OBJECTIVEIn order to explore the therapeutic effect of tongxinluo capsule (TXLC) on diabetic nephropathy, the influence on plasma endothelin (ET-1) level of the drug was observed.

METHODSAll the 63 patients enrolled were randomly divided into the treatment group and control group. They were all treated with low protein diabetic diet, oral administration of hypoglycemic or injection of insulin, calcium antagonist according to level of blood pressure and supportive symptomatic treatment. To the treated group, 2 capsules of TXLC were given additionally three times a day. The efficacy was evaluated after 8 weeks' treatment. The chief indices observed before and after treatment were endogenous creatinine clearance rate (CCr), urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER), urinary beta2-microglobulin (beta2-MG), fasting blood-glucose (FBG) and ET-1.

RESULTSBefore treatment, no significant difference was shown in all the tested indices between the treated group and the control group. After treatment, levels of CCr, UAER, beta2-MG, ET-1 and FBG significantly changed in the treated group, showing significant difference as compared with those before treatment (P < 0.05). Moreover, comparison of these indices in the two groups after treatment, excepting FBG, also showed statistical significance (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONTXLC shows obvious effect in reducing plasma ET-1 and UAER, it is definitely effective in repairing the renal tubular interstitial damage, and effectively delay the progress of diabetic nephropathy, improve the renal function, and is favorable to ameliorate hyperglycemia auxiliarily.

Albuminuria ; urine ; Capsules ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Endothelin-1 ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Phytotherapy

Objective To investigate the effects of propofol on brain injury induced by intestinal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) in rats.Methods Forty-eight adult male Sprague-Dawley rats,weighing 250-300 g,were randomly allocated to one of 3 groups (n =16 each) using a random number table:sham operation group (group Sham),I/R group,and propofol group (group P).Intestinal I/R was produced by occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery for 90 min followed by reperfusion.In group P,propofol 50 mg/kg was injected intraperitoneally at 30 min before reperfusion,and the equal volume of fat emulsion was given in the other two groups.Blood samples were collected at 24 h of reperfusion for determination of serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) concentrations.The cerebral cortex and hippocampus were isolated for measurement of TNF-α and IL-1β mRNA expression (by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity (using colorimetric method).Morris water maze test was carried out at 1,3 and 5 days of reperfusion.Results Compared with group Sham,the serum TNF-α and IL-1β concentrations were significantly increased,the expression of TNF-o and IL-1β mRNA in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus was up-regulated,the MPO activity was increased,and the escape latency was prolonged,and the frequency of crossing the original platform was decreased during reperfusion in group I/R (P＜0.05).In group I/R,the concentrations of serum TNF-αand IL-1β were significantly decreased,thc cxpression of TNF-α and IL-1β mRNA in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus was down-regulated,and the escape latency was shortened,and the frequency of crossing the original platform was increased during reperfusion (P＜0.05),and no significant change was found in MPO activity in group P (P＞0.05).Conclusion Propofol reduces brain injury induced by intestinal I/R through inhibiting systemic and local inflammatory responses in rats.

Objective To explore the changes of microRNA expression during the neuronal differentiation of neural stem cells (NSCs) induced by Plastrum testudinis extract (PTE) . Methods NSCs were isolated from the hippocampus of 14-day SD rat fetus and were obtained after primary culture. The abilities of NSCs differenting into neurons were identified by immunofluorescent staining. NSCs were randomly divided into three groups, blank control group, and low- and high-dose PTE groups ( 3, 30 μg/mL PTE) . After the cells were incubated with PTE for 7 days, total RNA was isolated and then the expression of miR-124 and miR-9 was observed by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction ( qRT-PCR) . Results Compared with the blank control group, the expression of miR-124 and miR-9 remained unchanged in low-dose PTE group, but was significantly increased in high-dose PTE group ( P<0.05). Conclusion PTE promotes NSCs differentiating into neurons, which might be associated with the up-regulation of miR-124 and miR-9.

Objective To summerize computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) appearances of the adrenal oncoctyoma(AOC),and to improve the diagnostic accuracy.Methods The 11 cases imaging materials of AOC confirmed by pathology from March 2006 to August 2017 were analyzed retrospectively.There were 3 males and 8 females,aged from 24 to 65 years old(mean 46.8 years).There were 11 cases with CT unenhanced scan in which 9 cases performed enhancing scan,8 cases underwent unenhanced and enhanced MRI scan.Results Of 11 cases (13 lesions),10 cases were singular,1 was unilaterally multiple(3 lesions).5 cases were located in the right side,6 in the left side.10 lesions presented oval,3 were round.The diameters of all lesions ranged from 1.4 to 9.9 cm,with a mean of 3.9 cm.All lesions were shown well-defined soft-tissue density on plain CT scan,69.2％ (9/13) of whom were homogeneous,30.8％ were heterogenous.The CT value ranged from 32.6 to 48.6 HU,with a mean of 37.9 HU.In 9 cases,5 masses were markedly enhanced,2 were slightly enhanced and 2 were moderately enhanced,and all of them depicted prolongedly enhanced on triple-phase scan.The masses of 8 cases appeared isointensity or slightly hypointensity on T1WI,hyperintesity on fat-suppressed T2WI.The signal did not change on opposed-phase imaging.The lesions demonstrated heterogeneously prolonged enhancement to some degree on enhanced TI WI images.There was no peritumoral adjacent invasion,enlarged lymph nodes and metastasis.Conclusions AOC usually presents soft-tissue density on unenhanced CT,no changing on MRI opposed-phase images.The tumors are characterized by markedly heterogeneously prolonged enhanced on enhanced CT and MRI.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of acupuncture at "Baihui" (GV 20), "Zhongwan" (CV 12) and "Zusanli" (ST 36) on intestinal flora in rats with stress gastric ulcer (SGU) , and to explore the mechanism of acupuncture promoting SGU recovery. METHODS: Thirty-one SPF SD rats were randomly divided into a control group (7 rats), a model control group (8 rats), an acupuncture group (8 rats) and a medication group (8 rats). The rats in the model group, acupuncture group and medication group were selected to applied the improved restraint water-immersion stress method to establish the SGU model. After modeling, the rats in the control group and model group were fixed and restrained for 20 min every day for a total of 5 days; the rats in the acupuncture group were intervented with acupuncture at "Baihui" (GV 20), "Zhongwan" (CV 12) and "Zusanli" (ST 36), once a day, 20 min each time, and twisting needle for 30 s every 5 min for a total of 5 days; the rats in the medication group were gavaged by solution of omeprazole enteric-coated tablet (200 mg/mL), 2 mL for each rat, once a day. Guth method was used to calculate the gastric mucosal damage index (GMDI), HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of gastric mucosa, and 16SrDNA identification was used to detect the structural abundance of intestinal flora. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the GMDI of rats in the model group was increased (<0.01), the gastric mucosal pathological changes were significant, and the intestinal flora richness index Chao1, Observed species and diversity index Shannon were all decreased (<0.05), the diversity index Simpson was increased (<0.05). Compared with the model group, the GMDI of rats in the acupuncture group and medication group was reduced (<0.01, <0.05), the gastric mucosal damage degree was reduced, and the intestinal flora richness index Chao1, Observed species and diversity index Shannon were all increased (<0.05) and the diversity index Simpson decreased (<0.05). Compared with the medication group, the GMDI of rats in the acupuncture group was reduced (<0.01), the recovery of gastric mucosal injury was better than that of the medication group. CONCLUSION Acupuncture can effectively improve gastric mucosal injury of SGU, and the mechanism may be related to increasing the diversity of intestinal flora and promoting the correction of the disordered intestinal flora.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Animals ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Stomach Ulcer ; microbiology ; therapy

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at "Tianshu" (ST 25) and "Shangjuxu" (ST 37) on mental state, visceral sensitivity and protein expression of nerve growth factor (NGF), tyrosine kinase receptor A (TrkA) and transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) of colonic tissue in diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) rats, and to explore its possible mechanism on treating IBS-D. METHODS: A total of 36 male SD rats of SPF grade were randomized into a blank group, a model group, an EA group and a western medication group, 9 rats in each group. In the model group, the EA group and the western medication group, IBS-D model was established by enema of dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (DNBS) combined with chronic restraint stress method. In the EA group, EA was applied at "Tianshu" (ST 25) and "Shangjuxu" (ST 37), with disperse-dense wave, in frequency of 2 Hz/100 Hz, 20 min each time, once a day for 7 days. In the western medication group, pinaverium bromide suspension was given by gavage (15 mg•kg^-1•d^-1) for 7 days. Before and after model establishment, and after intervention, the body mass, 24 h food intake and fecal water content were observed, the visceral sensitivity was detected by abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR); after intervention, the mental state was evaluated by elevated plus maze (EPM) test, the protein expression of NGF, TrkA and TRPV1 was detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot in the 4 groups. RESULTS: After model establishment, compared with the blank group, the body mass and 24 h food intake were decreased (P<0.05), first systolic latency of AWR was shortened and number of contraction wave of AWR was increased (P<0.05), and fecal water content was increased (P<0.05) in the model group, the EA group and the western medication group. After intervention, compared with the blank group, open arm residence time ratio (OT%) of EPM was decreased (P<0.05) and protein expression of NGF, TrkA, TRPV1 in colonic tissue was increased in the model group (P<0.05); compared with the model group, the body mass and 24 h food intake were increased (P<0.05), first systolic latency of AWR was lengthened and number of contraction wave of AWR was decreased (P<0.05), the fecal water content was decreased (P<0.05), OT% of EPM was increased (P<0.05), and protein expression of NGF, TrkA, TRPV1 in colonic tissue was decreased (P<0.05) in the EA group and the western medication group. CONCLUSION Electroacupuncture at "Tianshu" (ST 25) and "Shangjuxu" (ST 37) can relieve the anxiety and depression-like behaviors in IBS-D rats, down-regulate the protein expression of NGF, TrkA, TRPV1 in colonic tissue, so as to reduce the visceral sensitivity and relieve symptoms.
Male ; Rats ; Animals ; Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome/therapy* ; Sulfonic Acids ; Nerve Growth Factors ; TRPV Cation Channels/genetics*