided into 12 small groups: 1 solvent control group, 1 diethylstilbestrol control group and 10 Chinese medicine groups. B group was also divided into 12 small groups: 1 solvent control group, 1 diethylstilbestrol control group and 10 Chinese medicine antagonistic groups. Mice in ten antagonistic groups were administered both Chinese medicine and diethylstilbestrol everyday. After administered(op) for 4 days, blood was collected and serum was separated. The effect of the pharmacological serum on proliferation rate of MCF-7 (ER+) was analyzed by MTT-assay.

RESULTIn A group, proliferation rates of MCF-7 cells treated with serum from eight Chinese medicine groups including flos carthami, radix cyathulae, radix salviae miltiorrhizae, fructus lycii, herba cistanches, herba epimedii, fructus psoraleae and semen cuscutae were coued markedly increase respectively. While serum from fructus ligustri lucidi group could markedly decrease the proliferation rate of MCF-7 cells. In B group, the increased proliferation rate of MCF-7 cells caused by diethylstilbestrol was significantly reduced in seven Chinese medicine antagonistic groups including flos carthami, radix cyathulae, radix salviae miltiorrhizae, radix clycyrrhizae, herba epimedii, fructus psoraleae and semen cuscutae. While the increased proliferation rate could be markedly enhanced in herba cistanches group.

CONCLUSIONSix kinds of Chinese medicine such as flos carthami, radix cyathulae, radix salviae miltiorrhizae, herba epimedii, fructus psoraleae and semen cuscutae show both estrogenic effects (when administered indepently) and antiestrogenic effects (when administered together with diethylstilbestrol). Such bidirectional effects depends on the internal estrogen level.

Animals ; Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Carthamus tinctorius ; chemistry ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Diethylstilbestrol ; pharmacology ; Drug Antagonism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Estrogens, Non-Steroidal ; pharmacology ; Female ; Humans ; Mice ; Phytoestrogens ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Random Allocation ; Receptors, Estrogen ; metabolism ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; chemistry ; Serum

Adult ; Arterial Occlusive Diseases ; etiology ; Blood Sedimentation ; Celiac Artery ; Humans ; Iliac Artery ; Male ; Mesenteric Artery, Inferior ; Mesenteric Artery, Superior ; Renal Artery Obstruction ; etiology ; Takayasu Arteritis ; blood ; complications