OBJECTIVETo study the toxicity changes of different proportions of Radix Adenophora, Radix Glehniae combined with Veratrum nigrum L., thus providing acute toxicity data and investigating whether decoction factors were correlated with toxicity.

METHODSThe uniform design method was used by two factors and seven levels to investigate the toxicity changes in different proportions of Radix Adenophora, Radix Glehniae combined with Veratrum nigrum L. The decoction factors were also investigated.

RESULTSThe compatibility toxicity was affected mainly by Veratrum nigrum L. and the toxicity increased along with increased doses of Veratrum nigrum L. The toxicity of co-decoction was higher than mixed decoction in the same dosage of Radix Glehniae and Veratrum nigrum L. The promotion of the dissolution of the toxic component of Veratrum nigrum L. in co-decoction may be the cause of the higher toxicity.

CONCLUSIONRadix Adenophora and Radix Glehniae combined with Veratrum nigrum L. resulted in higher toxicity, which indicated that the incompatibility between Radix Adenophora, Radix Glehniae, and Veratrum nigrum L. In clinic practice, a prescription contained these drugs should be avoided.

Animals ; Drug Antagonism ; Drug Incompatibility ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; toxicity ; Female ; Male ; Mice

Animals ; Diazepam ; pharmacology ; Drug Antagonism ; Electroencephalography ; Female ; Male ; Pyrazoles ; poisoning ; toxicity ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo quantitatively evaluate mutual relations of 4 component drugs in anti-HIV action.

METHODSThe effect of TCM four components on cell growth was detected using MTT assay. The antiviral effects of 4 components were observed at the maximal nonvenomous dose. The combination index (CI) value of combined two or four components were calculated using median-effect principle. The mutual relations of two or four components for antiviral actions were assessed using CI.

RESULTSSynergism was dominant in combination of A and B, and the effect was dose-dependent. Antagonism was dominant in combination of C and D, and the effect was dose-dependent. But the combination of A, B, C, and D was synergistic when the inhibition rate was over 10%.

CONCLUSIONMedian-effect principle can be used to quantitatively assess the anti-HIV effect of four components.

Antiviral Agents ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Cell Line ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drug Antagonism ; Drug Synergism ; HIV-1 ; drug effects ; Humans

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effect of the tert-butylhydroquinone (tBHQ) on PC12 cells from neurotoxicity induced by manganese.

METHODSCytotoxicity of PC12 cells was measured by MTT assay, following the PC12 cells treatment with different concentrations of MnCl₂ (300, 600, 900 μmol/L) for 24, 48 or 72 h. PC12 cells were pretreated with 40 μmol/L tBHQ for 12 h, followed by the treatment of 600 micromol/L or 300 μmol/L MnCl₂ for 72 h. Cytotoxicity of PC12 cells was measured by MTT assay, and cell apoptosis was examined by the method of Annexin V-FITC/PI in flow cytometry (FCM).

RESULTSThe proliferation of PC12 cells treated with 300, 600, 900 μmol/L MnCl2 was suppressed in the dose dependent pattern (P < 0.01). Proliferation of PC12 cells treated with 600 μmol/L MnCl₂ was suppressed to 40% of that in control group (P < 0.01), but the proliferation rate of PC12 cell pretreated with 40 μmol/L tBHQ was 180% of that in control group (P < 0.01). Apoptotic rate of PC12 cells treated with 300 micromol/L MnCl₂ was higher than the vehicle control group (P < 0.01). Apoptotic rate of 40 μmol/L tBHQ pretreatment followed by 300 μmol/L MnCl₂ treatment was lower than that of MnCl2 treatment group (P < 0.01). The inhibition rate of apoptosis was 61%.

CONCLUSIONSManganese may suppress PC12 cells proliferation and induce apoptosis. tBHQ can reduce PC12 cells proliferation suppressed by manganese and attenuate the apoptosis induced by manganese.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Drug Antagonism ; Hydroquinones ; pharmacology ; Manganese ; toxicity ; PC12 Cells ; drug effects ; Rats

Calcium Channel Blockers ; pharmacology ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Drug Antagonism ; Humans ; Kidney ; cytology ; drug effects ; Lead ; toxicity

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of isoflurane combined with diltiazem on human sperm motility in vitro and to investigate its possible mechanism.

METHODSTen normal semen samples were collected, each divided into 9 groups, one as the control and the others treated in vitro with different concentrations of diltiazem or diltiazem +4.2% isoflurane for 1 hour. Sperm motility was observed with the computer-assisted sperm analyzer.

RESULTSCompared with the control, diltiazem significantly decreased sperm motility at the concentrations of 0.01 g/L, 0.04 g/L, 0.2 g/L and 1 g/L in a dose-dependent manner, and reduced it to approximately 0% at 1 g/L. When combined with 4.2% isoflurane, diltiazem obviously increased sperm motility at 0.01 g/L, markedly decreased it at 0.2 g/L, and effected no significant difference at 0.04 g/L and 1 g/L as compared with the corresponding concentrations of diltiazem alone.

CONCLUSIONThe stimulating effect of isoflurane on sperm motility may be associated with the calcium ion channel in sperm. When completely blocked by diltiazem, this effect may turn into an inhibition of sperm motility.

Adult ; Calcium Channel Blockers ; pharmacology ; Diltiazem ; pharmacology ; Drug Antagonism ; Humans ; Isoflurane ; pharmacology ; Male ; Sperm Motility ; drug effects

We have investigated the in vitro antimicrobial effects of antibiotic combinations against Orientia tsutsugamushi, the causative agent of scrub typhus. ECV304 cells were infected with the Boryong strain of O. tsutsugamushi and incubated in a medium containing doxycycline (4 microg/mL), azithromycin (0.5 microg/mL), rifampin (4 microg/mL), ciprofloxacin (25 microg/mL), gentamicin (5 microg/mL), cefotaxime (2 microg/mL), or combinations of these agents for 7 days, after which immunofluorescent staining for O. tsutsugamushi was performed. The percentages of infective foci in cultures containing antibiotics compared to those in cultures without antibiotics were 6.2% for doxycycline, 9.6% for azithromycin, 8.8% for rifampin, 96.6% for cefotaxime, 29.7% for doxycycline plus cefotaxime, 23.6% for azithromycin plus cefotaxime, and 41.4% for rifampin plus cefotaxime. These findings show an in vitro antagonism between anti-rickettsial agents and cefotaxime against O. tsutsugamushi. These results suggest that the efficacy of antibiotic combinations involving cefotaxime for the treatment of patients with scrub typhus, particularly those with severe pneumonia, needs to be investigated.
Anti-Bacterial Agents* ; Azithromycin ; Cefotaxime* ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Ciprofloxacin ; Doxycycline ; Drug Antagonism ; Gentamicins ; Humans ; Orientia tsutsugamushi* ; Pneumonia ; Rifampin ; Scrub Typhus

Action Potentials ; drug effects ; Animals ; CA1 Region, Hippocampal ; cytology ; Drug Antagonism ; Male ; Neurons ; drug effects ; Pentylenetetrazole ; pharmacology ; Propofol ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Synaptic Transmission ; drug effects

Cells, Cultured ; Drug Antagonism ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; drug effects ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins ; pharmacology ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; drug effects ; pathology ; Quercetin ; pharmacology

Multidrug resistance (MDR) in human cancer is one of greatest challenges in cancer therapy. Natural products, especially the alkaloids, exert reversed effects on MDR with low toxicity, by interacting with various targets. In this review article, we summarize the recent progress made in the research of the main alkaloids, including classification, function, mechanism, research status, and application in reversing MDR.
Alkaloids ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Animals ; Biological Products ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Drug Antagonism ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; Humans ; Neoplasms ; drug therapy