Humans ; Dynorphins/metabolism* ; Receptors, Opioid, kappa/metabolism* ; Cryoelectron Microscopy

Animals ; Dynorphins ; metabolism ; Parkinson Disease ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Peptides ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Scorpion Venoms ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo explore the mechanism of Chinese medicinal therapy for nourishing blood and softening Gan in treating senile pruritus through observing the impact of Guishen Zhiyang Recipe (GZR) on serum levels of stem cell factor (SCF) and dynorphin (DYN) in patients suffered from the disease of blood-deficiency and Gan-hyperactive syndrome type (BDGH).

METHODSSixty patients with senile pruritus were equally randomized into two groups, the patients in the treated group (33 cases) were treated by GZR, and those in the control group (28 cases) were treated by Fuyang Granule, all for 8 weeks. Changes of symptoms and skin lesions as well as blood levels of SCF and DYN were observed before and after treatment.

RESULTSThree patients were rejected from the treated group. Twenty patients in the treated group were cured after treatment, the cure rate being 66.7%, which was significantly higher than that in the control group (10 patients, 35.7%, P < 0.05). Levels of SCF and DYN in the treated group significantly lowered after treatment (all P < 0.01), and were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively).

CONCLUSIONGZR shows favorite effect in treating senile pruritus of BDGH type and it may be achieved by regulating SCF and DYN levels to improve the pruritus associated inflammatory media.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Dynorphins ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Pruritus ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Stem Cell Factor ; metabolism ; Syndrome

AIMTo investigate the changes of enkephalin mRNA and prodynorphin mRNA gene expression in rat brain regions with chronic immobilization stress and the influence of Chinese herbs.

METHODSWe copied the rat model of chronic immobilization stress (3 h daily , repeated 7 d or 21 d), and primers of enkephalin or prodynorphin were respectively added for RT-PCR reaction (BETA-actin as inner contrast). Gel image analysis system was used to scan and analyze and odds of optical density of target gene and inner contrast strip were taken as quasi-quantified data.

RESULTSProdynorphin mRNA expression in hippocampus markedly increased in 7 d group (P < 0.01), while enkephalin mRNA prodynorphin mRNA expression in hippocampus markedly increased in 21 d group (P < 0.01). All three recipes were able to decrease the gene expression of prodynorphin mRNA (P < 0.01), and xiaoyao powder as well as sijunzi soup were able to decrease the gene expression of enkephalin mRNA (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe effects of xiaoyao powder on the above two gene expression was better than jinkuishenqi pill.

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Dynorphins ; metabolism ; Enkephalins ; metabolism ; Gene Expression ; Hippocampus ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Restraint, Physical ; Stress, Physiological