OBJECTIVETo systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Potassium Dehydroandrographolide Succinate Injection (PDSI) in the treatment of child epidemic parotitis (EP).

METHODSRandomized controlled trials (RCTs) regarding PDSI in the treatment of child EP were searched in China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, PubMed, and Cochrane Library from inception to July 30, 2013. Two reviewers independently retrieved RCTs and extracted information. The Cochrane risk of bias method was used to assess the quality of included studies, and a meta-analysis was conducted with RevMan 5.2 software.

RESULTSA total of 11 studies with 818 participants were included. The quality of the studies was generally low, among which only one study mentioned the random method. The meta-analysis indicated that PDSI was more effective than the conventional therapy with Western medicine for EP in the outcomes of the total effective rate [relative risk (RR)=1.23, 95% confidence interval (CI) [1.14, 1.33], P<0.01], the time of temperature return to normal, the time of detumescence [mean difference (MD)=-2.10, 95% CI [-2.78,-1.41], P<0.01], and the incidence of complications (RR=0.14, 95% CI [0.03, 0.72], P=0.02). There were 6 adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in this systematic review, 2 of which were mainly represented rash and diarrhea in the experiment group, while another 4 ADRs occurred in the control group.

CONCLUSIONSBased on the systematic review, PDSI was effectiveness and relatively safety in the treatment of child EP. But further rigorously designed trials are warranted to determine its effectiveness.

Diterpenes ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Mumps ; drug therapy ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

Triptolide(TP), the main active and toxic component of Tripterygium wilfordii, has the limitations of low bioavailability, poor absorption, low concentration in plasma, and small lethal dose. Microneedle(MN), the hybrid of hypodermic needle and transdermal patch, is a physical penetration-enhancing system. Dissolving microneedles(DMNs) can be tailored to specific needs of degradation rate. In this study, the TP-loaded DMNs(DMNs-TP) were prepared with the two-step centrifugation method. The optimal ratio of PVA to PVP K30, water content in matrix solution, demoulding method, and plasticizer for preparing DMNs were investigated with the indexes of formability and mechanical strength. The drug loading capacity was determined by HPLC and morphological characteristics were observed under an optical microscope. The mechanical properties were investigated by H&E staining and Franz diffusion cell was used to detect the in vitro skin permeation characteristics. Through the experiment, we confirmed that the optimal backing material should be PVA and PVP K30(3∶1) and the optimal ratio of matrix material to water should be 3∶4. The prepared DMNs-TP were pyramidal with smooth surface and length of approximately 550 μm. Each patch(2.75 cm~2) had the drug loading capacity of(153.41±2.29) μg, and TP was located in the upper part of the needle. The results of in vitro skin permeation assay demonstrated that the cumulative penetration of TP in DMNs-TP reached 80% in 24 h, while little TP solution penetrated the skin, which proved that DMNs promoted the transdermal delivery of TP.
Administration, Cutaneous ; Diterpenes ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Epoxy Compounds ; Needles ; Phenanthrenes ; Skin

OBJECTIVETo develop a drug delivery system triptolide-polyethylenimine-cyclodextrin and to evaluate its anticancer activity in vitro.

METHODSTriptolide was conjugated to polyethylenimine-cyclodextrin by N, N'-carbonyldiimidazole to form triptolide-polyethylenimine-cyclodextrin. (1)H-NMR, FT-IR and XRD were used to confirm its structure. The anticancer effect of the polymer was assessed by MTT assay, erasion trace test and hematoxylin-eosin staining. The potential to condense siRNA and to delivery siRNA into cytoplasm was demonstrated by gel retardation assay, zeta-potential determination and fluorescence staining.

RESULTSTriptolide was successfully conjugated to polyethylenimine-cyclodextrin and the conjugation rate of triptolide was 10% (w/w). siRNA was effectively condensed by the polymer at the N/P ratio of 5, and its particle size was 300 ±15 nm and zeta potential was 8 ±2.5 mV. MTT assay, erasion trace test and hematoxylin-eosin staining revealed that triptolide-polyethylenimine-cyclodextrin had anticancer effect and low cytotoxicity to normal cells. The polymer was able to deliver siRNA to the cytoplasm effectively as demonstrated by fluorescence staining.

CONCLUSIONTriptolide-polyethylenimine-cyclodextrin is able to inhibit the growth and migration of cancer cells in vitro and to carry siRNA into cells effectively. It is potential to be used as a novel prodrug for co-delivery of gene and drug in cancer treatment.

Antineoplastic Agents ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cyclodextrins ; Diterpenes ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Drug Carriers ; Epoxy Compounds ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Nanoparticles ; Phenanthrenes ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Polyethyleneimine ; Polymers

Animals ; Coronary Restenosis ; prevention & control ; Diterpenes ; administration & dosage ; Epoxy Compounds ; Iliac Artery ; pathology ; Male ; Phenanthrenes ; administration & dosage ; Rabbits ; Stents ; Tunica Intima ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo prepare freeze-dried long-circulation oridonin liposomes with optimized parameters.

METHODSEthanol injection method followed by freeze-drying was used to prepare the liposomes. Sephadex column was used to purify liposomes. Effects of formulation factors on entrapment efficiency of long-circulation oridonin liposomes were studied. The particle size, distribution and in vitro release were determined. Pharmacokinetics of oridonin liposomes in rats was determined by HPLC and the pharmacokinetic parameters calculated by Kinetica(TM) software were compared with conventional oridonin liposomes and solution.

RESULTSThe optimized lipid formulation for long-circulation liposomes was composed of soy lecithin, cholesterol and DSPE-PEG 2000 with a ratio of 1:0.5:1.8(w/w). The ratio of drug to lipid was 1:6. Freeze-drying protectant was a mixture of glucose and mannitol (3:1). The entrapment efficiency (EE) of long-circulation oridonin liposomes was about 65%. The particle size of liposomes after hydrolyzation was 164 nm with good DPI. The liposomes showed a sustained drug release in vitro. Intravenous injected oridonin fitted with two-compartment pharmacokinetic model. The MRT of long-circulation liposomes was 2 times and 6 times and AUC was about 2 times and 3 times of conventional liposomes and oridonin solution, respectively.

CONCLUSIONFreeze-dried liposomes with high EE have been obtained by the proposed approach. This long-circulation liposomes extend oridonin half time and significantly increase AUC in rats.

Animals ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; Diterpenes, Kaurane ; administration & dosage ; pharmacokinetics ; Drug Stability ; Freeze Drying ; Liposomes ; administration & dosage ; pharmacokinetics ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tissue Distribution

OBJECTIVEDehydroandrographolide (DP) from Andrographis paniculata (Burm. F.) Nees is a potential anticancer agent. This study aimed to investigate the oral bioavailability and intestinal disposition of DP to provide useful information for the development of DP as a new candidate anticancer drug.

METHODSThe pharmacokinetics of DP was evaluated in rats, and its intestinal disposition was determined using cultured Caco-2 cells and a single-pass rat intestinal perfusion model.

RESULTSThe oral bioavailability of DP was 11.92% in rats. The apparent permeability coefficient (P(app)) of DP from the basolateral side (B) to the apical side (A) (5.37×10(-5) cm/s) of the Caco-2 model was roughly equal to that from A to B (4.56×10(-5) cm/s), suggesting no involvement of the efflux transporter(s). In the perfusion model, no significant difference was found in the effective permeability (P*(eff)) of DP between the 4 segments of the intestine. No significant metabolism of DP was detected in the intestinal perfusates. The amount of DP found in the bile was only about 0.1% of the absorbed amount. The P*(eff) and bile amounts of DP were not significantly increased by P-glycoprotein (P-gp) inhibitor or breast cancer resistant protein (BCRP) inhibitor (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe bioavailability of DP was 11.92% in rats. DP has good absorption and metabolism stability in the intestine. The efflux transporters such as P-gp and BCRP do not participate in DP transport.

Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Biological Availability ; Biological Transport ; Caco-2 Cells ; Diterpenes ; administration & dosage ; pharmacokinetics ; Humans ; Intestinal Absorption ; Intestines ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Tanshinone IIA nanoparticles were constructed and perfused in rabbit's right carotid after intimal denudation with ballon. Localization and retention at different time points of the coumarin-labeled drug nanoparticles were evaluated under laser confocal microscope. Nanoparticles were seen in the three layers of the cross-section artery. At 7 days, they were mainly deposited in the medial layer, while the deposition was generally observed in the adventitia and media at 14 days and 28 days. In the Tanshinone IIA nanoparticle study, a significant reduction of the neo-intimal hyperplasia was noted by comparing the intimal area and the intima-media ratio in the three groups. And the PLGA nanoparticles appeared to be fully biocompatible. As a result, the local administration of the nanoparticles with incorporated Tanshinone IIA showed not only the preventive effects, but aslo the high absorption and good biocompatability in the whole arterial wall.
Angioplasty, Balloon ; adverse effects ; Animals ; Caprolactam ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives ; Carotid Arteries ; pathology ; Diterpenes, Abietane ; Drug Carriers ; Hyperplasia ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Lactic Acid ; administration & dosage ; Nanoparticles ; Phenanthrenes ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Polyesters ; Polymers ; administration & dosage ; Rabbits ; Tunica Intima ; drug effects ; pathology

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is an age-related disease of unknown etiology, characterized by prostatic enlargement coincident with distinct alterations in tissue histology. In the present study, we investigated whether triptolide can prevent testosterone-induced prostatic hyperplasia in rats. Castration was performed via the scrotal route after urethane aesthesia. BPH was induced in experimental groups by daily subcutaneous injections of testosterone propionate (TP) for two weeks. Triptolide was administered daily by oral gavage at a dose of 100 and 50 μg·kg for 2 weeks, along with the TP injections. On day 14, the animals were humanely killed by cervical dislocation after aesthesia. Prostates were excised, weighed, and used for histological studies. Testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels in serum and prostate were measured. The results showed that triptolide significantly reduced the prostate weight, and the testosterone and DHT levels in both the serum and prostate. Histopathological examination also showed that triptolide treatment suppressed TP-induced prostatic hyperplasia. In conclusion, triptolide effectively inhibits the development of BPH induced by testosterone in a rat model.
Androgens ; blood ; Animals ; Diterpenes ; administration & dosage ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Epoxy Compounds ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Male ; Phenanthrenes ; administration & dosage ; Prostate ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; blood ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Testosterone ; blood ; Tripterygium ; chemistry

This study is to report the influence of conditions in spray drying process on physical and chemical properties and lung inhaling performance of Panax notoginseng Saponins - Tanshinone II A composite particles. According to the physical and chemical properties of the two types of components within the composite particles, three solvent systems were selected including ethanol, ethanol : acetone (9 : 1, v/v) and ethanol : acetone (4 : 1, v/v), and three inlet temperature: 110 degrees C, 120 degrees C, 130 degrees C to prepare seven different composite particle samples; each sample was characterized using laser diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic vapour sorption (DVS) and atomic force microscope (AFM), and their aerodynamic behavior was evaluated by a Next Generation Impactor (NGI). The results indicate that under the conditions of using the mixed solvent system of ethanol--acetone volume ratio of 9 : 1, and the inlet temperature of 110 degrees C, the resulting composite particles showed rough surface, with more tanshinone II A distributing in the outer layer, such composite particles have the best lung inhaling performance and the fine particle fraction (FPF) close to 60%. Finally it is concluded that by adjusting the conditions in co-spray drying process, the distribution amount and existence form of tanshinone II A in the outer layer of the particles can be changed so that to enhance lung inhaling performance of the drug composite particles.
Administration, Inhalation ; Desiccation ; Diterpenes, Abietane ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Drug Compounding ; methods ; Dry Powder Inhalers ; methods ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Microspheres ; Panax notoginseng ; chemistry ; Particle Size ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Saponins ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Solubility ; X-Ray Diffraction

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of triptolide tablet in the treatment of patients with psoriasis vulgaris.

METHODSBy an open clinical study of 103 patients with psoriasis vulgaris. Psoriasis area severity index (PASI) was measured and recorded before and after treatment for efficacy evaluation.

RESULTSOf the 103 patients, markedly effective was got in 41 (39.7%), improved in 37 (35.8%) and ineffective in 25 (24.5%), the total effective rate being 75.7%, and the adverse reaction was shown only in few patients with decreased WBC during the treatment period.

CONCLUSIONTriptolide tablet is effective for the treatment of psoriasis vulgaris during the one-year follow-up.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Diterpenes ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Epoxy Compounds ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phenanthrenes ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Psoriasis ; drug therapy ; Tablets ; Treatment Outcome