It is one of key scientific problems to identify the effective compounds in the study on new TCM. Because of the integrity of the effects of TCM, the diversity of constituents, the complexity of the targets and the unpredictability of the interaction among the components, the efficiency of the traditional efficacy substance research method is generally not high. Based on the research thought of quantitative composition-activity relationship, there are inevitable quantitative correlation between chemical compositions and its biological activity. The quantitative composition-activity relationship research is an effective method to detect the effective compounds. This article reviewed the common methods and technologies used in the quantitative composition-activity relationship research, with a purpose to provide some references for the study on basic effective components in TCM.

Objective To investigate the short-term and long-term effect of cornary-caval shunt accompanied by pericardial devascularization in the treatment of upper gastrointestinal bleeding caused by portal hypertension.Methods Eleven patients with portal hypertension underwent cornary-caval shunt accompanied by partial pericardial devascularization were chosen.Of the 11 patients 6 applied autogenous splenic veins for graft and in 5 cases the coronary vein and inferior vena cava were anastomosed directly.Results Of the 11 patients,no operative mortality or early rebleeding.All patients were followed up from 5 months to 11 years with an average of 5 years and 3 months,of whom two died,others having no rebleeding or hepatic encephalopathy.Conclusion Cornary-caval shunt is a highly selective portosystemic shunt.Cornary-caval shunt accompanied by pericardial devascularization is a surgical treatment of upper gastrointestinal bleeding caused by portal hypertension for its apparent regional antihypertensive effect,the normal blood flow of liver,and reduction of the incidence of rebleeding.

Objective To establish a method to analyze the composition and content of monoses in the garlic polysaccharide by ion chromatography. Methods The monoses in the solution of garlic polysaccharide hydrolysised by trifluoroacetic acid were determined by amino PAC column, eluted by gradient hydroxide sodium and identified by ampere detector (AU as working electrode, Ag/AgCl as reference electrode). Results The garlic polysaccharide was mainly composed by arabinose, galactose, glucose, xylose and fructose. Good resolution could be achieved among the above mentioned five kinds of monoses. Their linear correlations over the investigated concentration were above 0.998, while the average recovery rates were in the range of 95%-105%. Conclusion The ion chromatography method is fast, accurate, simple and reliable, and can be applied in the content determination and quality control of garlic polysaccharide.

BACKGROUND: Most of studies focus on the biomechanical characteristics of thoracic spine neoplasm, but there is little report on the fracture risk in the patients with vertebral hemangioma through finite element analysis.OBJECTIVE: To establish a finite element model of vertebral hemangioma, and to analyze its biomechanical characteristics, and assess the risk of vertebral fracture.METHODS: Three-dimensional finite element models of T12-L2 vertebrae from normal individuals, the patients with vertebral hemangioma (hemangioma accounting for 20%, 40%, 60%, 80% of the vertebral cancellous bone) and bone cement filling were established, respectively, and then the mechanical characteristics were analyzed. The stress distribution and characters of each model were determined under a vertical static pressure of 600 N.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) Three-dimensional finite element models of T12-L2 vertebrae were established successfully. Under static pressure, the stress distribution of L1 cortical bone showed no significant difference among models, and the maximum stress all occurred at the base of pedicle, zygapophysial joint and isthmus. (2) The stress distribution did not differ significantly between vertebral hemangioma accounting for 20%-40% of vertebral cancellous bone with complete cortical bone and normal ones, but which differed significantly in hemangioma accounting for 60%-80%. (3) To conclude, the established thoracolumbar three-dimensional model is available. Additionally,biomechanical tests manifest that the completeness of cortical bone and destruction ratio of cancellous bone destruction are key factors for the fracture risk of vertebral hemangioma.

Objective To investigate the role of endoplasmic reticulum stress ( ERS) in human brain gliomas cell(SHG-44) apoptosis induced by proteasome inhibitor MG-132. Methods Human glioma cells were passage cultured. Glioma cells were treated by MG-132 with varying concentration(5, 10, 15 and 50 μmol/L) for 24 h. Compared with cells prior to the treatment (control group), cell viability was detected by MTT assay and the expression of ERS associated proteins GRP78 and apoptosis associated proteins Caspsse-12 was examined by PCR and Western-blotting. Results After MG-132 treatment for 24 h, SHG-44 cell viability was decreased significantly (39 %) (P <0.05), and continued to show a significant decline with the increasing concentration of MG-132 (P <0.05). RT-PCR results showed that the expression of ERS associated proteins GRP78 in SHG-44 cells were significantly increased after 5, 10, 15 and 50 μmol/L MG-132 treatment, and the expression of Caspase-12 was significantly increased after 5 μmol/L MG-132 treatment, slightly increased after 10 and 15 μmol/L treatment compared with that after 5 μmol/L treatment and reached the peak after 50 μmol/L treatment. Western-blotting results of GRP78 in SHG-44 cells were same as results of RT-PCR. Conclusion ERS may be involved in the apoptosis of gliomas cells induced by proteasome inhibitor MG-132.

AIM: To determine baicalin of scutellaria-extract rapidly by FT-NIRS and data analysis software. METHODS: The correction model was set up based on partial least square and was used to predict baicalin of scutellaria-extract in the samples. RESULTS: Cross validation and test samples determination showed that the co-rrelation coefficient(R2) of this correction model was 95.05,the RMSECV was 0.861,respectively. CONCLUSION: It is fast and convenient.The correction model could be used to predict baicalin of scutellaria-extract rapidly.It can offer reference to content determination of other extracts of Chinese herbs.

Objective To observe the effects of melatonin on synaptic plasticity impaired by spinal cord injury in rats. Methods A total of 54 female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into sham group (n=18), control group (n=18) and melatonin group (n=18). Spinal cord inju-ry model was established with modified Allen's method at T10 (10 g from 25 mm height). The number of neurons and the expression of the Nissl body were detected with immunofluorescence and Nissl staining. The expression of neurofilament-200 (NF-200), brain-derived neuro-trophic factors (BDNF), Synapsin I and growth-associated protein-43 (GAP-43) was detected with Western blotting. Results Seven days af-ter injury, the number of motoneurons, the expression of Nissl body in motoneurons, and the expression of BDNF, Synapsin I and GAP-43 decreased in the control group compared with those in the sham group, and they increased in the melatonin group compared with those in the control group. Conclusion Melatonin can repair the impaired synaptic plasticity, which might promote the functional recovery after spi-nal cord injury.

Objective To observe the expression and mechanism of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and p53 protein at the altitude of 5000 meter plateau hypoxia environment in rats,as well as the effect of Astragalus injection.Methods Sixty Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into the Astragalus injection intervention group and normal saline control group,30 rats in each group.Astragalus injection group rats were intraperitoneal injected of Astragalus injection (15 ml/kg) before 30 minutes into the plateau environment simulation cabin,normal saline group rats were intraperitoneal injected with the same volume of saline.30 minutes after injection,rats in each group were reared in the plateau experiment cabin which simulated altitude of 5000 m (oxygen partial pressure 11.3 kPa) for 2,6,8,12,24 hours,each time period of 6 rats.When get out,the rats were executed immediately and eyes were harvested.Retinal sections were studied by hematoxylin eosin stain,and immunohistochemical method for HIF-1α and p53 expression.Results For control rats,after 2 hours in the cabin,there was edema in retinal layers.HIF-1α and p53 were expressed mainly in the cytoplasm of retinal layers.When the periods in cabin extended,there was atrophy of retinal nerve fiber layer,swelling and degeneration of ganglion cells.The expression of HIF-1α and p53 was increased.Compared with the control group,the intervention group rat had similar but less severe retinal changes,and the expression of HIF-1α and p53 was significantly decreased (P ＜0.05).Conclusion Astragalus injection can reduce pathological retinal damage in rats at high altitude environment,and its mechanism may be associated with reduced HIF-1α,p53 expression.

Objective To establish a UV spectrophotometry method and an HPLC method respectively for the determination of the total content of coumarin and contents of four main constituents of coumarin in Fraxini Cortex extract.Methods UV spectrophotometry was used for the determination of the content of total coumarin in Fraxini Cortex extract. The reference substance was Aesculin, and the maximum ultraviolet absorption wavelength was 334 nm. The HPLC method was used to determine the contents of Aesculin, Fraxin, Aesculetin and Fraxetin in Fraxini Cortex extract, using gradient elution with acetonitrile-phosphate solution (0.01%) as mobile phase on Agilent ZORBAX SB-C18 chromatographic column (4.6 mm × 250 mm, 5μm) at room temperature.Results For the UV method, the linear range of the mass concentration of Aesculin was 5.76-23.04μg/mL (r=0.999 9), and the average recovery was 100.6% (RSD=1.8%). For the HPLC method, the linear ranges of the mass of Aesculin, Fraxin, Aesculetin and Fraxetin were 0.055 0-3.850 0μg (r=0.9997), 0.053 9-3.773 0μg (r=0.999 8), 0.060 0-0.660 0μg (r=0.999 9), and 0.056 2-0.618 2μg (r=0.999 9), respectively, and the average recoveries were 96.97% (RSD=1.26%), 100.80% (RSD=2.22%), 99.04% (RSD=2.47%), and 98.77% (RSD=1.94%), respectively.Conclusion Both of the two methods are simple, accurate and reliable, and can be used for the quality control of total coumarin and the main constituents of coumarin in Fraxini Cortex extract.

“Multi-component Chinese medicine” was derived from effective clinical prescriptions, which is similar to natural medicines, and its form is similar to the fixed-dose compounds. The adaptable indications mainly cast chronic, intractable, and complex diseases. Its research targets of pharmacology mostly are diseases, symptoms or pathological process. Vivo and vitro experiments can be used in its researches. Its dose-effect relationship mostly shows non-linear relationship, and three elements (dose, efficacy and syndrome) are involved. However, the comprehensive evaluation method is still in the exploratory stag. In the safety evaluation, there were few general pharmacological researches, and the basis of toxicity and the relationship between amount and toxicity need further study. In combined optimization aspect, including identification of components and component ratio optimization, many methods have been developed, but it still needs to be developed in theory and systemic integration. Pharmacological mechanism researches focus on the multi-component, multi-target, multi-pathway, and multi-pharmacodynamics aspects, combined with new ideas and new technologies, such as systems biology, network pharmacology, etc. But as multi-component medicine, it should also be studied about the correspondence and network relationships of component and target, with a purpose to explain the contribution of each component in overall mechanism.