AIMTo study the synthesis of 5-(3'-indolyl)-oxazoles and their antioxidative activity.

METHODSThe amides were prepared from tryptophan and different acid derivatives by the catalytic dehydration of dicyclohexyl carbodiimide (DCC). The characteristic heterocyclic ring system of 5-(3'-indolyl)-oxazoles was constructed by oxidative cyclization of amide, using dicholorodicyanoquinone (DDQ). Their antioxidative activity in vitro was tested using DPPH system.

RESULTSEleven 2-substituted phenyl-5-(3'-indolyl)-oxazoles were prepared, the compounds 21 and 22 have shown antioxidative activity 3-4 times stronger than that of Vit E, and the compound 29 showed antioxidative activity almost as same as Vit E.

CONCLUSIONThree 5-(3'-indoyl)-oxazole compounds synthesized showed potent antioxidative effect and they would be a good antioxidants.

Antioxidants ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; Indoles ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Molecular Structure ; Oxazoles ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

Calcium hydroxide is widely used as disinfectant of root canals recently. The vehicle is a substance which is added into calcium hydroxide to form a paste. It can be classified into water soluble, viscous and oily. Different vehicles for calcium hydroxide may produce different disinfectant effects. Searching for an ideal vehicle for calcium hydroxide is a hot research topic in recent years. This article will make a review on progress in the study of calcium hydroxide in different vehicles.

OBJECTIVETo study the rule of syndrome differentiation in the patients with thoracic diseases at perioperation stage.

METHODSA standard was created referring to the related literature, and it was applied to differentiate the Chinese medicine syndrome in 150 patients before and three days after thoracic operation.

RESULTSBefore operation, Chinese medicine syndromes were as differentiated as phlegm type in 45.3%, blood stasis type in 17.3%, and qi-stagnancy type in 16.0%. The patients with asthenia syndrome markedly increased after operation, accounting for 34.0% (51 patients, including qi-, yin-, and blood-deficiency syndromes). The most frequently seen intermixed syndromes were qi-deficiency with phlegm-stasis syndrome and Pi ()-deficiency with phlegm-dampness syndrome. The intermixed syndromes revealed in 37.5% and 42.0% of the patients before and after operation, respectively.

CONCLUSIONSThe syndrome in the patients with thoracic disease before operation was mostly the excessive syndrome, mainly the phlegm syndrome type; at postoperation stage, Chinese medicine syndrome in patients become asthenia in essence with excessive superficiality, which is mostly revealed as Pi-deficiency with phlegm-dampness.

Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Perioperative Care ; Postoperative Care ; Syndrome ; Thoracic Diseases ; diagnosis ; surgery

Acetylcysteine ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental ; drug therapy ; Magnesium Compounds ; therapeutic use ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

To investigate the Fe2+ effects on root tips in rice plant, experiments were carried out using border cells in vitro. The border cells were pre-planted in aeroponic culture and detached from root tips. Most border cells have a long elliptical shape. The number and the viability of border cells in situ reached the maxima of 1600 and 97.5%, respectively, at 20-25 mm root length. This mortality was more pronounced at the first 1-12 h exposure to 250 mg/L Fe2+ than at the last 12-36 h. After 36 h, the cell viability exposed to 250 mg/L Fe2+ decreased to nought, whereas it was 46.5% at 0 mg/L Fe2+. Increased Fe2+ dosage stimulated the death of detached border cells from rice cultivars. After 4 h Fe2+ treatment, the cell viabilities were > or =80% at 0 and 50 mg/L Fe2+ treatment and were <62% at 150, 250 and 350 mg/L Fe2+ treatment; The viability of border cells decreased by 10% when the Fe2+ concentration increased by 100 mg/L. After 24 h Fe2+ treatment, the viabilities of border cells at all the Fe2+ levels were <65%; The viability of border cells decreased by 20% when the Fe2+ concentration increased by 100 mg/L. The decreased viabilities of border cells indicated that Fe2+ dosage and treatment time would cause deadly effect on the border cells. The increased cell death could protect the root tips from toxic harm. Therefore, it may protect root from the damage caused by harmful iron toxicity.
Iron ; toxicity ; Oryza ; cytology ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Plant Roots ; cytology ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Seedlings ; cytology ; drug effects ; growth & development

OBJECTIVETo provide experimental data for the quality control of processed Paeonia lactiflora, a Chinese herbal medicine.

METHODTraditional processing of P. lactiflora was simulated, content of paeoniflorin and water extracts among different preparations were assayed by HPLC; The quantitative correlations among different processing conditions were analyzed, the effects of processing parameters on the contents of paeoniflorin and water extracts were assayed and analysed.

RESULT AND CONCLUSIONThe controlled processing parameters were correlated with covariables which showed that processing procedures was controllable, and the heating temperature was a factor impacting the content of paeoniflorin.

Caffeic Acids ; analysis ; China ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Ecosystem ; Lycopus ; chemistry ; Plant Components, Aerial ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Reproducibility of Results ; Seasons ; Sensitivity and Specificity

OBJECTIVETo study apoptosis-related gene expression of human villous trophoblasts exposed to 50 Hz magnetic field and to investigate the possible mechanism of human reproductive health effects caused by 50 Hz magnetic field.

METHODSCultured human villous trophoblasts were exposed to 50 Hz magnetic field at 0.4 mT for 6, 48, 72 hours. Gene expressions of Bcl-2, Bax, Caspase-3, p53 and Fas were analyzed using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay.

RESULTSWithin 72 hours, the average fold change for each gene was near 1.00, and there was no significant difference on expression pattern in each gene between exposure and control groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION0.4 mT 50 Hz magnetic field does not affect the apoptosis-related gene expression of human villous trophoblasts in vitro.

Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Humans ; Magnetic Fields ; adverse effects ; Pregnancy ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Trophoblasts ; metabolism ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; metabolism ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; metabolism ; fas Receptor ; metabolism

To investigate the influence of such individual factors as gender, age and tissues in vitro to the postmortem interval (PMI) by the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer in animal experiments. SD rats were classified into male and female groups, different age groups (21-day, 42-day and 63-day group), and tissues in vitro and in vivo groups. The rats were sacrificed by cervical dislocation, whose bodies were kept in a controlled environmental chamber set at (20+/-2) degrees C and 50% humidity. The liver, kidney, spleen, myocardium, brain, lung and skeletal muscle tissues were collected for measurement from time zero to 48 h postmortem. With the change of PMI, no obvious changes were found in the main FTIR absorbance peaks and their ratios at different time points. All the experimental groups showed no significant changes when compared with the controls. The gender, age and tissues in vitro were not found to be contributing factors in the estimation of PMI via FTIR spectroscopy.
Age Factors ; Animals ; Autopsy/methods* ; Brain Chemistry ; Female ; Forensic Pathology/methods* ; Kidney/chemistry* ; Linear Models ; Liver/chemistry* ; Male ; Muscle, Skeletal/chemistry* ; Myocardium/chemistry* ; Postmortem Changes ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sex Factors ; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo investigate the anti-motion sickness efficacy and influence on the blood level of some hormones of a Chinese prescription composed of 10 herbs such as spina date seed.

METHODSAccording to the report by Cramptom and Lucot, SD rats and Beagle dogs were rotated around a horizontal axis, and the rat behavior of pica for Kaolin and the latency to vomit in dog were observed. In addition, guinea pigs were rotated around a vertical axis, and the nystagmus was recorded. Blood levels of corticosterone, adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) in rats were measured with radioimmunoassay. The influences of the extracted mixture of herbs on these variables were simultaneously investigated.

RESULTSCompared with control group, oral administration of the extracted mixture of herbs: (1) significantly inhibited the rat behavior of pica for Kaolin and prolonged the latency to vomit in dog dose-dependently; (2) decreased the frequency of nystagmus and mean slow phase speed in rat; (3) reduced the elevation of corticosterone, ACTH, CRH and AVP in rat blood induced by rotatory stimulation; and (4) these effects of the extracted mixture of herbs were almost identical to dimenhydrinate.

CONCLUSION(1) The extracted mixture of Chinese Medicinal Herbs we used could inhibit motion sickness effectively. (2) This drug could reduce the blood levels of hormones of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis and AVP elevated by provocative rotatory stimulation.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; blood ; Animals ; Arginine Vasopressin ; blood ; Corticosterone ; blood ; Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone ; blood ; Dogs ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Guinea Pigs ; Male ; Motion Sickness ; blood ; drug therapy ; Phytotherapy ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Multidrug resistance of tumors has been a severe obstacle to the success of cancer chemotherapy. The study wants to investigate the reversal effects of imperatorin (IMP) on doxorubicin (DOX) resistance in K562/DOX leukemia cells, A2780/Taxol cells and in NOD/SCID mice, to explore the possible molecular mechanisms. K562/ DOX and A2780/Taxol cells were treated with various concentrations of DOX and Taol with or without different concentrations of IMP, respectively. K562/DOX xenograft model was used to assess anti-tumor effect of IMP combined with DOX. MTT assay, Rhodamine 123 efflux assay, RT-PCR, and Western blot analysis were determined in vivo and in vitro. Results showed that IMP significantly enhanced the cytotoxicity of DOX and Taxol toward corresponding resistance cells. In vivo results illustrated both the tumor volume and tumor weight were significantly decreased after 2-week treatment with IMP combined with DOX compared to the DOX alone group. Western blotting and RT-PCR analyses indicated that IMP downregulated the expression of P-gp in K562/DOX xenograft tumors in NOD/SCID mice. We also evaluated glycolysis and glutamine metabolism in K562/DOX cells by measuring glucose consumption and lactate production. The results revealed that IMP could significantly reduce the glucose consumption and lactate production of K562/DOX cells. Furthermore, IMP could also remarkably repress the glutamine consumption, α-KG and ATP production of K562/DOX cells. Thus, IMP may sensitize K562/DOX cells to DOX and enhance the antitumor effect of DOX in K562/DOX xenograft tumors in NOD/SCID mice. IMP may be an adjuvant therapy to mitigate the multidrug resistance in leukemia chemotherapy.