Reviews research findings about aberrant crypt foci on concepts, relation to colon carcinogenesis, relative genes and biomarkers, methods, signification. It shows that aberrant crypt foci are possible precursors of adenoma and cancer, which can be early diagnosis marks of colon carcinogenesis.

Objective: To identify the influence of extracts and active components of Rhizoma Coptidis on gastric smooth muscle contractility of guinea pigs, and to explore the potential pharmacological mechanism of Rhizoma Coptidis in "invigorating the stomach" and "impairing the stomach". Methods: Observing the effects of the water extract and the alkaloids from Rhizoma Coptidis (at doses ranging from 0.3 to 1 000 mug/L) and other active components such as berberine, palmatine and jatrorrhizine (at doses ranging from 0.3 to 1 000 mumol/L) on the spontaneous and electrical field stimulation (EFS)-induced contractions of antral circular smooth muscle strips from guinea pig stomach via a force transducer in vitro. Results: The water extract or the alkaloids from Rhizoma Coptidis could improve the spontaneous contraction at the low doses, but inhibit the spontaneous contraction at the high doses. Berberine, palmatine and jatrorrhizine also showed the similar effects. Moreover, the water extract and the alkaloids of Rhizoma Coptidis, as well as berberine, palmatine and jatrorrhizine could increase the EFS-induced contraction. Among the three monomers, jatrorrhizine exhibited the most potent effect on EFS-induced contraction. Conclusion: The effects of Rhizoma Coptidis in "invigorating the stomach" or "impairing the stomach" may be related to its effect on gastric smooth muscle contractility. Berberine, palmatine and jatrorrhizine are all effective components of Rhizoma Coptidis affecting the contraction of gastric smooth muscle, among which jatrorrhizine is the most potent agent in promoting the contraction while berberine is the most potent one for inhibiting the contraction.

Objective To observe the abnormity of heart function in rats with pressure overload-induced left ventricular hypertrophy and the changes of NCX,SERCA2a expression in myocardial tissues. Methods Cardiac hypertrophy was induced by clipping the abdominal aorta in rats. The cardiac hypertrophy was evaluated by Left ventricular weight index(LVWI,left ventricular weight/body weight). NCX, SERCA2a mRNA and protein expressions in left ventricular tissues were determined by half-quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot normalized to abundance of GAPDH mRNA and protein,respectively. Results LVSP and LVEDP were obviously enhanced(P

Objective To explore the clinical value of laparoscopic hepatectomy for the treatment of hepatic hemangioma.Methods Clinical data of forty-six patients treated with hepatic hemangioma hepatectomy in Dongfeng Hospital Affiliated to Hubei University of Medicine from February 2014 to February 2017 were collected.The patients were divided into the laparoscopic hepatectomy group (LH group 26 cases) and the open hepatectomy (OH group 20 cases) by retrospective descriptive study.The operation time,hepatectomy time,intraoperative blood loss,postoperative complications,postoperative liver function recovery time,hospitalization time,total hospitalization cost,number of residual tumor tissues and follow-up recurrence rate of the two groups were compared.Results The length of incision in the laparoscopic hepatectomy group was significantly lower than that in the open hepatectomy group ((5.41±0.53) cm vs.(19.72±1.26) cm,t=52.335,P=0.000),the intraoperative blood loss,operation time,exhaust time,indwelling drainage time,first postoperative feeding time and postoperative hospitalization time in the LH group were significantly lower than those in the OH group ((572.23±16.92) ml vs.(911.75±19.41) ml,(149.52±18.14) min vs.(171.47±21.35) min,(2.84±0.63) d vs.(3.46±0.57) d,(5.74±3.380) d vs.(10.62±3.59) d,(2.08±0.52) d vs.(3.10±0.61) d,(8.91±2.16) d vs.(14.84±2.09) d,t=63.287,3.767,3.447,4.725,6.117,9.360,P<0.05);in the LH group,liver function recovery index alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were significantly lower than those in the OH group ((45.73±2.16) U / L) vs.(149.29±3.44) U/L,(47.32±1.89) U/L vs.(50.60±3.53) U / L,t=124.985,4.051,P<0.05).Conclusion Laparoscopic hepatectomy for patients with hepatic hemangioma is characterized by less trauma,quicker recovery and higher safety.

Blood Replenishing Angelica Decoction [Danggui Buxue Tang (DGBXT)]is a wellknown TCM prescription composed of Radix Angelicae Sinensis and Radix Astragali with the actions ofinvigorating "Qi" and enriching blood. Its action to curtail endothelial permeability induced by histaminewas studied. Endothelial cells isolated from the aorta of neonatal calf were cultured on polycarbonate mi-croporus filter membrane to develop a confluent endothelial monolayer. After purfused with either plainHank's balanced salt solution or that containing 5 g/L albumin, the monolayer was treated with 10-4 mol/L histamine for 30 min either with or without preincubation for 60 min with 10-4 g/mL of DGBXT. Fluidfiltration coefficient (Kf), filtration volume (Jv) and osmotic reflective coefficient (σ) of protein were thenmeasured. The findings showed that DGBXT could curtail the lowering of Kf and Jv and elevation of σ in-duced by histamine, indicating that DGBXT could inhibit the action of histamine on endothelial permeabili-ty, but its mechanism of action needs further study.

Objective: To study the relationship between the inhibitory effects of Tongxie Yaofang, a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, on the contraction of the colonic smooth muscle isolated from rats and calcium mobilization. Methods: By measuring the tension of the isolated colonic smooth muscle strips, the inhibitory effects of Tongxie Yaofang on the contraction induced by acetylcholine (ACh), KCl and exhausting Ca(2+) of internal calcium store were assessed respectively. Results: Tongxie Yaofang could concentration-dependently inhibit the contraction of isolated rat colonic smooth muscle strips induced by KCl and exhausting the Ca(2+) of internal calcium store. Tongxie Yaofang could also inhibit the tension of the second contractile phase induced by ACh (P<0.01, vs control), but had no influence on the first contractile phase. Conclusion: Tongxie Yaofang can inhibit the contraction of isolated rat colonic smooth muscle strips mainly by preventing the influx of extracellular Ca(2+), which may be associated with blocking voltage-dependent channel, store-operated channel and receptor-operated channel, but not by preventing the release of internal Ca(2+) from calcium store.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of Coptis chinensis and Evodia rutaecarpa water extract on precancerous lesion of colon induced by DMH and proliferation and apoptosis changes of colon mucosa crypts.

METHODPrecancerous lesion of colon was induced by DMH. The changes of proliferation and apoptosis of colon mucosa crypts were detected by morphological analysis. The numbers of aberrant crypt foci (ACF) were measured by feulgen staining.

RESULTC. chinensis and E. rutaecarpa water extract could significantly inhibit the formation of ACF in model animals. The proliferative crypts were increased obviously in middle and distal colon, and decreased by C. chinensis and E. rutaecarpa water extract. The apoptosis crypts were increased in distal colon but not middle colon. C. chinensis and E. rutaecarpa water extract could promote apoptosis of both middle and distal colon.

CONCLUSIONC. chinensis and E. rutaecarpa water extract could significantly inhibit the formation of ACF in model animals. These results indicated that C. chinensis and E. rutaecarpa water extract maybe have an inhibitory and clinically therapeutic effect on colon cancer, which were partly resulted from inhibiting proliferation and promoting apoptosis of crypts in middle and distal colon.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Colonic Neoplasms ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Coptis ; chemistry ; Dimethylhydrazines ; adverse effects ; Disease Models, Animal ; Evodia ; chemistry ; Humans ; Male ; Plant Extracts ; administration & dosage ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of astragaloside IV (As IV) on the activation of rennin-angiotensin system in rats with pressure-overload induced cardiac hypertrophy.

METHODLeft ventricle hypertrophy was induced by abdominal aorta banding between bilateral renal aortas for 12 weeks. Rats were given astragaloside IV 1.0 mg x kg(-1) and 3.3 mg x kg(-1) for 12 weeks, respectively. After treatment, the left ventricular mass index (LVMI)was calculated by morphometry methods. Plasma and cardiac tissue angiotensin II, and plasma aldosterone were measured by ELISA method. Gene expressions of ACE, AT1 and AT2 in cardiac tissue were detected by real time PCR. Protein expressions of AT1 and AT2 in cardiac tissue were detected by Western blot.

RESULTCompared with model rats, LVMI was decreased by astragaloside IV treatment. Biochemical results indicated that the contents of angiotensin II in plasma and cardiac tissue as well as aldosterone in plasma were all increased in abdominal aorta banding rats comparing with sham-operated rats, then, decreased by astragaloside IV treatment. Gene expressions of cardiac ACE was downregulated by astragaloside IV, however, gene and protein expressions of cardiac AT2 were upregulated by astragaloside IV. Both elevated gene and protein expressions of AT1 were not attenuated by astragaloside IV.

CONCLUSIONExcessive activated rennin-angiotensin system in rats with pressure-overload induced cardiac hypertrophy is inhibited by astragaloside IV treatment.

Aldosterone ; blood ; Angiotensin II ; blood ; metabolism ; Animals ; Blood Pressure ; physiology ; Cardiomegaly ; drug therapy ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Male ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1 ; genetics ; Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 2 ; genetics ; Renin-Angiotensin System ; drug effects ; Saponins ; therapeutic use ; Triterpenes ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo study the effects and mechanisms of sinensetin on proliferation and apoptosis of human AGS gastric cancer cells.

METHODMTT assay was used to detect the growth inhibition rates of human AGS gastric cancer cells treated with sinsesectin in different concentrations and times. The cell cycle distribution was measured by flow cytometry. The apoptosis was examined by Annexin-FITC/PI staining and DNA fragment analysis. The apoptosis morphology was observed by inverted fluorescence microscope after Hoechst 33342 staining. The protein expressions of p21 and p53 were detected by western blot.

RESULTMTT assay showed that sinensetin inhibited the growth of AGS gastric cancer cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Sinensetin blocked AGS cells in G2/ M and increased the apoptosis rates of AGS cells in a dose-dependent manner. DNA ladder was observed in cells treated with 60 micromol x L(-1) sinensetin for 48 h. The typical apoptotic morphological changes including cell nucleus shrinkage, chromatin condensation and apoptotic bodies were observed when treated with different dose of sinensetin. Western blot showed that sinensetin increased expressions of p53 and p21 in a dose-dependent manner.

CONCLUSIONSinensetin could inhibit human AGS gastric cancer cells proliferation and induce cell cycle block in G2/M phase and apoptosis. The up regulation of p53 and p21 protein might be one of the mechanisms.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21 ; analysis ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Stomach Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; analysis