Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Bloodletting ; Female ; Headache ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Young Adult

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

In order to identify Peucedani Radix, Peucedani Decursivi Radix and their adulterants, the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) regions of Peucedani Radix, Peucedani Decursivi Radix and their adulterants were amplified and bidirectionally sequenced based on the Principles for Molecular Identification of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica Using DNA Barcoding, which has been promulgated by Chinese Pharmacopoeia Commission. Sequences were analyzed and assembled by Codon Code Aligner V3. 7.1. The relevant data were analyzed by MEGA 5. 0. Species identification analyses were performed by using the nearest distance methods and neighbor-joining (NJ) methods. The result showed that the ITS2 sequence lengths of Peucedani Radix were 229-230 bp and the average intra-specific genetic distances were 0.005. The ITS2 sequence lengths of Peucedani Decursivi Radix were 227 bp and the sequences contained no variation site. The average inter-specific K2P genetic distance of Peucedani Radix, Peucedani Decursivi Radix and their adulterants species were 0.044 and 0.065 respectively. The minimum inter-specific divergence is larger than the maximum intra-specific divergence of Peucedani Decursivi Radix. The nearest distance methods and NJ trees results indicated that Peucedani Radix, Peucedani Decursivi Radix and their adulterants species could be identification clearly. The ITS2 regions can stably and accurately distinguish Peucedani Radix, Peucedani Decursivi Radix and their adulterants.
Apiaceae ; classification ; genetics ; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ; methods ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer ; Drug Contamination

OBJECTIVE: The study was carried out to investigate genetic polymorphism of 15 STR loci in Guangxi Miao population. METHORDS: DNA samples from southern China 274 Miao unrelated individuals were screened by using AmpFlSTR Identifiler PCR Amplification Kit and 3100 Genetic Analyzer. RESULTS: These 15 loci meet the Hardy-Weinberg expectations. The matching probability of the 15 STR loci was 5.04 x 10(-17), and combined paternity of exclution was 0.9999993 in Guangxi Miao population. CONCLUSION Our results showed Identifiler PCR Amplification systems of 15 STR loci were useful enough to forensic case work in Guangxi Miao population.
Alleles ; China/ethnology* ; Female ; Forensic Medicine ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Markers ; Genetics, Population ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Microsatellite Repeats/genetics* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

OBJECTIVETo compare the therapeutic effect of electroacupuncture and western medication on blood pressure variability in young patients with hypertension.

METHODSSixty cases of hypertension in young patients were randomized into an electroacupuncture group and a western medication group, 30 cases in each one. In electroacupuncture group, electroacupuncture was applied on Quchi (LI 11) and Taichong (LR 3). In western medication group, Captopril was taken orally. Twenty-four hour dynamic blood pressure, blood pressure variability and day-night rhythm were observed after 14 days treatment in two groups.

RESULTSElectroacupuncture on Quchi (LI 11) and Taichong (LR 3) reduced systolic pressure and diastolic pressure at different time phases in young patients with hypertension (all P < 0.01), which did not present significant statistical difference as compared with western medication group (all P > 0.05). Electroacupuncture on Quchi (Li, 11) and Taichong (LR 3) reduced apparently the standard deviations of systolic pressure and diastolic pressure at different time phases in young patients with hypertension, indicating significant statistical differences as compared with the deviations before the treatment (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). The statistical significance presented in 24 h systolic standard deviation (24 h SSD), 24 h diastolic standard deviation (24 h DSD), daytime SSD (dSSD), nighttime SSD (nSSD) and nighttime DSD (nDSD) between two groups (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). In comparison of the numbers of Dippers and non-Dippers in two groups, the significant statistical difference presented between two groups after treatment (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONElectroacupuncture on Quchi (LI 11) and Taichong (LR 3) has long-term antihypertensive effect and improves effectively day-night rhythm variation in young patients with hypertension. Quchi (LI 11) and Taichong (LR 3) are the effective pair points for hypertension treated with acupuncture.

Acupuncture Points ; Adult ; Blood Pressure ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the therapeutic effect of ear point combined therapy on no-aura migraine at different stages and the mechanism.

METHODSThirty cases of no-aura migraine at different stages were treated with ear point combined therapy, including blood-letting at the ear back, injection of auto-blood into Fengchi (GB 20), Yanglingquan (GB 34), and pricking at ear points Nie (AT2), Yidan (CO11), Shenmen (TF4), etc. Their clinical therapeutic effects were evaluated at the end of one therapeutic course, and substance P (SP) contents were detected before and after treatment.

RESULTSThe clinical effective rate was 86.7%, and the effective rate was 87.5% at the attack stage and 86.4% at the remission stage with no significant difference between the attack stage and the remission stage (P>0.05); after treatment, SP content had significant change as compared with that before treatment (P<0.05, P<0.01), and there was very significant difference in SP content between the attack stage before treatment and the remission stage (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe ear point combined therapy can relieve pain possibly through decreasing plasma SP content, and the SP con tent possibly is one of main factors inducing migraine attack.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture, Ear ; Adult ; Disease Progression ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Migraine without Aura ; blood ; pathology ; therapy ; Substance P ; blood ; Young Adult

The relationship between tyrosine phosphorylation (TP) and protein expression of insulin receptor (InsR) and insulin resistance (IR) in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) was investigated. The InsR expression and TP in skeleton muscle tissue were determined by Western blotting and immunoprecipitation in women with GDM (GDM group, n=22), normal pregnant women (normal pregnancy group, n=22) and normal non-pregnant women (normal non-pregnant group, n=13). Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and fasting insulin (FINS) were measured by oxidase assay and immunoradioassay. The results showed that the levels of FPG (5.61±0.78 mmol/L), FINS (15.42±5.13 mU/L) and Homeostasis model assessment-IR (HOMA-IR) (1.21±0.52) in GDM group were significantly higher than those in normal pregnancy group (4.43±0.46 mmol/L, 10.56±3.07 mU/L and 0.80±0.31 respectively) (P<0.01). The levels of FINS and HOMA-IR in normal pregnancy group were significantly higher than those in normal non-pregnant group (7.56±2.31 mU/L and 0.47±0.26 respectively) (P<0.01). There was no significant difference in the InsR expression level among the three groups (P>0.05). TP of InsR with insulin stimulation was significantly decreased in GDM group (0.20±0.05) as compared with normal pregnancy group (0.26±0.06) (P<0.01). TP of InsR with insulin stimulation in normal pregnancy group was lower than that in normal non-pregnant group (0.31±0.06) (P<0.01). TP of InsR with insulin stimulation was negatively related with HOMA-IR in GDM group (r=-0.525, P<0.01). There was no correlation between the protein expression of InsR and HOMA-IR in GDM group (r=-0.236, P>0.05). It was suggested that there is no significant correlation between the protein expression of InsR in skeletal muscle and IR in GDM, but changes in TP of InsR are associated with IR in GDM.

OBJECTIVETo discuss the anti-inflammatory mechanism of sinomenine on inflammatory media in joint of adjuvant arthritis rats.

METHODRats were randomly divided into the normal group and the model group, the prednisone group, the small, medium, large of sinomenine group (30, 60, 120 mg x kg(-1)). Except for the rats in the normal group, animals were modeled to adjuvant arthritiswith freund's complete adjuvant. The arthritis index (AI) and the swelling degree of paws were recorded, and the activity of IL-1, TNF and the levels of NO, PGE2 in joint fluids of secondary arthritis were determined.

RESULTCompared with the normal group, the activity of IL-1, TNF and the levels of NO, PGE2 in joint fluids of secondary arthritis were increased significantly in the model group (P < 0.05). Compared with the model group, it was shown to exert a dramatic inhibitory effect on secondary reaction of freund's adjuvant arthritis of rats, and the activity of IL-1, TNF and the levels of NO, PGE2 in joint fluids of secondary arthritis were significantly decreased in the sinomenine group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSinomenine has a remarkable treatment effect on RA. It is via NO to inhibit the activity of cytokines and decrease the level of inflammation mediators, which may be one of its curing RA mechanism.

Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; therapeutic use ; Arthritis, Experimental ; drug therapy ; Dinoprostone ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Interleukin-1 ; metabolism ; Male ; Morphinans ; therapeutic use ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Phytotherapy ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Sinomenium ; chemistry ; Synovial Fluid ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo probe into the therapeutic effect of ear point combined therapy on common migraine at the remission stage and the mechanism.

METHODSThirty-two cases of common migraine at the remission stage were treated with ear point combined therapy, including blood-letting at ear back, injection of autoblood into Fengchi (GB 20), Yanglingquan (GB 34), and pricking at ear points Nie, Yi-dan (pancreas and gallbladder), Shenmen, etc.. Clinical therapeutic effect was evaluated at the end of one therapeutic course, and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and endotheline (ET) were detected before and after treatment, and the CGRP and ET contents were compared with those in 22 normal persons.

RESULTSThe effective rate was 78.1% (P<0.001), CGRP and ET contents had very significant changes after treatment (P<0.01), and CGRP and ET showed negative correlativity (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe ear point combined therapy can regulates the balance between the plasma CGRP and ET in the patient of common migraine and improve vasodilative, vasoconstrictive and endothelial fuctions in the brain, hence stopping pain.

Acupuncture, Ear ; methods ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide ; blood ; Endothelins ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Migraine without Aura ; blood ; physiopathology ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo establish a whole-body visualization model of breast cancer with high hepatic metastatic potential in nude mice and observe the development and metastasis of breast cancer by real-time imaging.

METHODSpEGFP-N1 plasmid was transfected into human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 to obtain pEGFP-MDA-MB-231 cells that emitted fluorescence. pEGFP-MDA-MB-231 cells were inoculated orthotopically in BALB/C nude mice and cultured in vivo through serial passage, thereby establishing the mouse model bearing tumors with high hepatic metastasis potential. The fluorescence emitted from the tumors was quantitatively detected and imaged with a fluorescence stereo microscope for real-time visualization of the tumor growth and metastasis.

RESULTSThe transfected breast cancer cells stably and efficiently expressed EGFP. After inoculation of the transfected cells in nude mice, 20% of the first-generation cells showed hepatic metastasis, and the rate increased to 80% among the second-generation and up to 100% among the third-generation cells. The reliability of this visualization model was validated with conventional pathological methods.

CONCLUSIONThe whole-body visualization model bearing breast cancer with high hepatic metastasis potential provides a reliable means for studying the mechanisms of hepatic tumor metastasis, and can be instrumental in the exploration of novel means for breast cancer treatment.

Animals ; Breast Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; secondary ; Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Transplantation, Heterologous